2#Stolen by the Alpha Wolf: Shifter Romance (Deliberate Theft) (7 page)

“No.”
Ward whispered, racked by another terrible cough.

“I
said not to tempt me,” Lance said. “You will watch me kill this wolf and then
you will accept me as your mate once and for all.”

“Never,”
Stephany hissed, her lips curled. “I will kill you, I swear to God, Lance. If
Ward doesn’t make it, I will find a way to slit your throat.”

A
loud feminine gasp sounded from behind Brant.

“Go
back to our room female,” Zane growled.

Stephany
couldn’t take her eyes off Lance as he took another step closer. “Female”—he
snarled—“Move”—a low menacing growl.

“Fuck
you!” she snarled back. Her nails had extended and her fangs throbbed with the
need to tear his flesh. To rip out his bastard throat. She knew that she
wouldn’t make it anywhere near Lance, but it didn’t stop her body from reacting
to the adrenaline that coursed through her veins.

“Fuck?”
he growled. “Oh, you will female,” Lance’s cold eyes narrowed as he spoke. “You
are my mate after all.”

Her
stomach rolled with nausea. “I would rather die than let you touch me.”

“I
told you not to keep tempting me, Stephany.” He said her name like it was
distasteful. Lance looked up at the ceiling and for second it looked like he
might be reconsidering, then he sighed. “You and I both know that I am more
than capable of physically removing you, so why don’t you just save me the
hassle.”

“Stop
him!” Tanya screamed.

“Go
back to our room.” Brant said, his voice calm and coercing. It was almost
comical given the setting. “Let us handle this.”   

“We
don’t want you hurt,” Zane growled.

“Help
her, you big idiots. Lance has lost his freaking mind!” Tanya shrieked. “What’s
wrong with the two of you?”

“I
will take her back.” Brant sighed. “You help him.” Whether the
him
Brant
was referring to was Lance or Ward, Stephany could not say. There wasn’t much
that she could do against a male vampire, but she could and would do her best
to keep Ward safe.

“Can
I assist, my lord?” It was York, from somewhere in the hallway.

“Take
our human back to our tower and keep her there,” Zane growled.

Lance
took another step towards them. Stephany hissed, preparing to fight.

“Let
go of me, York!” Tanya yelled. “Get your filthy hands off me!” she screeched.

“Filthy…?”
York sounded confused. “You must be mistaken, I bathed before starting my
shift.”

“Let
go!” Tanya screamed. “Zane…Brant…no! I swear I will make your lives a living
freaking hell. You will never rut me again. NEVER!!”

Brant
sighed. “Take her.”

Zane
growled low and deep. “Go.”

Stephany
could hear Tanya scream the whole length of the hallway. Just as she suspected,
the noise brought many of the king’s guard running. They assembled in the
hallway at Brant’s bidding.

If
only she had some sort of weapon. If only she could get them to a small area
with a single entrance to defend, like the bathroom. She glanced in that
direction. The only thing standing in her way was a pissed bastard of a vampire
with a bloody sabre in his hand and death in his eyes.

“Put
down the blade,” Zane said, sounding almost bored.

“This
male slighted me by rutting with my female,” Lance snarled. “I insist that he
be put to death.” He took another step closer, putting him at her feet. Lance
waved the sabre as he spoke and a drop of blood splattered on her leg.

Her
heart rate kicked up a few notches. Stephany ground her teeth in frustration.
“You can put him to death, but I insist that all the females you rutted with
are put to death as well.”

Zane
choked out a laugh. “The female makes a good point, Lance. Put down the blade.”

Lance’s
face turned red and his jaw worked. He pointed the knife towards her chest,
turning his eyes back to the kings. “That wolf breached your castle. Is on our
soil without permission. Has slighted you both and hasn’t attempted to seek
redemption.” Lance glanced at both kings. “I would like the honor of finishing
him. An example needs to be made.”

