by Vivian Wood
Genny cut her off with a gesture.
“No need for details, my dear. Of all my sons, Gavin has the biggest heart. I’m sure he’s done whatever needed doing.”
Faith glanced up at her.
“Thank you,” she said. “Really, your whole family is too kind.”
“Pssh,” Genny said. “Now, is it alright with you if I turn off the light? I really am tuckered out after all the excitement.”
“Of course,” Faith said, lying back on Gavin’s sleeping bag.
“Goodnight, dear,” Genny told her, turning out the light and rolling over. After a handful of minutes, Faith could hear the woman’s dozing snore.
Only then did Faith begin to relax, burying her nose in Gavin’s bedding, inhaling his wonderful scent as she began to drift off to sleep.
60
Five
Gavin looked up from his cup of coffee as Cameron and Wyatt plunked themselves down across from him on the picnic table. He’d been in this spot half the night, within sight of the front door his cabin, turning his new situation over and over in his mind.
And yet, with the morning light peeking over the treetops, he still had no clear solution. He couldn’t leave Faith with her crazy, abusive family. Wouldn’t leave her, if things came down to it. On the other hand, if she resisted, could he force her to come with him? If he did, would he be any better than her father or brother?
“Ach, he’s got the face,” Cam said, elbowing Wyatt.
“He does,” Wyatt agreed. “Mated face. Note the misery.”
“Fuck off,” Gavin sighed, leaning his elbows on the table as he glared at his brothers.
“After our help last night,” Cam chuffed. “The thanks we get.”
“You two are starting to sound like the twins, talking back and forth to each other,” Gavin told them.
Wyatt looked at Cam, and they both shrugged in perfect unison. Then they cracked up laughing.
“Jesus,” Gavin muttered.
“Look, though. Seriously,” Cam said, his laughter easing. “We know you’re regretting not joining our little bet. Since you’ve bagged yourself a mate, probably a virgin too, we can tell you some stories to keep you warm at night.”
“Out of brotherly love, of course,” Wyatt added.
“A virgin?” Gavin said, rubbing his face. “God, you’re probably right.”
“That’s a new one for you, bub,” Cameron said. “Usually the girls you date have a list of exes a mile long. It’s how they get all their emotional baggage.”
Cam sat back with a satisfied smile, knowing he was grinding Gavin’s gears.
“This doll’s broken in a whole different way. Intriguing, I admit,” Wyatt said, mirroring Cameron’s pose.
“Did I already say fuck off? Because really, fuck off,” Gavin told them.
“A guy’s gotta have projects,” Cam said to Wyatt. “Apparently Gav doesn’t get enough sad sacks at work, beating their kids.”
“I’d figure that keeping the peace at Red Lodge would fill whatever hole is in his heart, but apparently not,” Wyatt replied.
Gavin started to tell them to fuck off again, then stopped. He narrowed his gaze at his brothers, considering.
“Are you two… actually showing some kind of concern, albeit in the fucking rudest way you can? Is it possible?” Gavin asked.
Cam and Wyatt went quiet, looking at each other. Wyatt shrugged after a second.
“Look, if you want to tie yourself down to some virgin with a murderous family that’s up to God knows what, that’s your choice,” Wyatt said. He avoided all eye contact, which Gavin took to mean that Wyatt was dead serious.
The cabin door opened. Faith emerged, followed by both Gavin’s parents. Faith looked up and flashed him a troubled smile before dropping her gaze to her feet.
“The Messics are coming,” Josiah grumbled.
Faith stopped in her tracks, looking like she was about to bolt.
“Faith,” Gavin called to her. “Why don’t you come sit by me, okay?”
After a long beat, she gave him another wobbly smile and did just that. She glanced over at Wyatt and Cameron. It was clear that she wanted to say something, but felt as though it was too private to say in front of his brothers. Gavin leaned close and whispered to her.
“We don’t have to decide anything right now except whether you’re going home with your family. Okay?” he asked.
