by R. E. Butler
“You’re pride now, Scarlett. We do anything for pride.”
Chapter 10
Scarlett paced by the front window. The boarding house was buzzing with conversation and movement. Most of the pride was there, along with bears and black panthers. She remembered some of the bears from Melody’s wedding, but had never met black panthers before. According to Wes, two of the panthers were mated to Jilly and because she was under twenty-one, they weren’t able to mate officially. Jilly lived in the boarding house, and the entire clan of panthers, including Jilly’s twin mates, had moved their caravan into an empty field behind the boarding house.
Standing behind Scarlett, Ray and Wes were watching her intently. She could feel their eyes on her and could sense their concern. James, Don, the head of the bear den, and Dag, the head of the panther clan, spoke quietly nearby. Some of the pride members were waiting in the room with them; others on the front porch, in the yard, and around the perimeter of the house with the bears and panthers. She watched a bear in shifted form saunter across the front yard, lifting his head as he paused and sniffed the air before continuing to lumber on his path.
James’s phone buzzed and he said, “Aaron said a group of vehicles just drove into town, led by a black SUV.”
Scarlett’s heart froze. “That’s my…um, Quentin’s.” She’d been unable to think of him as her dad since she’d heard her mother’s pain-filled scream.
“They’ll be here in a few minutes,” James said. “Let’s get out on the porch. Scarlett, no matter what, don’t leave the porch, got it?”
“Yes, James.”
Ray and Wes joined her, twining their hands together as James swung the front doors open and they walked outside. The air was crisp and fresh snow had fallen overnight, giving the yard a pristine look. The early morning sunshine made the snow look like diamonds were hidden in the depths. The door shut and Scarlett stood in the center of the porch in front of the large steps with Ray and Wes on either side of her, and the pride stretched out next to them. Four of the six bears had shifted, and two of them moved to stand at the bottom of the steps, their big, furry bodies dwarfing the unshifted males they stood next to. Four sleek black panthers climbed up the steps and sat in front of her. They purred loudly and she knew they were attempting to put her at ease, but she couldn’t calm her nerves. Waiting for Quentin’s convoy to show up felt like an eternity.
James said, “Aaron’s behind them in the police car. He’s following them here and then will go back on patrol around town.”
James’s police car was parked in front of the house, the red and blue lights flashing. Along with his uniform, it was a silent testament that no one – the police department, the pride, the clan, or the den – would let Scarlett be taken away from her mates.
“We’re right here, love,” Ray said softly. “No matter what he says, he can’t hurt you or take you from us.”
She blinked and a tear tracked down her cheek. “I hate this. I hate that he’s coming here.”
“Us, too,” Wes said, brushing the tear away. “But it’s too late for him to do anything but bitch. You’re ours and you’re carrying our cub. Nothing in his plans can change those facts.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” she whispered thickly. She very badly wanted to fall into their arms and sob, but she knew that falling apart wasn’t going to change anything and would just distract them.
The bears and cats began to growl and she listened intently, hearing the engines of the vehicles as they turned down the long, winding driveway that led to the boarding house. She could see the vehicles through the trees, and her heart began to pound.
Vehicle after vehicle careened down the driveway, gravel and snow kicking up as the vehicles lurched from one side to the other. The line of vehicles seemed to go on and on. She counted fifteen in all. They filled the front yard, stretching back down the driveway.
Quentin’s SUV was in the lead. Every door opened on the vehicles except the passenger door on Quentin’s. Wolves she’d known her entire life stalked forward with angry snarls and several males she’d never seen before joined them. One male stopped next to Quentin’s SUV. He was tall and well built, and would have been handsome if it weren’t for the numerous scars marring his face and the hateful glare in his eyes.
Then the passenger door opened and Quentin slid out. He wore a frown so severe she was glad a few hundred feet separated them. She didn’t doubt he would strike her down if he could get close enough.
