by Lauren Dane
“Oh! You’re mated! That’s the best news ever. Congratulations.” She turned and began to yell that Megan and Shane were mated and people started to rush over.
Megan smiled dutifully at her mother and he noted her twin, Tegan, coming over to hug her sister too. He wanted to touch her, to reassure her, but she’d been swallowed in a sea of female wolves talking excitedly. It was a wedding they were all there for, he supposed, and that had to add to the thrill of a new mating.
He saw some of his male relatives and relief fell over him as Adam, a cousin of his and Sid’s showed up.
“Hey, congratulations. Megan is a really special woman. You’re a lucky man to have her.”
Shane couldn’t have agreed more. But he had something he needed to discuss with Adam in private as well.
* * *
Megan felt Shane’s happiness at seeing Layla and wanted to kick him and punch her sister. Cripes this was stupid. Couldn’t she find a guy like Sid who wanted her that much?
Pissed off now, at herself for being pissed off as much as at them, all she wanted to do was escape and try to deal with her rampant emotions, but her mother had an iron grip on her arm as she busily began to plan a double wedding with Sherry.
“No. Mom, this is Sherry’s day and I don’t want to encroach on that. I need to go call Lex. I’ll be back. He’ll be mad at us for not calling right off.”
“Oh you’re right. We’ll all go to dinner tonight then. I don’t know Shane as well as I’d like. Where are you going to live? Surely not Packless in Las Vegas of all places?”
“I don’t know. We just met less than three hours ago. I’ll be back.” She indicated her phone, and her mother let go so Megan made a hasty escape.
Reality replaced the haze of the new mate bond. God this sucked. Where would they live? Because her mother was right, she wouldn’t go Packless, give up her career and her life in Seattle to pretend to be human three states away. She was a werewolf. She ran as a wolf every day if she could. Maybe he’d want to live in Seattle, want to try a life with a big family. They had a lot of talking to do.
Instead of going back to her room, she headed to the gardens in the resort to find a place to call Lex and to think over her situation.
Lex answered on the first ring. “Hi, hon. Is everything okay?”
“I met my mate today. It’s Shane, Layla’s anchor bond and he had sex with her and I’m never going to be able to forget it and how can I? She’s got bigger boobs and he lives in Las Vegas without a Pack and he probably wishes he was mated to her instead of me.” She was pretty sure she didn’t even take a breath during all of that but she just needed to say it and he’d understand.
And he did. “Aw, Megan, gorgeous, of course he wants you as his mate. You’re just nervous and I can see why although I try not to ever imagine you or any of my sisters having sex. He is your mate. Period. What you feel for your Anchor is special, yes, but you know as well as I do, it’s not the same as a mate bond. Cade does not feel for Nina what he feels for Grace. I imagine it’ll be hard but you’ll get through it. As for him being Packless, honey, is that what you want? Are you sure you can be happy that way?”
No she couldn’t. A werewolf was meant to live in a community with other wolves. They survived, thrived, through touch and being with those in their family. It was part of who they were. She saw Shane’s wolf and she never wanted that, not for herself and not even for him.
“No. I’m Enforcer of Cascadia. It’s not just what I do, it’s what I was born to be, part of me. I’m hoping he’ll want to come up to live in Seattle. We haven’t talked about it yet. Right now Layla is rubbing herself all over him and he’s surrounded by Wardens.”
“She’s not rubbing herself all over him. Lay would not do that to you. Hell or to Sid. Go back and face him. Talk to him. Tell him if he hurts you I’ll be forced to kill him. I love you and I’m so happy for you. Shall I come down? Gabby and I can be on a plane in a few hours.”
“No. He and I need time alone, away from family to try and work all this stuff through. I love you, Lex.”
He chuckled softly and Megan heard Gabby talking like a monkey on the other end. “I love you too, Megan. Everything is going to be all right. The bond will guide you and get you guys through.”
* * *
“Where the hell have you been?”
