Ultimatum: Graham Pack Mates, Book 3

by Annmarie McKenna

  “Hey.” Craig entered, followed by Derek, who smiled when he found Paige across the room, and suddenly she felt at peace.

  Until she remembered the necklace hiding under her desk. Somehow she had to get it in Derek’s hands. Without her teammates seeing the exchange and asking questions.

  “We ready to get down to business?” What an ass. It was just like Craig to not even ask how Ryan was. Not that she needed to hear the spiel again, but still.

  “Who’re you?” Ryan stayed seated, but his antagonism was evident.

  “You met Derek at the restaurant, remember?” Paige gathered her things and set them on the table. Her laptop came next.

  “Oh yeah,” Ryan grunted. “Didn’t you meet him for the first time then too?”

  “Yes.” So what?

  “You always bring first dates to work the next day?”

  “It’s not the next day.” She wanted to punch him for being rude, but let it slide. The man was most likely still reeling from his ordeal. She waited while Derek gave them the same story he’d given Craig earlier.

  “Great.”

  Craig whistled. “Guess it’s not just me, huh, Paige? Ryan’s a bit testy too.”

  Paige thought Ryan’s testiness and Craig’s surliness went hand in hand. They were like a pair of PMS-ing women. “Trace, I sincerely hope you and I don’t act this way once a month.”

  She snickered. “No, we’re much more mannered in our bitchiness.”

  Paige ignored the grumbling men and dragged Derek to her desk.

  “Entertaining place you work in, Paige.”

  “Thank you.” She rather thought of it as another planet today. The boys had gone crazy. “You can sit here,” she said for everyone to hear, then leaned in as if she couldn’t resist kissing him—which she couldn’t—and whispered, “And make sure you handle the trash at your feet carefully.”

  There. She’d given him a clue. Now all she had to do was distract the yahoos while he examined the so-called gift.

  I love a good code, he mouthed back. He palmed the back of her head and took possession of her mouth with his.

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake. He’s not here to learn, he’s here because he can’t keep his hands off you. Come on already,” Craig snapped.

  Dazed, Paige wobbled upright and prepared herself to face her friends. All while Derek smiled about what he’d done to her. Exhaling, she squared her shoulders and turned.

  “You seem really tired, Paige. Something wrong?” Ryan’s face showed the concern Paige had expected him to be feeling for Katie.

  “Probably just up all night doin’ the dirty with her stud. Now can we work?” Craig jerked his laptop from his briefcase.

  Derek coughed to cover a laugh. Paige felt her cheeks heat. Since Craig’s assessment had half hit the nail on the head, she didn’t know what to say.

  “Ryan’s right,” Tracy added. “But it’s more than plain worn out from a wild night. You seem worried.”

  “Are we done addressing my sex life?”

  “Aw, sweetie, we’re proud you’ve joined the living.” Tracy smiled seductively in Derek’s direction and Paige felt her claws extend.

  She jammed her hands in her pockets to hide them and eyed her friends, trying hard not to pounce. Craig looked impatient and antsy, ready to jump out of his skin, Tracy amused, and Ryan’s jaw was ground tight enough to crack a diamond.

  “It hasn’t been that long,” she muttered.

  “Long enough.”

  Since Tracy had a new man practically every week, Paige wasn’t surprised she would see a year of celibacy as very bizarre. Or had it been two? God.

  Didn’t matter. With her mate safely seated behind her, she’d never have to go without again. He’d be just as hungry for her as she was for him.

  “I’m only sayin’ you seemed distressed about something. Anything we can help with?” Tracy continued.

  Sure, Paige thought, if you can find out who pushed a werewolf off the road in his trunk and called in the middle of the night, threatening me. She moved to her spot at the table and sat.

  Ryan put his arm along the back of her chair. She was sure the move meant nothing, but this close, his smell was overwhelming. Had her and Derek’s roles been reversed, with Derek being the shifter and she the human, he would be standing over her right now, growling with the nearness of another man to his mate. She glanced his way and saw that he didn’t need to be a shifter to react the same way. A tic graced his jaw, and he put one hand on the desk to brace his rise.

