by Sadie Carter
“I, ahh…” she stumbled on the words.
“Come on. I know you’re powerful enough to control the change. Just transform your hand to speed up the healing.”
What the hell was she going to do?
Stall him.
“Umm.” Yeah, that was going to work.
“You need to tell him.” Brynn grabbed another towel. “You also need to call for a healer.”
“Tell me what?” Cain asked
Dusty looked back at Brynn. “You know?”
“I was watching you, remember? It’s a great way to discover secrets.”
“You skunk,” she snarled. Cain growled, pulling their attention back to him.
“What are you both talking about? Tell me what?”
“I can’t change,” she whispered.
“Not a full change, no. Not with the plate in your hip. But if you just changed your hand—”
“No, you don’t understand. I can’t change my hand, I can’t change at all. My wolf doesn’t come to my call anymore.”
“What the fuck does that mean?”
* * * * *
Cain prowled, unable to look at anyone else in the room. The pack doctor was stitching Dusty’s hand. Brynn stood across the room, keeping himself well away from them both.
Cain detested the fact that Dusty had kept this from him.
How the hell hadn’t he known? He’d been amazed at her control. Except she wasn’t changing because of doctor’s orders but because she couldn’t.
He should have known. Dusty wasn’t one to follow doctor’s orders.
His wolf prowled inside him, urging to be let free. Confusion, anger and the need to take control warred. He hated being lied to, kept in the dark. It was about time they both learned that.
“Cain, if you’re going to continue growling then you need to leave.”
Cain glared at Mason, their doctor. Dusty stared at him, her shoulders stiff and defiant, her eyes unsure. He pushed the wolf back, promising him they’d get to the bottom of this. His mate would soon know that she was always, always to come to him with things like this. To lean on him, rely on him.
She would learn she had no business keeping anything from him.
Finally, the doc finished up, leaving orders for her to keep the bandage dry and clean.
“I’ll check up on you tomorrow.” He patted Dusty’s shoulder and nodded to Cain before leaving.
“When did you find out that you couldn’t change?” Cain snarled.
“Ahh,” Dusty rolled her shoulders, obviously tense. “A few days after I left the hospital.”
“You tried to change even knowing that the plate in your hip wouldn’t change with you?”
“I was just going to change my arms. I hadn’t felt much from my wolf for a while. I was worried.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? Why tell him?” He nodded at Brynn.
“I didn’t tell him. I didn’t tell anyone. Well, except Cassie, on the day we were run off the road.”
Cain looked over at Brynn. “So you knew because you were spying on her.”
“I overheard her talking to herself.”
“And you didn’t think to tell me?” Cain asked quietly.
Brynn shrugged. “If Dusty didn’t want you to know why should I tell you?”
“It’s not that I didn’t want you to know. Well, okay, I didn’t. But I didn’t want Brynn knowing either. I didn’t want anyone to know.”
Cain’s wolf shoved forward, angered by the feel of Dusty’s pain, her terror. How horrifying would it be to suddenly find himself without his wolf? He couldn’t even imagine it. Her fear was more than he could bear. Grabbing her uninjured arm, Cain tugged her over to the sofa and sat, pulling her onto his lap, rocking her. He brushed his lips over her forehead, inhaling her scent.
“You must be so scared. Why didn’t you want anyone knowing?”
She shuddered then pulled back, looking up at him. “Because everyone would have pitied me. Even more than they do now. Poor Dusty, look how far she’s fallen.”
“Ahh, baby, no one would think that. And I wouldn’t have told anyone.”
“Wouldn’t they? Don’t you? I’m practically human. I have no idea what’s happened to my wolf. It’s like she’s there, but something is keeping me from reaching her. Almost like she’s asleep. What if she never wakes up? What then?”
He ran his hand over her hair, his heart hurt for the pain and uncertainty she’d been going through alone. “Your wolf will come back.”
She shook her head. “Don’t. Don’t give me false platitudes. You don’t know that. She might never come back, and I’ll be stuck like this forever. Do you really want to be mated to someone like me?”
