The Omega's Mate: (13 page)

“What guy?” rumbled Cain.

Jo shrugged, thoroughly irritated.  “How should we know?  He said he was your manager or something.”

Cain slapped his forehead. 
Fucking Bailey
.  The jackal was pissed; out of spite he was trying to ruin Cain’s relationship with Carly.  His bear yowled. 
When he got hold of that conniving little jackal…

Kelly folded her arms.  “You complete and utter asshole!”

Carly’s fangs lengthened, and she roared at the two women.  Everyone in the bar was a little taken aback by the ferocity of the little Omega.  The two women scurried away as quickly as possible.

Carly turned to her mate.  “We’re leaving!” she barked.

Without waiting to see if her mate was following, she strode out of the bar.  Cain trailed behind.  Wordlessly they got in his truck, and Cain started driving them home.

Carly closed her eyes trying to soothe her raging beast.  She’d never been so aggressive, and it terrified and thrilled her in equal measure! 
She needed to appease her animal.

Cain cut his eyes to his mate. 
How many times could he screw up and she would actually still love him?

“Carly, I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” she said huskily.  “It’s not your fault.”

Cain frowned.  “I thought you were angry.”

“No… not angry…”  Deep inside she registered his worries.  “There’s nothing you can do that would make me stop loving you.  I promise.”

Happiness shot through him.  “I’ll hold you to that
, beautiful.”

“Cain?” she breathed, as she allowed her desire to flood into his body.  “I need you.”

His arousal rocketed.  He didn’t understand what had brought this on, but he didn’t care,
if he had his way they’d never leave their bed.

“We’re almost home, beautiful.”

“No, I can’t wait.”  Carly unbuckled and shimmied over to him, kissing his neck.

His bear practically danced around as Cain jerked the truck over to the side of the road. 
He wasn’t the type to argue with what his mate wanted!

Cain got out the truck and pulled his mate with him.  Carly kicked off her shoes and shifted to her wolf.  Her clothes shredded, and she began yipping at him.  She wagged her tail and then sprinted off into the woods.

Cain bellowed and followed suit, exploding through his clothes to turn into his bear.  The bear howled into the sky, delighted at being able to chase his mate.  He took off in long, powerful leaps and bounds, following her.

She was such a small wolf, and not very fast; it wasn’t long before Cain gained on her.  She heard him behind her, crashing through the undergrowth.  She slowed down just a tad, as much as she was enjoying this,
she didn’t really want to play hard to get.

Seconds later the enormous bear pounced on the little wolf, tumbling across the ground.  She pretended to struggle, for his benefit, but this was right where she wanted to be.

The bear lay back on the ground with his wolf mate lying on top of him.  She licked his muzzle before her muscles trembled, and she shifted back to human.

“I want to bond.”

The bear roared and quickly shifted underneath her.  “I thought you’d never ask.”

Cain pulled her to his lips as he smoothed his hands down her back.  She ran her hands down his chest, flicking his nipples.  Drawing back from the kiss she scooted down his body, and took his fat cock in her small hands; she bent her head and licked her tongue from the base to the tip, making him shudder from head to toe.

“Fuck, beautiful…” he hissed as his bear growled lustily.

Carly smiled in self-satisfaction.  She stood over him and held his engorged manhood as she slowly lowered herself down on him, taking a couple of inches at a time before raising herself and pushing down again until finally she was sat flush against his body.  She was wet and ready for him, but still he felt devastatingly big.  She held still a few seconds before slowly rocking her hips, adjusting to his size. 

Cain rested his hands on her curvy hips, patiently waiting.  His bear was quiet, allowing the man to take the lead.  He knew they were going to bond, he knew it was happening soon, and he was momentarily satisfied. 

Carly sent him a wave of lustful feelings and unable to wait any longer he thrust his hips inside her.  She gasped as he started lifting her up and down his thick length.  He throbbed and pulsed inside her as she reflexively clenched her inner muscles, wanting to keep him there forever.

Carly let out a growl and dug her claws into his arms as her eyes turned amber green.  Her wolf was pushing her to complete the bond, to join with their mate forever.  She roared as she felt his claws spring forth and pierce her skin.  The twinge of pain tempering the ecstasy he brought her.

She sent him a fresh wash of her arousal and was overjoyed to touch the same feelings in him.  Cain started bucking into her with more force; his eyes were dilated black, and his fangs descended readying for the bonding bite.  He grew even hotter and harder in her, chafing against her tight inner walls.  She felt him almost touching her womb.  Her desire rose sky-high at the thought of him one day filling her with a pup, or a cub.

