by L. P. Dover
Zayne
Scaredy cat?
Kami’s gotten an even bigger mouth on her now that she’s a royal. However, I couldn’t have asked for a better mate for Colin. She keeps him on his toes. I know she could sense me out in the woods. Hence, the reason for making sure I heard her remark.
I’m just glad Amelie’s safe, and there’s been no sight of the Channons anywhere near our territory. It’s been three days since my meeting with Kara. I went to my other appointments, hoping like hell Kara and Knox wouldn’t show up in Wyoming. So tonight, I’m going to tell the others the whole story.
Once Amelie’s gone, I go back to my car and drive up the driveway to Cedric’s house. Kami and Colin are outside, staring at me with their smart-ass grins. They really do know how to piss me off. What’s terrible is that I was just as mischievous two centuries ago when I was their age. I park my car, and Cedric walks down the front porch steps to greet me.
I get out and shut my door. “Congratulations,” I say, shaking Cedric’s hand.
Cedric blows out a happy sigh. “Thanks. Besides your daughter, Sera’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Laila and I can’t wait for you to meet her.”
He walks up the stairs, and I follow him. Colin shakes his head and smiles at me. “I’m going to ask you this again. When are you going to sack up? Today would’ve been a perfect time.”
Cedric stares at everyone curiously. “Perfect time for what?”
Silence fills the air, and I clench my teeth. “Time for Colin to mind his own damn business.”
Kami steps forward, her expression serious. “There’s something you should know. I think Amelie started showing signs. She said she felt a warm, tingly sensation throughout her body. I remember that feeling all too well. I tried ignoring it.”
Colin snorts. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember. You didn’t want to be my mate.”
Kami rolls her eyes. “And now I’m stuck with you,” she says over her shoulder at him. Colin winks at her, and she turns back to me. “All I’m saying is that it’s starting. If you want the signs to progress, it might be a good idea for you to be around her.”
Cedric holds up his hands. “Hold up. What are you guys talking about? What’s going on with Amelie?”
Colin and Kami both stare at me, waiting for me to explain. I don’t even know how to get the words out. Finally, I nod at Colin, giving him the okay to explain. He’s going to do it anyway, no matter what I say.
“Amelie is Zayne’s mate,” he announces.
Cedric’s eyes widen with surprise. “Seriously? Holy shit, that’s awesome.” But then his brows furrow. “How is that possible when you haven’t even spoken to her?”
Kami clears her throat, and he turns to her. “The stone Laila gave Zayne from her mother shows him Amelie. I also confirmed it when I dreamed about them. Amelie doesn’t know yet.”
“So, you haven’t told her about what you saw in the dream?” I ask, just to make sure.
Kami shakes her head, and I can see the truth in her eyes. “No. She said she doesn’t want to know just yet. But if she asks, I’m going to tell her.”
Cedric bursts out with laughter. “This is like a soap opera. I can’t wait to see what happens.” He opens the door and flourishes a hand inside. “You might want to go inside. Laila’s waiting for you.”
When I walk in, I can feel fae magic all around me. It’s stronger than it’s ever been before. It gets even more potent the closer I get to the bedroom. The door is partially open, and before I can knock, Laila’s voice echoes out.
“Come on in, Dad.” Gently, I push the door open and walk in. Laila’s on the bed, and her smile is exactly like her mother’s as she looks down at Sera. When her eyes lift to mine, they are full of tears. “I heard you all outside. Amelie’s your mate.” Not knowing what to say, I sit on the edge of the bed beside her. My focus lands on Sera, and I touch her little hand. Not only does she have a lot of fae in her, but she’s going to be a strong royal arctic as well. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Laila whispers.
I lift my eyes to hers. “Because Amelie doesn’t know yet. I didn’t see the point.”
Laila shakes her head. “That’s where you’re wrong. I’m your daughter, and I want to see you happy. So does mom. She knew she wasn’t your true mate, but you loved her anyway. Giving you the stone was her way of telling you to move on.”
