Sanibel Alpha Vampire Werewolf Menage (Fanged Romance Series Book 5.5) (8 page)

“Alpha, Mr. Shirley has arrived,
”
the Headmaster spoke quietly though urgently.

“Well, send him in.
”
Ardan then asked,
“
Mike Carter, do you have anything to say to your new Pack, to your Alpha?
”

He had no clue, however, years of lashings taught him the only acceptable answer.  
“
I beg for forgiveness.
”

“
And?
”

Mike shifted nervously.
“
I
…”
Words failed him for he had no idea what he
’
d done last night.
“
You are certainly at an advantage, Alpha.
”

Alpha Jordan inhaled sharply, undoubtedly scenting Mike was forthcoming and not deceiving.  
“
Witnesses say you absconded with Tatum Shirley last night.
”
Ardan pulled out an envelope, the one Ciaran had addressed to him.  The very one Mike had been carrying around for months, yet he hadn
’
t the courage to open it.  His breath left him when he realized the seal remained.
“
This was located at the scene
” —
he stopped, glaring at each Youngling -
“
of yet another fight among you. What must I do, show you my true wrath?  It would kill you before my claws touched your flesh.  Is this what I expect to see in the future, Pack males fighting Pack males?  What will become of your females then, your Younglings?  Have you thought of the alliances you're shattering amongst yourselves. Have you ever heard the human adage regarding burning bridges?
”

“Well, they
’
ve certainly burned any bridges with me,
”
a solemn voice spoke from the threshold.  
“
I stayed out of Pack for a reason, and still your males circle my two oldest daughters.
”

Ardan nodded.  
“
I tender my apologies and these males are here to tender theirs.
”

“With all the respect I can muster, Ardan, I want no apologies from any of you,
”
Tatum
’
s father snarled in the way of the werewolf.
“
I want action.
”

“Tatum is unharmed,
”
Ardan argued.
“
Might I remind you, my Beta checked her personally?  My threshold for delving out physical punishment is high.
”

“I
’
m not asking for you to beat them, Ardan,
”
Mr. Shirley said wearily.
“
I
’
ve petitioned, twice now, for your Younglings to stay away from my daughters.  I haven
’
t been taken seriously.
”

“What might I offer you in recompense?
”

“I
’
m out of town quite often, so I want a team of guards from your Beta
’
s bloodline protecting my daughters from these little savages,
”
he demanded without hesitation.

Ardan inclined his head.  
“
Consider it done.
”

Mr. Shirley held up one finger.
“
In addition, I want an addendum to my petition stating that if any of these Younglings step within one-hundred yards of any of my three daughters, they will be chained for one-hundred years.
”

“You
’
re pushing me.
”  
Ardan crossed his arms.
“
That
’
s never a wise move, Shirley. To end this, I will agree to an addendum to your petition stating that if any of these particular Younglings step within one-hundred yards of any of your three daughters before they leave Youngling status, they will be chained for one year.
”

“One year is nothing in the lifespan of an immortal.
”

Ardan held up his hands in a placating gesture.
“
Unbeknown to them, I have revoked their rights to Tribal Inflixx for eternity.
”
The Younglings couldn
’
t withhold their collective gasps, evoking their rights to Inflixx was the pinnacle of shame.  What would their future Mates think when they wore no piercings for bravery?
“
You
’
ve chosen not to expose your daughters to our world.  I take it seriously when one of my Pack members exposes our species.
”  
He leaned forward, hands now on his hips.
“
Are we finished, Shirley?
”

Tatum
’
s father nodded his head, glancing at them all. Undoubtedly memorizing their faces.  
“
Stay the hell away from my girls, all of you!
”  
He stormed out, seething.  

“Well, there
’
s nothing like starting off the day with a good helping of humiliation,
”
Ardan barked, gesturing for them to stand.
“
I thank all of you for embarrassing your Alpha and his Pack thoroughly.  Leave, except for Carter, Walker, and Jordan.
”

Mike watched the Holm brothers file out, nearly trampling over one another to get to the door.

