15. Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Fifteen
Nyx
Air quickly exhales out of my body as I catch sight of Lex. He charges forward first, paws kicking up the ground as he skids to a sudden stop.
One by one, the wolves behind him slow, and my eyes are wide as I take in the number of them. I didn't expect so many, and judging by Cade's reaction, neither did he.
It feels like the surrounding atmosphere is thick, making it harder to breathe, but staring into the heated eyes of Lex, I wouldn't want it any other way.
I can see him searching—looking for evidence of any harm. There's a moment of relief as his wolf's eyes soften, but they are still murderous. Giving him a small nod to indicate that I'm fine, I slowly pull away from our exchange, finding Maverick beside him.
Taking in my form, there's no change in his facial expression—the sharp, hard glare moving from me to the tall man on my left side.
My feet move forward, and Cade makes no attempt to stop me. Bringing myself within touching distance of the wolves, I brush my hand over Lex's taut fur before doing the same to Maverick. Instantly, they both relax, Lex's muzzle rubbing against my arm.
Turning around, I face Cade, assessing his reaction. But even though he seems surprised, nothing could prepare me for the words that come from his mouth.
It feels like I've been slapped in the face, my body jerking as he steps forward, arms outstretched to the side. "Hello, friends!" he greets warmly. "We've been expecting you. If you would like to shift and change, we have some facilities just over there." He points, my eyes following as I spot a small block of outdoor change rooms.
The wolves don't move, and I suddenly realize that Alpha Daxton has walked over, his large black wolf casting a shadow over me.
To my surprise, his voice pops into my head, loud and clear.
"Are you okay, Stevens?"
I nod, staring at him. "I'm fine."
Someone pushes into my back gently, and I glance over my shoulder, eyebrows shooting up as I find Maverick there. He's basically cut off Lex's access to me, barging him out of the way as his large head shoves under my arm.
"I'm okay," I tell him by mind link, pleased when it works. We were never able to do so before, but the night I was taken, it seemed to have kicked in on its own. I'm thankful that we still seem to have that connection, even if it was brought on involuntarily in the face of danger.
"We're going to rip this bastard apart," he says, a growl entwining with his words.
My feet take two large steps back as I place myself in the middle of the two groups. Maverick looks pissed—which is quite entertaining since he's still in wolf form—while Lex looks bewildered and almost hurt .
Quickly, I mind link Lex too, reassuring him that I'm alright.
I have no doubt they can probably hear my rapid beating heart, but I can understand their confusion. They came barreling in here, expecting a fight—and here I am, safe and sound, placing myself between them and their enemy.
"What's happening, Red?" Lex asks firmly.
"It's… hard to explain," I murmur back, our silent exchange drawing attention. "Can you shift back so we can talk?"
I nearly jump out of my skin when I hear Maverick's voice next, his words sending a shock through my body. "Answer the man, Nyx."
Apparently, Lex is as dumbfounded as I am that Maverick is able to hear our conversation. When I glance over at Alpha Daxton, he appears none the wiser, so I assume this is a mates only specialty.
But then, the most puzzling and horrifying thing happens— Cade joins the mind link.
"She's all good, gentlemen. I promise she's been well taken care of. If you'd like to turn your attention to the left, you can change in there. Or, you are more than welcome to come inside and shift in the house. Just be mindful of the mud."
I whip around, eyes widening as I glare at him suspiciously. He's a few feet away, a smile on his face, showing his amusement at the chaos.
"What the fuck is going on?" Maverick snaps, while Lex lowers his head, almost like his wolf is trying to sigh.
"You have got to be kidding me," he mutters, slowly heading in the direction of the changerooms with a look of defeat.
Hesitantly, Lex's pack members follow suit, a line forming behind him as the Blood Moon Pack disappears inside.
I shift my attention to the other side of the group, eyebrows touching my hairline in surprise. "Alpha Wyatt?" I ask, out loud.
His wolf tosses his head, a yipping sound filling the air as he jumps forward, wagging his tail as he passes.
Oh, my Goddess. I'm so embarrassed.
I knew this would be awkward, even if it was a better alternative than a bloodied fight. But irrespective of how happy I am to see them all, a part of me wishes for the ground to open up and swallow me whole.
This is going to be the most uncomfortable conversation in the history of linguistics.
Begrudgingly, Maverick shoots me a final glare, before heading toward the house. I can't help but notice that he purposely digs his paws into the muck deeper, leaving huge muddy prints as he strolls into the all-white house.
When they are out of sight, Alpha Daxton connects with me again, his voice stern. "Stevens, would you mind telling me what is happening?"
Biting down on my bottom lip, I cringe, looking at him. "I may have… accidentally acquired a new mate."
For once, he's speechless, the only indication that he heard me is his sudden turn to face Beta Alix. They must silently communicate because they too head toward the change rooms.
Okay, I was wrong. Now it's even more awkward as I wait by myself, with only Cade and his small number of men. I can't bring myself to look at him, instead gazing out at the trees as I try to ignore the burn in my cheeks as they flush with humiliation.
Lex is the first to emerge, a pair of black jeans hugging his legs and a white cotton shirt. He heads straight for me, pulling me into his arms.
My body sags with relief, arms wrapping around him fast. He breathes in my scent, face buried in the crook of my neck before he places a soft kiss on my cheek.
