0013
Dane
It was a surprise that she had said so much. More than a sentence and she would usually clam up. Maybe she was finally relaxing enough to feel she could talk more freely.
'You still haven't told her we could smell her arousal.' Aero mutters
'I don't need to. I'm pretty certain she has already put two and two together. The rosy skin was a give away.' I know he is desperate to have her, to claim her.
Just as I was, but we had a new problem.
Kyle.
If I marked her, I would watch her die and there would be nothing I could do about it.
Neah would be in so much pain as her body burned from the inside out.
I'm cruel, but the Moon Goddess's rules were on another level.
Her eyes hover on my face, slightly off focus. I knew she was fighting back tears again as she replayed my words in her head.
Out of all my brides, she was the only one who surprised me.
'Because she isn't brain washed like the others.' Aero muses.
'No, but her awareness of our world is limited.' I mutter back as Neah wipes away a stray tear.
"Are you going to take me back?" She asks in a whisper
"Why would I do that?"
"Y... You said that you couldn't mark me."
"Yet. I can't mark you yet." I rise to my feet and turn away from her. "Get some more sleep, Neah. I promise you it will help with the healing process."
"Are you leaving?"
"I'm just going to see someone about unbinding you. You won't be alone. Eric and Raven will be in the house if you need anything."
Meeting my brother in the foyer, he cocks an eyebrow at me. "Bit smart for a meeting with a witch."
"She wants us to meet her in a high profile place." I look up and down at his jeans and hoodie, "I don't want to bring more attention to myself than needed. I suggest you go and change."
He returns ten minutes later in a grey shirt and deep blue jeans. "Better." I mutter
The driver is standing next to the limo with the door wide open. I give him the name of the restaurant and he bobs his head.
"Do you actually think she can help us?" Jenson asks as the door is closed on us.
"It's a long shot. Even if she can't, maybe she knows someone who can help Neah."
"You really like this one, don't you?"
My eyes flicker up to him. He had been warned one too many times about bringing up the women I was interested in.
He zips his lips shut, pretending to throw away the key.
The restaurant is buzzing and we are shown to a table where an older woman is already sitting, drinking a martini. Her gold bangles rattled as she moved her arms. A purple scarf covered her hair and matched her long dress. "Alpha Dane." She greets me with a smile. "It has been a long time."
"Madame Curie. Thank you for agreeing to
meet us." I watch how she drowns her drink so I offer to get another.
"No need, but tell your brother to sit down. He is drawing an awful lot of attention to himself."
'JENSON!' I link him and he silently slides into the booth.
"Now tell me more about this girl." Madame Curie asks
"She's my bride, as I mentioned on the phone."
"Yes, but why are you coming to see me? Have you chosen a human, is that the problem?"
"No, no, she is definitely a Wolf, it's just her abilities have been bound."
"Twice." Jenson mutters
"Twice?" Madame Curie asks. She leans back in the seat. "Is this why you want to meet me, you believe I have something to do with it?"
"No, not at all. I was hoping you would know
of a way to unbind her."
"There is a way, yes. It won't be easy, but tell me. Why was she bound?"
I look around, dropping my voice.
"She was accused of killing her parents. But she was just six. Then she was bound again when they realised she could scent her mate."
She taps her long nails on the table.
And smiles "Strong Alpha blood must run through her veins. So I assume you want her to have her wolf to break the bond with her mate?"
"It's a little more complicated than that, but yes."
She purses her lips as she studies me. "It can be done, but it will cost."
"Give me a number."
She puts her elbows on the table and rubs her knuckles. "One million."
Jenson spits his drink out all over the table. "Bro, you can't be serious. Not just for some girl. You can go out and choose another mate."
"Shut up!" I snap at him.
Locking eyes with Madame Curie. I nod,
"Done, you unbind her. You will get your money."
She bobs her head and rises from her seat.
"Just one thing, Alpha Dane, as it will help. Which pack is the girl from?"
"Moonshine."
She freezes and the colour drains from her tanned skin. "The deal is off Alpha Dane. I wish you luck, but I cannot help you." She backs away into the crowd of people and disappears from sight.
