She couldn’t wait until Chris kicked them all out and this was over. “Okay, whatever.”
“You do it, Alex. I’ll call again later.”
“Fine,” she said. “And when are you joining?” The question popped out of her mouth without thought.
“Just do what I said.” He hung up.
She shouldn’t have prodded him. But, too late now. She walked across the room and cracked open the bathroom door to let Chris know she was off the phone. He came out a couple of seconds later, just as Ben blinked awake.
“How’d it go?” Chris said.
“Fine. Except I might have gotten a little snappish with him at the end,” Alex said.
“Is that unusual?” Ben pulled himself out of bed.
“Yeah. He has a bad temper. So I’m usually—I mean, I used to be really careful around him so I wouldn’t piss him off.” Alex pushed her hair behind her ear. “Sometimes I’d slip. Hopefully he’ll think this was just another slip.”
Ben slid his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. “You know you don’t have to be careful around us, right?”
“I don’t know. I sometimes have a temper,” Chris said. The sparkle in his eye said different.
“Yeah, but I can’t picture you ever hitting me,” Alex said.
Both the men froze. Shit, she shouldn’t have said that.
“He hit you?” Chris’ voice was low, soft, and more menacing than anything she’d ever heard in her life.
“I’m going to kill him.” Ben’s voice sounded more like a growl.
“Not if I get to him first.”
“Now, wait,” Alex said. She put a hand on each of their chests. “It wasn’t that big a deal. And it was weeks ago.”
“Weeks?” Ben growled.
“Did he leave a mark?” Chris said, still with that scary voice.
“Just for a day or two.”
Chris growled, his eyes flashing golden-yellow.
“He’s dead.” Ben’s fingers were turning into claws.
God, she kept digging the hole bigger with every word she said. “Calm down. Please.” She curled her fingers into their shirts. “Please, please.”
Chapter 11
Alex waited while both men breathed heavy, working to get hold of themselves.
Finally, Chris nodded. “I’m calm. But Brett is still dead.” He stepped closer to her, brushing her hair back from her face, inspecting. “You’re sure there aren’t any scars?”
“I’m sure.”
His hands felt warm and gentle. Brett had never been like that. When Brett got mad, he spewed it all over anyone in range. He couldn’t have done what both her mates had just done, pulling themselves together through sheer force of will. She’d always thought Brett was the strongest wolf she’d ever met. Now she knew different.
Now she understood what her dads had meant when they’d talked to her about Brett. If only she’d listened. Except—if she’d listened, she wouldn’t be here, with her mates. And she couldn’t regret that.
Ben stepped up behind her and buried his face in her neck. The three of them touching like that felt like home.
“I shouldn’t have said anything,” Alex said.
“No.” Ben’s breath felt warm against her neck.
“You can tell us anything.” Chris still stroked her cheeks. “We’re not mad at you. We’ll only be mad at you if you keep things from us. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Chris settled his hands on the sides of her neck, his thumbs against her jawline. “You said you were snappish with him. What did you say?”
“I asked him when he was going to join. Stupid, I know. I mean, he’s not going to join, so it doesn’t matter.”
“What’d he say?” Chris said.
Alex twisted her mouth. “He hung up on me.”
“Too bad. I would’ve liked the answer to that.” Chris leaned down and kissed Alex. “It’s all good. Okay?”
“Yeah. It’s all good.”
The rest of the day went by in a flurry of activity, planning who would pick up which wolf when. Alex couldn’t wait for it to all be over. Chris had promised that after they’d ejected the wolves and Alex had joined the pack, the three of them would go to his place. She looked forward to seeing her new home and spending the night wrapped in the arms of her mates.
Several hours later, Alex stood with Ben and Chris in front of the apartment Keith had been living in since he joined the pack. It was in neutral territory, which was strange, but maybe he’d done it so Brett could visit him. Right now, it meant Alex could accompany them even though she hadn’t officially joined the pack yet.
