“Don’t worry. I’m only going to do some blood work today. I want to see how your DNA markers have changed since you’ve mated with a full-blooded wolf shifter. I want to draw the samples soon because I have to send them out to be analyzed. I promise that’s all I’m going to do while you’re asleep. I want you awake for any other testing.”
“What other testing? Please, I need to know.” Maddie knew she was begging, but she was so afraid to go to sleep.
“It’s simple, Maddie. We’re going to see if we can bring your wolf out to play.” The sound of his laugh made chills run up Maddie’s arms.
“I don’t have a wolf, I never did,” she whispered.
“I know, but there’s a good chance now that you will. Remus injected you with his DNA when you mated. Don’t bother to deny it. The mating mark is quite clear on your neck.”
“Mating mark? I don’t, I don’t…I—” Then Maddie’s world went black.
* * * *
As Remus watched, Constantine picked up the tray and left the room. He quickly warned his brothers.
Get ready, target is approaching.
He motioned for his pack brothers behind him to follow, and they headed for the front door. A few moments later, he heard a loud crash, then silence. He jumped when the front door opened, then felt relief when Latan stepped out onto the porch.
Remus didn’t even wait for Latan to say anything. He pushed past him and went racing through the cabin, just glancing briefly at the doctor’s unconscious form on the floor. There were only two other rooms to the cabin, and one of them had a closed door. He tried the knob and found it locked. Pulling back his foot, he kicked with all his strength. The door splintered and cracked, but it took two more kicks before it finally gave up the struggle and collapsed.
In two steps he was at the bed, breaking the restraining straps, and yanking his mate into his arms. “Maddie, can you hear me?” She didn’t even move. She’d obviously been drugged again. “Damn, please be okay,” he whispered.
“Is she okay?” Ethan asked from the doorway.
Remus pulled her close to his chest and looked over at his brother. “She’s been drugged, but she’s alive.” He gazed down at her peaceful face and blinked back tears. Then he took a deep breath and spoke to Ethan. “Let’s get out of here. I want her to wake up in her own bed. Call Vanard and have him get a hold of the Westerland Pack’s doctor and see if they’ll come out and take a look at her.” As he started to carry his precious bundle out, Ethan’s voice stopped him.
“Remus?”
Remus merely stopped and listened.
“What about Constantine?” Ethan asked.
“What about him?” Remus replied.
“What do you want us to do with him?”
Remus could hear the fear in his brother’s voice, but he hardened his heart against it. “I don’t want anyone to have to fear him ever again.” He glanced over at Ethan. “But don’t worry, little brother, I’ve already asked someone to take care of it. Go and find Latan. I want the two of you to follow me home.”
Ethan looked relieved. “Okay, we’ll be right behind you.”
As Remus carried his mate past the doctor’s unconscious body lying on the floor, he didn’t have one moment of regret for what he’d asked his pack mates to do.
* * * *
As Remus watched, Maddie began to slowly awaken. By the way she began tossing and turning, he was sure she was caught up in the horrors of a nightmare. Quickly, he sat beside her on the bed.
“Shhh, baby, you’re safe now. You’re home with me in our cabin. I’m not gonna let anyone hurt you.”
Maddie relaxed in his hold and slowly opened her eyes. She focused on his face and threw her arms around his neck, holding on tightly as if he’d disappear if she let go.
“You’re really here? It’s over?” she whispered.
Remus lay down beside her in the bed and took her in his arms. He wanted to do whatever he could to assure her that she was safe at home with him.
“You’re safe, and you’re right here at home in our own little cabin. We’re together, and nobody’s gonna take you away from me.”
Remus gripped his fingers tightly in Maddie’s hair and pulled back gently until her head was tilted back, then closed his lips over hers. Plunging his tongue deeply, he savored the taste of his mate filling his senses.
Before they got too carried away with their loving, Remus needed to talk to her about Michael. Remus ended their kiss and gazed into Maddie’s eyes. “Are you okay?
Maddie smiled. “I am now. I prayed you would find me.”
