by Delta James
His tone of voice left no doubt in her mind that Ioan took his responsibilities to Marco, Dylan, and Griffin seriously.
Maddie slept fitfully and found herself standing on the steps to the manor house as the rest of the house started to stir. Bethan had gone looking for her.
“He’ll be fine, Maddie. He’s actually very good at what he does. And what they’re doing is important.” She wrapped her arms around Maddie.
“I know, I just miss him already, which is stupid because a month ago I didn’t even know he existed, but I can no longer imagine a life without him.”
“You don’t have to… he’ll come home.”
“But what if he doesn’t…”
“He will. And you will always have a home here with us or on Skylar’s island.”
“What happens to a woman whose mate dies?”
“She either mates again or stays in her home. I can think of no alpha who would ever turn the mate of the former alpha out. But, Griffin will come home. Now, let’s go get you dressed and get the day started. Skylar and her people should be here in a few hours. I’m going to warn you, Skylar, and Catherine, all three of your mates told Ioan that you were most likely to conspire and cause trouble. Marco, Dylan, and Griffin all gave him leave to discipline you if need be. I can tell you that is not something you want.”
Maddie turned back to the house, gave Bethan a hug, and trotted up the stairs to her room to get ready for the day.
While not as memorable as Catherine’s arrival the day before, Skylar’s entrance displayed her penchant for the dramatic as well as her reputation for a temper. Dylan had sent a small company of his men to escort the women and children to Calon Onest and then to continue on to the DeMedici villa to get ready for the attack, which was set for the day after tomorrow.
They were having lunch when the contingent from Calon Gwyllt arrived. Ioan’s people greeted them and started to show them to the door. A stunning blonde woman entered the manor house. She smiled as she walked forward and introduced herself to the alpha and mistress of Calon Onest.
“I’m Bianca. I’m afraid Nick, my mate, has asked one of your people to show him to Skylar’s room in the tower. I have to tell you she is not happy about having her freedom curtailed that way.”
Ioan laughed out loud.
“Oh, I’ll bet she isn’t,” said Ioan. “If you’ll excuse me, let me go see if I can soothe her redheaded temper.” He walked out the doors and they could hear him call to her. “Skylar, welcome home. Everyone is excited about seeing you.”
“All they’re going to see is the back of my head. I am not staying.” She turned toward the tall dark-haired beta and tried to dislodge his hand from her hair. “God damn it, Nick. Let go of me.”
She couldn’t connect with him in an aggressive manner with her hands or feet. He had hold of a fistful of her curly red hair and was able to keep himself just out of her strike zone.
“Skylar, knock it off. Dylan says you’re staying and so you’re staying. If you don’t knock it off and convince me that you’re going to behave, I’m going to leave half of our guys here so that Ioan doesn’t have to put up with your bullshit.”
Ioan embraced her. “Now, now, Skylar, you don’t want the first strike team to be short-handed or Dylan having to worry about you, do you? Everyone was thrilled to hear you were going to visit us.”
She whirled on him—or as much as she could with Nick’s death grip on her. “Visit? You call this a visit? That bastard that ran me to ground spends two days fucking my brains out so that I’m so exhausted I don’t realize I’ve been kidnapped to Calon Onest. That is not a visit, Ioan. Damn it, Nick, let go.”
Nick looked at Ioan. “My apologies, Alpha. She isn’t happy with Dylan at the moment…”
“It isn’t just Dylan I’d like to take a knife to…” she seethed.
“Skylar Owen Grainger,” Ioan said, pushing an alpha wave of energy at her and speaking with enough authority to get through the red haze that was Skylar’s temper. “You are making a spectacle of yourself and not helping anything. You were well aware that Dylan wanted you and your women and children safe here at Calon Onest. You can either behave yourself and come have lunch with your former pack or I can send you to your room like a naughty child. Which would you prefer?”
“Make him let me go,” seethed Skylar.
“Nick, please unhand her.”
Nick did so, clearly unhappy at no longer having the ability to stop her from bolting or in some other way creating havoc.
Skylar shook herself and smiled at Ioan. “This isn’t over. But I’m hungry and would like to see my friends.”
Nick sighed and said to Ioan, “I’m going to leave part of our men here. She has no intention of behaving.”
Skylar turned back to him. “Please, Nick, don’t. Take all of them with you. I want you to have as many men as you can have to crush those bastards.”
Nick leaned over and kissed her cheek. “You might give him a call and tell him you remembered you love him.”
“Only if you’ll promise to do me a favor…”
“Skylar…”
“When you get to the head of this thing? Cut the bastard’s balls off and stuff ‘em down his throat.” She smiled sweetly and kissed Nick’s cheek. “Now, go say goodbye to Bianca and don’t get yourself killed.”
Nick grinned at her. “Yes, mistress. Your wish is my command.”
Skylar snorted at him. “Hardly.”
Nick passed by her to reach his mate. He turned and walked backwards as he said, “And try not to be too a big a pain in the ass.”
“No promises, Nicky, no promises.”
He sighed and looked at Ioan. “I tried.”
Ioan linked his arm through Skylar’s and said, “She’ll be a good girl… whether she wants to be or not.”
