by Tara West
“Gee, thanks,” Annie huffed, unable to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. How generous of him to absolve her of blame.
“I should’ve done more when they took you.” He hung his head. “I thought you kids would be better off without me.”
“You took Amara’s inheritance and sent her packing,” Annie said through clenched teeth, barely restraining her anger.
Roy Senior blinked and more tears cascaded down his face. “Your mom—”
Annie jumped to her feet. “I don’t give a damn whose idea it was,” she spat, unable to keep the hurt and anger from her voice. He had a lot of nerve placing all the blame on her mother. He could’ve said no.
“You’re right.” He stared at his lap. “She was my niece. I should’ve never let her go.”
“You owe her money.”
“I fully intend to pay her back, with interest if I’m able to walk again, and if there’s anything I can do for you—”
She cut him off. “Don’t squander this second chance. Be a decent person.”
“I will. I promise. I’m going to work to pay off Amara and you, Roy,” he said, “for all the money you spent for my care.”
Roy flushed. “Dad, I don’t expect you to—”
“No,” his father said, “I’m paying you back.”
Annie probed the old man’s thoughts, pleased when she didn’t sense any deception.
“Okay,” Roy relented.
Annie took that as her cue to finally make her escape. “I’ll go get Amara.” When she abruptly stood, her mates stood, too.
“Annie, wait,” Roy Senior said as she reached the door.
With a stiff spine, she stopped and slowly turned to him, tightening her face muscles lest he sense any weakness.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
She didn’t know how to answer him. “Okay.” She made her escape, relieved to finally get away from him.
Her mates followed her into the kitchen, where they were distracted by a platter of tamales.
She tugged Magnus’s arm. “Hey, you okay?”
“My mate is safe, my hand is healed, and my parent’s death is avenged.” Magnus beamed. “Never been better.”
She studied him a long moment. Shadows that had once plagued his eyes seemed to have been lifted.
Annie swore her heart did a backflip. “You don’t know how happy it makes me to see you smile.”
If it was at all possible, his smile widened. “Get used to it.”
She hugged him tight, feeling his strength surge through her.
After giving Magnus a kiss, reassuring him she’d be safe in the next room, she found Amara on the living room floor with her gamma mate, Rone, their infant son, and their other two boys. Amara stood, rubbing her gut. “Ugh. I feel dizzy, but it’s too soon for morning sickness.”
She patted Amara’s stomach. “Are you pregnant?”
“Yep.” Amara elbowed her, giggling. “I swear we’re rabbits, not wolves.” She winked at Rone, who was pretending to drink their toddler’s bottle. “I bloomed right after you left. We fucked for three days. It was a new record for me.”
Heat crept into her cheeks. She’d often suspected them of being rabbit shifters, too, having lived with them for over a year and listening to them fuck almost every night. Even though she slept in the den two floors below them, her wolf-touched ears still heard the bedsprings squeaking and plenty of loud moaning late into the night. Annie suspected she and her mates would fuck as often. At least she sure hoped so.
“How is he?” Amara asked.
Annie blinked, her mind going blank.
Amara arched a brow. “My uncle?”
“He’s ready for you,” she answered with as much disinterest as she could manage.
Amara smiled, patting Annie’s hand. “Okay.”
“Amara, you don’t have to do this.” Though she felt bad for Roy, this was probably extremely hard for Amara after what Roy Senior had put her through.
“It’s okay,” Amara said. “I want to.”
“You sure?”
Her smile wasn’t just genuine and pure but serene, as if she’d found a way to block her ugly childhood memories. “It’s not good for your soul to hold onto old grudges. Let it go, Annie. Focus on building a life with your mates. Don’t let this emotional burden fester and get in the way of your relationships.”
Annie was humbled by her cousin’s gentle heart and ability to forgive so easily. “I’ll try.”
“Good.” Amara pulled Annie into a warm hug. “But I can’t fix broken hearts.”
She wasn’t aware she was crying until Amara blurred behind a curtain of tears. “Thank you.” She wiped her eyes, forcing a smile.
