by BE Kelly
“Echo taught you well,” she whispered. “You’re trying to get me out of your head by distracting me. If I’m angry at you, I’ll be pouting and too occupied with my pity party to pay attention to you. Am I right, Lake?” she asked. He looked at her and smiled, giving her the answer she already knew.
“You can’t blame a guy for trying, Kaiah,” he said.
“So, let’s circle back to my original question,” she demanded. “You aren’t taking me back to Echo’s place are you?”
“How about we play a little game. We have a thirty-minute drive and I want to get to know you,” he said. Kaiah barked out her laugh as if she didn’t believe that he wanted to know anything about her or Aylen.
“I’m betting your world was quite comfortable without finding out that you had two sisters, Lake,” she challenged. “You want to get to know me?” Kaiah looked over at him and he nodded almost too enthusiastically. “Fine—question for question then?” she asked.
“Sure,” he agreed. “I’ll go first.”
“Oh no,” Kaiah said. “I already asked you the first question. You answer it and I’ll answer yours.”
“Fine,” he said. “We are not going back to Echo’s place,” he simply answered.
“Where are you taking me then?” she demanded.
Lake held his big hand up at her. “Oh no,” he said, giving her back her words. “You asked your question and now, it’s my turn.”
Kaiah made a “humphing” sound as she sat back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest. “If you’re kidnapping me and driving me to my death, I think I have a right to know,” she grumbled under her breath. Lake laughed again and she gave him the finger, making him laugh even harder at her antics.
“I thought I was supposed to be the youngest,” he chided.
“Well, you’re an asshole,” she growled.
“Is that any way to talk to your little brother?” he asked.
“Fine—You, little brother, are an asshole,” she amended.
“All right,” he chuckled, “that might be true but I do have some questions.”
“Well, ask your first question then,” she demanded.
“Can you see into people’s heads?” he asked. Kaiah could usually see their thoughts and feelings but the past few days, her visions had been cloudy and she had a sinking feeling she knew what or in this case—who was causing her confusion. But, she couldn’t let herself think about the possibility of being pregnant—not right now with her brother taking her to God only knew where.
“Yes,” she admitted. “Usually, I can. If people like Echo and well, now you, block me then it’s a little harder to worm my way in. I get there eventually,” she taunted, letting Lake know that she wouldn’t stop trying until she found out what she needed from his mind. “My turn,” she announced. “Where are you taking me?”
Lake hesitated and she thought for sure his response would be “To your death,” but that wouldn’t be his answer, even if it was the truth. “I have a friend who needs your help,” he said. “He’s desperate and I think with your abilities, you might be able to tell him what he needs to know.” Kaiah wasn’t sure if she believed him or not but that was the problem with playing twenty questions with someone you don’t trust to begin with. How would she ever know if he was telling the truth if he kept blocking her? She closed her eyes and concentrated on trying to get past Lake’s efforts to block her. She wanted to laugh at the things he was thinking about to keep her out of what he didn’t want her to know.
“You do like blonds with big boobs, don’t you?” she asked.
Lake smirked over at her, “Is that your question?” he asked.
Kaiah quickly shook her head, “No,” she said. “Give me a minute.” She racked her brain trying to come up with a question that would give her some clue as to if she needed to call in the calvary and send up smoke signals to her sister, as Gray liked to tease. She and Aylen had always had a connection and sometimes when her sister was close, she’d be able to find her telepathically, to let her know that she needed help. And, Kaiah was pretty sure she needed help right about now. Lake pulled down an old gravel road from the two-lane highway and she looked for any signs of clues as to where Lake was taking her. They passed one a few miles back that said, “Authentic Native Gifts,” and she tried to concentrate on sending that information back to Aylen.
