Kianna and Her Three Alpha Wolves [Featherstone Pack] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) (19 page)

“Sean?” Kianna called out. “Can I come back and see you again?” In that moment, Duncan was so proud of his mate.

“Anytime you want, little sister. I have a lot to make up for with you, and if you give me a chance, maybe we can be friends one day.”

Taking her hand, Duncan started walking back out through the guard posts to the truck. No one said a word as they walked the long corridors and across the parking lot.

At their vehicle, Duncan pulled Kianna into his arms and held her as she started to shake. He had been waiting for her meltdown. He could feel the confusion and tension radiating off their mate after their visit.

“Why can’t I stop shaking?” she asked quietly, her face pressed against his chest.

“You’ve just had all your preconceived ideas of your older brother shot to hell. You’ve found out that the ranch you inherited was acquired originally through theft and that one of your other brothers is trying to kill you. I’d say you have every reason to be a little shaky.” Duncan kissed the top of her head and nodded to Teaghen to take her while he opened the doors and got things ready to leave.

Duncan watched as Kianna wrapped her arms around Teaghen’s neck as he lifted her into his arms. Alex gently stroked up and down her back trying to calm her shaking. Walking around the passenger’s side, Alex opened the door and got in the back. Teaghen held Kianna a little bit longer, kissed her cheek, and then placed her in back on Alex’s lap. The ride home would be a quiet one, Duncan knew that for sure. Kianna had had so much to process in the last few days he was surprised she hadn’t blown a gasket before this.

“We’re going to stop up ahead and grab some dinner, baby,” he said to her, their eyes meeting in the rearview mirror.

“I’m not hungry, Dunc. We can wait until we get home,” she quietly responded.

“No way, kitten, you haven’t eaten since breakfast, and it won’t help you any if you get sick.” He knew he was reaching, but he wanted to get some food into her to help keep up her strength. She was going to need all the energy she had over the next little while if she was going to take on Ray.

* * * *

Alex loved the feel of his mate sitting on his lap, her body curled up against his. He hated the fact that her whole world had just been rocked by the realization that the one brother who had tormented her the most during her childhood was not the monster that she remembered. She had to come to terms with the fact that not only did Bubba abuse her, but he also abused the boys. He wished that Bubba Deacon was still alive so he could beat the shit out of him. He and his brothers had known about some of the abuse near the end, but had they know about all of it, Bubba Deacon would have been dead years ago.

“He’s changed,” he heard her say quietly.

“Yeah, he has, baby. He’s been away from the family for a while now and been able to get some help to understand what Bubba had done to him so he can accept it and move forward.” Alex brushed the hair back from her face and looked into her eyes.

“He knows what he did was horrible, both to you and to Steve. Steve, he can never say sorry to, never bring back, but with you, he can try to make amends, if that’s possible. It’s up to you whether you want to accept his apologies or not. No one would blame you for cutting him out of your life, but I really don’t think that’s what you want, is it?” he asked.

“I don’t know, Alex. I just don’t know. Part of me wants to forget he ever existed, but after hearing what Bubba did to him and seeing the change in him, it makes it harder. Maybe I’ll talk to the pastor from the prison and see what he has to say.”

“That would be a great idea. Then you’ll know whether or not Sean is for real. I think he is, but for your own peace of mind, you need to be sure.”

They pulled up in front of a little diner and all got out. Teaghen took Kianna’s hand and led her into the restaurant.

“We’ll grab something light here, and then when we get home, I’ll make you my special omelet. Duncan will run you a nice hot bath, and you can try and get a good night’s sleep. Things will take on a whole new light in the morning, baby,” Teaghen said, kissing her temple as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

They found an empty booth in the back corner of the diner and sat down, making sure to keep Kianna between them. Sean had made it crystal clear exactly how far Ray would go to get the ranch back.

The one thing that stuck in the back of Alex’s mind though was why Ray would tell them about the property theft if he was going to kill Kianna because he wanted her land?

Ray must be aware that if something were to happen to Kianna that he and his brothers would look to him first and that, because of his comments about the ranch, they would move to take back their land. He had to be up to something. They were just going to have to make sure that whatever plans he had that their mate was protected at all costs.

“So, baby girl, what do you feel like eating?” he asked.

Kianna smiled at him, and Alex could have sworn that all the blood from his brain just rushed to his cock. He loved her more and more each day and wanted to keep a smile on her face for the rest of her life.

“I just want a small chicken Caesar salad for now. Remember you promised to make me your special omelet when we get home, so I don’t want to fill up too much.” She leaned against Teaghen and closed her eyes.

Alex and his brothers looked at one another and were concerned by the waves of fear and confusion emanating from their mate. Her brother had caught her completely off guard during their visit. He just hoped that he stayed true to his word because if he ever caused Kianna any more pain, he didn’t care what it took, but Sean would pay with his life.

“Sean really threw you for a loop, didn’t he, kitten?” Alex asked, brushing the hair back from her face. Alex grinned as she opened her eyes and gave him a weak little smirk.

“Ya think?” she said sarcastically.

He had to fight to keep the smile that wanted to cross his face from emerging. Alex noticed that both his brothers were also fighting their laughter. It seemed that even when she had her feet swiped out from underneath her, their little mate came back quickly.

