Jessica Lee

by The KinKaid Wolf Pack Trilogy

  Barron's head cranked in Evin's direction, his hand still firmly in place. "Really?” His father lifted one thick brow. “Is that a command? May I remind you that I hold more than just his face at this very second in the palm of my hand?" The alpha straightened, and he pinned Evin with a hard glare. "Back. Down."

  Evin mentally wrenched tight on the chain around the throat of his beast, slowly reining it back in control. He wanted to claw the man's eyes out. Rip a hole into his damn throat for touching what was his. Air burned as it coursed down the dry path to his lungs. Evin didn't give a shit that the other man was his father. His muscles twitched, and his skin itched to tear his hand away from Mason's face. Evin closed his eyes, willing himself to let it go, and lowered his head once more. Shit, he had to. What the hell was wrong with him?

  "So answer me," the alpha demanded. "What do you think I should do here?"

  "I would prefer to live, sir." Evin clenched his fists once more at the sound of Mason's voice. The tone was strong, confident, but even though they'd been together only a few days, Evin could detect the small note of underlying fear the other man tried to hide. Others who didn't know him as well would probably have missed it. But Evin hadn't, and it made his stomach twist in desperation. God, he wanted to grab Mason so bad, it physically hurt to deny the urge. If only he could whisk him away from all this and tell him it had been a bad dream.

  "And if I let you live, what then? Are you prepared to walk away from everything, from everyone that you know?"

  Evin glanced up. The alpha had released Mason and stepped back, his hip leaning against his desk as he faced the other man. Mason turned his gaze to Evin.

  "That's been all I could think about, actually," he said, his words barely above a whisper. "I don't really have that much to walk away from—not emotionally, that is." Mason turned back to Evin's father. "My family will be furious if I don't return. But for me, it will feel like a release. So even though what happened to me wasn't my choice, and I was pretty pissed off at first, I can't say that the end result—finding a new life away from the Thorne legacy—won't be a blessing in disguise."

  "Thorne?" Barron straightened. "Are you saying your family owns Thorne Global?"

  "Yes sir, but—"

  "Son of bitch, Evin!" The alpha whirled on Evin. "Not only do you break pack law, but you do it with someone from one of the most prominent families on the west coast."

  "I can assure you, sir, I will see to it that no attention is brought to your pack," Mason interjected.

  Barron pivoted back toward Mason. "And just how do you plan to do that when Thorne Sr.'s son doesn't return to the fold?"

  "I'll release my trust back to my father. He's already threatened disinheritance. So I'll give him back what matters to him most—money and any claim I have on Thorne Global."

  Evin watched as some of the tension released from his father's shoulders.

  "Without my shares and access to his money," Mason continued, "I'm no longer a threat. I have a younger sister, so it's not like he'll be without an heir eventually. I won't lie and say I won't miss watching my sister grow up and being there for my mother as she ages. But I'm smart enough to know that for their safety and the pack's, sacrifices have to be made. And if giving him his money back doesn't work," Mason went on to say, "I know what will. If he doesn't leave me alone and in peace, I'll threaten to go to the media with an exposé on his son's lifestyle." Mason looked Evin's way and smirked. "That'll get his attention and guarantee he won't come near me."

  "A decent plan...if I agree to this rescue mission." The alpha's words hit like a bucket of cold water down Evin's spine.

  Mason's head swung back to the man who dangled the key to his life like a carrot on stick in front of him.

  "How about we make a deal, Evin?" His father turned on his heel and made his way back to his seat.

  "What kind of deal?" Evin rumbled. The hairs on his arms lifted in trepidation. This had ugly written all over it.

  "I have something you want." Barron lifted his hand in Mason's direction, then moved and pointed in Evin's vicinity. "You have something I need."

  Evin's pulse raced. Why doesn't he just fucking spit it out? "And what do you need, Alpha?" Evin met his father's stare head-on.

  "You to mate with Jocelyn Lathan, continue the power of our bloodline, and to assume your role as alpha."

  His father's demand should have felt like a boulder slamming into to him, knocking the air from his lungs. But on some level, this had been exactly what Evin had expected. Right? A part of him knew his father would use this opportunity to get what he wanted. The timing couldn't have been more perfect.

