Damn, I thought. Here we go.
Plastering a smile on my face, knowing it would just take time, I walked over to her, determined to set a display of acceptance for all to see, to make it clear.
She smiled as I got closer, and, out of the corner of my eye, I caught Lugh tense, probably waiting for me to throw a punch in his direction. Good, I wanted him to see me as the leader in this. Hurt my girl – our girl – and I’d gut him, trail his insides around for everyone to see and then hang him for the crows to have at him.
When I reached out, she slipped her hand into mine, gripping it tight. We’d figure it out together, but right now, the three of us needed to, for all intents and purposes, put on a joined front.
I walked her over to Mom and Dad, Lugh following along a few steps behind, definitely unsure of what was expected of him.
“Maeleigh!” Rowen cried, rushing over. Maeleigh bent down to catch the girl in a tight hug. She didn’t even try to hide the fact that she buried her face in the girl’s neck, rubbing her cheek there, marking her as pack, her pack. Dad might take offense to that later, but I could see Rowen accepting it as a familiar gesture.
Chuckling, I turned, reached out and gripped Lugh’s shoulder, yanking him forward the last few steps to join us.
As I did, Maeleigh stood up, Rowen perched on her hip.
“Mom, Dad, this is Lugh,” I told them. Both their eyes went wide. While Mom reached out a hand to shake his and to give their names, Dad only nodded in his direction as his eye flicked between the three of us, rapidly processing and trying to reason it all.I shook my head minutely, hoping he wouldn’t broach the topic then. It wasn’t the time and we – the three of us – hadn’t figured things out ourselves yet.
“Lugh, why don’t you find Bri and bring Mom up to speed, while Maeleigh and I head upstairs to get changed?” I suggested, prying Rowen from Maeleigh to set her down.
He nodded, trying desperately to ignore the scrutinizing look my baby sister was giving him from three feet below.
Still trying to catch up, I took Maeleigh’s hand again to pull her away from the busy clearing, through the compound, up to the house and finally in my room.
In the three months we were gone, it looked like Mom couldn’t help but pick up. There weren’t any clothes on the chair from where Maeleigh and I both seemed to throw something when we thought we might wear it again. The bed had been made and, unless I was mistaken, the sheets had been washed, too. And not a single particle of dust could be found on any of the shelves or trinkets on the walls.
I hated the fact that I’d worried her for so long, but we were back now. There was still a ton to be done. Settling the Seelie faeries in the tents was just the start. Next, we’d have to confront the humans who had been sworn to keep them underground as per the contract that Amergin had drawn up and magically infused to his body, keeping them locked below for thousands of years. But now he was dead, and the contract broken. It was time to bring the faerie people back to their rightful place among the humans, above ground.
“You’re quiet,” Maeleigh pointed out, drawing me out of my thoughts.
Turning around, I saw that she stood at the window, looking out at the front of the house. I crossed the room to stand behind her, wrapping my arms around her middle to draw her in close, pressing my lips to my mark at her neck, moaning against it, letting her feel my pleasure.
I could feel the tension ease in her body as I did.
“I was thinking about how long we’ve been gone. Worrying everyone. There’s a lot more to do, it feels, because of it,” I told her, looking up again.
She nodded, watching as Freya, Caleb Kennedy, Shawn and a few others arrived in their cars. The driveway was nearly full, filled with cars from pack members coming to greet us home and to catch a glimpse of the mysterious faeries.
“We should talk,” she said, turning her head to look me in the eyes.
I nodded, trying not to let her see my worry over what she’d say next. It was inevitable.
“Lugh said you talked to him…” she started, and I nodded, letting her go on. “I didn’t realize. At least, not at first…” she paused, taking a deep breath. “Maybe I didn’t want to feel it.”
It felt better knowing that it was a pull for her, as I’d suspected, that she hadn’t gone out looking for another male. The magic within her found it and reached out for it.
“I’m so sorry, I never meant for this to happen,” she said, tears starting to fall, the air catching in her throat.
