Ivan’s non-stop flattery and attempts to make her happy had gotten old. It had been going on ever since their dinner last night. She often wondered when his dark side would emerge. The side that others rumored about in the business world. It was evident that he was controlling and good at bending others to suit his needs, but when he didn’t get what he wanted…
She had to keep reminding herself why she was doing this. It would take a little more time than she had anticipated to get herself out of this mess—but she would.
The first round of drinks and heavy hors d’oeuvres had already been served, and the servants were beginning to bring out the second rounds into the courtyard area.
She picked at her food, taking bites here and there, to appease the watchful eyes of guests that had come from near and far to witness the occasion.
The whole ceremony was being held in a private garden at a ranch house in the forest several miles from the Zeldano estate. Half of the attendees were human, and the other half, wolf. There had to be some compromise in the middle. It didn’t matter what side of the fence one was on because with the wolves, they always concluded the night by running wild in the aftermath. What better way to do that than out in the wilderness?
“May I refill your wine glass?” A servant touched her shoulder lightly.
“Please.” Arianna nodded. The wine was the only thing keeping her relaxed at this point.
The maid moved on to refill Luther Zeldano’s glass next. Although his old age and arthritis is what ailed him the most, he still presented himself strongly to his guests. Every so often, relatives from both sides of the family would come up to greet him. She could tell that they still honored him and looked up to him despite his son taking over the reins.
Since she’d been whisked away to the Zeldano’s estate, Luther hadn’t said very much to her. In fact, she always caught him staring at her dubiously. What did he expect? For her to crumble at his son’s feet like many women had done in the hopes of getting their hands on their money?
She wasn’t like that. She would crumble at no man’s feet.Not an hour went by that Arianna did not think of Jayson. She’d wished that she had listened to him and stayed by his side. How could she have known that her own father would have betrayed her? She didn’t blame Jayson for not coming after her. She’d willingly left him just as she’d done those other times. Only this time, she was certain that Jayson’s chasing after her would end. After this ceremony, he definitely wouldn’t want her.
One of Ivan’s advisors stepped up to the table and handed him a note. Arianna watched carefully as he unfolded the paper and scanned it.
A smile spread across his face. “Announcement time.”
Her heart dropped into her belly.
Luther stood and tapped the side of his empty wine glass with the handle of a knife. Silence fell over the courtyard and people scrambled to take their seats.
“I would first like to thank each and every one of you for attending tonight. This occasion marks a significant milestone in our history,” Luther began speaking. “As a token of our appreciation, every one of you will go home with a set of gold plated wine glasses.”
That seemed to please many, and a round of applause followed.
Arianna bit back her indifference, and her eyes shifted to the moon. It was full tonight, and loomed high and domineered the sky. Unfortunately, this would be a night she would never forget.
“It is no surprise that we have a new addition at the head table.” Luther gestured toward her and offered her his palm.
She held her breath and allowed him to help her to her feet.
“To those of you who have yet to meet her, I present to you the lovely Arianna Klein, first and only daughter of Anthony Klein, Sr. Half of you know her as your blood kin, and the other half knows her for the wolf spirit of Caedmon running through her soul.”
A light breeze ran across her skin and her body shuddered in response.
“Anthony Klein and I have had a long standing business relationship, one that began as me becoming his client. As any smart businessmen will do, we made plans for our future.” He paused before turning to glance at Ivan. “My son has since taken over the bulk of the family business and investments.”
Ivan rose from his chair and stood beside her.
“I’ve grown tired and am not able to tackle our dealings with as much gusto as before,” Luther continued. “The agreement we are about to unveil has been kept a secret until we felt it was time. We are now in the height of the new millennia and many of our offspring are the face of our leadership of tomorrow. We must lead them on the right track…”
“I am proud to announce a union between my son and the daughter of Klein that will take us to the next level.”
Luther paused as an uproar of clapping and joyous words resonated around them. Arianna’s gaze met with her father. He was smiling, of course, but when he saw that she wasn’t, his expression turned dismal.
Luther took his seat, and with shaky hands, he picked up his water glass and took a long sip.
Ivan took this as cue, and took over. “Over the next several months, I will be busy building this empire. We’ve been the underdogs for far too long, coming only in second to the current Caedmon leaders who’ve ignored the visions of our great leaders in the past.” He curved his palm around her elbow and squeezed lightly. “One of the main reasons that Arianna and I joined forces was to combine resources vast enough to earn a significant position in the world market today. This is something I believe the current Caedmon leadership will never accomplish.”
Arianna swallowed, shifting slightly to escape from Ivan’s touch and his vindictive words.
“Arianna’s family has had considerable reach in the human markets for quite some time. Likewise, I am proud to be a part of a family—all of you— that has gained shares, no matter how small, in many of the other markets. Together, with this union, we will do remarkable things.”
There was a commotion near the far end of the courtyard. The guards that stood on either corner of the space rushed toward the back. Attention turned from Ivan to the new situation, and their necks craned and most of them stood in an attempt to see what had commenced.
