Shattered Pack

by Erin, Aileen;

  The feel of his lips against mine made me lose all thought, and I surrendered. If we didn’t take moments like these—when all was calm—we’d regret it later. He moved his hands down my back, and tingles followed in their wake.

  This. I’d never get enough of this.

  I woke to the sound of a phone ringing and Donovan cursing.

  After talking some more, we’d had some food, turned on a movie, and fallen asleep. Dad was going to be annoyed about that, but he wouldn’t say anything. At least not to Donovan.

  “Aye.” Donovan’s voice was thick with sleep, making his accent even richer as he answered the call.

  “John’s dead.” A firm, feminine voice spoke on the other end of the line.

  Pain rippled through our bond, and I sat up, placing my hand on Donovan’s arm. He turned away from me as he tried to control the wave emotions rushing into me. Hurt. Pain. Guilt.

  Guilt? Why…

  John. Oh shit. That John. His second. His best friend.

  “Christ Jesus. I don’t understand. How? Who’s done this?”

  “It’s nothing like I’ve seen before, Don.”

  I swallowed at the use of a nickname for Donovan. Something about this woman was setting me on edge. I scooted closer to Donovan, pressing my stomach against his back as I pulled him toward me. He twined his fingers with mine with one hand, while gripping the phone with the other. He wasn’t crying on the outside, but his pain burned through me.

  Donovan Murry was devastated.

  “You have to come back. It’s enough playin’ around in America for you.”

  Playing around? Was that what his pack thought we’d been doing? Because playing implied fun, and nothing about dealing with Luciana had been fun. Not even a little bit.

  And who the hell was calling that they could talk to their Alpha like that?

  Donovan stifled a growl. “You need to watch your place, Vivian.” Power rolled off him in waves. Fur rippled along my arms, and I struggled to let his energy flow through me without forcing me to change forms. I must’ve whimpered because Donovan squeezed my hand and toned himself down a few dozen notches.

  Vivian. She was third in the pack, so it was her duty to inform the Alpha, but it was a little eerie how we’d just been talking about her. Now his second was dead, and she was on the phone?

  “I’m aware of my place, Don, but your second is dead. The power struggles will flare up if you’re not here within the day.”

  A second had to be seriously powerful, and, in an established pack like Donovan’s, they’d be pretty damned hard to kill. Which left me with one question.

  Donovan rubbed a hand down his face. “How’d he die?” He said, echoing my thoughts.

  “Might’ve been a fey. He’s in fecking pieces, but it was done in our stronghold. In his own damned room.”

  Being killed by a fey was one thing. Being killed by a fey inside the stronghold…

  I’d never heard of something like that happening. It really shouldn’t have been possible. But the fey could do the whole teleportation thing, and I’d only just learned about that. Who knew what other powers they’d been hiding?

  Still, it seemed impossible that no one had seen or heard anything. There were too many Weres in the Irish pack for a fey to sneak in, murder someone, and then escape before anyone noticed.

  “Everyone is going crazy, and—”

  “Aye. I can feel it for myself.”

  “You could’ve fooled me.” She had some major attitude, but she didn’t sound like a mad wolf. Annoyed. Pissed off. But not crazy.

  “Enough, Vivian.”

  The rumble in his voice should’ve stopped any wolf from talking back to him, but Vivian didn’t seem bothered. That was one point in the crazy column. “Don’t snap at me. It’s not my fault you’ve been neglecting us.”

  From the amount of power he was radiating, he had to be pushing his commands all the way from here to Ireland through the pack bonds. I’d felt Alphas do that over short distances before, but never something like this.

  Either Vivian wasn’t feeling his power or her madness was allowing her to ignore even someone as strong as Donovan. Another point in the crazy column. Mad wolves sometimes lost touch with reality, and couldn’t sense the power or commands that normal Weres could.

  Now it made sense that she was his third. Even if she didn’t have the power to hold the position in the pack, she could fake it with her ability to ignore commands. Power plays with a mad wolf were impossible to win. I’d bet that’s how she rose up the ranks.

