by Fel Fern
“Are you going to cuddle me and give me a string of yarn to play with, too?” Charity asked warily.
London didn’t look insulted, only ruffled her head. “If you like. We’ll get kitten anything she wants.”
Charity had to laugh at that. It hurt to laugh, but it eased the tension a little. She felt incredibly fragile right now, like glass about to break, but the two men beside her righted her world a little.
Chapter Six
Charity stared out the windows from the informal dining room in the Scavos mansion where she usually ate meals with London and Ferus, not really seeing the cluster of trees outside, and feeling numb.
Usually the smell of fresh waffles, pancakes, stacks of bacon and eggs made her stomach rumble, but not today. Members of the Scavos family’s household staff moved about the room constantly, stacking more dishes on the large dining table, and in her personal experience, werewolves could eat a lot, especially her two mates.
Having made her decision, she crushed the single-page handwritten letter in her hand, and slipped it inside the pocket of her jeans just as a small furry animal rammed into her calf. She looked down, her grim mood lifting at the sight of a tiny wolf pup with copper-colored fur wagging its tiny tail at her.
“Good morning, Chase. Got away from your daddy again?” Charity bent down, rubbing the wolf cub’s head as it yipped at her.
She walked to the table, fished some bacon, and offered it to Chase, who happily wolfed it down. Another cub, fur the color of snow, followed after her brother, her tiny canines harmlessly sinking into Charity’s left slipper. Charity couldn’t help but grin. The thought of children never occurred to her before, because she couldn’t stand the idea of her cubs enduring the same ordeal she did, being unable to shift and forced to stay an outsider all their lives.
Seeing Jace and Conner’s kids got her thinking again. She couldn’t quite forget London’s face unexpectedly softening every time he saw his niece and nephew. Charity would have loved nothing better than to raise children with London and Ferus beside her, but that future was an impossibility now, because of one damning letter.
God, the thought unexpectedly hurt, to never be able to wake up in the mornings, draped between the two men. To never hear the sound of their voices, to be called their treasure, or be held so tight between them it became so difficult to breathe.
“Jordan, how many times have I told you not to bite at the shoes of our guests?” Jace huffed, clearly out of breath.
He shot Charity an apologetic look and scooped up his daughter, who tried sniping at his fingers.
Even without seeing him enter the room, Charity knew the man behind Jace was Ferus. The mate bonds between them pulsed to life, waking both her lioness and his wolf.
Ferus made his way to her, banding his arm about her waist and pulling her to his chest. “Where’s my morning kiss, kitten?”
Charity ignored the harsh thumping of her heart and the pain festering there. Both men had become so attuned to her emotions that a single expression or body language could give the turmoil brewing inside her away. So she slipped on a mask, as hateful as it felt, and leaned in close to give Ferus a kiss. Ferus responded in turn, sucking hard on her bottom lip, eagerly deepening the kiss when Charity felt another hand running a possessive hand down her spine.
“And my morning kiss?” London asked, warm breath dancing against the back of her neck.
He kissed her there and Charity closed her eyes painfully, trying her best not to cry, or give herself away.
“Something wrong, baby?” Ferus asked after releasing her lips, dark hungry gaze shifting to concern.
“Just nervous about having this family breakfast, especially with Conner. I mean, I had been sent to kill his mate in case you forgot?” Charity asked lightly, relieved when Ferus nodded, and London squeezed her shoulder in reassurance.
“It’s going to be fine, kitten. We’re here beside you.”
Someone in the room let out a polite cough. The three of them untangled from one another to see the rest of the family had seated themselves at the table. Jace and Conner, wrestling with one pup each. Even Max Scavos, his mate Dom, and Aubrey.
“Ahem. Well good to see everyone accepted my invitation. Conner, Max. Thank you for taking the time off from your busy schedules for this meeting,” London said smoothly. The three of them took their seats, with Charity and Ferus seated on either side of him.
