Loved by Alpha Wolf

by Sarah J. Stone

  Fergus buried his face in her hair. “I hate it when you make sense.”

  “I’ve turned your world upside down.” Diana hesitated. “I feel I should apologize for that.”

  Fergus pressed an open-mouthed kiss on her bare shoulder. “I quite like how you turn my world upside down.”

  He planted another kiss on her neck and groaned when he saw all the wolves staring at him, unblinking.

  He opened his mouth when he stilled.

  Diana caught the scent at the same time and dug her hand in the Earth to center herself. “They’re here.”

  Fergus shook his head. “The scent is old. Probably one of those hunters that Raoul mentioned. They’re positioning themselves for an attack.”

  Diana looked at the wolves, and a few of them got up and left.

  Her mate glanced at her, and she murmured, “I sent them to track the scent. They’re not to engage. Just scout the enemy.”

  “They could attack at any time.”

  A new scent assailed them, and the two of them turned their heads just as a bundle of clothes came flying in their direction.

  Fergus raised his hand to catch them and raised a brow at the bear alpha. “You’re awfully far away from your territory.”

  Luke glared at him. “Don’t rub it in. I’m here to pick up your mate.”

  When Fergus’ eyes flashed dangerously, he rolled his eyes. “Nina sent me.”

  That calmed Fergus down, and he peered behind Luke. “Where’s Cassie?”

  The bear alpha pointed an irate finger at the silver-haired shifter. “You. You are a bad influence on my mate. It’s bad enough she refuses to rest, but now she wants to tramp around after you. I had to threaten her to tie her to the bed to make her stay back.”

  Fergus smiled. “She’s not going to be happy with you.”

  Obviously cheered by the thought, he looked at Diana and caught the wariness in her eyes. He sobered and then glanced at Luke. “Can you give us a minute?”

  The bear alpha looked grim. “I got a glance of those humans out there. They’re prepping up for something. You’d best hurry.”

  Fergus waited until the bear was out of earshot. “Are you sure about this, Diana?”

  His mate looked at him, and he saw the stark fear in her eyes. “I’m not sure about anything. I’m scared of leaving you. But we’re in the middle of a war. You need to protect the pack. And I…I’m of no use right now to you.”

  Luke’s voice emerged from the trees as he came out. “The preparations are complete for that thing you asked.”

  Fergus nodded, and when Diana raised a brow, he placed his finger on his lips, mouthing, “Later.”

  He gave her a hurried goodbye kiss and watched as Luke led her away.

  Diana’s gait was hesitant, and he knew she was forcing herself.

  His mate was far from healed. The tears in her psyche were there. She was a shadow of her former self, and she struggled with each breath to survive and not break. The pretense she put up for him was wasted on him. He would notice the way her eyes would go vacant at times as if there was nothing inside her. The way she would flinch when somebody other than him neared her.

  This would take time to heal. She needed him. But she also needed to realize that her happiness and her survival was not contingent on him.

  It killed him to admit it, but Gael was right. She needed to find herself without him there.

  The note that Nina had left him had instructed him to let her go to Cassie and Luke. That she was needed there. That he would hamper her.

  That note was torn into a million shreds.

  The wolves around him whined, but none of them bothered to go after Diana.

  Instead, as he turned around and started the long trek back to the den, they followed him.

  The lone figure that hid in the foliage upwind went unnoticed. The man’s eyes followed Fergus, and when the wolf alpha was quite a distance away, he dropped from the trees onto the ground and shifted.

  Chapter 14

  Luke’s gait was hurried and Diana broke into a brisk run to keep up. There was an urgency to the bear alpha, and she wondered if something was wrong. She couldn’t help but voice her thoughts.

  “Cassie is in pain,” he told her shortly. “She needs me.”

  Diana blinked. “Then let’s shift and run.”

