Protecting Their Home (To Love And Defend Book 4)

by Daniella Starre

  When Olivia walked up to her apartment, Alexis was leaning against her door, arms crossed. Olivia wasn’t shocked at all to see her.

  “What in the world is going on?” Alexis demanded, blocking the door.

  “Let’s talk inside,” Olivia said.

  Alexis shook her head.

  Olivia narrowed her eyes at her. “Not a conversation for the…”

  Alexis’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Right. Duh. I’m sorry. I’m not thinking clearly. You have me all flustered and worried!”

  Or you’re pregnant.

  Olivia grinned. Thinking about her friend and her potentially growing family was a welcome distraction.

  But when she opened the apartment and immediately locked it behind her, Alexis was frowning, her concern and anxiety all too visible.

  “Well?” her friend asked.

  Olivia sighed and launched into the incident.

  Alexis’s fingers curled into tight fists, and her teeth started to turn into her wolf’s fangs. Then, she recovered and shook her head. “I’m so glad that you told Grayson about it. We should tell Jasper too. I… I never did tell him about the first incident. I should’ve. I know I should’ve! But I didn’t want him to become all clingy. He’s so protective of me, and I love that, but I don’t want to feel as if I can’t leave the house to visit you.”

  “He’s been watching Lisa a lot lately.”

  Alexis grinned. “Yes. He loves daddy-daughter time.”

  “Maybe he’ll have a son soon.” Olivia went to reach for Alexis’s stomach.

  Her friend swatted the hand. “Don’t you dare,” Alexis said.

  “Dare touch your belly?” Olivia asked innocently.

  “I might not be and not just that. Don’t try to change the subject!”

  “You’re the one who brought up Jasper.”

  “Yes, I know. He’s an alpha but just of our family. That’s why we need Grayson for this. You’re right. Who knew you were so smart?”

  “Hey,” Olivia protested.

  Alexis smiled sheepishly. “Grayson’s a great guy,” she murmured.

  “But you didn’t want him to be your alpha,” Olivia pointed out.

  “I… It was a matter of trust, and I wasn’t ready to let so many strangers in. They aren’t strangers now.”

  “And?”

  “They’re great people. Sure, I don’t get along with everyone, but that’s life. I even am friends with some of the females.”

  Olivia gasped and put fingers in her ears. “I don’t want to hear such blasphemy!”

  Alexis rolled her eyes. “Come on now. Don’t play. This is serious.”

  Olivia lowered her hands and crossed her arms. “You want serious? How’s this for serious. I’m going back to Toledo.”

  “What? No! Why? Because of this?”

  “Of course because of this! I am not going to stick around and wait for those guys to assault me, verbally or physically or sexually.”

  “I don’t think it’s possible for them to because you would kill them all. I don’t care if it would be five on one.”

  Olivia just gaped at her friend.

  “I just got you out here,” Alexis wailed. “You can’t leave me already.”

  Olivia felt torn. She did and didn’t want to leave. She never made it to that new clothing store that she had wanted to check out. More importantly, though, she didn’t like the idea of leaving Alexis and her daughter here. It wasn’t safe. How could she leave with herself if she fled?

  “Come to Toledo,” Olivia blurted out.

  “My life is here,” Alexis protested. “My family, my home, my job.”

  “Not for forever. Just until this blows over.”

  “And what about the rest of the people here?” Alexis demanded. “Other females will be targeted. What if they decide to go after a human? Would that bother you just as much as if another werewolf had borne the brunt of it?”

  Olivia hung her head. Alexis was right. Detroit wasn’t home for Olivia, but she did want to take those assholes down. They deserved it. She never would be able to live with herself if she walked away to save herself and allowed others to be in the line of fire instead.

  “If you really want to go,” Alexis continued more softly, “then go. I understand. Nothing like this had happened before. I’m ashamed and embarrassed about this. Disgusted. Frustrated. Furious. It’s worse than with that asshole alpha from Hazel Park. CHECK.” She said his name like it was the most repulsive words ever.

