Un.Requited (Claimed Series) (14 page)

“Hayden Grey,” she greeted, holding out her hand. “And Cole is my Alpha.”

There was no hesitation on his behalf as he shook her hand firmly, quickly, as if he’d had experience touching newborns before.
And
surprisingly enough, there was hardly any hunger on Hayden’s behalf. She blinked, watching him in interest.

“Cole Slayter,” Shane said, surprised. “It’s good to hear he’s started taking pack members.” His eyes then looked over her head and toward the customer who had just entered. If possible, his face grew paler. “Hello, Mr. Slayter.”

Before Shane had even greeted Cole, Hayden had stiffened. The Alpha’s presence was hard to overlook.

“Mr. Donovan,” Cole greeted with strain. “Hayden.” The Alpha saved his growl for her. “Addie called me, completely distressed. She didn’t know where you had gone.”

It took her quite some time to gather herself before she turned to look at his approaching figure. “She wouldn’t have been distressed if you had told her about Nicolas beforehand,” Hayden said coolly. “Why didn’t you tell them about it?” she demanded. Her anger was beginning to blossom, targeting
Cole
and his secrecy with the pack.

He came to a stop next to her
. 
“We talked about this last night—”

His tone was patronizing, and it irked her. He was to blame for this happening, not her.

“
No
,
we didn’t,” she growled lowly. Before she could retort further, a large hand suddenly curled around her throat, a thumb pressing warningly against her pulse point. 

“Watch your temper. I don’t take kindly to pups challenging me.” His tone was all growl and all bite. He leaned forward, his green eyes dark with ire. “Do you understand?”

It was his influence again, the kind of influence that Nicolas and Tracer carried around them like a second skin. It made Hayden freeze, her mind becoming hazy and her temper crumbling instantly. Cole might have thought Hayden had a temper, but he seemed like he was on a short leash today as well.

A part of her wanted to struggle against his hold, but another, smarter part of her knew his act of dominance was solid. She could never win against Cole, especially in this condition.

With instincts that Hayden knew belonged to the creature inside of her, she arched closer to Cole, tipping her neck back. The action broke her eye contact with him and exposed her throat in submission. She hated it, but she grudgingly understood Cole’s actions. He was her Alpha and she needed to learn not to lip off to him, especially in public.  

Cole squeezed her throat once more before letting go. His hand had been heavy with pressure, not painful, though she knew it could have been. His intention had been to warn her and assert his dominance over the situation. It wounded Hayden’s pride more than it frightened her.

“Let’s bring this conversation elsewhere.” Cole took Hayden’s wrist and pulled her away from Shane and his surprised observation.

His hold on her arm was gentle, an act of contrition as he led Hayden over to a table in the bowling alley. He held out a chair for her, motioning for her to sit.

Across from her, a mirror-like panel stood tall, reflecting her image back at her. As she studied the reflection, she took special interest in watching Cole as he leaned over her chair. His eyes, no longer dark with ire, softened as he placed his cheek flush against hers. Unexpectedly, he nuzzled her cheek affectionately, apologetically.

If she had been entirely human, the action would have been incredibly alien to her. Instead, if on instinct, she felt her body relax at the gesture.

While she still held a grudge against Alphas and their control issues, Hayden found his caress strangely loving and erotic. Her lips quirked as his stubble tickled her skin. Slowly but surely, her wounded pride was beginning to vanish.

Pleased green eyes traced her smile in the mirror, matching it with one
of his own
. “You have a temper, my pup,” he murmured affectionately. Pulling away from Hayden, he sat down in the chair opposite of her. “I take it you didn’t get any sleep last night?” he asked dryly.

Confused at first, Hayden suddenly remembered warning him about her sour mood if she was ever sleep deprived. “I slept just fine,” she admitted, already knowing what he would say next.

If on cue, his eyebrows rose mockingly. “Then you are right to assume I wouldn’t want to see you sleep deprived.”

