Tattered Loyalties

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  The hair on the back of his neck rose. “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me correctly, Gideon Brentwood. The lack of Alpha female is hurting our Pack. It has left a hole your own sister has been forced to fill, though she is not the right wolf to do so. It is…perverse to even think of doing so for as long as you have. The Pack is on edge, and your unwillingness to mate is only harming them.”

  “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. I don’t choose my mate. Fate does.” Lie. “Where the hell do you get off telling me that I need to mate to protect the Pack? I’ve done just fine for the past thirty years. You can’t just provide me a mate because you’re unhappy with the way I rule.”

  Something like triumph filled Shannon’s eyes, and Gideon held back a curse.

  “That’s what you’re planning on doing, isn’t it?” Ryder said. “You’re planning on invoking the Mating Clause.”

  Gideon stood up, his hands fisting so he wouldn’t let his claws out. “The Mating Clause?” He’d heard of the damn thing, but it had never crossed his mind that anyone would ever actually invoke it.

  Shannon stood up as well, that fucking smile on her face getting on his last nerve. “Yes. It’s been used before, and it will be used again. The entire elder council is unanimous in this, Gideon. You have no way out.”

  Gideon shot a look at Xavier, who looked torn but didn’t say anything. Fucking elders. Fuck all of them. The Mating Clause was an old ritual whereby, if the Alpha needed a mate to help provide a future for his people, then the Pack would find him one. They would form a marriage, and then, over time, the bond would be formed. It wouldn’t be true mating, but with enough power and with a touch of witch magic, they could procreate and provide the next generation of power for the Pack.

  It had never been used in his lifetime, and he’d be damned if it would be used now.

  He fisted his hands and his side, reining in his control. If he shifted right then and spilled blood, he’d only prove to them he was too weak to hold his own wolf. They were basing their actions on the fact they thought he was too weak to lead alone, and he wasn’t about to give them any more ammunition.

  Something else clicked and his wolf howled.

  “That’s why you have Iona here. You want me to mate with her so you can have your precious power. By forcing me to mate, you tell the Pack that you’re just as strong, if not stronger, than I am.”

  Shannon angled her head in the way of the wolf. “Does it?”

  He knew he had a way out. Fate had provided him with the answer after all, but it was the wrong choice. He knew it. Brie was too submissive. She wasn’t a Talon. She was way too fucking young.

  And he’d yet to even speak with her on the matter.

  But if he didn’t tell the elders now, his entire Pack would be fucked. Letting them know of her existence wouldn’t force her into a mating and wouldn’t do anything other than give him time.

  Time was the only thing he needed, and he prayed that Brie and the Redwoods would forgive him.

  “You can’t force me to mate with Iona.”

  “That’s where you are wrong,” Shannon purred. “We can, and we will.”

  Gideon shook his head and took a deep breath. “You can’t because I’ve already found my potential mate.”

  Iona sucked in a deep breath, and he felt his family stiffen beside him. He ignored them for now. There would be time later to explain his actions and why he’d hidden her. They’d understand as soon as he told them exactly who his potential mate was.

  “Lies!” Shannon spat.

  “No. Not a lie. It’s new, and we haven’t had time to fully come to terms with it.” Or even speak of it. “But you will give us time to find our path. I will not be forced into mating with her early.” Or at all.

  Shannon narrowed her eyes. “You have two days. Provide this sudden mate of yours, or you will mate Iona.” She smiled. “For the good of the Pack of course.”

  Gideon growled low and watched the others stomp away. He could feel his family behind him, but he didn’t speak.

  He couldn’t.

  There was no way this was going to work. He’d dug himself into a hole and buried Brie with him.

  What the hell was he going to do?

  Chapter Four

  Brie ran her hands through her hair and tried to calm herself down. Her wolf pushed at her, and she pushed back, knowing that if she didn’t start taking deeper breaths, she was going to shift and scare anyone who happened to walk by. Sure, she was in her home, and her roommate, Finn, wasn’t even there, but people would be able to feel the pull of her wolf when she shifted.

