Hayden released the handle. “Thank you,” she said genuinely. They both knew she wasn’t just thanking him for the posters.
He flashed a toothy smile. “Always.”
_______________
“Go Fish,” Fergus all but sang as he watched Hayden grab another card from the pile. He held his single card up to his face in order to hide the smug grin that had been present for over four hands.
Flashing him a look, Hayden snatched another card from the pile. To her right, Nathan was lounging on the couch, his nose all but pressed inside his hard-covered book. His tapered fingers tapped the spine of the book and his eyes occasionally glanced up to study the two critically, paying special attention to Hayden.
She ignored him.
“Do you have any fives?” Fergus asked next. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor, leaning his forearms on the coffee table. As a result, Hayden had to lean away, not wanting him to see her cards.
Mumbling underneath her breath, Hayden took three fives from her hand and passed them sloppily over to the twin. Grumpily, she watched as Fergus grinned happily and spread his suit of fives on the table next to his other collections. She was seriously beginning to suspect that she had a mirror behind her, or more realistically, Nathan was somehow signaling silently to his brother.
Quickly flashing the bulkier twin a look, Hayden spied Nathan hastily looking back down at his book, pretending as if he hadn’t been watching.
“That’s it,” Hayden complained as she slapped her mismatched cards on the table. “I can’t handle losing a fifth time. It’s a blow to the ego.”
“An ego that can withstand a few blows, plus some,” Nathan muttered quietly.
“Excuse me?” Hayden pressed icily, having picked up his murmured words. She rotated her body around to face him fully. “What did you say?”
“Nathanial,” Fergus scolded.
Nathan’s eyebrows furrowed at his book. “What? I’m simply trying to read.”
Fergus tapped the table, catching Hayden’s attention. “Why don’t we play Monopoly?” After noticing the repulsed sneer on Hayden’s face, Fergus was quick to suggest another. “Candyland?” His face was expectant, looking as if a simple refusal would completely deflate him.
She didn’t have the heart to deny him another game, especially when she had a feeling this was her ‘Fergus-therapy’ for the day. After last night’s conversation, Fergus kept close to her throughout the day, plastering posters across her bedroom walls and putting up a few pictures of himself and members of the pack. Instead of feeling overwhelmed at his constant companionship, Hayden surprisingly felt soothed and at peace.
“Candyland,” she agreed neutrally. With barely suppressed amusement, she watched as Fergus all but tripped over himself to get the board game. “Would you just say what’s on your mind and get it over with? Fergus is gone, you can speak freely.” She was beginning to go crazy at Nathan’s constant surveillance.
Nathan was silent for a moment, watching her blatantly from over his book.
Reaching out to pick up the split cards, Hayden froze when a foot landed on her hand, holding her in place. Her head shot up, observing Nathan as he leaned closer to her.
She suppressed a flinch, never having been this close to this particular twin before. At his proximity, Hayden felt no guilt for outright staring at him, studying his features curiously. His face was sculptured finely; his facial planes making him look almost feminine, yet masculine at the same time.
“Whatever dispute you and Cole are going through now, I suggest you work it out. Soon.” He tone was crisp, matter-of-factly.
Hayden’s face fell and she did nothing to stop the frustration from seeping into her tone. “Not you too. Who’s next in this intervention? Is Devan lurking around the corner to add in her two cents?”
He frowned at her, almost succeeding in belittling her. “Cole’s been in a high mood since your arrival here. But a few days ago, his mood is back down, making all of us miserable in turn. Whatever your issue is, get over it.”
Her mouth turned upside down into a deep sneer. “Your concern is honestly touching, really, it is,” she drawled in sarcasm. “But you don’t see me nosing around in your business, do you? Did you see me hounding you to call off your request to mate with Devan?” She raised her eyebrow superiorly. “No, you didn’t. So feel free to return the favor.” With a tug, she pulled her hand out from underneath his foot, making sure to scrape the vulnerable skin around his ankles.