  "What?" Mason jumped to his feet. "No. You're asking him to give up his life to a woman who cares nothing about him."

  "Silence, human!" Evin's father's fist pounded the wood of his desk. "If you wish to live, you'd better hope and pray Evin cares enough about you to do exactly that." Barron flicked his gaze back to Evin. "Those are my terms."

  "Evin...don't," Mason groaned. The sound ripped at Evin's heart. But deep inside, he'd already come to the resolution—the answer—to his father's terms before he'd even set foot on KinKaid land.

  "Consider it done." Evin held the alpha's gaze, his words flat. "You have my word."

  "Like hell," Mason shouted. "Don't do this."

  Evin couldn't look at him. He couldn't. Not right now. Instead Evin stared at the satisfied gleam in his father's eyes. The alpha picked up his phone and pressed a key.

  "I need you to escort a guest to the exterior quarters now," Barron stated into the receiver. "And then gather our healers and have them brought to me at once."

  Mason appeared in front of him right before his hands clamped on to Evin's shoulders, forcing him to drag his gaze up. Dark brown eyes glistened in the soft glow of the lamps scattered throughout the room. Tears? For me?

  "My God, Evin. What are you thinking? I don't want to live like this..." Mason shook his head.

  "It's done," Evin whispered. "I promised you I would not let you die. I gave you my word," he added, his voice carrying more strength.

  "This way, sir." A male appeared beside Mason and slipped his hand around his bicep.

  "I'm not ready yet." Mason jerked against the hold on his arm, the tension in his jaw visible.

  Evin pushed up from his seat. "Yes, you are."

  "Wait." Mason braced both palms on Evin's chest. "We need to talk about this."

  "There's nothing to talk about," Evin said, his voice low and hoarse. "It's done." He reached up and eased his fingers around Mason's wrists, then pushed his lover's arms away. "Go with them." His gaze darted toward the two guards who'd come for Mason.

  "Evin, we have things to discuss." His father's voice cut through the tension in the room. "Here. Now. Guards, take Mason to his quarters. The healers will be there soon. He needs to be ready."

  Large hands appeared on Mason's shoulders, and they pulled him back, nearly dragging him from the room.

  "Evin..." Mason twisted against the other man's grip. "No. Dammit. You can't go along with this. There has to be another way."

  Claws dug into the palms of Evin's hand. He clamped his fist tighter, needing the pain to keep him grounded. Cutting his heart out with a dull blade would have hurt less than watching the two armed men tear Mason away from him. And knowing the other man probably hated him for it tasted like bitter acid in the back of his throat. But Mason would live, and knowing that he would still have a chance for happiness, Evin could make it through this.

  "Get out of here, Mason," Evin growled. "Do what they say. Don't make me regret this." He narrowed his gaze on his lover, who continued to struggle against the alpha's security guards.

  Mason stilled, holding Evin's stare. "Fuck you," he spit, but Evin didn't miss the tremble that rolled over him in the process. "This is so fucking wrong," Mason whispered, then turned and walked away.

  Chapter Ten

  "Ugh." Mason felt like shit.

  He
shuffled back to the bed from his umpteenth trip to the bathroom in the last twenty hours. Endless hours of being poked and prodded by strangers who were there to "help" him. Mason crawled onto the mattress, wearing only his shorts, then stretched across the bed onto his stomach, relishing the cool feel of the white sheets against his overheated skin. His throat was raw. His stomach cramped as if he had a bad case of the flu. If only... Except he wasn't quite sure if the symptoms were the effect of the changes happening inside his cells or the nasty concoctions they kept forcing him to drink so they could "purify" him.

  The pain inside his chest was a different story, though. He knew its exact origin: Evin.

  No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't ignore how much he missed him. Needed him. Dear God, how did this get so fucked up? How was anyone supposed to let the person they love die? Physically or emotionally? Evin was giving up his soul, his happiness, for him. Killing himself internally. And there wasn't a damn thing Mason could do about it. He was in Evin's territory now. He and his father made the rules, and they had stuck him in their guesthouse until he completed his primary shift.

