by Elle Boon
“You can’t do that,” she sputtered.
Atlas spun so fast, his chest nearly bumped into Matilda. “I can and I will. You are no longer in charge. I’ll give you an hour to gather your things. As for you,” his said softly, his eyes seeking the child they wanted him to mate. “Go home to your clan. On your eighteenth birthday, return unless you’ve found your truemate, or I’ve found mine.” Goddess he was sure Joni was his. His bear was ready to rip out of him at the thought of the only female it wanted. If only he’d...no, he’d known it had been too soon to take that step with her. She’d been like an injured cub in need of care.
“No, we will stay here while the two of you get to know one another. That way when its time, you and my girl will have a mating like her mother and I.”
Atlas wanted to claw the big red haired man’s eyes out. Sanity kept him from moving forward, or rather his sister’s hand on his arm did. “I don’t believe I invited you, and as the alpha of White Bear Clan, it’s my right to do so. I have a lot of things to learn and oversee. Taking on being a host to you, isn’t on my itinerary.”
“What my brother means is that there are many duties he’s going to be seeing to, and although he’d love nothing better than to laze about and get to know your lovely daughter and your clan, he needs to focus on this clan. As an alpha yourself, I think you understand that duty to your clan comes first,” Shauny said, sweetness coating her words.
“If I wasn’t already mated to my sweet Farrah, I’d swear you were perfect for me. You are right, though. My Farren will be eighteen in a year and a half. That means in a year, we will be back, seeing as all the bears in my clan have already been tested as her truemate.”
Atlas growled, stepping forward. “She’s mated with every male in your clan? She’s just a child,” he spat.
Red fur spouted on Adon’s face. “You do not speak of my daughter like that.”
He got in the other man’s face. “What the hell do you mean then?”
“I meant, I’ve had every male in my clan in her presence. If there was a truemate match, both of their bears would’ve known the other for who they were.”
He took a deep breath, hoping for a calmness he didn’t feel. No, he didn’t want to mate the girl, but he’d be damned if he allowed any male, father or not, to willingly give a female to a line of men. “Explain,” he gritted out between his teeth.
Adon looked at Atlas, then at the gathering around them. “Have none of you ever had a truemate bond?”
A couple of mated pairs stepped forward, the love between them clear. “Yes, I can see you know what I speak of.” Adon nodded. “The rest of you just mate with another and accept that as fate?”
Matilda stepped forward. “You’ve signed a pact, giving your youngest daughter to our alpha. Is that not the same thing, if not worse?”
Atlas hated that she was right, yet he wasn’t on board with the pact and knew it wouldn’t be coming to fruition. In fact, he planned to hit the road once he solidified his place as alpha.
The other alpha’s face turned a deeper shade of red. “My hope was they’d find love between one another. I was told he was a young alpha. Although he’s younger than most, he’s still not the twenty some I was led to believe,” Adon said with a little less heat than before.
“I’m sure you were all expecting more than just me taking my place as alpha, but as you can see, there will be no mating today. So, let me formally state for all present. I, Atlas Braun of White Bear Clan am the alpha of the clan. Does anyone challenge me?” He felt the ripple flow over him at the announcement as if a mantle of power had been waiting on him to accept his place. The presence of his bear felt closer to the surface, yet Atlas didn’t feel the need to rip things to shreds.
“I second him,” Atika growled.
Abyle moved to stand on Atlas’s other side. “I third them.”
A rumble of approval rolled through the huge room.
“I guess that means nobody challenges my brothers.” Shauny glared at Matilda. “Do you need help getting your stuff together, or have you already packed?”
“I’ll need more than an hour to get all my things.” Matilda looked around the great hall and all the glittering things.
“When my mate and I redecorate, we’ll give you first dibs. Until then, you only take your personal things from your suite. You’re down to fifty minutes,” Atlas spoke low, letting Matilda hear the truth in his words. This woman was determined to manipulate him for reasons he still didn’t know, but he’d be sure to find out. Until then, he wouldn’t allow her to go too far from his sight.
