Trayis (VLG Series Book 11)

by Laurann Dohner

  Arlis shot him a deadly glare. “Silence. Now. You talk again, and Pete is going to break your jaw. I smell her fear. She also would never fucking touch you. You’ve always looked down on her.” Her alpha met her gaze again. “What did he do, Shay?”

  Tears filled her eyes but she blinked them back. “He came in here going on about some crazy plot, and he thought I’d know about it. He said Kale and Marcia are together. I haven’t talked to her since yesterday, so it was the first time I’d heard about it. He put his hands on me and made threats, wanting the details of some plot that doesn’t even exist. He thinks if Kale mates Marcia, you’ll chose him for the enforcer position. He’s lost it, Arlis.”

  Arlis released her and gently nudged her toward Martin. “Take care of her and get her home.”

  “She’s lying!” Tegan hissed.

  Arlis moved fast, grabbed Tegan by his throat. “What the fuck? You smell weird. Did you take something?”

  Martin quickly came forward and lifted Shay into his arms. It surprised her, but she didn’t protest as he carried her out of the office. She heard a loud snarl, and then something crashed inside the office. Martin kept walking, and she tucked her head against his chest, closing her eyes. He was a mountain of a man, but she wasn’t afraid. She knew the enforcer wouldn’t hurt her.

  “It’s going to be okay, Shay. Arlis will fuck him up good. I’m almost sorry it’s not going to be me doling out his punishment. And Tegan never stood a chance of taking over for Ted. He’s not suited for the position. The only reason he even became a sentry is because it would have made him meaner if he’d been assigned a lesser job.”

  “Thank you for coming.”

  “It’s what we do. Protect pack. It just shouldn’t be from each other. Arlis might kill him for this. But don’t feel bad if it happens. Any asshole who’d attack a woman deserves it…but especially you.”

  “What did Arlis mean when he said Tegan smelled weird?”

  “I picked up on that, too. His scent is wrong for some damn reason.”

  Voices drew her attention, and she opened her eyes, seeing pack members gawking as Martin strode past them with Shay in his arms.

  “I can walk, Martin. We’re making a spectacle. They’ll gossip and come to the wrong conclusion, seeing you carrying me. Especially when you’re not mated.”

  He snorted. “I don’t give a fuck what they think. You’re still shaking. And no offense, honey, but you’ve got those short legs. I want to get you home and return to the office ASAP, to see if anything is left of Tegan. I never liked that prick. He was forever in trouble as a youth, and I can’t tell you what a headache it was trying to make something of him. Not that I thought it would work. He had his chance, and he blew it this morning. Good riddance.”

  “He was acting insane. I don’t know why.”

  “I can guess. Someone broke into the medical storage last night and drugs are missing. I think Tegan probably took them, judging by how he smelled. I know he’s been stressed lately, but fuck. What kind of male takes drugs to deal with shit?”

  Shaw saw Sylvia rushing toward them, jogging to catch up with Martin’s brisk pace. “Are you hurt, baby?”

  She met her foster mom’s worried gaze. “I’m fine.”

  “What happened? Can you stop, Martin? I want to check her over.”

  “Nope. I need to get back. I’m taking her home. Keep up if you want to know the details.”

  “I’m okay,” Shay repeated.

  No one spoke until Martin reached her porch and set her on her feet. “You’re safe now. But stay here, Shay. I’m sure Arlis will check on you later today, or Ginny will.” He took off running back the way he’d come.

  “Baby, what happened?” Sylvia started pulling at her shirt, trying to inspect her body. “I don’t smell blood. Did someone hit you? Hurt you?”

  Shay grabbed her hands. “I’m fine. One of the sentries decided to go insane, and I was his target.”

  Pure rage flashed in her foster mother’s eyes. “Did some bastard try to make you blow him? Did he use his vibes on you?”

  “No and yes. No blow job attempts were involved, but lots of vibes. It’s a long story.”

  “I’m going to make you breakfast and you’re going to tell me everything.” She pulled Shay to her front door and pointed at the lock.

  Shay punched in her code and opened the door.

