Surviving the Pack (11 page)

Chapter 15

Exiting the room Katarina was worried that Tidus would scent Dante and Dallas but he was so busy burying his face in her fur and scenting her he was completely oblivious.  Raising her head she winked at the huge bear in the corner of the room and stuck her long tongue out at Dallas.  She felt right being around them and after enduring so much pain and torture in Alaska she was due some comfort.  But not yet, first she had to take her pound of flesh and ensure that her new family was safe.  The only way to do that would be to kill Tidus.

Her first instinct was to claw like her bear but her wolf paws were smaller.  Thinking there was no other option than using her teeth she attempted to bite him but she couldn’t get a good grip, only catching his clothes on her teeth.

“I know what you’re doing and it won’t work.  Give up, my sweet and I’ll buy you some cinnamon buns when we get home.  Or maybe now that you’re a wolf you’d like a nice juicy steak.” 

Wiggling wasn’t working out either.  He simply kept walking.  Releasing her claws and digging them into his flanks caused a grunt and chuckle.

“I like it a bit rough too, babe.  Watch out or I’ll forget we’re in enemy territory and I’ll let you run and claim you here.  There’s no danger because I’ve already taken care of the alpha and it’s only a matter of time before the pack crumbles.”

Having no other choice Katarina changed.  Her body shifted until she was naked with her butt high in the air and her stomach over Tidus’s shoulder.  He stilled and his hand gripped her bottom with bruising force.

“Ahh, you feel wonderful in my arms.  You must know how you affect me, little bear.”  He slid her down his body slowly and when she came to stand in front of him he gripped her hair and pulled her head back.  “What are you plotting?”

She took a breath and spoke with clarity and made sure she didn’t lie because he would scent it.  “I just realized that my current situation wasn’t getting me anywhere.”

His eyes narrowed, “Meaning?”

Careful not to lie, “I can’t kill you when I’m slung over your shoulder.” 
Oops, I didn’t mean to say that.

Tidus simply laughed.  “You’ve made many attempts before and haven’t been successful.  Don’t you remember when I was slicing into your mother and she was begging for mercy?  I would have granted it if you would have mated me, but you refused.”

She gasped, “I agreed.  I would have saved my mother but you killed her.”

His lips tilted up into an evil grin.  “I set her free and she came after me.  I defended myself.”

Katarina’s outraged scream echoed in the underground cavern and she was shaking in rage.  Her hand came up and slapped the smug grin off his face. 

“That’s it, doll.  I like it rough.”  His lips came down over hers with brutal force knocking her teeth into her upper lip.  She could taste the copper flavor of her own blood.

He moaned and attempted to deepen the kiss while she struggled to get free.  Tidus obviously didn’t hear claws being scraped against wood.  Katarina knew Dante was out there and she was in another unbeatable situation; with Tidus’s hand gripping her hair and clutching her face to his while his other hand gripped her wrists behind her back. 

She gave in and stopped resisting for a moment, allowing his tongue entrance to her mouth she strained to hold the dry heaving in.  As he pulled her hair forcing her head back she felt him nibble down her neck, his hot breath disgusting her. 

“I will have you, Katarina.  All of you will submit to me.  You have no one except me.”

Feeling her hair blow with a faint breeze that smelled of Dante she clenched her jaw and brought her knee up in Titus’s groin.  He grunted and released her but she wasn’t done.  She balled her fist and punched him in the jaw satisfied when blood spray out of his mouth and nose.  “You are a bastard and I will never mate you.  I’m already mated to one of the best men I’ve ever met.  I’ll let you live if you walk away now.”

The malicious cocky smirk he sent gave her chills.  She stood tall and waited for his decision.

“I told you once that if you don’t mate me I’ll kill you.  You accept me or die.  I’ve proven that I’ll never let you go.”

Tidus reached for her but she side stepped him swiftly and her entire face elongated, becoming that of a wolf.  She opened her jaw and as if in slow motion she clamped her maw over his exposed throat.  She didn’t tear out his throat straight away.  She let his blood spill into her mouth as she enjoyed his whimpers.  Holding back from a killing blow she watched as her mate approached. 