“What? Someone like my sister you mean?” They both looked up in surprise at Brynn’s sharp tone.
“Cassie can’t change into a werewolf. Do you think Jay loves her any less? Do you think of her as less than you?”
“She’s part-demon.”
“You just discovered that. Do you think less of her because she can’t grow fur and a snout?”
“Of course not,” Dusty replied.
“So why should anyone think less of you?”
“It’s different,” she protested. “I’m an enforcer. I need my wolf.”
Brynn shrugged. “So you find something else to do. There is more to life than being an enforcer. You should know that by now.”
“The weak don’t survive in a werewolf pack,” she insisted.
Cain frowned at her. “That sounds like Zachary talking. Dusty, you’re letting his prejudices color your judgment. Maybe when Zachary ran the pack that was true. But not now. You’re not weak. You can hold your own against a dominant werewolf and a trouble-making demon, can’t you?”
His efforts were rewarded with a small smile. He pushed her hair back off her face and kissed her. Brynn came and sat on the arm of the couch beside them.
“I promise you this, even if your wolf never comes back, I will always love you, and you will always be my mate,” Cain swore.
Brynn hugged her from behind. Dusty nodded and leaned into them both.
“But you have to talk to us, Dusty,” Cain said. “Let us in.”
“I know. I’m sorry,” she whispered.
He hugged her tight, accepting her apology silently.
Both men stilled. Then Dusty heard it, a car coming up the road.
“Cooper,” Cain said and stood, depositing Dusty on the sofa before walking to the door.
“Don’t tell him,” she whispered frantically.
“What?” Cain turned, scowling down at her.
“Please. Just not yet. Please.”
He nodded briefly, and she sat back in relief. When Cain returned, Cooper and Laney were behind him.
“Cooper, Laney, this is Brynn,” he made the introductions. Cooper pushed Laney behind him when she started to move forward.
“Cooper,” she protested.
“Stay behind me, Laney,” he bossed, staring over at Brynn, who remained relaxed. “So you’re Brynn.”
Brynn raised a brow. “I promise your mate is safe from me. I have my hands filled with my own woman.”
“You’ll forgive me if I don’t take your word for it. I don’t know you. What I do know is that you’ve been watching my pack for a while. I want to know exactly why you’re here.” Cooper’s low voice reverberated throughout the room.
“That so?” Brynn’s voice cooled a little. Dusty placed her hand on his arm.
“Please. If not for me, for Cassie. Just cooperate, okay?”
“All right.”
She looked up in surprise at the easy agreement. He winked.
“Please, have a seat,” Dusty said tiredly.
Cooper grabbed Laney’s hand and drew her over to a chair. Laney sat on it while Cooper stood beside her.
“Originally my reason for coming here was my sister Cassie,” Brynn explained. “I wanted to check up on her, make sure she was happy with her g
uard dog. I’ve been watching her, all of you, for a while.”
Cooper stiffened, obviously furious. Laney reached up her hand and grabbed his. Not that she’d be able to stop him if he went for Brynn, but Dusty appreciated the gesture.
“You want to explain how you got onto pack territory without any of my enforcers stopping you?” Cooper asked coldly.
“If I don’t want to be seen, no one will see me. Dusty can attest to that.”
“I thought I was going crazy,” she said ruefully.
Brynn smiled. “That’s because no one could see me but you.”
“Why?” Laney asked. “Why not just turn up like a-a normal person?”
“Because I’m not normal and why should I pretend to be? And because I didn’t want to. I can learn a lot more if others don’t know I’m there. But then I saw Dusty. I was intrigued by her. I hadn’t felt interested in anyone or anything for a long time. She’s beautiful yet prickly as hell.”
Dusty snorted.
“When I found her at the bar, alone, drinking, I couldn’t leave. I couldn’t stay away.”
“How romantic.” Laney’s face turned dreamy.
“I think those pregnancy hormones are messing with your mind,” Dusty drawled.
