by Lisa Oliver
“I’ll kill him,” she warned. “You have one chance to get your ass back to the pack and take the position of alpha like your daddy wants, or you can watch me gut him.”
“Do you plan on killing me too, Missy?” Fagin trembled with the urge to shift.
“No. I want things back the way they were,” Missy said angrily. “With this runt out of the way, you can come back and make me Alpha bitch the way it was always intended.”
“If you kill him, you’re signing my death warrant,” Fagin pointed to his mating scar. “Cooper and I are true mates, Missy and I vow on all we hold dear, if you kill him it will be the very last thing you do. I’ll rip your throat out and dance in your blood.”
“That’s not possible,” Missy shrieked. “He’s a man.”
“Gender makes no difference to the Fates.” Fagin caught Cooper’s frightened eyes and his next words were solely for him. If this was the only chance he got, Fagin was going to let Cooper know just how he felt. “I was smitten with you from the moment I looked into your eyes after knocking you over in the street.”
Cooper gave a tremulous smile, but Fagin wasn’t finished. “I haven’t done a very good job of keeping you safe so far, but if these are our last moments in this life, then I want you to know you’ve made me so happy, and I don’t regret claiming you for one second. You hold my heart babe, and I want you to know just how much I love you. I’ll do better in the next life, you have my word.”
“I love you too,” Cooper said quietly, “but maybe in the next life, you’ll be born into a pack that isn’t bat shit crazy. I’m not ready to die just because she says so.” Before he’d finished speaking, Cooper swung his elbow into Missy’s gut. As she let go of his hair, he spun around and punched her solidly on the jaw. “Ow. Ow. Ow. Why didn’t anyone tell me that would hurt?”
Fagin didn’t have a chance to answer. His shift was on him before he could blink and with a howl and a leap, Missy was on the floor, his teeth clamped over her throat. Cooper retrieved her knife and came over to stand by his side. “You can’t kill her, Fagin.”
Oh yes, I can. Fagin growled and increased the pressure of his teeth. “Fagin, no.” He felt a soft hand on his shoulder. “Babe, you can’t kill her. She’s pregnant. I can smell it.”
“I’m carrying your pups,” Missy’s eyes gleamed even though she could barely swallow. “I did it? I’m finally carrying your pups.”
“I hate to disappoint you, Missy, but those pups you’re carrying don’t belong to my mate,” Cooper hefted the knife and pointed it at her. “Scent never lies. I don’t know who’s whelps you’re carrying, but they aren’t Fagin’s and they don’t belong to either of the men who locked me up the other night. It’s not a scent I recognize.”
“Damn, it sucks to be Bobby right now,” Buster laughed. “Hey, alpha, do you want me to tie her up and add her to the pile in the living room?”
Pulling his teeth back, Fagin took a good long look at the woman he was standing on. A lot of shifters would admire her tenacity and ambition and she would always be a beautifully sexy woman. But all Fagin could see was a clear example of what was wrong with his father’s pack. Missy was greedy and prepared to use unborn pups to improve her standing in the shifter world.
Then he looked up at Cooper who was smiling at him, still swirling the knife in his fingers. “Come on mate, it’s time to be the alpha I know you can be. Get off her and let Buster put her with the others. I think I bruised my knuckles and my thumb might be broken. I need some ice.”
That got Fagin moving. Ignoring Missy completely, he padded over to his mate, who put down his hand to be examined. It was bruised, just as Cooper said it was. Giving it a long lick, Fagin let his shift flow over him, pulling Cooper into his arms as soon as he was standing on two feet. “I’ve got ice,” he said picking up Cooper’s hand and kissing it. “The first rule of punching someone is to tuck in your thumb.”
“There’s rules for punching people?” Cooper’s eyes widened. “I’ve got so much to learn. Thank goodness my thug is here to teach me.”
“Oh, I’m a thug now.” Fagin laughed as he tucked Cooper under his arm and led him out of the room. “What happened to loving me?”
“Did I say thug?” Cooper’s chuckles lifted Fagin’s heart. “I meant sexy, amazing, strong alpha who happens to belong to me.”
“Now, you’re singing my song.”
