I nodded. “You will always be welcome to stay here whether you are part of Thomas’ pack or not.”
He bobbed his head, turned, then left.
I glanced at Thomas as another man stepped forward.
“Is it true there was an unClaimed female here?”
“She was only a month old,” Winifred said. “Before they left, her parents told me they liked it here. They said they wouldn’t mind raising the girl here once this business settles, and it returns to the peaceful place it was. We hope this place can turn into a community where all our young are safe and where any of our kind can come and stay. However, any female here will be protected by the presence of an Elder, and Mated couples at all times.”
The man nodded. Another stepped forward and asked to leave. Within five minutes, three left the pack. Thomas asked again and no one else moved.
“Any who would like to join the pack, please step forward,” he said.
Fifteen stepped forward. The number worried me, and I wished I knew how many wanted to join just to break the pack. If I divided my will to touch them all, they would know, just as they’d known last time. Only this time, Grey and Winifred would know, too. And with the Elders’ ability to split their wills, I was afraid they would be able to connect with others that I couldn’t and tell them the truth before I could make everyone forget.
“Thomas has the largest pack we can recall, going back at least one thousand years,” Grey said. “You are making history today.”
While Grey spoke, I tried touching the wills of the fifteen the old way. As I expected, each will slipped from my grasp. However, since I wasn’t focused on trying to control them but read them instead, I was able to find that two wanted to join for the right reason.
Grey looked to Thomas. Before Thomas could speak, I stepped forward. I met the gaze of one of the men who didn’t want to join.
“Mary told me she grew up learning the history of your kind. As Grey said, you are making history. When you step forward, please state your name and why you want to join so future generations will remember you.”
While I spoke, I attempted a dangerous thing. I focused my will on the leader and two others. I don’t want to be remembered this way. I gently tapped their hearts with my will as I finished speaking then stepped back beside Grey. The three suddenly frowned and looked at the ground. I struggled to maintain a sense of calm as I prayed the subtle tap had gone unnoticed.
Thomas looked to the man furthest to the right. The man stated his name and said simply that he was here to make history. Thomas nodded, and the man stepped back. There was no noticeable change in either of them. I glanced at the line. Four to go until he reached one of the men I’d influenced.
By the third man, Thomas frowned, and I could feel a twinge of discomfort coming from him.
Thomas finally addressed the first man who I’d connected with. The man still looked troubled.
“I don’t want to be remembered as one of the men who broke the largest pack in history,” he said, without giving his name. The man nodded to Grey and me then left.
I glanced at Grey. He gave me a slight smile before turning his attention back to the men.
The next man hesitated before he gave his name and said he wanted to make history, too. Thomas nodded. Then it was the lead malcontent’s turn. Sweat beaded the man’s upper lip and for the longest time he said nothing. My pulse slowly increased and anxiety filled me. Did he suspect something? I’d hoped by only changing the hearts of a few, my influence would go unnoticed yet still sway the majority.
The man glanced up at Grey. I stopped breathing. Did he know?
“Perhaps, we can take a break,” Grey said, looking at the man. The man nodded, pivoted, and strode to the trees. Several others followed him.
“Thomas, you should take Charlene inside,” Grey said.
My heart felt like it would explode. I tucked my hand in my pockets to hide their shaking.
Thomas turned toward me as Grey stepped back.
“I think you should show her some compassion,” Grey said.
Oh, God. They knew.
Thomas quirked a smile at me.
“I think I can manage that,” he said, holding out a hand.
It took a second for Grey’s innuendo to click, and a shaky relieved exhale escaped me. I pulled my hand from its pocket and reached for Thomas. His fingers closed around mine, and he led me toward the door. We didn’t stop in the common rooms but went straight upstairs. He let go of my hand, lay on the bed, and closed his eyes.
I finally noticed how sweaty he was. I sat next to him and gently rubbed his temples. I had no idea if it helped or not because he didn’t move at all.
A swell of compassion rose within me, and I leaned down to place a kiss over his heart.
“Charlene,” Thomas said.
I straightened and looked down at him. He opened his eyes and met my gaze.
“Kiss me like that again, and I’ll give up everything for you.”
My pulse jumped, and I understood what he was trying to tell me. He was barely holding on, and I was distracting him.
I nodded.
“I’ll be downstairs with Grey.”
He let me go.
* * * *
He came down only a few minutes after me. He looked different. Relaxed. His face was dry, and I no longer felt any discomfort from him. I wondered what had caused the change.
He must have felt my curiosity because he met my gaze and shook his head. He and I really needed to figure out a way to make one of these rooms soundproof so we could talk openly. When he reached me, he set his hands on my shoulders and kissed my forehead.
“Ready?” he asked.
I nodded, and holding his hand, followed him out the door.
Grey stood in the same spot. About half the men waited before him, the same number of men still watched.
“Can you call them back?” Thomas said to Grey.
Grey looked at his brother and laughed.
“This is the group.”
“What happened to the rest?” I asked.
Grey shrugged.
“They decided they didn’t want to make history.”
It took Thomas less than five minutes to accept the rest into the pack. Before the crowd could break up, a man stepped forward.
“I challenge you,” he said, “for her.” He pointed at me.
The man wasn’t as tall as Thomas, but he was solid. His dark hair hung over equally dark eyes. I reached out and touched his will. Before it slid away, hate, anger, and greed swamped me.
“She’s already Claimed,” Thomas said.
“Good. Then there’s still a chance. A fight to the death,” the man said.
The man’s confidence scared me. He was completely certain that he would win.
I looked at Thomas.
“Death?”
“Death dissolves the Claim so another can Claim you.”
I stared at him and recalled how I’d wanted to undo our Claim. I’d never given death a thought. And I never would.
“No,” I said. Thomas rubbed a thumb across my cheek then looked up at the man.
“I accept.”
“No,” I said again, this time feeling a little panicked. Thomas had fought five wolves the day before and still wore the marks from that. And something about this challenger was off. When I’d touched that man’s will, it had felt so different from the rest. Maybe it was the extreme hostility. Regardless, I wasn’t going to let them fight.
“I’m not one of you,” I said. “Your way of Claiming doesn’t work on me. I have to Claim you. And I refuse. So the challenge is pointless.” I turned to Grey. “Right?”
Grey was quiet for a moment. “We agree with Charlene. The challenge is pointless if she’s not willing to change her Claim.”
“I’m not willing,” I said, firmly.