To Be Fated, page 13
“I believe your presence is unnecessary at this time.”
“Unnecessary? You no longer back our coven?” His eyes narrow and the other two vampires walk quickly to Demetri’s side; as they do, Devin, Luke and Owen stand beside Jude, shoulder to shoulder. There are only three vampires, there’s no doubt in my mind that they’ll simply sulk back to their coven. But still, I’m uneasy watching them size each other up.
“I will not lead my pack into war against the Authority.” Jude’s voice is calm, even, and loud enough for all to hear. It’s fucking effective as well. The vampires lose their composure with expressions of shock and disgust as they realize Jude is serious. I huff a laugh at their loss. Demetri’s dark eyes meet mine as he hears the laughter. I didn’t mean for him to hear it and I should’ve kept my mouth shut and stayed in the background. I don’t want to face vampires at the moment when I’m so uneasy with my own state of immortality. It’s easy to see that he recognizes me, just as I did him.
“You? You take the side of these dogs?” A low growl resonates from Vince’s massive chest. I turn to him on my tiptoes and nip his neck in admonishment. I hate that he gives them any of his emotions. “How could you side with them? You’re one of the elites!” I don’t react to Demetri’s rage and the contempt in his voice. I merely spear my hands through my hair and lean against my mate.
“I’m quite comfortable with how things are Demetri.” In a flash, the vampires surround us. Again, I ignore them. I act as though I’m not threatened. But I’m a liar. I’m frighteningly aware of how weak I am as a mortal and I’m desperate for my powers to return. But I’d be a fool to try them out right now. I don’t want them to know. Demetri stands directly in front of us and the two fools pace around us.
“Back down vampire.” Jude’s hard voice breaks through the tension. “We have no use for the alliance with your queen. You can tell her the truce is off with a new Alpha having taken power and we will not back her in the war.”
The vampires sneer at Jude. “She will be highly displeased.”
“She should reconsider her decision. The Authority is not responsible for the poisoned blood.”
“They sold it to us.” As Demetri speaks his hand flies out and comes exceptionally close to my face. I gasp and attempt to move back. But I’m slow. Although he doesn’t hit me, my lack of speed is noticed by everyone.
Demetri takes a step closer to me and Vince doesn’t waste a second to pound his hard fists against Demetri’s chest, sending him backward to land on his ass. The power radiates and instantly, the werewolves gather. Demetri rises up in a blur and tilts his head to examine me, completely unaffected by Vince’s warning to steer clear of me. “What have you done to her?”
“They’ve done nothing.” I scowl and expose my fangs to the intrusive vampire, but he can tell. The air around me has changed.
“This is why the Authority must fall. You’re not thinking clearly.”
“Me?” My dark eyes widen with fury. “Did you see their Alpha?” I hate that I’m allowing him to get the best of me. I attempt to school my features. “He wasn’t thinking clearly.”
“How much of that blood did you drink, dear Veronica?” Demetri smirks at me as though he has everything all figured out.
“None. I drink from my mate.” My fingers play along Vince’s neck. “I wanted this; I took the drug because I wanted more than this life.”
“You’re an idiot to give up your immortality. My queen will—”
“Enough!” Vince’s large hand wraps around the vampire’s neck and squeezes. The vampire’s hands fly to his neck.
“Leave now.” Jude snarls into Demetri’s ear and Vince drops the vampire, who quickly backs away in jerked, blurred motions. He stumbles and struggles to breathe but after a shared look of contempt between him and Jude, the vampires leave.
“It’s all but certain they’ll return,” one of the Betas says to Jude.
He shares a look with them, and I have no idea what he says, but I know there’s much to be done to keep this pack safe from the war ahead.
LENA
All I want is my mate. Ever since I felt the pull to him, I’ve felt unsteady without him by my side. There’s a comfort when I think of him, it’s even stronger when I see him, but I am desperate for his touch. He glances back at me and I now know what a mate’s pull is. My heart races and I turn only once to check on my pup one last time.
