by Olivia Arran
“Relax, Jimbo, we’ll think of something,” I murmured.
“What? I couldn’t get away from my father today. He wouldn’t leave the office. We’re no better off than we started. What if he gives me—”
“Greg will think of something.” I patted his shoulder, hoping it was at least a little bit reassuring. I’d hug him, but I wasn’t sure that I could. Not now. Not wearing my mating dress. “Don’t eat or drink anything,” I added as an afterthought.
“I’m not an idiot,” was the growled reply, a hint of power reminding me that I spoke to the future alpha of the pack. “What makes you so sure that Greg will come through? How well do you know the guy—” He broke off, the flush coming back. “Uh, well, not that kind of know. I mean, how long have you known him? What do you really know about him?”
I opened my mouth to reply, but a scuffle at the edge of the crowd had everyone stepping back.
Jimmy grabbed my hand, pulling me with him until we blended in with everyone else.
“No!” My intended scream was a muffled whisper, my throat closing up at the sight of Greg being dragged forward, his arms braced between two men, his head bouncing from side to side. Cuts covered his face, his eye bruised and swelling with each passing second. His T-shirt hung in torn strips, as though sliced from his body, but I wasn’t close enough to see the damage, the fabric fluttering in the breeze and obscuring my view. What have they done to him? A whimper escaped as I clutched my hand to my mouth, Jimmy’s hand clamped down on mine was the only thing stopping me from sprinting over there and meting out my own brand of justice.
That, and Greg’s eyes had just opened.
He wasn’t dead. All the breath left me on a whoosh, my knees buckling.
Catching me around the waist, Jimmy manfully dragged me back up until his mouth hovered by my ear. “We wait for an opening, okay?”
I blinked at him, not sure if I’d heard him right. “Do you mean that?”
He opened his mouth, to reply or rail me, I never found out, because the sound of Greg’s body smashing into the ground had my head lurching back around.
Greg was sprawled on the ground, spitting out dirt. Shoving back onto his knees, he pushed himself up.
Rocky kicked him back down as Tomas called for silence. At the older man’s nod, he spoke, “We found him sneaking around your office, alpha. Turns out, he’s not who he says he is. Took a little persuading, but you know I don’t mind, I’ll send you the bill.” A couple of chuckles from the men behind him, another kick to Greg’s stomach.
I hunched over, feeling his pain. Why wasn’t he getting up? Kicking the shit out of them? Fighting back? Anything?
“Who is he and what does he really want?” Tomas’s question was sharp, his eyes narrowing as he stared down at the man who I’d give anything to protect.
“Her.” Rocky jerked a thumb toward me, a look of disbelief on his face. “He knows her already. He came here to claim her.”
Tomas’s eyes flashed over to me, his lip curling in a sneer. “I should have known; you’ve always been trouble.”
“Hey! That’s our daughter—”
Tomas cut my Papa off, pointing at Greg. “She’s to be mated to my son and she’s been fooling around. How would you feel in my place if it had been Jimmy playing away, being unfaithful to Scarlett?”
Geez, he sounded so … reasonable! So much so, my parents looked like they were actually considering his argument.
“No matter,” Tomas declared, turning to the crowd. “Jimmy and Scarlett will be mated tonight, as was always agreed, and she will learn her place in the pack.”
No, no, no, no! The chant echoed in my head, the only thing keeping me from losing it, the certainty that Jimmy wouldn’t go through with it. And, worst case scenario? I’d knocked him out before, I could do it again.
Mom’s face scrunched up, like she’d smelled something rotten. Jabbing my Papa in the side, she opened her mouth to speak.
“Sorry, I’m not taking a mate tonight. Or this week. Probably not this year.” Jimmy’s voice boomed out over the swell of the crowd, his shoulders relaxed and a half smile on his face. You had to be as close as I was to see the muscle jumping in his jaw, and the strain in his eyes. He forced out a wry chuckle, lifting one shoulder in a self-depreciating gesture. “I might never find a woman that wants forever with me, but that’s okay.”
“Son…” It was a low growl, infused with a hint of desperation.
