Claiming His Need (6 page)

Helina nodded. Lanie stood next to her, her eyes flitting around the space as her panic escalated. I reached for her hand and pulled her closer to me.

“They won’t touch you again, sister. I promise you that.”

She nodded and choked back a sob. The blond man looked up at the noise, and seeing Lanie in a full panic, hurried over.

“Honey, I don’t want you to be scared.”
 

Lanie squeezed my hand as tears began to fall down her face.
 

“No, no. Don’t do that.” The man hunched down until he was eye-level with the short brunette. “You’re going to be fine. Your mate was very specific about how he would dismember not only me but also my entire family if I let a single hair of yours be damaged in this mission. He’s creative in his deadliness; I wouldn’t want to cross him.”

Lanie smiled through her tears. “He can be a little overprotective.”

“When you’ve found the one person who makes your soul sing, there’s no such thing as overprotective.” He reached for Lanie, and after a pause, she took his hand and released mine. He pulled her under his arm and against his chest. “My name’s Sandman, and I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise. Me and Gates”—he pointed to my mate—“will get you back to the pack.”
 

Lanie nodded and wiped her face before taking a deep breath. She appeared calmer, which made my heart happy. Rex would have her back in his arms soon enough. I had no doubt in the men who’d been sent to save us.

Sandman held Lanie close as he addressed the rest of us. “Once we turn this corner, we assume everyone is the enemy. Gates, the extraction plans have changed. You’re shifting and taking up the rear. I’ll stay human to keep our new friend here out of trouble so Rex can get his mate back like I promised. Shadow, you’re with me. We need to lead these ladies over the ridge and safely to the extraction team. Pup,” he addressed the wolf next to me, his gaze sliding over my face before he clenched his jaw. “Your sole mission, your one goal in life, is to do whatever it takes to keep her alive. There’s no room for error here, understood?”

The wolf by my side growled loudly, the hair on his neck bristling. He was awfully brave for a wolf named Pup.
 

“On the count of three, we shift and run. Ready?” When we nodded, Sandman took one last look around the corner. I glanced over my shoulder at my mate, Gates. He watched me in return, a fire burning behind his eyes that let me know his wolf was close, ready to take over. I couldn’t wait to see him in his animal form.

“One.”

I pulled my tank top over my head as Helina dropped her cloak. Nakedness was not something we’d been taught to be ashamed of, and yet I felt anxious. I’d never felt so nervous removing my clothing in preparation for a shift as I did at that moment, knowing the man fate had chosen for me would be seeing my naked body for the first time. He’d eventually know every inch of me, but stripping with my back to him made my heart race and the burn in my veins flare.
 

Once my top was lying in a heap on the ground, I closed my eyes. Ignoring the sudden tension buffeting my bare skin, I opened my mind to the wolf within, taking a breath as the power surged through me.

“Two.”

I stepped out of my pants, reveling for a moment as the cool air caressed my body. I could hear the rumble of my mate’s growl behind me, and I hoped it was a good growl. One of want and desire, of lust. Yes, I wanted him to lust after me. I wanted him to desire me as much as I suddenly desired him.
 

“Get ready.”

Ignoring my naughty thoughts about my new mate, I focused instead on my shift. I’d been fighting my need to protect myself in wolf form since my kidnapper had told me he’d hurt Lanie if I shifted. It would be a relief to finally be on four paws. Fur forced its way through my skin, the tingling sensation spreading across my back and over my hips. It was always the most uncomfortable part of my shift. My body morphed from two feet to four so quickly, the bones and muscles barely registered the change, but the fur seemed to take forever.

“Three!”

With a yip, I called upon my wolf spirit and fell into the explosion of light that always signaled a successful shift. The second my paws hit dirt, I ran for everything I was worth. The world flashed by in a blur as I followed the two gray wolves in front of me, one of whom I recognized as Helina. Pup ran by my side, his shoulder brushing mine, keeping pace and growling with every step. I had no idea where Lanie and Sandman were, but I trusted him to take care of her. What he’d said about Rex was true—my brother would kill anyone who hurt his mate.
 

When we reached the top of the embankment, there was an awful roar, bringing me to a sliding stop. Just below me in the clearing, Gates stood and stared. It didn’t matter that I’d never seen his wolf form before; I would have known the look in those eyes anywhere. I would have felt the connection between us from across the globe.
 

