by Jade White
Kyla reached over and patted her hand. “If you really want to have a genuine relationship with him, you’ll have to tell him.”
Her blue-green eyes filled with tears. “Maybe I should just break up with him. It’s too dangerous right now and—”
“Too dangerous?” Kyla grinned. “I know all about that, but I’m still trying to keep everything together.”
“Yes, well…” Viola sputtered, “it-it’s not done. A were and a human? Flings sure, whatever, that’s fine and good, but a real relationship, marriage…” She shook her head.
Kyla grabbed her sister’s hand. “Anything worth having is worth fighting for.”
“You would know.” Viola smiled wanly.
That seemingly settled, Kyla turned to Maria, “You have any news?”
She held out her hands. “I’m fine being with just me for right now.”
Kyla glanced at Paula, who shook her head, so she stared at Marco.
He snorted. “You want to braid my hair and paint my nails? I’m not one for gossip, you know that.”
“It’s not gossip if it’s sharing details about your life,” Kyla protested.
“There’s nothing to—”
“He’s lying!” Paula cut in.
He glowered at her, eyes flashing. “Nothing,” he insisted stubbornly.
“What’s her name?” Kyla asked with a grin.
His nostrils flared. “Caroline,” he murmured.
Paula’s eyes widened. “I don’t know her,” she said with a frown. “I just knew you were sneaking off to see someone. Caroline who?”
Marco’s cheeks burned, and Kyla expected him to keep his secret to himself. He had always been the most private out of all of them, which didn’t really work well when in a pack. Isolation just didn’t have a place among packmates.
When he didn’t respond, Viola cut in, “Why have you been sneaking around to see her? Father is always more lenient with his sons.”
Maria nodded empathically. It was a truth no one could deny.
“She’s a…” Marco gnashed his teeth. “She’s an albino.”
He didn’t have to say more. Albinos were inferior, weaker, runts. Of course their father wouldn’t approve of a match between one of his fine sons and a lowly albino.
“Bring her in,” Kyla offered. “We can help protect her.”
Marco tugged on the collar of his shirt. “She doesn’t know exactly how I feel.”
“What are you waiting—”
Her question was cut short as the door opened, and Devan strolled in. She rushed over to him as quickly as her pregnant body would allow. He clasped her hands and squeezed. “They are mine,” he said, breathing heavily.
“Oh, moon and stars,” she said, closing her eyes and leaning her head against his chest.
He winced, but when she tried to pull away, he held her there. His clothes must be hiding his bruises. He didn’t seem too injured, though, which made her so happy. Not that she had doubted him, but she had worried.
“I’ll introduce you all to them tomorrow. They need to recuperate, and so do I.” Devan kissed her forehead, and she smiled. “I should go now.”
She jerked back. “We.”
“I just need to sleep,” he protested. “I don’t need someone to watch me snore.”
Scowling, she slapped him playfully. “You don’t snore, and I have to sleep too.”
“As you wish, it will be.” He hugged her tight and whispered in her ear, “I can’t deny you anything.”
Her heart raced at his words. Trying to keep her happiness from her face, she turned to face her siblings. “Will you be—”
“We’ll stay here,” Paula said.
Her sisters nodded.
Marco shrugged. “I’ll keep them in line,” he promised.
After Kyla gave them hugs, she left with Devan. It was an hour-long drive back to her place, and she drove. To her surprise, Devan, despite being so tired, stayed awake, and they talked about, of all things, baby names. Like a normal, happy couple.
They were anything but normal, and yet, at this moment, she did feel happy.
Of course, that wouldn’t last.
As soon as she entered her apartment, she started a hot bath for Devan. Seeing his bruised and bloodied body had her sniffling. She had to leave him be for a few minutes to get her crying under control. Yes, he needed a pack for personal reasons, but one of those reasons was her and another was their baby.
