After what Darrel says, thankfully, the tension in the room lessens by about one degree. You can never have too many relaxed individuals when a room is full of alphas.
Lance shifts a bit, glancing at me as if he wishes he was standing next to me instead of several feet away. Then he meets my dad’s glare with one of his own. “Once the doctor is finished, we plan to escort Scarlet home, and one of us will be guarding her at all times until this matter is resolved.”
“Like hell you are!” my father and I say at once.
“Her pack will be guarding her,” my father adds.
“No, they won’t be,” I say “I’ll be guarding my fucking self. I just need a little time to rest up, then I won’t need any of you.”
“Language, Scarlet,” my mother calls out. “And Jack, this actually might be the best possible thing for Scarlet.” To my astonishment, she starts nodding and steps between all of us. “These men obviously have a healthy and strong interest in our daughter, and her body language keeps signaling she’s reciprocating this interest. The four of them need to sort out this sexual relationship between them—”
“Allyson!” my father growls. “She’s in a hospital bed. How can Scarlet possibly be signaling anything?”
“Mom, there is no sexual relationship! I have a boyfriend.” I gesture to Dr. Reed, whose brow furrows and lips pucker, but she’s still sewing up my wound. “Remember? Zane?”
“Well…” My mother sighs, throwing her long, dark hair over her shoulder. She folds dainty hands over her modest floral dress. “I care about Zane, but I do think you two should break up. I’ve been thinking it for a while now. Zane only compounds your anxiety around sexual restraint and your fears about sexual expression. You need to let your sexuality bloom.”
“Please stop talking,” I plead with my mother before turning to my father. “I’m going to kill her, Dad. No, seriously, if she finishes what she’s saying right now, I’m seriously considering killing Mom. Can you carry her out or something and save us both?”
“You can’t kill your mother, and if I try to carry her out, she’ll kill me,” he says through a choked voice. “But Allyson, I beg you to stop.”
Turning back to my mother, I plead, “Mom—”
She cuts me off with, “Let me finish. I’m allowed to have a voice here. Zane needs to be with a woman whose sexuality he has no chance of controlling, or he’ll crush your sexual drives in an attempt to contain and control them—I’m sorry for saying this, Dr. Reed. I just don’t think they’re compatible, and I want what’s best for them both.”
“Everyone has a right to their opinion, Allyson,” Dr. Reed bites out as she sets down her needle and pulls off her elastic gloves with a snap. “But maybe the kids should work out something like that between themselves, and in private.”
When I look over to my father, his face is so still, I wonder if my mother has finally managed to break his brain for good. He clears his throat several times before saying, “I think it’s high time we all leave Scarlet here so she can rest up. You three and I…” he gestures between him and the three Knight brothers, “can continue this discussion in the living room.”
“And sweetheart, you need to call Macklin,” my mother adds as her fingers run softly over my hair. “He’s been calling and texting my phone for the past hour, and your father insisted you needed to be the one to talk to him, so against my better judgment, I didn’t respond or answer.”
“Shit,” I say, earning another stern look from my mother. “I promised him I'd text him when I got in the car, and also when I was home safely. He’s probably freaking out.”
“Serves him right to be worried. I thought he was going to be walking you to your car?” Dad says.
The Knight brothers’ eyes weigh heavily upon me—their looks darkening at Mack’s name.
“Prince Macklin was there at the shelter with you, and he left?” The way Lance Knight says this sends a chill through me.
I clear my throat and rip my gaze away from his expectant expression.
“I sensed someone watching me during class. I was afraid if I didn’t send Mack away, he’d get caught in the crossfire. I tricked him into leaving me—”
“You knew you were going to be attacked?” Lance asks.
“You sent Mack away?” Dad shouts. “What in the hell made you think you should take on an attacker all by yourself? Mack would have defended you—he’s a damn fae prince. He probably could have teleported you or something—”
“I thought it would be an official challenge,” I say, my eyes sparking defiance. “He doesn’t know our rules--we agreed he would never find out about pack politics. Too dangerous.” I turn a disgruntled glance at Darrel. “To be perfectly honest, I thought I was being watched by the three stooges over here.”
