Protecting the Pack

by Tabitha Conall

  Ben touched Chris’ arm. “Did you ever think your pack might have your back? They know how strong you are. Hell, you flattened Keith without breaking a sweat then you stood there like some kind of statue while Alex patched you up. You didn’t even flinch. No one thinks you’re weak. They think you’re invincible.”

  “And you know what the invincible reigning hero always does,” Alex said. “He goes home and fucks like a bunny.”

  Chris’ mouth pulled to the side like he was fighting a smile. “You might have a point.”

  “So we can stay home tonight?” Ben said. “Hang out, maybe watch some TV?”

  “What happened to fucking like a bunny?” Chris pulled plates out of the cabinet. “If there’s not going to be any fucking, I might as well go to the bar.”

  “Oh, I see.” Ben knocked Alex with his elbow. “He just wants us for our bodies.”

  “Damn straight.” Chris strained the pasta.

  “I’m okay with that,” Alex said. “Seeing as he brings such a nice body to the table himself.”

  “There is that.”

  “You two could help.” Chris pulled a serving bowl out of another cabinet. “Set the table and take out the plates.”

  Alex grabbed the stack of plates and headed for the kitchen table. “Just like my mother.”

  With a jolt, Ben realized he hadn’t eaten in someone’s home like this since the last time he’d eaten with his parents. But instead of feeling sad, he felt like he’d finally come back to life. He understood now why mom didn’t want to live after her mates had been killed. He couldn’t imagine living without Chris and Alex, either.

  But he didn’t have to. They were together, happy, and they would stay that way.

  Ben opened several drawers and finally found the silverware. By the time he had laid them out, Alex had added napkins and Chris had brought the pasta and sauce over to the table.

  Ben stood beside his chair. “We’re really a family.”

  Chris rubbed Ben’s neck, brushing his thumb across Ben’s jaw. “We really are.” As they all sat down, Chris said, “Speaking of family, how soon do we want to start popping out babies?”

  Alex choked on the water she’d been drinking.

  “Careful, there.” Chris slapped her on the back.

  “I’d like to finish college first,” she said.

  “This is the problem with our age differences,” Chris said. “I’m already thirty-five. I’m ready to have kids now.”

  “I’m okay with waiting,” Ben said. “But I can see Chris’ point. What if we agreed to do most of the work so you could continue college?”

  Alex scooped pasta onto her plate. “So you’re going to carry the baby, deal with morning sickness and hormonal changes, lug my body across campus even when I’m five feet wide and then go through the joys of childbirth for me?”

  “Well, not those parts,” Ben said.

  “What if we timed it so you had the baby during the summer break?” Chris said.

  Alex paused, looking at him. “So you’re saying I should be most pregnant during the hottest months of the year…in Virginia.”

  “When you put it that way—” Chris said.

  “Listen.” Alex ladled sauce onto her pasta. “Let me think about it a little. So far none of this sounds good to me, but if you’re serious about doing most of the feeding and staying up all night and changing diapers and all of that, then maybe I can figure something out.”

  “Our cubs will be beautiful,” Chris said. “Just like you.”

  “Well,” Alex said. “When you put it that way…”

  ***

  The next morning when Chris got to work, a wolf stood outside the door waiting for him. Keith and Mad Dog stood next to him. Chris’ workplace was in neutral territory. He was a sales rep working on commission at a company selling athletic equipment.

  The new wolf, a lanky dark-haired male wearing a black leather jacket, sauntered toward him. “You didn’t show up at the bar last night, Chris. Scared? Or licking your wounds?”

  Chris stood up a little taller and made himself look more imposing. “Brett, I presume.”

  Chapter 14

  The wolf tilted his head in acknowledgment.

  “Listen, Brett, I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I’m newly mated. What do you think I’ve been doing?”

  Brett’s jaw tightened. Probably thinking about Alex. And Alex in bed with Chris and Ben. Good.

  Brett stepped up to Chris. “Chris Byers, I challenge you.”

