Chapter 25
Heading back home after meeting with his enforcers and his Beta, Modess grinned at the conversation he and Hillary had over lunch. As a surprise, she’d made him cupcakes because she said he talked about them so often that they had to be his favorite. He admitted they were, but it was a lie. He’d never liked cupcakes until he met Hillary. That damn chocolate cake scent of her had made the dessert his new favorite. Hell, he’d eaten a half dozen of the cream filled things, much to Hillary’s delight. She’d boasted that it was a family recipe and that they had to be the best thing he’d ever tasted. When she’d prodded incessantly, he couldn’t stop himself from clearing the dining table with one swipe of his arm and grabbing her before she could jump back. He’d shoved her short skirt up to her waist and ripped her panties from her body before laying her out on the table before him. Sure, the cupcakes were good, but there was only one cupcake whose creamy center he wanted to sink his tongue into. Honestly, it had been the best lunch he’d ever had in his entire life. He knew it had been good for Hillary, too, judging by the way she’d screamed his name as her body arched against the hard wood of the table. Her tight channel seized around his tongue, and her legs clamped tightly around his head as he lapped up every last drop of her release. The damn woman tasted like heaven.
Now, taking the front steps two at a time, Modess was surprised at how much his demeanor had changed. Everyone kept commenting on how much he’d been smiling. He’d tried to stifle it all day, but every time he thought of Hillary, he couldn’t seem to hold it back. Even now, he was so damn excited to see her that his palms were starting to sweat.
Stepping into the house, he lifted his nose. He didn’t hear her in the kitchen and couldn’t pick up her scent immediately because the decadent aroma of chocolate cake still filled the air. It had memories flooding to the fore, which only served to have his balls drawing up tight.
The shuffle of feet above him told him that Hillary was in their room and all he could think was, Good! He was already hard just thinking of all things they’d done in that room over the past week. Even now, the ache to have her was so intense that it had adrenaline suddenly dripping from the glands in his throat. He was up the stairs and storming down the hall before he even realized he’d taken a step.
Stepping into their room with a wicked grin, it slipped. Instantly his wolf was on alert. Hillary stood facing the bed. Her back was rigid and her movements were jerky as she frantically shoved things into her open suitcase on the bed. Slowly, he scanned the room for clues before speaking and his eyes caught on a glint. There on top of the dresser was the elk ivory necklace he’d given her. Eyes tracking back to Hillary as she packed, his gut clenched. “What’s going on? What’s wrong?”
Hillary didn’t stop working, she just kept shoving her things into her suitcase. “I-I have to go! Me and Simone both.” Her tone was strained like she was trying not to cry.
“Why? What’s happening?”
When Hillary sniffed, his nostril flared and he realized she was crying. He was across the room in three long strides. One hand gripped Hillary’s arm as he pulled her away from her suitcase. “What the fuck is going on?”
“War is coming to my pack. Don’t worry, your enforcers are on their way here. My pack needs us back. Dalton texted Simone. Michael wants us back at Shadow Wolf tonight.”
“No!” Dark brows snapping into a frown, Modess growled more firmly. “Fuck no! You’re not going back to Shadow Wolf to fight! It ain’t fucking happening, Cupcake.”
Brows dipping, Hillary glared up at him. “It’s not up to you. It’s not up to Bull either, so you need to tell him he has to let Simone go. We’d appreciate a ride, if…”
In a flash, Modess had Hillary up and pressed against the wall, her legs wrapped around his hips as his hand collared her throat. “You’re not listening. You. Can’t. Go.”
“I have to go, Modess! It’s my pack! They need us!”
“Tough shit!”
She tried to jerk her chin from his hold and wriggle from his arms, but he only held her tighter. “You think I’m gonna let you walk out of here and into battle?”
“It’s my pack, my duty. What do you think your enforcers were training ours for? Battle! War! Michael’s been planning it for some time. I have to go back. It’s not up to you.”
“The hell it isn’t.”
“Look at me, Modess!” When he blinked at her in confusion she yelled, “LOOK AT ME! I’m not yours!” There was a tremble to her voice. “There’s no mate mark. There’s been no claiming. I’m still a Shadow Wolf. And you’re trying to build an alliance with Shadow Wolf, keeping me and Simone here isn’t going to help that cause. Give Michael what he wants. Give me back. You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar. You ever heard that? Just…just try being nice. I…”
The rest of her words were drowned out after her, “I’m still Shadow Wolf” declaration. She was right. Right now, she didn’t belong to him, she wasn’t a part of his pack. He couldn’t keep her from leaving. He had no right. Blinking, his gaze was unseeing as he realized he’d waited too long. Hillary had been summoned home for war and he had no true right to stop her from meeting that call. He hadn’t claimed her and now she had to leave. As Alpha, it’s what he’d expect of any of his wolves.
