Kianna and Her Three Alpha Wolves [Featherstone Pack] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) (9 page)

“You’re coming to stay at the compound so that we can protect you, Kia. Staying in town is still too close to Ray. Do you think a few townsfolk are going to stop him if he really wants you out of the way?”

Duncan didn’t want to panic her, but he also didn’t want her to be at risk, and the only way he could guarantee her safety was with him and his brothers on Featherstone land.

“Ray wouldn’t dare set foot on our land, baby. He knows, if he does, he goes back to prison for another two years.”

“What do you mean, he goes back to prison?” Kianna questioned him.

“Part of the deal he made was that he never set foot on Featherstone land without permission again,” he told her. “If he’s caught on our land, he goes back to prison for at least two more years, and then, once he’s finished with that sentence, he’s subject to tribal law.”

* * * *

Duncan went on to explain what had happened with Ray to get him that deal.

Two years earlier, during the Deacons’ trials, Ray’s lawyer had sought to cut a deal for him. He would plead guilty if he got a lighter sentence. When the Crown had come to them telling them of the Ray’s lawyer’s deal, at first they all balked at the idea of any of the Deacons being cut a deal. But the lawyer for the Crown said that he’d make a stipulation that, if Ray set foot on Featherstone land again, he’d not only be subject to finishing a full sentence, but he’d also face the tribe’s judgment as well. After speaking with the elders and the rest of the pack, they all agreed that keeping the Deacons off their land for good outweighed their desire for vengeance. Sean was the one who killed Steve, and he would pay for it. As long as Ray stayed away, they would go along.

Duncan stood in front of her and gently ran his hands up and down her arms as if trying to warm her. She was starting to shake a little now that all the adrenaline was out of her system, and her body was going into meltdown.

“We need to get you back home and into a hot bath. You’re starting to feel the effects from the day, and you need to get some rest. We can talk more about everything after you’ve had some time to come to grips with it all. You’ve only just come home, and someone is trying to scare you away from us, and we’re not going to let that happen.” He pulled her against his chest and brought his lips down hard on hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck as best she could as she stood on tiptoes.

Duncan moved in behind her and kissed her neck, and she reached behind herself to caress his face.

Teaghen could see Alex watching from his position in the doorway as he and Duncan kissed and cuddled their mate. He just didn’t understand why Alex was holding back.

“We need to know that you’re safe, Kianna. Please, come with us so that we can protect you,” Teaghen whispered as he placed kisses along her jaw.

“All right,” she breathed out heavily, her heart beating a mile a minute from their kisses alone.

“I’ll come with you, but I want my own room, and our deal still stands.” Kianna stepped away from Duncan and Teaghen. Teaghen knew she was trying to create some distance between them so she could get a handle on things.

“I need some time to absorb all this mate stuff, so until I tell you otherwise, the deal we had about you giving me space and us dating still stands.”

“Whatever you want, Kia,” Alex finally spoke. Taking her hand, he drew her to him, one hand coming to rest at her waist as he brought his other one up to take hold of the back of her head, pulling her lips to his.

They were both out of breath when he released her lips, leaning down to say quietly, “Thank you, sweetheart, for giving in to us on this. We know you can protect yourself, but our wolves would not rest if you weren’t close to us.”

Kianna’s smile radiated warmth as she said to him, “I’ve always come to you because I knew you’d always keep me safe. Why should now be any different?”

Duncan burst out laughing and headed out the front door with the rest of them following behind him.

* * * *

The drive back to the compound was thankfully uneventful, and once they’d arrived, Kianna knew that this had been the right decision.

Waiting for them were three very large, very irritated looking men. They were a little shorter than Duncan and his brothers, but hell, most men were. But they were just as built.

“Who are the three snarly-looking brick walls standing in front of the house?” Kianna couldn’t hide her giggle.

Duncan smiled along with her, and when they stopped, he jumped out of the vehicle and quickly opened her door.

“Those three ‘brick walls,’ as you put it, are Simon, Ash, and Savage,” he told her.

“Savage…? What kind of a name is that, or do I really want to know?” She couldn’t keep the laughter out of her voice. She didn’t know why she couldn’t stop giggling. It was so unlike her. She liked to laugh as much as anyone, but she hadn’t giggled since she was a little girl.

Both Teaghen and Alex were now beside them as they headed inside.

“We need to get you into a hot bath and then bed. You’re starting to crash from the events of the day.” Teaghen walked slightly ahead of them, shaking the new men’s hands when he came up to them.

“Hey, guys, thanks for coming over so quickly,” he said.

Turning back to Kianna, he took her hand and pulled her closer so that he could introduce her.

“Kia, these are some of our seconds. They’re gonna hang around for a while to give us some backup,” Teaghen told her.

“It’s nice to see you again, Kianna.” Savage, who was the bulkiest of the three, stepped forward and took her hand gently in his larger one and kissed it and smiled playfully at her when Teaghen emitted a growl deep in his chest.

