Page 38 of Claiming Xan (Shifters of Greymercy #7)

XAN

I couldn’t remember a time when the holidays weren’t packed full of friends and family—both blood-family and found-family.

Our house was always full this time of year, even after Tasha, Quinn and Kace moved out, and it was just me and Mom living here.

Because it was still home to everyone in Rubydawn, still the place where Mom hosted her parties and full-moon feasts and holiday bonanzas—and what better way to celebrate than with those you were closest to?

Today was Thanksgiving. People had begun pouring in around noon, even though dinner wouldn’t be served until nearly four.

I dressed cute in a pair of tan leggings and an oversized maternity sweater with a glittery turkey on the front, my hair swooshed off to one side with a bit of gel and hairspray.

River was River, of course—jeans and a hoodie and his Doc Martens. He was also sticking close to me today, I’d noticed.

Ever since our run in with Sky at Bixby’s the other day, and his concurrent meltdown, River had been a bit more agitated than usual. Having a bunch of shifters in our home didn’t seem to be helping matters any.

“If you need to escape into the bedroom, that’s perfectly okay, babe,” I told him.

“I’m fine.” He bit out the words.

I stepped back and gave him a once over, planting my hands on my hips. “You don’t look fine.”

“Xander.” He stared at me, his two-toned eyes sharp before they softened. “I’m okay,” he said, quieter. “I’m just a bit overwhelmed.”

I chewed on my lip. “Well, I need to play the part of the Alpha’s son and go greet guests, so I’ll be in and out. Just take it easy and dip if you need to? Please? I love you.” I leaned up on my tiptoes and kissed up. “I’ll be back soon, promise.”

Quinn and I set up several tables in the dining room and living room, so that everyone would have a place to sit and eat.

The counters in the kitchen were already brimming with side-dishes and casseroles and jello salads.

My stomach rumbled when I saw that Fletcher Rose had brought his famous green pistachio fluff. Oh man. The baby really wanted some of that.

I’d promised Donovan and Shay that I’d bring them some Thanksgiving leftovers later, since they wouldn’t be able to make it. Mom assured me that she’d set plenty aside for them.

I was chatting with Hunter Reed when movement caught my eye. I turned in time to see Jem Murphy and Sky enter the room, carrying a tray of cookies, and my heart skipped a beat.

I froze. Sky froze. We locked eyes. Sky stared at me, unabashedly, then looked me up and down, as if he couldn’t quite believe that I really was pregnant.

Immediately, his expression iced over and he stormed into the kitchen with the cookies with a low growl.

Jem frowned. “Hey, Xan. Is everything okay?” He glanced between me and Sky’s retreating form, rubbing at the back of his neck.

“Everything’s peachy,” I said with a smile, though it felt a little forced.

Jem hesitated. “Should we go? Maybe this was a bad idea…”

“No,” I told him. “It’s Thanksgiving. Everyone is welcome here on Thanksgiving. It’s pack tradition. We’re happy to have you both.”

I only hoped River wouldn’t flip out. I needed to warn him. “If you’ll excuse me…”

I found my mate sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone. I sank down next to him, placing a hand on his knee. “Hey, babe? Fair warning? Jem brought Sky.”

River’s entire body tensed up. “Here?”

“Yeah.” I grimaced.

“Fuck.”

Suddenly, hiding out in the bedroom didn’t seem like such a bad idea.

It didn’t take long before the twins crossed paths, and when they did? Sky was gunning for a fight. He shoved at River, pushing him hard enough that it nearly sent him falling into a table.

“So that’s it then?” He sneered, his fangs bared. He threw an arm out, gesturing to me. “You’ve replaced me.”

River steadied himself with a glower. “It’s not about replacement,” he snapped back. “I told you, Sky. I’m moving on with my life.”

“What? By whoring around? Knocking up the Alpha’s slutty son?” The crowd that had gathered around us grew hushed at his words, and I felt their sting in my cheeks, but River wasn’t going to let that fly.

He snarled, leaping forwards to grab his brother by the throat. He shook him. “Shut your fucking mouth! Don’t talk about him like that! At least I CHOSE this! Unlike with you! Drugged and forced against my will!”

Sky flinched back with a hiss, then slapped River, raking his claws across his cheek.

River stepped closer and growled in his face. “You’re so fucked up, brainwashed, you don’t even know what’s right and wrong anymore, do you? DO YOU?” He shook him again, increasingly violent, and Sky cried out.

Someone was going to get hurt.

I lurched forwards, my heart in my throat. “RIVER! Stop!” I barked, grabbing River’s arm. Jem’s large form stepped in as well, and the two of us wrangled the twins apart despite their snarls and growls.

Jem held Sky by the shoulders. He shook his head. “I’m so sorry,” he uttered. “I shouldn’t have brought him.”

Before I could reply, River cut in. “No. He deserves to see his packmates living a normal life.” With that, he yanked out of my grasp and stormed off, towards the bedroom.

Jem and I exchanged a glance. I shook my head and followed my mate.

Thankfully, things calmed down after that. The food was amazing and I ate way too much, stuffed to the point of bursting.

After dinner, I stepped outside to get some fresh air and to get away from all the noise. The Reed-Morgan twins were chaos embodied in little doe forms and they were so damn loud!

I wasn’t out there very long before the door swung open and shut behind me. I turned, expecting to see River or one of the other wolves, coming out for a smoke break.

Instead, my blood ran cold.

River and Sky were identical, down to their strange bi-colored eyes, but somehow, Sky looked nothing like my mate. And the expression on his face? If looks could kill…

“Sky…” I warned.

Sky stepped closer with a growl, flashing his fangs. “I don’t know who you think you are,” he said darkly. “But River is mine.”

The words sparked through me, a shock to the system. River was his? “What?”

Sky’s face darkened, growing colder. “River is mine,” he repeated. “ My twin. My Alpha. Mine. I won’t warn you again.”

I stared at him, my jaw going slack, unable to form words. What the hell? His Alpha? Did he really think that about his own brother? My stomach churned and I got this vibe, all of a sudden, that maybe Sky was a little off his rocker.

The other Omega shifted into his wolf form and my breath caught—fuck, was he going to attack me?—but instead, Sky snapped at the air in my direction, then darted off into the surrounding woods and disappeared.

I didn’t dare stay out there another minute. I hurried back inside, my heart hammering against my chest, but I didn’t tell anyone what had happened. Honestly? I wasn’t quite sure it was real.

That night, I held onto River while Sky’s strange warning replayed in my mind, over and over again. River is mine. Did Sky really think about his brother like that? That their bond transcended what was morally acceptable?

Unable to sleep, I got up and snacked on some leftover turkey. That’s where River found me, silhouetted by the refrigerator light.

“Xan?” he mumbled. “Why’re you up?”

“Can’t sleep,” I told him.

River yawned, then ran his big hand up and down my back. “C’mon, baby. Come back to bed.”

“Okay.” I closed the fridge and washed the turkey grease from my hands, then followed my mate back to our room. I curled up next to him and let him spoon me, and soon, he was fast asleep once more.

But I was still awake, unable to get Sky’s warning growl shaken loose from my mind.