Claimed By My Adopted Uncle

7. The Fake Mate

KAEL

This girl was so f*****g blind it hurt to see. How could she want someone like Soren? He could hide his true nature behind that creepy f****d up smile but I could see through him. And why he wanted her was almost a mystery to me. Was it to keep me in place? Because somehow he knew that Raven was my mate? Did he know something I didn't?

These questions danced a musical in my head. I stood rooted in place, body pressed to hers and my lips dancing with hers. It was a perfect harmony, one that was supposed to last for a lifetime.

She was perfect for me. As a mate should be. Odin was pleased to say the least. And he was fighting for control, to assert his dominance by marking her. I pushed him to the farthest part of my mind where he wouldn't be able to make me snap.

I devoured Raven's mouth, tasting her, my c**k was hard. I needed her.

She pushed hard against me. And this was because that fucker was at the door, searching for her.

She whimpered against me, until I felt the need to let her respond, but not without a warning. “I'll kill him if he comes in, Raven…” I meant it then. Her scent overwhelmed my senses and I couldn't think straight. She bulged her eyes, she knew I wasn't bluffing.

“I'm okay, give me a minute. The dresses are a lot…” she squeaked, barely making the words out but she managed.

I hung my hands on her waist, enjoying the feel of her body against mine. I wanted to stay here forever.

For a moment there was silence. And I almost sighed in relief that he was gone but he spoke again. My guess, he was trying to listen in.

“Okay, let me know if you need some help, okay?”

“Yes..”

She answered immediately and I reclaimed her lips again. This time taking my time to feel her, to smell and taste every inch of her mouth. My hands squeezed her waist and my c**k hardened with need. I need a release.

But not with her. I backed away, waking up suddenly from whatever the f**k too over me. Disappointed and hurt flashed in her eyes when I stood away. She bit her bottom lip that was now somewhat swollen from my punishment. Nodded her head to the door, as if telling me to go. I stared at her for a moment before touching my lips. I could still taste her. She would linger for a long time I was sure.

I went to the door and peered it open, making sure there was no one in sight before slipping out of the room.

I caught up with Kathryn at the counter, my phone in hand like I had some business to take care of. She smiled at me, nothing I returned. She's not Raven. I thought to myself and handed my card to her.

Raven came out and joined in with us a few moments later with less than three clothes in hand. I shared a look with Soren. He too had the same frown I had. He shook his head, and stormed off to the room she and I made out before storming back out with a few more in hand.

“You can add these too…” I spoke to the cashier but Soren cut in.

“It's alright. I think I can handle my mate's bills.” The way he said it. As though to remind me that she had his ring on her finger. I clenched my jaw but said nothing. The bills were settled and we headed back out to the car when I heard Rowan's sudden voice in my head.

“Whatever you guys are doing, drop it and get back here, we're under attack…”

Fuck.

“We need to go…” I announced, jogging to the car.

“Wait, what's going on?” Kathryn hot on my tail as though my pack's business was hers. We might be engaged but that was all to it.

“Raven, get in the car. Our pack is under attack…” Raven was stiff as a rod for a second before she bolted too. Soren followed sliding into the car after her.

I gave him and his sister a look. “You'll need more hands, come on..”

There was no time to waste. I sped the car up, keeping the mind link open. We arrived at the pack in far less time than we left for the mall to find the place in a hot mess.

There were rogues littered around and I could tell the only reason they even dared to show up was because they knew somehow that I wouldn't be around.

I left the engine running as I jumped out of the car, shifting into my black wolf. Odin shook his fur for a second before pouncing on the nearest rogue killing him in an instant. f**k, I forgot to tell Raven to get to safety.

“Protect her at all costs.” Odin ordered. Except he didn't have to tell me. She was my mate. It was my job

I swiftly ran to the car where she was, she looked scared. I had men running around in human form that I could mind link and I called to the nearest one.

“Get Raven to safety. She cannot shift.” I ordered, before running off to fend off the remaining rogues.

Kathryn was nowhere in sight. She was far off, fighting like her life depended on it. Any other day I would have appreciated her. She was strong. A she wold fit for a man like me but she wasn't my mate. She wouldn't be no matter how strong she got.

Odin spotted some of the rogues padding away in Raven's direction. The warrior was with her still in human form and Soren with them. They were close to my mate and she was afraid. Kathryn sprinted over, seeing how they were circled around her brother as well.

I tried to fight them off. To keep them away from her. And I had my back to her. Too busy to check if she was okay. Until I felt Odin howl in pain.

No one need to tell me what that meant. I was either hurt, or she was. I spun on my paws and found my mate on the ground.

Odin growled so loud I felt the grounds shake. I ran to her, shifting back to my human form as she fell to the ground, choking on her blood.

“Raven, hey. Look at me.” Blood seeped from her neck, and from her sides. The cut was deep. Too deep for someone like her.

