Mate for a King

Chapter Ten

Lexi ran up the stairs to the flat and let herself in. She shut the door behind her and went to the living room to collect the book. When her gaze landed on the telephone, she thought of calling her parents to tell them she wouldn't be at the flat if they called, but then she realized what time it was in Florida. It still would be way too early in the morning. Her parents were morning people, but even they wouldn't be up yet.

As she picked up the book, a knock came on the flat's door. Lexi crossed the room and opened it. A man, almost as large as Brand, stood in the small hallway. "Yes?

Can I help you?"

A wicked-looking grin spread across the man's face. "Indeed you can."

He made a lunge for her. Lexi jumped back as she tried to slam the door in his face. He easily blocked her effort. Using the only weapon she had in hand, she threw the heavy hardcover book at his head and made a run for the bedroom. He batted the tome away as if it weighed nothing. A deep growl issued from his throat as he crossed the room in and grabbed her by the back of her shirt. He picked her up until her feet left the floor and gave her a few hard shakes. Lexi's heart thundered with fear as he snarled in her face. It didn't take much guessing to realize the man had to be a werewolf. His next words proved her correct.

"My pack leader is going to be very happy to see you. When he sent me to watch the warriors' manor to see if you ever left by yourself, I didn't think I would be lucky so soon. Nathan will be very pleased you didn't keep him waiting."

Lexi tried to kick him in the shins, but he easily side-stepped her feeble attempts to hurt him. He set her back on her feet and manacled a large hand around her upper arm. She dug in her heels as he started to pull her toward the flat's door. All she achieved was him dragging her behind him.

She smacked at his arm. "Let me go or I'll scream."

He stopped and put his nose to hers. "Do and I'll show just how strong a werewolf can be. A few deep scratches on your face should teach you to keep your mouth shut when you're told."

Lexi didn't doubt he would go through with his threat. Unable to get free, she could do nothing as he dragged her out of the flat and down to the street below. The street was empty with no one around to respond to her pleas for help as he pulled her behind the building and shoved her into the driver's side of a beat-up sedan before he followed her in. She crawled onto the passenger side and made a grab for the door handle, but he painfully took hold of her other wrist.

He cast her an evil grin and started the car. "There will be no escape for you."

She watched his other hand pull back just before his fist slammed into her jaw.

As she slumped in the passenger seat, her world went black.

Raed woke to find the spot next to him on the bed empty. Figuring Lexi had to be somewhere downstairs, he took his time in the shower. After he pulled on a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, he headed down to look for her.

He found Algar, Dolf, Garrick and Wulfric eating in the kitchen. No sign of Lexi.

"Have you guys seen Lexi this morning?"

Wulfric shook his head. "Nope, but I haven't been up for very long. Brand probably has. He's already been up for a while and eaten."

Raed looked at the others; they shook their heads, indicating they hadn't seen her either. "Thanks."

He headed for the living room where he could hear the television. Brand sat on a couch, remote in hand, flipping through the channels. He turned his head to Raed and said, "If you're looking for Lexi, she went out."

"What do you mean, she went out?"

"She said she wanted to do some sightseeing."

"Didn't you try to stop her?"

"Yes, but she didn't listen. You never said she wasn't allowed out on her own."

Raed sighed. It was true. He hadn't told his men to make sure Lexi didn't go out by herself, but that didn't stop the sense of unease shooting through him at the mention of her out sightseeing. "Did she at least say where she would be?"

"She went to the cathedral."

Raed left Brand and headed upstairs to grab his car keys. He only took the time to tell the others where he would be before he went outside to the garage. As he drove toward the cathedral, he hoped Lexi would still be there and not off somewhere else. He couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong.

He arrived at the cathedral, parked his car and started to look for Lexi. He did a thorough search inside the building without finding any sign of her, though he could detect her scent. He then went and did a systematic search of the grounds outside. Still no sign of her. There weren't many tourists around for Lexi to become lost in the crowd so he hadn't missed seeing her.

His sense of unease increasing by the minute, Raed got back in his car and headed for the only other place Lexi could most likely be—her flat.

As soon as he stepped into the stairway leading up to the door, Raed picked up the fairly fresh scent of a werewolf. Nerves jangling, he burst into the flat through the still-open door, instantly realizing something had to be wrong. Not only did the door stand wide open, but he saw a book lying face down with the pages bent underneath it as if someone had thrown it.

