by Lia Davis
He lifted Celeste and eased to the front door. There was no way they could leave on foot. He had to risk running into more enforcers to reach his truck in the driveway. When he straightened, Hope grabbed his jeans at the back of his thigh.
They made it to the truck, and he got the females inside before he heard shouts and pounding boots on the dirt road. Cooper rushed to the driver’s side, climbed in, started the truck, and peeled out of his driveway.
He white-knuckled the steering wheel as he drove, his thoughts turning to the female in the neutral zone. His mate. Stealing a quick glance at Celeste slumped in the seat next to him, he growled. She was white as a sheet, and he scented her blood. Stubborn female should have run when he’d told her to.
Their only hope was his mate. She had to help them.
Dana paced the small living room. Her body ached, and every nerve ending was on fire. Cooper’s scent still clung to her, teasing and torturing her all at once. The cold shower she’d taken after dealing with Edwin’s enforcers hadn’t washed away the desire to track down Cooper.
Fuck. The male was going to pay for showing up. If only he’d come into her life years ago. Before Ross.
No. She couldn’t think about mating. She had to focus on how to control the power within. The power that didn’t lessen as she’d expected it would by putting distance between her and Darin. The aggression and the magic seemed to continue to build—like it was her that was meant to be Alpha and not Darin.
The sound of tires on the gravel driveway pulled her out of her thoughts. With a low growl, she marched to the door and yanked it open. Cooper’s scent slammed into her. She damn near doubled over at the aching need to straddle the male like a carnival ride.
Damn it. She was done for. There was no ignoring him.
She stepped onto the porch and waited, her arms crossed. The truck jerked to a stop, and Cooper exited the driver’s side to rush around to the passenger side. Fear gripped her heart as the scent of blood drifted from the cab of the truck.
A moment later, Cooper helped a little girl out of the back seat. He quickly signed to her to go to Dana. The child looked at Dana with her brows drawn and shook her head. Crap. Dana advanced to the truck. When she got within a few feet of the girl, she squatted to her level and signed, “I’m Dana. What’s your name?”
The girl studied her for several long moments before a shy smile formed. “Hope,” she signed and then moved closer to place a hand on Dana’s cheek.
Magic flowed from Hope, meeting Dana’s wolf inside. The girl’s green eyes brightened in a way Dana had seen her grandmother’s do. The eyes of a witch. Yet Dana also sensed a young wolf inside of Hope.
Glancing up at Cooper, Dana’s wolf snapped her teeth at seeing him cradle another female. She picked up Hope and carried her into the house. Leaving Cooper to follow. The male had a lot of explaining to do.
“Why are you mad?” Hope asked, her hands moving in quick, fluid movements.
“I’m not mad,” Dana signed back, using her free hand, but didn’t look at Hope. The girl was too smart and too empathic. She knew Dana lied but didn’t call her on it.
Once inside, Dana sat Hope on the armchair and signed, “Stay here while I talk to your father.”
Hope giggled. “He’s not my father.” She lowered her hands and frowned.
Interesting. Cooper’s scent was all over the girl. The way he’d so carefully taken her out of the truck reminded Dana of the protective care her own father had taken with her and Darin when they were little.
Dana straightened and met Cooper’s gaze for a brief moment before darting to the sofa and clearing it of the throw pillows. Cooper laid the female down on her stomach, turning her head to the side. She was out, but her breathing was steady. Staring at her, Dana relaxed slightly. The female’s features were similar to Cooper’s. “Your sister?”
He nodded. “Edwin Bass’s enforcer did that.”
Dana sent him a sharp glare. “Why?” She had her suspicions but wanted to hear it from Cooper.
“He sees Hope as weak because she’s a deaf mute.” His wolf flashed in Cooper’s eyes as the man worked his jaw. “Two enforcers came to my house to take her. I killed one.” He glanced at his sister and lowered to his knees beside the couch. “She killed the other protecting Hope. Celeste isn’t a dominant wolf.”
