He couldn’t let go of the memory of her on that table, nearly dead. Couldn’t let go of her fear, her pain, that she’d been so devastated and he hadn’t helped her. Would she hate him for it? Resent him?
“They want you down the hall, Ben. Nick, Gabe, Cade and Templeton are calling in in just a few minutes and you need to eat something. Nina and I will be here with her. I promise if anything changes we’ll come get you. It’s just two doors down. She’s going to be okay.” Megan hugged him. “You saved her. You got to her in time. She knew you wouldn’t give up until you found her.”
“But not before they hurt her.” His voice was a whisper.
“You can’t think that way. Ben, she’s a guard, it’s what she does. You’re a cop, it’s what you do. You both have dangerous jobs. She worries for you too. But you can’t not let her do what she was born to do. She’d be very unhappy if you did,” Nina soothed. “I know where you are right now. Every time Lex walks out the door I know something could happen to him. It tears me up sometimes. But we work it through. You two will as well. She loves you, you love her. You accept each other and that’s what counts. She can count on you. She’ll need that when she wakes up. Just keep being there for her.”
“I wish I could have—”
Nina interrupted him, “But you can’t. You can’t change the past so stop it. Don’t do this to yourself. She doesn’t want you to. Nobody blames you. You’re Pack, you protected Pack. You’re family and you protected your wife. Forgive yourself, Ben Stoner, because no one else blames you.”
He nodded. Bending down, he gently tucked Tegan’s hair back and kissed her cheek. She still smelled of blood, pain and fear. When she woke up he’d personally take her into the bath and clean her up.
“Any change at all you come get me.” He moved to the door and looked back to see Megan carefully get into the bed with her sister, curling against her back, and Nina settled in on the other side. They both nodded to him and he quickly moved down the hall.
“Come in, Ben. Please, you need to eat. Help yourself, my staff has brought some dinner in. We’re getting everyone connected now.” Maxwell indicated a side table where sandwiches, salads and protein drinks sat.
His stomach growled as he hustled to eat. He hadn’t realized how hungry he’d been and still wasn’t used to his new metabolism.
“I just looked in on Tegan. Tracy is on her way. Maxwell has sent people to the airport to get her. Tegan will be happy when she wakes up. Layla arrives shortly after that so they’ll ride in together.” Lex grabbed a sandwich and ate as he sat next to Ben.
Cade and Templeton finally got connected on the line along with Gabe and Nick.
“Everyone on?”
After the assenting answers, Jack got started. “Pellini is gone. He rushed out a back door as we stormed the front. Unfortunately he’s taken Gina’s body with him but the Pellini Group wolf who’d helped Tegan and gave us the tip on her location told us Gina had been experimented on and then murdered. It wasn’t a pretty story. It looks like he was in too big a hurry to get much else though. One laptop near the door had been taken apparently but the other computers in the lab remain and have been shut down. Nina will look them over when we get them back here.”
“My people are still combing over the lab buildings, gathering evidence. We’ll work with Ben while we have him. I’m sure he’ll be a great resource.” Maxwell nodded at Ben. He was eager to help so that was fine and dandy with him.
Maxwell paused a moment and then cleared his throat. “I have to tell you all we’ve got a problem here. Besides, well, because of Pellini. I was trying to handle it myself but I only realized today just exactly what has been going on. Pellini has been grabbing street people and experimenting on them. The police came to me twice in the last two weeks about finding dead bodies of partially changed humans. No bites. They don’t know what was going on and I’d thought they were wolves who’d changed but it never took hold or died mid change. Something like that. Pellini has been so busy with drugs and money laundering, I just didn’t think. I...it’s stupid and I suppose I just didn’t want to face it. No one thought to tell us, the biggest Pack in the US, that Templeton wasn’t really in the pocket of the mob so I hesitated. It cost lives. I’m sorry.” Maxwell scrubbed hands over his face and Ben wanted to punch him.
“I told you people to share it with Great Lakes months ago,” Lex said angrily.
