Chapter Twenty-Three
Hayley woke up to the rich aroma of hot chocolate. Marius wasn’t in bed next to her, although beneath the scent of warm chocolate, she could smell his scent of wild grasses. She opened her eyes to see him sitting on her sofa, a mug in his hand as he watched her.
“Creeper,” she said, grinning. “Do you like to watch women while they sleep?”
He raised his mug in salute. “Just you.”
“Good answer. I might let you live.”
He stood up and gave her a second mug. “Breakfast in bed,” he said. “It’s not substantial, but it looks like you’re out of eggs and…everything.”
“There are a couple of eggs in there, right?” she said, pointing to the mini fridge.
He shook his head.
She sighed. “I’ve been too preoccupied to shop, I guess. I’ll go today.”
“I’ll go with you, if you want. Could be fun.”
“Grocery shopping?”
“If it’s with you, it’ll be fun. You’ll probably call the clerk a sofa-wanker or something.”
She held back a laugh. “Unless I’m really mad, I reserve those kinds of names for people I like.” She took a sip of her hot chocolate. He’d made it just the way she liked—thick and chocolatey. “I guess I should take a shower, if we’re going out. I probably smell like a bar.”
“I could use a shower, too,” he said, setting down his mug. He winked. “Should we conserve water?”
“I don’t know,” she said. The idea was appealing, but her shower was made for one. “It’s a tiny shower…”
His grin was wicked. “I think we’ll make it work.”
Just then, her phone rang. She glanced down and took an involuntary step back. Boris Lockman.
But Marius was here. She had nothing to be scared of. She answered the call. “Hello?”
“Hayley. Our enforcer had an unexpected change in his schedule, so our meeting will be tonight. You’ll make yourself free.”
“I—this is too short of notice,” she said.
“If you’re telling us the truth about your ‘mate,’ I’m certain you’ll be glad to prove it and put this disagreement in the past.”
Her mind raced. The more unsure and nervous she sounded, the more he’d disbelieve her claim that Marius was her mate.
In a strong, even tone, she said, “I’m with someone. He is my mate.”
Boris paused for a long moment before saying, “I can hear that you believe that. But I remain unconvinced.”
He ended the call, and Hayley was left holding her phone, staring at it. When she looked up, Marius was gazing at her with heat in his eyes.
“You believed what you said,” he said. “You don’t only love me—there’s more.”
Wordlessly, Hayley nodded. His triumphant grin eased her anxiety. “Then we’ll go to this meeting, and we’ll show them. Right?”
“Right.”
She could ask him to mark her now, but it wouldn’t change the fact that the mark would be for the Lockmans’ benefit. Last night, she had understood where Marius was coming from, not wanting to cheapen it. But today, she really knew it, deep in her heart, and in her blood and bones.
“What if the enforcer still refuses to take our side?” she asked. “What if they try to claim our territory?”
“We can’t worry about that yet,” he said. “You have a strong claim.”
Now that she had Marius, she didn’t want to be away from him. He was her mate. She launched herself at him, like she had in Paris Lake just over a week ago, and wrapped her arms and legs around him. His arms came up around her ass so he could hold her in place while she kissed him. He tasted like hot chocolate and goodness and love.
“Come on,” he said, his voice gruff with passion. “Shower.”
He put her down and they stepped into the bathroom. Hayley couldn’t stop shaking. It was a good thing Marius was helping to undress her, otherwise she wasn’t sure she’d be able to do it on her own. Tonight. Tonight, they’d face the Lockmans and their enforcer.
Bittersweet. That’s what this was. She and Marius were mates and they both knew it. But tonight they’d have to convince the Lockmans of the truth.
She turned on the water while Marius undressed himself. His long-sleeved tee came over his head, revealing the rippling muscles beneath, the flat discs of his nipples, his wide shoulders. He took his jeans off next, and looked up to catch her eyes while he did it.
“Like what you see?” he asked.
“As if your ego needs any help…but yes. Yes, I like what I see. I like who I see, too.”
His smile widened as his eyes roved over her naked body. “I like what—and who—I see.”
Hayley grinned and stepped into the tiny shower. “I don’t know how you think you’re going to fit in here,” she said over the sound of the pounding water.
“That’s what she said.”
Hayley groaned. “Seriously?”
Chuckling, he stepped into the little stall. His semi-hard dick was taking up plenty of room of its own, so Hayley didn’t doubt his “she said” joke.