She's a silver wolf, Kael. She'll be fine. My mind screamed at me and I would have been calmer and relieved if her body was healing. It wasn't. And she was loosing blood too fast.

“Someone get me the doctor!” I roared, holding her close. Realizing it might be too late before he got here, I scooted her carefully into my arms and put her in the car. Soren was in the driver's seat thankfully and he pressed the brakes and sped up to the pack hospital.

When we got there, he was waiting with a stretcher. And as soon as I placed her on it, he wheeled her away before I could get a word to him.

And just like that, Raven was out of sight. I tried to pay attention to Odin. How he felt would tell me what was going on with Raven and her wolf.

“She's not healing…” I said out loud, but to my wolf. “She has a wolf, why isn't she healing?” To anyone it would look like I was just a worried uncle.

Cold breeze brushed me, reminding me that I was completely naked. A nurse timidly walked over to me with a short in hand, one for Soren too. I slipped it on and sat on the floor, troubled.

I didn't even care about what was going on out there anymore.

“Beta Kael…” my second in command spoke through the mind link. “They're gone. They've retreated.”

“How many dead?” I asked, angered and already planning a revenge. They dared to touch her.

“Just about fifteen. They took us by surprise but we fought back…” he answered, I could feel his fear from a mile off. “Alpha wants to see you though. He's in his office.”

I got on my feet, the emergency room swung open. “If he wants to talk, he knows where I am.” I bit back, shutting him out to focus on the doctor in front of me.

“Beta Kael, it's not looking good…” Soren stood close, worried like he was a good person.

“What do you mean? Is she going to be okay?”

The doctor kept his attention focused on me. “She lost a lot of blood. She needs some transfusion. Plus, her wounds aren't healing. Doesn't she have a wolf?”

Good question. Why the f**k is she not healing?

“She does. She had her first shift a few days ago. Could that be a reason?” Maybe her wolf didn't know how to heal yet? Does that even make any sense though?

The was silent for a couple of seconds and I grew restless during that time. “I would appreciate it if you don't keep me in suspense Doc. Speak!” I snapped, annoyed that he thought there was time for this.

“I apologize. I've just never heard of a case like this. Does she have a mate, perhaps that could help?” She does, it's me.

I wanted to say so badly but that meant exposing our little secret. But imagine my surprise when little old Soren stepped forward. “She's my mate. Can I see her?”

“He dares to see her before us…” Odin hissed. It was at the edge of a cliff about to jump off. He could explode any moment, not a scene I wanted. So I leaned against the wall and let the doctor take him away. I only went to the door after they had disappeared into the room. She was hooked to machines, her life support.

My Raven. Odin whimpered in my head. He wanted to be there as he should. “Patience, Odin. We'll see her later.” I said to him, leaving the door and making my way out of the hospital where I bumped into Rowan, his mate and Kathryn.

“Is she okay? Is she alive?” She could fake being a mother all she could but I could tell this act of care wasn't real. She never liked Raven.

I turned to Rowan and spoke. “Soren is with her. She was cut deep. Her wounds aren't healing. What did you want to talk about…” Abigail walked past me with Kathryn, leaving Rowan and I.

“We haven't had an attack in years, any idea where these dogs came from and why?” He asked like I had the answers.

“How the f**k am I supposed to know that Rowan? We can investigate. They didn't look like they were here for anyone or anything in particular…” As much as I liked to think so, at the back of my mind, there was this nagging feeling that it had to do with Raven.

But he didn't need to know that. I didn't have the answer to his unasked questions yet. Not that I wanted him to ever find out why at all.

He folded his arms across his chest thinking. “We have to move your wedding closer. We need the alliance to happen. I'll speak to Alpha Bridge…” he said already leaving.

I turned to the hospital, asking myself if it was necessary for me to stay. She needed me. But so did the pack. I had a duty to uphold. With a sigh, I walked off to my car, it was stained with her blood. A smell I never wanted to perceive as it reminded me of the failure I was to protect her.

I went back to the scene with Drew. We scouted the area for any clues but nothing was of note. “I want every man on duty tonight. I don't want any more surprises.” I ordered through the link before heading home to take a bath.

I sat in bed drying my hair, my thoughts running back to Raven. “Go to mate…” he said over and over it was starting to give me a headache.

Fuck it. I muttered heading downstairs and making my way to the hospital.

When I arrived, the room was void of Soren. He must have gone home to retire for the night. I took the seat next to her and immediately went for her hand.

Electricity flowed through us, the bond was still there and I swear I saw her color return to her skin. Even her breathing evened out. It was a clear indication that the bond between us was strong.

I remained by her side, watching over her until morning. But I had to slip out of the room before anyone found out.

During breakfast, Rowan beamed with a smile. “I just got word from the pack doctor, Raven is awake. It seems she is meant for Soren after all, their bond helped….”

Like f*****g hell it did.