Shared for Love (Kagan Wolves) (7 page)

Chapter Seven

Ethan’s phone rang. The specialized ringtone he’d selected for Noah filled the car. His heart raced. He resisted the urge to answer and tightened his grip on the wheel, letting the call go to voice mail. After their fight, he went for a run. Noah had been gone by the time he’d returned. It’d been a good thing. Ten hours later and Ethan still hadn’t figured out his chaotic emotions over Noah’s suggestion.

Share her. He wants me to share my mate.

How exactly was that supposed to work? Would they take turns in her bed? Because dammit, no matter what Noah believed, Ethan wouldn’t be able to stand by and watch another male pleasure Hannah. His wolf wouldn’t allow it. The animal had wanted Alex’s blood after seeing him with her. Noah touching her wouldn’t be any different.

No. It won’t work. I don’t even know why I’m still thinking about it.

He did, though. The images of the three of them tangled in passion tempted him. Reality kept his depraved thoughts at bay. What he’d told Noah was the truth. Ethan’s wolf wouldn’t share its mate, and he couldn’t risk Hannah finding out about Noah. If she felt threatened by him, she might very well react aggressively. A possessive female was as dangerous as a male. That was all he needed—watch the two people he loved fight.

He pushed thoughts of Noah and Hannah to the side. The uncertainty they stirred had no place in his mind at the moment, not while he prepared to walk into the lion’s den. Or more specifically, his alpha’s home.

Michael had ordered Ethan to visit. No reason. No hint as to why he made the unorthodox demand. Just a command, one Ethan couldn’t ignore.

His phone beeped with a new text. He cut a quick glance at the screen. Sean’s truncated message showed on the display briefly before fading. Curiosity flared. Ethan had almost given up on the Kagan male. After Nic had flat-out ignored him, he’d reached out to Noah’s cousin.

In the weeks since, Ethan had prepared all the necessary custody papers and exemption from interference documents the human government allowed in shifter-related activities. The latter was a necessity as their culture sometimes contradicted the rules of human society. Without the indemnity, they might very well find themselves in prison.

Granted, only those handful of humans in the upper levels of government who knew about shifters would abide by the release, but he believed in being prepared for the inevitable day when all humans learned of the wolves living among them.

He’d planned to give Nic one more week before Ethan filed everything on his own, paying someone to forge their signatures. Illegal as hell, but he’d rather face the Kagan alpha’s wrath than watch someone use a loophole to challenge the rights or custody of Riley’s babies. Sean’s text would hopefully save Ethan from the shady dealing. He waited until he parked his car behind Michael’s SUV before reading it.

If the offer to help still stands, stop by Nic’s house at seven. We’d like to discuss it.

Relief eased the tightness in his shoulders. He sent his reply, confirming the meeting, then cleared the conversation from his phone. The evidence couldn’t be left. He couldn’t guarantee Michael wouldn’t demand to see his cell. Unlikely, but he’d learned to hide anything that might challenge the role in the pack he’d nurtured.

He might’ve been unable to claim the position of alpha without a mate, but he’d done his best to rein in Michael’s temper. Not enough, though. Failure to make the twisted male see reason had led to his pack mates’ suffering.

He’ll pay for every damn sin. Three more nights. Then, I’ll be alpha.

And as soon as he accepted their pack’s spirit, he’d mate Hannah in the way of a true Jager male, exactly as his father had claimed his mate and his grandfather before him.

Soul to soul. Heart to heart.

Forever.

Hannah’s image flashed before him. Lust and longing gripped him. He welcomed both. If he focused on the excitement of making her his, he wouldn’t feel the loss of Noah.

He snorted.
And if I keep telling myself that, I’ll believe it, right?

He shook his head and climbed out of his car. Michael’s scent drifted to him, tearing a low growl from Ethan’s wolf. He tensed but forced the animosity he held for the older male deep. Three more nights. That was all he had left to play the part of the loyal dominant.

A controlled inhale and exhale calmed the last of his anger. He made his way to the elaborate front door. The carvings on the wood, combined with the stained glass framing it, matched the expensive brick home with its perfectly detailed landscaping, a beautiful display of flowers and shrubs Noah had designed.

