My little mate is about as skittish as she can be. I’m not sure how she’ll feel about staying in my apartment, but it’s the safest place for her. As much as I want to know about her and what happened to her, I also feel the need to take care of her.
‘WE feel the need to take care of her,’ Baron says.
Baron has been thrashing in my head ever since that Alpha, his Beta, and the other warriors came charging after our mate. I don’t know why they want her or what they did to her, but I’ll be contacting Rich to find out everything he knows about Alpha Alec.
Her stomach hasn’t stopped rumbling and it makes me wonder how long it’s been since she’s eaten. As we wait for the food, I casually look over her body, noticing the bruises, the scrapes, the dried and cracked skin on her fingers and the cracked fingernails with dried blood that look like she’s chewed them down to the quick. All of that is making it harder for me to keep Baron under control and to remain calm. But she’s a human. I need to also remember that this may be new to her and that she won’t heal as quickly as a werewolf, at least not until she’s wearing my mark.
“Are you cold?” I ask her. Her arms are wrapped tightly around her body. As I watch, goosebumps raise on her arms. Is it cold out? I’m immune to the cold until we're well into the winter. This is a nice cool evening, but there is a breeze.
“I’m fine,” she says and I may not be a true Guardian, but I am my mother’s son, and I can taste the deceit on my tongue.
Next to the food vendor is a clothing vendor that is selling sweatshirts. It’s hard to tell her size, the drab clothing that she’s wearing is baggy on her. I’m not sure if that is her choice, but I don’t think so. I’m getting a very bad feeling about what has happened to my mate.
'The bruises weren't your first clue?' Baron snarls unhappily.
'I think it's more than abuse. She's human. Why were two ranked members and three warriors hunting one little human?' I ask him.
'They're afraid of what she knows or of what they've done,' he says.
'My thought exactly.'
When I reach over to take her hand, she jerks away from me. “I’m going over here to get you a sweatshirt. I didn’t want to leave you alone here. Why don’t you come pick out what you’d like.”
“I told you I don’t have any money.”
“Let’s get one thing straight. I don’t want any money from you. I’m not asking you for anything. But I don’t like someone who I’m looking out for to be hungry, cold, or hurt,” I say, making a point to look at the bruises that I can see on her arm. She quickly pulls the shirt down to cover them. “You asked for my assistance, and I take that very seriously.”
“You’ve already done more than enough.”
“Have I?” I ask her, holding her gaze.
She looks away. “Yes.”
“I think you have a bad impression of my kind. I want to change that. Not all of us are like Alpha Alec. Let me buy you a sweatshirt. Or something else if you’d prefer. But I can see that you’re cold.”
“You’re kind? You mean werewolves, right?”
I glance around to see if anyone is paying attention to us. “This is a human town. Not everyone knows about us.”
She looks around. “What if I started screaming for help. What if I told everyone what you are?” she asks.
“They’d probably think you were crazy. Werewolves don’t exist except in human horror stories. Do I look like a werewolf to you?”
“No, you look like a California surfer,” she says, making me smile.
“Not all surfers have blond hair.”
“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never been to the beach.”
“I’ll take you someday,” I say before I can stop myself. My need to give my mate everything, make everything that has gone wrong with her right, is making me edgy.
She walks with me over to the clothing shop. “So, where is your family?” I ask.
She looks at me a moment, brushing her hand over the clothing but not really looking at it. “I don’t have any.”
“Where are your parents?” I ask, pulling a pastel sweatshirt off the rack and showing her. Her quick nose wrinkle tells me what I need to know, and I put it back.
“They died when I was young. I grew up in foster care,” she says, and Baron begin whining in my head.
“How old were you?” I ask gently, finding a black sweatshirt with our city’s name on it. She’ll look like a tourist, but I don’t care as long as she likes it. When she doesn’t crinkle her nose, I lay it over my arm and keep looking. She has the most beautiful blue eyes I’ve ever seen. They’re like ice, or aquamarine. They’re like Uncle Rik’s, only bluer.
“Five or six, I think. I don’t really remember.”
I find a long sleeve shirt and hold it up. She cocks her head to the side, as if assessing, but I know she’ll look fantastic in this one. It will match her eyes perfectly and with her raven-black hair, she’ll be drop dead gorgeous.
I hear them call my name that our food is up, just as Jesse mind links me.
‘Alpha, the group is gone. They tried to circle back, but we encouraged them to leave.’
‘Are you and Penny okay?’ I ask.
‘We’re fine. Who is she, Alpha?’
‘My mate.’
‘Oh shit. Want us to keep a lookout for them?’
‘Yes. Spread the word. I’ll be talking to my brother soon, too,’ I say, closing the mind link.
“Food’s ready. Let me get this and we’ll grab our food, and I’ll show you where I live.”
