Shadow Wolves: His Black Rose (Book 6)

Chapter 9 - It can't be!

Michael

She willingly opened her mouth, licking my bottom lip and I didn’t need a second invite. A moan escaped from deep within. I pulled her up close and hungrily kissed her. Her body fit perfectly against mine. Her scent intoxicating me, filling my lungs and swirling around me. A soft moan escaped her mouth the moment we broke our kiss to take a breath. I was not ready to let go of her yet, not now… not ever. Keeping my eyes locked with hers, I slowly let her down onto the soft leaves of the forest floor.

For once, she didn’t fight me and simply followed my lead. I would never go all the way with her out here in the open and take the chance that we might be discovered, but I just wanted her. I needed her… I didn’t know how to stop myself.

Elizabeth

I saw the need I felt reflected in his eyes and when he put his weight softly down on top of me on the soft leaves, no words spoken, I couldn’t hold back when he kissed me again. His hand slid up my leg, pulling it up to his side. He held it while sliding in between my legs. I felt a growing pain between my legs. Was that how it’s supposed to feel? I knew the other girls had done it and I had always sat there listening, pretending not to be listening. He started kissing me just below my earlobe, leaving a trail of hot kisses down my throat, back up to my mouth, hovering just above my lips.

“Say yes.” He whispered. I… I…

“Elizabeth… Elizabeth, are you here? Mom is looking for you! Elizabeth!” Theodor’s voice echoed through the forest. Michael growled softly at the interruption from my brother.

“Do your brothers not understand the meaning of a mating week?” He whispered and helped me up just in time before Theodore found us.

“Here I am.” I smiled and waved at Theodore, taking Michael’s hand before walking up to him.

“Did you guys have a race? Or did you try to wrestle him? Tell me you didn’t try to wrestle the poor man!” Theodore pulled a leaf out of my hair, looking very displeased.

“No, your sister has been a perfect lady. It is my fault, I’m afraid. I didn’t see where I was going and, well… I tripped and she fell with me.” Michael quickly explained our disheveled appearance.

“Hmmm, strange for a wolf to trip like that.” My brother looked suspiciously at both of us, then shrugged. He turned to walk away and shouted over his shoulder that my mom was looking for me. Lunch was over and everyone had retired to their rooms to rest before dinner. Why would mom interrupt me and Michael? We followed Theodore into the castle and found the staff busy packing away picnic baskets. It was the first time I noticed pixies on the grounds and smiled when a young girl waved at me. A wolf standing nearby laughed at her, and you could see the bond between them clear as day.

Imagine that… a wolf and a pixie… who would have thought? Michael walked with me all the way to mom’s room, kissed my hand, and told me that he would be in front of my room door when it was time to go for dinner. I nodded and walked into my mom’s room.

“There you are darling! I’ve been worried. Are you okay?” She looked a little freaked out. I closed the door behind me and walked in, wondering why she would be so worried, knowing I was probably with Michael. Wasn’t this what she wanted?

“Mom?” I started just as Julius walked in from the sitting room, and he looked distraught. “What’s wrong? What’s going on?”

“Sweetheart… we were informed of some troubling rumors about Michael’s father. I went to find out this morning if these rumors were true.” Julius sighed deeply.

“What kind of rumors?” Great! I listened to my mother and now there was something wrong!

“The kind that would make me uncomfortable enough to turn my dress red.” She pursed her lips tightly together. I looked at my mom with eyes as wide as saucers. Well, that would be just my luck! She was the one who insisted I come on this damn trip, only to find out that my mate was into some shady sh!t! I looked at her and then at Julius and stormed out of their room.

Hearing my mom call after me, I rushed to mine and slammed the door behind me, locking it to make sure she didn’t find a way in… not that it was going to help. Pacing the length of my room with the information I just received bouncing around my thoughts. They did say it was only rumors. But then my mom’s dress only turned red when there was someone around that was a terrible person and had to be judged. I flopped down on my bed out of frustration and heard someone knocking on my door.

“Go away mother!” I shouted.

“It’s me, are you okay?” Michael sounded worried. I sat up straight when I heard his voice, feeling panic rise as adrenaline rushed through my body. The cold hit every nerve ending.

“Yes, I’m fine.” I closed my eyes and hoped he would go away.

“Elizabeth, don’t lie, I know something has upset you. I can feel it.” Damn wolf instinct! My parents did say it was his father that was the crook… what was the possibility that he knew anything about it? Stupid girl! He took over the business! Of course, he knew!

“Elizabeth?” He sounded even more panicked.

“Yes, yes, I’m here.” I opened the door, knowing there was no escaping, and he moved quickly to hold me and searched my eyes for an answer. “I told you, Michael, I’m okay.” In his arms, I felt safe and calm and all worries were forgotten, calming him down. We stood there searching each other’s eyes for answers to questions we didn’t dare ask. My breathing quickened when the adrenaline subsided and his body heat warmed me.