“Shauny, why don’t you help Matty with her packing?”
“My name is Matilda, and I don’t need the help from one such as...I’ll be fine on my own, thank you.” Matilda turned on her heels, stomping through the crowd and up the grand staircase.
“You’ve made an enemy of that one, brother,” Atika said, nodding toward the top of the stairs where they could see the older woman pause as she looked over her shoulder at them.
Abyle gave her a two finger wave, to which she gave a low growl they all could hear with their shifter hearing.
“My last fuck was given years ago, brother. By the way, thank you for standing with me tonight, all of you.”
All three of his siblings blinked, then he was slapped on the back by his brothers with murmurs of no thanks needed before they slipped away into the crowd. His sister stood next to him a few minutes more before she finally rocked back on her heels. “So, what’s her name?”
Chapter Three
Atlas shook his head, trying to ignore his sister and her question. “I need a drink.”
“What you need is to answer my question and quit trying to evade them with alcohol. Besides, you know there’s not enough liquor to get your big bear ass drunk.” Shauny followed him through the crowd, yelling move it to those who were stupid enough to try and stop them.
“Shauny, you can’t be rude to our clan. I’m alpha now, that makes you...something. Shit, what does that make you?”
“Pfft, it makes me the sister of the alpha. I was the daughter of the alpha. In this fucked up clan, it makes me shit. Now, stop changing the subject and tell me who she is.” Shauny grabbed the bottle of beer from his hand, downing it before he could take a sip. “I can do this all night. I will be like a tick on a hound dog that’s been on a hunting trip for way too long.”
“Does that even make fucking sense to anyone?” Atlas looked at the ceiling, then back down at his little sister.
Abyle stood in the doorway. “Yeah, it means she’s not letting it go until you tell her whatever it is she wants to know. I know from experience she’s like a dog with a bone.”
Atlas looked to where Abyle leaned against the doorframe as casual as you will, and then at his sister, her stance just as casual as she sat on top of the granite counter, her legs swinging back and forth, back and forth. “Her name is Joni.”
Both of his siblings smiled, big, white toothy grins.
“Is she your truemate?” Atika asked.
He let out a sigh, then turned to see his other brother standing across the room. “How long you been there?”
“Long enough to see you squirming like a worm on the hook of a fishing pole.”
“At least you didn’t use another damn dog reference,” Atlas sighed.
“So, when do we get to meet her? What clan is she from?” Shauny asked.
His stomach twisted at her questions. Atlas shook his head. “We’ll talk about it after everyone leaves.”
Abyle nodded, his head jerked as if he heard something. “I’m going to go check on the old lady of the house. I have a feeling she’s going to be more trouble than we anticipated. Atika, keep an eye on these two.”
Atlas felt a conversation flow between his twin brothers and wished, not for the first time he had their connection. “Can I have that beer now, sis?”
“I guess, you big baby. Try to keep your head on straight. I have a fee
ling we’re gonna need all our focus in the coming months.”
His bear seemed to nod inside him, making him swallow the drink down too quickly causing him to cough.
“Damn, baby bro, you need a sippy cup to drink out of?”
Atlas swiped out at Atika, barely missing his face with the monstrous claws his white bear sported, chuckling as his brother jumped back with a yelp. “I’ll give you a sippy cup to drink out of, but not because you might spill, but because I’ve knocked all your teeth out.”
“Vicious. I like it. Let’s go see if the visiting clan have departed, then kick the other fuckers out. I’m tired from working in the fields. Tomorrow’s going to be a long ass day.”
For a moment, he looked his older brother over, noticing the slight changes in both Atika and Abyle. They were only a couple years older, but they’d been made to work the farm and be the men of the house since they were teens, whereas Atlas was made to learn all about becoming an alpha and leader.
