My Mate's Embrace

by Caryn Moya Block

  “Be careful,” Dmitry said. His order came out like a growl.

  Anton smiled and with a quick salute headed for the door. It was time to go hunting. His wolf surged to the surface as he ran toward the area of the intrusion. The patrol should be arriving on the scene any minute now.

  Anton rushed down the path to the area near the outer perimeter. He could hear Sergei speaking to someone up ahead.

  “You are trespassing on private property and will need to leave immediately.”

  “I want what is mine. You can’t hide her from me,” a man’s voice started shouting.

  “Never mind, Harris. We will come back at another time,” another man’s voice said.

  “But Gleb, the backpack?”

  “Shut up right this minute or I will put a bullet through your brain.”

  Anton reached the top of the bluff and looked down on the scene below. Sergei and four of the guards surrounded two men and Laurel’s stepfather. How the hell did he keep finding them? The larger of the two men held Laurel’s stepfather by the arm and was tugging him backward.

  “Tell Miss Harris that her daddy stopped by and will be back shortly to collect her and her belongings,” the large man said.

  “But, Gleb,” Laurel’s father stuttered.

  “Not another word,” Gleb hissed at him.

  Anton felt his wolf rush to the surface. This man was threatening his mate. His eyes started to glow and fur rippled beneath his skin. He wanted to hunt, to tear and rip. Rainbow lights started to coalesce around his body.

  “Anton. They are leaving. You cannot go after them,” Kolya said, rushing up to Anton and grabbing his arm.

  Anton felt Kolya shaking him through the haze of rage and the blinding light of the change. Anton was so close. His bones were beginning to shift, his face starting to elongate.

  Anton, snap out of it, Kolya demanded telepathically, shaking him again.

  The haze started to clear, and Anton felt his bones re-solidify and his face reform. The lights of the change blinked out, and Anton was once again fully human and trembling with anger. He turned on Kolya and shoved with both hands, pushing him away.

  “You idiot. Why did you stop me? They are coming back, Kolya. They are coming to take Laurel away.”

  Kolya pushed forward, challenging Anton. “We do not attack unless we have no choice. You will not endanger the pack. These men cannot know we are lycans.”

  “No one would have been left alive to spill our secret. Do not ever stop me from protecting my mate again, Kolya,” Anton said as he hauled off and punched Kolya in the jaw. Kolya fell to the ground and looked up at Anton in shock and anger. Anton stood over him shaking. “You may be Dmitry’s Beta, but I am the Alpha’s heir. I will not accept your dominance over me or my actions.”

  At that moment Dmitry ran up the path. “Anton, you need to cool down. I will talk to you at the lodge. Kolya, you okay? You look a little worse for wear. You know Anton is on edge right now.” Dmitry leaned down and gave Kolya a hand up.

  Kolya looked at Anton, pain and determination in his gaze. Unable to say anything without causing more trouble, Anton turned and walked away.

  §

  Laurel walked alongside Alena. Feeling slightly embarrassed about their earlier conversation, Laurel wasn’t sure what to say. But she needed to say something. Lycans seemed very tactile, always touching and patting each other. But touch was hard for her, and she wasn’t sure she could seduce Anton even if she wanted too.

  “Alena, I appreciate you trying to help. But I don’t think I can do this. I don’t like to be touched. How can I seduce Anton?”

  “This is something I have never encountered before. I think a women’s council is in order.”

  “Oh, please don’t. It’s bad enough that you know my past. But if everyone knows, it will be so embarrassing.”

  “Everyone will know one way or the other. You need to let us help you. Anton needs the bond cemented into place. His wolf will get more aggressive.”

  “Will he become dangerous?” Laurel asked, suddenly terrified.

  “Not to you, but, possibly to other lycans. Here we are. This is Kolya’s family home.”

  Laurel looked around in surprise. The house was very large.

  “Just the two of you live here?” This house was twice as large as the miner’s houses she had lived in before.

