by Dana Archer
No! He needed to get to her. He shifted into his werewolf form, jumped to his feet and charged Derek, who blocked him from Riley. They met in a slam of bodies and snapping jaws. Nic grabbed Derek’s hair and tugged his head back, offering Nic the bloodless kill he sought. Riley didn’t need to see her lover rip another male’s throat out.
He grasped Derek’s neck and wrenched it to the side. The crack of snapping bone resounded in the night. Nic didn’t allow himself to enjoy the win or the death of his enemy. He dropped the shifter’s lifeless body and ran. All he cared about was getting to Riley.
The walls disappeared before he reached the edge. The truck he’d spied moments before closed the distance. Chris and another dominant charged the moving vehicle while Hannah pushed Riley’s head down, urging her to the ground. His little sister curled around Riley, protecting Nic’s true mate with her body. No! Neither female would die or suffer a moment of pain, not if Nic could stop it.
He pushed himself harder but watched helplessly as the truck’s window opened. A flash of silver showed a second before a shot fired. Nic leapt for Riley and Hannah. He landed in front of them, saving them from the bullet aimed at their heads. It embedded in Nic’s shoulder instead. He grunted with the impact but dismissed the burning pain a moment later.
He pivoted and scanned the clearing, looking for the shifter who’d tried to kill Riley. Chris pulled him from the truck, while the other dominant who’d followed Chris pummeled the driver’s face with his fists.
Nic ran toward them. Riley called his name, worry in her tone, but he couldn’t comfort her. The fight playing out in front of him had to stop. Enough blood had been shed. The Tanner shifters should be punished for trying to kill Riley, but whether they deserved death was another thing.
The possibility they were only following Derek’s direction couldn’t be dismissed. Combined with a blood oath, any command given to the shifters would be nearly impossible to ignore.
Nic’s chest tightened on a wave of frustration and anger. A blood oath would explain why the Tanner protector had attacked Nic’s dad. The convulsions the shifter had experienced added to Nic’s theory. Physical pain accompanied any resistance to a blood oath. And the male’s apology right before he committed suicide? It almost guaranteed Nic’s thoughts.
He inwardly cursed. He should’ve considered the possibility sooner and prevented the tragedy, but his mind hadn’t been clear enough to focus. The constant battle of wills with his wolf had left Nic and his pack vulnerable.
No longer. Riley fixed him. She bridged both sides of him, made him into a true alpha and saved his pack mates from suffering under the depraved Tanner wolf’s rule.
She truly was the Kagan pack’s guardian angel.
For her, he had to stop the fight. She respected life and hated the senseless killing the Tanner pack embraced.
“Stop!” Nic yelled.
The dominant who fought with the driver of the truck froze midswing. Chris didn’t. He slammed the bleeding Tanner male into the side of the truck, denting the door. The shifter groaned. His eyes rolled back, and his head lolled to the side, exposing his vulnerable neck. Chris raised his clawed hand, ready to strike the final blow.
“No.” Nic caught Chris’s forearm. “Nobody else dies tonight.”
Chris snarled. A wild glint hazed his eyes, and the muscles under Nic’s palm tensed. “He deserves death. They all do! Animals, that’s all they are! I’ll rip all their throats out.”
Caught up in the frenzy of the night and the backlash of losing his lover, Chris didn’t resemble the male Nic knew him to be. It was understandable. Chris hurt. He needed someone to help him remember who he was. Nic did that without saying a word or unleashing his claws. He held Chris’s gaze and waited, offering Chris the connection to the pack he required to overcome the powerful natural drive demanding revenge.
After an endless moment, Chris squeezed his eyes shut. “They killed John.”
Nic released Chris. A mistake, maybe, but Nic didn’t think so. “No. They didn’t. One shifter killed John, not the entire pack, and that shifter’s dead.”
Chris opened his eyes. “I killed him.”
“As was your right as John’s partner. But this male”—Nic motioned to the unconscious shifter Chris held—“didn’t touch John. You take his life, and you’ll be no different from them. And you are. You’re a Kagan.”
