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  I left Mom with Becca and Jazzy and went in search of the men. I asked Jerry and Zeke to stay with them just in case something came popping out of the woodwork so to speak. I knew they were still after me, and maybe Daddy, but I didn’t want another incident like what happened to Jazzy. I knew without a doubt that they would not hold back anymore.

  “Bolton, I need you to go switch places with Zeke, please.” I asked him as we got to the bottom of the stairs. “I wasn’t thinking. If anyone knows what their plans may be, it would be him.”

  Bolton looked disappointed to have to leave, but he nodded and did it anyway. I didn’t blame him for anything that happened and needed to tell him that as soon as I had a moment. I knew he had no choice.

  When Ryan and I walked past the dining area, we could hear the others in the back yard, so we followed the voices. As soon as I stepped outside, Trent broke away from the planning and came to pull me in his arms. He bent head to the crook of my neck just to take in my scent before he backed away so that he could bring his lips to mine.

  It wasn’t a heated kiss or one of passion as we had shared earlier, it was a sweet, light, feathering kiss that I could feel down to my soul. I didn’t know how I had lived as long as I had without him with me. I did know I never wanted to be apart again. He ran his fingers down my cheek so lightly I could barely feel it, but it sent shivers all the way down to my toes anyway.

  We just looked into each other’s eyes for a moment, no words necessary to know what the other was feeling. I could sense the bond growing the more I was in close proximity with him, and touch made it that much stronger.

  “Dad wants us to come home.” He said softly.

  I nodded. “I’m ready to go home.” I told him softly, still not able to look away.

  It seemed he was of the same mind as he issued the order for everyone to pack up. At that point I saw Zeke come out the back door out of the corner of my eye, and I remembered what I had been going to talk to Trent about. I snapped out of the daze I had been in, and when I did, Trent visibly tensed.

  “Nothing is wrong at the moment, but I was going to talk to you.” I reassured him, then turned to Billy that was on his way into the house. “Billy, I don’t think you need to leave their side at all for a while. Becca in a state of shock and I think it will take all of you together to help heal.”

  He nodded his understanding before rushing to get to his mate.

  I turned back to Trent. “I thought it would be a good idea to find out everything Zeke knows about what the rogues have been up to and what they were planning. I know some, what little Hughes told me, but it’s not much.”

  “I had thought almost the same, except I was going to talk to Bolton.” His voice hardened when he spoke Bolton’s name. “I want to know everything he told Hughes when they met up.”

  “Please don’t hold this against him. He’s a good man, and I think he’ll be good for the pack.” I tried to reason with Trent, but I knew that he would always hold a grudge to some extent simply because I was his mate and the one that was betrayed. “Hughes said that a made were had to follow the orders of their maker, and he said it was a coincidence when he ran into Bolton. It was the same with Zeke. They had to follow his orders.”

  “I can still be angry that Zeke attacked you and Bolton betrayed you. Don’t ask me to be reasonable, you’re my mate.” He said petulantly. I just let it go, knowing I would never win that argument. “Besides, Bolton could have come to you and told you what happened; if not you, then someone else, but he chose to keep it to himself.”

  “I did, and I am so sorry.” Bolton said as he came outside where Trent, Zeke, and I stood. “Please forgive me.”

  “I do.” I told him sincerely.

  “You’ll have to work to earn my trust.” Trent said, but not as angrily as he had been speaking. “Both of you will. We will talk in detail on the plane, but right now we need to get ready to leave this place.” He added, including Zeke in what he said.

  Zeke actually looked relieved, and when we turned to head inside to pack up, I saw Nikki standing there, watching Zeke. When she noticed me looking, she gave me a small shy smile and turned to head back inside. I started thinking that maybe Trent and I wouldn’t be the only ones to have a happy ever after when this was over.

  Chapter 18

  “I had to tell him everything I knew of her and of your pack, which luckily wasn’t much at the time.”

  Trent was questioning Bolton and Zeke in the little meeting room on the plane. We had packed everything and left in good time. The trackers had unfortunately not been able to pick up the scent of the Diamondbacks who loaded into vehicles that had been parked at the road on the other side of the woods behind their pack house.

  I had been able to calm Trent by just being with him and not leaving his side. He had not stopped touching me since we got back to the pack house and I had helped Becca and Jazzy. He had held my hand, or had his arm around me in some way the whole time, and had kissed me often. My need for him was growing, but I knew we needed to find out as much as possible about what the rogues were up to.

  Ryan and Jerry were standing on either side of the door, acting as the body guards they were, though I didn’t feel any menace from Zeke, and Bolton was still so depressed and upset about what he’d done; I didn’t see either of them trying to hurt me or take me, but I understood that it was their job to make sure. Ryan had already confessed his disappointment in himself for not being at the hospital when I needed him. I tried to talk sense into him, but he wouldn’t listen. None of them would, and the stupid males all blamed themselves in one way or the other. I felt like the only blame to be placed was with the rogues, which now encompassed the Diamondbacks. Zeke no longer included of course.

