PAIGE

Laying in Damon's arms that night made me realize what the word home really meant. I always thought my home was the place I had grown up in. But instead, with my back to his chest and his exhales tickling my ear, I realized it wasn't a place. It was a feeling. I closed my eyes because the understanding made me want to burst out into tears to try and quell the feeling inside of me. I felt like a different girl; one that had a chance to live. I vowed not to be the person my father made me become ever again. In exchange, I would make my mother proud. Whatever that took. 

I raised his hand to my lips and pressed a gentle kiss into his rough knuckle. The fact that I had ignored and suppressed the feelings he gave me proved my stubbornness over the months. Everything about him was addictive, but I had been amazing at starving myself from his affection. But in those moments, I knew just how much time I had wasted, and just how much I would never get back.

It made me hate my father even more than I ever had. He had taken everything from me: my freedom, my choices, my humanity. He had starved me of what made little humans stress-free and happy and healthy. Instead, he passed me off to his work and tried to grow me into the little prodigy I was supposed to be. Just like he was to his father, Seth Baylor.

I drifted off to sleep in the warm sanctity of Damon's hold and dreamed of nothing but long dark tunnels through the snow.

When I roused to the sound of voices, it felt like I had only been out for a few minutes. Cody and Damon's hushed voices could be picked up by my sensitive ears even from behind the bedroom door. I had to admit, I was nervous to speak to Cody. Without my bullshit, bite-me attitude to cower behind, I had nothing and he could be ruthless. But instead, we seemed to meet one another halfway. After all, I could help him, and he could spare me. Though I was convinced I still deserved eternal punishment for what I had done to my Wolf.

Damon's eyes met mine and he extended his arm to me. I didn't have to think to move over to him. Like the most natural thing in the world, I fit against his chest and inhaled his calming scent.

As we sat down to talk, I began to feel the weight of what was to come. A war. I had heard the whispers of it but I didn't want to know initially. Subconsciously, I thought if I knew, then my father would too... And I had never wanted him to know. I wanted him to disappear for what he did to my mother. The thought was devastating.

I had never seen the wars or been to the raids that my father lead. Men would simply send him large sums of money that would take him across the states to towns of all sizes where packs hid in the shadows. There were sellouts everywhere. He would slaughter the entire pack before they even knew what hit them.

The thought of going to war with their clan was terrifying. Knowing exactly what he and his men were capable of was a blessing and a curse. The fight wasn't impossible, as he wasn't used to defense. But we were lacking something.

I had to find out what my mother was hiding.

"You can't speak with him, he's a prisoner," Damon growled and I knew in his mind he could see the history Tye and I had together. I wasn't proud of it either.

"Damon, it's our only shot at getting an upper hand. It will either come from him or what he knows." I tried.

"No, I don't want you going anywhere near him after he beat the actual shit out of you the other day." Damon was getting worked up, practically vibrating with the anger he was feeling.

"Deano, she has a point. He is the only potential advantage we have."

My mate stood and paced, linking his arms behind his head.

"Think about it," I urged the both of them. "I could fool him into giving me information. We could set him up. We could even buy more time."

"And how do you suppose we do that?" Cody tilted his head in thought.

"Call Faith in, I want her to be here too."

- - -

Damon and Cody were dragging me by the upper arms, as I kicked and snarled at the two of them. Faith was following behind us, holding the keys to the steel cuffs that were locked around my wrist.

"Shut up," Cody snarled coldly. We were within earshot of the cell and I was reminded of a similar situation only a few months before. I could hear Tye's heartbeat as we approached.

They were doing a pretty good job at maintaining their stoic expressions as I struggled and made a commotion. As we stopped in front of the cell, I locked eyes with Tye. He looked shocked for one second before quickly smothering his expression with a blank look that I had grown accustomed to over the years. Damon was not happy about the next part, it had taken much convincing. But he promised me he wouldn't go far.

Faith unlocked my cuffs and tucked them into her back pocket. She gave me a meaningful look with her back to Tye, one that conveyed her trust that she was putting into me. And they were, they were all putting everything they had into me. Something I clearly didn't ever deserve from them. Turning around, she unlocked the cell door and Cody and Damon threw me in. I tumbled into the soggy dirt at Tye's feet. Damon hid his grimace well, turning to leave before he could look at the two of us for another second.

Cody slammed the door to the cell shut and locked it. He held the bars and looked directly at Tye, his tone was ice as he spoke. "You, I cannot believe that you betrayed your brothers and sisters for years. For your actions, you will be condemned to death." Cody turned to me, "You had a mate and a life here. You face the same fate as him."

With that, the three left us alone. When I got back on my feet, I turned to look at the man who I didn't really know. He was already staring back at me.

"Did he reject you?"

Slowly, I nodded. Carefully choosing my words, "He didn't like that I tried to kill him." I let a sick little tilt to my lip show who's side I was on.

"You failed your mission, Paige. Your father would kill you too."

"I know, but not if my plan works." I lowered my voice in mock secrecy. "And I will help you if you help me."

Tye's eyes hardened as he looked down at me, folding his arms over his chest. "How?"