Dana nodded, understanding what he meant. Even though Celeste was capable of protecting herself and Hope, it wasn’t in her nature to fight. Moving closer to Celeste, Dana reached for the female. Cooper grabbed her arm. Their gazes met in challenge, and then Dana growled, “I want to see her injuries.”
“She needs a Healer.”
“Fine.” Dana turned to the kitchen.
“Darin, can you hear me?” She’d never tried to reach her brother telepathically from the cabin before. Never really had to because she’d only stayed there one or two nights at a time.
“Loud and clear. What’s up?”
“We have Edwin issues. Plus, two females—one of them a child—need a safe place to stay.”
A low growl entered her mind and sent a shiver down her spine. “Bring them here. Your mate is welcome, as well.”
Dana broke the connection and rolled her eyes. Leave it up to Darin to pry into her mind. Sometimes being a twin—magically bound together—had its disadvantages, like not being able to hide things from each other. She faced Cooper, who spoke softly to Celeste. Hope had moved to lean against his side. Sadness wormed its way through her. At the same time, anger raked across every nerve ending inside her and her wolf.
“Can you get her to shift?” Dana asked. It would make it safer to travel with her, plus she’d heal faster. And she needed to start the self-healing, soon.
“No.” Cooper lifted his gaze to hers.
She squatted and placed a hand against Celeste’s forehead. Cooper gripped her wrist. With a sigh, Dana said, “I will not harm your sister. We need to get her and Hope to my Pack for their safety. Edwin will send out more of his minions to search for you. I don’t have to tell you that he will issue a kill order for all three of you.”
Because that’s how the bastard worked. He used the laws to his advantage, twisting the grey areas to work with his roguish behavior. Ross had been the same way, only worse. It was rumored that others were afraid to challenge Edwin, using the excuse that he hadn’t broken any laws.
Edwin had screwed up by ordering an innocent toddler to death because he deemed her weak. What the bastard didn’t know, was that Hope was now under Dana’s protection and the protection of the Coven since the girl was half witch.
Dana raised a brow at Cooper until he released her wrist. “I’m going to connect to her wolf and bring her out. Then we need to move.”
“I was right. You are an Alpha.”
She frowned. “No, my name is Dana, and I’m sister to the Alpha of the Whiskey Hollow Pack.” They really didn’t have time for the get-to-know-you shit right then. Enforcers would be storming the house soon. She really didn’t want to kill them and then have to face Edwin. At least not until she talked with Darin and Cooper and found out just how bad the conditions were in the Bloodrose Creek Pack. Then she’d go in and formally challenge Edwin for his Alpha seat.
Chapter 3
Dana didn’t speak to him on the trip except to give him directions to her den. It seemed she was battling some kind of internal debate. He felt her gaze on him occasionally during the drive. And her scent drove him wild.
When they arrived, Dana still hadn’t said too much to him. Just that they were in Whiskey Hollow and were waiting for her brother. Upon arriving, the Healer was waiting for them, like she’d known they were on their way. Yet Cooper never saw Dana use a phone.
Cooper laid Celeste, in wolf form, on a bed in a clinic that looked more like a home. Dana took Hope to the living room. He was a big emotional mess. His sister was unconscious, and it scared the hell out him that he didn’t know why. He worried about Hope and how she was dealing with ev
erything. But she seemed calm around Dana, which confused him. He’d never seen Hope so relaxed with anyone. Not even him and Celeste.
After he’d tucked Celeste into the bed, he glanced at the Healer. “Why is she so still?”
“She’s healing. Her physical injuries aren’t that severe. She’s in shock and needs to rest. It may take her a few days. Even after that she might need someone to talk to. A submissive’s first kill can be confusing.” The Healer, Piper, he recalled Dana mentioning her name, ran her hands down Celeste’s side. “She is strong. Go be with your daughter.”
Daughter? As much as he’d grown to love Hope and considered her his adopted daughter, he’d never thought to have her call him Dad. But that’s what he’d become to her. Her father. She was his daughter. He’d do anything to protect her. Including challenging Edwin and killing the SOB.
