Silenced: Book 1 of the Bound Trilogy
Chapter 12

~Unknown POV~

Sitting in my dingy motel room I pulled out the supplies needed to clean my weapons. I had a call to make and I was not looking forward to it. I figure cleaning my guns and crossbow will help distract me from the task at hand.

After everything was set up, I pulled out my disposable cell and made the call. While I waited for the line to pick up I grabbed a rag and started to polish the handle of my crossbow. I preferred to hunt with this as opposed to guns, but I had several of those too. I was about done polishing the stock when the line clicked.

I knew no one would speak, I was only calling to give a status update. If the boss wanted to talk to me, he’d have someone contact me by other means.

“She’s alive,” no response. “She found her mate in the form of the Alpha of the Silver Lake pack,” again, no response. “It’ll take me a few more days to get her, but she’ll be yours.” The line went dead. That was fine, the boss got the information he needed.

I went back to taking care of my babies.

~Devin’s POV~

I was about to tromp my niece in Wii bowling. I had to admit, the midget was getting good. She was only down by three pins. All I had to do was get a strike and I would hold the title of bowling champ once again. It shouldn’t be a problem, the screen reflected my awesomeness with strikes across the board. Wait, I take that back. There is one blemish in my record, a spare, all because my lovely demon of a niece decided to tackle me in the middle of my throw. It’s ok though. I paid her back by tackling her and making her scream ‘uncle’ after an intense tickle battle.

As I was about to swing the controller forward I was distracted by the sound of someone coming down the stairs. Pausing mid-swing, I looked towards the door.

Alia walked in, practically skipping. “Alia? What did you do?” I had a feeling I was not going to like what she was about to say. Wait where’s… “Sis, where’s Leah?”

She got this look on her face and I could imagine her rubbing her hands together and laughing evilly. I gulped, “Alia, seriously, what did you do?”

She shrugged nonchalantly, but her smile grew, “Oh nothing really.” She walked over to one of the lounge chairs and folded herself into it.

“If you didn’t do anything then where is Leah?” I asked again.

Alia acted as if she was inspecting her manicure, “She’s up in your study,” she stated as if it wasn’t a big deal.

I faced her fully, “Why is she in my study?”

“Well,” she drawled out, “after I explained a few things to her she still had some questions. So…I took her into your study to show her the book.” her smirk grew.

“Book? What book?” I asked in confusion.

“Oh, you know. The ‘book’. The one you bought when you were sixteen so you wouldn’t make a fool of yourself when you finally met your mate.” By the time she was done talking my face had blanched and she looked like the Cheshire cat her grin was so big.

Dropping the controller, I raced upstairs with the sound of Alia’s laughter following. I was going to kill my sister, after I got that book away from Leah. I groaned internally, she was never going to let me near her after looking at what’s in there.

Practically ripping the hinges off my study door, I barged inside to see Leah sitting in one of the oversized chairs staring at the book in her lap. I looked at her closely, she didn’t look upset, she looked…curious?

Nervously, I rubbed the back of my neck while I made my way over to the chair next to her and sat down. Clearing my throat I asked, “Leah, are you ok?” I didn’t know what I was going to do if she said she wasn’t.

‘How is this even possible?’ she asked while turning the book this way and that.

I stared at her, “What?” I asked dumbfounded.

She kept her eyes on the book, ‘Is this supposed to be enjoyable?’ She turned the book another way, ‘The people in here look like they are enjoying themselves, but wouldn’t they be uncomfortable? I mean doesn’t it hurt?’ With this, she turned the book towards me.

Immediately an image formed of Leah and me in that position and I had to close my eyes. That did not help at all so I ripped the book from her hands and threw it across the room. It hit the wall and landed behind the couch, out of site out of mind.

Leah looked at me curiously, but I was too busy trying to calm my raging libido to put her at ease.

‘So is it going to hurt when we do that?’

Oh man, her questions were not helping me. I needed a shower, a very cold shower.

~Leah’s POV~

I was surprised when Devin threw the book across the room, but I was shocked and hurt when he abruptly left the room instead of answering my question. Letting out a huff, I got up and decided to see if Alia and Ehren were still here.