  Olivia took a deep breath.

  “You’re reconsidering?” Alexis grinned and grabbed Olivia’s arm. “Great. Let’s go. We can talk to Grayson again. See what his plans are. If they’re solid enough, you’ll stay, right?”

  “Are you going to let Grayson get a word in?” Olivia grumbled playfully.

  Alexis shrugged and smiled. “Maybe? Come on. Let’s go. I’ll drive.”

  Chapter 5

  The alpha had cracked opened a bottle of white and drank a glass and a half as he ate the rest of his dinner. All the while, Edward was writing furiously. Grayson didn’t even want to know what it was.

  Fortunately, his beta waited until Grayson was done eating to talk. That his beta first poured himself some wine and drank a few gulps first was rather telling.

  Grayson was not going to like what Edward would have to say.

  “Now, I know you aren’t going to want to do this, Grayson, but history has showed us before. Weak alphas are killed. Their packs are taken over or destroyed. We’re lucky we’ve had an entire year of peace.”

  Peace. Grayson snorted. He hadn’t had any peace. Grief, sorrow, guilt… He hated that he lived longer than his wife had.

  “Down south in Texas, a werewolf alpha had been killed, his pack merged with another because he had drowning in his grief. He lost control of the pack. He lost his life. It happened twice in Utah. I think in New York or New Jersey. I don’t know. One of the ‘New’ states. Mourning leaves one weak.”

  “You said that already,” Grayson mumbled.

  “Can you deny it?” Edward asked.

  Grayson narrowed his eyes. “I haven’t lost the pack.”

  Edward clapped his hands. “You’re right. You haven’t. And that’s wonderful. We can move forward. Once you’re married—”

  “Can’t I just organize a force of my fiercest fighters and go after the five scumbags?” Grayson asked. “Wouldn’t that be easy? Hunt them down and be done with it?”

  “What if they’re just the scouts of a larger pack that wants to take us over?” Edward asked. “And just taking them out wouldn’t stop another pack from swooping in. I know you don’t like this, Grayson, but the pack needs an alpha female.”

  “Fine. I’ll appoint—”

  “That’s not how it goes and you know it.”

  Grayson sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “There’s not enough wine in the world for this.”

  “Drink up,” Edward encouraged. He waved the paper he had been writing on. “We have a whole list of possible werewolf females for you to consider as your bride.”

  Grayson wanted to curl up in a ball and die. How in the world could he be considering this?

  But Edward had a point. Five werewolves weren’t typically a pack, especially when they were all male. From what Edward had told him, all five were in their twenties or thirties, fit, strong, ready to fight and take over.

  They were a threat, and Grayson refused to allow any of his werewolves to become a victim. If one way to help accomplish that goal would be to get married again, he had to consider it.

  After all, he wasn’t sure he could endorse a mission that involved capturing the five werewolves and torturing them to learn if they served an alpha, who he was, what he wanted, where to find him.

  Because those werewolves would not give up that intel without being tortured. Any werewolf worth his fur and claws wouldn’t give up his alpha easily. And if their alpha trusted them to be spies, they had to be made of
stern stock.

  One by one, Edward went down his list. Too young. Too bubbly. Too timid. Too old. One by one, Grayson rejected them all.

  “You aren’t making this easy,” Edward said.

  “I’m not in the mood to marry again or ever,” Grayson grumbled.

  “I realize that,” Edward said smoothly, “but you are the alpha.”

  “I know I am,” Grayson snapped. “I’ll do what needs to be done. You can count on that.”

  “Wonderful. Are you sure that—”

  “Not now,” Grayson said.

  Edward stood from the table. “Very well. I’ll come back in the morning.”

  The beta placed the list before Grayson, patted it, and left the room. A few moments later, the front door opened and shut.

  A throat cleared. Grayson straightened and rose from his seat. Before he left the kitchen, Olivia and Alexis stood before him.

  “We overheard everything,” Olivia said.

