“Have you spoken with her about this?” Rhett turned and placed his coffee mug in the sink.
He hadn’t, but it didn’t matter; their beasts wouldn’t allow them to be apart for long. They would have to do something and from what she’d said hours before, she already accepted that. “I’ll deal with it when the time comes. Now let’s go.”
Two hours had passed since Carleen overheard Tex and Rhett come retrieve Thorn for another session and with every minute that passed, she became more uneasy. Her brother had been drunk off his ass when he arrived back from the celebration, waking her from a dead sleep as he stumbled through the house, screaming her name. Tex’s scent in the house angered him enough that he didn’t care about keeping his voice down. He had been pissed she agreed to have dinner with him and had voiced his displeasure before he left. She expected him to be gone for most of the night so she hadn’t been worried about coming back early, yet it turned out he had come back a little before eleven to apologize and she wasn’t at the cabin.
He had considered going to Tex’s cabin, but even in his drunken state he realized what a mistake it would be. Not only would it cost him the possible position with the Texas Tigers or any clan Ty had lined up, it would also mean they’d have to leave. Ty wouldn’t accept Thorn’s behavior and would have no choice but to force him to leave—which meant her, too. He had been sober enough to realize that would put them both in danger and that was the only reason he stopped himself before he could make a scene. He made it back to the celebration and with every drink, his anger grew. By the time he came home, he was livid and she was the only one there to deal with his rage.
What had happened in Mississippi to make Thorn so on edge? He hadn’t been like that before. Not even when Lucy started to separate herself from them. Yet, something had changed and he was afraid. She wasn’t sure if he was afraid for both of them or just her. It didn’t make sense that he was worried about her. She had kept herself out of the political aspects of the clan and did her best to keep herself hidden. The only time she came to Lee’s attention was when Lucy pulled her aside and demanded she gain control over her emotions. So, she couldn’t comprehend his attitude.
She rubbed her temples, trying her best to push away the headache that had plagued her since her encounter with Thorn. Stress was not helping and neither had the hot bath she’d taken. A run would do wonders to relieve the tension, but it was out of the question until she knew what was going on. Whatever they wanted with Thorn could have their future in the balance. What was she going to do if he didn’t make the guard roster? Tex told her that he was planning on offering him a position but there was something else he had to accomplish first. What if he didn’t pass the second test? Could she leave him behind to go to Texas by herself?
If she was honest with herself, there was no other option. She had to go to Texas because that’s where her mate had to be. His clan needed him and she accepted that. She wasn’t sure how it would affect things with Thorn or even what his backup plan was. He was so convinced he could secure a spot with the clan he hadn’t considered any other option. Without a backup plan and the results of his first test less than outstanding, he seemed to have lost his spark. There was no excitement in his eyes as he walked out the door to celebrate with the other guys. She had no doubt he saw them leaving for Texas while he was stuck there waiting for the next Alpha.
The door flung open, startling her enough she jumped. Warm tea sloshed over the rim of her mug and onto her hand. “Shit, Thorn, you…” It wasn’t so much the look on his face as he entered, but Tex directly on his heels that stopped her from finishing her thought.
“We need to talk.” Thorn marched toward her. “Alone.”
“No.” Before Thorn could reach her, Tex stepped in the way. “I told you to leave your anger at the door. You’re going to behave rationally.”
“What’s going on?” She grabbed a napkin from the center of the round dining table and wiped her hands off before cleaning up the spilled tea.
“After everything you witnessed with Lucy, you’re going to fall into the arms of the first single Alpha. Are you insane, Carleen?” Thorn stepped back so he could see her around Tex. “Lucy wouldn’t want that for you. She wouldn’t want you to face the same fate she has.”
“Are you trying to tell me I should be strong and take my own life? Because if you are, you’re not the same brother I grew up with.” Standing up from her chair, she tossed the damp napkin on the table and crossed her arms over her chest. “I was just thinking about how much you changed and now you’re standing there proving me right. What is going on with you?”
“Going on with me? What’s going on with you? You completely ignored the fact I know you’re Tex’s mate.”
“I’m not going to deny it, if that’s what you mean. I planned to tell you. I wanted to wait until after these tests. If you knew I was his mate, you’d have thought the only reason you got the position is because of me. You’ve worked so hard and I wanted you to get the position on your own. You’re a strong guard and an excellent ally. You could prove yourself to Tex or any other clan you set your heart on.”
“And he did.” Rhett appeared in the still open doorway. “I hadn’t planned on coming in. This is a family matter, but I needed to be close in case my assistance was required. Still, at that last comment, I couldn’t stay quiet any longer. Thorn, I’ve made no attempt to hide the fact your first session didn’t impress me. You went for what you considered Milo’s weakness and it backfired.”
“I know,” Thorn snapped.
“Let him finish.” Tex nodded to Rhett as if giving him the go-ahead.