If he had…
Kyla choked back a sob. Some chocolate helped to soothe her, as silly as that sounded—maybe it was a pregnancy thing—and she returned to the bathroom. Gently, she took the washcloth from his hands and helped to wash his wounds. He never flinched or even sucked in a breath, just closed his eyes and allowed her to tend to him. It felt so right, taking care of him. It felt like her place.
She felt like his mate.
They hadn’t ever broached that subject yet, but she knew how she felt and suspected he felt likewise. Until they were safe, there wasn’t a point in worrying about the future. Living for the moment, that’s all they could do, because in a week, a day, an hour, everything could change.
When he was all washed, rinsed, dried, and bandaged, he opened his eyes and gave her a tender smile. “You are amazing,” he whispered.
“Funny. I was just thinking that about you.” She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him, but his yawn denied her. Shaking her head, she giggled. “Come on. Let’s get you to bed.”
Kyla threw her arm around him, but he managed to not lean on her, probably because he didn’t want to put too much pressure on her. While she wasn’t made of glass, she was starting to feel big. Only four more weeks. Incredible. Far too soon and yet not far away enough.
They had just climbed onto her mattress, hadn’t even lay down yet, when someone pounded on her door. Before they could move, a loud cracking sound ripped through the room as the door busted apart.
Devan jumped off the bed. His muscles rippled in the starlight streaming through her window. He turned to her. “Go,” he said, the word barely audible, too animalistic as his fangs grew.
In answer, she bared her own fangs. By the time they both shifted to their were forms, two coyotes entered the bedroom. Her father and one of her brothers. Sick to her stomach, Kyla could hardly believe the moment was here. Her own family turned against her.
With her coyote nose, she could smell that three other were in the other room. Before she could howl, her father launched at Devan. A bunch of fur, they snarled and attacked. She moved to join in, ready to tear into her father, the man who had oppressed her and her siblings for far too long, but her brother cut her off. Charles had always been Father’s pet.
Her lip curled back to reveal her fangs. The baby kicked and punched inside her, wanting to join the fight. Her belly wasn’t as prominent in this form, which made it easier for her to dart to the side when her brother swatted at her. His blow was weak. Did he not want to be here? Could she even hope for that?
A strangled whimper came from Devan, and Kyla batted her brother aside and threw herself onto her father’s back. He jerked, twitching violently, and she tumbled down, rolling to protect her belly, and launched at him again, only Charles entered the fray. No longer was her brother holding back. He nipped at her, tearing a small bit of fur off her.
He was forcing her to keep her attention on him and not on Charles and her father. While she had hated her father for years, she had never felt anything near to dislike for even those siblings who sided with her father. At this moment, though, she just might hate Charles.
He was bigger than her, of course, but she was pregnant and pissed, a lethal combination. She tore after him, slashing and clawing. A scratch on his forehead had the fur there staining red. Still, he continued after her, landing blows of his own. When he tried to circle her, she pounded, landing on his tail and sliding her foot backward to yank it. Charles snapped at her and gave a low howl.
Maybe it was a warning cry. Fo
r whatever reason, the other coyotes came in. Two uncles and another brother. Tears welled in her eyes. Stupid hormones. She didn’t have time to feel betrayed. Her uncles joined her father against Devan, while Devan had the size advantage, he had just battled against several wolves, and he was taking a beating here. Before she could reach him, her other brother, Andy, cut her off.
Her entire apartment was far too small for them to be in it, her bedroom that much smaller. It was now impossible to dart around and dodge blows. One paw connected with her temple so hard she couldn’t see for a second. She launched herself at Charles, and they tumbled, rolling, fighting for dominance and the high ground. They ran out of space at her window, she trapped below him. His right forepaw wound up for a striking blow.
Before he could hit her, she kicked and shoved him away with all of her weight. His heavy body crashed into the window. It shattered, and his howl turned desperate as he fell the three stories to the ground. He landed on his feet, but his left legs were bent, maybe broken.
