by Becca Van
Nigel smiled at her, but she could see his underlying pain and guilt. She felt so sorry for him, but knew he wouldn’t want her pity.
“So there is no one?” Michelle asked and saw Nigel shake his head. He tipped his head back and drained the contents of his glass. He rose to his feet and walked back over to the bar. She watched as he poured another shot, then turned to her, raising his glass with his silent question. Michelle shook her head, giggled, and then smiled ruefully. She was already three sheets to the wind. She didn’t need another drink.
“My mates are coming,” Michelle slurred. “Let me deal with them when they get here. I don’t want you hurt.”
“I deserve everything I get,” Nigel stated with no inflection.
“No, you don’t. Your brother was controlling you. You aren’t to blame for what he did.”
“I should be held accountable, just as he has. He killed our pack for fuck sake,” Nigel said with a roar, spun around, and hurled his glass against the wall.
Michelle flinched, pushed the rug aside, and staggered to her feet. She managed to make her way over to Nigel and took his hand in her own.
“Yes he did, and you would have stopped him if you could have. You can’t take the blame for what your brother did onto your shoulders. It will eat you up inside. He was insane. There was nothing you could do. Don’t let his insanity become your own. The guilt will tear you up and make you just as crazy as he was.”
“I have nothing left. There is no one here to care for, to guide and nurture. He destroyed everything.”
“And still, it wasn’t your doing. You will come and live with us. Join our pack. You won’t be an Alpha, but you can be a Beta, second in command. I won’t have you torturing yourself and living alone,” Michelle stated.
“Your mates will never allow that,” Nigel replied.
“You leave my mates to me. I will have my way and there is nothing they can do or say that will stop me,” Michelle said in a firm voice.
“You are definitely a worthy mate to your Alphas. You are fair and compassionate,” Nigel replied.
“Shit, they’re here,” she muttered when she heard a car door slam. “Leave them to me and don’t get involved,” Michelle commanded and turned to face the door.
Chapter Sixteen
Michelle heard the tires squeal on the concrete driveway and doors slam. The sound of the front door slamming open as it hit the opposite wall made her jump. She stood a few feet from the doorway, her feet planted shoulder width apart and her hands on her hips. She was getting her way and was not backing down until her mates agreed.
Brock was the first through the door. He rushed over to her, picked her up, and threw her over his shoulder. He was on his way out the door again before Michelle could open her mouth, but when she did she stopped him in his tracks.
“Put me down right now,” Michelle yelled, authority reeking from her body.
She almost laughed when Brock froze, swung her off his shoulder, and let her feet slide to the floor. Jonah and Mikhail barged around her and Brock, growls rumbling out of their chests and hair sprouting out on their forearms.
“Don’t you dare touch him,” Michelle commanded as she staggered over to her mates. They, too, froze in their tracks, and when they turned to her, she couldn’t prevent the smile forming on her face from their incredulous looks. “It wasn’t his fault.”
“I don’t care whose fault it was, everyone here dies,” Jonah roared, his words garbled as his beast began to emerge.
“He’s the only one left,” Michelle slurred as she staggered over to Jonah and placed herself between him and Nigel. “S–Shit, sit down.”
Michelle giggled when Jonah looked down at her with a raised eyebrow.
“Are you drunk?”
“Just a little tipsy,” she replied and giggled again. “We have a lot to talk about. I need you all to listen to me, and you won’t be touching Nigel at all.”
“Is that right, honey? You think you can tell us what to do, to let him live after what he did to you?” Mikhail asked.
“He didn’t do anything to me. Please, just sit down and listen. If you don’t hear me out, I…I…I won’t give you any sex for a month,” Michelle stated and couldn’t help but laugh at the pained expressions on her mates’ faces. But it did the trick. Mikhail and Jonah eyed Nigel distastefully one last time then sat down on the large sofa. Brock walked farther into the room, vaulted the back of the sofa, and landed on his ass on the cushion with a soft thud.
“Start talking, baby. If we don’t like what you tell us, I’m going to tan your ass,” Brock stated with a wicked grin.
