37 comments/  62537 views/  32 favorites

Guarded Hearts

By: whitesabretooth



Author's note: All characters and companies mentioned in this story have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone or anything bearing the same name or names. Events portrayed in this story are pure invention and have not been based on any events that have happen in real life. All the characters involved in any sexual acts if their ages are not mentioned before hand; are over 18 years of age. Enjoy.

Hi everyone.

Here is chapter 1 of Guarded hearts. For those who are new to my stories this is one of a series, so if you jump in now you might get a little lost, my bio lists the reading order for the Twists of Fate series.

Okay so... big thanks goes out to everyone who sends feedback, thankyou and please keep it coming, whether it be good or bad. However, the biggest shout out goes to my editor, who works wonders.

Thanks and don't forget to comment and vote.



Guarded Hearts Ch. 02



Author's note: All characters and companies mentioned in this story have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone or anything bearing the same name or names. Events portrayed in this story are pure invention and have not been based on any events that have happen in real life. All the characters involved in any sexual acts if their ages are not mentioned before hand; are over 18 years of age. Enjoy.

Hi everyone

New chapter... I hope you enjoy it. As always a big thankyou goes out to my editor, she rocks. Also thanks goes out to everyone who sent feedback, or left comments. So as always all feedback is welcome.

Enjoy.

Chapter 2

Amy hung up on her daughter and sighed. She stood from her desk and walked out of her office, passing passing people who was busy cleaning or working. Amy sent her mind out looking for Maria, when she found her she willed herself to her. Maria didn't react as she rearranged some flowers, taking out the wilting flowers and replacing them with new ones.

"Maria," Amy said to get her attention.

Maria turned and smiled, she was a small woman, a few inches shorter than even Amy's diminutive height, slight with dark wavy hair and almond shaped dark brown eyes, her skin was a healthy honey brown. She held herself with an air of quiet confidence but Amy knew that confidence would vanish the moment she left the land where the central pack was homed. She had however come a long way since she had first come here, the weary almost panicked look was no longer always in her eyes, and she no longer looked like she would bolt at a single notice.

"Electra won't be home for a while; she just called it in, a hate crime." Amy informed her.

Maria frowned for a moment wondering why Amy was telling her this, it wasn't like they were mated, then suddenly she knew and started to shake her head. "No." She said firmly as she walked away.

Amy sighed she had expected this reaction as it was the same reaction she got whenever she suggested leaving the central den if only for an hour. "Maria... it was Ghost." She told her retreating back.

Maria paused in shock and turned back.

Amy nodded, "he was the one who was beaten and Electra fears for him, fears that this will turn him even more against humans." Amy took a few steps to bring them closer, "Unless she can arrest the people who did that to him to show him that humans do care and don't want him to run away again."

Maria looked down, she felt conflicted, she wanted to help him but at the same time, she didn't want to go, didn't want to leave the safety of the central den.

"It'll just be for a few days," Amy told her seeing her wavering, "Less even; it will be up to you." She amended. "I'll take you and bring you back, you won't be left alone for a moment, Electra and Nathanael are there."

Maria paced for a few moments, indecision in every line of her body. Amy let her be; she would not push Maria to do something she didn't want to.

Maria turned to her, "No more than a few days right?" She asked.

Amy nodded vigorously.

"Okay... I'll do it." She conceded.

Amy nodded but wasn't that surprised that Maria had agreed although she was jumping around on the inside. No Were would say no to helping Ghost, ever, everyone wanted to see him come out of his self imposed purgatory.

"I better go pack for a few days then." Maria said before she quickly left. Amy watched her then looked down when she felt a tug on her arm.

Thais smiled at her his blue eyes sparkling, today he had pleaded with his eyes to do his own hair when she went to style it in it's normal spikes, she had conceded so today he had a little Mohawk. "She'll find the one." He told her, his voice soft and slightly husky with disuse, of all her children Thais was the most unique. His ability to see the future only part of that reason, he was a child, he looked like a child, but he wasn't a true child because didn't act like one; he had unsettled the people doing the preschool interview with the way he acted. In fact, all three had unsettled the interviewers so much that they didn't get their placement. Wolfgang didn't care; he loved having the cubs underfoot.

He had rare moments of childish behaviour, but she could say the same of Wolfgang, the rest of the time he was calm, collected, as if he was decades... nay centuries older than he truly was. Taliesin often said that he was an adult trapped in a child's body, although Amy wasn't so sure, at four he had a vocabulary that rivalled that of most adults, when he talked his sentences were always well thought out as were his words. She always was a little amused when ever he opened his mouth and said big words like necessitate, improbability and hypothesize in the right context, but at the same time it was also exceedingly cute.

"Her soul mate?" Amy asked as she knelt so that she could look him in the eyes.

He nodded, "Don't worry, she'll come home." He told her.

She smiled and kissed his forehead. "Go on, I'm sure Taliesin is looking for you."

He tilted his head. "No... but Maddie wants to run before dinner, may I?" He asked hopefully, he was still kind of in trouble for not telling them about the attack and Keira's turning.

"Take Sage with you." She answered giving him the go-ahead.

He did a cute little happy dance, in one of his rare moments of childish behaviour, before he ran off to get Maddie and Sage. Amy smiled and went to get Maria a mobile phone; she would program the names and numbers of every Ancient that had a room in the Manor so that she would be able to get back at a moment's notice.

Amy stood and walked towards the kitchen. Temperance, having been banned from going anywhere near the kitchen stood in the hallway swaying as she waited for Anna to bring her a drink. She was doing her best to be good and it helped that she now had structured lessons so she had less chances of getting up to mischief. Amy leant down and kissed the top of her head on her way passed.

Anna handed Temperance a cup of water and waited for her to finish before returning it to the kitchen. Amy turned to them and paused at the door. "Thais, Maddie and Sage are going for a run before dinner, you're welcome to join them." She told her troublesome daughter. Temperance's eyes went wide; she gulped her drink handed the cup back to Anna then ran off.

"No point in telling Serenity, she begged another piano lesson from me before dinner." Anna said as she followed Amy into the kitchen.

"Like she really had to try." Amy shot back with a knowing smile, all Serenity had to do was give Anna the adoring pleading look and she would get her way.

Anna smiled and walked into the kitchen and to the sink to take care of the cup. She loved the family that had sprung up around her and it was all down to Wolfgang. Her mate had died in an accident and the only reason she didn't fall apart was because she was pregnant, but when she lost her child her world crumbled and she had made serious plans about ending her life. However, fate stepped in and a day later Wolfgang was placed in her arms, a little boy who needed her to survive and she no longer had a reason to kill herself, she pushed all that away and focused on the little life that now depended on her to be strong. Then Gillian was put in her arms as well and she had been taken to the Alpha's home and had made it her own. As the boys grew, her duties changed and she stopped being a nursemaid for them and started to be a motherly influence. As Wolfgang and Gillian became men, her duties had changed again but it never stopped the two men coming to her for advice. Then Amy came and cubs were back in the house and she got to be involved again. She owed a lot to Wolfgang and his father.

"True." Anna answered.

"Maria will be going to help Electra; I need a mobile for her." Amy told the room.

Bastion was cleaning dishes Temperance had dirtied in her escapade. "How did you manage that?" He asked as he lifted a large ceramic mixing bowl to scrub. His kitchen had finally been righted after Temperance had trashed it earlier although he doubted he would be able to cook dinner tonight.

"It was Ghost." Amy answered.

The bowl slipped in his hands as he jerked to Amy in surprise and shock. The bowl crashed to the ground and broke into three pieces. He cursed as he jerked to the broken bowl; it had been one of his best and had survived Temperance four times. He growled at himself and reached to collect the broken pieces

"Ghost... are you sure?" Anna asked as she moved to a cupboard that was mounted on a wall, pulling out a ring of keys she unlocked the cupboard. They kept a ready supply of mobiles in the house; the amount of phones that were accidentally crushed in anger was high. She quickly activated a phone and handed it to Amy who instantly started to program the numbers she knew by rote into the phone.

"Very, Nathanael identified him." Amy told them.

"And Maria agreed to go?" Anna asked surprised.

Amy nodded.

Bastion turned after dumping the broken bowl into the bin, "it's Ghost..." He said, "I don't know a single person living or dead who will say no to helping Ghost."

Anna nodded in agreement, she knew.

Maria walked in carrying a bag, she took a deep shuddering breath before throwing her head up and shoulders back. "Ready." She said although on the inside her stomach was working its way into large knots.

Amy handed her the phone. "Every Ancient's number who lives at the manor is programmed into this. Call until you get one of us. They'll know to get you home instantly."

Maria nodded and tucked the phone into the front pocket of her jeans, she had changed after she packed, putting away her loose house clothes for jeans, sturdy boots and a cotton shirt. She lifted her bag flinging it onto her shoulder and gave Amy the nod to send her on her way.

Before she even had a chance to blink she had vanished from the manor and appeared near Electra and Nathanael; they both turned to her and smiled.

Maria approached the table after quickly glancing around the room, "I thought he would be... bigger." She said as she turned back to Electra.

"Maria you could walk under him in your wolf form and your ears and tail wouldn't even touch him." Electra said amused. "But I know what you mean, we've heard about him our entire lives, of course we are going to be a little disappointed when we met the man."

"So what are we doing?" Maria asked.

"We are going to move him to a concrete pit." Electra explained.

Maria nodded and started to pack up Nathanael's kits keeping her eyes away from the curious stares of those in the room, she hoped that if she focused only on what she was doing she would be able to do this. Electra helped her, they made one trip back to the car to put down the back seats, Nathanael would ride in the back with Ghost.

"Drive the car around to the front doors, Nathanael and I will carry him in." Electra told her.

Maria nodded and took the keys. Electra walked back into the hospital, moving her badge to a long length of chain she wore around her neck for this purpose. They started to strip, they didn't want to ruin their clothes as they had only brought a few sets with them, folding them neatly and ignoring the embarrassed looks of the humans in the room. They then pulled their beasts forward and together they shifted into their hybrid forms, both had to hunch a little as their heads could easily clear the ceiling. They moved around Ghost and used some heavy-duty strapping and a spine board to lift him, together they carried him to the car with Katie following to carry the drips.

Maria had opened the back of the SUV and crawled in to help move him around once he was in. She was small but she was still exceedingly strong, she might not have the sheer power Electra had but she was used to moving un-wielding heavy things, so she knew how to use her strength a lot more wisely than Electra could. Katie crawled into the car with the drip once Ghost was finally in place and hung it on one of the panic bars above the doors then crawled out and went to get ready to lead the way.





Guarded Hearts Ch. 02



He jumped onto the bed gracefully on his first try and settled himself at Haley's back, his head rested on her ribs. He sighed and closed his eyes ready to nap.

Temperance jumped up onto the bed before she shifted not wanting to make a fool of herself when she jumped up. She stripped and shifted in moments, she was almost identical to her sister except for her stripes, she had three running from her forehead to her nose, two wide and one narrow between the two thick stripes, and she had spots beneath her eyes. She wondered for a moment where she would sleep and decided she would drape herself across her twin and rest her head beside her bother's.

Minutes later the room was quiet except for the gentle breathing of sleeping bodies.





Guarded Hearts Ch. 02



Amy walked into the room. "Alpha..." Jeff said as he turned to her, "did you get my sister up today?"

Amy glanced over to Haley and frowned, "no, in fact I was going to get you to go wake her."

Jeff walked over to Haley; Haley spotted him out of the corner of her eye. "Jeff." She said after swallowing.

He stopped dumbfounded, before him was his sister, not just the empty shell he had brought here yesterday. He glanced to the triplets wondering what they had done. He turned his attention to his sister. "Haley."

"The food is great." She told him before she frowned, "where are we?" She asked her brother.

"Wolf Haven pack," he answered, "Haley what do you last remember?" He asked as he had a sinking feeling.

She thought for long moments then shrugged.

"Leave her be." Amy said, "her memory, if lost, will return in time." Jeff nodded and sat to eat.

Nathanael walked in ten minutes later and walked over to Haley, he had been updated on the facts that that last night she was catatonic only now she was coherent, which had his mind running through possibilities of how and why. "I'm Nathanael," he said introducing himself to Haley. "While you are here I'm in charge of your treatment and I would like to look you over if you are finished."

Haley nodded, "could you explain why I have a massive gap in my memory." She said as she stood then quickly sucked down the rest of her smoothie, Maddie had been right they did taste good.

"Depends on if it is a medical reason as to your amnesia or if there is an emotional reason behind it." He explained as he started to guide her from the room. He knew Amy didn't want him to explain what had happened; she had to remember on her own.

When Haley was gone Amy pointed to the triplets and made a come with me motion with one of her fingers. They hopped down from their chairs and followed their mother into her office. "Sit." She told them as she pointed to a couch. "Now... I'm not angry with you, but I need to know what you did to draw her back."

The triplets glanced at each other before turning to their mother, "all we did was sleep with her." Temperance said honestly and got nods from her siblings. "I think." She added.

"So you didn't enter Haley's mind and draw her out?" Amy asked.

They all shook their heads vigorously, to the best of their knowledge all they had done was sleep with Haley, nothing more.

Amy watched her cubs for a moment but knew they were being honest; they didn't do anything deliberately to draw Haley back, which confused her, as she didn't understand how it was possible. It was possible that the cubs' developing powers acted subconsciously on Haley, their need to help Haley, to comfort her had their powers acting on their own. Alternatively, it was possible that the cubs had just slept with Haley and Haley felt comfort and that had drawn her out.

"Okay, go on Ghan is waiting." She told the three. Serenity and Temperance ran from the room but Thais waited. Amy said nothing, she just waited for him to make up his mind, he felt like he had something important to tell her, she wouldn't rush him.

"She won't remember." He told her with a concerned little frown.

"Why not?" She asked.

"Her cat won't let her," he explained. "She has no memory of it; her cat took it and hid it." He explained.

"Will she ever remember?" Wolfgang asked as he had walked in after the girls had left.

Thais shook his head. "No... and I'm glad she won't." He said as he hopped off the couch and left.

Wolfgang watched his son for several long moments as Thais went to join his sisters. He turned to Amy, "I think he's seen her past... but I thought he could only see the future." He said a little pained at the thought of what his young son might have seen.

"So did I." She answered, just as concerned.





Guarded Hearts Ch. 03



Author's note: All characters and companies mentioned in this story have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone or anything bearing the same name or names. Events portrayed in this story are pure invention and have not been based on any events that have happen in real life. All the characters involved in any sexual acts if their ages are not mentioned before hand; are over 18 years of age. Enjoy.

Hi everyone;

Here it is, chapter 3. I got a LOT of angry comments for ending the chapter where I did, but I do love a good cliff-hanger. Some of you pointed out an inconsistency in the previous chapter... well... technically there is no inconsistency but I don't want to give anything away.

So... here it is, I hope you enjoy. As always a big thanks goes out to my editor, she rocks. All feedback is welcome.

Have fun

Chapter 3

Maria felt a body slam into her as she braced herself for the impact of bullets. The air was slammed from her lungs as she struck the ground, rocks and dirt dug into her skin and grazed against her left cheek. She heard a curse as she tried desperately to draw air back into her lungs. She felt herself being rolled beneath the car she had been standing next to and the ping of bullets thudding into the side of the car where she had been only moments before.

She opened her eyes and blinked in surprise, Eric was above her, his arms wrapped protectively around her. His long black hair had fallen from its tie and brushed against her skin as he turned. They were close together, his body protecting hers in the cramped gap between his truck and the ground as return shots were fired.

He didn't move, he held her and waited for the fire fight to stop. She quivered beneath him in fear and confusion, fear because she was being shot at and confusion because Eric had risked his life to save hers. He leant closer to her to try to glance out from under the car; her warm breath brushed his cheek. He could see nothing but as the guns kept firing, he stayed close to Maria to keep her safe.

She took a deep breath and frowned as something tickled her nose, something delicious, woodsy and definitely male. She leant forward her nose almost touching the skin of his cheek. She took a deep breath letting his scent dance around her nose. She felt her wolf tilt her head as she studied his scent for all of a nano second before urging her human side to grab him and not let go.

They heard a car roar off and the gunfire stopped almost instantly. Electra dropped to her belly, "Maria?" She reached in and helped to get the two out from under the car. "Are you okay?" Electra asked as she pried a stunned Maria from Eric's arms.

Electra brushed dirt from Maria's face carefully and saw blood from gravel grazes.

"I'm okay..." She brushed off Electra's caring hands and turned to Eric. "Thankyou Eric." She said, her wolf growled in approval, as she looked her mate over, he would be everything they needed.

He brushed his hair out of his face and smiled with a shrug. "Just doing my job." He told her but that was far from the truth, the moment he saw the barrel of the gun his only thought was to keep her safe, he had ignored everything he had been trained to do in such a situation, his men, his own safety, to get her safe.

Electra had her phone out and was talking quickly into the mouthpiece. She was warning Nathanael, one of Eric's men was getting back up to Katie's.

Eric was scratching his head, wondering at the motive behind the attack. No one was hurt although the shooters did their best to try. But what was the motive?

"What the fuck?" Electra said as she dusted herself firmly.

"Think that was a warning to back off?" One of the other officers asked.

"Warning or not I'm going to get the fuckers taking pot shots at me, those things sting." Electra said as she glanced down at the bullet hole in her arm. "Man it struck bone, Nathanael's going to have to dig it out... arsehole won't even use sedatives when he does."

Maria chuckled. "Of course not, he needs all the sedatives he's got to keep Ghost under." Her beast was growling in her mind, wanting her to get closer to Eric, needing her to. Maria forced her wolf back and locked it up; she would look at this later when she was away from him and could think coherently.

Electra rolled her eyes. "Will your car run?" She asked Eric.

He shrugged and went to turn the engine over; he hopped into the front seat and turned the key. The engine purred into life. Electra and Maria jumped into the car ignoring the fact that it was riddled with holes and technically a crime scene. They just had an overwhelming need to get to Nathanael, Katie and Ghost.

He turned on the sirens and gunned the motor; they took off down the road like a bat out of hell, Eric took turns as safely as he could and in no more than ten minutes they were screeching to a halt outside Katie's small ranch. Maria hopped out once the car had stopped moving, Electra copied as did Eric, they were met with Nathanael was holding a rifle, in sure hands, that he had borrowed from Katie.

He gave Maria a quick glance then skipped over to Electra, he shook his head, "Can't you go a day without needing my attention?" He complained.

"I think I did that last week." Electra said laying the sarcasm on thick.