Sometime later, Tegan, Tracy, Nina, Grace and Layla all burst through the wrought iron gate and into the garden.
“What’s it to you? Not like you noticed I was even there.” How dare Layla give her attitude!
“What? I turned around to congratulate you and you were gone. Mom said you were coming right back so we waited but you never came back. Shane is looking for you.”
“Why are you here?”
“What is up your ass?” Layla narrowed her eyes at her sister, who narrowed them right back.
“You’re up my ass. Rubbing yourself all over Shane. You’re married! And he’s mine.” God she sounded like such a bitch.
Grace sat down on the bench and pulled Megan down beside her. “You, over there and shut up for a minute.” She pointed to Layla who started to argue but Tracy and Nina pulled her back. Tegan sat next to Megan with a sigh, putting her head on Megan’s shoulder.
“Oh, honey, I know where you are right now.” Grace looked over at Nina who nodded back at her. “When I met Nina and she was such an insufferable cow, it was horrible. I knew Cade cared about her and I could see how much she cared about him. It sucked.”
“I was pregnant and you just pranced into my house all tiny and cute. Who wouldn’t hate you?” Nina snorted and Grace laughed.
“I am tiny and cute, aren’t I?”
Megan laughed at their back and forth. They were so close, despite the distance.
“You can’t think I’d ever do anything with Shane? Even if you weren’t his mate, I’d never do that. I’m hurt you have such a low opinion of me, Megan.” Damn if Layla didn’t still look gorgeous even as she was angry.
“I don’t care. I’m sorry, Lay, but I don’t care if you’re hurt. You fucked my mate. He’s seen you naked. He loved you before me. That sucks. It sucks and I can’t apologize for it. It’s always about you, damn it. Oh poor Layla with her hurt feelings. Well, let me make you feel better. You have a man who adores you. Who didn’t even flinch to move his entire life to Seattle to be with you. I have a man who adores you and who I doubt will want to move to Seattle and I am Second of the Pack and I really get the feeling my mate, a man who could move, isn’t going to want to. So fuck you, Layla. Okay? That makes me petty and small but I just don’t care.”
She got up and Lay did too as everyone watched carefully. “You’re acting like a spoiled brat. He’s lived outside a Pack his whole life. He’s been raised to be suspicious of what we are. Of what he is. His mother has done a number on him, let me tell you. The first time he changed she punished him! She’s raised him to think his wolf is unnatural and wrong and his father loves her so much, so much he’s simply let Shane be estranged from what he is. This is going to be hard on him. You’re not even giving him a chance.”
Rage and humiliation coursed through Megan. Disbelief that any mother would do that. But it didn’t overcome everything else. “You’re acting like a self-righteous bitch. Why is this about him? You should be thinking about me. But you’re not because Layla is the center of Layla world. Oh how dare I not be available when you decided you wanted to congratulate me. Poor Shane, my goodness let’s not let him feel bad. Gosh between you and your fucking feelings and and Shane and his fucking feelings you might not even remember who he’s mated to. I’m sure he’s having a hard time with it.”
“You both need to be smacked. Megan, honey, you know I adore the hell out of you, but you’re jumping to conclusions about Shane, aren’t you? And you, Layla, come on, how would you feel if
your sister had slept with Sid and had an anchor connection to her? Of course she’s upset. Both of you, knock this shit off right now before you say something you can’t take back.” Nina stood and got between them.
“I don’t care. Smack me. I know enough to have felt his emotions once we completed the bond. He’s panicked about me but thrilled when she rubbed herself all over him. Is it too much to ask that I get a mate who adores me the way your men adore you? I’ve been patient! Each one of you has found someone and I never begrudged that. I was genuinely happy when you found them. It’s bad enough I have to live in the shadow of Miss Gorgeous Perfect over there and now I get her sloppy seconds. Lucky me.” Megan knew she was losing it but she couldn’t seem to stop saying it.