  "Turn over," one of the healers demanded. Mason pushed against the thick padding of the mattress and rolled onto his back. He stared up into the neutral expression of one of the five women who'd come last night. They'd stayed covered beneath white hooded robes as they busied around the room and on him, whispering, never actually talking to him, only addressing him when necessary in short commands. Their discomfort with dealing with him—or perhaps it was the manner in which he was infected and by whom—was palpable. "We need to apply some oil to your body. It will aid in your shift, helping to make your skin more pliable." She set a large, dark-corked bottle beside him right before another woman kneeled on the bed on the opposite side. "It should also help with some of the heat and sensitivity you're experiencing," she added. Well at least they were professional enough to push past their personal opinions to think of his comfort.

  Both healers began with his arms, rubbing him down with a mixture that smelled of mint and sandalwood. An immediate cooling sensation washed over his skin wherever the solution touched. Mason glanced up at the healers, who were mechanically going about the process of working the product into his flesh. The whole situation felt too odd. Mason reached for the bottle.

  "Really," he interjected, moving to sit up. "I can do this."

  "Lie down." The woman on his left pressed a palm to his chest. "This has to be rubbed in everywhere, but of course"—she blinked, then glanced his way for a second before returning to work on him—"we'll allow you your privacy for certain areas."

  Good God. Mason closed his eyes and lay back. If he wasn't already so damn overheated, he might have managed a blush at her implications of where he had to lubricate himself.

  "Has anyone heard from Evin?" He tossed the question out, needing a distraction yet desperate for some news. The four hands working on him faltered for a millisecond, then resumed their ministrations. Mason had to ask again. He couldn't allow himself to believe that Evin wouldn't at least check on him through this whole fucking altered reality he was living.

  "No," Healer One answered, her tone flat. "Like the last five times you've asked, no one has shared any word with us on the alpha prime."

  Alpha prime. That's what they'd kept referring to Evin as each time he'd asked about his whereabouts. Seemed Evin's banishment had been immediately lifted and his title restored.

  A knock sounded at his door. The women covered his lower body with a bedsheet before one of the others crossed the living space and opened the door.

  "I need to see Mr. Thorne." A soft female voice drifted across the room. One that sounded familiar.

  "Yes, of course." The healer pulled the door wider, allowing the other woman to enter. Mason released the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding while he'd wondered who the hell other than Evin would be asking for him. Wearing a pale lavender sundress that stopped just above her knees, Rosa headed toward his bed. His heart thumped hard in anticipation. Finally someone was here who could tell him what had happened to Evin.

  Mason watched as Rosa pulled a chair closer to the bed and perched on the edge of the seat. She looked at the other women.

  "Could you give us a few minutes alone, please?" Rosa addressed the healer who'd appeared to be in charge during his cleansing ordeal.

  "Yes, but it's nearly sundown, and we haven't completed all his preparations." A disapproving groove creased her brow.

  "I understand," Rosa softly added. "I promise I won't be long. But there are matters I must discuss with Mr. Thorne privately that cannot wait."

  A tsk escaped the healer's lips before she uttered a "very well"; then with a sweep of her gaze, she gathered her fellow healers, and they exited the room in a flurry of white robes.

  The door clicked shut, and Mason rubbed his face with both hands. "Thank God for a few minutes of peace," he muttered behind his palms, then dropped them to his sides.

  Rosa's delicate fingers lifted his, and she slid her hand into his. "How are you doing?" The sincere tone of her voice drew his gaze to meet hers, her eyes—large, blue, and almond shaped—so much like Evin's. His heart stuttered.

  "I'm fine," he whispered. "Please, tell me about Evin. I don't think we have much time."

  A shy smile curled her lips. "Despite what happened, you love him, don't you?"

  "You know I do. Or you wouldn't have come." Mason gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "This..." He glanced away, unable to meet her knowing gaze. "What he's done is tearing me apart inside." Mason swallowed past the lump that had suddenly appeared in the back of his throat, making room for his voice. "I don't know what hurts more—the change in my DNA or knowing that Evin has to pay for the rest of his life by saving mine."

