Cole’s Redemption (12 page)

“I’ve heard they can rise if you don’t take their head.” She appeared none too happy
about that.

“True.”

The elevator doors opened to an industrial-type area, the starkest place in the entire
building. Zan came down here very rarely, and in truth, hated doing so. There wasn’t
much that was more depressing than interrogating creatures who were doomed to die—even
if the creatures deserved it.

“What did this rogue do?” Selene asked, as though reading his thoughts.

“Murdered a young ranch hand. Drained him and savaged the body. It was a real mess.”

“God!”

They fell silent as Nick led them to the last cell. They stopped and studied the pitiful-looking
vampire through the bars. His clothes were stained with dried blood and God knew what
else. They were filthy, and the creature stank so bad, it was like a rabid skunk had
sprayed the entire basement.

“Come to gawk at the poor prisoner,” it hissed, raising yellowed eyes to study them
in return. Behind him, chains rattled, securing his wrists, though they couldn’t be
seen.

Beside him, Selene sucked in a breath.

“There’s nothing poor about you. You simply made your choices,” Nick told it.

“Choice? What do you know about hunger? An aching belly that’s never filled?”

“More than you think. There’s never a reason to harm someone when you feed. Prince
Tarron has a hard-and-fast rule about no killing of blood donors. If you had—”

“Fuck you, mangy wolf!”

“Tell me who’s behind these rogue attacks. There are far too many to be a natural
occurrence. Who’s responsible? Why?”

“Do you still think I’m going to tell you shit?” it screeched. Then it began to cackle,
an eerie noise of insanity that made Zan’s blood run cold. “That’ll never happen.”

Jax shook his head. “Boss, he’s not going to talk. Let’s just get this done.”

“Dammit! All right. I’m tired of listening to his ass, and it’s not like we can put
him back on the street.”

Nick punched in a code beside the door and it slid open. He walked in, Zan and Jax
behind him. Then the vampire stood, and Zan realized their mistake.

The rogue was no longer chained. He’d done something he shouldn’t have been able to
do—he’d broken them in half.

“Hit the button and close the door!” Zan shouted to Selene. He was vaguely aware of
the bars clanging shut again and felt momentary relief. Whatever happened, Selene
was safe on the other side.

He caught a glimpse of her standing with her hand over her mouth, eyes wide, and then
the rogue was on top of Nick, slashing, trying to lay open his throat with claws and
fangs. They slammed against the bars, and the commander did a partial shift, utilizing
claws of his own to drive them into the rogue’s side.

It howled, and Zan hauled it backward. Jax helped him tackle the thing to the concrete
floor, and the two of them made quick work of it. Zan stabbed his claws under the
sternum and up, skewering its heart. Jax slit its throat, then hacked until the head
went rolling away, the rogue’s eyes surprised. It was a macabre sight.

“Great,” Jax bitched. “I got stinky rogue blood all over my new jeans.”

“Hey, he’s hurt!”

At Selene’s cry, they spun to see Nick stagger and sit down, hard. They rushed to
him, and Zan whistled.

“Nasty bite wound. He
did
get you. Stay still while we call for a stretcher.”

“No, I can walk,” Nick said stubbornly.

“You sure?”

He eyed his boss. The man wasn’t going to be budged, so he and Jax gave in. “Fine,
but we’re helping you. Baby, can you punch in the code to let us out?”

He called it out to her, and in seconds the door was open. He and Jax hauled Nick
off the floor, getting him between them and slinging one of his arms over each shoulder.
The position wasn’t unlike the many times they’d assisted a SEAL buddy wounded in
combat. They walked him out to the elevator.

Zan didn’t miss the sheer horror on Selene’s face as she studied her father’s wound.

“You could have been killed,” she scolded him.

“Sorry to disappoint you,” he rasped.

His mate looked like she’d been slapped. Zan thought it truly hit her then, the ramifications
of her anger. Whether it had been unjust all this time. The self-doubt and the first
glimmerings of remorse. All of her emotions were there and gone in a flash.

His mate would need him, later.

They hauled Nick all the way to the infirmary, and Melina met them in the lobby with
Noah. They took the commander off his and Jax’s hands, which was quite a relief.

“Goddamn, he’s heavy.” Jax groaned, rotating his shoulder.

“He’s going to be okay, isn’t he?”

Zan took his mate’s hand. “He’ll be fine. A bite wound like that is just a scratch
compared to some of the injuries we’ve had.”

“Somehow I’m not sure that makes me feel any better.”

“Sorry. But he’s going to be good as new by tomorrow. Trust me. He’s got that shifter
healing going for him.”

She blinked at him then. “Why didn’t
you
heal him?”

“Because it wasn’t a life-threatening wound, baby, or I would have. I have to conserve
my energy for the really, really bad stuff. Okay?”

