Lorelei (8 page)

Murmured voices filled the air, the occasional snarl or growl punctuating words, but for the most part it stayed civil. Even the women, her cousins and sister, kept their frustrations and anger contained. If the Wickhams were anything like the Twynhams, it was a miracle they hadn’t ripped anyone’s head off. Metaphorically speaking.

They didn’t actually decapitate people. Then again…

“Miles and Holden will continue their search for Paisley, while we dispatch Alpha and Warden Pairs to nearby hotels, but there is still one issue at hand.” Lorelei sensed the unease in Keller’s tone. The man was
the
Ruling Alpha. What had him scared?

“And we said no.” Zeke’s words were calm, but a new tension had his muscles tightening.

“Don’t you think she should get a choice?” Madden countered.

“Not when it means one of you touching her. The answer is no.” Dylan’s voice was smooth as ice.

“It’s the only way. Carson and Aidan already said no. You three aren’t mated yet. That means she can choose for herself,” Keller volleyed.

“Carson and Aidan said no to what?” Rebecca pulled away from one of her mates and eased to her feet before spinning on the males. “You said no to what?”

Oh, Lorelei knew
that
tone.

“Baby…” Lorelei was pretty sure that was Aidan. Who knew a bad ass guy could sound so sweet.

Unfortunately for him, Rebecca wasn’t falling for it.

She hoped Zeke and Dylan took notes because the Twynhams were alike in some things. Such as men taking choices away from them.

Rather than watch Rebecca get into a verbal fight with her mates, Lorelei got to the real point. She tore her gaze from her sister and focused on Keller. “What do you need us to do?” Twin growls surrounded her, but she wasn’t going to be denied. “Zip it, guys.”

“Miles and Holden can find people easily when we’re limited to ground level. Even a few stories are okay, but we’re looking at twenty floors and then there are the basement levels and parking.” Keller shook his head. “They tried to find Paisley after touching Rebecca, but it wasn’t enough. They need a blood sample.”

Lorelei furrowed her brow. “That’s it? And they’ll be able to find her then?”

“It’s very, very likely. It’ll be a deeper connection.” Keller nodded.

“Why not let Scarlet donate?” Zeke snarled.

The other Ruling Alpha leaned forward, death written into every feature. “Do you think we could stop her if that’s what she wanted? Neither of us would like it, but it’s for family and above all, Scarlet values family. If she was a close enough relative to Paisley, she would. But she’s not and we have her sisters here.”

Dylan tensed as if he’d rise and Lorelei leaned away to grab his wrist. “Wait a minute. Calm down,” she murmured before turning her attention back to the Ruling Alphas. “Okay, that’s what has everyone’s panties in a bunch?” She focused on Carson and Aidan. “And you wouldn’t let Rebecca donate? Seriously? It’s our
sister
. One asshole has already tried to take Rebecca and another four came after me, Whitney, and Dylan. And you’re still saying no?”

Rebecca stepped away from her mates and she almost felt bad for the two wolves when she saw their expressions. The two men looked like their very souls were walking away from them. Then again, wasn’t that the truth?

“You…” Rebecca sounded heartbroken and Lorelei pushed up from the couch.

She reached her sister and drew her close, wrapping her arm around Rebecca’s shoulders. “Shh, we’ll take care of it now.” Lorelei glanced at Emmett and Levy. “How do we do this?”

“Lorelei…” Zeke’s warning came with a rumbling growl.

“No.” She shook her head. “I get the whole wolf possessive thing, but she’s my sister. After all of this mess… Rebecca and Paisley are all I have left, Zeke. My parents, my grandmother… they’re gone as far as I’m concerned. I don’t have a family beyond my sisters. We’re all each other has.”

Heartbreak filled his gaze and it was as if she saw it shatter. “You have us, Lorelei.”

She let her hand drift from Rebecca and padded toward the gorgeous man. She cupped his cheek, ignoring the flash of light that came with the contact. With her free hand, she grasped Dylan and tugged him closer.

“I know, and my sisters don’t make what we’re building any less. But… she’s my little sister, Zeke, and God knows what they’re doing to her. I don’t…” Lorelei’s heart clenched. “I don’t think she’s merely hiding. I think there’s something wrong. She’s in trouble. I feel it. Let me do this.”

Lorelei met his yellow-eyed gaze, sinking into his focus and praying that he sensed her need.

