Laurel clutched the note to her chest. She, too, wanted the wait to be over. With his gentle giving nature, Anton was sinking into her heart. She carefully placed the note in the dresser drawer and put the wolf on the shelf with the other gifts.
Grabbing her clothes off the dresser, she hurried into the bathroom to dress. Looking into the mirror, she was glad to see her skin was now a golden brown, instead of red from the night before.
When she arrived in the kitchen a short time later, a cup of tea and a bowl of fruit were already sitting on the table waiting for her. Drat, she had thought she was finished with drinking herbal tea. Sighing, she picked up the steaming cup and blew over the liquid. Where was everybody?
“Violet? Alena?” she called.
When she didn’t hear an answer, she wandered back down the hall and looked into each bedroom. But no one was there. That was odd. For the last six days, she couldn’t do anything without tripping over one of the women of the pack. Did this mean they trusted her?
Not sure what to think, Laurel went back into the kitchen and sat down to eat her breakfast. It was kind of nice to be alone for a moment.
§
Dmitry and Kolya stood frowning over the contents of the backpack. They glanced up at Anton and then at each other.
“You are sure Laurel knows nothing about this?” Dmitry asked.
“I have been in her mind. She doesn’t know anything about this. When she learns, it will only hurt her to know her stepfather was using her as a drug mule.”
At that moment, Violet and Alena walked up, carrying more candle lanterns. They put the lanterns down on the edge of the table. Then, each walked over to her mate.
“What’s wrong? Why are you frowning?” Violet asked, wrapping her arms around Dmitry and hugging him.
Dmitry motioned to the plastic bags of white powder sitting on the table.
“Anton found these in Laurel’s backpack. They were sewn into the lining.”
“What? I don’t believe it,” Violet said. “Laurel would never use drugs. I’ve been with her every day this week. I was in her mind, linked psychically during the ceremony. She would never have anything to do with drugs.”
“I agree. Laurel is kind and innocent. She would never knowingly carry drugs,” Alena said, standing under Kolya’s shoulder, his arm wrapped around her waist.
Anton felt his heart warm at Violet and Alena’s quick defense of Laurel. He wasn’t the only one coming to love her.
“Anton believes her father hid the drugs in Laurel’s bag. He also found this,” Dmitry said, holding out the small round tracking device. “We think this is a bug he has been using to keep track of Laurel. Illarion may have actually done us a favor by carrying it around all day. He runs wild all over the village. They probably couldn’t get a good fix on the device. From the looks of the bag, the boys may have buried it while they acted out their adventures.”
“This is possibly why Laurel’s father and his friends haven’t reappeared,” Kolya said. “Illarion’s house is located down in a little dell. The signal could have been blocked at night.”
“But what are we going to do now?” Anton asked. “They won’t stop until they get the drugs back.”
“I think it’s time to set up a little trap,” Dmitry said. “Kolya, call our friend, Lieutenant Ivan Kuznetsov. He’ll send over some men we can trust to help us. But, Anton, that means no going wolf. We’ll be forced to do this without shifting.”
“Do you think that is wise?” Anton said. “We are stronger and faster in our wolf form. What will the cops think when we tell them the backpack belongs to Laurel? Will they take her in, or worse, deport her?”
“We will tell Ivan the truth and let him decide,” Kolya said. “I’m sure he will try to keep Laurel out of it.”
“But you pointed out before that he isn’t pack. I won’t let you endanger Laurel. We have to know she won’t be involved in any way,” Anton said, putting his hands on his hips. “Laurel must be kept safe.”
“Speaking of Laurel, who is with her at the house, Alena?” Dmitry asked.
“Oh, I got so wrapped up in the conversation, I forgot,” Alena said. “No one is with her. She was sleeping when I left. I didn’t think we would be gone this long. I better run.”
