The Alpha Takes a Mate (18 page)

Chapter
Eighteen

Brandon made his way up to the house with his men behind him. The first of the meetings were scheduled for tonight, and he needed to get there before the sun went down. He’d spent most of his time at the diner watching Elle. She served him without really seeing him. He’d never anticipated her anger like he did. Alaric had been right, and he’d get punished for keeping Elle secret. They all had rules, and lying about his mate broke the rules.

Lewis refused to talk to him
, and he sensed Darcy and Drake’s disapproval.

Crazy Lizzy sat on the steps outside the house. She stared up at the sky.

“You’re early,” she said.

“I’ve got nowhere else to be.”

“Everyone is waiting for you.” Lizzy stood then walked into the house.

He turned to his men. “I know you think I did the wrong thing
, but you’ve got to understand I was doing what I thought was right to protect her.”

“You’ve put her in more danger by refusing her
claim by your side. I sense her leaving us,” Lewis said.

“I won’t let Elle leave. I promise I’ll sort this out. She’s my mate.”

“Do you love her?” Darcy asked.

“
What do you mean?”

“It’s a simple question. Do you love her?”

“She’s my mate,” Brandon said.

“No, being a mate doesn’t mean you love her. Couples can mate but not love each other. Elle is not a type of woman you fuck. She’s a forever kind of woman. When she opened herself up to you last night, she let us all inside
. We’re connected to her. Taking her as your mate is not about you. It’s about the good of the pack. You either love her or let her go,” Darcy said.

The other man walked away. Lewis and Drake followed Darcy leaving
Brandon alone outside to deal with his thoughts.

“Wow, they really
made their thoughts known,” Alaric said.

Brandon
turned to watch the bear leader approach. “Why are you here?”

“I agree with your men. You need to make a choice. Either way, Elle is in danger.”

“I don’t tell you how to handle your pack. Don’t presume to tell me how to deal with mine,” Brandon said.

“Noted.” Alaric walked up the steps
, and Brandon followed behind him. They walked into the house and then went down to the basement. Alexander and Charles sat at the head of the table.

Taking his seat at the other end
Brandon looked around the table. Witches, warlocks, vampires, bears, and a couple of panthers were present.

“You lied to us,” Alexander said.

“Excuse me?”

“
You tried to pass the were-slut off as your mate. I refuse to deal with a liar and a cheater. Your pack is supposed to have morals. I agreed not to hunt because of the deal made by your father. I don’t deal with men like you.”

The tension built in the room.

“This is about more than my mate.”

“No.” Alexander stood. “No more words from you. I won’t speak with you until I see your mate. I want to be introduced to her
, and you’ll make peace. Come, Charles.”

The vampires left followed by everyone else except Lizzy and Alaric.

“I did warn you,” Lizzy said, then got up and left.

Brandon
dropped his head into his hands.

“This is why claiming your mate is important. You should have postponed this meeting rather than get Lori to accept your claim of mating,” Alaric said.

He was left alone with his men. The house was deathly silent.

“Shit!” He threw the chair into the far wall watching the wood splinter apart.

“Great, does this mean the treaty signed by your father is null and void?” Drake asked. “Can they hunt on our land?”

“I don’t know. I really don’t know.”

Everything was messed up all because he’d put another woman in place of his mate.

You were warned. Why are you so surprised? A mate is for life
, and a fuck is for fun. Elle is for life, and you pushed her out of that role.

“I need to win Elle back,” he said.

“Good luck,” Lewis said, muttering the words.

“Why do we have these meetings?” Darcy asked. “What do we accomplish?”

“I can answer that,” Lizzy said. She was eating an ice-cream as she walked down the stairs. Her gaze went over the broken table. “Did we have a temper-tantrum?”

“Why do we have these meetings?”
Brandon asked.

“Naughty
alpha. Weren’t you paying attention during class?”

“Cut the shit, Lizzy. Everything is out of control
, and I need to fix it.”

Lizzy got up into his face. Her green eyes
went brighter as she stared at him. Pain unlike anything he’d ever felt consumed him.

“I may be crazy, wolf, but I can still hurt you.”

As quickly as the pain came it went. Lizzy licked her ice-cream. “For many years we were all enemies. We fought over the silliest things. Our battles were legendary and are considered part of legends to the humans. The problem with our battles is we take human lives down. No one species is supposed to rule the earth. By a select few of each species meeting up, it provides the balance for all our kinds. A sort of truce has been born. However, that truce is as fragile now as it was back then. We’re primal beings. Tip the scales the wrong way, and our kind will be extinct. Our kind will become extinct if we keep going on this path,” Lizzy said. She glared at Brandon. “Fix it, wolf.”

She turned and walked away.

“Shit, you better get your female on your side,” Drake said. “That is one powerful fucking witch.”

