Chapter Twelve
Najha walked out into the dark of the night. The sky had yet to open up and give them the rain that was sure to come. Fog from the west had rolled into town. This wasn’t abnormal by any means. But tonight, she could feel something evil along with the humidity of the air surrounding her. It seemed to be moving toward the town. Tonight wasn’t going to be good, and she already knew it.
Seeing Lucien and his men here, she’d wondered when everything that happened would need to be explained. She was no longer hiding behind the lycan covering spell. So far, none of the lycan men or women approached her and called her out on what she’d done.
Everyone in their pack was waiting for Thorn’s confession and explanation. It looked like tonight would be that moment. She hoped everyone wouldn’t change who they were to her. She didn’t want to be any more special because the leader was her dad. She hoped they treated her the same as Dante and Jonas.
She put her hands in her pockets leaving her thumbs out as she strolled over the woods behind the clubhouse. She heard and smelled them before they actually appeared. Her wolves.
Red was the first to come out of the woods. Athena, then the others followed by the last…the omega, Rony. He whined as he wiggled up to Najha.
Najha knelt down. “Rony, you’re too young to be here. Red, he’s too young to be traveling this far.”
‘Najha, why do you feel you have the authority over my son? He is old enough to travel and hunt with us now. Have you forgotten he’s over six months old and definitely aged enough to learn how to be? Not that he remembers all the time.’ Red lifted his paw toward the pup that had stumbled and now laid on his back at her feet while she scratched his tummy.
“I realize that, and I’m sorry.” She scratched Rony’s tummy a few more times, then pushed him back over and got him on his feet. “Run along, friend, stay by your mom.” ‘Red, where’s my mom?’
Cade walked up to her outside. “Najha, where’s Myra?”
She shrugged. “We haven’t gotten that far. Here, Rony.” Najha slipped a rope out of her pack and slipped it on Rony’s neck.
Red whined lifting his paw in the air.
“Red, quiet.”
‘I didn’t say anything. Keep Rony safe, Najha. On a rope, he has no way to run away from danger.’
Najha nodded. ‘If we get close to anything dangerous. I’ll let him free. For now, though, I want you to tell me where the hell my mom is.’
‘She sent us ahead to get you and the pack. She found something really bad out there. She didn’t want us anywhere near the thing. She told us to come and get you and bring you to the place you saved us from.’
‘Oh, my God. Is she okay?’
‘We don’t know. We only left because she insisted we come to you.’ Red stood his ground and stared at her. He was the true Alpha for his little pack and family members. Najha had always controlled the little pack alongside Red, though he was their true pack leader.
Cade stared at her and pointed. “How come that young pup thinks he’s a domesticated dog?”
“I don’t know.” She gazed down as Rony’s tail wagged and he looked up at her. “It’s you and me, kid.”
“He’s adorable. What is going on with Myra?” Cade asked.
Najha filled him in.
He seemed to worry immediately, with a frown he asked, “Did they tell you anything else?”
“No.”
“Shit, I’m going to see what I can find out at the crime scene. We’ll have to ask Thorn to help us. We have to go to that spot. Where is it?”
“The other side of the mountain.” Najha pointed east.
“Shit, that’s too far. What was that woman thinking?” Cade glowered. You could tell he was getting more concerned. “You can’t connect with her, can you?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“After you tell Thorn, do you want to ride with me over to that area?”
“No, Cade, I have the pack, and I’ll take my motorcycle.”
“Why don’t you send these critters ahead to track your mom? You’re connected with them through your blood, right?”
She looked down at Red and Athena. ‘You okay with taking your pack and trail my mom?’
Red yipped, he agreed. ‘I’m good with it, I promise.’
She squatted down and removed the rope. She kissed Rony’s nose. “Stay safe, my buddy. Take him home first. Leave him at my house, please, Red?”
‘I won’t leave my son behind. If they find him, he could be used against us.”
Najha knew Red was right. Wasn’t she the reason her father had betrayed his people and the vampires? She knew the pack knew what’s best.
*****
Lucien listened to Thorn explain to the men the reason behind hiding Najha from everyone. The nods at the table told him they were forgiving of Thorn. To this day, Lucien was trying to forgive his best friend from hiding his daughter right under their noses.
