To her surprise and delight, Luke had remained with them instead of returning to his guestroom. With his professed distaste for mated life, she’d expected him to run off the moment sex was over each night, but he stayed. Still, she hadn’t felt comfortable to sleep pressed up against him as she had with Mason, at least not at first. The natural bond was there, but she knew he wasn’t open to loving her. Nikki couldn’t help the attraction and bond she felt for him. She couldn’t help the way he made her tremble and cry out in his arms, but she could help falling in love with someone who would probably never feel the same for her.
Keeping her feelings at bay might prove harder than she thought, though. She often woke in the night to the feel of his hand on her hip or breast, and she’d lie quietly, just watching him and Mason sleep. She felt unbelievably content surrounded by their heat and masculine scents. Then, there were the times when she’d wake to find Luke watching her. She tried not to feel anything, but she was failing.
It didn’t hurt that she sometimes heard his voice in her heard while he fucked her. Hearing your mate’s thoughts while shifted was pretty much the norm. Hearing them in unshifted form hinted at a deeper bond, a love match, which they clearly didn’t have. With Mason, that connection didn’t surprise her, she felt closer to him each day. With Luke, it floored her.
For the most part, they’d been undisturbed, except by the odd friend who stopped by to make sure they were all still breathing, but on the last day of the first hydan week, Adam showed up to summon them to a mandatory clan gathering. None of them was overly pleased, as they’d been planning to have a soak in the suite’s enormous hot tub, but there was no avoiding it. For the first time in days, they got fully dressed and headed out to the Raven Clan’s regular gathering area. Nikki hoped it wasn’t bad news they were headed to hear, and second to that, she hoped it would be brief.
* * * *
“This is ridiculous.” Luke hadn’t stopped grumbling since they’d left the joining suite. “The hydan is supposed to be uninterrupted.”
Mason couldn’t help joining him. “We shouldn’t have to be here.” He’d been in the process of trailing kisses down his mate when Adam had pounded on the door, saying everyone was required at a mandatory clan gathering. Mason had been quick to remind him that they were in the middle of the hydan, swinging the door shut as he spoke, but Adam had stuck his foot in the door and told him there were no exceptions. The man had seemed sympathetic, but the alphas had spoken and here they were.
“It’ll be over before you know it.” Nikki patted his leg. “We can’t stay in bed all the time.”
“Why not?” Luke asked.
Mason could see no reason to get out of bed either. They could have food brought to them. Unfortunately, that thought reminded him that they’d missed breakfast. “I’m hungry, too.”
Nikki laughed, looking up at him. “Don’t you two think about anything other than food and sex?”
Looking at her, dressed in a pair of clingy jeans and a simple tank that showed off the fullness of her breasts, Mason had trouble thinking of anything more important. “When I’m around you? No.” He leaned over to nuzzle her neck, running a hand up her clothed leg from her knee to the juncture of her thighs. Luke copied his movements from the other side, sneaking a hand up under her shirt.
An exaggerated sigh interrupted them. “And this is why the bulk of the hydan is meant to be spent in the joining suite.” Mason turned to find Nikki’s friend Robyn standing in front of the vacant seat next to him, Mikayla and Liz right behind her. “I’m going to sit here and I don’t really need a peep show, so how about you two keep it in your pants.”
Adam and Levi took seats on the other side of Luke. “We second that,” Levi said. “It’s top of my list of things I don’t ever need to see. My eyes are already burning.”
Luke smirked. “You could always sit someplace else.”
“Are you kidding? We’re brothers now,” Adam said. “We’ve got to stick together.” He punched Luke in the arm, harder than was strictly necessary for a friendly pound. Luke sighed deeply but punched him right back.
“Does anyone know why we’re here?” Mason asked. It must be important for the alphas to call a last-minute mandatory gathering, but they’d been given no explanation.
“My father and Grey are planning to hold the official ceremony to unite our clans today instead of next week. It seems there are decisions to be made and they’d rather make them sooner than later.”