  “For now. There are five bedrooms. I hope to fill them with babies, though Anton is always teasing and saying he is going to move in. Come into the kitchen and I will fix us some tea.”

  §

  Laurel sat in Alena’s front room surrounded by the women of the pack. Yelena and Violet were in one corner conferring with Fanya, Illarion’s mother, and Dasha, mother to one of the other little boys. Sonya, mate to Matfei, was talking to Alena and two other older women. There was a knock on the door, and three women were standing on the porch. When Alena introduced them, Laurel realized they represented three generations of lycans. Violet’s twin daughters, resting in their stroller, were the newest members of the women’s group.

  “Well, I don’t see anything else we can do, but have a women’s coming-of-age ceremony, with a clearing and healing first, of course,” said the oldest member of the group. “I remember when we held a ceremony almost every year. Those days are long gone.”

  “But, Laurel would have to be sequestered,” Alena pointed out. “Anton is already on edge. I am not sure he could handle that.”

  “Nonsense,” said Fanya. “Anton will handle it when he knows it is for Laurel’s healing.”

  “If we do this, it must be soon,” Violet pointed out. “Dmitry is very worried. Anton challenged Kolya today. His aggression is rising.”

  “Oh, dear,” Yelena said, and the other women soon concurred.

  Laurel’s breath caught. Anton challenged Kolya? That didn’t seem like something he would normally do. Was she causing Anton to get in trouble?

  Sonya pulled out a silk-wrapped parcel from a bag and slowly unwrapped what looked like a gold-and-jewel encrusted book. “This is the ‘B¯¯E, M@ ¯3,’ the history book of our pack. Mother was the last appointed keeper of the book.” Sonya opened the book and carefully smoothed the pages. “Here is a listing of the herbs needed for the ceremony, as well as the chant used.”

  “I have plenty of mugwort drying at home, as well as motherwort,” one of the women said.

  “So, I guess there is only one thing to ask,” Violet said, turning to Laurel. “Are you willing to put yourself into our hands and go through with this ceremony?”

  All the women in the room looked at Laurel. Could she do it? Could she let them go through with the ceremony, and then she would seduce Anton? Alena said Anton was hurting and could become dangerous to other lycans. They all seemed very upset that he had challenged Kolya.

  “Alright,” Laurel said, straightening her shoulders. “Let’s do this thing.”

  Several women clapped, while others laughed.

  “I’ll go tell Dmitry we’re having a party,” Violet said.

  “Up at the high meadow that is near the cave entrances should work,” Yelena added.

  “We can string lights in the trees and set up tables and chairs. It will be lovely,” Violet agreed. “We’ll need music for dancing.”

  “I will go pack a bag for Kolya. He will have to stay at the Alpha’s lodge until we are through,” Alena said. “Come on. Laurel, I will show you your room for the next week.”

  “The next week?” Laurel asked, gulping. This process would take longer than she had expected.

  “Yup, sorry, but this ceremony takes a while. But when it is finished you will feel like a new woman,” Alena said, patting Laurel’s arm as they moved down the hallway. “This room should work. But from this moment on, you may not see or speak to a male of any age.”

  “But, Anton said we needed to touch minds.”

  “Yes, but only to reassure yourself that he is near. No long talks. Besides, absence makes the heart g
row fonder. By the time the week is done, you and Anton should be starved for each other. This is going to work perfectly. Wait right here while the women go and gather all the things we need.”

  Laurel was left standing in the bedroom. What had she gotten herself into?

  Chapter Ten

  Anton paced in his room. What had he done? Challenging the Beta was a major offense against pack hierarchy. Dmitry and Kolya should be calling him up on charges. But he hadn’t seen either of them.

  Then, his mother walked into his room and said the women were going to do some kind of ceremony for Laurel. She collected all of Laurel’s clothes before patting him on the cheek and telling him the week would fly by. He wouldn’t be able to see or speak to Laurel for a week? A whole week? He was losing his mind. How was he supposed to go a whole week while his body was caught in the mating heat?

