29 comments/ 23802 views/ 39 favorites Elijah and Lacey By: Wolfgurl75 ~*Warning: This is NOT a quick fix for sexual relief. Please move on if that is what you are looking for. For everyone else, please enjoy and thanks in advanced for reading it!*~ ******************* Chapter 1 ******************* At five thirty in the evening I'm usually wrung out. My shoulders ache and my head hurts from all the thinking and staring at a computer screen for hours at work. My friends tell me it's psychosomatic and that I'm bonkers. Werewolves aren't supposed to feel tired or have aches of any kind. I tend to agree with them but that changes nothing; I feel what I feel...the same way I felt over three years ago. Three years ago, February 14th, I was attacked. On the 'supposedly' most romantic day of the year, per the Hallmark commercials. I was attacked by a rogue werewolf. Of course, I didn't know that it was a werewolf at the time. I remember mumbling something about a big black thing with huge claws before blacking out. When I came to, I didn't find myself in a hospital room as I expected. I woke up in my own room. I had no memory of how I got there and for a moment, I entertained the thought of the whole experience being a really bad dream. Then, a note left on my night table burst my bubble completely. 'Hello, Lacey. My name is Sam Torres. I have been assigned to be your buddy throughout the year. My address is 2526 Fever Lane off Rt. 61. My street sign is hard to see so look for the big Christmas reef on the right. I can't stress the importance of how important it is that you come here, preferably today AFTER 3:00 P.M. I watch the morning to afternoon dramas and I don't like to be disturbed. You are a werewolf. You were attacked by a rogue werewolf. I am not crazy and neither are you...I hope. If you show this letter to anyone, you will die. If you tell anyone about this letter and yourself, you will die. Eyes are everywhere, young lady, so don't get cute. That was a friendly warning, by the way. I know you have questions about your new life and you may even be freaking out right about now but that's your problem to handle in the best way you can. The attack happened a week ago so you should try to get over it. I would appreciate it immensely if you got over it before you come here. I'm not good with hysterical females. Write my address down on something else and burn this letter. Thanks, Sam PS; If you do not come and see me, you guessed it, you will die.' That was three years ago and with Sam's help I was able to get my life back onto a normal track. I went back to work and even befriended Sam's two daughters, Jazmin and Tia. Life was settling down nicely and my world didn't look so scary and unrecognizable. I just wished it could have lasted longer. Thinking that I was going to come home from work and relax with a hot bath, chicken Alfredo, and a mindless television show; I found the second wolf related letter on my coffee table. Unfortunately, it wasn't from Sam this time. 'Miss Lacey Trenton, You are required to report to Alpha's house by 8:00 P.M. If you fail to make this appointment, someone will be sent for you. Thank You' I called Sam as soon as I read it over again. "What do you think this is about?" I asked him in a near panicked voice. "Don't know. You haven't told anyone anything, have you?" He asked. "No." I answered. "You haven't shifted in front of someone non-were or traded secret information with another pack, have you?" Sam asked in a flat monotone. "NO!" I yelled. "Hey...you're not getting hysterical, are you?" I closed my eyes as my hand tightened around the phone and took a long deep breath. "No, I'm cool." "Good. So, get your butt to the Alpha's place. You haven't done anything wrong...I would know. Call me later when you leave there. See ya." Sam hung up the phone, leaving me no more calmer than I was before. I had been a werewolf for over three years and I had never had to report to Alpha's house or headquarters since registering for pack membership. Sam was with me then but now, I was on my own. Thirty minutes later, I sat in the cozy but large lobby-ish room after telling the receptionist that I was here. She didn't hide her disapproval as she perused me from head to toe. "Long day at work." I explained as I smoothed down my wayward hair and groaned at the run in my pantyhose. She gave no response other than pursed lips. "Yeah, my company was just bought out by another company. It's such a pain. We had to re-interview, if you can believe that insanity...as if we didn't have enough on our plates already. Upper administration...you gotta love em', right?" Her face finally softened and she gave a small tilted smile. "Always seems to work out in their favor, though." She offered. I snorted in an unlady-like manner. "Yeah, at our expense." Rita told me to wait in the waiting room, brought me coffee, and assured me that the Alpha would be with me very soon. I wanted to ask her if she knew what he wanted to see me about but I decided that if she knew she would have told me, based on our newfound rapport. Ten minutes later, we walked to the Alpha's office and knocked on the door. I was ushered inside and presented a comfortable chair that faced the Alpha's large cherrywood desk. If I was nervous before, I was terrified at that moment. I read and heard about this Alpha. He looked so young and unsuspecting. He had rectangular shaped, black horn rimmed glasses. His black,silky, curly hair was cut short. His cafe au lait complexion was as smooth as a baby's bottom and after six o'clock in the evening, his five o'clock shadow was barely noticeable. In a word...he looked like a young college nerd. I was almost tempted to check for a 'kick me' sign on the back of his leather jacket...or place one there myself. He silently smiled at me with straight white teeth. I guess my gawking was apparent. I willed my mouth to close. It wasn't as if I hadn't seen pictures of him. Sam took me to the council library and the Alpha's picture was in many of the books I glanced through, looking for any celebrities who I thought could be werewolves. In one of the pictures, he was surrounded by many men---males. He did indeed look young but that picture did not do him justice at all. The person in front of me looked sweet, wholesome, and innocent. HE was the Alpha? No...way. I took an extraordinary amount of time studying him to the point of awkwardness. The book I thumbed through, three years ago, said that he single handedly decimated a whole pack when they tried to overtake his pack in a matter of minutes. He was only sixteen years old at the time... And this took place over a hundred years ago, I might add. Either he had a major pair of balls or that little story was just that...a good little story. His patience must have run its course because he cleared his throat. I tensed, though, I tried to appear relaxed...even smiling back at him. I doubt I pulled it off. My reflection in the bay window behind him proved that the maniacal look I was showcasing was all wrong. I tried to tone it down. "You are permitted to breathe, Miss Trenton." He said. My eyes widened more. I know I looked creepy but I couldn't help it. His voice. It was if it shot out of his mouth and wrapped itself around my body...intimately, if you know what I mean. His voice was deep...freakishly deep. Barry White would have turned over in his grave and James Earl Jones would have cried like a girl from envy. I wondered what he sounded like as a kid before puberty slammed his vocal cords with everything it had. He began to laugh and I know it was from my facial expression. Even his laugh had a peculiar effect on me. It felt like someone was caressing my whole body in pizzicato movements and I began to squirm in my seat. I felt my face heat up from embarrassment. "Something wrong, Miss Trenton?" The Alpha asked. He tilted his head a bit and subtly sniffed the air. I squeezed my thighs shut and gripped the arms of the chair tightly. "N-no." I swallowed and shook my head. I looked away when I saw his lips curl into a knowing smile. "Well, let's get to the reason you are here then, shall we?" Oh...that, I thought to myself. I watched him fold his hands, placing them onto his desk. I noticed how long and graceful his fingers were. Those did not look like the fingers of a dangerous male...nothing on him did. "I have been searching for my mate, Miss Trenton, for a long time now. I have traveled all around the world with no luck. Years ago, I had some of my employees do interviews with several females that were registered with my pack. I wanted to find the most compatible females without them knowing what they were being interviewed for. I gathered most of the females for consideration here at headquarters under the disguise of a kind of census for the pack. You didn't have to participate because at that time, you were registering for the first time. I did have you interviewed at your place of employment." He pushed a sealed envelope toward me and though, I was in a clouded state from his voice, I took it and opened it. I pulled out copies of my birth certificate and social security card and various other important, personal documents. I also pulled out several pictures of myself. Some, I saw, were taken while on my lunch break at work. Some were taken inside and outside of my apartment. There were even pictures of me with Sam and his two daughters, my best friends. I began to feel a little more than uncomfortable. The photographs were recently taken. I should have been aware... "I have members of my pack that are trained to mask their scent and to be virtually invisible." He explained. I didn't feel any better. What I WAS beginning to feel was pissed off but there was no way in hell that I was going to say so...not to him. I kept my silence as it was safer. "I just wanted to get an idea of who you were before we met face to face. Your scent already had me hooked and I---" "Wait a minute. I don't understand. Are you saying that you think I'M your mate?" I blurted, cutting him off. The idea was preposterous. I was just a junior copy editor for Mega Woman Magazine. I was NOT the mate of an Alpha, especially one that was reputed for being one of the most dangerous alphas in the world! "I do, actually, and you are the undisputed winner of the title." He smiled, showing more teeth