by Olivia Arran
His eyes darkened, sparks of silver swirling at the edges, his wolf surfacing. “I could call you on being a liar, but I’m too much of a gentleman,” he growled, his shoulders tensing, bunching under his t-shirt as he stared at me.
This was a side of Tarq I hadn’t seen before: tense, brooding, with power rippling under his skin. I bit back a gasp as lust cascaded through me, liquefying my bones into a puddle of need.
Then it was gone; he was back to normal.
“We should get started,” he said, indicating the people who had gathered in the room.
I looked around, flabbergasted. I had been so preoccupied, I hadn’t even noticed them arriving! I nodded, still overheated. He rolled to his feet in an easy motion, taking his position with me against the wall.
I took a deep breath and began speaking, loud and clear. “I hope you’ve all had time for my news to sink in and to adjust to the change in leadership. What I would like to do is discuss where we are now as a pack, and what we would like to see change. I need you all to tell me how things have been run in the past, and how you feel about it. We need to work together to make this pack whole, to make it strong again. This is not a case of me telling you what you are going to do; we are going to work together.” I paused, noting the skeptical looks that were being cast around and the few looks of hope. “Eric is gone now. He can’t hurt or bully any of you anymore.”
“Bullshit!” a loud voice from the back called out.
***
Tarq
I scanned the crowd, searching for the unknown voice, my body tense and ready. Nobody was going to threaten Amanda, not on my watch.
A tall man stood up, kicking his chair back, and scowled at us. He was broad through the shoulders and well-muscled. I pegged him to be in his late twenties.
“I said, bullshit!” he repeated, glaring at us both.
Amanda’s fingers twitched at her side, a downward flick—she didn’t want me to react. Well, fine. I could do that. Here I was, not reacting at all! But if I could kill with a look…
The room had gone silent, waiting for the new Alpha’s reply.
“Sure, bullshit,” she said clearly. “You might think that, and so might some of the others. Because you don’t know us, you don’t trust us. It’s up to me to show you that I deserve your trust. But don’t mistake that as weakness. I am your Alpha, and Tarq is your Beta. And we will make decisions for the good of the pack, which includes rooting out the bullshit. Now, sit back down, unless you have something useful to say.”
I wanted to applaud her. She had dealt with the ignorant fool in just the right way, with a careful balance of strength tempered with approachability and fairness.
I watched the man sit back down, his posture resentful. He would be one to watch.
Amanda had continued to talk, and I tuned back in.
“…and I want to meet with each of you individually, in confidence. Get to know you and hear your views, complaints and so on. The rest of you, while you are waiting, can enjoy the meal that Monica has prepared. Tarq, remind me to thank Monica later,” she hissed under her breath, and strode toward a door at the back of the room, one I had noticed earlier. The Alpha’s office, most likely.
Closing the door behind us, I glanced around the room, noting the wood paneling on the walls, the heavy oak desk that dominated the center of the room. It looked like a gentlemen’s club. Heavy and oppressing.
Amanda wrinkled her small nose in disgust as she, too, looked around the room. “This place definitely needs redecorating, and a woman’s touch,” she muttered, pulling out the chair behind the desk and sitting down.
I watched her shove some papers over, flicking through, then piling them haphazardly out of the way. She was dwarfed by the massive desk, its size emphasizing her petite frame, her femininity jarring against all the gloomy dark wood.
She sighed heavily, stacking yet another pile of papers on the growing mountain. “It will take me forever to go through these. What was Great-Uncle Col playing at, letting it get like this?”
“He wasn’t playing, he was sick.”
“I know he was, but he should have had someone deal with all this.” She waved a hand over the mess in exasperation.
“He thought he had. Eric.”
Amanda shuddered, her eyes sparking with anger. “Then he was a fool to not see Eric for what he really was—a sick, twisted bastard.”
I strolled over to the desk, catching her hand in mine before she could knock the pile over in her agitation. “Agreed,” I murmured. Then added, “But what is done is done. The only way now is forward.”
