My Mate's Embrace (16 page)

Anton stood in the security building, looking at the daily reports and shook his head. Something wasn’t right. Laurel’s stepfather wasn’t going to walk away. But for the last six days no one had crossed over onto pack lands.

“You’re telling me there have been no security breaches since the last time?” Anton asked.

“Well, there have been several,” Andrei said. “But when a patrol goes out, there is no one around and no evidence there ever was.”

“Have the alarms sounded in the same place?”

“No, first one side of the road and then the other. I don’t understand it,” Andrei said, shrugging his shoulders. The cameras don’t pick up anything. It’s like there are ghosts.”

The only ghost Anton knew was his future mother-in-law, and he doubted she would trip the perimeter alarms. “Alright, let me know if anything turns up,” he said. “I’ve got to go up to the high meadow and help set up the tables and chairs for tomorrow night’s party.”

Violet was going all-out for the festivities tomorrow. After Laurel’s ceremony, there would be dinner and dancing in the high meadow. The whole pack was invited. Dmitry suggested a public acknowledgement of Laurel as Anton’s mate, and Anton quickly agreed. He couldn’t wait to get his hands on her and was afraid he might never let her go. The last few days had been worse than having an abscessed tooth. He wanted to groan and growl at everybody. But instead, he walked up the path to the high meadow.

Rounding a corner, he heard giggling and knew Illarion and his friends were somewhere close by. Then, he heard something that forced him to take a look to see what the young scamps were up to. Turning off the path, he followed the raised voices.

“Now you’ve done it, you ripped it. You’re going to be in so much trouble,” said a young voice.

“I didn’t mean to. If you hadn’t pulled on it.”

“You should have given it to me. It was my turn to carry the supplies.”

Coming around a large tree, Anton saw dappled sunlight shining on the blond-haired Illarion and the dark-haired Vasya as they argued. At their feet, Laurel’s backpack lay on the ground, the pink color now brown and dull from dirt.

“What are you two up to?” Anton asked, walking up and ruffling Illarion’s blond curls. Illarion looked like his father Andrei, except for his blond hair, which resembled his mother’s.

“I didn’t mean to rip it, Anton,” Illarion said, his head hanging down.

“Where did you get this?” Anton asked, kneeling down to the boys’ level and picking up the backpack. One strap now hung down, ripped from the back.

“I borrowed it one day from the lodge. I didn’t think Laurel would mind. Then Mom said I needed to wait to give it back until after the party tomorrow. So we kind of used it to carry our supplies.”

“Supplies?” Anton asked, looking inside to see a small piece of rope and a bag of cookies.

“We were pretending we were exploring in the jungle of the Amazon,” Vasya said. “We’ve been studying it in class.”

Anton caught a glint of silver coming from where the strap had been attached to the backpack. Looking closer, he saw a small, round, metal button-like item sticking out of the material. He pulled it out and looked at it curiously. Could this be a tracking device? He put two fingers into the hole and wiggled around inside the lining near the bottom of the bag. What he felt only confirmed his suspicions. Taking his fingers out, he peered into the hole. Laurel’s father had been tracking her, not because he wanted to keep track of his daughter, but because he was transporting illegal drugs for the Russian mafia and using Laurel to do it. Inside the lining of the backpack were small plastic bags full of white powder. Anton was sure that, if tested, the powder would turn out to be an illegal substance.

“I’ll take this. You boys can have your cookies and rope,” Anton said, handing over the items to the boys. They both stood quietly, their heads down and eyes averted, a sign of respect from one lower in the pack hierarchy to one higher. “Illarion, I think you know you aren’t supposed to touch things that don’t belong to you. You owe Laurel an apology.”

“I was going to give it back. But they wouldn’t let me see her when I went over to Alena’s. So, I was keeping it until the party. Will she still be my friend?” Illarion asked.

“I’m sure she will. Run along home now,” Anton said, smiling in reassurance.

What would Dmitry say when he found out Laurel was carrying drugs in her bag? Would he believe Anton when he told him she didn’t know? He had shared Laurel’s mind enough to know she wasn’t hiding anything. Sighing in frustration, he reached out for his brother with his telepathy.

Dmitry, where are you? I need to speak to you immediately.

