Charming The Warriors (The Charmer) (17 page)

              Waking in a mass of black duvets covers. Sallack’s room!

             
“Sallack?”

He walks out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist and one round his neck, rubbing his black shaggy hair. He
’s just out of the shower as I notice water dripping from his abs! God the man is mesmerizing.

             
“Sorry if I woke you, you fell asleep on me last night so brought you up here, I hope you don’t mind?”

             
“No it’s fine, thank you for taking care of me. Oh wait, where’s Den?”

             
“He’s fine don’t worry, he took a room on the 2
nd
floor. We didn’t get to bed till late, so he stayed the night also.”

             
“Oh ok, has he left for work or can I see him?”

             
“No he is here, having breakfast with the others. I have spoke to John and told him Den will be busy with pack business for a while”

             
“John is he a Werewolf to?”

             
“Yes he is. He understands it’s important that Den needs to be with the pack for now.”

             
“Oh, ok.”

             
I’m extremely happy for Den to have found his place in life, but sad at the thought of losing him, but I understand that this is what he needs to do to fill in the gaps of his new found life. Sallack sits on the bed and pulls me on his lap.

             
“Zara, please stay with me while Den is here, I would like you to understand our ways, meet the pack and spend time with me? The pack brothers’ won’t be working, we are staying to help Den meet the pack and settle in. Besides we want to keep you safe.”

             
“I don’t want to intrude in your life in this way; it wouldn’t be fair of me.”

             
“I have never begged for anything or anyone before, but please stay with me, I want you with me, I need you, as does Den.”

S
allack growls, his eyes glowing slightly.

             
“Ok, I will stay, but I need to get a few things from home.”

             
“Done, Julian and Den are walking out the door as we speak, Julian has told Den you agreed to stay, he will get your things.”

He kisses me with passion and desire. I kiss him back, matching his emotions, as he leans back on the bed, rolling me on my side.

              “Thanks Alpha,” I say with a smile and wink.

             
“Ah I like that.” He grins down at me.

             
“How did you become the Alpha?”

He has already told
Den and I that to be an Alpha, you are born into the roll, or you fight the then Alpha for the pack to become their Alpha.

             
“My father was attacked and killed one night on patrol by a rival pack, I was only 18, but I justified that I was strong enough to take the role of pack Alpha.”

             
“Im sorry. That must have been terrible.”

             
“It was, but as Alpha you have to show your strengths never your weaknesses. Our pack is the largest and strongest in America, I’m very proud to have my pack stand at my side”

             
“Will I get to meet your mother?”
              “No beautiful, I would have loved her to have met you, but she was murdered days after my father was attacked.”

Oh my
God, why did I have to ask such questions, I feel terrible bringing this back up for him.

             
“Zara, I'm ok it was a long time ago, I was angry then, I took my revenge on the men who did this. Don’t cry for me beautiful.”

I
can’t help the tears from falling, thinking of all Sallack has had to deal with, he truly is a rightful Alpha, I feel privileged to be held by him.

             
“I’m sorry Sallack for all you have been through”

             
“Zara I have never cried a day in my life, but you, you’re the most important thing to me now and forever. You have changed me from the man I was. I don’t want that life again. Never leave me beautiful; I need you to be mine until the day I die.”

His intense eyes gaze at m
e, coated in love and something unrecognizable. I want to know what he
was
like! I won’t ask though, I just hope that he stays the person he is now.

             
“Never, I promise you, I will never hurt you Sallack. I love you.”

Our lips touch as the magic enters my body, responding automatically to his delicate touch.

              “I love you beautiful, more then you will ever know.”

Chapter 1
2

When Den gets back to Sallack’s, I am in the kitchen eating fruit and yogurt. His big arms come over my shoulders and he places a tender kiss to my cheek.

             
“Thanks for staying with me babe, be back home Friday, 3 days tops.”

             
“You’re coming back with me? I thought you would want to stay here.”

             
“No babe. You and me together living our dream in our home, that’s what I want, I will see these guys every day.”

I’m overwhelmed that he still thinks of his life and home includes me.

              “If that’s what you want Den, I will support you in anything.”

             
“I know you would babe.”

              Later in the day, Den goes training with Ruk, Dom and Mickey, running, fighting and fitting in with the pack. Sallack introduces me to everyone in the pack as they all come to his house to meet Den and I. We get to meet the brothers’ parents and cousins also, which is lovely. Abbey came to see me; I was so excited to know she is a part of the pack, I knew there was something special about her. She lives on pack land with her parents and grandmother. Abbey introduced me to them at her home; they are very lovely people just like Abbey, and I love her grandmother she is what I call the perfect grandma.

