Chapter Twenty-Three: Part Two

I set the water bottle by my legs before laying back on the blanket, staring at the sky. The clouds were gathering a bit more and I could almost smell rain in the air. I closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh. It was silent except for the occasional shifting from Lily and Ainsley. I tried to focus my hearing, with my wolf as weak as she was, it was difficult but if I muted my other senses I could make the one I was focusing on a bit sharper. Not a lot but a bit.

I relaxed under the warmth of the sun and listened to the noises around me. I could hear the breeze moving through the limbs of the trees and the chirping from birds. It was soothing to listen to the various sounds around me as I lay on the blanket. It was nice to not be stressed about anything.

My bond with Luka was a huge source of stress for me. I was constantly testing the limits of what I could handle with him and I was trying my hardest to listen to the bond that would snake its slightly icy fingers up my spine when I thought about shoving it away. The evolved bond was something that both irritated and intimidated me. Irritation because I could never feel what it desired or wanted and intimidation because I knew that if the bond wanted me to do something it was more than capable of forcing it on me. As per the incident with Ian where I let everyone know I was mated to Luka.

However it seemed content to linger in the back of my being for the most part, only rearing its head to send my brain compulsions that I didn't realize were there until they were half way done. Small reminders of what actually had the power. It grated on me, raising my hackles, to be forced to do things but they were soothed by the fact I had already decided to try with Luka before the bond showed how it had evolved.

"What are we doing here?" Lily's voice wavered and I opened my eyes, the blue sky was slowly getting more and more covered with clouds and I frowned.

"We just had a picnic, Lily. Did you finish your sandwich?" I sat up a little to look at her as she blinked in confusion.

"Sandwich? Oh! That one!" She picked up the sandwich she had put down gave a rather sheepish smile. "There is still some left but I'm full." She held out the quarter of a sandwich and I smiled at her softly.

"That's okay, Lily." I sat up completely and took the last bit of the sandwich from her before wrapping it in the plastic left over from my own sandwich.

"Oh! It's the temple. I haven't been here in a long time. Richard and I got mated in there. It was such a lovely ceremony, Mene watched the entire thing, it was perfect." She was looking at the big stone building and I looked up at the sky. The scent of rain had grown thicker and the clouds were rolling in quicker than I would have liked. I silently cursed at myself when I realized my plan to go out and then come back without anyone noticing was currently fucked.

"Let's go inside, Lily. Pray to Mene maybe?" I looked at her and she frowned before nodding, a slow smile crossing her face. I stood up and Ainsley started to pack away everything into the basket.

"That would be nice." She looked up at me and I held out my hands for her to take. She took them warily and stared at me, her grey eyes dark with slight concern. "Who are you?" I helped her to her feet, her knees wobbled for a moment but held.

"My name is Shey. I'm Luka's mate." The response was pretty much automatic for me now and she squeezed my hands tightly.

"Really? Oh that is wonderful!" Her grey eyes were sparkling with delight and her lined face was brightened by her smile and I wrap my arm around her waist as I slowly lead her towards the temple. Luka would straight up murder me if I let her get caught in the rain that I knew was coming. I already knew he was going to rail at me for taking her out of the safety of the house but if she were to be found soaking wet and out in the rain. I had no illusions that he wouldn't kill me.

"Let's go pray." I slowly helped her towards the door before I looked over my shoulder. Ainsley was grabbing the blanket and she looked over at me. I looked at the sky before looking back at her. She nodded quickly before grabbing the basket and rushing over to us. Between the three of us, she was the only one with a link to the pack. Once we got Lily inside I would let Ainsley know to contact Luka. I wasn't going to hide it from him and I knew we didn't have time to make it back with the rain. Ainsley jogged passed us and opened the door quickly, knowing what I needed before I could voice it.

"Such pretty hair. Who is she?" Lily stared at her intently, her eyes on the vibrant strands. I wasn't sure why she was so fascinated with Ainsley's hair but it made her happy and I tried my hardest to keep her that way.

"That's Ainsley. She's my friend." I watched as Ainsley's face turned red with embarrassment at my words and I rolled my eyes slightly. She was the closest I had to a friend. True she irritated me at times and I lost patience with her but I never had any friends after Jack. The name was a dull aching throb that I shoved away.

"Oh! Her hair is like fire." Lily's voice was a soft coo and I smirked slightly as Ainsley's face went redder. She still wasn't used to Lily's comments about how pretty she was. I was fairly positive Lily was the first one that had ever emphasized that she was pretty.

"Yes it is. Let's get inside before it rains." I helped her up the small step towards the door and she leaned against me heavily but with her lack of weight I didn't mind.