  She smiled at him and carefully removed Ryan’s arm from her chair. Derek settled.

  “Maybe she’s feeling smothered,” Craig commented.

  Paige’s gaze shot to his. This time there was no mistaking the rawness of his attitude. What the hell was up with him?

  “By work, you know,” he elaborated. “We’re all tired and ready to be done with this project.”

  “Yeah, but none of us are jumping down the others’ throats like you’ve been the last few days. I’m the one who’s supposed to be acting like that. Maybe we should ask what’s wrong with you?” Ryan wheeled his chair closer to the table and flipped through his papers to pull out a relevant one.

  Paige wasn’t the only tense person in the room. The clock was running on their project, true, but even when they’d been pressed for time in the past, they’d never had the conflict between them that had been present this week. The stress had never gotten to her. She hadn’t thought it had gotten to her friends either, but apparently she was wrong. Why hadn’t she seen it before?

  “Look,” Paige said, to clear the air if for nothing else so they could get back to work. “I’m sorry. I didn’t sleep last night and I’m having trouble with this guy and—” Shit. She hadn’t meant to say that.

  “What guy?” Ryan spat with menace, his gaze flashing to Derek.

  Paige’s eyes widened. Ryan’s bark could rival Caelan’s. She had to smile at her friend’s intensity. “I didn’t know you cared so much, Ryan.”

  He dipped his head, his cheeks going pink again, and muttered, “I care.”

  Tracy reached a hand across the table. “We all do. What’s up?”

  Ryan’s arm went back around her and a shiver rent its way down her spine. Why was he choosing today of all days, with her mate not ten feet away, to get this close to her? He’d never done it before. Had never crossed the line of friendship. Hell, he’d been at her house for dinner a few nights ago—all of them had—and he hadn’t gotten this close. And this thing with Katie? It was like she never existed.

  Paige ignored the prickly sensations trickling over her skin and decided to be upfront with her friends. Wouldn’t hurt to have more people in her corner.

  “I’ve been getting flowers all week.” Even though there’d been none there this morning, she half dreaded going home tonight only to find he’d left more. Although, with the necklace, it seemed he’d moved beyond bouquets.

  Tracy laughed. “That sounds romantic.”

  “It does, except I know who’s been leaving them and I can’t stand the prick.” She’d leave off telling them about the other things that had happened.

  “You…know who’s been sending you flowers?” Craig asked.

  Paige nodded. “He admitted it.” And somehow he’d found a way to get into her work. But Matthews didn’t make sense. Why would Tucker attack one of his own pack? She looked up to find Ryan shredding a piece of paper into a million pieces, his mouth a thin, angry slash.

  “Ryan, are you okay?” She hoped she hadn’t opened a hole with her talk of a stalker. He could only be thinking about Katie. She couldn’t stand the torment she saw etched on his face. If they were going to get through the last few days of the project, everything had to be copacetic with their group.

  He started and dropped the paper as if just realizing exactly
what he was doing. His glance traveled around the group to land on Paige, and she thought she saw a guilty flush sweep his neck and face.

  “Yes. I’m fine.” He gave a tremulous smile.

  “Well.” Craig sighed. “I’m having some trouble with the opposite sex myself,” he said and averted his gaze. It was the first time he’d seemed human, and vulnerable, all week. “You’re all a stubborn lot.” He wiped his hands over his face and groaned. “Oh, God, I’ve been a jerk this week, huh?”

  “Yes,” they all agreed together, chuckling. And just that quickly their group was back to normal. The rest of the morning went smoothly, and they settled into their usual, easy rhythm.

  Chapter Seven

  “There’s a sweet little lady over there, Derek.” His mother wiped at Derek’s shoulder and fixed the collar of his button-down shirt. It was as if she were trying to make him more presentable for said sweet little lady currently making shy eyes at him one second then giggling behind her hand to the woman standing next to her.

