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  “Forgive me, Dylan, but I think the sooner I get Roz separated from her former pack mates and home to her new ones, the better. But as soon as they’re both settled in, I would love for our mates to be able to remain in contact. I know they’ve been close for a number of years.”

  “There is nothing to forgive. I wish you nothing but the best with your mate. Let’s hope we can allow them to visit sooner rather than later. So, you’ll be headed out tomorrow, then?”

  “Yes. I know you had plans for a big brunch, but Roz seems to be ramping herself up to act out in a major way. Would you find it amiss if we let them say their goodbyes before anyone else is stirring in the house tomorrow morning?”

  “Sunrise on the beach? Have you decided how to get her home?”

  “I thought I might ask to borrow the remaining cabin cruiser. I’ll have it returned next week.”

  “That would be fine and probably not a bad idea. We’ll see you both in the morning.”

  “Thank you, Dylan. I promise your mate will find her beta treated well.”

  “I’m glad it worked out, Oliver. I think once you get her settled down, Roz will make an excellent mate.”

  The two men shook hands and Oliver left the study with a smile on his face. He planned to retrieve his unruly mate take her to their room and tuck her into bed to sleep. He would not knot her or make love to her until they were in their own bed.

  When he exited the room, he saw Lacey standing with Matthew, Dylan’s omega.

  “I don’t want to talk to him,” said Lacey petulantly.

  “This is not a request, Lacey. Until he designates another, he is your alpha and you will obey him or suffer the consequences for not doing so. And I’d lose that pout if I were you. Dylan’s not one to put up with a lot of melodrama. Now, your alpha is waiting in his study. Get your butt in gear and do as you’re told.”

  At that moment, Dylan appeared at the door to his study. “Lacey,” he growled. “You heard Matthew, I want you in my study now. If I need to, I have no trouble taking a disobedient female of my pack over my knee and lighting up her backside. Do you need to be reminded of what that feels like?”

  She shook her head. “No, Alpha.”

  Dylan could see his tone and authority had gotten through to her. “Then come into my study like a good girl and all will be forgiven.”

  She walked into his study looking very much like one of the Christians entering the arena when the lions had been turned loose. Dylan closed the doors behind her and indicated she was to sit in one of the chairs by his desk. He surprised her by sitting down in the adjoining one and not on the other side of the massive desk.

  He took one of her hands in his and massaged it gently. “Have you been ill-treated?”

  “I was forced out of my home and taken against my will. So yes, I have been ill-treated.”

  Although he really wasn’t all that angry with her and knew she had a point, he sent a wave of alpha energy in her direction that caused her to jerk back. “You will speak to me with respect, little one, or I will have Nick give you a lesson in how to do so. Do you think you can remember how to speak to your alpha?”

  “You aren’t my alpha. You imprisoned my alpha as well.” She tilted her chin up defiantly.

  He chuckled. “That head tilt would be more effective if you could look me in the eye, little one.”

  She glanced up at him but couldn’t hold his gaze. “I’m not afraid of you.”

  “Good, I have no reason to want you to be. Do you think you can continue this conversation respectfully like a good girl or do I need to turn you over to Nick and speak with you in the morning when you’ve had some time to consider your current circumstances?”

  The threat of being disciplined seemed to kick in and interestingly caused her to relax. “No, Alpha. I don’t need to be disciplined. I’m sorry I misbehaved.”

  “That’s better. Now, other than being abducted and forced into a nice room with a lovely view and having to eat a scrumptious dinner… have you been ill-treated?” he said teasingly.

  She glanced up at him and returned his smile. “No, Alpha. Given what happened today, I would say you have treated most of us well.”

  “I take it you don’t think my mate deserved to be spanked?”

  She hesitated.

  “Lacey, let me tell you the first rule the females in my pack learn. When I ask you a question, I want an answer. And I want an honest one. As long as it is truthful and spoken with respect, you will never be punished for what your answer might be. Can you try to remember that?”

