The Wolf's Mate Book 1: Jason & Cadence (21 page)

“The ash of our ancestors that have gone on
before us to the great spirit of the wolves, mark this occasion.
The history of our people is now in your hands as alphas of the
Tressel pack, and it is your responsibility to ensure that your
children carry on our traditions.”

The second elder joined Peter, and he dipped
another finger into the jar in front of him and it dripped dark on
his finger. He touched the back of Jason’s neck, dipped again, and
then touched hers. The scent of blood tingled her nose. Jason told
her earlier that the blood would be from a freshly slaughtered
animal, a sacrifice of blood to appease the wolf spirits.

“With this blood, we show our thanks for this
joining, and set sights on prosperous hunts tonight, and in the
future.”

The third elder joined them, and this time
Jason put the index finger of his right hand into the jar and it
came out thick and clear. He drew an infinity symbol over her heart
and then rested his hand on top of their joined hands. Her finger
was shaking as she dipped it into the cool oil, and she marked over
his heart a sideways figure eight and rested her hand on top of
his.

His smile assured her that they were nearly
done. Peter’s hands rested on top of theirs. “The oil of our sacred
olive trees and the symbol for eternity marks this joining
underneath the full moon, consecrated for all to witness and never
forget. This joining is forever and ever, until death parts you and
you join again, together, in the great beyond.”

With a happy growl, Jason pulled her to him,
their bound hands tight between them, and kissed her. The packs
cheered and clapped as long as they kissed and then Peter unwound
the leather strap from their hands. He and the elders stepped out
of the circle and the females of their pack came forward. Jason
wrapped the tie around her wrist and secured it. With a hot whisper
in her ear he said, “Keep that on until later, and we’ll play with
it.”

Ah, she might just combust from all the
threats! He stepped aside and she turned to the females. The
Tressel pack had 37 members, 38 now with her, and 16 of them were
females. They knelt in two rows.

Jason growled and his voice was deep and
powerful. “Cadence, do you accept your place as female alpha of the
Tressel pack?”

“I do.”

“Do you swear to lead and protect the pack?
To counsel and guide when required?”

“I do.”

“Then state your name, alpha.” His approval
was clear and her heart pounded with joy.

“Cadence Darah McIntyre.”

Jason lifted his head and a howl pierced the
night air. The females joined in, and then the rest of the Tressel
pack, and the night was filled with the howls of a wolf pack that
finally was whole. Her eyes filled with tears at the gesture, and
she fought to get them under control. She didn’t want to cry in
front of her pack.

The wolves began to shift, dropping their
clothes in a flurry and Jason grabbed her in his arms and kissed
her. “I fucking love the hell out of you, Cades.” He kicked off his
shoes and let go of her. “A couple of the guys are going to stand
guard at the house in their shift. You wait in bed for me,
yes?”

“Yes, my alpha.” She kissed his chin and he
laughed.

“Do me a favor, baby?”

“Name it.”

“Put a pillow between your legs, okay?”

“What for?”

“It’ll hold my place.”

She was still laughing when he dropped his
jeans and went down, and for the first time she got to watch him
shift. She’d seen him as a wolf but she’d never watched the
process. It was fascinating to watch him go from handsome man to
beautiful black wolf in seconds. Shaking out his fur, he licked her
palm with a happy growl and she gathered his clothes and they began
the walk back to her house. Their pack followed them and Jason
trotted right at her side. If she could shift, they’d be hunting
right now together.

Wistfully, she kissed the top of his furry
snout, told him she loved him, and wished him a good hunt. She
recognized two of the mid-ranked wolves standing guard, one at the
front and one at the back of the house, and she climbed the stairs
with a yawn and went to lay down to catch a nap, pillow firmly
between her legs.

