Bite, My Love (6 page)

I have
loads of answers, but can I open my mouth to utter even one? I’m
still on lockdown.

Aaron swears, and grabs my arm to drag me away from the house
back into the trees. After a minute of his brisk, no-nonsense pace,
he lets go and gets in my face. “You reek of one of
them
and
sex.”

“
There was no sex,” I mutter, staring at nothing, wondering
why there was no sex. I’d heard stories of mates going into a
mating frenzy when they found each other.

The
Vampire hadn’t seemed all that frenzied.

Has my
wolf had latched onto a creature lacking the ability or desire to
bond and care like I can?

Mating’s
don’t always end in love, but most do see the couples well matched
and happy.

Aaron
claps his hands in front of my face. “Never thought I’d see the day
when I’d have to force words from you. Explain or I’m getting our
Beta.”

That
yanks me out of it. My head snaps up at the thought of the over
muscled wolf bearing down on me.

Right now
Aaron is about as much as I can take.

“
I found one. A Vampire. Um, you know the hunting grounds to
the West where I like to run? A few miles from the boundary line.”
My lips tremble at the confession. Good for the soul, I’ve been
told. My knees wobble as adrenaline gushes through me, delayed from
the confession that tumbled from Daniel’s mouth. “Damn it, Aaron. I
was bringing him here then I changed my mind. I–I was going to …
hide him,” I confess.

Aaron is
too clever to try and lie to. He’ll want to know how I got away
alive and unscathed from a being so much more powerful.

The truth
is my only option.

“
Jesus fucking Christ. Are you out of your mind? Do you have
any idea what’ll happen to you if Sy finds out? Let alone our
Alpha.”

“
I don’t know what I’m doing.” I drag my hands through my
hair. “I couldn’t think straight around him. It’s so strange but
he’s different.”

“
I know you’re sympathetic toward them but to even consider
betraying the Pack like this is insane.” He exhales. “But you’re
here. You came home. That’s what’s important. Your father is in the
back concluding the bonding ceremony. We can go and get this sorted
as soon as he’s finished.”

And my
life will remain the same.

Sy will
keep hounding me to mate him. One day I’ll break and give in. I’ll
be trapped. Forever. This stifling existence will consume me until
I’m nothing more than a robot like the older females of the Pack,
women who used to be strong, but are worn out by the never-ending
dominance from their mates.

The scene
plays out in my mind; Daddy’s reaction. Disbelief. Anger then
acceptance, which would turn to cold-hearted purpose. He and his
wolves would strip, shift and tear out into the hunting grounds to
hunt down Vampire who dared to breach the Lycan borders. They’d
pick up on my scent and realise how intimately it mingles with his.
Lord save us all if they sniff around and discover the spot Daniel
pinned me, and smell my arousal. They’d track him down. If the sun
has risen they’d dig until….

“
This is wrong,” I whisper. “I can’t. I won’t do this when I
know what he means to my wolf.”

Aaron
frowns. “What are you talking about, Harmony?”

“
The idea of Daddy and the Enforcers surrounding Daniel makes
me sick.”

“
I know. They’ll be fine, I promise. He’ll send enough to take
the Vampire down. Hopefully, the sun will have risen before they
find him and the sun will do most of the work.”

Aaron
turns decisively, and I catch the sleeve of his shirt.

“
Wait. I can’t.” Can’t he read the pain in my eyes? “I don’t
want him hurt. I shouldn’t have come back. I have to
go.”

Aaron
stares at me until it clicks. His nostrils flare and be begins
sniffing me. He grabs my arms and runs his nose down my neck. He
bristles when he comes to the spot Daniel licked, and continues
down my chest, following Daniel’s scent to all the places touched.
When he reaches the spot between my legs I remember. The scent of
Daniel is all over me.

Pushing
at his head, I twist myself away.

