A Wolf's Pride Read online

  Chapter Fifteen

  Over the course of his long life Ryan had been called many things; wilful, stubborn, overly proud just to name a few but as he prowled the halls only one seemed appropriate. Angry. He had gone beyond mere annoyance, he was fuming and it showed. His nails were claws, his teeth fangs, his eyes the feral amber that warned others of the danger they were in should they approach him. Needless to say the meeting hadn’t gone well. The support he’d received from each member of his family had been more than he had expected, even Sebastian had said that Chloe staying with him was for the best. His brother’s support meant the most to him and the few words Sebastian had spoken before leaving to find Erica had warmed his heart. When he had called the meeting he hadn’t known what to expect but it certainly wasn’t calls for his mate’s demise. The instant he had heard Anna suggest that they ‘dispose’ of his mate his blood had run cold. The urge to cause harm to those clan leaders that had supported the idea had ridden him hard. He had displayed remarkable self-restraint considering what had been said. There were no dead bodies littering the halls, no blood on the walls, though if they attempted to act on their words he didn’t doubt that there would be.

  His state of anger had merged his mind with that of his wolf and he found himself unconsciously seeking the relief that only his mate’s presence could provide. He scented the air as he walked determined to find Chloe, hold her close and reassure himself that no harm would come to her so long as he lived. It wasn’t hard to locate her, her unique strawberry scent was permanently engraved in his mind. I wonder if she tastes as good as she smells, he mused, slightly pacified by the new turn his mind had taken. His mind was flooded with images of Chloe laying against his sheets as he ran a strawberry up her exposed thigh, his tongue following the sweet trail in steady dedication. She probably tastes even better, he decided, moving along the hall and closing in on his mate. The sight that awaited him when he finally found her killed his good mood even swifter than it had come.

  The heart stopping scent of Chloe’s fear filled the hall and how he had failed to notice it as he had approached he didn’t know. What he knew now however, was that the man that was trapping his mate against a wall with his much larger body had all but asked for the beating he would be receiving. Now that he was aware of the situation rather being trapped in his own thoughts he could hear the words that were being spoke and they only served to further infuriate him.

  “You shouldn’t be here hunter. I don’t know how you managed to convince Lord Ryan that you’re his mate but I’ll see to it that he doesn’t have to worry about your deception anymore.”

  “I didn’t do anything to encourage him, I swear. If he’d let me, I’d leave right now. As you don’t want me here, will you help me escape?”

  “So you can bring more hunters back to our door? I would see you dead first.”

  Chloe inhaled sharply and it was the final straw for Ryan. He sped forward and pulled the man away from her trembling body throwing him carelessly against a stone wall. “Chloe stays with me,” he snarled turning towards the man lying against the floor. “You will never come near her again.” He began approaching the fallen guard, amber filling his eyes once again as he clenched his fists reflexively uncaring of the blood that was now pouring from the wounds his claws were creating in his palms. “I should kill you where you lay. Should?” he mused turning to take in Chloe’s unnaturally pale face. His eyes hardened as they took in the stark bruising on her arms. “I’m going to kill you. You scared my mate, hurt her, you deserve nothing else.” He knelt at the man’s side, running the sharp edges of his claws against his throat. Smiling as a thin trail of blood followed in his claws’ wake, Ryan was surprised to feel Chloe’s warm hands on him, restraining him from inflicting further damage. “Chloe, love, what are you doing?”

  “Don’t do this, please. Let’s just go. I don’t really understand what’s going on but everyone here seems to have genuine grievances against me. I saw Erica earlier and she was terrified of me. The man that you’re threatening said that he just barely escaped, he has a right to his anger.”

  “He might have a right to be angry, what he doesn’t have is a right to lay his hands on you. No one does. You’re my mate Chloe, I can’t let anything happen to you. I don’t think that I could go on if you were seriously hurt.”

  It was hard for Chloe to keep looking at him. The words he had spoken were intense and the expression on his face matched the emotions exactly. Never had a man exposed himself so completely to her but here Ryan was, baring his soul for her to see and the gesture touched her deeply. She leant forward inexplicably drawn to him and lightly caressed the side of his face. His eyes slid shut as though to better savour the feel of her skin against his and despite all reasoning to the contrary, Chloe felt herself begin to soften towards the man that had brought her to this strange place. “I’m sure he’s sorry Ryan, there’s no need to kill anyone. Killing people is wrong. Don’t tell me you brought me here to be mated to a murderer,” she laughed.

  The sound whispered along his skin and every nerve within him came to life at the all too brief chortle. His eyes flashed open to take in the sight and his heart twisted at the sight of her smile, it was just like her, beautiful. If only you knew the things I’m prepared to do for you, he mused. But you don’t need to know. You don’t need to be exposed to the darker side of my nature, especially not now when we’re just starting our relationship.

  It isn’t lying, his wolf agreed. More like selective learning. Our mate doesn’t need to be any more frightened than she already is, if telling her would upset her then don’t say anything.

