by Lia Davis
Jared had raised her from an infant after their parents died. It saddened her to not know them like he did, but Jared always made sure she knew about them and their lives. She’d loved the stories he told her about them. She so wished she’d been able to know what her mother’s face looked like in all stages of life instead of the few photos Jared had given her or know what it felt like to be hugged by her father.
“You smell like the lion. Do I want to know?”
His thoughts broke through her musings, making her pause. Shit. She hadn’t thought about her brother’s reaction to her having two mates. Not like it mattered, really. She was her own person, and if Jared had issues with the triad, then he’d have to get over them.
Oh, God. She was going to do it. She was going to take the leap and see if it worked.
And she hoped it did. Graham was the missing link in her and Blaine’s life. Her jaguar felt it, and she knew deep down it was right. Even though a tiny voice said no, she was going to do it.
“Graham is also my mate,” she said softly, then waited for some kind of argument.
It never came.
Jared let out a heavy sigh and laid his head down on his paws. “I don’t know anything about him, other than he’s Nevan’s brother.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but closed it. Graham was like a stranger, yet she felt as if she’d known him longer than just a few days. Arguing that Graham was her mate, and she felt it deep inside, even though she wasn’t sure about bonding to anyone, was useless. Jared would only remind her that mates, bound or not, would betray her for the right price.
Case in point was Keegan and Cate. She’d never known the Alpha’s mate, but Blaine said she’d sold information to Onyx that had led to the downfall of Ashwood. The strong leopard Pack lost hundreds of its strongest members, along with just as many children.
The war heightened to a new level, forcing Moonriver—Luna and her wolves—and Ashwood to form an alliance and merge the Packs together.
Then there was Jared’s mate.
Cameron had never met her, nor did she know what the female had done to Jared. Her brother had simply come back to her broken, in spirit and in the heart.
She let out a sigh and said, “So get to know him.”
He made a noise that sounded too much like a chuckle. “I plan to. He made an appointment to see me about Isaac’s will.”
Figured. He loved messing with her emotions. “Stop teasing me. You already spoke to him, then?”
“Over the phone. I’ll save my judgment for the face-to-face.”
She’d sat up to scowl at her brother when wind swirled around them, and the faint coopery scent of blood drifted in with it. Jared lifted his head and perked up his ears while scenting the air.
The hairs on the back of her neck stood to attention, and a chill slid down her spine. There should be a sentry on guard several yards away.
Jared stood, and his body went taut as if sensing danger. In jaguar form, her brother was more lethal than Keegan. Jared turned his large black jaguar head to her, his pupils swallowing all the color in his eyes. “Which of the sentries is on guard?”
“Jason.”
“And?” he prompted.
Shit. The sentry was alone. That wasn’t anything new. Most guarded their posts alone. All the sentries were strong fighters. Jason was actually in training to become a senior soldier.
She stood and jogged toward Jason’s post. Each step darkened the dread running over her. When she came to the spot, there was no one there. She peered up in the trees in case Jason was in leopard form and hiding out. But there was no one perched on the branches.
Goose bumps covered her skin, making the hairs stand on end as icy fear raced over her. Jared circled the area then took off in a dead run. Fuck. She reached inside her mind and found her link to the enforcers. “Blaine.”
“Yeah.” His reply came almost instantly, telling her he felt her distress. No, they didn’t have a mating bond, but they were connected through the blood ties to the Alpha as enforcers.
“Is Jason supposed to be on post in the southeast sector?” She didn’t like this one bit. Each sentry was chosen for their loyalty and lethal ability to bring down rogues and other threats.
“Yes. Why?” Blaine’s tone came out clipped as if he too sensed something through the enforcers’ bond they all shared.
“I think you need to get a team down here, fast.”
She didn’t give him time to respond. She cut the mind link and reached down to her thigh holster, only to remember she didn’t have it.
Fuck.
