by Sara Kimball
Laughing, Alex stood and linked arms with Lincoln, pulling him towards the door. “I think I’d like to meet this cousin of yours, Trent. I feel like she’d love to hear the stories you tell about her. Now, let’s go down and get some dinner. I’m starved.” They bickered like children down the elevator to the Riverwalk level, and then headed out the doors toward the scent of water. During the day it was beautiful, but they managed to catch it just near dusk, when the lights in the trees were lit, torches and other lights flickered and reflected off the water that lazily travelled along the canal.
The night almost felt magical, as they meandered through the bars and restaurants, finally settling on a place that smelled delicious to Alex. Gareth and Trent decided to get their own table close by to give Lincoln and Alex some privacy. Alex was content and happier than she had ever thought possible, especially when they finished their meal and Lincoln pulled her close to him on their way out, kissing her cheek and whispering to her softly, “I love you.”
///
They made their way to the hotel room, Gareth and Trent following just until they saw the two disappear behind the bedroom door, and then returning downstairs to the bar. Alex and Lincoln fell on each other as the door closed behind them, kissing and caressing each other as they stripped off clothing.
Lincoln let her ride him while he laid back on the bed, sliding his thumb around her clit in firm circles until she came, her core tightening down like a vise on his cock. Then he flipped her onto her back, driving her into another peak of glory before biting her neck and releasing deep inside her wet sheath.
///
Alex was wrapped in a robe and standing barefoot in front of the window in their bedroom, watching the lights of the Riverwalk twinkling below. She knew she had a smile on her face, but for the life of her she couldn’t make it go away. Lincoln came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her to him.
“You are up late.” He kissed the brand new mark on her slim neck, flicking it with his tongue and making her shiver.
“And you’re insatiable,” she retorted. He chuckled, but instead of pulling her close and removing her robe for another round like she expected he pulled away.
When Alex turned to look, he was on one knee behind her. “I’d like to say I had a romantic plan, but in reality I just wasn’t sure how to do this.” He opened the small box in his hands and revealed the glittering ring inside. A bright green stone close to the color of her eyes, surrounded by diamonds. “When I saw you standing here, all lit up from the lights below, I thought this would be a good time. Will you be my mate, Alex?”
Alex knew that mates usually didn’t marry in the human sense, because the mate bond was so much more binding than any ceremony could ever be. Some did, if they needed to fit in, but she hadn’t expected it of Lincoln. “What brought this on? We’re already mated, love.” When she realized she hadn’t replied to his question, she quickly added. “I mean yes. Of course, I love you. But you didn’t have to do all this.”
He rose and slipped the ring on her finger, then kissed her soundly. “I did this because I wanted to. And Tyler may have been reminding me that you have lived with humans for a long time and may expect a more human bond.”
Alex’s eyes narrowed. “Did he have the ‘talk’ with you about your intentions?”
Lincoln chuckled. “That human is the bravest one I think I’ve met. He sat me down and talked down to me like I was a young pup again. Instructing me on all the things that he expected me to do to take care of you.” Alex laughed at his disgruntled expression. “But he was right. In today’s times I can’t just claim we are married to the humans and have them accept it. And I want that. I want you to be mine in every way and have everyone know it.”
They sat in a chair, Alex straddling Lincoln’s lap, his hands sliding under the robe to her bare buttocks and caressing her skin from her back to her knees over and over. “My parents had a very unhappy mating. It was arranged by my grandmother, and my mother mated with my father when she was seventeen. They lived together for a while…but eventually, after I was born in ’31, they moved to separate suites at the Pack house. She died when I was sixteen. I didn’t want that for my mate when I found her. Which is why I fought so hard at the beginning when I met you. I didn’t want my grandmother to pick a mate for me like she had for my father. I saw how horrible it was for them, and I wanted better. I knew there was better because of the things my grandmother would say about her mate.”
Alex had heard everything he said, but she was still stuck on one thing. “You were born in nineteen thirty one?”
Lincoln stopped and looked at her curiously. “No. I was born in eighteen thirty one.” They stared at each other for a minute. “Did you really not know my age?”
Alex cocked her head to the side. “When was I supposed to find that out?” She mumbled to herself. “Huh. I mated an old man.”
Lincoln sat up slightly. “Old man my ass. I’m still perfectly young.”
Alex raised her eyebrows at him, “Only for a werewolf. That’s practically statutory, what we’ve been doing between the sheets…me being so much younger than you and all.” Her voice changed to playful and her fingers teased their way down his chest. She wasn’t actually bothered by his age. Werewolves lived for hundreds of years if they took care of themselves. His grandmother was a prime example. But teasing his was something she enjoyed.
Lincoln’s expression changed as he realized she wasn’t serious, and his hands rose to her sides to tickle her. They spent a pleasurable time playing and toying with each other until eventually sating their desires once more.
Alex ended up cuddled to his chest, and admired the ring on her finger, liking how it felt to have his claim so visible upon her. The marks were nice, but covered by her clothing. She thought the ring was a nice touch.
