SEALed Embrace (10 page)

Tomi
was the first to step outside, pulling her in for a quick, fierce hug before
shoving her away in typical Tomi fashion. “Don’t ever scare me like that again!
Next time, you fight the bastards until you get away.”

She
smiled. “I did struggle, as much as I could. He took me by surprise, but I’ll
be more alert this time.”

Hailey
gave her a little wave before settling on the swing, leaving Grace standing
uncertainly. Isi smiled warmly at her and held out her hands. Grace tentatively
stepped forward and took them, allowing Isi to draw her into a hug.

“We
missed you,” Grace said softly.

“I
missed you, too.”

“So
out of all those hunky men,” Tomi said, “which one is yours? Because if you
don’t have dibs, I claim the white-haired hottie.” She fanned herself. “Holy
mother of Greek god genes! That man is smokin’!”

Isi
laughed. “Parker is all yours, if you can tame him. My mate is the big one with
black hair. Garren.”

Grace
shivered. “They’re all rather intimidating.”

“They’ve
been nothing but kind to me,” Isi assured her. “Garren may be a bit growly, but
I know he wouldn’t hurt me. They’re all here to protect me, and to find out why
I was taken to begin with.”

“Do
they think there will be another attempt?” Hailey asked.

Isi
shrugged. “I guess it’s a possibility. Garren didn’t think I would be safe
until they got to the bottom of things. Although, it’s been pointed out that we
could just leave. Now that I’m mated to Garren, it’s doubtful we’ll stick
around here. Their home is in Texas and I’m sure my mate will want to go back
there soon.”

“A
new start with a new pack.” Grace smiled. “I would give anything for that
chance!”

“When
we leave, you’re all welcome to come with us. I know Garren wouldn’t mind.” At
least, she hoped he wouldn’t, now that she’d made the offer. Truth was she
didn’t know much about her mate.

Tomi
arched a brow. “You mean leave this wonderful town with the oh-so-understanding
alpha and his rotten sons? Why ever would we want to do something like that?”
She snorted. “Count me in. If you leave, I’m packing to come along.”

“I
have nothing holding me here. Maybe another pack wouldn’t force me to mate with
someone.” Hailey’s lips twisted in a sneer. “As if I’d ever be interested in
Alpha Henry’s offspring. No offense to your best buddy.”

Isi
waved a hand. “None taken.”

Grace
looked at her friends. “I just don’t know. I mean, I’ve never lived anywhere
but here. What if it’s scary out there?”

Tomi
slung an arm around Grace’s shoulders. “Honey, it’s scary here. The world is
full of possibilities. I think it’s time we explored a little.”

Tomi
coaxed and pleaded with Grace, and Isi began to wonder if her friend would ever
consent to leave with them. They talked for a while before Grace finally
relented.

“I
suppose….” Grace still looked uncertain.

One
of the new guys stepped out onto the porch, gave the ladies a nod, then leaned
against the wall with his arms folded and surveyed the area. Isi sighed as she
realized Garren had stuck her with a bodyguard again. It was the porch for god’s
sake! Not to mention it was still daylight. Did he really think someone would
come snatch her out from under his nose? Besides, they were bonded now. He’d be
able to track her if someone did manage to abduct her.

Tomi
scowled at the new addition. “I guess our visiting time is over since he stuck
you with rover.”

The
guard glanced her way, his lips kicking up a little. “Not a wolf.”

“Pussy
cat?” Tomi asked. “Yogi? Oh! I know! Tweety!”

He
laughed outright and winked at her. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Tomi
snorted and turned to face Isi again. “Look, I appreciate that your mate wants
to take care of you, but call me when we can have a private conversation again.
Your mate seems to have eyes and ears everywhere and there are some things that
should remain between girls, if you know what I mean.”

Yes,
Isi knew exactly what she meant, and she couldn’t agree more. Getting Garren to
understand that was another matter though. He was determined to suffocate her.

Everyone
made their goodbyes and Isi approached the new male.

“So,
you’re on guard duty?” she asked.

He
nodded. “Name’s Colton. Colton Ford.”

“And
you’re here with two other teammates?”

“And
the pilot.”

