Laurie walked silently beside them, looking at her injured friends as they walked. She felt a sickness deep in her stomach as she saw the pain that they were experiencing because of her. She was especially worried about Nikki, who was still unconscious in Butler’s arms.
Alexander turned to face the man who was still lying on the floor. He walked over to squat down beside him. He faced the poor excuse of a man, his hands resting against his massive thighs. Patrick tried to scuttle away, but Alexander stopped him with one large hand on his shoulder.
Taking out his cell phone, Alexander pushed speed dial for the local police department. He watched Patrick silently as he waited for the connection. “Clayton, it’s Alexander,” he said quietly as the phone was answered. “We have a situation at the mall. An attack was made on our queen and two of our females.” He hesitated, listening to the officer’s response. “Thanks, Clay. Make it fast. All of the females have been injured and need medical attention.”
Ending the connection, he put the phone back into the holder that was clipped to his belt. He looked down at the man who still lay before him. It took every bit of control to hold back his need to destroy this man.
“Listen to me,” Alexander spoke softly. His eyes flashed golden as his wolf pushed forward, fighting for release. “Laurie is much more forgiving than I am.”
Patrick sneered at the mention of her name, and Alexander’s hold on his shoulder tightened, making Patrick wince in pain. He carefully schooled his features and looked up at the massive man before him.
“You have threatened Laurie, her children, and the members of my family,” Alexander’s deep and deceptively calm voice continued. “If I catch you within one hundred miles of us, if I catch you even thinking about coming anywhere near them, I will rip you apart in so many pieces no one will be able to identify your remains.” He looked down at the man whose false bravado quickly dissipated. “But first I’ll make you scream in pain for several hours before I put you out of your misery.”
The growl that emerged from his throat was deep and menacing. Alexander did nothing to mask his wolf any longer.
Patrick’s eyes widened in fear. He nodded briefly and pushed away, knowing that he was able to do so only because the giant before him allowed it.
Alexander stood and waited while Patrick slowly rose to his feet, brushed off his black pants and straightened his shirt, looking at Alexander with contempt. Taking a step back, he took off his cowboy hat and ran his hand through his hair before returning it atop his head and facing him silently.
“Remember my warning,” Alexander told him quietly. “I will not hesitate to protect what is mine.”
Alexander waited, watching as he saw the man before him process his thoughts. His face showed his hatred, but he didn’t utter another word. Smart man.
Only a few minutes passed, although it felt like an eternity to Alexander, before Officers Clayton Forest and Hunter Stewart showed up. Being part of Jace’s pack, they knew the need for discretion in this situation, but the men were determined to book Patrick for assault of the three women and take him into custody. They took statements from the store manager and several witnesses, making sure they had enough evidence to keep Patrick in custody overnight, guaranteeing the safety of the women for the time being.
“We’ll come by the compound later to speak to the women,” Clayton told Alexander as Hunter took Patrick away in cuffs. “Go on and get the women back to pack land so Doc can see to them.”
Alexander nodded, placing his hand on his fellow pack member’s shoulder in relief. “Thanks, Clay,” he told him sincerely. Clay nodded to him then turned to follow his partner, leaving Alex free to go and join his triad partner and the women of Beckett’s pack.
Alexander’s powerful steps ate up the distance between the store and the parking lot where his black truck containing his pack members was parked. When he arrived and opened the rear passenger door, he saw that Butler was holding a still unconscious Nikki in his arms. Laurie sat next to him, holding Nikki’s hand with one of hers, while the other held Julia’s hand as she sat in the front passenger seat.
Alexander looked at Butler, seeing the strain on his face. “We need to get home fast, Alex,” Butler told him quietly, looking down at the unconscious woman in his arms then turning to face Laurie and nodding slightly.
Alexander followed his triad partner’s line of vision and saw the vacant look on Laurie’s face. She was probably in shock. He looked down at Nikki, and his chest hurt as he saw how pale her complexion was. Looking at Julia, he was relieved to see her calm and quiet, even though the right side of her face was bruised and already swelling.
