Connors Pursuit (Amber Woods Shifters) (5 page)

Luke could scent her anxiety and his wolf was pushing for answers.

“Going anywhere nice?”

Anna continued to busy herself with collecting toys, deliberately avoiding his questions.

“Anna?” he asked again.

“Oh just out with a colleague for dinner”

Instantly, Luke was on alert.

“As in a male colleague?” he snapped

He knew he was being a fuckin domineering jerk but he needed answers.

“Yes, he works in the maths department. He is kind of new to the area so I said I would show him around”

Luke had not even realised that he had moved forward until his hands stopped Anna’s from continuing on her task. Her beautiful sapphire eyes glanced once to his before her wolf dropped her head before the warrior.

“What’s his name?”

The words were clipped and came out as a low growl. He regretted the action straight away
as she stood sharply heading for the door.

“I don’t have to tell you everything about who
I see and where I go to Luke, that’s my business”

“Anna, you are mine, I will not allow any other male to have you” he snarled.

She turned her head sharply as her hand flung the door open.

“Well since you have made no move to claim me Warrior, I would say that leaves me free to do as I please”

The deafening sound of the door slamming shook through his head. Shit, maybe he had screwed this up and waited too long. He only wanted to do things right, instead of rushing head long in like he used to, thinking with his dick instead of his brain. Growling he stormed after her but as he looked around the central green she was nowhere to be seen. Tristan was coming back from patrol.

“Hey, Marcus said you could use some help”

Focusing on the head enforcer he let his wolf retreat, there would be time later to finish his conversation with Anna.

“Any help would be appreciated, thought I would start with some databases over the wolf community then take it from there
”

“Good plan, come on we can split the workload and get the job done quicker”

Luke was really starting to like living and working at amber woods. He had been given the position of head of security whilst Connor was away, right now he was grateful for that. One, it meant he spent more time seeing Anna and two he kept his wolf happy doing what it did best. As a combat warrior he had also been giving hand to hand fighting lessons to the amber woods enforcers. Tristan headed back into the alpha house and Luke followed, inhaling the fading scent of Anna once more. Tristan, pulled out a key and unlocked the security room, or as he liked to call it the ‘geek room’. Since the abduction of the pack women two months ago, he had been working with Marcus and Connor in getting the latest technology for the pack, money was no object. Sitting next to Tristan he tapped in his security codes and watched as the systems came to life, he needed to focus on this for now, but Anna would not get far. If she thought she was going to waltz out for dinner with some fuckin nerd from the school, she could think again. She was his and if she wanted him to make a move and claim her then by god that’s exactly what he was going to do.

Connor could hear the erratic heartbeat thumping loudly, Lizzy was getting more and more anxious as they drove down the single track road into Oakfield pack territory. Stealing a quick glance at her, her skin was pale and she kept licking her dry lips.

“Baby are you ok?” he gently asked.

“No”

That single response had him stopping the car. Turning to face her he stroked her ha
ir, a gentle soothing action he knew she loved.

“I wo
n’t let anything happen to you Lizzy”

“I know”

Her voice was quiet as the car ambled deeper into the forest. She looked out at the landscape she once called home. She did not appreciate the lush green ferns, the ancient oak trees or the stream that ran by the territory. Her eyes were purely focused on the guard tower fast approaching. Yes they had a guard tower, another one of Lawson’s additions. The vehicle slowed to a stop as a shifter she recognised approached the vehicle.

“Whatever they say Connor, you have to keep your mouth shut, please don’t antagonise them”

He shot her a sharp incredulous look.

“Antagonise? I don’t know what you mean Lizzy. However
, if they disrespect you then I will let my wolf loose”

“Connor! You can’t”
she gasped

Scrubbing a hand across his face and sighing heavily he reigned in his emotions. She need support right now, not some fucking
mate on the edge.

“Ok, I will do my best baby girl”

Lizzy noticed how his hands had gripped the steering wheel tighter, his energy was changing into what she realised now was protective mode. Connor opened the window, nodding to the man.

“You seem a little lost, this is private property”

Before he could open his mouth, Lizzy beat him to it.

“We are not lost Reece, I request a meeting with your alpha”

The man she called Reece looked at where the voice had come from, his twisted sneer making her gut spin.

“Well, if it isn’t the little runaway, you got some nerve showing back here Lizzy”

She felt Connor tense, and prayed he did not act on pure instinct, by smashing the fucker’s nose into his face. Yes she would like that but this had to be calm and controlled. Gently she lay her hand upon Connors arm and the tension ebbed away slightly.

“Unless you have trouble hearing, I said I request a meeting with your Alpha”

Reece glanced between the two of them before stepping back, his eyes looking in the distance, communicating with the pack. Seconds passed before he stepped aside.

“Alpha is waiting Lizzy, be quick, you know how he gets impatient she wolf”

Connor closed the window so fast he was surprised he did not catch the sleazy bastard’s nose in it. Every instinct was screaming to turn the truck around and get his mate out of there. Then, come back and gut that dimwit Reece. But he made a promise and Lizzy needed to do this, so he continued the drive down the forest track.

“Connor, I know your angry but
try to be calm. The Oakfield pack have certain ways of dealing with situations”

“Such as….”

Lizzy rubbed her forehead, she could feel a monster headache coming on, but Connor had a right to know.

“In a nutshell, the males are cruel, callous and malicious. Their punishments are brutal, even to women”

Connor growled so loud she could feel the vibration through the floor.

