Leonardo studied Alec seeing that the man was loyal to his pack members. “You said that she was in her nightgown when you arrived in the room,” he repeated slowly, and Alec nodded his head a scowl on his face when suddenly he froze eyes widening.
“You don’t think…” Alec began.
“Ralph told me he gave her ultimatum,” Leonardo revealed his eyebrows rising together while a stern look settled on his face.
“Oh, hell!” Alec swore running another hand through his hair. “She’s already made a plan just in case she doesn’t succeed.”
“Seems like it,” Leonardo replied a muscle twitching in his jaw. “Garin is her means to either end.”
Alec slanted him a dark look understanding exactly what the Alpha was saying, and he swore again listening to it echo around the room.
Dena was quick hurrying up the stairs just in time to meet Whitney who was just starting down them.
“Alpha Female Dena.” Whitney greeted quietly her face filled with a single purpose, and Dena read it without showing anything.
“Whitney.” Dena replied. “I was going to visit Garin. Would you like to join me?”
Whitney’s eyes flared with triumphant before she shielded the look. “Of course, Alpha Female.”
Dena started toward Garin’s room feeling Whitney fall into step next to her and she found herself trying not to laugh at how easy it had been to divert the woman from causing trouble even it would had been only on herself.
Knocking on the door, Dena heard the rough tone allowing them entrance and she smiled opening the door to see Garin sitting up in bed his chest bare, and her smile almost slipped when she caught the scent of arousal coming from Whitney.
“Alpha Female Dena.” Garin started to get up only to stop grimacing while at the same time maintaining the hold on the covers which was over his lower half. “I apologize for my lack of respect in not getting up to greet you properly.”
Dena waved it away moving further into the room followed by Whitney.
“We’ve come to see how you are doing.” Dena spoke quietly watching Garin instantly satisfied when other a brief nod at Whitney his eyes stayed focus on her.
Her eyes shifted around the room. “I don’t see your nursemaid.”
A brief frown drifted across his face. “Brianna wanted to make sure Daya was okay since she came into the room limping.”
Just as she said this, Brianna entered the room giving Dena a soft smile although the one she threw to Whitney was stilted.
“Alpha Female.”
“How’s the patient?” Dena asked worry in her eyes.
Brianna chuckled shooting the man they were talking about a quick look. “Fine although he will be sore for a while. I suggest he shift as soon as possible…”
“There will be a full moon in a few days,” Dena remarked getting a nod from Brianna.
“Perfect, and in a few weeks, he will be as good as new,” Brianna replied slanting Garin a narrowed look which made him scowl.
“Only a few weeks,” he grumbled which elicited laughter from the three woman in the room.
“Of course, I’m merely being cautious but after the shift on the night of the full moon, I’m sure you will be fine,” Brianna replied giving Garin an innocent smile when he gave a scowling look.
“That’s good to hear.” Dena nodded her head catching Garin’s scowl, but he relaxed back against the bed reluctantly eyes drifting to the doorway.
Catching the brief glance, Brianna spoke quietly walking over to the nightstand where Daya kept the equipment. “I made Daya go lie down since she hasn’t rested in two days watching over you although I would prefer she do some of her exercises, but I think sleep is more needed right now.”
“Once she is awake, you can use the gym for whatever you need,” Dena offered watching Garin’s blue eyes darken at what Brianna told him.
“Garin.” Whitney gave a low sob getting everyone’s attention, and Dena felt her mouth tighten at the picture she presented eyes huge and glistening with tears.
Garin shifted his eyes to her, but there wasn’t anything on his face to indicate his feelings.
“I’m glad you are all right, Alpha Female.”
Whitney smiled walking closer over to the bed only to stop when Garin turned to Brianna.
“When Daya wakes up, I’ll send her to you,” Brianna replied with a smile reading his face accurately it seemed when he grinned giving a nod of his head.
“Thank you.”
Whitney began to frown her mouth opening only to be forestalled by Dena who had caught the movement.
“Well, it’s good that you are awake,’ she remarked with a soft smile at Garin. “Once you are fully recovered, then you, Alec, Paul and your women can head back home. I’m sure you can’t wait.”
“No, ma’am, I can’t.” Garin’s response was quick and his blue eyes were direct without any shadows, but Dena laughed seeing the shock on Brianna’s face at Garin’s polite manners.
Even though she was laughing, Dena studied him before nodding her head letting her laughter drift off although a smile stayed on her face and she turned for the door one hand going to Whitney’s arm to usher her out while the woman started to protest.
“But I’m not out of danger yet, and I don’t think Garin should go home.”
“We should leave Garin to rest,” Dena suggested ignoring her words.
Whitney scowled reluctantly allowing herself to be escorted out of the room, but she threw Garin an promising look over her shoulder before disappearing.
Dena caught it, and her grip tightened briefly which earned her a sharp look from Whitney, but Dena merely smiled letting her precede them out the door closing the it behind them.
Once the door closed, Briana shifted raised eyebrows to Garin before she started laughing and shaking her head.
“She’ll probably visit you later this evening.” Her words were soft, but there was an undercurrent that Garin heard, and when she turned to him he was scowling heavily.
