Shifting Magic (Shifted) (12 page)

“
We were following the lead Faith had on the nurse’s boyfriend.”

“
And?”

“William
Grand. He’s originally from the Raven pack, but he was shunned about two years ago. Seems he doesn’t like to follow the rules,” Knight added, trying to focus on the question.

“Sounds
like a good candidate for Howland’s pack. He likes to keep his nose clean and have someone else do his dirty work,” Royal stressed

“If
this woman is seeing him, chances are he’s using her to gain information, and she might not even realize it.” Gage added

“I
say we test the theory,” Nina suggested as the family started taking a seat. Nina was careful to place herself in between Ranger and Faith. She knew the woman was helping but there was a limit to what she could take. “Faith could plant false information and we could see where that goes.”

“
Do you have any specific ideas Nina?” Maverick asked while turning his attention to his new sister-in-law.

“I
don’t know. Something simple like where we will be and when. Then we sit back and see if we are followed.”

“I like it,” Sam smiled.

“You would,” Ranger growled.

Faith tried to force food into her turning stomach. She was trying to avoid eye contact with the uncle that sat right across from her while listening for his name. The two brothers were seated separately. All she had to do was wait and see who answered.

“Faith,
Faith.” Shit, caught day dreaming again.

“Hum
, what? I’m sorry I wasn’t listening.”

“Knight asked if you were okay with the plan
?” Willow asked. Knight which one was knight?

“
Sure, June grilled me all week about Ranger. I’m sure she’ll tell anyone willing to hear. If her boyfriend is involved, I’m sure he’ll get the message.”

“
Okay then. Now we just need to come up with what we want Howland to hear,” Royal said before every male in the room started throwing out ideas.

Faith went back to not listening. She was enjoying the family atmosphere
and thinking how nice it would be to be part of a big family like the Cheveyo’s. They had included her as if she were really Ranger’s girlfriend. When this was all over, she would have to go back to microwave dinners alone. Letting out a sigh, she picked at her food. The hum of one particular Alpha male’s energy resonated with her. She was really going to have to get a grip. This was unhealthy. She had just taken her attraction to Ranger and transferred it to his uncle. Both of the men were way out of her league.

“
Come outside by the fire,” Xavier called to Faith, who was surrounded by mated wolves.

“
You saved me again. I mean, I love your family, but the whole mated were thing times ten is a bit much,” Faith laughed.

“I
can relate. I just told Ranger and Nina to get a room.”

“
They don’t get a lot of private time, what with me being his girlfriend and all.”

“
That has to be weird.”

“
For them more than me I think. I’m just glad Nina is so calm about it.”

“It
was her idea, remember?”

Faith and Xavier were just about to exit the French doors when all hell broke loose. The sound of shots being fired pierced the evening. Xavier pushed Faith down
and covered her. She could see Ranger running after Nina and Sam out the front door while changing into wolves as they went. Willow and Ryder took up a position covering Rory and Maddox as Maverick shouted orders.

Gemma
shoved the sofa aside, threw a rug off the smooth wooden floors of the living

S
pace, and yanked a hidden hatch open. The Alpha family was apparently ready for this kind of thing.

“Faith
, you alrig…..” Xavier’s words were cut off as his body seemingly flew away from her. In the next moment, she was hauled up against a hard chest and was moving in a blur through the room and down the stairway that the hatch had revealed.

Rory held Maddox in her arms
. Gemma was beside her as Hank argued with Emory to stay put. The commotion stopped short and they were suddenly staring.

“Knight
, put her down. You’re scaring her,” Gemma sounded as if she was speaking to a child.

Knight whirled her around to see her face.
“Stay here,” he commanded pinning her with his icy gaze. Okay, so now she knew which uncle was which. Knight Cheveyo didn’t release her. His hands sent a fire burning up her arms and to various other parts of her body.

“
Oh shit,” she muttered.

“Knight
, what the hell?” Xavier said, grabbing the man by the shoulders. Knight turned with blinding speed and growled. Faith swore he was half turned before gaining his senses.

“Whoa
, okay slow down.” Xavier backed up, watching his uncle push faith behind him. It looked suspiciously like protective mate mode.

“Knight,” F
aith called trying to defuse the situation. She still wasn’t clear on what was happening, but she got the feeling she had just been claimed by the Alpha’s brother.

“What?
” he snapped. That didn’t sit well.

“
Don’t what me! Xavier was protecting me and now what? You’re going to rip his throat out?”

“I,
I wasn’t thinking,” he said as if coming out of a daze.

“That
is clear. We have enough problems right now.”

“
Problems?” Knight asked this woman who had him turned upside down.

“
Yeah, like gunfire,” she said putting her hands on her hips.

“I just needed…
”

“
Enough. I don’t want to have this conversation in some bomb shelter. I’m fine I’m not going anywhere. Xavier, take Knight and go help. I’ll stay put.”

Rory laughed at the interchange.
“Willow said you were meant to be with the family. We all just assumed it was Xavier,” Knight growled.