Her heart hammered in her chest and she fought the urge to run into the house and lock herself and her mates in their room for the rest of their lives. Ray and Wes squeezed her hands and purred softly. She straightened her spine and stared at Quentin. He and the alpha stalked forward and she felt distinctly uncomfortable, as if she were prey and being hunted. It was a fitting thought.
The wolves, who had gathered in two long rows, numbered thirty. Quentin and the alpha stomped forward, the wolves parting to let them through. The alpha eyed the shifted bears and panthers, his gaze narrowing as it landed on her.
Quentin folded his arms. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
She wanted to curl up into a ball. She’d never heard his voice so devoid of compassion. “I’ve found my mates.”
His left eye ticked but that was the only change in his demeanor. “Breeding Queens are not allowed to choose their own mates. Your future belongs to me. I promised you to Arven, and you’ll do as you’re told.”
Arven cracked his knuckles and Scarlett was drawn to the scars covering them. He’d probably clawed his way to alpha by being a brutal fighter. He looked at her with menace and annoyance.
Swallowing hard, she raised her chin. “I’ve made my choice. My future is mine.”
Quentin growled and his eyes flashed to the amber of his beast. He moved forward a few steps, not seeming to care that the bears and panthers growled in warning.
“You will accept your place, Scarlett. Haven’t you caused enough problems?”
Her whole body gave a hard tremble and if it weren’t for Ray’s and Wes’s support, she’d have fallen to the floor when her knees gave out. “Is Mom okay?” Her gaze roamed the pack, looking for a friendly face, someone who could tell her if her family was safe from harm. She found nothing but anger and accusation in their gazes. Quentin had probably been on a rampage since she’d left.
“If you care so much, you shouldn’t have run away and left your mother to take the brunt of my anger.” His hands slashed the air. “I’m done talking. Get down here and accept your place or I will not rest until every last person here has suffered for harboring an already-promised mate from the male who owns her.”
Scarlett felt like her heart had turned to ice. She couldn’t stop the tears that blurred her vision. When she opened her mouth to speak, the only thing that came from her throat was a sob. Wes curled his arms around her with a growl and Ray snarled. “You will not talk to my mate like that, Quentin Jamison. I don’t give two fucks if you’re an alpha. Scarlett is our mate and she wears our marks.”
She gasped as Quentin stomped forward. The bears rose on their hind legs and roared, but he didn’t slow down. Only when his pack had placed themselves in front of him protectively as the bears continued to bellow their warning did he stop. He stared up at her with accusation and fury and she felt like she’d wither on the spot.
Arven moved through the pack members to stand next to Quentin. He glanced at her before staring at Quentin. “I should have demanded more money in exchange for the alliance, Jamison. She will take time to break.”
“Have your fucking guards do it first, then. The deal is sealed.”
Ray and Wes growled and so did every other pride member, bear and panther around. She felt bolstered by their support but scared as hell that her father didn’t seem to care. At that moment, Arven met her eyes and he stared at her, his brows drawing together as he frowned.
Sparing a look at Quentin, he growled the words, �
��Tell me I’m not seeing that.”
“What?” Quentin snapped.
“Her eyes are blue. What kind of bullshit are you trying to pull?”
Quentin’s anger-filled gaze landed on hers and his eyes widened in disbelief before fury darkened his skin and his fangs elongated. He howled, and the part of her that was connected to wolves knew that tone – he was killing mad.
“You’re pregnant? You slut! You’ve ruined everything. Your mother will pay for your sins, trust me on that. Come home now or watch everyone you love suffer.”
Arven stormed away as Quentin waited for her answer. Wes nuzzled her throat and whispered in her ear, “It’s a trick, love. Don’t let him use you for his own gain. We’ll help your family, I swear.”
She swallowed hard and brushed at her tears with a shaky hand. “I will not be a pawn you can use, Quentin. Leave my home or find out what happens when an asshole threatens a pride member.”
