Page 21 of Forced Bonds

I gave him a quizzical look. “Bonding is for life, Benji. I wasn’t about to just pick anyone.” He just stared at me, mouth slightly agape. “Let’s go,” I said, effectively ending the conversation. “We have a dog to grill for information.”

He grumbled something but still followed. “At least the rogues won’t be out until dark.”

“But the witches might,” I reminded him.

“Fuck,” he sighed, following me to the elevator.

“You’re stronger and more resilient to injury after we bonded. If the witches try anything, they won’t get far before I have them bleeding out by your pretty feet.”

He eyed me like I was mad. Perhaps it wasn’t as romantic a gesture as I’d thought it would be. I just hoped he realized I wasn’t joking. If one even dared touch my human, they’d pay with their lives.

Chapter Twelve

Christopher

Benjamin had either blocked me, or turned off his phone, and I was not dealing with it well. He’d already been hurt once and was just a frail human. What made it worse was that I’d learned from Benjamin’s boss, Hazi, that he shared a hotel room with the vampire Salizar. The one who knew Benjamin didn’t like me.

Panu had been keeping his distance and had stopped with his need for gossip, but still, he was the one to inform me that a vampire and the hunter were here to speak with me. I all but ran out of my office and into the street. The sun was setting but it was still too high for a vampire. I glared at them as I approached where they stood next to a black sedan.

“Really?” I growled once I was close enough for Benjamin to hear me. “You can’t pick up your damn phone, but showing up here is just fine?”

I only had eyes for my mate and he glared hard at me. “I was a bit preoccupied.”

I rolled my eyes at that. “I’m sure you were, meanwhile we had three of my pack members die. Remind me again how you’re the best hunter?”

“I was injured!” Benjamin snapped.

“You sure look like it!” I yelled back, eyeing him where he stood like he was perfectly fine.

A protective hand landed on Benjamin’s shoulder and I saw red. How dare the vampire touch him?!

“You will speak to him with respect,” Salizar snarled.

“I will speak to him however I damn please,” I growled. “Now, what was so important that you couldn’t pick up the fucking phone and help us? Because I’m not buying the injured sob story!”

Benjamin was unsure on his feet, clearly working through on how to answer me and I didn’t like that.

“What!” I snapped. “Happened?!”

To my horror, the hunter looked at the vampire, like he would help him, like he trusted him. I growled when the vampire gave my mate a loving look in return.

Then the vampire looked at me with clear disgust. “My bonded and I needed time to… familiarize ourselves with one another.”

Static sounded in my ears, then a ringing. My blood boiled. What?!

“Alpha!” Abigail, one of my youngest packmates in the station, came running. “Witch attack near the library! They’re trying to break the ward!”

Cursing, I shifted, ripping my clothes to shreds as I ran with all I had toward the treasure. I promised I would protect it. Father died getting it. If I lost it… he would’ve died for nothing.

Salizar was right behind me, his vampire speed enough to surpass me, but he surprisingly didn’t. I could smell Benjamin was with him, but I didn’t dare turn my head.

My mate had been claimed by someone else. I should’ve been elated, or at least felt settled now that the decision had been made for me. He would never be mine now. But instead, my werewolf roared and promised pain. The worst part was that I knew killing Salizar would mean Benjamin would die as well, my werewolf, however, didn’t care and just wanted to kill the fucker who’d claimed what was mine.

I arrived at the shitshow that was witches in capes and obvious magic being cast toward the building, like they had no care in the world if humans saw. I growled in warning, knowing fully well I was about to die facing all these witches alone.

They all turned simultaneously, which was creepy as fuck. Then one of them spoke in a calm tone, “You have taken something that doesn’t belong to you, wolf.”

It was like the air in front of me blurred and once I’d blinked a few times, the witches were no longer standing and crafting their spells, no, they were all lifeless on the ground, their blood filling the street.