by Vivian Wood
“They’re arguing,” Nora said. Her words drew Aggie and Gretchen back to the window, all three of them watching as the two Beran men bent their heads together, each looking angry. To complicate matters, Nora’s father approached, two of his suited henchmen at his side.
The dispute grew heated, with Lars Craig pointing a finger in Wyatt’s face. Wyatt visibly bristled, but his brother grabbed his arm and pulled him back a step before Wyatt could make a move. The brother’s action was wise, because Nora’s father didn’t pull any punches. He was the victor in every fight he started, and he usually didn’t leave his opponents alive.
After a moment, the argument shifted. Nora’s father seemed to relax, even as Wyatt’s brother grew animated, his anger obvious. Wyatt drew his brother away from the group, and Nora’s father and his men backed off. Giving the two Beran men some space to argue, it seemed.
What could they possibly be arguing about? Nora wondered. Part of her suspected that she herself was the topic, though she couldn’t be certain.
Whatever the reason, it was over now. The brother and Wyatt both crossed their arms and stared at each other, looking resigned. Funny, that was Nora’s sentiment exactly.
“Nora?”
Nora turned to find Lesley, the bitchy blonde Nora’s father had taken as a mate only a few months earlier. Right around the same time Lars Craig had called Nora home to fulfill her duty, actually. Though Lesley hadn’t said as much, Nora knew that Lesley had planted the whole idea in Nora’s father’s head. Today was happening for a lot of reasons, her father’s stubbornness and Nora’s inability to stand up for herself included, but Lesley’s calculated elimination of all perceived threats to her future children’s inheritance were the core of this whole mess.
“It’s time. Your father wants you to come downstairs,” Lesley said. She stepped into the room, her sky-high heels clicking, the crotch-length hem of her ruched white mini-dress creeping up as she walked. She stopped for a moment to push her dress back down, then reached out and grabbed Nora’s wrist, tugging her closer.
“Lesley…” Nora started, but Lesley shushed her. Nora froze when Lesley pasted on that dazzling, terrifying, ruby red smile of hers and reached up to smooth back a lock of hair threatening to escape Nora’s updo. Nora pushed down her disgust, remembering that Lesley was immature, being a few years younger than Nora herself.
“Now, Nora, you wouldn’t want to be rude to me today,” Lesley murmured.
“Really? It’s my last day,” Nora said, keeping her tone flat and emotionless.
“Yeah, well, darlin’,” Lesley said. She caught Nora’s wrist again, turning it to show off the delicate gold bangles Nora wore. They were part of a set, matching several rings and the gold-and-diamond pendant handing from Nora’s neck, the diamond ear bobs that graced her ears. “These should belong to me. Your father said I could take them if I wanted. And I do want.”
Lesley’s gaze snapped up to meet Nora’s dead-on, her hazel eyes flickering with hatred.
“You can’t have them. They’re my mother’s,” Nora said, ripping her arm away from Lesley.
“Were your mother’s, you mean,” Lesley said, a cruel grin tipping her lips upward. “And if you don’t behave yourself, I’m not just going to wear them. I’ll melt them down and pawn the parts. Buy myself something nice.”
“You wouldn’t,” Nora snapped, her eyes widening. Lesley leaned in close to whisper in Nora’s ear, careful to keep her words private.
“If you back out of this, a lot worse is going to happen. If you so much as make a sour expression when you’re in front of our guests, I will make sure Aggie has an unfortunate accident after you’re gone,” Lesley hissed.
Nora’s mouth dropped open. Lesley stepped back, pasting on that sick smile again.
“Downstairs,” Lesley directed. “Two minutes, or I’ll send them up to drag you down.”
With that, Lesley turned her back and stalked out of the room. Sick to her stomach, Nora stood and listened to the click of Lesley’s heels as she headed down the stairs. Click, click, click. Her steps were in perfect time with the thrumming pound of Nora’s heart.
Aggie came up and gave Nora a brief hug, then took her arm and lead her out the hall and toward the staircase.
“Just a couple hundred steps, honey. Then it will all be over.”
