After breakfast, I refused to be sent away.
“It’s too dangerous,” Winifred said, shaking her head.
“Not for me. You saw what I can do. They saw it, too. The only reason this all started was because of me. What does it say if I’m not out there with Thomas?”
“It says you’re intelligent and very aware of the danger,” Winifred said.
Thomas stood behind me, very quiet. I turned to him.
“You have nothing to say on the matter?”
“I want you by me always. And I want you safe. In this case, one conflicts with the other. I’m not sure which is best.”
I scowled at him.
“You should have stopped with I want you by me always.”
He took a slow, deep breath. It wasn’t impatience or frustration, it was a stall as he made up his mind.
“Grey will be out there to keep the peace. If the peace breaks, he can bring you in here first before trying to help calm things out there. Stay by Grey,” Thomas said, looking at me.
I nodded and moved to stand by Grey. In a staged whisper, I said, “If the peace breaks, stand at least five feet back so I don’t accidently hurt you.” I knew whispering did no good when in the same room with any of them.
“It’s a deal,” Grey said, earning a scowl from both Winifred and Thomas.
“Lead the way,” I said, motioning Thomas to the door.
He walked out. I followed, with Grey right behind me.
The yard wasn’t as crowded as it was the day before. The original malcontents were there at the front. Several of them looked smug. There were at least thirty more behind them.
“If there are any who would like to leave the pack, step forward now,” Thomas said, surprising me. It made sense though. Wheedle down the numbers before adding to them.
“I formally request to withdraw from the pack,” a man said, stepping forward. “I mean your future Mate no harm, nor do I want to break apart your pack.” His gaze shifted to me. “I bear you no ill will.”
I nodded. “You will always be welcome to stay here whether you are part of Thomas’ pack or not.”
He bobbed his head, turned, then left.
I glanced at Thomas as another man stepped forward.
“Is it true there was an unClaimed female here?”
“She was only a month old,” Winifred said. “Before they left, her parents told me they liked it here. They said they wouldn’t mind raising the girl here once this business settles and it returns to the peaceful place it was. We hope this place can turn into a community where all our young are safe and where any of our kind can come and stay. However, any female here will be protected by the presence of an Elder and Mated couples at all times.”
The man nodded. Another stepped forward and asked to leave. Within five minutes, three left the pack. Thomas asked again, and no one else moved.
“Any who would like to join the pack, please step forward,” he said.
Fifteen stepped forward. The number worried me, and I wished I knew how many wanted to join just to break the pack. If I divided my will to touch them all, they would know, just as they’d known last time. Only this time, Grey and Winifred would know, too. And with the Elders’ ability to split their wills, I was afraid they would be able to connect with others that I couldn’t and tell them the truth before I could make everyone forget.
“Thomas has the largest pack we can recall, going back at least one thousand years,” Grey said. “You are making history today.”
While Grey spoke, I tried touching the wills of the fifteen the old way. As I expected, each will slipped from my grasp. However, since I wasn’t focused on trying to control them but read them instead, I was able to find that two wanted to join for the right reason.
Grey looked to Thomas. Before Thomas could speak, I stepped forward. I met the gaze of one of the men who didn’t want to join.
“Mary told me she grew up learning the history of your kind. As Grey said, you are making history. When you step forward, please state your name and why you want to join so future generations will remember you.”
While I spoke, I attempted a dangerous thing. I focused my will on the leader and two others. I don’t want to be remembered this way. I gently tapped their hearts with my will as I finished speaking then stepped back beside Grey. The three suddenly frowned and looked at the ground. I struggled to maintain a sense of calm as I prayed the subtle tap had gone unnoticed.
Thomas looked to the man furthest to the right. The man stated his name and said simply that he was here to make history. Thomas nodded, and the man stepped back. There was no noticeable change in either of them. I glanced at the line. Four to go until he reached one of the men I’d influenced.
By the third man, Thomas frowned, and I could feel a twinge of discomfort coming from him.
Thomas finally addressed the first man who I’d connected with. The man still looked troubled.
“I don’t want to be remembered as one of the men who broke the largest pack in history,” he said without giving his name. The man nodded to Grey and me then left.
I glanced at Grey. He gave me a slight smile before turning his attention back to the men.
The next man hesitated before he gave his name and said he wanted to make history, too. Thomas nodded. Then, it was the lead malcontent’s turn. Sweat beaded the man’s upper lip and for the longest time he said nothing. My pulse slowly increased and anxiety filled me. Did he suspect something? I’d hoped by only changing the hearts of a few, my influence would go unnoticed yet still sway the majority.
The man glanced up at Grey. I stopped breathing. Did he know?
“Perhaps, we can take a break,” Grey said, looking at the man. The man nodded, pivoted, and strode to the trees. Several others followed him.
“Thomas, you should take Charlene inside,” Grey said.
My heart felt like it would explode. I tucked my hands in my pockets to hide their shaking.
Thomas turned toward me as Grey stepped back.
