by Dia Cole
Fine. “I unclaim you, Nathan Steele.” I held my breath, waiting for something to happen. Nothing did. “That didn’t work.”
“Try reversing the claiming by telling him he isn’t yours,” Mason said.
“You’re not mine,” I called out.
Nathan flinched, but our bond felt no different. If anything, I could feel his anguish and pain more intensely.
“What am I doing wrong?”
Gabriel shrugged and Liam shook his head. They were no help.
Mason gave me a sad look. “I’m sorry, love. Unclaimings are very rare. I’ve never seen one.”
I looked over at Nathan. “Well? Why isn’t it working?”
“You have to mean it,” he replied softly.
Well, hell. Tears sprang into my eyes. I tried to blink them away. “I-I need a minute.” I took a deep breath and walked to the door.
Liam, Mason, and Gabriel tried to follow.
“I want to be alone.” When the guys didn’t stop, I held up my hand. “Please. I’ll just be out in the hallway.”
“Can you release your compulsion? I'd like to walk to the other side of the room?” Nathan asked, refusing to meet my gaze.
“As long as there’s no fighting.” I glanced between him and Gabriel.
Gabriel looked in Nathan’s direction. “That won’t be a problem, right Ambassador?”
Nathan let out a cold laugh. “I’ve got no reason to fight now.”
“Then be free.” With my bitter words ringing in my ears, I slipped out into the hallway.
5
Nathan
The love of my life walked out of the room and slammed the door on my hopes and dreams.
Damn the fucking fates to hell. Pain exploded inside my chest as if my heart had been ripped out through my sternum. The Beast had actually done that to me many years ago. The suffering had been so intense I’d begged Tasha for death. Never had I experienced as much pain. Until now.
Vana tried to unclaim me.
I let out a ragged breath. Never did I imagine she’d choose three strangers over me. I’d been wrong. So very wrong.
My hand shook as I rubbed it across my throbbing face. Blood wet my fingers and left a salty, bitter taste in my mouth.
I knew I needed to shift and heal the damage, but I couldn’t summon the energy.
I’ve lost my chosen. My mate. My Vana. Never again would I watch her giggle with Mira, share stories with her over dinner, or wake tangled in her long dark hair.
All my plans to build a life with her were nothing but dust. My inner wolf wanted to howl in sorrow. For months, the only thing that kept me going was the hope that we’d be reunited. And now she belonged to the males I’d mistakenly trusted with her care.
Those fuckers.
I gnashed my teeth and glared at Gabriel, Liam, and Mason.
They watched me with wary expressions.
They betrayed me. They took my mate. They planted their seed inside her.
Grief and anger unlike anything I’d ever experienced gripped me. In an explosion of rage, I charged across the pool deck at my rivals.
The doctor was the closest.
I leapt for him.
Gabriel pushed Mason out of my path and faced me. “Get ahold of yourself.”
“This is for taking my chosen.” I drove my fist into his jaw.
Gabriel’s head snapped back and blood flew from his mouth.
“I trusted her with you.” I slammed my fist into his stomach.
He doubled over, but didn’t even try to avoid my next punch.
“Fight me!” I shouted.
Gabriel shook his head, blood dripping from his split lip.
“He won’t go against Havana’s wishes,” Liam called out.
Fuck! I spun around to face the redheaded giant. “You fight me!”
“No,” Liam replied.
“Fight me!” I reared back to punch him in the face.
Liam didn’t move a muscle. He looked over my shoulder at Gabriel. “Didn’t we always call him the calm one?”
Fuck calm. My fist connected with his face. Pain exploded from my bleeding knuckles. Damnation. “Is your head made from stone, you oversized piece of shit.”
Liam had the gall to smile at me.
“In Nathan’s defense, he nearly died yesterday,” Mason said to the other two males.
It might have been better if I had died. Letting out a howl of frustration, I picked up the closest lounge chair and hurled it at Liam. “Fight me!”
The chair bounced off the giant who stood there, a look of pity on his face.
