Protected by their arms, p.4
Protected by Their Arms, page 4
“I came to help. I have apologized to Liam and Lux, and they gave me another chance.” Blair lowered her head. But Amber could see her grin, knowing Blair was pleased that she was upset.
“Get out of my house and stay away from me. You’re not welcome here!” She snarled, when Liam stepped in the cabin behind Blair. He gently walked around Blair and tried to pull Amber back, but she wasn’t having it.
“Let me go now! You did this!” She growled, as her clothes started to rip and she shifted to her beast. Blair stepped back, looking over at Liam and that was it. Amber let the beast loose and would have torn into the woman, but Lux was there in a flash, picking her up.
“Get her out of this house now! She isn’t to be anywhere near here!” Lux ordered, trying to hold Amber. He sat down on the sofa with her in his lap.
“Calm down, Amber, she’s going. I didn’t know she would be here. I was going to tell you she apologized, but you were hurt,” he whispered in her ear, petting her. “Come on, baby, shift back. You need to settle down,” he pleaded with her. She watched Liam growl at Blair and push her out the door, slamming it shut.
Liam approached her slowly. “I honestly didn’t know she would be stupid enough to come in here, baby, I’m sorry. I’ve sent her back to the hotel and told her to stay there. She can go back to the pack tonight.” Liam reached towards her to kiss her, but she pulled back, growling. She shifted, clothing herself, and frowning at him.
“Do you honestly believe she’s sorry? She’s not sorry. She stood there smirking about being here. I want her gone. You banished her and then you took that back. Do you know what that’s going to look like to the pack?”
Liam stood staring at her. He shook his head. “Amber, she has nowhere to go. I knew her parents. All her family is dead.” Liam ran his hand through his hair in frustration. Lux held her still, not saying anything.
“Then let her go to another pack. Send her to Ralph’s pack in California. She would still be in a pack, but I won’t have her near ours. She would undermine everything I do!” Amber yelled, staring at Liam.
Liam turned and looked at Lux. “What do you think Lux? Do you think your brother Ralph would be okay with it?” Liam stared at them. Lux shrugged.
“I don’t think he’d mind. He needs females in his pack anyway. Call him and if it’s okay, we can send her tonight.” Lux kissed Amber’s neck.
Amber watched Liam place the phone call. She got up and walked over to the table and grabbed the cup of coffee she’d been craving. She watched Liam shut the phone and then flip it back open, making another call. She took a sip from her cup, suddenly realizing what she was drinking, and moaning at how good it tasted.
Lux laughed when he heard her moan. “I can think of many reasons to moan, baby, but for coffee?”
Amber grinned looking up at him, “Hey, I haven’t had any caffeine in over a week. And you can make me moan later,” she giggled as he growled at her.
Liam walked over to them smiling. “Okay, Ralph was happy to take Blair in. I’ve called Derek and he’s going to make sure she gets on the plane to California tonight.” Liam reached over and cupped her cheek. “I’m sorry, baby. I should have thought of this before.” She rubbed her face against his big, calloused hand.
“I’m sorry I seem like a bitch, but she has tried since day one to undermine everything I do. She still wants you. Now I know you have plenty to do. And where’s Otis? He keeps disappearing? I haven’t seen him since yesterday.” As soon as she asked the question, the front door opened, and Otis came walking in. She smiled, going into his arms. He hugged her tight, just holding her, his head resting on hers.
“I missed you. You keep running off,” Amber said, looking up at his face. He smiled down at her.
“I knew you needed time with Lux, but I’m glad you missed me, because I missed you too.” He lowered his head, capturing her mouth kissing her softly, but taking control as they all did.
Amber pulled back when she smelled smoke. Turning around she noticed the fire was fine in the fireplace, but the smell wasn’t coming from there. Amber walked back towards the kitchen. Otis frowned as she walked away. What the hell is that smell? She walked towards the back-family room that stored boxes of unpacked things she had sent. Amber touched the doorknob and yelped, “Fuck!” Her hand was burned. She looked at it and a blister had already formed.