Nora knew that all to well. Swallowing, she allowed Aggie and Gretchen to lead her to the altar.
88
Three
Staring up at Lars Craig’s rickety, two-story white farm house, Finn felt a pang of familiarity. He had one just like it back at his farm, almost an exact replica from outside. The big difference here was the big, grassy backyard, filled with dozens of unfriendly Craig clan Berserkers. All watching Finn and Wyatt’s every move, waiting on the go-ahead.
Only Wyatt couldn’t give it, because Finn was not exactly agreeable to the deal. In fact, Finn was about three seconds from throwing a punch. Whether the receiver was Wyatt or one of the bristling brawlers that worked for Craig, Finn didn’t particularly care.
Finn ran a finger around his tightly-buttoned collar, cursing the black silk tie that was currently choking the life out of him. The suit he wore was perfectly tailored, dark and striking, but just now it was making him claustrophobic. Panic clawed his chest, and he turned to Wyatt in an abrupt motion.
“We have to leave,” he told his brother.
Wyatt pursed his lips and shook his head. He reached in his suit and produced a thin silver flask. Wyatt took a sip and then offered it to Finn, who shook his head.
“Need a clear head. We can still get out of here,” Finn said.
Wyatt’s gaze wandered to the three Berserker guards standing nearby, watching their every move. Lars Craig had anticipated a last-minute change of heart on Wyatt’s part, and he’d been very, very right.
“If we try to leave, we’re dead,” Wyatt said, matter-of-fact.
“Then why the hell did you come here? Why did you bring me?” Finn snarled. When Wyatt shrugged and made to take another sip from the flask, Finn reached out and slapped it out of his hand. It tumbled to the ground, leaking amber liquid as it fell.
Wyatt scowled.
“You’re being an idiot,” he told Finn.
“I’m— I’m being an idiot. Are you fucking kidding me right now? You brought me out to the fucking boonies, with these—” Finn cut himself off, looking around at the yard. There were almost sixty Berserkers in Lars Craig’s back yard, milling around the white folding chairs and hastily-constructed “altar”, an arched white trellis whose paint still looked shiny-wet.
“Careful what you say,” Wyatt warned him.
“We’re already dead men, what does it matter?” Finn asked.
“Not if we go through with it.”
“We? You keep saying that, we. You haul me out here and tell me that if I don’t agree to take Craig’s daughter as a mate, we’re both going to be killed and buried in the fucking woods.”
“That’s the we I’ve been referring to,” Wyatt said, his tone droll.
“I should just kill you now and make a run for it then, huh?” Finn asked. His fists tightened, and he could feel his bear rising, clawing and fighting to be free. If he shifted, everyone else would, too. Perhaps in the melee, he could escape…
“You’d just leave me here to my fate,” Wyatt said, giving Finn a curious gaze. No heat or judgment there, just a question.
Finn stared him down for a long moment. No, of course he wouldn’t. Finn was too loyal to leave Wyatt here, even in a shit storm of his own making.
“That’s what I thought,” Wyatt said.
“You can’t make me do this, Wy. You have to pay your own debts,” Finn said, grabbing his brother by the elbow. Wyatt shook him off sharply, shaking his head.
“No. I’ll let them kill me before I take Craig’s daughter as my mate,” he said, serious as stone.
“And me along with you? You can’t mean that. If you do, you’re i
nsane.”
“I mean every word. So either mate her, or don’t. Save us both, or don’t.”
Finn knew without a shadow of a doubt that Wyatt was telling the truth. He would actually rather die than take a mate.
“You are such a fucking asshole,” Finn said, turning to scan the crowd again. The wedding guests were watching Finn and Wyatt avidly. Finn could imagine that half of them hoped the Berans would bolt, resulting in a murderous hunt. Berserkers were, after all, still bears. Still predators at heart. Especially the Craig clan. From what Finn had seen so far, they were all complete wackos.
Wyatt turned to Finn, a flicker of something like remorse crossing his face.
“She’s a nice girl, Finn. Nora deserves a lot better than me. And you… you deserve more than skulking around in Noah’s shadow. I know you don’t see it now, but this is better for all of us.”
