Sergei nodded. At least it wasn’t as bad as it could be. “Is there anything else before I go back to Isanti’s?”
“Well, Julie and Kylie can’t stay alone here at the lodge with Chuck running lose. I’d take the girls home with me, but it’s just Jenny and me. I’m afraid two old women wouldn’t be much protection for them.”
“I’m sure they would be welcome at Isanti’s. With all the Shadow Walkers visiting, we should be able to protect two young ones,” Sergei said. Where the girls would sleep, he didn’t know. If they had to, they could sleep in his and Lindy’s room.
“Oh, thank you! I knew you’d keep the girls safe. I already told them to pack an overnight bag. When do you think you and your mate will move into the Alpha’s lodge?”
“Why don’t we wait and see if I win the Alpha’s Challenge. No sense making plans until we know for sure I’m staying.”
“Oh, yes. I guess you’re right. I’m getting ahead of myself. I just know you and Lindy are going to be good for our pack. I’ll get Julie and Kylie. Your Shadow Walker friend is with them in the kitchen.”
Allie opened the door and stiffened when the young man Sergei thought of as Cowboy stood there, his hand raised to knock. Sergei quickly stood, moving into position to protect the older woman.
“I didn’t know. They didn’t tell me. I’d never let them hurt Julie. Please, you have to believe me. Henry asked me to hang out with Chuck and Silas. I’ll do anything. You have to believe me. Julie. Is she okay?”
Allie looked at Sergei. “What’s your name?” Sergei asked.
“Travis. Please…”
“Come here, Travis.” Sergei took the young man by the arm and pulled him into the office. “Get the girls ready, Allie.”
She nodded and closed the door behind her. “All right, Travis. Tell me everything you know,” Sergei said. Travis stood before him, his head bowed, wringing his hands.
“Well, I wanted to train to be a Beta. Julie’s dad wanted to take me on and then he was killed along with his mate. Henry told me to stick close to Chuck and report back to him on what the Beta was up to. I think Chuck was suspicious of me. I caught him and Silas whispering behind my back more than once.
“I tried to figure out what they were doing. I soon realized they were ditching me when they didn’t want me to know. Chuck hated Henry and talked about taking over the pack when he died. I warned Henry. I warned him Julie might be in danger too. Chuck seemed to think all the women in the pack should be available to him unless they were mated. He said Julie was young enough that she could be trained properly and he was the man to do it. I tried to look out for her after that. I made sure to always be there when Chuck picked Julie up and brought her back to the lodge…”
“All right, Travis. That’s enough. I get the picture.”
“Julie hates me now. She won’t even look at me. I wanted to protect her…”
Sergei looked closely at Travis. Really looked hard. There it was. A thread like golden light attached to Travis’s heart. If Sergei wasn’t wrong, the thread led right to Julie’s heart. These two were meant to heartmate.
“She’ll forgive you once she realizes you were undercover for Henry. It might take a while, but don’t lose hope.”
“You think so, Alpha?”
“I know so, Travis. Now go home. You can see Julie tomorrow.”
“Oh, I uh, am home. Henry let me stay here at the lodge.”
Sergei frowned. He didn’t want the young lycan here alone. No telling what Chuck might do next. If they lost Travis, they could lose Julie with the mating bond already manifesting.
“I guess you don’t want me here…” Travis’s shoulders drooped even more.
“Not for the reasons you believe. I want you to come with me to Mr. Quiet Thunder’s house. I don’t want you staying here alone.”
“My little brother, Chase lives here too. You met him earlier. He’s on the Elders council as the representative for the teenagers.” Sergei remembered the young man, who also had a tendency to wring his hands.
“Go get him. Pack an overnight bag for the two of you. You’ll be staying with me tonight.” What was Lindy going to say when he brought home not two, but four young lycans who needed protection? “Oh, Travis?” Sergei asked as the young man reached for the door handle. “How old are you?”
“Twenty, I turn twenty-one next summer.”
“And Chase?”
“He’s fourteen.”
Sergei nodded. “Gather what you need. I’ll be in the kitchen.”
“Yes, Alpha.” Travis hurried from the room.
