Chapter 16

Calum came out with Shaelan and stood to the side as the van pulled in. Blair was ten feet from him but still felt the anger radiate from him as he cursed under his breath and stomped toward the van. 

The door opened and instead of a medic getting out, it was Devin Addison. Why was the prince here? Blair closed his eyes and hoped it was a quick visit, just to drop off Kobie’s brother. When Rayne climbed out next, he knew it wasn’t. Now he understood why Calum was pissed. They already had nine females to protect from Tomas—and now the future king and queen of the entire shifter world were here. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” Blair heard Calum, despite him saying it low and quiet.

“I wanted to meet the woman that saved the rest of her clan,” Devin said, but there was no missing the smirk he was trying to hold in.

“Fine. Go home, we’ll bring her there next week.” Calum said bluntly.

Shaelan moved over and opened the back of the van to help get Kobie’s brother out. Blair’s nerves were zinging. He didn’t know what to expect in her twin. He was the last male of their clan at this point, and Blair didn’t want to have him feel like he was moving in on their territory and taking over. No shifter, male or female, would handle that well.

Kobie came running across the yard toward them. Shit. Moving quickly, Blair went over to help get the stretcher out. There was an IV pole with two bags hanging from it, a monitor with vitals blipping across it. He couldn’t see most of his body, but if his bandaged head and battered face were any indications of what the rest of him looked like, Blair didn’t want to see the rest of him.

“Jay?” Kobie leaned over the stretcher as it cleared the doors. 

“He’s sedated for the trip.” The man told her. 

Blair’s cat didn’t like him standing beside Kobie, stepping closer, he put his arm around her and pulled her against his side. “Let’s let them get him inside, then you can sit with him.”

Shaelan was reading through the folder that had been sitting on top of the sleeping man. Her brows furrowed, and Blair really hoped it wasn’t for bad reasons. 

Kobie was shaking but made no move to step away from him. Blair walked slowly behind them, all while keeping Kobie steady. The man on the stretcher resembled her in that their hair was the same color, but there were too many stitches and bruises to tell beyond that. Actually, now that he was seeing him, he was shocked they’d transported him at all.

He glanced over at Calum, his expression matched Blair’s feelings.

Blair pulled Kobie to the side of the kitchen as they moved her brother into the room right off it.

Rayne came over, with an amused expression she noted Blair was still holding Kobie. A gentle smile appeared on her face, then she inclined her head to Kobie, “I’m Rayne, Devin’s mate.”

Kobie stiffened, then inclined her head and kept it down until Rayne touched it softly. Kobie looked at her, “thank you for escorting my brother here.”

Rayne glanced over at Devin for a second, “Devin was hoping to talk to him, but that may have to wait for a few days.” 

Blair rubbed his hand over his hair but didn’t say a word. They were staying a few days? Shit. He glanced to Calum, who had also heard them, and motioned to the man that had just come from the guardhouse. 

He spoke to him quietly, but Blair caught the ‘oh shit’ look when he’d glanced at Devin and Rayne. With a nod, he rushed from the house. Security was about to be ramped up.

Blair wasn’t sure if he’d slept the night before and he’d already patrolled twice today, and it was barely nine in the morning.

He checked again to see Kobie was sitting beside her brother. He’d only stirred once and then would go back to sleep since he’d arrived. The way the man looked; Blair was glad he was sleeping through the healing. It didn’t matter what part of his body Kobie’s brother would want to move, it was going to hurt. Eight broken bones, three fractures, multiple areas too bruised and swollen to be certain of injury, and stitches on five other areas of his body. All Shaelan had said on it was he was a strong man to have survived this far.

He looked at Kobie, she was speaking softly to her twin. He didn’t want to hear what she was saying, but the expression on her face told him she was giving the man every reason to hang on and fight through it. The link between twins may be the reason he survived, Devin or Rayne had said that—he couldn’t be sure because his head was too full of Kobie’s distress at that point, but now he had to wonder if it was her will that had brought her brother this far.

Rubbing a hand over his chest, he nodded and decided he needed to get out of here and grab some air.

