A Forbidden Love

Chapter Ten: Bargaining Tool

I felt tears leave my eyes as I stared after Ash’s form. “Let’s get you to bed.” Nathan says, leading me out the door and toward his house. I don’t pay any attention to where I’m going. All I can think of is what did I do wrong? Then I remembered the kiss with Garret and realized my mistake. I was having such different feelings for each one of them. Who would I pick? I still couldn’t believe that tomorrow I would meet another potential bachelor. I knew though that I would never pick Nathan. He was to bipolar for my liking and liked to hit things when he got mad.

“Do you want some different clothes to sleep in?” Nathan asks me, pulling me out of my thoughts. I nod absentmindedly, finally taking notice of where I was. I was in Nathan’s room.

“What am I doing in here?” I ask, my voice betraying my nervousness.

“Here’s your shirt.” Nathan says, before answering my question. “I don’t want any of the guys to have easy access to you. I don’t want a replay of what happened with Raiden. I promise that I will keep you safe, and I plan to stick to that.” Nathan ushers me over to the king sized bed and placed me on the side away from the door.

The sheets were a black silk and very comfortable on the skin. I pulled off my shirt and put on Nathan’s shirt when he turned around. I turned and told him he could look again before pulling off my shorts. The shirt fit me all the ways to my knees. It was like a night gown on me.

“I love the look of you wearing my clothes.” Nathan eyed me with a hungry look. I roll my eyes and lay down under the covers.

“You know you can’t force me to sleep with you and I haven’t picked you.” I say, knowing it’s the truth. He snapped out of his daze and nodded.

“Ill be good.” He says with a wink. I roll my eyes again and try to fall asleep. As I do I have a dream, more like a nightmare…

There were woods all around me. I could hear nothing; for all was silent. Then I heard a voice calling my name. I turn to see Ash running toward me. He jumps into the air and lands in his wolf form. I rush to his side.

“I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.” I say. I bury my head in his chest. All of a sudden there is a gun shot. I move my hands over Ash’s wolf form and try to pull him closer to me. I look at my hand as I feel something wet. My hand is covered in blood.

“You’re bleeding” I scream. A man walks out of the woods with a gun in one hand and a carving knife in the other. “Don’t you dare come near us.” I say, growling. I feel my anger rising as I see Ash’s sides barely moving.

The man eyes me. “I’ll give you a moment alone.” With that he disappears.

As soon as he’s gone I turn back to Ash. “We have to stop the bleeding.” I say, tears falling down my cheeks. Ash turns to look at me. I could see his love for me reflected in his eyes. I put all my feelings in my eyes and locked my gaze with his. When he nodded his wolf head I knew he understood.

“I love you.” I whisper. I watch as Ash changes forms. He lifts his head up as far as he can.

“I love you too.” Then his last breath leaves his lips and he lays still in my arms.

“Noooo!” I scream into the silent woods. I bury my head in his chest and sob. He had died saving me. I would never get to tell him how I truly felt and that I would have picked him instead of one of the alphas.

I wake up sobbing and sweating. Nathan has me cradled in his lap under the covers. “It’s ok. IT was only a bad dream. Do you want to tell me what happened?” I could sense some steel in his voice and I wondered if I had said anything out loud in my sleep. I hoped not.

“It was nothing. Only someone I really cared about died in my arms.” I pull out of his grasp and lay down on my side of the bed.

“Why did you call out Ash’s name?” he said after a few moments of silence. I went dead still.

“It was because Ash was the one that died.” I say, trying once more to sleep.

“You can’t pick him you know. If you do then the pact will be off and we can force you to do anything we want. We can even use you as food.” Nathan says calmly, knowing I would be forced to pick one of them. I just hoped he knew I wouldn’t be picking him anytime soon.

“I know.” I say weakly, giving him what he wanted. He scoots over closer to me and pulls me to his chest with one arm.

“I would protect you and give you anything you desired if you would pick me.” He said, trying to bribe me.

“I won’t be bought.” I say angrily.

“I know sweet heart. I was merely suggesting.” He says swiftly.

“Sure you were. I’m tired and want to get some sleep. Please leave me alone.” I roll over to lie on my back and stare at the ceiling before I hear even breathing coming from Nathan’s side of the bed.

I pull the covers off of me and make my way to Nathan’s door as quietly as I can. I stop in mid stride as the floorboard creaks beneath me. Nathan grunts and rolls over, but doesn’t wake up from his slumber.

I open the door and silently thank whomever that the door didn’t make any noise. I walk down the stairs and out onto the cool porch. I don’t see the figure until it is almost upon me.

“Hello dearest, you know it isn’t safe to be prowling around at this time of night.” I held my hand over my heart until I saw who it was.

“Goodness Josh! You scared the crap out of me. I wish you wouldn’t do that!” I say angrily, but keeping my voice down.

“Where are you going?” he asks.

I think about lying to him, but then remember he can smell a lie. “I’m going to go try and find Ash.” I say.

“In those clothes and at this time of night?” he asks, looking me up and down. I feel self-conscious under his close scrutiny, but don’t let it show.

“I can do it.” I say, thought I know my case is a losing one.” Do you have any suggestions?” I ask.

“As a matter of fact I do. Wait here and I’ll go grab you a pair of my shorts and a different t-shirt.” He says. I nod and wait as he moves quickly to do as he says.

