Bound to the Tribe (Bound to the Pack, #2) (11 page)

“Who could tell the
elder council
to do something?” I couldn’t keep the incredulity from my voice, it was a ridiculous thought. Maybe there was a council of even
older
elders somewhere? It made no sense

Looking around, I saw that all of the elders were uncomfortable. It was some time before Logan spoke. “The Primes.” The two words hung in the air and caused a stir among the gathered elders.

“Who, what are the Primes?” I had never heard anything about them before.

“Primes are alphas that have bonded with a human.” The moose looked between Jen and I. “If you are allowed to live, you may become Primes yourselves.”

“Why haven’t I ever heard of them before?” I asked. I hadn’t even heard the name.

“Seriously?” The bear laughed bitterly. “Only tribal elders are told of them. Can you imagine the chaos if this were general knowledge? Humans would be being bonded left and right by force!”

It made sense when he put it that way. It would mean the end of our way of life, likely an end to us all. The total exposure of shifters to the human world.

“So.” Logan looked around. “What are we to do?”

“Kill them,” the bear said simply, and the fox nodded.

“Can we?” The moose stared at Jen and I. She stared defiantly back, smelling ready for a fight... and still without fear.

The fox took a step closer, preparing to shift. “Of course we can.” He’d be small, but would have a better chance against me than in his human form. He paused when no one else moved to join him, not even his bear co-conspirator. He required numbers to challenge me.

“Really,” Logan chuckled wryly. “We’re going to kill a
Prime
and his mate? And a true pairing, at that?”

The fox blinked and stepped back, far less sure of himself. “Perhaps you are right.”

“We should send word back to the Primes and let them know of these developments,” the moose spoke with the others nodding. “I don’t believe there is a true pair among them, this may be the first in known history.”

“They should have a watcher,” the bear spoke again, wary about attacking now.

“I will ask Ian, acceptable?” Logan waited for their nods before finishing. “It is decided then.”

All of the elders began to disperse, following the same route out that the alphas had. Logan walked up and gestured for us to follow him, a bit behind the other elders. “It goes without saying that you can’t speak of this to anyone. Ian knows, as the next eldest behind me he was privy to much of this knowledge already.” He walked silently for a moment, looking ahead to ensure we weren’t close enough to be overheard.

He paused to let the others get further away, turning to look at Jen and I thoughtfully. We remained silent and, after a time, he continued. “Your sister will be spoken to about keeping this silent, Ian is to watch her as well. Do not let her speak of this to others. It is sadly fortunate that she has essentially exiled herself by living in the human world for so long.” He shook his head. “That will leave Troy as the final shifter that knows of your bonding.”

“He betrayed us once already, we can’t trust that he will not do so again,” I growled. It would mean Kris or I would have to ensure his silence.

“So quick to kill after escaping your own execution, Liam?” Logan asked sadly.

“No,” I sighed, “But I must protect my pack. What alternatives are there?”

“He may be inclined to accept bribes for his silence. Either human money or...” He looked at me, face unreadable. “He may require that Kris bond him.”

Jen stiffened beside me. “No! We can’t force her into that!”

“And instead have him talk? Or murder him simply because he witnessed a shifter break one of our most sacred laws and reported it?” Logan grew angrier with each word he spoke. “He did
nothing
wrong, you are the criminals. And he was heartbroken from what had happened with Kristen.”

I nodded slowly, reluctantly. Logan was correct but I wasn’t required to like it.

“Good. Now, I must run ahead to prepare the feast.” He grinned suddenly. “We have a new alpha and his mate to welcome into the clan.” He smiled at us warmly and, after regarding us both for a moment, turned back to the path ahead and began walking away, moving to catch up with the other elders.

Jen and I stood for a moment before following some distance behind. As we left the sacred site I began to laugh, Jen joining in immediately. We suddenly had our whole lives together ahead of us, and even though we faced some troubling problems immediately, I would apparently live to face them.

It truly was a good day to be alive.

