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Calum sighed. “Donal, please knock her out for the night.”
The healer nodded. He tilted Breanne’s chin up. “Breanne, look at me.”
Zeb felt her shudder as her gaze was caught.
“Sleep, little one,” the healer whispered. “Sleep until the sun rises again.”
As she crumpled, Zeb scooped her up into his arms. Where she belonged.
* * *
Bree awoke the next morning in her bedroom in the lodge. The sun’s rays slanted through a gap in the curtains. Music drifted up from downstairs. Country-western, which meant Shay was home. A sense of safety filled her, warmer than the fuzzy blanket someone had tucked around her.
She stretched and winced at the pain in her ribs, then gritted her teeth and swung her legs out of bed. Her jaw ached, and she touched it gently. She must look like she’d been in a bar fight. But the other guy…
Her stomach wrenched. The other guy is dead. Surely, they could have just arrested him. But Calum had said he was twisted inside—no, it hadn’t been Calum who spoke. She shivered. Their god had passed judgment, not Calum.
After staggering to the bathroom, she checked her bruises in the mirror. No biggie. She’d earned worse in karate matches. What burned was how badly she’d done against the guy. Note to self: stop having panic attacks. Or, at least, don’t have one on top of the other. Or stay out of little rooms designed for sex.
She watched the mirror as a flush rose into her face. If Evan hadn’t scared her… If he hadn’t stood over her like that monster-man, she’d probably have screwed his brains out. Her skin started to crawl as if she’d rolled in a sewer.
Desperate to get clean, she yanked off clothes that stank of fear and blood and turned the shower on. Scrubbing helped the memories, but not the facts. She was a neurotic, psychotic mess. Maybe in a kazillion years, she’d be ready to have sex again.
But the men said this heat would happen every full moon. She slapped the tile wall so hard her palm stung. Darn this shifter stuff!
Well, if she had to lose control of her body, she’d do it on her own terms. She remembered when she and Ashley had tried tequila. Ash had spent the night throwing up, but Bree didn’t remember. She’d passed out.
Before the next full moon, she’d have at least one bottle in her room. And I’ll chug it down until I pass out completely.
* * *
The upstairs shower turned off. At the kitchen table, Shay sighed in relief. When he’d heard the water come on, he’d barely kept from rushing up to make sure she was okay.
At the stove, Zeb tilted his head. “Tough, isn’t she?”
“Amazing. I’d be hiding under the bed if I’d been her.”
“You wouldn’t fit.” Zeb poured the eggs into the frying pan.
Shay watched him, trying to forget the blinding fear when he’d thought Zeb would be banished. Shay sucked in a breath. By the God, he’d already lost two littermates, damned if he’d lose this brother.
Light footsteps sounded, and Breanne walked into the kitchen.
Shay rose. “C’mere, and let me check your face. Donal was afraid to fix it—said it would wake you back up and you’d probably rather have the bruise.”
“He was so right. It’s not that bad. Really.”
Shay put a finger under her delicate chin and tipped her face up to the light. Over her jaw, her fair skin was swollen. An ugly scab was surrounded by purple-red bruising. Shay clamped his mouth tight against the foul words boiling up. Klaus had paid the price, the ultimate penalty, but seeing Breanne’s marred face still sent biting fury into Shay’s gut. “You’ll live,” he said lightly. “Want some ice?”
“Nah.” She went up on tiptoes, and her lips brushed over his jaw. “Thank you for the rescue,” she whispered.
Surprise held him immobile as she moved away. His skin tingled from her soft lips, and he had to smile. She’d kissed a male without being pushed into it.
By the God, she was so brave. So gentle. She drew him with every breath, and every day, he wanted her more. He wanted to share her with his brother. To see her bloom and fatten with their pups. To hear her laugh, see her big blue eyes in the mornings, hold her in his lap in the evenings. He craved it more than food, than water.
Shay watched as she tugged on Zeb’s sleeve. When Zeb glanced down, he got a kiss and thank you also. He muttered something and concentrated on his cooking, undoubtedly to hide the same impossible wish. In this room were the most deadly cahirs in the Northwest, and the little female turned them into fluffy bunnies with a touch. Hell.
