by Helen Scott
"Why can't Diana go to the doctor?" Micah asked, concern lacing his voice.
Wilma glanced at me, and I saw the indecision on her face. Whatever she was about to say was something she felt bad saying in front of me. I gave her a slight nod, not knowing whether encouraging her would help or hurt her decision making process. She watched me for a beat longer before she said, "Women and children aren't allowed to leave pack lands right now."
"What? Why?" Roman demanded.
"That Jaxon fella. He and his pack have stolen any female shifters they find out and about unprotected. Doesn't matter how old they are, either."
My stomach twisted, and suddenly that cake wasn't as appetizing. Was Jax doing that because of me? Was it one of the ways he was punishing packs in the area that might offer me aid? The thought made me sick.
"Has he taken someone already?" Micah asked.
Wilma nodded sadly. "Henrietta and her daughter went missing a while back. We got a notice from Jax's pack that they had taken custody. If we decided to fight to try and get them back, he would kill them outright. Nathan has been a mess ever since. He's inconsolable and has to have someone watching him because he's...not in his right mind."
My hand had gone to my mouth at some point, and I couldn't stop the tears from filling my eyes. I'd thought Jax was roughing some of the packs up a bit, maybe making it harder for them to conduct business, but I never thought he'd do something like this.
"It's not your fault, Nina," Wilma said, though grief strained her voice. She pushed those big chunky blue glasses up on her nose before she added, "If it helps, I believe you're doing the right thing. Someone has to stand up to that jerk. If we can't, then I'm sad to say it, but it falls to you. He's hamstrung us. We need someone on the outside to step in. I'm just sorry that it has to be a sweet girl like you."
Her words were daggers to my heart. Well meaning, but daggers nonetheless.
"I think what Wilma's trying to say is that it sucks big donkey balls that you've been treated this way, and now we're depending on you to do something about it," another female voice said, and as the woman stepped closer, I remembered meeting her when I was here last time.
Wilma swatted her playfully on the shoulder and hissed, "Language!"
"Charlie, right?" I asked.
The woman nodded, her red hair still in the bob I remembered from when I was here before, not that a lot of time had passed between then and now, even if it felt the opposite. She was even wearing the Doc Martins she'd worn before. "Nice to see you again, girl." She lowered her head toward me and said, in a mock whisper, "Not going to lie…I'm totally jealous of this collection you've built up. Bravo. Ten out of ten on the hotness scale."
"Thank you," I said with a chuckle as the guys all looked embarrassed. I couldn't help but laugh at her antics. She wasn't afraid of what would happen if she was seen talking to us, just as Wilma wasn't, though I felt like people might be more forgiving to an older lady who was bursting with pride at the prospect of being a grandmother. The thought made me glance past Charlie and Wilma. I saw some people openly staring, disgust marring their faces, but most didn't seem to care one way or another.
Was this what it was like being in a relatively normal pack? I wasn't sure, but it seemed like it. Not that I was convinced that this pack was normal. Hell, maybe normal was just an idea, or maybe it didn't exist at all. The only thing I knew was that the caring natures of Wilma and Charlie had made me wish that I could have experienced more of that in my old pack; then maybe I wouldn't be so emotionally closed off.
I watched as Wilma and Charlie joked about something that had happened, and Roman and Micah laughed along, clearly familiar with whatever it was they were talking about. It was heartwarming. I couldn't remember ever thinking of something as heartwarming before. Whatever this community feeling was, I wanted it. I wanted to be in a pack where that was how most people were—where people cared for one another and looked after those that were going through a hard time..
With a sigh of acceptance, knowing that something like that might never be in my—our—future, I pulled the chocolate cake toward me, having cleared my plate of salad and steak. I stabbed it with my fork and brought a giant piece toward my mouth, only to catch them all watching me as I shoveled it in. I chewed and swallowed a bit before saying, "Sorry. Not used to eating in front of people any more."
Wilma just shook her head, sadness crossing her face, before she seemed to banish it and the smile returned. "When we get this all figured out, you'll have to get used to it again. No matter where you land, I'd like to come and visit you."
"That would be lovely," I said, feeling a little shocked.
"Oh, me too!" Charlie crowed.
I laughed, and before I knew it, they were waving goodbye, and I realized that Charlie was going to walk Wilma home. Just the kindness of that gesture was enough to have a knot form in the back of my throat.
"It's been a long day. Let's go get some rest. Peter let me know which rooms had been set aside for us, so we don't need anyone to escort us," Roman said quietly, seeming to sense the turmoil of my emotions. I simply nodded. There was nothing else I could say as I finished up my cake. The guys all knew better than to try and pull me away from my dessert. That being said, after being alone or just with my mates for so long, this many people was overwhelming, and I needed a break before I lost it.
I scraped the last of the frosting from my plate and licked the fork clean before we got up and left, dropping our dishes off at the window that was apparently built for that very thing as we went. The only thing we could do now was rest while we waited for the alpha to make up his mind. I just hoped that, when he came to a decision, it was in our favor—but I wasn't sure that the Fates would be that kind.
