Whispered Loyalties

by Aliyah Burke

  She’s losing control.

  “No. I’m going to use my connections.”

  Keane stepped in front of her, drawing all the focus back to him. “She gave you her answer. We’re not here to help you connect with an Alpha. We’re here for the kids and we’ll be on our way now.”

  “Now pussy, are you sure you want to tangle with us wolves? Four to one isn’t good odds for you.”

  “There are three of you and I have no problem taking you on.” His fingertips burned as his claws started pushing.

  A roll of wide shoulders and the man pointed in his direction. “My daughter isn’t going to fight me. Blood is stronger than almost anything.”

  Claws extended; he lifted his chin. “Let’s find out because I trust her at my back any day of the week.”

  “Who are you to think she would not only go against her father, but side with a pussy?”

  “Who I am to her isn’t important. We’ve fought side by side before and like I said. I trust her to protect my back.”

  The physical connection was light and oh-so brief as she stepped up beside him. Keane checked the link between them, the fear had been contained but there was still a sour edge to what he touched.

  “We aren’t helping you. Like he mentioned we are here for one thing and it has nothing to do with you.”

  “What if I want the ones in the cages myself?”

  “Then I gut you like you did my mother, I walk through your blood and take them out of here. You either walk away or you die. Those are your options.”

  Her sire tipped his head back and laughed. His belly shook with the exertion of his amusement. While he had a belly, he wasn’t out of shape by any means and Keane had no doubt the battle would be fierce.

  “You grew some spunk. I know Roddy here would love another chance to fuck you. He still bears the marks you put on him all those years ago.”

  “I’m letting them out.” She walked away, giving her back to the male wolves, heading to the cages.

  Her father seemed a bit shocked by that move and Keane was between them and her by the time he recovered.

  “Get out of the way, pussy. This is a family affair.”

  “No.”

  “You don’t want to do this.” Now the voice had dropped, and angry wolf replaced the arrogant human male.

  “I very much do.” So did his leopard.

  The three of them shifted and lunged for him. With a furious roar, he responded to the challenge, his cat springing to his defense. While he outweighed the wolves, they still hit hard and the two with her father were snapping and tearing with their teeth.

  Grasping one by the neck, he shook it and bit down until the body went limp. Toppling to the right as the other tore into his side, he snarled and swiped a large paw at him, claws extended. In his periphery, he noticed the large male, her father, streaking toward him and launching up, teeth bared.

  Like a brindle bullet, Tora’s much smaller bitch hit her old man like a freight train, taking him down. They’d not even hit the ground before she was on him, snapping and ripping into his body. Her wolf was like it’s human counterpart, vicious and deadly swift.

  It didn’t take him to long to kill the one on him and he immediately zeroed in on her battle. Her wolf moved with blinding speed, never attacking the same place without time between it. There wasn’t any pattern to pick up on. Her old man, whirled and tried to fight back, but she was too fast. His black and gray coat soon had been matted with blood and he could barely stand.

  Much like when she was human fighting, he was in awe, this woman was incredible.

  The wolf faded and the man, lay in his own blood, heaving and gasping for air.

  “Tora,” he said.

  The canine ignored him and continued to rip and slash into the man there.

  Listen to me, canine.

  Those gray eyes pinned him as she sank her teeth into the exposed shoulder. The wolf growled at him and he responded with lifting of his own lips. The feral rage still lingered there but he didn’t drop his own gaze, just held hers.

  She shifted.

  He followed and staring at her expression, he knew the poison from the lizard was running through her. One step toward her and she drew back, eyes murky and unsure.

  “I’m taking the kids to your vehicle. I expect you there in twenty minutes. Do what you have to and get back.”

  When the knife slid soundlessly into her palm, he stepped away and went to find the children she’s freed. Carrying the weakest one, he got them moving. After making it back to the vehicle, he gave them water and food before having them get comfortable in the back. Then he stood by the driver’s door waiting.

  Continually checking his watch, he didn’t like how close it was getting to the twenty-minute mark. Nineteen minutes and thirty seconds and she stepped from the trees. Barely able to stand on her own but he didn’t move to help her. She looked at him—more through him—by the driver’s side and made her way to the passenger one.

  She’d passed out before they got more than a mile away. Growling low, he depressed the accelerator and shot off. He had to get her some help because he wasn’t about to lose her now. No fucking way.

  He paced. Constantly. Back and forth outside the door behind which his mate lay, unconscious and unresponsive to the treatment of the healer. Across the hallway stood Casimir Lars, his face set in an unreadable mask as he too, waited.

  “Why don’t you try to get some sleep.”

  Dyana made the offer as she stepped up beside him. She placed a hand on his arm, fingers curving into his forearm.

  He didn’t take his eyes off the door. “I can’t. Shouldn’t you be resting?”

  She rested her head against him. “I’m not doing anything strenuous. You’re one of my best friends, why wouldn’t I be here to support you during this time?” She sighed. “Two of the men I love most in the world, care for her, you two are here, so am I.”

  “I shouldn’t have let her fight him.”

