~Kade~
Danielle had entered the room. I closed the door to ensure nobody heard whatever was about to be said.
Anna stood firm in her spot, and I stood between the two.
“Anna, I’m sure you have your questions and—” Danielle said but was interrupted.
“Do you love him?” Anna asked her. Danielle fell back a step. Her head went in circles before her eyes landed on me.
“Anna,” Danielle said and heaved a sigh.
“Just answer my question. Do you love my best friend’s mate?” Anna said.
Danielle’s eyes widened, and she slowly nodded.
“I do, and I think that I always will, but you have to trust that my intentions are pure. I do want to protect Layla and make sure that she comes back home, and this is how I intend to do that.” Danielle was taking a careful step toward Anna with every word she spoke.
“If that’s true, then why are you here in the middle of the night in your pink PJ shorts to talk to him?” Anna asked snidely.
Danielle giggled, and her brows pushed together.
“For the same reason that you’re here in the middle of the night in your blue PJ shorts talking to him, I needed a friend,” she said softly.
Anna looked between us, and her arms dropped from the armor she had created around herself and fell to her sides. Her eyes began to soften, and her lips parted from that thin line.
We all turned to face the door when another loud knock was heard, and I growled in annoyance, this time louder.
“Stand to the side,” I told the girls, and thankfully, they listened.
I went to open the door, my feet pressed heavily into the floorboards. I grabbed the door handle with more force than I should’ve. I pulled the door open and looked at Justin’s baffled face.
“What?” I asked and glared at him.
“You have to come,” he said and turned around. Justin stopped for a second when he saw the girls. He glanced over them and then at me, but he didn’t say a word. Whatever was happening, it was clearly an emergency.
I heard their footsteps running toward the door and turned around, blocking their way out.
“Where do you think you’re going?” I asked and stood to my fullest height. Their eyes sank as I towered over them, but neither was easily intimidated.
“To see what’s going on. Justin made it seem urgent,” Danielle said.
Anna scoffed and tried pushing past me, her hand pressed at my side, but I didn’t move.
“You two are staying here. Whatever is going on, I hardly believe it requires an audience,” I growled and stepped back.
“No, but maybe the Alpha shouldn’t be seen up and about without his mate,” Danielle spat. I turned around and locked down on her gaze.
“That may be how your king handles things in his pack, but here, our women are free. Now stay,” I ordered.
“Kade, bring Danielle, she’s needed!” Mason’s mind linked.
“Fuck,” I spat and turned halfway.
The girls looked at me in shock, and I stepped away from the door.
“Apparently, you’re needed,” I said.
Danielle’s face lit up, her eyes narrowed glumly, and her lips pulled up in a devilish grin like they always did when she got her way.
Anna walked after her, and I was about to reach out and stop her when I realized it would only cause more damage if I forced her to stay behind.
Fuck me. This shit was getting out of hand, and I was starting to feel like a preschool teacher keeping the pups in check.
I grabbed the first shirt I could find and rolled up the sleeves. The door shut behind me, and I walked down to the first floor.
My mother was standing by the staircase, and the doors to the house were open.
Was someone trying to leave? It had to be because there was no way that anyone could enter. The gates were closed.
My mother walked out, and I followed her out onto the balcony. My eyes must’ve been playing tricks on me. I looked at the open gates and saw the warriors behind the uninvited guest.
He was smiling from ear to ear. My mother turned her head and looked worried as she asked me to stay calm.
The Alphas were outside, standing at a distance, watching him. It wasn’t a man I recognized, but something told me he knew who I was. His head turned, and his eyes knew just where to look. His gaze landed on me, and he raised his head.
“Alpha Kade, it’s nice to finally meet you,” he said quietly, knowing I was listening in.
I wasn’t about to converse with a man standing several feet away like a coward. I walked down, and just as I hit the first step, Danielle and Justin came rushing out together.
They both had a particular look in their eyes. These two were the most powerful werewolves I’d ever encountered, so why did I sense fear in them both?
They followed me as I walked down, ready to meet this stranger.
The gravel crunched under my steps, and the Alphas watched intently. Their wolves were rising, ready to defend if needed, but why all this fuss over one man?
The man wore a sleazy grin, and his teeth showed as his eyes locked with Justins.
“Justin, I’ve been looking for you,” he said and chuckled.
“Who are you?” I asked and reached out my hand to block Justin from stepping forth.
He stood behind me. My brother came out of the house and rushed down to us, and it seemed that every person here was on their guard.
“I’m Jackson. I’m here to collect something that rightfully belongs to my king,” he said.
That was when it dawned on me. He was an Emberclaw sent by Nathaniel, which meant he knew Layla.
“Why don’t we go inside,” I said and nodded to the guards.
They walked back to their posts, and the gates closed up.
“Just give me Justin, and I’ll be on my way,” he said and stepped closer.
“That’s not going to happen. He has chosen to seek refuge in my pack, and I have granted him that, so he’s under my protection.” I stepped forth and heard Danielle’s breath quickening behind me.
“Tell me, Alpha, how well will this protection of yours save your mate when your friends here find out the truth?” He chuckled and nodded. “I met her, you know. She’s a sweet one, that girl of yours. Hot as fuck too. It was real hard to keep my hands from wandering when I held her down—”
I raised my fist, and it landed on his temple. He staggered back a few steps, but that was time for retaliation. Everyone closed in on us, but all I felt was someone pressing me to the side and holding down my hand. I saw Justin standing before him with his hands pressed against the sides of his head. Jackson’s eyes turned white, and his legs buckled underneath his body as he fell to the ground.
Danielle released my hand and watched me with more worry and grief in her eyes than I had seen in our time together.
“Layla’s in danger,” Justin breathed heavily and looked at me.