“When I’m watching you, believe me, you’ll know,” Aaron says as his gaze pins me to the hospital bed. His lips twist into a suggestive smile.
My mouth gapes open at the sexual undertone in that response. He’s probably just trying to lighten the mood, but after everything my mother said, any suggestiveness is just too awkward, especially in present company.
“Be serious, Aaron,” Lance growls low and glares at him before turning back to me. “We would never harm Scarlet. You have nothing to fear from us in that respect.”
“Seriously? I directly challenged all of you—saying you’re not going to harm me is pretty ill-advised at this point—are all three of you just going to lie down and submit to me?”
The silence that follows my question could be cut with a knife. All three of the Knight brothers look at me with expressions that could only be considered amused. A hot flush creeps over my face as I realize what I just said.
“Um, that’s not what I—what I mean to say is...” I shrug, pretending that slight movement doesn’t hurt like hell. “I thought you three were a threat after I challenged you. And as all of you hold quite the reputation for violence against fae, I just knew he was probably in immediate danger from you. I need to protect Mack – he’s really important to me.”
“Prince Macklin isn’t your boyfriend,” Lance says like he’s trying to confirm something absolutely. “Your boyfriend is named Zane and is a werewolf, am I right?”
“My son Zane is her boyfriend. As I remember it, you three knew him as boys,” Dr. Reed chimes in, still looking upset. “Scarlet and he have been together for two years.”
Aaron glances between me and Dr. Reed. He opens his mouth to say something but closes it, seeming to think better of it. All three brothers exchange another meaningful look.
“We don’t remember him, sorry,” Darrel growls.
“Well,” I add, “he might not be memorable to you, but Zane is a wonderful man—”
“Well, where the hell is he?” Lance growls. “If you were my mate, I’d be here by your side, making sure you were okay and plotting the deaths of everyone who planned your abduction.”
Dr. Reed’s jaw clenches, but her eyes drop to the floor and a flash of shame shoots ever so briefly across her expression. She’s not happy about Zane’s absence either.
“We’re not mated yet,” I say, feeling the need to defend Zane, “but if he knew what happened to me, he would be here.”
“You’re not mated yet? Nothing’s official?” Aaron asks, then says, “That’s good.”
I give him a scathing look. “Good? It’s none of your business. We’ve talked about it extensively, but we haven’t made it official yet and…why the hell are you probing for details? He might be in real danger—and I’m just lying here, talking to you guys.”
All I need is five minutes to myself, and I’ll be healed and ready to search for Zane and Zeezee, but everyone here is determined to stick by my side.
“Screw this. I’m going to look for Zane and Zeezee.” Before I have time to reconsider, I perform an ungainly side roll off the hospital bed, taking the small, thin sheet with me for modesty’s sake. I make a grab for the IV in my arm while clutc
hing the material to my chest. My vision doubles, causing me to tip forward and grab the table instead. I groan in agony, immediately regretting my decision as my movements send electric shocks of pain through my abdomen. “Well… I think I just metabolized through the pain meds.”
“Lance, man—” Aaron says.
I hear a snarl, an outraged cry, and some heavy shuffling before I’m gently lifted and cradled into familiar arms. Lance’s strong scent washes over me, a mixture of mountain air and whatever the hell kind of deodorant he’s using, and it’s damn alluring. Rapid fire, my wolf again sends images at me—Lance and I, this time on a bed with crimson silk sheets. With all my strength, I push the images away—but my wolf is back at it a moment later, pushing forward, wanting to shine through my eyes and connect with Lance’s wolf. Thankfully, her will is still weak, and when I smash my eyes closed and focus, I’m able to maintain control. I’m hyperaware of everywhere he’s touching me, though. I clutch the sheet to my chest like a lifeline, but the warmth of his arm against my bare back is super distracting. My traitorous nipples pebble.
