Mated (Olde Town Pack Book 2) Read online

  It just wasn’t right.

  But, before he could begin to backpedal, she took a breath and squared her shoulders. Rachel locked eyes with Brady, determination overpowering fear, and said, “How?”

  His jaw nearly dropped. For a moment, Brady sat in stunned silence. She should have been fighting him. She should have told him there was no way in hell she’d be bait. But instead, she wanted details.

  Admiration made his heart race as he maintained eye contact with her. What a woman! “First off, you’ll be safe. I promise. You won’t be alone for a single moment. Whether or not I’m by your side, someone from my family will be there to keep watch over you.”

  Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly with suspicion. “How do you know they weren’t the ones–”

  “That is not our way,” Brady responded quickly. A moment later he corrected the sharpness of his tone. “If your former mate was involved, realistically he’d have obtained services from his own people.”

  “I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to insult you.” She lowered her gaze to her hands in submission.

  Brady took hold of her hand and gripped it tight, forcing her to look up and meet his eyes again. “I understand. You’ve been through a terrible ordeal. I’d think something was wrong with you if you didn’t question everything at this point. You have every right. And I want to make sure you get the answers you need.”

  She had the look of someone who wanted to run as far and as fast as she could; and yet, at that moment, she set her jaw. “If you think this is the best way to bring out the guilty, I’ll go along with your plan.”

  Strength in the face of adversity. More than a few wolves he’d met, men and women alike, would have tried to talk him out of a risky plan such as this. Fear would have driven them away. But, beaten and bruised as she was, this girl Rachel had summoned courage.

  Her strength brought a smile to his eyes, filling him with something much deeper than admiration. He couldn’t quite put a finger on the sensation, but in that moment, holding her hand, feeling her strength, felt right. She felt right. Like the other piece of a puzzle locking into place.

  “We’ll get the bastards. And you’ll be free of any further consequences. This I promise.” Brady brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed the tops of her knuckles.

  SEVEN

  Emma took over the afternoon shift, keeping watch while Brady went to organize security and set the final parts of his plan in place. He’d only be gone for a little while, and he knew she’d be in good hands with Emma looking after her, but he worried that his absence would affect Rachel’s resolve.

  They’d grown close in only a few hours. More than simply duty-bound to protect her, he needed to ensure her safety. At the same time, his inner wolf raged at the thought of someone daring to hurt her.

  He hadn’t known her all that long, but even in that short time he’d found her snarky wit charming. She had a stubborn streak and a strength of will to match. All attractive qualities, topped with an impressive body and captivating eyes.

  What possible reason could anyone have to injure such a beautiful soul? Even in an arranged mating, whoever had gained her hand had to have seen they were getting the perfect package.

  Lost in his own train of thought, he nearly ran into Fallon on his way to his room.

  “Find out anything new?” she asked.

  “She has a mate,” Brady replied.

  “Too bad for you.” Fallon nearly laughed but stopped herself. “Sorry... that was meant...”

  “Don’t,” Brady warned, not in the mood for more jabs about his love life.

  Amusement faded from Fallon’s eyes. “So was the mate involved?”

  “I believe so. But rather than do the deed himself, he brought in a hitman.”

  “Not just a bastard, but a coward too.” The words escaped Fallon’s lips with a snarl.

  “My thoughts too.” Anger darkened Brady’s tone, giving a growling edge to his words. “We’ll still proceed with the games tonight in the hopes of learning the identity of the hitman. But the mate will be a whole other story. He’ll need to be found; but if he’s smart, he’ll keep out of view.”

  “Unless you force his hand,” Fallon said with a hint of mischief. “Up the ante in tonight’s festivities.”

  “How so?” Brady’s curiosity was piqued.

  Fallon dropped her voice to a whisper, looking around as she spoke. “Well, if he wants to be sure the deed is done, he’ll keep under the radar but won’t want to leave until he knows for sure. Right? So instead of just putting her on a pedestal, make her the prize.”

