by Vivian Wood
So… basically, it was hell. Gavin’s parents, the Alpha couple of the Beran clan, had only managed to drag their sons to the event by promising to leave them alone for three full months afterward. Of course, half the men in the family were missing; Luke had vanished in pursuit of some long-lost Berserker female, and Noah and Finn had latched onto a couple of women on the first night of the St. Louis festivities. That left Gavin, Cam, and Wyatt in the sharks’ tank, biding their time while proud mothers paraded their eligible daughters like prize-winning thoroughbreds on show.
Gavin looked at Cameron and Wyatt, both older than him by two and four years, respectively. Cameron was impeccably dressed, looking every bit the city slicker in his expensive dark jeans, dark blue plaid button-up shirt, and charcoal gray sweater with the sleeves rolled up to reveal matching sleeves of brightly-colored tattoos. Wyatt wore his usual jeans, snug white tee shirt, leather boots, and black leather jacket. Gavin looked down at his white Marvel Comics tee shirt, green cardigan, jeans, and Converse, feeling a little under-dressed beside his brothers. Still, with their dark hair, piercing turquoise eyes, and tall, thickly muscular frames, none of the Beran men were lacking for female attention, Gavin included.
Today’s event was a huge all-day park picnic, complete with a veritable feast of fried fish and barbecue and games of horse shoes. They’d made it through the first three hours of awkward introductions somehow, and his parents had let the Beran brothers retreat to their own table, giving them a little distance from the crowd. Now Gavin, Wyatt, and Cam were just sipping beers, talking shit, and avoiding any potential love-struck ladies. In this setting, being tall, brawny, and good-looking was actually turning out to be a torment. For Gavin, at least. His brothers had certainly found their own diversions.
“Which one is Theresa?” Cameron asked, reaching out and picking up a sheet of paper from several that Wyatt had laid out on the table.
“She’s the really tall brunette that always talks about Pinterest,” Wyatt drawled, a smirk on his face. His go-to expression, these days.
Cam grunted, giving his head a quick shake. He laid down the sheet of paper in favor of another, pursing his lips.
“If Stephanie is the redhead from Atlanta, you can’t count her. I kissed her in the coat closet on the first night,” Cam declared.
Wyatt’s eyes sparkled, a grin spreading across his face.
“I did more than kiss her,” Wyatt said. “A lot more.”
“But I got to her first,” Cam argued.
“I think level of activity outweighs the time stamp. And there was plenty of activity, if you get my drift,” Wyatt said. He leaned on his elbow, quirking a brow as he sipped his beer.
“You two are hopeless,” Gavin chipped in. “Seriously, this is both depressing and disgusting, all at once.”
“You’re just mad because you haven’t gotten any action,” Cam accused.
“I’m not involved in your idiotic bet,” Gavin snapped.
“What the hell do you all think you’re doing?” came a booming voice from directly behind Gavin.
Gavin tensed, knowing that his swaggering Alpha of a father was standing right behind him, no doubt looking down at the table where Wyatt and Cameron had laid out several sheets of names and tally marks, some stupid ongoing competition they had started over a month ago. Gavin glanced sideways, checking out his brothers’ reactions to their father’s question. Cameron’s expression was carefully blank, while Wyatt bordered on bored insolence. Gavin turned a little in his seat so that he could see his father; he had nothing to say, really, but he had promised his mother that he’d keep the peace between Wyatt, Cam, and their father for the duration of their trip to Missouri.
“We’re just keeping track of some things,” Wyatt said to Josiah, his canines flashing as he gave a dangerous smile. Wyatt’s big hand came out and swept up the papers, stacking them and turning them over in an easy motion.
“You three are supposed to be finding mates, not drinking and tossing skirts. And certainly not gambling,” Josiah grumbled, shifting his accusatory glare between Cam and Wyatt before landing on Gavin. “And you… you’re supposed to be watching them, not encouraging them.”
“We’re not kids,” Cameron cut in. He was perfectly calm and collected, but Gavin knew that anger was simmering below the surface, ready to be unleashed at the slightest provocation. It had always been that way with Cameron, quick to anger and slow to remorse.