  Donovan sighed. “Let me get the flight sorted. I’ll be heading out as soon as I can.” He ended the call before Vivian could say anything else, then threw the phone on the bed and held his face in his hands. “Shite. This is a fucking mess.”

  I wasn’t sure how to help. Losing a second was like losing an arm. The second took charge when the Alpha was away. They had to be steadfast, smart, and trustworthy. Otherwise, the second would challenge the Alpha and cause all sorts of problems. Finding a good one… It was like a million to one, and there weren’t a million werewolves.

  With Donovan’s schedule as one of the Seven, he was going to need to find another amazing second or either give up the pack or the Council entirely. From what I knew about him, giving up the pack wasn’t a real option. He’d been the Irish pack’s Alpha for a very long time, and he wouldn’t want to let his pack go. That meant he might have to leave the Seven which no one had ever done before. Council members only left the Seven when they died.

  So he had to do the impossible. Find a new second. Very, very quickly. With everything that I’d just learned about his pack…

  He was right. This was a fucking mess.

  Donovan rolled out of bed and grabbed his laptop before coming back. “I think I can have my plane ready in a few hours.”

  He made a quick call, pacing the room as he talked, and giving me a chance to figure out what I was going to do. Because there wasn’t a doubt in my mind. This was it. This was what Cosette warned me about.

  I should stay home. Donovan would be totally fine with that—he’d probably prefer it—but I couldn’t. It was dumb. I wasn’t ready to face a mess of this size. I wasn’t strong enough. But that didn’t matter. I was Donovan’s mate, and abandoning him when he needed me was not an option. Even if it meant facing my darkest hour. Whatever the hell that was.

  He hung up the phone and turned to me. “All right. I’m heading out at six.

  I checked the clock. That was in four hours. “Okay. I can be ready. I need to—”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Yes. I am.”

  “No, you’re not.” This time he threw some command behind his words. “I’ve got a dead second. A crazy Were. Cosette warning you…” He paused. “No. I’ll not allow it.”

  “You won’t allow it?” Oh, boy. He was grieving and upset, so I tried not to get angry, but it took some doing. “I’m your mate. You don’t get to order me around.” I stepped to him. “I’m going with you.”

  “I can’t guarantee your protection. If it’s fey… If it’s not…” He let out a breath. “My best friend should’ve had his own pack by now, but he stayed on as my second out of loyalty. Whatever took him down, it’s supernatural. It’d have to be. I can’t tell what’s going on yet, but I know it’s dangerous and I don’t want you anywhere near it.”

  “I can help you, and you’re going to need me.”

  He sat down on the bed. “I can’t think…”

  I knelt in front of him. “That’s why you need me. I can do this. I can help.”

  He let out a breath. “I’m going to regret this.”

  I gave him what I hoped was a comforting smile. “Never.”

  “All right.” He shook his head. “I’m going to talk to your father and get everything ready for our trip. I’ll be back here in three hours.”

  “I’ll be ready.”

  He pulled me up to him, giving me a hard kiss. “You better be.
If I lose you, no one is safe.”

  I leaned back, looking into his glowing blue eyes. “Nothing’s going to happen to me. And I have a get out of jail free card. So, either way, I’m set.”

  “That’s not funny.”

  “Wasn’t meant to be.”

  He left, glancing back at me just before he walked through the door. His shoulders were a bit hunched and the creases around his eyes seemed deeper. My mate had some serious problems in his pack, and we both knew it.

  I stayed frozen for a second.

  What the hell was I getting myself into?

  Chapter Eight

  My father and brothers showed up in my room not long after Donovan left. It took me the better part of an hour to assure them that I was leaving and that I’d be okay. Max threatened to go with us to Ireland, but I was going to be joining the Irish pack. Possibly sooner than I’d thought. I couldn’t have him or the others there stopping me from accepting challenges. It took Donovan pledging them that he’d look after me before they saw reason. It frustrated me that after everything, they still needed Donovan’s word. I could take care of myself.

