A Wolf's Duty Read online

  Alex’s jaw dropped as the queen recounted her tale. Tobias’ father is like that? From what I saw he seemed like the easygoing type, not the tear limbs off type.

  “And Tobias, bless him, is worse,” Yvonne continued. “He was raised to be protective of his mate when he found her and then he couldn’t find you for so long… Usually our males find their mates a few decades after they reach maturity, but Tobias had to wait over two centuries for you and for all that time he had to live a half-life. Now that he’s found you he’s going to do whatever he thinks is necessary to keep you safe. There will be no other for him and he knows this and you’re human as well.”

  “What has my being human got to do with anything? Is he not allowed to have a human for a mate or something? Is it against your rules?”

  “Of course not Alexandria, a mate is a mate regardless of what they are.” Yvonne laughed, pleased at the worried tone that had crept into Alex’s voice when she thought that there might be something wrong with their relationship in the eyes of his people. Thinking like a mate already? My son has nothing to worry about.

  “Then what’s so important about me being human?”

  “Alexandria, you’re a human amongst wolves and that makes you vulnerable. Most wouldn’t touch you for fear of Tobias’ reprisal but most doesn’t mean all and because of that Tobias is going to be extra protective of you and more aggressive towards everyone else.”

  “Isn’t there anything I can do to get him to change his mind about this, to let me go?”

  “You want to leave him?” Yvonne demanded, shocked at the mere suggestion.

  “No, it’s not that I want to leave him. Tobias has been wonderful to me and I really care for him, I just thought that maybe he’d let me go back for a little while.”

  “I don’t think he’ll let you leave just yet. You didn’t seem all that enthusiastic about coming here and knowing my son he’ll think that you want to get away from him not just get away in general. Now is a dangerous time anyway, he hasn’t fully claimed you and our males become a little more anxious when their unclaimed female isn’t nearby.”

  “What exactly do you mean by claiming? I’ve heard it several times now and I still don’t know what it means.”

  Yvonne sighed, standing from her chaise and walking the short distance to stand in front of Alex. “That’s something I think Tobias and you should discuss in private. There are some things I think he would rather tell you himself.”

  “In case you missed it Yvonne, your son and I aren’t on speaking terms at the moment. I’m mad at him. I know you’ve explained his reasoning but that doesn’t change the fact that he stole my option to choose things for myself. He knows I like to make my own decisions when I can. He forced me to leave behind something priceless and I can’t forgive him just like that.”

  “I’m sure in time you’ll forgive him and when that time comes then you can have this discussion, until then you won’t hear another word on the subject from me.” Turning in her seat to face the door, she called out, “Maria.” The door opened almost immediately and a tall woman with long black hair entered the room. “Alexandria, this is Maria she’ll be helping you get settled. Maria, this is Tobias’ mate.”

  Maria gasped, apparently shocked at the revelation before a wide grin spread over her pleasant features. “Finally! I was beginning to think he’d never be mated and to such a beautiful young thing as well.”

  “Maria was Tobias’ nurse when he was little, so she’s been waiting just as long for you as the rest of us have. She’ll take very good care of you.” Yvonne smiled, standing up from the chaise and heading towards the open doors. “I’ve got to go, I need to have a little talk with that son of mine Alexandria but don’t worry, like I said Maria will see to all your needs.” Leaving the door open behind her, Yvonne left leaving Alexandria and Maria alone.

  Striding forward, Maria placed a light grip in Alex’s hand, urging her to stand. “Come with me your highness, I’ll show you to your room.”

  Pulling her hand from Maria’s grip, Alex took a hesitant step back. “I think you’ve made a mistake. You shouldn’t call me your highness, I’m not royalty; I’m just…well I’m nothing special.”

  “Nonsense,” Maria immediately scoffed. “You’re Tobias’ mate, that makes you a Princess and soon a queen, of course you’re royalty.”

  “Like I said, I think someone has made a terrible mistake.”

  “Tobias couldn’t be wrong about this. If he says you’re his mate, then you’re his mate, it’s that simple.”

  “I don’t understand, there are so many better choices than me, why would he pick me when he could have anybody.” An image of Lucinda’s angelic face floated though her mind and she slumped back into the chair.

  Sighing at Alex’s defeatist attitude, Maria sat in the chaise that Yvonne had recently vacated. “He knows because his instinct guided him to you.”

  Alex frowned, clearly confused. “Instinct?”

  “You’re human and know nothing of our ways so let me quickly explain. From what my mate told me, it’s all about scent.”

  “Scent? Do you mean smell?”

  Maria nodded. “A male’s inner wolf only has to take one whiff of your scent for it to know that you’re the one.”

  “You’re kidding right? Please tell me you’re kidding. Tobias chose me because of the way I smell? So if I wore perfume he’d have picked someone else to be his mate? I knew that he’d made a mistake,” she sighed, surprisingly disheartened at the revelation.

