A Forbidden Love

Chapter Eight: Taken

I dodge the first wolf, but the second one lands on top of me. I shelter the baby from the fall. The baby wakes up and starts to cry. The sound makes the wolves stop what they are doing and stare at the bundle in my arms. I scramble back, my back pressing up against the closest wall.

One of the wolves changes back. “Hand over the baby and no one gets hurt.” He says.

“No, if you take the baby then you’ll have to take me. I won’t let this baby out of my sight!” I say angrily. I hold the baby closer to me, trying to get it to calm down. Dawn finally stops crying. The wolf stalks toward me, thinking I’m not paying attention. I roll out of the way as he lunges for me once again.

“Then I guess we’ll just take you both.” I scream as the man swoops in and picks me up. He places a hand over my mouth and jumps through the broken window. All I see as we run through the woods is smoke billowing from one of the houses and utter chaos surrounding the other houses.

Garret’s POV

I was at loss. I had lost Paige to Nathan and had been escorted by those mangy mutts of his territory. They ambushed me toward the edge of my territory and theirs. I had put up a good fight, but I was already tired from running after Paige. I eventually managed to get away and make it onto my territory. I looked back to find them gone.

Now it was two days later and I had heard nothing. I couldn’t’ decide. I could either go and attack Nathan’s camp and steal her back, or I could wait until it was my turn to have her next. I was leaning more toward the first one, missing Paige’s warmth as she had slept beside me. I was so tempted to take her and make her my mate on that first night, but knew I couldn’t.

If I ever got her back in my bed I know that I might not be able to control myself, but I know I would need to.

I am pacing in my room when there is a call at my door. “Come in.” I say.

“Sir, there’s been news on Paige.” My beta says. I motion him in. He closes the door behind him.

“Is it good or bad?” I ask impatiently as he remains silent.

“Bad.” I hit my head with my hand.

“Continue you insolent man.” I smack him, my anger taking over. “If she’s dead or hurt so help me…” I trail off.

“She’s been taken by a bunch of rogues. They attacked Nathan’s camp and stole his female’s daughter that was born last night and he took Paige. There has been no word on their whereabouts.” Reese says.

“Take me to Nathan’s camp.” I tell Reese. He nods and we walk out of my tent. We meet Andrew and Henry on our way. “come with us.” I say. I needed a lot of strength just in case it came to a fight. I didn’t know what exactly happened today and I wasn’t about to go without a lot of muscle.

Andrew and Henry followed us without complaint. I grabbed an apple and motioned for the others to eat something. I needed them to be at their full capacity. Andrew grabbed and orange and was peeling it. Henry grabbed a banana and Reese grabbed and apple like me.

“Where are we going boss?” Henry asks me. I look up from my last bite of apple.

“We’re going to Nathan’s camp to ask him what happened to Paige.” I watch as Andrew’s eyes darken. I thought he might be trouble when I told them, but I want him to come.

“Why would we put ourselves in danger for that whore?” Andrew says. My eyes darken with fury and I slap him across his face. He growls and lowers his head.

“Don’t you dare speak of her like that.” I say. “No one will be allowed to speak of my future mate like that!” I shout angrily. I was tired of people saying things about her behind my back and it was about to stop. “If I ever hear of you saying that again I’ll kill you.” I say deadly serious.

“Yes boss.” Andrew says, with only a little sarcasm in his voice. I get ready to hit him again when Reese stops me.

“We should get going, it’s about to be dark.” I nod and walk away, Henry and Reese following me.

“Andrew, let’s go.” I say. He turns to me in surprise.

“I thought I was staying here.” He says truthfully. I shake my head and he jogs to catch up. “I’ll fight, but I won’t be doing it for that girl.” He says. I nod, not really caring at the moment.

It took us a while, but after telling everyone where we were going and posting sentries then we were on our way. We reached the edge of our territory by night fall and kept on trekking. Our night vision kicked in and we were able to see clearly in the darkness.

“How much longer, sir?” Henry asked me after we had trekked a good two miles into Nathan’s territory. I was only going by my nose and didn’t know the answer. The question just hung in the air.

Just a few moments later we heard paw steps approaching us. “State your business.” A voice calls out of the shadows. I recognize it as Josh. He used to be in our pack until he traded packs and joined Nathan’s.

