Chapter Eleven
He met Jack and the rest of his wolves at the airport. Michelle was heading to his apartment once she got back to town to unpack her things. She’d stopped by Allie’s mom’s place on her way out of town so he knew she’d need some time on her own to process.
He smiled. Her things in his place. Their place now. He’d pick her up when they’d gotten everyone settled in and they’d go to a pack dinner where she’d be introduced as his mate.
“Congratulations are in order, I hear.” Jack grinned his way.
“Thank you. It’s a good day to be me. This being-mated thing is pretty sweet. No wonder all you guys walk around smiling all the time.”
“It is indeed a good thing. Tell me about her.”
“Of all things, she’s my high school sweetheart. My first love. I left Roseburg and everyone in it behind when I was bitten. Anyway, she showed up at the offices downtown needing our help, and it turns out she’s my mate. And a witch, which I never knew. She’s a cop. Beautiful. Brilliant. A badass with some mad skills with a handgun. She’s perfect.”
“Oh the face of the newly mated.” Jack laughed. “It’s a great story though. One your kids are going to love. Also being a cop means she’ll understand your job, which is good.”
“And she can defend herself in the face of all this crazy stuff with the mages.” Akio Minami, Jack’s right hand in his Enforcer crew, spoke from the back seat.
“Yes, that too. This is some shit. This murder scene we found her friend at? I’ve seen a lot, but what they’d done to this witch? I want to lock her up in my place with fifty guards all armed to the teeth.”
Jack growled. His mate was a witch too, so he understood, all too well, the nature of this threat and how it hit so very close to home.
“Cade wanted me to relay how much he’d appreciate it if you’d take Akio out to the scene. We should have as much information shared as possible. We’ve had our own trouble with the mages out our way, as you know. I want him to compare the scents to see if there are any connections.”
Josh nodded as he headed to the old Pacific Pack House where Nick’s parents, the retired Alpha pair still lived. Visiting wolves often stayed there, and big meetings and gatherings were held there.
“We can go out tomorrow if that works. The joining is tonight.” The joining was the ceremony where a mate was presented to the pack, and if he or she wasn’t already a member, they’d be made members after swearing fealty to the Alphas.
Jack was an anchor to Tracy’s sister-in-law Grace, the female National Alpha, which made him like family in a very real sense. It was a good thing to have him at the ceremony later that night.
“Yes, that would be fine. Thank you,” Akio said.
“How’s she on the tri-bond?”
“Nervous. I had to talk her down earlier when she was convinced we’d have a threesome like you and Tracy have.”
“Truth be told, it’s a nice thing to have another male around to deal with our beautiful but totally headstrong woman. I expect Gabe and Nick feel the same.”
“Don’t go mentioning any of that around her, thanks.”
Jack laughed. “I’m pretty smooth when I want to be, dumbass.”
He dropped them off and headed back home to get his mate.
* * *
He got home and breathed in deep. Her scent, her magick hung in the air, mixing with his.
She wandered out and smiled at the sight of him, though her eyes were still puffy from all the crying, and that sense of sadness over the loss of her friend still emanated from her. “Everyone get in okay?”
He nodded, moving to her to kiss her. “Everything is much better now that I’m here with you. How is Kathy?”
“Really sedated. She did understand what I said when I told her about the delay in releasing Allie. She’s not happy. But Allie’s aunt did convince her to have a funeral home up here handle things. They have the number here and my cell. I didn’t go into a lot of detail about moving up here, but I mentioned I’d reconnected with you and that we were together.”
“What about your mom?”
She made a face but he felt a twinge of her sadness. “I left a voicemail. She’s not in town. But I can’t imagine she’s going to care much one way or the other.”
“Her loss. We’re family now.”
She nodded.
He followed her back to the bedroom where she’d already unpacked several boxes. “You’ve gotten a great start. Can I help?”
“No, I’ve got it. I took over the dresser in the other room. Yours is too full.”
“I told you to take three of the drawers in here.” He frowned.
“You have a lot of clothes, Josh. It’s okay. The dresser in the other room was pretty much empty. I did take a few of the drawers in your closet for my underwear. Do I have to dress up for this thing tonight? I mean like cocktail stuff or what?”
