Bound to Be Taken [Rock Wood Pack 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (5 page)

“I’ll fight anyone who threatens my claim to your side. You know the truth, Micah, and I can take out all of this pack with my strength. I’d rather use my strength to fight for the pack rather than against it. ”

“Are you threatening me?” Micah growled the words out.

“I’m warning you not to send her away. You send her away and you’ll lose more than you think.” Cade walked past his alpha. The threat he’d given the man was real. Misty appeared out of the library looking smug.

“Did she die?” Misty asked.

“No. She’s perfectly healthy.”

Jordan, Paul, and Wilson appeared out of the kitchen. They looked tense and Cade sensed Charlotte and the alpha entering the house.

“It’s a shame. The pack would be better off without her fat ass lumping around.” Misty stared at Charlotte while she spoke the words.

“You fucking bitch,” Charlotte said. Micah held his mate back. If Charlotte started a fight with Misty then Charlotte would have no choice but to finish it. Misty was a lot stronger than their human queen.

Charlotte may not be able to start a fight. He could.

He sensed the other men’s disgust directed at this woman. They should have gotten rid of her years ago. Before Charlotte came along, she’d been fucking Micah and it was impossible to get rid of her. Now, Cade wanted to kill her.

Charging at her, Cade grabbed Misty around the neck. Slamming her against the brick wall he stared into her eyes. Fighting Misty wasn’t like fighting a woman. She was too strong to be seen as a woman.

He’d seen her fighting other pack members, she was deadly.

She lashed out, punching him in the gut. Cade didn’t respond. His body was hard muscle, there was no getting past him. There was no fight between him and Misty. He was that strong. He could win against anyone, and all the high-ranking members knew it.

“Do you really think you can beat me?” he asked. He slammed her against the wall, watching the fear spark into her eyes. Cade held her like a rag doll. All he needed to do was twist his arm and he’d break her neck. “Your time in this pack is running out, Misty. Say one word against Titania or hurt her and I’ll ruin you.” He leaned in close until only she could hear. “Micah would force you out of the pack. Me, I’ll find you and I’d kill you without a second thought.”

Letting go of her throat, Cade stepped back.

She collapsed to the floor grabbing her neck.

Without saying a word to anyone, he turned and walked away. If any of the other pack members thought they could take his place then let them. He’d show them all how real his feelings were for Titania and he wasn’t going to hide them anymore.

She was his woman and would soon be his mate.

* * * *

“You’re alive,” David said. He wrapped his arms around her the instant he saw her. She laughed at his concern, trying to make light of the situation.

“I’m fine, David. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

He squeezed her tightly making her gasp for breath. “Don’t try to kid me, Titania. I saw you. You were dying. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Holding onto him, Titania remained silent. There was nothing for her to say to make him feel better. She’d been close to death. There was no use in denying it.

“I’m fine now.”

“Why didn’t you tell anyone about your inability to change?” he asked.

The anger on his face took her back.

“Calm down, David.”

“No, I won’t be calm. You’re my best fucking friend. I love you like a sister, Titania. You mean everything to me.”

Swallowing past the lump in her throat she nodded. “I know. I see you as a brother.”

“Then why didn’t you tell anyone? If I hadn’t been here and on one of my fucking trips you would be dead.” He slammed his fist against the door. She yelped when he left a dent the size of his fist.

Biting her lip, she looked down at her feet. They were filthy from the trek out of the forest.

“You’re not getting out of this one.”

“I was scared, okay.”

“Scared of what?” he asked. His voice softened as if he was talking to a child. She hated that. She wasn’t a child.

“I’m a low ranking member, David. I’m not anything special. I’m good at doing a few things in this house. Not being able to change at will is just another mark against me—” She didn’t finish. The tears started to fall at the thought of being kicked out of the pack.

“You were scared in case Micah forced you out of the pack.” His arms surrounded her, pulling her close.

Pressing her hands to her face, she let the tears fall. “I can only just make it in this pack. Going out rogue or finding another pack wouldn’t work. I’m all alone here. This pack is all I’ve got.”

“Not true,” he said, shaking his head. “You’ve got me and Charlotte. Our queen wouldn’t let you out of her sight. She loves you too much to risk anything bad happening to you.”

He held her close while she cried.

After some time, he lay on her bed and she went to take a shower to freshen up. When she came back, she found David lying on his stomach waiting for her.

“You’re not tired?” she asked.

“Do you really think I’d give up a chance to get all the gory details of your time with Cade? Come on, the guy went super possessive on me. He’s got the hots for you, baby.”

Shaking her head, she grabbed the brush from her nightstand. This was her own room. Micah had made sure to give her her own room. There was no chance of her leaving the house. He’d become like a parent figure to her.

“There’s nothing to tell. He helped me and then he stayed to make sure I was okay.”

She thought about the memory he’d shared with her. Nerves hit her in every direction. Nothing good could come of them being mated. His determination frightened her. Pack members would try to claim his spot. Charlotte and Micah were different. She and Cade were pack members and there was a certain code they needed to stick by.

“Please, I saw him with you. He held you down in his wolf form and there was a connection. Even I sensed the connection between you two. What happened?” David asked.

She stalled by brushing her hair and rubbing moisturizer into her skin.

“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me the truth.”

“I’m not saying a word. Nothing went on. I could have died tonight, Cade helped me, end of story.”

“Whatever, keep thinking it, baby. Cade has the hots for you. Anyone with eyes can see it. He looked ready to claim you tonight.” David settled on the bed. She lifted the blanket and climbed in beside him.

“Nothing like that will ever happen.”

