No Remorse (17 page)

Blake couldn’t help but smile and Jonas frowned at him. He quickly hid the smile.
What do you suggest?
He was open to anyone’s suggestions at this point.

First, come and eat something, then I will tell you what I’m thinking.

“Eat something? What if I just want to eat you?”
Blake replied in a low, rough, sexy voice as he pushed mental pictures to her of what he would like to be doing. There was something about her that just made him think of raw, hot sex all the time.

We’ll have time for that later,
Amber promised and laughed out loud, then blushed when the women looked at her, a few knowingly.

Blake turned to Jonas, “It’s been a long day and we need nourishment. The women have made us a meal, so let’s grab something to eat; then we’ll discuss a plan.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

T
he kitchen filled up quickly after Blake sent word to his pack that food was on the table. Amber stayed out of the path of the hungry men when they began piling into the large room. There appeared to be even more people than there were out in the yard. She counted at least forty people that had already gone through the line, but lost count the moment he walked in. Her senses began tingling, heat running through her veins. Her wolf nudged her to take notice when Blake spotted her by the counter in the corner. Amber watched his graceful movements while he made his way through the crowd, filling two plates to almost overflowing with food. She wondered how he could see what he was doing since his eyes never left her face.

Blake’s caramel eyes softened, looking into her chocolate brown ones, he swore every time he looked at her the yellow specks in her eyes glowed at him. The noise of the crowd was gone. They were in their own little world, with each step he drew closer to her. Sitting the plates on the counter, Blake placed one hand on the wall beside her head and one on her waist, pulling her towards him.

“Hi, sexy,” he murmured his lips brushing her.

The touch of his lips on hers set her heart to thrumming in her chest, warmth slipping through her body, his hardening immediately when her fingers glided up his chest. Looking into his eyes, a knowing smile curved on her beautiful mouth. Blake’s head descended towards hers again, before his lips melded to hers once again, Amber grabbed a chunk of meat off the plate and stuck it into his mouth.

He laughed, taking the bite, slightly snagging her finger in the process. Laughing together they lounged against the countertop, feeding each other from the plates as the crowd moved noisily through the kitchen.

Now that the threat to the pack had been eliminated and the grounds were secured, the men were more relaxed. Their pack was no longer in danger; they could deal with the humans issues later.

As the atmosphere became more playful, some of the younger members began picking at one other, pushing and shoving to get through the line again, to be the first for a second.

Amber didn’t even see him move, but Blake was in front of her suddenly, stopping the boy from falling into her. Pulling the teenager up by the collar, the boy’s older brother looked on with worry seeing Blake glaring at them.

“You hurt my mate with your stupidity and it will be the last thing you do,” Blake nearly roared, his temper flaring quickly. His wolf was very protective and would not allow anything to harm her.

Amber immediately stepped forward and placed her hand on his arm, pushing warmth into Blake to calm his wolf. “Blake.” She said aloud to pull his attention from the boy, but to his mind
I am far from delicate. Someone bumping into me is not going to hurt me. I will show you later how rough we can be.

Blake had to remain still for a moment when the images she projected sent him and his wolf senses into overdrive. At her touch, his wolf had stilled. Releasing the boy’s collar, Blake slowly eased him from the tips of his toes. “Outside if you want to rough house,” he growled, stepping back and away from the boy.

The room had gone still at Blake’s roar; it was so quiet that they all felt the kid breathe a sigh of relief. From the other side of the room everyone heard “Whipped,” from one of the other teenage boys. His buddies snickered until they realized all eyes in the room had turned on them. All his friends began backing away from the boy who had muttered the word. The tall gangly boy was left standing alone in the middle of the crowded room, all eyes on him.

Blake and Amber both looked at the boy with their eyebrows arched. The boy’s father reached over and smacked him hard on the shoulder, eliciting an “Owe!” and he grabbed his arm from the sudden pain.

“Apologize to the lady!” The father commanded.

The boy stared wide-eyed at his dad, his mouth hanging open, quickly scanning the crowd for support. When he received none the boy walked towards Blake and Amber with fear evident on his face. He stopped in front of Amber with his head hung low. “I’m sorry, ma’am,” he said, loud enough for them to hear and dared to cut his eyes to look at Amber then up into the stormy eyes of the pack leader. “Sorry sir.”

Blake let the boy suffer from his embarrassment for a long tense moment then said “Jeremy, when you find your own mate someday, we can discuss the idea of being whipped, as you call it.” Blake smiled slowly, then lifted his arm and placed it around Amber’s waist, pulling her to him.

“Yes sir.” Jeremy responded with a hesitant smile glancing back at Amber. “I am sorry, ma’am.”

“No harm done. Let’s finish eating, I’m still starving,” Amber said with a bright smile and urged Blake back to where their almost empty plates sat on the counter.

Crisis averted, they enjoyed the rest of the meal with no more mishaps.

After the kitchen was cleaned, the younger generation gathered around outside to play games while Blake, Amber, Marcello, Jonas and a few other pack members headed back into the study. It was time for them to discuss the plan to get Zach’s wife and son away from the Bloodsworth unharmed.

They no more had the study door closed before the door burst open again.

“Blake, I think that bastard Bloodsworth has my son!” Charles stalked into the room, his chest heaving with unreleased anger.

“How did this happen?” Blake asked, crossing his arms across his chest. Turning he walked agitatedly to the window, staring out into the forest. So much had happened in the short span of time that he was ready to burst with his frustration. Blake’s wolf pushed to be released. He wanted to take Amber and run through the trees beyond the house, to disappear for a while.

