Triple Dog Dare [Triple Trouble 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (25 page)

“Isn’t that kind of risky?” Jim nervously asked as he looked at Mai. Of the two men, he was by far the more overprotective one.

Daniel nodded. “It’s the best shot we have. We thought about the Montalvos abducting the women from the Abernathys, but that’s far too risky and gives Abernathy too much contact with them. It’d be too easy for him to hurt one or both of them.”

Brodey nodded. “I hate to admit it, but it’s the best way to do it. It’s bullshit, and everyone will know it’s bullshit, but everyone also knows what Abernathy’s son tried to do to Ortega’s daughter that time. No one will question it, and they’ll see Abernathy as getting the screwing he so rightfully deserves.”

“And then we just have to live on the run for the rest of our lives?” Elain asked.

“No,” Cail said. “We’ll sell and relocate. All of us.”

“What, you mean pick up and move to Bolivia?”

“Exactly,” Ain said, serious.

“So you’re telling me because this rabid jackass might get his way, we have to uproot our lives?”

“No one said it was a perfect solution, Elain,” Daniel said.

“It’s bullshit, is what it is.” She looked around the room. “I say we take the fucker out and be done with it.”

“We can’t,” Ain replied, his voice calm and patient. “That would play into exactly what he wants, a Clan war. No sane person wants that.”

“I’m not feeling particularly sane right now,” Elain shot back.

“Look,” Zack said. “Regardless, right now, we need to get going if we want any chance of making it back here before noon. Come on, kiddies. We have cockatrice to cook.”

Lina pulled herself out of her chair. “Let me hit the potty again.”

Mark stood. “Oscar, Wally, Doug, and I will go with them.”

Ain nodded. “That’s a good idea.

“Meanwhile,” Lacey said as she grabbed Elain’s arm, “you and I are going down to the thinking rock for a talk.”

Ain stood. “We’ll come, too.”

Lacey waved him down. “Nonsense. She and I need some time together.”

Lina returned from the bathroom. “Hey, give me hugs, you two.” She hugged Mai and Elain. “We’ll see you in a couple of hours, regardless.” She looked Elain in the eye. “Okay?”

Elain felt a wave of certainty from her friend and smiled. Whatever Lina had sensed, she apparently knew Elain and Mai would be all right. “Okay.”

Lina grinned. “Exactly.” She turned and headed for the front door. “
Allons-y
!”

“I’ve got to make her quit watching
Doctor Who
,” Zack grumbled as he followed her out the door.

* * * *

Elain walked down to the thinking place with Lacey. “Lina knows something, doesn’t she?” Elain asked.

“Knows what?”

“Exactly,” Elain said. “She seemed pretty certain this would all work out okay.”

“Oh. Well then, I would suggest not worrying.” Lacey smiled.

From their serene perch, Elain looked out over the water. “He won’t give up without a fight, though. Will he?”

Lacey shrugged. “That I don’t know. Not likely, knowing his past history.”

They didn’t have long before they would have to head back so they could go to the Council hall. “What do I do?”

“Follow your instincts. And I don’t just mean today. I mean in your life as a whole. Always trust your instincts. You are a Seer. You are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. You’re a strong, Alpha wolf. Let your heart guide you, even if it flies in the face of reason or what anyone else tells you.”

“I’m scared.”

“Don’t be.” Lacey looked at her. “There’s no reason to be scared. Trust yourself.”

“That sounds like a cop-out answer.”

“It’s not. You have no idea how strong you are. Mentally, physically. You’re a tough woman.”

“What have you seen in your visions?”

“About today? Nothing in particular.” She smiled. “I have seen enough about the future, however, to know I can tell you to relax and let your intuition guide you.”

Elain took a deep breath. “In other words, I need to go through this.”

“Yep.”

“Are you coming, too?”

Lacey’s face darkened. “I’d rather not set my eyes on that bastard. I’d be liable to do something even Daniel and Callie couldn’t save me from.”

They showed up at the Council meeting hall at a quarter till noon. Elain spotted the three jaguar brothers seated in the shadows in the far corner of the meeting hall.

