“I should go with them,” Kay said.

“No. They know you’re in mourning for your parents, and supposedly grieving for Victor, even though he died at your hand. Hopefully, they’ll respect that. It might buy us some time. Maybe enough time to cool any thoughts they have of revenge.”

Gideon pushed away from the hearth, his hands clenched at his sides. “And if it doesn’t?”

“Then she’ll have to fight,” Greta said quietly.

“No.” Gideon shook his head. “She’s not risking her life again.”

“I’m Alpha,” Kay said. “I knew what I was getting into when I killed Victor.”

“Dammit, Kay …” He raked a hand through his hair. She was right. He knew it. He admired her courage and the strength of her convictions. But he for damn sure didn’t have to like it.

Brett and Greta called it a night a short time later.

With a sigh, Kay stretched her arms over her head. She was weary in mind and body. Doubts about her ability to defeat Rudolfo and to take her father’s place as Alpha weighed heavily on her mind.

She closed her eyes as Gideon moved up behind her and began to massage her neck.

“That feels wonderful.” She smiled when he brushed a kiss across the top of her head.

“Tired?” he asked.

She nodded, her head lolling forward as his fingers worked their magic on the knots in her back and shoulders.

He massaged her for another twenty minutes, then scooped her into his arms and carried her swiftly up the stairs to her bedroom, where he undressed her, slipped a nightgown over her head, and tucked her into bed.

“Sleep tight, Lady Alpha,” he said, giving her hand a squeeze.

She clung to his hand. “Don’t you want to stay here, with me?”

“Of course I do, but with all that’s going on, I wasn’t sure how your pack would feel about that, you know? The whole werewolf–vampire thing.”

“You’re my husband. This is where you belong, unless …”

He covered her mouth with his hand, cutting off her next words. “Don’t go there, Wolfie. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be, and you know it.”

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she murmured, “I’ve missed you.”

“No more than I’ve missed you.”

She scooted over, tugging him down beside her. “Do you think we’ll ever have a life together when someone isn’t trying to kill one of us?”

“I sure as hell hope so.”

“Gideon …”

“It’s all right. Go to sleep, darlin’. You’ve earned it.”

“You’ll stay with me?”

He brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “Until the sun comes up.”

“You won’t go far?”

“Not a chance.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

With a sigh, she snuggled up against him, her head pillowed on his shoulder, asleep between one breath and the next.

Gideon inhaled deeply, grateful to have a few hours to hold her close, to run his fingers through her hair, lightly stroke the softness of her skin. Lying there, he wondered what the future held for the two of them. He was a vampire, she was now the Alpha of her pack. He wasn’t entirely sure what that entailed, but one thing he did know was that her pack would expect her to live with them from now on, and he wasn’t certain how he felt about that. Since werewolves and vampires were natural enemies, there was little chance that her pack would accept him, and he couldn’t ask her to leave.

When she murmured his name in her sleep, he kissed her lightly, felt a rush of tenderness when she turned onto her side, her arm stealing around his waist.

“I thought you were out for the night,” he remarked.

“I can sleep tomorrow.” She looked up at him through heavy-lidded eyes. “Are you tired?”

“It’s two A.M., honey. For me, it’s the shank of the evening.”

He brushed a lock of hair from her forehead, laughed softly when she slipped her hand inside his jeans.

Gathering her into his arms, he murmured, “I think now you must be reading my mind.”

She woke to the sound of someone pounding on the bedroom door. Bleary-eyed, she pulled on her robe and shuffled to the door. “Brett! What are you doing here so early?”

“There’s a delegation downstairs from the Rinaldi compound.”

Kay glanced at the clock on her bedside table. Six A.M. She didn’t have to ask what the members of the Green Mountain Pack wanted, although she was a little surprised they had arrived at such an early hour. “How big a delegation?”

“There’s four of them, including Rudolfo.”

“Where are they now?”

“Waiting on the patio. I wasn’t sure if I should invite them in.”

“Tell them I’ll be down as soon as I’m dressed.”

“Right.”

“Call Tyler and ask him to round up one or two others. Tell him to keep out of sight, but to be ready, just in case the Rinaldi delegation has come to do more than talk.”

