ROMANCE: Mason (Bad Boy Alpha Male Stepbrother Romance Boxset) (New Adult Contemporary Stepbrother Romance Collection) (63 page)

Mika leaned forward.  “He must have no pride.”

“He actually has too much pride.” 

Autumn sighed.  “Sometimes pride and blind arrogance are two different things.”

“I suppose you’re right.”  Dalton put the car in park and waited for the others to find nearby parking places on the street.  Once the group was assembled, Thomas lifted Randolph out of the trunk of his own car and hefted him over one shoulder. 

“What?  He has no guards outside?  How does he know this isn’t an ambush?”

“Like I said,” Autumn began, “blind arrogance.”

“Alright, Brian, do your thing.” 

Mika stood on tiptoe and pecked Brian’s cheek before he disappeared around the corner of the house with Thomas and his load. 

Dalton walked up the four steps leading to the front porch and knocked the brass door knocker loudly.  The laughter he had heard coming from inside subsided.  A small man with beady dark eyes answered the door, a smirk planted on his thin lips. 

“Welcome.”  He snickered, and held the door open for them.  He led them to a dropped living room.  It was a huge room with a lit fireplace.  The assembly was deathly silent as Dalton’s pack lined up on the top step. 

Mike grinned wolfishly.  “Don’t be shy…come down.” 

“We’re fine where we are.”  Dalton looked at the five male shifters and four females.  “This is your pack?”

“Indeed.”  Mike said and swirled the bourbon in his glass.  He shoved a hand into his khaki pants.  “Magnificent aren’t they?”

Dalton shrugged.  “Maybe.  Not him though.”  He replied, and jerked his thumb at the man who had answered the door. 

The little man bristled and stood, his small hands clenched in tight fists.  “Hey!”

“Sit down, Tony.  You are little.”  Mike replied in a bored manner.  “But he is lightning fast.”

“So?”

Mike bit off the acrid remark he wanted to say.  “Where’s Randolph?”

“Right here.”  Thomas said, entering from the opposite side of the room, and throwing the hog tied man to the floor with a thud.  Several werewolves jumped to their feet as Brian entered behind Thomas already in his werewolf form. 

“That’s right!  That’s my man!”  Mika called happily from across the room, bouncing slightly on her converse sneakered feet.  Dalton shot her a harsh look which erased her gleeful expression, and had her staring at the floor. 

“What is this?”  Mike demanded slamming the glass in his hand onto the table top.  Amber liquid sloshed out over his hand. 

“We’re here to educate your pack, Mike.” 

“About what?”

Dalton stepped down into the living room, his face deadly.  “About how you conduct business.” 

Dalton stepped to the side and dropped the used syringe and bottle of Rohypnol into the lap of one of the she wolves, who was very obviously pregnant.  Her curling blonde hair shimmered in the firelight.  Dalton prayed this was the one Randolph had told them about after his first tasering.  If it was, she would be Mike’s mate.    

“What is this?”

“That was found in Randolph’s car, along with this.”  He dropped the taser in her lap as well.  “Along with rope and duct tape.”

“Now you hold on!”  Mike pointed his finger and stepped towards Dalton.  Brian moved in front of him and shook his shaggy dark head. 

Dalton stepped back and addressed the people as a whole.  “You see, after some…persuasion…your buddy Randolph told us your alpha was told to follow any males who left my properties, and to intercept any females.”  Dalton lowered the arm him had used to point to Mike.  He looked at the blonde woman.  “Now, why would he say that?”

“To use them as leverage!”  Mike tried to advance again, but Thomas grabbed him from behind, pinning his arms painfully behind him. 

Brian trotted to another werewolf who was lowering his still human form into fight stance.  He straightened as Brian let out a low growl, showing his teeth.

Dalton looked at the woman sadly.  “Do you know what Rohypnol is used for?” 

She shook her head.  “No.”

Dalton looked to Autumn.  “Tell them.”

