by Celia Kyle
He whoofed in response. Yes, they could both care for her.
Turning from Aidan, he resumed their trek, padding through the spare room and straight into the bathroom. He dropped Rebecca’s robe as he passed through the doorway only to hear her take another two steps toward him.
He halted and turned back to her, his aches finally making themselves known. He pushed them back as he waited to find out what caused Rebecca to follow him.
“Are you—” She cleared her throat and a tremble wracked her. “Are you okay?”
The scents of her worry and heartbreak reached him and he realized they’d never get anywhere unless he was on two feet. A few of the cuts and scrapes he’d acquired still burned and ached. They wouldn’t heal quickly without a shift, so he pushed his animal to the back of his mind and beckoned his human half forward. The wolf readily agreed, accepting his logic and desperate to soothe their mate.
His skin stretched, bones snapped and reformed while muscles lengthened and shortened as needed. It took no time to go from battered wolf to slightly less battered human.
Rebecca gasped, eyes widening, and she took a step back as she pressed a hand to her chest. In fear of him? His heart squeezed, and he fought to remind himself werewolves were new to her. She wasn’t familiar with shifts; men and women changing to wolves and back again.
Instead of reaching for her, Carson remained in place. “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Eventually, she found her voice. “Hurt me? I know you won’t hurt me.” She shook her head. “There’s so much blood. Oh god, Carson, there’s so much.”
So she wasn’t scared of him. He hadn’t realized the worry that weighed on him, but suddenly his shoulders felt lighter with her words.
“Carson?” Aidan called to him, and he turned his attention to his friend, noting the worry coating his features.
He tore his gaze from the man and refocused on Rebecca. Her concern was palpable and reached into his soul. “I’m fine.” He gestured to his body, encompassing himself with a sweep from head to toe. “Most of this is his.”
Still, tears entered her eyes, gathering on her lashes and then trailing down her cheeks.
He reached for her, extending his arm and holding his palm flat. “I’m fine.”
She rushed to him, carefully wrapping her arms around his middle, and he returned the embrace. He’d almost lost her before he had her. Had he been a moment too late… It wasn’t worth worrying about. He had her with him, safe and sound and at his side.
Carson leaned down to press a kiss to Rebecca’s head, risking her rejection while hoping to reassure her. Her body trembled, sniffles and sobs escaping her lips. “Shh… I’m fine.”
“I-I-I was so scared and he… and you… You can’t do that, Carson. I can’t… I don’t know how or why I feel like this, even after… but you can’t do that to me.”
“I’m okay. It’s the way wolves are.” He laid his cheek atop her head. “We’re bloody and violent, but I promise I’ll never hurt you and I’ll keep others from getting near you. I promise. What happened downstairs—never again.”
Another wave of shakes overtook her, and he held her throughout, waiting for the sharp edge of fear to release her. It was wrong of him, but he reveled in the opportunity to touch her. Jealousy had nearly cost him everything and he resolved to push the emotions aside. Pride was nothing when compared to having his mate in his arms.
It took time, minutes ticking past as they clutched each other while Aidan looked on. The man’s gaze was a heavy weight on Carson’s shoulders, but he couldn’t spare a glance for the male, and he was sure his friend’s expression wasn’t one of welcome. His entire focus needed to remain on his mate.
Eventually, the shudders lessened, and she relaxed against him with a sigh.
“You okay?”
“No.” She shook her head, and he smiled.
“You will be. I need to wash and so do you.” While he’d enjoyed their hug, the dead wolf’s blood now coated her robe. “Let Aidan comfort you and I’ll see you both in the living room.”
Even as the pain from losing her touch speared him, Carson was heartened by her reluctance to leave his embrace, at the way her feet shuffled across the tile and rugs decorating the floor. She was just as unwilling to leave him as he was uneasy with her easing from his protection.
Now he needed to convince her, and Aidan, that despite the pain he’d caused, they should never let him go.
Chapter Eight
Carson knew he didn’t have the right to touch or hold Rebecca close and assure himself she was fine. More than fine. She was uninjured and hadn’t suffered more than a bruise from her ordeal.