Carly clutched at him fiercely.  “Bite… bond… please…” she whimpered.

Cain abruptly sat up, never missing a thrust.  He hunched his body round hers to access her neck.  He began laving her skin as she did the same to him.  She moved her claws to his shoulders, trickles of blood ran down his arms, and her wolf went wild at the smell.

Carly began pushing herself down on him passionately.  She dragged her fangs over his shoulder and inundated him with love, and her desire to have pups.  Cain let out a mighty roar; unable to hold back, he swelled inside triggering her release.

They each sank their fangs into each other as their joint orgasm surged through them, lighting every inch of their bodies with white hot pleasure.  They drank down the sweet nectar of each other’s blood and reveled in their shared emotions.

Cain pumped his seed inside his mate as her channel clung to him, throbbing around him.  His bear roared in satisfaction, at last the she-wolf was theirs!  Cain pulled away and threw back his head to bellow into the sky.  Carly’s wolf yipped like a puppy, pleased with their bonding.  Carly threw her head back and let out a contented roar.

Still shuddering from a magnificent release, they lazily licked the wounds, sealing them, as Cain cradled her in his arms.  She delighted in feeling his softening manhood still inside her, and contracted her muscles, earning a groan from her mate.

Cain hesitantly tested their bond, sifting through the unfamiliar emotions that weren’t his own.  Carly could search his emotions any time she wanted, but before now, he had only felt what Carly allowed him too. 

Carly shivered slightly,
suddenly very aware that they were in the middle of the woods
.  She blushed furiously, remembering the surge of lust that had overtaken her.

Sensing her embarrassment, Cain stood up slowly, clutching his mate to him.  Swiftly he began striding back to his truck.  “You okay, beautiful?”

She moaned into his chest.  “More than okay, I love you.”

“Me too, beautiful, me too.”

Chapter Sixteen

29
th
January

They spent most of the morning in bed.  Seriously, very time she even tried to get up Cain pulled her back and kissed her until she gave in, and agreed to five more minutes.  He delighted in kissing the bonding mark, just to see the trembles it sent through her body.

After finally making it out of bed, and then the shower, Carly was on her way to her shop. 
With Cain in tow of course
.  No way did he want to leave her side, given their bond was so new.  She tried to remind him about his fight, which was now only a few days away!  But he wouldn’t hear of it.  Cain said he needed to be near her.  Carly said she needed for him to not get annihilated in the ring.  He waved away her concerns, telling her he’d be fine.

Carly shook her head and unlocked the door to her shop.  She froze at the sight before her. 
It had been trashed. 

Cain snarled and pulled Carly back out of the shop.  She registered him telling her to wait, before he went in and had a look round.  He came out a few minutes later, his face grim.

He hugged his mate to him.  “I’m sorry beautiful.  It looks like someone broke in through the back door.”

Carly shrank a little at feeling the rage bubbling in her mate.  “You’re really angry about this,” she whimpered.

His bear howled in fury.  “Because I think I know who did this, and he won’t get away with it.”

*

30th January

Cain burst into O’Neill's, eyes blazing. 
He was going to fucking rip Bailey apart for the pain he had caused Carly.

The Sheriff and the Alpha had been called to Carly’s shop the day before and had been livid.  Whoever had done it had been careful.  They left no fingerprints or scents; they were careful enough to wear gloves and use wolfsbane.

Carly had been more upset than she let on, so Cain took her home and tried to take her mind off it.  Since it happened, Cain had been itching to come to Darlington and teach the jackal a lesson.

Cain whipped his head around, searching for his erstwhile manager.  Bailey either did business out of the gym or out of O’Neill’s, and he wasn’t at the gym.  Besides, his car was outside, and the jackal’s noxious form of aftershave lingered.

The bear spied him at a dark table in the back; he roared furiously.  A few of the other patrons jumped, before downing their drinks, and scrambling outside.

Cain strode toward Bailey.  Without hesitating, he grabbed Bailey by the scruff and dangled the jackal in front of him.  The jackal’s eyes widened in terrified surprise.

The bear pushed forwards, fiercely trying to take control and force the shift.  Cain held strong, barely.  “Stop what you’re doing!  Leave us alone!”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” squeaked Bailey, squirming in Cain’s steely grasp.

Cain’s jaw ticked.  “Sending those girls to Rose, trashing Carly’s shop, you’re trying to break us up!  And for what?  So I’ll keep fighting?  Get it through your tiny skull, I’m mated now, and I will never fight for you again.  But if you keep hurting my mate, I will rip out your fucking spine!”

