Wolfe's Mate (5 page)

“Hush,
ma petite amour.
Your tears make me crazy. You are safe,
mon coeur
. I have you now. Everything will be all right.” Jared carried her to a picnic table and sat down with her in his arms.

She wanted to believe him, wanted to let his
tender care chase away her fears. Then, she remembered Jared’s rage and coldness when he said he wanted Pierre dead. Maybe Pierre was right. Maybe she wasn’t cut out to be an Alpha’s mate.

“Don’t let your fears come between us, Esme. You know you are mine, as I am yours.”

“I don’t know if I can do this, Jared. I’m not sure I can live this way. After Norris turned me into a lycan, bad things started happening. Being a lycan is scary.”
You are scary.

They both heard the thought ringing in Esme’s mind. Jared held her close.
Never once did he hurt her.

“I can be very scary
but never to you,
ma petit amour
. You are always safe in my care. I will never harm you. I would kill for you, and I would die for you. You are my life, my love. You are the reason life is worth living. Don’t let that idiot place fear in your heart. You know me. You live in my heart and in my soul. You touch my mind and see all my secrets. You know me as no one else ever will.”

“Excuse me,
is everything all right? Do you need some help?”

Esme glanced up and noticed
a police officer standing near. She wiped her face.

“My fiancée is feeling ill
,” Jared said. “We need to stop our trip for now and let her rest. Is there a hotel nearby?”

“Yes, sir. Just down the road about three miles.
The Premier Inn off Osborne road. Take 10A, Airport Way.”

“Thank you,
officer.”

“Are you sure you’re al
l right, miss?”

“Yes,
officer. I’m fine. Thank you for your help.” Esme wiped her face again and smiled at the officer.

“Not a problem, miss. I hope you
’re feeling better right away.”

Esme nodded. The police of
ficer walked away.

“You shouldn’t carry me around like that. You draw too much attention to yourself.”

“I don’t care what anyone thinks. I’m going to take care of you.”

“We should be getting out of here,” Granger said
, striding up to the table. “Donny and Adam will escort Pierre to the train station and make sure he buys a ticket back to Paris.”

“Go get us
some food,” Jared said. “Then, we’ll go to the hotel the officer told us about.”

“Hotel?” Granger asked. “I thought we were going to Aberdeen.”

“The trip can wait a little while longer. Esme needs to eat and rest,” Jared explained.

“I’m not sure I can eat now, Jared.” Esme’s stomach still felt queasy.

“Granger can get you something for later. I need some time to hold you and know you’re safe.”

Granger headed inside to buy food.
Esme thought rest might be a good idea. She could use some time to recover. But who would keep her safe from Jared?

§

Jared slipped into the bedroom that adjoined the room where Esme lay sleeping. “She’s afraid of me now, afraid of what it means to be a lycan,” he told Granger. Jared wanted to hit something, preferably that idiot Pierre. “What was he thinking, attacking her? She’s heartmated. The fool must have known she’d never accept him. If we’d been at home, I would have killed him. He should die for laying his hands on her.”

“Donny sa
id the Paris pack is in trouble,” Granger said. “Its members haven’t been taught the laws of Asena. Pierre may actually have thought Esme could choose him.” Granger sat in the middle of a double bed, bags of food around him, as he scarfed down a sandwich.

“How
’s that possible? I will write to their Alpha and demand he take action. Pierre must be punished.”

“
When Esme said she never wanted to see him again, that was punishment enough. He cried when he got in the car to be driven away, begged me to let him tell her he was sorry. I almost felt bad for him.”

“Sorry? It
’s a crime to attack a female, punishable by death. Attacking an Alpha female is unheard of. The Paris pack should fear that I’ll declare a blood feud.”

“Jared, I know you
’re angry. I don’t think fighting a whole pack is the answer. Demand your pound of flesh if you must, but don’t endanger our whole pack by starting a blood feud. We can’t afford it, and from what Donny and Adam have said, attacking a sick pack will not satisfy your honor.”

“Maybe not,
but if I see Pierre near Esme again, I’ll kill him.”

“Which is your right, and also
the reason your mate now fears you. She
was
a human. She doesn’t know our laws or traditions. All she knows is her mate thinks of killing without a qualm.”

