Hidden Destiny (Redwood Pack)

by Ryan, Carrie Ann

  He knew he and Lexi were potential mates. His wolf knew it and rode him hard to complete the mating, or at least initiate the mating dance.

  All wolves had certain people out in the world they could mate with over time. Fate had decreed it, and usually, the human halves involved jumped in headfirst. To find one’s mate was an amazing experience—or so North had heard.

  North also knew that Lexi had been mated before. After all, she had Parker. Wolves couldn’t have children without the mating bond in place. There was no doubt, considering the little boy looked just like his Uncle Logan with a little Lexi thrown in, that he was a product of Lexi and her late mate.

  And that’s how it had to be according to fate and what he’d known for so long. Lexi’s previous mate must have died. Once a wolf completed the mating bond, no matter how many other potential mates a wolf met in the future, neither party would feel that new pull. It would be a cruel twist of fate to allow a wolf to bond their mate only to find out they had another half elsewhere.

  There was no way fate was that sadistic.

  He figured she’d lost her mate when she’d been kicked out of the Talons.

  North growled and fisted his hands again at that thought. That fucking Pack was next on his list after the Centrals. Those bastards had hurt his mate and would have to pay. Though it hurt to think that Lexi had loved someone before him and had completed that mating, he’d take her as she was.

  Not that there was anything wrong with her.

  Far from it.

  He loved her strength, the way she protected her family though she was much smaller than her brother. He loved those fierce eyes, that athletic body, and that silky blonde hair of hers.

  He knew it was silky because he’d felt it when he’d tucked it behind her ear.

  And the day he’d almost died.

  That, though, wasn’t something he wanted to dwell on at the moment.

  If ever.

  Someone made a rustling sound at the door, and he turned to find Patrick there—a lower-ranked wolf who pissed him off to no end. The wolf thought he was more badass than he was and had once tried to kill Ellie’s mate because of circumstantial evidence.

  The idiot was lucky North didn’t tear his throat out right there.

  “What can I do for you, Patrick?”

  The other man lifted his chin. “Need to restock my first aid kit,” he grunted.

  North could almost taste the lie but showed the other man where he could get the things anyway. As the only doctor in the Pack, he routinely helped stock those things since wolves were always getting in scrapes. Though if North didn’t know any better, it was almost as if the other man was casing the joint or just trying to get in his space.

  Okay, North admitted he might be getting a little paranoid.

  “Is that all?” North asked as he packed up Patrick’s things.

  “Yep. Thanks. Good to know you take care of all of us, not just your family.”

  North growled but held his wolf in check.

  “You’re done. Get the fuck out.”

  “Gladly.”

  Patrick stomped out, and North was left there confused. Okay, so the bastard was either going crazy, or North’s family would have to deal with a wolf on the edge at some point. There was something else going on with Patrick, something North might not have seen today, but North couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling. He’d have to talk to his father about it soon.

  He ran his hand over his face and hoped there wouldn’t be any more surprises for the night.

  North scented the pup before he heard him and smiled.

  He loved that little-boy smell—the bare hint of wolf and forest mixed with spice.

  The acidic smell of fear and pain that slid under that little-boy smell caused North’s hackles to rise. He turned toward Parker, who stood in the doorway, tear tracks running down his cheeks, but his lips were in a firm line as if the boy didn’t want others to know how much pain he was in.

  There was no hiding that pain to a fellow wolf, but North wouldn’t clue Parker in on that fact.

  At least not until he set Parker’s bone.

  “Parker,” North rasped, holding back the growl that threatened to come. He didn’t want to scare him anymore than he already was.

  Parker held his arm to his chest at an odd angle, and North cursed under his breath.

  “I’m fine,” Parker bit out. “Really.”

  North shook his head then walked toward the boy slowly so as not to startle him. The two of them still weren’t sure of how to act around each other. Parker was very observant, so North had a feeling the kid knew something was going on between him and Lexi.

  “Let me see your arm, buddy.”

