Chapter 20: Gavin

Chapter 20: Gavin

Joseph’s death was more than a threat. It had to be more than a threat because otherwise, the threat was that David was going to do the same to my fated mate, and I didn’t want to believe that Catrina would go out of her way to kill Billie. I couldn’t take that.

After sending a group text to my packmates summoning them to a meeting tomorrow, I took Billie and Muriel back to my apartment, advising Oslo to keep an eye on our borders throughout the night. I felt like I should have been the one out there, but Oslo insisted it was best for me to stay home; for all they knew, it could have been a ploy, an attempt to lure me out and catch me alone and kill me. The pack would be easy to scatter without me. My Betas, however, could take the risk, so as much as I wanted to be the one confronting Dalesbloom, I allowed Oslo, Gretel, and Aislin to keep watch instead.

I laid with Billie that night, a sense of calm washed over me. Her back fit snugly against my chest while I held her close, enveloping her, as if the more physical contact between our bodies there was, the stronger the pacifying effect of our bond. I fell asleep with my nose buried in the back of her neck. I didn’t know if she managed to sleep well, but when I woke to my alarm, she was already conscious. Guilt gnawed at me. Maybe she didn’t want to be this close to me. But I couldn’t stomach keeping my distance from her anymore; I wanted reassurance, relief, and Billie was the only one who could give me that.

“Don’t go anywhere without me,” I told her before we left that morning.

Her silence betrayed her reservations. I must have sounded like David when I said that.

“It’s just to protect you,” I added, but that wasn’t any better.

Billie’s lips forced into a smile. “I know,” she said. It pained me knowing that David had used that reasoning before. That Billie had been manipulated her entire life under the guise of David keeping her safe. And now I was doing it too.

Was I manipulating her? I couldn’t deny that I genuinely wanted her.

Guilt and desire was going to tear me apart.

The entirety of Grandbay gathered in the pack house at 7 AM. All ten of us were there, including me, Oslo, Gretel, Aislin, Niko, and our other five packmates: Albin and his mate Barbara, who owned the only hotel in town, and their toddler son Casimir; an electrician named Philip, and his mate, Wendy, a hairdresser. Billie and Muriel made twelve of us all clustered together in the living room.

I looked between them all, relieved that the worst news already spread. My packmates had all last night to cope with the developments surrounding Joseph. It didn’t make it any easier to prepare them for what would potentially come next. “Everyone is going to have to be on high alert until further notice, regardless of where you are—at the perimeter, in town, in your own homes. We can no longer trust David’s motives since we received confirmation that he’s communicating with the dragons. Two women are seeking refuge with us from Dalesbloom right now. You might recognize Billie as David’s daughter,” I said, gesturing at her, “and this is Muriel Vale. David may take extreme measures to get a hold of these two women, so I urge you to report all sightings and contact of Dalesbloom wolves.”

Philip looked disgruntled. “Are they the reason Dalesbloom is breathing down our necks?”

“What do they have to do with Joseph’s death?” asked Wendy.

“David’s putting pressure on us because I rejected the proposal to merge our packs,” I said. “Billie and Ms. Vale ran into trouble with David and the dragons shortly before that. His treatment of these women contributed to my decision. I don’t know what motivated Catrina to murder Joseph. If the act was connected to our guests or the dragons.”

“Where does Eastpeak stand with all this?” asked Albin.

“I’m sure Everett is aware of the dragons by now, but we haven’t spoken yet. He has stayed out of our affairs as he always does,” I replied.

“This demands more attention than just Eastpeak. Why haven’t the Mythguard gotten involved?” asked Wendy.

Exasperation nagged at me. “The Mythguard may already be searching for Ms. Vale with dangerous intentions.”

“That’s a bold claim. The Mythguard have only ever helped us in the past,” said Philip.

“What makes you think they’re dangerous?” asked Wendy.

“It’s just speculation,” I said.

Wendy crossed her arms. “From who? About what?”

I didn’t want to divulge to everyone else that Muriel was a unicorn in hiding, but I supposed they’d learn eventually. “Ms. Vale’s status as a rare shifter was leaked from the Mythguard. That’s why she’s being hunted by the dragons.”

“You know it was the Mythguard for sure?” asked Wendy.

“Gavin, if Dalesbloom is a threat to us now then we can’t take them alone,” said Albin.

“You don’t think David would actually harm us, do you?” asked Barbara.

My packmates spoke among themselves, their discontent was palpable. “I’m considering all possibilities,” I managed to say, but it wasn’t enough.

Aislin came up to me with a lowered voice, “I really think we should reach out to Everett. If the Mythguard knew that Muriel was in the Gunnison area then they probably know by now that we have her.”