“You’re right. I am.” Chris dropped his hands. The Tanner wolf slumped to the ground. Chris faced Nic and lowered his voice. “Thank you.”
The tension drained from Nic’s shoulders. He nodded.
Hannah slipped between them. She grabbed the Tanner male’s arm. “Come on, Chris. Let’s get him secured tonight. His pack can pass judgment on him tomorrow.”
“I’ve got him.” Chris took the shifter from her and draped his limp body over his shoulder. He shouted orders to the other dominants to round up any Tanners on their pack lands and lock them up for the night as per their alpha’s order.
“They’ll kill him, not punish him as he deserves.” Riley’s voice came from right behind Nic.
He turned. She stood with her hands loose at her sides and shoulders relaxed, but worry lingered in her eyes. Her gaze strayed to the blood dripping down his arm. She wouldn’t ask him if he was okay, not with an audience.
He held out his hand to her. She took it, and he pulled her into his embrace. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and whispered, “Your mate is strong. I’m fine.”
“I know. I just needed to hold you.”
He needed her touch too. Peace settled over him, despite the horrors of the night. The brief moment in her arms strengthened him. Nic wished he could carry her away, but he had a responsibility to his pack and his sister. He’d felt Hannah’s distress in a way he never had before, a consequence of the spirit wolf and his blood tie to her, Nic guessed. No matter. As with Chris, Nic would help her.
He kissed Riley’s neck and eased back.
“You’re right. The Tanner pack probably will kill him for failing in his order to take you out.” He responded to Riley’s earlier words.
“They should never have attacked us in the first place. A dominant challenging you is one thing. But this?” Riley motioned toward the truck. “Their actions tonight could be reason enough to start a pack war.”
“I won’t take it that far.” Doing so would endanger his pack and violate the agreement the shifter community had made with the humans, the one promising a peaceful coexistence. If it came down to a war, innocents, both human and shifter, would get caught up in it.
“But will they keep the peace?”
After Nic not only killed Derek, but refused Maria as his mate? Nic shook his head. “I’ll set up a meeting. Hopefully, we can reach a truce.”
“Even if they agree to one, they won’t honor it. They’ll wait until our guard is down to strike.” Hannah sighed. “But I can’t do anything to stop them yet.”
Nic pointedly glanced at his pack mates who lingered close by, then jerked his chin in the direction of the woods, a silent order to leave. One by one, they slipped into the night, leaving him alone with Riley and Hannah.
He faced Hannah. “Yet, huh? You’re still going to follow through with your crazy plan to get Ethan to mate you and take over the Tanner pack?”
“Yes. I am.” She stood as tall as her five-foot-one frame allowed.
“What about all your talk of love and true mates?”
“Love is one of the reasons I’m doing it. True mates, no matter how unorthodox the pairing, should be allowed to be together, and those who won’t let them are bullies who deserve to be knocked down a notch.”
“Bullies?” Nic frowned. “You’re not making any sense. What—”
“Nic?” Hannah cut him off.
“Yeah?”
“Let it go for now.” Hannah motioned toward Riley. “Take your mate home and enjoy the fact that you found your way back to her.”
“Thanks to you.�
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A wry smile tugged at Hannah’s mouth. “Yep. Just call me Cupid.”
With that, she turned and walked away.
Riley stepped in front of him and placed her palms over his chest. “Thank you, Nic.”
“For what?”
“Saving that man’s life, protecting our pack, helping Chris remember who he is.” She grinned. “Everything, really, but mostly for being mine.”
“Forever, Riley. I’m yours forever.” He slipped his arm around her waist. “How about you dig this bullet out before my skin closes over it? Because you and I have plans tonight.”
“Do we?”
He brushed his lips over her cheek. “Uh-huh, I’m going to finish what we started and claim my true mate officially. I love you, Riley Kagan.”
“And I love you. Forever, no matter what life has in store for us.”
