The Mating Rules

Jamie-Lee’s POV

I’m holding on to Hadley’s hand as I try to focus on Caden, reaching out for him, searching for a tether that my warrior is sure exists between me and both of them.

‘Where are you baby’ I whisper, Skarla pacing in my mind, her own concentration on feeling for Cobalt, both of us intent on reaching them somehow.

It feels like there is a thick wall around me, caging me in as I chip against it again and again.

‘I can’t feel him’ I mutter, screwing my eyes up tighter, ‘I can’t get through.’

A hand rubs my back, Hadley’s soothing voice washing over me, ‘You can sweetheart’ he replies, ‘just like you did with Skarla, find him.’

I nod tersely, renewing my efforts, my head starting to throb from the effort of trying to pinpoint a man who is cut off from me.

‘Cobalt’ my wolf purrs quietly, her tail swishing back and forth as she sniffs around my mind as though she can scent him out or something.

I’m about to give up when I feel it, a tingling so faint I’m not even sure if it’s real, maybe I’m just so desperate to feel something, I’m deluding myself.

‘MATE’ my wolf growls forcefully, stilling as her head raises, ears forward, studying the tiny flicker of feeling in the very corner of my mind.

‘Caden?’ I call out hopefully, ‘can you hear me?’

Silence is my only response and I focus harder on he feeling, trying to capture it so I can pull it closer.

‘What can you feel?’ Hadley’s voice calls out from a distance, ‘Jamie-Lee/’

‘I can feel him’ I murmur, not taking my focus from the tingling. I’m not making the same mistake I made last time, I won’t lose another connection and have another Mate suffer because of me.

‘Do you know where he is? Can you hear him?’ my warrior probes, keeping his hand in mine, anchoring me.

‘No’ I reply huskily, ‘can’t hear him but Skarla recognises Cobalt in the feeling, she knows it’s him.’

‘OK sweetheart’ Hadley encourages, ‘just hold on to the feeling OK, try and follow it, see if you can reach them.’

I nod, not replying, the concentration needed to hold onto the weak connection is draining me and exhaustion is already pulling at my mind but I refuse to let go.

‘Cobalt?’ I try, wondering if it’s just Caden’s wolf that I can feel as my Alpha is dosed with Wolfsbane so perhaps I can connect to his wolf even though he cannot himself.

A noise comes into my head, like an untuned radio. It’s faint and distorted but I get the feeling that it’s a voice.

‘Cobalt!’ I call louder, ‘is that you?’ Whoever is on the other end obviously cannot hear me as the buzzing sound cuts over my words as if I didn’t even speak.

‘They can’t hear me’ I whisper, despair clutching at me, ‘I can’t reach them.’

‘Yes you can Jamie-Lee’ the warrior urges, his hand on my back, rubbing greater circles, calming me. ‘You have connected to them, that’s amazing, I didn’t expect it to be like a telephone call, but you are halfway there just by tethering to them.’

I nod with renewed determination, Hadley is right, I’ve overcome wolfsbane to not only connect with Skarla, but also made a tenuous link to my mate.

The voices in my head are coming through clearer, I can definitely make out Cobalt’s rough voice as he talks to who I assume is Caden. I probe the tether, Cobalt is angry, I can feel his fury vibrating back to me, something has really upset Skarla’s mate.

My wolf snarls in a low dangerous voice, her hackles up, she can feel Cobalt’s anger too and it’s pulling at her bond, she wants to calm her mate and tear apart whatever has made him feel this way.

‘Cobalt? Caden?’ I call out again desperately, still no reply but the tether is strengthening and I feel a tug within me, urging me to leave the room.

‘I can feel where he is’ I gasp in surprise, my eyes snapping open as I stare up at the warrior in shock. ‘He’s close, he’s . . . here!’

I jump up, I’m certain of my words, Caden is still in the building, I can feel him. My feet are already carrying me toward the door, hand outstretched to turn the handle as Hadley grabs me around the waist and hauls me away from the door.

‘Woah!’ he growls, ‘you can’t go! You are what Avrilak wants!’

As he places me firmly on the ground, I turn around indignantly and glare up at him, ‘my mate is in danger’ I snap, ‘I’m going to get him.’

The warrior is already shaking his head stubbornly, ‘you need to wait here Jamie-Lee, we need to keep you away from that lunatic! I’ll go and get Caden, bring him back here and we’ll make a plan.’

He cannot be serious right? Staring up at him incredulously I realise that this man is completely serious about going alone. ‘I am not staying here’ I growl warningly, ‘Caden needs me, I’m going.’