  Looked like Ben was right. Brett had been waiting at the bar for them the night before in order to challenge him. “I accept your challenge.”

  “The place I choose is the farm, same place as Keith’s fight,” Brett said.

  Damn it. What the hell was it with them and the farm? And how was he supposed to explain two “parties” so close together to his tenant? He’d choose a late time again. That would at least help reduce accidental visitors. “Tomorrow night. Eleven o’clock.”

  Brett winced theatrically, getting his whole body into it. “Keith said you liked the late night stuff. How come, Chris? Hoping I’ll be too tired to fight?”

  “I’ll tell you as soon as you tell me why you insist on having the fight at my farm instead of at the park in town.”

  “Onlookers, Chris. The park is right in town. Anyone could see us.”

  “Same reason I want it late. So my tenants don’t wander over to see why I’m using part of the land they’ve legally leased from me. You agree to switch to the park and I’ll agree to an earlier time.” Chris mentally crossed his fingers.

  “So sorry, Chris. We really want to do this out of the way. So it’s gotta be the farm.”

  “Then it’s gotta be eleven o’clock.” Chris settled his gaze on Keith. Nick had told him Keith had been carted away by the cops. Someone must have posted bail. “Out of jail so soon?”

  “You bastard.” Keith started toward him, but Mad Dog held him back.

  Chris stood his ground. “Uh-uh-uh. Don’t want an assault charge added to your record.”

  Keith sneered. “Pretty soon you’ll be dog meat. Then we’ll see who’s sorry.”

  Chris ignored Keith, looking instead at Brett. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.” He deliberately walked past them into the building, showing that he wasn’t afraid of them and hoping they wouldn’t jump him when his back was turned.

  When he got inside, he called Ben. His mate didn’t have a job yet, so he was able to take a couple of hours to call everyone who needed to know. Chris would have to call his tenant himself. He dreaded the phone call. His tenant, Bill, hadn’t sounded happy the first time. How much would it take before Bill dragged Chris into court again and cost him a bunch of money?

  He finally pulled himself together and called. This time he didn’t mention a party, just asked if he could use the fallow field again.

  “I could say no,” Bill said. “You can’t force me to let you.”

  Chris gritted his teeth. Couldn’t force him? He could force him. “I know this is highly irregular.” He wouldn’t beg, damn it. And he wouldn’t apologize.

  After a pause, Bill said, “What is it you want it for?”

  “A get together that’s too big for my house,” Chris said. That was the truth.

  “And how many times is this going to happen?”

  Chris’ wolf grumbled. This peon of a human had no right to question him. “This should be the last time.” Damn well better be.

  “Fine. Just see that this doesn’t happen again, or I’ll have to talk to my lawyer.”

  “Thank you.” Even thanking this man went against the grain.

  “All right, then,” Bill said.

  They signed off. For this, if nothing else, Chris would wring Brett’s neck. And for hitting Alex—well, Chris would demolish him.

  At lunchtime, he met Alex and Ben at The Weeping Widow. They squeezed into a booth with Alex in the middle. Chris put his arm around her shoulders and instantly fe
lt some of his tension slip away.

  “How’s your leg?” Ben said.

  “Much better.” Chris might be exaggerating a little, but Ben didn’t need to know that.

  “How do you think it’ll be by tomorrow night?” Alex threaded her fingers through his, where his hand rested on her shoulder.

  “Good as new.” And that was a total fabrication. But maybe the positive thinking would help.

  Alex rested her head on his shoulder. “He’s lying to us.”

  “I know,” Ben said.

  Chris wasn’t used to people calling him on stuff like that. “You just assume I’m lying?”

  “I dressed your wound the other night.” Alex squeezed his fingers. “I know enough to know you haven’t healed all the way.”

  “I can do one better,” Ben said. “I saw you dressing it this morning. It looked better but no way was it healed. And it won’t be healed by tomorrow night, either. He’ll go after your leg. So we need to find some way to protect it.”

  “Put a big bandage around it. Something thick enough he can’t bite through it.” Alex said.

