A Wolf's Oath (52 page)

“
If you’re trying to get help from the snipers that were
positioned not too far from here then I think I should inform you
it isn’t coming. They’re already dead.”

“
Just like you.”

The deadly whisper had the hairs on the back of Vincent's
neck rising in terror. His scream filled the air as his fragile
human bones broke under Sebastian's grip.

“
My arm!” he screamed, looking down at the limb hanging
uselessly from his side. “My arm!”

“
Now you can’t shoot anyone, trust me it’s a good thing but I
wouldn’t be worried about your arm, I’d be more concerned for your
life. It’s going to get a whole lot worse for you soon. Run,” he
hissed. “Run.”

The change washed over him and as he scanned his surroundings
with new eyes he found that Vincent had taken his advise and fled
leaving only Erica and himself, both in lupine form in front of the
house. A low snarl slipped past his lips as she trotted to his
side. She snarled back in return, refusing to be cowed, she was
going with him and that was that. A resigned sigh left his lips.
They ran in perfect unison, following the easily identifiable trail
Vincent had left behind in his haste. The scent of fear was heavy
in the air as they closed in on their prey and Erica couldn’t help
but smile. The man she was hunting had hunted not only her, but her
family, it would feel good when he was dead. Vincent quickly came
into their line of sight, he hadn’t managed to get far away with
two wolves on his trail. They howled long and loud in warning
before they fell on him, tearing, clawing and biting away at the
man with a ferocity that only wild animals are capable of
possessing. Within minutes, Vincent was dead, his corpse laying
cold against the ground, his blood staining the earth but Erica
couldn’t stop. Her claws continued to shred, her mind a haze of
fury and anger. Sebastian pulled back, changing into his human form
and dragging his mate from Vincent, smiling as she transformed in
his arms.

He held her close to his chest, gently stroking the long
strands of her hair. “It’s ok sweetheart, he’s gone. You’ll never
have to worry about him again.” She shuddered in his arms and he
held her closer. “I thought I told you to take the children and
run,” he whispered against her hair.

“
Wyatt has already healed. Him and Dylan are safe. Besides, I
thought I told you to try and keep yourself alive. Being this
reckless could have gotten you killed if I hadn’t dealt with the
men in the trees.”

“
I would apologise but I don’t feel sorry for doing what’s
necessary to protect my mate, my family. Him and all like him
deserved to die after what they did to you, I can’t help it if when
it comes to you I can’t seem to think straight.”

“
I guess I’m not the only one who’s stubborn,” she
chuckled.

He laughed, “You love me anyway.”

“
I do and you know it. Sebastian?” she breathed.

“
What is it?”

“
Let’s go home. I don’t care who knows that we’re mated; I
don’t care if your whole family knows. It’s not as though I’m
ashamed of you, I couldn’t be prouder to have you as a mate. I just
want to go home,” she sighed.

“
I couldn’t agree with you more Erica, let’s go
home.”

Epilogue

The cabin that Erica had always called home was small, a fact
she had always known. When her father had built it over two hundred
years ago, the family he’d intended it for had been correspondingly
small so size hadn’t been an issue. Even as the family had grown
with the addition of Dylan and Wyatt, it had contracted at the same
time with the death of her own twin sister not long after their
birth. Size had never been an issue until now. Her home was now
bursting at the seams with members of Sebastian's family and in
comparison to her own family of four, there was an awful lot of
them. His mother, his father, his brother, his cousin, his cousin’s
mate, his aunt, his uncle…the list seemed endless and that wasn’t
even taking into consideration all the people they’d brought with
them. Her head was reeling from the sheer number of introductions
she’d had to undergo. Now it was spinning for an all together
different reason.

The reason her home was now overflowing with guests was also
the reason for her massive headache. Her new extended family had
descended on her familial home to help her move to her new one. The
cabin was a whirlwind of activity as furniture, clothes and all of
their many possessions were packed and moved. She’d never thought
of herself as particularly emotional but the idea of leaving behind
the only home she’d ever known was beginning to get to her. She
walked outside, resisting the urge to run because of all the
attention it would result in, attention that she didn’t want
especially when there were so many people around. She should have
known better than to expect she’d be left alone. Sebastian's rich
scent enveloped her before his arms did, wrapping her in the safety
of his arms.

He pressed gentle kisses against the side of her neck before
he spoke, the simple touch calming her more than she would ever
have thought possible before she’d found her mate. “What’s wrong
sweetheart?”

She shrugged. “Nothing.”

“
Don’t lie Erica,” he growled pulling her tighter against him,
his grip possessive and unyielding.

“
I’m not lying, it’s genuinely nothing for you to be concerned
about. It’s just me being stupid.”

“
You know there’s nothing about you that isn’t of interest to
me. Tell me.”

She sighed, the air leaving her lungs in a long breath. “I’m
going to miss this place that’s all. It’s all I’ve ever known and I
never once thought that I’d have to leave.”

“
Because you never thought you’d be mated,” he
suggested.

“
Exactly. This place has been my life since…well since
forever.”

“
I’m sorry.”

“
For what Sebastian?”

“
It’s my fault you have to move.” She didn’t respond, how could
she? It was true. Instead, her gaze was drawn to the surroundings
she’d spent her life in, taking in as much as she could before they
were forced to part. “Erica, we don’t have to go.”

“
What?”

“
I said we don’t have to leave. If the idea of leaving upsets
you this much then I’m not going to go through with it.”

“
How is that possible? You’re a Lord Sebastian, you have to be
within your clan. You have to be near to the people you’re meant to
lead.”

“
And you’re a Lady now Erica, never forget that.”

“
Sebastian,” she groaned in frustration.