Maria rolled her eyes and walked into the house. Nathanael handed her a small kit to clean her grazes at the sink. Eric snatched the kit out of her hands and pushed her to the bench. She cast him a puzzled look as he put the case down and lifted her easily onto the bench making her more equal to his height. He put on a kettle to boil then he looked through the case.

"I can do that." She told him reaching for the case. 

He pulled it away from her grab. "You can't even see where you're hurt." He argued back.

Nathanael watched them in amusement for a moment before he pointed to a chair for Electra to sit in. He cut her sleeve open.

"Not fair I liked this shirt." Electra complained.

Nathanael chuckled. "That'll teach you."

"I was not expecting to be shot at." She argued back.

So... how's Maria? He asked silently as he flushed the wound.

She hasn't freaked yet if that's what you mean. Eric was just getting her to warm to him and wham... we're being shot at, he saved her from being riddled with bullets, knocked her to the ground and under the car out of the way. She answered giving him a little run down of what had happened.

He pulled out a pair of forceps and started to dig around in the wound. She gritted her teeth and glared at him but he ignored her. "I thought you weren't meant to hurt people that it was against some oath you made?" Electra asked angrily as he accidentally pinched a nerve.

"You spend too much time with humans. Human doctors take an oath... and since I am not a human doctor sorry... no oath." He smiled when he finally located the bullet. He carefully removed it and put it in a bowl; he then flushed the wound to see if there were any fragments. When he was happy the wound was clean, he stitched it together.

Eric by this stage had finished cleaning and tending Maria's wounds, she hopped off the bench and noticed his torn shirt. "You're bleeding." She said as she grabbed his arm and turned it over.

"It's nothing." He told her. She glared at him for a moment, before she tore his sleeve open with her free hand, keeping a firm grip on his wrist. He watched the graze on her face heal over leaving nothing but a red mark. "Wow." He reached up with his free hand to stroke the now unmarred skin. She pulled away from his fingers. "Sorry." He said and let his hand drop. 

She quickly cleaned and dressed his wound, and then she backed away from him. "I'm going to shower and change." She told the room before she quickly left.

"Wow... she likes you." Nathanael told him.

"Could have fooled me." Eric said as he packed up the case.

Nathanael smiled as he finished bandaging Electra's arm. "She let you tend her cuts without chucking a mental, she then tended your cuts without being ordered to... ergo she likes you." He finished with a smile.

"What happened to her?" Eric asked.

Nathanael and Electra glanced to each other then back to Eric. Electra stood, "Sadly that is her story to tell and no one else's." She told him.

"I asked her... she wouldn't tell me." He told them.

"And more than likely she won't." Nathanael said, "I think there are only two people who know exactly what happened to her, well two alive that is." He finished aside to Electra who chuckled.

"I don't understand." Eric said.

Electra sighed, "Think about everything you've seen and compare it to cases you've already seen in your day to day work. That's all I'll give you."

Eric thought for long minutes, trying to remember where he had seen the characteristics he had seen Maria show. Defensiveness, she didn't like to be touched or have people behind her, her eyes were always darting the room making note of who was where at all times. She trusted almost no one and those few she did trust she trusted barely. "She was abused." He concluded. "and raped... by more than one man?"

Electra and Nathanael nodded once then went about cleaning up. "I'm going to change my shirt." Electra said and left. Katie just stood still; she was mortified by what Eric had said. 

Nathanael approached her and rested his hands on her shoulders. "Don't treat her any differently, she hasn't changed, just your knowledge of her past has." He gripped her shoulders, "Just pretend that I didn't tell you, she just wants to get on with her life."

Katie nodded thinking that she could at least try. Nathanael went to return his bag back to the order it normally was. He ducked out of the room just as Electra returned and went to the fridge.

"You ate barely an hour ago," Katie exclaimed.

"Hello... Were... we eat a lot." Electra answered as she grabbed an apple and shut the fridge. 

Nathanael walked back into the room flustered.

"What's wrong with you?" Electra asked.

"What time is it?" Nathanael asked as he looked at his watch which had seemed to stand still.

Electra checked her watch and rattled off the time.

Nathanael started to swear in every single language he knew.

"What has your panties in a knot?" Electra asked cutting through his rant.

"Your mother..." He began then stopped, he started to pace in agitation.

"Did she call?" Electra asked before she bit into her apple.

"No... she's fucking with my head." He ranted.

"What has she done now?" Electra asked resigned.

"Jeff and Haley got to the manor last night..." he began his pacing getting faster. "Anyway your mother just grabbed me, sent me back in time to earlier this morning to look at Haley, I spent two..." he held up two fingers, "hours there talking to Haley starting her treatment and when I told her I had to come back do you know what she did..." He asked.

"She sent you back to the moment you left," Electra surmised before taking another bite of her apple.

"She sent me back to the moment I left." He said oblivious to Electra. "Do you know what it is like... living extra hours... all that time only to release you are back where you started and technically no time has elapsed."

Electra stuck her apple in her mouth, opened the fridge and grabbed a banana, she closed the fridge and waited for Nathanael to finish.

"It fucks with your head and I swear if she does it again I'll... I'll..." he said fighting for the right words.

"Have a banana..." Electra said and tossed the piece of fruit at him, although technically banana was a herb.

Nathanael caught it and lost focus on his rant.

"Ma doesn't normally fiddle with time Nathanael... I'm sure she did it for a good reason and she couldn't play with your memories because when you get back you need to know what you've done to Haley." Electra said trying to defend her mother's actions.

"She has still fucked with my head and I resent it." He said as he forcefully peeled his banana.

Electra chuckled, "Come on... you time travelled... tell me you don't think that was awesome... besides... I can smell Claire..."

Nathanael huffed and stormed from the room; Electra chuckled and turned to Katie and Eric who stood in stunned silence throughout the whole rant. "So... what now?" Electra asked. "Guys?" She added then shrugged and left the room already picking at the stitches Nathanael had put in.

"ELECTRA IF I CATCH YOU SCRATCHING I'LL CUFF YOUR HANDS TOGETHER." Nathanael yelled.

She jerked her hand away from the stitches and glanced back to see if Nathanael had see or if he was just bluffing.

"AND NO I'M NOT BLUFFING."

*

Maria stood under the shower letting the hot water beat against her skin, her wolf was anxious in her mind, urging her back to Eric, back to his arms and his scent. She shivered in trepidation, she didn't want to fight her wolf but she didn't want to surrender her life to another either. She rested her head against the cool tiles and tried to make sense of her troubled thoughts. She sighed and turned the water off, she reached out to grab the big fluffy towel that was hung on a hook and started to dry her body as she left the stall. Recessed scars covered her back and most parts of her body which were easily hidden by her clothes that was what Nicolai had wanted, that his dark side was never seen by the world out side the pack.

"ELECTRA IF I CATCH YOU SCRATCHING I'LL CUFF YOUR HANDS TOGETHER." Nathanael yelled although the walls and water muffled it a little.

She chuckled as she wrapped the towel around her body and scooped up her dirty clothes; just like home, she mused to herself as she walked to the door.

"AND NO I'M NOT BLUFFING."

She snorted as she turned the handle; she glanced out of the bathroom and went to race down the hall to her room.

Eric walked out of the toilet just as she started her dash and they collided. Eric's arms went around her as they both crashed to the ground.

He glanced down at the woman in his arms again once he got his breath back. He gently rolled her off him and hopped to his feet then gently picked her up. "Sorry Maria I didn't mean to..." He let her go when her feet were back beneath her and stepped back.

She just stared at him as her body burned in need and want. She was stunned with her body's reaction to his and didn't know what she was meant to do.

He watched her, "I'm... going..." he told her gently then turned down the hall and left.

She shook her head to clear it and went to her room to dress and think.

****

Thais walked into the entrance hall, his black hair was arranged in its normal array of spikes. He wore his favourite pair of yellow sneakers, a pair of shorts, which were a size too big in anticipation of his next growth spurt, and a simple grey t-shirt which he'd changed into after his battle class. He sat down in the middle of the entrance hall facing the door, his legs crossed, and his elbows on his knees and propped his chin on his hands.

He was seen by people who passed but was ignored as he was so often doing things people didn't understand. He didn't consider anything that he did was weird; he had good reasons for everything he did, if most people didn't understand that. He was still a little in the 'doghouse' as his father put it for not telling his parents about the attack, he had tried to explain that he couldn't have stopped it, that in the great scheme of things it had to happen. Their anger had only worsened after what happened to Keira, he could have stopped it, prevented her injury, her forced turning but had chosen not to, he had given up trying to explain that some things just couldn't be changed, they had to happen for reasons that at the moment made no sense, but he knew it would... eventually.

He knew that soon his mother would come to understand everything, that he saw things for a reason, that some times he couldn't stop what he saw, even if he was still trying to figure it out for himself why he saw things. He saw but didn't see a ginger moggy trot pass him, his head followed the almost see through moggy's movements, he blinked and the cat was gone. He frowned wondering when that was going to happen, the moggy reappeared sitting next to him grooming its self, then butted its head against his body before it again vanished.

He focused his mind back on the present, the cat would come when it came and was not a concern of his. He waited patiently wanting to be the first to greet the person who would walk through that door. He started to get excited when he heard the approaching motorcycle. He got to his feet as he heard the bike come to a stop and a person dismounted. He started to bounce a little in his excitement.

He then heard the approach of footsteps; he smiled as he saw the doorknob turn and in walked a woman who dumped a stuffed duffle bag and bike helmet. "Aunty Susan." He said as he ran at her.

Susan hadn't changed much in the years since meeting Amy, she was a little leaner, a testament to her now Were race, her blond hair was still shoulder length and her blue eyes sparkled with joy. She was dressed simply in a pair of faded jeans, tight black spaghetti tank top and an open leather bike jacket. 

Susan smiled and scooped the little boy up giving him a big hug; she pressed her face to his body and took a deep breath as he tightened his grip. His sisters suddenly appeared and attacked Susan. Susan laughed as each girl took a leg, wrapping herself around her tightly. Susan shuffled further into the hall, the girls on her legs hampering her movements.

Amy walked into the room and grinned. "How long are you home for?" Amy asked as she plucked Thais out of Susan's arm.

"For good." Susan said as she hugged her friend. The military had paid for her education, all five years of it and for that; she had to serve five years to fulfil her end of the agreement. Although they had given her the time to come to terms with her Were nature they hadn't forgotten her debt to them. "I was honourably discharged, two days ago." She answered with a smile.

"Ah... you've finally finished your time." Amy replied pleased to have her friend back for good.

"Yep, they were disappointed when I handed in my discharge papers but they know my heart lies here." Susan released Amy and started to tug on Serenity to get her to release her leg as Amy worked on Temperance.

"They were probably pissed to lose a healer with your skills." Wolfgang said as he joined them giving Susan a big hug the moment she got her legs free. She hugged him back glad to be home for good, visiting when she was on leave had only left her longing for more time with her pack, with her friends. It was beginning to make her resent the military for keeping her from those she loved but she had signed an agreement and stuck with it, which would be a good example for the older cubs.

"Yeah that too." Susan answered, "Nathanael said I have more to learn." She added as she released Wolfgang and went to grab her duffle bag but it and her helmet had vanished and Thais stood where her things had been his hands behind his back and swaying with a shy smile.

"When did you become so powerful?" Susan asked surprised.

Thais shrugged.

Susan rested her hands on her hips, "So still not talking much?" She asked.

He nodded and Susan rolled her eyes.

"Welcome home Aunt Susan." Serenity and Temperance said together, Susan didn't bother trying to figure out which was which; she never could tell them apart even though Amy tried to dress them differently.

Susan smiled, "It's good to be home... now... I have to congratulate Alanna, meet her mate and apologise for not making it to her binding ceremony." She said listing what she wanted to do. "Then I want to raid the fridge... if there is any tuna mornay in there I have dibs." She turned to the triplets. "Which of you is going to take me to your sister and her mate?"




Guarded Hearts Ch. 03



All three put up their hands and bounced, Susan smiled, and it was great to be home.

****

Eric walked into his office he tossed his hat onto a chair and tugged his ruined shirt off. He went to a cupboard where he kept spare shirts and carefully pulled on a fresh one. He buttoned his shirt quickly but didn't bother to tuck it in. He sat at his tidy desk, some called him a freak for the way his desk was always tidy with everything having a place but he believed in order.

He grabbed a pad and started to write a report on what had happened but every time he tried to write it, all down he lost his train of thought. He sat back in his chair and opened the bottom left drawer, four brand new books sat in it. He had gotten them last night shortly after delivering Ghost to the hospital.

The shop owner had recommended these four books and in particular, she had put a thinner smaller book on top and told him to start here before turning to the other books. He lifted the book and closed the drawer. Were Life and Culture was written across the top of the book, Amy Luis's name at the bottom.

He opened it and started to read.

*

He turned to the door as Electra walked in several hours later and sat. "Just came to drop off the bullet Nathanael pulled from my arm," she told him as she put a sample bag down on his desk. She leant over and tugged the book from his hands, being careful not to lose his place. "Ma did a very good thing when she agreed to write this. Enough information to give the reader a broad understanding of the world around them but not too overwhelming as to turn them off learning all together." 

She handed the book back.

He gave her a lop sided smile, he had almost devoured the book and was close to finishing it. Every word had been a revelation to him, opening his eyes to the very complex nature of the world he had just been thrust into.

"Your mother is good at what she does." He said honestly.

She nodded. "So..." She said in a leading manner.

He gave her a startled look. "It was an accident; I didn't mean to bump into her." He said panicked. He then frowned slightly, where had that come from; it had been an accident and nothing to feel guilty for. However, his thoughts afterwards had him instantly back peddling. He had wanted to kiss her, to lick the beads of water from her skin of her neck as his hands parted the towel to trace patterns on her back, he got hard just thinking about it. He quickly pushed those thoughts aside and focused completely on Electra. He didn't even understand his thoughts when it came to Maria, he wanted to grab her and not let go and felt himself falling in love with her even though he barely knew her.

She chuckled in amusement. "You bumped into her... that wasn't what I was going on about. But okay, I believe you."

"What were you going on about then?" He asked suddenly feeling stupid for his outburst.

"I want to know what you did to keep her so calm during the fire fight, she hasn't freaked yet." She asked.

He thought hard but came up with a blank and shook his head as he shrugged. "I don't know, I must admit after hearing what you said at Katie's I'm surprised she didn't freak out when we were both cramped under my car. She was tense but I don't think it was because of me, more the shock of being shot at. Or even shocked that a man had tried to protect her." He said hoping that one of those was the answer.

She frowned as she thought for several minutes, men had tried protecting her before and she had freaked. Also she had been shot at before, only recently to be exact when the manor was attacked, but that hadn't caused her to freak out. No something else had kept her calm, she may have been a little stunned by what he had done but something else had kept her calm. "How close did you get?" She asked as a new train of thought occurred to her, "Close enough for her to get a good smell of you?"

He thought for a moment then nodded. "Yeah I guess so."

She smiled and stood, she now had the answer she needed, she knew why Maria hadn't freaked out. The scent of her mate would have kept her calm, it worked on Mayhem and it worked on her. She knew and now it was up to him to figure out what she had. That Maria was now skittish around him because she didn't know what to think, how to think, her wolf had chosen it's mate, had chosen him, but her human side was either not ready or didn't want to listen to her wolf.

"What chapter are you at?" She asked as she went to leave.

"Eleven." He answered a little confused as Electra looked about to leave but they hadn't finished their conversation.

"Pay close attention to chapter twelve." She told him then quit the room leaving him a little bewildered.

****

Eric pulled up outside of Katie's the next day, he had trouble sleeping last night as he had listened to Electra's advice and paid attention to chapter twelve. What he hadn't been expecting was the title and subject of chapter twelve, Were Mating Practices. He reached over and grabbed his hat then climbed out. He had to read that chapter twice before he clicked on to what had Electra amused.

Maria's Wolf had come to the surface when they had been cramped together, had taken a deep breath and decided that he was the one she wanted and needed above anything else. That was the reason why she had remained calm. However, he also knew she was fighting it and that if she continued to ignore or even defy her wolf it would make her sick, insane even. He then thought about the fact that he had been 'claimed' by Maria and found himself pleased, she was gorgeous to his eyes and already his mind was picturing them making love.

He approached the house and Electra met him. "Can we talk?"

She nodded and they started to walk back to his car and pass it. "She can't hear us now." She informed him. "So... chapter twelve..."

"I don't get it, how can she be so sure that I am the one?" He asked.

"We didn't figure it out until immortals came around, this was ages ago. Immortals would find their mate then lose them, but they never just took another mate, they waited and eventually they would find their mate again. Others who survived the death of their mate and didn't choose to die wouldn't take another mate, no one would do. Were mate for life, for eternity, and back when we were evolving these instincts life was short, too short to fumble looking around for that one person who would complete us. So we evolved, we know our mates by their scent and then we are compelled to take them." She explained. "Love will grow quickly. Trust me I know."

He kicked a rock. "Really?" He asked.

She nodded, "Yeah... I have a mate; she was a victim of the slave cartel we broke up. I saved her life, didn't know but, she did. I was caught in the I'm her protector mind set. I fought my own wolf, she wasn't ready for this. But my ma turned around and said that how would I know if she was ready or not, I might be the only reason she recovers. That she needs me to recover. I haven't looked back, I love her so much and I didn't even know she existed a few months ago."

She checked her watch to check the time they had left before they had to get back. "You have to talk to her."

"She won't tell me." He argued.

"Make her." She pushed, "She won't let you close if you don't force the issue. She's been running away from it for a long time. But you can pull her out of it."

"How?" He asked.

She smiled, "I asked Tarval how he got close to Alanna, and she has the same past as Maria and I. He answered that he was simply there. Just be there for her, be her friend."

"If she'll let me." He said pessimistically.

She rolled her eyes, "You only get out what you put in to a relationship." She clapped him on the shoulder. "Make her." She started to walk back to the house.

"So you share a past?" He asked as he caught her up.

She nodded, "Yeah, we're all originally from the same pack, an Italian pack that was dissolved a few years back for crimes against Women." She explained.

He frowned, "Dissolved?"

She nodded. "It's a term we don't use often and haven't had to use. All the men of the pack are killed, those who are young enough are reconditioned, and the women are split up and are moved to other packs. Its assets are liquidated and split between those same women." She explained. "The Alphas haven't had to dissolve a pack in over three hundred years. But they chose to do it in an instant because ma said it had to stop."

"They killed all the men?" He asked.

