“You couldn’t charm a porcupine to save your life,” Fergus muttered. “Do your worst.”
They watched as Diana tried to find her footing, and Luke raised a brow. “I’m going to take that as a challenge.”
Diana looked in her mate’s direction, saw his grin, and something in her relaxed. The bear shifter standing next to him was smirking, and she realized that the two of them were friends.
“You look distracted,” Cassie commented.
Diana blinked. “Yes. Sorry. Who’s that?” She gestured her head toward the man who was approaching Fergus.
Cassie blinked. “That’s Raoul. He’s really strict. He also tends to piss Luke off.”
“He doesn’t seem to be very happy,” Diana commented.
Cassie’s eyes narrowed.
“No, he doesn’t, does he?” she said slowly. She didn’t remove her eyes off the lieutenant as she murmured, “Diana, if ever you feel that you are not safe here, you have free access to our pack. I would prefer you come to us immediately.”
That startled Diana. “Should you trust me? You don’t even know me.”
Cassie wore a hard smile on her lips. “I am very good at reading people. As I’m sure you are, too.”
The female wolf shifter said nothing in response for a moment. “Raoul resents my presence.”
“Raoul resents everyone’s presence. He likes to be a little hardcore. But yes,” Cassie didn’t even blink, “he has something against you.”
“Yes, I can tell,” Diana murmured.
“What are you going to do about it?”
The wolf bared her teeth.
Fergus felt his mate’s determination flow though their bond. But he didn’t have time to focus on the why of it. Raoul was approaching him, his stance aggressive, and Fergus’ wolf snarled. Best friend or not, his second in command held challenge in his eyes, and the alpha did not like that.
“You’re okay,” Raoul stated as he reached him, looking him up and down.
“I need a report.” Fergus demanded.
Raoul didn’t look surprised at the curt tone, and his eyes fell on the red-headed woman who was talking to the bear alpha’s mate. “A few men tried to breach the borders into our territory, and a few of the juveniles drove them out, but camps have been set on our borders. It seems like they’re waiting for something.” His eyes darted away from Diana. “Or someone.”
Fergus smiled pleasantly, aware that his mate was watching. “If you make so much as another suggestion that Diana is a threat, I will not hesitate to tear your throat out.”
His friend’s jaw tightened. “I’m the least of your worries. The pack has isolated the tiger and the two children. Tongues have been waggling. Some of the dominants, including Payton, want to have access to the pups again. They say this isn’t right. They’re questioning your motives for the arrangements that you put in place.”
The cold anger in Fergus’ eyes even made Luke raise a brow. “Diana is Council. And I am still alpha. Maybe it’s time I reestablish my role in the food chain.”
Raoul didn’t say anything, and his form stiffened as Diana approached them. “Hello Diana.”
She just stared at him, and then looked at her mate who said coldly, “She doesn’t remember anything. Diana wiped her own memory, on the night she was taken, to protect the pack.”
His mate noted that he didn’t reveal the tidbit of going with them willingly.
“Diana, this is Raoul. He’s my second. He used to play with us when we were kids.”
Diana tilted her head, and then said, “You don’t like me.”
Raoul pursed his lips. “It’s not a question of like. I don’t trust you.”
“Fergus,” Cassie’s voice carried from behind the wolf alpha, “could I have a word?”
Those arctic blue eyes turned toward Luke who had his eyes fixed on Raoul in a way a predator would study its prey. Fergus knew that if his lieutenant made any sudden moves toward his mate, he would be dead before he could move an inch. Although he and Raoul were close, although he was the pack’s alpha and leader, he felt no regret. His priority right now was his mate. With the way things were looking, the Tikaanis might be looking for a new alpha soon enough.
He took a few steps to the side, out of earshot, and Cassie handed a piece of paper to him. “From Nina. She was here last night and suddenly took off. I didn’t read what’s written on here, but she told me to tell you that if things get bad, let us protect Diana.”
