Mine to Protect Chapter 45: FAMILY TIME

*Hazel*

“What? Why?” Derek demands bewildered.

“I need to talk to my mom. She could know something about my powers, she might know how to get me back in that place. Maybe she can get there too with her powers.”

“Ok, I’ll take you home, but Hazel, please, listen to me. The fact that you had this vision, if it is in fact a vision, doesn’t mean that you are the one who needs to do something about it. If we find clues that this place indeed exists, we’ll share the information with the Court of Alphas and let them handle it. You are not going anywhere near that place. And if we can’t find any clue, you’ll let it go, this is not your responsibility.” Derek says in that bossy tone of his, Alpha mode fully initiated.

“How can you say that it’s not my responsibility? I am the one who had the vision, there must be a reason behind it.” I counter, starting to feel irritated at his behaviour. I am not as strong as he is, but I can hold my own, I can’t turn the other way and let those people suffer because I am scared.

“Hazel, I don’t want to fight with you,” he says defeated, draping his arms lazily on my waist, “Please, just promise me you won’t do anything reckless. I just got you; I don’t want to lose you. Please, for me.”

My heart squeezes at the fear in his voice, he’s pleading with me, just wanting to make sure I’ll stay safe. His cuteness chases away all my irritation, and I answer in a gentler tone,

“I will stay away from danger, I promise you. I won’t do anything you wouldn’t approve of, you have my word. Maybe, you could stay at my parents’ house tonight, to keep an eye on me.” I add, hoping he agrees, I would feel so much safer if he were there with me. Plus, I am not even sure I will be able to sleep at all, after the horrors I have seen, I will need his strong warm embrace to chase away the nightmares.

“Sure thing, I won’t be able to get any sleep without you in my arms anyway. I hope your bedroom’s walls are thick enough.” He says with a smirk, getting my signature eye roll in return.

“Or maybe, you can try being quieter.” I offer, raising my eyebrows.

“My little vixen, I am not the one who was screaming «Fuck me, Derek! » at the top of her lungs, this morning in the shower.” He entails, now raising his eyebrows, a growing smirk on his god-like features.

My face of course goes completely red in embarrassment, but before I can come up with a fitting come back, Derek strengthens his hold on me, and kisses me deeply. One hand holding me firmly by my waist, the other twisted in my hair, locking my head in place, and his mouth devouring mine with hunger and passion, obliterating my will of rebellion, making me want to submit to any of his demands, well, at least, in the bedroom.

*Derek*

We make haste of getting back to the packhouse and pack our stuff before we leave for Hazel’s house. She has decided to leave all her clothes and toiletries in my room, making me smirk like an idiot all the way to the car; I can’t believe the effect this little kitten has on me, she has me already wrapped around her finger. An image of her lips wrapped around my cock pops into my mind, and I find myself wishing we had more time for a quicky before we leave. Unfortunately, we don’t, Hazel was adamant that she needs to get to her mom asap.

I really wish she would slow down a little, this whole thing is giving me very bad vibes, and I am afraid she’s going headfirst in something much bigger than her. She does not even have her wolf yet, if someone were to attack her, she would be doomed. I can’t have anything happen to her, at cost of following her everywhere she goes, I must keep her safe.

Half an hour drive and we are already at Hazel’s home. Her mom comes out the front door before we are even out of the car, she’s the cutest of moms! How I wish my mom was like hers, caring and loving, not like mine, completely uninterested in her son’s endeavors, having fun on some tropical island, ignoring me completely.

I open Hazel’s car door, and as soon as my kitten is out of car, her mom starts screeching in delight,

“You are marked! Derek marked you!”

Then she does the unexpected, instead of hugging and complimenting Hazel, she jumps at me, hugging me tightly, while thanking me profusely for marking her daughter.

I don’t know how to respond to that, I stand there frozen in place, staring at Hazel who is glaring at her mom in disbelief and annoyance.

Ok, maybe my mom is not that bad, all things considered.

Homicidal vibes come through the bond, and I know I need to do something before someone ends up dead, which is going to be either me or her mom.

Luckily, Josh, Hazel’s dad, comes out to greet us, and softens things up by giving Hazel a bear hug, and inviting us all to get inside.

We sit in the leaving room, me and Hazel on the loveseat, Josh on the armchair, and Elizabeth perched on the armchair’s armrest. We have just finished telling them about Hazel’s vision, and their expressions are looking grim.

“Mom, do you know if white wolves can have premonitions? Maybe it is my wolf’s power manifesting after the marking?”

Elizabeth ponders her question for a while, then shakes her head negatively.

“No, I don’t think this was your wolf’s doing. White wolves’ powers are usually connected to the elements, so premonitions and prophecies are not something typical white wolves can do. But in the diaries of our ancestors, there are records reporting messages sent from the Goddess to white wolves, warning them of danger, or giving them tasks to carry out in her name. Maybe, this is what happened to you. You said, you were gazing at the moon before you had your vision, the Moon Goddess could have shown you that place, because she wants you to help those poor souls.”

Damn it, now Hazel will feel like it is her responsibility to save them. I was hoping her mom was going to dissuade her from getting herself involved in this, apparently all white wolves think alike.

“Elizabeth, Hazel’s wolf has not woken yet, I think it is too dangerous for her to get herself involved in this matter.” I say, trying to make them understand that the risk is too steep.

“She has me, and you, together we make a strong team. She won’t be alone in this. Plus, we don’t even know where this place is, we need to locate it first, before we even start thinking of doing anything dangerous.”

“What are your wolf’s powers, mom?” Hazel interjects, subtly changing the topic.

“I can control the wind.” She says simply.

“Said like that does not sound like much, but she is a forced to be reckoned with; she can create tornados, tsunamis, literally move mountains. She’s a force of nature.” Josh says enthusiastically, while Elizabeth laughs at his earnestness.

My phone starts vibrating in my pants, I pick up the call, and I am met with a very agitated Damon, “Alpha, someone crossed the border, it must be at least ten, from their scent they are not rogues. They knocked out the guards, before they were able to send out a mind-link. I have sent out a search party, but for the moment we haven’t found the intruders yet. I think it’s better if you come back.”

“I am leaving now.”

I switch the call off and immediately stand up.

“My apologies, but I need to go back,” I don’t need to say more, because I am sure they have already heard the conversation through the phone. Hazel is looking at me with a worried expression, so I cup her face with my hand and kiss her softly.

“Don’t worry kitten, I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“You don’t need to worry about me, I am safe here. You need to be careful; those people could be dangerous.” She pleads, staring at me with those big doe eyes of hers, making me want to ravish her here on this couch, no matter who’s present.

“I assure you that the only ones in danger tonight are the rats who dared trespass on my territory.” I say getting up and giving her a small peck on the lips.

I say my goodbyes, and I am out of the door ready to kick some asses.

When I am half-way to my pack, I start feeling uneasy, like something bad is happening. My first thought was something going down at my pack, but then my wolf tells me it has something to do with Hazel, she is in distress.