Pack Master (Undeadly Secrets Book 4)

by Aaron L Speer

  He quickly stepped out of his pants, as he held her, before they both crashed into a table by the wall, sending silver ornaments and china plates crashing. She gasped as Nick clamped his mouth on her neck, tearing at her gown and throwing the remnants over his shoulder. Nicole sighed delirious curses, curling her fingernails up and down his back as he continued to kiss and lick the skin under her ear just as he spread her legs in front of him.

  “Pull my hair…” he said. She did so without a pause or even opening her eyes.

  Still as hard as ever, he gripped himself, moved to her clit and proceeded to work the tip in and around it. He teased her opening, dipping himself inside her just enough for her to moan and then, easing himself out, and he used her juices to continue stimulating her clit. With every new jerk of his hair, he knew without having to be told what she liked. He lowered himself slightly, pumping his hips gently, hitting her clit in a controlled yet relentless manner. Her legs quivered, the ankles shook of their own accord and a second later her orgasm hit. Her juices bathed his cock as they kissed yet again, slowly allowing each other’s tongues free reign.

  It was here the moment truly touched him. Nicole broke off their kiss to wrap her arms around his neck and hug him. “I love you, so much.”

  “Say it again…” he breathed into her neck, kissing her there as he spoke. She did so and he lifted her into his arms again, holding her steady with her legs wrapped around him. She was about to speak, but entering her again caused whatever words she was going to say to stop dead in their tracks. She gave a brief roll of her eyes into the back of her head, biting her lower lip as he slowly filled her again. She leant back, sighing and clutching her breasts as he pumped slowly. She felt weightless in his arms, as he held her up and in place while he pressed his face into her chest, running his tongue between her breasts. His movements were controlled, yet her hair still shook as he brought his pelvis into her over and over. He slid his hand up her chest and gripped her throat. Nicole curled her fingers around his and gave short gasping breaths but her only words were his name. Breathless snippets of it. He caught her open-mouthed reflection in the mirror on the wall as her hair dangled down. Losing oxygen yet her body was close to climax. He could feel it. He also knew because she had let go of his hand and let her hand fall away. Her instinct to safeguard her neck must have disintegrated because she let her hand fall away. Succumbing to pleasure, and to him.

  Her whole body jerked and twitched in his arms, and he felt his own pleasure escape her and run down both of their legs. Nick couldn’t stand any longer and just managed to walk back to the bed to sit with her arms and legs still wrapped around him. He was where he wanted to be. With the woman that loved him. With the woman that he loved. Things were different now. They were parents. But just for a brief moment, while Nick rocked her gently, the rest of the world didn’t exist.

  *

  As dawn broke, more information about the battle came to light. Tynan’s men, the majority of them, were shocked at his use of the Pink Panther which was what they called the deadly gas constructed from the baby’s blood. It had not only killed the majority of Rykard’s men but a dose of Tynan’s too.

  Upon seeing its devastation and their leader’s all too readiness to use it and putting his own men at risk, more and more weren’t so ready to fight for him anymore. They had dropped their guns and backed away when Alicia approached while Nick and Talia were inside battling Tynan. Although she said she would never admit it, Lee Nightingale’s blood lust was a sight to behold, and having a vampire with that destructive capability, who couldn’t seem to be killed, certainly helped the speed at which Tynan’s men thought twice about who they would rather follow.

  Alicia called Talia and Nick together as brother and sister. They needed to talk amongst themselves. The situation was complicated, but they need to sort out the future and find a solution both could live with. Who would lead? Who would follow?

  Nick found himself alone with Talia in the dining room, one of the few rooms in Tynan’s compound not damaged by the battle.

  “I am struggling with what to say,” Nick said honestly, sitting down on a bench next to her.

  Talia nodded with a small smile. “Me too. I mean I’ve heard about you all my life. Like most kids hear about the Devil. How you were my enemy. And I gotta be honest. I hated you for a long time based on that.”

