by Dana Archer
“Of course not. If you could, I’d lose all respect for Sean. But I’m confident in your ability to seduce him. Once you get him hooked on sex, you can plant the idea in his head. It won’t take more than that, I’m sure. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve played daddy enough for today. It’s time I act like a real male and call our alpha. We have business to discuss.”
Likely which one of her family members would die if she didn’t do her part to secure Michael Tanner’s hold over Sean’s pack. It wouldn’t be the first time innocents lost their lives to ensure Michael got his way.
She breathed slowly and carefully so as to keep her voice calm. “Of course. Will you put Mya back on?”
“Sure. I bet she’s eager to finish her conversation with you.”
Several moments passed with only Mya’s breathing filling the line before she said, “I’m sorry, Jenna. I should’ve realized something was up when the girls stopped crying.”
“Don’t be sorry. The truth was bound to come out.” It would’ve been nice if she’d been off Tanner pack lands by then, but such was life. She’d deal with it. Too bad she hadn’t decided to deal with her fate sooner. If she hadn’t run from Sean, things might’ve turned out differently. “I’m more worried about you. Are you okay? The things Todd said—”
“Weren’t new. He’s made it very clear where I stand and what purpose I serve. Many times. It doesn’t bother me anymore, and once I save enough money, the girls and I are out of here.”
“Let me help you. I have some money saved and—”
“No.” The word dropped harshly between them. “I love you, Jenna. You’re my best friend, but I will stand on my own. My girls will learn that being female is not a weakness. I want them to be proud of who they are.”
Jenna smiled. Her friend had the strongest inner will of anyone she’d ever known. When Mya said she was going to stand on her own, she meant it. “Okay, but you call me for anything. Do you understand? If you run out of diapers in the middle of the night or one of the girls is sick, you call me. I’ll drop everything and rush over. No questions asked.”
“Got it.”
“Good, because…” The beeping of her phone, indicating an incoming call, tensed Jenna’s muscles. She glanced at the display and groaned. “I have to go. Michael’s calling me.”
“Okay. Talk soon.” Mya ended the call.
Unable to delay the inevitable, Jenna answered. “Hello, Michael.”
“Jenna, my sweet niece, I hear congratulations are in order.”
She cringed at the fake sincerity in her alpha’s voice. “Thank you, I—”
“You should’ve told me immediately about your mating. Hearing from another source makes me look weak.”
He was weak. Only fear kept his pack from revolting. She pushed her loathing aside and gave the apology expected of her. “I’m sorry. I was embarrassed when my mate dismissed me.”
“And rightly so. You should be ashamed of yourself. I fully expect you to correct this situation and get in your mate’s good graces. And once you are, you know what to do.”
Her stomach knotted with the sense of trepidation settling over her, but she couldn’t avoid Michael’s statement. “Yes, I know. You want me to be the alpha female of Sean’s pack.” So Michael could control it, through her.
“Exactly. You are a smart girl.” Michael’s fake praise made the roiling in her stomach worse. “Now, while you’re off securing your position as alpha female, I will personally keep watch over our younger cousin Ben. I know how much he means to you, and I’d hate for anything bad to happen to him while you’re gone.”
Jenna covered her mouth to stop her gasp. Michael would eliminate his own flesh and blood in order to force her compliance. The hatred she held for her alpha burned a little stronger. The worst part was knowing she couldn’t do anything about it. Sean didn’t want to be alpha, to his pack or hers.
“It might take me years to conceive a child. Sean won’t even attempt to take over until he has an heir. He needs one beforehand. The magic of the transfer won’t guarantee us a child since he’s already mated to me. And you know a baby will make the transition smoother, especially if I conceive a son. He’ll want that. He doesn’t want to cause any more discontent than he already will be by killing his alpha. Sean is—”
“Stop rambling and explaining things to me I already know.” Michael chastised her. “You must work on keeping your moods in check if you expect to be an alpha female. Even my mate can do this.”
