The Mating Rules

Chapter Sixty Three

We returned to the motel that we found to be cordoned off with official looking tape that we knew belonged to the Council. The motel was shut, and the owner was nowhere to be found.

A few guards that work at the Council building were stationed around the outskirts to deter any humans who might come this way. We had shifted into our wolves to run here, somehow Skarla knew the way and I was too tired to try and ask her how, I just let her take control. When we neared the area that feels like it was our home years ago, we shift back, Caden takes the lead, walking toward a Guard, his Alpha Aura already out, my hand gripped tightly in his as Hadley remains hidden in the trees.

‘Alpha’ the guard greets Caden, straightening up from his position slouched against a nearby tree, eyeing Caden’s brightly coloured t-shirt and shorts that we grabbed on the way here along with a top and shorts for Hadley. ‘I’m sorry, the area is off limits, Council orders.’

Caden nods, grimly, as I inhale to catch the man’s scent, I pick up the magic around him, the guy is of witch decent.

‘The wolves that were here, they belong to my pack, I was sent to find out what happened and to bring them home’ he replies with authority.

The guard gives the Alpha a startled look, ‘your pack members sir?’ he repeats.

‘That’s right, they were here on our authority, they didn’t check in for a few days which made us worried, and I came out here to check on them. I got word that there had been an incident and walking out to this tape doesn’t make me think I’m taking home my warriors to their loved ones.’

The guard nods sadly, ‘I’m afraid you are correct sir’ he agrees. ‘the owner is human and called in a nine one one to the local human police after finding bodies. We obviously monitor such calls and send out one of our own just in case it’s a supernatural death. Our man could scent that the victims were Werewolves as soon as he got close, called it in and we took over the crime scene from the locals. The owner wasn’t impressed that we shut him down and have refused him access to his own property, but he’s currently residing in one of the best hotels in the area so he can’t complain too much.’

Caden nods along, ‘so can you tell me what happened here?’ he asks carefully.

The guard sighs, ‘Ten victims’ he mutters sadly, ‘eight males, two females, at least four were mated, I’m surprised their mates didn’t react’ he adds suddenly looking at us with suspicion.

Caden waves a hand, ‘they most likely did, I and my Luna were not at the pack at the time, we were on our honeymoon as the humans like to call it? My father contacted me to say there was an issue and to come here to check on it. I wasn’t given a lot of intel if I’m honest though I was pretty upset that my vacation with my newly found Luna was cut short so I might not have been listening as well as I should have been.’ He grimaces as if he’s ashamed to have put himself above his pack and the guard nods.

‘I understand sir’ he replies, ‘my sister is mated to a Werewolf, you take your fated mates very seriously, her mate will rip your head off if you interrupt their . . alone time.’

Caden chuckles at the man’s weak joke before becoming solemn again. ‘Can you tell me where our people are?’ he asks, ‘so I can arrange for their bodies to be returned to our pack. If proof is needed, I will happily provide a b***d sample to compare. They have a trace of my bloodline in their veins from their allegiance ceremony to my father.’

The guard nods, pulling out a radio and speaking in a low tone to someone at the other end. The radio squarks back and he nods to himself before pocketing it again, looking back up at Caden who waits expectantly.

‘Your warriors are in the city morgue’ he informs us, ‘it’s about two blocks from the Council building. If you go in and introduce yourself, the office will sort out the paperwork to release the bodies to your pack.’Caden smiles sombrely, ‘thank you, is it possible to go into the rooms that they were staying in?’ he asks tentatively, ‘there were some personal items that would have been with them that I’m sure their families would like returned.’

The guard glances around uncertainly before looking back at Caden and nodding quickly, lifting the tape for us to hurry under. We move across the parking lot and Caden pushes against the door of our room. I keep my eyes averted from the pool of dried b***d beside the entrance, the chair that Melanie was sitting in still positioned where it was when I left.

Finding it unlocked, the Alpha pushes open the door, obviously, the guards went into each room searching for people. We move inside, Caden heading straight to his bedside drawer and pulling out his wallet that he places in his back pocket. Next, he goes to the wardrobe that is still open from my hasty escape, drags out all the suitcases, and unlocks them, checking there is nothing we need before putting them back again.

Heading back outside, we walk over to the guard, where my mate thanks the man again, and turns around to leave. The guard stops him quickly, ‘Sir, would you like me to call you a ride? I can get someone to drive you.’

