The Mating (4 page)

A crooked smile appeared on his face and he reached out, cupping the back of her head and drawing her in for a quick kiss. “Rest assured Elise, no matter what you dish out, I will keep up with you.” Somehow, she knew he was speaking the truth.

They phased back into wolf form and this time Elise followed as Kane led the way back to the edge of the woods. When they arrived at the cabin, she headed for the bathroom while he went to the house to tell her father about the traps.

The run had left her hot and sweaty and she couldn’t wait to be clean. Leaving her clothes on the bedroom floor, she padded naked into the bathroom and turned on the water, adjusting the flow and temperature. As the water cascaded down on her, she pondered the morning’s events. Kane had been polite to her…kind even. He’d saved her from severe injury in a leg trap and while he’d been a bit bossy, telling her to follow behind, she couldn’t really fault him. As Alpha, he needed a take charge attitude.

Kane’s reaction to Bryan had been interesting as well. While he hadn’t been outwardly aggressive, he hadn’t been encouraging of her relationship with the other male either. Was Kane just being instinctively territorial; she was his mate and no one else was allowed near her? Most likely that was the answer. It was too much to expect that he had any feelings toward her, beyond a sense of responsibility since she was now a member of his pack.

Elise wondered if it would always be this way; Kane showing polite interest in her, mating with her just because she was there… Would he ever come to care for her, or was she destined for a lukewarm relationship for the rest of her life? If she’d been mated to Bryan, it would have been so different… A wave of sadness washed over her and dejectedly she turned off the water and wrapped herself in a terrycloth robe.

Returning to the bedroom, she flopped down on the bed and curled up into a ball, sniffling slightly as she contemplated her future…

Elise woke with a start from a deep sleep and blinked in confusion. This wasn’t her bedroom. Where was she? A noise from the foot of the bed drew her attention and she was greeted with the back view of a very well-built and very naked male. For a moment she frowned before remembering recent events. She was in a cabin with her new mate, Kane. The past twenty-four hours hadn’t been a bad dream—they were reality.

She let her head sink back onto the pillow and silently studied the man who was getting dressed before her. Muscles rippled across his back and his taut buttocks. His legs were long and sturdy, also giving evidence to his strength. As his lower anatomy disappeared from view under a pair of briefs, he glanced her way and caught her watching him.

“I see you’re awake.”

“Hmm… What time is it?” She found her voice was a bit raspy, her throat still tight from her earlier emotions.

“Almost noon—you must have been tired after our run.” He turned to grab a shirt and she noticed a long scar on his side, its pink color indicating that it was still fairly new. She vaguely recalled seeing it last night but had been otherwise occupied.

“What happened to your side?”

Kane glanced casually down at the mark. “Nothing. Just a scratch from a fight.”

“That’s way more than a scratch. Who was the fight with?”

“Another werewolf named Ryne.” Kane shrugged as if to dismiss the matter and stepped into his pants. Elise paused, wondering if she should question him further. The scar appeared to have come from a serious injury, and she was curious as to why such a vicious fight would have occurred.

“Why were you fighting?”

Kane sighed and finished doing up his zipper before turning and facing her, his arms crossed in resignation. “You aren’t going to leave this alone are you?” He quirked his brow at her.

“No. I have an inquiring mind.” Elise gave him a smirk that indicated she wasn’t planning on backing down. He might be her Alpha but she wasn’t going to let him walk all over her either. She’d come to a decision earlier that morning not to allow him to walk all over her. There was no time like the present to start showing that she had a backbone.

“Well, in that case, I suppose I should tell you. Otherwise you might ask questions of the wrong people and end up with some incorrect information.” He rubbed his hands over his face then walked to the window and stared outside while speaking. “As you know, I’m the new Alpha of my pack. Our previous leader, Zack, was killed in an accident. Ryne and I were both Betas. Half of the Elders favoured me as the new Alpha and half wanted Ryne.”

“So, did the pack vote?”

“Usually that’s what would have happened, but Ryne pulled out the old rules and declared a challenge.”

