Trinity Bound (27 page)

"Reed, I won't let you lose your mate. Not like Adam."

Reed released a shuddering breath. "I know, Dad. I know. We’ll figure this out."

"Damn straight."

They all let out a ragged, tension-filled laugh.

If only it were that easy. But nothing seemed easy anymore, if it ever had been.

"Get dressed and come over. I felt it when Hannah and Josh came into the Pack. I'm sure the others with the power have too." Meaning Kade, Jasper, Maddox, and Adam. "Your Mother wants you here. She's already cooking up a storm and invited the rest of the family. Consider it a pre-wedding and thank-God-you're-alive party."

Reed laughed. "Great! I'm starving. I'm sure Josh and Hannah would love it."

Josh nodded, a smile on his lips.

"Good. See you soon. I love you, son. All three of you," his father gruffly let out, then hung up before Reed could speak.

"I love you, too," Reed answered to the dial tone.

Hannah came out of the bathroom, looking fresh and damned cute.

"I heard the last part. So we're going to dinner? Good, I'm starved."

"Yep, I'm going to go jump in the shower and wash off the smoke," Reed answered.

"I'll go jump in the other shower and meet you here in ten." Josh raised a brow. "Separate showers. We need to meet your parents."

Yep, loved them.

****

They walked into his parents' home to the sound of a large family gathering. Finn screamed in glee as North took him around the house, playing airplane. Reed smiled, thinking of the children they'd soon have if he had anything to say about it, of all the children that would fill the house. Willow was due any day now, and Kade made whisperings of wanting another soon. They were growing up. Even though they’d long since reached adulthood, they were now moving on. It seemed like yesterday they themselves were six rowdy pups making too much noise and stress for their mother. He'd been close to eighty when Cailin was born. She hadn’t grown up with them in the same fashion, but she was still his baby sister.

"Oh, my, Reed. It's so good to see you here." His mom came at him with her arms outstretched but bee-lined to Hannah, enveloping his bonded mate—that was great to say—in her arms. Well, he knew where he stood now.

"Hi, Pat. We're happy to be here as well." Hannah hugged his mother back, and just for one moment, he could forget all their troubles and tribulations.

His mom kissed all three of them and ushered them into the living room. There, the rest of the family hugged and kissed them. Tears fell on the women's cheeks. Damn, he hated he had scared his family so much. But thank God they were okay. He only prayed that, wherever the hell Adam was, he was the same.

Maddox was the last to join them and stood still, watching. He walked slowly toward them, and everyone quieted down.

"I never should have left you there." Maddox whispered.

"Bullshit," Hannah said.

Maddox laughed. Laughed. The room stood stunned. When was the last time they'd heard his brother laugh? Before the loss of Anna that had hardened him as much as Adam? Before the scar?

His little brother wiped the tears from his eyes. "That word coming out of that little mouth just sounds wrong."

Hannah didn't laugh. She stood with her fists on her hips and scowled. "If you were out there, you could be dead. I'm glad you were away. I don't know what we would have done if we’d have lost you. You’re part of this family just as much as anyone else in this room. So swallow that pride of yours and that self-pity. We are fine. We all are." She lifted her chin, daring them to say anything.

Reed loved this feisty side of her.

"Now," she continued, "I think your mom has made us an amazing dinner. Let's go and eat it. Shall we?"

The toughest male werewolves in the country, maybe even the world, scurried to the table in the dining room and sat.

His mother wrapped an arm around Hannah and laughed. Willow and Mel joined in.

"Well, my dear you are officially a Jamenson. As you can tell, it's the women who control the family. They just need to remember that every once in a while."

"Darn straight," Mel added, Finn now in her arms.

"Oh, this is going to be fun." Willow laughed.

The women joined them at the table, and Reed spoke up. "The fire came out of nowhere. Literally. It hunted, tried to kill us. It didn’t react like a normal fire and then disappeared as quickly as it came."

"It was demon fire," Hannah whispered.

His dad cursed again, muttering an apology to Finn.

"Demon fire. Darn Centrals. They think it’s okay to come onto our land and use demon fire?" Edward rumbled.

"What is demon fire?" Willow asked, her arm wrapped protectively around her swollen belly.

"May I?" Hannah asked. With a nod from his dad, she continued. "Demon fire is just what it sounds like. Fire made from the depths of hell and summoned by a demon. It also takes a witch with immense power and an affinity toward fire to control it. I don't know of a way to counter it. I don't even know if there is a way." She shuddered, and Reed held her close.

"We can't allow this to happen," Cailin said.

"I agree,” his father said.

His mom uncovered the dishes on the table and was about to serve when North interrupted. "Josh, before we actually eat, I want to look at that bite mark.”

Everyone at the table froze.

"You told them,” Reed said to his father.

"Yes, it needed to be done. For his safety, not only ours."

