BOOK 3
I, Kellen Styles, alpha of the Iron Wolves, known for my iron control, was ready to rip the heads off of two human men I’d never met.
It took monumental effort to make my claws retract.
My jaw ached to rip into flesh and bone as I listened to Laikyn speak of the doctors she worked with.
The way she so casually spoke of a ménage, when I’d thought she was pure and innocent, waiting for me to claim her, made me see red.
I let her soothe her patient, the young woman who’d been attacked and rescued by Kai Swift, the Navy SEAL, and friend to Rowan Shade.
If she thought for one minute she’d be having one in front of her and another behind her ever again, she was sorely mistaken.
I would show her what it was like to be taken by a real man.
One who didn’t need to share a woman with another to give her what she needed.
I’d wipe them from her mind and show her exactly what she’d been missing since that night I’d let her go.
The night I’d found her in a club, she shouldn’t have been in.
A night that would forever be marked in my mind.
A night that clearly hadn’t affected her nearly as much as it had me.
“Mother fucking bastards.” I punched my fist into the wall.
I’d told her we were going to have a conversation, but until I could get my anger under control, I wasn’t safe to be around anyone, let alone the one meant to be my mate.
Maybe I should fly to Kansas City and eliminate the men she’d been with.
Maybe then I’d be able to relax. I stomped back to my office, images of Laikyn with her fiery red hair sandwiched between two unknown men had me growling.
Several wolves jumped out of my way as I entered the bar, my deep rumble reverberating around the club loud enough that all in the vicinity dropped to their knees.
I ignored them, stomping into my office and shutting the door with a loud bang.
I glared at the door an hour later as one of my best friends entered, holding a full bottle of my favorite liquor in his hand.
We settled down on the sofas across from one another.
Deep into the second bottle, I explained to Bodhi what I’d overheard as Laikyn spoke with Alexa Gordon.
The twinkle in the dark eyes should’ve warned me not to tell the other man.
However, Bodhi had the ability to read other people’s thoughts, and more than likely already knew.
“What the hell do you mean, a threesome?” Bodhi asked, his signature bleached-blond hair standing straight up as if it had a mind of its own.
I glared at the younger wolf, not in the mood to repeat myself. Hearing her talk about the two doctors she was partners with had me seeing red. The tumbler in my hand cracked, the glass cut into my palm, and blood mixed with the amber liquid spilled onto the floor.
“Fuckin-A,” I swore, shaking out my hand.
“Want me to get the good Doc for you?” Bodhi asked.
A growl escaped before I could call it back. “Go for it. You might wanna kiss your balls goodbye before you do, though.”
“Bodhi, if I were you, I’d get my ass out to the bar and find something else to do than fuck with the alpha. You are definitely biting off more than you can chew,” Rowan Shade said, his dark eyes laughing as he walked inside the office without knocking.
“I swear to all you hold dear; I’m going to teach each of you some respect.
” I stomped into the large bathroom behind me, the one reserved for me and those I allowed.
After I rinsed the blood off, the large gash was already healing thanks to my shifter abilities.
Being the alpha, my powers were far superior to the others in my pack, making me heal even faster than normal.
Wrapping a bandage around the now small wound, I walked back out to find someone had cleaned up the broken glass and replaced the tumbler with a new one. Rowan, I was sure.
“What’s on your mind, Shade?” I picked up the drink, downing it in one swallow.
Rowan raised his brows. “Maybe I should come back when you’re not in a mood.”
“Shut it, Ro. What’s up?” I walked to one of the large, overstuffed couches, took a seat in the middle, and waited for our newest member to follow.
Rowan had been accidentally bitten by a rogue group of werewolves, then turned by Lyric Carmichael, Xan Carmichael’s baby sister.
Xan and I were more like brothers, and therefore, the younger woman was like a baby sister to me.
Not to mention, she was best friends with my baby sister Syn.
She’d broken a rule in not informing me when she’d saved the human, turning him into one of us, but I wasn’t a bastard, much.
I’d known from the first meeting that Rowan was going to be an asset to the pack.
And I’d been proven correct on more than one occasion, in the few short months since.
However, I was still the alpha and wouldn’t allow anyone to run roughshod over me.
