Fighting For Their Mate

by Vella Day

  This wasn’t how or where she wanted to have this conversation. Bailey barely understood it herself. Growing up, Tatum had been the wild one. Bailey was the goody two shoes. “Define at the same time.”

  Tatum chuckled then clamped a hand over her mouth. “Were you or were you not, Bailey Nash, Miss Prim, naked in bed with two men? I don’t need the intimate details.”

  There was no use skirting the issue. She didn’t lie well. “Yes.”

  “Well, I’ll be damned.” The light in her eyes dimmed. “What do you think Mom and Dad will do when they find out?”

  Bailey had given that question a lot of thought—as in all the way up to Canada and back again. “It will ruin Dad’s chance of running for any office if the press gets wind of it.”

  Tatum moved closer. “So what are you going to do?”

  She shrugged. “Nothing at the moment. These two have been incredible, but once this mess clears up, they may want to move on. They were in Canada to get dirt on the scumbag who took us and ended up having to babysit me instead.”

  “By scumbag, you mean Statler, right?”

  “Yes.” Cam and Spence must have filled her in.

  Tatum crossed her arms over her chest, almost looking like their mom. “When you were in bed with both of them, did they profess their love for you?”

  How much had Spence and Cam told her? Did she know werewolves existed? “In a matter of speaking.”

  “And you believed that two hunky men who were cooped up with you for such a short period of time could fall in love?”

  If Tatum understood the concept of being one’s mate, she could see that it wasn’t unreasonable.

  “Need help?” Clare asked.

  Thank you, Clare. Bailey would have to wait to have that discussion later. She needed time to think about how to answer her sister’s questions. Clare was well aware of the existence of shifters, but Tatum wasn’t in the right space to learn about them just yet.

  “Sure. How about getting the cups?” Tatum asked.

  Bailey slipped back into the living room and sat between her men on the couch.

  “How’s your sister holding up?” Ford asked.

  “Hard to tell. She’s different.”

  “Different good or different bad?”

  Bailey was tired and needed time to think about the change, but she liked that he cared. “Tatum used to be a take no prisoner type of girl. She was aggressive and mouthy. Now, she seems subdued.”

  “Given all she’s been through, it’s understandable,” Tyson said as he clasped Bailey’s hand.

  “Maybe, but I want the old Tatum back.” Bailey slumped against the seat.

  “There might be some things that can never return to the way they were. Your sister went through some trauma, as did you. That will change anyone. Hopefully, she’ll be stronger because of it.”

  She had Tyson and Ford to help her get through her ordeal. Tatum had no one but Clare. Bailey always thought the phrase, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” was bullshit, but she hoped it had merit. “I hope so.”

  Ford placed his palm on her leg. “Have patience. Take one day at a time.”

  That was another platitude she’d always wondered about. “Have you? Taken one day at a time?”

  According to Tyson, Ford never let go of the death of his uncle because he believed it was his fault for not obeying his uncle’s orders. Did Tatum think if she hadn’t opened that door that day to Brad and Tom, none of this would have happened? Guilt was insidious and damaged every part of a person’s body.

  “What are you talking about?” His face paled.

  Tyson squeezed her hand. “I told her about Uncle Ned.”

  Ford looked away. “That was a long time ago.”

  She reached out and turned his chin toward her. “But you haven’t forgiven yourself, have you? It wasn’t your fault.” She hoped she wouldn’t need to have the same conversation with Tatum.

  He pressed his lips together and leaned his head back against the sofa. “I always believed it was. I’ve been beating myself up about not following his orders for so many years.”

  She wasn’t sure what he meant. “Something’s changed?”

  He faced her. “Yes. I was thinking on the way down here that if I hadn’t disobeyed Uncle Ned’s order, I might not have gone into the service, which means I probably wouldn’t have become the fighter I am today.”

  She could finish the train of thought. “And you never would have gone undercover at Statler’s lab.”

