by K. S. Martin
“We don’t know anything yet.” He tightened his arms around her.
“Where are the rest of the children?” Lauren asked looking around. “There are only eight here, I counted twelve earlier.” He could feel her panic rising.
“I’m here. Eddie said coming around a corner. “Frankie and Donnie are in the game room. Donna and Dora are missing. I’ll check the rest of the house.” Eddie ran in the opposite direction he came from.
“They were outside with Dad.” Darrell said standing. He went to the back door to look outside for his missing children. Lauren heard him whimper and the realization hit home. These people were the wolves. His father changed from a wolf into a man. How was that possible? She must be hallucinating.
“Go and find my precious babies!” Victoria shouted to Jake a gravel quality to her voice. “Now!” She snarled and Lauren backed away frightened of the growl in her voice.
“Go, find them.” Lauren said to him. He hesitated. How much had she seen? Lauren went to the patio doors and flung them open. “Go!” Jake and Darrell dropped to all fours shifting as they went. A black streak followed by a red one raced across the yard. He was a wolf. He could turn into a wolf. Lauren’s jaw clenched. He was the wolf in the picture, the one that followed her with its eyes. She should’ve known. He was always watching her. Her heart raced.
“Sit down before you collapse.” Victoria led her to a chair, handing her a tea cup and knelt in front of her. “He loves you.” Lauren sipped the brew, it was warm and full of herbs and honey. “He’s chosen you to mate with Lauren. Can you accept that he is different?” Lauren nodded numbly. “I mean really accept it? When wolves mate, it’s for life. You can’t change your mind in a year when some other man catches your eye. Jake would have to kill him. Do you understand?” She nodded again.
“Will I?” Lauren was panic stricken again. Her emotions were on a rollercoaster. She sipped more of her tea.
“No. You will always be a human, but your children will be wolves. You will have a lot to deal with as the alpha’s mate though.”
“Alpha?” Lauren’s voice was dreamy and far away sounding. She couldn’t concentrate.
“Louis was the alpha and he had no sons, Jake is the heir. In a normal pack, he would be challenged but we don’t do that here. Our pack is family only. Jake will protect us now. He will do well. He always does. Rest now and pray for his safe return.” Victoria stood, taking the tea cup and left her in the chair by the fire place. She was dreaming. She must be sick and have a fever. It would explain why she slept with her boss, why she was here, and why he’d just turned into a wolf. A fever. Yes. Lauren’s eyes closed and she curled up in the wingback chair that sat facing the crackling fire place. The warmth soothed her and made her feel safe.
***
Lauren woke in the massive navy blue bed. She stretched. The light was dim outside. How long had she been asleep? Rolling onto her back, she felt him before she saw him. He was asleep and she curled into him nuzzling his chest. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her close. Lauren felt safe here with him, safe and warm. “My mother said that she had a conversation with you earlier. She said that she explained things.” Lauren nodded. “Do you understand what all of it means?” Lauren shook her head and he chuckled. “Are you scared? Of me?” His eyes opened then to look into hers.
“Do I look scared?” She whispered.
“Fair enough. If I let you go home will I ever see you again?” Lauren’s brows knitted.
“Why wouldn’t you? Do you think that I’m going to run away just because you’re different?” Her finger traced an invisible pattern on his chest.
“I’m a little more than different.” He scoffed.
“You’re the blue eyed wolf in that picture aren’t you?” He nodded. A soft smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “I don’t know which is more beautiful.”
“Which what?”
“Which way, when you are a man or when you are that magnificent wolf.” She leaned up and kissed him softly.
“Mother mentioned to you about being my mate. I know that it’s quick but she’s right. I do want to claim you. I want to make you mine forever but I won’t without your consent Lauren. Back in the day, a wolf would see a female that interested him and he would claim her. It was rape. He could also have many mates like a harem.” Lauren was appalled. Part of a harem? No way! “I don’t believe in that way of thinking. I only want one mate. One willing mate.”
“Claire was supposed to be your mate wasn’t she?” Lauren’s mouth quirked.
