Ever After

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  As he got closer to the door, he heard voices coming from the living room. They were speaking low, but Damian could sense the tension in each syllable. A few of the voices were male and made Damian’s puma growl and claw at him from under his skin. Opening the door, he took slow steps down the hall and stopped at the sight of Sarah sitting on the arm of a recliner with her arms crossed over her chest. Her blond hair fell around her shoulders in soft waves, framing her slightly rounded face. A face that held a mother’s scowl, which did nothing to take away from her beauty.

  Following her line of sight, Damian saw one of her sons, Graham, sitting on the couch, head in his hands.

  Graham let out a sigh and said, “Mom, please. It is much safer for you at Ashwood. Plus you’ll be closer to Nev and me and the kids.”

  Sarah snorted in an unamused way that made Damian smile. She was so beautiful. “You mean so you can keep an eye on me.”

  Graham sat back on the couch and shrugged. “We can’t help it that we love you and want you safe.”

  Nevan stepped out of the kitchen with a very attractive redheaded leopard shifter by his side and stopped to stand next to his stepmother. The female leopard wrapped her arms around Nevan from behind and rested her chin on his shoulder.

  The love that radiated from the couple caused a dull ache in Damian’s chest. Too long he’d watched Walt and Sarah share the same love, the same connection. He’d been happy for them. They were his best friends, but it hurt to be around them because Sarah was also his potential mate.

  “I’m not leaving my home, and that’s final.”

  Sarah’s stern outburst brought Damian out of his thoughts and drew his attention to the only female he’d ever loved. Shaking his head to clear the fog caused by blood loss, he stepped into the living room and said, “I’ll have to agree with your sons.”

  Everyone in the room turned to him. Now that he was fully inside the living room instead of hiding in the hallway, he saw the other two shifters in the room. A male and female stood with their shoulders touching next to the patio door. Both of them glared at him.

  Whatever. They could send their accusing gazes to him all they wanted. Damian was here to make sure the human rebels got nowhere close to Sarah.

  Graham stood from the sofa and turned to face him. Shock, confusion, and anger mixed into his expression and his scent. But it was Nevan who walked toward him with his hands fisted by his side. The human male stopped a foot from Damian and said, “Why are you alive?”

  Damian didn’t flinch at the venom in the male’s voice. In fact Damian deserved everything Nevan threw at him, even his fist. Nevan had a right to be angry. They all did.

  “I ask myself that question every day,” Damian replied, much too tired to spar with his best friend’s son. The thing was Damian didn’t have any answers, at least none Nevan wanted to hear right now. He looked at Sarah and locked gazes with her. “Your life is in danger.”

  Sarah’s expression didn’t change as she said, “For all I know, the human I killed was after you and not me.”

  It was a lie. He knew it, but not by her scent. No, her scent didn’t change. He knew by the way her left eye twitched in that subtle way it did when she was nervous and hiding her feelings from her boys. That only confirmed to him that she already knew she was a target, but how?

  Sarah let out a low growl and addressed her sons and their mates. “Please leave us.”

  The male standing behind Graham who Damian didn’t recognize moved forward to stand in front of Sarah. There was a power surrounding the male that Damian could only describe as an Alpha’s power. The male held out his hand to Sarah and said, “You are always welcome to Ashwood. Just say the word, and I can have a place set up for you. Hell, you’re welcome to stay with us.” The male looked back at Graham and the female before continuing. “Or even with Nevan and Dani.”

  Sarah eased her shoulders and placed her hands in his. “I know, Blaine. I’m just not ready yet.”

  Blaine nodded and tugged Sarah into a hug. Damian had to force his feet to stay planted in place. Jealousy rushed through him, making his cat pace within.

  Sarah was the first to pull out of the hug, and her gaze met Damian’s for a brief moment as if she sensed his mood shift. “I’ll be fine. Damian won’t hurt me, and I’m not alone now.” When no one moved, she rolled her eyes. “I promise to call if things change. Please.”