She nodded. "We don't jail our grievous criminals, no point, we know that once such a trait like that is learnt it can never be un learnt, best to destroy the trait than let the cycle be repeated on another. Abusers, drug dealers, rapists... we try to nip it in the butt." She turned her head to watch him, "ever wondered why Were crime is almost unheard of."

He had wondered that very question, since Were had come out they had even let their crime rates go public. What there was of the crime rates.

"It's almost unheard of for that very reason." She explained.

"Gives a whole new meaning to zero tolerance." He said gently as they finally made it back to the house. They went around it and out the back to the old pool, which had been converted into a holding pen. Nathanael was next to Maria, they were both watching the wolf behind the bars. Katie held a phone, ready to hit the speed dial and get Amy here.

"You made it just in time; he should be coming out any minute now." Nathanael said as Electra joined them.

They watched Ghost carefully, waiting for him to come around. They watched as he tried to move, Nathanael had removed the splints this morning as the bones were fused enough to no longer need them. He growled when he noticed the bars and was suddenly on his feet, ignoring the pain in his body as his bones protested, they were healed enough for him to move a little but not enough for a fight but he would fight if he had to.

Be calm Ghost. Nathanael spoke directly into his mind. We didn't hurt you and the moment you are calm we will let you out.

Ghost snarled and threw his body into the heavy bars, which buckled and groaned in protest.

Stop we just put you back together we mean you no harm. Electra told him adding as much sincerity to her voice that she could.

Ghost growled showing his teeth. He wanted out; he did not trust these people.

"Okay." Nathanael said and together, he, Electra and Maria stripped, they then changed and approached the cage. Ghost watched them carefully, wondering why the second female was so small when she was obviously an adult like the others.

Maria was matt grey with white socks and a white bib, slight but well formed. She could walk freely under both Electra and Nathanael without having to duck, as they were both more than twice her size. Nathanael was a blue roan wolf, a rare coat type as it was let alone the blue hue to it, of the few roan coats around red was the most common.

We mean you no harm Ghost. Let your human come forward, end this now. Nathanael reasoned with the other male wolf.

Join us. Electra coaxed, a moment later, her head was back and she was howling a long eerie note. Nathanael and Maria answered her with their own howls.

Ghost twitched and pranced uncertain, he had never sung with his own kind before. Their voices had him wanting to belong, to be a part of something bigger, to no longer be alone, wolves were not meant to be alone. Electra took another deep breath and howled again, if he didn't join them this time then they would try something else. Nathanael and Maria joined her a moment later and a moment after that a fourth voice joined their song.

They howled together one last time then approached the cage letting him sniff at them to learn their scent; they wagged their tails in friendly greeting and licked at his snout. Ghost's tail started to wag in greeting and he licked at their snouts. Electra stepped back and shifted. Nathanael joined her.

"I thought that would have been harder." She told him, she had honestly thought that they were going to have to get her mother here and forcibly shift him into human form before getting him to trust them.

He nodded, "Same." Maria stepped back from the cage and tilted her head to the side then shifted. She went to her clothes and quickly pulled them on. They waited for him to change and join them.

Ghost stood still, his mind was looking for that dark remote place in his mind where his human side had taken refuge in all those years ago. When the wolf found him in his hiding place, he lunged at his human, getting a good grip with his teeth and dragged him to the surface of their mind flinging him back into life. He then went one-step further and went to that dark place himself, to force his human side back into life.

Ghost's body shifted slowly, reluctantly as it had been a wolf for a very long time. His body shrunk a little, his spindly legs started to thicken and his chest started to flatten. His hind legs started to change taking the shape of true human legs. His fur started to recede and his pale blond hair started to grow. His paws turned into hands and feet and finally his face started to shift loosing its canine features and gaining human ones.

When the shift was over, he panted and shivered on the smooth concrete ground, dried blood was plastered to his skin. While he had been shifting Electra and Nathanael had thrown on their clothes, they approached the cage and opened it. Maria walked in with a blanket and draped it over his body. Electra helped to wrap him up and together she and Nathanael lifted him and carried him into the house. Katie led the way to the room they had organised for him on the first floor of her home. 

They laid him on the bed and Katie pulled the covers up and tucked him in. His blue eyes watched her for a moment then they closed and he was asleep.

"Is that normal?" Katie asked.

Nathanael nodded, "believe it or not but shifting is traumatising on the body. We get used to the stress of the change. He hasn't shifted in so long that his body has shut down." Nathanael quickly checked his pulse, "He'll be awake in an hour."

"And starving." Maria said from the door. "Mind if I steal your kitchen Katie?"

Katie gestured for her to go for it and that she didn't care. She was watching Ghost closely. "I thought... that he would... you know... show that he hadn't been human in so long." She made a motion with her hand indicating a beard.

Nathanael chuckled. "Doesn't work that way, his human body is the same today as it was the last time he was human. His hair will be the same length as will his beard, finger nails, toe nails as it was back then."

"Is that because he's immortal..." She asked as Electra slipped from the room.

He chuckled again and shook his head. "No... although if he had not been immortal his human body would have aged, hair gone grey but still be the same length as it was."

"Mind if I wait with you?" She asked as she pulled up a chair and sat, Scamper her scruffy ginger moggy hopped into her lap and turned his one eyed face to Nathanael before lying down and rolling onto his back so she would scratch his belly.

"No, in fact I insist." He sat and they both waited for Ghost to wake.

****

Serenity sat with her legs crossed in her room, she was completely focused on the bracelet around her right wrist. Thais sat before her and tilted his head wondering what she was up to. He didn't have to wait long as the bracelet, which was meant to be practically indestructible, shattered into a hundred pieces. Thais smiled at her accomplishment and clapped.

She smiled at her brother, stood, and skipped from the room. He was up and after her because he knew what was going to happen next and wanted to be there when someone learned her 'identity' bracelet was no more. All Were under the age of adulthood wore something on their body with their name on it, the theory was that while they were children they needed the identification while as adults they could shed it as they were grown and knew their place in the pack. Nine times out of ten however, most were so used to wearing their name on their body they felt naked without it and continued to wear it.

However, when it came to the twins, those identity bracelets were needed sometimes just to tell the two girls apart.

"Serenity... Thais..." Anna called, "Music time." She added. Both little people came to a stop, turned and ran to Anna. A month ago Thais had seen a cello being played and had loved the sound so much he had begged for one and since Amy could never say no to his pleading eyes she had caved. Luck had been with her, within the day, a cello had been found and Cleopatra had offered to teach him as she could play the stringed instrument.

Thais had proven a natural like Serenity and like his sister hadn't needed much instruction so the two now played and learnt together. They ran into the music room and up to their instruments, Cleopatra was laying out some sheets of music. Serenity sat at her piano and limbered up her fingers before gently stroking the keys.

Thais hopped into his chair and pulled his cello close, taking up the bow. He arranged his fingers, ran a tuning scale, and smiled at the sweet mellow sound. Anna frowned as she watched Serenity place her fingers on the keys, something was missing. It took her half the lesson to figure it out and when she did, she gasped.

"Stop!" She called out and both Serenity and Thais stopped playing. "Where is your bracelet?" She asked as she grabbed Serenity's right wrist where the bracelet with her name on it should have been.

"I broke it." She admitted, it was one of the things that Serenity always did, if she did something she always admitted it, whereas her sister either didn't admit or flat out lied.

"You... broke it." Anna said a little stunned, normally cubs started having problems with their identity bracelets shortly after their tenth or eleventh birthday. This was normally because they had their own idea on how to wear their name. By that age, they were finally coming to terms with who they were, who they wanted to be, and parents often allowed them to change their identity bracelets to suit their child. 

However, the cubs were different, she could see Thais tugging at his bracelet and soon she knew he would figure out a way to break it. They were already having problems with the bracelets, as they already knew exactly who they were going to be and were confident with that knowledge. 

"Okay lesson over." Anna said and gently tugged Serenity from the piano. "Come on Thais." He skipped after them. Anna walked them briskly to Amy's office, she knocked, a warning just in case Amy and Wolfgang were up to their normal mischief. 

"Enter," Amy called immediately.

Anna walked in still with a firm grip on Serenity.

Amy sighed, "okay what have you done now Temperance?" She asked resigned.

Serenity gave her mother a hurt look, "Serenity." She corrected, she was always getting called Temperance mainly because her sister was such a menace.

Amy gave her daughter a look of sympathy, "Sorry honey but normally only your sister gets dragged in here like that."

"I know." Serenity answered.

"So why has Anna dragged you in here?" Amy asked.

"I broke my bracelet." She admitted.

Amy blinked in shock, "Broken..." She said slightly resigned, her eyes glanced to Thais and noticed that he was tugging on his bracelet. "Kind of not surprised." She admitted and stood. She as she stood Temperance appeared mid strike, her drum sticks raised. Boadicea had suggested since Thais was interested in music that maybe Temperance would as well, she had suggested a drum kit, something she could pummel and use to get rid of some of her excess energy. Amy had been willing to try anything to keep Temperance out from under Bastion's constant glares. The drum lessons were working, Temperance was much calmer now.




Guarded Hearts Ch. 03



Temperance made the sticks disappear and carefully pulled her earplugs out, Nathanael had, when he learnt she was going to be making lots of noise, demanded the precaution to protect her ears. She was docile at his demand and had obeyed it but only after a confirming glance from Thais.

"I didn't do it." Temperance said defensively.

Amy chuckled, "I know you didn't." She said as she got out from behind her desk. "We are going out." She told her children. Temperance turned and tilted her head to the side as she studied her siblings. "JOE!" Amy called.

Her assistant appeared from the side room that she used for her office, "Yes Amy."

"I'm going out for a few hours, take messages or tell them to call back tomorrow." Amy informed her assistant.

Joe nodded and returned to her office.

"Can you inform Wolfgang if he gets home before us?" Amy asked Anna as she took Serenity's hand.

"Yes." Anna told her, "Bastion is bringing a car around." She added. 

Mayhem and Gale paused as she went to walk into Amy's office. "Oh..." Mayhem said as she saw Amy with her children, "I wanted to talk to you about getting Maddie an identity band." She informed Amy.

"Go and get Maddie, I have to replace Serenity's, she can pick hers out." Amy answered.

Sienna walked up with an arm around Keira and Maddie, "Well if you're going to the pack jeweller Keira has to go to get metamorphic jewellery so we may as well tag along." She suggested.

Amy nodded and sent a mental call out to the bodyguards attached to the cubs as they walked to the front door. Bastion as if sensing that a group was going had brought out the nine-seater mini van. He was busy installing the child restraints. The bodyguards came and two raced off to get the SUVs they had been allowed.

Sienna watched for a moment before buckling in Temperance, her dark eyes flashing a little in annoyance, as her eyes focused on the bodyguards, as if someone would be stupid enough to attack cubs when their parents were present, even idiots knew it was suicide. "I still think that is absolutely stupid." She muttered to Amy as Amy was buckling in Thais.

"Stupid it may be but necessary." Amy answered as she moved to buckle in Serenity. Maddie, Keira, Gale and Mayhem piled in as Sienna took her seat in the front next to Amy who would be driving.

Half an hour later, they pulled up out side of the Pack jewellers business. The front of the building was almost non-descript, they waited in the van as half of the bodyguards walked in to check the place out. When they got the confirming nod, they left the van and entered the building. 

A middle age appearing gentleman bowed to Amy, "Alpha, what may I do for you today?" He asked in a gentle but curious tone.

"Serenity broke her bracelet so I decided they were ready to choose their own." Amy answered.

He nodded with a knowing smile, Amy's cubs were known to be very different to normal cubs, no one would be surprised by this event happening so soon. He glanced to Mayhem and bowed to her, "and you Alpha?" He said respectfully.

Mayhem jerked a little when she realised he had been addressing her, she wasn't used to being referred to as Alpha as everyone in Amy's house pretty much didn't stand on formalities. He gave her an amused knowing smile as he waited respectfully for her to answer. "My fosterling requires an identity band." She answered finally and gestured to Maddie.

He nodded and glanced inquiringly to Sienna, "Keira needs to change her band and jewellery to metamorphic."

He nodded again and smiled opening his arms, "You have come to the right place, children... look well and chose the item you cannot get out of your minds." He invited. Amy, Sienna, Gale and Mayhem sat letting the cubs choose without their influence.

Keira approached as the others started to look in cabinets, she placed her old bracelet on the table, "I would like the same one please." She said with a hopeful look. 

"Are you sure?" He asked and got a firm nod. He smiled and went to a cabinet and returned with a velvet tray with bracelets on it. He took her hand and took a deep breath to divine the size he would need, the longest rope bracelet slithered over. He picked it up, nodded, and presented it to Keira. "Do you like it?" He asked and she nodded.

"Good I'll engrave it with the others," he put it aside with a piece of paper with her name and date of birth on it. He then offered her a gold necklace and a series of simple earrings to replace what she was already wearing. "Choose some sleepers or studs and the necklace will replace the one you normally wear around your neck." He explained before moving over to Thais who seemed fixated on something in one of his cabinets.

He came to a stop before Thais who pointed at a tray of heavy leather and silver bracelets and solid half bands; he pulled the tray out and offered it to Thais who instantly pointed to the thick braided black leather half band with silver highlights. He didn't question Thais's choice, as he knew when he went to check he would come back to that band. "You'll grow into it." He said confidently as it was one of the largest bracelets he had, luckily it could be bent to fit, he moved it to sit next to Keira's new band.

"Literally." Thais answered and went to examine other cabinets. Maddie was next and chose a wide golden cuff, which had intricate knots all over it.

"Do you want your full name on it?" He asked and got a small confirming nod. "Madeline Koravic Luis-Collins."

"Madeline and in brackets Maddie and the Collins and Luis is the wrong way around." Maddie corrected.

He nodded when he saw the answering nod from Mayhem, "her birth date?" he asked knowing there was still come conjecture as to Maddie's age.

"Electra and I have decided to celebrate her 'birthday' on the same day she was freed from slavery and Nathanael swears she's actually thirteen." Mayhem answered and got an affirming nod from the jeweller. He wrote it all down and put the large golden cuff next to Thais's.

He turned his attention next to Temperance who was looking at sample necklaces where the name itself would be made from whatever metal chosen, he had taken some precautions when it came to the triplets and had organised moulds of the girls' names in several styles of writing. He was pleased now that he had as it looked like Temperance had her heart set on one.

"Which font do you like?" He asked.

"That one." Temperance answered as she pointed.

"Gold or silver?" He asked.

"Gold." She answered as he pulled out the sample necklace and quickly wrote down Temperance's name and date of birth he went and placed it next to Maddie's.

He then turned his complete attention to Serenity. She was draped over one of his cabinets, he joined her and watched as the letters of her name rose up and through the glass then rested on it. She turned and smiled up at him.

"This please." She said.

"How do you want to wear them?" He said as he scooped up the silver blocks with the letters of her name on it.

"Around my throat please." She answered.

"Tight like a collar?" He asked and got a confirming nod.

He nodded and put them on the board with the others. "There is a courtyard with some play equipment; I'll call you in when I'm done." He said as he scooped up the tray and walked into the workroom.

Amy ushered the children outside to play while he worked. An hour later, he called them back in; one by one, he introduced the cubs to their new bands and divested them of their old ones if they had them. Each time he placed one on them he focused binding the band to their bodies.

Temperance could barely stand still as he looped the necklace around her neck; she touched her name when it touched her skin. He grinned and tucked the excess chain down the back of her shirt. Finally, he came to Serenity. He showed her the leather and silver choker; it had taken him a while to figure out how to make the choker survive her were form when it was pretty much fully-grown.

He had figured it out and he placed it around her neck and pulled it tight so that it hugged her throat. When he was done, he stepped back and smiled. "I have charged your account." He told Amy with a bow.

"Thankyou." Amy said then turned to the group, "So... before we go home... who wants ice cream?"

Arms shot into the air.

****

Ghost woke slowly several hours later, his mind foggy, he blinked for a moment as his eyes focused on a white surface, the bed beneath him was oh so soft, coupled with the white ceiling he thought that his wish had finally come true, that he was dead. An assumption he thought was even more so as his eyes focused on the face of his dead love. He stared in wonder and joy as she smiled at him, a warm welcoming smile that had him floating on cloud nine.

Another face came into view, one he didn't know, it instantly had him reacting. His body protested as he grabbed Snow and rolled them both away from the stranger. He was then on his feet and growling keeping his body between her and the strange man.

Nathanael held his hands up and backed away. I'm not out to hurt you. He told Ghost.

Ghost blinked in bewilderment, the man before him had clearly spoken yet his lips hadn't moved. "How did you do that?" He asked but the language he used had long ago died or had changed into something completely different.

I'm sorry I can't speak that language. I am speaking into your mind. Nathanael explained.

My mind? He asked trying it out for the first time.

Yes. Nathanael told him but could still see him standing protectively before Katie. Ghost... that isn't Snow. He told him gently. Look closely.

Ghost turned back to Katie and studied her closely. Her blond hair was a few shades darker than his own, her eyes were green, this was not the woman he had loved all those years ago. Snow had dark eyes, dark hair and honey brown skin, the woman before him looked like her in the face but it wasn't her.

I'm sorry Ghost... the Snow you knew is dead. Nathanael told him.

Ghost felt his heart shatter, tears welled up and he bowed his head. Katie was there, pulling him into her arms and holding him close. She had been saddened by Ghost's story and had wanted to comfort the big wolf, now she got to comfort the man... the sexy naked man. She stroked his hair and tucked his head into her neck before stroking his strong back.

Everything about this man had her aching to be there for him, to wrap him up in comfort and love. To pull him out of this exile he had put himself in. His scent crept into her nose; it was warm and wild and made her heart race. His arms hugged her as he cried; he took a deep shuddering breath and his tears instantly stopped in confusion. He took another deep breath, letting her scent fill his mind.

Nathanael watched, waiting. He saw Ghost tense and pull away to look at Katie before leaning in to smell her again. 

I don't... she smells just like Snow did. Ghost said as he turned his bewildered eyes to Nathanael.

Nathanael snorted to keep from bursting into laughter, he couldn't help it, this was funny. How about we eat and I try to explain what's what. He told him.

Katie gently pulled out of his arms and grabbed the clothes she had gotten Eric to go and get while Ghost had been sleeping; she had also cleaned the dried blood from his body while he was out. She helped him into the clothes and smiled at him as she tied the drawstring to the sweats.

He followed stiffly keeping a good grip of either someone or the wall as he found walking on two legs strange after so long of walking on four. 

