“Where’s Aidan?” a hard voice asked from behind me, cutting through my thoughts.
I glanced over my shoulder. Luken. He’d healed up nicely from his run in with Jared this morning, not even a scratch left. He looked annoyed and slightly hesitant as he closed the distance between us. “Dom needed him for something,” I said on a sigh.
“You’re shivering,” he said, stopping in front of me. His arms folded over his chest, his biceps curling up thick with the movement. “Come inside. Mac’s been looking for you.”
“I’m not shivering,” I said, my teeth clattering as I said it. I decided not to acknowledge that anyone was looking for me, because honestly, I wasn’t ready to deal with anyone (especially Marcy). She’d want to talk about my feelings. She’d want me to let it out. And that was exactly why I was sitting outside freezing my butt off.
My phone rang again, chirping and vibrating in my palm, and I quickly silenced it.
Luken narrowed his eyes, looking down at my phone and then back up at me. After a couple of beats of silence, he said, “That better not be your mate you hung up on.”
“Really?” I hissed, and he narrowed his eyes further. I gritted my teeth, giving him a pointed glare. “It’s my dad.”
Luken looked at me awkwardly for a moment as if he were realizing just how much of a jerk he was being. He let out a muffled sigh, and unfolded his arms, taking a seat beside me. His eyes warmed, although not by much. “You should’ve answered it.”
“He should be calling Aidan,” I countered, which was a ridiculous thing to say, and by the look I got, Luken thought so, too. I was just as much an alpha as Aidan was, and the man (unfortunately) was my father. Of course he’d call me.
I glared at him a bit harder, seriously wishing he would vanish. My glare didn’t faze him. He made himself comfortable, propping his feet up on the bench. He had a pair of boots on, the edge of his jeans stuck at the top of his boot on one side. He unzipped his hoodie and shrugged it off, wrapping it around my shoulders, before leaning forward, resting his bare forearms on his knees.
“You should’ve answered it,” he said again, but softer this time, almost caring.
I glanced back down at my phone and muttered, “Dad hasn’t called me since he kicked me out.” I met his eyes, and whispered, “What if the guys got caught?”
“They weren’t caught,” he said. He sounded completely confident in that. “They’re smarter than that. They’ll be back soon, Jade.”
I hoped he was right, but that ounce of hope didn’t come close to chasing away all my doubts. My shoulders slumped and I puffed out a slow breath.
“And then what?” I muttered, as another shiver chased down my back. “We rush out on a mindless killing spree? I have my father killed? What if they’re not all bad? What if they’re just doing the only thing they were taught to do? It’s not like they’ve ever lived among the human population like our pack.”
Another gust of wind pushed at me, blowing loose strands of hair in my face. I shoved it back, tucking it behind my ears, and huffed. “I just can’t figure out the why. Why were they raised like this? Why are only the men changed? Why was there a deal with our pack in the first place? I just don’t understand. I don’t get it.”
My face felt hot — burning hot. I looked at Luken and cringed when I caught the hardness in his eyes. Way to go, Jade, I thought bitterly. God, did I really just blurt all that out to him? I should have swallowed it. It wasn’t as if Luken and I were friends. Our one real conversation had been seriously tense and he’d made it damn clear he didn’t respect me or even acknowledge me as an alpha of this pack.
Luken must have noticed my unease. His expression softened and warmed further, and he said, “There isn’t always an answer to the whys, Jade. Sometimes people do shitty things just because they can.”
My phone started ringing again and I went to silence it, but he snagged it from me before I could. He thumbed the screen and brought it to his ear. “Jade’s phone, you’ve got Luken,” he said, and paused. “She’s behind closed doors with her mate.” He paused, listening. “Don’t know.” Another pause. “Tonight.” His brow furrowed. “You’ll have to take that up with her mate. Yep, I’ll let him know. Later.”
He lowered my phone and thumbed the screen. His brow pulled in and he looked at me. There was a question burning in his eyes, one that I didn’t think he wanted to voice, and one that I was sure I didn’t want to be asked.
