by Jen L. Grey
"Yes, I am." She lowered her head, and her bottom lip quivered. "Thank you for saving me."
"You're welcome, but any one of us would've done it." I leaned over and gave her a soft hug. As I stood, I met each alpha’s stare. "I'm sorry that this happened. We'll be leaving soon, and hopefully, things will calm down here."
"It's not your fault." Conrad sat next to his mate and nodded his head. "The vampires, in general, have been getting more brazen and unpredictable. This attack is proof of what we've feared all along."
"It won't be like this for much longer." Mason placed his arm around my waist as he stood beside me. "We'll fight to keep your packs safe."
"There's no doubt in my mind that you mean that." Jaxon's gruff voice was filled with emotion. "It's an honor to serve you."
"I agree with my brother." Xavier clapped his brother on the shoulder and smiled. "We've been waiting for a true leader, and even though I doubted you two because you’re so young, I was wrong." He took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders. "And because of that, I would be honored to offer you my beta and other top fighters to go with you."
The last thing I needed was for them to feel obligated to provide help. "You don't have to ..."
"I know, but we want to." Jaxon grinned at me. "I'll go make the arrangement for mine now."
Wow, did you feel that? Mason linked with me. Is that the bond?
The warm tug as more of the packs recognized both of us as their leaders filled my heart. I'd always imagined that my heart couldn't grow any bigger, but each time this happened, I was proven wrong. They recognize you as their alpha too. That's when I knew everything was going to work out as long as we took the vampire prince, Nicholas down.
"I'm sure I can spare one or two as well." Conrad placed his arm around his mate, careful not to jar her wound. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"If you could get someone from your staff to get our things together while we’re on our way back, that would help immensely." We needed to focus on getting home as fast as possible. "Ella, do you mind calling your father and giving him a heads-up?" James and his pack needed to know what they were up against as soon as possible.
"Yeah, on it." Ella pulled her phone out of her bra and headed to the front door.
"What can I do to help?" Louis stood tall and looked at both Mason and me.
"You, dear prince, are excused from all of this." I loved that he’d asked, but with him being the heir to the European kingdom, anything he'd be involved with here would cause problems back home. I didn't need King Adelmo to dislike me even more than he already seemed to.
"No, I'm going to help." Louis took a step toward me, challenging me to stop him from being a part of this fight. "With all due respect, this is my mate's family. There is no way in hell I'd be willing to sit back and let something bad happen to them."
"It could cause problems for you at home." I didn't want to risk another issue being linked back to me. It was obvious both he and his father had issues.
"I wasn't planning on going back home anyway." Louis squared his shoulders at me and then averted his eyes to the ground, submitting to me.
Another warm spot tugged at my soul. "Do you know what you just did?" I couldn't believe it, but damn, he was strong. This was something that the link alerted me to even though it didn't make me care for the stronger ones any more than the weaker ones. We needed a balance of both in order to have a healthy society.
He submitted to us. Mason’s voice was a surprised whisper in my head. He does love my sister.
"Yeah." Louis's phone rang in his pocket. "And there’s my dad." He pulled out the phone and pressed clear. "I'll deal with him later. We need to get moving."
"Let's move out." Kassie poked her head into the house and glanced at me. "Everyone is ready and rolling."
"It is time." I looked back at Jaxon and Xavier. "Please let your men know where to meet us. It'll be the private section of the airport. Please send me their names as soon as you have everything lined up. That way they won't have to go through extensive security."
"Got it." Jaxon nodded.
Mason and I turned to walk out of the house when I stopped. I glanced over my shoulder and smiled at the four of them. "And thank you. We'll do everything possible to protect them."
Within two hours, we were on the plane and taking off back to our real home. As promised, three of Jaxon’s men arrived, and Xavier had sent two. That was five more strong fighters than we wouldn't have had otherwise.
I sat in Mason’s lap at the very front of the plane, in one of the reclining seats, facing forward. This special seating had made this my favorite plane out of the small fleet that I had at my disposal. Mason’s arms were wrapped around me, and I laid my head back against his chest, pretending to watch the big flat screen in front of us.
Ella said Dad and the rest are okay. He squeezed my waist where the vampire had bitten me. Luckily, I healed faster than a normal wolf or he’d been upset.
He lowered his eyes to see my face. How come I can never feel your emotions?
What do you mean? The random question pulled me away from my negative thoughts.
I should be able to feel you, all of you this strong all the time. Not only in spurts and at random times. Mason gave me a sad smile and licked his lips. I thought maybe everything I had heard was wrong, but when I talked to Ella, she said she can feel Louis’s emotions. They both feel each other strongly even though they haven't completed their bond.
I ... I don't know. Could something be wrong with our bond? I'd never even considered it until now.
Ella thought maybe you’d turned it off when you were in danger, so I didn't worry. He pursed his lips and took in a breath. But it’s intermittent with no rhyme or reasoning. Sometimes, when you’re super emotional, I feel you; while others times, it’s like something is blocking you.
So ... what are you saying? For the first time in my life, I feared what his next words were going to be.
