Kiera wasn’t expecting any of this, though she knew she should. Dean was determined to have things his way, though Kiera wasn’t sure what his way really looked like. She’d planned to find the answers and prove that the changes in Dean and James were false and this was all wrong. Now, as he kissed her and pulled her close, she wasn’t certain anymore. He’d brought up so many things from their past that brought a new light to this. Someone, possibly his father, their father, might have made what it has not happened? This was fated for them? Her thoughts became muddled as his kiss and hands became more insistent. Kiera felt her body respond to him. They were in a car with others. Kiera pushed back away from Dean just enough to say. “Dean, we aren’t alone in here now’s not the time.” He grumbled and went back to kissing her. “My car, my pack, my mate, and my rules.” “Your mate, as you insisted on telling everyone I am, isn’t comfortable ma
“Dean, what’s going on?” Dean ushered her into his study and was rummaging around a rather messy desk. Distractedly, he pulled out a page and frowned at it. “What do you mean?” “I’ve never seen so many people on the road here coming or going at any time of day or night. What’s going on? The way they were staring at us.” “Kiera it’s really bad time around here and you’re running away like that didn’t help. That guy claiming to be my father and James. Geez, is that a weird thing to think about? Anyway, I’m calling the investigator now to see if they have anything. But that Gingham wolf was selling his blood for something, and we need to know the reason. Or he was being forced to sell his blood. Now, Kiera, any idea you might have about why he did this?” This was a change from what he was like in the car. It took her a moment to catch up on what he was saying. “Well, if I had to guess, I would say it had to do with his plan and whatever the spell was for
“Listen to me Dean. Please. Make me feel okay about this. I need to know you are aware of all the complications.”Kiera wanted him to know all the gory details. He’d have to back down for the pack’s comfort and continue. “Kiera, I know. I’ve read all there is and then some. Before they returned you here, they sent files, reports, and videos of you. I’ve seen you at your worst and I accept it.” Dean was trying to reassure her, but she was having none of it. Kiera shook her head and turned from him. “You don’t get it. There’s no information on if we can have pups, mates, or anything. You’re alpha line would end with you. Do you think the pack would want that? How about being led by a Lycan alpha pair? Seriously, Dean, that’s not considering the chances of you dying. This is part of the reason I left here on top of everything else. I’m trying to keep the pack safe from me and who knows who else. Right now, I look like a threat or a losing bet. Fated Mates or not. I’ll s
Kiera ran through the forest pretty oblivious to the fact she was off trail, and she’d have a devil of a time finding her clothes. She didn’t care right now. She needed to think. Wrap her head around what was happening, she felt too much from this. It practically physically hurt to leave Dean, but she needed to hear her own thoughts. She couldn’t stop it this time. Kiera had to stop, she’d shifted, but she was too close to the pack. It wasn’t fair. Why did it have to be her? What did she do to deserve all of this? Then Dean wanted her to go through it all again? He completely floored her when he said he’d see videos of her. It felt like her private hell was on display for everyone at the movie theatre. Her thoughts broke off. It was all too movie cliche, with bones snapping and twisting. Muscles and ligaments realigning. No one ever talked about how you could feel your organs shift. This time she was glad Faye was on her side and she’d fully shifted int
Dean got the message from the communications centre. They used satellite phones for reliability in the area. It was lucky for them they could afford it. Satellite towers were still sketchy, human politics and business. In their case, the Ruling Council would control the foundation equipment and then lease out access to it. But humans had a thing about government interference in their lives. Now, he, Oli, and a couple of enforcers were headed out to the location. When he got there, two bodies in wolf form, one far larger than the other, were being loaded up onto flatbed trailers pulled by an ATV. “What do you think happened?” Dean demanded as he stood there surveying the wreckage of the small clearing. Branches and leaves were down. There was very little they could go on or hide from the fact there’d been a fight. Wolf and Lycan fur dotted several broken branches. A few spots of blood lay on the ground where two must have lain. “Well, neither have shifted back, so we can’t tell, a
Dean entered the quiet healing centre. Around him, the space was clean and spacious. It was there to provide the pack with healthcare, not the entire community. In the past, it was open to the Jasper Springs Pack when the previous alphas ran the packs. But the noticeable sounds of a human hospital weren’t there and there were more wards because of a shifter’s injuries. It might not be possible to shift from their fur to their skin without incurring further damage. So they divided most wards into small wards where the wolves and humans got what they needed. There were a few cages. He couldn’t deny that. But that was for the safety of everyone if the wolf became too aggressive. Right now his mind wasn’t on the differences. He needed to know what was happening to Kiera right now. Why her run go so badly? How did Elder Evans find her, and why did he clash with her? He appeared afraid of her. Dean thought he would avoid her. He felt like a fool when it came to him. Someone might a
Oli got the text from Dean as he stood by the restrained elder. He hated to see the old wolf like this. Who wouldn’t? But trauma did bad things to every creature. His son wasn’t a young wolf, either. His son left a mate and six pups that were all in at least high school. The old wolf couldn’t get past his son’s death to help raise his grand pups. His son’s mate had her hands full with her little army of pups and her own grief. The pack helped where it was welcome. But he’d pushed aside any help. His moods and opinions changed noticeably, and the council struggled to work with him. But in his wolf form, if he awoke, he couldn’t shift to his skin to speak without risking further injury. Sure, shifters healed faster, but they needed magic for a miracle like some movies portrayed. It always got on his nerves by some weak woman telling a werewolf to just shift and heal. Annoying any mate would swear at their mate to shift, not pleading. They just didn’t have a clue about s
As the hours wracked up, Dean sat with Kiera and yet no one yet to his knowledge even checked on her. He was sure rumours would fly. He still needed to speak with those who were in charge of watching Elder EvansThe staff came to him at one point to ask if they could move her to a large more secure room so he would feel comfortable and nap when he wished close to her.A healing centre like this had many rooms created for mated pairs, because some would go without sleep or food if they weren’t with their mate. It became standard practice over the years. A healer can only trip so many times over a wolf sleeping on the floor beside their mate’s bed. Or climbing in the bed with them.The staff made quick work of a new room where he, too, could get some rest. There were so many reasons from safety to lifestyle that they’d found answers for. Not long ago at a dinner a healer told the table that when she toured a human hospital, they showed her an innovative space for spouses and pa