Without another word, he slipped from the room and headed down the hall to the living room. When he entered, he froze, the sight of Dana and Hope on the sofa with a book on their laps stealing his breath. Dana read to the child using sign language.
Suddenly, Dana lifted her gaze to the door a moment before it opened. A large male version of Dana stalked inside, his eyes narrowing on Cooper as he advanced to Dana. Twins. That was why he’d sensed an Alpha’s power from her.
Two males Cooper assumed were enforcers filed in behind the Alpha and then stood on either side of the door like imperial guards. Instantly, Cooper noted the differences between the Whiskey Hollow and Bloodrose Creek Packs. These enforcers reeked of fierce protectiveness and loyalty for their Alpha. Whereas Edwin’s enforcers smelled of fear in the presence of their leader.
“Darin.” Dana’s warning growl took the Alpha’s attention away from Cooper. When Darin looked at Dana, he frowned and then his features softened a bit.
Kneeling down to Hope’s level, Darin signed as he spoke. “Who do we have here?”
Cooper forced himself to stay put when all he wanted to do was gather Hope up in his arms and protect her from the world. He couldn’t do that. He had to trust that Dana had brought them here for a reason. And he wanted to believe in her. She was, after all, his mate. Besides, the more he was around Dana, the more he wanted to know about her. Like how did she and her brother know sign language? Did they have a deaf Pack member?
Dana pushed playfully at her brother, then signed as she said, “You scare her. Now back off.”
Hope laughed. The sound relaxed Cooper. The little girl must feel safe with them. Another reason why Cooper hadn’t taken his sister and Hope and simply run.
“My name is Hope,” the four-year-old signed with pride and a smile that warmed Cooper’s heart.
Darin smiled back at her. “You are very special, little wolf.” The Alpha straightened and sat in the chair across from Dana. Then he spoke without using sign language. “I’m guessing the injured female got that way by protecting Hope.”
Dana nodded and glanced at Cooper. He took that as his cue to speak. “Two enforcers came to my house, saying Edwin saw Hope as a weakness. They were going to take her.”
“Edwin is an idiot. Then again, he isn’t descended from a witch.”
Frowning, Cooper studied Darin for a moment before turning his attention to Dana. “What do you mean?”
Darin gave a half shrug. “My and Dana’s grandmother was a witch. Magic runs in our veins. It also makes our twin bond stronger.” His brows drew together briefly before he relaxed his features. “Anyway. Hope is part witch. Because she is deaf, her other senses, as well as her power, will only grow to compensate for her not being able to hear.”
“Edwin needs to be stopped. If he ordered a little girl to death, then there’s no telling what else he has done. Or will do,” Dana chimed in like she wanted to shift the conversation back to the matter at hand.
Darin set his jaw. “I can’t do anything. I will not bring a war to my Pack.”
At that moment, Piper entered the living room and waved to Hope. Dana signed to the toddler that it was okay, and that Piper had coloring books. Once Hope left the room with the Healer, Dana said, “I’m going to challenge him to be Alpha of his Pack.”
“Hell, no.” The words shot out of Cooper’s mouth before he even realized he’d thought them.
A low chuckle escaped Darin before he spoke. “I cannot get involved.”
“I know,” Dana whispered as she stood and moved to the door. “And you don’t need to be. Not directly.”
Cooper narrowed his eyes, knowing the twins were plotting something big. “What is going on?”
Darin glanced at him and studied him for several long moments before returning his attention to Dana. “He is your mate, yet you don’t trust him.”
“I trust no one.”
Again they fell silent and stared at each other. Cooper fisted his hands, hating the fact that he was the outsider. He was, after all, a member of the Bloodrose Pack. Why should they trust him? “I pretty much sealed my fate with Edwin when I killed his enforcers. Edwin has most likely turned Celeste and me in as rogues. So, whatever you have planned, I’m in.”
Dana snarled, then stalked closer with all the beauty and lethal grace of an Alpha about to snag her prey. “I don’t need your help. Edwin has been asking for an ass-kicking from the first time I met him.”
Darin stood and stepped between them, facing his sister. “Go back to your hideout and form a plan. I’ll take care of Hope and the female.”
