by Dover, L. P.
They were almost familiar . . .
Ryker
“Is that really her? What the hell is she doing all the way down here?” Cedric asked.
Bailey had turned back into her human self almost immediately after subduing her. She was too weak to keep hold of her magic, which was why she was limp in my arms as I carried her through the woods to the ranch. The rest of the pack followed closely behind in wolf form. “I don’t know. The last I checked she was still in her territory.”
“What are you going to do with her?” he asked.
“Hell if I know. She looks at me like she has no fucking clue who I am. I don’t get it.”
“Are you going to tell her?”
“When she wakes up.”
“Why do you not sound happy about that? All the guys in the pack would give their left nut to find their mate.”
I snorted. “You don’t know Bailey. She’s an alpha female. Need I say more?”
“Have the visions started yet? You drew blood when you bit her.”
And I could still taste her on my lips. Even if I didn’t know she was my mate, her blood would’ve been answer enough. “No, they haven’t, but I can feel the connection. Her mind is starting to open up.”
“What’s going on in there?” he asked, excitement in his voice.
“Not that I would actually tell you, but right now it’s nothing but quick flashes. I can’t tell what they are.”
“Man, I bet she’s going to be pissed when she wakes up.”
“I have no doubt.” I was going to have my hands full. Even when I met her years ago, she was a spitfire.
Cedric slapped me on the shoulder and laughed. “Better you than me, bro. I doubt she’ll put up a fight for long though.”
“I wouldn’t bet on it,” I grumbled. We finally reached the ranch and I made sure the pack kept their distance.
“Do you want me to get the council together? They’ll want to know what’s going on.” The council was simply the alphas of each pack in the surrounding areas—my allies.
I looked down at Bailey. “Send word. It shouldn’t take long for them to arrive. They’ll want to know if trouble’s coming. I have no doubt Bailey’s pack will come looking for her.”
“And what if they attack?”
Stopping at the door, I sighed. If they came looking for her, they’d fight to get her back. “I’ll kill them.”
I carried Bailey inside and went straight to my bedroom to lay her down. Now that I’d drank her blood, I could get in her head. I wanted to know what made her run from her pack, but all that was showing in her mind were flashes of me and the woods. It was strange seeing myself through her eyes.
Tucking her platinum blonde hair behind her ear, I leaned down close, breathing her in. “Bailey, wake up.”
She stirred with my touch but her eyes stayed closed. One of the first things about the bond was that we could see visions of our future. I thought it would’ve happened as soon as I’d tasted her blood, but it hadn’t yet.
A few hours later, I could hear a couple of the other alphas approaching. Sliding off the bed, I grabbed a T-shirt and jeans out of my closet and threw them on before making my way out to the living room. Thankfully, with the bond, I didn’t have to worry about Bailey trying to escape.
There were five alphas, including myself, but only two had shown up, Ian and Tate. The others had a longer distance to travel. Cedric nodded and disappeared out the door to stand guard.
“Thanks for coming on such short notice,” I greeted as they entered.
The Northwestern pack alpha, Ian Randale, came forward and shook my hand. He was my age and an unmated gray wolf who was tall with light brown hair and green eyes. In fact, all of the alphas in the council were unmated. Ian, however, was one of the youngest alphas to ever receive the title. He defeated the original alpha at only fifteen years old, through combat no less. The alpha before him had been a fucking Machiavellian douchebag. We were all ready to see him go.
“No worries.” He bent his head in greeting. “I’m here to help.”
“Me as well,” the other alpha agreed, shaking my hand. His name was Tate Grayson, leader of the Great Plains pack. He had dark brown hair and blue eyes; the exact imitation of his father who had stepped down as alpha and made him their pack’s leader.
My story was different; I was chosen by the entire pack.
“Thank you. And you know I wouldn’t have called if it wasn’t important.”
Ian’s brows furrowed. “What’s going on?”
I glanced at them both. “I found my mate.”
