Riley's Pride

by Sandra R Neeley

  “I’ll take that as a yes. You requested sanctuary. Granted - temporarily. Once you are able to speak, you have a lot to answer for. At that point we’ll decide if you are granted full sanctuary. But until then, you are safe, being tended to medically and will be fed when you’re able to eat. Rest easy.”

  The male seemed to take a deeper breath, his finger raising again before relaxing.

  Riley quietly left the room, pulling the door closed behind himself.

  Lazarus gradually became aware that someone was standing beside him. He tried to open his eyes, but damn it was hard. They must have drugged him. He’d been aware off and on of a female. She’d touched his body, spoken softly to him. She’d told him what she was going to do as she did things during the night — changed out his IV, checked his wounds. She’d stroked his hair at one point and promised that she’d make sure he was okay. But he knew this person standing next to him wasn’t that female. This person had a whole different feel to him. This person felt oppressive, in command. This was the Alpha of the Pride he’d foolishly agreed to attack with his former Pride. Yeah, former. He’d taken out the son-of-a-bitch Alpha he’d sworn allegiance to when the Alpha decided to take this Pride’s Reigna as his own. Lazarus was a lot of things, but an abuser of females was not one of them. Not that some didn’t deserve it, but he’d not raise his hand against any female - ever. And not that he didn’t leave a trail of broken hearts and resentful females in his wake, but never did he touch one against their will. Never did he mislead one of them. They just all thought they could change him, manipulate him, make him want to stay with them, be the one to save him. But not one of them had ever been more than a distraction to him. He didn’t trust most of them. It had been a woman who made him who he was, and to this day he wasn’t sure whether he should have thanked her or killed her. He lay perfectly still, he had no choice, he could barely move. He managed to twitch a finger.

  “You awake?” he heard the Alpha say.

  He tried to answer. He really did, but his body, his voice, did not respond. Lazarus tried to open his eyes, after several attempts he finally managed - for a moment, then they slammed closed again.

  “Can you hear me?” the Alpha tried to speak to him again.

  Lazarus struggled to move and finally felt his finger raise. ‘Ah ha!’ He thought, success.

  “I’ll take that as a yes. You requested sanctuary. Granted - temporarily. Once you are able to speak, you have a lot to answer for. At that point we’ll decide if you are granted full sanctuary. But until then you are safe, being tended to medically and will be fed when you’re able to eat. Rest easy.”

  Lazarus felt a flood of relief. The Alpha had granted him temporary safety. That was all he needed — he could heal, then move on. But the Alpha had even gone to the extent of getting him medical care. That he appreciated. He raised his finger again in a signal that he’d heard the male’s words and understood. Then the fogginess of his brain took over again, and he fell into another deep sleep.

  When Riley came back in the living room, he found Roman sitting on the floor with one of Cristie’s crayons grasped in his huge hand, dutifully following her instructions to color the tree orange because orange trees were better than green trees.

  Alex was just pulling up outside, having been given the security code by Riley, so she could let herself in the security gate at the front of the property and drive straight up to the house.

  He waited for her to park and get out of her SUV before opening the front door. “Hey, Alex, how you doing?”

  “I’m good. How’s our patient?”

  “I think he was conscious a few minutes ago. I spoke to him, and he seemed to understand. But, I could be wrong.”

  “Did he speak?”

  “No, but he waggled a finger at me.”

  “It’s an improvement,” Alex said encouragingly. “I’ve been keeping him more drugged than is actually required for pain. He seems to get agitated when it starts to wear off.”

  “Probably a good idea at this point.”

  “If I can get him strong enough, we’ll start with clear broths, see if I can get him off the IV, then I’ll start to reduce the pain medication.”

  “Alright, let me know if you need any of us to help you manage him.”

  “I will, but if you don’t mind, I’ll just go right in to check on him.”

  “’Course, go right ahead. But, I can’t help but be a little curious.”

  “About what?” Alex asked.

  “Are you this dedicated to all your patients, or is this one a particular case?”

