Sought by Aline Hunter
Chapter Six
He'd beenable to do it.
Shane made it possible for her and the wolf to communicate.
Luna had taken advantage of that when they'd gone to the grocery store, the various sounds in the place allowing her wolf to make out shadows and patterns. Max had guided her, making sure she didn't bump into things she couldn't make out, but she'd mostly gotten around on her own.
Shane did what he said he would, taking her from place to place.
He'd held her hand here and there, but he'd set her free when something got her attention, and she wanted to explore. There were so many scents to sort through, and the echo of so many voices had her grinning. She wasn't confined in her home, able to explore the world. She hadn't felt this happy and free since she'd lost her sight.
Not only did she feel liberated, so did the wolf.
They weren't in Rhodes anymore. Atrum Hill was completely different. Humans steered clear of the city, aware supernatural creatures existed and thrived in the area. It made the entire experience exhilarating. There was so much she hadn't been able to do when she'd lived with her parents, limited due to parentage and visual impairment. The town she'd been raised in was small. The adjoining one was of the human variety, meaning she'd only ventured to it a handful of times.
Everything in her life was about to change, and she couldn't wait.
By the time they made it back to the cabin, she felt like a giddy teenager. She wanted to spin in circles, dance around, and listen to Shane's voice as he asked questions or provided answers if something was new to her. She'd learned a long time ago that voices also had faces, and she thought his was the most gorgeous one she'd ever encountered.
His baritone was deep and soft, each word crisp and clear.
As he'd settled her on the couch and left her to put away the food, her grandmother had called. Luna immediately eased the woman's fears, excitedly telling her about her day, revealing what Shane had done with the wolf and how different things were. The conversation had gone smoothly until her grandfather had gotten on the line and revealed her parents wanted to pass on a message. They didn't intend on disputing the claim Shane made, but they wanted to see her now that she was no longer a danger to the pack and had found her mate.
There was more to it, of course.
Her grandfather must have told them about Shane.
Her mate might be a member of someone else's pack, but he was powerful enough to have his very own. Any werewolf with decent senses would feel the strength and authority that oozed from him. Her mother and father wanted their Alpha to pay for what he'd done to their daughters. Unfortunately, neither of them was strong enough to confront him.
Considering how things turned out, they could finally get their wish.
They weren't coming to her. They expected her to come to them.
They wanted Shane to pay a visit.
As she'd hung up the phone, happiness faded and a cold blanket of fear and desperation surrounded her.
She wasn't even fully mated yet, but trouble had found her again.
She couldn't avoid Dice if she ventured to Rhodes, and the Alpha wanted her dead. He'd told her parents she could be sent away after she'd attacked him, but that had only been for show. He intended to kill her as soon as possible, more than likely the very next day. Luna had known that as soon as he'd issued the decree, sensing the outrage coming from him. The only reason he'd left her alive was to tend to his wounds and clean himself up. He'd expected to kill her himself as soon as he'd returned to his fighting form. From the way he'd spoken to her mother and father, he was looking forward to doing so.
He hadn't anticipated one thing.
That was how quickly her parents would get her out of his reach.
She'd been shipped out that same night of the attack, her parents thinking of her safety first and foremost. They hadn't been told everything about the night she'd lost control, but they knew their Alpha. They'd entered Dice's pack when she was little, trying to find a place to raise their children in safety and without interference, but they'd never cared for the male. That much was obvious. Unfortunately, their options were limited. Many packs didn't want a halfling, especially one that eventually would lose her sight. Despite not having a Lupa to watch over children, Dice had welcomed her family into his fold. They'd run out of time and options, so they'd joined his pack.
Even if he was an asshole, he was an asshole other wolves avoided.
Being one of his offered a measure of protection.
The only reason she had been able to gain the upper hand with the male was due to the fact her shift had been almost instant. Then her sister had come home unexpectedly. When Dice heard the front door open and turned toward the sound, her wolf had gotten lucky, latching onto his throat. It didn't matter that he was an Alpha, or that he was larger and stronger than her.
Her teeth were lethal things.
She'd been told the first thing he'd done when she'd gone for Moira was remove his shirt to stem the flow of blood coming from his neck, caring only about himself. As she'd charged her sibling and nearly removed her hand, he'd tied clothing around his neck, watching the chaos without a care in a world. He'd created a bandage to stem the flow of blood, growled, and let Luna know he was about to kill her.