  “Your scent isn’t something you can change by wearing perfume young one. You’re born with it and there's nothing anyone can do to change it. You must understand that we live by instinct, it guides us and Tobias’s guided him to you. There have been no mistakes made. He’ll claim you soon and then you’ll understand that you’re the one for him.”

  “Claim? What does that mean?”

  “It means that we will finally have a new king, it’s a very important event for us wolves and it’s especially important to Tobias, he’s been waiting longer than any of us ever expected to claim you. Now come with me.” Her tone now very brisk, she stood up once again and urged Alex to her feet. “I’m going to show you your room and I’d like you to forget this nonsensical idea that a mistake has happened. You’re his mate and I think you should try to get used to the idea, Tobias will never let you go now. And even if he tried to, thinking it might be what’s best for you, neither the people nor the Council would allow it. You’ll be claimed soon enough and everything will be the better for it.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Standing in the large room that Maria had led her to, Alex threw herself back on to the large bed that lay in the middle of her new place of residence. Gazing upwards at the lilac drapery that covered the roof of the bed, she began to feel increasingly out of place having never stayed in such luxury. The room was a stark contrast to the small bedroom she had spent her entire life in. Thick, fluffy cream carpets covered the entire floor, unlike the threadbare rug she was accustomed to. A large wardrobe was filled with form fitting clothing, when they had managed to find clothes her exact size and fill a wardrobe with them she still didn’t know, but the brief contact she had had with the materials told her that the clothes were a world away from the feel of rough cloth that she was used to.

  Her gaze wandered to the door opposite the bed and she sat up, trying to gather her thoughts. Maria said that Tobias’ room is on the other side of that door. Her eyes wandered to the door handle and she inhaled swiftly, panic flooding her. There’s no lock! What the hell is wrong with these people? No-one bats an eyelid when I tell them that he’s basically kidnapped me and then they give him free access to what’s meant to be my space. Eying the door cautiously she stood and eased her way over to it, the handle turned easily in her hand. Should I go in? she contemplated, turning the handle further. I’m not speaking to him, her mind quickly reminded her and she released the handle, backing away from the door. But he
’s the only one I actually know in this place and before he took it upon himself to take away my freedom to choose, he was my favourite person. She flushed remembering the feel of his lips upon hers and her stomach was instantly filled with butterflies, her body flushed with heat.

  “Stop it!” she snapped, chastising herself.

  He’s the only one that’s going to give me answers. I don’t have to really talk to him for him to give me the information I need, she reasoned. Taking a deep and steadying breath she grasped the door handle, pulling firmly and opening the door. Stepping inside she closed the door behind herself, gathering her courage and forcing herself to walk further into Tobias’ personal space. A quick glance around the room told her that it was essentially the same as her own, differing only in regards to the colour of the walls which were a deep green rather than the light purple of her room. Her eyes landed on Tobias’ still form and a frown formed on her face at the sad figure he made. Sitting at the edge of his bed, his head lay heavily in his hands, his dark hair formed a curtain around his face and hid his features from her. A deep sigh escaped his lips and Alex felt her heart contract at the dejected sound, sorrow welling deep within her.

  “Tobias?” she whispered, almost afraid to break the silence that permeated the large space.

  His head shot up at the sound of her voice, his eyes quickly landing upon her. A smile came over his features and he stood up, striding towards her. “I knew you couldn’t stay mad at me forever.”

  Stretching out an arm she prevented him from coming any closer, sure that her hard earned anger would melt away the instant she fell into his embrace. “Don’t get the wrong idea Tobias, I’m still mad at you and I’ll probably stay mad for quite a while.” His bright smile fell and she felt her stomach sink in response. “I just came here to talk to you. I think that’s the only way I’m going to get any answers. Everyone else here seems to have mastered the art of avoidance and half answers.” She scowled, eliciting a small smile from Tobias at her flustered expression.

  Perfect, his inner wolf growled content.

  His smile widened and Tobias found himself in firm agreement. Perfect, he concurred. She’ll forgive me eventually; she doesn’t have it in her to stay mad at me forever. “What do you want to talk to me about Xandria?”

  Rushing past him, she once again threw herself backward onto a bed. “This whole wolf mate thing Tobias, I don’t understand it. And if you even mention the fact that I’m human, I swear…well I don’t know exactly what I’ll do but you won’t like whatever it is I think up. Everyone today has said that to me as though I’m stupid just because I’m not like you guys and I’m sick of it. Just because I’m human doesn’t make me any less than you.” Her hands balled into fists and she pounded at the firm mattress in agitation.

  “Of course honey.” He grinned, laughing inside at her small outburst of anger. Walking forward he lay down beside her, his grin widening when she didn’t attempt to move away from him. Inhaling deeply, he allowed her fragrant scent to overcome his senses, pacifying the actions of his inner wolf, who was struggling against his bonds trying to bring her body closer to his.

  “So speak, tell me everything about this wolf thing.”

  “Wolf thing?” he questioned, his tone incredulous.

  “Yeah, you and the wolf people. I want to know everything. I’m fed up with people giving me that ‘you’re human’ spiel, it got very old very quickly.”