Nothing. His emerald eyes scanned mine. I just didn't know if you knew why. No matter what, it doesn't change what I feel for you. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me. Nothing and no one could ever change that.
Even though his words were meant to be comforting, it still didn't quash the thoughts running through my mind. What if something was wrong? All my life, I'd tried to cut myself off from my emotions or feelings of any kind. It made just existing easier, but what if it now had some kind of adverse effect on our relationship.
Hey, I'm sorry. With his free hand, he reached up and touched my face. If I'd known this would upset you, I wouldn't have said anything.
No, it's fine. The last thing I wanted was for him to keep things hidden from me. I'm just curious whether it has something to do with me. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, focusing on where I felt our bond. The connection obviously wasn't physical, but there was a spot where I felt his presence more so than anyone else. I'd always been closed off; what if I tried opening it somehow? Could it be that simple?
I kept my eyes shut, focusing on our joined hands and his fingertips on my cheek. I loved him so damn much, and I'd love for him to be able to feel it. I tried pushing my feelings forward, which felt so unnatural. However, after a second of persistence, the warm spot began to sync with my heartbeat. Before I could even register the change, I’d connected completely with Mason.
How'd you do that?
When my eyes opened, I found him staring into mine. The magnitude of his feelings for me made me dizzy. I ... I don't know.
It was as if we were one except for the parts that made each of us truly unique. I think … maybe I was blocking us somehow.
I tilted my head up and brushed his lips with mine. The feeling was indescribable as we felt each other's inner thoughts. You didn't have to do that.
No, I wanted to. My entire life, I'd thought that keeping people at a distance was the only way to survive. It had made me strong, and now I was finally able to see that I h
ad been wrong. Yes, those connections made me weak but also so much stronger in every way that counted.
One of his hands landed on my thigh and inched up my dress.
"No." Ella's head appeared right above ours, and she arched an eyebrow as she took us in. "If Louis and I can't get it on, you can't either."
"Dear God." Mason removed his hand and growled. "The last thing I want to think about is you and him getting it on."
"And the last thing I want to see is you and Elena getting it on." She tilted her head to the side and raised both eyebrows. "Got it?"
Even though she was giving us hell, there was something off in her face. Her features were strained. "I think you made it crystal clear." I gave her a small smile and patted Mason's hand. "Why don't you go check on Jaxon and Xavier's men?"I want to talk to her alone for a second.
He glanced back at his sister and then nodded. Fine, but this isn't over. It's only because I love her that I'm willing to part with you right now."I'll be back in a few minutes."
I forced myself to stand so Mason could climb out of the seat.
Mason ran his hands down my body as he got to his feet and pointed to his seat. "Keep it warm for me?"
“Most definitely.” I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him.
He growled as he walked away and mumbled, “She’s always interrupting us.”
As she sat in the chair next to me, I could see the uneasiness in her face.
"Are you okay?" It was a stupid question, but I wasn't quite sure how else to bring this up.
"Of course not." She leaned her head back on the headrest and sighed. "I'm torn."
"Between Louis and Alec?"
"Yes." She huffed and dropped her hands into her lap.
"But Louis is your mate, right?" I wasn't quite sure how she could be torn if that was the case.
"I don't mean that." She took in a deep breath and rolled her neck, stretching out the knots. "I fought my attraction for Louis, thinking it was some fluke when we first got here, but the more time we spent together, the more the bastard grew on me."
"And ..."
"Even though I dreamed of Alec saying all those things to me, when it happened, it was all too late." She glanced behind us at Louis, who was sitting next to Jaxon's beta. He was about the same age as Louis, and they were laughing at something on his phone. "But how can I be happy and want to finally commit myself to him when Alec is in danger? I'm a horrible person."
"You are not." Now I got it, and I understood it all too well. "You're allowed to be happy. It's something I'm coming to grips with myself. Louis is the other half to you. It's only natural for you to be drawn to him and want to be with him." I touched her hand with mine and gave her a sad smile. "It's not like you're saying ‘screw Alec, just let the vampire drain him.’"
"Really? That's what someone would say?" A genuine smile spread across her face, and she snorted.
"Okay, you're much better at the theatrics than me." I lifted both hands in surrender.
"You hussy," she exclaimed as she pushed my shoulder.
"But it's okay to be happy even when you're sad or worried." The last thing she needed to do was carry around this guilt like I had for the past twelve years. "It doesn't mean that you love the person less or aren’t worried about them. Just because I'm the happiest I've been for a very long time with you and Mason by my side doesn't mean I love my parents less."
She paused for a moment as if considering my thoughts.
"And we're going to save him as soon as we get back on the ground." There was no way I'd allow both her and Mason to lose someone that important to them. I'd do anything in my power to make sure he came back home safe and sound.
As if on cue, the attendant walked over to me and smiled. "Queen Elena, we're getting ready to land. I'll let the others know, but make sure to buckle up."
The irony of the last few words settled upon me. We had all better get ready to buckle up. We had a vampire to kill.
Chapter Sixteen
As we climbed out of the plane, we spotted Tommy and a few of the other guards already there, waiting for us.
Kassie was in the front of our group and hurried straight to him. A slow smile spread across his face, which struck me as odd. Maybe they were finally getting past their differences.