this time. "Sorry, but I can't accept the honor. You'll have to give my crown to the next runner up and I wish you both a long prosperous life together." I again blurted out. The Alpha silently stared at me as he slowly leaned back into his massive chair. With his average height, the chair seemed to swallow him. He folded his hands again but this time both of his pointer fingers rested in the clef of his chin. The silence and the tension in the room stretched on for ages but I was stubborn enough, or insane enough, to hold my head high. In my mind, I was picturing myself cowering under the chair I was sitting in. We had to have been sitting there, that way, "challenging" each other for several minutes...or hours. He sat like a statue with focus that unnerved me. I, on the other hand, found everything in his office, except for his piercing hazel eyes, to be of extreme interest to me. Avoiding his eye contact was a means to survival. Eventually, I began to pick at the cuticle on my thumb nail, ignoring him entirely. When that became a bore, I rubbed the outer part of my thighs, repetitiously. Then, I shamefully began to scratch my arm pits. They itch something awful whenever I'm feeling anxious; it was a miracle that I held off for as long as I had. He had to have thought I was insane. He looked like a nerd and I was acting like a weirdo. Pit scratching must have been his limit because he took a deep breath before he spoke. "I have already sent some people to your apartment to pack everything for you. Your belongings will be brought here and your furniture will be put in our storage units. We will be married tonight in a private ceremony but I won't introduce you as my mate, to the pack, until we are actually mated." Though he stated this in a nonchalant manner, his voice still made me tingle from the vibrations. I gripped my chair harder and my toes turned inward. My knees were sweating from the lack of air between them. If he had said anything more, I would have melted on the spot. My panties were completely soaked and I couldn't even find the strength to be incensed. I should have been outraged! Instead, I wanted to close my eyes and let his voice take me there; push me right over that sweet edge. I was practically panting, for goodness sakes! This was so unfair. How was he doing this to me? There was that silence again. I was happy for it. It gave me time to collect myself. My breathing returned to normal and he smiled. The little comic book reader knew he had this effect on me! I almost narrowed my eyes at him but I am not a stupid girl. I looked down instead, hoping to be dismissed soon. I wanted Sam. He was the closest thing to a father figure I had. He wasn't the most eloquent...or affectionate, or patient, or supportive, or thoughtful, or tactful; but you always knew where you stood with him. One day, after watching his two daughters and I laughing during a dinner I was invited to, he made a remark that I would always keep in my heart. He said, "Great, just what I need. Another daughter to get on my nerves. I'm going to the bar...don't wait up." He wasn't a drinker but ever since his mate was killed by a rogue werewolf years ago, he spent time at the local sports bar for comfort. I had become an honorary part of the Torres family from then on. It was certainly better than dodging my crack addicted mother on pay days and wondering which one of her many johns helped bring me into the world. I paid her three hundred dollars to tell me who dear old dad was once but it never panned out and I didn't see or hear from her for a month. As of that moment, I felt screwed. It had been ten minutes of letting my mind wander and the Alpha never flinched. He was silently daring me to defy his wishes. At least, that's what I was guessing he was doing. I braved a peek into his eyes before looking away quickly. My shoulders caved in defeat. What would Sam say right now? After he stopped laughing, what could he say? Sam was a stickler for pack laws. He was never one to question them and he expected Tia, Jazmin, and me to be the same way. He would let me vent but he would ignore my complaints. "I'll have Rita show you to our rooms." He said simply, without looking at me. He picked up his cell phone, dialed a number, and spun his chair around so that I could no longer see him. I shot up quickly and almost ran down poor Rita, trying to get out of his office. I felt thoroughly dismissed and a small part of me was feeling the tiniest bit hurt by that. Rita was quiet and our former rapport seemed to have diminished. It could have been the fact that I was nearly hyperventilating more and more with every step we took. Suddenly, the light in the hallway we were walking through began to dim until it was dark. When I tried to force my eyes to adjust to the change of light, it became bright again. Immediately, I noticed I was lying down on a bed and looking up a strange ceiling. I heard him...his voice. He was speaking in low, hushed tones, outside the door, but I could still make out what was being said. Rita was talking to him...about me, obviously. "You're saying she just...fainted?" He asked. "Yes, sir. I don't understand it either. What werewolf...faints? I have never heard of it or have seen anything like it! I don't think she's...well, Alpha. Her breathing was rushed and harsh as well. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to embarrass her by putting her on the spot." Rita took a breath. "I didn't sense anything wrong with her physically. I'll just have to have someone look her over...run some tests, maybe." The Alpha added. "No offense meant, sir, but maybe you should postpone the marriage ceremony until you know if she's healthy?" Rita suggested. Part of me was applauding Rita for being a busy-body. Another part of me wanted to claw her eyes out...and I had NO idea why I felt that way. I sat up in the bed and felt my hair unravel from the bun I put it in this morning. My dark wavy hair cascaded down my back and over my shoulders just as the Alpha walked into the room I was in. He looked as surprised as I was. I could see his full height now that he wasn't sitting behind his desk. He couldn't have been any taller than five foot ten! I was five foot eight inches without heels. I'd tower over him in some of my regular stilettos. And THIS was the Alpha? "Are you feeling okay, Miss Trenton?" He asked while making his way closer to my bedside. He looked so concerned that I felt guilty for shivering at the sound of his voice. He seemed genuinely worried and I was tempted to demand that he recite the Gettysburg Address in full so that I could really feel alright. "I-I'm fine...really. I'm just a little...uh...sleepy." I almost let the word 'tired' slip out of my mouth. Sam says werewolves don't get tired and that I was weird thinking it. "You were so sleepy that you thought the hallway was just a good a place as any for a nap?" He asked. I pressed my lips together in annoyance. How did one answer that? I probably should have just played the silent role...but no. "That was good one. Did Dumbledore teach you sarcasm or did you master the talent playing 'Dungeons and Dragons' with Ron?" What!? When the hell did Sam get here?! I searched the room hopefully but I slowly had to come to the scary realization that the snarky retort came out of my mouth. So much for my survival instincts. Rita, who stood behind the Alpha, gasped dramatically. I wanted to thank her for that. The Alpha just stared at me silently...again. I knew this was going to be a habit between us. I will say something utterly stupid and he will stare at me until I feel an inch tall. Awwwww, we already had a couple's routine. "Right. Glad you're okay. Marriage ceremony is in five minutes. Make sure she's not late, Rita." The Alpha then spun around and left the room. Rita and I both were stunned. ********************** Getting married is a lot like being stuck in a country where you are not able to understand the language. I let my eyes travel over the room we were in. It looked like a study of some kind. The Alpha was next to me on my right while some Minister performed the ceremony in front of us. Rita was behind me, grinding her teeth and a male that looked like he could use the Alpha as a neck tie stood behind him. Everyone turned toward me and I guessed that an 'I do' was in order. I swallowed. I swallowed again...and again. My mouth was so dry. Did I really have to marry him? I would definitely buy ALL his CDs if he made any but, COME...ON! Marriage? With HIM? I swallowed again. "Perhaps the female needs more time?" The Minister asked softly, directing his question to the Alpha. 'YES, bless you, the female needs LOTS of time...like forever!', I screamed inside. I looked out of the corner of my eye to find the Alpha staring at me...again. This time, however, he added sound effects. The low growl I heard coming from him made me nearly pee on myself. I broke out into a sweat. His growl sounded like the bass on a stereo, at the highest setting. What might he sound like if he really wanted to show off? My arm pits itched so much at that moment. I was about to let my hands travel upward for a little relief when the Alpha seized both my hands in his own to stop me. I was both horrified at the contact and grateful he stopped my self inflicted humiliation. His touch turned out to have the same effect on me as his deep melodic voice. I don't know how my underwear held up against the sudden recurring onslaught of wetness. My knees buckled and the Alpha caught me around my waist. Elijah and Lacey Ch. 02 Thank you, everybody, for the comments! I loved them. I'm having a lot of fun with this story and I hope that you have fun reading it. ***************** Chapter 2 ***************** I really needed a mental health day. I was so tired; mentally, not physically...this time. Everything so far turned out to be a disaster and it was all my fault. Why couldn't my life be simple and plain? In two in a half decades that I have been alive, I have lived more drama than those stupid soap operas Sam loved to watch. Speaking of Sam, the male was acting like he had some sort of a death wish. I couldn't figure it out and no one was offering any explanations. All I knew was that, suddenly, Sam wanted to get me away from Elijah as soon as possible. Elijah, on the other hand, wanted to kill