              I’m standing alone in the kitchen reading a magazine, when Mary walks in, head held high as if she owns the place. She storms right up to me with a rage plastered over her beautiful face.

             
“You don’t belong here, or with Sallack! You know he is only using you right?”

             
“Uh hu, I’m sure you’d think that.” I say with an eye roll.

             
“No darling, I know it!” She says spitefully.

             
“What is your problem? It’s not my fault he doesn’t want you!”

             
“Oh he wants me alright. Like I said, he is just having fun with the new chew toy in town.”

             
“Get over yourself Mary, your acting desperate. Sallack chose to be with me! Not you! So the sooner you deal with it the better.”

             
“It won’t work out, he is an Alpha and you are a mere human, a weak human. You’d be no use at his side.”

             
“Maybe, but I am at his side. Where are you! Sniffing his rear!”

Her face turns red with anger as she lifts her hand to slap me across the face.
Luckily, for me, I see her movements. I grab her wrist and yank it away from me as she looks at me with shock and rage as she lifts her hand to swipe me again! I pull back my fist to hit her in the face, when I’m yanked from behind by strong arms.

             
“What the fuck’s going on Mary?” Sallack growls out as he struggles to hold her back from me. Den holds my back tightly to his chest, as he growls at Mary from the side of my ear, near deafening me.

             
“That dirty little whore thinks she can come in here and take what’s mine! THAT’S WHAT WRONG!” She screams at Sallack.

             
“Don’t ever call her that again you skank!” Den shouts at her with rage. I hold on to his arms that are laced over my breasts and give them a gently squeeze.

             
“I’m ok Den.” I whisper to him, pressing the side of my cheek to his.

             
“Im am not yours and I never will be! You ever raise a hand to Zara again and I will personally remove you from this pack Mary!” Sallack tells her, while pushing her away from his body in disgust.

             
“Is this a fucking joke? You would choose a human over one of your own?”

             
“To right I would, Zara
is
mine. If you can’t accept that then go, because she is going anywhere.”

             
“Sallack…”

             
“No Zara, don’t feel sorry for her. She will show you respect, I will have nothing less!”

             
Mary’s gaze catches mine; I see hurt and resentment clouded in her vision. Her eyebrows pull together as she speaks with a growl,

             
“You will regret the day you met him!”

I roll my eyes at her, angering her even more as she walks out the back door slamming it so hard
that the glass shatters. Sallack looks at me and Den clearly annoyed with Den’s arms around me from the sneer on his face. I turn and kiss Den’s cheek, releasing myself from his embrace and walk over to a fuming Sallack and wrapping my arms around his middle. Den huffs loudly and walks outside, through the glassless door.

             
“I’m sorry about her; she has been trying to mate with me for a long time. She does not take rejection well. Then and you come along and every male and his Wolf want you for their own.”

             
“No it’s fine, I can handle it. Oh what does ‘mate’ mean?”

             
“Not any more, they will be told to show you respect you deserve, you won’t need to ‘handle’ it ever again. Being a mate, is when a Wolf chooses to be with someone for the rest of their life. When mated, the two involved will share telepathy with each other, never feel the need to look to anyone for love or support. It is an unconditional love. To become a mated couple you have a ritual, blessed by their Alpha, and then they
mate
. It is a beautiful act.”

             
“Wow, that’s lovely.”

             
“Yes it is. I’m proud of you beautiful; no woman has ever put Mary in her place so fearlessly.” He tells me with pride.

             
At around 6pm we all eat dinner together. Around the table are Sallack, Den, Ruk, Julian, Mickey, Dom and me are all laughing and joking together.

             
“Hey, so I was wondering, does being a Werewolf give you bigger muscles and better looks then us humans?”

             
“Ah, sweet Zara. We do a lot of running and training, especially in Wolf form. We are born strong; our families are those who descended from the first Warriors. Oh what else was it….oh yeah why are we so God damn sexy! That’s just us gorgeous.” Mickey answers me grinning widely from the compliment, as everyone chuckles and Den pats his back with a wink. Mickey and Den get on like a house on fire; they are so alike it’s worrying, top players of ‘Nickel’.

             
“Ok, so the growling and smelly thing?”

Sallack chuckles,
giving me the answers,

             
“We growl, when our emotions are high, like in anger or lust…” He winks at me, making me blush, “…We all have extremely sensitive noses, and we can also smell emotions, again like anger and arousal.” He finishes with a belly laugh, from seeing my reaction. My mouth falls open, making them all laugh. BLOODY HELL! All them times I have lusted over everyone at the table, oh my gosh, this is so embarrassing.

