The She-Wolf’s Mate (Book 2 She-Wolf Series)

Samantha

We showered together after we made love, but that just resulted in another round. There were a lot of problems we still had to work out, but sex was not one of them.

Afterwards, I noticed a change in Ivar’s demeanor. A lot of the tension left his body, and he was more physically affectionate. It seemed like he had been struggling to keep himself away from me, but now that he had given in, he felt more freedom.

We spent the day finally getting to know each other beyond our roles among the werewolves. Ivar pointed to pictures on the shelves and asked about my family. I told him what he wanted to know until we finally got around to talking about Travis.

It had been a long time since I had cried openly about his death, but as I told the king about my greatest love, I was surprised to feel tears sliding down my cheeks. Ivar held me while I recounted our relationship, our marriage, raising Luke, and finally losing him. I felt safe there wrapped in the strength of his embrace. He asked questions, but there was none of the judgment or jealousy that I thought might come between us.

“Have you ever been in love?” I asked after we had sat in silence for a while.

He looked contemplative.

“I have loved,” he said, thoughtfully. “But I don’t think I’ve ever been in love.”

I nodded. I knew what he meant. There was a difference between caring for someone versus wanting to be deeply involved with them.

“Did you ever try?” I asked.

He lifted a shoulder to shrug.

“I guess not really,” he said.

“Why not? I hear you do pretty well with the ladies,” I teased.

“Hmm,” Ivar frowned. “Just women bold enough to think they bring something to the table that no one else can. A way to scratch an itch, but at the end of the day they don’t care about me beyond that or I for them.”

“Wow,” I said, taken aback. “That’s a little harsh.”

He shrugged, again.

“I’ve lived a long time,” he explained. “As a younger man, I had some long term relationships, but they wanted a mate. Werewolves only get one. Even if I spent their lifetime at their side, it would be a blink in time for me. It got easier not to let anyone get too close.”

He’s lost almost everyone he’s ever cared about, I thought, remembering Trinity's words.

“Dr. Martin thinks I might be immortal like you,” I said, quietly.

“You are,” he responded without any evident doubt.

“Well she said we would have to test my DNA to be sure,” I explained, somewhat suspicious.

Ivar became visibly uncomfortable.

“You already did,” I surmised. “How did you get my DNA without me knowing?”

“My sister is a teleporting witch,” he said by way of explanation.

“Okay,” I said, slowly, “But where did you get it?”

He shifted in his seat, clearly ill at ease and not making eye contact. I could guess where this was going and although I was annoyed, I was mostly enjoying watching him squirm.

“From your hairbrush,” he said like a kid caught in the candy jar.

“Mhmm,” I murmured. “So you had your teleporting sister beam you into my house so you could test my DNA behind my back. Rather than, I dunno, saying hi?”

“Well, it sounds worse when you say it like that,” he grumbled.

“It’s pretty lame,” I pointed out.

“I know,” he said, quietly. After a moment he spoke again. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left you like I did.”

I tried not to make my shock at his apology too obvious. It gave me a sense of relief I hadn’t known that I needed to hear him acknowledge that he hurt me that night. Like a burden I had been carrying was lifted.

“I’m sorry, too,” I told him, leaning my head onto his shoulder. “I could say Luke is the only reason I avoided you for a year, but the truth is my pride was also hurt.”

He shook his head, but didn’t say anything. We both stared out the window as the sun sunk behind the mountaintops, painting the sky in pink and purple hues.

“What was it like?” I asked. “Living a thousand years ago?”

“It was different.” He looked thoughtful. “More open spaces. The air and water were cleaner. There weren’t big cities like there are now. Even my pack only numbered a few hundred. It was a simpler life. I grew up in Scandinavia -“

“Oh my Goddess!” I exclaimed. “You really were a Viking?”

At his confused look I clarified, “Luke described you as looking like a Viking the first time he saw you.”

He chuckled.