Maria smiled at Ghost as he walked into the kitchen. Hello Ghost, I'm Maria. She told him as she started to pile a plate with food.

Ghost sat near Eric, he looked around in wonder, he knew of guns, of cars, of cities and towns but he had never been in a house before, everything was new and strange to the ancient Were. Maria walked three heavy plates over and put them down in front of Ghost. He didn't recognise a lot of what was on the plates but it all looked delicious. Katie handed him a knife and fork and gestured for him to eat, he waited for the others to start eating so that he could copy them, a knife he knew but the other object was alien to him.

Maria got another few plates together and served Eric and Nathanael. Electra took care of feeding Katie and herself. Maria returned to get herself something to eat then they were all seated and eating quietly. Nathanael took a deep breath and launched into the same speech he gave to every newly turned Were only he made slight adjustments to fit Ghost's circumstances. Maria and Electra added bits when Nathanael missed something. 

Katie turned to Eric. "So quiet." She said gently. He smiled and chuckled.

Eric and Katie didn't interrupt the silent discussion. When Eric finished he stood and started collecting empty plates and took them to the sink. He put the plug in and started to fill the sink with hot water; he squirted some detergent in then proceeded in rolling up his sleeves to keep them from getting wet. When he was happy with the levels, he turned the taps off and started scraping plates before sliding them into the hot foamy water.

He then started to wash as he filled the second skink with warm water to rinse the soap off before drying. Maria walked over and tried to nudge him aside to take over. He held his ground and smiled at her. "I wash, you dry." He offered.

She thought for a moment then nodded. She was a little uncomfortable letting him wash as that wasn't his job but he seemed to genuinely want to help out. They worked silently side by side, when they finished Eric snatched the tea towel from her hands to dry his. "In my family the person who cooks never does the dishes."

Maria watched him not knowing what to think. He smiled and tossed the tea towel playfully into her face. He then jumped away and chuckled as she yanked the damp towel from her face. She held two corners, gave it a quick couple of twists then flicked it at him. He dodged the attempt and stuck his tongue out playfully. She wound up for another attack.

Ghost watched but didn't understand what he was seeing. He nudged Electra, Why are they doing that? He asked.

They are playing, see they only just found out they are mates, Maria was badly abused, she trusts no one, and he is trying to gain her trust by being a friend to her. So that her and her wolf aren't in conflict, just close enough for her wolf to be happy and just far enough away so that her human is happy. Electra explained.

Ghost glanced around and his eyes found Katie's, he still didn't quite understand what Nathanael had told him. Reincarnation was at the moment beyond his understanding having lived so long with the belief that everyone only lived once. However, he couldn't be more overjoyed to be with her again, to be close to her.

Katie felt his silent scrutiny. She turned to Electra, "Okay... spill... why is he giving me take me home puppy dog eyes." She asked.

Electra smiled. "Do you have an overwhelming desire to help him, to comfort him. Something you don't understand or want to?" She asked.

Katie nodded. 

"When you were comforting him, did you wonder why he stopped crying so suddenly, why he became so interested in your scent?" She asked again and again Katie nodded.

"You are an incarnation of Snow. You're his soul mate." She told her.

Katie blinked in surprise; she hadn't even considered that possibility. "I thought it was just because I'm good at what I do, because he was a patient. That he knew I was trying to help." She said bewilderment clear in her voice.

Electra chuckled, "apparently chance meetings are common with immortals."

Nathanael smiled, "aren't all meetings chance meetings."

Electra grinned, "I stumbled upon my mate while investigating abductions, Alanna bumped into Tarval, Grandma on a whim decided to help me, there was Grandda, and ma literally fell out of the sky and into da's life." She said listing the hook ups that she knew came by chance.

Nathanael nodded, "When put like that I see your point. You forgot Ghan and Keira." He added, everyone who frequently visited the manor knew about Ghan and Keira but everyone was keeping quiet about it until Keira herself realised, as learning too soon, having just been turned and not at ease with her beast, could confuse her more than she needed. 

Electra frowned, "I don't consider that a chance meeting." She told him.

"But all the events that led up to it were based on chance," Nathanael argued, "chance that Keira and her mother were out that day, chance that Keira's mother was killed and in her grief she ran into a fire fight. Chance that Susan saw her and ran to her rescue, chance that she wasn't killed. Chance that on a whim Amy and the authorities decided to put her with Sienna and Gillian. Chance that the only pack Ghan could join without disrupting it is Amy and Wolfgang's and chance that because of threats Keira needed a body guard and the only one they could find was him."

Electra thought about it seriously, "Okay when put like that I get it." Electra frowned, "There is one thing I don't get, Keira was scratched two weeks ago but she hasn't gone through the rages."

Nathanael nodded, "Yeah well, Amy has a theory about that."

"She always does. What is it?" Electra asked.

"She believes that Keira long ago accepted that she was going to be scratched, that she was going to be Were, she accepted it. Therefore, when she was scratched her body accepted it as a forgone conclusion. Never considered it to be a forced turn so no rages, she's undergoing a turn of choice." Nathanael explained.

"Always knew she was a little freak." Electra muttered.

"Still... I am curious." Nathanael added, "as to what she is going to be, she has a fifty-fifty chance of being either a snow leopard or a white tiger."

"What about Serenity's blood, will that have any effect on her?" Electra asked.

Nathanael rubbed his chin for a moment but shook his head, "no... it shouldn't however... I've never transfused immortal blood before, let alone blood from what ever the triplets and Amy actually are."

Electra smiled, "We will just have to wait and see." She knew that what type of Were Keira would become was the subject of great speculation. She guessed that only one person might know exactly what Keira would turn into would be Thais but he was staying tight lipped on the subject.

Katie turned to Maria who was still play fighting with Eric only he too now had a tea towel. "Do they do that often?" Katie asked.

Maria didn't bother to turn, "Go off on tangents... yep... immortal thing." She said and dodged the flick of his towel at the same time. She held up her hand for a time out. "They view things differently, what's important to mortals isn't important to them because they can't die so everything has a different meaning to them." She explained then flicked her tea towel and landed a strong smack on Eric's chest. 

"Oh it's on now." Eric said as he wound his towel up. Maria tried to dodge and ran from the room followed closely by Eric.

Katie turned to Ghost, "And he doesn't understand a word we say." She rested her chin on her closed fist as she continued to watch him. He smiled a little at her but had understood nothing. 

Nathanael and Electra slowly, stealthily left the room leaving Ghost and Katie alone. Katie lifted her head and put her hand on her chest as she suddenly realised that he didn't even know her name. "Katie." She tapped her chest. "Katie."

"K..." He started to pronounce.

"Kay-tee." She said drawing her name out.

"Kay-tee." he said copying her although he spoke with an unrecognisable accent.

"Katie." She said bringing it together.




Guarded Hearts Ch. 03



"Katie." He said his voice deep and husky.

She nodded and he smiled flashing straight white teeth.

She then reached over to touch his chest then tapped it. Wanting to hear his name. He said it but it sounded like gibberish to her. He watched her and seemed to understand that his name would be beyond her and to be honest he didn't really want that name any more.

She touched his chest, "Ghost." she told him hoping he wouldn't mind too much to the English version of his name, the ancient version sounded much prettier. The phone rang making him jump and bare his teeth. Katie held her hands out to calm him. She went over to the phone and lifted the receiver. "Katie speaking."

"Hi Katie." Mary said relieved to have gotten her. "Dawson's bringing in a dog that he found on the side of the road, looks like it was hit he said."

Katie nodded, "I'll be there in ten. Prep the operating room for me." She hung up and went to find someone to stay with Ghost. He followed her having caught her concern in her body language.

"Take him with you." Nathanael told her coming out of the sitting room. "He'll be anxious and riled up if you leave him behind," he warned.

"Will it be safe to take him... after you know..." She said.

"He will be safe, he's immortal remember." He told her.

Katie turned and looked at Ghost who was watching them both carefully. "Well, I can get him some more clothes and something better than slippers while we're out." She said conceding to Nathanael's reasoning.

Nathanael dug out a card from his wallet and wrote the pin on Katie's forearm disguised as a phone number. "Last five numbers." He told her, "Anything you buy for him put it on this card, it's a pack bank card, we'll take care of his expenses."

Katie nodded and slid it into her wallet. She smiled at Nathanael then grabbed Ghost's arm and led him away.



Guarded Hearts Ch. 04



Author's note: All characters and companies mentioned in this story have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone or anything bearing the same name or names. Events portrayed in this story are pure invention and have not been based on any events that have happen in real life. All the characters involved in any sexual acts if their ages are not mentioned before hand; are over 18 years of age. Enjoy.

Hi everyone,

Here it is, a new chapter, I hope you enjoy it.

Okay... there was a person who sent me an Anonymous email with a very detailed thought out story idea, you know who you are, please contact me, I would like to chat about it, it is an... intriguing idea.

Also there was a person who sent an Anonymous email asking for a list of Characters, descriptions, abilities ect. I actually already have one on my computer for me to use, however, there are so many characters, minor and major both already in the series and to come that it would just be totally impractical to do so. I mean it could very well be done but it would be a very fluid thing (as mine is) and done series by series as abilities and characters grow (the triplets, Keira, Maddie, Amy ect.) I also believe it may confuse people when I have to jump years or incarnations and the characters have changed to what they were. Sorry.

As always all feedback and questions are welcome and again as always thanks goes out to you the reader and to my editor.

Have fun

PS. just thought you should know it's official, I got my piece of Anonymous hate mail... yay...

*

Mary nearly had a heart attack at the hottie who followed Katie into the clinic. She blushed as his green eyes turned to her and was glad her dark complexion hid her blush. "Who is that?" She hissed at Katie as Katie pulled on a smock to protect her clothes.

"Ghost." Katie answered with an amused smile. He glanced over at her, he was guessing that she was addressing him as everyone was using that word when they addressed him. He smiled at the two women and Mary's heart, which was already beating a fast tattoo positively started to gallop.

"Can he understand us?" Mary asked aside to Katie.

Katie shook her head, "No... not yet. Nathanael said something about evolution of language then he lost me. What do you know of our patient?"

Mary's mind however was far from sick animals. "I don't care... can I have him." She asked her friend.

"No." Katie said sharply feeling a pang of jealousy.

Mary tiled her head to the side and smiled, "Oh is it like that... you want the hunky Were for yourself."

"No... I mean yes but it's a little more complicated than that." Katie said as she went to a sink and started to wash her hands.

"How can it be complicated, granted the language barrier would be a huge problem but as long as he's good in the sack who cares." Mary said as she joined Katie in washing her hands.

Katie sighed and shook off the excess water, "Not that kind of complication..."

A man chose that moment to walk in with the injured dog. Ghost was instantly on alert, he was okay with Katie being with other women, fine with her being with Eric as his interest clearly was with Maria and Nathanael as a mated man was not a problem, but this man was a threat and it put him on edge.

"Put him down on the table." Katie ordered.

"Her..." The rough looking mountain man corrected. "I think her leg might be broke, damn near took my hand off when I jostled it."

"Thanks Dawson, Mary or I'll come by your place tomorrow and give you an update." Katie told him.

He nodded and left, he wasn't really comfortable in town and appreciated Katie's sensitivity on the matter, he even loved the fact that she would come out to the cabin to look at his bloodhounds when they were hurt or sick.

"Gez... he's real protective of you." Mary commented as she unwrapped the dog carefully.

"That's the complication." Katie said before she checked the girl's heart rate.

"May as well dish." Mary told her.

"Remember the story Nathanael and Electra told us about him." Katie asked to which Mary nodded as Katie shaved the dog's forearm to setup a line. "Yeah well... I'm the reincarnation of Snow."

"You're his mate!" Mary exclaimed.

Katie nodded. "Yep." She took a deep breath, "Let it go Mary... we have this girl to fix."

"Let it go... honey I want the goods." Mary told her making Katie blush.

"Haven't gone there yet." Katie explained as her hands carefully felt the dog's abdomen.

"Oh but you will, you'll give it up to him and you better tell me everything, I hear that Were are insatiable lovers and as long as I'm not getting any I need some inspiration." Mary set the line and attached a drip.

"God you're crude." Katie muttered.

"Ah but that's what makes you love me." Mary told her.

"Debatable, we have a patient." Katie told her ending the conversation.

Ghost watched, staying well back as not to get in the way. He was falling more in love with this woman the more he learnt about her. She showed care and understanding while treating the dog. He wondered if that was the reason she was around, that she had been brought in to help treat him before Nathanael and Electra came.

He watched as her sure hands expertly repaired the damage done to the dog. He wondered what her hands would feel like on his body as she stroked him to climax. He watched as she carefully stitched a wound closed, she glanced up at him and smiled.   

He licked his lips, he so wanted to kiss those lush lips, claim them for his own. Katie dropped her eyes quickly, her heart racing, she had seen desire flare in his eyes and felt her body tingle in response and her nipples start to stiffen.

Mary noticed. "You are going to be sore tomorrow." She teased, they had been friends since college and Mary knew that Katie had been saving herself for Mister Right and Mister Right just so happened to be Were. "If you even come in... you know what... have a long weekend. I'll call only if there is an emergency." She said thinking she was doing Katie a favour.

"Will you stay out of my sex life?" Katie said as she set the last stitch.

"Not until you take that man to your bed and have hot wild animal sex all night long." Mary taunted.

Katie rolled her eyes, "The leg's not broken but that cut was nasty enough to make her want to bite anyone. Keep an eye on her. I have to get Ghost some clothes." Katie said tearing off the paper smock and gloves. "Make sure she doesn't move around."

"I know... this isn't my first day." Mary argued. "So... is he hot naked." She asked softly but with excitement as Katie washed her hands.

"Urg..." Katie exclaimed as she shook her hands to dry them and went to quit the room.

Mary gave her the call me gesture as Katie left, snagging Ghost on the way out.

Katie hopped into her car and waited for Ghost, she had demonstrated how to open car doors before his first true journey in one. He opened the door and slid in. He grabbed the seat belt and buckled up like she had shown him, before waiting for her to get the car moving. She turned the motor over, drove him to the small mall, and parked. She grabbed a shopping cart and walked him into the men's section of Target.

She could clearly picture him in tight jeans that framed his tight buns, and half-buttoned shirts with short sleeves to show off his magnificent build. She knew his sizes having measured him while he was still unconscious. She got him several more pairs of loose sweats and shirts for around the house. Jeans in various shades, and shirts, button and t-shirts as well as several nice sweaters. She paused when she got to underwear.

She pulled out her mobile and called home. Electra answered. "Hey Electra it's me, can you put Nathanael on?"

"Sure." Electra said and handed the phone over. "What can I do for you Katie?" Nathanael asked.

"Just getting clothes for Ghost, what do you think he would prefer boxers or briefs?" She asked a little embarrassed.

"Get a selection of both and let him decide. Also if you can get him dress pants and a good jacket I would advise it." He told her.

"But the cost?" She began to question; she was doing her best to keep the cost down by buying stuff which was buy one get the other half price.

"Amy and Wolfgang don't begrudge anyone what they need, while he is without a pack they will help him in anyway, money, a home... anything. He will need good clothes for when he chooses to go to Alphas seeking a place. Besides, they're loaded they don't care." He assured her. "But if you're worried only get him one good outfit." He conceded.

"Thanks." She hung up and grabbed a packet of briefs in his size and a couple of packets of cotton boxers. She tossed them in as well as socks. She turned the trolley and took them back to clothes. She found a nice black jacket and tried it out on him. He stood still for her appraisal and when she nodded, he smiled. She helped him out of it and put it in the trolley. A pair of paints quickly joined it, she couldn't see him in ties... too restrictive but she got him a nice belt and a few dress shirts.

"Now shoes." She told him.

She sat him down on a small padded bench and went to get him several pairs of shoes. She helped him try on each pair and watched how he reacted to them, she had gone for loose fitting shoes as he probably hadn't had anything like this when he did wear shoes. A few pairs we rejected as he had taken them off with a shake of his head. She then discarded the ones she didn't like and put the ones they both liked in the cart, before helping him back into his slippers.

He watched silently wondering what was going on, she was obviously getting him clothes, and a lot of them. He remembered owning only a few pieces of clothing and only one pair of shoes; he now had enough clothes to wear something different everyday for many days without having to clean them.

"Well... that should do you for now." She told him as she went to the trolley and started to walk off. He watched her for a moment, the way her body moved and her arse sway. He was quick to jump to his feet and followed behind her, his eyes focused on her behind and the way it moved in the tight jeans she was wearing.

She was surprised at how quick it was to get through the checkouts, she used the card Nathanael gave her and was glad he had, as the total was quite substantial. He helped her carry it all out to the car and put it in the back. As they climbed in, she heard his stomach grumble.

"I'd heard Were were hard to keep fed." She said as they pulled out of the mall and wondered about getting him fed. She pulled up to a drive through and ordered a burger with the lot, a large fries and bottle of water. She paid and drove through to the pick up window. A few minutes later, she had the food and water. She plopped them in his lap and drove off. She made an eating motion with her hand and pointed to the bag.

He took a deep breath, it smelt edible.... kind of. He opened the paper bag and pulled out the wrapped burger, he went to bite.

"No..." She told him and smiled as she shook her head, she pulled over and grabbed the burger and unwrapped it partially before handing it back. He sniffed at it then bit into it. She smiled and reached into the bag to steal some fries before driving off. She grabbed the bottle of water, sat it between her thighs to open it then sipped at it; she put the cap back on and handed it to him. She reached across and went to steal some more fries. He moved the bag away from her questing fingers.

She pulled away. "Fine, all yours." She told him. He reached into the bag, pulled some fries out and fed them to her. They polished the food off long before they made it back to her home. They pulled to a stop, gathered the shopping and went inside. Electra was on her computer working on the file she was compiling on what had happened to Ghost. Nathanael was reading a book he had found in Katie's library.

"Hey guys we're back." Katie said as she passed the room. She walked into the room she had organised for Ghost and put his clothes on the freshly made bed. "I could get used to Maria being here." She muttered to herself. She then started to pull out the clothes and tugged the tags off most of them. Maria walked in and started to separate the clothes.

"I'll wash all these." Maria told her before scooping them up and leaving.

Ghost stepped close to Katie. She glanced up, she had never felt small before but she did now, he was a good nine inches taller than her five foot eight but it didn't intimidate her or make her afraid of him. He brought his hand up and carefully stroked the silver pendant at her throat. It was long, about the length of her index finger, and as wide as her thumb, it was covered with Celtic knots and symbols.