“I know. We made mistakes and that led to a very high cost. We wanted to keep it as quiet as we could. We know Great Lakes has spies and Templeton didn’t want to risk it.” The exhaustion in Jack’s voice showed on his face as well. “This is a clusterfuck of epic proportions.”
“No shit. But my sister was taken at a Palaver. One of my wolves, Ben Stoner, was nearly killed. Another man under my protection, Agent Benoit, had to undergo two different surgeries and nearly died. This cannot stand. Cascadia cannot be silent any longer,” Cade’s voice rang clear over the line.
“Great Lakes aligns with Cascadia,” Maxwell said and Ben looked around the room, not knowing what was going on.
“Pacific aligns with Cascadia,” Nick and Gabe said as one from their end.
“National will lead. War is declared. Warren Pellini and any wolves aligned with him will be eradicated. They will be bones and dust,” Templeton said over the phone line.
“War? I’m sorry, I’ve been a wolf for a little over twenty-four hours now. Not enough time to know much. What the hell is going on?” Ben asked.
“We’ve just declared inter-clan war for the first time in a hundred and ten years. Pellini has broken many laws, his behavior cannot be tolerated. I was willing to cooperate with this undercover thing to try and bring an end to the threat without this drastic step but it ends now. We must take a public stand and the other Packs will align with our side, Pellini’s side or they’ll attempt to abstain,” Lex explained.
“Abstainers will be considered the enemy in this case,” Cade said and Ben, again, heard the Alpha in Cade’s voice. Took a lot of restraint to only wield that kind of power when absolutely necessary. Ben understood Cade and Lex a lot more now that he’d seen them under pressure. He admired them both a lot more too.
“We agree. To stand aside when a law breaker of this magnitude runs free is to be as negligent as Pellini is guilty.” Maxwell poured them all some whiskey. Ben drank his quickly and was grateful for the warmth spreading through him. He’d come very close to losing it several times over the last day, he was barely holding on by that point.
“A council will be called, factions declared. Jack, I need you back here,” Templeton said quietly.
“On it. My plane leaves in about forty-five minutes.” Jack stood. “It will be an honor to stand beside you in the coming days.” He held his hand out to Ben, who shook it. The man had helped save Tegan’s life, they were even.
“I have no idea what will be happening but if it’s about taking out Pellini, I’m in.”
“We’ll get the Call made today. Gabe’s choice for Third has been appointed and Tina has been taken into Pack custody for Jack to question. Our Fifth has stepped into Tina’s spot in the interim. As we’re entering dangerous times, I expect votes to be tallied by phone and mail. Once factions are drawn, we will appoint a Council of War. I’ll be in touch. Please keep us apprised of Tegan’s health and when the funeral will be for Gina.” Templeton hung up and the room was still for long moments.
Jack said his goodbyes and left.
“I’m going back in to Tegan. The doctor said she should be waking up soon and she should eat.”
“Ben, I wanted to invite you and Tegan to stay here as long as you wish. You’re welcome in Great Lakes territory. Today, I was incredibly impressed with your skills leading up to the assault on the lab and once in the room where Tegan was.” Maxwell clasped his forearm.
“Trying to steal h
im?” Lex sounded less than amused and Ben realized there was more going on than he’d been picking up.
“Tracy and Layla are here,” Megan came in to announce and Ben reluctantly disengaged himself after thanking Maxwell for his offer.
Ben saw his other sisters-in-law as he entered the room. Relief hit him as he saw no blame on their faces, only relief and happiness to see him.
“Ben, hi, honey. How are you feeling? I can’t believe you’re up and around so quickly.” Layla pressed a hand to his forehead and frowned. She turned to Nina. “He needs to eat more. Can we get him some food up here? A steak and some greens, a milkshake too. Don’t argue with me, Ben, or I’ll tell Tegan on you. Sit down now.” She turned back to him once Nina had gone with a chuckle.
“Bossy. All you Warden women are bossy,” Ben muttered but his smile belied his cranky words. He liked that they’d taken him into the family. Liked that they’d rushed to be there for Tegan.