Unable to stand it, I shook my head, gripping hers between my palms, rubbing tears away with the pads of my thumbs. “Shhh…I know. I know. It’s not something anyone with a mate goes looking for. This isn’t the first-time multiple mates has happened for one woman.”
She stilled, like she’d been doused with a bucket of ice. A heartbeat. Then another. “What?”
I gave her a small shrug. “It’s not common but not unheard of for druids. Especially for those who have strong magic. The last one I think was the Witch Carmen.”
“You mean from our English project?” she asked, the spot between her brows creasing a little.
I nodded. “It’s why I suggested it.”
“But you never mentioned that she was a real witch,” she argued.
I dropped my hands, seeing that she’d stopped crying, thank the goddess. “Druid, technically. And I thought you knew.”
More cars pulled up; the rest of the extended pack was arriving. I wondered if Dad had planned a pack run for our return. It might not be a bad idea. Now that we were topside, my wolf was itching to get out.
“What about her? I don’t remember reading anything about her having multiple lovers when we did our research,” she pointed out, crossing her arms under her breasts.
I turned to walk to the dresser, pulling open the top drawer, finding clean and nicely folded boxer briefs. Bless her, my mom. I’d only been able to wear the one pair I had on me when we went with Lugh three months ago. Commando was not something I appreciated when forced to wear leather pants.
“Gearden,” she urged.
“Oh, um, well, she was a descendent of Danu – she might have been related to you, actually – which made her pretty powerful. It meant her magic craved more than what one lycan could give her. She eventually took a druid lover.” Honestly, I wasn’t sure this was the best conversation for me when I was already on edge from being cooped up for so long. It was tying my wolf up in knots, all the antsy energy bouncing around without an outlet.
When she didn’t say anything, I looked up to see her looking out at nothing, her gaze glossing over as she stared off in the direction of the carpet between us.
I untied my pants and shoved them off, quickly pulling on the blessed cotton underwear. As I turned to pull open another drawer, I found another gorgeous sight, jeans.
Yes, I thought. Tugging those on, I felt her come up behind me. As I hopped up to clear my feet into the leg holes, she placed her small hand on the center of my bare back.
As I zipped up, I turned to face her, lifting a brow in question. “Are you okay with that? Sharing me?”
Her last words made me cringe but I knew it was a small adjustment compared to losing her. If her magic didn’t have what it needed to replenish itself, she could die. And that, I couldn’t live with.
“If that’s what it takes to keep you, yes,” I told her.
When she frowned and shook her head, I explained. “Keep you alive, I mean.”
That frown only deepened. “Alive?”
Damn, I blamed myself and Ariela for not teaching her. We’d been so busy with freeing the Seelie faeries and training her, we, I’d, forgotten to teach her the history and logistics of it all.
“What happened yesterday, your magic attacking you like that. It wouldn’t have happened if you had Lugh,” I explained. “That’s how I really knew what I suspected was true. Even when I didn’t want it to be.”
Her mouth shaped a silent ‘O’ before
she pressed her lips together, nodding.
I heard someone enter the house. A split second later, Maeleigh tilted her head, no doubt feeling the vibrations of them coming up the stairs on the floor.
Quickly, I turned to grab a shirt from the dresser at the same time that she ducked into the closet where her clothes were kept.
A knock on the door preceded the person’s scent: Bri. She burst in the next second, not a care for whether or not she’d find someone naked, or otherwise indecent. I sighed, knowing it was just her way of irritating me.
“Your dad says everyone’s arrived and it’s time to come back down. It’s um… It’s getting a little crowded out there,” she said, looking a little overwhelmed.
I frowned; it wasn’t like her to get overwhelmed over a crowded bunch. “It’s just wolves, we can—”
“The Westboros are here,” she said, looking at me stupidly, like I should have known. “I thought Maeleigh had invited them.”
