"That was me," I say. "I got wounded defending Denali and called on the pack bonds to heal me up fast."
"I thought so," she nods. "Well, they're fine. Just a bit weak. We told them to rest, but they wanted to see you-"
"Of course."
She steps aside. I pause with my hand on the doorknob. "Sedona? Thank you."
I wait until she smiles and pads away before opening the door to a dimly lit room. Sedona's smart, hosting the wounded well away from the healthy members of a pack. It's not the nature of a predators to show compassion to the weak. Sometimes blood just makes shifters think of meat.
Inside, Laurie sits with his arm bandaged. He's the only one sitting up. Parker and Declan lay on their beds, looking pale. They bore the brunt when I pulled power from the pack.
The three of them straighten as I enter.
"Don't get up," I order and they all relax. I grin to myself at the sight of them actually following my commands. Guess I really have taken on the mantle of Alpha now.
"How's Nolan?" Laurie asks.
"Safe," I confirm. "Healthy. Probably a bit shaken but he'll be fine. Denali's getting him to bed." My son couldn't stop talking about the helicopter ride. Apparently, Sam promised him flying lessons. Denali was not pleased.
"And Santiago?"
"Gone. Denali and I turned him over to Carlos."
My pack nods their approval. They know Carlos' pack had the biggest score to settle with the evil wolf.
"So what now?" Parker asks just as Laurie blurts, "Are you our alpha?"
"I've always been an alpha," I say. "I just didn't know it. I'd be honored to be yours."
"Alpha," Laurie and Declan mutter. Parker angles his head, showing his throat with a grin.
"I know I pulled some power from you during the fight." I squeeze Declan and Parker's shoulders and they relax even further. "You good?"
"All good, boss," Parker confirms.
Declan puts his hand over mine for a second, smiling weakly.
I tighten my grip, letting my strength flow into them. By the time I take my hand away, their cheeks are flushed, and their eyes are brighter.
Parker struggles to sit up.
"Oh no you don't." Layne hustles into the room, pushing him back down. "You need to rest. I'll dose you with a sedative."
"Sleep," I order, and Parker and Declan's eyes close. Laurie's head droops and Layne helps him back onto the pillow.
"I'll stay with them," she whispers.
"Thank you," I tell her and slip out.
Whoops and shouts dog my steps as I head through the hacienda. The courtyard is full of shifters and the smell of meat. A Mexican wolf staggers past, grinning broadly and drinking something alcoholic straight from a dark jug.
"Amigo!" He toasts me, angling his head slightly in respect to my lion's dominance. I smile and wave off his offer to drink. I'm wide awake and pumped on adrenaline, but there's only one place I want to be.
I head toward the quieter part of the hacienda, hastening my steps until I come to the suite of rooms marked with familiar cinnamon scent. Denali and Nolan are inside. My family. I hesitate only a moment before I open the door.
The three rooms-two bedrooms adjacent to one sitting room-are dark. Denali sits on the bed in the smaller room, watching Nolan sleep. I lean against the doorframe and watch them both. My mate and son. My family.
Denali stands up and walks toward me. Even in the dark, I see her eyes glittering grey-blue. Her lioness is showing.
Hips swaying, she peels her t-shirt off over her head.
My cock punches out against my jeans. I force myself to keep my arms at my sides, though. Denali's making the move. I'm going to let her.
"Have I told you how much it turns me on to see you fight?" She slides her hands up under my shirt, then digs her nails into my chest.
A snarly-purr issues from my throat. "I might have noticed last time." My voice is impossibly deep. I pull off my shirt to give her full access to my chest. She scrapes her nails over my nipples, clawing lightly down my hard abdomen.
She pushes me backward, out of Nolan's doorway and shuts the door behind us. One hand on my chest, one hand unfastening my jeans, she propels me into the other bedroom. "Mm hmm. I'm going to need some of this big lion cock tonight."
Lord help me. How could I ever have walked out on this spectacular female? I can't even contemplate what I would've given up.
The backs of my knees hit the bed and I sit down. Denali has my zipper down. She drops to her knees at my feet and frees my length.
It's all I can do not to bury my fist in her curls and fuck her lush mouth like a maniac. Instead, I squeeze my hands into fists at my sides, letting her drive.
And she definitely seems to have torture in mind, because she takes her time flicking her tongue around the head.
"Denali," I growl. "You're playing with fire."
She releases the head of my cock with a pop of her lips and smiles. "Oh yeah?" She bites my inner thigh. "How is that?"
"If you're not going to take my cock deep into that pouty mouth of yours, I'm gonna pin you to the floor and pound between your legs until you beg for mercy."
She kisses up my inner thigh, then sucks my balls.
My knuckles crack under the pressure of my clenched fists.
"You wanna show me who's boss?" she teases, turning her lips inside to shield her teeth as she pumps her mouth over just the tip.
I growl. "You have five seconds. Five... four…"
Her beautiful eyes widen and her gaze locks with mine, but she doesn't take me deep, keeps on teasing.