  He nodded. “And I never would have met you. So you see, there is a reason for everything. I was meant to enter through the back of the store to take down those men. I couldn’t have known more men would have stormed the front. Just like when I left for Canada, I couldn’t have known that Tony and Dram would have kidnapped you.” He tugged her close and held her tight. His body shuddered. “I’m sorry.”

  She punched him and leaned back. “Don’t say that. Them taking me was meant to be. Now two more of Statler’s men are dead. That’s a good thing.”

  A small smile lifted his lips. “You just might be right.” He kissed her.

  “Ahem,” Tatum said.

  They broke apart and everyone laughed. He was right. Fate had a strange way of making things good again.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Ford placed a hand on Bailey’s back as he escorted her into The Pack’s conference room. He’d heard so much about General Armand, and now he was going to meet the man.

  Several men were already seated around a large conference table. Was one of them the General? To be honest, these men looked too young to be him. He pictured the General to be in his sixties. When they’d spoken over the phone, the man had a gravelly voice that had an older, harder edge to it.

  One man stood and held out his hand. “I’m Jay Wagner, former FBI agent and now a professional Colter hunter.” He smiled.

  Ford shook his hand and introduced himself, Bailey, and Ty.

  “Have a seat. The General will be in shortly. I’ll let the men introduce themselves,” Jay said.

  They went around the table, but the names soon became a blur. There was Riley, Sam, Brandon, Dirk, and two other names he couldn’t remember. Seems their two security men, Trax and Dante, had yet to return from their honeymoon. The men seated at the table seemed more focused and intense than the typical Pack members in North Carolina. Given they were at The Pack headquarters, Ford guessed these men were the cream of the crop.

  The door opened and a white-haired man in a Camo T-shirt strode in. His shoulders were wide and his stomach flat. This had to be General Armand.

  He walked up to each of them and shook their hands. “Welcome.” He then took a seat and thanked them for making the long trip. “Bailey, I can’t imagine you want to relive your ordeal, but in order for us to take down Statler, we need to know everything. If you would start from the beginning, we’d appreciate hearing your first-hand report. No detail is too small.”

  Ford glanced over at her. When she inhaled and sat up straighter, his pride soared. She’d said she wanted to help in every way she could. Now she’d get her chance. Ford had already asked Bailey if she thought Tatum might be willing to share her experience as she was in the lab for a longer period of time, but Bailey thought her sister needed time to heal. He agreed.

  “I was taking photos in North Carolina while hiking on the Appalachian Trail when I spotted a wolf.”

  For the next hour, she did a remarkable job describing her journey from the attack in her hotel room to being strapped down in a hospital bed in the lab. She detailed her escape and how she managed to take the photos that they’d sent to the General.

  He leaned forward. “I can’t thank you enough, but I have one more request.”

  She reached out and held Ford’s hand under the table. “Yes?”

  “Ford probably mentioned that we know where Statler and his new lab are located.”

  “He did.”

  “We need t
o find a substance that will stop these enhanced werewolves. I’m not sure what Ford and Ty have told you, but enhanced wolves cannot be poisoned by conventional means. We need to find something that will kill them.”

  She let go of Ford’s hand. “Would you like to have a sample of my blood? I’ve been told it has something that will prevent some of the werewolves from dying. Its composition might help direct the scientists to a poison that would kill them or at least weaken them.”

  The tension lessened about the man’s mouth and eyes. “We would be forever indebted to you.” He tapped the mic on his shoulder. “Mackenzie, can you come to the conference room please?”

  That name sounded familiar. Then he remembered. Mackenzie was the computer expert who helped get the dirt on Clare. Ford liked that the General didn’t restrict his operation to only men.

  * * *

  Bailey was exhausted from talking non-stop, but having so many men listen made her feel as if these Pack members would take down the evil man. Her most important concern now was saving the women.

  Mackenzie Wagner led her down a long corridor. “This is really nice of you to let us research your blood. How are you holding up after being captured?”

