by L. P. Dillon
I lowered myself back down to the ground and sat in silence while I wondered who that another blond wolf was. I knew one was dead. Whether or not that was Chase, I didn't know, but from the looks of it, Chase's families wolves were always blond. Maybe it was his father, mourning the loss of his son or brother? Either way, I felt sorry for the wolf, and myself.
I sobbed into my hands, not knowing if I had just lost another man that I loved. I wanted to know for sure, but I was too chicken to go back and find out.
"Brie?"
I lifted my head and saw Dawson. He rushed towards me when he saw that I was crying, knelt down, and pulled me into his embrace, where I sobbed into his chest.
"Why are you crying?" he questioned.
"Chase? Is he?"
"Chase is fine. He killed the Alpha."
I sat back and searched his eyes to see if he was being truthful, and I noticed the soft smile on his face. I could tell that he felt sad, probably because even though he was happy that Chase was now Alpha, he had lost the previous one. That must be a hard tradition to deal with. You always have to lose someone.
"He was the smaller wolf?" I asked just to clarify.
He nodded, and as soon as he did, I collapsed back onto the ground and exhaled with relief. "Where is he?" I asked, my eyes looking behind him.
"He told me to take you and Liv to a safe house. Brie, you won't be able to see him for a while."
"What? Why?" I snapped at him.
"While he goes through the transition into Alpha, he will be extremely aggressive. The wolf will take over, and if any Scions are around, he will try to claim and mark them. By force if necessary."
Thoughts and questions raced through my mind, and I couldn’t help but blurt them out. “Why hadn’t he told me any of this? I had no idea he had to fight the Alpha, let alone that he could be killed in the process. What the fuck possessed him to keep this from me?” I spat, getting angrier with every word. Dawson offered a sympathetic shrug, but any answer he gave would have been cut off by my continued ramblings, “I had a right to know. And now he might accidentally claim and mark me? All because he will be out of his mind.” I scoffed with sarcasm as I shook my head. Dawson stared back at me; eyes almost as wide as the full moon above us. I shot to my feet and began to pace as my ramblings hit a whole new level. I wasn’t even talking to Dawson anymore; I was sounding out my pain and frustration to myself. “We've been through so much in the past year, and he's still keeping secrets, still trying to protect me by withholding the truth. I'm not a child, damn it. I have a right to know and a right to decide what I can and cannot handle… don’t I?” I asked while turning to face Dawson, anger and nerves making my voice shaky and barely coherent. He reassured me with an agreeing nod of his head.
Dawson stood up. "Brie? We need to leave now; he will be up and about soon. Liv is waiting in the van. We need to get you two somewhere safe, at least until he has control again."
He whistled into the trees and at least a dozen wolves came out of the woods. Some ran ahead and the others followed at the sides and behind us, like a protective barricade. We got to a large black van, and Dawson opened the back and revealed a giant cage. Liv was already sat inside.
I glanced back at Dawson, needing an explanation.
He nudged his head toward the van. "It's for your own protection. Chase is on the move. He is strong and fast, and at the moment, he would rip into a car like a tin can to get to you both."
He held his hand out, telling me to get in. I nodded, climbing in and got comfortable next to a shaky Olivia. The cage door closed behind us, then the van doors, sealing us in the darkness. The van engine started up and, soon enough, we were on the road. I just had no idea where we were going.
"Did you know about all this?" I asked Olivia.
"Huh?"
"The fact that Chase would have to fight the Alpha to the death. And that he would want to mark us if he won?" I snapped at her.
"Yes," was her simple reply.
"Why the hell didn't anyone tell me?" I shouted at her.
"I'm sorry, Brie. Chase asked me not to."
"Don't you think I had a right to know that I could lose him if he lost? Or that he might attack me if he won?"
"Of course, you did, but it wasn't my place to say, " she replied in a gentle tone.
"Not your place? Not your fucking place?" I screamed and punched the wall of the van behind me.
She jumped and opened her mouth to say something, but I held my hand up and cut her off.
"Do you know how much I'm risking for you and Claudia to be together? I could have lost Chase today, and if anyone finds out what you're planning to do, your father could kill Chase. Also, not to mention, start a pack war with my future pack. I could call this whole thing off right now, come clean and tell your father what you're planning!" I screamed at her, my anger boiling over.
"No, Brie, please don't. I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you; I really did. You can’t tell my father, please!" She fell to her knees in front of me and begged.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't call this whole thing off!" I snarled at her while grabbing her face.
"I can't lose her, please, Aubrey. She's my entire life, and I don't know any other way that we can be together. Please, Brie, you're our only hope. If he finds out, he'll kill her."
She started sobbing, and as soon as her tears fell onto my hand, my anger melted away. As much as I hated the girl for keeping all of this from me, I couldn't deny that I would probably do the same if I was in her position. I sat back and sighed.
"Fine, we will go forward with the plan, but as soon as she marks you, you leave and don't ever ask us for anything again, understand?" I said through gritted teeth.
"Of course, thank you so much, we will owe you our lives. I..."
Bang!
