The Alpha’s Bullied Mate (Bluebell Valley Wolves #1)

Chapter 5 - Mica

He picked her up as easily as lifting a feather. She wasn’t even sure he’d grunted. The air disappeared around Mica as he dangled over Hayden’s shoulder, her hands clutching her pack reflexively. Her eyes were wide in shock as the vague shadows sped by her.

Was he really kidnapping her? Thoughts dashed through Mica’s mind, too fast for her to catch. He really was kidnapping her. She thought this sort of caveman behavior only happened to other women. Nobody wanted her so badly that they would literally carry her off to his home.

And, for that matter, how could he carry her? Mica was well aware she didn’t have the trimmest figure around. Even in high school, when the boys had to carry the girls, they stagged and stumbled when they picked her up. Yet Hayden acted as though she weighed nothing at all.

Wait a minute! She wasn’t supposed to be marveling at his strength—she was supposed to be getting away from this asshole and all his asshole friends!

“Let me go,” she cried.

Just as something burst from the trees to the left and rammed into them. Mica went flying, dropping her pack as she did so. The air was driven from her lungs as she landed, hard, on the ground. Snarls and an eerie, shrieking noise filled the air.

Fighting to regain herself, she pushed herself to a sitting position. Two monstrous shapes battled in the light of the full moon. It took Mica a moment to realize they’d entered a clearing just before they were attacked. She stared at the fight, struggling to breathe and certain she had hit her head.

Because there was no way what she saw was real.

Even with the darkness, she recognized Hayden’s wolf form. But this other thing was unlike anything she’d seen before. First, she thought that its massive horns meant it was some sort of goat. Then, two enormous wings snapped open, blocking the moonlight. It made a terrible noise, a type of hissing, rattling noise. Huge claws ended its hands, each glowing a dull red.

Mica finally got in a gasp of air. She fumbled around herself, looking for her pack without taking her eyes off the fight. Her hands landed on her pack, and she pulled it to her chest, but she couldn’t run.

This had to be a dream, right? First, Hayden declared he’d take her as his mate, and now this creature. She wasn’t sure which was more unbelievable. And that disbelief kept her rooted to the spot, even though some instinct in the back of her mind screamed at her to run.

Hayden ducked under a swipe from those claws and leaped for the beast’s throat. It let out a garbled gasp as his jaws clenched around its throat. Then he shook himself, every bit of his muscles vibrating. The two parted with a sick, squealing noise. Glowing, fire-red blood spurted through the air.

It didn’t stop. The creature swiped first with one hand, then the other. Hayden dodged the first, but the second caught his shoulder. He was flipped over onto his back as easily as a kitten. The beast swung its head around toward Mica. Those massive horns started to glow from some internal source, and it staggered toward her, leaving a streak of blood behind.

Mica finally found the wits to scramble to her feet. Just as she took a step back, the creature collapsed. A ragged, gurgling sound came from it, and then nothing.

“It’s dead,” Hayden said.

Mica turned, still uncertain what had just happened. The moon shone over his gloriously naked form, but Mica’s eyes were drawn to the dark stain on his shoulder.

“You’re hurt!”

“It’s nothing.”

Yeah, right. He could hardly hold himself up straight, and Mica knew that rapidly-growing stain was blood. Even with a wolf’s superior ability to heal, that was a nasty injury. As much as she’d like to run screaming from whatever the hell this was, she couldn’t.

Instead, she dug into her pocket for her cell phone. She had intended to sell it once she got to another town, but for the time being, she’d kept it turned off to make sure nobody could use it to track her. Now, she turned it on and flicked on the flashlight.

Hayden winced at the light in his eyes. “Are you fucking kidding me? Why were you stumbling around in the dark when you had that?”

“Sit down so I can take care of that cut,” she said, ignoring his jibe. He grunted but did as she said.