“Or who joins it. Do you understand?” Nic let her see the truth in his eyes. “Whether we’re blessed with a kid or not doesn’t change how I feel about you. The only thing it’ll change is who gets to house our pack’s spirit next.”
Tears collected on her lashes. “You’re an amazing man, Nic Kagan.”
“And finally one who’s worthy of you.”
Epilogue, plus next book preview
Ten weeks later
Nic leaned against the wall while Riley paced the length of their bedroom. Dressed in one of his flannels with her mussed hair framing her face, she looked beautiful. He loved everything about his mate, from her delicate fingers to her plump curves. He couldn’t wait to watch her body change over the next nine months.
He glanced from her flushed cheeks to her belly. It still amazed him knowing their kid was growing inside her. Kids, he should say. His wolf suspected she carried two little ones, maybe more. It wouldn’t know for certain for several more days. At a little over five weeks along, their babies’ heartbeats weren’t quite loud enough to tell for sure.
Well, technically the babies Riley carried were his and Jenna’s, as Sean’s mate had donated her eggs for the procedure. Riley was only a surrogate, but in Nic’s heart, the babies were his and Riley’s little ones.
“How could they even say such a thing?” She halted her restless steps and faced him. “It’s bad enough they don’t believe we’re mated, but to say I cheated on you, that I’m carrying another man’s babies? They’re fools!”
The other pack leaders didn’t approve of his mating to Riley. It went against the rules of nature, they said. Of course, many of the other alphas weren’t supportive of the Kagan pack’s stance on same-sex couples either. That had been a battle Nic’s dad had fought and won. The one involving human mates would be Nic’s to tackle. Change came slowly in shifter culture, but it happened. They just had to be strong.
“We know the truth.” He went to her and slipped his hand around the back of her neck. “And they’ll accept it too when our kids are born. They’ll smell like pack.”
“If they even bother to check.” She made a derisive sound. “They refuse to even investigate your claim on me.”
All the elders had to do was sniff Riley’s mate mark to know she belonged to Nic. They refused. “The other leaders fear the younger shifters will look to humans to fill the role of their mates instead of our females.”
“But it won’t work unless they’re—”
“True mates.” Nic sighed. “I know.”
Riley dropped her head to his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. She didn’t say anything, but he knew something bothered her. Her tense muscles and quickened breaths were dead giveaways. He waited for him to tell her what. Finally, she whispered, “I’m scared.”
He ran his hands down her spine in a comforting caress. She relaxed against him, letting him support her weight and trusting him to hold her close. Protect her. He would, but in all honesty, she had every right to be worried. The babies she carried would shake the shifter world’s foundation, and the knowledge that it was human technology that allowed the miracle to occur would make many of the older shifters bitter, resentful, and…
Afraid.
That was what concerned Nic the most. Corner a frightened animal, and they often reacted one way—aggressively.
He laid his cheek on the top of her head. “Our pack is strong, and they love you. They’ll protect you and our kids.”
“I don’t doubt that, but so much is changing. I can feel the tension in the air.” Riley tipped her head back. “And it’s not just our situation. It’s the shifter world in general. The modern world is close. Vacationers and campers are looking to Hollow’s Grove as a place to escape the bustle of their lives. If the wrong person stumbles over one of our pack mates while they’re midshift, it’ll be a disaster.”
“We knew it would happen, and other packs are dealing with the same problems.” He brushed a wisp of blonde hair from her cheek. “We’ll adjust and survive. My dad did the same thing when he brought the Kagan wolves to America. He guided our pack through wars and all the advances in technology that have changed human culture. You and I will lead our pack the same way—with perseverance and honor.”
She grinned. “We also have love on our side.”
He swept her into his arms and carried her back to the bed. “Yeah, we do. It’s a powerful weapon too.”
“One that was able to overcome a wolf’s instincts.”
He slid his hands under her shirt and stroked her flat belly. A wave of awe swept through him. His mate, the mother of his kids, a lover, and a friend—Riley offered him the best life had to offer.
