Bound to My Mate Ch. 08

The night was dark as we pulled back into the large round about in front of the den. I wondered how many more times I would have to get driven in here after being kidnapped. It was getting really old.

The place was crowded with the pack. I saw Katrina right away bouncing, literally, outside the den with her hands clasped in front of her. In the myriad of faces I also saw some of my new friends looking nervously at the SUV.

Several large men I recognized as Betas pushed the pack back and cleared our way to the door. We stepped out and Joel made an announcement to the assembled pack. He told them who was involved and what they wanted. He also warned them the witch had gotten away.

"Is that really your mate?" I heard one brazen wolf ask. He shrunk back as Joel approached him growing claws.

I thought it was a valid question, considering what he'd just told them. Joel turned to look at me with fire in his eyes. It was a blazing look. I concentrated on the idea that they might accept this better if he let a few of the ones who knew me verify I was really me.

Joel stalked back toward me and spoke into my ear. "This is not a democracy. My word is law."

"Then I guess it's your decision to make," I said calmly to him.

He stared at me for a moment before calling forward several wolves I knew, one by one.

Katrina came forward quickly, keeping her eyes on Joel. She shed her clothes and shifted into a lithe brownish wolf. Cocking a head to the side she stood in front of me. The death grip I had on the blanket was preventing her from getting close.

I opened the blanket wide and Katrina shoved her nose in my crotch. I've had big dogs do that to me before, but I was never nude when it happened. The most surprising part was when she delved her tongue between my lower lips. It took every bit of control I had not to yelp.

The process was repeated by several of the Betas I knew well. They all agreed I was who I was supposed to be. I saw several men and women berating the man that had questioned Joel. Whether they wanted to admit to it or not, they did look more relieved though.

Joel walked us quickly to our apartments on the third floor. He didn't say anything to me as we made our way upstairs. I took his continued silence as proof that he was far from happy.

Once we were in our rooms he stopped me and removed my blanket. I stood in front of the fire as he surveyed me.

"I'm going to shift into the wolf and heal the bruise on your face and the cuts you got in the woods," he told me flatly.

I nodded as he shifted into the wolf man. Joel towered over me for a moment looking very much like he wanted to attack something. Instead, he started at my head and used his long tongue over my bruises and scratches. I stayed very still as he worked. He was thorough and went over me twice.

A knock at the door disrupted his session and the wolf man was quite suddenly the wolf baring his teeth. The loud growling coming from Joel's chest was probably able to be heard throughout the den. That sound made me realize how enraged Joel really felt.

Slowly composing himself, Joel shifted back to his human form. As I pulled the blanket back around myself, he walked toward the door and opened it. Nate stood submissively outside.

Joel spoke to Nate quietly as I looked longingly toward the bathroom. I was covered in muck from the forest, sweat, and saliva. It didn't make for a very appetizing feeling. I wanted nothing more than to douse myself in soap and water.

"Go," Joel said shortly turning to look at me.

I moved into the large bathroom, used the toilet, and turned on the shower. I scrubbed my body viciously. After a while Joel joined me in the shower. Remembering he was still mad at me, I soaped and washed his entire body down to his toes without a word.

Although he was obviously still angry, his body reacted to the full body massage and our closeness. His cock started to stiffen and swell. While on my knees in the shower, I licked and sucked his semi hard cock until it was rigid. I could feel the area between my legs becoming slick and wet in a way that had nothing to do with the shower.

Touching my face, Joel looked down at me silently. When the conversation didn't start, I told him I was going to lie down. Joel nodded to me and turned into the water to rinse himself off.

I moved out of the shower and into the bedroom as I toweled off. I knew we needed to talk, but I wasn't sure if tonight was a good time for that. Joel seemed to be holding onto his temper by a thread.

The bed smelled of Joel and I buried my face into his pillow while crawling under the blankets. Even when I knew he was angry it was still comforting. As I lay cocooned in his scent, I let the terror I had been feeling all day rise inside me. I'd been lucky, a second time, to get away. Joel was right to be mad; I had been foolish.

