Casey
Every part of Casey’s body ached.
He could feel the bone in his arm knitting itself, his shifter healing already at work to put him back together again after his fight with Pritchard. It was an irritating feeling – like hot needles under his skin – but he knew it was a healing pain, and he would just have to put up with it until it was done.
The wounds in his sides had already closed up, and all that was left of them now were livid bruises and scabbing that covered his ribs and chest. He’d be all right again after a few days, or a couple of weeks at most.
But right now, he had bigger fish to fry.
He glared at Pritchard where he sat across from him, and hoped the effect wasn’t spoiled by the fact his eye was black and swollen from having caught one of the bull’s horns to his face.
“The contract wasn’t signed in good faith,” he said slowly, hoping he was using the right words to explain his case. He swallowed heavily. His father would have known exactly what to do or say here, and Joe would too. Lincoln had been an alpha for decades, and Joe had always known he would take over from his father.
Besides which, both of them had always been of a more serious temperament than Casey. He’d found all the lessons about the fine details of shifter law boring as hell. He’d never be alpha, so why did he have to know them?
Now – knowing that one wrong word could ruin everything he was trying to do – he wished he’d paid more attention.
Pritchard glowered. Casey’s one satisfaction in all of this was that Pritchard was just as worse for wear as he was. Scratch and bite marks covered his body, and the wound from the nasty swipe Casey had landed on his face was still only just now beginning to close. Dried blood covered the side of his face and the thick bulk of his neck.
At least Pritchard was a worthy opponent, Casey thought. An alpha who fights his own battles.
“But it was still a contract,” Pritchard said, his voice rasping a little. “A signed, sealed contract. Are you telling me I’m not within my rights?”
Casey wanted to yell at him that that was exactly what he was telling him and they could get back to fighting about it if he wanted, but he swallowed his anger down. He was aware of Natalie’s presence by his side, and tried to let it calm him.
For her. Do this right for her. And do it right for Micah.
“I’m not saying that,” Casey said, drawing on every ounce of tact he had. “I’m saying that Kenneth did the wrong thing by you. The child’s mother never consented. You know that for this kind of thing, both parents have to agree to give up the heir. That’s how it is.”
Pritchard simmered for a long moment, his expression becoming even more sour. “Kenneth said –”
“It doesn’t matter what he said,” Casey interrupted. “What matters is the truth. Ken lied to you – and that’s something for you to take up with him. Not his son, and not the mother of his son.”
Casey glanced to where Ken was kneeling on the floor, expression half-afraid, half-furious. He didn’t look up as Pritchard turned to look at him, snarling.
“Trust me, Kenneth will be dealt with. But this doesn’t solve my problem. I’m owed a lot of money, or someone to add to my pack. At this point, I don’t care which. But it has to be one or the other.”
Money you gained through criminal activity, Casey thought bitterly. But he couldn’t bring that up now.
For the moment, he just wanted to focus on getting out of here without a fight – and getting Natalie to safety.
That was, and always would be, his first priority. From now on, and for the rest of his life, he would always put her and Micah’s safety first.
Swallowing, Casey dug back through his memory, trying to find anything he might have learned from his lessons on shifter law that would help him.
“There’s another way,” he said slowly, as a memory finally surfaced. “Take Ken on in service. Make him earn back what he owes you.”
Pritchard sneered. “It would take his entire lifetime.”
Casey looked at him levelly. “But it would be more honorable than taking a child from his mother.” He took a deep breath. “And besides, Natalie is my mate. And once she comes under my protection, so does her son. And neither of them will go anywhere they don’t want to. My alpha backs me on this. You cross me, you cross him. Natalie and her son will find nothing but safety and protection on our pridelands.”
Casey resisted the urge to hold his breath and continued to look Pritchard in the eye. This was his final gambit. He knew that Pritchard would understand his message: that unless he wanted to declare all-out war on the Cedar Hill Pride, there was no way in hell he’d ever be getting his hands on either Natalie or Micah.
