Her Keepers (6 page)

Brad took her bags and held her other hand. Brad was the sweet one. She could get used to being treated the way they treated her.

He and Duncan had gone to the mall where Jacky had said Karen would go, both fuming and ready to chew their mate out. She’d put herself in danger by going out without one of them to protect her. She had humiliated Garth, the leader of one of the most powerful packs, and made him angry. They were now worried that he might try something stupid—like taking her—to try to get his way.

Brad had awoken to a phone call from the local pack, saying Garth was complaining and causing problems. Garth had even said that he and Duncan were playing favorites. Brad had laughed it off, saying Peacekeepers didn’t play favorites. The problem had worsened when the council had had a meeting to address concerns about Garth. The only reason neither he nor Duncan was with Karen, was because they both needed to be present for the meeting. They’d left the meeting when Karen had driven off by herself.

With everything they were hearing about Garth, Brad knew he, Duncan, and his brothers would have to go to the red and blue wolves’ borders and help bring peace.

They let her shop for a while longer and picked up some things from the supermarket before Duncan drove her hired car home, and Karen sat in Brad’s passenger seat. “You know we’re going to have to talk about you going off without protection,” Brad said.

“I know. I’m surprised you waited so long.”

“I thought I’d let you enjoy your outing.” He winked at her, then sighed. “Look, it’s not that we don’t want you going out and doing fun things, it’s just you can’t go out without at least one of our brothers or us to protect you. Can you imagine what Garth could do to you? The leeway he would have if he got you. I know this is all still new to you, and you think we’ll let you leave us, but we need you. You, Karen, are special. We have waited many years for you. You are the most important thing in our lives, and we couldn’t bear if anything happened to you.”

“I had to get away, Brad. I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I couldn’t have sex again. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love making out with you and Duncan, but there is only so much I can take. I need talk, I need more than that cabin, and I need civilization.”

Brad sighed. He knew she was right, but he and Duncan were still worried she would choose to leave, and they had hoped that she would stay if they showered her with attention, and fantastic sex. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Everything. What do you and Duncan do when you’re not Peacekeeping?”

“We run the lodge.”

“Yeah, but what do you do for yourselves?”

Brad was unsure what Karen meant. He and Duncan didn’t really have much time to dedicate to anything else. They had Peacekeeping, the lodge—and now her. “We roam in our bear form.”

“What about sitting and watching TV, or going out to play football or another sport? You know a fun or relaxing thing you can enjoy.”

Brad shrugged, “When we were younger there was no such thing as TV. We did play sports, but as we grew older we slowly took over from our parents and we focused on what needed to be done.”

Karen reached over and patted him. “I’m so sorry.” She grinned over at him and in the sweetest voice said, “I forget how ancient you two are. I’m going to show you fun and how to relax, even if I have to provide helping canes.”

He chuckled. “Honey, we have more stamina in our pinky finger than you do in your whole body. You need to watch out if you keep calling us old, because we’ll have to show that we’re not.”

Karen raised her hands in the universal sign of surrender. “Fine. You’re not that old. This week, promise me, no more sex crazed romps every chance we touch. Let’s go out, and I’ll show you things and we will all do fun things together.”

He turned down the winding road to the lodge and glanced at Karen’s face. Her eyes were bright and eager, and her face was lit up with a smile. He couldn’t say no to her, and he knew Duncan wouldn’t. Brad would like to enjoy some social things with his mate. “Yeah, you can choose and organize our next couple of days.”

“Yay!” she clapped her hands together and the smile she bestowed on him made it worth trying anything Karen wanted.

Chapter Five

Duncan decided that Brad was never making decisions without him again. He was a man who liked his feet firmly on the ground. He closed his eyes and thought out of all the things Karen had chosen for them to do, this was by far the worst. Going to a theme park and going on every ride. Duncan could hear the nuts and bolts protest as the cart they sat in approached the top of a hill, before a huge drop.

The cart fell forward, and Karen squealed beside him. Duncan opened his eyes and wished he hadn’t, as his stomach flew up and then down.

“This is awesome. I love this ride!” Karen yelled.

He groaned and wished for this day to be over. Duncan even wished a Peacekeeper job would come up, that he would have to go and deal with. He was regretting feeling grateful to his younger brothers, Abraham and Jaylen, for saying they would handle any problems that arose during their absence.

When the ride finally finished Duncan had to bend the metal around him back into shape, as his grip had bent it. Karen was giggling as she eyed his face. He must look a fright.

“That was fun. What ride should we do next?” Karen bounced up and down, seemingly eager for more torture.

Duncan had had enough. Brad had agreed to this ‘having fun’ but Duncan hadn’t, so Brad could endure the next couple of hours of rides and theme park fun, because Duncan was going to a bar to get a much needed scotch.

Brad stood waiting for them at the exit of the roller coaster. He’d been lucky to get out of the last ride. He had a huge grin on his face. “You looked like you enjoyed that one, Duncan.”

Duncan could hear the laughter in Brad’s voice; he was enjoying the hell they were now in. Well, enjoying the effect it had on Duncan, anyway. “That’s it. You two can endure this torture together. I’m going to find a bar where I can get a strong drink.”

Karen pouted up at him, but it didn’t work because she couldn’t keep the smile off her face nor the laughter out of her eyes. “Oh, come on. A couple more rides and I’m done. I promise.”