  Blaine nodded. “I’ll send some sentries over to guard the property.”

  That made everyone but Damian, and Sarah by the way she pursed her lips, a little happier. They said their goodbyes and left Damian alone with Sarah and her pissed-off stare.

  Chapter Two

  Sarah stared hard at Damian. A cyclone of emotions spiraled inside her. She was happy that he was alive, hurt that he was alive and never bothered to tell her, and pissed that he could know who was behind the sick message in her mailbox.

  “Start talking.”

  His shoulders dropped, and he moved to sit on the sofa. “Your life really is in danger.”

  She stood and repositioned herself to sit in the recliner. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

  He lifted his gaze to hers. “The human you killed was a member of a human rebel group called Shield. Their main purpose is to hunt down shifters and kill them.”

  She looked away, breaking the visual hold he had on her. This was all too much. She should just go to Ashwood as Graham and Nevan wanted. But she didn’t want to leave her home. The home she’d made with her mate was the only part of him she had left.

  Her heart ached at the thought. She wasn’t ready to leave that part of her life.

  Was she?

  Her boys were grown and off living their lives. Cale, her oldest, was mated to the only daughter of the Crimson Stone Alpha couple. Monica was a wonderful mate to Cale and a loving mother to their twins, Kara and Kyla.

  Then Graham had mated to the new Alpha of Ashwood Falls and the senior enforcer a few months ago. He also adopted his ex-lover’s kids after finding out Isaac had died protecting little Max and his sister, Sammie.

  Her youngest sons, Micah and Ethan, had followed Cale and joined Crimson Stone. They’d tried to get her to move there, to be part of a Pack and allow the Pack to help her heal.

  That wasn’t what she wanted. Not really. Besides, she’d belonged to a Pack once and had been shunned as soon as her first mate, Jake, died in a rogue attack. She’d later found out that the old Alpha of Emerald Springs had submitted to the same madness Felix, Alpha of the rogue Pack Onyx, possessed—the thirst for power and control over every Pack in the nation.

  Still, she hadn’t gone back after the new Alpha stepped up. She’d been surrounded by enough violence and pain, and she didn’t want her kids to endure the same.

  Yet, the rogues were strengthening and branching out, according to Blaine and Graham. Now there were rebel groups fighting each other for different causes.

  Even though she and Jake hadn’t been true mates, they were the best of friends and cared for one another deeply. Besides, he’d given her four wonderful boys.

  Then she had met her true mate and lost him much too soon to the same violence she tried to run from…

  Tears filled her eyes, and her chest tightened. Walt hadn’t deserved to die. If what Damian said was true, she was to blame. She’d grown too comfortable in her life among the humans that it never occurred to her that they, too, could turn on her and her family.

  She peered at Damian, and the floodgates opened, consuming her with all the buried pain she tried to contain. Without a word to him, she darted to the door, opened it, and ran.

  Sarah wasn’t sure if she was running from Damian or the memories he made surface. All she did knew was she needed to get away from him, away from the house. It was all too much. First Walt’s wedding band then Damian showing up from the dead. Oh, and there was the fact that she’d killed a human.

  Coming to a stop, she dropped to her knees and let the emotions wash over
her. Her shoulders shook as she cried. She didn’t care if it made her look weak. She was tired of being the strong one, the maternal female who protected her cubs at all cost.

  She smelled Damian a few moments before he picked her up and took her back home, cradling her to his chest. She didn’t fight him, mostly because she was too tired to fight. The fight had left her when she’d lost her mate, and it had only grown worse when her boys became men. They didn’t need her anymore.

  Inside the cabin, Damian set her on her feet, ran a hand through her hair, and froze. Sarah reminded silent, knowing what was coming.

  A low growl sounded from Damian, forcing her to look him in the eyes. “Why are you aging?”

  He knew why. However, that wasn’t the point of the question, now was it? She pushed at him and wiggled until he set her free from his embrace. “My mate is dead, and my children have their own lives. I have nothing left in this world.”