Amara walked into the den where they were keeping Roy Senior, her second alpha Drasko following closely behind. Her cousin was amazingly humble and brave. Annie could learn a lot from her.
Amara was right. Annie had been a hypocrite to chastise Magnus for his self-pity. Her hatred for Roy Senior had fueled her own brand of self-pity. The time had come to let go of old resentments and focus on her future. When Magnus came up behind her and wrapped her in a hug, she turned into his embrace and smiled at him, knowing her future would be joyous.
AMARA SHOT DRASKO ONE more look and then expelled a shaky breath, comforted when he laid a hand on her shoulder.
“You don’t have to do this,” he whispered.
“I’m doing it more for me,” she answered. “It will bring me closure.”
“Then let’s get this over with,” he grumbled, following her into Roy Senior’s temporary room.
Roy Junior sat beside his father’s wheelchair, giving Amara a stoic nod.
The moment her uncle saw her, he started bawling. Amara had heard his health had declined, but she’d had no idea he was in such bad shape. He looked as if he’d aged significantly since she’d last seen him. He was in his mid-fifties but looked at least seventy-five. His face and neck sagged like a sock full of rocks. His legs and arms were bony, covered with paper-thin skin that appeared translucent. He looked greatly diminished in his wheelchair.
“Amara, my beautiful niece,” he sniffled, a line of snot dripping from his nose. “I’m so sorry.”
She sat beside him, a tear cascading down her cheek.
“Thank you for coming to see me,” he continued. “You didn’t have to after the way I wronged you.”
“I know.”
Drasko sat on a nearby stool, thumbing through the morning paper.
Her uncle’s gaze flitted nervously to Drasko and then back to Amara. “If I could live my life over again, I’d have taken you from your mother and raised you as my daughter. I turned my back on you, and I’m so sorry.”
“What’s done is done.” She absently picked at her fingernails. “No use worrying over the past.”
“I guess not. Besides”—his voice dropped to a low whisper—“Karma got me for what I did to you.”
“Yes,” she answered tersely. Their ancient god Amarok had frightened him while he was driving home from work, causing him to flip his truck and crush his spine. Though Roy Senior had lost the use of his arms and legs, he was lucky to be alive.
“That beast who caused me to run off the road.” He paused, and he looked nervously at Drasko. “He was your god.”
“He is, but I didn’t ask him to scare you.”
He nodded, again, his gaze flitting to Drasko. “I know you didn’t, and I don’t blame him.”
Drasko chuckled, eyeing Roy Senior over the rim of his paper before flipping to the sports section.
“Roy tells me you know all about us?” Amara stared him directly in the eye, searching for any sign of deceit. She wouldn’t heal him if she couldn’t trust him.
“I do.”
“Thank you for agreeing to keep it a secret.” She studied his facial features again and saw nothing amiss. Although if he intended on doing her people harm, Annie would’ve already heard his thoughts.
He drew a cross acro
ss his heart. “I’ll go to my grave with it.”
Amara released a pent-up breath. “What would you do if you could get up and walk out of here?”
“What would I do?” He smiled. “I would get a job and pay Roy back for my hospital bills. Pay you back for stealing your inheritance.”
She inwardly flinched. That’s not what she’d meant. She wasn’t looking for payback. She was trying to make sure he’d live a life of gratitude. She supposed him working hard to pay them back was a sign of gratitude, though, and he appeared humbled.
She held out her hands. “May I?”
“Please.” His voice cracked and he looked away, but not before she saw the naked hope in his eyes.
She placed her hands on his legs and closed her eyes, her fingertips tingling like they were being tickled by tiny butterflies as her healing magic soaked into his skin. She visualized her magic spreading from his legs to his spine and up to his neck, then down his arms and down to the tips of his toes. She had no idea how long she worked on her uncle, but by the time she felt the last of the magic drain from her fingers, she was physically and mentally exhausted. Drasko was instantly beside her, letting her lean on him for support.