  What he should do is go hunting for Laurel’s stepfather. If the man planned on coming back to get Laurel, he couldn’t be far from pack property. How had the man tracked them? Had he planted some kind of tracking device in Laurel’s belongings?

  Anton stopped pacing and sat down on the bed. Where would Laurel’s stepfather put a tracking device? He didn’t know Laurel was planning to run, or did he? Anton walked over and picked up the silver brush that had belonged to Laurel’s mother. Luckily, his mother hadn’t thought to take it with her. The brush and passport were the only two things Laurel wouldn’t have left behind. He shook the brush, but nothing rattled. Then he looked along the edges for a seam. But nothing looked out of place or mended.

  “Idi K Chyortu, Dammit!” The stepfather was tracking Laurel somehow.

  Placing Laurel’s brush on the dresser, Anton opened the top drawer and pulled out her passport. After flipping through the pages, he found nothing out of the ordinary. But there must be something. There was no way her stepfather could have found them so easily.

  “How are you holding up?” Dmitry asked from the door.

  “I did not hear you knock,” Anton said, surprised at his own churlishness as he put Laurel’s passport back in the drawer.

  “Not so good, I see,” Dmitry said, entering the room and closing the door. “We need to talk. You openly challenged the Beta of the pack. This is serious.”

  “I am not stupid. I know what I did is serious.”

  “I know that under the mating heat you are not fully in control of your actions,” Dmitry said. “But I do not hear any regret in your tone.”

  “He was wrong. I was not endangering the pack by shifting. None of the men could see me. None of them would have been left to spread the tale.”

  “You would have murdered them.”

  “Without an ounce of guilt.”

  “Anton, what is happening to you? Do you think Laurel would forgive you for murdering her stepfather? Ripping out his throat in cold blood?”

  “He beat her. By pack law, I have a right to challenge him for his crimes against my mate. I will not allow him and his men to take her.”

  “Did you think we would, little brother? Laurel is a member of our family. Both Kolya and I will fight at your side to keep her safe. But today she was not in danger. The men were leaving.”

  “Dammit, Dmitry. You do not understand.”

  “Of course I do. Your mate is in danger, and it terrifies you. You are angry and afraid. I felt the same way when Violet was threatened. I would have gladly died to keep her safe. I know your wolf is riding you hard. But you need to get yourself under control before you do something that cannot be taken back.”

  “How the hell do you expect me to do that? Now Laurel is to be sequestered for some kind of ceremony. I will go mad.”

  “I would start by going to each of the elder’s homes and split enough wood to see them through the winter. We will put your aggression to good use. That should take you a couple of days. Do not worry, Anton. I will keep you busy,” Dmitry said as he turned toward the door.

  “Dmitry . . .” Anton said.

  Dmitry paused and turned to look at him.

  “Thank you.”

  “You still owe Kolya an apology. Do not leave it too long. Not only did you challenge his authority as Beta, but you hurt his feelings. He is our sister’s mate,” Dmitry said as he opened the door and stepped into the hall. “With this women’s ceremony being planned, you are not the only one who will not be seeing his mate. Alena will be with Laurel most of the time. Kolya is moving into Alena’s old room here in the lodge. Be nice, or you and Kolya may have to fight in front of the council to see who will hold the Beta position. Is that what you want?”

  “Right now, all I want is Laurel’s safety.”

  “We all want that, little brother.”

  Anton looked at Laurel’s hairbrush sitting on the chest. She would need to brush her hair, and having it near would make her feel more at home. Now, he needed to figure a way to get it to her.

  He might not be able to speak to her or see her in person, but there were other ways to communicate.

  §

  Laurel sat in a tub of hot water, soaking in some kind of herbal mixture. Candles were burning around the room, filling the air with a sweet fragrance. One of the older women sat in a chair and sang in a language Laurel didn’t understand. The aged voice soothed her nerves. Being undressed in front of all these women made her blush. But she quickly got over her embarrassment as they scrubbed her skin with pumice. She now had a healthy pink tone all over. At least, the herbs in the water didn’t sting her skin as the pumice did.

