Chapter Ten

With the fight between Chase and Cairo settling down, the other members of Shaw’s pack began to disperse, seeking refuge in their own cabins. The only member who was still irritated and full of angst was Shelly.

“She’s lying!” she continued to protest. “That’s not her brother! Just wait and see. They probably have a pack, stronger and larger than ours just waiting for their signal. They’re going to come and slaughter us all!”

“You’re hysterical, Shelly,” Titan groaned. He seemed more embarrassed for her than upset. She was becoming more and more irrational the fewer people started to care about her ravings.

The only person she truly had left on her side was Taylor. He pushed Titan away from her, snarling at them all, “Don’t look at her like she’s crazy like we weren’t here to see what Shaw and Kristin did to Victor’s pack!”

“I did what I had to do to protect our family, just like I was ready to do it again today!” Shaw stammered. His eyes cut to Taylor who backed away immediately.

It didn’t stop him from pressing his accusations forward, “You’ll all live to regret this decision! She doesn’t belong here!”

“What the hell is it with you two?!” Cara shouted, “Isn’t it enough that Cairo and I share the same birthmark? That our coats grow out in the same pattern? What’s it going to take to show you that we’re siblings and no threat to you or this pack?”

“I wouldn’t mind seeing that coat trick!” Shelly yelled charging toward Cara.

With her arms extended out, Shelly tackled Cara away from Cairo. Screaming and pulling her hair, Shelly’s eyes beamed wildly as she began to hurl her fists into Cara’s body. While it wasn’t the most painful sparring match she’d ever been in, it was the most annoying and Cara was sick of her.

Cairo and Titan both moved to break them up when Cara shouted out to them, “NO ONE STOP THIS! We’re going to finish this once and for all!”

“Whatever you say cunt!” Shelly shifted instantly charging Cara without warning. Biting into her side, Cara howled in pain as she let herself change as well. Her light brown wolf was fully recovered from that bite and it pissed her off.

Cara shook Shelly loose off her fur and attacked her, claws out and teeth gnashing. They swiped at each other and bit each other across the torso. A few rolls around and Cara had Shelly by the throat. As tempted as she was to clamp down and end her life, that kind of blood was something she didn’t want on her hands … or teeth.

She released her from her grip, shifting back into her human panting to catch her breath and holding her side. The pain was agonizing as Titan helped Cara move away from Shelly.

“That’s right! Replace me with your whore!” Shelly yelled.

“Shelly that’s enough,” Kristin said in a calm tone, but it didn’t do much to soothe the woman who felt jilted.

“No! You promised me! The two of you promised me he’d belong to me!” Shelly yelled.

Titan turned around, “What?”

Shaw and Kristin shared a look of shame and then hostility toward the defeated wolf. Kristin spoke as calmly as she could, “Titan, you don’t understand. It was after Danielle left. We were worried about you. Shelly was here. She was similar to her, but we didn’t know this was where you’d end up. We had no idea how you’d get over that. It was a promise we made to her years ago. We were only looking out for you.”

“That’s a lie! Tell me that my life, my heart, my love wasn’t apart of some territorial bargaining agreement. Did you promise your first born son to the alpha of that pack you slaughtered?”

“You were already promised to Victor and his daughter!” Shaw blurted out. “It only made sense but when he began to cross the line and threaten us! The audacity to threaten me! I’m a Finnegan, boy, I will do anything for those I love. You know that more than anyone else. And we haven’t enforced that agreement so there’s no need to get upset!”

“Upset! No need to get upset?!” Titan shouted, “Look at her!”

“Don’t throw your pity on me now,” Shelly hissed, “It’s only right that Cara wins. She’s great at everything right? Lover, fighter, mate… You wouldn’t have cared even if they told you. Your mind was made up the moment you laid eyes on her.”

“That may have been true, but I certainly wouldn’t have treated you like you were the crazy one. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Can’t say anything until after you marked me. Your parents did insist that at least that part be genuine,” she huffed.

Titan didn’t know what to say as he stared at his parents in disappointment. There were far too many secrets, and he was tired of it all. Titan grabbed Cara, with his arm around her waist, he whispered to her, “Would you do me the honor?”

“Of course,” she murmured sweetly tilting her head to the side. The prick of Titan’s fangs, just under her flesh, marking her his mate for life for all to see was the final straw that made Shelly crumble. She broke down into tears and Taylor carried her away, shaking his head at all of them.

Turning to his parents, they were just as exhausted, but still welcomed Titan and Cara’s union with open arms.

“So I guess that means you’re not coming back to Myre Falls then?” Fang asked her.

Cara glanced over to Titan and then back to her longtime friend shaking her head, “No. I think I’m going to settle down here for a while.”

“Completely understandable,” he told her, “And what should I tell Paxton?”

“Tell him that I’m happy and that while I understand why he made the decision he did, I can’t say that I’m not disappointed in him. I don’t care what happens with him and his mate, he can face the Council on his own. I had nothing to do with that and want nothing to do with it. I’m going to be okay,” she said with certainty.

“Oh I know, Doll, I always knew you’d be okay. What about Cairo?” he asked her.

Cairo strolled over to them after hearing his name, “I’m going to stick around and get to know the people here and make sure you truly are in capable hands. Besides, I think the young fella over there would like a rematch since I whooped his ass.”

“Oh you wish, bro,” Chase laughed. “Anytime you wanna go man, let’s go! I’m ready for you anytime!”

It was as if they hadn’t been trying to kill each other moments ago. But it was nice to see them kind of getting along. But she knew that even if Cairo stayed, he wouldn’t stay for long. This was the home she’d made without him. He understood that.