I am dressed in a pair of khaki shorts and a black t-shirt in less than five minutes. “Now may I leave?” I ask. He nods.

As I start to the forest I find him following me.

“What are you doing?” I hiss at him.

“I’m not letting you out of my sight. Nathan would literally kill me if he found out I let you go into the woods alone. I mean literally. You’re a magnet for trouble anyway.” Josh moved to stand beside me.

“Whatever. I will admit that I might need your eye sight anyway.” I take off once more to the forest. As soon as I get deep enough, the soft lights from the porches are gone and all I can rely on is the small sliver of a moon.

There is a snap of a twig breaking and Josh goes silent next to me. “What was that?” I ask him. He doesn’t answer, but puts a finger to his lip.

After a few more moments of silence he talks. “It was a raccoon.” He says as he starts walking, taking the lead.

“Have you smelled any of Ash’s scent?” I ask him. He shakes his head and keeps moving. “Then how do you know where to go?” I ask.

“Ash usually doesn’t go very far when he gets mad. He should be around here somewhere.” Josh stops all of a sudden, placing his arm across my chest. I stop in mid stride, staring at him.

There is a rustle of the wind and everything remains quiet. I go to speak, but Josh moves behind me and puts his hand over my mouth. He pulls me back into the trees and stares straight ahead. I get nervous and my heart rate speeds up. I follow his gaze and see a sorry sight.

There is a werewolf struggling to walk. It’s soon after I recognize Ash’s silver fur. I try to struggle to get out of Josh’s grasp, but he won’t let me go. I soon see why. Four large men step out of the shadows and surround Ash.

One of the men kick him and I start to feel the anger radiating off of Josh. Ash howls in pain before changing into his human form. There are cuts and bruises all of his naked body and he can barely breathe. I feel like screaming into the night too.

“What are you doing on our territory?” one of the men say. I feel like I’ve heard the voice before, but I don’t know where from.

“I wasn’t on your territory, you’re on mine.” Ash struggles to say. He sits up and stares up at the man speaking. “You better leave before my reinforcements come. The alpha of my pack will not be happy about you trespassing.”

“I know him boss, he’s the beta of their pack.” One of the other men say.

“This is perfect!” the first man to speak says. “We’ll use him to get the girl. We know Nathan will put up a fight to keep her even though it’s our turn.”

“You won’t touch her!” Ash tries to lunge at the man, but two of the largest men hold him back.

“Do I sense some feelings for the girl? You know it’s not allowed. Only and alpha can have her.” The man laughs and slaps Ash.

“You’re too weak for her anyway.” The man says. Then he kicks him again in the stomach and Ash’s legs give out. He almost falls, but the men hold him up. “Take him back to the camp. He’ll be a good bargaining tool.” The three men leave, but the talker stays.

“Let this be a warning.” The man turns to where we are hiding. “I want the girl in the morning and I expect to get her.” With that said he turns and follows after the other men.

“How’d he know we were here?” I ask.

“He has better senses as an alpha.” Josh turns and picks me up. He carries me all the way back to the camp.

“Nathan!” I screamed, wanting to get him to do something. I had been begging Josh to help him all the way back, but he wouldn’t do a single thing.

“Paige?” Nathan comes flying out the front door of his and sees me in Josh’s arms. “What is going on here Josh?’ Nathan turns his furious gaze on Josh, thinking the worse.

“It’s ok honey, we’ll get him back. Josh, do you know which pack?” Nathan asks.

“Russell’s pack, he wants the girl.” Josh said, eyeing me. I knew it was me the whole time. I had caused this. I was the reason that Ash was taken. I had to get him back.

“I vote for you to give me to them and get Ash back.” I say.

“No.” Nathan says. “I want no further comments on it.”

“But-“

“I said no further comments.” Nathan took a step away and went about working on a plan. Josh set me down on the ground, finally remembering he was holding me. “Ash wouldn’t want us to hand you over, now would he?” Josh spoke the truth.

“I still don’t want to see him hurt because of me.” I say. I finally knew that I liked Ash, I might even be in love with him, and now I could lose him. I started once more to cry.

“I hate this. I’ve caused so much trouble for all the packs. I’ve turned pack mates against each other and got Raiden killed. Nathan’s cabin burned down because of me and the rogue attack. I got kidnapped and you guys had to come to my rescue. I’ve screwed everything up all because of that stupid agreement with my dad. At least I think he’s my dad.” I stop rambling as Josh sits next to me on the front step and holds me to him.

“I know that you’ve had feelings for Ash. I’m pretty sure that everyone can see it, but you can’t let that get in the way of a decision. If we walk into this blindly someone might get hurt. Let Nathan come up with a plan and then we will go after him.” He pauses to lift my chin. “None of this is your fault. Pack mates fight all the time. People fight over mates all the time. A rogue attack could happen anytime. They didn’t come to get you anyway. They came to get the baby.”

“I know, I just think it’s all my fault. I’ll give Nathan a chance to come up with a plan, but he better hurry before morning comes and they show up to get me.” I turn my head to lean it on Josh’s strong shoulder and find myself getting tired.

“Let’s get you back to bed. I’ll wake you up early enough.” Josh says after seeing me about to refuse.

“Ok.” I say as I let him lead me up to Nathan’s bed. I fall asleep before my head even hits the pillow.