Sam for trying. I wasn't dumb enough to believe that Elijah was so enamored and attached to me that he was unwilling to lose me. If I could leave me, I would write myself a 'Dear John' letter in a New York minute. With new knowledge of my certain...peculiarities, I was but a second away from being stripped of Alpha mate title, anyway. Though, technically, I was only his wife. In the were community, without a true claiming to have taken place, the word 'wife' by itself didn't amount to much. Elijah had Sam put in a holding cell down in the basement, or what I'd like to refer to it as a modern day dungeon. It was fitting that the walking pocket protecter had a dungeon stashed in his home, I thought bitterly. I stayed down there with Sam even though I was still healing from my neck wound. I felt responsible for Sam being here. If I hadn't acted like a little scared girl when I spoke to him over the phone, he wouldn't have been put in the dank and grimy cell. He wouldn't have made that promise and he'd be at the sports bar right now, doing manly male stuff...eating baby back ribs and buffalo wings. Instead, he was stuck here in hell's public toilet with vermin and rodents. He had no suitable light in which to see to avoid them. I don't care how good a werewolf's sight is in the dark; the light still served a purpose in my opinion. Sam chose to sit on the ground next to the small cot for reasons I would rather not know. The cot versus whatever was crawling around the ground...I dared not ask Sam what was on that cot. Sam was quiet, for the most part. He raked his fingers through his shoulder length black hair once or twice. Scratched his denim covered knee one time. He hummed a few tunes; the only one I recognized was the song from the 'Peanuts' cartoon...their favorite dancing music. I had pulled a chair close to the bars of the cell to be near him and to keep him company. However, Sam seemed to be in his own little world, making it clear that I wasn't really needed. So, I stayed at his side as a matter of principle. "He's going to replace me, you know?" I had had enough of the silence; it made me focus on my gross surroundings way too much. Sam only grunted. Unfortunately, I couldn't tell if the grunt meant he agreed or disagreed with my statement. Sometimes he could be a big pain in the butt. "Well, don't you think you should apologize and go home? THIS really isn't worth it if I'm going to be dismissed soon, anyway." I held my hand up to stress our current environment...in case he hadn't noticed. "When I leave here, you will be going with me." He insisted. I rolled my eyes. "Sam, this was all a misunderstanding. I told you. He didn't try to hurt me. He just wanted to claim me. I'm the one who flipped out and got myself hurt." Man, he was starting to get on my nerves. He didn't respond at first but just when I was going to beg him to see reason, he answered, "Alpha knows what he did wrong." I gaped at him, waiting for a more detailed elaboration. None came. I was right back at the frustrating location of square one. When I needed answers, Sam was too busy being Sam. Though, I wanted to go and talk to Elijah, I was scared of letting Sam out of my sight for even a minute. And no, I hadn't planned for what I would do if I had to go pee. Strategy was, obviously, not my strong suit. Thankfully...or not, Elijah and his guards saved me the trouble of having to figure out how I could appear in two places at one time. The butterflies in my stomach began to flutter around like crazy as I took in Elijah's current facade. He had an eerie calm and neutral expression on his face. It was nearly impossible to read him but that didn't stop me from trying. Sam got to his feet and stood up slowly to face Elijah. Nervously, I stood up too, pushing the chair backwards. The scraping against concrete sound it made in the process was the only thing heard. "I want you to go up to our room. Wallace will escort you." Elijah said quietly. I shook my head in denial. As soon as he got me out of the room, they would attack Sam. I didn't know how I was going to stop it but I was not about to leave Sam's side. "Please, Elijah. I will do whatever you want but don't hurt Sam. He didn't even DO anything...really!" "Go to our room!" He commanded angrily. I flinched but I didn't move. I really would like to claim bravery on my part but I was just scared stiff. This was stupid. STUPID! How did a misunderstanding and me freaking out over a bite warrant taking Sam's life? He was the only person in my whole life that ever tried to look after me...protect me. My mother spent my whole existence proving over and over again that I was NOT her major concern. There were times that I prayed that Child Protective Services would take me away from her but with a failing system I found my life struggles ignored. They considered the fact that we had a clean place to stay and food in the fridge good enough to overcome any neglect I suffered at my mother's hands. I was the one cleaning our tiny apartment and the food was brought in by my efforts through the local food banks in town. Any cash my mother did get from the state government monthly went toward her crack pipe. I was a part of the percentage that fell through the cracks of the system and no one gave a damn until I met Sam. After all the years I had been alone, he, Tia, and Jazmin were all I had. Sam's sighing brought me out of my runaway thoughts and back to our present problem. "She needs to either be told the truth or you need to let her leave with me, now. Give her a little time--" Sam pleaded, much to my confusion. "There is NO truth to tell. After everything that has happened, I'm more than convinced you are wrong. She's practically a human! She's jumpy. She faints! Does she even shift? CAN she even shift? There is nothing to support your theories and I am tired of waiting. She stays with me." Elijah argued moving closer to me. "She's not ready for this! She may be stuck in 'flight' mode right now but what do you think will happen if you push her too hard?" This wasn't the Sam I was used to seeing. This Sam was agitated. It was like seeing a totally different person. The words he was saying made no sense to me; like I dropped in on the wrong conversation. He pointed his finger at Elijah and besides the warning growl, Elijah did nothing. "Are you ready to risk the lives of others because you want a mate?" "The only reason...the ONLY reason that I haven't ripped your throat out is because my mother respects you and has secured your safety. Don't think for a moment that I'll let you use that to control what's mine. Get out of my house and away from my female or I will remove you piece by piece if need be." The temperature in the room seemed to drop exponentially as Elijah stood there with his fists clenched. Sam sighed and looked over at me. "Just go home Sam. I'm okay. I'll be fine. I'll call you tomorrow. Text me when you get home. Don't forget. Tell Tia and Jazmin I said 'hi', okay?" I whispered reassuringly. Sam's jaw tightened but he nodded curtly. One of the guards unlocked the cell and escorted him out. The dark look that Elijah and Sam shared didn't go unnoticed by me. ***************** I began to pace. I needed some answers. Something about the events of the night did not add up. I went over what Elijah and Sam argued in my mind but I was just as confused as I was before. I waited for Elijah to join me in our room but I got the distinct feeling that he was avoiding me like the plague. I also wanted to know where I stood with the mini Alpha. I could lie to myself easily and say that it wouldn't bother me one bit if he sent me packing but I realized that that wasn't what I wanted. Maybe I had abandonment issues or something? Maybe I WANTED the pocket protector to like me? Stranger things have happened. ************** "I want to know what's going on. What were you and Sam talking about?" When Elijah finally showed up to our room, I wasted no time questioning him. "Nothing for you to worry about. Go to bed and get some sleep." Elijah turned away from me but I grabbed his arm to stop him. I pulled my hand back quickly when I realized what I did. "You're not going to hurt Sam...or have him killed, are you?" Sam texted me when he got home but I needed to be sure he was going to remain safe. Elijah's face clouded over with anger. "Sam is the last person you should be worried about, trust me on that." "I don't know you well enough to trust you so why don't you just tell me about this 'truth' Sam mentioned?" "Drop it and go to BED." He ordered, making it clear that this conversation was over by getting into bed himself. I couldn't accept that and I turned and left the bedroom to go into the front room where my clothes and belongings were temporarily stored. I quickly rooted through my things looking for a pair of jeans and a shirt. I slipped them on and went through one of the boxes that was labeled 'shoes'. Once I found my tennis shoes, I put them on and I headed back to the bedroom for my purse. "I thought I told you to get into bed? Why are you dressed?" I knew I was going to have to face Elijah when I went back for my purse. I hoped he would have been asleep so that I could just tip toe in and out without his knowledge. I cleared my throat, needing the few seconds to find some courage. "I'm leaving. I can't stay here and I can't sleep next to someone who lies to me." I refused to look at Elijah. Instead, I kept my focus on my purse, hoping to avoid any fireworks. Just...a...little...bit...closer. So far, so good! I reached my purse and quickly headed for the door. Again, I kept my eyes on the door and my heart beat sped up as I got closer to freedom. I blinked once. Just ONE blink and Elijah was right in front of me, blocking the door with his arms folded across his chest! I gasped. How could he...anyone...be that fast? My confidence in being able to leave without a big scene sunk. "Going somewhere?" He lifted one eyebrow and I could tell he was fighting the urge to laugh at me. "The bed is THAT way. We should also get you out of these clothes." He reached for my shirt but I took a few quick step backwards and scowled. "I'm going to talk to Sam since I obviously can't count on getting the truth from you." His jaw clenched and then relaxed. "Some things are better left alone, Lacey. Like you said, it was all