Autumn straightened her back.  “It’s used in some medical procedures as a sedative.  If given in high enough dosage it can erase memory.  It renders the person helpless.”  Her hazel eyes hardened.  “It’s also used occasionally in pill form as a date rape drug.” 

The woman gasped and whipped her head around to Mike.  He shook his head rapidly and yelped in pain as Thomas tightened the grip on his arms.  “It’s not what you think!”

She stood slowly, allowing the syringe and bottle to fall to the floor.  The taser she kept gripped firmly in her hand.  “Why that drug, if all you needed them for was leverage?”

“Serena, you don’t understand!”

She pointed at a wide eyed girl with short black hair cowering in a corner.  “What about her baby?  Is it yours?  She has no idea how she got pregnant!”  She was right on him.  “You had the pack convinced that she was a liar trying to cover up the fact that she was a whore!”  Mike opened his mouth to speak but Serena didn’t allow him.  She stuck the taser to his neck and pulled the trigger.  Mike’s body danced like a marionette in Thomas’s arms.  He let him drop to the floor.  No one moved to help his twitching form. 

Serena’s chest heaved like she had been running a marathon.  She kicked him lightly and bent to tase him again.  Dalton grabbed her wrist gently to stop her. 

Dalton looked at the confused pack.  No one knew what to say or what to do. 

“Is this the kind of leader you want to follow?  How many of you know he carries Vampire blood?”  Some looked at each other uneasily.  “I’m sure you all know that he wanted my little pack.  Well, he can’t have it.  But…any of you who wish to leave him and join me are welcome.”  He backed up and took his spot beside Autumn again.  “We don’t want a war.  We just want to be left alone.”

Serena looked at her moaning mate and squared her shoulders.  “I’ll come with you.” 

Dalton nodded.  “Then pack what you want to take.  I won’t wait long.” 

Autumn watched Serena disappear rapidly from the room. 

Dalton looked at each male in turn.  Some met his gaze fearfully, but a couple just stared at the floor.  “Is there going to be a problem?”

Two of the men staring at him shook their heads immediately. 

“Good.” 

Mike moaned and tried to sit up.  Dalton walked to him and placed a booted foot on his chest.  “You understand that Serena is coming with us?” 

“You can’t have her!”  He wheezed.

“If she ever chooses to come back to you she’s free to do so, but you will leave her and my pack alone.  Understand?” 

Mike tightened his jaw, his eyes steely.  Dalton pressed harder with the heel of his boot.  Mike winced, squeezing his eyes shut.

“Fine!”

Serena reappeared with a suitcase in one hand and a book bag in the other.  Winnie and Autumn took the bags from her.  She marched to Mike and kicked the side of his leg. 

“I want the check book.”

“Why?”

“Because the majority of that money is mine.  You can make your own money now.”

“I don’t…”

Serena kicked him harder.  “Where is it?”

Mike laid his head back.  “Roll top desk.” 

Serena disappeared again, returning a moment later with the check book and a stack of other papers.  She looked at Dalton blandly.  “I’m ready.” 

They began filing out when a strangled voice called from behind them.  “Wait!  Please…can I come?”  The girl with short dark hair pleaded with her eyes.  A male stepped behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. 

“Me too?”

Dalton eyed them warily.  “What’s your names?”

The male spoke.  He had black curly hair that hung to his shoulders and swarthy skin.  “I’m Saeed and she’s Tamara.”

Dalton looked at them and nodded slowly.  “Alright, but one ounce of trouble and your both gone.  Understood?” 

They nodded their agreement.  The girl’s dark eyes were pinned on Dalton. 

“Do you live here?”

“The whole pack lives here.”  Saeed replied. 

“Then pack.  We leave in five minutes.”  Dalton turned his attention to Chuck.  “Go get the clothes Brian would have taken off.” 

“You won’t get away with this!”  Mike called weakly.  He was sitting up rubbing his chest. 

Dalton advanced on him and punched him in the middle of his face.  Mike’s limp body fell backwards, blood streaming from his nose.  No one moved to help him. 

