by Delta James
“How did that happen so fast?”
“When a man hears the call of his true mate, he has no reason to linger in the shadows. I got involved because I recognized Skylar as my mate. She bears evidence of my marking her last night. Oliver Halsey has taken Roz as his and one of my unmated males claimed Anna with her consent last evening.”
“That bitch of yours tried to kill me. And one of your young pups broke my nose.”
Nick watched Dylan control his temper and wondered if the ill-tempered alpha had any idea how much danger he was in.
“Not true. Had my mate tried to kill you, you would be dead. She did, however, use an old pirate trick with a flaming sailboat. I rather enjoyed that. Expensive to lose the cabin cruiser, but highly entertaining. And my man, Josh, broke your nose when you disrespected my mate. Had he not, I would have dealt with you myself and would have damaged more than your nose.”
“Do you want to take one of the golf carts, Alpha?” asked Nick helpfully.
“Excellent idea, Nick. I’ll take them up. You stay here to ensure our uninvited guests behave themselves.”
The golf cart was brought out and Dylan escorted Darby’s mate and two members of the Council up to the large house. He had Matthew show them to his study. Skylar joined him in the foyer.
“This doesn’t look good,” she said. “I recognize that little prick. He’s going to make trouble over Darby, isn’t he?” He leaned over and kissed her. “What’s that for?”
“For not even questioning that I might return her to him. I need you to go get Darby and join us in my study. She needs to acknowledge me as her alpha and ask for my protection. Then I can dissolve that union and place her with someone who will treat her right.”
“Couldn’t she stay here at least for a while? I worry the most about her and Lacey.”
“Darby and Lacey both need to go to alphas for their own protection. Both seemed to be amenable to the idea of a house party next weekend. I know you’d like to keep your household intact, but it simply isn’t possible. I didn’t do too badly by Roz or Anna, did I?”
She grinned. “Point taken. Anna showed me her mark. I think she’s rather proud of it and seems very taken with Josh. And Roz? You do know she was only half joking about being mad I’d never told her about being knotted.”
He laughed. “Then trust that I’ll do as well for the rest. I may not find each a mate with the exception of Darby and Lacey, but I’ll place each in a pack where she will have her choice. Now go get Darby. I’d like you to join us as well. I think it will help Darby feel secure.”
Skylar ran up to get Darby. She explained to her as they came down the stairs what Dylan needed her to do in order to protect her.
“You trust him, Sky?”
“I do. I don’t like what he did to tear our pack apart, but I do think he’s trying to make the best of a bad situation.”
“Your mark looks like it hurt.”
“It did. As you know, when an alpha marks you, the wound is much deeper and more permanent than when any other male does it. And partly he was eradicating Micah’s mark.”
“Doesn’t that bother you?”
“No, I understand it. When your alpha marks you, just remember that he’s getting rid of the last vestiges of your previous union.”
“Sky, I don’t want to be mated again.”
“Darby, let’s get through one thing at a time. Keep in mind, Dylan is making a stand for you. He should just hand you over, but he won’t. If need be, the pack is prepared to fight to keep you. He’s worthy to be your alpha.”
“But you are my alpha.”
Skylar turned her so that she was looking directly at her. “I am no longer anyone’s alpha. I am mated to an alpha… to your alpha. Do you understand?”
“You know he had his beta spank me last night. That man has a wicked hand.”
“Yes, but he only spanked you. He didn’t beat you, right? In a lot of packs, it would have been far worse. I’m not necessarily a fan of our male-dominant society, but Dylan does seem to be fair and he does care.”
“I don’t trust any of them. But I trust you. If you tell me this is what I have to do, then I’ll do it.”
“It is, Darby. It’s the only way we can protect you.”
They entered the study. Darby’s mate moved toward her. Skylar stepped in front of her and growled.
He jumped back. “See? He hasn’t any control over her. She growled at me. She’s a woman and she can’t growl at me. I demand he punish her and make her apologize.”
Dylan laughed and moved to stand beside his mate. “That’s enough, Sky.”
She looked at him in disbelief.
He continued smiling. “I won’t have you growling at those who are beneath you.”
She smiled.
“Now give me a kiss and behave yourself.”
She took his face in his hands and kissed him deeply. “Yes, Alpha.”
He kissed the tip of her nose and then bent and kissed her mark. “Do you need something for the discomfort, love? I can have Thomas get you something.”
“Thank you, but no.”
He turned to Darby. “This,” he said, indicating her mate, “says he is your mate and your alpha and thinks you should be returned to him. What do you think?”
“He was a cruel and abusive mate. I would ask to call you alpha and put myself in your care.”
He turned back to the three uninvited guests. “That settles it, gentlemen. The lady is under my protection. Should you wish to claim her, you may issue a formal challenge and I will answer it.” He wasn’t quite growling, but the level of his voice and the grumble behind it left no doubt that he was deadly serious.
The other men all backed away. Skylar linked her arm through her mate’s. “If he issues a challenge to the death, can I kill him?”
