45 - Reckoning

45 - Reckoning
~Rafe’s Point of View~

“What the fuck did you do Cassandra,” I shout, nearly vibrating the walls.

I should absolutely be getting in a car right now, getting on the road. But something tells me that Cassandra and our dear Beta may have now tipped off the Rhodes clan that we’re coming. The last thing we should do is just try to storm in. They’ll be ready and practically salivating for it. No doubt armed to the teeth and happy to take out the best of Nightwind. Fighters from Barclay are going too, and thankfully we were able to get them by cell phone and relay that they need to wait.

The enemy knows I’ll come for Parker, they absolutely know it. Next to me or Hannah, he was the best to steal. I can’t exist without him and now that we share a mate it would kill both Hannah and I to lose him.

And we’d be giving them a front row seat to our suffering. I’m sure it would be their perfect plan to get us all.

“I knew the moment I heard there was a beautiful young rogue here she’d be nothing but trouble! I had no idea she’d tear us apart Rafe! Years we had together. So many kisses, so many precious moments, do they really mean nothing to you anymore,” she sniffles, holding the bars in the cell pathetically.

Uhm that is generally how it works with a fated mate. Fuck everyone else, only she matters now… Cruz says, sarcastically.

I nearly feel this cell is too good for her. Her father we’re not going so easy on. There is zero chance Cassandra is smart enough to do much of anything on her own so he’s the one we need to break. A couple of days in a cell without her high end sheets, without her friends to gossip with and kiss up to her… No shower, no make-up, no clothes she cherishes. Having to use a bucket to go to the bathroom in front of the guard no less. She’ll suffer plenty.

I actually used to love that Cassandra got all dolled up for me all the time. It was sexy then, even hot. I hate to admit it made me feel empowered even.

But now? What a bunch of wasted effort and bullshit. A real female doesn’t need all that garbage to hide how she actually looks. Fake eyelashes, fake nails, push up bras... No thanks.

Exactly, every inch of our mate is real and perfect. Soon she’ll be pregnant and there could not possibly be anything more sexy than that. Ohh! We better practice foot rubs, find out what kinds of snacks she likes…, Cruz carries on, fully off topic.

A sudden rustle and the sound of feet behind me tears me away from Cassandra’s fake weeping and the make-up smeared all over her face. Cruz snaps out of it and goes on alert.

“Hey bro! We’re reporting for duty. We both ate beans and franks for lunch and we’re ready to share with blondie,” Oliver says, beaming.

Cruz finally showed me how to differentiate their scents enough to tell them apart but it’s also helpful their hair is slightly different too.

Cruz chuckles at his words, and I nod.

“Sure, have at it. We won’t be leaving tonight at least. Do not give her anything, even if she says she’s on her period or some shit. Don’t give her a thing. Don’t touch her at all either,” I say, as both boys drop some milk crates down to sit. They have a third one that it looks like they’re planning to use as a table. It’s confirmed when Oscar pulls out a deck of cards.

“No worries! It’s not like we have anything to give her anyhow,” Oliver laughs.

True enough.

I ruffle his hair and turn away as Cassandra cries out, begging me to stay. She’s in one of the smallest cells in the tiniest of rooms. So it looks like she’ll probably be breathing into her shirt for a while.

Where’s Hannah, I ask Pax, over mind-link.

I’ve never told Hannah, but as my Gamma, Pax will be responsible for Hannah’s safety as Luna, the mother of the pack.

His number one priority over the pack is security, at all times. But the main thing he always needs to know as the leader of our guardians, is that my family is safe. Right now, Hannah is literally my entire world … next to Parker.

Jane, Scarlett and Hannah are holed up in Scarlett’s room giggling over those books she thinks nobody knows about, he replies, obviously amused. Cruz puffs out his chest at that, loving the visual of our families blending so easily.

Apparently smut is what brings females together?

Either way, if it gets her hot and bothered, and gets her mind off Parker for a minute… I’m all for it. I’d rather her not be stewing somewhere. Especially when I’m about to roll up my sleeves and blow off some steam. It’ll be hours before I can get back to her, and I’ll probably be too pissed off and exhausted to be of much use.

My parents don’t know, that’s good enough. We were already doing far worse at her age. It’s not hurting anything, I respond, then shake my head. Pax is a bit younger than me, sure, but he’s far worse. I’ve mostly had only Cassandra over the years but he’s quite a ladies man.

Yeah her mate will be grateful one day, Pax laughs and I can only shudder. Enough on that topic!

“Most entriguing,” I hear, as I step into the large room with our torture chamber.

I see our sage Mahrishi deeply engaged in conversation with Frederick, and I can just imagine what they’re getting up to. I have little clue how old the sage is but I know he’s probably much closer to the lycan’s age than mine.

My nose twitches as I take in the scent of silver burning flesh. Beta Robert is laid out nude on a table in the middle of the cell, bound with the chains. The jailer looks on, absolutely disgusted.

My father’s wolf Randolph, sits on his hind legs in the corner of the cell. My father is likely too pissed off for words, letting his wolf handle things is classic Reign Chamberlain. Usually it’s how he doles out a brutal punishment. But today I’m guessing it's because he doesn’t want to talk to anyone. Doesn’t want to risk Robert sweet talking him into anything.