With a nod, Brett went to do as bidden.

Kay stared after him a moment; then, closing the door, she rested her forehead on the wood. It seemed odd to be giving orders. What had she gotten herself into?

Twenty minutes later, she took several deep breaths, then went downstairs. She paused at the back door.

Rudolfo and three other men sat at one of the round, glass-topped tables. Someone had served them coffee.

The men all rose when Kay stepped out onto the patio.

“Good morning, gentlemen,” she said.

Rudolfo inclined his head. “Mrs. Rinaldi.”

The sound of her married name slammed into Kay like a fist. In the short time she had been married, only Victor had called her that. “Please, be seated,” she said, and took the last chair.

Rudolfo remained standing. “You’re probably wondering why we’ve come at such an early hour… .”

“I know why you’re here,” Kay said.

Rudolfo’s expression hardened as he waited for her to go on. He was a younger, more handsome version of his brother.

“I intended to call on you later today,” she said.

“Indeed?” He resumed his seat.

She didn’t miss the skepticism in his voice. “With my father’s untimely death, it was necessary for our pack to sustain a new Alpha. My aunt Greta was the natural choice, being the only other Alpha in our pack.”

Rudolfo leaned forward. “Go on.”

“Victor threatened to kill my aunt if I didn’t put his name forward as Alpha. As you know, my father loved Victor so we were both surprised when the pack refused him. Victor challenged my aunt.” Kay took a deep breath, willing her voice not to betray her. “My aunt was defeated. It’s no secret that I was forced to marry Victor. It was bad enough that he was my husband. I refused to accept him as my Alpha. And I challenged him.”

“You? How is that possible?”

“I don’t know. I’m not sure exactly what happened after that, or how it happened, but the next thing I knew, I had shifted… .”

“You’re lying!” Rudolfo exclaimed. “Such a thing is impossible.”

Kay met his gaze without flinching. “It’s the truth.”

Rudolfo shook his head. “It’s impossible.”

“I fought Victor and I killed him.”

“Where is my nephew?”

“I had his body cremated, of course.”

“Of course.” Rudolfo leaned back in his chair, his elbows resting on the arms, hands folded, fingers entwined. “And where,” he asked softly, “is my brother?”

* * *

Chapter 38

Kay went still as all four men focused their attention on her.

“My brother,” Rudolfo repeated. “Where is he?”

“Dead.” There was no point in lying, or delaying the truth. Better to get it out in the open now and face the consequences, though she would have preferred to have Gideon there beside her. “I intended to bring him home later this morning.”

“Who killed him?”

“He attacked me from behind while I was visiting my mother’s grave,” Kay said, her voice devoid of expression. “My …” She paused, wondering what to call Gideon. Friend? Acquaintance? Husband would never do. “A friend who was with me came to my defense.”

Rudolfo’s steely gaze bored into hers. “Why should I believe you?”

“Why should I lie?” Kay replied, her gaze meeting his. It was an effort to keep her expression impassive. She didn’t know what would happen if he didn’t believe her. Would he challenge her to a fight? Attack her here and now? Declare war on the Shadow Pack?

She slid a quick glance at the other three men. The one on Rudolfo’s left was slight of build, with sallow skin and pale gray eyes. She was certain she had never seen him before. She recognized the man on Rudolfo’s right, although she couldn’t remember his name, only that he was one of Victor’s cousins. Both men stared at her malevolently. The third man was the youngest of the four. There was no doubt that he was related to Rudolfo. A son, perhaps.

Kay looked up, relieved, when Brett rounded a corner of the house, followed by Tyler Red Elk, Jared Broken Lance, Steven One Horn, and Joe Yellow Bear. Her backup had arrived.

“You all know my uncle, Brett Crayton.”

Rudolfo nodded curtly. “Of course.”

“Gentlemen.” Brett stood behind Kay’s chair. The other members of the pack spread out behind him.

Rudolfo stood. “If you’ll be good enough to tell me where my brother’s body is, I’ll take it home.”

When Kay started to rise, Brett placed his hands on her shoulders. “I’ll take care of this, Alpha.”

Brett moved toward the patio doors, gesturing for Rudolfo and the other three members of his pack to come with him.