She shook her head sadly. “No one can guarantee that, Bruno, I know that, but thank you for the words.” Both dogs ran into the room, and she stepped inside and closed the door before leaning against it. The tears she’d been holding in fell down her face. Nora whined and crawled up to her, then licked her hand.
“I shouldn’t have said anything, Nora. Now it will just cause trouble for Father when he’s been nothing but nice to me.”
Kesha pushed away from the door and strolled to the tub, turned on the water, and dumped her bath beads into it. She stared into the mirror; her cheek was already starting to swell. “Just lovely. It’s bad enough I’m fat. Now my face is all screwed up.” She pulled off her halter top and threw it into the hamper. After slipping off her pants and underwear, she stepped into the hot water. “Sergeant, would you push the button?” Soft rock music drifted into the room. She’d closed her eyes when she heard her door open. It was her father.
Kesha glanced up as he leaned against the doorframe with tears in his eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me they were making your life hell?”
She sighed. “You’ve done enough for me, Dad. You have so much to worry about with the pack. How could I bring such petty things to you? I’m sorry I even told you. I don’t know why I blew up that way. Hopefully now, if they still want me, you’ll have peace.”
Hael knelt by the tub and brushed her hair back out of her face. “Don’t you know you mean the world to me? When I found you in that car, I knew you were meant to be my daughter. You raised your tiny little arms to me and said, ‘Daddy.’ You’ll always be my little girl, and if the men don’t want you, then they’re fools. And you’re not going anywhere, young lady. This is your home as much as it is Nesa’s. Do you understand me?”
Tears slipped down her cheeks, but she smiled. “We’ll see, Daddy. I think it’s time I left, no matter what. I was thinking if this doesn’t work out with them, I’d like to go the Great Smoky Mountains. I’ve heard it’s beautiful in winter.”
Hael stood, growling. “I mean it, Kesha, I won’t have you taking off by yourself. Hurry up with your bath; our guests have been waiting long enough.” He turned and left the room, slamming her bedroom door behind him.
Kesha slipped under the bubbles that covered her body and soaked her hair, knowing he wouldn’t let her out of his sight now.
* * *
Valentine leaned against the patio door, furious. All five of them had agreed Kesha was coming home with them. She was perfect for them.
“She seems so withdrawn, almost lost,” Bruno growled, pacing back and forth. He stopped to glance back at his pack mate. “What do you think, Valentine? You’ve talked to her.”
He rubbed the back of his head. “She’s different and has special gifts no one’s aware of. I believe Kesha isn’t even aware of some of them.” He turned his attention to her father who came down the stairs and looked at all of them.
“My daughter thinks I don’t know about her ability to talk to animals,” he sighed. “I’ve been waiting for her to come to me and talk about it, but now I know why she hasn’t.”
Hael moved into the living room and sat in one of the chairs. “When Kesha’s parents were murdered, I found her aunt, but she was disabled and unable to take care of a little one. From what she told me, their family has many gifts. The daughters of the family usually come into most of their powers when they are mated.
“Kesha has always loved animals. I remember one time I walked into her room when she was six. There on the bed with her were birds of all kinds, squirrels and even a fox.” He laughed and shook his head.
“Kesha just looked up at me and said she was having a tea party with her friends. I thought for sure Debbie would take to Kesha since she wanted a child so badly, but she never did. When our daughter was born, I continued to try to include Kesha in our family. I guess I didn’t do too good of a job.” He glanced up at them. “That’s why I’ve been searching for years, looking for the right men for her. When I was informed about your pack, I knew you were the ones that would love and protect her.”
Valentine moved away from the window. “She’ll be loved and protected, we can promise you that. She’ll want for nothing.”
Hael studied him and nodded. “I’ve called the steakhouse in town and made reservations for the six of you. I think it best you take her out of here and get to know her without interruptions.” He stood and smiled as Kesha came down the stairs.
