Flames of Fury

Varian

Something feels — off, today. I can’t quite articulate it, but my wolf is more restless today than he has been in almost six months, like he can sense something looming.

Ro and I are in our office finalizing the last of the contracts for a second club we are looking to open. Caligo has been so popular here that we decided to open another in the city near our friend and ally, Alec.

Ro’s phone begins to hum angrily against his desk. At first he ignores it, tunnel visioned on his task, but after two more demanding buzzes he answers it, snapping at whoever is on the other end.

“Ro.”

Ro rolls his eyes and links me. It’s Alec, he says he’s got something for us.

Put him on speaker. I link back to Ro.

“If it’s more of that mystery sangria your uncle makes then don’t bother, that shit had me laid out for two fuckin’ days.” Ro says dryly.

Alec laughs a little too much at this. “I told you to pace yourself, old man. But no, it’s not the sangria.”

Ro growls. “You going to tell me or are you really going to be an adolescent and make me guess?”

“Let’s just say I have something that belongs to you and I’m on my way to return it.”

“Tell him if he’s talking about Serena we don’t want that back.” I shout across the room loud enough so he can hear me through the phone.

“Nope, not Serena, but you’re getting warmer. It is a girl.”

Ro’s eyes dart to mine and I lift a curious brow in response. We meet plenty of women at the club and from other packs when we attend functions, but we haven’t found anyone that really piques our interest in a while, months I’d say. So I’m at a complete loss for who he could possibly be bringing over right now.

“Fine, I’ll bite. Who?” Ro huffs.

“You know, you really should keep better track of your things.”

He’s toying with us, and I’m not in the mood. I walk over towards Ro’s desk so Alec can hear me loud and clear.

“Alec, it’s Varian. Cut the bullshit, who do you have?”

Alec pauses and I swear I can just picture his smug fucking face. “I have your mate.”

Ro and I share a bewildered expression.

What the fuck is he playing at? Ro asks.

I’m not sure. Mom is close with Bunny, you think they put him up to it? It’s the only thing I can think of besides Alec completely losing his mind.

She hasn’t bugged us about taking a mate in months.

And you don’t find that suspicious? Maybe they’re playing matchmaker, like an arranged marriage.

The thought vexes me to the core, we’ve been thriving on our own. The last thing Ro and I need is some high-maintenance mate to come screw everything up.

“Tell me the truth, Alec. Did our mother put you up to this?” Ro practically breathes fire.

“N—no? Syble showed up at my door, she stumbled out of my woods a bloodied mess. But don’t worry, Bunny took care of her and now we’re on our way over.”

“Wait, what?”

Ro looks at me with furrowed brows to make sure we both heard what we think we just heard.

“Shit, I knew that sangria was strong but fuck, Ro. Syble. Your mate. In my car. On our way over to you.”

“Syble’s not my mate, and even if she were you know we don’t want one.”

Ro slams the phone down on the desk, fracturing the screen in a dozen places. I have a million questions. Why does he think Syble is our mate? Why is Syble even in Cedar Ridge with Alec? Most alarming is why does that bother me so much?

***

About an hour later the guards link us that Alec has entered the property and is on his way up to the pack house. Ro and I start heading to the front door to greet him and figure out what the hell is going on.

Ro is the one to open the door just as there’s a hesitant knock on it from Alec. When her scent breezes through the entryway, I find myself intoxicated. I don’t remember her smelling this good. I move to stand to the side of Ro so I can see her.

The sight before me ignites conflicting thoughts and emotions and they begin to war with one another. My wolf is howling out ‘Mate!’, but it doesn’t make sense, a few months ago she was here with us for over a week and not once did she smell this good, nor did my wolf and I recognize her as our mate.

And her eyes. They’re uncovered, and burning. Green flames dance in her irises and all I can do is stare at her in wonder. How didn’t I notice her before? Why didn’t I feel this for her before?

I peel my eyes away from hers when Ro switches from practically purring to growling. I look down to where her hand rests on her swollen belly and my wolf bolts to the surface clawing for control. She’s fucking pregnant.

That should be our pup my wolf growls in my mind. This is exactly why mates are messy. Mine somehow hid the fact that we’re mates, and now shows up with my best friend and heavily pregnant.

