Caught in the crossfire

19

Over the next few days Alaric was very clingy. He hardly let Kay out of his sight. He did however allow her to start training with the pack warriors. Her point about someone not always being there to help her must have really hit home for him after her being abducted like that. And on Pack lands to boot. She had started staying in his room now too as neither one of them could seem to sleep properly without the other since that night. Their mate bond had undoubtedly strengthened.

Ending her call with Artemis as she waited in Alaric's office (she had been keeping in touch with both him and Chase), she heard a buzzing coming from the desk drawer. Opening it, she found that Alaric had left his cellphone. A familiar number showed on the screen so without thinking she hit answer.

"Alaric." Came Andy's voice from across the line. She spoke in a quick but hushed manner. "They're on the move. I don't know what they're planning exactly but it isn't good!"

"Andreya, it's me, Kay. What's going on?" Asked Kay in concern.

"Kay?! Kay! Oh I've missed you! How are you? Have they been treating you right? You're fine right?? Oh, Kay, you be careful!" Andy fired off urgently "You're being targeted! Tell your mate he's after you!"

"Who's after me? What's going on??" Pleaded Kay.

"I'm sorry. There's no time, I have to go! Be careful!" Click. The line went dead.

———

Alaric entered his office to find his mate sitting behind his desk staring wide eyed at the phone in her hand.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"That was Andy." She replied shakily "She said to tell you that he's after me."

Alaric's eyes immediately darkened as a growl rumbled through his chest.

"Who did she mean Lec? Who's after me?"

"Stay here!" He ordered. "I'll be right back."

Turning on his heel Alaric rushed back out the room. "Gather the warriors," he linked Cylas "it's as we feared. He knows about Kay and now he wants her."

"Over my dead body!" Cylas growled back.

"Your's and mine both" concluded Alaric.

It was well after midnight before Alaric finally went home. He had sent someone to escort Kay back to the house and see to her dinner earlier that evening. He padded quietly up to their room and as silently as he could, so as not to wake her, he opened the door. The lights were off and the room was still, but there in the light of the moon sat Kay, still fully clothed, staring out the window.

"It's late. Why aren't you in bed? I thought you'd be asleep by now." He said in surprise. Coming up behind her he lovingly wrapped his arms around her as he waited for her reply.

"Keeping me in the dark isn't going to protect me Alaric." She whispered "If you really want me to be safe, I need to be aware. How can I prepare myself for the possibilities if I don't even know what's going on??"

"Kay-" he began.

"Alaric please." She begged, turning to face him. "I need to know. And if someone is after me, then I have every right to know as well."

Releasing a heavy sigh he gave in "Alright. But I need you to listen, and trust me, and don't try to get yourself involved. I know how you like to deal with things yourself."

She merely offered a small smile in reply.

"Alright." he sighed again, rubbing his face. "It is Colt Bardolf. As I've told you, I've been after him for a long time. He killed my parents. I haven't seen hide nor hair of him since though. I think he's been waiting, biding his time until he could find my weakness. And now I have one." He said gazing into Kay's eyes.

Wide eyed, she sucked in a sharp breath before reaching a trembling hand out to touch him.

"But he'll not touch you!" He growled, eyes darkening. "I'll make sure of it!"

Wrapping her arms around his waist, Kay rested her head on his chest, calming him down. "So now what?" She asked quietly.

"We've got a lead. A good one. In fact, we might have finally found him." He replied soberly. "I'm taking warriors with me tomorrow. If all goes well, perhaps we can finally end it."

"Tomorrow?!" Kay gasped, pulling back to stare up into his eyes. "Alaric-"

"Kay" he cut off whatever she was about to say, "I need you to stay here and look after the pack. They need their Luna."

"Alaric" she quavered.

"Please Kay. Don't look at me like that. I need you to just trust me. I'll be back safe and sound before you know it." He soothed.

Throwing her arms back around him she clung as tightly as she could. He returned to gesture, pouring all of his emotions into their embrace.

"Mark me" she murmured against his chest.

"What?" He asked in surprise, thinking perhaps he had misheard her soft, muffled voice.

"Mark me." She said again, looking up into his eyes.

"A-are you sure?" He asked again, searching her eyes. "There'll be no going back. And once I've marked you, it will be even more difficult for me not to touch you. In fact, I can't promise I won't... You'll feel that pull strongly as well you know."

"I know." She replied. "I want this. Although... I had hoped you'd be the one to ask." She smiled shyly, blushing and looking down.

"After you come back," she looked back up at him through her lashes, "we can have the mating ceremony and do it all right. But until then, let this be your promise that you will return."

A low and sensual growl vibrated through Alaric's chest as his eyes turned gold. That was all he needed to hear... all he'd wanted to hear for so long! His hands came up to cup her face as his lips crashed passionately into hers. Returning the kiss with a fire equal to his own, Kay's hands instinctively found their way up under the back of his shirt, her nails digging into his back. Grabbing onto her thighs, Alaric hoisted Kay up, wrapping her legs around his waist, and carried her to the bed. Without breaking the kiss, he laid her down underneath him, supporting his weight on his forearms, and deepened the kiss. Finally breaking for air, both of them panting hard, he then began trailing open-mouthed kisses across her jaw, behind her ear, then down her neck. When he came to the crook of her neck he began licking and sucking, paying special attention to the spot where the mark was to be placed. Kay let out a moan of pleasure as his warm lips and tongue teased the skin now begging to be marked! Alaric answered with a primal growl of his own as their bodies, heated with desire, seemed to have a will of their own. Placing one last, lingering kiss, Alaric bit down, his sharp canines easily piercing her delicate skin. Kay cried out both in pain and in pleasure as a wave of pure ecstasy washed over her, replacing the sting of the bite.

Lapping up the blood, Alaric pulled her body to him. He breathed deeply of her scent. It was alluring. She was alluring, and he knew he could never get enough.

—————

Hey! Ok, so not out of the lovey stuff yet lol. But the marking really needed to happen. I mean, they've been together how long now? Might have happened sooner if Alaric wasn't still secretly terrified of messing things up with Kay.