Chapter 6

Fredrick

The ceremony was quick; the blood pact with the sacred knife under the full moon and the merging of blood in the traditional room was fast and done with, thank the fuck for that. I thought for sure that any moment the scared little rabbit of a woman would flee and I would have to hunt her down and drag her back just to appease my damn wolf. The thought made him growl his approval. The moment he caught her scent when I took a whiff of her, he was adamant that this female belonged to him, and I’d be damned if I could get him to listen to any sort of reasoning.

My wolf didn’t understand what a risky hatred investment purchasing Blaire Ashbourne would be. The potential for so much backlash would be immense. Still, I went against my better judgment and logic and bought her anyway. Partially to make my wolf happy but also waking up to a woman that gorgeous wouldn’t be a hardship I guess.

The boys also all agreed that the benefit of having a beauty like Blaire outweighed the trouble her ownership would cause. Whatever her father threw my way would be worth it, knowing that she was a part of our pack against his wishes.

I watched from the rearview mirror as she tried to make herself as small as possible in the backseat. She was sandwiched between Jason and Tony, their big frames making it nearly impossible for her not to touch them. It was cute really but my possessive wolf didn’t like the fact that other men got close to her body and mixed her scent with theirs. It would be impossible, not to get their scent on her when she’s married to an Alpha with five large brothers. It was unconventional but not unheard of to marry a woman from the Bind and pack match, dominate wolves like I loved searching for a powerful mate, rather than buying one-off, I didn’t intend to buy a mate, I just wanted to watch a show with my brothers when I heard Jacob Ashbourne hidden daughter would be at the pack match. But from the moment I met those eyes of hers, my wolf wanted her for himself and I had to convince my brothers a great deal about how she would help in giving me and the pack enough pups and also how it would be the best plot twist revenge for her father. My brothers had been with me since I could read words and hunt, our bond strengthened the moment our family went down, I knew they would always be part of the way I ran and functioned throughout my life. Having a mate was good, but sharing a house? Creating a new family with the added number Blaire? It just seemed like the next step in our years of running the pack together.

I pulled up the driveway to our place, a three-story glass house nestled between thick trees and forest. Our closest neighbor was at least half a mile down the road, giving us the freedom to do what we wanted out here and be as loud as we wanted. Not like we were that loud, but men can be wild when they get a little alcohol in them, so we have had our moments.

After parking the BMW, I got out, going directly to the trunk to grab her bag. It was a small, purple bag, probably carrying just the bare essentials if I had to guess, but I would change that the first chance I got. She may have been bought as a form of payback, but I wouldn’t treat her poorly because the fact remains she was my mate.

After shutting the trunk, I rounded the vehicle to see her standing next to Orion and Caspain, staring up at our house in awe. I shifted a bit uncomfortable, it was a nice place, but nothing to stare in wonder at. Or maybe she was disgusted or irritated? Please don’t let it be disgusting. Did AshBourne really treat his daughter like a little queen, giving her so much in life that my little home, the home that had been in my family for generations, embarrassed her?

Before I could ask what she was staring at, she spoke, so quietly I almost didn’t hear her, “It’s amazingly beautiful.”

My chest suddenly felt lighter, but I didn’t dare acknowledge it; instead, I knocked Lanny’s shoulder lightly with my own. “Let’s go then, we wouldn’t want the Ashbourne queen to be cold, and the sun is setting.”

“Marlowe.”

I turned, looking at her in confusion. “What?”

“I am a Marlowe now, not an Ashbourne.”

Damn, she was right, and the realization had my cock rising, urging me to claim her, own her, making it so official that anyone who passed her would have no doubt who she belonged to. Instead, I turned around and nodded. “Let’s get her inside.”

She followed meekly behind me, the rest of the guys trailing behind her, no doubt wondering how the next couple of days would be with her in the house, the house at least would have a touch of a female. When we reached the front door shaded by the covered porch, I reached into my pockets, grabbed my keys, and inserted them into the door.

I felt the lock click, and as I twisted the knob, I turned to say, “Welcome to your new home, Blaire .”