“I still don’t know how you think we’re both going to shower—”
“Like this.” He crushed his mouth to hers and pulled her hands up over her head. He pressed her against the wall. Then he broke the kiss to whisper, “Okay?”
“Yeah,” Hayley said.
In one smooth motion, he nudged her thigh up with his knee, then bent slightly. His cock was no longer semi-hard, it was all the way hard, and it was poised at her entrance.
“Yes,” Hayley said, her voice a hiss.
He entered her with a groan.
His hands were strong on her wrists, his gaze fierce on her face. Water streamed from his hair, down his cheeks. It looked like tears. She leaned forward and licked one. Just water. Everything was okay.
Everything was better than okay as he began to move inside her, pressing her against the shower wall with each thrust. His cock felt hot and heavy inside her, so good she couldn’t help but moan her approval.
Warm water. Cool fiberglass. Marius.
The friction of him thrusting inside her grew, building heat, building pleasure. His mouth was on her neck, teasing with lips, tongue, and teeth.
“I want you,” she whispered. “I always want you.”
“Hayley,” he said, biting her hard where her neck met her shoulder. Not hard enough to leave a mark, but hard enough to get her to come. Pain and pleasure twined together. She rested her head against the shower wall and allowed him to support her weight as she came apart around him, quaking with the pleasure of it.
He’d slowed down inside her, allowing her to ride it out. His gaze was a caress on her face. She leaned forward to kiss his lips, and he surged forward within her again, deliberately, his movements pounding. She held him tight, hugging him with her pussy while he came.
“I love you, Hayley,” he said.
“And I love you, Marius.”
They shampooed each other’s hair, knocking elbows and sensitive bits as they washed, and laughing at how comical they must look, naked and sudsy and getting in the way.
Afterward, Hayley got them each a towel so they could dry off and get dressed.
“Jackson needs to know about that meeting,” Marius said, toweling off his hair and face.
“I’ll send him a text,” she said.
“You’re not alone, Hayley,” he said. “Let us help you. Tell him how bad this is, okay?”
“Okay.”
*
Hayley let Marius drive them to the meeting. Boris had texted further instructions—they would meet on neutral ground between the Spokane and Dark Pines territories, at a burger place owned by a rogue shifter. And as she’d promised Marius, Hayley texted Jackson before the meeting.
Hayley saw Jackson’s SUV in the parking lot, and she jumped out of Marius’s truck to go to it. “You didn’t bring Summer, did you?”
“No way,” he said. “She’s pissed, but I think she’s dealt with enough shifter drama in the past couple of months.”
Marius stiffened at Hayley’s side, but Jackson held up a hand. “I don’t blame you, man,” Jackson said. “At all. We’ve moved past it.”
“It’s not just that,” Marius said. “I don’t know if Hayley’s told you, but…I was there. At the pride war.”
“She told me,” Jackson said. “And I know you didn’t hurt our family. So we’ve moved past that too, okay?”
Marius nodded.
Hayley said, “Should we go inside?”
Jackson scanned the parking lot, as if looking for someone. Then he sighed and said, “Yeah, I guess so.”
The inside of the burger joint was dimly lit. It looked more like a bar than a restaurant with its dark wood paneling and neon beer signs in the windows, but the scents of burgers and french fries filled Hayley’s nose. A host led them through a little hall. When they stepped into the larger room, Hayley spotted the Lockmans right away.
Boris Lockman sat at the far side of the table, his back to the wall. A position of power in some ways—it claimed the advantage. But to Hayley, it also signified weakness. He didn’t want to be vulnerable. A red-haired woman sat at his side. Hayley had never met her before, but she had to guess this was his mate, Mabel Lockman. Mabel had sent Hayley those roses, although Hayley suspected, given the woman’s extremely submissive posture—head down, hands clasped in her lap—that she rarely did anything that wasn’t prompted by the alpha.
On Boris’s other side sat Alec, smiling his fake smile. Showing teeth without any crinkle of the eyes. And next to Alec, a man Hayley hadn’t seen before. His eyes were what she noticed first. More gold than brown, penetrating. His dark brown hair was buzzed, giving him a military look. If Hayley had to pick someone out to play “enforcer” in a movie, she’d have picked this guy. She wondered how much of his appearance was for show.
She grabbed Marius’s hand. Not to prove any kind of point about their relationship, but to feel his support.
Jackson started to move past Hayley, but she grabbed his arm. This was her meeting—she could be in charge.