I don’t want to leave him, but I know I have to do this for Jude. Both women were extremely willing to watch him. More than willing. They’ve been trying to take him from me every moment they could for the last few nights that we’ve been in Gray Mountain. Four days have passed since Jude’s become Alpha and the transition has been seamless. At least for Jude it has been. I’m still getting used to the new faces. At least I have Devin and his pack here for the moment. They’ve decided to stay as guests, no doubt also for protection.
I can tell both Veronica and Grace are a bit jealous of Lizzie’s pregnancy. Not in a malicious way, but they both want to give their mates young. I can’t blame them. Every time I see Jude holding our son, I want to have a dozen more.
I’m not in heat, so I doubt tonight will bring more young. But he will claim me under the full moon, and I will be the Alpha mate the seers foretold. A chill goes through my body as I walk alongside Jude. I’m not sure I’m ready for this. I don’t know that I’ll ever feel ready, but I want nothing more than to be his, so I’m willing to let him claim me tonight.
It’s not enough that I feel the pull to him. I know I need to let him claim me. My fingertips glide over the small indents in my neck. Where I was first bitten and claimed by Shadow. My body trembles remembering the pain. Not just from the claiming, but from giving myself to him. I gave him far too much. I push the thoughts away, not liking the memories gathering. Jude takes my hand in his and I squeeze his hand, needing his confidence and his strength.
Touched by the glow of the moon as we walk out to a clearing in a distant, protected woods, Jude pulls me closer. He brings my knuckles to his lips and gives them a kiss before stopping us in front of a large group of willow trees. He pulls back the hobble branches and I duck to move under them with him. The soft leaves brush against my skin and give me goosebumps. His hand grazes along my shoulder and the small curve of my waist as I stand in the opening of the willows. The sight is breathtaking. We’re in a circular clearing surrounded by trees and sweet honeysuckle. The grass is lush and nearly a soft cushion beneath our feet. The bright white of the full moon shines down and illuminates the natural beauty surrounding us.
“It’s beautiful.” I whisper the words, almost too afraid to speak and disrupt the picturesque surroundings.
He murmurs at the shell of my ear, sending a needy warmth to flow down my shoulders and pebble my nipples. “Not as beautiful as you.” Without waiting for a response, his large hand cups my chin and brings my lips to his. His soft lips against mine steal the breath from my lungs. He gently nips my bottom lip, making me part for him. His hot tongue dances with mine as his hand deftly unzips my dress. He lets it fall to a pool of fabric at my feet and pulls back to look at my body. His half-hooded eyes roam my body and light with lust. “So fucking beautiful.” I blush at his words and smile as he opens his pants, all the while his eyes stay on me and my heart races.
We both stand naked in front of each other, ready to bare ourselves to one another and fortify our bond under the power of the full moon. I’m ready to let him claim me as his. Truly his. This is what was always meant to be. My fingers run along his jaw, loving the scratch of his stubble. I close my eyes as he kisses the crook of my neck and lifts my body easily before gently laying me under him. His large, muscular frame cages me in. I lay breathless under him as he parts my legs and moves his fingers to my clit. My head falls back as his blissful touch shoots a numbing pleasure to my core. He licks and kisses my neck, and the sensation is linked with the throbbing need in my aching heat. He doesn’t let up, between the soft kisses and forceful touch. I moan for him and let the pleasure distract me from what’s to come.
“Come for me baby.” My pussy pulses at his command, sending a wild wave of shudders to paralyze my body. My body trembles as I whimper helplessly under his relentless touch. He draws out my orgasm and I nearly push him away from the intensity. With my body trembling, he readjusts and I’m all too aware that the time has come.
His hard, chiseled chest presses down on me slightly as he pushes the head of his dick at my hot entrance. “Good girl, hot and wet for your mate.” A wave of arousal wets my core even more at his words.
