The Mating Rules

Caden’s POV

I g***n in discomfort as I rouse from what must have been the worst sleep of my life, my neck aches badly from the odd angle it was in whilst I slept, and my body feels exhausted even though I have only just woken up. I’m not sure if maybe I’m coming down with something or what but I could really do with a drink and some strong painkillers for the deep pounding that’s happening against my skull right now.

I try to call out to Jamie-Lee, to ask her if she could bring me some water or a glass of juice, but my mouth is too dry to make words, and all that I manage to do is mumble incoherently so quietly I doubt she could hear me even with her wolf hearing.

I realise reluctantly, that I’m going to have to try and open my eyes and get myself some pain relief. Shifting around with difficulty, I’m confused at the distinct hardness under my a*s. This isn’t my bed, actually, I’m not even lying down, i’m sat up straight, did I fall asleep at my desk in the office? Sh*t, Jamie-Lee is going to blow her top at me if I did! She always likes us both to be with her when she sleeps at night, can’t settle properly when one of us isn’t there, she always complains that she feels agitated if she’s not sandwiched between us. I’ve never complained about going to bed at the same time as my Mate, I happen to feel the same way, if we are not all there together, I feel off and Cobalt is a bit anxious, prowling around my mind until Hadley comes back from his shift on patrol if he’s got nights. Thinking about it, I’ve never come back when working late and not had Hadley awake when i climb into bed, so it’s possible that the warrior also feels on edge when the three of us can’t sleep at the same time.

I try to move my hand to rub my eyes, but something stops my hand from moving more than a few inches, tugging at my arm I find that they are tied behind my back, what the hell?

My eyes snap open and I immediately sense that I’m not in our home, I’m not even in the pack house, and none of the familiar smells are around me, in fact, I have no idea where the hell I am.

I’m alone, my hands and feet still bound tightly though now I’m in an uncomfortable metal chair that seems to be bolted to the floor as I cannot rock it at all. The bag is still over my face and has been pulled back into place, leaving me in virtual darkness, only the barest amount of light permeating the thick weave.

I hear a door open to my right and my head snaps in that direction as I growl warningly.

‘Now now Mr Star’ comes a smooth voice, ‘there is no need for such hostility.’

‘Oh I’m sorry’ I manage to rasp through my dry throat, throwing as much sarcasm into my voice as my raw vocal cords will allow. ‘I must have misread the situation, people tend to do that when they are drugged, kidnapped and wake up tied to a damned chair!’

The voice chuckles cooly at my words, ‘yes, I apologize for the unorthodox manner in which you were brought here but you see, I didn’t think you’d be open to an invitation.’

I roll my eyes even though he can’t see me, ‘yeah, well we’ll never know will we though I can guarantee that any future offers of your company will be regretfully declined.’

The voice laughs louder, though it lacks any warmth making it sound eerily sinister. ‘Ah wit’ he muses, ‘I had forgotten just how much you hide behind your humour Alpha. Tell me, does it work?’

‘Does what work?’ I snarl back, fists clenching behind my back.

‘The humour’ the voice replies softly, ‘does it work to distract others from your feelings of inadequacy? Do they overlook your weaknesses when you pull out those sarcastic responses that are so entertaining.

I swallow thickly, refusing to let him know that his words are getting to me. ‘I am not weak’ I reply with surliness.

‘Really?’ the voice taunts, ‘so you are the strongest in your pack? No one can outfight you?’

‘My father can’ I growl, ‘that’s why he’s the Alpha.’

‘Ahh yes, Alpha Scott’ the voice soothes, ‘a fine Alpha, it must be so hard to try and live up to his legacy, follow in his footsteps, fill such big shoes. It must be so . . . disappointing for him when you don’t live up to his expectations.’

‘I don’t know what you’re on about’ I snap back, my anger rising as I fight through the pain throbbing in my head to concentrate on the voice taunting me.

‘You Alpha’ the voice continues, moving closer to me, ‘his neverending disappointment in you. He groomed you from a pup to be the leader of his pack, did he not? Tried to mold you into a warrior, a strong man that could protect the people he cares about the most? Despite all the years of training and dedication, here you are, still waiting in the wings to be called onto he field as it were. It’s almost like he wants to believe that there is still time for you to become what he thought you would be.’

I grind my teeth, trying to control my temper, I can’t allow this a*****e to get under my skin. I don’t have Cobalt, and I don’t know where Jamie-Lee is, I need to keep my head.

‘I am not a disappointment’ I manage to grit out, my voice calmer than I expected.