“Fuck.” Zeb slapped the spatula down, grabbed Breanne’s arms, and scowled at her. “Klaus hit you, knocked you down at the pack run. You didn’t tell us.”
Anger flared in Shay at the reminder. “You let us believe a lie, in fact.”
Zeb gave her a tiny shake. “Why?”
She glared at him, then Shay. “What would you have done if I’d told you?”
Ripped his throat out. “Beat on him. Taught him some manners.”
“My word against his,” she said. “Who would Gerhard believe?”
Shay frowned. “His brother.”
“Exactly. If you roughed up his brother without a good reason, wouldn’t Gerhard kick you out of the pack? His territory?”
Zeb’s jaw dropped. “You lied to protectus?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at them. “Well, duh.”
Chapter Twenty
The sign said: “COME AROUND TO THE SIDE” with an arrow pointing toward the right. As Zeb finished attaching it to the porch railing, he noticed Bree standing nearby. “Problem?” he asked.
A week had passed since the Gathering. She looked better, finally. He and Shay had taken turns dragging her out of her room and running the mountain trails with her. Not a hardship. He liked having the little wolf at his side.
She’d tried to protect me. Twice now. Fuck, he still couldn’t get his teeth around it.
“Do you think anyone will come?” she asked.
Females did like to worry, didn’t they? “Relax.” He rubbed away the wrinkle between her delicately curving brows, pleased when she didn’t retreat. “Calum and his family will come, the storeowners, our guests in the cabins, other cahirs and their families. Enough.”
She sighed. “You know, I’ve put on huge events at the restaurant and never been this nervous. I don’t get it.”
After a second, the answer came to him. He cupped her face in his palm and almost lost his thought. What was there about her smooth skin that sent lust straight to his groin? “Your Seattle events were for humans. This is for your clan. The stakes are higher.”
Her breath huffed out, warm on his wrist. “You’re right. Is this how people usually feel then?”
“No clue.” He’d never given a party in his life.
As she pulled away, she eyed him. “You’re touching me an awful lot.”
“I like touching you.” He took her hand and breathed in the scent from her wrist. And you like my hands on you.
When his eyes met hers, she flushed beautifully and retreated back to the house.
Pink was getting to be his favorite color in the world, especially on a fair-skinned female. What shades would he find elsewhere on her…and how would each taste under his lips and tongue?
Bree hurried back to the kitchen, her skin tingling where Zeb’s hand had cupped her face. When he did stuff like that, she wanted to let him do more. His hands were so skillful at everything. Building and repairing. Fighting and shooting. What about sex?
The thought sent heat right down to her toes.
Get a grip, Bree. Doing anything sexual with Zeb would be such a bad idea. What if she reacted as she had with Evan? She wouldn’t be able to face him afterwards. Heck, she’d never be able to stay here in the lodge, probably not in Cold Creek.
Nope. Stick to a nice friendly distant relationship with the two guys. A no-touching friendship.
She frowned. Considering the way Zeb had inhaled her scent
and gotten that barely visible, Zeb-smile, she might have trouble with that plan.
In the kitchen, she checked the baked beans, pleased with the fragrance of ham and molasses. Bowls of potato salad and pasta salad waited in the refrigerator—and now she knew why the fridge was so big. Hors d’oeuvres were ready: crisp vegetables with dip, tiny spinach quiches, and chips for the younger ones. The corn was wrapped for the grill. Drinks were in the refrigerator.
Showtime.
When voices sounded outside, her gut twisted as if she’d swallowed a rat—a live one. Relax. I know all these people. Only that made it even worse. After sucking in a fortifying breath, she grabbed an hors d’oeuvres tray and walked out the kitchen door.
As Bree set the tray down on the appetizer table, she looked around. At the vine-covered entrance, Rosie was collecting money from townspeople. The older woman had cheerfully volunteered to serve as gatekeeper and cashier in exchange for a free meal.
To Bree’s delight, a few guests were already scattered around the patio. Near the center, Calum sat at a table, laughing at something Zeb had said.