  It was just the two of us on Donovan’s plane. As we finally made our descent, I pressed my nose to the window, fogging it a little with each breath. I’d never been to Ireland before. Now I knew why my father had avoided the island, but that didn’t matter now. I pushed away all the anxious thoughts about what we’d face when we landed and let myself enjoy the view. It was too beautiful not to.

  Ireland held so many varying shades of green. As we lowered toward the Dublin airport, I could make out each square patch of variegated green, even though it was gray and raining. I spotted little cottages in the countryside and wondered about the people who lived there.

  Did Ireland have reality TV? Because I was so in for that. The stronghold better have cable. And good Wi-Fi.

  The plane’s tires finally touched the ground, and I sat frozen as we slowed to a stop. I knew it was time to get out.

  “You ready?” Donovan said.

  I jerked in my seat. It was just the two of us on his beautiful plane, which had been nice. He’d slept most of the way, but I could never sleep on planes. Especially not this trip.

  “Yeah.” I shook myself as I reached for my bright blue Longchamp bag, stuffing my book, phone, and earbuds inside.

  “Best put on your overcoat now. It’s going to be quite cold.”

  Living in Texas had thinned my blood. The last little while in Colorado—with the highs just above freezing—had been an adjustment, but now I was pretty used to the bitter temperatures. I shoved a brimmed knit hat on my head, buttoned up my coat, grabbed my scarf, and felt only partially warmer. “How do humans survive winters like this?”

  “I haven’t the foggiest.” Donovan reached for my bag, but I shook my head. I liked to carry my own things. Plus, Vivian would be outside. It was probably better if my hands were occupied or might be tempted to start something I shouldn’t. “All right then. Let’s go.”

  As I stepped onto the stairs, I spotted five men in all black waiting by a car.

  Where was everyone else? The top-ranked wolves usually came to greet their Alpha when he arrived home. It differed for every pack, but no less than the first five were required to be there, plus a handful of Cazadores. For some, it was only ten, and for others, the crowd could fill a bus. It depended how close the top people were in terms of power level. The closer they were, the more disputes in rank there would be, so more people would show up to solidify their position in the pack.

  But there should’ve been no less than ten. And where in the hell was Vivian? As much as I wanted to delay meeting her, she should’ve been here. She was Donovan’s second, at least for now. Even if I didn’t know what I knew, her absence would’ve been a huge red flag.

  Maybe she was investigating the murder? But her absence was still a definite slight against Donovan.

  The steps were slippery as we climbed down the airstair, and I was grateful for my Were balance. Eating it in front of the most powerful members of Donovan’s pack wasn’t the first impression I wanted to make. I gripped my bag a little tighter as I reached the tarmac.

  I met each Were’s gaze for a moment before moving on. The first one met it and looked down so quickly that I gasped. He was actually welcoming me to the pack? Not exactly what I was expecting after everything I’d heard.

  The next guy scowled at the first one before looking my way. He crossed his arms as he leaned back on the car. He looked away after a minute, but from his posture, he wasn’t happy about it.

  The next two proved even more standoffish.

  The little twinge of hope that the first guy had sparked died. Fine. This was what I’d expected, and I’d be happy to force submissions all day if that was what it took to be accepted around here. But each Cazador looked away in turn.

  Then I got to the last Were. A redhead. He was the hardest of the bunch. Being Donovan’s true mate meant that I’d basically become his surrogate. Eventually, I’d be able to use his power almost as if it were my own, and pack position wouldn’t be an issue. I was the Alpha’s mate. Full stop. But we hadn’t had our ceremony yet, so I had to make this guy accept my future position. Staring him down went against all my instincts and training, but making my standing known from day one was essential.

  I took in the man’s hair, a total knotted mess, and the bags under his eyes. He looked like he hadn’t slept for at least two days. Poor guy. Losing the pack’s second had done a number on him, but exhausted or not, he wouldn’t look away. I respected that, but it wasn’t going to fly with me.

  I dropped my bag from my shoulder down to my hand, ready to let it go and fight if I had to.