Pritchard grunted in anger. “Is that the way it is?”
Casey nodded. “It is.”
There was silence. Casey didn’t dare take his eyes from Pritchard’s face. One sign that he could falter in his resolution might ruin everything. He had to make Pritchard believe that he was fully prepared to back up his words with actions.
And I am.
He would go to the ends of the earth to protect his mate and her cub.
That was his purpose.
And he would never let any harm come to them.
At last, Pritchard’s face screwed into an angry sneer of acceptance.
“If that’s how it is, and your alpha backs you, then I accept it,” he growled. “I won’t do harm to another shifter’s mate. And I won’t transgress the boundaries of another shifter’s lands.”
“You accept that the contract for the heir isn’t valid?” Casey asked, wanting to be sure. “You won’t come after Micah or Natalie again?”
“I never came after the woman,” Pritchard snarled. “Not as soon as I knew she was your mate. I am not a mate-stealer.”
Casey stared at him a moment longer, but his fury seemed genuine. Perhaps it had been a mistake after all. He hadn’t been sure whether or not to believe Pritchard when he’d said before that he hadn’t given Ken any instructions to take Natalie, but he seemed sincere in his outrage.
You’re lucky, Casey thought to himself. I could say you did order it, and get you branded a rogue and a mate-stealer.
“One last thing,” Casey said as Pritchard moved to get up. He sucked in a deep breath as Pritchard turned back toward him. “Ken. I want to make sure that regardless of how you get your money back, you don’t hurt him.”
There was a murmured ripple of surprise amongst the gathered shifters. He felt Natalie’s hand resting on his shoulder.
Pritchard was staring at him, incredulous, and Casey hoped he hadn’t made a mistake.
He’s a disgusting person who would sign away his own son’s life, Casey thought. But he’s still Micah’s father. Maybe he can change. And Micah deserves to know him if he does.
“You care about this human?” Pritchard asked, sweeping his hand back toward where Ken was sitting. Ken himself was staring at Casey now, his expression amazed.
Casey looked at him, fighting down the waves of instinctive hatred toward a man who had hurt his mate, and his own desire to make him pay for what he’d done.
Once upon a time, he wouldn’t have cared what happened to him.
Once upon a time, he would have handed Ken over to Pritchard without a second thought, reasoning that he was only a human, after all, and he had brought this on himself.
But Casey liked to believe he had changed – and for the better.
It wouldn’t have been fair to condemn Ken, when he himself had behaved so stupidly in the past. He had betrayed his pride and his family. The people who he loved, and who loved him.
All because of a stupid, mistaken belief that humans and shifters couldn’t live together in peace.
He might have been young then, but it was no excuse. His actions were his responsibility. He had been given a second chance. By Mason and Charity. By his father, and by Joe.
He couldn’t deny another man the chance to change.
“I need your word on this,” Casey said. “Your word as a shifter, and as alpha.”
For a moment, it looked as if Pritchard was about to refuse – but then, he shook his head, clearly irritated. “Fine. My word is given – and my word is my bond. He’ll be of more use in one piece anyway. I need a dish washer at one of my restaurants.”
“Then we’re settled,” Casey said. He paused, glancing back down to where Ken was still staring at him in frank amazement. “And believe me, Pritchard, I will know if you’ve kept your word.”
Pritchard’s lip curled. “I don’t break my word, once it’s given,” he growled. “I don’t make false pledges.”
He and Casey held each other’s eyes a moment longer, before Casey gave him the barest of nods.
Grunting a slight acknowledgement, Pritchard turned away, barking orders to his pack. “Grab that human and let’s go. This whole idiot venture has done nothing but cost me a perfectly good suit.”
Casey stood and watched as they filed out, Ken with them, his head hanging.
No doubt contemplating his new life as a dish washer, Casey thought. He hoped it might teach Ken the value of a hard day’s work.
At last, he and Natalie were alone in the cavernous space of the barn.