"Are the cars here?" We needed to get to James and fast. Do you mind checking in with your dad?
On it. Mason pulled his phone from his pocket and stepped a few feet away.
"Yes, My Queen." Tommy bowed his head and took a step to the side, pointing at the airport doors. "We've rented three large vehicles."
"Let me guess, Suburbans?" Ella rolled her eyes before she focused on mine. "Like, where are all the limos and stuff."
"Limos make you an immediate target." Tommy scanned the area, looking for any signs of threats. "Suburbans are big and sturdy."
"All it takes is almost losing your life in a car wreck to not care if you ride in true luxury." Kassie had a blunt way with words and putting things into perspective quickly.
"I didn't mean ..." Ella’s face turned a shade pale when the words sunk in.
"How about this?" The last thing I needed was her feeling worse than she already did. "When this is all over and we get to go to some kind of banquet or party, we'll rent one for the entire night."
"No, it's fine." She pouted, and her shoulders slumped.
"That's when we’ll do it." I hadn't ever planned on it. Still, it wouldn't hurt to spoil ourselves for one night once it was safe. I took her hand and pursed my lips. "Sorry, no isn't an option."
"Dad's fine," Mason said as he headed back to us. "They haven't heard anything from the vampires."
"That's odd." Ella frowned and shook her head. "How are we supposed to find Alec?"
"They’re playing head games." Louis joined our circle and took Ella's hand. "The vampire wants to mess with you." His gaze landed on me.
"Of course he does." It's not like we had enough going on or anything. "Just like I'm the only one able to smell him." This guy was a huge pain in the ass and reveled in being one.
Three of my guards approached Tommy with their bags on their backs. The youngest one smiled and bowed his head. "My Queen."
"Thank you all for coming." This was something they didn't have to do. "Your loyalty is noted."
"We've got five more men." Mason turned, pointing at the fighters Jaxon and Xavier had loaned to us. "So three should be enough."
"The longer we stay here, the more of a target we become." Mona strolled over to us. She'd been the last one off the plane.
"She's right." Kassie nodded. "Let's go. Tommy, Mona, and I will ride in the same vehicle as you, Mason, Ella, and Louis. I don't care how the others split up."
"Fred." Tommy glanced over his shoulder at the three guards behind him. "The rest of you split up in the other two vehicles. We need to head out. Get our king and queen to a secure location."
"Let's go." Mason took my hand, and we headed in the direction of the car in front. "Ella and Louis, come on."
Kassie and Tommy took the lead while Mona stayed behind us. All three of them were scanning the surroundings even more intensely than they usually did, and that was saying something. I expected the vampires to appear in hordes right here, in front of the humans.
As we made it to the car, Tommy headed to the driver's seat.
"Uh, no." Kassie stepped in front of him, effectively cutting him off.
"What?" His eyebrows lifted as he narrowed his eyes on Kassie.
"I drive." Kassie snatched the keys out of his hand and quickly climbed into the car, starting the engine.
"Okay then." Tommy stood there and blinked a few times.
"Next time, I bet she'll even go as far as to pee on the steering wheel." Ella glanced at me and nodded her head. "If that wasn't territorial, I don't know what else could be."
“What is it with you and peeing on things?” Even though I had to agree with her. “Louis better watch out.”
"It's fine." Tommy let out a long breath and scowled at us. "Get in the car."
"I wonder how many times we can get them to say get in the car." Ella leaned into Louis and pursed her lips. "I'd say we could get to fifty if we tried."
"Yeah?" A rare smile spread across his face, and his gray eyes sparkled. "I think maybe more than that. Let's go with sixty-two, but no peeing, okay?”
"That's oddly precise." Ella tilted her head, and strands of her hair blew against Louis. “And no promises. If one hussy looks at you, I may just have to bite you.”
“Hussy? There aren’t any women hussier than you.” He grinned and leaned over to kiss her cheek.
It wasn't until that very moment that I realized her blonde hair was only a few shades lighter than his.
"And that's how you make others nervous." Louis stepped closer to her and looked at her as though he didn't see anyone else in the world. "You have to be precise to knock them off their game. It's an intimidation tactic."
Now, I realized why Ella always complained about Mason and me being sickeningly sweet.
“For the love of God, Louis.” Mason pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. “Hussy doesn’t mean beautiful girl. It means an immoral girl.”
“Well, that does fit after what you did to me in that office.” Louis winked at Ella.
"Uh. Okay, it’s time to move." Mason's face lined with anger as he stared at the two of them. "If you don't get your asses in the car, I'll do it for you."
"What the hell?" Ella’s hazel eyes flashed with anger.
"You can't talk to her like that." Louis stepped in front of Ella.
We didn't have time for this bullshit. "Look, I get that you guys have found each other, and I'm glad. Really, I am, but do you want something to happen to her?" I pointed around to show him how out in the open we were. "We have a vampire stalking us who has even kidnapped one of our own. Get your ass in the damn car."
"She's right." Ella got into the car and climbed into the backseat.
Mona climbed into the front passenger side, leaving Tommy glancing at the two middle seats in the back.