Chapter 10 ~ Forever, Love!

Ella’s POV ~

As soon as Matthew clasped my bloodied palm in his.. I felt a million things.. my body warmed.. I was engulfed in a flood of adrenaline.. Abalone was tap dancing on my brain.. her tail banging a hole in my skull.. and thousands of voices were rattling around.. echoing in my very soul.

Matthew said “Breathe through it baby.. Imagine a room.. with only you in it.. it has a heavy steel door, protecting you from the voices. Shut the door.. lock them out. If someone wants to talk, they will nudge the door.. like knocking. Except me. I always have access. No stinking door can keep me out.”

I laughed “Well, aren’t you special!? We all have to knock to get your attention and you can invade our privacy just.. whenever? I feel violated.” And he laughed with me.

The man tied at my kitchen table glaring at me, asked “You’re a wolf, now!? Edgar will not be pleased! Bet he fucking kills Fred, this time!” I sneered “He’d be doing the world a favor! Who’s Edgar? And I am not a wolf Now.. I have always been a wolf, dumbass. It’s not like I woke up and thought ‘Hmm.. maybe I will be a wolf from now on.’ Doesn’t work that way, idiot!” He spit on me. Matthew backhanded him.

I giggled “Oh! This is fun. I like this game!I piss you off.. you do something stupid.. and the Alpha slaps you! Good times! Let’s continue, shall we?”

I asked “Your people kept the Alpha and the pack busy, so the three of you could sneak up in here.. and what? Snatch me for this Edgar fella? I’m assuming he must be the new leader of the Mountain Men? See? The powers of deductive reasoning! Now, tell me.. when did rogues join hunters in going after other wolves? Especially attacking the Royal Adjutant Pack?” He spit again.. and Matthew repeated the backhand.. knocking him out, that time.

I muttered “The fuck he hit him so hard for!? Now I have to wait for an answer!” Matthew hugged me and said “I am thoroughly convinced this thinking out loud is a woman thing! You’re as bad as my mother!” Jolene said “Hey! I don’t do it as much anymore!” Blake said “Well, you don’t do it any less, either.” She smacked him. I cracked up.

Maverick came in and said “Transport is here for the prisoner. Why’s he napping again?” Blake laughs “Matthew sang him a lullaby?” Maverick nodded and slung the guy over his shoulder.

I had finished washing up the coffee cups, so we locked up the house, and headed back to the pack. Approaching the border, I said “The traitors are gathered.. I see eight.. a cottage.. No.. a cabin. All wood.. two broken windows and what looks like black tarpaper on the roof?”

Matthew nods and slams his foot down on the accelerator. I notice warrior wolves running alongside the truck.. and we drift sideways off the road, to come to a stop.. right in front of the cabin I saw.

Blake and Matthew jumped out and Matthew kicked the door off its hinges. Within seconds, two women and six men were on their knees in the front of the cabin.

Matthew growls “The first person to start talking survives. Best figure it out.. you have until morning..” Turning to his warriors he said “Hang them all in chains.. No food.. No water… No lights. I will begin interrogations in the morning.”

He got back in the truck and smiled at me “Handy dandy little gift you have there!” I shrugged “It feels stronger. This time, when I felt the danger.. a vision came with it.” He grinned and told me “That’s Abalone’s influence. She will help you now.”

Jolene said “Angel says Abalone is a favorite of the Moon Goddess’s wolves. I can’t wait to meet her! I bet she’s beautiful.. does she seem large? It feels like she has a large presence.. but that could be her personality.”

I laughed “She looks humongous in my head.. but that could be because I have a tiny headspace.. Her personality is definitely huge! She’s opinionated.. and judgmental.. sarcastic and funny, at the same time. She definitely takes some getting used to.”

By the time everyone and everything was settled for the night, I was exhausted. I went to my room and showered.. and had just slipped into sleep shorts and top, when I heard a knock at my door. I opened it to Matthew.. who held a tray with some warmed over pizza and two cans of soda. “I thought you might be hungry!”

I yanked him into my room and we sat cross legged on the floor.. enjoying our feast! I asked “Do you really believe we are mates?” He nodded, smiling “I am certain of it..” Taking my hand, he whispered “The sparks are stronger now, since Abalone is awakened.. you should be able to feel tingles, already. My scent should be a little stronger and more enticing. Yours is.. absolutely captivating.. and driving Frost mad! You smell like jasmine and moonflowers. Intoxicating!”

I closed my eyes and breathed him in.. before today.. he always smelled good… the smell of the forest, after a spring rainfall. Now.. a distinct aroma of pine and mint mixed with it. It filled my senses.. permeated my soul.. Abalone purred and whispered ‘mate’ in my mind.

I opened my eyes.. looking directly into his “I want to go ahead with the Luna ceremony, on my birthday. Abalone is convinced.. Frost is certain.. I want to be yours.. for eternity!”

He pulled me into his lap.. and buried his face in my neck. He whispered “I shifted into my wolf.. very young. By the time I was seven.. Frost was fully grown. He has wanted to be with his mate for fourteen years.. But he waited. He let me be a boy.. let me grow, and mature. He never complained.. but when he laid eyes on you, he knew. You have made us both very happy tonight, baby! Forever, love!”