An Alpha's Pride [tribal bonds 2] (5 page)

Daniel held it together until he heard the bedroom door slam shut a few minutes later and then he slid down the shower wall and drew his knees up to his chest. He inhaled sharply when his sore ass pressed against the floor and tilted his body to the side to take off some of the pressure.

He ached, and not in a good way. But the pain in his ass felt nothing like the pain in his chest. Daniel bit his lip, refusing to give in to the sobs that threatened to rip free of his throat. He hadn’t whispered a word of protest as Carlton had taken him, so it couldn’t be considered rape.

But it felt like it.
Daniel’s heart had been torn from his chest and now laid shattered on the shower floor. Carlton hadn’t fucked him to claim him or even because he wanted to. There had been no feeling in it, just physical domination. Carlton had simply been taking revenge.
Daniel supposed he deserved it. He had pretty much forced the man to have sex with him, even if he used Carlton’s desire to get what he wanted. Carlton hadn’t wanted it. And it was as simple as that.
It had been one of the reasons he had stopped fucking Carlton when he very well could have continued to fuck him until morning’s early light. He wanted Carlton to surrender to him and admit that they were mates. He hadn’t wanted to break the man, and that had been what he felt like he was doing.
So, he had stopped, given Carlton his freedom, and walked away. It would have been better if Carlton had just let him go instead of following him into the shower, but Daniel knew the man had to get some of his pride back. It was just too bad that that pride came at the cost of Daniel’s soul.
And now Carlton was gone, returning to his own territory. And Daniel didn’t think he’d ever return, at least not of his own free will. Carlton clearly hated him. Their mating hadn’t been created by fate. It was created by hell, and that was exactly where Daniel was living—in hell.
Refusing to give in to his overwhelming anguish, Daniel pushed himself to his feet and finished his shower. He winced when he cleaned between his ass cheeks and felt the small abrasions marring his flesh, reminding him that Carlton hadn’t even cared enough about him to stretch him out before fucking him. Carlton hadn’t even cared that Daniel hadn’t come.
His first time having someone fuck him had been a dismal failure. It was painful and humiliating, and Daniel never wanted to experience it again. No wonder Carlton had hated it so much. Daniel had thought he made it pleasurable for Carlton, but now he wasn’t so sure. How anyone could find being fucked pleasurable was beyond him.
He never wanted to have sex again.
Daniel turned off the shower and climbed out. His mind was as numb as the rest of him as he dried himself off and walked to his closet to pull on a set of pajamas. He usually didn’t sleep in anything, but being naked right now made him feel vulnerable and exposed.
He didn’t even want to sleep in his bed. He just grabbed a blanket from the chest by the window and curled up in the window seat, pressing his face against the cold glass and looking out into the darkness.
And that’s how he felt—dark. Everything inside of him felt dark and dank and cold. He was so cold. Daniel pulled the blanket more closely around his shoulders and wondered if he would ever feel warm again.
He didn’t think so. Warmth came from Carlton’s hot body, from the way the man moved under him and begged to be able to come, something Daniel knew he would never experience again. He’d had his one shot with his anamchara, and he had fucked it up. His future looked bleak and lonely.
Daniel almost wished he had never met Carlton or claimed him. He would never desire another as he did his anamchara. He wouldn’t even desire another’s blood the way he did Carlton’s. No one would ever bring him as much pleasure or fulfill him the way Carlton did.
And didn’t that suck?
Carlton had made it more than clear that he was disgusted by Daniel. He hated him. Daniel had seen it in the man’s golden eyes. Daniel didn’t even think begging would change Carlton’s mind. If he thought it would change things between them, Daniel would drop to his knees in a heartbeat. What was his pride in the face of losing his anamchara?
Maybe if he just stayed in his room, everyone would forget about him and he could slowly fade away into nothingness. It wasn’t like anyone would care if he was gone anyway. Carlton certainly didn’t.
And that sucked more than anything.

Carlton tapped his pen against the top of his desk as he stared down at the invitation that had been delivered to his hotel this morning. It was an invite to the commitment ceremony for Electus Luca Ucathya and his anamchara, Rowan.

It was addressed to both Carlton and Daniel.
Carlton didn’t know why he was receiving it. He certainly hadn’t told anyone that he had mated the man. Daniel must have squealed. Resigned, Carlton reached for the phone and dialed Daniel’s private phone number.
