by Dover, L. P.
“Are you nervous?”
I looked out the window at all the cars before answering Tyla. “A little. I can’t help but wonder how they’ll take me. My own pack treated me as if I was a leper, except for Sebastian.”
“Who’s that?”
“My father’s second in command and my protector. He was more my friend than anything. Or at least, I thought he was. He betrayed me in the end, just like my parents. I guess you can say my experience with other wolves hasn’t been promising.”
She sat beside me, bumping me in the shoulder. “We’re going to be your family now, Bailey. Everyone downstairs will love and respect you as their alpha. You have to be willing to open up and give them a chance.”
“I will. Everything just seems to be moving so fast.”
“You’re not having doubts are you?”
“No, of course not. It’s just, I wish things could be simpler. I used to be so jealous of my friend from college. Knowing she’d be able to fall in love, get married, and do as she pleased. I envied her freedom.”
“You’ll be free here as well. As far as getting married, is that something you want? You know our kind don’t exactly have weddings.”
“I know, but I can always wish.” I remembered back to when Becca and I would go to one of the dress stores and try on wedding gowns. It was silly, but I knew it was something I’d never get to experience.
Opening the bedroom door, Ryker slipped his head inside. “You ready, angel? Everyone’s here.”
Tyla put her arm around me. “You can do this. I’ll see you downstairs.” She squeezed my shoulder and then disappeared, leaving Ryker and I alone.
“So how many wolves are in your pack?” I asked him.
“Our pack,” Ryker reminded me for the umpteenth time as he pulled me in for a kiss. “Why don’t you go take a look?”
He opened the door wide and I held in my surprised gasp as we entered the living room. Dozens of men, women, and children all turned to gape at us. “Oh my God,” I breathed. The sight was absolutely amazing. I had never known a pack to be so large.
There weren’t just Arctic wolves either. There were reds, grays, and even a small number of Arctic wolves all congregated in one place, smiling at each other with no rivalry. I could feel the power of their blood calling to me, giving me strength. It was something I’d never felt before with my own pack.
“Do you feel that? I’ve never felt it before until now,” Ryker mentioned through our bond.
“Me neither.”
Taking my hand, Ryker walked me through the crowd, and I said my hellos to everyone as I passed. In the corner was a group of wolves that had immense power pouring off of them. When they saw us approaching, they bowed their heads. I had already gotten to know a few of them at the bar, including Cedric. I didn’t realize how strong they were until they were all together.
“Everyone, this is Bailey Whitehill, my mate,” he announced.
One by one they introduced themselves, but of course it was Cedric’s smart ass mouth that caught my attention as he made his way toward us.
“Ready for the full moon,” he quipped, punching Ryker in the arm. “The guys were wondering when he was ever going to catch you.”
Ryker rolled his eyes and punched him back. “Yeah, well I would’ve liked to see you do any better. She wasn’t exactly an easy girl to follow.”
Cedric turned to me and grinned even wider. “On behalf of the pack, I want to thank you for getting him out of the shitty ass mood he’s been in for the past year.”
Lifting my brows, I glanced up at Ryker and smiled. “So basically, he’s saying you’ve been a dick? I thought you could control yourself better than that, Mr. Alpha.”
He leaned down, whispering in my ear. “You’re one to talk, angel. I can feel the desire inside of you when you look at me. Trust me, it makes things very hard.”
Cedric watched our interaction, clearly amused. “If you’re done mind-fucking each other, I just wanted to officially welcome you to the pack and tell you that we’re all happy you’re here.”
Nodding, I smiled and said, “Thank you.” Knowing very well they weren’t going to be too happy when we told them about the two packs most likely hunting me.
Ryker rubbed my back and sighed. “It’s time.”
Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly and walked with him to the front of the room. Ryker walked up with confidence and it was the only thing that kept me going. He believed in his pack, and knew without a doubt they would stand by and protect me. I just didn’t want to ask them to.
“You’re not, angel . . . I am.”
All eyes turned our way as Ryker cleared his throat, ready to make his announcement. It was amazing how so many different wolves were part of his pack, with an Arctic wolf as the alpha. Never in a million years would I have thought such a thing possible.
“As you all know,” he began, “I spent the last five years watching over Bailey, and then some in the previous years. When the time comes, she’ll be your alpha as well. She didn’t initially come here willingly. Through reasons I have yet to figure out, her family had promised her to another wolf, not telling her about the magic of mates. It turns out, that other wolf was my brother.”
The energy in the room spiked as words of rage and disgust spewed from everyone’s mouths. Questions were thrown at us, asking why my family would do that to me, but Ryker and I didn’t have the answers. Instead, he held up his hands, signaling for silence.
“We don’t know why her family didn’t tell her about mate magic or why she was promised to Kade, but I do know that—”
“I know why,” a voice called out.
The room fell silent as an elderly woman with long white hair and weathered skin approached the front wearing a white, silky robe. She was old, much older than any wolf I’d ever seen.
“Seraphina,” Ryker replied in my mind.
Slowly, she waltzed up to us, keeping her solemn gaze on mine. My heart thundered in my chest, but Ryker grabbed my hand, and it calmed me. I wanted answers, but I had to admit, I was nervous about hearing them.