“You’ve met my grandmother. Why don’t you sit in bed next to Tee? I can see you’re itching to touch her and she’ll need the attention too. Her color has improved a lot in just the last few minutes.” Megan moved so he could take her place. “You look a bit tired too.”
“I changed three times in the last twenty-four hours, I suppose that makes a guy tired.” He casually sifted Tegan’s hair through his fingertips as he spoke.
“They’ll bring up some dinner for all of us in just a few. The cook here appears to have a crush on Ben. She said it was dreamy how devoted he was to Tegan.” Nina snickered. “Lex is going to join us after he’s done with his phone call to Cade.”
“You changed three times? You mean from human to wolf to human?” Layla asked, her eyebrow raised.
“No. Lay, from human to wolf for the first time last night. And then today, twice more. He helped Jack and Lex track and then at the lab, he helped call Tee’s wolf to the surface with the others. He changed back just a few minutes later.”
Ben shrugged as he listened to Megan explain it to Layla. “Not a big deal. She needed me and it’s a snap to change. Feels good even.”
“Your first time it felt good?”
He winked at Layla. “Well, sure. Didn’t know what the hell I was doing at this either though.” He took in their surprise. “What? Why are you all looking at me like that?”
“Because, Ben, it’s unheard of for a newly changed wolf to make that many transformations in one day. Not for the first six months or so. Some wolves can never do that many a day. Who changed you?”
Startled, Ben looked down into the big green eyes of the other half of his heart as she stared at him. Her voice was low and rough, scratchy even.
He leaned down and kissed her face over and over. “Red wolf, you’re awake. No, don’t sit yet! You sound like you smoke a pack a day and you’re trying to get up? My God, woman, lay down.”
“She should sit up and eat. Really, it’s all right.” The Pack doctor came into the room with Lex and Maxwell right behind.
“The hell you say. She nearly died!”
“She’s a werewolf, a prime werewolf from a powerful line. She has spent hours as a wolf and then back as a human, her body has healed itself and now she needs to refuel.” The doctor checked Tegan over after helping to sit. “Your vitals are fabulous. How do you feel?”
“Good. Much better. Starving. And do you think my voice will change soon?” Tegan scrambled into Ben’s lap, needing all the contact she could get. His arms encircled her immediately and his scent calmed her. But her wolf scented his and she felt that metaphysical roll against her human skin and then his wolf responded. Gooseflesh rippled over her body and everyone else in the room shifted uncomfortably.
“Okay, stop it. I don’t want to know this,” Lex said as he looked everywhere but at them.
When Tegan turned to see Ben, his eyes had glazed over a bit. “Ben, control it a bit better. Just sort of put a lid on it,” she said softly.
His eyes cleared after a moment and he nodded. “Sorry. I don’t know what happened.”
“Don’t be sorry. It’s beautiful. We’ll talk more later, okay?”
He licked his lips and her body tightened. Jeez, even after she’d nearly died he did this to her. What a man.
“Why don’t you get cleaned up? Nina said dinner is on the way. We’ll all eat with you if that’s all right?” Lex looked so worried and so sweet Tegan wanted to cry.
“That sounds good. I need a shower.”
“I’ll help you, red wolf.” Ben stood and picked her up easily, carrying her into the attached bathroom and slamming the door closed with a foot.
He fiddled with the water a moment and, after making sure she hadn’t moved from where he’d placed her on the counter, he peeled his clothes off and she sighed.
His Adam’s apple slid up and down as he turned to face her. With gentle hands, he pulled the hospital-style gown off her body and helped her down and into the shower stall.
“Sit on that bench there and I’ll do the work.”
He moved around her body as he slowly and carefully cleaned her up.
“I knew you’d come for me. When things got bad, very bad, I felt you inside me and it helped.” She didn’t bother to hide the tears in her voice. “I just kept thinking to myself, Ben’s going to find me. And you did. Thank you.”
He knelt and looked at her. His eyes held so much emotion. “I would crawl on my knees to the ends of the Earth to get to you. I’m sorry. So sorry.”
