Moonsong, page 20
“Then we’re not doing it, it’s not worth it,” her forehead puckered in distress. “Who needs their blessing anyway? There’s no way I’ll risk losing you.”
Cutter closed his eyes, there it was, the chance to gain his redemption; recapture the future that had been meant for him. With his true mate by his side, how could he pass up such an offer? Damn Adele for knowing he wouldn’t be able to refuse. “It’s the only way,” he said softly but firmly. Pressing a kiss into her hair, he stood, pushing her gently to her feet.
“No, it’s not the only way. Cutter I know you like it here, but we don’t have to stay. We can go away, somewhere they’ll never find us.”
“A place like that doesn’t exist Amelia; we’re trackers, that’s what we do. How do you think our kind found your family?”
“There’s too much at stake. I don’t want to lose you and I sure as hell don’t want to be stuck with Chase,” her nose wrinkled with distaste and he resisted the urge to kiss it, moving to the front door. Adele stood a short distance away, flanked by the four men he’d seen earlier. His head cocked to one side and he could distinctly pick out the scent of at least two more out there somewhere.
“Amelia, do you really think they’re giving us a choice?”
Millie stared out at them and then back to Cutter. “If we could get to the car…”
A shake of the head was given. “They’d be on us two feet from the door if I stay in this form. Amelia look at me,” he lifted her chin, hating to see her in such distress. “If you want to run we’ll run. But the odds are seven to one right now, and I can’t beat those odds. I’ll go down fighting for you and I’ll take a couple of them out with me, but I stand a much better chance against Chase in a fair fight in front of witnesses. Do you understand?”
Tears welled in her eyes, but she nodded mutely.
“It’s gonna be alright, darlin’,” he soothed, drawing her to his side with a comforting arm. “It’s the only way.” Walking them out into the early morning light, he paused several feet from Adele and her entourage. “Fine, when?”
“It will take some time to prepare; there are ceremonies to be observed as you well know. A week from Saturday,” Adele replied.
“A week from Saturday and this will be all over,” Amelia murmured.
“Done,” Cutter agreed. “But until then you back off, leave us in peace.”
“You misunderstand; I cannot allow her to remain with you.”
Cutter’s hold tightened around his woman. “You’re not taking her from me.” It might be their final week together if things should go badly, though he resolutely pushed such negativity from his mind.
“She’ll come to stay with us until the winner is determined,” Adele insisted, her tone brooking no argument. “You have my word, she will come to no harm, but I cannot allow her to stay with you. Amelie must go through the rite of purification before she is mated since you have despoiled her,” her face tightened into a scowl.
“She won’t need the rite of purification since I’ll be the one claiming her,” Cutter replied confidently.
“She won’t be going anywhere with you,” Amelia piped up with a disgruntled pout, obviously none too pleased about any decisions being made on her behalf and Cutter hid a smile behind a cough.
“These are part of the terms of our agreement and they are non-negotiable,” Adele stood firm. “In exchange, you may come to see her as often as you like, as long as you comport yourself accordingly.”
No sex. He read her loud and clear, she was worried about Amelia conceiving before she might be mated to Chase. The thought came to Cutter that she might already be carrying his child, since they hadn’t been at all concerned with prevention the night before.
Amelia threw Cutter a worried glance. “You’ll really let him come and see me whenever he wants?’
“I’ve given my word, that should be enough for you,” Adele drew herself up to her full height. “We must leave now, there is much to prepare. Say your farewells and let us be off.” Without waiting for a response, she strode off to her car; the four escorts remained behind though, waiting to bring Amelia in tow.
“You’ll come and see me?”
As if he could read her thoughts, Cutter pulled Millie close, stroking her back soothingly as he took his own comfort in her sweet scent. “It’ll be alright, I promise,” he murmured by her ear. “I’ll be there before you know it; I just need to take care of a few things myself.”
Nodding, Amelia pulled away. “Love you,” she gave him a broken smile as she stepped away.
“Me too.” Cutter stood watching until she slipped inside the sedan, Adele’s entourage somehow cramming inside the vehicle, save the two that had been poking around on the other side of the property. Those two simply melted into the forest, opting to leave on foot. “Me too,” he repeated as the dark sedan drove away, finally heading into his cabin to finish dressing and set some things in motion.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The ride back was silent and uncomfortable for Amelia, but she preferred the icy silence punctuated by the occasional accusatory stare to whatever lecture she could imagine brewed inside Adele’s head. Her grandmother’s displeasure was clear, and Millie couldn’t help but worry what the upcoming week was going to be like. What about her job at the café? Was that a thing of the past or would she be allowed to continue some semblance of her normal life?
“Bring her inside,” Adele broke the silence to utter the order as the vehicle pulled to a smooth stop in front of the large house.
Not wanting to be manhandled, Millie scooted to follow quickly, it would be too humiliating to be dragged back home like some kind of criminal. Once inside she didn’t give anyone the chance to order her around, hurrying up the stairs to her room, the key still heavy in the pocket of her jeans. Unfortunately that illusion of control was shattered not fifteen minutes later by the sound of a hand trying the knob. Without hesitation another key slid into the lock and Adele entered, steaming mug of tea in hand. Amelia couldn’t help but laugh; if she was looking for an intimate moment spent bonding over tea, she was barking up the wrong tree.
