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Grey I call Ty. Ivy answers and passes the phone to him.

“Greyson Blackwood,” he greets. “Congratulations on your mating.”

“Thanks, Ty. Feelin’ okay?”

“Feeling fine.”

“She was ordered to do it by her pack’s alpha. Also her brother.”

“Not a surprise. Of course I’d let it go, Greyson. This is your mate. She’s pack now. Is this why you’re phoning?”

“Not exactly, but glad to hear it. I had no doubts you’d understand. Do you recall any dealings with a pack in Silver Hills?”

“Don’t know a town called Silver Hills.”

“Not a town, the name of the pack and their business. Silver Hills Salvage. It’s about twenty or thirty minutes outside Darkmoor. Alpha named Meadows.”

“No.”

“My mate’s brother. Apparently he’s after our territory and pack, wanted you taken out first for revenge because… my mate says he’s accusing you of slaying their former alpha, their father, John Meadows.”

“When?”

“More than eight years ago.”

“I have no memory of that specifically, but Greyson, that was a time when Cornelius used me in fights. We traveled a lot.”

“Can you explain, Ty?”

“Meaning he would put me in dogfights for money. He would work me up into a rage I call the red haze. With words or with food that might have contained potions, I don’t know, but I’d black out. He’d sometimes have to jab me with a needle to bring me out of it.”

“Fuck, Ty…”

“There was a shifter once... I don’t remember much, but I remember Uncle arguing with another shifter after one of those fights. Could be him. I have a vague memory of Uncle whispering things of a man who was a risk to us, and I did attack a man after a fight. I don’t know if it was him, don’t even remember if it was a shifter, but I do know he didn’t survive.”

“He could be a real problem, this Wyatt Meadows. He’s already ordered you to be assassinated, but ordered Stacy to do it. Had her weaken alphas with that poison. She’s not remotely built that way. She’s a wreck over what he forced her to do.”

“She’s your mate. She’s pack. I won’t hold it against her. Besides, she lowered the gun at the last second. She had me lined up but moved the gun down before she fired. She intentionally maimed instead of slayed.”

I’m not surprised by this. She followed her brother’s orders because she had to do it, but she intentionally failed at her mission.

“That’s good, brother. Thank you.”

“What can I do to help, Greyson?”

“For now, can you talk to the others about watching the perimeter for anything unusual? Ask Joel and Linc to do a background check, get us whatever intel we can on Wyatt Meadows? John Meadows, too? Don’t know what his next move will be. She called him a while ago and left a message. I’m giving it twenty-four hours and if we don’t hear back, I’ll reach out myself, try to set up a meeting with him. If he pulls any moves before then, I want to be consulted before any actions are taken. Hold and secure only if at all possible. I know you were the one he went after first but considering she’s my mate, that this is her family…” I let that hang.

“I understand. Absolutely, you’re lead on this, and I’ll help however you need.”

The way he fits with our council already… this is how it was meant to be.

“Appreciated, Ty.”

“Go ahead and enjoy time with your new mate, Greyson. We’ll look after everything. If you’re needed, we’ll reach out.”

“Thanks, brother.”

I call my father next.

“Greyson?” is how he greets me.

“Dad.”

“Congratulations, son,” he says, but it’s tentative. Almost in the form of a question.

“Thanks. She’s… I’m shocked at what I’m feeling this fast.”

“That’s how it goes,” he replies, his tone coming across almost like a warning.

“Know much about the Silver Hills shifter pack?” I ask.

There’s a pause. “Meadows… smaller pack. Runs an auto wreckers and metal salvage place. Keep to themselves. This where your female is from?”

“Yes. They’re a threat. Alpha brother forced her to target us. At the diner and shooting Tyson.”

He mutters, “Meadows tried to do some trade with us ten or so years ago. Standoffish. Surly fucker. Didn’t like our terms so backed off.”

“I remember. I went with you. We met him in the parking lot of a hardware store. He wouldn’t let us come to his village.”

“That’s right.”

“He bring shifters into the dogfight circuit that you know of?”

“Hm… may’ve heard a rumor about that years ago. Not certain though they might have been brought before the SCC on that. Somethin’s nagging at my memory.”

“He’s dead. Stacy says Tyson killed him. Her brother wants revenge and everything that’s ours. Thinking they may have crossed paths when Cornelius Savage put Ty in dog fights.”

“Makes sense. Exactly the sort of thing Corn would’ve done. Your new mate tells you she was forced but, son… is it possible she’s lying? There are some cunning females out there that use their wiles–”

“She’s got a pure heart,” I cut him off.

“Be careful, Greyson,” he warns.

“I can read her.”

“Even still… careful, son,” he repeats.

Irritated, I say, “Speakin’ of which, Dad, I have questions.”

“About Soleil,” he replies knowingly.

“Good guess.”

“You’re mated to a woman who tried to harm the pack. Of course you’re feeling conflicted about that, want to know more about severing the bond.”

“Not remotely. Why would I want to sever the bond?”

“And therein lies the potential for being blindsided.”

“Care to explain?”

He huffs out a sigh.