“Did someone burn something?” Lux came up behind her, looked at her hand and then at the door. He yanked her away from the door, shouting.
Chapter Four
Black smoke filled the small cabin as Lux held tight to Amber. “Everyone out now!” He ran for the front door. Liam and Otis pushed the women out with them, and everyone ran outside.
Amber turned her head just in time to see her cabin blow sky high. Lux dove to the ground taking her with him, covering her with his body. He didn’t know who shook more, him or Amber. Everything was gone, including their baby.
He slowly lifted his body off her, looking down at her. Tears rolled down her face, and a sob broke through her lips.
“Everything is gone ... Our baby and now all my things ...” She hiccupped as he pulled her into his arms, hugging her. Liam and Otis kneeled next to them, touching her as everyone stood around watching her cabin burn to the ground. Teddy’s whole pack was there, stunned.
Liam glared at Lux who nodded. No one would get within two feet of their mate again, even if it meant one of them would have to be with her twenty-four hours a day. He turned to see Teddy shift halfway, the cat’s ears back, his whiskers twitched, and he roared. Only a few powerful shifters could do this, including the three of them.
“Jack, go around to the back. Sniff around to see if you can find anything. This was set on purpose, and I want that person caught now!” Teddy growled, staring at what was left of the cabin.
Amber’s fingernails dug into Lux’s chest. “We might as well go back home.
There’s nothing left.” Amber whimpered against his chest as her tears soaked his shirt.
Liam whipped his phone out, calling the hotel as they walked towards the truck.
Lux got inside the truck with her in his lap. Liam sat in the driver’s side, his hand settled on her knee, as he pulled out of driveway. She looked behind her and saw Otis following in another truck.
“Where are we going? To the plane?” Amber asked, looking over at Liam.
“No. I just registered at the local hotel. We have the honeymoon suite.” He smiled at her quickly. She smiled back, but her heart wasn’t in it. She laid her head down on Lux’s chest and just stared outside as they drove.
He glanced up at Liam. I don’t know how much more she can take. It’s like she’s given up.
Liam frowned and squeezed her leg. I know. This has to stop, Lux. It seems every freak around is coming out of the woodwork to destroy her and she has done nothing.
They pulled into the hotel, parking right in front of the doors so he and Amber could get out and go right inside. Her head hung low as she walked into the hotel with Lux. Otis and Liam stepped up to them as they waited at the counter by her side holding her hands. Her father and Helena stepped off the elevator into the lobby. Amber went into her father’s arms.
“Oh, my poor baby, we’ll find them. Are you okay?” He pulled back, looking down at her face. She nodded, smiling at Helena, and then she turned to see Blair standing in the corner of the room a big smirk on her face.
Lux frowned and turned to follow Amber’s gaze as she growled.
* * *
Amber scanned down Blair’s body, black soot covered the bottom of her pants. She sniffed the air and the smell of gas came from her direction. Blair looked over her shoulder and smiled as three men came up behind her.
“Amber what is it?” Lux crowded next to her.
Amber looked over her shoulder, and then nodded at Blair. “Look at her pants, Lux, and I smell gas from that direction,” Amber snarled.
Lux glanced where she nodded. He released her, stalking toward Blair and the three men. Amber started to go with him, but Otis held her back as Liam followed Lux.
“Let them handle this. They know what they’re doing. Plus, Liam needs to tell her where she’s going,” Otis whispered into her ear, nipping it. “Come on, let’s go up to the room. You need to eat.” Otis pushed her towards the elevator, her father and Helena followed.
A quick elevator ride later, Amber walked into a huge suite. It was beautiful. A super king size bed sat in the middle of the room, pillows all around. There was an open bar on one side, a fireplace on the other side, and a huge bathroom with a garden tub that would easily fit six people.
Amber smiled as she noticed the bag from the play club sitting in the closet. Later she would peek inside, but now her nose carried her to the breakfast buffet by the far wall. She licked her lips, grabbing a plate and piling on the food. She always ate when she was upset.