“Okay. Well, no, I wasn’t a Viking. My pack occupied some of the same lands, but back then werewolves rarely intermingled with humans. They were interested in werewolves though. If you ask Trinity, the tales of Fenrir are based off of Rankor.”

“Fenrir?” I asked, bewildered. “Like the wolf from Norse mythology?”

He nodded.

“We ran more freely then. I’m sure they saw giant wolves, maybe even someone shifting, and didn’t understand it. Throw in a supernatural war and they needed a way to explain things, so they made up stories.” He finished with a shrug.

“I guess there are some parallels between you and Fenrir. Although, I think he was described as a black wolf,” I pondered.

“Depending on which version of the story you follow,” he said, nodding, “It could just be that they feared wolves in general.”

“You could just accept that you made an impression. They probably heard rumors about the most terrifying wolf to ever walk the earth,” I told him with a smirk.

He rolled his eyes.

“Now you sound like Trinity.”

I laughed at his exasperation and he shook his head with a grin playing at his lips. It was then I realized that I had never seen the great king smile a genuine, face-splitting smile. I longed to witness it.

The quiet was suddenly interrupted by the piercing ring of my phone. I grabbed it off of the side table and frowned when I read the caller ID.

“Hi, Aidan,” I answered looking at Ivar. He gave me a curious look.

“Are you decent?” Aidan asked, abruptly.

“Uh, yeah?”

“Trinity and I are buzzing in,” he said and hung up before I could respond. I looked at Ivar whose face now appeared grim.

A moment later Aidan and Trinity materialized before us.

“That’s unsettling,” I murmured.

“You get used to it,” Ivar said, kissing my cheek and rising. He turned to our new arrivals. “Why are you here?”

“We wouldn’t interrupt if it wasn’t necessary,” Aidan said.

Trinity wrapped me in a hug as I stood. I returned it somewhat hesitantly, but she seemed unfazed.

“You’re needed at headquarters,” she told Ivar.

“For?” he questioned.

Trinity looked at me before meeting his gaze once again. I could tell she was wary to tell him because I was there.

“The Others would like a word,” she said, vaguely.

Rankor flashed through Ivar's eyes and I could see muscles flexing in his jaw.

“I tried to handle it, but they want you. Now.”

“Understood,” Ivar said, tightly. He turned to me. “I’m sorry I have to go take care of this.”

“What’s going on?” I asked.

He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Sam. I can’t say.”

I nodded. Anxiety burned in my gut. The last time he left, it had taken a year for him to show up on my doorstep. Now, it seemed something serious was drawing him away and I worried as much for his safety as I did our tenuous relationship.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he said, cupping my cheek with one hand.

“I’ll transport him each way, Alpha Paulson,” Trinity promised from behind him.

“Okay," I managed as I searched his eyes for answers. All I found was a cold determination.

He leaned in and brushed a gentle kiss against my lips.

“How long will you be gone?” I asked when he pulled away.

“It depends,” he said, carefully. “Not that long.”

“Not another year?” I tried to joke.

“No, Sam. Never,” he said, firmly.

Then he went to stand by Trinity. He kept his eyes fixed on me as she reached for his and Aidan’s hands.

“Don’t worry, Alpha,” Aidan said, lightly. “I’ll keep him out of trouble.”

I caught Ivar rolling his eyes just as they blinked away, and I smiled. At least he was just as ornery as usual.

I stared around the room not sure what to do.

~

I tried to keep myself busy. I made dinner and put leftovers in the fridge just in case Ivar was hungry when he got back. I folded laundry, checked my email, went through junk mail that had been piling up - anything to keep my mind busy.

Eventually, I ran out of housework and resorted to pacing my living room. The problem was, I had no sense of how long was too long since he didn’t give any hint as to what he was doing.

I felt my eyelids growing heavy, but I knew restful sleep would elude me tonight. The house was too quiet for my racing thoughts to settle down. I decided to binge old game show episodes on the couch to hopefully distract myself. It wasn’t an indulgence I usually partook in now that I was so busy with work for the pack, so I told myself it was an attempt at self care.