“Dad?”

“Just want to say it’s best you keep your eyes open. Don’t let your knot guide you, son. It doesn’t take much for a new mate to cloud your judgement. Told Riley the same not long ago.”

“He hasn’t mated yet?”

“Not yet,” he confirms.

I ask, “His mate still here?”

“Parked at the store. It’ll come to a head. Soon, I suspect.”

“Why’d you sever your bond with Soleil? I already can’t imagine doing it and it’s been just over twenty-four hours. You didn’t sever the bond until I was… what?”

“A few months old.”

“Why?”

He holds the phone. And I can envision him – an older version of myself – clenching his teeth, jaw muscles bulging.

“Know it’s your business, but given the circumstances, think it’s also mine,” I press.

“I don’t like looking back.” His voice is hard.

“Just asking you to do it once, Dad. To help me understand why I’ve grown up disconnected from half of my genetics.”

He sighs. “Is she resistant? Your mate?”

“No,” I say. “Timid. But not resistant. She’s remorseful. Fearful. She was forced to do her alpha brother’s bidding. We haven’t gotten deep yet, but she’s been through some shit. That much is clear.”

“Even still, be watchful. Your mom needs me. Gotta run. Give me a little time. Don’t like to go back, but I will. Just… give me a little time to get into the right headspace.”

My father is a good man. A strong man. Rather stubborn, though. I’m torn between wanting him to just spit it out and respecting his wishes to wait and talk it out.

Thinking about my mate and wanting to get back to her, I decide to let it go for tonight.

“Yeah, Dad. I’ll be watchful. Don’t make me wait too long. Been almost thirty-three years already.”

“Enjoy your time, son. Nothing like those first few weeks. We’ll talk when you come up for air. Let me know if you need any help dealing with the Silver Hills situation. I’ll check with the rest of my council and see if any of them have anything to add. Far as I know, we don’t really have other history with them, but I’ll ask.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

I’m irritated when I hang up, but when I find her lying in my bed, my emotions smooth out. This is a sight I’d find soothing if not for the tumultuous emotions I feel from her.

I sit on the edge and move a lock of hair off her forehead. She jumps out of her daze, looking terrified for a heartbeat but then grabs for me.

I press my lips to hers and kiss her deeply while I stroke her mate mark with my thumb.

She sighs with relief and as I pull back, our eyes connect, hers bright, soothing, a beacon in the darkness.

This is what I get to come home to from now on. Softness and warmth in my bed.

To say she doesn’t care what happens to her brother surprises me since she’s obviously a caring person. It’s clear she’s been through a lot because of him. Even if he’s a threat to the pack, he’s her blood, so I’ll do what I can to resolve this without going the way of the old school alpha against alpha beef – a fight to the death. I don’t want my mate to resent me for taking her brother away.

She’s angry with him after he’s thrust her into this uncertain and dangerous situation, forcing her to do things that are out of character. My gut tells me there’s much to be careful about. Playing devil’s advocate, if he keeps pack matters close to the vest, she doesn’t have all the facts.

I’ve long learned that before you make a decision it’s best to have all the facts. Though I can’t imagine any situation where it would be logical for an alpha to send an omega female in to assassinate another alpha. Not in a million years.

He might not be logical. Perhaps he’s worse than a power-hungry tyrant. Maybe he needs to be extracted as alpha of his pack.

She’s anxious about her loved ones. She’s full of worries. She’s had a lot of weight resting on her slender shoulders. Omega females are maternal, nurturing. Of course she cares about her pack. Of course she wants everything to turn out okay, even if she is angry with her brother.

Family ties aren’t simply fastened by a single knot. Anger and frustration can mean we’re colorful with our language and harsh with our words, but they’re often on the surface, the product of what can be big feelings.

But bottom line: I need to know more about her brother and that pack’s dynamics before I can decide the best way to handle it. Dirty water not suitable for drinking. Not wanting even paranormal outsiders to know anything about them suggests dirty secrets. Not letting women shift or believing in the mate bond?

We need to know more. And I need to take into consideration the fact that despite Stacy’s anger at her brother for decisions he’s made in how he runs his pack; leaders can’t always tell their people everything. Sometimes it’s a matter of safety. Then again, he might just be a diabolical, greedy asshole.

The way my father has put it, relationships aren’t always salvageable. I don’t know if Riley and his mate’s relationship can move forward. I don’t know why my father deemed his relationship with my biological mother to be unfixable. If not for the severing, Carrie wouldn’t have come into his life, and we wouldn’t have my sister Bailey. Things do happen for a reason. We’ve seen that here our whole lives and we’ve seen a whole lot of it since Ty came home.

I feel so much tension and anxiety inside my mate that I wrap her into my embrace, purr to give her comfort, and revel in how right she feels.

And after not having a solid night of deep sleep for a few nights, I don’t get the chance to knot again. I fall asleep holding her in my human form, which means I sleep deep.

***

I wake and eye the alarm clock. I slept for a solid ten hours, and my mate isn’t next to me. I don’t react to being alone, my senses track where my mate is. Downstairs. Cooking. Humming.

