Jupiter's Shadow

by Tl Reeve

  “He didn’t like it,” I answered softly.

  “So, you want us to believe your father didn’t know anything?” Scout shook his head. “I don’t believe it.”

  “I wouldn’t have, either. If you’d seen the horror in his eyes.” Dax sat forwards. “All he wanted for us was to thrive. To grow and to get back to the way things were. He saw an opportunity.”

  “My Alpha,” Benning began, “saw this as a way to extend a hand. To help your alphas. He saw the destruction and the vile shit going on in your packs. He thought if he sent me and the others we’d figure out a way to fix it.”

  We had. “Mace have you contacted your family yet?”

  He nodded. “I did.”

  “Will they meet with us?”

  “My sister will. She said tell her when and she’ll join us.” Tension filled him. It rolled off him in waves, and crashed over me, pulling me into his emotional turmoil.

  “Scout? Bowie?” I pushed through, focusing on the other members of my newly forming family and the beginnings of our new governing body. “Have you reached anyone you trust in your pack?”

  “Yes. Sarafina.” He smiled. “She’s completely on board and will meet when you are ready.”

  I sagged. Relief filled me. We were moving in the right direction. “Good, then we’ll meet late this afternoon. Make sure our contacts know.”

  Now, came the hard part. I glanced at each man sitting at the table with me. I trusted my pack to all of them, but one would have to take on the role of alpha. Benning had been the right choice. He had the skills and leadership abilities we needed right now. Dax would be his second. It only seemed appropriate the one person who knew this pack better than me would become pack beta. I also wanted Mace to be the pack protector, with Scout taking care of all the legal issue which may arise.

  “Benning will take over as alpha, with Dax as his second. Mace I want you to be our pack protector, while Scout is our lawyer.” I didn’t look at any of them. I couldn’t. I feared they’d fight or scoff my judgment. Instead, rumbles of agreement greeted me.

  “It’s a solid plan,” Bowie said. “I’m good with your decision, Jupiter.” He gave me a small smile.

  “I agree. If this works out like we hope it will, my sister and mother will be safe,” Mace added.

  “Brady can return to ours,” Scout stated. “Once everything has been settled.”

  “Then we’re all set.” I stood. “We need to get ready. I have to go to work. My partner has an interview today and I’ll be damn if I leave a case open before I quit my job.”

  Five sets of eyes met my gaze, confusion and surprise in each one of them. I hadn’t even told Benning or Dax. But with all the upheaval in my life—our lives, I hadn’t had a chance. So, surprise.

  “What? Why?” Scout’s voice was a little more than a whisper.

  “For this to work, I have to focus on our pack. I have to be here with you to make sure the transition is smooth and any tension which might rise from the changes we’re about to make don’t take root and spread.”

  “We don’t care if you stay with the sheriff’s department, Pip,” Dax added. “I know you love your job.”

  I did. But I loved my pack more. “How about this. I’ll take a leave of absence for six months. If things progress well for all of us, then I’ll go back. If we find the pack runs smoother with me around, I’ll stay.”

  Mace nodded. “It’s better than completely giving up what you love. I’m a selfish bastard, though, I want you here with me, always.”

  I laughed. “I’ve found doing my job and traversing this new endeavor with each of you has been…interesting. However, the guilt I feel for not spending more time with you, or conversely at work, is making it harder each day to keep up.”

  “Sounds like you know what you want,” Benning observed.

  I did. “Yes. All of you.” Which brought me to my final point of the meeting. “In order for this to work—for us to work, we must be a cohesive unit. To accomplish the task at hand, we all must mate.”

  Chapter Twelve

  While I finished dressing for work, Mace entered my room. I’d wondered how long it would take for him to join me. Tension still radiated from his big body. I knew he worried for his mom and sister. I couldn’t blame him. The situation for all of us was dire. Some more than others. But I was determined to fix it and make us all stronger together and individually.

  He came up behind me. The heat of his massive frame surrounded me. For long moments, he didn’t say a word, only stared into the mirror at me, then at the mark at my neck.

