Chapter 17
Rowen
We’d walked through the Hollow like a weird ceremonial procession.
Wolfe and I were out front; Killian, Diesel, and Brand were directly behind us. Cody and Axel were just behind, positioned far enough back not to be directly in line with the other three, but not so far back that they appeared separate.
Thalia was in the line immediately behind Cody, her eyes fierce as she walked behind us, and behind her, pack—both packs—intermingling as they followed, and it was just…a lot.
Eyes front, Wolfe scolded in my mind. We’re a united front, not a goggle-eyed bystander.
I giggled at his reprimand, and I felt his hand squeeze mine.
You look good, he added, and I squared my shoulders as a low heat began in my lower body.
Thank you. I hesitated, side-eyeing him. You lose your shirt again?
Because Wolfe was wearing low-riding jeans and nothing else, and he looked like my new favorite meal. I wanted to climb his body and then spend the rest of the day exploring every inch of him.
His nostrils flared, and he glanced at me, one eyebrow raised in question.
Your heat?
I looked straight ahead, feeling my cheeks burn. No…I think I’m just—
Horny.
I didn’t need to look at him to know the bastard was looking smug. I pulled my hand free, or tried to, but Wolfe held me tight like a vise.
As we approached the pack hall, I wasn’t even slightly surprised to see the druid waiting. They looked over the procession, and I think it was one of the few times in my life where the druid looked surprised.
“The Hollow—”
“Is secure, for now,” Wolfe spoke, dropping my hand and turning to face the large pack behind us. “No one can get in right now.” His eyes fell on Diesel briefly, so briefly I would have missed it had I not been placed right where I was. What was that about? I wondered.
“Tonight, this pack becomes united.” His eyes flicked to mine. “No more stalling.”
The druid stepped forward. “There is magic at work here—”
“The Goddess knows what she wants,” Diesel spoke gruffly, looking the druid over. “High on the peak last night, she spoke to our alpha.”
An excited rumble ran through the pack, and I looked at Wolfe, my eyes wide.
Wolfe grinned. “Well, she sent me down the ridge with a landslide on my tail,” he said easily. “But I got the message.”
I heard a few titters of laughter, but the druid was not laughing. “A landslide on a mountain is your sign?”
“Yes.” Wolfe’s gaze swept the pack. “A reminder to stop fucking about and take action.” He bared his teeth in a semblance of a smile to the druid. “I’m surprised you never heard her laughter as she chased me.”
The druid didn’t have a comeback. To say they had, acknowledged the fact that Luna had spoken to Wolfe. To say they hadn’t, admitted they weren’t in fact as in tune with the Goddess and the land as they claimed.
“Carry on with your day,” Wolfe told everyone. “Tonight in front of the Heartwood, we will stand.”
When no one moved, he rolled his eyes with a teasing smile. “Okay, well I was hoping for no audience, but—” He reached out and tugged me to him. My hands lay flat against his bare chest. “I want to kiss my mate hello,” he murmured, looking down at me, his eyes darkening with hunger.
“Wol—”
He pulled me gently forward. His thumb brushed over my lips, resting lightly on my chin.
He tipped my head back slightly, and his mouth covered mine with no hesitation, and before I’d even reacted, his tongue was sliding against mine, his thumb on my chin holding me, like he’d done this a thousand times before.
He kissed me, and I leaned forward, wanting more, our tongues teasing, his mouth moving over my lower lip, sucking it gently before nipping it.
My moan was lost in his mouth as he deepened the kiss, our tongues dueling, my hands in his hair, his other hand resting on the curve of my hip, his thumb gone from my chin, his hand cupping the side of my face as Wolfe commanded the kiss.
He drew back, mere inches from me, his eyes dark with desire, and I saw the small smile on his lips.
“Welcome back,” he murmured, brushing my lips once more.
I heard a noise and tore my eyes away from him to turn and see the whole pack still behind us, watching. Not just watching, they looked…delighted.
“Um…” I turned back to Wolfe and saw his smile at my discomfort of being watched. “Hi.”
Wolfe took my hand. “I’ll walk you home. You’ve had a long night, and tonight will be even longer.”
Hoots and hollers followed, and I knew that’s not what he meant, but I dipped my head as I tried to hide the blush.
The pack slowly dispersed as we walked home. Wolfe didn’t let go of my hand as he walked and talked with the pack who followed, but I could feel it. Underneath his smile and easiness, there was an undercurrent of tension.
His betas stayed with us, their steady, silent presence highlighting that all was not well. You wouldn’t suspect it with Wolfe, as he kept chatting and joking as we walked. His outward relaxed demeanor was that of a happy alpha.
What’s going on? I asked him through the mindlink.