  Donovan stepped beside me. Everyone’s attention went immediately to him.

  “This is my mate, Meredith Molloney.” He paused to let that sink in.

  The guy I’d been staring down flushed red, and I didn’t know if it was from anger or embarrassment. Something about his stance told me that it was more likely anger, but I didn’t want to be a total pessimist. He might have realized he should’ve given in.

  “Ian Murry is my fourth.” He gestured to the redheaded guy. “He also has the pleasure of being my cousin.”

  Ian laughed, and goose bumps ran up my arms. The sound was a total echo of Donovan, and as I studied Ian, I realized his eyes were the same, and so was the shape of his mouth. I’d been so focused on the power display that I hadn’t seen what was in front of me. Except for the hair, they could’ve been brothers. Watching them clasp forearms and greet each other in Irish was eerie.

  Who knew there could be two Donovans?

  I stood aside as Donovan greeted the rest of his pack. It was interesting seeing the change in Donovan’s posture. His being. The way he spoke grew a little colder and more authoritative. He stood a little taller, with his head held a bit higher. But it wasn’t just his outward appearance that changed. The difference came from within.

  He held back his alpha energy all the time, so much so that even an alpha Were could overlook him. But when Donovan wanted to—when it suited his needs—power flowed out of him by the bucketful. Right now, it was pouring over us until I was nearly drowning. My skin grew tight as my wolf started to surface.

  He wasn’t my Donovan anymore. He was Donovan Murry, One of the Council of Seven, Alpha of the Irish pack.

  The guy who’d first accepted me approached Donovan next and gave him a big hug. They were friendly. “Glad to have you home,” he said.

  “And you, Pat. Last time I was back you were off on holiday. It’s been too long.”

  “Aye. We’ll have a pint and talk about your lass.”

  Donovan glanced at me with a wink. “That sounds grand.”

  The other three gave Donovan nods and handshakes, but they were about as welcoming of him as they were of me. Out of the five that had actually shown up, only two were on good terms with their Alpha.

  Even in troubled packs, only a h
andful of Weres usually had issues with their Alpha. But judging from this group, it was more like three out of every five had a problem with Donovan. Meaning the majority of his pack. This was a total mess.

  After greeting everyone, we moved toward the cars. Donovan, Ian, and I got in a small hatchback. The cars were smaller in Europe, so the other four Weres shoved into a second, slightly larger microscopic car.

  “Where’s Vivian?” Donovan asked as soon as we were on the road.

  I gritted my teeth as I waited for the answer. There had to be a good excuse—something extremely important to warrant her not being here—if this slight was to be forgiven.

  Ian grunted. “She didn’t want to come. Said she had better things to do, although she’s probably doing nothing but staring at herself in the mirror. Typical narcissistic Vivian. Why you ever—” He cut off as his gaze met mine in the rearview mirror.

  I gave him my best smile. This so wasn’t good. She should’ve been there. No excuses. If Donovan didn’t reprimand her for skipping out, he was going to look weak. He couldn’t afford that, even for a second. Especially not if what I’d just seen was indicative of how the entire pack felt about him.

  “I’m not looking forward to dealing with that,” Donovan murmured.

  “Saoirse is threatening to challenge her,” Ian said.

  Sitting quietly wasn’t like me, but I was getting quite the education. Whoever this Saoirse was, I wanted to meet her. And I wondered if she was the same Saoirse who Ciara had mentioned. If she didn’t like Vivian, then I had a feeling we’d be fast friends.

  “That wouldn’t turn out well. Best to tell your mate to calm it,” Donovan said.

  “Calm it?” I mouthed. If anyone said that to me, I’d definitely do the exact opposite. Only a total moron would say that to their mate and expect to live. But, somehow, no matter how old the boy was, he never quite grew out of dumbassland.

  “Aye. I’ve done so already. Bet you can guess how well that went over.”

  Donovan laughed for the first time since we got on the plane. “I’d never actually think to tell Saoirse such a thing. I can’t see any markings on you, so the damage wasn’t permanent.”