But then her parents had come home.
She didn't attempt to mask her alarm as she thought about the event.
Shane was an Alpha.
Not only would he sense it, he would scent it.
He'd made it clear he intended to claim her fully. She'd agreed to be his mate, knowing that's what he had in store for the evening. Before that happened, he had a right to know why she'd lost control, and the wolf had gone mad. It could ruin everything for her, but she refused to put him in danger. He'd looked for her, found her, and had been nothing but supportive and gentle since she'd been alone with him. He'd treated her with courtesy, been playful and engaging, and deserved her openness and honesty.
By remaining silent about things, she wasn't helping anyone.
As her mate, Shane was within his rights to confront anyone that tried to hurt her. If he heard the truth from someone else, he'd probably feel insulted and pissed. If the shoe was on the other foot, she'd feel the same way.
She stayed on the couch, waiting as he fed Max.
By the time he came to her, placing a hand on her knee, she'd prepared herself. "I have to tell you something," she said calmly, folding her hands in her lap, trying not to squirm.
"I figured as much." He shuffled, and she realized he'd knelt in front of her. He was perceptive as ever, aware something was wrong, wanting to give her what she needed. "You can tell me anything, Luna."
"My parents want us to visit them."
"That's understandable. Mine want to meet you as well."
Damn.He thought this was just a case of meet-the-parents nerves. "There's more to it than that." She drew a deep breath, reminding herself that this was her mate. Their relationship would always be the most important one in her life. He had a right to know everything about her, even the dark and embarrassing aspects. "If we go, there'll be trouble."
He took one of her hands in his. "What kind of trouble?"
"How much did Gramma and Papaw tell you about my situation?"
"You mean what brought you here?"
"Yes."
"You attacked a male that tried to assault you and turned on your sister." He didn't mince words, and he didn't hesitate. In many ways, his honesty and blunt response made her feel more comfortable. He wasn't upset by the conversation, and he obviously didn't want her to be either. "They told me your Alpha insisted you leave or be put down."
"Did they tell you why?"
He did pause then. "Because you lost control."
"That was part of it, but it's not the main reason." She licked her lips, dreading what she had to say, loathing her lot in life. While it was best to get this out of the way, she wished she didn't have to. "The person I attacked wasn't just any member of the pack."
She was afraid to say more, so he pushed the issue. "Meaning?"
Time for the truth."He was the Alpha."
The harsh and peppery scent of fury slammed into her nose, and Shane's grip on her hand changed, becoming harsh. "You're telling me the Alpha is the one who assaulted you?" He growled the words, his voice much deeper and terrifying. A rumble came from his chest, his wolf rising to the surface. She didn't need to see him to feel it. "He's the moron that came around knowing full and damn well you were on the brink of your season?"
She kept her head bowed but turned her head, revealing her throat, hoping the display of submission calmed him somewhat. "My sister, Moira, had a thing for him. She thought if they spent time together, it would lead to a mating, but I never believed that. My parents didn't either. They tried to prevent her from seeing him, but she wouldn't listen."
"Why?" He snarled the word.
"Everyone knows he gets around. He's had sex with a majority of unmated females in the pack. It's what he does. Most don't mind the attention."
"Did he know about me?"
She never thought a single question could sound so terrifying. "He knew we were dreamsharing. The mating heat had started, and I thought you'd come to me. I made it clear I was waiting for you."
"That son of a bitch." His tone revealed his fury. Despite that, he hadn't increased his already tight grip on her hand. Somehow he remained level-headed, his ragged breaths revealing he was capable of maintaining control. "How did it happen?"
"He came to pick up Moira one night. She was running late from work, and so were my parents. I let him wait inside." She thought about that, wishing she could turn back time. By letting him in, she'd sealed her fate. In attempting to be a good pack member, she'd fucked everything up. "I didn't want to insult him. He takes things personally, and I didn't want to agitate him. I didn't think we'd be alone for long."
"He still tried something?"
"Not at first. He just talked to me. But he got too close." She recalled Dice's voice coming closer as she'd stood in the kitchen, experiencing the same panic as she remembered trying to move away.
Males couldn't help their attraction to an unclaimed female during her mating heat. Trouble was, her Alpha should have known better. She'd honestly believed he'd understand and appreciate what was taking place with her.