a big misunderstanding. Sam is home and we can get back to getting acquainted." He pulled me closer to him, wrapped his arms around me, and began to nuzzle my ear. As much as he was making my body tingle all over, I couldn't believe that he was actually serious about blowing off my questions. "You don't get it, do you? I'm not letting this go. Sam was freaked out for a reason and I want to know what it was." I leaned away from him so that he could see my face clearly. Realizing that he wasn't going to be able to distract me, he sighed. "Before I tell you this, I want you to know that I do not support any of his beliefs. I may not know you very well--" "Or at all." I interrupted. "The point IS that I trust my instincts on what I DO know so far." He assured me. "This must be bad." I was beginning to worry and I wished I had been sitting down. Sam never showed any hint of worry, having such a laid-back personality. Earlier tonight Sam showcased...well...HIS version of hysterics. Why would he be so adamant about dragging me away from the Alpha? "Sam thinks you are on the verge of becoming a...rogue." He waited for my reaction. I waited for the punchline. Silence. "Wait, are you serious?" I asked him. I couldn't fathom Sam thinking that about me and I wondered if this was Elijah's way of trying to drive a wedge between Sam and me. He did seem to be jealous. "You're lying." I ripped myself from his arms and stepped away to avoid any future contact. "Lacey, Sam called me after you called him. He was concerned about how you would handle becoming my mate. He begged me to wait or to be absolutely sure that you were ready. I didn't know that you were going to have such a violent reaction to me attempting to claim you. I mean, one minute you were aroused and the next... He says that you have spent the whole time over the last three years practically ignoring your wolf half. He was concerned about your mental state and didn't think you could handle any new changes." I listened so intently to what he was telling me that I didn't notice my lack of breathing. My heart began to speed up again. My mind felt cluttered with all the thoughts that popped into it. In my head, I denied everything he said and then I questioned my own past actions and behaviors. I denied everything once more, with an abundant of excuses for why I was the way I was, and then I defended my self all over again. My thoughts were so back and forth on this that I was starting to feel dizzy. My emotions were all over the place with fear, anger, guilt, and shame. If Elijah had been speaking, I didn't hear him. My own inner dialog took center stage until I felt his hands cradling my face. He forced me to focus on him and for the moment my head cleared...somewhat. "You're NOT a rogue, Lacey. Sam doesn't know everything. Yes, I'll admit that you are...unique, but you're not a rogue." "But HOW do you know? Why are you so sure? Sam has known me a LOT longer than you have.", I said, trying desperately not to cry. I wanted him to convince me because I was scared. I needed him to convince me that I wasn't the monster that secretly felt I was. Elijah took my hand and lead me to the bed where we sat down. "My father was...is rogue. I know a little something about it, up close and personal." My mouth dropped. "Is that why the books at the council library say--" "No, that's from something else and this isn't about me; it's about my father.", he cut in. "My mother and father's mating was forced--" "I know the feeling.", I interrupted with a snort. Elijah gave me a frosty glare. I shrugged. He continued. "My paternal grandfather, Loren, didn't want to do it but the pack, at that time, was not as strong or as populated as it is now. He was facing war and needed an ally. My mother's father, Cyrus, though he had his own agenda, was facing the same problem with his pack. Both fathers felt that linking the two packs would send a message to all other packs who thought them to be an easy mark. My parents were good friends, actually. They hung out with the same circle of friends but they never felt anything remotely romantic for one another. It was another female that should have been my father's mate and my mother knew it. Her name was Esella and she was my father's true mate. She was also my mother's best friend. My mother would arrange "dates" for her and my father to spend time together. You can imagine how excited my grandfathers were, thinking that my parents were becoming closer. However, she was secretly helping Esella and my father have time together behind both my grandfathers' backs. Unfortunately, when the time came for my mother and father's wedding ceremony, my father refused outright with my mother's full support. My grandfathers were livid." "But they still mated?", I asked. "Yeah. Cyrus found out about Esella. He had her hidden away and he pretty much forced my father's hand. Esella would die if he didn't mate with my mother. Esella's parents went along with my grandfather. Their whole family faced death if my father couldn't be convinced to give his true mate up. Feeling helpless and hating himself for it, he agreed to mate with my mother. That was the beginning of the problem." Elijah took time to gather his thoughts. It couldn't have been easy talking about his father. I wasn't the only one with a messed up childhood. "My mother tried to make the most out of a bad situation. She knew that she would never have a mate that was in love with her but she counted on their friendship to make things at least bearable. My father rarely came to their bed and it was basically a miracle that I was conceived. My mother hoped that he would finally find some happiness in his family and for a time, he did. Then, he found out that Esella was mated and he seemed worse than before, according to my mother. He lashed out at everyone who was unlucky enough to cross his path; including his family. I spent a majority of that time peeling him off my mother. He'd attack her without provocation and many times there were eyewitnesses. I don't know if you realize how unnatural it is for a were male to abuse his wife. It's typically a sign of mental instability. Members of our pack demanded that my grandfather finally step in and do something to stop my father. Loren reluctantly agreed and thought it was best to lock my father up for a time but when he tried, my father attacked and killed him. He ran away and was never found." "Why would Sam think...", I began to ask. "I told you. He is wrong. Sam hasn't gotten over losing his own mate and he just sees shadows around every corner." "I want to talk to him. I have to." "Go to bed. Tomorrow, I'll arrange it." **************** I sat at the table going over everything Elijah told me the night before. No matter how much he tried to soothe my feelings I couldn't escape the fear deep down inside. What if I was a rogue underneath the surface? I didn't want to hurt anyone. I only shifted into my wolf form twice a year and only for five minutes at a time. I was afraid of my wolf half. I was afraid of being like the thing that attacked me. What if my subconscious knew I was a rogue and the phobias I had about shifting was to keep everyone else safe from me? I watched Sam stroll into the dining area as if he had not a care in the world. He gave a small smile but when he saw that I didn't return it, his smile faltered. "You look better today...a little troubled, but better. Sleep well?", he asked politely. "Thanks. I slept as much as I could." I replied evenly. He sat down in a chair across from me and quietly studied me. I resented how he made me feel like a science experiment put on display; especially now that I knew what he was looking for. "Was it hard?" I asked Sam, breaking the silence. "Was what hard?" Sam's confusion wrinkled his brows. "Having me around your family, knowing that at any moment..." I snapped my fingers. His eyes filled with dread and understanding. "How did you do it, Sam? How were you able to stomach having me in your home, so close to Tia and Jazmin, having to look at the same type of monster that tore the life from your mate's body? Did you get a rush from having me around?" Sam looked away briefly but not out of shame or guilt...he looked annoyed. His jaw tensed and the vein in his temple throbbed. "I guess Alpha told you the truth last night." "Funny thing about 'truth' is that it only registers that way to those willing to believe it. I am NOT a rogue. I can't be." I didn't sound so convinced myself. Elijah and Lacey Ch. 02 Sam lifted his eyebrows as the corners of his mouth turned downwards. "Okay, then. You're not a rogue. My mistake." I expected him to argue with me...not appease me like a child. I needed to debate this so that I could be sure. I shook my head trying to will my tears away. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction. "And here I thought you cared about me." "Don't presume to know what or how I feel, little girl." He snapped. "I do care. I cradled your broken body in my arms just the same as I did my mate when she was attacked. I prayed for you both to recover but she died; you survived." "Did that make you angry...that I survived?" I asked. "No, it gave me hope--" "Until you started seeing what you thought were signs that I was going over to the dark side, right?" Silence. "I thought it would help if you had someone...us. It helped...me." My head shot up to look at Sam. He sighed and leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees and lacing his fingers together. "Jazmin was fourteen. Tia was twelve. Tonya and Jazmin had been fighting for days, arguing about some formal banquet that an older boy at her school had asked her to. I was smart enough to stay out of it. Jazmin was livid, said that she wished she didn't have a mother that treated her like a pup. Tonya grew up with a mother that was overbearing, a real hag, so she panicked. She never wanted to be like her mother. She ran out that very night and went to some fancy boutique on Third St. She bought the dress that she thought Jaz would love and...she was attacked. The rogue dragged her to a dark alley. Her clothes...they were torn..." Sam took a breath to collect himself before he continued. I was riveted by what he told me; he had never spoke in detail about what happened to his wife-mate before. "It was evident that the rogue raped