Beyond the Were War Ch. 08

"Renee, you know I'll wait as long as it takes."

"I told her that. We'll talk in the morning, she feels terrible so just love her and don't bring it up until she is ready to talk about it."

"Got it. I learned one good thing, though."

"What, that you can survive blue balls?"

Caleb laughed. "I've had those before. No, I learned her wolf is on my side."

Room 322

Los Cruces Hospital, NM

Enrique's head popped up as soon as the door opened, the nurse came in and stood next to the bed. He was in a chair, his hand holding hers as it had been all night. The clock said 0430.

"Wake up Anna, time for your sleeping pill!" She stirred, and glared at the nurse, clearly not a morning person. She looked at Enrique as she sat up. "YOU'RE ALIVE! YOU'RE ALIVE!" She tried to get to him but the nurse and Enrique worked together to keep her in the bed.

"Yes, love, I'm here. You need to rest, though. I'm so sorry this happened to you." He didn't want to say more around the nurse so he waited for her to take vitals and give her the pill, then leave. As soon as she was out the door, he moved around and lifted the blanket, sliding in next to his mate. He rested his head on her uninjured shoulder and they both started to cry.

"I thought I killed you," he sobbed.

"I thought I lost you," she cried. They didn't have to say anything else, they just held each other until they fell asleep.

Pacifico Sur Cartel Headquarters

Near Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Hector Beltron was tired and the cocaine no longer had its desired effect. He had been up for forty five hours now, and every second of that was tension filled. The war that broke out between the Gila pack and the Socorro cartel had been a godsend for them. Not only did the wolves take out some of their rival cartel's leadership, but the intelligence they provided was spot on. It allowed his men to capture territory, men, drugs, smuggling routes and guns. He had nearly doubled his power and influence.

The gains were good, but they had to be solidified. He wasn't the only one moving in on the territory, the Gulf cartel had been given the same information and had worked in from the other side. It was like late in World War II when the Russians and the Allies were rushing for Berlin, and whoever got there first set the line. Hector wanted that line to stay east of El Paso. The west Texas and New Mexico area was good for smuggling and he wanted it under his control.

He looked around the room, his brothers and lieutenants were at the conference table, the flat panels around the outside showing updates and live feeds from various places. The raids had been a remarkable success, Juan's people were overwhelmed and lacking backup quickly surrendered. He held hundreds now, most of which were eager to spill their knowledge and pledge their allegiance to him. He had it all, he thought, except for the werewolves. They were the wildcard in all this. They had been granted special status by the Government after the war, and as such were allowed to control their territories. The DEA stayed out of their way, so they would be great assets in smuggling if it wasn't for their reluctance to get involved.

Victor Alvarez was the sharpest lawyer in the country, and one of Hector's key advisers. He was standing in front of an interactive projection board, it showed the previous borders for the Cartels updated with current gains. He had added in the known territories of the wolf packs. "Boss, this is what I was talking about. The Gila pack," pointing to an area in New Mexico, "helped us with the intel but they insisted on being a no go zone for our smuggling. Keeping to that agreement will squeeze down our routes here and here and make us vulnerable to DEA and Customs patrols. The Santa Fe pack doesn't seem to be active anymore, but they are located here. It's really the El Paso pack that is key to our new area. If we can get them to cooperate, we solidify our routes all the way to the major interstates and cities. If not, and we have to go around them, it puts us in direct conflict with the Gulf cartel routes in West Texas."

"So how do we get them to give us access to their land?"

"I'm not sure. They want to control their land, that's instinctual for them. Asking for transit rights won't work. We could partner with them, allow them to take over a portion of a route for a cut. That might help with some of them, at least those that need money."

"Everybody needs money."

"Not all of them find money a problem. Most of the packs are doing well, they got reparations from the war. The Gila and El Paso packs are not ever likely to need us, though."

Hector stood next to him at the map. "Why not? We can make them rich."