“Intruder,” a male yelled.
A series of gasps erupted.
Suddenly, Luther stood. He clutched the ends of the table and peered out over the rows of guests.
Arianna’s throat tightened as she sensed an air of danger elevating around them.
A high pitched scream rent the air and tables flipped over, sending the seated members scurrying for cover as glasses and fine china crashed onto the pavement.
Arianna heard the fierce growls before she saw what had transpired.
A pack of wolves now surrounded them.
“What the fuck!” Ivan explained.
Two of them were fighting, tackling each other and rolling into tables. The guests were forced to vacate their seats as the two angry wolves became more aggressive. They toppled over, aiming for each other’s throats.
Suddenly, a huge brown and black wolf lunged between the two sparring wolves. Spittle splattered from his mouth as he growled back and forth between the heated fighters. It was obvious that he was trying to stop the skirmish.
“Show yourself.” Luther pounded his fist on the table sending his glass of water crashing to the floor.
Arianna’s breath caught in her throat when the brown and black wolf shifted instantly.
It was Devin Caedmon.
Many others gasped in shock, and Arianna covered her mouth with her palm. The sparring wolves followed their leader, shifting into their respective human forms. She recognized Dawson as one of the fighters and his opponent was one of Zeldano’s followers.
“You trespassed,” Luther growled.
“Of course we did,” Devin declared.
“What is your reason for disrupting our ceremony?” Luther’s whole body shook in anger beside her.
Someone pushed their way th
rough the bodies of men. It was as though they’d been holding this one back, and had no more strength to do so.
“Arianna Klein.” Jayson came to stand before them all—even the Alpha himself. His hair was wild and his eyes were dark. His chest glowed with a fresh sheen of sweat like he’d run for miles without stopping. The jeans he wore were ripped in several places. “She is mine.”
Arianna’s breaths quickened and fogged out in front of her.
‘No. No. You can’t be doing this.’
‘Yes. I will.’
“Yours?” Ivan grumbled. “I have an agreement that says otherwise.”
“Fuck your agreement!” Jayson attempted to rush forward. It took three men to hold him back.
She hated seeing him this way. Beyond control and angry.
“It’s over. Signed and delivered,” Ivan stated.
“This ends tonight. I’m here to claim my mate.”
“You have no right to her. She was promised to me.”
“You’re wrong, Ivan.” Devin came to stand by Jayson side. “There is an agreement on the table, but any of us can challenge you for Arianna at any time.”
“Challenge me?” Ivan laughed. “When you attempted to buy her back, it wasn’t enough. Why do you think you are worthy enough to have her?”
“Arianna is my mate.” Jayson’s eyes widened. “You knew this!”
“A wolf that lets his mate roam unclaimed for decades. A sorry excuse, is it not?” Ivan looked to his crowd of followers for support.
Some of them grumbled in agreement.
“What wolf attempts to buy someone else’s mate? Is that not sorry, or what?”
Ivan growled. “You’re doing Arianna and her father a disgrace. You must not know what they’ve put on the line.”
“I am aware of what’s at stake,” Jayson said between clenched teeth. “It’s why I am here tonight.”
“Then you know reneging means they lose everything.”
“They haven’t reneged, Ivan. As you said, the agreement has been signed. The transaction has been completed. Your union has just been announced as official.”
“Then why are you here?” This time it was Luther who inquired.
“I’m here to challenge you, Ivan. For Arianna.”
Arianna’s breath rushed out of her forcefully. She clutched her chest. “Jayson, don’t.”
“Do you love me, Arianna?” Jayson asked, surprising her.
“Yes, Jayson, I love you.”
“Then let me do this,” he pleaded.
“Ivan.” Arianna turned to face him. “Let me go. Without a fight. I beg you. This would never have been successful. None of it.”
Ivan’s lips trembled, and he seemed to weigh her request.
“Don’t you dare, Ivan,” his father demanded from behind her. “Don’t you dare let her run.”
Arianna turned, her veins nearly bursting with rage. “You! You and my father made this agreement out of greed. You’ve taught your son how to thrive off the weaknesses of others. Step down as you have declared and stop talking for your son!”
“Your father never taught you how to speak to your elders.”
“This has nothing to do with you, elder,” Jayson called out from the ground. “Your son should be man enough to have his own voice…or not. Haven’t you taught him that?”
“I accept.” Ivan’s voice echoed across the courtyard.
Silence fell over the crowd and a rush of wind gush passed them all.
“If I win, consider the contract null and void and without penalty on Arianna or her father,” Jayson said.
“And if I win,” Ivan said, “You relinquish complete rights to Arianna, and you are never to see her again.”
“Agreed.” Jayson’s body faded into a translucent haze and then he shifted into wolf form.
Arianna joined the frenzy of bodies as everyone rushed out into the clearing in the forest. Ivan didn’t shift until he and Jayson were circling each other.
When their bodies collided, her stomach contracted in panic. It was a gut-wrenching thing to watch—her mate fighting with the one she was promised to. They were both considerably close in age and size, and as they fought she could tell that neither really had the upper hand.
