Cherished: True Mates Book 5 (BBW Wolf Shifter Romance) (A Craggstone Paranormal Romance) (12 page)

I clutched my stomach as it let out a loud grumble. “I’ll be right back,” I said, making my way over to the table. I couldn’t get the image out of my head: two heads together, one dark, one light, both laughing.

Looking around the room, it struck me that I hadn’t seen any of the other women from Bert’s camp yet.

“Are you looking for the others?” a tall, blonde woman asked. Macey, I recalled, Jason’s mate.

“Yeah. Are they still in their rooms?”

She shook her head, her hands busy fixing a sandwich the size of a small trailer. “They went to Smithrock to get the children settled in. They didn’t want to hang around, not with Bert being here.”

“Smithrock?” For some reason the name made me uneasy.

“The other pack that we are aligned with. That’s where Gary is originally from. Did you meet Eric?”

Taking in my look of disgust, she laughed, but it was a hollow sound. “Yeah, he died a little while back, started this whole thing off actually. We didn’t know anything about what was going on up until then. Anyway, Smithrock has a lot more space. They lost some of their packmembers recently, so it made sense for the women and children to go there. Amanda and Tarq run Smithrock. I think you met them?”

I nodded, putting the finishing touches on my own sandwich. It stung a bit that they hadn’t said good bye. Gina especially. But I couldn’t blame them. My eyes darted to Oliver. I had a reason to stick around.

Macey followed my gaze, her lips curling up in a grin. “That makes me happy,” she whispered, then sauntered off, back to her man, taking her trailer-sized sandwich with her.

Following her lead, I set off back to the man in my life—Josh. My heart clenched as Oliver took one look at my sandwich, swiping it off my plate and taking a big, noisy bite, sending Josh into peals of laughter.

Okay, I was ready to admit it—it was quickly becoming the
men
in my life.

***

Oliver

I shoved my prisoner in front of me, the chains clanking and rattling in the quiet forest. We were almost at the clearing, and knowing the others were already there waiting for us had me itching in anticipation.

It was finally time to put an end to all of this.

Next to me, whistling pierced the air in a jaunty tune. I gave Cole the side-eye, but he just smirked.

“What are you so happy about?” I asked. The man had a spring in his step that hadn’t gone unnoticed.

“As soon as this is over, I’m out of here.”

Giving Bert another shove, I raised an eyebrow in question.

“He’s coming back to the city with Macey and me,” Jason answered for him. “We’ve been giving some serious thought to opening a shifter division, and Cole is going to come help set that up with us.”

It made sense. For a while now Cole had given the impression he was drifting, not really ready to dig in and put down roots. Now he was the only one in the Alpha’s inner circle without a mate.

You don’t have a mate yet. Ana didn’t say yes.
I shoved away the inner voice. It was just my demons, trying to make me doubt myself.

Gary tried to make another break for it, swiftly cut off when Cole grappled with him, forcing him back into the makeshift line.

We were here. The trees finished as we stepped into a large, circular clearing. Around us were stone benches forming a ring and facing what had been designated the front. On a large stone platform sat the Shifter Council, or some of them anyway, I noted. The three Councilmembers were among the most powerful shifters alive, each representing a different species. Today we had wolf, bear, and dragon.

All around me the air reeked of power and age, the blood-soaked ground thrumming with life and death.

Giving Bert a final shove that sent him stumbling into the center, I nodded at the Council, then turned to face my pack and Alpha.
Where was she?
My eyes skipped over the crowd, searching for the now-familiar dark hair, and the curves that made me want to kiss the ground in thanks.

Spotting her, I strode over, ruthlessly elbowing people out of the way until I had claimed my spot. I grunted at their grumbles. They shouldn’t have been standing so close anyway.

Gregg rose from his seat, his blue eyes flashing with power, sparks of silver circling and spiraling. “Who calls this hearing and trial?” His voice rang out over the forest.

James took a step forward. “I do.”

Sean joined him. “As do I.”

Then Amanda took a step forward, cocking her hip and flicking back her long blonde hair while shooting a look of contempt at the prisoners. “So do I.”

Gregg nodded at each one, acknowledging their claim. “And I,” he added.

Before I knew what I was doing, I had lurched forward. “Me too.”

Gregg paused, already halfway back to his seat, then tilted his head.

“What are you doing?” Ana hissed out of the corner of her mouth.

I took a step back, my hand reaching for hers. “Standing for you.”

“What
exactly
does that mean?”

“It means I have a stake in what happens and that I will have my turn to give evidence, if it’s needed.” That was the simple version anyway.

I felt her stiffen a second before she flung herself forward. “Me too! I call it too...the trial. I want to give evidence!”

“Mom! What are you doing?” The cry came from the far side of the clearing, then Josh erupted from the bushes, his face stark with horror.

“Josh?” Ana whispered, her face stricken.

“Dad!” Josh cried, launching himself into the inner circle, straight toward Bert.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Ana

Josh pelted across the dirt floor, his arms stretched out, reaching toward his dad. The scene played out as if he were moving in slow motion, my scream of denial sticking in my throat.

If Bert got hold of my baby...

Seconds before reaching his dad, Josh was plucked from the ground, his little legs kicking, small fists flying as Oliver tried to restrain him.

“Let me go!” Josh shrieked, doubling up his efforts to squirm free. “Dad!”

“Your father needs to stand trial for his actions. It will be a fair hearing, and if he’s innocent he’ll be free to go.” Oliver tried to reason with him, getting an elbow in the ribs for his trouble.

