Out Running the Alpha

The Beast of Gevaudan

That night I slept on the other side of the bed from Bastian as far away as I could manage despite the bond urging me to press up against him.

Before falling asleep Bastien gently touched my shoulder and I flinched away from him even though everything in my being was telling me to give in to his touch. I felt his hurt through the bond and felt satisfied. Knowing that I hurt him was enough to mitigate the pain hurting him caused me.

Despite my efforts to keep as much distance between us as possible, I woke up to him pressed against me stroking my hair. I groaned in pain jumping out of bed. I swayed clutching my neck where he had marked me. I didn't know if it was the side effect of the bond or just a result of the stress of the previous day, but I felt like death warmed over.

Bastien caught me in his arm as I swooned. "Let go of me," I said beating at him, but he refused.

"You're not well, kitten," he scooped me up gingerly setting me. "I've heard this can happen when the bond is strong between true mates. The bond can overwhelm the female and it's probably worse for you because you're not as strong as most Were's."

I was about to tell him that I would show him exactly how strong I was when shooting pain shot through my neck and raked down my body. I moaned in pain curling up into a ball clutching my neck Bastien laid down next to me scooping me up in his arms cradling me while whispering soothing words in my ear. I hated it, but the pain eased when his skin touched mine.

"Alpha," a voice said from the doorway "the council is waiting for you in the boardroom," a pretty blonde woman said hesitantly.

"Tell them I'm attending to my mate and their new Luna. I'll be with them later," he said dismissively not taking his eyes off me.

"Of course. Is there anything else I can get for you?" she asked respectfully.

"Yes I want you to get some food and water for Britney," He said stroking my hair gingerly. I could feel his concern and genuine love for me through the bond and it threw me off. He might have been spiteful and vindictive, but he wasn't faking his fondness for me. Although that could just be because he thought I was the tool that could give him the crown I knew he so viciously wanted.

While he held me I realized that there was a lot I didn't know about mating. "Can you tell me what this all means?" I asked softly hoping for something to distract me from the pain.

"Of course kitten," he smiled pleased "I forget that there is so much you don't know about our people. You probably don't even know anything about your own family."

I shrugged. He wasn't wrong. All I knew is that I was from a long line of true-born werewolf and that our family was french. "Well as I'm sure you've already felt me marking you created a bond between us. Because you're my true mate it's incredibly strong. We can sense each other's emotions and I'll always be able to sense where you are. Also, we'll feel an intense need to be close to each other. That's why me holding you is the best way to ease this transition," at that he nuzzled my neck.

I growled at him "Don't. I still hate you. If you try anything I swear to god I will get up and walk out."

"I'd like to see you try," he chuckled, but he did put a little bit of space between us.

"And you're not my mate," I added thinking of Grayson.

Even without the bond, I would have been able to feel Bastiens anger "I am your mate. I've known it since I first smelled you when you snuck out to that meeting that you weren't supposed to be at."

I sputtered "How did you know I was there?"

"I wouldn't have, but I could sense the presence of my mate in the woods. Granted I didn't know it was you until I met you at the tea. I almost didn't go to the tea in the first place because I wanted to track you down. Little did I know that my mate was the girl I almost blew off who happened to be the one I've spent years searching for," he grinned.