Hands gently peeled back the blankets as Joel stood beside the bed looking down at me. I froze and looked up at him, waiting for the worst. Without a word he lay down and pulled me up over him until I was sitting astride him. His erection was still rock solid and I felt it sitting at the ready against my buttocks.

"I would like," he said quietly, "some physical comfort."

I wanted some physical comfort also and I had worked myself up in the shower. I reached between us to grasp his thick tool. Looking into his eyes I guided the throbbing piece of him into my wet crevice. He lay still beneath me as I slipped down the magnificent pole. I hissed as I felt him bump the back of my tunnel. I placed my hands on his chest and pulled forward slightly to ease the pressure. Grasping my hips he gently pulled me back down on his length. Relaxing my legs, I let my hips fall wider across his.

"Good girl," he whispered pulling my hips up, "do it again."

I rode him slowly at first, until I found a way to move that made his eyes roll back in his head. Pushing off with my knees I could nearly dislodge his massive instrument and then sink back down on the entire length. His hands were everywhere, pinching my nipples, playing over my slick clit, and grasping my hips to control the pace.

I felt like a bundle of nervous energy ready to burst. His touches were maddening and my heightened senses were on overload. I shuddered in climax as I rode him, limply falling against his chest as I rhythmically tightened around him.

Chuckling, he rolled us until I was on my back. He didn't give me any reprieve as his mouth came down over mine in a bruising kiss. He continued to grind against my sensitive flesh as I quivered and jerked against him. His mouth found my neck and I knew he was leaving marks anywhere he could reach, sucking and biting under my ear down to his bite mark.

As he bit into his mark my pussy caught fire and I bucked against him. Groaning his name, I felt heat coil in my belly and start to pulse in time with his rocking.

Joel was getting closer. His movements became shorter and his bites harder. I heard the growling coming in an uninterrupted stream from his chest. Reaching between us he grabbed a nipple and twisted. The tension in my belly released. I grabbed his shoulders screaming his name as I felt the warm pressure of his seed coating the inside of my slick passage. Rolling off of me Joel pulled me close and nuzzled my neck as his hand wrapped possessively around my waist.

I drifted to sleep curled into that protective embrace.

Waking up the next morning was not a pleasant affair. The feeling of cold on my ankle and the sound of metal clinking together drug me out of a very sound sleep. I sat up to see a satisfied Joel Latro looking down at me. He was already dressed in a crisp white dress shirt and black slacks, jacket slung casually over his arm.

I looked down at my ankle and was shocked to see a silver manacle attached to a thick silver chain. I crawled to the foot of the bed and followed the line of the chain. It bolted to a place just underneath the bed. It was in a spot I never would have noticed last night. There was a really long length of chain, so I wasn't necessarily chained to the bed, but it still felt like that.

I was furious and looked up a Joel with a series of cuss words on the tip of my tongue.

"How dare you!" I shouted at him, "You can't do this to me! Why are you doing this? Have you lost your mind?!"

His eyes were almost glowing and I could see he had been waiting for a fight. At that moment I remembered Nate's words. Joel needed to calm down and if he wanted to do this no one would stop him. I took a deep breath, but couldn't stop glaring at him.

Joel glared right back at me, "You asked me to spare your guard, which I have done. Did you think I had forgotten our agreement?" he asked.

"Agreement?!" I sputtered, "You chained me to the floor!" I yelled at him, unable to control the tone of my voice.

"No, I chained you in our rooms. Whether you accept it now or not, this is the punishment I have chosen for you," he said confidently. "I told you last night this issue would be kept between us and at the time you were happy about that."

Damn his logic, he was right. I had already agreed to this. I lowered my eyes to his shined shoes and waited. I was in his world now.

Joel reached out and stroked my back in what I think was supposed to be a calming gesture. The stubborn woman that I am, I bristled mentally at the unwanted contact and he growled in response.

"You will learn, mate, that I can be very temperamental when my orders are so blatantly ignored. Perhaps you will remember that next time you choose to disregard my warnings for your welfare. Since you cannot be trusted to keep yourself safe, I will do it for you."

"Yes, sir," I said through clenched teeth keeping my head and my eyes down. I tried to distract myself.

