Breeding Cycle (9 page)

Her father smiled, and it made her stomach turn. "He has agreed to specific terms, let's just say that he'll be quite amiable to you, and provide you with heirs, of course. He is quite excited. You should be happy, proud even, of marrying such a fine man."

"Fine man. Fine man! He nearly raped my best friend Alison and beat her to within an inch of her life. You are
selling
me to
him
. How dare you."

His nostrils flared wide, and he returned to sit at his desk. "I assure you he won't lay a hand on you like that. And besides, after your act of whoring, I figured you wouldn't mind being sold off." With that hanging darkly in the air, he returned to writing. His movements were quick and jerky, the scrape of the pen across the paper loud in the otherwise silent room.

"Then I hate you, father."

* * *

Vane slammed down the shot of tequila and swore it'd be his last one.

Again.

"Take it easy with that, Vane. You know that shit doesn’t sit well with you."

Vane sneered at his brother. "Fuck off, Rome."

His younger brother didn't look fazed in the least; he merely arched a thick eyebrow. "No, fuck you. I'm trying to help. We're all here to help. But your idea is shit."

"I hardly see how going over there and claiming my woman is shit." He threw back another shot, and didn't even need to wince this time. He was getting better at this.

Already the alcohol was burning like fire through his blood. It would slow down his senses, and he'd feel it for days in his body, but it helped him right now. Help him not to feel so crazy. I failed.

"Why don't we just kidnap her?" Vane looked at his younger sister, the only female Kategan. Vera’s chin-length hair and bangs used to bother him. Each of the brothers had protested when she cut off her hair, but in time, they each realized it was still beautiful...and it suited her. The look was both serious and feminine, just like her.

"Bad move," Rome said drily. "We have no idea what kind of power he has over the local authorities or the lykaen Justicars with his political ties. He could have judges in his back pocket and Justicars on standby. We need to handle this more delicately."

Vera shrugged then turned to Vane. "Perhaps, but are you certain she's your mate, your
lumara
?" Vane growled, making everyone's hair stand up. "Fine, fine. Cool it, Jacob."

Vane looked around the room as if he might find another person suddenly with them. "Who the hell is Jacob?" Vane squeezed the shot glass until Vera was certain it was going to break.

Vera's eyes went wide and innocent. "Well before you flip, just know that I was always team Jacob."

"Jacob is a fictitious werewolf romance character for teenage girls," said Rome.

"Rome’s always been team Edward. I think he had a thing for one of the vamp girls. Isn’t that right?" Vera asked, a sly smile on her face.

He only shrugged making Vera pout prettily.

"Enough of this! I need to get Sarina back." Vane slumped forward in his chair, his hands covering his face.

A hard knock sounded at the door. Rome was the first to move. He sniffed on the edge of the door then turned back with a puzzled look on his face. "It's our brother."

Rome opened the door to the second eldest Kategan Alpha, Darien. "Darien, come in. It's been too long." Rome hesitated a moment before embracing his brother in bear hug. "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too. I see the whole family is here," said Darien. Vera gasped in pleasure and ran to embrace him. Darien lifted her up in his arms and swung her back and forth until she was laughing so hard tears rolled down her cheeks.

After he set her down, he faced Vane. Neither of them spoke nor moved. The tension in the room rose like a fever.

"Vane," Darien acknowledged.

"Darien."

Vane didn't know what to think seeing his brother here. His brother, the same man who left the pack after his girlfriend's death, and chose to live alone. Vane hated it. The man didn't need solitude. He needed family, friends, and packmates. That was the soul of their people, what kept them together and strong.

"You look like shit," Vane said, crossing his arms.

Darien let out a brief, grunt of a laugh. "As if you look better." That seemed to ease the tension in the room, and finally the brothers crossed to each other and embraced. A tight, hard hug that held far more emotion than any words between them could have said.

"We'll get her back, Vane. We'll get her back."

Chapter 17

"Ms. Alison Bennson to see you."

"Please send her in." Sarina closed the book she'd been reading with a snap.

The sight of her closest friend was such a relief she wanted to cry. They hugged each other for long moments. Alison was the first to pull away.

"What is going on here, Sarina? I've been calling you for a week and I get either no answer or that butler Jameson always says you're unavailable. Pfft, like I believe that. You've stopped mid-shower to answer my calls before. And what is with this security?" Alison whispered quickly, sneaking a pointed look at the guard standing in the corner of the room.

Sarina wasn't even sure where to start; she just knew that it felt great to see a friendly face. She also wasn't sure if the room was bugged for audio. The thought had crept into her mind a few days ago and hadn't left since. She knew her father installed cameras in all the rooms, but sound equipment too? She had to be careful what she said around Alison.

"There's so much to say. A lot has happened since we last spoke. But I met a man...and I love him. Oh, Alison, I do. Every day without him makes my heart bleed. It's a terrible feeling, like hands are in my chest, squeezing the life out of me." Alison reached out to clasp her hands.

"Oh...my...Well that kind of explains this," she said, looking pointedly at the camera staring down at them in the corner. "Tell me about it. Tell me all that you can."

Sarina did. She recounted her tale of going through her breeding cycle with the strong and powerful Alpha, Vane Kategan, there to help her. But along the way, she'd fallen for him, realized that he was right, that her beast fully accepted his even before she ever did.

"And I then I let him claim me."