  Alena walked in, carrying a tray with tea and fruit. She placed it on a table and brought a cup over to Laurel.

  “You need to drink this up, and then you can have some fruit.”

  “What’s in it?” Laurel asked.

  “More herbs. I sweetened it with some honey, so it should not taste too bad.”

  Laurel reached out tentatively for the cup. Blowing on it gently, she took a sip. The tea wasn’t terrible. She could drink it.

  “Drink it down now. You will need to drink this every three hours while you are awake.”

  “Every three hours? I’ll constantly be going to the bathroom.”

  “That is kind of the point. Before the ceremony, you need to be cleansed. Not just outside, but inside as well.”

  “Alena, I’m never going to make it.”

  “Sure you are. We are right here to support you and take care of you. All you have to do is follow our directions. Now stop whining. Is not my brother worth a little effort?”

  “Of course, but . . . ”

  “There are no ‘buts.’ Finish it.”

  “Wow, you’re quite the taskmaster.”

  “Honey, I am the Beta female. It is my job to tell people what to do,” Alena said and then laughed. “Anton would say I was born to tell people what to do.”

  “If you’re a Beta, how come Anton isn’t? Your personalities would be the same since you’re twins. Right?”

  “Normally, the Betas are a mated pair. We rank right under the Alpha pair. As heir, Anton’s ranking is on the same level as a Beta, but he is not in charge. It is kind of hard to explain.”

  “Well, I don’t have anything else to do. Why don’t you teach me about the pack and its hierarchy? I need to learn about your culture and traditions as well.”

  “Alright, in between your other studies,” Alena said, nodding her head.

  “What other studies?”

  “Well, about sex of course. How are you going to seduce my brother if you do not know how?”

  “I already told you I don’t know how.”

  “That is why we are going to have lessons. Do not worry. It will be fun. Knowing how to entice your mate will bring you pleasure through the mating bond. Win-win. You will see.”

  Laurel put her hands over her face and groaned. How was she ever going to get through this?

  §

  Anton swung the axe over his head and hit the piece of wood directly in the center. Each time he pictured Laurel’s
stepfather as his target. The wood split, and the axe landed on the cutting block. Placing another piece on the block, he swung again. Over and over, until a pile of wood, as high as his thighs, sat on the ground. Then, he stopped and stacked. Placing the wood in rows, he stacked them higher and higher. Then, he began the routine again.

  The only difference for each stack was whether he pictured Laurel’s stepfather or the man called Gleb in his mind. Over and over, he split wood and then stacked it, before beginning again. When one elder possessed enough wood for the hard Siberian winter, Anton picked up his axe and walked to the next elder’s house to begin the process again. Over and over, stop and stack and begin again.

  As the shadows lengthened, Anton paused. He looked around as if coming out of a dream. He had taken his shirt off, while the sun was high, and his bronzed chest now glistened with sweat. His stomach growled, and he realized it was long past dinnertime. He never did get one of the sandwiches he and Laurel made. No wonder he was starving.

  He touched Laurel’s mind lightly. She was surrounded by women and seemed content, so he released the link. His mother warned him they weren’t to speak. He missed her. Would she understand how he was feeling? He wasn’t sure he understood.

  He couldn’t go back to the lodge. He didn’t feel welcome, which was silly because the lodge was his home. But he didn’t want to have his mother fussing over him, or his father looking at him with disapproval in his eyes, or worse pity. He hadn’t handled things correctly with Kolya. But it still grated that Kolya dared to pull rank. Normally, Anton didn’t have a problem giving up a challenge to Kolya. He didn’t want to be second to Dmitry. But not this time. He wasn’t endangering the pack. Right or wrong, taking care of Laurel’s stepfather and the mafia men with him would assure her safety. Kolya shouldn’t have interfered.