by Meg Ripley
Now she risked a glance at him, but she swiftly looked away again. He was going to make her lose her cool, and she needed to maintain as much of an advantage as possible. “It’s my story to tell just as much as it is yours. I don’t think you can claim it solely as your own.”
“Okay, you’ve got me there. But I don’t think they needed to know. You obviously don’t want to have anything to do with me, so it’s not like we have to worry about nepotism.”
There was something hidden in those words, the implication that he did still want to have something to do with her. Gabe had certainly shown it the previous day when he’d come onto her. Emersyn had been tempted to give in. He was a gorgeous man, with that dark hair and those brilliant eyes, not to mention the strong jaw and wide shoulders. She’d made the equation to him and an action hero before, and it wasn’t strictly based on the way he acted. But no. Handsome or not, that didn’t make any difference when it came to him abandoning her.
“You heard Garrison. All five of us will be bonded like clan members soon enough. Don’t you think they’ll figure it out once we’re in each other’s heads? Personally, I don’t know how much control I’m going to have when it comes to what information gets pushed through to them and what I keep to myself.” Theoretically, shifters who had that link didn’t automatically know every single thing about the others in their group. It was only the specific messages they pushed out to their brethren. But Emersyn hadn’t had that type of experience in a long time, and she didn’t think it was right to keep such a big secret from the men they were supposed to be working with for the foreseeable future.
“Fine. Okay. But I think we could’ve found a better way to tell them than just spring it on them. Now, what about Lucas?”
She pursed her lips. Just as it would be useless to hide their former relationship, it was also useless to keep Lucas from his biological father any longer. Emersyn had already opened her mouth, and there was no going back or denying it. If Gabe decided to break his son’s heart, then she couldn’t stop him. Her panther could kill him later, though. “All right. I’ll get him from Melody. Wait here.”
Leaving Gabe in the living room, she headed to Melody’s room. “Hey. I need to borrow Lucas for a minute.”
Her friend peered into her face. “Is it Gabe?”
“Yeah. It’s always Gabe,” she sighed as she hoisted the sweet little bundle on her hip. “We’ll be back in a bit.”
During the meeting, she’d managed to keep her panther fairly well in check. Maybe it was something about the work-like setting that had helped, because now that she was faced with not only dealing with Gabe alone but introducing him to his son, she wasn’t sure she could keep her whiskers from piercing the skin of her cheeks. Sometime soon, she’d have to find a way to get outside and go for a good long run.
When she returned to the living room, Gabe was on the couch. He still had that angry look on his face, but his head snapped up when he heard her footsteps. His jaw slacked, and his eyes widened. He stood as though pushed from the couch cushions, and his feet quickly crossed the room as he reached out for the child.
“He doesn’t really like strangers,” she began, but she stopped when she saw there was no need. Lucas had been a good baby, but a rather clingy one. The few times she’d attempted to leave him with anyone other than Melody, he’d fussed inconsolably.
Somehow, Lucas must’ve known who was holding him. He easily went into Gabe’s arms, suddenly that much smaller compared to the well-muscled man. His plump little hands reached out to explore the stubble on Gabe’s chin, his mouth slackening as his interest grew.
“Hi, there,” Gabe whispered, his voice cracking ever so slightly. “You don’t know it, but I’m your daddy. I’m sorry I hadn’t met you before now.” A tear rolled down his cheek as he pressed his lips to the back of Lucas’s hand.
The baby giggled in delight, and then his investigation moved on to Gabe’s nose and eyebrows. He smiled and wiggled happily.
“Yeah?” Gabe asked, falling easily into this primal conversation. “I like you, too. You’re a handsome little thing, aren’t you? Black hair like your mommy. And blue eyes like mine.” He carried the boy off to the sofa, where he straddled him on his knee. “I can’t stop looking at you, buddy. You’re amazing.”