“Sorry? For what? Are you upset about the change?”
“The change? You mean into a wolf? No. God, no. It was a way to get out of the hospital faster to find you. It’s made me faster and stronger and my bond to you, I can’t believe how intense it is now. It’s not that I love you more, but I feel you more. I’m sorry I failed you.”
She jerked back in surprise. “Failed me? Ben, I’m sitting here, alive because of you. How is that failing me? You saved me. Honey, didn’t you hear me? I knew you were coming for me. I never doubted it for a single moment.”
“In that room when you jumped toward where they were attacking Gina. Pellini took you right in front of me and I did nothing.” His voice broke and tore her apart.
“Oh, Ben, honey, part of your intestine was hanging out. You’d apparently been changed by one of your attackers. I made sure you were taken care of and then I did my job. My job, Ben. You ran in to the room and did yours as a cop and my mate and I did mine. You did not fail me. Stop that right now.”
“I love you so much. But I wasn’t changed by my attacker. Templeton changed me at the hospital. I thought you knew but I guess you haven’t been conscious very long.” He stood and finished up.
As he dried her off, she pushed him against the wall. Her wolf pressed against his, wanton and hot.
“I need you, Ben. Right this second. If you don’t fuck me I’m going to scream.” Reaching down she grabbed his cock, pumping her fist over it a few times as she dragged her nipples over his chest.
He panted as he sought control. “Wait. Fuck, don’t do that! Tegan, you nearly died. Stop it.”
She climbed up his body and when he caught her to keep her from falling, she reached around and angled him, pressing down on him.
“Christ! Tegan, fuck, fuck, fuck.”
“Yes, that’s what I’m trying to do.” Her voice, still whiskey rough, was low and the magic of her wolf tinged it. His wolf was close as well, she felt him, saw the flicker in his eyes. “I can’t wait to change with you. I’m so sorry you had to be without me when you took form the first time. God you feel good. So damned good. I’d scream but I’m hoarse and I can see you’re embarrassed. They all know what we’re doing so let’s get to it. I don’t want foreplay, I don’t want finesse. I want you to fuck me hard. Top me, please, Ben. I need it.”
An anguishe
d sound broke from him as he spun and pressed her back against the wall. Thrusting hard and fast into her body, he dropped kisses, hot and wet, openmouthed, across her collarbone. Every few kisses he nipped just the right side of painful. One hand fisted in her hair, the other arm banded around her waist to hold her up.
“You’re so beautiful I could die from it. Looking at you makes me ache. Feeling the way your pussy holds me, welcomes me, you’re more than I ever imagined wanting, more than I ever imagined having. You’re alive and you’re mine,” he murmured, voice thick with emotion.
“Always. I’m yours. And you’re mine.” And he was. Unbelievably, wonderfully, he was. She tipped her head to the side and he moved quicker than she’d ever seen him move and bit down where neck met shoulder.
Orgasm rocked her foundations as she clamped her lips together to keep from crying out. He muffled a deep groan, his teeth still holding her still as he came.
After they’d gotten their breath back and kissed, long and slow for several more minutes, he helped her into pajamas Layla had brought and she put her hair back.
“You’re not going out there without a shirt, Ben.” Tegan grabbed him before he moved to the door. He looked hard and hot, his hair tousled and wet from the shower, skin tawny and stretched tight over muscle. The change had made him even sexier. She was going to have to beat the females off with a stick even harder now.
“The shirt I brought in is tight. I wanted to get a new one.” He winked, knowing just why she’d stopped him.
She handed him the shirt and he put it on. “Guh. Just guh. You look so sexy right now I want to take a bite. Or five.” Reaching up, she touched the mark on her neck and shivered.
“Sorry about that.” He winced.
“It’s so not anything to be sorry about. It’s considered very special when a mate marks the other like this. A badge of adoration. Thank you.”
“Oh. What about other marks?” His voice dropped an octave and her thighs tingled with the sense memory of the last time he’d flogged her—right before he’d left for Boston.