“A dress would be good, but not like black tie. We have people in from another pack so it’s good to look nice. But you’re gorgeous so that’s already handled.”
She held up two dresses, a bright green one and a red one.
“The green one, definitely.”
“It’s a bit more low cut than the red. Is that okay?”
He barked a laugh. “Am I okay with your boobs being visible?”
She blushed. “Not all of them! Just my cleavage.”
“I’m always okay with cleavage.”
She looked over at the clock. “When do we have to be there?”
He took one look and groaned. “We need to leave here in about half an hour.”
“Shit!” She grabbed the dress and headed into the bathroom where he could see she’d taken over half the space, and the sink on the left. “You stay back with your sex eyes, mister. I have to get ready and we don’t have time for what you’re after.”
“I can make it good and quick too.”
She snorted, rolling her eyes. “You are not a quick type. And I’d have to shower afterward or everyone would know exactly what we were up to before we arrived.”
She shucked her clothes, and he leaned back and watched, fingers itching to touch all that skin.
“They’re going to assume it anyway.”
“I already took a shower. I want to look good for this, Josh. All the females you took for a ride will be there, and I want people to think you made out okay instead of oh bummer, look what poor Josh bonded with.”
He moved to her, pulling her in for a long slow kiss. He licked his lips, taking one last taste of her before he stepped away a little.
“You could show up in a garbage bag and they’d still think I was a very lucky wolf. As for those other females? They know who you are and what you are. And that’s everything. You understand?”
She gave him a smile. “Yeah, yeah.”
He grabbed a quick shower and got dressed as she got ready, putting on makeup and doing her hair in tousled curls around her face.
At least the party thing was stressful enough to give her something else to worry over beside the awful weight of Allie’s loss. It was strange to have so much happiness in her life even as at the same time she drowned in crushing, horrible sadness.
She’d spent the hours driving back to Portland alternating between tears and happiness. But he helped. Being around him helped, soothed her. Though she also understood he realized she was in pain and that she had every right to feel like crap because of it.
But life went on and she had to do all this stuff. The tri-bond thing especially. Gina had talked to her a little about it when she’d called to ask her opinion on what to wear that night. Gina’s anchor lived in Portland, and they had dinner with him a least twice a month. He and Damon were good friends. Michelle didn’t want to say she thought it was weird. Though she did. But who was she to judge? It was someone else’s culture, and she’d have to find her own peace with it because in a big way, it was her culture now too.
So she sucked it up because there was nothing else to do but suck it up and try to move forward.
* * *
Tracy came out as they pulled up, the girls practically bouncing at the sight of Josh. When he got out of the car, they clapped and started calling his name. He grinned at them but moved to get Michelle’s door first.
“Wow, Michelle, you look great!” Tracy laughed as the girls leapt into Josh’s arms. They giggled and kissed his cheeks as Tracy made her way over. “Welcome. To Pacific and to the house and all that. I wanted to tell you how sorry I am about your friend. Anything we can do to help is yours. I know you’re starting over up here, so please know you’ve got a shoulder and an ear whenever you need it. You don’t know me well, but I’d like us to be friends. I moved here and didn’t know anyone either.”
Touched she nodded. “Thanks, I appreciate it. It’s all so much. I feel... I don’t know anything. Not just about your world but my own really. I don’t want to embarrass Josh or do something wrong.”
“Plenty of folks who are happy to share. Just ask and if we can get you the answer we will.”
“I’m nervous,” Michelle blurted out.
“I know there are a lot of people here, but they’re all here to celebrate you. To welcome you. This is something really special to us. The bond, I mean. Josh is so happy. Everyone is going to see that. He leads them, keeps them safe. To see him happy and with his mate is a good thing. My pack will see you as a positive. Even before they meet you they’ll think that.”
“Aw, thanks. But I also mean the anchor thing.”
Tracy took her hands and squeezed. “That’s going to be all right too. I mean.” Tracy shrugged and looked around the area, full of ridiculously gorgeous people. “They’re all beautiful. You’re beautiful. Josh is hot. Just...it’s part of the process. Let it happen. It’s your choice, you know.”
Tracy walked with her up the steps and into the house. Josh had the hands of both girls as he followed.