Emersyn wasn’t quite sure what to do with herself. She was used to being the one directly taking care of her son if she was in the room. She’d been doing it alone for so long, and she rubbed her hands nervously on her hips. Finally, she sat down across from them, not quite willing to leave them alone just yet. Gabe had left her, and he’d made decisions only for himself, but Emersyn had no doubt in her mind that he would treat their son with the care and love he deserved.
“Has he shown any signs of shifting yet? Do we know what he is?” Gabe spoke to her without breaking his gaze from Lucas, bounding his knee and smiling at the baby’s happy reaction.
She didn’t like that he was already referring to the two of them as ‘we.’ They might both be Lucas’s parents, but that didn’t mean they had any further unity than that. Still, it wasn’t worth arguing about right now. “No, not yet. He’ll be a year old in a couple of months. I’m hoping he’ll start showing something soon.”
“You’ve got some little teeth in there, don’t you? Let me see those little teeth! Oh, they’re so big! You’re such a big boy!” Gabe put his big hands on Lucas’s sides and lifted him into the air, his proud grin just as wide as the child’s.
Emersyn knew she should be thrilled to see this. So many men refused to be active in their responsibility as fathers. She’d seen it countless times when single mothers came into her clinic, struggling to fulfill every role on their own. It was so hard to be the caregiver and breadwinner at the same time. There’s no telling just how far this will go, she reminded herself. Just because Gabe was interested at the moment didn’t mean he would stick around in the long term. He’d already proven that once.
5
“So tell me more about Melody.” Gabe guided the car along the busy highway, keeping only some of his attention focused on the traffic. It was thick there, potentially worse than some of the driving he’d done overseas, yet he couldn’t get his mind off his son.
Holding him for the first time had been magical. Gabe hadn’t known exactly what to expect, but as soon as he’d seen Emersyn walk into the room with Lucas in her arms, he knew he wanted to do more than just see him. They’d spent over an hour together on the couch, just playing and being silly with each other, and Gabe couldn’t take his eyes off him.
Emersyn folded her arms across her chest, her irritation rolling off in waves that reached him easily from the passenger seat. “I already told you, she’s a good friend of mine. She’s been watching Lucas since I could first get back to work after having him.”
“Yes, you did say that. But I want to know more. I mean, this woman is spending a lot of time with my son. I think I deserve more than that.”
Her dark eyes flashed as she turned to him. “Oh, I see. So you’ve known for a couple of days that you accidentally made a baby, and now you think you’re some expert on parenthood? You think you know what’s best for him? You might want Melody’s mental health history and blood type, but I think I deserve a little more credit.”
He gripped the wheel and tried to get a grip on his own emotions at the same time. She was right, in a way. Emersyn had been doing this alone, and clearly, Lucas hadn’t suffered. Yes, he should’ve been able to have his father around, but he was obviously healthy and happy. “I’m not saying you aren’t competent. I just want to know all the details. She’s living under the same roof as I am and she’s caring for my son.”
“Then I suggest you take some time and get to know her. She’s a great friend I met back in college, and now she’s the bookkeeper for the Force. As you said, she’s living with us now, so you should have plenty of time to chitchat. Yep, we’re all just one big happy family.” Emersyn had been nothing but irritable, and
it was clear this was a trend that would continue.
“Look, you and I have to find some way to get along. You might not want me to be part of Lucas’s life, but it’s happening. I don’t see any reason for us to fight, especially because that’s only going to affect him. Then, of course, there’s the Force. I admit it’s strange that we’ve been put in this situation, but I’d like to think we’re mature enough to handle it. Hell, the U.S. Army thought we were pretty damn mature, considering what they asked us to do.” He’d been so excited to see Emersyn on that first day, imagining the simple pleasures of tumbling between the sheets together when they were so inclined. Things had gotten much more complicated than that, and fast.
“You’re right,” she relented, although he could still hear the reluctance in her voice. “It’s just not easy.”
“What can I do to make it better?”