Jen

K
risten hugged Liam for what seemed an eternity, but I couldn’t blame her. A few hours ago he had been walking to his death. An insane roller coaster ride later and we left the sacred site hand in hand, alive...

And him now an alpha.

“I had hoped,” Kris said, releasing him and stepping back to smile at us both, “But I didn’t really think it was possible. Only you.” She poked him in the chest. “Could get away with bonding a human!”

“You are to keep that a secret.” He smiled down at her. “Only the elders, Ian, you, and Troy know of the bond. To all others I took a mate without permission and was reprimanded for it.”

“And apparently all we have to do is say ‘true pair’ and everyone will believe it.” I smiled as I spoke. I couldn’t
stop
smiling if I had to.

“Yeah,” Kris nodded, chuckling as we began to walk back to our cabin. “It’s the perfect catch all and nobody will question him getting away with an unauthorized mating.”

Mmm, mating.

Now that everything was looking up, I was going to work out the past few days’ tension and stress in a
very
fun way. Liam looked at me hungrily and I knew his thoughts were following the same route as my own.

But first, a feast.

The village was already a flurry of activity as we left the trees behind and followed the trail to the road. Men, women, and children ran every which way smiling broadly. Apparently shifters really enjoyed any reason to celebrate.

There was also a noticeable difference in everyone’s attitude towards me. When I had first arrived in the village I was just the human that Liam had taken as a mate without getting permission first.

But now?

Now I was the newly minted alpha’s mate, complete with the elder council’s stamp of approval. The rumors of my being a mind reader didn’t hurt either.

For a moment, I wondered how we would be able to hide or stop those rumors, but then I decided to just let it go. We would just say ‘true pair!’ to any questions. A human-shifter true pair was apparently rare to the point of being mythical.

Who knew what super powers it would give us?

The activity intensified as we made our way towards the heart of the reservation, the village green. Tables were already laid out everywhere, streamers were going up, there were even musicians tuning instruments on a stage.

A figure came trotting towards us and I tensed slightly as I recognized Aaron. Surprisingly he was smiling at us, not glaring. It changed his whole appearance and made him look even younger. He had traded in his pelts for a far more modern wardrobe as well.

“I just wanted to apologize for how I acted yesterday,” he spoke quickly, blushing. “You were right of course. One heartbreak isn’t a reason to hate all humans.”

“It’s ok, matters of the heart can screw with the best of us.” I smiled at him and Liam barked a laugh beside me.

“Could,” Aaron began weakly, “Could I have your blessing? Please? If, if it’s not too much to ask of course!” He added the last when he mistook my confusion for anger.

Doing a quick read of him, I was able to get the gist of what he wanted and I smiled, easing some of the tension from the jumpy boy.

I reached up and put a hand on his shoulder and said simply, “May you be successful in whatever you hunt.”

Smiling, he stammered another quick thanks before returning to the preparations for the feast. I caught Liam and Kris sharing a grin as I turned back to them.

“Get used to that,” Kris chuckled, “A pack’s alpha female is seen as a spiritual leader, mystical.”

“Even though we aren’t bonded?” I looked pointedly at her and got a grin in return.

“Since shifters
can’t
bond with humans, being his mate is as far as law allows. It might not be enough to see you as a pack alpha usually but,” she laughed, eyes twinkling, “Since you’ve demonstrated
actual
magical abilities I think most will overlook your human handicap.”

“Magic? Hardly,” I laughed, shaking my head.

“Oh?” Liam hugged me close to his side. “If not magic, then what?”

“Well.” I looked between the two of them. “You know how you can look into a puppy's eyes and know he’s been up to no good? Just like that, but easier.”

Kris swatted my arm as we all shared a laugh and began walking through the milling crowds again. Liam took the lead as we approached a small group of alphas I recognized from earlier. Catching sight of us as we approached they parted, revealing Ian in their midst.

“Well lad.” He extended a hand to Liam who clasped it firmly. “It looks like my pack has lost one.” A small smile cracked his lips. “But I knew it was only a matter of time before you pulled your head out of your ass and started a pack of your own. Well done.”