Nathan hardly flinched. “You’re assuming that I’m forcing her to be my mate.”
Hayden flicked her hair over her shoulder, barely glancing at him. “Well aren’t you?”
Turquoise eyes were hard as they watched her. “Devan and I talked about being a mated pair long before Cole became Alpha, and long before she chose to insult the pack by seeing Joseph behind our backs. It was a tentative agreement at the time, but it was consensual.”
Nathan looked up, through the ceiling and in the general direction of Devan’s room. “I’m definitely not forcing her into anything. It would hardly be chivalrous without her consent.”
That was news to her. Coupled with Nathan’s confession of not forcing Devan into a relationship, and Fergus’ tale last night, she was beginning to see Nathan in a new light. But he was still an asshole. “You see? I have no right to butt into your business because I don’t know all the facts. And you don’t know any of the facts involving Cole and me.”
Nathan blinked rapidly, frowning and appearing contemplative. Seconds later, his expression cleared into something akin to reverence. “That actually makes sense.”
“Remarkable, isn’t it?” Hayden ridiculed. “I actually have the capability of using common sense.” Before she could mock him further, she stiffened, feeling the uncomfortable sensation of someone crossing the territory line.
By no means was it a magical alarm that went off in her head, but it did make her feel vulnerable and territorial at the same time. It hadn’t been this way when Shane had crossed over the territory line, but that could have been because she hadn’t had her first full moon yet.
She scrambled up, rushing past Fergus and up the stairs just as the doorbell rang. Cole had already beaten her to the door and was opening it, his broad shoulders set. Hayden was surprised to catch a peek of Eric and Asher on the other side, their postures both relaxed and nonthreatening.
“Sorry to force the territory line, Cole, but I’m a bringer of news.” Eric tilted his head marginally, a sign of submission for being on another Alpha’s territory.
Next to Eric, Asher easily spotted Hayden from over Cole’s arm. The beta flashed her a grin, earning Cole’s hasty observance. Hayden feigned disinterest when Cole glanced over his shoulder at her.
“I was wondering if we could speak in private,” Eric continued, oblivious, or at least ignoring the growing tension around him.
Cole seemed to give Eric’s request some thought. For a moment, it looked as if he was going to decline, but he stepped aside reluctantly and allowed Eric and Asher entrance. As the blond beta entered the threshold, Cole sized him up, retaining eye contact until Asher was forced to look away.
“We can speak in my office,” Cole invited grimly, his eyes still focused on the relaxed form of Asher. The Alpha then turned to look at Nathan and Fergus who had come up behind Hayden. “Watch them,” he ordered sharply, pointing to both Asher and Hayden.
After what seemed like forever, two days at most, Cole finally held eye contact with Hayden. He only offered her a look of warning before guiding Eric down the hall and into his office. She looked after him, her jaw tight with unrestrained frustration.
“I see he’s in a good mood, as always,” Asher joked. Glancing over his shoulder, he pushed the door shut behind him. “His remarkable inhospitality skills haven’t changed either.”
“You don’t even belong here,” Nathan pointed out calmly. “He doesn’t need to be hospitable to a beta of another pack.”
“Blake and Addie are out shopping,” Hayden supplied lightly, sensing both men were on the defense. “Nathan is our deputy beta until he comes back.”
The blond beta’s eyes softened when they landed on Hayden. His tense shoulders sagged a bit, a sign that she had successfully lightened the mood. “It’s good to see you again,” he hailed. “But I can’t say that the situation is on good terms.” He stopped there, leaving it open.
Nathan quickly took the bait. “What happened?” he inquired sharply, seemingly forgetting about his earlier misgivings with Asher.
Hayden’s stomach plummeted when Asher looked at her again, his somber gaze telling her everything. Either she was a suspect for another murder or the other Alphas decided to reconsider punishing her for what happened to Robert Warden in the back of the bowling alley. She hoped fervently that it was the latter.
