by Susan Bliler
“Alise.”
She kept her face angled away, refusing to look at him. Around her, she heard the soft murmurs from the girls and ignored the sting of embarrassment that singed her cheeks.
From upstairs, someone called Chief’s name, and he hesitated only a moment before he promised, “Later,” then turned and pounded up the stairs.
Chapter 15
Goddamn it! Chief wanted to explain himself to Alise, he wanted to tell her that he didn’t mean she was a liability the way he’d made it sound. Worse, he’d called her human, again! He was always fucking up with words; it’s why he didn’t speak very often. He told himself he’d make it up to her. He vowed to make shit right later because right now the wolves were gathering to face-off against the Skin Walkers and this was his doing. Regardless of what Mama thought, he’d brought the Walkers here.
Chief followed Cindy out the front door and felt a little of his trepidation ease as he spotted Monroe standing in the parking lot surrounded by a dozen shifters. There was just one other blacked-out Hummer parked beside the one Chief had taken, and Monroe was flanked only by King Mulholland and RedKnife KillsPrettyEnemy. Yeah, they were three of the baddest Skin Walkers in existence, but they certainly weren’t the army that Mama had predicted. Thinking on that, Chief stalled on the porch and strained to listen to the forest because Mama was never wrong. The woods were eerily quiet. No bird song, no chatter of squirrels or chipmunks. There was nothing.
Shhhhhit!
In front of Mama, Monroe’s eyes slid to Chief.
Taking the steps slowly, Chief slowly walked to where the Walkers stood. Before Monroe could even begin, Chief said, “I vowed a year of my life. Not hers. I’ll come back, fulfill my duty, as soon as I have Alise secured. But she walks.”
Monroe’s brows winged up, but his expression looked bored.
King was the one who responded. “That’s not how it works, Chief. Alise signed a contract. It’s binding. She’s been afflicted, she stays at StoneCrow.”
“She hasn’t been afflicted,” Chief snarled. “She’s been stricken. There’s a fucking difference.”
Wordlessly, Monroe reached into the inside pocket of his suit coat and pulled out an envelope. He held it out to Chief and explained. “Not in our eyes, and not in the contract. Anyone mated to one of my men stays on the Estate.” His eyes went hard. “And since you’re one of my men that makes her my property too. It’s legally binding.”
“Legally binding to who?” Chief scoffed. “You can’t share that shit, and I ain’t your fucking property. Neither is she. And if you think you can take her from me, you can…”
Mama held up a hand, instantly silencing Chief’s threat. She’d been quiet all through the exchange, but now she slowly shuffled forward, Briggs sticking close to her side. Eyes narrowed on Monroe, Mama canted her head and demanded, “Ask.”
The icy blue of Monroe’s eyes flashed as he regarded the elder. And when he didn’t immediately do as directed, she huffed, “Ask for what you really want. Stop wasting my day. They are few enough as is.”
Gaze sliding from Mama to Chief, Monroe inhaled sharply, seeming agitated before he gave his attention back to the woman. “Seems you already know what it is I’m after.”
“And why would she go with you? She’s safer here.”
“We need her.”
Chief stared in confusion between the two. His anger rising as he declared, “Alise isn’t going anywhere.”
“Not Alise.” Mama smirked at Monroe. “He’s here for Sha RedCloud. Aren’t you Skin Walker?”
Monroe’s jaw ticked once before he tossed the contract he held at Mama’s feet and pointed a finger at it. “This says I’m taking someone back with me. It’ll either be Chief and Alessandra or…” His words faltered as the house’s screen door creaked open.
Everyone turned to look, and Chief did too. He was curious as hell to see what woman was so damn significant that Monroe was willing to ignore Chief and Alise’s slight to him in exchange for this Sha.
Head covered in a forest green parka, a brown corduroy jacket sat over top and hung loosely off slight shoulders. Strapped over those same slight shoulders were the thin strips of a canvas backpack. The small figure with her head bowed slowly descended the stairs. Unlaced, black hiking boots clomped with each reluctant step. Legs clad in worn jeans, scraped up knees peeked through holes that gaped open in the faded denim.
