by Flynn, Donna
“Are you ready for this?” Lucan asked.
Alec nodded. “More than I ever thought I would be. With Mercy by my side, I know I can be the leader my father expects me to be.” He looked to Cade ruefully. “I had hoped to ask you to join me in leading our pack, but I know your heart is drawing you back to your father's pack.” He looked to Lucan. “I know it is a lot to ask, but would you be my Beta?”
Lucan was taken aback by his request. He had not seen it coming, and he was honored that Alec thought so highly of him. There were so many others he could have bestowed that honor upon, but he had chosen him and there was no way he would refuse his request. “You know I will.” Alec stood and extended his hand, which Lucan shook vigorously before pulling him into an awkward, manly sort of hug. They might have had some disagreements about Mercy but he knew the young man before him had what it took to be a great Alpha and he would be proud to help him lead their pack.
“All right then, we have a plan. Now let’s get it into motion,” Cade said behind them.
Chapter Two
Mercy smiled happily as she walked through the halls of her small-town high school, holding hands with Alec. He had been sweet, attentive, and had spent every minute he could with her since his return a few days before, and she was over the moon with joy.
“So you haven’t mentioned prom,” he said, pulling her into his arms as they arrived at her locker.
“I figured you wouldn’t be interested in going,” she told him honestly. With everything, he had to handle in his life prom had seemed trivial, so she hadn’t planned to attend, despite the fact she was nominated for prom queen.
Alec realized that he had given very little thought to the prom. He hadn’t really deemed it important, but since he was going to be asking her to bond with him so soon after graduation, he wanted to give her everything he could. Now all he had to do was convince her. “And why would you think that I wouldn’t be interested in a night where I can see you all dressed up in a sexy gown?”
“I…” Mercy stuttered, as he bent in close and kissed the curve of her neck.
“When I could hold you in my arms,” he whispered as he nibbled the lobe of her ear. “And we can dance together nice and slow, our bodies pressed close together as we sway to the music.” He pulled her against him and demonstrated how their dancing would be causing her heart rate to increase rapidly as they swayed together. “Doesn’t that sound nice?”
Mercy swallowed hard and nodded, incapable of saying anything as he held her close, his body against hers, his warm breath feathering her ear as he spoke softly to her.
Alec stopped moving and took a step back, looking down on her with all seriousness. “Now, Mercy Dupree, would you do me the honor of allowing me to escort you to the prom?”
“Yes,” she answered just before he swept her into his arms and swung her around, ignoring the curious glances from passersby.
“Dude, did you finally ask her?” Rich, Alec’s best friend, said as he and Gina walked up behind them.
Gina could tell by the glow on Mercy’s face he had, and she couldn’t contain her own excitement. “We are so going shopping this weekend. I know this small boutique just outside of town where the owner makes one-of-a-kind dresses, I bet we could find something there.”
“Are you two going to the prom together?” Mercy asked, looking between Gina and Rich.
“Rich asked me this morning so, I decided to spare him and go. We wouldn’t want him to look like a loser by going alone.”
“Hey, she’s lucky to get me. I’m in demand around here,” Rich said, feigning a hurt look.
“Now, all we have to do is find a date for Mason,” Mercy said.
“I don’t think that is going to be a problem we have to worry about,” Gina said, pointing to his locker where the dark-haired, drop-dead-gorgeous male werewolf stood surrounded by a bevy of females clamoring for his attention.
Mercy was happy to see Mason doing so well. After he had saved her life and they had become friends, it had taken a lot of talking to get him to come out of his shell. Now, though, he was an active part of the student body and firmly entrenched in the study of the female population. Alec, seeing her so preoccupied with the newest werewolf in her group of male friends, growled with jealousy. She turned back to him, hugging him close to ease his upset.
Alec looked to where Mason stood surrounded by females, and frowned. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the newcomer. He actually thought the guy was smart and one hell of a wolf to have at your back in a fight, but as Mercy’s mate, he didn’t want to see Mercy close to any unattached male, friend or not.
“Alec, is that alright with you?” Mercy said, breaking into his thoughts.
“What?”
Mercy eyed him with a frown. “Gina wants to go to the dress shop this weekend so we can choose our prom dresses. Is that alright?”
Alec wasn’t sure what his plans were for the weekend. As long no one else challenged him, he was planning on spending it with Mercy. They needed time alone so they could talk about their future, but if another challenge was issued he would have to go back home and fight again. He erred on the side of caution and decided to warn her he might not be around, even though he knew it would displease her. “I may have to go back home this weekend.
Mercy’s face fell, all the excitement she had been feeling about the prom fled. Did he really intend to spend another weekend away from her? What was so important that he kept driving back and forth every weekend, coming back with injuries he refused to explain? she thought to herself.
Alec knew she was upset, but the pack came first. It was something she was going to have to get used to, even if it interfered with their personal life. “I promise, if I am home I will take you to the shop myself.”
“Don’t worry about it. I can just order something from the Internet,” she murmured sulkily.
Alec pulled her into his arms and lifted her chin so she met his gaze. “I want you to have something special to wear to prom, so you are going with Gina this weekend. If I have to leave, your brothers will take you in my place.”