Thorn slammed his hand against the table. “I’m not fucking defending myself to you all after this! I will say this once,” he held up his finger, “we all protect our females from the day they’re born until they reach adulthood. Why do I have to share my offspring before anyone else?”
Lucien stood up. “I’ve kept our females hidden as well. There are the young nobody knows about until they’re old enough to defend themselves. I just don’t understand having her working right here in Shades Run.”
Thorn nodded. “Myra and I decided she would be raised away from the public eye. She was born with special abilities and talents. She is of the gypsy people with stronger genes from that side of the family. She was a natural healer even at a very young age, and her ability to speak with animals has definitely made her an asset to the pack. If any of my enemies found I had a daughter, they could have used her as a tool to control me. She is grown enough now to protect herself from this. Now with that said, we need to move away from the subject. I will speak to you in private, Lucien. I understand your dilemma, and Najha has spoken to me.”
Lucien was satisfied enough to nod his head and agree with Thorn.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the subject of their discussion.
Thorn turned to the doorway. “What do you need, Najha?”
She walked in and straight to her father.
Lucien wanted to hold her and tell her everything would be okay.
“Sir, I’ve just been told my mother is tracking something in the woods and has requested you, and I go to her.” Najha held her body and demeanor stiff and formal.
Lucien admired her even more. She must be worried sick about her mother.
Thorn stared at his daughter as he held his hand up for total silence in the room. “Is she okay?”
“I don’t know. Cade and I can’t reach out to her.”
“Seriously? Cade is her mate and should always be able to touch her with their own personal mind path.”
“Yeah, that’s why I interrupted your meeting.” Najha lowered her head.
Lucien didn’t want to see his woman submit to another male. Even though Thorn was her leader and father. She was standing in a room of the most powerful beings in the universe, and she looked unafraid.
Kaden stepped away from the wall. Lucien grabbed his arm. When he looked at him, Lucien shook his head. He had no idea what his second-in-command was trying to do, but it was unnecessary. Lucien would lead his people in this room.
Kaden shook off his hand but leaned back against the wall crossing his booted feet. He appeared to relax, but Lucien knew Kaden was strung like a cobra waiting to strike his victim.
Thorn glared at the two of them. “When you’re all done over there, let me know, I’ll give you a cigarette.”
Lucien flipped him off. “Continue.”
Najha stepped forward. “When Cade and I were at an accident scene a few hours ago, Cade had tracked a few escaped convicts from the overturned bus. Something was out there, and they were ripping the humans apart. It appeared to be lycan, but I could smell something more evil than a rogue. But it wasn’t a Bolnav either. I don’t think the escapees are the ones doing the terrorizing out in those woods. I think my mom has been tracking something far worse. I’m worried because she sent my pack to me and told me to go to the east of the mountains.”
Thorn stood. “Najha, come here.”
She walked to her father and stood in front of him.
Lucien was amazed how this petite, very short and thin woman was a lycan warrior and female. She was too small.
Najha spun on her heel and glared at him.
He held up his hands and shrugged.
She smirked, then turned back to her father.
Thorn put his hands on her shoulders, which somehow threw gasoline on the fire already inside his body and head.
Lucien needed to try to control his anger of another man touching her, even if it was her father.
Thorn closed his eyes, touching Najha he looked inside her memories, and a few moments later he opened them. He turned to the crowd in the room. “I’ve never thought I would ever see a scene like that again, Lucien.”
Lucien knew immediately what Thorn was talking about. “Are you referring to my parents’ death?”
“Yes, it seems it’s similar to that.”
“You were just a young pup. Are you sure?” Lucien couldn’t believe what Thorn was trying to say to him.
Thorn nodded.
Lucien’s throat constricted and everything seemed to drop all at once, making the bile rise into his mouth. Najha spoke the truth, it was a lycan but not. “We need to gather together and make a plan. If you’ll excuse me for a moment.” Lucien had to leave his men and pull himself together as their leader.
After he stepped outside for a few moments of fresh air, Lucien could sense the woman behind him. “You might want to step around me before I do something we’ll both regret, Najha.”