///
Johnny stared at the dead woman beneath him and growled in frustration. He had been too rough again. They just couldn’t withstand him when he was using…he was too strong for them. With all the guilt of a spoiled child who had broken one of his many toys, he removed his hands from her oddly twisted neck and threw her body over the side of the bed. Stalking to the door, he kicked it open, the wood shattering where his foot hit it.
There were screams and the sounds of struggles as he found another toy to play with. He was thankful that he had locked them all up after he caught some of them trying to escape. After he had killed that blonde one some of them had gotten stupid. She hadn’t lasted long at all. Not like Alex. Alex will live through whatever I do to her. She’s mine. Mitch promised. Mine.
One of his men came into the room and tried to talk to him but Johnny punched him, grabbing a chair and beating his head over and over until the man’s brains were smeared across the floor. The incessant screaming in the background was annoying, and he finally threw the chair at the noise so it would stop.
He roared his frustration into the air. Once he was done he felt better. Only one more day. And then I’ll have her. But I have to play better than this. I have to keep my cool until opportunity presents itself.
///
In the morning Alex ate her oatmeal and fruit, thankful Lincoln was kind enough to also order her a side of bacon. Gareth and Trent were looking a little spry and—she surmised by the scent she caught on them—they had both spent the night with some humans…of the female variety.
Lincoln pushed his plate towards her and she grabbed his remaining bacon slice with delight. “When we get back I’ll have the Pack doctor come and take a look at you, make sure everything is okay and progressing normally.”
She patted his shoulder and didn’t argue. Instead, a few minutes later she was tugging on her tennis shoes, ready to go see The Alamo. The mid-morning air was already humid, and she scrunched her nose as she put her hair up in a quick bun, moving down the sidewalk.
Even though the temperature was climbing, and the humidity was cranked up full-bore, the four of them had
fun exploring the aging remains and reading the placards. Alex used her newfound knowledge of Lincoln’s age to tease him as they moved around. “The siege took place in 1836…and had you learned the alphabet by then?” He eventually pulled a snack bar out of his backpack to shut her up, giving her a bottle of water to chase it with.
They were headed back to the Jeep to hitch a ride to the Mission San Jose when Alex caught the scent of a strange wolf. Gareth and Trent were already closing ranks on her protectively. Alex laughed, “You realize I was a bodyguard right? You don’t have to hover over me.”
They ignored her as Lincoln found the man nearby. He was standing across the street, looking for all the world as if he was just enjoying the structure of the decimated fort like any other tourist. He was shorter than Lincoln, more average in height and build, but his dark eyes gave off a more dangerous aura. His skin was tanned and his hair black.
Lincoln crossed the street and approached cautiously. Alex led her bodyguards to the crosswalk so as not to draw too much attention, but she refused to listen as they told her to stay put, dragging them with her. For the first time she had sympathy for some of her previous clients, knowing that the role of bodyguards could sometimes be a buzz kill when it came to being autonomous.
“Do you guys know who that is?” She asked. Both men replied in the negative.
“Do you think Lincoln knows who he is?” Gareth shook his head and Trent said simply, “No.” Alex noted a change in the usually talkative man. Trent was now as intent and serious as Gareth, their eyes scanning the surrounding areas and his nose sniffing for anything unusual. Alex realized she was doing the same thing.
Shifting impatiently from foot to foot, she waited until the light turned green and then crossed, heading towards her mate with a determined stride. As she approached Lincoln and the other man their conversation stopped, and Lincoln stood next to her protectively. “Allow me to introduce my mate, Mr. Levine. This is Alexandra. Alex, this is Royce Levine of the Everglades Pack.”
Alex became instantly suspicious, refusing the offer of a handshake and squinting her eyes at the other man. She wanted to ask him flat out what he wanted, but knew she had to more tact than that. Now that she was Lincoln’s mate she couldn’t go around shooting her mouth off. This isn’t Bolivia. One of our own could die if we start a war with them. Behave.
Lincoln resolved her dilemma. “Mr. Levine tells me he has a warning for you and I, and some information. Why don’t we go somewhere so we can talk in private?”
The other wolf nodded in agreement. Lincoln led the way to a restaurant not far away, holding Alex’s hand in his and strolling along the sidewalk like he had not a care in the world. Mr. Levine followed behind them, and Gareth and Trent walked at his heels threateningly.
The restaurant they stopped at was just opening for lunch, and Lincoln slipped the hostess a couple large bills to secure a private dining room in the back, and even ordered some food for everyone. Alex realized she could eat again, even with all the upset, and was thankful he had thought of it. Gareth and Trent sat on either end of the rectangular table. Alex sat next to Lincoln and the other wolf sat by himself opposite them.
When the door was shut and their beaming waitress had passed out waters and iced teas, they all stared at the interloper. For his part, Royce was calm and collected. Alex couldn’t even detect a hint of nervousness or hesitation from him, and was impressed that he could be so collected when faced with three rather large predators. She didn't discount herself, but knew that others did, so didn't include herself in the assessment of his nerves.