Nobody moved, nobody spoke. No one had to. As the woman approached, Chief couldn’t help but wonder if she was a woman at all. She had to be a good foot and half shorter than Alise and Alise was a tiny thing.
Hanging out of the hood, framing a face that Chief still couldn’t see, two ebony braids hung nearly all the way down to the hem of the oversized gray sweater shirt showing beneath the parka.
The crunch of her tiny feet on gravel sounded loudly through the clearing as everyone waited. When she was about ten feet from the group, Sha stopped and slowly lifted her head.
She looked young but not as young as Chief had presumed. It was in the eyes, they seemed…old, tired. Those dark brown eyes had lifted and were staring straight through Monroe as everyone took in Sha RedCloud. She was pretty in a plain sort of way. No make-up, no jewelry. A split bottom lip that looked to be a few days old and a two-inch gash across one pronounced cheek bone were her only adornment.
Chief wondered what had happened to her and instinctively wondered if there was someone he could murder for putting those marks on her sad looking face.
“You him?” Sha asked still looking through Monroe.
Pivoting his gaze, Chief was confused to see Monroe seeming unsettled. Repetitively fisting his hands in a way that looked almost twitchy, Chief watched Monroe open his mouth and close it as if seeking words before his expression finally hardened and he stepped forward, holding out his hand.
“I’m Monroe StoneCrow, Sha. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
A pleasure to meet you? Chief’s eyes narrowed on Monroe as if seeing him for the first time. Who is this guy and what’d he do with the real Monroe?
Sha looked down at Monroe’s hand but didn’t shake it. Instead, she turned to glance at Mama and said, “Dell’s here. He’s pissed.”
Thirty seconds later, they all heard it. The roar of an engine was echoing through the forest as a vehicle raced up the road.
Dropping his hand, Monroe breathed, “Christ.”
“Tell your Walkers to stay in the woods,” Mama ordered with a scowl. “If they come in, we’ll be obligated to fight.” She lifted a hand and squeezed Sha’s shoulder before shooting Monroe a sinister grin. “And you will lose.”
“No one’s coming,” Monroe assured her.
Mama snorted and pursed her lips with a muttered, “They’re already here, Walker. The forest speaks to me, so don’t you piss down my back and tell me it’s rain…”
Monroe held up his hands, and to Chief’s shock, he looked genuinely repentant when he said, “I meant no one’s coming any closer. We’re not here for trouble, Candace. We’re here for help.”
Before Mama could respond, a jacked-up, black Dodge came tearing through the tree-line and skidded to a rocking halt before both the passenger and driver’s side door were thrown open.
“What the fuck is this?” Dell snarled, eyes on Monroe as both he and his mate rushed toward the Walkers. “How dare you come here unannounced and with a fucking army!” Dell stalked right up to Monroe and went nose-to-nose, booming, “You here for a war, Walker?”
Both men were tall, bold, and powerful. Both were leaders to their kind and both were willing to sacrifice everything for the good of those following them.
“Dell,” Mama stepped forward and grabbed his arm.
“They're here for me,” Sha said quietly. Dell’s head whipped around, and she shrugged up one shoulder. “It’s time for me to go.”
“No!” Dell thundered. “You stay. No one’s forcing this! You’re safe here!”
For the first tim
e since laying eyes on her, Chief watched as one corner of Sha’s mouth tweaked up in a half-grin. “I’m not safe anywhere, Alpha.” Her expression turned sad again. “And it is time.”
Turning his back on Monroe, Dell crossed to Sha and reached for her hands before stopping himself. “Sha?” he pleaded.
“Thank you for granting me sanctuary. Thank you for keeping your word and keeping me safe.”
Dell huffed a humorless sound and jerked his chin toward her face. “Doesn’t look like I kept my word.”
A small smile tweaked her lips. “That’s on me, Alpha.”
He grinned down at her a moment before sobering. “You don’t have to go, you know that right?”
She turned serious too. “I know. This is something I need to do.”