She came around and faced him. “I’m sorry, Lucien, I know this must be difficult for you. I saw that scene, and it made me want to throw up.” She seemed so sad, her head fell forward and she looked at the ground.
He saw a stray tear drop to the pavement. He didn’t want to see her cry. Not this strong woman he knew she was. “Hey, what’s going on with you?”
“I’ve decided to leave for college and become a police officer like Cade. I know you and I are mates. I’ve known for a long time, I just didn’t want to start something I know is impossible. There’s no way around the laws of our people. After I bring my mom home, I’ve already made arrangements, and I’m going to Jonas’ house to attend the college in Seattle.”
Najha seemed determined enough. Lucien didn’t want to create any more pain for her like she’d already suffered on her own. “Can we worry about what’s around here first? Then we’ll deal with all that?” Lucien wanted to assure both of them he would figure out this mess. Without his mate, he couldn’t be a good leader.
It seemed she’d already made up her mind and he wasn’t going to argue with her right now. He’d also made up his mind, and he’d leave his people before he was going to lose her.
*****
Thorn, Lucien and, all the men were having a sit down meeting. Najha knew her father was angry, but not at her and definitely not at Lucien. Because he’d kept her a secret, she and Lucien didn’t know they were mates, and it wasn’t anyone’s fault but Thorn’s. He’d only done what he had to because he wanted to keep her safe.
She’d earlier called Jonas and told him what had happened, he’d recommended for her to get out of town for a brief time and let the dust settle before she tried to resolve anything with Lucien or her father. He also told her with a couple of phone calls, he could get her into the college in the next semester starting in a few weeks. She felt a little better about her decision. It was time, as an adult, to go out and figure out what she was going to do. She didn’t want to think about the pregnancy but to continue to hide it for now. Only she, Lucien and Thorn knew, and she intended to keep it that way for now.
She knew why her father had lied about her. The women were protected from humans, vampires, and other lycan for a reason. She would one day be a mate to one of their men, or so he’d hoped for her. Thorn had mentioned a few warriors that were interested in courting her. She’d already told her father that if none were her mate, she would stay single.
‘Stop thinking, woman, you’re driving yourself and me insane.’ Lucien scolded her. He stood in front of her but chose to talk this way.
She connected with him and apologized, ‘I’m sorry.’
‘For?’
‘Deciding for me and not talking to you first.’
‘It is what it is. You’ll be okay. A cop though, really?’
Najha felt relieved he wasn’t going to try to tell her what to do. If a man tried that, she’d probably leave him anyways. This made her decision to leave Shades Run easier. ‘Yeah, following in my father’s footsteps.’ She chuckled.
He laughed. ‘Certainly not biological. He’s a lawbreaker and a rule breaker for sure.’
‘Thorn is, you’re absolutely right.’ Najha flushed as the blood raced to her cheeks, her breasts actually hurt they were so sensitive, and her pussy heated up as his thoughts ran to the naughty side of what he could do to and with her. ‘Lucien, stop.’
He purred, then chuckled. ‘You like it, and I know it.’
‘Yeah, a little,’ she admitted.
She recalled his blue eyes as he stared at her. His vampire blood reached out for her, she wanted a taste, just a little bite. How would his lips feel on her neck as he drank from her vein?
She was startled out of her wondering mind when Thorn walked outside. He yelled out, “Lucien, I’m warning you. Be kind.”
“Yeah, yeah. Of course.” He smiled, took her arm and walked away from everyone toward the woods.
With just his eyes, he seemed to reach her soul.
Her body reacted on its own moving with him.
This man seemed to be pure predator as he grabbed her hand and they walked into the fog which surrounded them with its thickness. He whispered, “Najha, I need to hold you for a moment. Can you grant me that at least?”
She nodded, her entire body moved up to his as they came together. She had absolutely no control over how she reacted to him. Her heart melted, her soul immediately joined him as his mate. Her wolf sang praise and forced her to communicate with his animal side. The two of them were already tied together like humans couldn’t do. The slight pull she didn’t realize he had on her, forced her body to react to his and move up closer rubbing her leather-clad form against his. “Lucien, I’m not sure I’m able to talk to you.”
