Bridged by Love (21 page)

After an endless moment, Chris squeezed his eyes shut. “They killed John.”

Nic released Chris. A mistake, maybe, but Nic didn’t think so. “No. They didn’t.
One
shifter killed John, not the entire pack, and that shifter’s dead.”

Chris opened his eyes. “I killed him.”

“As was your right as John’s partner. But this male”—Nic motioned to the unconscious shifter Chris held—“didn’t touch John. You take his life, and you’ll be no different from them. And you are. You’re a Kagan.”

Chris glanced away, but not before Nic saw the sheen of wetness in his eyes.

“You’re right. I am.” Chris dropped his hands. The Tanner wolf slumped to the ground. Chris faced Nic and lowered his voice. “Thank you.”

The tension drained from Nic’s shoulders. He nodded.

Hannah slipped between them. She grabbed the Tanner male’s arm. “Come on, Chris. Let’s get him secured tonight. His pack can pass judgment on him tomorrow.”

“I’ve got him.” Chris took the shifter from her and draped his limp body over his shoulder. He shouted orders to the other dominants to round up any Tanners on their pack lands and lock them up for the night as per their alpha’s order.

“They’ll kill him, not punish him as he deserves.” Riley’s voice came from right behind Nic.

He turned. She stood with her hands loose at her sides and shoulders relaxed, but worry lingered in her eyes. Her gaze strayed to the blood dripping down his arm. She wouldn’t ask him if he was okay, not with an audience.

He held out his hand to her. She took it, and he pulled her into his embrace. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and whispered, “Your mate is strong. I’m fine.”

“I know. I just needed to hold you.”

He needed her touch too. Peace settled over him, despite the horrors of the night. The brief moment in her arms strengthened him. He wished he could carry her away, but he had a responsibility to his pack and his sister. He’d felt Hannah’s distress in a way he never had before, a consequence of the spirit wolf and his blood tie to her, Nic guessed. No matter. As with Chris, Nic would help her.

He kissed Riley’s neck and eased back.

“You’re right. The Tanner pack probably will kill him for failing in his order to take you out.” He responded to Riley’s earlier words.

“They should never have attacked us in the first place. A dominant challenging you is one thing. But this?” Riley motioned toward the truck. “Their actions tonight could be reason enough to start a pack war.”

“I won’t take it that far.” Doing so would endanger his pack and violate the agreement the shifter community had made with the humans, the one promising a peaceful coexistence. If it came down to a war, innocents would get caught up in it.

“But will they?”

After Nic not only killed Derek, but refused Maria as his mate? Nic shook his head. “I’ll set up a meeting. Hopefully, we can reach a truce.”

“Even if they agree to one, they won’t honor it. They’ll wait until our guard is down to strike.” Hannah sighed. “But I can’t do anything to stop them yet.”

Nic pointedly glanced at his pack mates who lingered close by, then jerked his chin in the direction of the woods, a silent order to leave. One by one, they slipped into the night, leaving him alone with Riley and Hannah.

He faced Hannah. “Yet, huh? You’re still going to follow through with your crazy plan to get Ethan to mate you and take over the Tanner pack?”

“Yes. I am.” She stood as tall as her five-foot-one frame allowed.

“What about all your talk of love and true mates?”

“Love is one of the reasons I’m doing it. True mates, no matter how unorthodox the pairing, should be allowed to be together, and those who won’t let them are bullies who deserve to be knocked on their asses.”

“Bullies?” Nic frowned. “You’re not making any sense. What—”

“Nic?” Hannah cut him off.

“Yeah?”

“Let it go for now.” Hannah motioned toward Riley. “Take your mate home and enjoy the fact that you found your way back to her.”

“Thanks to you.”

A wry smile tugged at Hannah’s mouth. “Yep. Just call me Cupid.”

With that, she turned and walked away.

Riley stepped in front of him and placed her palms over his chest. “Thank you, Nic.”

“For what?”

“Saving that man’s life, protecting our pack, helping Chris remember who he is.” She grinned. “Everything, really, but mostly for being mine.”

“Forever, Riley. I’m yours forever.” He slipped his arm around her waist. “How about you dig this bullet out before my skin closes over it? Because you and I have plans tonight.”

“Do we?”

He brushed his lips over her cheek. “Uh-huh, I’m going to finish what we started and claim my true mate officially. I love you, Riley Kagan.”

“And I love you. Forever, no matter what life has in store for us.”

“Or who joins it. Do you understand?” He let her see the truth in his eyes. “Whether we’re blessed with a kid or not doesn’t change how I feel about you. The only thing it’ll change is who gets to house our pack’s spirit next.”

Tears collected on her lashes. “You’re an amazing man, Nic Kagan.”

“And finally one who’s worthy of you.”

Epilogue

Ten weeks later

Nic leaned against the wall while Riley paced the length of their bedroom. Dressed in one of his flannels with her mussed hair framing her face, she looked beautiful. He loved everything about her, from her delicate fingers to her plump curves. He couldn’t wait to watch her body change over the next nine months.

He glanced from her flushed cheeks to her belly. It still amazed him knowing their kid was growing inside her. Kids, he should say. His wolf suspected she carried two little ones, maybe more. It wouldn’t know for certain for several more days. At a little over five weeks along, their babies’ heartbeats weren’t quite loud enough to tell for sure.

