10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Locke

T he next few days I continued to suffocate my mate with my presence. I was her constant companion when she was at her campsite, and as the hours turned to days, she accepted me as part of her new life.

Last night, as the sun dipped below the horizon and cast a warm, orange glow over the forest, Emm sat by the lake lost in her thoughts. I watched her from the shoreline, my keen eyes picking up on the slight furrow of her brow, and the way her fingers absently traced patterns in the dirt.

Without a sound, I padded closer to her, the soft leaves cushioning my steps. As I settled down beside her, my head towering over hers , she glanced at me, and surprise flickered in her eyes before a small smile tugged at her lips. I could sense a shift in her energy, a subtle understanding passing between us that transcended words.

She was trusting me. It was moving slow as fuck, but she was.

Emm, initially, acted annoyed that I was in her presence, and I feared the bond wasn't as strong with her because of my animal form. However, as the days progressed, my hearing improved, and I realized her heart rate sped up in excitement when she saw me, especially in that moment by the lake.

Of course, she would be excited to see me. I was a looker, even if I was an animal.

She had not yet touched me, willingly, and I believe that was because I killed the intruder in her home, but we were making progress. When my body brushed up against her, clothing wasn't enough. Seeing her bathe in the lake tested my resolve. I needed the heat of her skin, her ass in my hand, her breasts in my face.

I needed her so fucking bad it was painful.

My mate's days were spent securing her camp. She pulled security surveillance cameras from her RV and hung them at points around her home. My mate even made rudimentary tripwires with bells attached to them to ease her mind.

The cameras won't work, though. Not with the magic that Tajah and Bram had woven through the forest. Soon, the elves that live in the territory would have their vines crush and destroy the mechanics. Emm's constant presence was the only reason the RV hadn't been overgrown with vegetation. The cameras—well, we couldn't have information leaking to the public about what goes on around here, could we?

Tajah's magic had grown and strengthened with the human technology, just as Idris continued to yield his witches and warlocks to his cause. Emm would see the recording now, but later…she will be one pissed-off female when she realizes it will all be erased.

Good thing I like my female feisty.

My mate had also spent time at the bar. My intuition told me she liked it there, being around our club, but part of it was she was hoping to have them trust her enough, so she could find out where I was.

They wouldn't tell her, or they would at least give her a run-around answer, until I had my way of dealing with her.

I was fond of her tenaciousness. She was trying to protect her family, wherever the fuck they were. With the intruder in her home, I knew she worried about her family more now. I snorted. She won't have to worry for long once I take care of it. My mate will see me as a complete asshole once she realizes what I've done.

Like most people do, but that is no loss there.

Currently, she was at a table with Bones, asking boring-ass questions about what he does for the club as he nursed his drink. There was tiredness in his eyes. He's got more white in his beard. My mate smiled at him. It only fueled a deep, primal aggression inside me. To rip Bones apart, to dig into his chest and eat out his heart. I let out a snarl and Grim set his hand on the side of my furless body.

"I get it," Grim grumbled. "But you can't let her know you're here, and I'd prefer not to find another doc. He's actually pretty good."

I grumbled and set my enormous head on the table. The darkness at the back table, where I normally sat in my human form, is dark enough that a human would have trouble seeing, but the members knew I was here.

The bar was busy. Glasses clinked, laughter echoed over the shouts, balls at the pool table smacked together. It was still hard to zone into Bones and my mate's conversation with all the background noise. It was like I was a fucking pup all over again.

"Duke Idris hasn't moved since you'd gone rabid. No new humans in or out of the mansion in New York. Delilah and Nadia put together a map of all the hidden passages. I assume Idris knows about them, but then again, he may not. There is one that leads in and out of the mansion that comes out by a river. That was completed four years ago and left off any blueprints. Delilah's ex-husband ordered the people, who constructed the passageway, to be shot once they completed it. All evidence destroyed."