I heard Joel talking and concentrated on his words. "Food will be brought to you, you can reach the bathroom. I expect my scent to still cling to your skin when I get back tonight. You may not remove the chain for any reason. If you or your friends remove it, the punishment will increase for both of you. You will earn the right to leave these rooms again. We will further discuss your punishment when I return tonight. Do you understand?"

I was livid and kept my gaze at the floor in front of me, "Yes, sir."

His shoes appeared back in my frame of vision as his finger curled under my chin. I resisted slightly as he raised my gaze to his.

"In two days time you will be a full member of this pack. Not only that you will be responsible for every member as their Madam Alpha. I cannot allow you to continue to be reckless. I have great confidence in your ability to learn from your mistakes," he said calmly.

"Thank you, sir," I answered him and somehow managed to kiss and not bite him as he leaned down and brushed my lips to his.

As it turns out when someone chains you to the floor and you are naked it makes putting on clothes really difficult. Thankfully, my closet was loaded with dresses and several wrap around style skirts.

'I guess I'll be wearing what he likes for a little while,' I thought ruefully to myself as I wrapped a stylish navy skirt around my waist.

Nate brought me breakfast while studiously ignoring the bright silver chain on my ankle.

"Wait!" I shouted to him as he walked out. "What do I do to make him stop this?"

Nate just shook his head and left. Of course I expected his loyalty to lie with my mate, but I had thought he might give me a few helpful hints.

I noticed Althea and Davonna's tonic I usually took with my morning meal was missing. Apparently, Joel didn't want me to take anything else from the witches. I wondered about that, it had obviously worked. I had been the only person not affected by Ryana's punch at the clinic. As evidenced by my ankle, Joel's word was law, arguing would probably be useless.

I had time to think as the morning wore on. I tried to stay angry at Joel and in my world I would be furious. However, in my world I had never been kidnapped or poisoned. The worst I had to deal with was a little backstabbing at work and not the literal kind. Joel's world was different. The rules were different and I had made an effort to sidestep them at every turn. Begrudgingly, I saw his point of view.

Joel loved me and wanted to keep me safe. His instincts told him I would be safe in his home, but I refused to stay there. He compromised with me, but I refused to compromise with him. I ditched his protection every chance I could. I had to admit, if the tables were turned, I'd be just as frustrated and angry as he was. I wondered if I would have stooped to chaining my mate to the floor; that did seem draconian. His world, his rules though, I'd just have to figure it out quickly.

While I nibbled at my now cold breakfast I wandered through part of Joel's personal study. It was a room I had never spent much time in. I couldn't explore the whole thing, my chain wasn't long enough. I did find several books on the pack's history. I also found several old letters and books on werewolf lore. They were interesting and very informative. Settling down, I spent hours perusing the writings.

As I read through the manuscripts, I found a few depicting the changing ceremony Joel would be doing with me in two days time. I had no problem with the part of the ceremony involving the two of us. The part about the pack being present and then acknowledging the changing by licking and touching me was hard to get used to.

The idea of being taken by Joel in the forest under the moon had a certain allure. I was getting wet just thinking about it. Sliding my thighs together I enjoyed the sensation. Nothing about Joel turned me off; he was gorgeous in all three forms. I was running my fingers over the images of animals and humans rutting in the woods when I heard the door to the main suite bang open.

I stepped back into the sitting room to see a determined Joel marching toward me. A horrible thought crossed my mind, maybe I shouldn't be in his private study. At the realization my eyes went wide and I started to apologize. I hadn't been trying to upset him more.

Grabbing me by the upper arms Joel picked me up and sat me on the stylish wooden buffet that lined the wall outside the office.

"I'm sorry I was in your study," I stammered out as his hands ran up under my skirt. I gasped as his fingers stroked my wet folds.

"I thought I could relax with you up here and safe," he muttered over my mouth before crushing my lips beneath his. "Instead I find my mind filled with thoughts of the changing ceremony, the sensation of your delectable thighs moist and waiting. Do you know what that's like? To try to listen to my Betas give report while your arousal runs uninhibited into my mind?"

"I'm sorry," I said, ashamed of my horniness, "I wasn't doing it intentionally, really I wasn't."