Aaron is left crouched, growling. His eyes glow. “Tell me my
nose is wrong. Tell me– Shit.” He stands. “Shit, shit,
shit
.” He locks his arms
behind his head and paces. “What were you doing out there anyway?
You were supposed to be getting ready?”

“
I needed some space.”

“
I covered for you. When I found you gone, I told our Alpha
you were in your room sulking.”

“
I
was
in my
room.” I scratch my head guiltily. “At first. I didn’t plan this, I
swear.” I wrap my arms around myself, holding the mess in. “I found
him there and things just happened.”

“
You’re giving off the mating scent. Did you know
that?”

I nod
nervously. “It wasn’t my decision. She’s chosen him.”

Aaron splays his fingers out and exhales slowly. “Listen to
me, very carefully. You can ignore the potential if you choose. So
can the.…” He chokes on the word Vampire. “So can
it
. The connection goes
both ways.” He rubs his chest. “You have to fight this Harmony,
because if you accept the wolf’s compulsion that’s it. You’ll find
it harder and harder not to see him as your true mate. There’s no
coming back from that.”

My heart
sinks. It sits like a ball of lead in my stomach. The truth is,
I’ve accepted what my wolf wants.

“
I have to go,” I repeat, since Aaron seems to have forgotten
that part.

His eyes close briefly, not bothering to hide his grief and
disgust. “Sy is going to lose his mind. Why did you embrace it? You
know I
have
to
tell your father, and if your Vampire is still on the hunting
grounds at dawn he’ll order us to find him.”

The
visual of the wolves sniffing out Daniel’s resting place and
dragging him into the sunlight – the Vampire combusting into
flames and burning to death – has vomit burning the back of my
throat and my wolf pressing me to go find him, to keep him
safe.

Swallowing bitter saliva, I grab the Enforcer in terror. “No.
I just need to get him off the hunting grounds and back where he
belongs.” I beg him with my eyes. “Aaron,
please
. Please don’t say
anything.”

He
touches my cheek like he always did when I was a pup. The contact
is fleeting.

Goodbye.

He turns his head and steps away. “Tonight is your sister’s
bonding. I won’t ruin that. I’ll try to give you as much time as I
can. I should be able to resist any questions until dawn.” His jaw
clenches and he shakes his head. “You have a couple of hours to get
that
thing
the
hell off Pack land.”

CHAPTER FIVE

Saying
I’m running back to where I’d left the Vampire would be an
understatement. My plan is ill thought and spur of the moment, but
I have no time to waste. I have nothing. All my meagre belongings
got left behind. I can’t risk going into the house and being caught
by Daddy, and Aaron might be able to avoid the Alpha for a couple
of hours before he realises I’m missing and seek answers. The
Enforcer won’t be able to lie to them for long, and they’d smell me
on him. It’ll be my ass if they catch me before I reach
him.

It can’t
be long since I left Daniel, but time is running out. Following my
own scent trail back to where I’ve left him is a good plan. I
figure I’ll pick up on his when my own scent fades, and he couldn’t
have gotten too far.

I almost
run over him passing the area we’d parted.

Leonine
and magnetic, watching, waiting, Daniel stands where I left
him.

Chest
heaving, I stare at him. Dumbfounded. “You stayed.” My fingers grab
at each other behind my back to stop from digging into his face to
be sure. He’s not a mirage conjured by my fevered brain.

The
relief he’s safe has my legs trembling.

I tuck my
hair behind my ears to give me something to do other than a running
jump into his arms.

He
doesn’t look the type to catch me if I did that.

Lines
furrow Daniel’s brow, and he peers around. Fresh dirt smears his
front. At his feet is a burrow he’s dug in the ground to rest
during the day. “Where else should I have gone?” He must understand
why I stayed before now. Trust. The innate trust that comes with
finding your mate.

Ignoring
his sarcastic response, I glance cagily at what would have been his
final resting place. I press my eyes closed at the grisly vision of
him being dragged out into the sunlight by snarling
Lycans.

