Bonded to the Pack (Born to be Were) (24 page)

Dean felt her anxiety and knew how
worried she was. He reached and placed his hand on hers. “The messenger should
be there soon and we can get this straightened out.”

Mercy eyed her captor quizzically. “Why
are you being so nice?” He pulled his hand away and sat back in his chair
staring at her with a frown. “I meant, why are you being so nice considering
that you want to dominate the other packs and the human race?” It didn’t sound
much better, but it was to the point.

Dean’s jaw clenched as he thought about
her words and knew the time had come for him to come clean to someone other
than his sister. “I don’t want any of this,” he said tiredly. “My father
started this vendetta many years before my sister and I were born. In fact the
only reason he took our mother as his mate was because she was a powerful witch.”

“Was?” Mercy asked.

Dean’s eyes grew suddenly moist and he
turned away from her rising to his feet and walking to the window of the small
hotel room they currently occupied. “My mother died giving birth to us. My
father couldn’t be bothered raising us so he took another mate and she raised
us until he realized my sister had our mother’s power and that I was a grown
man he could use in his worthless battle against the other packs.”

“That’s horrible,” Mercy said.

Dean turned and looked at her, gauging her
sincerity and finding her honestly horrified for him. It wasn’t fair though, he
didn’t deserve her worry, because for a short time he actually believed all of
his father’s malarkey and had worked side by side to help him achieve his goal.
That was until he began to use his sister’s magic for things it wasn’t intended
for. He shook his head clearing away the horrible things he knew and turned
away from her once more. “Don’t pity me, I don’t deserve it.”

“I don’t believe that,” Mercy said
rising and walking to his side. “You care or you wouldn’t be here now. You
would have handed me over to your father and bonded with me regardless of what
happened to your sister.” 

“It’s too late,” he said looking out the
window at the night sky, remembering a time he was less jaded and had believed
in dreams and happy endings. Now all he had to look forward too was his
father’s hate and his banishment from the pack once he found out what he had
done.

Mercy laid her hand upon his arm and
shook her head. “You’re wrong, people can change. I have seen it and I believe
you can too.”

“It doesn’t matter. Once my father finds
out I traded you for Juliet, he will hunt us down. If he finds us he will kill
me and bond her with Ryan to ensure his continued support for his cause.” He
rubbed his fingers over his chin looking thoughtful. “I think he would prefer
Ryan as his heir anyway; he is more like my father, more concerned with taking
over the packs and dominating the human race.

“Our pack would protect you. I know
Gregory and Alec will see to it no harm comes to either of you.”  

Dean shook her hand away with a snarl.
“You have no idea how far-reaching my father’s hold is. He has ties to some of
the Elders and has their support. No matter what happens he will ensure the
outcome will be in his favor.”

Mercy shook her head, not wanting to believe
Micah was that powerful.

“How do you think they found out about
there being another Born Were?” he asked, his body trembling. “I’ll tell you
how! He forced my sister to read those damned stones everyday until she found
you.  And he knows everything about Alec and Gregory, including the Alpha’s new
vampire girlfriend.” Mercy gasped, but he just went on. “He knows that Gregory
is planning on stepping down and he knows that Alec will take over as Alpha of
their pack.”

“Why would any of that matter to him?”
Mercy asked fearfully.

Dean backed her against the wall and
placed his finger under her chin, lifting it so her eyes met his. “Because once
I secured you as my mate Alec would do anything we told him to do to keep you
safe. Tears sprang to Mercy’s eyes, and she pushed against his massive chest.
He stepped back allowing her to move away and she raced across the room as far
away from him as possible. He hadn’t wanted to upset her, but she needed to
know whom she was dealing with. His father was a bastard and he would stop at
nothing to achieve his goals. “I’m sorry, but you needed to know.”

“But things are different now, Alec is
honorable, he will exchange your sister and this will all be done.”

“My father isn’t going to let this go,”
he told her with a growl.

“But you can. I swear we will help you,”
Mercy said.

Dean didn’t get to answer, before he
could; the door to the room flew open and in walked the one person neither of
them thought to see.

*****

Alec
was sitting on the porch waiting for any sign of the messenger when Mason
joined him and took the seat next to him. Lucan and Cade had been out there more
than once to convince him he was crazy to listen to the witch and with every
minute that ticked by he was starting to have doubts himself.

“She’s
telling the truth,” Mason said, seeing he had doubts. 

“It’s
not your mate’s life on the line,” Alec said softly.

“I
don’t…”

Alec
raised his hand stopping Mason from denying what they both knew to be true. “I
know the look, the actions, the overwhelming emotions, and the need to protect
her even if we don’t want to admit it. I will say no more, but if you need to
talk I am here.”

“I
appreciate it,” Mason said, neither denying nor accepting his observation as
the truth.

Both
were staring silently into the darkness when Alaric stepped out from the tree
line with a small figure dressed in jeans and a black hoodie beside him and no
scent to verify who they were.

“That’s
their messenger?” Mason said looking at the slight form with disbelief.

Alec
eyed the new comer closely, watching each step and movement, but saying
nothing. “Let’s take this inside,” he said, turning and walking through the
screen door as Alaric and his guest hit the first stair.

Mason
nodded and held the door open for the pair to enter.

As
soon as the door closed behind them shutting off the rest of the world Alec
turned and pulled the hidden messenger into his arms and began kissing him,
leaving Mason puzzled until the hood of the sweat jacket fell away revealing a
riot of Titian curls. He looked to Alaric, who was watching the pair with a
wide smile, and shook his head.