The ride home was filled with gleeful chatter from Mika and Brian.  To hear her tell it, Brian had done all the work.  Serena, Saeed, and Tamara rode in Serena’s sleek black Mercedes with Trina and Chris crammed in too. 

“I wonder how rich she is.”  Mika said, her head looming between the two front seats.

“I don’t know, but that car is worth a mint.”  Dalton sighed. 

“Do you think she’ll stay with us?”  Autumn asked, intertwining her fingers with Dalton’s.

“I hope so.  It looks like she’s due soon.” 

When they arrived back at Dalton’s there was slight confusion over sleeping arrangements.  Serena looked at Dalton tiredly.  “Tomorrow, I’ll go into town and buy bed things, and perhaps we can discuss another house here on your property.

Dalton nodded.  His head was spinning with how surreal the situation was.  Serena tore a check from her checkbook and handed it to him.  He looked at the figure with large eyes.  He tried to shove the check back in her hands. 

She pushed at it gently.  “Please.  This will help compensate for the extra cost to you for three more mouths to feed and house.  Five, if you count the unborn.”  She twisted her mouth.  “My family was wealthy.  I was a fool to allow Mike to have so much of it.” 

“We can talk tomorrow.”  He turned his attentions to Tamara and Saeed.  “What’s your deal?  Are the two of you together?” 

Tamara looked to Saeed to answer.  “She was destined to be my mate.”  He lowered his eyes.  “I had believed Mike about the pregnancy.  I thought she had cheated.” 

“Why hadn’t you mated her already?”

Saeed shrugged.  “In my culture it’s better to wait for marriage.” 

Winnie touched Tamara lightly.  “We have an extra room at our house.  The two of you can stay there.”

“That’s a good idea.” 

“Serena can take my room.”  Autumn said quietly. 

Dalton looked at her with surprise before his face broke into a grin.  Brian and Mika ribbed each other. 

“Then it’s all settled.  We can have a meeting in the morning to smooth things out.”  Dalton smiled at his new comers.  “Welcome to our family.” 

Dalton laid in bed waiting for Autumn to come out of the bathroom.  He had no idea if she would want to wait until they were married to mate or not, but he was excited nonetheless that she would now be sleeping in his bed. 

She came out of the bathroom and shut off the light.  Her curls formed a frame around her face, the moonlight made her face glow a silver blue.

Dalton pulled her on top of his chest.  “When can we get married?  I’m a horny wolf.” 

Autumn laughed as loud as she dared, biting on her lower lip to quiet herself.  “Very soon.  Just wait for me a little longer.  We’ll set it up for next week.”

He pushed her head onto his chest, satisfied with her answer.  “Good.  Let’s go get the license after I see Thomas off.” 

“We certainly have a living room floor full of wolves.”  She giggled.

“What about Trina and Chris?  What are their plans?”

“I don’t know, it’s weird.  I asked Trina if they were going home, and Chris said they were going to stick around a few more days if it was fine with you.  I told them I didn’t see why not.”  She frowned in the dark.  “I should have asked you first, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.  You need to understand that as an alpha mate, you will be almost as powerful as me in the pack hierarchy.” 

“Wow.”  Autumn smiled.  “I guess I’m really somebody now.” 

Dalton wrapped his arms around her tighter.  “You always were somebody.  You just needed someone to remind you of it.” 

Bretton shuffled his feet, embarrassed to have pulled Daniel away from the guests he was entertaining. 

Daniel towered before him, immaculate in his tuxedo.  “This better be good.”

“I found out something about the girl.” 

“Really?  And what is that?”

“I found a mother and a boyfriend.”  

Daniel sat behind his desk and motioned for Bretton to sit opposite of him.  The man bent his knees stiffly and sat on the edge of the chair.  “Tell me.”

“They’re ghastly people, really.  It appears the man is hurt, but I think it might be a ploy of some kind.  The interesting thing is that they are running guns.” 

Daniel shook his head.  “Two pieces of white trash in the hills of rural Virginia are running illegal guns?”  Daniel shook his head.  “I doubt that.”