  “Yes, Alpha.”

  “Dylan is fine. We’re a pretty casual group here. I don’t feel the need for a title to lead my pack.”

  “Then no, Dylan, I don’t think she deserved to be spanked.”

  “Didn’t she disobey me?”

  “With respect, she isn’t yours to command.”

  “She is as much mine to command as you are. Her status as alpha at Bae Diogel does not transfer to alpha at Calon Gwyllt. Here she is my mate and a member of my pack and she will behave accordingly. When she chooses to be naughty, I will see to her correction. Given the fact that she fired on me and threatened me with a weapon she was obviously more than capable of using with deadly consequences, I would think merely being spanked and sent to have supper in her room is well within the scope of my authority and punishment some would consider entirely too lenient.”

  “But she doesn’t want to be here. None of us do.”

  “I know that, little one. And I’m sorry that your freedom as you defined it has been taken from you. But better to be taken by the Council than by a group of marauding males. And make no mistake that pack from Serbia that you fought would have come back in force and made short work of the lot of you.”

  “Maybe we would have preferred to die free than live as slaves.”

  “Slaves? Where did you come from, little one? Did your former pack mistreat you?”

  “Yes. Women were caught and turned as children then raised in a kind of nursery or kennel. When they became sexually mature, they were paired off with one of the males and then made to serve them in all ways whether they liked it or not.”

  Dylan shook his head. “And the old guard wonders why Skylar created Bae Diogel. I hate when I hear things like that. I think if you look around and talk to my girls, you’ll find that’s not the way it is here. You are now a member of my pack and under my protection.”

  “Then I can stay here with Skylar?”

  “I’m sorry, little one. That’s not possible. I would never have allowed the ranking members of my mate’s pack to remain here and that stunt you ladies pulled this afternoon scared the bejesus out of the old guard. They want you split up. As you’ve been a ranking member of a pack of rogue females, I need to find an alpha who will suit you.”

  She looked up at him, panic filling her eyes. “Please, Dylan. Not an alpha. Not anyone. If you let me stay, I’ll be good. You won’t even know I’m here. Please don’t force me to mate.”

  “Were you raped, little one?” he asked gently.

  “Yes. Several alphas thought they wanted me. The masters of the pack I was raised in allowed them to take turns taking me to their bed and knotting me. It was horrible. It took months for me to heal. When I heard the worst of them had settled on me as a mate, I found the courage to jump from the cliff one night. When I found I was still alive the next morning, I made my way to Bae Diogel.”

  Dylan folded her into his arms and let her cry. He rubbed her back and hair and let her get it out. When she finally stopped, he said, “That should never have happened to you. When you feel safe, I would like the name and location of that pack. They will be dealt with… if not by the Council then by me.”

  “I wouldn’t want anyone to risk their lives over something that happened two years ago.”

  “But if it happened then, chances are it is happening now. And it needs to be stopped.”

  She looked into Dylan’s pale blue ey
es and saw nothing by empathy for her, and anger toward those who had hurt her. She rubbed her cheek against his hands. “Thank you.”

  “Have you ever been made love to properly with love and tenderness?”

  “Yes. I found a human male shortly after reaching Bae Diogel and he was able to get me through the first couple of times until I learned that it wasn’t horrific and that I greatly enjoyed it.”

  “But you panicked when I said I would find you a mate.”

  “You said an alpha.”

  Dylan nodded. “So, it’s the alpha knot that terrifies you… and rightly so from your perspective. I won’t lie to you. When your alpha buries his knot in you, it is painful.”

  “But you alphas don’t care… it’s all about your sexual gratification,” she said, starting to become highly agitated again.

  “Do we find it sexually gratifying? Yes, but when done properly, so do our mates. But Mother Nature has a way of settling the score. Did you realize that when the knot starts to swell, your partner will experience a level of pain that is quite intense?”

  She searched his face for reassurance. Finding it, she relaxed again. “As much as when he forces it in?”