Their eyes went wide. “But no one has found their true mate in years,” Tate remarked.
“Until now. I’ve known who mine was for years. I could just never get to her because of her pack. Now she’s here.”
“I’m happy for you . . . but what does that have to do with us?” Ian asked.
I blew out a heavy sigh. “I’m pretty sure her pack is going to start looking for her. There could be other wolves coming into your territories asking about her. I want you to be ready.”
His muscles tensed. “Are we talking a simple formality, or war?”
“There won’t be a war unless they come here demanding her. If they do, I can handle them on my own. I just want you both to be prepared.” They both nodded and it was a huge relief.
Out of nowhere, visions from Bailey’s mind blasted into my head. They were vivid and not the simple flashes from before. Not only were they full-on dreams, but in them I was claiming her. I could hear her screams and feel her nails down my back as I plunged in deep. It was as if I was actually there experiencing it. Holy fuck, I was about to explode.
“You okay, brother?” Tate asked, zapping me out of my thoughts.
No, I wasn’t okay. I had a raging hard on. Clearing my throat, I put my hands in my pockets to cover the bulge. “I’m fine. The visions seem to be starting up.”
They both chuckled, knowing very well what I was referring to. Ian spoke first, “I know what that means. My grandfather told me stories. He said he couldn’t leave the house without jacking off at least twice during the bonding phase. But you know, that was when they were made to wait until the full moon to bond.”
“I doubt she’ll want anything to do with me at the moment. I only got a taste of her blood during a fight. She wasn’t exactly willing.”
Smirking, Tate shook his head. “Something tells me you wanted to bite her though. Am I right?”
As much as I wanted to deny it, I couldn’t. She bore my mark and every male who got near her would know she was mine, mated or not. “What can I say?”
Ian patted me on the shoulder. “Good luck with your hand tonight.”
“Thanks,” I grumbled.
He started for the door with Tate behind him. “Oh, and if her pack does come for her, I’ll stand behind you.”
I gave my appreciation and then glanced at Tate who nodded.
“My pack will too. I never thought I’d see the day when the magic returned to our people. Maybe I’ll even get lucky one day.”
Once they were out the door, I headed back upstairs and it took every ounce of strength I had not to get on the bed with Bailey. “Fuck me,” I groaned, salivating over her smooth, naked skin. All I wanted to do was spread her wide and fuck her senseless. I’d wanted to do that every day since I saw her in college. It enraged me to see her around human men. I didn’t like them touching her or breathing around her, but there was nothing I could do at the time.
The blankets over Bailey’s body slid all the way down to her waist when she moved. Moaning, she arched her back off the bed, her nipples inviting me to taste them. In her mind, I had my mouth wrapped around them, sucking hard while I pushed inside her. It was like a fucking porno movie in my mind. There was only one thing I could do.
Unzipping my jeans, I pulled my cock out and wrapped my hand around it. It was going to be one hell of a night.
Bailey
“I take
it you don’t want to go back with me.” Sebastian’s eyebrows raise up as he puts my bags in the trunk and slams it shut.
I look straight into my best friend’s bright blue eyes and they spark with power. “Would you want to go back to a cage?” I had enjoyed my freedom at college, but I know as soon as I step back into the pack, my life will not be my own anymore.
Sighing, he opens the car door. “You might think you’re alone in this, but you’re not. Things will change, B. I just need you to give it a little more time.”
I snort. “Time? I don’t even know what the hell you’re talking about. I am alone, Sebastian. The only people I have are you and my parents. Everyone else stays away from me.”
“I’m sure your parents missed you.”
“And you didn’t?”
Chuckling, he runs a hand through his bright blond hair. “I missed your smart-ass mouth. It was boring while you were away. You always had a way of keeping me entertained.”
I lean against the car and smile. “I’m surprised my father hasn’t asked you to be my mate.”
His grin disappears as he looks away. “I think Darius has other plans.”
