Chapter Forty-Two
Graham knew something was wrong when he pulled up to the first gate of Blackmoore. The guard, who was meant to have two men backing him up, was alone. He notified Graham that someone had called for a night drill meaning every warrior within their ranks was simulating an invasion of the packlands. This sent his hackles rising. This meant no one was at the packhouse. Once confirming Jensen was out of packlands and hadn’t ordered it, Graham eliminated Lucas and Theo as being the ones who called it. That left Arabella. He reached out to her via mindlink but she was blocking him. Then he reached out to Lucas but Graham couldn’t get a hold of him either.
By this point, Graham was certain… Something was very very wrong. This feeling was exacerbated when Chloe, sleeping in the passenger seat, shot up. Her unseeing eyes were bright violet. She spoke in a monotone voice.
“Catherine. You are not alone. Run.”
Graham was quick to call his mate. When she told him what was happening, he knew she was in danger. How had someone gotten the better of Lucas? The second highest rank below himself? Where was the wolf he’d hired as backup? He had to listen, completely helpless, as his mate fought for her life.
Chloe wrapped her magic around them as he traveled at breakneck speeds to get to the packhouse. He called for the warriors to return to the packhouse. When he was able to reach them through mindlink, it confirmed Arabella was purposely blocking him. He also mindlinked the guards at the two checkpoints between him and his mate. He flew through the gates without braking.
By the time he reached the packhouse, Catherine had fallen silent. Warriors were running in and out of the house, checking for the threat which the wolf had already eliminated. Graham didn’t waste any time. He rushed inside and up to his bedroom. The door was open and he heard hushed voices within. Graham entered, breathing heavily and his eyes immediately found his mate. He choked on a lump of emotion as he saw her, for the third time since meeting him, passed out and pale.
He took unsteady steps toward her and collapsed at her bedside. He took her hand in his and brushed the hair from her face. He sighed in relief as she mumbled his name. He placed a quick kiss to the back of her hand and then glanced at the people standing around him. Theo and Natalie were standing by the wall, looking concerned. Rebecca was wringing her hands, and busying herself with tidying the room. The wolf he’d hired, Timone, leaned against the wall, a sour expression on his face.
“Where the fuck is Lucas and why isn’t Nancy here?” Graham asked, standing sharply but still holding Catherine’s hand.
Theo was the one who answered. “He’s next door. He didn’t get the antidote to the wolfsbane quickly enough so he’s still pretty out of it. Nancy is there overseeing his recovery.”
Graham looked at the wolf and narrowed his eyes. “Where the fuck were you?”
He scoffed and stood straighter. “I was attacked at the top of the stairs after everyone on the floor disappeared and took to the woods. The fool mistook me for an easy kill and didn’t dose me properly. Probably wanting to save it for the lycan. I was able to get myself the antidote almost immediately but I was still weakened.”
“Why the fuck did you kill him? I could have interrogated him!”
The wolf gave him a look of disbelief. “I was poisoned.” He looked down at Catherine. “She was poisoned. I made a decision to end things quickly rather than hope she was strong enough to hold out on the effects!”
Graham growled, knowing he was right. He looked back down at Catherine at the same time as someone came running into the room, out of breath.
“Chloe?” Natalie and Rebecca both asked at the same time.
“How is she?” Chloe asked, rushing up to stand beside Graham. She set her hands on either side of Catherine’s cheeks and closed her eyes. She let out a breath and placed her hand on Graham’s arm. “She’s going to be okay. She’s dreaming of you.”
Graham nodded and thanked her.
“Chloe, what are you doing here? Does Jensen know you’re here?” Rebecca asked.
Chloe blushed and shook her head. She looked at Graham and then down at her entwined fingers. “It’s a long story but no he doesn’t.”
“It’s been a long day,” Graham said. He held out his keys for her. “Go to my house and get some rest. I’ll talk with you later.”
Chloe touched his forearm again and left with Rebecca on her heels.
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Chapter Forty-Two
“You’re letting another female who isn’t your mate stay at your home?” Timone asked, anger lacing his words.
Graham glared at him. “Mind your place, Wolf. I need her.”
“You need her? What of your mate? She’s needed you! Now you show up with another woman while your mate lays unconscious? Do you not know what she’s been through?” Timone yelled, confusing Graham. Had he become so protective in just a week’s time?
