His Devilish Mate

Surrounded

MALLERY’S POV

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Abandoned, casted out of my own pack at the age of thirteen and living alone in the woods for ten years has been hell, but I found a cave I call my home, next to a river I bathe in, where fruit trees grow next to and a wolf coat to keep myself warm in the icy cold winters, that was until ten minutes ago and now I stand, surrounded underneath an apple tree, wolves snarling, warriors pointing their swords and guns at me, shaking as I snap back as they step closer as if I were the threat. I was getting apples when they appeared out of nowhere.

“Show your face,” a deep voice growls at me, a tall man appearing as he brushes through the crowd and every fibre of my body stills as our eyes clash. It’s him…he’s mine and without knowing, I shift back into my human form because of his demand, something I haven’t done for weeks.

The dark haired man with sharp features stills, his lips parting as he stares at me. My own black hair hangs down to my waist, tickling the sensitive skin on my lower back. “Step down.” He demands, his presence is screaming authority and I flinch when all of them suddenly move back in sync. Relief fills me when I realize he wasn’t speaking to me.

I should feel relief as they lower their weapons, but all I feel is tense as my eyes flick from one to the other until I calm when my eyes lock on my mate’s green ones.

“State your name.” He asks, his tone suddenly soft. “Mallery.” I mutter, my voice coming out as a whisper and his thick eyebrows raise, his eyes lighting up as if he has heard the best news ever.

“I am Jace, Jason.” He quickly corrects himself, clearing his throat. “Alpha…what are you…”, “Hush.” Jason shuts one of his warriors up. “What pack do you belong to?” He asks, staring at me with confusion. “I don’t have one.” My shoulders raise, “Rogue!” Some i***t yells and several men lift their weapons towards me again, making me jump and I trip, falling on my ass.

“Stand back!” Jason bellows, the ground beneath me shaking slightly and all of them step back, kneeling. Jason strides over, each step slow and long, his black trousers neatly ironed, his black button up shirt too and he stops in front of me, holding out his hand. I stare at his large palm before taking it and he yanks me up, inhaling a deep breath before he steps back.

I gulp, folding my arms in front of me as I try to cover as much of my body as possible. His stare is boring into my eyes and his hands find the top of his shirt, his fingers starting to undo the buttons and my eyes focus on the small movement. He shrugs the material off his shoulders, shaking it beside him before he takes a step towards me, throwing the shirt around my shoulders and I slip my arms into the sleeves. He does the buttons from the bottom to the top while I stand frozen, staring into his emerald eyes, afraid and excited as his fingertips nearly touch my skin.

He stops doing the buttons when my breasts are covered, his fingertips grazing up my naked chest, to my neck and he hooks his finger under my jaw, lifting it and all I feel is the tension and electricity coursing through me. “You are coming home with me, feram unum.” He mutters, his gaze intense.

I turn my head, looking at the ground next to me and his hand drops and I step back, “I have a home.” I clarify, “Yes, I know. With me.” He grins and I roll my eyes, “No.” I snap, pulling my head away and his eyes narrow, his beautiful emerald orbs turning darker like a gloomy forest during a storm. “Watch your tone,” he warns before grabbing my arm in a tight grip, yanking me closer to him. “You are in no circumstance whatsoever to have a opinion.” He turns, wanting to walk away and take me with him.

Every muscle in my body tenses and I dig my heels into the ground, pulling away from him. “No!” I yell and he turns around, looking at me with wide eyes. “Excuse me?” He tilts his head in the same way he did…I unexpectedly shift and Jason stumbles back, holding one hand in the air. I stand in front of him, slowly backing up as I glance from my left to my right. “Do not let her escape!” He bellows and every vein in my body shivers in fear and I jump, leaping towards Jason, thinking he’d duck, but boy was I wrong.

He shifts into his dark grey wolf, a color I have never seen before and he tackles me to the ground, dust and dirt coating my black fur . He’s growling in my face with his legs trapping me beneath him. I whimper, shifting back into my human form and when he shifts, he’s naked on top of me. He hovers over me in a push up position, his dark hair hanging down his forehead as he glares at me. “You. Are. Mine.” He grits out, his lips forming every word perfectly and the way he’s staring at me has my stomach fluttering. “Do you understand?” His eyes widen a bit.

“I asked if you understand?” He asks louder and I nod in fear. He gets up, catching a pair of shorts beside his head someone had tossed at him and he slips it on, staring at me with disappointment. “That was my favorite shirt.” He grits out, dusting his hands off his shorts before he leans down and yanks me to my feet. “I need a shirt.” He says without taking his eyes off me and someone walks over with their head hanging, holding out a white t-shirt and he snatches it, making me jerk in fear because of his fast movements and he curiously stares at me with narrowed eyes.

It’s not him.

It’s not him.

It’s not him.

“I won’t hurt you, feram unum.” I frown at the language, I don’t recognize it. He seems sincere when he says he won’t hurt me, but yanking me around is something I have seen several times before when I was a kid…It starts with the yanking around before the first blow hits your face…

“Hands up.” He demands, sounding confused, unsure of himself as he puts the shirt over my head. I haven’t worn any real clothes since I was a kid and the fabric feels funny against my skin. “Good girl.” He grins, and I feel safe, but what if it’s just the mate bond?

What if my feelings are manipulated by the magic bounding our souls?

I feel my fingers start to twitch first, panic wrapping around my spine, causing my entire body to tense and my hands start to shake.

No, this can’t be happening. I need to stop, I need to breathe.

Breathe Mallory, breathe.

I try and inhale a calming breath, but my body betrays me as the air gets stuck in my throat, my lungs seizing and I start to cough, haunching over as I clutch my leg for balance. “Mallery?” His hand rests on my back, his deep voice filled with concern, but all I feel, more like not feel, is my lungs yearning for air.

“Stop,” I try to swat him away, I lift my head a little too fast as fear crushes my chest, and now I’m light headed. I fall and when my hands touch the damp grass, it turns dry and crispy. My gaze slowly raises to Jason staring down at me with wide eyes, his gaze flicking to the black spots of dead grass around my palms and underneath.

My eyes widen when he steps closer instead of backing away. His eyes are filled with curiosity, those dark emerald color lighting up. Isn’t he afraid of me like my family is? “Interesting…” his head slants to the side, his eyes flicking between mine and the dead grass. He slowly lowers to his haunches, his elbows resting on his knees. His fingers press together, thumbs circling one another, “You’re special, aren’t you feram unum?” He asks with curious eyes.

I just blankly stare at him, afraid that Jason would want to do what he wanted to…A smile crosses his face, it’s small, soft and genuine. His hand lifts and I absently flinch as he brings it closer, his eyes narrowing. He slowly hooks his index finger under my chin, “Inhale a deep breath,” he says but it isn’t a demand, more like advice and my chest rises as I inhale a calming breath, the tension in my bones fading into nothing as his wood scent infiltrates my nose.

“Good,” he stands, not forcing me to follow him or do anything except sit here. He turns to one of his men, giving one nod that makes me uncomfortable and the muscular man walks over, a little material bag in hand and gives it to him. He opens the small pouch, lowering to his haunches. “This is a calming herb, if you inhale it, you will feel more relaxed. Will you try it?” He asks, taking out pink dust and I nod, not even knowing why I am doing it, but pleasing him feels like an obligation and not free will.

He holds the dust in his palm in front of me and I lean forward and when I inhale the scent, he shoves the powder into my face and it goes up my nose. I winch, trying to blow it out of my nose but my vision blurs and I fall limp, the last thing I see is Jason’s face, contorted and filled with concern before darkness swallows me whole.