“Why do you say that, little one?” He scowled then growled showing his lengthened canines.
He seemed angry suddenly, and she had no idea why.
Lucien touched her cheek. “It’s your father, baby. He just warned me that you’re still too young and to wait until you return from college before I take you.”
Najha’s anger rose, how dare her father say those things to Lucien? She needed to tell Lucien everything and ask him to understand. She’d already mated with him, and they were expecting a baby. This was silly for her to even think about leaving Lucien.
He squeezed her hand, and Najha looked down at their connection. Her body reacted to his. Nothing like this had ever happened to her. Her body wanted to be on top or next to Lucien. It sang his name. Her pussy reacted even more, her undies wet, readying itself for him. “This is embarrassing.” She connected to her father, letting Lucien hear her, ‘Daddy, I’m a grown woman, and I need to talk to Lucien alone. You need to trust us.’
‘I know, and I’m sorry. Lucien, treat her right?’
‘Of course, Thorn. Now, get the fuck out of our heads.’
Najha loved the fact he was forceful and demanding to her father.
Lucien led her to a secluded area under a tree. The grass was inviting so she took a seat first, patting the grass beside her. “Please sit down.”
“Okay. Najha, I’m sorry.” Lucien touched her cheek with the back of his hand.
She laid her head against his hand. “Do you know how hard it’s been on me?”
“I can’t imagine, little one. You are so beautiful. I can’t believe you’re my mate and you’ve been here all along. Or have you?” Lucien’s voice broke, his eyes became watery as he held in the tears.
“I know, it’s crazy. Honestly, I didn’t know until just a few months ago. I was homeschooled, then moved into town with Cade and Myra to go to high school with the other lycan children. I trained and did homework until I graduated from high school. For the past few years, I’ve been trying to figure out why I couldn’t leave Shades Run. I wanted to several times. Now I know, it was because of you.” Najha had always known the truth deep down, but for the first time she said it out loud.
Lucien was doing something to her as they sat next to each other on the grass. No words were needed as he touched her, he leaned toward her and gently kissed her on the lips. Her mouth opened on its own accord. His hands moved down and everywhere he touched, her hyper-sensitive skin tingled. He smoothed the roughness of his fingertips against her body along her collarbone, neck, then back down again to rest upon her breasts. Nothing was a barrier to his exploration. Even her shirt, lace bra, and jeans hadn’t stopped what he was doing to her. Goosebumps, little shivers spread out along her skin. This man was everything to her.
Najha didn’t want to stop him from giving her everything she needed. His mouth moved from her lips to her neck. The sharpness of his extended canines gently stroked a path to her vein that throbbed for him to take.
Lucien moaned. “I want to keep you safe from everyone and anything. To do that, I must take your blood. This will join us forever, and I will be able to track you by your blood calling to mine.”
“How do you know that my lycan blood won’t hurt you?” Najha had heard horror stories of a walking dead when taking lycan blood and it changing a vampire to a creature that drank blood but walked in the daylight.
“Nothing will happen to me, my love. That I promise. I have taken lycan blood before when I’ve been injured. Matter of fact, your father was one who gave it to me when we were but young teenagers during a hunting accident.”
This admission surprised Najha. “Really? Okay, I’m fine with you taking what you need. I do not want you to ever think of another. You only need to feed from me from now on, okay?” Where this came from Najha had no idea, especially since she intended to leave. But the thought of him feeding from another woman made her feel a rage she’d never known before.
“I promise.” Lucien waited a few moments. His hands touched her entire body until she felt as if she might go up in flames and never burn out.
When he bit into her neck, there was absolutely no pain. As he drank from her vein, her body peaked so high, she felt as if she was about to jump from a cliff and with this act, the magic of their souls weaved together tighter than before. Her womb clenched and her pussy needed something more. His hand stroked her in her most private area. His fingers had somehow found their way into her jeans and inside her wet pussy. He used his finger to stroke her clit until she wanted to scream to the heavens as she’d reached something, just not sure what.
Fisting his thick dark hair, Najha pulled and pushed his head into her neck to drink whatever he wanted as her world shot straight up to the skies before exploding as if she were a fallen star careening toward earth. The feeling of wave after wave of punishing goodness collided with his hands and her body. “Oh my God, Lucien!”