“Perfect? Oh my God! Megan, look at yourself, you goddamned overachiever. You’re Second in our Pack. You’re the youngest female to ever hold such a powerful spot.”
“By two minutes,” Tegan said, trying to break the tension. She was Second in the Great Lakes Pack.
Layla waved it away. “You’re kick-ass and super smart and you’re blonde and you have those damned arms like Linda Hamilton did in The Terminator, the second one where she was all nutty and tried to kill the doctor with a pen. Right about now that’s reminding me of you too. You don’t have breasts that’ve fed two kids. I can’t believe you’d be jealous of me. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” She grabbed Megan’s arms and gave her a little shake. “I love you. I would never do anything to hurt you purposely. You or Sid or the kids, the Pack, or Shane for that matter. I hate that you’d think so little of me.”
Megan slumped, hating that she would too.
“I’m sorry.”
Layla started crying and hugged her. “I’m sorry too. This should be a happy day for you. I know he’s happy to have found you. I know you guys can make it work.”
“I’m scared.” Damn it, she was. Even if she hated to say it out loud. Her sisters surrounded her again. “What if we can’t make it work? What if I’m not enough?”
“You’re his mate, Megan. You’re enough simply by existing. But more than that, look at yourself. He’s so lucky to have you. You will fight for him and be the best thing that ever happened to him.” Layla sniffled as she said it and Megan had no doubt her sister meant every word. Even if she wasn’t sure she believed it herself.
* * *
Shane had been talking to Adam about serving as their Anchor when Megan’s anguish swept through their bond and nearly felled him. Urgency made his heart pound. He had to help her.
This bond thing came with a lot of stuff he hadn’t really thought out, wasn’t sure he wanted it but it was too late. He was all bound up in her and she with him. It was good, he liked it even as he resented it. Way down deep he struggled with what he’d been taught and what he felt.
“Shane, are you all right?” Adam looked concerned.
“I am. This is all new. I don’t quite know how to process it.” He looked around, worried, but she wasn’t anywhere in view. Neither were any of her sisters. Maybe he’d just give her a call to check in.
He pulled out his phone but realized he didn’t even have her number. “I don’t have her number.” He looked back to Adam. “Have you seen Megan?”
“Not since we started talking. Is everything okay with her? Can you feel something through the bond?”
“I’ll call Lay, she probably knows where Megan is.”
Layla’s voice, when she answered, was taut. “This is not a good time.”
“What’s going on? Is Megan with you?”
“He’s calling you?” He heard Megan speak in the background.
“Tell me what’s going on? She sounds upset. Put her on.”
“Believe me, you don’t want that. We’re on our way back right now,” Layla said and hung up.
What the hell?
“Something is up, Megan sounded pissed off in the background but I don’t know why.”
Adam laughed. “Well, let’s hazard a guess, shall we? You called her sister instead of her. Her sister who you have seen naked and had sex with. This has to be uncomfortable for her.”
“I didn’t know her number. I didn’t even know her before this afternoon! How can I have called her? And I didn’t know when I served as Layla’s Anchor I’d be mated to her sister. I’m barely even a damned werewolf. I didn’t ask for any of this.”
“Well, I’m sorry you got stuck with me. And I’m really sorry you seem to be so horrified by what you are. By what I am.”
He closed his eyes at the sound of Megan’s voice. At the hurt there. He turned around to face her and felt some hurt of his own when he reached toward her and she stepped back.
“I don’t feel like I’m stuck with you. I was just frustrated. I heard you in the background, I knew you were upset. I hated not knowing why.” He was constrained by everyone looking on, damn it.
Adam stepped smoothly into the fray by hugging Megan. When he stepped back he cupped her face in his hands. “Congratulations, honey. I know this is hard and it was totally unexpected but it’s a gift. Don’t forget that, okay? Why don’t we all get something to eat? Calm down. You only heard part of the conversation. The rest was me being honored to be asked to be your Anchor. That is, if you’ll have me?”