Remus cupped her cheek in his hand, then ran his thumb across her bottom lip. “Maddie, nothing could have kept me from finding you. I couldn’t rest until you were back here in my arms where you belong.”
Maddie brought her hands to the front of Remus’s shirt and lightly toyed with the buttons. “Remus, what happened to Dr. Constantine?”
Remus gripped her chin tighter and brought her gaze up to his. “He’s never going to bother you again, Maddie.”
For just a moment, Remus saw fear in her eyes, then calm acceptance. “Okay, what about Michael?” she asked.
“Well, that’s another story entirely.” Remus sighed and sat up in the bed. He reached down and pulled Maddie up to sit between his legs with her back against his chest. “How much do you remember, Maddie?”
“I remember everything. If you’re trying to break it to me gently that Michael was involved in getting me back to the clinic, then don’t bother. I already heard it from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.”
Remus tightened his arms around her briefly in a hug meant to comfort. “I want you to know that I would never hurt your brother. I know you love him.”
Maddie sighed. “Oh, Remus, it never occurred to me that you’d hurt him. Now I, on the other hand, might just have to kick his ass.”
Remus couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled forth at his gentle little mate’s threat. When she turned her head to glare at him, he cut off his laugh with a cough. “Sorry, baby,” he said.
“Okay, let’s get our facts straight here. Michael was in the wrong, and he nearly got me experimented on or worse. But the truth is it wasn’t entirely his fault. Dr. Constantine thought he was an idiot and was manipulating him to get his help. I know that Michael was only trying to do what he thought was right, no matter how wrong he was.”
Remus ran his hands through her tangled hair. “So, does that mean you forgive him?”
“Absolutely not!” she exclaimed. “I’ll always love him, he’s my only brother, but it’s gonna take some time before I’m ready to forgive, and I’m never gonna forget.”
“He wants to see you,” Remus told her.
She stilled in Remus’s arms. “Where is he?”
“Right now he’s down at the motel outside of town cooling his heels. He’s been calling every little bit until I finally unplugged the phone. I’ve got the road guarded so he can’t drive up here without my permission.”
“I guess I’m gonna have to see him, if for no other reason than to make him go home.”
“Well, before you do I need to tell you some things.”
She turned her head and gazed up at him. “What things?”
“I just wanted to protect your relationship with him and to keep our secret safe. I didn’t think he was up to keeping his mouth shut about the things he’d seen.”
“Okay, what did you do, exactly?” Maddie was getting a worried look on her face.
“Actually, I didn’t do anything. I had the Elders do it. I had his memory of the events altered.”
“You what!”
Remus winced at the shriek of Maddie’s voice. “It’s okay, Maddie, he’s not hurt. He just doesn’t remember everything that happened in the last twenty four hours.”
Maddie took a deep breath and turned back around to lay her head back on Remus’s chest. “You can really do that, change somebody’s memories? Never mind, of course you can
or you wouldn’t have said anything.” She ran her hand across her forehead. “So, exactly what does he remember now?”
Remus sighed. His mate was beginning to be annoyed, and he couldn’t really blame her. “He remembers coming here yesterday with Constantine to take you back to the clinic. He remembers helping to drug you. But that’s when his memory changes from reality. He thinks I stopped them from taking you away when I came home early and told them that we were married. Then I supposedly threw them out and told him to wait at the motel until I called him.”
“That’s it?” Maddie said.
“That’s it,” Remus replied.
Maddie shook her head and laughed. “It’s like living in the Twilight Zone.” She sighed. “Let’s just get him up here so I can talk to him and send him on his way. Then I’d just like to be with you for a while, nobody else. Can we do that?”
“You bet we can, baby. I’ll get him up here right away.” Remus crawled off the bed and went to plug in the phone. After a brief call telling Latan to have Michael drive up to the house, he turned back to his mate. “Maddie, let’s go sit on the porch in the swing. I’d rather you talk to him outside, if you don’t mind.”
“That’s fine. I don’t want him in here, either.” She started to get up from the bed and slid to the floor as her knees buckled.