Graham stood straighter. “Chloe poses no threat to my bond. And what are you talking about? What has she been through?”
Timone shook his head. “I haven’t eaten in days and I’m still fucked up from that shit. You tell him.”
Timone walked out of the room, leaving Theo nervously scratching the back of his neck.
“What is he talking about?” Graham growled.
Natalie sighed. “Sit down, Graham. She didn’t want you to know but…”
Natalie told him everything that had happened while he was gone. How Lucille staged a coup in the kitchen making Catherine work with only one helper. How Arabella threatened her. How everyone in the packhouse had mocked her for being unwanted.
“Why didn’t she tell me?” he asked softly while smoothing her hair back.
“We both know you wouldn’t have been able to come back,” Natalie reasoned. Graham ran his free hand through his hair. “You can’t let Chloe stay with you,
Graham. It’ll hurt her.”
“Chloe doesn’t mean anything to me anymore.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Theo joined in. “It’ll hurt her just the same.”
Graham sighed. “I’ll work it out tomorrow. Catherine is smart and understanding”
Theo and Natalie glanced at each other before excusing themselves for the night. Graham sighed and locked the door to his room. He glanced around. Rebecca had done a good job removing all signs of the struggle that occurred. He went back to the bed and noticed sheets of paper. He flicked through them. Pages and pages of meal ideas.
Graham crawled into bed and Catherine immediately moved to wrap herself around him. Her nose scrunched and pulled away from his shirt and he realized Chloe’s scent must linger there. He shifted and took the shirt off and threw it across the room. She resituated herself and inhaled deeply. A smile appeared on her lips before they relaxed and a small snore came from her.
Graham stared up at the ceiling. This was not how their reunion was supposed to go. He’d imagined her running into his arms, racing home and celebrating just the two of them.
He wondered if everyone was right about how she’d react to Chloe. Honestly he hadn’t even considered her reacting with jealousy. The moment he’d laid eyes on Chloe again he realized what he once felt for her was completely gone. He just wanted her help in taking down the man who’d hurt his mate. The entire drive home he’d kept the windows down despite the chill in the air. Chloe’s scent, what he once found so alluring, now made him nauseous. Another side effect of not completing his bond with Catherine.
Chloe wasn’t like the others who sought to drive Catherine away. She was happy for him, elated that he’d found his reason for letting her go in the first place. He would need to deal with Lucille and Arabella first thing tomorrow. He could not shake the feeling that Arabella had something to do with the attack tonight.
The attack… Another attempt to steal her away. The fact that the intruder used wolfsbane led Graham to believe it was the same one from before. Knowing the man meant to kidnap her and had been hired made his stomach clench in knots. Who was after her? Was it Dominic? Would he be so stupid as to enter Blackmoore’s packlands to take her?
He would send Lucas out to investigate the first attack back in Sterling. Something he should have done before tracking down her pack. He would question Arabella, ban Lucille from the packhouse, move Chloe to Nat and Theo’s place and find a way to mark his mate.
Just the thought of claiming her made his canines slip out. Venom leaked from his teeth, causing his mouth to salivate. Graham shifted and brushed the hair away from her neck. His eyes sharpened and his skin shivered as she instinctively extended her neck for him. Goddess, even in sleep she wanted his mark.
He lowered his mouth to her neck until he felt the force of Jensen’s command begin to block him. Pain shot from his head through his spine as he struggled
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Chapter Forty-Two
to close the distances to the pulse point begging for his venom. He smiled low, needing to sink his teeth into her. The urge to complete the bond warred with the order to not touch her. He finally lamented and sunk his teeth into the soft skin of her shoulder, as close to her neck as he was allowed.
Graham’s jaw locked as her blood filled his mouth and his vennin pumped into her veins, Catherine tensed in her sleep before letting out a sigh. He could Taste the remnants of the wolfsbane still lingering in her system which caused his canines to retract and releuse his hold on her.
He fell back to the bed, frustration facing through his body, hot and heavy, He glared upward until Catherine moved and placed her head on his shoulder, She started to mumble unintelligibly. Her hand snaked up his abdomen. As he fingers and palm slid op his sternum he made out the word “sleep.” As if using magic of her own he felt his eyelids droop and then he did.
Surrendering to Destiny
