Sword of Mercy (12 page)

“What is funny?” Hawke asked after a few
moments when the laughter didn’t stop.

“They… no, he thinks you are returning to
challenge him for Alpha. It was one of the reasons he wouldn’t help
me go after mam. He would love for us to just
disappear.”

That made no sense. “Why would I return to a
pack that gave me away, or serve an Alpha who had a part in
that?”

Niall shook his head. “No, our sire, Hiram,
was Alpha and the last direct descendant of Nikolas the Alpha who
started the clan, when you disappeared. Not that interloper, Muzik,
who runs the clan now. He challenged Jirek on the return from a
battle knowing Jirek had fought the previous five hours and
won.”

“Jirek?”

“Litter-mate number three, and previous Alpha
after, Lorenzo, litter-mate number two and first Alpha after our
sire’s death. Lorenzo died in battle protecting the
clan.”

“After Hiram died, Lorenzo became Alpha, and
he died. Then Jirek became Alpha, he was challenged and killed by
the current Alpha? Did I get that right?” Hawke said.

“Yes. Muzik thinks you are returning to take
the Alpha spot which belongs to you.”

“Why did you say it like that?” Hawke glanced
at Niall in the rear view mirror and caught a flicker of emotion he
couldn’t identify.

“Like what?”

“That it belongs to me? Why do you say that?
I’ve been gone for over thirty years, have no idea how to run a
pack or clan or whatever you call it. Plus, I have no allegiance to
anyone in your clan.”

“Well, he doesn’t know that and there’s this
thing. Someone in Nikolas’ line will always be Alpha. Nikolas did
some heroic deed and received a promise that his line would never
die out, or something like that. That leaves me, you or Pia. As you
have probably noticed I am not Alpha material. I would rather read
or work with numbers than deal with a bunch of hot-heads. I am no
threat to Muzik, he knows this and leaves me alone for the most
part.”

“Most part?” Hawke growled, his wolf stirred
at the idea of someone picking on Niall.

“Yeah, well. I stay out of his way, out of
everyone’s way. It’s just easier all around.”

Asia rubbed his arm. He looked down, his
fingernails had extended into claws. Hawke inhaled to calm his wolf
and willed the nails to return to normal.

“This Muzik going to be a problem?” Asia asked
without turning.

“Could be, depends on how mam reacts when she
returns. He wanted to mate with Pia but she refused. Then he made
mam an offer, she refused and moved to the edge of pack lands.
That’s how Verrick got her.”

“We’re on Verrick’s land now, should see his
place soon. Don’t expect a friendly welcome, I’ve met him before.
I’m sure he knows we are here and the only reason no one has
stopped us is because he’s curious.”

“You’re friends with that pig?” Niall
spat.

“Friends? No. I met him not too long ago in an
interesting situation.” Hawke glanced at Asia but she looked out
the window.

Several rows of small houses became visible as
they turned a corner. No one spoke. They were in the middle of
Verrick’s pack and sound carried. At the end of the road, one house
stood larger than all the others. Hawke parked and
waited.

Niall touched the door handle.

“Do not open that door,” Asia growled. “We are
uninvited guests and need to wait for an invitation to step on his
land. Anything else is considered an insult.”

“Oh, okay. Got it.” Niall leaned back against
the seat.

Hawke listened and inhaled. Verrick was
coming. Good. He’d been afraid the Alpha would send a minion to
deliver some obscure message, demanding they leave without a
conversation.

The door to the large house opened and
Verrick, still bald and brawny, stepped down the stairs and stood
watching them for a few moments.

“Why do you court death?”

“I’d like to talk to you.” Hawke glanced over
his shoulder, Niall’s face lost its color and fear rolled off him
in waves.

“Niall
?”

His litter-mate’s head snapped around and
stared at him. “
Hawke
?
You opened our
link
?”

“Yes. I smell your fear, which
means Verrick smells it. It’ll make him harder to deal with. Can
you bring it down a notch?”

“I’m… I’m not doing it on
purpose.”

“I know. Instead of looking at him
and the wolves standing next to him, look at me, or my mate. That
should help keep you calm.”

“Can you promise nothing will
happen to me?”

“No. I cannot. But I will try to keep
anything from happening to you
.”

“Talk? Are you sure? Why is the little one so
afraid if all you want is talk?” He pointed toward Niall who stared
at Hawke.

“Yes, Verrick I’m sure. Will you give me ten
minutes of your time?” Hawke said in a calm tone.

No one spoke.

“Ten minutes? You may meet me here to talk,
but only you. This one caused many problems not too long ago. I do
not trust.” He pointed at Asia who remained still in her
seat.

“Pig
,” Asia said.

Hawke winked at her and opened his door.
“
Indeed, he is. I will ask for… what is her
name?
”

“Who? Your mam
?” Asia asked.

“Yes, I don’t know her name, isn’t
that odd?”

“Not really. Ask Niall
.”

Hawke stepped out and around the car to face
Verrick. “
What is your mam’s name
?” he asked his
litter-mate.

“Mam’s name is Granira
.”

“Thank you for allowing me on your lands. I am
returning south when I came upon my litter-mate. He was on his way
here to seek his mam, Granira. Is she here?”

Hawke noticed Verrick tensed at the
name.

“The witch is your mam?”

Witch? Hawke had no idea.

“You label her a witch?”

“No. She labels herself a witch. She is your
mam?”

“That is what I’ve been told.”

Verrick threw his head back and laughed. The
deep, husky sound raked across Hawke’s skin. “Who told you this,
that lovesick whelp in the back-seat?”

“What the hell is going on
?” Hawke
asked Niall. “
Is Granira your mam or not? Do not lie to me or I
will give you to him.”