“Not before you kiss me goodbye, woman,” Kolya barked, grabbing Alena as she started to run back down the path. “I miss you so much, lyubov moya. How is our son?” he whispered as he nuzzled her neck before he kissed her, his hand resting protectively on her stomach.
“Mother will walk over and keep Laurel company until you can get there, Alena,” Dmitry said, smiling at his best friend and little sister. Anton grimaced in frustration. If only he could hold Laurel like that.
§
Laurel sat in the sitting room with the huge golden book, the B¯¯E, M@ ¯3, the lycan history book, on her lap. If only she could read the pages. Each sheaf of parchment was lovingly painted with wolves hiding in swirls of leaves around the edges. It looked very old and reminded her of a medieval manuscript. It also seemed to be written in several languages. She fingered the pages, wondering what tales were written within. Closing the book, she admired the cover. It appeared to be a sheet of gold embossed and set with jewels of different hues. It looked like it belonged in a museum. She imagined it once belonged to a prince.
“A princely gift for the woman he loved,” Laurel whispered.
“You aren’t wrong. It was a gift to a lycan woman from the Mongol prince who loved her,” Yelena said from the doorway.
“Yelena, you startled me.”
“I’m sorry, Laurel. I thought you heard me come in,” Yelena said, sitting in the chair opposite Laurel.
“I must have been daydreaming. Where is everyone?”
“They are up at the high meadow, getting it ready for tomorrow night’s festivities.”
“You said a Mongol prince?”
“Yes, a Khan. He fell in love with a lycan woman visiting his court. But he wasn’t her heartmate, so she couldn’t stay with him. Because he truly loved her, he let her go, and gifted her with that book. She brought it back to the pack and used it to document our history and ceremonies. It has become a treasured icon to us, passed down from one generation to the next. Sonya’s mother held it last.”
“Shouldn’t it go to Sonya then?”
“No, it goes to the next shaman of the pack,” Yelena said. “At this time we have no one to fill that spot.”
“Shaman?” Laurel asked.
“Yes, a shaman is a healer. They perform ceremonies as the goddess’s representative.”
“Like a priestess?”
“Yes,” Yelena said. “They are held in high regard and answer only to the Alpha, though they aren’t under the Alpha, more like equal to. The healing gift has passed away from the pack. You are the first in several generations. Sonya’s mother could do some small bits of healing. She taught me basic first aid. Between the two of us, we handled most of the emergencies. When she passed, I was afraid the pack might be in great trouble. We had to call in a human midwife to help Violet. But if there had been a complication, we would have risked the human world finding out about us. As it was, we needed to cloud the midwife’s memory when the twins shifted while nursing.”
“They can shift that young?”
“Only the Alpha pups can do so. But they have very little control over it. We can heal ourselves if we shift, but if we can’t, then we need a healer to help us. The young ones cannot shift on command, and our pregnant women do not shift. It would put too much of a strain on the fetus. So you see why having you as part of our pack is such a blessing.”
The door banged, and Alena ran in. “Hi, Mom. Thanks for coming over. How are you doing Laurel? I’m so sorry I left you alone this morning. I got caught up at the high meadow and lost track of time.”
Both Yelena and Laurel noticed how Alena’s hair was mussed and several buttons on her red shirt were undone.
“It looks like Kol
ya was keeping you busy,” Yelena said.
Alena looked down at her blouse and blushed. “He wanted to kiss me goodbye. He misses me,” she said, fixing the buttons one by one.
“Don’t get defensive. Kolya is a good husband. Of course, he misses you,” Yelena said, smiling. “I’ll leave you to your lessons now. See you later tonight, Laurel. I need to get back and relieve Fanya from babysitting the twins,” Yelena said as she got up and walked out the door.
Laurel looked over at Alena who was finger-combing her hair. “Now, what is next on the agenda?”