  “That would display weakness. Even worse than having a weakness is displaying it.” Ben leaned his elbow on the table. “Maybe we can numb the area.”

  Chris listened to them, feeling slightly amused. Not that it wasn’t deadly serious, but it was funny to hear them talking about him as though he wasn’t there. That didn’t happen often.

  “Like with an anesthetic? Won’t that just mean he doesn’t feel it when it gets injured even worse?” Alex said.

  Ben tapped the table. “Exactly. It’s not like he can back out of the fight. So the next best thing is to keep him from feeling the pain so he can keep fighting as hard as he needs to. After it’s over and Brett is a bloody puddle, we can put Chris back together again.”

  “A bloody puddle?” Chris said.

  “Please don’t tell me you’re going to do any less to him. If he’s not a bloody puddle at the end, I might have to step in and finish him off after you’ve won.” Ben cracked his knuckles. “On the other hand, that sounds like fun.”

  They all knew he was kidding. Pack law wouldn’t allow Ben to fight Brett unless Brett won the challenge. Which he wasn’t going to do.

  The waitress arrived and they ordered.

  After she left, Chris said, “I’m all for anesthesia as long as it won’t cause delays in my reaction time or a reduction in my strength.”

  “We can’t do anything about the delays and weakness caused by the injury itself, but we’ll find something that will numb it without making things worse,” Ben said. “One problem. The best person to talk to would be the pack doctor. And I’m guessing you don’t want us to do that.”

  “You mean besides the fact she’ll be pissed as hell that I didn’t let her treat it in the first place?” Chris said.

  “Yeah.” Alex’s voice was dry. “Besides that.”

  “I can’t appear weak,” Chris said.

  “Do wolves not have doctor-patient confidentiality?” Ben said.

  Chris scowled. Ben knew damn well wolves had the same confidentiality humans had. And there wasn’t anything he could say to refute it. “I don’t want the doctor to think I’m weak.”

  Alex glared at him. “We’re calling her. She’ll come over to the house tonight. If you’re worried, you can tell everyone else she came over to see me. And if you don’t give us her name and number in order to call her, we’ll ask Nick. And then you can explain it to him.”

  She was amazing. “I have a bully for a wife,” Chris said.

  “Not your wife yet,” she said.

  “Not yet, but soon.” He kissed her. “Have you started planning the wedding yet?” Weddings weren’t required; once they’d marked each other, they were bound for life. But most wolves still had weddings or at the very least got hitched by the justice of the peace, to make things easier in the human side of their lives.

  “So I’m the one who’s planning the wedding?” Alex said.

  “You are the woman,” Ben said. “Don’t women do those sorts of things?”

  Alex settled herself against the back cushion of the booth, almost dislodging Chris’ arm. “You know, if you leave it up to me, we might just go to Vegas.”

  Ben gazed at her. “Seriously? What kind of woman are you?”

  “A down to earth one? I never fantasized about my wedding. City hall would work fine for me,” she said.

  “Well, not for me,” Chris said. “I want a big wedding. Always have. And my mother would have a conniption if we did it any other way.”

  Alex sat up. “Your mother?”

  “I do have parents,” Chris said.

  “Yeah, but you never talk about them. Are they in the pack?” Ben said.

  “No, they’re in a pack up in Maryland. When I got out of college I got wanderlust. I traveled all over and then found Marysburg. I even lived here as a lone wolf for a couple of years before some friends in Roanoke convinced me to join. From there I slowly worked my way up the ranks and eventually took over.” Chris reached further across Alex’s shoulders to rub Ben’s head. “My parents will be thrilled to hear about you two. They’d all but given up hope for me.”

  “You haven’t told them yet?” Alex said.

  “As soon as I tell them, they’ll drive down here. No kidding. We hang up the phone and they’ll be here a few hours later. So I want to wait until this whole mess is behind us. I don’t want my parents caught up in a dominance play. Especially if it goes wrong.”

  “It won’t go wrong,” Alex said.

  Chris kissed her temple. God, he could kiss this woman all day. “Everything’ll be fine. What about your parents? Have you thought any more about calling them?”