§
“Gwen, stop pacing. You’re making me more nervous than I already am,” Lindy sat in one of the chairs in the living room. Her knees drawn up, holding them tightly. “I shouldn’t have left him. What if Chuck attacked him?”
“Hugh and Joe are still with Sergei. We would know if something happened,” Isanti said walking in with a plate of leftover food.
“How can you eat at a time like this?” Gwen stopped and asked. “We’ve been discovered to be lycans. A man has been killed.”
“All of it will work out in the end. You girls were always lycans and Shadow Walkers. I knew sooner or later you would shift,” Isanti said before taking a bite of turkey.
“It would have been nice if you told us, Dad,” Lindy said, feeling a little hurt.
“You wouldn’t have believed me. Besides, I promised your mother not to bring it up unless one of you shifted. Neither one of you came and told me you could shift. I’m your father, you should have told me.”
“Lindy didn’t shift until today,” Gwen said.
“Ah, so it is only you who have lied to me?” Isanti asked.
“I didn’t lie. I just didn’t tell you,” Gwen said, tears beginning to run down her face.
Lindy and Isanti both got up and wrapped Gwen in their arms. “But why,čhuŋkší. I love you,” Isanti asked.
“I was afraid, afraid I would turn into something horrible like Chuck. Mean and aggressive, picking on those weaker than me. I hated being a wolf.”
“But you could never be those things. You are a healer and empath. You are filled with compassion and concern for others. Your wolf only makes you stronger,” Isanti said wiping the tears from Gwen’s cheeks.
Lindy felt her own eyes water. She was so lucky to have such a wonderful family. Unlike Gwen, she felt the wildness in Sergei and knew it could be controlled. She knew also that it made him a loyal and protective man. It scared her to shift, but she wasn’t afraid to learn about being a wolf.
“I should have told you, até. Instead, I let my fear turn to hate. I’m sorry. Lindy I’m so sorry for how I’ve acted.”
“I knew you were afraid, Gwen. I didn’t blame you,” Lindy said smiling at her sister. “It seemed like you were coming around.”
“Sergei is very charming. I see how much he loves you. It wasn’t hard to see you were safe with him.” Gwen rubbed at her face and chuckled. “I wouldn’t want to see what happened to anyone who threatened you. Sergei would rip them limb from limb.”
A knock sounded at the door. They all looked up. “Why would anyone be knocking?” Gwen asked.
Lindy opened the door. A young brown haired woman of small stature stood on the porch surrounded by four huge men.
“Is Sergei Sokolov here?” the tallest and widest of the bunch said stepping forward. “We are his family, newly arrived from Siberia. I’m Artur, second oldest after Sergei.”
“Uh, come in. Sergei should be returning shortly. I’m Lindy, his mate.” Lindy stepped back and allowed the group to enter. She could see the family resemblance in the brothers with their light hair and blue gray eyes. What was she going to do with all these houseguests? There was no motel in Greeney. “This is my father, Isanti, and my sister, Gwen.”
“Gwen,” one of the twin brothers said stepping forward and taking her hand, “it’s wonderful to meet you. I am Mischa, third oldest brother and twin to Matfei who i
s mated to Sonya.”
The young woman actually curtsied and the other twin put his arm around her. Lindy was surprised when Gwen actually blushed and dropped her eyes. Gwen was reacting to Sergei’s brother?
“I’m Gavriil, the youngest and cutest brother.” The fourth man said. He winked.
“It’s nice to meet all of you. Can we get you something to eat or drink?” Lindy asked.
“Oh, yes, please,” Gavriil said. “Airplane food is not so good.”
“Don’t let him eat you out of house and home. His stomach is endless,” Sonya said and everyone chuckled.
§
Sergei sat next to Kylie and Julie in the station wagon they had borrowed from the pack. Joe drove while Hugh told stories to entertain the young ones. Travis and Chase sat all the way in the back. They arrived at Isanti’s house and piled out. Joe grabbed the girls’ bag from the back and they walked onto the porch. Loud laughter filtered through the door.
“I guess the party is still going,” Hugh said reaching for the door.
