by Cali MacKay
“None of this is your fault.” Greyson pulled her into the safety of his strong arms, as she nestled herself against his broad chest, hoping that her nightmare was finally over. But as all the emotions she’d been trying to keep reined in slipped free, she found it impossible to hold back her quiet sobs, even as Greyson rocked her, kissing the top of her head. “Hush, love… Cullen will be okay—and we can rebuild our home. Make it bigger for our family. And now, the bears are dead, and if Flint wasn’t already, he will be. Your nightmare’s over, Juno.”
Was it really? She wanted to believe it, but couldn’t. Not after all she’d been through—and not if Cullen didn’t survive this. “Please, Greyson…can you call them about Cullen? I need to know he’s okay.”
But before he could make the call, there was a knock at the bedroom door. “May I come in?”
Greyson nodded and got to his feet so the doctor would have room to work, though his absence left Juno desperate to pull him back to her. “Juno, this is Aster. She’s one of our pack members.”
Aster gave Juno a reassuring smile as she set down her bag and crossed to her side. “May I?”
Juno nodded, and Aster proceeded to give her a quick but thorough examination. “Though I’m sure your injuries are painful, you’re a shifter now, and though I could stitch up your wounds, the bleeding has stopped, and you should be healed by morning. As for your baby…it’s still too early to pick up on a heartbeat. That said, there doesn’t seem to be much abdominal injury, and in this case, being so early in the pregnancy likely worked to your advantage.”
“My only real concern was for the baby. The rest…it’ll all heal. I don’t need stitches.” If anything, it’d be the waiting that killed her—not her injuries—since it’d likely be weeks before she knew if the baby was okay. “Thank you for coming by on such short notice.”
“Anytime.” Aster packed her bag and gave Juno a reassuring smile. “If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to call me.”
Once Aster was gone, Greyson put in a call to the doctor who was treating Cullen—though it quickly became clear that Cullen’s injuries were far more severe. By the time Greyson hung up, her tears were unstoppable. “You need to go see him, Greyson.”
He shook his head no, and then sat by her side. “I can’t leave you, Juno.”
Yet Cullen was the only one who mattered at this point, especially when she was on the mend. “You have to go. Please, Greyson…the only reason he’s injured is because of me. I’ll never forgive myself if he doesn’t pull through.” And then it occurred to her. “Actually, I need to come with you. I can try to heal him.”
“You’re in no shape to heal anyone, love.” He shook his head no, but she was already climbing out of bed.
“Do you think Ryder has a shirt I can borrow?” Hers was covered in Flint’s blood and torn to shreds. Each movement was stiff and painful, but it didn’t matter. Not when Cullen’s life hung in the balance.
Ignoring Greyson’s curses, she carefully pulled off her top, as he shook his head and went to grab her something to wear, quickly returning with a flannel shirt that would be easy for her to get into.
“You’re a stubborn woman, Juno.”
“But you still love me, right?” She managed a teasing smile to cover up the stabbing pain she was fighting through.
“Always.” Greyson helped her into the shirt, looking far too worried. “Come on then. The quicker we get you there, the quicker we can get you back, so you can rest and heal.”
Luckily, the ride to where Cullen was being treated was a short one. And though she knew he was in rough shape, nothing could have prepared her for the reality of his injuries. He was covered in blood, the gashes far too deep and far too many, his breathing shallow as he lay there fading in and out of consciousness.
In such a short time, Cullen had become like a second father to her, coming to her aid and her defense on far too many occasions. Trying to heal him was the very least she could do. “May I?”
When the doctor nodded, she sat by his bedside, with Greyson and Kiernan close by. Greyson put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Do what you can for him, love. But…just be careful.”
“I will.” She just hoped this would work. She’d expelled so much of her energy while trying to get away from Flint that she wasn’t sure if her body had been given enough time to recharge, as it were. But even if she just healed him enough to pull him away from the brink, it might be enough to keep him alive so his body could eventually heal itself, or she could continue trying to heal him once her energy returned.
Doing her best to focus, she gathered what energy she could, pulling it together into a healing ball of white light, and feeding it with the love she had for Cullen and for Greyson. She placed her hands on Cullen’s chest and envisioned his wounds closing, the white light engulfing his body. She poured that energy into him until there was nothing else to give him, and she collapsed against Greyson, completely spent, before slipping into a quiet darkness.
Chapter Fourteen
Greyson cradled Juno in his arms, worried that she’d pushed herself too far. And yet, as all but the worst of Cullen’s wounds healed over and he regained consciousness, he couldn’t have been more grateful for what she’d just done.
With a smile of relief, Kiernan took his father’s hand in his. “Dad… You had us so fucking worried.”
Cullen squeezed his son’s hand in response, cringing in pain as he shifted in bed. “Juno…is she okay?”
With a nod, Greyson kissed the top of her head. “She’ll be fine—and I can’t thank you enough for all you did to keep her safe.”
“Anything for family. You know that, son.” Cullen rested his head back against the pillows, clearly needing more time to heal.
Jackson stepped forward. “I think it’s best if Cullen rests for now. It’ll be the quickest way for his body to finish the healing process.”
