Wolf's Mate: Lindy And The Wulfen Part 13

Lindy's eyes kept fluttering shut, but she forced them open, trying to take in all she could. In her mind, she screamed for Crimson, wondering if their connection as truemates was strong enough for him to know she was in trouble. If she died today, she would regret never telling him that she loved him.

"Because she was a liability," the man sneered.

Giwyn looked at Lindy with disdain. "Have a nice life, mortal. For however long it will last."

"Depends on who buys her," the man snorted.

Lindy tried to force her eyes to remain open, but they slid shut and refused to heed her demands. Her wolf howled for its mate as she felt her body being moved and heard the sound of hooves pounding furiously on the road.

And then...nothing.

Chapter 16.

Crimson hadn't liked leaving Lindy during the day of their mating, but there was still much to be done. He knew she would have gladly come along to help, but since he was doing things according to the old ways, it was the male's responsibility to ensure the ceremony went off without a hitch.

When his father had mated his mother, the females in his mother's family had handled everything, which was the modern way. The females decided on everything from the location of the vows to the food that would be served afterward. His father said he'd never been bossed around so much in his life as he had been the day he mated Crimson's mother. Generations ago, the females had begun to take over the planning and execution of the mating ceremonies, and they became less about the actual mating and more about the lavishness of the party.

But this was not a typical mating ceremony. With his father's help, he had scoured ancient texts to ensure the ceremony adhered to the old ways and respected his ancestors as well as Lindy. When he mated her tonight, those in attendance would know how much he valued mating her. He hadn't chosen her because his mother thought she was a good match socially. The truemate spell had brought them together, but her big heart, beautiful smile, and sweet nature were what made him want to mate her and vow himself to her forever.

The ceremony was going to be held in the garden behind his parents' home on a large marble stage. Riyad had been tasked with decorating the stage with beautiful and fragrant flowers.

Riyad came into the room where Crimson was polishing silver candlesticks that had been used by his great-great-great grandfather during his mating ceremony. They were heavy and ornate, and in desperate need of a good polish.

"I've finished the flowers."

Crimson looked up from the candlestick. "Thanks. For everything. I mean it."

Riyad leaned against the wall and folded his arms. "The old ways are complicated, but I have to admit that they're resh. When the glen sees what used to happen during mating ceremonies, there's going to be a demand for traditional matings."

"If the females will give up control of the ceremonies." Crimson chuckled, rubbing at a spot of tarnish. After inspecting the candlestick, he picked up another one and began to polish it.

"It seems as if females have no say any longer, anyway." Crimson's mother's voice rang out, her words sharp and laced with bitterness.

Crimson dropped the candlestick in surprise as his mother walked into the room. His father had gone the night before to the spa and told her about Lindy. She had returned with him, but when Crimson had shown up that morning, she had refused to see him. He wondered if she would refuse to attend the ceremony.

He picked up the candlestick and set it on the low table. "Mother, I would have talked to you earlier, but you refused to see me."

She hummed in her throat and looked at Riyad. He straightened suddenly and said, "Oh, sorry. I'll go back and check on the flowers."

When they were alone, his mother sat down on a high-backed chair and took several minutes to carefully arrange her skirt and settle into the chair. When she finally met his eyes, he could see the disappointment in the green depths.

Anger rose up inside him. Lindy was worried that she wouldn't be accepted by his mother, and here she was already disapproving of his mate. And he would absolutely not tolerate that. She opened her mouth to speak, but he jumped to his feet and spoke first.

"I spelled for Lindy, Mom. I knew you wouldn't stop sending females to my house until I found a mate. You forced my hand."

Her eyes narrowed. "So your mating is my fault?"

He threw up his hands. "Of course not! Lindy's the best thing that ever happened to me. Yes, I spelled for her because you were not listening to me about what I wanted, but I wouldn't change anything that happened because of it. I got the most wonderful woman in the world as my mate. Mom," he sat down on the table in front of her, "she accepts everything about me without question. She makes me want to be a better man. She's perfect for me, and I don't care if you're unhappy that she's from the Mortal Realm or that Dad and I planned the mating ceremony in the tradition of our ancestors. Tonight when the sun sets, I'm going to vow myself to Lindy forever. And then I'm going to spend the rest of my life making sure she's the most loved female who has ever lived."

He inhaled slowly, trying to calm down. He knew his mother couldn't take Lindy away from him, but his wolf was ready for a fight if she tried.

She c.o.c.ked her head. "Are you quite done, Crimson?"

He frowned. "I...guess."

She cleared her throat delicately and then said, "I'm proud of you, son."

His mouth fell open. "You are?"

She nodded. "Yes. When your father first told me what you had done, I was furious." She paused for a moment and then continued. "Then he told me what my constant attempts to find you a mate were doing to you and how bitter and angry you'd become. I never meant for that to happen. I just wanted you to be happy."