“But letting the Mythguard in could endanger her,” I argued.

“We’ll just talk to Everett. Maybe he has a better idea of what’s going on with them,” said Aislin.

“I agree with Aislin,” Wendy cut in. “Dalesbloom is too large a threat to handle alone. We need help.”

The risk left me unsettled. “Who of us thinks we should contact Everett?”

Wendy, Philip, Barbara, Albin, and Niko raised their hands. Oslo and Gretel murmured to one another, then Oslo caught my eye and nodded. It seemed I was outnumbered.

“Alright. I’ll reach out to him now,” I sighed. “Everyone keep a close eye on your phones for updates. For now, there won’t be any hunts with less than five packmates, and patrols must be done with two or more wolves. Oslo will cover the new patrol schedule.”

Satisfied with my decision, everyone turned their attention to Oslo. I retreated to the kitchen alongside Aislin set my phone on the table, dialed Everett’s number, and put it on speaker. “Let me do the talking,” I told her.

The phone rang three times, then went to voicemail.

“Fuck,” I said under my breath. Then after the beep, “Everett, this is Gavin. You’re probably aware of the dragons in Dalesbloom by now. Grandbay’s facing an unprecedented threat from Dalesbloom and I… hate to admit it, but we might need your help. Call me back ASAP.”

After hanging up, I rubbed my face and groaned. Aislin patted my arm. “It’s okay,” she said. “The right people in the Mythguard will help us.”

“She could die if we’re wrong,” I said quietly.

“I don’t think Everett will let that happen.”

I wanted to trust her. I wanted to trust Everett. But recent events had shown that there were tragically few people I could trust these days.

From outside, a low metallic thunder rolled up from the driveway. I looked up, immediately uneasy, knowing that all my packmates were already here—and then my stomach sank as I recognized the black truck at the head of a caravan of vehicles hurtling toward the pack house.

“Oh shit,” breathed Aislin. “Gavin!”

I burst back into the living room. “Everyone, stay calm, stay close and don’t leave. David just turned up with an unknown number of shifters.”

A gasp rippled through the group. They questioned, “Just now?” “Why?” “Is he going to attack us?” Barbara clutched little Casimir against her hip. Beside Muriel, Billie turned stiff and cold, all the blood drained from her face. Desperation surged through me as I saw fear manifest in every one of my packmates.

Oslo and Aislin returned with me to the kitchen. “What do we do?” whispered Aislin.

“We just wait. Oslo, get the rifles,” I said.

He nodded and left.

“Did he know we were having a meeting?” she asked.

“I have no idea.”

The three oncoming vehicles pulled in around those belonging to my packmates, flattening the grass and suffusing the air with the acrid stench of exhaust. David emerged from his truck alongside Colt and Catrina. A tall man from one of the cars stepped out with long, shiny blond hair and malevolent dark eyes, dressed in various blacks: denim, leather. Several more people with gaunt faces and pale hair appeared alongside the wolves I recognized from Dalesbloom. Everyone was armed with the PMR-30 handguns that David had retrieved from his latest shipment.

David took a stand on the front lawn, looking nicely groomed just for the occasion, with his grey beard trimmed and white dress shirt buttoned beneath a blue tie. “Alpha Gavin,” he boomed, “Dalesbloom has business to settle with you.”

My stomach sickened. I glanced at Catrina standing beside David, her face sharp and glacial, scratches on her shoulders, arms, and cheek implying the fight Joseph had put up against her. Weeks ago, I would have found it attractive the way she carried her bloodthirsty demeanor; now I just found it chilling. Oslo returned with two rifles, and carrying one each, me and him emerged from the door to stand outside, pointing our guns at David.

Every one of his companions raised their handguns at us in turn.

“I see you’ve come prepared with all your packmates gathered up in one place for me. Had a change of heart, did you?” David taunted.

“Grandbay will never be yours,” I snarled.

“Unfortunate. I was hoping to avoid conflict today,” David said, unaffected and clearly lying.

“What business, David?”

He grinned, extending his hand to the tall blond man near him. “I wanted to introduce you to Dalesbloom’s new partners. This is Lothair Javier of the Inkscale dragon clan,” said David. “He and I will be employing mutual efforts to attain our goals, which due to recent circumstances, have turned out to be adjacent.”

The willowy man smiled thinly at me, his hands clasped together in ominous patience. “I’ve been told much about you, Gavin Steele. Such a pleasure to finally meet you,” he said, dipping his head. His civility was little more than a veil over the malice brimming in his words.

“Grandbay doesn’t associate with dragons,” I said coldly.

Lothair’s smile persisted.