Chapter Seventeen
Sitting in the back seat of an SUV, with a tense Fagin by his side, in a convoy of four vehicles, one of which held Fagin’s prisoners wasn’t ever going to be on Cooper’s list of things to do. Especially, when it was a work day and he’d far rather be at the office sitting behind a computer screen. But Fagin had perfected his kicked puppy look and so here he was, in a new suit, along with six council guards, on the way to Fagin’s home pack.
The meeting’s agenda was simple enough. Meet with the alpha, Fagin’s father; determine who was responsible for the attack on Fagin, Buster and Cooper and who set Bobby, Jim and Missy up to break into Fagin’s house. The three prisoners were charged with trespass, which was a huge no-no for shifters, and threatening to kill an alpha mate.
Only Cooper had never felt less than an alpha mate in his entire life. But here he was, sitting by Fagin’s side and trying to project a calm he didn’t feel. He couldn’t climb onto Fagin’s lap and hide from the world because they were sharing their vehicle with Buster and a council representative, Noah Harris.
Big and intimidating, Noah had barely flicked him a glance when Fagin introduced him. He didn’t say a lot at all on the short trip although as the pack gates came into view and Cooper was doing his best not to gawp, Noah leaned forward. “You haven’t discussed what restitution you want.”
Cooper looked at Fagin and then realized Noah was talking to him. “I’m sorry,” he said making sure he didn’t look Noah in the eyes. “I don’t understand the concept of restitution. I thought we were simply here to ensure that Fagin’s pack can live in peace in the territory designated him by the council.”
“Our pack, babe,” Fagin murmured, resting his hand on Cooper’s knee.
“Our pack,” Cooper amended.
Noah didn’t look like he approved of Cooper’s answer. “You were raised as a wolf shifter, in a pack. How is it, you don’t understand the concept of restitution? It’s one of the few things that stops infractions between pack members and pack disputes.”
Cooper bit the end of his tongue. “I’m an omega?” He offered. “This is the first pack I’ve lived in for the past ten years. Is this a new rule?”
“Restitution has been around since the inception of the council,” Noah said firmly. “How is it, you’ve never heard of it?”
Shrugging, Cooper turned to look out of the window. “The alpha of the last pack I was in was my father. He despised my omega status and made me live as a slave until I escaped. There weren’t many opportunities to discuss things like shifter rules and regulations over the dinner table in our family.”
There was a brief silence and then Noah said, “I’m sorry that happened to you.” The car had pulled up outside a huge house, bigger than Fagin’s and there were a lot more people around. But no-one made any move to get out.
“Cooper, I need some indication of what you require from this pack in restitution for your kidnapping and attempted murder,” Noah said quietly. “I realize now the concept is foreign to you, but basically this pack has done you and your pack harm, and they have to pay for that.”
“But I’m an omega. I don’t count.” Cooper looked to Fagin for support. “They’re not even going to listen to my side of things.”
“Oh babe,” Fagin ignored the others in the car and held him close, just as Cooper hoped for. “You do count and they will listen to you. That’s why Buster and I decided to wait for council back up before dealing with this. If you can’t think of what to ask for restitution, ask them for more territory. I know my father. That will hurt him more than money ever c
ould.”
“I’m not sure any amount of territory can make up for having to listen to Missy screaming demands like a banshee in our house for the past three days,” Cooper muttered. “Pregnant she might be, but if I have to hear her yell ‘I need you Fagin baby’,” he put on a falsetto voice, “one more time, I’ll stuff socks in her mouth.”
“I’m sorry we couldn’t get here any sooner,” Noah’s lip twitched. It was only slight, just in the corner of his mouth, but Cooper saw it. “So, we’re decided territory is the restitution you want?”
“It’s up to my alpha,” Cooper said firmly. “I just want to get home. I have work to do. I’ve got to get the accounts prepared for tax season.”
“My mate is smart as well as pretty,” Fagin said with a laugh, opening the car door. “Come on, babe, this should be a quick in an out and then we can get you home.”
/~/~/~/~/
So much for a quick in and out, Fagin thought as he listened to Noah explain to his father that even if he didn’t have knowledge of the attacks against his pack or his mate, that as the alpha he was still responsible for the actions of his pack members. Then it was Cooper’s turn to speak, and as his sweet mate predicted, Jerome didn’t seem to feel anything he said was important at all.