She wore a black, strapless dress that barely covered her full breasts, and her long, brown-black hair was pulled back and braided. Once again, Valentine’s cock jerked and swelled in his pants. He smiled as both of her canine guards followed behind her.
Valentine moved up to Kesha. “You look beautiful. I hope you like steak. It seems your father has made reservations for us at the steakhouse in town.”
Kesha covered her cheek with her palm. “I don’t know about going out. I’m not really sure it would be wise.”
“You’ll be fine,” her father said. “I’ve had them set up the private room, so you don’t have to worry about anyone seeing you. And your young man is right. You’re beautiful.” He stepped up to Kesha and hugged her. “Have a good time tonight, Kesha. I’ll take good care of your pets.” He snapped his fingers and both dogs sat down beside him.
“Thanks, Daddy.” She glanced down at the dogs and then at him. “Please don’t let Debbie or Nesa near them.”
“They won’t touch them. Now go, the limo is waiting for you.” He stepped back and she made her way to the front door.
Bruno opened it and smiled at her. “Shall we?” He held out his arm, and she laughed, sliding her hand over his warm, smooth skin.
They all filled into the limo with Kesha sitting in between Valentine and Bruno. Marc, Andre and Leon sat across from them.
“So do you have any hobbies? Are you involved in any groups?” Marc asked.
“I love to read. I have a collection of old history books and I have a masters in psychology. I concentrated in child psychology. I volunteer at the local children’s ward and at the children’s home. I usually spend most of my time at that home.” She glanced down at her hands. “That’s one place I’ll miss the most. There are these two little boys there that haven’t spoken since they arrived, and I’ve been working with them. It’s so sad their biological father and mother tried to sell them. They were starved when the rescue workers found them. Billy, the smallest one, was beaten pretty badly. If I go back with you, I’d like to stop by there before we leave so I can say good-bye.”
“You’re a very busy woman. Maybe we can all go and visit these boys before we go home.” Valentine slipped his hand in hers and brought it up to his lips.
She glanced up at him. “You mean before you go home?”
He shook his head. “No, Kesha. We want you to come home with us, to be our mate.”
Kesha glanced around the limo. “Are you sure? You don’t know me. There are things you don’t know yet.” She looked at Valentine.
“They know. I told them.” He squeezed her hand.
“No, there’s more. You don’t understand.” She shook her head.
Andre and Leon knelt in front of her. “Anyone who has the passion you do for animals and children is the woman we want for our mate,” Andre said.
“You’re smart and beautiful, always thinking of others even when you’re hurting. How can we not want you? The question really is: will you accept us as your mates?”
Chapter Three
Kesha stared down at the men at her feet. Was she ready to be someone’s mate? There was definitely something about the five men who
surrounded her. “I would be happy to be your mate.”
Leon leaned over and kissed her lips softly. “We’ll make you happy.” He sat back in his seat, and Andre lifted her hand and kissed her palm.
“You won’t regret it.” He sat back in his seat as Marc grinned.
“We’re here. I hope you’re hung
ry?” The limo door opened, and Valentine got out, holding his hand out for her.
She placed her hand in his and stepped out into the night air and smiled. “Is your home near the ocean?” Kesha looked up at Valentine.
“We have a large cabin up by Moosehead Lodge. I’m afraid the ocean isn’t too close, but we have lakes all around us. You’ll love it. We have over four hundred acres.” Bruno slid in behind her while the other three men moved around them.
Before they could move, her father pulled in front of them in his Hummer. Both Sergeant and Nora were in the backseat along with three of her suitcases, and two of his enforcers pulled in behind him.
Hael stepped out of the vehicle and glanced around, nodding to his men. “I’m sorry, Kesha, but you need to leave now. Valentine, you have your private jet here, right?” he snarled, opening the door for her dogs to run to her.
“Yes, my brothers flew up in it. What’s going on?” All five men moved in closer to her, surrounding her.
Her father stared down at her. “Warren Carlton is back, but he’s also brought more men with him this time.”