“It’s not that easy,” I huff. I loved Alina with every fiber of my being. Losing her ripped my fucking soul apart. If I were to get close to Amelie and lose her, it’s a darkness I don’t think I could come back from.
Laila chuckles. “Yes, it is. Once Amelie realizes what she’s feeling are the mating signs, she’s going to want to know who her mate is. When she does, you won’t be able to resist her.”
I avert my gaze back to Sera. “I don’t know what to do.”
“It’s simple,” Laila murmurs. “Stop avoiding Amelie and talk to her. Get to know her. She’s my best friend, and I love her more than anything. She’s been through so much pain and agony over the years, but she came out stronger than I’ve ever seen her. She deserves to find her true mate, to be happy for once in her life.” She places Sera in my arms, and I hold her close. “You can have it all, Dad. Amelie will be a wonderful mother, and it’ll give you a chance to experience what you missed out on with me. I can feel the pain and regret inside of you.”
Closing my eyes, I try to push the pain away, but I can’t. “I would’ve given anything to know I had a daughter. Life would’ve been so different for us both.”
Laila places a hand over mine, and that’s when I feel the change in her. “Look at me.” I meet her blue gaze, which is the exact color of mine. “Our lives might’ve been different, but things happen for a reason. We’re together now, and that’s all that matters.” She smiles down at Sera and then back up to me. “You sure do make one handsome thirty-year-old looking grandfather.”
While she’s been pregnant, she took on more interior design clients with my firm instead of her park ranger duties with Cedric in the Grand Teton National Park. So when we meet with human clients, I can’t tell them she’s my daughter. No one would believe it since we look around the same age. So instead, we tell them we’re siblings. The same goes for Colin and me since we share the same hair color and eyes.
“I plan on coming back to work for you in a few weeks. I hope you don’t mind.”
“I’d love that.” That brings a smile to my face. “You can even bring Sera with you.”
Laila’s grin widens. “Do you sense anything different in here?”
I nod. “The second you touched me I did. It’s not Sera’s magic flowing through you anymore; it’s yours.”
Tears fall down her cheeks. “It is. I don’t know what happened. All I can say is that it feels amazing. I thought once Sera was born, I’d lose it forever.”
Lifting Sera in my arms, I kiss her gently on the head. “This one’s special, Laila. I don’t know what her future holds, but she’s going to be both a powerful shifter and a fae.”
Laila sighs. “Which also scares me. The wolves and fae will both want her.”
I carefully set Sera into her arms. “They will, but we’ll cross that bridge when it gets here. You can’t worry about that right now.”
“You’re right,” she adds, “I’m going to worry about you. What are you going to do about Amelie?”
Releasing a heavy sigh, I stand and peer down at her. “There’s only one thing I can do. I’ll figure out a way to talk to her.”
Laila beams. “You can do this. I have faith in you.”
I lean over and kiss the top of her head. “Thanks. I’ll be back over soon.” Then, turning on my heel, I head for the door. “Dad, wait,” she calls out. I glance at her over my shoulder and lift my brows. Her eyes drop to my pocket, and her brows furrow. “The stone. I can sense its magic. What did you see when you touched it that first night I gave it to you?”
My fingers burn to touch it aga
in, but I fight against the urge. “Amelie,” I say, admitting it out loud for the first time. “All I see is her.”
Laila nods. “I figured as much. The stone is very powerful, and it’s not just fae magic.”
“What do you mean?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. It’s a combination of things I feel. I sense fae magic, but I also feel the essence of the earth and the moon. It’s bizarre, almost like it’s every kind of magic combined into one stone. The crazy thing is that I know that if I touch it, it won’t do anything for me. It’s as if it was made just for you.”
“How do you know all of this?” I ask.
She laughs and shakes her head. “I don’t know. It just feels true.”
After living over two hundred years, I’ve seen and heard things that can never be explained. But, when it comes to magic, it’s all a mystery. “Get some rest,” I say. “I need you strong.” Especially if Kara and Knox decide to show up.
Cedric is just outside when I walk out the door, leaning against the wall with a sly grin on his face. “Why aren’t you that sweet to everyone else?” I glare at him, and he holds up his hands. “All I’m saying is that you might make some friends in the pack instead of scaring them to death.”