  Dyana snorted. “Please, Tora is a force unto herself. This was a battle she had to do. And she’s fought the dragons before, you’ll see. She’ll be fine.”

  “How do you say that with such confidence?”

  “Two reasons. One, she’s your mate and you’re not ready to let her go and two, neither is her Alpha. No way she lets you two down.” She stepped away. “Go at least stretch out on the couch, Ranger.”

  “Don’t ignore my mate, cat.” Casimir’s deep voice entered the conversation.

  He didn’t want to, the couch was farther away from Tora, but he was beyond exhausted. He’d driven straight with her and the young here and had been up since.

  Feet so heavy they were hard to pick up. “How are the ones we brought back?”

  “Going to be reunited with their families shortly.” Casimir neared and slid an arm around Dyana. “Thank you for that.”

  He nodded and continued to the large sofa. Toeing off his boots, he lay down and closed his eyes. Instantly, darkness rose up to claim him and he didn’t fight it.

  A familiar scent woke him, and he opened his eyes to find Nahuel sitting in a chair across from him. There were two younger wolves there watching him, but Nahuel kept his focus on the door.

  Behind the young jaguar stood Casimir and Juan, embroiled in a hushed discussion. Nahuel glanced at him. “No change.”

  “When did you get here?” He sat.

  “Two hours ago. It’s morning.”

  Pushing a hand through his hair, he cracked his neck. “What are you doing here?”

  “She should be around family when she wakes up.” Nahuel held more than a hint of defiance as he said those words.

  Keane nodded. “So she should, so she should.” He turned his gaze back to the door. Was he going to lose his mate?

  Chapter Eleven

  The effects of poison on her were brutal and she struggled to move. Every instinct screamed for her to bolt and go somewhere until she could recover.

  Tora slo
wed the beating of her heart and listened. There were two others in the room and a few more beyond the door.

  Do I have enough in me to battle my way free?

  A warmth surrounded her from the inside out.

  No running, canine. If you’re thinking that, I’m coming in there no matter what the healer says and I’m lying with you.

  The voice was familiar to her and her anxiety calmed further. Her mind remained scrambled and she sorted through it all. Her exhaustion won out and she sank once more beneath the black wave rising over her.

  Strong arms banded about her and she slowly opened her eyes. A bare chest met her gaze, a familiar swath of bronzed skin. Keane.

  His breathing was deep and even so she knew he still slept. They were the only ones in the room now and beyond the closed wood door she could hear and smell others. Pack.

  The pain hovered a bit closer to manageable now than it had the previous time she had woken. Still her instinct was to run. The comfort and safety afforded her by the man in the bed with her calmed that need within her. To a point.

  One second, she was alone with her thoughts and the next a pair of amazing green eyes had locked onto her.

  “Hello canine,” he muttered, not much more than a whisper.

  It didn’t matter. She could hear him fine. Ears, heart, and soul.

  Tora didn’t speak, just watched him. Waiting for the sympathetic gleam in his eyes as he thought about her horrible childhood. How shitty of a man her sperm donor was. It didn’t arrive.

  She lost herself in the swirling mixture of greens and his leopard gold. He had growth on his face giving him another level of sexiness she didn’t think he could have hit, but he’d done so in spades.

  Slipping one hand from around her, he took it and dragged a knuckle down the side of her face. Tora leaned into him before she even comprehended what she was doing.

  “What can I get you?”

  Honestly, she didn’t need a damn thing. She had it all right here. Nothing verbal still, she gave a slight shake of her head.

  “I want to hear your voice, canine.” He put his lips by hers. “Say my name.”

  She didn’t have it in her to ignore his request. “Keane.” Her voice as low as his had been.

  Thick curved lashes brushed his skin as he closed his eyes and breathed deep. If she could have traced the handsome planes of his face without moving from her current position, she would do so.

  When he opened them once more, they were mostly green with a tiny hint of golden amber. He trailed the tip of his index finger along her newest scar. This one wouldn’t fit into the others she had it was on the other side of her face. She’d find something to do with it.

  “Are we going to talk about this?”

  “What’s to talk about?”

  “Your fath—”

  “Sperm donor,” she bit off. “I don’t have a father.”

  Somehow her large leopard shifted closer, wrapping his body around her. She didn’t hurt from it, in fact, she would like him closer.

  “What a pair we make, Tora.”

  “You can walk away.”

  His laugh was short, sharp, and not at all amused. “I’m not leaving you. Not ever.”

  “Then what’s to talk about? We’re already stuck with one another.”

  “Living arrangements? How you’re feeling? Shit, canine, I nearly lost you. If that happens, they will have to hunt me down and kill me because I will go feral.”

  He made his statement all without blinking but she could feel the fear he had along her connection to him. She repositioned her hand upon his chest beside her face.

  “I don’t want to live with felines, I don’t think you want to live with canines.”

  “I’m perfectly happy living up here. I can’t lose the connection with my Clan but I am okay to move here and living in your house.” His eyes drifted to her lips and back up. “We are.”

  “You know he’s sitting outside the door right now, right?”

