Alpha's Mate (4 page)

Dmitry paused sinking down onto the edge of the bed, a handful of clothes forgotten in his hands.  “You're right.  I've got to find her and quickly.  The mating bond grows stronger and with it my wolf.  I need to find her before I lose control.  I could take her without her understanding.  She isn't one of us.  I could hurt her, Kolya.”  He ran his hand through his hair in frustration.  How could a fragile human woman mate with a Lycanthrope?

“I don't think you will hurt your mate, Dmitry.  I will call the airport and try to get our plane prepared to leave.  If she is off to Stolby, then she will be flying into Krasnoyarsk.  She will have to stay in the town tonight, and go out to the reserve in the morning.  We can catch up to her.”

“Thank you, Kolya.  Violet is my mate.  I don’t want to take the chance I might hurt her.”

“You won't hurt her.  You care for those weaker than yourself.  You are a good Alpha, Dimka.  You've done well with the pack since you took over.  If Violet can bear a child with a wolf spirit, we will have the answer to our future.  Trust yourself a little more.”

“Thank you for your faith in me.  But please be vigilant.  My wolf is very close to the surface right now.”

“I think that's normal during the mating heat.  You will be fine once you claim her.  Finish packing.  I'll get on the phone and get Anton moving.”  Kolya hurried from the room as Dmitry got up to finish putting his clothes in the bag.

It took a little over an hour to make the arrangements to fly to Krasnoyarsk.  Dmitry jumped into the cab, feeling thankful to have these men so loyal to him.  They looked out for him and supported him.  Who could ask for more?

As they arrived at the airport, the plane was waiting, with the pilot already on board.  Dmitry’s information told him Violet was only a few hours ahead of them.  Hopefully they would be meeting up with her in the morning.  They ran up the stairs to board the plane.  Dmitry waited impatiently for the pilot to get them into the air.  Kolya talked to Ivan, and made arrangements for their little pack to join Violet on her expedition into the wildlife reserve.  The rangers at Stolby knew to wait for them, before taking her to the base camp area.

Dmitry hoped she was happy to see him, when he did show up.  She didn't really believe he would come for her.  He wasn't sure she would welcome him.  But he would deal with it, when he saw her.  At least she felt safe and cherished in his arms.  He would have to keep her there until she came to love him.

After the plane took off, Dmitry leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes and reached for Violet with his mind.  He found her awake and still in the air.  He could feel her interest in the landscape below her, as she took pictures.  She seemed to feel him, but didn't slam down her shields.  He remained a shadow in her mind, resting and letting her touch calm his wolf.  She was so filled with light and compassion.  Dmitry felt humbled to know she was his.

Dmitry knew when her plane came in for a landing.  He watched through her eyes, as she supervised the unloading of her equipment into a truck, and then drove into Krasnoyarsk to find her hotel.  She parked the truck in a secured garage next to the hotel.  Dmitry noticed she carried her camera case in with her overnight bag.  She ordered room service at the front desk, before heading upstairs to her room.  His mate was very methodical.  He was proud of how confidently she went about her business.  Her mind seemed preoccupied with unpacking her clothes and toiletries.  She turned on the air conditioner and glanced out the window.  Once her dinner of cheese and meat came, she closed and locked the door.  Then she went into the small bathroom.  Rubbing her eyes, she leaned forward and stared into the mirror over the small sink.

Get out of my head, Dmitry.  I can feel you.  What do you think you are doing?

Seeing through her eyes, Dmitry thought his mate looked tired as she ran her hand through her hair.
 I want to be close to you, lyubov moya.  I will be with you in the morning, but I find my need to touch your mind overwhelming.

Our conversation on the plane was real?

Dmitry could see the disbelief in his mate’s eyes.
 I told you that you were not dreaming.

Look, Dmitry, I didn't realize you were really there.  I've never found another telepath to speak to.  I want to take a bath and then I want to enjoy a bed.  There won't be one while I'm camping.

While “we” are camping, milaya moya.

We?

I told you I would come for you, Violet, in fact you told me to come and find you,

I didn't think you'd really do it.  Go away, Dmitry.  Get out of my head.

Please don't fight me, lyubov moya.  It is too risky.  I will go for now, but I will be with you soon, so get used to the idea.

Violet slammed down her shields, blocking him out of her mind.  It hurt that she would do so, especially when she allowed him to shadow her mind for several hours.  But with her shields in place, he could still find her, know she was there.  It would be enough for him, but Dmitry hoped she would reach for him, if it wasn't enough for her.

Every Lycan learned about the mating bond, and the effect it would have.  Besides giving the pair a telepathic connection, it caused each partner to be highly uncomfortable without the other.  The need to touch each other both mentally and physically became an obsession.  Without it, a feeling of abandonment would cause the mate to grieve for their partner.  It could become so difficult to deal with mates were known to injure themselves.  Before the actual claiming, which would cement the bond in place, the male becomes more aggressive.  With their wolf spirit closer to the surface, shapeshifting becomes harder to control.  The female will feel more sexual, and need to be close to the male.  As an Alpha, Dmitry’s symptoms would be worse, his aggression harder to control.  He feared what would happen if Violet fought him.  He needed her to submit to him.  His wolf would expect it.

Anton and Kolya would have to stay away from Dmitry while he camped with Violet.  They could watch over him, but wouldn't be able to approach him until the bond was complete.  Then they would have to show proper respect to Violet or end up under Dmitry’s teeth.  Alpha's protected their mates.  No slight was considered too small to be ignored. 