He was offering a compromise and she really didn’t want to be a shrew, but she felt like she had to speak up and let him know how his constant desertion was affecting her. “Alec, I don’t care about the damn dress. I just hoped we could spend some time together. I miss you so much when you’re gone.”
His heart ached that she was so unhappy, something no male Were wanted for his mate. “It won’t be forever. I just need to get some things straightened out back home.” The bell rang signaling the end of the day, and he took her hand in his, ready to get out of there and just spend time alone with her before her brothers and his father got home. They planned to meet that night so they could discuss with Mercy the news they had received about the antiquated law regarding her Born Were status. It was a conversation he was not looking forward to. “Let’s go home, Angel. I just want to be alone with you for a while.”
“That sounds great,” she said, wanting nothing more than time with him, without any interruptions from her brother, their friends, or his pack.
*****
After a long afternoon of frolicking in her wolf form with Alec, Mercy was tired, but contented as they walked towards the house together hand in hand. She had enjoyed her time alone with him, but had felt a sense of unease about him even as they laughed and carried on throughout the afternoon. His worry was even more pronounced as they walked towards the house, and she had the growing sense of awareness that something was very wrong. “Alec,” she said, pulling him to a stop at the front porch stairs. “What’s going on?”
He didn’t meet her eyes, but instead looked to the screen door where his father stood looking as apprehensive as he felt. “I suppose I can’t hide much from you, huh?” he asked, his finger stroking her cheek lovingly.
“I can tell that you are upset, but I don’t know why. I am not a mind reader, you know.”
“No, I suppose you’re not,
” he murmured, pulling her into his arms and hugging her close. “Just remember that no matter what, I am your mate and I will always protect you and keep you safe from harm.”
Mercy wanted to stand forever in that moment, with everything perfect, just him and her, no problems, no worries, but she could tell whatever it was he had to tell her was not going to be pleasant. His father’s presence only strengthened her suspicions.
“They’re waiting for us,” he said, lifting her chin and brushing her lips with his own. He took the ring she wore around her neck on a gold chain in his hand and closed his fingers over it. “Forever, Mercy, don’t ever forget that.” He kissed her again, but more aggressively, wanting to leave his scent upon her so everyone would know she was his. The idea of anyone trying to take her away was making him more possessive than usual and even though he knew she wouldn’t understand it, he couldn’t help his actions. “You’re mine, and I will do anything to protect you,” he told her, tracing her bottom lip with his finger.
Mercy shivered despite the warm air outside. He was always possessive of her, but now, his eyes held a gleam of deadly intent when he spoke of keeping her by his side, and it was frightening. “Alec, you’re scaring me.”
“Don’t be afraid, I won’t let anything happen to you, I swear.” He put his arm around her and they walked up the stairs to the house together, both dreading the meeting to come.
*****
A short time later Mercy was staring at Alec with confusion, uncertain she had heard him correctly. He had just told her that a group of old werewolves known as the Elders were considering enforcing some ancient law that would make her the mate of any male who defeated everyone else vying for her. It was barbaric, archaic, and completely unfair, but it was apparently very real and they had to deal with it.
“Are you alright?” Alec asked, kneeling before her, rubbing her hands in his own.
Mercy stared at him for few moments then shook her head. “No, I am not alright. When does it stop? When do I get to live without crazy females trying to kill me, or rogue werewolves trying to kidnap me? When do I get the right to live my life the way I want?” She knew she was freaking out, but couldn’t stop herself.
“Angel, I am not letting the Elder’s have that kind of control over you. We have already talked about this and as long as you are agreeable, we can do the Bonding Ceremony as soon as graduation is over.”
“What?” Mercy asked stunned by his words.
“The law says that after you turn eighteen they can enforce it, but if we bond before your birthday there is nothing they can do.”
Mercy looked to her brother who was standing by the cabinets, oddly silent and still. “Luc, what do you think about this?”
“I can’t think of any other way around this,” he said, his voice cracking with emotion.
“Cade,” she looked to her other brother who stood by the door, his fists balled, his anger easy to read.
Cade shook his head. “This is the only way if you and Alec want to be together without him having to fight every male who tries for you.”
Mercy chewed her bottom lip, thinking about everything she had heard, and sighed. It was all so rushed, so unlike the Bonding and wedding ceremony they had planned on. However, she didn’t want Alec to have to fight for her. She couldn’t take the chance of him getting hurt because of what she was, so there was only one answer.
“Are you having second thoughts about bonding with me?” Alec asked, fearing her response.
“No, of course not,” she said leaning close, her forehead against his as their hands lay clasped on her lap. “It’s just such a shock. I mean I thought I had time to plan a wedding and the Bonding Ceremony, but it’s fine.” Her lip began to tremble slightly, but she ignored it, praying Alec wouldn’t notice. “We can just do the Bonding Ceremony after graduation, and be done with it.”
“It’s not the romantic beginning you envisioned for us,” Alec said miserably. “You wanted the big wedding and all of our friends there.”
“We can do the wedding thing later. Right now, it’s more important that we are bonded so the Elders can’t push us around,” she said, brushing her lips over his. “I love you, and I don’t want you to have to fight anyone for me.”
