by Olivia Arran
James nodded, grinning in appreciation at my attempt to lighten the mood. “And, this must be your brother?” he said, nodding to Luis. “Good to have you here. I don’t think we’d have got Lisa back without your help.”
“Hey, no worries. That’s my twin there. And, I didn’t do much. Sean was the one who let loose a can of whoop-ass on those stinkin’ wolves — uh, no offense. Nobody here stinks.” He shrugged sheepishly from his chair.
I glanced at Sean, catching his wince at Luis’s words, then I turned back to James, who was briefing the group on everything we had missed. Hearing Amanda’s part in the story, how she had stepped up and brought the Alpha of Smithrock to the Council meeting — her uncle — I glanced at the woman in surprise.
“Yeah, surprised a lot of us,” Macey whispered, nodding toward Amanda. “And that, as well,” she added, indicating Tarq. “Can’t wait to see how he gets on there!”
Wow! Tarq was making a play for Amanda? I sure had missed a lot. I chewed my gum thoughtfully.
“…So according to Sean’s report, there is one more of Eric’s lieutenants still to find, then Amanda and Tarq can start working out how to rebuild Smithrock Pack,” James finished, nodding at Sean.
I swallowed hard as I realized who they were talking about. “He’s called Gary, and he’s Eric’s Beta,” I explained, adding, “He’s not right in the head. He had, uh, a fascination with me…”
“He had a what?” Sean growled in a low voice. “Did he touch you?”
“No! Not really…just threats…and promises…” I trailed off, watching as Sean’s lips grew thinner and tighter.
“He’s a big bastard,” Sean muttered to James. “And if he’s Beta, then he’s a powerful one, too. I should track him.” At James’s nod, he immediately turned to leave.
The thought of Sean going up against Gary alone set off alarm bells clanging inside my head. “They weren’t the only ones—” I blurted out, anything to delay Sean leaving.
“What do you mean?” James asked.
Sean had stopped moving, turning back to face me. Thank the Mother! I took a deep breath, feeling everyone’s eyes on me. “There were coyotes there, too. They’re working together — the coyotes and Eric’s pack…” I strained to remember the details, “…something to do with merchandise and the Sunclaw Pack?”
A startled gasp sounded from the corner of the room. Claire, James’s mom, sat bolt upright, her face painted with shock.
“Mom, do you know anything?” James asked.
“The Sunclaw Pack…I haven’t heard that name in many, many years. That’s the coyote pack that killed my parents, and nearly killed me. They brought drugs to my old pack, back before I met your father. Drugs and decay — the pack rotted from the inside out. Your father killed their Alpha and sent a warning back — not to bring drugs onto our land, to change their ways. I—I thought they had, we never heard of them again…no more trouble…” The older woman’s face was creased with distress.
James slammed a fist on the table, the old wood visibly vibrating under his hand. “Well, they’ve obviously not changed their ways, and as acting Alpha of the Smithrock Pack, I won’t stand for it. This Gary will have gone to them, now that Eric and his crew are dead—”
Sean rocked impatiently on his feet. “I can still deal with—”
“No, Sean. This is not a job for one wolf. Not now. If there’s drugs involved, then we’ve no idea how deep into the pack this goes. It might not have just been Eric and his crew. There might be others involved.” James fingered a strand of Kara’s hair, appearing deep in thought.
Sean, on the other hand, glowered from the other side of the room. “James, the Beta needs to answer for his—” he started again, only to be shut down sharply by a glance from James.
“Their new Alpha must be found, brought to the Council,” James decided.
“There might be a way in…” Claire offered, her tone thoughtful. “There was a young coyote shifter, Jason, I think his name was. He couldn’t have been more than sixteen at the time. He was full on terrified of your father, but stood firm — which took some balls, I’ll tell ya. The Sunclaw Alpha back then, was an evil son-of-a-bitch, bullying and threatening until everyone did what he said. So, I convinced your father to give the young lad another chance — and that’s who we sent the message back with. Jason had a good soul, you could tell. He just hadn’t had much of a chance, what with Marcus. Find Jason, and maybe we’ll find out what’s going on,” she stated.