I keep my arm smashed against them so they aren’t visible through the sheet.
Stupid nipples.
“You’re not ready to stand.” There’s a strange, melodic tone in his voice.
“You might be right on that one.”
I can’t help opening my eyes to look at him. The moment I glance up, Lance’s golden eyes ensnare me—confusing me because I thought his eyes were hazel, and I’m lost for a few moments. And then I realize, it’s his wolf that stares straight at me, the golden tones of his irises pulling me in and bathing me in their warm glow. My wolf makes a much more insistent tug, and for some reason, I almost want to let her surge forward. Then I come to my senses. As she retreats, she fairly purrs like some domesticated house cat.
Down, girl!
She gives me a disgruntled snort and curls up in a ball to take a nap.
Three things are abundantly clear at this moment, and none of them are good. First, Lance has lost control of his wolf. Second, I’m in a losing battle with mine. And last, our wolves want us to be together—fiercely.
What. The. Hell.
Chapter Eighteen
Scarlet
Lance’s eyes are still the color of molten gold as he leans in a little closer and rests his forehead against mine, breathing me in for a moment and then pulling back. I know his wolf is the one in control here, but I have no idea why or what’s really happening. My eyes flick to the rest of the group, shocked to discover the semi-circular formation they’ve taken around us and the operating table. Aaron and Darrel are on the right side of the semi-circle, Dad is at its point, and Mom and Dr. Reed are on the left. Everyone’s silent as if they’re afraid to jar Lance and wreck whatever seems to be keeping his wolf in check.
“Lance,” Aaron says in a soothing voice, “we’re worried about her too, but she’s fine. You need to take back the reins, buddy.”
“Does he lose control of his wolf often?” my mother asks as she reaches for my dad’s arm, as if to keep him back.
“He never loses control,” Darrel whispers in a soothing voice. “He didn’t even do it as a teenager.”
Even though I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t be clutched in Lance’s embrace the first time he ever loses control of his wolf, I don’t feel like I’m in danger. Lance’s arms enfold me against his chest in the gentlest of holds, but the rest of him is trembling with an emotion I can’t pinpoint. The whole house shakes and rattles with a sudden, rather large earthquake, and Lance manages to keep me so steady, I barely feel it.
“If you’ll just set her down on the table, I can give her another round of pain meds and something to help her sleep,” Dr. Reed says as she releases the pole with my IV. She speaks as if she’s some kind of hostage negotiator. She’s the picture of cool and collected—as if Lance is just another teenage werewolf with hormone issues, not one of the most lethal alphas in North America.
“No,” Lance says. His speech becomes even more garbled as his eyes flare. “I'll hold her while you give her whatever she needs.”
“Shit,” Darrel says. “Lance, we need you to calm down, man.”
“No,” Lance growls.
His body violently shakes as his hands begin to shift. Fearing he’ll shift with me in his arms, I do the only thing I can think of to calm him down: I take his face in my hands and rest my forehead against his. Both he and Aaron did this with me already, and each time it seemed to fulfill some type of deep need within them. I’m hoping it gives Lance some much needed inner peace.
“You don’t have to hold me anymore,” I say in a soft voice. “I shouldn’t have rolled off the table like that, but I’m fine now. I don’t feel any pain. I’ll be okay.”
He buries his nose in my hair and slides it up behind my ear. He scents me slowly, tickling my skin, and nuzzles my cheek with his. A low, contented growl vibrates from the back of his throat. It sends ripples of pleasure down my spine. Warm heat pools in my belly and spreads through my limbs. Not the reaction I want to have, especially in front of my parents and Dr. Reed—unfortunately, it’s as involuntary as it is primal. And I hope Dr. Reed doesn’t think I would ever act on my body’s involuntary reactions.
My dad inches closer and warily eyes Lance. “Scarlet, are you alright?”
