The Elf's Royal Match (Book 4 The Wolves of Winter Valley)

Chapter 9 - Hands Off My Mate

Sinead POV

Relief flooded my system when Megan’s call went through. We were saved. As soon as they cleared enough of the dirt away, I could get us out. All I needed was the location of the uncovered area, then I could create an opening for Megan and me to pass through. I hoped they had an ambulance standing by because Megan and Cassidy needed to go directly to the pack hospital to be evaluated. From what I understood, it was unheard of for any non-shifter to deliver a wolf pup naturally due to the abnormally large size of the pup and the dangers that presented. Megan, from all appearances, came through with flying colors, but there could always be some complication hidden from view. I’d kept a close eye on them for that very reason. I couldn’t let anything happen to either of them.

While Megan was on the phone, I paced and fidgeted, anxious to get started. But hearing Adam’s voice had visibly relaxed Megan, and after the stress of childbirth, she deserved that comfort. So, I forced myself to relax and wait patiently close by as Megan recited the story of their daughter’s birth to the father who’d unwillingly missed it. When she started praising me for helping her and beaming up at me as if I were some kind of paragon, I had to step away. We both knew I was no such thing. My actions at the beginning of her and Adam’s relationship proved that.

I was circling the dome when Megan called for me a few minutes later. “They’re ready,” she said.

Nodding, I picked up my staff and took my place in front of the north-facing wall of vines. I tapped the ground three times, then lifted it and pointed the crystal toward the barrier, calling forth a beam of purple light. “Let me know when they can see it outside,” I instructed her and waited as she conveyed the message to Adam. Very slowly, I drew my beam across the surface of the vines, starting from the east and moving west.

“They see it!” Megan squealed excitedly as the beam passed over the middle portion of the wall.

With a wave of my hand, I magically scraped away a chunk of bark, marking the spot. “Okay, tell Adam to clear the area, I’ve never done this before, so I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen.”

She gave me a thumbs up when Adam confirmed that it was safe to continue, and I got to work magically drilling a hole into the dome wall. The whole process took over an hour due to the thickness of the barrier and the fact that I was holding back. As I’d told Megan, I’d never used this spell before. The thought of someone being hurt, either by the beam itself or flying debris, terrified me. I had caused enough pain in this pack to last a lifetime. I’d be damned if I caused anymore. When the hole was finally large enough to fit an average wolf through, I canceled the spell and stepped aside to let Adam and the rest of Winter Valley leadership through.

They swarmed Megan, cooing over the baby, and thanking the Goddess that she’d not only survived the mudslide but childbirth as well. I smiled. Megan was about to be pampered beyond her tolerance. In fact, I’d be amazed if Adam and Aiden let her out of bed long enough to take a shower after her harrowing experience. Taking advantage of their distraction, I stepped through the opening, hoping to escape. My hope was dashed as I was yanked into Colt’s waiting arms.

“Thank the Gods. Are you hurt?” he asked, easing me away to look me over. His hands glided over my arms and shoulders, then framed my face while his eyes swept over it.

“No, I’m fine.”

Before I could say another word, his lips latched onto mine, and I was instantly consumed by him. Every thought. Every feeling. Every part of me became immersed in this mysterious man that was my perfect match, my forever one. His arms tightened, bringing our bodies flush against one another, and setting off a riot of sparks everywhere we touched. I knew I should push him away, but I couldn’t seem to muster the strength. Instead, my arms lifted and twined around his neck as if of their own accord.

By the Gods and Goddesses, why won’t you claim me already?

My mind screamed the question my lips dared not speak and brought with it an indescribable pain in my chest directly above my heart. Slowly and regretfully, I disentangled myself from Colt and took a step back.

When I could speak, I said, “You confuse me, Colton… One minute you’re acting like my very existence disgusts you and the next you’re kissing me like you never want to stop.”

“You don’t disgust me, Sinead,” he answered, looking hurt by the mere suggestion.

“Really? So, why do you growl at me every time I get too close?” My temper was fraying. This man had done nothing but send mixed signals since the day I stood between him and the men chasing him, and I was sick of it.

“You didn’t want anyone to know I was your mate. I was just trying to stop your body from reacting to me and giving it away.”

Okay, that made sense.

I looked around, noticing all of the people watching us. They had, undoubtedly, seen Colt and me kissing and were starting to put the pieces together.

Great!

“It would appear that your efforts were wasted. The secret is out, or it soon will be.” When Colt looked confused, I motioned to the crowd and watched his eyes widen in horror.

“I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I was just so relieved to see you safe and unharmed.” His words tumbled together as they fell from his lips, and my heart swelled. My match was adorable when flustered.

He stepped forward with his hand outstretched, intending to touch my face. I shook my head and stepped back. “Please don’t. I lose my senses when you touch me.”

Though he was smiling, he lowered his hand. “You steal my senses too, but I don’t consider that a bad thing.”

He started to approach again. “Then, claim me.” I blurted out, stopping him in his tracks.

“Sinead, you know I can’t. I want to. The Gods know I do, but I can’t. At least, not yet,” he said with misery in those deep, dark, brown eyes.

My heart ached in response, igniting my urge to comfort him. I fought it back and summoned the indignation I’d carried with me since he first told me he didn’t want a mate. Now was not the time for giving in to the match connection. I needed to be claimed by him, or I needed the reason why. “Then tell me….”

