My dad can sniff out a lie at a hundred yards. He’s hard but just, and while I laid into him and called him a bad Alpha, I don’t mean it. He’s the best kind of male, the blueprint by which I measure all males because he’s fair and he doesn’t back down from a fight.
Strength in the Alpha has always been the deciding factor, and since the Silvertons have always been the strongest in our clan, it’s been Silverton led for centuries. Dad’s dad before him and so on.
Even Bear—my brother Brandon to those who don’t know his nickname—is the strongest in our clan unless you count Banner, the bear-wolf Kilter enforcer, who Fated Cass.
He’s super strong and deadly, but in Bear’s case he has strength, stealth, and cunning, something that is highly valued by all shifters because it signifies that the animal is still strong inside us.
Banner is physically strong, but his fight with his animals will always be a disadvantage, so once again, the Silverton heir will lead. Not that I think Bear really cares all that much. For now, he’s happy to have his mate, his son Brand, and time to enjoy being a mate and father.
Dad is a good Alpha, and I feel bad for even suggesting otherwise, but I can’t let him execute my Fated. I just can’t. I don’t know why the hell I care, but it’s in me, and I know that if I don’t try to save him I will regret it for the rest of my life.
“This is so fucked. He should have regained consciousness by now. It’s been a week, Cass. He should have healed; my blood should have healed him,” I whisper, looking down at the mottled bruising on his face and the bandage at his throat.
Blain is a big guy, solid, well-toned, and he’s strong. Seeing him laying here, pale and very weak, makes me want to scream. If he’s not healing, then he may not live, and despite that being the easiest way out that I can see for Cass, I just don’t want that to happen.
My nerves are frayed as it is. I’m also in shit that I don’t know if I can handle. It’s too much.
“At least he’s hanging in there. Keep talking to him.”
“And say what? I don’t know the male, and what I do know consists of bad.”
Cass sighs and smiles sadly, her eyes going bright when she shakes her head and chuckles at me.
“That’s not true, and we both know it, Jules. Inside, he’s good.”
“I don’t know that, Cass. You choose to see the best part of people, and I love you for that, I do, but sometimes it isn’t always true.”
“He saved us! That is the truth that I know no one can deny, not even Nick. He could have walked away from it, let us both get torn apart…and that would have made him bad, if you insist on seeing things that way. He didn’t. He stayed; he tried. He sacrificed himself for us. For you. From what Banner has told me about Fating, I would say you know what he’s made of. It’s up to you to admit it,” she says, leaning down to kiss Blain’s cheek.
“You wake up eventually, you hear. I can’t be alone with your mother forever no matter how much I love her. Banner goes crazy when she insults me because he doesn’t understand it’s her way of showing she cares.”
I snort and roll my eyes because I’ve met that female and there is not one drop of love in her body. As it is, I am not Hannah’s best friend, but I hate her mother for allowing Damon Seers to hurt her the way he did.
Parents should love and protect their young, not let the people who are supposed to do the same hurt them. Mrs. Seers? Loving? I’ll believe that shit when I see it.
“You look tired, Jules. Maybe your mom is right and you should go home and rest? I’ll get Banner to let me stay here for a while. Lync can sit with me if he needs to go to work,” Cass offers, cupping my cheek gently.
God, this female is lightness and love personified, I think, leaning into her touch because I need this. For a week I’ve been alone, needing someone to comfort me. That someone is usually Mom or Dad, but as things stand I haven’t seen them once and the chances of that happening are slim.
Dad’s being and ass, I get it and I understand why he stays away. I hurt him. Mom though, I can’t explain her absence away, and it hurts. I thought she’d come, hold me, and tell me she’ll talk Dad around. Nothing.
Mika called, offering me support, but since she has Brand it’s not as if she’s got a whole lot of free time. Not if what I suspect is true and she’s pregnant again.
Bear is…well, he’s Bear. He’ll come if I call, but he’s not getting involved and standing between me and Dad if he doesn’t have to. He will, but that is my choice, and I choose not to call because I don’t want my stuff to hurt his and Dad’s relationship.
