Once seated, Ryder smiled at everyone. “It’s a boy like the ultrasound showed. Edensaw said he’d be down in a couple of minutes.”
“You need to get some rest,” Wren said as she tucked some of Ryder’s long hair behind his ear.
He gently pushed her hand away. “I’m fine. The spell was a little harder on me than I thought it would be. If I had my full powers it wouldn’t have been a problem.”
“Still no luck, huh?” Carson asked.
Ryder shook his head. “No. I thought for sure it wouldn’t give me any problems. That’s part of the reason why I held off on doing what needed to be done. If I’d known this would happen I wouldn’t have waited.”
“It’s because you aren’t ready,” Wren said. “I told you this before. Deep down inside you’re resisting. Once you get over that everything will snap into place.”
“You’re just guessing at that.”
“No, I’m not. I’m psychic, remember? I can’t see what has you hesitant in doing it, but I know it’s because you aren’t ready to accept it all. And until you do you’re going to continue to frustrate yourself with each failure.”
“We’ll talk about this again when I’m not so drained,” Ryder said in a tired-sounding voice.
Right then Edensaw entered the room with a blanket-covered bundle held in the crook of his arm. He wore a huge smile as he walked farther inside. “Cassidy is fine and so is the baby.” He pulled some of the cover away from the baby’s face. “Come and meet my son Wyatt.”
Everyone crowded around to get a look at the newest member of their pack. What hair Wyatt had was black. Carson thought he looked like a miniature version of his father.
“Is he immortal?” Meadow asked.
“We’re pretty sure he is. Wyatt’s umbilical cord is already showing signs of drying up,” the proud new father answered with a smile.
There had been a question of whether the baby would be immortal or just long-lived like regular werewolves. Given as how they were descended from the original six sentinels, they hadn’t been sure whether this new generation would inherit immortality from both parents.
They each had a chance to hold Wyatt. When it was his turn, Carson looked down at the little face and felt as if he wouldn’t mind having one of his own in the future. He and Laci had spent one evening when they’d been dating discussing how many kids they wanted to have. It hadn’t been meant to be serious, but Laci had admitted she did want to have at least two kids once she was ready to have them.
Carson passed Wyatt on to Eryn, who gave the newborn a kiss on the cheek. Wachei stood beside her and gently touched Wyatt’s tiny hand. Carson could see himself being an uncle again. So far their older brother Noah was the only one who’d had a kid. The thought of a few more rugrats running around didn’t seem like a bad thing.
* * * * *
Laci finished sweeping up the grooming area in the back room of her aunt’s shop, then put away the broom she’d been using. “I’m all done,” she said to Rita.
Her aunt nodded. “Then you can call it a day. I have to finish some paperwork and then lock everything up. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come in at regular time?”
“It’s fine. My early-morning appointment cancelled so there really won’t be anything to do first thing. You sleep in.” Rita winked. “Besides, you have a hot date with Carson this evening. You might need the extra hours to recover.”
“I never said it would be a hot date.”
“You didn’t have to. You’ve been mooning around here all day.”
“I have not.”
“Oh yes you have been, my girl. There’s nothing wrong with that. It means you’ve fallen for Carson again.”
“I didn’t think I would.”
“When it’s right, it’s right. Maybe this go round will be the one to last.” Her aunt gave her a hug. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Now scat before your hunk shows up and you aren’t at your apartment.”
Laci left Pampered Paws and walked the few steps to her apartment. Upstairs, she took a quick shower to get any lingering dog smells off her before she dressed in a pair of black yoga pants and a pale-yellow t-shirt.
She sat on the couch and looked at the clock that hung on the wall. Depending on how long it would take Carson to pick up the Chinese, he could arrive at any minute. Her stomach rumbled at the thought of food.
About five minutes later she heard knocking on the entrance door to her apartment. Thinking it had to be Carson, Laci leaped off the couch and practically ran down the stairs. She quickly undid the lock and opened the door.