So
there were now
eight
men wandering
around the house. Just great. She gave a long-suffering sigh and went back in
the house, despite the testosterone that was going to smother her. Maybe she
could talk Garren into leaving sooner rather than later. The last thing she
wanted to do was aimlessly roam this house while under surveillance, with a
bunch of overgrown men breathing down her neck too. Did it really matter if
they figured out who sold her out if she wasn’t staying?

She
found Garren in what looked like an office, a map of the area spread out before
him and a pencil in his hand.

“What
are you doing?” she asked, coming to stand beside him.

“Can
you show me on this map where you were snatched? I’m trying to figure out where
they came from.”

She
pointed to the wooded area near her parents’ home. “I was running through the
woods when someone came up behind me, put some sort of nasty cloth over my
nose, and then it was lights out. I woke in the box you rescued me from.”

“We
already know who took you, but it’s the why that bothers me.”

“Maybe
I was convenient. Do we really have to do this, Garren? Why can’t you just take
me home?”

He
scowled at her. “You’re not moving back into that duplex.”

“I
meant your home,” she said softly. “I kind of figured it was my home now too.”

His
features smoothed. “Oh.”

“Yeah,
‘oh’ is right.” She punched him in the arm. “I may not be thrilled with the way
you claimed me, but I can no longer deny we’re mates.”

“What
if we leave and the person responsible comes after you again? It’s safer to
ferret them out now rather than wait for them to strike again later.”

Isi
sighed and rested her head on his bicep. Part of her liked the alpha side of
him that wanted to watch over her and the other part of her wanted to smack him
upside the head. She figured as his mate she’d probably get away with it, but
wasn’t certain she wanted to test the theory just yet.

She
chewed on her lower lip. “I sort of invited the girls along.”

“Invited
them where?” he asked, staring at the map again.

“Home
with us.”

His
head slowly turned in her direction, the green depths of his gaze focused on
her. “You did what?”

“Well,
I thought it might be nice to have my friends around when I move back home with
you, and they really don’t like it here under Alpha Henry’s rule. I thought it
might be a fresh start for all of us. There’s no reason they can’t join us, is
there?”

“We
don’t have a pack at home, Isi. It’s just the guys and me, with a leap of
jaguars nearby. They will be isolated. My home is nothing like your small town
here. We’re integrated with humans. Can they handle something like that? Not
all humans are thrilled they share the world with shifters.”

“Well,
Grace may need a little support from all of us, but Hailey and Tomi are both
strong. Grace is gentle, like her animal.”

He
frowned. “She isn’t a wolf? I thought everyone here was a wolf but you.”

Isi
shook her head. “Grace is a black swan. Tomi is a wolf. Hailey is human. There
are non-wolf shifters mixed within the town as mates and children. So don’t
attack this thing thinking everyone is a canine and will think like a canine.
There are some cats and birds. No bears though.”

He
seemed to mull that over.

“Garren.”
She nibbled on her lip. “What if you find out the person who set me up was the
alpha?”

His
eyes flared gold. “You think Alpha Henry is behind your abduction?”

“I
think anyone in town could be behind it, but wouldn’t it make sense for an
alpha to want to do the best thing for his pack? As much as everyone here hates
me, the alpha included, it wouldn’t be a far stretch for him to have
orchestrated the whole thing.”

Garren
shook his head. “I don’t think a ransom note would have been sent to him if
he’d set it up. I think we’re looking for someone else. I’m not willing to
discount your friends just yet. Jealousy is a powerful motivator.”

Isi
threw back her head and laughed. “Jealousy? Why would anyone ever be jealous of
the pack pariah? If anything, I should be jealous of my friends.”

“I
told you, Isi. Everyone is a suspect. I trust no one but my team and our
reinforcements. These men put their lives on the line to make sure this country
stays safe and to ensure you have the freedoms you’ve been given. They would
die for you, and they know that there’s a chance that could happen, depending
on what we discover.”

“I
don’t want anyone to die for me,” she said softly. “They have families.
Friends. People who would miss them. Who would miss me?”

“I
would.”

She
leaned closer and rested her head on his shoulder. “Thank you.”