She took a seat across from Boris. His gray and black hair and long nose reminded her of a peregrine falcon. Marius sat on her left, putting him next to Mabel. Jackson sat on her right, leaving one seat between him and the enforcer. A server hurried over, asking if she could bring them anything to drink. Everyone else ordered water.
Hayley asked for a chocolate milkshake.
The server winked at Hayley and took away the spare place setting. Jackson looked as if he’d try to stop her from taking away the napkin and silverware, but then he relaxed and shook his head. Hayley wanted to send him a questioning glance, but she didn’t want to call even more attention to Jackson being weird.
Beneath the table, Marius squeezed her hand.
“So. We’re here,” Hayley said. “This is my mate, Marius Nichols—”
“I’ll start the meeting,” the enforcer said in a low, no-nonsense tone.
“I was speaking,” Hayley said.
“And now I am speaking. My name is Kris Gregorio. I’m an independent enforcer serving several shifter packs, prides, and clans in Washington and Oregon. The Spokane Pride has hired me to resolve a dispute involving a betrothal.”
“Yes, mine,” Hayley said. “There’s been a mistake. As you can see, I already have a mate.”
“I see no such thing, and you will wait your turn to talk, young lady.”
Hayley pursed her lips together. The nerve of this asshole.
He continued in clipped syllables. “My word at this meeting is law. I will primarily speak with the alphas of each pride. Mr. Boris Lockman, and…” He looked at Hayley, Marius, and Jackson. “Which of you is the alpha of the Dark Pines Pride?”
Hayley tried not to react. Alpha? They didn’t have an alpha, because…because they weren’t a pride, yet. Will would have been her natural answer—he’d been leading Hayley and Jackson since they were kids, but Will—
“I’m the Dark Pines alpha,” a deep voice said from behind her.
Hayley spun in her seat, already scenting him. Pine and wet earth. This was the only person she knew, other than her father, who smelled like he not only belonged on the territory, but that he’d sprouted, fully-formed, from it.
And there he was. Will.
She let go of Marius’s hand and jumped up to hug him. Three weeks since she’d seen her brother, but it had felt like three years. “You’re—you’re here!” she exclaimed.
“Jackson told me what was going on. Why didn’t you call me, Hayley?”
She hadn’t thought it necessary. She’d hoped that she and Marius would waltz into this restaurant, show the Lockmans how much they loved each other, and waltz right back out, never to see or hear from the Lockmans again. Maybe it had been a wild hope, but she really hoped they didn’t need Will’s help, that they could resolve this one on their own, with the truth on their side.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” she said again. Then she turned around so she and Will both faced the table. “This is William Jaynes, alpha of the Dark Pines Pride.”
She’d never said it before. Nor had Will, nor had Jackson. But her words rang true.
The Lockmans sat, tight-lipped, at the table. The enforcer, Gregorio, said, “Now that your reunion is over, may I suggest that we continue with our meeting?”
“Sure,” Hayley said, reclaiming her seat. She wanted to nuzzle into Marius, but she was afraid it would look too affected. She could not wait until this was over so everything would feel natural again.
Will took a few limping steps over to the last remaining seat, between Jackson and Gregorio. Hayley wondered if his limp bothered him now, because it was a blatant effect of his old injury from the pride war. But if it did bother him, he didn’t show it. He looked as strong and stoic as ever.
Just as Gregorio was about to speak again, the server brought over Hayley’s milkshake and several waters. She looked as if she’d ask Will what he wanted, but seemed to lose her nerve under Gregorio’s stare. She handed Will an extra water and scurried off.
Hayley suspected the Lockmans were already paying the restaurant owner to use this table tonight, but as she took her first sip of milkshake, she promised herself she’d leave a giant tip for the server.
Looking highly annoyed, Gregorio continued. “The disagreement tonight is in regards to an old verbal contract, agreed upon by the alpha of the Spokane Pride and the former alpha of the Dark Pines Pride. The contract stated that in exchange for the Spokane Pride’s assistance in the pride war taking place approximately four years ago, the Dark Pines would promise their daughter, Hayley Jaynes, into engagement with the Spokane alpha’s son, Alec Lockman.” Here, Gregorio looked to Alec and nodded.
Something felt off in that nonverbal communication. Hayley felt chills run through her body.
This enforcer—he wasn’t an unbiased consultant. He’d been hired by the Lockmans, and…fuck. They were so screwed.
Will seemed to pick up on the tension Hayley was feeling. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and raised his eyebrows ever so slightly.