Sergei frowned. Lindy hadn’t worried about him? They stepped into the front room. Sergei couldn’t believe his eyes. He handed Kylie to Julie as his four brothers pounced.
“Finally, you come home,” Artur said, hugging him hard. Gavriil grabbed him around the waist while Mischa and Matfei pounded him on the back, one on each side. “Your mate has been telling us about this Shadow Walking.”
Sonya stood back a little until Sergei reached out and she squeezed in under his shoulder.
“You came…” Sergei managed to get out, his voice choked up. He hadn’t been sure he’d ever see his family again. “I wasn’t sure you’d want to.”
“Of course we came,” Artur said. “We brought you this.” Artur reached into his pocket and pulled out a velvet pouch. “Mother’s ring to give to your mate.”
The men stepped back, Matfei taking Sonya with him. Sergei opened the pouch and a blue sapphire ring fell into his hand.
“Lindy,” he said reaching out to her. She walked into his arms. “This ring has been in my family for many generations. It is said to have been given to one of our ancestors by the then monarch of Russia along with his blessing on a marriage. It has been passed down first son to first son to be given to the mate of their choosing. I now give it to you. Will you wear my ring?”
“Of course, Sergei. It’s beautiful. What a lovely family tradition.” Sergei slipped the ring on Lindy’s left hand and then held her tightly. She wrapped her arms around him. “You’re tired. It’s been a long day.”
“Yes, and tomorrow I must win the Alpha Challenge if I wish to be Alpha of pack Argent.”
“What?” his brothers asked in unison.
Chapter Eleven
Sergei held Lindy in his arms. Luckily, they had their room all to themselves. Julie and Kylie slept in a small guest room down the hall, while Travis and Chase, and his brothers slept at the bunkhouse used by the men on staff here at the ranch. Since it was winter, only a few hands were needed to watch over the stock and there were plenty of extra beds.
“I don’t like the idea that you have to fight tomorrow…” Lindy said, her breath whispering against the skin of his chest.
“I tried to explain everything to you downstairs.” Sergei sighed. Would Lindy still want him after she saw him fight as a wolf?
“Let me finish. I was going to say that even though I don’t like the need to fight, I understand the tradition behind it. Please be careful, tomorrow.”
“I will do my best, Lindy. Now that I’ve found you, I want nothing to keep us apart.”
“What could keep us apart?” Lindy sat up and looked at him. Confusion filled her gaze.
“Alpha challenges can be brutal. Wolves have died, not that I’m expecting to,” he quickly added, worried about her reaction.
“You could die? Why does the fight have to be to the death? You didn’t say that downstairs.” Lindy’s eyes heated with her ire.
Sergei smiled. He loved it when she stood up to him. “My brothers and your father already knew the parameters of the fight. I didn’t want to mention it in front of the children and your sister. She’s already afraid of her wolf. I didn’t want to give her another reason to fear lycans.”
“The fight doesn’t have to be to the death, does it?”
“Often a challenger is desperate to win. I won’t know until I’m fighting him. You do understand that I might have to kill him to survive, right?”
“I understand killing to survive, I just wish you didn’t have to do it. Now I’m going to worry. How will I sleep, knowing I might lose you?”
“You aren’t going to lose me. As for sleeping, come here and kiss me. I can make sure you’re tired enough to sleep.”
Lindy leaned down and took his mouth. He could feel her fear in how aggressively she kissed. He kissed her back, his wolf rising to the wildness of his mate. Their tongues tangled and she sucked hard keeping his tongue trapped in her mouth. Sergei gentled his response while sending reassurance and love through the mating bond.
“I need you to believe in me. It could make the difference in the fight tomorrow. Your fear can weaken me,” he sent into her thoughts while tugging her into their link.
“I do believe in you, I also don’t want to lose you.” Lindy climbed up his body, positioning herself over his already hard erection. She slowly lowered, engulfing him one inch at a time. Sergei groaned.
Lindy smiled triumphantly, holding him deeply inside her. Her emotions swirled around him, mixing with his. Their passion and desire to please their mate merged. Love so strong it brought tears to their eyes wrapped them tightly together.