  Alexis glared at the female. “We weren’t trying to eavesdrop,” she said.

  Olivia shrugged. “You need a wife to help get the ball rolling to stop those assholes.”

  “Supposedly,” Grayson muttered. His head was swimming. How was this his life?

  Olivia stepped forward. “Why not marry me?”

  Chapter 6

  Alexis coughed so much that Olivia had to pat her hard on the back. “I… I couldn’t have heard you right,” she said.

  Olivia shrugged. “Want me to get down on one knee?” she asked Grayson.

  The alpha gaped at her. She could tell that he was trying to figure out if she was serious. Or maybe if she was insane.

  Maybe she was insane, but she definitely was serious. She wanted those assholes to be gone. Permanently would be ideal. The thought that there could be more waiting in the wings had her itching to do something major.

  Couldn’t get more major than becoming the alpha female of the Detroit pack.

  “I think we all need a drink,” Grayson finally said.

  Olivia glanced at Alexis, who shrugged.

  “I don’t need a drink,” Alexis said.

  “You don’t drink alcohol?” Grayson asked. “I thought you did at the parties you came to.”

  “I’m trying to watch my figure,” Alexis lied.

  The falsehood made sense to Olivia. Alexis wasn’t about to tell this alpha before telling her alpha husband that she might be pregnant. Ugh. Why wasn’t time moving faster? Another week, Alexis said. Then, she could finally get a pregnant test done and know for sure one way or the other.

  “I have milk or juice or water,” Grayson offered. “Which do you want?”

  “Cranberry juice if you have it.”

  Grayson poured her a tall glass of cranberry juice and then held up the nearly empty bottle of wine toward Olivia.

  “Please,” she said. She was going to need wine to get through this.

  He gave her the rest of the wine, and that’s when she saw his left hand.

  The alpha was wearing a wedding ring.

  Grayson followed her gaze.

  Alexis jumped up. “I forgot my phone. I should give Jasper a heads’ up. Be right back.” She darted out of there.

  Coward.

  “Alexis told me that your wife died,” Olivia murmured.

  “I would rather not talk about it.”

  “Of course. I’m sorry.”

  “For my loss?” he asked bitterly.

  “I’m sorry I brought it up?” she asked, feeling as if saying yes to his question was not what he wanted to hear.

  “Olivia. What’s your last name?” Grayson asked as he sat down.

  “Oh. I never did tell you earlier. I’m sorry. You probably think I’m the rudest werewolf ever.” She sat beside him and held out her hand. “Let’s start over. I’m Olivia Moreno. It’s nice to meet you.”

  He almost smiled. “I guess I should accept your marriage proposal.”

  “Whoa, now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” she said.

  “You were the one to propose. Are you rescinding?”

  “I just think you might want to get to know more about me first.”

  A stormy expression crossed over his features. “I don’t need to get to know you, honestly.”

  Olivia jerked back, startled. The alpha was a good-looking man. Seriously good looking. If he would lose the sorrow in his eyes, he would be devastatingly handsome. He wore a buttoned down shirt, the top one undone. His pants fit him well, a little tight over the ass, not that she had been looking intentionally. When he had to bend over to get the juice from the fridge, her gaze just happened to fall there.

  His nose was sloped, his jaw firm. His dark hair was gelled back. He was clean-shaven, and she wondered what he would look with a shadow. Even hotter, she decided.

  His eyes, though, his eyes were haunting and sorrowful, two dark orbs that could drive anyone to utter despair. Her heart squeezed. The love he still bore for his wife was the love that she longed to feel one day.

  If she married him, she would never experience that love.

  But she would be protecting Detroit. Wasn’t that a fair trade-off?

  Chapter 7

  The way the female werewolf reacted to his harsh statement had Grayson inwardly wincing. He rubbed a large hand over his face.

  “I did not mean to insult you,” he started.

  “It’s not a normal circumstance,” she said. “I know this isn’t easy for you.” She reached toward his hand on the table but pulled back well before she could touch him.

