by Vivian Wood
“What!” Luke yelped, leaping to his feet. His brothers all stared at him, shocked at his reaction. Shocked, really, to hear him speak without being directly questioned. Josiah turned to him, taking him to task.
“You got a better option? I don’t see you bringing home a mate, giving me grandchildren. You’re the oldest, you set the standard for your brothers. And yet, you’re the worst bachelor of all of them. So I took things into my own hands. Six of you, ten US Berserker clans. Six grandchildren by next year, I would assume.”
Wyatt stood, making as if to leave the room. The other five were shouting, half out of their chairs, the situation quickly spiraling out of control.
“Enough!” Josiah growled, slamming his hands down on the table. Exasperated, he sent out a heavy wave of his Alpha power, dropping the youngest three back into their seats and sending every man’s gaze right to the floor in submission.
Genny cleared her throat, doing her best to calm Josiah down before the situation escalated.
“Ma, you agree with the enforcement of this rule?” Wyatt asked, putting his mother on the spot.
Genny gave him a considering look before responding.
“Your father is Alpha, and his word is law. Accept it, or leave the clan,” she said.
Josiah’s jaw dropped, as did Wyatt’s. Genny was usually more than accommodating to the men in her family, always worried about their comfort and security above all else. For her to suggest that one should leave the pack was unthinkable, though it was the answer Josiah had needed from her.
“The children of every clan Alpha and highly-placed family are doing the same. Once others in your generation see the success you’ve had, they’ll follow in your footsteps. Within ten years, our population could increase by a third, even a half.”
“And if we refuse?” Cameron asked, shifting his gaze between Wyatt and Josiah.
“The North Carolina Alpha drew up documents, and they’ve been signed. We’ve agreed that any mateless Berserkers who don’t comply will be banned from all the American clans. Names revoked, communications cut off.”
“Josiah!” Genny said, going pale. He hadn’t explained that last part to her.
Reaching out, he took her hand once more.
“It’s the only way we can enforce the decree,” he explained.
Cameron roared, rising to his feet. His face rippled and elongated, his whole body shuddering as he fought the urge to shift. Claws burst from his fingertips, scoring the table before him as he pushed away, unable to hold back the tide. Cameron fled the room with an anguished moan, the creak and snap of bones breaking and reforming growing fainter as he made for the front door.
“Worse temper than all of us,” Josiah said, staring down the rest of his sons. “I hope the rest of you can be a little more restrained. You know your mother doesn’t like shifting in the house.”
Josiah looked over at Genny, whose expression was nothing short of stony. She took her hand from his, but said nothing. Josiah was certain that they’d continue the conversation later, in the privacy of their bedroom suite. Gen would have plenty enough to say then, he supposed.
“So that’s it, then?” Finn wondered aloud. “We’re all going to have mates now?”
“Within the year,” Josiah repeated.
“How did you decide which of us goes to which clan?” Gavin asked.
“We’ve organized a series of social events, so that you can all meet each other. We’re hosting the first one here, next weekend. The Alphas’ mates have a whole weekend of activities planned,” Josiah said, pushing up out of his chair. “Your mother and I are going to go start on dinner. When you leave this room, you’d better be reconciled to either attending this event and finding a suitable mate or leaving the clan altogether. Your mom’s putting some big, fat venison steaks on, so I’d decide sooner rather than later, if I were you all.”
Helping Genny out of her seat, he ignored his the babble of voices as he led his mate out of the room. Closing the meeting room’s double doors on them, he turned and followed Genny toward the kitchen. Already he could hear raised voices through the thick doors, a sure sign that a fight would break out between them in quick succession.
“Are you sure about this, Joe?” Genny asked, turning back to him.
“I’m sure, Gen. Honestly, most of them couldn’t be less happy than they are now, could they?”
After a moment, Genny granted him a tentative smile.
“All right. Let’s see about those steaks, then,” she said. “Come on, old man.”
Josiah followed her with a chuckle, forcing his mind away from his sons and toward his lovely mate.
