by Dana Archer
Hannah stepped next to them. “But what if it doesn’t? You’ll eventually be killed unless your wolf allows you to transfer the spirit. You said it wouldn’t. What makes you think now will be any different?”
“Because Nic’s wolf has accepted me.” Riley turned cautious eyes on him. “Hasn’t it?”
He reached inside himself and touched the wolf who’d remained watchful yet quiet throughout the conversation, exactly as his baser half was meant to be—his complement. They were one, bridged by Riley’s love, and both would offer their strength to accomplish the same goal. God, it felt good to finally be at peace.
“You’re our mate, baby.” Nic cupped Riley’s face between his hands. “We’ll do anything to keep you.” She grinned. He pressed his lips to hers. “I love you, and I will mate you. First, I must accept my destiny.”
She kissed him, not passionately but so sweetly his heart did crazy things in his chest. A weight lifted off him while his emotions mixed. He wanted to lay her down, take her hard, and tell her he loved her over and over until happy tears filled her eyes. He pulled back, not because he wanted to but to avoid giving in to the urges she evoked within him.
He looked over Riley’s head and caught Hannah’s gaze. “Take Riley to our house and put Chris and John on guard over her. I’m going to assert myself as the rightful alpha and knock my competition down. I don’t want anyone to step into the circle with me.”
The idea of fighting and injuring his pack members left a sick feeling in his gut, but such was the fate of an alpha. He’d never be free of the tests from other dominants. Like a true Kagan, he’d prove his worth outside the ceremonial grounds, leaving his friends alive but wounded.
Riley tightened her grip on him. “Be safe and come back to me.”
“Always, angel. I’ll always come back.”
And she’d be there to welcome him with open arms.
Chapter 23
Blood dripped from Nic’s clawed hands onto the wet forest floor. The howl of another pack mate broke the quiet of the night. Nic ignored the call for a moment. The other wolf wanted to find Nic, to fight with him, most likely. Nic would deal with him if it came to it, but first he had to put the kid he’d taught how to throw a fastball in his place.
He led Quinn, Sean’s younger brother, to the clearing next to the pack’s sacred grounds, then circled him, looking for the right opportunity to pop his kneecaps. Nic didn’t want to inflict the injury. It was as painful for a shifter as it was for a human, but it was the quickest and kindest way to take Quinn out.
Although newly matured, Quinn was strong. In a few years, he’d probably end up third or fourth among the dominants. For the sake of the pack, his strength was a blessing. At the moment, it made Nic’s job harder. The deep gouge he’d left on Quinn’s chest would’ve killed a beta or a human. It hadn’t even slowed the young shifter down.
“Why don’t we take this fight to the circle?” Quinn matched Nic’s steps, keeping a taunting distance between them. “Or are you afraid to lose?”
Nic ground his teeth. He knew better than to engage the other shifters in a verbal battle they’d both regret later. They were running high on adrenaline and their natural-born instincts, which were intensified by the full moon. Quinn also had the cockiness of youth pushing him to assert himself. At twenty-nine, Nic wasn’t exactly old. A lot had happened to him since he’d matured, however. He wasn’t exactly wise, but he’d lived, suffered, and hurt.
He’d also loved. And that was the only thing keeping him sane in the face of the same adrenaline and aggressiveness fueling Quinn. No way would Nic allow the fight to take him over, however. He had something to go home to that didn’t involve only power. He had Riley.
“What?” Quinn chuckled. “Not going to accept my challenge?”
“You can’t challenge me, kid. I’m not alpha, not yet, at least.”
Quinn growled. “I’m not a kid.”
“Really?” Nic raised a brow. “So you have a female ready to accept you as her mate?”
Quinn stopped circling and sneered. “Sure, I’ll just take the one you’d planned to mate. She doesn’t care about love.”
“Maybe not, but you should. Talk to your brother about it. He’ll tell you it’s important.” Nic took a couple of steps closer, watching the younger shifter’s body language. “So will I. Love is more important than anything, power included.”
