Chapter 11 #2
“If I can’t fuck you right now, I think I’m going to go wolf and rip something apart,” he growled.
She smiled then licked behind his ear, loving the way his body shook when he did. “Then fuck me. Against the wall, over the couch, in our bed. I don’t care. Just get inside me.”
Quinn slammed her back against the wall then reached between them for the button on her jeans. She whimpered, her body shaking.
“Sorry to interrupt, but you’re both needed at the circle.”
Gina froze as Gideon’s voice pierced through her sexual haze.
Quinn growled then pulled back, his hands still on her ass. “Get. Out.” His wolf was upfront, and Gina was worried he’d do something stupid—like challenge the Alpha of his Pack.
Gideon growled back, his eyes glowing gold. “Calm yourself, Quinn.”
Gina patted Quinn’s cheek and forced him to turn to her. “Let me knock this bitch off her pedestal, and then we can come back and finish what we started. Okay?”
Quinn lifted a lip in a snarl then visibly calmed himself, his shoulders lowering. He let out a shaky breath then let her fall to her feet. He took two steps back, his breathing labored.
“I apologize, Gideon. I was lost in the moment, and you came at a bad time.”
She couldn’t touch him to console him. If she did, she had a feeling they’d end up right back where they started, and that wouldn’t end well for any of them.
“You have no idea how sorry I am for interrupting,” Gideon said roughly.
“If I could, I’d have let you two go at it, and I’d kick Helena off our lands.
As it is, in order to make sure Shannon doesn’t do anything else to circumvent my authority, I need to make sure this goes through without a hitch. ”
Quinn turned to Gideon, his head tilted, the action more wolf than man. “Then you’ll kick Shannon’s ass?”
Gideon snorted. “Not physically, but now that I know at least some of her plan, I can make sure the elders don’t use any more power than they need.
Meaning none at all in most cases. I don’t like having my role as Alpha challenged by someone who has no right to do so.
” He met Gina’s gaze. “I am truly sorry you’re getting caught up in our Pack problems. It was never my intention. ”
She knew this was out of the Alpha’s control. Every Pack had their own laws, their own issues. This was just one thing the Talons wouldn’t let happen again.
“You’re forgiven. There is something I will make clear though.
I’m not going to kill Helena.” At both men’s looks, she shook her head.
“I could kill her, but that will only make Shannon do something to take revenge against the Redwoods or Quinn. I can’t have that.
Plus, I won’t be responsible for killing Jesse’s mother. ”
“She’s not his mother. She was an incubator who left her young when he was vulnerable.”
Gina sighed at Quinn’s words. “I get that. I do. If I felt Helena was at all sincere about her desire to get her son back, I’d feel differently, but I don’t.
What I don’t want to do, though, is have Jesse see me as the woman who killed the mother he never knew.
I won’t take that onto my shoulders, and honestly, you can’t make me. ”
Gideon nodded, pride in his eyes, while Quinn came to her side. He brushed his knuckles along her cheek.
“You’re a good woman, Gina. I’m proud to call you mate.”
She reached up and kissed his chin again. “You’re a good man, Quinn. Never forget that.” She let out a breath. “Now, let me go kick her ass and prove to Shannon she shouldn’t mess with me.” She frowned. “Have you called my parents about this?”
Quinn put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed.
“We told them,” Gideon answered. “Finn is on his way to be here, but the others can’t come.”
She nodded, understanding. “You don’t want to make it a Pack issue by having the Alpha and the rest of the inner circle here. I get it. As for Finn? Why is he coming? He’s the Heir. He should stay home. I’ll be okay.”
Gideon merely raised a brow. “First, I can’t exactly tell the Redwoods what to do.
Yeah, this is my Pack, my den, my land, but I can’t stop them from getting you and carting you away.
It would start something. Not a war, but something none of us wants to deal with.
The whole reason the two of you met was to ensure our Packs are working together.