  “I suppose it would,” he agreed.

  “It’s good to know someone is on my side,” she sighed in relief.

  Turning his head to face her, he reached out to grasp her hand within his own. “I’ll always be on your side Xandria, always.” She removed her hand from his and Tobias felt the seeds of hope shrivel within him.

  Avoiding talk of their brief skin contact, she repressed the urge to slip her hand back into his grasp, ploughing on with the reason for her visit. “Tell me Tobias, tell me everything.”

  Realising that she wouldn’t be offering him forgiveness today, Tobias began intent on telling her all that she wanted to know. “Well let’s get one thing straight right from the start, we’re not the mindless animals that human media has portrayed us to be. I hope that you’ll have seen that today, we live in houses just like everyone else. And no, we don’t go around killing people for no reason; if a wolf kills then you know that the one that died deserved it.”

  “So what, no howling at the moon then?” she inserted, her teasing tone differing vastly to the serious timbre of his voice.

  “That’s one of the stupidest myths about wolves I’ve ever heard. I don’t know which idiot sat down and thought it up but they really need to be shot. Normal wolves don’t go around howling at the moon, so why should we? They howl to communicate with each other just like we do. The moon doesn’t do half the things people think it does to us. I don’t feel compelled to change into my wolf form when the moon is full, why should I? We have the ability to transform whenever we like, why people would think we restrict ourselves to doing it only when the moon is full really baffles me.”

  “So the moon does nothing to you then?”

  “Well that’s not exactly true. It does something, just not what people think it does.”

  “So what exactly does it do then?”

  “Let me explain something about us wolves and then everything will be much easier for you to understand.” She nodded, silently urging him to continue. “Each of us has a wolf within us and that’s what we change into when we choose to transform, but it’s a large part of us. It’s so much a part of us that we can hear its thoughts, its desires, everything. The thing is that what a wolf wants is all led by instinct; it doesn’t understand the idea of consequences. What it wants, it wants and it will do anything to get it. So we have to keep them locked up in our heads, making sure that it doesn’t spill over too much. When the moon is full the bars on its cage are weakened and it gets out, its instincts rule us and we have very little control. The moon has different effects on us you see. If you’re not mated or female then you become quick to anger and you become preoccupied with the desire to satiate your senses. We usually have a feast every full moon because it satisfies most of them, taste, sound, smell and sight. Things are different when you have a mate though…”

  He trailed off causing Alex to edge closer to him in her eagerness for an answer. “What happens when you have a mate?”

  Staring into her bright green eyes he smiled, reaching up to cup her face, “You’re driven to do exactly that.”

  “Do what?”

  “To satisfy your sense of touch. When you have a mate and the moon is full, you’re driven to mate, even more so than usual. That’s why I left to go to Russia. The moon was full Alex and you didn’t know what I was or what my wolf wanted to do to you. I spent every night running to get back to you, my wolf wanted to claim you, to mate you. It still does.” And I’m in full agreement with him. His wolf rumbled its approval of his sentiment. “If you could feel the urges I have…They’re possessive and wild and I can’t seem to control them anymore,” he groaned. “I’ve been waiting for you for longer than you could imagine Xandria and now that I’ve found you, my wolf and I only want to make you happy. We just want to make sure that you’re safe and cared for. You’ve got to understand that I didn’t have a choice, I had to bring you here.”

  Her eyes widened in shock as she realised what he had just said. “You’re serious?” He nodded. “That’s what everyone has been banging on about then? This claiming thing?” He nodded again. “And you plan to do that to me at the next full moon?” She gulped, unsure of whether she should be repulsed or excited by the idea, her body apparently leaning towards the latter if the electric sensation that flooded her was anything to go by.

  Sitting up, he held her hands tightly within his own preventing her from escaping. “Don’t get the wrong idea Xandria, that isn’t why I brought you here. I only made you come here to protect you, not to claim you.” Much as I might li
ke it to be, that’s only the secondary reason for bringing you here. “You’ll be safe from my instincts for as long as you want. I have every intention of running again at the next full moon if that’s what you want.” Please don’t want that, let me stay.

  Snapping at the bars that confined it within Tobias’s mind, his inner wolf chose to make its protest known. If you send us away from her again, I’ll catch her. I’ll run faster than you can even imagine Tobias. She’s ours, why are you hesitating? Next full moon she’ll be claimed and I think you should get used to the idea.

  He groaned internally at his wolf’s claim, but chose to ignore it and focus on Alex. “The decision is completely up to you Xandria, I’m not going to force you.”

  “But from what Maria told me it’s very important. You might not have a choice in the matter.” She frowned, her head drooping at the realisation.

  Applying pressure to her chin, he forced her to face him. “I’m the Prince Xandria, I don’t want you worrying about people not giving me a choice, especially in this. If you don’t want this by the time the moon is full, then I’ll run away again and you’ll be perfectly safe from me. I’m just hoping you’re speaking to me by then,” he chuckled hoping to make light of the situation.