Ethan scanned the large home’s exterior and wondered, not for the first time, what life might have been like if he’d grown up in the alpha family’s house, and not the small two-bedroom trailer of the shifter couple who’d pretended to be his parents.

Luck had made the deception possible. His foster mother had been in labor. In order to save an innocent life, she birthed fraternal twins that night, not simply the single child she’d carried. Had she refused to accept Ethan as her child, Michael’s wolf likely would’ve driven him to kill Ethan or, at the very least, banish him from the pack so as to eliminate the threat to his position.

She came to regret saving Ethan. Once Owen, her biological son, learned the truth, he’d left the pack.

Ethan fought his frustration. Blood tie or not, he loved Owen. If Ethan knew where his brother had gone, he’d bring Owen home himself.

The door opened, yanking Ethan back to the present. A good thing too. He didn’t want to recall another situation where he’d lost someone he loved, not on top of the fight he’d had with Noah.

Michael’s wide frame filled the opening. Although not as tall as many shifters, the Tanner alpha was muscular. He was strong, no doubt about it. The fight to take him out wouldn’t be easy. Not impossible. Speed and confidence would defeat him, both qualities Ethan held. He didn’t question his ability to topple the male. Never had. It was his ability to keep the position without a mate that had stopped him.

No longer. Anticipation zinged through him. He flashed a grin at the male. “Michael.”

Michael raised a brow. “You’re in a good mood.”

Ethan bit the inside of his cheek to dim his amusement. “Why wouldn’t I be? I just finished negotiating a deal that will land our pack millions.”

He’d need the money to fund the improvements in their community once he took over. Michael had considered updates to their school and library, among other basic services, unnecessary.

Michael studied him a moment more. “You’re talking about the sale of our lumber mill?”

And eliminate the livelihood of his pack mates? Ethan shook his head. “No. I contracted their services instead. They’ll be processing wood for another company.”

“If humans run it, I want no part of it. We don’t need their kind involved in our lives. I’d rather sell off the equipment and clear our warehouse.” Michael’s brow creased as if struggling with his words. “Liquidate our assets. That’s the term, isn’t it?”

“Yes. That’s the term.” Ethan clenched his jaw. Michael had foolishly sold off a large tract of land a couple of months back for a fraction of what the acreage was worth. He’d been thrilled with the deal, while Ethan had seethed. The only good thing that came out of the situation was Michael’s agreement to discuss any financial transactions involving pack holdings with Ethan before signing any contracts.

“And yes, humans run it, but I’ve arranged for them to hire a liaison from the area to act as their manager. I’ll make sure only shifters are considered, and if they violate any of the terms I’ve added, we can get out of it.”

Michael nodded. “Good. Well thought out, as always. I’m grateful for your loyal service. It’s the reason I invited you over. I have an offer for you.”

A wave of trepidation gripped him, but he couldn’t allow the weakness to show. He inclined his head. “Thank you. I must say I’m intrigued to find out what it involves.”

Michael waved him inside. “Come in, then. It’s best this is done in private.”

Ethan followed Michael into the living room. As normal as any Ethan had seen, leather furniture and electronics filled the cream-colored room, while a box of toys and a dollhouse occupied one corner. He took a seat on the sofa. Michael wandered to the fireplace where pictures of his children sat, those living anyway. The lack of memorial or acknowledgment of his deceased kids didn’t surprise Ethan. In Michael’s eyes, only the strong deserved his favor.

Michael studied Maria’s photo. “Our pack is weak, Ethan. Every year we’re losing members to unexpected tragedies, but few worthy children are born to take their places.”

Unexpected tragedies, my ass.
Ethan shifted his gaze to where his splayed hands rested on his thighs. He willed himself to remain calm. The snarls reverberating in his head didn’t help matters. His wolf knew as well as he did, the unfortunate deaths weren’t accidents or random acts of violence. Michael’s systematic approach to cleansing the pack had crippled them.

Ethan dragged his attention back to Michael. “Perhaps you might consider my suggestion to have the pack’s protectors investigate the deaths of our weaker shifters. I can’t help but wonder if one of our own isn’t targeting them.”