‘Oh?’ the voice taunts, ‘but I thought you were mated already yes? That is what the mark on your neck means? Forgive me, my understanding of the wolf world might be a tad rusty but I thought a bite mark to the neck was a sign that a wolf was claimed by his or her mate. So you found your fated other, is that correct?’

‘Yes’ I retort with a slight bitterness to my tone.

‘And is it not normal werewolf protocol that an Alpha would step down as leader of the werewolf pack when his first born finds, mates and marks his Goddess gifted mate?’ the man continues serenely.

‘Yes it is’ I bite out again.

‘So why are you still merely the Alpha’s son?’ the voice whispers in my ear, ‘why has your father not stepped aside already and handed the reins over to you, his fully grown and mated son? If you are so sure of your place as the strongest wolf in your pack, undefeated by any others who would try to challenge you, why are you not sitting in the Alpha’s chair at the very moment?’

‘He’s just not ready to stand down yes’ I reply, my voice strangled because this a*****e is voicing every single question that has swirled in my own head ever since I found Jamie-Lee. Every fear that has festered inside of me since I was a pup, dragged from my bed for punishing training sessions against a man who was supposed to love me.

The voice turns cold as I hear the swish of clothing, telling me that this bodiless voice is walking around the back of me. ‘Or maybe he’s just thinking that another would be better served as Alpha’ he offers up, his words like a slice to my stomach. ‘Maybe he is waiting for that sweet sister of yours to find her mate, or maybe . . ‘ the voice sucks in a breath as though he’s savouring the acid he’s about to spew. ‘Maybe he already found your replacement but he just needs you out of the way? That warrior Hadley, well he’s a strong fighter is he not? Disciplined? No doubt, he was the kind of warrior that your father admired. I bet he was quick with the praise for that young pup that showed so much promise. Not like you though hey? Daddy never gave you the praise that you so desperately sought.’

‘Shut up’ I yell angrily, ‘who are you? A traitor from our pack?’

The voice laughs darkly, ‘who says I’m a traitor’ he asks. ‘Don’t you find it odd how easily I found you? I knew when you were at the first Motel, that woman who owned the place was happy to give my men intel. I knew when you moved out and where you moved too, how could I possibly have known any of that?’

I bite down on my l*p, my mind reeling, how does this bastard know about our pack, my father’s indifference to me, Hadley’s preferential treatment?

‘Like I said’ the voice continues, ‘your father is a very fine Alpha and so very . . . helpful.’

‘What?’ I whisper as the fight leaves me with a whoosh, ‘what are you saying?’

‘Oh nothing’ the man replies, ‘don’t pay any attention to me Alpha, I didn’t say anything at all.’

I feel a prick in my neck again, and I flinch as drowsiness washes over me, ‘why don’t you have a nice little nap’ the voice murmurs. ‘You must be tired what with all the travelling you’ve been doing. It’s got to be exhausting trying to prove yourself to your father, your pack and your mate.’

‘I have nothing to prove’ I mumble though my tongue feels heavy in my mouth and I’m not sure that anything other than noise came out from between my lips.

‘At least Jamie-Lee has another mate, maybe that one can protect her from the demons? I mean, after all, he didn’t just give up when he was taken. Oh no, that werewolf has tried everything in his power to get back to his mate. Done a fair bit of damage to my men in his attempts to get free.’ My head falls to my chest, my breathing becoming laboured as I fight against the tiredness that is weighing down my body. I need to stay awake, I need to fight this, come on! Fight this!

I feel the breath on my neck which sends a shiver down my spine, ‘or maybe’ the voice breaths, ‘maybe she’ll realise that her true potential can’t be reached until she rids herself of both of you. Either way, our dear little Spirit Wolf is going to have to make a decision, she’s going to pick one of you to live. Now . . . who do you think she’s going to choose between you and the warrior? Who is the one who will be the most likely to protect her against the bad people of this world?’

The cackle of his laughter rings in my ears as darkness tugs at me, I struggle feebly against my restraints, begging my own mind not to give in, to keep on fighting. Hadley would have fought the sedative if he was here, he wouldn’t have gone down without a fight. I need to do the same, I need to keep myself awake.

Even as my brain is screaming at itself, I already know it’s a lost cause, the haze of unconsciousness skirts the edge of my vision and my eyes roll closed. Just as my brain shuts down and darkness envelops me, I hear that same torturous voice murmur, ‘just a few more chess pieces to move and I’ll have my queen right where I want her.’