by Mary Rundle
“What? Fuck no!”
“Then who?”
“I don’t know his name, but he was standing on the porch when we drove up,” Hunter mumbled, stepping to the side a bit so he could see the house.
“Does Jackson know?” asked Mason.
“He knows one of his pack members is my mate, but I don’t think he knows who. Please don’t say anything to our brothers, yet. I’d like to meet him first.”
Mason nodded in agreement, “Okay, for now.”
Hunter smiled. Giving his brother a pat on the back, he said, “C’mon, in the meantime, I can let them know what happened with Aunt Hope and that everything’s okay.”
Chapter 4
Jackson’s knuckles rapped softly on the door to Dakota’s room before he opened it. “Hey, up for a visitor?” he asked, pausing in the doorway.
Slate looked at Dakota and, receiving a small nod, said, “Come on in.”
Walking over to the hospital bed, Jackson was pleased with what he saw. Dakota looked relaxed and he hoped his discussion wouldn’t change that. “Ian said your pup is okay.”
“Yeah, sorry for fainting,” Dakota said, softly.
“Not necessary. I’m just glad everything’s all right,” replied Jackson.
Sighing, Dakota knew his brother wanted to know what triggered it. “I didn’t believe Mom was alive…I couldn’t believe it…not after all this time. I wanted to prove you wrong so I used my shadow voice…and…”
When his brother hesitated, Jackson said, “And you found mom is alive and is here with us now.”
“Is she? Is she really the same person we remember?” asked Dakota.
“I don’t know…”
“I do and she’s not!” cried Dakota. If you saw what she went through…her mind is filled with what she experienced…there’s nothing of us left. She thinks we’re dead…we are dead to her…she wants to die to be with her pups and that includes us.” His body began shaking with sorrow.
Slate gathered his mate in his arms, infusing Dakota with his scent. “It’s okay, babe, everything will be okay,” he crooned.
Holding Slate tightly, Dakota wanted to believe it so badly, wanted to believe in a miracle, wanted to believe his pup would know what a wonderful grandmother she was—but he knew it couldn’t happen. His body racked with grief over losing his mother all over again, Dakota felt his heart breaking into a million pieces and tears streamed down his face.
Jackson couldn’t give his brother guarantees about their mother, but he could comfort him. Sending out his Alpha Power, he surrounded Dakota with the security he urgently needed right now, hoping it would help. Exchanging glances with Slate, Jackson squeezed his brother’s hand, reassuring him he’d always be there for him. But Jackson was also mulling over what Dakota said about their mother and what she witnessed. He’d deliberately avoided thinking about the massacre, not wanting to imagine what his family had gone through, never wanting images of their terror in his mind, but now it was going to be indelibly etched there after Hunter told them what happened.
If the horror in his mother’s mind was as bad as Dakota said, Jackson wondered if Kieran did her any favors by saving her; even if she came out of her coma and found she hadn’t lost all of her pups, how would she live with the knowledge that the others hadn’t survived. For the first time in a long time, he remembered his sisters and brothers and the trip he never got to take them on, the pain now as intense as when he found out they were killed. Somehow, though, his mother had survived, and Jackson needed his cousins to fill in the blank spaces of how she had. Jackson leaned over, kissing his brother’s cheek before saying, “I’m here for you—we’re all are here for you—so whatever we can do to help, please let me know.” Then, giving his brother a hug, Jackson left. Dakota wouldn’t have to hear Hunter describe what happened; he’d already seen it in their mother’s mind.
~/~/~/~/~
“Quin, you okay?” asked Mason, looking at his younger brother who was sitting on the bed, staring at the floor. He’d come in to get Quinn because Hunter, along with Robin and Sawyer, were waiting for both of them in the living room of the motorhome.
“I’m fine,” Quin whispered, but he wasn’t—not really. There was too much Alpha power swirling around, and it was bringing up all those bad memories he was trying to forget. He wanted to go home, back where it was safe, where no one could find him, but that wasn’t going to happen for two more long weeks. How am I ever going to make it? Quin hadn’t figured it out yet but hoped Hunt would let him stay in the motorhome where he could lock the door, shutting out the world until it was time to leave.