Chapter 10

Jason sat on his haunches at the back of
Cadence’s house and waited for her to go upstairs. With his sharp
hearing, he could make out the sounds of her moving around inside.
She climbed the stairs slowly and he could tell she was tired.
They’d been up a lot the last two nights, and although she rested
during the day, she was fairly insatiable the moment she saw him
and he’d noticed her eyes were pretty bloodshot this evening. Not
that he’d complain. He couldn’t really think about anything much
except peeling her out of her clothes and tying her to the
headboard with that mating strap. Not sure that’s what the ancients
had in mind when they used it as part of the ceremony, but he
wanted her at his mercy tonight, so he could give her as much
pleasure as she could handle before they made love. The only way he
could take care of her right was if she kept her hands off him.

She opened the bedroom window and leaned out,
looking for him, and when she saw him, she blew him a kiss and
waved, and turned off the light. He heard the bed squeak as she lay
down, and after making sure that his men were standing guard, he
headed off with the pack to hunt. Jake’s pack was going to another
area to hunt because this night, this territory was all for the
Tressel pack. A celebration of the mating and the missing part of
their hierarchy.

With a sharp series of barks, he took off for
the deep woods and his pack joined him. They’d hunt as a group
tonight first before splintering off to follow their own prey. This
was the most primitive bachelor’s party on record: a bunch of
wolves hunting.

Within an hour they were deep within the
woods, tracking a herd of deer. Michael and Bo flanked him and they
advanced on the group as a true pack, groups of three and four
taking down the deer in a coordinated effort. As his canines
latched onto the back of the neck of the largest buck, he felt a
shiver of fear slide down his spine.

Odd.

Must be the buck. Fear made their blood taste
sweeter, all those endorphins. With a mighty shake of his head, he
snapped the buck’s neck and it went limp. Releasing his hold, he
looked down the length of the buck’s body and saw Michael and Bo
tearing into the belly and hindquarters and he opened his jaws to
take a chunk out of the neck when he felt another tremor of fear.
But the buck was dead. Another wave pierced him, but this one more
closely to his heart. It was Cadence. Something was happening to
Cadence and she was so frightened that he could feel her fear at
such a great distance.

He barked a sharp command to his people and
took off for her home as fast as he could run. Within minutes the
entire pack was on their way, howls and barks of encouragement
followed him as their paws pounded on the ground. The run to the
herd had seemed to be over so fast, but the same distance back to
his mate was taking forever. Even though they came at a straight
shot instead of weaving and enjoying themselves, the clock spun and
her fear slid away from him the closer he got.

When they broke through the stand of trees
beyond her property, he saw Harry lying on his side on the back
porch. Jason shifted into his human form and stumbled forward up
the steps, gaining his feet and racing up to the bedroom. Gone! He
slammed the door open so hard it imbedded into the wall. The bed
was empty. He ripped the covers back and saw a single spot of blood
on the white pillowcase.

He took a deep breath and settled himself,
drawing on the deepest part of his scent receptors as the sound of
his people entering the house echoed around him. He could smell her
in the room, sweet and warm, and then he picked up the scent of
males, two of them, and knew exactly who had taken his mate: Chris
and one of his band mates, Westin.

He grabbed the clothes that Cadence had
folded and left on the dresser and was shoving his feet angrily
into his boots when Michael came into the room. “Fuck!” He growled,
looking at the empty bed. “The guys are drugged, but they’re alive
and otherwise unharmed. J?”

Jason looked up at his brother. “I want
everyone dressed and on their bikes in ten minutes out here. Find
me Jake.”

Within ten minutes, dozens of motorcycles and
vehicles were crowded on the large yard and he stood on the porch
with Michael and his top men.

Jake came to stand next to him, looking
equally pissed and worried. “Five are gone, Jason. Chris, Zan,
Westin, Quincy, and Darrin. Cells are off and no one’s seen them.”
Brett, his youngest son, came to the bottom of the steps.

Jason looked down at him. “Where would your
brother go if he wanted to disappear?”

Brett shook his head. “I don’t know. I
haven’t heard from him since he left after hurting Cadence.”

His knuckles turned white as he clenched his
hands. He felt fucking helpless, and he didn’t want to think what
it might mean that he couldn’t feel her fear anymore. His father
said, “Doesn’t one of the guys in the band have family property
north of here, in the hills?”