“What did he tell you?” Verrick pointed at
Niall. “Did he say she was kidnapped? He’s come to rescue her?”
Verrick took a step toward the car. “I told you to leave her alone.
She told you to leave her alone.”

Hawke had the feeling he had stepped into a
bad comedy. “So the woman you took from the pack lands is not his
mam? But someone else?”

Verrick ran his large palm over his shiny head
and shrugged. “Ask her. You can have the witch, she is of no value
to me. She may talk to you.” He pointed at Hawke. “But I know she
wants no parts of him and told him so the last time my men caught
him trespassing.”

Hawke sighed long and hard through his link.
“
I’m going to kick your ass
,” he told Niall.

“No. Please help her. She wants to leave,
but they won’t allow it. Please Hawke, she’s my mate. I know it.
She just needs a little time to… settle into the
idea
.”

Hawke nodded and watched the smile creep onto
Verrick’s face. This couldn’t be good.

“If I release her to you, you’ll owe me, is
that understood?”

“I must clear it with my Alpha,
first.”

Verrick looked surprised. “Muzik?”

“No. La Patron.” Hawked noticed the surprised
look on Verrick’s face before he wiped it clear.

“La Patron
?” Hawke stood with his legs
braced and waited a few seconds.

“Yes?”

“I am at Alpha Verrick’s keep and he is
attempting to secure a favor from me
.” Hawke told Silas
everything that happened to that point.

“My mate would say he is your brother, not
litter-mate, which means he is family. Family has an odd way of
changing plans. Even so, I cannot allow you to grant him a favor.
The
Goddess has stated you and Asia have specific roles in
this war, but we don’t know what those are yet.”

“I understand. However, what if
the favor he requires is a part of the overall plan? It is just a
thought because we don’t know. I will abide by your
decision.”

“For now, I’m saying no. This does
not feel right. Keep me informed.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Alpha Verrick, I thank you for your time.
However, my Alpha says I cannot be in your debt.” He nodded and
returned to the car.

“What are you doing?” Niall yelled when Hawke
started the engine. “We cannot leave her. She is my mate! Don’t you
understand?”

Hawke backed up and turned around. Verrick
remained on the steps, watching them.

“I can’t leave her,” Niall yelled.

“If she’s your mate, call her to you. Mates
cannot be separated from each other for long periods of time, it’s
impossible. She would’ve come outside or called you through the
link if she was your mate,” Hawke said and drove down the
driveway.

“You’re lying,” Niall yelled.

“No, he’s not. If this woman is your mate, her
wolf would be calling you right now, she would be in physical pain
and you would feel it,” Asia said looking out the
window.

“I don’t feel pain. Just my heart, it’s sick
because I’m abandoning my mate.”

“She’s not your mate, that’s why she sent you
away the last time,” Hawke said, pissed at being duped.

“That was a misunderstanding.”

“Shut up,” Hawke yelled while watching for an
ambush. They were still on Verrick’s land and could be
stopped.

When they reached the main road, leaving the
pack lands behind, Hawke pressed the accelerator and shot down the
highway toward Chacal’s. Asia placed her hand on his arm, calming
him slightly, but the anger that rolled through him at Niall’s
games wouldn’t settle. The fool lied to him, wooed him away from a
serious mission to go on a fool’s errand as if he were some
boy.

Hawke noticed a small store on the side of the
road and pulled in. He stepped out the car, jerked open the back
door and pulled Niall out by his shirt collar lifting him off his
feet. Hawke drew Niall’s face close to his and shifted slightly
into his hybrid. His long fingernails dug into his brother’s skin,
causing his face to scrunch in pain.

“You lied to me.” He shook him.

“You killed the men I hired to get
her.”

“You lied to me.” Hawke shook him harder this
time; his fingernails dug deeper drawing blood.

“Hawke.”

“No, Asia. I can’t kill him, but I’m going
to kick his ass so hard, he’ll remember not to play with me like
this again
.”

“We didn’t smell a lie
.”

That stopped him. “
What?”

“Only Alphas can lie without being detected
and he’s no Alpha. We didn’t smell him lying. Why is that
?” She
leaned on the side of the car with her arms crossed staring at him.
“
Ask him who is the woman
?”

Conflicted, Hawke leashed his anger. “Who is
the woman you went to save?”

“Mam.”

“Who is mam?”

“She’s the pack… she’s an older pack
bitch.”

“Why are you trying to take her from Verrick?
He says she doesn’t want to leave.”

“Could you put me down? Please?”

Hawke allowed his feet to touch the ground but
kept a hold on his shirt. “Last chance or I kick your ass and leave
you here.”

Niall looked around as if considering and then
straightened. “I apologize for not telling you everything. Granira
is not the bitch who birthed us, our mam died before our sire.
Granira helped raise us and is the pack healer. Some call her a
witch because she works with herbs and can do things. She also
heals.”

“Not everyone.” Hawke corrected thinking of
his two dead litter mates.

“No. The last Alpha challenge, she couldn’t
save Jirek and it did something to her. She moved away to the edge
of our land, that’s when Verrick’s men stole her. But she is a
stubborn full-blood and he cannot break her spirit.”

“Still, she refused to leave with
you.”

“She didn’t know who I was. I think she was
drugged or something.”

“Stop making things up, she wants no part of
you.” Hawke yanked Niall closer and snarled in his face. “Worse,
you dragged me into that bullshit when you knew I wanted no part of
it. That’s over. Do whatever you want to do.” He released
him.

Niall stumbled back a few feet and touched a
pole behind him to steady himself. “I will.”

Hawke turned and headed toward the driver’s
seat. Asia looked at Niall, shrugged, turned and slid into the
passenger’s seat. Hawke started the engine.