One Second (Seven Series Book 7) (22 page)

And now, of all things, my father reappeared. I had a built-in coping mechanism that got me through a lot in life, but this was one situation I was losing control of, and I couldn’t afford to break down in front of my pack. Not now. I was skeptical that a man like Judas would care enough about his blood daughter to risk coming into the city, but it was clear his motive was to intimidate everyone in the territory by showing how quickly he could slip a small army inside city limits. Every Packmaster at that party must have been stirring with rage.

I hurried into the kitchen through the back door and came to a full stop when a wolf snarled at me.

Reno punched his snout. “You better keep that in check around this alpha female.”

We found Trevor sitting naked in a chair in the hall. Reno tossed him his pants, and he put them on without standing up.

I ran my fingers through his unkempt hair. “Are you hurt?”

“One of the alphas helped me shift again; I think everything’s healed up. Holy hell—what happened? A wolf came out of nowhere and jumped me while I was bending over to pick up my plate.”

“Northerners.”

He took the dress shirt from Reno and glowered at it. “Ruined. That shit pisses me off more than the fuckwad who tried to tear out my throat. I special ordered this shirt; it’s a limited edition.”

“Where’s William?”

He gave me a quizzical stare. “How would I know? Last I saw, he was talking to some of his old packmates, and that was over an hour ago.”

Poor Trevor. He must have really been out of it when William had brought him into the house, as he didn’t seem to remember any of it.

Katharine appeared and helped Trevor up. “We’ll take him home. George is pulling up the car.”

Butterflies circled my stomach as I made my way through the crowd, searching for Austin.

Lorenzo cut through the room, a gust of air lifting the ends of his long hair.

I gripped his arm. “Where’s Austin?”

He nodded toward the front door, and I rushed outside.

Some people were leaving, while others were taking a seat in front of the house with a drink in hand.

“Austin?” I called out, searching the faces in the crowd. “Austin!”

“Hey,” a warm voice said from behind me, familiar arms wrapping around me as I turned around. “I’m right here.”

I sank into his embrace, the comforting feel of his pounding heart against my ear. Sometimes late at night in bed—after he’d fall asleep—I would rest my head against his chest, soothed by the rhythmic beat of my alpha’s heart. It was the best sound in the world.

He smoothed his hand down my hair and kissed my forehead. “I’m sorry.”

I lifted my chin. “About what?”

Austin lowered his voice. “That your father had to be a bastard. I should have helped you find him earlier so he wouldn’t have made such a public display to humiliate you in front of the packs. Christ, Lexi. I don’t even know what to say to that.” He cradled my head in his hands, his eyes resolute. “I’m not going to let him take you away from me. You got that? It’s you and me to the end—no matter what happens.”

I kissed him slowly, reverently. The world melted away until all I heard was Austin whispering against my lips that he loved me.

“Did William come by?”

Austin leaned back. “No, I haven’t seen him. Reno! Round up the troops,” he yelled over my shoulder.

I turned around and scanned the crowd, but Reno had already vanished. Austin’s hand moved down to my stomach and remained there, his fingers splayed protectively.

Lorenzo swaggered out and gave Austin a judgmental stare. “You have a notorious track record for drama-filled peace parties; I just didn’t think you’d bring the circus with you.”

“I’m going to let that slide,” Austin said. “But another word and—”

I elbowed him in the ribs and gave him a scolding glance. The last thing I needed to do was break up a fight between Packmasters over something petty.

Lakota appeared behind Lorenzo and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Mother’s upstairs with Hope, calming her down. She was frightened by all this. Good thing I brought the dreamcatcher.”

“What dreamcatcher?” I asked.

He folded his arms, which were two shades lighter than Lorenzo’s. “My mother gave me a dreamcatcher years ago to protect me from evil spirits. It works. I’m a man now and have little need for protection, so I brought it down as a gift for my sister.”

Lorenzo sputtered with laughter. “You are hardly a man.”

Lakota lifted his chin and puffed out his chest. “I went through the change two years ago.”

Lorenzo stepped aside and folded his arms. “Tell me, Lakota, have you bedded a woman?”

Lakota’s cheeks blazed, but he didn’t avert his eyes.

Poor kid
.

Still laughing, Lorenzo patted him on the chest once. “You might need protection from the single women who will set their sights on a wolf as green as you. It’s not too late to get that dreamcatcher back.” Lorenzo went inside, leaving Lakota in an awkward position.

“I better check on the barbeque grill and make sure it’s not catching the house on fire.” He stormed across the porch and disappeared around the side of the house.

I gave Austin a punishing glance when he laughed. “Why do y’all always give the young ones such a hard time?”

“Rite of passage?”

I pinched him in his side, and he wrenched away. “I’ll
rite of passage
you.”

When he lightly gripped my shoulders, a shiver moved through my body. “After you went inside, I shared some choice words with Judas before he gathered his men and left. I’m going to ask you a question point-blank, and I’m not kidding around. I want your honest answer.”