He swore to himself as he carefully closed the door and walked around the front of his truck to open the driver’s door and step up inside. He clicked his seat belt in place and started the engine, shifting it into drive and carefully pulling out of the mall parking lot, entering the highway to get them home, wishing the entire way that he had killed the bastard who had hurt these women.
* * * *
Relief filled Alex as they finally pulled into the driveway of the Circle Three Ranch. Their alpha and beta were there to meet them, along with most of their pack. They surrounded them all, offering their support as they exited the truck.
Laurie released her hold on Nikki and Julia as Alexander walked around the truck to open the rear door and reached in to take Nikki from Butler’s arms. He held Nikki gently, closing his eyes briefly as he fought to control the anger that filled him. He heard Jackson speak as if from a great distance, calling for them to take the injured women inside.
Alexander stopped at the bottom of the steps, holding his precious bundle as if she were made of glass. Nikki’s head lay trustingly against his chest. He watched silently as Butler hesitantly raised his large hand and tenderly touched Nikki’s head, unable to stop himself from petting her soft hair before looking up at Alexander with pain in his eyes. Alexander was sure his own eyes mirrored the same strong emotions that Butler was feeling.
“Clay and Hunter will be here later to take the women’s statements,” Alexander told Jace. His alpha followed him as he carefully made his way up the stairs, Butler following closely behind them.
Martha was there waiting for them, taking in the situation and knowing immediately what needed to be done. Alexander looked at his mother, his eyes filled with anguish.
“Take her to your suite, and I’ll be up shortly. Doc is already on his way,” Martha told him quietly, her eyes filling with tears at the helplessness in her son’s eyes. “She’ll be all right, Alex.” She tried to soothe him, but she knew only the young woman waking up would do that for him.
Alexander nodded, unable to speak. Butler led the way up the stairs to their suite on the third floor. Laurie followed them, displaying a calm that concerned all of them.
Alexander laid Nikki in the middle of the huge bed that was destined to be their triad bed, touching her face gently before reluctantly letting her go and stepping back. Butler reached forward and brushed her hair back from her face, caressing her cheek lightly before stepping back and standing silently beside the bed. They took off their hats and tossed them onto the window seat.
Laurie walked to the opposite side of the bed and sat on its edge facing her friend, reaching out to hold her hand. She sat silently, oblivious to anything or anyone but the woman who lay so pale and still before her. She could only look at the face of her friend who had once again put herself in harm’s way to protect her.
Martha entered the room with Doc Barrett following closely behind her. Alexander and Butler stepped back to allow the man to go to Nikki, watching silently as he examined her. Unable to stop themselves, Alexander and Butler growled as the doctor touched her.
Doc looked at both men with raised eyebrows, smiling slightly as realization hit. “I need to touch her to examine her,” he explained patiently. “I will not harm your mate.”
Butler nodded stiffly, reaching out to place a comforting
hand on Alexander’s shoulder. Alexander finally nodded his agreement, knowing and understanding that the doctor had to touch Nikki in order to help her. But that didn’t make it any easier to accept.
“Her name is Nikki,” Butler offered quietly.
Despite Martha’s worry, she couldn’t help the feeling of elation at the thought that Alexander and Butler had found their triad mate. She smiled at them lovingly then turned to face her alpha and beta.
“Julia has been looked at and has an icepack on her cheek,” she told them quietly. “She’s gone with Adrian and Colin back to their home.”
Jace nodded, relieved that one of their women was doing well. He looked to his mate and felt his chest nearly caving in at the feeling of isolation.
“Julia will be fine,” Doc spoke up as he examined Nikki, gently feeling the bump on the back of her head. “Nikki has a bump on the back of her head and another one above her temple. She’ll be a little bruised and sore but that should go away within a few days.” He ignored the rest of them while he checked Nikki’s eyes with a small pen light. “I’m more concerned that this woman is still unconscious. How long has she been out?”
“About twenty minutes,” Butler answered, his voice rough with emotion.
