*****Edited by krisgee*****

 2011 © All Rights Reserved

Chapter 18 (Steven) 

            We walked into her house holding hands.  She was as skittish as a cat and I squeezed her hand for reassurance.  Two seconds in the door and the family immediately descended on us like a hoard of vultures.  I saw her father first and then her mother.  They swept her away from me before I even had a chance to protest.  I placated my wolf by reassuring him that they only wanted to check on her welfare.  I would give them a few minutes with her and then she would be back in my arms, right where she belonged.  The most important fact was that she was safe.  I would have to deal with all the other shit involving Mama later.  Just thinking about that made my head ache.

            “Hey,” a gruff voice said pulling my attention towards the stairs.  I nodded my head acknowledging Zach as he stalked purposefully towards me.  He stood about two steps away and eyed me carefully.

            “You want to explain to me what the hell happened with my sister out there?”  His blue eyes were shimmering with anger.  I knew then that it didn’t matter what I had to say, I was going to be the one at fault.  I ran my fingers through my hair while shifting my weight from one foot to the other.

            “Look man,” I said.  “Why don’t we go somewhere we can sit and talk?”

            “No,” he snapped at me and took another step closer.  We were nose to nose and he was definitely invading my personal space.  “Tell me now,” he said with a menacing growl.

            “Fine,” I growled back at him.  “My family was exiled and slated for death from our old pack because of my dirt bag of a father.  He cheated on my mother and slept with the Alpha’s mate.  My mom took us away and we’ve been running ever since.  They found us and now the Alpha has changed his mind.  He wants my mother for his mate he claims, but more than likely she’ll be enslaved and treated like the pack whore.  They took Amy to persuade me to send my mother willingly. They threatened her life if I do not comply with their wishes.”

            After my spill I stood there quietly and never saw it coming.  Zach’s fist crashed into my temple snapping my head back violently against the wall.  I heard the resounding crack and thought, damn, that hurt like a bitch.  I felt the warm trickle of blood run down my face and then large hands clasp around my throat.

            “You stupid son of a bitch,” he sneered and I could feel his hot breath blow on my face.  “All this time she was in danger because of your family’s problems and you didn’t think to mention this to any one?  She could have been killed, you bastard.” 

            I knew he was right.  It was so stupid of me to think that I could take her as a mate right now with everything else going on.  I should have taken care of my problems before I got anywhere near her.  I felt my feet lift off the floor and fingers tighten against my throat.  I couldn’t fight back.  I didn’t want to fight back.  I deserved all of the damage that Zach could inflict upon me.  I endangered my mate and that made my heart sicker than anything else on this earth.

            I heard a ferocious growl and my eyes widened when I opened them to see the most beautiful blue grey wolf in the world.  She had her teeth bared and she was ready to attack her brother.

            “No,” I tried to croak out but it was barely audible with Zach’s hands clasped around my throat.

            Zach turned and by the look on his face he was shocked as well.  He never expected this, especially from his twin sister.  For a single moment in time everything was suspended and then in a wild haze of fury chaos broke out. 

            I collapsed to the floor when Zach was suddenly forced to the ground.  I struggled to push myself up on my elbows only to see my mate with her large paws pinning Zach to the ground.  Her sharpened canines were just a breath away from his face.  Her growls were rumbling deep in her belly and she was pissed. 

            “Amy,” I tried once again to speak but her name barely came out due to my bruised wind pipe.

            I could hear her mother screaming in horror and her father trying to order her to heel, but it was not happening.  She was in blood lust and Zach was her prey.  I had to stop this.  I couldn’t let her have this on her conscience; she loves him.

            “Princess,” I called out to her in her mind.   Her growls ceased immediately.  Her head slowly turned in my direction and I tried to offer her a small smile.

            “Come here Princess,” I said once again in her mind.  She took one more glance at her brother before leaping off of him and traipsing back to me.

            “That’s my girl,” I whispered softly in her mind.  I needed her to calm down and cool the blood lust.  The slightest of moves and she would be back on Zach in a heart beat.  Everyone in the house stood stock still and watched the scene unfold before their very eyes.   Amy came up to me sniffing and nuzzling all parts of my body.