“Fine, Dad.”
His attention moves back to Lance, whose glare sends a fierce warning to back off. Instead, my father slowly reaches his arms out and takes another tentative step forward.
“Just hand my daughter to me. We’ll make sure she’s protected and well taken care of.” From his own pained expression, it’s obvious he’s also struggling to control his wolf.
“Keep it together, Dad,” I whisper.
Lance’s grip on me tightens as his incisors extend.
“Aw, hell,” Darrel says, rubbing the back of his neck.
“He can’t let her go, sweetheart,” my mother says to my dad, still gripping his arm. “You know he can’t.”
“I don’t accept this, and neither should you, Allyson,” Dad says.
“Accept what?” I ask, feeling so completely out of the loop here—which sucks because they’re all talking about me.
“We’ll deal with that when the time comes, honey,” my mom says. “For now, Dr. Reed needs to attend to Scarlet while Lance holds her, and we need to back off.”
There’s a heavy silence as my dad weighs his options, but I already know Lance won’t let me go until he has his wolf under control, and that won’t happen until his demands are met.
“Dr. Reed,” I say. “Lance will hold me while you give me the meds.”
Dr. Reed glances at my dad for approval, and he gives her the go-ahead before stepping back. Immediately, she grabs a few vials of medication to shoot into the IV.
Thank goodness I didn’t manage to rip it out. I doubt Lance would have allowed the good doctor to stick another IV in me. My eyes drift back to Lance just as a wave of exhaustion overwhelms me.
He leans forward and brushes a tender kiss against my forehead. The golden glow of his eyes begins to dim as his wolf fades into the background. “Just sleep, Scarlet. I’ve got you. No one will get near you until you wake.”
****
For the second time in who knows how many hours, I groggily wake from what feels like a two-month coma.
My mouth feels like cotton, and my throat is dry and scratchy. I seriously hate pain meds. I let out a low groan and shift to my uninjured side. A cool hand lightly presses to my forehead.
“It’s okay,” Dad says. “You’re safe here at the house.”
“What time is it?” I ask. “Scratch that. What day is it?”
Dad lets out a low laugh. “It’s about nine in the morning.”
“I slept through the entire night?”
“I think Dr. Reed might have gone a little overboard with your sedation. She wanted to make sure you were as relaxed as possible, so Lance’s wolf would finally
let you go.” There’s a dark undertone to that last part of his sentence.
I finally crack my eyes open and gaze around the dimly lit room, finding, again, rose wallpaper and black and white framed photos of me dancing. Well, at least they didn’t move me somewhere else in my sleep.
“Any ideas as to why Lance couldn’t control his wolf?” I ask.
My dad’s look is guarded before saying, “Your mother has ideas—about all three of the Knight brothers—ideas I don’t agree with.”
“Well, I got nothing,” I say after a few moments. “What did she say?”
Dad’s face smooths out into a bland expression, something I’ve labeled as his alpha face, similar to resting bitch face, but you just don’t throw those types of labels at an alpha—even a fake alpha.
“Not important. Some alphas are more sensitive to a female’s pain than others. It draws out their protective instincts.”
“That’s a little sexist,” I say, which is weird because wolf instinct usually didn’t have anything to do with gender. “You’re bullshitting me here, aren’t you?”
“Yes, yes, I am,” he admits on a sigh.
“It’s okay. If you don’t want to tell me Mom’s theory, then I probably don’t want to know.”
“Trust me, you don’t want to know your mom’s theory this time.” His alpha face breaks just a hair, revealing his relief before he switches topics on me. “I need you to promise me you’ll avoid the Knight boys as much as possible while they’re staying at Meadows Apartments.”
I quirk an eyebrow in surprise.
“They’re my neighbors and tenants. How do you think I could possibly manage that one? Even if I didn’t have an active plan to spend as much time as possible with Darrel Knight, I would have to run into them from time to time.”
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