Moonsong (25 page)

She was so tired...

"You shouldn't have lied to me, Millie,” Chase taunted, shaking his head. "You shouldn't have betrayed me; now I have to end it. For your own good.” Slowly, he pushed her under with the stick, somehow able to hold her down under the water.

Slipping under the water, Millie thrashed; her lungs burning for air, but wasn't able to gain any purchase in the deep river. Panic seized her, desperately trying to push away from the stick that held her down, catching her hair in its branches, scratching her cheek.

Cutter’s voice called out to her from under water. Struggling to turn, Amelia saw him beckoning to her from impossibly deep below. He smiled, stretching his arms out to her, not at all distressed at her predicament.

And that's when she understood.

If she wanted to, Millie could go to him, be safe with him under the water and Chase couldn't touch her. But she could never go back to the surface again.

* * *

Cutter woke just moments before the polite knock came at the front door and he immediately sensed the danger of the situation. “Get dressed,” he spoke low and urgent at Amelia’s ear, nudging her gently as he disentangled himself from the bedding and pulled on his jeans.

“What is it?” Torn from dreams, Millie blinked in the dim light, moving a little sluggishly but responding to the urgency in his voice. Sitting up, she drew the bedspread protectively around herself.

“They’re here,” he said shortly, the unmistakable presence of not one but several of his kind surrounding the cabin reaching his heightened senses.
Damn it, he should have known she’d never let Amelia go so easily…

Amelia scrambled out of the bed in search of her clothes as another knock came, that one sounding a little more insistent. “Shit…” she tripped over her shoes, knocking her elbow against the stone mantle hard enough to sting painfully.

“Take your clothes and get into the bedroom, don’t come out unless I call for you,” Cutter ordered, not bothering with his shirt or shoes. He stood barring the front door, wanting to buy her enough time to get dressed before all hell broke loose. Because there was no way he was going to let her go without a fight. Millie nodded, scooping up her clothes and disappearing behind the dubious safety of the bedroom door.

Cutter hesitated as long as he dared before opening the door, filling the space so no one could easily slip past him. “It’s a bit early for visitors, even family,” he observed sourly, eyes flicking to the two men flanking Adele and the two more by his SUV and then back again.

“We haven’t been family for a long, long time,” Adele sneered.

“No, but you are to her. Think about what you’re doing to her by this, Adele. Can’t you respect that she doesn’t want the same things you do and let it go at that? Is this really worth destroying your relationship with your one living descendant?” Appealing to her sense of family was all he could think of, though he didn’t really expect it to work; her sense of ambition was too great.

“She’s a foolish girl; she doesn’t know what she wants. But I’m prepared to make you a generous offer,” she replied evenly, the hint of a smile playing at her lips.

“You can keep your bloodmoney; I’m not giving her up,” he spat out in disgust but Adele merely arched a single brow.

“What if I offer you the chance to win her with my blessing and more?”

“I’ve already won her, but keep talking.” Ready to take anything she said with a big grain of salt, he was prepared to hear her out; anything to try and smooth things over and make it easier on Amelia.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

It felt like chewing rocks to force himself to say the words, “Please, come in… but just you. You can leave your muscle outside,” he gestured to the men who must be members of the pack, but he didn’t recognize them.

Adele held her hand up in a signal to her companions, giving a brisk nod before sailing forth into the cabin. “At least it’s cleaner than last time,” she muttered irritably, taking a seat at the table. Ignoring the jibe, he simply took a seat opposite Adele and waited to hear what she had to offer.

“I’ve had some time to mull over this… predicament,” she began. “I don’t want to lose my granddaughter over this, though I believe she is acting rashly. What I propose is this; whoever succeeds in winning the rites of succession shall claim her as his mate.”

“I’ve already claimed her as my mate,” he said flatly, Cutter saw no reason to compete for what he’d already won.

“You might have taken her to your bed, but that hardly qualifies as a true mating, blessed by the Gods and celebrated by the pack,” Adele pointed out.

“Because I don’t want to alienate Amelie and my great grandchildren,” Adele sighed, “and I’m getting old. I can’t maintain my hold over the pack forever; it’s time I stepped down.”

“You mean you think Chase will beat me during the rites of succession and you’ll have everything you want.”

“As the Gods will it, so let it be done.”

“And if I win, then you’ll accept me as the next Alpha; give Amelia your blessing for our union?” Somehow he couldn’t allow himself to believe such a thing.

“If you win, then you are the chosen for Amelie; that is the only way I will accept you as her mate. If you win, then I will allow the dissolution of your first mating so that you may properly claim her as your true mate,” she replied evenly and Millie poked her head out of the bedroom.

“Just what are these rites of succession?”

“Amelia…” Cutter gave her a pained look when she disobeyed his order.

“What? I can’t be involved in this discussion? Seems like I should have some say, doesn’t it?” she protested, coming to join them at the table. Since there were no other chairs, she insinuated herself into Cutter’s lap and his arms settled possessively around her. “So, about the rites of succession? What are we talking about here?”

“It’s a series of trials to determine the next Alpha if there is more than one candidate. The first is a hunt; whoever brings the most impressive sacrifice for the Gods is chosen as the winner. The second is a race; a test of speed, endurance and agility. The third trial is a fight within the sacred circle,” Cutter explained, his eyes still on Adele to see if she would contradict him on any of the points or make any alterations to the tradition.

“Okay, what you’re proposing is whoever wins overall winds up winning the whole shebang, me included?”

