Chapter 11

Chapter

Eleven

T hey’re shooting at us!

Rory sat straight up in bed, his heartbeat speeding so fast he could barely stand it. What? Who? Where? I’m coming.

He got a flash of Niall’s house, and then nothing, Fen snapping. You will not come here.

Watch me. He stood up and ran, his bare feet slamming through the fields. “Help! Help! I need help!”

The pack began to gather, Jameson finding him first. “What? What’s the matter?”

“Liam and Dean took Rory up the mountain. They got to Loyal’s. Someone’s shooting at all of them. We have to help!”

Jameson’s eyes flashed a gold fire. “I’ll run. Tell Keegan and he can come with reinforcements.” Jameson shifted and took off like streak of red and gold, his wolf massive.

We’re coming, mate! Jameson is on his way.

You are not coming up here! Fen sounded distracted now, and he fretted, catching Keegan as he came running out.

“Someone is at Loyal’s house, taking shots at them!”

“I’ll take some of the men.”

“Wait! I want to go.”

“Rory, no. I know Fen is with your brothers, but I am not putting another pack member in danger.”

He glared daggers. “You mean an omega pack member.”

“I mean a pregnant pack member!” Keegan roared. “You will stay here!”

He wanted to roar, to say no, but he couldn’t.

He was rooted to the spot.

Maybe that was what all the others meant about alpha command. Hell, he could barely get his head to move so he could nod. “I’ll stay here.”

Keegan gave him a curt nod, and he was off, Brent and Bernard tearing off with him. The seconds would support the alphas as needed. Other big males began herding the pack in the village into the big meeting hall, Rory included.

“But I need to…”

“Alpha said you stay.” He was rushed inside.

Fen? Fen, they won’t let me come.

Good.

Are they still shooting at you?

Not right now. Loyal took off. We’re making sure Niall and the children and omegas are inside. Your brothers and I are fine. One of the ATVs is toast.

He chuckled. Fen loved that expression, which he’d learned from Rory.

I love you. Please. Be safe. I really, really love you.

I’ll be fine. Fen did sound less worried. But that wasn’t going to stop him from fretting until his mate was back with him.

Or at least out of the line of fire.

“Can you hear Fen?” John asked, coming to sit next to him.

“I can. Do you need me to tell him something?” Like Keegan and Jameson were coming?

“I just need to make sure everyone is okay.” But he could see the worry around John’s eyes and mouth. He clearly wanted to make sure that Keegan wasn’t rushing into an ambush.

“He says the shooting has stopped.” Right, love?

Yes. It’s—well, I won’t say it’s fine but looks like things will be okay. I’ll probably be running home rather than riding.

“He says one of the ATVs is pretty dead.”

“Oh, man. That sucks. They just bought both of those.” John smiled a little, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“He’ll be fine, John.” But he understood. It was one thing for Fen to be shot while way up by the tree line. It was another entirely for someone to be at the alphas’ brother’s pack, shooting up the landscape.

“I know. I tell myself that too. But every time Keegan has to go out and deal with these…assholes, I want to—” John’s daughter Litha came over, sliding into her father’s lap.

“Don’t be sad, Da.”

“I’m not, munchkin. I’m worried, but I trust your dad to be careful.”

“He’s okay.” She leaned on John, and Rory’s heart melted a bit.

Was this what being a parent was like? He couldn’t wait to share it with Fen now. He put a hand on his belly, so happy to think about that. And so worried about Fen.

“No worry, Rory. Fen is okay too.”

“My little seer,” John said. “She does seem to know things.”

“I’m glad. It eases my mind.”

Alpha Jameson just showed up, Fen told him. I imagine the shooting is totally over for the day.

I imagine so, love. Jameson had a fearsome, if fair, reputation. He did not suffer fools, but he was never one to be cruel or abuse his power. Keegan was more good cop, funny and friendly. Until he shouted like he had today…

“Okay, that just wasn’t nice. Not any of it was fair.” He was going to talk to Fen very seriously about this whole being told what he could and couldn’t do.