So yeah, no one to comfort me when what I need is Mom and her hugs, telling me it’ll be alright.
Cass pulls me into a hug, a hilarious hug since I tower over her tiny frame and coos at me, stroking my hair and back as I slump and let go for just a minute.
“None of them are here,” I say hoarsely.
“I’m here. Blain is here, and if you need it, Hannah will probably swing a bat for you and Blain. Maybe. Just remember to call, okay? I’m here in a heartbeat if you need me and Lync is Blain’s best friend after he heard the story.”
I giggle, picturing Lync and his growling in here if anyone so much as breathed near Cass. The big feral male is her biggest fan besides Banner and he’d kill to protect her.
Just months ago, I would never have thought that the feral locked in the cells under our home would have been tamed. Cass looked at him and saw a male, a person, not the feral animal he’s been for years.
It’s something that I wish we all had because seeing Lync now I wonder if he could have calmed down years ago if only we’d tried instead of taking a step back because he reminded us all of what hell we could face if something happens to the one we love.
Not that Lync loved his Fated, but he’d been close enough to her before the Fating happened that a bond was already there. For the Fated, it’s the bond that is the silent killer. Once that forms, you’re one. You’re everything to each other. One cannot hurt without the other hurting.
That scares me. I can’t imagine Blain looking at me and giving a shit if I hurt or not, and yet that—in and of itself—hurts me. My wolf whines, and I calm her with a croon of weary breath.
“Thank you, Cass.”
“You don’t need to thank me, Jules. I didn’t do it for you or anyone else but him. He’s my friend. He deserves friendship now, and if this is what needs to be…”
I smile, seeing her smile seconds before Banner leans in and raps on the door. He’s so big he has to duck beneath the frame, even with the higher frames most shifters use in our construction.
“You ready to go, baby? It’s just about naptime.”
“Banner Kilter—”
“Yes, Mrs. Kilter?” he asks, grinning when her mouth breaks into a smile and her cheeks heat.
“You’re gonna keep calling me that all the time now, aren’t you?”
“Yep! It took me long enough to get you Mrs. Kilter, so I guess now that I have you I’m going to make sure every male within scenting distance knows it,” he purrs.
I grunt, biting my lips and look back at him with affection. Banner only just recently blooded and bit Cass, so they’re basically on their honeymoon. He must be super-annoyed that she’s here when he could be seeing her. The first few weeks are important for us. Most males use the time to try and impregnate their mate.
“Ban, no one else in their right minds would dare come near me. Besides, I am not having a nap! I just—oh! A nap. Yeah, I could…uh…use a nap,” she squeaks, blushing when he laughs and grabs her, pulling her into his body.
Seeing them is hilarious because Banner is really huge, six five huge and Cass is tiny. The man is a foot taller than her easy and has to fold himself almost double to get down to her level.
Most of the time if you see them he has her ass in his hands and her feet are off the floor. Adorable.
“Oh go on then, you two sex fiends. Nap? My ass,” I grumble, smiling good natu
redly.
Cass giggles, and I see Banner grin as he picks her up.
“You okay, Jules? Need anything?”
I shake my head and wave them off, sighing tiredly when I turn to look at Blain where he’s still and silent in his sleep. Honestly, at this point, I can’t even say yes or no because I don’t know what I need.
Blain to wake up? Blain not to wake up? Cass in trouble for defending a guy I’m not sure needs defending or deserves it.
Shit.
I sit down in my seat again, my usual visual of an unconscious male filling my mind. God, I don’t know if I can stand to be here like this for much longer.
I’m alone. I haven’t ever been alone and—
Oh stop polluting the milk with your pity party, girl. This is a good thing. The longer Blain remains down the less heat he’ll get from your dad. Now I love the guy, don’t get me wrong, but if I have to choose between him and my brother—
You’ll go Alpha, Hannah. I may not have much in the way of liking for you, but I know that about you. You’re Alpha always.