When he broke away from her neck, he pulled her petite body on top of his own legs. He grabbed her by the hips and rubbed her against his hard cock still inside his jeans.
Najha wanted to please her man. ‘Lucien, help me, I need to do as you’ve done to me.’
‘Put your hand on my cock. Unzip my jeans, love.’
She did as he instructed. With his long, hardened shaft in her hands, she knew they were obstructed from anyone’s view by the clubhouse. They had been given total privacy by her father. Now, she wanted to please him as he had her. She scooted down until her mouth took him fully. He moaned as she swallowed his cock hitting the back of her throat. She moved, tightened her lips around his cock then worked on him. In and out until he was groaning. She’d known of doing this but had never tried it with a male, since none had interested her enough to do so. Just the one time in her mind and it had been with Lucien too.
His hands clenched her hair, gently tugging the long strands until he too stiffened and tried to tell her, as he moaned, “Najha, release me.”
“Never,” she hummed. His hard cock hardened and grew larger until his seed came out into the back of her mouth. She swallowed his cum until there was no more. She loved the taste of him. Salty and a little bitter. When she released him, she quickly zipped him back up then straightened his pants. She licked her lips and looked up at him. “Soooo good.”
He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to his mouth. “Kiss me, woman, or I’m never going to let you leave me.”
She giggled but did as he commanded. They kissed deep and long for a few moments until Najha separated them. “We must settle this between us, Lucien. Can you promise me one thing?”
“Anything.” He smiled gently. Rubbing his hand along her face, he seemed saddened.
“Can you promise me that you will find a way for us to be together as mates?”
“Without a doubt, my love, I’m going to find a way. I need for you to go out into this world and find what will truly make you happy. When you come back, I won’t stop you from whatever you’ve put your mind to doing. But I will tell you this…I will make you my wife someday.”
Well, he would never get an argument from her over this statement. “I do have to tell you something, Lucien.”
“What is that?”
“I think I like you a lot.” She looked downwards but still stayed on his lap.
“I think I like you a lot too,” he whispered.
When she looked up at him, it was to find him smiling. “What?”
“I think you’re absolutely adorable, woman.”
Suddenly, her mind was filled with evil and darkness. She grabbed the sides of her head and moaned.
Lucien quickly grasped her to him. “Let me in, love.”
She opened her mind to Lucien and inside, they figured out what had happened. It was her mother. She was in trouble. Something had gotten to her.
‘Najha…’ Myra moaned out.
‘Mother?’
‘Myra, this is Lucien. I’m here with your daughter. I need to protect her from your pain. What has happened? I can feel you’re in need of a healer?’
‘No! It’s taken me. I don’t know where though. You need to get to Cade and Thorn. Send them out. I’m on the other side. Najha, you know the place. Red’s home.’
Her mom disconnected too hastily. The thing that had her must have hit her or worse—killed her. Najha opened her pain filled eyes. A tear slid down her cheek. “Lucien, help me.”
“Love, I’m here, and I will be with you the entire time. Come on, let’s tell the others.” Lucien lifted her up into his arms as he stood. He gently set her feet on the ground to walk beside him.
Without him being there for her, Najha wasn’t sure she would’ve been strong enough to walk and make her way into the clubhouse without jumping on her bike and leaving to find her. Myra shouldn’t have been tracking those things alone. What the hell had her mom been expecting? Najha frowned. “Lucien, if I hadn’t come here to see you, maybe I could have saved my mom before she was taken?”
“Do not blame yourself. Your mother is a strong woman. She’d made the choice to track from your house toward the Bolnav. We will save her. This I promise.”
“How can you make such a promise to me?” Najha let go of his hand as they walked inside the clubhouse. Why couldn’t she be normal and fall in love with a human or a lycan? No, her frickin body and mind was choosing a man she couldn’t have—Lucien, the dammed King of the vampires.
Her super sensitive hearing was picking up conversation around the clubhouse. They already knew something was wrong.
A panicked Cade came running inside. “Thorn, Najha—it’s Myra.”