“Maddie, wait!” Remus called his warning just a second too late. He rushed over and scooped her up into his arms. “You were drugged, woman. You can’t just be trying to do things on your own.”
Maddie put her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. “Then it’s a good thing I have a big, strong, handsome man to take care of me.”
Remus smiled at her. “You’re such a flirt. Now let’s go see what your wayward brother has to say.”
Chapter 8
Michael gazed up at his sister as he got out of his car. She was sitting in the porch swing all wrapped up in Remus’s arms. He slowly climbed the steps and stood and looked at them.
She continued to just stare at him, maybe waiting for him to speak first.
She looks so happy. I can’t believe I hurt her so badly. I only wanted what was best for her.
He watched as Remus leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek.
Was I wrong? Is Remus what’s best for her? You can see the love shining on her face when she looks at him, but is it because he’s the first man she’s ever really had a relationship with? What can I do to get her to forgive me? I don’t want to be cut out of her life. I want to be able to watch over her, be there if she needs me.
Michael looked at Remus. “Can I please talk to Maddie alone?”
Maddie startled him with her swift response. “No, I need Remus with me. If you can’t talk in front of him, then you need to go.”
“I’m so sorry, Maddie. I never meant to hurt you or Remus. I wish I’d known about the two of you before I came up this morning. I let Dr. Constantine influence me, and that was wrong. I was so convinced that he knew what was best for you. Now, looking at the two of you together, well, I guess I should have taken the time to get more of the facts before I acted. Look, Maddie. I’m still not sure of what’s best for you. But I guess I’m beginning to realize that it’s no longer up to me to decide those things for you. Do you think you can forgive me, Maddie? Do you think we can be brother and sister again? Will you, at least, let me visit you from time to time?”
Leaning back, she looked him directly I the eye. “I’m very happy now, Michael, happier than I’ve ever been in my life. I love Remus, and I have no doubt that he loves me. We’ll have a good, happy life together. You’re gonna have to accept that. I love you, Michael. You’re my brother and you always will be. But right now, I can’t just forgive you and say that all is well. Whether you meant to or not, you hurt me, and you hurt Remus. You didn’t even give me a chance to explain things to you.”
Michael wiped at the tears falling down his cheeks. “Does that mean you don’t want to see me anymore?”
Maddie sighed. “It means that I need some time, and so do you. I want some time to adjust to being Remus’s wife and to being on my own. You need some time to accept my new life, because if you can’t accept it, then you can’t be a part of it.” She looked up at Remus, then back at Michael. “I want you to go home, Michael. I’m safe and happy here. Now it’s time to work on making your own dreams come true. I’ll call you in a couple of weeks, and we can talk some more.”
Maddie reached over and whispered something to Remus. He immediately got up, picked her up in his arms, and carried her into the house. She never said another word to him. Michael stood on the porch for just a moment, then walked silently to his car and drove away.
* * * *
Remus carried Maddie over and sat her on the side of their bed. He lowered his head and covered her lips with his. Angling his head to the side, Remus deepened the kiss, sending his tongue into her honeyed sweetness. Maddie groaned and linked her arms around his neck as he sank back down onto the mattress with her. Not wanting to rush their lovemaking, Remus continued for several minutes just kissing her thoroughly. As he felt her passion ignite, Maddie grasped the back of his shirt and tugged up. She was clearly getting impatient.
Smiling, Remus raised his head and gazed into her passion filled eyes. Sliding from her arms, he removed his shirt and jeans, coming back to her arms totally naked.
Maddie laughed. “You seem to be naked, my love.”
Remus just grinned at her and then allowed his claws to drop down and proceeded to rip her shirt right down the middle. At her gasp, he yanked the tattered remains from her body, baring her to his gaze. Feeling extremely wicked, he smiled at her once again, then hurried to dispose of her jeans and panties in the same way.
“Now we’re both naked.”