"You'll have better control over what you broadcast to me once you are a wolf," he said unzipping his pants and pulling me to the edge of the wooden ledge.

He slipped into me and I groaned. He wasn't in the mood for preliminaries, just raw sex. The furniture I was on shuddered with each forceful thrust he gave. I held onto him as he ground against me and prayed the wood was put together well.

Slipping a thumb between our bodies he massaged my clit in time with his thrusts and my toes started to curl. I was acutely aware of the chain still on my ankle and it added a weird thrill to the lovemaking.

"Come for me," he said nipping at my ear lobe.

I opened my blouse and started to pinch and fondle my own nipples. I heard a sound of approval and watched him staring down at my hands hard at work. He continued to rub firmly over my sensitive bud as he forced himself into me.

Everything felt so good I threw my head back and gave myself over to a roaring climax. Moments later I felt the pressure build in my ready channel and he was calling my name with a bruising grip on my hips.

We rested like that for a minute, forehead to forehead panting.

"I love you, Joel," I said placing a kiss over his jaw line.

His lips twitched into a smile as he looked down at me, "You know that's the first time you've said that out loud," he said.

"Then I'll make up for lost time," I said cradling his face in my hands, "I love you, Joel."

"Hmm and this isn't just a ploy to get out of your punishment my stubborn love?" he asked.

"No, my Alpha, I still owe you punishment for ignoring your warnings," I said pulling my shirt off completely. I rubbed my dusky nipples against his chest, "Do you see anything you want to punish, sir?"

"Oh yes, I certainly do," he said running his hands up my sides to cup my breast.

A sound at the door got both our attention at the same time. Joel rolled his eyes and looked a little guilty as he pulled out and rearranged his clothing. He pulled my shirt back on and was buttoning it for me as he called out, "Enter."

"Excuse the interruption, Alpha Latro," Nate said bowing his head, "I have been knocking for several minutes now."

"I was busy," Joel growled brushing his fingertips over my nipples and looking playfully at me.

"Yes, sir I realized that, but the Betas can't finish plans for the ceremony without your approval. We also need your input on the witch hunt and the witches have called here asking to speak with you several times," he finished sounding slightly irritated.

I assumed Joel had been in the middle of a meeting when I so rudely interrupted. I was curious what he did all day. I'd never really had time to ponder it.

"Then maybe you should come with me," Joel said looking at me.

"Are you going to add more chain?" I teased him. "Right now I can't even reach the door."

"I'm serious mate, would you like to come see what I do all day?" he asked.

"Yes, I'd be very interested," I said surprised. My time at the den had all been training of one form or another. Walking around with Joel would be different. As a plus, it would get me off the chain and out of this room.

As a sign to the pack I was still being punished for not listening I wore the thick silver ankle manacle. I felt like everyone was staring at it where ever we went. 'Most likely because everyone is staring at it,' I thought glumly.

I spent the rest of the day sitting beside Joel at a large board room table as he managed the pack. I kept quiet and listened through the meetings trying to learn the flow of things.

The electricity hit the air when the witches were brought up. Eyes around the room would flare yellow intermittently throughout the discussion. No one seemed to be able to talk about the witches without growling. The recent scandal had cut deep. Trying to take over the pack was new territory and the threat was not taken lightly.

"We should have attacked last night," grumbled one of the male Betas who sat half way down the long table.

"We cannot punish every witch out there," Nate interrupted him from Joel's left. "We don't want to start a war with them."

"Start the war?" ground out a wolf man as he split the seams of his dress shirt, "They have kidnapped our Alpha's mate twice and tried to poison her once! How many more of our mates will suffer the same fate? How many will not be as lucky as she has been?"

With that said the wolf man transformed and growled at Nate. I was horrified at the scene; Nate just sat patiently and waited.

"How dare you not protect us!" the wolf man growled facing Joel. He then launched a large wooden chair in our direction.

Standing up and moving swiftly Joel placed himself between me and the rest of the wolves

A strong pair of hands pushed me further behind Joel from my right. I looked up to see Will move into position beside Joel. In the meantime Joel caught the wooden projectile in one hand and slammed it onto the floor.