Captured And Claimed (Wayward Mates Series Book 8) Page 4

  The women of their pack were quiet, well-behaved, and for the most part beautiful. Men were expected only to produce children with their mate but a great many, especially of his father’s generation, felt little compunction to be faithful. As an alpha, and one who would rule when his father was gone, James was also expected never to knot a female in human form unless he was mated to her. And as for the myth of so-called ‘fated mates,’ well, his father had always scorned such fairytale notions and in this instance, James had no reason to say that his father was wrong.

  This auction was important and prestigious to certain sectors of their society. It had been put together by Ramon deMoncada, reputed to be the next leader of the Ruling Council’s oversight/executive group. The auction was to be a very prominent event, and the three women to be offered were said to be prime breeders. The fee just to be invited to bid had been astronomical.

  James had been somewhat surprised his father had been willing to pony up that kind of money. His father hated parting with money, but he wanted James mated and had found the allure of one particular woman impossible to resist. She was said to be the prize of the auction. Although not shifter-born, she was beautiful and her sister, who had also been turned, had produced a shifter-born female. His father expected his son to do no less.

  James dismissed thoughts of his father and concentrated on the pleasure of the young woman perched on his lap who seemed to be enjoying his hard cock throbbing beneath her. He slid his hand up between her legs and when she offered no objection, pushed aside her panties to finger her clit. He grinned as that made her squirm and open her legs a bit wider.

  Placing his hand on the side of her breast furthest from him, he leaned her closer so he could whisper in her ear, “Shall we go back to your place where you can see to my hard cock before I use it to plow that naughty, wet pussy of yours?”

  She giggled and nodded. James helped her up off his lap.

  “Well, lads, I think I will escort the lady back to her place.”

  “James, you need a clear head and our flight leaves early in the morning.”

  “Not to fret, John, I’ll be there. But I’ll most likely sleep all the way to Montreal.” He petted the pretty girl’s rump. “I’m not planning to get much sleep, am I, sweetheart?”

  “God, I hope not,” she giggled.

  The two left and James made good on his pledge. He arrived at the airport the next morning exhausted but extremely well satiated. His father had admonished him to keep his dick in his pants while in Montreal and that was James’ plan. Not because his father had instructed him to do so, but because he had his own reasons for being at the auction. His plans and those of his father did not have the same intended outcome. James hoped that he would be able to avoid having to place the winning bid for the turned shifter.

  But as tired as he was from sharing the bed of last night’s companion, the thought of bedding and knotting a woman who was reportedly as beautiful as she was valuable still had the ability to stiffen not only his exhausted cock, but his steely resolve.

  When James returned to Ravenscar, it would not be as the model son and heir apparent.

  * * *

  Galveston, Texas, USA

  The food, drink, and music were plentiful. Cameron watched as his mate, Riley, danced and played fiddle, her face bright with happiness as her red curly hair seemed to keep time to the music as it bounced with her exuberance. People laughed, danced, sang, ate, and generally rejoiced in the celebration. Cameron Nichols was in high spirits. His pack was happy and his newly claimed mate, Riley, was enjoying herself. Every day it seemed the dark memories from her many rescues were replaced by a little more light in her eyes.

  “Brother,” Riley’s brother, Aidan, said as he embraced Cameron. “I knew you were fated, but I did not think I would see my sister this happy this quickly.”

  “Why is that? Did you not make your Gia happy from the start?”

  “Gia is my love... as my sister is yours. I feared Riley would never be called to her fated mate. Then once she was, I feared you wouldn’t catch her.”

  Cameron glanced up to see her looking across the room at him. “I think that when she couldn’t deny my call any longer, she let me catch her. She is as strong-willed as she is beautiful and fiery. I owe you a debt for allowing me to claim her.”

  “You owe me nothing. That debt was repaid the night she played my father’s song for you. My people talked about that for days after the two of you left.”

  “Mes amies,” said Jean-Michel Gautier, alpha of New Orleans, coming between the two men and clasping both by the shoulders. “I bring a gift of a fine bottle of whiskey from Ioan of Calon Onest and I raided my stash of Cuban cigars. What say you to calling the rest of the men of our Coalition together to celebrate Cameron’s bonding and an end to those who would destroy all that is good in our way of life?”

  All three men headed out to the private patio off of Cameron and Riley’s study, gathering Declan Collins, Dylan Grainger, Oliver Halsey, and Griffin Owen along the way.

  As Darby watched the men enter Riley and Cameron’s study, she turned to Riley. “That’s it,” said Darby.

  “What?” asked Riley.

  “I made sure Jean-Michel brought good cigars. It would seem our mates are headed out back to smoke and share a bottle of whiskey Ioan sent. If I know Bethan she’s boosted the proof of the whiskey to get them drunk a little faster and make them slower to respond.”

  “That hangover should be nasty,” said Skylar Grainger, mate to Dylan, shaking her head.

  Roz Halsey, mate to Oliver, grinned at her. “Bad-Ass Bethan, my hero.”