He took a deep breath. The smell of the werewolf, mingled with Lexi's scent, hung in the air. Hers held the unmistakable tang of fear. Resisting the urge to throw back his head and howl, Raed pulled out his cell phone and dialed the manor. He agitatedly paced the floor as he waited for someone to pick up on the other end.

Dolf answered after the fourth ring.

"It's Raed. Please tell me Lexi has come back."

"I was about to call you. We have a bit of a situation. You need to haul ass and get back here. Now."

"What about Lexi?"

"She's part of the situation." Dolf paused. "Raed, she's being held by a couple of werewolves."

Raed snapped his cell phone closed and took off at a run. He felt his eyes go wolf and his claws push through his skin as he thought of Lexi in the hands of his prey. Not caring if any mortals saw him, he put on a burst of preternatural speed when he hit the street and ran to his car.

As he sped toward the manor, Raed sent up a silent prayer to Tiw that nothing would happen to Lexi before he could get to her. He couldn't lose her now. He'd just found her. The worry made his chest ache. She'd made him feel more alive than he had felt in centuries. Even though they had only known each other for such a short period of time, Raed felt as if she had always been a part of his life. She made him whole. She filled a space inside him he hadn't even known needed to be filled. He loved her. Raed blinked in surprise. He really did love Lexi. He felt like kicking himself in the ass. With her in danger, he now could admit how much she really meant to him. As he turned sharply onto the manor's long drive, Raed decided when he fixed the werewolf situation she had found herself in, he would get down on his knees, tell her he loved her, then beg her to stay with him if he had to.

He ran into the manor as he bellowed his men's names. Garrick strode into the foyer and motioned for Raed to follow him. Garrick led him to the kitchen and out the back door. The others were standing by the stand of trees at the back of the property.

As he and Garrick ran across the back garden, Raed asked, "Is Lexi hurt?"

"Other than a bruise on one side of her jaw, she looks unharmed."

Raed growled with rage. They would pay for harming the woman he loved. "Did they just show up and wait for one of us to find them?" He could now make out the two werewolves who stood on either side of Lexi as the rest of his men faced them down.

"Pretty much, the arrogant bastards. Wulfric and Brand found them when they decided to do a sweep of the grounds. Brand and the big one have been sizing each other up."

As Garrick and he drew almost even with the others, Raed could see why Brand had singled out the larger of the two werewolves. He looked to be almost as big as Brand, and had a mean look about him. A cruel intelligence seemed to lurk behind his eyes. This was no ordinary werewolf, that only lived to maim and kill.

Raed's gaze locked with Lexi's. He could smell her fear, but she had done a remarkable job of hiding her emotions. He took a step closer, but froze in place when Lexi's eyes widened and she whimpered in pain as the smaller werewolf cruelly twisted her arm high behind her back.

"That will be far enough, Raed," the werewolf who held Lexi said.

Raed curled his upper lip and growled. He had no idea how this werewolf knew his name. "Let her go."

The werewolf shook his head. "I'm not ready to do that just yet."

"What do you want?"

"Hmm, what do I want? What I would really like is for all of you warriors to drop dead, but I know that won't happen any time soon. So for now, I'll settle for giving you a warning."

"Don't threaten me, werewolf. You won't like the consequences."

The beast chuckled and shook his head. "Such idle threats, Raed. As long as I have your woman, your mate, I hold all the power here. And since I already know you, I might as well introduce myself. I'm Nathan, the pack leader."

"Who gives a shit," Raed snarled.

"You should," Nathan said with all humor gone from his voice. "You and your men's days are numbered. Under my leadership, the werewolves sired by Fenris will reach their full potential. And once I have eliminated you, there will be nobody to stop us."

"Stop you from doing what? Turning every mortal into what you are?"

"Only those I deem worthy. I'm going to free Fenris, of course."

"You would bring about Ragnarok? It would destroy life as we know it."

"A small price to pay. With Fenris freed, werewolves will rule."

"Even if you manage to take out all of us, Tiw will never allow you to free Fenris."

Nathan snorted. "What is one puny god compared to an army of werewolves? I don't fear your god."