“Did you invite the Westboro pack?” I asked Maeleigh, hearing her move about in the closet, the door still cracked.
“What? No. I… Ugh, stupid Alpha bond,” she grumbled. “Is this how it is for Liam all the time? People just knowing your whereabouts all the time through some sort of invisible bond?”
I chuckled at her frustration from her newfound responsibilities. “She’s just now noticing the alpha bond.”
Bri nodded, eyes rolling, as if to say she knew all about that.
“We’ll be down in a minute,” I told her.
After she’d left, I opened the closet door, finding Maeleigh dressed and plucking out a pair of slip-on flats to put on her bare feet. She’d chosen jeans as well and a light, purple cotton V-neck shirt.
Stretching my hand out to her, I beckoned for her to take it. She did, lacing her fingers with mine, as I pulled her out of the room and into the hallway. “Put your game face on, princess. This could get dirty,” I told her, giving her hand a little squeeze.
Maeleigh
We arrived outside to a crowd of wolves. Luckily, it appeared that the Seelie had kept to their tents. I was actually happy that I couldn’t hear the buzz of voices I knew were probably surrounding Gearden just then. Looking over, I saw that Bri had come to stand on the other side of me, though, just a little behind. As I’d grown a little more accustomed to how things worked in the hierarchy, I appreciated what she was saying to the Westboros, my pack, as they approached.
I could feel each and every one of them now, a bond that had been brand new and overwhelming before but that nearly disappeared while I was underground in Seelie Hill. Now that I had stepped back through to the surface, I was beginning to recognize it as it returned.
It looked like all of the higher-ranking wolves had shown up, about nine of ten, even AJ. The moment I caught his gaze, I held it, not blinking. I could see the shame reflected there before he glanced down, breaking away before I did, showing his submission. At least he’d learned his place and I didn’t have to worry about a challenge from him. But what about everyone else? I saw Bobby, my temporary beta, in the center, leading them.
“Alpha,” he nodded, greeting me. His eyes met mine respectfully, then flicked to land on my shoulder, a welcoming smile on his handsome face. He’d filled out a little more. Before, he’d looked a little starved to me, like a runner lacking the proper protein and carbs to keep up with the energy they were burning.
I nodded to him, smiling at him. “Bobby, it’s good to see you. How have you been?”
This was all new to me, but I wanted to prove that I was different from Vic, his previous alpha, who ran his pack like a tyrant.
He lifted his hands and started to sign as he spoke. It was broken and hesitant, and the technique needed improving but I understood him well enough. “I’m good. We’re good. Thanks to the McIntire pack. Alpha Liam helped get us back on our feet while you were away.”
I turned to seek out Liam’s face in the crowd but I couldn’t find it. I could still feel him nearby, my attachment to him still in place somehow. I’d have to look for him to thank him later. Back to Bobby, I stepped forward to place a hand on his shoulder. I could see the touch was welcomed. One of the first things I learned after I met Gearden was that wolves thrived on touch. Male, female, brother, sister, friend…pack, we all gained something indescribable from touch.
His wolf calmed and I could feel the rumble beneath my fingers coming from his chest. “I look forward to visiting Westboro. I’ll be there tomorrow, alright? You can catch me up to speed.” I looked at the rest of the group, trying to meet as many gazes as I could. I didn’t notice anyone looking particularly interested in challenging me or my words, which was a big bonus.
“There’s food being prepped over at the tents,” Gearden told me. I noticed then that Ro had come to stand next to him. He gave me a short nod, letting me know my pack was welcome as well.
“Come, let’s get something to eat. I can introduce you to a few new friends,” I told the group of men. I wondered where their women were in regard to status. Did they have any non-submissive females like Bri and I? And if there were, were they just shut out of their natural status because of old male chauvinist ways?