The
silence that followed had her hands turning damp, had her mouth turning dry.

“You
are right,” Brant said.

Stephany
gasped, turning her head slightly so that she could look her king in the eye.
He looked pained. Icy fear filled her veins. Would Brant stand back and watch
Ward be gutted?

“But
not like this. The wolf should be granted permission to speak first,” Brant
said. “Stephany has been in my service for many years. I at least owe her that
much.”

Lance
growled in frustration. “Hear him speak? With all due respect, my lord, but
have you lost your mind?”

Brant
snarled. “You are working on my last nerve. Close your mouth while you’re still
ahead. The wolf is in deep shit, but I will not watch you kill a helpless male.
There is a good chance that he won’t make it as it is.”

A
sob was torn from her throat as Brant confirmed her worst fears.

“Call
for a healer. Have a cot sent to one of the dungeons.” Brant’s voice had turned
low and commanding.

“No…he
is hurt. He can’t be sent to the dungeon,” she said. Appalled at the thought of
Ward behind silver bars.

“Lance
is right, he has slighted us. He deserves to be punished.” Cold and calculated.
“Be thankful that I have decided to spare him.” Brant added, “For now at
least.”

“Fuck
that!” Lance snarled. He lunged for her, his hand wrapped around her wrist as
he yanked her away from Ward. “He will die now!”

Stephany
watched in horror as the blade came down in an arc towards his already bloody
chest.

“Nooooo!”
She screamed, throwing herself in the line of fire. The blade would most likely
cut through them both.

Thank
blood, vampires possessed an uncanny speed because Zane tackled Lance before
the blade could find its mark. Zane punched him in the face until he submitted.
When Zane finally stood, towering over Lance, the male she refused to think of
as her mate lay in a moaning heap on the floor. His hands covering his bloody
face.
Served him right.

“He
can go in a cell too,” Zane growled. “Freaking needs to seriously learn some
respect.” The king kicked Lance mercilessly until Stephany heard a rib crack
under the assault. “I can’t fucking stand insolence.” The king stated as he
walked away from the now motionless male.

Stephany
moved back to Ward’s side, pushing the sheet onto his still bleeding wound. 
Ward moaned.

“Please,
don’t put him in the dungeon. I beg you.” She locked eyes with Brant.

The
male shook his head. “Don’t even try it, Steph.” He grit his teeth, his mouth a
thin white line. He made his way to the closet where he grabbed the first item
of clothing he found, a black evening gown. Brant shook his head, dropping the
gown onto Stephany’s lap. “The wolf should never have breached the castle. Come
here without permission.” He growled, his eyes glowing. “What the fuck were you
thinking allowing this male to rut you on our soil? I can’t believe you didn’t
know that Lance checks on you all the time. He was bound to hear the two of you
or scent the wolf.”

“Who
I choose to rut is none of your business. And no, I didn’t know Lance was
stalking me.” She pulled the dress over her head and down her body. Not the
best attire, but at least she was covered.

“It
is when it happens under this roof. On my soil,” he growled. Brant turned to
face the door.  “Griffin and Morgan.” The males entered, their eyes widened as
they landed on Ward. Both their nostrils flared simultaneously and deep frowns
appeared. Griffin was the first to look her way. Morgan kept his eyes on Brant.

Stephany
kept the pressure on Ward’s wound, ignoring the males. She didn’t give a bat
squeak what they thought of her.

Brant’s
cell phone rang. “Yeah,” a pause. “Good,” he ended the call. “Take the male to
the dungeon. A healer is already there.”

“Please,
let me go with him.”

“No.”
His eyes were narrowed, she’d never seen him this angry. At least, not at her.
It wouldn’t help to argue. She’d seen many try and fail over the years. When
Brant made up his mind about something, there was no stopping him.

It
was still difficult to allow the males to approach though. When Griffin put his
hands on Ward, she felt her lip curl and her chest began to vibrate in a low
growl.