On the way to the register, I grab two more shirts and three pairs of sweatpants that look like they’re her size. I’ll have to get her some new shoes, but that can wait.
When I walk back over to her, huddled in a corner, I pull out the black sweatshirt and hand it to her. “Here, this will keep you warm while we walk. It isn’t far, but there’s a breeze out.”
She pulls it on quickly, sighing in relief.
‘Baron, we’re going to have to be more careful. She’s human and she isn’t as sturdy as werewolves or as immune to the cold and other elements.’
‘Yes. I don’t like our mate being cold. And I definitely don’t like those bruises on her,’ he snarls.
I’ve already decided that I need help with her. She’s not going to trust me, especially when she realizes that I’m taking her to my apartment and it’s only me and her. As it is, I’m struggling to keep my own anger and Baron’s in check.
We get the food and begin walking to the building that houses Holstin Enterprises, Inc, my family’s company. The closer we get, the more people I know. They all say hi, and give Madelyn curious glances which only makes her pull her sweatshirt tighter around her.
“No one will hurt you. I won’t allow it,” I tell her. She nods, but the scent of her fear is giving her away.
By the time we get into the elevator to go to my apartment, I’m feeling desperate to pull her into my arms and hold her. If she were a werewolf or any other type of shifter, it would be no question. But she’s human. A human that has been mistreated by werewolves.
I get her settled in the living room, quickly grabbing some plates and napkins and turning on the television. “Is there anything you want to watch?” I ask her.
“Whatever,” she says, looking around. “You live here?”
“Yep. My company owns most of this building and we’re continuing to buy more as our company increases. I’d be happy to tell you about it once you’ve eaten and maybe gotten a shower?” I say.
“A shower sounds good.”
Thank goodness. I want her to wash off the scent of that pack, but not before I get Rich over here.
“I’m going to make a phone call. I’ll be right back.” I notice that she hasn’t touched the food and she’s sitting on the edge of the couch like she’s going to run the moment she has a chance.
“Which kind of pizza do you prefer?” I ask her gently, careful nont to touch her as I open them.
“Whichever one you’re not going to eat,” she says.
“How about one of each and you can decide which on you like best,” I tell her, pulling a slice of each pizza onto a plate and putting it in front of her.
“Don’t wait for me. Your stomach is getting louder the longer you stare at that pizza,” I say, smiling as I try to hide my own stress that she’s so hungry and still not eating.
Because she looks ready to run, I walk back to the front door and hit speed dial.
“Cayden,” my best friend Emlyn purrs into the phone. I’m guessing my brother is standing in front of her and that he was about to start something that I’m going to interrupt.
“Emlyn, I need your help.”
“What do you need, Cayd,” she says, all business now.
“I need you to come to the city now, tonight.”
“Are you in trouble?” I hear my brother ask.
“No, well, I don’t know. It’s a long story and if mom and dad can take the kids, I’d like you both to come.”
It’s quiet a moment and I’m guessing one or both of them is mind linking my parents. Emlyn just had their second child, a girl this time, Briella.
“Give us an hour and a half, Cayd, and we’ll be there,” Emlyn says.
“Thank you both,” I say, hanging up and walking back into the living room. My mate is no longer on the couch. Only one slice of pizza has a bite out of it, the meat lover’s slice. Good, my mate likes meat.
“Madelyn?” I call out. I lift my nose in the air and follow her scent to the kitchen. I hear the whistling sound of something swinging through the air and I reach up to grab her hand before she can hit me in the head with a sauté pan.
“Who’s coming? Who is coming to get me?” she asks, sounding utterly terrified.