Tired of waiting for someone to break the ice, Alex’s resolve to be tactful began to crumble. “We are supposed to be on vacation until tonight, when the Conclave officially starts, and I’m feeling rather testy about our fun being interrupted. So why don’t you tell us what you came to say so that we can get back to it?”
The other man’s mouth curled into a smile as he regarded her, and Lincoln growled slightly, possessiveness in his gaze. Royce's smile fell away and he spoke smoothly. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to offend you when you are newly mated. I am simply amused by your mate’s plain speaking.”
Lincoln had quit growling, but she could still feel the tension in him. “I am also interested in the answer to Alex’s question. Why don’t you explain again, so that she can hear what you began to tell me outside.”
Royce nodded and sat back in his chair casually. “Very well. Dupree is beginning to come unhinged. While I haven’t been able to get close enough to him to see for myself, I have heard from those around him about the aftermath. He killed two of his women, and one of his men the other day. Dupree was going from one woman's room into another...and the man interfered, trying to stop him. Apparently he had killed the first woman, and the man felt like he would kill the second too...And he did, in the end. But he beat the man to death first.
“Not a week before this he killed another one of his harem. He used to keep them longer, but now some of them don’t last much more than a night.”
Alex swallowed as she considered this. Trent asked, “We know he’s a sick fuck. Why are you telling us this?”
Royce bowed his head and clasped his hands on the table. “All of the women that have died recently have been blonde, tall, and slender. Some have curly hair. Those that don’t are ordered to curl it. Some are human, but most are wolves. He keeps them all chained up now, in bedrooms, to use at his leisure.
"The one thing all the women who died have in common is that they look similar to Alex. He is fixated on her." He grimaced slightly. "My people in his house say he talks about you under his breath when he thinks others can’t hear...very explicitly. And non-stop, apparently, saying exactly what he'll do to you when he has you.
“I came here because I wanted to warn you. I have been working with your brother for almost twenty years to try and bring about the downfall of Johnny Dupree, and I don’t want to see such harm befall another woman.”
“If you have been working so hard, then why have you not acted before now?” Lincoln’s voice was still suspicious.
“It has been difficult—to say the least—to get the Pack members to trust me. I am not originally from their territory, but rather from the Great Plains Pack. I’ve been steadily increasing momentum over the last decade, but the past several weeks have bumped up my timeline. With Dupree out of control, more and more of his Pack are willing to look elsewhere for help.” His next words answered Alex’s question about whether or not he intended to be the new Alpha of the Everglades Pack.
“I plan to be that help. I’ve been trying all along, but he always had a strong power base. Now he’s crumbled it by his own actions, damaging himself from within, as it were. It won’t be long before he makes a fatal mistake.”
“Why is my brother helping you? What does he get out of it?”
“Dupree has had his wolves manufacturing and distributing meth for a long time. In addition his Pack is involved in running other drugs and distributing them. Because of that he’s damaged the human towns in his territory. And the mess has been bleeding over to Mitch’s territory and north into the Colonial Pack area. It’s hurt wolves’ businesses and their home lives. Getting Dupree out of the picture and putting me in charge means I will clean up that mess, and it saves Mitch from having to do it himself. The Great Plains has enough to keep him busy without adding in another territory.”
“And you think you can clean it up? Stop the income for the wolves without much fuss or trouble when they are already in dire financial straits? How is that something you can accomplish?” Lincoln’s voice had changed slightly, and she knew that he was interested in the answer in a different way than before.
“I have already arranged for a loan from the Great Plains Pack to re-establish the infrastructure and assist Pack members to change their lines of work to something less…illegal. It will be hard to straighten out after everything he’s done. But it is why Mitch chose me to head this up. I wan
ted to be an Alpha in my own right, so instead of being his Beta when Dimitri Cannon died, Mitch told me his plan to come here and get this sorted. Took him longer than he thought…it was only supposed to be a week or two. But it will work out in the end. I’ve made it my goal in life to eradicate Johnny Dupree, and all he has soiled, from the earth.”
Alex blinked a little, and looked Royce Levine up and down. She saw his café au lait skin tone, dark hair and eyes, and tried to imagine him as she thought she remembered him, hidden in the dark in the backyard, fading into the shadows.
“I remember you now.” The Gold Pack men all tightened subtly, as if they were ready to spring when Alex spoke. “You were in the backyard after my father died. Meeting with my brother. I barely caught a glimpse of you before you took off…” Thoughts worked through her mind, and some things began to make more sense. “But you were never officially Mitch’s Beta. He elected that sleaze James Krupps.” Alex remembered Jax saying her brother had convoluted plans within convoluted plans, and tried thinking like him, putting the puzzle pieces together in her mind.
“James was never Mitch’s real Beta, was he? And neither was Calder his third or Brett his fourth? They were all so happy at my father’s funeral—smirking jerks—but I hadn’t seen them before. Then I found out they were new transfers from the Everglades Pack and I resented that they had been promoted, looking so happy about it to boot, when I was so devastated.”
Royce nodded, amusement writ on his face. “That's right on the nose. He wanted to keep an eye on them. You know...keep your friends close, but your enemies closer kind of thing."