Yeah, Delilah's ex-husband, Shane, was an absolute prick. Her stepbrother made her marry him into the family mafia business on the eastside of the country. Duke Idris, the Dark Fae, took control of Shane's estate, after Shane was ripped to pieces by Delilah, Grim, Hawke and myself, before we finally beheaded him. The aftermath has been a mess since then.

I licked my maw and continued to stare at my mate making small talk across the bar. The smoke haze made me crave for a cigarette, but my wolf heaved, not liking the idea.

Fuck, he's back, so now that means I have to give up my vices.

I grunted and nudged Grim to continue. He chuckled toward my mate and took a drink of his beer.

"Anyway, we got in touch with a coven. We have partnered with them and they are willing to help."

I lifted my lip, showing my fang in disgust.

"I know you don't like it. Most blood suckers don't like us, but apparently, Idris stole some of their own. Besides, this coven came to Earth to start fresh, not to live the old ways of Elysian with fighting and bickering. They came to Earth for peace; a do-over."

I raised a brow at that. Were more and more supernaturals leaving the Elysian realm? Has it gotten that out of control? The Royal Council have always been pricks, but it was usually those who were in higher ranks that got the short end of the stick.

"Anyway, the elves plan on doing a stealth mission, with some of the mated shifters and the Heaven's Raiders Coven, to bring the innocent back here. I didn't feel comfortable leaving, but if you feel in control?"

I nodded my head once. I was more than capable.

And, what the hell? Heaven's Raiders Coven? That was a stupid name.

"Hawke and Dede are staying, obviously, because of the pup. But, I wouldn't be surprised if she was knocked up again, already."

I chuckled. The bastard would. And without Delilah knowing too.

It isn't a horrible idea, either.

My mate laughed again, and I took my enormous paw and stepped forward. Grim thrust his hand in front of me and placed it on my chest to pull me back. "Easy, man. Easy. You got this."

"Honestly, I'm surprised he hasn't ripped Bones up, yet. He's being a complete douche. He knows Locke is back here." Hawke strode up with a beer in his hand. "Hey, Fluffy, how you doing?" Hawke chuckled, and I stuck my tail out.

Hawke didn't pay attention since he was taking a sip, and fell forward. He tumbled onto the ground, and I couldn't help but snicker at the sight of my brother struggling to catch his breath, the beer spilling out of his mouth.

Grim pulled me back, and shook his head. "Easy, Locke. We don't want to draw attention."

I glanced at my mate and Bones, still engaged in conversation. They were both too focused on their discussion to notice the commotion at our end of the bar.

"You guys see that!" Anaki yelled. "Hawke only had one shot of a blow job and he's already falling over. Come get a blow job, made by yours truly!"

My maw opened and closed, and Grim and Hawke barked out in laughter.

What the hell is going on in this bar?

The bar erupted into laughter, and men and women walked up to the bar, grabbing shots filled with whipped cream and throwing them down their throats.

Delilah called for my mate, who shoved several glass bottles from Bones into her messenger bag. She waved Bones goodbye, and I watched her stride over to the bar. Anaki held out a shot for her and winked. Again, my throat let out a growl and my claws scraped the floor.

"I'm getting a blow job from you, Anaki?" My mate says sweetly. "You're awfully frisky tonight, giving those things away for free."

Anaki's eyes were wild with mischief as he leaned over. "You should see me on Thursdays. It's ladies' night. I've been known to dance provocatively on this bar." He patted it reverently with one hand and ran his hand up and down the pole with the other.

What the actual fuck have they been doing to my bar?

My mate downed the shot in one go, not taking her eyes off Anaki. He smirked and made her another quickly, but she shook her head. "I gotta drive Marlow back. I gotta stay sober."

Delilah groans. "You are such a party pooper. You never get drunk, not even tipsy. What about girls' night, next week? Will you let loose, then?"

Emm's lips pouted, her brow furrowed. "You know, maybe I need to let loose a little. But, only a little."

"Yay! I will pump and dump, that night!" Delilah shouts, holding her boobs.

Emm made a disgusted face. "I'm not sure what that means, but, yay?" She laughed, and I truly knew it was a genuine answer and not a lie.