Emily's Story (25 page)

In the afternoon Brandt walked in and asked her to accompany him to another meeting.

He lifted his hands in defeat when he bent slightly thinking to pick her up and she growled. They walked into Dmitri’s suite and sat side by side on one of the couches though Brandt made sure they were touching.

He started the discussion, “I received word from my wolves that the cats crossed the border into South America. There has been no word on Nicolas’ body but a full out search is impossible at the moment.” Brandt placed his hand on Emily’s thigh and squeezed slightly before continuing, “Zenya disappeared from Marcus’ ranch last night. The babies are safe but we’re sure now that she was supplying information to the cats.”

Emily stood instantly dislodging Brandt’s hand. “That is not true. She wouldn’t do it.” Her voice was angry and her belief in her friend absolute.

Dmitri spoke up, his voice tight. “You knew her a short time. The bottom line is that she’s a cat and her first loyalty will always lie with her own kind. Marcus made a mistake when he took her in and we all paid for it.”

Emily’s eyes shot fire staring with deadly intent at the vampire. “What have you lost? Are any of your bears dead? You just said cats stick with cats, if that’s true then why do you care? Marcus and Amy protected their young and gave them a nursemaid. She may be a cat but she loves Amy and those children. She would have risked her life to save them.” Refusing to back down or lower her eyes she didn’t flinch when Dmitri’s went amber.

“Brandt, control your mate.” His fangs flashed and his gaze never left Emily’s.

Brandt’s tone remained even, “My mate is alpha. I cannot change her thoughts and she will speak her mind like we all do. However, we are uneasy and stressed; fighting one another will get us nowhere.” He looked at Emily. “Dmitri is not your enemy.”

She took a deep breath and slowly sat down while gaining control of her anger. She knew Zenya had not betrayed them but this was not the time and they needed the vampire. Her eyes again met his. “I offer apology. I owe you for saving my life. I have few friends and one is now dead. I only wish to protect them.”

His ire cooled and his eyes slowly reverted to their previous color. Sorrow reflected in his voice, “Maggie and I had a relationship many years ago and I cared deeply for her. I will avenge her death or die trying. We are all on edge and it is I who should ask your pardon. I have never met a female alpha and sometimes forget that it’s ingrained to hold eye contact. It would also help if you were not so beautiful.” He quirked the side of his mouth making him even sexier and he knew it.

Emily blushed.

Brandt looked at the vampire, his gaze darkening. “Mine.”

Dmitri laughed. “Yes, you have made that perfectly clear with your possessive scent.” He then winked at Emily.

The tension dissipated and Samson spoke for the first time. His voice remained tight though he managed to sound unaffected by the vampire’s statements in regards to Maggie. “When are we returning home?” His clouded eyes went to Brandt but stayed even with his alpha’s chest.

“It could be a few days. I have something private that I must handle first. It does not involve the wolves or bears.” His voice left no room for discussion. It was also obvious he remained unhappy with Samson and his anger overrode his second’s obvious devastation.

Sam tipped his head down further in acquiescence.

Emily looked back and forth between the two. She could feel the grief surrounding Samson. She turned fully to Brandt, she had no idea what her mate had to do that was more important than going home, but she would not question him while they were with the others.

They discussed a few additional issues and then the meeting broke up.

Emily and Brandt walked back to their suite. He led her straight into their bedroom and again locked the door.

She didn’t know who was in control, he or his wolf, but the assault of his hands, mouth, and teeth bordered on desperate. He didn’t seem to mind the bloody scratches left on his skin.

They lay without talking until their breathing slowed and she whispered huskily, “Please, talk to me? I know something is wrong.”

“You are mine.”

“That doesn’t answer my question. There is something you are not telling me.”

Without a word, Brandt got out of bed, walked into the bathroom, and closed the door behind him.

She heard the shower turn on and she groaned in angry frustration. The damn man could stew for a while by himself. Mandy promised to help her with reading and she needed to get her mind off her exasperating mate.

That night they slept together but for the first time they didn’t make love. He was gone when she awoke. Letting out an irritated growl, she put clothes on without brushing her teeth or hair and went in search of her stubborn wolf.