She sighed as his heat warmed her. “Try to stand,” she said to her uncle.
With Roy’s help, he got to his feet, his eyes as wide as saucers. “Omigod, I feel my legs! I feel my legs!” Tears sprang from his eyes, and a strangled sob escaped him. “Thank you, Amara.”
She tensed when she heard her youngest son crying for her.
Her uncle fell back in his chair and raised his hands, looking at them as if he was seeing them for the first time. “Amara, I meant what I said. I’m paying you back.”
“Just be a decent person,” she mumbled.
“Take the money, Amara,” Drasko grumbled. “It was your inheritance. It rightfully belonged to you.”
Roy Senior swallowed, gawping at Drasko. Her mate was intimidating, with his broad chest and long, black hair. The eyes that shifted from brown to gold were the most threatening though, and she imagined Roy Senior was on the verge of shitting his pants.
Good. He needed to be afraid, in case he ever thought about betraying the Amaroki.
“Goodbye, Uncle.” She’d forgiven him, mainly for her peace of mind, but that didn’t mean she wanted to spend any more time with him than she had to. Her children were her priority now.
“You’re leaving?” he asked petulantly.
“I need to nurse my child.” She took Drasko’s hand, and they left the room. She felt as if an incredible weight had lifted from her heart. Just like Annie, she’d carried around her emotional baggage far too long, and it felt liberating to finally get rid of it.
ANNIE WASN’T FRIGHTENED when she saw tall shadows outside her window. Sliding the curtains, she opened the window. “Hello, Fathers.”
Only Amarok and Fenrir were there to see her. Amarok was in protector form, an imposing black beast with glowing silver eyes. Her birth father, Fenrir, was a large black wolf with the same silver eyes.
“Will you come outside with us?” Amarok asked.
“Sure.” She threw off her clothes, shifted, and jumped out the window.
We can’t run the canyon with you. Amarok frowned at the crescent moon. We can’t materialize and protect you.
I understand.
We’re so happy you’re safe. Fenrir nuzzled her neck, his buzzing spirit tickling her skin. We’re proud of your bravery and strength and how clever you were to catch that demon.
Thank you, she said. How she loved affection from her fathers. Jax told me a shadow gave him cover when he lit the barn on fire. She gave her fathers an expectant look.
We did. A frown marred Amarok’s furry brow. We only wish we could’ve prevented his injuries.
And yours, Fenrir added.
That would’ve been nice, but Annie wasn’t bitter. She knew there was only so much they could do. Why did you send me into the cave with the chupacabra?
We knew he wouldn’t hurt you, Amarok answered. We wanted you to know what became of him, otherwise your mates would never have closure.
The evil magic that Vidar and Sami used, she asked, do you know anything about it?
Amarok and Fenrir exchanged dark looks.
We know it is buried and best left untouched, Amarok answered in a tone so deep and forceful, she decided to drop the subject.
We’ve come to say goodbye, Amarok projected.
She felt a pang. You’re leaving?
Fenrir smiled. For now.
We have more demons to hunt, Amarok explained. If Balban can discover Amaroki secrets, it won’t be long before more demons learn of our weakness. We must find them before they find us.
She worried for her fathers, though she didn’t voice it aloud. She had no idea what these demons were capable of.
I understand. She bowed her head, looking at them from under thick lashes. Thank you, Fathers.
Amarok arched a bushy brow. For what?
Her tail instinctively wagged, slapping Fenrir’s shadow. She couldn’t help it. She got so excited whenever she thought of them. For my mates.
Her fathers both howled, and she joined them, overcome with joy, love, and best of all, peace.
Chapter Nineteen
MOPPING SWEAT OFF HIS brow, Roy stepped out of the truck. After two days in Oregon, he had to get used to the miserable Texas heat all over again. His dad was now living with an old high school friend after his “breakthrough” surgery in Australia. Roy Senior had already lined up three job interviews and promised to pay back his family every penny he owed. Roy didn’t expect it, but he secretly admitted it would be nice to afford a new truck, one with better air-conditioning.
