Still, Daniel and Jaryn seemed to have complete faith in them all. Brom knew he needed to trust his mates and the people they believed in. He would need friends on his side if he planned to get out of this mess with his head attached to his shoulders.
Brom was surprised when a little man with sunlight-blond hair and sea-blue eyes walked into the kitchen surrounded by two towering, muscle-bound men. He could see the larger two men being able to protect his family but not the smaller man. Brom just didn’t envision him shifting into a seven and a half foot tall werewolf.
“Hey Mary, you called?” Cary said as he leaned against the counter across from Brom, watching him with curiosity.
“Actually, I asked her to bring you in here,” Brom said. “I needed to talk to you without my father finding out.”
Brom could feel his hairs rising up on the back of his neck when the two larger men growled low. He tried to reign in his natural reaction and not attack them. They didn’t need a pissing match right now.
“I need your help,” Brom said. “Daniel, Jaryn, and my cubs are in danger.”
Saul arched an eyebrow. “Your father or your wife?”
Brom could hear the slight sneer in the man’s voice, but he didn’t hold it against him. He imagined he hadn’t given a very good impression of himself or his pack. The men had a right to be skeptical.
“Both, actually.” Brom grimaced and dropped his eyes down to the countertop. “We’re hoping that neither my father nor my wife know that Jaryn and the cubs are here. Presently, Daniel and Jaryn are upstairs protecting my cubs.”
“And what do you want from us?” Ryce asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Brom wasn’t sure the man could look any less menacing. He was shocked when Cary reached over and smacked his arm.
“Be nice,” Cary said. “You know exactly what he wants from us, and we’re going to give it to him. He’s family now.”
Ryce looked like he wanted to argue with Cary but instead rolled his eyes and heaved a huge over exaggerated sigh. “Fine,” he said. “We’ll go upstairs and help protect your cubs.”
“And Daniel and Jaryn,” Brom added.
“And them, too.”
“I know I’m asking a lot of you but—”
Cary waved a hand at him. “You don’t need to explain yourself, Brom. You’ve mated Daniel now, and that makes you family. We take care of family.”
Brom frowned. “I thought you all were from different packs.”
“We are,” Cary said, “but Thomas used to be part of Daniel’s pack and Lucas, Daniel’s beta, is my brother. That makes us all family. Pack lines don’t mean a thing when family is involved.”
“Things aren’t like that in my pack.” Brom shook his head and pushed himself away from the counter. “They aren’t like that at all. My father believes we are a single entity, and we do not associate with other packs, no matter what.”
“That doesn’t work very well if your pack needs help,” Saul stated.
“I think this is the first time since I became beta that I’m hoping that’s true. If my father continues his system of isolationism, I’m hoping that he won’t get any assistance from any other pack.”
“You’re the pack beta?” Ryce asked. “Isn’t part of your job description doing what your alpha says?”
“Normally that would be true.” Brom grinned. “But I’m about to go inform my father that I quit. I have more important duties now.”
Ryce chuckled. “It’s too bad we’ll be upstairs guarding your mates and cubs. I’d like to see his reaction.”
“It’s not going to be pretty,” Brom said. “Add that to my telling Marla we’re through, and the shit is sure to hit the fan.”
“I wasn’t terribly impressed by your wife, Brom,” Cary said. “Why’d you marry her in the first place?”
“Daniel and Jaryn can explain it all to you upstairs,” Brom replied. “I really need to get in there before things get out of control. Just know that I did it for Daniel and Jaryn, for their safety and for the safety of my cubs.”
“I don’t really think you need to say more than that, Brom,” Saul said as he reached out for Cary and Ryce’s hands. “We’ve all done things we’d rather not do for the safety of our mates, even me.”
That surprised Brom. Ryce, Saul, and Cary all seemed to be so happy together. He couldn’t imagine there being any dissention between any of them. He would have liked to ask more, but right about then he heard a loud bellow from down the hallway.
Brom sighed. “Maybe later, huh?”