A hush fell over the crowd as Zion and Grey mounted the old wooden platform in front of the horde of clan members they’d brought together. Normally, alphas had to bark at the crowd at least once or twice before everyone would pay attention and shut up, but obviously Mason wasn’t the only one anxious to hear what was going on.
Zion stepped up to speak first. Usually, alphas relied on the power of their own voices to be heard, but with a crowd this large, with many in the back standing because there weren’t enough folding chairs, Mason could see why they’d chosen to set up a microphone and speakers instead. “I know you’re wondering why we’ve called you all here today. We’ve had news of Ulric and his scuffles with the vampires, and we have reason to believe trouble will show up at our borders sooner than we’d hoped. For this reason, we will officially unite the clans today rather than at the end of Nikki’s hydan. Immediately following the ceremony, we will discuss the threat Ulric poses not only to our clan but also our kind in general.”
Mason put his arm around Nikki’s shoulders and pulled her closer. He’d known Ulric’s mistakes would one day come to haunt them, but he’d hoped that time was much further off than it was, from the sound of things. He wanted time to relax and get to know his mate, and he hated anything that could be a threat to not only her happiness but also her life. Of course, the life of a wolf shifter was never without threats. There were always in-pack disagreements that sometimes ended in violence, and at any moment the alpha could be challenged by someone in the clan or someone hoping to take over from the outside.
“I object.” The low murmur that had started in response to Zion’s announcement changed to gasps. Mason heard anger and outrage at the nerve of the man who’d dared to object, but he also thought he detected some agreement.
* * * *
Of course he would object. Caleb had been against the merging of the clans from the very beginning, and he’d been one of the wolves everyone had speculated might challenge Zion for leadership before it was official. Nikki didn’t blame him for his opinion, but she was very protective of Zion, despite her forced mating, and she disliked him purely because he posed a threat to her father and his plans. Besides, he had a bitter streak in him that she didn’t think made him leadership material.
“Caleb Lowe.” Zion looked annoyed, but it was accepted practice to at least acknowledge objections before proceeding. “I believe we’ve already heard your concerns. Our clans have voted and we will proceed as planned.”
Silence. Caleb looked around at the group of males nearest him as if deciding what to do. Nikki shifted her gaze from him back to Zion, wondering what her father would do next. If Caleb refused to back down, her father would be expected to make him do so. Nikki couldn’t help but feel anxious. How many more fights did Zion have in him, especially against wolves so much younger than him? Luke and Mason seemed to notice her anxiety. Luke took her hand and squeezed it and Mason planted a kiss on her temple. She wasn’t the only one concerned, though. The air around her was sharp with anxiety.
“And what if I decide to challenge the Raven Clan’s leadership?” Caleb’s voice was strong and clear. He seemed too confident, and that worried her even more. Did he think he could win?
Nikki jumped up. “You can’t do that!”
“Why is that, Princess?” Caleb asked, sneering at her.
“Nikki, sit down,” Zion ordered from the platform. “It is Caleb’s right to issue a challenge.” Her father’s voice was just as strong as it always was, and he didn�
��t seem shaken by the turn of events. Still, she didn’t like the chance that he’d lose to Caleb and possibly end up dead or forced to submit to the man. “If you want to challenge me, Caleb, speak up. Otherwise, take your seat. We have clan business to conduct.” Zion turned and covered the mic as he spoke with Grey. His body language said he didn’t consider Caleb a real threat, and Nikki relaxed a little. If her father wasn’t worried, maybe she shouldn’t be.
“I challenge Zion, alpha of Clan Raven, for leadership,” Caleb said, and all hell broke loose as clan members cried out, chairs were moved and people scrambled for position, some to be where they could see best, others to get out of the way. The din was overwhelming as people gave their opinions of this turn of events and, Nikki guessed, others spread the word to shifters too far away to see and hear anything not relayed over the microphone.
Luke tried to lead her away, but Nikki had to see. She could lose her father in this fight and she wouldn’t stand at the back of the crowd, waiting to hear that he was dead.