“I can’t deal with this,” Megan said so quietly Shane had to strain to hear it. The pain in her voice, the confusion was clear though.
Adam put his arms around her and swayed a bit from side to side. “Why don’t the three of us go somewhere? Hmm? Where it’s quiet and we can talk this all through. It’s been a big day and you’re both caught off guard. Come on, honey. You’re upset and there are a lot of people out here.”
Layla watched Shane through wary eyes and he hated it. He hated that he couldn’t just talk this over with her without making everyone else upset.
Megan looked up and he only wanted her, wanted to make things right for her, for the two of them.
“What do you say? We can meet up with your family later on. Will you accept Adam as your Anchor?” He moved to her, brushing the hair from her forehead and he felt her anguish unknot at the simple gesture. What a strange and comforting thing the bond was. He knew, had heard, that the bond was intense but words couldn’t do it justice. Part of him wondered how in the world his mother could feel this for his father and yet not love all of him. He wondered if his father resented it.
“Let’s all go to my room. I’ll need to stick close to Nina but I’m sure she can keep her mitts off the door and leave us alone. We can talk there.”
She took the hand he held out and Adam sent him a smile and moved to her other side. Layla and her sisters kept a watchful eye on them as they moved back inside the hotel.
Chapter Four
She stepped aside and motioned them both into the room. It wasn’t a suite or anything so there wasn’t much space to sit or hang out other than the bed. It seemed oddly intimate but Megan supposed they were far beyond that if she was going to actually have sex with Adam too.
Not like she had much to complain over, Adam shared the Rosario genes and was just as handsome as Sid and Shane were. And she knew him. Knew him better than she knew Shane, which was comforting and disconcerting all at once.
“Shane, you understand that Adam is part of my extended family right? We’ll see him all the time.” She tossed her things off the bed and patted it. They joined her, Shane making sure his leg touched hers.
“Like you’ll have to get used to my bond with Layla?”
“I have no other choice, do I? And you’re awfully flip. We’ll see how you feel after this.” She shrugged. “You don’t live nearby. You don’t have a typical anchor relationship. In fact, with the way an anchor bond usually works, the Anchor needs to be as powerful or more than the mated pair and/or related to the male. I’m r
eally only convinced this will work because you’ve lived outside a Pack so you don’t really have any hierarchal relationship and Adam is your cousin. But you know, it’s harder when the bond is new and the Anchor isn’t mated yet. I just want to talk about this up front. We rushed into the bond and I want this to work.”
“You’re assuming we’ll live in Seattle? I have a life in Las Vegas.”
She nodded. “I know you do. And I know your job is important to you, I respect that. I honor it because it’s important to you. But I’m going to tell you up front, I won’t live Packless. I’m a werewolf and I am not ashamed of it. I want to live around other wolves. It’s who we are, Shane.”
“We should talk about this after the tri-bond when Adam is gone.”
She chewed her lip and looked to Adam who shrugged. “I’ll take care of you, you know that. If Shane stays in Vegas, I’ll be there for you every day. We only live five miles apart. You two can visit back and forth. You need the Anchor, Megan. You already claimed her, Shane, it’s too late to try and negotiate on this. You aren’t dating, you’re mated. You claimed her and you may not live as a wolf but you sure as hell know what you did and you did it anyway. You know there could have been others for her if you hadn’t claimed her. Eventually she’d have found another mate out there. You took that step knowing you can’t take it back. Suck it up and deal.”
“If you like, you can leave while we do the tri-bond. I’ll call you when it’s over or we can meet downstairs or whatever.” The warmth that’d crept back into her eyes ebbed away when she looked to him again. He didn’t like it one bit. He may not know what the hell they’d do about their living situation but he knew they’d be together somehow. His parents made it work somehow, didn’t they?
As for the tri-bond, there was no fucking way on Earth he was going to let her have sex with Adam without him there. He didn’t mean to hurt her, didn’t want to. They had to work this out and it wasn’t going to happen if he let her distance herself.