“The work we started has to continue,” Ava said, finally speaking up. Her voice sent a shot of energy down Pax’s spine and he had to cement his features not to show any outward reaction to her speaking. “We can’t let the attack at the conference stop us. It’s too important to be bullied out of it and there are a lot of vulnerable shifters out there that belong to small packs—they need to know they aren’t alone and that there are options besides cowing under the pressure from the ferals.”
“What do you have in mind?” Gray asked, obviously wondering why the Canyon shifters were there. It wasn’t that they were against anything that Mason or Ava were saying, it’s just that they hadn’t been part of the planning or the bringing together of the packs so far. Why were they being included now?
Pax listened as Ava continued.
“Mason and I have been talking in light of what happened here. A lot of the smaller packs, especially the more remote ones, are scared now. The attack did its job—it scared people into hiding back into their territories in hopes that it will all blow over. But it won’t,” she said. “We still have logistics to work out when it comes to the packs all banding together when necessary—a sort of alliance that will help everyone. We didn’t get that work done yet and we need it. Desperately.”
On the glass coffee table, a cellphone rang to life, pulling Ava’s eyes to it.
“It’s the Zion Alpha,” she said, mostly to herself. She held up a finger to her brother, motioning that she’d be right back. And took the phone to a nearby bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
Mason sat forward on his knees.
“I’m sure you’re wondering why the hell you’re here.”
The Pueblo Alpha got right to the point—something Pax could appreciate, having recently wondered the same thing.
“Ava needs to keep up the work she started, but it’s going to require a sort of road trip, if you will,” he began. “It’s going to be dangerous once the ferals get wind of what she’s planning and I have no doubt that they’re going to try to stop her.”
The very mention of Ava in trouble had Pax’s wolf in a fury again. He took slow, deep breaths to calm the beast down a bit before his eyes flashed wolf and let everyone in the room know he was having anger issues.
“My Beta and I have work here to do—its unavoidable and vital to the whole thing, too,” he said, casting a glance at Tanner, who was looking out a large window to the streets below. “Ava needs to go, and she’s going to need protection.”
Pax knew immediately what was next, and apparently, so did Gray. He let out a sigh and cast a glance to Pax, trying to gauge his own Beta’s reaction.
“I’m asking if Pax would accompany Ava and a small entourage of my own sentinels and ensure her safety for the next month and a half,” Mason said. “I’d make it more than worth your while and you’d be part of a bigger mission—the preservation of our shifter culture.”
In truth, Pax couldn’t give a rat’s ass about the greater mission—he still had difficulty in big crowds and his nightmares made him more than a little anti-social. But for Ava?
“I’ll do it.”
Chapter Four
Ava
She wasn’t going to speak to her brother for at least a year for this one.
To say that Ava was furious at the fact that Mason had basically enlisted Pax as a babysitter for the next six weeks was an understatement—a very large one at that.
“Why not Tanner?” she’d complained after the Canyon shifters left shortly after she returned from taking the Zion Pack phone call. She hadn’t missed the way that Pax’s eyes had slid to hers in an unreadable expression as he left. It was the most she’d gotten out of him since he had arrived an hour earlier. She didn’t know what had transpired once she’d gone to the room to take the call, and once Mason had told her what Pax and his Alpha had agreed to, she’d all but thrown her cell phone at her brother.
“Tanner is going to be with me, securing our own pack boundaries and providing security for nearby allies,” Mason said. “He’s a leader and I need him nearby. You need security and he’s the best one out there.”
He, being Pax. And while it was infuriating, it was also true. Pax’s reputation began coming to light over the course of the conversation after Mason did his own research before approaching the Canyon shifters. Citations for heroism and bravery, trainings and certifications for weapons and tactics—Pax had it all. He was the best choice to follow her as she completed her mission, but it didn’t mean that Ava liked it one bit. Especially the part where Mason didn’t include her in the discussion.
“I knew you’d shoot it down no matter how reasonable it was,” he’d countered. “You hate him. You’re broken-hearted all these years later, I get it. But, Ava, I need you alive and unharmed and he’s the man for the job. You know it’s true.”
She blew out a frustrated breath just as Tanner joined her on the sofa.
“I’m sure your brother will reconsider if you really want him to,” Tanner said. “If you’re uncomfortable with him at all, Mason will probably understand.”
The raised eyebrow that Mason sent Ava hinted that he would not, in fact, understand, but Ava just shook her head.
“It’s fine,” she said with a resigned sigh, feeling like it was anything but fine. She only half-listened to her brother move into the logistics of their mission. Where they would be traveling. Who they’d be meeting. Where they’d be staying. It was a series of numbers and abstracts that Ava wasn’t paying attention to. All she could think about was what had come over Pax Carrigan to make him accept the job in the first place.
How much money had Mason offered him? It had to be an exorbitant amount—it was the only way she could reason that he’d accept.
“Did you have to offer him keys to the kingdom? His own private island?”
Mason just laughed and Tanner looked away quickly. That was odd.
“I’ll tell you his price when you get back from the trip,” Mason said cryptically, an odd smile playing on his lips. “You might be surprised.”
“I doubt it,” she grumbled.
