Rebecca and Zaire (Manchester Pack Book 1)

by Christina Escue

  “Colton,” she answers and smiles sadly. “I named him after the father he will never know.”

  “It’s a great honor to be named for one so brave,” I tell her.

  “How did you know he was a male?” Rae asks and I look at her in confusion. “Santha never mentioned the pup was a male, neither of us did, yet you knew.”

  “I sensed it,” I tell her honestly.

  “Like you sensed Santha’s sadness isn’t for her fallen mate?” Rae asks, and glances around them. “How did you know that?”

  “I’m not sure,” I answer. “Since coming here, I have been more attuned to people, and on several occasions I have picked up on their feelings, their emotions.”

  “You’re an empath,” Rae breaths out then shudders. “This is why your father is wanting you back so much.”

  “What?” I ask, having no idea what she’s talking about.

  “Your mother, she was a Grant, correct?”

  “Yes. She was a member of the last generation of the Norrison pack,” I answer her, and she gasps softly.

  “How much do you know about your mother’s people?” She asks, and I tilt my head.

  “Not much,” I answer. “But I’m assuming you know about them.”

  “I do, and so does Lucas,” she answers and looks at her mate. “But it is something we can discuss at another time.”

  “Yes,” I reply, and look at Zaire, who is staring at me. The heat in his eye is unmistakable, and I have to stop myself from squirming from it. Turning from him before I combust, I focus on Santha again. “Would you like to sit with us?”

  “I am not pack leadership,” she responds, and I shake my head.

  “You will be my guest,” I tell her and look at Rae, who smiles softly and nods. “Come, join us.”

  “Yeah, okay,” Santha responds and lays her hand on her pup’s head again.

  “May I hold him?” I ask, and she looks at me apprehensively. “Don’t be afraid to tell me no. I’m not going to be upset if you do.”

  “It’s just, he’s only three months old, and other than the pack physician, and our current mistress, he’s not been held by anyone other than me and Colton’s mother.”

  “I understand,” I tell her and lay my hand on her arm again. “Like I said, don’t be afraid to tell me no.”

  “You will make a wonderful mistress to this pack,” she tells me and smiles softly.

  “I hope I can be more than that to the pack,” I say, and she looks at me curiously. “I hope to become friends with the pack members, too.”

  “I am sure we will be great friends,” Santha tells me. “Thank you for coming to me.”

  “Thank you for talking to me,” I tell her as we stop at the table we are supposed to be sitting at. I take a deep breath and turn to face all the pack females. “I hope you all will come to accept me as not just the pack mistress, but also as a friend. I come from a completely different kind of pack, and never truly belonged there. I feel as this is where I belong, where I’m needed, and I thank the Fates for leading me here.”

  “We welcome you to the Manchester pack,” Rae says and pulls me into a hug. While she’s holding me, she leans forward and whispers in my ear. “You are doing brilliantly.”

  “Thank you,” I whisper back then pull away so I can face everyone else. “Now, ladies, let’s eat.”

  “Yes,” Rae says and smiles at everyone as we take our seats and plates of food are placed in front of us.

  Over the next hour, I talk to and meet all the females in the pack. I’m not surprised to discover we have a few humans scattered amongst us, but I am surprised to find there are a couple of females with other supernatural abilities sprinkled around.

  “It is time,” Rae says, pulling me out of my musings after meeting a lady who is half witch, half shifter. I look up and see Lucas and Zaire standing a few feet away between two very large Texas Ash trees. Zaire smiles at me, and Lucas nods as I rise to my feet and move toward them with Rae beside me.

  “Welcome, everyone,” Lucas says loudly and looks out at the pack, who has moved in closer so they can witness this. “We are here tonight to celebrate the mating of my son, and your future alpha, to the one the Fates and our native ancestors has chosen for him. Seeing as my son’s lovely mate is not a native of the Manchester pack, I have the spiritual binding vows written out for her to read.”

  Lucas smiles at me and hands me an index card. I look at the words written on it, and smile. His handwriting is small, but very neat.