  If his mother pointed out one more of the females at this shindig, he was going to…okay, he didn’t know what he’d do. She was his mom and only after his best interests, he guessed. Still, sometimes she made him crazy. As mothers did occasionally. Besides, making a scene at his sister’s wedding would likely have Nikki grabbing his gun and shooting him. Good thing he’d left the obvious piece, the one he usually wore at his hip, in his car, in deference to the fact they were inside a church.

  Not that he wasn’t armed. He kept a smaller weapon strapped to his ankle if worse came to worst.

  Hey, he could be couth when the situation called for it. Didn’t mean he was stupid. He was here to protect his mate, after all.

  And she was the only woman he was interested in tonight.

  So far she hadn’t shown up. He’d dropped her off with Nikki and Eli to do some last-minute thing, and Nikki had yet to grace them with her presence. Yesterday morning she’d demanded he be here at six o’clock, and here it was six sixteen and she was the one not here. Brat.

  “Not interested, Mother.”

  “But she’s cute. And it’s far past time for you to make nice with a good girl and settle down. I want grandchildren, Derek.” She patted his cheek and pinched it like he was a six-year-old.

  No doubt she’d get her wish sooner rather than later, the way he and Paige had been going at it. He smiled at the thought of Paige round with his child.

  “Make nice? I don’t think people talk like that anymore, Mom.”

  “So. You know what I mean, smartie.”

  Derek chuckled. His mother didn’t cuss. Ever. She was more of the type to stutter when angry and bungle every word she tried to get out, adding to the English language a whole litany of colorful new words that were her way of cursing.

  “As for the grandchildren, well, you may get your wish.”

  She gasped and gripped his arm. “Derek Thomas Taylor, have you been holding out on your mother? Have you met a girl?”

  A girl? Hardly. “Uh-huh.” He dismissed her and stared at the door again. Where were they?

  “What’s her name? Do we know her? How come you haven’t brought her to meet us yet?”

  “Lord, Mom. Her name is Paige—”

  “Lovely name.”

  Derek rolled his eyes. “You don’t know her and I haven’t brought her to meet you because I only just met her a few days ago.”

  “Oh.” Her shoulders sagged. “A little early to be talking about babies, son.”

  “Not with Paige.”

  “Oh,” she said again. Her eyes narrowed, then rounded. “Oooh.” Couldn’t put much past his mom. “She’s one of them?”

  “A shifter? Yes. She’ll be here tonight, so you’ll be able to meet her. Happy?”

  “Don’t take that tone with me, young man.”

  “Besides, I’m sure Nikki’ll help out in the baby arena too.”

  Her lip stuck out in a pout and her gaze darted back and forth before she leaned close and said, “Yes, but what do you think they’ll be like?”

  Now he laughed outright. He put his arm around his smaller mother and hugged her close. He knew what she was getting at. She was wondering if her grandkids would be different. Born as pups or something. He’d wondered the same thing once upon a time. Eli had straightened him out.

  “I think they’ll look just like any normal baby, Mom. Nothing to worry about.”

  “Are you sure?” she whispered.

  He smiled. “Positive. The change isn’t something that happens until later in life. Puberty, I think.” He could still remember the look on his parents’ faces when he, Nikki and Eli had gotten together with them a few months back to explain Eli’s ability. There’d been disbelief, shock, concern, awe and not a little bit of anxiousness and fear for what their daughter was getting into. If it had been anyone other than Eli—the best friend of their son and the man who’d brought Nikki out of her shell—they probably would have packed up their belongings, along with Nikki, and run as far and as fast as they could to get away.

  Instead, Derek had asked Eli to change so they could see—and hopefully believe—and not be so frightened. Stunned silence had greeted the change, but despite everything, Derek’s parents had put their faith in Eli’s ability to keep their daughter safe and happy.

  “Stop it, Mom.” He shrugged off her unwanted attention when she brushed another piece of lint from his chest.

  “Do you think all these people here are…” She pressed closer. “…werewolves too?”

  “I think they would prefer you call them shifters, and yes, I believe most, if not all, of these people are shifters.”