  “Benning?” He trailed his finger along the red and purple bruise.

  “Yes.”

  He gave a curt nod.

  I went to my tip toes to brush my lips over his. A hoarse groan ripped from him, seconds before he gathered me in his arms and sat me on my dresser. He surrounded me as he kissed me with such force and desperation, I drowned on it. When he broke the kiss, his breath came in heaving pants. His eyes were wild with arousal. My big beast needed me and I’d been neglecting him.

  I nuzzled his cheek. “Tell me what I can do to soothe your ache.”

  He pressed his forehead to mine. “May I mark you, again?”

  The question surprised me. I assumed he’d take, not ask. “When?”

  His gaze searched mine as though he warred with his wolf for control. “Now. Before you leave.”

  “Yes.” I didn’t hesitate with my answer. If I could help him, I would. Whatever it took.

  He groaned before kissing me again. His thumbs caressed the undersides of my breasts as he held me in place. The pleasure-filled tingles racing through me set my blood to boiling as my desire for him grew. He pressed kisses to my jaw, then down my neck. He chose the opposite side from where Benning marked me, laving the spot with his tongue. He drove me insane. I wanted to scream do it, claim me. I held it in, though, allowing him to take his time and do as he pleased with me.

  In a flash, I was standing in front of him. His chest pressed to my back. He reached around, undid my pants, and pushed them over my hips, exposing my heated skin to the cool air of the room, causing goose bumps to form.

  My breath hitched at the rasp of his zipper. I glanced up and caught a glimpse of his aroused features. Pure determination marked him as he pushed my legs open and trapped my body against his. The engorged tip of his erection pressed at my entrance. He snarled. His face became a mix of feral need and desperation. With one stroke, he filled me to the hilt.

  “Mine,” he growled.

  His thrusts were a hard demand. Each plunge sealing us together a bit more. I held on for the ride, allowing him to take what he needed. His wild grunts spurred my passion as I clung to him.

  “Yours,” I murmured.

  His mouth covered the sensitive flesh of my neck. Each lap of his tongue shot shards of pleasure through me. My clit throbbed. My pussy ached. Everything narrowed to where we were connected. He bent me forwards slightly, and lay over my back. It shortened his strokes, but increased the incredible friction between us. The sounds he made dragged me into his haze of lust. I was lost with him. Only able to feel the building connection between us.

  “Fuck, yes,” he grunted, palming my breasts.

  I was dizzy with the heady combo of male dominance and sexual gratification. This man gave me the hard edge I craved. “More,” I cried.

  “I’ll give you what you want, when I’m ready.” He took the lobe of my ear between his teeth and nipped the area before licking the sting away. “I’m enjoying ‘my’ pussy. Feeling it go slick and cover my dick. The way you clench around me, right before you come.” He groaned, nuzzling me.

  His words set off tiny shockwaves through me. The tingle of bliss in my belly expanded and zeroed in behind the bundle of nerves between my thighs. He was deadly, plain and simple. There was no getting around it. Every time he took me, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. When I wasn’t with him, I yearned for him. I over analyzed all of
this. How I could feel the same for five men, but I didn’t. Each was unique.

  His mouth covered my neck again, as he added pressure to my clit. I gasped as my climax built to the point of pain, and with a single-minded action, he struck. His teeth pierced my neck and I detonated. I bucked and jerked against him sobbing as the orgasm seized me.

  Mace pumped his hips harder, faster, until he made an unholy sound and his release pulsed from him. He extended our pleasure, rocking against me as we rode out our satisfaction. When he let go of my neck, he licked the spot, then grinned. The big man stared down at his handy work with pride. I felt the same way.

  “Better?” I murmured as he held me a bit longer. I refused to pull away from him and he didn’t seem to be in a hurry to move, either.

  “Much.” He wrapped his arms around me. “Thank you.”

  “For?”