Bailey regained some of his natural bravado and sneered at him.  “Please!  As if I’d waste my time.  I already have a new client, someone who, with a little training, will be ten times the fighter you ever were.” 

The jackal inclined his head; Cain flicked his eyes back at Bailey’s table to see the rhino shifter he had beaten in his last fight.  The rhino looked bored and unimpressed.

Cain looked between the two of them.  He lowered Bailey to the ground.  “So, you’re saying you don’t care that I’m not going to fight for you again?”

Bailey slapped Cain’s hands away irritably and snorted.  “Please!  You’re not exactly a young man; you only have a few good years left in you.”

The bear howled,
a few good years?!
  

Bailey snickered at Cain’s flustering.  “Now I have a new star fighter, who with a bit of training will be better than you ever were.  Why the hell would I want to waste my time playing pranks on you and your wolf whore?”

His bear snarled and backhanded the jackal, and he fell to the floor whimpering.

“Hmmm temper, temper,” came a silky voice behind him.

Cain whirled to see Jules sliding into the booth, the rhino welcomed her with open arms, and they kissed.  She cooed and called him baby.  The bear almost rolled his eyes. 
Jeez Louise!

Bailey pulled himself up, grumbling and spitting blood.

Cain clenched and unclenched his fists.  “You expect me to believe you weren’t the one who told her where to find me?”  Cain nodded at Jules.

Jules huffed.  “He wasn’t.  It was Ethan; the bear told me you were dying to see me.  So I hauled ass to that dump town only to find you’d double booked me with some wolf.  We’re over, by the way.  I’ve found someone else.”  She stroked the rhino’s bicep affectionately.

“Ethan?”  Cain gave them puzzled looks.  Why the hell would Ethan do that?  “How did Ethan know where I was?”

The jackal shrugged, pinching his nose.  “He asked me why you weren’t training, so I told him the truth.”

His bear prowled warily.  He knew Ethan was a big fan, but would he really be so vindictive just because Cain was retiring? 
He needed to talk to Ethan, right away.

*

“Ethan!”  Cain banged on his door impatiently.  His bear was becoming antsy with every passing second. 
He had a very bad feeling about this.

Ethan lived in a tiny studio apartment close to where Cain had been living.  He only knew because on numerous occasions when Ethan had given him a ride, Ethan had driven by and encouraged Cain to drop by whenever he wanted. 
Cain had said yeah, definitely, but he never had.

On a whim, he tried the door.  It was unlocked and flew open.  Cain blundered in without a second thought.  He froze in his tracks at what he saw.

The walls of the tiny apartment were covered with fight posters and photos of Cain.  It was a little creepy, okay very creepy.  He walked round, looking at the walls.  They dated back to when Cain first started fighting, including the time when he sported an ill-conceived beard. 
Alright, maybe he had underestimated Ethan’s interest in him.

Cain slumped into a kitchen stool.  He would wait and have a talk with Ethan.  He would just have to tell Ethan that it was tough, Cain was quitting, and he would just h
ave to find a new idol.  No more trying to sabotage his relationship with Carly. 
And he expected the young bear to pay for the damages done to her shop.

Cain started fingering some of the more recent pictures on the kitchen counter.  With a start, he realized they had been taken within the last week. 
In Rose
.  Numerous photos had Carly in them.  In fact, quite a few of them were just of Carly; he wasn’t in them at all.  There were photos of her when she went shopping with the she-bear.  His bear bellowed in fury.  Why the fuck was Ethan following his mate?

He felt a sharp stab of fear, mixed with pain. 
Carly!

*

Carly dragged a bag of trash into the alley, grunting at the effort.  She slung it into the dumpster and wiped her brow.  She really needed to get more exercise; recently the only work-out she had got was the horizontal kind with her mate. 
Enjoyable as that was it wasn’t exactly keeping her fit.

She shivered as her wolf whined.  Carly spun round to find a large, young bear shifter hovering in the alleyway.  “Can I help you?” 

“Yes, you can,” he said coldly.

Carly paled as the malignant feelings she had been suffering for the past few days, swept through her.  She squealed and tried to shift, but wasn’t quick enough.  The large bear sucker-punched her, and everything went black.

Chapter Seventeen

Carly groaned.  God she’d never felt so much pain. 
Could she actually be dying?
  Her head throbbed; gingerly she poked her tongue around her mouth, tasting the coppery blood.  She whimpered as she came across a painful cut.