“We’re older than him, anyway,” Wyatt said, a calculating look on his face.
“I don’t care. Gavin’s the only one of you three that has any sense,” their father declared. “If any of you do something to offend any of the other Alphas or their daughters, there will be a reckoning. Don’t embarrass the clan.”
With that warning and a deep scowl, he turned and headed off to rejoin the party. There was a long moment of silence, stretching uncomfortably between Gavin, Wyatt, and Cam. When Wyatt flipped the papers back over with a smirk, Gavin rolled his eyes.
“What about Annabeth?” Wyatt asked Cameron. “Short, blonde, huge tits…”
Not waiting for Cam’s reply, Gavin shoved to his feet with a long sigh. His brothers were badly behaved, and uncontrollable to boot. Gavin wasn’t about to stand around and listen to their misogynistic crap for another second, especially not after their father’s thinly veiled threats. No way in hell was Gavin going to play referee between his brothers and his father this time.
“Get us a beer, will you?” Cam called as Gavin stalked off. Gavin flipped them both the bird, garnering disapproving looks from a few older ladies as he went.
Gavin scanned the area, skirting most of the crowd as he sought a quiet spot. He’d just started reading a really good mystery novel on his phone’s e-reader app, and it was calling his name. He just needed somewhere to be alone for a couple of hours. He spotted a cluster of trees, tucked away near the gravel parking lot. A little shade and privacy, just what he needed.
When he was twenty paces away, he slowed. He heard a woman speaking, her tone bright and lively.
“And the pony looked at the pile of apples, stacked wayyyy up to the sky…” The woman paused, her words drowned out by the sound of childish giggling. “And the pony at one apple, and another apple, and another… until he was so full he thought he would BURST!”
The laughter doubled, and Gavin imagined that the woman must be pantomiming something silly. He moved closer, coming around just far enough to see the woman from the back. She sat on a plaid blanket, a dozen children spread out around her. From this vantage Gavin couldn’t see her face, only that she was pleasantly curvy, with thick, straight, creamy blonde hair that flowed down past her shoulders. She wore a very conservative pale pink dress with long sleeves, her legs tucked up under her body so that only the white leather tips of her shoes peeked out from under the hem of the dress.
“And what do you think the pony did then?” she asked the kids, cocking her head.
“He puked!” a little boy shouted, excited. The woman laughed, shaking her head.
“No. He took a nap!” she declared. “What do you think it sounded like when he slept? Did he snore?”
The kids broke into raucous laughter, making loud snoring noises.
“Faith, Faith! What happened to the pony after his nap?” asked a little girl, reaching out to tug at the woman’s sleeve.
“Well, Marissa, I can tell you for a fact that that pony lived forever on his island. That pile of apples grew and grew, so that he never ran out, and he spent every day playing on the beach and eating apples and napping in the sun,” the woman confided.
The little girl gave a squeal of delight and flung herself on the woman, receiving a chuckle and a hug for her efforts.
“Faith! Can we go tell Mama about the pony who ate all the apples?” a little boy asked, climbing to his feet.
“Of course, Adam. I think I could use a little break to think up some more stories. Why don’t you all go get something to drink?�
� she told them. The kids took off in a jubilant flock, spreading out to find their parents. The woman turned to watch them go, amusement and affection playing over her features.
When Gavin got a good look at her, he let out a whoosh of breath. She was absolutely stunning. Her face was a sweetly rounded heart shape, with a pert nose and full pink lips. She wore no makeup, but her finely arched dark brows and sparkling hazel eyes needed no emphasis. A smattering of delicate freckles covered the bridge of her nose and the apples of her cheeks, giving her an innocent, youthful look though she was probably in her mid-twenties.
When she noticed Gavin at last, she turned toward him with a bright smile that made Gavin feel like he’d been punched in the gut. Her smile dimmed after a moment, confusion taking over.
“Oh… hello,” she said, her brow furrowing. It was everything Gavin could do to untwist his tongue enough to speak to her.
