The scenery flew by. Lush green leaves topped the trees, and colorful flowers dotted the roadside. Hannah forced herself to take note of each different variety and tried to recall their scientific name. The mental exercise lasted all of five minutes. Thoughts of what Ethan would be facing in a few hours pushed everything else out.
She pressed her palms to her eyes and groaned. “What do you mean no one from your pack is going to back Ethan if Michael’s followers decide to attack him?”
“It’s not that they don’t support Ethan. Our pack loves him, but they won’t get involved.”
Hannah dropped her hands and glanced at Noah. “I understand that. Considering what’s at stake, though, shouldn’t they—”
“They’re afraid. Ethan doesn’t blame them. Neither do I.”
“Well, I do. Michael’s a horrible pack alpha. He lets his more vulnerable members struggle to make ends meet and has been selling those he considers dispensable.”
“Until Maria got into his ledger, there was no proof. Michael is a lot of things, but above all that, he knows how to manipulate and lie.” Noah sighed. “He also wasn’t always a bad alpha. The first two and a half decades after he took over were good. Sure, our pack wasn’t rich, but we were safe. Happy.”
She’d known that. Michael had been respected, even by her father. All that changed in one night when…
“Ethan matured.” Hannah turned in her seat. The certainty of her thoughts took root. “The spirit wolf wanted to be returned to its rightful bloodline. It only put up with Michael because it had no choice.”
Noah flashed her a pleased smile. “Exactly.”
“You told me about confronting Michael. So you didn’t know about Ethan’s parents, then?”
He shook his head. “No. Ethan had to be careful. He was the son of the old alpha and—”
“Michael’s wolf might’ve urged him to kill Ethan to prevent him from reclaiming his family’s pack.”
“Or kick him out. Neither was acceptable, so Ethan was raised by a beta family and purposely lived in the background of the pack to not draw attention to himself. It worked too. As a kid, we all knew he was strong and had the potential to be a dominant, but Ethan had seemed more concerned in his education than pack life. Many members of our pack, including Michael, dismissed him as being too human and therefore not a threat.”
“Including you?”
“Including me.” He flashed her a sheepish grin. “My reaction to Ethan confused me for a long time. He’s ten years younger than me and was in a lower level of the pack, so we never spent time together until I ran into him and Owen on their twenty-first birthday at a bar.”
Noah ran his fisted grip over the steering wheel. “One look at Ethan, and I wanted him, but I was drunk at the time. Really drunk.” He glanced at her. “I figured my attraction to him was because of the booze. I ignored it and kept drinking. Then Mindy showed up. She flirted with me like she always did, except I didn’t just harmlessly flirt back. I acted on it, and we ended up in bed.”
Hannah flinched, not because Noah was talking about another woman. No, what sent Hannah’s heart racing was the similarity in Noah’s story to the night she’d seduced Alex. Only he’d put an end to their relationship, whereas Noah had embraced his with Mindy.
Noah pulled onto the side of the road, then laid his hand on her thigh. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought up Mindy. It’s—”
She covered his hand with hers. “It’s okay. You loved Mindy. Besides, I was only a kid. I can just see how you were confused. It must’ve hurt Ethan. Did he realize what you were to him?”
“No. He fought our attraction longer than I did.” Noah pushed the loose collar of her shirt to the side, exposing her shoulder, then skimmed his fingers over her bare skin. “He knew he’d need a mate in order to become alpha. Desiring me messed up his plans, but we couldn’t stay away from each other. We became good friends. It wasn’t until a few years after Mindy died that I acted on my hunger for him.”
“And if she hadn’t died in that fire, you never would’ve.”
Noah dropped his hand. “If I hadn’t run my mouth off that morning, Michael wouldn’t have had her killed. We can play the ‘woulda-shoulda-coulda’ game for the rest of our lives. It doesn’t change anything. Neither does wallowing in guilt.”
“The facts are…” He turned in his seat to face her. Pain and loss didn’t radiate from him, not as it had the first time he’d mentioned Mindy. Acceptance did.
“I did taunt Michael, and he made the choice to order a woman’s death instead of facing his death at my hands. But no matter how it happened, the fire that claimed Mindy’s life changed the course of our pack.” Noah leaned forward. “Now our members are beaten down. They’re afraid. Dominants and betas alike. They don’t trust each other or Michael. Remember, there was never any hard evidence against him. Actually, Michael hinted that it could’ve been any number of people who set that blaze, including the humans or members of our pack.”
He waited a moment, obviously giving her a chance to digest his words, then nodded slowly. “Sure. I could’ve screamed at the top of my lungs that it was Michael who was responsible for Mindy’s death, but I had no proof. Without it, I would’ve been labeled a troublemaker and a threat to the pack. He would’ve ordered me to leave and abandon not only Ethan but my friends and pack mates.”
Noah was right. Her dad had commanded a couple of shifters to leave the pack over the years. It had been painful losing one of their own, but when it came to the safety of their community, sometimes hard choices had to be made. She sighed. “Because it’s not as if we can involve the humans in our affairs.”
