“Why?”
“My mate is a member of the Blackwood Pack…”
“I know.”
“Right…but that makes me a member and if I’m one, then…”
“We are too,” finished Sawyer.
“Correct. Quin has already decided to stay but I don’t know about the others. That’s why I was going to discuss it with everyone when I got back.”
“I don’t get it…what is so threatening to Fionn if people find out we’re members of Jackson’s pack?”
“That’s not a problem, but what I’m about to tell you is.”
“Okay, I’m listening.”
~/~/~/~/~
It was much later, when his brother had hung up, that the impact of what he’d heard hit Sawyer. At first he thought Hunter was pulling his leg, teasing him with a bunch of made-up fairy tales about his cousins, their mates and the gifts. Now, an hour later, after his brother swore on his life he was telling the truth, Sawyer sat there, frozen as his mind tried to process everything he’d learned, beginning with an angel’s power to heal and, from there the list just grew more unbelievable.
Shapeshifting, invisibility, empath, natural healer, waves of solid energy, seer, ghost walking, shadow voice, power of Hercules, the power of the Shaman, David’s mark of the gods, his cousin Carson’s power along with his mate who was the top witch, ending with his brother receiving the gift of a White Knight in order to protect his mate, a rare white dragon.
Then there was Jackson and Dakota’s ability to get pregnant—something he found hard to accept, that is, until Hunter told him he could verify it with Mac. Now Sawyer finally understood why his brother urged him to bring his mate there. The extraordinarypowers gifted to his cousin’s pack would help him protect Alex in a way he could never hope to match.
And now he didn’t know what to do with that knowledge. Even though Hunter assured him it wasn’t important, Sawyer wondered how his brother would feel if the Fates hadn’t given him the gift they did. Deep down, though, he knew it was only another example of what he was—or more likely what he wasn’t—the brother who was nothing special.
Maybe I shouldn’t have pursued Alex. Maybe Alex would have been better with a mate who could protect him from all harm…which certainly isn’t me.Exhaling heavily at those thoughts, Sawyer felt pain fill his chest as his wolf howled in protest. Giving up Alex now wasn’t something he could do; his love for his mate was all-consuming. But before their claiming occurred, he owed it to Alex to tell him the truth about his inability to guarantee his safety.
Of course, that wouldn’t be necessary if the Fates were planning to give him a gift like his brother’s. But then, Hunter’s gift was ordered by a goddess so the likelihood of that happening was nil to none, especially since theFates, or any gods, never gave a damn about Alex before, so why would it be any different now. Anger burned in him at that thought. No one should ever have to endure what Alex went through during his childhood, but as Sawyer’s father told him so many times—“life isn’t fair.”
Alex was living proof of that saying, yet Sawyer couldn’t help but marvel at how his mate conquered adversity to live his life the way he wanted to. It still floored him that his mate took off without hesitation, leaving the comforts of home behind him, eager to explore the places he’d only read about. Courage? Alex had it in spades. And that thought caused Sawyer to rethink everything about himself.
Maybe my courage is like Alex’s…maybe I don’t need a gift to protect my mate. After all, he is a dragon…far more powerful than I am. Maybe what Alex really needs is love…something I can give him in abundance. All I have to do is believe that I’m worthy of Alex…the Fates decided I am…so I just have to trust that I am exactly what my mate needs.
Closing his eyes, Sawyer tilted his head back, letting the moonlight calm his wolf. Deciding to talk to Alex tomorrow about his concerns, he inhaled the sweet, night air deeply, before exhaling slowly. Once again he was centered, his mind no longer running away from itself. Now all Sawyer had to do was to hold on to those thoughts tightly. Suddenly, his eyes opened at the sound of the motorhome door opening.
“Sawyer?”
Chapter 23
Watching Riley furiously typing was making Glenn antsy. Nothing was going according to plan except getting permission for Kevin’s parents to temporarily stay at the Blackwood Pack. But a lot of good that did since Smokey hadn’t been able to reach them, nor had any of his messages been read. Whether to send Ghost and Smokey up north without knowing where the parents were or sit it out until contact was made was one of the questions contributing to Glenn’s current state of unease.
And it didn’t help that Smokey was pushing to go, insisting repeatedly Kevin’s parents would never ignore his calls, especially with Kevin missing. Though Glenn acknowledged the logic of his friend’s argument, still, without more men available to back Ghost and Smokey up on what might turn out to be a long hunt, Glenn refused to give his permission. Jumping up, he began to pace, needing it to calm his agitated mind.
Feeling his tiger’s anxiety, Glenn turned to the other issue, this one personal. Sawyer hadn’t responded to Ghost’s text regarding the surfing DVDs, which meant he still didn’t know the location of his mate. As the hours passed, Glenn’s gut was telling him Sawyer was in danger and his tiger agreed.
“Holy fucking shit!” exclaimed Riley.
Turning quickly around, Glenn asked, “What?”
“I hacked Panther’s phone and found out who he’s tracking, and it’s not Kevin.”
“If it’s not him, then why is he after Smokey? Oh shit, don’t tell me the Panther is after my mother!”
Shaking his head, Riley said, “No, not Willow. Do you know an Alexandre Fouché? He’s a dragon according to the file on Panther’s phone, although there isn’t a record of him anywhere…most strange.”
“What the fuck do you mean?” Glenn growled, his tiger’s anger coming to the surface.