Quinn frowned. His tightly fisted hands loosened. “You love Maria? I didn’t think you even knew her.”
Nic took another step. “Do you?”
“It doesn’t matter, does it?” Quinn shifted his gaze to Nic’s nose. “She picked you.”
Nic snorted. “She didn’t pick me. She wants the strength I can offer her.”
Quinn snarled. “She’s a fool.”
“No, the male who loves her is a fool to let her throw her life away.”
Quinn studied him but remained quiet.
“Her true mate would fight for her love, not the right to force a claim on her.”
Quinn straightened. “She’s stubborn. Maria thinks the only way to save her pack is through power.”
“Oh, she’s right, but”—Nic matched the other shifter’s less aggressive pose—“strength isn’t only physical. Look at Hannah. Would you call her weak?”
“No. She’d have my balls.”
Nic chuckled. “That she would.”
“I love her.”
“Maria?” Nic asked to make sure.
“Yeah.” Quinn ran a hand through his sweaty hair. “So what are you telling me, Nic? Are you going to mate her? ’Cause if you are, I will kill you. Here or in the circle. I don’t care how it happens.”
Nic shook his head. “No, I’ve found my true mate. Nobody will take her place.”
Quinn’s brows turned down. “Who?”
“You’ll find out tomorrow.” Nic jerked his chin to the side. “Now get out of here.”
Quinn nodded and then motioned behind Nic. He turned and found one of the Tanner betas slinking forward in wolf form.
“You need help with him?” Quinn asked.
“No, go find your female. This is my fate.” It always had been.
“Thanks, Nic”—Quinn cleared his throat—“for everything.”
Quinn trotted off, and the small gray wolf shifted into a male Nic had never seen before. The Tanner male held his hands up. “I’m not here to fight.”
Nic maneuvered himself between the other shifter and the ceremonial circle where Hannah and three of his first cousins waited. Tradition required their presence to witness the transfer of the spirit wolf.
“Then why are you in my territory so close to the full moon’s peak?” He swept his hand out to encompass the woods where several more betas waited. “And why did you bring support?”
Maria walked from the woods, dressed in loose shorts and a tank top. “I brought them.”
“Send them away”—Nic stepped forward—“and go with them.”
“Word has reached our pack of your father’s death. I’ve come with those males loyal to me to offer you support.”
“I don’t need their help.” Nic looked between Maria and the betas behind her. He shook his head. “I also don’t think your alpha would approve of his males helping a rival pack.”
“You’re not a rival.” She raised her chin. “Besides, my alpha was thrilled to learn you chose me to be your mate.”
“Your true mate has spoken to me.” It was a wild guess, but Nic hoped Quinn’s interest in Maria meant more than a physical fascination.
Maria tensed. “My true mate? That’s ridiculous. Why would I agree to mate you if I had met my true mate?”
“No clue. Stubborn, maybe?” Nic lowered his voice. “Whatever the reason, you and I won’t be mating. Now turn around and walk away. I have a destiny to claim, and yours is looking for you.”
“And a mate to claim.” Maria leaned forward. “Isn’t that the true reason you don’t want me? You’ve deci
ded to damn your pack by falling in love with a human.”
He growled. “Leave now.”
“You’ll regret your choice, Nic.”
Before he could say another word, she spun on her heel and strode away.
Maria was wrong. The only choice he regretted was walking away from Riley four years ago. He wouldn’t repeat it.
Chapter 24
Riley stood at the window in Nic’s bedroom. The full moon had risen. Soon, it’d reach its peak, the critical one-hour window when the destiny of the pack was altered. Normally, the pack members would’ve gathered around the ceremonial circle to experience the sacred transfer. The death of Nic’s dad changed things, however. Primal law ruled tonight—ensuring only the strong survived. Or at least it was supposed to happen that way.
She prayed it didn’t come down to an official challenge between Nic and any of the other dominants. Nic had been right in worrying about his pack and what would happen if they’d found out about his dad’s inability to call his wolf and the loss of the spirit wolf. Their efforts to avoid the truth getting out hadn’t saved them, however.
