Kellen's Tempting Mate (2 page)

“Oh, I knew you were worthy,” Syn said, wiggling her hand and extricating herself.

She blinked down at Kellen’s sister, sure the other woman had to be crazy. “Do you need meds or something?”

“Or something, but you can’t give it to me. I’m serious about hurting my brother, though. Also, you’re gonna need to keep those balls you just showed me. There are gonna be a shit-ton of she-bitches who are gonna think you ain’t good enough for him. You’ll need to put them in their place. You’re also gonna need to put the big bad alpha in his place. Trust me on this. If you need anything, holler at me. I’m on your side...unless you hurt him. Feel me?”

Taking a deep breath, Laikyn nodded. “I think you’re jumping the gun here. Your brother doesn’t want me. Not for the long run, and I’m not in the market for a part-time lover.”

“What about two?”

It took Laikyn a few seconds to understand what she was referring to. Her mouth fell open. “Holy shit. How did you hear about them?”

“So it’s true?” Syn’s eyes gleamed.

Lake shook her head. “Syn, how did you hear about that?” She thought back to her conversation with Alexa, and was sure the other woman hadn’t spoken to anyone, then remembered, wolves could hear remarkably well. Damn, she prayed Kellen wasn’t foaming at the mouth. Her phone buzzed, saving her from answering. The image of a stethoscope was on the screen.

“Shit,” she swore.

“A problem?” Syn looked from her to the phone in her hand.

Not wanting to lie, she shrugged. “I need to head back to Kansas City. My partners and I need to finalize my leaving. I accepted a position here at Mercy General, plus I want to be close to my parents.” Not to mention she missed the pack, and Kellen.

“You want some company along for your trip? I could use a vacation.” Sadness clouded her eyes.

Laikyn could really use a little buffer between her and the two men. She didn’t understand why they wouldn’t accept the fact she wasn’t interested in them. Hell, she wasn’t into them one on one, let alone two on one. Her fantasies were geared more towards one dominating alpha male, who didn’t seem to know she was alive. Maybe if he hadn’t saved her all those years ago. A shudder wracked her at the memory, but she pushed it aside. The past was just that. Over and done with. You can’t change it. You can’t live in it. And you sure as shit can’t keep beating yourself up over mistakes. She learned from her mistakes, and had grown from them. Okay, she may have ran hard and fast, but she’d stopped running and was now ready to face her future. If that included Kellen Styles, then she’d be one happy wolf. However, if it didn’t, she’d learn to live without him.

“That would be great. Ever been to Missouri before?”

Syn’s smile seemed forced. “Nope. When we leaving?”

She didn’t start her residency for another two weeks, but she wanted to get everything she could and get back. “How about tomorrow. I can rent a truck and trailer thing. My apartment came furnished, but I sorta have a lot of stuff.”

“No problem. You know we can get that packed and loaded in no time. Heck, we could always ask a couple of the guys to come along.” Syn stuffed her hands in her back pockets, looking far too casual.

“No. I’d rather just go and get it taken care of myself. It’ll only take a day to pack it up. I’d already started before I came down here.”

“Alright. No need to rent a truck or trailer. I’ll pick you up.”

Listening as Syn gave her the time she’d be there, Laikyn felt as if she’d been steamrolled. However, having someone she actually trusted and liked with her on the trip back made her feel marginally better. If only Kellen was as amiable as his sister.

The next day Laikyn heard a loud truck pull up outside her parents’ home. She looked outside the window, seeing Syn hop down from the driver’s side in a pair of skin tight jeans and a tank top. Her eyes widened at the shiny black truck. With its turquoise stripes running down the sides and the two big hearts on the back fenders, it should look odd, but it screamed Syn. From her view she could see the interior matched the same turquoise.

“Alright, I’ll be back in a few days.” Laikyn kissed her dads cheek, walked outside, she met Syn on the sidewalk. “Dang girl. This is one big ass truck. You sure you know how to drive it?”

“I’ll have you know I learned how to parallel park in a rig this size. You can put your bag in the backseat with mine. I packed light.” Syn opened the door to the back.

“You’re a lifesaver.” Laikyn tossed her small suitcase next to the bright pink one in the back.

“Let’s roll, chica. I want to get as close to Kansas City as possible tonight. We could make the drive in like ten hours if you want to drive straight through?”