Jimmy cut off his father with a glare worthy of any self-respecting alpha. “Scarlett and Gregg are true mates; they should be together.”
Eyebrows shot up, voices rising as the whispers reached a crescendo. So why the pretending? Who is he? What’s all this about? Can I please go home now?
“Don’t listen to him, he’s obviously out of his mind.”
“Not this time. I’m not going to let you drug me again, Father. I’m not going to force myself on my best friend, just so you can get what you want.”
“Lies, all lies.” But Tomas was starting to sound a little flustered, beads of sweat popping up on his forehead, his expression a little crazed.
He was on something!
“Force? What the hell is going on?” Papa strode forward, his hands balled into fists and his brow furrowed. A low growl trickled from his lips as he stared down his alpha.
Movement caught my eye, Greg pushing to his feet.
“Hold him down,” Tomas growled, “it’s time everyone remembered exactly who their alpha is.”
Greg struggled under Rocky’s meaty hand.
Tomas pulled his arm back, ready to swing.
“Wait a minute, if that man is my daughter’s true mate, then you can’t—”
Tomas cut my Mom off with a glare. “I can do whatever the fuck I like.”
“Actually. No, you can’t,” Rocky said with a broad smile. He tilted his head to where Greg was pinned to the ground. “It wouldn’t really be fair, would it? But, then again, you’re not really one for playing fair.” Rocky dug a hand into his pocket, pulling out a small sachet and dangling it from his fingers for all to see.
Tomas could deny it. Say he’d never seen the small packet before. Bluster his way out of it. I could think of a million ways this whole thing could go sideways.
“We found them all, locked away in your desk drawer. Every single last one of these babies,” Rocky drawled, his eyes locked on Tomas. He opened the packet, tilting it. The tiny pill, rolled to the edge, then spun into the air, landing on the ground with a bounce. Rocky lifted his boot.
“No! Give me that.” Tomas lunged at him, eyes wide and hands snatching.
Yeah, I’d forgotten to take into account that Tomas was an addict.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Scarlett
It was a mess. An uproar. Everyone was shouting and pushing. I couldn’t see Greg through the crowd. Jimmy was still holding me back. He thought he was protecting me, but he was this far away from getting his ass kicked.
A deafening roar, carrying with it a wave of pure power, pressed against my mind, my will, trying to force me to obey. As alpha of the pack, Tomas was linked to everyone, his willpower dominating theirs. It wasn’t meant to be used like this—the alpha link—it was to enable the alpha to connect with his people, to understand and help them. Not to control them.
Not like this.
People fell to their knees, anger radiating from them.
But not Greg. Or Jimmy, or Rocky and his crew. They stood strong.
And … not me. I shook my head, pushing the screaming urge to fall to my knees back, until it flowed around me like water. It was easy, a flick of my mind. My wolf pawed inside my head, seeing it as a challenge for dominance, one she was happy to meet on four paws.
Tomas stared at us, his eyes bloodshot and wide. “No…. You will obey me!”
I felt a mild pressure, but I didn’t move. I didn’t have to. I was fine just where I was.
His wild gaze jumped around, until it zeroed in on me
. “This is why you have to mate with my son, don’t you see? Together you’ll be strong enough to hold the pack, your pups will be alphas. The pack will go forward! Become invincible!” It was the ravings of a man lost at sea, his mind eaten away by the drugs he pumped into his body, chasing the elusive high to feel whole again. Desperate and sad.
I understood. He’d lost his mate, his love. But it wasn’t right.
“It’s over, Father.”
“No. Never. This pack belongs to me. To us. You owe it to your mother!”
Greg spoke up, his mouth set in a grim line. Tension rode his body, but sadness shone in his eyes as Tomas crumbled before him. “Not anymore. Tomas, you will be standing trial before the Shifter Council for your crimes.”
Tomas’s fingers twitched. “What crimes?”
“Drugging your son, enticing him to rape—”
“I did no such thing. She wanted it,” he babbled.
