by Elle Boon
“You’re up early, sunshine. I’m assuming you sealed the deal with your mate, finally?” Kellen sounded chipper.
Coti took a sip of his coffee, grinning at the word chipper coming from Kellen. “Yep. Never thought I’d have the pleasure,” he answered honestly.
“Denying who your wolf knows is your mate is hard as fuck. I let Laikyn go unclaimed almost too long.”
He could hear the anger in the other man’s tone even through the distance. “Yeah, I was a dumbass, too.”
Kellen growled like Coti knew he would. Calling your alpha a dumbass could be considered foolish, or even a wish for a beatdown. Coti wasn’t either, usually. “Boy, I’ll let you get by with that, this time. Now, when you coming in so we can have a meeting?”
“You realize I’m older than you by over a hundred years, yes?” As soon as he asked, he wished he could call the words back. Shit!
Kellen’s growl echoed through his head. “Pretty sure that’s gonna get covered in the sit down. Be here within an hour and bring your mate.”
It wasn’t a request. “We’ll see you then. Is the entire pack going to be there?”
“You and your mate are safe and will be under my roof,” Kellen promised.
“See you soon.” Coti cut the connection instead of waiting for Kellen to respond. He knew if Kellen said they’d be safe, they would be. Whether they’d continue to be part of the Iron Wolves was still to be seen. He rolled his shoulders and finished his coffee, running his hand through his hair as he thought of where he and NeNe would go. He had enough money they could literally travel for however long they chose, find a place and settle amongst humans if they wanted. But, her bear was going to need other shifters to keep her level. He wanted to be all she needed and would do everything in his powers to be that. However, he wasn’t a foolish pup. Some things a female needed, a newly turned shifter, he alone couldn’t provide. “Fuck,” he swore.
“That doesn’t sound too good,” NeNe said.
His head turned toward the hallway where she stood wearing one of his shirts. His mouth dried at the picture she made. He could see her tattoo peeking out from the bottom. “Come here.” He held his hand out, waiting. She came to him, her arms going around him like they’d done it hundreds of times. “No matter what happens, we’ll be fine. You know the history behind the phoenix?” At her nod, he continued. “Like the phoenix, you and I’ll rise, just as we’ve always done. Look at you, you’re the original phoenix to me. You rose from the ashes more beautiful than ever. You’re exactly the hope that can lift anyone. If someone would’ve asked me a year ago if beauty can come from a tragedy, I’d have said no. I’m not saying what happened to you is a tragedy, but it wasn’t how I wanted to bring you into my world. Fuck, I’m probably screwing this all up.” He took a deep breath, wondering how to explain.
She pressed her hand over his lips. “I get what you’re saying. Granted, I hated the how, but I love where I am now. So, you just spoke with Kellen, and he’s ready for this big powwow, right?”
He chuckled. “Pretty much. We don’t call it a powwow, at least not to his face,” he told her.
NeNe shrugged, the action made his shirt fall off one shoulder. If they had more time he’d strip her bare, right then, and there. “We need to get dressed and head there now.”
His little mate took a step back, her grin positively wicked as she reached down and lifted the top off. “I seem to have nothing to wear. Whatever shall I do?”
Coti growled. “You’re going to make us late, armina.”
“Have you heard of a quickie?”
He lifted her up by the waist, slamming his mouth down on hers while he willed his jeans away. In a swift move, he was buried balls deep inside, hoping they wouldn’t be too late to the meeting with Kellen.
Kellen sat in his large recliner, his fingers steepled while he waited for Coti and NeNe. Laikyn sat on the arm, her fingers sifting through his hair, petting him in a soothing motion. Goddess, he loved his mate. “They’re late,” he growled.
Laikyn laughed. “They’re a newly mated pair. How many times do you think we were late to things? Oh wait, I think we can safely say we lost count to the point we no longer gave a time.”
Several people laughed, while Kellen glared.
A knock on the door had everyone in the room quieting. “Enter,” Kellen said.
Coti walked in first, pulling NeNe in behind him. Kellen was unsure if he’d bring the bear with him or not. He tilted his head, his nostrils flaring. The fact he could only scent wolf and bear angering him all over again.
