Beaufort Creek Shifters (10 book series)
The Alpha’s Pregnant Bride Chapter 13

Troy

This was what I got for getting jealous. The universe worked in ways that were aggravating at times, this one being particularly annoying for the fact that the two surviving members of my pack were my ex-girlfriend and her mother. Myrna wasn't necessarily a thorn in my side. But I knew just precisely the impact an ex-partner cropping up had on a person.

I knew because I had just experienced it.

Never in my life did I expect to see my pack members standing in my living room. They were reported dead, every last one of them. So much time had passed since we'd posted in those underground chatrooms about it that it felt like ages had come and gone. Seeing Myrna standing here with Claire felt more like a mirage than reality.

They were real. They were here.

And I was going to have to do something about it.

After clearing my throat, I motioned for everyone to sit down. Nervousness didn't come easily to an experienced alpha such as me, yet the sweat on my brow could have told anyone differently. Myrna and Claire weren't the type to dig up old skeletons. As far as I could recall, we had settled our debts long before the war came and ripped our pack to shreds. Both literally and figuratively.

Myrna and Claire exchanged a look. Perhaps they could sense my anxiety. That simply wouldn't do. With so much tension in the room, it was understandable to confuse one feeling for another. Everyone seemed to be on edge-that meant it was up to me to set the tone. A few deep breaths cooled my overheated brain and then I sent the feeling out to the room, encompassing the area with serenity as I had practiced a million times or more.

Skye eased her shoulders away from her ears slowly but surely. Myrna relaxed on the couch along with her mother. Wendell practically slumped in the recliner. My hand sought Skye's and found it without me having to look. She squeezed. I squeezed back. "You're here," I stated calmly. "How?"

Several seconds passed in silence. Myrna cast a glance at her mother, who seemed to burrow into herself. The women shared a quiet concern that was a mystery to me. Was it Skye? Or were they nervous that I wouldn't accept them?

To my surprise, Skye reached for Myrna, passing along the soothing calm I did my best to exude. I felt it pass through our connection to the others, and smiled so big that I thought my face would break. Here I thought my girlfriend would lose her shit with Myrna in the same room, but she was acting as the perfect diplomat. My engines revved up. I had to talk my wolf down from ravaging her right then and there.

Myrna smiled tearfully. The tip of her nose reddened along with the rims of her eyes. While her mouth wavered on the smile, a tear escaped her left eye and her mother leaned forward to wipe it away.

Claire sighed shakily. "We were caught off guard, like everyone else in the south wing."

Her words were enough to paint a picture in my mind. The south side of the pack lands had been a modest collection of large houses converted to hold multiple families. A grand garden connected all seven yards. It was beautiful in the summer with winding stone paths and open spaces for cooking outside.

I missed that communal space. This farm was so big compared to our humble land.

"Myrna and I made it to the woods," Claire continued while holding her daughter's shoulders. "We watched Percy and his kids..." She shuddered while closing her eyes.

Myrna trembled. "We made it to the edge of the mountain when we got surrounded."

"Those devilish creatures were...huge."

Skye held my hand tighter. "The dire wolves."

Claire nodded, a faint look of terror remaining in her eyes regardless of how safe she was here to discuss her experience. "We didn't stand a chance. We were surrounded and they...they just..." A faraway expression slid right over her face. "Well, we're not entirely sure," Myrna admitted. "We got knocked out."

I frowned. Doubt returned with a vengeance about why these women were here now. Where had they been this whole time?

"Concussions," Myrna continued softly. "That's what Alpha Heather's doctors told us. We were found in the woods about five miles east of where we were originally headed."

My doubt deepened. "I don't understand."

Skye rubbed my shoulder gently, easing some of that doubt away. "There are other predators out there. Maybe the dire wolves got scared off."

"By what?" I inquired, curiosity getting the better of me. "It's not like they couldn't handle an attack."

"The Shadowfangs were out hunting. Alpha Heather said there were only two dire wolves dragging us off," Myrna explained. "We got lucky, Troy-I mean, Alpha." She bowed her head obediently.

I waved for her to sit up. This was no time for formalities. I wanted to know more about how they had survived such a vicious assault on our pack.

"Did anyone else survive?" I asked. "Anyone at all?"

Myrna and Claire appeared shaken. They exchanged another silent glance but ultimately shook their heads.

"We barely remember much at all," Claire said. "We were concussed for a good while. I didn't remember my name for a few weeks there."

Myrna nodded. "I had to explain a lot to Mother when she woke up."

"If there is anyone else out there, well..." Claire pointed to the porch door. "They're out there somewhere, I guess."

"We've searched the area," I pointed out. "Multiple times. We've combed the countryside."

A ghastly green shade crept into Myrna's cheeks. "Are we the only ones?"

"Isaiah and Elias are on the land adjacent to us. They come and go freely," I replied. "We will extend the same welcome to you."

Wendell perked up. "We've got that cabin up but the interior leaves something to be desired."

"I'm sure Blake can host them in a suite if needed."

"I can give him a call."

One nod sent Wendell into the other room to contact the Beaufort Creek alpha. Myrna and Claire gave me questioning looks to which Skye explained, "Blake is the alpha of the Beaufort Creek pack. He helped Troy acquire this land and they share authority between the two packs."