§
Anton paced in the sitting room of the lodge. He had argued until he was blue in the face, and still Dmitry and Kolya wouldn’t listen. If Ivan insisted Laurel be taken in for questioning, Anton would never forgive them. Should he grab her and run? If he accessed his portion of the pack fund, they could leave with a good chunk of money to start over someplace else. They could go to Virginia where her grandmother lives. Idi K Chyortu, he wanted this done and over with. They needed to be able to start fresh. Making Laurel a part of this would only bring all the terror and pain back to her. What good was having her go through these healing ceremonies if she was going to be dragged back into the mess? There must be a way to keep her out of it. Running his hands through his hair, Anton turned and ran out the door.
Anton ran into the security building and down the hall to the computer room. Dmitry had put the backpack in the weapons locker for safekeeping. Anton opened the combination lock and reached in for the backpack, but it wasn’t there.
“Looking for this?” Kolya asked as he walked into the room, holding up the backpack with the newly repaired strap. “It wouldn’t have worked as bait if they knew we opened it. The tracking device is back in place and, once outside this building, should be picked up easily by Laurel’s stepfather.”
“Give it to me,” Anton said, reaching for the bag. “I’m going to take it off pack lands and hide it. Nobody will get hurt that way.”
“I don’t think so, HC@8=, wife’s brother,” Kolya said. “I know what you plan to do, but there is no reason to sacrifice yourself. If you will just wait until Ivan gets here, we will plan this out so everyone is satisfied. Laurel does not need to be a part of this if we catch them red-handed with the drugs in their possession. You need to calm down and think logically. Tomorrow night Laurel will be returned to your care. You cannot risk yourself, for in doing so, you risk her as well.”
Anton stood frozen, his mind in chaos. What should he do?
§
Laurel watched Sonya move to the music like a fish in water. She glided and dipped, her body moving sensuously through the air. In her hand she carried a fan that became an instrument of flirtation. Laurel was transfixed. Even though she couldn’t look away, she could feel her skin heating with embarrassment.
“You want me to dance like that?” Laurel asked in a whisper.
“Don’t worry, you can do it,” Alena encouraged.
“But, in front of everyone?” Laurel asked.
“You are dancing for the goddess and for your mate,” Alena said. “You are celebrating your femininity and the divine mother, giver of life. Once you start, you won’t see anyone. Trust me. All young women dance when they come of age. When they are finished, they often know who their mate will be. The dance calls to their mate. It is full of feminine power and seduction. After the ceremony, the family gives a party for the pack, a coming-out party if you will. You already know Anton is your mate, so once you see him, you can concentrate on him alone. In that way you have it easy.”
“Easy? Alena, I don’t think I can do this.”
“Here we go again with self-doubt. Have you learned nothing this last week?”
“Don’t be so hard on her,” Yelena said from the doorway. “She will do fine once she tries,” she said as she walked into the room. “Sonya, stop a moment and take Laurel through the steps one by one. Alena, turn off the music for now. Laurel can try it with the music once she gets the steps down.”
Laurel obediently moved forward. She liked Yelena, and more, she trusted her. She had been kind and encouraging every time she talked with her. For a mother-in-law, she didn’t fill the role of the jealous tyrant. She was more like a wise mentor. If Yelena thought Laurel could do this, then she would give it her best shot. Sonya took the first dance step and moved her arm, holding the fan down across her body. Laurel mimicked her movements. It was easier once Sonya slowed down so Laurel could see what to do.
“Give Laurel a fan, so she can practice with it in her hand,” Yelena said.
“I’ll get her mine. I have it in my room,” Alena said, smiling and dashing down the hall. “Every once in a while I dance for Kolya. He loves it.”
“They all do,” Yelena added.
Chapter Thirteen
With Kolya at his side, Anton ran to the police helicopter, as the blades swung around, blowing dust into the air and into the eyes of everyone within range. Dmitry stood out of range of the wind, watching, a confident look on his face. But Anton didn’t know whether Dmitry was over-confident or not. Ivan already sat in one of the front seats with the backpack in his hands and a headset on his head. The four men had talked into the early morning hours, and now it was time to put their plan into place. After strapping himself into his seat, Anton quickly put his headset on.