  “Thank you,” I say softly and look at Zaire.

  “Once the vows are spoken, Zaire and Rebecca will shift and take their leave from us. Everyone, please feel free to stay and enjoy the rest of the food,” Lucas tells them all, then looks at Zaire and I. “Zaire, you may begin.”

  Zaire takes a deep breath, then reaches out and intertwines his fingers with mine before he starts talking.

  “You are the one fate has chosen for me. You are the one who tames my beast, and brings peace to my life. You are the beat in my heart, and the breath in my lungs. In this lifetime, and all that will come, in any version of reality; my soul will seek solace within yours. My mate, my heart, my soul; no matter what this life places in our path, we will overcome it as one. In a thousand lifetimes, in a thousand worlds; I would find you and I would choose you,” he says the words written on the little card Lucas handed me, but then he continues with words of his own. “Rebecca, my little she-wolf, I wasn’t looking for a mate when I stumbled across you in that clearing, but from the moment my wolf caught your scent, I knew you and I were meant to be one. You, my sweet Rebecca, are my soul.”

  When he finishes speaking, everyone sighs and turns their attention to me.

  Taking a deep breath, I repeat the sacred vows of his ancestors, then smile at him. “When I fled my father’s home, I was looking for solace in the lands of my mother’s people, but instead, I found my solace in your arms. You, Zaire, may not have been the reason I was drawn to this region, but you are the reason I will never leave it. From the moment you touched me, my wolf connected with you, and I never want to be without you again.”

  “I love you, Rebecca,” he says and pulls me closer to him.

  “And I love you, Zaire,” I respond, almost silently. The look in his eyes sets my body ablaze with need, and it takes all my willpower not to jump into his arms and kiss him mindlessly.

  “Now, it is time for Zaire and Rebecca to shift and make their way to the sacred spot so they can complete the mating bond,” Lucas says and Zaire grins.

  “Ready?” He asks, and I nod. “Y’all are in for a treat. Rebecca is the first snow-white wolf to join us.”

  “White?” Rae asks, and looks at me like she did when she found out I was a Norrison ancestor.

  “Yes,” Lucas says, and I catch a twinkle in his eyes.

  “What aren’t you telling me?” I ask softly, but Lucas shakes his head.

  “Tomorrow,” he tells me, and I narrow my eyes for a second then shift my focus to Zaire, who is looking as confused as I am.

  “You two go and finish forging the bond. Everything else can wait,” Rae says, and I nod.

  Trying not to let whatever they’re keeping from us bother me, I shift seamlessly and let my wolf out for all to see.

  Zaire shifts beside me, and gives me a wolfy grin before he yips and darts through the trees.

  I look at everyone one more time before following him to the place our lives will join for eternity.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Zaire

  As I speed through the forest to the sacred mating ground, I contemplate what my parents were talking about. They’re keeping something from Rebecca and I, and I want to know what it is.

  When I reach the edge of the circle of land my pack considers the sacred ground, I stop and wait for Rebecca to catch up with me. A moment later, she’s beside me, and my wolf howls in happiness. We will be one in just a little while, and he is anticipating the taste of her.
<
br />   She nuzzles the side of my neck with her snout and I lean down and lay my head on hers for a moment before kissing her nose and shifting.

  She shifts seconds after I do, and I smile down at her.

  “We are completely alone here,” I tell her as I take her hand and lead her into the middle of the circular shaped clearing. “The pack enforcers made sure the area was clear, and have set up a perimeter around it. The only way in is the way we came, and enforcers will be guarding that path until I send them a message that we’ve left.”

  “Okay,” she says and looks around us.

  “We don’t have to have sex here, Rebecca. The blood exchange needs to happen here, but we can return to our home after that.”

  “I’ve heard the blood exchange is better if it happens while having sex,” she says, and I nod.

  “It is, but if you’re uncomfortable having sex here, we don’t have to. We can complete the mating here then go home. We can exchange blood again there, but the spirits require the first exchange to happen here.”