My words were interrupted by the sound of my name being called. I turned around as Adam came sprinting out of the dome. Without any hesitation whatsoever, he jogged over to me and enveloped me in the tightest hug I’d ever experienced. A lump formed in my throat as I returned his embrace. Until that moment, I hadn’t realized just how much I missed my friend.

“Thank you,” he whispered, strain evident in his voice. “Thank you for saving Megan and for helping to deliver our pup….”

Colt POV

I should have blocked Kai, but I promised not to as long as the attitude was kept at a minimum. And since there had been no attitude given, the block was not needed. That is until a wolf, I’d only seen in passing, emerged from the dome and grabbed our mate like she was his. Before I even realized what was happening, Kai had shoved me out of the way and assumed control over our human form. A low warning growl vibrated the air as Kai stalked closer to the wolf and Sinead. The wolf slowly released his grip and watched Kai’s approach with a challenge in his eyes.

“Something I can help you with?” he asked, his body taut and ready to fight.

Kai POV

When the wolf put his hands on our mate, I had to act. Colton would have let it slide to protect his damn secret. Claimed or not, Sinead Elian was our mate, and NO ONE was free to touch her at their will.

“Take your hands off her,” I demanded through clenched teeth.

The wolf didn’t move.

Sinead eased away from him and turned to face me. “Colton…,” she began, then stopped and stared. “You’re not Colt, are you?”

“No. I am Kai, Colton’s panther spirit.”

She nodded. “It’s nice to meet you, Kai. Can you let Colt come back please? We can get to know each other another time.”

“No. Not until this wolf unhands you and backs away,” I replied without taking my eyes off the trespasser.

“Kai, this is Adam Keller the pack Gamma. He was just expressing his gratitude. His mate was trapped with me and had to deliver their pup in a less than ideal setting.”

I reached out and took her hand, drawing her to my side. “I don’t care who he is or what he was doing. He shouldn’t have his hands on you.”

“Kai…”

“Who the f**k do you think you are?” Gamma Keller roared, stepping forward until he was looming over me. “You are a guest here, but that can change real f*****g quick unless you learn some damn respect.” He took hold of Sinead’s arm and tried to lead her away.

“Adam, no. It’s…”

I positioned myself between Sinead and Gamma Keller. “I’m warning you for the last time. Take your hands off my mate!”

His eyes widened, then swung back and forth between Sinead and me. “You’re what?”

“His mate, their mate,” Sinead confirmed. “I am their mate, though Colt has refused to claim me for reasons he will not divulge.”

Adam’s eyes narrowed as he looked me up and down. “Has he rejected you?”

“No. Nor have I rejected him. We are at an impasse in that regard. I will not reject him because doing so is the same as telling the Gods and Goddesses that I do not want my match. Nothing could be further from the truth. I can only assume that his reason for not rejecting me is similar to my own.”

“There are things you are keeping to yourself as well, Sinead. You have yet to explain why it was so important that people not know we are your mates,” I pointed out in Colton’s defense.

Her laugh was humorless as she backed away from Gamma Keller and me. “You’ve only to ask around the pack. There’s plenty who hate me enough to share, but since you haven’t….”

“Sinead…” Gamma Keller said, looking around at the crowd watching and listening to the exchange. “You don’t have to do this here. Take a jeep. Go to the packhouse.”

“Why? Everyone already knows. They knew before I even made it back to my nest the night I confessed,” she said, pacing away and back again. “No. I’m going to get it out. He’s my match. He deserves to know, too… They both do. Who knows, maybe Colt will be so repulsed by it that he’ll decide to reject me after all.”

“He’s not going to reject you, Sinead,” I stated firmly and took a step toward her.

She backed away.

“No. Don’t. Let me say this.” Sinead swiped at an errant tear, then continued, “A few months after I arrived in the Valley, Adam and I slept together. We both agreed that it was a one time thing because neither of us was interested in getting involved with anyone who wasn’t our match. After, we became friends. Best friends. Then I screwed it up. Adam was struggling to find his match, and I was still without after over a century, so I let my guard down and fell in love with him. It was entirely one-sided, though I’d convinced myself that he would eventually feel the same. A couple of months later, he found Megan and I was devastated. It was the second time in my life that I’d let myself fall for someone who wasn’t my match and the second time that I ended up heartbroken and alone. Something snapped inside me and I stole a pair of spells from my family’s forbidden spells book, intending to use them on Adam. The first spell erased the match connection. The second created a new one. I changed my mind the day I’d decided to cast those spells when I realized that no matter how much I loved him or how deep the connection, Adam would never truly be happy with me. The one thing he wanted more than anything in the world, I couldn’t promise him. A child. It could take a century for me to conceive. He doesn’t have a century to wait. So, I took the spells to Natasha, confessed my crime, and destroyed them with her as my witness. Because I’d done the right thing, in her eyes, she opted not to punish me.” She sucked in a deep breath and released it forcefully. “The night I confessed to Adam what I’d intended to do to him, the whole pack managed to find out. A large portion of them hate me because of it and think that I should have been banished. They will enjoy the fact that my actual match refuses to claim me. To them, justice will have finally been served.”