by Melissa Haag
Congratulations on having the biggest pack in the history of our kind, Grey sent me. Now, don’t screw it up.
Exhaling slowly, I looked over at Charlene, sharing her relief. We’d done it.
“Everyone is welcome to eat the next meal with us,” I said, sliding my fingers through hers.
Before I could lead her away, a dark haired man stepped forward.
“I challenge you,” he said, “for her.” He pointed at Charlene.
His hard eyes locked with mine.
“She’s already Claimed,” I said.
“Good. Then there’s still a chance. A fight to the death,” the man said.
Charlene’s panic rose, and she looked at me.
“Death?” she said. I turned to face her.
“Death dissolves the Claim, so another can Claim you.”
Fear and worry, her two favorite emotions, painted her face.
“No,” she said. I gently touched her cheek then looked up at the man.
“I accept.” I’d let Ash live, and he’d caused me nothing but trouble. I wouldn’t make the same mistake.
“No,” Charlene said again. “I’m not one of you. Your way of Claiming doesn’t work on me. I have to Claim you. And I refuse. So the challenge is pointless.” She turned to Grey. “Right?”
I watched Grey as he quietly considered Charlene for a moment.
“We agree with Charlene. The challenge is pointless if she’s not willing to change her Claim.”
“I’m not willing,” she repeated firmly.
He stared at her for several long heartbeats, his anger plainly on his face. His eyes narrowed then his gaze swept over the crowd. I watched him warily, wondering if he would try to attack regardless of the Elders’ decision. The males behind him shifted restlessly until the challenger’s gaze once again settled on Charlene.
“It begins,” he said softly.
“What begins?” I asked.
“The hunt for the other human women.” He smiled, a twisted, mean pull at his mouth, and looked at me. “We have to hope there are more, right?”
I nodded slowly.
I don’t like how he said hunt, I sent Grey.
“It’s always been about hope,” I said.
True humor curved his lips.
“And courage,” he said. He gave Charlene a last look then turned and left.
I want to check his trail, I sent Grey. See if he smells familiar.
Charlene looked at me. I could feel her need for contact and hesitated. If I waited too long, I might not get a clean scent.
“Go ahead inside,” I said. “The rest is just pack business.”
Her expression fell, and she turned away from me. Her hurt was like a fist to the gut.
Before she made it two steps, I picked her up and started inside.
I’ll check the trail, Grey sent me.
Not stopping in the main room, I carried her up the stairs to her room and nudged the door closed behind us. Alone, I set her on her feet.
Her cheeks were pink, and she was refusing to look any higher than my chest. I would have liked to think she was admiring me, but the waves of pain coming from her told me that wasn’t what she was doing. I gently tipped her face toward me.
“Tell me what I did that caused that much...unhappiness.”
“Go ahead inside. The rest is just pack business.” Her light blue eyes pinned me with accusation. “I’m not part of the pack.”
I sighed at how she’d taken my words.
“I told you, you’re the heart of the pack. Without you, we don’t exist. I wasn’t excluding you; I was trying to give you an opportunity to do something you might find more interesting.”
“I am doing what I find interesting,” she said. “If I’m to be the Mate of the pack leader, I should know pack business.”
Mate. She was thinking about it? Hunger gripped me.
“You should,” I agreed.
Hurt disappeared and wariness took its place.
“All right. Good, then,” she said, backing away. “I’ll just go and make sure we have enough food for everyone. Let me know what pack business you discuss.”
She turned but before she made it a step, I caught her hand and twisted her around.
I claimed her lips with a kiss that left no doubt about my willingness to take her as my Mate. When I pulled back, her expression was dazed. The only emotion I felt from her was satisfaction. I knew I needed to leave.
“Save some food for me,” I said. Then, I stiffly walked out the door.
* * * *
You going to stare at her all night, Grey sent me.
Yep.
Charlene had blushed every time she’d looked my way since I’d left her in the kitchen hours ago. I could feel her shy interest brushing our connection, and it was killing me. But I was smart enough now to know interest wasn’t a yes. However, she was thinking about it. About being my Mate in truth.
“You going to eat that?” Gregory asked me.
I pushed my plate toward him. I was hungry, but only for Charlene.
Gregory laughed, just as amused as Grey by my focus, and ate my portion. When both he and Grey finished eating, they went outside. I stayed in my spot and watched Charlene help clean up. All the females gave knowing looks and no one bothered me.
