Taming Her Beastly Mate
Chapter 86

Micah was up before the sun. He had a restless night of sleep and finally rolled out of bed. He was excited to see Brandy. He headed to the back door and leaned against the wall. The sun finally made its excruciatingly slow appearance with a light blue hue covering the sky.

Micah was shifting from side to side as the minutes slowly ticked by. He was becoming increasingly impatient as his eyes continuously scoured over the horizon. The sun was finally throwing its orange light into the air bringing its warmth. He kept his focus in front of him as he waited. She should be arriving any moment now.

Finally, he heard the sound of someone walking up the path. They looked like a dark silhouette at first in the blinding light of the sun. As they got closer Micah felt his shoulders drop in disappointment. It wasn’t her.

It was a man that looked to be around his age. He wasn’t as large as Micah nor as muscular but was still toned. The man was carrying in his hands a large wooden box that was filled with various items.

“Who are you?” Micah asked as the man approached. He looked over him with a discerning eye.

“I am just here to make a delivery.”

“Where is Brandy? Isn’t this her route?” Micah asked with a raised brow.

“Oh… Brandy… ummm… this will be my route from now on.” The man shifted his eyes to the side and wet his lips nervously.

“Why? Why isn’t Brandy handling this route anymore?” Micah watched as the man lowered the crate to the ground.

“Well here is your delivery.” The man said and started back along the path. Suddenly he was tossed against the wall. A hand gripped around his throat and lifted him against the stone behind him.

“I guess that sounded like a question. I can be clumsy with the way I word things. Let’s try again, hmmm?” Micah began squeezing the man’s throat as he glared at him. “Tell me about Brandy.” He watched as the man struggled against him. Micah smirked and applied more pressure. “I don’t mind holding you like this until you pass out. You aren’t stronger than me so don’t bother trying. You won’t be leaving unless I get answers. Where. Is. She?”

“Micah!” Alexis yelled as she came out through the back door with Aken at her side.

“Good morning. You two are up earlier than I anticipated.” Micah said causally as he continued to hold the man up.

“Put him down Micah so we can talk.” Alexis watched as Micah eased the man down. The man began coughing and he rubbed his throat.

“Thank goodness! I thought I was a goner.” The man continued to cough and then his eyes widened as his feet were engulfed in a solid block of ice.

“You know who I am… right druid?” Alexis asked as she watched him nod his head. “Good. I believe my guardian asked you a question. We want an answer.”

“I can’t…”

“I forgot to add that my mate is the Kraken.” Alexis patted Aken’s chest as she stared at the fearful eyes in front of her. “And my guardian is a titan. Sometimes they are so tough to control. They have horrible tempers. I don’t know what they will do to you or the other druids.” She shook her head as she sucked in air through her teeth. “And they aren’t even the ones you should be afraid of. If I don’t get an answer soon…” The ice began to climb up the man’s pants. “I wonder how long it will last before it freezes off…”

“HER MATING CEREMONY IS TODAY!” The man cried out hysterically.

“WHAT?!” Micah roared. He turned his head and looked around. “Where? I need to get there.”

“It has probably already started. It is at the Salt Stone Alter. You’ll never make it in time. And afterwards they get locked up for a month to make sure a child is conceived.” The man listened as Aken chuckled.

“I’ve always wanted to check off being a wedding crasher. Can’t miss this opportunity.” Aken grinned down at Micah.

“I don’t know how I—” Micah started shaking his head.

“You can figure it out later.” Alexis said in a rush. “Get us there Aken.”

“If you break up a mating ceremony, they will fight you.” The man said and Alexis turned and smirked at him.

“They will lose.” Alexis said simply with a small shrug. She looked into Micah’s blue eyes and nodded her head. “Thank you for being honest with yourself. Let’s hope we aren’t too late.”

__

Brandy sat down on a stool with her head buried on the vanity in front of her. She was in a small white tent with one attendant to help her get ready. There were two men standing guard on either side of the opening. Nothing like publicly showing she was being forced into this.

All females had to undergo a fertility check yearly. This was to show which women were in their prime for carrying offspring. It was vital for the druids to not miss any window of opportunity. This was when Brandy’s world was turned upside down. When the elders demanded she take a mate there was only one man ready to take her… Noah. She knew now he had used his position to make sure she had no other options but him.

“I can’t do this.” Brandy whispered as she gripped the mirror in front of her so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She took a deep breath and looked up at the person standing behind her. “You know this isn’t right. We are supposed to have a choice.”

The woman looked at her with sympathetic eyes and nodded her head. “I’m so sorry, Brandy. This is wrong.”

“There has to be something you can do.” Brandy pleaded. She reached out and touched the woman’s arm. “Just distract them long enough so I can escape.”

The woman looked to the two guards and then back to Brandy. She looked down at Brandy’s hand and then took it in hers. She gave it a gentle squeeze and nodded her head. Before either of them could say anything the flap to the tent opened.

“I came to escort my mate to the alter.” Noah smiled as he stepped into the tent. He was dressed in his ceremonial robes. The long sleeves and the long pant legs were white. The only color was his purple sash that was around his waist. This was one of the most important days of his life. He was finally getting the mate he had been waiting for.

“Noah.” Brandy stood up and shook her head. “I don’t want this. I can’t. Call this off. I won’t be your mate. This is wrong to be forcing this.”

Noah’s smile faded and he glanced to the woman standing beside Brandy. He sneered at her and pointed at the tent opening. “Get out!” The woman rushed past him, and he narrowed his eyes at Brandy.

“What are you doing?!” He roared as he took a step forward. “Are you going against the elders?!”