“
Oui
, the whole… shebang,” Adele replied.

“And you’ll accept Cutter and leave us alone?”

“You would both be welcomed into the pack and Cutter would assume responsibility as Alpha, it would hardly be the same as leaving you alone.”

Cutter was silent for long moments, considering. “Yeah, it’s what she groomed me to be, like she’s done for Chase now. I was devastated when she took that away from me, all over my choice in a mate. Maybe it’s fitting now if I win it back all over my choice in my true mate,” a faint smile tugged at his lips but a note of worry crept into her voice.

“Can you beat him?”

“He’s younger, probably a little faster, more agile than I am now. But I’m stronger and I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve yet, experience does have its privileges after all. I’m pretty sure I can take him,” he answered honestly.

“I say we do it. I mean we don’t have anything to lose really,” Millie decided impulsively, but Cutter wasn’t as willing to make a snap decision when all of their lives hung in the balance.

“I said I was pretty sure I can take him, what if he beats me? Can you really live with Chase as your mate? Because that’s what you’re agreeing to if I fail,” he searched her face.

“I think we give it our best shot. If you don’t win… well, then we won’t stick around for the consequences.”

She didn’t grasp the full import of what his loss would mean and Cutter shook his head. “Amelia if I don’t win, odds are they won’t allow me to live,” he said gently. The fights weren’t always to the death, but even if he wasn’t killed in a fair fight, Cutter had no illusions that Adele would allow him to live to try and steal her away again.

“Then we’re not doing it, it’s not worth it,” her forehead puckered in distress. “Who needs their blessing anyway? There’s no way I’ll risk losing you.”

Cutter closed his eyes, there it was, the chance to gain his redemption; recapture the future that had been meant for him. With his true mate by his side, how could he pass up such an offer? Damn Adele for knowing he wouldn’t be able to refuse. “It’s the only way,” he said softly but firmly. Pressing a kiss into her hair, he stood, pushing her gently to her feet.

“No, it’s not the only way. Cutter I know you like it here, but we don’t have to stay. We can go away, somewhere they’ll never find us.”

“A place like that doesn’t exist Amelia; we’re trackers, that’s what we do. How do you think our kind found your family?”

“There’s too much at stake. I don’t want to lose you and I sure as hell don’t want to be stuck with Chase,” her nose wrinkled with distaste and he resisted the urge to kiss it, moving to the front door. Adele stood a short distance away, flanked by the four men he’d seen earlier. His head cocked to one side and he could distinctly pick out the scent of at least two more out there somewhere.

“Amelia, do you really think they’re giving us a choice?”

Millie stared out at them and then back to Cutter. “If we could get to the car…”

A shake of the head was given. “They’d be on us two feet from the door if I stay in this form. Amelia look at me,” he lifted her chin, hating to see her in such distress. “If you want to run we’ll run. But the odds are seven to one right now, and I can’t beat those odds. I’ll go down fighting for you and I’ll take a couple of them out with me, but I stand a much better chance against Chase in a fair fight in front of witnesses. Do you understand?”

Tears welled in her eyes, but she nodded mutely.

“It’s gonna be alright, darlin’,” he soothed, drawing her to his side with a comforting arm. “It’s the only way.” Walking them out into the early morning light, he paused several feet from Adele and her entourage. “Fine, when?”

Cutter’s hold tightened around his woman. “You’re not taking her from me.” It might be their final week together if things should go badly, though he resolutely pushed such negativity from his mind.

“She’ll come to stay with us until the winner is determined,” Adele insisted, her tone brooking no argument. “You have my word, she will come to no harm, but I cannot allow her to stay with you. Amelie must go through the rite of purification before she is mated since you have despoiled her,” her face tightened into a scowl.

“She won’t need the rite of purification since I’ll be the one claiming her,” Cutter replied confidently.

“
She
won’t be going anywhere with you,” Amelia piped up with a disgruntled pout, obviously none too pleased about any decisions being made on her behalf and Cutter hid a smile behind a cough.

“These are part of the terms of our agreement and they are non-negotiable,” Adele stood firm. “In exchange, you may come to see her as often as you like, as long as you comport yourself accordingly.”

No sex.
He read her loud and clear, she was worried about Amelia conceiving before she might be mated to Chase. The thought came to Cutter that she might already be carrying his child, since they hadn’t been at all concerned with prevention the night before.

Amelia threw Cutter a worried glance. “You’ll really let him come and see me whenever he wants?’

“I’ve given my word, that should be enough for you,” Adele drew herself up to her full height. “We must leave now, there is much to prepare. Say your farewells and let us be off.” Without waiting for a response, she strode off to her car; the four escorts remained behind though, waiting to bring Amelia in tow.

“You’ll come and see me?”

As if he could read her thoughts, Cutter pulled Millie close, stroking her back soothingly as he took his own comfort in her sweet scent. “It’ll be alright, I promise,” he murmured by her ear. “I’ll be there before you know it; I just need to take care of a few things myself.”

Nodding, Amelia pulled away. “Love you,” she gave him a broken smile as she stepped away.

“Me too.” Cutter stood watching until she slipped inside the sedan, Adele’s entourage somehow cramming inside the vehicle, save the two that had been poking around on the other side of the property. Those two simply melted into the forest, opting to leave on foot. “Me too,” he repeated as the dark sedan drove away, finally heading into his cabin to finish dressing and set some things in motion.