  Dylan nodded. “Once you’re sealed to him, your mate will rock both of you. The sensations are like no other pleasure in this world. Most women experience multiple orgasms even if normally they aren’t capable of doing so. Watching your mate revel in her pleasure is the most satisfying feeling an alpha can have.”

  He watched to see if she was still frightened and was glad to see that the fear had turned to curiosity. “When he releases his cum into you, it gushes forward, filling you completely. Your spasms will bring forth every last bit of it.”

  “Isn’t it messy when he rolls off her?”

  Dylan smiled. “No. After he’s filled you, your mate will be tied to you for several hours. That time is the most intimate, magical thing you will ever experience. I promise you, little one, once you have been knotted properly, you’ll think your mate is a god. Of course, that only lasts until the knot finally dissipates and he slips from your body to snuggle next to you to sleep. At that point, you’ll know we’re just men.”

  She listened to him with rapt attention. “That doesn’t sound so bad.”

  He shook his head, smiling at her. “Not bad at all. I will make sure your alpha knows what you were subjected to.”

  “But will he want someone whose been used like that?”

  “Little one, if he doesn’t see that you were a victim and are to be cherished for having the courage to try again, he isn’t worthy of you. If you want, I will make sure your first knot is done here at Calon Gwyllt so that if you’re ill-used, I will make other arrangements.”

  “But who’s going to want one of us. Aren’t we those evil women who rose up against the system?”

  Dylan laughed. “To some, yes. But none of you will be mated to them. To those of us who matter, you’re the naughty little girls who need to get mated to the right men and get your bottoms spanked when you misbehave.”

  She giggled.

  “Do you think you can trust me to ensure your safety?” he asked gently.

  “Can’t you make them just promise not to knot me?”

  “No, little one. Alpha males need to knot and tie their mates. It’s a primal force within us. It’s best for your alpha if it happens at least monthly… but some women greatly enjoy it and ask their mate to knot them more frequently.”

  “Then if you have to mate me, give me to someone who isn’t alpha.”

  “I can’t do that. As I said, you were a ranking member of a rogue pack. You will need the strength of an alpha to help you transition back to where you should be. But I make you a solemn vow, you will not be abused. And as I told your alpha/my mate earlier today, getting your bottom blistered when you misbehave does not constitute abuse.”

  She giggled again. “I’ll bet she disagreed with you about that.”

  “Only until her backside matched the color of her hair. Then she became far more reasonable about many things.”

  “That’s not nice, Dylan.”

  He grinned and stroked her hair. “That’s the truth, Lacey. Here’s what I planned. There are a number of young, strong, honorable alpha males who would literally fight to the death to claim you. But that is not their choice. I’m the one holding all the cards. Tomorrow I’m going to have Darby moved up to the main house after Roz leaves with Oliver. If you like, I’ll ask Oliver if you can say goodbye before she goes.”

  She nodded. “Please.”

  “I can’t promise anything as she is to be his mate and it is his decision. But I think, like me, he wants this to be as easy for her as it can be. Darby also needs to go to an alpha male. As I think you know, she’s mated to some bastard who abused her. I am arranging for that pairing to be dissolved. She’ll need to be with an alpha in case he decides to get stupid. My thought was we would have a house party next weekend and invite the eligible males for you to meet. Afterwards, I’ll talk to both of you to see where we stand and how you’re feeling about them.”

  “But what if none of them are suited to us?”

  “It’s a big world, Lacey, I’ll find you your mate. But Lacey? Lying to me about how you’re feeling or denying a call from a mate will only result in you being disciplined by Nick for misbehaving and then handed over to your alpha for his discipline as well. I have to warn you… Nick is a big fan of washing little girls’ mouths out with soap for lying before they get sent to the corner and then spanked.”

  “Yes, Alpha.”

  “Good girl. You look exhausted. Why don’t I have Susannah go back to your room with you and get you tucked in for bed? Roz is leaving early tomorrow and I think after today, you need a good night’s sleep.”