Clarity rang through him like a bell. Of
course! He knew exactly where it was, too. He just had to hope that
he wasn’t too late to save his sweetheart. He raised his voice high
above the din and everyone in both packs went quiet. “The alpha of
the Tressel pack is out there and in danger. Let’s go bring her
home safe.”

The wolves howled angrily to the sky and he
was already on his bike and racing down the dirt road that led away
from her home, his pack and the Garra pack close behind.

Hamersville Station was a bit of nothing
town, a whistle-stop, as his grandfather would have said, mostly
farms and cabins left abandoned except during hunting season. North
of Allen by about 40 miles, when they were teenagers, they used to
hang out up at Zan’s cousin’s cabin, secluded in the depths of the
hilly woods that made up the town.

His heart pounded in his ears, louder than
even the engine of his bike, as he raced along the highway,
northbound. He wouldn’t stop for anything or anyone. He didn’t care
if the end result was a herd of police following them all the way
there, he’d see her safe and home first.

Again and again his thoughts passed over the
evening and he cursed himself for not staying with her, not waiting
out his shifting time by her side so he could keep her safe. Once
again he’d been careless with her safety; very certain that no one
would dare to touch a fully mated female. The wolves he’d posted at
the house were just because he couldn’t stand for her to be alone.
He had no idea that she’d really need them.

His anxiety peaked again and he pushed the
bike as fast as he could, unaware of the scenery that flashed by in
the darkness as they moved to the cabin. He prayed she was there.
He prayed she was alive and unharmed. And he mostly prayed that if
he died tonight saving her life, that she’d know that he loved her
more than his next breath. Because he surely did.

Chapter 11

Trying to open her eyes as she started to
wake up, Cadence found they felt too heavy, as if weights were
attached to her eyelids. Everything felt heavy. Her arms felt like
weights were tied to them and her head was like a big useless ball.
She slid forward slightly and heard the squeal of brakes and
suddenly she was very afraid. A blast of cold air washed over her
after the sound of a door wrenching open, and arms grabbed her
cruelly, pulling her.

When she could force her eyes open, she saw
only blurs which spiked her fear, and her stomach rolled as she was
put on her feet and she hit the ground and retched. The ground was
hard, dry grass and dirt, and the area didn’t smell familiar to her
at all. She was about to ask where she was when someone wiped a wet
rag across her face and a voice she knew all too well said, “That’s
just the drugs clearing your system. You’ll be just fine for the
ceremony, Cadence.”

“Chris?” She coughed and spit out more bile,
sucking in a few frantic gasps of cold air.

“Of course, my love. Did you think I would
leave you alone on our mating night?”

Arms snaked around her and lifted her off the
ground and she tried to calm her fear but it was like a dog
snapping at her neck, all teeth and claws and desperation. She
could do nothing until she had her sight back, but she took in all
she could with her other senses. She heard voices, and recognized
Zan and Westin, Darrin, and Quincy. Zan sounded very surprised,
“That’s what you guys went to get? Cadence?”

Chris’ voice went ice cold. “I told you I was
going to get my mate. Who did you think I was talking about,
Zan?”

Quincy growled, “Fucking shut it, Zan. When
you broke ties with the Garra pack, you oathed yourself to our new
alpha and that means you don’t question what he does.”

Chris lowered her until she felt the ground
under her butt and he let her go. A water bottle was shoved into
her hand. “Drink this, darling. You’ll feel better really
soon.”

“Chris,” she croaked, “why are you doing
this?”

“Because we were meant to be together. You
survived the accident. That means our love is pure and strong.”

Okay.
He’d gone off his rocker. What
the hell was she going to do? She blinked furiously and drained the
water bottle. Thankfully she wasn’t tied up, but she certainly
couldn’t outrun five werewolves. Not without a damn good head
start.

She smelled the fire before she felt the
warmth as it blazed brightly. Finally her blurry vision started to
clear. She saw the five men milling around with purpose as if they
had tasks. She wasn’t being watched, and she darted a look around
and saw nothing but an old cabin. It looked familiar, even covered
in the light and shadows from the full moon overhead. She wondered
how long she’d been out, what happened to the guards, and whether
Jason knew she was missing yet. He had to find her, she willed him
to find her.