The silence held between us as we searched each other’s faces and after a moment I broke it, whispering, “Do I want to know?” I tugged my bottom lip between my teeth, trying to stop it from trembling.
He hesitated for a second and then said, “How about I give Aidan a call, fill him in, and let him decide.” He said it cautiously, as if he weren’t sure what to do. When I didn’t answer, he said, “Go on inside, Jade,” making the decision for me.
And for probably the first time since I joined the pack (and maybe the first time ever), I did exactly what I was told without uttering a single syllable.
CHAPTER 4
~ AIDAN ~
Dominic was distracted, but then I guessed I was, too.
He was leaning against my car, watching Erika from the corner of his eye while he attempted to lecture me about the team. He was talking in broken sentences, or maybe I was only listening to bits and pieces. Really, it could have been either at this point. But the parts I heard, I agreed on. I needed to pick a new head enforcer.
Erika was propped against the wall outside the funeral home, giving us space. Her eyes were glued to her cell phone as her fingers flew across the keypad. Dominic had been watching her since I pulled up, as if he thought she’d run if he took his eyes off of her. I was pretty sure I should have asked what was up with that, but honestly, right then, I didn’t really care.
I didn’t have a good feeling. Not about the cougars, or about Jade, or the team. It all felt … not right, leaving my gut pitted and twisted up in knots.
The sky was darkening quickly. Off in the distance, I could pick out the soft claps of thunder as a storm approached. The wind had picked up, carrying a damp chill with it, and I pulled my jacket closed, zipping it up.
Dominic paused in his half-hearted lecture, glancing up at the sky, and said, “It looks like rain.”
“Yeah, it does,” I agreed, and let out a slow breath. I glanced at him; his features were blank, hidden behind his normal cool and collected mask. I knew he was trying damn hard to hide it, but I could still smell his worry in the air. I thought he was probably worried about the same shit I was. His thoughts never seemed to stray far from his best friend — my girl.
I let out a long breath, and muttered, “She’s breaking, Dom, and if she breaks, we won’t stand a chance. The pack will feel it. They’ll get nervous. They’ll feed off her pain, her fear.” I scrubbed at my face and raked a hand through my hair. “Damn, I already feel like I’ve been cut open, like I’m bleeding from her pain.”
“Dude, cut the drama. Jade’s fine,” he said distractedly. “She just needs some time in her head to work out how to feel about everything. I don’t get it, but she loved Jared in her own way and the same goes for her dad. What you’re seeing is the normal Jade grieving process.”
I felt even less good once he said that. In fact, I felt kind of sick. If anyone knew what she was feeling, it would have been Dominic. He knew her. Knew everything about her. I’d been hoping he would deny my worries, not confirm that she was hurting. And if he was right, and Jade was really grieving, it was because I’d taken someone from her, and it seriously sucked that I was going to take even more.
“That’s what I’m worried about,” I said. “Jade alone with her thoughts.” My chest started to knot up again. I probably should have told her I loved her before leaving her at the headquarters. I probably should have said sorry, too. I should have said a lot of things. But I didn’t tell Dominic that. Instead I said, “I probably should have brought her here. It would have ke
pt her busy.”
That drew Dominic’s full attention and he gave me a long, measured look. He jerked his chin up. “You screwed up again?”
I figured that was a fair statement. I’d pretty much screwed up everything when it came to Jade, but even so, I felt my jaw tick and clench. “She flipped out at her dad and I might have thrown her over my shoulder and put her in the car to shut her up.”
Dominic chuckled, his ice-blue eyes steady on mine, and he smirked. “Dude, really? Are you ever going to learn?”
I smirked back at him, watching his eyes dance with humor, as I folded my arms over my chest and shook my head. “She accused him of trying to protect his pack and then started shouting about how she’d be fighting alongside us when we attack them.” My smile widened as I spoke and I chuckled a little. Yeah, I would have preferred it if she hadn’t freaked out, but I couldn’t deny that I loved the passion I’d seen in her. Standing up for herself, for our pack. She’d been amazing.
