Chapter 15

His patrol was coming to an end, and Decker was thinking about where his time might best be spent. He’d managed to wrap his head around the idea of sharing Adriana with Greg. In fact, he’d begun to see the advantage of Adriana having two mates. She needed both his dominance and Greg’s nurturing, almost daddy-like attitude. He wanted to talk to Wordsworth to see if the librarian had discovered anything else. Decker wasn’t convinced that they should be waiting. But before broaching the subject with Adriana, he wanted to talk to Greg.

Decker was also curious as to whether there was any information about some kind of link between two wolves sharing a she-wolf, outside of the one each shared with the she-wolf herself. He was beginning to feel a tentative tether to Greg. At first, he’d ignored it. He had no sexual interest whatsoever in another male, but there was no denying the fact that he was beginning to feel Greg’s emotions and thoughts coming down the link.

As Decker began to walk back toward the abbey, he caught sight of Erin skipping up to him. He had enormous admiration for the child as she had come through a horrific experience, but seemed to be adjusting and settling in. Although she hadn’t been with them long, Erin had fallen into the habit of coming to meet him at the end of his patrol. They would walk back to the abbey along the parapets, often holding hands and talking about various and sundry things.

Sometimes Decker felt Erin simply wanted to spend time with him because she saw him as a protector, and that wasn’t the worst thing, but other times he wondered if there wasn’t something more. After all, Adriana was the only witch in the clan, and he and Greg were her mates. Erin had yet to really open up about her experience, but Decker was hopeful when she felt completely safe, she would do so. It wasn’t lost on him that the three people she seemed the most comfortable with were him, Greg, and Adriana. She had a room in the main keep and had been virtually adopted by every member of the clan—child and adult alike.

Erin took hold of his hand and fell into step beside him. Sometimes she just wanted to walk, and sometimes she wanted to talk with him.

“Decker, do you think any of my family or coven could still be alive in the village?” she asked, looking up at him.

Although warriors were fierce by nature, wolves had a deep affection for those in their care, especially children. He didn’t want to lie to her, but also wanted to offer her some hope. He decided to go with the truth.

“You know, Erin, I don’t know. There’s a part of me that wants to believe that you weren’t the only survivor, but Samuel reported that what was left of the place where your coven lived had been ruined.”

She walked along for a few moments in silence, seeming to contemplate his answer. “Thank you for being honest with me. I know when my mother shoved me out of our cottage, she told me to run and not look back. I think she wanted me to search for a fairy ring so I could be protected, but I was too scared to look so I just ran.”

“Sweetie, your mom wanted you to live.”

Erin nodded. “And I didn’t want to look back because I heard everyone I knew screaming amidst the growling and howling of the wolves.”

“Can I ask you a couple of questions?”

“Sure.”

“If you don’t want to answer, you don’t have to. I would appreciate you not lying to me, but you also don’t have to answer anything you don’t feel comfortable with.”

“Okay.”

Trying to keep his tone as neutral as possible, he asked, “How did you know to come to the church in the village closest to us? That’s a long way for you to run.”

“I started for the village closest to us, where we had always traded, but one of the wolves who raided our village got in my way. He tried to tackle me and not in a fun way. I picked up a rock and hit him on the head.”

“Good for you,” said Decker wanting to ensure she knew she’d done nothing wrong. “That was really brave and smart of you. Is that how you got the blood on your clothing?”

She nodded. “It was sticky, but I was so scared, and I could see some more wolves between me and the village, so I ran in a different direction.”

“What brought you to our village?”

“I think I knew Adriana was there. I felt like something was pulling me that way.”

He didn’t want to make a big deal of her following her instinct and how, most likely, it had saved her. “You know, I can understand that. Better than most people. I felt pulled to Adriana, as well.”

“I like her.”

“Me, too.”

Erin stopped, planting her feet until he, too, had stopped. She looked up at him with clear eyes that shone with an inner maturity and intelligence. “You love her.”

All Decker could think was ‘out of the mouths of babes.’ With the simple acceptance of that fact, so many pieces of the puzzle fell into place. This was the reason he felt no jealousy about Greg; he knew that Adriana needed Greg just as much as she needed him. It also helped him to understand the developing bond between him and Greg. The three of them were all parts of their mate bond. While he loved Adriana in a sexual way, he also loved her as a friend, and he loved Greg as a brother.

He could see Adriana coming out to meet them. Erin ran to greet her and hugged her before running back to Decker and doing the same. Taking the hand of each of them as they continued their walk, Decker had a flash of what their future might entail—either with Erin or a child born of their union.

“Adriana, do you think it’s possible anyone from my coven survived? I asked Decker and he said there was no way to know for sure, but he didn’t think so. I kind of agree with him, but I want to know what you think.”

“I didn’t see what Samuel reported to Decker,” said Adriana, “but he described it to me. And while it isn’t likely, it was a coven and not just a group of villagers or shifters—not that there’s anything wrong with either. It’s just you and I know that sometimes we know things others don’t.”

Erin nodded. “Kind of like I knew where to find you.”

