Fated for Her Wolves - Tara West Page 0,34
Why else would she have left? Knowing that he’d caused her pain and his words might have sent her to her death was more than he could bear. He now understood why Tatiana had been putting off bonding with them; she felt the same pain every day over their mother.
He sent a silent prayer to the ancients that Tatiana was alive and unharmed. He couldn’t live with himself if she wasn’t.
What was taking Tor so long to send the signal? If they didn’t attack soon, he’d go out of his mind. He’d go after her alone. He didn’t care if the guards filled him full of bullets. He would take every last one down to save her.
A familiar figure emerged from the castle, flanked by two armed guards. Tatiana?
Constantine signaled for them to move and he surged forward, ducking behind trees and bushes, ready to shift into protector form and defend his mate at all costs.
Much to his surprise, the guards opened the automatic gate and let her go unharmed. She walked through the clearing and onto the narrow road covered in packed snow as if she hadn’t a care in the world.
Dimitri followed Constantine’s lead, tracking Tatiana and wondering why she walked with such a sure step. Why wasn’t she running from her captors, and why had they so easily let her go?
They caught up to her as she went around the bend, her hands stuck in her pockets, a fur cap pulled low over her forehead.
“Tatiana!” Constantine called, waving her into the woods.
She turned toward him with a wide smile and trudged through the snow until they met in a clearing in the forest.
She threw her arms wide. “Hello, my beloved mates.”
Dimitri held back when Dejan charged her, twirling her in his arms and plastering her face with kisses. Constantine and Andrei hugged her next, but something wasn’t right.
“Dimitri,” Constantine grumbled, elbowing him in the ribs. “Aren’t you going to welcome our mate?”
He stepped forward but hesitated when she turned to him. “What happened to you?”
Her smile faded. “What do you mean?”
The strong scent of pig blood assailed his senses. Why would she smell like blood? “Why did the demons have you? Did they hurt you?”
“Demons?” She rubbed the back of her head, looking lost in thought. “They asked me a few questions.” She casually shrugged, as if getting kidnapped by demons was no big deal. “I’m fine.” She held out her arms to him.
He resisted. “You’re fine?”
Her bottom lip turned down. “That’s what I said.”
She wasn’t acting like Tatiana. “But you disappeared last night.”
“Because I heard you insult me, Dimitri.” She stomped her foot like a toddler throwing a tantrum. “You hurt my feelings.”
His gut twisted. This was not their Tatiana. She didn’t throw tantrums. She withdrew and acted distant when she was upset.
“He didn’t mean it.” Constantine elbowed him hard. “He was drunk.”
“We’ve been worried sick about you.” Dejan wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. “What’s that perfume?”
“Dimitri,” Constantine said, “tell her you’re sorry.”
Bridging the distance between them, Dimitri breathed in another scent. Lavender, just like that demon woman had smelled.
“You smell different,” Dejan said.
She took Dejan’s hands in hers, giggling and leaning against him. “Do I?”
Dejan angled his head away, wrinkling his nose.
Dimitri searched her eyes, looking for that familiar spark, and saw only a void. He yanked her out of Dejan’s arms and dug his fingers into her shoulders. “What the fuck did you do with her?”
“Dimitri!” Constantine charged and pushed him off her.
Stumbling, Dimitri nearly tripped over a stump before finding his footing. He pointed at the imposter. “That isn’t our mate.”
Constantine protested. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Smell her!” Dimitri demanded.
Constantine sniffed.
She held out her hands in a gesture of surrender. “My captors wore a lot of perfume. I just need a shower.”
Dimitri wasn’t buying it. He surged forward, his gaze targeting her. “Where is she?”
Constantine stepped between them. “Dimitri, back off.”
“I know her smell!”
Constantine’s eyes shifted to blinding white. “Back the fuck up now.”
“Or what?” He spoke in a low voice, his angry protector clawing to break free.
“Mates, please don’t fight over me,” she cooed. “I am ready to bond with you and have lots of passionate sex. Don’t you want that, Dimitri?”
Rage threatened to crack his skull. “She doesn’t even talk like Tatiana.”
“Dimitri is right.” Andrei walked around her, a feral look in his eyes. “Her smell is different, and she still hasn’t told us who took her and why.”
Constantine’s face fell, a hopeless