When she looked at him this time, the sheer anger in her eyes had been replaced by surprise. “Well, I’m not sure. Maybe start by not treating me as though I suddenly don’t know how to raise my own son.”
He bit back the argument that he was just trying to help and that he had a lot of making up to do. “All right, I’m sorry. I’ll try to be more aware of that.”
They swung off the highway and into a suburban neighborhood full of small homes, white fences, and planted flowerbeds. Children played on the streets, scattering out of the way to accommodate traffic and then running right back onto the pavement. Gabe had never visited a conclave meetinghouse before, and he hadn’t known exactly what to expect, but this wasn’t it.
Finally, they pulled into the driveway of a sprawling ranch house at the end of a cul-de-sac. The brick siding and impeccable yard were a level above most of the surrounding homes, but not so much that it completely stood out. “Is this the right address?”
She shrugged. “It seems to be. Let’s see what they have to say.” Emersyn hopped out of the car before he could get his seatbelt off.
Gabe caught up to her just before they reached the front door. “Let’s make sure we keep Hudson’s instructions in mind. We just talk about the situation with the gangs and see what they have to say. We don’t make any suggestions or try to tell them what to do. This is strictly an information-gathering mission.”
Her lips tightened. “I know, Gabe. I can handle it. As far as I’m concerned, this is just like a difficult medical patient. You check the symptoms and go back to discuss treatment options with your team. If you whip out the big syringe, someone’s gonna get scared.” She lifted her fist and knocked boldly on the door.
Gabe felt an odd feeling wash over him as they waited on the front porch. He was suddenly incredibly aware of everything around them, from the copper-shrouded porch light overhead to the sound of a distant siren. It wasn’t just awareness, though. It was a desire to grow bigger, to pull Emersyn under his arm and hustle her out of there before anything could happen. His bear let out a low growl, warning anyone who might try to harm her. He shuddered with the power of it all. Gabe hadn’t felt that protective urge in a long time, and it didn’t sit well with him that he should be feeling it for Emersyn right now.
The door swung open to reveal a short, burly man with tattoos. “Can I help you?”
“We’d like to speak with the conclave, please,” Emersyn said politely.
The man’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t remember seeing you before. Are you in our jurisdiction?”
She smiled sweetly, even tipping her head slightly to the side. “Sort of. We’re actually from the SOS Force.”
“Huh.” He looked each of them over for a moment before stepping back and opening the door wider. “Come on in. I’ll see if they’re available.” He left them in the foyer while he stomped off through the house.
“I guess he must be one of the guards,” Emersyn muttered. “It’s funny. Garrison said he’d get in touch with each of the conclaves before we visited, but this man is acting like he’s never heard of us before.”
“So that gives you a good reason to flirt with him?”
“Excuse me?” Her eyes cut through him as her head snapped up.
Shit. He was treading on dangerous ground again. It was just so hard to control himself around her. It was his bear, and that couldn’t really be helped. “I just think you shouldn’t be overly nice, or they might think we’re pushovers.”
Her sideways glance was one of disbelief. “I don’t think we need to worry about that. We’ve got plenty of fighting power if we need it, but for right now, there’s nothing wrong with being diplomatic.”
“We’ll see.” Gabe had his doubts about all of this.
The tattooed man reappeared, this time with another man the size of a mountain next to him. The newcomer had to duck to get through the doorway. His wide shoulders, dark hair, and thick beard only accentuated the look. “You must be Gabe and Emily,” he said, extending his hand. “I’m Hunter, and I’m sorry. I almost completely forgot you were coming.”
“That’s all right, and it’s Emersyn,” she corrected, reaching out to take his hand and smiling up warmly at him.
