Slater's Enchanting Mate, Iron Wolves MC 4 (7 page)

“Let’s just take in the sights and see if something jars your memory.” Since she’d been so young, and not allowed out of the blasted castle, there hadn’t been too much for him to see except a sad and lonely child.

She wrapped her arms around him, resting her chin on his chest. “Thank you for coming here with me.”

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, love.” His eyes moved over her face, then focused on the crowd milling about. Some were dressed up like witches and warlocks, which made him shake his head. He brushed a strand of her white blonde hair away from her cheek, tucking it behind her ear. “Ever have caramel apples?”

Her heart pounded against his, and her nose crinkled adorably. “I don’t think so. I’ve had apples, but the caramel always looked sticky.”

Oh, he could imagine doing some inventive things with the sticky stuff. His dick jerked at the imagery, lengthening against her stomach. She grinned up at him, making him suck in a breath. He was totally whipped, but honestly could care less.

“How about I introduce you to one of my favorite treats.” He grinned down at her, then led her toward one of the vendors set up. He asked for extra caramel over the apple slices, then they sat down next to a family. The little girl beamed up at them, remarking that LeeLee looked like a Disney princess who could make ice. The mother apologized for the child’s outburst, making the little girl cry. LeeLee surprised him when she turned to the girl, and smiled.

“I love that movie. However, I can’t make ice or anything cool like that. My name is LeeLee. What’s your name?”

“Jazmine, but not like in the movie either. I wish I was a princess,” the little girl sighed.

LeeLee laughed. “Well, I think you are much prettier than any princess.”

The parents laughed, then thanked her before ushering their child off to go see the large pumpkin mountain.

“What the heck is a pumpkin mountain?” Slater looked at the family hurrying toward the opposite end of the town.

She shrugged, licking her lips.

Growling at the unconsciously sexual act. “LeeLee…” He groaned before stopping. More people began walking in the direction as the small family, excited whispers had him picking up their trash. “Let’s go see what all the action is about.”

Her eyes widened for a full minute, taking in a deep breath then letting it out. “Okay.”

They began walking with the crowd, her hand in his much larger one was a stark reminder of how much smaller she was. He pulled her into his side, basking in her show of contentment, loving the feel of her slender frame against his hardness.

“How awesome would it have been to grow up with this every year,” she whispered.

He came to a stop and noticed they’d reached the area that drew a crowd. The pumpkin mountain as the town called it, was smack dab in the middle of the town, a place they had yet to explore, with thousands of hand carved pumpkins stacked on top of each other. The entire thing was well over twenty feet high and twice as long. Hushed whispers and excitement arced through the gathering crowd, but he wasn’t sure what they were expecting. Fairy lights lit up the entire area, making the scene look bright enough it could’ve been daylight instead of night.

Something had him and his wolf on alert. “Stay next to me no matter what, LeeLee.”

The light dimmed in her eyes. “Do you sense something?”

She was enjoying herself, and he didn’t want to bring her down, real life tended to do that to a person. If he had to hold the world at bay so she could enjoy one night, he’d do it. “I just don’t want to lose you in the crowd.” Again he didn’t lie, which with her shifter senses she’d smell. He didn’t want to scare her, nor did he want her to think the world was full of sunshine and rainbows. Damn, he had an insane urge to wrap her in a bubble only he could access.

The thought of all the ways he could penetrate her flashed into his mind, making him smile in spite of the situation.

“Are you thinking of dirty things, Mr. O’Neil?” she whispered too low for anyone but him to hear.

His lips tilted up in a grin. “Know me so well already?”

She shimmied her ass against his groin. “That is kind of hard to miss.”

“Behave,” he mock growled.

They were interrupted by cheers from the crowd, and then a man’s voice came out from the front. LeeLee stilled in his arms. “What is it?” he asked.

She began moving through the crowd, bumping into people dressed in costumes with no regard. Slater followed, apologizing as he went.

Damn, for such a small thing she could plow through people. At the stage like area, a tall man stood with dark blond hair, his booming voice expounding on the great history of the town.

At hearing it was their one hundred and fiftieth celebration, he sucked in a breath. Surely she’d been allowed to attend such an event when she lived there. Her family had been like royalty.

By the time he caught up to her, she’d almost reached the front, her smaller figure able to weave in and out, knocking into people with a lot less fuss than his much larger frame. He grabbed her arm before she could make it the final few feet to the front of the crowd, pulling her into his side. “Wait a minute.” Looking around at the other people on the raised dais, he noticed they all had different shades of blond hair, but none quite as blonde as his LeeLee.

