Raymand
Having Maple back and safe calmed his wolf down as he found Drake’s contact info on his phone and hit the button to call him. Raymand had almost shifted when he saw the blood on Maple’s clothes. He reminded himself the fucker who attacked her had died. His wolf stopped trying to attack anything moving and paced in his mind instead. He sat down on the couch next to Maple when Drake answered the phone. With Maple tapping her foot, he almost missed his second’s answer.
“Two calls in a row. Anne is going to get some ideas about us if we keep this up.” Drake chuckled. Raymand shook his head.
“Well, Anne can get whatever ideas she wants. Your ass will always be mine.” He joked. The banter with his second helped bring his heart rate back to normal.
“Too dirty, alpha.” Drake chuckled again and Raymand did the same. He placed his hand on Maple’s leg to keep her tapping to a minimum. When she met his gaze, his cock hardened instantly. Soon he would claim her. Being a responsible alpha could be a royal fucking pain.
“Back to business.” Raymand cleared his throat and recounted the events Maple endured at Cora’s house. His wolf still paced in the back of his mind, waiting to shift if someone came into his house.
“Fuck, is she okay?”
“Yes, Maple is okay. She’s tough.” Raymand glanced at Maple, he never expected to find his mate this way. Yet he thanked his luck to get a woman who already had a wolf resting below the surface. It made things a lot less complicated later on when it came to children. Plus, she had fought off a hunter which proved she could hold her own as the alpha female. Hints of trust in his little mate bloomed in his chest.
“I’m glad. What do you need from me?”
“I want you to set up a low-key scout mission on the house. But I don’t want the whole fucking pack knowing about it. We don’t need a panic running through the city.” Raymand also didn’t want to sit on the phone for hours calming down half the pack either.
“Okay. I can do that.” Drake gave Raymand a few unmated male names to do the job.
“Keep it between us. Anne better not start the gossip either.” Raymand wouldn’t be taking any chances.
“I know what’s at stake, alpha!” Anne yelled in the background. Raymand nodded even though they couldn’t see him and hung up. He hoped this plan worked. They were no closer to finding out what the hunters were up to. His wolf growled as bad images rolled through his mind about what the kids might be going through. A quick death might be better but Raymand didn’t know which he favored more as both were just fucking awful.
“I’m ready for bed. Maple, will you read me the book before bed?” Cora asked from the top of the steps.
“Sure.” Maple smiled and lead Cora to her room. Raymand didn’t want Cora in his house and he definitely didn’t like how attached his new mate had grown to the pup. Maple’s voice carried through the house as she rose it and changed it to fit the story. She might want to keep Cora around. His wolf didn’t mind the idea of keeping Cora, but the human side didn’t want her. He wanted his own children in his home. Raymand had seen firsthand how adopted children never received the love they need in the large city.
Raymand stood and paced the length of his living room while listening to Maple’s voice. Her fire toward the pup had delighted his wolf but he couldn’t keep Cora. He needed to find her a good home. There were too many things working against him but all of them were mute. He didn’t want her here but pack law stated he had to care for her. The state wouldn’t take her in because she’s a wolf and they made this a fucking law when wolves came out of the closet. Maple’s soft steps down the hall silenced his inner musings. Raymand turned toward his mate.
“She’s asleep.” Maple slipped in with a sway to her hips.
“I will only ask you this once.” Raymand closed the distance between them.
“What?” Her tongue darted out to wet her bottom lip. His cock hardened, and his other problems fell to the back burner. He pulled her head closer and kissed her soft lips. She opened up to him and let his tongue roam over her mouth. Sparks of pleasure filled his stomach. When the kiss broke she let out a shaky sigh. He couldn’t wait to hear her scream his name.
“Do you want to be my mate and the alpha female?” Raymand studied her sapphire eyes.
“I-” A shrill scream tore through the air and both of them dashed for Cora’s room. His heart raced and his wolf took advantage and he shifted. Maple kept close behind as the screams continued. He smashed into the door to find Cora thrashing in her sheets.
“What the hell?” Raymand growled after shifting back. He checked the window, finding it locked in place. Maple climbed into the bed and pulled Cora into her lap.
“Honey, you’re safe.” Maple lifted her gaze to him. “Get some pants.” She waved him off and stayed with Cora. The screams stopped and Raymand’s ears buzzed as he stormed back to the master bedroom. Moments away from completing the freaking bond with my mate. He ground his teeth together while he pulled up a pair of workout shorts.
When he came back Cora clung to Maple with her eyes closed.
“She had a dream about the hunters hurting her mother.” Maple cleared a tear from her face. “I can’t just leave her right now.” She rubbed the pups back. Raymand shoulders fell for a moment before he straightened up. Ideas of forcing Maple out of the room and hauling her ass to his bed flittered in but he pushed them away.
“What are you going to do then?”
“Lay with her till she fully relaxes. Keep her calm.” Maple shrugged.
“Fine. But you better be in my bed as soon as it passes.”
“Yes, alpha.” She winked. His cock twitched with a deep burning need. He strolled back to his room and jumped onto the bed. Soon, she would be back and they could finish with what they started. He rubbed his hands together and his wolf paced in his mind.
An hour passed and he checked on her. Maple shrugged while rubbing Cora’s back. Damn it! He strolled back to his bed and exhaustion crept into his bones. Trying his best to stay awake he hoped she would wake him up when she did crawl into bed. His eyes fluttered closed and he tried to open them with no success.