  It wasn’t like people, including her, didn’t shift all the time within the den, but her wolf was so on edge that it would be like sending out a beacon of distress. And since she was a submissive, all the other more dominant wolves would rush to her because they needed to make sure she was okay.

  She didn’t have a problem normally controlling her wolf. In fact, since she didn’t have the extra aggression that some wolves possessed considering their dominant wolves, she had more control than most. Shifting for her—while painful like the others—was also a soothing release where she and her wolf would become one, and she could relax once she was in wolf form.

  Now, though, she needed to shift because her wolf wanted to run out of the den and find their mate.

  That wasn’t going to happen.

  Gideon hadn’t even called or asked how she was doing. He wasn’t her mate. He was just another wolf in her life. Goddess, he wasn’t even in her life. He was just…there.

  For freak’s sake. She was acting like a middle school kid who’d found out at recess a boy liked her. Instead, she was a thirty-something virgin who had finally come face to face with her mate and walked away before he could do it first.

  She could still feel the heat of his hands on her arms, the firm hardness of his chest against her body as he caught her. Her face heated when she remembered why he’d held her. Of course she’d tripped like an idiot and had to have the big, bad Alpha hold her and save her from the evil floor.

  She was surprised she hadn’t swooned and clutched her pearls at the sight of him.

  Goddess, she didn’t like herself right then.

  She might not be a fighter, but she wasn’t some weak-spined young pup who’d never seen a man before. The only reason she was a virgin was because she was seventeen when she spotted Gideon for the first time, and her wolf had decided that was it. There would be no one else for her. Since then, she’d pushed other men away because she didn’t feel what she should with them. She’d dated, and even gotten far with a couple of wolves and a male witch who lived in the den, but when the time came to get physical, she hadn’t been able to. It had nothing to do with the men and everything to do with who they weren’t.

  That didn’t bode well for the rest of her life considering how her wolf was acting right now.

  She had a feeling her family had figured something was off with her, too. Sure, her dad was pleased with the fact that she’d never gotten serious with another wolf. Pleased because he’d never had to beat up a poor young pup for being near his precious, perfect daughter—his words, not hers. But even he’d remarked on her lack of a boyfriend recently. He loved her enough to let her go—only there was nowhere for her to go in the first place. Her mother was worried, as were her two younger sisters who were dating wolves and growing up.

  Brie, it seemed, would be left behind because her wolf had already chosen, and while submissive, it was too strong for Brie to overrule.

  The future seemed bleak at best, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to listen to her wolf anymore. It might be best for her to gain the power she hadn’t thought she had and find a wolf to be with. Even if she never mated, she could at least have fun. Her cousins were all growing up and enjoying life. Why couldn’t she?

  It wasn’t like she had nothing in life. She had a home she loved and shared with Finn. It wasn’t big, but it was just enough for the two o
f them. Eventually, when Finn mated, he’d move into a bigger place so he could raise a family. Then she’d be alone in the small place. It seemed like a bleak future, but she’d make the best of it. Maybe one day her wolf would let her mate someone else. It wasn’t unheard of to find another potential mate…only extremely rare. And with the den on alert because of the humans, it was getting harder and harder to find others that could be just right for them.

  She’d had her chance and fate had blown it.

  Her wolf nudged at her again, and she cursed. “Stop it,” she growled. “Just stop it. He’s not ours. He will never be ours. He’s a freaking Alpha, and mooning about it will just make things worse. I am not some bright-eyed little girl who can’t live without a man. I am a member of the Redwood Pack. I’m stronger than this.”

  “Damn it. It’s true then.”

  She sucked in a breath then turned to see Finn and Quinn, a member of the Pack and the Alpha’s enforcer, standing in the doorway.

  Tears filled her eyes, and she blinked them back. She hadn’t heard either of them come in the house, hadn’t scented them. Damn it. She’d been so focused on herself and her wolf that she’d let her guard down.

  Now they knew.

  “What are you talking about?” she snapped, trying to put as much force as she could into it.