  Parker blinked but didn’t move. “I…I didn’t want to go to Hannah and make her deal with it. You know? She has Conner and Kaylee and is really busy. I figured you could just help me out a bit.”

  North grinned despite himself. The boy really was mature for his age if he’d noticed how tired Hannah had been lately. It didn’t matter that she had two dominant mates at home to help her; taking care of twins at any age was tough. He should know considering he was a twin himself.

  North thought back to all the crap he and Maddox had put his mother through.

  He’d have to get his mother a present later.

  He didn’t even know how the little boy had been hurt. For all he knew it he’d fallen out of a tree but it didn’t stop his wolf from wanting to react. Though his wolf was clawing at him, wanting to taste flesh and blood because Parker was hurt, North held himself in check.

  Barely.

  The wolf already thought of Parker as his own. It didn’t matter that he didn’t have the same blood running through his veins. Parker was family.

  North felt the same, but he wasn’t about to tell Parker and Lexi that.

  At least not yet.

  Some things had to be handled delicately.

  “Buddy, your arm is broken.” North’s wolf could sense the break and by the odd angle Parker was holding his arm, it was obvious. “I can splint it for you, but we should get Hannah to see it anyway.” He knelt down in front of Parker and took a look.

  Yep. It was broken for sure, but at least it wasn’t a compound fracture. Parker should be able to heal fully after his next shift.

  Hannah would see to that.

  North really wasn’t needed.

  Not that it was a bad feeling when Parker came to him and not Hannah.

  “But I wanted to come to you,” Parker whispered and warmth filled North’s chest.

  This boy. This little boy.

  Fuck, he wanted Parker to be his son.

  There was no way he’d let Lexi walk away. There had to be a reason she was shying away, and North would get to the bottom of it.

  North ran a hand through Parker’s dark brown hair and gave a reassuring smile. “I’m glad you did. No matter what happens, Park, I’ll be here for you. You got that?”

  Parker bit his lip and nodded. “I get it.”

  “Good,” North said then stood. “Now, let’s get you to the triad’s house so Hannah can Heal that arm of yours.”

  “You mean I can’t just shift to heal it better later?” Parker asked, an odd note of fear underlying his words.

  North furrowed his brows. “That’ll really hurt, Park. I wouldn’t think you’d want to do that. Even the adult wolves would rather not deal with that kind of pain if they can help it. That’s why Packs have Healers.”

  “But I’ve never had a Healer before,” Parker whispered, and North finally got it.

  “Hannah won’t hurt you, Park. The Healing? It’s like this warmth that soothes you. It’s not gonna hurt. In fact, it feels kind of good.”

  “But what about Hannah? Won’t it hurt her if she has to Heal me?”

  Oh, this boy. Yep, North loved him.

  “It might make her tired if she does it too quickly,” North said honestly. He didn’t see any reason to lie to the kid since Pa
rker seemed to see too much as it was. “In fact, she had to learn how to use her powers when she came here. She’s much better now than when she first started. She loves what she does, Park. Believe me,” he muttered then shook it off. He needed to quit being so melancholy over the fact he wasn’t needed in the same way anymore.

  “You sure she’ll be okay?”

  “I’m sure. Now let’s get moving. You’ve got to be in pain.”

  “I’m tough,” Parker replied, though he winced when he said it.

  North picked up his cell and called Lexi as they walked toward the triad’s home. Most of the den was sprawled out enough that people drove if they needed. The Jamenson clan, however, all lived really close to one another near the Alpha —his father’s home.

  “Hello?” Lexi answered, and North held back a groan at the sound of her voice.

  His wolf clawed at him, needing his mate as much as the human did.

  “Hey, Lex, it’s North. I have Parker here, and I’m taking him to Hannah’s. He seems to have broken his arm. He’ll be okay, but I want Hannah to Heal him so he won’t have to shift to Heal.”