            “I’m fine.”  Speaking into her mind, I tried to reassure her.

            She licked at my head wound and turned her sharp eyes back towards her brother emitting a low warning growl in her throat.  He was now standing up and I’ll be damned, the boy pissed on himself.

            “Princess, I am fine,” I repeated aloud with my voice now a little stronger.  Reaching down I ran my hands through her pelt and inhaled her scent.  I could still feel the anger rolling off her in waves and knew that I needed to get her out of this house and away from her brother.

            “Sir,” I said addressing the Alpha. He looked at me with a stern face.

            “With all due respect, may I take her to my house for the night to cool off?”

            Her mother instantly protested.  “Hell no!” she yelled.

            Alpha Martin shook his head at his Luna.  “Raven, Steven's right.  This is what Amy needs.  She needs to be away from Zach for a while to cool the blood lust.  It is the only option,” he affirmed while pulling his wife into his arms.  He bent his head to nuzzle her neck in effect calming any further protests from her.

            Her mother shot me a look that warned me if anything was to happen to her daughter then I would be held personally responsible.  I nodded my head to her acknowledging the statement.

            “I will protect her with my life,” I promised.

            “I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Alpha Martin said with his Luna still held tightly in his arms.  

            I stood and kept my hand on top of Amy’s head.  I started to walk out the door with Amy close to my side when I realized that she had no clothes.  I turned awkwardly back to her family.

    “Um, can I maybe get a change of clothing for her?” I stammered out.  Tabby thankfully stepped up.  

            “On it,” she quipped.

            We stood there for several moments in total silence while everyone just shot glares back and forth at each other.  I had never felt so out of place in my life.  I thanked the Moon Goddess when Tabby quickly came jogging back down the stairs with a standard overnight bag filled with Amy’s things.  She handed me the bag and for the very first time I felt like Tabby and I were on the same wave length.  She wanted what was best for Amy, the same as I did.

            Taking the bag from her I whispered in her ear, “Thank you, for everything.”

            She nodded her acceptance and said with a pointed look on her face, “You better take good care of her.”

            “Done,” I replied simply and turned to walk away.  Amy was still glued to my side and that little touch was a life line to me.  It had been one hell of a week and a cluster fuck of an evening.  I just wanted to take my mate home and hold her in my arms.  We reached my bike and I realized that she was still in wolf form. 

    “Princess, we need to get you changed,” I reminded her.

            Her head whipped to the left and then to the right before she trotted towards the back of her house.  I obediently followed her until we reached the tree line.  I stopped and stood in awe at the gracefulness of her change.  She was so beautiful in both her human and wolf form, I mused.

            Now human she was shivering violently, a side effect of the blood lust.  Quickly I pulled a change of clothing out of her bag and started to dress her efficiently.  Her teeth were chattering and her body shook even after I managed to get her dressed.

            “Come here, Princess,” I said and she was in my arms in an instant.  I wrapped my arms around her tiny body and held her as close as I could get her to me. I frantically rubbed my hands up and down her back trying to use friction as an aid to heat her.  Her body still trembled like a leaf in my arms.

            “It won’t work,” she managed between her chattering teeth.

            “It will,” I tried to reassure her.  It has to, I thought to myself.  I needed to get her out of this night air so we could get skin to skin.  My body heat would surely do the trick.  I quickly hefted her in my arms and ran for my bike.

            Ten minutes later we pulled up to my house and she was still trembling uncontrollably.  I held her in my arms with her head leaning against my chest jogging towards the door.  As soon as I hit the stoop my mother opened the door with a weary look on her face.  I paused for a second as our gazes locked before she snapped and ushered me in.

            “Get in here boy,” she said. 

            I didn’t think twice, I rushed in by her and went straight for the couch.  I sat down and my mother brought an afghan over to cover her. 

            Looking up at me she asked, “Blood lust?”  I nodded my head while staring at the precious bundle I held in my arms.

            “Alpha Martin has already called,” she said sounding very tired.  Still not ready to speak I just numbly nodded my head again acknowledging her.