Both Bravecrest women blinked with surprise.

"You share authority?" Claire asked, bewildered.

"That's so unconventional," Myrna commented. She rested her hands on her knees and leaned forward a half inch. "Do you share anything else?"

Skye and I responded in unison, "No," sending Myrna back into the cushions with her mother.

Ignoring the fresh tension in the air was no more difficult than causing it. I wrapped my arm around Skye, yanked her to my side, and cleared my throat. "How is the Shadowfang alpha? I haven't seen Heather in ages."

"She sends her best," Claire responded. "She offered for us to stay until she heard word of your survival."

"I'm glad she heard."

A strained smile appeared on Myrna's lips. "We're glad you survived. Do you mind if we shower and change? We've been walking for a while."

I hopped up from the couch and went into caretaker mode, ushering them toward the door while calling after Wendell. Once Wendell joined the group, I sent them to the Beaufort Creek pack land and stood on the porch for a long while, watching the three of them walk away. Myrna spared glances over her shoulder every ten feet or so until she disappeared into the woods separating the properties.

My back tingled. That meant Skye was staring at me. Though it wasn't hard picking up on the anxious energy, I wasn't sure what it might be about. I could have very well guessed at this point. While I had practically rushed Myrna and Claire out the door, I knew I'd have another fire to put out just as soon as they were gone. Skye probably had a dozen questions.

When I turned around, she was seated where I had left her with her hands tucked in her lap and her shoulders shrugged up to her ears. She was going to have knots if she kept sitting like that. I cleared my throat and wandered back inside.

"What a morning," I commented as I rounded the couch. Skye twitched when I touched her shoulders. I massaged the muscles and found them pliable under my fingers, a relief to say the least. "You set out so much food. We should wrap it up and send it over." "That's a good idea." Her tone was bland.

That didn't bode well. "Darling, are you alright?"

She slid out of my grip and stood up, wandering to the glass door to open the blinds and peer out at the land. Such wide fields, toiled over, would soon host a medley of vegetables. It excited and frightened me all the same. Much as Skye's response to my ex- girlfriend.

"Fine," she replied distantly. "Just tired."

"Does socializing reduce your battery?" I ventured to guess. Though I knew better than to assume such a thing about her. She was hardly an introvert. "You get used to it after a while."

She shrugged. "I've never really played host before."

"Alphas tend to play it the most."

"Should I do that every time?"

I drew a sharp breath. "Do you want to do that?"

"I'm asking you, Troy."

Flat, bland, accusatory-those were the vibrations coming to me through the living room. Now that there was no one else around, I could truly sense her discomfort, pluck the distinct notes of jealousy right out of the air like tiny green monsters were flying toward me from her backside.

Of course she was jealous. Who wouldn't be with an ex-girlfriend appearing out of the blue?

Heather had offered them lodging, membership, I recalled. Why hadn't they just stayed with the Shadowfangs? They could have had great lives there without the weight of rebuilding an entire damn pack from the ground up.

The way Myrna had asked about sharing-that rubbed me the wrong way. She looked eager as much as she'd appeared sullen about the whole thing. Skye had stiffened in her presence. She probably felt like she was being compared.

She also caught me looking at those pictures the other night, I thought. I nearly smacked my forehead when I realized I had fallen asleep while looking at pictures of my ex-girlfriend.

Shit, my match probably thought I was pining.

"Listen, Skye, before you get ahead of yourself-"

Skye spun around and pierced me with glossy eyes. "Before you get ahead of yourself, let me just be clear that I don't like playing host all the time and I'd like you to ask before throwing me to the wolves, okay?"

She stomped past me and retreated to the guest room.

Well, that was wonderful. My ex-girlfriend and my girlfriend were now in the same place. Surely the situation couldn't possibly get any worse. But what was I supposed to do? Turn two of my surviving pack members away in an effort to prevent jealousy? A true alpha would never do such a thing.

Even though I had considered it.

Perhaps I wasn't a true alpha.

My mind spun into plans and ideas. What could I do to apply a bandage to this situation? Turning one member away in favor of another didn't seem proper. Yet it also felt inappropriate to keep Myrna around.

This was a nightmare. Why had anyone approved my status as alpha? I hardly felt capable of handling these minor hiccups. War was easy. Invasions were preferred. But this? I'd sooner choose to give up my status to Blake and melt into his pack.

We were already participating in his customs. We might as well just join them if we couldn't beat them.

I closed my eyes. He's not holding us against our will. He's trying to give us a fresh start. We're just getting used to the way of things.

Yet these ways weren't appealing. Matched mates, a huge farm, sharing a property line-it was all too much. It made me want to give up on everything. Even Skye.

Oh, but how could I do that? She had done more than was asked of her. She had provided comfort and entertainment while I took my precious time getting ready in the bathroom. She came to check on me. She gave me affection. She followed orders without questioning them-and then she stood up for herself and asked for what she needed when she needed it.

Everything about her was perfect as a mate. The way she had treated Myrna as one of her own despite the fact that Myrna was my ex-girlfriend just made me attracted to Skye that much more. I just didn't want this huge rift between us. But as I stared at the wall separating me from the guest room, I thought, It might be a little late for that.