Nic raised his gaze to hers. “And one that healed me.” He kissed her fingertips. “You did that. You believed in us and didn’t give up on me. You made this”—he brought their joint hands to her stomach—“miracle possibly, and I love you for it.”
“And I love you too, but…” A sultry smile spread over her face, and lust darkened her eyes. She tugged on his hand, urging him closer. He went willingly, eagerly. “But, I might need a reminder of how much you love me.”
“Do you now?”
She nodded. “Yes. Actions speak louder than words, and I know you can use your mouth in ways that’ll leave me convinced of your feelings.”
“Mmmm, then let me get started, but I have to warn you”—he gazed into the beautiful blue eyes of his mate—“this might take all night.”
“It’s a good thing I’m not going anywhere.”
“Never again, Riley. We’ll never be separated again.” And he was glad. Their time apart had been the worst of his life, but like the elders said—true mates always find their way back to each other, whether it was in this life or the next. Luckily for him, Riley hadn’t let him go without a fight.
“Enough talking. I need you, Nic.”
He chuckled, but reached for the hem of her shirt. “And I need you. Today, tomorrow, forever.”
Eternity wouldn’t be long enough to show Riley how much he loved her, but he’d give it a shot. Starting now.
The series continues with, Ethan
Read an excerpt
The din of voices and the rock music pumping out of the speakers did little to drown out the sound of drumming fingernails. The rhythmic tapping reverberated in Hannah Kagan’s head. The annoyed growling of her wolf added to it, building the pressure behind her eyes and testing her self-restraint.
She tightened her grip on her beer and dragged in a deep breath. The calming exercise did little to soothe her ire. Her friend was about two seconds away from being growled at. Only their location stopped her from snapping at Alex.
The club they sometimes visited didn’t sit on Kagan pack lands, nor did any of the humans in it know about her kind. Except for Alex, that was. He knew every intimate detail about her, including her fears and wants. Some days the knowledge came in handy. Today wasn’t one of them. His insistence on wasting the night with the humans stopped her from letting her wolf out. Its edginess was driving her nuts. Or maybe it was Alex’s short nails hitting the table that
pushed her to the brink. Either way, she was about to lose control of her temper.
She gulped back half of the warm liquid, then slammed the bottle down. A hard glare directed at the dark-haired human sitting opposite her stilled Alex’s fingers. He leveled his blue-green eyes on her.
“Maria’s not showing, Alex. Let’s leave.”
He glanced over his shoulder. She followed the direction of his gaze. The illuminated clock above the door proved her point. The place would be closing in thirty minutes. Considering they’d spent hours here waiting on Maria, a dominant from the Tanner pack, to show, there was no way they’d missed her. The secret liaisons Maria and Alex engaged in were the only kind allowed to them. If her father, the alpha of the Tanner pack, found out, they’d both suffer. Shifter-human relationships were still viewed as unnatural.
Alex faced her. Although Hannah had grown up with him, she was always taken aback by how different he was from his twin, Riley. Everything about him was hardened, from his harsh cheekbones to the glint in his eyes. The stubble on his jaw and short military haircut added to the image, including the scowl he’d worn for the past few months. His pain was the reason she was with him in the first place. The desire to see her pack mates happy and safe was an instinct she couldn’t ignore. The curse of an alpha, her father had once called the overwhelming protective instinct.
She’d assumed the drive would’ve lessened after her brother, Nic, had taken over their pack. It hadn’t. No, it had gotten worse. Another pack’s spirit called to her, beseeching her to claim it—the Tanner pack. The rival shifter group bordered their lands, and it desperately needed a new alpha pair. She wanted to be the female who stood at her mate’s side, guiding and nurturing the Tanner members. Goodness knew they needed help rebuilding their struggling community.
At the moment, though, her goal seemed out of reach. She was failing at everything—from being a woman to being a dominant. No way did she feel worthy of the title of alpha. It didn’t mean she’d give up. It’d guarantee she’d try harder.