Kesha backed up, grabbing her arms when she bumped into Bruno.
He looked down at her and frowned. “I know of this man. His pack is from the Oregon area. What does he want here?”
“I don’t have much time to explain, but in a nutshell, he wants Kesha. He and his brother came to the house under the pretense of meeting with me, but all the while he kept asking about Kesha. They cornered her in the kitchen asking her to be their mate. When she refused, he sliced her pretty good before I could get to her. He paid with a beating that almost ended his life, but it seems they haven’t given up. I just got notice that they are here with backup this time.”
Valentine whipped out his phone. “Jack, get the plane ready and have the men set to go as soon as we pull in. Code Red.” He hung up.
“You’ll bring your family for the bonding next week?” Bruno said to Hael as he pushed Kesha into the limo.
“Yes, I’ll be there, but watch yourselves.” Hael looked down at her when she poked her head out the window and smiled. “I’m sorry, Kesha. I wish there was more time.” One of his enforcers handed Leon two of her suitcases as Bruno grabbed the other one.
“I’ll have the rest of her things with me when I make the trip up there next week. Take care of my little girl, Valentine.” He snarled, and then got back in his car, driving away.
Kesha’s dogs jumped into the limo and lay at her feet as the men piled in behind her. She rubbed the scar under her dress and shivered as she stared out the window. The thought of Warren even in the same room with her made her nauseous.
Bruno picked her up and placed her onto his lap, resting his chin lightly on her head. “He won’t get you, Kesha. We promise.”
“He’s evil, Bruno. When he walked into the house, I was upstairs and I could feel the menace. I’ve never met anyone like him before.” She laid her head-on Bruno’s chest, then glanced up at him. “Do you have a phone? I need to call the orphanage.”
Valentine handed her his phone, and she punched in the numbers, which she knew by heart. How the hell was she going to get her boys? “Mary, it’s me, Kesha. I need a favor. Could you get the boys’ things together for me and have Hank bring the boys to…” She glanced at Valentine. “Is your jet at the private airfield?” He frowned, but nodded.
“Have Hank bring them to the private field at the end of town. You have the papers, right? Great. And, Mary, make this quick. We’re leaving in a half hour.”
She pushed the button to end the call and handed it back to him. “I guess you’re wondering what’s going on.” Kesha looked up at Valentine.
“Yes, no one mentioned anything about two children.” He crossed his arms and waited.
“I started the adoption process for the boys over three weeks ago, before Father ever contacted you. I’m sorry, but they’re my boys now. I received the papers two days ago. I can’t leave them there. They were so hurt and alone. Billy is four and Travis is six. Billy called me Mommy three days ago. They were the first words he’s spoken since he arrived at the orphanage. I even told them about the five of you—at least, I told them the information Father gave me.”
Bruno frowned at her. “Doesn’t it usually take a year or two for adoption to go through?”
She nodded. “The orphanage is on pack land. The boys came from another state, and they wanted them adopted fast. They were worried their father would come searching for them. I couldn’t let them go to just any home. They trusted me.”
Kesha waited as each of them studied her. She knew they were talking to each other through their psychic connection. “You should also know something else—”
“We’re here.” Leon opened the limo door and stepped out, scanning the area. “It’s all clear.”
Marc, Andre and Valentine got out as she scooted to the door. Valentine helped her out, and her dogs jumped out to wait by the car.
Bruno exited last. As a group, they made their way to the plane. As they approached the stairs, she noticed that guards surrounded it. She sighed in relief and smiled when the orphanage truck pulled up next to them.
Both boys waved to her as Hank got out of the van. Kesha pushed past
Bruno and hugged the caretaker. “Thank you so much for bringing the boys.”
Hank stepped back holding his hands up when the dogs growled from behind her. Kesha rolled her eyes. “Guys, please!” She ran to the back door of the truck and opened it. “Are you two ready to go to your new home?” She unsnapped Billy from his car seat as Travis unbuckled his.