“Or in our criminal investigations. What happened to Jenna’s nephew a couple of months ago is a perfect example of what my pack has dealt with since Mindy’s death.”
Jenna’s nephew had been found shot, and the scent of his killers had been tampered with. Without human technology and resources, they had been stuck. Doubt and pain had been the only closure they’d gotten.
She closed her eyes. Shame and understanding settled over her. It was easy to judge the members of Noah’s pack and slam their actions, but she had been looking at it from the outside, from a pack who protected their own and wasn’t dysfunctional.
“So, do you see why our pack members won’t stick up for Ethan if Michael turns on him before midnight? If Ethan loses, they’re afraid of what might happen to them.”
“Yes. I understand.” It didn’t mean she was happy about it. Hannah glanced out the back window. “Maybe you should take me back to my house. Ethan doesn’t have to mate me tonight. You should be there with him.” She turned imploring eyes on him. “Protect him if nobody else will. Please.”
“I can’t. Ethan ordered me not to change my routine. He doesn’t want to tip off Michael that anything is up, and I haven’t attended the full-moon ceremony in years.”
He leaned forward and kissed the spot on her shoulder where her mate mark would soon be displayed. “And Ethan wants to mate you while the magic of the night is strong. He’s hoping that somehow the spirit wolf will be able to bind the three of us if we’re together.”
She slid her hand to the back of Noah’s head and held him close. “Do you think it’ll work?”
He nibbled on her shoulder, then worked his way along the column of her throat to her ear. “Honestly, no. At least not the way Ethan wants. Love will bind us and help us find each other in the afterlife or the next one if we’re rebirthed. I’m certain of it, but I’m not against trying it Ethan’s way either. I’m looking forward to being with you again.”
Her breathing quickened. Thoughts of the previous night mixed with anticipation of what they would share after Ethan became alpha. She turned her head and caught Noah’s gaze. Desire burned in his green eyes. “So am I.”
“Hannah”—he dropped his heated stare to her lips—“I want you to belong to him. To me. So no one can take you away from us.”
“Nobody will. I’m your true mate and Ethan’s. Last night proved it. I brought both of you peace.”
“Yeah.” Noah dragged in a rough breath. “It did, and I want everyone to know it too. Last night after you fell asleep, Ethan and I talked about the future. How we’d share you.”
She frowned. “I thought we’d live together. Sleep together. Take turns being with each other.”
His lips lifted in a lopsided smile. “We will. That’s not what I’m talking about.”
“Then what are you saying?”
He took her left hand in his and stroked her ring finger. Her heart skipped a beat at the significance of what the simple caress implied.
“Ethan will be your mate in the shifter world, and I…” Noah lifted his gaze to hers. “I want to be your husband in the human world.”
Husband. Noah wanted to be her husband. He’d be hers, not just symbolically but officially. Legally.
“Noah.” She couldn’t say anything else. Tears clogged her throat.
He grinned, obviously seeing the happiness in her expression.
“Will you marry, Hannah? Will you be my wife?”
Hannah threw her arms around him. “Yes. Yes, I’ll be your wife.”
Noah squeezed her tightly. A shudder ran through him. “We’ll have a shifter wedding. The three of us. We’ll all wear rings, but the legal paperwork for the humans will show you as my wife. That’s okay with you, isn’t it?”
She kissed him. “Yes. That’s okay with me. Ethan’s okay with it too, right?”
“It was his idea.” Noah eased back. “He loves us both, Hannah. We’re very lucky.”
“We are”—she caught her lip between her teeth—“which is why it’s hard for me to sit and wait while I know he’s in danger.”
“Trust him. He’s strong, and he’s planned tonight well. Michael expects him to show up at the circle for the mating run. Ethan will, but once it starts, he’ll stay behind and challenge Michael in front of the rest of the pack.”
She closed her eyes and focused on her racing heart until it slowed. Noah had told her the details of Ethan’s conversation with Michael and how he was convinced Ethan wanted to mate Maria. “I do trust him. This is ultimately his fight anyway.”
Mated to the alpha, she’d have to get used to his life being in danger. Challenges were rare, but they did happen. Violence was part of their lives. It was the harsh reality of being a shifter.
“Good. Now crawl behind the seats. It’s time to smuggle you into my house.”
She glanced at him. His grin fit the humor in his voice. Hannah matched his smile. It was impossible not to. “Okay, but you do realize it’s a tight squeeze, even for me. I’m going to get a cramp.”
He unbuckled her, then tugged on her hand. “I’m sorry, but it’s the safest way. And I’ll rub any sore muscles you get.”
She worked her way into the small storage area between the front seats and the back of the cab. Noah covered her with a blanket.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes, but let’s make this quick. Okay?”
He patted her bottom. “Absolutely, love.”
The truck moved a moment later. The half-hour drive from the Kagan pack lands to Noah’s house felt longer, but nobody stopped them. Noah pulled into his garage, locked the truck with her inside, then disappeared into the house. She held her breath while he checked out the place.
Her worry for Ethan built without Noah’s calm presence, but she held his words close and took comfort from them. Ethan was strong. She didn’t doubt his ability to defeat Michael. The spirit wolf also wanted to be returned to Ethan. She would put her faith in the mystical spirit too and trust that it would do what it could to protect him.