Emmett cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention, but she didn’t let her focus stray from Zeke. “It’s not just a matter of sticking a needle in a vein, here. The reason your mates object isn’t because of any pain you endure, it’s the
way
the blood is drawn.” He sighed. “And then there’s what happens
after
.”

Zeke’s orbs flared bright and she noticed a similar light coming from Dylan.

“How do they get it?” Lorelei called to the Warden. “And what do you mean ‘after’?”

“They will have to take your blood from the source.”

A snap and crack reached her a single moment before she noticed Zeke’s jaw wasn’t so human-shaped any longer.

“So, they have to bite me?” Lorelei rubbed her thumb along his reshaped jaw.

“No, a cut is sufficient. They’ll lick what comes to the surface.”

A rumbling growl came from Dylan and she stroked the inside of his wrist.

“Cut, then lick. Easy enough. So, what’s the problem?” It wouldn’t be fun, but she’d endure a little pain for her sister. No question.

“In Rebecca’s case, her mates would lose it and would try to kill Miles and Holden. Then they’d reclaim her. Of course, there’s no telling how long that will take. They’re mated and their wolves would see the Wardens’ touch as a challenge.” Emmett’s explanation was slow and she imagined there was more.

“And in my case?” There had to be a “but” in there somewhere.

“In your case, you’re not mated. So while Zeke and Dylan are very possessive, it’s not to the extent of Aidan and Carson. You haven’t been claimed.” Emmett sighed. “If you do this, if you allow Miles and Holden to take your blood, you
will
be mated shortly thereafter. Zeke and Dylan’s wolves won’t allow anything less than a full binding.”

To save her sister, she’d have to sacrifice her life to the two men before her. Everyone spoke as if it was the end of the world. And… she slowly realized it wasn’t.

No, not in the slightest. True, she would have preferred more time to get to know the men, but Whitney was right. There was something inside her that screamed to take the two men and make them hers.

Hers.

“You said Rebecca, Carson, and Aidan would go at it and no one knows how long they’d be ‘otherwise occupied.’ I can see why that’d be a bad thing. Is there a reason I shouldn’t mate them right now? Will it take us out of the game for days, too?”

“There isn’t a reason. You should be finished with your initial mating rush by morning. With luck, we’ll have Paisley in hand by then.” A hint of hope filled Emmett’s voice and she sensed Rebecca’s rising excitement.

The emotions lurking in her mates’ eyes were a mixture of regret, anger, and desperate need. She’d address their worries, their fury at the way this was coming about, later.

Right now…

“Call Miles and Holden to the suite.”

*

Zeke wasn’t sure whose objection was louder, his or Dylan’s. Regardless, they both bellowed the same response.

“No!”

While everyone in the room flinched, Lorelei did not. No, she remained in place, shouldering their displeasure and appearing as if she couldn’t care less.

Well, she could “not care” all she wanted because he refused to have another wolf’s mouth… A rush of pain and adrenaline skated through his veins, and the wolf leapt forward. His magic was right behind the renewed sensations, and those parts of him were intent on killing Miles and Holden the minute they appeared.

Lorelei sighed and removed her hand from his face. He nearly whimpered. Nearly. He was a little smug that when she did the same with Dylan, his partner whined and Zeke hadn’t.

She stared at them both, her jaw clenched tightly and lips pressed together until they formed a pale line on her face. A stubborn twinkle invaded her eyes and he realized he was going to lose this argument. Dammit.

This wasn’t how he wanted things to happen. He hadn’t wanted their mating to come about because of the need to find her sister. It was supposed to be more. Maybe it wouldn’t have been love; it was too soon for that. But he’d hoped for more than biological undeniable need.

He looked over her head and sought out Levy and Emmett. “What
exactly
is going to happen?”

“It’s probably best if we all discuss it when Miles and Holden arr—”

“No, I’m asking you. I can’t guarantee we won’t take them down as soon as they walk through the door if we’re kept in the dark.” Zeke cracked his neck, rolling his head from side to side as he fought to banish the growing tension. “The wolf needs to know.”

Zeke didn’t bother telling them that his magic needed the assurance as well. The power pulsing inside them was at their beck and call and yet it wasn’t. It had a vague consciousness of its own and was known to react before the Warden realized the danger he faced.