“My father tells me that you won’t say yes because of some family tradition. Is this true?” Oh, hell! Was mom going to hold me to that silly tradition? Surely, she couldn’t expect me to make him swear loyalty in front of the council. Look at what it did to my dad!!

“It’s difficult to explain.” I didn’t know how much she told his father about it and if he knew what it would mean. “I wouldn’t know where to start… besides, what if you decide to reject me?”

“But all I’ve done is ask you to say yes.” He looked worried again as I pulled away from his embrace and he let me go. Closing the door behind us, as I walked into my room towards the window.

“You have only asked me to say yes, when… you know, each time…” I turned to look at him and found his eyes wide this time.

“Elizabeth, that was not what I meant. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think! I would never ask you to say yes to us mating without having a permanent bond between us.” He walked up to me, putting his arms on my upper arms and I folded mine across my chest. I have to admit even though I wanted him to take me each time, I did feel a little cheap now that I thought back. What if nobody interrupted us each time and I had said yes! How would I have felt about being taken in a forest?!

“I simply wanted to mark you. I was asking you to say yes so, I could mark you. I wouldn’t dare mate with you outside in the open where anyone else can see your beauty. That is for my eyes only. I would never share you in such a manner!” He quickly explained, as if reading my mind. He looked uphauled at the idea, and now I felt like an utter i***t! Even just thinking that he would do such a thing. I knew how possessive wolves could be. How could I even imagine he would take that chance? “Elizabeth, you are mine, and I want the world to know it. I don’t want anyone of these idiots around here getting any ideas about courting you. But now that I know, you have different traditions. I will respect that. We will wait until we reach your homelands.”

“My homelands?” Oh, no! Mom told them about the life ceremony!! Was she this serious about us being together? I was not immortal… how? I would have to speak to my mother about what it was that she was hiding from me! “Oh, yes, my homelands. Where we will go through our traditional mating ceremony.” I felt lost and didn’t notice the huge smile on his face until he pulled me into a tight embrace and I looked up into his amber eyes shining brightly.

“Is that a yes? Will you be my mate?” I guess that is what I just said! He looked so excited! Dammit!!

“That is a maybe.” I winked at him and tried to pull from his embrace, but as usual, he wouldn’t allow me and simply held on, pulling me up close to him. His tight muscles moved under his shirt when he lowered his head down to kiss me and I kissed him back without any resistance. Feeling his hand holding the small of my back while his other slid down to the rounding of my butt made me giggle. I couldn’t help it, okay!

Michael

She was my wild horse and I didn’t ever want to tame her, but it was going to be tough keeping up with her. I knew her maybe was just her way of trying to pretend that she wouldn’t say yes to my proposal, but after talking to her, I was more convinced that she would accept. When my father first told me about their traditions, I thought it was just a ploy from her family to stop her from being with me, but now that I had spoken to her, I was confident that she would say yes and that it was in fact part of their traditions. We had never had a witch in our pack and all this was new to me. My mate was a witch… I still couldn’t get used to the idea…

“Earth to Michael…” Her voice filled my ears and I smiled.

“I apologize, I got lost in your beautiful green eyes. Has anyone ever told you how much they look like a forest in summer?” I grinned.

“No, they haven’t. But you have to leave now, so I can get dressed for dinner. Go…” She shoved me out the door with minimal effort and I pretended to be heartbroken, blowing her one last kiss… hoping I was being romantic enough to win her heart. As soon as the door was closed, I turned and walked to my father’s room to find out exactly what happened and why the hell I had to rush over and save my relationship.

Elizabeth

My phone rang, and the screen showed aunt Meg.

“Hi aunt Meg.” I sighed.

“Hi sweetheart, your mom tells me things are going… great.” Her hesitation said it all.

“Oh, she has started lying now, has she? What’s up?” I rolled my eyes.

“I’m sorry to be doing this to you on your holiday sweetheart, but there is a red envelope on its way to you. Did you take your laptop with you, so I can email you the rest of the details?” What? Was she actually being serious?!

“Yes, I have it here, but you can’t be serious? Won’t I blow my cover? I mean my family is here, and it’s the King and Queen’s castle!” I tried to get out of it.

“As I always say, it’s your choice if you want to go through with it. Just look at how brilliantly you took care of the last case. Maybe you can pull it off again. Good luck and I hope things work out for you.” She hung up the phone before I could ask her the millions of questions I had for her, like… how did you live this double life, without feeling guilty?! There was a soft knock on my door.

“I have a letter for you, miss.” A young girl handed me the red envelope. Already? Taking it from the girl, I thanked her and closed the door again. I didn’t waste any time in opening it to see who the target was, but dropped the contents as soon as I saw the picture of the person. Surely it couldn’t be! It couldn’t be him!!