For the past two weeks, he’d been cleaning up after the demons. First he’d helped organize the trackers. His elite team of wolves discovered several sex trafficking rings, which were subsequently raided by the feds. Then he had to fix the mess at his father’s care home. Luckily Agent Johnson offered assistance. Johnson made cleaning up Amaroki messes look easy, but it wasn’t.
Roy trudged up to his dad’s former nursing home like he was going to his own funeral. He didn’t want to face Gloria after what he’d put her through. He decided to take the side entrance, praying his gate code still worked. It did, and she was waiting for him in the courtyard, arms crossed and impatiently tapping her foot.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, he hoped the guilt he felt wasn’t written all over his face. “I’m here to collect the rest of my father’s things.”
Her full, pretty lips scowled. “Are we going to talk about what happened to me?”
He feigned ignorance. “What about it?”
Her eyes narrowed to slits. “I was possessed, and you don’t seem to be shocked.”
He scratched the back of his head, wishing he could teleport elsewhere. “Huh?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, Roy.” She wagged a finger in his face. “What exactly do you do in the FBI?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t discuss it.”
She refused to back down, jabbing him harshly. “Where is the ghost or demon that possessed me? Still in your father?”
He was shocked she remembered so much. He thought she’d been knocked out. He considered lying to her, telling her she’d had a psychotic episode. That’s what protocol dictated he should say, but he couldn’t bring himself to hurt her. Johnson would have lied. Maybe he wasn’t cut out for this job. “It’s gone and won’t harm anyone again.”
She eyed him for a long moment before finally heaving a resigned sigh. “Is your father okay?”
Roy eagerly nodded. “He’s fine. Like I said, there’s this doctor in Australia—”
“Don’t feed me bullshit, Roy.”
“I assure you he’s fine.” He forced a smile, hating how much she unnerved him. “Even better than that.”
“Can I talk to him?”
“No,” he lied, knowing full well she wouldn’t believe hi
m. “He’s in Australia.”
“No, he’s not.”
“Gloria, listen.” He released a shaky breath. This was so damn hard. “My dad is doing a million times better than he was before. That’s all I can tell you. Sorry.”
Her face fell and she seemed to deflate. “Then I guess I won’t be seeing you around.”
Did she want to see him? “I’ll still be in Laredo.”
“Doing what?”
“Working.” A muscle twitched in his jaw. He really wasn’t cut out for this line of work.
“On what?”
“Can’t tell you. Classified.”
She gave him the faintest of smiles. “I suppose if we met for happy hour, we’d have nothing to talk about.”
A seed of hope sprouted in his chest. Was she still interested in him after all he’d put her through? “There’d be plenty we could talk about.”
“I go with a few other nurses to Rosa’s Cantina every Friday.”
He smiled. “Good to know.”
“Your dad’s things are in a box behind the front desk,” she said before walking away.
“Thanks. See you, Gloria.” Rosa’s Cantina. Men in his line of work weren’t supposed to have relationships, but one drink wouldn’t hurt, would it?
ANNIE SAT ON THE PORCH, sipping a lemonade with Ioana and watching the Coyotechaser children play tag. Her stomach had been buzzing with butterflies all day in anticipation of tomorrow’s ceremony. It had taken two weeks to get everything for the bonding in order. She’d had to wait for Roy to straighten things out with his dad, then for Jax to finish his mission with the trackers. Even though he hadn’t officially gone through basic training, Jax had been so proud to help find the sex trafficking rings. She’d worried about him the entire time, but she couldn’t deny him the opportunity to fulfill his dream of being a tracker by insisting he stay for the ritual.
After the missions had been successfully carried out, the Coyotechasers abruptly stepped down as chieftains. Raine said he’d seen it coming after Cesar made a bad call regarding her rescue. Suddenly Annie’s pack was in charge, which delayed their ceremony even more while she and her mates were put through a crash course on how to run a tribe.