Smack! The sound of flesh crunching against bone echoed in the silence. Spittle flew from Tomas’ mouth, droplets of blood sinking into the grass as his head rocked back. Greg shook out his hand on a growl. “That is my mate you are talking about there.”
His words sliced into me, stealing my breath. I swallowed hard, unable to tear my eyes away from him.
Standing tall and proud, Greg towered over the fallen alpha, fists clenched and muscles bulging through the rags of his shirt.
He was magnificent. Breathtaking. Furious and protective. And he’d called me his mate. Claimed me in front of everyone, not to mention my parents. I quickly blocked that bit out.
Soft blue eyes locked onto me, drilling into me and burrowing deep down into my soul. Liquid silver sparked at the edges, silent words and promises reaching out to me across a crowd now fallen silent. He let me see everything; how much he wanted me, needed me. Loved me?
I swooned. Literally, honest to God, swooned. It was embarrassing and thrilling and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Well, I might have asked for a few less witnesses, maybe none. And a bed. But, beggars can’t be choosers, and all that jazz. He wanted me.
Jimmy’s hand was the only thing that stopped me from sinking to the floor in a puddle of shameless euphoria. “Uh, is it always going to be like this around you two, because I might start looking for a new best friend,” he muttered, while trying his best not to manhandle me.
I wasn’t listening, my heart hammering in my chest drowned everything out.
Tomas pushed himself back up to his feet, swiping a hand across his mouth with a grimace. He shot Greg a look filled with rage and self-righteousness. “You can’t do this—”
“But I definitely can.” Jimmy, released me, stepping forward.
Swaying on my feet, I listened with gobsmacked awe, as my childhood friend proceeded to give the speech of his life.
“Before all of you today, as the child of his blood, I relieve my father of his duty as alpha of the Blacktooth pack. I offer myself in his stead, to guide you, honor you, and defend you. I would promise to be fair, just, and un-breaking in my devotion. My father will answer to the Shifter Council for his crimes, though I would ask for a merciful sentence. His mind is broken, his honor tarnished, but beneath it all, he loves our pack above all else. As do I. I owe it to him to see he gets all possible treatment for his illness, his addiction, as I would care for all of you in your time of need.” He took a deep breath, meeting everyone’s eyes, one by one. “Do you answer my call?”
Moonlight bathed him in silvery light as he stood tall and proud, the final clutches of youth falling away from him, leaving him hardened and ready.
“I answer,” Rocky called out, one hand pinning Tomas in place, while bowing his head and touching his heart. One by one, the pack answered Jimmy’s call, each touching their hearts, the place believed to hold our soul, and offering it to their new alpha for care.
Jimmy’s eyes landed on me. The words froze in my throat, refusing to come out.
Greg cleared his throat. “Ah, she’s with me.” His words carried the edge of a warning: back off.
“Of course she is.” Jimmy smirked, and just like that, he was back to being the guy I’d always known. Turning to Rocky, he murmured a few words, the older man slapping him on the shoulder before he escorted Tomas back to the house. “How does everyone feel about turning this mating celebration into a plain old celebration?” Jimmy shouted.
“To the new alpha!” someone cried, raising a glass.
Echoes lifted up, as everyone clinked their glasses, the oppressive weight dissipating on the cool breeze and smiles returning.
Catching Jimmy’s arm, I stretched up onto tiptoes, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. “You’ll be great.”
“Thanks, Scare Bear, though I’m sure I’ve got a lot to learn.”
I scoffed, pulling a face. “You were born for this.”
Doubt flitted across his face, then it was gone, chased away by what looked like hope. “I can’t do any worse than my father can I?” Sorrow darkened his eyes as he thought of what he’d just lost.
“Nope.” We burst out laughing, but it was hollow. I ached for him, and for the pack. Tomas hadn’t been a good leader in years, but nobody had thought to stop him. They loved him. “Do they do rehab for shifters?”
“Ah, yeah … I don’t know, but if there isn’t, I’ll damn well start one.”
“See? You’ve got big ideas.”
“Not bad for a small-town boy, eh?”
Jimmy turned away, a group of people demanding that I stop hogging his attention, but not before he gave me one last smile.
