Chapter 34

"Someone's calling you, again," Kahn whispered against Reeve's lips.

"Fuck ‘em," Reeve murmured, diving back in to taste more of his mate's soft, plump lips.

Kahn was enjoying himself way too much to disagree with his mate. He couldn't get enough of his mate's talented tongue, but needed more than just that. Reaching down to the prize that was waiting for him, Kahn found Reeve's bulge and wrapped his fingers around the long, hard cock imprisoned there, squeezing it firmly. But his mate's moaning response that would surely result in an orgasm wasn't Kahn's prime objective at the moment. Reluctantly pulling his hand away, he stared at Reeve, sensing his mate's confusion. "Claim me…now!" he demanded.

"Are you sure, cari?o?"

Taking his mate's hand, Kahn placed it on his hard cock. "Doesn't that feel like I'm ready?"

Removing his hand, Reeve murmured, "Ready for me to fuck you, yes, but what about your doubts about me? Are they gone? Are you ready to claim me, too?"

Kahn hesitated. He wasn't expecting his mate to say anything other than ‘hell, yes', but instead Reeve had turned the tables on him. Am I ready to claim Reeve? The mere fact he had to think about it was probably proof that he wasn't. But where does that leave us? Will Reeve change his mind?

"I'm not going to change my mind," Reeve said, smiling, "and don't worry, I can't read your thoughts."

"Then how…"

"Babe, I've spent a lifetime learning how to read people…first with my father and then later in my job with the High Council. It comes in handy when interrogating suspects."

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be, cari?o," Reeve said softly. "We have our whole lives ahead of us, so whether we claim each other today, tomorrow, or a month from now, the most important thing is for you to be certain."

Nodding, Kahn looked down at his mate's chest where his hands now rested, grateful for the reprieve. "It's overwhelming…Josiah's death…Rudy targeting me…Jackson's revenge…my mother and sisters…I feel like I'm drowning. I won't accept the Alpha title so I have to figure out where my mother and sisters will live. But first I have to decide what to do with my father's remains. If it were up to me, I wouldn't bury him…he should burn, the same as those he killed…but I know my sisters don't feel that way."

"So assuming cremation's not an option, where would you bury him?" asked Reeve.

"That's the problem. I don't think he deserves to be buried on the pack land, but if not there, then where? Hell if I know. I have to talk to my mother and see if she has any ideas."

"Let me know what she says," Reeve replied. "As for your other problems, I've taken care of Rudy, so he'll be too busy trying to save his own neck by the time I'm finished with my report. Jackson's also taken care of so you can cross those worries off your list."

Looking up at his mate, Kahn said, "Thanks…it helps to know my mother and sisters are safe."

"You too," growled Reeve. "Until I can sort out what to do with the Silver Point pack, I'd like it if you, your mother and sisters would stay here."

Alarmed, Kahn asked, "What do you mean? You're not going to disband it, are you? They don't deserve to have their whole lives turned upside down because of what my father did."

"No, cari?o…that would be my last choice since most of them are victims of either Josiah or Rudy. From what Heath told me, I didn't think you wanted the Alpha position, so that means I have to find someone who does."

"What about Jackson? I know he'd be a good Alpha, even though his father always claimed he didn't have what it took."

"I asked Jackson yesterday since the High Council would be happy if he agreed to it, but I get the feeling he isn't interested."

"Where does that leave you?" asked Kahn.

"Not sure…but whoever does will have a hell of a job getting the pack back on its feet. And before the person can be appointed Alpha, they'll need Jackson's approval."

"Why? I've never heard of that being required."

"Well, technically it isn't, but the High Council is eager for this to be wrapped up in a nice and tidy bow. And in order to do that, Jackson has to be satisfied there won't be any more threats to him and his brothers from the Silver Point Pack."

"Do you have someone in mind for Alpha?"

Shaking his head, Reeve said, "It's not a problem I need to solve right now since I'm Acting Alpha until the job is finished."

"What about Rudy? Can he claim it since I won't?"

"He could if he knew you'd rejected it, but I'm keeping that under wraps for now…at least until I can figure out a solution. But enough about my problems…what else is troubling you?" Reeve asked, brushing back some hairs on his mate's forehead. "Please, tell me."