  “Not just today. We’ve known this was coming since the attack. I don’t think any of us have slept soundly since that night.”

  “You’ll sleep tonight, little one. You are safe here and no one will harm you.”

  “But only if I don’t count spankings as harm.”

  “But those you have control over… don’t misbehave and you’ll have no reason to be spanked, now will you?”

  Lacey rubbed her head against his hands again. “I’m sorry I was nasty when you first wanted to see me.”

  “Given how you’ve been treated, it’s understandable. If you continue to behave like you have since we’ve been talking, you and I can just pretend that never happened. And I’ll bet if you’re a good girl, Matthew will agree to forget it as well. He’s a very nice man, our Matthew.”

  Dylan stood up and drew Lacey to her feet. He walked her to the doors and opened them. Matthew was waiting.

  “What do you need, Dylan?” Matthew asked.

  “Can you have Susannah take Lacey up to her room and help her get ready for bed? Roz is leaving early in the morning and I’ve promised Lacey and Skylar they can say goodbye.”

  Lacey turned to look at him. “Can’t the rest of the girls say goodbye too?”

  “No, little one. Roz doesn’t need the upset that would create. But Oliver has indicated that once she’s settled in, he’d have no problem with her communicating with those of you whose alphas are amenable to that.”

  Having seen her husband motion for her to join them, Susannah put her arm around Lacey. “Everything okay, Lace?”

  Lacey smiled at her. “It is now. Dylan thinks I should go to bed. I must admit, I’m awfully tired.”

  “Well then, let’s get you upstairs and settled for the night. We have the most wonderful beds here. Very comfortable regardless of what you’re doing in them.”

  “Susannah, hush,” admonished Matthew. She giggled and kissed him.

  Smiling seductively at her mate, Susannah said, “You know, Lacey, I’m very tired too. I think once I’ve got you settled, I’ll go to Matthew’s and my room, get naked, and get in our bed. Maybe I can find something to do until I fall asleep.”

  Lacey giggled and looked at
Matthew, who was looking at Dylan.

  “Don’t look at me, Matthew, she’s your mate. Mine is supposed to already be in our bed asleep. If I’m lucky maybe she’ll be naked as well. Women are so much nicer to snuggle with when they’re naked.”

  Chapter Nine

  After ensuring the rest of his guests’ needs were seen to and the house had become quiet, Dylan wandered into the kitchen and grabbed a cold Guinness out of the fridge. He walked out onto the patio and looked toward the sea. The night sky was full of stars and he watched as they and the full moon danced across the water.

  Dylan felt more than heard Nick as he approached. Nick too had wandered through the kitchen snagging himself a Guinness. “Helluva day, Alpha.”

  “But a good one, Nick.”

  “I think you might be right,” said Nick as he rubbed the cold Guinness across the back of his neck.

  “I take it you’ve made the rounds?”

  “Yes. I saw you were busy and thought I’d save you the added trouble.”

  “Any trouble with any of the girls?” inquired Dylan.

  “Nothing of which you aren’t aware.”

  Dylan clapped his friend on the shoulder. “Give Bianca my thanks for once again acting as hostess tonight. I know it isn’t something she enjoys but she does an excellent job.”

  “She’s happy to be of service.”

  Dylan laughed. “Knowing your mate, she’d far rather be servicing you.”

  Nick laughed with him. “Yes, my mate does enjoy the physical side of our pairing. I would think from watching yours today, she will as well.”

  Dylan smiled broadly. “I don’t think the physical side will be a problem. Getting her to accept that she once again has a mate to whom she must answer may be an issue.”

  Nick clasped his friend on the arm. “I have the utmost faith in you to help her with that.”

  Dylan laughed. “How is Anna doing?”

  “Fine as far as I know. She hasn’t been a problem at all. She wasn’t feeling well this evening and asked if she could remain in her room instead of coming downstairs for supper…”