  “Have you talked to Marcia? I’ve called her twice since last night, but she hasn’t responded. Call her now. She’s going to flip if she hears Martin was toting you around in his arms in front of the pack. She’ll think the same thing I did—that some asshole tried to force you to your knees.”

  Shay sighed. Great. Everyone in the pack will probably assume that, too. She’d call Marcia, but if she was still with Kale, her bestie wouldn’t answer. No way was she going to be the one to break the news to Sylvia about why her daughter wasn’t returning calls.

  Kale might be Marcia’s dream mate, but her parents thought she’d do better with a submissive Werewolf. It was a topic that had already caused many arguments over family dinners.

  It meant Shaw would have to dodge big parts of her explanation of what happened with Tegan in the retelling. Which she would do. Shay didn’t want to watch her foster mom flip out even more.

  * * * * *

  Trayis smiled when he entered the alpha house. The strong smell of coffee, bacon, and other foods filled his nose. He enjoyed having breakfast with his half-brother’s enforcers and their mates. It was something he’d considered doing many times with his own clan. He liked the way they all joked and teased each other. It was also a less stressful way to discuss any issues they had to deal with before going into the office.

  Two other women helped Ginny in the large kitchen. She smiled when she saw him, rushing his way.

  He gave her a gentle hug. “Where’s the baby?”

  “Sleeping. The twins are already at school. Arlis will be down in a minute. He had to take a shower.”

  “He actually stayed in bed until after the sun rose? Having a new baby must be wearing him out,” he teased.

  She rolled her eyes. “He had to wash off some blood. Do you want coffee or juice?”

  “Blood?” His good mood dimmed. “What happened?”

  “A sentry decided to give my mate a reason to remind him who’s in charge…and why rules shouldn’t be broken.”

  Trayis understood. It happened at times. “Coffee, please. I can get it.”

  She spun away. “Sit at the table. I’ll bring it.”

  Arlis came down the stairs and grinned. “You made it!” He hugged Trayis and led him to the table, where others already waited, even pulling out his chair.

  Trayis saw the state of his brother’s split knuckles. They’d stopped bleeding but the freshly healing wounds looked angry. “What in the hell did the sentry do? That looks like a serious beat down.”

  “I’m retiring.” Ted raised his hand.

  His mate, Donna, seated next to him, smiled at Trayis. “I want him to finally spend more time with me.”

  Arlis plopped into the seat at the head of the table next to Trayis. “Tegan was never in the running, but it seems he believed I might choose him to replace Ted. He’s egotistical, can be pretty reckless on a good day…and on top of that, he took some drugs.”

  “Drugs?” The very idea shocked Trayis.

  “He said it was to steady his nerves and to calm him, but it did the opposite. He fucked up bad, and I had to punish him. He’ll heal in about a week but the down time will be a good lesson. I demoted him to outer patrol. That way, he’ll have no interaction with the pack for six months. He’s also paying for the drugs he stole from our healer.”

  “He’s a moron,” Martin muttered. “I would have killed him in your place.”

  Arlis unwrapped his silverware. “I know your patience is long gone when it comes to Tegan. Wasn’t he the one always in trouble during training?”

  Martin gave a nod. “He’s stup
id and a bully. That will never change. You still see potential because he hides his true nature around you. That one has none.”

  Arlis sobered. “This is his last chance. Next time, I’ll kill him. I also called Graves, to fill him in.”

  “Where are Graves and Micah? I haven’t seen them since I arrived,” Trayis asked of Wen’s cousins.

  “Graves is hunting a small group of rogues that have been making trouble about a hundred miles from here. Micah went with him as backup. There’s supposed to be seven of them, from what we’ve heard. They’re committing petty robberies, threatening humans, and generally being assholes.”

  Pete snorted. “They’re disguised as a motorcycle gang. The cops are all over them.”

  “And they’re stupid,” Martin added. “It’s only a matter of time before they slip to reveal what they truly are. But the brothers will clean up that mess. Of course, I wish Graves were here right now.” He shot a grin at Arlis. “He’d pay Tegan a visit even if you didn’t ask him to. Nobody does that shit kind of shit in this pack without Graves having a painful chat with them—and usually leaving them not breathing.”