"You will have to trust me."

He looked skeptical, but slowly he nodded.

"First, I need to know everything," I growled at him.

A laugh barked out of his throat, "Everything? What is that supposed to entail?"

"You're a wolf, yet you work for my father. Why?"

Mouth twisting into a sneer, he remained quiet for a few minutes before he spoke up. "There was a blizzard when I was twelve. It was a freak storm and I was out wandering the pack land. I got split up from my group and stumbled onto your property. I was stuck in a pitfall for nearly two hours before your father found me and hauled me to his home. He knew exactly what I was, which was terrifying. But in exchange for my life, I gave him my allegiance. He made sure of that when he killed my mate on one of his hunts." I tried not to gasp and barely managed. I had no idea how deep my father's evil went. 

Plastering on my stoic mask, I continued the lie. "You don't need a mate, anyway." I couldn't tell if the man was so far beyond the pain of that tragedy that he no longer felt it, or if he was so brainwashed like me that he didn't acknowledge the loss in the first place.

"That's why I have you," he responded, taking a step towards me. My eyes widened in shock. "I knew there was something between us from the time we first met. Now I know why."

My mouth gaped, realizing how much I really lead him on. Maybe I was a pretty good liar. I stepped away from him, shaking my head and diverting the conversation. "I need to know more, Tye."

"About what?" He was trying to get closer to me.

"My mother."

Freezing, he looked directly into my eyes. "Why?"

"I know she was shot. They told me when they were trying to turn me against my father. I want to know why."

"You aren't going to like it, Paige."

Rolling my eyes, I spat, "Stop acting like your trying to fucking protect me. Tell me. What happened to her? Where did she go?"

"Why do you think I know?"

"I think you know much more than you let on." I tended to his pride. "You're the middle man."

The wind pushed a chilling breeze into the cave cell. Tye rubbed a hand over his tired face. "Samuel made me follow her one day. I must have been working for him for a year or so. She would drive into the local town, which's about thirty minutes away, and then she would take the highway north until she was almost in Canada. There she would meet a wolf named Arlo."

"Why would she..."

"He was her mate. But he is also the Alpha of one of the most primitive and elusive packs in the states. So your father has never been able to find them and kill them."

"So he killed her instead," I tried to keep my voice steady to hide the absolute loss I felt in my chest. I had all the information I needed. Carefully, I recited his words in my head until they were permanently ingrained.

Tye nodded. "That's the price for cheating with your husband's worst enemy."

He really was brainwashed. I bit back a grimace though my eyes were becoming misty. "She deserved it," I lied weakly. "I just had to know. He never told me."

"It was never necessary."

There was nothing more necessary, but I shrugged my shoulders.

"So how do you help me?" A familiar look clouded his eyes. Before I could react, he had me up against the cold stone wall of the cell. He was holding my throat gently, more like a lover and less like a murderer. We had been in this position before and it was making my throat dry up in disgust. His nose was taking in my scent behind my ear before he recoiled in disgust. "I can smell him all over you." He snarled.

Ignoring him, I pressed on. "I will help you get out of here. But I need you to buy me some time. I am going to kill off the Alphas and my mate."

"You won't have that much time to do whatever intricate plan you're manifesting."

"That's why I need you to buy me some." I pleaded with him. "Come on, like old times."

After a couple of loud heartbeats, he looked down at me. "How much?"

"Three days."

His eyes narrowed, but he nodded. "Fine."

I grinned wildly at him, seeing the way he recognized the familiar expression on my face. It made him soften slightly. I reached into my back pocket and withdrew the key to the cell that Faith had slipped in while I was struggling.

"So listen to me, Tye. You are going to go and tell my father that I have this under control and that if he hasn't heard from me in three days, to come looking and finish the job. But let him know, he won't need to." I urged quietly. "Tell him that I helped you to escape. Convince him that I am serious and capable of what I am going to do."

"And you actually are?"

"Of course I am," I narrowed my eyes. "They trusted me, didn't they? You saw it yourself."

He nodded before advancing on me once again, I tried to avoid his maneuvers without seeming too suspicious. Ultimately, we resulted in the same position that he had put me in minutes before. "But that isn't all. What else do I get out of this, Paige?"

Closing my eyes momentarily, I withdrew the only weapon that I had ever had. "You get me and we will rule my father's business together."

He smiled a wolf's grin, the answer obviously appeased him. "Good." His lips crashed down on mine and I realized I had to show him that I was loyal. Nausea was churning in my stomach, there was only one man's touch that I wanted and it wasn't his.

Trying to suppress the sensation of needing to vomit that was rising and hoping that Damon wasn't secretly watching this interaction, I kissed him back. After a moment, I pulled away from his hold, bringing up the excuse of time. I rushed over to the door and peered every which way. The coast was clear, like I knew it would be. I reached my hand through the bars and jammed the key in, twisting it until the door popped open.

"Go," I urged Tye. "Don't forget what I told you."

He approached me from behind and grabbed my jaw. "You better make this work, Baylor."

I nodded quickly. "Buy me three days." He was believing everything I laid out for him easier than I thought. It wasn't unexpected. All he had ever wanted was to either please me or please my father. If not that, Tye had nothing else.