More howls sounded, and Kyla barely had time to duck out of the way as Andy and her uncles jumped out of the window. Only her father remained. He stalked toward her, hatred in his eyes, visible in his straight ears and raised hackles. He snapped at her, teeth almost connecting with her neck. Then he also jumped down. The five coyotes took off, Charles trailing behind the others.
Dimly, she realized she was back in human form. Devan walked toward her and collapsed. She barely caught him as he slid to the floor.
“We have to go,” he murmured. Blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.
She wiped it away tenderly. Already sirens sounded. Someone had heard their fighting and called the police. He was right. They had to leave, and immediately.
Somehow, she was able to get him into her car, and they drove off. Another aimless drive. Once they neared the Minnesota border, she felt they were far enough away to risk pulling over. Devan had fallen asleep hours ago, and she couldn’t hold out any longer herself.
Gingerly, so as not to hurt either of them, she climbed onto his lap. Even in his sleep, his arms circled around her automatically. She rested her head on his shoulder, and she joined him in dreamland. There, at least, she had a real chance at happiness. Her life, it seemed, would never travel down that road.
CHAPTER TEN
Only once before had Devan been this sore, beaten, bloodied, and bruised. When Warrick had first taken over the pack after their father passed away—strangely and without anyone knowing for certain why, although Devan thought a certain wolf might have played a role in his death—Devan had been the only one to challenge him. Warrick easily overpowered him, but Devan had been an arrogant wolf at the time and thought that since his brother was too selfish to be alpha, he had to be the one to take the title away, and so he had fought on, struggling through pain. The bout had lasted for half the night before his body just gave out and he submitted to his brother.
But Warrick had been even worse as an alpha than Devan had feared and eventually he left. He turned his back on his pack because he knew that if he faced his brother again in combat, his brother would be the victor and this time, Warrick would kill him, that he would never accept his submission again.
His wolf demanded rest to try to heal, but he stayed awake to keep Kyla company. She was on edge, he could tell, from the way her brows furrowed to her fingers tapping against the wheel. Some of her family had attacked her, tried to kill her and the baby. Of course she needed comfort. Plus, while he knew he could survive the beating his body had taken, he didn’t know how well she was handling her own battle wounds. But eventually, despite his determination, the miles churning beneath the wheels lulled him to sleep.
When he stirred, it was morning and Kyla was sitting on his lap, still sleeping. He brushed her hair from her face and kissed her nose. His hand drifted down to rest on her belly. The baby kicked his hand and he grinned. Tough little guy already.
Kyla stirred and grimaced at him. “The baby might be a girl, you know.” She placed her hand on his.
Devan swallowed hard and tried not to draw attention to himself. Maybe she just read his face, but he hadn’t said his thought out loud, he was sure of it. Infrequently, when couples mated, they were said to be able to read each other’s thoughts, but they hadn’t joined yet and the idea of something so rare happening across races… well, it was impossible to accept, or to hope for.
She shifted slightly, and he growled.
“I’m sorry.” Kyla opened the door and tumbled out.
He followed her, wanting to stretch his legs. Devan felt as if he was half-dead, as if he hadn’t slept at all. It would take some time before his body healed, time they might not have.
Again, she seemed to understand his thoughts. “They won’t wait long to come after us again.”
“I know.” He spotted the sign that read “Welcome to Wisconsin” to the east.
She followed his gaze. “They’ll just follow us,” she said.
“I know,” he repeated.
“We should head back and regroup with the others. Try to keep low and heal and—”
“Maybe find another wolf or wolves to join us.” He nodded. As solid of a plan as they could hope to come up with, besides, he still had to introduce her to his new wolves. If they were to balk and challenge him again, he wasn’t confident he’d remain their alpha. That could not happen, but he had to test their loyalty now. If even one turned or fled during an upcoming battle, the results could be devastating.