“Austin was spending the night with Zach’s son. Mandy said he never came home and there‘s no answer when she tried calling.”

Blake swore loudly and turned back to the room. Everyone stood staring, as if waiting for answers, and he had none.

Stalking out the study door, Blake headed down the hallway with everyone following closely behind. His long strides took him quickly to where Zach lay recovering on the twin size bed. The medication that Seriana had used to put him to sleep was slowly wearing off and he groggily lifted his head when the entourage entered.

Jonas went to his side “You okay?” he asked while examining Zach’s bandaged hand.

Zach lifted his head, nodding, struggling to focus his eyes on the men who gathered around his bed. His eyes focused on Charles standing there glaring at him. “Not good!” he mumbled allowing his head to sink wearily back into the pillow.

Blake towered over the bed with an exasperated look on his face. “Did you forget to tell me that Charles’ son was with your family or did you conveniently leave that out?”

Zach shook his head wetting his dry lips. “No, man, honestly, I thought the boy had already gone home. Charles, I completely forgot he had even spent the night until I saw you. We have to go get them!” He struggled weakly to sit up and Jonas pushed his brothers back to the bed with no effort.

“We’re working on it now,” Blake told him turning away and everyone once again followed him silently back to the study. Blake paced in front of the fireplace. His hand running agitatedly through is hair. “Now he has one of our own,” he said out aloud, really unnecessarily.

Blake, I can help if you will let me.
Amber pushed into his mind.

He stopped and stared at her a moment. Apparently, she had learned to block her thoughts on her own, since he couldn’t read her at all. His mental probes were on the edge of the wall she had quickly formed. He shook his head, not liking her shutting him out so easily.

Charles knew that his leader and his mate were communicating with each other by the glances they were sharing. He didn't like not knowing what was going on, since his flesh and blood was involved. His fists clenched tightly to his side.

“Blake, this is bullshit and you know it. That’s my son he has and I want to know what the pack plans on doing to get him back. We are supposed to be safe here.” Rightly so, Charles was frustrated and angry.

Blake completely understood. “Charles, you're right, our family members should be safe on our lands and, I assure you, that we will do what we can to bring your boy home to you,” Blake said out loud, but to the pack members in the room, especially for Charles’ benefit
Bloodsworth has made this pack business now that he has one of us as a hostage. We have to protect the humans, but we have to make sure the cub is not harmed in the process.

“We just need to go kick their asses,” Adam said from the doorway. His face still battered, but the swelling was gone and the bruises were fading fast.

Amber frowned, looking from him to Blake. They had both healed faster than they should have. She felt Blake at the edge of her mind and knew that he was reading her thought.
I didn’t think in human form werewolves could heal themselves like that. In fact, your arm should still have been in bad shape when you came to see me.

Seriana is a healer with special abilities. I will have to explain that one later,
he responded to her. Then to Adam he said, “You know they have the same capabilities we do. We can’t just go storming in there. People will get hurt.”

Amber looked from the pack members to the human among them and wondered just what the relationship was here. Her mother had taught her that they must keep their secret to themselves. It had been ingrained in her from the beginning that humans could not be trusted, that they would hunt them down and kill them because they were afraid of what they didn’t know. Yet they allowed Jonas to be a part of the pack ritual of changing a human into a werewolf mate, and Seriana, a healer? As in doctor, voodoo magic, or something like that?

Honey, things are not like they used to be when your mother was growing up. We can trust; we just have to know who to trust. This human knows us and is safe. Seriana is different, and no, she’s not werewolf and not fully human.
Blake spoke softly into her mind.
We have a lot to talk about and I promise, baby, I will tell you everything you want to know.
Blake pulled her back against him while they both looked out at the men watching them. Amber felt a little strange being affectionate in front of their curious stares, but remained wrapped in Blake’s arms. Apparently Blake had no issues with public displays of affection.

Blake laughed in her mind, reminding her of her “affection” on the porch and tensed his stomach muscles to receive the elbow she shoved into his side.

Amber took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She had figured a way to help. With Blake still touching her mind, she quickly allowed him to see the plan she had formulated. Also allowing him to know some of the abilities she had kept hidden.

Blake was surprised at how well she had thought things through so quickly.
Only if you are comfortable with this,
he told her, understanding that she would be allowing others to know more about her than she would normally allow. He was anxious to see the abilities she alluded to.

She thought briefly then looked over her shoulder and nodded.
If I am to be part of ‘our’ pack, then I need to really be part of the pack. And remember, I just learned how to do this last week. With the human here, is it safe for me to discuss the plan freely? For him to see what I can do?

At Blake's nod, Amber began.

“I can go in and get them out,” Amber informed the group while they waited patiently for her to explain.

Adam hobbled further into the room and slid gently to the leather couch with a moan, he clutched his side. Sending Amber a thumb’s up when she gave him a worried look.

Amber thought to herself, that she wished she had gotten to know him a little better when he had first come to the shelter. She had left only weeks after he had arrived. Amber suddenly realized that she had been too wrapped up in her own misery to give anyone a chance to get to know her, other than Blake. Even though she had just met Adam again, for some reason she was beginning to trust him, even to like him.

Just don’t start liking him too much.
Blake squeezed her shoulders and she smiled.

“Not a chance,” she responded to him out loud, leaning her head back against his chest. She addressed the men in front of her. It seemed the room was filled with a lot of people. It was almost overwhelming.

“I have the ability to suppress my scent.” She wanted to laugh at the men, watching their brows draw together and begin sniffing the air in her direction.