Dmitry opened his eyes to the inside of the Lear jet and looked up to see Kolya watching him.

“All is well with her?” he asked quietly

“She is at her hotel.  I told her, we would be joining her in the morning.  I'm not sure she was happy to hear it.”

“Give her time, Dimka.”

“Have no fear, Kolya.  I am fine, better now since I am connected to her mind.  I worry for her.  She doesn't know how uncomfortable it will be, since we are apart.  With her shields up, she will have no way to touch my mind and know I am with her.”

“Maybe this will be a good thing.  She will reach for you when the separation becomes too much for her.  Let the mating bond work for you.”

“I don't want her to suffer from needing me.”

“Of course you don’t want her to suffer.  But perhaps this is a lesson she must learn for herself.”  Kolya suggested.

“Would you let my sister, Alena, suffer from needing you?”

“It would be different with Alena.  She is one of us, and she knows what the mating bond is all about.”

“When will you claim her?  You do love my little sister, or have I read the situation wrong?”

“I love her so much, but she is only eighteen.  I don't want to steal her independence, before she has a chance to learn she has it.”  Kolya sighed as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders.

“You may not have a choice.  Two other males have approached me wanting her.  She claims she will accept no one but you.  When we return to the pack, you must claim her before one of our males goes rogue and takes her.”

“Is she in danger?  Why did you allow me to leave her, with two other males wanting her?”  Kolya asked, his eyes flashing golden with anger.

“She is guarded.  Do you think I would leave my sister in danger?  Have some faith in me.  The two males were not in mating heat, there was no bond to drive them, only lust and the desire to be close to the Alpha.  I made it very clear if someone dares to touch her, without my consent, the punishment would be death.  But I don't want you to wait, Kolya.  The situation in the pack is deteriorating.  I want my sister safely mated.”

“I will approach her as soon as we get back, with your permission of course.”

“Of course.”  Dmitry smiled at his friend.  “Where is Anton?”

“He is up front with the pilot.  What does he think about me and Alena?  They are twins after all.”

“He wonders why you have taken so long.  But then he doesn't understand why you would resist your needs for hers.  He is young as well.”

“Well at least he isn't against me.”  Kolya laughed.  “Was I mistaken in giving Alena more time?”

“No.  I think we all appreciate why you felt she needed it, and you are right, she does need it.  But it is no longer safe to do so.  I spoke to her before we left.  She will be waiting for you to come to her when we get back.  She knows you were trying to do what was best for her.  She also knows why it is no longer safe to wait.  She will not blame you for the circumstances.  I'm sorry I have to ask you to go against your instincts to protect your mate, especially when they are correct.”

“I understand, Dmitry, and truly, I've been fighting myself to stay away from her.  Knowing she will accept me makes me very happy.”

“Well at least one of us will have an easy time of it.  I still have to convince my mate that she is my true love.  How I am going to, I don't know.”

“With tenderness and love, of course.” Kolya pointed out.

“She fights me, and you expect me to give her tenderness.  You ask a lot of me, Kolya.”

“I ask nothing you won't give.  You are already being tender with her, and when she needs you and reaches for you, you will give her more tenderness.  It's who you are, Alpha.”

Dmitry didn’t have a reply as he got up to get a drink out of the cooler.  He downed the bottled water and began to pace up and down the length of the plane, reaching for Violet with his mind.  Her shields were still up, and he continued to pace.  Dmitry wanted to give Violet tenderness.  He wasn't sure his wolf could be controlled enough to do so.  He would be waiting for her when she needed to touch his mind.  It shouldn't be too long before she felt herself compelled to link with him.  Surely, she wouldn't force herself to endure the agony a prolonged separation would cause her.

Violet wanted to reach out and touch Dmitry’s mind, the compulsion consumed her.  But she refused to give into her feelings.  She would not be one of those weak women needing a man at her side.  She was used to being alone, going her own way.  She would not reach out to him.  Violet sat in the ceramic bathtub feeling miserable and missing Dmitry.  The water was no longer close to warm, but she couldn't move.  She felt so brittle, if she moved she might break into a million pieces.

In a spurt of anger, she got out of the tub and into her robe.  She stomped into the bedroom, and forced herself to eat the meat and cheeses on the platter.  She ate without tasting a thing, swallowing each bite without thinking.  She would not give into this ridiculous obsession.   She didn't know this man.  Why should she feel this way?  Why was she desperate to touch his mind, to know he was connected to her?  Where was he?  He told her he was coming to find her.  Why did she need him so much?

Violet caught herself pacing back and forth.  The need to touch Dmitry was becoming desperate.  She felt lost, empty.  A large hole was swallowing her up.   But still, she refused her need.  She forced herself to sit down and turn on the television.  Everything was in Russian, but she tried to force herself to listen.   She would not lower her shields.  She would not need a man that badly.

Violet finally collapsed exhausted on the bed.  Her mind in turmoil, grief consumed her.  Was she losing her mind?  She couldn’t think logically through the agony.  She was all alone, her parents were gone.  Maggie and Ellen left her.  Dmitry abandoned her.  He said he would come, but where was he?  What was she doing here in the middle of Siberia?  She wrapped her arms around her knees.  Her hair fell around her like a curtain as she rocked back and forth.  Her body trembled.  She laid her sweaty forehead on her knees.  She was so alone, always alone.  Her heart was breaking.  Why should she go on?  She heard someone keening, and realized she was the person.  What was wrong with her?  What did Dmitry say when she pushed him out of her thoughts?