Najha nodded. “She’s alive, I just spoke to her.” Walking over to Thorn, she looked up at him. “Daddy.”
“I know, sweetie.” He gathered her into his arms. “You need to be Najha, the warrior. I need your strength and skills. You’re one of my best trackers. We can drive the motorcycles over to the area she mentioned.”
“She talked to you too?”
“No, I’m always with you, honey. Well, unless it’s private.” His gaze focused on Lucien.
Lucien held up his hands. “Stay out of our personal lives. I will make her my wife. If we can figure out how to change the laws.”
Thorn nodded once. “I know and thank you for your help. We need everyone we can get. Can we put our warriors together? I need you and the horses.”
“Done.” Lucien nodded.
Vlad walked up to their small group. He wore a smile, but when he spoke, he was sincere, “Najha, Thorn. I heard about Myra. Damn shame. But I’ve called together our men. They want to know if you’d like us to head out and get our partners.”
Lucien looked to Thorn then Najha.
She nodded, her eyes pleading with his. She knew he understood.
He turned to Vlad, Kaden, and other vampires she recognized, she just didn’t know their names. “Men, mount up. We’re taking the motorcycles and turning them in for our real partners. Opus is preparing them as we speak.”
Najha couldn’t wait to see her mate in full gear as if they were entering a war. Those horses of theirs were absolutely beautiful and a sight to behold when they were all together. There had been a time or two when she had trailed them in the past as a child, unbeknownst to anyone.
Najha walked him to the door of the clubhouse.
Lucien turned to her. “Najha, love. I just wanted to tell you I’ve fallen crazy, madly in love with you. Don’t take any risks on that damn motorcycle. I need you safe to be with me when we figure this all out.”
Najha couldn’t help herself, she threw herself at him. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she kissed his lips. “I love you too. Thank you. I’ll stay safe if you promise me you will too. Tell Opus?” She waited, he nodded, and Najha smiled. “Tell that giant of a horse to keep you safe for me.”
“When you meet him, I’ll let you tell him. He’s kind of cranky. I don’t tend to be able to reason with him.”
She smiled, then looked down at the ground. Suddenly embarrassed, because they seemed so natural and comfortable with each other.
He cupped her chin with his hand. “Don’t ever submit to me this way. You’re a woman warrior. Be proud of who you are first, Najha. This between us is supposed to be natural. Mates never should feel uncomfortable or embarrassed with each other. We’ll learn from our mistakes and believe me, there will be plenty.”
“Here, take this.” He handed her a small lock of his hair.
“For what?”
“If you need me this will connect you to me by just the smell. I’ve taken your blood, I will be able to find you wherever you be.” Lucien kissed her then pushed her back a bit so he could walk toward the motorcycles.
Lucien made perfect sense, and it soothed her nerves a bit. She was still worried about her mother, even knowing she could take care of herself and she wasn’t stupid. Najha nodded, then hugged him again, and pushed him away from her. “Go! Please help me find my mother.”
Lucien nodded and waved. He swung his jean-clad leg over the seat of his Harley and sat back in the wide seat comfortably. He circled his hand over his head, and all the motorcycles belonging to the vampires started up. The noise was deafening along the street in front of the Lycan clubhouse. The fifty or more motorcycles started slowly until they gained their speed and drove away.
Najha let the tears fall down her face. Without Lucien by her side, she suddenly felt all the panic and loneliness. She felt strong arms circle her and pull her into the safety of her father’s arms. She looked up into Thorn’s eyes. “Daddy, what’s the plan for me?”
He scowled. “I don’t want you to risk your life. I need you though. You are one of my best trackers. With you, I’m pretty sure we can find your mother before it’s too late. She’s still alive. I have her in here.” He pointed to his heart.
To bond with another woman, Thorn did that with his children’s mothers. They had that connection nothing could break. His mate, Jayden, totally understood and actually had the same bond with her mother and the mother of Dante and Jonas. They were all connected as a family.
She lifted her lip and exposed her lengthened canines. “I’m going to rip out the throat of the person who’s done this to Mom.”
Thorn nodded. “You’ll have to get into line. Let’s go, Najha. The vampires are preparing, as we will too.”