"Oh yes. Don't want to get caught out in that." She looked into the building and gasped happily. "Oh the temple! I haven't been here in a very long time. Richard and I got mated here, you know. It was a lovely ceremony. Mene watched it all, it was so perfect." She inhaled deeply and smiled brightly as I brought her towards one of the stone pews. The four altars that had been placed in the center of the temple when I had first been inside were pushed back to the glass back of the building.

"We are going to pray for a bit." I gently sat her down on the nearest pew and she blinked at me in confusion.

"I am terribly sorry but who are you?"

"I'm Shey, Luka's mate." I smiled at her as I grasped her hands in my own. I crouched in front of her as the smile crossed her face. "He loves you very much, you know. He does his best to protect you." I wanted her to hear it. I knew she understood he loved her, what mother didn't, but I wanted her to hear the words. I tried not to grit my teeth when I realized that it was the bond's compulsion. As far as it's compulsions went it wasn't a bad one. I didn't mind it.

"Oh!" The brilliance of her smile faded to one of love. "He's such a good boy. I love him very much. He is my baby, my pup." She squeezed my hands tightly, the smile a wide one. The bond was content with it and I wanted to roll my eyes at its new insistence with creating relationships with those around Luka.

"I know. Now how about we send Mene a little prayer, yah?" I let her hands go and stood up as she nodded before she shifted on the pew and lowered her head. I quickly turned around and made my way to Ainsley who was poking at the various items on the altars. "Hey." I lowered my voice and she jumped before whirling around, her hand clutching her chest.

"Don't do that!" She hissed it out and I rolled my eyes.

"You need to let Luka know where we are. We need to get her back to the house but it will probably rain before we make it back. I don't want her getting wet and cold. It will just make her sick." I glanced over at her and her head was still bowed in prayer.

"He's going to be mad." Ainsley's voice was a hushed, almost fearful whisper. I didn't like the tone.

"Tell him I threatened you with grievous bodily harm. Put all the blame on me and tell him to bring some umbrellas or something." I shrugged before walking around the altar and looking out the large window. It extended to the roof and faced south in such a way that the rising moon as well as the setting one would shine its light on the altars. I stared out the glass and sighed.

"He's angry." Ainsley's voice waved and I almost winced at it. I could only imagine how much it hurt her head to have Luka's anger leaking over the new links. It was more than likely giving her a raging headache.

"I knew he would be. Tell him it's my fault." I waved my hand over my shoulder. If he directed his anger to me it would at least keep most of it out of her head. I didn't need collateral damage, especially not if said collateral damage was Ainsley. The poor female didn't need to be caught in the crossfires between Luka and I.

"I did." At the comment I turned around. She was worrying her lip, her hand going up and tracing around the edge of the bruise around her eye. I winced at the brutal look of it. A sharp spike of anger filled me. Alpha Marti was a piece of work.

I shook myself out of those thoughts. It did me no good to be thinking of various ways to kill him. "What did he say." I had to admit I was slightly curious about his reaction to my kidnapping of his mother.

"Just that you are unbelievable." Ainsley shrugged and I fought back a smirk.

"He hasn't had sex with me yet so he doesn't know that." I watched in satisfaction as Ainsley's face instantly flushed red at the comment.

She avoided my gaze and I let the smirk loose. "I'm not telling him that." She muttered it out and I cringed slightly at the thought of the reaction I would more than likely get from him.

"Please don't. He might take it as a challenge." As much as the bond was intrigued by the idea, I wasn't going to fall for a pretty face or an attractive body. Well I used to but that wasn't the point. I needed to figure shit out first. I glanced at Lily who still had started to look around the temple in interested confusion. I frowned slightly when something moved out from the corner of my eyes. I snapped my eyes towards it and instantly stiffened. A dark haired male had stepped out from the trees and looking at his rather tattered appearance he was not from Fortis. "Ainsley, I'm going outside. Lock the door behind me and do not let anyone you don't know in." I felt a heavy urge to make sure both her and Lily were safe.

"Wait, why?" Ainsley looked startled as I quickly moved around the altar and headed towards the door.

"We have a guest." I gritted my teeth. I needed to figure out who the male was and why he was in Fortis territory. Trespassing rogues were never a good thing and could be unpredictable but it was better me than Ainsley or Lily.

"Don't go out there!" Ainsley grabbed my arm, her voice frantic.

"Someone needs to and it's not going to be you or Lily." I looked at her had before levelling a rather piercing look at her that let her know of my disapproval for her interference.

She quickly let me go and hugged herself. "What about Alpha Sterling? He will be here in a few minutes." She whispered it, her blue eyes wide with fear and worry. I shook my head.