It was partially her fault too. She could’ve sent the Tanner male home days ago. She hadn’t. Riley feared what would’ve happened to him if he couldn’t protect himself. He’d already been tortured and left to die. She hadn’t been able to find out why either. Every time she’d asked him, he’d closed his eyes.
She blew out a rough breath. She had to let it go. The past couldn’t be changed.
It had been a hard lesson to learn too. So many times she’d wished she could’ve gone back and done something different, but life didn’t work that way. Mistakes couldn’t be undone. You either learned from them and moved on, or let them ruin you. She chose the former. It was the only way to survive. At the moment, the future loomed before her, not the one she’d planned but one she’d fight to hold on to. As long as she had Nic, she’d be content, with or without a baby. So would Nic. He and his wolf had picked her.
For her. Not for what she could give them. Well, maybe that wasn’t quite true. She offered them peace, love, and hope. She’d healed them. The knowledge made every tear she’d shed worth it. Love had prevailed against all odds.
Riley grinned and turned away from the window. Nic would soon accept the spirit wolf. Although she wished she could’ve watched the ceremony, she wasn’t a fool. If anyone caught wind of what she was to Nic, her life would be in danger. No way would she risk it. Besides, what happened afterward would make up for missing the transfer. Nic would return to her, aroused and ready to claim his mate. She couldn’t wait. Until then, however, she had plans to finalize.
If they were going to attempt to fool Mother Nature, she needed to get in touch with the doctor who’d perform the GIFT procedure. She’d have to be placed on hormones to ensure she was at the right stage in her cycle for the next full moon.
She hurried out of the room. Her cell phone sat on the desk in Nic’s living room with the bag of necessities she’d packed in the five minutes before Hannah had ushered her to safety. The rest of her stuff would have to get moved another time. She didn’t expect to need many clothes anyway. From what she’d heard from other shifters, a newly mated male was insatiable. Nic already couldn’t get enough of her. Once he was bonded to her? They’d be lucky to find time to eat between bouts of sex and sleep.
A wolf’s howl stopped her halfway down the stairs. She gripped the railing and listened. No other noises reached her. She waited a moment more. The pack protectors who stood guard outside didn’t rush into the house. No sounds of fighting carried through the partially open window in Nic’s bedroom. The house line didn’t ring, warning her to barricade herself in the bathroom.
She glanced between the foyer and the upstairs hallway. The noise most likely came from one of the pack members calling out to another. If the situation was different, she wouldn’t have thought anything of it. Tensions were running high among all the shifters, however.
No doubt the clinic would be flooded with cases tomorrow. Guilt hit her. She pushed it away. Her other nurses would have to deal with it. They were competent enough, and Nona would help out if needed. The next few days belonged to her and Nic. They’d waited long enough for them.
And she wasn’t going to miss them.
Riley made her way back to Nic’s room and closed the window. No shifter, in human or wolf form, could’ve reached the small opening. Even if they had, they wouldn’t have been able to squeeze through it. Still, she felt better securing it. With that done, she jogged down the stairs.
No other howls reached her ears. The silence bothered her almost as much, though. Trepidation settled over her. Worry for Nic caused it. She understood the reason behind the sensation making her skin crawl. The rationalization didn’t soothe her. Nothing would, not until she held him and could see for herself he was safe.
Thoughts of what he was encountering invaded her mind. He’d be fighting his friends. Hurting them. And if they ganged up on him? Her breathing quickened. No, he’d be fine. Nic was strong and honorable.
She shoved away the debilitating images of Nic hurt or dead. It wouldn’t happen. Nic had promised to return to her. She had to hold his vow close and let everything else go. As a human, she didn’t have a choice.