“I don’t care about making friends,” I snap, storming past him. “Right now, I want to keep everyone safe.”
He follows behind me, all joking aside. “Speaking of that, Ryker and Sebastian will be here in a couple of hours to hear your story along with the rest of us. You got us all curious.”
Stopping at the front door, I huff. “It’s been two hundred years. I never thought that part of my life would come back to haunt me.”
Cedric laughs, but there’s no humor to it. “That’s usually the way it goes. When someone lives to be as old as you, they’re bound to make some enemies.”
Slowly, I turn my head and glare at him. “With your mouth, I’m surprised you don’t have any yourself.”
His sly grin comes back. “Oh, I did, but they’re all dead.”
The Channons are alive because of me, and now I’m going to pay the price for it. When someone betrays the pack, there’s only one solution … they have to die. I won’t have any hesitation whatsoever if Kara and Knox try to hurt any of those I love. I’ll rip their heads off and not think twice.
Opening the door, I walk outside straight to Colin and Kami. “You win,” I say to them both.
Colin smiles. “Win what?”
“Don’t be a smart ass. I know you could hear everything I said to Laila.” I march past them to my car and stop with my hand on the door. “I want to meet Amelie, and I need your help to do it.” It kills me to say I need help, but I can’t do it without them.
When I look at them, Kami shrieks and jumps up and down. “Leave it to me. I know exactly how to do this. Just plan to have tomorrow night free.”
Tomorrow.
How the hell am I going to do this?
With two hours to kill, I went for a run in the woods to clear my head. Tomorrow I’ll come face to face with Amelie, and I have no damn clue how to talk to her. It’s going to be a fucking disaster. Everyone says we’ll be able to make each other happy, but I don’t see how. She’s not going to want someone like me.
Once back at my house, I shift back and take a quick shower before heading back to Cedric and Laila’s. I’m the first one there, and when I pull in, Laila is on the front porch with Cedric.
“Shouldn’t you be resting?” I say as I get out of my car.
She waves me off. “I’m fine. I want to be part of the meeting.”
Sebastian and Ryker pull down the driveway in their cars, and behind them are Colin and Kami. I didn’t want to explain everything to the entire pack, so it’s only going to be us. I wish Micah were in town as well, but he’s on a critical mission to find the other royals. When he gets back, he’ll have to catch up on everything going on.
When everyone gets out of their cars, we stand together on the lawn. Ryker crosses his arms over his chest and sighs. “We’re here, Lyall. Let’s hear it.”
I glance around at everyone, but before I can begin, another car comes down the driveway. Tyla jumps out and runs to stand next to Sebastian. “Sorry, I’m late. Amelie left earlier than I thought, so I dropped Brooke off with my mom. Did I miss anything?”
Tyla is Amelie’s cousin. I’ve thought of asking Sebastian what Amelie’s like since he’s around her quite frequently, but I haven’t told him she’s my mate. He’ll find out tonight though. Sebastian and I haven’t always been close, especially after the Yukons ambushed the Royal pack and killed our family. Micah was the only one I kept in touch with.
“My father’s just getting started,” Laila tells her.
Tyla nods, and everyone focuses back on me. “Two hundred years ago, there was a family who wanted to take over the Royal pack. Emmett Storm was alpha at that time.” I peer over at Colin. “That was your great-grandfather. I told you stories about him when you were younger.”
“I remember,” Colin agrees.
“The family who turned on us were the Channons,” I explain. “No one knew they were going to challenge the Storms for dominance.”
Tyla cocks her head to the side, her expression deep in thought. “Did you say, Channon?”
Everyone looks at her, and my gut clenches. “Do you know them?” I ask.
Sighing, she focuses on me. “It sounds so familiar. I can’t place it.”
“There’s a Channon Vineyard,” I reply, hoping that’s the only connection. “They own it.”