her...but she fought. She fought as hard as she could. She wounded him. His blood was near her body. She just...she just wasn't strong enough. As soon as I knew she was in danger through our bond I did everything I could to get to her but I was too late. She was gone." I couldn't stop the tears from spilling over. His anguish showed on his face as he relived that night all over again. I wanted to hug him or comfort him but I didn't think he'd appreciate the gesture. "I notified the council and a clean up crew was there in minutes. They took a sample of the rogue's blood. Tonya was taken away and the alley where she was killed showed no signs of what had happened. I had to go home and tell the girls. It was Jaz that took it the worst. She thought she was to blame for her mother's death. She needed me. Tia needed me. I didn't WANT to be needed. I wanted to die along with my wife. I wanted to become like the mindless selfish bastard who killed my mate. I shouted and cried until I was hoarse. " Sam ran his hand over his face. His eyes were still unfocused with visions of the past so I knew there was more to tell. "After I finally got the girls to go to sleep. I was alone in my room, looking at that empty bed. It was like I didn't know what to do. Tonya wasn't in the bed and I didn't want to be there either...not without her. That's when I heard the 'voice'. It came out of no where and was so clear. It beckoned me...taunted me. I knew what I had to do. I had to get rid of everyone that stood in my way and I had to find my mate. The only ones that were in the house were my daughters. It would have started with them..." Sam closed his eyes briefly. "There was another voice. Tonya. It was like she was there with me again. She reminded me how much she loved me and how much the girls needed me. She also reminded me how much I needed them even more. She was right. Being with my family helped; it still does. I've spend a lot of time tracking rogues since then. I could have been killed. I was never trained to track. A few friends and I get together at the bar and what we lack in official knowledge, know-how, and experience; we make up for it by not wanting anyone else to have to go through what we did. When I found you, I was relieved. Anytime a victim of a rogue survives it's a relief and it's also scary. You were hurt pretty good but you pulled through. The rogue didn't have time to do too much damage to you. Even so, there's always a chance that survivors become rogues. Not all humans are equipped for this life." He looked at me in a way that made me uncomfortable. "I figured that if I took you under my wing, you'd be okay. And you are, for the most part. But in other ways..." "I'm fine." "Are you? You have a male that wants to claim you, bond with you, mate with you...and that's just the beginning. What are you going to do? You're not ready for this." "You don't know that for sure, Sam." "You were crying last night. You wanted me to come and get you." "I was a little nervous, I got over it!" "Really? Is that why you tried to attack your husband when he tried to claim you? You could have been seriously hurt." I stood up from the table and walked a few feet away. I needed to put some space between us. The things he said made sense but I had to convince him and myself, mainly, that I could handle this. I wasn't a rogue. ***************** After talking to Sam and feeling depressed, I had the bright idea of doing a little exploring on the way to finding the kitchen for a sandwich and whatever else I could find as comfort food. Unfortunately, I should have gotten directions because I had no idea where I was and my stomach was voicing its displeasure loudly. Whatever floor I ended up on was quite empty and deserted but, luckily, I did come upon a familiar face. "Hi, Rita. How are you doing today? Working hard? Hey, I'm a little turned around. I'm looking for the kitchen...can you help me out?" I smiled at her, hoping that she was in a better mood than the last time I saw her. "Not as good as you, obviously. How does it feel to be mated to the Alpha?", she asked sweetly. "Wait!", she smacked herself on the forehead as if she had forgotten something. "You're only married to him...not mated. Silly me. Something about you not being able to accept the Alpha's claim, right? I hear that Sam Torres thinks you're a rogue just waiting to happen." She caught me off guard. I was pretty sure that my conversation with Sam was private. This wasn't something I wanted to get around. "You shouldn't get off on rumors, Rita, they just leave you unsatisfied." I started to walk passed her but she jumped in the way of my path. "Personally, I don't think that having a rogue walking about the place is safe, do you?", she sneered. "You're like what, the receptionist? Are you even allowed to think?" Rita's eyes narrowed into tiny slits. "I am his ASSISTANT!", she shouted. Thick veins were popping out of her neck and her face went a deep shade of red. "Right. Well...here's a thought. Why don't you go assist with something and I'll go find the kitchen." "You're not right for him, you know. You're only going to hurt him like his father hurt Corrine. Your dangerous...and if Sam thinks so, then it's true. Anyone of the staff or their young could be hurt or killed. The Alpha is only thinking with his penis right now and he can't see the truth." "Oh, I would LOVE it if you said this to his face. Would you mind if I made my sandwich first? There's not much on television right now and this will certainly be more entertaining." Rita growled and began mumbling to herself incoherently. I have to admit, I was fascinated by this. I stood there gaping like a lunatic. I should have gotten out of there but I just couldn't bring myself to leave. It's something that excites me about seeing people that are crazy...crazier than me, anyway. It's like seeing a new animal species at the zoo. She finally nodded her head as if she had come to a conclusion about something. My eyes widened while she began to shift. That was when it dawned on me to run...and I did. Rita made a grab for me but her lengthening claws missed me by a couple inches and I barreled down the hallway to who knows where, screaming my head off. I just wanted a damned SANDWICH! I turned this corner and that corner, hoping to run into some help. I was so totally lost. I heard the sounds her vicious snarling and the hard vibrations of her movements behind me as I ran for my life. She was getting closer. I wanted to turn and look at her...why, I don't know. Nothing good ever came from anyone looking back as they tried to get away from something. I kept chanting 'don't look back, don't look back' in my head. Suddenly, I heard a loud, startling crash behind me that practically had me wetting myself. When I heard growling that sounded like it was coming from more than one were, I got curious. I turned to see what was going on, against my better judgement, and to my delight another wolf had come to my rescue. I wanted to cry out in relief. This other wolf was trying to pin Rita to the floor, biting her in various places to cause injury and slow her down. Grateful for the other wolf keeping Rita busy for awhile, I set off to find my way back to my room...or Elijah. Two long minutes later, I felt like I had struck gold. I dove into Elijah's arms, wrapped my legs around his waist and locked my feet together. I allowed myself to break down into uncontrollable and trembling sobs that I held in. I had never been more happy to see my pint-sized Alpha than at that very moment. He held me tightly and never let me go. I was faintly aware of the chaos this caused. I kept my face buried in the crook of his neck like a scared child. Elijah barked orders over my shoulder to some of his guards and to some of the staff that came to see what the commotion was about. I was glad the ordeal was over but what about the next time? I made up in my mind that it was safer for me to just become a permanent part of Elijah's body. I hoped he wouldn't mind and if he did, too bad. He tried to coax me off of him and onto the sofa but I tightened my thighs and arms and held on for dear life. He finally gave up and took a seat, kissing the side of my head and stroking my back to calm my nerves. **************** I must have fallen asleep because I was in our bed alone. I was a little peeved to find myself there instead of attached to Elijah like I had preferred. Almost on cue, Elijah walked in bringing a tray of food and a sexy smile. "Hey, I was waiting for you to wake up. You hungry?" "Why am I in the bed? I was fine where I was." I folded my arms with a pout. Residual fear and prolonged hunger makes me childish and irrational. A smug-looking smile swept across his face as he put the tray down onto my lap and bent forward to kiss me twice on the lips and then once on the nose. He then climbed into bed and sat next to me. "As much as enjoyed wearing you like a second skin, taking a leak was a little awkward." He brought my hand up to his lips and kissed my knuckles. I shivered. I pulled my hand out of his before I found myself eating with flooded panties. To take my mind off of his voice and the visions I was having of his pants down, I concentrated on the mouth watering food before me. Sliced roast beef was framed by corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a golden brown dinner roll. My stomach appreciated the sight. "So...what happened to Rita?", as if I had to ask. Elijah's face tensed darkly and I knew that from the anger pouring off of him, Rita didn't make it. "I'll need to find a new receptionist.", was all he said. "Did you?