"When his scent changed, and I heard him moving toward me," she continued, hating the entire memory, wishing it would go away, "I rushed to the bathroom and locked myself inside. The wolf felt my panic and triggered the change before he kicked the door in. I had him pinned when Moira got home. When she tried to pull me off him, I was completely out of my head. I couldn't stop the wolf. I don't want to think about how things would have gone if my parents hadn't arrived when they did."
Shane's breathing changed, becoming much louder, his ragged inhales and exhales drowning out all other sounds in the room. He was trying to calm himself but doing so was taking time.
She didn't say anything more, waiting to see what he'd say or do.
"You were afraid to tell me this." Not a question but a statement. The male seemed to know everything without being told. She sensed his fury and wanted to duck for cover. "You'd have kept it to yourself if you thought you could." She didn't say anything, and he growled, "Why?"
"I don't want you to be hurt because of me."
"Listen to me closely, Luna." He went from completely outraged to stern, his voice a low rumble, causing the hair on her nape to rise. "You don't know me very well. At least, not yet. So I'll tell you this. I've been around a long time, and I've faced my fair share of Alphas. I've put more than one in the ground for pulling stupid shit with me, and their transgressions didn't come close to something like this." His tone changed, becoming dark. "Your Alpha knew you were in contact with your mate. He should have done the respectable thing and stayed the hell away from you, especially since he lacks impulse control. If he'd fucked with a lesser male, he might have gotten away with it. His ignorance and arrogance sealed his fate. He didn't respect you, me, or our mating. If I let this go, it'll reflect poorly on you, me, and our pack. Your family will lose any respect they have for me, which is unacceptable." He got closer, the heat of his breath caressing her face, and it took everything within her not to cringe. "I have a right to address this, and you know it."
She did, which was why she worried about telling him. "You're going to confront him?" He didn't respond, and she started to panic. What was he thinking? What was he feeling? "Shane?"
"I'll take care of things when we visit your parents, but I don't want you to stress over it," he informed her, speaking calmly even as anger oozed from his pores. "I suspected something was wrong when you told me how you were introduced to shifting. You never should have been kept from the pack, and you should have been guided through the transition as soon as your Alpha knew you'd be able to shift. Halflings have to be handled with attention and care. From the sounds of things, he's going to get what's coming to him." He softened his tone, and the tips of his fingers caressed her cheek. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm nothing like the Alpha you're used to. I'd be dead by now if I were. I don't rush into things without thinking them over. When I face the son of a bitch, he'll know he fucked with the wrong female."
That didn't surprise her.
From the start, he'd revealed he considered everything when making decisions.
"You'll tell me before you do anything?" she asked, trying to seem as submissive as possible. "You'll let me know what you're going to do?"
"You won't dissuade me or change my mind. I'm the one who decides how to handle the bastard, and that's non-negotiable," he answered, maintaining calm and control despite his apparent fury, "but I'll tell you everything if that's what you want."
What she wanted was to move on with her life. "I never want you to keep anything from me."
"Then I won't, and I expect you to do the same. I'll tell you what I'm planning before we visit your family. If there's anything you think I should know, don't hold back. You tell me."
The conversation went about as well as could be expected. What Dice had done wasn't just an insult to her. It was an insult to Shane. Alphas were notoriously territorial, making their claims evident, ready to fight to the death if challenged or insulted. Even if Dice hadn't known she'd mated with one, he'd crossed a line.
There was no way Shane would let that slide.
"Before that happens, I'm going to make you mine, Luna. I want to make it clear to any and all males that you belong to me. No one in their right mind will ever come near you again. I'll tear them apart if they try." He stroked a hand down the side of her head, his fingers gliding through her hair. He inched closer, his warm breath caressing her face. "Are you ready for that?"
Despite being nervous, she was.
He was everything she'd hoped he'd be and more.
Still, lingering doubts assailed her. "Are you sure you want me?"
"I told you," he growled, his voice a low rumble, his anger resurfacing, "I'll have no other."
Neither will I.
After clearing her throat, she responded, "Then dinner can wait."
"Come here, mate."
He picked her up with ease, and she wound her arms around his neck. She took a deep breath, drawing his clean and tantalizing scent into her nose, feeling the weight of it settling in her chest. The wolf appreciated the gesture, growling contentedly in her head. She was a combination of light-headed, uncertain, and insecure. He carried her up the stairs, bypassing the bathroom. When he lowered her, and she felt the mattress beneath her, her heart raced, anticipation flooding her veins.
The time had come.
Her wait was finally over.