“When it’s time,” he pleaded, “You call for us. We’ll come running. I promise you that. When you need us, we’ll be there.”
Sha nodded and stepped around him. Ignoring Monroe, she headed for one of the Hummer’s before stopping to wink over her shoulder at Mama. “And your days aren’t as numbered as you think.”
Chapter 16
“I don’t know what the fuck just happened,” Chief admitted.
He and the pack were watching as Monroe’s Hummer pulled away from the compound with Sha secured inside.
“Sha sacrificed herself for you and Alise.” Mama reached up as she turned back toward the house and slapped Chief on the chest. “Don’t mess it up, scaredy wolf.”
Turning, Chief watched Mama’s shuffling steps as she ambled up the front stairs. Around him, the pack began to disperse, all except for Dell and Chloe.
“Chief, you remember my mate, Chloe.”
Chloe shot Chief a forced smile before looking back at the road and watching the Hummer disappear. “This doesn’t feel right.”
Dell pulled her into a hug and murmured into her hair, “I know, baby. But it’s what she wants.” Pulling back, he tugged on her hand. “Come on, let’s get our guests settled.”
“Just like that,” Chief asked. When Dell and Chloe looked at him, he glared at the road and then snapped his fingers. “Just like that he’s gonna let me and Alise go? It’s not like him.”
“He wanted something more than you,” Dell answered. “He got it.”
And that left Chief felling empty. Had this been a ploy from the beginning? Had Monroe’s bet against Chief at the pack battles been planned? It only would have worked if Monroe knew Chief would become stricken. There was no way he could know that unless he’d made it happen.
“Come on,” Dell clapped him on the back. “You’re thinking too hard. It’s giving me a headache. Let’s go tell your mate the good news.”
But was it good news? Chief followed quietly behind Dell and Chloe, his mind a whirlwind of thought. He needed a minute to process. He needed to figure out where this actually left him and Alise. Yeah, the BlackBird pack was ready to take them in, but he wasn’t sure that was best. Stalling at the door, he glared into the house. The inevitable confrontation with Alise wasn’t something he was looking forward to, especially after the way he’d left things.
***
Huddled in the basement with the pack children and teenagers, Alise felt humiliation wash over her, it intensified when she rubbed at the itch coursing through her arms, and one of the teenage girls asked, “Is the stricken bothering you? You need me to get your mate?”
“No,” she smiled weakly. “Just cold,” she lied.
The pretty girl’s delicate brows fell into a frown. “We can smell lies.” The girl shared a look with her friends before muttering, “Nice way to introduce yourself, lady.”
It was no wonder Chief didn’t want a human as a mate. She was so clueless about everything.
“I’m sorry,” she offered lamely. “I…I just don’t want to be more of a bother than I already am.”
The girl’s expression softened, and she looked at her friends before offering. “Don’t let him give you crap about being human. My mom was too, and she’s badass!” The girl shot Alise a genuine grin, “I’m Ava.” She pointed at one of the other girls, “That’s my sister, Keyahna.”
She introduced all the other girls in the basement, but Alise didn’t hear their names because Ava’s words were stuck in her head.
“Wh-what do you mean your mom used to be human? She’s gone?”
Ava giggled. “No! I mean yeah. She went into town with dad.” She lifted her head and was quiet a moment before saying, “But they’re back now.”
“I don’t get what you’re saying,” Alise stood and approached slowly. “What do you mean your mom used to be human?”
Ava shrugged negligently. “Dad changed her when they mated.”
“Changed her?”
“Yeah. He turned her into one of us.”
Holy hell! Alise felt rocked, she even had to throw out a hand to steady herself when her legs nearly gave out. “Ch-changed her? They can do that?”
“Only with mates. Chief’ll probably change you too,” Ava beamed. “Then you’ll be one of us.”
Chief could change her? Did it happen when they mated? If they mated?
“Does the male always change the female?”
The two sisters exchanged a look. It was Keyahna who answered. “Not always. It’s up to the female if she wants to be changed.”
