Bound to My Mate Ch. 11

I did the only thing I could think to do that said 'innocent' and 'forgiven' all in one. I wrapped her in my arms and held her tightly. She started to cry again, harder this time. I just held her while she cried and soothed her with little strokes to her back.

"I'm so sorry. Please take my life; I don't deserve to live," she whispered in my ear.

"You will live and you will learn. We all make mistakes. You must get through this," I said back to her.

I felt her cling tighter to me and I looked up to see Joel's large hand stroking her back. "If you are hurt again, you will come to me first little wolf," he said. "I am responsible for protecting you, but I cannot do that if you are not honest with me."

"Yes, my Alphas, I will not let this happen again. I promise," she stepped back to her mother and wiped her nose with her hand. I had to grab Katrina to keep her from going with them.

The throng slowly departed down the hall, everyone soothing Emily. I was relieved to see that, part of me had feared they would all be angry at her.

Katrina stood with Joel and I for a moment then threw her arms around me. "Oh Elizabeth, she was so scared. She didn't care that I was there or that the healer was there, she told her mother everything. She begged to die, but you had told her no. They were all so ashamed, so happy, and I didn't know what to say. They asked me why you would forgive her and I said it was just you. I told them you forgave us to for not watching you well enough. I'm so sorry ..."

I shushed Katrina and had to stifle a smile. Even when she was exhausted she was like listening to a train wreck.

"Katrina," Joel interrupted, "you are forgiven. Go back to Saul, rest, and we'll see you in the morning. I'd like to spend a little time with the compassionate Madam Alpha."

"Of course, Alpha Latro," she said brightly, "you've probably really missed her and I've seen her every day. Have a good night!"

As she walked away I turned to Joel, "I think she's still talking."

"Probably," he answered closing our doors and turning to me. I couldn't miss the fiery glint in his eyes.

I tried to put off the inevitable by asking him, "How did you know what I thought about Emily's mental state and why is she coming to talk to me about it?"

"You haven't learned to filter your thoughts yet. When she told you in the forest she had been the one to put the poison in our rooms, you opened a connection to me. I heard it all, your internal argument and her admission. I didn't tell you I knew because I was curious to see how you would handle me."

"Dishonesty is not a very alluring trait, mate," I said poking him in the chest.

"Neither is not trusting me," he said reaching for an exposed pink nipple. I jumped out of his way. There was no way I would be talking to him if he started to touch me.

"Why is she coming to talk to me?" I asked instead as he stalked me toward our bedroom.

"You said yourself you've seen abused humans and Emily struck you as the same. We don't really have that problem here. No one else is going to know what to do with her."

He continued to speak and follow me as I coyly avoided him, "You don't have to worry about how the rest of the pack will treat her. Our forgiveness is absolute, the pack will accept she is innocent based purely on that. They have no reason to be angry at her if we are not."

"How come you let me decide what to do with all the rule breakers?" I asked skirting his hands and circling the bed.

"Do you remember Will and your protection detail?" he asked. "Didn't I let you decide their fates? You are my mate, we share in this task now."

"My wolf felt uncertain about my decision initially. Why did you agree with me so quickly?" I asked him.

"The wolves have a way of looking at the world, as you noted. There is only guilt or innocence. I agree with you that Emily was tricked in the human arena, she is both guilty and innocent. With our help she may be rehabilitated, but it will be a long road."

I thought about it a moment too long and he had me around the waist. Joel pulled me onto the bed and nuzzled into my hair. I pressed my nose into his neck and breathed him in. Of their own volition my hands were everywhere on him. His dress pants were in the way. I made to rip them off of him and he stopped me.

"I go through clothes much too quickly as it is," he said sliding out of them.

"Don't care about the clothes," I grumbled running my hands down his front, he still wore his boxers. I'd talk him out of those quickly. I licked his flat nipples and his breathing etched up a notch.

He seemed to remember something suddenly and stiffened.

"You still don't listen," he said irritably pulling away from me and rolling off the bed. I tried to grab him, but he avoided my hands.

He paced back and forth beside the bed running his fingers through his hair. "I told you to run. You had no idea how dangerous a situation that could have been. In an instant of bravado, I could have lost you. We could have lost this," he fumed.

"I am an Alpha. The rogues were weak and not a threat to me," I argued with him. "You've had me trained to protect myself for weeks. I'm just as capable as you are."

That was the wrong thing to say. Joel's eyes lit gold at the challenge.

"Do you really think so, mate?" he asked menacingly. "You are arrogant; being strong does not make you invincible. You and your wolf need to learn your place."