“Yeah, well. You said it was important,” Conner said gruffly, placing Jordan down on the table. The wolf cub gleefully ran across the table, easily caught by Aubrey from the other end.
He fixed his gaze on Charity, the tension in the air palpable. While she was nervous as hell looking the Butcher, the werewolf alpha in charge of all of House Scavos’s wetworks, in the eye, she met his gaze steadily, refusing to back down.
To her surprise, he let out a loud guffaw.
“I must be getting fucking soft. Well, Charity, any idiot here can see how much my brother’s head over heels in love with you. You’re good with my kids and while I don’t completely trust you, I respect my brother’s decisions in making you his mate.”
It felt much easier to breathe now in the dining room, but again, Charity’s stomach churned. She meant every word she said to Ragan. The wolves had treated her with initial distrust, curiosity, and occasional warmness. London’s pack, especially, had started treating her with respect after she became his mate. In the short time she’d been here, the wolves had given her a home, and even became her family, when her own blood only wanted to get rid of her.
“Thank you, Conner. Your approval means a lot,” London said, and to Charity’s ears, he sounded like he meant it after arguing with his brother for a long time.
“I assume you have presented Charity as your mate to your own pack. When will you present her officially to the entire house?” Max asked.
“Soon.” London gave Charity one of his handsome, private, and knowing smiles, and she prayed to God her smile and mask still held in place.
The rest of breakfast went on smoothly, with the three Scavos brothers and their seconds discussing the family business. Before breakfast ended, Aubrey took her privately aside to one corner of the room.
“Let me guess, you didn’t tell London or Ferus about the letter I gave you earlier?” Aubrey crossed her arms. When Charity didn’t answer immediately, the crow shifter cursed under her breath. “I should have just burned the damn thing after your sister threatened to eat me. So what’s in it?
Because Aubrey had become her friend, a real friend she could trust, much like Jace over her stay here, Charity thought she deserved the truth. “A letter of challenge to the death.”
“Fuck.”
“My thoughts exactly.” Any shifter knew a letter of challenge was serious business. More often given to another shifter to challenge him or her for position, but with Risa, Charity knew it was purely personal.
“You can’t just ignore it? London and Ferus can take care of themselves, you know. Or is this some sort of wounded Vivaldi pride?” There was no judgment in Aubrey’s tone, just a need to understand.
Hell. Charity wished she had been a little angrier. Wished Aubrey shook her shoulders and told her what the fuck she was doing, throwing away something so wonderful.
“No,” Charity answered, feeling defeated even before the fight. “Didn’t you once tell me that in the end, everyone has to make their own decisions?”
Aubrey frowned, but didn’t interrupt. Perhaps she knew Charity needed to hear the words, to steady her convictions.
“This is one choice I need to make on my own. My battle. If I bow out of this challenge like a coward, Risa would never leave London and Ferus alone, and House Vivaldi won’t hesitate to take advantage of news of our union and use it as leverage for the war.”
Charity stole a glance at London and Ferus, who were tying up last-minute discussions with the two Scavos brothers. The growing ache inside her tightened, and for a moment she di
dn’t think she could do it. Without the ability to shift, she wouldn’t even be able to put up much of a fight. Unlike years ago when she faced off with Risa, this was no exhibition match.
“You’re such a fucking honorable idiot, you know what?” Aubrey muttered, accusation absent in her voice. She knew when Charity made up her mind she stuck to her choices. Aubrey quickly pressed something into Charity’s hand. “Look at it later. Good luck.”
Charity pocketed her gift just as Ferus made his way to them.
“Done having your little girl talk?” Ferus asked, rubbing at Charity’s shoulder.
“Yeah.” Aubrey gave Charity a curt nod and left the room with Max and Dom.
“Talk about anything interesting? Never seen Aubrey look so serious,” Ferus commented, blinking when Charity took his hand on her shoulder and kissed it.
“London and you would be meeting with a couple of smaller packs later, right? You have time?”
“We always have time for kitten. Especially when she’s feeling generous and needy,” London said, joining them, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “What are you in the mood for?”
