For the Taking ?

4 ? Run

"Play along if you want them to let you go." He whispered next to my ear.

Opening my eyes from his stern command I watched him pull back to gaze down at me. His storm-like eyes stared into my own with a sense of curiosity and concern? Why on god's green earth would he look at me with concern? I didn't know him and he definitely didn't know me.

Still I caught myself nodding in response agreeing to "play along", honestly anything at this point to insure I make it out of here sounded like music to my ears.

"You had no business here." The same patrol man growled. Another growl roared over the forest and everything fell silent. Not even a chirp from the nearby birds could be heard, it was all dead silent.

"I had every business being here seeing that had I not come uninvited I wouldn't have found my mate."

There was a long pause that made it that much easier for all the wolves to hear my racing pulse. I wasn't the only one on edge though as I gazed up at the man holding me. He looked uncomfortable, like he was straining himself for control.

"Then where is she? Where is the slayer?"

"They are nearby, but seeing as we weren't welcomed here and your Alpha is less than predictable we couldn't risk either one of them being harmed. Seeing as your a mated wolf by the mark on your neck I think you understand my concerns for my mate."

I didn't recall seeing any woman with this group of males the first time I ran into them. They could have come across her once I left I told myself as I listened.

"Now you will let us leave, peacefully." The man emphasized his last word as if daring the other man to object his demand. With the threatening tone he used I found it absurd if anyone thought about testing him.

"How do I know you haven't just kidnapped one of our pack?"

"She can tell you herself."

At that moment I was tenderly pulled away from the tree that hid me and was guided out in the open with the beautiful man's hand pressed against the small of my back. My eyes grew wide when I realized that I was the "mate" they were referring to. I was to play along, his words echoed in my mind as my mouth grew dry with apprehension.

Now being out in the open I could see one wolf and another man stood next to it, it was Jimmy I could finally recognize. Another four men, that I had seen only back at the gathering, stood with neutral expressions on their faces as they looked towards Jimmy. One of the four that I assumed to be the man speaking had a gleaming smile on his face when his eyes fell to mine, but it instantly fell when Jimmy let out a laugh.

"I always told myself I'd pity the wolf that got stuck with this broken female." Jimmy snickered. "But then again this just seems like karma."

His words stabbed me in the chest. Sure, I've heard it all before but just because I was use to the harassment didn't mean it hurt any less. My face visible fell at his banter catching my so called mate's attention.

"I'd watch your tone if I were you, you aren't exactly on the high ground." My mate pointed out his eyes growing slightly darker, his dark and imposing expression made Jimmy take a step back. Both the wolf and Jimmy gave a weary look as they gazed at the man beside me as if just realizing who it was. "Seraphina?"

My eyes snapped up to my mate's at the sound of my name noticing he wanted me to state I was his. I knew he was probably saw me as weak but he wouldn't let me go on on my own, his wolf was probably fighting him now to defend me. If it were up to him he would have turned his back on me.

My tongue was stuck to the roof of my dry mouth. "H-he is my mate." I stated plainly jumping slightly when the man beside me balled up his fist into the back of my shirt.

With a gleaming smile my mate turned around to Jimmy. "As I was saying, we'll be on our way now."

Everyone that I presumed to be apart of my mate's pack started towards the boarder. A tender nudge at the small of my back alerted me that I too was to move along with them. As we moved around Jimmy the hairs on my back stood on end as he narrowed his eyes at me and I instantly looked away, scared if I kept eye contact that he would take that as provocation .

"Desmond take Seraphina with you." The deep voice of the man beside me was startling as Desmond approached, or also now known as my mate.

Desmond was quick to wrap his arm around my waist, a gesture that caused the man near me to stiffen. If I didn't know any better I'm pretty sure I sensed a bit of hostility from him but I pushed that fleeting thought to the back of my head.

Desmond must have noticed my unease and pulled me further way placing his body between the man and I.

They stared daggers at one another as their eyes fogged over, they were so indulged in conversation they hadn't noticed Jimmy step closer. My head swiveled in his direction, making eye contact, his head tilted to the side in uncertain curiosity.

I leaned further against my mate's body for comfort that never came to ease my panic.

"Sera, I'm finding it hard to believe that you are this man's mate." He looked beyond my face for a brief moment before looking back down at me. "You've packed like you're in a hurry, not to mention you-"

"Did I say you could speak to her?" The same gut wrenching deep voice questioned, causing my heart to do summersaults in delight. 

I couldn't say the same about Jimmy however as he visibly paled at the question. He looked horrified as he stumbled back into the wolf at his heels. The towering man with dark shadowy eyes stocked towards him but he was immediately stopped by my mate as he grabbed his forearm.

"Osiris." Desmond hissed catching the man's attention quickly. His head turned to face my mate and I gulped when his black eyes casted a menacing threat towards Desmond. I wasn't sure how Desmond could just stand unfazed by Osiris's glower. "We don't have time for this. I would like to get my mate back home now."

Osiris's eyes darkened further as he peered behind Desmond and landed his eyes on my own. I shuddered at the dark stare relieved only when he looked back to Desmond with narrowed eyes. With a deep breath Osiris released the tension from his shoulders letting them drop to his sides.

"Let's get going." He growled pushing past Jimmy with a shove.

Jimmy lowered his eyes to the ground not once daring to look up as we all passed. Desmond kept a secure arm around my waist as we crossed the boarder into no man's land.

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