Scattered Siblings 3: To Mate a Werewolf (20 page)

King Caleb settled at the other side of his queen. “Marcellus, grab a chair and join us. Let’s make this brief. I can see Joel’s antsy to get his mate alone somewhere soon. None of the contenders know what a heroine Ellie is. She came to the Tundra Toughs’ territories to warn you about a plot against the pack and against me. She hated being stuck here for the duration of the tournament, but I think things have worked out better than she expected.”

Joel’s forehead furrowed, and he raised his eyebrows at Ellie. She hadn’t followed him here because of his charms. Nor had she come to shame him. And what did Caleb mean when he called her a heroine? If anyone hurt his Ellie, he’d tear out their throat.

He never should have left her alone in Whitby. Knowing she’d come here to warn his pack and his king somehow made Joel’s behavior worse. His Ellie was a saint to forgive him—well possibly, but saints didn’t give blowjobs that turned a man’s brain to mush.
I need to get her alone and return the favor.

Joel’s cheeks paled, and his heart raced. “You came to warn me? I mean I thought, well, after what happened between us in Whitby, I assumed you’d come to embarrass me. Gods, Ellie, I’m sorry. I’m an even bigger prick than I imagined. What happened?”

“I foolishly let some humans see my ears, and they took me prisoner.”

Joel growled. “I’ll kill them.”

Caleb’s smile showed the ruthless streak that earned him the soubriquet
the cold
. “Already taken care of. Besides, your mate has a nasty streak. She fed them poisonous mushrooms, and while they rolled about in agony, she escaped.”

Ellie’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “They’re dead? It wasn’t my mushrooms, was it?”

Caleb shook his head. Joel pulled Ellie onto his lap, and she could feel his breath on the back of her neck. It sent shivers down her spine.

“They should have been my kill.” Joel groused. “Damn it, woman, I’m never letting you out of my sight for an instant, not when you land in that sort of trouble.”

Caleb’s eyes twinkled. “We’ll argue about it later. Anyway, thanks to your mate, we know one of the People’s Defense League’s leaders is a redheaded woman. Don’t tell Sylvie’s half brother I said so, but that woman sounds just like his mother. The dowager Fae queen could hold her own with Godzilla. Not that she’d plot against any of us, of course. We decided it was best if Ellie told you nothing until you won the tournament.”

Joel laughed. “I’m glad you were certain. The redhead ties in with the things Titus said about the bitch who has imprisoned his mate. Speaking of which, what should we do about Titus and Lysander? I’m open to suggestions.”

Marcellus shrugged. “As the new Tundra Toughs’ alpha, you have the right to take Lysander’s throat for almost drowning those cubs.”

Joel squeezed Ellie’s fingers, then raised them briefly to his lips. “I think my mate might have something to say about that. While I don’t condone his actions, I understand why he’d do anything to save his little sister. Pack and family are everything to a wolf.”

Caleb considered a moment. “I’ll have my intelligence staff try to track down the girl. It goes against the grain to leave any Lykae imprisoned.”

ELLIE SMILED ACROSS at the Lykae queen, uncertain if she was supposed to make conversation or wait for the other woman to speak.

Sylvie leaned closer. “Let the men work out how to rescue that poor girl. Joel, do put Ellie down and let me chat with your mate.”

Ellie blushed and slid from his knee. The Lykae queen looked so serious Ellie worried she meant to warn her off Joel.

Sylvie frowned, but she didn’t sound angry. “Had you visited the Tundra Toughs’ territory before you came here to warn Joel?”

Ellie shook her head. “I’d never flashed anywhere before. It was more an accident than a deliberate decision. I didn’t know I had any sort of magic until then. Earlier today, Olivia almost went wolf on my ass, and I pinned her foot to the floor with a couple of carving knives. One of my military trainers tried to convince me I had crazy knife skills, but I didn’t believe him. I mean, how could an Elf react quicker than a half-turned Lykae? Now the drama’s over, it just doesn’t make sense.”

Sylvie reached across and patted Ellie’s knee. “Or maybe you’re not an Elf at all. Why are you so certain you are?”

Ellie brushed back her hair and showed Sylvie her ears. “I thought I was human. I’m certain Mom was, but my dad disappeared before I was born. My mother’s
darling Herodotus
must have been an Elf. Of course, once the Elves kidnapped me, there was no mistaking my species. They used me the same way they did their drudges. They wouldn’t have dared do that if I’d been half Fae.”

