Red Eclipse

by McKayla Schutt

  Olsen’s hand stopped moving, Alia opened her eyes to look up at him. She heard his heart skip a beat before speeding up. Alia raised her eyebrow. She locked eyes with him, he placed his finger to his lips. With one nod of her head, fear filled her body. Worry took over her every sane thought, fear the seekers were here to take her back to the coven and kill her. No, I just wanted one freaking night! She took in a deep breath as she sat up and stretched her sore muscles. Her strength dwindled down from all the sex. In a heartbeat, the room was plunged into darkness, making Alia jump.

  “Lux,” she muttered, while she held her palm level, facing toward the ceiling. A small ball of light hovered above her hand. The lunar effect overpowered her magic, giving her a deeper well of strength than normal. Olsen bent over and shifted into his wolf-form, dark red hair covered his body like the beautiful locks in his human-form. She had never seen anything so majestic in her life, the way his stunning eyes glistened in the low light.

  The sound of glass shattering broke her eye contact with Olsen. Hopping off the bed, Olsen grabbed a robe hanging on the door with his teeth and set it down in front of Alia. Quickly, she pulled it on, causing her light to go out. She repeated the spell, the light came back on. Alia squeaked the moment she saw a brown-haired wolf in Olsen’s hallway.

  The mystery wolf lunged at Olsen, knocking him into the wooden bedpost. Blood and fur flew onto the sheets. She didn’t know what to do. If she casted a spell, she may hurt Olsen, and she didn’t want that. Olsen’s back leg landed on a pillow, making his balance falter. They slid off the bed, Olsen hit his head on the floor, knocking him out instantly. The wolf leaned down, about to wrap his large mouth around Olsen’s neck.

  “Prohibere!” Alia screamed, the wolf froze with the exception of his eyes. Fear filled the wolf’s dark orbs. One hand held the light while the other palm faced the frozen wolf. She lifted the hand holding the wolf frozen. As she raised her hand, the wolf moved away from the floor. Even with the extra strength of the red eclipse, Alia felt weak. Not wanting to lose all of her strength, she lifted her hand up, then down in quick succession. The wolf hit the ceiling hard, then the ground, knocking him out a few inches away from Olsen. Alia sighed with relief after she stopped the freezing spell. She shook her arms, plunging the room into darkness. Even with the eclipse helping, Alia felt drained from using magic.

  “Olsen, wake up.” Alia kneeled down next to him, but he didn’t move. She placed both hands on him, trying to find a pulse. Panic filled her body as she searched for a way to make sure he was alive. She placed one hand next to his nose, and his breath tickled her palm. She relaxed a little. “Please, wake up!” Shaking his body, this time he took in a sharp breath, but didn’t open his eyes.

  Alia glanced quickly at the mystery wolf to see his closed eyes, she pulled the robe tight as she searched for her clothes. After finding the shirt and pants but no underwear, she yanked them on. She hunted for her underwear for a minute but couldn’t find them. Maybe if I turn on the lights, I’ll be able to see better. Ever since that one awful night from her past, she had a thing about never going commando again. She pulled at her strength and headed outside to search for the power box. After ten minutes of searching, she found a problem she couldn’t fix. The intruder had torn apart the cables which led to the box. She sighed, re-entered the house, and repeated her light spell so she could see better. If she were at her apartment, she wouldn’t have needed it. When she entered the room, a growl made her stop mid-stride. The mystery wolf stood on top of Olsen’s bed, facing her. Shit, I didn’t manage to knock him out.

  Her eyes darted to Olsen. His eyes fluttered open, then closed. He seemed to be struggling to get up. The intruder growled once more, then lunged for her. Alia screamed and ran for the front door. She barely reached the living room when his mouth latched onto the back of her leg, pain shot through her system. She fell over and turned to face the wolf as he released his grip. Pain fueled her anger as she looked into the wolf’s eyes.

  “Ignis totalis.” Alia didn’t think as she set the bastard on fire. She held both hands up, palms facing him, as she repeated the spell. A howl broke the silence as fire started along the intruder’s back and moved to his belly. The bastard ran into the wall, trying to stop the flame. The wolf shook and scratched at the ground. Alia focused on the fire, as pain spread through her body, making her hand shake.