Cassy ran in, complaining to her guards. “For Pete’s sake, my brother’s here and one of the National Council. I’ll be fine!” She yelled into her cell phone, walking over to Amber and rolling her eyes.
Amber could hear Teddy yelling back on the phone as Cassy held the phone away from her ear. Cassy grinned, stuffing a strawberry into her mouth. Amber sat down in a chair near the fireplace. She waved her hand and the fire roared to life. Cassy stomped over to the other chair, plopping down on it.
“I swear, I’m going to kill him,” Cassy growled, smiling at her. “Baby, I’m so sorry about your cabin. Teddy said everything burned.” She reached over and touched Amber’s leg. Amber looked out the window at the woods. They called to her. Her wolf wanted to run.
“I’ve lost everything, Cassy. All my things are gone, and my baby.” She looked back at Cassy. “I thought food would help, but it doesn’t. I need to run. My wolf is calling me, but they won’t let me.” She sighed, looking into the fire.
“You know we could slip out the bathroom window. I would love to run. I haven’t run in so long, and maybe I can work out my frustrations too,” Cassy whispered to her as Helena came over.
“I’m game, if you two are. Your father hasn’t let me run for a week and I’ve had it.” Helena looked over her shoulder, knowing the men were busy talking. Amber glanced over at Otis, but he was busy talking to her father.
She really needed it. “I’ll go in first, then you two come in the other door. They won’t know. I’ll leave the window open. It will be a long jump, but I think I can do it.” Amber headed towards the bathroom. She shut the door, opening the window and smiled.
This would be the second time she slipped out a bathroom window.
Shifting to her wolf, she jumped out the window and landed with a yelp, but she was okay. Her stomach muscles were sore. Helena and Cassy followed. All three of them took off towards the woods, playing in the snow. The fresh snow crunched beneath their paws. She felt so free for once, running and playing, that she didn’t realize how much time had passed. Amber noticed her mates charging towards her with Teddy and her father.
She whimpered to Cassy and Helena. The three females turned as the males surrounded them. Lux growled at her as he drew closer. Amber lowered herself, whimpering.
I’m sorry. I just needed to be free and run. Please don’t be mad! She laid her head on her paws as Lux stood over her in his wolf form.
You have people wanting to hurt you and you take off again. Amber this has to stop! Lux growled. She crawled to his feet, licking his leg. Liam came up behind her, nipping her ass. She yelped and looked behind her.
Go back to the room now! He yelled in her mind, and she ran for the hotel. Teddy had cornered Cassy, growling at her, but she’d growled back and took off with Amber, running next to her. Helena came up beside her, also running. They all ran towards the hotel. When they got closer, they shifted to their human forms, and Amber clothed them as they walked into the hotel through the back way.
Amber’s father, Guy pulled Helena away and headed in a different direction. Teddy took Cassy out the front door towards his truck, yelling at her. Cassy pulled away from him, stomping towards the truck.
Amber walked into the elevator with her mates following behind her. They didn’t say a word to her as they stepped into their room.
Amber noticed some bags of clothes on the bed. She peeked in the bags. The
clothes were for her. She sat on the bed looking at the bags. “You know for the past two weeks I’ve had to buy all new clothes three times. I think I need to open my own store,” she said smiling up at her mates, who stood there.
“It’s late. There’s a dress in there. Get dressed and we’ll take you downstairs to eat supper,” Lux snapped.
She watched Lux walk towards the window and looked out, and could see his muscles ripple under his t-shirt. Amber got up and slowly walked towards him, she knelt down at his side, and put her head on his thigh.
“I’m sorry, Lux. It seems I’m always saying I’m sorry to you. I have no excuse. I just couldn’t take it. I felt so trapped again.” Amber lowered her head, waiting. Tears dropped down. She’d hurt them. Could she ever do anything, right?
He raised her chin up to look at him. “When I heard, you were missing, everything in me froze. I thought whoever is doing this had gotten you and that they’d finally managed to take you from me.” He stroked her cheek, staring down at her for a minute. He turned and sat down on one of the chairs near the fire. “Come here, Amber. Take off your clothes and lay across my lap.”
