Beyond the Were War Ch. 08

"Hey you, out there on your own
Sitting naked by the phone
Would you touch me?
Hey you, with you ear against the wall
Waiting for someone to call out
Would you touch me?
Hey you, would you help me to carry the stone?
Open your heart, I'm coming home."

-Pink Floyd, "Hey You"

Hotel Parking Lot
Los Cruces, NM

Caleb and Maria waved at Enrique, it was two AM and he was going to get some sleep before the morning. Caleb had offered to take the rest of the night, but Maria didn't want to be left alone in their room. They had napped together, fully clothed on top of the sheets. It was progress, Caleb thought, his mate was becoming more comfortable with him in human form.

They sat in the darkened cab of the cargo truck, guarding the fortune in drug money and gold that had almost been returned to the Cartel in exchange for their Alpha. The window was cracked open slightly, but they kept the engine and radio off. They had a job to do, and part of it was to watch the mirrors and make sure nothing happened until everyone was up in the morning. That didn't mean they couldn't be comfortable; they had brought down a blanket and used it to cover them as Anna burrowed into his side, her head on his shoulder. He gently kissed her head, his love pushing through their mate bond as best it could since their mating wasn't complete yet. They had claimed each other, sort of... it wasn't meant as that, but when they bit each others necks in wolf form the bond had formed. Completing it would require them to bite each other while making love, and that may take a while. Maria had a lot to work though to get past her treatment at the hands of the Cartel. He had been warned it might take months, even years, before she might be able to complete the bond.

It made Caleb furious, but that was all in the past now. The men who did this to her were dead. As they were driving to the hotel, she had asked him to show her what happened in the desert. He projected his memories to her, she got to see Juan and Carlos again and it had shaken her. Watching them die should have provided closure, but it didn't. He had just held her, she didn't say much of anything that night and now she just seemed tired. "Sleep, love, I'll keep the watch."

She opened her eyes and looked up at his. "I'm afraid, Caleb. I'm afraid he will still own my dreams."

Caleb rubbed her back. "Then we will make new dreams, and kick his out. He's gone now, love, and I have you now. I'll never hurt you, I'll never let anything happen to you. You and I will have a life together, we will be happy and your dreams will make you smile again."

She sat up a little and put her hand on his cheek. "I can feel that deep inside, I just have a hard time trusting that to be true. I want it to be true. I love you, Caleb, and I will be yours and yours alone." She stared into his eyes, he could see the desire and doubt warring in them until they clouded over. She pulled his face to hers, and their lips touched ever so gently for the first time. She felt her lips coming alive with the tingles and the sensations of being with her mate. Caleb allowed her to lead as she moved her lips along his, before the tip of her tongue parted his lips. He opened his mouth and allowed her entry, her tongue gently twirling around his as she pulled him closer. Her breathing shortened and her face blushed as her body responded in a way she didn't know was still possible.

It was desire. She could feel it deep within her chest, moving through to her core. Her nipples had swollen and hardened, and her sex was swelling with blood and lubrication. They could smell her arousal, and she pulled back from him, confused. She looked at him, she loved him, but the thought of doing those things again had her mind screaming no. Those things were painful, they were degrading, they were things she had sworn never to do again.

Caleb understood what was going on when he smelled her fear, he expected that to happen, but to have her kiss him was a victory. He let her move down to his shoulder again where she could hide the emotions on her face from him. He kissed her hair gently as he pulled her close to his chest again. "Thank you, my love, that was amazing. Just as you are."

Maria was trying not to cry but was losing. "I'm not, I'm broken, I can't even kiss you without being afraid of everything. I'm not much of a mate to you. I'm sorry I can't do those things. You deserve better."

Caleb picked her up gently and set her on his thighs, her legs straddling him. He put his hand under her chin and lifted her head up from were she was hiding it so he could look into her eyes. "Maria, look in my eyes. You are my mate, I want no one but you. You are not broken, you are healing, and every time you face your fears and move past them you make me so proud of you. It wasn't that long ago you kicked me across the room and knocked me out, and now you are able to touch me and hold me. You just kissed me of your own free will, and it was the kind of kiss I was dreaming about. The kiss of a mate, the kiss of desire, the kiss of love." He wiped the tears from her eyes with his thumbs as he held her face gently. "We have all the time in the world, my love. We will get through this together. Understand?" She nodded. "Good. I think you should lay down and get some sleep, but I'd like to kiss you before you do that."

