“Cain, what’s wrong?” Liam—friend, protector, king—looked so concerned that Cain felt even more guilty.
“He’s . . . he saved Gillian. He’s a hunter,” Cain said.
“We know that,” Rifter said.
“And he’s my brother’s mate,” Cyd added. Cain cursed under his breath, hadn’t heard his twin enter. “I’m expecting that not to be a problem.”
There was dead silence as both wolves blinked at Cain.
“It’s true. I didn’t know it until a few days ago. I had to be sure.”
“And it’s not a problem, right?” Cyd pushed. Rifter growled and stood, the chair slamming back behind him.
“It’s not,” Liam said without further hesitation as he also stood, seemingly to calm Rifter from Cyd’s prodding.
“Cyd is protective of his twin,” Laim said to Rifter. “He doesn’t mean any disrespect.”
“It’s the only reason he’s not flattened under my boot,” Rifter said.
“Cain, I know your mate’s chosen for you,” Liam continued.
“The attraction’s been there from before I knew,” Cain admitted.
“The fates know what they’re doing,” Rifter said. “An omega’s never mated without love. Omegas die without true fate.”
Cain was grateful for the understanding. But there was more to his mating with Angus before it became complete and he didn’t know how the hunter would react.
“I’d like Cain to stay here, with us,” Jinx said. “Safer for him and his mate, although I know he’ll be missed in New York.”
Jinx, coming through in the clutch. “That’s what I was thinking, Liam. I’d still be honored to be your omega, if you’ll have me.”
“It’s an excellent plan, for the good of the pack,” Liam said. “I’d like to take Cyd.”
“You need him,” Cain agreed.
“You have to tell Angus everything,” Jinx told him and Vice broke in with, “I’ll tell him.”
A chorus of No’s in unison answered him.
“Explaining mating to Gillian was enough,” Jinx growled.
“And you’re
Chapter 34
That next night after Jinx and Gillian’s mating, he and Rogue needed to go hunting. Gillian stayed home reluctantly, because pictures of her were circulating and there was even more interest in the case because of a rumored press conference being held the next day by the Blackwells.
The newscasters speculated they were going to up the reward. The whole thing made her sick to her stomach.
Jez was here with her, but for the last half an hour, he seemed . . . distracted. More than that, actually—he seemed downright out of it. He was on the phone, pacing. Whispering. And then he went into his bedroom and closed the door and she decided there was no time like the present.
She’d gotten herself into this mess—she’d have to be the one to get herself out. She wasn’t hiding forever, wasn’t getting shipped off to some strange pack. And she wasn’t going to get cut out of Jinx’s life that easily.
She didn’t exactly sneak out—Jez was yelling now and no one stopped her as she walked out the door and went down the stairs. She took one of the two Harleys she found in their parking spaces, using a helmet only because of the risk of being seen.
The Harley she’d grabbed the keys for was Jez’s—it was sleek and smooth, not at all like Jinx’s noisy one. She felt like a predator on Jez’s bike, had to make sure not to go over the speed limit. But oh, it was tempting. She promised herself a ride on this tonight, when the risks were smaller.
Already, she felt freer, even though her heart was beating wildly from nerves. She parked the Harley at the edge of the property, in the woods, before the security camera line, left the helmet behind. Hopped the fence and walked up the driveway, knowing there were silent alarms going on all around her.
She was still wearing Gwen’s clothing, but it fit her well. All black, a cute T-shirt and jeans, flip-flops, all things the Blackwells did not like. They still dressed for dinner nightly, while she stripped and shifted under a full moon. Different strokes.
She stared at the mansion and tried to decide what was so different about it from the Dire mansion. The proportions were similar from the outside, although her parents’ house was cozy in comparison to the massive rooms and ceilings hidden inside the Dires’ house. But still, she felt a thousand times more comfortable there than she ever had in Blackwell Manor.
She’d been most comfortable at Jinx’s place, but she pushed down that emotion. One thing at a time. If she freed herself from this, took the bounty off her head, she wouldn’t have to go into hiding.
She was tired of hearing about the Greenland pack. Maybe she’d meet them one day, on her own terms, but she’d be damned if she’d be pushed into their arms. Paws. Whatever.
The cameras would pick her up by the time she was halfway up the driveway. She was surprised no one had come out to greet—or grab—her but she had the feeling she was being watched. No doubt, they were closing a circle of people around her, ready to entrap her.
“Do you not see me walking willingly to the door,” she muttered under her breath as she spotted two men in the bushes to her right. They were aiming something at her—probably tranquilizer guns and she did not relish the thought of being drugged again. Ever.
She quickly rang the bell, knocked a few times and her father opened the door. So yes, if he’d done that instead of the staff, he’d definitely been tracking her movements by camera.
“Hi, Dad,” she said with a small wave. His face contorted a little and then he regained his composure.
“Gillian, you’ve come home.”
“I’ve come here to talk to you,” she corrected. “Can I come inside?”
“Of course. Gilly, this is your home.”
Her mother waited there, pacing anxiously. It was the most movement she remembered seeing from her mother, a small, frail woman who was always in bed with a headache or some other ailment. When she did entertain, it seemed to suck every bit of life out of her, and she always sat like the queen in the middle of the event, letting people come to her.
Very effective.
“Mother, hello,” Gillian said now, keeping her voice low.
“Oh, Gillian, I’m so glad you came to your senses.”
Well, yes, that too. She sat down on the couch across from her parents. A woman dressed in a starched black uniform brought the ever-present tea set and poured her a cup. Gillian mixed more cream and sugar than she normally would have, caught her mother wincing.
“Sorry,” she muttered, took a sip and put the cup down so they wouldn’t notice her shaking hands. God, she was nervous, and the rustling in her ears wasn’t helping.
Sister Wolf hated it here, and she was making her opinion known.
“Look, I’m sorry I caused you worry when I left the hospital. I didn’t mean to. I just had to . . . find myself. And really, I did. I’m better. I’m twenty-one now. I’m ready to be on my own.”
“Oh, Gillian,” her mother said with a sad shake of her head, like, “Oh, Gillian, you’re so deluded it’s not even funny.” And her father added, “We’re not supporting you.”
“No, I don’t expect you to at all. I’m okay. I’ve got a place to live. A job.” Technically that was true as the Dires were tasked with helping humans. A nonpaying job but none of the Dires had asked her to contribute. She