She wasn’t about to turn around. She hadn’t made senior enforcer on her looks. As the only female, she’d had to work hard and be stronger than the males. She let her claws slide out of her fingertips and sniffed the air. Her heart sank, as the scent of blood on the breeze grew stronger.
Dropping her shields, she tried to mind link with Jason. “Jason.”
Nothing.
Dammit.
She edged through the trees in the same direction Jared had gone then sagged at the sight of the fallen sentry. Her brother stood over Jason, shaking his large head.
“Cam. What do you got?” Blaine asked in her mind.
She just shook her head, words failing her at the gruesome sight in front of her. Jason’s throat was bitten through. Chunks of flesh and muscle were gone, exposing bone on one side. Fury rose inside her. Her brother had suffered a similar attack last winter while on a Hunt, a challenge of strength and wits, with Nevan. Only they were able to get to Jared in time to save him.
There was no saving Jason.
She’d sensed Blaine and two of the other enforcers as they approached a moment before Blaine said, “Fuck.”
“He’s dead.” They most likely knew it, but she said it anyway.
Alec crouched down beside the body and scented the air around the sentry. “No scent trail.” He met Jared’s gaze. “Do you pick up on anything?”
Jared peered at Cameron and said, “Mutants are near.”
Cameron scanned the area. The creeped-out feeling still hung in the air. Her skin felt tight. Jared was right. The animals that had done this were still around.
She released a low growl at the faint scent and stepped around Jason’s body. Blaine stopped her by thrusting her thigh holster and gun into her chest. “From now on, you run with this bitch.”
He’d get no argument from her on that.
She strapped the holster in place, and, as one, she and Blaine followed the scent. A few yards ahead, they spotted a rogue running away from them. They gave chase. Cameron was the first to reach the bastard. She tackled him to the ground. They rolled until she gained control and landed on top him. “This is for Jason.” She twisted the rogue’s neck, snapping his spinal cord.
Rising, she glanced around to see Blaine fighting a mutant a few feet away. The half-man, half-beast swiped at Blaine’s chest. Blaine roared in pain and fury then charged back at the creature, punching at its chest with his own claws extended.
She drew her gun and aimed, but she couldn’t get a clear shot without hitting Blaine. They were a tangle of fists hitting flesh and moving too fast for her to track. Yet, if she didn’t do something, she’d lose him. Considering the way the mutant moved and took the blows Blaine was dishing out, the creature must have been busted up with some super drug.
“Sorry, Blaine.”
She lowered the barrel of her 9 mm and fired. Her heart stopped as Blaine cried out and went down. But she focused on the mutant, who stood dumfounded. Raising her gun back up, she fired again, hitting the monster between the eyes.
Holstering her Glock, she ran to Blaine.
He glared at her. “You fucking shot me.”
“Just be glad it was my bullet that brought you down instead of the mutant’s teeth.” She raised his jeans over the calf muscle. Relief flooded her. “It’s just a knick.”
“Knick hell
. Female, there’s a damn bullet in my leg.”
She lifted his arm to place it around her shoulders and helped him stand. “Can you teleport?”
He grunted. “Yeah, I can teleport.”
Alec and Dane rushed out of the trees and froze. Cameron waved a hand at them and said, “Take care of the freak back there.” She nodded toward the mutant. “Then bring Jason’s body to the medical center.”
She didn’t hear their replies because the world around her fuzzed out as Blaine teleported them to the medical center.
Chapter Ten
Graham sat on the sofa at Nevan’s trying like hell to figure out the equations and symbols. He didn’t know a thing about physics or chemistry or whatever the hell they called this shit. It all looked like a bunch of letters with numbers thrown in for good measure.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. What the hell happened, Isaac?
When he opened his eyes and lowered his hand, he saw Sammie standing next to him looking at the journal. He grabbed her into a hug and tugged her onto his lap. “Have I told you I missed you?”
She giggled. “Yes. I missed you, too.” She rested her head on his chest and brought the book onto her lap. “This,” she point to the word lupus, “is Latin for wolf.”