“How the fuck do you do it?” he asked.
His enforcers stood around the room, ready to take action should the need arise. If only they knew. The man was more of a threat than they realized. Coti shrugged but didn’t come further into the room. “You want to send some of these guys outside to wait?” Coti pinned Kellen with a hard stare.
Oh yeah, he was an alpha. Kellen tapped his fingers together. He’d never bring Laikyn into a room full of dominate shifters either. “Out, everyone but Xan and Lake.” He didn’t need backup to talk with Coti and his mate.
The wolves were exiting, but then NeNe grabbed one of the younger wolves by the back of the neck, shoving him up against the wall. Kellen got up, a snarl escaping. “What the fuck is going on?”
Coti held his hand up, freezing the other wolves except Xan and Lake. “Erik you better explain before my mate rips your throat out in front of Kellen. Trust me, I’ll have her back no matter what.”
Erik’s eyes widened as he looked at the other wolves who weren’t moving. “Alpha, kill them. Don’t let them get away with this.”
Kellen quirked a brow. Erik was new to the enforcers, a young pup he wasn’t sure would last in the role. “Why don’t one of you start explaining what the fuck is going on before I get fucking pissed.”
Laikyn touched his hand, their bond opening. “I heard a whisper of something, but I wasn’t focused on him at the time.”
“Me either,” he admitted. He could easily tap into the young pup’s mind but wanted to see what Coti and NeNe did next. Their actions moving forward would show him if they’d fit in with the pack, or not.
NeNe drug the kid toward Kellen, shoving him to the ground in front of him. “This kid has some crazy idea that you’re going to kill me. He also stinks of my brother, which tells me he has terrible taste in friends. You want to kill me, Kellen?”
Kellen stared down at NeNe, her green eyes flashed to brown, then red before settling back to green. His mate gripped his arm. The scent of her worry had him reaching out through their link to soothe her. “Easy, I’ve no wish to harm either of them.”
“She’s a whore, alpha,” Erik snarled, his wolf eyes tinged yellow.
He reached out a hand, touching Erik’s forehead, soothing the wolf. Instantly, he wanted to wretch at the filth filling him. As the alpha he felt his pack, yet Erik had deadened his link to Kellen with drugs, taking up with humans and other shifters who weren’t part of their pack. “Why?” he snarled.
Erik’s glassy eyes glared up at Kellen. “Being low man on the totem pole isn’t where I want to be. I’ll never be anything here except a bitch. I’m too good to be your bitch,” he spat, the liquid barely missing Kellen as Coti jerked the kid backward.
“How did you know?” he asked NeNe, ignoring Erik for the time being.
He listened to her and Coti explain about the evening before, narrowing his eyes as he thought of others in his pack feeling the same as Erik. He barreled through the kid’s mind, searching for answers. What he saw made his wolf rake at him. Erik had been the only one in their group who’d been sneaking off, giving the other pack information. “You little bastard. You told them about my young?” he said in a low tone.
Laikyn gasped, her hand going to her throat. “Oh Goddess, no.”
Finally, the kid began to understand the trouble he was in, the stench of his fear hitting Kellen. “Rowan and the others are watching
them. All is well,” he promised her.
“Let me handle the punk,” Xan said coming to stand next to Kellen.
Kellen shook his head. “It is my duty, my right as alpha. Take him to one of the holding cells.” The fact they now had several pissed him the fuck off. Their world was changing, yet it didn’t seem like it was for the better.
Laikyn tugged at his shirt. “It’s for the better,” she murmured.
Looking into his mate’s eyes, seeing the love and acceptance there, he had to agree. “Coti, we need to talk still. You and NeNe have a seat. Release the others. Please,” he tacked on.
Xan laughed. “Can I record that last bit? I don’t think I’ve ever heard him say please before.”
When Laikyn opened her mouth to respond, Kellen pulled her in front of him. “Mon chaton, I suggest you keep that sassy mouth shut unless you want to find yourself over my lap counting.”
The sweet scent of his mate’s arousal filled his nostrils, making him groan. “Fucking hell. Why are we here again?”
