Desert Heat (Complete)

{Arie’s P.O.V.}

As I was getting washed up in the shower, I couldn’t stop smiling. I was in utter misery while on the job. Lacie has been in my life for just about a month now, and she has become my everything. I never thought I would get to have a mate. Being born a rogue and living the life of a bounty hunter ever since I shifted at 18, I figured I would die alone and unloved.

Sure, I had plenty of lovers and dated here and there, but I knew that it would never compare to the love of your true mate. Being born a rogue meant that I would never get to have one, but as luck would have it, after the war, the Alpha offered me a membership to his pack as a token of his gratitude. I already had a great professional relationship with him, and I had a great friendship with Mikey. I’m still not used to calling him that, I prefer his bounty hunter name, Razor, Mikey was too childish, but it is what it is.

When I finally did decide to join the pack, it was nice seeing how accepting the pack was. A rogue turned member was nothing new for this pack since the boss did it all the time. If you were worthy of course. I had gained hope that I would find my mate now, and as luck would have it I did. The moon goddess gave me Lacie. I will never forget that day I met her, the day she entered my life, my precious Lacie.

—Flashback—

I was in the packhouse hanging out with some of the other newly added members and we were getting to know each other. Most of them were rogue bounty hunters that also helped during the war. I knew of them by name and reputation, but not by actual face. Warlord, Fury, Carter, and Poseidon. All born as rogues in different parts of the country, all given a second chance at a home and a chance to find their mates. I was the oldest of them all.

“Aries, you still f*****g that chick Maya?” Fury asked.

“f**k no! That b***h is crazy. I told her it was casual s*x, but she got all hung up on it and wouldn’t stop coming to my house,”

“Dude, I thought your house was off-limits,” Poseidon said.

“It is off-limits, I don’t know how the f**k she knew which townhouse was mine,”

“She probably followed you home one night,” Carter said.

“That sucks,” Warlord chimed in.

“She’s an unmated wolf, who was getting banged by the great Aries, why wouldn’t she get hung up on you?” Carter replied.

“Shut the f**k up, Carter” I snapped.

“How old is she anyway?” Fury asked.

“f**k if I know. I know she is of age, that’s all I cared about,”

“You sure?” Poseidon asked.

“Yes, I made her shift into her wolf before f*****g her,” I told them.

Maya was nothing but an easy booty call. She was hot, I gave her that, but I didn’t do relationships with pack members. It was just drama waiting to happen, and it happened anyway. Maya became obsessed, and started to show up at my house unannounced and even broke in a few times,

“I broke things off with her like two weeks ago, but she still f*****g calls and texts me. I had to put up a f*****g block on her because she would mind link me while she would masturbate and while I was f*****g sleeping,” I tell the guys.

“Dude, that’s not creepy at all,” Fury replied sarcastically. I was about to say something else when this amazing scent hit me,

“Whoa, do you guys smell that?” I asked the guys.

“Smell what?” Fury asked.

“That sweet scent, it’s like…” I sniffed some more. “…Cinnamon and apple,”

“I don’t smell s**t,” Warlord responded. The smell was faint, but it was there, and it made my mouth water. I started to follow it,

“Aries, where you going, man?” Carter asked, but I just ignored him. I kept following the scent and the more I did, the stronger it got. I went through the living room, across the floor, and down the corridor that led to the packhouse conference room.

I stood outside the door and didn’t know what to do. I could see the light on, and I could see silhouettes through the blurred glass. The scent of cinnamon and apple was overloading my senses and it was coming from someone in the conference room,

MATE! MATE!

My wolf Cypher started to go crazy in my mind. My mate was beyond this door, but what was I going to do?

WHY ARE YOU STALLING!? GO GET OUR MATE A*****E!

Calm down mutt! There are people in that room!

I knew if I didn’t do something fast, Cypher would take over and bust through the door. I took a deep breath and knocked. A few seconds later, the Beta opened the door slightly, and the smell of my mate just made me lose my mind,

“What the f**k do you want Aries? We’re in the middle of something major,”

“Beta, please excuse my intrusion, but I believe that my mate is in that room,”

“What.the.f**k?” the Beta said, and he slammed the door in my face. About a minute later, the Alpha and Luna came out and closed the door behind them,

“Aries, why are you here?” the Alpha asked.

