by Lia Davis
The only female whose presence offered Keegan true peace.
That alone should have sent him packing and forced him to stay far away from her because the last thing he wanted was a female in his life. He should have had Shay bring the journal. His daughter was one of the very few who didn’t trigger the Scribe’s sensitivity to touch that caused Addyson horrific pain, but the quiet inside his head was too addicting, too comforting.
So, yeah, he was a selfish ass, but he also wanted to check on her. As the Alpha, he had a right to check on his Pack members.
Addyson was the only known Scribe still living. She’d come to Ashwood just before the merger of the two Packs thirty years ago, broken and afraid of everyone. Keegan had recognized her for what she was and understood her fear.
Scribes had the powerful ability to see the history of objects and to see the sins of people through skin-to-skin contact. After he got her safe inside the den and had gained her trust not to bring pain or any harm to her, she had told him she’d escaped from a dungeon inside the rogues’ hideout. The rogues had subjected her to a sensory overload by carelessly touching her bare skin and not allowing her to protect herself.
Fury had ignited through his veins, and he had ordered the hideout to be destroyed. That was the only time Keegan had been able to give those bastards what they deserved. After that, the rogues moved from place to place and stayed on the move.
It still pissed him off to think about the kinds of things Addyson had seen when they touched her and the pain it had caused her. She’d been nearly insane when she stumbled across the wards surrounding Ashwood Falls.
That was also when Keegan discovered she had a natural shield against his mind-bending and telepathy. He couldn’t help her by taking the images from her and mending her mind. She had to heal on her own.
She still wouldn’t tell him, or anyone, about her time in captivity other than they’d touched her arms and face as a punishment of some sort. He bet they were purposely trying to drive her insane.
Bastards.
Some members of the Pack whispered that she wasn’t sane at all, something Keegan put a stop to as soon as he heard the childish rumors.
Scribes were generally submissive and loners because contact with others pained them to the core and threatened their sanity.
When he reached the front porch, he listened. A faint humming reached his supernatural hearing that made him smile. Instead of climbing the stairs, he turned to his right and strode around the house.
In the back yard, he spotted Addyson squatting in the middle of her garden, patting down the dirt of a recently planted rose bush. She wore a pair of jeans and a lavender form-fitting top, her bare feet looking sexy as hell in on the damp grass. Her gold, black, and purple hair hung loose and blew in the wind wildly around her.
As if sensing him, her head snapped up. She stood and started walking toward the house. When he followed her, she took off into a run with a hint of fear in her scent.
Fuck.
He didn’t mean to startle her.
He ran after her, catching up to her as she reached the screen door to her sunroom. “Addyson, wait.”
She stopped but didn’t look at him. “I’m covered in soil. Let me clean up.”
He felt his lips twitch. “Let me come in and wait then.”
She glanced back at him, her eyes moving to the journal in his hand. “You have something to ask me?”
“Yes.”
With a sigh, she nodded and opened the screen door. He followed her into the sunroom. When she disappeared inside the house, he sat down on one of the cushioned wicker chairs and set the journal on the glass-top coffee table in front of him.
He closed his eyes as he sat in the screened enclosure listening to peaceful sounds of nature around him. He’d chosen this section of the den for Addyson knowing she’d enjoy the quiet.
And, she had.
He saw it on her face after she moved in and again every time he visited.
The creak of the door made him open his eyes and turn his head to the door. Addyson stepped down into the sunroom and smiled. Her three-toned hair was wet from a shower. He frowned. “I must have dozed off.” That disturbed him. Was he truly that tired?
Addyson laughed softly. “I wouldn’t doubt it. You look tired.” She sat down on the loveseat next to the chair he sat in. “Oh. I forgot. Would you like some tea?”
Out of instinct, he reached over and grabbed her forearm to stop her from rising. She froze, and their gazes locked, her dark violet eyes growing large in surprise. Immediately, he let go. “Sorry. Are you okay?”
She shook her head and averted her gaze. “Yes. No visions. It’s all right. I’m fine.”
Scooting forward, she peered at the journal curiously. “What is it?”
He resisted teasing her because she was still a little uneasy from the touch. Damn him. He shouldn’t have been so careless. What if she had picked up something from his past? Lord knows he hadn’t been an angel in his younger days. Then there was the darkest time in his life. The time he’d lost his beloved Cate. The anger and hurt had driven him to the brink of madness, literally.
Addyson didn’t deserve those memories. She’d come a long way in stabilizing her own sanity. “Addy?”
She looked at him and smiled. “I’m fine, promise.”
Taking a breath, he told her what he knew about the journal, which wasn’t a whole hell of a lot. “We believe Isaac meant for Graham to find the Onyx den and relay the information to me.”
Nodding, she agreed. “It seems so to take such a risk with his children like that.”
She hovered one of her hands inches above the leather-bound book. Keegan had seen her do this many times before. He never asked what she was doing, but he guessed she was picking up on the energy surrounding the object.