Up at the high meadow. Violet has me hanging candle lights in the trees. Aren’t you coming up to help?

Yes, be right there.

Clutching the backpack in his hands, Anton broke into a trot. He needed to get this over with.

§

Morning light filtered through the window into Laurel’s room. She stretched leisurely and slowly got up from bed. Violet would be arriving soon to teach her self-defense. She actually looked forward to it. It surprised everyone how quickly she had caught on to the different positions and maneuvers. She wasn’t as strong as the lycans, but she had put Alena on the ground yesterday. It wasn’t all about strength, but rather shifting your weight and finding a way out of a hold. Of course, surprise and hitting hard probably helped.

“Eyes, Throat, Groin,” she muttered, remembering the prime target areas.

Laurel rushed to the window to see what surprise awaited her from Anton. Sitting on the windowsill was a wooden carving of a howling wolf pup. Laurel opened the window and retrieved the carving. Lying underneath was a small piece of paper. When she opened it, she found a note in Anton’s hand. My love, it started. Knowing that this forced absence from your side is almost over is the only thing keeping me sane. I can’t wait to take you into my arms and hold you forever. Yours, Anton.

Laurel clutched the note to her chest. She, too, wanted the wait to be over. With his gentle giving nature, Anton was sinking into her heart. She carefully placed the note in the dresser drawer and put the wolf on the shelf with the other gifts.

Grabbing her clothes off the dresser, she hurried into the bathroom to dress. Looking into the mirror, she was glad to see her skin was now a golden brown, instead of red from the night before.

When she arrived in the kitchen a short time later, a cup of tea and a bowl of fruit were already sitting on the table waiting for her. Drat, she had thought she was finished with drinking herbal tea. Sighing, she picked up the steaming cup and blew over the liquid. Where was everybody?

“Violet? Alena?” she called.

When she didn’t hear an answer, she wandered back down the hall and looked into each bedroom. But no one was there. That was odd. For the last six days, she couldn’t do anything without tripping over one of the women of the pack. Did this mean they trusted her?

Not sure what to think, Laurel went back into the kitchen and sat down to eat her breakfast. It was kind of nice to be alone for a moment.

§

Dmitry and Kolya stood frowning over the contents of the backpack. They glanced up at Anton and then at each other.

“You are sure Laurel knows nothing about this?” Dmitry asked.

“I have been in her mind. She doesn’t know anything about this. When she learns, it will only hurt her to know her stepfather was using her as a drug mule.”

At that moment, Violet and Alena walked up, carrying more candle lanterns. They put the lanterns down on the edge of the table. Then, each walked over to her mate.

“What’s wrong? Why are you frowning?” Violet asked, wrapping her arms around Dmitry and hugging him.

Dmitry motioned to the plastic bags of white powder sitting on the table.

“Anton found these in Laurel’s backpack. They were sewn into the lining.”

“What? I don’t believe it,” Violet said. “Laurel would never use drugs. I’ve been with her every day this week. I was in her mind, linked psychically during the ceremony. She would never have anything to do with drugs.”

“I agree. Laurel is kind and innocent. She would never knowingly carry drugs,” Alena said, standing under Kolya’s shoulder, his arm wrapped around her waist.

Anton felt his heart warm at Violet and Alena’s quick defense of Laurel. He wasn’t the only one coming to love her.

“Anton believes her father hid the drugs in Laurel’s bag. He also found this,” Dmitry said, holding out the small round tracking device. “We think this is a bug he has been using to keep track of Laurel. Illarion may have actually done us a favor by carrying it around all day. He runs wild all over the village. They probably couldn’t get a good fix on the device. From the looks of the bag, the boys may have buried it while they acted out their adventures.”

“This is possibly why Laurel’s father and his friends haven’t reappeared,” Kolya said. “Illarion’s house is located down in a little dell. The signal could have been blocked at night.”

“But what are we going to do now?” Anton asked. “They won’t stop until they get the drugs back.”

“I think it’s time to set up a little trap,” Dmitry said. “Kolya, call our friend, Lieutenant Ivan Kuznetsov. He’ll send over some men we can trust to help us. But, Anton, that means no going wolf. We’ll be forced to do this without shifting.”