Sylvie stared at Ellie, and then her eyes glazed. She jerked upright so quickly Caleb came over and rested his hand on her swollen belly. “Are you and the pup all right?”

The queen covered his mammoth hand with hers. “The baby’s fine, but I think you should all hear this. Ellie’s father, Herodotus, walked out on her mother before Ellie was born.”

King Caleb glanced at Ellie and back to his mate. “That’s a story I’ve heard before, and there’s a slight resemblance. Are you sure?”

Sylvie squeezed Ellie’s hand. “Herodotus isn’t a common name, even among the Fae. Besides, the instant she said his name, I used my sight on her.”

Marcellus backed off. “I think this isn’t meant for my ears.”

Caleb nodded, and as the alpha’s first lieutenant, Marcellus left to join the pack’s celebrations.

Joel’s cheeks had a green tinge, and he ran one hand through his hair. “Damn it, she said she was an Elf. We killed the warriors, and their drudges were too scared to say a word. This is my fault. I should have looked deeper. Gods, Ellie, I’m sorry. I should have forced those drudges to talk, but I’m not big on bullying downtrodden women. You’re not an Elf, you’re—”

The wind caught the Great Hall door, slamming it shut as Marcellus left. The noise drowned out Joel’s words.

Ellie shook her head. “Am I the only one who doesn’t know what’s going on here? I was just telling the queen how my mother hit the gin when Herodotus walked out on her. Even as a toddler, I was the adult in our relationship.”

Sylvie paled and took a couple of deep breaths. For a moment Ellie thought the queen had gone into labor. Instead, she leaned toward Ellie and whispered, “Did you have sex with Joel before you worked your magic?”

Ellie blushed and pulled her hair over her face. “I’ve screwed so many Elves I lost track, but I never did it willingly. Well, I did, but only after those Elves poured their vile potions down my throat. When Joel and I… Well, it was consensual. I never imagined things could be so good after… Look, let’s just say everything’s a million times better with Joel.”

Sensing her distress, Joel rubbed his hand up and down Ellie’s spine.

Sylvie apologized instantly. “I didn’t mean to upset you. The thing is, I only developed my magic after Caleb carried me off and seduced me. Fae females only come into their powers after sex. Apparently forced sex doesn’t count. Ellie, like me, you’re half Fae. Honestly, I think those Elves knew that.”

King Caleb nodded. “They probably got off on it. What better way to break your spirit than make you think you were related to their drudges?”

Ellie felt like an ugly duckling that discovered she was a swan. Sex powered her abilities, which explained how she’d managed to flash to Joel. Little bits of this puzzle made sense, but she didn’t quite believe the Lykae queen. How could she? She clutched Joel’s thigh, and instantly his hand covered hers. Just touching him made her feel braver. “Me? A Fae? I think I’m being really thick-headed or something, but I don’t understand.”

Chapter Twenty-One

The tension left Ellie’s shoulders as Joel pulled her back onto his knee. When his arms tightened around her, she relaxed completely, but she still struggled to believe she was half Fae.

Sylvie confirmed it. “Herodotus was my father too. A witch cursed him, and unless he bedded a new woman every month, he’d turn feral. When he died, the curse passed down to his son and my half brother, Leonidas.”

Ellie’s thoughts whirred like a windmill in a tornado. Nothing made sense. How could her father be the same man who’d fathered the Lykae king’s mate? Sylvie was half sister to the Fae king, and queen of the Lykae. That would make Ellie—the kid who’d been fending for herself almost before she could talk—royalty.

Sylvie’s voice reverberated with sympathy. “It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it? Herodotus was a selfish old goat who didn’t care how many offspring he left in his wake. Leo’s tracking down the survivors and providing for them, but apparently our dad went at it like a rabbit. Along the way, Leo found Meena, and she broke his curse. She’s from Whitby too. You might even know her.”

Ellie shook her head. The only “Meena” she knew belonged in Bram Stoker’s
Dracula.

Joel kept rubbing her back, letting her know he supported whatever the Lykae queen said. He thought a moment, grinned, and wisecracked, “Does that mean I can’t call her Ellie the Elf anymore? Damn, young Sammy’s going to be disappointed.”

Ellie reached up and rubbed her ears. “Fae? Really? Fae? Sorry to repeat myself, but this is kind of hard to digest.”

Queen Sylvie stretched her spine and rubbed her swollen belly. “I used my Fae sight, remember? But there’s more to it than that.”

Ellie stroked Joel’s cheek, grateful for his support. He’d loved her when he thought she was an Elf. That meant the world to her. At least her origins would never embarrass him, not when the Lykae queen privately claimed her for a half sister.

