by Flynn, Donna
Alec helped her into the car immediately and closed the door, speaking to Rich for a few moments before nodding to Mason, who had pulled alongside of them on his motorcycle prepared to follow them home. Lucan and Cade got into their respective vehicles and they moved out of the parking lot one car in front of them, one car behind and the others following.
Mercy wrapped her arms around herself as Alec drove out of the parking lot and he reached over taking her hand in his own. “What’s going on, and don’t bother denying something is wrong?
“I’m just nervous about meeting the elders tomorrow,” she lied. Alec had so much to worry about he didn’t need anything else added to the mix and really what were the chances of that man being the same one that killed the last Born Were? In reality, he was far too old to fight for her and with all of the protection she was surrounded by, there was no way he could get to her so her fears were groundless.
“Angel, it’s going to be alright, no matter what happens I will be the one who spends the rest of his existence with you. You are my mate, my life, and I won’t let another have you.”
“I know, I’m just being stupid. Let’s go home and celebrate. I need to unwind and forget about tomorrow.”
Alec smiled widely. “Sounds like a good idea.”
*****
Later that evening as she danced with Alec to a slow song the DJ played she realized she had never given him the graduation gift she had brought for him. “I need to get something from the house,” she murmured, untangling herself from his arms.
“Stay,” Alec said grabbing her hand, unwilling to be parted from her even a brief moment.
“I have something I need to give you,” she said kissing him quickly. “It will only take a second.” She pulled her hand free and ran for the porch with Alec in hot pursuit, but before he could catch up, she ran up the stairs and into her room to grab the package she had so lovingly wrapped before leaving that afternoon. She looked down on the small square package with a smile knowing he was going to love the gold Angel charm she had bought and placed on a length of leather for him to wear around his neck. She was turning to go when an unfamiliar male stepped from behind the door, and grabbed her, placing his hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming. She struggled in his arms, but she was no match for his superior strength.
*****
“Mercy, I swear one day I’m going to…” Alec walked through the door to find her room empty. Quickly he strode to the bathroom and knocked on the door swinging it open when she didn’t answer, but found it too was empty. A soft breeze floated though the window and he turned stalking to the open window and looking out finding nothing but a torn piece of cloth from the dress Mercy had worn for Graduation. He growled loudly and raced down the stairs, flying past her brothers and his father who took off after him as he ran towards the forest.
“Son, what has happened?” Gregory yelled behind him.
“Mercy is gone,” Alec growled, stopping at the tree outside of her window, seeking a scent to guide him, but finding none. “Rogues,” he roared, his body quivering as his wolf fought to get free and track its mate.
“It could be a trap, son,” his father cautioned reading his thoughts.
Alec growled and looked to his father with the eyes of a predator. “Get Mason, he knows these woods better than anyone.”
Cade left to get Mason and Gregory laid his hand on his son’s shoulder. “Son, I know you’re worried, but think about it, they want her alive, they won’t harm her. If we rush in there we might never find her, and someone might get killed in the process.”
Alec took a deep breath and forced himself calm, knowing his father was right. To save Mercy, he had to think like the Alpha he was soon to be, and not the upset male Were he was. The rogues were smart and were probably expecting him to rush headlong into the forest after her, but what they didn’t know was that Alec had Mason on his side. No one knew the forest better than him and since it was Mercy’s life at stake, he trusted him implicitly. Mason had a soft spot for her and he would never allow anyone to harm her.
Mason and Cade ran around the house and stopped before him. “Mason, I am going to need you to find Mercy; the men that have her are smart, they will have hidden their scents and will be well trained to blend into the forest.”
“No one can hide from me here. I know this forest like the back of my hand,” he said, his eyes black as onyx as he spoke.
“Let’s go then,” Alec said.
Mason shook his head. “I can move faster on my own, I will come back for you when I find her.”
Alec wanted to protest, but he knew Mason was right. Mercy’s best chance lay with Mason and him finding her before the rogues had a chance to get her out of the forest. “Go then, I will wait for you here.”
Mason shifted immediately and took off through the woods unable to catch a scent of anyone until he came upon a briar bush that must have caught Mercy’s skin and sliced her leaving behind the scent of her blood, which he used to follow their path.
*****
Mercy’s captor held her within his grasp as he ran through the thick forest, her head dangling at his back as he went. Her ribs hurt so badly she was sure he had broken a few of them when he tossed her over his shoulder and her head ached from the blood that flowed to it in her upside-down position. She knew help would be coming soon, since she had the foresight to slash her finger on a briar bush and had been pressing the wound to leave blood drops behind them as they went. She only hoped that Alec didn’t rush headlong after her. She had seen many of the rogues in the forest as they moved through it and knew they were lying in wait for him and anyone else foolish enough to follow. With their ability to hide their scent they had the upper hand and they knew it.
Her captor came to an abrupt stop and tossed her on the ground before a young male who glared at her, before looking up at the man who had kidnapped her and clasping his hand. “Good work, my father will be pleased.”