They rode in silence for a few minutes and she almost forgot that it was her turn to ask Lake a question. He turned on the radio and Kaiah crossed her eyes at the bad country music, making him laugh. “I figured while you think about your next question, I could listen to some music. You mind?” he asked. She shook her head. Honestly, she didn’t mind at all because music was usually a good distraction to people who were keeping her out. Whenever Gray was drunk or listening to music, she could hear him the best. It was as if their conscious minds gave up the fight to keep her out and she could worm her way in.
Lake started whistling to the music and she watched out her window for any other signs but found none. Both sides of the worn gravel road were lined with forests and Kaiah new that no one would find her out where Lake was taking her. She searched his mind as he hummed and whistled to the bad country music and that’s when she saw the name Ash—he had been blocking the name and she had a feeling it was part of why Lake was dragging her out to the woods.
“Who’s Ash?” she asked.
“Shit,” Lake grumbled, flicking off the radio. “How the fuck did you get his name?”
“I saw it in your mind. Let’s cut to the chase here, Lake. You’re dragging me out to the middle of nowhere and I’m worried you are going to try to kill me. I know we don’t know each other very well yet—but let me clue you in. I enjoy living and I have a lot to live for now,” she said, palming her flat belly. Sure, she wasn’t one hundred percent sure if it was true or not but her brother wasn’t a seer and he’d never know. She’d use every tactical advantage she could think of to appeal to his sympathies. Plus, if it was true, she’d do just about anything to save her baby—including hurting her brother or worse.
“Wait—you’re pregnant?” Lake asked.
“Yes,” she said. “At least, I’m pretty sure that I am. That’s why I’ve been having trouble getting a read on you because obviously, you aren’t that good at blocking me,” Kaiah teased. “Who’s Ash, Lake?”
“He’s our chief’s seven-year-old son. He’s been missing for two weeks now and well, when our alpha found out that Dad’s daughters are seers, he asked if you’d be willing to help him out,” Lake sent her a sheepish grin and she knew that the chances of him luring her out to the woods to murder her were slim to none. Their pack’s alpha might be another story though.
“Break this down for me, Lake. Is there a pack of shifters who want me and Ay dead?” she asked.
“Not really,” he admitted. “Our chief said that if we couldn’t get you to agree to come up here and help him, he’d find a way to persuade you both to help. I’m not sure what he meant by that but you agreed to come to Canada—so that was half the battle.”
“So, Echo came all the way down to New Orleans to find me and Ay, fed us some bullshit lie about our lives being in danger to get us to come up here and now, we’re expected to help your pack’s leader?” she questioned. “Did I miss anything?” she asked, knowing full well that she sounded like a complete smart ass.
“No,” Lake breathed. “I think that pretty much covers it. I wish there was another way around all of this but when Jace asked for our help, we had no choice.” It hurt like hell that she believed Echo when he told her that he was back in her and Ay’s life to help them—to protect them. He wasn’t back for anything but his selfish reasons. He wanted to impress his alpha and that felt like a knife to the back.
“I get it,” Kaiah lied. “You needed help and did what you had to do. What happens if I can’t help your alpha—Jace, was it?”
“Can’t or won’t help?” Lake asked. Honestly, it was a little bi
t of both but she wasn’t about to tell him that.
“Can’t—I told you I was a little blocked from being pregnant,” Kaiah said. The more she talked about the possibility of a baby, the more she was beginning to like the idea. She was already in love with Gray, even if the old fool pissed her off tonight, she still loved him. That would never change. Having his pup felt right and staying mad at him for possibly getting her pregnant wasn’t something she felt right doing.
“I’m not sure what Jace has planned,” Lake said. She believed him too. Now that his mind was open to her, she could tell that he didn’t want to hurt her. Hell, he seemed to hate everything about Echo and their alpha’s plan. Her brother even seemed to be stuck in the middle of the two shifters.
“You were never out to hurt me, were you Lake?” she whispered. “All those nights of seeing you in my visions, that was just you trying to reach out to me—find me?”