“I love you so much,” Sergei said blinking. “You’re killing me.”
“I know, wolf man. I feel what you feel.” Lindy lifted and then released, encircling him again.
Sergei leaned up and licked at the nipple tempting him. He too could drive his mate crazy. Lindy gasped. She lifted her hips and then swiveled as she lowered back down. Sergei hummed his pleasure while sucking the nubbin deep.
§
Fire licked at her insides. Lindy leaned forward urging Sergei to keep teasing her breasts. His pleasure as well as hers filled her mind. She rose again, setting a faster pace, thrilled that she could cause such a strong reaction in her mate. He gripped her hips and switched sides, attending to the other nipple begging for attention.
More heat surrounded them and settled in their joining. Her body wept even as it tightened. Suddenly a wave of pleasure cascaded over both of them. Lindy sheathed him, gripping hard. She fought to catch her breath as fireworks exploded behind her closed eyelids.
Sergei shouted her name and more fire filled her. She slumped forward as his arms surrounded her, holding her safe. Their locked minds flew into the ether. When she came back to earth, her cheek rested over his beating heart. She moved to kiss his heaving chest. This man belonged to her. She wouldn’t even consider losing him. She was right where she belonged, connected to him, mind, body and soul.
§
Morning sunlight streamed in the window. Lindy lay sprawled atop Sergei, her arm wrapped around his waist as if she feared to let him go. Sergei brushed her hair off her face and kissed her forehead. He would win the day. He could do nothing less. He took her wildflower scent deep into his lungs wishing nothing more than to stay right where he was, but a whole pack depended on him. He hadn’t known Henry for long, but when an Alpha charged you to care for his pack, your wolf listened and Sergei wouldn’t be who he was if he didn’t answer the challenge.
The smell of bacon wafted into the room. Sergei smiled and wondered how long they had until Gwen pounded on the door to get them up. When the knock came it was the voice of a lonely four-year-old that made Sergei slide from beneath his mate and grab a pair of pants off the chair.
“What is it, Kylie?” Sergei asked opening the door and kneeling down to the child’s level.
“Miss Gwen said breakfast is almost ready. Will you come?�
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“Of course,” Sergei said scooping the child up into his arms. She kissed his cheek and smiled.
“Julie says you’re going to be the new Alpha. I’m glad. I can live with you now and Lindy can be my new mommy.”
“Well, it hasn’t been completely decided by the pack yet. I’ll do my best to see that it happens. Go on downstairs and tell Miss Gwen that I will get Lindy up and be down in a few.” He put the child down. “Don’t eat all the bacon while I’m getting dressed.”
“Okay,” she called running down the hall.
Sergei smiled and closed the door. He turned to see Lindy smiling at him.
“Wow, not even married yet, and we have a four-year-old.” She sat up brushing her long hair over her shoulders.
“The pack Alpha takes in orphaned children. It’s always been that way.” Sergei shrugged.
“In our tribe, it was always the Shaman who took the children in. That’s why I have so many foster brothers and a foster sister. I guess, Derek and Katherine will take the children now since he is training to take over from my father. You will be careful today, right?”
“Still worried, lyubov moya? Put your fears aside. I will win the day.”
“Now you’re being arrogant.”
“No, self-assured, an important trait an Alpha needs to have. With my brothers here I no longer need worry about seconds. Artur will be my Beta, with the twins and Gavriil as my lieutenants. We will do our best to make the Argent pack financially secure and improve the quality of life for its members. You should get up. Gwen sent Kylie to call us for breakfast.”
“All right. It would help if you put on a shirt. All I can think about is licking the dips between the muscles of your chest.”
“Tonight, after I win the Alpha Challenge, you can lick all you like.”
§
Lindy walked into the kitchen. The first thing she noticed was Gwen smiling up at Mischa. He held two platters of food and whispered something Lindy didn’t catch. The look of pleasure on Gwen’s face was astounding. Lindy squinted her eyes and for a second a thin golden string of light could be seen connecting the two. Was Gwen supposed to mate Mischa?
Shadow Mate Page 11