Page 22 of Claimed By the Alpha Pack

My heart thunders in my chest as I reach up, gripping his shirt, holding on for dear life. Next thing I know, someone rips Griffin off of me and I draw in a shocked breath. Ethan is struggling with control, his eyes glow golden having pulled Griff off of me.

“Don’t rush her!” His voice is a constant growl. He’s placed himself between me and his twin.

Gently, I rest a hand on his shoulder and the muscles jump under my touch. “I’m okay Wolfie. He just got enthusiastic.” Stroking his shoulders, I feel the tension slowly drain from him.

“I’ll drive Gracie to our house, take my bike.” Ethan says to Griffin, then heads up the stairs to retrieve Ashina back from my grandmother. Watching how he cradles my daughter to his chest makes my heart swell. With a hand against her back, he uses his other hand to open the door to the back seat of the truck. Barrett comes up alongside of us and slips the car seat into place. I watch these incredibly strong and sexy men strap my little girl into her seat. The delicate way they are handling her makes my heart flip-flop in my chest.Secretly, I wish one of them were her father instead of the man that is. They treasure my daughter how I wished her father would have.

Ethan gently ushers me into the front seat and reaches over my lap to buckle me in. Rolling down the window before he closes the door, throws me off. Barrett comes to the door and reaches out and touches my hand gently. I’m guessing it’s a wolf thing to be so touchy feely. Reaching out, I return his touch and receive the biggest smile I could ever ask for.A girl can get used to this level of adoring attention.

The truck’s engine fires up, and I glance quickly over at Ethan. “We need to get moving. We’re too far off pack lands to keep you safe.” Ethan’s rough tone tells me there was no room to argue with him. Barrett slides in behind Ethan and leans over to play with my daughter. Grams remains on the porch watching us. The blank expression on her face tells me she feared this day was coming. I bet she knew what happened and told my parents to take me far away. Or, the more realistic option, mom panicked and ran.

As the truck pulls away, I feel as though something big is on the horizon. Ethan reaches out and rests a hand on my thigh, and gives it a slight squeeze. Barrett reaches over and offers my daughter a bottle and sits there patiently, feeding her. Turning slowly in the chair to angle myself to face them both. “I’m guessing we’re cutting it close to when she changes for the first time.” Wincing slightly, Ethan sighs and glances in the rearview at Barrett.

“Usually pups shift within a month or two of birth. Your daughter is what? Almost five months I’d guess.” Ethan glances over at me, then back at the road ahead of him.

“She turns five months tomorrow. Why does that matter?” Logically to me, if she hadn’t shifted yet, she might not do it. She’ll be human like me, maybe. Even saying the words to myself, I know how false they are. There’s no way with what I’ve already seen that she won’t shift.

Winding through the back roads, the truck falls silent. It’s not an uncomfortable silence, but the silence kills me slightly. Ethan still hasn’t answered my question, and Barrett is very still in the back seat. I’m guessing they’re having a wolf meeting or something debating on what they are allowed to tell me. Threading my fingers through Ethan’s seems to knock him out of whatever spell he was under. “We’re almost there.” He says absently. By the look on his face, I know I’m probably not going to like his answer.

“You didn’t answer me earlier.” The words fall from my lips as I turn away to look out the window, watching the dark trees move out of sight. The hum of the motor is the only thing I hear besides the faint tune of Cult of Personality by Living Colour. I draw my hand back, and rest it in my lap.

“I’m sorry about that. My brothers want to wait until everyone is together to talk about it.” His fingers flex, squeezing the muscle of my upper thigh, and I sigh, wishing his hand was higher. “Darlin I can scent your need and it’s killin’ me. I can take care of that for you. If ya let me, that is.” The faint glow of yellow of his wolf catches my attention.

Resting my hand on top of his, I trace the scars on his knuckles. “There’s so much I don’t understand. I swear this seems like a dream, and tomorrow I’m going to wake up back in Hunter’s house. I don’t want to wake up there.” Fear rolls through me like an incoming tide.

As soon as the emotion surfaces, Barrett scoots to the center of the back seat and rests his hand on my shoulder. “Please don’t be afraid. It’s difficult for an Alpha to know his mate is afraid of something.” Looking over my shoulder to meet Barrett’s gaze, he motions to Ethan and I see his veins standing on end and how tense his muscles are.

“There’s so many rules for your people…” Sighing softly, I reach up with my free hand and rest it on Ethan’s bare arm. Gently, I trace the length of his forearm until he turns his hand over. Palm up, I decide to slide my hand into his and hold it. It’s pure electric waves of energy pulse through me, making my hair stand on end. My gasp sets the guys on high alert, and Ethan looks over and stares at me.

“It’s natural what you’re feeling, it’s the part of the mate bond that humans feel. It may be stronger for you since you birthed a pup. Her blood runs through your veins.” Ethan’s deep rumbling tone rocks me to the core. Hunter’s drive to have a second child was explained in that one sentence. Because I did it once, in theory I should be able to carry a second pup to term.

Subconsciously, I squeeze Ethan’s hand tightly, then look at Barrett. “Is that why Hunter was pushing for a second child?” Barrett gets that faraway look in his eyes, then nods sadly.

“FUCK!” I scream and cover my face with my free hand.

“Darlin…” I feel the truck stop.

“Please look at me.” Ethan’s voice almost sounds frantic.

Lowering my hand, I slowly open my eyes. The brilliant yellow hue of his eyes captivates me. It’s amazing how seeing the color on him it doesn’t scare me like it did when I saw it on Hunter. “Am I changed? Am I like my daughter?” My eyes dart between Barrett and Ethan.

“Not changed, enhanced. More than human but not wolf. It’s not permanent. It should be out of your system by the time Ashina is a year old.” Barrett’s clinical tone doesn’t set my mind at ease.

“I’m still a target, aren’t I?” Looking from Barrett back to Ethan, he reaches out and cups my cheek, smiling at me.

“You are perfect. My brothers and I will protect you with our lives. When and if you are ready, we will share with you our bites. You may or may not turn. That is yet to be seen.” Leaning into his large warm palm, my eyes close as I revel in the comfort and safety of his touch.

Opening my eyes slowly, I am greeted with those beautiful gray-blue eyes of Ethan’s. So much depth lives behind those eyes. I see the slight flicker of gold for a mere moment before they return to human. “I trust you and your brothers. And you too Barrett. You are one of my first friends here.” Smiling, I look between Barrett and Ethan. I can feel there’s something else that they aren’t telling me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I finally pay attention to my surroundings. There’s a bilevel log cabin in the middle of the woods. A smaller log cabin sits not too far from the main cabin. “Where are we?” I don’t bother turning around when I notice Griffin standing on the porch with the woman from the hardware store with him.

“Home.” Ethan’s soft tone catches me off guard. There was a fondness, a warmness to the tone he took. He loves this building as well as where it’s located. I feel it deep in my bones.

Before I realize it, Griffin has closed the distance between the stairs he was on and my door. The click of the door latch disengaging is as loud as an explosion in my ears. Instinct causes my hand to tighten around Ethan’s hand. For some reason, this big bald man is the one that I feel safest around.

“Baby Girl, if you would do me the honor, I would like to introduce you to our mother and the pack’s Luna.” Griffin offers me both of his hands, palm up. Glancing down at them briefly, I let go of Ethan’s hand, sliding both of mine into Griffin’s. The same jolt of energy courses through my veins as I stare into the same color eyes as Ethan.

Dropping my gaze, I stare at our joined hands. “I don’t understand what’s happening between us. I want to know why you two feel like home.” Probably the broadest and most honest smile crosses Griffin’s lips.

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