Finn turned to his brother, struggling to push down the rage that roiled in the pit of his stomach. He noticed the deep shadows under Wyatt’s eyes, the fact that he’d lost a little weight, how tired he looked. Wyatt was usually a bottomless well of energy, especially if he got to torment or wreak havoc on someone else.
“Wyatt… are you into something bad, man?” Finn asked.
Wyatt gave him a measuring gaze. For a second, Finn thought Wyatt might spill the details, but then his brother just shook his head.
“I can’t tell you anything more. Are you going to go through with this or not?” Wyatt asked.
Finn wanted to rail against him, refuse to pay Wyatt’s debts, but something in his brother’s expression held Finn back. Wyatt looked… afraid. For the first time Finn could remember, Wyatt’s swaggering confidence and malicious glee were completely gone, replaced with something Finn couldn’t define. Fragility, almost.
“You and I are going to talk soon,” Finn said. “You don’t just walk away after this. Agreed?”
Finn was shocked when Wyatt just turned to him and pulled him close, wrapping Finn in a tight embrace.
“Thank you,” Wyatt said softly before releasing Finn. Finn opened his mouth to insist that Wyatt tell him everything, but already his trouble-making older brother was raising a hand, signaling to Lars Craig.
Finn swallowed, realizing that he’d just signed away the rest of his life. All for… what, a favor? Getting Wyatt out of some kind of jam? Bitterness welled in his throat. Still, when Wyatt grabbed his arm and towed him up to the altar, Finn didn’t resist.
Two older women came down the aisle first, standing across from Wyatt and Finn, leaving room in the middle for the clan Alpha… and Finn’s intended bride. Anger burned through Finn’s veins, filled his chest, closed his throat. He could do nothing but stand and wait as violin music started up, blaring from a cheap speaker near the Alpha’s house.
Two of Craig’s men walked down the aisle next, splitting up at the end and moving to stand on each side of the ‘bridal party’, one by the older women and one by Wyatt. The enforcers were both glaring at Finn and Wyatt, daring them to so much as take one step away from the altar.
Finn sighed, but his attention was stolen by the approach of his supposed mate. The crowd, which had been nothing short of boisterous this whole time, fell completely silent. Lars Craig cut an imposing figure in his dark suit, his silvering hair slicked back. He had one hand on the inner arm of a very petite, dark-haired woman in a glamorous white gown; even from here Finn could see that the Alpha’s fingers dug into her flesh through her sleeve. He was controlling her every step, though for some reason he seemed to be trying to hide the fact that his daughter was less than willing.
Finn turned his gaze back to the girl. She was young, maybe in her early twenties. Though she looked displeased, her confident stride didn’t falter as she stalked up the aisle. The dress she wore was all ivory satin and intricate beading, reminding Finn of something a 1920s movie star would wear onscreen. It fit her, in a way; her chin-length dark hair, dark red lips, and pale skin would have fit right in on a flapper.
Not her figure, though. She was very short, probably only as high as Finn’s chest, and her curves were intense. While her waist was slim, her hips and chest were nothing short of awe-inspiring. Something stirred low in Finn’s body, surprising him. He usually dated tall, thin women, but there was something about this girl that intrigued him.
In the space of a dozen heartbeats, she stepped up to the altar, silently shaking free of her father’s escort. She stopped a pace from him, her lips thinning when her father subtly pushed her a little closer. She turned her face up to his, and Finn was shocked by the beautiful blue of her eyes, so light and silvery as to be nearly lilac in hue. She also smelled wonderful, deep notes of jasmine and musk reaching Finn’s nose from an arm’s length away. She searched Finn’s face, flicking her gaze over to Wyatt, and her brow hunched in confusion. She bit her lip as she looked back to Finn, her cheeks flushing pink.
In that moment, Finn realized she’d expected Wyatt to be in his place. The growing flutter in his stomach was doused in an instant, a strange kind of disappointment filling him instead. He was taking a stranger as a mate, and not only did she not want him… She wanted his brother.