“No. Mate is forever. Claire and I were not meant to be but we were close. We were together for a short while when she found out that she was sick. If we were meant to be together forever, she wouldn’t have died. Claire told me though that my mate would come into my life very soon after she died. She saw it in a dream and she believed that as compatible as we were, we weren’t mates. The day after she passed, you were at my receptionist’s desk. I believe that fate that put you there.”
“Was Claire a wolf too?” Lauren couldn’t help but think that Claire had been better suited.
“No. Claire was a human. I’ve always known my mate would be a human.” He watched her, smiling softly. His finger traced a line from her temple, around her cheek to her chin. She could feel the impending goodbye.
“Are you going to take me home now?” He nodded.
“We have family business to attend to and even though everyone likes you some of them are uncomfortable with you being here.”
“Because I’m human.” She didn’t want her husband’s family to hate her for something that she could not change.
“No, because you’re a stranger sweetheart. They’ll get to know you soon enough but right now, everyone needs to grieve.” He hugged her tightly. “Get your things together and Maxwell will take you home. Okay?” She nodded and turned to get up but he pulled her back. “I’m going to miss you. I’m sorry this weekend didn’t go as well as it could have.” Jake kissed her softly then pulled the necklace he wore over his head. “I want you to wear this. It’s my family’s crest of sorts. All of the women in my pack wear them. Someday you will pass it down to our first born.” He dropped it over her head and let it rest between her breasts. It was much longer on her than it had been on him. “Maxwell is waiting outside when you’re ready.” Jake went through the bedroom door and down the long hall then disappeared around a corner. As sweet as he’d been, it felt like he was dismissing her. Lauren gathered her things and went outside to the waiting limousine.
Chapter 5
Thibodaux Devlin was on the last of his nine lives unless he could kill the newest alpha in the Bryant clan. Someone shot Louis and George this morning when the old man and his pack of misfits were out on their run. So, it will begin. When the oracle told him a century ago that his life would end with the most powerful Bryant wolf, it became his mission to kill that wolf. He had to wait until the wolf was the alpha though. Killing them all at birth would not satisfy the prophecy. When Thibodaux Devlin was turned back in the early sixteen hundreds, his kind ruled the hills of England. His kind and the Bryant’s kind. He and Ulric, a rogue Bryant wolf developed respect and eventually a friendship of sorts early on. Eventually, he and Ulric became best friends. Ulric helped him hunt fresh meat to drain of its lifeblood, at least until a hunter shot him with a silver bullet through the heart. Devlin hunted alone since. The hunter claimed to have killed the first werewolf after watching him change back into a man. Devlin drained the hunter for killing his friend. The oracle or prophetess as they were sometimes called gave him his future to spare her life in the late eighteen hundreds. She said that the unmated and most powerful alpha of his oldest friend’s lineage would take his life. All males in the Bryant lineage were mated before becoming the alpha until Jacob. Devlin had hoped that the girl with cancer would mate him which would extend Devlin’s fate another hundred years or so but she’d died. To complicate matters further, Devlin and Bryant were in a turf war i
n the IT industry. Devlin grew bored many years ago with being poor and started his own computer company, it evolved into an IT security company. The Bryant’s ran a successful software, IT security, and web design outfit. They were putting him out of business without effort. He’d turned the tables on them though about three years ago. If you can’t beat them, steal their best help. All of his successful ideas since were from original Bryant employees. He smiled. This had nothing to do with the oracle’s bullshit, it was personal. Devlin, always super competitive, would never be a poor wandering vampire again. He would not aimless travel from city to city looking for a meal. When the wolves started domesticating two hundred years ago, he ran out of volunteers to hunt fresh meat. He missed the good old days when Ulric would find them, Devlin would drain them, and Ulric would eat what was left. No fuss, no muss, no evidence. He sighed watching Zoe step off of the elevator. It was time to charm her into another meal. Devlin hated sipping from this girl. She was usually full of drugs or alcohol. She always smelled of an old man and her blood was loaded with cholesterol. Why couldn’t she eat a salad once in awhile like other women? Devlin considered moving to an area where there was no fast food available or where the population was on a health kick. He longed for the days before cheeseburgers when blood was sweet and thin not loaded with thick fat.