Could they be her family? From her memories he’d watched her mother kill herself over the body of her lifeless mate. Surely if there were other members of the family, they’d never have allowed their child to have been mistreated the way LeeLee had been.

“Do you smell them?” Her eyes widened.

A deep inhale, and the scent of power hit him. Alpha wolf. He pulled LeeLee back, hoping the crowd would keep the pack from scenting them. Two wolves in another pack territory could end up dead real quick.

“
Niall, I may need some assistance here, and I don’t think Jenna is gonna be able to do it. She was pretty wiped when we left her.”

“Boy, haven’t you heard of mental knocking?”
Niall’s voice sounded strained.

Slater closed his eyes, not wanting to think what he’d been interrupting. “
Sorry, Alpha, but this is important. I’m assuming you know where I’ve been and who I’ve been with?”

Through the link he heard a female’s voice, and swore he would be sending a bouquet of flowers to Alaina.

“
I’ve been told. Now, fill me in on what’s happening.”

He quickly explained all that had transpired, and where they were.

“
Fuckin A boy, you sure do know how to get from one place to the next without a problem. Damn, let me holler at Kellen, I believe they’ve made some friends with vamps who can transport like the Fey.
”

His heart was pounding so hard he was sure everyone around him could hear it beating in his chest.

“Why are we waiting?” LeeLee tugged on his restraining hand.

“I’m talking to my alpha. We need a little backup, love. That is an alpha and his pack up there. I don’t know if that was your pack, or a pack that moved in after your…after you left, but two unknown wolves coming into their territory could cause them to be angry. Let’s stay back and wait for Niall to get back with me.” Looking into her troubled eyes, he tried to make her understand the wisdom of his words.

He listened with half an ear while waiting for Niall to get back with him. The crowd going quiet had the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end, his wolf prowled to the surface.

“We should leave,” he murmured at her ear.

“Slater, I can’t. They are calling me. Can’t you hear them?” Her eyes had a glazed look to them.

Millions of questions ran through his head. “Open up to me, love.”

Her brow furrowed in confusion and she took a step forward, only his grip kept her from going any further.

Concern for her flooded him when she didn’t immediately respond.

He reached out, cupping her face in his palm. “Honey, listen to me. I need you to focus on me and my voice.” Pressing into her mind, he forged through her walls, linking on the bond they had. He could hear the murmurs she was hearing in her head, and was alarmed at the numerous voices shouting at her. He quickly built her walls up, realizing she was powerless to do so. Once he was the only one left in her head, she blinked up at him.

“Thank you, Slater. My head felt as if there were a thousand hammers pounding at it.” She shuddered.

While forming barriers for her, he’d been pulling them farther away from the front of the crowd. Why then did he feel as if all the eyes of the crowd were watching them? A new voice spoke out over the crowd, this one low and husky. “Don’t listen,” he demanded, thinking maybe they were enthralling her with their words. Fuck, for all he knew they had the power to do just that.

Continuing to back away, he slammed into a solid wall. With a grunt, he spun. His gaze going to a large barrel chest, traveling up to a man’s or rather a shifter’s black eyes. The unsmiling face locked onto where he held LeeLee and then back to him. Testosterone rolled off him, hyperfocused, radiating challenge in every line of his six feet three or four feet body. Slater faced him head on, determination and lethal intent warred with his need to keep his mate safe.

“Stay behind me, love,” Slater commanded.

The man reached behind him, trying to grab for LeeLee.

He batted the arm away, the need to protect propelling him to move backward, away from the imminent threat, instead of going on the rampage as was his norm.

The crowd of over a hundred onlookers continued to listen as he ushered LeeLee away from the hulking beast, and then his eyes caught a slight movement to his left. Several other men were moving in, trying to blend with the humans and failing. Goddess, where was his backup?

Unwilling to get distracted by calling out to Niall, he sent a mental image, hoping his alpha could see the gravity or feel the urgency of his situation. How he hadn’t sensed the presence of so many shifters was beyond him, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it.

LeeLee’s pulse pounded an unruly beat against his fingers. He scented no fear, only anger and resentment. Good. They’d need every emotion except the tangible one that could get them both hurt, if not killed.