He had been fascinated by it, it looked as if it were a part of her, belonged to her in the same way her green eyes belonged to her. He gently stroked it, wondering about it, what it meant and who gave it to her because only a beloved gift would be treasured so. Nathanael walked in and smiled gently.

Ghost glanced to him; Can you ask her about her necklace?

"He wants to know about your necklace." Nathanael translated.

"It belonged to my mother." She answered talking directly to him. "She gave it to me before she died; it's been in her family for generations."

Nathanael passed it on to Ghost who pulled Katie into his arms and held her.

"I was ten." She added and again Nathanael passed it on.

"I was actually hoping to get you both; it's time we talked about you as a couple." Nathanael said, he checked his watch. Rhiannon appeared next to him startling Ghost who cried out in alarm and went to put his body between Katie and the stranger.

Be calm Ghost, Rhiannon is here to help Katie talk to you for a while. Nathanael said stepping before Rhiannon. She's harmless.

I wouldn't call me harmless. Rhiannon said amused, but I do not wish you harm Ghost. She told him.

What can you do? Ghost asked.

I'm Ancient so... pretty much anything I can think of. She explained, what I will be doing is helping Katie here be telepathic for a while, and then you can talk to her without Nathanael constantly relaying what you want to say to each other. She turned to Katie. "Hi I'm Rhiannon, I'm going to work as a..." She hesitated looking for the right word. "Basically I'm going to make you telepathic for a while. So you can talk and nut out what you want from this relationship."

Nathanael nodded and gestured for Katie to sit, "You must make an informed decision now. You'll understand more when I've explained everything to you. Sit." Katie sat and Ghost sat next to her holding her hand.

Nathanael took a deep breath before sitting and launching into an in depth account of Were mating practises and the laws around those same practises. Most of it he did for Ghost's sake having noticed a well-read copy of Amy's book in Katie's shelves. When he was done, he turned the floor over to Katie and Ghost.

Ghost turned to Katie. I will do what ever you want of me, if you wish to remain human you will, if you wish to be turned I will turn you. If you wish me to leave, I will go. I just want you to know... I will never hurt you. He told her earnestly.

I used to wonder what it would be like, to be Were and to just find and take that special someone. I used to think of it as barbaric, but there is nothing barbaric about this. I barely know you, this is the first time we've spoken to each other but I feel as if I've known you forever. That I've needed you forever. She turned to him. I don't understand it, I don't want to understand it, all I know is that I want to be with you in every way I can. You can turn me; I don't care as long as you are mine.

He smiled broadly and turned to Nathanael and Rhiannon. His wolf was in the front of his mind, eager to meet her properly, eager to lay his scent down thick on his mate, staking his claim so that all would know that she was his and his alone.

Nathanael stood, "Just so you know, when you mate him your minds will be bound together, he will then be able to speak English." He then left the room and Rhiannon vanished to leave the two alone. Maria, Nathanael and Electra would also leave the house; go into town to give them privacy.

Ghost listened to them leave, he wondered for a moment before he realised that they were giving them alone time. He was suddenly nervous, he had rutted as a wolf, probably even sired a heap of Were but he had never taken a permanent mate and he had never slept with a human.

He didn't know that Katie was just as nervous as he was. There was however a more pressing need, his tummy roared, he needed to eat. Katie chuckled and stood, "Let's feed you."

She gestured for him to follow and he did, he smiled when she walked into the kitchen and started to make sandwiches. She didn't complain when he stole titbits from the cutting board. The moment she finished a sandwich he nicked it and started to eat. She smiled as she watched him enjoy what she was making, she wasn't a very good cook but she knew how to make an awesome sandwich.

He smiled as he watched her prepare another sandwich, her hands sure as she spread mayo and relish on separate pieces of bread before laying two kinds of meat on the relish, some tomato and lettuce joined it before she closed them and cut it in half, she repeated this over and over, using an entire loaf. He kept taking sandwiches as she worked but he remembered to leave her some.

He made a drinking motion, she nodded and wiped her hands on a towel before going to the fridge, she brought out a large carton of milk taking out two glasses she poured them both a drink. She then started to attack the sandwiches. He watched her closely as a small bit of mayo squeezed out of the sandwich she had been eating and sat at the corner of her mouth, she seemed oblivious to it.

She swallowed, "What?" She asked as he stared intently at her, she forgot that he wouldn't be able to answer her.

He leant forward and with the tip of his tongue licked that small blob of mayo at the corner of her mouth. She shivered, turned, and kissing him. He turned to bring more contact between their lips, the bench between them frustrated him. He broke the kiss and strode around the bench. She watched him unafraid, lust and need were clearly in her eyes, she needed him, she didn't understand it... she didn't care to, her lips met his when they were descending, her arms went around his neck as his hands slid down her back and cupping her firm behind in his hands. He lifted her, sitting her on the bench she had just been making food on.

She groaned as she laced her fingers in his hair. He pulled away for a moment and growled gently as he watched her lick her lips. He took her lips again, his tongue sliding between her parted lips. Her taste was driving him mad, he wanted more. A small part of his mind tried to figure out what it was; it was similar to strawberries and liquorice only... better. His hands moved in frustration against her clothes, he didn't know how to get them off.

She gently pushed him back and broke the kiss, "Not here." She told him breathlessly. She hopped down from the bench and staggered, her body was mush already and that was just from kissing him. He steadied her until she had her balance back. She took his hand and led him to her room; she shut the door behind him and in a smooth motion removed her shirt.

He frowned and traced the bra she wore, as he didn't see the purpose of it. She released the front opening clasp and her luscious breasts sprang free. He stared and licked his lips, one of his hands reached out and gently cupped the breast, his thumb grazed over the nipple making her groan and grab his wrist to keep him from moving his hand.




Guarded Hearts Ch. 04



His lips found hers again and they kissed deeply, she released his hand and tugged his shirt of, they broke their kiss long enough to get his shirt off over his head, her hands ran over his well muscled chest, her fingers tingled, she got to the smattering of light chest hair, it was silky to the touch. She knew she should feel nervous, she hadn't gone here before but she didn't feel scared, people had been doing this since the dawn of time, it should be instinctual and that nothing she did would be wrong, in fact it would be right.

Ghost was remembering what the old shaman of the tribe had told him the day before Snow had died. He had given him advice on how not to hurt her during their first time, to take it slowly and wait for her to be ready. He also knew he had to prepare her. He glanced to the bed, he had caught her hesitation as she ran slightly shaking hands over his chest, this was her first time too.

He gently moved her to the bed hoping to make her comfortable. She stopped him for a moment and kicked off her shoes, she then undid her belt. He didn't let her go further; he pushed her gently onto the bed then crawled on top of her gently taking her lips with his. He used his arms to keep himself from crushing her.

His lips left hers and made a journey to her neck; she moaned and tilted her head aside to give him better access. He kissed the hollow beneath her ear and slowly he kissed his way down the column of her neck to her shoulder, across her collarbone, up her throat and back to her lips. After kissing her for long moments, he moved over to the side he neglected and repeated the whole process again. She moaned a little in frustration, he was driving her mad with need.

He smiled and pushed up, his fingers fumbled trying to open her jeans and get them off. Her fingers joined his, she showed him how to undo the button and zipper then lifted her behind up to help him get them off. He tugged and wrestled with the form hugging jeans and when he finally got them off, he glared at the little scrap of cloth that she had been wearing under her jeans. He grabbed it and tugged it down and off, flinging it away in his haste to have her naked.

His eyes glowed for a moment, as he looked her over, he was already hard and wanting but knew she wasn't ready for him yet. He crawled down her body and kissed her tummy where he hoped one day she would bear his child. He continued down further and took a deep breath when he got to sex. Her legs parted on their own exposing herself to his needy eyes. He took a deep breath then leant in and licked her already weeping womanhood.

He thought the taste of her mouth was delectable, it was nothing compared to the taste of her innermost place. Her eyes rolled back and she arched her body as his first lick had her whole body's attention. He feasted for long moments making sure to touch the places he got the most response from over and over again.

She didn't know what to do, her heart thundered in her chest as her body tightened moments before sweet release. He chose that moment to slow down and carefully he slid one of his long fingers inside her. She gasped and jerked her hips up sliding his finger deeper inside her. His finger came to the barrier of her innocence. He pulled his finger from her warmth and carefully slid a second inside her, it was tight but he thrust a few times before sliding a third finger within her. She gasped as the three fingers thrust inside her, stretching her for him.

He turned his attention back to that special spot that had her reacting the most. He timed his movements, when she experienced her moment of bliss he would break through that barrier. He felt it as her channel gripped his fingers and her body arched. She cried out just as his fingers forced their way entirely inside her. She gasped as she felt him break through her maidenhead.

He pulled his fingers free of her depths and lapped at her opening, tasting blood and her release. He pulled away and cleaned his fingers. He smiled at her as she watched him panting, lust was still in her eyes, the pain had been brief it was more the shock of it happening which had her gasp.

He knelt over her and tugged at the bow she had put in the string to keep his sweats up. It came undone and he pushed them down freeing his erection, getting up he removed them completely.

She stared at his arousal; how the hell was that meant to fit, she asked herself, he was long and thick. He crawled on top of her and let his weight settle on her. He kissed her deeply, she moaned, as she tasted herself on his lips. His manhood rested against her, a thrust away from being within her. His hand cupped her breast and gently groped and pinched her nipple. Her thighs hugged his sides creating a cradle for his body.

He felt her kisses as they ran up his neck, "please" she whispered, need clearly in her voice, before she bit his ear. He shifted slightly and his staff came to rest at her opening, he gently moved his hips and groaned as his body slid into hers. She was tight... oh so tight, he had to remind himself not to slam into her and take her rough and hard like his body was demanding, this was a first for her and he would not harm her, rough and hard could wait until they were more used to each other.

She moaned as he slowly joined their bodies. He watched her face carefully hoping not to hurt her as she watched him with partially closed eyes, it was a little painful but nothing that could overwhelm the pleasure of having him within her. He stilled when he had fully encased himself within her. Her fingers tangled in his hair as he leant down to kiss her, her legs wrapped around his to keep him close.

When he couldn't stand the stillness any more he started to move, slowly at first but he quickly gained speed, encouraged by her moans and reactions to his movements. He felt his wolf close to the surface of his mind, it wanted to take over and claim his mate. He kept his beast at bay barely but lost control altogether when she arched her head back and bared her throat to him. Submission, that's what it meant to his mind, submission to him, trust in him not to bite down and tear out her throat, the ultimate act of trust and love that she felt for him.

His body started to shift as he continued to thrust. He tried to hold onto his human body, his human mind. His jaw lengthened as his snout grew, dark hair sprouted all over his body, deadly claws tipped every finger and toe and a tail sprouted from the base of his spine.

She groaned as she felt him grow within her, she opened her eyes as she watched him transform into his half man half wolf form, she ran her fingers through the silky softness of his fur as it shifted beneath her hands. He grunted, as his thrusts were suddenly restricted as his knot formed and swelled within her, locking them together.

She gasped as felt his knot swell even bigger, she thought it would be painful but she was wrong, this was the most delightful thing she had ever felt before, it throbbed within her adding to her pleasure. He moaned as her moist heat gripped him tightly, she was close to cumming. He moved his jaws to her left shoulder. She arched her head away giving him unlimited access for what he was about to do. She didn't fear what was about to happen, she didn't fear his bite or being turned, she craved both those things.

She tensed, her body felt like a tightly coiled elastic band, moments from unravelling explosively. She cried out as her body shook with delight, his teeth were in her flesh but she didn't feel it, her mind and body were focused on the complete joy, which he had inspired within her. He released his bite and lapped at the wound gently as he continued to thrust through her climax, he wanted to expel his seed within her but he knew he had to wait, three bites, three moments of bliss to turn her and he wanted her to be his in every way.

When Nathanael had first explained the mating process it had confused Ghost. Why three bites, wasn't one enough and why during sex? Nathanael's answers had been thorough, three bites to make sure the change happened. As for the bites happening during sex that was a little harder to explain. He explained that what was happening inside of the person when the bite/scratch happened mattered. If a person was afraid when it happened it reacted with the 'infection' and in moments the person could turn, however they would be rage driven creatures and hard to control. Biting during sex, when the mind was in a euphoric state, the 'infection' worked much slower and gave the person time to adjust as they slowly 'grew' into their beast and Were nature.

Katie moved her hands up to stroke at his long pointed ears; his tongue swiped over her parted lips and tasted her open mouth. She moaned as she felt her desire spiral up again, she knew what he was doing but she didn't think she could survive any more of the delightful pleasure his body created with hers. He growled gently, he moved a hand and carefully fisted her hair in his hand; he tilted her head to expose the right side of her neck. He lapped at her throat and neck; he felt her flutter against him, which heralded her impending moment of bliss. He growled as she came again, his teeth sunk in again, her blood coated his tongue and teeth, and it was as sweet a taste to him as the nectar he had lapped from her weeping sex.

He released his bite and quickly wrapped his jaws around the front of her neck; the need within him to fill her with his seed was high. She tilted her head further back for him, she could sense his need, as it was fast becoming her need, and she needed his seed, to soothe the burning ache within her.

She gasped as she felt her body tighten for what she knew was the moment they both had been waiting for. His jabbing thrusts became almost frantic as he felt her tighten around him. He bit down as she came for the third time, he thrust one last time and let go. He growled as his release made him tingle and see stars. He released his bite and lapped at her throat and neck. He rested his body against hers for several long moments, letting her feel his weight in the aftermath of their passion before he rolled them onto their sides to hold and cuddle each other.

Wow. She told him.

He smiled as he shifted back into his human form and kissed her. I love you. He told her.

I love you too. She told him with a yawn her eyes already closing.





Guarded Hearts Ch. 04



Amy stretched and yawned showing off the the teeth for which she's known for. Susan yawned in response and was copied by Temperance and Serenity. Haley although intimidated by Amy still chuffed in amusement at the twins attempt to show off their teeth. Amy nudged Haley and rubbed her big face against Haley's body.

As the group got to know each other in their Were forms, others came out and joined them. Wolfgang trotted up to his mate and pressed his nose to hers before he dropped down his front half to greet his cubs. In short time Lupa, Bastion, Anna, Sage, Alanna, Mayhem, Gale and Maddie were there sniffing and greeting Jeff and Haley. Haley balked a little at the sight of the winged snow leopard but sniffed at her all the same.

Keira watched on a little sad that she wouldn't be able to join them; Ghan stood beside her and nudged her as Sienna came to stand on the other side of her daughter. "Next time you'll be with them." Sienna told her.

"I know I just wish it were now." Keira said.

Sienna chuckled, "at least soon you will be able to shift, Nathanael forbade me from shifting until after the cub is born..." She hugged her daughter, "I know how you feel but you cannot rush your beast... it will surface when it wants to not when you want it to."

Keira nodded and watched the group run off into the forest. "You can go Ghan." She told him.

"Next time." He promised her and the next time they went out for a run it would be for her first run he was sure.





Guarded Hearts Ch. 05



Author's note: All characters and companies mentioned in this story have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone or anything bearing the same name or names. Events portrayed in this story are pure invention and have not been based on any events that have happen in real life. All the characters involved in any sexual acts if their ages are not mentioned before hand; are over 18 years of age. Enjoy.

Hi everyone

Okay here is the new chapter, I know... I've taken my sweet time with this one, I'm sorry. So with that said just a heads up this is the second last chapter of Guarded hearts then I will be going onto Split in time. Another heads up, I know you will be pissed by the way this chapter ends and I know I am going to get serious demands (actually threats are probably closer to the mark) to get the last chapter out and I promise my editor and I will work as hard as we can but December for both of us can be crazy to the point of exhaustion.

So as usual, thanks goes first to my editor, I hope your cold gets better, and to you the fan. And if I don't submit again before next year I wish you a happy holiday and a happy new year.

Have fun and remember all comments are welcome.

PS. Some of the issues brought up in this story are violent and graphic however necessary and I appologise to anyone who finds it difficult to read. I promise it is only for a small part.





Guarded Hearts Ch. 05



He listened carefully as she poured out her story. About Nicolai's unrelenting pursuit from the moment he saw her, about refusing to take no for an answer. Then one day he just took her and the enforcers did nothing to stop him, they witnessed him doing it and just turned their backs on her pleas for help. He took her back to his pack and forcibly mated her, she had been trapped, they were tied she couldn't flee him until he died or someone stronger or even her true mate took his place.

She took a shuddering breath before recounting her life under Nicolai, and it was under him, she was nothing more than a slave to his every whim. She was not to leave the house without him, not to dress in anything but what he wanted, the house had to be kept immaculate, she had to do everything he asked of her no matter what. Her one act of defiance against him lead to her now healed crippling, she hadn't felt like cooking a roast, it was too hot so instead made a beautiful cold pasta dish with chorizo sausage and more. He had gone into a rage, he had wanted a roast not this slop. He broke the dish the meal had been sitting in and used one of the sharp edges to sever the muscles in her shoulder. He then tied a dirty cloth in place to stop the bleeding a demanded his dinner cooked just the way he wanted it and the kitchen cleaned before she was able to tend her arm.

"The infection nearly killed me," she told him as he hugged her close. "The healer managed to reattach all the muscles but he had been ordered to make them heal wrong. I could barely walk in my wolf form and couldn't use my left arm for much."

She went silent for many moments. "Nathanael managed to fix it, took him months of hands on healing and physio." She gently pulled out of his arms. "There was one thing Nicolai never could have done, one way in which he never could have hurt me..." she said absently as she stared at the ceiling.

"I promised myself I would never let anyone have that kind of control over me." She told him.

"I don't understand." He said as he gently pulled her back into his arms.

"He owned my body in the most cardinal of ways but he did not own my heart. He was not my true mate." She took a deep shaky breath. "You however can hurt me far greater than he ever could."

He smiled gently as he rubbed his jaw against her cheek. "Because I own your heart, I am your soulmate."

She stilled, confused, he sounded pleased that this was so when it was still a revelation to her. Wait, how did he know? How did he find out? Who had told him! 

"I've known since yesterday." He told her correctly interpreting her tenseness.

"Who told you?" She growled a little in anger there was no way he could have put the pieces together on his own. 

"Electra hinted, I joined the dots, she knew the moment I recounted our time under my truck." He gently rubbed her back trying to get her to relax.

"She had no right..." she said still a little angry.

"Would you have told me?" He asked and was met with silence giving him his answer. "I don't want to hurt you, I just want to get to know you, to love you, protect you, treat you like a queen." She shoved herself out of his arms.