“Well, if she doesn’t come around soon, I’m going to have you take her to the hospital. It’s more than likely she has a concussion, and I don’t want to chance that this could be life threatening.”
Seeing the bruise that was already raised and coloring a deep purple on the side of Nikki’s face, Doc pushed back her hair gently to make sure that there was no cut hidden within her black tresses. Satisfied that there was none, he turned to Martha and accepted the small ice pack wrapped in a soft towel that she offered him.
“Keep this on the bruise for fifteen minutes at a time. It should help the swelling. Unfortunately, the discoloration of the bruise will just have to run its course,” Doc told the men softly. “She will heal at the rate that humans heal until you can claim her. Then she’ll be able to heal faster.”
Both Alexander and Butler took a step forward, unable to keep their growls from escaping them as Doc encouraged them to claim their mate. They wanted to do just that, and they wanted to do it as soon as possible. They just had to convince Nikki first.
Doc stood then and looked across the bed to Laurie. Laurie’s gaze never left Nikki’s face. Walking around the front of the bed, Doc stood beside Laurie and looked her over from head to toe.
“And what about you, Laurie?” he asked cautiously. “Have you been injured?”
Laurie didn’t answer. She just shook her head and continued to stare at her friend. Her eyes were vacant, and she remained silent.
“Check her right wrist,” Jace told Doc firmly.
“I’m fine,” Laurie finally spoke softly.
“No, baby, you’re not,” Jackson told her soothingly.
Doc hesitated a moment then reached down and gently lifted Laurie’s right hand and turned it gently. There were dark purple bruises in the shape of fingers surrounding her wrist. Laurie didn’t even blink as he gently flexed her wrist.
“It’s not broken,” he said finally. “But you’re going to be pretty sore from these bruises. I would suggest icing it on and off for twenty minutes through the night. A compression bandage would help. I’ll leave one for you and check on you again in the morning.”
Nikki’s moan brought their conversation to a halt. When she opened her eyes and looked up at Laurie, it was the catalyst that broke Laurie’s trance.
“Nikki,” she gasped, unable to stop the tears that finally fell free. “I’m so sorry.” She climbed up to lie beside her friend and held her gently in her arms.
“Oh, stop,” Nikki told her dismissively. “Don’t you dare blame yourself for what Pigface did.” She turned then and faced Alexander and Butler, smiling weakly at their concerned expressions. “I hope you guys kicked his ass.”
Alexander laughed despite his worries, reaching out to touch her cheek gently. “We didn’t have a chance. Our queen took care of him.”
Nikki’s gaze flew back to Laurie, causing her to groan in pain at the sudden movement. “Really?” she asked, stunned. She turned back and saw both Alexander and Butler nodding and smiling. Facing her friend, this time slowly so the room wouldn’t spin, she reached up and pulled at Laurie’s hair gently. “You go, girl.”
Laurie smiled, unable to keep herself from enjoying her friend. “Nikki, I’m so sorry Patrick hurt you. I promise you, you will never have to protect me again.”
Nikki looked at Laurie, her eyes squinting as she tried to understand what her friend was telling her. “I know that,” she said finally. “You have two hotties that can do that now.” She smiled and looked at the two men who stood beside the bed. “Jace and Jackson I presume?”
Alexander and Butler both growled at her words. They did not like the fact that she had called their alpha and beta hotties. And, hell no, she was not going to touch them! She belonged to them.
Jace took Nikki’s outstretched hand, shaking it quickly and allowing Jackson to do the same before they both stepped back and bowed to their lieutenants, respectfully acknowledging their claim on the woman. “We’ll leave you to rest,” Jace told her quietly. “Thank you for helping our mate. Come here, Laurie. Let’s leave Nikki to heal.”
“I’m going to stay with her,” Laurie told him determinedly, her voice steady.
“Someone does need to stay with her through the night,” Doc spoke up. “She should be woken up every hour to make sure she’s lucid. It’s common practice for concussions,” he explained quickly when he saw the panic on Alexander’s and Butler’s faces.