"I am happy."

She smiled. "I can see that. And you're very protective of your Lindy."

Reaching forward, she grabbed both of his hands. "I misjudged you. Or, rather, I didn't listen. I thought if I sent enough eligible females to you that one of them would be your mate, but I was clearly wrong. Your father told me to stop, that I would push you away, but I thought I knew best. I can admit when I'm wrong, Crimson, and I was wrong. I'm sorry for the grief I've caused you, and I hope you'll forgive me."

He hugged her. "Of course I forgive you, Mom."

She sniffled and leaned back, brushing tears from her cheeks with her fingertips. "Since your father refuses to allow me to make any changes to the itinerary tonight, I'd like you to take me to your home so I can meet your mate and help her get ready."

"Really?" A great weight lifted from his shoulders at her acceptance.

"Of course. I'm about to get a daughter, and maybe I can talk her into giving me some grandbabies soon."

Crimson chuckled. He would like that, too.

He stopped to tell his father and Riyad that he and his mother were heading home for a little while. After promising to return to finish helping, he a.s.sisted his mother into the carriage and sat next to her. Laud snapped the reins, and the horse began to trot.

"I asked your father if you were going to stay here or live in Lindy's realm, and he said he didn't know."

"I don't know yet either. I'm going to stay there for a week with her, and then we'll decide. Aside from the maw-serpent in the bed and missing her modern technology, I'd say she's enjoying herself."

"A maw-serpent?" his mother gasped.

He began to tell her about finding the serpent and his suspicion that Giwyn was responsible when he felt a stab of fear straight in his heart. He pressed his palm over his heart, and his wolf snarled. He swore he could hear his name being screamed.

Lindy!

He barked at Laud to move faster, knowing the horse could close the distance to the house faster than he could fly. He told his mother what he felt and her eyes widened in worry. He felt Lindy's fear as if it were his own. She was terrified and calling to him for help through their connection.

"Faster, d.a.m.n it!" he shouted.

The fear he felt grew thicker until he was almost choking on it, and then just as suddenly as it had come, the fear cut off, and he was left feeling entirely bereft. He didn't know what it meant. He didn't want to think what it could mean.

He shouted for her in his mind, his wolf howling in distress. His house came into view, and he ripped off his shirt, letting his wings spring free from his back. Before the carriage stopped, he manifested his sword and leapt onto the walkway, racing forward. He could feel that the protection spell had been destroyed, and the stench of wizard clung to the air.

Hoping that she was in the house, he raced through each room, shouting her name, but finding no trace of her. He and Laud searched outside while his mother portal-called his father for help.

"Your father is on the way with reinforcements." His mother said as she came outside.

"I can smell her to this point," he gestured to the walkway, "and then she just disappears."

He'd never met a wizard who was good. Most of them dabbled in dangerous, black magic, carousing with demons and castaways on the other side of Hades Ridge. "I know where I have to go," he said, releasing his sword.

"Do you know who took her?" his mother asked, wringing her hands with worry.

"No." He shook his head and walked into the house and to the bedroom, where he removed a satchel from the closet. Although his sword was his favorite weapon, he had many other weapons in his home, and he filled the satchel with them.

He walked out of the bedroom and said, "Mom, I smelled Giwyn and one of the young a.s.sistants that Lafawnya brought with her. I smelled the young female's blood, and I think she was killed."

"Giwyn was involved?" Her hands clenched into fists. "I'll string her up by her bony fingers."

"I'm sure she'll deny everything, but I know what I smelled. Giwyn was here today, with the wizard and the girl. I'm certain she had something to do with Lindy's disappearance."

"I didn't think a wizard could be strong enough to break one of your protection spells. Yours are so powerful because of your wulfen nature."

"I didn't know that either."

It tore him to pieces. He had thought Lindy was safe in the house. He just hoped his carelessness would not lead to her death. He wouldn't be able to survive her death. He already knew that with absolute certainty. His wolf would go into the afterlife in search of her without delay, and Crimson would deserve to have his own life cut short.

"I never told her." He sat on the step and put his head in his hands. He could still smell her on his hands from when he'd held her that morning.

"Told her what?"

"That I love her. That I can't live without her."

His mother sat down and put her arm around him. "I'm sure she knows, Crimson. As soon as your father gets here, we'll find her and bring her home safely."

His home wasn't safe for her, though, and he realized that now.

Before long, his father, Riyad, and Merik were standing in front of Crimson's home, along with many of the males who Crimson had led into battle. Crimson explained the situation to them, and with a shout from Riyad, all the males extended their wings and roared a battle cry. They were with him. He'd never been so humbled.