“We want to know what happened to Paige and wish to speak with Nathan.” I say calmly.

“Follow me and stay close.” Josh motions for us to follow. We fall in step behind him and the other wolves from Nathan’s pack surround us.

We arrive at Nathan’s camp and find it in utter chaos. One of the cabins had been burned down and only ashes and pieces of wood remained. It was a sad sight along with the blood. We passed several injured wolves and we heard a female’s anguished cries.

“What happened here?” Andrew asks, staring in shock around him.

“What is the meaning of this?” a very angry voice calls out. We all turn to find Nathan stalking toward us.

“I came to talk to you. I came to offer you my help in the search for Paige and your female’s daughter.” I say calmly. I was expecting this to happen.

“I don’t need your help.” Nathan spits. I look around me and then back at him. He follows my gaze, but doesn’t say anything. I watch as he lowers his head a little.

“Just tell us where the scent is and we’ll be off.” I say. I knew that no alpha wanted to be seen in this situation.

“Head to the edge of the clearing, due east.” Josh answered for Nathan.

I motioned for my gang to follow me and we headed to the edge of the clearing. I was the first to catch Paige’s scent. It was faint, but she had come this way. We were about to follow it when we heard footsteps approaching.

“We’re coming with you.” Josh said to me. He was standing there with a pack member I didn’t recognize. I shook my head.

“We do this alone. If we find her, she’s coming to my pack.” I say.

“The rogues did this to our camp. You need all the help you can get. Besides, we have the best trackers.” He posed a good point.

“Whatever, but don’t get in my way.” I say in my alpha voice. They nod, and we head off.

Paige’s POV

I lost track of which way we were headed. My feet hurt and were cut and bleeding. The wolf leader of the rogues, who I found out to be called Aidan, was making all the wolves move fast, not caring if I kept up. I held the baby in my arms and would not release it to anyone. It had awoken one time, but I had gotten it back to sleep. I knew what it really needed and that was food.

Finally I heard Aidan say we were stopping for the night. I was relieved. I sat down where I was and laid down. I put the baby down next to my stomach and closed my eyes. I jerked my eyes open when I felt the baby being taken from me.

“What do you want?” I scream, grabbing the baby back. The wolf growls at me and grabs the bundle that the baby is wrapped in. He pulls it away from me and I scramble after it. Another wolf jumps on me and holds me down, growling in my ear.

“Let me go. I’ll have you know that all the alphas’ will come after me. I am one of their future mates. They will all come after me with their packs and kill you all for this insolence you have chosen in taking me!” I say, trying to get them to leave me alone and give me back the baby. It seemed to stop all of them in their tracks.

“You are the girl that all the wolves have been speaking of. The one that will chose one of the alphas to be her mate and they will be on the side of humans, guarding them and protecting them?” Aidan asks. I find myself nodding and then Aidan laughs. “Well boys, seems we got more than we bargained for.” All the wolves change back and start laughing. I look around to see the same hungry lust in their eyes. Now I knew I was in trouble.

“Why don’t we just see why all these alphas want you,” says the wolf that has blonde hair. He looks no older than me. He moves toward me and I move backwards. I find myself soon penned up against a tree. He moves close to me and sniffs me, relishing in my scent. I gasp as he lowers his mouth to my neck and gently gives my kisses on my pulse. In all honesty it felt good, but I would never admit that to him.

His hand traced my face and then went down to my waist. He pulled me against him and I saw the other’s paying us no attention. I tried to call out, but found my throat to be dry. He pulls the shirt off of my shoulder and kisses me gently on my shoulder blade. I give an involuntary shake. He smirks and looks into my eyes. I find my body disobeying me and moving closer to him, wanting more. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I never act like this.

“What are you doing to me?” I ask. He laughs softly.

“I’m not doing anything. It’s called sexual tension.” He moves back to his position kissing my neck, but this time he reaches my lips, grazing them softly with his before devouring them with passionate kisses. I try to scream, not wanting his kisses, but those of another.

Ash’s POV

As soon as we found out that Paige was gone Nathan sent me after her. I left Nathan to comforting Anna. She was heartbroken and wanted to kill anyone who got near her son. It was always hard for a female mother wolf to lose a child, but when it was a rare girl, it was even harder.