  The wolf collapsed onto the floor and didn’t move anymore. Alia closed her hands, and the fire vanished. Her whole body burned, causing Alia to scream in pain. The sight of Olsen in his human-form filled her view.

  “Alia, stay with me,” he pleaded. Alia tried to keep her eyes open, but the pain grew and she slipped in and out of consciousness. A flash of heat hit her body, rolling side to side, she tried to cool down, but nothing worked. She ended up on her stomach, a small wave of power rolled under her skin.

  The crack of bones filled the halls, Alia barely realized her bones breaking and elongating. She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes, her body changed. What the hell is happening to me? The sound of fabric tearing rang in Alia’s ears. A wave of heat covered her body from the tips of her toes, to the very top of her head. The agony finally stopped, and when she opened her eyes, her eye line was higher than before. She looked down at her hands; she saw fur. Panic filled her body as she realized what happened.

  I can’t be a freaking werewolf. I’m a bloody witch!

  Chapter Ten

  Olsen

  “BREATHE, ALIA. IF YOU want to shift back, you need to calm down.” Her eyes widened as she took a shallow breath. “Now, when you have calmed down, picture yourself as you looked like a few minutes ago.” The scent of fear rolled off Alia’s body. He had no idea a witch could become a werewolf and wondered if her magical-side would still be present. Olsen moved to face her, and placed his hands on her snout. He was damn happy she wasn’t dead. The shear dread had consumed him for a few minutes while she writhed in pain on his floor. The thought of her being dead right after they had completed the mating bond made his chest hurt.

  Alia nodded, then closed her eyes and her body shook under his hands. After a few tries to get her breathing under control, her body shrunk down into her human-form. Alia gasped for a breath as she huddled on the floor.

  “This can’t be possible!”

  “Did he bite you?” Olsen asked, her eyes met his and she nodded. “That’s how werewolves are made. Well, if you aren’t born a wolf like Paden and I.”

  “I killed him. Didn’t I?” she asked as she grabbed at her throat. Olsen looked over to the burned wolf lying at the end of the hall. Its charred flesh singed at his nose, making it hard to focus on any other scent in his home.

  “I think so. I don’t hear his heartbeat.” Olsen scratched the back of his head. He had no idea how to help her. She placed her head on the floor, the smell of salt water hit Olsen’s senses.

  “He would have killed you if you hadn’t killed him.” Olsen wasn’t sure if it would help calm her down, but it was worth a shot. Her sobs became worse, so he pulled her onto his lap.

  “I’m a bad person. I swore I wouldn’t do it again.” She sobbed.

  Again? She has killed someone before? He wasn’t sure he heard her right through all the crying. Olsen let her cry against him. He had killed a few wolves in battle, but the first one took its toll.

  “I’m here for you.” Olsen kissed her head.

  “If you knew what I did, you wouldn’t want me, Olsen.”

  He lifted her chin, placing a kiss on her forehead before making her look him in the eye. “You’re my mate, Alia. I’m bound to you forever. You can trust me and tell me all your secrets, fears, and hopes. I will share your burdens and achievements. I’m strong and will make you even stronger.”

  Alia nibbled her lip while she listened to him. “I haven’t been able to trust anyone in years.”

  He saw the sadness in her eyes.

  “Well, that changes today.” He paused. “Let’s get some
sleep and talk in the morning.” He lifted her into his arms, took her into his bed, and pulled the covers over her naked body. Having her close brought him comfort, and his wolf had finally settled down. Her head rested on his chest. Her beautiful citrus scent now mixed with fear, sending waves of concern through Olsen. She rubbed one of her fingers along his light happy trail.

  “Before you decide to trust me, you deserve to hear my story. If you're truly my mate, then it puts your life in danger.” She paused, took a deep breath and looked up at him. “When a witch turns eighteen in my coven, you cast a few spells on your birthday, and the coven accepts you as a member. I had passed the test, and they welcomed me. That night, a man came into my room and tried to force himself on me, saying this was the last test and if I used magic, I would fail.” Her gaze sank toward his chest.