Luke cupped her chin, forcing her to look at him. “We’re moving back. You could get hurt.”
Nikki crossed her arms in front of her. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Luke’s right,” Mason said. “You shouldn’t be on the front lines of this thing.”
“What if this were your father? Where would you want to be?” She looked over at her brothers who stood side by side watching as her father took up his position in the center of the circle the crowd had made.
“Dammit, Nikki,” Luke said. “It’s our job to protect you.”
“Then protect me.” If one of them tried to move her, she’d shift and fight them tooth and claw. “Protect me from right here.”
Luke reached for her, as if he would bodily remove her just as the battle began in the center of the circle. The crowd pressed in from the back and both sides, and Mason and Luke seemed to change their minds. Luke stepped behind her, putting his arms around her protectively, and Mason stepped in front of her but slightly to the right, so he didn’t block her vision.
She almost wished she’d allowed them to lead her away as she saw her father, already shifted into his massive jet-black wolf, and Caleb, dark gray in his shifted form, circling each other. Zion seemed to be waiting for Caleb to make the first move, and Caleb no longer appeared as sure of himself as he’d been just moments ago.
Nikki had a moment to hope he’d change his mind when he lunged at Zion, catching him with a slash of claws across the face. Her father shook his massive head as if trying to recover and then the fight was on as the two wolves lunged at each other. The inner circle became a mangle of teeth and fur as the two growled at each other, biting and clawing, drawing blood and ripping at each other. Nikki gasped and put her hands up to stop herself from screaming each time Caleb sunk his teeth into her father’s body.
The crowd was forced to move back, and Nikki along with it, several times as the wolves rolled and skidded in this direction or that. At first, Zion gave as good as he got, and the stench of blood from both wolves soon mixed with the smell of violence.
She had just finished a silent prayer that Zion would not only win but also survive the fight, when the worst happened. Caleb managed to take hold of Zion’s neck. A scream tore out of Nikki’s throat and her knees buckled as she imagined the younger wolf’s sharp teeth sinking into her father’s neck and ending his life. Mason and Luke supported her weight, murmuring comforting words to her. Nikki barely heard them.
Unable to take her eyes off the display in the circle, she heard what sounded like endless screaming, vaguely wondering where it was coming from, and realizing belatedly that the tortured sounds came from her. She snapped her mouth shut and tried to prepare herself for what came next. Tears streamed down her face and she blinked to clear her vision.
Every angry word she’d ever spoken to her father, especially after his announcement that she would join with Luke, flashed through her mind. She’d never told him she’d forgiven him or that her life with Luke wouldn’t be the hell she’d once imagined. Her heart hurt at the thought that he would die thinking she was still angry with him. Deciding she couldn’t watch after all, Nikki turned away and buried her face in Luke’s chest.
The crowd gasped, and Nikki braced herself to hear her father was dead. “Look,” Mason said. “Turn around. Your father. He’s okay.”
He was. She didn’t know how he’d managed it, but her father had reversed their positions, burying his own teeth in Caleb’s neck. Nikki always hated this part. No matter what the reason, she didn’t enjoy witnessing death. That hadn’t changed, but she wanted more than anything for this fight to end, and if that meant Caleb’s demise, so be it. She watched as the light seemed to dull in Caleb’s eyes and believed the fight to be over.
“No!” someone shouted from the edges of the crowd, and Nikki watched in shock as Caleb’s brother joined the fray. This wasn’t done. It broke clan law to interfere with a fair challenge. Another wolf jumped in and yet another, all attacking her father. Not a second later, Adam and Levi joined the fight, followed by two more wolves. John and Jason Adler, she thought. She felt more than heard the growls emanating from Luke and heard more of the same from Mason. Luke thrust her backward toward a female clan member. “Stay here,” he ordered, his command more growls than words. Then, to her shock, both of her mates shifted and joined the battle.
The female clan member happened to be Lacy Balan. She didn’t know her very well, but the woman took her hand and squeezed it tightly, and Nikki was grateful for the connection. She was paralyzed with fear. Not only could she lose her father but also her brothers and maybe even her mates.
