The Alpha Takes a Mate (16 page)

“Will you stop destroying my forest?”
Brandon asked, the annoyance clear in his voice as he spoke.

“I apologise. I wanted to see what smelt so good. You’ve bitten this one,” a man said.

In an instant a pale man stood in front of them. Elle could only just make him out.

“Of course he’s bit
ten one, Alexander. Our little wolf has mated. She certainly smells nice.”

“She’s not my mate,”
Brandon said.

“What?” she asked, shocked. Staring at
Brandon’s back, Elle tensed.

What the hell is going on?

“I’m his mate,” Lori said, coming through the trees as naked as the day she was born.

Elle watched as
Brandon walked over to Lori. He wrapped his arms around the other woman.

“The human was just a distraction. Lori understands
, and the human’s infatuation was too hard to deny.”

Her heart splintered into a million pieces.

“Don’t do this,” Lewis said, whispering against her ear.

Chapter Sixteen

Brandon watched Lewis take her away. His heart ached, and he felt her crumbling inside. Her mind was screaming in pain, but he wrapped his arm around Lori and turned toward the two vampires that had interrupted his mating.

“You don’t mind your mate fucking a human?” Charles asked.

“He has needs. I’m not always available to satisfy them,” Lori said. She ran her hand down his ass. He gripped the hand firmly stopping her. He’d sent Elle away to protect her. Brandon had no intention of cheating on her. Elle owned his body.

“I’m the alpha of this pack. I don’t answer to anyone,”
Brandon said, drawing their attention back to him. His pack was behind him. He sensed their unease with Lori by his side. They’d be able to sense his true mate and her distraught emotions. He could, and it was kicking him in the gut. Lewis better be doing everything he could to help her.

“I find the whole meeting intriguing,” Alexander said. “Several of us congregate in one building and talk the talk. Fascinating. I’m growing bored of the same old traditions.”

Alexander was one of the oldest vampires around. He was deadly and was known to take humans as his sex slaves to satisfy his needs. Charles, on the other hand, was weaker and younger.

“There are many things for us to discuss.”

“Like your rogue wolves and the many deaths plaguing the city. Not to forget this was foretold by Crazy Lizzy many centuries ago before you were born.” Alexander took a deep breath. His eyes flashed amber before returning to the cold of blue. “I sense a war. I sense death, and I see the end of certain … creatures. The weak will not survive a battle.”

His pack growled at the threat.
Brandon had sensed an unease in the Otherworld. There were too many creatures and too much bloodshed. He tried to stay out of it and took the rules his father implemented seriously. The Northern Forest pack would never start a fight. They’d end one but never start one.

“Are you threatening me?”
Brandon asked.

Lori moved away. He faced his opponent ready to strike if he needed.

“We all threaten each other, Alpha. I’m merely starting a fact. War is inevitable. Witches and warlocks need to die, along with a few of the bears. Not all of them are useful. I just wonder who’ll strike first.” Alexander moved away. “I’ll be staying in town.”

Before
Brandon could argue, both vampires disappeared into the night.

“Well, that was fun,”
Crazy Lizzy said, coming out from the thickest part of the forest. She wore a white dress, and her hair fell down around her with twigs sticking out of the length.

“A war? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Brandon asked. He didn’t like the fact the vampire knew more than he did.

“Don’t yell at me
, wolf! I did warn you. You shouldn’t have sent the human away. She’s the cause of your problems.” Lizzy smiled. “Alexander is as sexy as I remember. The last time I saw him he was eating a bear.”

Brandon
frowned as she walked away.

He turned back to his
pack.

“Elle is the cause of the
war. What the hell does that mean?” Drake asked.

“I’ve no idea. I want protection on her at all times. I don’t want to worry about if she’s safe. Everyone is now here
, and we’ll be meeting tomorrow night to discuss everything,” Brandon said.

“This is a bad idea.” Darcy spoke for once. “Something bad is happening
, and I don’t know what.”

“I don’t care. This has been the traditions of our family and our heritage for many centuries. We have them here to discuss problems within our world. If you don’t like our pack traditions then walk. I’m tired of fighting you with this.”

Brandon stormed off. He’d claimed his mate and in the next instant gone in the arms of another woman. His skin stank of Lori. A shower and a scrubbing brush were needed. He had to get the other woman’s scent off him.

Walking to his house, he felt the displeasure of his pack. There was nothing he could do. His father taught him to be strong and to carry on his traditions to keep his town and the pack safe. Slamming his front door he made his way upstairs to his shower. He turned the shower onto the highest temperature then climbed inside. The sting of the hot water didn’t make him feel better.

You hurt our mate.

She’s heartbroken.

You’re never going to win her back.

We won’t stand for you to touch that bitch.

Resting his head on the tiled wall, Brandon took several deep breaths. Lori’s scent invaded his senses. Anger filled every corner of his being. He couldn’t stand the stench of her. Raising his fist he slammed it against the tile. The tile splintered under his hand. The sharp edges cut his knuckles, and blood dripped onto the base of the bath. He embraced the pain. He’d rather have the pain of the cuts than the pain inside his heart.

Tonight you made a mistake.

You’re the cause of everything about to go wrong.

When the water did nothing to ease him,
Brandon climbed out. He wrapped a towel around his hand and walked into his bedroom, stopping dead when he saw Crazy Lizzy laid on his bed, her arms up above her making circled motions.