He raised a brow at her. “You read Latin?”
She shrugged. “Daddy taught me.”
“Okay, so what does this mean?”
She cocked her head and studied the writing. “That’s a chemical equation. The letters are elements from the periodic table.” She turned and met his eyes. “Didn’t you take chemistry?”
“A long ass time ago,” he muttered then asked her, “So, ‘Miss Chemist’, what is it?”
She shrugged again. “Don’t know. It’s some kind of formula to make something.”
A cold chill ran down his back. No. Isaac wouldn’t. Not unless he was forced or feared for the life of his children. Damn it all to hell!
Sammie looked at him wide-eyed. “What’s wrong? You know something.”
Dani came into the living room at that time, and Graham held the book up, opened to the page he and Sammie were looking at. “What do you think this is?”
Dani dipped her eyebrows and read over the page. When she looked back at him, her eyes held a hint of fear in them. “I could be completely wrong. It’s been a while since I studied bio-chemistry.”
“What is it, Dani?” Graham urged softly.
“It could be the formula for the mutant serum.”
Sammie gasped, and Graham hugged her close as she spoke. “Josie said she was infected with the mutant virus.”
Dani frowned. “Yes. We don’t know how. She was so sick, but lucky for her Shay has a natural resistance to the virus and was able to help her.”
Sammie nodded. “Yeah, she said Luna made her wolf come out.”
Graham peered at Dani as she handed the journal back to him. “I always wondered why she was the only four-year-old able to shift.”
“And a ball of energy too.” Dani smiled then frowned as her cell rang. She peered at the screen and quickly answered it. “Hello…how bad? Okay, I’ll be right there.”
She met Graham’s stare and sighed. “Blaine’s been shot.”
His heart sank to his stomach. “What? How bad?”
Dani’s frown held, but there was there also amusement in her gaze. She moved to the door saying, “Cameron shot him in the leg. It’s not life-threatening.”
He eased Sammie off his lap and frowned. Max was taking a nap. Sammie took his hand and squeezed. “If Max wakes before you get back, I’ll bring him to you.”
He peered down at her, and his heart swelled. She was so strong and way too young to have gone through what she did. Those rogues would pay for harming his babies. He stroked a finger down her cheek. “Thanks.” He knelt down at eye level with her, which wasn’t too far. She came up to his chest. “I love you, Sammie.”
She smiled wide and threw her arms around his neck. “Love you, too, Papa. Now go take care of your mates.”
He drew back and studied her. “How did you…?”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m ten, not blind.”
Dani cleared her throat, drawing his attention back to her. “I’ll explain on the way.”
Explain what? And when had Sammie started to grow up enough to notice things like mating and relationships?
He followed Dani out the door. The tug to go back inside, wake up Max, and bring him and Sammie with him was strong. Beside him, Dani laughed.
“She’ll be okay.”
“I know. I can’t help but want to keep them safe twenty-four-seven.”
Dani let out another soft laugh. “I know. They’ve been through a lot. But, really, they are as safe as they can be inside the den.”
He knew that, understood it now that he’d been here for the past week. Being in a Pack was like having a hundred or so siblings. The love and respect between the members was just as strong, if not stronger, than the bond he had with his brothers and mother.
“Yeah, you’re right. This whole Onyx Pack issue has put me on edge.”
Dani gently touched his bicep when they reached the door of the medical center. “Trust me, everyone’s on edge because of those bastards. But we have to remain a Pack and support each other.”
“Does Nevan know how great you are?”
She smiled. “I think he has some idea.” She stepped inside the building and instantly went into doctor mode.
Sasha, the wolf Healer, stepped out of a room to their right with a smirk. “He’s grumpy.”
Dani snorted and entered the room. Graham was right on her heels. “So, Blaine, you finally pushed Cam’s last button?”