“There’s been another murder,” the blond beta informed softly.
“Another one?” she repeated numbly. Thinking back to that night at the bowling alley brought with it vivid flashbacks of the mutilated body. The nausea now was just as strong as it was then. “Who was it? Was the body… was it attacked like Robert Warden?”
Asher looked over at Fergus and Nathan before giving Hayden his undivided attention. “The body was mutilated like before, yeah. The victim was a member of Falco’s pack, Ian, their omega.”
“An omega?” The term sounded incredibly foreign to her.
“Omega, like me.” Fergus stepped in, placing reassuring hands on Hayden’s shoulders. “An omega is considered to be the lowest ranking member of the pack, the one that serves as the pack’s scapegoat.”
“That’s a derogatory characterization, Fergus,” Nathan quickly intervened. Instead of the cool, intellectual expression he usually wore, Nathan seemed to warm up considerably as he patiently corrected Fergus. “An omega possesses the special ability of sensing the pack’s emotions and helps them recover. True omegas, like you, are rare and incredibly valued among the entire pack.”
Hayden allowed herself a grin despite the situation. She finally had a name for Fergus and his unique talents. “You are pretty special,” she teased lightly, turning to beam up at him. “No one else could possibly have as much patience as you do in dealing with our moody pack.”
Fergus seemed bashful and looked away in humility.
“Well? What about the murder?” Nathan inquired, as usual, quick to get the conversation back on track. “Do they suspect someone? Do you know if the murder was intentional? Was Nicolas behind it?”
Asher’s eyes became half-lidded in annoyance at the bombardment of questions. He gazed unhappily at Hayden, easily expressing his disappointment at not being able to speak to her privately. Hayden had to agree. It had been days since she’d seen Asher alone, as she’d been under constant surveillance from Cole and the rest of the pack.
“Nathan,” Fergus interrupted just as Nathan opened his mouth again. “I need your help with something downstairs.” He winked at Hayden before turning for the stairs.
Nathan appeared almost as taken aback as Hayden felt. He looked between his retreating brother and the two blonde-haired werewolves by the door. “But Cole—”
“Hayden is capable of taking care of herself and standing guard over the house in case Asher chooses to attack. Come on. I need your help downstairs.” Fergus’ voice turned muffled at the end, indication he was already in the basement.
Nathan whirled back around to stare suspiciously at an innocent-looking Hayden. Without another word, he followed behind his brother, choosing family loyalty over the orders of his Alpha. Quite frankly, Hayden was surprised at his choice. She would have thought Nathan was someone who stuck exclusively with the rules. And what exactly were Fergus’ intentions of willingly leaving Hayden alone with Asher?
“You weren’t out by the territory line,” Asher accused softly. “I’ve been worried about you.”
Hayden stuffed her hands into her jean pockets, a bit pleased at his concern. She slowly led him into the adjacent kitchen, thinking it would give them just a bit more privacy. “Cole found out that I was meeting with you. I’ve been under constant surveillance since.”
He leaned his broad frame against the counter, scrutinizing Hayden in amusement. “And that’s stopped you?” He chuckled at her unimpressed look. “I hope you didn’t get into too much trouble. I know Cole can overreact.”
He had no idea. Hayden shrugged carelessly, not inclined to dwell over that night. “He had nothing to get upset about, but he’s still being overprotective, especially considering the murder the other night.”
Asher appeared to be mulling something over in his head. He looked hesitant to spit it out, but he eventually mustered enough courage. “How about I take you out tonight? I think this whole situation with the murders and the framing is a little bit too clean-cut for an average werewolf to scheme up.”
He was certainly hinting at something scandalous, and she wanted in on anything he had in mind. “What are you thinking? That an Alpha was behind this?”