Laikyn nodded. “Yeah, let’s do it. If you get tired, I’ll drive.”

Syn turned to her. “Listen. I like you, but nobody drives my baby, but me and Kellen. I might trust Xan, maybe even Rowan. But, and this is a big but, nobody else. Especially someone who probably drives a roller-skate for a car.” She put the truck in gear.

“I think I almost feel offended.”

“Well, don’t be. I don’t even let Lyric drive my girl.”

“How’s that working for you?” Laikyn checked her phone was fully charged.

“Oh, it’s working great. She has Rowan’s and that girl has her own shiny toys.” Laughter laced Syn’s voice.

By the time they reached Kansas City, Laikyn realized Syn was crazy, in a completely lovable way. And she wasn’t kidding about not letting her drive. Which was fine by her.

“Dang girl, you live in a high-rise in downtown? How did you let your wolf out?” Syn asked, awe making her tone more high pitched as they parked in the underground parking garage. Finding a large enough spot for truck and trailer was easy since most residents had two allotted spots.

Her large studio apartment afforded her enough room to shift and roam inside, but she hadn’t been able to get out and stretch in the wilds, not like at home. Laikyn missed doing that, but refused to tell Syn or anyone how lonely she’d been.

“Come on. We can order some takeout and crash. I’m exhausted,” she said more cheerfully than she felt.

They rode the elevator up in silence, their suitcases in front of them. Laikyn had to swipe her card in order to get on the elevator, the security was one of the main reasons she’d leased the place. As the lift reached her floor, a feeling of something not quite right settled in the pit of her stomach. She put her hand on Syn’s arm, motioning her to wait. Both of them stayed inside as the doors opened, and used their keen hearing and heightened sense of smell before stepping out. On each level there were only six apartments. Four across from the elevator, and one on each side of the elevator. She had one of the larger ones with a view to die for.

Scents hit her, familiar, yet unwelcome. She pressed her finger to her lips and shook her head. Immediately Syn nodded. How the hell could her partners know she was back and already be at her door, she had no clue, unless it was just lucky timing. However, they shouldn’t have access to her floor, unless someone let them up. She’d have to talk to the front desk.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out with Syn behind her. Finding the hall empty, she looked around, breathing deeply for the cologne they favored and she hated. The apartment across the hall reeked of them, making her acutely aware of just how close they had to be.

Her door was farther down the hall, which she quickened her pace to get to. Syn didn’t seem inclined to do the same, making Laikyn want to rush back and pull her forward. Her hands shook as she unlocked the deadbolt. When she entered, the alarm didn’t go off. Laikyn knew she’d set it. Her body, already strung tight, was even more so once she realized the air was heavy with the same cologne. The smell was fresh, not weeks old like it should be.

“Nice place, Doc,” Syn said.

Laikyn shut the door, engaging all the locks and setting the alarm. “They’ve been in here.”

Syn dropped her bag, spinning around to face Laikyn. “What the hell do you mean?”

Looking around the space, she went into her bedroom. “Syn, come here. I mean they’ve been here while I was gone, and not invited I might add.”

Syn pinched her nose. “Girl, did they swim in that cologne or what?” She stared at her. “I’m thinking you haven’t had them here lately?”

“Try in like months. I had a party that they were invited to. They’ve stopped by on a couple occasions, for one excuse or another, but never were invited to stay long.” Laikyn checked her drawers, seeing nothing out of place. The stacked boxes still looked the same as when she left.

“Okay, this may sound strange, but do you think they might have bugged your place, or put cameras in?” Syn went over to the bank of windows and opened them up. “This will help air out the stink. What the fuck do they think putting all that shit on is doing for them?” Syn opened the door and stepped outside.

Laikyn gasped. “Syn, do you really think they might have,” Laikyn stopped speaking as she stood on her balcony, looking back inside. “Shit, it’s totally possible. How would we know? I can’t sleep in there thinking they are watching us.”

“I’m calling Rowan. He’d know what we should look for. Hell, he’ll probably be here in no time to check shit out.”

She wanted to tell her no, that they were fine, but truth was, she was worried. Yes, they could handle two human men, but she’d always sensed something was off with her partners. They weren’t shifters, but more than mere humans, of that she was sure. “Call him.”