The man grinned and looked over the male’s shoulder to a woman dressed in a long flowing skirt and a matching peasant blouse who eyed them warily. “Is she still angry about this?”
“My sister has never been onboard with this, but my father is Alpha, which makes him the boss.” Dean wasn’t pleased about his father’s plan either and it must have shown.
“Dean, your father’s plan has merit, and soon with the Born Were part of our pack we can rule everyone else.”
“Juliet says my father’s plan is doomed to fail and I believe her, she has never been wrong before, Ryan.”
“Your sister is wrong, what she needs is a male to keep her in line.”
Dean smiled and looked over his shoulder to his sister who was staring sympathetically at Mercy. “I suppose you think that man should be you, right?”
“I am third in the pack, after you, and she is too valuable to cast off to someone lower in the pack,” he answered boastfully.
Dean didn’t answer, but he knew the union was something his father was considering. He only hoped that his father stepped down before that could happen. Ryan and he had grown up together. He knew the male Were had some violent tendencies and that his gentle sister would never survive a union with him.
Juliet moved between the two men and knelt next to Mercy, checking her for injury before helping her to her feet, disapproval for Ryan’s rough treatment of their guest, shining in her eyes. “You could have been more careful,” she chastised the giant before her.
“You need to learn some respect, girl,” Ryan thundered, raising his hand in the air.
Dean grabbed his wrist before he could strike. “Do it and you will die,” he warned.
Ryan chuckled and lowered his hand. “You won’t always be there to protect her, boy. Once she is mine, no one can interfere when I discipline her, not even her brother.
Dean looked to his sister with warning. “Take our guest to the truck so we can be out of here,” he said before turning back to Ryan. “You go and make sure we are n
ot being followed.”
Ryan’s check twitched but he nodded. “For now I will follow your orders, but soon your father will step down and once he does I will challenge you for the right to be Alpha.”
“I look forward to the day,” Dean told him, refusing to be bullied by the over confident Were before him or turn his back on him before he left the clearing. Once he was sure Ryan was gone, he turned to his sister with a growl. “Have you no common sense? He has all but gained father’s approval to bond with you and you taunt him?”
“I would kill myself before bonding with him, brother,” Juliet said sadly.
Dean pulled her close and hugged her tightly. “Do not ever say such a thing. I cannot stand the thought of living without you.”
“Dean, let us go away, it is not too late. We can still be free.”
“I can never be free,” he told her regretfully. “I promised Father I would bond with the Born Were and I will.” He had no other choice. If he didn’t bond with Mercy, his father threatened to hand Juliet over to Ryan and that he could never allow. He loosened his hold on his sister and extended a hand to Mercy with a rueful smile. “I am sorry about your capture, it was not the plan, but some members of our pack are not very patient.” He knew, though, his father would applaud Ryan’s tactics. Now Dean wouldn’t have to fight for the Born Were and they could bond immediately. “We need to go,” he said, taking Mercy’s arm and escorting her firmly but carefully across the clearing to where their SUV waited.
“Oh, I need to grab my bag,” Juliet said running back to a large boulder that she had been sitting on while they had waited for Ryan and the others.
Dean helped Mercy inside, surprised by how calm she was and turned to help his sister only to find the clearing empty and Juliet gone. He raced to the boulder and looked for her frantically, but found no sign of her or her bag as if she had just disappeared. “Shit, this is the last thing I need.” He moved to where Mercy had exited the car and was struggling with one of his pack. He couldn’t help but admire her as she fought against one of his men, using her Were strength to punch him in the face and claw him in the eye before slamming her foot in his crotch and turning to run. Dean grabbed her around the waist to stop her escape and slammed her to the ground, taking a length of rope from his back pocket and tying her hand and feet together. “Cease your struggles,” he ordered. “The rope won’t harm you if you stay still, but the interior is filled with silver thread and if you struggle it will work through and burn you.”
“Why are you doing this?” Mercy cried out, struggling for air, pain generating from her rib cage that had taken the brunt of the giant named Ryan’s brutality earlier in her kidnapping and had slammed against a rock when Dean had tackled her.
“I love my sister too much to ignore my father’s orders. He wants you to be part of our pack and I am his only son.” He flipped her over and sat her up looking upon her beseechingly. “Where is my sister?”
“How would I know, I am here with you, remember?” she said stubbornly.
“She just disappeared, I find that hard to believe,” he told her.
“She’s probably better off, at least that oaf can’t get to her now,” she told him angrily. To her surprise, he laughed and sat on the ground next to her.
“He is an ass,” Dean said, amused by her attitude despite the fact he was kidnapping her.
Mercy eyed him warily considering everything she had heard and realized he wasn’t the root of her problems. It seemed his father was pulling the strings and that he was being forced to go along with his wishes which, she thought, might work in her favor. “If my pack has her, she won’t be harmed, but my mate is not patient and he is not going to let this pass, If you want your sister back you need to work with me, not against me.”
Dean turned and looked at her, liking her all the more for being so brave when most females would have been in tears screaming for help. “What do you have in mind?”
