The Alpha's Ardor (5 page)

“Trace and I have talked about it, and we both agreed that we’d like to offer you the chance to join the pack, you and Lachlan both, and that we’d like you to stay here. We thought you could give it some more time, could stay here by yourself for a while, maybe go out and see Flathead and meet everyone else. Get a feel for the place before you decide if you want to call Lachlan in to see if you two would like to stay here. I know you’re protective of him, that you’re protective of each other. Me and Trace can always hear it when you talk. It’s … nice.”

Declan was speechless, frozen in shock and barely able to breathe. It took him a few minutes before he could speak, before he could gather himself enough to even think clearly.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Just, just say yes. Say yes to trying, to seeing if maybe this might be a home for you two one day. That’s all I’m asking, little wolf, just say yes to trying.” Law still wouldn’t look at him, and Declan, still shocked, found himself mirroring Law’s position so that he could stare up at the ceiling as well. They sat there together in silence, Law deceptively relaxed and Declan’s mind whirling.

“We were born into it. Into captivity, that is, me and Lachlan both.” The words spilled out of him before he could stop them, and he felt the way Law tensed up instantly. He knew that the alpha understood just what he was talking about. When Law didn’t speak Declan kept going, confident that he wouldn’t be interrupted and that he could finally say this and get it over with.

“Our father, our alpha, he was born into it too. His parents had been caught when his mother was pregnant with him in a raid in Mississippi. His father was an alpha, but their numbers were small, and the pack was wiped out quickly, all but his parents.” Declan took a deep shuddering breath because this part of the story had always upset him and Lachlan both, had always sent their wolves to howling in a mix of rage and pain for the pack elders they had never gotten the chance to meet.

“She was pregnant, so they were vulnerable. The hunters had a lot of experience, and eventually he broke. They put the first tattoo on him, species, generation, and name. They trained them like animals, Law. Then when Dad was born they did it to him too, and when he was old enough they set up a breeding plan. Something to keep the bloodline strong, they used to say. When we turned ten, me and Lachlan got the tattoo too. Wolf, third generation, Declan and Lachlan Adair, just like I told you in the woods. ” Declan could almost feel the tattoo on the back of his neck tingle in remembered pain. It had hurt so bad, had been so painful and their mother, Keela, had cried when they’d been brought back. Their father had stared at them, stone faced as always, but he’d run gentle fingers through their hair and dried their tears with his thumbs.

“That place, the compound, was all either of us knew. We had books and television and all of that. Hell, we even went to school. We just didn’t know any better at the time. We always looked on it as home, never thought to run or escape. Didn’t even know that escaping was something we should be thinking about. When we turned fifteen they took us on a hunt, made us track our first were. We thought it was alright, thought we were doing good, that whoever we were after had to be evil or something. But they weren’t. They were just wolves, regular terrified wolves trying to protect their pack.” Declan swallowed back bile and shame. He remembered how upset he and Lachlan had been, how devastated they’d been to discover everything they’d been taught was a lie.

“Little wolf …” Law’s voice was soft, almost sympathetic, but Declan didn’t let himself focus on it, just forced himself to keep talking, to get it all out in one go.

“Afterwards … when it was done … our mother convinced our father that we needed to leave, that we couldn’t have the life he had. She … uh … she didn’t make it out, but we did, the three of us.

And once we were out we thought we’d be alright, that we could keep one step ahead of everyone else, that other weres might help us. But we found out the hard way that we didn’t have any allies, not since it had gotten out about the Adair pack, the ones who worked with hunters, the ones who acted like hunting dogs. Dad didn’t know it would be like that, didn’t realize that Adair was synonymous with traitor.” Declan could taste the bitterness in his own words as he remembered those first years, the way they’d had to struggle alone, still reeling with the loss of a mate and a mother respectively. The way their father, who’d always been so strong and calm, had splintered and grown weaker year after year.

“What happened to him? To your dad?” Law had turned in his spot on the couch and leaned forward towards Declan. They were so close that Declan could feel Law’s heat, could feel the way his breath was warm and moist on the side of his face.