“Hey. Nice story,” he said, giving himself a shake and moving toward her. She laughed, a beguiling pink flush rising in her cheeks.
“Thanks,” she said with an unassuming shrug.
“Mind if I sit with you?” Gavin asked.
“Oh…” She paused, her gaze going to the crowd, looking for someone. “I guess not.”
“Do you have a jealous mate or something? I don’t want to cause trouble,” Gavin said, turning to look back at the crowd, half-expecting some huge Alpha to come barreling out of the crowd, ready to rip Gavin to shreds.
“No! No,” she said, shaking her head. “Sorry. Please sit down.”
He took a seat, giving her plenty of space. Reaching out, he offered her a handshake, surprised when she hesitated and looked around again before accepting. Her hand was small and soft in his, making his bear wake and take notice.
“I’m Gavin,” he said, giving her what he hoped was his most charming smile.
“Nice to meet you,” she said, her tone polite but curious. “I’m Faith.”
She seemed unable to hold eye contact, looking down at her lap and smoothing her dress over her legs.
“So…” he said, trying to find a suitable topic. “I guess if you’re not mated, those probably aren’t your kids?”
Faith flashed a timid smile and shook her head.
“Some of them are my brothers and sisters, some of them cousins,” she said.
“Brothers and sisters?” Gavin asked, raising a brow.
“My father remarried,” she said, pointing out a small group of Berserkers crowded around one of the picnic tables. “The redhead, there, that’s Sheila.”
The group was perhaps ten men and five women, most in their twenties and late teens. One silver-haired man stood a little apart, a frown etched on his features. Gavin figured him for the Alpha, Faith’s father. Gavin eyed them, his curiosity growing when he saw that the females all wore long-sleeved, full-length dresses like the one Faith wore. The men were dressed in dark slacks and button-up shirts, conservative enough to be somewhat unfashionable.
“How many brothers and sisters do you have?” he asked, keeping his tone casual.
“Fourteen,” Faith said with a shrug.
“Holy shit,” Gavin said, his eyes widening. “I have five brothers, and people are always blown away by that. You must get some interesting commentary.”
Faith gave him another tentative smile.
“Yeah,” she admitted. “It’s kind of embarrassing sometimes, to be honest.”
“I didn’t mean to pry. I’m nosy, it runs in my family,” Gavin joked.
“It’s no problem,” Faith said, her head dipping low. She picked at a loose thread on the blanket, cheeks flaming. Gavin was startled that the same woman who’d been so animated a few minutes earlier should now be so painfully shy.
“So… why aren’t you mingling with all the other Berserkers?” Gavin asked.
Faith glanced up at him, her hazel eyes flashing with some emotion Gavin didn’t quite comprehend.
“My clan is here to find mates for my brothers,” she said, her words measured.
“That seems kind of strange. No offense,” Gavin told her.
Faith shrugged a single shoulder, her gaze drifting back down to her lap.
“I don’t have much say in the matter,” was her only reply.
Gavin wondered how to respond, but he was saved the trouble. A huge blond Berserker male was crossing the grass in broad strides, a scowling glare on his face.
“Uh oh,” Faith whispered under her breath.
“Is that one of your brothers?” Gavin asked.
“Yeah. Jared is kind of… strict.”
Gavin shot Faith a glance, wondering at her words. She was a grown woman, and the man was her brother, not her father… Gavin shook his head, unable to piece together the full puzzle. Faith’s brother reached them in the next heartbeat, walking right onto the blanket. The blond man purposefully blocked his sister from Gavin’s view, not stopping until he was practically touching Gavin.
Gavin leaned back, giving the man a skeptical glance.
“Can I help you?” Gavin asked.
“Yeah, you can,” Jared replied, his accent thick as molasses. “You can get away from my sister, for starters.”
Gavin took a breath, stifling his immediate impulse to stand up and pummel the guy into the ground. Nobody talked to a Beran man that way. Besides, he hadn’t even done anything wrong.
“I was under the impression that this is a social event,” Gavin said, keeping his tone even and his face blank.
