Chapter 20 - Heath

Chapter 20

Heath

I hadn't wanted to bring my packmates deeper into my father's center of control, but I had to admit I was looking forward to seeing their reactions when they saw our new living space. The servant — a skinny, subordinate wolf, old enough to be any of our mothers — rushed ahead to open the massive front doors.

In keeping with my father's sense of grandiosity, the foyer was a showstopper, complete with a sweeping staircase and massive chandelier. I could just imagine Freya, stunning in a gorgeous evening gown, slowly descending that staircase as my fellow packmates and I waited at the bottom, unable to look away from her.

While Rowan and Flint looked equally awkward and indifferent to our surroundings, Freya's expression was much more awestruck as she took in the view. Even though it wasn't my house, my wolf still preened in satisfaction. She'd spent far too long in the wildlands. Now it was time to pamper her. If I had anything to do with it, she would want for nothing ever again.

Fortunately, my father called from outside, "I'll leave you to it. Heath, we'll talk tomorrow."

I'd feared he might follow us in and make a nuisance of himself. With him gone, I moved forward to take Freya's hand, but she stepped away, eagerly following the servant deeper into the estate.

"What's your name?" she asked the servant.

She dipped her head and answered, "Ulla."

The servant looked stunned that Freya had asked, and I wasn't much better. I grimaced as I realized that was something I'd picked up from my father, not giving a damn about the help. I hoped she didn't remind Freya of anyone she knew from growing up within Ironwood.

"Shall I show you to your rooms now?"

Freya smiled. "Please lead the way."

"We will, of course, be available to bring you any additional pillows, linens, and whatever else you may need, but will otherwise leave you in privacy," Ulla said as we all climbed the stairs.

Upstairs, the servant gestured, "There are three rooms on either side, plenty of space for you all. Each one contains its own ensuite bathing chamber and water closet." She grinned at Freya, apparently charmed into being more informal with my mate than I knew my father would generally allow. "And I believe the lady should have first pick."

The two of them disappeared into one room, but Flint stepped in front of me before I could follow. "What the hell was all of that?" he demanded.

I pulled up short, meeting the other alpha's eyes with a challenging stare. "What?"

"Freya's going into heat. You know better than anyone how jealousy plays havoc with a female wolf when she's about to go into heat. And yet you just stood there as your father talked about marrying you off like he did your littermates."

"It's always something with my father. I'll tell him to fuck off. It just wasn't the right time." I shrugged.

I'd learned to pick my battles, as well as the time and place for them.

"Make sure Freya knows you're hers."

I gritted my teeth, annoyed at Flint's commanding tone, despite knowing he was right. Behind him, Freya came out of that bedroom with the servant, who paused in the hall for any additional orders.

"Thank you for all your help, Ulla," Freya said. "We'll do our best not to cause you any trouble."

My mate made me even more proud. She was too good for the likes of me, but I was too greedy to give her up now.

"Oh, no trouble at all," Ulla answered her. "I know you'll want your privacy when the time comes. So let me know what you need to be comfortable before it hits."

Freya took a deep breath and nodded. I stepped closer to offer her support, sure the thought of another heat coming on so soon after the first overwhelmed her. But she twisted away to go peek into one of the other bedrooms.

"Thank you, Ulla," I said, suddenly realizing what was going on here. "That will be all we need today."

Since I was the dominant alpha of the group, the servant gave a slight bow and made herself scarce. Then I followed Freya into the bedroom, blocking the doorway so she couldn't avoid me when she wanted to leave.

Flint was right. Freya was upset, and I needed to fix it.

"Does it please our lady?" I asked in my best bedroom voice.

Freya's neutral expression faded as her eyes slashed toward me. She crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive position. With all the exposure to politicians and socialites when I was younger, I'd gotten used to looking past the surface veneer. Freya had donned a polite mask for Ulla, but I sensed the truth, because, oh yeah, was Freya pissed.

"I told him you're my mate, and he still wants you to bond with another witch?" Freya glared.

I could hear Rowan and Flint out in the hall, checking the other rooms. If I knew my packmates, they were about to do a full sweep of the house before they let their guards down.

"I'll straighten him out, like I always do," I tried to reassure her. "He's always scheming. He's already married off my siblings, so now he thinks it's my turn to play a part."

Freya threw up her hands. "I'm going into heat, and for all he knows, you're the one who bit me and caused the whole thing. What if we were mated already?"

"That's my father, for you," I shrugged, struggling to find a way to explain just how little he cared about anyone else's wishes unless there was something in it for him.

Something was still bothering her, though. I could tell by the distance between us. My stomach tightened as I replayed the conversation in my head.

I'd only just gotten her to trust me again, and our connection was fragile. Had I already done something to break it?

I'd never entered a relationship I genuinely cared enough to work for. In the past, any time things became difficult between me and a lover, I took that as my cue to cut ties. But Freya made me imagine a future together, a future I wanted to stick around for.

And that scared me more than anything. I'd never fallen so far, so fast, for anyone else. It was easy to fall in lust. But falling in love… having these deep, complicated feelings? That wasn't something I did.

Until now.

"What's the real reason you don't want to bond with this powerful witch, Trella?"

I blinked in shock. How could Freya doubt my feelings for her this much?

"Freya…" I wanted to fall to my knees in front of her and beg her to listen to me. But with the mood she was in, I wasn't sure if that would backfire.

"Your father made it sound like you've always been with wolf shifters."