“
We don’t have time to draw this out so I’ll just get on and
say it.” I lift my gaze to his. “I shouldn’t have left like that.
I– I wasn’t able to–”

“
Forgive?”

“
No.” I swing my head side to side vehemently. “Cope. I wasn’t
able to cope with it. Now I’ve been away from you I’m clearer on
what I want.”

I rub my
throat thinking it feels like nails are being hammered
there.

Why has
he not asked me for forgiveness for taking Sean’s life? Is he so
arrogant he feels I don’t deserve some explanation or apology?
Maybe he doesn’t have the right words and is stressing over it
something fierce.

“
Ask
forgiveness and it’s yours. It’s your right as my mate to be given
a chance.”
I hold his gaze. “Things you’ve
done to earn my anger are now irrelevant. The past is done and I
can let it go if you can. I’ll never harm you, even if you deserve
it. You’re mine to protect now.”

“
Forgiveness?” Halting, unsure, he reaches to rub over my
heart. Light fingers burn a trial of fire over my skin. “Father,
forgive her. She knows not what she does.”

Startled
at the plea, I pull back to break the contact. He’s always
surprising me. “You mean–”

“
That to be with me means eternal damnation?” Daniel shrugs.
“Ja.”

I’m not
religious. I call the Lord’s name in vain out of habit, one I
embraced as a child to piss off my devout mother, but the idea of
willingly turning my back on a higher power is
frightening.

“
You are right to be afraid.” The Vampire senses my
hesitation. My heart rate climbs steadily under his palm again
pressed to my chest. “I died and was reborn. The Accuser holds my
soul and feeds upon it. I drink the souls of others to replenish
mine.” There’s a lengthy pause. His mouth opens to articulate
something then he simply says, “You came back.”

“
I– I had to choose. I don’t know why this has happened, but
the idea of you in harm upsets my wolf spirit.”

“
How can this be?” His questioning is internal. “Why would you
have returned knowing what I’ve done if you were truly not….” His
attention returns to me and his expression is bewildered.
“Mine.”

I
gasp.

The
simple word causes a gleeful explosion inside, one I can barely
stand. I lurch forward to crush my lips to his.

He
inhales on a rush his eyes pop open wide in shock.

Watching
him, I lick his bottom lip, coaxing him to open his mouth. My
fingers curl in the softness of his hair, and I luxuriate in the
feel of him surrounding me. My tongue laps at his mouth until his
lips part and it slides in to stroke his.

A feral
hiss rips from his throat in a low vibration. He pulls me in hard,
a persistent and unrelenting pressure that crushes the air from my
lungs moment by torturous moment.

And I
love it.

I’m left
grappling with the air as he hastily puts distance between our
bodies.

The back of his hand presses to his mouth, and the pained
expression creasing his face battles one of disbelief. Daniel
pushes a hand through his hair. Rubbing the back of his neck he
paces a circle, occasionally pausing to glare at me, mutter then
pace on.
There’s a deadly grace and feral
intent behind his controlled movement.

He’s
glorious. It’s the only word I can think of to describe
him.

I’ve seen
more handsome men. Sy, the Pack Beta is breathtakingly handsome,
but Daniel is special. His strongly cut chin and straight nose are
bold and prominently defined. Though his mouth is pulled into a
grim line right now, when it’s relaxed it compliments his face in
such a pleasant way.

Dark blonde hair is swept back from his highbrow again by an
agitated hand, and his eyebrows pull together in furious thought.
“This has never happened before. I am searching my memories and
there is
nothing
to suggest this has even been attempted.” He stops. “This is
unusual.”

“
You’re my true mate.” My voice is a croak, still shaken by
the intensity of emotion I felt when he called me his. “It’s
natural.”

The crazy
thing is my wolf has a choice. She could have chosen to mate with
Sy. The potential is there, and Sy’s been hounding for me months to
submit.