I followed the sounds of laughter to a room off the kitchen. When I stepped in, I saw Alia and Ehren moving their arms back and forth. I did not know what they were doing so I sat in one of the giant chairs to see if I could figure it out.

There was a screen across from us that took up most of the wall, and there were little people in it. I noticed when either Alia or Ehren would move their arm back the little person would follow their actions. When they shot their arm forward, an object was released by the person on the screen, which resulted in a lot of yelling and laughing from the girls in the room. This went on for quite a while and I was tired of sitting here.

‘What are you doing?’ I sent to both of them.

Alia jumped, as if startled, and turned around with her hand on her chest. “Leah,” she said breathlessly, “You scared me. I didn’t hear you come down.” I shrugged, it is not my fault she was not paying attention.

‘What are you doing?’ I asked again.

This time Ehren answered, “We’re playing Wii bowling, and I’m whooping mom’s but!”

Alia straightened and sent a glare towards her daughter. There was a playful glint in her eyes so I knew she was not really mad at her. “Oh it’s on maggot!” she shouted, “Prepare to meet your doom!” Ehren let out a belly laugh at this and they continued to play their game.

“So Leah, where’s my oh-so-wonderful brother?” Alia finally asked.

‘I think he’s taking a shower,’ I told her.

She turned to look at me with her eyebrow raised, “Why?”

‘I do not know,’ I stated. ’I was sitting there looking at the book you gave me when he stormed in. I asked him how it was possible for people to do the things in the book and showed him one of the pictures. He threw the book against the wall, and when I asked if it would hurt when we did that, he got up and left.’

At this point Alia was rolling on the floor laughing so hard she had tears coming out her eyes. I did not see what was so funny, it hurt when he left me sitting there without a word.

“Oh Leah,” she got between laughs, “You are too cute!” she hiccupped. “You have no idea what you are doing to my brother. Ha! If you ever figured out how much control over him you have he would be in so much trouble.”

‘What do you mean?’ I gave her questioning look. If I had control over him then, why will he not answer my questions? What was she talking about?

Gaining some of her breath back, Alia came over and sat next to me. “Honey, the reason he is up there taking a shower, and I’m betting it’s a cold one, is because you are driving his wolf crazy.”

I was driving him crazy? I did not want to do that. I just wanted answers. I looked down at my hands. I was feeling guilty for putting him through that.

“Leah, honey, don’t do that,” she placed one of her hands on my own. I looked at her again, “It’s a good thing you drive him crazy.”

‘It is?’

“Yes! It means that his wolf wants to complete the mating process. It means that they both want you. Right now, Devin is trying to keep himself under control so that he does not hurt you.”

‘Hurt me? How will he hurt me?’

“Oh hon, he won’t. It’s just he thinks that if he lets his wolf have his way that you will hate him. He wants to give you time to get used to everything.” She ran her hand down my back as she said this.

‘Can I ask you something?’ I looked back at my hands.

“Sure, hon, anything.”

I played with my fingers nervously, ‘How long does it take normal mates to complete the mating process?’ I asked.

Alia seemed stunned by my question but answered any way, “Well, most couples are mated within the first few days, usually no longer than a week. Why do you ask?”

Steeling my resolve, I looked her in the eyes, ‘Can you and Ehren leave for a while?’

“Why?” she said confused.

I just looked at her and realization dawned in her eyes. A smile split her face and she jumped off the chair. “Ehren, we are leaving. Come on lets go.”

“But mom!” Ehren protested.

“No ‘buts’,” she said. “Come on I’ll even spring for ice cream for lunch. Just don’t tell your father.”

“Woohoo!” Ehren yelled as she raced out the door. Alia followed sending me a wink over her shoulder.

Rolling my own, I gathered my determination. If we have waited to complete the mating process because of Devin’s skewed ideals then I will just have to convince him otherwise. If mates were meant to be together then we will be together. I want to be with him. I want others to know that he belongs to me and that I belong to him.

It is time he stopped waiting.