I really wish I weren’t so loyal. It’s the one trait in me I haven’t succeeded in killing completely.
I don’t even know what to say to that.
Don’t say anything. It is what it is.
Don’t be a baby. Like I said, if I have to choose…the good thing about it is that I don’t have to. All I have to do is sit back, have a private conversation that won’t incriminate anyone and I’m protected because my male won’t let anyone get to me. See. Loyalty issue solved.
I don’t really have that luxury. If I choose Dad, then I have to tell them about Blain.
Aaaah, but you already chose him.
Because he saved my life and I don’t know why. I need to know why.
Oh puhleeeease! Look sister you can lie to yourself, the whole town. Hell, you can try to lie to the Big Guy upstairs if it tickles your fancy, but I get to be in your head and I know the truth, even if you don’t want me to. You chose Blain a long time ago. The moment he let off his scent for you it was there.
I didn’t—
You did. You knew who he was, and you ran home and kept it to yourself.
I was going to tell—
No one. You told no one, and you weren’t going to because you can’t. Because he’s yours and hurting him would be akin to harming yourself.
Bullshit!
Fine, live in denial. All I’m saying is you know what’s true, you just don’t want to face it. As for Blain—
What’s your point here, because let’s not forget, you haven’t been here!
I can’t go there! Logan’s being a dick, and anyway, did you know that as the leader of the council Blain okayed my father’s orders to kill me?
God, this situation is so fucked. I’m basically mated to a male who is bad to the bone, doesn’t give a shit about anyone, and let his own sister nearly be killed. What am I doing here?
Taking Cass’s advice to look deeper? And all that other super-inspirational, totally gag-worthy stuff? Me personally, I tend to be a little more…negative about stuff like this, but that’s just my self-preservation and bitchiness kicking in. What if Cass is right and he can be good? He saved you.
Do you have to keep pointing that out?
Till the day I die. Or you go crazy from denial. Either way it works for me. So whatcha doin’?
Sitting in a chair, staring at your brother.
That’s sooo romantic.
I snort, flipping Blain the finger just because I can, and rest my head back to stare out if the window.
Why am I talking to you?
Because you’re stuck there, and I’m stuck at home resting my whale-sized body after we got the news I’m having like a million young. This sucks! I can hardly walk, my feet look like two effigies to Rosie O’Donnell, and my vagina is so fat right now I can’t even have sex to pass the time because it’s freaking embarrassing.
I laugh out loud, my visual imagery making me shudder with both disgust and humor. Oh God, my life really is sad if I’m talking to Hannah, finding her funny and enjoying her fucking company. Someone put me out of my misery already.
Ooh admit it! You like me because I am awesome and smart and funny. I’m like everyone’s ultimate friend.
You’re a pain. Congrats on the young by the way. What’s the total tally?
Three! Can you believe my stupid ovaries released three eggs? I am the consummate overachiever! Damn Logan for being so sexy and virile.
You enjoy it. Come on, admit it, you love knowing that you’re having all those kids.
More shopping! I enjoy spending Logan’s money like a fiend, and he gave me a laptop to keep busy, so I’m basically bankrupting him with useless stuff we’ll probably never use.
You know if he’s poor, you’re poor, right?
*horrified silence*
I laugh again, enjoying her mental terror and can practically hear her returning undelivered goods as we speak.
You’re mean. I was enjoying myself until I popped over to talk to you.
Then leave. Go bother Barbie or Banner or Cass.
Can’t. Barbie and Brig are screwing. Again. Cass and Banner were getting frisky. Again. Lync is just whackadoodle, so all I get from him is grunting. That’s no fun. And Logan went to work, so I am officially stuck with Tina, the drone masquerading as a person. And you. I chose you.
I feel so blessed.
Sarcasm is not appreciated. Stop fighting it, you know you like me.
I tolerate you. Let’s talk about something else. I don’t like hearing that everyone else around here has a life and I don’t.