“I’m sorry Alpha for disturbing you, but I had to come,”

“Why?” he asks, and I see the Luna staring at me.

“Oh no,” she says, and covers her face for a second before looking back at me. “Aries, look me in the eyes,” she commands me, and I do. She stares at me and mutters, “s**t,”

“Luna?” I say, but she ignores me and looks at the Alpha.

“Lacie,” she says to him. Was Lacie the name of my mate? He closes his eyes and lets out a big sigh.

“Do you think she knows?” the Alpha asks.

“She does, I saw her tense up when Brandon opened the door,” the Luna replies. My mate, she could sense me too. This made Cypher go even crazier in the back of my mind.

“Alpha? Luna?” I address them but am ignored again.

“Dorian stay out here,” the Luna says to the Alpha and goes into the conference room. I didn’t understand what was happening, maybe the Luna went to go fetch my mate for me. I was getting restless. I just turned 30, and I finally found my mate. I couldn’t help but wonder what she looked like, I didn’t care really, I would accept her no matter what. Cypher wondered what her wolf looked like, he hoped she wasn’t an ugly s**t colour brown like Maya.

As I continued to wait, I saw the Alpha’s eyes cloud over,

“Aries, you will come with me into the conference room, but you will remain calm, is that understood,”

“Yes, Alpha,” he opened the door and led me in, and the scent of my mate just intensified. Then I saw her, she was standing behind the Luna. She was a few inches taller than her, but enough for me to see that she was radiant.

I wanted to go to her, and Cypher was starting to surface because the Luna was in our way,

“You will remain calm, that is an order,” the Alpha told me, and instantly Cypher calmed himself.

“Lacie, you will slowly, go to him,” the Luna said to my mate. When the Luna stepped aside and showed me, my mate, my heart stopped. I was in love. Lacie was around 5’7, had a lean and beautiful body. Her breasts were a perfect size, her h**s were the perfect width. She had beautiful dark brown hair at the top of her head that ended with golden ombre at the ends. She had her hair in a half updo with a clip. She had beautiful light brown eyes like the Luna and a glowing olive skin tone. Lacie was the definition of a goddess.

After that, I was home free. Lacie accepted my status as a low-level omega, even though she was the daughter of an Alpha. She didn’t tell her parents, but she said they wouldn’t care anyway. As long as she was happy, and I vowed that I would make her as happy as I could. Her age threw me off because she looked older than what she was. Her being a decade younger than me, made her that much more precious to me. Which is why I started to call her Precious.

Taking her virginity was another crazy loop that I didn’t expect. A woman as beautiful as she was still pure and innocent, and I loved her even more because of it. Then as luck would have it, she went into the heat the same night. The moon goddess was blessing me in so many ways in one day, I didn’t know how I was going to thank her.

—-End Flashback—

When I got out of the shower and started to dry myself off, I heard screaming coming from out in the living room, I grabbed a towel and ran out. The sight before me made my b***d boil, Cypher instantly let out a growl,

“MAYA!!” I growled her name.

“Aries!” she said with a smile and stood up. I stomped over to the girls and I threw Maya into the door making her scream in pain. I kneeled down and lifted Lacie to her feet. Her face was bloodied, she had a cut on her forehead, her l*p was busted, her left cheek was bruised, and I could see scratches all over her face, neck, and chest.

“MAYA! WHAT THE f**k ARE YOU DOING HERE!?” I roared while holding Lacie close to me. I could see the anger and jealousy in Maya’s eyes.

“I came because you stopped calling me! You never answer my texts! You put up a block so I can’t mind link you!”

“I told you we were done!! What part of that did you not f*****g understand! Not only did you come to my house again uninvited, but you put your hands on my girlfriend! DO YOU HAVE A f*****g DEATH WISH?!” I roared again.

“SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS YOUR MATE!”

“THAT’S BECAUSE SHE IS!” I snapped. I moved Lacie to my right and showed Maya my mark. “Lacie is my mate! We have marked each other!”