The fact that you two are even mated tells me we’re on our way to making sure that happens.
As for Finn? He’s amazingly stubborn when it comes to people he cares about. ”
She grinned at the thought of her brother. “He’s tougher than anyone I know, and I know a lot of tough wolves. I’m glad he’s coming. That means that we’re showing cooperation between the Packs without making it look like it’s Pack against Pack.”
“It wouldn’t be anyway, considering Helena is not Pack.” Gideon growled at that, and Gina had to agree with him.
“No, this is all about power plays and protection,” Quinn added in.
“And when you finish kicking her ass, that will be the last time we hear about her,” Gideon said, and Gina smiled.
“Then let’s get to it. I’m not cocky, I’m confident,” she said.
“And I really want to get this over with.” Her wolf perked up, ready to fight.
She didn’t know if they would be fighting as wolves or humans, but either way, she was ready.
She had to be if she wanted to keep her mate thanks to archaic rules with loopholes that made no sense.
Quinn kissed her one more time, and then they were off. By the time they made it to the circle, Finn was standing with the Brentwoods.
She went to her brother and hugged him tight. “Thanks for coming.”
“I shouldn’t have had to come at all,” he snapped. “This is ridiculous.”
She rubbed his back then pulled away. “I love Quinn, Finn. I’m not going to let some bitch stop me.”
Finn smiled full out, his eyes brightening. “No shit? You love him.” He looked over her shoulder and growled. “And you? You love my sister? Because if you don’t, I’m taking her home right now.”
Gina closed her eyes and prayed for patience. God save her from dominant male wolves.
“I love her, Finn. You don’t need to worry about that.”
“Are you two done?” She opened her eyes and glared at each one.
Finn shrugged. “It’ll be worse with Dad and Mark and the rest of them. Oh, and Mom? Yeah. This should be fun.”
“One battle at a time, okay?” she asked, and Finn hugged her again.
“Okay. Now kick her ass because this is fucking ridiculous.”
“Stop cursing,” she teased, needing to lighten the moment.
“Mom’s not here,” Finn whispered, and she laughed.
Quinn came up from behind her and put his hand on her hip. She sighed and leaned into him, her wolf calming at the touch.
“Where’s Brynn?” her mate asked Walker, who had come up to their party.
“She’s with Jesse,” the other man said. “She wanted to make sure he had a familiar face since he couldn’t be here.”
Gina looked up at Quinn, who nodded. “I’m glad she’s there,” he said.
“Brynn?” Finn asked. “That’s your sister, right?”
Walker narrowed his eyes at her teenage brother. Finn might have technically been an adult, but in the eyes of someone well over a hundred, he was still a pup.
“Yes.” With that short answer, Walker went back to the others.
“Did I say something wrong?” Finn asked, a smile on his face.
“Oh shut up. I don’t have time for this.” She grinned then looked out at the circle. “When do we start?”
Quinn leaned down and kissed her temple. “Soon, I hope. I don’t know if Helena is here or not. We’ll find out though.”
“Is that her?” Finn asked, and Gina looked up.
“That’s her,” she growled.
Helena strode in, her hips swaying. Gone was the woman who looked contrite and apologetic. No, this was a woman on the prowl, a woman who wanted the man she’d left behind.
Well, too bad, because she couldn’t have him.
“Since both wolves are here, and since we can’t let the mate in question decide, we’re ready to begin,” Gideon said, his voice holding contempt.
“Since Helena is the wronged party, as her mate was stolen from her, she can decide if they fight as wolf or human,” Shannon said.
Gina’s jaw dropped as the wolves around her growled and shouted.
“Wronged?” Quinn yelled. “You’ve got to be kidding me. She’s the one who left me. She’s the one who almost killed me and Jesse. Fuck her. I want nothing to do with her. I’ve made my decision. It’s Gina. It will always be Gina. No matter the outcome.”