He made it three feet outside and spotted Devin on the phone. Shit. He was supposed to call Gage yesterday. Fuck. Pulling his phone out, he brought up the call list as he walked. He had no particular destination in mind, just hoped to be out of earshot of any shifters because this was going to be a hard conversation. For him mostly. He’d bailed on the team at the shop and took off to lick his wounds—if he hadn’t, Cooper probably wouldn’t be miserable and laid up in bed right now. He also wouldn’t have met Kobie…

He was just about to hang up after five rings when Gage barked a hello into the phone.

“Bad time?”

“No. Yes, give me a second.” He heard the phone hitting what could only be one of the tool trays. “Noah, you push from that side.”

Blair closed his eyes and tried to picture what they were doing.

“Stupid, son of a…” There was a loud clanging sound of something large and metal hitting the floor. Gage was laughing. “After you pick Noah up, Jake, go give Gary a hand.”

“Hello.”

Blair smirked, “they jammed the conveyer return again.”

Gage chuckled, “second time this week.” He cleared his throat, “have you been avoiding me?”

Blair shook his head like the man could see him from there and started walking again, “no, not on purpose, it’s just been a fucking adventure here.”

“Yeah, got a text from Calum saying Devin showed up yesterday. He’s not impressed.”

Blair looked back toward the house. “Yeah, he’s even less impressed that Devin won’t stay in the house.”

“We’re doing well here, Noah is back, plus we have Kelsey wreaking havoc and making everyone look bad in the shop now—you’re needed there, especially now that Calum has to shadow Dev.”

Blair stared at the ground at his feet, he hadn’t even thought of that in days. He continued to stand there; hearing Kelsey was in the shop hadn’t hurt like it would have a week ago either. Shaking his head, “some of the guys they have as guards here aren’t very good at it.”

“How’s that? Did you tell Calum? I’m sure he could get Dev to pull some from somewhere else…”

“No. I’ve got it covered. I know we’re spread thin right now.” He clenched his jaw recalling, “Kobie strolled right past the entire watch. I almost had a heart attack,” he shrugged, “I thought Tomas’ guys had found us.”

“Everything all right?”

“Yeah—she went fishing, or more accurately caught a half dozen trout with a spear—to clear her head…”

Gage started laughing. “It makes sense now.”

“What does?”

“Cal said you were having female issues or troubles or something,” Gage chuckled again, “I thought he meant because you were running herd on nine females, but it’s one, isn’t it?”

Blair blew out a breath and rubbed between his eyes with his thumb, “yeah. Kobie is mine and I don’t know what the fuck to do with that.”

“Your mate?”

“Yeah.”

“So the charming Blair Elden is having trouble with the woman that is his mate.” He could hear something running in the background, then fading as Gage must have walked outside. “What am I missing?”

Blair closed his eyes and tried to figure out how to say it. “She hasn’t decided yet.”

“Decided what?”

“Fuck if I know.” He cringed at his tone, which was close to whining.

“Is this the one that led the women to safety?”

Blair nodded, then remembered he was on the phone. “Yeah.”

“Is she Alpha?”

Another nod, “yeah.

“I heard her father is likely gone and her brother may not pull through.”

Blair sat down and stared across the field, “we haven’t heard anything about the rest of the men that went with them.”

“Sounds like she has a lot going on right now.”

He was hoping for wisdom. If anyone knew how to cope with a mate that wasn’t yours yet, it was Gage. “Yes, it’s a huge emotional bizarre around here.” He cleared his throat, “two of the women’s husbands that stayed behind to watch over the clan—the women found them dead. Daisie is nine and her father went with the Alpha. Annamarie and Nichelle are close to their first cycle and their mothers are missing, fathers probably dead…”

“You sound pretty attached, Blair.”

Blair opened his mouth and then closed it. “I am. I think I was the second Daisie came out of the trees looking like the bravest kid I’d ever seen.” He paused, searching if he felt any remorse. When he found none, he continued, “I killed those two that tried to take Daisie, Gage—didn’t even pause after.”

“Are they all going back to Devin’s camp?”

Blair blinked; he’d never asked. “I don’t know.”

“I won’t lie, I need you here. Your part of this team and family, but—” he heard a door close and recognized the sound of the air compressor on the other side of the office door in the shop, “I was thinking about it last night and I have a thought, maybe I’ll run it by Dev and see what he thinks.”