"For the most part?" I felt two steps behind in this conversation, with no idea where it was going. I had lived in wolf shifter territory my whole life, after all. And since my father was interested in alliances with other species, I'd avoided them just to spite him.

"Have you been with a witch before?"

Somehow, I knew that no matter what I said, it would be the wrong answer. "On occasion."

"But you prefer wolf shifters." Was it just my imagination, or did I sense her voice going rough, as if she were about to shift mid-sentence? That wasn't possible, though…

It suddenly hit me what she was getting at. "Freya, I don't care if you're half human, half witch, or half fae. I swear to the moon goddess, you're it for me."

"You said Trella should be with ‘her own kind.' Witches should be with witches, and wolves with wolves, is that it? Well, what about those of us who happen to be both, Heath? Who do I deserve to be with?"

"Anyone you choose!" I answered in exasperation. Then I grabbed her hand. "Sometimes I have to say things to my father that aren't… Everything with him is a complicated game, and it's usually best to play along to a certain extent. I'm sorry I didn't have time to prepare you before meeting him for the first time. If I'd known it would hurt you, I would have shot him down right then and there."

Freya looked away, and I could tell I was losing her.

"Look at me, Freya," I commanded, making her bristle. "I don't want Trella, not because she's a witch, but because she's not you . You're the only one I want. Ever since I first laid eyes on you, I've had no desire for anyone else."

Freya glared at me, her beautiful, sweet lips falling open, possibly to berate me. I didn't care whether she needed to curse me to the moon and back if that's what it took to make her feel better. Flint was right — I shouldn't have been so complacent. I should have shut down everything Dryden was suggesting. With her heat approaching, Freya needed more reassurance than normal, not more doubts.

But before Freya could speak, my phone rang, echoing eerily in the too-wide, too-open hallway. She ducked under my arm and out into the hall. Flint offered his hand, and she took it, instantly lighting my veins with jealous fire.

But when I saw who was calling, I answered immediately. The pack bond had fallen silent, and now I knew why.

"We're safe," I said before Gage could question it.

"Safe where? And is Freya okay?" Hearing his powerful voice felt good, like coming home. But of course, he wasn't asking after me. He wanted to know about his mate.

"Your mate is just fine. I don't think she liked the bedroom the servant showed her."

"Is that why she's so angry? I can feel it clearly in the mate bond, but it's strong enough it's even reaching me through the pack bond."

I ran a hand down the back of my neck. "Ah, well. That might not be all."

"You had a fight."

I stepped deeper into the bedroom and lowered my voice as Flint and Freya went to check out a different room across the hall.

"She may fight with you, Gage, but she freezes me out and pushes me away."

"Do you really think my bite caused — never mind. It doesn't really matter. You need to talk things out with her, Heath. Don't be your usual asshole self."

"Gee, thanks."

"And hey, she does like a good, angry fuck."

That startled a laugh right out of me. "Thanks for the advice."

The line went so silent for a minute that I checked to make sure we were still connected. "Sorry I can't tell you where we are."

"No, it's… smart. Like your plans always are."

Like Gage's voice was the sun breaking through the clouds, his praise had everything else falling away for a moment as I basked in the warmth. Only for a moment, though, before I remembered how unrequited my crush was and likely always would be. He was my pack alpha. Nothing more.

In my embarrassment, I left a gap in the conversation, and Gage asked, "How are Freya and Rowan getting along?"

"I've never seen him in human form so much," I admitted.

"Is that a good thing?"

What was he really asking?

"Look," I huffed in frustration, "the sexual tension is high, is that what you wanted to hear? He's not thrilled she's half witch, but I have a feeling he'll get over it. It's only a matter of time before she fucks some sense into him, so if that pisses you off, you shouldn't have mated her. She's going to do what she wants to do. She can't be controlled."

Not by Gage, or me, or even my father.

"Calm down," Gage chuckled. "I'm glad to hear it."

"You're—" Maybe it was because I was still on guard after talking with my father, but I'd been prepared for more arguments. "What?"

Gage sniffed, and I felt like he was rolling his eyes. "We're a pack of four alphas. If she mates only three of us, we'll be off- kilter. The only way our pack maintains its equilibrium is if she chooses all of us as her mates."

I nearly tripped over another useless coffee table — did the room really need more than one? — I'd been so engrossed in the conversation.

"You're right," I said, taking a breath. "Of course, you're right."

I was surprised it hadn't occurred to me. But then again, I'd been a little distracted, what with Freya getting kidnapped, me and Flint getting tortured, Ironwood alphas springing us from the dungeons, and Gage making good on our rescue. And then we'd barely been reunited before heading back into the wildlands to find Freya. Her safety had been top of mind, above all else.

"I wish I could be with you all, wherever you are." His voice was gruff. He cleared his throat. "While you're away, please see what you can do about getting her fit and healthy again, will you?"

"Of course."

"You guys are safe? You have plenty of food?"

"Yeah, Gage," I smiled, quietly savoring the intimate moment. "I'll take care of everyone for you."

"See that you do. And make sure you all get some training in… Luka isn't backing down like I'd hoped."

I could tell the topic frustrated him, so I steered us in a different direction. One we all needed to be prepared for.

"So… if her wolf were to make her appearance while we're away…"

Gage let out a rumbling growl. "Teach her how to fight as a wolf."

I smiled. "Of course we will. But… you won't be upset if she bites us? If we bite her?"

"I give you my blessing, if that's what you want." I could hear the wry grin in Gage's voice. "But I highly recommend that you ask her first."

All I could do was laugh.