Filed to story: Cara Nelson The Guardian: Werewolf Book PDF Free
“Hello Luna. I’m Victoria and this is Ivy. We work with Maddie in the garden, and she told us what you are doing here. We’re so excited to finally have structured mealtimes that we thought it would be nice to have centerpieces for the tables to celebrate, so we picked some flowers from the forest to put at the tables.”
“They’re perfect. Thank you both.” We place them on the tables, just as the warriors begin coming in. They immediately see the tables set and stop, looking at me.
“Have a seat everyone. Tonight, we are having pulled pork, roasted rosemary potatoes and steamed spinach for dinner.”
Everyone looks excited as they sit. I mind link Eli to come join us. There are more people tonight than there were last night. Word has spread that there is food available or perhaps they just want to see their Alpha and Luna. Either way, we have to set up additional, makeshift tables to seat everyone. v.we
I make sure that all the omegas are seated and have food, including the ones that are still working on stripping the carcasses. Once everyone is eating, I find my place next to Eli. He looks at me with awe and pride.
“In one day, you have managed to make this pack feel like a home. I don’t know how you did it, but as usual, I am amazed and awed by you, my little mate.”
The mood tonight in the dining room is considerably different than last night. While almost everyone seemed happy to have Eli back yesterday, there was a sense of anxiety of the unknown. Today there is a peaceful feeling around the room with a lot of happy chatter and laughter.
Several pack members make a point to come over and thank us, or just say hi, wanting to get to know us better. When they are done, everyone disperses, going back to their work or to their homes to rest for the evening. Eli goes back upstairs to work on the patrol schedule, and I make sure everyone is set with their assignments in the kitchen and tomorrow’s cooking and cleaning before heading upstairs to join Eli.
When I get to our room, he isn’t back yet, so I strip, ready to wash the sweat and cleaner of the day off of me. I pull on one of Eli’s t-shirts and crawl into bed, thinking about what needs to happen tomorrow before and after the Alpha challenge.
Just as I’m wondering if Eli is nervous about tomorrow, he walks in. I don’t have time to think any more as he makes sure to show me just how sexy he thought I was earlier, several times.
The next morning, we wake early. I can tell that Eli is already awake. “Are you nervous?” I ask the question I was wondering about last night.
“Not really, but there’s always the chance that I might lose. Carlos said there is only one person he feels is a true contender. That warrior you met yesterday, Noah.”
“He’s challenging you?”
“Yes, and his reasons are valid. He has the qualities that a good Alpha should have and he has Beta blood. He’s strong. If he defeats me, I will be okay with him taking over. The others, not so much.”
“How many others are there?” I ask, thinking there would only be a couple.
“Five others, including that guy Christopher that we met the first day.”
“How many do you think will want to battle to the death?” I ask, as I know this. must be weighing on him. He may not be afraid that he’ll lose but having to kill a pack mate is never easy.
“I can’t say for sure, but I’d bet Christopher will.”
We get up and get ready for the day. Eli dresses in comfortable clothes, ready for the Alpha battles today. I dress in leggings and a t-shirt. If we’re going to have the battles, then I want to be ready if needed.
Eli must hear my thoughts. He comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, putting his chin on my shoulder.
“You can’t interfere today. You know that right?”
“I won’t let you die. If we have to leave this pack, so be it, but Maia and I won’t stand by and let you die.” I tell him.
“It won’t come to that, hopefully. But you do have to let me win these battles on my own.”
“That’s fine if it’s a submission only battle. If it’s to the death and it looks like you will lose, I won’t hesitate to jump in.”
“Grace…”
“No!” I interrupt him. “Don’t ask me to watch while you die. It’s not possible. Maia says it’s not something she can control. It’s in our blood, in our soul. It’s how the Moon Goddess made us. I won’t kill them, but I won’t let them kill you either.”
He nods. “Okay, let’s go start our day.”
The mood at breakfast is considerably more somber than it was last night. Everyone is talking in whispers and most of the discussion is about the challenge. The entire pack will be watching the Alpha challenges today. Whoever wins becomes their Alpha and could change the entire dynamic of this pack.
After breakfast, as one, we all head outside. Carlos is overseeing the challenges and calls the first contender to face Eli.
I stand back, watching. The contender states that he wants a battle of submission, and the fight begins. It doesn’t take long for Eli to have him down and the contender taps his submission. The second fight goes much the same way, but it takes a bit longer for Eli to pin this contender, nearly 45 minutes.
The third contender is Christopher. “I want a battle to the death.” He states.
“Are you sure that’s what you want?” Eli asks him.
Christopher looks cocky as he replies. “Oh yes, and know this, Alpha,” he says, sneeringly. “When I kill you, I will take your mate as my own.” He looks at me as he says this, taking his time looking me up and down. I’m glad I didn’t eat. My stomach is churning at his comment. I’ve had enough of Alphas and wolves thinking they can force their mark on me.
Eli’s snarl is feral and menacing, but Christopher doesn’t seem to notice, or maybe he doesn’t care. Carlos calls the fight to start. Unlike the first two challenges, this time, Eli takes the offense. Christopher has infuriated him and he’s ready for blood.
I have to admit that Christopher is better than I thought he would be. He’s dancing around, not getting in as many punches as Eli, but he’s holding his own.
‘He’s getting too close to us.” Maia says in my head, right at the moment that he makes his move. He must have planned it. He grabs me, putting me in front of him. He has one hand in my hair, the other wrapped around my waist, holding me in place.
“Or maybe I’ll just mark her now, making her MY Guardian.” He says, and I can feel his breath on my neck.
As soon as Christopher said he would take Grace as his mate, Louis and I saw red. Oh yes, this asshole is going to die. No one is taking my mate from me. No one. He’s faster than I expected, able to move at the last minute to avoid my punches. He gets a few in, but in my furious state, I hardly feel them. We’re dancing around and I realize a moment too late what he’s planning.
When he grabs Grace, threatening to mark her now, I freeze. I have no idea how remarking a Guardian when their mate is still alive will work. But I don’t care, she’s mine and he can’t have her. Louis is thrashing around in my head, wanting to rip this guy to shreds for threatening our mate.
“You’ve invalidated the Alpha challenge by pulling my mate into this.” I tell him. “Your challenge is now forfeit.”
“It doesn’t matter. No one will be able to defeat me once I’m mated to a
Guardian.” He says and I’m about to jump on him when Grace winks at me, her eyes bleeding to solid gold. Maia.
I watch, stunned, as she turns in his arms, her hand punching through his chest. I’m not sure, but it looks like she takes his heart in her hand. The look of shock on Christopher’s face is priceless and I hear a collective gasp from the pack.
“No one forces their mark on me.” Maia says, before ripping his heart out of his chest. His shocked expression remains on his face as his dead body drops to the ground. I look back up and see Maia turn to the crowd.
“Anyone else think they can use me against my mate?” She says, crushing Christopher’s heart in her hand before tossing it to the ground.
You could hear a pin drop it’s so quiet, but every pack member begins to adamantly shake their head, no.
I walk over to her, taking her in my arms. “Are you okay, love? Did he hurt you? Maia turns to me. She hasn’t given control back to Grace yet. “Only you and Louis get to sink your canines into me,”
