Wolfe's Den (Wolfe Creek Book 1)(5)

Fear started to course through me. Catherine was going to be a target.  My sudden urge not to reveal the truth about her was my natural need to  protect her. How I was going to keep her a secret was a mystery. She  would be hard to hide because she wouldn't have a pack or story we could  use to keep her safe. I noticed Kane was getting antsy and his heart  was racing. I started to wonder if he knew something and was hiding it.

Creed tapped my shoulder as I examined his kin. "You look lost in thought. I knew one day you'd come for these answers."

"What do you mean?" I asked earnestly.

He knowingly smiled, then asked, "You've found her, haven't you?"

"I have, but please don't tell anyone," I pleaded.

"Hunter, I look to you as one of my own. There is no way I would tell a  soul about her, but I'm afraid there will be no way to hide it. You must  mark her as yours as soon as possible, the only problem is she has to  agree to be yours."

"Is it because she's human that I have been dreaming of her for the past  six months. Dreams about mating and marking her?" The instant I said  that Kane turned to me with his eyes wide open. I wondered what could be  on his mind and I was starting to get an idea.

"Yes, since she is not one of us she doesn't feel the pull like you do.  She doesn't crave you like you crave her, but dreaming of her for the  past six months may make her more receptive to you," Creed added, which  alarmed me, but seem to soothe Kane.

"Damn it, I have to make her want me. How am I supposed to do that? I've  never had the urge to mate before. I've never tried to charm a woman  into anything."

"Hunter, it will come naturally. You mustn't worry. No male knows what  to do with a woman before they begin the mating dance. It comes to them  and the mate that is meant for them, so they could never not please  them. You're fated to each other."

"But she's different."

"Are you afraid that you won't feel as strongly to her?"

"No, if anyone feels like I do at the moment, I would grieve with them. I  feel like I'm in a perpetual state of longing to be at her side. I want  to please her, and I don't even know her. My heart is pounding just at  the thought of seeing her."

"Your bond will be the strongest of all. It will bring resentment from  others and that's why the Alpha is the only one to possess a human  mate." I will need to be strong for her.

"How many have there been?" Kane asked.

"Only a handful throughout our five thousand years. It's so rare because it takes a supreme Alpha to handle a human mate."

"Because some may want to hurt her?" Kane interjected.

"Yes, there's that, but also the human tendencies. They possess free  will. She doesn't have to choose you. You may fuck her, but she may not  accept you as her mate for life," Creed explained.

Kane and I snarled as I stood up and asked in outrage, "What do you mean?"

"Just as I said, unlike us, most humans take more than one lover. Many  human females get divorced and have children with several men."

"That's not happening. She's mine," I roared.

"Then you must make her love you, like you love her. How is she in your dreams? Does she fear you or does she welcome you?"                       
       
           



       

"She welcomes me," I breathed, it was a bonus that in my dreams she wasn't scared. Kane growled and rushed out the front door.

"Don't worry about him. I take it his dream mate doesn't like him."

"How long has he been dreaming?"

"They just started two days ago, but as for you it's a good sign that  she's into you because that means she'll make it a little easier for you  to win her heart," he said before taking a drink from his coffee. I  didn't need coffee, I needed something stronger. "But do note that she's  like all female mates, if not worse. She won't be as submissive as our  shifter mates. It's that whole free will attitude. I would recommend  fucking her into submission when she gets out of line."

I actually laughed, but my dick was starting ache as I thought about  breeding her. The sooner she was bred, the safer she would be.

"Do you happen to know how long their pregnancy lasts?" I wanted to know  how long I would need to be crazy protective. Kane should have stayed,  but I knew he shifted and went on a run. That would be crazy if there  were two Alphas with human mates.

"Let me see. There's a book here somewhere," he said absentmindedly as  he started looking for it. He went back to the shelf I'd been looking  at.

"Ah, yes, here it is." He pulled out this massive book that looked very  old and partially burnt. It must have been around during the fire, so it  was really old.

"Your ancestor was the last one to record any information about the  human female. Let's see what she had to say regarding pregnancy and  pups," Creed remarked as he opened the book and searched for the passage  on the mating:

June 21st, 1665

Callum is so worried about the birth of our babe. I know he's afraid  that someone will come after me, and he'll lose me forever. I won't let  that happen. I love him too much. I don't know if he knows it, but I  loved from the start. They may believe that I have a choice in the  matter, but I know I don't. Even though he irritated me the first time  we met, all I could think about was how I wanted to see him again. He is  why I exist.

August 10th, 1665

I'm growing fast and today was the first day that I felt them move. I  can sense there is more than one child, or pup as I have to get used to  referring our babes as. I wonder if my time will last as long as normal  humans or as short as the shifters' three months. I have a feeling that  it is longer because I do not believe they are ready to be born soon.

October 14th, 1665

No, my birthing hasn't occurred yet; however, I am starting to feel very  different. Callum is worried about the threat to me and our unborn  pups. He senses danger, but I think he's being absurd. No one has been  cruel to me, in fact, they have been wonderful. Even his Beta, who  looked at me peculiarly, has been extremely courteous.

January 28, 1666

Still heavy with the pups. I think the birth will be coming soon, I feel  more pain than I did the day before. I have not spoken to Callum about  it because he already seems upset about something. Tension amongst the  pack has grown to new levels. Frederick Lake, his Beta is getting a  little more defiant toward Callum. It scares me that he could be harmed  should Frederick betray him. My dear mate tells me that it will be well,  however I fear that will not be the case.

February 3, 1666

Our life changed so quickly on the 31st of January. We have our two  pups, Callum and George, but the pack has changed in more ways than  that. Frederick challenged Callum. They both nearly died before  Frederick reached me and the newborn pups. Something happened when he  approached; for the first time I shifted. It slowed his attack, but it  was then that Callum was able to strike the fatal bite.

Those that had been loyal to Lake were forced out of the pack. We now  hold their properties as our own. It was unpleasant to take their lands,  but it was a part of their pack regulations. Even though Lake is gone I  fear this trouble is only just the beginning.



"So it seems it takes as long as it does for a human female," I said.  Then I thought about it, Rocky's last name is Lake. "Wait, is my Beta  related to the original Lakes?"

Creed took a long drink before nodded his head. "Yes, he is. Your  grandfather allowed them to return to the pack. Something I never agreed  with because the Grey family still held all the Lake's possessions as  their own, and I feared the resentment. They became the Betas again when  your father was born." We sat there as I thought about the tension I  had with Rocky since I'd become the Alpha. Could he still harbor hatred  from the past?

He looked at me with all sincerity and stated bluntly, "Just be careful  with him. I don't know what his mentality is to the past or if he's even  aware of it."                       
       
           



       

"I will," I said solemnly.

"I need to call Chloe. Excuse me." I stepped out on the front porch to  breath in the cool night air just as Kane was returning in wolf form.

"Hey, Kane. Did the run help?"

"No, but I'm sure you know that already."

"Yeah, but I hope it doesn't last as long for you as it did me."

"Thanks," he muttered before he went into the house to shift.

I dialed her number knowing she was probably asleep, but I needed talk  to her. "Hunter, don't worry. I have everything under control for  tomorrow," she sighed sleepily.