She shoved at his chest and he released her. Her feet hit the floor and when she looked up at him, she looked so damn scared. Worse, the scent of her fear was starting to fill the room.
Tearing her eyes from his, she crossed back to the bed and slammed her suitcase closed. Without looking at him she muttered, “Thank you for…everything. I wish… I wish that…” Almost inaudibly she breathed, “Fuck!” Then more loudly, “Never mind. It doesn’t matter now.” Her tiny hand closed around the handle of her suitcase and she pulled it off the bed and headed for the door.
Inside, Modess’ wolf was howling. When he didn’t move, his wolf thrashed inside of him while his mind raced.
Hillary’s hand closed around the door knob and as she pulled the bedroom door open, his lip peeled back in a snarl. Fuck this!
He moved so fast he blurred. One second Hillary was walking out on him, and the next he had her whipped around. The movement was so quick that Hillary only had time to gasp. Her suitcase clattered to the floor before he reached up and fisted her shirt, ripping it to the side before his incisors punched through his gums. In a blink, his teeth pierced the soft flesh of her shoulder.
Hillary cried screamed and struggled against him, but he used both arms to hold her tight to him. He didn’t want her ripping her skin more than necessary. No, he wanted his claiming mark to be definitive so he bit harder.
She cried out, “Aaaaaah!” Her hands curled into his shoulders, the sharp bite of her nails scoring his flesh.
Satisfied that his mark was deep and defined enough, Modess pulled back. He felt blood drip from lips that he knew were set into a grim line. Michael had tried to call his mate into battle. Wasn’t fucking happening!
Eyes flooded with tears, Hillary lifted a shaking hand to her bleeding shoulder and she breathed, “Wh-what did you do?” Her voice broke and her face crumpled when she asked again, “Modess! What did you do?”
“Kept you safe,” he snarled.
“But my pack! Michael…”
“Fuck Michael! And fuck Shadow Wolf! He isn’t worthy of you or any of the shifters beneath him if he’d chance risking them like that. He should have issued a personal challenge, an Alpha challenge, that way it’d be one-on-one. He’s a coward and right now he’s a vulnerable one. Shadow Wolf will be distracted. That territory is prime for the taking.”
She jerked back as if she’d been slapped and it was the last straw for him.
“As for you, you’re mine!” he declared, picking her up and carrying her downstairs. She didn’t fight, didn’t struggle, but her eyes shot around frantically as she tried to figure out his intent.
It wasn’t until he stormed into the kitchen and was halfway to the food pantry that Hillary cried, “NO!”
Too late. Stepping into the pantry, he set her down and stepped back, gripping the door.
“Modess, don’t you do this!”
Without a word, he slammed the door just as Hillary lunged at him. Engaging the outside lock, he listened a moment as his mate pounded against the inside of the door, screaming for him to let her out.
My mate!
Michael had a lot to learn about calling females into battle when he’d been the egotistical moron who’d bit off more than he could chew. He’d pay for the slight.
Modess took the stairs two at a time back up to his room. Hillary’s necklace still sat there on the dresser. He snagged it off the smooth surface and shoved it into his pocket before crossing to the bed where he ripped off the comforter and two pillows. He didn’t know how long he’d be gone, but he wanted Hillary comfortable. The pantry was stocked with food and drinks, thanks to her and Wanda, so Hillary just needed something to keep her warm should the need arise.
Pounding back down the stairs, he made his way back to the kitchen where Hillary was still beating on the pantry door. He unlocked it and had it open so fast, Hillary only had the chance to open her mouth to yell at him. He shoved the blanket and pillows into her chest before the door was slammed and locked again.
“You’d attack my pack!” she hurled through the door. “While they’re already under attack?”
He didn’t answer. Exiting his house, he heard Hillary screaming some more, but he’d deal with her ire later. Right now he had two missions. First, he had to find Michael and punish him for calling Hillary to war. Then he had to get home and put his necklace right back where it belonged, on his mate.