He was gloriously naked obviously no longer feeling out his new bear skin.  He had a healing wound to his low abdomen; seeing in caused her beast to growl.

Dante advanced slowly and placed his hand comfortingly on his mates back.  “It would appear, Tidus, that
my mate
is holding all the cards.  You have wronged her and that is proving to be lethal.”  Dante leaned over to look into her eyes, “Honey buns, it’s your choice, you make the decision.  According to pack law he should be put to death.  I don’t know how the bears do it.”

He saw her eyes hardened as she applied more pressure to Titus’s neck digging her teeth deeper into his flesh.  She smelled urine and was appalled at her behavior.  Saving him the torture he’d put so many other through she clamped her jaw and tore his throat out. 

Tidus fell gripping his throat and gurgling blood.  She looked down on him smiling.  “Your reign of terror is over.  That’s for my family and my freedom.”  She reached around and placed her arm around Dante, “And my mate.  Go to hell.”

* * * *

As they climbed out of the pit and strolled to Alpha house they heard the various sounds of the forest.  Birds and crickets chirped while the frogs let out their deep croaks almost in mourning.  They were silent and somber.  So much loss of life.

Dallas broke the silence, “Alpha, may I have permission to return to my mate?  I…”

The clearing was suddenly swarming with people.  All pack members ready to defend their alpha and their territory.  Katarina hid slightly behind Dante to cover some of her nudity, not to mention she was covered in blood and gore. 

Dante smiled and snatched a shirt that was thrown his way.  He turned and placed it over his mate. 
Protect, comfort, and love.

Another shirt was tossed his way and he gratefully covered himself.  “It’s all over.  You can go back to your homes.  The threat has been extinguished by our lovely alpha mate.  Katarina single handedly took down the threat.” 

Lucy pushed herself to the front of the gathering and threw herself at Dallas, who snuggled her close and spun her around laughing.  “You should have seen it.  Dante became a bear, a big lumbering bear.”

The clearing silenced and Dante sighed.  “Okay, I guess it’s time to explain.  Katarina shifted to wolf and I became a bear.”  He shrugged, “No biggie.”

“You are Fated.  I’m so happy for you both.  Our pack will be strong once again.”  Dusty’s voice was loud and rang true.  “And if I’m not mistaken we will soon have some lil’ alphas running around.”

Dante smiled as Katarina gulped.

Her voice was more of a screech, “What do you mean little alphas?”

Dante’s eyes shot wide in alarm as he realized she hadn’t known yet.  Oh hell, he began to run toward alpha house as his pack snickered and his mate made chase.

“You get back here, Dante.  I’m not done with you.”

She caught up as he was getting under the spray of the shower.  She pulled open the shower door and his hand shot out pulling her in.  “Gah, that’s cold.”

Dante sealed his lips over hers for a searing kiss, putting all his love behind it.  “You scared the crap out of me.  I love you so much and the thought of something happening to you or our babies almost killed me.” 

Her eyes were dazed from his kisses and he took a moment to feel pride that she was his and they would soon be a family.

Her expression cleared and her anger returned.  “You knew I was pregnant?”

His hands moved sensually over her body as the water finally heat up and steam engulfed them.  He kept constant contact with her skin, revelling in her moans of pleasure and wishing he could have her now.  An explanation was deserved first.  “I knew you were my mate when you came here.  I knew I mated you in the kitchen; I’m sorry it wasn’t in a bed with candles and moonlight.  I also knew shortly thereafter you were carrying my pups.  I love you, Katarina.  You are truly my fated.  I can’t imagine my life without you.”

With her eyes closed and her head thrown back she pressed her pelvis into his, “I know, wolf, we are Fated.  I suspected a while ago but didn’t know a wolf and a bear could mate.  Not to mention I wasn’t really fond of your kind.  I’m sorry for all I put you and your family through.”  As his fingers played at the entrance of her folds, she smiled, knowing he wouldn’t wait long to have her.  “You’re all I’ve ever wanted in a mate and a partner.  I love you too.”

She barely got the words out when he inserted his finger into her wet heat and she cried out with pleasure.  It was so intense that her muscles clamped down on his finger making him pant. 