Blair got up, “like what?”

“You know that abandoned place ten miles from here, the one set way back off the road?”

Nodding, Blair started walking toward the house, his cat was nagging him that they needed to check on Kobie. “Yeah, the property needs some work, but the house is huge and in good…” he stopped, “it’s big enough to house all of them and a few more.”

“Right. Dad was looking at acquiring it—it’s a good chunk of land to roam. It would be a fast sale, I’m pretty sure the owners jumped ship.”

Blair nodded and picked up the pace. “The team could help watch it when we’re not working.”

“We have the equipment to fence the whole fucking thing if we wanted to.”

“I have a lot saved…”

“I’m sure the Alliance can help, save your money for now.”

Blair stopped and put his hand on his hip and stared at the house. “I’d feel better with them close. Gage, I gotta be honest here, I’m a fucking mess right now…”

“I get it. You stay put, keep them all safe.”

Blair jolted, he couldn’t believe he’d forgotten, “how’s Coop?”

“Miserable and bitching to get out of the bed, but Shaelan said the longer we keep him off that leg the faster it would heal.”

Blair huffed out a quick breath, “good luck there.”

“Exactly. Three more weeks of it. We may have to use the chains by next week to keep him down.”

He grinned. “I’m not sure when I’ll be back…”

“Just take care of them, Blair.”

“I plan on it.” He was going to say bye, then remembered, “Gage, did you know I have a brother?”

There was a long silence, “yeah, I asked Dad about that other clan a few years back.”

“Calum told me—everything.”

“It fits.”

“What does?”

“I always thought your cat was pure Alpha warrior, then Dad confirmed it.”

Blair was blown away that Gage had known and never told him. “I need to help the Alliance put a stop to Tomas’, Gage—my own fucking family is responsible…”

“We’re your family, Blair—those nine you rescued are your family now too, not that clan you came from.”

He used the hard tone, the one that told Blair’s cat to listen up. “I’m a fucking mess, boss.”

Gage laughed, “you should have seen Calum acting like a lovesick puppy, that was a fucking mess.”

As if he’d heard him, Calum came out of the house and started walking in his direction. “I want details some time.”

“I look forward to sharing that story every year for the rest of his life.” He heard voices in the background. “I have to go before Noah knocks down the shop trying to get that rig out of here.”

“Shit. Go.” The line went quiet. Jamming the phone in his pocket he started walking, then stopped. He had a place for the girls to go. Jake and Gary would help, he was sure Noah would too. Hell, he’d probably be better at it than the rest of them, considering what he’d lived through. He started walking again when his cat prompted him to go check on Kobie. Five feet later, he stopped. How did he tell Kobie about the property? His cat not so gently prodded him again. Slow your roll for a second. Fuck.

“Your head is going to explode if you keep thinking that hard.”

Blair jolted and looked up to see Calum standing a few feet from him. “I was just talking to Gage.”

Concern filled Calum’s face. “Everything all right?”

“Uh, yeah,” Blair blew out a breath, he felt better about some things, yet more tense with others, “he had an idea for,” he waved his hand toward the house, “the girls.”

“Oh? Don’t tell me he’s going to train them all in the shop.” He smirked.

“Ha, no, well maybe some later, but for a place for them to live.” He blew out a breath, “going home is off the table for them, and from what Rayne was telling Jesse the camp is getting pretty crowded.”

“What’s his plan.”

Blair realized he’d been rambling and that was not something you did with Calum. “You remember that big place down the road from Ed’s?”

Calum raised one eyebrow, “the one where I ran circles around you?”

Blair scowled, “Yeah, that one.”

Calum was quiet for a moment, “it’s a defensible location, with some work. Close to another clan of the same type.”

Blair nodded, “I think so too, the house is huge too with those three little buildings…”

“Is he going to run it by Dev?”

“Yeah, he said he would.” Blair crossed his arms over his chest, trying to ignore his cat once again.

“So why do you not look happy about that?”

Was it that obvious? “I don’t know how to tell them.”

Calum grinned, “tell the homeless women that they have a home to call their own? I don’t know, Blair that’s a tough ask.”

He must have shown the shock on his face because Calum started laughing and then turned and walked away. “Wait until the Alliance approves it before you start sharing.”

