Jordan's Marked Mate [The Ward Brothers] (Siren Publishing Allure)

by Mackenzie Williams

  Riley stalled when she saw her tennis shoes sitting at the foot of her bed. She bent to retrieve them, but a deafening crash came from her door. Buio was obviously smashing his body into it. One more loud crash and the door swung open so hard that the doorknob hit the wall, putting a hole in it.

  Riley screamed. She jumped, dropping her phone.

  Dark Leader stepped into the room, breathing heavily. “You’re going to pay for that in ways you can’t even imagine, slave!”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Jordan slid to a stop on the sidewalk just outside Riley’s house. His wolf paws scraped across the pavement before he gracefully returned to his human body. Brody and Ryan were soon standing behind him.

  Jordan held his hand up, telling them to be silent. He listened intently to their surroundings and heard nothing. Maybe Buio was still stalking and watching his prey. Maybe he had already taken her. A ball of terror and panic rolled through Jordan.

  He looked back and forth between his brothers. “You two are in charge of finding Riley and getting her the hell out of here.”

  “Wait, we need to be with you in case you find Dark Leader.” Ryan pointed at the house.

  “No, the most important thing is to get her safe. You two take her home and watch her. If the other Dark members show up, they’ll stop at nothing to steal Riley or even kill her. I need you to get her safe. Plus, we don’t need any townspeople finding all of us. The less time here, the better.”

  Brody stepped forward, now standing under a streetlight. “Who’s going to help you fight? Especially if other men show up? You can’t fight them all alone.”

  Jordan stepped closer to both of his brothers, pointing his finger at them. “Get her safe!” He took a deep breath through his nostrils. “If anything happens to me, you care for her as if she was your own slave. Got it?”

  Ryan sighed with a groan while Brody clenched his jaw muscles tightly. Jordan flicked his stare back and forth between them for what seemed like an eternity.

  At last, both of his brothers nodded in agreement.

  Jordan dropped his hand. “Good. Let’s get in there.”

  He whipped around and wasted no time heading toward the house. He didn’t want to just barge in the front door in case Riley was still only being watched. He didn’t want their reunion to start with him scaring the shit out of her. Or if Buio was in there, Jordan didn’t want to announce the Ward brothers’ presence so quickly.

  Jordan started to head around to the back of the house. His brothers followed on his heels. It was completely dark back there. No streetlights reached this area. The brothers, of course, had much better night vision than normal men.

  The three Ward brothers crept up toward a large window on the back of the house. There was a light on inside, spilling out onto the lawn. Just before Jordan was about to peer through it, there was an earsplitting scream.

  Riley! “Fuck!” Jordan sprinted the last few steps to the window.

  The sight that greeted him had his blood running cold. There, next to the window, stood Riley in a short, white robe. Her hands were over her mouth. It didn’t take long for Jordan to spot why. In the doorway to her room stood the last person Jordan wanted to see. Buio.

  Jordan’s whole body went stiff as a chill ran through him. There was no more time to think. Fortunately, Riley took a few large steps back away from Buio, which moved her away from the window. Jordan took several steps backward and then in a heartbeat, shifted back into the white wolf.

  He sprinted at full speed toward the house. He heard his brothers grunt in disapproval just before he hit the window. Jordan’s body smashed the glass with ease and he tumbled into the bedroom. The sound of broken glass rang in his ears and a few shards punctured his paws when they slid across the carpet.

  Riley screamed and Jordan turned to see her cover her ears with her hands. Her eyes were wide open and he could see the fear written on her face. A sudden urge to kill ran up his back as he arched it. He turned toward Buio who was already shifting.

  This was going to get messy real quick. Jordan needed Riley out of there and safe. Plus, he didn’t really want her to witness him murdering someone, even if it was Dark Leader.

  Jordan howled loudly to his brothers. They seemed to understand because in a split second, they were both at the broken window. Brody was in wolf form and Ryan was still in his human form. Jordan briefly wondered if this was a conscious decision to make Riley feel more comfortable.