“In the gym this morning, my impression changed. One-on-one, you surprised me. You revealed skills you didn’t show during the first session. Even after a night of drinking and little sleep, your fighting was clean. Instead of going after what you thought could be a weakness, you fought through it, waiting for your opening. Even after I blocked you twice, you kept with it until I gave you an opening. Every opponent is going to give you an opening and you’ve got to be ready to take it. Missing the opportunity could be the difference between life and death.”
“I still wasn’t able to take you down.” Thorn shook his head, his disappointment in himself showing through his words.
“You’re not connected to a strong Alpha or even a clan. When you renounced your commitment to Lee and the Mississippi Tigers, you cut the connection.” Carleen tried to ease her brother’s frustration and get him to see the larger picture.
“She’s right.” Tex reached back to take her hand in his and bring her to stand next to him. “The two of you are lone shifters and that makes you weaker than those connected to a clan with a strong Alpha leading them. Rhett’s connection with me makes him stronger. You could have that, too, but if you continue to allow your anger to rule you, you’re going to lose the opportunity.”
“You expect—”
“Don’t!” That single word came out as more of a shout than she had expected, but she knew what her brother was about to say and she had to stop him. “Thorn, please don’t.”
“Don’t what, tell the truth? Voice my concern over your actions? Did you really expect me to be quiet this time?” His gaze bored into her, making her stomach tighten, but she refused to back down.
“This is different and you know it. He isn’t like Lee.”
“How do you know?” Thorn snapped.
“Two reasons. Let’s go with one you should have already realized.” Taking her gaze away from Thorn, she glanced up at Tex and took in the man before her. Anyone who took a quick glance at him would assume he was in his early twenties, but what she saw in his eyes aged him. This man was her mate, and while he frightened her at first, the fear had dissipated. There was so much more to him than she realized at first and she was eager to know everything about him. The darkness in his past would surely come to light and while it helped to mold him into the man he was, it didn’t define him. There was so much more
to him and that was the side of him she wanted to know completely.
“Look at the hold he has over you.” Thorn’s rage tainted his voice, making his words come out in more of a growl. “You can’t even finish your thought because you’re too engrossed in him.”
Shaking her head, she turned back to her brother. “There’s no hold over me and that wasn’t the reason I was looking at him. I got lost in my thoughts for a moment. The point is you should realize he’s not anything like Lee. I’ve come to know Ty, Tabitha, and many of the others here since we arrived and I know without a doubt they’d never allow Tex here if they weren’t completely sure he was on their side. You’ve worked with Ty and the others enough to know that, too.”
“He could be hiding his true beliefs.”
“Bullshit,” Rhett snapped.
“He’s right, you know.” Instead of looking in Rhett’s direction, she kept her attention on her brother. His shoulders seemed to relax and his fists were no longer clenched, making her wonder if they were getting through to him. “Tex has committed himself and his clan to Tabitha’s cause. You know the legend as well as I do. Tabitha will be the strongest tigress ever born and once mated, the Queen of the Tigers and her King will grow stronger with each step they take to unite all tigers. There’s no way Tex could hide a betrayal of that magnitude from them even if he wanted to.”
“Maybe you’re just defending him because you’re his mate.” The anger was gone and even as he tried to hold tight to his original stance, the conviction was gone from his tone. “Shit, Carleen, I’m just trying to keep you safe.”
“She is safe,” Tex replied before she could speak. “After what happened with Lucy, I understand your desire to protect her, but I’m not the one you need to shield her from.”
“You’re going to put her in more danger.” Thorn stepped back toward the living room and sank down onto the accent chair. “You don’t have the protection you need which is why you came here to find additional guards. With the resort set to open in the coming weeks, you’re placing your clan in danger. After I learned about your clan, I thought you were the best fit. With some of the clan members living on the ninth floor, you’ve added safeguards to protect them. If I could convince you to give us, or at least Carleen, a room there, it would keep her safe. I could keep her safe and help you at the same time. It was a win-win for everyone.”
“Then you should be happy to know the precautions taken for the tenth floor, the Elders floor, went even further. As my mate, Carleen will reside there.” Still holding her hand, he led her toward the sofa so they could continue the conversation in comfort. “While the work isn’t complete yet, the suites have been opened up to provide us larger living quarters. There will be extremely limited access to this floor. Out of six permanent living quarters, only three are occupied. In addition to those, there are six guest suites on the floor, and a private meeting room. Those with permanent quarters on the floor include me, my Lieutenant, Ben Evans, and Rhett. The additional ones are for future Captains of the Guards for both Ben, his future mate, and my mate.”
“With the danger level of guest suites on your private floor being so high, I cannot believe you’d allow that.” Thorn’s statement was directed at Tex but his gaze was on her, as if telling her to reconsider her actions.
“One is for the West Virginia Tigers’ Alpha, Jinx. His mate, Summer, is Ben’s sister and their adopted daughter Claire was born in my clan. Claire’s situation is a long story that isn’t important at the moment. They have a guest suite for their visits and there’s room for a couple guards. These suites will also be used if Ty and Tabitha visit, as their protection is of the utmost importance.”
