29

Chapter 29 – Mystery Scent
Diesel’s POV
If it was up to me, I’d spend all weekend wrapped up in bed with her. But she insisted we get cleaned up and head downstairs for breakfast. I could hear her in the shower and decided it might be faster if I joined her. I stepped into the large rock shower and stood under the rain fall water head with her. I quickly washed my hair and Lucy started soaping me up with her loofa.
When she reached my rod, she spent extra time washing and stroking it. The beast stirred inside of me; she was teasing me. I instantly hardened and she smiled, pleased with her handy work. She rinsed me off and dropped to her knees taking me into her mouth. She sent my world spinning in less than ten minutes and swallowed every last drop. “Happy Birthday Baby!” She smiled up at me.
“Happy Birthday indeed.” Duke purred at me.
I was about to scoop Lucy up and take her back to the bed when Payton mind linked me. She had been on patrol early this morning. “Alpha, we’ve picked up some unusual scents at the southern border. Some rogue and some not.”
“What do you mean some not?” I asked.
“I could be wrong, but I’m picking up a strong scent, like an Alpha.” She said.
“Is it Ranger?” I questioned. Brother or not, I will rip his throat out if he touches my mate.
“I’m not sure, he’s mated with someone else, so his scent might be different. I don’t know what Miranda’s scent is like. Do you think Lucy
might recognize it?”
I hated the idea of asking Lucy to possibly scent that Bastard. If rouges were close this time of year, there was a reason for it, especially if an Alpha may be working with them or paying a bounty. I mind linked Zeke and Elliot to meet me at the tree line behind the castle. Then I linked Paul, to have him assemble fifty warriors just in case. I asked my father to stay here and make sure no one breeched the castle.
I explained to Lucy what was going on and she agreed to come to the boarder with me to see if any scents were familiar to her. We stepped outside and met with Zeke and Elliot at the edge of the forest.
We were ready to shift, and I mind linked Lucy, “Don’t shift, no one has seen Lia yet.” We didn’t want anyone to see her golden wolf yet. We were going to wait until after the Luna ceremony, when she would be accepted into the pack and lead in the traditional moonlight run.
“Should I run in human form?” She asked me.
“No, you can climb on Duke and ride over, it will be much faster.”
Moments later, she had her hands wrapped around Duke’s neck and he ran with great pride carrying his Luna on his back. My gamma and delta ran behind us, and the warriors ran in formation behind them. We reached the southern border and Lucy walked around inhaling. She stopped and sniffed again.
“What is it?” I asked.
“The stench of rogues for sure. It smells like the rogues that last attacked Dark Moon pack.” She told us.
“Are you sure? Did you get close enough to them to scent them well?” I asked. Surely, she didn’t fight them off when they attacked.
“Oh, I got close enough.” She said to me. What did she mean by that? Close enough? Her wall was down so I read her thoughts - if Max hadn’t saved
me, that rogue would have raped me.
I let out an angry growl and everyone looked at me. Lucy had not realized I read her thoughts. Then I heard Athena mind linking Kayla, “Did you see how she had to ride on his back. Is her wolf too weak for that run? He should have left her at the castle, we don’t have time to babysit.”
“How dare she!” Duke snarled to me. He was pissed off and ready to snap her jealous neck. Athena will be the first person I put in the ring with Lucy at the training arena, I thought to myself. Athena won’t stand a chance. Lucy might be little, but she can shred even the toughest Alpha.
“Is everything Okay?” Lucy asked me through the mind link.
“Yes, but you’re going to start training with the pack soon. I want you ready for any threat.”
She looked over where Athena was standing and smiled. “Sounds like fun.” She mind linked me back.
“Beta, Gamma.” I called out to Payton and Zeke. “I want a revised patrol schedule this afternoon, double the patrols and overlap the runs. I don’t want any unexpected surprises.”
“Yes Alpha.” They said in unison.
“Diesel, I’m picking up the Alpha scent. It vaguely feels familiar, but it’s not Ranger.” Lucy said.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Ranger was more apples and cinnamon. Miranda is strong roses and coffee. This scent is none of those, it’s fresh cut grass and oak.”
I dismissed everyone and they went back to the castle or patrol. Lucy climbed back up on Duke and we walked back taking our time. There was something eating at me, so I mind linked with Lucy.
“Lucy, last week you said that Max had saved your life on more than one occasion. I was hoping you could elaborate on that for me.” I asked.
She hesitated. “Well, you already know that Ursa starved me. One night after not eating for almost a whole week, Max saw me eating out of a garbage can in the middle of the night. That’s when he started sneaking me food every day.”
If I ever see Ursa again, I’m going to rip out her heart, I thought to myself.
“There was the time Blake and Cole threw me in the deep end of the swimming pool and I almost drowned. Max pulled me out. Another time, I had hypothermia from being locked in a kennel all night during a freezing storm, Max saved me.”
I hated thinking about how much those assholes tortured her. “Anything else?”
“When the rogues attacked, I was at the tree line, I had been sent to stock the shift clothes. I tried to hide in a tree, but a rogue scented me and chased me down. He tried to rape me, but Max saved me, and he killed the rogue.”
“Ranger doesn’t deserve Max.” I growled back.
“He was a very good friend. The only thing I actually miss from Dark Moon.” She said with a hint of sadness.
I missed Max too, he was my best friend since we were pups. Now I’m discovering how he protected Lucy when she had no one. How he saved her life. I could feel how much he means to her. “Payton?” I mind linked my sister.
“Yes Alpha.” she said.
“Let’s be sure to send an invitation to Beta Maximus Taylor, at Dark Moon. But, don’t tell Lucy, it’s a surprise.”
“Then Ranger will find out.” She said.
“When the Alpha of the largest pack in the world is having a Luna ceremony, news travels fast. I’m sure he already knows.” I informed her.
“You’re right. He’s got to be foolish to try anything at this point.” She said. “Please remind Lucy, that Ms. Hall will be here for the dress measurements any minute now.”
We arrived at the tree line and Lucy jumped off so I could shift back. She held out my shorts and then yanked them away teasing me. I would have bent her over a fallen tree right here, right now and taken her, but she needed to get to her dress fitting. I also had to take care of pack business before the birthday celebration this evening. Payton always planned a big birthday party for me every year and this year, I was looking forward to dancing with my mate.
We walked back towards the castle and another detail was bothering me. “Lucy, you can’t swim?” I asked.
“No, I’ve never learned, but Lia is an excellent strong swimmer.” She smiled up at me.
“We have an indoor heated swimming pool; I’d like to teach you.”
“That would be great! You are my personal lifeguard after all.” She kissed me and went off to meet Payton. She was right, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to guard her life.
I was lost deep in thought when I walked into my office. A fading scent that was still lingering in the air hit my nose. Duke snarled angrily and I walked around the room sniffing harder. It can’t be? I inhaled again, fresh cut grass and oak. Duke was on edge.
There was no way another Alpha could set foot on this territory and not be noticed. I mind linked my father to meet me at my office, maybe he would recognize the scent. I sat in my chair and saw the note taped to my computer screen. I pulled it off and smelled it, fresh cut grass and oak. There was just one sentence hastily scribbled —
“She is mine and I will have her soon.”