“No! You said you loved me, Aries!”

“I told you what you wanted to hear while I used you like a s*x toy Maya! You were never my mate, and I would never love you. Now, get the f**k out of my house, and stay the f**k away from Lacie and me!” I shouted.

“If you want me to leave, you’re going to have to throw me out!” She crossed her arms and huffed. I normally never put my hands on a woman, but Maya pushed me over the edge. I grabbed her by the throat, opened the front door, and threw her out just as she told me to do. I slammed the door and locked it, turning my attention back to Lacie.

“Precious, let me see,” I say, and I look at her face closely. “Dammit, this looks bad,”

“I’m okay, I’ll heal,”

“I think we should go to the pack hospital,” I tell her

“No, it’s nothing really,”

“Then let me at least get the Luna over here. I need to report Maya for hurting you,” Lacie nodded and I mind linked the Luna,

Luna?

Aries? What can I do for you?

Lacie has been hurt, can you and the Alpha please come over here?

We’re on our way.

When she cut off the mind link, I sat Lacie on the couch, and got her an ice pack for her face, as soon as I did, there was a knock on the door. I looked through the peephole and saw the Alpha and Luna. That was fast, I thought to myself, and opened the door,

“What the f**k happened?!” The Luna shouted as she came in. “Oh my god, Lacie,” she ran over to her and looked at her closely.

“Aries, what happened?” the Alpha asked.

“An ex-lover of mine came to the house unannounced. I was in the shower when she showed up, and when I came out, I found them fighting. Maya was about to slam Lacie’s head into the tile floor,”

“About to? It looks like she did,” the Luna said looking at Lacie’s head wound.

“Who is this ex-lover?” The Alpha asked.

“Her name is Maya, but I don’t know her last name,”

“You better be straight with me Aries,” the Luna said coming over to me, her eyes black as night. “Have you been cheating on Lacie!?”

“No, Luna! I swear! I would never hurt Lacie that way. I broke things off with Maya two weeks before I even met Lacie. Maya became obsessed even though it was casual s*x, and I told her that it was just that,”

“You swear because I swear to the moon goddess and every higher power there is…”

“I swear Luna! I love Lacie!” I protested. She looked into my eyes for a minute and then her eyes turned back to light brown. She let out a deep and angry sigh and turned her attention back to Lacie.

“We need to figure out who this ex-lover is, Aries. We have a zero-tolerance policy in this pack when it comes to assaulting another pack member’s mate,”

“I understand Alpha, that is why I asked for you to come,” I reply to him.

“s**t, this is bad. We need to take her to the pack hospital,” the Luna said.

“But Luna,”

“No buts Lacie! Aries get dressed and get her to the pack hospital! That’s an order!” the Luna shouted.

“Yes, Luna,” I replied.

“Yes, Luna,” Lacie whimpered.

“We’re going to go first and inform Dr. Quinn. You better be there in the next ten minutes,” the Luna said. I nodded my head and they left. I quickly got changed and lifted Lacie into my arms.

“But my dinner,” she whined. “It was almost ready,”

“Don’t worry Precious, taking care of you is more important right now,” I tell her and leave the house. I make sure to set the alarm and lock the door behind us. I use my wolf speed and get Lacie to the pack hospital, where the Alpha, Luna, and Dr. Quinn were waiting.

“Aries, please put her on the bed and step back,” Dr. Quinn told me. I gently laid Lacie down and got out of the doctor’s way. I watched as the doctor ran tests on Lacie and checked her vitals. I looked over at the Alpha and Luna who were deep in conversation and looking back at Lacie every now and then.

“Doctor, how is she?” I asked

“The Luna was right; this is worse than it looks. Lacie, it appears you have a concussion and a broken cheekbone,”

“I do? But it doesn’t hurt that bad,” Lacie says to the doctor.

“It’s probably because you have Alpha b***d in you. You have a stronger tolerance for pain,”

“Oh,” Lacie frowned.

“I’m going to keep you here for 48 hours so we can monitor your concussion if you start to feel dizzy, or nauseous, please let a nurse know right away, okay?”