“Is Daya all right?’ He repeated a concerned note in his voice while his blue eyes flashed with worry remembering the look on her face when he first woke up.
“She’s fine,” Brianna assured him. “Merely worried about you.” She hesitated slightly, and Garin catching it, winced eyes hardening in a tense face.
“I heard voices,” he explained in a low, slow tone, and Brianna stilled her eyes fixed on his face intently. “I recognized Daya’s immediately her soft lilting tone soothing me and my wolf.” A brief smile lifted the corner’s of his mouth. “It took me a few minutes to recognize Whitney’s more petulant one.”
That was a telling statement, and the wide smile on Brianna’s face made Garin chuckle.
“I didn’t hear the words,” he continued his chuckle turning into a scowl. “Then I heard Daya’s exclamation before the door opening and her calling out which I surmised was for you and Alec.”
Brianna nodded her head. “We heard calling and hurried to your room, but when we arrived, Whitney was holding your hand to her scantily clad breasts.”
Garin frowned and closed eyes while his wolf growled low inside him. “Why was she is in my room?”
Brianna didn’t know how to respond, and Garin watched her eyes light up before they drifted to the door a second before it opened and followed by Alec who gave them a grin shutting it behind him.
“You took your time coming around,” Alec remarked walking over to Brianna leaning down to give her a brief kiss although Garin grinned when he saw how Brianna’s eyes darkened and her breathing grew a little ragged before he pulled away.
“I guess I needed to sort through a few things,” Garin admitted evasively not going to go in detail about what happened with them although they were his friends and pack members who he trusted with his life. There was only person his wolf and he wanted to talk with about what happened during his unconscious state.
Alec gave him a questioning look, but he nodded his head when Garin
merely stared at him without saying a word.
“All right, Garin. So, what were we discussing before I entered?”
Brianna bit her lip. “Garin wanted to know why Whitney was in his room.”
Alec stiffened and his face grew dark with anger, but he turned to Garin with a raised eyebrow. “Do you think you are up to getting some information?”
Garin’s blue eyes went blank and he shifted himself up grimacing, but pushing through it until he was reclined against the pillows with his attention focused on Alec.
“What is it?” His tone was indifferent and even though he gritted his teeth knowing it wasn’t going to like what Alec had to say from the look on his face, he didn’t want to wait until later for it.
Alec put a hand around Brianna’s waist and directed her to the chair that Daya had been using. He settled down in it before bringing Brianna down onto his lap hearing her sudden gasp and he settled her comfortably in place taking his time much to Garin’s annoyance, and Brianna’s embarrassment.
“Alec.” Brianna’s voice was breathless, and she shot him a narrowed look, but it was Garin’s laughter that made her relax shaking her head.
“Let him be jealous for a while, honey, so he won’t take forever on making a decision.” Alec teased, and yet there was a watchful look that he swept to Garin.
“I’ve already made my decision,” Garin reported a wicked grin shifting across his face when he caught their startled glances. “But I believe you were about to tell me why Whitney was in my room before you were distracted.”
It was a dig, and Alec laughed at it encircling his arms around Brianna’s waist drawing her back against him knowing that she was going to get upset, too, when he revealed what he learned.
“I don’t think you are going to like it,” he remarked the laugher leaving his face.
“I’m sure I won’t,” Garin retorted in a dry voice.
Alec sighed and shook his head once before he conveyed what has been happening since the attack along with the information that had been told to him.
“She said I did what?” It wasn’t shouted, and yet the deadliness of the sentence made Brianna shiver while Alec grinned hearing the fury behind those words.
“She told Alpha Leonardo and Alpha Female Dena that you invited her out there to discuss a reconciliation,” Alec repeated in a slower tone seeing Garin’s mouth tighten even more.
“I see,” Garin replied hands clenching on top of the covers. “And I guess Alpha Leonardo wants to hear my side of what happened.”
“Yes, unfortunately,” Alec nodded his head. “As soon as you are able, he wants to see you in his office.”
“Not until the full moon in two days,” Brianna ordered, and Alec shared a look with Garin before he sighed nodding his head in reluctance at the wait.
“But there is more.”
Garin clenched his jaw and waited for Alec to continue his eyes growing darker and darker the more Alec revealed, and Brianna seeing it was grateful that it wasn’t aimed at her feeling secure in Alec’s arms.
“Why that selfish…” Garin’s harsh voice echoed around the room even though it wasn’t uttered loudly before he froze his face going pale his eyes shooting to the couple on the chair. “How much of this does Daya know?”
“Only what we saw in this room,” Alec explained, and Garin growled low in his chest at the admittance.
“Which explains the look on her face when I woke up,” Garin surmised quietly through clenched teeth.
“I don’t think Whitney realized that Daya hadn’t left your side since we’ve arrived,” Brianna said thoughtfully getting both men’s attention. “Or, on second thought, she may have known but assumed Daya would be intimidated because she is a…”
“Alpha Female,” Garin finished sharing a look with Alec who had started to shake with laughter underneath Brianna, and she shot him a sharp, narrowed look. “Unfortunately, for Whitney, she isn’t a true Alpha Female.”