“I
’m an Alpha. Discipline and protection of my pack is my job, and sometimes that means removing a threat permanently.”

“I know that, Jared. I also know you
’re a fair man who would never take a life without extreme need. Esme doesn’t know that however. She hasn’t seen you as Alpha.”

Jared ran his hand through his hair and looked at his friend.
Soon, Jared would become more wolf than man. He wasn’t thinking clearly. “I can’t wait, Granger. I have to claim her. I’m becoming more and more aggressive. My wolf can’t handle waiting any longer. It wants to break free. The danger facing Esme is pushing me to the limit. When Pierre put his hands on her, I was almost undone. I don’t know how I stopped myself from ripping him apart. I wanted to sink my teeth into his throat and not let go until his body was cold.”

“You kept your
self under control because Esme needs your tenderness more than your rage. Take her, claim her. I know you won’t hurt her. With you, she’ll be safe. I’ll watch your back. Just try to keep the sounds down, will you?”

Jared
nodded his head. Granger was a good friend. “When will our bags arrive?”

“
Someone from the English pack will call. They’re working on getting the bags on a train.”

“I’m going to let Esme rest a while. I don’t want her thinkin
g about Pierre’s attack when I make love to her.”

“Here, eat something. You’ll need your strength. Something tells me Esme is going to wear you out. She may be afraid, but she is all Alpha.”

Jared took the sandwich Granger handed him. Esme was definitely Alpha, his Alpha.

Esme emerged from the darkness of sleep to feel warm lips kissing her stomach, then her breast. “Jared …” Her heartmate. She sighed and slipped her fingers through his silky hair, holding him close to her.

His scent filled her nostrils
, and she breathed deeply, wanting to take him into her body. He nuzzled her breast as his hands roamed down her stomach and skimmed closer to the dark curls that were quickly becoming moist with need.

She loved the feel of his hands on her, his lips kissing her skin. His mouth found her nipple and licked around
it before sucking it deep into his hot heat. Esme moaned.

I need you,
mon amour. Give yourself to me, Esme. Let me give you pleasure as I claim what is mine.
His fingers skimmed over her moist heat and cupped her.

I
’m already yours, Jared. I have been from the first moment your thoughts touched mine.
It was true being a lycan sometimes scared her. However, she knew Jared would never hurt her.

His mouth continued to torment her as he pressed kisses first
to one breast, then to the other. His fingers slipped between the folds guarding her sex and massaged gently. So many times they’d shared moments like this in their dreams. Why did she ever let Pierre make her doubt her feelings? Something wild and untamed rose within her. She wanted to lick and bite. She wanted to claim her mate. Jared was hers.

She ran her finger
s down his chest, lightly brushing his flesh with her nails. Jared quivered, and Esme felt emboldened. She leaned over and licked his skin, loving the taste of salt and man as it filled her mouth. Her fingers trailed through his chest hair and lower, following the line of hair that pointed to his growing manhood. She tested the skin of his shaft, so soft, and gripped him. He was hard underneath. His breath hissed out, and she feared she’d hurt him. She pulled her hand away. He captured it and put it back in place. “Don’t stop,
mon coeur
.”

Feeling more confident, she continued to explore him. Reaching lower
, she took his sac in hand, feeling the stones roll as she squeezed. Jared groaned and captured her lips again, licking and claiming her very breath. She gasped, her body on fire, even as her skin pebbled with goose bumps.

§

So good.
Jared wanted to gobble her up. Esme responded to his every touch. His wolf rose to the surface as her scent changed, indicating her willingness to mate. Jared growled low, unable to stop the possessive needs of an Alpha. He grabbed Esme by the waist and flipped her onto her stomach before blanketing her and pressing kisses to her neck and shoulders. His wolf demanded that he take her. Jared pushed the wildness back, not wanting to scare his mate. He reached between her legs, feeling the moisture. She was ready for him.

“On your knees, love. Open for me.” Jared helped her lift up. He rubbed his hand over her buttocks before spreading her legs wider.

