Wrong mate, p.10
Wrong Mate, page 10
“I know, but she took off last night. She hasn’t packed any of her belongings. We don’t know where she is. I can’t even track her, so she’s figured out how to stop me from locating her.”
Killian handed her the flowers he’d purchased.
“What are you doing?” Lucinda asked.
“I’m going to find her.”
“Killian, this is hopeless. You need to return to your pack and get on with your life. Leah needs to find peace.”
“The only peace she’s going to find is with me. I have been a fucking idiot, not demanding she see me. Keeping my distance. Giving her time because that’s what I thought she needed, but it’s not. Leah is my mate and I’m going to get her.”
“Killian, wait…”
“No, I’m done waiting. I’m done fucking this up. She is mine as I am hers.” He had made a mistake and he would do everything in his power to fix it.
“What changed? Leah is still a witch.”
“I don’t care that she’s a witch. Witches have never bothered me, otherwise I would have never spoken to you. It was that fucking prophecy. It messed with my head, and now I’ve ordered all prophecies to be destroyed. They are far too dangerous and I won’t risk anyone else misreading them. They are removed from the pack. We make our own fate, and right now I’m going to claim my mate.”
“You have no idea where to look,” Lucinda said.
“That’s where you’re wrong.”
He hadn’t taken the potion, neither had Leah. They were mated, bonded together. Six months apart hadn’t changed that. They were still meant to be together.
Leaving the coven, he took off into the forest. With Leah disappearing at night, she couldn’t have gotten far.
Once inside the forest, he tipped his head to the sky and inhaled deeply. The earth was such a tantalizing scent. At first, he didn’t detect her. Leah was so part of Mother Nature that her scent was easily masked, but it was ever so faint, so he knew she wasn’t too far.
Stripping out of his clothes, he called upon his wolf and took off through the forest, following her smell. He could have done this in his human form, but he was much faster as a wolf. As his wolf, he sensed Leah’s pain.
He did this to her. He hurt her. He lied to her, betrayed her, and it was up to him to fix her. Six months of attempting to grovel hadn’t worked. He had fucked up big time. Killian knew he should have forced her to spend time with him, but he was doing what he thought was right. Now, he knew he’d made an even bigger mistake. Leah felt like her coven and family had betrayed her, as well as him. They had tried to do what was right for her.
He stepped near a tree that was covered in her scent. Leah had rested against the tree.
I’m coming for you, Leah.
He didn’t know if she could hear him. Mates were able to connect and communicate on a deeper level. It was what he hoped to achieve with Leah, eventually. She wasn’t too far. Leah didn’t know the forest like he did.
Charging past and between the trees, jumping over fallen ones, turning left, then right, Leah’s scent got even stronger. His wolf was more than happy to take this run. They both wanted to.
I’m coming for you, Leah.
I want you.
You’re mine.
They’re all the words he should have said to her when he first saw her. That infernal fucking prophecy had played on his mind for far too long. It had interfered with his desire for a mate. Never again. Leah would come first, always. He looked forward to starting a family with her, to showing her how he could really be as a mate, not just for a few short hours or days, but for weeks, months, and years.
Excitement flooded his body. He was so close. It wouldn’t be long now.
He heard her footsteps, and then charged forward as he caught sight of her, walking at a steady pace. As he leapt into the air, he changed back into his human form as soon as he caught her, taking them both to the ground. He spun around in the air, so that he took the full force of the ground as they collapsed together.
Wrapping his arms around her, he smiled up at a glaring Leah.
“Hey, beautiful.”
“What are you doing? Trying to give me a heart attack?” she asked, shoving her hand against his chest to get away. With the hold he had on her, there was no chance of her escaping.
“I’m not letting you go.”
“And you think you can stop me?” she asked.
“Do you want me to show you I can?” He winked at her. “There’s my little fiery witch.”
“I’m not yours. You gave up that right.”
Killian refused to let her go.
“Damn it, Killian, let me go.”
“No.”
She continued to glare at him but he saw the sparkle in her eyes that made him aware she was about to call Mother Nature to help.
“Go ahead, call her to try and force me to let you go. She will understand that I made a mistake. I fucked up bad, but this is my trying to fix it. I’ve been trying to fix this between us for six months, but you’re too damn stubborn.”
“You think I’m being stubborn? I’m not a damn doormat, Killian. I followed you willingly to help with your problem with your pack, and the whole time, it was me. I was your problem.”
“No, I was the problem,” Killian said. “Not you. I had no idea I had to take it so far, and then when we arrived at Rose’s … den, coven, I don’t know what the fuck you’d call it.”
“I’d go with wasteland,” Leah said.
“All right, wasteland, I didn’t want to. I knew I had fucked up, and I never wanted to put you in danger.” He knew keeping his feelings to himself was not the ideal way to go with Leah right now. He’d messed up big time, and he had to make it right. “I never wanted to let you go. That prophecy got into my head and nearly destroyed the most precious person in the world to me. If Rose had killed you, I’d have destroyed every living witch. I would have had to.”