  “I don’t follow.”

  “She’s already mated. So she can’t be paired off again. But if the wolves in attendance thought she would be their mate as a prize, they’d fight for her.”

  “That’s a practice that hasn’t been done in years,” Brady grumbled.

  “Really? Because I’m guessing that girl was mated off for her pack’s favor, wasn’t she?” Fallon responded. “Or else why was she running from her life’s love?”

  “Out of the question. It’s one thing to show her off. It’s entirely another to make her some prize.”

  “No one is really going to take her as their mate,” Fallon pointed out. “But she’ll be clearly in the spotlight. And wolves will fight for the chance. Her real mate will have to do something at that point.”

  He had to admit the plan had merit. Rachel’s real mate, if he were around, would have to do something to avoid his girl being carried off by some other wolf. But the thought of putting Rachel out like a piece of meat sickened him.

  “Let’s say I allow this to happen, and some wolf does fight and win – what do they actually get?”

  “You.” Fallon smacked him in the chest as if the answer were plain as day.

  “Me?” Shock sharpened Brady’s tone.

  “No one is going to beat you. Are they?” she teased.

  No doubt about that. Brady puffed his chest with pride. And that gave the plan just the right edge to be acceptable in his eyes. “So I fight whoever is winning?”

  “You fight when you have to. If her true mate steps in, you beat his ass bloody. If he doesn’t, I’ll be sitting on the sidelines with her, and she can point him out if he shows his ugly face.”

  “I like the way your mind works.” Brady smiled at the deviousness of his sister-in-law, proving again that she had been born for this role, even if she hadn’t been born a wolf. “Okay. We’ll do this your way. But you’ll remain at her side the entire time I’m away.”

  “You like her, don’t you?” Fallon teased.

  “I offered her my protection,” Brady said, with as much growl as he could add into his voice. Whether he liked her or not was a moot point: she had a mate.

  “Of course,” Fallon winked. “And she will have your... protection... to the end.”

  “I’m not after another wolf’s mate,” Brady grumbled. “Tell Aiden the revised plan. I’m off to prepare myself.” Brady turned and walked away, heading to his room, fighting against the little voice in his head that whispered, When all is said and done, she won’t be anyone’s mate. Tempting as it would be, he had a duty to do. Rachel would be made safe. That was the promise he was honor-bound to uphold.

  EIGHT

  Sunset came and went with the low rumble of thunder on the horizon. Snow was in the forecast, although not until much later in the evening. Despite the increasing cloud cover, the moon in all its glory still shone down on the revelry below.

  Wolves glutted themselves on the spoils of their earlier hunts, and the air ran thick with the smell of meat and beer. Rowdy wolves cheered at their leader for more, and Aiden looked all too happy to serve up their next bit of fun.

  Standing above it all, on the back deck of the main compound building, Aiden lifted his hand to hush the crowd. “We’ve got a special treat for you all this evening,” he called, loud enough for all the wolves around the bonfire to hear. “Events such as these are wond
erful opportunities to join our individual packs and act as one. It’s a place for new wolves to meet and new bonds to be formed.”

  The cheers were quieter this time, but still the excitement in the crowd buzzed with frenetic energy.

  “And tonight,” Aiden continued, “we’re going to make a special bond. In the ancient game of strength and virility, one lucky stud will be awarded the honor of a beautiful wolf as his mate.”

  That revelation silenced the crowd. Each man looked to the guy standing next to him as if sizing up his next opponent.

  Aiden waved a hand, and Fallon walked out arm in arm with Rachel. She’d been dressed to impress, and instantly seized the crowd’s attention. The two wolves held their heads high as they sauntered toward Aiden.

  Rachel, concerned as she’d seemed earlier at the prospect of being bait, gave no indication of fear. Brady caught a quick glimpse of her. Made up to look like a prom queen, she was in a dazzling dress of crème satin, trimmed in fur that matched her own snowy wolf.