“Like what?” As soon as I ask, my skin tingles and burns. A mysterious wolf is near. His power calls to mine and I want to succumb, but I will not go down that easily.
Sebastian narrows his eyes, studying me, and then goes into full alert. “Bailey, get in the car.” His eyes focus on something across the street and I know who it is without even looking. He’s a wolf and an alpha. For the past five years, I had sensed him near, but he never once approached. Not until now. “Get in the fucking car, Bailey,” Sebastian growls again.
I don’t want to get in the car. Instead, I turn around and get my first glimpse of the mysterious wolf. He’s standing beside a black Jeep with his arms crossed angrily at his chest. His light brown hair is hidden underneath a navy baseball cap, and he’s dressed in a white T-shirt and ripped jeans. His bright green eyes meet mine and my wolf stirs deep inside, calling to him. The only word floating through my mind is something I am not expecting.
Mine.
Our eyes meet, but the connection breaks when Sebastian forces me into the car. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” He slams the door and gets in, squealing the tires as he races us down the street and away from the green-eyed wolf. I look back through the window and he is gone.
My world shimmers and I am sucked into another place and time.
Hands hold me down, but it’s not out of aggression, it’s passion fueled. I moan as the green eyed wolf pushes himself into me, claiming me. I love the way his skin feels against mine and the way we move together. I’ve never felt so close to anyone before. It’s almost as if we’re connected somehow.
“Bailey, wake up,” a voice called. It was the voice in my dreams, the voice of the wolf.
When I finally woke up, I wasn’t in the woods . . . and I definitely wasn’t alone. His scent surrounded me, not only in the air, but on my body. What the hell? Clenching my teeth, I growled and tried to roll off the bed, with no such luck. Apprehended, with an arm across my stomach, I felt him straddle my waist, chuckling as he pinned my arms above my head.
“Let me go,” I demanded, glaring up into his glowing gaze. His touch made my body tingle, almost like an electrical current passing from his body to mine. It was strange, yet I welcomed it, even though my mind was telling me to knee him in the junk.
“Good morning to you too, Sleeping Beauty. I trust you’re well rested?” he asked, smiling wide. I half expected him to look at my body, but he kept his focus on my eyes. Point for him.
My cheeks burned. “I slept fine. But if you don’t get off of me, I’m going to make sure you choke on your balls. Your choice.”
He smirked and rolled off. There was a T-shirt on the edge of the bed he snatched up and slipped on. He wasn’t mated, because if he was I would smell another female on him. There was nothing other than the woods, the unique scent of our Arctic bloodline, and something else. I just couldn’t place what that other smell was.
“Calm down, Bailey. You know very damn well I’m not going to hurt you.”
I snatched the blanket off the bed and wrapped it around me, huffing. “You’re right, you’re not.” He laughed and it only pissed me off more. “How do you know my name?”
Staring at me with those hypnotic eyes, he ran a hand through his tousled, light blond hair. “I’ve known you for a long time now.”
“You mean stalked,” I clarified. I had to admit, he was a good looking stalker. All I could think of was wrapping my legs around his body and gripping that hair of his while he spread me wide. I could see it clearly in my mind from my dream. It felt so real, as if it actually happened.
He chuckled darkly and bit his lip. “Oh, it will happen, angel. What you saw and did in your dream was our future. It wasn’t easy sleeping beside you when I couldn’t touch you.”
Eyes wide, I jumped out of the bed and backed against the wall, clutching the blanket tight. “How the hell did you know what I was thinking?” Surely, I didn’t say it out loud. I was about to go into full panic mode when a calm swept through my body like warm lavender. I didn’t feel like myself. “What’s going on?” I whispered.
Cautiously, he edged closer. “Bailey, it’s okay. My name’s Ryker. I want to help you, not hurt you. Through our bond I can calm you down, but I can’t do it forever. Right now, I need you to listen to me. There’s so much I need to tell you.”