That didn’t soothe his wolf. No, it enraged the beast. The animal was furious at the wolf who’d threatened her and focused even more of its fury on Carson’s human half.
The beast couldn’t inflict any more pain than he leveled on himself.
Watching Rebecca and Aidan leave the bathroom hand in hand as he remained in place, covered in blood and gore, was one of the hardest things he’d ever done. The wolf needed her with him. He’d fought to save her and now he wanted her within sight. The ache was second only to allowing Aidan to thrust Carson from his life. His heart knew the truth, knew he was born to rule at Aidan’s side. But his mind only saw the twenty-year-old Alpha who was afraid to approach a woman. His friend could face down the most fearsome opponent without a blink, but a female was another story.
At least, it had been then.
After the first time, the tradition was carried forward through the years, Carson choosing a female, convincing them of Aidan’s worth and the pleasure they’d receive, followed by an explosive encounter that lasted hour after hour.
And somewhere along the way, he’d fucked it all up. Now, seeing them together, he realized everything he’d lost.
Years of habits had cost him his future.
Because Rebecca was theirs. His and Aidan’s. He didn’t give a fuck what tradition said. Rebecca belonged to them both. He’d find a way to apologize, to work his way back into their lives, and then they’d claim the woman as their own. He hoped he did it soon, before too much time passed and he was left with nothing.
Standing in the middle of the Ruling Alphas’ suite and waiting for Rebecca and Aidan, he was anxious to repair the damage he’d caused. He just needed one chance, a handful of moments to plead his case.
Eventually Aidan and Rebecca, in a new robe and clean of blood from her hug with Carson, emerged from one of the other rooms within the suite, the scent of arousal and hints of desire clinging to them. The only thing that saved his sanity was the fact he didn’t think they’d made love as Carson sat battling his wolf’s need for her.
They held hands as they emerged, faces flushed but no less worried.
A low snicker came from across the room. “Had a good time, didn’t you?”
The man was obviously an idiot. Desire and sex held two distinct scents.
Rebecca blushed, and Aidan growled, but Carson went into action. He zeroed in on the offending man, moving from one side of the room to the other in a blink. He wrapped his claw-tipped fingers around the male’s throat before he could utter a sound.
Carson squeezed and lifted the wolf until his feet dangled. “Do you have something to say?”
Red-faced and gasping, the wolf pushed out a single word. “No.”
Carson leaned close, grip remaining firm. “I didn’t hear you. Do you have something to say? I’m thinking it should sound like an apology to my mate.”
He internally winced at the slip, but refused to stutter and stammer over the words.
“I-I-I’m s-s-s-sorry.”
“And you’re never going to do it again, are you?” He kept his tone even and calm. He couldn’t allow his wolf to tear away any more control because then he’d be ripping the male to shreds.
“No. Never.”
An annoyed sigh reached him and was immediately followed by Keller’s
irritated voice. “Carson, can you please put the idiot Warden down? We need him for a little while. You can kill him later.”
“How much later?” Carson’s wolf was intrigued by the idea of a time limit. That meant he would eventually get a piece of the Warden.
“A few days.”
“Ten minutes. Fifteen tops.” Madden’s voice overrode Keller’s lie. The gentler—yet deadly—Ruling Alpha was too easy on the idiots.
With a final, threatening snarl, he released the wolf and stepped back as the male fell to the ground in a gasping pile. Giving the Warden one last glare, he strode back across the room and took up a post behind the couch where Aidan and Rebecca now sat.
Rebecca shot him an incredulous look, mouth and eyes wide open, while Aidan’s was dark and calculating. He knew his words stunned the duo, but now wasn’t the time to plead his case. He hoped it would be soon, though.
The still red-faced Warden joined the small group. Several loveseats were turned in a loose circle, each occupied by one of the Wickham sisters and their mates. The last held the idiot werewolf and who Carson assumed was his Warden partner.
