“Yeah,” I said, my smile genuine and not forced. I squeezed Remy’s arm and felt his fingers return the pressure. “Let’s do this.”
24
The flight from the private airstrip outside our pack lands to where we landed at another private airstrip in Wyoming took a little over two hours. After that it was still another two hour drive to get to the resort where the Summit was held.
The six of us loaded up into a large black SUV with Luke behind the wheel. Tate and I had climbed into the backseat, Remy and Dante sat in the middle bench seat while Gabe took the passenger seat. The drive to the resort was beautiful, most of it navigated us through mountains until we pulled up to a large set of gates similar to the ones at Granite Peak Academy.
Like at the school, there were men stationed outside the gate, checking people in.
Luke put the truck in park and rolled down the window as the man approached.
“Pack?”
“Brooks Ridge,” Luke answered, not bothering to lift his sunglasses.
“I have three on your confirmation,” the man said, his blue eyes narrowed as he studied the clipboard. “Lucas Davis and Dante Pearson?”
“That’d be us,” Luke drawled, motioning behind him to Dante.
The man frowned, his eyes drifting to Tate and I. “And you have a female companion?”
“Tatum Davis,” Luke said in a clipped tone, drawing the man’s attention back to him. “My daughter.”
The man nodded, making a mark on the clipboard before looking at Gabe.
“Blackwater,” Gabe supplied, taking off his sunglasses.
“Gabriel and Remington Holt?”
Gabe nodded.
“And you have a female companion as well?” His brow furrowed, his eyes going wide for a fraction of a second. “Skye … Skye Markham?” His eyes went to me in the backseat, a mixture of curiosity and astonishment.
“My mate,” Remy replied coolly.
“R-right,” he stammered, scribbling again on his clipboard. He looked at Luke. “You’re cleared for entrance, Alpha Lucas, Alpha Gabriel. Check in at the main building for your cabin assignments.”
His gaze flickered to the backseat again, lingering first on Tate and then me.
I got it. Tate and I could have been dressed in matching moldy potato sacks and not showered for a month, but two young females would catch the attention of most males.
That didn’t stop Remy and Dante from shifting on their seats to block his view of us. Or their warning growls that had him stumbling back.
Tate turned her head to me and rolled her eyes.
Possessive alphas didn’t like to share.
Luke put the car into drive and moved through the now open gates as another car pulled in behind us, stopping at the guardhouse.
He drove down the tree lined drive to the main building and lifted his sunglasses on top of his head, his gunmetal eyes meeting mine and then Tate’s in the rearview mirror. “I meant what I said before, girls. Neither of you goes anywhere unescorted.”
“Yes, sir,” we echoed quietly.
Remy turned in his seat and gave me a halfhearted smile, reaching back for my hand. He brought it up to his lips, kissing my fingertips.
We curved around the long drive, the trees finally opening up to a circular drive leading to a massive stone and wood structure.
“Whoa,” I mumbled, twisting to look up at the main lodge. Almost the entire front was covered in glass that reflected the pond and cabins lining it.
Luke parked the car in an empty spot by the front stairs. “Let’s go in and see where we’re at.”
Gabe’s phone chimed and he unlocked the screen with a satisfied smile. “Jonah, Nero, and James are already here.”
“Finally,” Luke muttered with a rare smile, “good news.” He unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door.
“They’re allies of ours from a few packs in the southeast,” Remy explained to me quietly. As we all started to get out of the car.
I climbed out of the back and groaned when my feet touched the ground. I stretched my arms over my head for a second to work the knots out of my back. The full day of travel had my muscles aching and my wolf impatient.
Remy tucked my hand into his and we followed Luke and Gabe towards the building. Gabe and Remy, and even Dante, were all tall. All of them were a few inches over six foot. Luke made them all look tiny by comparison.
Dante cleared his throat, wrapping an arm around Tate’s waist. “When do they want to meet?”
“Tonight,” Gabe answered, already typing a reply as he walked. “Nero has offered his cabin as a meeting place. The others will be there as well.”