Greyson nodded, scooping Juno up in his arms as he got to his feet. “Call me if you need anything at all—and keep me updated.”
Kiernan followed them out to his vehicle as Greyson settled Juno in, far too worried about her, though for now, she seemed to just be asleep, no doubt drained from the healing. But fuck…he knew that if it hadn’t been for her gift, Cullen likely wouldn’t have survived the night.
“Will she be okay?” Kiernan was looking both worried about Juno and relieved about his father.
“Yeah…I think so. She just needs to rest.” Greyson gently closed the door, and turned to face his brother. “Please tell me all the bears that were hunting Juno are now dead, along with Flint.”
“They’re dead. Dad took out most of them, and then Sawyer finished them and kept Dad alive. As for Flint, Juno took care of him all on her own.” Kiernan put a gentle hand on Greyson’s shoulder. “Her nightmare’s over. She’s safe now.”
And if she was finally safe, that meant there was less of a reason to challenge Kiernan as alpha. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for her. Truly.”
“That’s what we do for family—for the pack. Right?” But it was more than just that. Kiernan had stepped up, time and again. And maybe Greyson had been wrong to question Kiernan’s ability as pack leader, even though he’d only been trying to keep Juno from harm—and a fat lot of good that had done.
But now? That was all behind them. Finally. And though they may still have some obstacles ahead of them, like making sure their baby was okay and rebuilding their home, they had each other and everyone was safe.
That was all that mattered.
***
Over the course of the next week or two, Juno regained her health completely, and Cullen was well on his way. But best of all, Juno was finally able to leave all her fears behind, and live a normal life. Well…as normal as things would ever be for a shifter.
They’d moved back into his parents’ home while they designed a new cabin that would accommodate what Greyson hoped would be their growing family, and everything else
had fallen into place. Sawyer and the bears no longer wished Juno any harm, and even Thayer was happy now that she’d agreed to be an honorary member of his pack as their Laighir. There was just one more thing he needed her to tackle—shifting.
It wasn’t something she could keep just ignoring or avoid doing, especially as the energy continued to build. It’d eventually overwhelm her, though he knew that after things went wrong the first time she shifted, she was in no hurry to do it again. Yet it had to be done, especially as they neared another full moon. “You need to shift, Juno. You can’t keep putting it off—and I’ll be right here with you. We don’t even need to do this outside.”
“This is a bad idea.” She bit her bottom lip and started to pace, though he stepped in her path and ran his hands down her arms, trying to soothe her. “Don’t you remember what happened the last time? I wasn’t even aware of what was happening, and I nearly killed you.”
“We’re going to try to go about this a little differently this time around. And who knows…maybe your body’s adjusted since you last shifted. You might not have any difficulties at all now.” And maybe if she was more relaxed before she attempted to shift, she might be able to stay grounded and retain her consciousness. “Come on, love. No time like the present.”
Before she could protest, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her to their bedroom, as she gave him a knowing smile. “Why do I feel like you have more in mind than just shifting?”
“Who? Me?” He couldn’t help but laugh and steal a kiss, when it felt like they had a lifetime of happiness ahead of them. “You know me so well, June bug.”
Greyson set her down against the pile of pillows and stripped himself naked, nestling by her side as he slowly undressed her and covered her soft skin in kisses. It was a struggle to keep his need for her reined in, but he needed her to relax before she attempted to shift.
Pulling her into his arms, he spooned her from behind and held her to him, doing his best to ignore the luscious curves of her body. “I want you to try to relax your muscles and slow your breathing.”
Juno gave him a teasing smile over her shoulder. “That’d be a whole lot easier to do if your hard cock wasn’t nestled between my ass cheeks.”
“Sweetness, there’s nothing I can do about that when I’ve got your body pressed against mine. And you have my word, I’ll take good care of you once we’re done.” He caught her mouth in one more kiss and then forced himself to focus on the task at hand, knowing just how easy it’d be to let her distract him. “Just relax…let your body sink against mine…try to slow your breathing, your heart rate… There you go… Now, holding onto that peace, just picture yourself shifting into a wolf.”
“Greyson…” The fear in her voice killed him, but this was something that had to be done.
“I don’t want you worrying…just focus. It’ll be fine, love.”
Chapter Fifteen
Juno did her best to push her fears aside. And after all she’d been through, this should be a cake walk. Except that she knew Greyson might get injured—or worse—if she lost control of her curse.
She just needed to stay positive if she had any hope of figuring this out. And Greyson was right—she couldn’t put it off. She hadn’t said anything to him, not wanting to worry him with everything else that had been going on, but the need to shift had been growing with each passing day, making it feel like the wild beast within her was trying to claw its way out.
Doing her best to try to stay calm and follow Greyson’s directions, she focused on shifting into her wolf form, though the pain of the transition fed her fears and the chaos that wanted to escape. But then it was as if she broke through to the other side, her body now that of a wolf, though she was left grappling with her thoughts, which were a muddled mess. She rolled onto all fours, fighting the need to run, to hunt, to fuck—and then she saw him. Greyson.