16
Nina
We had been given a massive guest suite to use for the night. It should have felt luxurious after the tents and motels we'd been staying in, but it just felt like a gilded cage. The longer we stayed here, the more uncomfortable I became.
I was tossing and turning when reality faded away. Contact from Skuld again, especially so quickly, was unusual to say the least, but when the mist reformed around me, I realized that it wasn't Skuld who had just plucked me from an unsatisfying night's rest.
Freya and Odin stood before me with what I now knew was Freya's hall, Fólkvangr, behind them. Now that I truly understood who they were, I could see it more clearly. Husband and wife. Rulers of Asgard. God and goddess.
"Child, welcome," Freya said, while Odin just watched me with that eye of his.
"Have I messed something up?" I asked, the question blurting out of my mouth before I could stop it. I probably should have greeted them first…bowed or something.
"Yes, that is what most people do," Odin muttered, reminding me that I needed to guard my thoughts more thoroughly when I was around him. "You can try, but I always get what I want in the end," he replied.
"What Havi means is that we are used to people knowing who we are immediately and, for lack of a better term, groveling. I don't want that from you, and I can assure you, as much as Havi may say otherwise, he doesn't either. We both like how strong and defiant you are."
A little nugget of pride glowed in my chest at her words.
"How are your mates?" she asked after a moment.
"Good, I've found all five, and now we're trying to figure out how to rid the world of Fenrir's scion," I said, trying to reassure them. Not that a god and goddess probably needed reassuring. Maybe I was trying to reassure myself.
"I've found an ax to the head or neck generally does the job," Odin said.
I honestly wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic or genuinely helpful. Freya glared at him before sighing and saying, "Your instincts are correct. You must either take the markings of your mates or take Fenrir's life. That is the only way to move forward. I, however, would do both. Even if you lock him out, I doubt he will stop coming for you. That is the nature of the beast, so to speak."
"Havi, maybe you should give us ladies time to speak alone, love?" Freya asked, seeming to sense my hesitancy.
He grumbled something under his breath that I couldn't understand before looking at me with his lone eye, his ravens perched on his shoulders. The three of them just stared at me as he said, "You're close, so close, to bringing magic back to your world, to reuniting your people with the magic that is inherent to their beings…to the thing they don't know they are missing. Don't give up. Don't back down. You are the daughter of Freya. You have more power in your blood than they can dream of." With those words he wrapped his cloak around himself and seemed to disappear into it until it vanished into nothing.
I stared at the place he'd been standing for a few moments in shock.
"He likes you," Freya said quietly, as though the god could still hear us. Perhaps he could.
"That's good, right?"
She laughed and it sounded like the breeze rippling through the leaves on trees during the perfect summer day. I could almost feel the sun on my skin just from the sound. "Very. Havi doesn't like many people. Now, what was your question, daughter?"
"I'm not your actual daughter, am I? I mean I had a mother and father, and you said before I was your descendent, but you keep calling me daughter or child, and I just... need to know." It wasn't the question I'd been intending to ask, but it was important. I wasn't used to how gods and goddesses thought of things, so maybe this was silly to her, but I didn't care. I just needed to know.
"No, I did not birth you, not literally. You are of my blood and bone though, so I think of you as a child of mine, even if we are far apart in many ways."
I nodded, glad that my mom was still my mom.
"Is there something else on your mind?" Freya asked as she moved to stand more directly in front of me.
"Why, if I am your descendent, am I a wolf? Surely a cat or crow would be more understandable?"
She chuckled and said, "I created the wolf shifters. The forms were inspired by Havi's own wolves; that may be where your confusion is coming from. I love my cats, but I love all animals, and I love magic. So, I combined the two using Geri and Freki as the mold, and two of your mates are descended from those lines."
Somehow, I knew without Freya having to say it that she was speaking of Tate and Denver. "I know Roman is my moon, and Micah is my sun. Blake smells of metal, and whenever I have visions of him he's always hidden, so that means that Tate and Denver must be of Odin's wolves."
Freya smiled and nodded. "Generally speaking, the moon is associated with water and the sun with fire, yes?” I nodded. “Add to that metal, earth, trees, or vegetation. and you have the makings of the world. All the primary elements that we need to exist."
"But where do I fit in to all that?"
"My child, you're air and light. You are the most essential part. Without you, none of the others would exist, at least not in the same way. And if you were to join with Fenrir, who is generally represented by darkness, then the world would be consumed by the two of you. Light and dark feed off each other, but not in a good way—in a way that destroys everything in their paths."
I nodded. There was only one question I had left, and it was the one that made me feel most like a child in some ways. "When this is all over, will I ever see you again?"
Freya smiled, but there was a slight sadness to it. "I wish I could answer that for you. Even I don't know what the fates have in store for us, though. I doubt Skuld does either, since so much is still in flux. Once she returns to her sisters and Yggdrasil, things will stabilize and we will be able to figure it out then."
I understood what Freya was saying; it wasn't likely we would see each other once this was all over, and I got that. I did. I just wanted to know more about her, more about all of this, even more about Odin, not that I thought I'd ever actually learn much more about him than what I already knew.