“Works for me,” Luke agreed. “Nero always manages to have the best stocked bar.”
Gabe smirked at that.
Remy’s mouth flattened. “So, we bring Skye and Tate with us?”
Gabe pulled up short at the base of the stairs, his gaze moving from me to Tate and then to Luke.
“It might be best for you two to lay low tonight,” Luke grumbled. “You can watch movies and order room service and … whatever girls do at night. Eat ice cream and paint your nails.”
Tate sighed. “Dad, seriously? We really just came hundreds of miles to sit inside and paint our nails?”
Luke leveled her with a look that would have terrified me, but Tate simply sidestepped Dante and lifted her chin at her father.
Luke set both large hands on his daughter’s shoulders. “Listen to me, Tatum Maria Davis,” he growled, “you’re here because Dante, me, and Ryder think it’s the safest place for you to be. This ain’t no trip to the beach or the mall. Until we speak to some people, we can’t have either of you two wandering around, causing a ruckus.”
Tate’s jaw dropped. “Dad, that’s not what I meant. Skye and I wouldn’t do anything to cause trouble.”
“You two bein’ young and pretty in a place full of Alphas, assholes, and testosterone is all you’d be needing for that trouble. It would find you quick enough.” His face softened and he touched her cheek. “Tomorrow you’ll be able to do more, but we need to set up some things.”
“You mean a babysitting schedule,” Tate muttered.
“Babysitting?” I echoed, looking at Remy and then Gabe.
Remy grimaced. “We’ll be in a lot of meetings, Skye. We can’t leave you on your own. Not with your uncle being here, too.”
“So, these allies you’re meeting with,” I said, understanding dawning like a cold winter morning, “they’re friends, but they’re also going to be what? Bodyguards for when you’re busy?”
“Yes,” Dante said bluntly behind me, arms folded across his chest.
Tate turned to look at him. I couldn’t see her expression, but whatever it was, Dante wasn’t moved in the slightest. He met her stare for stare, finally lifting a brow.
With a sigh, Tate turned and gave me a small, helpless shrug. “Guess it’s pizza and movies for us tonight.”
“Okay,” I agreed, not exactly caring that I was essentially being quarantined to my room. If it kept me from seeing my uncle or Preston, I was pretty okay with that.
Gabe tucked his phone into his pocket. “Now that we’ve got that settled, let’s check in and get everything to the cabins.”
“I didn’t even bring any nail polish,” Tate muttered as she walked by me, examining her bare nails with a frown.
I tried to hide my giggle as I followed her up the stairs into the open main lobby.
The main doors opened into a stone foyer with more heavy wood accents. The registration desk was angled to the left, and there were already several people milling around the open space.
Most of the people paused when we came in, and I quickly realized it was because Tate and I were standing there.
This isn’t awkward at all.
Most of the men were Gabe’s age or older, but a few looked closer to my age. Almost all of them fixed us with curious eyes, their conversations dying out.
Ta
te nudged my shoulder and I startled.
“Keep your eyes down,” she reminded me quietly.
Shit.
I dropped my eyes to the floor in front of me, realizing that the last thing we needed was me inadvertently challenging another Alpha and Remy or Gabe having to step in to settle the challenge.
So many damn rules.
Remy’s hand closed around my wrist, and he none-too-subtly pulled me against him in a show of pure possessiveness that the other Alphas couldn’t miss.
I kept my gaze unfocused, looking at the walls, floors, and decor instead of the bodies until someone familiar caught my attention.
“Elias!” I grinned as the older shifter approached us.
His craggy face split into a wide smile as he approached us, a younger man at his side.
Elias paused in front of us, dipping his head respectfully to each of the Alphas in our group.
“Remington, if I may?” he asked, inclining his head towards me.
Remy smiled with a small nod and stepped away from me so Elias could reach out and take my hand in his.
Because Remy had to do things like give another man permission to touch me in a place like this.
His dark eyes glittered as he leaned in. “So much pomp and circumstance,” he murmured for me only, squeezing my hand.
I couldn’t help the smile from stretching across my lips until my cheeks hurt.