The men across from him nodded. “We’ll help protect what you hold precious. You go and sever your ties with your father and your old pack.”
Brom didn’t relish the idea of confronting his father or Marla, but he knew it needed to be done. As he walked out of the kitchen, he reminded himself that he did this so that he could be with his mates and his cubs. That was the only important thing.
He could still hear his father bellowing as he walked down the hallway towards the formal living room. Peeking around the corner, he could see his father shouting at Vadim, which wasn’t a good thing at any time. This was the man’s home.
“Is it proper etiquette, father,” Brom said as he stepped into the room, “to be shouting at the hosting alpha of a Wolf Council? Or were you trying to show Alpha Miroslav how little manners you have?”
Brom could see the rage in Alpha Angus McGregor as he swung around to glare across the room at him. Brom briefly noted Vadim and Sasha stood near the fireplace. He nodded towards the men.
“Alpha Miroslav, my apologies for my father’s words. Please do not take his bad manners as a reflection of the rest of our pack.”
Once Vadim nodded, Brom glanced around the room to the other men and nodded to each of them. Jake and Lucas sat on a black leather love seat, Leyland sandwiched between the two men, their arms wrapped protectively around him.
Caleb and Thomas sat on another black leather couch across from them. Micah sat between them, much like Leyland did with Jake and Lucas. Gregory, Viktor, and Ryland stood behind them. None of the men in the room looked happy.
It wasn’t until his father advanced on him that Brom noticed Marla sitting in a chair by the fireplace. She dabbed at her eyes with a lace hanky as if her emotions had overwhelmed her. Brom briefly wondered if she realized she sat in a room full of gay men.
“Where in the hell are my cubs?” Angus shouted.
Brom turned his gaze to his father, lifting one eyebrow. “Your cubs? I know you’re sleeping with my wife, but I’m still pretty sure I’m their father.”
Brom smirked when he heard Marla gasp. His father’s mouth dropped open and then slammed shut. “You didn’t think I knew about that, did you?”
Angus waved a hand at Brom while he glanced around the room. Brom knew the man was checking to see the reaction of the others in the room. Appearances were always important to his father, other peoples’ appearances anyway. He felt perfectly justified expressing himself however he wanted. Brom had seen it time and time again.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Angus said. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I would never sleep with your mate.”
Brom chuckled. “Oh, I have no doubt about that, father. Daniel wouldn’t touch you with a ten-foot pole. I was talking about you sleeping with my wife, who we both know is not my mate. Daniel is.”
“Daniel is not your mate,” Angus shouted. “Marla is your mate. She’s the mother of your cubs.”
“We both know we don’t have to be mated with someone to have sex with them. However, if Marla was my mate, she never would have started sleeping with you. Our bond would have prevented that.”
“Bond, shmond,” Angus sneered. “That’s an old wives’ tale. There is no bond…” Angus used his hands to make little quote marks in the air, “between mates. You mate who is best for you to mate, the person that will advance you in the pack.”
“Are you denying the mating bond, Alpha McGregor?” Vadim a
sked.
Angus turned to look at Vadim. Brom could see the tight set of his shoulders and knew his father was going to say something stupid even before the man opened his mouth.
“This is between me and my son, Alpha Miroslav,” Angus snapped. “It does not concern you, and I’d appreciate it if you stayed out of it.”
“I do believe it involves me,” Vadim replied calmly. “You’re in my house and on my island.”
Brom was grateful that the man didn’t take offense at his father’s words or attitude. He wasn’t sure any other alpha would have been so calm. Brom knew he wasn’t feeling very calm. He tried to look serene, but his heart pounded in his chest. He crossed his arms over his chest to hide the trembling of his hands.
“None of this really matters,” Brom said. “I am stepping down as beta of McGregor Pack. I’ve chosen to be with my mate instead and, assuming that his alpha will have me, I will be joining his pack.”
Jake chuckled from his position on the couch. “Leyland already stated you were accepted.”
Brom nodded, suddenly overcome that Daniel’s pack would accept him so easily. “Thank you. I didn’t want to presume without your say so, Alpha.”