  The men had told her that Mackenzie had been kidnapped by another Colter, at least for a short while. “Good, really. I was only in the lab for a day or two before Ford and Tyson broke me out.”

  “You’re lucky. A Colter held my cousin captive for weeks. At least he didn’t take her blood or abuse her.” Mackenzie opened a door that led to a small laboratory. “Erin will take good care of you. When you’re done, I’ll come get you. I bet you could use a good cup of coffee and a snack.”

  “You have no idea.” Bailey liked Mackenzie. She seemed straight-forward and clearly was competent. After all, she’d learned that Statler was blackmailing Clare.

  The bloodletting only took a few minutes and soon Mackenzie was back. “Let’s get out of here,” her new friend said.

  Bailey kept staring at Mackenzie. Her men said she was a hafling—part human and part werewolf—but she couldn’t tell. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.”

  “Can you shift?” Bailey thought the men said women couldn’t but maybe they’d been wrong. Besides, she wanted to understand all aspects of the wolf community for a myriad of reasons. Some of it was personal, some was just out of curiosity.

  “No. Only men can, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have skills. I’m fast and can see well at night. I also am good at picking locks and hacking into computers, but that has nothing to do with being part wolf.”

  Bailey hadn’t thought about the men’s night vision. “You mentioned you’re with two men. Was that an issue with your folks?”

  She winced and Bailey felt like a real shit. “Dad’s dead, but Mom just wants me happy. I love Sam and Brandon with my whole heart. They each have their strengths and their irritating habits sometime, but they complement each other. As soon as I met them, being a halfling, I felt this strong pull and knew we were meant to be together.” She raised a finger. “Don’t get the wrong idea. I gave them hell for a long time. I didn’t do anything they asked, and it drove them crazy.” She grinned.

  Bailey enjoyed the woman’s attitude. It would have been nice if Bailey had known right away that Ford and Tyson were her mates. When she’d met her men, she believed they were as evil as Brad and Tom.

  Now came for the hard question. “Do you ever feel pulled in two directions being with both men?” Mackenzie unlocked her car doors and Bailey slipped in.

  “Outside of the bedroom, no. The men know there will be times when I want to be with Sam and other times I prefer Brandon, depending on my mood. They’re different yet the same in many ways. It’s kind of weird. But when I’m in the bedroom with both men, they drive me wild. Double the stimulation does me in every time.” She winked.

  Bailey felt the same way. “You don’t have to answer this, but how are you able to be with both at the same time?” She’d seen Mackenzie’s men. While not as large as Ford and Tyson, they were still big men.

  Mac exited the parking lot and laughed. “Shall we say there’s a little adjustment period, but I prefer it that way now. It’s much more intense.”

  Bailey probably shouldn’t have asked. A few minutes later, they arrived at a cute establishment, called Darla’s Coffee Shop. Inside, the store smelled of rich coffee and scented flowers. Half the seats were occupied, which implied the place was good. At the counter, they ordered their drinks. Fortunately, Tyson had given her money so she could buy one of the fabulous looking chocolate chip muffins, too.

  They took their drinks and food to a table in the corner. “So tell me, Bailey, do you plan to stay in Gulfside?”

  Bailey held up a palm. “Stay? I don’t know. I just met Ford and Tyson a few weeks ago.”

  Mackenzie lowered her chin. “I can see the love in your eyes, girl. You don’t have to hide it from me. I shared with you.”

  Bailey inhaled. Mackenzie was right. “I want to stay with the men, but once the debriefing is over, I’m almost expecting them to put me on a plane home.”

  Mackenzie’s eyes widened. “They’re your mates. They’d never do that.”

  “That’s what they told me.”

  She leaned forward and shook her head, acting as if Bailey was totally clueless. “Tell me this: when they get excited, does their hair grow, their teeth sharpen, and their eyes turn golden?”

  “Yes.” She hadn’t known it described all werewolves when they were around a naked woman.