Charity swallowed the lump in her throat. “Bedroom. I want you both to make slow love to me. I want to see you two together. I—”
London and Ferus looked a little taken aback by her request. Given most of their romps lately fell on a rough and wild scale like a newly mated trio who couldn’t get enough of one another, she wasn’t too surprised. If she had all the time in the world, she’d like nothing better than to indulge herself in both. Fast and hard, slow and steady.
I selfishly want so many things. It feels like I’m asking for the impossible. God. She wanted to see and experience so many things with them, but time wasn’t on her side.
“Of course, love.” London kissed her cheek. Ferus nuzzled her neck, murmuring his agreement.
It just pained Charity she had been that good an actress, to make them believe everything was all right when it was the exact opposite.
Chapter Seven
The window in the dusty storeroom London didn’t even know existed in the manor provided a tiny view of Charity in the distance, nimbly climbing up a tree and studying the wall she had to climb over. It took all of London’s self-control not to shift, rush after her, and drag his errant little kitten back. He breathed hard, slowly counting to ten in his head.
Ferus didn’t possess the same control. He gripped the windowpane hard, his wolf threatening to burst out of his skin. London couldn’t blame him. His own wolf wanted to do the same.
“You sure this is the best thing to do?” Ferus asked in a low voice, pupils turning to amber. Charity threw one leg over the wall, careful of the barbed wire, and disappeared from their line of sight.
“Not the best, but it’s the right thing,” Aubrey thankfully answered for all of them, because London realized his precious self-control was not as intact as he liked, especially when it came to Charity.
“You. I should have let that Vivaldi lioness turn you into crow meat.” Ferus practically snarled at his best friend. “If anything happens to Charity, I’ll crunch your little crow bones myself and eat you for fucking breakfast.”
Aubrey looked unperturbed. “You know I’m right. Charity isn’t some defenseless and weak female.”
“How long”—London managed, turning his attention back to her—“do we have to wait?”
She offered London her phone, where she had been tracking Charity’s movements through GPS. London watched the tiny red dot of his kitten swiftly moving deeper into the city.
Sooner or later, she’d exit Scavos territory and enter the part of Stocoma City controlled by the Vivaldi. Branded as a traitor by her own kin she had absolutely zero protection there. Shit. London’s brain kept on going on overdrive, imagining painful scenarios where Charity wouldn’t even make it to the site of challenge.
No. Aubrey was right. Despite not being able to shift, the last thing his mate was, was weak.
“What the hell is that?” Ferus asked, squinting at the map.
“I planted a bug inside the handle of the utility knife I gave her,” Aubrey told him, grabbing his shirtsleeve when he began moving purposely toward the door, his intention clear. Ferus looked like he had enough of waiting. Given he weighed twice as much as her, he easily brushed away her hand.
“Where do you think you’re going?” London demanded. “Look, Ferus. I know it’s hard, but Aubrey’s right. Charity needs to do this, to confront her family. Believe me, if it were up to me, I’d just send out a kill order to eliminate her bitch sister.”
Ferus’s hands curled to fists at his sides. “I can’t just stand here and let her go to her death.”
“Charity isn’t going to die,” London said calmly. “Because we’re shadowing her every step. Aubrey, will you keep a physical eye on her?”
Aubrey nodded, patted Ferus’s shoulder, and shifted. Once she flew out the window, London looked at Ferus, who controlled his rage when Aubrey had been in the room. Now that she was gone, he shoved London hard against the wall.
Ferus growled. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me what you planned earlier?”
“Because I knew how you’d react. You’ll prevent her from going, but she’ll go all the same. At least this way, we can watch her back.” London let out a breath, closed his hand around Ferus’s arm, and tried to think past his guilt and worry for Charity. “Look, I’m sorry. This is the last time I’ll ever keep something from you, but I need you to trust me on this. Charity’s life is on the balance, and we can’t afford to make mistakes.”