Maria smiled and closed her eyes, her lips parted slightly and he saw her lick them in anticipation. As softly as he could, he leaned forward into her lips while his fingers caressed the back of her head. This kiss quickly escalated, her moan of pleasure leading him to push forward, his tongue exploring her mouth as he started to possess her. Her hands fisted on his shirt before she opened her hands and started to run her fingers over his chest. He allowed the kiss to go on until he felt her getting nervous again and pulled back. "I love you, Maria, and we will do that many times in the future."

"I think I would like that." Maria sat back and yawned. "You are right love, sleep would be good right now." He helped get the blanket over her as she laid on her side in the seat, her head in his lap, his throbbing erection pulled out of the way before she could notice it. She was asleep before it went down. Again.

El Paso Pack House

Texas

Dacia sat at the table, picking at the food in front of her. She was still shaking, the adrenaline had worn off now and she was exhausted. She really didn't know what all had happened. One moment she was tied up and preparing to be raped, and the next she was safe in the arms of a naked man. He should have scared her to death, but he was gentle and comforting. She had pressed herself into him, feeling safe, without knowing why, and had fallen asleep. Her mind didn't care that the naked man had moments before been a huge wolf.

It was a safety she had not felt since leaving her father's arms in El Salvador before beginning her journey to America. The journey was difficult for her. The conditions were horrible, crowded trains, poor sanitation, and being taken advantage of at every turn. They were more cattle than people to the smugglers; the more they could fit into a truck or container the more profit. Young girls such as her, being 19 and traveling without a male protector, had it even worse. She hadn't made it through Mexico before her belongings and money had been taken. Stuck in a strange town, she was forced into slavery to pay for the rest of her transit. She was still going to America, but instead of working in a hospital as a nurse she would be kept in a whorehouse until her debt was paid off. Men in the trucks would rape her, then sell her to others.

No one dared say no to the Cartel gunmen. It was best to just endure it and hope you could escape someday, the other women told her.

She woke up when the vehicles stopped. The naked mad now had shorts on and he carried her bridal style into the medical center and left her with an older lady. She was given a quick examination by a nurse, got a shower and clean clothes, and then was taken to a building with a large dining room. The people were friendly, and didn't seem offended when she didn't speak to them. Her savior came and sat a few feet from her, bringing her an ice cream cone and some more water. She smiled then looked away, blushing at the thoughts going through her. He was a good looking man, tall and strong, with long black hair and piercing blue eyes. She could feel his eyes on her, and she looked back, seeing the love and concern in his eyes.

"Are you afraid, Daria?" He was reading her body language. The nurse had warned him she might be hesitant to be around men after being attacked, plus there was the whole werewolf thing. She was a stranger and a human.

Daria smiled briefly. "I was, but it is better now. I just don't understand everything that is going on right now. What will happen with me?"

Joe didn't want to scare her away. He needed time to let the mating bond work before she decided to leave. "You are safe here with my Pack. We are all werewolves, and when we rescued you our Alpha placed you under his protection. No one will harm you, and any of us will help you with whatever you need. You will get a chance to rest and recover, then you will be free to stay with us- or leave if you want." He licked at his melting cone, and watched as she ate her own. "The bad people you were with are gone, you will never see them again. The others with you were taken to our north border and allowed to continue on their journey. The other girl who was tied up at the tree, she was put in touch with her family and is waiting for them in El Paso" He could see her relief. "Do you have anyone in the United States you can stay with?"

"No, we couldn't afford to send more than one of us. I was hoping to make enough money to bring my mother and father here in a few years."

"Well, I would like you will stay with us and allow me to help you."

"Why? I don't know you, Joe." She kept her eyes down lest they betray her interest.

"I want to get to know you, Daria. I think there is something between us, a little spark that with time and care will turn into a roaring fire. You are strong and beautiful and you call to my heart, little one."