  Alex regarded Riley for a second before answering, “I’m very attentive to all my patients.”

  Riley didn’t say anything, just watched her, with his eyebrow raised.

  Slowly a smile spread across her generous lips, “Okay, maybe I’m a little more invested in this patient’s recovery than I should be.”

  “Why?” Riley asked.

  Alex shrugged, and answered truthfully, “I’m not sure. But seeing him lying there helpless. Hearing you talk about the fact that he was dying, while protecting your Mate, yet still stayed to protect her rather than make a move toward his own preservation, I can’t help but want to do everything I can to make sure he survives.”

  Riley smiled at Alex, understanding more than she herself did, “He’s lucky to have you on his side.”

  “Thank you, Riley.”

  Riley changed the subject, “We’re going to have lunch in a bit. You’re welcome to eat with us if you want.”

  “Thanks, I might do that. Just want to be sure he’s resting easy and check him over before I take a minute for me.”

  “Sure thing,” Riley replied. Yep, he definitely understood more than she did about the pull Alex felt toward their patient. He smiled, shaking his head as he watched her go around the corner toward the back bedroom.

  Chapter 32

  Richie and Scotty had come back from their search of the property across the highway. Riley, Maia, Cristie, Roman, Richie and Scotty had lunch together. They’d tried to include Alex, but she’d begged off, saying she’d eat later. She stayed in the room with Lazarus and changed his bandages, cleaning his body and insuring that he was comfortable.

  Libby and Lucas had returned from the store. Maia was sitting at the table in the kitchen while Libby showed her the things she’d bought and confirmed she’d gotten the right things. Maia was excited, talking about all the foods she planned to make for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner. Richie had tried to take care of it, saying she didn’t have to do anything, that he’d handle it, but Maia was having none of it. “I appreciate it, Richie, but let me be clear. Christmas is my holiday. If you want to help, that’s fine, but it’s my thing. I am the Queen of Christmas. Let me enjoy it!” she ended on a mock snarl.

  Richie chuckled, “I get it!” he said, raising his hands in the air to show submission. “I get it, but let me help. I promise I take direction well. I will be your own personal Christmas minion.”

  “Deal!” Maia said.

  Riley, Lucas, Roman and Scotty were sitting in the living room watching one of a dozen sports channels they’d found on TV, when the squeal of air brakes sounded outside. Lucas popped up from his place on the couch and glanced out of the window. Roman leaned over from his chair to get a better view as well. Riley simply smiled.

  “Hey! There’s three semi’s out there! They’re all pulling mobile homes!”

  “Yep, and each one is a single-wide, lightly used, at least partially furnished.” Riley said, aiming the channel selector at the TV and flipping channels non-chalantly.

  Lucas snapped his head around to regard Riley. “You did this?”

  “I did,” Riley said calmly, trying his best to hide his smile while he continued to flip channels.

  “What… I mean… I don’t understand,” Lucas said, stuttering, knowing what he wanted to ask, but not finding the right words to say, ‘Are they for us?’ without sounding presumptuous.<
br />
  “What don’t you understand, Lucas? We’re growing. We need safe, nice places for our Pride to live. Eventually all those spots across the road will be filled, but for now, I figured three would do,” Riley said, raising an eyebrow while looking Lucas right in the eye.

  Lucas just stood there, blinking at Riley.

  “Why are you still standing here? Go outside, pick your house, pick the place you want your house to be and tell the truck driver to put it there,” Riley said, his voice filled with false exasperation.

  Lucas’ mouth gradually turned up in a smile. He slipped to his knees on the floor in front of Riley, exposing his throat. “I promise to protect this Pride and all its members in every way, every day. I swear my loyalty and allegiance to you, Alpha Riley, and to each of our Pride members.”

  Riley leaned forward and reached out, placing his hand on Lucas’ throat, “Do you promise to honor our people, our family? To uphold our rules and stand by my decisions, accept discipline if necessary without question?”