“Through our bond? What are you talking about?”
Holding out his hand, he beckoned me closer. “Here, take my hand and tell me what you feel.”
I stared at his hand before he snatched mine instead. Immediately, my body lit up like fire, coursing through every vein. I could feel each emotion inside of him like they were my own. There was passion, happiness, concern, and even . . . love. How could that be? The longer I touched him, the more I wanted—the more I craved. I didn’t want to let go.
“Why do I feel like this when I don’t even know you?” I asked.
Ryker pulled me close, and all I wanted was for him to put his arms around me, to touch me with those strong hands of his. “You do know me, Bailey. It was a long time ago, but I knew I would never forget your face as long as I lived.”
Eyes wide, I gasped. “When? Where? I don’t remember you other than seeing you in my dreams a little bit ago. Well, that, and your eyes seem familiar. Why do they seem familiar?” I muttered the last question to myself.
Tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear, he smiled and caressed my cheek. “I was there the day that other wolf picked you up from college. I was pissed when I saw you leave with him. The day I was able to come for you, was the day I lost you.”
“So the dream actually happened? Why don’t I remember you from that day? And how could you even sense me? I was under a shielding spell. No other wolves should’ve been able to find me.”
“Magic doesn’t work against a mate, angel. Don’t get me wrong, whatever voodoo shit you had surrounding you made it difficult, but I was still able to find you. I had to tread carefully when you went back to Canada, however.”
“Oh my God, how is this even possible? I’ve never heard of mates being able to do that.” I’d never actually heard anything about what happened when wolves mated. I felt so lost. Letting go of his hand, I stepped back. “Whatever you’re doing to my emotions, stop.”
The warmth went away and I was back to feeling in control. I had to get out of there. I thought Ryker would try to stop me, but he didn’t as I stalked past him and down the stairs. There was nowhere to go but out. The magic grew inside me and as soon as I opened the door, I was ready to shift. Unfortunately, there were six wolves standing guard.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
“I must really be dangerous to need six babysitters,” I grumbled. What had me confused was the mish mash of wolves standing before me. They weren’t all Arctic’s like myself and Ryker, but differe
nt grays, and even a red one. I’d never known an alpha to be over a pack with different breeds.
I’d been outside for two hours, sitting on the front porch with only a blanket wrapped around my body. The ranch had a picturesque view of the Grand Teton Mountains, surrounded by nothing but land and trees. It was the perfect place for a wolf. I had heard about the area and read stories about its beauty, but I never thought I’d actually see it. There was snow all over the peaks and I longed to feel it under my paws.
Unfortunately, there was no way I could do that with glowing eyes staring back at me from every corner. I was beginning to think I was back in the confinements of my own pack. They watched over me the exact same way, afraid I’d run away if I ever got the chance. I left one prison for another.
As if my wishes were heard, the wolves scattered. But then the sound of a car traveling over a gravel driveway could be heard. I started to get up and Ryker appeared in the doorway, dressed in a park ranger uniform. He regarded me warily before nodding toward the car.
“Tyla’s here to keep you company.”
“You mean ‘make sure I don’t run away.’”
Sighing, he strapped the gun into his belt and faced me. By the look in his eyes, I felt terrible for snapping at him. “You’re not a prisoner here, Bailey. I want you to feel free to go and do as you please. Tyla’s here to show you around and be your friend. If running away is what you want, then go. I’m not going to force anything on you.”
I studied him, narrowing my gaze. “Do you mean that?”
He gently took my hand, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles. My skin tingled like it always did when he touched me. I didn’t want him to let go, but he did. “I do.”
“What’s up, guys?” Tyla shouted with a wide grin on her face. She had shoulder length, curly blonde hair and gray eyes, not an Arctic wolf but a gray. She seemed friendly enough.
“That’s why I thought she’d be a good match for you,” Ryker murmured.
“Okay, listening in on my thoughts is getting kind of weird.”
