Mate to the enemy

Chapter Two

Daniel hesitated while Vincent opened the door leading to his basement.

He couldn’t admit it to Vincent but he was actually scared to face her.

The basement has always been a temporary holding cell for emergency offenders.

Vincent switched on the light and they climbed down the stairs to meet their prisoner.

He caught wind of her scent and inhaled, unnoticed by Vincent. She was standing and her hands and legs were spread and tied to two polls. Her head was bent downwards and hanging to one side.

'Did she pass out?' he wondered.

They both reached her and he ordered Vincent to untie her from her current position and instead tie her to a chair.

Vincent looked at his alpha not understanding his compassion for this enemy but he still obeyed, untied the girl and tied her to a chair. She still has not stirred despite all these activities.

Daniel smiled in spite of himself at how still she was contrary to what he remembered her as and he wondered if she still had her fierce spirit.

Vincent brought a bucket of water and before Daniel could stop him, he splashed the water on her. She sprang up reacting to the cold water and looked around scared.

Daniel’s heart went out to her, feeling her fear and wanting to reassure her that he wasn’t going to let them hurt her.

Kenny his wolf must have felt it too and he whimpered as Daniel tried to keep him at bay unsuspected by Vincent.

"This can’t be happening," he murmured wiping his hands on his face.

"Did you say anything alpha?" Vincent asked turning to him when he heard Daniel murmur something.

Her head sprang up at once and focused on him and he instantly knew that she knew what he had discovered.

"Help me!" she pleaded with him.

Daniel winced as Kenny began to become uncontrollable. He understood why his wolf wanted to reach out to her and he wanted too. He looked at her not knowing what to do or how to respond. She shouldn’t be asking for his help while Vincent was there with them.

"Why should I?" Daniel asked her in response to her plea. He wasn’t ready to tell Vincent yet and he had to sort out himself first.

"Who are you talking to, alpha?" Vincent asked confused looking from Daniel to the prisoner.

Daniel looked at her and looked back at Vincent.

"I was replying to what she said," he told his beta and he gained a frown from a more confused Vincent.

"But she’s yet to utter a word alpha." Daniel sharply turned to her in disbelieve.

'Maybe Vincent didn’t hear her.' He was sure he heard her plea for help.

"He can’t hear me." She was looking directly at him, eyeball to eyeball and Daniel knew that she was talking to him and knew that what was going on was totally impossible.

Yes, it was true but only few have the ability to mind link and this happens with only true mates so the bond was very rare.

"Why can’t he hear you?" he asked even though he knew the obvious answer.

"You know the answer alpha. He can’t hear me because he’s not my mate. You are."

Daniel blew out the breath he didn’t know he was holding then he turned to Vincent who still looked very confused and didn’t understand what was going on between his alpha and the prisoner.

"Summon Jake. I need to talk to the both of you Vince. It's important. We will deal with the prisoner after that."

He stalked off followed closely by an increasingly confused Vincent who made sure the prisoner could not escape.

*****

VINCENT WAS PACING the room while Jake just sat staring at their alpha in utter disbelieve. He still had not said a single word after he had dropped the bombshell on them.

"I need you both to think. What should I do? I need your help," Daniel coaxed.

Vincent stopped pacing and came to sit down.

"How long have you known?" he asked.

"Since she was brought in."

"I’m sorry I poured cold water on her. You must have felt what she had felt," Vincent apologized.

"More than that."

Daniel sighed and clasped his hands together as this beta and gamma waited for him to explain what he meant.

"We are mind linked."

They were both obviously more shocked from the expression on their faces. They must not have been expecting it.

"I don’t know how. I haven’t even touched her."

"I thought that was rare," Vincent asked him.

"So did I," Daniel replied clearly overwhelmed by the whole situation.

"How did you know?" Jake asked.

"She spoke to me. In the basement," he said looking at Vincent. "She asked me to help her. I don’t know how to communicate with her yet and I don’t know how she did it but, it was fascinating," he said smiling not noticing the look on their faces.

"This is serious alpha but know that I won’t betray you or let anyone know which pack she is from should you decide to claim her," Vincent assured him.