Her grin wavered as she remembered why she had been angry in the first place. “You didn’t tell the pack about Nicolas. Why?” Subconsciously, she touched the closed, but visible mark on her throat. Cole’s eyes watched the action, his jaw tight. “They must feel betrayed.”

The Alpha rubbed the heel of his palm against his eyes. “You might as well know the history behind Nicolas and me. It’s not right that you should be clueless when you were forced in the rivalry between us.” His attention dropped to her neck once more. “Marie and Xavier Slayter were exceptionally respected werewolves in this town, in the werewolf community as a whole.”

“Your parents?” she ventured, having
an inkling
to where this was going.

He nodded in conformation. “Many packs looked up to my father for leadership and guidance. He was a force to be reckoned with.” Cole smiled grimly, his eyes lost in a memory. “But he had one weakness, my mother.” His voice turned bitter and his lips twisted painfully in thought. “Marie and Xavier were life mates.”

Hayden shook her head at the term, clueless. “Like vampires?”

As if werewolves were ordinary creatures, Cole seemed almost insulted at her comparison. “Vampires aren’t real, Hayden,” he scolded. “Life mates are a rarity among the werewolf society. Essentially, they are two souls created for the other. The wolves sense their other half, their
destined mate. Once they bond, there is nothing that can put a wedge between them, not even death.”

Apparently, he was entirely serious about life mates. It was hard to imagine that something as mythical as werewolves had other branches of even more mythical legends. She shook herself, bringing her mind back to the topic at hand.

“You mean they die when their life mate passes away?”

Cole didn’t seem to look highly upon life mates if his expression had any say in the matter.

“Yes. Nicolas knew of their status as life mates. Because he couldn’t defeat Xavier in a fair match, he chose the only way he could to destroy my father. He slaughtered my defenseless mother. As a result, Xavier killed himself after discovering his life mate’s dead body.” His voice was void, detached.

The whole admission really affected Hayden. How could someone be cruel enough to destroy a man through a vulnerable woman? It made Hayden sick and she marveled at Cole’s decision to take her on as a pack mate. While Nicolas’ claim on her wasn’t personal, it was still a claim. If anything, she was surprised Cole hadn’t just killed her because of that claim.

Reaching over, Hayden tentatively placed her hand on his closed fist. His body seemed to flinch at the contact, and just as she was about to pull away, his fist opened and he entwined his fingers through hers. She didn’t offer any unnecessary condolences about his parents’ death. She only squeezed his hand, letting him know that she was listening and he had her sympathy.

“How long ago did it happen?” she asked softly.

Cole turned his gaze to hers. “Two years ago.” His eyes were dark, aged by tragedy. “Because I was so young, and it was so sudden, many of my father’s earlier pack members left once I was named Alpha. They didn’t want to be led by someone so untested.”

Hayden shook her head, somehow not surprised. “They made a mistake, Cole. From what I see, you’re just as good as that bastard, Adolf.” Cole grinned lightly at her remark. “Why did Nicolas want to kill your parents? Was there a personal vendetta between the two of them?”

Bringing their clasped hands to his mouth, Cole nuzzled Hayden’s knuckles. “That, Hayden, is another story entirely.” He dropped her hand. “As to why I haven’t told the pack about Nicolas’ claim on you, I haven’t gotten around to doing so. Granted, I won’t have to worry about it any longer.” Cole cocked his head to the side. “Don’t be too hard on Addie, she was just taken aback. Nicolas isn’t exactly known for having anyone on equal grounds, let alone a
mate.
”

He spat the word out with such intensity, that it caused Hayden to flinch backward.

Emerald eyes softened marginally as they watched her. “And as a side note, I’d like to inform you of a pack rule.”

She instantly took note of the change of subject.
“A pack rule?”
Hayden pressed. “Isn’t there enough of them?”

Cole grinned aggressively, his whole persona lightening. “This one is especially important.” He leaned closer, his eyes bright and full of mischief. “No romantic relationships outside the pack.” Cole shot Shane a pointed look over Hayden’s head, as if he had interrupted them earlier in a heated exchange.
“None.”