“
Hey Rory, not helping here.” Faith shot her friend a glaring warning.

“Right, I’m sorry. Knight
, she’s fine. Go and take Xavier and Ryder with you.”

Rory waited until the men left. “So?”

“
So what, Rory?”

“So
, is he your mate?”

“
If the mate fever feels like the sun has exploded in your whole body, then yeah, I guess so.” Gemma laughed. “This is a mess.”

“
Why would you say that?” Gemma asked with genuine concern.

“It’s
bad enough trying to pretend to be dating a mated wolf. If Knight’s reaction to Xavier is any indication, I think he might be a problem.”

“You’re n
ot rejecting the mating are you?” Gemma asked with renewed concern. A rejection could mean her brother-in-law would go feral.

“I haven’t had much time to process this
, but no, I’m not going to reject him. That doesn’t give him license to dictate how I live my life. Up until he grabbed me, I hadn’t even said one word to the man.”

“You two will be fine
. Trust me. The universe knows what it’s doing” Emory said as the other women nodded in agreement.

“
Let’s hope so,” Faith turned her mind back to the bigger problem. Gun fire on Alpha land meant this was getting serious.

15

The trap door opening startled the girls. Faith, Emory and Gemma instinctively shielded Rory and the baby.

“
All clear.” Maverick’s voice preceded his huge body as he entered the room smiling at his mate.

“ Maverick?”
Gemma questioned.

“False
alarm. It was a group of kids with a shitload of fire crackers. Let’s just say they will think twice before doing that again.

“Don’t
think this is over Brother dear. You might want to stand by because I am going to kill my mates for leaving me behind,” Emory roared pushing past him.

“H
ey, you okay Faith?” Maverick knew that his coworker was not used to the chaos of the Alpha house let alone the panic of possible gunfire.

“
She’s great. Just ask her,” Rory flashed a knowing grin while handing the baby to Maverick and hugging Faith.

“
Did I miss something?”

“That
is an understatement. I don’t know what’s gotten into the water, but five matings in one year.” Gemma shook her head.

“Wait
… hold up, you and Xavier?” he asked Faith.

“Not
even close,” Rory giggled.

“
Alright enough. For all we know, it was just some stupid adrenaline rush.”

“
What was?”

“Knight
almost tore Xavier apart when he covered Faith thinking they were shots.”

“K
night?”

“Look
, I already feel like a bug under a microscope. Can we just get out of this hole?” Faith knew there was no way to avoid the conversation, but she would like to speak to the man in question first.

“Sure
honey, come-on.” Gemma gestured to the stairs. Faith hesitated for a moment and thought maybe underground was safer.

Knight paced the yard as he tried to process what was happening.” Shit, a couple of M80s go off, and I’m ready to rip your head off.”

“
It had nothing to do with the fireworks,” Xavier smirked. “You and Faith, huh?”

“
It would seem so.” Knight knew the moment his mate exited the shelter. The feeling of knowing she was near was strange. He had felt it that first day, but now that he had touched her, it was stronger.

Knight marched back into the house.
seeing Ranger and Nina huddled around Faith. He didn’t say a word as he took her arm and pulled her from the group toward the door to the yard.

“Knight what are you doing
?” Ranger’s tone was aggressive.

“I’m having a word with your
girlfriend,” he rumbled. “Got a problem with that?”

“Faith?”

“It’s fine Ranger. Lighten up Knight,” Faith’s comment lit the room with laughter.

“
Oh, she’ll fit right in,” Gemma said with glee.

Faith willingly followed a brooding Knight out into the near darkness. It was late
, and she had to work in the morning, and they still hadn’t settled on what she was supposed to leak to June. All that faded to the deep recesses of her mind when Knight turned to face her.

He was tall
, like mountain tall. His broad shoulders rose and fell as he tried to calm himself enough to speak.

“Knight, I have a pretty good idea of
what’s going on here. You need to calm down, okay.”

“I’m
sorry if I scared you.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to resist grabbing for her again.

“
You didn’t scare me. Okay, well maybe at first.”

“Faith,
I’ve never felt anything like this.”

“Can’t
say as I have either, but you can’t go around growling at people. We have to look at the big picture. Howland has to think I’m dating Ranger.”

Knight emitted a
menacing rumble.

“
See, that’s what I mean. He’s mated. He’s your nephew, and I have no interest in him, alright?”

“
You’re mine.”

“
There you go again. Aren’t you listening?”

“I
am listening and I do see the big picture. I was just making a statement. Do you disagree? Do you not feel it too?”

“I
feel it. I don’t know how comfortable I am at the moment. We just met. I’m supposedly dating your nephew…”

“
Come here,” his voice had lost some of its harshness. Like gravity, Faith couldn’t fight the desire his words had. They were pulling her to him by instinct.

She felt his arms wrap around her
and never looked away from his face. “You. Are. Mine,” he said calmly.

“I know.
” The words had barely left her lips and his mouth was on hers.