  Jordan didn’t have time to worry about that, however. He returned his attention to the doorway in time to see the black wolf take a few gradual steps toward him. Buio growled, baring his teeth.

  Before Jordan had much time to react, the other shifter leapt at him. The collision forced Jordan back and both wolves fell out of the smashed window. They rolled onto the ground and he heard Riley scream again. As Jordan tried to regain his feet, he hoped that his brothers would do as he had told them and get her the hell away from this.

  Buio stood on all fours before him. Jordan hunched forward, snarling and showing his teeth. Both animals started to pace back and forth in a stalking manner. Jordan was contemplating his next best move, but it seemed Buio wasn’t waiting.

  The black wolf lunged forward and was soon on top of Jordan. He snarled right before sinking his teeth into Jordan’s neck. A pained yelp flew from Jordan as he fell backward. The two wolves were again rolling along the grass.

  The yard was steeper here and the wolves picked up energy, rolling down the hill. They were thrown into complete darkness as the house and its lights vanished from sight.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  “Oh, my god! Jordan!” Riley put her hands back over her mouth, tears streaming down her face.

  The two animals had just fallen out the broken window and rolled down the hill. She was pretty sure she had heard Jordan cry out in pain before she lost sight of them.

  Ryan stepped toward her. His blue eyes were flashing with anxiety. He held a hand out to her.

  “Riley, dear, we need to go.”

  “Go? Are you fucking kidding me?” She pointed out into the blackness. “We need to go help Jordan!”

  Brody was still in wolf form as he paced in the grass just outside the window. The small amount of light reflected beautifully off his white fur. Riley could see by his body language that he was fighting himself. He was staring in the direction the other two had disappeared.

  “Listen to me.” Ryan grabbed her hand. “Jordan was very clear. He wants you back at his place. Safe.”

  She shook all over as cold air filled her bedroom. Because Ryan looked so much like Jordan, his words were even more haunting. Riley looked back out the hole where the window should be. Brody had stepped away from the house a few feet, still pacing.

  Suddenly the wolf stopped, lifting his head. His massive ears moved. Riley could tell he was hearing something she wasn’t. She stepped around Ryan, moving closer to the broken window. Riley inhaled sharply and winced as pain shot through her. She had stepped on a piece of broken glass.

  Riley lifted her foot, to inspect it and soon saw a small bead of red blood showing up on the bottom of her foot. “Damn it!”

  With a trembling hand, she pulled the small shard of glass out of her skin. When she stepped down again, she scrunched up her nose in pain, but she wasn’t worried about her own well-being at the moment. She took another step toward the window so she could try and hear what was happening.

  Ryan grabbed her elbow. “Riley, I’m not asking you. We are taking you back to his place. If other clan members show up, I can’t guarantee your safety.”

  Riley continued to watch Brody. He was now fully facing the direction Jordan had disappeared with the attacking animal. A shiver went up her back and it had nothing to do with the cold night air. She turned to look at Ryan who was still holding her arm. He didn’t look as if he was willing to argue his point further.

  “Ryan, if others show up, he’ll be killed.”

 
“Yes, and if we stay, so will you. Or worse. Do you really want to end up as a Dark slave? Do you have any idea how horrible they’d treat you?” He pulled harder on her arm, causing her to take a step toward him.

  Riley looked down and saw her blood smeared on her cream carpet. She turned her worried stare on Ryan.

  “I’m not going to take that chance. You’re a marked Ward slave. That means more than maybe you realize.”

  Riley lowered her head. She couldn’t just abandon Jordan. Especially since he was in this mess because of her. She had run away…again. She had opened the door for one of his enemies to get to her.

  Riley looked up at Ryan just as a loud animalistic roar broke the night silence. It was far away and she couldn’t be sure who it was coming from. It might have even been new wolves showing up. Riley had no clue.

  She pulled on her arm, fully planning on jumping out into the grass and heading down the dark hill. Obviously, Ryan wasn’t going to let that happen. He swiftly lifted her off her feet. Her robe came open a few inches, but he didn’t react.