Her jaw hurt from clenching it. If Michael were here, she’d attack him for his attitude, consequences be damned. She took a deep breath, burying her fear for Ben and her revulsion for Michael, and straightened her spine. “You’re right. It’s a skill I must work on. As I said, this week has been hard.”
“Don’t expect it to get any easier. I want you off Tanner pack lands by sunset.”
“You’re kicking me out?” She wasn’t sure why she asked. Leaving had been her goal.
“Yes. You’re no longer a Tanner. You’re a Kagan.” Michael chuckled. “But don’t forget that Ben is a Tanner. He’ll always be a Tanner.”
Her blood went cold. Ben’s face flashed before her eyes. Orphaned as a baby, he’d been raised by their elderly aunt. He was sweet, kind, and nowhere strong enough to fight for himself. “I understand.”
“Good, then gather your belongings and get out. Oh, and Jenna?”
“Yes?”
“If you take too long securing the alpha position, I’ll send someone else to do so. The Kagan alpha won’t live another decade. I promise you that.”
Michael ended the call, and she was left debating her options. There was only one to make. She was going to stand on her own two feet, exactly as Mya was doing, then Jenna would call Sean and tell him everything. After that? She had no clue. It all depended on Sean and what kind of relationship he wanted with her.
Chapter 9
The large house looming before him could’ve been a second childhood home. Sean had spent many days at his alpha’s place, hanging with his best friend, Nic. He’d always felt welcome here. At least he had before Nic skipped town. Sean had avoided his alpha and this home since. He hadn’t wanted any of his pack mates wondering about his intentions.
His avoidance hadn’t done much to squelch the rumors, though. Everyone kept asking him what his plans were without Nic here. Would he take out Nic’s dad? Nicholas Kagan was the oldest alpha in the States, and he was getting weak. Even Sean had sensed that. After five hundred years, it was expected, though. Unlike the immortal Royal shifters, single shifters aged.
Those pack members who’d approached Sean reasoned that if they had to lose their alpha, they wanted the most revered role in the pack to go to someone they knew and trusted. Until a few months ago, that had been Nic. As the alpha’s son, it was his right to take his father’s place. Nic wasn’t here, though. Sean was, and he’d just been ordered to report to his alpha’s home…to talk about things.
Sean rolled his shoulders. The tightness in his muscles didn’t ease, though. He had a bad feeling about this visit. Until today’s abrupt phone call, ordering Sean here, Nicholas had avoided Sean too. There was no evading this meeting, however. When an alpha commanded, his pack obeyed.
With apprehension weighing him down, he climbed the steps to the house, crossed the porch, and slipped inside. The alpha’s home was never locked. Any member of the pack could come in, day or night, whether they were invited or not. That was standard practice in most packs. Sean had never felt uncomfortable walking in to his alpha’s home. Today he did. He stood in the entryway, unsure of his welcome, even though he’d been invited here.
“I’m in the kitchen.” Nicholas Kagan’s voiced boomed through the home.
Sean forced his feet to move. The refreshing smell of coffee greeted him the moment he stepped inside the large kitchen.
Nicholas Kagan, the male who’d acted as a second father to Sean, poured coffee into two mugs, then leaned against th
e counter. No white or gray streaked his sandy blonde hair. Only the lines on his face outwardly reflected his age, but Sean sensed his alpha’s waning strength. Tiredness clung to Nicholas Kagan, making him feel weaker than he had before Nic left.
“Just in time. Coffee’s ready. Grab a mug. Creamer’s in the fridge. Sugar’s in the bowl.” With his order given, Nicholas ambled across the room and slipped onto the deck, leaving the sliding glass door open. Apparently, they’d be having this conversation outside in view of the pack’s ceremonial circle where weddings, challenges, and transfers of power occurred.
Great. Just what Sean wanted, to be reminded of the open position in the pack. Except since mating Jenna, he hadn’t been overwhelmed with the urge to assert himself in the pack and claim the spot. The only thing dominating Sean’s mind was the desire to love his mate again. Of course that might change once he stood within view of the ceremonial circle, but in this instance, he wanted Jenna. He missed her. Not for much longer, though. Tonight he was bringing her home.