After hugging his mother and thanking her for her support, he took to the sky with his father and the men he had served with and headed to the Ridge. On the other side of the mountain, his mate was waiting for him to rescue her, he was sure of it. And woe be to any male who touched even a hair on her head. Crimson would see him dead in a painful and horrible fashion.

Chapter 17.

Lindy woke up slowly. Her stomach rolled, and her head ached. Remembering that she was not safe inside Crimson's home, but had been drugged and taken, she forced her body to appear relaxed and took in a few, deep breaths. She listened intently with her eyes closed. She could tell that several people were around her because of the sound of their breathing. Drawing in several slow, deep breaths, she tried to decipher what she smelled. Aside from the ground under her, she could scent nothing else.

Her hands were tied in front of her with rough rope, but her legs were free. Opening her eyes, she saw that she was in a wooden cage in a clearing in the woods. She rolled to her b.u.t.t and sat up, swooning for a moment as her head pounded and her vision blurred. Rubbing her thumb between her eyes, she groaned softly.

There were empty cages on either side of her. The clearing was surrounded by thick trees, but over the tops of them, she could see the mountains. They didn't look all that far. Maybe just a few miles. If she could shift, she could run and maybe find a cavern to hide in until whoever took her stopped hunting for her. Then she could climb the mountain and find Crimson. It would be difficult, but she had to get back to him.

The sound of heavy footsteps filled the air. Turning to the side, she saw four huge men with bulky forearms lumbering toward the cages. They wore loincloths made of dark fabric and no shoes. Long hair hung in matted clumps from their heads, and their squished faces reminded her of bulldogs. Fear inched up her spine as they came toward her, but she breathed through it and willed herself to be strong.

The huge men parted, and the man who had taken her came toward the cage with another man. She stifled the growl in her throat and glared at them.

"She is lovely, is she not, Nikao?" the man who had taken her remarked.

The other man was thin and tall, with wispy blond hair and blue eyes, a hawk-like nose and pursed lips. "I don't know, Crakin. She's awfully fleshy."

"Did you just call me fat?" she demanded.

Both men ignored her, and she closed her eyes, concentrating on her wolf. She could feel the drugs still in her system, but her wolf was there and ready, stronger than whatever potion she'd been given.

Clearing her mind, she opened her eyes and focused on the group of four huge creatures. Trolls, maybe. The enormous forearms made them look comical, and she bet from their stocky legs they couldn't run fast, either.

The rope rubbed against her wrists, chafing them. It was too tight for her to wiggle her hands free, but when she shifted, it wouldn't matter. The best plan was to wait until she was outside the cage and then shift.

Crakin gestured to the trolls. "Open the cage."

"What if she tries to run?" Nikao asked.

Crakin lifted a narrow vial from the pocket of his jacket. "She's not going anywhere."

Nikao shook his head. "If she's unconscious, no one will buy her."

"This is a lighter dose. It will make her sluggish and complacent."

One of the trolls lumbered forward. He flipped a latch on the top of the cage and threw open the lid. Reaching inside, he grabbed Lindy by the back of the shirt and hauled her out of the cage as if she were a sack of potatoes.

"Put me down!" She struggled, twisting her body to try to get free, but the troll didn't let go of her shirt.

Crakin dipped the tip of a dart into the vial, and Lindy knew she had to take the opportunity to flee or she might never see Crimson again.

Exhaling, she let herself go into her shift, pushing her body to change quickly. The men shouted in surprise as she slipped from her clothes and the rope fell away. She hit the ground on four paws and ran for the mountains, not daring to look back.

The forest raced by her as she kept her eyes trained on the mountains rising up in the distance. She didn't know if she was being followed, and she wasn't about to stop and check. Her feet ached, and her body was sore as she pushed herself to get to the mountains.

The ground changed from mossy to rocky as she cleared the trees. She paused for only a heartbeat, finding a narrow trail that led up the mountain and headed for it. The sun set while she ran, but she could see enough to pick her way up the mountain. She searched as she climbed, hoping to find a cavern like Crimson had taken her to.

She stopped on the trail and sat down on her haunches. She was exhausted. She'd never pushed her body so hard in her shift. All she wanted was a cold drink of water and a long nap. Her head dropped, and she let out a soft whine. She wished that Crimson was there with her.

Shaking herself out of her exhaustion, she pushed on, knowing that stopping on the trail was a bad idea. She could rest when the sun came out.

Her paw stepped on dry branches that cracked, and she paused. She sniffed and scented bread. Was she going crazy? The scent of bread came from the right, and she turned her nose in that direction and smelled the rock. But it wasn't rock, it was soft like a sponge. Pushing gingerly on the spongy material, she caught the scent of bread again and growled lightly. She took a step closer, and her paws suddenly went out from under her. The spongy material split apart, and she tumbled down a smooth, stone ramp, her body bouncing and jarring, knocking into every jutting rock.