  “If that’s all you knew me to be, I can understand that.”

  “I hated our dad too. Wilson. I hated him for preferring you. I hated him for abandoning me, but that was before I realised he didn’t even know I was alive. My thoughts changed pretty quickly. I wondered if he would’ve liked me. If he would’ve seen Alpha potential in me, like he did you. But these are questions I’ll never get answered.”

  “I wasn’t his greatest fan either. I hated him for always pushing the Alpha title on me.”

  “You never wanted it?”

  “I never thought I was a wolf. So, I found it useless to even visualise myself as an Alpha. I only saw myself as a disappointment. I never cared about being the Alpha as I was sure it was pointless. But…I can see you do care.”

  “No. I mean I do, but it’s not what you think.”

  “Well, what is it?”

  “It’s hard to tell a stranger that you’ve been lonely your whole life. It wasn’t the hovel I lived in, the filthy clothes I wore. I made the best I could with what I had. But I wanted a family. I wanted someone that praised me for running fast instead of hearing your bastard brother can run faster. I didn’t even know what a nursery rhyme was. My night stories, to put me to sleep, were that Wilson, Alicia and Nick Slade laughed at me and were glad I was where I was. Even now, knowing all that was a lie, I still couldn’t kill the woman that told them to me.”

  “No matter what, she is your mother.”

  “She’s a cunt but that’s not the point. I just didn’t want her to be right about me. I’m impulsive and brash when I need to be calm. I headed right into Tynan’s trap on the stairs and I didn’t see it. Had it not been for Nightingale, I would’ve died and it wouldn’t matter who out of us deserves to be Alpha or not.”

  “I wouldn’t be too hard on yourself. I never thought it would happen, so I passed on every single lesson our father wanted to teach me. Good Alpha or not, it would’ve paid to listen to him. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. And I could’ve easily killed that prick earlier. No matter how fair I try to be, I still have the same rage inside that you do. The same fear. The panic. I don’t know if I’ll be a good Alpha, but I do want to work hard and be a good man. Start with that, and go from there.”

  “I like that…” Talia said, swinging her feet under the seat. “So…what do we do?”

  “Let me ask you something. If you become Alpha, will that make you happy?”

  Talia looked up to the ceiling of the room. “No. Because it’s not what I really want.”

  “You really want a family.”

  Talia shrugged, speaking softly, as if to herself, swallowing, “I just wanted somebody to love me.” She smiled and sniffed at the same time. “I’m sorry. I don’t usually say things like that but…anyone tell you you’re actually very easy to talk to?”

  Nick reached out to hold her hand and she let him. “Look, with all due respect, I don’t know you. You don’t know me. It will take some time to fix that. I would’ve loved to have grown up with you, but I can’t change that. What I can do, is be honest with you now. You risked your life to save all of us. You didn’t have to but you did. I may not know you, and I may or may not deserve to be an Alpha, but I don’t think I could love anyone more.”

  Talia looked at him and tightened her grip on his hand.

  “Thank you,” Nick said.

  “You’re welcome.”

  *

  Later that night, before the feast began, Talia and Nick stood before the congregation of allies from the Rykard family and Tynan’s men that had joined them. The naming of a new Alpha was always a grand occasion
. What the house was going to be called, what the first order of business would be, no one knew. But the naming itself was momentous nonetheless.

  Alicia stood, calling loudly to both of them, “Have you reached an agreement?”

  “We have.”

  “Then tell us, who is your choice for Alpha?”

  Nick and Talia both stepped forward, towards Alicia. “You’re sharing the title?”

  “No,” Nick replied. As a further answer, both Nick and Talia took a knee simultaneously in front of Alicia.

  “What are you doing?” Alicia asked.

  “You wanted a choice. We made it,” Talia said, not taking her eyes off Alicia. “You wanted us to decide who would make the best Alpha. There is no one better than you.”