Finn tried to keep the scowl off his face, dropping his eyes to his feet. He only half-listened as Lars Craig began the ceremony. Usually an Alpha would editorialize, talk to his clan and any guests gathered, maybe even try for a little humor. Craig did none of this; his words were terse and few, the bare minimum for making the mateship legal. Craig just reached out and grabbed them both by the shoulder, turning them to face one another as the Alpha recited the age-old words.
When it was his turn to speak, Finn followed Craig’s cue. For a second, he stumbled, scrambling to remember her name. His slip was obvious, and he found her lavender gaze on his face as he struggled. Her eyes didn’t accuse him, exactly, but it was clear that she was disappointed. Nora, he thought, looking down into her heart-shaped face.
“I take Nora as my mate,” he blurted out, barely understanding his own words.
He looked up at his mate-to-be, half-hoping that she’d back out, save them both without dooming Finn and Wyatt. He was to be disappointed, though.
“I take…” she paused for a heartbeat. Finn took pity on her, as he’d almost made the same mistake. He leaned in and whispered his name, prompting her. She raised her hand to her lips, clearing her throat, and he saw that her fingers were visibly shaking.
“I take Finn as my mate,” Nora said, her lashes drifting down to hide her eyes.
The Alpha reached out and took their hands, clasping them together. Nora didn’t move, but her fingers trembled violently against Finn’s.
“They have spoken, and their mateship is complete. Nora Craig has become Nora Beran, of the Beran clan. Beran,” Lars Craig said, addressing Finn, “Take your mate home.”
Finn opened his mouth, unsure how to respond. Apparently it didn’t matter, as the Alpha was already moving away, striding down the aisle. The Craig clan members seemed a little surprised, but they followed his lead, rising and heading into the house.
“Is— Are we having a dinner or something?” Finn asked, confused. Nora looked up at him again, her heather eyes catching him by surprise once more. He released her hand, thinking to be courteous.
“There’s no banquet. My trunks will be in the front yard,” Nora said, her soft voice flat and emotionless. She turned on her heel and walked away, heading for the driveway.
Finn looked to Wyatt who shrugged.
“She’ll warm up to you,” Wyatt said.
“So we just… what? Drive her back to the city?” Finn asked, overwhelmed and baffled.
“Actually… I need to stay here. I have to wrap up the last bit of this deal. It’s time sensitive,” Wyatt said.
“And what am I supposed to do, exactly?” Finn asked, outraged.
“Take the car keys. Head back to the farm. I’ll find my own way back,” Wyatt said, pulling the keys from his pocket and tossing them over.
Finn caught them, watching in silence as his brother strode away toward the house.
Finn swallowed his shock and dismay, turning to watch Nora’s retreating figure as she vanished around the side of the farmhouse. That Wyatt was a complete dick was beside the point now. The fact that Finn was completely and perfectly fucked… well, that was water under the bridge now, too.
The naked truth was that no matter how Finn felt or Wyatt acted, Finn had bigger concerns. Namely, following Nora and taking care of her immediate needs. She was his responsibility now, as his mate.
His mate. Finn suppressed the chill that skated down his spine and gave himself a hard shake. He headed around the side of the house and into the front yard, finding Nora standing by the car. Two big Berserkers were stacking her luggage by the trunk, without so much as a word or a glance at Nora herself.
She turned to see Finn, and his gut twisted when he caught her expression. Fear and uncertainty were evident, and something worse. Resignation, perhaps. Finn couldn’t judge her, though. Didn’t he feel almost the same? Knowing that his new mate had expected and wanted Wyatt and was instead saddled with Finn was a disappointment to them both.
Finn turned the car keys over in his hand as he joined his new bride, trying to think what he should do next. Nora stood staring at her trunks, her eyes dry and mouth set in a hard line.
“Do you need to say your goodbyes?” Finn asked.
She looked up at him, anger glinting in those lavender eyes. They’d barely exchanged a handful of words, but it soothed him to see that she was at least intelligent, her emotions complex. Her tough-as-nails attitude thus far seemed to hide a wealth of other feelings, ones that Finn couldn’t even guess at yet. He supposed he’d find out soon enough, though.