Faith looked at him, her hazel eyes bright with emotion. She gave him a tight nod, biting her lip.
“Do you want to go home with them, or come with us?” Gavin asked.
Faith glanced away, sucking in a deep breath. When she looked back, she seemed decided.
“I can’t go home,” she whispered back.
“Okay. That’s all you need to say. Just let us do the talking, and we’ll be out of here in no time.”
Gavin reached out and took Faith’s hand, tucking her fingers in his own. Her brow furrowed, and for a second it looked as though she might cry. Instead she shook her head, giving his fingers a soft squeeze.
Gavin’s chest tightened at the gesture, something uncoiling within him, fierce and protective and hungry.
Faith’s father stepped into the clearing, her brothers tight on his heels. He made to walk right up to Faith; Gavin came to his feet, not releasing Faith’s hand. His brothers stood behind him, but ultimately his father stopped the other Alpha’s progression with a simple gesture.
“That’s far enough,” Josiah said. “Let’s keep things peaceable.”
“Bringing my daughter here without my permission doesn’t exactly seem like a peaceful gesture,” Aros said, planting his feet wide and crossing his arms.
“She’s my son’s future mate now. Do I need to get out the Alphas’ rule book, Aros?” Josiah challenged.
“I think this is all for show, though I don’t understand the reason,” Aros said. He turned to Faith, giving her a hard look. “You can still come back with us now if your virtue is intact, Faith.”
Faith’s face went completely red, tears welling in her eyes. Gavin felt rather than heard the low growl that escaped his chest. He tugged at her hand, pulling her closer. That she let him slip an arm around her waist soothed him and his bear in a deeply primal way.
“I’m not… I’m not coming back,” Faith managed, her voice just above a whisper.
“You’ll be banished from the clan. You understand that, right?” jeered her brother, taking a big step forward.
“Don’t make me make you back up,” Wyatt growled, taking several strides toward Jared.
“Stop,” Josiah said, holding up a hand. Wyatt stilled, but he did flash his canines at Faith’s brother. If the situation were less serious, Gavin might have laughed at his brother’s antics. Of course, he actually knew Wyatt. To a stranger, Wyatt was nothing short of a promise of violence.
“If you insist on taking her, then so be it,” said Aros. “She’ll be nothing but a burden, as she has been for us.”
“No one fights for a burden,” came a feminine voice.
Every eye turned to Gavin’s mother, standing tall and proud near the cabin.
“You allow your mate to speak for you now, Beran?” Aros asked with a cruel laugh.
“She’s wiser than anyone I know. I’m proud to have her speak for me,” Josiah said. He bristled, clearly trying to keep his bear in check. His mate was Josiah’s one true soft spot, a topic sure to get him in a no-holds-barred fight in seconds.
Aros spat on the ground, his face screwed up with disgust.
“You’re weak,” he said.
“Get Ma,” Cam said to Gavin. “Take her and Faith to the car. We’ll meet you there.”
Aros and Josiah were arguing now, but Gavin wasn’t listening to them anymore.
“Like hell. I’m not leaving,” Gavin said, scowling at his brother. “I want a piece of big brother over there.”
“They’re gonna snatch your girl. Maybe hurt Ma, too. Wouldn’t put it past them. Wo
uld you?”
“Fuck,” Gavin muttered, glancing at Faith. She looked scared out of her mind, and he could actually feel her fingers shaking as she clung to his hand. His mother on the other hand… when he look over at her, she was actually rolling up her shirtsleeves. As if her sons were about to let her bare-knuckle scrap with a bunch of burly Berserkers.
“Wyatt, keys!” Cam snapped. Without looking, Wyatt fished the keys to his rental car out of his pocket and threw them to Cameron, who passed them to Gavin.
“Fucking fuck,” Gavin said, pulling Faith along behind him. He made a beeline for his mother, letting his brothers play defense as he half-dragged both women toward the parking lot.