“Yes, doctor,”

“Doctor, is Lacie allowed to eat?” I asked.

“Yes; however, I recommend soft foods so she doesn’t use her cheek muscles too much, and ice water will be fine as well. I will have a nurse come in to put her on an IV so we can administer some medication,”

“Thank you,” she nods her head and turns to the Alpha and Luna for a minute before leaving. I go over and sit next to Lacie. “Are you okay, precious?”

“I’m fine, I really am. I didn’t think it was that bad to be quite honest. I’m glad the Luna made me come to the hospital,”

“I’m so sorry baby, I didn’t think Maya would show up that way. I promise you, there is nothing going on between us. I broke things off with her two weeks before I even met you,” I say holding her hands. Seeing her hurt like this was killing me inside.

“I don’t blame you, Aries. Really, I don’t. I know you would never hurt me, and if you had been cheating, I would have felt it. Our bond would have broken. I believe you,”

“I love you, Lacie. I’m sorry you have been hurt because of my stupidity,”

“Stop Aries, I said I’m fine. I promise. I love you too,” she was sincere in words, and I couldn’t help but cry. Lacie was hurt because of me, but she didn’t blame me. How did I get so lucky? “Don’t cry, baby, look at me,” I look up at her and feel tears leave my eyes. She pulled me into a k**s and I just held her close to me.

“Ahem,” I heard someone clear their throat. I look and see that the Alpha and Luna are still with us and a nurse standing next to them.

“I don’t mean to interrupt this love scene going on, but I do need to get Lacie hooked up to an IV,” the nurse says smiling at us. I nod my head and look at Lacie who is blushing. I take a step back and let the nurse work. It doesn’t take long, and she leaves.

“Aries, I will have Mikey go over the pack member files and find every Maya there is. You’re going to have to ID her through her pack member photo since you don’t know her last name,”

“Yes, Alpha, and I am sorry for disturbing you and the Luna,”

“She’s my personal assistant and friend, I would have been more pissed had you not told us,” the Luna says.

“Luna, please don’t tell Cianna about this. If she finds out, she will come down here and kill Maya herself,” Lacie says

“I won’t, but we need to find Maya before she decides to skip town. Every pack member knows attacking another member’s mate is against inner pack laws,” she replies.

“I don’t understand, I’ve never heard of this law,” Lacie responds.

“I created the law after Allie was beaten by one of my exes. Allie was still human then, and she had actually died after the attack according to the moon goddess,” the Alpha explained. Both Lacie and I looked at the Luna in shock. I had no idea this had happened to her.

“What happened to your ex?” I asked

“She’s dead,” the Luna replied. “I was in a coma for a week because of her. She broke two of my ribs, one of which punctured a lung, that’s actually how I died I think. She broke my jaw, so it was wired shut for a month, my trachea was swollen for about two weeks, and I was temporarily deafened from the head trauma,”

“Allie was already announced to the pack as my mate and future Luna of the pack, so she was off-limits, but Jessica attacked her anyway, all because she was jealous. After that incident, the other ranked members and I, along with an Elder’s blessing passed this law. If it could happen to Allie, it could happen to anyone,” the Alpha explained.

“Lacie, I want you to get some rest. I will have an omega bring meals to you two until Lacie is released,”

“Thank you, Luna,” I said.

“Also, you two are moving into the packhouse,” she added.

“Luna? I’m a lower level omega, I’m not allowed in the packhouse,” I replied

“Lacie is my personal assistant and some b***h attacked her. I don’t care if it was a catfight or not. I take s**t like very seriously, and I will not have Lacie without any protection in your townhome that’s on the other side of the territory Aries,”

“I’m protecting her,”

“Aries, this s**t happened while you were under the same roof, ten feet away in the damn bathroom,” she responded. That fact actually hit me kind of hard and I realized she was right. I was about to say something when Mikey ran into the room,

“Holy f**k! There you are! I was worried sick!” he shouted at me.

“Mikey, what’s wrong?” the Alpha asked.

“Dorian, Aries’ and Lacie’s house caught on fire,”