“Oh,” he said, and blinked. “And I have no idea what to say about that.” He stared at me as if he couldn’t quite figure out how Jade could have done that, and then once he’d gotten over his shock, he frowned, looking disappointed, as if he were sad he’d missed it.
Dominic’s eyes went back to Erika and held there for a second, before coming back to me. “You need to pick a new head enforcer and she needs a beta,” he pointed out, not for the first time since I’d arrived. “And you need to figure out what you’re going to do with the team.”
I didn’t particularly want to talk about the team, but I knew he was entirely right. I should have dealt with it before sending the guys out. I should have appointed someone, even if it was temporary, to lead them. But I hadn’t. I’d followed my gut instead. Appointing someone would have taken time, discussion, and time wasn’t something I’d wanted to waste.
As for the team themselves, I knew Jade would fight me on it if I even mentioned building a new one, and that was definitely not a fight I was looking forward to having with her.
I shook my head, frustrated, and rested my weight against the car. “Yeah, I know, Dom, but it really isn’t my top priority right now.”
The severe line of Dominic’s mouth made it clear that he didn’t agree with me. “Well, it should be,” he said, missing (or choosing) to ignore my frustration. “You can’t send those guys out, leading the pack into this without a head. And you shouldn’t have sent them anywhere today if you’re not sure that you can trust them.” He sighed, long and loud, rubbing a hand across his forehead. “You also need to stop worrying about Jade. She’s going to be fine. She loves you. She’s got your back in this. Trust me.”
“You got someone in mind to head up the team?” I asked, ignoring his Jade advice, and pasting on what was meant to be an open expression, encouraging him to go on.
He groaned, and damn, I almost laughed at the sound. Almost. Dominic’s groans were a sure way to know what he was thinking, and this one was one that I got a lot. It was the you’re being a pain in the ass groan, and he cut me a look that clearly said the same thing. Through his teeth, he said, “Tommy, if he’ll stick around. The team could use someone experienced and they seem to respect him.”
“Tommy?” I asked blankly. I took in his expression. He was serious. Damn, he couldn’t be serious. My phone rang, and I jammed my hand in my pocket, kind of glad for the interruption. I shook off the dread that had started to seep in at the thought of Tommy sticking around and said, “That’s not his call, or mine,” as I yanked my phone out. “My father would have to release him before I could even consider it.”
Glancing down at my phone, I saw Jade Shaw flash across the screen, and thumbed it quickly as I brought it to my ear. “Hi, sweetheart.”
“Your girl’s been sitting outside freezing her ass off since you left.” The voice on the other end of the line was deep and rough and not Jade.
A hot rush of adrenaline hit me and my hand flexed tight around the phone. “Who the hell is this?” I growled.
“Luken,” the voice replied, rushed, as if he were cluing in to the fact that he probably should have led with that piece of information.
Cold swept through me and more of that awful dread filled the pit of my stomach. Luken and Jade weren’t close. They weren’t even civil to each other. She wouldn’t just give him her phone. I glanced at Dominic and mouthed Luken. His eyes darkened and he jerked his chin toward the phone stuck to my ear, urging me to find out what was happening.
I pulled in a breath and asked as casually as I could, “Where’s Jade?” Which as it turned out, didn’t come out casual at all.
“Just sent her inside,” he blurted, and then continued more slowly. “Her lips were turning blue. Also just had a little chat with her dad. Wants his daughter back home. Says he doesn’t like the way you were treating her at his house so he’s willing to make a deal to get her back.”
I laughed, a cold kind of laugh. Well, that hadn’t taken long. “He can have her back when I’m in the ground.”
“That might happen sooner than you think,” Luken said coolly. “Once the team gets wind of you raising your hands to her, they’ll come for you.”
“You accusing me of something, Luken?” I asked, my voice, deathly calm.