She blinked at me, then quickly pulled her hand from mine, her fingers sliding through against my palm in a swift caress.
She nodded. “Forward. Can you send the first one in?” She leaned back in the chair, assuming a nonchalant pose.
She had the balls for the job, I had to give her that. It was not an easy mantle to wear, the one of Alpha.
“And where would you like me to be, during these discussions?” I asked, heading over to the door.
What she said next would be telling, and I held my breath.
She hesitated, then answered, “Facing them with me. Your input could be useful.”
“By your side?”
She hesitated again, this time a fraction longer, and I could see her weighing her reply carefully.
Good. It meant she was worried about us. That it bothered her.
“Yes. As my Beta.” The last was added in a hurry.
I opened the door to the first pack member, quietly savoring my first tiny victory.
She had acknowledged that she needed me. That she wanted me by her side.
Professionally. Now I just had to work on the personal.
CHAPTER FOUR
Amanda
Tarq closed the door on the last pack member and I sagged back against the chair, exhaustion swamping me. We had been at it for hours, only stopping briefly to enjoy a meal that Monica, the pack cook, had hand delivered, both eager to meet us and get her interview out of the way.
Strong hands landed on my shoulders, fingers digging into my aches and pains, kneading away knots of tension.
I’d let it go, just for a minute. Or maybe five, I decided, my head lolling forward, giving him more room to work his magic.
It hadn’t been the sitting and talking that had taken it out of me. Nor the posturing and bickering that some of the pack members had brought to the table. It had been the quiet ones, the ones where I’d had to dig to get an answer, and then their tales had spilled out, as though a dam had broken, all the horrors and crimes of the pack held up to the light.
There had been abuse, the stronger taking advantage of the weak, and dishonesty. But I had been prepared for that, had expected those stories. What I hadn’t been prepared for was the warped sense of justice, of right and wrong that these people held. The basic fundamentals of kindness, loving one another, respect and honesty had been wiped out—erased—by Eric. Each pack member stood alone and isolated, out for themselves and damn the rest.
But at least I had some names now, and a list of those I was considering for key positions.
Tarq had continued to knead my shoulders, his silent presence supportive and calming.
“It’s okay to feel sad, Amanda. And it’s okay to feel pain. This is now your pack, your family, and they’re hurting—even those who don’t realize it yet.”
“There’s just so much!” I whispered, unwilling to push away from him, even though I knew I should.
“It’s the Alpha pack bond starting to form. Their feelings, what’s in their heart, it’s starting to trickle through to you.”
Jeez, he was right! No wonder I felt like the weight of the world was resting on me. “How does James cope?” I wondered aloud.
“He has a healthy pack, for one, and secondly, he’s had a lot of practice. You’re new to this, and this pack is…fucked up. Give it time, you’ll adjust, and you can always lean on me. That�
��s what Betas are for, right?”
He was right, but I wasn’t sure how much I could allow myself to lean. Leaning on someone led to wanting, which led to needing. And I didn’t need anyone.
I pushed his hands away, immediately missing their warmth. “We need to concentrate on putting a plan together. First up, filling the leadership positions. Who struck you as a potential lieutenant?” That was better, keep it strictly business.
Tarq moved around the desk, rearranging his face into his familiar expression of good humor. The contrast was startling, and I realized that the man who had been massaging my shoulders had been serious and caring. Another side of him that I hadn’t seen before.
“Mark, he seemed okay, and strong. Jed was another that I would consider. What about you? Who piqued your fancy?” He winked at me, throwing himself onto a couch and assuming his customary position.
“I agree about Mark and Jed. What did you think of Seb?” I had thought Seb an excellent candidate, both for the job of lieutenant and possible mate. He had come across as serious and quiet. His brown eyes reflecting intelligence and a level head. No heat, no fire that threatened to churn me up inside and turn my life—my decisions—upside down.