“Oh, God – Casey –”
Natalie’s lips were on his in a moment, her arms winding around his back. Despite the tenderness of his ribs and the pain in his right arm, Casey took her into his embrace at once, pulling her against his chest.
Inside him, his lion roared in triumph.
Our mate. She’s safe. She’s here. No one will harm her ever again.
At last they drew back from each other. Natalie’s beautiful blue eyes stared into his.
“You’re hurt,” she said, her fingertips tracing lightly over his blackened eye and swollen cheekbone. Then she frowned. “But… it seems like…”
Casey laughed softly. “Shifter healing. I’ll be fine by tomorrow. The ribs and the arm might take a little longer – but not more than a couple of weeks.”
Natalie’s eyes grew even wider. “That’s… okay, that’s a little freaky, I’m not going to lie,” she said. “But God am I glad to hear that. I didn’t know what to do when you and Pritchard were fighting. I was certain you were going to kill each other.”
Casey laughed. “Well, there’s not a lot you could have done. It’s best to just stay out of shifter fights. And it might have given Pritchard an excuse to declare it invalid if you had done something.”
Natalie looked a little sheepish. “Well, to be honest, I was about five seconds away from starting the truck and driving it between you to try to get you to stop.”
Casey stared down at her, open-mouthed. “Are you serious?”
She laughed. “Well, I didn’t get the chance, anyway – Ken showed up and decided he was taking the truck. So that put paid to that idea.”
Casey shook his head. “Little weasel. I’m glad you managed to stop him. I doubt either Pritchard or I could have put up much of a chase if he’d been able to make a break for it.”
Turning her head, Natalie looked at the barn doors Pritchard and his pack had disappeared out of. Pensively, she bit her lip. “I wonder if I should have said something to him before he left,” she said softly. “I thought I should, but then, after everything he’s done, I don’t think I could have said anything that wasn’t a screamed insult…”
Casey shook his head, putting his arms around her once more. “You don’t have to see him ever again if you don’t want to,” he said, drawing her head into his chest. “After what he’s put you through, I wouldn’t blame you.”
“But you asked Pritchard not to hurt him,” Natalie said, her lips soft against his chest. She drew in a deep breath. “I’m not sure I could have been so generous.”
“He’s still Micah’s father,” Casey said, after a slight hesitation. “One day, after he’s proved he can change, I just thought…”
“No. It was the right thing to do.” Natalie pulled back, looking up at him. “Right now, all I want to do is spit in his face after what he’s done. But… you’re right. He’s scum. But he doesn’t deserve… whatever Pritchard might have done, if you hadn’t forced him to promise he wouldn’t.”
Casey nodded, stroking his fingers through her soft hair, his other hand resting in the deep valley of her waist. “I’m glad. If you’d wanted me to, I would have –”
“No.” Natalie shook her head, the soft skin of her cheek brushing against him. “I wouldn’t want you to do a single thing differently.” She pulled back, looking up into his eyes again. Her hand cupped his cheek. “You saved me, Casey. Me and Micah both. I never… no one has ever…”
She swallowed heavily, dropping her eyes.
She didn’t need to say another word. Casey understood.
They stayed where they were for a long time, simply holding each other in their arms. Casey closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of her hair, his lion purring in his chest.
Ours. Our mate.
“I suppose we should really be getting back,” Natalie said eventually, reluctantly pulling back from him. “I don’t want to worry them any more than they already are.”
Casey nodded. “And I should really sleep. Healing goes so much faster when you’re sleeping.”
Natalie glanced at him from beneath her eyelashes, her expression teasing. “I hope sleeping isn’t the only thing you plan on doing.”
Casey immediately felt a flood of heat to his groin, despite his injuries. Natalie was just that irresistible.
“Well, I’ll see what I can do,” he promised.
Natalie laughed lightly, giving him a heated look. “I think a reward is in order for my knight in shining armor.” Her eyes drifted to his still-healing arm. “But, having said that… I think I’ll be the one who drives.”