Chapter 11

Once again Kieran and I found ourselves inside the big city that we stopped in on the way to his territory. I was doing my best to adjust to it, but like before, I felt like I stuck out- and not in a good way.

The restaurant we were in this time was not like the one we ate at before. This one was nicer. And better yet, it was Italian- my favorite. I got the spaghetti.

After Kieran and I had ate our meals we sat at the table making light conversation over desert, which was almost finished off now.

I found it surprising how easy it was to talk to him sometimes. When we weren’t worried about things like our rejections or the mating, we fell into conversation effortlessly. It was nice. Kieran even seemed to be quite laidback and carefree tonight which was something I hadn’t seen in a while. It was very unexpected after how Alpha he went on me today. I’m just glad he had more to him than just his job.

Even now, we sat in the nearly empty restaurant laughing our heads off at a story he was telling me.  We received a few odd looks from some of the restaurant staff occasionally which only made the moment funnier. I was surprised that they hadn’t come over and told us to quiet down, but I’m sure one look from Kieran would have sent them running the other way. He could be intimidating when he wanted.

“It sounds like you and Wyatt got in quite a bit of trouble back then,” I laughed.

“We did,” he agreed with a smile. “It was mostly me who got him in trouble though. He just went along with it.”

“I bet you both drove your parents crazy,” I said without thinking and widened my eyes when I realized what I had done.

I never should have brought up his parents.

Kieran’s carefree smile only faltered briefly before he covered up whatever emotion he was trying to hide and nodded.

“We were both grounded for a month and we had to clean up the other school’s field,” he replied with a grin. “Later, after my mom was through lecturing me on manners, my Dad ended up coming to my room and congratulating me and had a good laugh over it.”

“It’s a good thing Wyatt forgave after you after you got him in trouble,” I said with light humor.

He smiled.

The waitress made her appearance at our table and laid down the check next to Kieran before clearing away some of the dishes we weren’t using anymore. Kieran had already laid out the money for the bill before she walked away. She looked tired and somewhat relieved that we were ready to go. We were her last table of the night and I started to feel bad we kept her busy so late.

I always hated that at the diner. Someone would always come in close to closing time and I would have to stay there until they left. Though, I did miss my job…and the paychecks, even though I’d not really needed them yet.

That’s something else I felt bad for; letting Kieran pay. If I thought he wouldn’t get offended I’d offer to pay for my own meal. I wasn’t dumb when it came to dealing with Alpha’s though. They had a lot of pride.

“Are you ready to go?” he asked interrupting my thoughts. He was standing up next to his pushed in chair waiting for me.

I nodded and quickly stood pushing in my chair as well then taking his hand that was extended out to me. We remained close to each other, our arms bumping each other as we walked until we reached the car. He let go of me to open my door. I slid in the front seat with ease.

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed when we reached the pack house, but Kieran shook me awake. I hadn’t even realized that I had fallen asleep. I guess as was more tired than I realized. After my adventure in the woods I was bound to be though. Anyone would. I could tell it was late though.

I let out a small moan at my interrupted sleep and felt myself being lifted by a pair of arms. Without thinking, I snuggled to their chest, stealing their warmth. Their arms wrapped around me tighter, making me feel safe and protected.

I felt the bed underneath me dip as I was laid down on upon it. The soft pillow and mattress were now my source of comfort now that Kieran was no longer holding me. That made me cold. I shivered and pulled the covers up under my chin and covered my entire body.  Without much effort I slipped into unconsciousness and left my mind to rest while I slept.

Just like the previous night, the dreams came again, making me cry out in pain. Only this time, they were a little different.

Instead of reliving the day of my rejection, I was experiencing the pain of Daniel marking Jasmine. It felt like poison slowly working its way through my system. It started at my neck and worked its way down to my body until every inch of me was writhing in pain.

My screams became louder as the pain became unbearable. I was only relived from the excruciating burning in my body when Kieran shook me awake.

“Shh, it’s okay, I’m here now,” he whispered soothingly in my ear.  His hand ran over my hair as he rocked me back and forth in his arms. I was still lying on the bed, even in his arms, I could tell that much.