  He narrowed his gaze on her and stepped forward, his dominance whirling around her. She stood her ground and refused to let him cow her into submission. She was far from a submissive puma.

  “That is bullshit, Sarah.”

  She sighed and lowered her shoulders. “I’m tired, Damian.”

  ****

  Damian watched as Sarah turned away from him and went to the sliding glass doors and peered out into her backyard. “I got a heartfelt package in the mail today.” The sarcasm in her tone set his puma on alert, but he remained quiet and let her continue. “I didn’t know who sent it until you told me about the rebels.”

  He growled, unable to hold it back. Shield had reached her faster then he’d expected. If they had her address to send threats, then they’d been watching her, but for how long he didn’t know. “What did they send you?”

  She reached into her jeans pocket and turned, her brown eyes shiny with tears he could tell she tried to keep from falling. Holding out her hand, she opened it. His heart stopped, and he was sure he stopped breathing for a moment. Lying in her palm was a gold wedding ring. Tentatively he reached out and picked it up.

  “It’s Walt’s, or at least it’s identical to his, right down to the engraving.”

  Damian closed his fingers around the ring and, with his free hand, gripped her arm and tugged her into a hug. She tensed at first then relaxed and wrapped her arms around his waist. After a moment she pulled back and took the note out of her pocket and handed it to him. “This note was with it. They said I was next.”

  He pulled back to peer into her face. Lifting her chin so they made eye contact, he said, “They will not hurt you. That’s why I’m here.”

  She drew back to study his face. “What?”

  He laced his fingers with hers, led her to the sofa, and sat, drawing her down beside him. “Walt and I both were part of a shifter rebel group that were created to stop Shield and other groups like them.”

  Sarah shook her head. “Walt wouldn’t lie to me. He couldn’t. I’d know.”

  “He didn’t have a choice. However, he didn’t lie to you. I did.”

  “I don’t understand how that was possible.” Her tone grew more annoyed.

  “We were spellbound not to speak about the group to anyone.”

  Her expression tightened as anger entered her scent. “Not even to his own mate and your best friend?”

  He reached for her, but she jerked back. Letting out a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes and spoke softly. “Neither one of us wanted to keep it from you, but it was safer for you and the boys.”

  She stood and started to pace. “Those boys were old enough to kick ass and protect us from threats. So it’s my turn to call bullshit.”

  He moved fast and gripped her by the arms before she could track him. The startled expression on her face told him that. “It wasn’t our call. Damn it. I wanted to tell you. Hell, it killed Walt to not tell you.”

  She sagged into him and rested her head on his chest. “I loved the both of you. I would had helped in every way possible.”

  His heart skipped several beats before picking in a rapid rhythm. “Say that again.”

  “I’ve always felt a strong connection to you. It wasn’t as strong as the one I had for Walt because he was my bonded mate. I thought back then it was like a connection to a Packmate.” She averted her gaze to his T-shirt, which she smoothed out with her hand.

  “And now?” he prompted.

  She lifted her lashes to peer up at his face. “I’m confused. I want to be mad at you for lying to me, for making me believe you were dead all this time when you were out there hunting my mate’s killers. I deserve that task.”

  He ran his knuckles down her cheek. “I was afraid of facing you, afraid you’d blame me. Hell, I blamed myself.”

  “You’re here now. Why? To warn me?”

  She narrowed her eyes and that tiny twitch under her right eye indicated her anger had returned, sparking the fire inside her he knew hadn’t died like she thought. “Yes, to warn you and to stop those bastards from taking someone else I love away.”

  She stilled and searched his face. “Don’t say that.”

  He stepped closer, closing the gap between them. “Say what? That I love you? Sarah, I’ve known from the moment I saw you that you were my mate.”

  Her lips trembled slightly. “I don’t believe you. Why did you stay around and watch Walt and I mate?”

