Belle
I couldn’t believe what had happened. Amazing sex with Sandy was one thing, but then he goes and marks me as his, and then he talks to me while in Wolf form and keeps saying I’m his mate.
What the hell?
Of course, my own beast was delighted, silly Wolf. She was reacting to feelings alone and not thinking this through. No. Not at all.
Were we mates? I had no clue.
All right! I admit I was attracted to Sandy more than I’d ever been to anyone else, but his mate? I wasn’t so sure. My heart was saying one thing and my head another.
I didn’t have a good track record with guys. I admit that. I was a terrible judge when it came to emotions, but did I want to get hurt again? Hell no.
After I’d quenched my thirst I decided to tackle this head on and that meant without my beast betraying me. I forced her away from Sandy’s Wolf and transformed, barking out.
“Change now, Scotty, we need to talk.”
His Wolf whined, hesitating, so I waggled a finger toward him, using my fiercest tone. “I said, change now.”
I watched as he transformed, his outstandingly sexy body materializing before me. My breathing hitched at the sight, damn, he was a fine specimen of a man and I wondered what it would feel like to run my tongue over every inch of him.
Stop it! I admonished myself, my resolve apparently crumbling at the mere sight of him.
Sandy stepped toward me, his eyes sparkling and one side of his mouth tugging up. “You’re the most bonnie lass I’ve ever laid eyes on, Belle. Beautiful doesn’t even come close to what you are.”
My core clenched, obviously remembering how he’d made it feel earlier. No! Focus!
“Stay right there, buster.” I held up my hands to stop him. “I mean it. We need to talk.”
Sandy stopped, although his eyes raked over my body and his eyes lost the sparkle, darkening with lust. “Aye, we do need to talk.”
“What’s going on?” I asked pointedly.
“What’s going on is that I knew you were mine the moment your amazing aroma hit my nostrils back at the airport.” Sandy tilted his head, his eyes now boring into mine. “You are my soul-mate, Belle, and my beast is anxious for you to acknowledge that and seal our bond.”
There. He’d said it again. My heart stuttered as I tried to process the words. Well, I heard them, but did I believe him? Or was he just after a good time while he was visiting the good old USA? Would he up and leave me with a broken heart?
“How do I know that’s the truth?”
“Belle.” Sandy said my name as if it were meant to fall from his lips, causing my beast to whimper with delight. “I am as much yours as you are mine. I tried to wait. I promise ye, lass, I tried. I was going to claim you at this scenting ceremony your Pack has, but I just couldn’t. You are mine.”
Those last three words were ground out through clenched teeth as if he were fighting against himself. Maybe he was. I knew I was having trouble containing my own Wolf.
He closed the distance between us, his hand reaching up to cup the side of my face. “Please believe me when I say I will never do anything to hurt you. I’ll cherish you for eternity, Belle. I promise ye that, A ghrá geal.”
I leaned into his hand, rubbing my cheek across his palm. “There you go using those words again. What does that mean?”
Sandy smiled, his eyes full of emotions I never thought I’d see. “Beloved, you’re my beloved and I’ll always be by your side.”
“All right,” I exhaled loudly. “I believe you, I think.”
“At last.” Sandy grinned.
“Wait.” I stepped back, his nearness causing my mind to fill with dirty, erotic thoughts. “So, you’re serious? You want me as your mate? What does that mean? I have a life here, with my Aunt and . . .”
My head was full of thoughts swirling around and I couldn’t quite grasp onto one.
“Belle.” Sandy stepped toward me again, this time enveloping me in his arms and I suddenly calmed. “I am Beta. My Alpha and my Pack needs me. I want to mate you, right here and now, and then I’d like you to come home with me. Our Pack is large, powerful, and prosperous. There are many positions that you could fill, whatever you want to do, I’ll make it happen.”
I listened as he spoke, but all I could think of was leaving my home. Could I do that? Really?
“This is my home,” I mumbled, my head in a complete spin.