Lake nodded, “And, I think a part of me was trying to warn you, Kaiah,” he said. She thought back to her visions, the way Lake was reaching for her as if trying to tell her something and his explanation made sense. “I won’t let Jace hurt you or your baby. Can you at least try to help him?”
Kaiah weighed her options and didn’t seem to have any. She was at Lake’s mercy and she’d have to do what his alpha wanted. It might be her only hope to get back to Gray and her family. Then she needed to figure out if she was going to be a mom, shifter, or both.
Gray
Gray drove his pick-up out to the reservation where Lake had taken Kaiah, following Rios and Aylen in their SUV. Echo insisted on being the one to show them out to his alpha’s place and in return, Anita agreed to keep Ryker. So, he was stuck with Echo as his sidekick and he had to admit—it was damn awkward driving out to the middle of nowhere with Kaiah’s dad. Aylen said that she was hoping that with any luck, she’d be able to get to Kaiah and help her figure out where this kid was and get back to her own before he woke up screaming for his food, and honestly, Gray felt the same way. He was hoping for an easy in and out with Kaiah so he could get her alone and spank some sense into her.
Watching her take off with Lake nearly did him in. he saw the way Kaiah looked at him as if he was a major disappointment to her and that was probably true. He fucked up biting her when they were having sex in the woods but he wouldn’t apologize for making her his mate. That was who Kaiah was to him and if his wolf got a little carried away when he took his woman then so be it. Kaiah was his and he’d do as he pleased with her but he never meant to hurt her—never that.
“So, you and my daughter?” Echo questioned.
“Yeah—what about us?” Gray asked knowing full well what Echo was asking.
“You’re a little older than she is,” her father said.
“You don’t miss much do you, Echo?” Gray asked. “If you’re asking if I’m older than Kaiah, the answer is yes. Hell, I’m probably closer to your age than hers but I won’t apologize for making her mine,” Gray defended.
“You love her?” Echo asked. That was none of his damn business but Gray remembered his own sweet daughter’s faces and knew that if they were still around, he’d want to know who they were with and what they were doing at all times. He guessed that feeling didn’t go away just because kids grew up and didn’t need protection.
“Yeah,” Gray grumbled. “I love her.”
“All right then,” Echo said. “That’s good enough for me then.”
“As if you have a say in who your grown daughter is with,” Gray said.
Echo barked out his laugh, “True enough,” he agreed. “I hope you’ll help me convince Kaiah to give me a chance after this is all over. I’d like to know my daughters and grandson.” Gray wanted to correct Echo and tell him that there might be another little one on the way but he didn’t want to make an announcement like that if he wasn’t sure or without Kaiah’s permission.
“That will be up to Kaiah and Aylen. I won’t push her into something she doesn’t want,” Gray said. He knew that demanding Kaiah do anything would prove pointless. His woman was a firecracker—if that wasn’t clear after she stormed off tonight, it never would be. “And, if your son lays one finger on her or tries to hurt Kaiah, he’ll have to deal with both of us.”
“Both of you?” Echo asked.
“Yep—me and Kaiah,” Gray said. Echo chuckled.
“Yeah—she’s a lot like her mother, isn’t she. Aylen seems to be more like me—quick to fly off the handle but Kaiah has a gentle spirit.”
Gray laughed, “Unless she’s pissed off at you. Then, buckle up and get ready for a crazy, bumpy ride. My girl has quite the temper.”
“So I’ve gathered,” Echo grumbled. “Turn right up ahead onto the gravel road. We’re almost there.” Gray turned onto the little dirt road, anxious to catch up with Kaiah and Lake. He was going to make sure his woman was safe and then he planned on beating the shit out of her little brother.
“You know, I can tell every time you’re thinking about Lake—you grip your steering wheel so tightly that your knuckles turn white. He’s not a bad kid,” Echo defended. “He was doing what he thought was right—we all were. I shouldn’t have lied about my pack wanting the girls dead.”