“It’s going to be fine.” Syn pulled her phone out. “Hey Lyric, can I talk to your mate? I think we have an issue here at Laikyn’s place in Kansas City.”

Laikyn stared out at the night. She could see the Plaza lights, and had always thought it was romantic the way they glimmered. Now, she wished she was back in South Dakota beneath the comforting shell of family and friends.

Her ears picked up the deep baritone of Rowan Shade, his tone as commanding as Kellen’s. She had no doubt he’d be telling the alpha exactly what was going on in no time. Not that she blamed him since Kellen’s baby sister was with her.

“Shit, Syn, maybe you should go. I mean, if you got hurt because of me, Kellen would never forgive me.”

Syn held her phone out. “Rowan wants to talk to you.”

She looked at the phone like it was a rattlesnake ready to bite her before taking it. “Hi, Rowan. What’s up?”

“First of all, don’t even start that bullshite about splitting up, or I’ll personally beat your ass, then let Kellen know so he can too. Second, you need to get your bags and go to a hotel until we get there. If both you and Syn’s creep meter is going off, I’d say you are correct. You two shouldn’t have gone off without backup in the first place.” Rowan didn’t tone down his anger, his deep voice growled out each word as he gave her orders.

“Alright. You have my address, and my number. We’ll stay at a hotel until you guys get here.” Chewing on her lip, she and Syn stared at each other.

“It’ll be okay, but I want to stay on the phone with you until you get to the vehicle, then call once you secure a hotel. Do not speak to anyone. Don’t say where you’re going out loud until you are on the road. I want you to watch your backs, and be conscious of your surroundings. Syn’s gonna be driving, so that means you have to be her eyes behind, and all around. Got it? We’ll be there within hours.”

All of a sudden she felt like she was in some sort of movie, and she wanted to hit pause and find a new one to watch. She didn’t like horror movies, always preferring to watch action and adventure, or comedy.

“I need you to answer me, Lake,” Rowan growled.

“Yes. I got it.” She knew Syn heard every word as well. They made their way back through her apartment, looking through the peephole, before she punched in the code to the alarm system to turn it off. Once they had their bags in hand they walked out together and toward the elevator. Fear of the men coming out of the apartment, while they waited for the doors to open, ate a hole in the pit of her stomach. Syn squeezed her hand, neither of them breathed as they waited. Just as the door swooshed open, Laikyn heard a lock down the hall disengaging. She and Syn rushed inside, pressing the G button and the button to make the doors shut. The same cologne wafted toward them, letting her know the apartment door across the hall had opened. By the time they reached the ground floor her nerves were frazzled, but she kept the line open with Rowan, his steady breathing kept her grounded.

Syn tossed her bag in the open bed, foregoing the backseat. Laikyn followed suit. Both ladies hopped in, pulling out of the garage without the trailer attached since they’d disengaged it when they’d arrived.

“Duck down, Lake. They won’t recognize me if they see a vehicle pulling out.”

Laikyn looked at the floorboard, and her five foot nine inches self, but did her best to curl up in a ball. The tinted windows would hide her, she hoped. “I’m putting you on speaker, Rowan.” She placed the phone in between the seats.

With the music playing, Syn sang along to a rock song, acting as if she hadn’t a care in the world. Laikyn stayed down until she felt the vehicle pick up speed.

“You can get up. I’m thinking those two hunky men with bodies to die for are your partners?”

“Did you see them?” She looked behind, but saw no other vehicles on the interstate at that time of night.

“Girl, I don’t know why you didn’t like them, other than they drench themselves in cologne, cause damn, they were fine. If that was them. Are they brothers?” Syn asked.

Nodding, Laikyn pulled her hair into a ponytail. “They’re supposed to be fraternal twins. Although, I swear they’re almost identical. Nobody else says anything about their cologne, but I can’t stand it.”

“I think it’s because they’re not your mate, or mates. The fact they were at your neighbor’s, and had clearly been in your apartment is also weird as all get out. Do you think they,” she stopped and made an obscene hand motion. “You know, like jacked off with your panties?”

“Holy fuck. Where do you come up with this stuff?” Looking at the gorgeous dark haired girl, she wondered if she’d had someone do that to her.

“Girl, don’t you watch TV? All good psychos do that. So where we staying the night?”