“No.” It was a knee-jerk reaction from both Jake and me, and Rys growled in frustration this time.
He pointed at the door, the approaching vehicles almost here. “If thatisXen, then I don’t want you anywhere near him. Especially when neither of you are fully healed from injurieshegave you.” The last few words came out as a snarl, and I knew it was taking all his control not to give in to the rage building inside him again.
This was his home, his pack’s territory, and right now three cars full of uninvited guests were almost on his doorstep. That alone would be enough to set his wolf on edge. Add in the fact that one of them might be the alpha who almost killed me, and I was surprised he hadn’t already shifted.
I didn’t want to make this any harder for him than it already was.
I gripped Jake’s hand hard, hoping he got what I was trying to tell him. “We’ll stay back.”
“Thank you.” He turned to Mase. “You too.”
“Okay.”
I’d expected Mase to protest like we had, and when I glanced at him, he smiled softly.
“I’m no match for an alpha. And I don’t want Rys distracted by having to worry about me.”
Gravel crunched outside, and we were suddenly out of time.
Rys stalked out the door with Sasha, Syl, and four of their pack in formation behind him. I kept hold of Jake’s hand as we followed Elliot out after them.
Two black Land Rovers and a Porsche Cayenne were parked just off the approach road, about as far away from the pack house as it was possible to get. No one had got out yet, but I recognised the front two cars. I’d seen them enough times outside our own pack house.
Jake’s hand squeezed mine.
Rys’s low growl made me jump. It built in volume until the birds in the nearby trees startled into flight. “If you’re going to drive into my territory uninvited, the least you can do is get out of the fucking car and face me.” Alpha power laced his words, thick and heavy. It held no sway over those in the cars, but they’d feel the weight of it, and the message it sent was crystal clear.
None of you are welcome here.
My heart leapt into my throat as one by one the car doors opened. I watched as the six shifters in front of us tensed, bodies coiled and ready to react to whatever came next. We’d brought this mess into Rys’s territory, to his home. If anything happened to them, I’d never forgive myself.
Mase’s shoulder brushed mine in silent support. “None of this is your fault.” He said it so quietly, I struggled to hear him. “You might not be pack, but you’re still family. He would’ve been offended if you’d gone anywhere else.”
I nudged him back. “Thank you.” Then it dawned on me that he’d probably felt the guilt I’d failed to push down. “Although I’m really starting to hate this new magic of yours.”
He smirked, eyes alight with amusement for a brief second. “Now you know how I feel all the fucking time.”
Movement caught my eye and all amusement faded as Xen got out of the car, followed by two pack members, and… Jake’s fucking dad. Jake took a step towards them and I tugged him back sharply, but too late. Xen’s gaze swung our way, narrowing as his lip curled. I barely registered the others getting out of the two remaining cars, too focused on the look of derision Xen sent our way.
He might not be my alpha any longer, but the power he exuded still made the hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention.
Rys growled again, the menacing edge to it making my wolf bristle, and I finally noticed who else had got out of the cars. Four got out of the second Land Rover—two of our old pack leant against it, glancing warily between Rys and Xen. The other two I didn’t recognise. But it was the third car that turned my blood to ice. Alpha Haylen Frost walked around the front of his Cayenne to join Myla, with his beta, Owen Court, and another member of his pack beside him.
Goddess help us.
