Page 14 of Alpha's Unwilling Mate

Chapter Seven

Raina

I wandered aimlessly, or at least, I thought I did. I should have trusted my animal instincts to lead me exactly where I needed to be. In another mile, I’d arrive at the place where my entire life had changed, where the charring from the burning vehicle still marked the ground. It was as if the earth itself mourned Rowan’s loss, refusing to bring forth even a blade of grass where his life had been taken.

I stopped at the edge of the trees and sat back on my haunches. Raising my nose into the air, I howled my misery to the sky. How could I feel so alive one moment and so empty the next?

At some point, I shifted, naked ass on the ground, knees hugged to my chest as I cried. Rowan had always been larger than life, and I wasn’t talking about his size. It was his personality. The way he owned a room as soon as he entered it. His big, booming laugh had been so infectious. And his heart… No one had ever loved me as deeply as my brother.

He’d been ten years older than me. My most-treasured possession was a picture of him holding me shortly after I was born. My little face looked up at him as if even then, some part of me had known he was my hero. My dad had been busy being head of our society. My mom had given birth and gone right back to work as our doctor. So Rowan had been the one to watch over me. He’d kissed my scrapes and bruises, been my parent, my confidant, and my best friend other than Ivy. Knowing our last words had ended with me hanging up on him nearly killed me.

I lifted my head, sensing an approaching wolf. A small, black wolf. She smelled of Bastion, but before I got my hackles up, she shifted. She held up her hand as if she were afraid I’d take off on her, but I wasn’t going anywhere. All the run was out of me.

“I’m Belinda, but most people call me Bee. Except Bastion. I’ve always been Belinda to him.” Her soft voice was a bit mesmerizing. “My brother went to your family, your old home. I knew you’d come here.”

I tilted my head, curious. “How did you know that?”

She sat beside me, mirroring my pose. “Because it’s where I’d go if I lost my brother. This is the last place Rowan was.” She closed her eyes. “I can feel him here.”

“Me, too.”

She gave me a funny look then shrugged. Before I could question her, she spoke again. “I told my brother you’d bring life to us, but I don’t really care about the others.”

“I… What?”

She’d been sitting beside me for only a few minutes, and my head already spun. It was hard to follow her train of thought.

She turned suddenly, dropping her knees to the side and facing me. She was unconcerned with her nudity, a trait I shared, as did most wolves. For some reason, I hadn’t expected it from her. There was just something innocent about her.

“You and I are a lot alike,” she said, her voice urgent as if she wouldn’t have time to share everything she wanted to. “Your brother raised you. Bastion raised me. He saw to my every need. When others said he should cast me out or send me to another pack where I’d be safer, my brother shed blood. He’s not leader by birth. He’s alpha by blood, blood he’s shed to hold his place in our group. He’s hard with most people. He’s had to be. Everyone respects him and fears him, but for the longest time, I’ve been the only one to love him. He’s been alone. Alive but not really living. Not for himself anyway. He lives for everyone else, and someday, he’ll die for them. Or so I feared. Now, there’s you.”

“I can’t change who Bastion is,” I warned her, but she shook her head and smiled.

“You already have. I saw it when he carried you in last night. He couldn’t look away from you. He’s yours now Raina Byrd. Don’t break him.” Her pale-blue eyes flashed with anger.

“Bastion James belongs to no one,” I told her with a laugh.

“I used to think that, too. He belongs now. With you. To you. He belongs.” She paused again, closing her eyes and tilting her head as if she heard someone whispering to her. It was eerie. Then she opened her eyes, and the pale-blue seemed to glow. “He’s coming. Talk to him. Accepting Bastion as your alpha doesn’t mean you’re betraying your brother. Ask yourself what your brother would want for you. I know what Bastion has always wanted for me.”

“What?”

“Love and happiness. I’ll have it soon. My mate is coming for me. Even now, he’s searching. Finally, I’ll have someone to accept me completely as I am.”

With those parting words, she turned, and the black wolf was there again. She lifted her nose to the air, gave a mournful wail then sprinted into the woods, disappearing as swiftly as she’d appeared.

She seemed lonely and maybe a bit sad. Her love for Bastion was fierce; something I understood. I’d been the same with Rowan. I still was.

I pushed to my feet and walked toward the spot where Rowan had died. I wondered if he’d felt pain or if it had been as quick as my father promised. I wondered what his last thoughts had been and if I’d been in them.

I squatted and touched the charred earth. There were days I felt just as desolate.

I sensed Bastion before the wolf appeared. Our connection was already growing. I was aware of his anger, but a resonating sense of worry overpowered it. I cast a glance toward him then turned back to the ground, palm flat as if I could reconnect with my brother, a fruitless effort.

Wolf changed to man, and I waited for the yelling. Bastion said nothing. He came over and stood behind me. Though we were both naked, there was nothing sexual about it. I held my breath, waiting to see what he’d do, what he’d say. He went to his knees behind me, wrapped his arms around me and held me. It was then I felt his fear. I’d made Bastion feel afraid.

“I’m sorry. I—”

“I’m the one who should apologize,” he interrupted. “I don’t ever want to make you feel the need to run from me.”

---