“I think we need to step up security around here and train the entire pack in self-defense. I also understand you think you can protect everyone, and with your enforcers, me included, we do a damn good job,” Rowan held up his hand.
“However, our women and younger generation go outside the club, and many even live outside of the town boundaries, let alone within our protection. What happens if they are attacked there, or in groups? We teach them how to defend themselves without resorting to shifting, and with the help of using their enhanced strength, they have a much better chance at survival.” Rowan crossed his arms over his chest.
I hated when others came up with an idea I should’ve had, but I had to agree with Rowan. “That sounds solid. What do you need from me?”
“Damn, that was easy,” Rowan laughed.
Shaking my head, I set my empty glass on the coffee table. “I’m a reasonable man. Give me sound advice, and not a line of bullshit, and you’re more than likely gonna get the go-ahead. Feed me some cockamamie story, and I’ll feed you my fist. See? I’m all reasonable and shit.”
“Yep, very sane and all that.” Rowan flashed me a toothy grin before continuing. “I’ve got the facility out at my place, plus I want to stay close to home with Lyric. I’d like to start sooner, rather than later. You want to handle the signups or whatever the hell you want to call them?”
“This is not a democracy, man. I’m gonna tell the pack it’s a new thing they will be doing.
You tell me the days, and I’ll tell them to be there.
Just like that.” I snapped my fingers. “Anything else?” I got up to refill my drink, raising it in question before pouring my glass.
As Rowan gave a shake, I shrugged and topped off my glass, coming back to settle on the couch.
“Alright, I’ll talk with Lyric and work out a few days a week. She and I will work together to get a timeframe that’ll maximize what’s best for everyone.”
I waved his words away. “I don’t give two shits what is best for everyone, just what’s best for you two. Get it done.”
Rowan’s deep laugh filled the room. “You might want to talk to Lake before you bust a blood vessel.”
Raising my middle finger, I made sure I didn’t break another glass. I may heal quickly, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t sting just a little. “Go home. I’ve got shit to do. Women to fuck.”
Their newest member ambled out, his cowboy boots barely making a sound on the concrete floors.
I kicked my own booted feet up on the table and leaned my head back on the butter-soft leather.
Damn, I fucking hated the thoughts swirling around in my head.
The only woman I wanted was a tall red-haired temptress who didn’t seem to want me back.
Sure, I could order her to come to me, but that wasn’t what I wanted.
I wanted her to want me the way I wanted and needed her.
A mirthless laugh broke free. “Isn’t it ironic?
The woman I want is so far out of my reach, she might as well be on another planet. ”
I heard the growl in the makeshift clinic. I’d know that sound anywhere. My body came alive. “Damn it. Why couldn’t I want a nice normal man?” I wiped down the rest of the room, preparing it for the next patient who might need it.
“Because then we’d be all bored and shit.” Syn Styles walked into the room.
It took me a moment to catch my breath. When I looked at the petite woman standing in the doorway, an ache settled in my heart.
Syn Styles and Lyric Carmichael were both five years younger than me, yet both women were much more intimidating.
At five feet nine inches, I was a good four inches taller than the other woman, yet I still had no doubt who would win in a fight, and it wasn’t me.
Karsyn, or Syn to her friends, tilted her dark head and, with eyes as blue as her brother’s, stared at me, waiting for something that only she knew.
“Can I help you, Karsyn?” I busied myself removing the rubber gloves and tossing them into the garbage.
“Please, call me Syn. How are you, Lake?” Syn walked into the room, touching the counter, her hands running over everything as if she were memorizing each thing.
“I’m good. You?” I cleared my throat, hating the show of weakness the croak emitted.
Syn laughed. “I’m not going to hurt you…well, unless you hurt my brother, then all bets are off. I don’t think you’re going to do that, though. Are you?”
What the hell was this? “I’m not sure what the heck you’re talking about. Your brother is the alpha. Nobody could hurt him.”
The younger woman was across the room in a flash. “You keep telling yourself that, dear. However, you and I both know he is more than that. He’s much more than just the alpha,” Syn spat. “He’s my brother, and I’ll kill anyone who hurts him. You got me?”