Alison gasped, eyes wide with alarm. "You did not! You're father will kill you. You had sex with this man during your breeding cycle. What were you thinking? No, no, wait. What did your father do, what did he say?" Alison was livid now, her cheeks flushing.

"Oh, it was horrible, Ali. Vane had just," Sarina looked away, a blush stealing over her cheeks. "He'd just, taken my barrier when father and his men came in. We never...finished. Father has me taking routine pregnancy tests to ensure I'm not pregnant."

Alison's mouth fell open. "He did what? The man's insane. Oh, Sarina. I'm so sorry." She grabbed her friend and held her close as sobs wracked through her body. "No wonder you look so awful," she said on short laugh. "I didn't want to say anything, but now it makes sense. I've seen this happen to others who've lost their mate. Oh, Sarina, what are you going to do?"

Sarina pulled back, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "I don't know, but I miss him so much. I can't even call him. Father won't let me go to him. I tried to leave, but they literally forced me back here and locked me in. I need to get out of here, Ali. I need to get out now." Then her eyes grew wide. "Let's go for a walk outside."

"What, um, now? Yeah, okay, sure.”

Once outside, Sarina and Alison strolled quietly for a few moments. The two guardsmen lingered behind.

"So now what," Alison said.

Sarina wrapped her elbow through her friend's and enjoyed the dewy wet grass beneath her bare feet. "I need you to help me to escape."

When Alison started to squeak out a response, Sarina pulled on her arm. "Not too loud now. And yes, you heard me. Now, I've already been thinking this over and now that you're here, the idea will work. Will you help me, Alison? I know I'm asking for a lot."

Alison looked up at her friend and smiled gently. "Of course I will help. I know you'd do the same for me. Besides, I owe you for not letting me sleep with Brett at that party three years ago." She gave an exaggerated shiver.

Sarina laughed for the first time in a week. It felt good. "Ok, here's what I need you to do..."

Chapter 18

"You're not going over there." Vera moved to block the doorway.

Vane normally would have laughed at her, but he hadn't the energy or inclination to do so. Her strength was nothing compared to his. Sure she was strong by human standards, but not by his.

"I'm just going to ask to see her and to talk to her father. That's it. Maybe the man can be reasoned with"

"Mmhmm and what happens when he says no and won't let you in the door."

"Then I'll punch the bastard in the face. Now get out of my way before I move you."

Vera sighed heavily and moved aside. "Fine, but I'll be here at the phone waiting to bail you out of jail, because that's exactly where he'll have you put."

Vane glared at her, then slammed the door behind him. Fuck this. He'd put this off for long enough, and he was going to get his woman back. Damn he missed her. Missed her smell, her smile, her soft hands on his body.
Fuck
.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

He started his truck and spewed gravel in his wake. The drive took a little over an hour. That alone seemed to faze him. To think that his mate had been living so close all this time. Everything happens for a reason, his mother used to say. In time, he'd learned that yeah, it did. Everything was for reason and nothing was for chance.

He walked up the steps of the ridiculously huge mansion and banged on the door with his fist. He barely suppressed the urge to yell for her. When no one answered immediately, he hammered his fist again.

Finally, the door opened to reveal a thin, elderly man in a white shirt and black pants. "May I help you, sir?"

"I'm here to see Sarina."

The thin man didn't even blink. "And you are?"

"Vane Kategan. Her
mate
." This had the man's white eyebrows rising to his receding hairline.

"I see. One moment please," he said and closed the door. Vane paced around for the next several minutes, his heart racing, wondering if he'd finally get his woman back.

This time the door opened and two, barrel-chested guards loaded with guns and knives stepped out. Behind them was the king. Vane curled his hand into a fist to keep it from slamming into the smug man's face.

"Where's Sarina?" Vane commanded.

"Oh, my daughter's here, however, you will not be seeing her. Ever."

"She is my mate! You cannot keep her from me. She is mine." Vane growled. His beast was pacing agitated circles in its cage, circling and circling looking for a way out. The king might just give him that reason.

"No!" the king shouted. "She is
mine
.
My
daughter,
my
property."

Vane stiffened at the king's words. He noticed that even the guards seemed a little taken back. "Your property? You would treat your own daughter as property? What kind of father are you?"

The king laughed, and it was an empty sound. "I own her. I dictate what she does and
who she doesn't do
."

"I have already claimed her body. She has accepted me as her mate. Pack law says you must abide by her choosing. It’s her choice, dammit."

"I am the king. I don't need pack law to tell me what to do with my own daughter. Besides, you should know that she is to be married."

Vane's blood froze in his veins. He stared at the king's cold, blue eyes and could see the sneering truth in them. Vane wanted to hit something; he fought to bring air into his lungs.

"No, she wouldn't. You can't." His nostrils flared.

"Indeed I have. A fine man has decided that even though she's used now, he'll take her leftovers. He wasn't too happy about that. I must say it cost me extra in their marriage proposal to remedy that situation. I'd invite you to the wedding, but I'm sure you understand that someone of your...class isn't welcome."

Vane popped his neck to keep from choking the bastard. His beast raked its claws across the cage door, bending and scraping the metal until it almost opened.

"I will not allow her to be married off against her will.” Another scrape across the cage door and sparks went flying.

"Oh, she's quite willing. I assure you. She's always had a fondness for the prince."

Vane was seeing red. Prince? Prince...his mind raked through names, faces, people. There were only two last known princes. One was already married and the other...