“Assume away,” Jake said. “I’ve already given you my acceptance.”
“I haven’t released Brom,” Angus shouted. “He’s not going anywhere.”
“You don’t have to release me,” Brom replied. “Everyone knows that the mating bond supersedes everything, even the wants of an alpha. You can’t keep me.”
“Fine,” his father snarled. “Then I get to keep the cubs. Just because you think you’ve mated someone and want to leave the pack doesn’t mean I will release them. They’re part of my pack.”
Brom knew this was coming. He expected it. Angus McGregor wouldn’t give up the cubs, his link to immortality, without a fight. “They’re my cubs. You can’t keep them.”
“They’re Marla’s cubs, too, and I don’t think that she wants to be separated from them.” Angus walked over to lay his hand on Marla’s shoulder. Brom was pretty sure he saw his father apply pressure to his grasp, but he couldn’t be positive. It wouldn’t have surprised him, though. His father could be mean like that. “Isn’t that right, Marla?”
“Yes, of course,” Marla said. She sniffled and held the handkerchief to her face, dotting at her eyes. “I’d be devastated without them.”
Brom doubted it. He felt pretty sure that Marla was thrilled to be rid of him and the cubs. She hated being a mother, said she didn’t like what pregnancy did to her figure. She liked taking care of small children even less. They were too demanding when she wanted to be in the limelight.
“Well, I’m afraid that might be a problem,” Brom said as he looked at Marla. “I escorted Jaryn and the cubs to the cocktail party like you requested, Marla, and then went back for you. Since I couldn’t find you, I came here to talk to Daniel. What did you do with the cubs after the party?”
“Me? I never even made it to the cocktail party,” Marla exclaimed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Didn’t you ask Jaryn to get the cubs ready for the cocktail party?” Brom asked.
“Well, yes, but—” Marla stammered.
“Then where are they?” Brom could feel the eyes of the other men in the room settle on him. He hoped they didn’t give anything away. Brom knew he played a dangerous game both with Marla and his father. If either one of them discovered he had the cubs upstairs, he could be in big trouble.
“Well, you—you were supposed to be watching them,” Marla said quickly, her face flushing.
“Really?” Brom asked. “Since I had been gone all day at meetings arranged by my father, when exactly was I supposed to be watching them? Were you too busy fucking my father to keep an eye on them?”
“Jaryn said he would,” Marla exclaimed.
“It’s not Jaryn’s duty to watch over our cubs,” Brom snapped back. “It’s yours.”
“None of this really matters,” Angus said, waving his hand towards Brom. “What matters is that idiot has taken off with my grandcubs. I want them back. We need to organize a hunt and track him down.”
Brom frowned. “Didn’t you already do that, father?”
“No, of course not,” Angus bristled.
“Then why did I find Jaryn in the woods with his throat ripped out?” All eyes turned towards Angus. “You had several men with you when you tried to kill Jaryn. Just what were you doing in the woods if not running a hunt?”
“I was looking for you, of course.”
“Why?”
“Because you went off with that fucking fag and mated him,” Angus shouted. He pointed his finger at Brom, his face red with rage. “No two-bit little shit head is going to tear my pack apart. He deserved what was coming to him and so do you.”
“So, you did order a hunt against me?”
“You’re damn right I did,” Angus shouted. “You betrayed your pack by mating with that man. I chose your mate, and you should have been happy with that. I told you what would happen if you ever mated Daniel.”
The silence in the room was deafening. No one said a word as they all stared at Angus in astonishment. Brom knew his father was against him mating Daniel. He hadn’t realized his father actually hated Daniel.
“Do you know what you’re saying?” Brom asked quietly. “You ordered a hunt against me because I claimed my mate. That goes against everything we believe in.”
“It might go against everything you believe in, Brom,” Angus replied, “but I believe in pack. The only way to increase our numbers is through cubs, and you can’t have cubs when you’re mated to a man.”
“Uh, that’s not true,” Sasha said. “Both Vadim and I have biological children, and we’re mated.”