Black as a night with no moon, lean muscle, and deadly confidence, he watched me with an intensity that made me whimper. Everything about him spoke of power and strength—the thickness of his neck, the deep curve of his shoulders, the roundness of his haunches. He was a wolf to respect, one who looked as if he could easily win any challenge thrown his way.
 

Without warning, a shaggy gray wolf sprang from the tree line, aiming for my mate. Gates pivoted, nearly too quick to see. Teeth bared and bodies tumbling, the two wolves wrestled amidst the brush. The air filled with the sounds of the fight—barks and yips, the breaking of branches and twigs, the thump of one or the other hitting the ground after being thrown off balance. The sight had my heart racing as I realized the danger my mate was in.
 

When blood bloomed along the bottom of Gates’ throat from a well-placed kick, I nearly lost control. My first instinct was to run into the fray, to save my mate. I took a step down the embankment, but Pup jumped in my way. I growled at him as he nipped in my direction, telling me to stay put. I stood my ground, my body shaking with the effort.

My mate was strong and fast. He dodged and lunged, staying one step ahead of the other wolf. The lucky shot to the neck was the only one the gray wolf accomplished, for not long after, Gates had the beast pinned with his jaws wrapped around the offender’s throat. Blood poured from the gray wolf, and the animal stilled on the ground, signaling an end to the fight.
 

A tiny whimper left my lips as I watched the nomad die. Gates looked my way at the sound. It was only a moment, a minor glance between two beings, but it was enough to strengthen my need to be by his side. The mating bond called to me, demanded I join my chosen one. But before I could run down the hill as I wanted, Pup once again stood in front of me, blocking my way. He used his body to push me over the hilltop, away from Gates, away from where I truly wanted to be.
 

I fought as he continued to herd me farther and farther from my mate. Biting, growling, shoving against him did nothing to alter his course, but I continued. It wasn’t until I heard someone call my name that I was able to think of anything other than racing down the hill to stand at my mate’s side.

“Kaija, you’re hurting him. Please stop!”

Lanie stood in front of me, Sandman wrapped partially around her to keep his body between hers and mine. As I growled at them, the metallic taste of blood registered on my tongue.

Oh no.

I shifted into my human form immediately, rushing to where Pup sat, also in human form. Blood trailed down the side of his face, and scratches littered his arms. All from my teeth and my claws.
 

“I am so sorry,” I whispered, reaching out to brush my fingers over one particularly bad mark. He jerked away and my heart fell. I hadn’t thought about whom I was fighting. I’d reacted to the need to get to my mate. I would have chewed through rock if I’d had to, but I hadn’t intended on hurting the shifter assigned to protect me.

“You okay, Pup?” Sandman asked.

Pup looked up, his cheeks darkening as his pale green eyes met mine. There was no anger there, only wariness and perhaps a tiny bit of something that looked like respect.
 

“I’m good, man. Nothing that won’t heal by tomorrow.” His eyes returned to mine, staring hard. “I think we underestimated you, princess.”
 

“Anyone have a cloak for her?” Sandman yelled.
 

Pup snorted. “Yeah, before Gates comes up here and kills us all.” He stood slowly, obviously in pain.
 

“I really am so—”

“Kaija!”

My head spun toward my father’s voice. He raced around a stand of trees to my left. I hurried into his arms, almost in tears from the stress and the fight and the relief and the mating. It was all so much.

“Daddy, I hurt him.”

“Hurt who, baby?” He pulled me into a tight hug. Someone placed a cloak around my shoulders, covering me. My father adjusted the fabric at my neck before grabbing me by the shoulders to look me in the eye.

“Are you okay? Who’s hurt?”

“Pup. Gates needed me.” I was shaking at this point, my knees positively weak from the emotional strain of the past few hours. “He was in danger. I was afraid I’d lose my mate before I even got a chance to know him.”

“Your mate?” My father’s eyes widened. “You’re mated to one of the bastards that took you?” He roared in his fury.

“No, Daddy. Not one of them. The shifter, Gates. He came to rescue us.”

“Gates?” He looked over to Sandman. “Which one is Gates? Please don’t tell me it’s that sniveling little fucker you brought with you.”