“Mommy!” Billy threw his arms around her neck, and she pulled him out of the van. Travis jumped out and hung on to her leg, peeking up at men, then at the jet. He tugged on her dress. “Are we going on the plane?” he whispered.
“Yep, we sure are. Thank you so much, Hank, for bringing them.” Leon grabbed the boys’ little suitcase from him.
“Is this all they have?” Leon asked frowning.
“Yes, they came to the home with only the clothes they were wearing.” She took Travis’ hand and climbed up the plane’s stairs. All five men followed, carrying her suitcases and their own.
Kesha found four seats facing each other, placed the boys in seats next to each other and buckled them up. Billy cuddled up to his favorite blanket while Travis looked out the window.
Sergeant and Nora lay down at her feet as she sat. Guards moved onto the plane as the engines started, and Valentine issued the orders to take off.
* * *
Valentine watched as the small boys drifted off to sleep ten minutes after takeoff. Kesha reached up to grab a couple of blankets from the compartments above their seats and covered the sleeping boys.
None of her mates said anything as she tucked them in and turned to stare at them. “Well, I might as well show you my other secret.” Kesha headed toward the bathroom and stepped into it but didn’t close the door.
In the mirror, Valentine could see her strip off her dress, shoes and underwear and placed them on the counter. Her gaze met his as she shifted and moved out of the bathroom. Valentine couldn’t believe his eyes. A black-and-brown cougar stared up at them. She slowly made her way to him and nudged his hand.
“How? We were told you were a wolf like us.” Valentine knelt before her as did Bruno. “Talk to us, Kesha.”
Once again her body shifted, and the cat fur was replaced by wolf hair. A small multicolor wolf now stood in front of them.
“Damn, if others find out….” Bruno’s voice trailed off.
The small wolf whined in front of them, and then turned and ran toward the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
“Do you think that’s the reason Warren Carlton wants her so badly?” Bruno sat down next to Marc and looked at him.
“It’s a good possibility, but if her father didn’t even know about this, I doubt it. Remember last month when we heard from elders that an Alpha had his boys taken from him
?” Valentine nodded to the two little ones. “I have a feeling this has to do with them more than anything.”
Bruno frowned. “Do you think Kesha knows this?”
Kesha stepped between them. “Knows what?”
Valentine pulled her onto his lap and kissed her cheek. “A while ago we heard that an Alpha had his two boys taken away from him. That he’d almost killed them. We’re thinking that Alpha might be Warren Carlton and he found out you were going to adopt his boys.”
“But no one knew about the adoption.” She frowned and glanced at Billy and Travis. “But it does make sense and the time frame is about right.” Kesha looked at him. “I won’t let him have them. They’re terrified of their father. If it’s too much for all of you, I can take the boys and leave.”
Bruno snarled. “You’re not going anywhere, so just stop saying that. Plus, when we get home, no one can get near us without us knowing. The only airfield near us is ours, and if any stranger approaches our home, we would be able to spot them. Now we need to tell you a few things about ourselves.”
Valentine slipped his hand onto her bare leg and traced the hem of her dress. “First, you should know that Leon and Andre are a mated pair. We met them in Washington and asked them to join our pack. They’ve become very close to the three of us, but they are a couple. Bruno and I are the Alphas of the pack, Leon and Andre handle the everyday pack business, and Marc is the pack’s doctor...”
Kesha frowned. “So I won’t be mated with Leon and Andre?”
Leon and Andre snarled as Valentine laughed. “Oh, you’re going to be mated to them. They’ve waited to find a female for the two of them, but…” He glanced at Bruno and laughed.
“Valentine is trying to say that Leon and Andre are a pair just as Marc, Valentine and I are mated. Sometimes you will be with both of them, or you will be with the three of us. Of course, on some special occasions we’re all together. And sometimes each one of us will need some alone time with you.”
Valentine s Circle of Love Page 2