One part of me wanted to rush into his arms and shout yes, but another part warned me over and over not to trust again. It hurt too damn much.
“Wherever we are, together, will be our home.” Sandy smiled, that damn dimple causing my knees to suddenly go weak.
“I’m not sure,” I admitted, nibbling my bottom lip as I tried to sort through the torrent of emotions rolling through me.
I guess that’s how we were taken by surprise. Both of us were so focused on each other that we didn’t realize we were in danger until it was too damn late.
The low drawl of the stranger had my skin crawling and Sandy snarling viciously.
“Well, well, what do we have here?”
I spun around to see two men, their eyes raking over my naked body and turning my blood to ice.
“Don’t come any closer or I’ll rip your fucking head off.” Sandy’s voice had changed from soft and loving to deadly in a heartbeat.
Me? I couldn’t talk. Not one word as fear lapped at my belly. Rogues, and I was certain these two weren’t alone. I could now sense others circling around us.
“Now, is that any way to welcome anyone?” The taller of the two snapped.
“I’m warning you.” Sandy reached forward, grabbing my arm and tugging me behind him.
As he did so I whispered, “They’re not alone.”
He knew. I saw it in his eyes as he shielded me.
“We’re just passing through.” The tall one held his hands out and I could scent the filth on him, making me gag. “We’re setting up our own Pack and we’re looking for new members.”
Sandy shook his head curtly. “On your way,” he ground out through gritted teeth.
“Well, that’s not quite what we had in mind,” the man said, shaking his head. “You see, I’m their Alpha and I need a mate. So, buddy, I think we’ll just inaugurate your bitch here and then we’ll leave.”
“Not a fucking chance,” Sandy growled, his body thrumming with power.
“Aah, I see you’re not just one of the Pack, but you’re not Alpha either, so I think me and my Wolves will get what we came for. Even you can’t take us all on.”
“Shit,” I gasped, knowing this was not going to go well.
Then it hit me. Like a freaking sledgehammer right in the center of my chest as I thought of Sandy being hurt, or worse. The mating bond ran like fire through me as I held onto his arm. “Let them take me.”
I couldn’t allow him to be hurt. It would kill me but the defiant look he threw me told me he wasn’t going to go down without a fight.
“Sandy.” I pinched his arm to get his attention. “Let me go and then go and get help. You can’t fight them all. I know you can feel them around us, so please, don’t do this.”
“Baby.” Sandy’s eyes softened briefly as he glanced at me, his attention still on the rogues before us. “I couldn’t do it even if I wanted to. It’s ingrained in me. You are my mate and I will always fight to the death to protect you. Bad odds don’t change that but if you can contact anyone through your pack link, then do it now.”
Of course! How fucking stupid was I?
As soon as Sandy said it, I sent out the biggest mayday of my life and prayed some of the pack was near.
“Time’s short so get that gorgeous ass over here, babe.”
I shook my head, glaring at the rogue. “Fuck off.”
“Uh oh, looks like I’ll have to clean that mouth of yours, bitch.”
I could feel Sandy’s skin quivering and knew his Wolf was ready to come forth. I hoped mine was too because if not I was in deep shit. Sometimes, when overcome with emotion, my beast took longer to transform. I hoped today wasn’t one of those days.
As I was thinking this, everything went to shit in the blink of an eye.
That’s all it took for six Wolves to burst from the tree-line and rush toward us. Their sole intent to kill Sandy.
“No!” I screamed as he transformed, rough hands grabbing me and wrenching me away from the man I loved.
Stinging pain lanced through my wrists as the two rogues in human form wrapped a silver chain around my wrists. Sandy’s beast snapped its jaws at the men, barely missing, then I watched in horror as two grey Wolves barreled into him, sending him tumbling away.
“Let’s go,” the rogue Alpha snarled, tugging me savagely away.
As pain sliced through me, the silver hurting like a bitch, but more importantly, I could not transform and help Sandy.
I watched in terror as I was dragged away, Sandy’s beast in a battle I knew he could never win.