  Alicia looked behind the two and the soldiers had joined them in kneeling. Several hundred remaining after the fight, all silently swearing fealty to Alicia. Alicia turned then to Nicole, who was standing and holding the baby. “I would, but…” she indicated to the bub and gave a guilty smile.

  “Are you sure about this?” Alicia said to Nick. “I’m not a blood Alpha.”

  “I’ve never been more sure about anything. Maybe we will share it one day, or we’ll break off into our own families. But what we need now is strength and leadership. Something none of us have had in quite some time. Your blood status is irrelevant. We need you.”

  Alicia nodded, letting the moment settle. “Very well. First order of business is someone, right now, is going to tell me what that baby’s name is.”

  Nicole gave a laugh and was joined by Nick, who kissed her on the cheek, and they presented the boy to the crowd.

  “It is our honour,” Nick said, “to present Deacon Slade, the newest member of our house.” A great cheer rose from the soldiers, welcoming the baby who finally had been given a name. Alicia walked over to the baby and gave him a kiss. “Hello Deacon, my love.”

  “There is something I would like to request, my Alpha,” Talia said.

  “Go for it.”

  “I would like to join your pack.”

  “You already have.”

  “No, I don’t want any ties to my old life, my past. Whatever you decide to do with this new house, I want to be allowed to join by changing my name…to Talia Slade.”

  “Talia, your past and your choices lead to this point. You wouldn’t be who you are without them. Don’t be so quick to judge yourself.”

  “I’m not. I’m making a choice. And a request…if you’ll have me.”

  “You’re welcome to be called whatever you want,” Alicia said warmly.

  *

  Lee slammed his empty stein down and howled with the wolves nearest him. Some of which he had been fighting only a day earlier. Though this was his experience. You fight, you fuck, you move on. Sometimes you’re lucky to get another go of either, but generally it’s hit it and quit it.

  “You pommy cunts are alright aye…”

  “Not so bad yourself ya overgrown Aussie leech.”

  They cheered yet another round, and Lee downed the contents of the stein in three mouthfuls, slamming it down again to more cheers. “Another!” Lee roared.

  “I thought you vamps couldn’t drink anything other than blood or you get sick?”

  Lee pointed his finger at the speaker. “That my man, is a fuckin’ gross misunderstanding. A true representation is that all other vamps…are just pussy’s…hold that thought.” He held up a finger, and bent over to spew all he had drank down a grated gutter next to the table. “Worth it,” he coughed. “Speakin’o’ which, this a total sausage fest! Where’s the women? Big Dog has yet to christen this country and a lucky lass with the glory of a Nightingasm.”

  “You ever had a Brit woman before?”

  Lee cleared his throat, thinking. “Nup…nup…but I did have one that called me king, so that’s close enough.”

  The wolves laughed at this. “Tell you where ya need to go for the best ball draining experience of your life. America.”

  “Wouldn’t go to that hell hole for all the wars in the world,” another wolf chimed in. “You go over there, you get on the wrong side of anyone, you don’t come back. Wolf, human, vampire. No one is safe over there.”

  “Yeah…” Lee said, “but the women?”

  “Big mouths and tight twats. That’s why you find a lot of bait over there.”

  “What?”

  “There’s this group called the Fishermen. It’s based in Oregon. They have a front as a Baptist church, but it’s not one. They snatch girls and use them as bait to lure lads in…to sacrifice to their heathen god. They say this thing lives in the bottom of a well, and the stench of a thousand souls reeks through the air. Priests and priestesses in the church work dark magic to reanimate corpses. They look and sound human but they aren’t, and you want to go there?

  “Are you kiddin’? I’m hard just thinking about it.” Lee rose and looked over at Alicia, sitting alone on the main table with Talia nearby. “Now excuse me fellas, I’m gonna see what I can do about my situation here.”