I’m not sure why this guy takes me asking him for help so seriously. I asked because I needed to get away from Alec. But he seems to be taking it to mean I need food, clothing, and a place to sleep. I do, but I don’t understand why this guy is making it his problem. He could have let me go after Alpha Alec walked away, but he didn’t.Since I learned my lesson, that trusting werewolves is dangerous to my well-being, I follow the guy, Cayden, when he goes to make a phone call. I hear him talking to others about coming here. I’m already outmatched with this guy, but if he has someone coming to get me, who knows where I’ll end up. It could be worse than what happened with Alpha Alec.I think quickly, rushing into the kitchen as quietly as I can. When I hear him call my name, I lift the pan over my head that was thankfully sitting on the stove. If I can just knock him out, even for a few minutes, I can get away. Once the others arrive, there will be no escape for me. As soon as I see his h
I grind my teeth as my mate breaks down into the most gut-wrenching sobs I’ve ever heard.‘Cayden, who is she?’ my brother asks in the mind link.‘My mate.’He nods, watching his mate and mine.“Come on. Why don’t we go into the other room and relax for a moment. Sometimes Alphas forget what a strong presence they have,” Emlyn says to Madelyn, gently scolding her mate. She turns and gives him a look before leading Madelyn into my bedroom and a moment later, I hear the water turn on.Rich gives her a contrite look before turning to me as they walk into the other room.“What pack?” Rich asks, gesturing for me to sit. “Oh, pizza. I’m starving.”“Help yourself. They’re wings, too,” I say as we sit. “Alpha Alec. Do you know him?”“Hmm,” he says, taking a bite of food as his eyes stare off while he thinks.‘Cayd, did you get her some clothes?’ Emlyn asks in the mind link.I hop up, grabbing the bag and a bottle of water and taking it into the bedroom.I see Madelyn sitting on the side of th
Emlyn’s story is remarkable. Everything she says sounds like it comes out of a fairy tale, well, except the part where Alpha Rich and Cayd’s mother was held by a vampire prince for years, and Emlyn’s mother was ejected from the pack by her father because he didn’t think she had a wolf, or that human hunters came to kill them. None of that sounds like a fairy tale, but the rest of it does.I learned that elves really do exist and one of their friends is the Queen of the Fae. Seriously, all the things that you grow up reading about, the fairy tales and the things that go bump in the night…every one of them really does exist.What I find the most interesting is the history of the Guardians and how, throughout time, they weren’t allowed to be with their fated mates because the Alphas wanted them for power. It wasn’t until their parents’ generation that Guardians were able to be with their fated mates and now, the Guardian line is being passed down genetically through the females. I guess
I could kiss my brother. While I feel nearly incapacitated with my desire to help my mate but fearing that I would scare her, Xander swoops in to save the day.Since we’re all standing, I look at my mate. “I’m guessing horror movies aren’t your thing?”She shakes her head, no.“Maeve wouldn’t allow that in our house anyway. We’ll be lucky if we don’t have to watch some children’s witchy movie like Sleeping Beauty.”“Sleeping Beauty didn’t have witches,” Madelyn says, frowning.“Tell that to my mate. Those sprite things…what are they called, Cayd?”“Fairy godmothers,” I say, watching Madelyn. Her heart rate has gone down since Rich left. I’ll need to warn my father to monitor his Alpha aura around her. Maybe if I tell him to act like she’s one of the twins, he’ll get the picture. Of all of us, the twins, who look and act the most like our mother, have always been treated more gently than the rest of us.“My mate says the fairy godmothers aren’t fairies at all, they’re witches,” he says
As I walk on the sidewalks in the human city where I have an apartment, I think about the last week. It’s been a whirlwind of birthdays, my twin sisters both turned eighteen and then less than a week later, they both had their Luna ceremonies one night apart. They’re mated to the two Alphas that are in an alliance with my oldest brother, Rich.All of the males in my generation are strong Alphas, stronger than most because our mothers are Guardians. The Guardian line travels through the females in the bloodline, and besides my younger sister who is still underage, all of the female Guardians in our generation have found their mates. All the sons of the Guardians in this generation have found their mates as well. Except me.I’m not sure why I haven’t found her. Cohen, one of my best friends, says she’s probably underage. Since I’m not yet twenty, it’s possible. He’s my age and he’s mated to my sister who just turned eighteen. If she wasn’t a Guardian, they may not have known until her b
How did I ever get myself into his mess? Oh right, I fell for the wrong man. He was so attractive, so charming, until he wasn’t. He was a prince, until he became a nightmare. All those things you worry about as a kid, all the things that go bump in the night, they’re real. Werewolves are real. I know because I’ve been forced to live with them now for several months.Alec was everything a young woman dreams of when she finds ‘the one’. He’s smart, charismatic, and he seemed to really be into me. We dated for a short time, but it was intense. He wanted to be around me all the time and I loved the attention. After a life in foster care, never having anyone who truly cared about me, I fell for it; hook, line, and sinker. In hindsight, he didn’t even have to give me that much attention. I thought he was being gentlemanly not wanting to sleep with me, but it turns out, he never wanted me for sex. He wanted a slave.When he’d ‘confessed’ to being a werewolf, he said he wanted me to know ever
Did he say Guardians? Isn’t that what Alec and his friends were saying before? Something about twins finding their mates?When the man, Cayden, crouches into a fighting stance, I don’t even have to duck to stay hidden behind him. Whether that was intentional on his part or he’s just that tall, I don’t know, but I stay behind him, my hands looping into the back of his pants. If Alec tries to tear me away, at least I have something to hold onto.“We just want the girl, Alpha Cayden. She’s part of our pack and she’s distraught. We need to get her home and take care of her.”Alpha? Oh no!“Distraught…” he says as if he’s rolling the word around in his head but it’s not making sense. “Yeah, I might go with terrified, not distraught, based on her scent. So, I’m guessing that whatever you boys did, she didn’t like it. She’s run from you and now she’s asked for my help. If you know who I am, then you know I won’t say no to helping her or anyone that asks for my assistance,” he growls.I’m not