“Are you well?” Adele offered the mug.
“How the hell do you think I am?” Amelia muttered bitterly, ignoring the offering. “How would you be if our positions were reversed and I made you go through with this farce?”
“I would rebel, as you are,” Adele allowed, moving deeper into the room. “But this is the way of things. The sooner you accept this, the easier it will be for you to get through the upcoming trials.”
“The only way I’m going to accept this, is when Cutter wins and you get the hell out of our lives.”
“Calm yourself, here have some tea, it will soothe you,” she offered the hot beverage again and Millie looked suspiciously at the murky brew. Why was she trying to foist it off on her?
“No thank you, I don’t want any tea.”
Adele stepped closer, hand on Amelia’s shoulder. “I want you to drink this cup of tea,” slight pressure was given on that shoulder to emphasize her point.
“How many times do I have to tell you? I don’t want your friggin’ tea.” Millie’s scowl turned to distress as the hand at her shoulder exerted more and more pressure, driving her down to her knees. “Ow, you’re hurting me!”
“Drink the tea,” Adele’s eyes turned cold as she held the mug up to her granddaughter’s lips. Amelia tried to turn away, but the pressure at her shoulder was enough to make bright pinpricks of light swim in her peripheral vision. She opened her lips to protest and Adele forced in a mouthful of the tea. “Drink it,” she ordered again, punctuating it with another painful squeeze. Swallowing for fear of choking, Millie tasted cinnamon and other spices, almost like a chai but with an underlying bitterness that left a bad aftertaste. “Drink it all.” Adele forced the tea into her and Amelia’s stomach rebelled but managed to keep it down.
“Why?” she coughed, once Adele pulled away the empty mug and released her. If they wanted to drug her, then why not use a needle or drug her food? Why the need for such violence?
“You must be purified. This tonic will begin the process, and we will complete it with a rite of purification tonight after nightfall.”
“Purified? Ugh, it tastes like chalk,” Millie swiped at her lips with the back of her hand as the bitter aftertaste lingered.
“It will cleanse your system and make certain that there are no lasting effects of your dalliance with Cutter.”
“No lasting effects… you think I might have caught something or…” Millie’s eyes grew wider. “You mean a baby?”
“The brew will shake a child loose from your womb or prevent you from conceiving,” Adele confirmed. “I can’t allow you to be mated to Chase already carrying the bastard child of another man.”
Amelia’s hands flew to her belly protectively. It hadn’t even entered her mind that she might be pregnant, even if they hadn’t exactly been safe the night before. In fact, it had been the farthest thing from her mind at the time. Motherhood was something she always thought of as far off in the future, but the idea of having Cutter’s baby and then having it ripped away… “Leave me alone, I don’t feel so good.”
Adele left without another word, not bothering to lock it behind her. Curling up on top of her bed, Amelia stared at the clock on the bedside table, wondering how long it would take Cutter to finish his business and come to see her. In any other circumstance she would have laughed at herself, literally watching the clock until she heard from her man, as she’d never been the clingy type before. Amelia watched the clock until her eyes began to grow heavy, the stress coupled with lack of sleep the night before taking its toll, until she had passed out, dead to the world.
*
A soft knock at the door drew her from the nap with a start, as she wasn’t sure if she had dreamed the noise or if there really was someone there. She hesitated at opening it, pressing against the wood to try and gauge who was on the other side. “Who is it?” she asked softly.
“It’s me, darlin’,” Cutter’s deep voice came through clearly, and Millie all but tore the door off of its hinges in her haste to get it open.
“Oh God, Cutter, I’m so glad you’re here!” Millie threw her arms around him.
“Hey, I told you I’d come,” he folded her in to his embrace, resting his head against hers. When she continued to cling to him he tried to pull back enough to get a look at her face. “Hey, it’s gonna be alright, Amelia, I promise.” Millie managed a miserable shake of the head, bringing a frown to his lips. “Did something else happen?” he demanded, searching her face anxiously.
“Adele…” Amelia shook her head, not sure what to say. For all she knew, he might approve of her actions. They’d never talked about having children; he’d barely proposed to her the night before.
“What did she do?” he cupped her face, forcing her to look at him. “Did she hurt you?”
“She made me drink something; she said it was part of my purification in case, well in case I was pregnant.”
“Oh,” he frowned and Millie wished like hell she could tell what he was thinking. “Are you feeling alright?”
“A little nauseous, but I’m not sure if that’s from the tea or from worrying over it,” she admitted.
“We can always try again; we have plenty of time for that sort of thing.”
“I know, it might not have been anything anyway, I just feel so…” Unable to articulate what she was feeling, Millie shook her head miserably. “I mean, it’s not like we even got the chance to talk about stuff like that, do you even want kids?”
“Do you?”
Men… Why did he have to answer a question with a question when she was trying to figure out what he wanted? Amelia decided to go for it, tell him what she was feeling and she’d have to gauge his thoughts from his reaction. “Having a real family with you, I can’t think of anything I’d want more.”