Dylan laughed. “Sky, what have I told you about weapons and threats.”
“But he is neither a member of our pack nor a guest. The rule doesn’t apply.”
He laughed and kissed her. “That’s true. What do you say? Care to take my mate on in a fight?”
One of the Council members said, “You need to get her under control.”
Dylan advanced on him. “But I do, didn’t you hear her ask my permission to kill him?”
When the Council member backed away, he returned to her and nuzzled her neck.
“Such a good mate. Beloved, why don’t you take Darby and see to our other, invited guests. I will show these men to our gate.”
Skylar wrapped her arm around Darby’s waist and walked out of the study to join the party. Once they were out of hearing, they both burst into laughter.
“Sky, when he praised you for asking permission before you killed him, I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from losing it. But I don’t want to cause you trouble.”
“Don’t worry, Darby. We kicked your former mate’s ass when it was just our household of women. I think he’d fare far worse if he comes back without an express invitation from Dylan himself. Why don’t you come and join everyone? Thomas is a wonderful cook. Someone told him my weakness for strawberry blintzes. They are divine.”
* * *
The rest of the day passed uneventfully. As the other women from Bae Diogel had caused no further issues, Dylan allowed that they could leave their residences and roam the grounds either around the houses themselves or with one of his pack members as an escort. They bristled a bit at having their freedom curtailed, but both Roz and Skylar tried to soothe their feelings by repeatedly pointing out they could still be confined to their rooms.
Darby seemed the most distressed and Roz tried to speak with her.
“I don’t like it, Roz. I’m glad that you, Sky, and Anna think you can live with these men and find some kind of happiness, but it doesn’t negate the fact that you were forced.”
“No, Skylar and I had a choice. We chose to run. We just weren’t able to outrun them.”
“And Anna?”
; “She too agreed to become Josh’s mate. Have you seen them together? She seems to be quite taken with him and he positively dotes on her.”
“I won’t agree to be mated again. I won’t.”
“Then you put Dylan in the position of having to select your mate and if you still refuse, he’ll force you to run.”
Darby shook her head. “I’ll kill any male who tries to take me. I swear it.”
“Darby, please, try to calm down. Dylan isn’t going to give you to someone who will abuse you.”
“He doesn’t know that. I won’t live that way again, Roz. I won’t.”
Roz watched her walk off with a feeling of dread.
Chapter Fourteen
Roz and Oliver stayed for a few days and only left as guests for the weekend party began to arrive. Oliver had a vintage Rolls Royce brought down to take them home, complete with liveried driver. The car in which he’d originally come was driven back by the pack member who had accompanied him. Roz had been enchanted with the car and the driver who had been with Oliver for years. Oliver enjoyed being able to please her and rarely left her side.
Skylar had never seen Roz so happy or so at peace. Oliver seemed to have quickly figured out how to give his mate what she needed. Roz reported to Skylar that he was strong and was proving to be a strict mate, but he was fair and kind… even indulgent. And he seemed more than willing and able to take care of Roz’s strong libido.
Dylan wrapped his arm around her as they watched them drive away. Skylar couldn’t help but think the same description could be applied to her own pairing. He kissed her as they turned back to their own home. “I think your beta may just find she’s much happier mated to her alpha than she was as one of your hooligans.”
She laughed. “We were never hooligans. We were resistance fighters of the first order. Daring to defy the male-dominated hierarchy. Squashed beneath the heel of the alpha of Calon Gwyllt.”
“Not true. I have never once put you under my heel. Now, I’ve had you underneath me as I plow that pretty slit between your legs or on your knees in front of me when I take you from behind, but never once under my heel,” he said, chuckling.
She elbowed him with more than a little force.
“Careful, cariad, or I’ll think your response to my lovemaking is false and I will apply myself more often and with more vigor to see if I can’t pleasure you more.”
Skylar smiled and kissed him. “I do not believe that to be possible. For what it’s worth, I don’t find being mated to you to be too objectionable.”
They walked back to the house and joined the rest of the household. Dylan had agreed that allowing the remaining five girls to meet with various men of different packs and solicit their input, thinking it might make the transition easier for all involved.
He had left the actual details to Skylar who had enlisted Bianca and Susannah as well as Thomas. Dylan had to smile when he thought of Thomas. It was the considered opinion of the ranked members of his household that their chef was enamored of his new mistress. Skylar had an old-world way about her from being the first lady of Calon Onest to which Thomas responded. Additionally, she was able to let people do their jobs with little interference on her part. The women of the pack were quickly becoming as devoted to her as were those who remained from Bae Diogel.
Dylan smiled as he stood in the doorway of his study watching people interacting and getting things done. He felt Skylar’s presence before she wrapped her arms around him and leaned her head against his strong back.
“A penny for your thoughts,” she said.
“Not nearly enough. But seeing as everything I have is yours anyway, I may as well tell you.”
He drew her around so that she was standing in front of him, leaned against his broad chest with his arms wrapped around her.