Xan raised his hand to answer, but Kellen pointed one finger at him, silencing his best friend. Smart second, Kellen swore he wouldn’t be held responsible for what he did if Xan cracked a joke. Breezy was too young to be a widow. Xan chuckled as if he knew what Kellen was thinking, raising his middle finger to scratch the side of his nose, the fucker.
Chapter Fourteen
NeNe and Coti sat down on the couch across from Kellen, the alpha scared the bejesus out of her. Both Kellen and Xan took the huge recliners, each of them were big and took up a lot of space. Her mate, which she was getting used to calling him, was every bit as big if not a little bigger.
“Can I get either of you a drink?” Laikyn asked.
Kellen groaned. “Baby, do you think this is a social gathering?”
Laikyn slapped Kellen on the arm. “Don’t be rude. Drink?” she asked again.
NeNe licked her lips. “I’ll take a water, please.”
Coti shook his head. “Nothing for me, thank you.”
“Did you drink from the vein already, vamp boy?” Xan asked with no outward anger.
She felt her bear still inside her. Something else stirred, making her pause as she looked at the other man. “You’ll watch your tone and not speak to him as if he’s beneath you, feel me?” Her voice didn’t sound like her own, yet she didn’t regret her words.
Xan, the sexy as fuck man blinked, focusing his blue stare on her. “Well I’ll be a goddamned motherfucker, look at that.” He pointed his finger at NeNe.
A growl swelled up from her chest. “I said, do you hear me?”
“No, you said feel me, which I am not risking any of my body parts to do. However, I understand and will adhere to your wishes,” he said with a laugh. “Why are we always getting more alphas than betas?” He turned to look at Kellen.
Kellen tipped his head back, looking up at the ceiling. “I don’t fucking know, brother, I honestly think I pissed off a Goddess or something.” He sat up, pinning NeNe with what she knew was his alpha stare. “You got control of all your shit?”
She didn’t take offense at his wordage. “I have control for the most part. Obviously, I could’ve killed that asshole earlier, but I didn’t. Now, I haven’t been tested in extreme situations like someone trying to harm me or mine. Ps. Coti’s mine,” she warned.
Kellen tossed his head back and laughed, then his hand went out, stopping Laikyn as she walked past him. “Of that we are on the same page. She’s me and mine. Feel me?” he echoed her words.
NeNe looked at where his thumb rubbed up and down his mate’s wrist, saw little goosebumps pop up on her flesh and could smell Laikyn’s arousal in the air. “Oh god, can everyone smell me when I want him?” she asked, turning to look at Coti.
Her mate covered his mouth with one hand trying to hide his smile. “Armina, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Hell, we males can’t hide our obvious need for you females either.” He pointed out.
She so was not going to look to see if Kellen had a VDL.
“What the hell is a VDL?” Coti asked.
Heat crept over her, making her hyperaware everyone in the room was looking at her. “I’ll tell you later,” she whispered.
Coti picked her up, placing her in his lap. “Now,” he said.
She put her forehead against his. “Visible dick line.”
Xan’s laugh had her groaning while Kellen sputtered. She was sure he said he was going to remember her words, which didn’t comfort her.
“I can’t wait to tell the other ladies about this. Here’s your drink,” Laikyn said, passing a bottle of water to NeNe.
“Just for the record, I didn’t look to see.” She took the cold bottle, rubbing it against her hot cheeks.
Laikyn patted her arm. “Rest assured, he totally has VDL all the time.”
“Laikyn, get your ass over here and cover my visible dick, now.” The big alpha roared, making his mate hurry over to him. Her husky laugh dispelled any thought she was scared.
“Watch it brother, you’ll be getting led around by your cock in no time.” Kellen shifted Laikyn to his thigh. “Now, I want to know the truth. Why don’t you start from the beginning,” he ordered.
She sucked in a breath, feeling as if something was pressing in on her.
“Stop it,” Coti pushed out between clenched teeth, his hand ran up and down her back soothing her.
NeNe found it harder to breath while Kellen stared at Coti. Her hand went to her chest, gasping. “What’s going on?”
“Take a deep breath and look at me,” Coti instructed.