“Bring her back.” Nathan had said before I left with James. We had followed closely behind the rogues, but hadn’t caught them yet. Finally we watched as they set up camp for the night. I watched as Paige laid down and brought the baby close to her. I wanted to cry out when that wolf started taking the baby from her. What she did next surprised me.

She told them that she was important, putting her life at risk. The beta who looked no older than Paige walked over to her and started to kiss her neck. From where I was I could hear her heart beating faster. I couldn’t tell if it was from excitement or if she was scared. I only knew one thing; I was seeing red.

I was about to jump out there when James holds me back and tells me to wait. I wait and watch as he then moves on to her shoulder and then finds her lips. By this time her heart is beating extremely fast.

Right then I decide to attack, but before I can a black wolf beats me to it.

Garret’s POV

I caught their scent and we followed it. Josh and Gates stayed away from us for most of the time. We lost their scent once but Gates picked it up.

Now we were almost there. I could smell the full scent and knew they stopped for the night.

“Approach silently.” I say in our minds. They nod their head and change into their wolf forms. I go last. I approach silently toward the clearing. I see one of the young wolves, which seems like the beta despite his age, kissing Paige on the shoulder. I tense, and wait for her reaction. I can hear her heart beat pick up and jealousy flows through me. Was she excited or scared? I didn’t know, but I didn’t like what was happening to her, that much I did know.

When his mouth moves to cover hers I react without thinking. I launch across the clearing and throw the young wolf off of her. Paige falls to the ground on shaky knees. I stand in front of her as more wolves surround me. The one that had been kissing Paige changes into his wolf form and smirks at me. He drawls close enough for me to latch onto, taunting me. I knew I was outnumbered, but they didn’t know I brought reinforcements.

I lift my head and howl. The rogue wolves never saw it coming. Josh and James attacked from the East. Henry and Andrew attacked from the West and Reese attacked from the South. Two strange wolves attacked from the North. I stayed intent on my prey. I was going to kill the one that dared to set his lips on my Paige.

I motioned for him to bring it and he lunged at me. I was expecting it and easily moved out of the way. I turn around quickly and land on his back. He drops to the ground and then thrusts upwards, sending me flying through the air.

He smirks at me as I land on the ground close to Paige. I glance over to make sure she’s ok and find the baby in her arms. I had forgotten all about it. I then turn back to the rogue wolf and find him gone. I look around me, but don’t see him sneaking up behind me. Paige’s gasp is what turns me around. I turn just in time to dodge teeth and claws.

I swipe a paw at the passing wolf and hit his muzzle. Blood squirts into the air and he howls in pain. I nod in satisfaction. I then swipe a claw down his left side as he tries to jump on my back again. I am about to claw him again when a different wolf jumps on me from behind. I howl out in pain as he sinks his teeth in my neck. I try to throw him off, but nothing happens.

A silver wolf jumps toward us and knocks the wolf on my back off of me. I nod at him, thanking him and we each turn to one of the wolves. The silver wolf takes the one that he just knocked off my back and I turn once more to the wolf that kissed Paige. He wasn’t paying attention to me and was approaching Paige from behind. I howl in anger and jump on him. I sink my teeth into his neck and bite down as hard as I can. The wolf beneath me soon becomes still. I sniff his coat before knowing he’s dead.

I change back into my human form and approach Paige. “Are you ok?” I ask her as I squat down next to her.

“I’m fine.” She says. I pull her into my arms as tears start to fall. “Why am I always getting into tough situations?” she cries out. She buries her head in my shoulder and sobs shake her body. I kiss the top of her head and put my finger under her chin. I pull her face to look at me and then look right in her eye.

“It’s not your fault.” I say. She looks at my lips and I get a certain urge to kiss her, but wasn’t sure if it was the right time.

Paige’s POV

I look up into Garret’s eyes and see confusion in his eyes. I find myself drawn to him just as I am Ash. I look down at his lips and find myself wanting to kiss those velvet lips. I lean in toward him and he meets me half way. He brushes his lips over mine gently, almost like he’s asking permission. I nod and he grabs the back of my neck. He pulls me to him. I set the baby in my lap and wrap my arms around his neck. I kiss him back.

When we pull away I see a figure standing in the shadows. I watch as they change and disappear. I gasp as I realize who it was.

The silver wolf disappeared in the woods with a tear streaming down his cheek. I had just kissed Garret and Ash had seen.