Graham’s gaze landed on the large male sitting up on the bed, his injured leg stretched out in front of him. Blaine had nothing but a pair of black boxers on. Besides the dried blood and dime-size hole in his leg, he looked good.
Blaine’s gaze found his, and he gave Graham a nod before turning to the Healer. “You’re not funny, Dani.”
Dani laughed and rolled up her sleeves to the thin cotton shirt she wore, exposing the webs of scar tissue that ran up her right arm. Graham knew she’d been in a fire and badly burned while trying to bring down a drugged-out teen several years ago. Nevan had told him, not to expose his mate, but as a warning not to let her see him notice the scars.
The Healer knew though. She covered them as much as she could, and Graham figured it was so that others didn’t cast her pitiful gazes.
Cameron came into the room, winked at him, and went to Blaine’s side. Graham stifled a grin at her as she narrowed her eyes on Blaine. “I think Dani should make you heal on your own.”
Blaine gripped Cameron by the back of neck and drew her in for a hard, possessive kiss. Graham tensed at first, not use to his mates’ edgy playfulness with one another, but he relaxed as soon as Blaine’s mouth claimed Cam’s. His body came to life as he watched them. Memories of the three of them from the night before filled his mind. His cock hardened, pressing painfully into the zipper of his jeans.
As if sensing his shift in mood, Blaine broke the kiss and motioned him over with a jerk of the head. Graham walked over and gave the male a crooked grin. “So, what did you do to warrant Cam’s bullet?” he teased, hoping like hell it was an accident.
He couldn’t imagine Cameron shooting her mate on purpose. Yeah, she could kill; he didn’t doubt that. She was an enforcer and, from what he’d heard, a kick-ass-take-no-names enforcer. But he had seen her soft side, her maternal side, and the love she gave her friends and family.
Cameron leaned into Graham, pressing her shoulder into his bicep. The warmth from her body relaxed him a little, and her sweet jasmine scent made him want to take her, again.
Blaine sucked in a breath. Graham peered at Dani next to him. She had placed her hand over the wound and a soft glow bled through her fingers as she pushed her healing
powers into him. After what seemed like minutes, she raised her hand to reveal the hole completely closed up. The skin around it was still red and angry.
Blaine moved his leg to hang it off the bed and clasped Graham on the shoulder. “Our mate thought shooting me would save my life.”
Graham felt his lips twitch. Amusement filled him at Blaine’s teasing tone, washing out the tension he’d had when Dani said Blaine had been shot. Cameron looked up at Graham from where she stood between them and rolled her eyes. “He’s alive, isn’t he?”
Graham let out a laugh. “Yes, but he still has that big ego.”
Cameron snorted. “You are so right.”
Blaine scowled and hopped off the bed, wincing when he put weight on his injured leg. Graham reached out, but Blaine shook his head and waved him and Cameron off. The male was stubborn, but Graham already knew that.
Cameron wrapped an arm around Blaine’s waist, ignoring the low growl he gave her. “I’m taking grumpy home to rest.”
Graham dipped his head to hide the grin that wouldn’t leave. These two shifters did that to him. Made him smile and laugh. Something he’d rarely done since Isaac left. Shaking off the depressing thoughts before they could take root, he said, “I’m heading over to Jared’s office. Do you mind if I stop by your place after? I found something in the journal.”
Blaine bobbed his head as he gave up fighting Cam off and leaned on her. “Sounds great. Cam can cook us dinner tonight.”
She rolled her eyes again but smiled. “Sure, why not? You like cereal?”
It was Blaine’s turn to laugh. “Now you are just being difficult, female.” He winked at Graham and said, “She’s a great cook.”
Without a clear thought, Graham leaned in and pressed a kiss to Cameron’s lips. She let out a low purr as she kissed him back. Pulling back, he peered at Blaine, whose gray eyes glowed with desire. But, before he stepped away, Blaine cupped the back of Graham’s neck and pulled him in for a quick kiss on the mouth.