“Do you think that is wise?” Anton said. “We are stronger and faster in our wolf form. What will the cops think when we tell them the backpack belongs to Laurel? Will they take her in, or worse, deport her?”

“We will tell Ivan the truth and let him decide,” Kolya said. “I’m sure he will try to keep Laurel out of it.”

“But you pointed out before that he isn’t pack. I won’t let you endanger Laurel. We have to know she won’t be involved in any way,” Anton said, putting his hands on his hips. “Laurel must be kept safe.”

“Speaking of Laurel, who is with her at the house, Alena?” Dmitry asked.

“Oh, I got so wrapped up in the conversation, I forgot,” Alena said. “No one is with her. She was sleeping when I left. I didn’t think we would be gone this long. I better run.”

“Not before you kiss me goodbye, woman,” Kolya barked, grabbing Alena as she started to run back down the path. “I miss you so much,
lyubov moya.
How is our son?” he whispered as he nuzzled her neck before he kissed her, his hand resting protectively on her stomach.

“Mother will walk over and keep Laurel company until you can get there, Alena,” Dmitry said, smiling at his best friend and little sister. Anton grimaced in frustration. If only he could hold Laurel like that.

§

Laurel sat in the sitting room with the huge golden book, the B¯¯E, [email protected] ¯3, the lycan history book, on her lap. If only she could read the pages. Each sheaf of parchment was lovingly painted with wolves hiding in swirls of leaves around the edges. It looked very old and reminded her of a medieval manuscript. It also seemed to be written in several languages. She fingered the pages, wondering what tales were written within. Closing the book, she admired the cover. It appeared to be a sheet of gold embossed and set with jewels of different hues. It looked like it belonged in a museum. She imagined it once belonged to a prince.

“A princely gift for the woman he loved,” Laurel whispered.

“You aren’t wrong. It was a gift to a lycan woman from the Mongol prince who loved her,” Yelena said from the doorway.

“Yelena, you startled me.”

“I’m sorry, Laurel. I thought you heard me come in,” Yelena said, sitting in the chair opposite Laurel.

“I must have been daydreaming. Where is everyone?”

“They are up at the high meadow, getting it ready for tomorrow night’s festivities.”

“You said a Mongol prince?”

“Yes, a Khan. He fell in love with a lycan woman visiting his court. But he wasn’t her heartmate, so she couldn’t stay with him. Because he truly loved her, he let her go, and gifted her with that book. She brought it back to the pack and used it to document our history and ceremonies. It has become a treasured icon to us, passed down from one generation to the next. Sonya’s mother held it last.”

“Shouldn’t it go to Sonya then?”

“No, it goes to the next shaman of the pack,” Yelena said. “At this time we have no one to fill that spot.”

“Shaman?” Laurel asked.

“Yes, a shaman is a healer. They perform ceremonies as the goddess’s representative.”

“Like a priestess?”

“Yes,” Yelena said. “They are held in high regard and answer only to the Alpha, though they aren’t under the Alpha, more like equal to. The healing gift has passed away from the pack. You are the first in several generations. Sonya’s mother could do some small bits of healing. She taught me basic first aid. Between the two of us, we handled most of the emergencies. When she passed, I was afraid the pack might be in great trouble. We had to call in a human midwife to help Violet. But if there had been a complication, we would have risked the human world finding out about us. As it was, we needed to cloud the midwife’s memory when the twins shifted while nursing.”

“They can shift that young?”

“Only the Alpha pups can do so. But they have very little control over it. We can heal ourselves if we shift, but if we can’t, then we need a healer to help us. The young ones cannot shift on command, and our pregnant women do not shift. It would put too much of a strain on the fetus. So you see why having you as part of our pack is such a blessing.”

The door banged, and Alena ran in. “Hi, Mom. Thanks for coming over. How are you doing Laurel? I’m so sorry I left you alone this morning. I got caught up at the high meadow and lost track of time.”

Both Yelena and Laurel noticed how Alena’s hair was mussed and several buttons on her red shirt were undone.

“It looks like Kolya was keeping you busy,” Yelena said.

Alena looked down at her blouse and blushed. “He wanted to kiss me goodbye. He misses me,” she said, fixing the buttons one by one.