She nodded. Following her father, whom she trusted, she and others would follow their Alpha leader into this war and any they were presented with. A lycan never started a fight, but they knew how to finish and win one.
*****
An hour later, after getting dressed from her home, Najha walked outside and got on her Ninja. In her right hand, she carried her sword and her left, a lock of Lucien’s hair she’d asked him to give her. This was their bond, and no one could break it. She loved the man as her own.
After starting the bike, she headed over to Thorn’s estate where they all agreed to meet after getting their gear for a few days out on a search and possible fight. She gave the fast motor a lot of gas and headed to her dad’s.
*****
Thorn waited to see what would happen with his daughter and Lucien. He knew about the flirting and the love-stricken way Najha had been following the leader of the vampires around. He saw for himself what was happening and he needed to speak to her in private. He refused to let this law come down upon Lucien and Najha. He’d have to protect them from the others.
Jayden had decided to join them. Her parents had just arrived at their home to watch their son, Chase. He knew she was good after the birth of their son. A lycan female healed within a few days and Jayden insisted on helping. Her and Najha had grown close. Who was he to stop the women he loved of being together during this time? He couldn’t believe how Jayden had changed him enough to realize the women were assets as well as the men.
“Thorn, what do you propose we do about this?” Aiden walked up to him. Taraji at his side, his mate too young for the couple to be together.
“Why is she here?” Thorn pointed.
“I heard what happened. I need to be with you in case Myra needs me.” Taraji held up her hands and looked over at Najha who was just pulling in on her bike. She’d gotten fully dressed in her warrior outfit. “I know she’s capable, but if her mom is in a bad way, they’ll need me.”
Thorn knew Taraji was right. But was Aiden okay with this? “Aiden?”
His right-hand man nodded. “She’ll ride with me,” his voice low and harsh.
“Okay, it’s your ass if she’s hurt or worse, killed. We can’t afford to lose another.” Thorn didn’t want to take the women into battle. What the hell was happening to his pack? First Najha, then Jayden, and now a sixteen-year-old pup, Taraji wanted to ride into war?
Three hundred years ago, the women fought next to the men. But they weren’t as scarce as they were now. A female should be cherished forever and held in safety. This was going against his gut.
A stirring in the area around his house, then the silence concerned Thorn. When he looked up from gathering his own weapons, he found his mate, Jayden, walking toward him. She was dressed in a long black leather trench coat. Her booted heels adding at least two inches to her height and the black leather surrounding her legs up to her kneecaps kept her limbs protected for the ride on his bike. She wore a black t-shirt and black leather chaps. Her entire body covered as if she was a warrior going into a fight. His woman had grown and become her own. He felt proud to call her his wife and mate. “Jayden, love. Wow, you look amazing.”
She smiled, her knowing look told him she had gained confidence and courage. The almost rape over a year ago hadn’t affected her one bit. In fact, he’d known for certain she’d grow to be a very powerful being who could kick his ass. “Thanks, love. I’m sorry to hear about Myra. But I think with all of us out there, we have a good chance of finding her.”
Najha walked over to them. Her heels clicking on the floor. Her chains on her leather clanked together making a chiming noise that followed her every step. This woman was tiny and petite, but his daughter was just as powerful with her healing, magic, and warrior fighting skills as he was. A little older and she could probably kick his ass and take Alpha.
Dante and Aiden walked up to them. “Wow, you two look amazing. Taraji, when we’re out there, I need you to stay with one of us. Do you understand?”
Taraji hit him in the chest. “Aiden, stop. We’re not even married yet, and you’re telling me what to do. I know my limitations. I want to be there for everyone. Anyone can get hurt. I also called Cory, she is heading out with Lucien and his men. We’ll be covered out there with two healers.”
Thorn chuckled, shook his head and made a circular motion above his head. He wanted the group to move outside to the motorcycles. “Let’s ride out!”
The group whooped and hollered. They were pumping themselves up for a battle. They needed every available lycan to go into this with their mad skills as fighters. They didn’t know exactly what was out there, but they were certain it wasn’t a lone evil thing. No, this was a group or a whole lot of evil. Myra was a powerful lycan who couldn’t be taken by a single entity.