"I need to learn my place?!" I growled at him. I knew Joel was from a different era, but that kind of talk infuriated me. "Take me down to the gym and let me show you exactly where my place is," I threatened him. I stood up with my fists clenched, a little sparring would be fun.

"The circle is more suited the lesson I plan on teaching you, Elizabeth. Let's see who gets there first," he said ripping off his remaining clothing. Joel shifted into his wolf man form and disappeared off the balcony.

I stood fuming for a moment and then took off after him. I had hit the ground and was running for the circle before I noticed I'd done it. My whole being took his insult personally. I was not as weak as he thought I was. I gave myself over to my animal half and let her lead. My paws tore through the soil, easily outpacing Joel.

I streaked into the circle a body's length ahead of Joel. We paced around the center for a moment growling and sizing each other up.

'I've already bested you once wolf,' Joel boomed into my head as we stalked one another. I got flashes of myself with gold eyes pinned to the bed beneath him the night I first started to shift.

'You held down a hundred and fifty pound human with glowing eyes,' I shot back at him, 'hardly a feat of strength.'

Joel growled and lunged at me, but I artfully dodged him. Pacing casually behind him I gave off the air this was the most boring thing I'd done all day.

'So you do have enough sense to stay away from me,' he said humorlessly.

That pissed me off so I ran at him, snapping my jaws. Joel snapped back and it was real dog fight for a minute. I bit air wildly, but never did find purchase on his hide. We separated and watched one another, continuing to circle.

My wolf was uncomfortable with attacking her mate. The human part of me didn't really want to harm him, either. I loved him. This attitude was just too much to take.

'I don't want to hurt you,' I called to him hoping to end this show.

'You think you could harm me?' he laughed in my head. 'You don't know your strengths or your weaknesses. If you manage to scratch me by accident I'll be impressed,' he goaded.

I lunged at him and he nipped at my haunches as I missed.

'You should be glad I know my limits. I could play this game with you all night and never leave a mark unless I meant to,' he called pacing toward me with his teeth bared.

It was to be a battle. I gave my mind over to the wolf. I met the challenge head on and found his massive jaws around my neck a moment later. Releasing me he stalked away and then turned to come at me again.

We were gaining an audience. As I circled around him, I saw the pack coming down to watch us.

When he came at me the second time I avoided the feel of his jaws on my neck, but I was completely on the defensive. I was thinking and moving as quickly as she could, but it was barely enough. My moves were only in reaction to his; I never took the offensive. I was too busy blocking his plays to make any of my own.

Joel came at me repeatedly. He changed tactics, changed forms, and used whatever tools were at his disposal. I learned quickly from my mistakes, mainly because he exploited each one until I did. I moved faster than I ever thought I could, but despite my speed he managed to out maneuver me most of the time.

Using all my tools, I did get in a few successful bites or swipes. They surprised Joel I was happy to see, but my victories was short lived.

After a successful assault by me, Joel always came back harder and stronger. Those attacks usually ended with my neck between his jaws. He never held me like that for long. It was always just enough to make the point and then he moved away.

The stars and the moon were high and bright by the time I realized how wrong I was about my abilities. I was faster than him and very good at changing direction quickly, but that was it.

Compared to Joel I was weaker and less experienced. He was powerful, of course, but that wasn't his primary weapon. He plotted, exploited, and anticipated. He had seen every move I had, in any combination I tried to use them and his energy for this game was boundless.

'I'm not as good at this as you are,' I finally called out to him standing still for what seemed the first time in hours.

'If the renegade wolves,' he said walking in front of me as the large black wolf, 'were more in number or had paid attention to the training I offered, you could have been hurt. I teach the smaller weaker wolves to fight together and to fight dirty. Your instincts are good, you are fast, and you have good stamina; however, your moves lack sophistication. You haven't learned to anticipate your opponent's tactics or developed any sense of strategy.'

It was a harsh statement, but it was the truth. This reminded me of all the rigorous attending physicians I'd come to respect in residency. The only difference, they were worried I'd kill someone. Joel was worried I'd get killed.

I stood and watched him pacing.

'I was stronger than them,' I called out to him. 'They seemed clumsy and weak to me. I would have left if I felt I was outmatched. Two of them against me didn't seem dangerous.'

'Do you know how to pretend?' Joel asked continuing to pace around me. 'I teach the wolves to trick their opponents into underestimating them. And yes, two of them against you was not a threat. I have to wonder, were you really sure there weren't anymore than two when you started? Or were you more focused on Emily?'

I thought back and he was right. I hadn't really been sure of the number until after the fight. My attention had all been on Emily.

'So, I submit to you now?' I asked.