  I was on the left side of Trent, who was at the head of the small meeting table, and Nikki was on his right. She sat in the Beta’s seat and me in the Alpha female’s seat. Bolton sat at the other end of the table, three chairs down from me, and Zeke sat across from him on Nikki’s side of the table, two chairs down from her.

  “I told him about Crystie being a born Omega; though at the time I didn’t really understand what significance that held. I told him the little I knew of your pack, which again, at that time wasn’t much; just where you were from and that you were pretty large and powerful, and a very well respected pack.” He took a breath before letting it out and turned back to speak more directly to me. “I told him of why you were travelling and that you hadn’t found a mate yet. Finally he asked where all we were going, so I told him that. I didn’t know then what I know now. Most of the information I gave him wasn’t accurate, it was just the façade I knew of. I really wanted to tell you what happened, but I didn’t want you to hate me, and he ordered me not to let on that anything was wrong.”

  I felt so bad for him. “You had no choice but to answer. I don’t blame or hate you.” I told him; trying to let him hear and feel the sincerity in that statement. I could tell it helped a little when he relaxed a little, but I would have to make sure he understood. He was beating himself up for something he had no control over.

  Trent turned to Zeke. He still didn’t like the man simply because he had attacked and injured me and had a hard time talking to him. I squeezed the hand I was holding under the table and he visibly relaxed with the extra pressure, I guess his wolf relaxing by remembering I was with him now. He squeezed back before finally speaking.

  “You said that you have been living in a kind of haze, please explain what you mean.” He said stoically, and if it weren’t for the slight grinding of his teeth, you’d think he hadn’t been affected at all.

  Zeke ran his hands through his hair and mussed it before leaning on the table. “It was like I was watching and hearing everything from far away. I was there, but someone else had control, and nothing I did could change it. At least until Crystie.” He leaned back in his seat, kind of sprawled out, looking frustrated. “At first it wasn’t like that, but the more he would order me to do
things…it was like I was losing myself a little at a time. I tried to fight back once, and I don’t know what he did, but after that is when I no longer had control of myself. I was basically his puppet.”

  “Do you remember things you did, things they told you, or things you heard?” Nikki asked.

  “I only heard them if they had called me into a conversation and forgot to release me.” He closed his eyes and I saw his jaw muscles flex. “I remember everything I was ordered to do.”

  “I was ordered to make her suffer, but not to injure her beyond what she could repair. I was to make sure she could remain conscious for more questioning. We were to do it whether she cooperated or not.” He said sounding tired and defeated.

  I looked at Trent and begged him silently to end this questioning. He just stared back at me and didn’t say a word. I could tell he really needed some time away from all of this. I knew he would have to get used to it, but he wasn’t Alpha yet, so maybe I could give him this. We still had a couple of hours in the air, so I turned to Zeke and Nikki, including her which I had a hunch would make her happy.

  “Zeke, can you please try and recall everything you have heard Will and Bethany speak of and relay it to Nikki. You two can go out there and get a drink and a snack while you talk. We’ll get back together when we land and get to the pack house and Alpha Parker.” He nodded and just peaked over to Nikki with a small smile on his face.

  “I’ll take care of it.” Nikki said. “You two get some rest. Bolton, there is more comfortable seating out there you can try and relax in; maybe catch a nap before we get to South Dakota.”

  Ryan and Jerry both nodded in our direction and headed out, closing the door behind themselves.

  “Are you alright?” I asked Trent, bringing my hand up to his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into my touch.

  “How many times?” He asked. His voice cracked on the last word, but I had no idea what he meant. He must have realized that because he opened his eyes and looked back into my eyes. “How many times will someone try and take you from me?” I saw tears well in his eyes, and my heart broke for him. I had put him through so much.

  I leaned up, moving my lips to his. Realizing what I was doing, he met me half way. The same explosion of sensation I had experienced earlier came back. I had never felt anything close to it before him, and I wish I had. Then I wouldn’t have wasted two years of our lives by being stupid. My whole body moved toward him as if he was my world now and held the gravitational pull the Earth used to possess.

  Trent wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled be over onto his lap so we could reach each other better. His hands roamed over my body as mine explored his tight, muscular chest and arms. I ran them down to the hem of his t-shirt and slid it up slowly, feeling his abs and pectorals with nothing filtering the sensation of his skin touching mine. He had no hair on his chest and it was driving me insane with want. I knew we were moving too fast and that there were other wolves on the plane, which would mean that they could hear if we did anything, but I couldn’t stop myself, or even bring myself to care.

  “I know, baby. I’m having trouble controlling myself too.” He whispered when he pulled away and touched his forehead to mine. We were both breathing so heavily, you’d have thought we’d just run a marathon. After our breath evened out some is when I thought about what he’d said.

  “Can you hear my thoughts?” I asked him. “This is more than earlier, it’s like you took the thought out of my head.”