I guess people who had ever been to music festivals like Coachella, would probably feel at home that night behind the McIntire Alpha’s home. At least a thousand people, it seemed, congregated in the compound and the tents, but a lot of the Seelie had flooded into the freshly grown clearing through the woods. It was still new and the grass was just long enough to brush your calves, which made it perfect for sitting in, eating food that someone cooked. I spent the majority of my time with them, along with Bri and a few members of the Westboro pack. There was so much going on, I just accepted the plate of food someone handed me and kept taking sips of whatever drink Gearden showed up with. The buzz of activity was loud on my other senses, but instead of being overwhelming, it was invigorating. This was what I wanted for everyone. To live under the same sky in harmony. We may have had our differences but we all derived from one goddess.
I felt a tickle on the back of my neck suddenly, and for a moment, I thought it was my mother, Danu, letting me know she was there. But I realized the power behind it was ominous. Panic. Something was happening in the compound and it was raising panic in the people there. Pack. Family.
My heart dropped when a thought popped into my mind, making me look at Gearden.
“Something’s happening. In the compound. Rowen’s there,” I told him in a rush, dropping my plate of food as I raced for the woods, headed back with him hot on my heels.
“What’s happening?” came another voice in my mind.
I didn’t stop to wonder why the hell Thorn’s voice was in my head, but I quickly replied, “Something’s wrong.”
Without even having to look, I knew he was coming up behind us. I hadn’t realized he was in the clearing with us.
We burst through the leaves and branches, not stopping for a second as we raced around the line of tents. Already, I could see that others there had caught wind of whatever was happening up ahead as well, judging by their scared expressions.
A long minute later we reached the clearing, met by a wall of scared people. “What’s going on?” I asked Gearden, who was peering over heads and listening.
“It’s the Unseelie. Selena’s guards, Dom and that other guy,” he told me, already parting a way through the people. I dove in behind him, Thorn behind me. The moment we burst through; two things happened. First, all eyes went to me, even the Unseelie’s. Second, Lugh, with his super speed, leaped to stand in front of me, a hand clamping onto my arm, the grip unmoving and painful, though I knew it was in protection, not anger.
Still, I couldn’t help the squeak I let out. I could feel Gearden tense beside me, but as I snatched a hand out to pull him back, I noticed he didn’t go after Lugh like I expected. Instead, he stood shoulder to shoulder beside the Seelie king, a large body of unmoving flesh standing between myself and the Unseelie.
“What the hell is going on?” I asked.
Before Gearden could answer, someone pushed through the wall of bodies to the back of Dom and Tweedle Dum. Dad. Through the small crack between their muscled biceps, I could see Dad’s ashy pallor and sweat dripping from his forehead.
“Gearden,” he said, a little relieved to see him, but not by much. “Where is she?”
“Dad,” I said out loud, hoping to be heard.
Eyes squinting, he searched for where my voice had come from, and I realized that the men before me had no intention whatsoever of moving. I lifted my free hand up, giving a small wave.
The second he zeroed in on me through the cracks of light filtering from the bon fire in the middle of the compound, he bent over. Hands on his knees, hand hanging, he took in gulping breaths.
A few moments later, he righted, looking more collected. “I was so worried…” he started to sign, then stopped himself to look around nervously.
Straining against Lugh’s pull, I leaned to the other side that Gearden didn’t occupy, signing as best I could, “Dad, what’s happening?”
Another deep breath, then, “Zerena’s dead,” he said in both sign and aloud, looking to the men in front of me. “Zerena’s been killed.”
“What?” I gasped, my sight going a little fuzzy. “But…”
“Not here,” Gearden told me, cutting me off. He said something to Dad then.
“They’re here to protect Maeleigh,” he answered, both of them watching Tweedle Dee and Dom.
“Why?” I signed.
With alarming calmness, he turned and answered. “Because Selena made you her successor before she died.”
There was a large pause felt around the rest of the crowd. Meanwhile, I felt like I’d been punched in the gut twice. Turning, Lugh looked down at me, his grip slackening a little, but not letting go. “What do you want to do, Princess?”
Truce: Book 1 in the Aftermath Series Page 5