Chris glanced at his watch. They had coordinated the times—everyone would eject their chosen wolves at precisely seven o’clock. Just to be on the safe side, so none of them could notify the others.
There were no walls around their territory, nothing physically keeping intruders out. But the territory was tied to the Alpha, and when a wolf outside the pack entered their territory, the Alpha sensed it. When they ejected these wolves, by the next sunrise the territory would see them as interlopers. Chris would know if they returned.
A couple of minutes later, Chris knocked on the door. Alex felt a wrench in her gut. Keith would be angry. And at seeing her there with her mates, he’d be livid. But Chris had wanted Brett to know she was with them, and Ben had agreed.
The door opened wide. Keith stood in his jeans and a plain white t-shirt. “Yeah?” When he saw who stood there, he modulated his tone. “Oh, Chris. How’s it going?” His eyes darted to Ben, then Alex.
“You’re done,” Chris said. “We know all about your little plan to take over my pack with your friends. I’ve banished all of you.”
Banishing was even easier than she would have guessed. The banished pack members didn’t even have to be there. Chris had stood in the hotel room and read out their names, and it was done.
Keith turned red, his eyes fixing on Alex. “You bitch.” He lunged in her direction.
She jumped backward, her heart thumping.
Ben grabbed Keith before he could touch her and slammed him against the doorjamb. “You ever touch my mate again and I’ll kill you.”
“Mate?” Keith laughed, high and a little manic. “You’ve gotta be kidding me. That skanky whore has mates?”
Ben punched him.
She didn’t think of herself as a violent woman, but it sure felt good to see Keith roughed up. For once, she didn’t have to sit and take his abuse.
“Call her that again, and I’ll pound you into the dirt,” Chris said.
“You?” Keith said. “You’re her other mate?”
“Yeah, me. And you can tell Brett that if he ever shows his face he’ll be sorry. He’s got a lot of payback coming to him. Starting with the day he hit Alex.”
Keith sneered. Before he could say anything, Ben pushed him into the apartment.
Alex followed Chris and Ben. Keith’s place was surprisingly neat. She’d pictured Keith as a slob. Maybe because when he’d lived in the house with them, he’d always insisted she be the one to clean up and had never lifted a finger himself.
“This is neutral territory,” Keith said. “You can’t kick me out of my apartment.”
“True,” Chris said. “But I can take a look around. And give you a stern warning. I want you and Brett and the rest of your group to leave Marysburg. The Stonewall Alpha agrees. Leave town, or we’re going to make it very uncomfortable for you.”
Ben wandered down a little hallway.
“Get the hell out of my apartment,” Keith said.
“In a minute.” Chris reached out and slung his arm around Alex’s shoulders, pulling her into him. He kissed her temple. “Go check the kitchen.”
It was a kitchen like any other. She opened the cabinets and drawers but didn’t see anything but food, dishes, utensils, and pots and pans. It actually looked like Keith might know how to cook.
When she got back to the small living room, Kei
th had a new cut on his cheek, oozing blood. He must’ve mouthed off to Chris.
Ben called from the other room. “You might want to see this.”
Alex went first, then Keith and Chris. When they got into the bedroom, Ben had a shoe box open on the bed. “Think the police would like to know about this?”
Two freezer bags of a white substance were scrunched into the box. She’d never seen it in real life before, but it sure as hell looked like the cocaine they showed on cop shows.
“That’s an awful lot of coke,” Ben said.
“It’s talcum powder,” Keith said.
“Sure it is,” Chris said. “There’s enough there that I bet you’re selling it. And now we’ve got something on you, Keith. Leave town, or we’ll let the cops know about your little side job.”
“It’s talcum powder,” Keith said. Chris didn’t reply. “Fine. Do what you want, man.”
“I will.” Chris put his hand on Alex’s back and steered her toward the door. “Leave town. Or you’ll be sorry.”
As they walked down the steps, Ben said, “I wish we could have kicked him to the curb.”