  Riley interrupted. “Ladies, the time to go is now. There’s an escape tunnel at the end of the hall. It comes out in the barn. If the girls of my pack have done their jobs, our horses will be waiting for us. There’s going to be a surprise fireworks display. Amy is certain she can keep the men interested in that. She figures we have about an hour to get away. There are two SUVs waiting less than a forty-five-minute ride from here. Our gear is already stowed away. We figure they’ll head for the port first, so we’re heading northwest. We have plane reservations and ID that’ll get us through the airport and onto the plane. From there we’ll fly across the border into Canada. Ava?”

  Ava nodded. “We figured it was best to get into Canada and head to Montreal once we were on Canadian soil. We have an SUV and a van waiting for us so that if needed we can let the girls we rescue lie down and rest. We figure those of us with the most fighting experience—Skylar, Darby, Riley, and Roz—will go in and get the girls and then stay with the SUV. If need be, they can drop back and fight to cover Maddie and me getting those girls out of there.”

  “The hardest part was getting the weapons we need in Canada,” said Roz. “Luckily Skylar and I were able to reach out to some of the contacts we have up in that area. They were able to help with the weapons.”

  The women went through the tunnel, making sure the barn was all clear and ascended into the back of the barn. As planned, six horses had been saddled and were waiting for them, including Riley’s Echo, who whickered to her softly and seemed anxious to leave.

  “This is it, ladies. Anyone wanting to back out, now’s the time. Gia, I think you need to get back to the house. If you play it right, it will seem like you weren’t involved at all. You might be able to convince Aidan that because you’re pregnant and have children, that we didn’t include you, but I doubt it. In fact, that can go for the rest of you too. I can get this done on my own. There’s no need for any of the rest of you to catch hell over it.”

  Gia smiled. “At least I had a small part in helping and will be able to tell my children that their mother was one of those who helped put an end to this bullshit.”

  The rest of the women smiled and as expected none of them moved to go with Gia.

  “I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m not getting left behind again.” asked Roz. “I got stuck up with Mason Daniels’ pack for the la
st female uprising. I’m going. If I’m going to feel Oliver’s belt across my ass, I’m at least going to have fun deserving it.”

  Riley was glad there was a clear sky and a full moon, making it easier for the horses to move at a fast gait, making the distance needed with time to spare. They left the horses at the predetermined spot with a note to the owner of the small boarding stable to contact Cameron Nichols, who would have them picked up quickly so as not to be an inconvenience. Riley wove a note to Cameron into Echo’s mane, knowing he would find it. She hoped it would at least help him to try to understand. Once away from the barn they shifted and ran as a pack to the SUVs. From there they shifted back, loaded into the vehicles, hit the highway, and headed to the first airport with time to spare before boarding the plane, heading northeast and landing in Toronto to continue the rest of their journey.

  Chapter Six

  Cameron was relaxed and enjoying the company of his fellow Coalition alphas. He was going to have to get the name of Jean-Michel’s cigar maker. Riley actually enjoyed the taste of whiskey and good tobacco in his mouth when they were kissing. Riley... the very thought of her stirred him. Like his comrades, he knew he was damn lucky to have her.

  The fireworks exploded in the sky—a gift from Marco and Catherine. Relaxed and very happy, Cameron could see his pack all standing outside enjoying themselves but suddenly realized he didn’t feel Riley’s presence.

  “Cameron? Mon ami, is something amiss?” asked Jean-Michel, who was more than a little drunk.

  “I can’t feel her.”

  Jean-Michel laughed. “Good whiskey has been known to dull the senses.”

  “Have you ever been so drunk you couldn’t feel or scent Darby?”

  That seemed to get through to Jean-Michel. They both scented the air and found nothing. Cameron took off up the stairs with Jean-Michel hot on his heels. He flung open the door to their room, but knew he would find it empty.

  “Perhaps they are outside on the other side of the house?” offered Jean-Michel.

  “Let’s hope. I’ll go check. You get the others. If I find them, I’ll herd them toward Riley’s and my study. If not, let’s all meet there anyway.”

  He found his beta, Gabe, asked him to start a search and question his own mate, Amy, and the rest of the women of the Wolf Meadow pack, but knew that they were unlikely to give up any information about where the missing women had gone.

  In the office he found the rest of the Coalition alphas looking grim.

  “You think they’re up to some mischief?” Oliver asked.

  Cameron shook his head. “I wish it was mischief I thought they were up to. I’m worried they’re playing a far deadlier game than that. I’d bet every last dime I had that Riley cooked his up with my beta’s mate and my little sister. Then they invited the rest in.”

  “You seem far less annoyed than the rest of us,” said Oliver.

  Cameron nodded. “I am. I hate to tell you but I agree with the women; this problem should have been rooted out a long time ago. I understand being cautious, but I think it sent the wrong message not only to those that were its direct victims but to the women of our kind as a whole. Memories of what she’s seen haunt Riley. She told me just recently, it isn’t the women she’s managed to free or the faces of the men she’s killed that haunt her. It’s the vacant, dead eyes of the women she didn’t get to in time who chose to end their own lives.”

  There was a knock and one of Cameron’s stable hands stepped in. “Alpha, we have missing horses... Echo among them.”