Brianna swung back to him confusion more than evident on her face at that comment.
“When Kala or Dena come into a room, you fill their presence even if they don’t say a word, right, honey?” Alec asked quietly, and Brianna thought about that her head turning to meet Alec’s gaze seeing his love for her.
She nodded her head feeling something tighten in her at that look knowing she had almost given up hope in seeing it focused on her.
Shaking her head, she focused back on what they were discussing a frown drifting across her face when suddenly understanding settled in and her eyes widened astonishment.
Alec smiled seeing it, and Garin chuckled darkly before explaining in a low voice. “Although Ralph marked her, he did so with an ulterior motive and as such…”
Alec picked up from there arms squeezing lightly. “She wasn’t fully recognized as his Alpha Female.”
“But…” Brianna began shifting her gaze between Garin and Alec surprised at not knowing about this type of situation.
“It is very rare,” Alec confirmed seeing her confusion.
“Most Alphas don’t mark someone as their mate unless they are absolutely sure that their mate doesn’t want them,” Garin added stretching lightly wincing at the pain which shot through him. “Ralph still has feeling for his first mate, and since their bond wasn’t broken by a rejection, then…”
“Or death,” Alec interjected getting a nod of agreement from Garin.
“Then the power of an Alpha Female was never fully initiated,” Brianna surmised slowly getting a nod from both men. “But the pack members respect…”
“For Ralph, not Whitney,” Alec concluded.
“Even Daya could tell the difference,” Garin replied a quick grin slanting across his face. “She grew up with her aunt although not on a daily basis, but from what I understand, her aunt was similar to Kala.”
The smile shifted into a scowl eyes narrowing slightly. “Too bad Alpha Jordan’s pack didn’t realize it.”
A peculiar look drifted across Alec’s face at Garin’s words, and Brianna gave him a narrowed look having caught it.
“The man who rejected Daya,” Alec began giving a shake of his head hearing Garin growl in response.
“What about him?” Brianna’s tone showed that he didn’t get any respect from her.
“The woman he marked as his mate happened to be my mate,” Alec conveyed eyes focused on Brianna seeing her eyes go wide with shock her mouth opening and closing.
“What a small world,” she finally uttered shaking her head before leaning against his chest. “I’m assuming that she didn’t excite you since you came home to me.”
There was a teasing note in her voice, but at the same time Alec could feel her tension and his arms tightened around her. “My wolf didn’t even stir,” he spoke honestly nuzzling her hair both forgetting Garin for the moment. “I was shocked when I came down and saw her, but that was it shock and when she looked right through me as if I didn’t exist, everything in me started to understand.”
“Understand,” Brianna whispered having gone still.
“He wasted time looking for his mate when he had already met her,” Garin answered for him. “He was just too stubborn to realize it.”
Brianna laughed while Alec threw him a glare. “By the way,” he said keeping his voice calm although there was a sarcastic note to it that made Garin look at him wearily.
“Yes.”
“About Whitney,” Alec let the sarcasm fade away.
“What do you want to do?” Brianna was blunt taking over for Alec who merely chuckled giving her a kiss on the curve of her neck.
Garin was quiet a thoughtful look on his face. “Keep her away from Daya. I know she can handle the woman, but she is still recuperating…”
“Technically, Garin, she is fine,” Brianna interrupted. “She was merely stiff from sitting at your bedside for so long. Being inactive can make the muscle stiffen especially since it is still being trained.”
Garin shot her a quick lo
ok and Brianna snapped her mouth close.
“I don’t want Whitney around her,” Garin spoke again. “Unless Daya is with me, I don’t want Whitney anywhere near her.”
A relieved smile broke across Brianna’s face while Alec asked laughter threaded through his voice.
“What about you? Do you want us to keep her away also?’
An evil grin was quick on Garin’s face. “I think it would be difficult in my case, but I can handle Whitney…I doubt in the way she wants me to handle her though.”
Alec and Brianna’s laughter echoed around the room, but Alec’s shifted his to a chuckle staring at his friend seeing the blue eyes that had darkened.
“Consider it done, my friend.”
Chapter 20
Later that afternoon, Daya stared out the window of the room she had been given her hair tousled around her head. She had woken up about an hour ago feeling rested, and even though her leg ached, it wasn’t as bad as before which told Daya it was getting better.
She had slept well which was surprising since she thought for sure that she wouldn’t be able to sleep after what happened in Garin’s room, but sometime during her sleep Garin’s wolf must have come to be with her. It was the only time that she slept comfortably without any issues making her restless during her sleep.
There was a knock on her door and she called out absently ‘come in’ her mind still whirling with questions.
“You’re awake.”
She turned her head to meet Brianna’s green gaze giving her a small smile.
“How are you feeling?” Brianna asked leaning against the doorframe leaving the door open while she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Still a little sore,” Daya admitted with a shrug of her shoulders running a hand through her tousle hair, “but it’s manageable especially after getting some rest.”
“Good, although I think starting tomorrow, we’re going back to our routine,” Brianna replied getting a shocked look from Daya. “Alpha Female Dena has said we can use the gym.”
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