--" "No. Darla Fleming put her down. She happened to be visiting from college. Her older brother Darin is getting married and mated." "College? How old is this Darla?" "Eighteen." Elijah took the fork and piled it with some of the food from my plate. He tried to get me to eat it but I moved his hand away. "A kid? A teenager saved my life?" The humiliation settled over me like a thick blanket. "Lacey, why didn't you just shift and--" "I don't want to talk about it." "We need to talk about this.", he responded logically while playing with a few strands of my hair. "Why do we need to talk about this? I just didn't shift, okay? End of story." I pulled my hair from his fingers, picked up the tray, and shoved it at him. My appetite was as lost as was my dignity. Once again, I proved to be my own worst enemy. I laid back down and turned onto my side, facing away from Elijah. He sat the tray next on his night table. "I didn't tell you the rest of what happened after my father killed my grandfather." He scooted himself close to me in a spooning position, putting his arm around my waist. He purposefully leaned close to my ear so that I could feel his warm breath. Though I tried, I couldn't stop myself from shivering. "Cyrus chose that tragic time to rise against us. It was what he waited for; the perfect time to take our pack. The pack was in chaos. I was the next rightful Alpha but I was still a pup; the smallest unassuming were in the pack. I was an outcast among those my age. I kept to myself, studying and reading. I had a couple of friends, like Wallace and Jason, who are still with me today. None of the females would even look my way. I was invisible. Many speculated that when the time came for me to lead the pack, I could easily be destroyed in a challenge. Some threatened to do it beforehand but with Loren around no one dared. So, it was the perfect time for Cyrus to strike and he did. He completely dismissed me as an adversary. He liked me no more than the others who hated that I existed. He, along with everyone else, saw me as weak. He demanded that our pack submit to him and some did. Others, felt that THEY would be the appropriate leader and they fought him. Still, no one counted me. I watched the battles unfold until I felt it was the right time. Then, I took down Cyrus and anyone else who opposed me, much to the pack's shock. I combined the two packs and have been their Alpha ever since." "Just like that? You just walked in and took over?" I was astounded but still felt like he left a lot out. "Do you really want to hear the details of every kill, how many died, and the things I had to do to get my point across?" "Not really, no." I really didn't. I knew, from what I learned, that Elijah had a side to him that made the word 'dangerous' seem docile. This nerdy-yet sexy in his own way-Alpha petrified me one minute, made me feel safe the next, and filled me with lust that rocked me to my core. He was illogical and inconsistent; nothing about him made sense to me but I needed to trust someone. "I don't like to shift. I never did. I see the thing that attacked me and I don't want to be like that...look like that. Sam says I'll go insane if I don't so I shift a couple of times a year, for about five minutes at a time." "You're not a rogue, Lacey, I've told you that. You are my true mate; you're everything that I'm not." "Then what am I? You said yourself that I'm practically human. A teenager had to save my butt, Elijah. That makes me feel terrible and useless. Do you really think that you would be given a nearly-human werewolf as a true mate? How will I be able to function in this pack? What if we wanted children? How would I be able to protect them?" "If it really concerns you then let's do something about it." "Like what?" "I want to fully bond with you. If we can get passed the claiming part, we can work on some of your other issues; together. It would be the first step." I studied Elijah for a moment. What if I COULD conquer my fears? I certainly wouldn't need any kids saving me from bullies. Life would get a lot less complicated. I could even prove to Sam...and myself, that I'm not a rogue. "I suppose you want to mate as well. Maybe that'll distract me from the whole biting thing." "I mean, if you think it'll help.", Elijah answered sheepishly. I rolled my eyes while giving him a half smile. ****************** The date for 'THE DAY' was agreed upon; the day we decided we would mate and claim each other. We might as well had set an appointment for a business meeting. That's what it felt like to me; clinical and impersonal. I tried to bring this up to Elijah but he looked to be on the verge of a melt down every time I mentioned it. He was deathly afraid that I was trying to get out of it. He was in typical 'male about to finally get inside female's pants' mode and his focus was absolute, almost bordering scary. While Elijah and his penis kept themselves busy by counting down the days, hours, minutes, and seconds; I spent the next couple of weeks learning my new surroundings and getting used to having a staff. On top of that, I was given an extra shadow. Elijah harpooned me with Wallace of all people. He was only a step up from Rita, in my opinion. He consistently looked at me with a permanent expression of disbelief and disapproval every time I had the misfortune of coming into contact with him. Since he was one of Elijah's best friends, his attitude was always overlooked, much to my irritation. "Wallace", Elijah nodded to his guard, "will be your personal guard from now on. When I'm not around, you don't go anywhere or do anything, off this floor, without having him next to you. Is that understood?" "No! That is NOT understood. I have a job. My boss isn't going to put up with me having a bodyguard, Elijah." "I know your boss, Phillip Teagues. I called and told him that he could email any assignments he has for you. He was very accommodating. It was either that or I buy the magazine and replace him. You'll just have to work at home for now." "Elijah! Did it ever occur to you that I WANT to go to work?" I needed a break from this new world I had been thrown into; something that was reminiscent of my former world. How pathetic was that? I was starting to look at my place of employment as my sanctuary. Before this, I made a hobby out of how to avoid the place as much as possible while still collecting a paycheck. "Lacey, until you have successfully dealt with some of your issues, it would be best if you had protection." "You have some guy guarding me, that clearly doesn't like me, by the way, and I'm supposed to be okay with this PRISON sentence you set up for me?" I rubbed at my aching temples. "You know what, forget it. Maybe I'll get lucky and there'll be someone hiding in our room who'll be kind enough to take me out of my misery." "Lord knows you'll make it easy for them." Wallace mumbled under his breath. Elijah sighed. "Wallace." "Sorry." Wallace relented before anything else could be said. I sent a dirty look to Wallace before I left them alone in Elijah's office. I was more than pissed off and I purposely kept 'Poindexter' on edge by hinting that my bad mood could effect what he so hungrily looked forward to happening soon. ****************** I was so sick and tired of Wallace silently following me around that when my cell phone rang I was tempted to answer it. It was Tia. I had been dodging Tia's and Jazmin's calls ever since I confronted Sam. As much as I missed them and so desperately wanted to talk to them, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. What if they had felt the same way Sam did? Our whole friendship would have been reduced to a lie. I wasn't ready to find out that they were only babysitting me when Sam wasn't around. I resisted the urge to talk to her and I turned my cell phone off. Wanting to get mind off of my troubles, I wandered into a room that reminded me of a museum. I stopped and took in the huge room with an opened mouth. Oh. My. God. This was nerd heaven. Every collectable you could imagine was displayed, lovingly, in this room. I poked around the place, noticing that Wallace's eyes actually lit up. The walls were covered with CGC graded comic books behind protective glass. To the left of the room, collectable models and toys ruled the area. To the right, props and costumes from various movies were set up. Elijah and Lacey Ch. 02 "Are you partly responsible for this room?", I asked. Wallace was looking around, smiling while he did so. "Yeah. Well, these are my babies, right here.", he said, pointing to the models and toys. "Elijah's love are the comic books and Jason is always popping up with something off a movie set. That's why he's AWOL at the moment." "This stuff looks really old.", I said, taking a closer look at some swords. Those would have been nice to have when Rita was trying to rip me to shreds. "It had better be. Most of everything you see is the original. We've been collecting this stuff for over a hundred years.", he bragged. Wallace went on and on...and on about their collecting adventures. He animatedly talked about everything in great detail. The more questions I asked, the nicer he became. Soon, he was talking about everything from his childhood to his latest blind date. I decided that Wallace wasn't so bad after all, just protective of his best friend. Loyalty was an endearing trait to have. I wished I had seen more of it personally in my life. Funny enough, Wallace became my new friend. He wasn't Tia or Jazmin but it was nice to have a new ally in a life I was so unsure I belonged in. **************** The night had finally arrived. 