Fergus didn’t unfold the paper, but he looked weary. “When did things get so complicated?”
Cassie reached up and planted a kiss on his cheek, “Hey, you got Diana back, didn’t you? One step at a time. Luke and I have your back. No matter what.”
Fergus smiled at her. “Luke ever tell you how beautiful you are?”
“It’s my mantra these days. Otherwise, she says she’ll hurt my man parts,” came the grumpy response from the side.
Cassie just smiled beatifically.
They parted ways with the bear alpha pair retreating to their home. Fergus put a hand on Diana’s back, a protective gesture. He knew his mate was more than capable of dealing with anybody who tried to cross her, but she was also walking into unknown terrain here.
The wolf bared his teeth.
Chapter 13
The reception was far less than welcoming. The two kittens were quiet and instead of sticking to Matt, they stood by Lorne, who looked angry. Matt and Alan looked troubled, and the rest of the pack was quiet.
Everybody had gathered in the common room, all of those who were present in the den, at the moment, and not sent on assignments, anyway. Fergus studied each and every shifter in the room, the resolute set to their chins, the skeptical look in their eyes, and he knew his pack had come to a decision.
“A few weeks. That’s how long I have been gone. It seems I’ve come back to trouble. What is going on?”
Nobody said anything. All eyes were on Diana who stood by his side, bearing a defensive posture. Nobody bothered to greet her. They all seemed to be aware that she had no memory of them whatsoever.
Fergus raised a brow, and cut straight to the chase. “It seems we are not welcome here.”
“Not you. We trust you, Fergus,” one of the elders responded, her eyes hard as they studied Diana unflinchingly. “It is her that we are unsure about.”
Fergus cocked his head and said easily, “Her being my mate.”
Natalie was a dominant maternal female. She was also Raoul’s mother. Both of them had grown up at her knee, and he held her in high respect. However, Fergus was also the alpha.
He didn’t remove his hand from Diana’s waist, aware of how stiffly she held herself. His smile was calm, showing none of the growing fury that was inside of him.
“Diana has been missing for ten years, Fergus. And now she just shows up out of the blue, looking none the worse for wear.”
“So, you’re telling me that you would have preferred to see her broken. That would have made you feel better?”
Natalie frowned. “That’s not what I–”
Her alpha cut her off. “That’s exactly what you mean. I don’t need to remind you, Natalie, that had the Caillagh not revealed her whereabouts, my mate would still have been stuck in that hellhole. Don’t overlook the fact that Diana is also a part of the Council.”
“And does that mean she’s above reproach?” the elder growled.
Fergus raised a brow, his voice dangerously low and silky. “Above reproach? Reproach for what?”
Diana could see his control slipping, and she murmured, “Fergus.”
“No.” Her mate ignored her. “Let Natalie explain what she means. She is suggesting that you need to be put on trial. For what exactly?”
Natalie bristled, “You’re making me out to be vindictive. I care for Diana, too, but ten years is a long time for a person to change. If she’s not a sleeper, then she would not object to a trial.”
Diana opened her mouth, but this t
ime Fergus, gripped her arm, allowing his anger to show. “She’s been tortured, skinned, raped; everything that can be done to a female shifter has been done to her. And you want me to make her undergo more torture?”
His mate took a step back, a hint of fear in her eyes, but Fergus’ grip on her am tightened as his wolf shone in his eyes.
“It’s a precaution!” Natalie argued. “It’s not like we want her to–”
“We?” Fergus echoed, and he looked at the resolve in his pack’s eyes. He nodded his head slowly. “I see. This has already been decided then. You will put Diana on trial.”
Natalie’s jaw hardened. “It’s for the pack’s safety. You should understand. Council member or not, we can’t trust her, and you are too blinded by your feelings for her.”
Fergus pursed his lips. “I see.”
“Fergus.” A voice came from behind Natalie, and an older man stepped forward. His red hair indicated the relationship between Diana and him, and his eyes were sad. “I don’t want to hurt my daughter. She’s my child. But I see no other way.”