I nodded.

“Do I have permission to kill your father?”

Conflicted for only a nanosecond, I reached up and placed my hands on his shoulders. “If that man is going to come after my family, then yes, you have my permission to put him in the ground. A father isn’t a man who’s willing to start a war for his child, but a man who’s willing to stop one.”

I remained behind at Lorenzo’s house to lend Ivy my support.
Austin and Lorenzo had a private meeting and invited a few other Packmasters into the room. When I was ready to leave, Austin said to go without him, so I headed back with Wheeler, who had stayed behind at Naya’s insistence. Thank God for that, because I didn’t feel secure driving home alone. Three packs had followed the Northerners to make sure they left the city, but that wasn’t enough to make me feel safe.

I unbuckled my seat belt when Wheeler pulled the car into the driveway. “Do you think Austin and Lorenzo called the Council?”

“Not much that the authorities can do at this point, unless you want them holding hands in silent prayer. This is beyond the Council—it’s about survival. Judas coming to a peace party was nothing more than exhibitionism so he could swing his dick and show us how big he is. We’ll see how strong that little pissant is when we use him as fertilizer for your mother’s garden.”

Ugh. My stomach undulated with the imagery of burying a corpse beside my mother’s tomatoes. I wouldn’t put it past these boys either.

As Wheeler parked the car, I was a little surprised to see Ben’s wolf trotting away from the driveway. Wheeler gave him a cursory glance before getting out of the car and walking around to open my door. When I got out, Wheeler put his arm around me and scanned the darkness as we moved toward the house.

“I don’t see a second wolf,” he muttered.

“Reno’s in charge, so he wouldn’t be able to patrol. Trevor’s probably conked out after healing, and I bet Jericho’s guarding his kids. Maybe you need to let go of that grudge and shift. I bet your wolf brother misses you.”

“He should have thought about that when he handed me over like a slave.”

“That was Ben, not his wolf. Don’t punish his wolf for something he had no part of. Why are men so stubborn?”

“And why are women so insistent on stirring up drama?”

“For a man who complains about drama, you sure picked the most dramatic woman I know as your mate.”

A warm smile crossed his face, and he didn’t reply. Wheeler loved Naya to bits, even though they mixed like oil and water.

Once inside, Naya greeted her man with a sexy kiss that had him lifting her off the ground.

“How’s my kitty cat?” he growled, working his way down her neck and into her silky hair.

Spartacus slinked around Wheeler’s legs, demanding attention by purring up a storm.

I took off my shoes and added them to the pile, padding my way toward the stairs.

Some of the pack was gathered in front of the television, watching a movie about space aliens. The twins were lying on their sleeping bags with a bowl full of pretzels between them. Melody looked half-asleep, curled up next to Izzy in an oversized chair. Maizy was sitting on the floor between Denver’s legs, reclining her head while he fed her a potato chip. A light in the hall tipped me off that Maddox must have been working on yet another puzzle. Packs huddled together in stressful times for a sense of security.

“I’m going to bed,” I announced with a wave of my hand. “Everyone okay?”

Denver raised his arm with a thumbs-up.

Even though Trevor was probably knocked out from all the shifting, I decided to check on him before going to bed. My skin crawled as I remembered his wolf lying lifeless in the grass.

I began the arduous climb up the stairs, exhausted and mentally drained. How the hell was I going to manage going up and down the stairs when I reached nine months? At least my nausea and dizzy spells had subsided.

When I reached Trevor’s room, I noticed that no light was coming from under the door. Not surprising. Usually when a person shifted numerous times to heal, they wanted nothing more than to sleep afterward.

Deciding not to wake him, I cracked the door and let the hall light shine in.

At first I wasn’t sure what I was seeing. My eyes focused on the bed on the far right. A shadow moved when one of the model airplanes on his ceiling caught a draft from the open door. But it was the shadows moving
beneath
the covers that made me squint and look closer.

The thin blanket pulled up on one side and revealed a nude body beneath it.

Two nude bodies.

One on top of the other—a tangle of legs, hands moving up and down—and the sound of kissing in the darkness. The visual was shockingly sensual—the slow caress of a palm against someone’s hip, fingers biting into the soft skin, the rocking movement. Someone gasped and then moaned.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away.

Had Trevor brought home someone from the party?

The breathing intensified, and when I heard whispering, I panicked, realizing I was actually standing in an open doorway, watching one of my packmates have sex.

I stumbled backward, and as I closed the door, I caught a glimpse of a boot with long laces. Beside it, a familiar black jacket neatly folded. Suddenly a phone rang with
The A-Team
ringtone.

“That’s your phone,” Trevor whispered.

“Indeed.”

I quietly closed the door to a crack and spun around—my back pressed against the wall, my heart galloping in my chest.

Holy shit! That’s William.
  Had this been going on under my nose the whole time? It couldn’t have, or I would have noticed. Something happened tonight at the party—something that launched this into more than just a friendship.