“I love you too, but I hate that you are being forced to do this before you’re ready.”
She felt horrible for how selfish she was being and rushed to explain it to him. “Alec, I am ready. I just wanted the touches all girls dream of for their wedding, but it’s the Bonding Ceremony that is important for our kind. That’s all that counts.”
“I’m not sure how I got lucky enough to have you for my mate, but I am so thankful.” He pulled her close, his warm lips moving over hers, and she sighed melting against him, forgetting about everything but being in his arms.
Gregory cleared his throat. “It seems we now have two ceremonies to plan.”
“Two?” Mercy asked, looking confused. “I assumed that we would just do the Bonding Ceremony now, and a wedding later.”
Gregory pierced Alec with his icy blue eyes, unhappy his son had not told his mate about his upcoming change in the pack’s hierarchy. “You have not told her yet?”
Alec could have gladly choked his father in that moment. He had not told Mercy, he had wanted to do so while they were alone. “I was a little more concerned about this. I planned to tell her later on tonight, after the shock of this news had passed.”
Mercy looked between them uncertainly. “Alec, what is going on?”
Alec met her gaze evenly and knew he had to come clean. “My father has decided to step down as Alpha.”
Mercy couldn’t have been more shocked. Her gaze immediately flew to Gregory. “Why?”
Gregory’s cheeks flushed and he looked embarrassed, but he knew he had to explain. “I want to spend more time with Marlo and that won’t be possible if I remain Alpha.”
“What are you talking about? Marlo is great. Your pack would love her.” She looked between father and son and knew there was something they weren’t telling them. “Gregory, is something wrong with Marlo? Is she sick? Dying?” Mercy’s mind filled with all kinds of horrible scenarios, but nothing could have prepared her for his next words.
“She’s a vampire,” he said, trying not be offended by the gasps her brothers let out and the shock in her own face. “My pack might accept her, but other Alphas won’t and we have been working hard to form an alliance with as many packs as possible to fight against the rogues who are trying to take over.”
“Oh,” she said, hating that someone so nice, would be treated as a pariah because of what and not who she was. As she stood there feeling badly for Gregory and Marlo something else registered in her mind. Something Lucan had mentioned in passing one afternoon when they talked about how a pack’s order worked. Her eyes widened and she looked to Alec, understanding for the first time why he had been gone so much. “Your face.” She grabbed his arm and looked at the faint scar on his arm with a scowl. “You were fighting.”
Alec blanched. He had not intended for her to find out. He knew she would worry about him every time he went away and he didn’t want that for her. “There are a few of our pack who have forgotten why I am heir. I had to show them why I am going to be the next Alpha,” he answered honestly.
Mercy pulled away from him and took a step back, taking a deep breath, trying to calm her rattled nerves. It was too much, so much information was overwhelming, and she felt her wolf begin to stir despite the long run she had just taken with Alec.
“It’s alright, Angel, take a deep breath and calm down,” Alec said, feeling her wolf growing unsettled.
Mercy met his worried gaze and felt her heart rate increase. Soon he was going to be her Bond Mate, the Alpha of his pack, and it would be her job to help him, to help his pack, and she had never been more nervous in her life. She was still learning how to be a werewolf and once she was his mate all of her flaws would be glaringly obvious to his pack, which he couldn
’t afford. “I need to go.” She pushed away from Alec and ran past Cade who held the door open for her. She needed to get away and process all the information they had just given her and her wolf was riled up and wanted to run.
“Mercy,” Alec shouted as she dashed into the forest, her body trembling as her wolf fought for freedom.
“She will be alright, son, the others are watching the woods,” Gregory said behind him.
Alec knew he was right and he was sure that at the moment, she wouldn’t want him with her anyway, so he took a seat on the porch, prepared to wait for her return.
*****
Mercy allowed her wolf free rein to run through the forest as her human side took a back seat and digested all of the information she had just learned. It was a lot to take in at once Gregory stepping down, Alec taking over as Alpha, and her bonding with him all at the same time. Being his pack’s Alpha was a tremendous amount of responsibility for Alec. The pack’s problems would weigh on him day and night, and he would need a strong mate to help him, to be by his side supporting him. To be the mate he needed meant she was going to have to step up and immerse herself in pack life, which, if she were being honest, she had yet to fully comprehend.
Exhausted and ready to shift, her wolf came to rest at the river where she had left her clothes. She shifted easily back to her human form and dressed before sitting on a large boulder by the water, staring at the water, envying its calmness, thinking what she wouldn’t give to have a little of that in her life.
“Something wrong, Mercy?” A familiar male voice asked behind her.
Startled, Mercy turned to look at the tall dark-haired wolf that strode towards her and frowned. “Mason, I swear you should be a panther instead of a wolf,” she said, unsure how he always appeared so silently out of thin air.
“Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “I saw you running earlier and waited until I felt you shift to approach.” He sat down next to her and crossed his ankles looking at home and comfortable amongst the lush greenery that surrounded them. He sensed her upset from across the forest when he had first seen her and knew only one thing could make her so unsettled. “Are you and Alec fighting?”