Asher’s dimples deepened when he smiled broadly. “That’s exactly what I’m implying. It’s not my father, and I highly doubt it was Cole, but there’s still a possibility.” He ignored Hayden’s disagreement. “But I have a strong suspicion that it’s Falco. And Falco volunteered to be the first pack patrolling the town at night.” He pushed off from the counter and surveyed the hallway where Cole’s office was. “I think someone should be patrolling Falco.”
Hayden’s lips parted in a silly grin. “You think we should spy on him.”
The male lifted his eyebrows and took another step closer to Hayden. A teasing smirk played across his features as he looked down at her. “Only if you’re up to it.”
The door opened to Cole’s office, causing Hayden and Asher to step away from one another. “I’ll meet you outside the house at eleven o’clock,” Hayden responded quietly, nervous and excited at the same time.
She didn’t know if Asher truly thought Falco was behind the recent murders, or if he was trying to make it seem like a bigger adventure than it really was. No matter what his reasons were, Hayden could hardly say no to him.
Cole and Eric came to a stop in the entrance to the kitchen, both gazing doubtfully at Hayden and Asher. After impatient beckoning from his father, Asher escaped the kitchen, bypassing Cole.
The two men locked gazes, their postures charged with negative tension as they revolved their bodies around one another, both refusing to turn their backs. At one point, they had their chests parallel with each other, bringing with it the startling realization of how much bigger Cole was. Granted, Cole was only an inch or two taller than Asher was, but he carried himself taller.
Cole had an intimidating air to him, a commanding air of an Alpha. His chest was broader and his neck was held higher, giving him a significant advantage over Asher. Cole’s chiseled features were crafted into a mask of indifference, only his dark eyes relaying the intensity of his emotions. His gaze alone conveyed his warning and his dominance. Asher did a remarkable job mirroring Cole. Only, his seriousness didn’t suit his typical happy-go-lucky persona.
Hayden crossed her arms over her chest, her sly appreciation of the scene turning dark with displeasure when Cole continued to follow Asher with his eyes until the beta escaped the house. She kept her face clear when the Alpha turned to look at her, just as unhappy with her as he was with Asher.
“Nathan and Fergus—”
“I wanted to talk to Asher alone, so I told them to leave.” She lifted her chin at his skeptical look. She wouldn’t get Fergus into trouble when he had enough decency to give them privacy. “I am female Alpha, Cole. It’s only natural that my orders are as authoritative as yours, isn’t
it?” He seemed surprised at her comment. “Female Alpha isn’t just a senseless title to me.”
Feeling rather satisfied, Hayden escaped the kitchen, hardly pausing even as Cole barricaded the doorway with a solid arm. With ease, she ducked beneath it, almost home free until a hand boldly curled around the waistline of her jeans.
His single hand alone was able to lift her cleanly off her feet before forcing her against the pantry door. Looking up, she scowled at his close proximity. She knew him well enough to notice the amused grin he was trying to suppress.
“Don’t run,” he scolded lightly. Both of his hands were on either side of her, keeping her prisoner against the kitchen pantry. “We need to have a discussion.” He gave lengthy pause, bringing Hayden’s anxiety to the next level. “About the other night, after the incident at the bowling alley, I didn’t mean to hurt you in anyway.”
Hayden stiffened and her face flushed. “You didn’t,” she insisted, wanting desperately to avoid this. “I’m still just a little shaken up over the murder. Asher told me they found another body, Ian, the omega of Falco’s pack.” There. It was subtle change of subject.
Cole’s lips pressed together in contemplation and he surveyed her diligently. His skeptical expression told her that he had noticed her intentional avoidance when it came to their earlier conflict. Fortunately, he didn’t press further.
“Did he now?” he murmured intently. He flexed his hands on the kitchen cabinets and leaned a bit closer. “Did he also tell you about the part where Falco went into a rage and attempted to come after you?” At Hayden’s sudden blank expression, Cole flashed a toothy grin that didn’t seem all that comforting. “Of course he didn’t tell you. Asher doesn’t want to be the bearer of bad news.”
Un.Requited (Claimed Series) Page 22