“Sure. I understand.”

She was truly rattled by her father’s injury. This had been a day of revelations for
her all around, and he needed to see to his mate. He tried to get her to leave, but
she wouldn’t be budged until they heard something.

Finally, Melina came out, Nick on her heels. He was a bit pale and had a fresh bandage
at the curve of his neck and shoulder.

“Our patient will live,” she said, then smiled kindly at Selene. “I’ll check the wound
again tomorrow, but by then it should be fine. No aftereffects from a vampire bite
wound but some pain.”

Selene almost sagged against him. Then she found her voice and met her father’s gaze.
“I’m glad you’re okay.”

His eyes softened. “Thanks. Why don’t you let your mate take you to rest now? I think
I’ll do the same.”

Zan knew that was just for her benefit. The stubborn wolf would head straight to his
office to work.

“I think I will,” she said.

“Come on, baby. Let’s go lie down for a while.”

After one last look at her father, she let Zan take her hand and lead her back to
their quarters. Theirs. He was liking the sound of that.

Once inside, he gently removed her clothes and then his. He scooted her into the bathroom
and started the shower, making it hot enough to soothe their muscles and relax them.
Then he pulled her inside with him.

He washed the blood from himself, scrubbing from head to foot. Then he got her good
and wet, soaping her from top to bottom as well. He made sure to get every cranny,
taking care of his mate as nobody else would ever do. It made him proud to care for
her, see to her needs.

And right now, what his mate needed wasn’t sexual.

She needed her mate to hold her, to let her know he was there. Would always be there
to cherish her. Come what may, she was his.

She’d suffered quite a blow to her
Get Nick
campaign, and her world paradigm was shifting. Without her anger to use as a shield
against the world, she was lost.

She was simply a woman who needed her man to hold her bruised heart.

So that’s what he did. All through the afternoon and the night. He tucked her close
to his heart and let her know, without words, that she could trust him. That she was
his.

Sometimes, words weren’t necessary at all.

T
he next day, Selene walked around in sort of a daze.

She didn’t see much of her father, but Zan was there, hovering all the time. She thought
it was sweet, but really he needed to train, to do whatever he and his Pack did when
they weren’t fussing over and fucking their mates.

Not that the fucking part wasn’t fun. She and Zan had done plenty of that when they’d
woken up this morning, eager to explore each other’s bodies. Again. They’d been so
enthusiastic, they’d chipped the wall because the headboard had been banging against
it so hard. The memory made her smile.

She spent the rest of the day fending off her mate’s roaming hands. Horny wolf.

That night, however, was the party with the other women. Selene couldn’t contain her
nerves.

She’d never had a gaggle of girlfriends, hadn’t been invited to many birthdays or
slumber parties. After her mother’s murder and her father’s subsequent abandonment,
she’d become even more unreachable emotionally, and eventually the invitations had
ceased altogether.

The emotional distance she put between herself and others that made her perfect for
a job as one of her uncle’s enforcers also made her a social misfit in every other
respect.

As she peered at herself in the bathroom mirror, a pair of manly hands clasped her
shoulders. “Relax. You’re going to be fine.”

“Easy for you to say. You’re not the wolf from the wrong side of the tracks being
scrutinized by the PTA committee.”

He laughed. “I promise they’re not as bad as a bunch of soccer moms. Not even close.
Go with an open mind and you might even be surprised.”

“I’ll be surprised if I’m surprised. Does that even make sense?”

“Yes.” He spun her around and gave her a smoldering kiss. “Now, go and have a good
time. Don’t threaten to kill anyone and you’ll be gold.”

She scowled at him. “That’s not funny.”

“Then you need to work on your sense of humor. Go.”

Rolling her eyes, she swept past him and through their quarters, out the door. In
the hallway, she huffed, realizing she’d just thought of his apartment as
theirs
. That was an interesting mental tell. Was she accepting her mating to the gorgeous
black wolf? It seemed so.

And I do too have a sense of humor!

His gentle laugh sounded in her mind, and she couldn’t help but smile. Zan had a way
of making people feel
good.
Anyone could see that, and she was slowly coming to realize how lucky she was that
the man was hers.

She pondered that on the way to Kira and Jax’s quarters a few doors down. But with
a shield over her thoughts. Wouldn’t do for her mate to get too big of a head.

At Kira’s door, she knocked and waited to be let in, and was surprised by the friendly
greeting she received. Kira, Mac, Rowan, Melina, and Daria were sitting around sipping
red and white wine—except for Mac, who held a glass of milk. Mac was sitting on the
comfy-looking sofa, round belly sticking out so that it appeared she’d swallowed a
basketball. With her free hand, she scratched the mound and then rested her palm on
top of it.