The Mixer
Luke huffed as he heaved a bale of hay into one of the tidy stacks that lined the barn’s walls. While most of his brothers had returned to their jobs and lives for the last week, Luke and Noah had stayed at the Lodge to help Ma get things ready for the big Berserker gathering. A hundred or so guests would be descending in a matter of hours, eligible Berserkers and their parents.
The idea of being pushed into such a social event made Luke’s throat and chest tighten with panic, but he just kept moving hay bales. Then he swept the floor, moved in the furniture Ma wanted, and helped string up lights. Noah was doing similar tasks in a huge white tent just outside the barn, Luke knew.
When they were finished, a big stage was set up at the far end of the barn. There were some benches gathered around a spacious parquet dance floor inside, and out in the tent Noah had set up a sea of tables and chairs. Ma had gone the whole nine yards, with flowers and candles artfully arranged everywhere. There was a buffet line set up, and full bars in both the barn and the tent.
By the time Luke had gone to shower, dressed in a dark blue plaid button-up shirt and jeans, and re-emerged from his old bedroom, guests had started to arrive.
“This is starting to look an awful lot like a wedding,” Noah said, coming to stand next to Luke as he stood looking out over the scene.
“Yep. Think that’s the point,” Luke sighed, wiping sweat from his brow.
Noah gave him a considering look, to which Luke responded with a glare.
“Don’t,” Luke warned.
“Don’t what?” Noah asked, his expression turning to amusement.
“I don’t need any figuring out. Don’t be trying to get in my head, I’ve got enough on my plate tonight with all this,” Luke said, waving at the growing crowd.
“I’m just surprised you’re still here, that’s all. I thought you’d be on the first plane out to find that girl, what’s her name—”
“Shut the fuck up,” Luke interrupted, stalking away from Noah. Unfortunately, that meant that he thrust himself right into the milling crowd. He tried walking straight across and out the other side, but his Aunt Lindsay caught him by the arm.
“Luke! Let me introduce you around, show you off a little!” the old biddy crowed.
“I was just, uh…” he faltered.
“Nonsense. Look at all these pretty girls. They’re going to be falling all over my nephews, have no doubt!” Aunt Lindsay declared.
Luke gulped, but let her lead him through almost an hour of the most painful and awkward introductions imaginable. As the sun set, Luke began to despair. He’d had some small amount of hope for himself at this event, but this was even worse than his most recent job interview. He jumped at every little thing, glared at every strange man, and he was starting to sweat right through his shirt.
Just as he started to wonder if a grown-ass Berserker male might able to faint, Aunt Lindsay caught sight of someone she wanted to say hi to. Luke floundered, heading aimlessly to the bar.
“What’ll it be?” asked the cheerful redheaded man behind the bar.
“Whisky. Neat. A double,” Luke said, out of habit.
Then the glass was before him, amber liquid sloshing, the alluring scent filling his nostrils. In a sea of noise and flickering light and loud voices, whisky seemed like a measure of comfort. He drank it
down in three gulps, giving a satisfied sigh as the whisky burned its way into his stomach.
He signaled for another before turning to watch the room. He spotted Noah first, sitting at a table with a very masculine-looking young woman and two older ladies. Noah looked bored beyond words, and the girl seemed miserable, as if she might cry at any moment. The two older ladies chatted, big smiles on their faces.
Gavin and Finn were both on the dance floor. Gavin was twirling a pretty blonde, a smile on his face as they swayed and chatted. Finn wasn’t so much leading his partner as she was him, it seemed. The fierce-looking brunette’s hands were all over him, and Finn kept looking around in desperate hope of rescue.
Luke chuckled, leaning back and sipping his second whisky.
“Move it,” came Wyatt’s voice.
Luke turned to find Wyatt elbowing his way in next to Luke’s seat, a curvy raven-haired beauty in tow. The girl gave Luke an appraising once-over and smirked, her blood-red lips turning up at the corners.