She looked away from Kellen, the suffocating presence receded, replaced by waves of love and reassurance. “You only need to do this when you feel another trying to force his will upon you. She’s trying to show you,” he murmured aloud.
Inside herself, she followed where he led, seeing the strength within that was reinforced by not only her bear but something else. “Oh my god, I’m,” she stopped and stared at Coti, watching him nod.
“Yes, you are. I’ll explain to Kellen and see where we go from here.” He kissed her quickly, taking away any objection.
Taking a deep breath, he placed NeNe next to him. “My mother’s family were hybrids, but different from the Cordells in the fact they were Gypsy wolves. Most wolves turn the same color as the hair on their heads, except a gypsy wolf. I, along with the rest of my clan, are all white when we shift. Had you never wondered about that?”
Kellen shrugged. “Honestly? It never crossed my mind. In our wolven form, you were a tough fighter, trustworthy, or at least I thought you were, member of the pack, and someone I relied on to protect others. You were part of the enforcers before I took over from my father but weren’t part of the old way of thinking, which was why I asked you to become one of my enforcers.”
Coti could hear the thread of anger in his alpha’s tone. He couldn’t erase what was, yet he wanted to explain. Staring the other man in the eye, he told him of his childhood, explained about his being kicked out. “You see, my mother hadn’t fully mated with him, so he didn’t receive her vampire strength like many mates. Back then, he claimed her because he said she was his mate. She knew he lied, but he was her one and only. Being a Gypsy wolf and a vampire, my mother and her clan, that’s what they were called, settled in with the pack. She’d hoped that him being her Hearts Love, he’d eventually feel the same. She had me, who only made things worse as I got older and bigger than the man of the house. I was a threat he had to get rid of.” Coti shrugged. Those years had been hell except he’d had his mother and her clan.
“What about her clan? Why did they allow you to be kicked out?” Kellen’s wolf was on the surface, his nails lengthening.
He took a deep breath. “The clan was diminished to only my mother, her mother, and my aunt. My father’s pack was a lot larger. My aunt had mated fully with a young shifter, but my father threatened them. Plus, my mother had my sister and brother, both were more wolf, not other like m
e. I knew if I left they’d all be happier, safer. I thought it would be no time before I’d find my mate and be able to come back. That’s what my family told me anyway.”
Kellen snorted. “Yeah, that’s a crock of shit. Where are they now?”
“I’ve no clue,” Coti answered. He truly hadn’t cared after the first hundred years.
“Now, this is the question I need answered honestly.” Kellen sat forward, his hands dangling between his knees. “Why did you hide your other side from us all these years?”
“After being kicked out of my family for being different, I roamed for years, decades, until I finally went to the Cordells for answers. The elder Cordell turned me away as well. Not Damikan, but his father. Being different has gotten me nothing but shunned. Finding a clan isn’t something I ever searched for, but this pack called to me. I hadn’t been searching so much as called here. When I landed outside of town all those years ago, your father was the first person I ran into. He looked me up and down, said ‘wolf’ in his deep baritone, then said ‘well, come on then.’ I followed him like a lost puppy and never left.”
Kellen chuckled. “Sounds just like the old bastard. Man of few words is my dad. I’d say if you were a danger, you’d have already fucked some shit up. Although, now that you’ve mated, you’ll be a little more on edge. You still want to be a part of the pack?”
Coti nodded. “Absolutely, but only if NeNe is.”
Kellen stood, motioning Xan to stand. “NeNe, you ready to pledge to the Iron Wolves?”
NeNe licked her lips, nodding. “You’re not gonna piss on me or ask me to like take a blood oath, are you?”
He groaned. “Armina, where do you get these ideas?”
She elbowed him. “It’s in all the books.”
“Hey, at least she’s not asking about fucking Bambi then killing it like some people.” Xan looked at Kellen who shook his head.
“I don’t think I want to know what you’re talking about.” NeNe bit her lip.
Kellen growled, pinning Xan with a stare before turning to NeNe. “I don’t know what books you read, but if there’s pissing on one another, you need different reading material. Not that I’m judging if you’re into golden showers or any other kinky shit.” He grunted from Laikyn’s punch to his arm. “Come here, you two.”