Filed to story: Luna Lovette and Alpha Kodak Story
As Nick ended the call and began pulling on his clothes, Shaya decided to do the same. She’d heard his phone call, and she wasn’t reassured by Derren’s apparent amusement-she’d come to learn that he had an offbeat sense of humor. If it was Logan, she wanted to be with Nick to ensure he didn’t let the human provoke him.
Dressed, Nick landed a kiss on her lips. “Stay here for me, baby.”
“Oh no. If someone’s here, I want to know who it is.” Seeing that he was about to object, she added, “This is my home. If shit comes to my doorstep, it’s my right to be part of dealing with it.”
Fair point, thought Nick with a sigh. Neither he nor his wolf was worried about her coming along because both he and his wolf knew that if there was any true danger, Derren would have warned Nick about it. “Fine. But if, for any reason, I need you to go inside, don’t ignore that.” Only when she nodded did he take her hand in his and lead her out of the room and down the stairs.
Keeping Shaya slightly behind him, Nick opened the front door…and almost gaped. Derren and the rebels were standing on the doorstep. But the rebels weren’t the visitors. No, the rebels appeared to be joining Derren against the visitors. Visitors who had his wolf on alert, growling and ready to pounce.
At the sight of Lovette, Kodak, Tao, and Dominic all scowling at Nick, Shaya gawked. “What are you guys doing here?” Oh shit.
“No, what’s he doing here?” demanded Lovette, though she didn’t look surprised to see Nick, simply pissed-Shaya could only assume Lovette had also seen the news footage that featured Nick and Shaya together in the background. Great. The members of the Phoenix Pack all briefly moved their gaze to Shaya, shot her a teeny smile, and went back to scowling at her mate. Shaya’s wolf didn’t like that. Oh God, oh God, this could get really, really bad.
“If you’re here to take her,” began Nick, his voice a deadly growl, “you’ve had a wasted journey.” His wolf growled, backing Nick up on that. No one was taking Shaya anywhere.
“I already explained that.” Derren sounded a mixture of bored and amused.
Lovette snarled at Nick, clenching her fists. “I told you to stay away from her.”
“You knew I wouldn’t,” said Nick, his voice deceptively patient. “She’s my mate. Nothing’s going to keep me away from her.”
Tao snorted. “Really? Strange. Because you stayed away from her for months of your own accord.”
“Leaving us to care for her and comfort her,” added Dominic, which made Nick growl-he really would like to kill that wolf. “Call us odd, but we don’t want you around her when there’s every chance you’ll upset her again.”
“And you will upset her again,” maintained Lovette, glaring hard at Nick. “Because you’re a cruel, insensitive shithead-something you’ve proven by even thinking of coming here! You lost the right to see her when you ignored her instead of claiming her! Don’t you think it’s a little late to come knocking now?”
Nick raised a brow. “Don’t you think that’s up to Shaya to decide, who I’m sure isn’t liking that everyone’s speaking on her behalf?”
Her mate knew her well. As his arm lifted in invitation, Shaya let him tug her to his side. He wasn’t forcing her to remain behind him-he was treating her like an equal. She hadn’t expected that. Sensing that Lovette’s anger was increasing, which in turn was increasing the anger of the Phoenix wolves-of course, all of that was feeding Nick’s anger and putting his wolf on edge-Shaya decided it was past time to defuse the situation.
Petting Nick’s chest to calm him, Shaya smiled at her best friend. “Lovette, I really appreciate your concern for me-it was the same concern I showed for you when you first mated with Kodak.” Ignoring Kodak’s affronted look, Shaya continued, “But I’m asking you to give me the same support I gave you.” When both Dominic’s and Tao’s mouths opened, Shaya gave them a dark look that made their mouths snap shut. “You’ve made your opinions clear. I don’t need to hear them again.” She swept her gaze over all of them as she said, “This isn’t a negotiation. If you’re not willing to give Nick the same chance I’m giving him, you need to leave.”
When Kodak’s eyes moved to her neck and narrowed, Shaya knew he’d seen one of Nick’s many marks. “You haven’t officially claimed her,” noted Kodak, studying Nick curiously.
“Yet,” Nick quickly said. “When Shaya’s ready, I will.”
Lips pursed, Kodak considered that for a moment, and then nodded in satisfaction. Tao did the same while Dominic shrugged.
Lovette gawked at her mate. “You’re okay with this?” she practically screeched.
“Baby, you knew this would happen.” Kodak ran a hand through the various shades of blonde that made up his mate’s hair, clearly trying to calm her down. “Nothing in this world could keep me away from you, and nothing was going to keep him away from Shaya.”
“He should have claimed her when he had the chance!”
“Yes, but he didn’t.” Kodak gestured to Shaya’s neck. “And look, he still hasn’t. He’s waiting for her to be ready. That’s more than a lot of shifters would do, and we all know it.”
After a thoughtful pause, Lovette turned to Nick again. “I want to talk to Shaya alone.” Her eyes dared him to say no.
“Then you need to ask Shaya,” said Nick. “I’m her mate, not her boss.”
Lovette’s brows rose in surprise, and Shaya saw a hint of approval in her eyes.
“Why don’t you all wait inside while Lovette and I talk out here?” When Nick tensed almost imperceptibly beside her, Shaya knew he didn’t like the idea of her being completely out of his sight with Lovette when it was clear that the Alpha female wanted her away from Nick. She laid a reassuring hand on his chest and rubbed her jaw against his side. That easily, the tension left him. Looking up at him, she said, “I’ll just be a few minutes.”
Common sense told Nick that Lovette wouldn’t attempt to sneak away with Shaya because that would mean leaving without her mate and pack members. Common sense also told him that Lovette was too brazen to do “sneaky”; she’d do it right in front of him and expect him to deal with it. But he couldn’t help being anxious. It was one thing for the two females to talk where he could see them. It was another for him to wait inside. But as he looked down into gray-blue eyes that were begging for the same trust she was trying to give him, there was no way he could object.
Dropping his arm, Nick nodded. Shaya’s beaming smile was reward enough for him. “Don’t leave the yard unless you want our little followers to hear your conversation.” As Shaya nodded and then went to the Alpha female, he caught the blonde’s eye and held her gaze. “Try to take my mate from me, and I’ll take yours from you.”
The blonde just blinked at him, before asking Shaya, “Is he always delusional?” Nick tracked their movements as they went to stand at the bottom of the yard, satisfied when they didn’t walk any farther.
“Who are the people watching the house?”
At Kodak’s question, Nick sighed. “I guess you’d better come in.”
As Nick, Derren, and the Phoenix wolves went inside the house, the rebels insisted on waiting outside. The trio stood monitoring Lovette and Shaya, and she had the feeling that they intended to ensure on Nick’s behalf that Lovette didn’t attempt to kidnap her. It was kind of touching. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?