"You got it."

And then he was gone.

I waited for twenty minutes inside the cell, trembling with the cold of the early morning. There was a strong feeling inside of me that this plan was going to work. It had taken all of thirty minutes to get him on his way. I prayed that my father would buy it, but from past experience with Tye, I knew he wouldn't let me down. Especially not with the promise of having me, and an empire.

Once I knew for sure that he was gone, I left the cell and trudged back through the old snow towards Damon's house where I knew the trio would be.

When I got there, I immediately entered the warm and crowded living room. They weren't the only ones there. Two females and a very tall male were also stationed near the fireplace. I hadn't met them before.

Damon came to me immediately, briefly looking me over. His nose wrinkled in disgust at the smell of the other male on my skin. I lowered my eyes, trying to breathe through the feelings that continued to try and break through my careful barriers. Damon pressed a kiss to my temple and then turned towards the group. "Paige, these are our head warriors Diana and Veera. Paul is our peacekeeper."

I smiled politely at the three, inclining my chin with respect.

"Did you get the information you needed?" Faith asked. They had put a lot of trust in me for this plan. It had to work. There wasn't any other way for the pack to win.

"I did," I muttered. The information and more. "He was happy to do whatever I said. I told him to tell my father that I was going to carry out the plan here and to come looking in three days if I wasn't back. Like you said, Faith." She nodded at my words. "Also, my mother had a mate in a pack up near the Canadian border. Apparently, he's the Alpha. That's where she was always going. Tye followed her there one time and reported it to my father."

"Arlo Marksman," Faith gasped, looking over at Cody who looked equally shocked.

I nodded, "You know him?"

"Only from meeting a few times. His pack is elusive but friendly." Damon interjected, brows furrowed in thought.

Cody started, "Are you..." I knew what he wanted to say.

"No, I don't think so. She didn't start leaving until I was older. At least in my memory."

"She would have been a wolf if she was his offspring," Paul added.

"That's true," Faith said. Her gaze turned to me. "So what do we need to do, Paige?"

A deep sigh left my mouth and I rubbed my forehead in thought. "I was able to convince Tye to buy us three days. He had mentioned that my father had never been able to find Arlo so that he could kill him. So I think that he will be the best upper hand we have." I looked down to the carpet, folding my arms over my stomach. "Tye has been working for my father for years, apparently my father killed his mate. Speaking with him today showed me how brainwashed he really is. He was given no choice, everything was taken from him. That's why he betrayed the pack."

The room was silent, in shock from the news I had delivered.

After a few moments of silent thought, Cody stood. "I guess we need to go track down Arlo. I am sure he will be more than willing to stand with us if it means killing Samuel."

I didn't say anything and Damon rubbed my back soothingly.

"When should we go?" Veera spoke up, arms crossed tightly over her chest.

"As soon as possible," Faith responded. "But not all of us can go. Not with the threat looming so close. And who knows if Tye will actually follow through."

"What are you implying?" Damon grit out, removing his hand from my back.

"Paige, Paul, and I will go North and find Arlo. Today. You and Cody will stay back with the warriors. Ensure that our pack isn't stranded without its leaders."

"That is risky, Faith." Damon pleaded, "You don't know how Arlo will take three trespassers on his land. One bitten wolf at that." I looked up at him, brows furrowed. The urge to speak up crossed my mind briefly before I processed the fear on his rugged features. He didn't want to lose me again.

"That's why we are bringing Paul."

Paul smiled.

"We will leave in thirty. Everyone get your shit together." Faith was in business mode and I was again impressed by her. Collectively, the room began to disperse. "You, come with me." She hooked her finger at her mate, beckoning him to follow her out. Despite everything, Cody grinned and followed her out of the cabin and back towards their own with a quickened pace.

Once everyone had separated, I turned to my own mate. He delicately placed his warm hands on either side of my neck. "Did he hurt you in any way?"

I shook my head no, taking one of his hands to place on my cheek so I could lean into his hold. My eyes fluttered shut. Peaceful. Home.

"I know you can handle yourself," he whispered. "But I can't lose you again. I won't."

"How can I assure you that you won't?" In my mind, I already had an idea even though I voiced the question aloud. The thought of his teeth sinking into my neck seemed like a proper giveaway. Marking, as he had called it so many months ago as he tried to explain mates to me.

"You're not ready to do that," he said, though he didn't sound so sure.

"I already have yours, what is the difference?"

He was scared, though he wouldn't admit it. Instead of saying anything else, I guided him to the couch and sat him down before climbing onto his lap to straddle him. He growled, grabbing my ass in a possessive manner. I smiled, just a sliver of teeth. I leaned down to his ear and nipped his lobe.

"Stop being afraid. I am not going anywhere."

The rumbling in his chest began again as he pulled me closer.

"I am yours," I whispered into the shell of his ear.

"Do it," he grunted. It was all I needed before my teeth sank into the crook where his neck met his collarbone.

finally... a mark. the answers you have been looking for are finally starting to surface. the next chapter will answer much more.

LS