Leah shook her head. “This is why it’s advised you don’t read the prophecies. They always mess with people’s heads and make them do stuff they don’t want to do.”
“Then forgive me. Come back with me to my pack, and give me the next few weeks or even next six months to prove that I meant what I said. That without that fucking prophecy, I would have treated you like a queen. Please.”
He’d never begged anyone for anything in his life. It wasn’t what he did.
“I can’t,” Leah said, but he sensed a hesitation within her.
“Leah, there’s nowhere for you to go. You’re running away.”
“I am not running away. I was merely walking and I have plans.” She wouldn’t quite meet his eyes.
“Then make those plans with me. You don’t have to come to the pack. I’ll come with you.”
“That’s pointless.”
“Leah, I’m going to keep following you. You can use all the magic in the world on me, but where you are, I’m going to be. That is the point of being mates. It’s how I knew to follow you in that … place.”
When Leah disappeared from his side, he’d been so fucking angry with himself. It was because of him, he’d put them both in danger. He didn’t care about his own life, but when it came to Leah’s, she was the most important person in his world. He knew his father would be disappointed in him.
“You can keep being angry at me and you can do so forever, but you have to give me a chance, give us a chance.”
“Why?” Leah asked.
“Because you’re full of goodness.” He cupped her cheek. “And you like looking at me. You think I’m hot, and you know deep down in your heart this is exactly where you want to be.”
Chapter Eleven
Leah hated how right Killian was.
She shouldn’t be with his pack, but the moment they stepped inside the protective walls, the pack had welcomed her with open arms. Each person she met referred to her as Killian’s woman, mate, and girl. A few people remembered her name. She hated that she liked how lovely they all were. How they all told him to bring her home.
None of them were afraid of her magic. She had met them when she went to help Lucinda put up the protection spell. After meeting the whole pack, Killian had taken her to his house, where there were a lot more surprises. The biggest one was the space he’d put in his closet. Yes, it was a tiny detail, but he’d also made some purchases.
“So even though you planned on ending our mating bond, you still went and wasted money on clothes and space for me?”
“Leah, I still wanted you as my mate. I still hoped to find a way to have everything I wanted.”
But that hadn’t been what nearly warmed her heart. He’d erected a practicing magic room for her, complete with herbs and trinkets that Lucinda had advised she would need. Her own space to call her own. No, that wasn’t even the warmest of things. What had shocked her the most was the Jack Russell she had spent her life imagining, that he’d placed within her arms. Killian had said this sweet girl came wandering toward him while he was out on his protection detail. She’d gotten through the protection spell, and he had a feeling she was just a puppy. He had every intention to take it to the pound, but something in his gut told him to keep her. So he did. He called her Witchy. Leah loved the name, and she loved Witchy, who was fast asleep, curled up on her lap. This had all happened a week ago.
She’d contacted her parents and the coven and let them know she was spending time with Killian. Leah hadn’t expected to stick around Killian’s pack for a day, and yet here she was, a week later.
She sat on a large patch of grass in one of the parks. Several members had already come over and talked to her. A few children wanted to pet Witchy, and she allowed them to do so. She must have the laziest Jack Russell in the world, but she didn’t mind. She loved the snuggles and the kisses.
“Hello again.”
Leah looked up to see Morgan, the town healer, who also dealt in herbs and charms. She liked to dabble in magic, but there was not a magical bone in her body. She was a lovely woman and helped Lucinda and Killian locate all the necessary herbs she needed to keep practicing magic.
“Hello, Morgan.”
“I have to wonder if you cast a spell on her,” Morgan said, lowering her butt to the ground. “Do you mind if I sit?”
She had come to realize most of the wolves loved closeness. They enjoyed being there, close. She’d noticed this about Killian. For now, at her request, they shared separate beds, but she had a feeling he snuck in and held her. Leah didn’t have any proof, just a feeling that throughout the night she hadn’t been alone.
For six months, she had the worst nights’ sleep, and now she slept like a baby. It was odd to her. There was no point in denying it. It was Killian.
“Not at all. Take a seat.”
“Killian will be here soon. I know he’s just helping a few wolves, and then he plans to come and sit with you.”
He spent a lot of time in her company, even if they didn’t talk. Leah didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to be a doormat, but she felt this need to talk to him, to be with him. The mating bond hadn’t faded, and if anything, since being in his pack, it had only gotten stronger.
“There’s no reason for him to come and sit with me.”
Morgan chuckled. “I know the two of you are going through a bad patch, but I hope one day you can forgive him. It is so rare for a pack to be handed over to a son.”
“What do you mean?”
“In most packs, there must be a fight, where each man fights for the title of strength. Killian was more than prepared to do that, but his father, our previous alpha, didn’t want that. We all know Killian is the strongest, and he would have won, but there is always that option open.”
“Did any men within the pack want to fight him?”
“No. Our pack has never been safer than with Killian. He puts us all first. We’re aware of what the prophecy said, and we also know what happened. What he did.”
“How?” Leah asked.