'THE' night. I was nervous but it was a good nervous. The time leading up to this moment had Elijah being more affectionate than I had known any male to be. I received tons of sweet lingering kisses and soft caresses throughout each day. The intense way he looked at me nearly had me wringing out my panties every five minutes. I put on something slinky and silky for the occasion; a royal blue chemise, leaving the matching thong off. The effort barely registered a second look. What was his problem? Maybe the duckies turned him on? Maybe he was just nervous? I joined him in bed, and without a word, he mechanically situated himself on top of me. I felt like we were going to change a tire together rather that make love. This wasn't going to work. "Just relax. We can do this. I promise. We'll go slow. I won't hurt you.", he began. I smirked inwardly. He was still eager to forge ahead despite whatever fears he was hosting. "I'm ready. You're right...we can do this. Hey, maybe we should claim each other first and get that part out of the way since it will hurt a little and then we can relax and make love." I smiled at him. "Well, baby, technically, the love making part might hurt a little...because of your hymen. That's why I thought we'd get to that first.", Elijah explained. "Don't worry the hymen was taken care of a long time ago. We only have to worry about the claiming." I lifted my head to kiss him but his lips didn't move and he didn't kiss me back. Baffled, I laid back and looked up at him. "What? What's wrong?" He looked like he was trying hard to piece together a puzzle. "You tore your own hymen?" "What? What are you talking about? No, I didn't tear my own hy---hold on...did you think I was a virgin?", I asked. "Aren't you?", he asked. Elijah had an incredulous expression on his face but I was slow to figure out why. "Uhhh, no. Why would you think I was?" I honestly thought he might be joking around but I couldn't tell. "I DID have a life before you, you know...and you had a life before me, right? I understand that. No big deal." I tried to kiss him again but this time he wouldn't even let me touch his lips. "You HAVE to be a virgin.", he declared. "Why, do you need someone to sacrifice? What is wrong with you? Why are you acting like this?" I looked at the worried look on his face. "How many?", he asked in a forced whisper. "How many what?" "How many did you...were you...that you had..." I rolled my eyes. I couldn't believe that he was pulling this right now. I sighed. "A few." "Three?" I raised my eyebrow. "More or less." "More than a few or less than a few?" I rolled my eyes again. "It was three, okay? Are you happy now?" "Who were they...where do they live? How did it happen? I want names." "Yeah, I am SO not telling you all of that." As far as I was concerned, the "mood", if you could call it that, was ruined. Look, You're over a hundred years old! You must have been with plenty of females and I'm not giving you crap about it, am I?" Elijah dropped his eyes slightly but kept silent. My own eyes went wide and my mouth fell opened. "You are NOT telling me that you've...never...EVER? It's not possible!" "It's not a big deal, Lacey, it just never came up, okay?" He tried to roll off of me but I quickly wrapped my legs around him and held him in place. "YOU are a virgin? YOU? You've NEVER been with a female...not even, you know, orally?", I whispered. "NO! Will you move your legs?" I ignored his request. I was trying so hard not to laugh. "I'm not so sure we should be doing this, now. After a hundred years you might actually kill me." I laughed. He gave me a withering look that made me laugh even harder. "Alright, alright! It's just that it's a little strange. I mean, the females had to have been throwing more than their panties at you. You're an ALPHA; no pick up line required." Elijah shrugged. "Most of the females were the ones I grew up with. They were also the ones that laughed at me...ridiculed me...put me down every chance they had. When I took over as Alpha, they all seemed to fall in love with me, instantly, as if I couldn't tell that their so-called feelings were fake. I wasn't about to touch any of them out of misplaced lust. I know that other Alphas bedded their pack mates but I didn't see the point in that either. Why get a female's hopes up only to use her like a toilet and then toss her away when the 'real thing' came along? I wasn't comfortable with that. I wouldn't want anyone to treat my mother that way so why would I treat another female that way?" "You didn't have any...needs?" Elijah laughed. "I have needs and wants like everyone else, Lacey. If I wanted relief, I relieved myself...by myself. I didn't go jump on the first pack member I saw. Sex is NOT a need; it's a want. We need food, shelter, and water...those are needs. It amazes me how people mind screw themselves into believing otherwise. I want sex so bad that I can taste it but I want my joining with a female to mean something. I want it to be more than something I do to pass the time, scratch an itch, or make my nights less lonely. It IS hard waiting for a true mate to come along and put everything in our lives into balance. As the years go by the hope starts to chip away, little by little. Even so, I wanted to be able to give myself wholly to you. I didn't want to have had many females in my bed until you came into my life and then cheaply regift myself to you. I don't feel that it would be fair to you or to any female no matter what the circumstances." "It was different for me. I naively thought each person that I was with was the 'real thing', as you say. I was curious too, of course, who isn't. My life was so devoid of love that I just wanted to know what that felt like, even if it turned out to be a lie later. I have no regrets, Elijah. I am still me regardless of what I've been through, the choices I've made, or the experiences I have had." "I understand that." He kissed my lips softly, stirring my body back into interest before continuing. "I just make choices I believe in and I try to stick by them or at the very least see them through, right or wrong. Lacey, I can't and don't expect everyone to do the same. Maybe I expect people to be a little more honest about the choices they make or the things they do but I don't judge you; it's not my place. I set myself to a standard that doesn't have anything to do with anyone else but what's right for me." "You seemed pretty mad about the other men in my past.", I reminded him. "I won't lie and say that I won't kill any and all males that have known you intimately. I can't rest until I know they are dead and wiped off the earth. I won't tolerate any man or male having the luxury of those memories of you." "Elijah!" I giggled. I really hoped he was kidding though he had a very serious visage. "Elijah?......No! You will not!" He shrugged and looked away. I tensed. "Please tell me that you are NOT planning on--" Elijah began to laugh in earnest. "That's not funny! I thought you were serious!" "You deserved that for laughing at my being a virgin." "Okay! I'm sorry! No need to go all serial killer on me." We stared at one another for several seconds after our laughter died down. Truthfully, finding out that Elijah was a virgin was a major unexpected turn on for me. A blank and empty canvas. He was mine to mold and train...not that I was some professional or something, but still. I was the one with experience. I was the one with more confidence, not much, but again, more than him. I was the naughty teacher and he was going to be my unsuspecting, eager, horny, student. Oh....yeah...he was going to receive a lot of detention. I couldn't help the predatory smile that lit up my eyes. "I think I should be on top." Elijah sighed in mock defeat. "Is this the part where I say 'be gentle'?" I chuckled as he rolled me onto the top. **************** Elijah and Lacey "I do!" I announced to the Minister as my body turned into jelly. Just like that, I was a married woman. ************************* "Sam...I'm married. I h-had to get married." I whispered into my cell phone. "I don't even know his name!" I wailed. My husband was off, who knew where, being Alpha. Rita gave me an icy look before she went home. I was sitting on the floor in the bathroom that my whole apartment could easily fit into. "Can't you come and get me?" I whined, wiping the occasional tear that trickled down my cheek. I couldn't imagine how much of a mess my mascara had made. "Sure, and while I'm there, maybe the Alpha will be nice enough to rip my head off my neck for attempting to take his wife-mate away from him for no reason!" Sam scoffed. "You'll be fine, Lacey. He'll never hurt you. If he does, on the off chance, then I will step in. I may die when I do but, none the less, you have my word of honor. His name is Elijah Drake, by the way. Didn't you read ANY of the books at the council library?" We ended our call with him also promising that Tia and Jazmin would call the next day. I wished that it was tomorrow already because I really needed to hear their voices. "Are you going to be in the there any longer? I'd like to go." The Alpha's raised voice penetrated the bathroom door. I jumped from being startled and nearly moaned out loud. I had to get a grip! I could not keep having this reaction to the sound of his voice. "Yeah, okay." Maybe if I piss him off all the time, he'll keep his mouth shut indefinitely, I thought. I slowly took pronounced steps toward the bathroom door and turned the door knob. I took off my shoes while I was on the phone and was clutching them in my left hand. I pulled the door opened and there stood the Alpha...Elijah. He was without his glasses and leather jacket this time. His eyes roamed over me but paused at my feet. My pantyhose had developed quite a webbing effect with all the runs beginning at the toe area. I watched his eyebrows wrinkle slightly and I curled my toes under. He shook his head, exhaled, and stepped out of my way so that I could pass. "Your things are here, in the front room." He said, closing the bathroom door behind him. I rubbed at the goose-bumps that suddenly appeared on my arms and I made my way to the front room of our suite. My clothes were neatly hung in mobile clothing racks and the rest were organized in labeled boxes. I felt a little self conscious about strangers going through my underwear and things but I pushed those thoughts out of my mind. I found the flannel pajamas that Sam got me last Christmas; they were sky blue with orange rubber duckies on them and I never wore them. I planned on wearing them that night, thank you very much. I also found my robe, slippers, and toiletries; then I made my way back to Alpha Elijah's bedroom to wait for another turn in the bathroom. I was deciding whether or not to call in sick the next day when the bathroom door swung open and the Alpha stepped out, wearing only brown silk bottoms. The pants hung low on his waist and I was shocked to see that the male had a swimmer's build. He was short but he was definitely ripped. My eyebrows were raised in lust-filled surprise when he turned and caught me ogling him. Though it was probably too late to look away, I did it anyway. "The bathroom is yours if you need it." He said with a smirk. I flew passed the mini Alpha, in a huff, and closed the bathroom behind me. Suddenly, pajamas meant for an eleven year old girl didn't seem like a good idea anymore. I shrugged my shoulders while holding up my sleeping ensemble. Oh, well...I wasn't planning on letting him sample the goods tonight, anyway. With an audible 'humph', I went on with my usual night time routine. **************** I wasn't nervous about sleeping with the Alpha since I was donned in my passion-killing pajamas. I sent a silent thanks to Sam as I braided my long