Jayson pounced on top of Ivan, slamming him into the ground. Ivan snapped at Jayson’s muzzle and tried to throw him off. They rolled across the forest floor in a ball of wrath. A yelp erupted from one their mouths and they both shot up into the air taking fighter’s stance and circling each other. Their muzzles were held open, baring teeth that glistened with saliva.
Ivan lunged for Jayson’s throat. Jayson bucked out of the way just in time to miss the assault, but Ivan’s teeth caught his shoulder instead. Jayson half-growled and half-barked and lunged at Ivan. He slashed Ivan across the face with his paws and Ivan toppled to the ground.
Taking advantage, Jayson held Ivan down with his paws and snapped aggressively toward his throat. Jayson caught a front paw between his muzzle when Ivan took a swing at him. Ivan howled in pain and scurried a safe distance away.
Jayson followed the limping Ivan, their foggy breaths thick against the night wind as they panted angrily. They circled for what seemed like several minutes before Jayson made the next move.
He pinned Ivan to the spot and buried his teeth into his chest. Ivan choked on his own scream and he struggled against Jayson’s weight. Lunging upward, Ivan kicked Jayson across the ground and then leaped on top of his back. He tore into the meaty flesh between Jayson’s shoulders.
Arianna’s body propelled forward, but someone gripped at her waist. She turned quickly, ready to defend herself. Her fury subsided when she saw that it was another woman. A human Caedmon.
“I know it’s hard, but don’t interfere,” the woman whispered.
Arianna nodded, slowly, and clutched the other woman’s hand for support.
She turned her attention back to the fight and cringed when she spotted the injured Jayson limping just like his opponent. Biting into her lip hard, she fought the need to speak to him telepathically. He needed all of his strength for the fight with no distractions.
They exchanged a series of hits and slashes across the face and abdomen. A couple of the cuts went deep and both of their furs were soiled in blood.
Once more, their bodies collided and they brawled in the center of the circle for what was too long to bear.
Arianna forced herself to look. She needed to know that Jayson was okay.
Ivan caught Jayson’s hind leg between his teeth and held fast, holding him immobilized. Jayson lowered his body to the ground and his lips flared up against his fangs. His forehead creased in pain.
In one instance, Jayson’s body was on the ground with a leg between Ivan’s teeth, and in the next instant he was atop Ivan again with his fangs at his throat. Ivan thrashed under Jayson as Jayson held fast to his throat. It was a death grip, and by the reduction in movement from Ivan, Arianna could tell he was fading fast.
Jayson moved his massive head from side to side, shaking Ivan like a rag doll. Blood splattered on the forest floor and some of it even splashed on the spectators standing close by.
Jayson growled like a wild beast, holding Ivan’s neck in his mouth.
“Stop. Please don’t kill my son.” Luther rushed forward into the circle. “I signed the contract. I can cancel it. Consider the agreement null and void. No penalties.”
Ivan moaned and his hind legs twitched slightly.
Jayson paused and studied Luther with a murderous glare, but he tightened his grip on Ivan’s neck.
“Please!” Luther held up his hand. “I beg you. My son alive is worth more than this contract.”
Arianna’s father came forward out of the crowd. “I agreed to this as well. Consider it null and void.”
Jayson growled and released his hold on Ivan’s throat.
Ivan slumped to the ground and curled up into a bloody fur ball. His body shook uncontrollably, and his father and some of
their servants rushed to his side.
Arianna ran to Jayson and threw her arms around his neck, sinking her face into his soft fur. She didn’t care about the dirt and grime. She breathed in his familiar sandalwood scent, never wanting to be apart from him again.
Her tears spilled onto his fur, mixing with his sweat and blood.
‘Don’t ever do that again.’ She hugged him tightly.
‘I feel like saying the same thing to you.’
“Let’s go,” she said aloud this time.
Jayson led the way in wolf form, and the crowd parted as they made their way toward the forest. She grasped the fold of extra skin on the wolf’s back, holding tightly and securely to him.
Her father stepped in front of them and Jayson growled.
“Jayson…” she said, trying to calm him.
“I just wanted to say that I’m sorry,” her father whispered, “to both of you.”
Arianna was at a loss for words. She was still angry with his decisions and could not trust him because of how he’d betrayed her. Although, she loved him, it would take a long time to earn her respect again. So, she regarded his statement with a nod, but did not say a word.
Her father moved out of their path.
As wolf and woman, Arianna and Jayson continued on their way.
Devin’s followers disbanded. Many of them had already made it into the forest from where they’d come. Others followed behind them, while some waited at the edge of the forest for them.
Only when they were surrounded by trees and the other members of the Caedmon Pack, did her heart return to normal.
She was safe, and with them was where she belonged.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
It seemed like forever before they reached the comfort of his late father’s old home—the home which Jayson had inherited upon his passing.
His entire body felt like someone had buried him under rocks and buckets of water. He had wanted to collapse and let his wolf rest several times as they journeyed through the forest toward the Caedmon village.
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