“Not with mom and dad,” Ava corrected. “Remember, he accidentally changed her.”
Accidentally? Alise lifted a hand to her throat. Heart racing in her chest, she didn’t know if she should be pressing the girls for answers. After a moment’s hesitation though, she realized that Chief wasn’t going to give her any so she pressed on. “Changed her accidentally? How…how’d that happen?”
A deep masculine voice from behind her had Alise gasping as she startled hard.
“That’s personal, Alise, and something I’d appreciate if you’d asked my mate or me directly.”
Alise turned and found a man towering behind her. He was big and handsome, but nowhere near as tall or as intimidating as Chief.
“I’m sorry,” she muttered and backed up a step. “I was just…”
“Looking for answers.” A beautiful woman with big brown eyes set in a face framed by waist-length, straight, black hair stepped forward, and shoulder bumped the guy. “Give her a break, love. This shit is scary in the beginning.” Jerking her head at the girls, she said, “Upstairs girls. See to your chores before anything else.” She caught Ava’s arm as she made to pass and asked, “Can you go get the guestroom prepared, please.” She looked at Alise, “We’ll have company for a while.” Facing Alise, Chloe held out a hand. “Come on, we’ll take you up to Chief. He’ll be itching to see you.”
“Wait!” Alise didn’t move. “I need some answers, and he refuses to give them. Can…can you answer them for me?”
Chloe looked from Alise to Dell.
“I deserve to know,” Alise pushed. “I’ve been stricken too. This isn’t all about him.”
Chloe agreed. “You’re right. You deserve answers. Ask.”
Chapter 17
Chief frowned hard out the window. Physically forcing himself to keep from hunting down Alise, he was struggling to formulate a plan of action…and he was stalling. Having Alise in the house and trying to ignore his wolf’s pull to her was like trying to ignore oxygen. It was impossible. Still, he needed to come up with a game plan. Hiding from the Walkers at the BlackBird compound was no longer a necessity, so what then? Where did he and Alise go? He contemplated giving her up, simply walking away, but his wolf would never let that happen now. No, Beast had grown attached already and while Chief was strong enough for a lot of things, forcing Beast to do things he didn’t want wasn’t one of them.
Blinking out at the towering pines that swayed in the strong winds, Chief thought on what exactly it was that he would be willing to give up for Alise. Dell believing the stricken was real was one thing, but Mama telling Chief that it was changed things considerably. The elder he
ld knowledge and power rarely seen in shifter world. If Mama said it was real…it was.
Thinking hard, Chief considered that Alise might not want to go back to the wilds of British Columbia with him, which was fine. His time in solitude was done. He had a mate now. A mate that needed special consideration, especially after the way he’d been treating her.
We’ll go someplace together. Try and figure things out.
The sound of footsteps had Chief turning to face the entryway. Dell and Chloe entered the den followed by Alise. Eyes on Alise, he fought the urge to cross to her, even fisting his hands to keep from doing so.
“Please,” Dell gestured to one of the oversized leather sofas that sat facing each other in front of a large hearth. “Have a seat.”
Alise merely glanced at Chief, and even from across the room he could scent her sadness. She’d been hurt by his actions earlier and even more so by his words, but none of it could be helped because her facing off against the Skin Walkers wasn’t an option. He’d done what he’d done what he had to do to protect her, whether she saw it that way or not.
He watched as Alise cautiously skirted one of the couches and took a seat as far as she could from him. She refused to make eye contact with him, and it had his hackles rising.
“We’ve explained some things to Alise,” Chloe stated.
Instantly, annoyance bunched Chief’s brows. “That wasn’t your place.”
Dell took a step forward, but Chloe’s hand on his chest halted him.
With a mocking twist to her lips, Chloe explained, “This is our territory. And a stricken wolf shifter and his mate within the confines of that territory is our business.”
“They think our stricken is real,” Alise muttered staring down at her hands.
“I’m coming to see it that way,” Chief agreed thinking his admission would earn him a direct look from Alise, and then wishing for one when she refused to acquiesce.