  “No.” The bear alpha’s low tone was harsh. “We have to be careful how we–”

  Diana used the power that Gael had unlocked inside her to erect a barrier around them, making Luke stop and look at the shimmering dome around them in quiet contemplation. “I should be used to this by now.”

  Diana shrugged awkwardly. “I’m not that good at all this yet. But for now, this will help camouflage us.”

  She looked at the barrier uncertainly. “At least I think it will.”

  Luke started taking off his clothes and stopped when he scented his companion’s unease. Glancing over, he saw the distress in her face as she took a few steps back and something in him grew hard and angry. He knew that look. Cassie used to wear the same look.

  Maintaining an iron fist control over his anger, he shifted, letting his clothes tear.

  Diana watched the huge bear as he turned around and grunted at her. She didn’t want to take off her clothes, so she did the same and let her clothes disintegrate.

  They moved fast within the forest, and she stumbled once when she scented the humans in the wind. Their scent was wrong, but it was ingrained in her, and she realized that this fear inside of her might never die.

  If Luke noticed her weakness, he didn’t show it. She could feel his urgency, and it was well justified when they reached Shadow Claw’s border, because another bear stood waiting for them. Luke left her with him as he raced toward where his mate lay.

  The bear shifted into an elderly man who put a bundle of clothes on the ground and turned his back, offering her privacy.

  As soon as Diana had put on the clothes, she said, “You’re like me.”

  Although he was considerably old, his features were handsome when he smiled. “My name is Samuel. I’m glad to finally meet you, Diana.”

  She nodded, a slight jerk of her chin. She looked in the direction Luke had run in, and hesitated. “Is his mate okay?”

  Samuel’s smile broadened. “She’s giving birth. I suspect you will not want to get underfoot of them at this very moment. Why don’t I show you to your room?”

  He started walking, and Diana found it easy to keep up with his shortened stride, “You’re a Council member, but you’re–”

  A chuckle. “Old?”

  The female wolf said nothing, not wanting to sound rude. However, Samuel didn’t seem to mind. “One of the gifts that we have is our ability to hide our age. When you remain young, it seems to discomfort those around you. I choose to look this way. Just as Oberon chose to look like a child.”

  “Oh.” Diana was silent. “Nina looks like–”

  “Nina is young. She has yet to come into her full powers. What you see is her real age. But I do not see her ever concealing her true appearance. The girl has no vanity. As long as she has her mate, she wants for nothing.”

  “Kevin, isn’t it?”

  Samuel made an approving sound.

  “They argue a lot.”

  The bear shifter chuckled. “Nina has a stubborn streak, and Kevin just likes to needle her. But the way that cub devotes himself to her…”

  Diana noted that Fergus tried his best not to fight with her, and she wondered what that meant. Entering the den, its emptiness and the stillness in the air made her look around.

  “Cassie’s child is a huge deal. Mostly everyone will be around there.” Samuel glanced at her. “I’ve put you up in the female’s quarter. We have one of those where the women like to gather for movie nights or whatnot. I didn’t think you would like to be around males.”

  Diana felt something in her chest loosen.

  The separation from Fergus was already hard enough to
bear, but the idea that she was heading into unknown territory had her wolf bristling. Her wolf trusted no one. Not even the people who claimed to be their allies. The bruised and battered animal was more wild and savage. She never wanted Fergus to see this side of her.

  The craving of bloodshed that grew unfettered inside of her could not possibly be normal.

  Samuel had stopped talking now. They were standing in front of a room, and he was staring at her. “You spaced out.”

  “Tired,” she murmured, not wanting to reveal the turmoil in her soul at that moment. However, she had a feeling that those wise eyes missed nothing.

  “You’re probably hungry as well. I’ll get you some of the pasta that Abigail made.” He turned around. “Fair warning. It’s not very edible.”

  Diana watched him leave and then pushed open the door to what was to be her room. It was sparsely furnished. A single bed with a side table. A desk and a chair sat neatly in one corner of the room. A bathroom was attached to the room, and she walked in to see that it was small and compact, just like the room. It wasn’t too tiny or cramped, just comfortable enough for her to move about in without feeling boxed.