  “Kiss me, Zaire,” she mutters softly, and I smile.

  “My pleasure,” I say and step to her. I wrap my arms around her and dip my head down to claim her lips.

  As soon as our lips meet, the kiss engulfs us, and we are consumed by the heat of it.

  Cupping her ass, I lift her off the ground and her legs instantly wrap around me. The smell of her arousal assaults my senses and I groan into her mouth as I press my erection against her.

  Breaking the kiss, I lower us to the blanket the enforcers spread out earlier to cover the soft ground, then cover her with my body.

  “Yes,” she breathes, and I nearly howl in relief. I wasn’t sure I could wait to be inside her again.

  Instead of undressing her, I shove her dress up and over her hips, and rip the crotch out of her delicate, white silk panties. She’d just bought them this morning, but I will buy her more tomorrow.

  I bend and latch my mouth on her and let my animal take over. I want every part of her, and I want it now.

  “Zaire!” She nearly screams my name as my tongue dances across her clit. Her first orgasm hits hard, but I don’t let up. After her second hits, I raise my head and lick my lips as I quickly shed my clothes and slide between her legs.

  When I slide into her, I feel my fangs elongate, and I don’t rein my wolf in this time.

  “Yes,” she breaths out and closes her eyes as the sensations of our bodies joining overtakes her.

  I sink my teeth into the tender flesh of her shoulder, just where it meets her neck, and feel her clench around me.

  As I draw her sweet blood into my mouth, I feel her teeth scrape across my shoulder then her bite and the thread I’m holding on by snaps. I release my bite and howl into the night as her thoughts and feelings invade my head. We are linked, totally and completely, and my wolf is in ecstasy.

  Shouting loudly, I come harder than I ever have in my life, and bite her again.

  My bite rips her orgasm from her, and she releases her bite to shout my name as she grips me tight, milking the last tendrils of my release from me.

  “God, Zaire,” she breaths as she looks at her mark on my shoulder.

  “Yeah,” I pant. “That was intense.”

  “I feel you,” she tells me, as she touches the bite mark on her shoulder. “When I tasted you, I felt a rush of emotions and memories flood my brain and body.”

  “I saw your father,” I tell her, as I reach out and trace my mark on her with my fingertips. “And your mom.”

  “Memories,” she whispers and covers her mouth with her hand. “Most of mine aren’t happy.”

  “I know, and I want to replace all those unhappy memories with new, happy memories.”

  “We will,” she says and leans up to kiss me. “Let’s go home.”

  “Yes,” I breath and kiss her before gathering my clothes and quickly dressing.

  “I love you, Zaire,” she says and smiles. “Race you home.”

  “I love you, too,” I respond as she shifts and takes off down the path we came up.

  Chuckling, I shift and take off after her. My wolf is bigger and faster, but he holds back and lets her take the lead.

  Stop holding back, she says in my head and I nearly trip over a fallen branch. Her chuckle reaches me as I right myself and pick up a little speed.

  Scared the shit out of me, I tell her, and she chuckles again. Fuck, I love you.

  I love you, too she tells me, and I howl in contentment.

  Taking the lead, I tell her and dart past her before taking the path that will lead to our cabin.

  Cute butt, she says, and I nearly stumble again. But you’re awfully clumsy.

  You’re making it impossible to think, much less run, I tell her playfully.

  Our banter keeps up until we reach the edge of the clearing surrounding our cabin.

  I stop running and shift into my human form before stepping into the clearing and inhaling deeply. Something smells off, but I can’t place what it is.

  “What’s wrong?” She asks, stepping beside me.

  “I’m not sure,” I respond and grab her hand. We walk into the cabin, and I close and lock the door behind us before releasing her. “Everything seems to be calm and peaceful, but something smells off outside.”

  “Call the enforcers,” she says, nearly silently, and I watch her as she walks into the bedroom. “I’m going to change, then we can scout the area.”

  “I will scout the area,” I tell her, and she pokes her head out of the bedroom.