Skylar entered the house as Maddie came back down the stairs.
“Well, at least I’m in good company,” said Skylar, smiling.
“And Catherine DeMedici is here as well, although our jailer there has locked her in the tower.”
Ioan growled at Maddie, which caused Skylar to giggle.
“And Catherine is allowed to be out of her room provided she behaves herself, which is the same for any of you.”
Anna, who had come with the Calon Gwyllt group, breezed through the door and made a beeline for Maddie. Embracing her, she whispered, “We need to talk to Sky and Catherine,” before saying so that others could hear, “Maddie, I’m so happy to see you again. I need to get some things set up here for the strike force.”
Bethan joined them. “All of that can wait until you’ve all had lunch, now come along.”
The group made its way into the dining hall.
Skylar, Anna, and Maddie had just found a smaller table for themselves when Catherine made her appearance. Maddie smiled. Catherine didn’t just enter a room… she made an appearance.
Skylar grinned at Maddie. “I take it that is the mistress of the DeMedici pack?”
“None other,” replied Maddie.
Catherine made her way to their table, holding her daughter and stopping to check in with each of her people. She sat down with Anna, Maddie, and Skylar.
“Well, for a prison cell, my room isn’t half bad. I’m Catherine. I know Maddie and by reputation Skylar. And you,” she said looking at her, “must be Anna.”
Skylar smiled. Catherine had an easy charm about her and in many ways reminded her of Darby Gautier although she was much taller.
“It’s the earrings that give me away,” quipped Skylar.
Catherine laughed. “Yes, that’s it, the earrings. Seriously, it’s good to meet both of you. Maddie and I have met. In fact, she was present for my daughter’s birth.”
“A born female shifter… DeMedici must be ever so proud of himself,” said Skylar, smiling.
“Of course he is, he takes full credit for it. The fact that there haven’t been any male children on my side of the family for generations
is, according to him, not germane to the issue.”
Anna lowered her voice. “Are you aware that they are making their move tomorrow?”
All three ladies continued to speak in voices that could be overheard and nodded in answer to Anna’s question.
“They’re going to have to split their forces in two halves. The first is going after the advance party that is gearing up to hit New Orleans. The second, a much smaller unit, means to go after the pack and their leader that seem to be behind this.”
Catherine leaned over to Anna, handing her the baby. “That sounds like a sound plan, but your face says you don’t think it is.”
Anna smiled and cooed at the baby as Catherine settled her in Anna’s arms. “I think they’re missing something. I keep looking at all the data and intelligence and I think the pack they believe is behind this is, isn’t. Well, they may be, but their alpha isn’t smart enough to have put this together; there’s someone else.”
“Like the man behind the curtain in The Wizard of Oz?” asked Maddie quietly.
Anna nodded. “There’s a couple of outliers that they are dismissing, but when I consider them they all point to another alpha pulling the strings behind the scene.”
“Such a precious baby,” said Skylar as she tickled Catherine’s daughter. “Any idea who, what, when, where, or how?”
“Not yet,” replied Anna, “but I’m working on it, Sky. I just need some help distracting the men so I can look into it further.”
“All you need is a distraction?” asked Maddie, who then glanced at Skylar and Catherine. “Oh, I think we ought to be able to come up with something. When and for how long?”
“After lunch for about an hour.”
“Perhaps one or more of us needs to go on a little walkabout,” said Maddie.
“That’s a good idea. I can show Maddie the gardens and we can lose the bastards in the maze.”
“Hopefully you won’t get lost as well,” said Catherine, smiling.
“I designed the bloody thing,” said Skylar. “But you, Mistress DeMedici, need to stay out of it lest Ioan lock you up with no out of your cell privileges. Much as I love him, Ioan Smith-Davies is no fool and an alpha through and through. He doesn’t make idle threats.”
As Anna indicated she was ready to do what she needed, Skylar and Maddie planned their diversion for right after lunch. That way, Catherine would be well accounted for nursing her daughter.
Skylar sat back. “Remember the taped loop you made that first day at Calon Gwyllt?”
Anna nodded. “Yes.”
“See if you can’t rig something like that up for the tower area as well as around Maddie’s room. We may have need of it.”
“Sure thing if that’s okay with Maddie,” Anna said quietly.
“Jesus, Maddie, I’m sorry. I sort of forgot Anna was with you…”
“No worries,” said Maddie. “I figure at this point who’s in what pack isn’t all that important. Shutting these bastards down is what counts.”
Catherine laughed. “I say for the duration, we consider ourselves pack and act accordingly.”
Skylar smiled. “I agree, but might I suggest we enlist Bianca as a member as well?”
“Can we trust her?” asked Maddie.
Both Skylar and Anna laughed.
“I take it, that’s a yes?” Maddie asked with a smile.
“Not only yes, but oh, hell, yes,” answered Skylar with a laugh.
They looked up to see the aforementioned Bianca walking over to join them.
“Is this a closed sandbox or can anybody play?” she said, sitting down.
“It’s a very exclusive sandbox, but luckily you’re one of the gang,” said Skylar. “Maddie, Catherine? This is Bianca, she is mated to our beta… I often forget she wasn’t with us at Bae Diogel.”