Brandon
couldn’t agree more. Her bite was far worse than her bark.

****

Elle made her way out of the diner. Layla followed behind her.

“What do you want to do tonight?” she asked.

“I’m not sure. I’m tired. I think I’m going to go home and face my mom and dad. They have a right to know what’s going on between me and Brandon.” Elle pulled her bag over her shoulder.

“Don’t leave, Elle. I can’t leave here.”

She saw the sadness in Layla’s eyes.

“Elle,”
Brandon said.

Turning to the sound of his voice she saw him coming out of the forest. He didn’t wear a shirt as he made his way over to them.

“What do you want?” she asked, tired of their fighting. Today had been a long day.

“We need to talk.”

“I’m tired, Brandon. Can we talk tomorrow?”

“No, it’s important.” He looked at Layla. “I’ll take her home. Lewis will escort you home. I don’t want either of you alone in the dark.”

“Great, another babysitter,” Layla said. “Call me when you can.” Her friend walked off. Elle watched Lewis join Layla on the way home.

“He won’t let anything happen to her,”
Brandon said.

“I’m not concerned.”

She turned away and stared at him. “What more do you want from me, Brandon? I’m tired. I’m hungry, and I want to go home.”

“You’re angry at me. I get that. Come home wi
th me. I need to talk with you.”

Elle nibbled her lip debating her options.

What’s the harm in going with him?

He broke my heart.

Don’t let him inside.

“Okay,” she said, folding her arms under her breasts. He reached out to touch her. Elle pulled away. “I don’t want you touching me. I can’t handle it.”

He closed his hand into a fist.

“Fine.” They walked side by side toward his house. The night air was cold. She tried to supress the shivers working up her body. “I can keep you warm,” he said.

Staring at his open his arms was too much temptation. She let him enfold her in his embrace. The heat of his body warmed her up instantly.

“I’ll always warm you, baby.”

She tensed, which caused him to sigh.

“I made a mistake.”

Shaking her head, Elle walked with him in silence.

They didn’t encounter any of the pack on their way to his home.
Brandon opened the door for her. She went in. The heat of his home replaced his arms.

“Make yourself at home.”

He left her for several minutes. She took a seat on the sofa.

Within the small time he’d been touching her, her body had heated.

You still want him even though he picked another woman.

Fool!

“Here you are.” Brandon came around the corner. He carried a steaming mug and a plate of bread. “I’m not much of a cook.”

“Soup and b
read is good,” she said, taking the food he offered. He sat beside her. His thigh pressed against hers. Elle took her time eating. She didn’t want to talk to him. His presence was affecting her nerves.

You can do this. Be strong.

“I know you don’t want to talk to me,” Brandon said. He rubbed his hands together. Elle kept eating. “There is so much shit going on. I shouldn’t have kept any of it from you. I fucked up big time. I never expected to have a human for a mate.”

She lowered the cup then let out a sigh. “I’m tired of you blaming my being a human. I’m human,
Brandon. I tried to stop you mating with me, remember? You were determined to claim me, not the other way around.”

“You don’t know what this is like for me. I need to keep you safe. You’re my lifeline, Elle. I couldn’t handle anything happening to you. You don’t know what it’s like to have all these emotions and to know
you’re
not feeling them. Wolves are so much more than humans.”

Elle stared at him in shock. Was he really saying those things to her? “You’re saying you
’re superior to humans because of your ability to feel?”

“Of course. We’re far more than humans, Elle.”

She laughed, amazed he’d say such a thing. “I can’t believe I’m hearing this.”

“I don’t blame you for your lack.”

Putting her food down on the floor Elle stood. “I’m done hearing this shit.”

He got up following her. “You can’t leave.”

Whirling round she pointed a finger at him. “How dare you say I don’t feel? I may be human, but I feel far more than you.”

He chuckled. “Elle, that’s not possible.”

“I don’t kill people, Brandon. You killed those men without thought or feeling. You hunt animals, and you look down on humans as if we’re lower beings. There is no respect for us. You may talk about taking care of us humans, but you don’t really care. Grace Hill is a joke of the highest order.”

Brandon
made to speak, but she put her hand up. Elle lowered down her walls. She allowed him to get the full force of her feelings.

He paused, staring at her
wide-eyed.

“I’m human. You went into the arms of another woman, Brandon. You chose Lori over me. Can you feel how painful that is? Can you imagine what it would be like if I went to another man?” She waited for her words to sink in. “I was a virgin because I hadn’t found the one. I gave myself to you. I lowered down everything because you asked me to
, and how do you repay me? You push me aside. Lewis showed me more care last night. So, please, tell me of your superior feelings, Brandon. From where I’m standing, I know a hell of a lot more about feeling than you do.”