  “I was so angry, I killed him and ran away, trying my hardest not to use magic. The man I killed is a magical seeker. Others like him have been following me, trying to bring me back to the coven. I heard they want to kill me in front of the coven to show they can’t be messed with.” Olsen let her words sink in. Rage filled his mind at the idea of someone forcing themselves on his mate. A wave of pride followed the rage, he was glad she had been able to stop the scum from hurting her. He needed to protect her, she was now his top priority. He absentmindedly rubbed her back, which helped bring his wolf back to reality. His wolf had fun imagining the death for the seeker by his own hands instead of Alia’s.

  “Let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow we can come up with a plan to keep you safe after we get some rest.” She nodded and kissed him. He cuddled with her until she fell asleep. Quietly, he stood and found his phone on the floor in his pants pocket.

  “Hello.” Aiden answered the call after two rings. Aiden’s punctual personality came in handy most day.

  “9-1-1, one dead at my house. Let Derrick know.” Olsen looked down at the hunter’s human-form on the ground. Burn marks covered most of his flesh. “The hunter is dead.”

  “Rodger that.” The line died and Olsen returned to his room.

  What am I going to do with this mess? Olsen stood there waiting for his friend to come collect the dead wolf in his hallway. With what Alia had told him, he wouldn’t be leaving her side if he could help it. After waiting about ten minutes, Aiden walked over the broken glass door.

  “Dude, what happened?” Aiden scratched his bald head. His blue eyes caught a glimpse of Alia, and Olsen resisted the urge to close the door. Olsen turned to him as Aiden leaned over the hunter.

  “My mate’s a witch who is pretty bad ass with magic.” Olsen puffed out his chest with pride.

  “Her scent is different than any witch I have smelled.” Aiden looked around the corner to see Olsen’s mate fast asleep on his bed.

  “The hunter bit her; I don’t even know if she will be a witch anymore after tonight.” Olsen shrugged. Her being alive made him happy.

  “Damn, she survived the change?” Aiden looked back into the bedroom with a smirk of interest. As best friends, they often picked up women together, except for Viki. A surge of rage filled his body toward his friend. The new feeling completely caught him off-guard. He didn’t get aggressive toward his best friend. Even as pups they’d shared every damn thing, even girls, when they grew and gained interest. Olsen walked into the room and covered her body with a bed sheet. Werewolves are used to being in the nude, but he didn’t want Aiden to be staring at his beautiful mate.

  “Yep.” Aiden looked at the hunter’s body again. The smell of burned flesh still lingered in the air, but it wasn’t as strong as earlier.

  “You’re one lucky son-of-a-bitch. I can’t believe she survived the change as a witch.” Aiden shook his head while grabbing the lifeless body and tossing him over his shoulder.

  “Yes. Yes, I am.” Olsen turned his gaze toward his mate, who rolled over in her sleep. He couldn’t keep his eyes off her. She was like a magnet for his gaze.

  “I’ll take him to Derrick’s house. He will want a report; you know that right?”

  “I do. Tell him I will be over to explain soon.”

  Aiden nodded before he walked out the front door. Olsen closed it behind him and returned to his mate. She wrapped her body into his, he let his body relax, taking in her new scent.

  Chapter Eleven

  Alia

  THE SEEKER’S MENACING dark eyes locked on Alia. He pinned her down, Alia struggled, but she slowly lost the battle. One of his hands came down onto her mouth to keep her from screaming. Alia bit down hard on the hand covering her lips. Anger filled the male’s eyes before he slapped her, the contact smeared his blood on her cheek.

  He adjusted his position and gave Alia an edge to get her hand free. The male’s body caught fire, and he backed off her, screaming. There wasn’t a conscious thought running through her head as flames engulfed the seeker’s body. After a few moments, his body collapsed in a heap of burnt flesh at the foot of her bed with his eyes glazed over. Alia moved over to the lifeless body and she screamed. I killed him!

  “Alia, you’re okay. I’m here.” Olsen’s voice called out, waking Alia from her nightmare of that awful night. Sweat covered her body and her hands shook. Olsen pulled her into his lap to help calm her down. The sun peered through the blinds. Alia didn’t see anything in the hall and wondered if the body had been moved as she slept.