He was in the poker suite talking to Caleb and Mandy. Complete silence descended when she entered. Her siblings looked at her and then nervously glanced away.

“What’s going on?”

Brandt didn’t give them a chance to speak. “We have company coming in an hour, "His voice distant, “You should probably shower, and dress accordingly.”

“Who?”

“We’ll talk about it later.” He left the room, casting a stern look at Mandy and Caleb.

Emily regarded her siblings. Neither would meet her gaze which made her angrier. Storming out of the room, she headed to the shower and childishly slammed every door behind her. She prepared herself for company but stayed in her room when ready. She knew it was best if she didn’t see her mate before the mysterious person arrived.

Brandt opened the bedroom door. The look on his face completely dissolved her anger. He appeared lost. “Our guest is here.”

Emily stood and walked toward him but he stepped back avoiding her touch when she walked past. Dread consumed her when she looked across the room. A human woman dressed in a professional looking skirt and jacket stood waiting. She appeared to be in her fifties though age didn’t detract from her beauty and her striking green eyes made her more so. She smiled and laugh lines appeared at the corners of her mouth.

“Emily, this is Doctor Laura Stevens. She needs to speak with you. I’ll be in Dmitri’s suite.” Businesslike, abrupt, and cold, he left the room.

The two women looked at each other both showing their perplexity without speaking for a moment.

Laura’s voice was steady, “Do you mind if we sit down. I’m fairly certain you have no idea why I’m here and that’s unfair to both of us.”

Emily walked to the couch and directed the doctor to a comfortable chair. They both took a seat. “I haven’t been told what’s going on Doctor Stevens, and Brandt has refused to answer my questions. I would really like an explanation.” Emily was proud of her control when what she wanted to do was scream.

“Please, call me Laura. I need you to hear me out and let me finish before you hunt down your mate.” She smiled slightly but didn’t wait for a response. “I’m a geneticist. I have spent years researching a solution that will allow beastkind to successfully mate and produce children.” She looked directly at Emily and continued. “We, my team and I, have discovered that the dominant genes of beastkind kill each other. When mating takes place with a human, the dominant gene accepts the lesser gene and can procreate. We tried artificial insemination, AI for short, with human sperm and beastkind eggs and reversed the process using beastkind sperm and human eggs. We’ve had no success unless the male and female procreate the old-fashioned way with sexual intercourse. We managed to isolate a hormone that both male and female beastkind create when they have sex thinking this might be the key to allowing AI to work. It didn’t. We have managed to discover the reason why beastkind cannot mate but we have failed at finding the solution.”

Emily’s subconscious prickled and her lungs began to feel constricted. “Why are you giving me a science lesson on the procreation of beastkind?”

“I am here to discuss enabling you to have a child.”

“But you just told me it’s impossible to have one with my mate.”

“I know but I’m still here to discuss the possibility of your having a child.”

“With a human?”

“Yes.”

“No!” Horror was evident in the one agonizing word.

Laura’s voice softened, “Emily, I have done this for many years. My mother married a wolf when I was a baby and Nicolas’ pack raised me. It’s important for the clans to have children. More than one hundred wolves, including the young, died recently; my entire clan wiped out. You are a rare alpha female. I have met only one other. It has been my life’s work to find answers to this problem and make it easier for mated pairs to have offspring. Though I haven’t given up, failure has consumed my research.” Her professionalism gave way to momentary despair but then she continued, “Brandt will love this child. It’s not what you might think. He will embrace the offspring as completely his, it’s in his DNA. Getting past the sexual encounter happens quickly and is soon forgotten by both parents.”

“You’re telling me you are here to arrange for a man to have sex with me, impregnate me, and then I go back to my life with my mate like nothing happened.” The horrifying torment in her voice was tangible.

“Brandt asked me to make the arrangements with you but he should have discussed everything and given you time to adjust.”

“He didn’t discuss it with me because he knows I’ll kill him.” Holding herself in tight control, she stood, turned her back on the doctor, entered her bedroom, and softly closed the door behind her.