Two things seemed to happen at once. Nathan let loose a howl as the larger werewolf launched himself at Brand. Behind Nathan, five more beasts in werewolf form ran from the trees to attack the rest of the warriors. The ambush came so quickly his men had no time to will their swords into their hands. Shifting to his werewolf form as the rest of his men did, Raed met one of his prey head on. He grappled the other werewolf to the ground and used his sharp teeth to rip out the beast's throat. He then willed his sword into his hand and shoved the blade through the werewolf's heart.

Raed shifted back to human form and tried to find Lexi amidst the small but vicious battle that had erupted. She stood on the edge of the fighting with Nathan still holding her. Nathan locked gazes with Raed and smiled evilly. As Raed tried to push through the others to get to her, Nathan roughly pulled Lexi into his arms so she stood in front of him. He cruelly yanked her head to the side as he used his other hand to pull away the collar of her t-shirt. Nathan opened his mouth and his teeth grew longer, sharper. He then sank them into the top of Lexi's right shoulder. She cried out in pain.

He licked her blood from his lips, gave her a hard shove to the ground and took off deeper into the trees.

With a bellow of rage, Raed forced his way over to Lexi. Nathan was long gone.

Lexi had pushed herself into a sitting position with her hand covering Nathan's bite mark. Tears streaked down her cheeks as he lifted her and held her to him. His body started to shake.

"He bit me," Lexi said, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I know." Raed looked up to find the fighting had ended. Werewolf bodies littered the ground as his men stood panting in human form. They all looked at him with pity. They all knew what a bite from a werewolf sired by Fenris did to a mortal.

He met each of their gazes. "Get rid of the bodies. I'm taking Lexi. Algar, come with us."

As the others started to call down the god-fire to get rid of the dead, Raed picked Lexi up in his arms and carried her back to the manor with Algar at his side. He sat Lexi down on one of the kitchen chairs and soaked a tea towel in the sink. "I need to see the bite, Lexi."

She sat with her arms wrapped around her waist. Algar stood at her back.

"What's the point?" she asked. "You told me what a werewolf bite would do.

Come the next full moon, I'll turn into one."

"No!" Raed bellowed. He took a deep breath, and then said more calmly, "No, you won't. I won't let it happen."

Lexi looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. "How are you going to stop it? Are you going to put me out of my misery before I turn?"

Raed squatted in front of Lexi as Algar took the wet tea towel from him and set to work cleaning the bite mark on the top of her right shoulder. "No. Never. I would turn my sword on myself before I harmed on hair on your head. I'm going to fix this. I'll talk to Tiw. He may be able to reverse the bite."

"Ah, Raed," Algar interrupted, "you have to see this. Tiw may not have to do anything."

"What are you talking about?" Raed asked as he moved to stand beside Algar.

Algar pulled the collar of Lexi's t-shirt away from her back on her right shoulder.

Raed looked at the mark on her back. It looked identical to the one Tiw had placed on his left arm. Tiw had marked Lexi as one of his own? Raed looked at Algar, who shook his head and shrugged.

"What's the matter?" Lexi asked. "What do you see? The two of you have gotten awfully quiet. Is it something bad?"

Raed came around to face Lexi. "When did you get that mark on your back?"

"You mean the bruise? I noticed it the morning after you broke into my flat and we had sex against . . . ." She let her words trail off.

"It isn't a bruise."

Raed helped her up and led her to the main floor powder room. Algar followed.

Raed turned Lexi slightly so her back faced the mirror hanging on the wall above the sink and pulled her t-shirt down. She gasped when she turned to look at her reflection.

"Like I said, it isn't a bruise."

Her shocked gaze met his. "What does this mean? It's like your mark."

"I know. Tiw is the only one who could have done that to you. If he has marked you as one of his own, you may be immune to a werewolf's bite the same as we are."

Lexi looked at the mark on her back one more time. The design was an exact match for the one Raed and his men carried. The same stylized man with two stylized wolves on either side of him done in black. "I don't understand. Why would Tiw mark me?"

Algar blew out a breath. "I think the bastard got it right, Raed. Lexi is your mate.

It makes sense, what with the mark and the other things that have happened to you since you've been with her."

Her gaze shot to Raed. "Your mate?"