Michelle moved around the coffee table, picked up her empty glass, and gestured to Nigel for a refill. She sat down on the edge of the table and eyed her mates.
Michelle related what Nigel had told her about Roman, his past, and his deformity, along with what she did to Roman to free Nigel from his brother’s hold.
“Fuck, Michelle, they kidnapped you. He was the one to hold you captive, while his twerp of a brother drugged you with chloroform,” Jonah stated.
“Yes, you’re right, but Nigel was under the control of his brother. I know you know what I’m talking about. I don’t know how you do it or where the power comes from, but when you give a command in that low voice of yours, like you did to Kirsten, I could feel the power rolling off you in waves. You, and your brothers for that matter, could control the whole pack if you wanted to. Since you’re lead Alpha you could probably control Mikhail and Brock as well.”
“She’s right, you know,” Brock said quietly.
“Of course I am,” Michelle replied and turned toward Nigel as he handed her another glass of amber liquid.
“Don’t you think you’ve had enough, darlin’?” Jonah asked.
“No. I have had a very trying day,” Michelle said then tipped the glass back and downed the contents. She shivered as warmth spread throughout her body, the alcohol making her feel as if she were floating. She gave a hiccup, excused herself, and giggled.
“No more for you, baby,” Brock said, removing the glass from her hand.
“I want Nigel to come and live with us. He has no pack left and I want him to join ours,” Michelle slurred and raised her chin in defiance.
“What? You can’t be serious?” Jonah roared.
“Of course, I’m serious. I wouldn’t have said it otherwise,” Michelle replied indignantly. “No sex for two months.”
Michelle giggled at the sound of her mates’ groans. She knew then that she had them over a barrel. She was going to threaten to withhold sex every time she tried to get her own way. Not that she could do without for that long, but her mates didn’t know that.
“Why don’t you take…Nigel and find the kitchen. You need to get some coffee into you, darlin’,” Jonah advised.
Michelle sighed. Even she knew coffee would have no adverse effect on the amount of alcohol swimming in her system. Her mates wanted to talk without her and Nigel in the room. She rose to her feet, staggered, gave a giggle as Mikhail reached out and steadied her, then wobbled across the room. She leaned against the wall in the entryway as she waited for Nigel to lead the way to the kitchen. The sound of his voice had her ears perking up.
“I know I don’t deserve to be alive after what my brother has done. If you wish it I will bare my throat to you. I don’t expect to be let into your home and pack.”
Michelle sighed tiredly and jumped when Nigel appeared in front of her. She knew Nigel had just sealed his fate. There was nothing for her mates to talk over, but she followed him down the hallway and into the kitchen off to the left.
She and Nigel were sitting at the dining table sipping coffee when her mates entered. She saw Nigel watching them warily and reached over to pat his hand. She rolled her eyes as her mates’ growls filled the room.
“For goodness sake, grab a coffee and sit down. You don’t need to keep the bluster up for my benefit,” Michelle said then smiled at Nigel and turne
d back to Jonah. “Where is the rest of the pack?”
“Outside. They were only to enter on our command,” Jonah replied.
“Oh, spare me from arrogant, overbearing males,” Michelle muttered and stood up.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Mikhail asked.
“Outside. They’re probably worried about me. I can’t believe you left them out there and haven’t let them know I’m all right.”
“Baby, sit down. They know you’re safe, I used our common pack mental link to let them know,” Brock advised with a smile.
“Oh, I forgot,” Michelle said and sat back down.
The quiet in the room was deafening as her mates eyed Nigel, but she didn’t try to break it. She sat back and relaxed for the first time since finding herself in a strange house. Her eyelids felt heavy, and she knew the alcohol she had consumed was certainly affecting her. She blinked a few times to clear her hazy sight, picked up her coffee, and sipped. She was determined to stay awake until her mates had finished with Nigel, and then she planned to take a little nap.
