Chapter 45 Forced Mates

The former Alpha Rash started with questions. Alpha Deloach informed him he was on speaker phone. Senior Rash wanted to know everything about the pack member that had the symbol pendent. He did confirm it was a symbol of the lost Ignis Nocte Pack. He asked them to describe this pack member. After hearing Alpha Deloach reply he requested to speak with Sara. Sara nodded agreeing to speak to the Former Alpha.

When you speak to him call him Patriarch Rash, not Alpha. The Luna informed her over a mind link. Sara nodded her understanding.

"I'm here, Patriarch Rash," Sara spoke looking at the phone the Alpha had placed on the coffee table.

"May I asked how you came into possession of the symbol?" The former Alpha asked. Sara didn't like his tone. Nothing in his tone hinted at out right disrespect but Sara still felt he didn't like her.

"It was given to me by my parents lawyer." Sara looked at the luna. Sara felt uncomfortable and sought the Luna's approval and comfort. The Luna smiled and Sara felt better although all of her trepidation didn't disappear.

"Your parents didn't give it to you themselves. Why?"

Sara heard the tone. She felt it's power but it it didn't have the same effect as Luna Barbra of Alpha Alexander. She also caught the hint of suspension in the mans tone. Her lips firmed into a line of annoyance. She looked over at Sebastian. He reached over and slid his hand over hers.

"I- M-Patriarch Rash, that's a sensitive subject. I mean no - disrespect but I see no reason to explain myself to you." Sebastian squeezed her fingers but Sara wasn't sure if it was meant as a warning or encouragement. "I simply want to know if it is possible that I had, or have, family in that pack."

"Young lady, that pack disappear twenty-five years ago. They were there and gone in less then twenty-four hours. Bodies of over half the pack were found a week later.

"There had been a fight to such a degree that the area looked more like a war zone then a small town. As the closest pack the Alpha should have called us. He didn't. We received no distress call or message of any kind.

"I don't tell you this to alarm you. I only mean to educate you. I find it hard to believe that you could be related to the Ignis Nocte Pack authority. There would have been very little that could keep an Alpha or Luna in hiding for a quarter of a century."

Sebastian gasped softly. The Luna reached out and grasped the Alpha's hand. Sara didn't understand. The former Alpha was still speaking. Questions would have to wait.

"In all honesty, child, you have me intrigue. After a year I gave up hope of hearing from the pack again. I thought I made peace with the loss. Now, I am less sure. -No, Jason," the former alpha said speaking to someone that was apparently in the room with him, "I think it's best."

He directed his next words to Sara. "Young lady, I would like to invite you to visit Bolden Pack territory. My son, Carl, the current Alpha, has already given me permission to offer the invitation. I feel however," he added with a note of sadness, "that I must warn you. -- Susan Hamilton was born Susan Rash."

For a moment he was silent. Sara tried to understand the significance. Rash was his surname. Who was Susan Hamilton and how was she significant enough to warn Sara about. She looked up at the others. None of them appeared to have an answer.

"I'm sorry, Patriarch Rash, I'm not sure why you're telling me this. Who is Susan Hamilton?" Sara admitted.

"I think it is time for you to tell me where you came by the the pendent." The sadness had been replaced by annoyance that verged on anger.

"I told you already. It was given to me by my parents lawyer." She sighed. Tears threatened to fall and her voice cracked as she held the tears back. "This was obviously a bad idea. I just wanted to find out who my birth family were. I wont bother you further. Good by, Patriarch Rash."

"Birth family?" he asked clearly confused. "Wait. Please don't hang up. I think we both may have more explaining to do."

"I'm sorry. I don't think I want to hear anymore," she told him. She suddenly felt that the whole thing was too real. She was scared that she would find things out that made her family into monsters. Or she would find she really was alone on this earth.

"Susan Hamilton was my daughter and the Luna of the Ignis Nocte Pack. She had only been mated to Warren Hamilton for two years before the pack was attacked and decimated. I was the one that found the pack in the aftermath. I didn't find her, her mate or her sister-in-law, Tracy. The beta and gamma were found dead in the main pack house. But my daughter and her new family were not there. The picture your alpha sent me was of the pendent that hung around Susan's neck since the day she became Luna of the Ignis Nocte Pack. Now, please explain to me how you know nothing about your birth family?"

"I don't-" She licked her lips, "I don't think this is a conversation to have over the phone." Sara didn't look up at the others in the room. She kept her eyes focused on the phone.

"Yes. Yes. Of course. You are correct. Please forgive me. I have long ago resigned myself to the fact that my daughter was gone. In all honesty it never crossed my mind that I could have a grandchild I knew nothing about. I agreed to this conversation simply because I thought that the Hamilton family may still be out there. A tenuous link to my daughter but a link non the less."