Caden shakes his head, weaving his fingers into mine, ‘no it’s fine’ he replies, ‘we actually have a car on the other side of the forest, we walked through as it was quicker and easier than driving round and talking to seventeen guards with no idea why they are here just to get to you.’

The guard laughs, nodding, ‘true’ he agrees, ‘only those of us this close know about what happened, the ones on the outskirts are newbies just directing humans away from here.’

We head back into the forest, reconnecting with Hadley who grabs my hand, pulling me in for a hug as I giggle softly. ‘I was gone two minutes’ I murmur against his chest as I return the hug.

‘I was away from you for weeks’ the warrior replies gruffly, ‘two seconds is too long for Hunter and me right now.’

‘We need to get to the Morgue’ Caden huffs as he prepares to strip out of his clothes to shift again.

Hadley holds out a hand to stop him, ‘what about me?’ he asks solemnly.

Caden pauses, ‘what about you?’ he retorts, ‘you’re coming with us.’

Hadley shakes his head, ‘umm, I’m a fugitive from the Council’ he reminds the Alpha, ‘they think I’m in prison, I can’t really just walk into the city! Plus how am I going to get home? Are you going to smuggle me onto the pack’s plane? I can promise you, there are a million ways that I could be caught and get sent right back inside, but to a real prison this time.’

The Alpha scowls, ‘you are not going back to prison’ he growls, his eyes flashing gold as I nod emphatically. ‘We’ll go to the Council first, find somewhere to hide you, and demand to speak to the Council members that sentenced you. They are going to overturn that bullshit decision even if I have to pay off each and every one of them.’

I can’t help the smile that tugs at my lips as I release Hadley and press my lips to Caden’s mouth, surprising him.

‘What was that for?’ he asks in surprise, though he smiles widely down at me.

‘For caring about Hadley’ I reply simply.

The Alpha frowns in confusion, ‘of course I care about him, he’s my mate’ he replies.

I blink, taking a step back, ‘sorry?’ I squeak, ‘what are you talking about? Hadley is my mate.’

Caden nods as he pulls aside his shirt to reveal a bite mark that is definitely not from my teeth.

My head swivels back toward Hadley who pulls down his own t-shirt to show he also has a second mark on his neck from a familiar set of canines.

‘What? How?’ I splutter in shock, my gaze ping ponging between the pair.

Hadley gives me a sheepish smile, ‘I met the Goddess’ he admits, ‘she told me the only way to defeat Avrilak was to become one, that it was meant to be. Caden was . .’ he swallows, his gaze flickering to the Alpha, ‘dead’ he whispers. ‘I couldn’t hear a heartbeat, Cobalt wasn’t replying and I kept hearing the Moon Goddess telling me that we had to all become one. I marked him’ he admits, shooting an apologetic look to Caden who just shrugs like this is an everyday thing.

‘I then pressed my neck to his mouth and forced his teeth closed on my neck, a bond snapped into place between us and . . he woke up.’

Caden’s eyes travel over the warrior as he nods, giving the man a wink as he adds, ‘I opened my eyes and Cobalt claimed Hunter immediately.’

I’m trying to keep up, my head spinning, ‘and you are both OK with this? I didn’t think you were, you know . .’ I glance around us, lowering my voice as if someone might overhear, ‘into guys.’

Both men laugh and Hadley shakes his head, ‘we’re not’ he replies, ‘the Goddess told me that there is all kinds of love, not just the physical. I love Caden and Hunter loves Cobalt, it just is what it is.’

Caden nods in agreement, ‘though I never said I wasn’t into a little experimentation’ he adds, smirking at the warrior who growls at him warningly. His face says he’s dead against the idea, but the flicker in his eyes tells me that maybe Hunter isn’t as adverse as his human is, only time will tell. Does that bother me? My mates being mated? In love with each other? I consider it for a second, and it surprisingly doesn’t. Skarla purrs in the back of my mind, and I can feel how much stronger our bonds are now, Hadley is right, this is how it was meant to be.

I smile brightly, pressing my lips to Caden’s and then turning around to do the same to Hadley who wraps his arms around me, hauling me close. I’m surprised but pleased at the sudden display of possession from the Warrior and the grin on my face is matched by his as Caden stands behind us and rolls his eyes.

‘And you call me possessive’ he mutters as he continues to strip and ball up his clothes so that Cobalt can carry them.

Hadley and I hurry to do the same, shifting into our wolves and heading back toward the road to run back toward the city.