But how could she tell him? Straight up saying, out loud, that Gregorio was biased in favor of the Lockmans could start a giant fight, right here in the restaurant. Boris already looked like he was ready to pummel someone, and Gregorio, well, shit, he looked like he’d feast on the remains.
She wasn’t sure what kind of shifter Gregorio was, but if she had to guess, she’d say it had “sociopathic” as a prefix.
“The only loophole for getting out of the arrangement entirely,” Gregorio said, “is if Ms. Jaynes has already bonded with a mate.”
Gregorio held his hands in front of him, as if the backs of them were fascinating. Then he glanced up quickly at Hayley and Marius. Marius took her hand again, with gentle pressure. She squeezed back maybe a little too hard.
With his eyes still locked on Hayley and Marius, Gregorio said, “I’ve been watching the interaction between Ms. Jaynes and her so-called mate, and it is my ruling as the enforcer of this meeting, that their bond is fabricated.”
Hayley jumped out of her seat and leaned across the table. Sociopath or no, she had to correct this asshole. “That is a lie,” she said, “and we can all hear it.”
“Can we?” Gregorio asked, unmoved. “And I would ask that I communicate only with your alpha.”
“I agree with Hayley,” Will said. “She’s speaking the truth. The bond isn’t fabricated—look at them together.”
“Truth, lies,” Gregorio said. “I’ve heard of a shifter in eastern Oregon who can lie well enough to fool other shifters.”
“Impossible,” Will said. His forearms flexed as he tightened and loosened his fists, struggling for control. “And this isn’t a statement given by one shifter. This is a bond felt by two people, a bond which you seem determined to deny.”
The Lockmans didn’t seem to care. They didn’t look at Hayley and Marius. In fact, Hayley looked from Mabel, to Boris, to Alec. None of them reacted. It was going to be a case of the Dark Pines against the Spokanes. And the Spokanes had the enforcer in their pocket.
“Because you haven’t been able to prove that your attachment is anything substantial,” Gregorio continued, as if his honor hadn’t just been called into question, “I have to maintain that Ms. Jaynes uphold the contract made between her former alpha and the alpha of the Spokane Pride. In the event that she does not marry Mr. Alec Lockman, the Dark Pines territory will be transferred to the Spokane Pride.”
Hayley turned to look at Will and Jackson, and then she turned to Marius. Everything around her was blurry because her eyes were filling with tears. Not tears of sorrow or defeat, but tears of rage. This could not be allowed to happen. It was wrong.
“What will it be?” Boris asked.
“I’m not going to ask or even suggest to my sister that she marry another man while she’s bonded to Marius,” Will said, his voice deep and decisive. “And we refuse to give up our territory simply because a biased enforcer has proclaimed it is our only option.”
“You must,” Gregorio said. “There is no other option.”
“There is one other option,” Will said. “I challenge the Spokane pride to an individual fight for the territory.”
“No,” Hayley said, trying to reach across Jackson. Will couldn’t fight—he’d never been the same since the beam had fallen on his leg. Sure, he was still one of the strongest men she knew, but to lay everything on the line like this? She couldn’t let it happen.
“I accept,” Boris Lockman said quickly.
“Father,” Alec said, speaking for the first time. “Let it be me.”
Hayley couldn’t stop shaking her head. No. There could be no fight. She didn’t want a war, either, but an individual challenge for the territory? It could be just as bad.
Boris frowned, then looked to Gregorio. “Is there a problem with that, in pride law?”
“No problem at all. You each send one fighter. Winner takes the territory for his pride.” Gregorio looked to Will. “Do you agree?”
“Yes,” Will said, his jaw tight.
“No,” Hayley said again.
“It isn’t up to you,” Jackson hissed under his breath.
It was a good thing Marius was holding her other hand, or she might have strangled Jackson.
Gregorio said, “This Sunday, eight a.m. You will battle on the Dark Pines territory until one of you cedes. The winner keeps the Dark Pines territory. The loser forfeits all claims to it. Do you both agree?”
“Yes,” Will and Boris said in unison.
Sunday. Today was Friday. It was too soon. Hayley looked from Alec, a thirty-five-year-old shifter in his prime, to Will, a twenty-nine-year-old shifter who couldn’t walk smoothly after the injury he’d endured while protecting his family.
Sure, there was still a chance Will could win. He was strong, and smart. But she didn’t like the odds. She didn’t like them at all.