  She sat on the bed and felt it sink in under her weight. Her eyes fell on the clothes that lay on the desk, folded neatly.

  A black leather jacket with a tank top and a pair of comfortable jeans. She didn’t understand why, but these articles of clothing made her feel secure. Did she use to wear them before she wiped her memories?

  At a closer glance around the room, she noted that whomever had made up this room had taken particular care in its design.

  “Nina set up this room, herself, for you.”

  Samuel had returned with a container of food and a fork.

  “Is she here?” Diana asked, as she opened the container and studied its contents.

  The look on Samuel’s face showed a hint of caution. “It seems our young Caillagh has learned the art of moving herself great distances within a heartbeat. She can be a bit reckless with it.” The bear shifter sighed. “She is all over the place.”

  Diana watched him. “You don’t think what she is doing is safe.”

  The older council member shook his head. “The last Caillagh was able to do this, but even she took precautions. Young ones can be so impetuous.”

  A sound from outside had him frowning. “You finish your meal and get some rest. I’m needed.”

  A scream of pain echoed down the empty corridors, followed by a violent cursing. Diana winced as Cassie screamed at her mate. As Samuel closed the door behind him, the voice immediately died down.

  Alone at last, Diana finished her meal and felt her mind empty as the events of the past few weeks finally caught up to her. The quiet of the room let her close her eyes as she drifted off to sleep within seconds.

  “Just tell them where he is.”

  The man was so familiar, and yet the pain that lanced through her heart was filled with fury at this betrayal.

  “He trusted you!” she roared as she struggled violently against the humans that held her.

  “It is not a matter of–”

  “Shut up, you lying bastard! I’m going to kill you!” One of the men restraining her pushed her onto her knees. Their strength was vicious. Whatever they had injected in her was preventing her from shifting.

  The man whose face she could not identify just sighed. “He’ll come back for her. You should go look for the pups.”

  Not the babies!

  Fergus was still moving the pups to safety! She needed to distract them! SHE NEEDED THEM TO FORGET!

  Diana sat up, drenched in sweat. Her eyes blinked as she tried to register her surroundings.

  She wasn’t in that clearing.

  She wasn’t in her cell.

  Breathing deeply to gain some control, she pushed back until her back hit the headboard of the bed, and then she pulled her knees up to her chest.

  What was that dream?

  It wasn’t a dream, but a fragment of her memory that she had seen. There had been a man. Something in her was blocking her from seeing his face.

  She didn’t understand. Nina had said that she had erased her own memory, but from what she had just seen, she had wanted them to forget about the pups.

  A chirping sound from below had her looking down to see a blue baby bird. It chirped at her, and Diana leaned down to pick it up. It clambered over her and settled on her shoulder.

  A scraping against the door had her looking up, and a familiar head peeked in. “Oh, hi. You’re here.”

  Nina looked a little frazzled.

  “Is everything okay?” Diana asked, seeing the annoyed look on the Caillagh’s face.

  Taking that as an invitation to come in, the young woman quickly shut the door behind her, and announced crossly, “I’m pregnant.”

  Diana blinked, “Isn’t that a good thing?”

  The witch looked harried, “Yes, but Kevin isn’t letting me use that transportation spell anymore. Oh, I see Totters found you. Fell asleep, did he? Very convenient of him.”

  “Maybe you should sit down?” Diana offered.

  When the witch glared at her, Diana pursed her lips. They stared at each other in silence for a few seconds before Nina sighed and sat down next to her on the bed. “I’m happy. I’m just scared of bringing a child into this world. For me, the danger will never stop. If it’s not one thing, it will be another.”

  The female wolf didn’t know what to say. What Nina was saying was true.

  “You’re the Caillagh. Your child will have protectors everywhere.”

  Nina threw herself back on the back and stared at the white ceiling where neon stars were glued. “I thought you would feel better with glow in the dark stars.”

