by Jamie Lake
“That’s impossible. It’s a lie.” I heard Japheth bark. I could see his feet pacing back and forth in frustration. His voice was full of rage, snarling and growling.
“I swear, Japheth. It is his scent, his markings, his track,” the other werewolf said in defense.
Japheth sighed. He stopped pacing and stood in front of him. “Prepare the men. I do not want him to step one foot on our land or anywhere near it. Find him, bind him and lead me to him. I want to personally see him die.”
“Yes, sir,” Paul said.
Who was it? Who were they talking about? It seemed whoever they were, this pack had more than one enemy. I shuddered at the grim tone of Japheth's voice.
I forced myself back down as Japheth entered in a huff.
“Clothe yourself,” he told me, opening a trunk with a towel like garment in it. He tossed it in my direction.
I raised my chained arms, “It’s kind of hard when….” I trailed off.
He sighed, digging keys out of the trunk and kneeling by me. I could smell his delicious scent as he reached behind me, his skin brushing against mine as he did so. He looked at me, hurriedly unlocking the chains, and for a moment, it seemed as if he wanted to kiss me, but turned away.
“Make haste,” he instructed getting up. “Now.” He seemed to be reluctant to move away from me, but when I looked back up at him, all of the warmth and tenderness was gone. His face was stoic.
I did what I was told, quickly trying to put on the strange garment. There was no shirt that went with it, and I felt like I resembled more of a Roman toga than anything.
“We must leave now,” he said, his tone laced with urgency.
“Where are we going?” I asked, fastening the last of the bands that held the garment together.
“No questions. Just do as you’re told,” he said, his lip curling into a slight snarl.
“So bossy,” I mumbled. That’s when he charged toward me lifted me up and draped me over his shoulder, carrying me outside the tent.
The campsite was in a large clearing in the forest. Several fires smoldered, billowing thin, gray smoke into the air. Most of the tents were erected against trees, like mine, but some were just a thick sheet or piece of worn leather draped over wooden supports. Bones, standing out stark white against the gray-brown of the dirt, littered the ground by the campfires. Leftovers from their hunting, I thought.
He carried me through the chaotic mess of men coming out of their tents, preparing their weapons of war. Men strapped daggers to their sides, long curved knives and other blades of varying length. They were all dressed light, no armor, just plain clothes. I thought this odd for a moment until I remembered that they transformed into a much more agile and powerful shape. Some stayed in loose groups, talking to each other, their faces grim, but most, once armed, made their way to us.
“Find him,” Japheth told the men that gathered loosely around their Alpha. They looked up at him expectantly.
“Yes, sir,” they answered, almost in unison, obeying him without question.
“I can walk myself you know,” I told him, grousing. I puffed out a big sigh. It was quite undignified to be hauled around this way.
“Not fast enough,” he told me picking up speed, his bare feet turning into paws before my eyes. His skin grew thick, black hair and his face elongated, becoming more of a snout. His mouth was lined with razored teeth.
“Hold on,” he growled, as we took off like a rocket through the thick woods, so fast I could barely catch my breath. The branches and bushes scratched at my skin as he weaved his way in and out of the trees until we were a good four or five miles from the camp site. That’s when he slowed and I was dumped on the ground unceremoniously with seemingly no concern for my well-being.
“Ow,” I said as I rolled on the ground, bumping my head.
He caught his breath, his massive werewolf chest heaving in and out as he shifted right before my eyes again into his human appearance.
“Are you alright?” he asked. He said this lowly, his brow crinkled. Could he really be concerned for me after all?
“Yeah,” I said, catching my breath too. He extended his hand to help me up, and I took it. With one, hard pull, I was up on my feet, and I looked around. Wherever this was, it was beautiful. We were surrounded by an army of evergreen trees that were tall and proud as if they were standing guard. Fresh country air and the relax sound of nature.
“Where are we?” I asked looking around.
“Safe.” he said with assurance. Again, I thought, with the one word answers that never really answered my questions at all.
“Safe from what?” I asked. What would a whole pack of werewolves need to be safe from, I wondered. Whatever it was he didn’t seem to want to talk about it.
“My father used to take us here when we were little, before my mom was killed. Every week in fact. No matter what things were going on in the pack, this was considered neutral ground. It was where you could speak to anyone, even your enemies and get … an understanding without a threat. It’s where I go, even to this day to clear my head. Lately, that hasn’t been easy.”
I inhaled the forest air, “It’s beautiful.”
“It’s sacred.” he said, his face beginning to relax. “Nathan, I need to ask you something.” He wouldn't look at me, his gaze was fixed on the horizon. He looked troubled.
“What is it?” I asked.
He seemed distracted, almost intimidated a bit as his ears perked up, hearing something, what I don’t know but whatever it was, I sensed it was coming and soon.