“This is a family dispute,” Jerome interrupted Cooper’s description of being held at knife point. “There was no need for the council to become involved. I’ll speak to my son privately and we will resolve it between us like family do.”
“But we are involved,” Noah said firmly, “and we’re here to ensure that Fagin and Cooper’s claims for restitution are upheld. The attacks were made outside of your territory and involved members of another pack. The laws for that are very clear.”
“Fagin is my son. This is a family matter. If only Fagin had listened to me….”
“I am an alpha in my own right with my own pack, fully recognized by the council and with my own territory,” Fagin snarled, heartsick at Cooper’s sad face. “I stopped being your son the moment I realized you allowed me to be drugged as Missy tried to rape me. I stopped thinking of you as my father the moment I broke the chains holding Cooper against his will in this pack’s food bunker. I stopped considering you were any type of decent alpha when I saw the mess your men, these men,” he pointed to Bobby and Jim, “beat the crap out of my second, Buster while he was drugged. None of these are the actions of a decent man, let alone an alpha.”
“If you had listened to me….”
“NO!” Fagin turned to Noah. “This isn’t going to work. This man refuses to accept his wrong doing and I won’t subject my mate to this charade a moment longer.”
“That is your right and we do have your testimony,” Noah agreed. “In accordance….” But Jerome yelled above him.
“I challenge you, Alpha Mars, for your pack and territory.”
The words fell like a death knell among the crowd Jerome had gathered for the meeting. Fagin stared at his father as if he’d truly lost his mind. “If you lose, you’ll lose your pack and your territory. You’ll be banished, you and your family. You’ll lose your home and all of your investments in this pack and territory will be immediately forfeit.”
“I won’t lose,” Jerome said smugly. “I was running this pack long before you were a twinkle in your mother’s eye and the day I can’t whip your ass is the day I’d rather be dead.”
Fagin looked around at his two brothers who were watching smugly and at his mother who was crying softly. He saw the look of triumph on Missy’s face and the confusion on Bobby’s. Buster stood by him, solid as ever but Cooper…. Fagin looked down and saw nothing but trust. “I believe in you,” Cooper said softly when Fagin caught his eye. “But one of your first duties as alpha had better be banish Missy and her lovers from this pack.”
“You realize my brothers will challenge me as soon as I’ve beaten the alpha?” The thought didn’t bother Fagin, but he needed Cooper to be prepared.
“The council is here to ensure they are fair fights.” Cooper lifted his chin. “Please don’t draw this out though. I can’t imagine what the tax records for this pack are like.”
“I love you,” Fagin grinned, dropping a quick kiss on Cooper’s forehead. “Hold my shirt?”
“I’d better otherwise Missy will be sniffing all over it, trying to change her scent so she can try and claim those pups are yours again.”
Laughing out loud this time, Fagin pulled off his shirt and stretched out his shoulder muscles, before handing it to Cooper. “Alpha Mars, I accept your challenge. Mr. Harris, as council representative, I am charging you with keeping my mate safe from harm and ensuring the challenge is run within strict council guidelines. Buster will be my second. Let’s get this over and done with.” He looked over to Jerome and held his eyes, refusing to look away.
“Jerome Mars, you are a stupid old fool.” Everyone looked at Fagin’s mother, Margaret. Fagin knew his parents weren’t true mates, but then there weren’t that many in his home pack. But he’d never heard his mother speak like that before. “If you expect me to kiss your boo-boos and make things better when you’re challenging my son, then you’ve got another thing coming. When you lose, and you will because you are an arrogant prick who can’t see past his own nose, don’t expect me to leave the pack with you. I’ll seek sanctuary with my son and hope he goes easy on me.”
“I can win this, Margaret,” Jerome said, clearly shaken by the lack of support from his alpha mate. “And if I don’t, Rob and Clarence will fight on my behalf. Fagin can’t beat all three of us. We won’t lose our home.”
“You’re more stupid than you look.” Margaret smiled at Fagin and then, to his surprise at Cooper. “My son claimed himself an omega and a prettier omega I couldn’t hope to meet. He’s got smarts, too, thinking about tax season already. If you think for one second Fagin won’t win, you’re deluded. My boy has everything to fight for. Whereas you; all you’ve got is those pups in Missy’s belly you were hoping to pass off as your son’s.”