Liam stood taller, smiling at his old pack alpha and shaking his hand. “Thank you, old man.” The group chuckled as Ian laughed softly.

Standing beside Liam, I basked in the wonder of a new page in my life,
our
lives. I didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, but we would be meeting it head on.

****

L
iam closed the cottage door as Kristen left, moving to a cabin of her own nearby. It had been an amazing evening full of music, dancing, and so much food! Everything had been wonderful and Kristen’s prediction had come true, I had been approached by more shifters than I could keep track of asking for blessings.

But now, finally, I was alone with Liam and we didn’t have the worries over our fates weighing in on us any longer.

It was time to celebrate.

Liam turned to face me and my heart skipped a beat before coming back in force, setting my pulse racing. His eyes were lit with lust as a slow grin found its way across his face.

When the heavy click of the door’s deadbolt falling into place sounded in the silence around us I turned to run. Thinking to draw this out slightly, playfully, I barely made it across the room before he appeared in front of me and caught me in his arms.

A breathless second later he had me pressed to the wall nearby, trapping me with his body against my own. The feel of him, all muscle and desire, set my own desire skyrocketing and I whimpered softly as he leaned in to nuzzle my neck.

“Not so fast love.” The breath of his whispers caressing my neck sent chills down my spine. “I haven’t forgotten the torment you put me through just the other day.”

My pulse rang in my ears and sang between my thighs as his hands began to caress my sides lightly. He kept me pinned to the wall with his body alone as his hands found their way under my sweatshirt and his fingers passed lightly up and down any exposed skin they could find.

“You will repay me for that, and I promise to collect soon.” He pulled back only far enough to look into my eyes. “But right now you are mine to take.”

My reply died only partially formed in my mind as he wrapped one arm around my waist, pulling me forward. His other hand found the clasp of my bra and ripped it apart with ease using only a few fingers, completely destroying it in the process.

Not that I could care.

Sliding both of his hands back up, he removed everything between him and my chest. He brought the clothes up my arms, over my body, and tossed them aside blindly. As the fabric passed over my face I found his lips pressing against my own, hungry to taste me.

My hands fumbled uselessly at his sides, any attempt they made at removing his shirt failed as my thoughts kept melting in the heat of his kiss. I found myself needing his support against the wall as I lost myself in the force of his passion.

I gasped for air when he pulled back slightly, removing his own shirt to expose the ridges and hard planes of his perfectly sculpted body. A wave of heat flared within me as he kept me pinned to the wall using only his waist.

The shape of his rock hard cock was pressing against me and I wouldn’t have moved, even if I wasn’t pressed to a wall.

He leaned back in to kiss and nip at my neck and collarbone and I gasped in pleasure as one of his legs came up between my own. Grinding my pussy against his thigh quickly had me panting in lust, my muscles gripping at nothing, wishing he was filling me.

Pressing his chest to mine, crushing my breasts between us, sent more pulses to my already scorching desire as my nipples rubbed against him. His hands danced their way down my sides to the waistband of my sweatpants and he pushed them and my panties down enough for them to fall to my ankles.

He brought his arms back up slowly and grasped my wrists, raising my arms just over my head where he pinned them there with one hand. His other hand raced over every inch of skin they could reach, leaving fire in their wake.

I let out a gasp as his fingers found my womanhood, and a finger began tracing the line from top to bottom and back again, spreading my wetness. A moment later he pressed a finger inside me while deftly using his thumb on my clit.

I was quickly at the cusp of orgasm.

His mouth kissed a slow trail down my neck towards my breasts and with each brush of them against my flesh I came that much closer to release. Bringing one of my nipples into his mouth and caressing it with his tongue had me climaxing on his finger.

He continued his ministrations, never slowing, while my body rode out its ecstasy, gripping his finger. Still held against the wall by his other hand I trembled as the waves of pleasure slowly receded.

He smiled at me hungrily as he pulled his finger out slowly, savoring the twitches my body rewarded him with. “My turn,” he growled softly before leading me from the wall by my still clasped wrists.