  Lexi sucked in a breath, and North wanted to find a way to get through the phone line and pull her close. His wolf nudged him, but he ignored the tug. “I’m on my way,” she said, her voice calm but with an edge of panic. “Tell him I’ll be right there.” She hung up, and pride filled him at how together she was and the fact that she was dropping everything to be with her son.

  “She’s on her way, bud,” North said, pocketing his phone. “Let’s get you to Hannah.”

  Parker held his arm to his chest, pain in his eyes, though North knew the kid was trying to hide it. “Was she mad?”

  As they walked toward Hannah’s, North frowned. “No, why would she be mad? You hurt yourself and went to an adult to get help.”

  “But I was supposed to be playing with the other boys.” Parker’s eyes widened, and he quickly shut his mouth.

  What the hell?

  “What’s going on, bud?”

  “Nothing,” he mumbled.

  They were at Hannah’s front door, so North let the subject drop.

  For now.

  The door opened, and a curvy redhead stepped out onto the porch. “Parker,” Hannah Jamenson whispered and held out her hand.

  As if she were the moon goddess herself, she drew the little boy to her side, and she wrapped an arm around his shoulders carefully.

  “Let’s get you taken care of,” she said quietly then looked at North. “I felt the break through the Pack but couldn’t tell who it was. He’s still a little new to the bonds.”

  North nodded. While other Healers might have been able to feel the exact person and feeling through the bonds, Hannah was still relatively new herself. Plus Parker hadn’t been part of the Pack long enough for Hannah to fully connect to the boy beyond the initial bond.

  That wouldn’t be a problem anymore.

  “I called Lexi,” North explained as he walked into the triad’s home. “She’s on her way.”

  “I figured as much,” Hannah said as she sat next to Parker on the couch.

  North raised his chin at Josh, who stood in the entrance to the hallway with a sleeping Kaylee on his chest. For some reason, the sight of the ex-Navy SEAL holding his baby girl made North smile.

  Josh quirked a smile then rubbed Kaylee’s little back. “Reed’s in the nursery with Conner changing him.”

  North smiled again. While most people in today’s world thought true triads were odd, he thought the three of them worked perfectly together. Each loved the others with the fullest of their emotions—something not even some couples could say.

  “Where is he?” Lexi said from behind him, and he spun around on his heel.

  It looked as if she’d run straight to the triad’s home. She wasn’t breathless because she was a wolf and could run farther than she probably had if necessary, but the slight panicked look in her eyes made North want to bring her into his arms.

  Fuck it.

  He stalked toward her and gripped her chin, forcing her gaze to his. She let out a little gasp, and her eyes darkened. The pressure of his hand wasn’t gentle, but neither was it too hard. His wolf liked the fact that Lexi seemed to almost get off on the touch.

  He shelved that thought for a later time.

  “He’s fine,” he said, his voice gruff. “Hannah is Healing him now. Calm.” He’d lowered his face to hers and whispered that last part so not even the wolves in the room with the exceptional hearing could hear him.

  Lexi stiffened for just a moment at his order then relaxed into him as if her body needed his words to calm.

  At least that’s what he’d like to think.

  He honestly didn’t know her well enough to figure out what her actions meant.

  At least not yet.

  “You can let go now,” she said, her voice carefully devoid of emotion.

  He let go slowly, running his thumb over the place he’d held her before stepping back.

  Lexi moved around him and walked toward the couch. North’s gaze landed on that rounded ass of hers, and he held back a groan.

  Her son was in the room. His family was in the room.

  Hell, he needed to get a grip.

  North risked a glance at Josh, who merely raised a brow.

  Fuck, he’d just deal with that later.

  North made his way to the couch, where Lexi was now holding Parker to her side. Hannah was sitting on the other side, her hands in her lap, her body slightly damp with perspiration. He knew Healing took a lot of energy, and his sister-in-law was still getting a hold of her powers since she’d had the babies, so he was a bit worried at her physical reaction.