“I should have expected as much disrespect from a whelp like you,” drawled David. “No matter. Your inexperience will be your downfall, Gavin. I could have helped you. Guided you. Handed you one of the strongest packs thriving in Colorado. Instead you discarded me—and you will pay dearly for it. You’ve already seen what becomes of those the Hexens disapprove of.”

My skin felt icy, my heart pounding inside my ribcage. “Joseph?”

“Yes,” said David.

Catrina stood taller, gritting her teeth in a violent growl. “You were so concerned with getting marked by your shitty little fated mate, you thought the only way to reach your full potential as a shifter was to dump me and hook up with Billie,” she snapped. “I’m going to show you I don’t need to be fucking marked to be stronger than you. Better than you. I’ll show you what a real Alpha is willing to do for her pack to bring it to greatness.”

“You didn’t have to kill Joseph!” I yelled.

“You’re right. I didn’t have to. I wanted to!” she shouted back. “I wanted to prove I had the guts to do what needs to be done. I’ll never give in to the weakness of having to depend on another person for my strength. Alpha David has shown me that I can be more powerful alone than with someone else. I don’t need a mate, Gavin. Unlike you, I’m strong enough to control my beast, and I’ll prove it when I perform the Lycan ritual with Lothair’s dragons.”

My stomach sank. “Don’t.”

Catrina laughed. “Too fucking late! I’ve already made up my mind.”

“It can’t be undone, Cat!”

“Why does it matter to you?” She scoffed, baring her teeth. “We’re over. I’m taking Grandbay for my father no matter who stands in my way. I’ll cut you down and your Betas. And don’t think for a second I’m going to spare any mercy for little Billie.”

My finger tightened on the rifle trigger, my nerves itching to strike. I couldn’t.

“Now hand over the unicorn or we’ll give the signal to turn your little cottage inside out,” said Catrina.

I should have left Muriel and Billie at my apartment, but how was I supposed to know David would ambush us this morning? I should have reached out to Everett earlier, but would he even have helped us? Fuck, fuck! I held my ground, but the blood pounding in my ears made it hard to think. “She’s not here,” I said.

“Where is she?”

“Getting fucked,” I snapped.

Catrina snarled and leaned forward to lunge, only for David to stick out his arm, stopping her. “We’ll compromise then,” said David. “Give us Billie now, and we’ll let you all live long enough to retrieve the unicorn and leave Grandbay with your lives intact.”

“Not happening,” I said.

“Then I suppose we’ll just have to kill you all,” David sneered.

I steadied the rifle and pointed it at David. “Move and I’ll put a hole in your fucking chest.”

“And my comrades will put a hundred holes in yours,” said David. “It won’t stop us from taking what we want.”

“No, but it’ll be pretty hard to do business when you’re fucking dead.”

“David,” Lothair interrupted, “it seems you made a miscalculation putting so much stock in this pup. You should have just let my dragons kill him. Grandbay would have been yours three years earlier.”

My eyes snapped to Lothair, the coldness in my chest obliterated by roaring embers. “What did you just say?”

Even David was caught off guard by Lothair’s claim. “Not now, Javier.”

“Why? If we’re going to kill him, now is your last opportunity to see the look on his treacherous face as he learns the truth.”

“What truth?” I roared.

David darkened, his handgun steadied toward me. “I didn’t ever want you to learn this.”

“Dad?” Even Catrina was oblivious.

“What’s he talking about?” asked Colt.

“Grandbay’s previous Alphas, Martin and Bria Steele, were slain by Inkscale dragons. I made a deal with Lothair to hide his clan from the Mythguard when it formed three years ago in exchange for weakening Grandbay,” David confessed.

Fire hotter than ever before raged inside me. I could barely breathe; it was as if my lungs had filled with smoke and my entire body burned. “It was… you?”

David stared firmly at me. “I’m capable of doing far worse, Gavin.”

No mate bond could mitigate the fury David woke in me. He had always been working with the dragons. Ever since my parent’s death, it was him pulling the strings, him controlling everyone, him scheming to take over the Gunnison area. I thought David cared about me, but I realized then that I was just another pawn to him. Words failed me; in the moment my anger burned hottest, I aimed the rifle at his head. Only the front door crashing open stopped me from firing.

“Eastpeak is on their way,” Aislin declared shakily, my phone in her hand. “All of them. Everett. The Mythguard too.”

What would have been a warning from me for David to leave remained nothing but fuming, agonizing silence. I wanted to shoot him. I wanted to kill him right on the spot.

“Take your dragons and leave,” Oslo said for me.

Scowling, David grabbed Catrina’s arm and cast a wordless glare at Lothair before turning away.

I couldn’t just let him leave. I couldn’t let him get away with my parents’ murder, but… I was helpless to do nothing but watch.

In that moment, I’d never hated someone as much as I hated David Hexen.