I settled into the comfy sofa that Cassie had picked out for me the year prior. It felt like a lifetime ago. Wrapped in a fluffy blanket and my favorite pajamas I thought I would feel a sense of peace. Instead, I only felt the absence of my mate.

My mate.

The familiar heaviness in my chest crept back in and I rubbed my eyes at the pressure that was already starting to build behind them.

He’ll be back, I told myself on repeat.

~

I vaguely heard my phone ringing and realized I must have fallen asleep at some point. The sunshine peeking through the curtains burned my eyes as I opened them. I took in my surroundings and the night before came rushing back.

Quickly, I reached for my phone hoping it was Ivar with an update. I frowned as “Nathaniel Spurnwood - Alpha Moon Valley Pack” flashed on the screen. He was a relatively new alpha that had taken over at just 25 years old, and it was unclear as to why. He was also Emilia Redding’s great nephew.

“Good morning, Alpha Spurnwood,” I greeted him.

“You know something, Alpha Paulson? It is a good morning,” his voice oozed arrogance.

I rolled my eyes. Some alphas, especially those new to the position, were extremely full of themselves. It wasn’t something I had the patience for.

“Is that right?” I asked, sarcastically. “Was there something you needed?”

“Well, actually,” he said in the same slimy tone, “I think there’s something you need, Samantha. I’m gonna video chat with you. You should answer.”

My frown deepened. Who did this little prick think he was speaking to?

“Alpha Spurnwood, get to the point please,” I growled. “I’m not in the mood for games.”

There was a dark chuckle and then some rustling on the other end of the phone.

“Sammy?!” My moms panicked voice broke over the line.

“Mom? What the fuck!? Spurnwood, what’s going on?” I demanded.

The line went dead before a video chat request buzzed over the screen. I quickly swiped to answer it and was met with a nightmare.

My mom sat, bound to a chair. Her hair was unkempt and her clothes appeared ragged and dirty. I tried to look her over for injuries, but the camera angle swung to land on another figure.

My dad sat, bound but also gagged. Where my mom appeared absolutely terrified, Dad looked furious. He glared at the camera with his chin lowered, the golden eyes of his wolf glowing on his human face. His shirt sported several tears and dried blood. His cheek was split and bruised. It was clear they had beaten him.

“I’ll fucking kill you,” I growled.

“Ha,” the twerp laughed, “I doubt it.”

The camera view switched so I was looking at his smug face. I saw the reflection of Ayisha’s eyes on my phone screen as I held her back from forcing a shift. She wanted to rip his throat out and was flashing ways to make it happen through my mind.

“You see,” Spurnwood started again, “You imprisoned dear Auntie Emilia. All she did was question a possible mistake in the line for alpha and,” he slapped his hands together loudly, “locked up for life.”

“You want a prisoner exchange?” I asked, completely bewildered.

I was praised, even by Nathaniel’s father, for my handling of Emilia’s sentencing. She was living a comfortable, albeit secluded, life. Had her family been secretly plotting against me the entire time?

“Please,” he sneered. “I don’t need her. But when we mate we will be presenting it to the rest of the werewolf community as a peace offering. To make the bond between our packs stronger of course.”

My blood ran cold.

“I can’t mate you,” I told him. I left out that the thought made me nauseous.

“Why?” He asked, sarcastically. “Because you’re marked by the king? I doubt it. It’s been a year since the rumors started and he seems to be ignoring you at best.”

Shit. Where was Ivar when I needed him.

“And that’s a risk you’re willing to take?” I asked him.

“Gladly.”

“You’re a pup,” I snapped. He was closer in age to my son than to me.

Now his face twisted in rage.

“A pup who will take your pack, bitch!” He shouted.

“How bold,” I stated, coldly. “You think you could force me to mate you by threatening my parents? It’s an act of war. Your pack will be slaughtered.”

Once again, he laughed.