Daria blushed, she couldn't admit to him how he made her feel. She didn't know that as a wolf he could smell her reaction. "I'm sorry, Joe, I'm not right for you. I've done terrible things, sinful things that I am ashamed of. You are young, brave and handsome, surely you can find a better woman than me." She wouldn't look at him, and she couldn't eat any more either. She put her silverware and glass on her plate and got up to clean them.

Joe linked to Mark and asked him to bring his mate to the lounge room. He helped her with the plates, guiding her away from the dishes as "you are our guest and we have Pack members who will do this." He led her to the large room to a sitting area by the fire, giving her a seat on a comfortable chair. As Mark and his mate Lynn approached, he stood and introduced them to Daria.

"I'm glad to see you are doing well and that we got there before they could do anything more." Mark saw she looked puzzled, so he continued. "I rescued the other woman at the tree, my wolf was the large brown one."

Daria stood up and gave him a quick hug. "Thank you, Mari helped me after they... before..." She looked at her shoes, unable to continue. Lynn pulled her into a hug, and for the next few minutes she comforted her as she let out the emotions she had been hiding. Her sobs broke Joe's heart, he wanted to be there but Mark gestured no. He reached out and held her hand, the tingles racing up his arm, and smiled when she gripped it back. Mark got her some tissues and when she was settled again Lynn sat down with her on the big chair, but she still held Joe's hand.

"Daria, how much do you know about werewolves?"

"Not much. We don't have any in my village, and I just saw a few stories on television about them when we were waiting around."

Joe looked at her hand. "Werewolves believe that they have three parts to their soul. Our human mind, our wolf, and our mate. Without our mate, we are not complete. From the time we are of age, there is no greater goal for us than to find our mate and become one with them. Our mate shares a bond that is deeper than love. We mate for life. It is so deep that when a mate dies, the widow will often decide to die rather than go on living without their other half. It is not easy, though. Some of us find mates immediately, while others go their whole lives looking and never find him or her."

Daria looked at him with sadness. "You are a good man, Joe, I will pray every night for you to find your mate."

Joe smiled at her. "With us, it is not the same as with humans. Our wolf recognizes our mate by her smell, and our human side falls in love afterwards. There is only one mate for each werewolf, and when Luna, our God, pairs us up she is never wrong." He could see Daria was even more confused. "I asked Mark and Lynn to join us because they have been mates for four months now. Lynn, can you tell us how you found Mark?"

Lynn held Daria's other hand as she talked. "Well, the war had ended and our Pack was able to go to town again after all those years. I was with a group of us that were going to the grocery store. As we got to the front doors, I smelled this amazing smell- leather, pine, and fresh rain. My wolf was going nuts in my mind, bouncing around yelling 'MATE MATE MATE.' I looked around, and Mark was walking out with his deli meal. He was big and handsome and I couldn't help myself." She blushed deeply as Mark chuckled.

Daria looked at him. "What did you do?"

"I basically assaulted him. I ran over, jumped up and grabbed him by the neck while my legs wrapped around his waist. I said 'My name is Lynn, what's yours' and then I kissed him for a solid minute before I let him answer. Best kiss of my life."

"Mark, what did you do?"

"I was shocked, but something about her made this all seem right. Eventually she explained who she was and who I was to her. Every time I touched her these tingles would go through my body. I took her home and we ended up talking and making love for three days straight. When we finally left my apartment, we met with her Alpha and started the process for me to be turned. A week later I was a werewolf and her man."

"You were human?"

"Yes, until she turned me. Once I also had a wolf, he recognized her as his mate immediately and we completed the mating. The last four months have been the best of my life. She's everything I could ask for, and I love being part of this Pack. It's like the big family I always wanted."

"Do you miss being human?"

"Why? I'm stronger, my senses are better, I'm healthier and I have a mate. You wouldn't believe what the mating bond is like; not only can we communicate mind to mind, but I can feel her emotions, feel what she feels. It's such a close bond that it's like we're one being, not two. The sex is mind blowing, too." He pulled Lynn close to his side and kissed her deeply as she looked at him. "I know you will have questions, and any of us will be happy to help you answer them. We'll leave you two alone and we can talk again in the morning if you wish." Lynn gave her another quick hug and they walked away hand in hand, at least until he grabbed her and tossed her over his shoulder as he took the stairs two at a time.