“Hey boss.” She sing-songed. “I’m sending more candidates your way. I think that you’ll like them.”
“Did you get Lauren? I want the info on new branches he’s opening and you said she is the only one with access.” He leaned over his glass topped desk balancing on his thick forearms. Devlin was not a huge man. Men in fact in his time were quite small, for his time he’d been large though but now, just a small average. His arms were always impressive. Before he was turned, he worked in the fields and that built some impressive strength. Zoe smiled like the cat who’d tasted the cream.
“I gave her till Tuesday but I’m sure she will come over to our side. She’s tired of him watching her. He stares at her all day sometimes.” Devlin quirked his eyebrow. “It’s like he’s stalking prey or something. Anyway, she hates it and I have her convinced that he is going to fire her.” She tossed her long straight blonde hair over her shoulder and crossed her legs. Zoe flirted with him endlessly no matter how often he charmed her into chasing others instead. She still saw him as powerful and as a way to get the power she wanted. She was quite ambitious for her age, also quite knowledgeable as to how to use her body to get what she wanted. He’d been bored with her for months now, bored with her speech pattern, her flirting, and her cholesterol laden blood. As soon as he could, he would replace her. The corner of his mouth lifted at the thought but Zoe interpreted it as a come on, it most assuredly was not. He smoothed a hand over his thick blonde wavy hair and focused his bottle glass green eyes on hers. Women found his eyes fascinating. They gushed over the color, particularly the blue that circled the outer rim of his iris. They would stare into them, lambs so easily led to slaughter, like Zoe now. “I love looking into your eyes Dev, they’re so…”
“Yes my dear come closer…” His fangs extended and he tested one with the tip of his tongue, the metallic taste of his own blood excited him. She stood staring into space while he unbuttoned her dress and let it fall away. Zoe conveniently did not wear any of the accoutrements that other women found necessary. She preferred to have the ability to dress quickly after her trysts and escape just as quickly. He lifted her to perch on the edge of his desk and bent his head down to her breast where his fangs pierced the prominent blue vein there. Zoe sat stock still. She stayed in the trance that he’d forced on her. When he’d tasted his fill, he wiped her skin and then his mouth. He buttoned the dress and straightened it. “Go and sit in the chair please, Zoe. Now, you said that Bryant stares at Lauren.” He began when she’d settled. “Does he do this for long periods of time?” She nodded. “Does he ever follow her out of the building?” Zoe nodded again, still staring off into space. “Do you ever notice that he eyes change color?” Zoe’s head wobbled forward and back woodenly. “Good. I want to meet her Zoe, do your best work to bring her to me or be punished for failing.” She nodded again and got up. She walked to the elevator and pushed the button. “And Zoe,” he called after her. She turned to look at him again. “Have a good night.” That was her signal to snap out of the trance and to follow her instructions. Zoe waved and stepped into the elevator. She’d eaten seafood and had a lot of wine for dinner. It made him heady and he sat. Bryant found his mate but the prophecy was still out there. He was the most powerful alpha physically in a millennia, he was also the most powerful of his line in business for the time being. Louis never succeeded as Jacob had, not to dismiss Louis’ efforts. He’d made them a fortune back in the day when the family business was in construction. Louis had almost lost it all just as easily when his mate was killed in a car accident. All of his focus and determination faded. When Jacob graduated college, Louis had only the estate left which he mortgaged betting it all on his grandson. It was a good bet, Jacob was an overnight success. He’d left school with degrees in Business, Computer Science, and Economics. Jacob was extremely intelligent. Ulric was smart for his day but he wouldn’t hold a candle to his heir. He pondered whether or not Lauren knew that she was Bryant’s mate. Devlin was sure that she was human, but he’d never been close enough to scent wolf or human on her. Soon. Zoe would bring her and he would not only milk her for information but hold her as leverage. Zoe said that Lauren wouldn’t go out with them to the pub or to lunch. She said that Lauren always ate salad and fruit at her desk. Did he dare hope that she was a health nut? Clean blood at last? Perhaps he would have her for supper instead. If she proved compliant and if she tasted good, Zoe would no longer be useful. Perhaps, Zoe would be no more. The thought curled his lips sadistically. There was nothing like old fashioned bloodshed to perk a fellow up.