"That could be a few minutes too late. Now lock the door behind me." My tone left no room for argument as I left the building quickly, stepping out into the slightly cooler air. The wind had picked up and it brought in a slight chill. I dashed around the building and stopped when I caught sight of the male, he was staring at the temple. I moved closer to him tentatively, watching him carefully as I looked for signs of danger or an attack. His form looked familiar despite his blood stained, dirty, and tattered clothes. I tilted my head as he quickly snapped his gaze to me and growled deep in his chest.

I narrowed my eyes further and my mouth dropped open in shock. "Fucking Sombro?" At the name the growl died abruptly in his throat and his brown eyes widened.

"Cowgirl? What the fuck are you still doing around here?" He looked at stunned as I felt and I blinked rapidly. I had not been expecting that or him for that matter.

I relaxed a fraction, knowing him made it easier to be at ease. "I could ask you the same thing." I looked him over and I wasn't able to discern if the blood was from him or something or someone else. He was covered in dirt as if he had been sleeping in the forest. I knew that look well, I had spent many nights in the forests but Sombro had a pack and so I was slightly worried for him.

"Shit, it's good to see a familiar face." A genuine smile appeared on his face despite the slight sadness that made his eyes seem slightly hollow and empty. He looked like he had been through a war zone.

"What the hell happened to you?" I gestured to him and he let out a humourless laugh that sent unease prickling down my spine. That was not a good sound or even a nice one.

"Fucking Bryce Antone. He attacked the pack a few days ago. Motherfucker hit exactly where you said. It was fucking chaos." He rubbed at his face, smudging the dirt worse and I winced at the news. I hadn't thought Bryce would be stupid enough to attack. "That fucker and his pals killed my parents and a lot of others." He spit the words out, a dark anger radiating so oppressively from his form that I had to resist taking a step back. I was becoming acutely aware of how weak I currently was compared to him. I quickly tried to figure out all the ways a fight between me and him could go.

"Fuck." I stared at him and the anger seeped away and he let out a heavy, tired sigh.

"Yah. I'm just looking for a place to stay out of the rain. Can't go into town. Hunters want my head." He rubbed at his face again before running his hand through his hair. I could see the exhaustion hanging off of him before his words registered. Why would the Hunters want his head?

"Why?" I frowned slightly and he shook his head before giving another humourless laugh.

"Because I abandoned my pack. I'm a pack warrior and I ran off. It's an immediate bounty on my head for being a traitor to my pack's safety but I couldn't fucking stay. I couldn't help out the Alpha who brushed the attack off like it was nothing. I would have killed him." Anger stared to leak into his tone once more and I nodded. I couldn't disagree with him and I understood his anger. An Alpha was supposed to protect the pack, to make sure it was safe. His Alpha had failed in the one task that he had.

"To be honest I would have too." I would have. That pompous Alpha puffed up on his own self-importance would have felt my claws dragging through his skin if he had done that to my family. Alpha's Pride had him deep in it's grasp and I was satisfied with the knowledge that Men would punish him for it.

"So why are you out here still? I thought you would be long gone by now." He looked slightly curious and I shrugged.

"So did I but I met another mate." I crossed my arms over my chest and shifted my weight to one leg, jutting my hip out. I still felt a bit wary, Sombro was a rogue and by all accounts he was an illegal one at that. I didn't like him so close to Lily or Ainsley, even though I knew him, I didn't know him know him.

"No shit. You stuck around for him?" His eyes widened. I fought back irritation at the question. The last time Sombro had seen me I had demanded a rejection from his Alpha's son. I would have been surprised too if I had been in his shoes.

"He wouldn't let me leave." I shrugged again. I wasn't going to lie for him besides I was pretty sure Sombro wasn't stupid enough to start a fight with Luka on his territory.

"He kidnapped you?" He looked at me in disbelief and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him.

"Practically." I shifted my weight to my other leg and he gave me an incredulous look that spelled out how much of an idiot he thought I was. To be honest I agreed with him but I was currently stuck and I wanted to make the best of it. Luka certainly wasn't the worst I had been bonded too. In fact he was pretty much at the top of the list but that could have been the bond talking.

"And you are still here?"

"He grew on me. Like a wart." I smiled at Sombro and he shook his head slightly, an amused smile on his mouth before it fell off.

"You're insane." He gave me a pointed look and I chuckled at him before waving my hand in the air flippantly.

"I prefer the term disillusioned with sanity but seriously. He's an alright male." The bond didn't like the term but I wasn't about to sing his praises in front of another person. It wasn't something that needed to be done.