"Too late. The El Paso pack? Before we could get our guys there, they had taken down a Cartel safe house in the city. They left a few guys tied up, and we found out from them that the house held a safe containing about six million in cash plus diamonds and gold. It was gone. Last night we got word their pack had taken out one of Juan's smuggling teams on their land. Brutal shit, they tore some of his guys apart, then took the mules to the north end of the territory and let them go. They didn't care about the people, but they left the drugs on the ground. Millions in coke and marijuana just sitting there by the trail like it was nothing to them."

Hector paused, it wouldn't be good if the Alpha of that pack was morally opposed to drugs and human trafficking. "How about the Gila pack?"

"They are untouchable. Word is that they were behind that heist at the old S&L in Albuquerque where Juan kept his cash. They took close to a billion in cash and gold, and they left millions in drugs behind for the Feds. They won't let us on their land, they made that clear. If they don't want to play, we won't be able to buy them."

Hector wasn't used to being told no. "Oh, we can buy them, but not with cash. We just need to find something they value more than money and use that against them." He tapped the screen, thinking of what to do. They had taken note of how Juan's attack on their pack had been stopped cold; their mole in the DEA had gotten them details. They were pretty fucking brutal, disciplined and brazen as hell. Leaving the bodies in the vault for Juan to find? Fucking genius. He knew they would be powerful allies or bitter enemies soon. "Manyana. Rico, you stay here, wake me up if anything important happens. The rest of you, start getting some sleep. This war won't be won in the next few hours." He lifted up his phone and spoke briefly. "Have her prepared and in my bed in thirty minutes, I need some relief tonight."

As he was turning to leave, Rico took a phone call and waved to stop him. "Boss... Juan and Carlos are dead. Their bodies were found in the desert. He's sending photos." A few minutes later, the crime scene photos were up on the screen. There was no doubt of who it was, or how brutal the deaths had been.

Hector looked closer at the closeup of Juan's face. "What is in his mouth?"

"His dick."

Hector smiled. He liked these guys, he really did. Hopefully they would listen to reason.

El Paso Pack House

Texas

Dacia's nightmares had returned. She was on her back, the man was fucking her, and she was crying. This time it was a little different, a large wolf knocked him off and dragged him away. She woke up, covered in sweat, her sheets tossed off the bed in her struggles. She tried to get back to sleep, but it wouldn't come to her. She needed him. God help her, she didn't know why, but just being with him chased the bad feelings away.

She muttered to herself, she shouldn't be doing this, she should be a good girl and save herself for marriage like her mom used to tell her. Except she had nothing to save anymore, her purity was long gone now.

Her head was still trying to get around the whole mate thing. It seemed too good to be true, but she had seen the way the mates looked at each other, how they treated each other. She wanted that. She wanted Joe.

She got out of the comfortable bed, pulling her T-shirt down before going to the bathroom and washing her face. She found a comb and ran it through her straight hair, making it look nice again. She didn't want to look like hell when she went to his room. Just showing up was going to be embarrassing enough. Her, with just a shirt and shorts on, going to a man's room she barely knew in the middle of the night because she wanted him to make love to her.

She wanted him bad. She could feel her body preparing for him.

She stood at the door, her doubts taking one more shot at talking her out of this, telling her that she wouldn't get hurt if she went back to her bed. He didn't really want her, he was just being nice. Who would want a damaged, weak human like her with all these strong, beautiful werewolves around? They wouldn't be raped. They wouldn't be like her, and she could never be like them. Doubt turned her around, but before she let go of the doorknob one thought broke through it all.

She had to give Joe a chance. She couldn't leave and spend her life wondering. She opened the door and started out, only to kick a big furball on the floor. The tan and black wolf awoke quickly with a growl, his head snapping around to look at her and then up to her face. His anger quickly vanished, replaced by confusion and love in his eyes. "Joe?" He nodded his head, his tongue hanging out the side, his tail slapping the floor as he looked deep into her eyes. "Can you... can you come to bed with me? I had a bad dream." He stood up and followed her inside, watching as she made the bed then slid in and moved over. He jumped up when she patted the bed. Turning around three times, he settled into the middle and she curled herself around him before bringing the sheets over them both.