Over lunch, Mason and Ava went over their goals for the next six weeks. Eight packs in an 800-mile loop that stretched around New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah, and Arizona. It was an aggressive schedule with lofty goals, but now more than ever, Ava was certain that the shifters in their area needed each other. And because of the recent attack, they were scared to come out of hiding to seek that help.
“I’m most skeptical about the Ute Pack,” Mason said, studying the map on his laptop while scrawling notes. “Their Alpha has a bit of prepper in him and I think he’s going to be least likely to jump on the alliance bandwagon. He’s definitely going to need some convincing because he’s one of the stronger packs with a weapons cache. If anything, he’d be likely to have to swing south and help the Zion Pack if necessary.”
Ava had heard of the Ute Alpha, Norris. He was a good, honest man, but having grown up in the harsh, unforgiving mountains of northern Utah, he didn’t rely on others, nor did he seem to want others to rely on his pack.
“What sort of incentives does a leader like that need?” Ava posed the question aloud, with no real thought to an answer. At this point, there was none. Norris Ballard was just one piece in the puzzle she and Mason were racing to put together, but he seemed to be a pivotal piece that could undo the entire thing if they weren’t careful.
“First stop is the Kalis Pack,” he murmured, studying the map again. “Long drive. Wonder how you’ll pass the time…”
Ava’s head shot up and she gave Mason a withering stare.
“What the hell?!”
Mason laughed, irritating her even more.
“Talking, Ava, I meant talking,” he said between laughs. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”
She shook her head.
“I’m not talking to him,” she said. “He’s going to be in a different car if I have anything to say about it.
”
Mason’s eyes were back on his computer when he spoke.
“I hired you a driver and aside from Pax, four other security personnel,” he said. “But my express orders to Carrigan were to stick beside you at all times. You’re even sharing a hotel room a couple times on this trip because of space issues.”
The fire was back in her chest and if she could have, she would have shot flames out of her eyes at her brother.
“I’m not a kid,” she growled, and even her wolf was annoyed.
“I’ll say it one more time,” Mason said gently. “You mean the world to me and I’ll do whatever I need to in order to keep you safe. If it means you have to play roommate with someone you can’t stand—as long as you emerge without a hair out of place, you’ll endure it. You have to.”
Effectively shutting off all protests with his statement, Ava stared glumly at the page in front of her, forcing herself back into planning mode.
***
Three days later, they were on the road. And just as Mason promised, Ava found herself in the back seat of a luxury SUV next to Pax Carrigan, who didn’t seem to be nearly as affected by their close proximity as she was.
They’d barely spoken that morning when they’d met up in downtown Denver, simply nodded in acknowledgement at their forced situation, both seemingly wanting to just get it over with.
The first hour of the ride had been sheer torture for Ava, as Pax’s smell was driving her poor, foolish wolf wild. The slutty creature wanted to run her muzzle all over the man’s skin and soak in more of his scent and Ava found herself in constant struggle with the animal for control.
She most certainly would not be rubbing her nose in the soft spot where his neck met his shoulders. It was out of the question. She couldn’t stand this man. She repeated the statements over and over while trying to distract herself by reading the same line on the paper that was in her lap for the last 50 miles.
They traveled fast through northern Colorado and drove nearly ten hours, finally calling it quits just outside of Bozeman, Montana.
Ava was tired, cranky, and sore from such a long ride and by the time they’d checked into their suites at the resort Mason had found for them, she was near collapse. It was well past dinner time and she couldn’t stop her stomach from gurgling in protest.
Just as Mason promised, Ava found herself in a two-bedroom suite with Pax as a roommate. Lucky for her, the accommodations were huge and the room itself was like a small efficiency apartment, affording her all of the privacy she needed.
She took her time with her shower and changed into comfortable clothes before setting up her laptop so she could get a little work done.
Twenty minutes later, the doorbell sounded from the front of the suite.
“Dinner,” she squealed as she stood quickly to answer. She loved room service, despite how overpriced and underwhelming it was. It was one of her guilty pleasures in life and she rarely denied herself this one vice.
She’d ordered for Pax as well, for reasons still unclear to her. Mostly, she was worried about looking like a complete jerk for not considering the other shifter in the suite might like dinner, too, but part of it happened to be that she remembered Pax loved a good steak, just as she did.
When the trays were wheeled in, she looked at them expectantly. Her miniature bottles of red wine almost had her drooling, and she’d ordered Pax a couple beers—not knowing in the least if he drank or not.
Carrying her food to her room, she set it up beside her laptop before returning to the living room and wheeling the cart in front of Pax’s door. She knocked and then sprinted for her room, not ready to have a conversation with the man after riding 10 hours in relative silence. To say it’d been awkward to sit that long beside someone and really not say a meaningful word would have been an understatement.
They’d literally ignored each other the entire way and if the driver or the bodyguard riding shotgun had thought it strange, they’d remained blessedly silent.
Showered and fed, Ava managed a few emails and a phone call to Mason before she found her attention wandering. Enough work for the night—their drive was shorter tomorrow, just about three hours and they’d be in Kalis Pack territory for the meeting with Shep Sanders, the Kalis Alpha.