  Ryan jumped out the broken window and gracefully flipped her over his shoulder. Riley squirmed in his hold, but it did nothing to halt him. Brody stared down the hill for several seconds as Ryan walked away from the house. After a while, the wolf finally turned and followed.

  “Ryan, stop!” She hit his back with her fists. “You have to go help him!” He didn’t slow. Riley turned her pleas to Brody. “Brody, go back for him!”

  The wolf actually slowed down. He turned his head to look back at the house but soon returned to following Ryan.

  Riley hit Ryan again. “Fuck!”

  * * * *

  Buio swung his paw and razor-like claws swiped across Jordan’s face. Jordan let out a pain-filled groan as he fell back. He rolled farther down the hill until he slowed with a splash. Jordan had rolled into a small duck pond that lay at the bottom of the grassy hill.

  The pond was very shallow. Jordan took a few steps in the cold water before shifting back into his human body. He wiped his cheek with the back of his hand. Blood streaked his skin. He had a few deep scratches to his face, but he didn’t feel any pain.

  His eyes bounced around his dark surroundings, searching for Buio. “My brothers better have Riley and they better be on their way to the forest.”

  Just then, a splash sounded behind him. He clenched his jaw muscles while balling his hands into fists. The splash wasn’t big enough to be a wolf. Buio had also shifted back, or was it another Dark member?

  Jordan exhaled and slowly turned toward the origin of the noise.

  Chapter Forty

  Riley paced in Jordan’s living room, feeling like a caged animal. Well, that’s exactly what she was. Both brothers were now in human form and both were guarding her and the exit. Brody stood by the front door, with his arms folded in front of himself. He looked like a bouncer just waiting for someone to pick a fight.

  Ryan was standing next to the couch, right behind where Riley was pacing. Every so often, she could hear him growl or sigh. These noises were making her even more restless. Riley’s scar-like mark was on fire. Her skin felt so hot it could ignite. Finally, she threw her arms out to the side and screamed in frustration.

  “It’s been over an hour! We can’t just stay here forever.” She stopped pacing and turned an angry scowl on Ryan.

  Besides his eye color, Ryan mirrored his brother, Jordan, in almost every way. Even the way he rubbed his face was a reminder. The sight hurt Riley’s heart and a dull ache entered her chest.

  “Jordan wanted this. Don’t forget that.” Ryan ran a hand through his black hair. “If something happens to him…we’ll take care of you, love.”

  Riley shook her head violently. “Do you think I’m worried about what will happen to me? I don’t want to think about what I’d do without him.”

  Brody’s deep voice boomed behind her. “Is that why you ran away from him?”

  She sensed the accusation in his tone. Riley looked at the floor. No tears came, though. Her eyes were dry and her mind was starting to feel numb again. She slowly turned to face Brody, who had stepped a little closer to her.

  “I was wrong to run. I should have stayed and talked it out, but I was scared and…angry.” She huffed out a deep breath. “My parents died trying to get me away from him. It feels like spitting in their faces to stay.”

  Riley jumped when arms came around her back, wrapping her up. Ryan was hugging her tightly. This caused a deep sob to rise up her throat and she took an ugly, quivering breath. Brody took another step toward her, his eyes softer now.

  “That’s why you left?”

  Riley simply nodded, taking another shaky breath.

  “I trust you’ve changed your mind.” Brody tilted his head.

  Ryan released her and Riley turned to look at him before answering Ryan. “Yes. I want to be here. I want to be Jordan’s slave or girl or whatever he wants to call me.”

  Brody gently grabbed her elbow, turning her. “We’ll give it another hour and then I’ll go searching for him.”

  “No. Twenty more minutes.” Riley rubbed her stomach.

  Ryan laid a hand on her shoulder. “Thirty.”

  Suddenly, Riley’s mark went cold. So cold, it felt as if someone was holding ice against her skin. Her eyes widened and she gasped. Riley moved her worried stare between the two brothers.

  * * * *

  “This ends tonight. One of us isn’t leaving here alive.” Buio grunted.