“We’ll be here with her,” Butler spoke up, looking down at the adorable woman he already had a strong connection with.
“Hey, where am I?” Nikki asked groggily, realizing that she didn’t recognize the room.
“You’re in our suite,” Alexander told her, his voice gruff with emotion. “You will stay here with us.”
Nikki smiled and closed her eyes. “Okay,” she whispered as she settled back into the softness of the bed. “But don’t expect anything from me. I have a headache.”
Both men laughed despite their worry. Looking at Laurie, Alexander was relieved to see her smile as she looked down at her friend. Laurie was quiet for a moment then turned to look up at them, her eyes wide with emotion.
“Don’t hurt her, okay?” she whispered. “She’s been through a lot in her life. I don’t think she can handle any more pain.”
Both men nodded and watched as Laurie got up from the bed and stood silently beside it, obviously trying to come to a decision. Her gaze went to Alexander and Butler and then back to her friend.
“Laurie?” Nikki whispered, never opening her eyes.
“What, honey?” Laurie asked, kneeling on the bed to lean closer to her friend.
“Do you smell that?”
Laurie hesitated, unable to find the words. “Smell what, Nikki?” she finally whispered, aware that the men in the room became instantly alert.
“I don’t know,” Nikki answered, her voice soft and weak. “I’ve never smelled anything like it before, but it smells wonderful.”
Laurie smiled and looked to Alexander and Butler, noting their wide grins at Nikki’s admission. She found herself relaxing at the thought that Nikki had finally found the two men who would love and cherish her for the rest of her life. “Yes, it does,” Laurie finally whispered. “Get some rest, honey. I’ll come back to check on you later.”
She leaned forward and kissed her friend’s forehead then stepped back, turned, and walked out of the room. Jace and Jackson reached out to shake hands with their lieutenants, congratulating them on finding their third, before leaving to follow their mate.
“Here’s some pain medication,” Doc offered, his hand extended with a vial that contained a small amount of pills. “See if you can get your mate to take one before she falls asleep again.”
Butler took the vial and opened it, taking out one pill and reaching for the bottled water that sat on the nightstand beside the bed. “We’ll make sure she’s comfortable throughout the night, Doc,” he said quietly as he sat down beside Nikki and gently lifted her into his arms so that her back rested against his chest. “Here, sweetness,” he told her gently, reaching up to place the pill against her lips. “Doc said you should take this so you won’t be in pain.”
Nikki opened her mouth, accepting the pill and drinking the water that Butler offered her without hesitation. He smiled and looked at Alexander, loving the fact that their mate did as he asked without thought or protest. His mind went to erotic thoughts of her doing just that in their bed, and his cock hardened instantly.
Alexander looked at him, his nostrils flaring at the scent of his triad partner’s arousal, and quickly found himself in the same condition. They both looked down at the woman that rested trustingly in Butler’s arms and another vision was shared between them. This one was of the three of them in the same position except that they were all naked, and Butler was holding Nikki’s legs open as Alexander slowly seated himself deep within their mate.
Nikki must have shared the vision, because her back arched and a soft moan escaped her as she reached out to Alexander, only calming when she found his hands and pulled him closer to her. Alex’s breathing became heavy as he leaned in toward their mate and settled against her neck, licking it slowly before biting down gently, his canines dropping down immediately. His wolf wanted to claim her right then.
“Careful, Alex,” Butler warned him softly, leaning against the other side of her neck and doing the exact same thing. “She’s not aware and isn’t truly choosing.”
Alexander took a deep breath, loving the scent of their mate. “I know,” he moaned against Nikki’s shoulder, unable to prevent himself from biting down just enough to make a mark without breaking the skin. Nikki’s moan of approval made him smile against the warmth of her skin.
Butler must have done the same to the opposite side of Nikki’s neck, for she moaned once again and reached up to card her fingers through both men’s hair as she held them tightly against her. Her possession of them made them both growl, and they kissed her neck slowly.
Babies for Nikki Page 4