  He cupped her cheek, caressing her bottom lip with his thumb. He smiled when she didn’t move away. Instead, she closed her eyes for a brief moment, as if allowing herself to enjoy his touch. “Because Walt was like a brother to me. I couldn’t leave him any more than I could you.”

  She pulled away then, breaking the connection. “I can’t do this.”

  When he stepped forward again, she turned and rushed to her room, slamming the door behind her.

  Nice one, asshole.

  He ran a hand through his hair and turned to the kitchen. When he reached the archway that separated it from the living room, his phone rang. Peering at the screen, he groaned.

  It was Cale Griffin, Sarah’s eldest son.

  He turned toward the front door and stepped outside before answering. “Yeah.”

  “Did you get my mother to move yet?”

  “Nice to talk to you too, Cale.” Damian laughed at the answering growl from the male on the phone. “No. Your mother is even more stubborn than before.”

  “Not possible. She’s strong-willed and refuses to be ordered around.” Cale fell silent for a moment before adding, “Look, I know how you feel about her. I’ve always known. Frankly I thought you loved to torture yourself by hanging around her and Walt all those years. But I get it. I’d stand down and let any one of my brothers find their happiness above mine.”

  Damian sighed. “Why are you calling me?”

  “Because I just talked to Graham, and he said you were alive and at Mom’s.”

  “Did you tell your brother that you already knew that?” Damian teased. Cale had found out a couple of years ago that Damian was alive and working with the shifter rebels to stop Shield. Ever since, the puma fed him information as it came through the Pack Network—an online community that connected the American and some Canadian Packs together. It was an information system they all used to share information and spy on the rogues since Onyx Pack members were known to use the network for their own person reasons.

  Cale snorted. “Hell no. Graham is newly mated to two very dominant felines. He has his hands full. Anyway, Graham wanted me to go talk Mom into moving to Ashwood.”

  Damian shook his head, knowing where this was going. “And you thought you’d call me.”

  “Yep. You know, since you’re there and all. Any luck?”

  Damian growled. “No. She’s now locked herself in her room.”

  Cale laughed. “You are such a ladies’ man.” Damian growled again, and Cale sobered. “She is safer at Ashwood. Get her there. I don’t care if you have to seduce her to do it.”

  Damian was about to tell the mal
e to go to hell when the phone went dead. His first reaction was to call Cale back and tell him to get his ass down here, but then Cale’s words sank in. Seduce Sarah? That could work, and it could be the most difficult thing he’d ever done.

  Damian smiled and went back inside. He did love a good challenge.

  Chapter Three

  Sarah stepped out of the shower to a mix of scents drifting into her room. She inhaled the savory, sweet smells, and her stomach growled. After drying off and dressing, she made her way to the kitchen but froze when she entered the living room.

  The lights were out, and candles illuminated the room. Two glasses of red wine sat on the coffee table, and a small fire flickered in the fireplace.

  She bit her lip and forced her cat to calm. Damian wasn’t hers. This whole setup was to smooth over her anger, and he most likely wanted to try to talk her into moving. She’d thought about it many times after Blaine and Graham offered, which was every time they called to check on her. Even Nevan and his mate, Dani, mentioned in not-so-subtle ways how wonderful Ashwood Falls was.

  She sighed. Really, what was she holding on to? A ghost? Keeping the house wasn’t going to bring Walt back. Besides, she’d started the aging process. The least she could do was spend her last years with her family.

  Yet living in a den meant her new packmates wouldn’t allow her to give up on life. No, they’d love her until she began to live again. The problem was she wasn’t sure she wanted to.

  Damian entered the living room, carrying a couple of plates. She met his gaze, and her knees almost gave out when he smiled at her. His lips upturned at the corner, but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. Still, it was just as seductive.

  Yep, the male was definitely up to something.

  He set the plates on the coffee table, side by side. Nice and cozy, she thought dryly. “Trying to wine and dine me?”

  This time his smile did reach his eyes as he held out a hand to her, palm up. “Whatever works.”