As if Zeb had felt her gaze, he turned, and his black gaze ran like firm hands up and down her body. She flushed, realizing she’d been staring at him. The thoughtful smile curving his lips and molten heat in his eyes said he knew. “Join us, little female.”
The rough sound of his voice sent a shiver down her spine. She walked over.
“You look better, Breanne,” Calum said. When she stiffened, his smile disappeared. “I regret you suffered at Klaus’s hands, but you probably saved others from worse. Another female might not have had a cahir to defend her.
His words eased much of the guilt weighing her down. He was right. Klaus wouldn’t have stopped with her.
“He broke the Law, Breanne, and Herne rendered judgment and execution.” The haunted look in his face slapped her out of her self-pity. What kind of nightmares must he have? He’d saved her, but at what cost to himself?
“Thank you, Cosantir,” she said softly. She bent to give him a swift kiss on the cheek.
Then she shook her head as if it were her fur. Enough of the past. This was supposed to be a party. “All right, boys,” she said. “I’ve been wondering, did you two get together to coordinate your clothes?” She tugged on Zeb’s T-shirt. “Black and black and—oh, yes, more black. I may have to go shopping so I can join in.”
Calum’s expression lightened. “It’s efficient at least.”
Zeb snorted and stepped into her personal space, right into up-close-and-intimate. “Yellow looks good on you, little female. Leave black to the ugly males.” He ran his finger along the fancy beadwork on her V-neck sweater, occasionally brushing her skin rather than fabric.
A disconcerting zing shot through her, and her nipples tightened. She took a step back. From the quirk of his lips, she realized she should have worn a more padded bra.
“What would you like to drink, Calum?” she asked hastily. “We have beer, iced tea, Kool-Aid, lemonade, wine, and water.”
“An iced tea would be pleasant.” Amusement danced in his eyes.
“Coming right up.” She chanced a frown at Zeb and saw the same laughter in his eyes.
Men.
In the kitchen, she poured Calum’s drink and set sugar, napkin and spoon on the tiny serving tray. After giving him his tea—Zeb could darn well get his own—she made trips back and forth, bringing out the hefty glass pitchers of tea and Kool-Aid and lemonade. Tubs of iced beer set next to the table holding wine glasses and mugs.
Over at the barbeque, Shay raised his eyebrows at her, silently asking if he should start. She assessed at the number of people—people, yay!—and nodded.
The first steak hit the grill with a sizzle, sending out a heady aroma of meat marinated in garlic and butter. Cholesterol watchers—escape while you can.
Bree grinned when Vicki entered the patio with Alec. ’Bout time the woman got back. “Hey, you.”
As the two walked over, Bree frowned. Alec had curved an arm around Vicki’s waist and was stroking the bare skin exposed by her midriff top. Vicki was married to Calum. Didn’t Alec realize his brother could kill someone with a touch? Even if he couldn’t, messing around with a married woman wasn’t right.
“So.” She forced a bright note into her voice. “How have you been? Um, both of you?”
Vicki rolled her eyes. “Bree, don’t ever play poker.”
Bree huffed out a breath. When she’d lived on the streets, she could pickpocket, hotwire cars, and steal as well as anyone. But lying? She screwed it up every time. “I just asked how you were.”
“And you were thinking, why’s Alec wrapped around me and Calum isn’t, right?”
“Jeez, let’s just say what we think,” Bree muttered, flushing as she darted a look at Alec.
“No, don’t involve me. I managed to escape discussing this when Vixen first arrived. I’m sure not going to now.” Alec bent and kissed Vicki—open-mouthed with major Frenching—and sauntered over to join the other men.
“Fuck, what that man can do with his tongue,” Vicki murmured.
“Uh, Vic? You know what TMI means?”
A snort. “Too much information?” Grinning, Vicki pushed her dark hair back over her shoulder. “What you saw with me and Alec? Shay asked me to discuss that with you.”
Why in the world did she need to hear about Vicki’s extra-marital flings? “This isn’t exactly a good time.” Never would be the right time.
“True, but I’m leaving in the morning for Elder Village again.”