“Dusty said you’re a demon,” Cooper stated. “Why have we never come across your kind before?”
“Few demons come to this plane. Many don’t want to. Others aren’t powerful enough. And we tend to avoid werewolves. Humans don’t sense anything different about us. With werewolves, it’s harder to hide that we’re different.”
“Can you prove what you are?” Cooper asked skeptically.
Brynn suddenly disappeared. At the same time flames flickered up the wall, making Laney gasp. Cooper jumped, standing protectively in front of his mate.
“Enough,” he roared. The flames disappeared instantly, leaving no mark. Brynn reappeared beside Dusty.
Cooper glared at him. “What exactly do you want?”
“What do I want? That’s simple. I want my sister happy and safe, and I plan on sticking around until that happens. I intend to find the bastards that hurt her.” Menacing promise colored his voice.
“Cassie is pack. We take care of our own,” Cooper said.
Brynn stiffened. “You haven’t been doing a very good job so far, now have you?”
Fury raged in Cooper’s eyes. Dusty squeezed Brynn’s hand warningly. He sighed.
“Look, Cassie is my family. She may be part of your pack, but she’s still my sister. Maybe I don’t know her well, but I intend to look out for her.” Whether you like it or not. He didn’t say the words aloud, but Dusty knew they all heard them.
“What I want is for you to stay away from the estate unless you’re invited.”
“And just how are you going to stop me?” Brynn taunted. Dusty pinched him, hard.
“Oh, I will stop you. Have no doubt of that.”
“Cooper. He is Cassie’s brother. And he has formed a relationship with Dusty and Cain. Maybe we could work together?” Laney asked.
“Not if he sneaks around, spying on us.”
“I wasn’t spying. I was looking out for my sister.”
“I can’t have a demon around my pack.”
Brynn raised a brow. “Didn’t you just tell me you’d never met one? There are people who believe all werewolves are mindless, killing beasts. Am I to believe them? If so, I had better take my sister away from you all. She is half-demon after all.”
Cooper’s eyes narrowed, mouth opening, but Laney beat him to it.
“We all know Cassie doesn’t have an evil bone in her body. But we don’t know much about you, and you’re not exactly putting our minds at ease. You’ve been sneaking around without our permission. You told Cain and Dusty that you like to create trouble and chaos. How do I know you won’t harm anyone here?”
His brows rose. “I’m not asking to join your pack.”
“Aren’t you?” Laney asked.
Brynn stiffened beside Dusty.
“Yeah, he is,” Cain said. “If he’s planning on staying.”
Dusty held her breath, waiting for Brynn to reply. He was silent for a long moment.
“I can’t stay permanently. I will have to return to Hell often.”
“But when you can be here,” Laney said, “wouldn’t you rather be welcome than make Dusty and Cain choose between their pack and their mate?”
Brynn smiled wryly. “Smart one, aren’t you?”
Laney beamed. “It’s the little ones you’ve got to look out for. So are you going to cause trouble? You don’t seem very evil.”
“I have my moments.”
“And you all expect me to let him into the pack?” Cooper looked around at them all.
Dusty braced herself, not wanting to go against her Alpha, but knowing she couldn’t lose Brynn either. Cain moved up beside them, making his allegiance to them clear.
“I won’t create trouble here. I wouldn’t hurt my sister or Dusty and Cain. Of course, if any of you did anything to harm one of them then I’d crush you.”
“Brynn,” Dusty scolded, “you’re hardly putting their minds at ease here.”
Cooper waved his hand at her. “I prefer honesty. If he pretended to be harmless, I’d be suspicious.”
“Look, if I wanted to, I could create as much trouble as I liked. I could slaughter the lot of you in your sleep. But I’m simply not interested in your lives. I wouldn’t harm you because that would hurt them.” He nodded at Dusty and Cain.
“Would you help us?” Laney asked.
“Perhaps. If they asked me to.”
“So what has happened between the three of you?” Cooper asked. “Cain told me you’re tied to them.”