The cats whooped a cheer of support. Quentin stared at her for a moment longer and then he turned on his heel. As quickly as the caravan of vehicles had arrived, they disappeared.
James said, “I let Aaron know they were coming and told him to ensure they leave town.”
Scarlett said, “What about my family?”
Don, who had been standing next to James, said, “I’ve already dispatched some of my males to your apartment complex. Ray gave me the address. They’re already there and will find your family and help them.”
She smiled at the big bear. “Thank you.”
“The pride and the den have been friends for a long time. Threats against one are against the other, and I take that very seriously.”
James thanked him for his help and turned to the pride. “Let’s set up a patrol around the perimeter of two cats in shifted form on four-hour rotations. Grant will handle setting up the schedule. Tristan, why don’t you get dinner started for our guests. Alek, go get Sam and the kids and bring them home.”
Everyone disappeared quickly, dispatched to their duties. “Are you hungry, sweetness?” Ray asked, pressing lightly against Scarlett’s back.
She’d done an okay job of not breaking down while the pack had been glaring at her in accusation, but she couldn’t hold back anymore. The pride’s life had been completely upset by her presence and although Don’s words that her family would be found were reassuring, she couldn’t believe the lengths Quentin had gone to in finding her.
Shaking her head, she hugged herself close to her mates and wept.
* * * * *
An hour and a half later, as she lay on the bed in Wes’s room between her mates, there was a knock on the door. Wes opened it and found Melody and her mates standing in the hall. Melody held out her phone. “It’s your mom, Scar.”
Scarlett practically fell as she raced from the bed. “Mom? Mom! Are you okay?” she gasped into the phone.
“We all are, honey. Your father trapped us on the first floor of the apartment complex after he evacuated all the other tenants. Some bear friends of yours showed up not too long ago and chased the pack guards away.” She chuckled. “I’ve never seen those wolves scatter so fast except when your father was on a rampage.”
Scarlett pressed her hand to her chest and looked at her mates. “Tell me you’re out of Bent Creek and somewhere safe.”
“You know I can’t leave.”
“Mom! He did something to you, didn’t he? Hurt you? Why would you stay?”
“He went to great lengths to find you. Do you think he’d let me go so easily? I know he’s on his way back, but I won’t go into hiding.”
“He won’t let me go, Mom. I’m scared.”
“I know, honey, but you’ve done something that no other Breeding Queen has ever done – you followed your heart and made your own choices. I’m so proud of you.”
“Mom, I’m pregnant.”
Her mother gasped in surprise. “Oh, I wish I could hug you! Congratulations!”
There was a muffled sound as her mother covered the phone and spoke in low tones. Then Scarlett heard her brothers cheering.
“Quentin said he could tell because my eyes were blue. What’s up with that?”
“It’s a quirk of our DNA. It prevents a queen from ever hiding her pregnancy. You must be about eight weeks along, at least?”
“Nine this week,” she said, smiling, resting her free hand on her stomach.
“It shows up around eight weeks. I thought I’d be sharing that with you on your mating day. I can’t wait to meet my grandbaby, but only when it’s safe.”
Scarlett wished she could give her mom a big hug right back. “I love you, Mom.”
“Oh, sweet angel, I love you, too.”
There was a shuffling sound and her oldest brother’s voice came on the line.
“Hey, Little Bug,” Joseph said. “You’re going to have a bug of your own, huh?”
“Hi Joe.” Scarlett sniffled at the nickname he’d called her since she was young, and wiped at the fresh tears on her cheek. “You’re going to be an uncle.”
“The most awesome of twelve uncles, regardless of whether you like Christian best or not.”
A chorus of dissent from her brothers made her smile. “Joe, are you guys really okay? Why won’t you take Mom and leave?”
“Bent Creek is ours, Scarlett. We’re not going to let Mom be hurt again.” He told her what had happened to them and their mom, reassuring Scarlett that their mom really was okay and they would ensure she stayed that way.
“Joe,” she said, her voice growing thick. “What are you going to do?”