A siren waltzed past them, her hips swaying in enticement. Everything about the town was wrong. Were all the people here props or part of some grand scheme? A test or trap to lure them?

No, he shook the thought off. He counted half a dozen beings to his right and three including the big bastard stalking him in front.

He wove his way through the crowd, hoping the pack kept with the same rules of not exposing themselves to humans.

His eyes were moving back and forth, trying to keep his focus on all the ones closing in on them. He frowned as LeeLee was jerked from him, a woman held one arm around his mate’s throat, her right hand partially shifted, showing off the large claws of her wolf. His beast prowled to the edge of his mind, restless with the need to save her. LeeLee peered at him through her impossibly long and thick lashes…and their connection opened. “
It’s okay. Don’t fight them. If I go, we will have a chance, but if we fight, she’ll slice my throat right here and now.”
The faint scent of truth wafted from her.

Must save her…

“This could go two ways, pup. You live and see another day, along with our long lost sister. Or, you fight and you both die along with a lot of humans.” The woman spoke, ruining the sweet smile she portrayed.

He glared at the group. “How do I know you won’t kill her as soon as you take her away?”

She shrugged. “You don’t, but at least you have hope.” Her smile was feral. “My name is Bianca, but my friends call me Lady B.” Her smile was feral.

A wise man once told him to watch and listen. LeeLee’s hand fluttered over her heart. A nervous gesture?

Lady B gave a violent jerk of her head, then pulled LeeLee further into the crowd, laughing like they were old friends instead of a maniacal monster set to kill.

“Stay here, and we’ll send for you after we have a chat with our kin.”

Slater shook his head, unwilling to let them take his mate. “I will go with you. What’s the matter? Are you scared I can take down your entire pack?”

He was taunting them.

“Tsk, tsk. Does that usually work?” He heard the words, and then he watched LeeLee’s eyes widen in alarm. Something slammed into his head, pain flared through him, but he didn’t hit the ground as darkness tried to descend, with arms supporting him he fought to stay awake. Muffled words of how he shouldn’t drink so much filtered through the fog.

****

“Now, if you want your mate to live, I suggest you come with us quietly. I’m not sure who you are, but you are clearly the bastard of one of my kin. Which one, is yet to be decided,” Bianca hissed next to her ear.

LeeLee ground her teeth together. Dammit, she wanted to let her wolf surface. The bloodthirsty she-wolf appeared unfazed by the fact she was ready, and willing to kill her in front of a crowd of a hundred humans. Family, a thing she’d wished for her entire life was now more than likely going to kill her.

She turned to stare at Bianca, seeing a dull shade of blue eyes staring back at her. The sharp intake of breath made the other woman’s grip ease. “I will come with you willingly. Don’t hurt my mate.” Her tone was even.

“You have her eyes.” Bianca shut her mouth with an audible snap. “Let’s go, and try not to make too big of a scene.”

Clearly she was the leader of the pack.

Her stupid heart lurched in her chest, suddenly feeling like she was the drum being beat on by a drummer at a rock concert. This woman spoke as if she knew her, or someone who looked like her.

They left the gathering just as the mountain of pumpkins lit up, the tourists gasping and clapping at the display. LeeLee wished she could have stayed to admire such an awesome and unique thing, but the woman pulling her across the field toward the large estate that looked more like a castle, seemed in a rush.

Memories rushed at her the closer they were to the stone entrance. The turrets were as familiar as the log home she shared with Cammie. Looking up at the top floor, she could see lights on, and knew without being told, on the side of the home there would be a large clump of trees. The ones she used to climb down. The same ones she’d used that fateful day to escape.

“Does any of this look familiar, poppet?” The woman crooned.

Love a duck, who is this woman? She looked at all the expensive cars and flower arrangements that were not natural and shook her head. Her mother never would have allowed such garish displays in their home. Knowing shifters could scent a lie, she focused on what was new. “No,” she answered truthfully.

Bianca nodded, a pleased smile breaking out on her beautiful face. Beauty was only skin deep, for she was hiding a true ugly beast inside.

Inside was completely different than what her six year old self remembered as well. “My mother is sleeping. Not feeling well you see, but I’m sure she’ll rise once I tell her I have found another member of our…shall I say, esteemed old pack.” She stopped, looking at one of the men holding Slater. “Take that one and put him in father’s den. Make sure he doesn’t wake up before we want him to. You, go have a seat in the library. I’ll go see if mother is up for a visit.”