"Well, whatever floats your boat." Sombro gave me a concerned look and I rolled my eyes at him before shifting my weight to my other leg again.

"What about you? Find that special someone?" I smirked at the question as his face twisted into a rather sour, disgusted look.

"Fuck no. Pretty and beautiful faces blend together after awhile, you know? They get boring. They are boring." He shook his head. "Seriously. Need to find someone that's different. I've done beautiful, popular, and pretty, and I'm damn sick of it." He honestly looked disgusted at the prospect and I raised an eyebrow. With his bad boy persona I didn't really believe that he would simply give that up.

"Really? The bad boy biker doesn't want beautiful? I will believe that when I see it." I chuckled at him and he waved my words off. I was able to see a few scars on his arms, they were new and I felt a bit sorry for him. His Alpha was a right prick to ignore his borders because of his inflated sense of self-importance.

"It's the truth. I want something better than beautiful." He said it firmly, as if it were something he believed whole-heartedly.

"And that is?" I gestured for him to continue and he looked a bit confused, if not a bit lost for words.

His eyes darted back and forth as if the words were in the air around him. "Something... Something... I don't know. Something like-" He froze, his gaze landed on something near the temple and I watched as his mouth dropped open in shock and a rather familiar glazed look came over his face. The motherfucker looked like he had seen something that had descended from the heavens. I smirked at the rather awed look that was on his face before looking over my shoulder to see what he was looking at. My heart plummeted into my stomach and then jumped back into my throat.

It was Ainsley.

He was looking at Ainsley.

I blinked rapidly. She was standing in front of the glass window. The sun had peaked out from behind the thick clouds and had illuminated her multi-toned red hair. It reflected in the glass, surrounding her in a rather fiery aura that made her appear almost otherworldly. I watched as a confused look crossed her face. I blinked again and watched as what little colour had been in her face drained out of it. Her blue eyes went wide and she quickly retreated further into the temple. A dark and rather deadly growl sounded from Sombro and it raised the hairs on the back of my neck.

"Easy." I said it slowly as I turned my head to look at him again. The situation was not going to end well. I needed to keep him out of the temple but I knew it was nearly impossible to keep a male shifter away from his mate when she ran. His brown eyes were nearly black and I held out my hands towards him. "Think about this." I deliberately made my tone soft and he took a step forward, his eyes on where Ainsley had been standing.

"Sombro, take it easy." I held out my hands, thinking of the easiest way of disabling him without getting hurt. Information was processed rapidly in my mind as adrenaline flooded my system. He had just lost his family and left his pack, he had more than likely was in a severely aggressive battle and suffered some wounds. He was more than still likely stuck within fight or flight. He growled again, the sound vibrating the air between us. "Easy." I shifted so I was between him and the window where Ainsley had stood. He took another step forward, his dirty shirt pressing against my hands, I could feel the guttural growl vibrating up my arms.

"You can't, Sombro." I kept my voice even and firm despite the softness that I let it have. I didn't want to rile his anger up. He let out a deadly snarl as his attention focused on me I stayed still, not letting the predator see a weakness or an action he could deem as threatening. "Calm down." I jumped back a moment before he lashed out with claws. His growl held a warning to back off. I wanted to groan, he didn't seem like he was in the right frame of mind for listening. "She's to going to like you coming in there like this." I tried to reason with him one more time but his eyes were nearly black and they narrowed to slits as he lunged at me.

I hit the ground with a rather sloppy roll. I was out of practice. I got to my feet, never taking my eyes off of him. He lunged at me again and I quickly dodged out of the way but I knew the dodging and weaving would only work for so long. He was quicker than me and it was only a matter of time before realized that small fact. I narrowed my eyes at him before pulling my arm back and slamming my fist into his face. His head snapped back as his nose cracked and I ignored the pain that flared through my hand. He looked a bit stunned and I hoped that it shocked him out of his aggressive mind set of search and claim.

"Enough! Think about this, Sombro." I stared at him, my position stiffening to a familiar posture of challenge. I didn't like having someone disrespect me or growl at me and even without my wolf it pissed me off. He slowly looked at me, blood trickling from his nose before he lashed out. I jumped back and claws sliced through the air where I had been standing. I froze and my own weaker growl filled my chest. It wasn't as menacing as his but he still had a wolf and I knew if I had mine he would have had his neck bared as soon as he heard the rumbling. He tried to move around me but I moved so I was still blocking the way.