My face was soaked in tears. My eyes fluttered open to meet Kieran’s. His face was covered in concern for my well being and it was my fault he was feeling this way. I caused this feeling in him and it wasn’t fair. Not after all he had already been through it.

“This isn’t going to get better you know. It’s only going to get worse,” he said softly.

I couldn’t speak. I just nodded my head along and clutched the material of his shirt in my hand tighter. I was surprised by the strength of my hands in my weak condition-because that’s what I was, weak. My eyes dropped from his, a feeling inferiority over coming me.

I was not good enough for him. I wasn’t even good enough for my own mate. 

He held me to him while he rocked for a few more minutes before a heavy sigh escaped his lips. I looked up to meet his torn expression. My eyebrows pulled together in bewilderment.

“What?” I asked. My voice was barely audible, but Kieran seemed to understand me.

He looked a bit apprehensive to continue but my unrelenting stare caused him to go on.

“I can make this stop you know. I can make the pain disappear, even if the dreams won’t, just like Heath and I have told you.”

“The claim,” I mumbled.

He nodded. “It will hurt, but only for a little while.”

My hand went to the base of my neck where it connected with my shoulder and rested my hand there. It’s where the mark would be. He wanted to mark me…now. His eyes focused on my hand.

“I-I…” I came up at a loss for words. I didn’t know what my reaction should be. It was a mix of relief and worry.

“Look, I don’t mean to rush you, the decision is yours. I won’t make it for you.”

I appreciated that. I offered him a weak smile.

“It will help me,” I said quietly, mainly to myself.

It was now that I wish I had my wolf here to consult on the matter. Though I don’t know how sound her advice would be. If she was still partial to Daniel than she would advise against Kieran’s claim wholly.

I couldn’t keep going through this pain though. Daniel wasn’t suffering and it was hardly fair that I had to. I was the rejected, not him. What I hated even worse was, deep down, I still wanted him and would take him back if given the opportunity.

This was so wrong. I knew it. I wanted to hate him. I should hate him. I wanted to push him from my mind entirely and forever. My thoughts were still consumed by him; therefore he was controlling me without actually ever being here.

“Just give me the word and I can make it all better.”

My face felt tight with the dried tears that still remained on my skin. I sniffled and forced myself out of his arms. I sat up on the bed, on my own, bringing the covers with me.

“I want you to, I do. But…” I trailed off, not really sure how I could explain myself.

“You’re afraid to let him go,” he finished for me.

I frowned. “You seem to know a lot about me.”

I already knew why though. We were so much alike it was scary. He could properly sympathize with me seeing as he had been through everything I was going through now.

He sighed while he awaited my reply. “I wish this wasn’t so hard. This would have been so much easier if you were my true mate instead of Daniel. Fate can be so cruel.”

“Especially to us,” he agreed.

A knock at the door interrupted us and Kieran looked annoyed. He glared at the door before he spoke though his voice was calm.

“What?”

The door pushed open with ease. Wyatt and Leland stood in it with disciplined expressions on their faces. Kieran seemed to have read their minds and stood up from the bed.

Wyatt was the first to speak when his eyes glanced back and forth between Kieran and me. “We didn’t mean to interrupt you two, but there is a pressing matter that needs your attention.”

I blushed when Leland’s eyes found us too.  I thought about the possible things that were running though his mind at the moment and bushed even deeper.  This probably didn’t look so good. What would they assume? At least we were dress properly.

Kieran’s eyes meet the clock by the bed and frowned. “At five-thirty in the morning?”

“Claire should come as well,” Wyatt said.

“Why?” I asked slowly.

Wyatt’s eyes never let mine. “This concerns you too.”

Had I done something wrong? I don’t recall it if I did. The trespassing issue was cleared up already. Did Sawyer decide not to be so forgiving after all?

“Come on,” Kieran said holding out his hand to me after he quickly changed into a pair of jeans and a shirt. Even with so little effort to get ready this early in the morning he could still look so good. Like some kind of model or Greek God. Life wasn’t as fair to me.