  Trayis frowned. “What in the hell did this Tegan do while he was high?” He had a hard time imagining killing one of his clan. The offense would have to be terrible to warrant death. It was stupid for a Lycan to take drugs, but the male was probably young enough to make those kinds of mistakes.

  “He went after a pack member, trying to gain information from her.” Martin said. “Dumb fuck. As if that girl would know anything that might have given him an advantage.”

  “Tegan’s only suffering some broken bones and facial injuries, since he didn’t harm her.” Arlis kissed his mate on the cheek as she brought him a plate of food. “Thank you, Ginny.” His gaze fixed on Trayis. “I’d have killed him if he’d done more than frighten her.”

  “I still think we should have killed him.”

  Arlis stilled, watching Martin. “Do we have a problem? Are you questioning my decision?”

  Martin shook his head. “No, Alpha. I just hate that bastard. That’s all. I’m still pissed. She’s so fucking tiny. It offends me that he’d target someone as weak as Shay.”

  Trayis stiffened, everything inside him going tight with shock. “Shay?”

  Arlis dug into his food. “She’s fine. As I said, I’d have killed him if he’d hurt her. She’s under pack protection. I reminded Tegan of that fact as I snapped his bones. He goes near her again, and he dies.”

  Fury filled Trayis. “What did he do to her?”

  Everyone in the room froze.

  Arlis stopped eating and cocked his head, narrowing his eyes at Trayis. His nostrils flared. “You’re throwing off vibes, brother.”

  Trayis got a handle on his emotions. “I apologize.”

  “Damn,” Ted chuckled. “That sent a chill down my spine. The hair on my arms is still standing.”

  Arlis arched an eyebrow at Trayis, his expression wary.

  “I’m not used to containing my anger the way you do.” Trayis glanced around the table. “VampLycans aren’t as sensitive to emotions as you are. We throw off vibes without giving it a second thought.”

  Arlis smiled but it looked forced. “Understandable…but I’m more curious as to why you’d react that strongly to Shay being mistreated.”

  “I spent time with her. I mentioned that. She told me about some of the problems she’s faced in the past.”

  “She’s defenseless,” Martin agreed. “She always stirs my protective instincts, as strongly as if she were still a young pup.”

  Ted nodded. “Me too. I even find myself softening my voice when I speak to her in the office. I’d feel like shit if I accidently startled her by sounding too gruff.”

  Reese added, “I assigned more patrols around her cabin than for anyone else staying on the outskirts of our living area. No humans would ever get that deep inside our territory without a sentry catching them, but I do worry about her falling or getting hurt. She’s so frail. What if she tripped and broke her leg?” His expression grew serious. “I still think it was a bad idea to allow her to live out there on her own.”

  “We’ve discussed this many times.” Arlis sipped his coffee. “She’s an adult. Not actually a pup. We need to give her a sense of independence while still keeping her safe. It makes her happy, and she deserves what little happiness she can find.”

  Trayis didn’t like the way they discussed Shay. He kept his silence, though, and ate the food placed in front of him without really tasting it.

  “I think we should invite some half-breed males to interview for our pack.” Martin paused, looking thoughtful. “We might find one who’s attracted to her, who also has a fondness for his human parent.”

  Ted nodded again. “Some would be desperate enough to take her on in exchange for acceptance. It’s rough for half-breeds to find acceptance into a pack.”

  “I suppose I could tell her she’s needed in the office when we bring in potential mates.” Arlis paused. “But we couldn’t let her find out why they’re really there. She’s too proud. And of course, I’d have to make it a condition with the half-breed that he never reveal we let him in because he was willing to mate her.”

  “It would make everyone’s life easier,” Ted reasoned. “She’d have someone to protect her instead of all of us worrying constantly.”

  Trayis clenched his teeth and pushed down his anger until he could speak without betraying how he felt. “Someone should mate her because they care about her. Not to gain entry into your pack.”