Several minutes passed. Finally, the truck door opened. Noah’s scent swept into the cab. He yanked the blanket off her. “Hannah, we have a problem.”
“What happened?”
He glanced over his shoulder, then met her gaze. “Maria’s inside. She got here a few minutes ago. Michael’s ordered her to participate in the mating run, but—”
“What? Why?” Hannah stared at Noah wide-eyed. “I thought he expected Ethan to be there. Isn’t Michael worried Ethan will go after her?”
“I don’t know what he was hoping would happen. I just know why he did it.” Noah rubbed his thumb in a soothing back-and-forth motion over the pounding vein in her wrist. “He found out that instead of spending time with me, she’s been seeing Alex. Sleeping with him.”
“You were lying for her?”
“Yes. Michael demands to know where she’s at, who she’s with. Using me as an excuse was easy. I can’t mate her, so I’m not a threat.”
“Great.” Hannah pinched the bridge of her nose. “Now what?”
“Michael gave Maria a choice—participate in the run, or he’d give her to one of his dominants. No way would he allow her to spend another night with a worthless human.”
She groaned. “This isn’t good.”
“Actually, for Maria it’s going to be okay. I just have to get her back to Michael’s house.”
“Excuse me? Why?”
“Because Nic, Quinn, and several dominants from your pack are on their way there as we speak to retrieve her. Quinn is claiming courting rights, saying he suspects she’s his true mate.”
The antiquated custom was rarely invoked, but given that Michael supported the old ways, it was a perfect reprieve for Maria. Hannah grinned. “And Michael can’t refuse.”
Noah took her hand and helped her from the car. “Especially not after Quinn sent an official request to Michael and copied all the alphas in the States on the email.”
Hannah chuckled. “He’s smart, that’s for sure. I’d hate to be in Maria’s shoes, though. Living with a shifter male who wants her while her human lover is minutes away is not going to be easy.”
Noah shrugged. “She’ll figure it out, and while she does, she’ll be safe. That’s the most important thing.”
“Okay, but why do you have to go?”
He scrubbed a hand down his face. “I don’t, but she’s angry. I’m worried she’ll take off instead of going with Quinn. Maria didn’t come here for me to make sure she got back to the house safely. She wants me to help her get off our pack lands, so I lied to her and told her I would.”
Hannah shook her head. “She’s going to be furious with you.”
“I know, but too many of our pack mates have disappeared once they left. Look at what happened to Owen. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if Maria was taken too.” Noah pulled Hannah into his arms. “It’ll take me twenty minutes tops to drive out there and another twenty to get back here. An hour. That’s the most I’ll be gone. I hate the idea of leaving you alone, but nobody knows you’re with me.”
Trepidation settled over her, along with a sense of jealousy. The first didn’t surprise her, not with the worry that had been eating away at her all day, but the latter shamed her. She had no reason to be jealous. Noah was her true mate. He’d just asked her to marry him too. He wouldn’t choose another female’s safety over hers. The fact that the thought even took root made her angry. She was better than that. Noah was acting as a pack dominant, worrying about his pack mate. She should do the same.
“If I even suspected you’d be in danger, I wouldn’t suggest it. You know that right?”
“Yes.” Hannah inhaled slowly and pushed from his embrace. “I know that.”
He studied her a moment as if he suspected she was upset over his suggestion, then he shook his head. “Never mind. I’ll tell her she needs to go home and deal with Quinn. I don’t even know why I considered it.”
Noah turned his back on her and strode for the door leading into the house. She grabbed his arm. “No. Wait.”
He glanced over his shoulder.
“Nobody knows I’m here, and you’re only going to be gone an hour. I’ll be fine.” Hannah raised her chin. “Besides, you won’t be the only one upset if something happens to Maria. I’ll blame myself too.”
“No, Hannah. You shouldn’t—”
“Once Ethan mates me, I’ll be the alpha female. Part of that role is guiding my pack when they’re driven to make poor choices. It also means protecting them. This situation with Maria involves both.” Hannah motioned toward the door. “Take care of Maria. I’ll wait inside for you to get back.”
“You’re sure?”
“Absolutely.”
Noah hugged her. “You’re going to make an amazing alpha female. I’m proud to call you mine.”
She kissed his roughened cheek. “And I’m glad to be yours.”
“An hour. You won’t even notice I’m gone.” He cupped her face in his hands. “The shades are all drawn, but I want you to wait upstairs in my bedroom with the lights out. I have a gun in my nightstand just in case.”
“Okay. It’ll be fine.”
Hannah stepped to the side of the truck. Noah handed her the blanket, her purse, and the small bag of personal items she’d packed, then grabbed a can of air freshener from the table in the back of the garage. He doused the interior of the cab with the floral-scented spray. That done, he faced her.
“Come on. I’ll show you where my bedroom is. I’ve got to grab a quick shower, then I’ll get Maria out of here.”
Hannah followed him inside and ignored the uneasy feeling settling in her stomach that told her she was being a fool.