“It’s good to see you, Elias,” Gabe said, extending a hand.
“Thank you, Alpha,” he replied genuinely. He gestured to the man hovering behind him. “May I present my friend, Daniel Christopher?”
Daniel stepped forward at the introduction, his pale green eyes almost ghostly as they looked at all of us through a fringe of dark lashes that met his jet black hair, styled in a casually messy way that either took five seconds or an hour. He was slightly taller than Remy, his lean frame making him seem almost more catlike than wolf, and he was probably five years older than we were.
His eyes swept the room before landing on each of us as if he expected trouble.
“Daniel,” Gabe greeted, also reaching out to shake his hand.
“Daniel, this is Alpha Gabriel from Blackwater and Alpha Lucas from Brooks Ridge,” Elias added. “These are their successors, Remington and Dante.”
“Sir,” Daniel said formally, greeting each of them, maintaining eye contact.
Clearly some kind of alpha if he wasn’t lowering his eyes to these two, but Elias hadn’t introduced him as one.
“Miss Davis,” Elias said with a wink, “how have you been?”
“Very well, thank you,” Tate replied primly, but her eyes glittered with amusement at the formalities.
“This is Alpha Lucas’s daughter, Tate.” Elias said. “I’m surprised to see you here, my dear. Although I believe your father is being wise in keeping you close. I heard about Maren. My deepest apologies.”
Tate swallowed, her jaw working as she gave him a tight smile.
“Exactly,” Luke said, wrapping an arm around Tate and tucking her against his side.
“I’m sorry,” Elias muttered, a bit flustered. “Daniel, this is Skye Markham. Remy’s mate.”
Daniel blinked in surprise, looking from me to Remy. “Mate? Really? But you’re both so young.”
Remy reached out, pulling my back to his chest. “Yes. Mate.”
Add another mark to the Possessive Mate tally.
“Congratulations,” Daniel said quickly, flashing a grin at Remy.
“What pack are you from?” Dante asked, hovering close behind Tate.
Daniel grimaced and looked at Elias. “I’m not. My pack, Shadowlark … I’m the only one left now.”
“Have you considered joining another pack?” Gabe asked.
It wasn’t uncommon for lone wolves to join a new pack. Especially not when the wolf was alone due to circumstance and not choice.
Daniel drew in a deep breath, a rueful smile on his face. “I considered it, but for now, Elias has taken me under his wing.”
“He’s helping me in my studies,” Elias confirmed.
“And how are your studies?” Luke asked, the question sounding more like a demand.
Unfazed, Elias sighed. “Slowly producing promising leads.”
“You’re here to update the Council?” Gabe pressed with a frown.
“Indeed.” Elias looked at me. “I did hear about the grievance your uncle filed with the Council.”
Remy stiffened behind me.
Daniel frowned, looking at me. “Your … uncle?”
“Skye’s uncle is Alpha Linden Markham,” Elias told him quietly. “From Long Mesa.”
Recognition, and then disgust, flared in Daniel’s eyes. “My condolences that you’re related to him. I can see why you left.”
That caught my attention, but I wasn’t the only one.
“What does that mean?” Remy demanded, his voice hard.
Daniel held up his hands in surrender, taking a step back. “Shadowlark was located in Arizona, near Stone Valley.”
Oh, fuck.
I sucked in a sharp breath, pushing myself against Remy as I tried to put as much distance between myself and anyone remotely connected to Stone Valley.
It was the alliance with Stone Valley that my mother broke when she became pregnant with me. It caused a war in the south that left both packs bitter.
If Daniel was friendly with Stone Valley, then he probably hated anyone with the name Markham.
As fast as I reacted, Remy pulled me behind him. Like they shared a brain, Gabe, Luke, and Dante lined up alongside him to block me, and Tate, who was quickly moved out of the line of fire. They were a wall of snarling, growling Alphas that had everyone in the lobby freezing.
“Whoa, shit,” Daniel said quickly. “I didn’t —I’m not a fan of Stone Valley. Or Long Mesa, for that matter.”