I give Seth a nod as he grins and puts on heavy gloves. While normally I say that our sages are worthless, sometimes … only sometimes, they’re handy to have around. They have limited magic but are always able to whip up something when the time is right.

This level of treason from without our pack is something that will unite us more than ever. When Robert worked out of pure selfishness, determining that he alone knew what was best for us… for my mate and I… He was dead fucking wrong. We need to know the extent of it all though.

Was he working alone? I pray he was, but we can’t take any chances.

I lean against a concrete wall and sigh. This isn’t at all how I saw this night going. We should be on the road, moving. Not standing around wasting time.

“No! No! Please I’ll talk without that, don’t…” Robert shouts, as Seth flicks the syringe. It’s a combination of wolfsbane and truth serum. He’ll basically be in excruciating pain and paralyzed. But he will most definitely feel everything we’re doing to him.

Goddess, I smell it. I won’t get sick, I won’t get sick… Cruz whines. I remind myself we need to put in some kind of exhaust fan in here, but it’s not like we so often have traitors to torture.

Randolph growls lightly but nods with approval when Robert cries out.

“Give it about ten minutes then he’ll be good and ready. Oh and might I suggest fashioning some sort of… Diaper on him? Make it easier for you guys as things will certainly get messy the more his body reacts. He’ll have no control over … things,” Mahrishi says. I make a face at that.

The jailer nods though, and gets up to leave. There’s a tingle in my brain telling me a mind-link is trying to come in, and since I know only one person would bother me right now I open my mind.

Hannah’s gone to shower, I can tell she’s exhausted. I’ve got rooms set up nearby for her family and they’ve asked for dinner in Scarlett’s room, Pax says, over mind-link.

My body practically groans at the idea of my mate just a few minutes walk away. Naked and soapy.

“I’ll be back in ten,” I say, then bolt out before anyone can challenge me. I know without a doubt my father won’t go anywhere, nor will Seth. It kills me that I can’t mind-link Hannah. Frederick explained that her brain isn’t wired for it, even if she joins the pack. We can think something at her and she’ll pick up the emotion of it but probably not the exact words.

I’m opening the door to my suite moments later, and when I hear her humming it relaxes me in a way I can’t describe. She’s standing at the vanity, her hair on her head in a messy bun. She’s smacking a bottle of lotion against her hand.

“Damn it! You would just have to be empty right now,” she mumbles, as the bottle clatters to the floor. Her frustration practically radiates off her and it makes Cruz instantly angry there’s nothing we can do to soothe her.

“Here baby,” I say, as I move to get it for her.

She’s already turned when she sees me, and the towel tucked under her arms comes loose and falls to the floor just as I move back upright with the bottle in my hands. Our eyes lock as I take in her body, her hard nipples and the little droplets sticking to her smooth skin. Cruz licks his lips and I’m instantly hard.

I drop the bottle on the counter and move quickly to her hips, lifting her and setting her on the counter. She lets me, and doesn’t take her eyes off me for a second.

“Scarlett talked to me about uhm… my legs. She said I needed to shave and well I tried it. Seems like far more work than necessary, and I’ll have to keep doing it every few days so that’s just dumb,” she whines, kicking her feet a bit.

I can’t hide my smile as I fall to my knees and grab the bottle. I smack it against my hand and am able to squeeze out a fair amount. I see a few small cuts on her legs, but they’re already mostly healed.

“Did you use my razor or did she give you one,” I question, as I gently move my hands up her calf.

“I used yours, is that wrong? Isn’t a razor a razor,” she asks.

Is it? I have no idea if they’re different, Cruz asks, unsure. But then he’s too distracted by the smell of her arousal as she parts her legs.

“No baby, it’s fine. But we can get you a better one for females that won’t cut you, or you never have to do it again if you don’t want to. Parker and I don’t care,” I say, though feeling her silky smooth skin is heavenly. I stop short of saying we’d be happy to shave them for her, because I already know Parker would. It would be foreplay for him.

Neither of us would ever make her feel insecure about something so trivial anyhow.

“Hmm, well well. It definitely feels… different already. I think I like it,” she says, watching me my my hands over her skin.

My dick pushes against my shorts and I know I have no time for this. My father won’t be happy if I leave my Beta to do everything. I should be there, I need to move.

But my eyes lock on her glistening pussy, and she bashfully covers it with her hand. I jump to my feet, ready to protest.

“Do you males really only think about sex,” she teases, batting her eyes.

I lean in, putting my hands on either side of her hips, flat against the counter.

“Do you want me to think my mate is ugly? Cause I’ve thought of nothing but you naked under me, over me, beside me… Since I first laid eyes on you. Since I first caught your scent in those woods,” I admit, as she giggles and opens her neck to me.

WWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH WWWWWAAAAAAAAHHHHH

“What the hell,” Hannah jumps, pulling away from me and looking around. The siren repeats.

WWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH WWWWWAAAAAAAAHHHHH

Incoming! They’ve breached the perimeter, at least three dozen strong on the northeast end and two dozen at the south, all report, guard the packhouse at all costs! All females and pups underground, I hear, over mind-link.

WWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH WWWWWAAAAAAAAHHHHH

“We’re under attack, stay with your mom and Scarlett no matter what. She knows where the panic room is, get as many down there as you can and fucking stay there until we come for you,” I shout, turning and running out without sparing her a glance. If I do, I’ll only lose precious seconds.