Gina’s heart bloomed, and she gripped Quinn’s hand and squeezed. “I’ll fight and win. You don’t have to worry.”
He turned and cupped her face before kissing her. Hard.
“I love you, Gina. I made my choice, and you’re it. I don’t trust her not to try something tricky.”
She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. It strengthened her while before it would have left her muddled and worried.
“I have something to fight for, Quinn. Something more than she could ever hope to have.” She kissed him again, putting her heart into the kiss, into him. “I’m coming back to you.”
“If you’re quite done...” Shannon snapped.
“Watch your tone, wolf,” Gideon said, his voice deadly calm.
Shannon glared then ran a hand over her dress. “What I meant was it was the witch who wronged her.”
“Never trust a witch,” Helena said, her voice snide.
“Fucking bitch,” Finn snarled.
“Language, Finn,” Gina snapped.
“Is this really the time?” he asked incredulously.
“No, but it’s calming me, so get over it.
” She looked at Helena then dismissed her to face Shannon.
“I’m a witch so you need to watch your tone.
I’m not your wolf. I don’t need to respect you.
As for who wronged who, we all know what really happened.
If you’re in some kind of denial, that will be something we’ll all deal with later.
” She looked over at Gideon. “Or maybe that’s something you’ll have to deal with on your own because I don’t really care.
Now, about the challenge? I don’t care either.
I’ll fight as wolf or as human. We all know I’m stronger.
If she tries anything that goes outside the rules, the entire Pack, as well as my brother, are here to judge.
” She narrowed her eyes at the elder. “Don’t start a war you can’t win. ”
With that, she kissed Quinn one more time, squeezed Finn’s hand, and then strode into the circle.
She was a witch, a wolf, and a woman who loved a man who loved her back. She would one day be the Enforcer and had fought the prejudice of those who didn’t think she was good enough for her blood and didn’t like how she’d come into her powers.
She wouldn’t lose today.
And from the look on Helena’s face, the other woman knew it too.
“Human with claws,” Helena spat. “We’ll fight as human.”
Gina cracked her knuckles and let her claws come through her fingertips. It was a hard shape to keep if the wolf wasn’t strong enough. She didn’t think Helena would be, but maybe the other woman thought she could handle it.
“Good enough for me.” She kept her eyes on Helena just in case the other woman tried something. She wouldn’t put it past her considering her background.
“As humans then,” Gideon said. “Fight fair, and fight tough. Begin!”
Gina dodged right as Helena swiped at her. The other woman growled and snapped, trying to get at Gina, but Gina was faster. Helena clawed at her but Gina rolled out of the way. She used her right arm to grip Helena’s upper arm and pull her close. The other woman screamed then bit at Gina’s neck.
Freaking bitch.
She didn’t want to prolong the fight; she wasn’t a damn cat. Instead, she stepped up, wrapped her hand around Helena’s neck, and flipped the other woman onto her back.
She slid her claws into the other woman’s skin gently, careful not to nick an artery. “Yield,” she growled, her voice low. “You have no say here. You were never going to win. He’s mine. And you know what? He chose me, same as I chose him. Just go away and let us live.”
Helena whimpered then slammed her palm into the ground twice.
The crowed erupted in cheers, and it was the first time Gina had heard them. She’d put all of that out of her mind while she was fighting. Now that the adrenaline was starting to leave her system, she just wanted to get out of there.
“Gina wins. Helena is forfeit,” Gideon yelled.
“Wait!” Shannon screamed.
“Shut up,” Gideon said. “You’ve had your say. Helena, you are hereby banished from the Pack and from the den. You’ve hurt this Pack enough.”
With that, Helena screamed, but Gina didn’t care. Others came to take care of the now banished woman—most likely to just kick her off Pack lands—but all Gina could scent or feel was Quinn as his arms wrapped around her.
“Mine,” he growled before taking her lips.
She pulled away, gasping. “Mine.”
He was hers, for forever and eternity.
Thank the goddess.