But before I get there, multiple alpha scents hit my nose as way too fucking close, so I pop my head out the balcony door and see some of my council co-alphas who want to know what’s what. Who want to know if I’m all right. Who are asking for answers about my mate, her actions, her pack. I tell them to fuck off with a smile on my face. Clearly, they haven’t talked to Ty yet.

It's only unmated council alphas in my driveway so although they know it’s wise to leave an alpha with his new mate until he chooses to surface, they don’t truly understand the emotions that quickly grow. But they soon will.

I move down to the kitchen and find her with the waffle iron and a shy smile.

“Is it… okay that I just…”

She gestures to the room, and I speak to save her from stumbling through more words.

“Of course I want you to make yourself at home. This is your home, Blossom. I put this kitchen in for you. Smells good.” I survey the kitchen counter, and she’s baked muffins as well as made waffles and breakfast sausages. A pot of coffee is brewed. She excitedly reaches for a cup and pours and passes it to me.

I set the cup down.

“Before you give me anything when you see me each morning, you give me that mouth.”

Her cheeks tint pink and she looks at me with a glazed expression, so I move in instead, pressing my lips to hers then nipping her bottom lip playfully as I grasp her ass cheeks and lift her up onto the counter beside the previously unused waffle maker I got as a housewarming gift. I shove it aside and yank on the cord to unplug it before I shove the shirt she’s wearing up and cup between her legs while I continue to plunder her mouth.

“It's been too long since I was connected to you,” I inform as I feel that she’s wet for me. I free myself and grab her hips to bring her down onto my waiting erection. Sliding inside her silky heat feels incredible. I spin us around and put her back against the opposite wall. She’s staring at me with a wondrous expression as I move her on my cock.

She grasps my shoulders, and a sexy expression overtakes her features as her head rolls back against the wall, a husky moan leaving her delicious mouth. Her wavy, dark hair is everywhere and it looks, smells, and feels beautiful. My mouth latches onto her mark and I groan as she tightens around my cock, making my knot spring out and begin pulsing.

Stacy clenches my shoulders harder, her nails digging in as she lets out the sweetest little cry while my hips piston forward over and over. I absorb her musical cries, feel her goosebumps, enjoy the clenching of her thighs, her fingers, and especially that tight heat.

I’ve felt so fucking alive since I first got inside her. I feel strong, fierce, unstoppable – like I can conquer anything right now.

When my knot deflates, I move us to the dining table where places are set for us. A tall stack of waffles sits on a platter between the two place settings. The plate of foil-covered breakfast sausage beckons me from the counter, so I bring it over, giving her a lazy smile, enjoying the hazy glow of Stacy recovering from her climax.

She rushes into the bathroom while I dish up some food. I pour a puddle of syrup onto the plate first. When she comes out, she looks intrigued as she watches me lift a waffle and tear a piece off, dunking it into the puddle before feeding it to her. It’s gone cold but the syrup is warm. I dredge the rest of the waffle into the syrup and take a big bite.

A smile tugs at the corners of her mouth as she chews and swallows.

I’ve inadvertently dripped some syrup onto her collar bone.

“Oops. Let me clean this up. Mm,” I say as I swallow then lean forward and lick the droplet of sweetness from her collar and watch her eyes widen.

I feed her some sausage and then eat some.

Another two bites and I want more of my delicious mate.

“Fun with food,” I mutter before I put her on my lap, straddling me. I grasp both sides of the shirt and pull them up to divest her of the fabric. I toss the shirt and grab the jug of syrup.

Stacy’s eyes widen as I drizzle some syrup over her breasts.

I lick her nipple and then take another bite of waffle.

She’s a little shocked, but her eyes are alight with happiness.

“Fucking delicious,” I marvel and lick her again.

I pass her the syrup and give her a chin jerk.

Stunned, she looks at the bottle in her hand and chews her lip.

I wait.

She drizzles some on my shoulder and laps it up like a hungry kitten. And I feel the sensation in my cock.

I lift her by her hips to put her on her feet in front of me before I drop my sleeping pants and eyeball her with a smirk.

She stares at my dick as I grab the bottle from her and tip it over my crotch briefly before I set it down and wait.

Her eyes widen in surprise, but she’s rooted in place.

“Gonna clean up your husband’s cock?”

She blinks a few times as something fearful hits her eyes and my chest at the same instant. But she clears her expression and shakily moves to her knees between my parted thighs.

“Hey?” I tip her chin up, not liking what I’m feeling from her.

She has a hangup about oral sex and I’m about to get angry and ask questions, ask if someone forced her, but as if sensing this, she clears her expression and timidly reaches for my wrist to remove my hand. She leans forward and tentatively puts her tongue to my root where she cleans up the drizzle of syrup.

If my head were clear right now I’d enjoy it. But the emotions coming from her block the sensations, so I lift her by her armpits and up into my arms, taking her to the couch where I gently lay her down and slide inside her.

Her expression relaxes, her muscles unclench, and I gently hold her jaw while kissing her, rocking gently into her over and over until she cries out, which makes my knot snap out, driving us over the edge.