Sandman grinned as he brought Lanie toward us. “Gates is the dark-haired man who came in with me; he’s the Sergeant-at-Arms for the Feral Breed Great Lakes den. He’s a good man, honorable and upstanding. He’ll be a strong and loyal mate for your daughter.”

“Yes, I think I remember.” His forehead furrowed as he watched me, though what he was waiting for, I couldn’t have guessed.

A howl went up from behind us, breaking the relative silence. Everyone tensed until two loud yelps followed.

“Let’s go.” My father grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the howl, away from Gates.

“Wait! What about—”

“That was the signal to fall back to the house. Two yelps means success, so your mate should be fine. But there could be more nomads in these woods, and I don’t want to take any chances. The Breed members will stay and search out any stragglers.” He looked over my shoulder as one of my older brothers raced up the hill. “Bernte, take Lanie. We’ll need to let Rex know she made it out before he claws a hole in the earth searching for her.”

“I already sent the message with Kasen.” His eyes met mine for a moment before hurrying over to give me a hug. “Don’t ever do that to me again, little sister.”

I pressed my face into his cloak, taking comfort from his familiar smell. “Okay.”

He pulled back and held me at arm’s length for a moment, inspecting me. When I had passed whatever set of criteria he was looking for, he nodded and switched his attention to Lanie.

“I’m sorry we failed you, sister.”

Lanie’s eyes grew huge as she stared at my brother. She swallowed before replying, “It wasn’t your fault.”

Helina joined the two in a quiet conversation, her hand never leaving Lanie’s arm. My poor sister was about to be the most protected pack member ever to walk Valkoisus land. I hoped Rex could handle all the extra attention on her.

Hearing what sounded like another fight breaking out across the clearing, I searched out Sandman. The thought of Gates being injured made my stomach turn. I needed to know he wouldn’t be alone. Before I could even ask Sandman to watch out for my mate, he grabbed my hand and looked me in the eyes.

“I’ll find him right away. And once we rid the world of these nomad cowards, I’ll bring him to you.”

“You’ll make sure he comes home?” I asked, my voice shaking. Sandman’s eyes tightened, a frown cutting across his face before his expression went blank.

“No wolf gets left behind in our club. I’ll make sure he’s okay and bring him…to your pack.”

“Fuck me.”

“Pretty sure you should be saying that to the pretty, white wolf, my brother. Not to me.”

I rolled my eyes at Sandman as I reached around to check the damage on my shoulder. The shaggy wolf had gotten a lucky break when he caught me staring after my mate. I shouldn’t have allowed the distraction, but her snow-white coat and the way she ran so gracefully had caught my attention. Plus, as much as I loved my Breed brothers and trusted them, she was my mate. There was a deep need within me to take care of her. I’d followed the group far enough to keep her in my sights, and the fucker had caught me looking. It was a lucky break. Still, he wasn’t lucky enough to keep breathing once I was done with him.

“All the boys check in?” I asked as Sandman walked up behind me. I hissed as his rough fingers prodded my broken flesh, but I didn’t move away. Pain was good; pain meant healing.
 

“You’d have to ask Magnus since he appointed himself point person on this mission.”

“I’m really getting sick of that little fucker.” I winced as he hit a particularly painful spot.

“Hmm, he got ya good.” Sandman came around to stand in front of me. “C’mon man, let’s go find the guys and get you cleaned up so you can spend a little quality time with your new mate. Forget about den bullshit for a while.”

I grinned. It was automatic and unstoppable as thoughts of my mate swirled in my head. I was going to look a bit deranged when we finally joined back up with our team, but I didn’t care. This day was supposed to be about battle, about bravery and vengeance and damage done. My mate had turned the purpose of the day around at first glance. Through the pain and the dirt and the death, I had found something utterly precious and made of joy.

“I don’t even know her name yet.”

Sandman smirked. “I do.”

He tossed me the clothes I’d quietly taken off in the mine entrance. Watching my mate strip for the first time had damn-near been a religious experience. All that pale skin, all those soft curves. I’d barely been able to hold myself back from taking her right there on the dirty, rocky floor. I wanted to hurry through cleanup so I could come to her. I would need to prostrate myself before her father to show my respect, but hopefully he wouldn’t make us court too long before we could begin our Rites of Klunzad. Three days alone with a woman who had a body like hers? Sounded like heaven to an old iron-horse rider like me.