Watching mindless television and getting through three of her small-ish mini bottles of Shiraz, Ava giggled when she found herself slightly tipsy and lightheaded.
How had that happened? She wasn’t a drinker, despite the occasional glass of wine with dinner, but she’d just downed the equivalent of three glasses of wine and she was officially buzzed. The alcohol dulled her mind just enough that her wolf was quiet and not pacing like she’d been all day.
Ava smiled and enjoyed the feeling of not needing to think about anything for a while when a knock on her bedroom door broke the silence into shards.
“Yeah?” She called and seconds later the door pushed open slowly.
Pax poked his head in and in her haze, she couldn’t help but appreciate the dreamy good looks. Dark hair. Dark eyes. Full lips. Blinking, she shook her head and broke the spell.
“I just wanted to say thank you for ordering me dinner,” he said, his eyes glancing on the three empty wine bottles beside her. Looking quickly at them and back to Pax she rolled her eyes.
“Don’t judge me, Carrigan.”
He gave a little snort.
“I wouldn’t dream of it, Montclair,” he smirked. “But are you okay? Seriously? You don’t seem like much of a drinker.”
Ava rolled her eyes.
“I’m good. Thanks.”
Pax looked around hesitantly before stepping fully inside her room and leaning against the door frame. Even now, she noted how he looked poised for escape. As though he couldn’t stand not being near a convenient exit whenever dealing with her. She rolled her eyes.
“What’s going on, Ava? Why do you seem so on edge? Are you nervous about tomorrow?”
She snorted and then immediately covered her mouth with her hands, horrified. She didn’t miss the fact that he was smiling.
“I’m not nervous about tomorrow,” she said once she recovered.
“What is it, then?”
He was being an obstinate bull, refusing to let her brush him off.
“I’m good, Pax,” she said, her patience starting to wane a little. “Seriously. You can go back to your evening now, I promise.”
He shook his head like the big, thick-skulled ox that he was and crossed his arms over his muscular chest.
He didn’t say anything and that made it even worse. Under normal circumstances, Ava would have held her tongue in the world’s longest hotel suite standoff in history, but the red wine had loosened her inhibitions just enough that she didn’t have her normal resolve.
After a minute of attempting to ignore him and staring at her computer screen like she was actually getting work done (she wasn’t), her eyes snapped up at his and she let loose.
“You’re the last person I want to be stuck in a car with for 10 hours a day,” she began. “It’s hell.”
He had the nerve to look surprised.
“I didn’t say anything to you,” he countered, his eyebrows raising. “Why would it be so hard to have me along?”
She felt the sting in her eye a half-second before the first, traitorous tear formed and in the morning, she’d console herself by saying it was the alcohol that made her betray her long-held secret pain.
“It’s humiliating, Pax,” she half-whispered, looking down at her keyboard. “The man who wrecked me now has to sit within a foot of me for six weeks? The man who felt nothing for me the entire time I thought he was my whole world has to be my personal babysitter while I’m doing the most important work of my entire life? It’s too much.”
With that, she looked down and did nothing as the tears splashed on her keyboard.
Chapter Five
Pax
A knife to the gut would have hurt less than watching Ava crying. Over him.
When he’d walked away from her, somewhere in his subconscious, he knew he’d be hurting her. That she’d spend a few days crying over him. But then, he reasoned, she’d move on and find someone better for her—a more suitable match that wouldn’t likely be dead before his tour of duty was up.
But watching her pour her pain out onto the desk in front of her? Pax could hardly breathe. And the fact that all this time she’d assumed he didn’t care at all about her? That the reason he’d left in the first place was because he’d lost interest?
Fucking punch to the nuts.
With a deep breath, he turned and walked out of the room when she’d started sniffling, unable to draw a full breath from the stabbing pain in his chest, much less form a coherent sentence.
From the moment Pax had laid eyes on Ava, she’d been his moon and stars and it was because she was everything to him—pure kindness and beauty, that he’d left her alone to make a good, peaceful life for herself.
What a fool he’d been to think his reasons for going had been transparent. He’d broken her heart deeper than he ever could have expected and her tears, the heartbreak the wine had plied from her lips, were his penance.
‘Til the day he died, he’d never be able to wipe the sound of her voice cracking in tears from his memory. Never be able to unsee the tears shimmering in her beautiful eyes or the way they’d tracked down her cheeks despite the fact that she was stubbornly trying to hold them in with all her might.
In a single moment, Ava Montclair had utterly hamstringed Pax Carrigan and at the same time shown him that her feelings all those years ago had run just as deep as his own.
He was a fucking moron. And like a moron, he quietly left the room while she cried. He didn’t know what else he could do other than hate himself and leave her in peace for the night. Hopefully she’d get some sleep. Him? There was no chance of that now.
***
The next morning, Ava was trying a little too hard to prove to him (and likely herself) that she was just fine. She talked a little too loudly (and often when it came to him--after an entire day of silence) and moved a bit quicker than normal. He still felt terrible, but wanted to give her the space she needed to focus on her meeting with the Kalis Alpha today.
Rocky Mountain Shifters: Complete Series Box Set Page 23