  *

  “I’m so sorry about what happened to Dr Sarsky and his partner,” Nick said, as both he and Nicole, carrying Deacon, looked out over the destroyed grounds from the patio. The night was lit by a stunning half-moon, and they had escaped the busy feast to find a precious few moments alone. They had finally been filling each other in on what had happened since they had last seen each other. Last night hadn’t been the time. Now, they were facing reality and all its harsh truths. There for each other, to listen, if nothing else.

  “I need to tell you something. I went to your house looking for you. I spoke to your parents. They are really worried about you.”

  She planted a soft kiss on Deacon’s head and gave a small nod. “I’m sure they are…”

  “Nikki, look, I know what was said between you and your mum. Your dad told me.”

  “Did he…” Nicole asked, looking from the view back to Nick. “So you know all the horrible things she said to me? The things about you. You know what? I could even forgive all that. She was angry and things are said in the heat of the moment. But to demand I have an abortion? Calling me stupid for not going through with it?”

  “Going through with it?”

  “I was there, baby. In the clinic. I’d got my referral; I had the form in front of me. I kept telling myself, over and over, it was the right thing to do. I couldn’t possibly look after this child. I signed my name and they called me through, but I couldn’t move. I just had one thought going through my head: you. This was ours. You were inside me. Against all odds, despite all the precautions we used. Then I just started thinking, killing this baby would be destroying the only thing I had left of you. I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t let you go again.”

  “And she told you that you were out of your mind, I take it.”

  “If only that were it. Disgusting things, degrading things. In her eyes she may have had a point, but I needed my mum’s help. I needed her support and guidance. Not abuse. Not making me feel worthless and like I didn’t have a brain in my head. I know I let her down with my choice…but she let me down too.”

  Nick absorbed the words she spoke and placed his elbows on the top of the stone barricade of the patio. “I won’t insult you by saying I know how hard it must’ve been for you, because I don’t. I can’t imagine what it was like to go through that hell alone, and you have a right to be angry.”

  “But?”

  “But I gave your dad my word that I would bring you home or at least let them know you were ok. Your dad said he transferred some money to your account.”

  “If he did, I don’t want it. I love my dad. He didn’t do anything, really. But I really don’t want anything from them at the moment. That my mum can use against me at a later stage.”

  “It’s not my place to come between you and your family. I just would like your permission to honour my agreement to him. I think they have a right to know they are officially grandparen
ts.”

  Nicole twisted back and forth with the baby and gave him a nod.

  “Thank you. I need to contact Alex as well. Tell her I’m ok.”

  “I’m sorry you didn’t get a chance to see her before you left.”

  A crash made them both turn. Only Nick recognised the feet sticking out from under a small pile of rubble in the wall. Alicia sat back down at the table, wringing her hand slightly, as Lee Nightingale picked himself up and dusted himself off. He caught Nick’s gaze and shrugged, “Lesbian.”

  Nick pieced together what he had attempted to do and shook his head.

  “He’s a…colourful character,” Nicole said, placing her head on his shoulder.

  “He’s a lunatic, but I don’t think we would’ve won without him,” he replied, kissing her. Nicole turned into him and placed her forehead on his chest.

  “I don’t know if this is our second chance or still continuing the first but I don’t care. I don’t want to ruin it. I don’t want to lose you ever again.”

  He brought their foreheads together. “We have so many things to work out…”

  “I know…”

  “Where are we going to live? We still aren’t safe here. I’m still wanted there.”

  “I don’t care where we live.”

  “Your career, your studies. I know they are important to you.”

  “Yes, they are. I haven’t given up on having it, despite everything. But you know what’s more important to me? My boys.” She stroked his cheek. “My pack.”

  Nick kissed the hand she touched him with and placed it on his chest.

  “This,” he said, “is where I always want to be. I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know I’m here for you for as long as you want me to be.”

  Nicole lowered her gaze and appeared to inhale him, running her nose across his chin. “Does forever work for you?”

  “It’s a start,” he replied before she went on tiptoe and brought his face in to hers, opening her mouth around his and breathing him in as she kissed him.