He was watching Leland and Wyatt with a carefully trained expression. I could tell by their reactions something was wrong. Wyatt must have mind linked him and told him what was going on seeing as their expressions all mirrored each other.

I let the blanket fall to the bed when I took his hand and stood up with him. He placed his hand around my waist protectively and walked me to the door.

Wyatt and Leland respectively moved out of our way and started down the hallway just ahead of us. From what I could tell, most everyone was still in bed except for the few early risers, and some of the pack fighters that had been on boarder control overnight.

They bowed their head at us respectively as we passed by them.

I grew even more confused when the group traveling with us led us outside. Dorian was now with us as well, and Chance, another fighter. All of them wore grave expressions. This was nothing new for Dorian though, but Chance I didn’t know about.

The daylight was just peaking though the tress and I could see the slightest bit of light emitting from the sky behind them. Kieran never released me the entire way walked to the mysterious building where we stopped. I remembered seeing this building before and froze when I remembered what Kieran told me it was for.

Was he bringing me to see a possible threat or a rogue? This was where they kept the questionable wolves that trespassed onto their land without permission. What purpose did I serve being here for this? Was Kieran already letting me be a part of the decision making of the trespassers fate?

I froze when we entered the building. The familiar scent hit me even before I saw him. I began frantically searching the room for him. I could only hope they didn’t hurt him. Wyatt led us through another door inside the building the seemed to be filled with holding cells. They were all empty, apart from one.

It was him.

“Pierce,” I gasped. He looked like he might have been in a slight scuffle prior to being here.  His clothes looked a little crumpled and even ripped in a few places. There were some cut marks that were already healing on his head and arms.

I tore from Kieran’s arms and ran toward him, but he caught my arm before I got more than two steps from him and held an unsure expression on his face.

“So it’s true, he does know you?” he asked.

“He’s my cousin,” I stated removing my arm from his grasp. This time he didn’t stop me. 

Pierce’s arms reached through the bars and hugged me. I didn’t fail to notice his look and the sigh of relief he released in my presence.

“What are you doing here? Is everyone alright? Are you hurt? Who sent you?”The questions were tumbling from my mouth one right after the other before he even had a chance to answer them.

“We’ve been asking him that for the past hour and he wouldn’t answer. He said he only wanted to talk to you. He claimed you knew each other,” Wyatt interrupted.

I nodded in reply but didn’t answer, nor face him. I was too worried about Pierce.

“What happened to you?” I asked him.

He smiled playfully despite his condition and chuckled. “I may have gotten in fight on the way in.”

I pulled away from him and shook my head him disapproval. “You really shouldn’t do that. You could have been seriously hurt.”

“Don’t worry. We went easy on him.” Dorian said toward my cousin.

I knew he was only doing his job, but I wanted to growl at him for attacking my family. Afraid I would disrespect Kieran’s pack though, I refrained.

“And I may have started it,” Pierce added with no regret.

“Why are you here,” I repeated to him. “Why did you leave the pack?”

Before answering any questions he looked behind me at the pack and scowled. He didn’t want to answer with them in the room.

“Whatever you have to say to her can be said in front of us,” Kieran stated. His tone held finality. He was worried for my well being. It felt nice to know he cared so much.

I sighed. “At least tell me everyone is alright.”

He looked worrisome. “For now at least. Though, I can’t speak for everyone.”

“My parents?”

“Alpha Daniel,” he answered.

A growl escaped from behind me and within a second Kieran was pressed against my back. His breathing was heavy and angered. I could feel it on the back of my neck. It made the hair on my arms stand up.

“You came here to tell her about him?” he asked. “Why should she care? He has everything he wants- my mate and his pup.”

The words from his mouth were bitter and filled with hostility. I’m sure that if I weren’t standing between him and Pierce right now he would have grabbed him through the bars of the cell.

“He has fallen as Alpha,” Pierce spat at him then looked at me with slightly softer features. “His dad took over the pack for him. He fell apart after you left. He hasn’t been the same. Even Jasmine notices it. I think he regrets his decision of rejecting you even if he refuses to admit it.”  