“A challenge? That’s not done anymore. It’s ridiculous! We’ve evolved beyond that.” Elise shuddered. The idea of two males fighting to the death for the leadership was barbaric.

“I agree, but he was still within his rights.”

“So… What happened?”

“We fought. I won.”

“Did you…kill him?” She almost hated to ask the question. The idea that her mate could kill a fellow werewolf was sickening.

“No. It was a long drawn out fight and we were both pretty beaten up by time it was over. He made an impulsive move. I pinned him down and could have crushed his windpipe, but I let him go.”

“And where is he now? Did he stay in the pack?”

Kane shook his head. “Ryne chose to leave. I told him he could stay—we’d been pack mates for years—but he said he wasn’t going to grovel in front of me. He was bitter and said some crazy things. In the long run, it’s probably best he’s gone. There would have been too much division in the pack if he’d stayed.”

“And is the pack united behind you now? Even Ryne’s supporters?”

“Yes. The pack mentality still runs through all of our blood. The strongest member is the leader and we instinctively accept that. I proved myself and the others are at peace with the results.”

“I… I’m glad you healed well from your fight.”

“Thanks. It was a few weeks ago—all water under the bridge now.” Kane flashed a smile at her and wandered back to the dresser to pick up his watch. “You need to get up and get dressed. We’ll be leaving in about an hour.”

“Leaving?” She couldn’t keep the surprise from her voice.

“Uh-huh. I need to return to my pack. It’s only about an hour’s drive but I want to get back in good time so that you get to see your new home before it’s dark.” With that, he left.

Elise sat up and wrapped her arms tightly around herself. In an hour, she’d be leaving the only home she’d ever known—leaving all the people she’d grown up with. She’d be joining a new pack. The only person she’d know at her new home would be Kane, and he was still the next best thing to a stranger to her.

Once again, her stomach clenched as she slowly climbed out of bed and got ready to go.

*****

Elise stood in the doorway of her old bedroom. All of her possessions had been packed for her and the room was now bare. She walked inside and ran her hand over the white dresser and pulled open a few random drawers, checking if anything had been left behind. Of course, nothing had been. The packers had been efficient. Peeking into the closet, only a few hangers remained on the rod; she sighed wondering how her whole life could be gathered up and stuffed in a box in such a short period of time.

Wandering over to the window, she looked out at the familiar view of the yard and the forest beyond. A reminiscent smile played over her lips as she recalled all the times she’d stared out at the scene below, dreaming of the future, planning her life around this small world that she’d grown up in. Leaving had never entered her mind. Instead she’d envisioned herself mated to a pack mate, raising her pups here, teaching them all the secret places in the woods that were part of their territory. She blinked rapidly as tears threatened and turned away from the beloved view. That was all in the past now.

Swallowing hard, she walked to her bed, carefully tugging it away from the wall so that she could feel along the baseboards. There was a loose section and she moved it over, feeling inside the hidden space behind. Was it still there? Surely no one had found it… She reached in further and finally her fingers encountered a soft surface. Pulling it out, she shook the dust off of the leather bound book. It was an old diary—one that she’d kept on and off for years. Lately she hadn’t been writing in it, but still, she couldn’t leave it behind. Who knew who might take over this room in the future? Elise didn’t want some stranger reading her secret thoughts.

Tucking the book into the large purse she had slung over her shoulder, she scanned the room one more time before walking to the door. Pausing briefly, she turned and gave the room one last glance before flipping off the light switch and quietly closing the door on her childhood. Her chin quivered as she stood in the hallway but she forced her emotions down. Taking a deep breath, she descended the stairs and went to meet Kane where he was waiting to take her to her new home.

*****

The drive was completed almost in silence. Kane made a few idle comments along the way but seemed content to listen to the radio, his fingers drumming along on the steering wheel, keeping time to the music. Elise didn’t feel inclined towards conversation either and was grateful for the songs that filled the quietness of the cab. With her head leaning against the window, she stared unseeing at the passing landscape, lost in thought.