             
“We have improved strength, hearing and speed. We are quick on out feet and can move without sound.” He tells me with a proud smile.

             
“Wow” is all I can say as I look at them all in awe.

All the men go dead quiet; I look at them in turn. I am really starting to feel paranoid they can hear my thoughts!

              “Um what’s going on?” I whisper quietly, for some reason it feels right as everyone has stopped laughing and I think breathing!

             
“Sorry Zara, we have a guest. Wait here!” Sallack tells me sternly as he gets up, heading to the front door that is out of sight. On cue, there is a knock at the door, which makes me jump; cringing inwardly at myself for looking scared of a knock on a bloody door.

             
“Ah Dallah, thank you for coming, we appreciate any help you will give us. Please come in.”

             
“Sallack, I will meet the Wolf, but if you try anything I will bring hell to your door!” She says sounding fearless.

             
“There is no need for threats Dallah! I gave you my word, I stand by it. Please have a seat, I’ll just be a moment,” We hear Sallack tell her.

Oh, crap it’s the
Witch. Sallack told us her mother is head of the Light Coven, and Dallah the Princess to their people, whom he has been persuading to help Den.

She came! Here! Now! I really want t
o go in and meet her, she sounds strong and brave and her voice beautiful. Sallack walk’s back into the room with smile playing on his lips.

             
“Dallah is here, Den, Ruk, Julian come with me. Zara you stay with Mickey and Dom, I don’t want you near a Witch.”

             
“Oh…Um …can I have a moment with Den please?”

Den moves forward before anyone could re
ply, taking my hand leading us through the back doors to the open air. Standing in the darkness, the only light coming from the high moon. Den turns to me and I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck as he lifts my legs around his waist, the way we always do when my emotions are high.

             
“Ah babe it’s fine, it will work it out.”

             
“I know it will. I just wanted to wish you luck; I have a good feeling about her. I know I have not met her but, it is a feeling. All…”

             
“Always trust you feeling” He winks at me and go’s to kiss me. I grab his face a kiss him with all the love I have for him. He looks down at me with an expression I have never seen on his handsome face.

             
“Den, I am so happy that you have found your place. I always knew you were more than ordinary.”

             
“Oh babe.” He says with a hidden meaning.

He lets me down gently, turning on his hee
l and walking away. I couldn’t work out the expression on his face, and I don’t think he wanted me to. I sit on the grass and let my tears fall freely, I know he will be ok but I just feel everything is about to change, not just with Den!

             
I hear footsteps behind me; turning my head I see it is Mickey. He sits close to me, putting his arm over my shoulders and I lean in to him gratefully.

             
“Thank you Mickey.”

             
“Shhhh. Come on lets go get a drink beautiful.”

He takes my hand, pulling me up, putting his arm back on my shoulders
and leading us to the kitchen.

             
“Have I ever told you how good you smell?” He asks me humorously wiggling his eyebrows, taking the sadness away and bringing a smile to my face.

             
When we get to the kitchen, a girl around my age, and standing almost the same height as me is standing by the doorframe smiling at me sweetly, as I am smiling at her. She has to be the most stunning girl I have ever seen. I want to speak to her, but the look the brothers’ are giving me indicates that it is not a good idea. I look at Den questionably; he shrugs his shoulders, which gets him a glare from Sallack.

             
“Hello. I’m Zara,” I say walking over to her. I have the strangest feeling of wanting to be near her, know everything about her, not her magic, her. All the men growl and stand in fighting mode. Mickey follows me to stand in front of Dallah, dropping his arm from my shoulder and lacing it around my waist holding me tightly.

             
She has the greenest eyes, like the summer grass, the straightest hair a mixed colors of browns and a small turned up nose, rosy lush lips, she is perfection. I have the weirdest feeling of my heart stopping for a few beats, my chest feels warm like the rays from heaven are beaming down on me, and as soon as it happens, it’s gone! What was that? Magic?

             
“Hello Zara, I’m Dallah it’s very nice to meet you.”

She picks up a lock of my hair, looking deeply i
nto my eyes, as if looking into very soul!

             
“Remarkable, where are your parents Zara?”

What the hell! Why would she ask such a question, but she is not trying to be harmful.

              “I don’t know. I was adopted at the age of 3.”

             
“Do you remember her?”

She’s talking about my mother, why would she not ask if I remember my father also.

              “No, I do not,” I tell her, returning her friendly smile.

             
“What do you see when you look at the Wolves Zara? And Me?”

Why is she asking such strange questions, but I have nothing to hi
de, I will tell her the truth, there is no need not to.