It had been three weeks…three long, lonely weeks of no contact from his mate. He had at least expected Daniel to demand that he come back, or something. He hadn’t expected Daniel to totally ignore him.
And that pissed Carlton off.
“Hello.”
“Daniel,” Carlton started as soon as he heard Daniel speak. He didn’t want to give the man time to deny him. “I’ve received an invitation to the commitment ceremony for Electus Ucathya and his mate.”
“Yes, I know. I received the same invitation.”
“As the invitation is addressed to both of us, I’ll expect you to be there at my side for this damn thing.”
“Yes, of course.”
Carlton’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. That was the last response he expected out of Daniel.
“I’ll send my limo for you an hour before the ceremony,” Daniel said. “Please insure that my driver receives safe passage through your territory.”
“I won’t be caught unaware again, Daniel. I will be bringing two of my guards with me.” Carlton clenched his hands. “If I see a single sign of a dart gun, I will—”
“That was a onetime thing, Carlton. I swear on my honor that I will never shoot you with a dart gun again.”
“Your honor,” Carlton scoffed. “Yeah, okay. I’m still bringing my guards.”
Carlton heard Daniel sigh through the phone line and couldn’t help but wonder what game the man was playing this time.
“I’ll see you next week, Carlton.”
Carlton set the phone back in its cradle after Daniel hung up and stared at it. Daniel Everson was up to something. Carlton just didn’t know what. But he didn’t trust the man any farther than he could throw him.
On the other hand, he couldn’t believe how much he had craved the sound of the man’s voice. Since the moment he arrived back home, he could barely think of anything but Daniel. The days were long and lonely without his mate, the nights even worse. He missed Daniel more than he ever thought he would. He just couldn’t trust the man.
Carlton leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling. This was getting him nowhere. Maybe he should just go and see Daniel. It wasn’t like they could refuse him entry if he showed up at the hotel. Daniel was his mate. He had a right to see his mate whenever he wanted to.
Carlton glanced up when he heard a knock on his study door. “Come.”
The door opened, and Carlton’s beta walked in. Carlton kept things pretty laid back between the two of them when they were in private. Because of that, he expected Ben to sit down. He was a little surprised when Ben simply walked over and stood at attention in front of his desk.
“Ben?”
“There’s been a development, Alpha.”
“A development?” That was an odd choice of words for Ben to use.
“Several of our pack members were attacked by hunters.” A grimace of anger worked its way across Ben’s face. “Two did not make it. Three more are injured. One is missing.”
“Fuck!” Carlton rubbed his hands down his face. He so did not need this shit right now. As alpha, he would need to deal with this situation, which meant he couldn’t go see Daniel like he wanted to.
Damn.
“There’s more, Alpha.”
“There always is.” Carlton sighed deeply and braced himself. “All right, tell me.”
“The ones that got away, they told me that hunters also took some vampires from Electus Everson’s tribe.”
“Fuck!” This would give Carlton a reason to call his mate, but it wasn’t for the reason he wanted. “Question those that you can and then bring me a report. I’ll contact Electus Everson.”
Ben nodded and walked out of the study. Carlton drew in a deep breath and picked up the phone again, hitting redial. His heart beat out a rapid tempo as he waited for Daniel to pick up the other end.
“Was there something more you wanted, Carlton?”
There was, but Carlton wasn’t about to admit that right now. “My beta just reported to me that hunters attacked several members of my pack and your tribe. Two did not make it. Three more are injured. One is missing. The ones that did survive reported seeing the hunters take off with a few of your tribe members.”
“Fuck!”
Carlton chuckled lightly. “Yeah, that was kind of my response, too.”
“Where were they taken?”
“My beta is questioning the survivors now.”
“Good. I’ll gather some men together and be there in twenty minutes. Have a room set up for me to use as a command post when I arrive.”
Carlton jumped and jerked the phone back from his ear to stare at it when Daniel hung up on him. The man was aggravating as hell but damned if his take-charge attitude didn’t turn Carlton on.
Carlton stared for a moment more until the knowledge that Daniel would soon be there fully sank in. His stomach suddenly started to roll and clench. His palms felt sweaty. Carlton hung up the phone and wiped his hands down his pant legs.