He was still utterly naked, but Mica didn’t notice much as she inspected the injury. It was pumping out blood, but it was thin blood. So the wound wasn’t as bad as she’d feared. That was good. Even if he was an asshole, she didn’t want him so badly injured.

She dug a small first aid kit out of her pack and used the alcohol wipes inside to clean up the injury as best she could. Her hands were soon stained with blood, but she fought back the waves of nausea that brought on. To his credit, Hayden didn’t wince once.

There wasn’t enough gauze to cover the cuts completely, so she layered it on carefully and taped it before pulling out her clothes. This was going to ruin them for sure. She didn’t have much to start with, since none of the local stores sold anything in her size, but it was the best she could do.

Why am I even doing this for the asshole? She sighed. Because she always hated to see something in pain. She even did her best to avoid eating meat because she didn’t enjoy the idea of anything with a face dying for her.

“What was that thing?” she demanded, more to distract herself than anything else.

“A beast demon.” Hayden’s voice was perfectly even. “My team and I hunt demons. There’s been an uptick here in the Bluebell Valleys, and we’re here to stop them.”

“And that means challenging Monroe?” Mica muttered.

“It does because he’s being possessed by one of them.”

Her hands faltered. Possessed? Even after what she had seen, Mica wasn’t sure she could believe that. Hayden was just spouting nonsense, wasn’t he? Was he getting back at her for leaving?

“There are three types of demons that we’ve encountered,” Hayden continued as though Mica wasn’t about to have a breakdown, “the beast-demons like that one there. Aura-demons are capable of possessing and controlling living beings, and archdemons are also capable. Archdemons are the most powerful and can command the other types of demons. They also have various powers we haven’t been able to map entirely.”

“And why’s that?” Mica’s mouth asked without her input.

“Because we only encountered one before.”

He shifted slightly in his seat, and Mica wondered what had happened in that encounter. Then she decided she didn’t want to know. If demons were invading this place, she wanted to get as far away as possible.

“This is why I need you as my mate,” Hayden said. “I need to overturn Monroe so I can root out the demons and stop them from taking over the world.”

“What?” Mica whispered. She was finished taking care of his injuries now, his blood staining her clothes. But her hands remained resting lightly on his back, her heart hammering.

Hayden stood, testing his range of motion. Then he strode to the edge of the clearing and grabbed his clothes. The muscles of his back and ass pulled taut as he pulled on his pants.

“I never wanted a mate,” he said over his shoulder.

Especially me, Mica thought.

“Since I have to have one, you’re the easiest to pick. Your feelings haven’t changed that much, have they?” He turned back to her, buttoning his pants. The arrogant smirk on his face made Mica want to rip off all the bandages she had so carefully put on him in the first place.

Hayden eyed her, then chuckled.

Irritation spiked through her. “And just what is so funny?”

“You. Don’t pretend like you’re not thrilled I’m no longer rejecting you.”

Mica’s hands balled into fists. She pulled in a deep breath, steadying herself. “But you’re still rejecting me. You said it yourself. You only picked me because I’m the easiest woman in the pack. You don’t want me as your mate. I’m just convenient.”

Her stomach clenched. Why was it so disappointing to hear it aloud? It wasn’t as though she wanted him… Maybe she had once, but those days were long gone. He had destroyed her self-confidence once before. She wasn’t going to let him do it again.

“The easiest woman in the pack?” Hayden’s eyes glittered in the light thrown off from her cell phone. “Are you saying you’ve let all the young bucks plow you?”

Mica’s cheeks darkened. Part of her wanted to explain what she really meant, but what did it matter to him. She lifted her chin and glared at him.

“Maybe I have. It’s none of your business either way. But if you want a virgin mate, find someone else,” she added sweetly.

He didn’t answer.

Good! Maybe that meant he didn’t want her anymore. Even though that thought was almost as painful as hearing the first time he rejected her, it was for the best.

She grabbed her pack and wiped her hands off on a shirt inside. “Go find yourself a mate, then, Hayden. I’m leaving. The demons are your problem, not mine.”