“Not for her, it isn’t. We’re only here to find females for the unmated men, not to find trouble for the females we already have,” Faith’s brother answered, crossing his arms and leaning over Gavin a little further.
“That seems kind of sexist, doesn’t it?” Gavin asked.
“What it seems like is none of your damned business. I asked you once already, and now I’m telling you. Get out of here and leave my sister alone. I don’t want to say it again,” Jared said, his voice rising.
Gavin held his hands up, unwilling to start a fight over a simple conversation.
“Alright, alright,” Gavin said. “You mind backing up a little, there?”
The other man shot him another nasty glare that said he did indeed mind, but he took a step back. Gavin stood up, brushing himself off.
“Faith… Nice to meet you, I guess,” Gavin said with a shrug. “Enjoy the picnic.”
Gavin turned and headed back toward the party. When he reached the picnic table where Cam and Wyatt still sprawled, gossiping, Gavin looked back at the blanket.
Jared was leaning over Faith, his expression dark as a thundercloud. Jared pointed a finger in Faith’s face, and she cringed.
“What’s going on over there?” Cam asked, his gaze narrowing.
“Not sure. I’m gonna find out, though,” Gavin said.
“What do you know, we’ve been here a whole seventy-two hours and Gav’s already found himself a damsel in distress,” Wyatt cracked.
“Shut the fuck up,” Gavin snapped, not bothering to look at Wyatt.
“He’s right, though. That is kind of your thing,” Cam said.
Gavin turned, pinning them both with a glare.
“I’m probably going to butt heads with that asshole again,” Gavin said, jerking his thumb backward to indicate Jared. “Are you two gonna back me, or what?”
“A good fight? Hell yeah,” Wyatt said.
“I happen to like damsels in distress too,” Cam added, giving Faith a long look.
“You two are miserable. How come I never get stuck with Luke or Finn?” Gavin asked with a sigh.
Chuckling, Cam and Wyatt went back to discussing women and the stupidity of the whole mating ritual. Gavin only half-listened, his eyes going back to Faith again and again. If Faith’s brother had meant to make Gavin lose interest, he’d certainly gone about it the wrong way. Gavin sighed, knowing that nothing good was going to come of this situation.
57
Two
“I
can’t believe we’re camping. I should have gone with Finn and Noah,” Cameron groused, pulling his suitcase and a sleeping bag from the back of Wyatt’s rental SUV.
“We’re sleeping in cabins. It’s not even real camping,” Gavin pointed out.
“God forbid,” Wyatt said, rolling his eyes at Cameron. “I think you’re just scared that I’m going to kick your ass at the games tomorrow.”
Cameron chuckled and shook his head.
“Keep telling yourself that, brother,” Cam said. “First off, Gavin is going to outrun both of us. He’s fast as hell and he actually runs regularly. Second, you’ve never been a good wrestler. Brawling at bars does not an athlete make.”
“It’s all about brute Alpha strength,” Wyatt informed him, a smirk on his lips. Cam tensed, ready to start a confrontation, but Gavin cut him off.
“Save it for tomorrow, idiots,” Gavin demanded. “We’ve only been here for five minutes, so let’s just settle in and find some diversion. I hear there’s going to be a big drive this afternoon to bring in game and fish, and then a fish fry and cookout.”
Gavin slammed the car trunk, hoisting his suitcase and sleeping bag, and led the way toward the cabins. The Berserkers had rented out several square miles of campsites and forest for the weekend; the rental included a few dozen clusters of squat brown wooden cabins clustered around covered entertainment pavilions. The largest pavilion had been marked on the campsite map, denoted as the primary social and food preparation area for the trip’s duration.
“Let’s see…” Gavin murmured to himself, looking down at the sheet of paper that held their cabin assignment. “Three-oh-five… three-oh-six… three-oh-seven! This is ours.”
Using the provided key, he swung open the door and stepped inside. Their cabin had two main rooms, one with a kitchenette and a couple of worn sofas, and the other with four very basic metal-framed twin beds.