“He told us. Killian doesn’t keep any secrets from the pack. He explained what happened and that was one of the reasons we destroyed the prophecies. They were no longer important. Our pack was important—each other, and seeing our alpha happy. Killian loves you with his whole heart. The pack always felt he needed to put us first, to prove that his father was right.”
And that was why he had to do everything in his power to keep the pack. On one hand, he’d been completely selfish because he’d taken her along for the trip. On the other hand, he was doing something completely selfless—putting the pack before his own wishes and desires. Tears filled her eyes, and she quickly averted her gaze.
That infuriating man. Damn it. How could she be mad at him now?
Picking Witchy up in her arms, she smiled at Morgan. “I’ve got to go. I’m so sorry.”
“No, don’t worry about it. We’ll have lunch tomorrow.”
“Make it the day after tomorrow.” She held Witchy close, kissing the back of her neck. Witchy settled into her arms.
Heading out of the park, Leah crossed the town, but there was no sign of Killian. A pack member told her one of the kids had thrown up on his clothes, so he’d gone home to change.
Leah went home. She put Witchy in her bed and placed a blanket around her, before going to the stairs. She heard the shower running. Stepping into the bathroom, she waited.
Killian didn’t take long. The shower turned off, and then he stepped out of the stall and came to a stop. “Leah.”
She held up her hand. “I want to stay mad at you. I do. What you did, taking me with you, mating with me…” He went to say something else, but she held her hand up to stop him. “No, I’m speaking right now. Mating with me, even if you didn’t know that was part of the deal. You were willing to make that ultimate sacrifice for your pack.” She stopped. “I’ve had a lot of people tell me that you … have wanted a mate for a long time. That you’ve been searching for me, or in our case, waiting for me, and for your pack you were willing to give me up to save them.”
“I didn’t want to.”
“You were doing what you had to do.” She dropped her head. “And how can I hate you when I think about you like that? You were being selfish and selfless at the same time.”
“I love you, Leah. I have loved you from the first moment I saw you.” He took a step toward her, and Leah felt in her body, in her heart, that his words were true. He did love her.
She didn’t stop him as he cupped her cheeks, tilted her head back, and stared into her eyes.
“I love you more than anything else in the world.”
She put her hands on his chest. “And I … I love you too. This does not make me a doormat.”
“You’re not a doormat.”
“Then kiss me.”
Leah didn’t need to ask him twice as he slammed his lips down on hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body flush against his. She didn’t want the kissing to stop. When it came to Killian, she didn’t want any of it to stop.
He was naked and she wore a flimsy summer dress. It had been hot the past week. His hands fell from her face, going to her shoulders. She felt the dress give way, and she was so happy when it fell to the floor. Killian took care of her bra and panties, and then with his hands on her ass, he lifted her up. She couldn’t help but giggle as he carried her over to the bed.
“You’re mine, Leah,” he said.
“Then prove it. Make me yours.”
He released a growl as he pressed her to the bed. His lips were like a magic all their own. He kissed her hard, but didn’t linger too long. Killian began to explore her body, licking and sucking at her tits, taking each one in turn before going to the other. His tongue trailed between the valley of her breasts, and he kissed over her stomach, heading toward her pussy.
His stroked up the outside of her thighs, then moved inside, going toward her apex. He held her open and another moan spilled from her lips as he held her in place.
“Killian.” His name a moan as his tongue swiped between her slit.
He stroked across her nub, gliding down to her entrance. She gasped as he plundered her pussy. His strokes somewhat repeated as he worked that tongue. She rocked against him, which was hard to do when he held her in place.
Killian gave her what she wanted, though. He worked her pussy, drawing her closer to the peak of orgasm, but he didn’t give it up easily. No, he took his time, making her work for it, and when he finally did push her over the edge into her release, she was thankful for it.
He didn’t wait to fill her. His cock slammed to the hilt inside her, going hard and deep even as she came. That feeling of fullness swept over her, and Killian took hold of her hands, pressing them to the bed on either side of her head. Rocking into her, he pushed in and pulled out.
“You feel so good. My mate. My woman. My everything.”
Leah knew she would never tire of him. He belonged to her just as she belonged to him.
Forgiving him was not a weakness. Realizing what he did, why he did it, and knowing deep down it must have been driving him crazy to be with her all that time, especially as he knew the final outcome.
“I love you, Leah,” he said.
“And I love you.”
He threw back his head and she felt the hardness of his cock as it swelled, pumping his cum deep inside her. The feeling of his release set off another one, shocking her at the ferocity of it. Killian collapsed around her, taking possession of her lips. His hands were so large, and she loved feeling them on her body.
“Mine,” he said.
“Yours.”
“Forever.”
“Yes, forever.”
She felt the hardness of his cock and she chuckled. “Again?”
“I told you, I can’t get enough. I’m not going to waste any more time.”
“Then don’t.” She had no plans to leave. Killian was her mate. His pack was her home. She had finally come home to where she was meant to be.
Epilogue
Ten Years Later
“So you saved Mommy from the evil witch?” Kylie asked.