“This is wrong!” Brandy said frantically as she shook her head. “We are supposed to be able to make our own choices. Instead, they are trying to force me… No! I won’t be your mate.”

“Yes, you will.” Noah said as he stepped forward. He reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her against him. He held her struggling body flush against his and leaned his head down. “Easy. Save this fight for when we are sealed together… Oooooffffff.”

Brandy had lifted her knee and hit him right in his family jewels. “Make sure they pack plenty of ice for that.” She pushed away from him and headed for the opening. The two men standing there immediately stopped her.

“Let me pass!”

“Sorry Brandy… the elders have ordered for us not to let you leave.” One of the guards said with a small frown.

Brandy felt fingers bite into her wrist whipping her backwards. She looked up into a set of angry brown eyes. His nostrils were flaring as he glared at her.

“I am your mate.” Noah growled. “You will do as I say.”

“I am not your anything.” She tried to pull away from him, but his grip was too strong.

Noah’s upper l*p pulled back in a snarl that revealed his fangs. He moved his arm around her back and grabbed the front of her dress sending buttons flying in all directions.

“You will be mine.” He said as he reached up and cupped her breast roughly. “Or I will take you against your will.”

Brandy closed her eyes when she felt his teeth scrape against her neck, his grip on her breast tightened painfully. She jerked her head away so she could face him. Her eyes snapped open, and she looked back at him in defiance.

“You can force yourself on this body, but I will never be yours.” Brandy listened as he snarled at her lowly.

“You will do as the elders command.” Noah hissed through clenched teeth. He reached down and adjusted the top of her white gown. He managed to replace a button that hadn’t been ripped off to hold the front closed. Then he abruptly turned, pulling her with him and started out of the tent. He pulled her along a stone walkway and then down a path that led to a large cliff. The Salt Stone alter was at the end of the path. It was a large circular area carved into the cliff with a sizeable stone stand in the middle. There were rows of people seated to witness the event.

Noah tugged on Brandy’s wrist forcefully as she continued to struggle against his hold on her. Brandy eyed the cliff to the side where she could hear the ocean beating against the rocks. If she could just manage to break free for a moment… She just needed enough time to jump. She looked over at the people seated as she was being dragged past them.

“This is wrong. I won’t accept you. I don’t want you. I want—” Brandy abruptly stopped, and Noah tightened his grip on her as he turned to glare at her. She looked up at his crazy eyes that was daring her to finish that sentence. When the elders first ordered her to take a mate she refused. She wanted to talk with Micah first. She at least wanted to know how he felt before she was forced to take another mate. She wondered how he was doing and if everything was okay. He said he would be back in a couple of days, but he never returned.

Then everything went wrong during her fertility check. Brandy tried to talk with the elders, but they refused. They had thought they had missed an important window of opportunity. And that they needed to try now before it was too late. The thing was… Brandy knew there was no way she could get pregnant by Noah or anyone else. She was already pregnant.

At first, she planned to tell the elders she was with child but then she noticed how crazy they were acting. They weren’t listening to her and fo.rcing her to take Noah as a mate. She was afraid if they knew they would fo.rce an abortion on her.

Things have changed so much among the druids. It was never like this before. Elders always treasured their females and allowed them to have their choice of men. But somewhere along the way they became corrupt. And now a male druid with influence and power was able to buy his mate.

Brandy sighed as she looked at Noah. She couldn’t be his mate. What would he do with her child? He would know it wasn’t his. She didn’t expect anything from Micah. They had made their relationship very clear from the beginning. She just thought it was only fair to let him know she was pregnant. As the father he would have the right to see the child if he wanted. She wasn’t asking for anything… she didn’t dare to hope for more.

Micah’s light blue eyes captivated her. His smile made her knees weak. Sure, he frustrated the hell out of her but she secretly loved it. She loved the way he was with her and how they seemed to fit perfectly together. It was crazy but she felt like Micah was her person. On a level she couldn’t understand she needed him. She was stupid. She would be the one to end up falling in love with the one person who didn’t want a mate. The low sound of a growl snapped Brandy from her thoughts. She watched as Noah’s lips curled up in a snarl.

“Do not say anything else.” Noah glared at her with a harsh look. “You will only make this worse for yourself.” He released her wrist and wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her flush against his body. He didn’t want her to get the chance to speak to anyone. They didn’t need her rallying the other druids against them. They were already torn and agitated. They needed to hurry up and get the mating ceremony over with.

In just a few more steps they reached the alter. A druid came forward covered in a white robe with a purple sash. He handed Noah a long-bladed knife that was used to bind their b***d together. A b***d bond that she wouldn’t be able to break or refuse no matter how badly she wanted to.

Noah sliced his hand allowing his b***d to drip into a stone dish for the ritual. He then turned to Brandy, “Your turn.”

Brandy stared at the knife and slowly shook her head. She watched as a proud knowing smirk spread across his lips.

“Don’t worry my love. I will do it for you.” Noah reached out for her hand as she jerked it away from him. She stepped away as a guard stepped forward and gripped his hands on her shoulders.

“NO! I DO NOT ACCEPT THIS MAN AS MY MATE!” Brandy screamed out angrily as she tried to shrug the guard off of her.

“That’s good.” A voice boomed from the side. “I don’t accept him as your mate either…”

Brandy gasped as she turned her head looking for the familiar voice. She found his blue eyes and felt her heart begin to race.

“Who are you?!” One of the elders from the front said as he stepped forward.

Aken and Alexis stood to the side casually as they watched Micah. Micah smirked and took a powerful step forward. His eyes were glued to Brandy’s as his beast yelled out clearly.

“I am her mate.”