Chapter Twenty-One

Aro had found me.

He twisted my arm around behind me, holding it there firmly. I felt his cool breath in my ear.

"You're mine," he whispered, then forced me to bend over the side of the bed. He pushed me into the mattress as his free hand reached between my legs. I could feel his erection against me and I whimpered. I absolutely ached for this man's touch. I wanted him to fuck me hard until I couldn't walk. As if he'd read my mind, he shoved my shorts over my hips and down my thighs. My knees shook as his rock hard dick slipped inside me and I moaned louder than I had meant to. But damn it, I had missed this man.

He grunted with every thrust, a sound that made my stomach tighten in arousal and churn in disgust. Aro didn't seem like himself suddenly. And then I realized who it actually was behind me and began to struggle.

"You're mine," Glenn repeated, his voice rough, "Stop fighting."

And I did. I had no choice but to obey the Alpha. A tear fell down my cheek.

I wished Aro was here.


I sat cross-legged on the floor of the balcony, the cold rain pattering lightly against my face. There had been a half smoked pack of cigarettes at the bottom of my bag. I had quit years ago, but Glenn had refused to. It had never been my intention to start again, but fuck it. After that dream, I needed one. I took a long drag and blew the smoke out through my nose. Footsteps approached, "You know, smoking is terrible for your health."

I hummed, "Good thing I stopped three years ago, then."

Carlisle sat beside me, which I wouldn't have expected in a million years. Though he was very kind and caring. After all, he barely knew me, yet was willing to give me a roof over my head until I could figure some things out. He smiled softly.

"There's something troubling you," he stated. I snorted, "What, you're a mind reader now, too?"

"You were crying in your sleep."

"No, I wasn't," I mumbled, extinguishing the remainder of the cigarette against the bottom of my shoe. The two of us sat in silence. I knew he was waiting for me to talk but I wasn't sure I wanted to. Then again, I had spilled my soul to the likes of Sir Gilbert after just meeting him. I blew out a breath, "I had just turned eighteen when I was bitten. At the time, the pack only consisted of two others. The Alpha and another young girl from the Midwest. Glenn, the Alpha, had plans to recruit new members, if you could call any of it that. So he wanted a Beta to help keep everyone under control. I thought for sure he'd choose Eileen. It seemed like he was interested in her and she was constantly wet for him. The asshole chose me."

I shifted uncomfortably, "Picking a Beta is akin to picking a mate. The pair become bound to each other. And by some shit stroke of luck, the Beta doesn't have to agree to it. What the Alpha says, goes. He took advantage of the fact he had an absolute hold over me, if you follow what I'm saying…"

As I trailed off, Carlisle nodded, his expression somber.

"Five years, I was put through that. Never getting a choice… And then, another man and his group of goons come along, killing everyone in the pack except me. Instead, he took me to stay with him." I almost laughed at how ridiculous this all sounded, especially the parts I was playing down, "At first I hated him and thought he was a huge asshole. He patronized me for what I was. But it was because we were both trying to hide our real feelings about one another. I dare say, he even grew to be kind of sweet. I started to feel like he might actually have some kind of genuine feelings for me. And just when I was considering giving into my own, I find out the jackass is already married."

I had to stop again to keep unwanted tears from shedding. The jerk didn't deserve any more of them. Carlisle waited patiently for me to continue, "Considering all this, my dream was quite telling, I guess. In my dream, the other man had found me and wanted to bring me back home. And when I'd given in to him, suddenly the man turned into Glenn."

Dreams can be incredibly insightful, into one's fears.

I could practically hear the asshole's voice purr into my ear. So maybe my dream wasn't saying Aro was just another Glenn. Maybe just that I was afraid that's what he was, or would become. He'd lied and taken advantage of me. What was to stop him from doing more? I couldn't believe that douchebag had a wife and hadn't bothered to tell me… Just more bullshit I fell for hook, line, and sinker. Carlisle placed his hand on my shoulder and the sudden contact made me jump.

He was about to say something but I cut him off, "I'm not looking for pity or advice, really. Honestly, I'm not even sure anymore if I should be upset about him not telling me about his wife. He's one of those people who has a reason for everything they do. Or don't do. I just don't want to be hurt anymore."