"You sound just like him... get OUT." She yelled as she got off the bed. She went to grab him and kick him from her room. He lunged and grabbed her, locking his arms around hers trapping them to her sides. She struggled but he just tightened his grip and placed her back down pinning her beneath him. He was surprised that he was winning a wrestling match with a Were but he suddenly remembered that most Were didn't intentionally hurt their mates and that she was trying not to hurt him. The only way to do that was to let him win.

He waited until he had her attention and she stopped fighting. "Difference between me and him," he said into her ear with no aggression just stating some simple truths. "I will not trap you in a life which will strip you of your identity, I will not strike you for making your own decisions or simply because I can. I will not take you unless you want me to, I will not isolate you from others nor will I take offence if you decided to call me a fucking arsehole when we argue... and we will be equals in everything we do together." He kissed her cheek then pulled away, he scooped up his belt and boots and left her to think.

He walked down stairs and thought he had made it out clean but Electra and Nathanael were waiting for him out by his car. He took a deep breath, "How much did you over hear?" He asked.

"All of it..." Electra said with a shrug.

Nathanael rested a hand on his shoulder. "You did well. Just keep chipping, you'll get through to her eventually."

"That or you'll kill each other." Electra said before she went to turn in.

"She's kidding." Nathanael said trying to reassure him.

"Am not." She answered back before walking into the house.

"She's kidding." Nathanael said clapping Eric's shoulder before he too went to turn in for the night.





Guarded Hearts Ch. 05



He started to hump against her again as his tongue continued to dip into her mouth in an erotic fashion. She moaned and bit down on his tongue gently. He rumbled a pleased note, he withdrew his tongue and laved her neck and jaw with attention. He worked her body like a fine musician, bringing her to crescendo after crescendo, holding off his own pleasure and prolonging hers to the point that she started to beg for him to finish, to cum within her.

He didn't honestly care about her begging, she could beg until morning if he wanted to drag this out, this was sexual torture, she was the captive to his sexual whim just as he had been captive to her whim.

"Please... I'm sorry... I won't do it again." 

He growled at that statement, where was the fun in that, he moved a little harder against her, hoping she would get the hint and change her statement. She tossed her head from side to side and made noises which were caught somewhere between pain and pleasure. He suddenly stopped moving and growled at her prompting a reaction.

"Okay... I promise I will do it again... I will tease you... now please... no more..." she begged.

He made a little sigh, he would have to get his human side to work on her sexual tolerance as he wanted to do this again. He moved his head and wrapped his jaws around the back of her neck and started to move in hard demanding thrusts which sent her already sensitive body into one continuous orgasm.

He groaned as he felt her ripple around him, the climax he had been holding off for so long was suddenly right there, one, two, three thrusts, he growled as he felt his desire rush out of his body and into hers. He released her neck, her arms, his arms looped around her hips and held her tightly to his body as jet after jet of his seed filled her. He pressed his face to her back and panted in sexual bliss.

They stayed like that for almost half an hour as he continued to empty his desire into her. When he finished cumming he carefully stood, holding her firmly to his body, he moved them back to their bed and managed to get them both into the middle of it. He curled around her and finally let his human side come forward with strict instructions as to how he was to treat their mate for the rest of the night.

When he finally finished shifting back into his human form he grinned and nuzzled at her neck. She groaned, her eyes closed in pleasure.

"My wolf left me a list of instructions... do you want to hear them?" he drawled.

"Okay," she answered sleepily.

"I am not allow to untie from you until at least dawn, when I sleep he'll take over to keep us tied even if it means loving you while you sleep." He taunted a little. "we are then to take a shower in which I pay particular attention to your arse..." he paused and bit her ear. "Then I am meant to remind you of the promise you made." He finished.

"I remember the promise..." she snapped, "but we will not be doing this often..."

He chuckled as he humped against her a little to keep his knot engaged. He cuddled her close and together they drifted off to sleep.





Guarded Hearts Ch. 06



Author's note: All characters and companies mentioned in this story have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone or anything bearing the same name or names. Events portrayed in this story are pure invention and have not been based on any events that have happen in real life. All the characters involved in any sexual acts if their ages are not mentioned before hand; are over 18 years of age. Enjoy.

Hi everyone.

Happy new year everyone, here is the last chapter of Guarded Hearts, I hope you enjoy it, even if I know I am going to get mad mail because of it. Everything happens for a reason.

As normal thanks goes to my awesome editor KittyHawk and to you the readers, all comments and feedback is welcome.

Have Fun

PS... Keep an eye out for the next story in the twists of fate series Split in time.

*

The protesting squeal of tires had them all turning, the same car used in both the drive by and the hit and run came roaring down the street. In slow motion, Electra dropped the paper she had been holding and went for her gun. Before she could move, the rapid fire of an automatic gun rang loudly.

Maria turned and lunged, knocking Eric to the ground. Nathanael pushed Ester and Lionel down and covered them with his body. Ghost watched in horror as bullets rained down upon an unprotected Katie.

"KATIE!" Ghost cried as he watched her go down.

Electra ignored her gun and focused throwing a globe of darkness around the car. If the fools valued their lives they would stop, if not... well she honestly didn't care. She reached back and grabbed her gun racing into the street; she pointed it at the globe, which had come screeching to a halt. She glanced over to see if everyone was all right.

Ghost had jumped over the car and was cradling Katie in his arms, one hand pressed tightly to the bleeding hole in her chest. Tears streamed down his face as he realised that history was repeating on him. "NATHANAEL!" he yelled hoping beyond hope that the man who had put him back together could fix his beloved Katie.

Nathanael raced to Ghost and knelt ready to do what he could. Katie opened her eyes and coughed up blood. "Ghost," she said gently.

He leant down to hear her better; if these were her last words, he would not miss them.

"Don't... run... away..." She said between gasps, "Live... for... me..." She felt the cold creeping into her limbs and knew the end was near. "I... will... return..." She moved his hand to her necklace. "Yours... now..." Her vision started to fade. "Love... you..." she said, and then she was gone.

Ghost was still for a moment; his heart... his soul felt like a huge chunk had been torn from it. Losing Snow... that had been a walk in the park compared to losing Katie. He hadn't bonded to Snow, hadn't bound their souls and hearts together as he had with Katie. The pain... was indescribable. He pulled Katie's still body to his chest and rocked her as tears poured down his face.

Nathanael reached for his phone, but in the confusion, it had been damaged beyond use. "Maria... call Amy... get her here NOW."

Maria fumbled for her phone trying to keep pressure on Eric's wounded shoulder. She thought she had been quick but he had still been hurt, however if she hadn't pushed him down he would be dead. She got her phone out and hit speed dial 1, Amy's number.

"Maria... time to come home?" Amy asked in a friendly tone.

"Get here now," Maria said, shrugging out of her blouse to use it to stem the flow of blood from Eric's shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Amy asked.

"I don't know..." Maria glanced up. "Nathanael..." She called and lobbed the phone at him.

Nathanael caught the phone and brought it to his ear, "Amy get here now, bring every immortal you can get." He hung up and raced to the SUV to get sedatives, he knew that if they didn't get a handle on Ghost's grief now before it turned to rage, this town could very well be demolished before midday.

Amy appeared a few minutes later, Wolfgang, Tarval, Alanna, Sage, Vivian, Rhiannon, Mayhem, Jesse and Bastion with her and glanced around wondering what was going on. They walked forward ignoring Maria and going to Nathanael as he was the one who wanted them here. "What's going on?" Amy asked.

"Ghost, if we don't..." Nathanael started to say.

Everyone turned to Ghost and saw him cradling Katie, Amy's eyes picked up the bite marks on Katie's neck and her already pale skin went paler. "No..." She said pained, this was not fair on Ghost, he had a right to live and love his soul mate yet twice she had been torn from his arms before he could save her.

Sage growled and turned to the globe of darkness, which held the men who had done this.

"Sage," Wolfgang said firmly. "They will face the system," he told her. He glanced looking for a more level-headed person to go and restrain the men. "Rhiannon, Vivian, can you go and restrain those men, I fear if one of us goes near them we'll end up killing them."

Both women nodded, cable ties appearing in their hands and they approached the globe. Electra focused and the globe restricted and broke into smaller globes, keeping the men's heads in darkness, only when the men were restrained did Electra remove the globes.

All the immortal Were moved, putting themselves between Ghost and the men which had taken his mate's life. Nathanael moved in carefully, he hoped to sedate Ghost before the rage took hold of him. If it did all the sedatives in the world wouldn't knock him out, not when his rage was driven by grief.

Just as he got to Ghost, he knew he was too late; Ghost trembled, growling almost silently. The rage had come on slowly but it had still come. He wanted blood, he wanted to tear the throats out of the men who had done this to him, had stripped him of his mate, had stripped him of a life he had wanted, a life with her, loving her, protecting her.

He jerked his head up, his eyes were yellow, his wolf was frothing at the mouth, he wanted to bite, to tear, to kill. They gently put their mate down on the ground, their minds joined in their grief, their pain and their rage.

Before anyone could blink, a massive black Wolf hybrid stood before them, his lips pulled back from his deadly gleaming white teeth, growling a warning for them to get out of his way. When they didn't move he snarled and approached them, he didn't care if he had to hurt these people to get what he wanted. Tarval and Sage spread their wings trying to hide the men from Ghost's hate filled eyes, hoping that by removing them from his sight he would calm. No such luck, it had the opposite effect.

He studied the line and went after the smallest of the group, Amy, assuming that she would be the weakest link. He rushed her and swung his mighty right paw, raking his claws across Amy's face. She turned her head with the blow but didn't move; she turned her head back to keep her eyes on him. The whites of her eyes glowed an almost startling green as blood gushed from the four furrows carved into her face, her blue irises drank in the green light, slowly changing the colour and making them appear silver, making them look otherworldly.

As Ghost went to bowl her over he was suddenly face to chest with a creature much bigger then he was. Amy braced herself for his attack, wrapping her arms around him as he collided with her body. She lifted him up as his claws raked at her back and sides. The others had shifted and moved in to help, except for Rhiannon and Vivian who were still dealing with the guys from the car and Tarval and Sage who stood back being a final line of defence if Ghost managed to get pass the others. Amy slammed him into the ground and everyone piled up on top of him, pinning him to the ground.

He growled and thrashed beneath the bodies, scratching and biting anything in reach. No one loosened their holds. When police cars showed up Rhiannon and Vivian bundled their bound men into the cars. "Get them gone... go a county over and lock them up there, get them far away from here." Vivian said before she turned and watched the struggling pile up. The officers instantly obeyed seeing the struggling group of massive Were trying to restrain one person.

A solution came to her mind but Amy would be pissed if she just did it. Amy. Vivian said into her mind. His rage is building not abating.

I know... can you do that emotion removal thing you normally do. Amy asked.

Have you tried? Vivian asked but already knew the answer, Amy had tried but had failed or not done it right as it took time to learn that kind of control. Nothing would work on him in his current state, although... We can't calm him... maybe... Serenity can. She suggested hesitantly, Amy was very protective of her children.

Amy considered it for a moment, that may work. She said giving Vivian the go-ahead.

Vivian vanished and reappeared with Serenity. Serenity watched the pile up her head tilted, her eyes filled with tears and her little fists clinched, she was torn between the rage and sorrow she felt emanating from Ghost. She took a deep breath and shook her little body, ridding herself of Ghost's emotions. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths.

Serenity lived up to her name in both manner and ability, she had only experimented with what she could do, but never had she worked on such a troubled mind. She had relaxed her parents, calmed them down when they were slightly stressed, took away Mayhem's anxiety when she first came to the manor, helped Haley when he was frightened. She focused on one thought that she could do this, if she doubted herself... she would fail.

As Serenity approached the heaving mass, Tarval moved from his defensive position beside Sage and came to walk beside the little girl; if Ghost got free, he would get her out of the way. She studied the mass for a moment as her mind focused on Ghost. "Hold his leg still please." She asked glancing to Tarval, normally she didn't have to touch some one to calm them but his thoughts were so focused on his rage that she needed physical touch to make a good connection. Tarval nodded and did as she asked pinning one of his thrashing legs. Sage grabbed the other to keep it from kicking Serenity while she worked.

Serenity touched Ghost's leg and closed her eyes, focusing on a thought, a memory of her own, one of quiet and peacefulness; she implanted that memory in the front of Ghost's mind. That peacefulness only lasted a moment before the rage made it shatter, she frowned and tried again but again it was shattered.

"It works then it stops." She said aloud turning to Vivian.

"Try one of his memories." Vivian suggested.

Serenity shook her head she had the distinct feeling that that would only make things worse, much worse. "Find me a focus... something of hers." She nodded to Katie's body.

Rhiannon nodded and raced over to Katie's body, she studied her quickly but thoroughly looking for something Serenity could focus on, something Serenity could use. She carefully removed Katie's necklace and raced it over to Serenity.

Serenity reached out with her free hand, wrapped her little hand around the pendant, and smiled. "Perfect." She closed her eyes, her mind focused on the pendant and its complex series of knots. She then let the pendant with its knots fill Ghost's mind.

His mind recognised the design and his rage calmed a little. She let the knots spread and they started to glow, burning away the rage, destroying the hate and the guilt. When he started to still she brought the memory back that she had tried earlier and this time the knots held it in place.

He stopped fighting those above him, no one spoke, no one was willing the break Serenity's concentration in fear his rage would come back ten fold.

*

Ghost and his wolf glanced around the small meadow; the grass was covered with early morning dew. Light shone gently on the meadow turning the dew into shimmering bits of light. It was a magical place. "Where am I?" He said and turned to his Wolf who was just as confused as neither could remember this place. He was also a little confused; the only time he and his wolf could be together like this was in the darkness of his mind... at least... he thought that was the only time this could happen.

"It's a meadow near my home." Serenity said appearing before the man and the wolf. Ghost knelt to be on an equal level with the little girl.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Serenity... and I know your name, Ghost." She told him.

"Are you doing this?" He asked confused.

She nodded, "This is yours." She told him and held out her closed hand, he held out his hand to accept whatever she held. She opened her hand and the pendant dropped into his hand.

He suddenly felt like he had been sucker punched as his mind focused on the pendant, he lost his balance and landed on his behind. It was Katie's... was... she was dead... he hadn't been fast enough again. His anger and grief came back.

Serenity approached him and rested a hand on his shoulder. He growled and moved away, he didn't want comfort, he didn't deserve it, he hadn't been fast enough. His love was gone again, he was alone, only this time it was worse. It was as if someone had taken a red-hot razor to his soul and cut it into a million pieces, a million shreds that would never go back the way it was before.

His Wolf limped over to him, even though he was not physically hurt he felt as if he had been hurt badly. When he was near his human half he sat, threw his head back and howled a long mournful note, calling out his grief to the heavens. His howl went unanswered, his head went down, his ears went back and if he could have cried, he would.

Serenity approached Ghost again. This time he let her touch him; he simply didn't care anymore. "Nathanael..." She said as she sat before him. He focused his attention completely on her as it made the pain more bearable if he didn't think about Katie. "He has watched two mates come and go..." She said. "I'm sure he didn't tell you, he doesn't like to talk about it." She plucked a blade of grass. "Every now and again I feel his fear, he fears losing her, his current mate, but he also accepts that he will lose her but he knows that she will always return to him. She will go through as many cycles of life as she needs in order to learn life's lessons, to be able to cope with immortality. Eventually when she does become immortal they will live together for the rest of time and he will never have to fear losing her again."

He watched her disbelievingly. "But she wasn't Were when she died." He said.

She smiled, a little amused, "She wasn't Were when she first died either, yet there she was when you woke. Reincarnation isn't restricted to those who are Were, Ghost. Everyone reincarnates whether they are Human, Were, Ancient, Folk, Fae, Elemental, Complicated, Vampire, all souls do."

She stood. "She will return to you. My great grandfather told me that Immortality is never an easy life. Those who become immortal are chosen; chosen because they can cope with the trials and the misery of losing those they love and come to care about. However, you weren't raised to know this, this is all new to you and it's confusing. After everything you've been through trust doesn't come easy." She said with wisdom beyond her years.

She gestured him to stand and took his hand after he stood. "Come, I want to show you something." She started to walk off into the surrounding trees. "I'm not meant to come here, ma says I'm not old enough to deal with this place and she's right." She stopped. "Straight ahead, you'll come to a clearing with four stones, one at each compass point, and walk into the centre." She let his hand go and gestured for him to go. "I'll wait for you here."

"Is this real?" He asked as he glanced down to his wolf then back to her still a little confused but the little girl didn't frighten him and the wolf didn't see her as a threat, this whole place seemed... like... magic.

She shrugged, "That is up to you to decide." She sat on a fallen log and waited.

He took a deep breath and started to walk, his wolf walked as close as he could behind his human, curious as to what Serenity wanted to show them. They walked in silence for several long minutes before they came to the clearing that Serenity spoke of. All the background noise of the forest suddenly stopped as they walked into the centre of the stone compass. The pendant throbbed in his hand and the clearing was suddenly filled with light.

He blinked for long moments until his eyes came to focus on a woman... his Katie. Only it wasn't Katie. The woman smiled at him in welcome, long gossamer wings spread out behind her, her hair was white, her eyes a deep flawless black, she hovered, her feet only just above the ground.

"Who..." He started to say but she hushed him.

"Who I am doesn't matter... not now... at this moment." She answered hovering close to him and his wolf.

"Why?" He asked wanting to reach out and stroke her lightly sun kissed skin.

"I don't exist yet." She told him reaching out to stroke his face. "Be patient... I will come for you." She leant across to gently skim his lips with hers. "Do me a favour... live a full life... I want to hear stories of your adventures when I come back to you. I don't want to hear about you spending our time apart like you did last time."

He nodded mesmerised and a little shell-shocked.

"It's time for me to go and for you to return. Join Amy and Wolfgang's pack and you will never be alone in your struggles." She stepped back. "I love you; you are my soul and my heart. I will come for you." She hovered away from him and faded away.

The light left and he was left standing in the clearing, his wolf stood beside him, panting gently, his tail wagging. He sat and thought for long moments, wondering about the promise, the stranger had given him; that she would come, he would just have to wait. He closed his eyes and made a silent promise, next time he would be faster, he would protect her. His wolf nudged him and he slowly got to his feet, he no longer felt as if a chasm had opened within him but he still felt the ache, he could live with an ache.

They returned to the log on which Serenity sat. She smiled up at him. "So are you ready?"