“Puma clowder just after we turned nineteen, he fought back but once me and Lachlan were clear it was like the fight went out of him. It’s been me and Lachlan for the past seven years. Constantly traveling, constantly running, trying to stay ahead, looking for somewhere to go.” Their father was never the same after their mother had died. He’d just always seemed to be living on borrowed time, like he was only concerned with keeping Declan and Lachlan alive until they could do it for themselves. They’d all known he wouldn’t be following them the night the puma clowder had attacked; they’d all known it was goodbye.

“Why are you telling me this, Declan? I would have asked eventually, we both know that, but you didn’t have to lay it out like this for me. Didn’t have to be so … vulnerable.” Law spoke softly, and Declan let his eyes drift closed as he breathed out slowly.

“You … you offered me and Lachlan both a place here, Law, offered us a home. I just thought that you deserved to know exactly what it was you were inviting to live with you and Trace. Just what kind of blood and history we’d be bringing with us. Other packs would turn on you if we stayed. They won’t be interested in our side of the story, Law. All they’ll care about is the fact that we used to live with hunters.” Declan knew it was true, knew that other packs would rage at Law’s when they found out he’d opened his doors to not one but two Adairs. It was just the way things were and in all honesty Declan had never blamed the other weres, not really. Sure, he was bitter about never being accepted, Lachlan was too, but he understood not wanting to welcome such a large potential threat into the fold. For all the other pack knew they could have been released and told to gain the trust of others instead of escaping. It was something they’d been accused of more than once.

“Let them try.” Law sounded fierce, and Declan was sure the alpha’s eyes would be that beautiful bright crimson color if he looked.

“If they think they have any right to dictate who or what I allow into my territory, into my pack, then they’ll learn their lessons the hard way. We didn’t grow to be so strong by letting the other packs tell us what to do, Declan.”

“But what about your wolves? What about your pack? Are they going to just welcome us with open arms, Law? Let us around their mates and their pups like nothing is wrong?” Declan half shouted before he could stop himself, agitation growing as he felt the need to move, to pace and not feel so trapped by what he wanted but was reasonably sure he couldn’t have. Law gave a low, displeased rumble when Declan shifted to spring up from the couch, and he splayed one large hand on the center of Declan’s chest to keep him still. The way Law molded himself even closer to Declan’s side forced him to relax and breathe deeply, almost against his will. The alpha had a much larger effect on him than Declan wanted to admit even to himself, but that part of him that wanted it to be real couldn’t help but bask in it while he could.

“I’m alpha, and my wolves respect that. If I tell them to welcome you and Lachlan as pack, they will. Plus, any reservations they might have beyond that will be put to rest when Trace vouches for you as well. And he will, he’s already said as much. With our support the rest of the pack will fall in line quickly, Declan. You, both of you, would be welcome here.” Law sounded so persuasive, almost seductive, and Declan wanted to give in to him, wanted to try even though he was sure it would end badly. Only the thought of Lachlan, of forcing his twin to feel the same kind of pain he would if things went sour, stopped him from outright agreeing.

“I can’t make that kind of decision alone. Not without talking to Lachlan. I can’t decide to stay here alone for any longer than I already have, not even to test the waters, without talking to him, Law.

Please understand that.” For once Declan wasn’t sure what Lachlan would think about the situation he was in. They’d never had anything like this happen to either of them before.

“I know that, and I wouldn’t force you to, little wolf. It wasn’t my intention to make you think I would. I’ve never met him, but I would never force that kind of decision between you and Lachlan.”

Law pulled away from Declan then, moved until he was well on the other side of the couch. Declan struggled not to feel abandoned, not to mourn the loss of Law’s warmth and the way it had felt to almost be held again.

“I can’t promise you anything, Law.” Declan wanted to, wanted to so badly. He wanted to promise Law anything he asked for, wanted to swear he’d do whatever was required of him to make this work. He wanted to do all of that, but he could not, would not. Not when there was more than just his own safety on the line. He’d never be selfish enough to blindly risk Lachlan like that. Law had moved while he was speaking, had gained his feet and moved until he stood directly in front of where Declan sat on the couch, legs splayed.

