The Assassin’s Mate

My heart was pounding when I walked through the front door of the pack house. But as soon as I walked down the hall and smelt his cigar, I immediately felt my entire body relax for the first time in days, hell, months even. The only time I felt better was when I was with Tanner. I braced myself for the berating and placed my shaking hand on the door knob. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Who the he...Li?" He said as he came around the desk and scooped me up into a tight bear hug. He held me by my shoulders and pushed me back checking me over. "What are you doing here? And who is your guest?" He asked with slight anger in his tone as he looked over my head at the tiny dark haired girl standing by the door.

"Romero, this is Olivia. She is my...friend." I said pausing for his reaction.

He looked at me with that, but what is she doing here look and I smiled slightly. He walked around me and up to Olivia, who was clearly terrified of the brute looking man in front of her. He was easily two feet taller than her and about three times her size but he extended his hand and said "Welcome Olivia."

Just as he shook her hand Damon came into the room and ran to me picking me up and spinning me around. "Li! What...when...who?" He said as he watched the scene of Olivia and Romero unfold in front of him.

He set me down as we all watched each other awkwardly.

"Damon, can you show Olivia to my room. I'm sure she would love a shower and to rest."

He nodded and walked to the door saying "Ok. Olivia you can follow me."

Romero watched us as I reassured Olivia Damon wouldn't hurt her. They walked out the room and I stood there like a small child waiting for my punishment. But first, I needed to show Romero my arm and explain everything.

"Li, what happened. The King was announced just two days ago and I we haven't heard of his assassination, so why didn't you do it?" He said with anger building behind his eyes.

A single tear dripped down my cheek as I pulled my sleeve up, revealing the beautiful tattoo of half of a wolf.

He drew in a sharp breath and said "Fucking hell! He's your mate?"

"And I'm the Q-queen." I said as I broke down crying. "I can't kill him, Romero. I won't!"

"Does he know?"

"No." I said as the tears continued spilling from my eyes.

Every emotion from the last few days came pouring out as I fell down on the couch and huddled into a ball. My chest was heaving from the sobs escaping my mouth. My throat was burning from the sorrowful sounds bursting from my lips.

Romero sat besides me and said "Li, we will figure this out. Julius won't be happy about it but I would never agree to you killing your mate. But you have to be prepared for someone else to try and possibly succeed."

My eyes flew open and I jumped up in a panic. It never even occurred to me that he might hire someone else to kill him. I started pacing when I felt a sharp pain in my chest and I knew it was him. He was hurt that I left and his wolf was confused about me. I clutched my chest and tried my hardest to calm myself down but it was too much. Everything was too much.

"NO! He can't get hurt. I won't let it happen, Romero we have to keep him safe. Please!" I said as I ran up to him pleading for his help.

"We will keep him safe. Just let me handle it. Why don't you go for a run and let off some of that steam. It's getting close to the rut and the deer are out."

He was right I needed to get out of here before I made a huge mistake and got back on a plane headed straight to Tanner. I couldn't let him know I was his mate, there was no way he would ever trust me if he found out who I really was. Besides we had another mission that I was fully vested in and I wasn't going to let Olivia down. She needed closure and if breaking apart that whole organization did it, then I was going to do everything I could to stop it.

I went upstairs to see if Olivia needed anything and when I opened the door she was sitting on the bed looking through her photo album.

"Hey, I'm going out for a run. I shouldn't be long so make yourself comfortable."

"Can I come? I'm not really tired, I slept on the plane and I'm getting antsy just sitting here."

I hesitated a moment, usually I liked to go alone, but I wanted I make sure she felt safe here so I nodded my head and walked down the stairs with her right behind me.

We shifted as we leaped off the porch and took off into the woods. We ran for a while before my ears picked up on twigs snapping up ahead. I stopped suddenly and crouched down on my belly. Olivia plopped down right beside me and watched as a herd of dear came into view. My wolf was ready, she was waiting for the right time to jump out and take down the biggest buck out there. He let out a grunt and a wheeze and she crawled up to the tree line before pouncing on the deer with precision. She clamped her jaws onto his neck and her paws around his back taking him down in seconds. The others ran off and she dropped the limp animal to the ground watching as it twitched and gasped, taking his last breathe.

She looked into the bushes to see a completely shocked Olivia still crouched on the ground. She yelped and huffed letting her know she could come out and have some. Soon she was creeping out slowly and caustiously taking a bite out of the deers hind quarter. After we finished our meal we licked our paws and lips clean then headed for the river to get a drink of water.

My wolf had just bent her head down when suddenly we felt a sting in our leg. It felt like a bee sting but then a sudden spread of warmth ran through my leg and into my back. My leg gave out on me and I fell to the ground. Then I felt another and another sting until I was sprawled out on the ground, unable to move. I looked over to Olivia who was unconscious and my wolf growled loudly.

"Shut up mutt! Take her and leash her on the grounds." He said then someone grabbed me by the legs.

"What about the other one?" Another man said.

"Leave her."

I tried to fight back but whatever they injected me with, paralyzed me. There was no pain just the inability to move any part of my body, which to a wolf, was practically lethal. I could feel the heat spreading throughout my body and it didn't take me long to realize who had done this.