Lowering her hand, she touched the cover lightly with her fingers and jerked back suddenly. Keegan went to move, and she stood and paced away from him. “I’m fine.”
She sat on the other cushion of the loveseat, farther away from him. His leopard whimpered, giving the man pause. Surely his cat didn’t want to mate with her. No, there was no second mate.
Not for him.
Ever.
“I felt the heat from the fire. I should have been prepared for it since you just told me about the house fire.” Addyson said while she stared at the book a little less than an arm’s length away from her. “Can you slide it down the table?”
He nodded and pushed the journal toward her.
“Thanks.” This time she snatched the book off the table and held it to her chest. She gasped and closed her eyes.
He rushed over, slid the table aside, and knelt before her, careful not to touch her. She opened her eyes suddenly.
“Dammit, Keegan. Why do you do that?”
“I worry about you.”
She crinkled her forehead. “Why?”
Because he was an idiot and in denial. “Because you are an important part of the Pack. I worry for the safety of all my people.”
He swore he saw a shade of hurt pass over her features, but it was gone in an instant. She shoved the book into his chest. “It is as you think. There are clues in there that will lead you to the Onyx. However, it’s all written in some kind of mathematical code or something. There are formulas and notes that I don’t understand.”
He stood and took a couple of steps back. “Thank you. Is there anything I can do for you?”
She stood and held his gaze for several moments before shaking her head. “No. I must rest now. Goodbye, Keegan.”
She turned away from him and went inside, locking the door behind her.
Why on earth did it feel like she had just locked him out of her life?
****
Addyson pressed her back against the closed door, heart pounding so hard it felt as though her whole body thumped in time with it. The Alpha had always done that to her. The strange t
hing was that his touch muted her ability. That scared her more than it should have.
She knew she was being silly and should just face him, but every time he was near, she got nervous, shaky, and her body heated. At first she didn’t understand her reaction to Keegan. Then she’d asked Rhea one day when she visited the nursery. The den mother admitted she wasn’t the best person to speak with on the matter, but what she did confirm was certain signs Rhea had witnessed with other “love birds”, as the female put it.
Rhea said her mother explained it as an internal yearning, a draw to the person that was too strong to fight. That was when she discovered she was attracted to the Alpha.
Oh, God. When she’d seen him in her backyard, she had tried to get away. But there was no escaping a male like Keegan. His power itself forbid it.
She pushed off the door and put a kettle of water on the stove. She really did need to rest after pulling images from the book Keegan had given her. The man who’d written in the journal was terrified for the well being of his children and also knew that he would die for betraying the Onyx Pack.
Shit. In her haste to get rid of Keegan and the need that coursed through her when he was around, she’d forgotten the most important part of her vision. She picked up her cell from the counter and dialed.
Keegan answered on the first ring. “What’s wrong?”
She set her jaw and closed her eyes. “I’m fine. I just forgot to tell you something about Isaac.”
There was quiet for a moment, and then he said, “Go on.”
“There was a great deal of sorrow and grief wrapped around the book.” She bet if she had opened the pages the flood of emotions would drown her and shut down her abilities for days, maybe weeks. It happened before when she was held captive by the Onyx Pack after they broke her. She couldn’t create shields anymore that would prevent the more intense emotions from reducing her into a shaking, crying ball on the floor.
“So he knew he’d die.”
Keegan’s words snapped her out of memory fog and Addyson nodded. “Yes. I believe so.”
“Thanks, Addy. Go rest. Call if you need anything.”
She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I will. Bye, Keegan.”
She hung up before he could say anything else, afraid he would say something that would make her want to stay on the line longer. She didn’t want to talk to him or see him. He’d break her heart.
Everyone knew that a submissive half-breed freak was not fit to be the Alpha’s mate.
Chapter Nine
Graham entered the nursery with Max on his hip and Sammie beside him. A child-like squeal made him look up to see Josie running toward them. She stopped in front of them and said, “Hi!”
Graham gave a short nod. “Hi.”
Josie grabbed Sammie’s hand and tugged her toward the classrooms, chatting the whole way. Graham shook his head and walked over to the preschool wing of the large building. The nursery on the west end housed the classrooms where all the five-and-unders spent their days while their parents worked, and the school was located on the east end.
Graham liked the current design but suggested some minor changes to allow more space between the older kids and the younger plus new computer rooms for each wing. They would be located in the center of the den with a block wall enclosing the area. The new section would not only keep the children safe, but it would serve as a shelter in case of an attack.
He stopped at the door to Max’s classroom and knocked lightly. A moment later, a female with short auburn hair opened the door. “Oh, you must be Graham.” She held out her hand. “I’m Rhea, head den mother.”
Graham shook her hand. “Yes. It’s nice to meet you.”
She smiled and turned her attention to Max. “Hello, Max. Are you ready for your first day at school?”
Max shook his head and said, “No.”
“Max,” Graham warned. The scent of jasmine drifted around him, making his lion pace under his skin.