Jayce started up his mouth the second the door closed.
“
Dad, listen, they started the fight in the marsh -
”

“Witnesses say you were getting drunk.
”
Ardan nodded at Bren.
“
You, too.  Then you scared the hell out of a mixed-blood female you were expressively told not to touch, one not under Pack
’
s protection.  It
’
s over and decided.  I will argue this no more.
”

Jayce dropped to his knees again, humbled in a way Mike had never before seen of him.  
“
I don
’
t think this was just misplaced anger towards Tatum.  I
…
I think it was possession and that she
’
s mine, Dad. And if she is
…
Don
’
t do this.
”

“I feel the same way about her.  I
’
ve never treated a female so badly.  God, I screamed in her face,
”
Bren whispered hoarsely, dropping back down alongside Jayce.
“
Still, Alpha, might you reconsider?  You
’
re asking us to wait nearly eight years before we can go near her again.
”

Jayce swallowed roughly.  
“
Anything can happen in eight years, Dad, anything.
”

“So I should allow my son to do what others cannot?  You
’
re fortunate Tatum Shirley only remembers a fragment of what went on last night.  In her mind, she woke from a horrific nightmare containing a flash of canines, a swipe of claws. Part of her memory of last night
’
s events may eventually return; let
’
s hope not.  Witnesses disclosed you.  Remember that next time.  As my son, as my son
’
s friends, you will be watched more than any other males.  Lead by example.  All will wait for you to take the fall, coveting those times, even if they are undeserved.
”

In that moment, everything that happened last night rushed over Mike.  Jayce and Bren were drunk, snarling around her, scaring her.  Telling her she should have chosen Bren over a human named Troy Hillman.  The only thing Mike had done was to try and save her from them, to cart her away.  She
’
d refused.  Then, when the fighting had broken out, Mike had taken her anyway, only to take her home to the safety of her father.  Nothing, absolutely nothing of his behavior warranted any punishment.  But he
’
d been placed at the scene.  No doubt he
’
d been reported as running in mid-transformation.  Now, Ardan Jordan held the very letter that would change Mike
’
s life in his hands, and Mike wondered if he finally had the courage to read it. 

“I
’
ll tell you what
’
s going to happen in these next years, Younglings,
”
Ardan growled, flashing his Beast.  
“
You
’
re going to grow the fuck up!  And you,
”
he said to Mike, waving the sealed letter in his hand.
“
Why do you carry the seal of the dismantled Scottish Pack scented with none other than the dethroned Alpha?
”

“Respectfully, the content of that letter is of a personal nature and does not divulge anything of Scotland
’
s horrific plight.
”  
Mike couldn
’
t lie to an Alpha who could scent deceit, though, currently, Mike didn
’
t know exactly where Ciaran resided inside the Everglades. Therefore, he added,
“
I haven
’
t his current location, Alpha, though you must realize he
’
s in the states.
”

Ardan walked to the door, his heavy boots clipping the stone floor.  
“
When Ciaran gave you this correspondence, you must have known that we have been searching high and low for him.
”
Surprisingly enough, he handed the letter back to Mike.

“All I can offer is my sincerest apologies.
”
Mike was sorry for Ciaran, his years of enduring internal torment over losing his celestial mate.  But everyone expected him to go on, to lead a Pack that wasn
’
t fit for any kind of leadership, not now anyway. Would Mike be afforded the same torment?  He was little more than seventeen.  He
’
d have to wait until his middle twenties in order to claim Tatum.  

“Go to your room,
”
was all Ardan offered.

“I can
’
t accept this,
”
Bren whispered after they reached their shared dorm room.
“
One day, I
’
ll find out for certain if she
’
s truly mine.  Then, one way or another, I will claim her.
”

“Seems like that
’
s something you should have thought about before getting wasted and snarling at her,
”
Mike said quietly, managing not to shout, while pulling his duffel bag from beneath his bed.  He couldn
’
t stay here, not any longer. He would never tell them he, too, had that distinct possessiveness for Tatum, which he
’
d felt for no other.  Nothing, from this point on, was their business; both arrogant males had ruined their chances for sure.  But more than that, they
’
d ruined Mike
’
s.  Bren and Jayce were the very reasons Mike couldn
’
t go near her.  All for what?  For swooping in and protecting Tatum, as was his right, when she needed him most.  

“Don
’
t you think I know that, Mike. Hey,
”
Bren asked heavily, watching Mike toss his minimalistic wardrobe into his bag, zipping it up with haste,
“
what are you doing? You can
’
t just leave, not like this.
”

“I
’
m going back home,
”
Mike lied, wondering how long he
’
d have to wait before traversing through the Everglades to find Ciaran and requesting a temporary home.  

Jayce argued,
“
You said it yourself. You can
’
t go back home, where you
’
re not wanted. I saw the scars on your back, man.  I know what lashings with silver look like.
”

Mike barely hid his flinch.  Where was he wanted?
“
I have scars from this place, too,
”
he reminded Jayce, pointing to the pink line going from his ear to beneath his collar courtesy of one of Jill
’
s brother
’
s.
“
I
’
m not wanted here, either.
”