Ain leaned in and whispered in her ear. “Remember, stay calm. If this goes against us, just follow Daniel’s lead.”

She nervously nodded.

Ain looked around. “I don’t see any sign of fuckwad.”

Mai nodded from inside the comfort of Micah’s arm around her shoulder. “I don’t see Paul anywhere, either.”

Daniel was already on the dais with Jock and the Council members. He walked down to meet them and shook Ain’s and Micah’s hands. “You guys ready?”

“Yeah,” Ain said. He tipped his head toward the jaguars. “Are they?”

Daniel grinned and lowered his voice. “Oh, they’re chomping at the bit and no sign of Abernathy yet.” He glanced at his watch. “They have exactly eleven minutes to get here before I declare both challenges invalid and we’re all off the hook.”

“Can we get that lucky?” Ain asked.

“Fuck,” Micah grumbled, tapping him on the shoulder. “I don’t think so.” He pointed at the window where a large, black limo had just pulled into the parking lot.

“Shit,” Ain said.

“Yeah. We need to get this dog and pony show on the road,” Daniel said.

* * * *

Rodolfo and his entourage entered the Council hall to a low chorus of grumbling growls. It was obvious to Elain that the men had no friends in that room unless he brought them with him.

Daniel took his place on the dais at noon and banged his gavel. “Quiet, please. As you all know, I’ve been appointed the new head of our Clan Council by unanimous vote of the other Council members. As such, we’re here today to hear the challenge of Rodolfo Abernathy.”

Rodolfo didn’t even get out of his wheelchair. “Thank you for allowing me to speak. This business won’t take long. I’m simply looking for a return of what rightfully belongs to me.”

Voices around the chamber booed and hissed and growled, drowning him out. Abernathy tried to speak over the voices, but they soon shouted him down until the meeting chamber was in an uproar.

Daniel grabbed the gavel and banged it on the dais until the voices lowered to a disconcerted rumble. “Enough!” he yelled. “Quiet!”

When he finally had everyone’s attention, he pointed at Rodolfo Abernathy. “You wanted to speak, so speak.”

As Abernathy looked out over the gathered assembly, his wizened visage didn’t fool Elain in the slightest. He might be an old wolf, but she suspected he had more than a few tricks up his sleeve.

Mai leaned in close. “I don’t like him,” she nervously whispered.

“Neither do I,” Elain muttered back, draping an arm around her friend’s shoulders. “Don’t worry. It’ll be okay.”

I hope.

“I’ve come here today,” Abernathy said, “to stake two claims and declare two challenges. The first is that we have a blood oath which must be honored. Elain Pardie, as the first female born to an Alpha male from Ysimel’s line, was supposed to be turned over to our Clan when she came of age. This is according to the terms of the blood oath.”

Then the old wolf looked their way. Elain felt Mai shiver next to her. Micah and Jim put their hands on Mai’s shoulders to reassure her, while Elain grabbed her hand and squeezed.

“The second challenge,” Abernathy said, “is to Mai Gallatin. She is the mate of my great-grandson and pregnant with his pup. By your very own Code of the Ancients, she must be returned.”

“Bullshit!” Micah shouted. “She wasn’t mated or marked!” The room erupted in supportive growls.

“She carries his pup!” Rodolfo shot back.

“Silence!” Daniel roared. The room settled.

“As for your second claim,” Daniel said, “I declare it invalid because Mai already has not one, but two mates. She was unmarked when they mated and marked her. You have no proof she’s carrying your grandson’s pup. Under the Code of the Ancients, it only states a wolf cannot take the mate of another. Your grandson was trying to kill her. She’d left him and severed their relationship. She wasn’t marked as his mate. Therefore, she was fairly and justly claimed by Micah Donovan, making the pup, by default, her mates’ pup. I declare her, and her unborn child, a full-fledged member of their pack and this Clan.”

Rodolfo Abernathy hauled himself out of his wheelchair. “That pup is
mine
!”