“Do you think you hold the power here, Samantha? If you don’t come, I’ll kill them.”

He turned the camera back so that it was facing my mom. She was gagged now, silent tears trailing down her cheeks. The man with the knife lowered it to her neck. I resisted the urge to say anything until I saw blood pool from a wound at the tip of the blade.

“Okay!” I exclaimed. “Okay, I’ll come.”

On the screen, my mom sobbed and shook her head. I gritted my teeth.

“Just let them go,” I commanded.

The camera flipped back to the child-alpha who wore an over-confident grin.

“Sammy girl, you seem to still be under the impression that you’re in charge,” he said. “I hold the power here. I’ll send coordinates. You have an hour to reach them. It’s a forty five minute drive so tik tok. If I catch wind that you bring anyone with you, you can say goodbye to dear old mom and dad.”

The location beeped through and I scanned the area. Ayisha could cut through the mountains and get there in 30 minutes which would buy me more time, but I worried he would grow suspicious.

“My car has a tracker on it,” I lied. “Pack security would be alerted. I’ll shift and run there."

He waved a hand.

“Fine, whatever,” he said, dismissively. “You have an hour. If you’re late, it will be that sweet pup of yours that pays for it,” he paused before meeting my eyes through the camera, “I’d hate to ruin his sleepover.”

The call ended before I could say another word. I immediately dialed Aidan’s number - Ivar could fix this - but I got his voicemail.

Fuck.

I dialed again as I hurried through the house, preparing for the worst case scenario, but again, voicemail.

Alright, Samantha, think.

Nathaniel knew where Luke was. First things first, get Luke home. I called the one person I knew without a doubt loved him like family and would keep things quiet if I asked.

“Sammy? Is everything okay?” Emerick asked.

“Umm, no,” I said, honestly, trying to keep my voice even. “I need you to pick up Luke from Todd’s house and bring him home. Now.”

“What’s going on?” He demanded, immediately on guard.

“Em, you’re the one person I knew I could trust with this,” I told him. “Luke’s in danger and I need you to get him home.”

I could hear him moving on the other end and then keys jangled.

“I’m on my way to him, Sam,” he said. “I’ll call -“

“You can’t call anyone,” I cut him off. “I’ll explain when you get here. Please just do this for me.”

I was manipulating him, using his feelings for me to get him to cooperate. Unfortunately for my ex, I didn’t care at the moment. I would do whatever I had to to protect my family.

“Okay, Alpha,” he responded after a moment.

“Thank you, Em.”

I hung up and tried Aidan’s phone one last time. The minutes were ticking by and I needed to get on my way. Once again, I got his voicemail. This time I stayed in the line.

“Hey Aidan,” I started. “I need to leave Ivar a message if you could please share it,” I paused searching for the right words, “Hi, Ivar. Umm you’re going to be really mad, but I hope you know I did this because I didn’t have a choice. I’ll always do what I have to to protect the people I love.

“Alpha Nathaniel Spurnwood kidnapped my parents. He’s holding them hostage and will kill them if I don’t agree to mate him. I’m hoping you’ll get there in time -" my voice caught on a sob but I quickly cleared my throat, “I’m hoping you’ll get there in time to stop it. I don’t want to lose you when we just started finding each other. If things… don’t work out, I want you to know that I love you and I’m so, so sorry.”

I hung up and blinked back the tears pooling in my eyes. As I quickly wrote Luke a note explaining everything and telling him I loved him, I prayed one last time that Ivar and Trinity would appear in my living room. No such luck. I left my phone on top of the paper before heading to the back deck.

I knew if Emerick and Luke made it to the house in time they would try to stop me. The driveway gate wouldn’t open for them, so they would have to jump it and make their way on foot, giving me a couple extra minutes. I hoped I had given myself enough of a head start.

I stripped before finally giving Ayisha the control she had been fighting for. In a whoosh, she bounded over the railing, paws hitting the soft dirt below.

Game on.