Chapter 6
Lauren did her laundry and tidied her apartment. It was Sunday evening and she hoped to hear from Jake soon but knew she probably wouldn’t see him until tomorrow morning. Their night together was more than she would’ve ever have hoped. That man was certainly talented in bed. She smiled to herself for not the first time since leaving him but she’d cried as well. To see that lovely old man lying in a pool of his own blood was devastating. He’d been the silver grey wolf that she’d scratched behind the ears, Lauren realized that now. The small red one that nudged her hand was the same one that hopped up on the bed after her shower and that was Dora. Lauren saw her tilt her head the same way at the breakfast table and even though she didn’t make the connection then, it was obvious now. She felt so badly for all of them. His mother said that mates were ‘forever’ Moments after her forever died next to her father. She was the strong woman not Lauren. She would’ve died right there with him, she thought. Jake never said whether the girls were found but Lauren assumed that they were since he was so calm in bed yesterday evening. Then he’d sent her home. He didn’t drive her and say goodbye properly, but put her in the hands of a chauffeur. It didn’t anger Lauren but it did make her a little sad. She’d hoped they could make love once more before she left but it didn’t work out. She toyed with the pendant he’d placed around her neck. It was silver and she thought silver was poisonous to werewolves but then too, that was TV and movies. Lauren wondered if there was a text book or something that she could read and learn about them. He said that he was her mate, mate is forever, and since she knew absolutely nothing about wolves, werewolf or otherwise, she had a lot to learn. Why were they all different colors? Shouldn’t they look alike if they are family? In the one show she’d found on cable yesterday all of the wolves were grey like Louis. The narrator mentioned white snow wolves being located in the Canadian Arctic region while red wolves were dominant on the east coast and in the south. He said that red wolves were only bred in captivity now and there weren’t any in the wild. Lauren giggled. That was true, indoors could qualify as captivity, when she got to know them better, she
would ask Darrell and Dorothy if they conceived the girls indoors or out. Maybe she would even call the producers of that show and demand an edit. She stifled another giggle. That was probably against the rules if you were mating a werewolf. Obviously, they would like to remain a secret. Lauren hung her suit, blouse, undergarments, and pantyhose up on the hook on her bedroom door. She would wear the navy blue suit tomorrow. It would be a subtle reminder of her on the duvet for him to see her in navy blue. There was knock on her front door and she went to answer it. Sometimes Grams brought her cookies on Sundays, she liked to bake but was diabetic she’d said once and if she kept them all, she would have to eat them all. Lauren opened the door to find an immaculate as usual Zoe. What could she possibly want and how did she know where Lauren’s apartment was anyway? “Hi Zoe. What are you doing here?” Zoe gave her the usual cat like smile that she always did and stepped inside of Lauren’s apartment. Lauren had to move aside when Zoe pushed her way in unbidden. “Is there something you need?”
“Yes, in fact there is Lauren.” She sat down on Lauren’s overstuffed couch in almost the same spot where Jake sat not very long ago. “I need you to come work for Devlin. Don’t go back to Bryant IT, it isn’t safe for you.” Lauren’s face scrunched up with disbelief. “I mean it Lauren. Mr. Devlin really wants you to come and work for him and if you don’t well…there will be repercussions.” Lauren sat in her grandmother’s rocker and stared at Zoe. What did that mean? Repercussions? “I’ve been working for Devlin for awhile now and it’s not by my choice. He has threatened me and believe me when I say it is not a threat that I take lightly. His interest is in you now and you should just come along willingly because if you don’t, he will hurt you.” Lauren’s brows knitted and she sighed.
“Zoe, thanks for the message but I think that I am going to stay at Bryant. I like my job and there are going to be some very nice changes tomorrow.” Lauren stood. “So if you will excuse me.” Lauren gestured toward the door.