“You think he might help?” James asked, his brow furrowed. At Claire’s nod he looked around the room, a grim smile on his face. “So, who wants to go chase down a coyote shifter?” He eyed each of his lieutenants in turn. “Macey and Cole — you up for it? Tarq has to go with Amanda to Smithrock, and Sean, you have to watch Lisa—”
“What?” Sean spluttered.
“Sure thing,” Macey replied, hopping down off the window ledge. Patting my leg, she whispered, “Honey, keep on getting under his skin. He’s worth it.” She sauntered over to join Cole at Claire’s side.
As they conferred, Claire describing what she could remember of this Jason, I flicked my eyes over to Sean — immediately wincing as I caught his expression. If looks could kill…
“Why do I have to guard her?” he demanded.
Her? Ouch! I winced again.
James kept his expression carefully neutral, his tone brooking no argument. “Because from the sounds of it, this Gary seems to have an unhealthy preoccupation with Lisa, and there’s no knowing whether he will try and…reacquire her.” He flashed me a look of sympathy, his words delicate — but I understood what he was saying, that asshole-beta might try and kidnap me again.
I felt sick. It was like I couldn’t get the stench of him out of my nose, my vivid memories coming equipped with full sensory detail.
“I can protect her,” my brother stated quietly, but firmly, from his lounging position in the chair. He had been quiet up until now. I knew it wasn’t through deference, or being overwhelmed by the company — no, Luis liked to watch, get a feel for things and assess. Luis was easily underestimated by those who didn’t know him. But, he was next in line to be the Alpha of our pride — that is, if our father ever accepted him for who he is.
“No offense, Luis — I know you will protect your sister, but she was taken from my land — from my own damn house — so I want one of my lieutenants to ensure that does not happen again.” James ended on a growl, anger vibrating through him. “And Sean, you are the best qualified. The most invested. Do not let anything happen to her.” He shot Sean a warning glance, his voice carrying the power of an Alpha.
Sean stiffened. “Nothing will happen to her—”
I’d had enough. “Hey! I’m right here! And, I can look after myself.” I shot a sideways glance at Sean. Nope, still not looking at me.
Kara laughed, flashing me a friendly grin from her place on James’s lap. “Don’t take offense — they’re always like this. All alpha-male-I’ve-gotta-take-care-of-the-little-woman—” she smirked when James opened his mouth to object, “—well, you are! But, I know your heart’s in the right place, so I let it be.” Her words were muffled as James silenced her with a kiss.
Not wanting to stare, I looked over at Luis. He shrugged, his expression seeming to say ‘what you gonna do?’
Claire, Macey, and Cole had left the room at some point during the conversation, and Amanda and Tarq were in a corner, locked in what looked to be a heated debate. That just left Oliver, who had not spoken since I had first met him. The strong, silent type, he seemed to blend into the background, so much so that you sometimes forgot he was there.
“What about Oliver?” I blurted out. Maybe some distance would do Sean and me some good? Make the heart grow fonder?
“No way.” Sean vehemently ground out.
Oliver just smiled, obviously taking no offense. He looked at me, his brows raised in question. He was a good-looking man, tall and muscular, with a wide uppe
r body that looked like he could bench-press small cars. Long blonde hair, secured at the nape of his neck, and close cut stubble on his square jaw. The ‘biker-crossed-with-a-surfer-dude’ look was completed with a pair of piercing blue eyes. Yup, he was a looker, that’s for sure. But my heart didn’t skip, didn’t go pitter-patter, when I looked at him.
I flicked my eyes to Sean, who was watching my perusal of Oliver silently. Thud! My heart lurched in my chest. That was that, then.
“Okay…Sean, then,” I said slowly, watching as Sean’s expression changed from one of satisfaction, to one of delightful confusion, as he tried to figure out how the hell he had volunteered for the job. Gotcha, I thought smugly. Round one to me.