Tyla snaps her finger. “That’s got to be it. I’m sure I’ve had one of their wines before. Chase probably knows who they are.” Chase Maheegan is the alpha of the Timberwolf pack out in California. He’s also in the wine business.
Sebastian lifts a hand in the air. “Once we’re done, I’ll call him to see if he’s had contact with them.”
“There are two of them,” I say. “Kara and Knox. They’re brother and sister. Knox was my best friend growing up while Kara and I…” I let the statement trail off, but everyone seems to understand the meaning by the knowing expressions on their faces. “Anyway, their grandfather challenged Emmett and lost. As a result, the rest of the Channons went on the attack and were taken down by my family. Knox lost it when his parents were killed, and before I could fight him, he was surrounded. The Storms knew he was my best friend and that Kara and I were lovers, so they banished them from the pack instead of killing them.”
Ryker’s gaze narrows. “And now they want revenge?”
“That wasn’t exactly said, but we have to be prepared. The meeting I had in Chicago wasn’t with a client. Kara had orchestrated the whole thing to get close to me. She said that she and Knox want to belong to a pack again. But I told her no one down here would be able to trust them. I think it’s a ploy to get revenge on me. I’m not sure what all they know about my life, but if they find out Laila’s my daughter, I’m afraid she’ll be a target.”
Everyone turns to Laila, but she keeps her eyes on me. “I’m more worried about someone else. She’s the vulnerable one out of this whole thing, especially if Kara and Knox find out she’s your mate.”
Tyla’s mouth gapes, and so does Sebastian’s. “You’ve been keeping secrets, brother.”
Ryker clears his throat. “Mate, huh? I’m assuming she’s part of our pack?”
“It’s Amelie,” I say to the three of them. “She doesn’t know yet. I’d appreciate it if you kept it to yourself until I can talk to her.”
Tyla’s smile widens. “So that’s why Amelie felt strange this afternoon. You must’ve been close by.”
Kami snickers. “Remember the scaredy-cat comment I made?”
Tyla nods and slaps a hand over her mouth. “Was he out in the woods?”
Kami nods. “Yep. And I knew he would hear me.”
“I’m standing right here,” I say, growling out the words. “Now, back to the issue. Kara and Knox are vindictive and manipul
ative. If they truly want revenge, they’ll kill anyone they can if it hurts me.”
Laila lifts her arms in the air, and the wind begins to blow. It swirls around us, and the earth rumbles beneath our feet. “If they come here, they’ll get a rude awakening. I feel stronger than I ever have before.”
Ryker shakes his head and smiles. “Well, I’ll be damned. You have your magic back. The pack’s going to love it when they hear this.” Laila winks at me, and I smile. I knew she was lost when she thought her magic had disappeared. Ryker steps forward and blows out a sigh. “If the Channons show up, we’ll deal with them then. But, honestly, I think they’d be stupid if they did. There’s no way they could take over with as many alphas we have defending our pack. It’s just a shame they’re royals.”
“Amelie needs to be protected,” I say to them all. “If Knox and Kara find out she’s mine, she’ll be a target. We can’t let that happen.”
Tyla growls. “Amelie’s my family, and I’m not going to let anyone hurt her.”
“Also,” Laila cuts in, “Micah’s trained her for months. She’s a skilled fighter now. We’re not talking about a helpless female wolf. I’m sure you haven’t forgotten that she killed her last mate.”
I’d heard the story about Amelie and the Sierra pack alpha and what Laila’s part in it was. Our hatred for the Sierra pack is something Amelie and I have in common. Her mate’s father was the one who killed Alina, Laila’s mother.
Tyla clears her throat. “Should we tell Amelie what’s going on so she can be aware?”
Everyone turns to me, and I sigh. “We can’t tell her without her finding out why she’s a target. All I need is a little bit of time. Once the mating signs appear, it’ll be self-explanatory. Until then, we just have to keep our eyes open.”
Ryker agrees with a nod. “I’ll have the rest of the pack be on the lookout for two royal wolves. The only problem is that they can’t detect them if they choose to stay hidden.” Being a royal has its advantages but not against other royal wolves.
“Any help will work,” I reply.