“Hey,” Luke growled at Wyatt.
“Shit, are you drunk?” Wyatt asked. He gave Luke a pleased grin, which made Luke’s stomach fall to his feet. Wyatt’s pleasure was usually someone else’s downfall. Luke just hoped to hell it wasn’t his turn to suffer tonight.
“Piss off,” Luke said as he waved his brother away.
“I like this one,” the girl said with another smirk. “Let’s take him with us!”
“He’s my brother,” Wyatt said, giving Luke a disgusted glance.
Luke shrugged and turned away from them, just in time to see Cam right in the middle of the dance floor, getting in some distant cousin’s face.
“You’re just pissed because you’re not gonna be Alpha. Not even like,” the cousin hiccuped, drunk. “Not even like second in line. More like hundredth in line, loser.”
“You’re such a fucking waste of space, Emmet,” Cam hissed, pushing away the tempering hand of the girl standing next to him.
“At least I’m not jealous of my big brudder,” Emmet taunted, switching to baby talk. “Widdle Camwon lives in Wyatt’s shadow, dunn he?”
Cameron moved so fast it was hard to watch. His mercurial temper flared one second, and the next his fist was leaving Emmet’s face, sporting a splash of vivid red blood from Emmet’s busted nose. Cam’s other fist flashed in the next moment, and then Emmet was on the ground, shouting for help.
Several men jumped in and dragged Cameron off, seething and baring his teeth like an animal. Every male was on alert, the fighting pheromones of a male Berserker filling the air. If one changed, there would be a chain reaction. If that happened, there would be a brawl. There were enough strange bears here that things would spiral out of hand, and people would get hurt.
Luke heard his mother’s voice, followed by his father’s ear-piercing whistle.
“That’s enough!” Josiah bellowed. “Go back to dancing, now. It’s over.”
And somehow, that was enough. Everyone returned to the festivities, the band started up again, and Luke soon found himself chatting easily with a cute blonde who’d taken the seat next to him.
Before he knew it, the blonde’s hand was running up and down the top of his thigh, her nails raking his jeans in a very promising gesture. Luke put down his fourth whisky, narrowing his gaze to try to identify the girl.
What had her name been?
Luke suddenly realized that he was drunk. And not a little drunk, not buzzed. He was most of the way to fall-down, words-slurred, head-over-ass drunk.
“Bartender!” he shouted, wincing when he realized he’d yelled right in his companion’s ear.
“Sir?” the bartender asked.
“Water. Uh, lots of water,” Luke requested.
The girl kept touching him, and he didn’t push her away, but he knew he couldn’t make a sound decision right now. If he took her to bed he might embarrass himself. Or worse, he might misunderstand or hurt her or something. It seemed liked his first night of drinking in over a decade was not turning out too well.
He heard a very distinctive sound, a feminine huff of anger that he couldn’t place. Turning, he came face to face with a buxom beauty. Long dark red curls tumbled down to her hips, short bangs fringed her forehead, big green eyes gave him an accusing glare… and those lips, those soft pink lips that he could never, ever forget.
“Aubrey!” he said, gaping at her.
“Luke,” she said coolly, her eyes going to his blonde companion.
“Uh… this isn’t what it looks like. I’m drunk,” he tried to explain.
Aubrey’s perfect dark eyebrows shot straight up in a moment of surprise before her expression turned mocking.
“I see,” she said. “Of course.”
She turned to leave, but Luke lurched forward and grabbed her wrist. He noticed that she had several new tattoos on each arm, all colorful works of art, tastefully chosen. Classic Aubrey.
“Aubrey, wait!” he insisted.
“I think not,” she snapped, trying to pull from his grasp.
“I didn’t know you’d be here!” he said. The excuse sounded hollow, even to his own drunk ears.
“Yeah, me either. Now let me go,” she hissed.
Luke released her, feeling his chest constrict as she stalked away from him, heading for the house. He pushed up out of his chair, wobbling on his feet.