"Well...it's…my mother," Kahn said, haltingly, not sure how Reeve would feel about her.

"Go ahead, cari?o…tell me."

"Uhm…well…she can't go back to the pack and I'm worried about her being on her own, even though my sisters would be with her, so...uhm…well, I was going to have her stay with me but that was before I knew about you."

"I don't see a problem," Reeve said, smiling. "Do you have enough room at your condo or should we look for something bigger?"

Kahn's eyes widened in surprise. Whatever he'd thought his mate would say, it certainly wasn't that. "My sisters would have to stay with us, also."

Chuckling, Reeve said, "I kinda figured that, although I'm not all that familiar with what teenage girls need."

"From my experience, neither are they," Kahn said, grinning.

"Duly noted." Giving his mate a kiss, Reeve murmured, "Never be afraid to ask me anything or tell me I fucked up. I've been alone a long time so it would be a minor miracle if I didn't screw up occasionally."

"Like not listening to me?" Kahn asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Exactly! Thank goodness a friend told me I was acting like an asshole." Then unable to stop himself, he outlined his mate's full lips with a finger, relishing their softness. "I have to go…Heath is leaving this morning to turn Rudy and his cohorts over to the High Council. I'll feel better once they're all locked up. Will you stay here for a couple more days until I'm sure no one else is involved?"

"Actually it's a good idea because it will give my mother and sisters some space to process what's happened before getting uprooted again."

"Do you think they'll be okay?" asked Reeve, softly.

"I'm pretty sure my sisters will…life moves on quickly at that age, but I'm not too sure about my mother. Josiah's death hit her hard yesterday."

"Does she have a friend she could talk to? Sometimes it's easier to talk to someone who isn't family."

"Maybe…I'll ask her."

"If she does, I can have one of my men bring her over," Reeve said.

"Thanks," Kahn said, shaking his head. "What a mess. Even dead, my father is still fucking up everyone's life."

"Not for much longer," Reeve said. "I know all this crap is overwhelming but just take it slowly…one step at a time, and soon most of it will be over. You aren't in this alone anymore, so just tell me what you need and I'll handle it…no matter what it is…okay?"

Putting his arms around his mate's neck, Kahn leaned forward until his forehead was touching Reeve's, sighing as calm washed over him. He didn't know how Reeve had done it, but his mate had eased the heavy weight that had settled on his shoulders since the news of his father's death. It felt good to share the burden, a feeling he wasn't used to. His mother was the only other person who'd helped him when life weighed him down, but he kept a lot from her as he grew up when he discovered how hard her life was. Now, though, he had a mate who'd stepped in to fill an important need he'd forgotten all about.

His mate's simple act of support did more to convince Kahn his wolf was right about Reeve than any fancy words ever would. Professing love was something most people did, but a person's actions always revealed the truth, or falsity, of their words. It was a lesson he learned the hard way growing up, but one he had lived by ever since the day his father taught him it. "Thank you mate…for making my world a little bit brighter on a day I feared would be so dark."

Scooping Kahn up into his arms, Reeve walked over to the bed and sat down, holding his mate against his chest. "I'll always be there for you whenever you need me, cari?o…you will never be alone again."

~/~/~/~/~

"Are you sure I shouldn't go with you?" asked Steel, standing in the doorway of his mate's study.

Looking up from the computer screen, Jackson grinned. "Are you worried the big, bad man might hurt me?"

"No, of course not," Steel replied, walking into the room. "It's just that…"

"Oh my gods! You are!" exclaimed Jackson.

"I am not! It's just that he should know if he attacks you, he won't live to see another day. And that can't happen unless I'm there."

"That's true, but if that's the only way he'll behave himself, then I can't have him here. I don't have the time…nor do I want to keep Cain under surveillance 24/7. I read his file again, and Oracle's right…Cain hasn't had an easy life, but that can change, if he takes advantage of the opportunity the Fates have offered him. But for that to happen, I have to be the one to extend a hand to him and that starts with me showing some trust."