“Ah, Seb. Yep, he seemed your type. Reasonably attractive. Tell me, do you score them on a chart? Assess their compatibility with your secret list?”
“It’s not a secret, I’ve told you what I require from a mate.” We were back to this again. Maybe Tarq and I couldn’t work together…
“Maybe I should tell you what I require—”
“I don’t need to—”
He sat up suddenly. “She will be beautiful and kind and generous. She will be quick-witted, so we can spar together, as you know I like a laugh. She will be intelligent and strong, bold and brave.” He rose from the couch, and started pacing the room. “She will want children, my pups. She will love me, and take the time to see the real me.” He stopped, trapping me with his gaze. “And she will be petite, with long blond hair, sapphire blue eyes, and a body a man would slay legions for.”
My mouth was dry, my body frozen, unable to move as he stalked toward me.
“And I will wait for her. Until she figures out that this nonsense about lists and human marriages is just that—nonsense.”
He leaned over my chair, bracing his hands on both sides, effectively trapping me. Leaning closer, he whispered, “I will wait for you, my true mate.”
“No!” My denial came out all breathy and weak, my body a traitor, every cell urging me to wrap myself around him, to give myself to him, my wolf straining at the leash I held tight—but it was slipping through my hands.
His eyes flashed silver, his lips pulled back in a grin, but this time it carried an edge of danger.
“I’ve said it before, and I say it again. Liar!”
***
Tarq
I hadn’t meant to tip my hand quite so early, but the thought of her approaching Seb and calmly asking him if he was interested in a mating, relationship—whatever the hell she was calling it—made my blood boil. I was literally seeing red as my wolf snarled inside of me, clawing at my insides, demanding that I take her.
My wolf didn’t understand. He could see that she was attracted to me, he knew that she wanted me. So why didn’t I just take her? Once passion overrode her judgment, she would succumb, and then it would be too late.
But that was tantamount to rape, and I was not that guy. I despised that guy. My mate had to be willing, and hopefully, begging for me to fuck her. And Amanda was not begging, not yet.
And, now she knew—fuck!
Her chest was heaving, her shirt straining with every breath, her lips parted and moist, skin flushed with arousal.
The good-natured, easygoing Tarq hadn’t been working, so let’s see what she thought about this version. Just a taste…
I claimed her lips in a rush, not giving her time to flinch or back away, my tongue spearing into her mouth, thrusting, ruthlessly seeking out her tongue in battle. Pressing her back against the chair, I rested my knees on either side of her hips, cupping her face as I proceeded to pour my lust and fury into my kiss.
I felt her yield, the change so subtle yet so enticing, her body softening and leaning toward me as she started to kiss me back, a soft moan escaping and echoing through the office.
The second I felt the change, I broke off the kiss, still cupping her jaw in my hands, not allowing her to duck away. “How can you deny this?”
She blinked at me, her eyes large and wide, and I swear I saw tears gathering at the edges. “I—”
The door slammed open and Kate barged into the room, her expression one of panic and worry. Then she saw us, more to the point, she saw me, kneeling over Amanda, our mouths only inches apart, and her face fell a fraction. I nearly felt sorry for the girl, but I hadn’t led her on. Not once. It wasn’t my style.
“Fire!” Kate eventually shouted, after she had finished with the goldfish impression.
That got our attention, and I leapt off Amanda, her shoving me at the same time, in a tangle of arms and legs.
“Where?” Amanda snapped, instantly pulling herself back together, the softness that I had glimpsed shoved firmly back behind the mask of Alpha.
“Outside. The rec room. Quick!”
Kate hurried back out the door and we broke into a run, following her outside. The small building at the end of the main house, one I had presumed correctly was for social events, was on fire, the flames licking at the sky.
“You, go get the hose. You, go get some sand from somewhere. Everyone else, get buckets and fill them up. We need to start a line, everyone working toward the front. Buckets, douse the bottom. Hose, you need to wet the wood above, try and stop the spread.” Amanda barked out the orders and everyone snapped to attention, hurrying to follow her orders.