But goddess does she carry well, she looks so fucking good with that belly. Agh! What the fuck am I saying?!

My thoughts are interrupted by another’s own inner turmoil.

“Shit! Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I hear Runidar muttering to himself as he walks towards us.

He stands next to me in the doorway and takes in the sight of Alec, Syble, and some other girl that I hadn’t really noticed until now.

“Oh, fuck. Ohh, fuck.” Runidar runs his hands through his hair, pulling on it like he could pluck out a solution to this situation.

Unexpectedly, he rushes towards her and hugs her – tenderly, affectionately.

“Sweet Goddess, Mags,” he breathes, releasing her from the hug but not yet taking his hands off of her. “What happened to you?”

I can’t take it anymore, someone has been lying to Ro and me for months. Alec and Runidar are obviously closer to Syble than we knew, and I’m getting a noxious feeling that it was one of them who got her, my fucking mate, pregnant.

“Get your fucking hands off of her.” I growl.

Runidar drops her hand immediately but strategically puts himself between Syble and us. “Sir, I think we should maybe move this conversation into your office.”

I’m not surprised when Ro grabs Runidar by the neck and pins him up against the wall. “You have ten fucking seconds to explain what the fuck is going on.”

“Rohanor!”

Fucking perfect. My parents are hurrying up the walkway towards us. My father pushes past everyone and beelines straight for Ro and me. My mother, on the other hand, puts her arm around Syble’s shoulders, fawning over her and comforting her like she’s her own daughter.

“Let him go, son.” My dad fixes a firm hand on Ro’s shoulder. “Let’s all go to your office and we’ll discuss things there.”

— — —

Runidar

There’s a hum about the pack tonight, smiles are a little wider, laughter is a little louder. It’s starting to feel like how things were when Mags was here, when the pack was at ease simply because of the proximity of our Luna. The fact that the pack as a whole never found out that she was our Luna still amazes me.

I’m on my way down to the Alphas’ office so I can drop off one last contract for signing but I’m detoured by a link from one of the guards alerting me that Alec has just pulled up the driveway with Magnolia in tow.

The papers I had been holding fall gracelessly to the ground while I race down the stairs towards the front door.

Luna Accalia, I think Mags is here! I link to Accalia on my way to the door.

What? How do you know?

A guard just linked me, apparently she’s here with Alec.

What? What is she doing with Alec?

That’s all the information I have, I’m headed to the front door now.

Alright. If it is her then stall her. Do not let the Alphas see her. We’re on our way.

“Shit!” I curse under my breath. I pass the Alphas’ office and panic when they’re not in there.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” we’re so fucked. The Alphas are already at the door and I recognize Mags’ scent as I get closer. She’s really here. She’s finally home.

I insert myself into the door frame next to Varian, I have to see for myself, I have to see her with my own eyes or else I won’t fully believe it.

“Oh, fuck.” It’s her, Mags is really here. She doesn’t look like her father and uncle did when they escaped Drow Hollow, she looks…

Pregnant?

“Ohh, fuck.” We’re worse than fucked, we’re completely dead.

Since I’m already a dead man, I decide to do something that would otherwise be a very stupid thing to do in front of two Alphas – I hug her. I hug her so tight, making sure that she’s not an apparition, that our Luna has finally come home.

“Sweet Goddess, Mags,” I breathe in wonder. “What happened to you?”

There are many other questions I’d like to ask. Like, why did you leave us? Why did you leave them? How could you? Where have you been all this time? What happened to you there? Whose baby is that? How are you here right now?

“Get your fucking hands off of her.” Varian commands me with a growl.

I let go of Mags’ hands but turn so I’m between her and them. The key is to keep them as calm as I can until Raine and Accalia can get here.

“Sir, I think we should maybe move this conversation into your office.”

Ro grabs me by the neck and crushes me to the wall by the door. So much for keeping them calm.

“You have ten fucking seconds to explain what the fuck is going on.” He spits at me.

“Rohanor!”

Oh thank the Goddess, their parents are here. Raine comes into my view and places a hand on Ro’s shoulder. “Let him go, son. Let’s all go to your office and we’ll discuss things there.”

Ro releases me from his hold and silently we all follow them to their office.

I don’t know how they’ll react when they find out the truth, but I do know that this isn’t going to end well for anyone.