A loud gasp rang around the room and Jerome’s face went bright red while Bobby looked like he was about to cry. Fagin didn’t know whether to be outraged on his mother’s behalf or laugh like a lunatic over his father’s sorry state.
“Margaret, it didn’t mean nothing,” Jerome pleaded. “It was just one time and you know if Fagin had just bonded with Missy like I wanted, then the family line would’ve continued whether he could get it up or not.”
“Fagin can get it up. Don’t go pushing your issues on him,” Cooper yelled out. “Three times a night and six times on Sunday. Some days I need a pillow to sit down. He was just sensible enough to use condoms when he was shafting the pack tramp. Something you should’ve thought about doing. Mrs. Mars, would you like to come and stand by me? I think your alpha has done you a great dishonor.”
“I told you Fagin’s mate was smart,” Margaret said, pushing past her two younger sons and coming to stand by Cooper’s side. “I believe in you, Fagin, and if you didn’t think you had my support before, then believe it now. I can’t believe the depths my husband has stooped to force people to bend to his will. I’m horrified he left this sweet young thing chained up in the food bunker of all places.”
“I’m fine, Ma’am.” Fagin watched Cooper pat his mother’s hand. “Fagin and Buster saved me. They’re very protective.”
“Just like an alpha should be,” Margaret stuck her nose up at Jerome. “Well, what are you waiting for, Fagin? Take out the damn trash.”
“Yes, mom.” Sharing a shrug with Buster, Fagin followed his father, brothers, and the council guards out to the challenge ring. In accordance with pack rules, the entire pack had been summoned, watching the proceedings with worried eyes. After ensuring his mate and mother were surrounded by council guards, he strode into the ring and waited for Noah to announce the challenge and the rules.
“If you’d have just listened to me the way a son should…” Jerome said as he stood naked in the ring.
&n
bsp; “Shift,” Fagin said, letting his wolf free. The time for talking was over.
Chapter Eighteen
Cooper never liked watching wolves fighting, even when he was a young boy in his father’s pack. Not that his father was ever challenged, but he often used to punish wolves in the challenge ring as a means of retaining his authority. When wolves were evenly matched, there was a savage beauty about their dual – almost an elegance as the two wolves leaped and snarled and bit at each other. But all too often one wolf was clearly superior in strength to another and this was what was happening in the challenge ring now.
For all his bravado, Jerome’s wolf form was only half the size of Fagin’s. Not that size and strength meant a winning outcome was guaranteed. Jerome had his pride and a healthy dose of anger on his side. He’d been humiliated by his wife and he stood to lose the pack and position he’d worked for over a number of years. In contrast, Fagin’s oversized gray wolf was less showy, more focused, although Cooper couldn’t imagine how his mate must feel, fighting his father in a challenge ring.
“I wouldn’t worry too much about your young man,” Margaret said, patting Cooper’s shoulder. “Fagin’s been scrapping with Buster and the boys in this pack since he could walk.”
“Oh, I’m not worried about the outcome,” Cooper said quickly, worried his mother-in-law might think he had doubts about his mate. “I was just thinking this must be hard on Fagin. Up until recently, he truly respected his father.”
“And until recently, his father was a man worth respecting,” Margaret agreed. “Between you and me, I blame Missy. That one has been trying to climb up the pack hierarchy one bed at a time. It was only going to be a matter of time before she hit on Jerome too.”
“You knew about them?” Cooper was surprised. Despite being older and having sired three children Cooper knew about, Margaret was still a very attractive woman. Fagin got his dark hair from her and the shape of his face and eyes.
“Wolves can’t lie and my sense of smell is better than most.” Margaret shrugged. “It wasn’t the first time he played away and I doubt it will be the last, if Fagin leaves his balls intact. Jerome was a fine man and I’ve spent forty years bonded to him, but when his bones started creaking and I stopped treating him like he hung the moon, he started looking for adoration elsewhere. But then moms know a few things about their sons too,” she confided. “Just like I knew Fagin would never bond with a pack female. He used to think he was so clever sneaking out of home and running off to goodness knows where. But he always forgot I used to do his laundry.”