  “You will not shut me out of this.”

  “Baby, I’m not shutting you out,” I tell her and walk to the bedroom door. “I’m trying to keep you safe.”

  “Zaire,” she says and turns to look at me as she buttons her jeans. “Unless this cabin is warded against entry, anyone out there can get in here. I will be safer out there with you.”

  “Fuck,” I say and run my hands through my hair. Her point is valid.

  “So, we either both go out, or both stay in until the enforcers get here, but we will stick together.”

  “You’re using logic on me, and I don’t like it,” I tell her and grin. “We will go out together, but please stay by my side. I swear if anything happens to you…”

  “Nothing is going to happen to me. I have my big, bad alpha to protect me,” she says and smiles at me as she slips her sneakers on. When she’s finished, she stands and walks to the bedroom door. “Let’s go.”

  “Stay right by my side,” I tell her as we walk to the front door. “We’ll just be going for a stroll.”

  “At midnight, in the woods, under the full moon,” she says, and I catch a note of something in her voice. “Not werewolf fiction at all.”

  A loud laugh bursts from me before I can stop it, and she grins.

  “You, my sweet Rebecca, are not at all what I thought you were,” I tell her and bring our joined hands to my lips and kiss them softly before I grab the doorknob. “Stick to me.”

  “Like glue,” she says as I open the door. We step from the cabin together, and my nose is assaulted by the scent I caught when we arrived at the cabin.

  Do you smell that? I ask through our bond as we step off the porch.

  Yes, but it’s not anyone I know, she answers and looks around before focusing on the tree line. We’re being watched.

  I follow her gaze, and spot whomever is standing in the tree line.

  “I don’t know who you are, but this is private property,” I say loud enough for a human to hear. I know for a fact that whomever that is, isn’t a human though.

  “I know,” a deep, baritone voice says as a massive male steps from the trees.

  “Kael,” Rebecca breathes, and takes a step back.

  “So, this is where you’ve been hiding,” he says as he steps toward us. “Your father told the pack you’d gone to college a few days earlier than you’d planned.”

  “What?” She asks, looking at the man she’d been engag
ed to.

  “He told us you’d be back, but that all plans were on hold until further notice,” Kael tells us, and focuses on my neck where Rebecca’s mark is. When he snaps his head toward Rebecca, I step in front of her protectively.

  “What are you doing here, Kael?” Rebecca asks, poking her head out from behind me, but not stepping out.

  “I followed our fathers,” he answers and Rebecca flinches.

  “They’re here already?” I ask, and take a deep breath to keep my wolf contained.

  “Yes,” he answers and takes another step forward. “Why did you leave, Rebecca?”

  “I couldn’t do it, Kael. I couldn’t live under his orders any longer, and I couldn’t marry you and be controlled by another man.”

  “I would have never controlled you,” he says as he steps a little closer.

  “That’s close enough,” I nearly snarl, and he halts. He holds up both hands and takes a small step back.

  “I’m here to talk to Rebecca, not cause issues,” he says, and Rebecca narrows her eyes at him.

  “How do we know you aren’t lying?” She asks before I can. “And how did I not place your scent when we walked up?”

  “Because my scent is different,” he answers her second question.

  “How is that possible?” I ask, knowing a scent would only change if a wolf had been mated.

  “Because I’m mated, now, like you two are,” he answers and looks at Rebecca again.

  “Who?” She asks, stepping out from behind me.

  “Jill,” he answers and smiles. “I’ve known for a long time she was my mate, but I knew our fathers would kill me if I didn’t go along with their plan. She and I were planning on running away together when you left for college. I would never have controlled you because I would never have married you.”

  “Do you think he’s lying?” I ask Rebecca, and she looks up at me.

  “I don’t know,” she responds, but steps out from behind me.

  “Jill is waiting back at the hotel for me to come back,” he says, and I frown.

  “That’s easily checked out,” I tell him, and he nods.

  “I know, and if it wasn’t true, I wouldn’t open myself up for that.”