Chapter 9: Thane

Vanessa let out a satisfied sound as she rolled over landing right beside me, her head resting on her pillow.

Both of us were trying to catch our breaths as we came off the high.

I stared up at the ceiling trying to forget all the problems I had for even a second. And this was the perfect opportunity. Lying beside the girl I had loved since childhood.

“Wow! That was definitely worth the wait.” Vanessa spoke letting out a quiet laugh as she turned to face me, running her hand over my chest. “You should leave on covert missions more often.” She teased.

I couldn’t help but return her infectious smile.

“Is that what you really want?” I asked as I wrapped an arm around her pulling her closer, wanting to feel her warmth.

“You know what I really want is you.” She spoke with a soft sigh.

She looked up at me, her brown eyes piercing mine.

This would have been so simple in the olden days. Vanessa and I would have been married by now, living somewhere in the woods in a house I had built for us. No war, no alpha title, just the two of us off somewhere no one could bother us.

But unfortunately that wasn’t my reality.

Vanessa sat up and reached over to a side table to pick up a brush that she started running over her dark locks.

“I have to leave soon, the wives are hosting yet another meeting for the mating ceremony.” She spoke with a roll of her eyes.

I felt guilt eat at me. It was almost ironic how the packs were soon going to host the biggest mating ceremony of the year to help people find their imprints and yet I wanted nothing but to get rid of mine.

I was tempted to tell Vanessa everything, get it all out of the way. She was going to be my wife soon, not that devil spawn of a wolf. She deserved to know even if I didn’t want her father finding out, I knew she could keep a secret.

That’s if she didn’t bite off my head first for having a mate in the first place.

This soulmate stuff was ridiculous in my opinion, some divine force telling you who to love? It was clearly misguided if it thought I was ever going to love a f*cking Diamanté.

I sat up and wrapped my arms around Vanessa’s bare waist, pulling her backwards until her naked back was pressed to my chest.

I rested my chin into the crook of her neck. “I’m sure they won’t mind if you’re a little late.” I whispered as I planted kissing down her neck.

She let out a soft laugh. “Using seduction to manipulate me into saying here with you? Oh darling, you know better.” She spoke but before she could say anything else she let out a moan.

“Thane.” Her voice came out breathy and heavy.

“Yeah baby, say my name just like that.” I whispered.

She pulled away from me to my reluctance and turned to face me pulling the sheets over her chest. “No.” She spoke raising a finger at me.

I playfully tried to bite at it and she leaned back further yelping and laughing.

I crawled over until I was hovering over her.

“Still wanna leave?” I asked playfully.

She reached out to wrap her arms around my neck before pulling me in closer and pressing her lips to mine.

I immediately melted into her touch wanting nothing more but another round of this distraction.

But something in my wolf rebelled, denying me the ability to fully indulge in this. I wanted to see Vanessa and only Vanessa laying down underneath me but instead the little bird’s face popped up, clear as day.

I pulled away from Vanessa abruptly.

She looked at me in confusion.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” I spoke quickly.

Everything.

Everything was wrong, the fact that I couldn’t get hard for my soon to be wife. The idea that the only person I could see in the back of my mind was my enemy’s little sister.

Crap!

Vanessa sat up still studying me curiously. She put a gentle hand on my face.

“Is this about your recent mission?” She asked softly. “You know you can tell me the ugly parts you still get nightmares about, Thane.”

I sat up straight this time looking away. The last thing I wanted to talk about were the nightmares that plagued me. The faces I could never erase.

“I should go.” I spoke as I got off the bed and started looking for my boxers. “I don’t think your father would like the idea of me being in his daughter’s room before our wedding.”

Vanessa scoffed. “My father has three wives, he’s not exactly the best person to give lectures about self control.”

She got up and took a silk robe, throwing it over her body.

She walked towards me as I was putting my shirt on and cupped my face making me look into her eyes.

“I know they’re some things you like to keep hidden from me, but I’m here for the dark parts as well.” She reassured me.

I thought about my reputation all over the packs, all the blood that had to stain my hands for me to get that title.

I kissed her on the lips.

I didn’t need the woman who was going to bear my children one day to ever know that part of me.

I walked over to grab my pants and started to pull them on.

“Is it true that you have Cameron’s youngest sister in custody?” She asked, her voice low.

I froze for a second then forced myself to act normal. She didn’t know anything.

Vanessa turned to me. “I know he hates it when you speak about the war with me but I am his eldest child, his heir. I can handle the gory details.”

I nodded silently at Vanessa. Yes, she was the eldest daughter of the king alpha but the system didn’t work on inheritance. When the time came, all the alphas who wanted to fight for the title were more than permitted to.

And usually, it was a fight to the death. Alpha Reagan wedding Vanessa to me was also probably a way of avoiding that for her. Other than the obvious benefit of uniting our packs.

“She’s in my custody.” I told her.

Vanessa shook her head as she wrapped her arms around herself. “Is she as evil as him?”

She asked.

I thought about the little bird who couldn’t even defend herself or heal. What the hell kind of werewolf was she?

“All Diamantés are evil.” Was all I said in response as I secured my belt.

“Tell me about it.” She muttered as she traced a finger over the scar on her arm. “I want to be there when you kill her.” She spoke, her voice low.

I understood her pain and anger. And it’s all I had been feeling my entire life too. But my wolf now resisted, whined and got protective at the very sound of a threat coming to hurt the little bird.

Get a grip. I yelled at it.

“Why do you think he hasn’t stormed over here to get her back yet?” Vanessa asked.

I had stopped in the process of putting on my socks.

I knew she was talking about Alpha Cameron and to be honest, I hadn’t thought about that.

It didn’t make sense to me either. Why hadn’t that bastard even tried to negotiate terms with me to get his sister back already?

Instead, he had resorted to attacking my allies.

I had given Lyra clear instructions to let Alpha Cameron know exactly who had taken his sister. I had wanted him to know it was me. Yet he hadn’t even sent in a threat in retaliation.

It was strange considering what a bloodthirsty monster he was.

Before I could let my thoughts get too far, my phone buzzed on the bedside table.

I picked it up, answering immediately. The words on the other end were urgent and panicked. I almost didn’t get what the person was trying to say, but three words stuck out; Landon… the Diamante prisoner… escaped.

“He did what?” I yelled.