  Mackenzie leaned back and smiled. “I can guarantee that your men will never leave you. It’s genetically bred into them to protect you.”

  “The protection part I believe. They’ve proved it to me time and again, but I don’t want a man to stay with me because his body makes him do it. I want them to love me.” She’d said them. Bailey might not be ready for two men yet, but she could never choose just one. She loved them both. The question was whether they both loved her. Tyson was her steadying influence. She believed he did love her. But Ford? He left their North Carolina home to go to Canada in part because he didn’t think he was worthy of her love. Did that mean he loved her a ton or not much at all? On second thought, he was willing to sacrifice a life of having a mate just so that she wouldn’t have to be conflicted. What man would do that for a woman?

  My man.

  Wow. He did love her.

  “You okay?” Mackenzie placed a hand on her arm.

  “Yes. I was thinking about them. To answer your first question, Ford and Tyson live in North Carolina, so I’m not sure why they’d want to live here.”

  She nodded. “I know, but they might hold the key to taking down Statler.”

  “Because the men are enhanced?”

  “Yes. I heard they’ve offered to let our lab do some testing on them, too.”

  Her stomach clenched. “And possibly die?” The horror brought her coffee back up.

  “No. No. It would be like a skin patch test. The General would never allow them to be harmed.”

  Bailey let out a breath. “That’s good.”

  Mackenzie sipped her hot drink. “You seem a little unsure about this whole shifter stuff. Is it because they are only part human or because there are two of them?”

  She really seemed to understand. “It’s the two part, I think. My father is a Senator. I can’t let anyone know what they are or my dad’s career might be ruined. The press would have a field day.”

  “I know all of this can be confusing. Even though I sensed Sam and Brandon were my mates, I had doubts, too. Perhaps if you speak with some of the other women who are in a ménage relationship, you can get a better picture of what you’ll have to deal with. Two of our Pack members are returning from their honeymoon this week, and the woman they married, Liz Wharton, is a human. Perhaps you’d like to speak with her about your concerns.”

  Bailey finished downing her delicious muffin. “Is her father a public fig
ure, too?”

  “No, but the more input you have about what it’s like to live with two men, especially men who have dangerous life style, the better. The returning couple is having a party at their place this Saturday night. Why don’t you and your men come? Everyone you spoke with today will be there.”

  “That sounds wonderful. I would appreciate any suggestions, especially about how to hide the fact Tyson and Ford are really wolves.”

  Mackenzie set her cup down. “Great. A word of advice, though?”

  “Sure.”

  “Regardless of what any of the women tell you, always remember that you have the power in the relationship. Your men will do anything for you if you ask.”

  That made Bailey laugh. “Most of the time, I let them dictate things, but I know I have the real control.”

  Her new friend smiled. “Your men will always have your best interest in mind. That’s more than I can say for most human husbands.”

  “Amen.” Too bad the world wasn’t run by good shifters.

  After they finished, they returned to the headquarters where she found Tyson and Ford in the lobby chatting away with Jay, the former FBI agent.

  Tyson smiled. “There she is. Ready to go back to the hotel room and rest up a bit?”

  It was rare they ever rested when a bed was near. “I could use a nap. I’m rather exhausted.”

  They said their goodbyes to Jay and escorted her out. “So, what did you and Mackenzie talk about?” Tyson asked.

  She smiled. “Just girl talk, but she did invite us to a party this weekend. It’s at the home of the two men who are on their honeymoon. Mackenzie thought we might like to go so I can meet the other women.”

  Tyson frowned. “Ford, I’m not sure we should let Bailey confer with the women of other shifters. We might not stand up to the scrutiny.”

  She punched his arm. “You guys are enhanced. Of course, you’re better.” And you’re mine.

  He grinned. “Aw, shucks. But just in case you need convincing…”

  He let that thought dangle as he walked her to their car. The air was balmy and the breeze refreshing. She could get used to living here. It sure beat cold Canada any day.