Hadley crosses his arms, widening his stance preparing to argue with me, ‘I need to keep you safe’ he replies firmly, ‘this whole thing, it’s been about keeping you safe!’

I laugh bitterly, ‘sorry to tell you this warrior’ I retort, ‘but Avrilak has known exactly where I am from the moment Skarla emerged properly. I can’t hide from him, I never could, I need to face him and end this.’

The werewolf grabs my arms, holding me gently as he gazes down at me with open anguish, ‘you do’ he agrees, ‘and you will, but please, let me get Caden back so we are there to protect you. He could be in any sort of state right now, I don’t want you to be distracted, it could cost you your life.’

‘Or seeing my Mate in a bad state will fuel the lava inside me and help me kick his a*s’ I respond.

Hadley pinches the top of his nose with his thumb and forefinger and I can see he’s trying to remain patient but this isn’t a fight he’s going to win.

‘I need you safe’ he finally mumbles, ‘I can’t concentrate if you are in danger.’

My hands go to my h**s as I glare at him, ‘and why would I be safer here by myself?’ I question tartly. ‘The guy has already proved he can teleport and he can take people with him. How can you be sure that he isn’t tracking me right now, waiting for you to leave me on my own so he can jump out of where he’s hiding and snatch me while you are running around this place looking for Caden?’

I try not to smirk as my Mate gapes at me, lifting a hand and running my fingers down his dirty shirt, ‘plus’ I add sweetly, ‘I’m the only one who can feel the tether, you need me to guide you to where he’s being held.’

The warrior g****s loudly, his head falling back in defeat, ‘fine!’ he growls out, ‘but you stay behind me, I want to feel your hand gripping my shirt the entire time so I know you are there.’ He holds my gaze sternly, ‘I mean it amie-Lee, you do not let go and you absolutely do not put yourself in a situation that endangers you no matter what we find when we get to Caden.’

I hold up three fingers in a scout salute, ‘I promise’ I reply quickly.

Rubbing his forehead exasperatedly, Hadley huffs out a breath before grabbing my hand and holding it against his shirt until I grab the fabric in my fist.

‘I’m not a toddler’ I add under my breath, ‘I really don’t need to hold on to my mommy when we go out.’

‘Jamie-Lee!’ Hadley warns me, his muscles stiffening though he doesn’t turn around to face me again.

‘OK, I’m sorry, I’ll be good’ I reply, tightening my grip as the warrior reaches out for the doorknob and turns it slowly, pulling the door open revealing a second room beside this one.

Stepping out into the lit room, Hadley stalks across the middle as I glance around us, taking in all the portraits and expensive décor that surrounds us. Damn, this guy is rich! Just how long has be been alive?

We walk through the room, following the tug that I can feel in my chest, me silently guiding the Warrior with taps on his shoulder. We walk down to the main floor, Hadley stiffening as he points to a door, ‘that leads to where they kept me’ he whispers as we huddle in an alcove even though the place is silent around us. ‘Is he down there?’ he adds, turning to face me with worry. I shake my head, pointing instead to a door to our left, I can just sense that we need to go in there.

Nodding, he looks around the ceiling above us, I presume searching for cameras before he grabs my hand, tugging me along quickly as he moves toward the door, taking a deep breath and throwing it open.

We step through as lights come on illuminating the stone stairs that lead downwards . Taking the lead again, the warrior moves down the steps, me closing the door behind us and regrabbing his shirt, following a step behind him.

The stairs curve around to the right, moving further down, the air becoming damp around us. Finally the floor levels out and we make our way along a rough stone corridor. I glance left and right into each recession in the walls that hold suits of armour that give off a creepy vibe in the muted lighting. I feel like eyes are watching me as we pass and I can’t stop myself from glancing back occasionally just in case one of the suits steps out behind us when our backs are turned.

Reaching the far end, Hadley stops in front of a thick old oak door. The hinges look medieval and an ornate lock graces the right side.

Glancing back at me, the warrior waits for my curt nod before reaching out and grasping the handle, turning it just as pain erupts in my body and I scream out, collapsing to the floor as I rip at my own skin.

‘Jamie-Lee!’ Hadley yells, dropping to his knees beside me as the door swings open and another pain filled scream floats out of the room.

‘Skarla?!’ I beg desperately as I curl up in a ball, barely aware of Hadley beside me, trying to help me, his hands on my skin the only thing offering a modicum of relief from the agony coursing through my veins.

Vaguely I hear a second voice, ‘ahh, you have arrived, just in time’ and I force my gaze up to find Avrilak grinning down at me, his slim build not wide enough to hide Caden’s form strapped to a table behind him, writhing in what looks like the same pain I’m feeling.