A new awareness unfurled inside Ellie, and she wriggled happily in her chair.

“I’m so glad Mom didn’t saddle me with Ellie the Elf. Joel and Sammy will just have to get over it.”

“Okay, Sugar Plum, no more Elf nicknames.” Joel grinned.

She turned to face him. “Sugar Plum? Same as the fairy? You can’t…”

Joel leaned over and silenced her with a kiss so hot she wished he’d take a page from Caleb’s book. She wouldn’t mind at all if he carried her off and seduced her.

Sylvie looked across at her mate. “Caleb, you realize this means Ellie is my half sister, and a Fae princess.”

The room went silent. Ellie gulped. She hadn’t expected Sylvie to publicly claim her. Half sister of a queen sounded daunting, especially to a woman who’d known so little acceptance. Finally she turned to Joel. “I’m glad, if only for your sake. It’s better to mate a Fae than an Elf, but I’m the kid who never had anything. How can I have royal relatives? And if I do, why didn’t they come find me?”

Sylvie reached out and rested her hand on Ellie’s arm. “Because Herodotus fucked anything in a skirt. Leonidas didn’t track me down until my seventeenth birthday. If we’d known about you, I swear that Leonidas, me, and Caleb would have moved heaven and earth to find you. Now I’ve found you, we have loads of catching up to do.”

Joel touched his forehead to Ellie’s. “You’re mine, make no mistake about that. I’d love you even if you were an ogre, but me and a Fae princess? Caleb, are there protocols or something? I won’t let hidebound attitudes and ridiculous rules come between me and my mate.”

Ellie’s heart overflowed with pride. Lykae loved their traditions and almost considered them laws. Joel would defy them to claim her. She’d never felt so treasured in her life.

Caleb laughed. “If I were you, I’d claim her quickly. Once King Leonidas learns he’s got another beautiful half sister, he’ll try to marry her off to some other species’ royal family. That’s what he tried to do with Sylvie— Well, he tried to force her to marry my little brother. I thought I’d tricked him into letting me claim Sylvie instead of my scheming little brother, but the wily bugger recognized us as true mates and played along.”

Joel growled and splayed his hand possessively across Ellie’s back. She looked down and brought her hand over her scars. She’d been passably attractive before the Elves carved up her face. No way was she beautiful. But for Joel, she wanted to be. At least she felt less self-conscious among the Lykae.

Sylvie gently moved Ellie’s hand from her cheek. “Fae healers can probably fix that. If they can’t, Meena—my sister-in-law—morphed into some sort of superwitch when she found her familiar. She’ll soon make your cheek right.”

Ellie’s eyes widened. Not knowing how to react, she rested her head on Joel’s chest. He started that gentle rubbing thing again, and every nerve ending in her body throbbed for his touch.

His voice was gentle. “Your choice, Sugar Plum. To me, you’re perfect, but I know you’re sensitive about your scars.”

Sylvie smiled at her new half sister. “Ellie, we share the same father. You really are a Fae princess. I didn’t believe it when my half brother, the Fae King, first told me either. Why don’t we leave these men to their schemes and go talk?”

Joel growled softly. The sound sent needy tremors though Ellie’s body. Honestly, she was ready to growl herself. He gave her an encouraging smile, but his eyes showed the same disappointment he must have seen in hers.

He needed to claim her with mind-blowing sex and sharp fangs, and she wanted that too. Much as Ellie needed to talk with Sylvie, she wanted Joel to claim her more. “Can we talk later?”

King Caleb sensed her dilemma. “Go on, fairy princess, get out of here. I’ll keep your mate back for a while, and make sure you get a head start.”

Ellie forgot everything except that her mate was going to hunt her down and claim her. She grinned and headed toward the door but bumped into Marcellus’s solid chest.

Behind her, Joel growled with frustration.

Marcellus steadied Ellie before he spoke. “I’ve been questioning Titus and Lysander, and I thought you should know the castle where the girl’s being held sits in the former disputed territory, right at the foot of the Impassible Mountains.”

Sylvie sighed. “Then I suppose I should let my half brother know. Heads-up, Ellie, you’re about to meet the Fae king, but don’t let him bully you into anything you don’t want.”

Ellie’s brow crinkled. “I don’t bully well.”

“Considering she knocked Titus flat on his back, I’ll second that.” Joel laughed, and after appraising glances at Ellie, Caleb and Sylvie joined in.