That’s when he approached me and lowered himself until he got down on one knee. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, and at first I didn't totally understand the gesture. Then it hit me.
Was he …?
“Nathan, I know you don’t know me well, and I know I have not made the greatest impression on you,” he began grabbing my hand, his touch surprising me with its tenderness, “But you have to know that I care about you, and that everything I’ve done was for a greater purpose.” He sounded so earnest. I wanted to believe him, but given our rocky start, it was hard.
“Like trying to kill me?” I asked thinking about the night before, the words spilling out of my before I could stop myself.
“I never wanted to kill you. Never. I only wanted to … possess you, conquer you. It’s in my nature and when I see something that is mine, I can think of nothing else.” His eyes seemed so sad then. Maybe he truly was sorry.
“What are you saying?” I asked, narrowing my eyes, feeling so confused.
“Buck, he stole you from me. You belonged to me. It was my birthright to have the Special One. I’ve known this, my mother told me, but Buck, he has a way of manipulating people that is unparalleled, and I soon found that he used his powers to influence my father. I killed my father, yes but that was out of vengeance for my mother’s good name and to protect the pack.” He didn't seem to take any pride in the act, nor did he seem sorry. He stated it simply, as if that was all he knew. His duty to his pack.
“And you killed your brother too.” I said pulling my hand back, “You killed the man I loved.” I wasn't willing to forget. I wasn't willing to forgive. Not yet.
“It was for your own good, for the pack's good, I promise you.”
“No, it was for your own good Japheth. You wanted him out of the way so there would be no more competition. You wanted me all to yourself and for what, I don’t know, but I could-” I started to say as I walked away. I couldn't do this anymore. I couldn't be lied to, manipulated.
“I love you,” he blurted out. Those words made my feet freeze in their place and my heart drop into my stomach.
“What?” I said, incredulous, unsure if I even heard him right.
“Don’t you see? The reason why I haven't let this go, why I chased you all these years was because the moment I saw you, I knew. You were the one. Not just the Special One, but my one. You were destined to be my mate. Buck told you he was trying to protect
you, but the truth was, he was trying to steal you from me. I did not give up. For 5 years I followed you, but the closer I got to you, more he would get in the way. It was only now, until this age, the age of decision, the age of the marking, that I knew you would be ready to make a decision and now, I want you to make the right one.” He was still on one knee, his arms held out, pleading with me. He poured his heart out to me, drop by every painful drop.
I looked at the sincerity in his eyes. Whatever he was saying, he was believable, he meant it every word of it. I was confused, I didn’t know who to believe.
“Please, come here,” he said extending his hands further, still on his knees.
I don’t know what it was; maybe it was the way the light cast upon his face, or the way his hair danced in the wind or maybe it was just his half-naked bulging body, but I felt drawn to him. I had to obey, and to my surprise, I wanted to. Once more, I was under the Alpha's spell, compelled to go to him, to bend to his every whim.
I paced myself walking to him, my eyes locked on his.
“I know you don’t know me very well, but we have a whole lifetime to get to know each other. I know you don’t love me yet, but that will come in time. I only ask one thing from you, ask yourself, do you believe me? Do you see that I love you, that I want nothing but the best for you, the best for us? Look into my eyes and tell me.”
It didn’t take long to know the truth, he was telling it. “Yes, I believe you.”
A gentle sweet smile spread across his face, but then there was a snapping sound somewhere in the forest, something that could have been a deer or maybe a beaver but whatever it was made Japheth anxious. He scowled, lifting his chin and inhaling deeply, scenting the air.
“I want you to be mine. To really be mine. I want to mark you-”
“But-”
“Please, it’s the only way I can protect you. The only way I can protect my people,” he said with sincerity and a pleading desperation. Whatever it was that was making the noise in the forest was large and coming closer.
“Please,” he said, “I can only do it if you are willing and if you are willing to mark me too. You need to make the decision. Now.”
It was coming. Whatever it was faster and faster.
“Now!” Japheth insisted.
And just before I could answer, a voice rang out of the forest.
“No! Step away from him!” I recognized the voice immediately and chills ran down my body. It couldn’t be.
And yet it was, stepping out of the clearing, it was Buck. My Buck, bloody, dirty, his clothes, or what was left of them, burned and torn. But he was whole, and strong and focused.
My jaw dropped and Japheth rose, his kindness melting away, giving way to anger.
Japheth snarled, springing into the air on his powerfully muscular legs. As he sprang towards Buck, his body transformed. Black, thick hair covered him and his fingers were tipped with long, deadly-sharp claws. His mouth was full of teeth as sharp as serrated knives. Though beaten and bloody, Buck transformed just in the nick of time. The two beasts squared off, snapping and growling at each other, their maws ringed in frothy saliva.