“So you’d hypothesized, but I can’t imagine such an occurrence would be happening here. Surely the spirit wolf would sense the…” Michael met his gaze. Sick amusement hovered in his hazel depths. “The level of depravity that would surround the individual committing the crimes. Our pack spirit hasn’t directed me to any suspects.”

Ethan laced his fingers to resist the urge to curl them into fists. “Then I’m not sure what other advice to offer.”

“I don’t need any, not from you.”

The rough bite to Michael’s voice forced Ethan to lower his gaze. It proved harder than ever to do.
Three nights. That’s all, then you’ll die at my hands.

“I mentioned it because I’ve been thinking a lot lately about our pack’s spirit. It’s not happy. It hasn’t been in over thirty years.” Michael exhaled loudly. “No matter what I do, it’s not good enough.”

Ethan’s shoulders tensed. Not once had Michael even remotely suggested Ethan’s maturity had been the cause of the spirit wolf’s anger. He’d always assumed Michael never made the connection. Maybe he’d been wrong and the shit was about to hit the fan. He took a slow breath and raised his gaze.

“When you announced our pack was reverting to the old ways, you’d mentioned the spirit wolf’s displeasure. What did it show you to make you certain of its anger?” Because it couldn’t speak to the alpha any more than the wolves they housed could.

“It wanted me to step down. Pass its spirit to another dominant. Give up all my power.” Michael’s voice took on a deep grumble. “It actually wanted me to willingly walk away from the role I’d held for over two decades.” He snorted. “Like hell. I refused to admit defeat, so I tried to figure out why the spirit wolf wanted a new host. Surely I was doing something wrong.”

If Michael hadn’t decided to cleanse their pack of those he deemed unworthy, Ethan might’ve felt sympathy for Michael. The spirit wolf merely wanted to be returned to its rightful bloodline, but Michael had chosen to institute practices that demeaned and punished anyone who didn’t show signs of physical strength. That had been a conscious decision and not one Ethan could forgive.

“And reverting to the old ways wasn’t what it wanted?” Ethan asked.

Michael shrugged. “It’s hard enough to understand the animal tied to our soul. I’ve found the spirit wolf to be impossible to read. In fact, I’ve stopped seeking its guidance.”

“I would think that would make the spirit angry.”

“As if I care.” Michael crossed his arms over his chest. “This is my pack. I will run it my way and won’t give it up until the female I’m mated to produces a suitable son for me to pass the spirit onto.”

Ethan glanced from Michael’s glinting eyes to the dark gray hairs darkening his knuckles. As much as Ethan wanted to argue with Michael, setting him off would only result in a fight. With the aggression emanating from Ethan’s wolf, he couldn’t guarantee he’d be able to resist killing Michael, and it was too soon to end his life.

“What are your plans for strengthening our pack, then?”

“We have to build our numbers. I’ve been trying to come up with ways to encourage our members to breed.” Michael motioned to the row of pictures. Maria and her younger sisters, four-year-old twin girls, were all that remained of his family. The others had died or been killed. “I’m doing my part, but obviously the spirit wolf isn’t ready to gift me with a strong son.”

“I thought the mating runs were supposed to increase the number of our couples.”

“Yes, but it doesn’t seem to be very effective. Few members participate in our social, and when they do, they run off and fuck, not mate.”

Participants in the mating run were encouraged to listen to their instincts and hear what the spirit wolf wanted. The belief was that doing so would lead them to the best possible mate. Members of both sexes approached each other at the start of the full moon’s ceremony and let nature take over.

Matings didn’t always happen, but sex usually did. It was often raw and primal too. Between two consenting partners, a chase through the woods resulted in some pleasurable encounters. At least, that was what Ethan had heard.

Unfortunately, sometimes things got out of hand. Rapes and forced matings did happen. It was why many packs had banned the practice, along with many of the old ways that often restricted and demeaned their women. Not the Tanner pack. They embraced it. That knowledge angered Ethan. It’d be the first thing he changed.

Michael scowled. “I’ve considered making the mating run mandatory, but then I’d have to include Maria in it. My mate has threatened to kill herself if I do, and I won’t allow that. She’s mine. I care for her.”

Ethan stared at Michael, unbelieving of the details his alpha shared.

Michael chuckled. “Have I shocked you by telling you of my personal troubles?”