But it wasn’t Carson who stood on the other side. It was a man who was obviously native, and someone she didn’t know. “Can I help you?”
“I think you can.”
His hand shot out and grabbed her by the throat. He pushed her back until he was all the way inside the entranceway. A kick and the door shut behind him. His hold on her didn’t relax as he reached back and turned the lock in place.
She opened her mouth to scream, but he slapped his free hand over it. “None of that now,” he said. “I’m going to take you upstairs and you’re going to answer my questions. Be a good girl and do everything I say and that way I won’t have to hurt you. Do you understand?”
At her nod, he removed his hand from her mouth. He pushed her up the stairs backward as he kept a grip on her throat. Laci tried to pull his fingers off, but he was too strong. She doubted she’d be able to free herself.
Once they were inside her apartment he brought her to the middle of the living room. “Okay, time for you to answer my questions. Are you going to be seeing Carson later this evening?”
“Why do you want him?”
He squeezed her throat tighter until Laci couldn’t draw in a full breath. She started to feel lightheaded by the time he slightly relaxed his grip and allowed her to breathe. “That isn’t how it’s going to work, you answering my question with one of your own. I’m going to ask you again. Are you going to see Carson later? If you don’t answer I’ll have to make good on my threat to hurt you.”
More scared than she had ever been in her entire life, Laci nodded. “Y-yes, I am.”
“Good girl. See that wasn’t so hard. When do you expect him?”
“A-any time now.”
“Perfect. Then all we have to do is wait for him to arrive.”
Laci screwed up her courage to ask one thing. “Why?”
“Since you did your part I guess I can answer one of your questions. Why do I want Carson? That’s easy. Your boyfriend is a werewolf, a sentinel, one of my enemies. My brother, the leader of the dark wolves, will be very happy with me if I can bring one of the wolf brothers to him.” He laughed. “I can see from your expression that you don’t believe me about Carson being a werewolf. Well, he is. It seems your boyfriend hasn’t been telling you the whole truth about himself.”
Laci still didn’t believe what he said about Carson. Only a crazy person would think it was the truth, and he had to be one if he talked about werewolves being real. He also had to be delusional.
As he gave her a smile that was far from friendly, Laci’s heart beat at triple time. Her fear threatened to take her over. Would he hurt her as he’d said? Or rape her before Carson showed up? She just hoped Carson would arrive soon and be able to take care of the crazy man long enough for her to call the cops.
Chapter Eight
Carson parked his SUV, grabbed the bag of Chinese takeout off the passenger seat and got out of the vehicle. He’d spent most of the day with the rest of his pack as they all fawned over the new baby. By the time he’d left, he swore Eryn was planning on increasing their family very soon. She kept looking at Wyatt with longing.
As he walked past the front of Pampered Paws, Carson saw it was already closed for the day, which meant Laci was upstairs in her apartment.
His steps faltered when he picked up the scent of a dark wolf. A low growl rumbled out of him as he followed it d
irectly to his mate’s apartment door. Carson took hold of the doorknob and tried to turn it. He found it locked.
Hoping Laci would forgive him if this ended up being a false alarm, Carson used his werewolf strength to kick in the door. It slammed against the wall. He ran up the stairs, the scent of a dark wolf growing stronger the higher he went.
What met him once he reached the apartment made his blood run cold. A dark wolf held Laci by her throat with her back pressed to his front. Carson couldn’t hold back his werewolf side as it rose to the surface. He growled menacingly and snapped his teeth at the one who would dare to touch Laci.
“Let her go,” he growled.
The dark wolf laughed. “See, I told you your boyfriend was a werewolf. The glowing eyes give it away.”
Carson dropped the bag of Chinese on the floor and fisted his hands at his sides. “Release my mate. It’s me you want, not her.”
“I thought she was your mate, but since you haven’t claimed her yet I wasn’t sure.” As Carson took a threatening step closer, the dark wolf tightened his grip on Laci until she wheezed. “I wouldn’t do that unless you want me to snap her neck. You sentinels always end up with mortals as your mates. Too bad you haven’t turned her. They are so weak compared to us. But then again, you used to be a mortal once as well. I’m glad my brother decided not to bring any more mortals into our pack.”