“Can you promise to be loyal to Alphas not of your own pack? To obey direct orders without question? Think long and hard before you answer. You are an Alpha yourself. You will have no power over our pack at all. If we decide to take you in, you will start off as an Omega and will have to prove yourself and work your way up to being a Beta. You will live at our house and abide by my rules. I know you may have trouble obeying my laws, but I will answer to no one, including you. My word is pack law and you will not question my authority,” Jonah stated in a hard voice.
“I won’t have any trouble not being an Alpha. In fact it will be a relief not to have any responsibility. To have a responsibility and not being able to fulfill it was slowly killing me inside. I have heard you are a fair Alpha, as are your brothers. I will have no problem working my way up through the ranks and earning your trust. If you are offering, I would love to be a part of a pack again and will live in your house under your supervision without any qualms,” Nigel replied.
“Then bow to your Alphas and their mate,” Jonah demanded.
Michelle watched as Nigel rose to his feet, moved around the table, and knelt with his head bowed to her mates in obeisance. The sight of her mates touching Nigel Saturn on the shoulders in acknowledgment had tears forming in her eyes and running down her cheeks. Her men removed their hands from him, and then Nigel was turning to her. He placed his head on her knee in supplication.
“I am sorry for what my brother did to you, but I am also glad he took you. If he hadn’t I would not have the opportunity I am being offered and would still be under his control. For that I thank you from the bottom of my heart, my queen.”
Michelle was too touched for words. She looked at her mates through her tears and ran her fingers through Nigel’s hair. Her eyelids were so heavy now she could barely keep them open. She removed her hand from Nigel’s head and let him rise. She saw the tears in his eyes and knew he was thankful and full of new hope. She blinked, and that was the end of her. She couldn’t get her eyes open again and felt herself sliding from her seat. She sighed as Mikhail’s scent surrounded her when he scooped her up into his arms. She was back where she belonged, safe and sound in her mate’s arms, and she was going home.
Chapter Seventeen
Michelle woke up just as they pulled into the driveway of her home. She was surprised she didn’t have a hangover after all the alcohol she’d consumed just hours before. She sat up from the position she had been in, draped all over Brock, and smiled as the house came into sight. It was so beautiful, its white columns gleaming in the late-afternoon sunshine. But the house meant nothing without her mates. She turned in her seat, angling toward Brock, and spied the heat in his eyes as he stared at her. She turned her head to find Jonah looking at her the same way.
Jonah pulled the truck into the carport, and she was out of the truck before he had turned off the ignition. It was so good to be home. She turned at the sound of more vehicles and saw a long stream of vehicles coming up the drive. They really had brought most of the pack with them when they’d come for her. The sight of all the cars showed her she had still not met everyone in the pack. She had a lot to learn if she was going to live up to expectations and be a good mate to the Alphas of the pack. She heard a squeal of delight behind her and spun around just in time to see Kirsten rushing toward her.
She hugged Kirsten back as the tall woman squeezed her tight.
“I’m so glad you’re safe. Are you well? Did they hurt you?” Kirsten fired at her.
“No, I’m fine,” Michelle replied and gave Kirsten a hug, then released her. “There is someone I would like you to meet. He could really do with a friend right now,” Michelle advised, looking for Nigel.
“Who?” asked Kirsten.
“Nigel Saturn,” Michelle replied automatically.
“Are you crazy?” Kirsten screeched, then blushed. “Sorry, Michelle, but you must be out of your mind.”
“I assure you my mate is quite sane.” Jonah growled from behind her.
Michelle turned around and ran a soothing hand down over his chest. “Let me do this, Jonah. It was my idea, so I would like to explain.”
“As you wish, mate,” Jonah replied.
Michelle turned her back to Jonah and watched as the pack gathered before her. They all bowed their heads when she held up a hand and waited for their talking to cease. She took a deep breath, pushed her shoulders back, placed her hands on her hips, and jutted her chin in the air. She was just daring anyone to question her authority.
“We have a new pack member and I will have him treated with nothing but respect. He is a good man and doesn’t deserve the blame or to suffer for the sins of his brother. If I find out he has been treated with anything but respect, you will all answer to me. Is that clear?” Michelle asked in her best cool, haughty schoolmarm voice.