  “Saving my sister and mother.” The depth of emotion in his voice, clogged my throat, and tears gathered at the corners of my eyes. He loved them more than words could possibly described, and it only endeared him to me more, solidifying the fact I’d made the right decision.

  “I’d do anything for you, always.” I don’t know how long we stood there, connected in the most basic of ways, but when he slipped from me, I felt a little colder without him.

  “I can’t wait for you to meet Miranda. She’s unique and quirky, kind of like your Jessy.”

  “I always wanted a sister.” I turned to him. “Once this is fixed, they’ll always be welcomed here.”

  He nodded, straightening his clothes. “I understand. It’s how I realized this was our best shot at unity.”

  “The days of old rules are over. It’s time for some fresh blood to take over.” I took a moment to freshen up, then righted my clothes. “Our new lives, our families’ new lives start today.”

  “Definitely,” he agreed.

  I pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You know, Bowie and Scout are probably getting jealous.”

  He laughed. “They snooze, they lose. Not your fault you have a sweet little pussy I can’t get enough of.”

  His heavy-lidded gaze tempted me to stay home and give in to what he wanted. “Down, boy,” I teased. “Later. After our meeting. After we put our plan into motion.”

  He nodded. “I’ll be waiting.”

  * * *

  While I’d been playing with my wolves, a search warrant had been issued for our suspect, Jaime Sanchez. LAPD’s computer forensic division had traced the IP addresses from the signature to a three-mile radius. For some stupid reason, he worked out of his home. I guess, he figured he was sly enough to not get caught.

  So, it left Silvi and me time to prepare for her interview. Even though she sat across from me while answering question she made up, I could see her nervous tick. She had a bad habit of locking her fingers together so tightly, her knuckles turned white and almost purple at the tips.

  “Relax,” I whispered, laying my hand over hers. “You’ve got this.”

  “It’s so scary. I don’t want to screw up.” Her anxious gaze met mine. “I don’t want to let you go.”

  Goddamn emotions. For the second time today, a lump formed in my throat. “I don’t want to let you go, either.”

  “Come with me. I-I’ll figure out something.” The pleading in her eyes almost undid me.

  “Let’s get you this job first, then we’ll work on the second part.” I grinned in an attempt to bolster both of us.

  “Yes!” She laughed, finally easing back into her chair. “What’s your next question?”

  Once Silvi found her groove, she was on top of everything. Her answers were succinct and to the point. Her confidence increased, and by the time we finished, the job, in my opinion, was hers.

  My phone rang as I waited with Silvi for any information on the search warrant. “Hello?”

  “We’re on the way,” Mace announced.

  “Great. I might not be able to go far. I’m waiting on a search,” I replied.

  “Not a problem. We’ll bring food. I saw you had tables outside in a little area. We could meet there.” He always thought of the stuff I didn’t.

  “Thank you.”

  The phone at my desk rang and my heart slammed against my ribs. “Mace, I’ve gotta go. My call…”

  “Go. Kick some ass, babe.”

  I love you. The words whispered through my mind as I hung up with him. I pushed them aside, though, and concentrated on what would hopefully bring a close to this investigation. “Investigator Baldwin.”

  “This is Detective Garza of the Los Angeles Police Department. I would like to inform you of the arrest of Jaime Sanchez.”

  Elation overrode my trepidation. “Thank you.”

  “There are several jurisdictions involved. It could be a while before he is shipped to you.”

  “I understand.” It could be years before he could be extradited to Tennessee. We could wait as long as his ass was behind bars.

  “We’d like to share evidence with you as long as you’d share your evidence with us.” It was a given. We always did what we could to help convict a criminal.

  “We will. I’ll have it sent to you by tonight. Thank you for the update, Detective Garza.”

  “You’re welcome, Investigator Baldwin.”

  As soon as I hung up the phone, I fist pumped. We got him. I should have asked for more details, but for now, the knowledge of no one else having to suffer for his delusions of exacting revenge. “We did it!” I turned to face Silvi. “LAPD got him.”

  She clapped, then high fived me. “Fantastic.”