Esme looked over her shoulder at him. Her eyes filled with trust and something else that sent a rush of warmth through his system. Jared reached for the mating bond with his telepathy, opening his mind to Esme as her thoughts flooded into him. His desire became hers, as her need became his. There was no hesitation in her thoughts. Esme wiggled her butt against him, signaling her readiness to continue.

Jared’s control broke. He slammed into her, filling her completely
. Gripping her hips, he feared he would leave marks on her. Esme moaned and pushed back, giving her consent to continue. He withdrew, then pushed deep, over and over. Esme quivered beneath him, meeting him thrust for thrust, her breath coming in quick pants. His canines lengthened as his wolf wanted to bite, to mark her as his.

He leaned down and licked at the soft flesh where her neck met her shoulder. Esme gasped and tilted her head
, giving him better access. He bit down, breaking the skin. Her blood trickled into his mouth. His tongue licked at the wound even as his teeth pinned her down. “
I claim you as my heartmate. I take everything you are into my keeping, and give everything I am into yours.”

Esme moaned.
Desire built, licking at their skin. Their emotions, fires waiting to explode, were firmly entrenched in their partners’ minds. She was so close. He pushed his fingers between her folds, finding the nubbin of nerves hard with desire. He stroked her. Once, twice, and she exploded, crying out his name.

A
rush of ecstasy filled her and flowed into his mind, triggering his own rapture. His body tightened as he filled her with his essence.
Mine
. They flew into the ether, their souls mixing, becoming one. The mating bond, now the diameter of a rope—connecting them heart, mind and soul—glowed brightly, cemented into place. It was done, never to be broken. She was his, forever.

He removed his teeth from her flesh and continued to lick and kiss the marks until the bleeding stopped and his canines receded. She would carry his mark for all lycans to see.
Esme collapsed beneath him. Jared continued to blanket her, needing their bodies connected for as long as possible.

As
their heart rates slowed, Jared reluctantly pulled away from her. She moaned, her tone expressing feelings of loss. He chuckled as he rolled off her and gathered her in his arms. “Are you all right,
mon amour
? I’m sorry if I was rough.”

Esme
snuggled back against him. “I’m fine, Jared. Better than fine.”

Jared searched her mind, taking note of any soreness. “You should eat something. You never
ate lunch.” His wolf would demand he take her again.

“In a while. Right now I don’t want to move
. I feel so relaxed.”

“Esme
…”

“Not yet. I want to enjoy this feeling of being well
-loved.”

“I can assure you it
’s a feeling you will enjoy again. However, since you don’t want to move, I’ll take care of feeding you.” Jared reluctantly released the warm bundle that was his mate and crossed to the door that joined their room to Granger’s.

“Shouldn’t you put
on some clothes?”

“Nakedness is
common with lycans,
ma petit
. Granger won’t be surprised.”

Jared opened the connecting door and was
startled when he heard female giggles coming from Granger’s room. Granger leaned against the wall next to the outside door, and smiled at a young woman as she pushed a cart into the room. The smells coming from the cart made Jared’s mouth water and his stomach growl.

Granger said something to the girl
, and she blushed. She pushed the cart fully into the room, when she looked up and saw Jared. Her eyes grew wide as she noticed he was naked. Jared felt his face warm. Esme was right. He should have put on some clothes. Granger walked over and stepped in front of the girl, effectively blocking her view of Jared. Jared took the opportunity to walk back into his room and close the door half-way.

He
grabbed his pants from the chair. The girl giggled again in Granger’s room, and the outside door closed.

Granger opened the connecting door and smiled at Jared. “Dinner is here. You put on quite a show for the lady. I’m not sure whether she wanted to run or attack
you.”

Esme
sat up in bed, holding the sheet tight to her breasts. Had Granger heard them making love? Jared growled as Granger’s gaze traveled to Esme. Jared pushed Granger back into his room, and Granger winked at him.

“We’ll be there in a minute after we get dressed.”

“Anything you say, Alpha.” Granger held his hands up even as his smile grew wider.

Jared wanted to punch him
. Instead, he slammed the door in his face.