He couldn’t wait.
Sean pushed aside the thoughts of worshiping his mate and focused on the issues at hand. Nicholas had invited him here to talk. Sean snagged the mug, skipping the creamer and sugar, and followed his alpha outside. The sooner this conversation was over, the sooner he could go to Jenna.
He took up a position next to Nicholas at the railing, propping his elbows on the wood, and surveyed the land from the same viewpoint his alpha did every morning. The open back yard had a couple of birdbaths and benches, along with a rose garden that had been planted by their late alpha female. No doubt about it. This secluded spot was serene, inviting, and fitting for the alpha of the pack.
Sean waited for the compulsion that had plagued him for months to seize him, demanding he claim this home, along with the title of alpha. The primal drive didn’t choke him. Or even tease him with promises of power. Nor did his wolf urge Sean to cross the backyard and climb the hill to the ceremonial circle. It had no desire to go there either. It wanted to return to their female.
There was only one conclusion he could make—Jenna had tamed him.
The tension in his shoulders eased. It was good to be in charge again. Fighting with his baser half was draining. He took a sip of his coffee. “Why did you call me here?”
“The Shifter Council has invited me to bring my son to the next meeting since he wasn’t able to attend the last one.”
“And you want me to contact him for you?”
“No.” Nicholas set his mug on the railing and turned to Sean. “I want you to go in his place.”
Sean stared at his alpha, unsure what to say. He hadn’t been expecting this.
Nicholas chuckled. “Catch you off guard?”
“Yes.” Sean placed his mug behind him and studied his alpha. The neutral expression he wore didn’t offer any clues as to his motive. “Why do you want me to go? I’m not next in line to be alpha.”
“No, but my son’s not here, and my daughter is too young to be entertaining any ideas of mating a male who can take the spirit wolf from me.”
About four years too young. Hannah, Nic’s sister, was still considered an immature youth, even though she’d soon start shifting. Female shifters developed that ability before males as a protective mechanism. Sean hated knowing their females had to defend themselves.
Jenna’s explanation of why she hadn’t wanted to remain on her pack lands for her first night as a mature shifter returned. The Tanner males took what they wanted, when they wanted it. And he’d allowed his mate to return to the Tanner pack lands. Only knowing Noah was watching over her in Sean’s absence stopped his worry from consuming him. Still, it wasn’t right. Jenna belonged with him. Tonight he’d fix his mistake in letting her go.
“I don’t want to be alpha.” For the first time, neither did his wolf. Thanks to Jenna.
“Yeah?” Nicholas narrowed his eyes. “Since when? Soon as my son left, the rumors started. Heard you were going to challenge me. Figured I’d save you the trouble.”
For a second time in a matter of minutes, Sean stared at his alpha. Commonsense cut through the shock. Nicholas had asked a question. It demanded an answer. “Since I took a mate. Now all I want to do is worship her.”
“Congratulations.” Nicholas smiled, warmth replacing his normal indifference. “Who’s the lucky female?”
“Jenna Tanner.” Sean gripped the railing. If Nicholas had something disparaging to say about Jenna because of her birth pack, Sean was going to have a hard time resisting the urge to attack him for it.
Nicholas glanced from where Sean’s fingers were wrapped around the wooden railing to Sean’s face. Nicholas’s grin widened. “Protective, much?”
“A bit.” Sean forced his fingers to unclench. Going by his alpha’s reaction, Nicholas didn’t have a problem with Sean’s choice. “Tanners aren’t exactly liked around here.”
“As long as she doesn’t cause issues among the pack and treats you right, I could care less what pack she came from. Same goes for any member of the pack who takes an outsider as a mate.” Nicholas picked up his coffee and turned his attention to the yard. “Now, answer my question. Will you be attending the Shifter Council meeting with me or not?”
His alpha’s response eased the last bit of apprehension Sean held, but it didn’t change his stance. “As I said, I have no intention of being alpha. That’s Nic’s fate.”
