Bonded to the Pack (Born to be Were) (10 page)

Lucan knew well how he felt, his heart
went out to him, and he found himself trying to console him despite the fact he
was unhappy about their rushed bonding. “I know I have given you a hard time,
but I know you will be good mate for my sister.”

“Thank you, Lucan. I appreciate that.”

Lucan smiled wanly as he stared at his
sister. “She is my life, and her happiness is the only thing I care about.  Screw
the council and their outdated laws. I want her to have the life she was meant
to live, with the mate fate has destined for her.”  

“I swear, even if I have to fight every
damn wolf in the territory for her, she will be mine,” Alec vowed.

 “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,”
Lucan said.

Alec nodded, but he had a feeling deep
in the pit of his belly that it just might.

*****

Mercy woke sometime later, nestled
against Alec, who was watching her intently as she opened her eyes. The night
air had grown cooler, but between their body heat and the blanket he had covered
her with she was toasty warm. “Hey,” she said, wiping the sleep from her eyes.
“What time is it?”

“Close to eight.” He couldn’t believe how
incredibly gorgeous she was even after a long nap and couldn’t stop staring at
her.

“Oh my God, I missed dinner.” She rushed
to get up, but Alec wrapped her in his arms and held her on his lap, keeping
her from getting away.

“Lucan put our dinner in the oven, and
is working in his office. Cade is on his way to spend the night at Hailey’s and
we are all alone out here, together in the quiet, with no one watching over
us.” He brushed his lips against the back of her neck, sending shivers down her
spine and she laid back against him, resting the back of her head on his
shoulder as his hand moved over her stomach just under her shirt his warm
fingers stroking her flesh. “I love you, Angel. I can’t wait until I can make
you mine in every way possible.”

“Oh, Alec,” she murmured her fingers
tightening on his thigh as he nibbled at her neck, his hand sliding higher
stopping just below her bra.

“Soon my love, nothing will bar me from
touching you, tasting you, and possessing you body and soul.” His finger traced
just under the edge of the bra. He moaned softly, tormented by how badly he
wanted to forget the promise he made to her brothers.

Mercy turned to look into Alec’s now amber
eyes, saw the passion he had for her there, and smiled wickedly. “You know, if
Lucan is busy we can always take a walk in the woods.”

Alec growled and pulled his hand from
under her shirt, shifting her on his lap so he had easier access to her lips
snarling as his mouth crashed down onto hers, his tongue sliding between her
petal-soft lips to sweep her mouth. 

Mercy met each stroke of his tongue, her
hands moving over his hard firm stomach before moving lower, sliding her
fingers down the waistband of his jeans.

“No,” Alec managed to growl, his voice
husky and desire filled as she fumbled with the button. “Please don’t,” he
pleaded, his breathing heavy as he struggled to control his need to carry her
off and finish what they had started. “I won’t be able to stop,” he whispered,
his voice barely audible.

“I don’t want you to,” Mercy said,
burying her face in his neck, nipping his flesh playfully as she worked the
button of his jeans with her fingers. His body trembled under her and he
growled low and deep as her hand moved to the zipper of his jeans. “Take me to
the woods, Alec, where we can be alone,” she whispered against his ear.

“No!” Alec growled standing abruptly.

Mercy landed on her rear end as he
dumped her off his lap and took off for the forest, shifting as he went to run
off the passion she had stirred in him.

Lucan was at the door instantly, looking
to her flushed face with disapproval. “Get inside,” he said angrily.

“Luc, don’t,” she told him, unable to
deal with his indignation when she was well aware of what she had done. She
hadn’t mean to push Alec, didn’t realize that her actions would create such
turmoil for him. To his credit, her brother said nothing as they walked into
the house. He directed her to the kitchen and silently got her dinner for her.
When she had eaten her fill, he took her plate to the sink, sat back down
across from her, and she knew he was done being silent.

“I have a good idea what happened
tonight and I don’t want to go into it, but I hope you now understand why it is
not a good idea to push him on this. Alec is your mate. Nature ensured you are
a temptation he cannot easily deny. He has only so much control and tonight you
crossed a line.”

Shame filled her and tears welled in her
eyes. “I didn’t mean to push him. I am just so tired of waiting.”

“He is trying to keep a promise he made
to us long ago and I admire his resolve given the fact you are constantly
tempting him, but tonight you went too far.” He reached across the table and
took her hand in his own. “We are not human, and when we are pushed to far it
can lead to some bad results. You should be thankful he cares about you enough
too have the strength to leave.”

“I know,” she said laying her head on
the table. “I’m just afraid of losing him, I feel like something bad is going
to happen and I know I will regret not being his completely when it does.”

Lucan got up and came to her side,
pulling her into his arms. “It’s going to be alright, we won’t let anyone hurt
you.”

“I don’t know if any of you can stop
what is coming, Luc. I’m so scared that I won’t get to live the rest of my life
with Alec as my mate.”

“There is no way, no matter what happens,
that Alec would let another have you.” He kissed the top of her head. “If the
Elders show up after you’re bonded, what can they do? He will, by our laws, be
your Bond Mate and they will not be able to separate you.”

“I guess,” she murmured against his
chest.

“I know,” Lucan, told her. “Now go and
get some rest. Alec won’t be back tonight and I know you have had a long week.”

“Thanks, Luc,” she said, hugging him
once again before turning away to go to her room. 

 “No problem. No matter what, I will
always be here for you.” She turned back and smiled at him as she had done
thousands of times, and his heart shuddered.