“Right,” James said slowly, unsuccessfully trying to hide his smirk. “Oliver, you stay here, guard the pack and the house. Kara and I will go with Amanda and Tarq to secure Smithrock, we’ll return as soon as they are in place. Macey and Cole have already set off to find our missing coyote pup. Lisa, Sean and Luis will guard you—” he held a hand off to stave off any outcries, “—until this is all resolved — you are in danger, Lisa. So, put up with it.”
“It won’t be for long, Lisa,” Kara added, regret on her face. “Then, we can catch up properly. Maybe have a night out!”
It was James’s turn to stiffen, as he turned to Kara. “Night out?” he muttered, terror on his face.
“Yeah, silly. Just because we’re mated doesn’t mean…”
“Maybe you need reminding of just why it’s a good reason to stay at home…”
“Well, if you’re twisting my arm…” She shrieked as James jumped to his feet. Carrying her easily in his arms, he strode out of the room, lustful determination on his face.
Her shrieks trailed off, leaving the room in silence. Oliver, his studious expression blank, gestured that he was leaving and followed them out.
That left just Luis, Sean, and me. Awkward! I shuffled in my seat. I hadn’t engineered this — well, not much anyway, but I didn’t have the first clue how to go about fixing things. I sighed heavily. Why couldn’t life be simple? Fun?
“Well, this is great and all, but I think I’ll take second shift. See you guys in a few hours,” Luis called, hightailing it out of the door with a wink.
Traitor! I growled at his retreating back.
Just me and Sean now. I took a deep breath.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Lisa
“Why didn’t you say?” His low voice shocked me so much I wobbled on my perch.
“S—Say what? Which thing?” I muttered the last under my breath.
He huffed, marching over to the couch and throwing himself onto it. The delicate frame creaked ominously, but held under his weight. “Doesn’t matter. Now, if you’re going to continue to sit there, I think I’ll get a little shut-eye.” His tone was bored as he shut his eyes, linking his hands behind his head for a pillow.
His t-shirt had crept up with the stretch, revealing a strip of mouthwatering ripped abs. My eyes drank in the sight, widening as he shuffled in the seat, trying to get more comfortable on the ridiculously small piece of furniture, and his jeans rode lower… A thin line of dark hair trailed down his lower stomach, dragging my eyes past his hip bones, past the perfect ‘V’ and halting at his waistband. This was the area on a man that made women go weak at the knees, the soft flesh framed by hips, where the abs joined and curved in, leading down…my eyes flicked past his waistband…
“See something you like?”
At his low growl, my eyes darted back to his face. His eyes were closed, but his face was tense, strain bracketing his lips.
I wet my dry lips, my breathing harsh and ragged in the silent room. Was he guessing?
“Why’d you stop?”
Huh, wasn’t guessing then.
“I’ve been thinking,” he continued on a growl, eyes still closed, “this whole you’re-already-mated thing…If it doesn’t bother you, then maybe it shouldn’t bother me.”
Hallelujah! A breakthrough. My pulse skyrocketed as I rapidly searched my mind for what to say. I was never lost for words — this was a new one for me.
“I mean, why not fuck? Your mate obviously doesn’t mean shit to you, and if I’ve got to protect you, why not reap some benefit?”
What the fuck? I felt like I had just been slapped, and hard. My mouth fell open in shock as what he was implying registered.
His eyes flicked open, pinning me with a dark stare. “So, what do you say? Shall we fuck?” he growled. His gaze roamed over me, devouring me.
Outrage erupting inside of me, I leapt off the window sill, marching over to where he reclined, relaxed and regarding me with an amused expression on his smug, handsome face. “I do not want to fuck—”
“Yes. You do.”
He had me there. I could lie, but I didn’t lie — not if I could help it. I threw my arms in the air in frustration. “Okay…I do. But, not like this!”
He lurched to sitting, closing the gap between us, his long torso bringing him nearly to my height, his legs swinging around to encase mine. “Like what? Like two people who want each other so badly, it’s driving them crazy? What would happen? Why would it be so bad?” he demanded, his face inches away from my chest, puffs of breath scorching against my skin.
“Because…” my resolve wavered, the sight of him sitting there, inches away, looking up at me with lust etched on to his face. It would be—
“Because—?” he echoed, tilting his head in question.