“Let’s see.” Tracy scanned the room. “Ah, so over there, that’s Trace. He’s here from Cascadia. He’s ranked lower than Josh, but his power level is high. High enough to be the Alpha of his own pack anywhere else. He’s an Enforcer too, works for my sister, who runs the Enforcer team up there.”
Trace had long pale hair tied loosely back from his face. Piercing brown eyes.
“Over there is Erik, he’s visiting here from Boston with Jack, that hot blond-surfer-looking dude.”
“Jack is the National Enforcer, right? He’s also in a threesome and he’s anchored to your sister-in-law?”
“You’re a fast learner. Yes, that’s Jack. Oh and then there’s Akio. Akio is Jack’s right hand.”
Holy cow. Now that was a beautiful man in a room full of really exceptional-looking people.
Tracy continued. “The anchor is special. They make a commitment to you to take on the weight of the death of a mate. It’s...hard to explain, but it’s more than just fucking. Your anchor is part of your family. None of them agrees to do it lightly. We’re all a bit superstitious, wolves I mean. We believe in fate and all that jazz. So just because an available wolf is around, he may not agree to serve as an anchor. There has to be chemistry. He has to really connect with the couple, the female sure, but also the male because they’re sort of partners in keeping the female safe.”
“Yeah, no pressure. Just a lifetime commitment to make a decision in a few minutes.”
Tracy laughed. “It’s not always like that. I only knew Gabe for a day though. Sometimes you just know when it’s right.”
Which, Michelle had to admit was true.
Akio took that moment to turn around and see them both staring at him. Well now. He was long and lithe, his dark hair loose, framing a face that would have dried the spit in any thinking woman’s mouth in seconds flat.
“Damn,” she whispered to Tracy.
“Right?” Tracy waved and he began to make his way over.
Josh moved to them, pausing to kiss Michelle. “Sorry, I got caught up. Rose wanted to show me the picture she drew of Milton.”
Akio approached and Josh held a hand out that Akio took. “Akio, this is my mate Michelle. Michelle, this is Akio Minami. He’s part of the Enforcer corps in Boston. He’s here with Jack and the wolves from National.”
She smiled and he took her hand. “It’s nice to meet you. Josh was telling us all about you on the way over from the airport.”
He had a great accent. So much Boston in it.
As she chatted with Akio, Josh put an arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him, looking up at him with a smile. He’d seen this dozens of times. A member of his pack when they’d come to a Joining with a new bonded mate. He’d always thought it was great, but now that it was him, he understood the ridiculous smiles, the way they’d needed to touch so much.
As it was, wolves needed that contact. They were a touchy-feely group. But every time he put his hands on her, it soothed him, excited him, made him feel like he’d just won something awesome.
And there was something between Akio and Michelle. Akio was the kind of male who listened more than he talked. Which was a quality Josh respected a great deal. But he came out of his shell when he was around people he genuinely enjoyed.
Like he was doing just then. Charming Michelle with stories of Boston and the wolves there.
Akio paused, a hand on her arm, when Jack called his name. “I’m sorry to interrupt. I need to go see what he needs. I’m sure we’ll talk more.” Akio smiled and nodded to Josh before he headed to see what Jack needed.
“You’re here! And look at you, the bond looks good on you.” Gina came over and pulled Michelle into a hug.
“Hi there.” Michelle smiled at Gina, and Josh realized she’d already made friends. He was totally grateful for that. They chatted, and Josh scanned the room automatically, always alert for any problems.
Akio stood with Nick and Jack, everyone wearing serious faces. Truth be told, he’d thought Akio would be an excellent choice as an anchor. He was strong and smart. And he lived across the country so while he would of course be at their home for the holidays and that sort of thing, he wouldn’t be in their same pack or the same city.
It would be easier on them all that way. He’d seen anchors pining for the woman they could not have, and he didn’t wish that on anyone. He wanted Michelle to be close and comfortable with her anchor, but he sure as fuck didn’t want any other male being in love with his woman. The distance would help with that.
Damon came over and hugged Michelle, and Josh nearly socked him in the face. He didn’t stop a growl, which made Michelle tense up and give him a look laced with apprehension. Funny, he hadn’t felt nearly this possessive when Akio had just touched Michelle. Another point to him as a possible anchor.