“You just worry about my little niece or nephew and staying safe. Do you have a cell?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Text all of us your information as soon as possible. Do not go anywhere alone until we tell you it’s safe. Are we clear?”
“You’re so bossy,” she said, sniffling.
He snorted. “Just tell me you understand. I’ll make sure that Quentin leaves you alone, but until I say all-clear, stay put.”
“I understand, Joe.”
“Good. Now there are eleven other bastards here who want to say congratulations. Love you, Little Bug.”
“I love you, too, Joe.”
As the phone was passed to each of her brothers, she felt buoyed by their assurances that they would handle Quentin. There were twelve of them who were alpha powerful, and only one Quentin. He had a lot of males in the pack who would stand by him because he was alpha, but they couldn’t hope to stand against all of her brothers. According to Joe, the only reason they’d been caught the way they had was because they hadn’t expected Quentin’s ambush. Quentin had been furious that she was gone, but aside from sending wolves to look for her, he’d remained aloof with his sons. Until he suddenly hadn’t been, and had used their mother to force their hand and keep them from retaliating. But Mom was safe now, her brothers had promised, and Scarlett trusted them.
When the call ended, she gave the phone back to Melody and hugged her best friend. “I’m glad your family is okay,” Melody said. “I’ve always thought your dad was an asshole, but I’m glad my dad made an alliance with him so we could be friends.”
“I’m glad, too,” Scarlett promised.
Her heart was both heavy and light, a strangely unsettled feeling. She wished she could see for herself that her family was safe, but she trusted her brothers. Scarlett flopped on her back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. As they’d done a million times when they were teenagers, Melody joined her after shooing the males out of the room.
“Your mom’s okay and you’re okay. Those are the two most important things.”
They linked hands and Scarlett exhaled. “I know. I used to think the craziest shifter stuff I’d ever heard was about the mountain lions, but my… Quentin broke three of my mom’s fingers trying to get my brothers to tell him where I was. That’s beyond fucked up.”
“Without using your mom like that, he never would have been able to get your brot
hers to go along with anything that might hurt you. Remember when we were little and some of the boys in the neighborhood were throwing rocks at us when we were riding our bikes?”
Scarlett smiled at the memory. “Joe and Manix chased those boys until they were crying for mercy, and then made them apologize to us on their knees. I don’t think they ever even made eye contact with us after that.”
Melody rolled to her side to look at Scarlett. “What do you think your brothers are going to do about Quentin? I don’t know a ton about wolf culture, but couldn’t one of them fight him for leadership?”
“If they were following traditions, they’d have to request a fight for the position of alpha, which Quentin could and probably would deny. But they could just simply fight him and win, and unseat him from power. My brothers weren’t ranked in the pack because they’re alphas. Quentin has always kept them apart because he expected them to leave and start their own packs someday.”
“Why didn’t they?”
“I always figured it was because of me, that they were waiting for me to be mated and then they’d leave, but if one of them challenges Quentin then maybe they’ll all stick around.”
“One of them could be alpha, but they’re all alpha-powerful. Could they get along in a situation like that? Twelve alphas in charge of Bent Creek?”
Scarlett chuckled at the thought. “I wouldn’t want to be in the middle of any of their squabbles, that’s for sure.”
Chapter 11
By the weekend, Wes was beginning to feel like he could breathe again. The pride continued to patrol in pairs and an alarm system had been installed, something James said had been a long time coming.
Scarlett fit right in with the pride. The females adored her and the males were very protective. Before Scarlett, Wes had cared for the welfare of the females in the pride, but now that he had his own mate, he understood why the mated males cared so much about everyone’s mate, not only their own. A mate was precious, something to be protected and cherished. The unmated males knew that mates were important, but until Wes had felt the connection to Scarlett, he hadn’t really gotten just how important they were. Now, he knew he’d do anything to keep Scarlett safe and he’d do his best to protect the other mates, too.