Thunder rumbled loudly in the distance, it was an ominous sound and it sent shivers down my spine. I swallowed thickly, I was not in a good position but there was no way I was going to allow him near Ainsley in his current state. He would do something ridiculous like mark her without consent. His wolf had been severed from his pack and had lost his family, he was alone and he would want to ensure that his bond with Ainsley would be permanent. The human side wouldn't be given a choice in the matter and neither would Ainsley.

I jumped back as he swiped his claws at me rapidly, trying to remove the barrier between him and his mate. His claws caught the hem of my shirt and tore the entire bottom of it to ragged shreds. I inhaled sharply as I looked at the damage and how closely he had come to splitting open my stomach before I looked up at him. A hot and vicious anger pooled into the belly he had tried to split open. "I liked this shirt." I gritted my teeth before I quickly moved and elbowed him in the stomach before slamming the palm of my hand into his face. "It was a good shirt, you jackass!" He grunted as he shook off the hits before swiping at me. I could hear the fabric splitting again as the claws tore into the fabric of my shirt and dug slightly into my skin.

I winced but the pain was fleeting as I looked at him between him and the shirt. "That wasn't an invitation to do it again. And you cut me, you dick." I shook out my arms before spinning around slamming my foot into his solar plexus. He bent over with an oof as I knocked the air out of him and I grabbed him around the neck, snaking my arm under his and put him in a headlock before letting my legs give out. The dead weight drug him to the ground as I held the position tightly. "Calm down!" A wheezing growl was my only response and I grunted as I tried to tighten my arms around his neck.

He let out a rattling growl before he pushed me off with his free hand. I gave a small cry of surprise as my grip was broken and I rolled on the ground from the force of his shove. I quickly got to my feet and a loud, dominating snarl seemed to rattle the windows in the temple and I turned to look at the newest arrival when I was tackled hard. I winced and let out a heavy oof as I hit the ground. Sombro snarled in my face and didn't think twice before slamming my fist into his jaw. It wasn't a powerful hit but it was enough to stun him slightly.

"Get off me, you ass!" I wiggled, trying to get out from underneath him. Another snarl ripped through the air and with a blurred movement, Sombro was off of me and pinned to the ground by his throat. Waves of surprising dominating power radiated off of the back of my mate as he growled so ferally that I wondered how on earth he hadn't shifted yet. I watched with wide eyes as Sombro fought against the constricting grip around his throat before he submitted under Luka's dominance. His entire form going limp as he gave into the power that was rolling thickly off of Luka.

I swallowed against the rather dangerous waves of angry dominance that radiated off of my mate. I had never seen him in such a state and it was almost terrifying to think that his wolf might have been in control. I slowly got to my feet, I winced as my back twinged slightly from the spot where I landed. Luka wasn't releasing Sombro's throat and I could see his face turning red as he gasped for air. My eyes went wide in horror as I realized he was trying to kill him and I rushed over.

"Let him go!" I grabbed Luka's arm and attempted to yank his hand off of Sombro's throat. His face was turning purple and I felt a bit of panic filling my body at the thought of him dying. He was Ainsley's mate and she did not need to have him murdered by her Alpha. "You need to let him go, Luka." He snarled at the command and I swallowed before loosening my grip on his arm.

I pressed myself to his side before softly sliding my hands down his tense and nearly vibrating arm. "Let him go. Please, Luka." I said it softly in his ear, pleading with him as my hands gently grasped the one he had wrapped around Sombro's neck. I tried to ignore the waves of oppressive rage that radiated out from his tense and vibrating form and the claws that I knew were begging to be buried deep into Sombro's throat. "Please." It was a whispered plea and there were a few heart stopping moments before his hand let go. I was crushed to his chest, his arms wrapping around me like steel bands before he picked me up and moved me away. He cornered me by the stone of the temple, his body acting as a barrier between me and Sombro. The growls rumbled from his chest and into me, nearly vibrating my body with the force of them.

"Leave! Everyone leave!" The words were snarled and I realized just how close to shifting he truly was. He slowly moved me further along the building and away from the still coughing shifter he had attempted to kill. I hadn't realized how far we have moved until I could hear Lily's murmuring as she was taken out of the temple. I went to move my head when Luka snarled again, pressing my head to his chest. His slightly cool but masculine scent filled my lungs and sent heat spiralling through me to pool in my belly.

"Where are we going?" Lily's voice was wavering and Luka's growling lessened but did not stop. I could feel his claws touching my skin but not pressing into it. His heart pounded harshly in his chest as he moved me closer to the temple door. I tried my hardest to relax in his grasp. I knew fighting him in his state would not help me, in fact it was pretty much guaranteed to make it worse. Rain started pouring but Luka hunched over me, keeping the rain off me as he moved us through the door. I was abruptly let go and he slammed the door closed right as thunder boomed.