Something about the woman’s tone had LeeLee hoping the older woman wasn’t or if she was, then their backup arrived before.

“I can’t shift. I mean, I know you know that I’m a…and you are, but I can’t. I’m not a full blood or whatever. If that makes a difference.” LeeLee held her breath.

Bianca threw her head back and laughed. “That is rich. Another bastard reject. Bar, entertain our guest, will you?” Her laughing continued to be heard even as the door closed to the library, leaving her with the hulking man named Bar.

Panicked, she licked her lips and looked around. The other pack members hadn’t followed them from the center of town. Her eyes darted around the room, and she inhaled, wondering how many shifters were in the home. The one who’d taken Slater hadn’t returned, which left her alone with Bar. He smiled, wicked looking teeth too sharp for a human appeared.

“So, you are a defective one?” His bald statement made her flinch.

“I’m not sure if I think I’m defective, just different. How about you?” Putting the length of the room between them she felt marginally better. Where was Slater, and the other man? Surely he wasn’t out still, unless the other man had…no she stopped the thought before it could take root. Her heart would cease beating if he was no longer on this earth.

He stalked her like the predator he was. His gait heavy, a slight limp she registered. She’d been in her wolf form for twenty years, and was no stranger to being the predator. LeeLee squared her shoulders. She was not a pussy, and wanted to kick her own ass for allowing herself to act as she had.

Bar’s eyes narrowed, he inhaled. “You don’t want to battle me. If we break anything the mistress will be most displeased.”

She did a quick study of the room she’d not been allowed in but a few times as a child, and snorted. The furniture screamed money, but none of it was original. She didn’t know how she knew it was expensive, but an inherit knowledge said it was.

Lifting her shoulders she stood behind a tall chair. “I will not submit to you. I have a mate.”

“Your mate is dead,” he growled.

To her right, the fireplace she’d always imagined hanging a stocking stood. To her left the large picture window, with its garish coverings. Her only exit. A painful one if she was to launch herself out it.

Stay and fight banged at her skull from her wolf.

The giant of a man stepped closer, bulging muscles, with the teeth of a wolf and the eyes of a beast gone mad.

LeeLee decided she’d try to reason with him. “Truly, I’m no good as a plaything. I fight back and bite.” She snapped her teeth together. Her human canines not nearly as impressive.

Just before he could reach for her, she sidestepped, his massive arms missing her by inches. She used her smaller size to outrun him. Goddess, if he got his hands on her she’d be in trouble.

“Ah, I see you are still too slow to catch your prey.” Bianca sauntered in.

Bar growled, crossing his arms over his chest. “You said I could play with her.”

Nodding, Bianca crossed to him. “After I take her to mother, you shall have what is left of her.”

That so didn’t sound promising. Well, she had news for them, she was not going to roll over and show them her belly. Bianca reached out to snag her arm, but LeeLee jerked away. “I will come willingly,” she snarled, a little of her wolf coming to the surface.

“Interesting.”

“
Stay calm, love. I am coming for you.”
Slater’s deep rumble soothed her like nothing else could.

“Fine, let’s go, and make no mistake.” She glared down at LeeLee. “I’ll gladly knock you out and have Bar carry you up. Imagine all the things he will gladly do to your sleeping form.”

Do not let her see you tremble.

They climbed the stairs, the same ones she’d once tiptoed down as a child. Her throat clogged with emotion. On the third level, the one where her parent’s room had been, they stopped. She worked to pretend the place didn’t affect her. “This place is huge. Like seriously, out in Cali it would cost you a mint.” She looked left and right, pretending to be enthralled.

“She will know if you are a close relative or not.”

Who this mysterious woman was, she had no clue, but the closer they got to the master bedroom, doom settled deeper in her gut.

The door was the same as when her parent’s lived. The large curved wood would be too thick for them to hear her screams from the floor above, if they cared. The ornate door handle turned, the quiet snick overly loud to her ears.

Inside, her gaze went to the bed, then drifted around the room, taking in the changes. Her mother had kept the family’s dark heavy furniture that had been handed down through the centuries. Now, the feminine pieces looked too small for the big room. Insubstantial, except for the woman propped up in the bed. It took all her will to keep from gasping at the crone, the old woman who’d made her life a living hell. Only she didn’t look quite as old as she remembered. But her scent. LeeLee would never forget the way the woman smelled. To this day she hated oranges, the very scent of them made her gag.