  His wolf rose to the occasion, nearly forgetting she wasn’t really a prize to be had. The whispering voice was back, suggesting how easily she could be his. Second son. Born and raised a fighter. He had better chance than any to win her. But tempting as they were, those thoughts were empty. She was not a prize; she was his ward. It took all he had to shake the temptation from his mind, especially when she looked down into the crowd and met his eyes.

  He’d have given anything at that moment to bound up there and take her away from all this.

  No! He gave himself a mental kick and refocused on the task at hand.

  Brady turned to the crowd, expecting to see excitement, to smell the arousal of males thinking they would have her as their prize. None of those reactions were of any concern to him, though they caused pangs of jealousy when he caught them. He was looking for something else.

  A nervous twitch. The kick of an anxious heartbeat into overdrive. Guilt manifesting itself in body language. Everyone has a tell; it was only a matter of seeing it.

  This girl was supposed to be dead and buried under a mountain of snow, and there she stood alive and well... and being offered as a prize to the winner.

  In a crowd of a hundred or more wolves, he only needed to spot the one who had a guilty conscience and he’d strike.

  But none had yet shown their hand.

  Aiden continued to address the crowd. “This lovely young wolf has offered herself willingly to be mated to the strongest and bravest among you. Who can best show his prowess in the fighting pit?”

  The idea of her parading herself for this group of drooling wolves sent Brady’s heart racing. He had to remind himself that this was all for show. Practices like this were no longer done, for obvious reasons. But still, looking up to where she was standing, seeing how she’d been offered as a mere prize, made his blood boil. He nearly forgot what he was supposed to be doing.

  Brady weaved through the crowd, looking, listening, searching for any sign of the wolf who’d attacked her the previous evening.

  “Who will make the first challenge?” Aiden called out.

  A few wolves began to howl in response, and the crowd shifted forward as if they all wanted to be first in line.

  Almost all. One wolf, Brady spotted, stood still as could be. His eyes were fixed on the girl, but there was no lust in his gaze.

  Brady’s eyes shifted up to Fallon and then to the girl.

  Stony expressions of hatred covered their faces as they too caught sight of the lone wolf standing.

  Brady sized him up. Tall. Perhaps evenly matched in height. And he certainly had the build of a fighter. And more importantly, not a wolf known to him. That ticked all the boxes and gave Brady the green light to begin his interrogation. He strolled toward the other wolf, pasting a smile on his face, chuckling as if he’d been told a funny story. “Not willing to take your chance?”

  “She’s not worth it,” the other wolf scoffed.

  Continuing to play congenial, Brady kept his tone light. “You’d be the only one around to say that. Why?”

  The wolves met, eye to eye. Brady smiled with his teeth as he waited for the other to respond, and when he didn’t, Brady continued. “You’re not from our pack. What territory have you come from?”

  “I don’t have to answer to you.” The other wolf crossed his arms and stood tall, matching Brady’s stare as if trying to exert dominance.

  Brady almost laughed at the petty display, but kept his voice calm. “You see, that response right there confirms just how much a stranger you are to these parts. You should know who you’re dealing with when you visit a foreign pack.”

  A hint of unease flashed in the other wolf’s eyes, but he refused to lower his gaze. “Excuse my lack of manners, then. I will prepare better next time.”

  Sarcasm wasn’t helping his case. Guilt might as well have been written in red ink across the other wolf’s forehead. Brady listened to the racing of his heart and wondered how much farther he’d be able to go before the wolf would rise up and try to fight him.

  Brady cracked his knuckles, preparing. His wolf begged to be called up, itching for the fight. “You still haven’t answered me. Where have you come from?” Brady demanded this time.

  A moment of silence passed between them, and then the other wolf broke into a run.

  Fuck! Brady shouted, unprepared to give chase. He’d all but begun to sprout fur and had to pull his wolf back.

  The runner was fast, kicking up snow behind him as he tore into the forest.

  Brady gave a quick glance back to Rachel to make sure she was okay before he gave chase into the forest after his prey, his wolf begging to be called into action as he pushed through the snowdrifts after the other man.