“No he wouldn’t! You’re lying.” Tears were rolling down his face, his large eyes blinking furiously as his bottom lip quivered. “Dad, tell them it’s all lies, that you wouldn’t do anything bad.”

Bert sneered at him, contempt written all over his face. “I haven’t done anything wrong. Everything I’ve done has been my right. Why should I have to answer to
them
? All pussy-whipped, the lot of them.”

“See! He hasn’t done
anything
!”

My heart fractured at the hope in my son’s voice, the blind belief that he still held for his dad.

Oliver met my eyes, and I knew what he wanted me to do.

Setting my shoulders, I strolled over, my focus wholly on Josh. I was doing this for him. “Who am I, Bert?”

Josh’s head whipped around, his eyes darting back and forth.

“My mate,” was the snarled response.

Forcing back a shudder, I continued. “How did we meet?”

“Why all the questions? A man has the right to do with his mate as he feels fit! This is an outrage!”

A Councilmember rose to his feet, his deep voice booming across the clearing. “Answer the question.”

“No. She’s mine, claimed under pack law.”

“You stole me from my home, kidnapped me and…forced me.”

“Dad?”

“You wanted it!” Bert snarled, spittle flying.

And the sick thing was, I could tell he had convinced himself of that fact. In his twisted mind it didn’t matter what I really wanted, so long as he was satisfied. “I didn’t. I still don’t.”

“Tough! I’m not letting you go,” he growled, licking his lips.

This time I did shudder, the spasm traveling down my spine and coiling heavily in my stomach. An arm came around me, warming me.

“Get your fucking hands off her!” Bert screamed, his face turning a peculiar shade of red. “Josh! Kill that fucking bastard, tear his skin from his bones, rip off his face. I don’t care how you do it, but honor me now.”

Josh stiffened where he stood next to Oliver, still loosely restrained. “But—”

Gold eyes narrowed at Josh, flickering with madness. “Fucking do it, or are you weak, like your mother? Like your brother was?”

No!
Josh didn’t need to—

“My brother?”

“Human.” Bert spat the word out, like it was a foul curse.

“My brother was human?” Josh’s voice sounded small and lost as he struggled to understand.

“Something I rectified,” Bert growled. “I only need strong children, ones I can train.”

Josh turned to me, his eyes pleading me to deny it.

Reaching out a hand, I brushed a lock of hair back from his forehead, prolonging the moment all the while damning Bert for making me do this. “Sebastian was human, baby.”

At my confirmation, Josh’s face hardened, walling off all emotion. “You killed my baby brother.” It wasn’t a question, rather a confirmation, just so he could get it straight in his head. “Then you deserve everything you get.”

He turned his back on Bert, physically shunning him.

“You’re weak too! All of you are! You should all be put down. Following rules, living with honor? We’re shifters, born to rule the world. Take what we want, destroy—”

Oliver slammed a fist into his face, cutting off the tirade.

Shaking his hand, Oliver shrugged. “Sorry, he was getting on my last nerve.”

A loud wheezing chuckle started up behind him. Bert spat blood onto the ground, thick and wet. “You should have been on my team. I’ve seen your work, it’s impressive. Takes a certain type of man to walk that close to the edge, to stare into someone’s eyes while you literally dig, stripping the flesh from a man’s body, searching for that single fear that will unlock the secrets.”

“You know
nothing
about me.” Oliver’s voice was so cold, I imagined I could see frost forming in the air.

“I know
everything
about you. Hell, I’ve trained men like you. I know how you think, what you feel…tell me,
do
you feel? Or does everything come in a shade of gray?”

I grabbed Oliver’s hand, urging Josh to go stand with the others. “He’s just trying to get to you,” I hissed, trying to pull him around, but he was unmovable.

“You know
nothing
about me,” Oliver repeated, his shoulders bunching up under his T-shirt as he tensed, thick forearms cording as his hands curled into fists.

I darted around him, putting myself between him and Bert, shoving at his chest in an effort to grab his attention. “Let go of the past, remember!”

“Are you going to let this woman order you around like a pussy? I had high hopes for you,” Bert sneered.

Why wasn’t anyone doing something? Anything!
The clearing was silent, everyone watching the scene playing out.

Oliver yielded under my hands, his arms coming around to gather me close. “This woman can order me around any day,” he declared, his voice rumbling through his chest directly against my ear.

With that, Oliver turned his back on Bert, dipping and brushing a kiss across the top of my head. Curling his other arm around Josh, he escorted us back to the outside of the circle.

When we got there, he bent down on one knee and it was as if all the air had been sucked out of me. My legs quivered at the sight of him crouching in the dirt.

“Josh, your mom tried to protect you, but maybe you understand a little more now? You’ve got people who really love you here, who want the best for you.”

Shit.
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, my human upbringing putting silly thoughts in my head.

Josh stared at the ground, one foot scuffing in the dirt, his narrow shoulders drooping under the weight of Oliver’s gaze. “Did you mean it?” he asked in a small voice.

Oliver replied immediately, obviously one step ahead of me and figuring out what Josh meant. “Yes. Every word.”

“But why? Why would you let my mom boss you around? Dad always said…” His voice trailed off as his face screwed up, valiantly trying to hold back the tears.

“Because your mom is a wonderful woman, someone who deserves my respect. And”—Oliver looked away, then squared his shoulders, continuing—“I love her. Is that okay with you, Josh? I’m not trying to replace your dad, I’d never do that, but if you let me, I’d like to have a chance to look after you both.” Fine grooves bracketed Oliver’s mouth, his lips set in a thin line as he waited for my son’s response.

As was I.

Josh seemed to think about it, his face creasing in intense deliberation. “You promise you won’t force her? Not like
he
did?”