“Daniel has no allegiance to Stone Valley or Long Mesa,” Elias confirmed gently. “I would not have brought him here if he did. I am aware of Skye’s complicated history. If anything, Daniel shares as mutual hatred of both packs as you all do.”
“My parents were killed in the war when Shadowlark refused to help Stone Valley. Trust me,” Daniel said, his green eyes sincere as they met mine, “if you’re here to put Linden down for good, I’m all for it. Hell, I’ll even help if I can.”
My hands found the soft fabric of Remy’s flannel as I touched his back, leaning around his shoulder.
“I’m sorry about your parents,” I told Daniel softly, tucking a loose piece of dark hair behind my ear.
That seemed to diffuse some of the tension.
Remy relaxed and let me step around him, but he stayed at my side, shadowing every move I made.
Gabe gave Remy a tight nod. “I’m going to get us checked in.”
“You good?” Luke asked Dante as he stepped away as well.
He nodded, his hand already wrapped around Tate’s. “We’re good.”
“I’m sorry that you thought …” Daniel rubbed the back of his neck. “Shadowlark was a small pack, but none of us agreed with most of the morals and laws Stone Valley and Long Mesa upheld.”
“Thank you,” I murmured.
“How did you two meet?” Tate asked, tilting her head to the side.
Elias sighed and shook his head. “I’ve known Daniel since he was a boy. We reconnected after he had been on his own for a few years.”
“Elias has been doing a lot of work behind the scenes,” Daniel supplied, crossing his arms over his chest. “His work could change the course of our species. I asked to tag along to see firsthand what the Council thinks of his research.”
“Are you closer to proving your theories?” I spoke up, remembering the chats we had about his theories on fertility rates.
His smile flickered ever so slightly. “In some ways I’m closer than ever. In others, I’ve never been more unsure.”
Luke approached quickly from the desk, his phone in hand as he looked at Dante. “
We need to get the girls settled fast. Griffin is in the bar, and, for once, isn’t surrounded by his entourage.”
Remy’s head lifted. “Shit.”
“Who’s Griffin?” I asked slowly.
“Griffin Toms,” Remy explained. “He’s the Alpha for the Windale pack. They’re the largest pack in the midwest.”
“And were notoriously neutral for the last two decades,” Dante muttered. “Griffin became the new Alpha earlier this year when his cousin stepped down. Getting Griffin and his pack on our side would add a lot of numbers.”
Gabe came back, almost at a jog. “Let’s get Tate and Skye settled so we can hurry back.”
“Maybe you two should go meet him now,” Remy said with a frown. “We don’t want to miss the chance.”
“But he’s known you and Dante since you were kids,” Gabe replied, shaking his head.
“Gabe’s right,” Luke agreed grimly. “He’s only a few years older than you two. He might hold more weight in your words.”
“Skye and I could go to the cabin ourselves,” Tate offered.
All six males, Elias and Daniel included, looked at her like she was crazy.
“Or not,” Tate muttered.
“What if Elias and I take them?” Daniel offered.
“Long Mesa and Norwood haven’t checked in yet,” Luke mused, rubbing his jaw. “I checked.”
Remy’s jaw ticked the way it did when he was annoyed. “I don’t know.”
“Allow us to escort Tatum and Skye to your cabin. We’ll see them inside safely,” Elias assured him. “Dante is correct—having Griffin on your side would make things more favorable amongst the Alphas.”
Remy looked at his dad.
“It’s your decision,” Gabe said quietly. “Skye’s your mate.”
I took Remy’s hand, grabbing his attention. “Go. I’ll text you as soon as we get inside.”
“Fine,” he said tersely, jerking me towards him for a fast, hard kiss. He pulled back, his dark eyes searching mine. “Straight to the cabin, babe.”
“I promise,” I swore, squeezing his hand. “I’ll lock myself inside and call Mom to check in. I’ll call your mom, too, and let her know we all got here. Tate and I will hang out and wait for you guys.”
Prey (Blackwater Pack Book 2) Page 22