“So what are you thinking?” she asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the peace that seemed to have become a part of being with him.
“I’m thinking that I am happier than I have ever been. That Anna and Josh seem to have been a good match. And your idea of keeping all the girls here to meet those males coming to the house party was a good one.”
“Told you so. I think the girls are feeling less stressed about being placed. They’ve come to see that you are trying to do your best by them.”
“Something you and Roz laid the groundwork for. I appreciate that.”
“Roz said she’s worried about Darby… and so am I. She is dead set against being mated again. She won’t even consider it.”
“I’m sorry, cariad, she doesn’t have a choice. I backed off the bastard she was mated to before but until she’s mated again, she’s vulnerable. She’s old enough to know that. She needs to make peace with it now or she’s going to make herself miserable.”
“I know. I just can’t figure out how to help her. But Lacey seems far more amenable to the idea than she was, as do the others.”
“But not all of them. Matthew says there are still grumbles here and there. Nick has had to discipline Summer, Gina, and Megan as well as Darby for the second time. They need to understand, Sky, that I will place them. I will take their wishes into consideration, but I won’t place one of your girls in a pack or a pairing I know will fail.”
She tried to hide her feelings from him and willed her tears not to fall. He kissed the top of her head and pulled her closer. “I know, love. There’s nothing to do for it. The Council is doing a lot of saber rattling as are several packs in Europe.”
“I know, but it breaks my heart. I swore I would protect them and I’ve failed them.”
“No, you haven’t. The odds were just too great against you and your girls are too important to our kind. There were far more alphas who wanted to be considered. A bit of good news, I think I may have found Lacey an excellent match.”
“Who would that be?”
“Jean-Michele Gautier of New Orleans. He’s a direct descendant of the pirate Jean Lafitte. His family have been in New Orleans for hundreds of years. He’s young and strong. His pack is healthy and vibrant. He’s said he’s more than willing to take one or more of your girls, even if he and Lacey aren’t a match.”
“Does he understand her… special needs?”
“He does and laughed them off.” He could feel Skylar bristle. “That was my reaction as well especially when he said no woman has ever refused his knot or failed to find great happiness and satisfaction in his bed. In fact, I almost didn’t invite him.”
“Then why did you?”
“Because he followed up with telling me that was before he assumed leadership of his pack. His was also one of the packs that stood against the disbanding…”
“Destruction…”
“Disbanding of Bae Diogel. I know it upsets you, but I’m trying to place the girls with packs who stood with us. I figure at least they won’t want to apply any kind of punitive measures to your girls. He did say he feels his mate is here with us. He’s a charming rogue but seems to be an excellent leader to his pack.”
“I don’t like him.”
“You don’t know him. Give him a chance. Shh, love. If you’ll think about it, this is the best you could do for your girls. And it’s because of you that I agreed to allow all of them to stay and be present for the party.”
“I’ll bet that didn’t go over well with your precious Council.”
He chuckled. “That’s putting it mildly.”
* * *
The following day was busy as they greeted and settled various members of the packs that had stood with Calon Gwyllt. Dylan watched Skylar sort through them, engaging with each as if they were old friends and making them feel welcome when he knew what she really wanted was to scratch their eyes out.
Each night, in the privacy of their room, she cried or raged at her perceived unfairness within his warm embrace. She clung to him and sought out his lovemaking. He knew she needed him to use her hard each night so that she fell asleep exhausted and sated in his arms.
Dylan wo
ke to the smell of the ocean and his mate not in their bed. He growled her name.
“I’m here, Dylan,” she said, standing out on the balcony watching the grounds below.
Dylan joined her, wrapping his arms around her. He looked down to see Darby stretching and starting her morning routine. “She’s going to be trouble, isn’t she?”
“She just needs time. Please don’t make a decision about her mate this weekend… if she just has some time…”
“Sky, she’s had all the time I can give her. There are several good alphas who will make a suitable mate for her. I’ve interviewed all those who expressed an interest and had Nick do some sleuthing about their pasts and how they run their packs. I only invited those I deemed appropriate. My hope is that one among them will be her true mate. But he’ll have to know. I don’t think she’d acknowledge a true mate if he walked up and hit her over the head. If you want to help Darby, convince her to talk to me and let me know her feelings.”
Skylar shook her head. “I will, but it won’t help. She’s set her mind to not being mated.”
* * *
That afternoon, Skylar had arranged for an informal BBQ for all of their guests. She hoped people being able to wander and mingle would make her girls feel less like they were being offered up for sale. She had asked the other women of Calon Gwyllt to help ensure the girls didn’t feel hopeless or that they were doomed.
As people were beginning to gather, Skylar and Dylan joined their guests. He bent to kiss her when Nick running to them caught his eye. “Nick?”
“I’m sorry, Alpha. They’re gone. Most of the remaining unmated girls from Bae Diogel made a run for it. Darby is one of them.”
Dylan asked, “Who’s with her?”