The van jolted slightly, then again, and the little window opened between the van and the cab.
"Chase has caught up to us, and he's trying to break in. We have a dozen wolves trying to hold him off and more on the way, but until they arrive, it's going to be a bumpy ride. I suggest you strap yourselves in," Dawson told us, then shut the window again.
Olivia looked at me with pure panic in her eyes, and when Chase's body slammed into the van again, it skidded a little, making Olivia scream as she flew across the van floor. I stood up and balanced as best as I could, then made my way over to her and picked her up, throwing her against the side of the van and onto the seat. I strapped her in just in time for another impact, which sent me hurtling into the metal cage door.
"Brie, are you okay?" she shouted, trying to loosen her buckle.
I held my hands out in front of me. "I'm fine, stay in your seat!"
I dragged myself up and staggered toward my seat. Another bang to the side of the van jolted me, but luckily in the direction of the seat. Once my butt was in there, I strapped myself in. We heard howls and whimpers outside, and eventually, the impacts slowed down. The ride became more stable and the van sped up. Soon enough, the wolves couldn't be heard anymore, and the drive was smooth.
Dawson opened the window again. "They managed to capture him, so it should be an easy ride now. But I suggest staying strapped in, just in case he manages to escape them. Get comfy ladies, it's going to be a long journey. Brie's scent is strong, so we need to make sure you're far enough away so that he can't track you."
He shut the window again and that was the last time he interacted with us for the trip. After a few hours, I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. Liv had fallen asleep ages ago, and my mind was just going over and over everything, but soon I was tired enough and drifted off.
"Brie? Brie? I think we're here," Olivia said, tapping my shoulder.
I stirred a little, and then groaned as I moved my neck. Sleeping sitting up for God knew how long had made my neck cramp something fierce. I twisted it to the side and a large crack brought me a little relief.
"That's disgusting!" Liv whined.
I
scoffed and decided to crack my knuckles for the fun of it. I watched as she cringed and shook her head. My chuckling ceased when the van doors opened, then finally the cage door.
"We're here, we have everything all set up. You will have the house to yourselves, and we will stand guard day and night until we get the all-clear to go home," Dawson explained while helping Liv out of the van.
I took his hand and stepped out. We were in a fairytale, at least that is what it looked like as I took in the gorgeous little cottage sat right in the middle of a vibrantly green forest. It reminded me of the cabin that Jesse had taken me to, nestled out of the way, hidden by lush trees.
I dropped Dawson’s hand. "How long will we be here?"
"I can't say. It depends on how long it takes Chase to complete his transition and take control of his wolf. A few days, maybe several weeks."
"But our wedding is in twelve days. He can’t take longer than that, surely?" The words rushed out of her in a panic.
"It will take as long as it takes!" Dawson snarled, and I couldn't help but chuckle inside.
He clearly didn't like the whole situation, and he wasn't happy about having her around. I couldn't help but love the guy's loyalty. I shrugged at Liv while she stood there gobsmacked at his blunt response. He walked right past her, not even acknowledging her. I followed behind Dawson and into the cottage, and he showed us around before leaving to patrol the woods.
I didn't feel like making small talk with Olivia, so I said my goodbyes and headed to bed. Luckily, it didn't take long to drift off to sleep.
We spent ten long days and nights trapped in the cottage. I got to know Olivia a lot more, and we became closer, but not being able to leave had us both going insane. Dawson and the other members of the pack made sure we had everything we could possibly need, but we were still trapped in the middle of nowhere with no cell service. All we could do was sleep, eat, and talk, and there was only so much we could talk about. All I wanted to do was go home and see Chase.
There was a light knock on my bedroom door.
"Come in."
"Are you ready to get out of this prison?" Liv asked excitedly.
"What? Are you serious?" I squealed while jumping off the bed.
"Yup, Dawson just told me that Chase is back to normal and wants you home asap."
We jumped around together, and I'd never been so excited in my life, I couldn't wait to see Chase, to run into his arms and kiss him all over. I'd missed him so much. We packed up the things the guys had bought us over the last week and headed out of the cottage.
Bear was outside waiting for us and I ran into his large arms. "I missed you William."
"Missed you too, Brie. You ready to get out of here?" he asked, taking mine and Liv's bags.
"More than ready."
We got into the car and set off for home. Liv fell asleep in the back seat after a few hours, leaving me and Bear to talk.
"Hey, Brie?" he whispered.
"Yeah?"
"Look, there are some things that will be different when we get back."
"Like what?" I asked while turning to face Bear.
"Well, for one, Chase has moved into the pack house and he's not at the Frat house anymore. Also, you won't get to see him..."
"What? Why not?"
"Olivia's pack is in town for the wedding. He said he can't risk being seen with you because he doesn't know who might be watching. He's already sent Claudia away, but she will be back with her family on the morning of the wedding."
I turned around and slumped into my seat, letting his words sink in. It made perfect sense, of course, and we were so close to being done with this whole thing, but I couldn't help but feel angry. Also disappointed. I hadn't seen him since before the Alpha ceremony, and after thinking that I'd lost him, then being bundled into a van and kept out of the way for nearly two weeks, all I wanted to do was be in his arms. I sighed heavily and then glanced out the window.