When the last dish was put away, Charlene quietly excused herself. I stood and followed her from the main room. She didn’t look back as she made her way up stairs nor did she hesitate to enter her room.
“Will you wait in the hall while I change?”
I stepped back out and waited impatiently.
When she called for me to enter, she was already under the covers. I lay beside her, breathing in her scent.
“Good night, Thomas,” she said softly.
“Good night.”
It took her a while to give in to sleep. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close.
“Don’t make me wait too long,” I whispered, setting my head on her chest.
The steady thrum of her heart soothed me and helped me forget the pressure in my head.
What would our life be like together? How many cubs would we have? Having the largest pack wouldn’t compare to having six or ten cubs. Females. Males. It didn’t matter. I wanted them to have light coats like Charlene’s hair. I lightly touched a few strands and continued thinking of our future as she slept.
A while later, her breathing changed. I held still, listening to her pulse, and wondered if a dream had disturbed her.
“I doubt I need that stove installed in here,” she said softly, wiping her face.
I chuckled and moved my head.
“I’ll keep you warm every night until the day we die if you let me.”
Her pulse jumped. And slowly, her interest grew to something I hadn’t yet felt from her.
I growled and claimed her lips. Without hesitation, she opened to me. I shook with need and stroked my tongue against hers. Control wavered. I held tightly to the pack while my hold on the change slipped and my nails hardened to claws.
Pulling back, I trailed kisses along her jaw until my nails returned to normal.
“Tell me you’re mine,” I said.
“I’m yours.”
“Forever?” I pushed, nipping at her collarbone.
“Yes. Forever,” she whispered.
I could feel her complete acceptance and knew she’d just given me the permission I’d been waiting for. Reverently, I slipped my hands under her shirt and eased my palms up her sides. Fur rippled over my arms as I pulled her shirt over her head in one fluid motion.
Control, I thought to myself as I kicked off my pants. Keep in control.
I kissed her lightly, pouring everything I felt for her into it. My gratitude for her patience, her kindness, and her fortitude. How many times could I have lost her?
Pulling back, I stared down at her.
“I love you, Charlene.”
“I love you, too,” she said.
I sm
iled then continued to kiss every inch of her face and neck. She slowly relaxed, her hands coming up to my hair to hold me still when I found a particularly sensitive spot. When she sighed and turned her head to give me better access, I nipped her neck and moved the covers aside to shift my weight over her.
Her heart skipped a beat as my hips settled over her.
“Shh. Don’t be afraid.”
I slowed my kisses, trying to distract her enough to relax. It wasn’t easy. I was barely holding on.
She moaned softly. Taking that as a sign, I positioned myself over her. The wet heat that cradled me was too much, and my hold on the pack started to slip. I tried to hold it all together as I thrust forward, burying myself deep. She gasped as everything in my mind exploded.
For a moment, I thought I’d lost control of the pack. Then everything settled into place and I found a new connection there. Strong and thick, I couldn’t hold it like the rest. It held me, and it was beyond anything I’d ever felt before.
Together. Always. The words echoed in my mind from nowhere as Charlene lay stiffly underneath me.
“Charlene. I’m sorry,” I whispered in her ear. “Are you all right?”
“Yes.”
She moved under me, and I lost myself to my Mate.
* * * *
Charlene woke me with a gentle nudge to my mind.
“Charlene?” I said softly.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” A thread of panic shot through her.
“What’s wrong?” I wrapped my arms around her and gently rubbed her bare back. Touching her like that made it difficult to concentrate because I could feel the rest of her pressed against me.
“Thomas, can you read my thoughts now?” she asked, obviously worried.
“In a way. I can only read the thoughts you send to me.”
I have secrets, she sent me. Hearing her in my head comforted me. We were truly Mated. No one could question her right to be here now.
“I know you do,” I said. “And whatever they are scares you. Keep your secrets, Charlene. It doesn’t bother me. If you ever want to tell me, I’ll listen. But your secrets won’t change this or how I feel about you.”
What if they do?
They won’t because I love you unconditionally.
She exhaled slowly and nodded, but I could feel her doubt. I kissed her neck, then her throat, and slowly helped her forget everything else.
* * * *
Mary took one look at Charlene and grinned widely but said nothing. She didn’t need to. Charlene’s blush and scent let everyone know we were a Mated pair now.
Congratulations, Winifred sent me. I’d hoped this would happen from the moment you stubbornly challenged me. You have the strength we need to lead our people into a better future. But, don’t ever lose focus, Thomas. We’re too close to dying out to risk one over the many.