Garren
drew away and then pulled her into his arms. Before she could ask what he was
up to, his lips slanted across hers. The warmth of his mouth sent a shiver of
awareness through her. Had it really been that morning that he’d claimed her?
When he kissed her, she felt like she’d known him forever, that they’d been two
halves of a whole for their entire lives. His tongue stroked hers and her
fingers curled into his shoulders, holding onto him as her legs threatened to
give out. Garren shifted and Isi let out a squeak as he lifted her into his
arms and began striding from the room.

When
he reached the top floor and the master suite, he kicked the door shut behind
them and settled her on the bed. His eyes burned bright with his passion and
she licked her lips in anticipation.

She
knew she should fight, not give in so easily, but her body yearned for his
touch. The tender side of Garren was what she craved, and in that moment, she
saw a vulnerability in his eyes as he gazed at her, a look that gave her hope
that their future held a world of possibility.

“Take
off your clothes,” he rumbled, his teeth lengthening. “I want to see my sexy mate.”

Goose
bumps popped up on her arms as she reached for the hem of her shirt. She paused
only a moment before lifting the garment over her head and tossing it aside. He
gave a low, rumbling purr that made her warm from the inside out.

Chapter Five

Garren
watched. Hungry and hurting. His mate undressed slowly, tormenting him as each
garment fell away, revealing more and more of her tantalizing body. If ever
there was a woman meant for loving, it was Isi. As she pulled away the last
item of clothing, her sweet curves beckoned to him. With a growl, he
practically tore his clothes from his body, needing to feel her softness
pressed against him, have her scent surrounding him, have the taste of her on
his tongue.

He
settled over her body, hip to hip, his aching cock nestled against her soft
belly. Garren smoothed her hair back from her face as he stared down into her
hazel eyes. A soft smile curved her lips as she slid her hands up his biceps to
settle on his shoulders. His dog tags pooled between her breasts as he leaned
forward to press a kiss against her jaw then moved up to claim her lips.

Isi
shifted beneath him and he felt her legs hook around his thighs as she held him
to her. The heat of her body pressed against him, her heart pounded against his
chest, the staccato rhythm driving his need higher. The scent of her arousal
filled the air, teasing him. A shift of his hips and he could feel the moisture
gathering between her legs.

He
traced her jaw with his nose before pressing kisses along the column of her
throat. “What do you want my sexy, sweet mate?”

“I
want you, Garren.” Her nails bit into his shoulders.

He
growled softly. “Roll over.”

Garren
lifted his body enough for Isi to turn onto her stomach and then he slid a hand
under her belly and lifted her onto her knees. With his chest pressed to her
back, and his hands braced on either side of her, he buried his nose in her
hair as his cock gently pressed inside of her body. He felt sweat break out on
his skin as he fought for control. The beast inside wanted him to bite down, to
hold her in place as he fucked her long and hard, but the human half of Garren
told him that Isi needed something more from him.

After
their discussion about mates and love, he knew that in order to truly please
her, he would have to slow down from time to time, make sure she knew how
precious she was to him.

Her
silken walls closed around him as he buried himself to the hilt inside of her,
the wet heat of her pussy wrapping around him. His heart thundered in his chest
and his hands fisted the covers as he battled his beast. The lion roared in his
head.
Mate! Claim! Ours!
He snarled,
his canines pressing against his lower lip. His vision shifted to that of his
cat, the world flowing from multi-hued to blues and greens.

Garren
kept most of his weight off Isi as he slowly began thrusting inside of her. She
whimpered beneath him and cast him a glance over her shoulder. She may not be
able to shift, but her eyes turned to slits, like cat’s eyes, their hazel
depths shifting from gray to green to blue. He stared into that mesmerizing
gaze as his cock powered in and out of her, the sounds of their heavy breathing
and flesh slapping against flesh filling the room.

A
low purr rumbled from her and Garren chuffed back at her in response, beast
speaking to beast. The harder he thrust, the tighter she clamped down on him,
her walls squeezing him as he glided in and out of her. Her body trembled and
he watched her eyes dilate as her lips parted. A low keening built in her
throat and slipped past her lips as her climax built, and built, then exploded.
A gush of warmth coated his cock as her channel spasmed around him.

Having
brought his mate pleasure, he allowed himself to let go. His beast roared to
the surface. A snarl tore from him as he leaned forward and clamped down on her
shoulder, the tang of her blood hitting his tongue. Faster. Harder. Garren took
her like a man possessed, his lion not only seeking to claim their mate once
more, but to fill her with their cubs. Despite her insane thoughts of having
defective children, Garren knew he’d love nothing more than to have a daughter
as beautiful as Isi, or a son as troublesome as he was.