"Brie, I know this is all too much. But it will be over in a couple of days, then you can get married and be the new Luna of our pack," he said while reaching for my hand.
Holding his hand, I rested my head against the seat. I must have fallen asleep because when I awoke, the car had stopped and was empty. I blinked a few times, trying to work out what was happening, and that's when I saw him. My heart pounded in my chest as I watched Chase embrace Olivia. He didn't even bother to look at me, not so much as a side glance. I knew this was all part of the plan but seeing him with her broke my heart. He placed his arm over her shoulder and walked her into the big house, followed by a large, dark-haired man and a small blonde-haired woman, probably her parents. I couldn't help but wish that was me walking into that house ready to marry my man in a few days. But it wasn't. I turned away, and when Bear got back into the car, I cried the rest of the way home, staying as silent as I could.
I spent the night alone in my room. Payton tried to comfort me, and Arabella tried to get me to eat, but I refused to open the door for either of them. I was feeling sorry for myself and I didn't want to deal with anyone. A bubble bath sounded nice, so I took one and soaked in it for hours. By the time I got out, the water was stone cold, making me think I might have fallen asleep at some point. After I dried my hair, I headed to bed, only to be woken in the morning by banging on my door.
I groaned and rolled over in bed, pulling the duvet over my head. I didn't even bother to ask who was there because I just assumed it would be Payton or Arabella, and I didn't want to listen to their pity or pep talks. The banging on the door got louder and louder. They wouldn’t take no for an answer, I guessed, but they were going to have to.
"Aubrey, open this damn door!" Chase yelled.
"Chase?" I said, shock making the word come out slow.
"Yes! Now, are you going to open the door? Or am I gonna have to break the bastard down?"
"I'm coming, don't break it down. Wait a minute."
I got out of bed and sprinted to the door, and after I took in a deep breath, I unlocked it. As soon as I unlocked it and turned the handle, the door flew open and smashed into the wall. My eyes widened as I stared at the man, I loved leaning forward, both hands resting on either side of the door frame. He had his head pointed at the floor, and his body heaved as he took deep, heavy breaths. As soon as he drew his gaze to me, he straightened. I had to admit he looked different somehow. Bigger, maybe. Or perhaps he stood taller, more dominant than usual. His eyes were black with lust, and when his lips curled into a wide smile, showing me his deliciously deep dimples, I knew exactly what he wanted.
"Chase, I..."
I didn't get a chance to finish before his lips crushed mine. He breathed in deeply as he kissed me, and my body didn't know if it was coming or going. I eased into the kiss, but he didn’t want that. He wanted it rough, and with everything that had happened, I wasn't going to stop him. In all honesty, I didn't want to stop him. My body wanted him with every fiber of its being.
I slid my hands around his neck and entwined my fingers into his soft, golden hair, pulling it ever so slightly while I intensified the kiss. He growled into my mouth, and that's all the invitation I needed. I jumped up into the air and placed my legs around his waist. His hands instinctively grabbed my ass and his fingers dug into my cheeks. He walked me over to the bed, not taking his lips off mine for a second—not even to look where he was going. When he set me down and pulled away, I let out a little whine. He smirked, then just stood in front of me, staring at me. I had no idea what to do, but he didn’t stay there long enough for me to have to worry about it.
He inched a little closer. "You're so sexy. You know that, right?" His husky voice had goosebumps dancing over my body.
The boom and raspy quality his tone took on commanded respect, and it sent tingles through my body that radiated to my core. My bud pulsed, and I couldn't believe how wet I was already from only a kiss and a few words. I blushed and swept a piece of hair behind my ear, looked up into his jet-black eyes, and bit my lip.
He took my hands into his and guided me to the bed, where he sat down and left me standing in front of him. Leaning back, he used his elbows to prop himself up.
"Strip," he growled, and the rumble of it sent waves of pleasure through me, making my bud throb even more.
How was he doing this? His voice, his words…nothing has ever made me feel this crazy before., Sure, our sex life was astonishing, but this felt like if he touched me right now, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from cumming. I did as I was told, instantly pulling the oversized t-shirt of his up and over my head. I wasn't wearing a bra, and my nipples were already erect with excitement, standing to attention like they were sirens calling to him. I faced him with only my thong to protect my modesty.
"Everything!" he demanded, eyeing my thong.
I placed my thumbs into the band and wriggled out of it. After letting it drop to the floor, I kicked it aside. He let out another growl, and again it sent waves of pleasure through me, making me let out a little moan of my own. He sat up and held out his hands, and I took them, allowing him to pull me closer. I stood there with his face inches away from my skin, my entire body begging for him to take me, but somehow, I stayed patient, letting him do as he pleased. I could feel his warm breath against my hip, the tickle of it making goosebumps form on my arms. He took in my scent through his nose and a rumbling purr escaped him. He continued to purr as he kissed my hip, and continued while he placed soft, tiny kisses all over my stomach, thighs, and finally my other hip.