Everything happened so fast that I didn’t have time react. As soon as the words left Pierce’s mouth, Kieran was pushing me into Wyatt’s arms. He was careful not to let me fall be he still caught me off guard. It seemed Wyatt had been expecting it the whole time. Next, Kieran had Pierce’s body pressed into the bars as he tried to pull his through it.

I panicked.

I had never seen him so angry before. If this is what the mention of Daniel and Jasmine brought out in him, than I never wanted to speak of them again. I was frightened for the well being of my cousin.

I pushed against Wyatt’s iron hold, but to no avail. I was unable to escape his beta strength. If only my wolf were back I might have fared better against him. The only thing I could do was glare at Kieran.

“What the hell?” I shouted at him.

He didn’t bother to turn around at my words. He acted as if I hadn’t even spoken.

“What was your purpose in coming here?” he asked him. “Was it to get her to go back with you? Did you think it would be as easy as telling her some pathetic story of her former Mate?”

Pierce only smirked at him. Something I so desperately wished he wouldn’t have done. He was purposely trying to provoke him.

“Isn’t it?” he challenged him. “Wouldn’t you go running back to Jasmine the first chance you could? She is technically still yours, isn’t she?”

“She is not mine,” he roared. Even I cowered back from his tone. “She made her choice. She severed the bond between us more than a month ago. I’m impervious to her now. She no longer has an effect on me. And as soon as Claire is mine, that pathetic excuse for an Alpha will be the last thing on her mind as well.”

Everyone in the room went completely silent. The saying that ‘you could hear a pin drop’ couldn’t have been truer. My eyes widened. I could only imagine the shock I felt mirrored on my face.  

Pierce was frozen in place. His careless attitude that I had become so accustomed to was long gone and fear was placed in his eyes.

When Wyatt finally released me I ran to him. I griped Kieran’s arm in both of my hands and tried to pull him back. He was strong though. Too strong for me.

“Let him go,” I ordered, though there was some pleading mixed in with it. “Please?”

I hated how weak I sounded, but I didn’t know how else to handle the situation. I was really in no place to be handing out orders. After all, it was my cousin who had trespassed onto his land and provoked him. He was the one who had done wrong not Kieran.

I was in surprise when Kieran released him. He let his hands drop to his sides and took a step back trying to control his self. He gave me an apologetic look after her realized how easily he had lost control. I think Jasmine effected him a lot more than he cared to admit.

I shook my head at him in disbelief before looking back at Pierce.

“Was this what you came for; to try and convince me to come back with you? Because if it is, Kieran is right, it won’t be that easy.”

He shook his head. “No, it isn’t. He’s still going to mark her, even though most of us disapprove. He’s doing it out of guilt and obligation to his pup. I couldn’t stand back and watch the pack become even weaker than it has already become, so I left. He’s making Night Shadow look pathetic and I no longer wish to be a part of that pack. Myself and a few others decided to leave. We were heading west to join The Red Moon pack when I thought I’d stop to see you.”

“How did you find me?” I asked. “I didn’t make it known where I was going.”

“Uncle Richard told me. He said you were safe here, but it might pay for me to stop in see you along the way. He wanted you to know about the pack. I know you’re not part of it anymore, but with your parents still being there I just thought you’d like to know.”

“I do,” I agreed.” Thank you. But why are you going to Red Moon Pack? Why not stay here?”

He looked behind me again and chuckled, his careless attitude once again returning. “I don’t think I’d exactly be welcome here. Beside’s your mate doesn’t seem to like me.”

He was looking directly at Kieran putting emphasis on the words mate. He was trying to get another rise out of him, but all he received in return was a glare. Kieran was desperately trying to keep in control of his self and Pierce wasn’t making it easy for him.

“Can you please stop provoking him?” I snapped at him then turned to the guys behind me. “Could one of you open the door please? He’s not some criminal, he’s my family.”

No one made a move to do as I requested and all eyes went to Kieran, even Wyatt’s. He was clearly letting him call the shots here. I wasn’t gonna lie that made me a little miffed.

“Open the damn door, or I’ll do it myself,” I threatened.

Seeing my anger directed at the wolves, Kieran looked to Wyatt and nodded.

