She felt her emotions spin out of control again. Anger at Memphis. Guilt for causing a rift in the pack. Anxiety over what was to come. And frustration over the whole thing.
Ace zipped the suitcases and lifted them from the bed. With a tip of his head, he had her follow him downstairs. She stayed in the kitchen while he put the cases in the truck. Needing something to do, she dug through the pantry and pulled out some snacks and discovered a small cooler. She filled it with ice and put in a few bottles of water. She’d noticed that Ace seldom drank soda.
Ace stepped back into the kitchen and noticed the bag of snacks and the cooler sitting at her feet. Without a word, he gripped them and carried them out to the truck. Red followed him this time.
Ace opened the passenger door and helped her get in, reaching across her to fasten the seat belt. He kissed her on the cheek and closed the door, walking around the front of the truck to the driver’s side. As he slid behind the wheel, his cell phone rang.
Red glanced his way as she answered it. “Hello.”
There was a pause on the other end. “Red? Can I speak with Ace?”
“This is Memphis, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
Red glanced at Ace, but he was shaking his head.
“I’m sorry, Memphis. He can’t come to the phone right now. I’ll tell him you called.”
Memphis growled and hung up. Red stared at the phone a moment before setting it in one of the cup holders. She wondered how many more of those calls they would receive. Word was probably spreading through the pack that they were leaving and would be gone for an undetermined amount of time.
Ace reached over and laced their fingers together, resting their joined hands on the console. The phone rang a few more times, but Red decided to ignore it. She had a feeling no one would want to talk to her, and Ace seemed determined to ignore his pack. Maybe this vacation would be good for both of them. He obviously needed some time away, and she had to admit she was excited about it. Red couldn’t remember the last time she’d been out of town. She’d travelled alone to the Delaware coast once in the past, but it had been years ago. And she’d never gone out of town with anyone before. Determined to have a nice time, she pushed thoughts of the pack out of her mind and settled into her seat to enjoy the ride.
The scenery passed by slowly, but eventually Red began seeing seagulls flying overhead. It didn’t feel like they’d been in the car for an hour, but she couldn’t deny they were close to the coast. Were they in Shadow Tip territory already? She hoped the pack was as friendly as the White Paw Pack. Not every werewolf welcomed a human amongst their kind.
Ace gave her hand a squeeze before gripping the steering wheel with both hands. He made a turn off the highway and a few minutes later, they were pulling up in front of a home on the beach. It was quite a bit smaller than Ace’s home, but something told Red that it cost just as much, if not more. He turned off the engine and the climbed out of the truck.
A tall man with blond hair and blue eyes approached them, wearing low slung jeans and nothing else. Red took a moment to admire the scenery and smiled when Ace growled at her.
“Stop drooling over the alpha,” he said, his voice low and rumbling.
“Welcome to Shadow Tip territory, Ace,” the alpha said. “This must be your lovely mate.”
“Unofficial mate,” Red said.
The alpha lifted a brow.
“Ruby is a bit banged up at the moment and is in no condition to be claimed. But she’s my destined mate, whether she’s been bitten or not.” Ace shook the alpha’s hand. “How are you, Blaine?”
“I’m good. I’m actually rather happy the two of you are here. There’s much to discuss.”
Red placed a hand against her sore ribs and leaned against Ace.
“Can it wait a while?” her wolf asked. “Red here needs to get a little rest. I think the truck ride was a bit much for her.”
“Of course! I’ll show you to your room and then the two of you can relax on the beach for a while. We have our own private section so no one will bother you.”
A private beach? How the heck did she sign up for one of those? Red couldn’t wait to stretch out in a chair and listen to the ocean. She just wished it was summer so she could play in the water. It had been ages since she’d been to the beach and she was long overdue for some fun. Maybe Ace would bring her back here sometime.
Ace gathered their bags and Blaine showed them to their room. It had an ocean view and Red could hear the ebb and flow of the tide. Ace hung their things in the closet and slid the suitcases under the bed. When he was finished, Red took his hand and led him through the house back the way they’d come and stepped out onto the deck. There was a breeze blowing off the ocean and she shivered a little.
“Maybe sitting outside isn’t such a great idea,” Ace said.
“You can keep me warm. I want to enjoy the fresh air.”
They walked down to the lounge chairs sitting near the water. Ace propped up the back of one before sitting and pulled Red down between his legs, her back resting against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her gently. The view was beautiful. Red closed her eyes and just listened, letting the scent and sound of the beach wash over her. She hadn’t realized how stressed she was until that moment.
Red shifted, rolling onto her hip and curling into Ace, her hand clutching his shirt. A nap on the beach sounded rather wonderful just then. Maybe she’d let her mind drift for a little while and let the stress of the past few weeks melt away. With a sigh, she tumbled into a deep and dreamless sleep, not even waking when Ace lifted her into his arms and carried her inside.