  “We’ll get more information soon,” I added.

  “Perfect. See, things have a way of working out.” She had a point.

  I could breathe now. I could walk away from the human world and my job and not feel like I’d be missing something or not finishing my job. “If I cut out for an hour or so, will you be okay on your own?”

  She nodded. “What’s going on?”

  “A meeting with some friends. I’m helping them. It should only take an hour or two.”

  “Not a problem. Anyone I know?”

  “A couple of people, sure,” I answered.

  “Those sexy men?” She wiggled her brows. “I wish you would just open up and tell me. I won’t judge.”

  “It’s a family thing. We’re having a get-together soon and we’re planning.”

  “Cool. You going to invite Tommy and me?” She popped a brow. “We are family, right?”

  “Sure.” I shrugged. “Why not.”

  “Perfect. Tommy and I will be there, just say when.”

  Dread knotted my stomach. I couldn’t stand lying to her. Couldn’t stand the thought of losing my friend. Rationalizing it wouldn’t solve anything, either. I’d have to face this head on and tell everyone what I’d done.

  The text on my phone drew my attention from our conversation. I had a respite. Everyone had arrived. “Would you like to meet them?”

  “They’re here?”

  “Yep.” I nodded.

  “Sure.”

  She followed me out to the tables located in the small park attached to the property. Sarafina stood surrounded by five large men including Alexander, our pack mate. I didn’t recognize the other four. Next to Mace stood an older woman and a younger girl probably only eighteen or nineteen. They had to be his mother and sister. Benning stood with the representative for his pack while Dax, Bowie and Scout protected a man, if his looks indicated anything, he was the infamous Brady.

  “Wow, they’re all your family?”

  I laughed. “Yeah, sort of. It’s a long story. I’ll introduce you.” We continued towards the pack. Their weary glances shot my way only tightened the knot in my gut.

  “Everyone,” I said, coming to a stop in front of the group. “This is my partner, Silvi.”

  “Oh, you’re pregnant.” Sarafina pushed through the crowd, her long red hair had been platted into an intricate design. “Congratulations.”

&
nbsp; I worried my friend would be a shell of herself, but as I glanced at her men, each one, including Alexander watched over her with such adoration, my heart constricted.

  “How did you know?” Silvi stared at the woman with a wide, surprised gaze.

  “Pregnancy glow,” Sarafina replied.

  Mace glanced at me and cocked a brow. Shit, I was really going to have to explain this. “How about we take a seat and we’ll get started.”

  “Will you stay with us, Silvi?” Sarafina took her hand guiding her over to the waiting tables.

  My partner shrugged. “Sure, why not?”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Our late lunch hadn’t gone as horribly as I thought it might. I liked everyone who joined us, and Brady was going home with us once we left. After seeing Silvi off, we got down to work. Scout would mediate our new coordinated packs.

  “She is human,” Sean stated once Silvi had left.

  “Yes,” I answered. “I have been her partner for ten years. She is my friend.” And I couldn’t stand the idea of leaving her behind.

  “Do you trust her?” Kriss, the chosen from Mace’s pack stood.

  “With my life.” Conviction hardened my tone.

  “Will you tell her of us?” Damien, the representative from Benning’s pack, inched closer to Sarafina.

  I sighed. “I don’t know.” Catch-22 rears its ugly head again.

  “Humans are not supposed to know about us,” Axel stated.

  “Maybe it’s time.” Benning stood beside me. “Some of our packs are dying. Our bloodlines are growing too close to being genetic clones, or worse, the same.”

  Alexander frowned. “What if they hunt us?”

  I shook my head. “How about we don’t tell all of them, but those we trust. Like Silvi or if we find a human mate?”

  There were soft grunts of approval in the crowd.

  “These changes will take time. We don’t have to dive in with both feet and demand our wolves find human mates or trusting friends,” Dax stated, taking position on my right. “Slow and steady.”

  “I don’t mind being the guinea pig,” I remarked. “Silvi would be the only one.”