“He was gone when we woke up this morning; took all his stuff with him. Talked about family out west; maybe he went there,” he said, shaking his head.
“Well, I won’t keep you,” Liam said and walked slowly back to the car, not wanting to raise suspicion. It couldn’t have worked out better for them if they had tried and he knew these two were no threat to them.
He hurried back to the car, swung into the driver’s seat and pulled onto the road. He relayed what he had learned, and Garrett blew out a deep breath. He hugged her closer and India wondered why she didn’t feel worse about what she had just done. Did he deserve it? Absolutely, but she had still taken a life.
She was happy to be going home though and she leaned on Garrett and closed her eyes as the movement of the vehicle lulled her into a deep sleep. She slept for a couple of hours until they stopped for food at a diner on the outskirts of a small town and she scarfed down a cheeseburger and fries and carried her supersized coke back to the car for the last leg of their journey.
She was looking forward to seeing her sister, it had only been a week but she missed her, they were rarely apart for more than a day or two and she had so much news to share with her, mainly about her and Garrett but she needed to get her perspective on killing the hunter too. Was it her sister's absolution she wanted? She wasn’t sure but Imogen had a way of making you see things in black and white.
She recognized the small road leading up to the compound entrance and heaved a sigh of relief that she was home. Garrett squeezed her hand and she held on tightly as Liam drove slowly through the grounds and parked in front of the Den. Kids were playing on the grass and others on their bikes, harried mothers chasing their errant offspring and squeals of laughter pierced the air. It was just an everyday normal scene and it was soothing.
Imogen flew down the porch steps and yanked open the car door, pulling her sister into her arms while Seann stood back, arms folded across his chest. Bree and Kandis were also on the porch waiting for them to get back.
“Are you okay Indi?” Imogen said looking her over.
“I’m fine, Imogen, honestly,” she forced a smile and let her sister lead her inside,
Hope came through from the kitchen with a tray of coffee and snacks and she settled into the loveseat with Garrett at her side and took the offered cup.
“Where are the kids?” Garrett asked.
“Roisin took them to her cabin. I donated a lot of our sample clothes to them, and she took them over there to try them on for size,” Imogen said, and India thought it was a cool idea. The three of them had nothing yet to call their own, but at least here they would be safe.
“We can get back to them later but tell me what happened before Roisin comes back here with them,” Seann said, taking a stance in front of the fireplace. His words were friendly, but India felt the weight behind them and knew she couldn’t have refused him even if she had wanted to.
Garret wanted to tell the story, but she stopped him and told Seann and the others everything that had happened from their first meeting until they buried the hunter’s bones and ashes in the forest. Garrett and Liam filled in the parts she didn’t know and when she came to the part where she killed the hunter, she met Seann’s eyes and didn’t leave out any of the gory details, she told him exactly what had happened in the cabin.
She saw her sister wince as she described her wolf tearing at his throat but as her story unfolded, she realized she didn’t regret what she had done at all, she was worried that the others would think that the hunter’s punishment was too harsh.
“I believe I did the right thing ridding the world of him. He would have killed again and again, a sociopath with no regard for another life and he had to die.” India raised her chin a little, and Seann eyes still bore into hers. He was so difficult to read and she was just a little afraid of him. but her sister could never love a man who wasn’t good inside. She knew that despite his crusty exterior, Seann Donovan was a good man.
“I agree, India. What you did was very brave. God knows how many others would have met their fate at his hands. If he had been a pack member he would have been sentenced to death and I don’t believe this is any different.”
He smiled and India released the breath she was holding.
“As far as the people you rescued,” Seann said, “We will find a suitable job for Zac in the pack, Bethany has a ton of childcare experience and wants to set up a nursery for the little kids whose parents both work. Some of the older teenagers can help out as well as Sophia.”
He looked straight at India before he continued,
“As promised, Sophia can stay until she is old enough to transition but she will not be allowed to leave the compound unless escorted by Liam or Kandis, no exceptions! She will also have to wear an ankle bracelet that she can’t remove in case she decides to buck against the rules. I don’t think that will happen, but she is a teenager and it’s the way it must be. Any objections?”
India had some but she kept her mouth closed. She hated the thought of Sophia as a glorified prisoner, but she knew that the safety of the pack was paramount and as they had only just met Sophia, she understood his reluctance to allow her to roam free in and out of the compound. Maybe after a while he would trust her but for now, she accepted it as a fait accompli.
“Does she know about the ankle bracelet?” she asked.
“Yes, she is wearing it already. She is free to roam the compound but if she wanders too far out it will alert us and security will pick her up. Kandis will take her around and show her how far she can go in any direction before setting off the alarm.
“Then I am good with it too,” India said.
Everyone started to disperse but Seann and her sister hung back.
“I want you to know that we will find a buyer for the cabin as soon as possible and we will buy another, a little closer to home,” Seann told her, and she felt tears sting her eyes.
“Thank you, I couldn’t have gone back there for anything,” she admitted and held it together long enough for Imogen and Seann to go upstairs.