“Okay.” Keller clapped his hands. “Let’s get started. First, I want to discuss the dead wolf in the lobby and Rebecca’s brief kidnapping.”
Carson gripped his own biceps, fighting the urge to wrap his arms around Rebecca. Staring at the back of her head, at the way she leaned against his partner and sought comfort from him, speared Carson’s heart. It could have been him with them on the loveseat had he not destroyed their partnership. But they were still tied together despite Aidan’s earlier words. Only the most powerful Warden Pair could sever the bond.
He wouldn’t say a word to the Ruling Wardens, Emmett and Levy. He hoped Aidan would keep his mouth shut as well.
“Rebecca, you start.” Keller’s order had Rebecca snuggling deeper into Aidan’s hold while the other males in the room leaned slightly forward.
Carson eased even closer until his thighs brushed the back of the couch and he leveled a glare on them all. They could listen, but he didn’t want any of them frightening her. He’d done that enough on his own.
He didn’t relax as Rebecca told her story. If anything, he tensed further as thoughts of the recent past took over. The male’s words had been crazed and rambling, spouting nonsense as he’d held a gun to his mate. The threat on Rebecca’s life still had him on edge, but even more so, on the men and women littered through the space.
Emmett was the first to speak. “He said families? Plural?”
Rebecca nodded. “Yes. Does that mean anything? I didn’t understand.”
Levy ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, yeah, it does.”
Whitney, their Warden Born mate, glowed, her skin brightening as the multitude of marks covering her shone. That was what happened when a Warden Born female found her Warden mates. They formed a powerful, almost invincible triad of wolven strength and magic.
He recalled the summary he and Aidan received shortly after last year’s Gathering. Emmett and Levy discovered that contrary to werewolf laws and popular belief, Wardens could have a mate, and their coming together would strengthen their powers.
The only reason no one remembered was due to magical manipulation of the summoning spell by the leaders of the five families.
Oh, god.
“It’s the families, the five families, isn’t it?” His voice was hoarse with emotion, strangled by the implications. “Whitney’s a Wickham and you pissed them off and now they’re after…”
A low, rumbling growl from Emmett reached him, but he didn’t give a damn. Crazed members of the five oldest, most powerful werewolf families had gone after Rebecca. His Rebecca.
“Enough.” Madden’s snap shot through the room, silencing them all.
“Yes.” Keller’s answer filled the quiet. “We spoke to the new patriarch of each after the last Gathering and every male assured us there would be no reprisal. They understood why Emmett, Levy, and Whitney killed the attacking males. They deserved what they got. Then we offered any help they needed. The actions of the fathers were not endorsed by the sons. Plus, the families haven’t caused any trouble since the last Gathering. It seems someone lied, or not everyone agrees with the current leadership and they’re picking up the ex-Elders’ torch.”
“Either option means trouble,” Levy murmured and everyone nodded. “But I’m leaning toward a rogue group. Young, incompetent, and stupid—obviously—but still deadly.”
“I agree,” Madden spoke up. “An adolescent pup could have done a better job.” Madden shook his head and sighed. “The them mating into our lines has me worried there’s a threat to all females, but I think it focuses on Wickham relatives directly. Whitney was part of ending the families. Plus he mentioned the old bastards. That could only mean Sarvis and his associates.”
Everyone knew of Sarvis. He’d been Emmett and Levy’s mentor as well as an Elder. At least until he attempted to end Whitney’s life with the help of the other families and ended up dead himself.
“So, we know the threat and that they think there are more Wickhams or Twynhams running around the Gathering.” Keller’s gaze scanned the room. “We need to find them and protect them while we hunt the men involved in this mess.”
Rebecca’s voice was subdued when she spoke up. “How?”
“That’s why Miles and Holden are here.” Emmett gestured toward the two Wardens.
Carson curled his lip at the still red-faced male and that earned him a glare from the Ruling Warden. He didn’t care. The man’s presence still pissed him off.