The fight seemed to last forever, and with so many wolves involved, it was difficult to see who was in trouble and who was holding his own. Several times, she choked down bile as one or the other of the men most important to her took a blow or suffered a bite. Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, it was over and several wolves lay dead or close to death in the ravaged grass and dirt. Nikki threw herself forward, not knowing whom to check on first, finally sinking to her knees when she discovered that all of her men, from her father to her mates, had survived. Each one had injuries, her father’s the most severe, but they were alive. Thank God, they were all alive.
* * * *
Zion had killed Caleb during the battle, and three of the other wolves who’d jumped in the fight to defend Caleb lay dead along with him. The others were immediately exiled from the clan, lucky to escape with their lives. Luke had suffered some bites, bruises, and scratches, but he would heal. Mason and Nikki’s brothers were in similar condition. Zion was badly injured, though, and Nikki went to work, issuing orders to carry him back to the lodge and find one of the clan doctors, even as she began tending his wounds herself.
Like all wolf shifters, he would heal quickly, but the first couple of hours with a potentially fatal wound were critical. If healing didn’t make enough progress before a fatal wound could take hold, the wolf would die despite his healing ability. That was Nikki’s fear as she used the herbs and concoctions the clan relied on to aid his natural healing and gave him a liberal dose of painkillers to lessen his discomfort. One of the clan’s few doctors arrived soon after Zion was lowered into his bed, but he ended up playing assistant to a suddenly very bossy Nikki rather than the other way around.
Luke leaned against the wall in Zion’s room, feeling out of place but reluctant to leave his mate. Worry for Zion poured off her in stifling waves, yet she tended him with the skill of a seasoned battle nurse. Luke watched, his surprise eventually turning to pride. She was amazing and probably too good for him. Once she finally slowed down, he was afraid she would collapse from shock, or exhaustion. Mason stood just inside the door, waiting as well.
Zion seemed to dislike being nursed but gave in again and again under the repeated threat of being tied down. Luke didn’t think any of the clan members would actually dare, but when Nikki threatened, Zion seemed to believe s
he’d do it.
Only after every cut and bite had been bandaged and the heavy-duty painkillers took hold did Nikki usher everyone out of Zion’s suite and collapse into one of the high-backed chairs Zion’s staff had placed in the hall. Mason kissed her forehead, then went with Adam to talk to the crowd of wolves still gathered outside and let them know Zion would recover. Levi also left, saying he would go speak with the guards about the newly exiled wolves.
Luke took a seat next to Nikki and she fussed over his cuts and scrapes until he finally batted her hands away, telling her he was fine. He was, and they would heal soon enough on their own. She looked tired, and he didn’t want her wasting energy on him.
“Caleb got what he wanted after all,” Nikki said once she’d finally given up on him.
“So he did.” Luke couldn’t consider it a victory, but the wolf had managed to delay the official merging of the clans. “It won’t last long. As soon as Zion’s healed, they’ll make it official.”
Hopefully, no one else decided to challenge Zion, or Grey, before that happened. Once there were two alphas, winning a challenge would be harder and maybe that would deter anyone who wanted to try it. While the clans remained separate, however, the chance to gain leadership of an entire clan was a carrot some would find hard to resist. Still, he’d been shocked when Caleb had tried it. Zion was well-liked among the Raven Clan’s members. Luke thought that should win him more loyalty.
Nikki nodded and then looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “What you did for my father. I don’t know how to thank you. I don’t have the words…”
“I didn’t do it for him.”
“I just don’t understand why.”
“I told you before.” Luke was uncomfortable with her question, partly because he wasn’t sure of the answer. She’d been so upset, practically collapsing in his arms. Her fear and pain had coursed through his body, settling in his bones. Then, when the other wolves jumped in to try to overtake her father, he’d seen red. He’d jumped in the fight without thinking. “You’re my mate, and I’ll always protect you.” That was the truth. In a way, he had been protecting her.
Nikki's Fated [Wolves of River's Bend 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 9