Raed searched her face. "I don't know for sure, but I've never felt this way toward a woman before. While in bed with you . . . the sex is different as well. I have to talk to Tiw."

"What are you trying to say, Raed?"

He pulled her into his arms. Lexi watched Algar leave the powder room before she looked at Raed.

"What I'm trying to say is that I love you, Lexi. I want to have forever with you."

She looked at him suspiciously. "Is it because Tiw marked me that you now, all of a sudden, have this need to proclaim your love for me?"

"No. When Dolf told me two werewolves held you captive, I knew then I couldn't lose you. I would lose a piece of myself if I did."

Lexi's heart thudded against her ribs. Raed loved her. While she had sat on the bench at the cathedral, she knew she had been close to admitting to herself that she had fallen in love with him. She hadn't allowed herself to feel committed to him mostly because she'd been afraid if she told Raed she loved him first he would feel obliged to say he returned the sentiment. Now that he had told her he did love her, it felt as a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She no longer had to fear it would be a mistake to leave her life in Florida and move in with him.

She went up on her tip-toes and threw her arms around his neck. Bringing her mouth a hairsbreadth away from his lips, she said, "I love you too."

Raed closed the space between their lips and took hers in a heated kiss. He kissed her hungrily, as if he couldn't get enough of her. Lexi threaded her fingers through the sides of his hair, and he angled his lips across hers. They quickly pulled apart when a deep voice filled their heads.

I only waited to hear you both say those three little words.

Lexi looked at Raed. "Did you hear that?"

He chuckled. "Yes. Tiw, is it true? Lexi is my mate?"

Yes. You, and the rest of my warriors, have been alone for far too long. I decided the time had come for you to find your mate, the one who would stand at your side for the centuries to come.

Lexi cleared her throat. "But I'm mortal."

Tiw chuckled. If you accept Raed as your mate, Lexi, I will make you as immortal as he.

As Raed and Algar already figured out, my mark has made you immune to a werewolf's bite. If you want the rest, all you have to do is say, yes.

"You're going to turn me into a werewolf too?"

No. You're job won't be fighting werewolves. Your job will be to look after the new life growing inside you.

Lexi gaped at Raed. He wore an equally shocked expression on his face. "I'm pregnant?"

Yes. Now what say you, Lexi? Do you want to live forever with your king?

She looked down at her still-flat stomach and then back up at Raed. She smiled broadly. "I couldn't ask for more. So my answer is yes. Definitely yes."

Then so it shall be.

Lexi stiffened as what could only be described as a surge of energy shot through her body. Her bruised jaw stopped aching, and the bite mark on the top of her shoulder stopped throbbing. She yanked aside the collar of her t-shirt and gasped. The bite mark slowly healed, leaving no trace of it having ever been on her skin. She laughed with happiness as she jumped up into Raed's arms and kissed him for all she was worth.

Raed closed the powder room door and locked it. Then he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, while working feverishly to undo her jeans. He yanked them and her panties down with a hard tug before he placed her on the edge of the counter.

Lexi pulled away to pant in his ear, "The others. They'll hear us."

He fumbled with his own jeans. Once he had his cock free, he stepped between her legs. "They'll stay away if they know what's good for them. I can't wait. I need to be inside you now. You're forever mine and I intended to show you how much I love you, starting right this minute."

Lexi turned her head to the side as Raed nibbled her earlobe. "And the baby? You don't mind that we've already started a family?"

Raed pulled back and shook his head as he took hold of her hips. "From my mortal life, that is the one thing I've missed—having a family. Now I have a wife and a child on the way. I'm blessed, indeed."

He surged forward and buried his cock inside her already wet pussy. Lexi moaned as he moved deep inside her. The feel of him filling her to capacity shot waves of pleasure through her. She wrapped her legs around his waist as his hips pumped in and out. She felt her body coil tighter, and his cock swelled. Then she was there. Her inner muscles clamped rhythmically around Raed's thick shaft, a keening moan pushing past her lips. His shaft swelled even more, locking them together as he came.

He shouted her name as his cock pulsed deep inside her pussy.

When she could catch her breath, Lexi cupped Raed's face in her hands and lightly kissed his lips. She held him tight. This immortal warrior, this king, was all hers and she had forever to love him.

~The End~