"Now, I believe one of your mates is concerned about you and what's in store for all of you tomorrow," Freya said, and I thought that was going to be it, but as the world seemed to fade around me I heard her add, "I do hope we meet again someday."
Then she was gone. Along with the field and Fólkvangr. It was just me, floating in a sea of darkness. I reached for my mate bonds and used them as anchors, pulling myself back to our reality and waking myself in the process. I just hoped I hadn't woken them as well. They deserved to rest and feel at ease for once.
When my eyes flickered open, I saw Roman pacing silently up and down the room as though he was waiting for me to come back from my trip. I pushed up in bed, where I'd fallen asleep next to Micah and Denver. One of whom was now on my other side. How the hell that had happened, I didn't know, but it made it easier for me to get out of bed, so I wasn't particularly worried. Maybe Denver walked in his sleep occasionally or something. No matter what it was, it wasn't an immediate concern.
Whatever had Roman nervous enough to pace was, though. I pushed out of bed and heard a small mumble of protest from behind me. "No, I won't go to math," Micah's sleepy voice said.
I leaned over and brushed some of his hair away from his face. "You don't have to go to math; sleep in." When I straightened, I found Roman watching me.
I went to him, drawn as though by an invisible cord that connected our hearts. The mate bond. For some reason we needed to be close at that moment. He needed me, and I wasn't going to object.
Roman stretched his arm out toward me, offering me his hand, which I took as soon as I was close enough. As soon as our skin connected, I felt relief wash over me, but I wasn't sure whether it was coming from me,him, or both of us.
With my hand clasped firmly in his, he pulled me through the doorway into the main room of the suite. The whole thing had two bedrooms coming off it, one of which we had chosen to sleep in together, which had only been possible after moving some furniture around. Part of me would love to know what the cleaning crew thought of our redecorating, but I also knew that we'd put everything back roughly where we’d found it.
Once we were out of the bedroom, I expected us to stop in the living area, but we didn't. Instead, Roman walked us through to the other bedroom. He wasn't one for being dramatic, so I knew whatever was bothering him was something he needed to talk about.
We sat on the edge of the bed and he asked, "Where were you? I woke up and it felt like the mate bond had stretched paper thin."
"I had a dream with Freya and Odin. I didn't know it felt like that to you guys. No one's ever mentioned it before."
"I don't think any of us have woken up while you were...away before. It was bizarre. I thought something was seriously wrong, and I couldn't wake you. When you did wake up, it felt like the bond rushed back to its full strength. I don't know how to describe it; it was like being knocked over by a wave or something." His voice was tight through the whole thing, and I just wanted to hug him and hold him to ease his worries.
"I can't say I know what it feels like to be knocked over by a wave, but I have been hit by a car before, so I'll go with that. Although, I did almost drown in that lake where you found me, so there's that too," I replied, grinning at him.
"Following you to that lake was the best thing I've ever done," Roman said quietly as he tucked a loose lock of hair behind my ear. The tender note in his voice made my breath catch in my chest. It wasn't that he was never soft like this, but it was rare, and it showed just how much he'd been worried.
"I wish I would have just given in to the mate bond as soon as I sensed it. I wonder how much trouble it would have saved us," I mumbled, looking down at my fingers as I picked at imaginary dirt that lay under my nails.
Roman moved from where he'd been sitting on the edge of the bed and knelt in front of me, taking my hands in his own. "Prob
ably not much. That oil change place you worked at might not have burned down—though I would argue it was only a matter of time until something destroyed that place—but I have a feeling that the trouble we've had since we realized you had multiple mates would still have happened. There's nothing I would change about how things happened between us. I wouldn't want anything other than what we have now. No matter what's coming, I know we can get through it because we all have each other. You have all of us, Nina. We're here for you, whatever you need. All I ask is that you listen to our opinions and take them into consideration. And also, don’t anything from us. I love you with everything that I am, every atom of my being, and nothing will ever change that. Not the gods. Not Jax. Not fate. You and I belong to one another."
I couldn't stand it anymore—his sweet words were melting me from the inside out, so I pulled my hands from his and cupped his face in my hands, bringing my lips to his in a delicate kiss. His lips brushed against my own, sending a surge of electricity and need through me. He must have been able to sense it, because his hands moved from where they'd been resting on my lips to gripping my hips. The pressure of his touch was enough to have me inching forward on the edge of the bed as I tried to get closer to him.
Roman's hands slipped around the side of my hips to my ass and cupped what little of it he could reach, considering I was still sitting on the bed. He pushed closer to me, shuffling across the floor so that I didn't fall off the bed. When his tongue swiped across my lower lip, I opened for him, letting him delve into my mouth and tangle his tongue with my own.
Being surrounded by the scent and taste of my mate was one of my favorite things in the world. The only thing that I could think of that would be better was if it was all of them, but I enjoyed my alone time with each of them as well.
As Roman's fingers tugged at the t-shirt I'd been sleeping in, I pushed up off the bed a little so he could pull it out from under my butt. He pushed the shirt up over my head, and I raised my arms so he could strip it from me completely, baring my breasts to him and leaving me in just the pair of panties I'd been wearing underneath. The chill in the air had my already pert nipples hardening to almost painful peaks.