Get a handle on this, idiot, get your brain back in the game. As if on cue, his cat all but gouged his insides reminding him once more that they needed to check on their unclaimed mate.

Blair walked into the house. Rayne met him with an understanding look on her face. She motioned to the room Kobie’s brother was in. Giving her a quick nod, he pushed the door open and went in. Kobie sat beside the bed in a chair, leaning forward onto the bed, with her face resting in her hands. His cat didn’t react the way he’d intended when he brought the scent of an injured male into his body. He inhaled slowly, trying to settle his cat down.

Kobie lifted her head and looked at him.

Blair’s heart thudded in his chest when he saw the forlorn expression on her face. That brought his cat back into line, fast. Going around the bed, he squatted down beside her and pulled her to the edge of the chair, and brought her head to rest on his shoulder. “You should go get some rest.” He whispered into her hair.

She moved her head slightly. “I need him to open his eyes.”

“His body needs rest, babe.” She lifted her head and looked at him, “I’ll stay with him if you like.”

She shook her head, “I took a break a while ago and I can’t,” she motioned to the door, “go back out there until I have some answers.”

The other women. He’d almost forgotten about their men. Nodding, he stood up slowly. “Do you want a coffee or something? Did you eat?”

She shook her head, “I’m not hungry.”

Blair gave her a soft smile, “I know I don’t have to remind you that you have to eat,” he motioned to the door, “we have Annamarie for the dramatics around here, we don’t need you having some emotional rant.”

She grinned at him. “Okay, a tea, black, and something light.”

He nodded and brushed the hair back from her face. “I’ll be right back.”

Going back out into the kitchen, he went to the fridge and opened it. It was stocked. Closing it, he opened a cupboard and looked in it. “Cups.” He pulled out two. He kept moving along the cupboards until he found the dishes he needed. Turning slowly, he noticed the sliding door on the other side of the room. He went over and opened it, “pantry.” Flicking the light on, he perused what was on the shelves and finally found the tea. “Kettle.” Grabbing the tea, he went back out and then spotted it on the counter beside the coffeepot. Turning he went back in and grabbed the coffee. “Okay, now we’re getting somewhere.” He flipped off the light and slid the door closed, then turned to see both Calum and Devin standing there watching him.

“Are you talking to yourself?” Devin smirked.

Blair motioned around the kitchen. “Just trying to get the lay of the land in here.”

The men moved to the table and sat down.

“Jayden awake yet?”

It took Blair a moment to realize that Jay was Jayden. He shook his head and then glanced at Calum, “Shaelan say when he should be?”

Calum shrugged, “when his body was ready.”

Blair paused for a moment, “that’s not helpful.” He glanced at the door that Kobie was on the other side of. “The others are hoping for answers.”

“As are we,” Devin said quietly.

Daisie came running into the kitchen, she gave Calum and Devin a cautious look, then smiled at Blair. “Can I help?”

Blair set the tea and coffee on the counter. “No thanks, honey, but you can tell your mom I’m putting a pot of coffee on in case she wants one.”

Daisie stood there for a moment. “She’s with Mika right now. Mika is crying again.”

Blair set the kettle down and squatted in front of her. “You know those flowers by the side of the house?”

She nodded.

“I think Mika would like it if you picked one and took it to her.”

“Do you think that will make her feel better?”

Blair nodded, “it can’t hurt, right?”

Daisie nodded and then turned to leave. Before Blair could stand up again, she launched herself at him and hugged him tightly. “Thanks, Blair, Mom says it’s good you’re here and I think she’s right.” Spinning, she took off out the door.

Blowing out a breath, Blair stood back up. He needed a moment before he looked at the other men. Turning back to the sink, he filled the kettle and then plugged it in. Setting up the coffee maker, he flipped it on then turned and leaned back against the counter. “Did Gage call you?” He looked at Devin.

Devin nodded. “It’s a good idea. I’ll tell Dad about it later when I talk to him.”

Blair glanced to Calum, then nodded and went over to the fridge. Opening it, he grabbed one of the four cartons of eggs and set it on the stove. Leaning in, he pulled out some cheese, then closed the door. “I’d like to have something good to tell them.” He glanced to see both men nodding.