“Whoa there, chief.” Finn had appeared at Luke’s side, reaching out to steady him. “Let’s get you to your room, buddy.”
“Aubrey’s here,” Luke moaned.
“I don’t know who that is, but you’re not in any shape to chase anyone around.”
“It’s important…” Luke trailed off, losing his train of thought.
“Yeah. Come on, Luke,” Finn said, putting his arm around Luke and steering him toward the house.
Luke squinted, trying to remember why he wanted to go to the house.
“Is there pizza in the house?” Luke wondered aloud.
Finn chuckled and kept moving.
“Sure thing, buddy. We’re going to find some pizza in your room, I’m sure of it.”
“Awesome!” Luke cheered, letting his brother lead the way.
Luke woke with the deepest kind of pain lodged in his skull. In his whole body, in fact. He smelled stale booze on himself, tasted the sour sweetness in his mouth, strong enough to make him gag.
“What in the fuck?” he cried, cracking open his eyes against the bright morning sunlight that suddenly spilled across his face.
“Time to get up,” his mother said, standing over his bed. In a moment he was a kid again, trying to tell her he was too sick to go to school, knowing she wasn’t going to tolerate his crap.
“Ma…” Luke whined.
“Breakfast is in ten minutes, and you’re not sitting at my table like this,” she said, waving a hand to indicate his general state of being. “Get up this instant.”
She left his room, muttering something about having worthless drunken louts for sons. Luke used every bit of his steel willpower and years of military training to get himself up and into the shower. He was mostly glad he hadn’t vomited on himself in his sleep, or worse. He’d seen men on his teams do horrible things while drunk, the most disgusting of it while they slept off their stupor.
As Luke dragged on a shirt and pants, he tried to remember the night before. He recounted the events in his head, getting all the way up to Cam’s one-two fistfight, before he stilled.
Aubrey…
Had he really seen Aubrey last night?
In a flash he was stuffing his feet into his shoes, grabbing his bag, and racing full-tilt toward the front door.
“Wait!” his mother called, but he didn’t listen. He was opening his car door before Gavin caught up with him, looking every bit as wretched and hungover as Luke felt.
“Ma says to come back to the house,” Gavin said, catching Luke’s arm.
Luke snarled, shaking him off.
“I have to go!” he insisted.
“She says Aubrey’s already gone. Who the hell is Aubrey?” Gavin said, stifling a yawn.
“What?” Luke turned to look at the house, confused. His mother stood on the porch barefoot, hands on her hips, looking downright pissed. Not exactly what he wanted to go back to, but Ma seemed to be the only one in the know.
When Luke and Gavin hit the porch, she just tsked at both of them and pointed to the dining room table, where everyone else was slumped in their seats. Waiting for them, it seemed.
Luke slid into his seat just as Wyatt gave an exaggerated sigh of misery, which seemed to be the final straw.
“We’ve been having family breakfast in this house for almost thirty six years!” she declared. “I’ll be damned if I stop just because you all can’t hold your liquor. Grown men, my ass!”
Every single one of them gawped at Ma, even Pa. She never, ever cursed and forbade them from it in her house.
“After they way you all represented this family last night, every single one of you can just hush. Eat your breakfast, or I promise that I will find a way to make you feel a whole lot worse than you already do.”
After the longest, quietest family breakfast of Luke’s whole life, Ma gave her lips a dainty pat with her napkin.
“All right, now. Luke, Aubrey went home to Arizona. She left this morning, you just missed her.”
Luke opened his mouth to protest, to ask why Ma didn’t let him go catch his woman, but Ma just shook her head.
“It’s not the right time. Wyatt, you’d better get that girl out of your room. And I mean right this second.”
Wyatt turned beet red and rose from the table, heading to the back of the house.
“Cameron, you’re giving Emmet a ride to the airport so you can apologize to him. And you will apologize, or else. Noah and Finn, you both made a sorry show of choosing your companions last night. I expect better from the two of you, and I don’t want to see either of those girls again.”