“What about me?” I murmured, still by her side.
“Keep a watch for suspicious behavior. Whoever did this will be watching, and not really helping. They want this building to burn.”
“You think someone did this on purpose?”
“I think it’s an unlikely coincidence that this happened on the day we arrived.”
I nodded, agreeing with her.
“Also,” she continued, “this is the rec room that got hit. Which puts a dampener on social activities and team building. The culprit probably thinks he’s putting a halt to our plans for reuniting the pack.”
I scanned the crowd, watching as all the pack pitched in, trying to put out the fire. “They made a mistake.”
Amanda glanced at me, her eyes questioning.
“They hit the rec room, a place every member of the pack is going to want to save. Now, they’re all working together, pulling together as a team. This is better than any social event.”
Amanda grunted next to me, and I stifled an inappropriate chuckle. Ladylike Amanda sure was full of surprises!
She murmured out of the corner of her mouth, “You’re right, but I’m worried that when this doesn’t have the desired effect, the culprit will escalate.”
I looked closer at the crowd, searching for someone who wasn’t pulling his, or her, weight. But no one stood out. I just didn’t know them well enough yet. Dammit!
Then my eye caught the sun glinting off something metallic far over to the right, partially hidden by the long grass.
I threw myself at Amanda, shoving her to the ground as a shot whizzed through the air, the sound of a rifle being discharged echoing through the forest.
“What the—?” she huffed, her breath having been knocked out of her, her hand shoving at me to get off, but I stayed where I was, pressing her safely into the ground beneath us.
“Shot fired,” I hissed, glancing up, but I couldn’t see the rifle anymore. No telltale glint.
“Seriously? Someone tried to shoot me?”
“Uh, yeah. Instead, they managed to shoot me.”
***
Amanda
Tarq looked shell
-shocked, his gray eyes blinking at me in disbelief. His body covered mine, his hips pressing heavily into me, his wide chest nearly smothering me as one of his arms gave out, causing him to slump to the side.
I shoved at him again, but Sweet Mother, he was like a dead weight. “Move! Let me look!”
“Didn’t know you cared,” he muttered dryly, trying to smile, but I could tell that he was in pain.
“I don’t,” I snapped back, and immediately regretted it when I saw sadness crowd into his eyes.
He rolled off me with a grunt, and I sucked in gasping breaths of air, suddenly able to breathe again.
“I’m normally more courteous, and would never crush a woman who I had the pleasure of having beneath me. Don’t hold it against me, or judge me. It’s just my arm…it doesn’t seem to work?” He was babbling, trying to lighten the mood, and I steeled myself to look at his arm.
The bullet had ripped through his shoulder, leaving a bloody mess of skin and muscle. Ripping his t-shirt, I pressed it against the wound in a state of shock. That bullet had been meant for me. And it had hit Tarq’s shoulder—head height for me.
I looked back down at him. He was a little pale, and way too quiet for my liking. “You’re going to be fine,” I whispered, unable to stop myself from running a hand lightly over his hair. Tarq had nearly died; a few inches further to the right and it would have hit him in the heart. Even a shifter would have a hard time healing from that!
“I know. I just like you looking after me. That’s why I got shot, you see?”
“Idiot,” I muttered, looking around me for the first time and noting that the fire had finally been put out. Everyone had gone, the area deserted. Probably fled when they heard the shot being fired. Having existed for so long under Eric’s control, I couldn’t blame them for fleeing, but I would have to speak to them about it. A healthy pack is strong, can rely on each other. They don’t abandon fellow pack members at the first sign of danger.
We needed to get out of the open, and fast, before they decided to have another go.
“You need to get up. I can’t carry you, you’re way too heavy.” I shoved at him until he struggled to his feet, swaying almost comically. “What have you been eating? Bricks?”
