Primal Bonds (Shifters Unbound #2)(76)
Author: Jennifer Ashley

“I think I like this priority list.”

“It’s not easy for someone like me to ask for forgiveness, love. Alphas don’t have to talk—we just stare at people until they fill in the words for us.”

Glory’s smile grew stronger. “A good way of putting it. Are you saying you want to move back in with me?”

“I’m saying that—using a word Andrea likes—I’ve been a dickhead. It was easy for me to leave for weeks at a time when I knew you’d be there when I came back. I took that for granted. You were right to kick me out.”

“I know.” Glory touched his cheek. “But I also think I’m right to give you a new key to my house.”

“I still have the old one. I kept it, just in case.”

“What if I’ve changed the locks?”

“You didn’t.”

Glory smiled again. “You’re such a know-it-all, Dylan. What are we going to do about you?”

Dylan leaned to her again, and this time he licked her ear. “I’ll show you when we get home.”

“Mmm, sounds good to me.” She looked across the cave at Wade, still unmoving. “But we’ll have to do something about him.”

Dylan followed her glance. “I’m thinking there needs to be a challenge for pack leader. If you want to make it, I’ll back you.”

Now Glory sat up, her delectable naked body brushing his. “A female pack leader? You’re kidding me. How very modern, how cutting edge.”

“I can’t think of a better one than you, love. You’re far stronger than you think you are—than they think you are. You’d make a hell of a leader.”

“And if I lose?” she asked. “I admit that if I could fight the challenge using sarcasm, there’d be no contest, but I might have to battle Wade’s nephews tooth and claw.”

“If you lose, then we retreat and lick our wounds, ask Liam for protection. Maybe go to a beach somewhere, lick our wounds there.”

“I like the way you think, furball.”

Dylan cupped her face in his hands. “I like you, Lupine. No, Glory, I love you. You’re crazy and you piss me off, and you make me do insane things, and I love you to pieces. I’d be more than honored to have you as mate.”

Glory’s usual smirk dissolved. “You damned irritating, high-handed, full-of-yourself, shithead alpha male.”

“Does that mean yes?”

Glory’s answering kiss was smoldering. “Yes. I love you,” she said between breaths. “Damn it, Dylan, I love you so much.”

She smiled her triumph, but Dylan didn’t mind. As long as this tall, beautiful, sanity-stealing woman was in his life and in his arms, he didn’t mind much of anything at all.

Shiftertown was in chaos. There was too much fighting, too many Shifters on the ground bleeding, and Sean started growling even as they stepped through from Faerie.

Andrea was right behind him, like a living goddess in that body-hugging silk. He wanted her with a fierceness that threatened to overwhelm him, but first, they had to fix this mess. From the determined look on Andrea’s face, she agreed.

Sean ran toward the Morrissey house, sword in hand, in time to see Connor go down under two Shifters, a Fae pointing an arrow into the mass.

Sean froze, rage and fear pouring through him. Take care of Con for me, Kenny had whispered as he’d died. Promise me, Sean.

That day flashed back to Sean, the feral Felines attacking Sean and Kenny as they tracked them through the brush alongside the river, the snarls in the darkness as the Collarless Shifters turned and fought. Sean weeping after the fight as he covered Kenny’s fallen body with their discarded clothes, then calling first for an ambulance and then his father and Liam. Kenny had died before they could reach him.

Dylan crouching down and covering his face when he beheld Kenny’s lifeless body, Liam standing stiff and still, face wan with grief and shock. Sean had unsheathed the sword while Liam had watched with tears pouring down his face. Dylan hadn’t been able to look up.

Sean had said the prayer to the Goddess in a broken voice and plunged the sword into Kenny’s chest. Sean had followed the sword down as Kenny had gone to dust, landing flat beside the ash that had been his brother. And then Sean and Liam held each other hard while they cried, while Dylan still hadn’t managed to unfold.

All this flashed through Sean as he saw the Felines go for Connor. Callum circled, ready to attack Sean to get the sword, and Sean heard Connor scream.

Fucking, bloody hell. Sean snarled as he started to shift. Screw the sword. No way was an ancient relic more important than Connor’s life. I won’t let him die, Kenny. I promise you.

“Sean!”

Andrea shouted at him. Sean turned, saw her outstretched hand, the strength in her eyes, Fionn right behind her.

“I’ll take care of it,” Andrea cried. “Me and my dad.”

The empty places in Sean’s heart filled as Andrea met his gaze. He already loved her with intensity that made him insane, but right now he loved her more than ever. Andrea understood exactly what was going through Sean’s head as he watched Connor struggle, knew exactly what Sean needed. She was offering Sean a solution with her brave generosity. She was his mate all right.

You should see my girl, Kenny. She’s beautiful.

Sean threw back his head and laughed. “All right then, Xena. You look after that now.”

He tossed the sword high in the air, the blade glittering in the sunlight. It flew end over end, perfectly balanced, singing as Andrea stepped forward and caught it by the hilt, her silk robes billowing around her. Fionn closed in behind her, his bow and arrow ready, and Ronan, a bear again, stood defensively in front of her.

Still laughing, Sean shifted. Strong with Andrea’s magic, he lifted his head and roared.

The roar echoed up and down Shiftertown, proclaiming that the Guardian was there, the second-in-command of this Shiftertown, mad as hell and ready to fight. An answering roar came back to him, filled with family pride, Liam tearing it up.

Sean pounced on Callum, lifted the wildcat high with his paws, and threw him. Callum tumbled through the air, crashed into the Fae with the bow, and went down with him. While they fought to untangle themselves, Sean charged the Shifters fighting Connor and burst them apart.

Connor rolled from the ground, teeth bared, his eyes red with fury. His wildcat’s mane wasn’t well developed yet, Connor barely more than a cub, but his rage was plenty strong.