Doors slammed and footsteps approached. She lifted her head and saw Jackson’s pack had left their cars and surrounded them. Shane drew her attention, standing closer than the rest. Their eyes met and he gave Chloe a nod. He didn’t need to communicate with words, she got the message.
Be strong.
Wolves devoured the weak. Kill or be killed.
Declan’s sharply spoken “shit” had the pack on alert. It only took a moment to identify the source of their alarm. Gramps had closed his door and was approaching Gavin with his shotgun in hand.
If Jackson was concerned, it didn’t show. He simply wrapped his hand around hers, guided her through the people circling them and followed her grandfather at a leisurely pace. Her stomach rolled, a lemony bitterness rising to coat the back of her throat. She swallowed several times to combat nausea, keeping her head high. Her gaze swept over the men behind Gavin. Like Jackson, they revealed no emotion. She didn’t know if they were curious or angered by her grandfather’s presence.
Gramps hiked his gun and pointed it at Gavin. “Bet you didn’t expect to see me again, did you?” His hands were steady but his voice cracked, as though the strain of the years were finally taking their toll. In that moment he seemed so much older, wiser and frail.
“Mr. Bryant,” Gavin replied evenly and shifted his attention to her.
Green irises shone like blades of grass, the edges along the pupil brighter in color. She’d often wondered why Gramps had seemed sad when he looked at her sometimes, the misery in his gaze aging him beyond his years. Now she understood. He hadn’t seen his daughter when he looked at Chloe. He’d seen the man who’d taken what he’d loved most and cast her aside.
“Don’t even think about it,” Gramps thundered. “You stay away from her.”
Gavin ignored him, staring straight at her. “Welcome home, daughter.”
The loud snap of the shotgun being pumped made her breath catch, the ground beneath her feet feeling as though it had disappeared.
No, no, no.
Gavin might as well have built his own coffin, climbed inside and instructed everyone around to start piling on the dirt. He had no idea how much pain and suffering he’d caused.
Her feet moved of their own accord, covering the distance between her and the man who’d raised her. Jackson easily kept pace, gripping her fingers. His touch reminded that he was there and she wasn’t alone.
“Fletcher Bryant is here at my request,” Jackson called out, ensuring everyone within earshot heard his declaration. “He wishes to validate my mating to the grandchild he’s reared since birth.”
The composure Gavin maintained slipped. “The hell he has.”
Gramps stopped a few feet away from Gavin, shotgun braced on his shoulder. The wind swept through his graying hair, sending strands along his temple. “Give me a reason to pull the trigger.” One smooth motion and the barrel was aimed directly at Gavin’s groin. “I’ll start here and work my way up.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Jackson quipped with a trace of humor. “Will it, Gavin?”
“A wolf with an ounce of respect would have consulted me about the mating.” Gavin’s glowing eyes landed on Jackson. “You should have come to me the moment you learned about her.”
Chloe jerked when the gun went off. The ground beside Gavin’s feet exploded, sending grass and earth scattering in the air. Everyone’s attention went to her grandfather, who carefully eased the gun up until he once again had Gavin in his sights.
“You’ve got some nerve talking about respect. You wouldn’t know the definition of the word if someone slapped you in the face with a dictionary.”
Gavin’s lips compressed, his eyes narrowing to slits. He turned his head and met Chloe’s gaze. It felt like cotton had been shoved into her mouth, making her throat agonizingly dry. She had to steel herself not to turn away or lower her eyes. Her wolf was newly born but she felt its presence. It wanted to take over and assert control. Power inched over her, cocooning her like a blanket, seeping through her skin.
“Be careful, Gavin,” Wade cautioned and took a step forward. “She’s unstable. Push her too far and she’ll crack.”
“She’s not unstable,” Gramps corrected coldly. “She’s just got a keen nose for bullshit.” Shifting his feet, he declared, “My granddaughter wants to get hitched. Since her groom-to-be showed enough respect to ask for my blessing, I’ve given it to the happy couple. If any of you have a problem with that, now’s the time to say so.”
Corresponding silence seemed to go on forever, especially with Gavin staring directly at her. Her heart clenched as she thought about her mother. The woman who’d given her life had never stood a chance. Gavin was extraordinarily handsome with his blond curls and bright eyes. Like the werewolves around them, he was also perfectly built, with muscles evident beneath his expensive clothing.
“Gavin.” Wade placed a hand on the Alpha’s shoulder. “You can’t dispute the claim. If you do you’ll risk the future of your pack.”
“The future of the pack is what put me in this position,” Gavin snarled and shook off Wade’s hand. Ignoring the gun pointed at him, he started toward Chloe and Jackson. She considered stepping back but Jackson didn’t allow it, squeezing her fingers almost to the point of pain.
“Is this what you want?” Gavin didn’t stop until mere inches separated them. This close she could see the lines around his eyes, the pain on his face. “Is he who you want?”
Jackson had warned her not to talk but there was no escaping it.
“I’ll have no other,” she responded, remembering Jackson’s earlier declaration. Leaning to the side, she braced herself against Jackson, comforted by the warmth of his body. He released her fingers and wrapped his arm around her, sheltering her under his shoulder.
“I’ll accept your claim,” Gavin turned from her and looked at Jackson, “but I want to speak to my daughter. There are things she needs to know. Things she deserves to hear.”
Gramps’ “hell no” created movement in the werewolves. Vicious growls filled the air. Jackson swept her behind him, his own violent snarl loud in her ears. Veering to the left, she fought to see.
Several werewolves had moved forward and Jackson’s pack rushed to intercept them. Panic broke her silence, ripping a horrified cry from her throat. The arm Jackson thrust out prevented her from aiding her grandfather, keeping her safely behind him.
Gavin’s loudly bellowed “stop” clashed with Jackson’s thunderous “stand down”.
She sagged against Jackson’s back as pure fire raced through her, the magnitude of her mate’s wolf absolute. Energy poured from his skin and seared into hers. Grasping at his shoulders, she fought to stand.
There was no denying his order.
Every fiber of her being told her to relent and do exactly as he said.
Both packs immediately complied and stopped in place. A few of them swayed as though they too felt the strength of will behind the commands from their Alphas. The growls didn’t stop but at least they weren’t actually fighting each other.
“Done,” Jackson retorted, the muscles in his shoulders flexing as she leaned against him. A steady vibration emitted from him—the pure and unadulterated energy created by his wolf—and poured into her. Oddly the sensation soothed rather than jolted her, becoming an anchor she desperately needed. “Seal the mating.”
Gavin’s expression softened as he looked at her. She couldn’t identify the emotion that flickered in his eyes. Sorrow? Regret? Determination? Hope?
Before she could compartmentalize her thoughts, he turned around and faced the packs. “I recognize and accept the young woman before me as my daughter. Let it be known that I’ve agreed to her mating with Jackson Donovan to strengthen our ranks,” he announced. “From this moment forward, our packs are united.”