Amber stared at him for a moment, then did as he asked. She lay across his lap waiting as his hands gently stroked her ass. When the hand came down hard on her bottom, she didn’t make a sound as he spanked her.
Tears slid down her face as she silently prayed, he’d forgive her. He stopped after five slaps to each cheek. He ran his fingers over her ass gently. “Get up and get dressed, Amber, but know this. The next time you take off, it will be worse,” he stated, staring at her as she got up.
Her ass was burning she slipped her dress on. She didn’t bother with underwear. It would only aggravate her butt. When she was dressed, she walked back into the bedroom. Her mates were dressed in dress slacks and shirts. They escorted her downstairs to the fancy hotel restaurant where they met with Helena, her father, Cassy, and Teddy. They had reserved a table.
Lux pulled out a wooden chair for her to sit on and she cringed looking at it, but she sat down slowly. Her ass flamed as it hit the seat. He pushed her chair in, jarring her more. She noticed both Cassy and Helena had the same problem.
The waitress came, and Lux ordered her a glass of wine and a whiskey straight up for him. Liam and Otis ordered the same. When the waitress left, Lux looked at her father and nodded.
Guy glanced at all three women. “We’re having dinner here for one purpose. You three are alpha bitches and it’s about time you start acting like it. You can’t take off like that again. Amber, look at all the people who have tried to kill you. They have killed your baby, but yet you take off not thinking what it would do to your mates. This has to stop!” He growled. Then his attention turned to Cassy.
“You have been an alpha for a short time, but it is your example others will follow. You need to stop being so stubborn. Your mate is just trying to protect you.” His head turned to his mate. “And you of all people should know better. I’m furious at you right now. You not only you risk your life, but those of others.”
Amber looked at her friends. They didn’t say a word, but she knew they wanted to protest. Their drinks came and Amber gulped hers down in a second, even before the waitress could leave. She looked at the waitress, handing her the empty glass.
“Could you get me a shot of tequila and a bottle of Budweiser please?” Amber said, ignoring everyone.
“Could I get the same thing, please?” Helena asked, handing the glass of wine to the waitress. Cassy did the same thing. She heard the men groan, but didn’t say anything until the waitress was gone.
“You haven’t eaten anything. You need to eat, not to drink,” Lux snapped.
Amber looked up at him. “I haven’t said a word. I have taken your punishment. I have listened to my father degrade me in front of all of you. I admit what I did was wrong. I wanted a drink, so I ordered it. I love you, Lux, but don’t tell me what to order or not to!” She gritted her teeth as the waitress came back with their drinks.
Amber gulped down her tequila, taking a sip of her beer afterwards. She noticed some cheese muffins on the table. She grabbed one and buttered it. Stuffing a piece in her mouth, she turned to Lux as she swallowed. “Maybe we should just go back to the packs. I have nothing here anymore, and it’s obvious you want to. Every five minutes Liam is on the phone with the pack and so are you,” Amber sighed, stuffing another piece of muffin into her mouth, chewing it, and then swallowing again. “I mean, you’re all mad at me anyway.” Amber noticed Otis get up and come to her, pulling her seat out.
“Come dance with me?” Otis pulled her out onto the dance floor, a jazz band played in the background.
“You know what you did was wrong, but do you really understand how bad you hurt Lux? Liam and I have never seen him go crazy like this.” Otis danced with her, but his movements were stiff. He held her, but yet he didn’t. “Have you even asked him how he felt about losing the baby?” Otis asked her, staring down at her. The tears rolled down her face. No, she hadn’t, she was so hurt that she didn’t think she could talk about it.
Amber pulled away from him, heading towards the bathroom. Otis followed close behind her. Before she could open the door, he pushed inside looking for windows. When he saw that the window was too small for her to fit through, he waited outside the door for her.
Amber looked at her face in the mirror. Her eyes were swollen from crying. She turned on the faucet and threw some cold water on her face. She dried her hands and face, and then walked back outside. Otis stood there waiting for her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and escorted her back to her seat.