Joe was in heaven as she stroked and hugged him. She wasn't afraid, which was great. Whe he smelled her arousal it got him hard immediately. He stretched his head forward to get her to scratch behind his ears, and when she found the secret spot his leg started twitching causing her to laugh. She ran her hands over his powerful chest and down to his stomach. She felt the muscles underneath, and brushed against his red tip. He tried not to react as her nipples mashed against the fur on his back. Things were getting hot.

"Wow, you're like my big hot water bottle! I'm getting a little too warm." Joe's mouth was open as she sat up, taking her oversized T-shirt off she tossed it into the corner, quickly followed by her shorts. Just like that, his mate was naked in bed with him and he didn't know what to do. She kicked the covers off and just laid there on her back, looking over at him.

The last straw was when her hand slowly traveled down past her stomach, barely touching the dark hair of her sex before a finger split her sex. Before the moan left her lips, he shifted back to human form, his hard cock straining to touch her hip. "Daria... if you don't ask me to leave I won't be able to resist you. I'll make you mine and never let you go." He watched her close her eyes, then she opened them again and he lost his very soul in them as she said the words he was praying for.

"If I am yours, Joe, then take me. I need you so much."

"I am yours and you are mine, Daria. I will love you, protect you and care for you until my last breath." He rolled towards her and onto his hands and knees, slowly moving himself above her as his lips found hers. All the love, all the passion, the tingles, the bond, it all exploded into their minds as he lowered himself onto her. His tip spread her engorged lips, pressing forward slowly as they kissed. She pulled him into her, her legs coming up and wrapping around his waist. She used her heels to pull him in until she felt every inch of him inside her.

It was glorious. Joe paused, just letting the sensation flow through him. Daria's head was back, her eyes closed, and a low moan worked its way out.

He slowly pulled out, her sex fighting him every inch to try and keep him in place. He watched her face as he moved forward again, then again. She was urging him on, she didn't want slow, she wanted him to claim her, to take her, to make her his once and for all.

"You won't hurt me, Joe. I need you now, and I want you to claim me, to change me, to make me yours forever." Joe picked up the pace, and she began to grunt each time he drove into her. She moved her hands down and grabbed his ass cheeks, urging him along as her knees fell to the side to allow him to pound her clit with each thrust.

"I can't turn you yet, I won't bite you, but I will mark you." He kept his teeth from shifting, resisting his wolf with the promise of more later. He couldn't draw blood until he had permission to turn her, but his teeth left impressions on the skin at the junction of her neck and shoulder. His scent would cling there. This would tell others she was his and that would satisfy his wolf for now.

He picked up the pace, she was moving her head side to side as the sensations started to overwhelm her. He felt her sex clamping on to him, and she let out a scream as her feet pushed her off the bed and up to him. He thrust into her through it, his own need combining with her release to send him over the edge. She fell back to the bed as his seed filled her, and he followed her down as he collapsed, keeping himself firmly within her. They were both breathing heavily.

Joe hugged her to him and rolled her with him so he didn't fall out. He kissed her head as she rubbed her face on his chest, her hands feeling all over his body as if to convince her it was all real. "I love you, Daria. I've loved you since the moment I picked up your scent."

"I love you, Joe." They were both asleep by the time he slipped out of her. She was his, and she was home.

Hotel Room

Los Cruces, NM

Maria moved Renee's hand off of her hip without waking her. She looked at the clock, it was 5:32. She had been hiding in her Alpha's bed long enough. Hiding from her fears. Hiding from having that talk that she needed to have with him if they were to be together. It was time for her to face him again.

She pulled on the shoes she had and quietly exited the room. As she went through the lobby she saw they had a continental breakfast set out, so she got a travel coffee, some juice and some pastries and walked out to the back parking lot. She stopped when the truck was in sight, gathering her courage, then walked over to his window. She hoped he wouldn't be able to tell how nervous she was. She hoped a lot of things as she watched him roll the window down.

"Maria, I'm so sorry. Can we talk about this?" She smiled and handed up the drinks and food.

"That's why I'm here. Take mine and I'll come up there." She hopped up in the passenger side and sat with her back to the door. "Caleb, I need to explain some things to you, and I just need you to listen to me or I'll lose my nerve and not be able to finish. OK?"

Caleb reached out his hand and took hers. "I'll listen to you as long as you want, please just hold my hand and know that I love you, no matter what you say. When you are done I have some things to say as well."