“Don’t look at us with pity, boy. Our lives are our own. At any time, we could’ve left and found a clan to join, or gone rogue. We stayed because we believed in you. Don’t make us regret our choices.” Atika grabbed Atlas by the shoulders, gave him a small shake, then pounded his back. “You grew up big and right. We can see you, truly see you. One day, we’ll explain, but for now, let’s go shove some freeloaders out.”
The true joy in his older brother’s tone had Atlas smiling. “Try not to shove too hard.”
“I can’t make that promise. I mean, if I stumble and they are right...there. Woops.” He grinned, showing white teeth with a couple that were longer than the others. Yeah, his bear was close to the surface.
Joni looked around at the small yet cozy little apartment above the barn that Annie had shown her to. It had an open floor plan with the bedroom and bathroom being the exception, but she loved it. “Goddess, it’s perfect, Annie. So light and airy even though it’s small. How’d you do all this up here?”
She bit her lip, hoping the older woman didn’t think she was putting her down.
“Ah, it was easy really. You see, we have all kinds of help around here. I told Hollis this was wasted space, and that our kids might want a place to escape when they came home. So one day, he and a few of our boys decided to make it happen.”
“What she’s not telling you is that she twisted my arm, and the boys’ too, until we did,” Hollis said with a smile in his tone.
Joni kept from jumping, barely.
“Girl, what I gotta do, wear a bell around my neck?” Hollis asked with a grin. “I swear I smelled that roast a mile away. Come on woman, feed me. I mean, look at me. My stomach is darn near eating my backbone.” Hollis patted his stomach, which was flat, yet he was nowhere near skinny.
Annie snorted. “This man is always starving, Vanessa. Come on, let’s go eat, then you can come back and settle in.”
Joni couldn’t find a way to politely decline and honestly didn’t want to. Heck, the scent of roast could be smelled from the open windows, making her stomach growl loud enough even the two older people, who weren’t shifters had to be able to hear it. “That sounds lovely, Annie. Thank you for—well, thank you for everything you’ve done for me today.” Her cheeks heated at her words.
Annie took her hand. “Nonsense, child. You came along at the right time to the right place. Or is it the right place at the right time. Whatever it is, I needed help and so did you. It’s a win win for the both of us. Now, let’s go eat before Hollis decides to gobble it all,” Annie whispered loudly.
“I heard that,” Hollis called back up the stairs.
Joni couldn’t contain the smile at their banter. One day if she were blessed to find a mate, she hoped they loved like the Wilde’s.
The big house was similar to the barn loft but filled with much more...love and things. Good goddess, she lost count as she looked at all pictures Annie had had taken of the boys and girls, she’d claimed as her own throughout the years. “Are you like official foster parents, or what?”
Hollis paused with a fork full of mashed potatoes and a huge piece of roast near his lips. “Not quite as formal as that. We are more like magnets for lost boys and girls, or young men and women like yourself. I don’t know how to explain it, but,” he trailed off, shrugged then took his bite of food, the discussion seemingly over.
Joni looked at Annie, who nodded, her fork scraping up the last of the gravy on her plate, with a sweet smile on her face.
“What happens to them, you know, after?” Joni couldn’t let it go.
Hollis sighed, setting his fork down on the empty plate. “What do you mean after?”
She was surprised to find her own plate only had a few pieces of corn left on it and was loathed to leave them uneaten. Before answering, she stabbed with the end of her tines, placing them in her mouth, enjoying the sweet flavor before answering. “I mean, where do they go after they leave here?” Gah, now that the question was asked, it sounded stupid. If they were serial killers, they weren’t going to just spout it out. Besides, she was a wolf, even if her stupid beast wouldn’t exactly come out.
“Most are still here, working the farm or in town. Is this your way of asking if we have nefarious intentions, Vanessa?” Hollis asked bluntly, his eyes holding hers.
It took everything in her to not look away. “Yes,” she agreed.
“Good girl, although if we were, we probably wouldn’t have told you the truth. However, my Annie is an angel straight to the core of her. Now me, I’m only good because of her. I swear to you as long as my girl is on this Earth, I’ll be as good as she is.” Hollis placed his hand over Annie’s.