“The eighth floor is also undergoing renovations to provide enhanced security measures to other Elders of committed clans,” Rhett explained from his position near the now closed door. “Before all of this started, you have to remember a couple years ago when Manetka Resort was the place to be for shifters. We’re hoping to bring that back safely, without jeopardizing the Elders or the clan. Every reservation will be going through security checks to ensure we’re not allowing our enemies into the resort. Manetka will be a safe place where those fleeing Alphas like Lee can go.”
“That doesn’t sidestep the fact Carleen will be in more danger because of you. All I’ve wanted to do was keep her safe, and now look at this. Damn it, she’s all I have left.” Thorn ran his hand through his hair. “Lee’s not going to like it when he finds out.”
At the mention of Lee, her heart skipped a beat and it was as if the moment froze. All she could think about was Lucy. Her sister would suffer for Carleen’s mating with Tex. Every move she made, every comment spoken, always reflected on Lucy. Why did I think that would change when we left Mississippi?
Chapter Eight
Everything in Tex encouraged him to protect his mate from Thorn’s anger, but Carleen would not have appreciated him sheltering her. The conversation had to happen and it was better to have it out in the open before things went any further. He needed to know what Thorn truly felt about not only the mating, but also about him as an Alpha. It could be seen as one final test for the potential guard, but he perceived it as a glance into Thorn’s mind before he accepted him into the Texas Tigers.
“Peaches? You okay?” As she shivered, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and brought her back against his body.
“I…fi…” She shook her head. “Oh, shit. Thorn…he’s going to hurt Lucy.”
“What are you talking about?” Tex turned her to face him. “Who’s going to hurt her? Me?” The only answer she gave was a shake of her head as she fought back the tears.
“She’s talking about Lee.” Thorn let out a grunt and leaned forward to place his hand on his sister’s knee. “There’s nothing we can do, Car. We don’t even know what happened after we left.”
“It’s been a long time since you’ve called me Car.”
“I know.” Thorn lifted his hand off her leg and leaned back against the chair. “It seems like a lifetime ago.”
“Carleen.” Tex called her name, hoping to bring her attention back to him and away from the past. “Give me a little time. I’ll see what I can do to help her. Don’t lose hope.”
“Hope.” She let out a light chuckle. “It’s already gone. I know what her fate will be.”
“What do you mean?” He rubbed his hand along her back, trying his best to comfort her. Without the mating connection complete, there was only so much he could do.
“You said it yourself. Lee can’t be left in control over the Mississippi Tigers, which means he’ll be killed. When he dies, he’ll pull Lucy down with him. She’s not strong enough to survive it. He’s broken her will and her spirit.”
“Rhett, go find out what Ty’s morning is like. I need to meet with him on an urgent matter.” He caressed the small of her back with his fingertips. “There might be nothing I can do, but I’m going to try.”
“Tex.” Rhett’s hand was wrapped around the door handle as he looked back at him. “About before…I disagreed with you then, but you were right.”
“I’ll take care of it.” He waited until the door was shut behind Rhett before looking over at Thorn. “You’ve proven a lot this morning but there are still things we need to discuss.”
“Let’s do it.”
“Carleen, why don’t you lie down for a bit? You’re exhausted.” He pulled her tight against him. “Worrying isn’t going to change whatever the future holds.”
“He’s right. You need some sleep. We lost Lucy a long time ago and even if we can save her from Lee, she’s not going to be the same.”
She pulled out of his embrace and turned to her brother. “She’s our sister.”
“I’m very much aware of that. I’m just remembering what Lucy’s mating did to our father. Mom was optimistic, but Dad knew Lee hadn’t changed. In the end, it broke something in Mom and now she’s dead.”
“She was killed in an accident.”
“No, Carleen. Mom left the safety of the house, hoping to die. Without batting an eye, she walked right into the gunfire and straight toward the shooters. Dad was too far away to do anything and the other guards on duty were busy returning fire. They were defending our clan and no one was able to stop her.” He dragged his hand over his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Unable to do anything, I watched from the window as it happened.”
“Why?” Her sorrow thickened the air as the first tear rolled down her check. “Why didn’t you do something? Why didn’t Dad? He had to know she was depressed. Hell, I knew.”
“Before Dad left, he ordered me to stay with you and Mom. I couldn’t leave you and even if I could, there were two men outside our window, creeping toward Lee’s house. I’d have never made it to Mom before they saw me. My only hope was Dad or another guard intervening.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “There might not have been love between them, but he didn’t want to see her depressed like she was. He tried to help but nothing worked. He got to the point where he didn’t know what to do for her.”
“Lee’s taken so much from our family, so much from the clan. Whatever the cost, he’s got to be stopped. He can’t continue to ruin lives.”
“I’m going to talk to Ty soon and we’ll put together a plan if he doesn’t already have one,” Tex assured her. He wasn’t certain what would become of her father or Lucy, but Lee had to be a priority. He might not be torturing members like Avery had, but he was still controlling them. More than that, Lee was a threat to Tabitha and all tiger shifters.
“There’s no way I’m going to be able to sleep, so I’m going to go shower and let you two talk.” She rose from the sofa and started to step around his legs when he grabbed hold of her hand.
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