Ryker bowed his head out of respect. “Thanks for coming, Seraphina. As always, I am open to your wisdom.”
Seraphina held out her hand to me. “Come, child. Take my hand.”
Her crystal blue eyes were kind and gentle, but had a sadness behind them. I took her hand and she pulled me to her, holding on tight. Her eyes closed and she mumbled something under her breath. “Too many secrets and lies have befallen you. Especially from those you love.” More mumbled words escaped her lips, and then out of nowhere, a spark of power radiated through the room and through me. Gasps erupted from the pack as it traveled through each and every one of them. The magic was familiar, like I had felt it before.
Before opening her eyes, she grinned. “My suspicions were right.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, whispering the words.
Tears forming in her eyes, she lifted her hands to my face. “You’re not a Whitehill. You, my child, are royal.”
The crowd gasped, and when I looked at Ryker, he was wide-eyed in surprise. “I don’t understand. Care to elaborate?”
“It means your bloodline is the most powerful of all wolves,” Ryker explained.
Seraphina spoke up next. “He’s right. You are from the direct line of ancient wolves who disappeared about three centuries ago. No one knows where they went or, until recently, if they were still alive. When they ruled, the packs were at peace, living in harmony with one another.
“Over the years, greed poisoned our magic and the packs slowly drifted apart, forming new alliances. Now that we’re separated, the magic of the moon grows weaker. Our abilities to find our mates all but disappeared, making it harder for our wolves to find happiness. It is my belief, dear child, that you are the one who can help us.”
“How is this possible? How can I fix the dying magic?”
She smiled and took my hands. “By sealing the bond with your o
ne true mate. Ryker was born special too. Look around you.” I did as she said and gazed at the people in his pack. “Over the years, he’s brought all of these people together under one united front. No other alpha has the ability to do that anymore. It’s how the royals led their people centuries ago. And when you complete the bond, your combined power will be the first step in setting the natural balance—to restore what we’ve lost.”
One by one, the wolves in the room all dropped to their knees. Confusion swept over me. “I don’t understand. How can my parents be Whitehill’s and I’m not? Wouldn’t they be royals as well?”
Ryker joined me, his gaze wary. “I don’t think they are your biological parents, Bailey.”
“What he says is true,” Seraphina added. “I don’t know how you ended up with them, but they aren’t your family. If they were, they never would’ve promised you to Kade.”
I couldn’t even wrap my head around what she was saying. “How is that even possible? They’re my parents. They’re all I’ve known.”
She nodded wearily. “I’m not saying they didn’t love you. It’s possible they were forced to do what they did.”
Dread settled in the pit of my gut, the anger bubbling right underneath the surface. I didn’t even know who I was anymore. “Why can’t I remember any of my encounters with Ryker, or with my real family? It’s all just a black hole when I try to think back.”
She looked down at my hand, furrowing her brows. “They were wiped clean. When I touched you, I could feel the dark magic still binding itself to your memories, locking down your thoughts. Only a very powerful witch can do such a spell.”
“But who?” Then I glared at Ryker. “Did you have a witch like that in the Yukon pack?”
Releasing a heavy sigh, he nodded. “Her name was Maret.”
I felt violated, robbed. “How do I get them back?” I growled the words.
Seraphina hesitated for a moment. “The only way would be if the witch willingly reversed the spell, or if you killed her.”
“She took away the memories of my real family. One way or another, I’ll get them back.”
She sighed. “I know you want them back, but it’s not worth risking your life to get them. Right now, your only concern should be staying safe until the full moon comes.”
“Which is what I want to discuss with you all,” Ryker announced, turning to the group. “If the Yukon pack is on the hunt, I have no doubt they’ll come this way. If they see me with Bailey, there will surely be a fight. I don’t want to bring that kind of war to your doorsteps. Bailey and I will be leaving tonight until the threat’s passed. Cedric is my second in command; he’ll make the decisions while we’re gone.”
“What if we’re willing to fight?” one of the wolves asked. His name was Rafe, one of the wolves I met at the bar. He was tall and stout, a warrior at heart. I enjoyed talking to him about his building projects. I had no doubt he’d kick ass in a fight.
Ryker was about to answer, but I put my hand on his arm. “Give me a second to speak.” I looked up at him and he nodded.
“If a fight is what they want, I’ll give it to them. I’m the one who killed their alpha.” The room fell silent. “My goal is to lead them away from you, from your children. I haven’t been a part of your pack for long, but that doesn’t take away from the fact I don’t want to see anyone hurt because of me.”
As if on command, men stood and formed a line in front of me. Cedric was first. He knelt down, bowing his head.
“What are you doing?” I whispered.
He chuckled and winked up at me. “Giving you my life.” Taking my hand, he held it in his. “I, Cedric Convel, give you my life, my honor, and my strength. I will fight and die for you, if you so choose it. You are my alpha.” When he stood, he leaned down and whispered in my ear. “I’ve searched years for my mate and haven’t found her. If you can restore the magic of the moon, I will forever be in your debt.”