“You don’t have to promise me anything except that you’ll take your time. That you’ll call your brother and you two will talk about it and that you won’t say no without a good reason, Declan.

Don’t say no just because you’re scared. Just give me a chance to prove that this is where you, both of you, belong. Give me the chance to be your alpha, little wolf.” Law leaned back down over Declan suddenly, braced himself with one strong arm on the back of the couch as he dipped his head and pressed his lips softly against the vulnerable skin of Declan’s throat. Declan had to force himself not to moan, had to hold back the wolf’s desire to give Law the submission he was asking for. “I’ll protect you, I swear I will. Both of you.”

Law pulled back slowly, let his lips linger on Declan’s throat as he rubbed his jaw against the underside of Declan’s chin, sharing scent in that way that drove Declan’s wolf crazy. When Law finally pulled back enough so that they could look each other in the eyes, Declan was sure for a moment that Law was going to kiss him. His tongue flicked out on instinct to wet his lips, and he could see the way Law watched it, could smell the woodsy scent of Law’s arousal mixing with his own in the air around them. Instead Law took a deep breath, clenched his eyes closed tightly before he straightened and without another word stalked out of the room.

Declan sat there stunned and uncomfortably aroused as he listened to Law make his way upstairs and into his bathroom. His cock was hard and heavy in the loose fitting pants they both favored, and his heart beat out a staccato rhythm in his chest. It only got worse when he heard the shower turn on, when thoughts of Law, of all that power and strength, shower slick and glistening, filled his mind.

Declan groaned low in his throat, pressed the heel of his hand against his cock through his pants and desperately prayed for the strength not to throw himself at Law’s feet. There was too much at stake for him to ruin it all in a moment of weakness.

Just because Law had been aroused didn’t mean that he
wanted
Declan. It didn’t mean he wanted him for keeps, not the way that Declan had already begun to resign himself to wanting Law.

“What does he want, Dec? We’ve never had … no one has ever offered us anything like this before. It can’t be for free. We’re not that lucky.” Declan could hear the same frustration in Lachlan’s voice that he knew was in his own. He could see his twin in his mind’s eye, knew Lachlan would be pacing, one hand fisted in thick black hair, dark blue eyes that they both shared narrowed and focused as he vibrated with restless energy. Lachlan had always been like that, even when shifted he had always seemed like he was two steps from shaking right out of his fur.

Despite being identical, Lachlan had always seemed so much more alive than Declan had ever felt, had always seemed so much more passionate and vibrant. It made Declan love him even more.

“I know, Lach, I know. But Law, the alpha here, he seems …

genuine. Lach, whatever it is that he wants he doesn’t seem like he wants to hurt either one of us, him or Trace.” Declan hoped he was right, hoped that his instincts weren’t leading him astray for the first time ever. He hoped that his wolf’s infatuation with the alpha wasn’t clouding his judgment.

“Trace? He’s the head beta, right? This Law’s younger brother?” Lachlan sounded so suspicious it made Declan smile slightly.

“Yeah. He’s funny; I think you’d like him, Lach. I think you’d like both of them a lot. Law is … he’s unlike any other alpha we’ve ever met.” Declan could tell from the thick silence on the other end that he’d given something away, and he cursed harshly in the back of his mind. He was beyond grateful that Law had agreed to give him some privacy for this call and had gone to town to pick up a few things with Trace instead of sending the beta after them.

“Declan …” Lachlan sighed across the line, and Declan knew he was caught, knew Lachlan was on to him. They knew each other so well, knew each other inside and out, and Declan knew that there was a chance this would happen eventually. He knew that he’d slip up and say the wrong thing in the right way and Lachlan would know just how he felt about Law.

“Lachlan, please, please don’t be angry.” He didn’t want Lachlan to be angry with him, didn’t want his twin outraged over feelings that Declan couldn’t help. He didn’t want his weakness to hurt his brother. Not with so much distance between them, not when they couldn’t see each other face to face, couldn’t fight it out or comfort each other afterwards.