“I don’t give a damn what happens in your pack,” Angus shouted. “I care about what happens in my pack, and in my pack, two men will not be together. It’s wrong and unnatural. No cubs of such a union should be allowed to live.”
Brom knew his father had crossed the line when Vadim took a step towards him. “You dare threaten my cubs inside of my own house?” The man stood up straight and crossed his arms over his chest as he glared at Angus. “You are no longer welcome in my house, Alpha McGregor. I’m asking you to leave. Now!”
“Not without my cubs,” Angus argued.
“They’re not your cubs,” Brom asserted.
“They belong to Marla just as much as you. She has a right to them, and I say she wants them back.”
Brom smirked. “Then Marla can take her claim before the Wolf Council.”
Chapter 12
Brom’s stomach rolled. He wasn’t sure he could make it through the next few minutes without throwing up, and he hadn’t even walked into the council meeting yet. He stood in a room off to the side of the council chambers.
“Brom, honey, you need to calm down,” Daniel said.
“I can’t calm down,” Brom said. He thrust his hand into his hair, pulling at the ends in frustration. “What if they give the cubs to Marla? I’ll never see them again.”
Brom stopped pacing when Daniel stepped in front of him. It was either that or run into the man. “Baby, it’s not going to happen.”
“You don’t understand, Daniel. He has friends on the council, people he’s known for years. They’re going to side with him, even if it’s just for old time’s sake.”
That’s what worried Brom the most. His father had a lot of influence. Brom had seen him use it time and time again throughout the years. If Angus McGregor wanted something, he got it. And this time, he wanted Brom’s cubs.
Brom frowned at Daniel when the man grabbed his shirt and shook him. “Brom, he’s not going to get the cubs. He can’t. No matter how you look at it, what your father did was wrong. The council will see this.”
“And if they don’t?” Brom asked. “If they still side with my father?”
Daniel’s lips twitched. “How do you feel about beaches?”
“Beaches?”
“Our bags are already packed. Caleb, Thomas, and Micah are waiting with the cubs down by the ferry. If the council votes against us, they’re going to take them away. We’ll join up with them later.”
Brom chuckled. He pulled Daniel into his arms and hugged the man tight. He suddenly realized that he didn’t have to fight this fight all by himself. An entire family backed him up. He wasn’t alone anymore.
“Hey, can I get in on some of that?”
Brom glanced over at the softly spoken words to see Jaryn walk into the room. He grinned and held out his hand. Jaryn immediately shut the door and walked into the curve of his arm, snuggling close to his chest and Daniel’s.
“I think I could get used to this,” Jaryn murmured.
“Yeah?” Brom asked.
“Well, it would be much more fun if we were naked,” Jaryn griped, “but I guess this will do until then.”
“Yeah, I think I could get used to it too,” Brom said. He held the two most important men in his life in his arms. Brom knew he could get very used to this. It still amazed him that he’d been lucky enough to find them both.
The simple thought that he might never have had this sent an ache through Brom. He could feel it in the slight tremble in his hands, the lump in his throat that he couldn’t quite swallow past. Besides his cubs, Daniel and Jaryn were Brom’s world. He’d die without them.
“Knock it off,” Daniel admonished. “Nothing is going to happen to any of us. We’re together now, and that’s all that matters.”
“I just can’t help thinking—”
“Well, don’t,” Daniel said. “Let me do the thinking from now on. You just stand there and look pretty.”
Brom burst out laughing. He was supposed to just stand there and look pretty? He didn’t have a problem letting Daniel be the brains of the outfit. It wasn’t like he’d proved himself capable of the job. He just never thought of himself as pretty.
“I can do pretty,” Brom said.
Daniel arched an eyebrow. “Prove it.”
Brom blinked. Daniel wanted him to prove it? Here? Now? He glanced around the room and took in the sparse furnishings. A small couch sat against one wall, two chairs and a coffee table along the other. A long table with chairs sat in the middle of the room. All looked sturdy for what he hoped Daniel had in mind.
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