Page 22 of The Alpha's Forced Pregnant Mate

“Is this the place?” she asked. Her eyes kept darting to the barn and then back to the trees like she was waiting for something to jump out and grab her.

“Yes this is it,” I replied, putting on my most charming smile. “Erin, right?”

“That’s me. Claudio told me the basics, but you guys have a mating ceremony to perform, correct?”

“Yes,” I said, “And we’re very grateful that you agreed to do this. If you follow me, I can explain more of what I need done.”

I turned and headed into the barn, and Erin and Claudio followed. Claudio was at the witch’s back in case she tried to make a run for it once she saw what we had set up, and just as I expected, the witch stopped in her tracks once she spotted Laura.

Handcuffed with a bandana over her mouth, Laura was spitting mad, screaming obscenities past her bandana gag, which were muffled by the material. She was on the floor, hands behind her back, and a rope was tied around her legs, keeping her from standing.

I watched Erin’s eyes go wide as she realized that she’d been hired for more than just a simple mating ceremony.

“Why is that woman tied up?” she asked, taking a step backward.

“Because she’s my mate’s best friend and will try to stop us from claiming each other,” I replied simply. “Look, we have the money and we’ll pay you what we agreed on. There’s no reason for you to worry about this. This woman is in no real danger and my mate and I were matched in a mate match ceremony. It’s all wolf shit, don’t think about it too much. The quicker this gets done the quicker we can let this woman go.”

Erin’s eyes flicked back and forth between Laura, who was still screaming into her gag, and Claudio. Finally, she seemed to come to a decision. “Okay,” she said with a nod. “Let’s get started then.”

We’d had to improvise a few things since Whitney would be unaware that this was a mating ritual until the very last second. In a normal mating ritual, the she-wolf would run toward a fire deep in the woods, and if her mate didn’t catch her in time she would remain unmated but risked being shunned by the pack. It was usually all for show—the she-wolf would let herself be caught and the mating would commence. No one ever really wanted to make it to the fire.

I didn’t think Whitney would aim for the fire, either, considering Laura’s freedom depended on our mating, but just in case she changed her mind at the last minute we made sure to set the distant fire much farther away than usual.

Other traditions, like the doe masks, decoy she-wolves, and my mate being naked under her cloak also had to be thrown aside, but that was all just for show anyway. I had what I needed—a witch and a reason for Whitney to agree.

The sun was just starting to set when I heard the sound of booted feet sprinting through the woods. Whitney.

Ethan had sent a message from Laura’s phone, explaining to Whitney where she was being held and that if she contacted her pack, then we’d kill Laura immediately. In order to keep her friend safe, the message said, she needed to come to the location alone.

Erin stood in front of a small fire, arms working as she muttered incantations, the magic of the mating ritual filling the air. My wolf was pacing beneath my skin, anxious to go hunt down his mate.

“How close are we?” I asked Erin, looking up at the sky to see how much daylight we had left. The sun would set soon, and the ceremony would be complete.

“Almost done,” she replied. “I just need another minute.”

I heard Whitney crashing through the trees and turned toward the sound, my heartbeat speeding up in anticipation. I heard the footsteps slow as she approached the clearing where we were all gathered, and then stop as she caught sight of us. Her blue eyes went wide and her mouth opened in a silent gasp as she spotted me first. She was dressed in her usual combat boots, jeans, and a black t-shirt, her hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her hands drifted to the blades strapped to each hip and she took a step backward, clearly ready to run.

“Ah-ah-ah,” I said, shaking my head. “You better come here, or else I’ll start carving up your little friend here.”

Laura was still gagged and tied up on the ground, glaring daggers at all of us. Erin stood in front of a fire that had been built in a small metal basin, hands moving in intricate gestures as she chanted the incantation that would bind our souls together—if I caught Whitney and completed the mating bite, that is.

“What is this?” Whitney asked, her voice hard as she looked at me, then the witch, then Laura. “Let her go!”

“Not until the ritual is complete,” I replied, shrugging. “So you have two choices. Agree to the mating ritual and then we’ll release your friend. Or don’t, and we’ll just kill her. I suppose you could try and fight, but—" I gestured to all my wolves around us. “We outnumber you.”

Whitney’s eyes narrowed, and I saw her jaw clench as she tried to figure out what to do. She’d been in plenty of situations where she had to make quick decisions about whether or not to fight, but I knew this was unlike anything she’d ever had to face before.

“You’d be fine knowing you forced the bond on me?” she gritted out between her teeth, rushing up until we were almost nose to nose. Her citrusy scent met my nose, her blue eyes flashing with hatred.

I didn’t let myself smile. She was making this too easy. “The bond is already there, we both know it. I can smell the way your body reacts to mine, and I can see that you want me, Whitney. The bite will just seal it all in place. The moment you agree we’ll free Laura. All you have to do is run.” I couldn’t hold back the grin anymore, “All I have to do is catch you. And I will catch you, Sweetheart.”

Her eyes fl”shed with rage as I called her sweetheart, and her hand came up lightning-fast, slapping me across the face. The sound echoed in the clearing, and it stung fiercely. “You might catch me, you fucking prick, but I will NEVER love you.”

Just in time, we all felt as Erin completed the spell and the magic of the ritual clicked into place, flooding the night air around us. “Make your choice, Whitney,” I told her, her slap still burning on my cheek. It might make me fucked up, but her strike turned me on more than anything ever had before.

Her eyes flicked to Laura and she hesitated for a long second. She knew she didn’t have a choice, but I saw her struggle against it anyway. It was just like her. Fierce and loyal to the end.

“Fine,” she said after a moment. “Let her go and I’ll go through with it.”

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