It didn’t help.
He rolled his eyes at himself. He was an alpha, for fuck’s sake. He wasn’t some little schoolboy with his first crush. He was a powerful leader in his own right, a man that led nearly a hundred men, women, and children.
He needed to get a hold of his emotions, and his libido, both of which were careening out of control at the thought of seeing Daniel again. Carlton didn’t think it would be a good idea for Daniel to see how much he desired the other man’s mere presence. He couldn’t let Daniel have that kind of control of him again.
Carlton pushed himself to his feet and hurried to find Ben. He needed to gather as much information as he could before Daniel arrived. Carlton didn’t even want to think about how his stomach dropped at the thought that Daniel might be disappointed in him if everything wasn’t ready when he arrived.
The electus’s approval shouldn’t matter so much to Carlton, and yet it did. Carlton knew he had to be losing his mind. That was the only way he could describe the sudden anxiety he was feeling at seeing Daniel again or not getting everything just right for his mate.
“Ben,” he called out when he spotted the man walking down the stairs from the second floor, “Electus Everson and some of his men are on their way here to confer with us about our missing people. He’s to be given every courtesy.”
“Of course, Alpha.”
Ben said it so matter-of-factly that Carlton was reminded that he hadn’t told anyone that Daniel was his mate. Maybe it was time to change that. “I need to speak to you in my study before the electus arrives.”
Ben nodded and followed Carlton into his study. Carlton went straight to the crystal decanter sitting on the sideboard and poured two drinks. He handed one to Ben, ignoring the man’s confused frown.
Carlton slammed the amber-colored liquid down, pounding his chest when it burned. He set the glass back on the side table, knowing someone would retrieve it and clean it, then turned to face his beta.
“Electus Daniel Everson is my mate.”
Carlton smirked when the glass fell from Ben’s hand and shattered on the hardwood floor. He gestured down to the broken glass and the spilt liquor. “You’d better clean that up before Dana learns of it. She’ll be pissed if you mark up her floor.”
Ben’s jaw dropped. “Your mate is the electus of a vampire tribe and you’re worried about a little broken glass on your floor?”
“Have you seen Dana when someone messes with her floors? I have a right to be scared of her.”
“Carlton!”
Carlton thought Ben was close to stomping his foot. The only reason the man didn’t was because Carlton was the alpha of their pack. He shook his head, amused by Ben’s reaction. It had been so much more controlled than his own when he learned that Daniel was his.
“Look, Ben, Daniel is my mate, plain and simple.”
“Fuck.”
Carlton’s eyebrows rose when Ben rubbed the back of his neck and started pacing. He knew that things were tense between wolf shifters and vampires, but he couldn’t deny his mate. No one should expect him to.
“Is there any way that you could be wrong?”
“No.”
“What about Rowan?” Ben asked as he stopped pacing and leaned back against the edge of Carlton’s desk.
“What about him?”
“Damn it, Carlton. Just a few weeks ago you were all about Rowan being your mate. You almost caused a paranormal incident. And now you’re going on about some vampire being your mate. How in the hell can you be sure?”
Carlton shrugged. “Daniel claimed me.”
Ben blinked for a moment. “Have you claimed him?”
“Yes,” Carlton answered without hesitation.
“You’re going to get us all killed,” Ben whispered as he glanced up at the ceiling.
“What would make you say something like that?”
“He’s the electus of a fucking vampire tribe, Carlton.” Ben glanced back at Carlton. “What do you think is going to happen? We’ll have little tea parties together? You’ve doomed us all.”
“Daniel does not mean us any harm.” Carlton could feel agitation taking bites at his control. He never realized until today how much hatred Ben had toward vampires.
“He’s a vampire!” Ben shouted, confirming Carlton’s thoughts.
“He’s also my mate!” Carlton shouted right back. He stepped up closer to Ben, leaning into the man as he let his eyes flash with anger. “And you need to remember who in the hell you are talking to.”
Ben sneered as he looked Carlton up and down. “A vampire’s pet? A pin cushion? A walking blood bag?”
Carlton growled and wrapped his hand around Ben’s throat, extending his claws just enough so that they sank into Ben’s throat, creating little trickles of blood instead of rivers.
“Watch your mouth!” Carlton snapped. “No matter what you think of me, I am still your alpha and you will give me your respect.”