"I've been so worried," he murmurs, squeezing me tighter.
"I'm sorry," I reply, even though I have no idea why I'm apologizing.
We're still embracing when I hear Cade mutter "Ow" playfully. Lex and I look over at the same time, watching as Maverick storms past him. Cade is rubbing his shoulder dramatically, a grin on his face as Maverick scowls. He must have shoulder barged him when passing to get to me.
"Nyx," Maverick says sharply, like he's addressing someone in a meeting.
Slowly, Lex releases me, and without hesitation, I rush forward, snaking my arms around Maverick painfully as I hug him too.
He's taken by surprise, stiffening against me at first before gently enclosing his firm arms around me. It's lucky that looks can't kill. My face is pressed against Maverick's chest, but I can still sense the death glare he gives Cade. The latter doesn't help ease the tension, laughing back at the gesture.
"I'm going to kill him," Maverick growls. I rest my hands on his chest, fisting his shirt.
"Don't," I whisper, instantly regretting it.
Maverick steps back, glancing down at me. When I find his eyes, I'm pained to find guilt and worry staring back at me. Quickly, I try to reassure him, knowing that Lex is also listening in on our conversation. "Except for that night, I wasn't hurt. He hasn't touched me."
He doesn't respond back, but I can see his eyes processing my words.
Lowering my voice, I let him see my own guilt. "I'm sorry for not listening and staying back."
The old Maverick returns instantly, scoffing. "You always fail to listen. If you had just done as you were told, we wouldn't be here," he says, but I can't help but take note that there's no anger or malice in his voice.
I nod. "I know. Lesson learned."
The sound of multiple footsteps has me pausing, my gaze finding Alpha Daxton as he approaches with the rest of the Shadow Pack. Alpha Wyatt isn't far behind him, the older man giving me a two-finger salute as he grins knowingly.
Well, at least someone is amused by my dumpster fire of a situation.
"Alpha Cade, Alpha Daxton of the Shadow Pack," my leader greets coolly, offering his hand.
Cade shakes it back, nodding politely. "My apologies for not calling. However, time was of the essence."
Despite Alpha Daxton's calm demeanor, I recognize the fury in his face—while the exchange is amicable, Cade still targeted his pack, stealing one of his own. Alpha Daxton's jaw hardens, but he continues on with pleasantries, introducing Beta Alix and gesturing to the pack members behind him.
Lex steps up beside me, his presence all but screaming at Maverick to move the fuck away and move room. Of course, that doesn't happen, and I suddenly feel squashed as the two of them flank me, leaving no space between us.
"There's no need to introduce myself," Lex starts, gazing sternly at Cade. "I'm sure you are well aware of who I am."
Cade nods. "Alpha Lex—it's a pleasure to finally meet you. Our fathers were acquaintances."
I nearly laugh when I see Lex's jaw tick just like Maverick's as I glance up, but I keep quiet, feeling on edge.
"Yes," Lex shoots back a little too quickly, a small growl vibrating from his throat. "And this is my mate ," he finishes, making a threatening claim.
"And yours, I believe," Cade responds unfazed, smiling at Maverick. "The infamous Maverick from the Night Pack."
Unlike the other alphas, Maverick makes no effort to be polite. He ignores Cade's outstretched hand, eyes narrowing on the dark-haired man. "You have some nerve sending your men into Daxton's territory to attack us. If Nyx wasn't here, I'd ensure you were wiped from existence."
Cade beams at him, clearly unaffected by his threat. "I'm so glad you could join us. I'm sure we'll be able to get those mud tracks cleaned up in no time. Are you gentlemen hungry? You must be starved after your journey. This here is my Beta, Sawyer," he says, pointing to the older man. "And Ezra, James, Matteo, and Damien. Sawyer—could you check with Lucy if the food is ready?"
Sawyer nods, heading off in the direction of the other buildings past the house. Turning back to us, Cade claps his hands together. "I hope you don't mind, but I've taken the liberty of preparing a buffet for lunch. We also have some guest rooms set up for you to save you traveling back today."
"We won't be staying," Maverick snaps, but Daxton gives a small nod.
"There's some discussions needed," he says, glancing at Maverick. "I'm sure you'd also like to catch up with Stevens."
Maverick scoffs, clearly annoyed at being outnumbered, stepping away to speak to Knox. My attention is instantly turned to Alpha Wyatt, who takes his place.
"Oh, little Luna. What a peculiar situation you've found yourself in."
His eyes are nearly dancing out of his skull in amusement, and I give him a sheepish, awkward smile. "How's Eve?"
"She's well—unlike the witch that's glaring at us from the front porch."
I snap my head toward the house, spotting Marie lurking near the door. She looks repulsed as usual, and when she catches me watching, her expression deepens.
"That's Marie," I whisper to him. "Don't provoke her. She's, uh, not very friendly."
He laughs, finding Lex over the top of my head. "You look stressed, my friend. Why don't you take Nyx and talk?"
At his suggestion, I look at Cade, who is listening to the conversation with interest. He gives me a smile and nod, and I reach down to grab Lex's hand. "Come on—I'll take you upstairs."
Lex pauses for a moment, raising an eyebrow at Maverick. "Are you coming?"
I'm surprised by the offer, and even more so by his response as Maverick nods.
And the awkward conversations just keep on coming.