“Whatever.”

Turning out the light, Titania let sleep claim her. The night had been long and hard, she was exhausted, and sleep was a welcome oblivion to her problems.

* * * *

The following morning at breakfast, Titania ignored the blatant stares. She served pancakes to all the pack apart from Micah and the high ranking members, including Cade. Begging Charlotte to do it seemed like a brilliant plan at the time. Maybe she should have opted to serve them instead of the rest of the pack. The way they were looking at her made her skin crawl.

“So, you can’t turn?” Becky asked. She was strong like Misty, only she wasn’t as mean with it.

Titania shook her head. Embarrassment flooded her when they started to murmur.

“I don’t want to hear anymore discussions about last night. What happened was a mistake and negligence on my part. I want to know if anyone else struggles with the change.” The room grew silent as Micah talked. She stood still, waiting for anyone to speak up. No one did. Great, she was the only wolf who couldn’t turn. Glancing at Misty, she saw the smirk on her face.

“No one has any other ailments I need to know about?” Micah asked.

Silence again.

“Then we’ll hear no more of this. Titania, you’ll be training with Cade this morning in the gym alone. Until the full moon, I don’t want you training with anyone else. I will not risk your safety again,” Micah said.

She looked at Cade. The smug look on his face let her know he’d arranged for that. Alone in the gym practicing was not how she’d be able to stay away from him.

Refusing her alpha was far worse than spending time with Cade.

“Yes, sir,” she said.

Charlotte sent her an encouraging smile.

“Misty, you’ll be cleaning the floors and the toilets.”

The clatter of a spoon into a bowl echoed through the room. “You’ve got to be fucking shitting me. That’s not my job.”

Micah stood, slamming his fist on the table. “I’m the alpha in this place. After what you did yesterday you’re lucky to be alive, Misty. You’ll clean the toilets and do as you’re bid and you’ve got the job for the whole month. Do it right, Jordan has an upset stomach again.”

Jordan gave the alpha the finger but smiled as he did.

After she served breakfast, Titania went into the kitchen to eat. Sitting with the pack after that would be a nightmare.

Charlotte walked in twenty minutes later carrying plates. “Cade is waiting for you in the gym.”

“I can’t go,” she said.

“You’ve got to go. There is no choice in this. After what I saw last night I’m in agreement with the men. You need to train to protect yourself.” Charlotte wrapped her arms around her.

“I can take care of myself.” The words were a lie.

“No, you can’t. I saw what you looked like last night. You were dying. I’ve never seen anything like it. It was like your body was fighting to repair itself but also refusing to.”

“I never have a choice, Charlotte. I can’t turn. Why do you think I was left in Rock Wood to fend for myself?”

Charlotte wrapped her arms around her. Titania took all the comfort offered to her. She needed it. The pack knew about her issues and she felt nervous about it. Would they blank her or treat her worse?

“I wasn’t with you when you first came to Rock Wood. I’m sorry you were treated awfully. I love you like a sister and no matter what I’m here for you.”

“I love you, too.”

“You better go and deal with Cade. He’s not the most patient man.” Charlotte kissed her cheek and left her alone.

Taking a deep breath, Titania made her way down to the gym.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Jordan asked.

“What do you mean?” Cade finished placing the safety mats on the hard wood floor. He was determined to make the room as safe as possible.

“You know what I mean. Is this cunt worth it?” Cade lashed out, thumping Jordan in the face. The other man was testing him and he didn’t like it. “Fuck, man. I asked a question. You didn’t have to lash out at me.”

“Don’t call Titania a cunt,” he said. Lifting his hand Cade was ready to hurt him some more.

“Fuck, I wasn’t calling her a cunt. I was referring to the thing between her thighs. Shit, man. I remember when you were lots more fun.” Jordan cupped his eye. Cade looked over at the other man. Jordan wasn’t as strong as him but he was still considered a top ranking member. He was strong and knew how to fight.

“When it comes to my woman, be respectful. I won’t have anyone calling her any names, you got me?”

“Yeah, I got it.” They finished preparing the gym in silence. “Micah’s pissed at you,” Jordan said when they finished with the room.

“Micah can go fuck himself. He took a human mate in order to protect her. The mating between them was true. I want the same thing only with a woman of the pack,” Cade said.

“A woman who can’t even turn, Cade. She’s vulnerable, weak and a waste of your time.”

Folding his arms over his chest, he stared at the other man. There was once a time he cared about Micah’s and Jordan’s opinions. No more. He wanted Titania and no one was going to stop him from going after what he wanted.

“You’ve not met your mate yet or a woman or guy you want to spend the rest of your life with. I know you, Jordan. You swing both ways. You like a bit of cock and pussy. I don’t judge you on that. Stick your opinions up your ass or keep them to yourself, hear me?”

The anger emanated off Jordan and it was all directed at him. Cade didn’t care. He refused to let anyone tell him how to live his life.

The sound of a woman clearing her throat gained their attention. Titania stood in a denim skirt, again, with a long pink shirt covering her body.

“I was told to come down here,” she said.

“That’s right. Asshole here is leaving.” Cade gave Jordan a pointed look.

“I’m gone.” He watched the other man leave before turning back to Titania.

“This is a waste of time.” She rubbed her hands together. He felt her nerves from where he stood.

“No, it’s not. Last night only proved to me that you are in desperate need of training.”

“I can’t turn.”

“I know. You need the training to stop yourself being at risk. I will not let anything happen to you, Titania. I’m doing this to protect you.” Her arms were folded over her chest. The shirt she wore covered everything from view. He wished there was something he could do to stop her hiding from him.