Fergus glanced at his mate and saw no recognition in her eyes for her father. But he felt the tremble in her hands. A few weeks was not enough time for her to overcome the trauma she had been put through. The uncertainty he felt from her and her fear cleared the cloud of anger from his mind. This was not even a decision he wanted to consider anymore.
“There is another way.”
Payton raised his brow, looking hopeful, and Fergus smiled. “Diana and I leave.”
Raoul who had been standing next to his mother, took a step forward. “Fergus.”
The wolf alpha raised his hand, stopping him in his tracks. “Enough. Did you really think I would choose the pack over my mate? That I would submit to your demands and watch as you break Diana over and over again until you’re satisfied? Until you break her to the point where nothing is left of her?” His eyes narrowed. “Our pack has never been this divided. We’ve faced our ups and downs, and I’ve led you through all of them, even when I was breaking apart. But when I ask for trust, and when I ask you to have faith in my decision and in my mate, you refuse?” A few faces looked guilty, and a lot of eyes looked away. “So be it. You can find yourself a new alpha. You can trust him to protect you from this human organization. You can protect your pups from being snatched from you. And when everything is over, you can mourn and grieve.”
Where they had been silent, everybody started talking at once. Nobody had told them that the pack was in danger. Nobody had told them that their pups were under threat.
Fergus turned around and started walking toward the entrance.
He didn’t hesitate, and Diana followed him. She knew there something he was planning, and she knew instinctively that she needed to let his plan fall through.
“Wait. Fergus, wait!” one of the elders spoke up.
The silver-haired alpha turned slightly. “Speak fast. I would like to cross the borders before it gets dark.”
“We need you here.”
He scoffed. “No, you don’t. Why would I subject Diana to your mistrust and anger? You’re better off with someone you trust.”
“Don’t be foolish, Fergus,” Natalie spoke this time. She looked troubled. “Ten years ago, you changed the location of the nursery to protect the newborn pups. Only a handful of us are aware of their location. We trusted you. Ten years later, we still have trust in you. You’ve made sacrifices, I admit. You’ve lived for us when you had no reason to. We forced you to lead us at a time when you needed to grieve. So, yes, you deserve our trust and our support.”
Fergus didn’t blink as he met Natalie’s eyes. “Your words don’t mean shit to me, if Diana is not offered the same. She erased her own identity to protect the pack. She gave herself up to Morbus to protect you and your pups. She sacrificed herself. You owe her your lives, and yet you stand here, treating her like she’s a traitor.”
Natalie’s face went white, and she whispered, “What?”
Fergus’ voice was a low snarl, and he let everyone see his wrath. “Did you think one of the Tikaanis’ best lieutenants was simply kidnapped and they left us alone after that? Did none of you bother to factor in how we bought enough time to evacuate the pups and the submissives to safety? Mere hours. That’s all the time we needed. That’s the time that Diana bought for us at the expense of ten years of her life.”
Hushed silence followed in the wake of his growled speech. Nobody could meet his eyes. Gone was the cool and composed alpha. In his stead, stood a wolf who was looking for blood.
Payton took a step forward. “I love my daughter, Fergus, but if there is even the slightest chance–”
Fergus’ voice was quiet, echoing with menace. “One more word, old man, and I will forget that you are my father in law. If you point your finger at my mate one more time, blood will be shed.”
The elder wolf’s jaw tensed at the threat. He cast a look at his daughter, who refused to look at anyone except Fergus. Her mate was holding onto her arm, his grip so tight that the older man thought that her thin arm would splinter. His heart ached with pain, “Diana.”
Diana took a step back, baring her teeth like a cornered animal. She had expected rejection or the like, but not at this scale. She had not expected these people to want to hurt her.
She took another step back.
Suddenly, it felt like she was in her cell again.
She couldn’t breathe.
Her vision was blurring, and she heard the familiar voice that echoed with love and worry calling her name.