  “And it’s easy for you?” he asked skeptically. “Because I doubt that. Most people wish to marry for reasons far different than trying to stop assholes.”

  Olivia’s smile grew slowly and lit up her face. She was beautiful.

  A pang in his chest had Grayson withdrawing his hands to his lap. He hadn’t thought a werewolf beautiful outside of his wife since he had started dating Patty.

  “At least it’s a noble reason?”

  He almost laughed. “Are you trying to convince yourself that’s the case.”

  “I want them stopped. I hate how they made me feel, and I won’t flee so they can do that to someone else.” She drummed her fingers on the table.

  “What is it?” he asked, confused by the sudden flash of wickedness crossing her features.

  “I know what wedding present I’ll get you.”

  He furrowed his brows, perplexed and alarmed. “Wedding present?”

  “Yes. You just won’t want to open it while wearing your wedding clothes.” Her eyes widened. “I mean, when you aren’t wearing nice clothes. It might be a little messy.”

  “Olivia.”

  “Hmm?” she asked innocently, not quite looking at him.

  “Are you planning on giving me a werewolf head or two?”

  She shrugged, grinning broadly again. “Or five but who’s counting?”

  Now, Grayson did laugh. “You’re something else.”

  “So I’ve been told,” she murmured. “I know your friend thought that you shouldn’t kill them because you need to know if they’re scouts, but…”

  “Wolves are predators. You feel threatened. You don’t want to be a victim. You want to go after them. I would love nothing more than for us to go after them ourselves.”

  Olivia leaned forward and touched his shoulder. “Then let’s do it,” she said eagerly. “Between the two of us, we can handle all five of them. We’ll kill four and leave one alive so he can talk. Win-win.”

  “That’s reckless.”

  “It’s important,” she said stubbornly.

  “I’m not saying that it’s not, but we have to be careful.”

  She slumped back in her seat. A ring won’t change much of anything,” she mumbled.

  He stiffened. He would only marry her if it would help. “Why do you say that?”

  “Because you keep glancing down at your ring. Rubbing it. You remain distracted.”

  “I am not,” he prote
sted.

  “Is that you saying it’s reckless or your wife? I doubt she would approve.”

  Grayson opened his mouth but hesitated. Patty had never been one for confrontations. She always tended toward diplomacy and using words over weapons.

  “You can’t deny it’s reckless,” he finally said.

  She lifted her chin. “I asked you a question,” she said. “I would appreciate an answer.”

  “I’m the alpha,” he growled.

  Olivia shrugged one shoulder. The move was surprisingly sexy despite her indifferent attitude. “An alpha, sure, but not mine. Not unless you can convince me that you can do what needs to be done.”

  “You just want revenge.”

  Her eyes flashed with anger and hatred. He hoped those emotions weren’t geared toward himself. Then again, did it matter if she hated him? He would never be able to love her.

  “It’s not about revenge,” she protested. “It’s about keeping everyone safe.”

  “I want to protect my home,” Grayson said. “My grief will not distract me from that. I know you aren’t from around here. Where is your home?”

  Olivia traced a pattern on the tablecloth. “Normally, I live in Toledo,” she finally said.

  Interesting choice of words. She was not claiming the city as her hometown.

  “Why are you here?” he asked.

  “I thought you didn’t have to get to know me,” she said crossly.

  “You can ask me any question you wish.”

  “Maybe I just want you to marry me to stop these werewolves. Then, you can try to find another werewolf wife.”

  “Another one?”

  She blinked in surprise. “Don’t you want to marry for love? We can divorce and—”

  “Werewolves don’t divorce.”

  “Not generally, no, but this marriage isn’t born out of love but necessity. If you find love, I would never hold you back from being with her.”

  “I did not want a second wife, and now you want me to consider a third?” he growled.

  “That doesn’t matter now, does it? See? You’re distracted.”

  Grayson threw up his hands. “You were the one to bring up a third wife, not me!”