  Caelan joined them as Derek pushed her hand away yet again. “Mrs. Taylor.” Caelan nodded to acknowledge Derek’s mother. “Could I borrow your son for a minute?” His smile would have made an eighty-year-old swoon.

  “Oh, of course, Caelan.” She blinked and the corners of her lips curved up.

  How she knew he was Caelan and not Eli, Derek didn’t know, but she always seemed to be able to tell the identical twins apart. Must be Caelan’s effect on every woman on the face of the earth. Not two seconds ago his mother had fussed and fretted over Derek, not leaving him alone no matter what he said, but one look from Caelan and it was, “Oh, of course. Whatever you wish, you handsome devil you.”

  Caelan jerked his head to the right, indicating Derek should follow him, which he did. “Eli said they’re just pulling in. There were no prints on the necklace or the note.”

  Derek crossed his arms. He hated how the “gifts” had gone from simple flowers left at her house to jewelry showing up at her place of work. It showed whoever was leaving them knew a lot more about her than just where she lived. But then, he had to know where she worked because they had to assume he’d followed Matthews from there. Otherwise there was no way to connect Matthews to Paige. There was still the chance his “accident” had nothing to do with her, but both Caelan and Derek felt the opposite.

  He had to know her schedule in order to leave something behind when he knew she wouldn’t see him. Not only did he have to know her routine, but he also had to have access to the secure building.

  “Have you checked out the people she works with?”

  “Yep. She works closest with three people, two men and one woman. They’re a team and have been for a couple of years.”

  “Doesn’t rule them out.”

  Caelan nodded. “Nope. Actually makes it damn hard to pin it on one of them. They go to her house all the time, thereby leaving their scents and fingerprints behind. We didn’t find any in her house besides people she already knows, and Tucker wasn’t one of them.”

  “I am so sorry we’re late.” Nikki blew into the room, Eli sauntering behind with a grin the size of Texas on his face, Paige following him, her cheeks pink. Not hard to figure out what the hell
Eli and Nikki been up to. It wasn’t right, Nikki demanding he be here on time, practically threatening his manhood if he was late, and then playing hide-the-sausage herself.

  And in front of his mate no less!

  Paige’s blonde head rose above Eli and his sister when she stood on her tiptoes to see. Then her unwavering gaze met his, and he watched her nostrils flare from across the room as if drawing in his scent.

  Paige sniffed the air again, easily picking out and loving the smell of her mate. The man personified hot. After being cooped up with the odor of Nikki and Eli’s musky prerehearsal romp, her libido was primed and ready to take her man.

  She chuckled. Most everyone was standing around, clearly waiting for the guests of honor. It probably hadn’t been wise for Eli and Nikki to indulge in their last-minute tryst before coming over—and certainly not with her waiting in the living room. Thank God there’d been plenty to keep her occupied while they played. She snorted and started making her way over to Derek. A lot of hanky-panky was definitely on tap for tonight.

  The crowd around them snickered, knowing exactly what the happy couple had been up to. Men smirked as they walked by. It’s not like they could throw anything over on a pack of super sniffers.

  Paige resisted the urge to look over her shoulder and tell Nikki, “Told you so”. She sighed and wondered if she would be the same way on the night before her wedding. And her wedding night and…hell, she already was the same way. Couldn’t get enough of the man.

  When she opened her eyes, the crowd had parted, leaving only Derek and Caelan together in front of her. They talked in hushed voices, their heads together, and sometimes they glanced her way. What in the hell had happened now?

  “Paige,” Caelan called, and both men stepped closer.

  Moisture gathered between her thighs as Derek drew nearer, no matter what had gone wrong. Her body and wolf responded despite her brain telling her it wasn’t right The end of this night couldn’t come soon enough. Did no one know the torment she was under?

  Still, she so did not like the looks on their faces. As if they had something bad to tell her. Whatever it was, she didn’t want to hear it. Not now. She didn’t want to be the one to ruin what should be a lovely weekend for Nikki. Paige gulped and kept herself from turning around and running like a ninny.