The Tragic Mate

First Steps

Of course nobody tried to take the bond away at that point because she rushed straight off and back to them, her family. Her fear of them so deeply embedded that even the mate bond was unable to shore up her diminished sense of self. That came later, once the bond had been forged in iron. Even at that stage though, nothing could break their connection. It could be warped, ripped, deformed but never broken entirely. Even now that it was intangible, its ghost still lived. It always would, along with its searing grief.

Seth's reignited aquaintance with his mate, quickly reignited the obsession that any mate has with each other. Seth had buried it so deeply within himself over the past 17 years that its awakening was as painful as the day that it had been shredded by her walking away from him. He might be older and wiser but he felt as weak as a wisened old man on death's door, desperately holding onto his sanity for the sake of his family.

His overriding thought at the moment was how he had now been the one to walk away from her. More accurately, he had been dragged away from her, incoherently raging at the monster who he knew held her captive, despite saying that she chose to be there. He did that. He forced that situation, falling right into the trap of the man who was now his sworn enemy.

The time would come when he would rip out that evil young wolf's throat. He would find a way, no matter what it cost himself.

That evening, as he relived his first meeting with his mate, he wallowed in the feelings of love and loss, with only those first moments of soul-filling love keeping him sane. He'd never forget the moment he and Violet connected as mates. The moon-goddess had gifted him the most precious being in life - his Scottish Bluebell. She had gone through such unimaginable pain that he had eventually felt that the only thing that he could do for her was to let her go. Not a day went by when he didn't regret that decision, but seeing her had magnified that regret. How had he ever thought that she would be alright without him to protect her, to take care of her, to love her as she deserved. As she needed! What a fool he had been.

He would s*******r every last person that had hurt her!

Eventually Seth's rage-filled thoughts overcame him leading to him falling into a fitful sleep that was blessedly free of the dreams and nightmares that were continually filling his days now. The moon-goddess watched over him, stroking his brow, clearing it of the pain of memories. She deeply regretted what she had done to this couple 17 years ago. It had been necessary to set in motion the plans that would lead to the defeat of the enemy that had very nearly bested her all that time ago. The casualties then had been tragic, but it filled her eyes with such guilt and grief to know the pain that these two beautiful beings had endured. She could do little for him, but she could offer him this ease and gave it gladly. Tears flowed freely, offering him the salve they contained before she pulled away again and left. She could not come to him again, but her tears left their own gift for the future. It was some comfort to her.

Morning sounds and light woke Seth where he slept in his armchair. He stretched, expecting to ache from a night in the chair, but he felt strangey invigorated. A noise brought him to full awareness and it took him a moment to see the basket on the kitchen table. That busybody had been in his cottage again! Still, there were worse things to wake up to and at the scent of Mrs B's cinammon and cream cheese buns. His stomach gurgled and mouth watered. Why not make another cup of that tea she left and eat outisde with the rest of nature's early risers?

As he stood overlooking the drop that led the lane up to the cottage, he contemplated the day. It would be Sunday tomorrow and he better have the 'speech' ready. He couldn't afford to get that wrong. In the meantime, he would do a little research. He had to know more about that new Alpha. He had recognised something about him yesterday but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He needed to know exactly who this piece of filth was. There was something running around in his head that told him he knew something. He prayed that whatever it was, it would help him to get his Bell out of there. She didn't want to be there, no matter what she had said. She wasn't happy there and he had to save her.

He'd sworn to leave the brother alone. He had promised her that, but this promise he would gladly break. To hell with her ridiculously kind and forigiving heart. Her brother owed her this at the very least. Picking up his phone, he messaged an old friend of his, one who still had the morals of a psychopath and that was exactly what he needed. At that very moment, Seth would sacrifice anyone from their old life to get what he needed. He needed to find the brother and he needed him brought here.

The phone connected. "Damon. Seth here. I need you to find someone for me."

A chuckle on the other end of the phone instantly relaxed Seth. Damon hadn't changed. "Seth! Great to hear from you. Thought you'd sworn off the dark side. Welcome back! Who is it? Dead or alive and where do you want them delivered? Usual fee?"

Seth didn't chuckle in response but he did relax. Damon might be dangerous to do business with, but you knew exactly where you were with him. Drew wouldn't approve of this. He'd tell him that there were other ways to deal with this situation but what Drew didn't know, wouldn't hurt him.

"Delivery to my cottage. No harm, discomfort or any such manhandling - physical or emotional - needs to occur to him unless he doesn't wish to come. I need him alive, no matter what. As for the who, it's Violet's brother." I delivered my request in the same clinical fashion as he'd requested.

"Ummm, have you gone senile? You killed him. You do remember pulling his spine through his throat don't you?" There was distinct hesitancy in Damon's voice. The last he had heard of Seth, he was still running his brother's pack. He had not expected him to have lost his marbles.

"Yes Damon. I will never forget that satisfying moment. No, not that brother. She had two brothers and I let the other one go. He ran off and I let him make his life elsewhere without any consequences. Last I head, he had joined another pack, mated and had a family. Bell seemed happy about it." I grumbled. I'd never been happy to have let him go consequence free, but that was what she had wanted, so that was what he got.

"Ah, I missed that one. Didn't know. You're a better man than me. I don't think that I could have shown such self-control. I guess that was why you deserved someone as beautiful as Violet." He wasn't stupid enough to call her by the name we had both used for her when we were younger. He was with me the day I recognised her as my mate. She was one of the few people who saw the good in him and she would always have a special place in his heart, but he wasn't stupid enough to think that I would tolerate another man being overtly affectionate towards her, especially when I suspected that he loved her too.

"Yeah," I threw him a bone, acknowledging how willing he would have been to do anything for her, "that's why she never told you about him. Anyway, he went far enough away to help me try to pretend that he didn't exist, but I do know that they met up once or twice so he can't be that far. Somewhere in North Wales I think."

"So what do you want him for?" Unusually for Damon, his curiosity was piqued.

"I need information about her that I think he might be able to help with. You might be able to help piece things together but there is something rattling around in my head that tells me I need his family knowledge." I grunted in frustration.

"Okay. It might take me a bit to find him, but when I do, I'll meet you at your place."

And that was it. The line went dead. It was all in play.