“Emersyn, what an unusual and lovely name. Please, come on in.” He gestured for them to follow him through the house. The side doorway that led to the living room held a plaque above it with an eagle carrying a flaming skull. Apart from that odd piece of décor, the rest of the open floor plan was fairly normal, plain even. The rest of the San Bernardino County conclave members were there waiting for them. It was a less formal arrangement than the Force had at their new headquarters, with the members lounging on sofas. The television was on, and Gabe noticed several of them were sipping whiskey and other liquors despite the early hour. He hadn’t known exactly what to expect, but he wasn’t sure this was it.
“Can I get you anything to drink?” Hunter’s dark eyes glittered, focused entirely on Emersyn as he stepped over to the bar. “We’ve got just about anything you could want.”
Gabe almost choked on the beast trying to come out of him. “We’re fine for now, thanks,” he answered before she could say anything different. He had a memory of her becoming particularly flirtatious after a few rounds, and it was already hard enough to deal with this. “We just want a chance to sit down and talk.”
“By all means.” Hunter gestured grandly to an unoccupied loveseat. “I understand you want to discuss the biker gang activity in the area.”
“Exactly, yes,” Gabe affirmed, glad that Emersyn had essentially been forced to sit right next to him. He took a certain amount of comfort in knowing she was within arm’s reach, especially since he didn’t know if he could trust these people yet. “We understand there have been quite a few casualties from gang activity, and we’d like to see what we can do to help.”
The big man poured himself a rather large glass of whiskey before leaning casually against the bar. His obsidian beard split in a sardonic smile. “That’s a nice idea, but I’m not sure what a small group of people could actually do to help.”
Gabe could detect the challenge in that statement. “You might be surprised.”
“Right. Sure.” He took a sip of his whiskey but didn’t seem bothered by the burn. “I’ve heard rumors about what the SOS Force is capable of. That’s great, but you’re still only a handful of people compared to these gangs. Some of them run deep, and their loyalty knows no bounds. They would gladly die for their Alpha, no reservations, no questions. They’re incredibly violent.”
“Do any of them consider themselves to be part of your constituency?” Emersyn asked.
“There’s no clear answer on that. They’re a little more wild than your average citizen. They do cause a lot of trouble, but the good thing is that it’s mostly among themselves. Sure, every now and then someone happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but their only true targets are each other. I’d say the biggest threat they pose to shifters around here is simply the fact that they create a terrible reputation for the area. People—humans and shifters alike, actually—don’t fe
el safe going out.”
“What do you think the right solution is?” Emersyn was sitting forward, ankles crossed, the poise of the perfect lady. It made Gabe nervous. She was too vulnerable, too tempting. Any one of these monsters might try something.
Hunter glanced at the rest of the conclave members, who seemed content with letting him run the show. “That’s something we’ve discussed quite a bit, and no solution seems like the perfect one, but the general consensus is that we wipe them out.”
Emersyn stiffened visibly. “You want to kill them?”
He flipped a large hand through the air as though waving away these lives that were such a problem. “They’re a problem, a pest that needs to be extinguished. They’re only important to each other. They don’t vote, so it isn’t as though the conclave members have any real reason to protect them. The fastest and easiest thing to do is eliminate them. We just haven’t worked out the details yet.”
The surging emotions in Gabe latched onto this idea. He was growing more feral by the minute and the idea of sinking his claws and teeth into someone was incredibly appealing. It was too easy to imagine himself diving in to just that sort of action. Feeling a shudder across his shoulders that indicated his bear was coming on, he suppressed it quickly. “And what about the San Fernando Valley conclave? Have you talked with them about any of this?”
The room erupted in laughter. “That wouldn’t get us very far. They’re not interested in anything we have to say, and even if they listened, they wouldn’t like it. You could say they’re a little more diplomatic about these things.”
“Do you know what their solution to this situation is?” Emersyn asked.
“You strike me as the kind of woman who likes everyone to get along. It’s a lovely idea, as lovely as you are, but it isn’t going to happen. We like to take action, to cut down problems before they become a bigger ordeal. I haven’t talked to them, but I have no doubt they want to take a more sensitive approach.”