  Quinn sighed and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Brie,” he whispered. The big man with dark hair and chocolate brown eyes sighed, yet looked genuinely worried for her. Why would he feel like that? He’d mated her cousin Gina so he was now family and acted like a big brother, but he’d never looked at her like that.

  She frowned. “What? What do you have to be sorry about? What’s going on?”

  Finn held out his hand and took hers. She pulled back, worried. His eyes glowed gold for a moment before going back to their normal Jamenson jade. A lock of dark brown hair fell over his face, and he brushed it out of the way, the tension in his shoulders visible.

  He leveled her a look then ran his hands over his jeans. “Brie, you’re going to have to sit down, okay? We need to be fast and form a plan before the parents find out.”

  Now she was really confused. What on earth was he talking about? It had sounded like they knew something about what had happened, yet she was sure she was missing something important. Why were they hiding everything from their parents? And why the hell was Quinn here? Nothing made any sense.

  “Tell me what’s going on, Finn. You’re starting to scare me.”

  He let out a breath. “Well, you have a reason be scared it seems.”

  “What the hell are you talking about? And why are you here with him, Quinn?”

  Quinn grimaced then started to pace. “You know that I used to be a Talon, right?”

  Brie blinked. “Yeah, before you mated Gina.” Gina was Finn’s sister, as well as the new Enforcer of the Redwoods. The two of them had met when the Talons and Redwoods formed a council fifteen years ago. Quinn, along with his son, Jesse, had become Redwoods when he and Gina mated.

  “Well, because I grew up with the Talons, and some still consider me an honorary Talon, I hear things from the Pack before the other Redwoods do.”

  “Okay…”

  “First, Brie, I need you to be honest with me, okay?” Finn asked before Quinn could finish his thought.

  She turned to her cousin and frowned. “I’m always honest with you,” she whispered, knowing that wasn’t quite the truth. She’d hidden her discovery for years and hadn’t mentioned the pull she’d felt. That, however, was her business. It wasn’t as though she’d outright lied about the fact that she’d found her mate and subsequently let nothing come of it.

  Finn’s mouth pressed into a thin line, and she sucked in a breath. “Is Gideon your potential mate?”

  She blinked. She knew he’d ask something along those lines. He said as much when he walked through the door, but it was still a shock to hear it clearly stated. She’d never really spoken aloud about it except for tonight. And now look where it left her.

  She couldn’t lie though. It didn’t feel right. “Yes. He’s my potential.” Both men cursed, and she waved her hands, her eyes burning. She didn’t let the tears fall though. It hurt like hell, but she wasn’t weak. And maybe if she kept telling herself that, she’d believe it.

  “I’m not going to mate with him, Finn. I’m not stupid. He’s the freaking Alpha of the Talons. I’m a submissive. Those two don’t mesh. The moon goddess got it wrong. I get that. So don’t worry. I’ll stay away from him, and then, eventually, our wolves will find a way to move on.” Hopefully. “And one day, maybe I’ll find another mate. Or I can find a wolf I want to spend the rest of my life with, and then one day the bond might form. This isn’t the end of the world.”

  Only...it felt like it.

  “Fuck,” Quinn mumbled then started to pace again. She hadn’t noticed he’d stopped, but again, she’d been in her own head.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked. “I don’t get it. You guys sound like you knew that this was a possibility before you walked in.” She froze. “Did Gideon say something? Hell, he shouldn’t have. We haven’t even spoken to one another about it. Or, really even spoken to each other beyond that one time in the meeting. He’s not going to want to mate with me, guys. Everything will be fine. It won’t disrupt the Packs. We’ll both get over it. I’m sure he has already.” Her heart ached at that last part, but she pushed it away. She’d deal with the pain later. She always did.

  “Its not that easy anymore,” Finn whispered.

  Easy? How on earth was this easy? If this was easy, she didn’t want to know what hard felt like. Her wolf nudged at other, a scrap of claws along her skin.

  Finn looked at Quinn, and Brie wanted to scream at them to just tell her what the heck was going on.