At that angle all I had to do was lean down a fraction. I hesitated, every cell in my body screaming for him, the warmth that I had felt.
“Because—?” he prompted again, his hands coming up and cupping my hips, then reaching around and cupping my behind. Strong fingers smoothed my skin, molding and caressing. “Why would it be so bad? We’d both get what we want—”
The lust induced fog lifted. That was it — what I wanted. Not this, a mindless fuck with no consequences, no sharing beyond that of the flesh. I wanted this man. But, I wanted it all. Every last piece of him — heart, body and soul.
“Not what I want.” I murmured, capturing his face in my hands, forcing him to look at me. Really look at me. “I want you—”
“You can have me—” he interrupted.
“Not like this. I’m your mate — I want you, all of you.”
He froze, his hands hovering over my behind, eyes beseeching me to stop.
“You wouldn’t want me…not if you knew,” he murmured, his voice rough with emotion.
“I would. I do,” I whispered, my thumb tracing the scar on his cheek, the roughness jarring in contrast with his smooth skin.
“But, you don’t know. And, you belong to another. Let’s not forget that.” His voice was bitter, his eyes accusing.
“I was given to another—”
“Given?”
I nodded, sending thanks to the Mother that he was listening — for once.
“My father, the Alpha, arranged my mating when I was young — to align two prides and stop the fighting.”
Sean reluctantly nodded his understanding. “Old fashioned, but some packs — sorry, prides — still hold to the old ways.”
“I didn’t mind at first, it was what I had been brought up believing was right.” I tried for a light hearted shrug, failing miserably. “It would have been okay. I didn’t need Ian to love me. Just like and respect — that’s all I wanted.”
“What happened? What did he do?” Sean growled protectively, his hands resuming their position on my backside, and pulling me closer.
I could feel his protectiveness weakly through the bond. “He had already found his mate. He only went through with the arrangement for the good of his pride. That was okay too, she was nice…”
A rumbling in Sean’s chest spurred me on.
“…but, it didn’t work out. He…threw me out.” Not quite the full story, but enough. For now.
“What about you? Why don’t you like your wolf?”
/>
His eyes flashed liquid gold, his wolf peering out at me, before being forced back under control. Sean swallowed visibly. “There’s nothing to say. Nothing that can be changed. I wish things were different, but I don’t have it in me to offer you. I thought I did. Before I met you, all I ever wanted was to find my mate. But…I can’t. I know that now.”
I could see regret on his face, resignation to a fate that didn’t include me.
“I don’t understand. Whatever it is, we can figure it out. Find a way to make it work. Just give us a chance!” I pleaded. I reached for the bond again, nearly stumbling when I felt his raw pain thrumming through the fragile link.
He flinched from me, his jaw set. “You just don’t get it — I’m broken. Destroyed, ruined, dangerous — however you want to call it. You can’t fix me. How could you? You are part of the problem!”
“Me?” I whispered.
“Yeah, you. Don’t talk about fixing me, not when you’ve got some fixing of yourself to do first.” He never raised his voice, keeping it tightly under control.
He liked to keep everything under control. Including me, I realized with a start. He had neatly put me in a box labeled ‘untouchable’, allowing him to step back and pretend he was being honorable.
“Yeah, I get it, sugar. Coming through loud and clear…” I whispered, now knowing what I had to do. Step one — fix my little problem of being mated, step two — force Sean to confront his. And, he was going to share with me whatever the hell was up with him. No excuses — even if I had to pin him down and tickle it out of him. I choked back a giggle, finding it hard to imagine in-control-Sean ever allowing something as fun and frivolous as tickling.
Well, he obviously hadn’t met a real woman on a mission before. Expecting me to lie down, roll over, and do his bidding. Jeez, caveman much?
“Lisa…” he warned, a ‘man-this-is-too-good-to-be-true-what-the-hell-is-she-playing-at’ expression on his face. My favorite I decided, one he would be wearing often, once we were mated. I smothered another giggle. Time to run rings around my dark-bad-boy-beta, keep him on his toes and guessing. Wear down those impenetrable walls of his.