Leaving the house had been hard. Sarah, usually a no-nonsense type of person, had uncharacteristically fussed over her, making Elise promise to come and visit soon.

“Now remember, just because you’re moving away, doesn’t mean we have to lose contact.” Sarah tucked a stray lock of hair behind Elise’s ear. “You can call anytime and I’m sure we’ll find opportunities to visit.”

“I’m sure we will too.” Elise hugged her tightly knowing she’d miss the woman. While Sarah wasn’t exactly the warm, cuddly type, she’d still done her best to help raise Elise, and her brother and sister, providing some of the attention that they missed once their mother was gone.

Jake gave her a one armed hug, before ruffling her hair. “I’m going to miss you, kiddo. Who will drive me crazy with their non-stop talking now?”

Elise leaned her head against Jake’s chest, breathing in his comforting scent one last time. She’d always had a fun, relaxed relationship with the easy-going Beta—he was like a favourite uncle who tolerated her questions and teased her unmercifully, yet was always there when needed. In many ways, he took the place of her father who always seemed too busy to have time for his youngest child.

Vaguely, she could recall times when she was younger, when her father had played with her or taken her into the woods. That had been back when her mother was still alive. With the death of his mate, the Alpha had seemed to withdraw from his children, possibly too caught up in his own grief to deal with them. Whatever the reason, Elise had found herself looking more and more to John for fatherly attention and as a result, felt closer to him than her own biological father. She harboured no bitterness about the fact; it was just the way things were.

“I’ll miss you, Jake.” The simple statement was all Elise could get out, due to the sudden thickness of her throat.

He nodded at her in understanding and kissed the top of her head. Taking a deep breath, she stepped away and turned to her father. She loved him but it was a much more formal relationship. He was always the Alpha first and being a father came second. For a moment they’d studied each other and then he’d pulled her into an awkward embrace.

“You’ll be fine with Kane,” he whispered in her ear. “He’s a good man.”

Elise nodded, knowing her father had done what he thought was best, and would never have consented to her going with someone totally unsuitable. Being the Alpha wasn’t an easy position and the needs of the pack had to be considered first—she just wished that their well-being hadn’t come at the expense of her own dreams. Since there was no going back, she’d plastered a fake smile on her face and got into Kane’s truck, waving at the other pack members who had gathered outside. Searching the group, she noted that Bryan was absent and regretted not seeing him one last time, but perhaps it was for the best.

As they pulled out of the driveway, she stared straight ahead. If she had to watch the house slowly disappearing from sight, she knew she’d burst into tears and she didn’t want to show such weakness in front of Kane. It wasn’t that she thought he’d say anything about it, but she had her pride. She wouldn’t be a snivelling, weak mate. There might not be any love between them but at least she’d ensure that Kane respected her.

Slowly Elise came out of her reverie and began to take note of the passing scenery. They’d left her father’s territory about half an hour ago and she wondered if Kane’s home would be similar to her own. Each pack owned large parcels of land that consisted mainly of wilderness, clearly marked as private property. Within a territory, there was always one main Alpha house where meetings were held and the Alpha and Beta’s families lived. Surrounding the main home were several small cabins where other pack members could live when needed. Many had their own homes located within the territory and a few chose to live in nearby towns with the human population.

Packs were generally stable. Occasionally new members would join either through a mating or having to relocate due to jobs, but they tended to be closely knit societies and spent a great deal of time at each other’s houses, though the Alpha home was the centre of most activity. At any given time, members could be found lounging about the living room, preparing food in the kitchen or roaming the property. There was never a chance to be lonely…

“How large is your pack?” Elise broke the silence between them.

“About the same size as the one you’ve belonged to. Our Alpha house has six bedrooms and four baths, office space, a living room, a large dining area and a kitchen. The basement was recently renovated and is a multi-purpose room for meetings with a media centre, pool table, and play area for the young ones.”

“It sounds nice. Who shares the house with you?”