“Damn,” Mac muttered, then panted a few breaths. Everyone paused.

Rowan started to rise. “What’s wrong?”

But Mac waved her down. “Nothing. Just been having a few contractions today. I’m fine.”

“If you’re sure . . .” But the other woman didn’t seem convinced.

“Jeez, stop worrying! You guys are all like a bunch of mother hens.”

“Can I get you something?” Kira asked, returning her attention to Selene.

“White, please?” She didn’t drink a lot of wine, but she didn’t see beer in evidence.
When in Rome and all that.

In seconds she had a glass in her hand and was perched on a chair, part of the circle
of friends. Sort of.

Daria must’ve sensed her discomfort, because she leaned over and spoke quietly in
her ear. “I was the newest one before you, not too long ago. So I know how you feel.”
She patted Selene’s knee. “But really, it’ll be all right. These are good people,
but it’s a strange world, for sure.”

“I come from a stranger one; trust me.”

“Really? Would you mind telling me about your pack?”

Pleased that the other woman took an interest, she described her clan as she had to
her mate. Daria and a couple of the other women were listening, nodding and asking
intelligent questions about how their society was run. That made her feel good, too.
Like she wasn’t such an outsider.

“At least you were already a wolf,” Daria said. “Try being human and getting thrust
into the paranormal world. Talk about culture shock!”

Kira agreed. “Same for me. I had no clue shifters, vampires, and a whole list of other
paranormal creatures were real until I was thrown into the middle of a dangerous situation
and my very own wolf came to my rescue.”

“I didn’t know about all that stuff, either,” Rowan put in. “I was looking for my
brother, Micah, and found this place. When I saw a bunch of wolves surround me and
then turn into naked men, I literally fainted!”

Everyone laughed at that, and Selene found herself truly relaxing for the first time.
She was fascinated by each woman’s tale as she told the story of how she met the Pack
and her mate and the dangers they battled. But what didn’t escape her notice was that
in each of the stories, her father played a prominent role as a strong hero.

She didn’t think they were pumping Nick up on purpose. Everything they said sounded
sincere. The battles her father had faced, the dangers, the way he’d protected his
men time and again . . . The man sounded larger than life.

Brave. Caring. Too good to be true.

What was the truth? Who was the real Nick Westfall?

“Oh!” Mac’s startled exclamation put everyone on alert.

Melina touched her arm. “What is it?”

“I don’t—oh!” This time she wrapped an arm around her abdomen and grimaced in apparent
pain. “I think my water just broke!”

Indeed her maternity pants and the sofa underneath had a spreading stain. Melina rose,
calmly giving orders.

“Someone call Noah, tell him to bring a wheelchair.”

“I’ll do it,” Rowan volunteered, then yanked out her cell phone.

“And someone call Kalen,” Melina continued. “He and most of the men are in the rec
room playing poker tonight.”

“On it.” Kira took the phone Melina handed her and called Kalen while Melina grilled
the other woman, making note of all of her symptoms.

The doctor nodded, her face transforming with a wide smile. “Sounds like we’re having
a baby soon!” This drew excited exclamations from around the room, along with congratulations
and encouraging words about how she and the baby were going to be fine.

Selene sure hoped so. She was starting to like these women, and Mac was so sweet.
Kalen seemed like the perfect mate for her, and Selene had no doubt their baby would
be as beautiful as the couple.

In less than five minutes, there was a knock at the door. Noah hurried in with the
wheelchair, and they quickly got her situated. Then he wheeled her out, moving briskly
but not too fast. The other women were chattering, trailing behind, and Selene accompanied
them, caught up in the magic of an impending birth. From what she understood, this
would be the compound’s first child. Sounded like the baby would be spoiled, too.

Kalen rounded a corner, followed by his friends, wide-eyed and looking frantic. “Sweetheart!
Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” she panted. But her voice was small, a little afraid. “I can’t believe
it’s actually happening.”

“I’m here, okay?” Taking her hand, he walked beside her chair, murmuring soothing
words to his mate.

In the infirmary, Mac and Kalen were whisked back to a room while everyone else had
to remain in the waiting area. Zan found Selene and gave her a smile and then a kiss
in front of everyone, which pleased her enormously. It further cemented that she was
becoming part of something here. It was hard not to like these people.

“Did you have a good time with the ladies?” he asked.

“I did. They made me feel really welcome.”

“I told you.” He looked pleased about this.

“Yes, and you were right. It’s not that I doubted you, but . . .” She shrugged. “If
the situation were reversed and a hostile female barged into clan territory gunning
for my uncle, she wouldn’t survive the first five minutes. Much less be invited for
cocktails.”

“Ah, but they’re sneaky. Did you check to be sure your drink wasn’t laced with something
nasty? Kidding,” he said with a laugh when she made a face at him.