  "My brother is a good man, and Evin would not have done this if he didn't care very much for you as well. He will survive."

  Mason swung his head back in Rosa's direction.

  "Knowing you also survived will be from where he pulls his strength," she went on to say.

  "Then he is going through with this tonight?" Mason nodded in question. "He's going to mate Jocelyn?" A renewed wave of nausea kicked up in his gut at the thought. That, and a violent urge to tear the fucking place apart until he found Evin and got the hell out of there.

  "Evin gave his word..." The sad knowledge of what that meant resided in her gaze. Damn.

  "What about Jocelyn? She's perfectly fine with mating a man who's essentially being blackmailed to do so?"

  Rosa's hand slipped from his, and for the first time, what looked like a snarl curled on Evin's sister's lip. "Her entire family is power hungry, but Jocelyn wasn't always like that. As children, she and I spent a lot of time together. I even thought we were friends. But over the years, her father and brothers have brainwashed her to the point that all she cares about is achieving queen status for the Lathan clan."

  Mason cursed under his breath.

  "I'm going to have to leave soon." Rosa scooted closer to the bed. "But before I do, Evin asked me to tell you that he wanted to be here with you, but our father and Jocelyn have kept him at their sides, planning for the transition of power in the pack."

  The air stalled in Mason's chest. Evin had tried. He'd been on his mind. Knowing that somehow eased the ache behind his breastbone.

  She reached out and squeezed the back of his hand once more. "He wanted to make sure you know that, no matter what, he will come to you tonight." Rosa nodded with a hint of a smile.

  "Thank you, Rosa. If you see Evin again, please tell him that I'm fine. The healers are doing their job, and I'm going to be okay."

  Rosa gave a brief nod of understanding, then made her way to the door, leaving him in silence that was way too short-lived.

  Time passed by quickly after she'd left. Mason didn't think the sun had ever set as fast as it had that night. Even if the blinds had been completely closed, and he had no clock, no one would have had to tell him darkness had falle
n outside his window. Sweat popped through his pores and sat like large drops of rain over every inch of his burning flesh.

  The five healers had gathered together and pushed his bed to the center of the room. Mason watched as they formed a circle around him by connecting their hands, his body on the mattress the center of the ring.

  "Try to relax now." The monotone voice of one of the healers penetrated the buzzing in Mason's ears. "The moon is rising, but we will create a shield to help you resist its pull. We need you to focus on your wolf inside." Mason dragged his gaze to hers, attempting to focus on her words. Sweat burned his eyes, and a strange haze blurred his vision. "Picture him in your mind. Allow him to come forth. Our barrier will protect you from the change if it's coming too fast."

  His joints ached. His skin felt too tight over his bones. Mason writhed over the sheets. Fuck. The cloth felt like sandpaper against his flesh. He ran his tongue over the dry surface of his lips. Even his teeth throbbed. Christ. How long would this go on before he lost his fucking mind? And where was Evin? He said he would come. Evin. Mason repeated his name inside his head, as if somehow he could will Evin to hear him. What the hell was he doing? Yeah, he had gone damn nuts. He needed to man up, because from this point on, Mason Thorne II was on a solo ride to Wolfville.

  A knot seized Mason's stomach, the pain drawing him double. "Shit," he hissed, clutching his midsection. His gut was on fire. Cramps twisted the backs of his thighs, his calves. "Oh God," he gasped, unable to straighten from his fetal position to ease the pain in his legs. His mind fogged. Fuck. He was going to pass out.

  "I've got you, Brown Eyes." Large, cool hands sank into the backs of Mason's legs, kneading the tightened muscles. "I'm here."

  Hallucinating. That had to be it. Mason could feel the half smile forming on his lips. Yeah, he'd blacked out, and this was a fantasy. Evin was here. Touching him. Easing the pain like he'd done before after he'd bitten him. He sighed at the conjured memory. Evin licking him. His tongue traveling over Mason’s skin. Damn. The wonderful things Evin could do with that piece of his anatomy. And that wasn't the only fabulous tool in his arsenal...