“I know, but I’m not sure I have ever
thanked you for all you have done for me.”

“Your happiness is my thanks,” he told
her.

“Good night Luc, I love you,” she said
before walking out.

“I love you too,” he said, closing his
eyes against the tears that gathered. “More than you will ever know.”

*****

Alec stood at the edge of the forest
long after he shifted back to his human form watching Mercy’s shadow moving
around her bedroom. She came to the window easily sensing his presence and he
stepped back into the woods so she wouldn’t see him. He wasn’t ready to face
her so soon after nearly losing control and knew it was better to stay where he
was. His phone vibrated at his hip and he looked down on the screen with a sigh,
placing it to his ear. “Mercy,” he said breathlessly.

“I just wanted to say I’m sorry.”

“No, I am sorry. I should have better
control,” he said.

“Don’t, Alec,” she sighed. “I pushed you,
and I should have known better. I promise I won’t do it again.”

“I love you, Angel.”

“I love you too. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay, goodnight.”

“Good night,” she said, hanging up her
phone.

Soon after her lights went out and he
spent the rest of the night keeping watch over her house as she slept,
wondering how he was going to make it through the next few weeks when all he
wanted to was to claim her and make her his in every sense of the word.

Chapter
Six

Mercy woke Saturday morning, eager to
see Alec and apologize again for her careless actions the night before. She
heard his voice in the kitchen as she walked down the stairs and couldn’t help
smiling. He was the best part of her life and she couldn’t wait for graduation
so they could be together forever without all of the melodrama they were
currently experiencing. As she turned the corner her gaze immediately found
his. He strode quickly across the room and pulled her into his arms. “I’m
sorry,” she murmured.

“Angel, it’s over, let’s move on.” He
kissed her briefly, then lead her to the table where Lucan sat with his cup of
coffee while Nina cooked breakfast at the stove.

“Good morning Nina, Luc,” Mercy said,
taking a seat.

“Morning,” Nina said cheerfully.

“Feeling better today?” Lucan asked.

Mercy’s cheeks heated. “Much better, thanks.”
She grabbed the orange juice container and poured a large glass for herself,
taking a long sip before facing Alec, feeling oddly nervous.  He rubbed her
fingers, a sign he too was uneasy about the night before and she reached over
placing her hand on top his. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he said with a thin
smile. The night before he had almost lost what little control he possessed
when around her and he had yet to forgive himself for it. He had known if he
didn’t come and see her, she would worry and blame herself, which he could not
allow, so he came despite his reservations. 

“Okay, I think I have everything,” Nina
said coming to the table, setting down a large platter filled with bacon and
sausage for the guys and herself, and bowl of assorted fruit and a container of
yogurt for Mercy, who she knew wasn’t that big on meat products.

Everyone had just settled at the table
and were helping themselves to their breakfast when a light spring breeze
wafted through the screen door bringing the scent of another werewolf along
with it. Alec bolted up from his chair, grabbing Mercy and shoving her out of
the kitchen.   

Lucan issued a low growl, pushing Nina behind
him as he stared at the door, ready to pounce.

“Alec, what the heck,” Mercy roared, but
his hand clamping down over her mouth prevented her from saying anything more.

“Say nothing,” he whispered, backing
against the wall out of sight of the kitchen, but close enough to hear what was
happening so he could aid her brother if it were needed. 

With Mercy out of sight and his mate a
good distance away, Lucan moved to the door. He tore it open to find an
unfamiliar male standing there holding an envelope in his hand, wearing a thin
smile. 

“The Elder’s send their regards,” the
man said, handing the envelope to Lucan before turning and walking down the
porch stairs, getting into a black BMW, starting the engine, and driving away without
even looking back.

Lucan closed the screen door and turned
back to where Nina stood wringing her hands, staring at the letter anxiously.
With a snarl, he tossed the offending article on the table and looked to where
Alec and Mercy were reentering the kitchen.

“What’s going on?” Mercy asked, looking
shaken.

“The Elders” Lucan said, his angry gaze
meeting Alec’s.

Alec strode to the table and grabbed the
letter, tearing it open and scanning the contents. A low rumble of displeasure
came from him as he finished reading. Mercy moved to his side and he pulled her
into his arms, handing the letter to her brother before hugging her so close
she gasped for air.

“Alec, what is going on?” Mercy asked
breathlessly.  Alec loosened his hold as Lucan handed her the vellum paper. She
carefully read the beautiful handwritten script that announced the arrival of
the Elders who wished to meet her the day after her graduation. “No,” she
squeaked, tossing the letter on the table and burying her head against Alec’s
chest.

“It’s going to be alright,” he murmured,
meeting Lucan’s stunned gaze over her head.

“I can’t believe this!” she whined. “We
planned everything and now they are ruining it.”

“Shh,” Alec said softly, his own body
shaking badly. “We will figure this all out.”

Mercy looked up, her eyes meeting his
and shook her head. “I already have. I want you, and I will tell them that. They
can’t tell me what to do with my own life.”

Alec knew they could. Their word was
law; every werewolf lived by it or was considered an outcast from their
society. “Angel, just relax,” Alec said with more calm than he actually felt.
“We need to get Cade back here and call my father,” he said to Lucan.

Lucan nodded and pulled his cell out,
immediately dialing those who were in the loop and requesting their presence at
the house.

“They had to have known we were planning
to bond before my birthday. Why else would they be coming so soon?” Mercy bit
her lip to keep from crying out her frustrations.