“I think you should show her some compassion,” Grey said.
Oh, God. They knew.
Thomas quirked a smile at me.
“I think I can manage that,” he said, holding out a hand.
It took a second for Grey’s innuendo to click, and a shaky relieved exhale escaped me. I pulled my hand from its pocket and reached for Thomas. His fingers closed around mine, and he led me toward the door. We didn’t stop in the common room but went straight upstairs. He let go of my hand, lay on the bed, and closed his eyes.
I finally noticed how sweaty he was. I sat next to him and gently rubbed his temples. I had no idea if it helped or not because he didn’t move at all.
A swell of compassion rose within me, and I leaned down to place a kiss over his heart.
“Charlene,” Thomas said.
I straightened and looked down at him. He opened his eyes and met my gaze.
“Kiss me like that again, and I’ll give up everything for you.”
My pulse jumped, and I understood what he was trying to tell me. He was barely holding on, and I was distracting him.
I nodded.
“I’ll be downstairs with Grey.”
He let me go.
He came down only a few minutes after me. He looked different. Relaxed. His face was dry, and I no longer felt any discomfort from him. I wondered what had caused the change.
He must have felt my curiosity because he met my gaze and shook his head. He and I really needed to figure out a way to make one of these rooms soundproof so we could talk openly. When he reached me, he set his hands on my shoulders and kissed my forehead.
“Ready?” he asked.
I nodded, and holding his hand, followed him out the door.
Grey stood in the same spot. About half the men waited before him, the same number of men still watched.
“Can you call them back?” Thomas said to Grey.
Grey looked at his brother and laughed.
“This is the group.”
“What happened to the rest?” I asked.
Grey shrugged.
“They decided they didn’t want to make history.”
It took Thomas less than five minutes to accept the rest into the pack. Before the crowd could break up, a man stepped forward.
“I challenge you,” he said, “for her.” He pointed at me.
The man wasn’t as tall as Thomas, but he was solid. His dark hair hung over equally dark eyes. I reached out and touched his will. Before it slid away, hate, anger, and greed swamped me.
“She’s already Claimed,” Thomas said.
“Good. Then there’s still a chance. A fight to the death,” the man said.
The man’s confidence scared me. He was completely certain that he would win.
I looked at Thomas.
“Death?”
“Death dissolves the Claim, so another can Claim you.”
I stared at him and recalled how I’d wanted to undo our Claim. I’d never given death a thought. And I never would.
“No,” I said. Thomas rubbed a thumb across my cheek then looked up at the man.
“I accept.”
“No,” I said again, this time feeling a little panicked. Thomas had fought five wolves the day before and still wore the marks from that. And something about this challenger was off. When I’d touched that man’s will, it had felt so different from the rest. Maybe it was the extreme hostility. Regardless, I wasn’t going to let them fight.
“I’m not one of you,” I said. “Your way of Claiming doesn’t work on me. I have to Claim you. And I refuse. So the challenge is pointless.” I turned to Grey. “Right?”
Grey was quiet for a moment. “We agree with Charlene. The challenge is pointless if she’s not willing to change her Claim.”
“I’m not willing,” I said firmly.
The man stared at me for several long heartbeats, and I thought he would argue. He wore his anger plainly on his face. His eyes narrowed then his gaze swept over the crowd. The men behind him shifted restlessly until his gaze once again settled on me.
“It begins,” the man said softly.
“What begins?” Thomas asked.
“The hunt for the other human women,” the man said. Something about the man unnerved me. And, almost as if he sensed it, he smiled genially and met Thomas’ thoughtful gaze. “We have to hope there are more, right?”
Thomas nodded slowly.
“It’s always been about hope.”
“And courage,” the man said. He gave me a last look then turned and left.
Relief flooded me. I wanted the fighting to be done. For good. I turned and looked at Thomas. I wanted to run and throw my arms around him, but I didn’t need to. He came to me.
“Go ahead inside. The rest is just pack business.”
My need for him to hold me vanished. Pack business? After all his talk about me being the one, he still thought of me as an outsider. I tried not to feel hurt over it. He was right. I wasn’t his pack. I wasn’t one of them and never would be.
I turned to go as he asked but ended up scooped in his arms instead. Despite my effort to suppress my hurt, he’d obviously felt it. He walked inside with me and up the stairs to our room.
He nudged the door closed behind us and then set me on my feet. Embarrassed, I stared at his chest. A tiny thread of annoyance tickled me, and his fingers touched under my chin with gentle upward pressure. I gave in and met his gaze.
“Tell me what I did that caused that much…unhappiness.”
“Go ahead inside. The rest is just pack business,” I repeated. “I’m not part of the pack.”
His shoulders dropped, and he heaved a sigh.
“I told you, you’re the heart of the pack. Without you, we don’t exist. I wasn’t excluding you; I was trying to give you an opportunity to do something you might find more interesting.”
“I am doing what I find interesting,” I said. “If I’m to be the Mate of the pack leader, I should know pack business.”