“How could they even say such a thing?” She halted her restless steps and faced him. “It’s bad enough they don’t believe we’re mated, but to say I cheated on you, that I’m carrying another man’s babies? They’re fools!”

The other pack leaders didn’t approve of his mating to Riley. It went against the rules of nature, they said. Of course, many of the other alphas weren’t supportive of the Kagan pack’s stance on same-sex couples either. That had been a battle Nic’s dad had fought and won. The one involving human mates would be Nic’s to tackle. Change came slowly in shifter culture, but it happened. They just had to be strong.

“We know the truth.” He went to her and slipped his hand around the back of her neck. “And they’ll accept it too when our kids are born. They’ll smell like pack.”

“If they even bother to check.” She made a derisive sound. “They refuse to even investigate your claim on me.”

All the elders had to do was sniff Riley’s mate mark to know she belonged to Nic. They refused. “The other leaders fear the younger shifters will look to humans to fill the role of their mates instead of our females.”

“But it won’t work unless they’re—”

“True mates.” Nic sighed. “I know.”

Riley dropped her head to his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. She didn’t say anything, but he knew something bothered her. Her tense muscles and quickened breaths were dead giveaways. He waited for him to tell her what. Finally, she whispered, “I’m scared.”

He ran his hands down her spine in a comforting caress. She relaxed against him, letting him support her weight and trusting him to hold her close. Protect her. He would, but in all honesty, she had every right to be worried. The babies she carried would shake the shifter world’s foundation, and the knowledge that it was human technology that allowed the miracle to occur would make many of the older shifters bitter, resentful, and…

Afraid.

That was what concerned Nic the most. Corner a frightened animal, and they often reacted one way—aggressively.

He laid his cheek on the top of her head. “Our pack is strong, and they love you. They’ll protect you and our kids.”

“I don’t doubt that, but so much is changing. I can feel the tension in the air.” She tipped her head back. “And it’s not just our situation. It’s the shifter world in general. The modern world is close. Vacationers and campers are looking to Hollow’s Grove as a place to escape the bustle of their lives. If the wrong person stumbles over one of our pack mates while they’re midshift, it’ll be a disaster.”

“We knew it would happen, and other packs are dealing with the same problems.” He brushed a wisp of blonde hair from her cheek. “We’ll adjust and survive. My dad did the same thing when he brought the Kagan wolves to America. He guided our pack through wars and all the advances in technology that have changed human culture. You and I will lead our pack the same way—with perseverance and honor.”

She grinned. “We also have love on our side.”

He swept her into his arms and carried her back to the bed. “Yeah, we do. It’s a damn powerful weapon too.”

“One that was able to overcome a wolf’s instincts.”

He slid his hands under her shirt and stroked her flat belly. A wave of awe swept through him. His mate, the mother of his kids, a lover and a friend—Riley offered him the best life had to offer. He raised his gaze to hers. “And it’ll be our babies that’ll bridge our pack and the modern world.”

“No, Nic.” She cupped his cheek. “Our love already did that. We found our way back to each other and proved true mates don’t necessarily have to be the same species.”

“And healed me.” He kissed her fingertips. “You did that. You believed in us and didn’t give up on me. You made this”—he brought their joint hands to her stomach—“miracle possibly, and I love you for it.”

“And I love you too, but…” A sultry smile spread over her face, and lust darkened her eyes. She tugged on his hand, urging him closer. He went willingly, eagerly. “But, I might need a reminder of how much you love me.”

“Do you now?”

She nodded. “Yes. Actions speak louder than words, and I know you can use your mouth in ways that’ll leave me convinced of your feelings.”

He crawled into the space between her legs, spreading her thighs wide. He skimmed his fingertips along her inner thigh to her wet lower lips.

“Mmmm, then let me get started, but I have to warn you”—he gazed into the beautiful blue eyes of his mate—“this might take all night.”

“It’s a good thing I’m not going anywhere.”

“Never again, Riley. We’ll never be separated again.” And he was damn glad. Their time apart had been the worst of his life, but like the elders said—true mates always find their way back to each other, whether it was in this life or the next. Luckily for him, Riley hadn’t let him go without a fight.

She wiggled her bottom. “Enough talking. I need you, Nic.”

He chuckled, but pushed two fingers into her core, giving her what she demanded. “And I need you. Today, tomorrow, forever.”

Eternity wouldn’t be long enough to show her how much he loved her, but he’d give it a shot. He replaced his fingers with his tongue and licked.
Starting now.

About the Author

A true romantic at heart, Nancy Corrigan is convinced there’s a knight in shining armor for every woman (or man), but you won’t find damsels in distress in her stories. She adores pairing alpha heroes with women strong enough to match them and bring them to their knees. She also enjoys flipping the traditional roles in romances because her motto is—love and people should never be forced to conform to anyone’s norm.

She holds a degree in chemistry and has worked in research but now focuses on ensuring quality. She considers it the perfect outlet for her as she’s the first to admit she has some OCD tendencies. It carries over into her writing life too. While engrossed in a novel, she has a habit of forgetting to eat and sleep. Fortunately, she’s married to her own knight in shining armor who understands her oddities and loves her anyway. They reside in Pennsylvania with their three children, dog, snake and guinea pigs. Her other interests include tattoos, animals, classic cars and all things spooky and sexy.

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