Until he returned to her, she needed to keep busy. Planning their future would do that. In the hallway, she stopped and placed a hand over her belly. If all went as she hoped, she’d soon be pregnant with Jenna and Nic’s baby. No jealousy gripped her. Elation did. No matter whose genes created Nic’s child, the little boy would still be hers. She’d bring him into the world. She’d nurture, love, and comfort him like Nona had done for her and Alex.
Or her. There was no guarantee she’d have a boy. Her smile widened at the image of Nic and his baby girl. He’d be as wonderful with a daughter as he would with a son. Riley had seen firsthand how great he was with his little cousins.
The more she thought about the future, the more excited she got, but a twinge of concern dimmed her eagerness. Many of the shifter packs clung to the old ways. Although they’d recognized the necessity of informing the human governments of their species, few accepted the human’s offers of help. The Kagan pack had, along with the ones led by Nicholas Kagan’s cousins. Many others refused and instead chose to seclude themselves from the world, living deep in the back country.
Some, like the Tanner pack, however, walked a fine line. They took the financial and technical assistance given to them, but had reverted to the primitive laws of nature. Mate runs where unmated females offered themselves up to the strongest male were encouraged, along with dominance fights to the death. Both were meant to weed out the weak.
To those shifters who followed the strict rules of shifter culture, she would be considered unfit as a mate. And the child she might bring into the world? A chill ran down her spine. Riley swallowed hard. She couldn’t allow the worry to take hold. Nic’s baby would be incredibly strong, especially with Jenna’s genes adding to his.
Her rationalization settled her nerves. She had to trust in Nic. He’d protect her and their child. So too would Sean. In a roundabout way, Nic and Riley’s baby would be his too.
She blew out a breath and walked toward the rear of the house. The door to the library stood open. She slipped inside and grabbed her cell phone. For a moment, she debated calling. It was late, but the man who’d promised to help her was a pack doctor. He’d be at his shifter hospital waiting to treat any injuries. The full moon was a busy time even for packs not facing the primal situation the Kagan shifters were immersed in.
She scrolled through her contacts and selected the number. A loud crash from behind her stopped her from dialing it. She spun in time to find a large gray wolf hopping to its feet. Her heart took up an erratic beat. The markings on its body didn’t match any of the Kagan wolves.
A Tanner wolf?
Or a loner? Many roamed the country. From dominants who couldn’t live under the rule of their alph
a to shifters who refused to be contained, lone wolves were a wild card. Some were harmless. Others would be drawn to the prospect of claiming the Kagan pack as their own.
Why they would come after her, she couldn’t guess. Unless they knew what she was to Nic, it’d make no sense killing her. No matter the reason, the drooling animal who focused its amber eyes on her would kill her. She saw the confirmation in its deadly gaze.
A second unrecognizable wolf barreled through the broken sliding door. Bigger than the first, it had bloody claw marks raked down its sides.
Her cell phone slipped from her fingers. It banged against the floor, and the larger wolf whipped its head in her direction. The animal lifted its lip on a snarl. Fear turned her blood to ice. She knew better than to run, but she had to get away from them. She took a slow backward step.
Both wolves lowered their heads and approached on a slinking crawl. Riley backed toward the fireplace. The animals matched her.
Stalked her.
She glanced from their powerful jaws to their feet. Shifters turned into wolves, but they weren’t exactly like their animal counterparts. They were more—dangerous, powerful, and vicious. Elongated nails tipped their paws. And if they decided to embrace their werewolf form? Their clawed hands would tear her to shreds.
She bit her lip to stop a whimper from escaping and took another step.
Another wolf jumped through the broken sliding glass door. A Kagan wolf. Chris. She recognized him. A second wolf followed—John, his partner. Both skidded on the shards of glass scattered over the hardwood floor. The sharp pieces didn’t faze her guards. They rushed forward and attacked the two wolves who’d broken in.
Chris and the larger of the two unknown wolves tumbled toward her in a mess of fur and snapping jaws. She scrambled away from them. Her back hit the wall. She watched in horror as they fought in a blur she could barely discern. She focused on the two closest, Chris and the injured shifter.