They reached the car in less than a minute. Gavin unlocked the car and put both women in the back seat, giving them his most serious expression.
“If either of you unlocks this car, you’re responsible for what happens to the other person. Do you understand? If you get out and someone hurts one of you, it’s the unlocker’s fault. Don’t provide access.”
Faith looked at him with big eyes, her throat working as she nodded. Gavin’s mother crossed her arms and huffed as she sat back, looking displeased. Gavin closed the door and armed the alarm with the key fob.
He turned and hustled back toward the clearing, but his brothers and father met him halfway.
“What, it’s over already?” Gavin asked.
“Some of the other Alphas showed up and cleared everybody out,” Wyatt lamented.
“Shit,” Gavin said, shaking his head.
“I know. Don’t worry, I punched the hell out of that brother. Think I broke his nose,” Cam said, looking cheerful despite the blood trickling from one corner of his mouth.
“I really wanted to be the one to break his nose,” Gavin sighed.
“Next time, son,” Josiah said, clapping Gavin on the back as they walked back to the parking lot.
“What now?” Gavin asked.
“Cam and Wyatt and I are going to go clean out our cabins, and then we’re heading for the airport. I’m in need of some fresh air. Montana air, that is,” Josiah announced.
Gavin couldn’t help but think that he’d never heard such a good idea in his whole life.
61
Six
Faith sipped her airport coffee, staring around at the busy terminal. Gavin and his parents had gone to sort out some administrative matters, namely getting Faith on a plane with no identification of any sort. She’d left the camp with nothing more than the clothes on her back, and it wasn’t as if she carried around a license or passport. No need, when the women in her family were forbidden from driving anyway.
That left her sitting in Lambert International Airport’s small concessions area with Cameron and Wyatt. Though the Beran family were basically all strangers to her, she’d barely exchanged a handful of words with either of Gavin’s brothers. They didn’t seem too inclined to change that, either.
As soon as Gavin and his parents went to deal with her identification issues, Cameron jumped up and headed for the gift shop. Faith could still see him across the terminal, browsing through the magazines.
“So. What’s your deal?”
Faith turned to stare at Wyatt, who stood up and dropped into the seat beside hers.
“I— What do you mean?” she asked, blushing. There was something about Wyatt that put her off, made her feel deeply uncomfortable. He was one of the most good-looking men she’d ever met, but it was more than that. There was some edge to him, some darkness that made her want to flee.
“I’m just wondering how this all came to be,” he said conversationally, crossing his legs and leaning back in his seat. “One minute, we’re on a camping trip. The next minute, my brother is rescuing you like a princess from a castle. What’s the deal with that?”
“I— I don’t know what you mean,” Faith said, squirming in her seat.
“Uh huh. So is it like, you two are fucking, or is it like he wants to fuck you and you won’t let him yet, or what?” Wyatt asked, pulling a toothpick from his pocket and slipping it between his teeth.
“That is a horrible thing to say,” Faith said, crossing her arms.
“So, not fucking yet. Got it. Can’t say I’m that surprised. You look like a prude,” Wyatt told her, his gaze raking up and down her body, seeming to find her lacking.
“Well, you’re never going to find out,” Faith snapped, tugging at her careworn dress and straightening her spine.
Wyatt threw his head back, chuckling.
“Nice. At least you got some spice. Most of the girls Gavin rescues are so boring.
“Maybe you should be looking through the gift shop with your brother,” Faith said, turning her face away.
“He does that, you know. Gavin likes the broken little dolls, women he fix.”
“That’s really none of my business.”
“Yeah, right. I’m looking at you, lady. You seem nice, I’m sure. But look at you, and your family, and then look at my family. We are not on the same page. Not even in the same book. There’s only one reason a girl like you gets hooked up with a guy like my brother.”
Faith turned to look at him again, her eyes widening in disbelief.
“Money,” Wyatt mouthed, then smirked.
“You are… ugh,” Faith spluttered.