“This better work,” he said into the mike.
“If everything goes according to plan, it should work perfectly,” Ivan said over the radio that connected the headsets. “Once you and Kolya deliver the backpack to the mafia, my men will step in and arrest them. Classic maneuver, old as time.”
Anton looked down at the pack village as the helicopter took off and flew over the shops and homes. If he leaned forward, he could make out the house Laurel was in, as well as the high meadow decorated for the party this evening. If they didn’t get back in time for the dancing, Laurel would be crushed. But keeping her safe was worth taking a chance. He glanced at Kolya and saw an expression of worry cross his face. Was he thinking what Anton was thinking? The women would make their lives miserable if they ruined the ceremony for Laurel.
Needing to touch her before he was out of range, Anton reached for the mating bond and briefly touched Laurel’s mind. He could feel the comfort and pleasure of his touch floating into her thoughts. They had come so far this last week, sharing each other’s minds and thoughts, even though they weren’t allowed to speak except in an emergency. Sharing their dreams had helped as well. Did she know how much he wanted her? She had to feel desire and love blooming in his heart and mind. It seemed to comfort her, knowing they were never alone, but always connected and accepted.
Would she accept that he needed to keep her safe? That right now he rushed to confront her stepfather and the Russian mafia he was working for? Realizing he didn’t want Laurel to read his thoughts, he withdrew and focused on the work ahead.
With help from Ivan, they discovered that Laurel’s stepfather and Gleb, the local mafia boss, reportedly returned to the village holding the Sakha Festival. Today was the last day of the festival, and the many merchants and tourists would be heading home. Outside the village on the edge of the river, near the field where the festival was set up, was an open area. There were several warehouses along the docks. Anton and Kolya were to take the backpack into one of the empty buildings and stash it there. The local police already had the spot under surveillance. Ivan would drop Anton and Kolya off at the airport, and they would drive into the village. It seemed like such a simple plan, but Anton knew from previous experience that nothing about this would be simple. More than anything, he wanted this nightmare to be over for Laurel. Hopefully, the tracking device would alert Gleb to the fact that the backpack was no longer on pack lands but was approaching the village.
§
Laurel felt the brush of Anton’s mind-touch and smiled. After the ceremony tonight, they would finally be together. She missed his warm body wrapped around hers and his tender k
isses. She knew that the first time she physically shared her body with him, it would hurt. But Alena had reassured her. She pointed out that the mating bond would ensure they shared the pleasure they both felt and that would help the pain pass quickly. Laurel knew how intense the sharing of pleasure could be. Anton took her to heaven in their dreams. If the real act turned out to be even half as good, she would be happy. She wasn’t afraid anymore.
Hearing the sound of a helicopter going over the house, Laurel ran to the window and looked out. What was that about? It was so quiet around here that she had almost forgotten about the big world out there. Sometimes, she felt as if she existed in another dimension. She loved the solitude and magic of the lycan community.
Loving Anton and being his mate was a special gift she was looking forward to. Every time she thought of his handsome good looks and his sculpted body, tingles of excitement shot through her. She was ready to take what was hers and cement the mating bond into place. She didn’t know where she and Anton would fit into the pack, but they would figure that out together.
Picking up the beautiful red-silk fan Alena had lent her, Laurel began practicing the steps of the ceremonial dance. She had worked on it for hours, but repetition was paying off. She didn’t miss one step as she rehearsed in front of the mirror in her bedroom. She liked how seductive she felt and endeavored to flirt with the fan. She wanted the movements to flow and look natural.
This dance needed to be full of confidence, showing the pack that she was assured of her place as a mated female and that she was celebrating her femininity. Tonight was all about being a woman and rejoicing in male-female differences. Laurel dipped down into the final position, the fan covering her face as she knelt.
My Mate's Embrace Page 13