“Exactly. Sometimes we don’t even understand that we knew what we knew right away; it just seems to all work best if we follow our intuition.”

“Yes, my grannie used to say that.”

Decker could feel the twinge of pain Erin’s words had caused Adriana—partially because she herself had lost her family and coven. Thankfully they had not been slaughtered, but they had turned their backs on her and banished her when she needed them most. He tried to reach down the tether with soothing vibes. Her coven had best never cross his path; he would not have kind words to say to them. Their abandonment had wounded his mate deeply.

“You know what I think?” asked Adriana, deliberately brightening her tone.

“What?”

“I think we should never give up hope, and maybe if your intuition led you to those in our village, perhaps they will lead anyone who still lives to us, as well.”

They were closing in on the main buildings that comprised the abbey.

“Erin!” called two of the other children as they ran towards them. “Come and play with us!”

Erin looked up at him and Adriana. “Go ahead,” he said as he and Adriana released her hands so she could go join her newfound friends.

He picked up Adriana’s hand once more as they continued to walk. They headed over to the medical facility. Greg grinned as they walked into his office.

“It worked,” Greg said.

“What worked?” asked Decker.

“I was just thinking that we needed to talk. Well actually, I was thinking the two of us should talk before we talk with Adriana.”

“Why would you two need to talk without talking to me?” she asked.

“Because we’re wolves, and we do stupid shit like that,” answered Decker nonchalantly.

Greg chuckled. “He isn’t wrong, but I actually wanted to share with him what Wordsworth found on an ancient scroll. The scroll talked about this triad bond we share. By the way, Adriana and I decided that’s what we should call it.”

“Works for me,” said Decker.

“Anyway. It seems the thing has always been between a witch and two wolves. As an aside, he’s found no reference whatsoever to anything like this existing in any other species. And for the record, it doesn’t happen often. In fact, it seems to be triggered by the rise of a dark force.”

“But we defeated Strode,” protested Adriana.

“Nobody is suggesting Strode wasn’t a malevolent force, but Wordsworth thinks it’s O’Shea, doesn’t he?” suggested Decker.

“Wordsworth and Colby both think so. For what it’s worth, so do I. They think the sooner we get her marked…”

“The safer I will be.”

“Not to put a damper on things,” said Decker, “and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but marking her might not be the best idea, at least my marking her.”

“Don’t you want to mark me?” asked Adriana, hurt evident in her voice.

Greg swatted her backside. “Don’t be stupid. It doesn’t become you.” He turned to Decker. “I know it isn’t that, but why not?”

Decker took her face in his hands and brought his mouth down on hers in a fiercely passionate kiss, that made her moan and sink into his strength. “Does that answer your question?”

“Greg was right. It was a stupid question, and I apologize. Apparently, I’m not smart enough to play in the big leagues, so could you explain it to me?”

“For the record, sweetheart, I don’t know what he’s talking about, either.”

Decker smiled and wondered how he’d ever thought he might exist without both of them. “From a purely practical standpoint, the existing tether between Adriana and O’Shea gives him a link to her thoughts, feelings, and most importantly, her whereabouts. What we haven’t been taking into consideration is that the same can be said of her link to him.”

“Oh my god, I could be using that link to spy on him,” said Adriana.

“Exactly. And from a tactical standpoint, being on the offensive is always better than playing defense…”

“You aren’t suggesting we send her out there as bait for O’Shea, are you?”

Decker slapped Greg upside the head. “Don’t be stupid. Of course not. And I don’t think we should send her out alone. Well, actually I kind of am, but here’s the thing. If I mark her, it will eradicate O’Shea’s link to her forever, but if you mark her…”

“O’Shea will still have the link we can use, but we’ll have one of our own.”

“But will it be as strong as O’Shea’s? No offense,” Adriana added.

“None taken. I had the same thought,” said Greg.

“I thought a lot about that while I was on patrol. Normally, an alpha’s mark would be stronger, but O’Shea isn’t her fated mate, and he forced the bond. I can’t believe that it will be any stronger than one Adriana wanted from one of her fated mates. Added to that, I do have a bond that’s getting stronger each day, even without a mark.”

“So, we’re agreed that I will mark Adriana…”

“I want to talk this all the way through. Babe, Greg and I think the way to rid you of your link to O’Shea is for me to mark you. The bite will be deeper and more savage than O’Shea’s. When I mark you—and I will—it would also eradicate Greg’s mark. So, he would need to bite you a second time.”

Adriana was still for a moment before she nodded. “I can handle that. There have been so many others who risked and lost their lives or lost a great deal more than I will, and what you’re saying makes sense. And hey, I can go down as the most marked she-wolf in history.”

“I wish I could think of another way. I’ve been trying to puzzle it out all morning…”

“And I love that you care enough for me to try and come up with another way…”

“Love. Erin pointed out to me that I love you,” said Decker. “And she’s right, but I also love Greg like a brother and I’m willing to bet he feels the same about both you and I.”

“Anyone betting against that would be a fool,” admitted Greg. “By the way, Adriana, Decker and I are finding there is a link being forged between us. My guess is that it funnels through you, but it’s there nonetheless.”