She couldn’t be here.
She wasn’t safe here.
Turning on her heel, she shifted and ran.
She felt the voices rise in confusion and panic, but she didn’t care. She could feel the thrum inside her as evidence of her mate’s presence. He didn’t follow after her, and she was grateful.
She felt like she was suffocating among all those people.
She ran and she ran until her legs started to hurt. Her wolf was trembling, and she eased her pace, stopping at the edge of the cliff that overlooked the terrain. She felt the wild wolves emerge from the trees. They stood behind her, and their presence comforted her.
Her heart was beating too fast, and she was starting to regret her decision.
She shouldn’t have come here. The pack did not want her. Even if they let her stay out of some obligation, she would never be welcome there. She let out a small whine, and one of the wild wolf pups nudged her and settled down under her chin. Its mother watched her, her amber eyes unblinking. Seeing that her pup was safe, she too lay down.
The other wolves followed suit, forming a circle around the shifter.
Two more pups wandered over and tried to clamber over Diana. They were trying to engage her in play, she realized. She let them. The contact soothed her heart somewhat.
In the distance, she heard someone approaching, and she strained her ears. The familiar scent reached her first, before the silver wolf emerged from the trees.
Fergus did not shift. He approached her slowly and then rubbed his nose against her. The wolf pups watched him warily before deciding to make a playmate out of him as well. He settled down and let her curl up against him. They let the wolf cubs climb on them and fall off. Diana closed her eyes and drew strength from his presence.
After a while, Fergus shifted. He still sat there, his arm around her neck, as they watched the glittering stars in the darkness of the night. He was beautiful in both his human and wolf form. Something inside her moved and she snuggled against him, offering him her own warmth.
He didn’t smile, but he burrowed his fingers deeper in her fur.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. For making you go through that.”
Her wolf whined.
“They want us to stay.”
But they would never accept her, Diana thought.
Sighing internally, she shifted.
Both were naked, and she was sprawled on his lap. The wild wolves
crept up to surround them, and arrange themselves around the two shifters.
“I thought there was unity in a pack,” Diana murmured against his skin, as he shifted her to make her comfortable.
Fergus sighed, “When you were taken, your father showed up. He blamed me for what happened to you, and since he could not take back his position from me, he has resorted to making as much trouble as possible.”
“Why would he do that?” Diana looked bewildered. “Didn’t he know that would fracture the pack from inside?”
“My guess is that he was too hurt to care. He opposed every decision I took. When I separated the pups, he was the most vocal about it. Said that it was integral for the pups to be around adults. He genuinely felt that.”
Fergus expelled a rush of air and settled his chin on Diana’s shoulder as they stared at the horizon. “I hated doing that. But there was no choice. The day we relocated the pack, a few months after the attack, I chose a separate area for the newborns. Your last words I took seriously.”
“I don’t think I should stay here for the time being, Fergus.”
The wolf alpha jolted. “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” Diana tried not to let the turbulent emotions inside of her get the best of her, “I mean that we’re running out of time. You need to get the pack together, rebuild your bonds, your trust with them.”
She turned to look at his scowling face and pressed a kiss to his lips.
Fergus couldn’t help but respond, his body too attuned to hers.
“Morbus is not to be taken lightly. The pack needs to be united. They need to be behind you, Fergus. And to do that, I can’t be here. Not right now. I’m a conflict of interest.”
Fergus growled. “You’re crazy if you think for one minute that I’m letting you out of my sight. That’s what got you in this position in the first place. Because you told me to go–”
“Fergus,” Diana interrupted him, “Morbus can attack at any moment. For now, I am not a priority. The pack is.”
“They wanted to torture you.” Fergus stared at her. “Why are you being so…I don’t even have a word for it.”
His mate sat up and looked at him, shaking her head. “Why aren’t you? You’re not this callous. I know you’re not. You’re a good alpha. You’re just angry over what they said.”
Loved by Alpha Wolf Page 10