A Wolf's Duty (14 page)

Releasing Sean’s collar he
allowed him to slide back to the floor before he sat down beside
him on the cold and unyielding floor. “Then what exactly did you
want?”

“I wanted what was inside her.”
He closed his eyes and began to centre his mind, drowning out
Fred’s babble. “Fuck.”

“What’s going on Sean? What’s
inside her and what exactly is your problem now?”

“She’s gone Fred. The bitch has
up and left the bloody country.”

“How do you know?”

“I have a gift, like Natasha did
and I want Alex’s as well.”

“So you know what a freak my
slut of a wife was then?”

“Yes, I know about her
differences. I’d always known.”

“And apparently her daughter is
a freak as well. I suppose I should add you to that category as
well then.”

“Do whatever you want Fred,” he
sighed, mentally preparing himself for the chase he was about to
initiate to find Alex and take her powers from her.

“Hang on a minute, did you just
say she left the country?”

“Yeah, she’s leaving as we
speak.”

“You’ve got to be shitting me!”
he shrieked, the vein on his forehead throbbing as anger welled
within him.

“I kid you not, she’s gone.” He
spoke simply and calmly, patiently waiting for the wound in his
side to heal so he could leave.

“Do you know where she’s
going?”

“No, I have to wait until she
gets where she’s headed and then I’ll go find her.”

“And you’ll know exactly where
she is?”

“Yes, but why do you care?
You’ve never shown this much interest in her before.”

“She wasn’t worth two hundred
and fifty thousand pounds back then was she?”

Sean’s jaw dropped at Fred’s
claim. “Where did she get that kind of money?”

“The slut left it for her in her
will. I don’t know where she got it either. That kind of money
doesn’t just appear out of nowhere, I’m betting that she got it
from one of her lovers, the little whore.” He shrugged, “At least I
can benefit from her whoring ways now that she’s dead.”

“I don’t think that’s it
Fred.”

“Well then where do you think
she go it from?”

“I have a feeling her parents
left it to her.”

“She had that kind of family
money and no one told me?”

“I heard they disowned her when
she married you, apparently they didn’t approve of your
relationship. But she was their only child, I guess they decided to
give it all to her when they died, they were really rich fuckers;
it explains where the money came from. You never did meet them did
you?”

Shaking his head in response to
the question, Fred scowled as a realisation dawned upon him. “I
can’t get access to my money; she left it all to the brat! And now
she’s run away.”

Remembering the feeling of sharp
claws tearing into his flesh Sean shuddered. “She might not have
run away.”

“What are you talking about?
What else could have happened, I told her about the money this
morning and now she’s done a runner to keep it from me.”

“I was attacked Fred, something
jumped me from behind and did this to me.” He turned exposing the
scarred flesh. “Whatever it was might have taken her.”

“Why would someone take the
brat, she’s worthless.”

“Maybe for the same reason as
me, they want what’s inside her.”

“I’ve got to get her back, she
turns twenty one soon and then the money is mine.”

“I could help you find her Fred,
but only if I get to take what I want from her and when I do she
might not be one piece.”

Fred’s dark eyes glittered in
the dim lighting and he turned, extending a hand to his friend. “As
long as I get my money, I don’t care what happens to the bitch, I’m
done looking out for her.”

Sean grinned, taking Fred’s hand
and clasping it in his own. “So we have a deal then?”

“We have a deal Sean, as soon as
the bitch touches solid ground, you tell me where she is and we’ll
go and get her.”

*****

Staring silently out of
the car window, Alex watched as the landscape flew past,
resignation filling her with each mile that passed. Tall green
pines stretched for miles in every direction, their whispers firmly
relegated to a far corner of her mind.

From his seat
beside her, Tobias reached out to grasp her hand loosely within his
own. He smiled, pleased that she had not snatched it from
him.
She must be coming around now.
“We’re nearly there now sweetheart. We’re on my
family’s property now and we’ll be able to see the estate in a
minute.”

She sighed but otherwise
remained silent, swiftly killing his rising hope. She’d spoken to
him only once since he’d taken her from her home. The sole occasion
she had deigned to converse with him, she had told him that she
wouldn’t willingly get on the plane to the secluded part of North
America where he lived. A large grin had appeared on her face as
she informed him that airport staff would ask questions when she
inevitably kicked up a fuss and would send her home when she told
them that he was effectively kidnapping her. When he had calmly
told her that staff for a private plane at a private airstrip could
be paid well enough not to ask such awkward questions, she had
returned to being silent and hadn’t spoken to him since.

Turning back from the
driver’s seat, Sebastian felt his heart go out to his older cousin.
“You did the right thing Tobias, you know that right?”

Eying a
particularly nasty bruise on her forearm that had refused to heal
over the course of their two-day journey, he felt his conviction
return in a massive surge. “I know.” His eyes quickly found her
face, a frown forming when he caught a glimpse of her dazed
expression.
But it doesn’t make it any
easier to do.

The car soon
pulled up at the entrance of the estate and Alex felt her eyes
widen in shock at the size of the building.
Tobias lives here? If they added some bloody turrets this
place could qualify as a castle.
Turning to
look at him as he silently exited the car, her apprehension
doubled.
But how could I forget, he’s a
prince. He should be living in a castle, with a perfect
Princess.
“What am I doing here?” she
groaned quietly continuing to regard Tobias from behind the
relative safety of the glass.

Her door opened and she
found herself staring into Tobias’ stormy grey eyes and her heart
began to race from the intensity of his stark gaze. “Did you say
something Xandria?”

Choosing to ignore his
question she stepped out of the car, careful to avoid contact with
his large body. His body did strange things to hers without any
conscious effort on his part, if they touched her righteous
indignation might deflate and disperse into nothing.