“It definitely would have been more satisfying,” Chris said. “And to be honest, I’d kind of like to drop the dime on him just because I don’t want to see more drugs getting on the streets. If he doesn’t leave town immediately, we’ll do that. And for now, let’s get over to the bar and see how everyone else did.”
* * *
Two hours later, Ben nursed a beer as the last of the Roanoke wolves straggled into the bar. Even those who hadn’t participated in kicking out the rogues showed up. Things like this didn’t happen every day.
Chris personally verified that there weren’t any humans in the bar, and Mike sent his staff into the back for a break. Then Chris held up his hand. To keep anyone outside from hearing, he spoke at a normal volume. The wolves could hear him anyway.
“For those of you who don’t know, I recently discovered a rogue band of loners trying to take over our pack. You’ve seen all the new wolves joining lately. That’s why. This evening, we ejected all of them and averted a crisis.”
Chris put his arms around his two mates. “All of them except my new mates. Ben pledged himself to me this morning in front of many of you. Alex will do it now.”
Alex knelt. Chris laid his hand on her head.
“I pledge fealty to you,” Alex said, her eyes full of love.
“I accept your fealty.” His hand moved from the top of her head to her cheek. “Our pack is complete. We are whole. And we will stay this way.”
The bar erupted in cheers, wolves stamping their feet and banging glasses against tables.
Ben felt every one of Chris’ words in his gut. They were complete, whole, and safe. Safe at last.
The door to the bar opened. Keith stepped inside. “Chris Byers!”
Ben felt a chill crossing his skin. What now?
Keith advanced on them through the crowd. “Chris Byers!” He didn’t speak again until people had quieted enough so that everyone could hear him. “Chris Byers, I challenge you.”
Ben’s stomach knotted. This couldn’t be happening. They’d made it. Everything was going to be okay. And now this.
Chris’ eyes met his second’s in silent communication. Behind Keith, several of the strongest wolves quietly left the bar. Ben knew they’d patrol the territory, make sure no one came back in before sunrise. They had been going to do that anyway, and had only come to the bar for Chris’ quick meeting. A few seconds later, Chris’ second came back inside.
“I accept your challenge,” Chris said.
Ben’s stomach got even tighter. He knew Chris had to accept it but he really didn’t want him to.
“Let’s go,” Keith said, throwing his arm wide.
“No,” Chris said. “You choose the place, not the time. The time is mine. Where do you want to fight?”
Keith sauntered closer. “You own a farm outside of town. We’ll do it there.”
“I have a tenant on that farm,” Chris said. “We can’t just show up and fight.”
“That’s for you to figure out.” Keith looked him up and down. “When?”
Chris paused. “Tomorrow night. Eleven o’clock.”
Keith made a face. “That’s late, man.”
Chris’ expression didn’t change. “You want to change your mind on the location, I’ll reconsider the time.”
Keith’s face hardened. “No. The farm is perfect. That’s where we’re doing it.”
“See you at eleven tomorrow night.” Chris turned his back on Keith.
Ben didn’t. He knew Chris needed to make a statement—Keith was so little of a threat that he didn’t even need to keep an eye on him. But Ben didn’t trust the rogue wolf. And Keith really was stupid enough to attack Chris in the middle of a pack-filled bar.
No one spoke as Keith walked to the door. As soon as the door shut behind him, the room exploded with voices.
“What’s his game?” Ben said. He tried to relax, tried to ease the acid churning in his stomach. He had to remember how strong Chris was. He’d wipe the floor with Keith. And then Ben needed to ignore the tiny voice saying Keith wasn’t the end of it, but just the beginning.
“I’m guessing this is Plan B.” Chris put a hand on each of his mates’ shoulders. “What I don’t understand is why Brett didn’t challenge me himself.”
“Maybe he’s a coward at heart,” Ben said. He liked the idea. Only a coward would hit a woman the way he’d hit Alex.
“Or he decided Stonewall would be an easier target,” Chris said. “Maybe Brett’s going after Stonewall now, and this is to distract us from what he’s doing. He can’t seriously think Keith can beat me.”