From my deepest subconscious, I heard my long dead father’s voice. “Let them envy you, let them fear you, but never let them pity you.”
I straightened my spine. “You’re cowards, all three of you!”
Mason shook his head. “Havana doesn’t want us fighting.”
“We do what she says,” Liam added.
“She is our mate, our Alpha, the mother of our young,” finished Gabriel.
Chest heaving, I looked between the three of them. They were all tall, good-looking, and strong. No wonder Vana chose them over you. I shut my eyes against the pent up rage, frustration, and grief.
For decades I’d only ever known pain. The plunge of Tasha’s knife into my flesh. The bite of her barbed cat-o'-nine-tails. The gnawing ache of my belly as I starved near to death, shackled to the wall of her dining room. I’d endured it all, but this… losing my chosen to Tasha’s henchmen was too much.
My knees gave out and I collapsed. Exhaustion replaced the anger slowly seeping out of me. I hung my head. “Vana is everything to me.”
“You have a shit way of showing it.” Gabriel slid off his pants and transformed in and out of his wolf faster than I could blink. He touched his newly healed lip and scowled at me. “That hurt.”
“Good,” I spat. I knew I was acting like an asshole, but I’d trusted him to bring my fiancé to safety, not mate her and impregnate her. He deserved to feel some of the pain I was feeling.
Liam bent down and picked something off of the floor. “Havana is still in love with you Nathan.” He held up the engagement ring I’d given Vana and offered it to me.
The wound in my chest ripped open again. I refused to take it from him. “Throw it away. It means nothing now.” The half a million-dollar stone that I’d flown across the country to purchase for her could rot at the bottom of the pool for all I cared.
Liam curled his hand around the ring. “An hour ago she told me she wants to marry you.”
What? I blinked at him.
Mason and Gabriel gave him a WTF look.
Liam cleared his throat. “She wants to marry us in a human ceremony. All four of us.”
Mason chuckled. “We’ll have to look for a priest among the survivors.”
“She wouldn’t want a religious ceremony,” I replied before I could stop myself. Vana had confessed she’d lost all faith in religion when her mother died. I’d been planning an outdoor night wedding for us. I knew how much she loved stargazing from her dates with Ty.
I took a deep breath and pushed myself to my feet. I guess that was one of a million things I no longer needed to remember. Along with the fact she liked her coffee black, her French fries cold, and subtitles on for all the movies we watched.
“Right,” Mason said slowly. “You know Havana far better than we do.”
I snorted. “We spent nearly every waking minute together for months, you spent what? A week with her? Good luck keeping her happy.”
Gabriel narrowed his gaze. “I’m more worried about keeping Havana alive. She’s a pregnant Alpha female in the Beast’s territory. What do you think Tasha will do to her?”
The memory of Tasha poised with a knife over my newborn daughter pierced my heart. “I won’t let the Beast hurt Vana.” Even though Vana’s choice wounded me deeper than I wanted to admit, I’d never let harm come to her. Nor could I ever leave her. She’s my chosen.
�
�How will you keep her safe?”
I debated sharing my plans with these males. I didn’t owe them shit, but their loyalty to Vana could prove useful. Damn the fates. I took a deep breath and summoned my calm political alter ego. “The southwest faction Alphas and the high council are convening at Sanctuary at the end of the week.”
Gabriel’s brow furrowed. “Are you talking about Tasha’s New Year's Eve Party?”
I nodded. For the better part of a year, Ty and I had been plotting to bring down Tasha at the celebration.
“I can’t imagine there will be any party considering current world events,” Mason interjected.
He’s wrong. “Because of the outbreak, it will be even more imperative that council meet. Since the gathering at Sanctuary was already underway, it’s unlikely the meeting would be held elsewhere. Of course, I’ve been out of the loop for ten days.” I looked down at my aching fist. The skin around my swollen knuckles was shredded and the small movement made blood drip down my arm.
“I don’t understand.” Gabriel took a step forward. “How would the other Alphas and council members keep Havana safe?”