  “I need to go. I need to move again.”

  “Slow down. We can talk about this before we make any rash decisions.” Olsen rubbed her back. She looked up into his eyes.

  “If they find me, I’m dead.” She paused as she bit her lip. “I don’t know if I can even do magic now. I can’t protect myself, let alone you, from the seekers.” Oh, shit. I’m a werewolf! He cupped her face, rubbing his thumb across her cheek.

  “I can protect you. Last night the bastard got lucky. I won’t let it happen again.”

  “How can you be so sure?” Alia’s head spun. She didn’t want to be on the run anymore, but she didn’t want to put Olsen in danger. Alia barely knew the man, yet she had a strong pull to protect him. Maybe it’s the same feeling he has right now. The thought reassured her that it was all because of the mating bond. Mate. I have a mate. Holy crap. She didn’t know how exactly to express her feelings, but she knew if she ran away would be fucking painful.

  “Like I said last night, you’re my mate. No matter if you’re human, werewolf, witch, or vampire, I will protect you.” Olsen kissed her.

  A wave of peace filled her stressed out mind. Maybe he can protect me. The idea of laying in his bed for days, while he fucked her senseless, filled her mind. The magic you used last night is like a big signal for the seekers.

  “Well then, you will have to choose me or your pack. All the magic I did saving you the night before, and the magic I did last night, will lead them here.” She knew damn well the eclipse would only magnify the signal for the seekers to find. Hell, they could be close now.

  “What if I can have both?”

  Alia looked at him. She tried very hard to be calm, but from where she stood, her mate was being ignorant about the danger.

  “How?” Every fiber of her being wanted it to be simple. Maybe he really can protect me. Or maybe I’m being naïve.

  “Get dressed. You get to meet our alpha.”

  “Fine.” She stood and realized her clothes were destroyed last night when she became a werewolf. Alia turned on her heels to face Olsen.

  “Don’t worry, I have clothes that will fit those beautiful curves of yours.” He stood and walked to his closet. “My sister leaves a few outfits over here just in case. Soon, I’ll have baby clothes stored too.” He shook his head as he pulled out a small suitcase.

  “Here they are. You pick while I make breakfast.” Olsen kissed her head, then walked out of the room. Alia took a deep, cleansing breath before she moved to the clothes. She found two shirts, two pairs of pants, and a summer dress. Alia wanted to be comfortable, so she grabbed the fabric. Try as she m
ight, her love handles were too big for the small jeans. Damn! Paden is freaking skinny when she isn’t pregnant!

  With a sigh of discontent, she grabbed the black flower dress and pulled it on. The dress fit snug on her wider form, but didn’t pinch her like she expected. Alia looked in the mirror and saw the white fabric of her underwear under the bed. She turned and grabbed them, feeling a bit of relief. Alia pulled them on then glanced at herself in the full-length mirror.

  “You look good.”

  Alia glanced up from her reflection to meet Olsen’s blue gaze in the mirror. “A little tighter than I like, but it will do.” She turned to face him.

  “I always liked women with meat on their bones.” He pinned her body against the mirror hanging on the wall.

  “We should probably eat breakfast.” Her breath quickened. A sudden urge to have him inside her coursed through her body.

  “We have a few minutes to spare.” He wrapped his hands around her waist, lifting the dress up. His index finger looped around her underwear and pulled them down. Alia bit her lip the moment her panties hit the floor, careful to step out of them.

  Olsen’s toned muscles bulged as he removed his black robe, sending a shiver through Alia’s body. He grabbed her hips to lift her against the wall with ease. His cock needed no guidance as he plunged deep inside her.

  “Oh my...” Alia moaned, leaning her head back. Olsen nibbled on her exposed neckline. For a moment, he kept her full with his swollen cock.

  “All mine,” he whispered. Olsen picked a sudden fast pace, and bounced Alia’s body against his cock. How can this feel so damn good? Within moments, she was close to her finish. He picked up his speed while his canines dug into her extra-sensitive flesh, and sent her over the edge. Her orgasm rippled under her skin as it pulled her soul closer to Olsen. As she came down, Olsen’s cock throbbed with his finish. He growled next to her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. His lips found hers while still deep inside her.