Hhmm, good point. You suck. So, let’s discuss the whole Daddy versus Blain situation.
I don’t—
The way I see it, is that you’re Fated to the guy. Your wolf already knows him, wants him, and all that biology crap. Why don’t you just stop thinking about it all so hard and go with the flow. Maybe he wakes up, has a total personality overhaul, and decides to become the male version of Mother Theresa.
That is not happening.
It could. Maybe. He could change.
I hear a note of hope in her voice and hold in a snort because the truth is, I hope so too or I’ve gone and lost everyone for nothing.
We’ll see. For now, I just hope this is all that’s going to happen. Cass says she’s not changing her story, and for her sake, neither will I. Dad will have to just accept that and move on.
I don’t think he will, Jules. Be reasonable, the male doesn’t want his little girl Fated to an elite male, who possibly set out to hurt you and others. I kinda get where he’s coming from. He’s going to try to do everything he can to keep you from completing the Fating.
I grumble, not sure myself if I’d even consider doing it. It’s one thing to have a male scent you and touch you and start the heat, something that’s been hard for me to deal with until it faded a few weeks ago. I don’t know if I could be down with bonding with Blain. That way lays heartache and disappointment if he’s going to be a dick for the rest of his life.
Look, just relax. Overthinking this isn’t going to change anything, just hurt you. I can’t believe I’m saying this because you’re such a bitch, but it’s going to wear you down, and I don’t want that. Chill.
Fine. But you’re still a dick.
Hannah giggles, and I feel her withdraw, leaving me alone with beeping machines and a lot to think about. Exactly what I don’t want to do.
Chapter Three
Jules
I wake with a start when footsteps pound down the hall, the thundering sound letting me know that three males are heading my way. Sleep fogs my brain, and I blink, frowning when I look up to see Logan, Clarke, and Noble standing in the doorway, their own frowns making me swallow in apprehension.
They don’t say anything, just look between me and Blain, taking in the hand in mine, the way I’m curled up close to the bed because halfway through the night I had to go closer just so my wolf
would calm down and let me sleep.
The longer I spend in here, the longer it takes for him to wake up, the more used to it I get. It seems my wolf thinks that I’m here, so she may as well get some closeness from this situation, and well, I can’t fight her forever.
“Jules.”
I swallow when Logan rasps the word and a knowing comes over me, making me smile tremulously before rising to my feet and lifting my chin. I should have expected this, but never once… How could you, Dad?
“I have the right to remain here with my Fated until I know that he is healed and on the road to recovery.”
Logan nods and looks away from me, his shoulders and jaw tense with what I can only call frustration. Not with me though, I think, pursing my lips to keep them from trembling.
“I agree. I argued that exact thing, but the council is adamant. You have to report to the home of councilman Merin immediately to give a sworn statement about the events that occurred the night you and Cass where taken.”
I tremble inside just hearing it. It’s one thing to have conviction and tell myself that I will remain firm and strong, save Cass and Blain and myself, and quite another to face the council and have to lie through my teeth.
Cass must be a very much stronger female than any of us realize, because right now I bet I am scared more shitless than she was.
“Tell them I refuse to leave my male. I have a right under pack law to exercise the Fated laws that separate me from the laws made by council or pack.”
I never thought I would ever have to say this, or that I’d have to go against my own father, but it seems Hannah was right, he’s not willing to play fair.
Logan shakes his head, his expression and tone regretful when he nods at Noble. The male steps into the room, his blue eyes flashing reluctance but comes my way to take my arm.
I pull away, my emotions stronger, filled with fear, and I take a step back from Noble. His dark hair and the deep blue eyes make him look fierce, but it’s when I look deeper that I see regret and a frustration with situation.
He doesn’t want to do this. I see it in him, Logan, and Clarke, and yet they will because they have to. Enforcers follow orders. They’re enforcers, and an order that comes directly from the Alpha is law. The fact that Dad is making this council business in no way negates his influence. This is all him right now, and I resent it.
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