  “Agreed.” Jordan tried to keep his footing in the shallow pond.

  It was extremely dark as he sidestepped, circling the enemy. Buio moved to his left, snarling. Jordan hadn’t heard anything from the house, which he hoped meant that Riley was far away from this chaos.

  He lifted his arms defensively, waiting. Jordan was going to let Dark Leader make the first move, but he was determined to make the last one. Killing was the last resort, but he had a feeling that was the only way he was getting out of this alive. Plus, with Buio still alive, Riley would never be truly safe.

  “This is your last chance to walk away, Buio!”

  “Never! After I kill you, I’m going to claim that pretty little slave of yours. I’ve already got her cage ready.”

  Jordan couldn’t hold himself back any longer. He cried out as he lunged forward. His fist smashed into Buio’s face. His nose made a sickening crunching sound. He didn’t go down, however. Buio merely took a wobbling step to the side before quickly regrouping.

  He swung wildly at Jordan, who managed to step out of the way of the first swing but not the second. Dark Leader surprised Jordan with a left hook. Jordan flew to the side, landing in the water. His head went under and he scrambled to sit up.

  “You’re weak!” Buio shouted over him. “You’ve always been weak and now you’ll lose your slave because of it!”

  Jordan started to get his feet back under himself but was abruptly stopped. Buio came down on top of him, pushing his body back down. Jordan’s face was soon back underwater. He struggled with Buio, moving his hands up to the other shifter’s face.

  Jordan screamed underwater as he pressed his fingers into Buio’s eyes. Buio cried out a muffled cry.

  Chapter Forty-One

  “Come on, come on! It’s been a half an hour!” Riley bounced up on her bare toes.

  “No, it hasn’t. It’s been fifteen minutes and maybe you should go put some clothes on.” Ryan looked down at her cleavage.

  Riley looked down at herself to find her robe had again come open. She grabbed the edges, pulling them together and then adjusted her cloth belt. She barely cared who saw her nude body at the moment. There was no way she was going to head back to her bedroom and waste time changing.

  “Yeah, you should. And why won’t you let me bandage your foot?” Brody pointed at her injured foot.

  It did still hurt, but it wasn’t bleeding anymore. Riley shook her head. “I’m fine. Now can you please go find Jordan?”

  Ri
ley suddenly jumped as a thunderous thump came from the front door. She turned wide-eyed as another loud thump sounded. The door shook and then a softer thud came from just outside the door. She moved her eyes quickly between the two men. They each stared at the other and then back at the door.

  Brody took a step toward it, but Ryan grabbed his arm.

  “Wait. What if it’s the Dark clan members coming for Riley?” Ryan whispered.

  Brody pressed his lips together and exhaled softly. He turned his head back to look at the door as there was one more faint thud. Just then, the door swung open violently and a body dropped to the floor, halfway inside. Water flung from the person, hitting Riley’s legs. She held her breath and took a small step toward Ryan, grabbing his arm for comfort.

  “Jordan?” Riley whispered, squeezing Ryan’s arm.

  The man was face down and soaking wet. He groaned weakly and then started to crawl into the house. The lights of the room finally illuminated part of the body. It was Jordan. He then fell to the floor again.

  Riley released her hold on Ryan and went straight for her love. Before she reached him, however, Brody grabbed her by the waist. He effortlessly lifted her into the air, stepping back from the open door.

  “Brody!” She twisted in his arms.

  “Sshhh! We don’t know if he’s alone.” Brody stepped back again, still holding Riley.

  Ryan stepped past them cautiously. He crouched, eyeing Jordan, who was laying on the floor, completely still except for his labored breathing. When he reached his brother, Ryan laid a hand on his back while staring out into the dark night.

  “Ryan?” Riley whispered, no longer struggling in Brody’s arms.

  Ryan leaned forward over Jordan’s body, sticking his head outside. He searched the area silently for what seemed like forever to Riley. Brody took another step back from the scene and she sensed that he was waiting to run. If he got a sign of trouble, he would bolt from the room with her.