Chapter 16
I woke up to Brontes’ face snuggled in the crook of my neck. His breathing caressed my skin as he exhaled. I listened to his breathing and the slow, steady beat of his heart. My body slowly came alert at our nakedness--skin on skin. His hand was cupping my breast and his leg was tangled with mine.
I gently moved his hand away from my breast, his thumb accidentally brushing against my n!pple. I bit my lips as I inched my way out from under him. A soft noise escaped him. I winced as I tiptoed to the bathroom where I stood staring in the mirror.
There were two canines that appeared in black marking on my neck, marking me as a mated wolf. My body ached from the vigorous appetite of Brontes. My thoughts went back to last night. Brontes pleasured me in so many ways that I never imagined. I bit my lips and turned to go into the shower to shower.
After I was done. I wrapped my towel around me. When I stepped out Brontes was still sleeping on the bed. I threw on a plaited red and black button up and a pair of skinny dark denim skinny jeans before going downstairs for breakfast.
When I made it to my chair. Isis threw me a knowing glance. Alpha Altair was scowling as he looked at the mark on my neck.
“So.” Isis wiggled her eyebrows. “You are now mated. Now I really have to go and find myself mine. I wonder where the hell he is and if he was looking for me.”
“It was kind of unavoidable.” I spoke and touched my neck. A tingling sensation ran through me as my fingers touched it.
“I’m happy for you.” Alpha Altair said with a hint of bitterness. I knew he wasn’t happy at all that I was now mated to Brontes.
“Thank you, Alpha Altair. I hope that you find your mate soon too.” I replied.
My parents walked in and my mother was grinning when she looked at me. My father arched an eyebrow as he sat down at his usual spot. I lifted my orange juice to my lips.
“So, you have finally done it.” My mother started happily with a smile and then turned to my father. “We might be grandparents soon.”
I choked on my orange juice and began coughing profusely. Isis was laughing. I turned to her and glared at her before turning to my mother.
“It is too early for that.” I mumbled.
“Nonsense, why when your dad and I first got mated we-” She started and I raised my palm to stop her.
Luckily, my father was here to help change the topic on my mother.
“Congratulations, Calliope. When will you officially introduce Brontes as your mate to the pack? They will be excited to hear that we now have two Alphas to lead us.” My father asked me as he pulled out my mother’s chair for her to sit. When mated couples mate, there was usually a mating ceremony that introduces them as mates. When Alphas find their mate it was also done the same way.
“I don’t know yet. I haven’t discussed it with Brontes yet. Once I do I will let you know and we can prepare for it but first I have yet to finish some other business-” My eyes flickered over to an angry Clara who was staring at me intensely, a sign of clear disrespect to look at an Alpha that way. I stared back with furrowed eyebrows and when she didn’t care to submit my wolf paced in my head growling and as soon as I felt the anger of my wolf I growled loudly, slapping my palm on the table as I stood up. My chair went flying back as I felt the rage inside of me building.
The room went quiet and everyone turned to look at their Alpha before turning to look at where I was looking at. Everyone’s eyes moved over to Clara who suddenly looked out of place and lowered her gaze. Slowly, I walked over to her chair and bent low to her ear as I whispered in her ear.
“If you look at me like that again, I will take it as a challenge next time and trust me when I say this, I will love every second of it and when I am done with you, I will rip your throat out.” I growled out, my extended claw tracing her throat and a grin crawled on my face. She stiffened in front of me. “You might’ve been with Brontes when he was at the hunters’ camp but I am his mate and your current Alpha. Your insolence is playing with my patience and I am not as merciful as you think I am. Losing you in my pack would not affect my status in any way.”
I stood up and was about to walk back to my end of the table to finish my breakfast but was interrupted when I saw Alecto came running in through the front door, panic written on his face. He walked over to me and stood as he pack-linked me instead of speaking out loud for everyone to hear.
Our cattle have been mutilated. Every one of them. None of them survived. He looked stricken as he stood before me with his hand behind his back in a warrior stance as he reported.
Do you know who or what did it? I asked.
No. You are needed out there, Alpha. He replied and I nodded as I started out of the pack house on a run. Isis behind and so did Alecto. We ran northwest of our territory where we had a cattle farm.
Who saw it first? I asked Alecto as we ran together side by side.
John, our cattle caretaker. He came in this morning to a field of dead cattle. He reported.
This is not good. Isis linked us. How are we going to explain to everyone?
We won’t know how until we see it for ourselves. I replied and I could feel myself growing more worried by the second. It could be anything...
When I got to the cattle field, I knew immediately it wasn’t a werewolf that did it.
“Alpha.” John acknowledged me, lowering his head in submission.
“John, thank you for notifying us right away. You can go back home but make sure you do not speak a word of this. Do you understand?” I asked.
“Understood, Alpha.” John nodded and began jogging off the field.
I walked over to the nearest dead one and kneeled as I touched the opened wound on the neck. It wasn’t anything supernatural. It looked like a human kill. The sharp jab in the neck. I ran my hand over the body and flipped the body over to see a tranquilizer on the ground. I picked it up and Isis spoke.
“Humans.” Isis confirmed. I nodded in agreement.
“Hunters, to be exact.” I replied.