  Lucas grinned, “I’ll probably question just about everything, but I swear to accept it anyway and always honor and value you, our people, our family, our Pride above all else.”

  Riley chuckled, “Welcome to our Pride, Lucas. We’re happy you’re here. Now, go pick out your house.”

  Lucas rose from the floor, a huge smile plastered on his face and wasted no time rushing outside to meet the trucks. He shouted and waved from the porch, “Hey! I’m coming! Hold up,” then he set out at a steady run to meet the lead driver who’d waved back to acknowledge he’d seen him.

  “Baby?” Riley called.

  “Yeah?” Maia called back.

  “You want to go out and watch the mobile homes get put in place?”

  Maia came down the hall with Libby and Richie in tow, “What did you say?”

  Riley shrugged, grinning at her, “I ordered the first of our mobile homes this morning, told them to bring them on over. They’re here,” he said, thumbing over his shoulder toward the window, “and Lucas is already out there choosing where he wants his. You want to go over? You feeling up to it?”

  “I do!” Maia said excitedly.

  “Well, come on,” Riley said. Then, “He swore his allegiance — he’s officially one of us.”

  “Lucas?” Maia asked, “Of course he is, he was from day one, he just had to figure it out.”

  The entire clan walked over to watch the trailers being put in place. The trucks had pulled into the parking lot of the diner to wait their turn to offload the mobile homes they each carried.

  Lucas had chosen the second one, which was white, as they all were, but this one had light tan-colored shutters and trim, and he was pointing out the spot at the very back of the trailer park. It sat at the rear of the property up against the rise, centered, the only pad in the last row, looking out over all the others. Each of the other pads were at a slight angle, the outer edge of the pads to the left were angled toward the highway, the inner edge angled toward the last trailer pad that was backed up against the rise. The trailers on the right side had their outer edges angled toward the highway and their inner edges angled also toward the rear center pad with the last placed trailer on it. That rear center-placed trailer pad up against the rise was the one that Lucas wanted.

  “I’ll take the back one, kind of oversee the park and have my back against the rise. I can just open my back door and take off if I want to run. If that’s alright?” Lucas said to Riley.

  “That’s exactly what I thought you’d do,” Riley admitted.

  They watched as Lucas’ trailer was backed into place; then, the driver and his team got to work strapping it down and getting it all hooked up. Then they placed the next two, both of which were white with hunter green shutters, on the pads just in front of Lucas’, one on the left side and one on the right. They didn’t install the skirts around the bottom of the trailers, but each driver did have them on their rigs and left them beside each doublewide. Riley tipped each driver and each of their two-man teams an extra hundred each for coming out and getting them set up so quickly.

  Maia smiled to herself — her Mate was a good male, a generous male. She knew he’d done some questionable things in his past, which was how he’d accumulated the money he was now using to build them a better life. But she had no problem with his past; he had never hurt anyone who didn’t deserve to be hurt.

  “What are you smiling at?” Riley asked, nudging her with his shoulder.

  “You. You’re a good male, and I’m very, very proud that you’re mine.”

  Riley leaned over and kissed Maia, “I don’t know about a good male, but I’m the luckiest male alive.” He rested his chin on Maia’s head, his eyes closed. Cristie was sitting on his shoulders watching the trailers being delivered and all the activity going on. He felt her position shift, and opened his eyes to see what she was doing. Roman was standing in front of him, his throat exposed, his face tilted up to the sky, and Cristie was leaning over with her small hand pressed against the huge male’s throat as she’d seen her doddy do.

  Roman had a smile on his face while the child tried to accept his vow and take him into her Pride.

  Riley reached up and took Cristie off his shoulders and placed her feet on the ground beside Maia.

  Riley straightened and faced Roman, “Roman?” he asked.

  “I request sanctuary, Alpha. And not only sanctuary, I want to be a member of your Pride,” he said. Then more quietly he said, “I’m tired of being alone.” He lowered his head just enough to be able to see Riley’s face. “If you’ll have me.”

  Riley watched the big male. He’d been hoping that Roman would want to join.