She liked that he could joke with her. It made her feel good inside, at peace in a
way she hadn’t been in a long, long time.

That feeling lasted until Nick arrived and stood with them to wait on word. As the
other team members began to arrive, she took the opportunity to study him.

The first thing she noted was that when he interacted with people, he was nothing
like her uncle Damien. Nick was very much their commander, but they were comfortable
around him. He was one of them, and they respected him. Damien, however, would’ve
been standing on the fringes of the group, holding himself aloof with that stern expression
of his.

Nick talked to his men, and they listened. And he listened to them as well. His face
showed that he was genuinely interested in what they had to say. His eyes were warm.

And even her uncle always said the eyes never lied.

She was beyond confused as to what to believe. Yesterday, that rogue in the cell had
been going after her father, and she knew in her heart he would have died to protect
Zan and Jax. At every turn, it seemed she’d been wrong about him.

As luck would have it, he turned his head and made eye contact with her. She tried
a smile. It felt strange on her face, to show him any sort of tolerance. He appeared
surprised and made his way over to her and Zan.

“How is your bite wound?” she asked.

“Already healed, thanks.”

“I’m glad.”

He appeared as surprised by that as she did, and he cleared his throat. “Exciting
news about the baby, isn’t it?” he said a bit awkwardly.

Seeing him look so unexpectedly vulnerable caught at her heart. “Yes, it sure is.
I was there when she went into labor.”

“I’ve never seen Kalen move so fast,” said Ryon. “He dropped all his cards and upended
the poker table when he got the call.”

“And I was winning for a change too,” Zan said, making a good-natured face. “Damn.”

Selene chuckled. “That’s what you get for gambling.”

“Hey, we were only playing for quarters. I save the real gambling for Vegas.”

“You go there often?” she asked.

Ryon laughed. “Only to pick up women.” That immediately earned him a smack on the
back of the head from his mate as his friends laughed. “Ow!”

“
Used
to pick up women!”

“Of course, baby! Used to.” He leaned in and kissed her thoroughly.

Selene gave Zan a pointed look, and he raised his hands. “Don’t look at me. My carousing
days were over before I met you.”

Aric coughed loudly, and it sounded a lot like
bullshit
. Zan sent him a sour look that promised retribution, but the redhead just smirked.

Spirits remained high, especially when Kalen came out to update them. “Looks like
it’s going to be soon! I just wanted you guys to know.”

That drew some smiles as he rushed back inside. People took seats in the chairs, or
simply sat cross-legged on the floor. When Melina at last emerged from the back, dressed
in scrubs, she was wearing a wide smile.

“Mom and baby Kai are doing just great.” A cheer met this announcement, and she waited
for the celebrating to die down before she continued. “Mac is worn-out, and she and
Kalen need time to bond with their son. So, no visitors until tomorrow, but Kalen
said he’d text everyone pictures.”

This seemed to satisfy the group, and one by one, people began to say good-bye and
drift away. Nick lingered, and Selene struggled with what to say. Finally, she settled
for looking him in the eye and keeping it simple.

“Good night.”
Daddy.
She always used to call him
Daddy
, but her throat closed on the word. She couldn’t do it yet. Perhaps never again.

Nick cleared his throat. “Good night.” As she left, she could have sworn she heard
him whisper,
baby girl
.

Back in their quarters, Zan held her in his arms as they snuggled in bed. Long into
the night, she remained awake, thinking about the events of the evening.

Despite herself, she had started to form a very real bond with the good people at
the compound. It felt . . . right. And she found herself wanting to hold on to what
she’d found. To let nothing ruin this fledgling peace and warmth.

She drifted to sleep, thinking joyous thoughts of friends, babies, and mates.

And fathers who really loved their children and would never dream of leaving them.

•   •   •

Nick sat behind his desk the next morning, elbows on the top, hands buried in his
hair. He glared at the computer screen and read the message again, a slight variation
on the first one.

I’m coming for you. I’m going to make you suffer because I want to and because I’ll
enjoy it. You will pay for interfering with me, and you’ll wish you were dead.

Not very original, but certainly attention-grabbing. Especially since it appeared
the asshole wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. He’d dug in and was making it plain
he had an agenda—killing Nick.
Fantastic. You’ll have to stand in line, fucker.

Behind his own daughter, no less. Though she didn’t seem quite as quick to go off
on him as she had when she’d first arrived. Didn’t mean she wouldn’t kill him given
half a chance, but . . .

Last night, she’d seemed different. A bit softer, though she’d hate being called that.
There had been something in her eyes when she’d looked at him besides blind hate,
and it gave him hope. Without hope, he had nothing. Because he wouldn’t be able to
stand having his daughter returned to his life and then have her snatched away again.