My fingers spear in his hair and I pull his lips to mine with a desperation I’ve never felt before. He moans into my mouth as he moves slowly, deeper and deeper inside of me. I gasp as he stretches my walls with a hint of pain that only adds to the pleasure. My legs wrap around his hips and my heels dig into his muscular ass as he flexes, pumping agonizingly slow, shallow thrusts into my heat. Each thrust pushes more of him inside of me. I moan and writhe, thinking I won’t be able to take him all. He hits against my wall with each pump, making me grip onto his shoulders and bite his neck to keep the screams of pleasures from escaping. Another orgasm rips through my body, quickly heating and numbing my core. It’s too intense and not enough all at the same time.
“Yes! Bite me baby.” At his words and quickening pace, I sink my teeth deeper into his flesh. His thrusts become hard and deep, each one jolting my body against the ground. Fuck, he feels so good. I’m lost in the pleasure of him. I’ve never wanted more in my life than to have more of him in every way for as long as I live. He brings me to the edge of yet another orgasm and I find myself desperate to hold onto him. I feel as though I’m falling as a blinding light flashes before my eyes. A sharp pinch makes me gasp as his teeth bite into the mark on the left side of my neck. I grip onto him as the pain is washed away by wave after wave of pleasure. The tides come in slow and threatening as they overwhelm my body. My body begs to thrash under him, but I’m paralyzed, gently shaking beneath him.
He bites me again and again. Rutting into me wildly with his own desperation. My back digs into the dirt as he snarls against my neck and fucks into me mercilessly. My own teeth dig deeper into his neck and the metallic taste of his blood filters into my mouth. I whimper as he thrusts into me brutally, biting into my neck again. Tears form in the corner of my eyes as he savagely ruins Shadow’s mark. I have no doubt that Shadow’s claim to me, the scar, will be completely unrecognizable. And although I can feel the slight pain over the overwhelming pleasure buzzing through every part of my body, I love the fact that it’s destroyed. I love that Jude has ruined it.
I love that he is taking me for himself.
He pulls away from my neck and the move makes me release him as well. He stares down at me as he shoves himself deep inside and stills as I tremble under him. My blunt nails dig into his shoulders as I cry out his name. His eyes never leave mine. They shine with love and possession.
“Mine.” He leans down and kisses me with passion and desire. He pounds into me again and again before kissing the right side of my neck. My body heats to an impossible temperature as he kisses the crook of my neck and lights every nerve in my body aflame.
“Yes!” I scream out as my pussy spasms around his cock. He growls low and deep and it’s the sexiest fucking sound I’ve ever heard. And then he does it. He bites the crook of my neck and holds me down as he pulses deep inside me with his own release.
My body flames with love and completion. My mate, my Alpha has claimed me. My lips part as I struggle to breathe. My chest swells and my body trembles as he releases me. His strong arms lift his body above mine. His eyes focus on his mark as a slow smile grows on his face. My heart softens and I relax on the ground beneath him, feeling proud that I’ve given him this. He deserves every piece of me and I of him. Life has kept us apart for too long.
Just as the thought hits me, the burning starts. I wince and try to avoid showing pain. I can’t disappoint him. I don’t want him to see how weak I am, but the pain grows and my hands fly to my neck. One on each side. Tears well and I start to thrash as it radiates down my shoulders in sharp stinging lightning pains. Jude pushes my hand away and I involuntarily fight him, feeling the need to get away from his hot touch, but he pins me down. His tongue laps at the marks on the left side and a wave of cooling relief flows down that side of my body. As I start to plead for relief on the other side, he moves to the right and gently licks the wound. My chest rises and falls with surrender as he moves back and forth, licking and kissing my neck. He doesn’t stop, not until the shocking heat has nearly vanished.
I wrap my arms around him and close my eyes as the chill of his touch eases the pain, leaving only the slight aftershocks of pleasure to lull me into deep relaxation. All at once, my body feels heavy and swayed by the moon. My eyes fall with exhaustion. “I love you, Jude,” I whisper into his ear before kissing his neck.
“I love you, Lena.” The last words I hear as I fall into a deep and much needed sleep are “my love; my mate.”