hair. I did my best to appear normal while still doing a great job of ignoring the male who I could literally feel staring at me again. When I was done with my hair, I pulled back the covers on the bed and climbed in. I finally let myself glance at him and I rolled my eyes. He could have at least asked me which side of the bed I preferred. Granted, this was his bed...in his mansion but I would have shown some courtesy if we were in MY apartment. Males... Irritated, I turned onto my side, facing away from him. I was just about to relax after a good mental rant when I was seized and flipped onto my back. I squeaked loudly and my life flashed before my eyes. "Hello." He smiled, straddling my legs and pinning my hands down above my head. Hello? Hello? He scared the crap out of me and he says 'Hello'? What the HELL?! I looked up at him, my face was frozen in terror. On most occasions, I would admit to being a bit on the imbalanced side. With my past, who wouldn't be? I had a bad feeling that this Alpha was not only dangerous and viscous, but he was psychotic as well. "I've given you some space and now...I want your full attention." He leaned in close to me and breathed in my scent, savoring it. Between his wretched beautiful voice, his hard body pressed deliciously against mine, and his warm breath tickling my ear; I wondered how many of those poor duckies were experiencing an unexpected flood near my crotch area. The Alpha parted my legs with his knees and I didn't absolutely hate that he was slowly rubbing himself against me, drenching my panties more. It was unfairly seductive and methodical on his part but my sensitive nipples hardened with delight and my hips began to lift...on their own accord, of course. I was NOT having sex with him! He was a stranger to me no matter what that marriage certificate on the dresser said. I prided myself on being better than some sex starved air head who would give it up for less than the cost of a 'Happy Meal' at McDonald's. I didn't mind that he was trying and I was happy to experience his ambitious efforts but these duckies weren't moving an inch. He was doing some amazing nibbling on my earlobe but when he began to drift southward, I cleared my throat loudly. His head lifted and he smiled at me. His hips didn't stop their slow movements and shamefully, neither did mine. It was apparent that we entered into some sort of an unspoken "challenge" once more. His thick hardness dug into me, rubbing my clit, piercing through the protection of the duckies. "You know what we need to do." He drawled. His voice dropped an impossible few octaves lower and I couldn't stop my back from arching as I gasped and moaned helplessly. "N-n-nooo. S-stop. P-please. On m-my period. C-cramps. T-took a v-vow...celibacy..." I wasn't even for sure what I was mumbling but I said whatever popped into my head, whether it was true or not. "You're NOT on your period." He narrowed his eyes suspiciously but he did stop his naughty movements. I was finally able to take a huge deep breath. Now, I had to convince my hateful body, somehow, that I wanted him to stop. "I need...more time...before we...do...this." I said between breaths. "We NEED to complete our mating, Mrs. DRAKE." He emphasized my new name with irritation. 'Excuse me?! We met just a minute ago and you think that giving me your stupid last name is the ticket?' I never actually said that aloud but I pursed my lips and let my eyes do the talking. "You CAN claim me without the sex part." I was tempted to add a 'duh' to that but I still wasn't completely comfortable with the state of his sanity. He stared at me as if trying to find a way to refute that little fact. Ha! Score one for the duckies...I hoped. He sighed in defeat but I didn't believe for one second that he was going to give up. I hated being right sometimes. Without warning, I heard a rip and looked down to see the poor little duckies being torn and shredded from my upper body. Buttons were flying in all directions. "HEY!!!!" I yelled. The Alpha just growled in response and shot forward to sink his teeth into the crook of my neck. The pain overtook my entire body and I started to tremble uncontrollably. He pulled my head toward the crook of his neck, signaling for me to mimic his actions. That was when I began to fight back. I HAD to get away. It was so dark. The parking garage was empty except for the cars belonging to security and no one heard me screaming. Maybe I hadn't screamed. My head spun in all directions, trying to find the source of the nasal-sounding growls. My heart beat so fast and hard that I wanted to cry from the ache of it. The growls were getting closer and the echoes had me picturing the most horrific scenes. I made a decision. I kicked off my heels and made a run for my car. It was the wrong thing to do because something ran into me from behind, knocking the wind from my lungs as I slammed into the concrete. I could not scream. I opened my mouth wide but nothing came out. Something was burning my shoulder. I tried to see but I was being held in place by something big, black, and furry. It had claws and they were digging into me. Dizziness set in and I was fading fast... ****************** It was the second time in a matter of hours that I found myself staring up at a strange ceiling, in a strange bed. I searched through my memories, trying to come up with an explanation as to what had happened. This time I was in a small room surrounded by hospital equipment. The duckies were long gone and was replaced with a drab looking hospital gown. There was no way I was in a real hospital; not a non-were hospital anyway. I heard arguing outside the door and only two of the voices were familiar to me. One of them belonged to Alpha and the other, that I recognized, was...Sam? "SAM!" I called out as loudly as I could. The arguing ceased and then I heard hurried footsteps. A red-faced Sam burst through the door first and the Alpha followed. Two huge males followed the Alpha closely. All had grim expressions on their faces. My focus was brought back to Sam when he spoke. "You okay?" He asked, studying my reaction. "Yeah, I'm...fine. Is everything okay here?" I looked around at the others as their eyes kept lingering at the crook of my neck. I touched the bandage that was there. "Oh." I remembered. The Alpha...or rather, Elijah (I think we were safely at first name bases now),tried to claim me and I guessed that it didn't go so well. "I'm taking you home." Sam said this to me but he looked squarely at Elijah. Had he lost his mind? "You'll die before you take MY female." Elijah said this calmly but his tense body shouted that he was anything but calm at the moment. "NO!" I yelled again. I sat up and grabbed for Sam's arm as he tried to shush me and push me back down onto the bed. I turned and looked at Elijah but his eyes never left Sam and I had a bad feeling that something was about to happen...a really bad feeling. "Sam, Elijah didn't hurt me! You know me! I flipped out and was back at the parking garage after work. It wasn't his fault! Sam?" He didn't appear to be listening to me. Sam's eyes started to glow. Elijah began to growl menacingly and the other two males seemed to get larger than they were before. I had never seen Sam this mad before and I probably would never see another peaceful nights sleep after looking at Elijah. I peered from one male to the other. I didn't know who to be more afraid of, Elijah or Sam...and I was right smack in the middle. "Take him to the cells in the basement. I'll deal with him later.", Elijah ordered the two males flanking his side. The followed their orders promptly and Sam was being pulled away from me. "Leave him alone!" I looked wild with panic at Elijah. "Stop this!" I yelled at my husband but he only gave me the coldest of glares. Sam patted my knee on his way out. He left peacefully. I was alone with Elijah and the silence carried on. I could see that it was going to be up to me to break that silence. "Let Sam go home." I demanded, making eye contact. My voice wavered a bit but I refused to look away. "No." He answered simply. "Why not? He was only trying to protect me. He didn't understand." I tried to explain. "It's not his place to protect you. You are MY mate." He growled. "Yeah...well, technically, I'm not your mate and I never will be if you hurt my...Sam." My voice started out strong and confident but faltered as Elijah began to stalk closer to me. I swallowed as his face quickly ended up a mere inches from mine. "YOUR Sam?" He asked. A million danger alarms went off in my mind and I fought the urge to whimper and retreat. "He's like a father to me. Nothing...else, okay?" I hoped he would simmer down but he was still as tense as ever. "What happened earlier? You gave me the green light to claim you and then---" "I'm sorry. I was surprised. You didn't give me any warning..." "Would a warning really have mattered?" I couldn't answer that. I really didn't know. A bite was a bite. "I don't understand any of this. You fainted...twice. You don't behave like a were female. You were turned more than three years ago. Whatever trauma you experienced should have passed by now." "Says who...you? Since when did you pick up infinite wisdom into the inner workings of everyone's mind, oh great Alpha?" It didn't matter if I secretly felt the same way, I didn't want him thinking it. Elijah looked at me like I was a whole new species he accidentally discovered. "Those pictures I had taken of you never once caught you in your shifted form. Why is that? Can you even shift at all?" He said this in an accusatory way that I did not appreciate. The scandalized expression on his face would have been hilarious if I was someone else...anyone else. "Go. To. Hell. I can shift just fine. Sorry you didn't see that when you were spying on me like some depraved pervert." I snarled. The shifting thing was a sensitive sore spot for me; so much so that I forgot who I was talking to for a moment. I braced myself for what was about to happen next. I said a little prayer and waited. Thankfully, nothing happened. I got the silent treatment again. I was becoming an old pro at that. "You're wishing you would have went with the next runner up, huh?" I asked. I secretly dreaded the answer was 'yes' when he didn't respond. He just turned and walked away from me and out of the room.