“I don’t know what he’s doing,” Alex said. “I’m sorry. He never told me all his plans.”
“It’s okay.” Chris kissed her forehead. “We’re strong. We can face whatever’s coming, as long as we stick together.”
With Chris’ words, Ben felt the tension in him ease a little. His father had been strong when he’d faced the rogue who killed him. But he hadn’t been as strong as Chris.
Chris jumped on the phone with Jake to let him know what was happening. In the meantime, Chris’ second and third, Nick and Matt, appeared at their sides. They welcomed Alex while all four of them waited for Chris to finish his phone call.
Finally, Chris hung up. “Jake’s going to bring some wolves to the farm tomorrow night. It’s not in pack territory.”
“What are you going to do about the tenants?” Ben said.
“I haven’t figured that out yet.” Chris led them all to a booth in the back. The wolves sitting there left as soon as they realized their Alpha wanted it.
Ben squeezed into one side of the booth with Chris and Alex while Nick and Matt took the other side.
“I had hoped this would be over when we kicked them out,” Matt said.
“Me, too,” Chris said. “Although I suspected we might not be so lucky. It’s been a coordinated effort so far. Too much so for them to give up so easily.”
Ben’s stomach wrenched again. Chris put his hand on Ben’s back and idly rubbed it up and down. Ben didn’t know if his mate realized what was going through his head or if the touch was just as off-hand as it appeared. Either way, he appreciated it.
“Keith will tell Brett we’re mates,” Alex said. “He’ll know I told you everything.”
“Do you think he’ll come after you?” Chris said.
Ben crossed his arms over his stomach. Not Alex, too. He couldn’t lose both of them. It was like his parents all over again.
Chris’ hand continued to rhythmically rub up and down, up and down.
“He might,” Alex said. “He’s really possessive. And he’ll know I was lying. About the throwing up.”
“We’ll make sure one of us is with you at all times until this situation is over,” Chris said. “Right, Ben?”
Ben sucked in a breath. “Yeah.”
&nb
sp; Chris studied him. “Can we have a few minutes?” He glanced over at Nick and Matt.
“We’ll go patrol the borders,” Nick said. The two wolves slid out of the booth and into the crowd.
“What’s going on?” Chris said. “I can feel your tension even when I’m not touching you.”
Ben hadn’t talked about it—really talked about it—in so long. And he didn’t want to. He rubbed the back of his neck. “All this is just digging up some old memories, that’s all.”
Chris gazed at him, but didn’t say anything.
Then Alex leaned around Chris. “What memories? You’ll feel better if you talk about it.”
“I’m not so sure about that.” Ben laughed but it came out weak and fell flat.
Alex put her hand on his arm and pulled his hand into hers. “Tell us just a little. It’ll get easier the more you share with us.”
Maybe he could handle that. “Fine. Just a little.” He took a deep breath. “One of my dads was the pack Alpha. When I was sixteen, a lone wolf showed up and challenged him. He beat my dad but that wasn’t good enough. He slaughtered him.” Emotion choked his voice. He suddenly didn’t want to say just a little. He wanted to say everything. “He then killed my other dad in cold blood and went through the pack cutting down anyone who opposed him. That wasn’t enough. So he raped my mom.”
Alex’s hand jerked in his. He remembered her throwing up with Brett and knew she knew firsthand how awful that would be, for a mated woman to be touched by another man. As if rape weren’t bad enough.
“I couldn’t take it, so I challenged him. Mom begged me not to, but there was no way I could live with myself otherwise. He nearly killed me. Would have, if mom hadn’t thrown herself in front of me in the middle of the challenge and begged for my life. So he banished me instead.”
Chris’ hand rubbed Ben’s back, which helped him go on.
“Mom killed herself shortly after I left. I would’ve gone back for her as soon as I recovered from my wounds, but she didn’t wait. I think she couldn’t bear the thought of living without my dads. Or maybe she thought I’d challenge the rogue again if she were still under his thumb. So I lived on the streets the next two years, managed to finish high school, and enlisted. And here I am.”
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