  Nahuel was by the door, she could smell him. He hadn’t shifted but she knew his scent anywhere.

  “He’s worried about you.”

  “Let him in.”

  “I don’t want to share you.”

  “I’m to injured for any of that type of activity, so let him in.”

  Keane kissed her then moved to do her bidding. “Come on in, Nahuel.”

  Tucked beneath the blankets as she was, she tracked the young man’s movement toward her. The eye patch firmly in place. He skimmed his one blue eye over her injured body.

  “He thought you were going to die.”

  “You didn’t?” The strangest urge to tug him closer to her, hit her.

  “No. I knew you would make it.”

  “How’s that.”

  “You’re a warrior.” He moved to a large overstuffed chair and curled up his lanky body in there. Seconds later, a jaguar replaced him and was sound asleep.

  Unexpected tears burned her eyes and she blinked them away as Keane crawled back under the blankets with her.

  “He’s exhausted,” she said, relaxing into her mate.

  “He is, he was more worried than he wanted to let on.” He wrapped his arms around her, his hard body against her back.

  She shut her eyes and smiled as he brushed a kiss over her ear. This was what she needed. This was family. Pack near and her boys.

  αβ

  The wind pushed gently through the leaves and wove around him as he overlooked the view before him. Tora, his woman, his mate, his everything and the boy he’d come to look on as a son, Nahuel. They sat together whittling something. He’d heard her telling Nahuel that the symbol on his patch was part of the symbol her mother had worn. That touched him she would share that with her cub.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked as the Alpha of the Tatra Pack stepped up beside him. “Don’t you have a wife of your own?”

  For once Casimir didn’t rise to the bait. Instead the wolf shifter stood there, legs shoulder width apart, eyes focused on the scene before the two of them.

  “Are you staying?”

  Tora smiled softly at something Nahuel said and it was an indescribable emotion to watch her with that boy.

  “I don’t know. Would you allow a leopard and a jaguar to live on Pack land?”

  “Think you could handle it?”

  There was the teasing he’d been waiting for and he responded in kind. “Could you?”

  “I know this has bothered Tora, so consider this an official invitation, she is getting one as well. If, and I do mean, if, the two of you opt to live here on Pack land you are always welcome. Excuse me, the three of you.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  “Of course,” he replied instantly. “Tora is Pack and I’m not entirely sure what happened out there aside from the outcome I got to see, but you two are mates. And that jaguar is your son by everything that is important. If you decide you need to split your time between Pack and Clan, that is okay as well, I will understand.”

  “Thank you.”

  That was all he could say. Keane and Casimir had maintained a contentious relationship ever since he found Dyana, but now, to hear this. It was humbling.

  “Don’t go thinking I actually like you, cat.”

  “Goes both ways, dog.”

  Casimir flipped him off before stepping forward. “Nahuel,” he called out.

  The boy looked at the Alpha and got to his feet. “Is it time?”

  “It will be by the time we get there. Let’s go.” While his voice was slightly softer for a young one, there still wasn’t any denying the command that flowed naturally from Casimir when he spoke.

  Nahuel turned and put his things back by Tora. He muttered to her then he hurried over to Tora.

  “I need to see you tonight, Lieutenant.”

  “Yes, Alpha,” she replied.

  Keane made his way over to her side and claimed the stump Nahuel had been on. Together they watched the other two leave.
>
  “Where are they going?” he asked.

  “The other lieutenant’s set up an obstacle course and the kids get to try it out.”

  “I would love to watch that.”

  “We can go and take a look.”

  He cocked his head. “Or?”

  She stood up and stripped off her shirt. “You can come see if I’m fully recovered or not. Your decision. I’ll be in the house.” Tora draped it over his head.

  Removing her shirt, he inhaled deeply of her rich musk and watched the sway of her hips. It wasn’t exaggerated, it was just, Tora. All she had on was a pair of low riding loose pants and if he knew his canine, and he did, there wasn’t anything else under that.

  He was after her in a flash, scooping her up on his dash for the house. It was hours later before they managed to roll out of bed and shower. Together, they dressed and headed to where they could hear the others gathered.

  Right before they got there, he laced his fingers through hers and tugged her to him. His tiny spitfire of a woman tilted her head back and held his gaze.

  “You know I love you, right? I’m not a man who says that, well, ever, except now.”

  She pushed up on her toes and wrapped her arms around him. “What I know is that you have my back, I have yours, and we have our families as well. I can’t define love well but I don’t want to live without you. If that’s love, then I love you too.”

  “Yep, definitely love. Now let’s go watch our son so we can get home and head back to bed.”

  “You know he’s going to be incorrigible when he wins, right?”

  “You’re picking him over your wolves?”

  “He’s my son too. Of course I am.”

  He smiled so hard he wondered if his face would split.

  It was official. He loved her and would be loyal until he was no longer able to take a breath. They would continue to look into her past to try help calm the nightmares, but he wanted to focus on their future. And they would, together. Despite any whisperings that had been going around, both Alpha’s were behind them. It would work out.

  They would be fine.

  Other books in the Tatra Pack series