  There’s no need to tell me, I already know. “Because she’s asked me to, I’ll spare your life for now. I want you to remember that should you ever get the urge to come near her again. Tell everyone you know of her kindness. She isn’t a hunter, she’s my mate and should you try to hurt her again, nothing she says will save you. Am I clear?” The man nodded and Ryan rose to his feet, taking Chloe’s hand within his own and walking away from the scene. Pulling her along the halls, he guided her to a large balcony that overlooked the vast land that surrounded the estate. As soon as they stopped he pulled her against him, holding her close and breathing her scent deeply to reassure himself that she hadn’t in fact come to any serious harm. He pushed her away to take in the finger shaped bruises that had formed on her skin.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his fingers ghosting over the marks. “I shouldn’t have let you leave me without providing you with trusted protection.”

  “I don’t think I could trust any of the werewolves here,” she sighed remembering the wild look in the guard’s eyes as he had towered over her, threats pouring from his lips.

  “Does that include me?”

  He sounded hurt and Chloe didn’t know how to respond to his question. By every law of reason she shouldn’t trust the man in front of her, he had kidnapped her and brought her to this dangerous place. Despite that she couldn’t help but feel inclined to trust what he said, no one had ever treated her the way he had, as though she was the most important person in his life. In spite of his high handed methods she couldn’t help but feel treasured, he had offered to give up his family for her, defended her at every turn. His willingness to kill for what amounted to a simple bruise was a bit extreme but she could appreciate the thought behind the gesture. “I trust you not to hurt me,” she conceded finally. “Only you.”

  He smiled and she felt a curious shift in the region of her heart, a simple smile shouldn’t have affected her to such an extent but it did. What she felt in his presence wasn’t normal but the feelings were undeniable regardless of the circumstances.

  “Well, we’ve made progress in the few days we’ve known each other. The first day we were together you were convinced that I was going to kill you at almost every turn. It’s good to know that you’re trusting in your mate. What happened to cause the change?”

  “I had a ‘chat’ with Alex,” s
he chuckled. The word sounded odd on her tongue, almost as odd as it had sounded when Alex had said it and it brought a smile to her face.

  “I trust that she had only good things to say.”

  “She was singing your praises so well I was tempted to offer you to her since she liked you so much.”

  “I don’t think that she would have me and even if Tobias didn’t attempt to take my head off my shoulders for even looking in her direction I wouldn’t want her. I only want you. There’s no one as beautiful, as special and as important to me as you. There’s only one mate for each male and you’re mine. The instinct couldn’t have chosen a better woman for me, you’re the most perfect woman in existence.” A blush rose to her cheeks and she turned away from him, it was hard to believe that this specimen of male perfection thought such things about her, chubby Chloe. Cupping her chin within his palm, Ryan forced her to look at him. “It’s true Chloe, I wouldn’t lie about something like this.”

  She sighed. “You know under different circumstances I would really have loved for you to fall for me.”

  “We can’t change the situation now Chloe, we have to work with what we have. All I’m asking for is a chance, is that so much to ask for?”

  “When your chance involves taking me away from the only people I’ve ever loved and the only ones who have truly loved me in return? Yes, it’s a bit much to ask.”

  “Anything but that Chloe, ask me for anything else but please don’t ask me to let you go. I can’t, I won’t.”

  “So you’re intending to keep me prisoner here forever then?”

  “No Chloe,” he groaned in frustration turning away from her. “If things between us were different then the whole situation would be different too. If I knew for certain that if I let you go to them that you would come back to me, I would take you to them myself even if I run the risk of getting shot. With things as they are though to let you leave me for even a day would mean me running the risk of losing you and that I just can’t have.”

  “You’d be willing to let me go?” she whispered, disbelief evident in her tone.

  “When I know that you’ll come home to me then of course. There’s a whole world out there one I wish to share with you. Seeing as you’re a city girl I’ll even contemplate going to one of those hells. When I know that you love me and want to be with me as much as I do, how could I even think about limiting your freedom? Whatever you want I’ll give you happily, just give us a chance Chloe.”

  “How can you be so certain that will ever happen? We might hate each other.”

  “Impossible,” he said with confident assurance. “The instinct led me to you. So long as both of us are prepared to give our relationship a chance, we’ll be happy in the future.”

  “You could promise me that you’d let me go?”

  “When the circumstances are right, yes. They aren’t at the moment so I can’t let you leave.”

  “What would I have to do to make the moment right?”

  “All you have to do is give us a chance. We can start with something simple. Have dinner with me tonight. That isn’t much to ask. What do you say Chloe?”

  Chapter Sixteen

  She had said yes. In spite of all logical reasons to the contrary and in blatant disregard of common sense, she’d agreed to go on a date with the man who claimed to be her mate. As the time drew nearer and concern began to fill her, Chloe laid all blame for her willingness to go through with his request on his seductive brown eyes. They were magnetic, drawing her in like a moth to a flame and she couldn’t deny him when he had looked at her with such desperate intensity as though his life hung on her response. No man should be allowed eyes like that, especially given their circumstances. But he did and so she had thrown caution to the wind and agreed to give him a chance and it was for that reason that she was now staring at her form in the bedroom mirror, frowning with disappointment with what she saw.