“Not when you mate with a bloodsucker.”
“Then you can leave!” Carlton tossed Ben away from him, more incensed than he could ever remember being in his life. He hadn’t even been this angry at Daniel, and he had been enraged at the man.
“You’re”—Ben rubbed his throat, frowning—“you’re banishing me?”
“I don’t want to, Ben, but you’ve left me no choice.”
“You can’t do this.”
“I can.”
“Because I don’t think you should bring a bloodsucker into our pack?”
“Because you think I have a choice.”
“He’s a bloodsucker, Carlton.”
“He’s also my mate, Ben, and I will not deny my mate.”
“Well, that’s certainly good to know.”
Carlton’s eyes widened when he heard a voice behind him. His heart thundered in his chest as he swung around to stare at the man leaning casually against the doorframe.
“Daniel,” he whispered on a breath. He heard Ben snort from behind him, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from his mate, not even to lay into Ben for his disrespectful behavior.
The sight of Daniel standing in his doorway was more than he had dreamed of when he woke up this morning. Daniel looked glorious, tall, and sexy as sin. His dark-brown hair brushed gently against his shoulders, and his gray eyes swirled with a hint of mystery.
As Carlton looked closer, though, he began to notice that there was a slight ashen pallor to Daniel’s skin, and he look gaunt like he hadn’t been eating properly. Even his shoulders seemed a little hunched.
In a word, Daniel looked like shit.
“Leave us,” Daniel ordered without looking away from his mate.
Carlton stepped into the room to give Ben room to walk by. As much as he didn’t want to, Carlton’s eyes strayed to Ben as the man started out of the room. He growled low in his throat when he saw Ben sneer at Daniel.
Carlton was across the room, pinning Ben to the wall, in a blink of an eye. He leaned in close to Ben, barring his teeth, and barely restraining himself from ripping the man’s throat out.
“You will apologize to my mate,” Carlton snapped as he swung Ben around and forced him to his knees in front of Daniel. He placed one sharp claw against Ben’s throat. “Ask for his forgiveness.”
Carlton felt Ben swallow hard before he looked up at Daniel. “I apologize for my disrespect, Electus Everson. Please forgive me.”
One perfectly manicured dark eyebrow arched on Daniel’s face. “Interesting technique you have there, Carlton. I think he actually means it.”
“He’d better.”
Ben stumbled to his feet when Carlton released him. Carlton crossed his arms over his chest and glowered at the man as he watched him walk out of the room, shutting the door behind him. He’d deal with Ben at a later time. Right now, he needed to find out why Daniel looked like death warmed over.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Me?” Daniel’s eyebrows shot up. “What do you mean?”
“Have you been eating right, Daniel?”
“I think we have other things to discuss than the state of my health, Carlton.”
“No, we don’t.” Carlton stepped closer to Daniel, and then frowned when Daniel took a step back from him. “Daniel, wha—”
Daniel held up a hand. “Let’s just deal with what we need to. The rest doesn’t matter.”
“The hell it doesn’t!” Carlton stepped closer, again watching as Daniel took another step back. “You’re in my pack now. No one can see any weakness in you.”
Daniel snorted and rolled his eyes.
“Daniel, I’m serious. It’s obvious even to me that you haven’t been feeding. If anyone suspects that you aren’t—”
Daniel’s face suddenly darkened as he glared at Carlton. “It’s pretty damn hard to feed when my anamchara has deserted me.”
“I—you—” Carlton licked his lips, confused. “I don’t understand, Daniel.”
“No, you wouldn’t. You’re not a vampire.” Daniel suddenly looked grim. It gave his face an even more deadly pallor as if he was fighting something with every fiber of his being. He pushed a shaking hand through his hair, ruffling it. “Look, let’s just deal with the situation at hand.”
“No!” Carlton stepped closer again. “I want to know what’s going on, Daniel. Since you seem to think I don’t understand because I’m not a vampire, explain it to me.”
“You don’t understand, and I’m not inclined to explain it to you.”
Carlton growled and leapt the few remaining feet between him and Daniel. He saw fear flash in Daniel’s eyes as the man quickly backed up until he hit the wall of the study, and then pure panic filled his eyes.
“Don’t.” Daniel swallowed hard and turned his head to the side. “Please.”