She turned to look at him. There was no faraway look in her eyes. The real witch was in charge for once.

“Lizzy,” he said.

“It’s about time my real name was used. Crazy Lizzy gets a little tiring.” She sat up on her elbows. Her gaze wandered down his body landing on his cock. “Oh, nice and big.”

Heat filled his body. Grabbing a robe, he pressed it against his front. What could the witch want with him?

“When Elle was sixteen I had to wipe her mind of something that happened that traumatized her. Her mother, Vivian, was held in a trance for days. She was under the thrall of a vampire. He got into her mind and forced her to betray her own family. Raymond wasn’t home when she invited the vampire in. He drained her to the point of death and then weakened Elle. The vampire pulled her into a trance.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Brandon asked.

“Did you struggle to get Elle to look you in the eye? Thousands of years ago prophecies were made. Your mating was with them. A werewolf and a human mating was unheard of. Yes, supposedly wolves take humans as mates, but think about it,
Brandon. Have you seen such a mating?”

He thought about the answer. “No, I haven’t.”

“There is a select cult who are trying to create a war. They want all of our kinds to kill each other.”

“Why?”

“Think about it, Brandon. You kill us; they have the ultimate power over the humans and over the earth. It’s not an unheard-of concept.”

“The vampire who was killed held tribal markings on him,” he said.

“Yes, and the end of the world has been foretold many times. Brandon, if we don’t do something to stop it then our kinds will become extinct. It’s a certainty, and that premonition is what killed the soothsayer who predicted it,” Lizzy said.

“How do you know all this?”

“Because she was my mother and she told me of the future before she died. She also passed her soothsaying skills onto me.”

“Why was Ell so important?”

“Don’t you know?” Lizzy asked.

“No.”

“She’s your mate. They were trying to kill her, Brandon. They kill her and you’d never have a mate to stick around with. Elle was the key to your fall. If she died, you would die as well. You’d go mad without claiming her and your wolf would start to know she was dead. It’s some paranormal mambo jumbo. The vamp that tried to kill Elle did something to try and stop your claiming. Don’t you feel stronger?”

Brandon
did feel stronger. The strength inside him had grown from the moment he’d claimed Elle.

“Why are you telling me this?”
Brandon asked.

“Elle’s your mate. The threat on her life is still present. I sense a danger and it’s up to you to figure out.”

****

“It’s okay. I promise everything is going to be okay. Brandon is doing this to protect you,” Lewis said.

Elle listened to his words
, but the heartache wouldn’t go away. Brandon had picked Lori over her. How could she live with that? The people in the town would know he desired the wolf more than he desired her.

Why are you surprised?

Of course he’d pick Lori. You’re only human. Humans are weak.

“Thank you for giving me your coat,” she said. He’d wrapped the coat he’d been wearing around her shoulders.

“I can sense your pain, Elle. I swear he’s doing this for your safety.”

“Those were vampires?” she asked.

“Yes. They’re dangerous. He doesn’t want you in danger.”

“As his mate my place is by his side. He’d rather lie about his mate than introduce me. He’s ashamed of me.”

She noticed Lewis was heading in the direction of her home. Elle shook her head. “No, I don’t want to go home. Take me to Layla. I need my friend.”

Lewis hesitated then nodded. “Okay, I’ll take you there.”

Neither spoke on the way to Layla’s house. They waited for someone to answer.

Layla answered several minutes later. It looked like she’d just gotten out of bed. “Elle, what’s the matter?” she asked. Her gaze went between Lewis and Elle.

“Can we come in?” Elle asked.

The moment they were inside the house, Layla grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around her. “What’s going on?”

“I’m going to be sticking around. Alpha’s orders,” Lewis said.

“The kitchen is through there. I’m taking Elle up to my room.” Layla helped her upstairs.

“Can I take a shower?” Elle asked.

“Of course.” The concern on Layla’s face scared her
, but her friend left her to get washed. She closed and locked the bathroom door. Without looking at her reflection she climbed into the water and turned the dial to cold. She needed the cold water to make her feel alive. The only way she’d get through the next few hours was by being numb.

After several minutes under the numbing water, she washed away all evidence of
Brandon’s claiming.

When she was done, she wrapped her body in a robe and went back to Layla’s room.

“There are fresh night clothes,” she said.

Elle thanked her. “Where are you parents?”

“They went out to the city. They need some alone time. I’ve got the house to myself.” Layla sat on the bed. “Are you going to tell me what went on tonight, or do I have to ask a dozen questions?”

“I had sex with
Brandon. He claimed me as his mate.”

Layla was silent as Elle got dressed.

“You’re not a virgin anymore?”

“No. I’m claimed. At least I was claimed.”

“What happened? You look like you want to kill yourself. Losing your virginity shouldn’t leave you like that.”

“Are you sure?” Elle asked, feeling like shit.

“Come on. Tell me.” Her friend patted the space beside her. Taking a seat, Elle told her everything. She told her about the lake and the swim leading up to the sex. Brushing over the details of the sex, she talked about what happened when the vampires turned up.

“He turned to Lori and told the vampires I wasn’t his mate.” Tears poured out of her eyes at the remembered pain. “It hurts.” She touched her chest trying to put into words her feelings. “I feel everything
, and it hurts so much. I don’t know how I can face him. I know he’s going to be around town, but how can I look at him knowing he took me and then went into the arms of another woman?”