Gina snorted a laugh and patted Michelle’s arm. “They’re all like this with mates. Damon too. They don’t really mean anything by it. Have you had anything to eat yet?”
“Let’s get a toast and introduce Michelle to the pack.” Tracy took Gabe’s hand as he approached.
“Oh good idea.” Josh bent and dropped a kiss on Michelle’s cheek. “Welcome, beautiful, to Pacific.”
Michele blushed and Josh breathed her in deep.
Tracy bustled off to gather everyone for the official Joining and Michelle turned to Josh. “So I get on my knees and say what to them?”
“We’ll both do it, side by side. All you’ll need to do is agree to swear fealty. You’re not a wolf, but through me, you share my rank. By swearing fealty, you’re agreeing to shepherd the wolves in Pacific, to keep them safe and keep their best interests foremost in your words and deeds.”
She nodded and took the glass of champagne Tracy handed her.
Tracy whistled loudly and everyone gave her their attention.
“Tonight we give witness to the Joining of Michelle Slattery, mate to Josh Neelan, to Pacific.”
There were hoots and applause as Michelle looked over the room. So amazing to be welcomed like this. So many faces, openly friendly, smiling, pleased to welcome her.
Josh put a little pressure on her arm so she knew to kneel with him in front of the Alpha trio. “Michelle, do you swear fealty to Pacific and its wolves?”
“I do.”
And then her magick rose, swirled around and seemed to mix with theirs. Knitting, in a sense, her essence to the energy of the pack.
Josh looked over at her with a smile. She felt his pleasure through the link. His happiness and love.
Nick helped her up and turned her to face the group. “Welcome, Michelle, to Pacific and best wishes on your bond to Josh.”
More raised glasses and cheers as people came forward to introduce themselves, kiss her cheek or rub their faces along her jaw.
“It’s a gesture of affection and respect,” Akio murmured, as he appeared at her side, explaining the cheek-rubbing thing.
“Ah, gotcha. Thanks.”
He inclined his head.
After what seemed like forever with the cheek rubs and the kisses and welcomes, they headed into a huge dining room where a buffet dinner had been laid out. They filled plates and milled around until Gina approached them.
She pointed to a couch in a far corner where Damon sat. “We saved you guys a place.”
They all followed her over and put their drinks down on the nearby coffee table. Josh grinned at Damon. “It’s out of the way of traffic but near enough to the food.”
Akio was already sitting with them, and Jack came over and sat next to Akio as they all chatted about Enforcer-type stuff. Michelle had expected to feel excluded or bored, but the stuff they talked about was a lot like cop work and she found herself offering suggestions and asking questions.
Feeling like she could belong after all.
* * *
She and Gina had escaped outside to stand on the huge back deck watching a large group of kids play with Milton, Tracy’s ridiculously sweet and goofy lab. He looked as if he might just pass out with the joy of all the giggles and pets he was getting.
They’d chatted about every day things, about the next get-together with the Owen witches in Portland and how it would now be a welcome dinner for Michelle. Gina helped her understand the current politics within Clan Owen, the clash of old world and the rules which had kept witches safe for the last century or so, and the decidedly more modern views held by Meriel Owen, who wanted to come out to the humans before something bad happened and they were outed anyway.
Michelle tended to agree with Meriel’s perspective.
She appreciated all Gina’s help and advice, and it was nice to have the beginnings of a new friendship as well. She had a lot to learn. A lot to understand and people seemed to be going out of their way to help her. It made things better. A little less confusing.
They talked about the threat the mages posed. Gina filled her in on how a group of them had worked with Dominic Bright’s mother who was a turned witch. They’d ambushed Dominic, who was Meriel’s husband and led the Owen Clan at her side, and had tried to kill and drain them. It had been the start of all this madness with missing witches and had been getting increasingly worse.
They had no answers. Michelle had spoken with Lark earlier about finding Allie. They suspected a very bad something was at work, but there were so many unanswered questions and the unsettled nature of it left Michelle uneasy.
Sometimes cases just went unsolved. She knew that. But this was more than a usual case. Others would keep on disappearing until they figured it out. Allie had been a casualty, but there were others who needed to be avenged and she’d do all she could to help that happen.