The incredibly handsome doctor nodded, "You'll do what you know is right."

He pat my shoulder before standing and heading back inside. After he was gone, I snorted. Like hell I would. I had been away from Aro for a few months now and hadn't once considered going back. Not seriously, anyway…

Okay, I had thought about it once or twice, but I refused to give him that satisfaction. Besides, it had been months, and he had yet to send anyone after me. Or come find me himself. Obviously he didn't want me back too badly…

I sighed and tried to swallow back a sting of pain.


-Panama-

"Dog," Felix slammed his hands on the table, leaning right into Stuart's face, "We have followed you almost to a new continent. Either you are the worst tracker of your kind, or you're playing us. Which is it?"

Stuart didn't bother to meet his gaze, or even look up from where he sat, "You're dumber than I thought if you expected I'd really lead you to Lorna."

Felix jerked the man from his seat by the collar of his shirt. He pulled back a fist, but it was caught by Demetri, "Felix."

The smaller vampire shook his head and Felix dropped his hand, but not the wolf. Demetri strolled closer, his tone calm, "A true shame. We may have even killed you quickly had you handed her over. Although, this could be much more fun."

He pulled the cellphone from his coat and dialed. Stuart could guess who would be picking up on the other end. The man that sought her so desperately. For what, Stuart didn't even want to know. But he'd be damned if he'd hand over his Beta to someone like Aro.

"Master Aro," Demetri stared Stuart in the eyes, "It seems our canine friend has been intentionally leading us away from our target this entire time."

The werewolf waited for screaming, anything, to come over the line but there was only silence. For a moment he thought maybe the vampire leader had hung up. And then he heard his flat tone, "Bring him to me."

Followed by the unmistakable feedback of the phone being crushed. He didn't bother to cringe.

"Consider it done," Demetri said to no one as he pocketed his device.


-Volterra, Italy-

The receptionist stared at him, wide-eyed. Aro let the crumpled handset drop from his grasp. As he walked away, he told her calmly, "See to it that the phone is repaired, my dear."

He felt as though he had been expecting such news. After all, according to Lorna, the two had been quite close. It had been unlikely this man would sell her out, so to speak. Aro tapped his fingertips together as he thought. What to do now? The wolf was being brought to Volterra, to be held in the dungeon until his fate had been decided. His knee-jerk decision was to tear the man's head from his shoulders. But then Lorna crept into his thoughts and he second guessed that choice. It would be saved for a later date. The priority remained: find his woman.

But what was he to do now? Demetri was unable to track her. His "insider" help had betrayed him. His remaining options were… What? Send the entire Guard after her? Wait for her to return to him? Aro wasn't sure he liked either of those options. Committing every member of the coven to this one specific task was unwise. Should something happen, the three rulers would be left exposed. And, to be honest with himself, Lorna was too hard headed to return of her own free will.

His attention was suddenly pulled back by a face he hadn't expected to see, "Natalia."

The woman curtsied, "Hello, Master Aro."

He stifled his annoyance as best he could, "What, pray tell, are you doing here? Do you not have an assignment to which you should be attending?"

She smiled playfully, "You underestimate my abilities, Master Aro."

Natalia offered a manila envelope, which he snatched from her hands. He opened it and removed the pages contained inside, reading them quickly. The shield's name was Bogdan Pavlov. Changed at the age of forty-three by Vladimir himself. While he spent most of the time with the coven at their lair in Saint Petersburg, he frequently left to see a human lover in Krasny Bor. Aro smiled. That was something he could use to his advantage. He smiled, "Well done, my dear."

She stared at him expectantly. Aro kept his eyes on the papers, "Was there something you needed, Natalia?"

"How are you?"

The question caught him off guard, "I'm… fine, my dear. Why is it you ask?"

The petite woman shrugged, "You just haven't seemed yourself since your pet got away."

"A minor distraction," he gathered the pages, tapping them against an end table so that they were stacked neatly, "I am fine."

"Good," she stepped closer, taking his tie in her fingers, "Because I was hoping maybe we could spend some time together."

Aro's posture turned rigid.