“Honey bun, I’m so revved up right now and I don’t want to hurt you.  You have to slow down a bit before I come to the party too soon.”

Nipping his shoulder she placed kisses up his powerful neck and smiled into his skin.  “Tsk, tsk my alpha mate.  Control.”  She gripped his shaft, slowly moving her hand up and down his silky length.  She whispered erotically, “Can I claim you too, alpha mate?”

Katarina yelped as her mate lost all control and picked her up driving his cock so deep inside her she could feel it in her throat.  The cold tile against her back only heightened her pleasure as he took her higher than she’d ever been. 

As his strokes began to lose rhythm she felt the pull deep in her belly.  She screamed his name as she rode out the most intense release of her life.  She felt her teeth lengthen and couldn’t help sliding them into the fleshy part of her mates shoulder. 

Dante shouted his release as he held her tight to him. 

“I’ve met my match with you, Honey bun.  You hungry?”

Katarina released his skin and licked his neck erotically answering, “Always, for my mate.”

Epilogue

“He really did.  I thought he was going to kill Tidus ten times over but he was patient and allowed me to get my revenge.  I really am blessed I met Travis.”  Even though it had been six months she’d been asked to re-tell the story of Travis and Tidus’s defeat an endless amount of times.

The room of ladies preparing for a pack to pack visit gasped.  All eyes turned her way and Katarina held her head high.  “If I’d never met Travis I’d never have been brought here to meet and mate Dante.  He’s the love of my life and I can’t wait for many more years of protecting him.”

The women tittered.  “Alpha Kat, what if we find our mate tonight?   Do we leave with him?”

The Sacramento pack and American Canyon packs had come to an agreement that they would have social gatherings every three months to introduce their packs and look for prospective mates.  Dante and Jake were becoming close and relying on each other for various things. 

“You may choose to stay or go.  You’ll always be welcome here and Jake’s pack is wonderful as well.  Never worry.”  She rubbed her rounded belly and felt her children move within her.

* * * *

As Blake’s cell phone rang he let it go to voicemail, he’d blame it on bad service later.  Who really expected him to get service in bum fuck Alaska anyway?  He was super excited to have the opportunity to become a leader; he simply didn’t want to have to leave his family.  His whole family show alpha tendencies but they all lived in an area where there were great leaders.  Why would they challenge for a pack that had an excellent leader?

As he sat in the café he’d come to every day for the last month he wondered if he’d even find the elusive Alaskan pack of wolves, let alone lead them as alpha.  Blake sat back drinking his coffee and pondering his life when a female walked in.  Not just any female but a bitch.  She stood tall and proud like a wolf with shoulders back and her nose in the air.  A tiny man walked behind her, shoulders hunched with a hoodie in place covering his face and head, appearing miserable.  He didn’t spare the man a second glance but he could feel his heart rate accelerate; let the chase begin.

* * * *

Walking four paces behind Morena as she was told to, Delilah kept her head down and her gaze averted.  Keeping her senses open and keen to danger she’d be able to tell when Tidus came back to claim Morena.  She’d been appointed as Morena’s ‘assistant’ ever since she fought Tidus in an alpha challenge, attempting to take him down, permanently.  She’d have succeeded too if it weren’t for kiss ass Morena and her stuck up friends that poisoned her before the challenge. 

Thinking about the past got her nowhere so she looked to the future; constantly planning and watching and learning.  Someday she’d take Tidus down.  Not envisioning revenge, but freedom, consumed her days and nights. 

“I’d like a skinny vanilla latte with soy milk, don’t skimp on the foam either.”  Morena turned towards Delilah, “Did you want something, hon?”  Without waiting for an answer, “No, okay.”

That annoying high pitched fake voice she used on everyone really grated on Delilah’s nerves.  One day she’d like to punch her in the throat and prevent her from speaking entirely; it’s not like she ever had anything nice to say.

After countless hours shopping and now the latte, Delilah hoped they’d be heading home.  Unfortunately, Morena felt like more torture was needed.

Morena’s smiled was pure wickedness.  “Let’s stop by the Lusty Busty for some new Lingerie on the way home.  You can help me pick out some silky outfits.”