Chapter 28

More than an hour passed before Brandt entered their bedroom. Emily was sitting nude against the headboard. Expecting tears he was wary at the undeniable rage shimmering throughout the room. He stopped, not approaching, giving her time to control herself.

Her ice blue eyes moved inch by inch up his body coming to rest on his eyes. “Get out.” Her alpha power detonated with her words.

Brandt made his first mistake. He took a step in her direction.

More than one hundred pounds of growling white she-wolf exploded off the bed with one goal; his jugular.

Completely clothed Brandt couldn’t take the time to shift. He could only act. Grabbing his angry mate, he tried to be gentle and used her forward momentum to propel her to the side.

That was his second mistake.

Emily’s teeth sank into his thigh. Pain exploded and instead of releasing him she increased the agony by shaking her head furiously. Brandt’s fist slammed against the side of her jaw forcing her teeth to loosen.

This time he didn’t mess around and grabbing fur and skin he threw her more than eight feet across the room where the side of the bed stopped her flight. While she was scrambling to her feet, he divested himself of his pants. His wolf burst from his skin, ripping his shirt.

Emily charged.

He didn’t worry about his injured thigh. She was going for his throat, her powerful jaws seeking arterial blood. His body twisted as he poured alpha power into his internal words, “Emily stop, fucking stop.” His dominant growl vibrated through the room.

Rage, hot alpha she-wolf rage was his answer.

Her jaw snapped deeply into his shoulder.

His teeth found her snout giving it a fierce bite.

She released her hold.

His leg and shoulder wounds bled freely, soaking his fur in sticky red. She was bleeding slightly from her nose. Seriously injury was becoming an option. If he knew anything, he knew she was trying to kill him.

The bedroom door slammed back on its hinges and Samson burst through. He stood in shock taking in the scene before him.

“Get the fuck out and make sure everyone stays away,” Brandt shouted the order into Samson’s mind.

Sam quickly grabbed the door and closed it behind him.

Emily used Brandt’s momentary lack of concentration to attack. She hit him in the side with everything she had, using her wolf’s body, her snapping teeth going for his neck.

Brandt changed to his human form and slammed his fist upside her head. The force would have killed a normal animal or human.

She hit the floor hard and stayed down.

Brandt slowly gained control of his breathing not taking his eyes off Emily. He didn’t approach. Cautiously he sank to the floor from where he stood. He waited, watching her sides heave. Her wolf was crying. His head went between his knees no longer able to look at her.

White bloody fur became human skin and sobs echoed through the room. The sound was heartbreaking. Her arms pulled in tight and her legs came up. Her naked body formed a tight ball, her grief an uncontrolled wave.

He didn’t look. He couldn’t. It took everything he had to finally speak, “When I woke after being shot, I almost killed Sam. If Dmitri had not been there, I would have. The cats had you and they killed Maggie. I held her when she was a child; I changed her diaper and read her Dr. Seuss. She died saving you and I gladly forfeit her life. Samson saved me, only me.” Brandt was silent for a moment, “I am nothing without you. I would not survive. Samson made the wrong decision,” his breathing was harsh while he gathered his thoughts. “It took twenty-four hours to find your location. I could feel nothing, no connection. Dmitri’s people discovered where you were. Then your scream sounded in my head. You were terrified, but at least I knew you were alive. Then I felt your pain. No sound, only pain. We were within a few miles when I went to my knees feeling the bullets enter your body. Each was agony, I wanted to die. I couldn’t go on without you.” His eyes found hers, they were black pools. One lone tear trailed down his cheek. “I prayed. I prayed to God and the goddess. I begged.” His devastation was absolute, haunting. He relived every second of the nightmare. “The one thing, the only thing I knew I could never give you was a child. It was all I had to bargain with. I made a deal with the gods. If you lived we would have a child. It’s my debt for your life. The thought of another man putting his hands on you is torture. It’s tormenting me every minute of every day and night. But, the thought of losing you is worse. I will not let you go.” His head went down, alpha eyes lowering.