“Calm down, boss. I was just saying ‘hi.’” His grin widened across his face.

“Yeah, well, say ‘hi’ without your lips anywhere on our mate’s body,” Teaghen snarled quietly back at him.

Kianna was curious because Savage had said he’d seen her before. Certainly she would have remembered this man.

“I can see those brains cells working away trying to figure out where you’ve met Savage before,” Duncan said to her.

“He worked on Bubba’s ranch the year before you left,” he explained. “He got a job there so he could keep an eye on things. Bubba was a first-class troublemaker and doing business with some shady characters even then.”

“I do remember you now. You were the one who stopped Sean from kicking the shit out of me after I hit a baseball through the window of his new truck.” Besides the Featherstones, no one had ever stuck up for her before, and she had been grateful that he did. She walked over to him and gave him big hug.

“Thank you for saving me that day, Savage,” was all she said and then headed into the house.

* * * *

Both men watched her walk away.

“She’s a special one, boss. I still have nightmares sometimes about what would have happened to that little kid if I hadn’t been there.” He grimaced.

Slapping him on the shoulder, Ash said, “Just remember that you
were
there, little brother, and that you saved her from getting hurt that day.”

Savage nodded his head in agreement.

“So tell us what you need from us, Teaghen, and we’ll do whatever is necessary. We heard what happened out by the Point, so I take it Ray isn’t happy about little Kianna getting the ranch?” Jeff said, joining them.

“No, he’s not. But I don’t think he wants the ranch for sentimental reasons. We have a few more things to check out, and then we’re going to call a meeting on the whole Ray issue. He’s up to something, and if it’s the same thing his daddy was into then we’ve got a hell of a lot of trouble headed our way if we can’t stop him.”

Chapter 6

Kianna entered the house and headed straight to the living room. She needed to lie down, and until she knew which room she would be using, the couch would have to do.

“What the hell have I gotten myself into?” she said to no one in particular.

Maybe I should forget about the ranch and head back to the city?
She was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn’t hear the men come in and jumped at the sound of Alex’s voice
.

“Don’t even think about it, Kianna? You run, and when we find you, we’ll just bring you back.”

“I’m not going to run, Alex. I was just asking myself if the ranch was worth it. That if I did go back to the city then everyone would be safe. I knew Ray was pissed at me because of the will, but I never thought he’d try to hurt me. He’s always been a scraper, but nothing of this magnitude.”

Kianna sat up from where she’d been lying on the couch and rested her head on the back of it. It wasn’t fair for her to put others in danger because of her.

Alex came and picked her up and deposited her on his lap as he sat down. Teaghen and Duncan took positions kneeling on the carpeted floor in front of her. They all made her feel so safe and protected. How could she live with herself if something happened to one of them because they stood in front of her?

“Baby, I want you to listen to me, and I mean really listen this time,” Alex spoke softly, his lips resting on the side of her head as he did.

“As much as we all disliked Bubba, he left you the ranch for a reason. Maybe it was out of guilt, or maybe because he knew that, out of all his kids, you would be the only one to want to make it a working ranch again. He may have been an abusive son of a bitch, but he loved that ranch, and even though if wasn’t a working ranch anymore, he’d always said that one day he’d bring it back to life. Perhaps this is his way of making sure it does.”

Leaning her head against his shoulder, she took one hand of each of the other brothers’ in hers.

“But is making it a workable ranch again worth someone getting hurt? For whatever reason, Ray wants that land, and it seems he’s willing to do anything to get it. With the three of you involved, and now your pack members, it leaves too many people open to becoming a target of Ray’s.” She hadn’t expected a smile to cross Duncan’s and Teaghen’s faces at her statement, and it irritated her a little.

“What the hell’s so funny?” she demanded. “Do you think I want anyone hurt because of me?” She struggled to slide off of Alex’s lap to no avail.

“Simmer down, tiger.” Teaghen laughed. “We know you don’t want to see anyone hurt, that wasn’t what we were smiling at. We were smiling at how wonderful you are.”

Kianna could feel her face heating at the compliment.

“You have only been home for a very short period of time, but in that time, someone has tried to run you off the road, and you’ve had your house trashed, and you’re worried about
others
getting hurt. That shows us what an incredible person you are and why our connection with you is so strong.”

* * * *

Alex was amazed at Kianna’s capacity for caring about others. From the reports they’d received over the years from her dads, she was always worried about other people before herself.

Kianna gave a big yawn and closed her eyes as she rested against Alex.

“Oh, no, sweetie, you need a hot bath and something to eat before you go to sleep.” Standing up from the couch with her still in his arms, Alex leisurely walked upstairs to the master bathroom. His brothers had gone ahead so they could get everything ready for her bath.

“Alex, I can do it myself.” She giggled, swiping at the hands trying to undo her jeans. “Remember our agreement? You’re all going to give me a little time to digest everything.”

“I just want to make sure you’re not injured, baby.” He smiled and wiggled his eyebrows up and down.