Josh rubbed his shoulder. "It's okay. I want them to know. Secrets only hurt people. Plus they only want to help." He stood up and walked with North to the back room.

Reed wanted to get up and join them, to scream and curse God, or at least ask how this could have happened. But he didn't. Josh needed to feel normal, and that couldn’t happen with Reed hovering over him.

"We’ll find out what happened. It’ll be fine." His mother's voice was cool.

His mom might love to knit and cook, and she cried at the drop of a hat, but if someone endangered her pups, she'd kill them without breaking a nail or a smile. Bloodthirsty, thy name is Momma Wolf.

"Reed," Jasper cut in, "you said the fire disappeared. Are there any remnants?"

He shook his head. "No, just the smell. That acrid, smoky flavor that settles on your tongue. No damage."

"Yes," Hannah added, "but it felt like fire, and it damaged anything it touched at the time. The earth screamed in pain. I felt it."

She shuddered, and Reed wrapped an arm around her shoulders. The smell of fear and pain wafted off her skin. He couldn’t imagine what it felt like to have his soul so irrevocably entwined with nature to feel it breathe and gasp. His Hannah was such a caring person to begin with, but add in the fact that she needed to Heal in order to feel calm, and it was all too much. Reed shook his head.

“We can’t get into the Centrals’ den,” Kade said. “It’s cloaked with some kind of magic. The stuff they’re using to do it isn’t anything we’ve seen before. They’re touching dark magic. We don’t have anything to fight against that—yet.”

Reed nodded. They’d already discussed the magic the Centrals possessed. That didn’t make it any fucking less futile.

“We’ll have to go on lock-down,” Jasper added. “No outside visitors, and people can only leave if they’re in pairs, and even then, only if they truly need it.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I know it sucks and sounds like we’re a cult or something, but I can’t think of another way of keeping our people safe.”

Reed nodded. “Okay, we’ll go on the defense. Like we have been, but more alert. And we’ll look for the magic that can be our offense.”

“There has to be a balance,” Hannah added. “That type of dark can’t exist without some type of light to balance it. That’s the way of magic. We just need to find it.”

“Easier said than done,” Maddox grumbled.

Cailin sighed. “It’d be easier if we just went dark.”

The room went silent. Reed swore he could have heard a pin drop.

“No,” his father said coolly.

One word, spoken as the Alpha, and that was it. No discussion. But they really wouldn’t have discussed it anyway. No matter what, the Jamensons wouldn’t go evil. That wasn’t their way, their nature.

Cailin’s eyes flashed, her back as stiff as a board. She turned to their father and lifted her chin. “I would
never
do that. You above all should know that. I was just saying it would be easier, not right.”

“Then don’t say it,” Edward chided. “You are the daughter of the Alpha. You need to set an example and spouting off without thinking doesn’t show that.”

Cailin glared but didn’t answer.

Reed had no idea what it meant to be in her position, the daughter of the Pack. He’d never really thought about it. Maybe he should have noticed her anger before. He took a deep breath. Complicated didn’t even begin to describe his family.

His mother spoke up, breaking into the silence. “Enough you two. Come on, I don’t want to let the food go cold. Eat.”

He was so grateful for his mother. Something was going on with his little sister, but he didn’t know what.

Willow rubbed her tiny hand on her heavily protruding stomach. “I’m so happy the three of you are mated.”

Hannah blushed, her ears red. As a werewolf, Willow could smell the three of them all over each other and feel the bond slowly settling into place. Reed kissed Hannah’s forehead and held her closer. “Thank you, Wil.”

Mel leaned over beside Wil and rubbed the pregnant woman’s stomach with one hand, holding Finn in the other. Mel was really becoming her own wolf in their Pack, someone they could look up to when she became the Alpha’s wife, and not just the Heir’s.

She laughed. “Yes, we needed more women. So welcome, Hannah.”

“Hell, yeah,” Cailin yelled, and pumped her fist.

Kade threw a roll her on the head. “Language.”

“Kade,” his mother scolded. “Don’t throw food.”

They broke out into laughter. This was his family. Dysfunction and all. Not too shabby.

“What’s so funny?” Josh asked as he walked into the room, North on his heels.

They quieted again, but Reed just smiled, though his heart beat in his ears. “Cailin’s potty mouth attacks again and Kade is the equivalent of a twelve-year-old in a cafeteria. Come on and sit; we’re just about to eat.”

Josh smiled. Man, how he loved that smile. He sat on the other side of Hannah and grabbed Reed’s hand and squeezed. Hard. His mate might be putting on a brave face and masking his fear well for others, but he couldn’t hide if from him. And by the way Hannah leaned over into him, Josh couldn’t hide it from her either.

Josh kissed her temple, then leaned over and did the same to Reed. With a shake of his head, Reed leaned back into his chair.