Chapter 103 – Kidnapped by My Mate Series II: His Lost Queen

Filed To Story: Kidnapped by My Mate Novel (Belle & Grayson) Online Free by Annie Whipple

“I’m fine, Laila,” I cut in, forcing my gaze back on her. I gave her what I hoped looked like a genuine smile, even though I was terrified of the way her father was looking at me from across the room.

“I don’t mind. He can’t help it.”

Before she could respond, someone else spoke.

“So the little werewolf lover running around my town ended up being the queen of the supernatural, huh? You would never have been able to tell from the looks of her.”

I veered back. Ouch.

“Alpha Grayson Stoll,” Jeffery Blackwood continued, his voice deeper and more dangerous than I had been expecting.

He approached my mate and offered him his hand once he was a few feet away, careful not to get too close. “Or is it King Grayson Stoll now? Do you have a preference?”

“I prefer you don’t insult my mate or refer to her as the ‘little werewolf lover,’”

Grayson growled, ignoring the man’s outstretched hand. “You will call her Luna or nothing at all.”

Liam’s father’s brows rose. He waited a few more moments before finally letting his hand fall back to his side. He cleared his throat as he eyed Grayson’s large form.

“I must admit, I’m used to being the biggest man in the room. This is quite the change for me. I’m Jeffery Blackwood, leader of the clan of Evergreen for the last forty years. And this is my wife, Elizabeth.”

His wife stepped beside him, smiling, showing off her sharp fangs. She bowed her head slightly in greeting. It didn’t escape my attention that she didn’t say a single word.

Grayson didn’t respond, only staring back at them with a stone face. I had to hold myself back from throwing my head back and groaning. This was already a mess.

Jeffery was good at hiding it, but I could still tell that Grayson’s indifference toward him was off-putting for him. He continued talking.

“Your mate has caused quite the uproar in our town. I was happy to give her a place to stay and keep her safe for the last few months, despite not knowing who she really was.

“You can imagine what a shock it was to discover her history with you—and now the former king of vampires.” He looked at me. “You’ve been very busy, Luna.”

My head tilted in question. Did he really just say he took care of me for the last few months?

“Actually, the way I remember it,” I began bitterly, “it was Liam who took me in when I had nowhere else to go.

“If it were up to you, I would have been unemployed, homeless, and on the next bus out of here less than twenty-four hours after arriving in Evergreen. You never wanted me here.”

I was surprised by my own boldness. But there was something about this man that made me immediately dislike him. And I wasn’t about to let him lie to my mate just because he wanted to be on his good side.

The air in the room dried up. Everyone seemed to hold their breath as they waited for a response.

“That true?” Grayson asked, his voice deeper.

“I was wary of your mate’s presence in Evergreen,” Jeffery answered, never losing the casualness in his tone. “And no one can deny that I was right in my worries.

“She has single-handedly brought the current and former king to my doorstep.

However, I can say now that I am glad to have had her stay here, knowing who she is. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

Liam scoffed. “You beat me up when you found out she was living with me.”

I gasped. “What?” I remembered coming home to him sporting a black eye the first month I was staying with him, but he had just told me he had been in a bar fight.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Liam shrugged, keeping eye contact with his dad. “Wasn’t the first time my father lost his temper and took it out on me. And I’m sure it won’t be the last.”

Grayson was incredibly stiff in front of me, tension beginning to coil his muscles. I knew it was time to change the subject before he did something stupid like shift.

“Do we know where Azazel is now?” I asked.

“Still in Evergreen, unfortunately,” Liam answered before his father could.

“He’s evaded our attempts to try and contact him—or he’s used the power of the Mortars to talk his way out of any interaction we’ve managed to have.”

“He will not be able to get to you here. We have the best security money can buy and clan members stationed outside, ready to defend the house if need be,” Jeffery said.

The sky outside was pitch black. It was getting late, and all I wanted to do was curl up in bed next to Grayson and sleep for the next few days.

Grayson looked down at me with concern in his dark eyes. “Liam,” he said. “Is there a room we can stay in for the night?”

I leaned into Grayson a bit more. The bond between us that I had hated so much just mere days ago now made me feel safe and loved. He could feel my exhaustion and knew what I needed.

Liam nodded. “Yeah. Follow me.”

GRAYSON

Liam left us in a large guest room with its own bathroom.

The moment he closed the door behind him, leaving Belle and me alone, I locked it and immediately started scanning the room for any signs of danger toward my mate.

I checked under the bed and in the closet before examining the windows to ensure the locks were secure. I was impressed when I found bulletproof glass along the windows.

I wasn’t sure what sort of vampire—or any supernatural creature, really—would choose a gun over their supernatural powers, but I appreciated Jeffrey hadn’t been lying when he said he had the best security money could buy.