  “The situation isn’t ideal, but at least she’d have a mate.” Arlis shrugged. “No one else in our pack wants her, Trayis. I was hopeful for Rod, but he’s only shown interest in Weres.”

  Trayis remembered the name from talking to Shay, but wanted to make sure they were talking about the same male. “Her foster brother?”

  “That’s the one. He’s protective of Shay, even though he’s got a very passive personality.” Arlis finished his breakfast. “I hoped he’d be drawn to her despite her flaws…and hell, she makes even the most submissive males feel close to dominant.”

  Ted laughed. “True. Graves avoids crossing paths with her because he’s afraid even the sight of him will scare her.”

  Trayis frowned. “Rod is a submissive Lycan? Shay said her foster siblings defend her.”

  “Marcia is the most dominant one in that generation. That’s Rod’s younger sister.” Martin grinned. “He’ll do whatever Marcia says, or she’d kick his ass. He’s more afraid of her than most of the idiots who target Shay.”

  More chuckles sounded around the table. Each and every one grated on Trayis’s nerves. The urge to go check on Shay rode him hard, but Arlis had said she was physically unhurt. He had to trust that.

  He needed to stay calm, keep his emotions under control—but he fully planned to go visit her as soon as he could.

  “I forgot that tonight is when the other alphas and their mates join us for dinner. It’s something we try to do every few months with our neighbors, to keep relations solid. It’s our turn to host. Dinner is at six.” Arlis’s gaze locked on Trayis. “Are you in?”

  “I’ll pass, if you don’t mind.” Alphas tended to get their hackles up when Trayis was around, as if he were a threat.

  Arlis grinned. “I figured, after the last time I invited you around the other packs.”

  “What happened?” Ginny glanced between them.

  Martin chuckled. “A fuckload of posturing. They get a whiff of Trayis and they can’t relax.”

  “VampLycans tend to have that effect on most alphas,” Reese added, smiling. “They don’t know how laid-back Trayis is.”

  “Or they bug him to form an alliance,” Ted snickered. “Too stupid to figure out a war between packs would mean he’d help us hand them their asses, instead of the other way around.”

  “I’ll eat in the trailer.” Trayis immediately decided to invite Shay to have dinner with him.

&nbs
p; Ginny drew his attention by whipping out her cell phone and texting something. “I just told the caterer to send enough food for four more, and to separate those portions from the rest. I’ll have someone bring your dinner, Trayis. There’s no reason you should have to cook or miss out on such great food. The kitchen in the trailer is tiny.”

  “Thanks. Why four?”

  “The caterer is human, and you know they eat so little. I won’t ever make that mistake twice. I just times the actual number of guests we’ve invited by four, and give the caterer that number. It’s not like they stick around to serve it and do a head count.”

  Arlis leaned over and kissed her. “You’re doing a great job, sweetheart.”

  “You mean when I order enough food to actually feed our guests?” She winked at Trayis. “Rookie mistake I made the first time we hosted. It was incredibly embarrassing to realize there wasn’t enough food.”

  “We ordered pizzas. Everyone loved it. Besides, you were suffering morning sickness with the twins at the time. They understood.” Arlis’s tone softened. “I should have planned that event instead of you.”

  “It’s my job,” she reminded her mate.

  “Sweetheart, it’s my job to take care of you, first and foremost.”

  Trayis leaned back in his chair, watching as his younger brother and his mate continued to chat. Envy was an emotion he rarely felt, but the love bond between them was extremely strong.

  It made him think of Shay.

  She’d have a hard time stepping into the role as his mate; he could see himself trying to soothe her if she hosted a party, only to realize she hadn’t ordered enough food for all the guests he’d invited.

  Fuck. He reached for his drink, wishing it were something a hell of a lot stronger. The idea of taking her home to Alaska appealed to him far too much.

  Chapter Six

  Shay had survived the ordeal of buying condoms. She had to hit a well-known superstore to do it—also grabbing a bunch of other things to hide the box in her cart—but the checkout clerk hadn’t given her a raised eyebrow or commented on it.