“What do you think?” he
asked, inclining his head towards the grey brick building. The
estate stretched for seemingly miles both east and west and she had
a strong suspicion that it extended just as far around the back.
The three floors failed to surpass the surrounding forest, ensuring
that it remained well hidden from prying eyes. Again choosing to
respond with silence she continued to examine the building,
studiously avoiding eye contact with him.

“Tobias!” The booming
voice commanded attention and Alex felt herself unable to resist
its demands, her head quickly turning in the direction that the
voice came from. “What are you doing back so soon?” The tall man
burst from the estate doors, wrapping his arms around Tobias and
squeezing hard. The man’s entrance had apparently caused a chain
reaction and dozens of people rushed from the building trailing
behind a tall slender female with flaming red hair who was crossing
the distance between them with astonishing speed.

Instinctively
moving to hide in Tobias’ shadow she watched as he was embraced by
the fast and beautiful red head, anger and jealousy rising with
each second that the woman’s arms remained around him.
First that blond bitch, Lucinda, and now this?
What the hell? Does he have a harem or something? Why even bother
bringing me here if this is what I have to compete against? This
isn’t even a competition; this woman has won.
The pines in the distance rustled loudly reacting to her
distress and the whispers increased in volume, begging for
release.

Her arms finally left his
body and she took a step back grasping his hands tightly as her
eyes wandered across his frame, taking in each feature as though
she had not seen him in years. “I take it that you missed me,
mother,” Tobias chuckled, squeezing her delicate hands
reassuringly.

Mother!
There’s no way she’s his mother. It’s impossible, she doesn’t look
old enough. Then again she might not be all natural anymore,
surgery can do amazing things.
Her mind
calmed when she realised who the woman was and the whispers began
to die down. Staying in his shadow, she watched the interaction
between Tobias and his family.

“Of course I missed you,
it’s been so quiet here without you. Things are always better when
you’re here.”

Clutching his chest the
King groaned dramatically. “You wound me Yvonne, am I not enough?
My world has collapsed.”

“Stop being so dramatic
Thomas,” she chided playfully, releasing her son’s hands and
lightly slapping Thomas’ hand. “The world is still in one piece and
it probably won’t end for a while.”

The King’s smile widened,
beaming at his wife. “Sebastian told us you were back. We weren’t
expecting you so soon. And now that I come to think of it, where’s
Ryan? You rarely see Sebastian about the estate without
him.”

“Yes,” Yvonne inserted,
“when we last spoke you said you wouldn’t be back until the next
full moon. I take it your plan failed. And now you want to rest
before the chase?”

“No mother, my
plan went perfectly.”
A little too
perfectly. I wasn’t there to protect my mate when she needed
me.
“And I had to leave Ryan behind to
collect some things for me.”

“Then why are you back so
soon?” Thomas demanded, his brow creasing in confusion. “You should
be with your mate trying to get her to accept you.”

“There was an unforeseen
hiccup and I had to push forward my plan.” Reaching behind himself,
he grasped one of Alex’s quivering arms and pulled her forward
until she stood directly in front of him. “Mother, father, I’d like
you to meet my mate Alexandria. Xandria these are my parents, King
Thomas and Queen Yvonne.”

A moment of silence passed
before the queen squealed joyfully. “Tobias, this is your mate?”
Alex cringed at the question backing into Tobias for support.
“She’s beautiful.” Flushing under the unexpected compliment, Alex
began to wring her hands together drawing the queen’s attention to
her arms.

Yvonne gasped at the
visible bruising peaking the King’s interest. “Tobias,” he growled.
“Your mate is injured. What’s going on?”

“Alexandria, what
happened?” Yvonne asked, true concern evident in her
tone.

“Your son kidnapped me and
made me come here.”

“Is this true Tobias?”
Yvonne questioned gently.

“Yes, it is and I’d do it
again in an instant. I gave my mate my word that I wouldn’t hurt
her father and then she told me that he’d been abusing her for the
last two years after he’d driven her mother to suicide. I did what
was necessary to protect her and I won’t be ashamed of myself or my
actions.”

Clapping his son on the
back, the King grinned, his sharp canines now prominent, his warm
boisterous voice now devoid of any of its former mirth. “You did
the right thing bringing her here, you shouldn’t be
ashamed.”

“I know.”

Stepping away from Tobias’
body, Alex groaned. “I’m sorry but I think you might be
misunderstanding the situation. I just said that your son kidnapped
me, decided he was bringing me here and gave me no choice in the
matter.”

“I heard,” Thomas replied,
his calm demeanour in the face of her clear agitation, angering her
further.

“And you don’t think
there’s anything wrong with that?” she spluttered, her voice rising
in tandem with her agitation.

Lightly touching Alex’s
shoulder, Yvonne stepped in and began to defuse the tense
situation. “Alexandria, why don’t we head inside and you and I can
talk. There’s no use trying to reason with these two once they’ve
decided that they’re right about something, stubborn doesn’t even
begin to describe them,” she smiled whispering conspiratorially in
her ear as she guided her towards the large open doors.

Chapter
Thirteen

“Now Alex, why don’t you
tell me what happened?” Yvonne pressed.

Sitting in the queen’s
personal living room, Alex struggled to become accustomed to the
opulence of her surroundings. The simple walk down the hallway to
reach Yvonne's quarters was littered with amazing works of art,
each she suspected worth more than she could ever have hoped to
make in a lifetime, making her distinctly aware of her shabby state
of dress. Having refused to speak or acknowledge Tobias since they
had left, she was still wearing his oversized sweat pants and plain
t-shirt. The queen on the other hand was dressed in a long and
elegant light blue dress, reinforcing the stark differences in
their living styles. The queen’s room further highlighted the
differences between them, peach walls lined with expensive pieces
of artwork and thick cream carpet covering every inch of the
floor.