He turned to peer behind him. Cameron walked toward him in a pair of black yoga pants and a tight black tank top. Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a high ponytail. After the night he had with her and Blaine, it took all his control to suppress a groan.
By her raised eyebrow, he bet he wasn’t doing a very good job of masking his desire. “Is someone being difficult?” she said, coming to a stop next to him.
Max laughed and held his little arms out to her. “Cam!”
She took him and kissed his cheek. “Why are you giving your papa such a hard time? Didn’t we talk about it at home?”
Max nodded, his fingers in his mouth. Cam pulled his hand away from his face. “You will have a lot of fun here today. Don’t you want to meet friends?”
He smiled. “Yes.”
Rhea asked the next question. “Does he say more than one word at a time?”
Graham answered, “Yes, he can. For some reason, he only does it around me now.”
Cameron handed Max over to Rhea. “Do you think he could be picking up on emotions already and he’s not sure what to do with them?”
Graham paused. Of course. “That may be it. I’ll have Nevan start working with him in the evenings to teach him how to block emotions.”
“That’ll be great.”
Rhea gave them a little wave to get out of there since she had distracted Max with some large Legos.
Taking the hint, he and Cameron walked out of the nursery together in silence. Hell, he didn’t know what to say to her. When they were outside and away from too many ears, he said, “Last night was the first time I…”
She pressed a finger to his lips, halting his confession. “I know. Dani told me. Last night was a first for me too. I’ve never been with anyone but Blaine. Why should I? He’s my mate.”
“And me?”
She lifted her golden-brown eyes to his. “It appears I have two.” He stepped closer to her, and she stopped with a hand pressed to his chest. “I want to go a little slow. Get to know you.”
“Then let’s go to dinner. Just the two of us.”
“I’d like that.”
Graham’s heart swelled with pride, and his pulse quickened with anticipation to have Cameron to his self. “Great. How about tomorrow night? Your place? You know, since I really don’t have one yet.”
She laughed. “Sure. I can kick Blaine out for the night.” She paused then studied him for a moment. “Wait. Did you say yet?”
“I decided to stay in Ashwood yesterday morning when I saw how important it was for Sammie. She needs to be a child, and Max needs the strength of the Pack.”
Cameron’s face brightened. “That’s great. Well, I’m off for my morning run in human form.”
“Be careful.”
She shot him a grin and rolled her eyes. “Always.”
Graham stood there for several moments watching her jog into the forest that surrounded the den. He was a lucky bastard to have found two mates. All he had to do was figure out a way to make it work without losing his heart.
****
Cameron jogged to the first of two magickal barriers that circled the den and slowed to a walk. The wards were more powerful now that Travis, Robyn, and Shay had strengthened them less than a month ago during their mating ceremony. Cameron still wasn’t used to being linked to the wards and damn sure not comfortable enough just to run through them.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped through the invisible wall and shuddered. The magick nipped at her skin as it slid over her as if testing her intent. Humans would turn away from the wards, not really knowing why. Rogues, on the other hand, knew they were there and didn’t care that they served as an alarm system, sending a pulse of energy to the enforcers, sentries and the Alphas connected to the wards.
The rogues no longer had the element of surprise. Once they crossed over the outer barrier, sentries and enforcers swarmed them almost immediately. That had only happened once since they’d reinforced t
he walls.
But Cameron wasn’t naive enough to believe the bastards wouldn’t try again. She just hoped Ashwood would be ready if and when the Onyx Pack raged a full-on assault. That’s why it was so important to find the den and take out as many of those assholes as they could.
Shaking off the tingles from passing through the ward, she darted to the right in a full run.
The warming spring air flowed over her skin, soothing away some of the tension that had built over the last couple of days. Most of the tension had been caused by the males in her life. Yes, she had two males, two mates. Christ, how the hell had that happened?
Then there was Blaine’s acceptance of it all. It had floored her that the possessive, don’t-touch-my-female alpha male had actually stepped aside to not only let Graham touch her, but to do things to her that only Blaine had done.
She came to a stop and listened. The forest was quiet, too quiet. A snap of a twig had her whirling around and crouching into a fighting stance. She relaxed when she saw the large black jaguar stalk toward her from the shadows of the forest.
“Hi, Jared. Out for a run?”
Her brother nodded his large cat head and brushed his body against her legs in greeting when he reached her. Cameron smiled and stroked his spotted black fur. “Do you want to run?”
“No, can we just sit?” Jared sent her the thought.
Not many shifter siblings could communicate telepathically while in animal form, but Jared had always been able to with her. She wasn’t sure why because Jared wasn’t a telepath like Keegan. No, Jared was another form of mindbender. He could pull memories and past crimes from others, which came in handy as the legal counsel for the Pack.
His ability also allowed him to send thoughts to those he was bound with, like family and a mate.
She sat down in the grass and waited for him to stretch out beside her. When he did, she laid back so her head rested on his back. Jared wasn’t only her brother but her guardian. Or had been before she became an adult, although he still acted like a father even now, always the protector and commander.