“Tell me Lizzy”

“Where would you like me to start? The fire walk”

“The fuckin what?” he snapped

“Walking on hot coals in human form whilst being whipped with silver chains as you pass”

Connor lurched the car to a stop once more.

“Just what type of fuckin alpha does that to his pack? The bloody council should be made aware of such barbaric practice! Holy fuck Lizzy, if this was not as important to you I would be getting you as far aware from this place as I could”

“I know and I am sorry but I need to do this. Look, why don’t you wait here whilst I speak with the alpha”

“Fuck no, I protect what is mine Lizzy” he growled low.

Lizzy shook her head
as they entered the small village that had not changed since she left. Turning off the engine, Connor glanced at her.

“If anything goes bad i
n there, I want you the hell out of there as fast as possible, do you hear me Lizzy, no second chances.”

To emphasise his urgent request he
collared her neck in a possessive manner, rubbing gently at the nape.

“I hear you Connor”

“Good, then let’s get this over with and get your wolf back baby girl”

Stepping out of the vehicle, she inhaled
deep. The peppery scent of five males of the pack whom she had once known, surrounded them. Josh, who she grew up with, smiled a little, before gesturing for them to the alpha house. Connor took hold of her hand tightly, completely in Beta mode, assessing every single one of the males, his muscles taut ready for action, eyes scanning constantly. He was taller than most of them and his menacing look alone should make the shifters think twice before attacking. Thank god she had his support, because right now her legs felt like jelly and her wolf was being very quiet, cautious.

The alpha house had the usual stench of lust and sex, making her want to vomit not only at the olfactory memory but the stink invading her nostrils right now. She knew Connor had picked this up way before she did, his arm had snaked around her waist pulling her tight against him.

“In here Lizzy, he’s waiting. And who are you with?” Josh asked.

“Her mate” Connor growled.

Josh assessed the male shifter before him before opening the door to the main living area. Connor stopped Lizzy going forward, taking one step into the room, to assess the man that was once her alpha. As a Beta his nature was to conform to the alpha, but this one in particular stank of evil, his essence bitter and raw. Besides, Marcus was his Alpha. The smug bastard smiled as Lizzy stepped behind him. Greying around the temples, heartless brown eyes, exaggerated by a long scar from temple to cheek. Connor did not give a shit about the alpha vibes he was putting out, his concern was Lizzy right now. Her small hand gripped the back of his shirt.

The alpha stood, opening his arms in welcome.

“Lizzy, it has been a long time, we were worried about you”

Connor could feel her hand tighten on his shirt before she stepped around him to face her old alpha.

Lizzy felt sick. Like really sick, the kind you get when your mouth goes dry, your palms become sweaty and your breathing speeds up. The only strength she gained at this moment in time was keeping herself upright against Connor. But as she set eyes on the man she used to call Alpha, she knew her life had changed the moment she left Oakfield. Steeling herself she stepped around Connor.

“Thank you for agreeing to see me Lawson”

Connor stepped close to Lizzy, his hand resting on the small of her back, he needed to be close, a ripple of anger had just glided off the alpha. His enforcers, all fuckin five of them shifted from foot to foot. Connor had noticed on the walk in that the pack houses were run down, some looked abandoned. He had not scented any other males other than the five that they walked in with, which had him thinking that the pack was falling apart, maybe some had decided to find a more receptive alpha.

The alpha kept his eyes on her, a smile spread across his face.

“Lawson? I am your alpha Lizzy, so why would you call me by my first name, know your place she wolf”

Connor pushed Lizzy behind him, he was so pissed at this shit head, his wolf was just waiting to tear him to shreds.

“Lizzy is no longer a member of the Oakfield pack and as such does not need to address you as her alpha.”

Lawson stepped in front of them, arms folded in front of him. He tried to
stare down Connor but where his mate was concerned they could bring on ten of the bastards and he would not let him win.

“And you would be?”

“Connor, her mate” he snarled.

Lawson chuckled, before turning and snapping his fingers. Three very submissive females entered the room, they were thin, no expression, eyes fixed on Lawson.

“Now beta, power as an alpha gives me three mates and many of the moon, as do my enforcers. Lizzy knew her place when she was here, besides she was due to be mated to my son Oliver”

Lizzy had enough. The testosterone in here was suffocating. Moving around a dangerously quiet Connor, she addressed Lawson.

“I had no intention of mating with your son, you wanted someone to strengthen your line with my gift! Then that fuckin seer bound my wolf. That is the reason I am here, where is Duncan?”

Surprise flitted across Lawson’s face.
The door slammed open and said son marched into the room. His eyes roaming over her body.

“Well, Lizzy I like the new look”

Lizzy averted her eyes, part submission and part she was going to claw Oliver’s fuckin eyes out. Connor pulled her into his arms, watching the newcomer with deadly intent. From the familial features he assumed this was the son. Cold blue eyes scanned over Lizzy, his closely shaved brown hair hugging his stern features.

“Lizzy had come to see Duncan, what do you make of that Oliver?”
Lawson asked.

“Duncan? The
seer? Oh little she wolf, he died last year, or should I say accidently fell off a cliff”

“What!?” she yelled
.

Connor could see where this was heading and needed to start making exit plans. He had no
doubt he could take on the enforcers and the son but the alpha might prove tricky.

“Oh I get it, you thought you would get your wolf unbound? Well sorry to disappoint you
, but unless you became a bloody good necromancer in the past five years then I would say you were fucked and considering I was your intended mate, that should have been my job”