"Ready for what?" He asked as he took her hand, he frowned as he noticed a tattoo on his forearm, which had previously been unblemished, a tattoo of Celtic knots.

"To go back," she said.

He frowned, "Go back where?"

"To your body," she answered as she stood.

"So that wasn't real?" he asked.

She smiled, "That was real, Fate's gift to you, a promise so to speak." She gestured around her, "All this, however, is my memory of a place I know. Although right now it is no less real than the actual place." They started to walk back to the first clearing.

"Is this what you really look like?" He asked beginning to think that maybe the little girl was a spirit guide or something.

"Why do you ask?" She said as she hopped onto a fallen tree and treated it like a balance beam.

"You seem too wise to be a child." He answered with a smile.

She chuckled, "I fall under the complicated category."

"Will you be there when I wake?" he asked helping her from the fallen tree.

She nodded as her feet hit the ground, a few minutes later they came back to the first clearing. She turned to him, "Take a deep breath and close your eyes. Don't fight anything. You are safe."

He nodded and closed his eyes taking that deep breath; he felt something shift in his mind. He felt weight on his body but he didn't fight it. Sometime during his mental journey with Serenity, his physical body had shifted back into his human form, his eyes opened and he went very still as his eyes focused on the biggest teeth he had ever seen before. They were attached to the biggest creature he had ever seen.




Guarded Hearts Ch. 06



"It's okay... he's better now." Serenity's voice came to him, as child like as it had been in his mind. The bodies holding him down started to move back. They were cautious as they released him. He pushed his torso up, his eyes searching for Serenity's but he couldn't spot her through the big bodies.

He held up his clenched right fist, turning it he opened his hand, Katie's pendant rested in his hand. His eyes then took in the new marks that ran up his forearms, Celtic knots similar to those on the pendant he held now twined around his forearms.

A woman knelt next to him. "The mind is a powerful thing Ghost." She said gently.

He turned to her, four red welts ran across her face, this was the woman he had decided was the weakest link, more fool him, she was the strongest. She smiled at him, as she understood his appraisal. "I'm Amy." She said.

"How did you get dressed so quickly?" He asked as she helped him to his feet.

"I'm Complicated." She answered, a mist covered his lower half then vanished leaving him in a pair of sweats. As the others shifted back into their human forms similar mists appeared then vanished leaving them clothed. Serenity pushed her way through, as she knew Ghost would be looking for her. He blinked in surprise when he found her.

"You... you are a child." He said bemused.

Serenity nodded, "I turned five a month ago."

He turned around when he finally hears Lionel and Ester weeping over Katie's body. His heart clenched in pain, but funnily, it wasn't as painful as it was before, he could live with it. He walked over and dropped to his knees beside her. Serenity went and joined him her hand resting on his forearm.

Everyone watched but no one interfered. Ester gently pushed her granddaughter's hair aside and saw the bite marks against her skin. She turned to Ghost and hugged him now understanding what had happened earlier. Losing a mate was devastating for a Were.

He opened his hand, "She... she wanted me to have this... if... if it's okay with you." Ester glanced down at his hand to see the pendant and nodded.

"It's all yours, anything you would like to remember her by... is yours." Ester answered.

"Just this... and her cat... that's all I want." He said he didn't need photos or nick knacks to remember her by; her necklace was all he needed. He had however decided to also take Scamper, Ester and Lionel lived in an RV, not a fitting place for a cat to live.

Sage and Alanna approached with undyed linen to wrap her body before taking it to be prepared for the burial mound. Nathanael was already signing a death certificate and writing a coroners report. They knelt and started to prepare her.

"What..." Ester started to say but Lionel shushed her.

"They are preparing her body according to their and her traditions." He told his wife.

Alanna smiled for a moment then focused as she removed Katie's shoes, belt, watch, wallet and phone from her person. Sage was carefully removing Katie's earrings. When that was done, Wolfgang lifted her using his mind and she was wrapped carefully then set down on a stretcher.

Serenity stayed by Ghost, being an anchor for him. He stroked the pendant absently. Amy reached out, a silver rope necklace in her hand. "It's metamorphic, it'll survive the change." Amy told him.

Serenity took the chain, threaded it through the loop, and lifted the two ends, moving around him she brought the two ends together, the chain hugged his neck the pendant resting in the little hollow at the base of his throat. She clipped them together and put her will on the clasp, willing it and the chain to never break.

"Nathanael..." Maria called. "I can't stop Eric's bleeding." She added.

Nathanael raced over to Eric and rested his hands near the blood soaked shirt Maria had been using to help steam the flow of his blood. He focused for a moment and the damaged veins sealed, stopping the bleeding. "The bullet is lodged in the shoulder blade; it's going to have to be surgically removed." He explained to them both.

By this time, an ambulance had arrived. Paramedics rushed forward and glanced around wondering if they were needed. "Over here." Maria called out and waved. They raced over and took control of Eric. In ten short minutes, they had him bundled into the ambulance and were off.

"Electra, you and Mayhem stay here, finish what you have to in the way of paper work then call me and I'll come and get you. I'll take Ghost to Katie's place to gather his things and what he wants from Katie's, as well as Maria's things, then go home." Amy said already starting to delegate.

Rhiannon and Vivian walked forward. "We'll take the others home and Katie's body back. Ester, Lionel... would you like to come to pay your last respects." Vivian asked.

They both nodded and stood. Vivian nodded and they vanished leaving behind Ghost, Maria, Nathanael, Electra, Mayhem Amy and Serenity. Amy glanced around and nodded. "Let's go." She said and she, Serenity, Maria, Nathanael and Ghost vanished and appeared outside of Katie's home.

They walked in. Ghost walked up stairs trying not to stare at the house where Katie had lived. He went to the room he had shared with his beloved. He paused at the door and felt a small hand take his. He smiled a little at Serenity and opened the door. The bed was still the mess they had left it in that morning. He went to the chest on which his clothes sat. Scamper, Katie's one-eyed ginger moggy was asleep on her pillow.

He ignored his clothes and went to the cat. He carefully picked up Scamper, who didn't complain. "I'm sorry little man." He said gently as he sat on the bed. "Katie's gone and she's not coming back." He said as he scratched Scamper's chin. He had seen Katie talking to this cat many times over the last two days so it seemed natural for him to do so. "So you're going to come to my new home with me."

Amy made a cat basket appear to put Scamper in. "Sweetie go find Scamper's toys and bed so that he'll feel more at home in the manor," she said. Serenity nodded and left. Another bag appeared in Amy's hands and she started to pack his clothes.

Serenity appeared with a basket that was full of toys. Maria held a box; her bag over her shoulder, in the box was food, a kitty litter tray and kitty litter for Scamper. Ghost carefully put Scamper in the carry basket with Katie's pillow and a jumper drenched in her scent. "That's it." He said to Amy.

"Are you sure that's all you want?" Amy asked; Nathanael had a room full of things that he kept from his previous mates.

Ghost nodded. "I have everything I need," he touched the pendant and then his temple.

Amy nodded and they were gone.

****

Eric walked into the station; only a day after getting the bullet removed from his shoulder, he had discharged himself against his doctor's wishes. His arm sat in a sling, old dried blood only partially visible on his shirt. Electra was waiting for him having gotten the call from the hospital that he was coming. Mayhem stood a little behind her.

"Eric..." Electra said with a warning in her voice.

"No." He snapped. "I will not stand by and watch you question the men who killed my friend." He said angry, he was actually angry at many things at the moment. He was angry that he had been forced to miss the starting fire of Katie's pyre, anger at her needless death, anger at the doctor who insisted he stay in hospital, and angry that Maria had left him, following the orders of her alpha.

"I need to know..." He said his voice breaking a little. "Please." He added.

Electra nodded. "Okay... ground rule, keep your mouth shut, you open it and I will kick your arse." She warned.

He nodded. She studied him for long moments then jerked her head for him to follow. He followed her to one of the interrogation rooms. They paused at the one-way mirror. Mayhem leant on the wall to watch her mate at work. A grizzly middle-aged man sat cuffed to the table, he was unkempt and all around seemed like an unpleasant sort. His lawyer sat across from him listening.

"We've learned that the two younger men in the group are this man's sons, the other two are his friends." She informed Eric.

"Where are the others?" Eric asked.

"Waiting in the cells, they were brought back this morning when I asked. I promised the police chief that was holding them for us that Ghost was far away from here before he agreed to bring them." Electra explained.

"The boys are underage." She added as an afterthought. A man in a rumpled suit, his lawyer, walked out of the room and nodded, ready for the interview.

She walked in with a file; Eric followed her in then sat. "Interview started at 0930 on September 19th, conducting the interview is Chief Walker and Agent Luis, the accused Mister Harry Jackson and his attorney Tim Vincent." She slapped a file down and sat.

Tim sat forward, "I would like to make it plan that I am here even though Mister Jackson refuses my council," he said for the tape.

Electra nodded to Tim. "Is there anything you want to get off your chest?" Electra asked calmly staring directly at Mr Jackson.

He refused to answer her.

"Okay... I have forensic evidence, which links you to half a dozen attempted murders and one murder. I have evidence, which links you to the unprovoked bashing of Ghost. What do you have to say to this?" She asked.

Again, he said nothing.

"I also have evidence which links your boys to the same crimes." She threw in hoping that something would raise a reaction.

"Why did you attack Ghost? He had done nothing to you..." She said and finally saw a reaction in the way he clenched his fists.

"Filthy bloody animals the lot of you." Harry said. "Bloody daemons the lot of you, should have killed you all." He ranted.

"Why?" Electra asked.

"Freaks..." he said tugging on his cuffs. "Daemons cast from the pits of hell." He spouted.

"Shut up." Electra said firmly, feeling anger rise.

He glared at Electra but held his tongue.

Electra stood, resting her hands on the table. "I don't want to hear your religious views I want to know why. Why did you attack Ghost? Why did you open fire on humans not once but twice? Why?" She demanded wanting... no, needing, a real reason to give Ghost as to why he was once again alone.

"I did what did." He said smugly. "And I'll do it again."

"You killed a woman." She said trying a different approach.

"Filthy whore of a daemon. She deserved to die." He said.

"You didn't know that when you killed her. What have Were done to you? What have we done to make you hate us so much?" She asked.

"You live." He said contemptuously.

Electra sighed, "Interview suspended at 0945," she said. "Just so you know... I will outlive your entire bloodline." She said then left the room, saddened by his view, but saddened more by the fact that she wouldn't be able to give Ghost a reason for all this.

****

Eric glanced out at the forest, through the car window, a week after Maria had returned to her old life. His right arm still sat in a sling, he was thankful for the driver driving him to the manor, given he couldn't drive with his arm in a sling. It had only taken a week to drop his old life, to quit his job, sell his home and make his way to Maria. Electra had helped him out on her end. Some had called him mad; leaving his life for someone he barely knew, all he knew was that he needed her.

They pulled to a stop out front of a grand mansion where Electra was waiting with a big smile. "She's out getting more food for Scamper." A little boy stood next to her holding on to her leg as he studied the stranger before him.

"Okay." Eric said as he approached.

"She's been missing you... she won't admit it but its true." Electra said as she ushered him inside. She turned to Thais, "This is Thais, he's going to obliterate your scent, we want you to be a surprise." She said clapping her hands and bouncing a little.

"Nathanael was right... you are evil. You said you told her I was coming." Eric argued.

"I lied." She answered unabashed.

He sighed, "Fine we'll do it your way," he said, resigned to the plan of action. Thais glanced at Eric's bags, which suddenly vanished.

Scamper ran across the entrance hall, Temperance chasing after him, the little cat however was smart and dodged to sit between Bastion's legs. Bastion saw Temperance approaching and rescued the cat, holding him out of the little girl's reach as Temperance slid to a halt, waving dolls clothes intended for the cat, which she quickly tried to hide behind her.

"Temperance, you know you are to leave Ghost's cat alone," he scolded her before walking off, taking the cat with him. Temperance turned to her brother with a little disappointment on her face. Thais rolled his eyes. Boadicea appeared and grabbed Temperance before vanishing.

"Come on, I'll take you to Maria's room, that's where Thais willed your things," Electra said, taking his hand. Thais waited several moments before following; he was enjoying his part in this, mainly because he knew it would work. When Eric was safely in Maria's rooms, they left him alone.

He glanced around her sitting room; it was spotless, just as he expected it to be. There were pictures of people he hadn't seen before on her mantle but that didn't bother him, they obviously meant something to her. He left her sitting room behind and went to her bedroom. The bed was massive and inviting and after his long trip, he sat and lay back with a sigh. In moments, he was asleep.

****

Maria walked into her room with a sigh. She took a deep breath, only slightly curious as to why Bastion had told her she had the night off. She frowned for a moment and then shook her head; yep she was going crazy. She swore she could smell Eric's scent. She shook her head again, she needed a long soak in a hot tub of water, then she was going to seek out Amy, to find out if she could help her get in contact with Eric, or go to him.

Her wolf was all for that idea, to go to him, she had been anxious and angry with her human for leaving her wounded mate to fare for himself. She walked into her bedroom and stilled. She blinked for a moment as she stared at Eric who was asleep, sprawled across her bed.

She approached silently, wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her. When she was close enough she took a deep breath, no way were both her eyes and her nose playing tricks on her Eric was here, he was here for her.

She moved as if drawn by an invisible thread to the man draped across her bed. Her wolf was bouncing in her mind, chanting the same thing over and over again... take him... take him... take him...

His lightly tanned skin was the most alluring thing she had ever seen. She leant over him, her eyes drinking in everything that was him, from his long silky black hair to the fullness of his lips.

One of his hands came from nowhere and caught her behind the head. His eyes opened and he pulled her close, kissing her deeply. She didn't fight him, in fact, she did just the opposite, draping her body on top of his being careful of his injured shoulder.

They kissed for long minutes before he had to come up for air. He stroked her cheek and smiled, "I've missed you."

She rested her cheek on his chest and smiled as she listened to his heartbeat. "I've missed you too." She confessed. "I'm sorry I left you, everything happened so fast that I didn't have time to protest Amy's orders," she confessed, hoping he would forgive her.

"It doesn't matter, we're together now." He told her as he stroked her check and jaw.

They stayed like that for long minutes, "how long are you here?" She asked.

"Well, since I am jobless and homeless, I was hoping forever," he said with a cheeky smile.

She pushed herself up to look at him with surprise and shock.

He cupped her cheek. "I would give up more than my job or home for you Maria. You are mine... and I don't care how long it takes before you finally agree with me." He leant in and gently brushed his lips against hers.

"And your things?" She asked almost breathless as he feathered kisses down her throat.

"Thais put them there..." he said, waving an arm vaguely at his things in the corner, "I am more than willing to have a different room," he murmured against her skin before starting an upward journey.

She moaned, unable to help herself, as his lips were driving her insane with need. He wished he wasn't burdened with a wounded shoulder; he would roll her over and ravish her. Their lips met again, their kiss was a battle of caressing tongues, he moaned when he felt her grind herself against his body.

He broke the kiss and panted, "I wish I could take you the way I would like to right now." His eyes closed as she feathered kisses against his throat. Her hands gently slid his arm out of the sling before carefully opening his shirt. "What..." he started to say, his eyes snapping open.

"You may not be able to take me... but I'll be damned if I don't claim you now." She told him.

He felt a little light headed as all the blood in his body raced to his loins, this was not how he expected their first time to be... but he was NOT complaining. Together they moved him into the centre of her large king sized bed. He sat up in order to help her get him out of his shirt. Her lips traced over his body, kissing and nipping at him. He laid back and panted, wondering where his timid Maria went before realising he didn't care, he liked this Maria as well, this sensual, aggressive side that knew what it wanted and was out to get it.

She tugged his belt free and undid his jeans with sure hands, tugging them, along with his briefs, down his legs and off, his socks quickly following. He lay before her naked except for the strapping of gauze on his shoulder. She sat back and appraised him in his naked glory, he was strong, well defined and all hers. She stood up and started to strip, his eyes feasting on the skin she exposed, the scars of her previous life were noted then ignored. When she tossed away the last of her clothing, she undid the plait holding the lush locks of black hair back, letting them slide provocatively against her upraised breasts, her hardened nipples poking through to tease him.

"Come here," he ordered his voice husky with desire. "I want to taste you," he added as she slowly moved to obey, a little unsure of what he wanted. "Straddle my face," he added when she got close enough, he had noticed her hesitation, she had done nothing like this before so he knew he had to guide her. She came to rest both of her knees either side of his head.

He hooked his good arm around her hips and brought her warm moist heat to his lips. He moaned, as he tasted her desire for the first time. She gripped the bed head for support as his tongue delved and dipped into her feminine core, his tongue on a seek and inflame mission finding every part of her that had need, sending ecstasy coursing through her. She began to grind herself against him, needing his possession, needing the gorgeous sensations to continue.

He continued to eat her out with gusto as he sensed her impending climax approach. As she suddenly stilled above him, he focused all his attention on that one place which would drive her insane. He lashed at it unmercifully, she cried out as she came hard, but still he lashed driving her to an even stronger climax.

She jerked herself off him and leant on her hands, still holding the bed head, her body quivering in the wake of her bliss.

"Get back here I wasn't finished," he complained.

She chuckled in amusement then glanced down at him; she could see him licking her juices from his face. It suddenly made her hot again, needing more. She crawled off his face and down his body; she came to the symbol of his manhood. It stood firm and erect, waiting for her. She leant in and licked him from root to tip, marvelling at the fact that not only was this the first time she actually wanted to perform this act; she was enjoying it, the taste leaving her quivering. She couldn't stand it any longer; she licked him one last time and moved to mount him.




Guarded Hearts Ch. 06



He grabbed his staff and helped to line them up as she slowly lowered herself onto him. He moaned when he felt the head of his staff enveloped by her moist heat. She held still for a moment before slowly working the rest of him within her.

He arched his hips in pleasure. "Maria..." he called out breathlessly. "If you want... you can turn me... I give you permission."

Those words had her wolf reacting instantly with pleasure and need, it wanted to take over, to bite and taste him to make him hers NOW, she closed her eyes as she ground herself on his staff. She felt a hand cup a breast and groaned.

He watched as his beloved started to shift above him, grey fur covered her body almost hiding her breasts from view. She grew bigger, easily dwarfing him, a tail sprouted from her spine and her hands turned into claws. Finally, her face elongated, turning more into a wolf then a human. He gasped as he felt her moist heat grip him almost like a vice, despite the rest of her getting larger, her feminine core seemed to stay unchanged.