  But Roman took the pause in Riley’s acceptance of his vow as a hesitance in accepting him, “I know that my kind has a reputation as hard to manage. But I give you my word that if you take a chance on me, you won’t be sorry. I will never cause you to regret giving me a place in your Pride.”

  Riley smiled, “Roman, that’s what our Pride is about. A place for everyone who doesn’t have one anywhere else. We are family. It doesn’t matter who you were before, or what brought you to us. What matters is that you’re here now and that you support and care about the family that surrounds you now.” Riley reached out and placed his hand on Roman’s throat. Roman immediately raised his face to the sky again. “Roman, do you pledge your loyalty to me, mine, and our brothers and sisters in this Pride?”

  “I do,” Roman answered.

  “Do you promise to defend to the death the same?” Riley asked.

  “Without hesitation,” Roman said forcefully.

  “Do you agree to accept discipline if needed and abide by all the rules of our Pride?”

  “Yes, Alpha!”

  Riley smiled, letting his hand drop from Roman’s throat, “Welcome to the family, Roman. Go choose your home.”

  Roman’s eyebrows rose, “Really?”

  “Yep. I had them bring three today, one for Lucas, one for you and one for Richie if he wants it; if not, for whomever may need one next.”

  “One for me?” Roman said, more to himself than to anyone else while he stood watching the mobile homes being secured into place. He looked back to Riley, “I don’t know what to say, how to act. No one has ever…” he didn’t finish his sentence, he just stood there, his eyes drifting back to the mobile homes.

  “I don’t expect you to say anything, Roman. I expect you to be a good male, I expect you to be happy, to make our family proud, and to be successful in all you choose to do. That is what will make me happy. Be the best you can be, Roman. We are honored to have you in our family.”

  Roman stood facing the mobile homes. He looked back at Riley and smiled a tight smile, trying hard to keep his emotions in check.

  Riley patted him on the back, “Go pick. Which do you want? They should all have beds, couches — you know, the basics.”

  “The one on the right. I want the one on the right,” Roman said, grinning, taking o
ff at a jog while calling to the team setting it up, “Hey! That one’s mine! Can I help?”

  Riley looked over at Richie, “You want the other?”

  Richie shook his head, “No. Thank you, but no. If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather keep my room in the house for now.”

  “’Course it is. And Libby, if you want the other home, it’s yours. I know you have a house in town that belonged to your parents and if you want to stay there, that’s fine, too. But if you want to move out here, you can, just saying.”

  Libby’s face lit up that Riley was offering her the choice of moving out here. “You know what? I think I’ll stay in my parents’ house for now. But, maybe when Lucas’ room is available again, I’ll stay there from time-to-time.”

  “Works for me. Whatever you want is fine with us,” Riley replied.

  Scotty was standing with them watching, the longing clear on his face.

  Riley said, “Scotty, one day, one of them can be yours if that’s what you choose. But first you have to finish school. Help your brother with your family’s property, and see if when all is said and done, you still want to be a part of us.”

  Scotty nodded, but didn’t answer.

  “Make no mistake, Scotty,” Riley patted his own chest, over his heart, “You have a place here. And to me, you’re one of us. You just have some growing to do and some things to see to before you’ll be ready to take that pledge.”

  Scotty grinned, stood a little taller, “Thank you, Alpha. The day you think I’m ready, I’m taking that pledge.”

  Later that evening Richie took the truck to town with Roman and Lucas in tow. They went to Cooper’s and bought all the things they’d need for their new homes — bedding, towels, pots and pans, coffee makers, curtains and the staples for groceries, milk, bread, sandwich meat and cheese, eggs. And it turns out they both shared a love of sweet children’s cereals. Between the two of them, they had three bags of brightly-colored, sugar-coated cereal. Richie also picked up another prepaid cell phone and had it activated as Riley had requested, and the largest sweatshirt and matching sweat pants he could find as per Maia’s request, and a heavy winter coat, preferably the ski jacket type of the same size, and slippers.