Maria looked down as she started to talk. "When I was taken, I was a virgin. I was a good girl, saving myself for my husband, and was just worried about college and jobs; I didn't even have a boyfriend. Those men.. they took all that from me. They did... they... used me. Harshly and often. They would beat me and force me to service them. If I didn't do it right, if I resisted, they would punish me severely. Sex for me became something I did to avoid more pain. Sex always involved pain. They taught me with a fist and a whip how they liked things, and how to satisfy them. I thought I would never get out of there, that I would die one day because they would finally beat and raped me to death."

Caleb was clenching and releasing his free hand and rolling his neck, trying to keep his wolf down. He felt like a failure, his mate was hurt and he wasn't there to save her. He could tell this was making her nervous, so he took a deep breath and let it out, and thought about her kissing him. He squeezed her hand gently before she continued. "When my wolf started getting stronger, she helped. She told me there was hope, that somewhere out there was a man who was made just for me. A man who would never hurt me, who would love me more than life itself. I used to laugh at her, thinking that my life couldn't have a happy ending. My wolf took over and helped us get out of there. It was hard for me to accept freedom when you found me." She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"I feel bad for you because you deserve so much more. I love you, you make me feel safe and loved and I try to do things and then the old memories come back. Last night... my wolf wanted you, I wanted you. It was all going great until you touched the back of my head and the memories burst forth. They used to grab the back of my head as they forced themselves into my throat. Sometimes I'd pass out because they wouldn't let me breathe. I know you wouldn't do that, but I panicked and I'm sorry." She looked down at her hand, so small in his. He was moving his thumb slowly over the back of her hand, and it was sending tingles down it. "As I was sitting up there with Renee, unable to sleep, I was thinking about what I wanted now that I'm free. I don't want them ruling my life anymore. I realized that I wanted you. I want to be your mate. I want you to love me. I want to give you children and grow old with you." She finally got the courage to look up, and when she saw the love in his eyes she broke down crying. Caleb gathered her into his lap and held her tight as she sobbed onto his shoulder, the hurt and pain finally let go. He didn't say anything, he just rocked her gently and kissed her hair.

It took ten minutes before the crying and the hiccups finally stopped. She pushed herself up and they looked at each other. He had been crying too, but she was a hot mess. Eyes puffy, snot running from her nose, lips swollen, hair tangled. She wanted to turn away but he cupped her face with his hands. "Maria, can I say what I want to say now?"

She nodded, anticipating a rejection. "You have never been more beautiful than you are now." She shook her head no, he couldn't mean that. "You are so strong, so determined. I'm so glad I'm your mate, and I promise to love you forever. I want to make a family with you and grow old with you. I want to hold your hand on the porch as we rock and watch our grandchildren play in the yard."

She gaped at him, mouth open and shock in her eyes, so he took advantage and pulled her into a deep, possessive kiss. He poured all his love into it, and she returned it. When they finally broke apart, they were flushed and breathing heavily. Caleb used the Alpha link for a moment then looked at her again. "Maria, why don't you go up to our room, take a shower and order us a big breakfast. I'll be relieved here in a few minutes and I'll join you. We still have a little time before we have to leave." She smiled and got out, and he was still watching her backside in those shorts when the door opened again.

"Things better now?" Robert jumped up into the cab. "I got this, you take care of your mate. I'll let you know when we have to leave, since we can't get Anna out of the hospital until at least nine."

"Thanks, Alpha. I just don't know how to get through mating with her, which we both want, without her past coming up to interfere again."

Robert reached into the map pocket of his door and took out a coil of thin rope. "Maria has a fear of being forced and controlled, so give her all the control. Let her take the lead." Caleb smiled and jumped out.

When he reached their room, he heard Maria in the shower. Knocking on the door, she said that breakfast would be here in half an hour. Plenty of time to try this out. He stripped and pulled the comforter off the bed. Taking the knife, he cut two lengths of rope and tied one to each corner of the headboard. He set pillows near the top, then tied slipknots in each rope and laid on his back before pulling them tight on his wrists. He had just gotten settled when Maria walked out.