“Did you hit her?” he fired at me, not missing a beat.
I ground my teeth. Furious didn’t even come close to describing the heat that surged through me from his question. “Did it look like I hit her?”
“I figure you wouldn’t drop her off here until she healed,” he said. “And it would explain the thick fear in her scent and the nervous look she gave me when I told her I was going to give you a call.”
“I didn’t hurt her,” I said, through my teeth. “I wouldn’t and I’m pretty sure you already know that.”
Luken hesitated for a second before continuing with what sounded like a whole lot of caution, as if he weren’t sure that he was free to speak his mind. “Then he’s making a play. This could be our in. And by the way, your girl’s having some issues when it comes to taking him out.”
That was true. Jade was having some serious issues when it came to her father. But confirming that to a pack member that was not her number one fan most likely wouldn’t go over well. So instead, I asked, “You know what the deal is?”
“Nope, he wants you to call him,” he said. “All he said was that there’s something big in play, something that you and Jade would want in on and that if you work with him, he won’t tell anyone else about what he saw you do to her.”
Okay, that was good. It was probably better that no one knew whatever it was that Jeff had to offer until I figured out what the hell he was up to. “Did Jade say anything?” I asked.
Luken didn’t answer right away. He sighed, and let out a frustrated growl, then sighed again. When he spoke, his voice was strained. “She said a hell of a lot, but she doesn’t know what he wants or what he’s accusing you of. She didn’t talk to him. I told her I’d run it by you and let you decide if she needed to know. She agreed to it, Aidan. Without hesitation. No argument. Nothing.”
That wasn’t so good. Jade being fully agreeable with Luken should have been good, but because it was Jade we were talking about and he was, well, Luken, it really wasn’t good. My jaw clenched and through my teeth I asked, “What’s she doing now?”
“I sent her inside to see Marcy,” he said with a huff. “She’s freaked out and she’s pissed off. Not a good combination.” He didn’t quite manage to hide the bitterness from his tone.
Dominic’s gaze was hard and unwavering, stuck on my face, and I inhaled slowly, attempting to work through the sudden irritation Luken’s call had brought on and keep it out of my tone. The breath didn’t help.
“Don’t remember asking for your opinion,” I bit out on a growl. I paused, and took another breath. “Set up her phone to have her calls forwarded to me before you give it back to her.” And with that, I dropped the call, not waiting for a confirmation.
“That was harsh,” Dominic said evenly, and his lips twitched up at the corners.
I shoved my phone back in my pocket. “Your point?” I snapped, not seeing the humor in the situation. My eyes sparked. I felt the tingle, followed by a quick pulse of adrenaline.
“No point, just an observation,” Dominic said in a low, calm voice, raising his hands. He waited a beat and when I didn’t offer up anything, he asked, “You going to fill me in?”
I heaved a sigh, thought about telling him to screw off, but instead said, “Yeah.” I pushed off the car, rolled my shoulders, and then quickly filled him in.
When I finished, Dominic didn’t speak immediately. He was staring across the parking lot. I didn’t need to wonder what he was thinking about. The torn, stricken expression gave him away. I was sure he was thinking the same things I was. How far would Jade go to end this? How much could we ask of her before she broke? And he was probably trying to decide if we should even tell her about the call.
He pulled in a shaky breath, blinked, and focused on me, his gaze resolved. “Call him. Set up a meeting.”
“No,” I said firmly. There was no way I was going to hand Jade back over to him. She was finally mine. All mine. There wasn’t a chance in hell I’d give her up now and honestly, we didn’t need to. Jeff was scrambling. Trying to find some hold on us. I was sure of it.
He groaned long and loud, rubbing a hand roughly across his forehead. “Aidan, think about it. When the team hears about this they’ll freak.”
I shook my head. “I’ll handle the team,” I said. “And I’m not negotiating with him. Not yet. We don’t have any need to. We know where they are. My guess is he clued in that something was off when Jade lost it on him and he’s scrambling to get his foot back in with us.”