"Fucking witches. It would be so much easier if they had a scent." Jenson mutters.
"That's what you are concerned about? It's a fucking good job you weren't the first born. Did you not see her face when I mentioned Moonshine? Something is seriously wrong with that pack." "So what do you want to do?"
"I need to speak to Eric." I drop some cash on the table for our drinks and head back out to the car. "Take us home." I snap at the driver.
"Chill," Jenson beams at me, "it's not his fault that you have your knickers in a twist."
He goes to get in, but I grab him and slam his body into the side of the limo. "Will you shut, the fuck, up!"
"Why are you so touchy about this one? What's so special about her?"
He climbs into his seat and as I take mine, he looks directly into my eyes.
"She's the one, isn't she? You have finally found her."
I don't answer him. Because right now, I had no idea how long it would be before I could claim her as mine. If the pack never returns home, how are we supposed to kill Kyle and end the bond between them. Back at the pack house, I find Raven and Eric sitting in the office.
"How did it go? Is she willing to help?" Eric rises from my chair and moves around the desk.
"She was going to help." Jenson tells him.
"Was?" Raven asks. "Jenson, what the fuck did you do?"
"Hey!" He holds his hands up. "I didn't do anything."
"He didn't." I confirm. "Madame Curie heard the name of Neah's pack and walked away."
"She walked away? Are you serious?" Raven asks
"Yes." I rub my temples. "Is Neah okay?"
"Been in and out of sleep. A few screams of pain. What are we going to do? We have never been screwed over by another pack. Is that what they are trying to do? Are they trying to tear us down?" "We will figure it out." Eric tells Raven. "We always do."
I hear Neah scream.
"I will go." Raven mutters.
I stop her. "There is nothing any of us can do. There is no medicine to give her. She has to go through it."
'We can't just leave her.' Aero growls at me. 'She needs us.'
I look at Raven and see the sorrow in her eyes. She was feeling guilty because she was almost blood tied to her mate. "I will go."
Neah is tossing and turning in the bed.
She had changed out of the clothes she was wearing and was now in one of my tee's. Sweat glistened her skin as she thrashed around, yet her eyes were squeezed tight.
Moving closer to her, I feel the extreme heat radiating from her. She stills for a second before letting out another blood curdling scream.
Four days it lasted.
Four long fucking days.
With each new day, she slept a little less, but more time was spent screaming or thrashing about in pain.
No one slept in the house.
Eric, Jenson, Raven and most of the omegas left at nightfall, just so they could get some sleep.
The fifth day came and the house was quiet.
I had taken to running in the morning just so Aero and I could think more clearly but as I creep into the house,
there were no noises. No screams.
"Shit!" I charge up the stairs, expecting Neah to have disappeared. Instead, she was laid out like a starfish on her stomach. Her black sweaty hair hung over her face as she slept.
'Is it over? Aero asks in a whisper as though he thinks she will hear him.
'We won't know until she wakes.
'
Turning the chair around. I watch as she sleeps. I could hear her breathing and the steady rhythm of her heart beating. It was the slowest it had been in days and I hoped it was a good sign. After an hour she starts stretching her limbs. She sweeps back her hair and locks eyes with me.
"I'm naked." she mutters
"You are." I smirk, happy to see that she was feeling better.
"Can you look away? Please."
"You've been naked for days. You were overheating. Raven put you in a tee but even that was too much. So I removed it."
Her cheeks turn pink and slowly spread down her neck. "Please." She asks again as her hand searches for the invisible blanket.
Getting to my feet, I grab the blanket that hangs on the back of the chair and toss it to her. "You really shouldn't be so embarrassed."
"You....you didn't do anything to me?"
"You were ill and not of sane mind. I am not my brother." I mutter, turning my back on her. I could see her reflection in the window as she got to her feet and wrapped the blanket around herself. "You didn't let Aero do something?"
"No, he was more concerned about helping you."
In the window, I see how she presses her hand against her chest and she lets out a big sigh of relief.
"Trust me." I add as I continue to watch her reflection, "You would know if I had fucked you."