“Watch the tone, kitten,” he chastised. “I don’t want to have to turn you over my knee the first thing when we get home.”

From the defiant stare that she leveled at him, he knew he had hit the mark.

“You wouldn’t dare,” was all she had a chance to say to them before a grandmotherly looking waitress came to take their order.

“Well now, sweetie.” She smiled down at Kianna. “Aren’t you just the luckiest little lady to have three such handsome men lookin’ all droopy eyed at you?”

Kianna’s face flamed red at the waitress’s assessment of her relationship with the three men.

“Aw, now honey, don’t be going and getting all embarrassed on my account. I’ve got three of them at home myself.” She winked and turned to Teaghen and began taking their order. Gathering up their menus, she patted Duncan on the shoulder and giggled as she headed back to the kitchen.

“That’s Maisy, Kianna. She’s the mate of three of the elders of our pack,” Alex told her. “You’d be surprised at how many women in our pack have more than one mate.”

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me she was part of your pack? And this whole mate thing is still new to me, so excuse me if I’m having a little trouble dealing with it.” Kianna gave Teaghen a shove, indicating she wanted him to move out of the way so she could get out of the booth.

“I have to go to the washroom,” she whispered. “So unless you want me to pee on your foot, I suggest you move out of my way, Teag.”

* * * *

The minute Kianna was out of earshot, all three men burst out laughing.

“She’s gonna be a wildcat, Alex. You know that right?” Teaghen said through his laughter.

“Yeah, but think about all the fun we’ll have trying to tame her,” he replied.

“Shit, guys, I don’t want to tame her. She’s perfect the way she is,” Duncan said.

“I said it will be fun
trying
to tame her. We don’t have a hope in hell of doing it, but it’s still gonna be fun,” Alex said.

Teaghen couldn’t wait until all this shit was behind them, and they could get started on their lives together with Kianna. He couldn’t wait until her belly was big and round with their pups. He imagined she’d be cranky at times, but between him and his brothers, they’d be able to keep her comfortable and happy for the rest of her life.

As he sat there, he was pulled from his daydream by the sound of the bells chiming over the door. Three men walked in all wearing very expensive business suits. His senses perked up immediately. They didn’t take a seat right away. They just stood at the door surveying the inside first. When one of them noticed him and his brothers in the booth, the stranger leaned over and said something to the two other men, who then also turned to glance in their direction.

“Wake up, boys, we could be in for some trouble,” Teaghen said to his brothers, his eyes never leaving the three men at the door.

Alex and Duncan turned to look at the three men and their hackles went up also.

“I don’t like the smell of them, Teag,” Duncan said in low voice.

“Alex, head toward the washroom, and wait for our mate. I don’t want anything happening to her, and I don’t trust those three,” Teaghen said to his brother.

As Alex began walking in the direction of the washroom, Teaghen noticed, out of the corner of his eye, that all three men watched his brother closely, and even though the distance wasn’t far, Teaghen worried until Alex was standing just outside the washroom. Once Alex was posted waiting for Kianna, he relaxed a little and became aware of Maisy going over to the strangers’ table.

As he observed her taking their order, he closed his eyes and let his wolf’s sense of hearing free. Their hearing was elevated in human form, but if they concentrated, it increased to their full wolf hearing for a short span of time.

“Do you know those three men over in the far booth, ma’am?” one of the men asked Maisy.

“Well, I’ve know those boys since they were babies,”
she replied.

“Did they come in here with a young woman, with light-brown hair?” one of the others asked.

Teaghen opened his eyes and looked across at Maisy, seeing that she glanced back at him with a smile on her face. He closed his eyes in concentration once again.

“They came in here with a good friend of theirs, and she does seem to fit the description you gave. Do you know her? She’s the cutest little thing I’ve ever seen. Why, I remember her when she was just a little, tiny girl and the way she followed those three boys around. They think of her as their little sister and…” Maisy paused for a second, leaned in close to one of the men, and in a whispered voice, knowing that Teaghen could hear her, she said, “They wouldn’t hesitate to kill anyone who tried to harm her in any way.”

Attagirl, Mais. You let them know that she’s well protected, and maybe they’ll get the message that she’s off limits
.

Opening his eyes again, Teaghen saw Kianna and Alex heading back to their table, a frown marring his beautiful mate’s face.

“What the hell is going on, Teaghen? Seriously, I’m a big girl and can go to the bathroom all by myself,” she bitched.

“Settle down, Kia. I sent Alex to keep an eye out for you because we’ve got some strangers in here asking about you,” he told her.

“What? Where are they?”

* * * *

“How do you know they’re looking for me? They could be just businessmen stopping for lunch on the way to the city?” she asked, but from the undertone of fear he detected in her voice, Teaghen knew she was scared.

“I noticed a Ford Expedition following us since we left the prison. They were waiting in the parking lot for us when we came out from seeing Sean. I’m pretty sure they are some of Ray’s cronies. They’ve been pumping Maisy for information, but she’s not giving them anything, but she’s certainly making sure that they know you’re well protected.” Teaghen stood and let Kia slide back into the booth. Alex sat across from him with his back to the men at the far side of the diner.