Daria sat in the chair, just looking at the fire. "I'm tired, where can I sleep?" Joe led her up the stairs to the third floor and down a long hallway to a room. He opened up the guest room, it wasn't large but was comfortable with a queen sized bed and small bathroom attached.

"There are towels and fresh clothes in this closet, the housekeeper took a guess at your size so if there are any problems just let someone know. May I stop by in the morning to bring you to breakfast?"

"That would be nice. Thank you, Joe, this day was not what I expected."

"Sleep well, I will come get you at eight." He kissed her hand and watched as she closed the door behind him. He started to move away, but stopped and stripped in the hallway. Changing back into his tan and black wolf, he curled up in front of her door to wait for the morning.

Hotel Parking Lot

Los Cruces, NM

It was pushing four AM, the lot was silent, and there was nothing for Caleb to do except rub his hand gently up and down Maria's arm as she slept. Her head was in his lap, she was on her side on the bench seat with the hotel extra blanket covering her up. He couldn't have the radio on, he had a job to do, and everyone else was asleep.

Maria started to twitch a little, and he looked at her face. Her eyes started to move, she was dreaming now, and he wondered what her dream was. The smell told him; she was getting aroused. This had him hardening immediately, a common occurrence for him since they hadn't been intimate yet. His dick was getting stuck, so he carefully adjusted his package to be more comfortable in the basketball shorts he had on. Maria stirred at the movement, her hand coming up onto his bare leg just below her face. He could see her nose working, her wolf was forward and was smelling him strongly now. Her hand moved up, following his inner thigh, and snaked under his loose athletic shorts.

Caleb froze, not knowing how to handle this. Her hand moved around and he jumped a little when she reached his balls. She moved her fingertips around them, cupping them in her hand and rolling them. Her eyes were still closed, but her fingers kept moving. She moved higher, her fingers gently tracing his large cock until they reached the head. She gripped it, not quite able to reach all the way around, and began to move slowly up and down.

Caleb's heart rate was up and he could feel and smell the pre-cum dripping out. Too petrified to move, he watched as her face rose up and smelled him deeply. Her eyes were closed but he lips were now parted, her tongue flicking out like a snake trying to smell its prey. She pulled his cock closer to her face, and he held his breath as he lifted the shorts aside to give her access. Caleb didn't know why this was happening, but he was powerless to stop it. His wolf was whining in his mind, hoping for more, and she gave it to him.

Without warning she stuck out her tongue and licked him from base to tip. He sucked in his breath, focusing to keep from coming at the first contact but his mind was going nuts. He let out a strangled moan when she covered him with her mouth and took him deep. She sucked hard as she dropped down, and it felt like nothing he had ever experienced. She kept going, reaching the back of her throat with him, and when she started to gag he put his hand down on the back of her head to stop her.

Her eyes flew open, and she spit him out. Looking up in panic then back down, she jumped away from him and opened the door. She jumped out before he could stop her. She cried in pain when she fell on the pavement, her legs tangled in the blanket around her. Caleb slid across to the door just in time to see her throw up into the bushes. "Maria, please..."

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She ran away, heading for the hotel lobby. His wolf was urging him to go anyway, but he had a job and he couldn't leave the truck unguarded. He tried to contact her through the bond and she was blocking him. He tried to reach his Alphas but they were asleep and he didn't want to force it.

"SHIT SHIT SHIT!" He banged his head against the wheel. Just when he thought she was making progress, he lets his hardon scare her away. He sat there for ten minutes trying to figure out his next move.

"Caleb," came Renee's voice in his head. "Maria is with us, she is safe and going back to sleep. Can you tell me what happened?" He projected what occurred to her. "I think her wolf is far more ready for you than her human side is. When you put your hand on her neck, she said it reminded her of what they used to do to her and she freaked out. She's afraid you'll reject her now because she's so broken she can't even take care of your needs."