“Honey? Hunter is going to tell us what’s going on. Don’t you want to come out? You know, in case you have any questions?” asked Mason.
Shaking his head, Quin didn’t want to know because then he’d have to face a reality he wasn’t sure he was ready for. “Can you find out for me?”
Sitting down next to his brother, Mason hugged Quin. “I can do that if you want. Is there anything I can ask Hunter for you?”
“Do you think he would mind if I stayed out here?”
“I don’t think so, but I’ll ask. Anything else?”
“Nope, just that.”
Giving Quinn another hug, Mason said, “Okay, I’ll be back soon.”
Nodding, Quin gave his brother a weak smile before climbing onto his bed and pulling the comforter around him. Picking up his phone, he scrolled until he found his place in the romance novel he’d been reading.
Shutting the door behind him, Mason headed to his brothers, cursing himself for not anticipating Quin’s response to an unknown Alpha around him, even if it was their cousin. It might have worked if Jackson hadn’t been radiating all that Alpha power to the fucking nth degree, but that was water under the bridge now, and he and Hunter would just have to make sure Quin stayed as far away from their cousin as possible.
~/~/~/~/~
“Fionn, I gave you the bedroom next to Theo and Norm but if you want a different one, let me know,” Steel said.
Looking around, Fionn was surprised and pleased with his new bedroom. It was a far cry from what he had growing up in Scotland and it was even nicer than his hotel room in Edinburgh. Throwing himself on the bed, Fionn groaned with pleasure. The mattress was heaven; his friends had been right.
“I take it the bed meets with your approval?” Steel chuckled, observing the blissed-out expression on the young dragon’s face.
“Fucking A. I don’t know if I ever want to leave it.”
“Well, you’ve got an hour. Jackson’s called another meeting so Hunter can explain what happened and answer questions,” Steel said.
“Do I have to go?”
“Pack meetings are mandatory,” Steel replied.
“Oh, I didn’t know that.” Fionn sat up, wondering what other rules he’d have to abide by now that he was in a pack.
Anticipating how emotional the meeting would be and, seeing the reluctance on the young dragon’s face, Steel said, “I’ll let Jackson know you won’t be there but…this is the only time I’ll excuse you from attending.”
Relieved, Fionn said, “Thanks. I promise I’ll attend them in the future.” After Steel left, he jumped off the bed and, grabbing his backpack, dumped everything in it onto the floor. Then he repacked it with a pair of sweatpants and his sketchpad and pencils. Slinging it over his shoulders, Fionn opened his bedroom door a crack and after seeing the coast was clear, headed down to the kitchen to find Theo.
~/~/~/~/~
Checking out the cupboards and the refrigerator to see what was on hand that he could use to make snacks Theo was pleasantly surprised to find them well stocked. Pulling out various condiments to garnish roast beef sandwiches, he got to work. Humming to himself, happy to be back where he felt at home, his mind wandered to the menu for his and pooh bear’s wedding.
It had to be special—something they would remember for the rest of their lives, something they’d describe to their cubs
, making them drool for just a taste. Wondering how far Ki had progressed with his wedding planning duties, Theo made a note to ask him tomorrow, once his friend had recovered from helping Logan’s mom.
Theo artfully arranged several, large, platters of sandwiches and placed them on the dining room table. After adding pots of coffee and pitchers of iced tea, water and juice, he stepped back, checking to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything.
“Hi, honeybunch,” Norm said, coming up behind Theo. “That looks scrumptious. You certainly didn’t need my help.”
“It does look great, doesn’t it? Did you unpack our suitcases?” asked Theo.
“Yup. All put away. The hamper is full by the way. I’ll throw in a load later.”
“I thought that was Carson’s chore.”
“It is, but I’m doing ours from now on. He’s been teaching me about business, so I think it’s a fair exchange,” Norm said.
“So very thoughtful! That’s why I love you, pooh bear!” exclaimed Theo.
“I love you more,” Norm replied, kissing Theo’s neck. “Is there anything I can do to help you?”