Cutter’s arms tightened around her and Millie let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “We have our whole lives together to fulfill that dream, I promise.” It was her turn to nod, trusting in his words that somehow they’d make it through everything together. Anything else… she didn’t want to even begin to contemplate.
They settled into a strange household routine over the next week. Cutter refused to go home, keeping Adele true to her word that he would be allowed to stay as long as he bent to the rules of propriety. The days were spent by Amelia’s side, either in her room, which they preferred, or out on the grounds. Whenever she ventured outside there was an escort present in the form of those silent men who formed Adele’s entourage. Mealtimes were an awkward affair with Scarlett trying to play peacemaker, Adele abstaining from conversation altogether and Chase barely maintaining the veneer or civility.
Each night the big black wolf slept outside her door, discouraging any midnight visits from Chase or anyone else. Chase tried several times to get Amelia alone, and she refused him each time, Cutter seeing to it that she was as sheltered as much as possible while he was there to intervene.
Until one night, Chase knocked at her door, a polite smile on his face as Cutter answered it. “I would like to request an audience with Miss Millie,” he said formally, sketching a half bow.
“Miss Millie, you have a visitor.” Cutter opened the door a little wider, looking to Amelia for an indication of whether or not she wanted to deal with it.
“Not now, Chase, okay?” Millie shook her head, not wanting to look at him.
“When then? We’re sorta running out of time before this thing goes down, you know. Come on, Millie, I’ll behave I promise. I want to talk to you, just talk. We used to be good at talking, remember?”
Yeah, before he went all caveman on her and started acting like he owned her. She missed that easy friendship with him, and wondered if there was a way to recapture it. Maybe they could avoid all of the rites of succession stuff if she could make him understand she and Cutter belonged together? “Alright, let him in,” a drawn out sigh left her lips as Cutter stepped out of the way.
“I’ll be right outside if you need anything,” he offered with a pointed look to Chase, who gave him a little mocking salute in reply as he entered the room.
“I remember the last time I was in here, do you?” A little smile curved his lips and Millie flushed in response.
“Yeah, I remember.” They’d spent most of the time making out on the bed.
“Was it so bad? I thought things were going pretty good between us, Millie.”
“They were going alright, it’s just… how do I explain this…?” She struggled for a way to phrase it that wouldn’t hurt his feelings because on some level she did still like Chase. “You and I, we get along great, there is that spark there, that attraction. But we’re like… friends with benefits. There was never love between us. Cutter and I… it’s like a different world, as mushy as it sounds, he’s my soulmate.”
A roll of the eyes was given. “Ugh, seriously? Your soulmate? You can’t tell me you prefer that old guy to me. You’ll have to wheel him around town before you know it and end up changing his adult diaper.”
“He’s not that old and you know it, I doubt he’s even hit forty yet,” Millie replied, unable to keep from laughing at the outrageous remark.
“Okay, but if I win…”
“You won’t win Chase. I’m sorry; I know how much you want this.”
“You can’t know that… can you?”
“I know Cutter and I belong together, so I have to trust that he’ll win.”
“Okay, but if I win… are we cool? You accept Grandmother’s terms, right? You accept me.”
“Chase… do you really want me like that? Mated to a woman who doesn’t love you and wants someone else? Openly, in front of the pack? Because it’s not like I intend to make it a secret he’s the one I’ve chosen.”
“I can make you want me again, Millie,” he replied with a confident smirk, moving closer to her again.
“No Chase, you can’t. I love him. And you know you don’t love me, even if you want what goes with being my chosen mate.”
“Sure I do, I love you. I’ve known you were the one for me ever since the first day I laid eyes on you,” Chase smiled encouragingly.
He wasn’t hearing her. “I don’t think you even know what love is. You know desire and ambition, but not love. Let this go, Chase, call off this stupid contest. You can have the pack. All Cutter and I want is the chance to be together, and then we can all have what we want.”
“I want you, and I intend to have you,” Chase growled and Millie took a half step backwards.
“You may win the fight but you’ll never have me, not the way you want me.”
“Oh I’ll have you the way I want you.”
“Then I hope you’re a light sleeper for your sake,” her eyes flashed with dangerously. While she wasn’t strong enough to stop him from taking what he wanted, if he thought she was going to meekly accept it, he had another thing coming. He couldn’t be vigilant all the time… Chase’s mocking laughter was enough to push Amelia past the limits of her strained patience. “I think we’re done here,” she said, turning away from him dismissively.
“Millie…” Chase’s arms shot out to stop her from dismissing him, drawing her close for a kiss.
Amelia struggled in his arms, lips clamped resolutely together against the kiss as she turned her head away. “Chase, let me go! I don’t want you!” How much more clear could she make it?
Cutter chose that moment to open the door. “Everything alright in here?” he asked lightly.
“Chase was just leaving,” Amelia pushed at his chest firmly.
“That’s right, I was leaving. For now.” With a final wink, he let go of her and sauntered to the door. “I’ll see you on the field of battle,” he gave another mock salute to Cutter and disappeared down the hall.