I felt so torn, watching them slash at each other. Buck bit into Japheth's forearm and it was like he tore into me. I felt the pain too, not literally, but it tore into my heart to see them like this, viciously attacking each other. Blood spurted from the wound and Japheth howled in rage and pain.
Roaring as he charged at Buck, Japheth raised his clawed hand and struck Buck across the snout, sending the other werewolf reeling. Buck stumbled back, clearly dazed from the blow. Japheth would clearly show him no mercy and stalked toward him, ready to finish him off.
I couldn't bear it. I wouldn't just stand there and let Buck be killed before my eyes, not again. I'd felt so helpless the first time I thought he'd died, and I just couldn't go through that again. Gathering my courage, I took a deep breath and ran. I stopped between them, using my body as a shield, hoping Japheth would stop his attack if I were in the way.
He did, but he snarled wildly at me, baring his sharp teeth.
“Why would you want this savage?” Japheth asked, “He only wanted you because you were the Special One.” He shifted back, holding his arms out to me. He looked so hurt.
“Shut up!” Buck said, in his handsome, human form again. “Don’t listen to him.”
“Is it true, Buck? Is it?” I had to ask. I was tired of all the lies and twisted truths. I had to know.
He tried to catch his breath, wiping the blood off his mouth, “At first. I will be honest, at first, when I saw you back then, I saw it as an opportunity.”
His words hurt me, cut me deep, and I saw through the facade of who I thought he was slowly melting away. I didn’t want to hear it, but I knew that I needed to. I needed to hear every word.
“But then it changed. I promise you. I watched you every day for 5 years, and I grew to love you, I grew to adore you, and then when we finally met face to face for the first time, then I knew, I was in love with you, Nathan. I was in love and there was nothing or no one that could change that.”
“You’re an opportunist pig,” Japheth spat, “And now that you see that his heart has turned that he might very well love me-”
“He does not love you!” Buck said, snarling at that thought. “Do you, Nathan?”
I didn’t know how to answer. I was so confused. The man I thought I was in love with, the one that said he was in love with me, I had heard so many things, seen a side of him I wasn’t sure I could live with. The other man, Japheth, I thought I detested but the more I began to get to know him I realized maybe there was a lot more to him. And I wanted and needed to know all about him.
“Nathan?” Buck repeated, “Tell me you don’t love this … this --”
“Say it brother, call me what you wish. But I am the Alpha and you can never take that away from me.”
“For now, but not for long.”
“Oh?” Japheth said raising an eyebrow.
“Not after I kill you and take my rightful place. The place my father intended me to take.”
They squared off again and I couldn’t take it anymore. I’d seen so much blood, so much hatred. So much violence, and over what? I just wanted peace. I wanted quiet. I wanted things restored to the way they were meant to be.
“Stop!”I said, my voice slicing through the chaos. They both turned to me.
“Enough,” I said with conviction, raising my chin.
I turned so they could both see me. I pinned them each in turn with a firm, harsh look and then I spoke. “Yes, I do love you,” I said to Buck, “But I’ve also become fond of Japheth too.”
“Take back those words, my love,” Buck said, looking hurt.
“I don’t know if I love him, or if that will take time, but it’s possible. It’s possible in time I could love him or fall in love with him.”
“Then you must choose. You must choose who you wish to mark you.” Japheth said.
“I can’t.” I said, looking at both of them. I was too confused and it was too big of a decision.
“But you must, my love,” Buck said, “And I will respect your decision. Whoever you choose, but know this, wherever you are, wherever you go, I will always love you, I will always watch out for you, ‘till the day I die and beyond, in the afterlife.”
“I do not have pretty words to give you, Nathan. I was not blessed with a silver tongue like my brother. For me, you’ll only have to judge me by my actions. Who was it that took care of you, who was it that gave it his all for all these years, who was it that fed you and clothed you and offered you his kingdom, his pack? It is only I, for I am the true Alpha. And you can be my mate for all eternity.”
There was silence between the three of us as I looked at both of them. Both equally strong, handsome, loving men capable of protecting me, nurturing me, accepting me and loving me exactly as I am.
But when I closed my eyes, and I listened to the sounds of nature, to their breathing
and more importantly to my heart, there was only one choice. One choice that rang loud and clear.
I opened my eyes and I couldn’t believe the words were leaving my mouth.
“You, I choose you,” I said.
THE END
Note from the author: By popular demand, yes, there will be a fourth book in the series. But who should Nathan choose? I want to hear from you. Email me at: [email protected]
Other books by Jamie Lake
(click below to view)
Marked for Love Book 1
Marked for Love Book 2
Bad Boy: Naughty at Night Book 1
Bad Boy: Naughty at Night Book 2
Stay Always Book 1
Boyfriend for Rent Book 1
The Trainer Book 1
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