“So you’re one of Tanner’s brothers. I thought he turned you into a dark wolf by force.”
“He did, but I’m glad he did. I’m a stronger werewolf than the one I was born. And the immortality part is a bonus. My brother will be very pleased with me when I take you to him.”
“You can try,” Carson said with a snarl. “How about we duke this out werewolf to werewolf? Do it with claws and teeth? Or are you so afraid of me you need to hide behind my mortal mate?”
“I don’t need to hide behind anyone to take you on,” the dark wolf said with a growl lacing his words for the first time.
The dark wolf gave Laci a hard shove as he released her, then launched himself at Carson, shifting mid-leap. Carson raised his arm and blocked Tanner’s brother, knocking him to the floor. It was enough time for Carson to get to Laci and put her behind his back. The dark wolf growled and slowly stalked them.
Without turning his head to look at her, Carson said, “Don’t get close. And please don’t be afraid of me. I have to take on my dire wolf form to make things even. Remember Carson the wolf hybrid that Eryn brought in? That was me.”
That was all he had before the dark wolf once again went on the attack. Carson shifted to his dire wolf form and met him head-on. After that he had no time to think of what he’d told Laci and how it would affect her. Letting his natural instinct to protect his mate rise inside him, he set out to show this dark wolf how a sentinel wiped the floor with his enemy.
Laci backed up until she hit her couch. She sat, pulled her feet up and wrapped her arms around her bent legs. She breathed too fast, but couldn’t slow it down. All the crazy man had said was true. Carson was a werewolf. She’d seen him shift before her very eyes. His body had shimmered and blurred, then a wolf took his place. A dire wolf, according to Carson. But weren’t they long extinct?
She could only look on as both wolves fought, using their sharp teeth and claws. Their loud growls filled the room. She watched Carson, unable to tear her gaze away. And she did recognize him in his dire wolf form. As he had said, he’d been the wolf hybrid Eryn had brought to Pampered Paws, the one Laci had bathed. The one who had eyes that reminded her of Carson’s.
The sound of her name being yelled brought Laci back to the present. Her brother stood just inside her apartment, a look of disbelief on his face as he looked between her and the two fighting werewolves.
“Laci!”
“Victor!”
“What the hell is going on?”
Before she could answer a loud whimper escaped one of the wolves. She looked over to find Carson the wolf had the other on his back. Carson had his jaws around the other wolf’s throat. He jerked his head and there was an audible crack like bone breaking.
Carson lifted his head and looked at Victor. I don’t have time to explain, but I need you to do what I say. Find something to tie him up. Hurry. I broke his neck, but it isn’t going to keep him down for long.
“Carson?” Victor asked, looking shocked.
Obviously, her brother had heard Carson’s voice inside his head the same as she.
Yes. Just get something to tie him up with.
The other wolf started to stir. Once again Carson wrapped his jaws around his throat and broke his neck, stopping any further movement.
It took a few seconds for Laci to hear her brother talking to her. “Laci, snap out of it. Do you have any rope up here?”
There was another audible sound of breaking bone that made her jerk. “No. At least I don’t think so.”
She sat numb on the couch as Victor raced out the door. Laci watched Carson break the other wolf’s neck again and again until her brother returned. Victor cautiously walked over to the wolves and held out what he had in his hand.
“This is all I had in my truck. They’re tie wraps. The cops use them so they should hold him.”
Carson kept his jaws around the other wolf’s neck but this time didn’t snap it. They’ll do. Put one around his front paws and back paws, then another around all four. He won’t be able to shift back to human form without those cutting into him. They should hold him.
Victor went down on his knees and did as Carson had instructed him. Once that task was completed, Carson’s dire wolf body shimmered and blurred and he was human again.