“Yes, our queen,” the pack replied as one.
“Well, good then. Nigel, come here,” Michelle called.
Michelle spied Nigel’s head moving through the crowd from the back of the pack. He was so tall he put Brock to shame. When he was standing before her, his head bowed, she reached out and pulled him to her side.
“Raise your head and be proud of who you are,” Michelle whispered from the side of her mouth, forgetting that all of the pack members could hear her. She waited until he had done as she asked and spoke to the pack.
“You may raise your heads. I would like for all of you to meet Nigel Saturn. He is a former Alpha of the Saturn Pack and is now an Omega of our pack. He will be working his way up the ranks of this pack until he is a Beta, and I know it will not be long before he has the trust of each and every one of you as well as your Alphas. Nigel already had my trust. Oh, thanks for coming to help with my rescue. You may go,” Michelle stated.
Michelle turned to Kirsten to find her staring at Nigel. She then turned to Nigel and found him staring at Kirsten. She stepped back when she heard the low, rumbling growl coming from Nigel and then looked at Kirsten as her higher-pitched growl answered. She watched with amusement and confusion as they both moved at the same time into each other’s arms. The sight of their mouths slamming together and their hands roaming over each other’s bodies had her cheeks flaming. She turned to find her three mates standing a few feet behind her, opened her mouth, and closed it again. She was trying to be delicate with her question, but for once her brain failed her.
“What’s with them?”
“I believe Kirsten has found her mate,” Mikhail replied.
“Really? Oh, that is so fucking awesome,” Michelle replied and looked at back at the couple mauling each other over her shoulder. “Get a room.”
“What happened to the prim and proper mate we met five days ago?” Mikhail breathed into her ear, causing her to shiver.
“I don’t know who you’re talking about,” Michelle replied with a sassy smile and wink.
“I love our mate whether she is pr
im and proper or all Alpha Queen. She turns me on just by breathing. But what I don’t like is to hear my mate cussing.” Jonah growled as he took a step toward her.
Michelle could see the predatory look in all three of her mates’ eyes and knew they were about to pounce. Anyone would think they hadn’t had sex for a month instead of twenty-four hours. She backed away, but her back and ass connected with a warm, hard male body. She didn’t need to look to know it was Brock. She inhaled his unique scent, tilted her head up to him, and smiled.
“Do any of you have any idea how much I love you? If you had told me a week ago I would be telling you that, I would have thought you were crazy. Oh wait, I did think you were crazy. When you told me you were werewolves, I was so shocked I laughed at you. Boy, did you prove me wrong. Thank you for coming to my rescue and for keeping me sane when I was so scared. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Yes, baby, you could. You are much stronger than you think. You found a way out. You didn’t need us to rescue you at all,” Brock said, and she could hear the pride he had for her in his voice. “I love you, baby.”
“I love you with everything I have, honey. My heart, my soul, and my body,” Mikhail said, taking one of her hands in his own.
“I love you, too, darlin’. Let’s go to bed.” Jonah growled, shoving his brothers out of the way, picked her up, and slung her over his shoulder. He moved so fast, Michelle had to close her eyes or she was in danger of being ill.
Chapter Eighteen
Michelle opened her eyes when she heard the slam of the bedroom door. Jonah bent down and eased her off his shoulder, her feet landing on the bed. She stood staring into his eyes as he removed her clothes, shredding them with claws protruding from the tips of his fingers. She didn’t flinch or baulk because she knew he, Mikhail, and Brock would never hurt her. She kept her eyes on his as he stepped back from her and began to remove his clothes, his brothers moving to his side to do the same. In moments they were all standing before her naked and proud, their cocks bobbing as they moved in synchronization with their heartbeats. They were magnificent. Testosterone and confidence oozed from their pores, and she felt her body heating with desire. Her breasts swelled, her nipples puckered, and her pussy wept. She watched as they each took their hard shafts in hand and began to pump up and down the length.