§

Esme enjoyed watching her mate walk to the door connecting the two rooms. The man’s behind was a work of art. Her fingers itched to feel every inch of him. When the door was opened, she could hear Granger murmuring to someone and a woman giggling. Esme smiled. It sounded as if Granger was busy. When the woman gasped, Esme frowned. What was going on in there?

Jared hurried back inside
their room and grabbed his pants. Esme smirked. Nudity might be normal for lycans, but it was still a big deal to humans.

The door opened wide
, and Granger said something to Jared. The smells of hot food wafted into Esme and Jared’s room. Esme’s stomach growled, and she suddenly realized she was starving. She stretched and yawned and sat up in bed.

Jared slammed the door and turned to look at her.

“What’s the matter?” Esme said. “Did something happen?”

“Why did you let Granger see you like that?”

“Like what? I held the sheet up. He didn’t see anything. Besides, I thought you said nudity was normal for lycans. I know it’s part of the shifting process. No one ever made a big deal over it when we were shifting at the English Alpha’s estate.”

“I don’t like that Granger saw you
. In fact, I’m sure I don’t want anyone seeing you naked.”

“Jared, you’re being silly. They
’ll have to see me naked when I shift.”

“Just humor me, okay. I don’t know why I
’m being unreasonable. Just trust me when I tell you it’s better to go with it.” Jared held up a terrycloth bathrobe.

Esme climbed from the bed and let him
wrap her in the garment.

“You
’re mine, Esme. Only mine. I don’t share. I would never hurt you, although I can’t say I wouldn’t hurt anyone else trying to come between us.”

“I don’t want anyone else, Jared.”

“I know,
mon amour.
I know.”

§

Norris walked into the lab. The woman introduced as his assistant, Nurse Campbell, smiled and stood up from the stool where she’d been sitting while looking through a microscope.

“Good morning, Doctor Fortescue. Did you sleep well?”

As if he could sleep well with this group watching his every move.
“Fine. Are the patients ready for their allogeneic bone marrow transplants?” Might as well get this done. Turning humans into lycans was distasteful, at least cancer wouldn’t steal their lives. Somehow, he would have to help them escape and get to a pack. Maybe the English Alpha would take them in.

“Yes, doctor. They
’ve all been prepared as you requested. The stem cells you provided are waiting.” He’d harvested the stem cells from Esme and Pierre. Was Esme missing him?

“Excellent, shall we get started then?” Norris led the way through the door and down the hall that led f
arther into the complex.

“Which patient would you like to see first?”

“I think we’ll work on the females first. Miss Adams and Miss Scott, isn’t it? They’ve all gone through two cycles of chemotherapy?” He knew the patients had been chosen because they didn’t have a family to depend on. All of the patients had been in the military until cancer took over.

“Yes, doctor, as you requested.” He smirked. Yeah, everyone
jumped through hoops now. Funny how they could go from threatening to kill your loved ones, to treating you like a superstar. He sighed and shook his head. He didn’t think he would make it out of this alive. Even if he did, he would end up putting Esme in jeopardy. He’d have to disappear forever.

“The patients are in isolation? I don’t want to risk infection.”

“Yes, doctor. You and I are the only ones authorized in this part of the building.” They walked up to a set of double doors that were key-coded. The nurse stepped forward and swiped her card through the electronic lock before entering a four-digit code. “We can change in here.”

Norris walked to the sink and began
washing up.

“How quickly do the cells begin to affect the patient?”
The nurse joined him at the sink.

“Almost immediately
, once they take hold. There is pain in the joints and bones that spreads throughout the body. Medication doesn’t seem to help, though we can give morphine and try to knock out the pain. It all depends on the patient. I have seen this procedure only one time, remember?”

“And the shifting? When will they turn into wolves?”
the nurse asked as she handed a set of scrubs to Norris.

“Within five days is my best guess. The body is in such a weak state that the shifter cells will want to shift to save themselves.”

“Are they like parasites then?”

“No, from what I’ve seen
they are like any other stem cells, only the DNA is different. The cells divide and slowly spread throughout the body, allowing the body to shift its shape, in this case into a wolf, because the cells were harvested from a wolf shape-shifter.”

“Are they
mere animals after they shift?”

“No, they keep their human intelligence and reasoning skills.”