*****
Mason drug his captive far enough away that she couldn’t be heard if she shouted and released her. To his surprise instead of screaming, she sat on the ground and looked up at him with the big violet eyes and a smile that captivated him instantly. He felt his heart beat increase and his palms began to sweat as he stared back at her with disbelief.
“So what now big guy?” she asked, looking amused by his discomfort.
“Why are you not afraid, or screaming?” he asked
Juliet shrugged, unsure if she should confide in him or not so early in their relationship. “I knew you would kidnap me,” she answered simply.
Mason glared at her, unsure what to make of her calmness, despite the fact he had just taken her from her pack and intended to use her to get Mercy back. “You didn’t see me.” He denied. “I was hidden too well for even that Neanderthal who kidnapped Mercy to see.”
Juliet smiled. “I saw you long ago, but I didn’t tell anyone or they wouldn’t have allowed me to come today.”
Mason frowned and knelt next to her, looking her over for injury. He had been careful with her, but he feared she hit her head when he grabbed her and ran. “Are you alright?” he asked worriedly. She might have been the enemy but he didn’t want to harm her. In fact, he wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her, which was killing him. He had taken her to use as leverage, so they could get Mercy back, but now he wanted nothing more than to keep her by his side forever.
Juliet chuckled. “I’m fine.” She laid her hand on his leg and smiled. “I am not hurt, nor am I crazy. I am a witch; I saw you when I cast the rune stones a few months ago, but my father is hell-bent on gaining the Born Were for our pack, so I withheld it from him so I could set this all to rights.”
It was Mason’s turn to laugh, and he did so heartily. “A witch, that’s good. Did they tell you to say that so we would fear you?”
“No, they don’t tell anyone what I am. It is a family secret, but I can no longer allow my father to ruin our kind with his desire for power.”
“Witches are not real,” Mason said with a laugh, amused she would even try to fool him.
“Yeah, and neither are werewolves, but here you stand,” she said with a sigh. “I suppose I can prove it, but I will say I told so when I am done.” She took a rock in her palm, closed her fingers around it and began to concentrate. “Take that which is solid and make it breath, give it life so I may set it free.” She opened her palm and a tiny sparrow stood in the rock’s place chirping happily as she stroked its feathers
Mason stopped laughing at once and stared at the bird in awe.
“See?” she said, lifting her hand and allowing the bird to fly away.
“It has to be a trick!” Mason said, rising to his feet.
Juliet sighed and got to her feet. “And where do you think I was keeping the bird? In my pocket?” She turned in a circle showing him she had no pockets in her skirt.
“This changes nothing!” He grabbed her arm and pulled her to his side. “Come, we must get going before your brother comes for you.”
Juliet just smiled, knowing her brother wouldn’t be tracking her. The Born Were would convince him to offer a trade and he would agree. “There is no rush. Dean has already taken the Born Were away, but he will send a note offering a trade.”
Mason shook his head and pulled her along beside him through the forest wondering what he was going to do with her. If she was indeed a witch, how were they going to keep her? If she wasn’t a witch then he had just found out his Bond Mate was indeed crazy. Either way he was screwed.
*****
Alec paced Mercy’s room waiting for Mason to arrive with news of her whereabouts. A cool breeze came through the open window and he walked to it, slamming it down angrily. He turned away and saw a small wrapped package under the nearby lounge chair. He bent to retrieve it and saw his name written on a small tag in Mercy’s perfect script and he clenched the package tightly. He closed his eyes praying she was alright, hoping they had been correct in assuming the
rogues wanted her alive.
“She brought that a few months ago,” Lucan said from the doorway. “We were shopping for her prom dress and she had to have it for you. Go on, open it, I am sure right now she would want you to have it.”
Alec silently tore open the paper and opened the box, lifting the Angel from its wrapping and closing it tightly in his palm. He had called her his angel from the first day they had met and he had meant it. She was his salvation, his other half, and she had saved him from a life of never knowing his other half, of always wondering why he was incomplete. She was his angel in every way possible and he would fight the devil himself to get her back. Carefully he lifted the necklace, placed it around his neck closing the clasp, and looked to Lucan. “No matter what, I will get her back,” he told him.
Lucan walked across the room and patted him on the back. “I know that. I could ask for no one better than you to take care of her for the rest of her life.”
“I love her, Luc. Part of me always has, but now I can’t imagine my life without her.”
“She feels the same way,” Lucan told him. “Let’s go down to the kitchen and wait for Mason now that all the partygoers have left.”
Alec nodded and they left the room together, both single-minded in their desire to get Mercy home where she belonged.
Chapter Thirteen
Mason walked up the porch to Mercy’s home shortly after midnight with Juliet by his side. She had explained why her father wanted the Born Were and how her brother and herself wanted to be free of his tyranny, but were afraid to incur his wrath. She had told him that her father was ruthless and would stop at nothing to achieve his desire to posses the Born Were, even if it meant losing one of his children to make it happen. She had assured him that they needed to deal with her brother if they wanted Mercy back and oddly, he found himself believing her. The problem was how he was going to convince Alec to believe her too.