“No, everything’s ready. Where’s everyone?”
“Yo, dudes, this looks fantastic!” Fionn said, joining them.
Looking at the bag slung over his friend’s shoulder, Theo asked, “Didn’t Steel give you a bedroom yet?”
“He did. I’m next door to you guys. Cool huh?”
“So why do you have your backpack with you?” asked Norm.
“Just wanted to get something to eat. I plan to spend the rest of the day drawing.”
“I didn’t know you were an artist,” said Theo, impressed by his friend’s announcement. “Can I see something you’ve done?”
“Sure, but do you mind if I show you another time? I’m eager to get going,” Fionn replied.
“No problemo. C’mon,” Theo said, heading back to the kitchen, “What appeals to you?”
Following his friend, Fionn answered, “What’s on the table looks good.”
~/~/~/~/~
Climbing the steps into the motorhome with Colton behind him, Ian greeted the men sitting at the dinette table engaged in a discussion. “Sorry, I…we just want to check on the patients.”
“Go on back, Mac has been taking very good care of them,” scowled Hunter, still ticked off about Ian’s treatment of his brother. Waiting until the two had entered his Aunt Hope’s bedroom and closed the door behind them, Hunter answered a question Mason had posed before they were interrupted. “Quin can’t stay out here by himself.”
“I know that,” Mason replied. “I was going to stay with him.”
“I don’t like it. We should all be together,” Robin said.
“Look,” growled Mason, “you felt Jackson’s power. Think about how Quin felt. Normally I’d agree with you, but this is different. I don’t think it’s a good idea for our brother to be staying in the pack house, hiding under the bed because he’s scared shitless of our cousin. Have you thought how you’d explain that?”
“Yeah, well how do you plan on explaining why he’s staying out here, refusing our cousins’ hospitality?” asked Sawyer.
Mason thought for a few seconds before replying, “I don’t think there’ll be a problem. When Hunt brought Jackson in, I noticed he immediately dialed back his power when he saw Quin. I’m sure he figured out our brother was afraid of him.”
“Yeah, so what?” retorted Sawyer. “Jackson’s still going to want an explanation why you and Quin are refusing to stay in the house, especially since Hunt bugged the hell out of him for permission to visit,”
“Enough,” Hunter ordered. “I agree with Mason. He and Quin will stay out here and if Jackson gets his feelings hurt, then too fucking bad. My priority is Quin and making sure he’s safe and not stressed out. Besides, we may not be staying very long anyway.”
~/~/~/~/~
Steel found Jackson sitting in his study, staring out at the forest. “Babe, are you okay?”
Turning around, grief clearly showing on his face, Jackson murmured, “I don’t know how I’m supposed to sit there and listen to Hunter talk about the family I lost. How can I ask my brothers to do it? Open up old wounds every one of us has learned to live with. What will it do to them? How do I help them live with the actual knowledge of exactly what happened that night so many years ago? All of my brothers are happy…we’ve moved on…Colton and Ian have a pup on the way…Cody isn’t suffering the way he did before Dylon and the twins came into his life…Zane has David to protect…Dakota and Slate are going to be parents…even Carson has found happiness. And my gods, everyone can see the difference in my twin after Kieran came into his life. We’ve all made peace since the massacre and now I’m about to destroy it.
“And then there’s my mother. Dakota doesn’t believe she’ll ever be the mother we knew. The guilt my brothers will feel—even though it isn’t their fault—about our mother suffering in a private hell. How can I do that to my brothers yet…they deserve to know how our family was destroyed.”
Gathering his mate up and carrying him over to the love seat, Steel sat down with Jackson on his lap, safe within his arms. “Mo chroí, none of this is your fault…none of it. I think the Fates brought your mother here now to give her a chance to find peace with her memories. There isn’t any other way to look at it. You asked me why your cousins contacted you now and not before. Well I think the Fates waited until Kieran found Logan so he could help her emerge from the hell she’s been in. And when she wakes, there’ll be grandpups waiting for her to love, play with, and take care of. No, I know they won’t replace the pups she lost but they will help heal her broken heart. Will she be the same? Probably not. No one could ever be the same after what she went through. Look at you and your brothers…all of you have changed… but maybe she will finally find some happiness.”