  “I’m fine,” Hannah said, a smile in her voice and on her face. “I seem to tire out a bit easier now, but I think it will all return to normal once I finish nursing.”

  “You need to take of yourself, baby,” Reed said as he walked into the room, Conner in one arm, a glass of water and an orange in the other. He set the water and orange down and kissed Hannah’s brow. “Drink that whole glass then eat that entire orange.”

  She rolled her eyes but took a bite.

  “I’m sorry you’re hurting because of me,” Parker said, and North fisted his hands so he wouldn’t reach out and soothe the boy.

  “I’m okay, Parker. I promise. I just get a little tired, but that’s nothing compared to breaking a bone.”

  “If it hurt her, she wouldn’t be doing it,” Josh said, his tone holding no argument.

  North held back a snort. Sure, big and gruff Josh might think he could tell Hannah what to do, but that wouldn’t go over well for long.

  Hannah rolled her eyes then reached out for Conner. Reed handed over her son and went back to Josh’s side.

  “Tell me what happened, honey,” Lexi said, and North moved to sit on the coffee table in front of them.

  Lexi stiffened for only a moment before she looked as though she’d forced herself to relax, letting her shoulders fall a bit and her fists become unclenched. He reached out and gripped Parker’s hand then did the same to Lexi. She didn’t pull away, but from the glare in her eyes, North knew she wanted to.

  It was past time to deal with what they were feeling. He wasn’t going to tiptoe around anymore. If she didn’t want to mate with him, then she’d have to flat-out tell him. No more hiding.

  With that decision also came the knowledge he needed to know more about Parker. That meant that North needed to know why Parker seemed so afraid. He hadn’t been able to sense it as much before, only slightly when Parker had mentioned the other kids, but now it was full-out fear.

  “Parker? Honey? What happened?” Lexi asked again.

  “Nothing,” Parker mumbled, and North squeezed his hand.

  “Don’t lie, bud,” North said. “If you were doing something stupid and broke your arm, that’s fine, but if someone did this to you, we need to know. We don’t hurt each other here, Park.” He reached out and
gripped Parker’s chin like he had Lexi’s, only this time softer. “Tell us.”

  Parker’s gaze met his and held it before he let out a shaky breath. “I was with the other boys after class. They said they wanted to play with me.” He turned to his mom. “They never want to play with me.”

  Lexi narrowed her eyes, and North held back a growl. Parker continued, “So I went to play with them. I should have known they were lying. They told me that they were going to play cat-shifters and climb trees. They wanted me to go first. So I did.”

  “Did they push you?” North growled.

  Parker started to shake his head then stopped. “No. I don’t think so. I think I just fell because I don’t think there were others in the tree with me. I don’t know,” he mumbled.

  Lexi squeezed North’s hand hard, and he squeezed back.

  “They called me tainted and ran away laughing.” Parker let out a shaky breath, a tear falling down his cheek.

  North couldn’t hold back his wolf’s need to protect anymore and moved fast, pulling Parker into his arms and sitting down on the couch next to Lexi. He still held her hand so she was, in essence, in his arms too. Parker stiffened only for a moment in his arms then sank into him, the little boy’s wolf reaching for his own. Lexi froze as well before relaxing again and running a hand through Parker’s hair.

  “Tell me who they were, and I will take care of it. You are not tainted, Parker. You are Pack. If those boys don’t understand that, then they need to be taught.”

  “And what if their parents don’t care?” Lexi asked.

  North’s gaze rocked to hers. “What?”

  She shook her head. “Never mind.”

  North narrowed his eyes then moved his gaze to the triad and their children in the room. “I’m taking Parker and Lexi home.”

  All three adults nodded, knowing there was something going on that Lexi wasn’t saying.

  They left and made their way to Lexi’s. “You want to tell me what that was about?”

  Lexi shook her head then looked down at Parker, who stood between them. North nodded, but he wasn’t fucking happy about it.

  They made their way to the door, and Parker stopped to look up at North. “Thank you,” he whispered then threw his arms around North’s waist.