Silence followed, with the exception of Ferus trying to steady himself. London expected Ferus to react violently, punch or claw at him, even. He sure as hell deserved it, but Ferus only nodded.
“That’s it?” London asked, cursing himself for asking. “Ferus, I do mean it. From now on, no more lies.”
“I know. I believe you.” Ferus managed to crack a smile. “You know, the old you wouldn’t bother even trying to explain or apologize. This new you is a vast improvement.”
Ferus’s words warmed and shamed him at the same time. Reminded London what a fool he’d been, only realizing now how Ferus had stood by him all this while. Like Charity, London couldn’t wish for a better mate.
London pressed Ferus against him, banding his arms around his waist. Ferus slumped against him, resting his head against his shoulder. The tension in his body began to fade away when London stroked his back and murmured words of encouragement against his ear. “Everything’s going according to plan. There’s no need to worry, babe. We’ll get Charity back, and this will end up the way we want to.”
“Okay,” Ferus whispered, looking more vulnerable than London had ever seen him. Ferus clutched at his shoulders, pulled him close so no space existed between their bodies. Joined chest to chest, belly to belly, and groin to groin, London felt the heat of Ferus’s erection rubbing against his.
“I believe you. God help me, I don’t know why, but I do.”
His mate, so in need of reassurance, trusted him without question to make things right and London intended to deliver.
“Thank you, baby. You have no idea how much your words mean to me.” London planted a kiss on the side of Ferus’s jaw, sucking hard on his bottom lip, before sealing Ferus’s mouth with his. He withdrew, satisfied by the clear determination in Ferus’s eyes. “
London prayed he made the right decision. By letting Charity confront her old demons, London wanted her to learn to spread her wings and fly. Experience the freedom of choice.
A little voice at the back of his head nagged at him. A caged bird either falls and dies trying, or she flies true. Which will Charity be?
Ferus and he both had seen, firsthand, what Charity had been capable of and witnessed through experience her unyielding strength. How she’d shucked off the chains of her past and how much she’d blossomed and grown as an individual.
A shiver passed down London’s spine at the thought o
f Charity failing, experiencing some random accident he couldn’t predict.
“You think it’s about time we fetch back our wayward kitten?” London asked.
“It’s time,” Ferus agreed.
* * * *
“Going somewhere, defect?”
Charity whirled at the smug male voice. She wrapped her fingers tightly around the handle of the knife Aubrey gave her. Seeing the three looming goons in cheap black suits closing in on her, she swallowed, and tried to calm her rapid heartbeats. What did it matter though, when the lions could smell the fear on her?
The speaker, the one she presumed was the leader, let loose a mocking laugh. As he came close under the flickering lamppost, recognition swept through her at the sight of his bulky figure, pale, tattooed bald head, and leering eyes.
Alberto. A third-rate wetworks scum Risa sometimes used to do her dirty work. Rumor had it Alberto was madly in love with Risa and would do anything to gain her attention. Too bad he fell too low in the pride ladder for Risa to even notice.
“Figures it’s you,” Charity said sourly. “Just goes to show my sister can’t even clean up her own messes herself.”
Her back hit the wall. What great luck she possessed, being cornered in an unmarked alleyway. Charity hadn’t even made it past the official territory owned by the Vivaldi, but landed squarely in the gray area of the map between Scavos and Vivaldi lands. If she conveniently died here, Risa wouldn’t even be blamed for her death. Shit.
Alberto smirked. Had the right of it, too, seeing he’d been unloaded with the easy task of dispatching a werecat who couldn’t even shift to defend herself. “Risa has other important things to do. You aren’t worth her time. You and I on the other hand, have loads of time to get to know each other.”
Alberto cracked his knuckles, the look on him and the faces on his men not hard to read. Their gazes crawled over her, assessing her from top to bottom. She could practically smell the arousal, the excitement at the prospect of violence on them. Charity felt sick. She wanted to puke. That or run away screaming, but she had nowhere to run to.