Remus crushed her body close to his and held her tightly against his heart. He was overwhelmed at the feel of their naked bodies pressed intimately together. Remus was surprised when Maddie pushed against his chest to free herself.
“Remus, I want you so much, but I feel positively nasty after everything that’s happened today. I need to take a shower before we make love. Please, I won’t be able to relax until I’ve washed away the ugliness of everything.”
He smiled at her tenderly. “Of course you can. Let’s take one together.”
Maddie smiled at him with a twinkle in her eyes.
“I like the sound of that, big guy.”
Maddie squealed as Remus jumped from the bed and reached down to pick her up in his arms. Laughing, he carried her toward their bathroom, not stopping until he set her down on the rug beside the shower. Reaching in, he turned on the water and adjusted the temperature. Grinning, he held the door open wide.
“Ladies first. In you go.”
Maddie smiled and walked into the warm water. He watched for a minute as the water cascaded down over her hair and shoulders, then followed closely behind her, folding her in his arms while the water flowed over them both.
Remus was content to stand still for a few minutes, just letting the warm water soothe them. Maddie soon turned in his arms and placed a kiss in the middle of his chest. Responding to her playfulness, Remus ran his hands down her back to grip the cheeks of her ass, squeezing and then lifting to rub her against his erection. Wanting to get back to their comfortable bed, Remus reached for the liquid soap and liberally poured some into his hands.
Starting with her shoulders, he began to soap her body. She groaned as he massaged the tension from her shoulders before sliding his hands down the smooth skin of her back. Leaning over further, he ran his soapy hands across her ass, paying special attention to the crevice hiding her small, puckered opening. He felt her quiver as he ran his soapy fingers down the crease, stopping to carefully soap the virgin opening. Before she could object, he carefully pushed, allowing his finger to push past the outer ring up to his knuckle. She gasped and he felt the tightening of her body.
“Am I hurting you, baby?” He’d stop immediately if sh
e said he was hurting her.
“No, it doesn’t hurt. It just feels like pressure, like I’m really full. You just startled me. I hadn’t expected it.”
Carefully, he moved his finger in and out, stopping after a moment to add a second finger. Again, he felt her stiffen in his arms.
“You know I’d never hurt you, don’t you, baby? I only wanna make you feel good. If I ever do anything you don’t like or that hurts, all you have to do is tell me, and I’ll stop right away.”
“I know you’d never hurt me, Remus. I trust you.”
“Remember I told you that I’d want to take you here one day.”
“Yes, I remember. I’m just not sure I’m ready for it today.”
“Don’t worry, I’m only testing the waters, so to speak. I’m not gonna try and do this today. When I get around to it, you’ll be more than ready, I promise.”
Maddie sighed and relaxed against his aroused body. He watched her close her eyes and then felt her hands on his back, rubbing him up and down.
Remus removed his fingers from Maddie’s ass and resumed washing her body. He turned her around so her back was to his chest. Filling his hands with soap again, he massaged her neck and shoulders briefly, then moved down to cup her breasts in his soapy hand, stopping every once in a while to tug at the rosy tips. Before long, Maddie’s head lay back on his chest, and she was moaning low in her throat. Satisfied with his efforts, Remus let his hands continue down her body until they reached the silky hair covering her feminine folds. After adding more soap, he plowed through the hair, rubbing her mound thoroughly. After a moment of this, he concentrated his fingers on her outer lips, parting them with his thumbs, allowing his soapy fingers access to her wet folds. Carefully, he ran his fingers the length of her slit, zeroed in on the bundle of nerves at the top of her opening, and caressed her engorged clit. Maddie arched her hips toward his hand.
“Remus, please!”
Holding one arm tightly around her waist, Remus used his other hand to flick her clit back and forth, stopping every once in a while to run his fingers down and insert them into her wet heat. Faster and faster, he rubbed at her throbbing clit until he felt her legs begin to quiver. Knowing she was close, he grasped her clit between his thumb and forefinger and squeezed. Maddie’s hips bucked up and she called out his name. “Remus!”
Discovering Their Wolfen Heritage Page 18