“I
was so worried,” Alec murmured against Mercy’s lips.   

“I’m
fine, or I will be once this is all settled.”

“I
will never let you go again, I swear it,” he said brushing his lips across her
forehead.

“I
can’t stay,” she whispered against his chest.

Alec
blinked unsure if he had heard her right or not. “What?”

Mercy
bit her lip and pulled back to look up at him knowing he was not going to be
happy with her next words. “I have to go back with Alaric, but I insisted on
seeing you so you would know I am alright before I follow through with our
plans.”

Alec
growled and tightened his hold on her. “You aren’t going anywhere.” He looked
to his grandfather and snarled. “What kind of games are you playing at, old
man?”

“Alec,
stop, this is my idea to gain freedom for everyone involved in this mess.”

Alaric
shook his head, looking every day of his two hundred years as he took a seat at
the table. “I tried to talk her out of this, but she is not easy to sway.”

Mercy
sighed and looked to Alaric with a smile. “You just don’t want to admit my idea
was the best of all the ones you and Dean came up with.”

“I
don’t know how you do it,” he said to Alec. “She could probably convince the
North Koreans to give peace a chance.”

“She
is amazing, but what is this all about and how the hell did you find her in the
first place?”

Alaric
wasn’t sure how to respond, but Mercy had no such reservations. “Do you
remember when I told you Jaden had come upon me in the bathroom and stuck me
with something?” He nodded. “It was a microchip that allowed them to track me,”
she said excitedly.

Alec
saw red immediately and before anyone could stop him he tackled and slammed his
grandfather to the floor wanting to kill him for doing such a thing to his
mate. “How could you, you bastard?” he questioned his hands gripping the
button-up shirt Alaric wore.  

“I
had no choice, it was the only way I could keep tabs on her and make sure one
of the others didn’t take her away before we made a decision,” he told him
calmly. 

“Alec,
let go, he was trying to protect me, us.” Mercy said pulling at his arm. “If it
wasn’t for him having me tracked, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

Alec
loosened his grip slightly, but still glared at Alaric. “Why would you think
she needed tracking?”

“I
have reason to believe one or more of the Elders is working with the rogues and
would stop at nothing to hand over the Born Were to them, even kidnapping her
while she was in our care.” He looked up as Alec considered his words, shoved
him off, and rose to his feet. “Now, can we sit down and discuss this like
civilized Weres.”

Alec
sat on the ground stunned by his grandfather’s words. Not only were the Elders
seeking to tear them apart, now some of them were working with the rogues? None
of it made sense. Why would any of the Elders want to help the rogues when they
sought to take over the packs and control the humans?

“I
felt the same way, Alec, but hear him out we don’t have much time before we
have to leave,” Mercy said.  

Alec
rose to his feet and gripped her hand tightly. “You are not going anywhere.”

Mercy
sighed knowing it was going to take a lot of convincing to make him agree with
her plan. “Listen to your grandfather and then we can discuss my plan.”

“I
will listen, but there is no way in hell you are going anywhere but upstairs
where I can guard you until we meet with the council,” he warned.

“Just
listen to Alaric then we can talk,” she insisted.

He
let go of her hand and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ll listen but you
still aren’t going anywhere.”

“Just
go ahead and explain,” she said to Alaric, hoping Alec would understand in the
end why she had to go.

Alaric
began to explain and after about an hour of arguing and discussion they finally
agreed to a plan. One Mercy was confident would work in their favor if everyone
played their parts.

Mason
was speaking with Alaric as Alec and Mercy stood in the corner, their arms
around each other, Alec looking angry but resigned. “It’s only for tonight,”
Mercy assured him.

“A
night of hell,” he told her, running his finger down her cheek.

“For
me, too, but in the end, if this works, we will be together forever.”

“I
love you, my angel, forever,” he said, brushing her lips with his own.

“Forever,”
Mercy repeated as their lips met for one final kiss.

Chapter Fourteen

They
met at midnight the next evening when the moon was high in the sky and the aura
of their ancestors hung in the air guiding their way. The council members
arrived in a single file line to take their places behind a plank table that
overlooked the clearing where pack Alphas from all over the United States had
convened.

“Where
is the Born Were?” Valdis asked, looking around the clearing for the female
they had come to see.

“I
am here,” Mercy said walking into the clearing.

Alec
let out the breath he had been holding on the sidelines, watching as she
approached the table. Dressed in a white gown that hugged her curves and gave
her an ethereal quality she was so stunning he forgot to breathe. She appeared
confident and sure as she glided to a stop before the table where the Elders
sat and he couldn’t have been prouder of her than he was in that moment.  

“So
this little slip of thing is what has caused such an uproar,” Gabriel said,
looking amused.

“She
is identical to the last Born Were,” Ranak, added looking somewhat awed.

“Indeed,”
Olis said earning a sharp look of disapproval from Valdis.

“Can
we get to the reason for our visit?” Valdis growled.

“We
can,” Alaric said speaking for the first time. “Valdis, why don’t you do the
honors and explain to everyone assembled why we are gathered here tonight.”

Valdis
looked pleased to be the one chosen to address the assembled Alphas and took on
an almost regal pose as he surveyed the crowd. “The issue at hand is the safety
of our Born Were. According to our law it is the right of all packs to offer up
one male to fight for the honor of becoming the Born Were’s Mate and bringing
honor to their pack.” The crowd rumbled and his eyes filled with anticipation.