“None?”
Hayden repeated, trying to wrap her mind around the rule. A sudden and disturbing scenario popped into her head. “You mean I have to date
Nathan
?” She imagined Fergus’ twin and couldn’t help but to shiver in revulsion.

Cole frowned, just as disturbed at that notion as she was. “We’ll worry about your mate when the time comes, which hopefully won’t be for many years. Every Alpha has the power to assign a pack member a mate, you can be reassured you won’t be with Nathan.” He looked at Shane again. “Until that time, romantic flings outside the pack are forbidden.”

She opened her mouth, ready to press further.

“Completely,” Cole growled out, cutting her off.

Suddenly, a relieved voice called out Hayden’s name. Turning, she watched as Addie and Fergus filed into the bowling alley and past a perplexed Shane. Their faces were no longer horrified, only worried.

Hayden realized she had overreacted. According to Cole, they hadn’t been disgusted with
her,
they had just been taken off guard when they
learned of Nicolas’
claim. Hayden suppose if she were Addie, she would be just as shocked to learn that Nicolas was so intimately close to the pack through a new member.

Addie paused next to her chair, hesitating briefly before engulfing Hayden into a hug. Unlike Addie, Fergus hardly hesitated as he gathered the two of them into his arms. Over Fergus’ arm, she caught Cole’s knowing smile.

_______________

“It just came to a shock for me, I meant nothing of it.”

All Hayden had heard over the past hour were apologies. Both Addie and Fergus were trying to explain to her why they acted the way they did. In return, Hayden tried to convince them that she understood and she had overreacted just as well. It was a result of her homesickness and the pressure of trying to fit in.

“Addie, I understand.” Hayden took hold of Addie’s wrists and squeezed them reassuringly.

Fleetingly, Hayden wondered if Marie or Xavier was Addie’s child and how their death still affected her. Surely, finding out Hayden was the supposed mate of the man who killed her child brought back tragic memories.

“Are you certain?” she pestered.

“Addie,” Hayden warned softly, dropping her hands.

Cole’s grandmother smiled kindly, glancing around Hayden’s room. “Then I’ll leave you to get organized. Dinner will be ready shortly.” With one last imploring glance, Addie left the bedroom.

Amber eyes watched her go, feeling relatively at ease now that her secrets were all out, but still anxious. Turning back to the piles of clothes on her bed, Hayden tried to shake the uneasy
feeling and focus on something else. Only, as she reached for a pair of jeans, the hairs on the back of her neck stood.

Whirling around, she spied Devan standing motionless in the doorway, watching her blankly. “Devan,” Hayden greeted tightly, instantly on guard.

Since her arrival in Oregon, Devan had stayed away from her and Hayden had gladly followed suit. It was unusual for Devan to search her out like this.

Heavy liner outlined Devan’s hazel eyes, giving her a penetrating look. “I just came to see if it was true,” she chided. A malevolent smirk stretched across her face as her gaze lowered to Hayden’s throat.  

“It is,” Hayden confirmed, relaxing her stiff shoulders. Devan didn’t scare her, and no matter what came out of her mouth, Hayden was more than certain she could handle it. She’d heard it all. 

Devan looked back up at Hayden, the smirk still in place. “It all makes sense now.” She turned her shoulder on Hayden, ready to leave.

“What makes sense?” Hayden pressed, on edge.  

Devan turned back around, her face no longer gleeful but spiteful. “Let me just warn you once, Hayden. Don’t get in my way, you understand me? I don’t want you here. No one does. Don’t let their petty apologies fool you. They’re just afraid of Cole. He’s the only one who wants you to stay…” she trailed off, looking at Nicolas’ mark on Hayden’s neck. “But that’s to be expected, I suppose. He needs
something
to lure Nicolas into a trap.” With one last slippery smile, the female Alpha left her room.