Her Guardian Angel (Fire and Snow)(20)

Chapter Six

Cole slammed his ute door shut in anger. Fired. Bloody hell. He'd been careful; made sure he left no proof. No one could prove he lit the damn fire, but because he and Ben were seen arguing with the captain, they both got sacked. He'd arrived home before he realized it. He was so damn mad he just wasn't tracking. He stormed up to his front door and slammed through it. Out of habit his eyes instantly searched for his slave. She stood in the middle of the room, still as a statue with her eyes wide in shock. He stood still and watched in admiration as the color drained from her face. She started to shake as she obviously read the mood he was in.

That's right, slave, you and me are going to go a few rounds tonight.

He knew that because it was only eleven in the morning, she wouldn't have been expecting him. He also knew she could read him well enough to know she was in for one hell of a night. He stalked up to her, unlocked the collar, grabbed her arm and dragged her downstairs. He didn't have the patience to wait for her to greet him properly today. He needed to vent, calm down, get his focus back and she was the perfect tool for him to do it. She stumbled along after him down the stairs then into the basement. He shoved her ahead of him into the room. He didn't draw things out like he normally did. Normally he took his time, enjoying her shaking in fear of what was to come.

Not today.

Today he needed his release too badly.

He quickly got her wrists in the cuffs and hung her on the hook. He stood back a moment to look her over; fucking beautiful. He'd only been working on her for a few months, yet she was already on the verge of becoming a woman. She must be older than he originally had thought; sometimes being wrong was a good thing. Her breasts had grown since he first inspected her--they still had a long way to go but they were definitely getting there. She still didn't have any hair, but that suited him. He liked to be able to see all of her.

"Look at you, slave. You're becoming a woman so quickly. I don't have the patience to deflower you tonight but tomorrow I think. Yeah, definitely tomorrow I'll be up for taking you. Up your training, make you completely mine. That's what I'll do. What do you think about that, slave? Ready to be mine, completely, forever?"

He watched her eyes as they dulled, lost focus, almost like a piece of her just died. Good, she was accepting her place. When he saw her tears start, he smiled evilly. He had just about broken her spirit; once that happened she would truly be wholly his. Mind, body, soul--completely his.

~ * ~

As Alpha of Australia's Continental Leap, Jake was entrusted to make sure certain tasks were completed; the Search being one of the main ones. Fifteen years after the last comet passing was the year 2001. In that year, the fourteen shifters who had been conceived when the comet passed would have shifted for the first time. The responsibility to find each continent's new shifter pair has always fallen to the Alpha of that continent's Continental Leap, but in the last year the Council of Alphas had decided to start searching for other lost shifters too, the ones that had been orphaned, adopted or simply lost track of. They were all lost in a world that didn't understand them. The Alpha of each Leap would constantly watch news reports and search online for strange sightings and the like. Then they would go or send someone on their behalf to go and find them. They would either be brought into the closest Leap, or time would be spent educating them so they can stay where they currently were. It was a massive task. They each started by drawing up a family tree, writing a list of known missing shifters and whether they would be an adult or a child. The next step was to consolidate the lists so if they had moved continent, they could still be found.

Jake looked up from his desk as his son, Dominic, walked in. He'd grown into such a good strong man. Despite his strength, he was not violent in the least. He'd always exuded a calm aura that radiated to those around him. He very rarely lost his cool no matter what happened. He was a man Jake was proud to call his son. He knew he would make an excellent Alpha when his time came.

"Heard you were looking for me," Dominic said as he took a seat opposite him.

"I'm sure you've noticed. I've been getting more and more involved with the Search and other Alpha matters of late, and it's beginning to take up a considerable amount of my time."

"Yeah, I know. You're doing a great job. There's got to be so many lost shifters out there struggling," Dominic said with more than a bit of pain in his voice. Compassion was another trait his son had in spades.

"Thanks, son. Well, the problem is your mother would like to see me every now and then." He quietly chuckled at Dominic's wince. "So, I've decided I'm going to step down as captain here at the station. I just don't have the time. I've recommended you be promoted to captain and the State Office has agreed--so long as you want it, that is. So, from now on when you're not out in the field, you'll be working in here learning from me so I can show you the ropes and get you settled."