Chapter 14
Hands crossed over his chest, Keith leaned against the side of the car, tipped his head up so the sun could warm his face, and inhaled the scents of his home pack.
He had left before he was eighteen and returned seven years later with the goal of being laid to rest in his packlands.
By then, he was so exhausted and demoralized that he hadn’t been able to focus on anything until his mate’s arrival had snapped him back to reality.
If he had been even a little clearer-headed, he would have realized that Rupert Jackson was much worse than a weak, power-driven Alpha.
What he could smell and sense around him wasn’t merely the stifling effect of a leader who didn’t have the strength to connect his pack to Mother Nature; there was something rancid in the air and essence of his pack.
Whatever chemicals and witchcraft Rupert had been using likely hadn’t been limited to what Keith had already seen.
Mother Nature wasn’t just disconnected from Green Field, she was angry and the land and pack were withering and rotting as a result.
It was long past time for him to step up and lead.
Sensing his mate, he turned his attention to the front door of the Alpha house.
Brian had insisted on confronting Alpha Jackson alone, so Keith had stayed outside.
He didn’t push back because he was of better use there anyway.
Brian wouldn’t have trouble defeating Rupert on his own, and this way, Keith could stand guard and prevent anyone else from going into the house.
That was assuming Rupert had the guts to face Brian.
“He isn’t there.” Brian’s face was pinched in frustration. “Allegedly.”
That answered that question.
“Where else could he be?” Brian asked as he walked over to him.
“Well,” Keith clasped both sides of Brian’s collar and tugged him close.
“Either someone finally turned in a circle three times while chanting a magical incantation by candlelight and he’s been banished to his native place in hell”—he kissed his mate’s perfect lips and felt his tense muscles relax—“or he’s hiding from you inside the house. ”
“Mmm.” Brian’s eyes slid shut and he leaned into him. “Mate,” he murmured and kissed Keith back. The pressure and warmth were perfect, but eventually what Keith said must have registered because Brian’s eyes snapped open. “What did you say? An incantation? What do you—”
“That part was a joke. Probably. The second one’s true though.”
“You think he’s hiding inside?” Brian frowned. “I guess that’s possible. I tried to root him out by scent, but the entire place smells like him, so it was impossible. I walked through the whole house, even that basement you were in. No luck. And nobody in there would talk to me.”
“They aren’t friendly to outsiders. I warned you about that.”
“I know you did but...” Brian let out a frustrated breath and glared at the Alpha house. He was adorable.
“I can go and—”
“Absolutely not.”
Grinning at his sweetly protective mate, Keith said, “Come here and give me another kiss.”
“Keith, this is a serious situation. I need to—”
He darted forward and nipped Brian’s ear.
“What are you—”
Before Brian could finish his sentence, Keith pulled him closer and pressed their lips together. He didn’t rush, nibbling, licking, and coaxing until he was sucking on his mate’s tongue and enjoying the press of his bulge against his groin.
“Mate,” Brian moaned. “I need you so much. I can’t lose you.”
“I need you too,” Keith whispered. He gently brushed his fingers through Brian’s hair. “Let’s wrap things up here so we can sate those needs.”
Brian dropped his forehead to Keith’s shoulder and nuzzled his ear and neck. “I have to find that asshole first.”
“Try the closet in the mudroom off the back of the house. Push aside whatever’s in there and you’ll find a door leading to a basement that’s not connected to where I was staying when you found me.”
“How do you know that? There is no possible way you can scent his location from all the way out here.”
“I can’t.” Keith smiled at him. “But when I was staying in the basement, I could sense him nearby and I remember the house staff using the other portion of the basement for storage when I was a kid. My guess is he turned that space into his fortress of doom.”
“Stop making me laugh.” Brian snickered. “This is literally a life and death situation. We should be serious.”
“I don’t have that setting.” Keith shrugged. “It was wiped out along with my self-preservation skills and yet I’m still here.” He pecked Brian’s nose. “You better go inside before Rupert comes up with a sure-to-backfire escape plan.”
And before the reinforcements Rupert must have called arrived.
Keith didn’t say that part out loud, because if he did, Brian would never agree to leave him outside alone.
With him also refusing to let Keith come inside, they’d be in an unsolvable quandary that would lead to an argument about Keith going back to Purple Sky and staying safe.