I’ll explain at home.
Home.
It no longer meant the pack hall, and I realized, even after just a few weeks away, I didn’t expect it to be.
We entered the house, Wolfe, me, and three betas. He opened the door when we were all crammed inside and beckoned for Cody and Axel, making the space seem even smaller. He waited, and I knew I wasn’t the only one whose eyebrows rose when Thalia slipped through the door.
The door closed, and I felt the air change. I’d moved to the kitchen to give the bigger males room, and as I took my jacket off, and wondered if I needed to make them tea, I felt the change.
“What is that?” I asked, moving towards the living area.
Diesel looked smug. “A little something I picked up that I thought you and the alpha may appreciate.”
I met Wolfe’s steady gaze. “A privacy spell?” He nodded, and I frowned. “Why do we need a privacy spell?” I realized why as soon as I asked, and when five grown shifters, six including Thalia, all avoided my gaze, I felt stupid. “Never mind,” I mumbled.
Wolfe looked around. “Everyone got space?” he asked conversationally as he dropped into a chair.
Diesel leaned against the wall, Brand took one end of the couch, Killian the other, Thalia and Cody took a space on the floor, Thalia sitting more or less on Cody’s lap, and Axel leaned against the door. Wolfe looked over at me.
“I’m good here,” I told him from the kitchen.
He patted his lap. “Here.”
Usually, I would tell him to stuff it, but I didn’t know if it was the phone calls, the kiss, or that my wolf just wanted to be near him, but I crossed the small space and perched on the edge of my mate’s knee. Okay, maybe I wanted to be near him too.
Wolfe didn’t believe in things being done half-assed. His arm snaked around my waist, and I was pulled into his chest. He dropped his head into the crook of my neck and inhaled deeply.
You smell delicious.
I flushed. Behave, I admonished him, wiggling in his lap to get comfy. Why am I on your lap anyway?
Because I want you to be.
I turned my head to look at him over my shoulder and almost came undone when I saw the slow, sexy smirk, and, clearing my throat, I faced the front once more.
“I think we should be quick,” Diesel murmured, and Killian nodded in agreement, far too quickly, only making my cheeks redden even more.
“Did you really hear the Goddess?” Thalia asked Diesel, and I shot her a grateful look as all attention shifted to the big male.
“Heard her?” Diesel snorted. “Difficult wench tried to kick my ass down a mountain.”
I gaped. Wolfe chuckled, so did Brand and the others, but was he serious? “Wench?” I struggled to speak. “You can’t call the Goddess a wench!”
“Sure I can,” Diesel said with an easy shrug.
“Yes,” Wolfe said, pulling me farther back against him until I was practically lying on him. “I asked for a sign and she not only sent me this ornery bastard back, she created the seal.”
“The territory barrier?” Killian asked, leaning forward. “Nice,” he added when Diesel nodded. “It’s the reverse of Stonefang, right?”
Wolfe’s hand skimmed lightly up and over my arm, making it hard to concentrate. He didn’t seem to be having any difficulty. “Yeah, I think it is. No one gets in when we’re both here.”
“You have that mother and her children to move,” Axel said quietly but firmly. “Solana wants out of here; you called them back too quickly.”
Diesel frowned. “Why is she leaving?”
“Her husband was using the oldest to send messages to our attackers,” Axel told him with no hesitation. “He beat his wife, threatened the oldest with abusing his little sister, let another use his wife against her will.”
Diesel growled low in his throat. “Is he still alive?”
Wolfe sat up a little, and I used the moment to stand and move to the kitchen.
“It is for the Pack Council to try him for his crimes,” Wolfe said calmly.
“Fuck that,” Diesel scoffed, and I saw Cody nod in agreement. “His punishment should come at the hand of his alpha.”
“Whoever punishes him,” Axel said from his post at the door, “Solana was promised the chance to leave, to go to Stonefang and heal.”
Diesel looked at Wolfe, who gave a slight nod. “I’ll take her in the morning.”
Cody nodded. “The Grumps are there; they’ll take care of her.”
I couldn’t think of anything worse than those creepy old shifters looking after her. Other than Diesel being the shifter to lead them to the territory. My eyes widened as I looked at Wolfe, and he squinted in question. “What is it, princess?”
“I…” I shook my head. “I can talk to you later.”
“She wants to know if I’m the best choice to escort a beaten female to Stonefang.”
Well, if Diesel had no quibble calling me out, then I had no hesitation answering it. “She’s vulnerable.” I tried for diplomacy. “Wolfe told me Aren is fragile and—”
“And the day I strike a woman or a child, I will cut my own throat,” Diesel told me. He wasn’t annoyed; he was still calm, still relaxed.