Feral Awakening (The Feral Series-Book 2) (33 page)

She wondered if she was
going to be able to do this, stand passively while the monster of a man claimed
her as his possession. Her skin crawled as she remembered him speaking of the
children they would have together. If he thought she would submit to him in any
other way he was in for a big surprise. In public was one thing, behind closed
doors was another. Even at that she would have to be careful to focus on Liam
and nothing else. Otherwise she was sure to claw the man’s eyes out.

 Hatred made her eyes
glow a bright green and her chest rise heavily with each breath that she took. She
knew now that he must have had something to do with her father’s death and
surely her mother’s disappearance. She would have to be smart. She would watch
and listen to everything around her and somehow she would find a way to avenge
them both. Her thoughts of vengeance would be the only thing that would get her
through this day.

 The door to the room
startled her from her dark thoughts and there in the doorway stood the object
of her hatred. Lorcan’s eyes traveled over her body hungrily and his face lit
up with the smile of a man that was sure he was about to get everything he
wanted. Kat stood stiffly before him, her face composed and giving away nothing
of the thoughts going through her head.

 “Put on your shoes and
come with me. It’s time to reintroduce you to the pack.”

 Kat walked calmly over
to the chair where her heels rested and slid them on one at a time. Conscious
of his eyes watching her every move, she bent one leg and then the other,
sliding into her heels. Walking over she stopped just a few feet in front of
him. Taking a small breath she struggled to keep her cool façade. “Just tell me
one thing.”

 Lorcan raised one
heavy brow in curiosity. “Where is my mother?”

 Kat held her breath
while he frowned at her and wondered if he would have the nerve to answer. “She
had tried to cover her tracks but I knew that the two of you hadn’t died in
that car accident. After years of searching my hunters finally uncovered a
trail that led us to her. Finally we had found her, but you were no longer with
her. She was captured but then killed during one of her attempts to escape. She
fled into a busy intersection and was struck by a truck.”

 “Oh my god!” No longer
able to face him. Kat turned away, her hand held over her mouth in horror. Tears
gathered in her eyes as she struggled to regain control of her raging emotions.
She struggled for several long minutes before locking down the rage that ran
through her veins. With her head held high, Kat dropped her hands to her sides
and squared her shoulders. When she turned back around she had her composed
mask back in place. This bastard would never see her break. She refused to give
him the satisfaction of seeing her pain.

 Stiffly she walked to
his side and he wasted no time in leading her out into the hallway and firmly
taking her arm in his large hand. “Just remember, your friend Liam will
continue to breathe for as long as your good behavior last.”

 Kat glared at him in
response. “Let’s just get this over with shall we?” With a tug to her arm he led
her down the hallway, his two guards falling in line behind them.

 Kats nervousness had
increased tenfold as she had watched the sun set over an hour ago. The mating
ceremony was to take place beneath the full moon and it was rising quickly. She
had been taken to a large gathering hall where she now sat at a long table next
to Lorcan. Their table was set at the front of the large building on a raised
stage, looking out over the smaller tables the other members of the pack sat
around.

 As Lorcan had moved
her through the house earlier she was plagued by memories of running down the
halls, her father chasing her with a playful growl. The memories were beginning
to come back to her though very faint.

 They had left the main
house and walked a short distance to a large gathering hall. The O’Connell
territory seemed to be laid out similarly to the McLarens, with a grand house
where the alpha and several pack members lived and then on the same grounds a
large temple and gathering place among several other buildings. The other
members of the pack then had homes of their own spread out over the O’Connell
territory.

 She had smiled
politely and spoke with several members of the pack, most of them being male
since the O’Connell’s were not allowed to mate with anyone who wasn’t a Lykan. She
was sure that some of the O’Connell men who were most loyal to Lorcan knew he
held her captive. The others wisely turned a blind eye to the obvious tension
radiating from her body and the paleness of her face. Clearly their fear of the
powerful alpha was stronger than their desire to help the daughter of a man
gone for over twenty years.

 Respectful of their
leader, they spoke of how relieved they were that she had been found and
finally returned to the pack. What a miracle it was that she had survived the
car accident and that after all these years Loran had found her and brought her
home where she belonged.   

 She was offered
condolences on the loss of her parents and several of them spoke of memories
they had of her as a little girl and spoke of her mother and father. Lorcan had
responded in kind, speaking of her parents as though they were old friends but
Kat could feel the tightening on her arm. He had held her possessively throughout
the introductions, never letting her go for even one minute.

 Apparently they didn’t
find it strange that she was being mated to him so soon after rejoining her
pack because of her age. Of course with Lorcan being the alpha, it only made
sense that she would be mated to him. She was sure that to most of the pack, he
seemed like an attentive male to his soon to be mate. Kat knew though that she
was being watched closely. Anytime the discussion came too close to things
Lorcan clearly didn’t want her to discuss she was quickly whisked away to meet
yet another waiting pack member.

 She knew that she had
been born into this pack but felt no sense of belonging here. Her memories of
her time here were long faded. They were complete strangers to her. Her bond
was with Ronan and the McLaren’s now. She would never belong with a pack that
considered people like Elana, Teagan and Ava the enemy. She knew now that her
mother had been hiding from them. She realized now that for all those years
they had been running, running from Lorcan O’Connell.

 Kat picked at the food
on her plate. The nausea she felt at being so close to Lorcan all day having
robbed her of her appetite. Her brow lifted in surprise and all eyes turned to
a man who suddenly flew into the building, the door slamming in his wake. She
could feel Lorcan tensing next to her. In a rush the man dodged the people and
tables in his way as he hurried to his alpha.

 “Sir.” He panted, out
of breath, he eyes wide with alarm. “The McLaren’s are here.”