Chapter Ten
Red and Ace spent a lot of time with the Shadow Tip Pack over the next few weeks. The alpha invited them to all of the pack events, trying to include them as much as possible. Red had her suspicions as to his reasoning, but she hadn’t said anything to Ace yet. They’d only heard from the White Paw Pack a few times and not at all this past week. The last time Rook had called, Ace told him to run the pack the way he saw fit, and then he’d mumbled something about the Beta doing that already anyway. Ace still hadn’t talked to her about what happened, but she was convinced it had to do with her.
Eden Dobrey nudged her shoulder. “You’re off in la-la land again.”
“Sorry.” Red smiled. “Just a lot on my mind, I guess.”
Eden motioned toward the sacks at their feet. “You going to wear the new red sweater to the bonfire tonight? It’s going to be cold and windy. I still think you should have bought that leather coat.”
“Ace told me to go shopping. He didn’t say anything about cleaning out his bank account.”
Eden snorted. “You couldn’t clean out his account if you tried. Much less with one coat. He’d probably have told you to buy the belt and boots that matched it.”
“You’re probably right.” Red smiled. “But I don’t need a lot of fancy things to make me happy.”
“No, I guess you don’t, not with a man like Ace Silver at your beck and call. You are one lucky girl. No one in the pack would dare poach, but if you weren’t his mate, he would definitely be fighting off the women.”
Red scowled at her.
Eden laughed. “What? It’s the truth. The only reason Blaine isn’t in the same boat is because all the females in the pack know they aren’t the one for him. He’d have said something by now if they were.”
“So Blaine doesn’t know who his mate is?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Something tells me he knows and just isn’t saying. Which can only mean that she isn’t old enough for him yet.”
Red pursed her lips. “There seems to be a lot of that going around. That’s why Ace avoided me when he discovered I was his mate. I was only sixteen at the time, and he was much older.”
A sadness entered Eden’s eyes. “I’m only going to say this once and then we never have to speak of it again, okay?”
Red nodded.
“We know what happe
ned to you. You may have noticed that Ace already knew two of our pack members?”
“Yes, I noticed.”
“They used to be White Paw Pack. Until seven years ago.”
Red’s heart thundered in her chest.
“When they realized Rook wasn’t going to tell Ace what happened to you, that Ace hadn’t claimed you and prevented it from happening to begin with, they left the pack. They said if the alpha and beta wouldn’t protect the alpha’s mate, why should the pack believe they were safe?”
Red’s chest ached and she realized she’d been holding her breath. She gasped for air.
“I didn’t mean to upset you,” Eden said. “I just thought you should know.”
“That’s why the males move slowly around me, isn’t it? They’re worried they’ll frighten me.”
“Yes. When Blaine found out you were coming with Ace, he held a pack meeting and made sure everyone would make you feel not only welcome, but safe.”
Red wasn’t sure if she felt embarrassed that everyone here knew her secret or if she felt touched that they all cared enough to make her feel like she belonged. She’d never felt so at home before. Everyone had been kind to her, tried to include her, and she’d made several friends since being with the Shadow Tip Pack.
“What would have happened in your pack if the beta acted like Rook did? Had kept something that huge from the alpha?”
“He’d be asked to leave. But I can promise you, my pack would have never gone along with him like yours did. And they sure as hell wouldn’t have let the asshole who attacked you get away with it. Justice would have been served, werewolf style.”
“I think Ace is feeling betrayed by his people,” Red said. “He won’t talk to me about it, but it’s just something I sense. He seems distant whenever he speaks to them, like he’s trying to push them away.”
“I think Blaine may have something to do with that.”
“Your alpha?”
Eden nodded. “Our beta retired two weeks before you arrived. I know Blaine had intended to speak with Ace about possibly sending him a wolf or two that might be interested in the position, but now I’m thinking Blaine intends to ask Ace to be his second.”
Red’s eyes widened. “But he’s an alpha, not a beta!”
“He’s a broken alpha. How much do you know about your mate’s past?”
“Nothing. He won’t talk to me about the past. There are days he barely talks about the present, other than to tell me I’m beautiful and he can’t wait to claim me. He’s more concerned with my role in his life than he is about anything else right now.”
“That’s typical of a male who has found his mate.”
“Do you know something about his past?” Red asked.
Eden pressed her lips together. “I shouldn’t say anything. It isn’t my place.”
“Just a hint?”
“Ask Ace to tell you about the Blakelys. That’s all I can tell you.”
It was more than Red had to go on up to this point. She’d take whatever crumbs her new friend could offer. It was definitely past time for Red and Ace to have a lengthy discussion. This wasn’t the first time someone had suggested Red needed to know more about Ace’s background. She’d put her faith in him, trusted him completely, and now it was his turn to show he trusted her in return. If he could be open and honest with her, then she’d know they had a future together. If he clammed up and refused to talk, she would know that he wasn’t ready to be with her as a mate.
Red and Eden finished their lunch and returned to the alpha’s house. After putting her things away, she found Ace sitting on a lounge chair near the water. No one else was around, so she figured it would be the perfect time for that long overdue conversation. She only hoped he’d open up and talk to her.
“Have fun?” he asked.
“Yes, I enjoy spending time with Eden.”