Micah and Jim both jumped to their feet. “This child is
ours
!” Micah growled back. “And I’ll rip out the throat of anyone, man or wolf, who dares try to come near our mate or our pup without our permission!”

“Settle down!” Daniel yelled once again. “The matter is closed, Abernathy. Your second challenge is categorically denied.”

“I want that pup!” Abernathy screamed.

Mai stood, her hands protectively over her belly. “You’ll rot in hell before I let you get a single hand on my baby!” An answering chorus of supportive growls backed her up.

“My grandson deserves the right to have his pup!” Abernathy screamed. He pointed at a young man sitting off to one side and surrounded by several of Abernathy’s flunkies. From the look on his face, he didn’t want anything to do with any of the proceedings and was there only to satisfy his grandfather.

“Your grandson told me,” Mai shouted, “that you didn’t want your line ‘muddied’ by a coyote!”

Abernathy’s eyes gleamed. “So, you
do
admit it’s his pup, you damn slut?”

Daniel pointed his gavel at Abernathy. “Shut your fucking pie hole right now, old man,” he ordered. “I already told you, the matter is closed. Mai is the mate of Micah Donovan and Jim Dixon. The baby is theirs by default. Mai is an orphan, and she and her baby are declared members of and under the protection of this Clan through her mating bond. End of subject.”

Elain caught a glimpse of Jocko out of the corner of the eye. He was attempting to mask what suspiciously sounded like laughter through the sound of coughing.

“So what about my first claim, eh?” Abernathy asked, facing Daniel. “You know of the blood oath. Your Clan swore to uphold blood oaths between our Clans.”

Liam stepped forward. “I am Elain’s father. My mate, Elain’s mother, never agreed to the blood oath.”

Elain didn’t like the look of reluctant acceptance on Daniel’s face. “But you,” Daniel said, “did know of it and failed to inform her?”

“She was not informed of it when we mated, no. She claimed me as her mate. She was an Alpha. It wasn’t until after the fact that I told her. She died not long after Elain was born.”

Elain wanted to nip this shit in the bud. She spoke up. “Daniel, if you were to rule against us, what would happen?”

“If?” Abernathy cackled.

“Shut up, you,” Daniel growled at Abernathy. He looked at Elain apologetically. She sensed he wished she’d stick to the plan, but she wasn’t about to roll over and tap out. “They do have a right to ask for a challenge if you won’t go willingly.”

“Challenge?”

“To fight for you.”

“Who would fight for me?” Elain asked.

Daniel shrugged. “They have a right to pick their champion to fight one of your mates.”

“Why does it have to be my mates?” Elain asked.

Ain grumbled in a low, warning tone behind her. “Elain.”

She ignored him. “I’m serious,” she said to Daniel.

Abernathy smiled a predatory gleam. His ego was obviously his weak spot. “My grandson, Paul, is our champion. He will fight for the right to take you as his mate.”

Elain glanced at the guy. Then she grinned. “I accept your challenge.”

Daniel, her men, Liam, Carla, Micah, Mai, and Jim all yelled, “What?”

She stepped forward to address Daniel and the Council. “If I’m the prize, don’t I have the right to demand whether or not I get to fight for myself?” She turned on Ain. “Please don’t edict me out of this,” she begged in a soft voice. “I know what I’m doing.”

“Elain, you don’t know what this means! You—”

Cail and Brodey grabbed his arms. “Let her,” Brodey whispered. “She’s right.”

“Are you out of your fucking gourd?” Ain asked Brodey.

“Ain,” she begged. “Please!”

He looked at his two brothers. Finally, he shook his head in resignation. He grabbed Elain and kissed her before stepping back.

She turned back to Daniel. “Let’s settle this bullshit once and for all. Right here, and right now. I call him out.”

Abernathy’s self-assured smile faltered. “What?”

She stalked over to him and got in his face. “Right here, old man,” she growled. “And right now. When I win, this bullshit is over for good. You leave me alone, and you leave Mai alone.” She looked at Daniel and the rest of the Council. “If they refuse to accept the terms, I declare they be ruled in forfeit and the blood oath is cancelled.”