I shook the blood off. “I’ve convinced the Moon Valley faction, the Red Canyon faction, and several council members to join forces with me.” I let that sink in and then said, “Together we’ll take out Tasha.”
The Head Enforcer let out a laugh that reverberated off the high ceiling. “You think you could just kill the Beast? Did you learn nothing from all those years as her prisoner?”
“Tasha can’t be killed,” Liam added as if I didn’t know that.
“Not kill her,” I corrected. Like the two Enforcers, I’d seen Tasha anticipate and evade every attempt on her life, but her foresight seemed limited to immediate physical threats. “This is a political maneuver.” Even Tasha couldn’t defy pressure from the council and her neighboring factions to step down. “Once Tasha is forced to abdicate, she’ll lose her power.”
“She’s an Original,” Liam blurted out.
Fair point. “But an Original with no faction is much easier dealt with.” Once Tasha could no longer order the Winterhaven Enforcers to fight for her, she’d be vulnerable. Or at least as vulnerable as an immortal monster could be. “Ty’s been designing something to incarcerate her.”
Gabriel and Liam exchanged a quick look.
“What?” Am I missing something?
Gabriel cleared his throat. “Two weeks ago, Tasha ordered Tyberius back to Winterhaven and imprisoned him.”
Ah, fucking hell. I’d wondered why I couldn't reach him. Tasha probably had him in her silver reinforced dungeon. Damnation. I knew Tasha would never kill her son, but she’d make his life a living hell.
“She’ll torture him until she discovers your plan,” Liam added.
Before worry for my friend could distract me, I shook my head. “Ty will never tell her what we have planned. I would stake my life on that.” Once we’d removed Tasha as the faction leader, I’d free Ty and he’d never have to go into that hellhole again.
“After Tasha steps down—”
Gabriel’s snorted.
I cleared my throat and continued, “After Tasha steps down, the Moon Valley Alpha will nominate Mira as the Winterhaven Alpha. Ty and I will act as regents until she’s of age.” I dragged in a breath. The next part of my plan, where Vana and I established a home together in Winterhaven, was nothing but a pipe dream now.
“What about Havana?” Liam asked, looking down at the engagement ring in his hand.
“That’s up to her.” A phantom knife wrenched inside my gut.
“She’ll establish her own faction at Sanctuary,” Gabriel announced.
I started to argue, but then closed my mouth. If she were at Sanctuary I’d still get to see her. My chest tightened. “Fine.”
“You’re putting the cart before the horse here,” Mason said. “What are the chances Nathan’s plan will even work?”
“The plan will work.” It had to.
“And if it doesn’t?” Gabriel said in a low voice.
I closed my eyes at that horrifying outcome. “Then, the Moon Valley Alpha has offered Vana and Mira refuge in her territory.” There was no point in Shoshanna offering me refuge as I’d be rotting in Tasha’s dungeon by that point.
Gabriel scrubbed a hand across his chin. “And where were you planning on stashing Mira and Havana while your grand plans were going down?”
“Ty was supposed to take them far from here.” Clearly, that wasn’t going to happen now. “One of you can take them instead.”
Gabriel shook his head. “We can’t risk Havana traveling in her condition.”
“Pregnant, she’s too vulnerable,” added Mason.
I flinched at the reminder of Vana’s condition. “Then we’ll have her and Mira stay here with the humans.”
“Mason will stay and protect them.” Gabriel nodded over at Liam. “Liam and I will help you. We’ll return to Tasha, rejoin the Enforcers and help take her down from within.” Gabriel rubbed his right eye as if it pained him.
Their offer was attractive, unfortunately it would be impossible for them to get near Tasha. “The Beast will smell that you’ve mated a mile away.” Even now, I could scent Vana all over them.
“You carry Havana’s scent too,” Liam pointed out.
I looked at the door. “Not once she unclaims me.” Not that I wanted her to. Damnation, why can’t she choose me?
The three males exchanged long looks. It was clear they were conversing telepathically.