  “I like this room. Thank you.”

  “You’re so formal.” The witch sighed. “Your barriers are up until the sky.”

  Diana moved uncomfortably, and Nina glanced at her. “Would you like to see the baby?”

  The former looked confused, “What? I thought…she glanced at the clock, and her eyes widened. “I slept for that long?”

  Nina didn’t move from her position. “You were exhausted. I just came from seeing Cassie. Their son is beautiful.”

  Diana pulled herself to her feet at Nina’s insistence. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see the newborn. She just felt completely out of her element. Of course, she had no idea that both Cassie and Nina meant to drag her into their own lives.

  Seeing the red-faced baby made Diana wonder at how tiny he was.

  “Handsome, isn’t he?” Cassie asked proudly. “Takes right after his father. Maybe he’s a bit better looking, but who’s judging?”

  Diana couldn’t help, but crack a smile at the words.

  Nina murmured something, and she felt magic create an invisible layer over the child she held.

  “A strong protection spell,” the witch murmured.

  Cassie was sitting on the bed, and she smiled. “Let’s go outside. I want some fresh air.”

  “Right now? Shouldn’t you be resting? You’ve just given birth.”

  The bear shifter waved off Diana’s concern, “White omegas bounce back very quickly. We don’t need rest.” There was a flash of grief on her face, which vanished as soon as it had come, and she said, “To protect our offspring, our kind never had time to rest, so our bodies adapted over time.”

  Of course, Luke protested, but when Cassie told him she was staying within a few feet of the den, he calmed down. Nobody would approach the den so carelessly, not even Morbus. Their armed forces were nowhere near.

  The three women strolled in the darkness of the night, pretending to ignore the sentinel that stood guard in a corner. Terry had opted for this himself, insisting that he, too, felt like taking in a breath of fresh air. He was holding the baby and making strange faces at him, completely unaware of the fact that the cub hadn’t even opened his eyes yet.

  Everyone was protective of their alpha’s mate, and Diana s
potted a bear that was lying on the ground, watching them. For some reason, her instincts demanded she call her wolves, and slowly and steadily, the wild wolves started showing up.

  It startled the bears first, putting up their guards, but when a few of the wolves rubbed against Diana, demanding petting, they relaxed visibly.

  “I really envy your gift,” Cassie declared. She put her hand out to touch one of the wolves, and it stood stock still and let her scratch it behind its ear.

  “They’re completely wild,” Diana said, pushing one of the animals to leave them alone when it got too insistent on sticking right next to her. “They see me as an alpha. Their own alpha pairs accept my rank.”

  After a few heartbeats, she admitted, “Fergus finds them annoying. He says it’s creepy when they watch.”

  “Watch what?” Cassie snickered.

  Nina laughed as Diana scowled. “You know.”

  Cassie couldn’t help, but howl with laughter.

  The wolf shifter shook her head. “I’m just saying…” She froze.

  The scent that assaulted her nose was a terribly familiar one. Nobody else had noticed, but the look on her face told them something was wrong.

  Not making any sudden moves, Diana murmured, “Cassie, take your son, and go into the den.”

  Chapter 15

  There was no fear inside of her. She was responsible for the protection of her host and her child. Not only that, the Caillagh was in a delicate situation. She would not put her in danger. Right now, she was acting on age-old instincts.

  Cassie had just taken a few steps toward her son when an arrow flew through the air toward Terry. It would have hit him straight in the heart had Nina not deflected it in midair. He took the hit in the shoulder and fell to his knees as the pain coursed through his shoulder.

  Cursing, Cassie rushed toward the shifter, who had doubled over in an attempt to hide the newborn from plain sight.

  Nina threw up a barrier around everyone, but her eyes widened when an arrow penetrated through and aimed for the second bear who was rushing to protect his alpha’s mate. This time, Diana intervened, and she grasped the black arrow in her hand.