 Kat’s heart froze in
her throat as Lorcan stood at the table, his chair falling behind him with a
crash. “Alert the guard. I want every able bodied male…”

 “SIR!” The man dared
to interrupt loudly. “We can’t attack. They come under a flag of truce. Thomas McLaren
seeks council with you and they have brought allies with them.”

 “What! “ Lorcan thundered
in rage. “What allies?”

 The room around them
was suddenly a flurry of activity as Lorcan lept over the table and stormed
towards the door. The guards rising to follow, Kat dodged their grasp as she
too hurried to follow in Lorcan’s wake. Squeezing through the people filing
outside, Kat suddenly found herself once again crushed against a broad male
chest as Lorcan’s guards caught up to her. Kat struggled for a moment until the
arm clamped around her waist began to squeeze her so tightly she couldn’t breathe
and feared her ribs were about to be cracked.

 Although she couldn’t
see him she caught Brady’s scent, the male that had attacked her and knocked
her out when she was first brought here. With dread she stopped her struggling
and looked out into the large courtyard they had all gathered in.

 In the field next to
the house she could clearly see many male shapes in the background. They stood
shoulder to shoulder, flanked on either side by the armed O’Connell men. Both
sides were tensed for attack but neither moved. Four shapes separated
themselves from the others, moving forward into the clearing.

 Kat gasped when their
faces came into view. Thomas, Teagan and Ronan came forward along with Victor
the vampire clan chief.

 “The vampires!” Kat
gasped out loud. The vampires were the allies Lorcan spoke of and now that Kat
looked closer she could see Ethan and several of the vampire men that Kat had
met at Claymore.

 “Lorcan O’Connell I
issue you Challenge.” Ronan’s deep voice broke the silence of the night, the
sound of it sending chills down Kat’s spine. Her hungry eyes feasted on the
very sight of him. There were shadows under his eyes that hadn’t been there
before and he looked like he hadn’t slept in days.

 Lorcan’s laugh echoed
out mockingly. “A challenge. From a pup like you. Look at the mighty McLaren
Pack. Rutting with vampires. This is a new low, even for you Thomas McLaren.”

 “As you know Lorcan,
my son Teagan is now mated to a vampire and as a personal favor to my son, they
have agreed to join with us here today. If you do not accept the challenge and
instead choose to attack us, just know that you will not only be declaring war
on the McLaren’s but on the vampires as well. Not something even a fool like
you would do.”

 Lorcan snarled at them
as he met Victor’s eyes. The powerful vampire chief looking very composed, met
his eyes with a knowing grin and a nod confirming what Thomas McLaren had just
said.

 “Look at them.” Lorcan
threw he arms wide, posturing for his pack. “So weak, they need the vampires to
come to their rescue.” Internally Lorcan was seething. Thomas had played his
hand well. None of his allies would back him if he started a war with the
vampires. He would have to go carefully here. “By what right do you dare to
issue me challenge?”

 Ronan’s golden eyes
began to glow as he barely held himself in check when he responded. “Lorcan O’Connell
I demand the return of my mate.” The crowd began to mummer around him and
Lorcan threw back his head in a mighty roar of laughter.

 “Your mate! Katianna
is exactly where she should be. With her pack. Any claim you had to her ended
the moment a McLaren blade pierced the heart of Donavan O’Connell.”

 Grumbles of agreement
echoed from those gathered. “A blade placed there by an O’Connell’s hand.” Ronan
snarled at him.

 “What lies are these? Not
only do you hide behind the vampires but now you think to blame me for
Donavan’s death. Now you have gone too far.”

 “Katianna bears my
bond on her arm and she will be leaving with me. This feud with you ends here
once and for all. There will be no more war, no more fighting.  This will end
now. With you and me.” Ronan snarled at him.

 Lorcan looked at him speculatively,
his devious mind already plotting how to use the challenge to his best
advantage. “Very well. Challenge accepted.” Growling low, Lorcan backed up and
began to remove his jacket and shirt.

 Kat’s heart lept into
her chest as Ronan’s eyes very deliberately met her own. Her heart in her
throat she ached to be able to run to him. For just a moment he indulged
himself with the vision of her. His jaw clenching as he noted the guards
restraining hand around her stomach. His mouth pulling back with a snarl he
once again looked away from her and prepared to face Lorcan. 

 Kat’s heart beat a
rapid staccato. He hadn’t left. What did it mean? Had he stayed because he
wanted her? Perhaps he had been leaving and was stopped when he heard his pack
had been attacked. At the moment she didn’t care what had brought him here. All
that mattered was that he was here, once again willing to fight for her, ready
to save her from yet another monster. Part of her was filled with joy but the
other half of her was terrified, terrified that he might be killed.

 Lorcan had bragged
about all the challengers he had defeated. She couldn’t handle it if anything
happened to Ronan. It was one thing to be heartbroken and separated from him. At
least she could have gone on with her life, knowing he was out there somewhere.
She didn’t think she could go on knowing he was gone from this world forever.

 Panic pulsed through
her body as the two men entered the clearing, both of the packs standing behind
them. The full moon having risen above their heads, cast eerie shadows on the
landscape. His now bare back facing her, Kat watched grimly as the shadows
rippled down Lorcan’s broad shoulders and he rolled first one and then the
other and then cracked his neck. Throwing both hands out to his sides he
extended his thick claws, snapping his now razor sharp teeth. Throwing back his
head he roared up at the moon as he completed his shift into werewolf.

 Seeing his opponent
beginning to shift, Ronan’s roar rumbled across the earth. In similar fashion
his black claws flashed at his sides, the dark twisting tattoo that wrapped
around his forearm rolling as the thick muscles in his arms grew heaver. His
already broad chest growing even larger as it darkened with the hair now
covering his shoulders and spreading down his chest. The lines of his rugged
face becoming more angular, more lupine.