Capturing his face in my mind, I tucked it away for safekeeping. A memento of when he was just Jimbo—my best friend, and not a powerful alpha with the world resting on his shoulders.
The hairs at my nape trembled, goosebumps running down my spine. My old life was over, my new one had barely begun, but I felt … hopeful. Light. Full of possibility of what might be. Taking my time, I turned around, butterflies ricocheting inside my stomach and hands clammy.
Greg was standing there. All alone in the crowd. His eyes were only for me. We moved together, each step bringing us closer.
We met in the middle.
“How…?” I asked, indicating his cut eye, though it was rapidly healing.
“Rocky throws one hell of a punch.” His eyes were whispering different words, singing a different song.
I bit back a nervous giggle, my chest rising as I sucked in a breath, trying to steady my nerves. “So do you. Why, though?”
“I asked him to hit me. Seemed like a good idea at the time.” He winced, but he was still smiling. Actually, it was more of a grin, the lopsided kind that hinted at hidden nervousness.
“Don’t do it again.”
The grin faded, his eyes darkening to a heated sapphire blue. “Is that an order?”
I wet my lips, tilting my chin in mock defiance. “Would you like it to be?”
“It’s funny, I’ve always had a type. Submissive. Quiet. Undemanding.”
My stomach clenched. “Oh, really?”
He rocked forward, his hand sliding around my waist and dragging me to him. “Yeah. I was sure that was what I liked. What I needed. I didn’t want it any other way.”
Silk brushed against torn cotton, our hips meeting and chests brushing. “And now?”
He lowered his head, his lips millimeters from mine. “Turns out I have a soft spot for bossy.”
Our scents swirled on the air, teasing and tantalizing tastes of possibility. “Bossy?”
His mouth brushed mine on a soft murmur, “Domineering.”
My hands smoothed around his waist, then down to his ass. Tucking my hands into his back pockets, I pulled him even closer. “You’ve got a dirty mind.”
“Sweetheart—”
“Let me guess, I don’t even know the start of it?”
His lips pressed onto mine, sliding as he deepened the angle, his tongue licking at the seam of my mouth, until my lips parted on a gasp. Swoo
ping in, he stole my breath, a hand sliding up my spine and scorching my bare skin to thread through my hair, anchoring me to him.
The world fell away but for the feel of him pressing against me. The scratch of denim against my bare legs, the catch in his throat as he groaned, the flutter of his eyelashes as he fought to keep his eyes open, to watch me. He tasted minty and familiar, our bodies fitting together seamlessly in union.
He felt like home.
A small smattering of applause, a holler that sounded suspiciously like Rocky.
We broke apart, both panting and flushed.
He searched my face, not letting me go. Need had etched deep lines around his mouth, tightening his jaw and darkening his eyes. “Scarlett?”
I already knew the question, could hear it echoing in the thud of his heartbeat. “Yes.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Greg
If you’d have asked me a week ago if I’d let a woman touch me, I’d have told you to fuck off. No way. But that was before Scarlett. She wasn’t just anyone. Yeah, I’d heard the stories, about how when you met your mate everything changed. I hadn’t believed it. Not. One. Bit. Because why the hell would it? And why the hell would I be deemed worthy of someone as beautiful and kind as her. It had to be a mistake, so I’d fought it.
I was done fighting. If the world had made a mistake, they could screw off. She was mine, and she could do anything she wanted to me.
Right now, she was staring at me with her heart in her eyes. Giving it to me.
Me.
She trusted me with her heart.
I squeezed her hip, fingers slipping over the soft silk. Whatever the hell this thing was that they’d dressed her up in, I was looking forward to talking it off. Sliding it down her body, so it rippled and caught on every magnificent curve, and following the trail with my tongue. Or maybe sucking her through the silk, leaving dark, wet patches over her straining nipples, tonging her pussy until her juices soaked and stained the blue, dark. “Can we get the fuck out of here?” It came out a cross between a croak and a growl. Not my finest moment, but she didn’t seem to mind, a mischievous smile lighting her eyes and telling me she was right there with me.