A wave of hunger washed over me.
“You should,” he said.
I knew I needed to retreat.
“All right. Good, then. I’ll just go and make sure we have enough food for everyone. Let me know what pack business you discuss.”
My attempt to leave the room failed. Before I made it a step, he caught my hand, and turned me around. His lips settled on mine before I could focus on him. The kiss was intense but thankfully brief.
“Save some food for me,” he said. Then, he walked out the door.
Thomas watched me hungrily throughout the remainder of the day as his pack business seemed to follow me wherever I went.
I helped find rooms for those who were staying. I handed out mats. I helped sort through our dwindled supply of clothes to find extras for those who were considering jobs. And I cooked.
After dinner, I excused myself and headed up to my room. Thomas was two steps behind me. I thought he’d give me trouble, but our routine didn’t change. He left the room so I could put on my night clothes then came in and blew out the lamp. He settled next to me and held me, just as he always did.
However, his hunger remained.
I woke with Thomas wrapped around me again. It was still dark out. Thomas’ breathing was steady, but not as slow as it usually was when he slept.
“I doubt I need that stove installed in here,” I said, wiping the sweat from my upper lip.
He chuckled and lifted his head from my shoulder. “I’ll keep you warm every night until the day we die, if you let me.”
My pulse leapt. I loved this man with an intensity that scared me. Despite my doubts about our ages and my efforts to ignore how I felt, I knew my feelings wouldn’t go away. I couldn’t imagine a world without Thomas by my side. His calm acceptance of his responsibilities, his dedication to his people, and stubborn refusal to give up on me had won me over long ago. I surrendered to the feelings of love and commitment.
As if sensing my acceptance, Thomas growled and kissed me with a passion that stole my breath.
“Tell me you’re mine,” he said, pulling back to kiss my neck.
“I’m yours.”
His satisfaction washed over me.
“Forever.” He nipped at my collarbone.
“Yes. Forever,” I whispered as his hands skimmed up under my shirt.
I squeaked in surprise when my shirt disappeared along with my shorts. Then, his lips met mine in the longest, sweetest kiss we’d ever shared. Afterwards, he pulled away and stared down at me. He had that combined look of tenderness and intensity that stole my breath.
“I love you, Charlene,” he whispered.
My heart was his.
“I love you, too,” I said.
He gave me a small, satisfied smile and dipped his head to kiss my neck again. His teeth scraped me as he kissed a trail there. I wasn’t concerned. I trusted him not to hurt me. However, my heart skipped a beat as his bare hips settled over mine.
“Shh. Don’t be afraid.”
He slowed his kisses, and his patience eventually melted me from the inside. Each sensation took me further away from the physical world.
In my passion-clouded mind, I sensed the connecting threads of his pack and his continued struggle to hold so many. It distracted me from his caress along my leg, and I barely noticed his weight settle more securely. I felt one of the threads he held slip slightly as he nipped at my collarbone again. The pressure between my legs increased, and a sudden pain pierced me, pulling me from mindless passion. As I gasped, a thread pulled free as my will tried to slip into place. I quickly grabbed for the lost thread, and before another could escape, I wrapped my will around them all. Together. Always.
“Charlene. I’m sorry,” Thomas whispered in my ear. “Are you all right?”
It took a moment to realize he wasn’t talking about the threads. I noticed the pressure between my legs and how he shook above me.
“Yes.”
I held the collective will of the pack; and before I could decide if I should tell him, he moved; and I lost myself to the moment.
I woke first, an unusual event. While I snuggled against Thomas, I gently explored the threads I held. Through his connection, they felt so very human. I knew that, if I wanted, I could easily manipulate them as I could a human.
I traced the threads to their counterparts and felt each individual’s will. Mary and Gregory were there, easy to distinguish from the rest. As I touched Mary’s contentment, I noticed something more. It was as if several other threads drifted from her. I lightly touched one and felt Winifred. Through Winifred, I felt hundreds more and gasped aloud. They were all connected like a spider web.
“Charlene?” Thomas said sleepily.
“Sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to wake you.” I tried to quell my panic but it didn’t work.
“What’s wrong?” His arms wrapped around me and gently rubbed my bare skin.
“Thomas, can you read my thoughts now?” I asked. Fear consumed me.
“In a way. I can only read the thoughts you send to me.”
I have secrets, I thought at him.
“I know you do. And whatever they are scares you. Keep your secrets, Charlene. It doesn’t bother me. If you ever want to tell me, I’ll listen. But your secrets won’t change this or how I feel about you.”
What if they do?
They won’t, he thought back at me, because I love you unconditionally.
I touched his will. It didn’t slide from my grasp anymore. Through my hold, I felt my will spider out through his connections and further still through the other connections. When I touched Winifred and Grey, and the Elder in Europe, the number of connections exploded to the thousands. Near and far, I had complete control of them all.
Though Thomas’s love was unconditional, I knew his acceptance would always have conditions.
I was now the potential threat he and Winifred had feared.