“No, I see.” John chuckled at him. “So apparently back in the day, this whole, you know, alpha voice command thing. The old alpha used it all the time on everybody, just randomly. It’s only supposed to be for emergencies.”

His temper flared, and his cheeks began to burn. “I was having an emergency. The emergency was that my mate is getting shot at!”

“Yeah, I get that, but it’s sort of like this.” John shook his head at him, rolled his eyes. “If you were up there, endangering yourself and your baby, Fen would’ve freaked out. They would have had to deal with a freaking out Fen, and with shooters and making sure that you and the baby were safe.”

“You… I mean, I understand, but it’s still not fair.” Now Rory was beginning to feel like John was humoring the lunatic.

Lucien, Jameson’s half-fae, half-wolf mate with all the little ones, turned to stare at him, nostrils flaring. “No, it’s not. I really don’t think that being fair was in their heads. At least not right now, you know? People they grew up with are shooting at Loyal. That’s what’s on their minds. What’s on their minds is keeping people from being hurt like Fen was hurt. So, I’m sorry if what you wanted wasn’t their number one priority.”

Well, damn it.

Rory blew out a hard breath. “I’m sorry. I just want to help.”

“I know.” Lucien came to them, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You think I’m not going nuts wondering what could happen to them? The fact is, this whole wolf thing is what it is. We each have our place in the pack, whether or not we like it. We have lots of other roles too, but your main job right this second is protecting that baby. Because nobody else can do that but you.”

“You know, if you don’t stop being so damn logical and shit, we’re all going to stop being friends.” He included John and Lucien both in his mock scowl.

Lucien grinned. “In that case, I don’t know about you, but I need a cookie.”

John nodded, enthusiastically. “And a beer.”

“I’d take a cookie and a milkshake. Why don’t we have more milkshakes? Seriously, there’s a lack of milkshakes in this pack.” Please, Fen. I love you. Be safe.

He was willing to give here. John and Lucien needed that. So did he.

Fen peeked out from where he’d been crouching by one of the ATVs. The one with the steaming engine and flat tires.

That? Had been entirely too close.

“Fen? You okay?” Keegan came to give him a hand up. He’d roared into the clearing with four other men, and Jameson had come howling in before that in wolf form. The shooting had stopped immediately, and he had a feeling the shooters had fled.

Hard.

He brushed dirt off his…everything. “I think so. Liam? Dean?” He looked around for his new family members. “Dean! Are you hit?”

Dean blinked, looking down at his arm. “A scratch maybe.”

“Dammit. Let’s get you inside.” Keegan helped Dean up. “Here, put pressure on the wound. Niall! Incoming.”

“On it.” A wolf as white as he was came in, nodded to him, and grinned. “I’m Niall. I’m so pleased to meet Rory’s mate. I hear congratulations are in order. Honestly, I wish we could have better circumstances. Luann, dearest, can you bring me my first aid kit?”

This was the shaman. He seemed oddly familiar, in a soul-deep sort of way, and as they looked at one another time seemed to shimmer, Fen’s wolf surging to the surface and begging to be released.

“What clan are you from?” Fen asked, and Niall shrugged.

“I don’t know. We can talk about it, but let me deal with this first.”

Luann came in with four little ones carrying a big wicker box with them. “Sorry, the kids wanted to help.”

Niall’s eyes went wide. “Oh, that’s very nice. Now, why don’t we take them in the other room, so that I can kind of evaluate the situation, and when kisses are needed to help with the boo-boos, we’ll call them.”

“Papa, I am not a baby. I don’t give kisses for boo-boos. I’m here to help.”

Oh dear. That was a very definite little one.

“Sorry, Isabella, I know that you are old enough to help. In fact, would you like to play nurse for me?”

She straightened up, her chin lifting. “Of course. Who’s hurt?”

