Aline Hunter - Enemy Mine

Three months? Is she crazy?

“That’s not going to work, imp.” He shook his head, feeling a smile tugging at his lips. Yep, he was definitely mated. When grown males started using cheesy endearments without giving a shit, it sealed the deal.

“You didn’t give a timeframe. You asked me to come back at a later date.” She stood tall, facing him, challenging him to say differently. “I’ve done that. I’ve given my word. Let go. Right now.”

He was going to argue when Trey slumped, forcing him to let go of the female. The agony of being shot paled in comparison to the misery he felt when he released her, losing the skin-to-skin contact. He wrapped his arm around Trey’s waist, forcing the wobbling man upright.

“Thank you,” she murmured and rushed around the front of the car.

“Three months,” he called out, his heart racing, the wolf within demanding he stop her while he could. “If you make me wait, I’ll find you and tan your little ass.”

“Three months,” she repeated, yelling the words back. She glared at him as she climbed into the vehicle. “And you wouldn’t dare.”

After she closed her door, she engaged the locks. Turning in the seat, Leigh faced the woman in the back and motioned with her hands. In a flash, the vampire Leigh was speaking with vanished. There one moment, gone the next.

Holy shit.

He watched as Leigh put the car in gear. With her hands on the wheel, she turned her head. Their gazes met and held for several seconds. He imagined all the things he planned to say and do to her. All the ways he’d show her pleasure. If her skin was pale all over, they’d be a contrast of colors. The images were cut short when Leigh severed eye contact, pulled away from the curb and the car sped away.

Pack members appeared from around the corner, lifting their gazes as their nostrils flared. One look and the shifters came at them in a run. Zach was the first to reach them and wrapped one of Trey’s arms around his neck. After Trey was steady, Zach rushed him toward the garage. It was apparent Trey had been hurt and that something was wrong with him but Nathan couldn’t move, anchored to the spot.

It had finally happened. He’d found his mate. Her image was scorched in his brain: features so delicate, her body so frail. Why was she so thin? Was she ill? Was there something wrong with her? He didn’t know but he planned to find out.

Three fucking months.

Three months was too long to wait. He knew her scent, had memorized it. When the pack didn’t need him, he’d start searching in the city. A foolish mission, he knew. She could very well reside outside of the limits, in another area. If anything it would help pass the time until they were reunited.

“Leigh,” he whispered, rolling her name off his tongue, immediately wanting to do so again. It had been one hell of a night, so it was only fair things took an upward swing. Ask and you shall receive. A mate— his mate —had appeared in his life when the world had gone to shit. Who would have thought it possible?

Certainly not him.

Emory watched Mary as she slept, entranced by the peacefulness of her face. Gone was the fear and anxiety, replaced by the world of dreams. He wanted to remain beside her but he had other things to worry about—other people to worry about.

Trey was back but his brother was confused and disoriented. Ever since he’d come to complete awareness he’d been snappy and on edge. Oddly enough, so was Nathan. The Beta refused to tell the pack much about his brother’s reappearance, aside from the fact an anonymous female had brought Trey home and then promptly took off. Neither of the males wanted to impart what they knew, dodging questions with vague responses, which meant they both had something to hide. Since Diskant had called a meeting and everyone had arrived to listen to the Alpha and Omega, asking important questions would have to wait. Emory could hear the pack talking quietly upstairs, waiting for the hammer to drop. He turned his hand and skimmed his knuckles over Mary’s cheek. She didn’t stir, breathing slow and even.

He rose from his chair and walked to the door. In case she woke, he left it cracked. With the second stage of the bloodbond, he’d feel her distress if she jolted awake or if she became alarmed. Hopefully she’d realize she was safe and know his promise to make things right wasn’t offered as a simple way to ease her fears. If not, he’d have to find some way to convince her that what had occurred hours before would never happen again.

Diskant had better have figured this shit out.

As he walked upstairs he saw the members of the pack in front of him. Many of the males had brought their mates, and a few of the females held small children in their arms. Emory shouldered his way through until he could see Diskant and Ava standing at the entranceway to the kitchen. Shifters surrounded them. Trey stood at the couple’s side and appeared a hell of a lot calmer. Kinsley stood at Diskant’s back, his emerald gaze combing over the room.

The moment Diskant noticed Emory he started talking. “Let’s get started. I’d like to thank you all for coming. I know a lot has happened in the last few months and I appreciate the support you’ve shown. I’ve done my best for the good of the pack, even if what transpired recently indicates otherwise.”

Diskant lowered his head and took a deep breath before he lifted his chin and met the stares of the shifters around him. “Unfortunately, after thinking the matter over, I realize that being your Alpha could potentially cause more harm than good. It’s too dangerous to have an Alpha and Omega leader when Shepherds have changed the game. If something happens to me, males would fight for pecking order while our enemies destroyed us one by one. For that reason, I’ve decided to step down.”

Alarmed whispers echoed down the hall and blended together. Ava peered up at Diskant, touched his arm and offered him a weak smile. He caught her hand and brought it to his lips for a quick kiss. When he let her go, she moved closer, pressing against his side. He moved his arm to give her room but his focus was on the crowd and not his mate.

“Let it be known that I hereby reinstate the status of pack Alpha to Trey Veznor,” Diskant said. “Effective immediately.”

“What?” Trey snapped and lowered the arms he had crossed over his chest.

“This is your pack,” Diskant explained. “It always has been. When I took your position, I never intended for it to be permanent. I knew you’d eventually get your head on straight. My position was only temporary.”

Emory knew Trey wanted to say something—to argue about the reversal of authority, perhaps—but his brother held back. Diskant had just honored him in an enormous way. By handing over his authority, Diskant had effectively shown all the shifters in the room that he trusted Trey with his and Ava’s lives. Throwing it back into Diskant’s face would cause dissension among the pack, and there would probably be more bloodshed when Alpha males started lining up to fight for the position.

“Traipsing around for Shepherd heads isn’t an option anymore,” Diskant added quietly. “The pack needs you here. We need you here. Once I explain everything you’ll understand. But first I need to know if you accept. Will you take on the pack? Will you guide them and make them your first priority above everything else?”

Trey opened his mouth, his eyes flashing amber. For a moment Emory felt a flash of anger—as well as an emotion he couldn’t place—coming from the man. It was as though his brother was stunned and locked in the grips of some sort of grief. The shifters around him started to growl, agitated by the Alpha’s response. Then Emory saw Nathan. The Beta walked from the kitchen and took his place by Trey’s side, placing his hand on Trey’s shoulder.