It wasn't until he spoke again Sara realized they had both fallen silent. "So, will you come to Bolden Pack. The Elders could preform a blood test to determine if we are truly related."

"A DNA test. - Sure. I can. I will want my mate to come as well. If you don't mind."

"Of course your mate is welcome. You can have your mothers old room in the pack house. I can't wait to meet you and I'm sure that Justin and Kathy will be delighted to meet you. When do you think you can be here?"

Sara was at a loss for words. Things were happening too fast. "I have a job. I have re-responsibilities. I'll have the Alpha call you as soon as I make arrangements."

"Of course. Of course."

A week later Sara left work on an extended leave of absents. She stopped by the dinner to pick up dinner for her and Sebastian.

"I heard you're going out of town." Natasha, a nurse from the clinic, greeted her as she turned to walk out the dinner.

"I am. I don't expect to be gone long. How have you been? I haven't seen you since-" Sara left the sentence unfinished. She didn't want to think about Sebastian's time in the hospital.

"Oh, yes." Natasha sniffed the air. "You're not planning on visiting another pack are you?" she watched Sara thoughtfully. Sara confirmed they were actually visiting another pack. "Then I suggest that you start the mating. I'm not trying to be forward. There will undoubtedly be males that would want to cause problems between you and Sebastian."

"No, Why would anyone want too do that?"

"You're a wealthy female Lycan with strong powers. You're gorgeous." Natasha smiled when Sara blushed and shifted uncomfortably. "Wolf up, woman. I'm female and see it so you can bet I'm not the only one. There are unscrupulous people out there. Unwilling bonds are rare but they do happen and are hard to break. You don't want to find yourself tied to someone by force. I've seen you and Sebastian together. It's not just the mate call between you- there's more. Real love, respect, and trust. Not all mates can say the same."

Sara nodded. She knew she felt those things for Sebastian.

Mate loves us. Evodine vowed in her mind.

"Damn, Sara, I'm sorry. This is none of my business. I have no right to even mention it, I'm sorry." She smiled. "Excuse me."

Sara thought about it on the walk home. There was a time that Sara had thought that Sebastian had returned her feelings. But things seemed to have changed. He seemed distant even when they held their weekly movie night on her sofa. Most nights he didn't even go home. He'd crash on her sofa, usually with her tucked under a blanket beside him but not once has he mentioned the bond.

Tell you you demand to bond with him. Evodine excitedly demanded in her head.

"It's his choice, Ev. I can't demand anything." Sara closed the door, placed the bags on the dinning room table and cocked her head. The faint sound of water hitting tile came form her bathroom. It seemed that Sebastian had used his key. She smiled.

By the time the shower shut off she had the dinner on the plates. She lite a vanilla-almond candle and placed it in the kitchen.

"Do I smell cookies?" Sebastian entered the room from the small hallway. He's chest was bare and he wore black jeans. The jeans clung to him and her mouth watered. He rubbed his hair with a towel. Sara took her time looking at him. His chest didn't have much hair but a few drops of water clung to meager amount. Even without looking up he navigated the furniture by memory.

"I got chocolate pie. Not cookies." She licked her lips when he pulled the towel down to his chest. It was almost a shame when he removed the tiny drops of water.

"Chocolate Pie. Good. I'm starving." He met her gaze, there was a hint of a smile over his lips. He tossed the towel over his shoulders. "Don't be mad but you're out of razors. Give me a minute and I'll be right back."

Sara wished she had more time. They were supposed to leave the day after tomorrow to drive to Bolden Pack. After what Natasha said she wanted to postpone it, but the pack expected them by Friday.

Maybe she should bring up the bond. She could at least ask him about bonds Natasha spoke about. They had barely made it through half of dinner before Sara found herself asking, "Can someone be forced to mate?" She looked up when Sebastians fork hit the floor. He looked at her with a facial expression that was horrified.

"I would never force you to mate, Sara." His lips twisted as-if he felt pain.

Sara dropped her fork onto her plate. "No. I know that, Sebastian. I'm sorry. I just heard about it today and wondered if it were even possible."

He sucked in a breath. "Heard about it?" He seemed suspicious.

"Someone mentioned it in passing is all. She warned me to be careful visiting another pack."

"It's possible." he searched the floor and retrieved his fork. "It's unlikely." His tone sounded less pained. "It wont happen to you either. I wouldn't let anyone do that to you." He smiled, reassuringly.

"How is it done?"

"Sara, it's not something you need to worry about. Taron and I wont let that happen."

Sara nodded unsatisfied.

"Sara, It is a males duty to protect his mate. We will protect you."

"You still think I'm your mate? You haven't said anything about it in months. Nothing."