Wyatt stepped forth with the key and turned the lock letting him out. I stepped into the cell with my cousin and wrapped my arms around him before he even had the chance to walk out.

“I wish you would have told me you were coming,” I smiled over his shoulder.

“And ruin the surprise? Never,” he chuckled.

When I pulled away from him he looked me over. “You seem to be doing much better now. They seem to be taking very good care of you here. I’ll give them that much.”

“They are,” I agreed. “And so is Kieran. If it weren’t for him who knows what would have happened to me.”

Even though I was ticked at him for the way he handled the current situation, my statement was true. I still owed him everything from digging me out of the grave I was putting myself in.

“I guess that’s true,” he stated. I could tell he hated to admit that out loud but at least he was agreeing with me.

“Come into the house and we can talk,” I said stepping out of the cell and giving him room to leave.

Kieran caught my arm quickly and drug me off to the side away from his entourage and Pierce. It wasn’t rough, but it took me slightly by surprise. I yelped at the abruptness of it.

“He is a rogue,” he said before I was even able to get a word out. “He trespassed onto our land and, so far, has shown no respect to this pack or me.”

“He’s not a rogue,” I argued. “He’s going to the Red Moon pack tomorrow.”

“Until he is officially part of that pack he is a rogue. They are the ones I am supposed to protect this pack from.”

“Fine,” I sighed no longer wishing to argue with him. It just wasn’t worth it. We’re supposed to be learning to become mates not fighting with each other. “He’s my cousin so tell the pack he is a visiting relative. It wouldn’t be a lie. We’ll see him over to The Red Moon territory tomorrow.”

His face remained grim, but thought about it my words. After a moment he finally nodded.

“Fine, but he stays in the room next to us. I don’t trust him yet and I want to keep an eye on him.”

“Okay.” I felt his attitude over this whole thing was a little much, but then again, he was the Alpha and I wasn’t. He would just end up doing or thinking however he wanted.

I turned and was about to join Pierce when Kieran stopped me again. His hand caught me wrist and spun me around to face him once more.

“My wolf is returning and he’s coming back with vengeance. I’m spry for my anger back there. After being gone nearly a month he’s gonna make up for his absence. I might be a little…bipolar, if you will. I can’t really help that,” he explained. “You’ll need to keep you cousin in check around me and my pack. I won’t be disrespected in front of all of them. It will make me look weak and that’s not something I need just before I take back my rightful place as Alpha.”

“I got it,” I said. That wasn’t asking much. He had every right to ask that of Pierce with him being on his land and all. And if Kieran was right, I didn’t want Pierce to make his wolf angry.

He released me seeming happy with my reply and visibly relaxed. I almost didn’t hear him when he mumbled a, “Thank you.” I thought I might have been hearing things until I looked into his eyes and they showed his true appreciation.

He seemed more like the Kieran I was used to now in that moment.

If it’s one thing I’ve realized now, it’s that I had no idea what to expect from him in the future. With his wolf starting to come through he’s gonna be more Alpha than anything and it’s gonna get worse once he’s freed. I just hope we won’t bump heads too much when that happens. Being back in his element is definitely speeding along the change in him.

I was starting to feel that maybe I only knew the broken Kieran instead of the Kieran he really was. I might just be in for a surprise to find out true side. But, I was still very curious to find out.

Maybe when my wolf comes back I will be changing to. Every day I miss her more and more. Part of me was still missing inside with her gone. Just maybe Kieran’s wolf can bring her out again. After all, they say a wolf’s claim can do a lot of things.  And just maybe I was ready for it.

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A/N

I hope you’re still enjoying the book. Things are getting more intense with Kieran’s Alpha wolf coming out. Do you think Claire will be able to handle him? Are you excited to find out?

Don’t expect their relationship to be easy because it’s not going to be. They will have their good times and bad, just like any other relationship. No sunshine and rainbows in their future just yet. Kieran’s Alpha wolf is going to cause a lot of strife between them so be expecting that to come.

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P.S- Chapter 12 has been written, but it still needs to be edited. I don’t know when I’ll get around to it, however, maybe with an overwhelming response on this chapter it will speed things along. Maybe. :) One random commenter will get a dedication!