“No, you shouldn’t have,” Gray interrupted. “One thing I’ve learned about Kaiah and Ay is that they have big hearts. They go out of their way just to help people and I’m betting if you asked for their help, they would have given it. Hell, Kaiah was already seeing Lake in her visions. Sooner or later, they would have led her to her brother. You should know how this all works since you were married to their mother.”
Echo sighed, “That feels like ages ago now. This thing with my alpha is time-sensitive. If we don’t find his kid—well, let’s just say the authorities are already fearing the worst. Ash has been gone for almost two weeks now and the police are saying that the trail they were following went cold.”
“What happened to the kid? Did he wander off or does your alpha think someone took him?” Gray asked. The more he understood about the situation, the better he’d be able to help Kaiah.
“This is most likely a vendetta that my alpha started. Jace has this crazy notion that half-breeds mixing into our tribe is bad for the continuation of our lines. That part of what I told you is the truth. He might not want them dead but he doesn’t want them in our tribe either. His father was more accepting and tolerant of my situation—with Kaiah’s mother. He died shortly after Aylen was born and when Jace took over the pack, I could feel the shifting tide in opinion about wolves mixing with anyone outside of the pack. I knew that if I stayed with them, Jace would send shifters after me and at the time, I worried that he’d hurt my wife and daughters. I worried that he’d kill them and all I could think to do was run. I should have stayed; the girls are right about that. But, I’ll never regret meeting Anita and having Lake. It’s just shitty that I had to hurt my daughters and ex-wife the way I did.”
“So, that part wasn’t a lie—your pack doesn’t like that Kaiah and Aylen are half-breeds?” Gray whispered.
“No,” Echo admitted. “They don’t. But, I’m betting that if the girls can help Jace, he’ll call off his vendetta with half-breeds in our pack. After all, it will be two half breeds that save his son, if this works out.” Gray hoped that Echo was right because not taking Kaiah back home with him wasn’t an option.
“I didn’t come back here for a long time because I worried about what they would do to me—to my girls back in New Mexico if they found them. My only comfort was their Anali’s promise that she would keep an eye out for any danger. That woman is the most powerful seer I’ve ever known. If danger was coming for my kids and ex, Anali would see it. I went back a few times to see them all, chancing that I’d lead my pack straight to them, but I was lonely and missed the hell out of them. That was until I met Anita and she gave me Lake. Anali told me it would be best for her daughter and granddaughters if I stayed away and I have to admit, she might have been right. Jace and the pa
ck never really accepted my being with a seer but they settled down when I met Anita. She was from the same tribe and I guess me being with her smoothed over the bad feelings Jace had towards me.”
“So, you think that Jace had a problem with someone and they wanted to teach him a lesson by taking his son?” Gray asked trying to piece Echo’s story together.
“Yeah,” Echo agreed. “You saw the families living back at my compound. Jace doesn’t know about them—if he did, I wouldn’t be sitting here with you. All those families are considered outcasts by my pack. Jace has made them all outlaws and having any association with them would have me banned by my pack or worse.”
“Shit,” Gray grumbled. If Echo was right about just how much Jace hated half breeds, Kaiah would be in more trouble than they anticipated.
“One day, little Ash was playing outside of the small school where the tribe sends their kids. The next, his teacher said that he was just gone—as if he vanished into thin air. She called the authorities but Jace didn’t want them getting involved in tribal business. Hell, he delayed letting them search the reservation for three full days before he gave up on the pipe dream that he’d be able to handle finding Ash on his own. I’m betting he thought Ash just wandered off and that he’d find his way back home but after days of searching and questioning the kids at school, tribal council convinced Jace to call in the local authorities again. But, their hands were tied since the trail seemed to go cold from the delay of them being able to get involved. The cops went through the motions and even questioned the families who had kids at the school. But no one knew anything.”
“So, Jace decided to enlist Kaiah and Ay’s help to find his kid—even though he thought they were abominations?” Gray growled.