  Looking at her body never ceased to disappoint her, there were times that she truly believed the wisest thing to do would be to ban mirrors from her personal space. She had never been pleased with what she saw but her upcoming date with Ryan only made her eyes more critical in their appraisal. Ryan was the perfect specimen of masculinity. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on his muscular frame, his eyes should be considered a lethal weapon to the female gender and his smile seemed to wreak havoc on her body. While the few men who had passed the harsh tests her family demanded from those she wanted to be involved in weren’t hideous, none could compare to Ryan. Admitting that she found him physically attractive was one thing, admitting to the intense emotions he invoked within her was a whole different matter. She shouldn’t even be considering this meeting; his physical perfection didn’t give him licence to kidnap her. Regardless of that fact and his werewolf ancestry, a sense of nervous anticipation had filled her since she had agreed to the meeting. It was quickly replaced with dismay as she looked again at the dress Ryan had insisted she wear.

  The cream sheath lay against the bed sheets, the material shimmering in the light of the bedroom. When she had first tried it on, she had immediately been dismayed with what she saw. The material clung to her skin like a second skin highlighting each and every bump that she normally hid beneath loose clothing. A large slit ran up the length of one of her thighs, exposing flesh she would rather remained hidden. The low cut neckline of the dress revealed far too much to her way of thinking but Ryan had been insistent that she wear it. Resorting to his usual high handed tactics, he had refused to provide her with anything else that would be suitable, resigning her to the dress she would rather not wear. It was beautiful; it was a shame to waste it on someone like her who could never do it justice. What was Ryan thinking? she groaned as she approached the bed, the dress firmly in her sights. As her fingers skimmed over the almost sheer material there was a forceful knocking at the door that quickly gained her attention.

  She frowned in confusion as the knocking continued, there was no one here that should be knocking on the door, Ryan had said he wouldn’t come into the room until she was dressed and refused to see her until dinner. Curiosity had demanded that she ask him why he was placing such limitations upon himself and his answer caused her body to shiver as she remembered his response. His eyes had darkened seductively, his rumbling voice making her body hot as he had told her that if he were in her vicinity, he wouldn’t be able to prevent himself from attempting to seduce her. She believed him, the words had been direct, his gaze searing.

  “Who’s it?” she called cautiously unsure of if her visitor had good intentions or not. Her new surroundings were dangerous, strange as it sounded the only one she could entrust her survival to was the man who had brought her to this place and even then his intentions were still circumspect.

  “We’re sorry to disturb you Lady Chloe, Lord Ryan sent us to help you prepare for tonight.”

  She stood in front of the door, unsure of what to do. “Why?”

  “He said he wants everything to be perfect tonight.” The speaker paused as though waiting for Chloe’s response. When it didn’t come she continued, “He said that he wouldn’t waste the chance that you had given him. We know that you have reason to fear us especially after what happened to you earlier but I assure you Lady Chloe if we wanted to enter your room, the door wouldn’t stop us.”

  You’ve got me there, she conceded. When she’d walked to the bedroom with Ryan earlier she’d seen a woman tear a door right off its hinges. She pulled the door open a crack and was stunned as two women pushed into the room, forcing the door out of her grasp. She was immediately aware of the differences between their slender, athletic bodies, angelic faces and her body. Her lack of clothing didn’t help.

  “Lady Chloe,” one began, her glossy brown hair and bright green eyes instantly making Chloe jealous.

  She reached for a towel to cover her state of undress. “My name is Chloe, just Chloe. I’m not a ‘Lady’,” she corrected.

  “You’re Lord Ryan’s mate, that m
akes you a Lady of the southern clan,” the other woman answered swiftly her tone brokering no compromise.

  “Alice,” the brunette scolded the other woman. “Lord Ryan told us to help her not judge her. She isn’t one of us, our ways must seem strange to her, pressuring her will only damage her relationship with the Lord, he wouldn’t be pleased,” her tone hardened, “and neither would I.”

  “I’m sorry Helen, I didn’t think,” Alice’s tone was apologetic, her mannerisms deferential. Helen was clearly the superior of the two.

  “Clearly,” Helen responded, her voice frosty. She warmed the instant that she turned her attentions back to Chloe, a smile gracing her face. “I apologise for Alice’s behaviour,” she hesitated, “Chloe. We only came to help you dress.”

  “I’ve been dressing myself for years, I don’t need help.” Especially not from people who look as beautiful as you, you’ll only make me more self-conscious and I’m nervous enough as it is. Her gaze wandered to the dress.

  “But Chloe,” Alice began. “The Lord told us to help.”

  “Well I’m telling you I don’t need it.”

  Alice opened her mouth as though to speak but a simple gesture from Helen quieted her. “I’m sorry Chloe but Lord Ryan insisted.”

  “Thanks for the offer but I really don’t need it.”