  “You remember that the elders of the Talon Pack keep trying to control Gideon, right?” Quinn asked.

  She nodded, her wolf growling at the idea that Gideon had to deal with that. He might not actually be her mate in truth, but she still didn’t want others to take advantage of him.

  “They had issues with you and Gina mating,” she said.

  Quinn snorted. “That’s one way of putting it. Well, they’re back. Or, more precisely, Shannon is back.” He swallowed hard. “She’s apparently gotten the rest of the elders on her side.”

  Something cold crawled up her spine, and she froze. “What side is she on?”

  Finn met her gaze. “She’s invoking the Mating Clause.”

  Brie sucked in a breath. She knew that clause because she’d read the old files with her Uncle Reed when she was younger. She wanted to be part of the Pack and help any way she could. “No. They can’t do that. Can they? Gideon’s fine without a mate.” Her wolf slammed into her, and she barely kept on her feet. Goddess, it hurt.

  Quinn shook his head. “They have the entire elder council on his back, Brie. They even picked out a woman for him. Iona. I know Gideon used to sleep with her, but I know they aren’t mates.”

  She jerked as though she’d been slapped, taking a step back.

  “Fuck,” Quinn said sharply, his eyes wide. “I’m sorry, Brie. I’m going about this all wrong.”

  Finn stepped toward her, but she took another step back, holding her hands up.

  Her mind whirled, but she would force her words to come out clearly. She could do this. She was stronger than she thought—least she prayed she was. “If Iona isn’t his mate, how can they invoke the Mating Clause?”

  Quinn sighed. “They’re going to force it. Between the Clause and magic from a witch, the two of them will be able to procreate.”

  A tear fell down her cheek, but she didn’t brush it away. This wasn’t supposed to be easy. The idea that the one wolf for her would be readily handed off to another woman hurt like hell. They could deal with her tears.

  “Okay,” she whispered. “Why are you telling me this?” she asked, her voice harsh. “If he’s going to mate with this woman, why are you here?
What do I have to do with it?”

  She wanted them to leave. She wanted to crawl in a hole and let time pass just for a little bit so she could get over whatever fantasies she’d held about mating.

  “Gideon bought some time,” Quinn said carefully.

  “And how did he do that?” she asked, her voice emotionless.

  “He…he said he’d found his potential mate so they couldn’t force him to mate with Iona.”

  She staggered back, gripping the back of the couch for support. “Did…did he say who?”

  Finn shook his head. “No, not in front of the elders. They weren’t pleased, but they gave him time to mate with the potential before they forced Iona on him.”

  She shook her head. “Then why are you here?”

  Quinn let out a breath. “Because we know it’s you, Brie. We knew before you told us. Gideon had to explain to his family what was going on as soon as they were in private. I don’t know what his plan is, but he said your name, and then Walker called me. He wanted to warn me before the shit hit the fan. Because, Brie, the shit will hit the fan.”

  She forced herself to take two steps then sank down on the couch, her legs unable to hold her up anymore. Gideon had felt it then. Had said her name…but only to save himself.

  Well, wasn’t that fate being a bitch?

  He wouldn’t have her if he had been given the choice. In fact, she wasn’t sure he’d chosen her at all. He hadn’t exactly contacted her, had he? No. Instead, he was in his den forming a plan that would disrupt her life and change it forever, yet he hadn’t bothered to let her in on the secret.

  “Do you know what he’s going to do?” she asked woodenly. Did he know what she was going to do?

  “I have no clue, Brie,” Quinn answered. “But there is a lot riding on this, and yet, I don’t know what the best thing he can do is.”

  “He’s not going to force her,” Finn snapped, and Brie’s head shot up.

  “Excuse me?” she asked softly.

  “You’re my family, you’re our Pack. You aren’t a Talon. You didn’t mention the fact that he was a potential, so something must have held you back. Come on, Brie, he’s a fucking Alpha. His Pack isn’t going to want a submissive as the Alpha Female. It’s unheard of. I don’t want you to get hurt just so Gideon can rule the way he wants. You’re more important than that.”