“Well, what else would it be? If you wanted an Alpha male, you would have picked me or Cam. Gavin’s the softy in the family, a good shoulder to cry on.”
Faith’s jaw tightened, and she dropped her gaze before she could say something she’d surely regret. Wyatt might be a jerk, but his family was indeed rescuing her. She didn’t want to take the chance that she might alienate them all, not after they’d been so kind. Her brother Jared had her father’s ear in all matters, perhaps it was the same with Wyatt and Josiah Beran.
“I gotcha. Stay silent. Just know that you won’t get a dime for taking him as a mate. I’ll make sure my brother is protected. And you’d better not trample on his feelings, either. You will regret it to your dying day,” Wyatt promised.
Before Faith could respond, Wyatt stood up and strolled over to the gift shop, grabbing a few bags of candy. Faith held in the angry tears that threatened to break free, suddenly realizing that even this miraculous rescue from her brother and father wouldn’t be without strife.
Perhaps there really was no happy ending in sight for her, Faith mused.
62
Seven
Faith couldn’t keep herself from pressing her nose against the car window as Gavin drove them from the Lodge to the guest house. She was in complete awe of the view, all soaring white-peaked mountains and velvety green hills. Every inch of the landscape was painted with vibrant, stunning colors and exciting textures. From drab, boring Illinois to this…
“Almost there,” Gavin told her, making her start. She turned from the window, flushing a little when she saw the humor in his expression.
“I must seem like a country mouse,” she sighed. “It’s just… I can’t believe you get to live out here! It’s so beautiful, I can’t get enough of it.”
“Well, I actually live in Billings. I’m usually only here on weekends,” Gavin informed her. “I’m going to take an extended leave of absence until this is all settled, though.”
Faith frowned, her spirits dipping.
“I don’t want to keep you from working,” she said. “And how will we know when things are settled, anyway?”
Gavin eyed her, considering her words.
“I think we’ll decide together,” he said. “And I’ve accrued three months of vacation over seven years’ time. I think I earned it, don’t you?”
Faith pressed her lips together, unwilling to argue with him. Later, after she’d come up with a solid plan, they could renegotiate things. She looked out the window again, gasping when a dark building came into view.
“That’s your guest house?” she cried. It was the same rustic-looking style as the Lodge itself, almost like an over-sized
log cabin. This structure was smaller than the main house, but not by much.
“Yep. Ma likes to encourage visitors,” Gavin said with a shrug.
His attitude was so casual as to be cavalier, and it occurred to Faith that he had no idea how lucky he was. She’d never describe Gavin as having a privileged attitude, but he didn’t seem aware of how much his family had to their name. Faith’s family hardly had two sticks to rub together, a source of constant contention and frustration.
Gavin pulled up in front of the house and hopped out, coming around to open Faith’s door. He opened the trunk and pulled out his suitcase, plus a cardboard box of things that Genny had packed for Faith. Against Faith’s protests, Gavin’s mother had insisted on a stop at Target as soon as they were off the plane. Genny had piled an entire cart full of clothes and toiletries, refusing to hear a single word about it.
It had been the first time in her life that Faith had been faced with selecting and trying on pre-made clothes; most of hers were hand-me-downs or dresses she’d made herself from old patterns. Genny had instantly seen how shell-shocked Faith was, and had picked out tons of things for her to try on. Faith had outright rejected a few things as being way too immodest, but in the end Genny had just picked everything that she thought looked good on Faith.
Shaking her head at the memory, Faith stared up at the guest house.
“It’s so nice of your parents to let us stay here,” she said to Gavin.
Gavin snorted.
“Are you kidding? My mother would move you into the main house and care for you like a china doll if you let her. She thinks you’re the best thing since sliced bread,” he told her.
Faith gave him a suspicious look.
“I mean it!” Gavin said. “She’s probably already online, ordering you more stuff. Prepare to be spoiled.”
Faith looked down at the box, her stomach churning.
“This is too much,” she sighed. “Can you stop her from ordering anything else?”