“And hearing about you and Alec is urgent—why?”
Vicki laughed. “Oops, fucked-up communication. I meant, I’m supposed to talk to you about mating stuff.”
God, what next? “Still not the time. The guys can explain.”
“Get real. Alec—who talks about anything—refused to discuss this with me. Do you think your uncivilized cahirs will instruct you on mating practices?”
“They told me about the Gathering.”
“Did they wait until the last minute when they couldn’t find anyone else?”
Despite worry burrowing like a worm inside her, Bree had to laugh. “Absolutely.”
“Men are such assholes. But considering the way they watch you, you need to know a couple things. Good intel is essential in foreign cultures.”
They watch me? Bree glanced around. Zeb was talking to the bookstore owner. But Shay? Yes, he was watching her, and the possessive expression in his face made heat sweep from her toes to her scalp.
“See what I mean?”
“Yeah.” Wow. “He doesn’t normally…”
“There are other men here, and shifters are territorial about their women.”
“I’m not their—”
Vicki interrupted. “Here are the basics: a lot more men are born than women.”
“I know that.”
“Good. Then you’ll understand why a marriage is usually one woman with two or more guys.
The ground rolled as if Bree had stepped on a carnival ride. More than one man? Like Mormons in reverse? “No way.”
“Yes, way. The men are usually littermates, because brothers don’t get jealous of each other. But if someone else poaches—it’s war.”
Wait, wait, wait Alec and Calum were brothers. Littermates. Bree turned. Alec’s laughing gaze met hers showing that he knew exactly what Vicki was explaining. “You’re married to both of them?”
“And damned pleased about it. Jody’s happy with her trio.” Vicki nodded to where the short brown-haired women who ran the cleaning service sat at a table with three men. Three husbands? Criminy.
As Bree tried to absorb the shock, Vicki poured herself a lemonade. “I’ll return for the next Gather, and we can talk the evening before. With alcohol. You’ll need alcohol.”
“I need alcohol now.”
“Hell, I totally know that feeling.” Vicki sipped her lemonade. “My buddy, Heather, sometimes shows up for our Ga
thers, and I’ll get her to come, in case there’s anything I still don’t know.” She gave Calum and Alec a disgusted look. “Between us, we’ll get you up to fighting speed.”
“You really were a Marine, weren’t you?” Bree smiled. “Yes, ma’am. I’d be very grateful.” I have a friend.
“It’s a plan then.” Vicki glanced over Bree’s shoulder and ordered, “Now, get back to your party.”
Bree turned. Holy cow. Her hand pressed over her unsettled stomach. The patio had filled with a myriad of people: the sunburned lodge guests back from fishing and obviously looking forward to a great time; townspeople, including the grocery store owner, Mr. Baty, and Books’s owner, Mr. Thorson; a few human college students; families with children scurrying around like puppies.
The wolf pack stood at Rosie’s reception table. Bree felt the blood drain out of her face when she saw Gerhard had come too.
Even as Vicki moved closer, Shay appeared. He pulled Bree back against his broad chest, one arm wrapped across her stomach. Setting his chin on her shoulder, he murmured into her ear, “It was Klaus’s own fault, a leannan, not yours, and we’ll deal with the aftermath as we need to. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I know you won’t,” she said. He’d defend her, as would Zeb. Klaus’s death wasn’t her fault. She had to keep telling herself that.
She studied the small crowd of wolf shifters at the entrance. They’d brought their children and were smiling. They wanted a party, not a lynching. The tight ball in the pit of her stomach uncurled.
“All right, little wolf?”
With reluctance, she pulled away. Why did having those muscular arms around her make her bones melt? “I’m fine, big wolf.”
He gave her an approving smile.
“I’ll get the rest of the food out.” She’d also take a moment to recover her balance in the haven of her kitchen. Too many upsets. Not only a pack with a pissed-off alpha, but the real kicker—more than one man to a woman?
Food I can handle; it’s the rest of my life that’s a mess.
As Breanne hurried away, Shay sighed. He’d enjoyed how she’d relaxed into him. She probably had no idea how much pleasure it gave a male to have a female accept his protection.