She leant down over him and licked his face as she rode his body. Unlike a male Were turning a human, it didn't matter when she bit him as long as it happened three times during the act of sex. She held him and carefully bit his already injured shoulder. He gasped as her teeth gently broke skin, but as suddenly as the pain came it was gone and she had moved to the other shoulder, which she bit quickly.

She felt her impending climax and knew he was close as well; she readied herself for the final bite and did it just as they both came. She pulled her teeth from his skin and reared back grinding violently against him to draw out her bliss; she howled a long victorious note before collapsing human against his chest.

****

Eric felt bashful the next day as he left Maria's room, she was gone when he woke, his clothes for the day were neatly placed out, the rest of his things he later found carefully stored in with her things. He glanced around, a little lost as he paused in the hall.

Amy found him there several minutes later. "Good morning... or should I say good afternoon." She corrected with a chuckle.

He went red not knowing how to answer that.

"How's your arm?" She asked as she gestured for him to follow.

"I think it's healed." He answered as he joined her.

"Nathanael will look at it and your mating marks as soon as you've eaten." She said as she took him down a long hallway before pausing. "Maria is an important..."

"Is this the part where you say if you hurt her I'll kill you?" He said, interrupting.

She chuckled, "Heavens no..." She said with a shake of her head. "She'll kill you herself," she explained. "What I was going to say is that Maria is an important member of my family and that means you too are a member of this family, this is now your home. If you need anything, come to me or Wolfgang." She explained.

She smiled when she heard his stomach roar. "First order of business... get you fed." She clapped him on the back and continued to lead him towards the small staircase at the end of the hall, which lead straight to the kitchen.

Thais came skipping down the hall with a happy and pleased look on his face. He came to a stop before his mother. "It's a BOY." He said excitedly with a little happy dance before he continued his journey.

Eric frowned as he watched the little boy disappear down a bend, "What was that about?"

Amy shrugged, "Don't know... but what ever it is... it's a boy." She grabbed him and they started to walk again. "Thais sees the future... some of the nonsense he says makes no sense until it happens."

"But if he warns you to take an umbrella..." Lupa said walking out of the room he used as his study, "listen to him," he finished before walking away leaving Eric confused and bemused.

"Oh yeah..." Amy said with a smile, "Welcome to the mad house... if you weren't mad to begin with... you soon will be." She said; humour lacing her voice as she took him down to the kitchens to be fed.



Guarded Hearts



Mary, her assistant and nurse, walked in. She was dark skinned with braided black hair and black eyes, with a figure that had the men of the town drooling. "Katie I'm about to go home." She said as she walked into the holding rooms.

The phone started to ring; Mary sighed and grabbed the phone. "Shield veterinary clinic Mary speaking."

"Ah good someone was there, I'm Dr Sheppard, I need Dr Shield to come to the hospital, we need her," a deep male voice, that had Mary swooning, asked.

Mary covered the mouthpiece, "oh my god... that new Dr. down at the hospital has an orgasmic voice."

Katie smiled indulgently at Mary. "And why is he calling."

Mary blinked for a moment then chuckled, "yeah sorry about that, he would like you to go to the hospital."

Katie sighed, "That moggie that lives in the loading bay must be in trouble." She gestured for the phone, which Mary reluctantly handed over. "Dr Shield speaking."

"Hi, Tomas Sheppard, we need your help at the hospital, a Were was just brought in and I don't know how to work on a wolf." The deep voice said with just a little bit of anxiety.

"Okay... how big is this wolf." Katie asked her mind ticking, a Were? Here?

"Big... I mean massive... easily five or six hundred pounds." He answered.

Katie went pale, the average grey wolf in this area weighed between 90 and 130 pounds, they could get bigger but no bigger than 175 pounds. "Okay... I'll need Mary to come. We'll be there as soon as we get what we need." She hung up, "sorry Mary..." she apologised for possibly messing with Mary's plans.

Mary waved her hand in a doesn't really matter manner, "don't worry I only had a TV dinner to look forward to... instead I have a reason to check out the new hot doctor." She rubbed her hands together with glee. "Not that I need a reason." She added. "So why am I needed?" She asked, as she hadn't been paying attention. 

Katie took a deep breath, "it's a wolf, so we need everything we would use to work on a big dog and triple everything."

"We're working on a wolf? At a hospital?" She questioned as she went to do as she was asked.

"No... a Were." Katie said as she raced to her locked medicine cabinets and grabbed a medium sized cooler. She loaded it with all the sedatives, anti inflammatory and antibiotic drugs she had. She locked it up and raced it to her SUV. Mary followed quickly with two big toolboxes filled with everything they could need; she dumped them and raced back into the clinic to grab the rest. Katie ran around the clinic performing quick checks as she locked up. She grabbed the last box and took it to the SUV then turned and quickly locked up.

Mary jumped in her small sedan and followed Katie. They raced through the middle-sized town; the police saw them but didn't stop them even though they were breaking speed limits. They parked near the front doors but not restricting the emergency bay.

"I'll get a gurney to get this inside in one trip." Mary said as she raced forward to grab a gurney. Katie nodded and grabbed one of the large cases and raced inside as she didn't know if the Were was critical or not, although if he was she would have had a police escort. 

She walked up to the front desk, "hello Emma how's Mr Wiggles." She asked the elderly woman on the front desk, her cat was always getting into trouble with small tight places.

"He's fine... that cat run you suggested has kept him out of trouble." She said as she stood. "You're looking for the Were, treatment room one." She said and pointed in the right direction.

"Mary is coming with more supplies." Katie warned.

Emma nodded and waved her away.

Katie smiled and walked into the emergency department. She walked into a separate room attached to the department and paused at the madness as people hovered over the massive black wolf, which was draped across two beds, which had been pushed together.

"He's not breathing." A nurse said clearly panicked.

Katie sighed and shook her head, as her eyes scanned the wolf. Thick coat, she hated thick coats, they hid injuries, if she could, she would shave all his fur off. She could see some things, his snout seemed broken, his left ear was torn and one hind leg was very broken.

She put her bag down on a table and wheeled it over. "Everyone step back." She ordered and was instantly obeyed. She opened her kit and pulled out the things she would need to clear his airways, in moments she had his tongue tied to his bottom jaw and a tube down his throat to help him breathe. Mary joined her and went pale at his size; she now knew why Katie had asked for everything that would be used on a big dog, however, horse would have been a better description.

Mary shook her head to clear it and grabbed an oxygen machine. "Do you want him on oxygen?"

Katie nodded, "normal levels we would use for a dog should be fine but keep an eye on his gums." Mary nodded and connected the machine to the tube and turned it on, adjusting the levels until she had the right mix. She then made sure the tube wouldn't be dislodged; she used a bandage to tie the tube in place, making sure it wouldn't be dislodged. Katie was listening to his heartbeat, it was strong and steady, a good sign.

She pulled away and hooked her stethoscope around the back of her neck. "Any chance of getting in touch with a Were doctor." Katie asked as she pressed a finger to his gums then pulled it away; it went pink again almost instantly, another good sign. 

A nurse held up her hand, she was on a phone, "just got shunted to the Were relations department of the FBI." She informed them.

Katie nodded and went back to work, her hands running over the wolf looking him over. Mary was shaving his right fore leg so that she could put in a line. 

"I want you to take some blood I need to know his haemoglobin." Katie told her wanting to make sure there was no internal bleeding.

Mary rolled her eyes, she knew the drill although she wasn't sure the drill would work on a Were. She inserted a needle and attached a saline drip. She then went to his neck and shaved another place to take a blood sample.

The nurse with the phone raced over and tucked it under Katie's ear, "you should have someone who has medical knowledge. I got passed around a lot." She explained.

The hold music suddenly clicked off, "Amy Luis speaking."

Katie went very still; she had not expected to be put on to Amy Luis herself.

"Hello... anyone there." Amy said slightly amused.

Katie shook her head to clear it, "yes... My name is Katie Shield, I'm in Colville Washington and I am looking at an injured Were."

"Are you sure, to the best of my knowledge no Were, not even rogues, live in that area." Amy asked.

"I've never seen a six hundred pound wolf before." Katie answered.

"Ah... I see. How badly hurt?" Amy asked.

"I'm surprised he's still alive." Katie said.

Amy thought for a moment, "he is probably immortal; he would have to be to be that big." 

"Is there someone you can patch me through to so I can ask some medical questions?" Katie asked as she checked the colour of his gums again.

"Yep just hold a second..." she partially covered the mouthpiece, "NATHANAEL." She called out she waited several moments. "Here this is Nathanael he is a pack doctor who knows about immortals." She handed the phone over.

"Hello." A gentle male voice spoke.

"Hi, I'm Katie, I'm a vet and I'm standing before a six hundred pound male wolf." She said cutting to the chase.

"Any chance of getting him to shift?" Nathanael asked serious.

"Unlikely, he seems to be unconscious, he hasn't moved since I've been here. Just a second." She covered the mouthpiece, "has he moved since he was found." She turned looking at everyone but everyone shook their heads.

"No he hasn't moved or woken up at all." She answered.

"Okay I'm assuming you've cleared his airways and set a drip, load him full of sedatives, I mean to a point that would kill and set his bones." Nathanael told her.

"But..." Katie went to argue.

"You won't kill him, you can't kill him, trust me. You must set his bones before they fuse wrong. It takes incredible force to re-break those bones correctly." He told her. "Do you know how long ago he was attacked?"

"No." She moved to one of his leg bones, which was clearly broken and tried to move it. She swore, as the bone wouldn't move at all. "I'm guessing a while ago, the bones in his legs have fused wrong."

"Okay... just a second." he covered the mouthpiece. After a few minutes, he was back. "Okay... just keep him out for the count, I'll get there as soon as I can." he hung up on her leaving Katie wondering how long it would take before Nathanael got here from where ever he was.





Guarded Hearts



"Time to come home?" Amy asked amused.

"No... not for quite a while, Nathanael just called it... it's a hate crime." Electra told her mother.

Amy sighed a little sad. "Who was hurt? Do we have a name to get in contact with his family?"

"It was Ghost ma." Electra said gently.

Amy sighed again, even sadder by the turn of events. "He didn't need that." She said echoing the same words Electra had used earlier.

Electra agreed silently. "Ma... I'm going to need Maria; I'm not going to close this case without her help."

"You know how she is about leaving pack land Electra." Amy said with a little bit of resigned disappointment, Maria was doing much better but was still not able to integrate easily with people who weren't a member of her immediate pack.

"I think however that she'll do it ma... she'll do it for Ghost." She argued.

"I'll see what I can do."

"How is Mayhem?" Electra asked.

"She's out running with Guinevere."

"And Maddie?"

Amy's smile was evident in her voice, "getting ready to sit a level assessment. I am truly amazed at how quickly she's learnt. Rhiannon thinks she's close to middle school level."

"It helps that she has lessons seven days a week and has a Were's brain." Electra said with a smile, "and an Ancient tutor." She tacked onto the end.

"And access to one of the biggest ever private libraries." Amy said with a chuckle. "I think she spends as much time in the main library as Cleopatra and you know how hard it is to pull either away from a book of any sort."

Electra smiled, she had often had to steal the book from Maddie's hands just to get her to go to sleep. "I'll let you go."

"Yes... I have an up hill battle to fight." Amy said resigned to the battle to come as she hung up.

Electra closed her phone and took a deep breath.

Nathanael arched an eyebrow, "You are actually going to bring Maria into this. She'll freak out if someone so much as looks at her."

"I know... but without her I won't be able to close this case, to catch those who did this." Electra answered. "Maybe... if we can give him justice he might just decide to end his exile."

"Wait... is he wanted for something." Eric asked misinterpreting Electra's words.

Electra shook her head, "no, his exile is self imposed; he blames himself for something he had no control over."

Nathanael turned to Eric and Katie, "Ghost is... a tortured soul. To understand him you have to know his story." Nathanael took a deep breath, "what we know of Ghost's story is a mix of conjecture, myth and facts." He explained, everyone was hanging on his every word, Were passed through their town but they never made themselves known nor did they stay so this was a revelation to these people. "His story has been passed down and has been worked into not only our mythology but Other mythology as well. We all know his story... parts of it, it's told to us as children, and the story is drilled in when an immortal is discovered. Or at least it was when I was discovered as being immortal."

He glanced to Electra then back to Eric and Katie, he was focusing on them although he knew that every nurse and doctor in the room was watching him intently. "We don't know the name his mother gave him at birth or when he was born, we don't know how he came to be Were. What we do know is that he never lived in a pack and in the late ninth early tenth century a Viking Chieftain who had seen him shift captured him. Instead of killing him, the Chieftain decided to use him. He was chained, collared and caged, used by the Chieftain for the sick little games he liked to play."

Nathanael moved to get a better seat, "He called his beast Ulfr-gunnar, it literally meant Wolf Warrior. This Chieftain became feared and when he heard of new conquests across the sea, he took his men and his creature to those lands, those lands later became known as the Americas. He wanted to use his creature to instil fear of his kind into the people of the Americas. But his creature wanted nothing of it, he wanted freedom and he took that freedom by killing the Chieftain and running away."

"No one knows how long he wandered alone; no one really knows how or when he was adopted into an Indian tribe." Electra said taking over the story. "What we do know is the name the tribe gave him, Ghost. For his pale skin and hair and for his uncanny ability to move silently even in the thickest of undergrowth. Anyway, after a while the tribe started to notice that he didn't age and when they confronted him, he showed them that he could shift skin. He waited but they quickly assured him that they didn't want him to go, that they just wanted to know why he didn't age."

Nathanael smiled, "They told him that the wolf was their brother, that they would never harm him because of the wolf spirit within him." He said taking over. "They also told him that he had a home for the rest of his life with them if he wanted it."

"So he stayed, he lived with them for generations." Electra said both of them were now weaving the story. "The tribe let him do his own thing; they never forced him to do something... like take a wife."

Nathanael chuckled, "for a while they thought he wasn't interested in women. That was until Snow was born. As she grew, Ghost didn't notice her any more than he noticed any other young woman in the tribe that was until one day when Ghost was hunting. He heard a cry for help and went to help, it was Snow and she was in trouble with a mountain lion. He didn't think he reacted, in moments he was a wolf and after the mountain lion. In moments it was dead, he approached Snow who watched him afraid, she knew who he was, but she had never met him, he was so big in his wolf form. He pressed his nose to her body, smelling to make sure she wasn't hurt."

Electra smiled, "and the first time in his existence he wanted a woman, he wanted her more than anything in the world. He had found his soul mate."

"But she was young; he had to wait until she became a woman before he could claim her. He however was quick to arrange his marriage to her." Nathanael slid in.

"This is where the stories spilt a little," Electra told them. "Some say it was a few days before their marriage, others the day, but the time frame is irrelevant. Just as he thought he was going to live happily ever after the tribe was attacked and just as he got to her, she was killed."

"He couldn't live with himself." Nathanael said sadly, he had seen the passing of two mates, he thought after Kara died it would have been easy to watch someone he loved die. However, Jasmine's death was just as hard on him if not harder, he did not look forward to the day he would loose Clare but he kept hoping that soon he would find that his Kara/Jasmine/Clare would be immortal and that he would never have to live without her again.

"He blamed himself for her death," he continued. "He just kept going over and over everything he could have done to save her, torturing himself a million and one ways. It made him suicidal, he wanted to die and he tried, but he failed. His guilt and grief led him to give up."

Electra bowed her head. "He left the tribe, let his beast have complete control over their body and he has been a wolf ever since." She finished sadly.

"We've tried to talk to him, to draw him out, to give him a home and to tell him that his Snow would come back to him but he avoids everything, he avoids humans, Were, even normal wolves." Nathanael explained. "This is the closest anyone's ever gotten to him."

"Why is his case so sad?" Katie asked having caught the sadness they felt from his story.

"If he had a pack life," Electra answered, "if he was raised Were he would have understood that we believe that no one truly dies, that they get reborn. He would have known that he was immortal, that he couldn't kill himself and that he had to let it go." She finished.

"When he was young there were immortals, immortals had been around for so long that the problems they have watching those they love die was worked into the Were culture and he would have known." He added.

"I didn't know I was immortal until I was fourteen." Electra explained, "Most learn if they are immortal when they turn eleven or twelve, thirteen at the latest. Immortals start growing bigger than their age mates around that time with no exceptions."

"Then why didn't you find out until you were fourteen?" Eric asked.

Electra nodded that was a valid question. "Because my sire was a sadistic bastard who hated me." She said with no emotion in her voice. "On his order I was put in a lightless cell when I was nine, where I was raped, beaten and abused by members of his pack. The only reason why I found out I was immortal was because I was thrown into a fight pit when I was fourteen and I was already bigger than the adult Were in that pit." She glanced around, "a fight pit is when half a dozen or more Were are injected with a drug which induces fury, they are then tossed into a pit and a grate lowered. They then fight until one is left alive, most of the time albeit barely."

The room was silent; no one knew how to react.

"Some say that only those who are chosen become immortal, others say that only those who can cope become immortal. I believe that it's a bit of both." Electra told the room then took a deep breath and turned her attention to Nathanael. "We need to move him."

Nathanael nodded and stood, "he'll be all fangs and fury when he wakes." He said gently with concern, a hospital was not a place he would recommend for an immortal Were to wake up, not after what he had just gone through.

"There isn't a cage strong enough to contain an immortal in full fury." Electra said from experience, they were still trying to repair the box from the damage Mayhem had put it through.

"We need to put him somewhere until we can calm him down, a concrete pit with heavy steel grate should be enough, we just need him to calm down enough to talk to him." Nathanael said.

"Or calm enough to show him that we are like him." Electra tacked on.

"He will just assume we are other Were." Nathanael argued.

Electra nodded, "until he tries to kill one of us."

"Or maybe if we get Maria here, and all three of us shift before him he will know then, Maria is mortal, she's also clearly an adult and is average size for a female Were wolf." Nathanael suggested.

"That might work and if it doesn't we'll have three minutes to get ma here to force him to shift." She added.

"We have a plan." He told the room.

"Now all we need is a concrete pit." She said as she clapped her hands together, she glanced around, "anyone know where we can find one." She asked the room.

Katie nodded, "yeah... I have one... it was a pool but it leaked so I had it emptied and have been using it to hold wild animals while they recover. It has a heavy metal grate that is bolted and welded down."

"I hope you don't really like it?" Nathanael asked.

"I've been meaning to build a new one." She told him honestly.

"Good." He answered.