“Good.” Ace scooted over and pulled her down beside him. “You look worried. Did someone say something to upset you?”
She shook her head. “I’ve tried to talk to you several times over the past week, but you always brush me off. I need answers this time, Ace. It’s important to me.”
He sighed. “This is about my past, isn’t it?”
“Yes. You know about my past and the issues I have because of what happened to me. I’ve had more than one person imply that your need for control stems from something that happened to you. Will you tell me about it?”
He laced their fingers together. “You may not want me after you find out just how weak I really am.”
“Ace, you’re one of the strongest men I know. Whatever you’re about to tell me, it isn’t going to change the way I see you.”
He was quiet a moment. “It happened about fifteen years ago. A family was visiting the pack. Allen and Farrah Blakely and their daughter, Trina. They were powerful members of a rival pack, and it was thought, perhaps, Trina would be my mate. That was before I knew about you.”
Red squeezed his hand in encouragement.
“I refused their daughter. She was spoiled and coldhearted. I couldn’t stand to be in the same room with her, so there was no way I could spend the rest of my life with her. Besides, I knew she wasn’t my destined mate. I wanted nothing to do with her.
“They waited until most of the pack had retired for the night and abducted me when I was on my way home from a party. I know all three of them were in on it, and they had help. The culprits who aided them were never brought to justice. For all I know, they still reside in the pack.
“They took me to an abandoned home in a wooded area. There was a basement and they’d prepared ahead of time, fastening iron shackles to the wall and floor, anchoring me in place. Trina stripped me. Her parents left us alone after that, but I wished to god they hadn’t. Their daughter was evil. She asked me time and again if I would accept her for my mate. Each time, I denied her.
“Every time I told her no, she would torture me, each session a little longer than the last. When she informed me that I was going to mate with her by force if necessary, I knew I had to escape, but I didn’t know how. I don’t know how many days I was missing, I never asked. She had staked me to the ground and was trying to force a potion of some sort down my throat when I heard the call of my pack.
“Rook found me. He returned me to my family and the pack dealt with the Blakelys. For the longest time, if the lights went out, I could smell that basement and hear those chains rattling, feel them encasing my wrists and ankles. I tried to have relationships, but couldn’t give up control to anyone. It pushed most women away.
“Then I discovered BDSM and found a way I could pleasure a woman and remain in complete control. It was like an answer to my prayers and I immersed myself in that lifestyle for the longest time. Until you.”
Red lifted his hand and kissed it. “I know you think you were always in control, but there was one moment when you lost control.”
Ace frowned.
“You can’t come if you’re completely in control of yourself. A release is a complete lack of control over your body. Even if you’d held off until you gave yourself permission to come, you would still be vulnerable when it happened. BDSM just gave you the illusion of control.”
“Maybe. I guess I never thought of it that way.”
“Do you still need it? Or is it just something you enjoy now?”
His gaze caressed her face. “Since being with you, I’ve found I don’t have to be in control all the time. I trust you, Red, and that’s something that hasn’t happened in a long time. Oh, I trusted my pack and my beta to some extent, more than I’d ever trusted anyone else, but it was different from trusting someone in an intimate setting.”
“And you don’t trust them anymore.”
He shook his head.
“I don’t trust them either.”
Ace looked out over the ocean before returning his gaze to hers. “Blaine wants us to join his pack. I didn’t want to make any sort of commitment without talking it over
with you. We’d have to move here, and we wouldn’t be the alpha pair.”
“Do you honestly think I care if you’re the alpha or not?”
“No.” He smiled. “I don’t suppose you do.”
“He wants you to be his beta, doesn’t he?”
Ace nodded. “It’s a good offer. I have plenty of money for us to start fresh. I could sell my investments in Burlison Heights, sell my house, and we could move here. Maybe get a home on the beach. You seem to like having the ocean in your backyard.”
“It’s peaceful. I’ve been lacking that for a long time.”
“But you feel at peace with the Shadow Tip Pack, too, don’t you? You seem more relaxed around them than you do with my pack. It’s almost like you belong here.”
Red sighed. “They know what happened to me. They don’t approve of the way your pack handled it. Blaine held a meeting before we arrived and told them to give me space and…well, I don’t know precisely what all was said, but the result is that the males move slowly around me and everyone treats me with kid gloves. I think they went a little overboard, but it’s been nice.”
“Burlison Heights has been your home your entire life. Could you be happy here?”
She smiled at him. “Very. I’ve already made friends, something I don’t have at home. It wouldn’t be a hardship at all to move. I can easily find a job around here. Or maybe I’ll quit working altogether and spend more time with the pack, make more friends. Being able to hang out whenever I want would be nice.”
“That’s a big change for you.”
“I like this place. It feels like home.”
Ace kissed her briefly. “Then I’ll tell Blaine I accept his offer and I’ll get the ball rolling on things at home. Someone can pack our belongings and I’ll hire movers to bring everything here.”
Red frowned. “I think you can leave my car behind. It’s barely holding together anyway. That is, if you don’t mind me driving your truck. I did total your other car, so I’d understand if you didn’t want me to.”
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