"Trust is one thing, but being careless is another. Nothing in his file tells me he can be trusted…"

"That's the point! No one's ever trusted him before. All of his past actions remind me of a dog who's known nothing but abuse by his owner his whole life. Even if a new owner treats him with kindness, the dog has to learn to trust him before he'll change his behavior."

"So Cain's a dog…well at least that makes him a distant relative of our wolves," Steel said, smirking.

"Cute," Jackson said. "But you know what I meant. According to the Fates, Cain is essential to finding the humans who are behind the attacks on our world. He'll be accepted by them since he's one himself…and I have to be able to trust that he won't betray any of us. The way I see it, unless he and I can trust each other, the mission will fail. So, yes, I'm going to extend the first olive branch…probably the first time anyone's ever done so to Cain."

"I get it, babe," Steel said. "And I agree with you. I just wish there was another way other than taking Cain into our pack."

"I do too, but I haven't been able to think of one," Jackson replied.

Steel knew his mate was right but it was hard to swallow when he knew exactly the kind of person who was in that cell; records never lie. Deciding to let the matter drop for now, he asked, "Have you seen Dakota this morning?"

"First thing," Jackson said, grinning. "According to my brother, Slate refused to let Max sleep in the bassinet. He claims his son will be lonely by himself."

"Where does he want Max to sleep?" asked Steel.

"You won't believe this…in either his or Dakota's arms. He claims it's the only way his son won't cry."

"All babies cry even when they are held. Where did my brother get that crazy idea from?"

"From a book. According to Dakota, Slate has bought every baby book he could find."

"My brother did that?" asked Steel incredulously.

"Uh huh…until Dakota made him stop," Jackson said, chuckling. "Anyway, my brother enlisted the aid of Mac to help convince Slate that it's actually good for Max to sleep alone."

"Did it work?"

"Nope, not at all, but then Mac told Slate if he refused to follow doctor's orders, he'd be banned from his mate's room and…since Maxwell is sleeping in Dakota's room…"

"Oh…sneaky…I like that."

"When Slate complained, Dakota made him promise to toss every baby book he bought and pointed out if he had any questions, there were numerous resources in the pack he could consult with—like Hope and Oracle. Speaking of daddy duties, do you know where Danny is?"

"With my father."

"Uh huh…well, your father took him to see Max, and Danny has now taken up guard duty. No one can enter Dakota's room without first getting the okay from our son."

"Dad allowed him to do this?" Steel asked.

"I don't think he had a choice. Danny refused to leave and your father didn't think it was a good idea to force him."

"You're okay with this?" asked Steel frowning.

"Honestly…no. While I understand what Maximus told us, I still think Danny's too young to be acting as an enforcer. Playtime is important to a child because it helps to develop their social skills. Plus, have you thought of what might happen if Danny fails to protect one of us? It's hard enough for an adult to handle the emotions that come with failure, but he's just a pup and it might be too much for him to handle."

"I hadn't thought of that," Steel muttered.

"Well, I have, and I've decided to limit the time Danny can stay in his wolf form. I spoke to my mother and she told me that stage doesn't last long."

"Did she have any suggestions?" asked Steel.

"She said to be patient," Jackson replied, "but I don't think I can…it's too risky for Danny, so I decided to take your father's advice. When I return, Danny's and my wolf are going for a run where I'll set out the rules our son must follow. First and foremost is when he's allowed to shift."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Steel asked.

"No, I'm not…but I have to start somewhere. Danny has to learn to control his wolf and along with it, his Alpha Power…young as he is."

"Do you think I should come along?"

"I considered it, but decided against it since this won't be a family outing. I'll be going as his Alpha. Besides, he has you wrapped around his little finger."

"No, he doesn't!"

"Uh…yes he does. All he has to do is look at you with sad eyes and you fold like a house of cards," Jackson said chuckling. "I can hear it now…‘papa, daddy's being mean'. ‘Don't worry son, I'll speak to him…in the meantime, go ahead and shift.' Come on…admit it. Our son has your number."

Overhearing the end of the conversation as she entered Jackson's study, Oracle couldn't suppress a smile. "Steel and Slate certainly had Maximus's number…like father, like son." She laughed. Then looking at Jackson with a playful twinkle in her eye, she asked, "Are you ready to go to prison, dear? Mystia is here."