Garrett pulled her into his arms and great sobs wracked her body. He held her as she let it all out and when she eventually stopped crying, he dried her eyes and took her hand.
“Let’s go see your new home.”
His cabin was far enough away for a little privacy but within a few minutes’ run to the Den. On the surface, it looked like Roisin’s cabin but a little larger and when he pushed open the door and she went inside, she was pleasantly surprised by how spacious and welcoming it was.
The living room and kitchen were open-plan and the dark oak floor was a nice contrast to the paler cabinets and granite worktops. There was a huge vase of cream roses on the kitchen island and she wondered how he knew what her favorite flowers were.
There was a bathroom and two guest bedrooms off the short corridor to the right of the living room one, with twin beds and decorated in layers of check patterns and spring flowers in lavender and the other had a full bed with a blue and green tartan quilt and matching cushions. Over on the opposite side of the house, behind the kitchen was the master suite.
A huge bed covered with fresh, navy blue and white linens dominated the room and the same wooden floors reached all the way through the house with scatter rugs dotted throughout. The furniture was traditional and in keeping with the cabin, but the bathroom was ultra-modern with a jetted tub and large walk-in shower and double vanities.
“I confess I am not always this neat and tidy, Roisin and Hope cleaned the cabin when they heard you would be coming back here to live with me. They also asked Imogen to pack up all your clothes and they had them brought over. I hope you don’t mind.” He slid open the closet door and she saw all of her things hanging there neatly.
“No,” she grinned, “But you were taking an awful lot for granted, Garrett Adair! Did you think you would be so irresistible that I would fall into your arms and your bed!” she pushed him backward until he landed on the bed
and he pulled her on top of him.
“I hoped you would, but I promise you I took nothing for granted,” his grin was wicked, “I texted Roisin a couple of days ago and she rallied the troops to help out.”
She leaned in and kissed him, and he held her head between his hands and deepened the kiss until she was breathless, he could turn her into a quivering heap with just those lips. Her face flushed as she remembered the other places those lips had kissed too and she mewed like a kitten as her tongue felt his fangs lengthen, a sure sign he was as aroused as she was.
He pulled back and she saw his eyes were glowing and her heart skipped a beat, she threaded her hands into his hair and pulled him toward her as he whispered,
“I love you, India Rose.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Garrett
It’s a true saying that when one part of your life is going well that another part swirls right down the toilet!
A muscle twitched annoyingly in his cheek as he watched the dark blue truck pull up in front of the Den and the young security guard unloaded two large suitcases from the back and dumped them on the porch.
He had been back from the cabin for several weeks now and things couldn’t be better between him and India. She had settled into his house, made a few small changes and seemed to be as content and happy as he was. However, he would have liked a little more notice before introducing her to his visitor. But as was typical of him, he sprung the visit on Garrett at the very last minute.
He took a deep breath and blew out through his teeth as the back door of the vehicle opened and the god-like man emerged from the back seat. He was all golden hair, rippling muscles and piercing blue eyes that even a pair of worn jeans and a white open neck shirt couldn’t spoil. He thought he was a goddamn Rockstar!
The prodigal returns!
Cillian Adair, baby brother, favorite son and general golden bollocks!
“Brother it’s been too long,” he grabbed Garrett and pulled him into a bear hug and despite himself, Garrett returned his greeting and clapped his brother on the shoulder several times before leading him inside. He had questions, many questions but they could wait until a little later.
“Nice to see you again, Cillian,” Seann said and the younger man shook the alpha’s hand, then bowed and kissed each of the women on the hand as he was introduced.
Still a charmer! Garrett thought and wondered why his brother irked him so. At twenty-two years old he was the baby of the family and the golden delicious apple of his father’s eye. He couldn’t and wouldn’t see or hear any wrong of his favorite child and although Garrett loved him completely, he found it increasingly difficult to like him. His father indulged him beyond belief and his mother treated him like a baby. He was just plain spoiled, through and through.
“Cillian, we have a guest room ready for you. If you are staying longer than a few days then we will find a cabin that will give you a little more privacy,” Seann said, and Garrett threw him a grateful look. He should have stayed with him and India at their cabin, but Lachlan’s crew was busy converting their garage and the house was in a bit of upheaval. Still, his guest rooms were fine, but Seann knew his feelings for his brother and he was grateful for the save. Being in such close quarters would have been a disaster.
“I appreciate it.” He flashed a dazzling smile and Garrett had the urge to punch him. Why the hell did he grate on his nerves so much?
Unable to put it off any longer, he put his arm around India and introduced her to his brother.
“Cillian, this is my mate, India. India, my brother, Cillian. He is my youngest sibling.”
“Nice to meet you.” She stuck out her hand and Cillian clasped it and held it to his lips,
“The pleasure is entirely mine, sweet sister.” His intense gaze stared her down until she finally pulled her hand away and sat down on the loveseat.