For the first time since I’d met him, he was completely serious. I nodded with confidence. “I will do everything within my power to see that it happens.”
Completely in awe, yet numb, I stood there with Ryker by my side as one after the other pledged their allegiance to me. Everything I’d known to be true had been torn away from me in just one night. I was nothing to my old pack but a pawn in a game. Whatever they were playing, I was determined to win. One way or another, I was going to get my answers.
Once everyone had left, it was time to leave for the airport. Ryker took my hand and brought it to his lips. “Everything will be fine, angel. After we finish mating, we’ll be stronger than any pack out there. You’ll get your answers.”
“I sure hope so. If we don’t, I’m never going to know what happened to my real family, or who I really am.”
“Even if you don’t find out who you really are, there’s one thing we know for certain. You’re mine, as I am yours. We found each other, and now you have a new family, a new beginning.”
“You’re right. But something tells me it’s not going to be so easy.”
With his hand on the back of my neck, he pulled me to him and kissed me. “Nothing worth having ever is. Now let’s go, we have a plane to catch.” We loaded up the truck and started down the road. When we got to the airport, he unloaded the bags and locked up. “North Carolina, here we come.”
Snickering, I grabbed my bag. “Blake said the beaches there were beautiful. And they aren’t crowded like other places. Besides, I’ve never even seen an ocean before. It’ll be a new experience.”
He put his arm around me. “That it will. If all else fails, at least I’ll get to see you in a bikini.” I started to laugh, but then froze. “Bailey, what’s wrong?”
For the briefest moment, I thought I’d felt the presence of another wolf, a strong one. But the feeling disappeared so fast I couldn’t tell if I imagined it, or if I was just paranoid.
“Bailey!” Ryker shouted, grabbing my attention. I scanned the parking lot and didn’t see a thing. “Are you okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah, of course. Let’s go. I’m ready to see the beach.”
Bailey
“It’s so beautiful.” Seeing the ocean from the plane didn’t compare to the way it actually felt to have the sand between my toes and smell the salty, sea air.
“You’re beautiful,” Ryker murmured. “And sexy as hell in that bathing suit.”
I smiled, and turned around. “Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself.”
“Are you going to stand out here all night?”
The sky was turning dark, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave. There was so much I’d missed in life, and I didn’t want to miss another second of it. “I’m thinking about it.” I laughed.
“Then I guess it’s a good thing I brought dinner.”
I turned to see he had a bottle of wine and a paper bag, with a towel draped over his bare shoulder. “How did I not know you left?”
He nodded toward the water. “You were mesmerized. Anyway, there’s an Italian place down the street. I thought it looked promising. I know you like lasagna.”
“And how do you know that?”
Setting the towel down, he pulled out our food and poured me a cup of wine. “You ate it at least three times a week when you were in college.”
Eyes wide, I stood there in shock. “Creepy . . .”
He rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t always watching you, Bailey. I still had the pack to look after too. But for the most part, I did keep tabs on you.”
“Why, because I’m your mate?”
His gaze narrowed. “You forget I knew you before the word ‘mate’ even popped in my head. I’m the one who found you alone in the woods when we were kids. I never left your side the entire time you were with my pack.” He passed me a takeout container of lasagna and my stomach rumbled.
I nodded, even though I couldn’t remember. “I know, I’m sorry. With having only human friends, they had their boyfriends, fell in love, and got married. I thought th
at’s what it would be like for me. That I’d get to pick someone of my choosing.”
A deep growl rumbled in his chest. “You did choose me. Why do you think we were separated? We clearly showed signs of it early on. You were taken away and I was banished from the pack. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. Once you get your memories back, you’ll see.”
“Until then?” I asked.
His jaw tensed as he stabbed away at his food. “We get to know each other the real way, by talking. I can’t make you love me, especially when you’re fighting your instincts.”
I didn’t want to fight them, I just wanted to make my own choices. I knew deep down there was more to me and Ryker, but my whole life had been built on lies. I needed something tangible. “I know we have this connection to each other, but I want us to be together because of who we are, not because of magic. I want you to be with me because of me.”
“What do you think I’ve done over the past five years? While you were away at school, I watched you every single day, learning all your likes and dislikes. Stalkerish or not, I had no choice. It was the only way I could be around you.”
“Why didn’t you try to talk to me?”
He huffed. “I wanted to, but I didn’t want to draw any more attention than I already had. Your bodyguard was always around. I didn’t want him to know I was there.”
I choked on my wine. “Bodyguard? Who the hell are you talking about?”
“The wolf you left with that day I came for you,” he said, finishing off the rest of his food.
Had he lost his mind? “Sebastian? He was only there to drop me off and bring me home. I would’ve known if he was there.”
“Obviously, you didn’t. He followed you everywhere.”
Was I too engrossed in my freedom to even notice? “How can that be possible? I’ve always been able to sense other wolves when they’re around.”
He shrugged. “I don’t know, but we need to add it to the long list of questions you have.” Sighing, Ryker laid down on the sand, his gaze up at the sky. I could feel his emotions as if they were my own. He was worried about the pack, but his main concern was for me.