He rolled his eyes heavenwards as she dramatically batted her eyelashes at him. Shaking his head, he sighed. He couldn’t leave. He was spending time with his mate. “Fine, but I won’t be going on the rides.”

“Great.” The smile Karen bestowed on him made everything he’d been through and more worth it. She was gorgeous and such a bright light in a life he hadn’t realized had become so dull. “I need to go to the bathroom before the next ride, so can we find the restrooms?”

Brad was looking at a map, when a commotion to Duncan’s side caught his attention. He took a deep breath in and scented wolves. Glancing at Karen, he put his hand up. “Stay with Brad. I’m going to find out what’s going on.”

The closer Duncan got, the more werewolves he smelled. Fists were being thrown by all shifters and Duncan soon got stuck in the middle, unable to handle all the wolves on his own.

Brad joined him when he was weighed down with four wolves on him.

“Where is Karen?” Duncan hoped Brad hadn’t left her someplace where she would be vulnerable.

“She is just out of the way with some female shifters and mates,” Brad yelled at him as he battled his way through the throng of wolves.

They needed to get this sorted. The wolves were causing a lot of problems and drawing way too much human attention.

Duncan focused on his job, eager to find out the cause of this feud.

Karen was having a ball. She knew Duncan hated the theme park, and Brad was enjoying torturing Duncan. She’d fallen in love with these men. They were so easy to be with, and she enjoyed every minute she was with them. Tomorrow was the day she and Jacky needed to leave, if they wanted to get to their concert on time. She’d already stayed a couple of extra days. Today she’d thought they’d go to a theme park, because Karen loved the rides and the atmosphere.

Her men had done really well trying to have fun and relax. They’d liked bowling, and enjoyed watching sports. They’d been reluctant to go dancing and ice skating, she was surprised at that one, considering they
were
polar bears. But they’d been willing to try everything she’d suggested.

She was busting to go to the bathroom. Duncan and Brad were breaking up a fight that had erupted among a bunch of werewolves. Duncan hadn’t been able to handle all the wolves by himself, so Brad had left her with some female shifters and mates. But Karen couldn’t hold her bladder another minute. The women were focused on the fight, but Karen told them she’d be right back, then snuck off to the bathrooms.

Karen waited in the line for her turn. Finally, after what felt like hours, it was her turn. She did her business and washed her hands and walked back over to her men, whom she could see were starting to get somewhere with the wolves.

Strong arms grabbed her around her waist and lifted her up against a body with a smell she didn’t know. Karen fought her attacker, screaming for help as he pulled her away from the crowd, and from Duncan and Brad. His hand came up to cover her mouth.

“Shut up. Stay quiet; otherwise, I will snap your fucking neck right here.”

Karen stiffened. She knew that voice. She’d heard it almost two weeks ago… Garth.

“Ah, I see you have figured out who has you. I have been trying to get you for a while, but your mates don’t leave your side.” He leaned down and sniffed her. Karen fought harder. “You’re a feisty one. I may have a taste of you before I decide if I’ll give you back, once your mates do what I want.”

Karen bit down on his hand hard, until she tasted blood. Garth’s hand left her mouth, and she screamed at the top of her lungs, “Help! Brad! Duncan! Help me! Brad! Duncan!” She kicked and fought to get away with everything she had.

“You little bitch. I’m going to enjoy teaching you where your place is.” His hot breath against her skin sickened her so much that she vomited. Garth threw her against a building. “You disgusting little human. This was an Armani original.”

Karen scrambled away from him as she gasped for air, trying to catch her breath. Garth stalked toward her, and Karen looked around her for a weapon, anything she could use against him. She crawled away as pain radiated through her. “Help. Please, someone help me. Duncan! Brad!” she yelled, over and over. She threw trash and anything she could find at Garth to stop him.

Feeling her strength slowly returning, she stood on shaky legs and ran toward the busier part of the park. Garth was right behind her, but Karen knew she couldn’t give up. The man was crazed. He would kill her. Breathing hard, she put her whole strength into moving through the people and avoiding Garth. She called for Duncan and Brad the whole time, making sure attention kept on her.

The fight was in her sight, and Duncan and Brad had the wolves separated. Her voice was hurting as she cupped her hands and yelled, “Help! Duncan, Brad, help me!”

They both turned, but it was too late. Garth grabbed her, and his hands came around her throat, cutting off any words or air. Karen scratched and fought for air as her feet lifted off the ground.

“I should kill you now.” Garth’s fingers tightened around her throat, and black seeped around the edges of her vision. “That land was mine. You had no right to give it to that pup and his pack.”

“Let her go, Garth. You do
not
want to hurt her.” Brad’s snarling voice was like heaven as Garth turned her, letting her gasp in gulps of air.

Garth laughed, and the sound sent chills down her spine. His hands still held her neck, but she could breathe now. “Yes, I do. Your little bitch of a mate thought she could get away with making a fool of me.”

“I didn’t make a fool of you. You did it to yourself, idiot.” The oxygen mustn’t have reached her brain yet, she realized, as she rasped out her snarky reply to Garth’s words.

The shifter women she’d been with before giggled at her, only to stop as Garth roared and turned her so she was inches away from his half-changing form. Karen was terrified, but her mouth didn’t seem to have a filter. “Are you going to change into the big bad wolf? If so, please put me down so I can find a rolled-up paper to fight you. You could do with a couple of good smacks on the nose.” She knew what she was saying, but the light feeling that flooded through her and the aching of every muscle and body part had her going crazy.