Confusion powered Cooper’s annoyance as a result of the twins and their secrets. However, he sensed the power coming from Darin. It was like no other Alpha power Cooper had seen or felt. If Celeste was safe anywhere, it was in Whiskey Hollow. He was sure of it. “Thank you for taking them in.”
“Don’t thank me yet. I am still limited on what I can do.” Darin turned and then disappeared down the hallway.
“Are you coming?” Dana’s annoyed tone drew Cooper’s attention. She stood in the doorway, her brows drawn and lips pursed. His dick hardened at how beautiful she was.
With a half-smile, he followed her to his truck. The sassy alpha female was going to be fun to tease, play with…and seduce. He would claim her if it was the last thing he did. “I don’t want you to challenge Edwin.”
“You can’t stop me.” She climbed into the truck and added, “You can stand with me, or leave me the fuck alone.”
The passenger door slammed shut. For a brief moment, he saw a flicker of pain in her eyes. She’d been betrayed, deeply. It wasn’t going to be easy to break through her walls, but he had the mating urge on his side. She wouldn’t be able to push him away for too long.
He climbed into the driver’s seat. “I’ll stand with you, but we work as a team, no going off on your own.”
She worked her jaw as she rolled her eyes. “Fine.”
Dana opened the truck door and hopped out before Cooper had even stopped the vehicle in her driveway. She couldn’t get away from him fast enough. Thinking was impossible when he was so near. Well, at least thinking about anything but sex with him.
Damn it.
She’d just placed a foot on the first step of the porch when Edwin’s scent hit her. Letting out a fierce growl, she whirled to her left—the direction his scent was the strongest. The bastard stepped out of the line of trees and smiled at her. Anger tightened in her gut. “What do you want?”
He stalked closer with one brow raised. “You know why I’m here.”
“Do I?” She played coy. The asshat needed to learn whom he was dealing with. Dana didn’t play games like Darin did. She was far too impatient.
“You are harboring a rogue, and I want him turned over to me for punishment for his crimes.”
Crimes? As in more than one? She made a mental note to ask Cooper about all of his “roguish” activity later. However, Edwin’s arrogance and the growl in his tone told her she’d struck a nerve. Good. “He was protecting his child. It was justified.”
Dana turned to go inside the house and ran into Coop
er. Fucking wolf stood too close to her. Just as she moved to walk around Cooper, Edwin said, “He stole the child from my deceased mate.”
She flicked a glare at Cooper, searching for some kind of truth to Edwin’s claims. After all, Edwin would say just about anything to get under her skin. Knowing the rogue Alpha, he’d scent Cooper on her and draw his own conclusions. Edwin would use every advantage he’d could, including making threats against her mate.
Cooper’s jaw worked, and he glared at Edwin over her shoulder. “You killed Hope’s mother and then ordered your enforcers to lock the girl up.”
The truth in Cooper’s words reached out to her. Fury exploded inside her, and she pivoted on her heels, coming nose-to-nose with Edwin in seconds. She didn’t bother to contain the power she usually kept hidden deep within. If she were going to challenge the Alpha, she would give him a little taste of the ass-whooping that was coming to him. “You ordered her to death, so I claimed her! She is mine.” The last word was spoken on a growl, like her wolf had spoken it. “You have no further business here.”
Edwin narrowed his eyes, but she smelled the fear he tried to swallow. Then his gaze flicked to Cooper beside her. “He is a fugitive. He killed two of my enforcers and the council will hear about it.”
Damn the Alpha for pulling rank. Edwin was right. Cooper was considered a rogue now, even though he’d been protecting Hope and his sister. According to Pack law, she had to turn Cooper over. Yet, Dana wasn’t an Alpha, and they were on neutral ground.
“I challenge you for your Alpha power and your Pack. If I lose, you can have him.” Dana turned, grabbed Cooper’s hand, and tugged him to the house. “See you in forty-eight hours.”
Edwin let out a growl. “Where?”
She glanced over her shoulder. “The Bloodrose Creek Pack circle, of course.”
Chapter 4