Josh came out as Gina went in. He kissed Michelle’s temple and she leaned into him. “You all right, beautiful?”
“Yes. It’s been a lovely evening. I just needed the air and some quiet.” It had gotten louder and louder inside until she’d had to escape it out there in the dark.
He laughed quietly. “Wolves can be a raucous bunch. I can’t tell you how many people have stopped to tell me how much they enjoyed meeting you tonight. You’re making friends right and left.”
“Even Esme.”
He cringed and she laughed, poking his side. “She was nice. Apologized for the situation the other day at Tracy’s house. It’s fine. She knows you’re mine, and as long as it stays that way, things are great. I’d hate to have to kill her.”
He squeezed her to his side. “It only makes me hot when you talk that way.”
“You’re weird.”
“I am. Listen, so about the anchor thing... I don’t want to rush you, but time is getting short. The longer you go without one, the harder it will be for you to manage everything. All the stuff between us, all the emotion traveling through the link is incredibly intense and it can swamp you, make it hard to think and get through. Your anchor will settle down the background noise.”
She sighed. It wasn’t Josh’s fault. He was up front with her. She did this knowing she had to deal with everything that came with the bond, the good and the bad and the plain old weird. “So my choices were the people I met tonight?”
“Yes.”
“What do you think?”
“It’s more what you think. I know each of them would be honored to serve as your anchor, but this is someone you’re going to be connected to for the rest of your life. It’s your choice to make.”
“Well yes, but you’ll be connected to them too.”
“True. Keeping in mind that the decision is ultimately yours, I think Akio is an excellent choice. He’s a good man. A good wolf. Strong and vicious when he has to be. Connected to his pack, he takes his responsibilities seriously. You two clearly like each other.”
“I liked all the truffles you introduced me to.”
“Truffles?”
“Box of chocolates. Remember?”
He laughed, pulling her close for a kiss and then another for good measure.
“I liked them all, but Akio is the one I clicked with the most. He does what you do. What I do in my own way.”
As if they’d called his name, Akio came outside and started a little when he saw them. He eased against a post a few feet away, Josh between them.
“It’s funny how normal life can be, even when everything all around is dire and full of sadness.” He indicated the kids on the lawn beyond. “I’m sorry for the loss of your friend.”
“Thank you.”
To have lost so much in the same week she gained everything seemed a cruel joke. Or maybe it was balance. She didn’t know. But that didn’t matter. Because it was what it was, and she had choices to make and things to do.
She supposed it was what happened to you when you grew up pretty much on your own. You could give up and let things happen to you, weep and moan about the unfairness of it all. Or you could deal with what you’ve got and make the most of every moment.
Allie had been a bright light in Michelle’s life. And it was snuffed out and that hurt beyond bearing. At the same time, Allie would have been the first to high five Michelle over Josh. She’d been a remarkable person, and she would have whapped Michelle in the back of her head and told her to get on with stuff that needed doing.
And for absolute sure that meant finding the monsters who’d killed Allie and making them pay for it. That would happen if it took the rest of her days.
But for the immediate future, she needed to do this tri-bond deal. And she had a life here in Portland now. So much to learn about herself and her gifts too. So much it was dizzying, and yet, it was a gift to have this man, this community. Allie would have liked this. After she forgave Josh of course. But she’d have been thrilled, and that made it just a little bit better.
She leaned into Josh and blew out a breath, nearly purring when he stroked his knuckles down the back of her neck.
For a while they all stood in the evening cool. The air around them clean and crisp. The sound of the kids was soothing, as was the company. Neither male spoke simply to fill up space. She liked that a great deal.
Finally Akio shifted and took a deep breath. “I wanted to say, away from everyone else, but with both of you present, that I’d be very honored to serve as your anchor.” Akio turned his body to them, gaze solemn.
Josh looked to her, letting her choose.
“We were just discussing this. I don’t know, is there some sort of official way to do this?” She lifted her hands, hopelessly out of her element.
Akio stepped closer and held his hand out. Josh took it and then held his free hand out to her. She took it.
“It’s all what we make of it. Would you like to come over to our apartment?”
Akio nodded.