Gabriel finally cleared his throat. “As much as I hate to admit it, Mason, you’re right.”
It was my turn to give them a wary look. “What are you talking about?”
Mason turned and looked at me. “Havana will need your leadership experience and counsel to rule her faction.”
Gabriel and Liam nodded.
I shook my head “I want no part of this.” I waved my hand between them. The very idea of sharing Vana with others left a bitter taste in my mouth.
But wasn’t it fucking hot when Gabriel went down on Vana? I shook my head in denial at that unbidden thought.
Gabriel cocked his head to the side. “You enjoyed watching me with Havana.”
Fuck! I must be very weak if the Enforcer could read my thoughts so easily. “No!” I shouted a little too loud.
The Enforcer grinned. “Stay with us and we’ll give you a live action show any time you want.”
“No,” I said again. Fuck. The mental image of the males taking Vana in front of me made my cock twitch.
Liam slowly nodded. “There were rumors about him and Tyberius. Apparently, Nathan liked to watch while Ty—”
I jumped to my feet. My voyeuristic tendencies were my business. “I’m done with this conversation.” To hell with waiting for Vana. I started for the door.
“What about Miss Mira?” Mason called out.
I whirled around. “What about my daughter?”
“She adores Havana. She was just telling me how you three were all going to live together and have slumber parties every night.”
Damnation. Mira had been inconsolable when Vana disappeared from her life the first time. Can I separate them again?
“You should stay for your daughter’s sake,” Gabriel said, twisting the knife.
Damn the fates.
“You still love Havana, right?” Liam asked.
I jerked my head in his direction. “That’s a stupid question. I’d give my life for her.” If she walked back into the room and said she’d changed her mind and chose me over these males, I’d drag her into my arms and never let her go.
Gabriel crossed over to where I stood. “But you won’t share her.”
I growled at him. “No.”
“Why not?” asked Liam, walking around me in a half circle.
I hesitated not knowing how to explain that I’d had nothing that truly belonged to me. Until Vana.
“But wouldn’t you enjoy watching us share her?�
�� Gabriel sent telepathic images of him and Liam tying Vana down, spanking her, and mounting her in front of me. In his vision, I was instructing them on what to do to her.
I inhaled sharply, a bolt of lust kicking me in the balls. The very idea of it tempted me beyond reason. Am I actually considering this?
“Havana has a voracious sexual appetite, mate,” Mason added.
Liam nodded. “The three of us aren’t enough for her. She needs you.”
“She needs you,” the other two males said in unison. “Serve her.”
Their words hit some primal internal bull’s-eye. To be needed by a female was the fundamental drive of a male Lykos and to serve an Alpha female was the highest calling. Pride be damned. Alpha possessiveness be damned. Vana needs me. And I need her too. “I’d be in charge?”
Gabriel didn’t answer right away.
“Yes, you’d be the Head Mate,” Liam gave Gabriel a hard look and mouthed, “He’s the Alpha, brother.”
“Fine, yes,” Gabriel gritted out.
Mason smiled. “Then it’s agreed. You’ll stay.”
Not so fast. “We’ve only begun the negotiating process.” I gestured at the closest table. Working through deals was what I did best.
The males looked from the table back to me.
“Sit,” I ordered. “And we’ll discuss the terms of this arrangement.”
6
Havana
Pacing the worn carpeted hallway outside the door to the pool wasn’t doing anything to soothe my nerves. Even worse, that horrible feeling of impending doom slammed back into me the moment I’d left my mates.
As I stalked by the ice machine, I turned inward searching for some hint of where the danger lay. My mates and I were safe, for the moment at least. Where’s the threat?
Not in the lobby where the sounds of giggling children and arguing humans could be heard. Not in this hallway that carried the odor of decay and musty wet carpet. I opened all my senses straining to pick up some hint of danger.
There was nothing.
Deciding I had enough problems without some irrational fear weighing down on me, I mentally shoved all my anxiety into an invisible box and closed the lid.