She looked uncomfortable and Garrett wanted to crow, India wasn’t sucked in by Cillian’s good looks and charm, she was completely unaffected by him. He sat beside his mate before his brother had the chance to and listened to him charm the other women in the room. Bree and Hope were laughing at his dumb jokes and even Roisin’s cheeks were pink and flushed. What the hell was it with him!
Imogen was polite but like India, something about Cillian was off-putting to her and Garrett wondered why the only women not affected by him were the two sisters.
Roisin and Imogen had cooked a delicious roast dinner and he deliberately seated himself as far from his brother as possible. Bethany, Zac and Sophia joined them; Cillian flirted outrageously with Bethany, which made Zac angry.
Little Sophia was wide-eyed and hung on his every word and India loved how much she had blossomed since coming to live with them. She was pretty and looked a lot like her sister, but she also had the sweetest disposition.
“I never thought I would see the day when Seann Donovan would allow a human girl to stay in his compound.”
“Sophia is special and wants to become a wolf when she is old enough,” Seann said.
Cillian flashed the youngster a smile and she blushed furiously and looked down at her plate again.
“How old are you?” Cillian asked her and she smiled.
“I will be sixteen on Saturday, India and Imogen are having a party for me, will you still be here then?” she asked hopefully.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, beautiful.” He winked and she blushed furiously.
Garrett was close to dragging him from his seat and smacking him hard when Seann changed the subject and asked him about work and the rest of the Adair family. He was ashamed to realize it had been months since he had spoken to any of them, he had been so caught up in India and he should at least have called his mother to let her know. He also knew, however, that would lead to a visit to their pack with India and he knew his mother would crush her with curiosity and kindness. His family meant well but they were larger than life and the most boisterous, noisy lot he had ever known. His father was another matter entirely.
Cillian and his father aside, his family were pretty decent and he missed them, especially his little sister, Rylee. She was only a year older than Cillian, but she was more mature, more compassionate and much smarter than he could ever hope to be. She resembled Garrett in looks with the same pale green eyes as their mother, but her hair was much darker, almost black like their fathers. Garrett had adored her since the day she was born, and he had a sudden longing to see her.
“How is Rylee?” he asked his brother.
Cillian hesitated only a moment, but Garrett caught it. He squirmed under his brother’s intense gaze before sighing and sitting back in his chair.
“She ran away, no-one had seen her for a couple of weeks. We thought she would cool off and come back home, but she hasn’t. You know how hot-headed she is, Garrett, we thought maybe she had come here.”
“Why would she run away, she is an adult and can come and go as she pleases,” he drew his brows together in confusion.
“Father wanted her to mate with Jeremiah, he’s going to be alpha and she would have status and security for life, but she wants to choose her own mate,” he said shrugging his shoulders. “Father thinks she is wild and uncontrollable.”
“Jeremiah is old enough to be her great grandfather, Cillian, no wonder she ran away! Did you even come to her defense?” He was shouting now as he pushed away from the table.
“She is willful and needs a strong hand, Garrett. Our pack had always mated according to our parents and grandparents’ wishes, as you would have done had you stuck around long enough instead of jumping ship to another pack. Your family should have come first, Garrett.”
“Why the fuck do you think I left, you sanctimonious little prick. I put my family first long before you were even born and where did it get me. I chose my own mate and she chose me. Let’s see how you feel about it when they try to mate you to some old broad three times your age, Cillian. Rylee is a person, not a fucking broodmare who they can use
to further their own selfish ambitions.”
Cillian’s face was flushed as he stood too but he didn’t get too close to his brother, he was a little afraid of Garrett's raw anger.
“I think maybe we should cool off and have this discussion tomorrow,” Cillian offered but Garrett was in full swing.
“No, let’s not. I will never support you or my father’s wish to sell my sister off to that creepy old bastard. He has fathered more pups in the pack than the other wolves put together, no-one is safe from his salacious advances, rumor has it he fathered the child of a seventeen-year-old girl.”
“Many seventeen-year-olds get pregnant, Garrett, especially in the packs, you know that. When a wolf is ready to mate it’s pretty hard to stop them.”
“They get pregnant by other seventeen-year-olds…..not lecherous old perverts, how the fuck can you defend this!”
“I think it best if I say goodnight,” Cillian said as he walked toward the corridor leading to the guest rooms. “If you had wanted things to be different brother, then you should have been alpha, you had your chance.”
“What does that mean?” India asked, confused.
“It doesn’t matter, Indi, because I won’t ever go back there to live.”
“What doesn't matter?”
“I was chosen as alpha twenty years ago, when Amos Breeland died, but I turned it down and came here to live instead. Seann’s father gave me a place to stay and a purpose. I couldn’t live by my father's rules anymore.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
India
India lay warm and snug in Garrett’s arms staring at the ceiling long after he fell asleep. That was a bit of a revelation tonight and she knew she had to hear the rest of the story but was reluctant to put pressure on him to tell it just to satisfy her curiosity. The force of his anger shook her a little, she had never seen him on the verge of losing control before, but it didn’t scare her, it actually excited her. He looked every inch the predator tonight as he towered over his brother, fangs extended, eyes glowing and his voice commanding and forceful.
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