Reuben POV
I wait until my office door is shut before I turn around to Evelyn. She could sense my growing anger, the absolute bastard. Using all of this girl’s money, money he didn’t earn. Money that was hers. Keeping her own wolf trapped in the darkest corners of her mind so that she didn’t have any help. He had completely isolated her.
I wouldn’t put it past him if he actually killed her mother as well.
“Now we know how he’s been paying for the attacks and followers…” Evelyn sighs, as she leans against the door. Her head resting back, her neck more exposed..my make more visible.
Each time I see if, my wolf sends a powerful surge of emotions through to me. He was desperate for her to mark us, but I had done wrong by Evelyn in the past. I need to do right by her. Our own wedding I wasn’t particularly mentally present for, a ceremony was my way of making up for that.
“I mean shitting hell sweetheart, two hundred million? No wonder he was so keen to give me the pack. I honestly thought growing up I’d have to fight him for it. Defeat him in a bloody battle, that’s why I trained so hard. It’s all making sense now.”
“She’s six years your junior, which means he was with her mother when your Mum was still alive.” She takes a step towards me, thinking this would be drastic news to me.
It wasn’t, I knew he fooled around. Evelyn’s parents were in love, mine weren’t…or Mum was, but he wasn’t. She didn’t realise until it was too late.
“We need to put a plan in place. What do you want to do?” Evelyn softly offers.
“Fuck knows…”
“Language Reuben!” She tuts at my choice in words. This was a perfect time for me to have a cigarette.
“Sorry sweetheart, I’m just…shocked.” I reach for my desk drawer and pull out my last pack of cigarettes. I was still trying to quit but every time I try, shit like this happens.
“Without the medicine, she’ll start to shift soon. Her wolf may be damaged from being drugged for so long. We need to help her.”
“She may be a loose cannon Evelyn, I can’t have danger around the children, I won’t.”
I check the time on my phone, it was already past midnight. Evelyn was looking even more trim than usual, Was she over exerting herself?
“Have you eaten?” I close the gap between us, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her into my chest. “No, I woke up to find you gone. I came straight away.”
“She’s tired and hungry. How could you let her get like this?” My wolf growls at me in my mind. He was right, she was going into heat. I could smell the change in her scent, it was becoming sweeter. More seductive. Readying to make some pups again.
Pierce POV
“Mark her!” My wolf barks the order at me.
“Shut up!”
“Mark her, she’s going to do a runner.”
“No she won’t.” I mentally kick him out of my head.
“Are you okay? You look in pain?” Her sweet yet slightly husky voice calls out to me. My hand was still holding hers, yet my wolf still didn’t feel content enough for the time being.
Her eyes were fascinating to look at, big round grey eyes with a yellow slit in them. Like cat eyes. Her scent was still masked but it was starting to become more potent as the hours went on.
It was just me and Libby in the room, I had a feeling she preferred to be called Libby. I’m not sure how but I just do.
It was just she and I in the room, my body tense as she was starting to gravitate towards me. Her wolf might be absent for now, but even now she could feel the slight pull towards the mate bond.
I was desperate to mark her, to know her through the bond. To feel her emotions, know her fears. But I’ll have to do it the human way for now.
“Did you know your Father as a young child?” Knowing Odin, no. He and my Dad were friends until Dad refused to join the Red Stone alliance, then Odin turned. He showed his true colours, just. how ruthless he could be.
“No, it was just Mum and me for a long time. I was quite independent even for then. My own bank account, friends, a boyfriend…”
“A boyfriend…a boyfriend at twelve?”
“Don’t worry it was only a friendship. Then Father took over everything. Said I didn’t need to worry about anything. My friends just abandoned me, perhaps I was too sad for them…she was my everything.” She frowns, looking down at our hands still holding.
“Twelve is a young age, they probably struggled with knowing how to be around you.”
“Perhaps, but then I was diagnosed with diabetes and just stayed in.” She yawns, her eyes struggling to keep awake.
“You should rest, I can stay while you sleep if you like?”
“That would be nice, thank you.” Her head already starting to droop as she becomes sleepy. She’s also asleep within seconds, her body finally giving in to the much needed rest it craved. In her sleep she slowly gravitates towards me. Her head resting on my shoulder.
She was the most beautiful creature in existence. I didn’t care if she had a wolf or not, I already knew I would protect her with my life and pack. She, my destined mate, my Grey Howl Luna.
She had a figure that was goddess’s gift to man…or werewolf. She had an hourglass figure, like the actresses from the glamorous days of Hollywood. Breasts that even now, rose with each breath she took in, I could already feel my lower core swelling just by looking at her.
Heaven help me when her scent was returned to her. Even in the space of a few minutes, I was already getting hints of vanilla, but also something else I couldn’t make out yet.
I sit like this with her, as I promised, giving her the much needed safe rest she so desperately needed. I know those warehouses well, it infuriates me to think she’s been living in an empty cold building for a week.
Especially when she didn’t even understand what her own father has done to her.
“Pierce?” Reuben gently nudges on my shoulder, which stirs me from my almost sleep.
“I said I’d stay with her…”
“About that..”
“She’s coming home with me.” I adamantly claim. This wasn’t up for discussion.
“Pierce.” Reuben sighs at me, I knew this would bloody happen. “She’s my mate!” I seethe quietly, desperate not to wake my sleeping beauty next to me.
“And potentially my sister, which means she falls under my pack protection.”
My jaw tenses, I wanted to hit him. He could be a real prick at times. “Pierce, Reuben isn’t denying what she is to you. We just want to assess her wolf, help her to protect herself.”
Evelyn calmly plays the peacekeeper between Reuben and I.
“I will protect her, she’s mine to protect.” I snap back. I can’t help my wolf, he growls back at Evelyn. He doesn’t mean to, he’s just struggling with another male, even a blood relative, coming along and demanding she remain here.
“Don’t talk to Evelyn like that.” Reuben growls, taking a step towards me but is cut off when Evelyn puts her hand out to his chest. Stopping him from coming anywhere closer to me.
“Forgive me Evelyn, I didn’t mean to snap.” I rub my eyes, before looking at her apologetically.
“I know, it’s been a long day. Perhaps we should get some sleep. Erm… where..”
“I said I’d stay with her. She doesn’t know about Rex and Elspeth so I suggest you keep them away, just in case she has a funny turn.”
“I’ll sleep in the office, just so you have someone on standby.” Nate offers, and I’m appreciative of his suggestion.
“Thank you Nate.” I nod gently just as Noah walks in. “The results are back…” He states holding a piece of paper in his hand and pushing his glasses back up his nose with the other.
“He’s been drugging her as we thought. Keeping her wolf at bay.”
“What has he been using?” Reuben asks the question I want to know the most, as he watches me kiss the top of her head.
“We’ve found traces of wolfsbane and mercury. Her body will have constantly burnt it off. hence the injections every day. I would say her wolf is already trying to talk to her, and will make herself present in a few days.
“We also need to find out who helped her to escape.” Evelyn adds. “Because whoever it was, didn’t do it from the kindness of their heart. Not with that amount of money at play.”
I’ve only just found her and how much exactly has my mate already been through? She’s been alone for the best part of six years.
Her Father abusing her trust and profiteering from her legacy, her mother’s legacy. Everyone abandoning her when her mother died, whether he paid them off or not, they left an innocent twelve year old with a monster.
You’ll never be alone again Libby my kitty cat. You are mine to love and protect.