I met her gaze across the room, understanding what she was saying. My kind before Charlene.
You will never need to worry.
I hope not. We need every female we have. Grey checked the scent trail yesterday. It was too broken to be sure, but he thought it smelled familiar. He tried tracking it, but the group purposely went to town, and he lost them. We’re hoping what we’re building here and Grey’s continued escort of families will prevent any further slaughters. She paused for a moment. Our people need to know there’s hope out there if they only take a chance.
EIGHTEEN
Present...
I looked at Luke and frowned as I recalled the details of those early years.
“After Grey permanently lived at the Compound, we never saw deaths like those again. We thought the desperation that had led males to those lengths was gone because of what we’d built and the hope we’d given our kind. But now, I see more. We only ever found dead male cubs. Never young females.” I thought of that very first family we found. “I think the Urbat had been taking them.”
Luke frowned and glanced back in at Bethi.
“Bethi told me of a past life where she’d been Claimed young so they could control her. I don’t think they’ve just been decimating our race; they’ve been building up their own.”
My gut twisted at what he was implying, and guilt bit deep. We should have tried tracking that female all those years ago.
Winifred, Grey, I sent to both of them at once, we’ve overlooked what the Urbat have been doing to us since the beginning. Those deaths when Charlene first came to us weren’t our own males desperate for females. The Urbat have been killing Mated females and taking the young ones for years.
I’ve started to suspect the same, Grey sent me.
The families need to be warned.
I shuddered to think of what our young had endured. Meeting Luke’s eyes, I found his revulsion mirrored my own.
“Elders will warn the families with females,” I said.
Luke nodded and looked inside.
“I don’t think we should say anything, yet,” he said. “The girls have a lot to worry about already.”
They did. There were two more gifted women out there who needed to be found. Without them, the Urbat would continue to secretly destroy our race. The responsibility was weighing on all of them.
Charlene looked up and met my gaze. The fear in her eyes tugged at me. It had been a long time since I saw that level of concern. I would do anything to protect her from more hardship. Anything to keep her safe.
A trickle of uneasiness touched me over our link, and I sent all my love back.
“You’re right,” I said, thinking of how withdrawn she’d been. “They have enough to worry about.”
She smiled slightly, and her love wrapped around me.
I love you, Thomas. Today. Tomorrow. To the very end.
* * * *
Grey…
I looked over at Carlos. How long ago had it been since I’d found him? Nothing about that day had faded in my memory. I could still smell the faint scent of the other cub. Female. His sister. How would he react to the news that the Urbat had been responsible for taking his family from him?
What is it? he sent me.
Just thinking about that time you tried to make me a grilled cheese sandwich.
He went back to looking at the room.
My skills have improved.
I grinned at his stoic reminder.
They have. But that was the turning point. I never knew cheese straight in the pan would smoke so much.
He didn’t say anything more, but it didn’t deter me. His stoic personality protected him from the tragedy surrounding his family’s deaths.
It’s time for me to take the oath, he sent me suddenly.
It was something he’d been saying since he was sixteen.
Winifred wants to wait as long as possible to give you and Jim both a chance to change your minds. There’s no hurry yet.
I loved him like my own cub, and it saddened me to know that I would never be able to give him what he wanted. I knew what pain he hid inside, and it was the reason he could never be an Elder.
Jim laughed loudly as he played with Michelle’s cubs. Winifred and I both knew the truth. The weight of the next generation of Elders would fall on his shoulders.
Authors Note
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Melissa
Appendix
The Judgements:
Hope— Gabby, Mate to Clay [Book 1: Hope(less)]
Prosperity — Michelle, Mate to Emmitt, son of Charlene [Book 2: (Mis)fortune]
Wisdom — Bethi, Mate to Luke [Book 3: (Un)wise]
Strength — Charlene, Emmitt’s mother, Mate to the werewolf leader Thomas [Book 4
: (Un)bidden]
Peace — Isabelle [Book 5, (Dis)content]
Courage — Olivia [Book 6, anticipated release 2017]
The lights Gabby sees:
Werewolf — Blue center with a green halo
Urbat — Blue center with a grey halo
Human — Yellow center with a green halo
The Judgements:
Charlene — Yellow with a red halo
Gabby — Yellow with an orange halo
Michelle — Yellow with a blue halo
Bethi — Yellow with a purple halo
(Peace) — Yellow with a white halo
(Courage) — Yellow with a brown halo