Belle sat on the edge of the bed and silently watched while I moved around. That calmed me a bit. I liked her eyes on me. I liked having her attention.

I liked knowing where she was at all times—especially in a situation like this.

I didn’t feel good about any of this. I hated depending on anybody else besides myself when it came to the safety of my mate.

Belle stood and approached me while I was still examining the window. She ran a hand up my arm, leaving sparks everywhere she touched.

The attraction between us flared now that we were by ourselves, making my nostrils flare. I automatically pulled her to me, tucking her into my chest.

“How are you doing?” Belle asked. Her hands dipped under the back of my shirt, seeking the skin-to-skin contact of her mate.

Her fingers traced the muscles of my back, massaging them gently. I wasn’t even sure if she was aware that she was doing it, but hell if I was going to point it out to her and risk her stopping.

The need to mate and claim her was becoming more prominent. It could no longer be ignored. My wolf paced unhappily in my mind. He didn’t understand the need to wait. He was ready now.

He didn’t think our mark on her neck was enough—he wanted her to smell like us; he wanted everyone to know who she belonged to.

He pushed to the surface and growled through my chest, wanting to show me his anger and remind his mate that he was there. Waiting. Anxious.

Belle looked up at me, concern written all over her face. But before she could worry too much, I tilted her head up by her chin and pressed my lips to hers.

She didn’t hesitate to return my kiss, even pulling me closer.

Now wasn’t the right time to be thinking about throwing my mate on the bed and devouring her until she was screaming my name over and over again.

But with the way she was pressing up against me and letting out sweet little breathy moans against my mouth, dark and dirty thoughts were front and center in my mind.

If it weren’t for that stupid prophecy, Belle would already be connected to me forever. I would have made sure of it. She would be mine—mind, body, and soul.

Fuck, did I want that.

It didn’t help that every instinct in me felt the need to dominate her to remind her and everyone around us exactly who her alpha was.

I pulled back before I lost control. Belle huffed adorably, annoyed. I smiled and licked my lips, my eyes skating down her beautiful body so perfectly pressed up against mine.

I loved the fact that she was in my clothes, covered in my scent. It helped calm me a bit. I would keep her like this all the time if I could.

“I’m fine, baby,” I said, not wanting her to worry.

My wolf growled in my chest again, letting her know that he was, in fact, not fine at all. He was going ballistic.

Belle gave me a look that told me she didn’t believe me. Instead of elaborating, though, I just pressed a kiss to her forehead and pushed her toward the bathroom to get ready for bed.

She needed to rest, not hear about all the dirty thoughts I was having about her.

She let me guide her to the bathroom, not even arguing when I found a new toothbrush in one of the drawers and put toothpaste on it for her, handing it to her.

I did the same for my own and then stood behind her while we brushed our teeth, keeping one hand on her stomach, watching her in the mirror.

She rolled her eyes but didn’t try to push me away. She knew I was on edge. She knew I needed this—needed the control.

“Did I look like this the entire time we were talking to the Blackwoods?” Belle asked once we were done with our teeth.

She pulled on the large T-shirt that fell past her knees, readjusting it and tucking one side into the waistband of her sweatpants, so it didn’t look quite so huge on her.

I pulled her hands away when she started to mess with her hair. “Stop. You’re perfect no matter how you look. It doesn’t matter what they think about you.”

“I’m just glad that Laila is letting me borrow some of her clothes for the plane tomorrow.”

Liam had also offered to go get mine and Belle’s things from the hotel and Belle’s apartment tonight.

Belle’s head fell back against my chest. She watched me in the mirror. “You know, as terrible as this situation is, I’m…glad I’m here with you. I don’t ever want to be away from you that long ever again.”

Pink stained her cheeks at her sweet admission. “I missed you.”

My chest ached. “I would say I missed you too, but that wouldn’t even begin to express the hell I went through over the last three months without you. Never again.

“I won’t go a single day without having you by my side. Fuck, even an hour might be too long for me.”

She smiled. “Well, I hope you can go without for at least a few minutes”—she turned and put her hands on my chest—“because I need to pee.” She shoved me out of the bathroom.

I growled playfully as she slammed the door in my face.

Belle was restless.

It was nearly one in the morning, and although she had drifted off a few times, she kept waking up and shifting against me anxiously.

I fished through her emotions through the bond, trying to decipher what had her so worked up, but there was nothing too out of the ordinary.

I felt her worry over Azazel being nearby and about returning to my pack tomorrow, but I also felt her trust in me returning. She felt safe with me. She knew I wasn’t going to let anyone or anything hurt her.

She was also exhausted. Her body was still healing from the starving bond, and although she was slowly getting better, it was taking it out of her.

So why the hell was she still awake?

She was hiding something from me. I could feel it. There was some imperceptible emotion rolling through her—one she didn’t want me to know about and was keeping locked up.

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