Niall smiled at her, head tilting. “Use your nose, child. Do you smell it? The copper penny smell? That’s blood. That’s the one who’s hurt.”

The advice was offered over, not in a sarcastic manner, but gently, and the young girl sniffed before heading straight for Dean. “Let’s get that shirt off so that Papa can see.”

Fen fought his smile as Niall and the little one worked on Dean. It was more than a scratch, but not a bullet hole. It needed care though—it already seemed angry.

Fen was fascinated by Niall. He wanted to know where the shaman was from, or where his people came from. He looked as if he could be Fen’s cousin, and that was exciting. Everyone in his old pack assumed that they were the only Arctic wolves that had made it down this far.

But obviously not.

Obviously, there was a reason that Jameson and Keegan hadn’t decided that he must leave. They were used to seeing a white wolf about.

“Is he going to be okay, do you think?” Liam asked.

And Fen nodded. “Yes, yes. Keep it clean, keep it covered. He’ll be fine. There’ll be a scar.”

Liam shrugged. “Scars are just stories. He’s going to milk this one for weeks.”

Dean was pale, sweating, and maybe not ready to brag just yet.

Fen shook off his need to know about Niall for now. “Is anyone else hit? Can I help the alphas in any way?” he asked.

“I think they want everyone to stay inside for now. While they search the perimeter.”

“Of course.” He felt…more than useless. He should be more alpha. He’d lost his family because of it.

Niall looked at him calmly over Dean’s arm. “You are who you are, Fen. And that is who you are needed to be. Do not doubt the goddess.”

“I don’t, but I’m trying so hard…”

“Your mate knows. So does your pack.”

“I—thank you.” Staring into Niall’s eyes left him feeling…calm. Like he could breathe finally.

Are you okay, love? Is everyone all right?

Rory had a sixth sense for him.

I am. Dean took a little graze to the arm, but everyone is okay, and Niall is going to heal him right up, I’m sure. He’s…amazing. And I think he might be pack. He kept that thought to himself, he hoped.

Oh no! Come home as soon as you can.

I will, love. We’re just waiting for the alphas to tell us we can go.

“This really pisses me off,” Liam snapped. “I wanted to get up to the old dragon home.”

Niall glanced at him as he wound the bandage around Dean’s arm. “Why?”

“I don’t know.” Liam blew out a sigh. “Something is telling me to get up there.”

“Hmm.” Niall didn’t say anything else, but when Loyal came back inside, pulling on his shirt, Niall waved him down. “Liam wanted to go up to the old dragon home.”

“Yeah?” Loyal raised an eyebrow. “They’re gone.”

“What?”

“The dragons. They’re gone.”

Liam nodded. “I know that. But I have this itch to get up there.”

“Not today, Liam.”

“But—”

“No. Not today. If you still want to go once we clear it and make sure no one wants to shoot you, I’ll take you up next week.”

Liam sighed. “That’ll work. I know it’s selfish, but it’s poking at my brain.”

“Then we’ll go. I live with this one. I don’t ignore stuff when it itches.”

“Thanks, Loyal.” Liam glanced at his brother. “I need to get Dean home, anyway.”

Fen nodded as well. “Rory is ready to see all of us and make sure we’re all good too.”

“Oh, I bet he’s freaked out,” Liam said.

“He is. He was going to try to come up.”

Loyal chuckled. “I bet one of my brothers put a stop to that.”

“Keegan.”

“Good. He needs to be safe.”

“I know.” He worried about how Rory just threw himself into danger like it was nothing. He wanted his mate to be careful. Not just for the baby, but for him, for them.

“He’s kind of impulsive,” Dean said, his tone a little breathless as Niall finished binding his wound.

“He is. But he’s a good egg,” Liam put in.

“I adore him,” Fen said.

That’s good, love.

Eavesdropper.

Can you come home?

I’ll be down the mountain in a few.

He heard Jameson and Keegan coming in, so he thought it must be safe now.

It was time to go home to his mate.