  She was quiet for a few seconds. “Maybe. After you defeat Brett, maybe.”

  He whispered against her temple. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

  “They reject me again.”

  He pressed his lips against her. “And what if they don’t?”

  Before she could answer, the waitress brought their food. Chris had to remind himself that he needed to get back to work and couldn’t sit at lunch with his mates all day. No matter how much he wanted to. There’d be time for that at dinner.

  In spite of everything he’d said, he didn’t feel as confident as he wanted to about the challenge the next night. He thought he’d win, but he had a bad feeling things weren’t going to be that easy. It wasn’t just his leg, either. There was more going on than he understood, and it boded nothing but ill.

  ***

  The next evening Alex stood beside Chris and Ben as they waited for Brett to show up. She and Ben had gotten their way. The pack doctor, Sophia, had come to their house the night before and given them a local anesthetic Chris could use during the fight. Ben had given him the shot a few minutes earlier, right before they’d left their car.

  Chris had been right—Sophia had been pissed he hadn’t called her sooner. She hadn’t been able to go to the first challenge and hadn’t known he’d gotten injured.

  Sophia had told them she’d make sure she attended the challenge tonight. Alex was glad. She had a feeling Brett would do more damage than Keith had, and she didn’t know if she’d be up to putting Chris back together.

  Alex dreaded seeing Brett again. She’d had a lump in the pit of her stomach all day. Had she really loved him? And had it only been a few days ago that she’d run to Brett, away from her mates? She couldn’t imagine it now.

  But what would Brett do when he saw her? He couldn’t attack her, not with Ben, Chris and most of Roanoke pack standing around. But he could taunt her. And she knew he knew all her weak spots.

  A car pulled up. Alex’s stomach jumped. She slipped her hands into Ben’s and Chris’.

  Three figures got out of the car and walked toward them. Brett, of course. She didn’t recognize the other two until they got closer. Keith and Mad Dog. What an entourage.

  Brett’s gaze settled o
n Alex. She couldn’t read his expression, but that just made it worse. When she squeezed her mates’ hands tighter, Ben let go and put his arm around her shoulders.

  “He can’t hurt you,” he said.

  She wished she could believe that.

  The three loners stopped in front of them. “Ready to fight?” Brett said, still staring at Alex.

  “Ready whenever you are,” Chris said. “But first, take your eyes off my mate.”

  Brett spread his arms. “What, I can’t even look at her? She used to be mine, you know.”

  “I know that,” Chris said in a loud, clear voice. “I also know you hit her.”

  A gasp ricocheted through the crowd.

  Alex felt embarrassed for a second then realized she didn’t need to be. She could feel the anger of the pack directed at Brett as though it were a palpable thing. She’d forgotten. Females were prized.

  Brett laughed. “She was mine. I had every right to do whatever I wanted. And she’ll be mine again when I win.”

  Alex stepped forward. “I will not! You remember how I threw up the last couple of times you touched me? It’s ‘cause I can’t stand you anymore.”

  “I’ve got the cure for that, baby. Once your mates are both dead, you won’t throw up.”

  Chris pushed Alex behind him. “You’re not coming near my mates. If you do, I’ll obliterate you.”

  Brett’s face stayed impassive for a moment, his eyes glittering almost black as they slid from Alex to Chris and back again. Then he smiled a secret smile as though he knew something none of them knew. “Let’s fight.”

  The two men stripped. Chris had put a flesh-colored bandage over his leg wound, making it look like he had no wound at all. The bandage would fall off when he shifted; it was for this moment only. Alex felt a surge of triumph when Brett stared at Chris’ leg, trying to find the weakness. Hopefully this fight wouldn’t be as easy as Brett thought.

  Chris finished stripping and started his change. His muscles rippled, undulating as his bones reshaped themselves under the skin. Brett soon followed him. At the end, Chris’ wolf was the beautiful, huge, honey-colored wolf Alex had seen during the last fight. Across from him stood a grey-colored wolf. Brett.