  “I have a constant link to the whole pack and can talk to them when needed, but it’s not like I hear every thought. You were always hard for me, but I would get snippets here and there. They never made sense until recently.” He said as he picked me up and carried me to the couch. He lay down and had me on top like a blanket. “But with us being near each other, the link with you is getting stronger. I can hear most of what’s going through your head now.”

  “Why can’t I hear yours?” I asked. That didn’t seem fair if he could listen to my thoughts, but I had no idea what he was thinking most of the time.

  He laughed as he listened to my petulant thoughts. “Hey now, think of it this way; I can’t feel what others feel like you can, so you have something I’ll never have. At least you’ll eventually be able to hear my thoughts, and those of the pack, after we mate.”

  That did make me feel better, though I hadn’t really been upset in the first place. I had never felt like being this playful and open with anyone else before and it was nice.

  “That’s because we’re mates.”

  “Will you get out of my head!?” I laughed as I smacked his chest.

  “But you’re so interesting and entertaining.” He tickled me and got me giggling before pulling me up his body for another slow and sweet kiss. If he kept doing that, he wouldn’t have to worry about my thoughts. I was always so senseless when his lips and hands touched me like that.

  He chucked into our kiss before pulling away. “Let’s take a nap.” He said. “We’ll have enough to deal with when we land.” I snugged my faces into his neck and took in his scent, letting it relax me, but the pulsing need I felt for him was still there.

  I started kissing and nibbling on his neck and jaw until he slid his fingers into my hair to help guide my head to align our mouths. My lips parted to allow his to slide in, drawing a moan I hadn’t even known I was capable of, from way down deep.

  His hands roamed my body as mine roamed and explored his. Even I could smell my wetness getting me ready for his introduction into my body.

  Growling, he somehow flipped our positions on the couch. His mouth only leaving mine long enough to undress us both, Trent took me and my body places I never thought I would be able to go. He said he had saved himself for me and with the frantic need and awkwardness we were both exhibiting, I believed him.

  Finally calling out our simultaneous release, we both bit down on the others’ neck, marking our possession of each other for the world to see.

  As I lay on top of him, coming back down to Earth from the explosion that changed my world for the better, I laughed at the thought that wouldn’t leave my head.

  Catching my thoughts, Trent’s laughter joined mine.

  “Really? All you can think of in this moment is the mile high club?”

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  After getting off the plane and arriving back at the pack house, we had gone in the office with Alpha Parker and briefed him on everything that had happened and all that been discovered. He knew most of it, but he wanted everyone’s perspectives on the situation.

  I had an idea, but I knew Trent wouldn’t like it. I don’t know how he hadn’t picked it up in my thoughts, but he hadn’t said anything and he wasn’t fussing at me, so I knew he still didn’t know. Obviously, though, Alpha Parker had.

  “I need to speak to Crystie alone.” He announced to the room. Everyone filed out except for my dad, mom, and Trent.

  “I did say alone.” He said to the remaining three.

  “I’m not leaving my mate.” Trent said. I could tell by his tone of voice that he wouldn’t budge.

  “Do you really think I would harm your mate? An Omega at that?” Alpha asked in a threatening tone that had both me and my father working to soothe.

  Trent’s shoulders dropped in defeat. He knew his dad would never hurt me, that wasn’t the issue. He just didn’t want to leave my side. He looked over to me, kissed my forehead and headed out with my parents.

  When the door had shut behind them, he turned to me. “I’m not so sure about this idea, Crystie.”

  “Do you have a better one?” I asked him. “One that doesn’t involve our wolves getting hurt?”

  “You know that Trent will not give in lightly.” He said, flopping down in his seat and leaning on his desk.

  “We are planning on spending the day alone together. I’ll tell him tonight. It’s the only way for you to be able to find the rogues and do what you have
to do without a huge battle.”

  “If you can convince my son to go along with this, then we will do it.”

  I nodded. I knew how improbable that task was. There was no way Trent would let me get taken by the rogues; willingly or not.

  Chapter 19

  Though Trent wasn’t happy about not knowing what Jeffery, as he had asked me to call him, and I had talked about; we were able to assure him all was fine and that I would tell him later. So he dropped it and just spent the day with me, relaxing in his room, well our room. We talked about everything. I don’t think anything had been left out of our conversation.

  One thing he was adamant about, though, was that I learn how to defend myself. I tried to convince him that I couldn’t hurt anyone or anything, not even with the help of my wolf, but he was very hard-headed on the subject.

  “I’m not hard headed. I just think that any wolf would defend herself in an attack.” He said, obviously hearing my not so nice thoughts. “You are just getting your wolf back and I think we should try it tomorrow after I’m sure you are completely healed.”

  “I told you I am fine, Trent. I have healed the damage done, and you can ask Daddy and Alpha Parker; they tried to train me before my wolf was gone. It didn’t go over very well, and I got hurt. It caused a lot of problems.” I tried to tell him again. Everything I was saying had already been said, but he just wouldn’t listen.

  “When was the last time they tried?” He asked. Finally picking up some of what I was saying to him.