Over My Dead Body

RHIANNON

I’m wrapped in Isaac’s arms as we catch our breath.

“Are you okay?” His voice is laced with concern.

“Mm-hmm.” I barely have the strength to respond.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

“I’m just wondering how anyone does anything but have sex.”

He laughs, a genuine, carefree laugh that takes years off his face. He rubs his hand over my cheek.

“Humans and wolves have different life spans, did you know that?” he asks suddenly.

“Umm, no, I didn’t. I don’t know that much about humans really. I don’t recall ever meeting one, although I’m sure I did when I lived among them. Why do you ask?”

“You were really upset when you found that your life span was so much shorter than mine.”

I gasp, “Isaac, how awful that must have been for you! Thinking your mate wouldn’t be with you!”

He lets out a small huff. “You have no idea, little mate. But I just realized it’s not an issue now. Wolves and fairies have similar life spans.” He smiles against my mark.

“Isaac?”

He sits up when he hears the apprehension in my voice.

“Do you feel like you’re missing out somehow? I’m not a wolf, so I can’t mark you. Do you—”

I’m interrupted by his deep, loud laughter. He presses his lips to mine, leaving me breathless with one passionate kiss.

“Little mate, please, don’t start worrying about that again,” he chuckles, and I blush.

Apparently, you can take a person’s memories away but they stay fundamentally the same.

“Can I ask you for one favor?” he asks quietly.

“Anything,” I reach for his face.

“Can you spend a few minutes with my wolf? He’s been pretty much an emotional wreck and he’s still on edge. If you’re not comfortable, please, don’t feel like you have to, I’m only ask—”

“Isaac!” I interrupt his ramblings. “I would love to.”

He smiles as pink tinges his cheeks.

“Should I shift in the bathroom or…?”

“Not on my account. Please, go ahead wherever you’re comfortable.”

He stands from the bed, his naked body pulling away from the sheet that was wrapped around him.

The shift happens so swiftly that it startles me slightly.

His wolf sits back on the floor, both of us staring at each other. I pat the bed beside me and he jumps up with no hesitation.

I run my fingers through the fur on his neck and face. It’s strange—it’s obviously a wolf, and when I touch him he feels like a wolf, but if I close my eyes…

He licks my mark softly and I pull him down to lay with me, holding him tightly, comforting him.

I start to fall asleep against his warm, soft fur.

I don’t know how much time passes before he shifts, kissing me softly all over my face.

“We have to go meet with the others, we’re really late.”

I shoot up. “Oh my God!” I jump out of bed and frantically look through my suitcase for clothes.

Isaac chuckles as he leisurely sifts through his things, not a care in the world.

I find a pair of jeans quickly and pull them up my legs, jumping a little to get them over my hips. When I glance back at Isaac, he’s still naked, holding a shirt, staring at me.

His eyes twinkle with amusement but there is also a darkness, a mischievous glint that I’m quickly coming to recognize.

“Get dressed, Alpha! We’re late!”

He groans and throws his head back, saying something I can’t quite hear, under his breath.

I dress quickly and stand by the door, tapping my foot.

He chuckles and walks a bit faster.

When we reach the bottom of the staircase, the woman who led us to our room is in the foyer.

“Need help finding Alpha Warner’s office?”

“If you don’t mind, I would appreciate it.” His voice is different. The softness is missing. This must be his alpha voice, all business.

She leads us across the huge house and down a hallway. When we reach the door, I can hear muffled voices on the other side. My cheeks burn. This is going to be so embarrassing.

Isaac chuckles next to me, pausing with his hand on the doorknob. “Most of them have mates, baby, relax.”

He pushes the door open and everyone stops talking.

There are two open seats, with Alpha Hunter on one side and Rhodes on the other.

Everyone in the room looks down and I hear someone try to cover a laugh with a cough.

Isaac clears his throat and rolls his shoulders back slightly, his large frame appearing larger, more menacing.

“Please, continue.” His voice is stern, but I don’t miss his lips turning up almost imperceptibly at the ends.

Warner begins speaking. “Our vampire guest will be escorted from her room to join us whenever we’re ready.” He looks at Isaac. “The Brazil lair proved to be more difficult than expected.

“The problem there has been eradicated, but going after Julius in Romania would be dangerous without insider knowledge. Brazil was a maze.”

Isaac nods his head.

“The council has approved a tentative plan, but…” he hesitates before rubbing his hands over his face, “Jacko, you aren’t going to like it.”

Isaac tenses, the muscles in his chest strain against his shirt. The room is completely silent.

“Jacko,” Alpha Hunter says firmly but with obvious care for his friend, “the sorceress, Rhazell, is on her way here.

“She lives in the Blue Mountains, it will take her a few days. We’re told she’s very powerful but also…disagreeable.

“She has agreed to make a potion that will incapacitate him, but...” he grabs Isaac by his shoulder, “we would need Valera to be able to get close enough to administer it.”

Isaac is completely still.

“After the nightmare that Brazil turned out to be, we can only see one way for Valera to get close to her brother. If she were to…bring him something that he wants, he would let her in willingly.”

A deep, rumbling growl vibrates through the room. Isaac stands up so quickly his chair shoots back across the room and smashes into the window behind it, shattering it.

His shirt strains against his chest and he rolls his neck ominously, his bones cracking loudly. His eyes are completely black. He looks murderous.

“I will fucking kill you,” his voice is deep, thunderous, and threatening. “Over my dead fucking body.” He brings his fist down on the table, causing a splintered dent to crack down the center.

“Isaac,” I touch his arm and his whole body shakes.

“Madelyn, get her out of here,” he whispers roughly as the bones in his back roll and crack. He’s trying to hold back his shift, to control his wolf.

Madelyn grabs my arm, but I hold Isaac tighter.

“We’ll find a different plan. I won’t go back there, I’ll be far away from him. I’ve heard of Rhazell—she likes fairies, maybe I can get her to help us, to figure out another way.

“I’ll be safe, I know you’ll keep me safe,” I rush out in a single breath, clinging to him.

“Come on, Luna, please.” Madelyn touches my shoulder gently.

I won’t go.

Isaac drops his head down; deep, shuddering breaths rack through his chest and back.

His hands grip the edge of the table tightly, the wood creaking under the pressure.

“Isaac?” I lean into his arm, pressing my lips to his shaking arm.

He lifts his head suddenly. Grabbing my hand firmly but gently, he stalks toward the door. He yanks it so harshly that I think he may have broken it.

I jog to keep up with his long strides. He notices my struggling and grabs me, pulling me up into his arms.

When we reach our room, he rips the door open, slamming it closed behind us before pushing me against it roughly.

A feral groan rips from deep in his throat. My legs are wrapped tightly around him and I feel him, thick and ready against me.

“I’m sorry, baby. I need you. I need to have you, to fuck you, to be deep inside you. God, I love you,” he cries against my lips.

“Have me, take me, I need you, too,” I whimper between his rough, passionate kisses.