“It’s okay, love…I’m right here… Just focus on me.” His words somehow made it through to the part of her that was still human, though it was at war with the wolf who wanted nothing more than to bolt and give in to those primal urges.
But there was something more that she realized now that she was a wolf and far more in tune with her primal side. When she let out a howl, Greyson smiled and wrapped his arms around her neck, burying his face in her thick fur. And then she was changing back, the pain excruciating—but only for a moment.
“You did it, June bug.” He cupped her face in his hands, as a smile lit up his eyes and he gave her a proud smile before kissing her. “I knew you could do it.”
“Greyson…the baby…” Could she really be right? “I think the baby’s okay. It was almost as if I could feel it alive inside of me when I was a wolf.” But there was so much more. “And…I swear…it’s like I knew it was yours…that you’re the father. How is that possible? Could I really be right?”
The worried lines on his face eased and lit up with his smile as he pulled her into his arms, holding her tight and covering her face in kisses, her heart overwhelmed with joy. “I have no doubt, love. And don’t forget—you’re not just a shifter but Laighir. Who knows all that you’re capable of? And I’m so fucking happy to hear it, Juno—though I had no doubt.”
She couldn’t ever remember being this happy—and this relieved.
Yet having just shifted back, everything still felt so primal—and right now, with her worries finally gone, she could think of nothing but his muscular body and his hard cock. Desperate for him, and with her heart alight, she climbed into his lap and straddled him, lowering her body down onto his hard cock with a sigh of contentment as he filled her, stretching her body tight. “You feel so good…”
“I could say the same, June bug.” And then he was kissing her as if she was his whole world, his soul and hers coming together in a primal dance, as she finally understood fully what it meant to be his fated mate.
There could be no one else for her…no one who could love her like this—and no one she could love more. He was her everything, their souls bonded as one.
With her arms wrapped around his neck, she rocked her hips up and down his hard length as he thrust up into her. Gripping her hips, he drove up into her, swallowing each of her moans in his greedy kisses, leaving her always hungry for more. Their pace was so quick, she knew it’d be impossible to hold back her orgasm as the energy built, but it didn’t matter when she could think of nothing but their coming together, of being one.
“I love you so much, Greyson. More than anything.” And then she was coming, crying out as he bent his head to hers, kissing her as he came with a primal grunt, his cock pulsing deep inside her as she held onto him, riding through the waves of her orgasm.
He covered her face in sweet kisses, brushing her hair back, each touch tender. “You…this baby… You have my heart…my soul… You’re my everything, Juno.”
***
Juno was, by all accounts, more surprised by Kiernan’s visit than Greyson was. But with Cullen still on the mend from his injuries, and his decision to step down as alpha, she supposed it made sense. Kiernan gave her a hug and a smile, even if there was still some tension between the brothers. “You’re looking well, Juno. And everything’s okay with the baby?”
“It is.” Her hand instinctively dropped to her growing belly. “Why don’t you guys grab a seat, and I’ll get you a few beers.”
The truth was she was uneasy about how this conversation would go, since they’d no doubt be discussing pack politics. And by the time she set down the beers and grabbed a seat by Greyson’s side, they were already hashing out the matter.
“I want your support, Greyson. You’ve never wanted to be alpha, even if the pack would rather see you step into the position—whereas I’ve never wanted anything else.” The tension in Kiernan’s body made it clear that it wasn’t easy for him to come here and ask for Greyson’s help—and yet even Juno knew how the pack felt. “The pack respects you, and they’ll go along with your decision.”
&nbs
p; “Kiernan…they won’t—even if I back you.” Greyson let out a sigh, and sat back, pulling Juno into his arms. “I’ll be the first to say that you’ve come a long way in the last few months. And now that things are good with the bears and with Thayer’s pack, I don’t foresee any problems in the near future. But the fact that you need my support to get the pack to be okay with you taking this position means they don’t respect you as alpha—and you know that sort of thing only makes our pack look weak.”
“Well, it’s not like you want to step up to the plate. So where the hell does that leave us?” Kiernan’s anger flashed to the surface, though she couldn’t blame him for being frustrated, even if his temper had been one of the issues Greyson had mentioned.
Greyson kissed Juno’s forehead and gave her a look of apology that had her heart sinking. “I might have an idea—though I’m not sure you’re going to be happy about it.”
Chapter Sixteen
Greyson knew Juno wouldn’t be happy about this, but he hoped she’d understand that it was what was best for the pack. “I want us to share the position of alpha.”
Both Juno and Kiernan glared at him simultaneously, though Kiernan was the one to voice his annoyance first. “No fucking way, Greyson. Not to mention, it’s never been done before.”
“Just because it hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean it won’t work. ’Cause I can tell you right now, the pack won’t rally behind you and you alone—at least not until you’ve had more of a chance to prove yourself.” It was nothing but the truth—and their options were few. “Look…it’s not like I want this—but I think it’s a solution that the pack will be willing to work with.”
“Except that it makes me look like an incompetent ass who needs a babysitter.” Kiernan cursed under his breath, and to be honest, Greyson couldn’t blame him. Yet they didn’t have many other options.