Bianca put her hand on Skylar’s. “Aww, Sky, I do believe that’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“Truth, my friend, nothing but truth.”
“Okay, so what are you bitches plotting?” asked Bianca with a grin. “You’ve mollified the males that you’re just over here cooing at the baby, who is gorgeous by the way, but I know Sky and Anna better than that and have heard tales about Catherine and Maddie.”
Catherine tilted her head up and shook her hair back. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about. I am the revered Madonna of the DeMedici pack and always conduct myself impeccably.”
The other four women laughed.
“And also the woman whose mate sent a leather strap to Ioan to be used in his stead if she didn’t behave,” quipped Maddie.
Catherine looked at her. “Yes. I have yet to decide how to get even with him for that… but I’ll figure something out.”
They finished their lunch and then mingled with the Calon Onest pack. Skylar seemed genuinely happy to be amongst them and to renew old friendships.
Bethan joined her at one point, putting her arm around her waist. “See? It’s not so bad to be back, is it?”
Skylar sighed. “No, Bethan, if I had to get locked up someplace away from the action, I guess this is the best place. I want to show Maddie the gardens. Think you can arrange that with Ioan?”
“Yes, but he won’t let you go off on your own. You’ll have to take several of the men with you. Please behave, Skylar. Ioan doesn’t want to put any of you under lock and key but he takes your safety very seriously and was flattered that Dylan, Griff, and Marco entrusted you to him.”
Skylar hugged her. “Oh, Bethan, when have you ever known me to be naughty?”
The two women burst into laughter together.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ioan had reluctantly agreed to allow Skylar to show Maddie the gardens at the Calon Onest estate. They were often considered to be among the most beautiful in the United Kingdom. Skylar and Maddie strolled through the gardens with their escorts close behind. Maddie knew they needed to create a bit more space between them if they were going to be able to make a dash to the maze and lose their pursuers.
“Skylar, I’m so glad I got a chance to talk to you alone. As you know, Griff and I have only been together a short while.”
“If you’ve got questions,” said Skylar, “I’m happy to give you any advice I might have. I’ve been with two alphas so have a somewhat unique perspective.”
“I know. So Roz had told me about being knotted…”
No sooner had the words left her mouth than the escorts dropped back a few paces. Maddie had counted on them not being all that comfortable overhearing sex talk between two women about their alpha male mates and the knots that only alpha males had in human form.
Skylar shot her a conspiratorial grin. “Things hurt when they force them, don’t they? Roz did tell you that part never goes away.”
“Yes, I’m finding that out. But I end up coming so many times that it’s worth it. Griffin and I both enjoy the knot and the tie, but sometimes he seems more swollen and hard than others…”
Again, the escorts dropped back a pace or two. Maddie hazarded a look from beneath her hair and could see how uncomfortable they were.
“What surprised me when I was mated to Micah was how often they get them if they aren’t suppressing them. When you grow up in a pack you hear that it’s monthly and on a full moon…”
Maddie giggled. “We haven’t had a full moon since Griffin and I became one and I’ve lost count of how many times he’s knotted me.”
“Yes, Dylan’s not one to pass up the opportunity to let that thing swell up so he can force it up my pussy until he’s settled good and deep…”
As they had previously, the escorts dropped even further back.
“Well, has he ever knotted you from behind?”
“No, but Roz told me she and Halsey do it that way all the time and she swears it feels bigger and takes a lot longer to subside. She says he has to rock her harder than normal too before he can pump his seed into her.”
“Absolutely,” said Ma
ddie, stifling her laughter as the two male escorts were now putting distance between themselves and the two women they were supposed to have under their control. “And it gushes even more and longer and the resulting tie? Most times I wake up six hours later and he’s still buried in me…”
With enough distance now created, Maddie looked at Skylar and they both took off at a full run.
“Wait, Skylar, see here,” called one of the escorts.
Maddie and Skylar ran for all they were worth with Skylar taking the lead and darting into the maze. Maddie had trouble keeping up with her but followed close behind her through a dizzying array of turns until Skylar came to a dead stop and indicated they would wait and to be absolutely silent.
They could hear the two men enter the maze and try to figure out where they’d gone. They heard one of them get on the radio for help and letting Ioan know that both Skylar and Maddie had gone rogue.
The two women stood absolutely still and remained quiet as their guards moved past them muttering about alpha males, their bloody knots, and their headstrong mates. Both extolled Bethan’s virtues as the perfect mate to help lead a great pack and mumbled something about Americans and their willful, independent streak.
Skylar looked at Maddie and indicated she was to follow. They walked quietly through to the center of the maze. Maddie took time to realize just how beautiful it was. There was a lovely fountain that looked to be hundreds of years old. They crossed to the other side of the maze and then slowly made their way out.
When they exited the maze, they dashed across the open ground to a gazebo.
“Well, that was fun,” said Skylar. “We’ll be able to see and hear them long before they figure out where we are.”
“Think we’ll give Anna the time she needs?”
“I think more than enough. We’ve probably got the hour she needs between now and when they find us. And if they’re not here in an hour, we’ll head back to the manor.”