If he had to go through that back-and-forth again, he really would lose what was left of his already tenuous sanity.
“Good point. I’ll go handle Rupert Jackson. You stay here, okay? Don’t follow me.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Brian squinted at him suspiciously. He settled back against the car, making himself comfortable. That seemed to mollify his mate, so he turned around and marched back into the Alpha house, his posture tall and determined. The man was precious.
Keith tipped his face in the direction of Purple Sky.
With the river dividing it from Green Field, the territories felt much farther apart than they were as the crow flies.
They could solve that problem and connect the territories by building a bridge over the river.
Sister packs weren’t common, but that was because Alphas generally didn’t have the disposition to work that intimately with one another. That wouldn’t be an issue with them.
Aside from being mates, they were a good team.
Brian was a picture-perfect leader, he had the organizational skills, patience, and professionalism Keith lacked, and Keith had the power to keep everyone safe from any external and internal forces and connect even their expanded area to Mother Nature.
They could unite their packs and live in harmony.
Brian said the river wasn’t owned by either pack, so they’d need to purchase it.
He’d suggest that plan to Brian when he was done disposing of the trash.
Rupert Jackson truly wasn’t a physical threat, but he’d had enough time to call his minions by now, so Keith stood tall and focused on his surroundings.
He wouldn’t let anyone get near his mate.
Brian had been in the house for about fifteen minutes when footsteps sounded, the front door opened, and one of Keith’s pack members ran out.
“Alpha!” Lorraine cried out the moment she saw him. “Praise heavens.” She rushed toward him.
Rosemary followed her out the door of the Alpha house, her long skirt gathered in her hands and her hair slipping from its always present bun. “You’re here.” Relief was evident in Rosemary’s voice. “Alpha, you’re here.”
For the first time, he didn’t dispute the title. Instead, he smiled at the women who had supported him for as long as he could remember. “I’m here,” he confirmed.
“That Alpha who took you is back,” Rosemary said breathlessly as she ran to him. “Alpha Brian Berger. He’s here and he challenged the Monster. He wants to take over Green Field.”
“We tried to keep him away,” Lorraine said, coming to a stop in front of him. “But he figured out where the Monster was hiding. He went after him.”
“Good.” Keith nodded. The two women were hunched over, hands on their knees, chests heaving as they gasped for air. “Breathe,” he said gently. “Everything will be better from now on.” He set a reassuring hand on each of their napes. “I’ve got you.”
“No, Alpha, you don’t understand,” Rosemary said. “If you don’t stop him, he’ll unseat Rupert Jackson in a challenge and then he’ll be the Green Field Alpha instead of you!”
“You have to go inside,” Lorraine beseeched him. “Please, Alpha. Please.”
“It’s too late.” Gloria walked out of the Alpha house, her posture slumped as she shuffled toward him. “I could hear them downstairs. That other Alpha already won the challenge.”
“Did anyone else get hurt?” Keith asked.
“No.” Gloria started shaking her head, flicked her gaze to the ground surrounding him, and then said, “Not inside, no.” When she was close enough to touch, she cupped Keith’s cheek. “You look well.” Her eyes glistened. “Healthy. I’m so glad, Alpha.”
Having finally regulated their breathing, Lorraine and Rosemary straightened and looked at him appraisingly. “Gloria’s right,” Lorraine said. “You look good, Alpha. Strong.”
“I didn’t look strong before?” he teased.
“You know what I mean.” The older woman’s cheeks colored.
“It’s not too late,” Rosemary said frantically. “You can challenge that other Alpha and take your place. We need you, Alpha Iredell. We’ve waited so long. Green Field needs you.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Brian stepped out of the house, his clothes barely rumpled. “This pack is already his. It always has been.”
“You took care of him?” Keith confirmed.
He nodded. “You were right. He was weak. I also called Steve and told him to come here with reinforcements so we can—” He froze and gasped, his eyes widening at the full picture before him.
“What the fuck?” He turned from left to right, scanning the entire area and taking in the ten bodies on the ground. “Who are they?”
“Rupert’s lapdogs,” Keith said. “They tried to get the drop on you. Emphasis on tried. I didn’t let them.”
Brian blinked a few times, clearly processing the scene, and then he rushed over to him, wedging past the three women. “Are you okay?” His hands hovered on either side of Keith’s shoulders and down the length of his body. “Did they hurt you?”