A
tingling built in his spine and then heat shot through his balls as they drew
up tight against his body. His cock jerked as he buried himself inside of Isi,
hot cum filling her spurt after spurt, until Garren felt drained. He eased from
his mate’s body and tugged her into his arms as he collapsed on his side. She
panted in his embrace, her hands curling over the arm he had around her waist.

He
gently placed a kiss over the bite on her shoulder. “Are you all right, mate?”

“Fine.”
She turned in his embrace. “More than fine. But I don’t think I can move
anytime soon. I hope you didn’t have plans.”

Garren
chuckled. “If my mate wants to stay in bed the rest of the day, then that’s
what we’ll do.” He kissed her. “I won’t complain.”

Her
lips tipped up in a smile. “I’m sure you wouldn’t, but if we do this too many
more times today, I won’t be able to walk.”

“Then
I guess I’d just have to carry you everywhere.”

She
snorted. “Yeah, I can see you doing that. I think I prefer getting from one
place to another on my own steam.”

“Then
I guess I’ll have to let you rest,” he said, his hand sliding up and down her
back, petting her in long strokes. She seemed to like it, snuggling closer to
him, burying her face in his chest.

A
knock sounded at the door. “Garren, it’s Parker. We’re going to start the night
shift patrols. We put you on rotation for the morning so you could have some time
with your mate. If you need anything, just yell and someone will come running.”

“You
hear that, my sweet Isi?” he whispered in her ear. “You have me all to yourself
tonight. Whatever shall we do?”

She
groaned. “Sleep.”

Garren
laughed and hugged her tight. “How about I feed you first? You’re going to be
ravenous when you wake up if you don’t at least have a snack before bed. I’ve
watched you pick at your food all day, and after your ordeal this past week,
you need your strength and should be eating everything we put in front of you.”

“I’ll
make you a deal.” She looked up at him. “If you don’t find the person
responsible within one week, we leave here and never look back. And I’ll eat
whatever you want me to.”

He
frowned. “I can’t just walk away, Isi. This is too important. What if they
aren’t satisfied with us taking you away? What if they come after you again?”

“They
were perfectly content for me to be taken from the pack before. I’m sure they
will be this time, too.”

“It’s
not up for discussion.” The thought of someone taking her from him chilled
Garren to the bones. He’d just found her and he wasn’t about to lose her. He
could understand her need to be away from this place. There was bad energy in
the McGraw pack and he wanted to be away from here as soon as possible, but he
also knew he had to tie up loose ends first or it might come back to bite him
in the ass.

He
felt her sigh against his skin and his beast let out a rumbling purr. His lion
was very content to have their mate in their arms. Truthfully, Garren had begun
to wonder if he would ever find his mate. He’d thought he’d found her once, but
the woman had been all wrong for him. He’d realized it, but a little too late.
Mary had done a number on him before he wisened up and kicked her to the curb.

He’d
never had the best taste in women, which was why he’d preferred one-night
stands. They didn’t haunt you the next day like a royally fucked up
relationship could.

Garren
felt Isi relax against him and knew she’d fallen asleep. He really had wanted
to feed her first, but her poor body was still worn out from her ordeal.

When
he’d first dropped down into that box, he’d feared that she was dead, but his
acute hearing had picked up the faintest hint of a heartbeat and relief had
flooded him. Even over the pungent scents coming from that concrete box, he’d
still known she was his mate. Seeing her in that condition, knowing someone had
harmed her on purpose, had sent him into a rage, but he’d had to hold it
together—for her.

He’d
do anything for Isi, she just didn’t realize it yet.

Garren
closed his eyes and tried to relax. It wasn’t in his nature to not be aware of
his surroundings, but he tried to let go of the stress and tension and just
enjoy being with his mate. Isi was the greatest gift he could have ever
received and he would treasure her every day for the rest of his life.

****

A
noise woke Garren. The room was pitch-black, but his lion could see just fine.
The bed next to him was empty and a faint glow showed beneath the bathroom
door. At first, he’d thought Isi had just gotten up to relieve herself, but
when he strained and didn’t hear a sound, the hairs on the back of his neck
lifted.