  In the distance, he heard the sounds of fighting – no doubt Aiden’s challenge had been accepted. In the back of his mind, he worried for Rachel. But Fallon was with her. She was more than capable of rising to the task, and Aiden too, if things turned sour. He wasn’t Alpha just for his good looks. But still, the thought of leaving her made Brady anxious.

  He’d have to make quick work of this mess.

  The stranger was fast, shifting mid-sprint into his wolf. Shredded clothes blew into Brady’s face as he followed closely in the wolf’s wake.

  He’d have to shift too if he hoped to catch the bastard. He might not have been local to the area, but the way he took off said he knew a thing or two about where they were. How long had he been hanging around? Questions that would have to be answered eventually. For the moment, speed was all that Brady needed, and finally catching sight of where the other wolf was heading, Brady called forth his wolf and shifted.

  The momentary out of body experience of the change nearly stopped him dead in his tracks, but Brady quickly found his footing and caught up to the trail of his prey.

  The other wolf was fast and surprisingly nimble as he darted around rocks and old stumps, but he stalled when he hit a drift of deep snow piled next to a fallen tree.

  Brady took the opportunity and snapped at the other wolf’s paw as he struggled to free himself from the snow.

  Crippling him for the moment, Brady took his opportunity to strike at the injured wolf, aiming for the delicate area under his neck; but fast as he could, the other wolf rolled away and dove back into the fight, snarling at Brady.

  Snow flew up from their scrambling paws as each wolf moved to counter the other. They circled slowly, waiting for the right moment to strike, taking nips where they could and lunging when any bit of underbelly might be exposed.

  Brady sized up his opponent. Definitely a fighter. Quick to evade as he was, the wolf had some training in the art of combat. But he was working with an injured paw. Brady’s early strike had given him the advantage, and if he could force the other wolf to push his injury too far, it would weaken him.

  Brady dove again, snarling and snapping his jaw, forcing the other wolf to retreat a few paces until he backed into a tree trunk.

  O
ne small turn of the head to confirm what he’d run into was all Brady needed. He pounced, connecting with the back of the wolf’s neck, and bit down hard as he could, digging his teeth in until the coppery tang of victory tickled his tongue.

  With a yelp of pain, the other wolf tried to shake him off, but Brady had the upper hand. He clamped his jaw tighter and jerked his head from side to side, tearing flesh, ripping out fur, coating his muzzle in blood.

  Perhaps sensing the severity of his injuries made the other wolf more volatile and his movements faster and more unpredictable. He turned on Brady with surprising speed the moment his teeth slipped free, so quickly that Brady lost his grip and slid a few inches in the snow.

  Snarling, the other wolf snapped wildly as he lunged at Brady and connected with scruff of his neck, pulling away a muzzle full of hair.

  Swinging around to regain his footing, Brady turned on the other wolf.

  Mad with anger or pain – probably both – the other wolf reared up, looking more bear than wolf, leaving Brady an easy opening. He sprinted forward and knocked the other wolf on his back, sinking half a foot into a large pile of snow.

  Brady towered over the fallen wolf, ready to strike a final blow. The arrogant beast was still trying to put up a fight, kicking his paws up into Brady’s belly, but he was in no position to do him any harm now.

  For the briefest of moments, Brady considered letting the bastard live – if only long enough to get information out of him. But he doubted there would be anything of quality if he did, and with precious little time to get back to Rachel, he made quick work of ending his enemy.

  He shifted once the wolf had stopped twitching and picked up the blood-soaked corpse to carry back to the compound.

  Killer or no, this wolf would not be left in the woods to be found by anyone. He’d be tossed on a funeral pyre, as was their custom.

  NINE

  Brady arrived back at the compound undetected, despite carrying a dead wolf in his arms. Offering Rachel as a prize had certainly gotten the attention of all the eligible wolves, and those who were not fighting stood on the sidelines placing bets on who’d win the current fight.