“Close it all the way!” William called out from beneath the covers.

“Shhh,” quickly followed, interrupted by William’s trademark chuckle.

Every red blood cell in my entire body rushed to my cheeks. I reached to my right and pulled the knob until the door shut. Then, as if I’d never been there, heated breaths and kissing resumed.

“I thought you were going to bed, chickypoo?”

I jumped and looked to my left. Naya was holding Wheeler’s hand, and he abruptly let go, patting her on the rear before swaggering down the adjacent hall to their bedroom.

She lingered by the stairs. “Do you need someone to talk to?”

I hurried toward her, afraid she’d hear what was going on. “No,” I whispered in reply.

Naya swept a lock of hair away from her face. “I’m exhausted. Too much red wine. I’m putting in my earplugs, so if you need anything, just walk right in.”

“Like I’m going into the den of iniquity after hours.”

A wicked smile curved up her cheeks. “I have to admit all that testosterone has my panther in a tizzy.”

“I’ve got the cure for tizzy,” Wheeler suggested, poking his head into the hall from their room. He smiled darkly and winked before moving out of sight.

Naya studied her fingernails. “Well, at least give us an hour before you come knocking.”

“I’m fine. Maybe I’ll just make a glass of apple cider since I can’t have beer anymore.”

Naya briefly held on to my stomach and said, “Good night, sweet baby. Auntie Naya can’t wait to buy you pretty dresses.”

I pretended to go downstairs until Naya went into her bedroom. Then I sat down on a step and gripped the banister, resting my head against it.

The shame was beginning to sink in now that my packmates knew the truth about my biological father.
God, how humiliating
.

The air swirled beside me with a familiar scent.

George rubbed his hand across my back as he sat down beside me. “You know, I was a fortunate man to have six sons. Katharine was pleased. She’s always been a headstrong woman, and that’s why I mated with her. But I never told her that I wanted a daughter. I never wanted her to think that she hadn’t already given me the world, so it’s something I’ve kept to myself. After Austin was born, we decided we were too old to have any more children.”

I leaned against him. George always smelled like smoke from burning logs. It was subtle, but it made me smile.

“When Austin was young, he used to talk about you a lot. I could tell when he got older that he had feelings for you, but I figured his attachment would fade once he began dating Shifters. Since we didn’t live in a pack, we thought sending him to a public school would satisfy his need to be around others. We couldn’t risk humans finding out what we were, so Austin wasn’t allowed to invite his school friends over. We’d met Wes on a number of occasions, but only briefly. I was always curious about you though.”

He quieted, and that was George’s way of making me beg for more of his story.

“And?”

George rubbed his hands together, and the rough skin made a soft hissing sound. “Well, then Austin left home and became a bounty hunter. Your brother’s death was a turning point in his life, and I didn’t think he’d come out of that dark place. A young alpha forms strong bonds, and Wes was like a brother to him. Years passed, and the next thing I know, I get a call from Austin saying he’s getting mated. I have to admit… I was disappointed.”

“Why?”

He sighed heavily. “Because it wouldn’t be you. I know it seems peculiar since we hadn’t met, but I always felt like you were an extended part of the family. It was a damn shame that you were human. So imagine my surprise when we found out it actually
was
you.”

“I bet the Shifter part came as a shock,” I said with a chuckle.

“He would have mated with you regardless. I know my son, and his heart has always been yours. Now I don’t have to wonder what it’s like to have a daughter anymore.”

I wrapped my arms around George’s neck and felt all misty-eyed. “Dammit, I hate crying,” I said with a sniff. “Blame the pregnancy hormones.”

He chuckled warmly and patted my back. “I better head down to the
guesthouse
,” he said, dancing around the joke.

A few months ago, Wheeler had finally put his foot down and reclaimed his room again. We offered George and Katharine the spare room upstairs, but she’d begun warming up to the idea of the heat house, provided no one called it that. George christened it
the guesthouse,
and all was settled.

“George?”

“Yes?”

“Do you think we’ll be okay?”

He stared pensively down the stairs. “Life doesn’t come with a guarantee that things will always be good. I found that out the first time I had Katharine’s possum stew.”

I laughed so hard that I didn’t even try to hold back.

“That’s what I like to hear,” he said. “Shifters are bred strong, so just keep your chin up.” He rose to his feet, and his knee popped. “I need to get rid of that wolf before going to bed.”

The laugh died in the back of my throat. “What wolf?”

George hitched up his pants. “When we got home from the peace party, we found a dead wolf in front of Trevor’s door. Nobody’s taking responsibility.”

“What about my mom?”

“She was already asleep with Maddox. Reno seemed to know something about it, and he suggested putting it in the trunk of William’s car.”

Ah, the pieces were coming together. William had brought Trevor an offering. Not the kind where wolves share their bounty, but where you honored your mate by killing their enemy. A gesture like that would stir up amorous feelings in any wolf with a pulse.

“Tell Reno to put the wolf on the edge of our property as a warning,” I said.