“Dusty has two mates?” Laney wondered. “You’re not a werewolf, how is that possible?”
“My power tied us together. The three of us need to be together. To be apart for long lengths of time will be painful. For all of us.”
Dusty could see the glint of determination in Brynn’s eyes. Even though he’d run, it was obvious he hadn’t thought the ramifications through. They had to convince Cooper to let Brynn come and go. Because she knew Brynn would do what he liked, with or without the Alpha’s permission.
“So can Cassie bond with Jay this way?” Laney asked.
Brynn frowned. “I don’t think she has the power to hold the link. But I think she could be changed. If she wished.”
“What?” Cooper asked.
Brynn nodded. “I have to talk to her about it. I thought I would wait until she was fully healed. With me there, helping her, she’d come through easily. If that’s what she wanted.”
“Wow,” Laney breathed. “Not that it actually matters. We’re not allowed to change humans.”
“But she’s not human, not fully human,” Brynn pointed out.
“Well, hell,” Dusty said.
Cooper frowned. “We’ll talk to the two of them when Cassie is stronger.” Cooper looked over at Cain. “Cain? What do you want?”
“I want your permission for Brynn to stay with us. He won’t hurt the pack,” Cain reassured them. “He knows harming the pack is something we could never forgive him for. Right, Brynn?”
“Quite right,” drawled Brynn. “I had intended to find the bastards who ran Dusty and Cassie off the road and kill them myself, but I’m willing to work with you to locate them. I have abilities you don’t. I will cooperate with you if you’ll let me come and go freely.”
“I want your word that you will do nothing to hurt any pack member, nor will you tell anyone about your time here.”
“I won’t hurt anyone as long as they do nothing to hurt Cassie, Dusty or Cain.” He grinned. “Not that these two can’t take of themselves.”
Cooper frowned. Dusty knew he’d never consider this if Brynn wasn’t tied to the lives of three of his pack.
She was nervous. Cooper wouldn’t come to this decision easily.
“All right, you can stay for now.
On probation. I want to see if you can be true to your word. Then I will think about the future. Cain and Dusty are vouching for you,” he paused, looking at them both.
They nodded.
“That means you put a step wrong and I take it out of their hides, so if you really care about them you’ll be on your best behavior. The pack is going to be resistant to the idea of you being here. I don’t like it myself. But Dusty and Cain are well respected and liked. No one wants to see them come to harm. I need to know you better to decide if I want to allow you into the pack for good. You can come and go for the moment. But I’ll be watching. You break any pack rules, and you’re gone. You’ll never be welcome here again.”
Brynn nodded. “Understood.”
* * * * *
A few hours later, Cain waved as Laney and Cooper drove off. Finally, they were alone. He walked back into the living room to where Brynn and Dusty sat on the sofa. He crossed his arms over his chest, staring down at his mates sternly.
Dusty gazed up at him, her blue-green eyes widening slightly.
“You need to be punished, Dusty,” he said, keeping his amusement hidden.
“W-what?”
“Stand up and strip. You’ve been keeping things from your mate, and I don’t like it. Now it’s time to pay the piper. Why are you still sitting?”
Her face flushed with a mixture of anger and arousal. But, he was pleased to note, the worry was completely gone.
“Cain, I’m really not in the mood.”
“Oh you are, you just don’t want to admit it. Strip. You’re going to suck both of us into oblivion. And then, if I’m in a forgiving mood, I’ll let you find your release.”
She whimpered.
Brynn stood and looked uncomfortable. “I think you better do all that without me.”
“Sit down,” Cain ordered.
Brynn shot him an impatient look. “You might like to be in charge, wolf, but I only follow your orders when I feel like it. Remember what I said about having too much sex with you? It could kill you both. Taking energy from humans once makes them a little fatigued. If I continued to take from them night after night, I could drain the life right out of them.”
“In case you’ve failed to notice, we’re not human,” Cain said calmly.
“I can’t take the risk. I’m leaving. I’ll come back. I just need to give you guys time to recover.”