"You can also count on me to keep your secret. We both know how much you’ve longed and searched for your mate. I also felt bad that we both found ours when you haven’t and now that you have found her you are faced with the option of killing her or claiming her. It’s too much a sacrifice even for you."

"I agree alpha," Vincent concurred. "We know how much you’ve sacrificed for the pack. We won’t let you make this ultimate sacrifice. She’s yours alpha, claim her."

Daniel sighed again. He was very grateful that he had chosen the both of them as his beta and gamma. They were more than his subordinates; they were his brothers and they have helped him through the years since he had taken the mantle as the alpha.

"Thank you. The both of you have always had my back and I appreciate that. I will make my decision after I’ve talked to her but first, we have to know what she’s doing here in the enemy territory and far away from home," he told them and stood up. 'And I have to know how long she has known I’m her mate,' he thought to himself.

They went to the basement but Daniel requested to talk to her alone suggesting that she might feel more safe talking with just him than having their intimidating presence though he knew their presence will have little or no effect on her. He didn’t know how he knew but surprisingly he just did.

They both agreed and opted to stand guard to prevent unwanted audience and he told them to look out specially for his sister.

He opened the door and stepped in shutting it behind him just as Kenny leaped up. He must be excited to meet her privately.

He trusted Vincent and Jake not to eavesdrop though the basement had been built to be sound proof and needed special skills and ability to eavesdrop on any interrogation happening inside. He walked down the steps and approached her.

She looked up when he got closer to her but she remained silent. He pulled a chair and sat in front of her.

"How did you do that earlier?" he asked her after a moment.

He was curious about so many things.

"It takes a lot of energy since we are yet to claim each other," she finally said picking her words which he noticed.

Daniel smiled.

He liked the sound of her voice and obviously Kenny did too.

"You must have a lot of questions for me. Bring them on. I’ll answer the ones I can," she told him.

He said nothing but folded his hands and stared at her. She had this sneaky suspicion that he was weighing which question should go first.

She didn’t want to use telepathy again. It had taken much of what Hitler could give but they knew it had been worth it because here he was alone and wanting to talk to her. Maybe her journey wasn’t a waste and she was also straining herself to keep Hitler at bay. It was obvious that he was keeping his wolf at bay too because they could sense him.

"Why are you here? Why have you come? And don’t lie to me," he said making emphasis on it.

Melissa exhaled and nodded. She was going to be very honest with him.

"I’m here to see you. It might sound crazy but you should know it’s the truth."

"And why should I?" Daniel asked wondering why she had said it.

"Because we are linked."

He nodded but said nothing in respect to that.

"And as for why I’m here, I came to be with you," she told him, looking directly at him.

Daniel was not surprised at her boldness but he was yet to fully understand her ridiculous answer so he asked the next question.

"Why have you come to be with me?"

He knew the answer but he still wanted her to explain it.

"Obviously, because you are my mate," she said almost sounding angry.

She had not expected him to ask that lame and obvious question.

"How long have you known?" he finally asked the question she has been dreading and wondering how to answer.

He had demanded the truth and thanks to their damn link he could faintly discern if she was lying or not.

"For quite a while now," she said this time not meeting his eyes but still looking at him.

Daniel noticed her hesitation and the fact that she had not fully answered the question.

"How long is quite?" he asked.

She bit her lips and bent her head.

"Ten years," Melissa murmured.

Daniel stared at her shocked. He must not have heard well.

"What did you say?" he inquired.

"Ten years," she replied this time more loudly.

Daniel stood up and began to pace the basement not believing what he had just heard.

She had been a child then but he still wondered why she waited until now. He stopped pacing and went to sit down back.

"Why are you telling me now? You’ve had ten years to approach me."

He wanted to know why she had stayed away but Kenny wasn’t thinking the same thing. Kenny was concentrating on the pain she must have felt being alone.

"Because I was scared. My dad would have killed me if I had even hinted anything and would have married me off."

Well he could understand that but he still didn’t understand what changed.

'Was her father still not going to kill her if he now found out.' Well he was soon going to find out from her.

"So, what changed now?" he asked her.

"Because even if he knew or not, what does it matter. I’ll be dead anyway," she said meeting his eyes.