Emmett continued. “They have a few specialties, but the one we’re concerned with is their ability to find others, human, wolf, it doesn’t matter. Which means we can use that gift to find those in the Twynham line and discover if they’ve been hauled to the Gathering. They’ve already confirmed there aren’t any Wickhams in the hotel.”
Carson unfolded his arms and gripped the back of the couch, not liking how the two males stared at Rebecca. Could they still do their jobs if they were blinded? He was more than willing to test the theory.
Levy cleared his throat and narrowed his eyes at Carson. “They can also determine if a female is destined to mate with a pair of wolves.”
Carson’s body froze, blood no longer pumping through his veins. If a woman was summoned to the Gathering, she was either Alpha Marked or Warden Born. Period. Sure, there’d been some question about Whitney’s presence last year, but once the Warden Born were rediscovered, her attendance was explained.
But what about Rebecca?
His mate must have felt the same because she whimpered and buried her face against Aidan’s neck. At the same time her small, trembling hand found Carson’s, and he grasped her fingers. He didn’t want to read too much into her reach for him, but he savored the shaky touch.
“I don’t want to know.” Rebecca’s words were muffled, but based on the frowns everyone wore, they heard.
“Rebecca,” Scarlet murmured and climbed from her mates’ laps. She padded across the room, and Carson’s wolf went on alert. The Ruling Alpha Mate was Rebecca’s cousin and yet… “I talked to my mother. It’s important you let them do this. I think—she thinks—your accident wasn’t an accident.”
Carson’s heartbeat pounded in his ears, and he heard Rebecca’s heart race.
“What do you mean?” his mate rasped.
“Our grandmothers were Marked. Mine ended up in a happy mating while yours didn’t.” Scarlet’s words were soothing and calm. “Mom thinks that maybe you had a Mark and then… at the annual reunion…”
“I was burned. You don’t think…”
Carson’s heart ached for her, thrummed in empathetic grief.
“I do. Mom’s looking for old pictures from before that reunion, before… Maybe she can find something, but these guys can tell for sure right now.” Scarlet’s gaze met his and he found nothing but sympathy in her eyes. “You’ll know if Carson and Aidan are yours once an
d for all.”
Joy suffused him right alongside agony. He’d know she was theirs just as he lost what tied them together.
“Mine.” Aidan snarled. “No matter what, she’s mine.”
The same word burst to his lips, and he swallowed it. He had no right to make a claim. But then Rebecca turned her head and met his eyes. Hers overflowed with tears, pain, and longing. He couldn’t have remained still had he tried. Instead, he reached out and cupped her cheek, catching the moisture with his thumb. The tears were like a stab to his heart, the agony rising with each breath until he mouthed the word filling his mind.
“Mine.”
Rebecca nodded and turned back to the crouching Scarlet. “Okay.”
“Okay.” Scarlet grinned. “It’s kinda neat, but boring. You stand there, and they stare at you a lot.”
The Ruling Alpha Mate rolled her eyes and then stepped aside. When Rebecca rose, Aidan at her side, Carson was quick to round the loveseat and stand at her left. That earned him a glare from Aidan, but Rebecca clutched his hand.
He’d take her affection over Aidan’s anger any day of the week.
Then it was as Scarlet described. Miles and Holden approached, and while Holden glared at him, Miles looked wary. Good, they should both fear him.
“Okay, just relax,” the idiot Warden murmured and then there was a lot of standing and staring before they both turned and stared at each other.
That lasted for a second or two and Carson imagined the two males were speaking telepathically before they became intent on their trio once again.
Holden stared at Miles and the man shook his head. “Hell no, I’m not doing it, you do it.”
“Damn it, you just have to point,” Holden growled.
“I’m not pointing. You point.” Miles was still shaking his head.
“Miles.”
“Holden. You were not the one being choked.”
Holden dropped his head back to stare at the ceiling. “If you weren’t such an ass, that wouldn’t have happened.”
Miles shrugged. “I am who I am.”
Carson would have been happier if the man at least apologized for being a dick. Instead of waiting for them to see who’d grow a set of balls first, he growled. “Just say it already.”