He still wasn’t up for driving, his body too abused, and Kyla assured him she didn’t mind. As she drove, he tried to gauge her injuries. She seemed fine, but he couldn’t help worrying. Kyla was the most important person in his life right now. If anything should happen to her… He didn’t want to think about it.
Devan held out his hand, and she grabbed it and drove the rest of the way back to the abandoned stores with one-handed. They set up in a different abandoned shop than the one she had waited in, and they slept a few more hours. When he was next aware, the scent of cooked meat greeted him. She and her siblings, the ones in their pack, were eating.
He walked over to them, and after a meal, he felt almost alive again. His body still ached, and he felt like he was hobbling around like a ninety-year-old, but at least he was up and about. Kyla’s brother stared at him. Devan couldn’t help wanting to smack the smirk from his face, and he winced inwardly. If he couldn’t put aside his prejudices, how could he expect his wolves, who had nothing personal to gain from protecting Kyla, to be able to fight alongside of coyotes?
“Kyla told us what happened,” Marco finally said.
“We can’t stay in one place long.” He reached for the last piece of meat then hesitated. “You should have it,” he told Kyla.
She shook her head and gave it to him. “You need it more.”
“But the baby—”
“I ate enough. Trust me.” She patted her belly.
He smiled. “If you’re sure…”
One of her sisters—Paula, he believed—sighed. “No wonder you fell for him. He’s hot and caring, and he’s probably great in the—”
“Don’t need to hear it.” Marco covered his ears.
Everyone laughed.
“You took on Father and survived.” Marco was back to appraising him.
“And Uncle Stephen and Uncle Frank too,” Kyla said proudly.
Devan rubbed his forehead. His right shoulder pained him worse than any other injury. Kyla’s father had bit him when the other coyotes entering the room had distracted him. When her father had fled, he had swatted the shoulder. It had dislocated, and he had managed to shove it back into place, and he didn’t think Kyla knew about it. He didn’t want to worry her, but that one swipe had alerted him to something important and distressing.
“Your father and even your uncles didn’t fight at their full potential,” he said grimly.
“Are you certain?” Kyla asked, eyes wide. “It must have been a warning t
hen.”
“Trying to run us off.” He eyed each of her siblings in turn. “It’s for the best you weren’t there. They might not realize you are with us.”
“They might not,” Kyla agreed excitedly. “There were only five of them. If we had been all there, even without the wolves, it would’ve been six on five.”
“Good, good.” Marco rubbed his hands together. “I’m not looking forward to fighting them, but not everything in life is easy.”
“Very true.” Devan loosed a groan as he stood. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
Kyla climbed to her feet. “I’ll come with.”
“You stay here.” He kissed her cheeks then her lips—just a peck really at Marco’s groan, although her sisters were howling and obviously hoping for more—and walked out.
His wolves remained in the warehouse they had fought in. As soon as he entered, they stood as one, gazes on the floor.
He approached them. “It’s time for you to meet the rest of the pack.”
One, the man who had attacked him first, glanced up in surprise. “The rest of the pack?”
Devan nodded. They fell into line, Greg bringing up the rear. As a group, they filed into the store. Kyla and her siblings were standing in a circle. She stepped forward and stood by Devan’s side.
“Wolves, I would like you to meet my…”
She squeezed his hand.
“Kyla is your alpha female,” he declared.
One of the female wolves rolled her eyes. At his glower, her cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry,” she said, “but I just don’t…”
“Don’t what?” Devan growled. His shoulder was beginning to bother him too much for him to be able to stand there, feigning no pain.
“You’re acting like this, like she’s a big deal.” She waved her hand toward Kyla. “So you got her pregnant. Just make her your mate already and be done with it.”
Kyla eyed him, and at his nod, she shifted her face, revealing herself as a coyote.
Only the female wolf reacted. She gasped.
“I know this isn’t—” Devan started.
“You are our alpha,” the man-wolf interrupted. “She is yours, and our female alpha. We will not leave.”