“Zeke, you can’t be considering—”

Zeke faced his friend. “Do you want to be the one to tell our mate that we left her sister to be picked off by your brother? Because I sure as hell don’t.”

“But they’ll touch…”

They’ll touch what belonged to them. Sure, Dylan loved Zeke’s parents and family, and they loved his friend in return, but it wasn’t
Dylan’s
family. Lorelei was the wolf’s chance at having one of his own.
His
.

He placed his hand on Dylan’s shoulder and forced the man to face him, sliding his hand up until it wrapped around the back of Dylan’s neck. “I know you, D. I know what this is and you need to let it happen.”

“You’re telling me you’re okay with this? That they’ll put their teeth to her?” His partner’s voice was filled with shock.

Yeah, Zeke was pretty shocked himself. “
Okay
is a stretch.” In fact, his wolf howled at the mere idea someone else would dare bare a fang in her presence. “But can you honestly tell me you’d let an innocent woman suffer because our wolves and magic are pissy?” He tugged Dylan toward him, pressing their foreheads together. “We’re stronger than this, D. And we’re gonna do it because we care for our mate, huh?”

Dylan’s eyes closed and Zeke knew he’d won. His friend’s next words proved his assumption. “How does it work?”

When his partner pulled away, Zeke let him retreat. The moment space existed between him and Dylan, Lorelei was there, tugging them close to her until she was sandwiched between their bodies. His cock twitched and the wolf discarded anger in favor of interest.

Soon
. He told his wolf.
Very soon.

He hated it’d come about this way, but he wouldn’t refuse her if she was prepared to accept them.

Levy cleared his throat and everyone’s attention was centered on the Ruling Warden. “Ideally, both men would bite her.”

Zeke echoed Dylan’s rumbling growl. Lorelei stroked them both, her small hands sliding over their arms, but even her touch had difficulties banishing his possessive rage. “No one is putting fang to our mate.”

“Okay,” Levy huffed. “The other option is to cut into her skin and let them drink there. Regardless, it’ll still be deep and painful. I’ll call in a Warden pair that will heal her as soon as it’s done, but during the actual process,” Levy grimaced, “she can’t be sedated. The… the agony will have her calling out, even subconsciously, for comfort. Her soul will automatically call to people in her family who are closest. Rebecca and… Paisley. It adds that emotion to her blood and that’s what they’ll pull on.”

The Ruling Warden focused on Lorelei, regret and sadness in his gaze. “I’m sorry, but it’s the only way.”

His mate turned her head into his chest, burying her face against him. She shuddered once, a hint of her fear reaching his nose, but she nodded her agreement.

“I’ll… I’ll do it.” Her voice trembled and Zeke fought the urge to shift and destroy whatever frightened their mate.

Zeke sensed the same desire from Dylan, and he met his partner’s gaze over Lorelei’s head. He saw the same conviction, the same anger, and the same possessive light in Dylan’s eyes that he felt inside.

Neither liked the idea, but neither would stop it, either.

“And after?” Zeke voiced the question, knowing and hating himself at his excitement and anticipation with the answer.

Emmett’s voice was grim. “After… You’ll have to hold onto your wolves and magic long enough for them to heal her. Once that’s done, we’ll leave you three alone. There’s a set of rooms on the other side of the suite that we’ll use for the transfer and healing. Then we’ll all remain on this side. By tomorrow morning you should be… done.”

Done. A pretty way to dress up their—essentially forced—mating.

Zeke shook his head. For the last year, as he’d dreamed of finding a mate, he hadn’t anticipated it’d come about this way. He’d imagined… coaxing and sweet words and… more than a fuck fueled by other males touching their mate.

“How long until they get here?” Lorelei’s voice was soft.

“We’ll call them now. It shouldn’t be more than ten or fifteen minutes, depending on where they are in the building,” Levy spoke softly.

“Okay, if it’s okay with you guys, I’d like to go to the room and talk to Zeke and Dylan alone.” She sounded unsure and embarrassed and those were two emotions she should never experience. Not with them.

“Of course.” Levy nodded and stepped back. “This way.”

Zeke wasn’t sure if she’d go through with it, if she’d take the first step to follow the Ruling Warden. But she did. She put one foot in front of the other and padded across the carpet. The room remained quiet, completely silent, save the shuffle of her bare feet and the brush of their shoes on the floor.