“See what he does to me. This man right here has the ability to make this old woman tear up and ruin her makeup.” Annie wiped her hand beneath her eyes.
Joni felt a pang in her chest, wishing she’d find the same thing, knowing her chance had left with a stubborn bear didn’t help. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Annie reached across the table, joining the three of them. “Never apologize for thinking of your own safety. Now, who wants pie?”
“I don’t think I could fit another thing inside me,” Joni swore.
“I told you my girl was the best cook.” Hollis grabbed Annie when she stood up, stopping her when she reached for his plate.
“Oh, I agree, Hollis. Annie is the best cook in all of Texas. Heck, maybe all of America.” Joni sat back, patting her stomach.
Hollis patted his face with his napkin. “Trust me, you really do want to save room for this dessert.”
Joni groaned. “Seriously, where do you put it?” She looked at Hollis’s and Annie’s slim but fit figures.
Annie walked in, the sweet scent of banana hitting Joni and had her leaning forward. “Is that banana cream pie? Like homemade banana cream pie?”
“My girl is famous for her pies, but this one she saves for me and contests. Let me tell you, it’s rare that I share.” Hollis’s eyes twinkled.
Joni licked her lips. “I’m prepared for a food coma just for a slice of that pie.”
“Um, a food coma?” Annie asked.
“I think she means she’d like a slice.” Hollis pulled the pie in front of him, taking the knife and cutting a huge piece for himself. “Do you want a piece this size or smaller?”
“Holy crap. If I eat a piece that big, I’ll need you to roll me up the stairs.” Joni laughed.
Hollis waited until he heard Joni’s soft even breathing before he turned to his mate of over seventy years. “She’s a wolf,” he murmured.
Annie nodded. “I know, but I can barely scent her animal.”
He pulled her back into his chest, both staring toward the barn from the back porch. They’d taken over running the pack of misfits, or as he liked to call them, the lost, over sixty years ago by happenstance. They too had been lost themselves, running from packs who wouldn’t accept them as a mated pair even though they were fated to be there by the Goddess herself. “What do you thin
k happened to her?”
Annie tilted her head to the side, her glorious hair still in a loose bun on top, tickling his nose. “Whatever it is, we need to fix it.”
“You always want to fix them, my girl,” he chuckled, nuzzling her neck where his mark was.
She shivered, her little body rubbing against his. “Of course I do. It’s what we do.”
Hollis nodded, knowing there was nothing else to say. “We let her come to us though. I scented a deep sadness and the beginnings of a mating on her. If she’s running from a mate, I don’t want to interfere just yet. Or if this is a set up, I won’t allow our family to be hurt.” He didn’t try to suppress his beast as he said those words.
Annie turned in his arms, her blue eyes sparkling. “I’d never ask you to. Our children come first, last, and middle, always.”
A snort escaped him. “Those children are grown men and women who could wipe the Earth with most who come trying to fuck with them, girl,” he rumbled.
She swatted his arm. “They’ll always be my children.”
He bent his head, his lips sweeping across hers. “That’s why I love you and will always love you, my sweet girl.”
Her lips opened beneath his like he knew they would, just like they’d done all these years. Just as they’d done that first time those many moons ago, and like he knew they’d do each and every time for as long as the Goddess blessed them. “Thank you for loving me, Annie,” he whispered.
“Shut up and make love to me, Hollis Wilde.” She stood on her tip toes, opening her mouth for his tongue, her arms tightening around his shoulders, her legs lifting around his waist while his arms secured her to him.
“I love it when you get bossy,” he bit out between kisses, turning back toward the open door to the house. His ears listened to the wind, catching distant conversation while his senses checked for any disturbance that shouldn’t be. Finally, when he knew all was well, he kicked the door shut and walked his mate back to their bedroom, making love to her for hours. He howled, letting the others know they were on duty, getting several answering calls back.