  Cameron laughed. “Well, at least this time, he’s her horse. No way to track them on horseback tonight, but I’ll have a couple of the boys get on it first thing in the morning. I’m going to head into Galveston and check Riley’s loft, the restaurant, and the port itself. I doubt there will be anything there. She’s too clever for that, but it’s a place to start. Anyone wanting to head into Galveston with me is welcome to come. I want to speak to Gabe and Sam, but I’ll be ready to go within half an hour. Meet me in the foyer.”

  * * *

  Ontario to Quebec, Canada

  Once they were away from the Toronto airport and headed east toward Montreal, the women took a collective sigh of relief.

  “It would seem, ladies, that we have been able to rid ourselves of our leashes,” said Skylar, who was driving.

  “It’s time to cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war,” added Riley.

  They rolled into the outskirts of Montreal some six hours later. They found the warehouse with the van, the other SUV, and the weapons. It had been decided that only the four women who had actually killed someone would make the direct assault on the house. Riley, Skylar, Roz, and Darby stayed at the warehouse to check their packs and weapons while Maddie and Ava went on a recon mission to the location of the auction to make sure their information was correct.

  They planned to make their move during the dinner prior to the auction itself while most everyone else would be distracted. Ava had managed to obtain one of the invitations. Unless you knew what it was that was being auctioned off, you’d swear this was just some elegant soiree with an auction of expensive things being offered. The brochure that had been created showing all three women naked and in varied poses quickly disavowed any notion that this was anything other than what it was... human/wolf trafficking. There was a cocktail reception where the merchandise could be seen but not handled and then those with sufficient interest and funds would have time to inspect the goods being offered on a more intimate level. The inspection time would be followed by a dinner and then the auction itself would take place.

  It was during the planned dinner that they meant to make their move. Three of the four women would be responsible for getting to an individual girl and getting her away from the house. The fourth woman on the assault team would take up a place where she could keep watch and not only raise the alarm if they were discovered but lay down cover fire so that they could get away clean.

  * * *

  Galveston, Texas, USA

  Jean-Michel, Dylan, and Oliver had accompanied Cameron into Galveston. As he had suspected, there was nothing to be found. In fact, other than her regular cleaning lady doing her job in the loft, Riley’s former residence and the restaurant were untouched. They prowled the port and could find no trace of them.

  Gathered back together by the SUV, Dylan offered, “As Cameron said, I didn’t expect to find anything.”

  “Nor did I,” said Oliver. “I just hope Aidan can get something out of Gia. While she may never have been part of the original group at Bae Diogel, she would have fit right in. She is as feisty and stubborn as the rest.”

  Dylan shook his head. “I really thought Skylar had settled down and found peace with me.”

  Jean-Michel clasped his shoulder. “Your Skylar loves you. She is happy with you, but like the others she is strong-willed and has little fear. She also has a profound sense of right and wrong... and the only thing that has been right about any of this is what Riley has done. We should have moved faster and with more deadly intentions.”

  Cameron nodded. “I agree. I got after Riley about the danger she put herself in, but honestly, being called to her as a fated mate is the thing that I’m the proudest of in my life. She didn’t give a damn what anyone thought or said. Those women were in trouble and needed saving so she set out to do just that. I watched her in Belfast. My God, she was ferocious and fearless... everything an alpha she-wolf ought to be. I watched her take three out of four men down armed with only a knife and they had guns. They were too stupid to stay out of her strike zone and three of them paid for it with their lives.”

  “What about the fourth?” asked Oliver.

  “He had her dead to rights. Thanks to Declan loaning me his sniper rifle, I put a bullet between his eyes. But even now I’m not convinced Riley wouldn’t have found a way to get away from him and end his life.”

  Dylan smiled. “She must enjoy the aftermath of a discipline session as much as my Sk
ylar. I have to say one of life’s greatest pleasures is having your woman go from a spitting, snarling hellcat to purring at you as you drive into her.”

  The other three alphas smiled and nodded in agreement.

  “And is there anything more satisfying or arousing,” offered Jean-Michel, “than seeing your mate sprawled on your bed after a good, long lovemaking session completely spent, without a care and dead to the world?”

  Cameron chuckled. “I don’t know. That one isn’t bad, but I have to say, seeing them standing naked in the corner with their bottom showing plenty of color and your cum dripping down the inside of their thigh is tough to beat.”

  “I’m going to vote with Cameron,” said Dylan, grinning at the memory of seeing Skylar in just such a position.

  “Hmm, must be a redhead thing,” said Oliver. “My vote would be with Jean-Michel.”

  They got back into the SUV and headed back to the Wolf Meadow Ranch as the sun began to make its appearance over the eastern horizon.

  Chapter Seven

  Montreal, Quebec, Canada

  Ava and Maddie had been able to take a good, long look at the big house their comrades would be raiding that evening. They’d found a better place to be waiting with the SUV and van—closer to the house with less open ground and more than one escape route. Their part in gearing up for the mission done, they headed back to the warehouse.

  “Did you ever think you and I would end up friends?” asked Ava.