I felt that's what I should be doing. He'd proved his point, I wasn't as strong as I thought I was. He'd bested me numerous times during this activity.

'No,' Joel growled into my mind. He walked up and ran the length of his body down one side of me and up the other.

When he came to stand beside me I licked at the corner of his mouth. He was a beautiful beast, even when he was upset.

'You're confusing me,' I thought to him and let out a little whine, my animal half wondered why I couldn't submit properly. What had I done wrong now?

Joel nuzzled my neck and licked at my ear. 'Do you see the pack out there?' he asked me. 'They didn't see the argument, just their Alphas sparring. They were impressed with your speed and how quickly you learn. You take the job of protecting them very seriously. It makes them happy.'

'Would you like me to submit to you in our rooms?' I asked.

The heat present in the next thought would have been difficult to convey with just words. Joel sent over a stream of images of exactly what kind of submission he wanted. I shuddered and felt myself get ready for him instantly.

Joel scented the air and let me walk a few paces ahead. When he sniffed me, I felt a lick over my backside. He knew exactly what I wanted.

Inside me the wolf was tugging at my mind, she wanted him on top of her now. She didn't want the human half to have the fun tonight. She had put up with far too much to just let go and let the humans play.

I gave over all control to the wolf. She bolted away from Joel a few feet and turned to saunter back until I was facing him. Playfully, she got down on her front paws and barked at him. She turned away from him again and looked back at the large black wolf. He was salivating and excited.

They took off toward the woods at the same time. The white wolf was faster, but the black wolf knew the terrain better. She came across a steep incline and chose to go around it, instead of over it. On the other side hidden in the shadows the black wolf was right in her path.

The wolves circled each other in the dappled moonlight. She made to escape him again only to be trapped under his weight. When she felt his teeth grasping at the scruff on her neck she relaxed under him. This was what she had been wanting for ages.

My human body had become accustomed to Joel, but the wolf's body was new. He moved inside her stretching her as she writhed beneath him. She ignored the slight pain, happy to feel his warmth at her back.

As the wolves moved harmoniously together other couples started to do the same thing in the woods around us. I saw through the wolf's eyes as her pack rutted in the forest. The entire experience thrilled her.

The wolves bodies were primed from the fight and the chase. Fairly quickly she reached nirvana as he spilled inside of her. She was finally satisfied after weeks of waiting for him. She crawled back into the recesses of my mind to relax.

I wasn't cold, but Joel felt good at my back. He slipped off so we lay on our sides and put an arm around my waist. I looked down and realized I had shifted. My body was human again.

"I'm glad you're back," I told him relaxing into his embrace.

"I'm glad to be back," he said kissing my neck.

"I promise you, I won't be so reckless again," I said holding his hand.

He laughed and I felt little jerks as his member twitched inside of me. "I have no doubt in mind that you would do exactly the same thing all over again. You never gave a second thought to your own safety, only to that of the pack member in trouble. Your instinct is to protect. I will just have to train you quickly," he said stroking my belly.

We lay like that for a moment listening to the pack around us.

"What did you and the other pack leaders decide about the witches?" I asked him out loud. The answer came to me in head.

'Some things are better left between us and the pack Council,' Joel chastised softly. 'The pack leaders are concerned. The spell that conceals body odor from us was used successfully to gain entrance into a pack up north. They stole some valuable artifacts.'

'The pack there managed to catch one of the individuals involved while he was selling the artifacts. He still had no smell to him. We are working to gain more knowledge of that toxin. I unfortunately broke the only vial that we have encountered. The witch they found there had also bought the magic, he couldn't reproduce it.'

I turned a little and saw Joel grimace. He was irritated that his plan hadn't worked out quite like he would have wanted. When he broke Ryana's spells he had anticipated she would be able to build all of them over again.

I thought about what he had told me for a moment, 'Your security for the den is based primarily on your senses and physical patrolling?' I asked.

'Primarily, yes,' he told me.

'We could add more technology to your security here,' I offered.

'I agree,' he said. 'We have only ever used that type of security at the shipyards. Now it appears we will have to install it here. I advised the other pack leaders to do the same thing.'

'Bad time to be worrying about a new wolf,' I thought grudgingly. Like Joel didn't have enough to worry about and then there was me.

"Ah, this, my love," he said out loud, "gives me reason to worry about all the rest of it."

******

The End FOR NOW

I sense an abrupt ending like this will get me flamed but good. However, I need time to work on the next part of the series. Give me until end October 2010 and I should have the next part out.

This was my first attempt at writing and I really enjoyed it. Thank you to everyone that had anything to say about what I wrote. I checked those comments daily.