Breathing his mate’s scent, Jackson felt the truth of his mate’s words calm his mind. He couldn’t change the past, but he could help his mother find a place in the future that would, hopefully, give her some peace—and maybe that would help his brothers find some, too. “Thanks, babe,” he whispered to Steel.
“You can do this,” Steel said, giving Jackson another long hug, sending his love through their mind link before continuing. “I know this is going to be very hard, so why doesn’t Hunter come here, to your study, to talk with just you and your brothers…and their mates, of course. That way, no one else has to know the details or see any emotional reactions among our family.”
“I like that idea,” said Jackson. “Dakota and Slate won’t be here since they already know. And I’m not sure about Logan or Kieran yet, until I speak to Ian. But I’m sure my other brothers will appreciate the privacy.” Relieved at coming to a decision, Jackson snuggled against Steel’s chest, soaking up his love, letting it calm his soul.
Chapter 5
Sighing, Jackson was reluctant to leave his mate’s embrace but knew it was time to hear about their mother. Sitting up, he said, “There’s another reason why it’s a good idea to limit who’s at the meeting with our cousin.
“And that is…? asked Steel.
“Hunter’s Fated Mate is a member of my pack.”
“No fucking way! Holy shit! Who is it?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t have time to sort it out because I was too busy dealing with Kieran and my Mom. I promised to introduce Hunter to him after I told my brothers that Mom’s alive,” Jackson said.
“I wonder who it is?” asked Steel.
“Well, obviously not any of my brothers,” snorted Jackson.
“So that leaves Theo and Norm. Oh shit! If Hunter is their third, I don’t see that going over well with Norman.”
“Nope. Norm won’t be willing to move aside so Hunter can assume the Alpha position,” Jackson agreed.
“Then there’s Fionn or Adam…” Steel mused.
“And either one is a major problem…Adam is here to help David and Fionn is tied to me via his white d
ragon…”
“…and Hunter will want his mate to leave with him when he goes back home,” Steel said, finishing Jackson’s sentence.
“Exactly! No matter who it is, there’s gonna be nothing but trouble.”
Giving a low whistle, Steel agreed with his mate’s assessment. “Then it’s a good thing only your brothers and their mates will be there to meet with Hunter.”
“Absolutely! C’mon, time to get this meeting over with.”
~/~/~/~/~
Packing his backpack with enough food to last him a while, Fionn was grateful Theo didn’t ask any more questions about his plans. Excused from the pack meeting, he doubted anyone would notice he was gone until breakfast tomorrow morning and that was just fine with him. There was way too much tension in the air, and it reminded him of what life with his father was like after his mother died.
“Do you want water or juice to take with you?” asked Theo.
“Water is cool.” Fionn replied, adding the bottles to his bag. “Thanks, Theo, I appreciate it.”
“Honeybunch,” Norm called, from the dining room, “Jackson wants to talk to us.”
“Coming,” Theo answered, then asked Fionn, “Anything else you need?”
“Nope, got it all. Go ahead. I’ll see you later.” Fionn waited until his friend left, then, zippering up his bag, slipped outside using the back door. Wasting no time, he disappeared.
~/~/~/~/~
“Hi Doc,” Kieran grinned, looking up from the floor as Ian entered Hope’s bedroom. “I’m awake and okay, but macushla won’t let me get up, even though the floor is hard, well, not that hard because it does have a carpet but it’s harder than my bed which is where I’d rather be. I wanted my mate to take me to our bedroom but he said you wanted me to spend the night in the hospital but I don’t think that’s a good idea because I’d get less rest than I would in my own bed because I feel more comfortable there and I know you want me to get lots of sleep, so you can see why it’s better for me to sleep in my own bed and I’m glad that’s all settled and macushla can carry me there now. Are you going to take care of Hope? Isn’t that the perfect name for her? I wonder how her parents picked that name. That reminds me, macushla, we need to think about a name for our pup. Have any ideas? If you don’t, I do.”