            “Stevie, look at me,” my mother said in her no nonsense voice.  I hesitated but slowly turned my head.

            “Zach told Alpha Martin what happened.  I know that it was our pack and I know what they want.  I have decided to go and I don’t want to hear another word on the matter, is that understood?”  My mouth dropped and I felt like the air had just been beat out of my chest.

            “No, Mama,” I pleaded.  “You know what they will do to you, you can’t go.  We will figure something out.”  I was all but begging at the end.  Mama held my face in the palm of her hand and looked at me with all the love in the world.

            “Baby, it’s the only way.  You and Bobby will be safe.”  She looked down at my mate in my arms and I felt a warm tear fall down my cheek. 

            “Come on, let’s not have any of that,” she said while wiping the tear away.

            “She will be safe,” she reminded me and I glanced back at the shivering bundle in my arms.  It was hard to argue with that.

            Mumbling to myself I said, “There’s got to be another way.”

            “I’m afraid not baby, this is the only way.  I’m not scared anymore,” she responded confidently.

            Mama’s hand stroked my cheek and I hated the way I felt like my life was being pulled in so many different directions.  Fate was forcing me to choose and the decision was impossible.  This was a no win situation.

            “Take your mate up to your room and do what you need to do.  We are all going to Alpha Martin’s tomorrow to discuss preparations,” she said while patting me on the top of my head.

            “But-” I started to say and she cut me off with a gentle finger pressed to my lips.  She looked down at Amy forcing me to gaze at my shivering mate.

            “No buts.  Take care of her first and we will talk tomorrow.”

            I stood and let out a deep breath.  Holding my mate close to my chest I slowly walked up the stairs to my room.   Closing the door behind me I felt another tear run freely down my cheek.  Leaning against the door I slid to the floor with my mate in my arms.  I rested my head on the top of hers and inhaled her scent deeply into my lungs.  Her scent calmed me but I still felt the tremors wrack her body endlessly.  I had to get her warmed.

            Standing back up I walked over to the bed gently laid her down.  Pulling off my clothes methodically I imagined how nice it was going to feel to have her tucked into my side.  Once I freed myself of my clothing, I returned to Amy and lifted her into my lap.

            “Princess,” I called out to her.

            “Hmmm,” she said through chattering teeth.

            “I’m going to undress you so that I can use my body heat to warm you.”

            I felt the slight nod of her head and proceeded to remove her clothes.  I placed tender kisses along her body as I removed her clothing.  I wanted to cherish my mate and hold her close to my heart.  Once she was bared to me I slipped into the bed and pulled her up against me, skin to skin.  We fit perfectly together.     

            Several hours passed and the shivers finally ceased.  Holding my mate in this intimate position aroused my body something fierce.  My wolf was screaming to claim her especially after the near loss of her but then I remembered the warning look on her mother’s face and struggled to rein my control back in.

            “Stevie,” I heard the angelic voice below me.

            “Yes, Princess?” I replied and squeezed her a little tighter to my chest.

            After a second of hesitation she said softly, “Mate me.”  I froze.  There is no way she could have said what I think she just said.  Her quiet laughter reached my ears as she turned around in my arms.  Our lips were just a breath apart and our noses barely touched.

            “I want you to claim me,” she repeated looking deeply into my eyes.

            On a groan, I said “Princess, I would love more than anything to do that but what about your parents?”  Isn't this the kicker, me being the voice of reason?  I heard her sigh and saw her look of disappointment.  She turned her chin back up to me and had a look of resolution on her face.

            “I don’t care about my parents, I don’t care about Zach, I only care about us.  I thought I lost you tonight.  Please,” she said with a pleading look in her eyes and a desperate tone in her voice, “Claim me.” Then I felt her warm lips sear a kiss on my bare chest.

            I hissed at the feeling.   How the hell am I supposed to fight that?  My wolf wanted it more than anything.  Shaking my head I let a hungry growl escape my lips just before I crashed them upon hers.  God help me, I thought to myself as her taste exploded on my tongue.