“
I want you to be happy, I’m perfectly willing to give up the
power that comes with my title to make that happen.”

“
And what would happen to your clan Sebastian?”

“
The clan understand that a mate takes priority. Besides, they
still have my father and Ryan. They’ll manage fine without
me.”

Her eyes wandered back to the cabin, taking in the many
people that filled it through the windows. She watched as Alex
tried to lift a simple box only for Tobias to scold her into
putting it down. She watched as Ryan ran round the house, chasing
after her laughing siblings in what she assumed was some sort of
game. She watched her new mother in law gently wrap up delicate
items for transit, her sister at her side giving others orders for
where exactly everything was meant to go and as she watched her
newly enlarged family, a smile crept onto her face. Sebastian had
come into her life and shaken her small little world to its very
foundations and change that had been a long time coming was finally
here. If she wanted to truly be happy in her new life with him she
would have to change.

“
No Sebastian, this move is going to happen, today.”

His brows furrowed in confusion. “Erica?”

“
This is my new life Sebastian, these people are my new family
and I have to accept that, I want to accept that. I want to change.
I remember everything now. I remember all the sacrifices you made
for me, I remember how hard you tried to stay faithful to my
wishes, the least I can do is this. Besides, the cabin is far too
small for us to have any family celebrations in it and what happens
if say a few years down the line we decide to add to our small
family with an addition or three of our own? Remember according to
Alex, I have to name a child after her.”

“
She was only kidding!” he exclaimed.

Laughing, she turned in his arms, her own arms moving to loop
around his neck. “I know. Anyway, it isn’t as though we’ll never
come back here. I can see the place whenever I want.” Her smile
warmed him more than the sun and relief filled him as she pulled
his head down for a searing kiss. He pulled her closer, slipping
his tongue past the seam of her lips and tangling it with hers. The
kiss continued gaining momentum and ferocity as their wolves sidled
up to their thoughts making them increasingly desperate for each
other, pressing for contact of a more intimate nature.

The sound of discreet coughing forced their lips to part,
their eyes scanning their surroundings in search of who the sound
had originated from. A familiar scent assaulted Sebastian's
sensitive nose and his lips curled back in a snarl as soon as his
eyes landed on Anna’s small form.

“
What are you doing here?” he snarled, stepping forward while
pushing Erica further behind him, prepared to use his own body as a
shield to protect her from whatever her apparent friend might
do.

“
I came to talk to Eric.”

“
I thought I told you not to call me that Anna.”

Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. “I’m
sorry.”

“
For what exactly?” Erica's eyes narrowed, her mind merging
further with that of her very pissed off wolf. “For calling me
Eric? For trying to stop me from being happy? Or for trying to have
my mate killed?”

“
For all of it Erica.”

“
Don’t apologise to me,” she hissed in response. “Apologise to
Sebastian, he’s the one that deserves it.”

Anna’s eyes shifted to look at Sebastian all traces of
remorse leaving her as soon as they landed on him. She hesitated
before speaking. “I can’t Erica. I can’t.”

“
Why not?”

“
I’ve hated him for too long.”

“
For no actual reason. What happened to your brothers was a
tragedy but it had nothing to do with Sebastian. Now either you
apologise or this conversation is over.”

Anna’s head fell, her shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry Erica, I
can’t.”

“
Don’t worry about this sweetheart,” Sebastian began calmly,
clearly hoping to reassure her. “I don’t need her to apologise to
me.” He stepped forward, barely resisting the urge to rip Anna’s
head from her shoulders. “No apology could ever be good enough
after what you did. You don’t seem to realise what exactly it is
that you’ve done. You plotted murder Anna. Yes, you’re a Lady but
it doesn’t change the fact that you tried to kill a fellow Lord. I
can even get over the fact you tried to kill me Anna but what I
can’t forgive is what your actions led to. Wyatt was shot because
of you.” She gasped in surprise. “There’s no need to look so
shocked,” he pressed, stepping closer to her, his voice soft but
menacing. “You tried to ally with the hunters, what did you expect
was going to happen, that they would just leave Erica and the kids
alone?”

She stuttered, unable to comprehend what he was saying. “I,
I, I…”

“
I’m going to take that as a yes. How could you be such a
fool?”

“
Is Wyatt alright?”

“
He’s fine now. He’s a brave boy,” Erica inserted. “I couldn’t
be prouder of them or more ashamed of you. Despite all you’ve done
Anna, I think that under some misguided logic you really thought
that you were doing what was best for me.” Anna nodded
enthusiastically in response. “But if you can’t change, aren’t
willing to accept the past, then I’m sorry but I don’t want to hear
any more. Maybe in a few hundred years you’ll realise the mistake
you’ve made and try to make up for it then but until that time I
want nothing to do with you.”

“
Yes,” Sebastian agreed. “I think that would be the perfect
punishment for you and your misguided logic. You’re never going to
see Erica or our family again Anna, we want nothing to do with
you.”

“
I’m moving to the Southern clan with my mate and I have every
intention of being blissfully happy Anna. I’m not sure the same
applies to you but that’s your choice, if you want to wallow in
something beyond your control and do things that hurt innocent
people then Sebastian's right, we’re never going to see each other
again and after what happened to Wyatt, I’m glad of that
fact.”

Her heart was sinking with each word she spoke, this was
Anna, her best friend but until she agreed to see reason, there was
nothing she could do. Sebastian tightened his grip on her, laving
gently at his mark in a silent show of support. Her body trembled
in anticipation with the simple swipe of his tongue. Reacting as
though he’d already seduced her, her body was becoming damp with
desire and suddenly Anna didn’t seem all that important. She needed
to get the move over and done with so she could get her mate alone
and he could quench the fire he’d so easily started within her
body.