“Good, you’re awake.”

Ignoring the searing ache, she snapped her eyes open to find a young bear, stood about ten feet away from her, and seemingly smiling benignly.

Carly yelped and scuttled away from him as far as possible; her wolf snarled as ferociously as she could, which wasn’t very.  She oofed as she hit the headboard.  She found herself at the end of a large, comfortable bed. 
What the hell?

“Hungry?” asked the bear.

He waited a few moments before shrugging and walking over to the stove; he started stirring a large pot. 

She studied his back for a few seconds.  He couldn’t be more than 22 or 23; he looked so sweet and wholesome when he smiled. 
But Carly already knew he wasn’t
.  He was tall and broad, probably about six foot nine.  Not a patch on her huge, powerful mate, but more than big enough to crush her.

They appeared to be in a one-room cabin.  At any other time, she might have found it warm and homey and even the ideal setting for a romantic honeymoon.  At that moment, it just elicited memories of the movie Misery. 
Why did she watch it?
  She was more of a Sandra Bullock, rom-com girl, she couldn’t handle Stephen King!

Carly tried to control the thunderous beating of her heart.  Okay, she’d been attacked and abducted, but she had to stop herself from panicking.  She needed to stay calm and figure out how to get out of this mess.  That’s where she drew a blank.  How was she supposed to protect herself?  She wasn’t exactly a gung-ho,
‘I eat danger for breakfast,'
kind of girl.  She was more of a
‘scream and come save me’
type.  What she wouldn’t give to have her mate come barreling through the door, fists swinging and bear pushing forward. 
He would save her
.

She felt a twinge.  She might never see him again. 
Her perfect, funny, enormous, loving mate
.  She might never kiss him, or hold him, or see his crooked smile again.  She couldn’t help herself; she let out a sob.

Her blood turned icy cold as the bear turned to look at her.  Much to her horror, he started walking toward her.  She tried to make herself as small as possible.

Carefully he sat on the edge of the bed, ignoring the petrified heaving of Carly’s chest.  “I don’t want to hurt you…”

“Then don’t!” she cried impulsively.

The bear sucked in a breath.  “I just need to keep you here for a little while, just until I can make Cain see sense.”

Her wolf snapped its jaws.  “What do you mean?”  She prickled at the mention of her mate; was he going to harm Cain?

The bear smiled at her indulgently, like she was a dim little girl.  “About fighting.  He wants to quit fighting because of you, but he can’t.  He has to keep fighting; it’s who he is.  I mean, you probably don’t understand that yet, because you don’t know him the way I do.  But when you do, you’ll realize how wrong and selfish you were to try to keep him from fighting.”

“Oh.”  It was all she could say. 
The smile had less of a kind vibe and more of an ‘I’m coming to kill Batman’ vibe about it now.

Carly tried to reach out and touch his emotions, but it was like licking an electric socket.  His feelings were unfocused, and whirling round his mind at an alarming rate. 
She doubted he could even understand them. 

He chuckled.  “It’s hard to believe, but when I found out that you were trying to take him away from me, my first thought was I needed to get rid of you.”

Carly cringed as her beast howled furiously to get away from the bear.  “You tried to run me down, and that was you at the mall.”

The bear sobered and nodded.    “I tried to get rid of you, and yet no matter what, you stuck with Cain.  That’s what made me change my mind.  You proved how worthy you were; you showed that you deserved him.  I’m glad he chose you as a mate.”

“You are?”  Carly bit her lip, maybe the situation wasn’t as bad as she thought.  It didn’t sound like he wanted to hurt her, although he had already tried,
not to mention that punch in the mouth...

“Of course!”  His expression turned chilly; she shuddered.  “But he’s trying to quit fighting because of you.  Did you tell him he had to stop?”

Carly shook her head emphatically, not trusting herself to speak.

“Good.  But until he changes his mind, you need to stay here.  He won’t be thinking straight with you around, when he changes his mind, then you can go home.  For now, you just need to stay here.  Don’t worry I have enough food and firewood to last six months.”

Carly sucked in a breath. 
Six months?!

The bear inched closer to her, and instinctively she tensed.  “Don’t worry; I’m sure it won’t take that long.  It’s not like you asked him to stop fighting, is it?”  The bear’s eyes flashed.

Carly hugged her arms round her.  “No, no I didn’t.  That was Cain’s decision.”

He leaned back satisfied.  “One that I’m sure he will soon change.”