“Thanks, Victor,” he said and squatted in front of the wolf. He grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. “You be a good dark wolf and don’t try anything. You heard what I told Victor about the tie wraps. You may be immortal, but I don’t know how long it will take to grow back hands and feet.”
Carson stood and looked at Victor and Laci. “I have to call my alpha. He’ll decide what to do with this one. Victor, if he moves do whatever you want to make him stop. I found him here holding Laci by the throat, trying to use her to get to me.” He took his cell phone out of his jeans pocket and proceeded to make his call.
“My pleasure,” her brother said as he glared at the subdued dark wolf.
For someone who had just seen a werewolf for the first time, Victor didn’t appear fazed about it at all.
“Victor? This doesn’t freak you out at all?”
Her brother shot her a smile. “Actually, no. Working on oil rigs you meet all sorts of people, or should I say werewolves. I worked with a couple of brothers who are ones. I found out what they were by accident. I swore I wouldn’t tell anyone.”
Laci slowly walked over to Victor. Carson had stepped a little ways away while he spoke into the phone. “All I know is I’m freaking out. Carson wasn’t always a werewolf. And he called me his mate.”
“He didn’t look like those brothers I know in wolf form either. As for you being his mate, now I understand why he latched on to you so quickly once he saw you again. His mating urge must have kicked in, though I wouldn’t have been able to tell. My friends taught me all there is about werewolves. And I never knew a mortal could be turned.”
Carson had hung up and joined them. “I’m not like your friends, Victor. I was turned by a sentinel, which I’m now one of. They were the very first werewolves. They can turn mortals with one bite while in wolf form.” He looked meaningfully at Laci. “Just as I can. We’re also immortal.”
“And this one?” Victor asked as he nudged the dark wolf with the toe of his shit kicker.
“This is a dark wolf, turned with dark magic. They are our enemies, the ones the original sentinels had been created to fight against by their Tlingit shaman way back in the Ice Age.” Carson looked at Laci. “You met one of them. Wachei is one of the originals. He’s the one who turned Eryn and me.”
“Why did he do that?” sh
e asked.
“Well, Eryn was his mate and he wanted an eternity to spend with her, not just one mortal lifetime. As for me, Noah and I got attacked by a couple of dark wolves and I almost had my throat torn out. If Wachei hadn’t turned me, I would have died.”
Victor nodded. “Makes sense. So you can turn any mortal?”
“Yes.”
“So if I decided I wanted to gain a new wolfie side, you’d bite me?”
Carson chuckled. “Yes, I could. Edensaw, the alpha of my pack, has said any member of a mate’s family has the option to be turned. That is if the mate decided to tell her family members what she’d become. With you, I guess that isn’t necessary.”
“Something to think about, especially if my big sister will be a werewolf,” Victor said with a wink.
“Stop, please stop,” Laci said. “I still haven’t gotten over the shock of Carson being a werewolf and you already have me as one.”
Victor cringed. “Sorry. I don’t find this weird. I keep forgetting you don’t know anything about this.” He turned to Carson. “I guess I no longer have to think about beating the crap out of you if you hurt my sister. Her being your mate, you will never do anything like that again, and you’ll never leave her.”
Carson nodded. “No, you won’t have to worry about that.” He met Laci’s gaze. “I love her. There will never be anyone else but her for me.”
Laci swallowed as she saw the truth of what Carson said in his eyes. He did love her, and would never stop loving her. Becoming a werewolf had changed him in more ways than one. She’d seen some of it. The sound of someone calling Carson’s name broke the moment between them. Carson answered by telling the person to come upstairs.
Wachei, Eryn and two other couples walked into the apartment. All the men were native. Laci assumed they were two more of the sentinels. Eryn took one look at Laci, put her arm around her shoulders and led her to the couch as the other two women followed.
“Sorry you got introduced to our world like this,” Eryn said. “It’s scary enough without the violence thrown in. By the way, this is Jaren and Haven. And over there with Carson are Kajakti, who is Jaren’s mate, and Ketah, who is Haven’s.”
Love on the Ice: 7 (Werewolf Sentinels) Page 7