“Get
a grip, Stephany,” Brant said. “You’re even starting to sound like one of
them.” His eyes were on Ward.

 Morgan
yanked a blanket off the bed and they carefully wrapped him in it. Griffin and
Morgan hoisted Ward up with some effort.

“Be
careful with him.” She instructed, being sure to look both males in the eyes.

“We
will.” Griffin’s eyes were filled with sympathy. “The sooner we get him to the
healer the better.”

“Thank
you.” Her hands shook, so she folded her arms.

Brant
closed the door, sealing the two of them in her room. “What the fuck was that
about?”

Stephany
grit her teeth, squaring her shoulders as she faced her king. “I inadvertently
asked him to come. He planned on meeting with the two of you but wanted to see
me first.”

“The
wolf should’ve asked for permission before entering our territory. You had no
right to call him here. Tanya mentioned something, but I never officially gave
my permission.” he sighed. “This is a fucking mess.”

Her
hand moved to her belly. “I had every right to call him at a time like this.
Lance had no right entering my room. Like a coward, he waited until Ward’s eyes
were averted before stabbing him with that sword. The male has no honor.”

Brant’s
eyes softened. “You should’ve informed me the moment he arrived. It puts me in
a predicament.”

“I
have feelings for the male.” Her voice cracked, so she cleared her throat.

Brant
made a noise of frustration, running a hand through his hair. “It doesn’t
change anything, Stephany. The wolf will need to speak for himself. He will
need to pay a penalty for consorting with the elves against us and for
breaching this castle without royal permission.” Brant beat his chest with one
hand.

“I
told you that he came at my bidding.”

Brant
shrugged. “You know better. It just means I should punish you too.”

“You
wouldn’t dare.”

He
shook his head. “I think you have punished yourself enough already.” He glanced
at her stomach, which she clutched instinctively. “The procedure will take
place tomorrow as planned.”

Her
eyes narrowed in horror. “I can’t possibly—”

“You
will. This whole fiasco needs to stop. The wolf must go back to his own kind and
you need to…move on.”

“By
move on
you had better not be talking about Lance, because if I ever see
the male again it will be too soon.” Her hands curled into fists at her sides.

“I
would never force you to be with someone.”

“But
you would forbid me.”

Brant
sighed. “Everything I do is for the better of our species. It is mine and
Zane’s jobs to keep the covens safe. It is why the wolf must pay and why you
must stay away from him. I do not want our species to mix. What signal would
that send to the rest of the coven? We are having a tough enough time as it is
with keeping our males away from the humans. There is nothing I can do about
Esral, but inter species relationships are asking for trouble. We are too good
to be diluting our blood with those beasts.” He shook his head. “I won’t have
it.” He swallowed hard, his eyes softening and turning more of a chocolate
shade than the black that they had been up until moments ago. “Promise me that you
will have the procedure, that you will let the wolf walk away and be done with
this madness? In return I will spare your wolf. I will ensure that his penalty
is minor, that he is let off easily.”

She
put up her hand, intent on arguing.

“Don’t.”
Brant’s eyes narrowed. She knew him well, but the opposite was also true. “That
is my ultimatum. Think on it. I will want your answer at sunup. You cannot
birth this child. If the wolf has tried to convince you otherwise, he is wrong.
You know it and I know it.”

Stephany
had to look away. There were some choice expletives on the tip of her tongue.
It would make her feel better to tell Brant exactly what she thought of him,
but that wouldn’t help things. In fact, it would make them infinitely worse.

His
phone rang.

“Yeah.”
A pause, “Good. I’ll be right there.” Brant ended the call, shoving the phone
into his pocket. It was only now that she noticed that he was shirtless and
barefoot. “Your wolf is awake. The blade was only silver plated, so not only
will he make it but he should be healed enough to be on his way by morning.”

Stephany
clutched a hand to her mouth, but a small sob still managed to escape.