Shoving
off the covers, he padded across the room, hesitating just outside the bathroom
door. There was a shuffling sound, like feet sliding against the tile floor.
Garren reached for the knob, but it wouldn’t turn in his hand. He fought the
urge to call out to Isi, but something told him all was not as it seemed so
that would be a mistake. There was a crash on the other side of the door and
Garren knew he couldn’t wait another moment.

Putting
his shoulder to the door, he rammed it several times. The first split the door
down the middle, but the door didn’t fold. He rammed it a second time and it
gave, but not enough. Leaning away, he kicked out, shattering the door on
impact. The sight before him stilled his heart before sending it into
overdrive.

“Let
her go,” he growled at the man who held Isi captive. The man’s arm was banded
around her waist, pinning her arms at her sides while he tried to jab her with
a needle. One wrong move and Isi could be seriously hurt. He couldn’t just
tackle the man to the ground, no matter how much he’d love to do exactly that.

A
scar ran down the man’s face from hairline to jaw; his blue eyes glittered in
the fluorescent lighting. The man bared his teeth at Garren and tried to jab
Isi again, but she fought him, struggling in his grasp, kicking with all her
might.

Garren
wasn’t sure what chilled him more. The look in the man’s eyes or the fact he
hadn’t bothered hiding his face. When a man didn’t care if you could identify
him, things turned to shit—fast.

“I’ve
been paid top dollar to get rid of this bitch,” the man bit out. “I always
finish a job.”

“I
told you I would leave,” Isi said, her face turning red from her struggles.
“I’ll move far away from here and no one will ever see me again.”

“Sorry,
lass. I can’t take your word for it.”

Lass?
He didn’t
detect a Scottish accent, but the dialect combined with the scar was forming a
rather terrifying picture in Garren’s mind. The man was paid to get rid of Isi,
and there was only one mercenary Garren knew of that fit the description of the
ice-cold shifter in front of him.

“Mac,
let her go.”

The
man smiled, sending a shiver down Garren’s spine.

“So
you know of me. And who might you be?”

“Garren
Douglas. SEAL Team 7. Former SEAL Team 7.”

The
man’s brows arched. “You’re the leader of the tracking team that hit the
streets about a year ago. All SEALs, if I remember correctly.”

“That’s
right, and my entire team is on premises. Don’t you think it would be better to
let Isi go? She’s under my protection.” He swallowed hard. “She’s my mate. If
you harm her, there’s nowhere you’ll be able to hide. I’ll track you down like
the dog you are and slit your throat while you sleep.”

Mac
laughed. “You’re assuming I sleep.”

Despite
his flippant words, Garren noticed his hold had slackened a little. Isi’s color
was evening out again and she fought against him one last time, earning her
freedom. She rushed across the room, throwing her arms around Garren’s waist
and burying her face against him. He could feel her heart pounding and smoothed
a hand down her hair to ease her.

“I
don’t suppose you’d tell me who hired you if I asked?” Garren said.

“If
she’s yours, what are you still doing here? Everyone knows you’re based out of
Galveston.”

“I
promised to take care of the threat to her life before I take her home. I look
over my shoulder enough already. I don’t need to add something else to the
list.”

Mac
nodded. “Fair enough. You know I can’t tell you who hired me, but as a
professional courtesy, I will tell you that you need to get your mate as far
away from this pack as possible. Its alpha is a twisted man who is poisoning
those under his control.”

“Alpha
Henry sent you?” Garren asked as his eyes narrowed.

“No,
but I believe he’s the puppet master. Nothing happens in this pack without him
knowing about it. So even though he didn’t call in the hit on your mate, he
knew it was taking place. The fact he isn’t here to stop me should tell you
everything you need to know.”

Yeah,
it unfortunately told him
more
than
he wanted to know. It wasn’t the first time he’d come up against a corrupt
alpha, and he knew it wouldn’t be the last, but the fact the asshole was after
Isi was what set Garren’s teeth on edge. No one messed with his mate! Not
without paying the ultimate price. Alpha Henry wanted her? Well, he’d have to
go through Garren and seven other men first. Maybe it was time to be proactive
and not reactive.