LENA
The little yawn JJ gives me as I pat his bottom and he rests his sleeping head on my shoulder melts my heart. We decided on Jeremiah James, but JJ for short. Jude’s eyes lit up at the nickname when I asked him. The memory fills me with warmth; every small thought of my mate does. I’d hoped that he would love it and I wasn’t disappointed at all by his reaction.
The soft pat pat is in time with my body as I gently rock and shush him with the warmth of the sun coming through the open window in the great room of the main cabin. In only a month, this place has changed so much. Jude and his brothers gave me and Emma creative control… which I fully handed off to Emma. I’m growing to love her and the pack. She actually helped me come up with JJ’s name. For the first time in so long I can truly say I have a family and that I’m a member of a pack. Truly and in every way. As is my little pup.
Jude’s connection with JJ is undeniable. Although everyone knows JJ isn’t Jude’s biological son, he’s accepted by the pack as his. Never in my life did I think I could feel this way. There’s nothing but warmth and welcome from everyone surrounding us. For once, my heart is open and that scares me more than anything. When I’m closed off, I at least have armor. But here, I can’t be guarded. The feeling of belonging is far too overwhelming.
I don’t doubt that there’s spittle and drool all over the top of this beautiful dress Jude gave me. It’s made of pale, pink chiffon and ends just above my knees. He said he loves the way the color makes my skin glow. I happen to think it’s Jude who makes me glow, and Emma and Grace agree, but I keep that little tidbit from my mate.
JJ coos and I rub my cheek against his soft little head and inhale deeply. Babies have this smell that makes me flush with happiness and a sense of peace. I rest my cheek gently on him and hum softly as Jude continues his conversation with Devin. I haven’t been paying attention to what they’re talking about, but the loud bark of laughter from Jude and the playful slap from Grace onto Devin’s arm makes me happy. A bright smile lights quickly across my face.
I can’t believe this is my pack. We’re sheltered and safe with Devin and his pack surrounding us, but they’re leaving soon and this morning’s meeting has been all about the details of the packs’ union. Even Reece and Addy have bonded to both packs although they’ll stay with us. Together we’re stronger, so we shall remain imprinted. I’m not ready for them to go, though. We’re protected here, but it’s not about that. It’s more the simple fact that I’ll miss them. No matter how much Grace promises they’ll visit, I don’t want them to leave.
Jude must sense my anxiety, because the moment my heart starts to race with worry and trepidation, his large arm wraps around my waist and pulls me into his warmth. My wolf rubs against my side, closest to our mate. She loves the way our bodies press together. She pushes against his hard body and the act calms me. I feel nothing but at peace in his embrace. The approving rumble that vibrates through him stirs my wolf and makes my heart swell with devotion.
As I settle in his embrace, my eyes find an older woman resting against the side wall. Her gray hair has streaks of white in it and thick wire-framed glasses shield her pale blue eyes. A small smile slowly grows on her face. As she walks toward us, I expect my wolf’s hackles to raise or for her to whimper in fear, instead she stretches lazily and rests sweetly against my side once again.
Jude kisses my hair and whispers in my ear. “You look beautiful, baby.” His warm breath makes me wriggle away as it tickles the crook of my neck. His low, sexy chuckle in my ear makes me want to nip his bottom lip in admonishment and lick that dip in his throat. A wave of unexpected arousal heats my core and has me practically panting for his touch. I clear my throat, straightening and moving slightly away from him as I try to avoid concentrating on how good his hands feel on me. My heat must be coming soon. I look into my mate’s eyes and wonder if we’ll have another.
The older woman stops in front of us and smiles sweetly before scenting the air and cocking a brow. The knowing smirk on her lips makes me blush. But thankfully, she doesn’t comment. “I just wanted to tell you both how happy I am that Jude’s back.” Her small, wrinkled hand pats mine. “And that he’s found such a sweet mate.” I can’t help but to smile at her kindness.
“I’m happy to be home Marci.” He bends down and gives the older woman a kiss on the cheek. A happiness clouded with a bit of grief flashes in her eyes as she pats my hand once again and then walks away.