“And again, Nic isn’t here.” Nicholas shot him a hard glare. “He abandoned us and left our pack open for an outsider to take it over. Or worse, he paved the way for our dominants to start fighting among themselves in an attempt to move up in rank, maybe even think about challenging me. I can’t allow that to happen. None of our males are strong enough to protect our pack. I won’t be able to let them claim the spirit wolf. I’ll have to kill them.”
“But you think I’m strong enough.”
“I know you are, and if my son is too weak to step up and claim his fate, you will take it.”
Sean turned his attention to his coffee while he worked through his thoughts. He took small sips until he’d drained the cup, then set it aside. “Nic will claim his position in the pack when he’s ready. He’s got to work through some stuff.”
“And while he’s off playing human or doing whatever he’s doing, the pack is going to shit. Our pack mates need the security of knowing that when the time comes, a strong, capable male will fill my shoes.”
Sean shook his head. He understood what his alpha was saying, but he couldn’t get past one point. “This is Nic’s fate. I don’t want to steal it from him. Once he gets himself together and returns home, he’ll want to reclaim his pack. I can’t guarantee my wolf will give up the spirit wolf willingly. If it doesn’t, I don’t want to stand in our sacred circle with my best friend knowing one of us will die.”
Nicholas hung his head. “He won’t tell me why he left.”
Sean wouldn’t be divulging the information either. He’d made a promise to Nic to keep his secret. Sean wouldn’t break it, but there was one thing he could do. “Yes. I will go to the Shifter Council meeting with you and act as the next in line here at home, but once Nic returns, I’ll step aside. That’s the best I can do.”
After a long moment, Nicholas sighed. “We leave in four days. Use that time with your mate wisely.”
“I plan on it.” As long as Jenna didn’t lunge for his throat the next time she saw him.
Chapter 10, plus next book preview
Sean had no trouble finding Jenna’s home later that day. While obviously old, the trailer appeared to be in good condition. A porch had been added to the front, and a freshly painted shed stood next to it. He scanned the garden, noting the types of vegetables she’d selected. Although too late in the summer to plant any, he could start reading up on them.
He knew nothing about gardening, nor had he cared to learn. For Jenna, he’d figure it out. He’d do the grunt work. She could reap the benefits. Unless, of course, she enjoyed ge
tting her hands dirty. Then they could work together. Actually, he liked that idea better. It would give them a chance to talk.
A smile on his face, he pulled into her driveway and parked behind an older hatchback with a dent on the passenger side. Concern rushed over him. Had she been in an accident? He jumped from the car and hurried to her door. Before he got to the porch, Jenna stepped out with two large boxes stacked precariously in her arms.
“Jenna?”
She sucked in a rough breath, and the top box tumbled to the ground. The sound of smashing glass followed.
“My china!” She shoved the first box into his hands and opened the one that had fallen. Her shoulders slumped. “Broken. I knew I should’ve taken the time to wrap them in newspaper.”
He placed the box he held on the plastic chair next to the door. “It’s my fault. I startled you. I’m sorry.”
She gave the ruined dishes one last glance, then pushed to her feet. “Well, I shouldn’t have been carrying so much, but I’m on a deadline. I need to be out of my house before sunset, and I can’t fit very many boxes in my car.” She motioned behind her. “Look at all the stuff I need to move yet, and it’s already after three.”
Stacks of boxes and dozens of garbage bags filled the room behind her. He looked from them to her. “You’re moving?”
She tucked her hair behind her ear and nodded. “Unfortunately. Michael found out about my mated status and ordered me off our lands before nightfall.” She sighed. “I’ve made three trips already, but I’m never going to get everything out in time, and nobody is allowed to help me since I’m no longer a Tanner.”
His mom hadn’t mentioned Jenna dropping stuff off at his old house, and he’d been at the new place all day. “Where did you take them?”
“Ummm, my apartment.”
“Your apartment?” A brick landed in his gut. “Aren’t you moving in with me?”
“No.” She cocked her head to the side. “Why would I?”