Reaching up, he pulled a frying pan off the hook on the wall and set it on the stove. Pausing, he opened the fridge again and grabbed the margarine.

“Your very domestic.”

Blair spun to see Franki standing in the door smiling at him. He grinned at her, then motioned to the stove, “eggs are the only thing I make well,” he shrugged, “it’s easier to shift and go eat something.”

She laughed quietly, “I agree, but don’t tell the girls. They keep trying to teach me how to bake.”

“Baking is always appreciated.” He leaned over and pulled the bowl closer, so he could get the eggs started.

“I heard there was coffee?”

Blair motioned to the corner. “Help yourself.” He beat the eggs with the fork and poured them into the pan. “How’s Mika?”

Franki paused with the cup in her hand, “she and Waylan were only together for a year, so it’s tough, you know, without kids to hold you together.”

Blair nodded, even though he didn’t know.

“Daisie confessed the flower was your idea.” She smiled at him.

Blair lifted his hands in an innocent gesture. “The flower was my distraction, so she wouldn’t ask about her dad again.”

Franki filled the cup and then got out another one, “we’re all hoping Jay can tell us what happened to Robbie.”

Blair stirred the eggs around and then started opening drawers looking for a shredder for the cheese.

“We’re still searching for any of the others,” Devin said quietly.

Franki looked over at him. “Have you found any of them?”

Devin shook his head, “it’s my understanding that Jay was alone, no evidence of the others.”

Franki looked at the floor for a moment and then turned and picked up the cups. “Any answers will be better than what we have now.”

“You’ll get them,” Calum said in a low tone, “one way or another.”

“Thank you.” She gave them both a somber look and then turned to Blair, “there’s no shredder.” She smiled at his dramatic look and walked back outside.

Blair blew out a breath and then busied himself with cutting the cheese into small chunks and tossing them in the pan with the eggs. No one said anything again until he was putting the eggs onto two plates and pouring the tea into a cup. Pausing, he turned back to look at the prince, “I want to help.”

Devin gave him a confused look.

Blair motioned around him, “once we get the girls settled, I want to help bring Tomas down.” He glanced at Calum briefly, “it’s only right that I do.”

“No one blames you for any of it, Blair,” Devin told him.

“I know,” he tapped his chest, “but it feels like I need to.” Reaching up, he pulled a tray off the fridge and put the two plates and cups on it, “I owe it to my mother to do the right thing.”

Devin nodded, “I’ll let dad know he has another warrior if needed.”

Blair clenched his jaw together, trying to fight the fury that was filling him just thinking about his own brother doing this to other shifters. Nodding, he went over and pushed the door open to go back to Kobie.

She was standing looking out the window.

“I’m afraid the only thing I cook well is eggs.”

Turning, she gave him a gentle look, “that’s fine, thank you.”

He set the tray on the dresser and then held out her cup of tea.

Taking it, she looked back out the window, “Rayne seems really nice.”

Blair picked up his cup and then went over and glanced through the glass to see Rayne and Daisie laughing about something. “Yeah, she’s what the clans need right now.”

Blowing on the tea, she went over and sat down. “They’re not what I expected.” He held out her plate. “The prince and princess.”

Blair shrugged, “they’re hands-on.” He jerked his chin at the plate, so she’d eat. “Devin has a huge campground, and it’s now set up as a refuge for those we rescue from Tomas.”

“Are there many?”

He watched her take a bite before answering. “More every day.”

“Good.”

Picking up his plate, he stood there leaning against the dresser, eating and watching her. She was only eating to humor him, he got that, but at least she was eating. “I was thinking we could take Daisie and Kasia to the river later, let them go for a swim.”

Kobie gave him a surprised look. “They would love that. It would give Torrey and Cortney a break too.”

“I’ll talk to Cal and see if he and Shaelan want to come, then we don’t have to drag guards along.”

“Okay.” She raised the fork and then stopped and looked at him again, “thank you.”

Blair set the dishes in the rack to dry, and then went back in to persuade her to come outside and go blow off some steam at the river. As he opened the door, he heard talking. Pushing it open, he looked to see her brother was awake and she was sitting on the bed, leaning over him.

“Here he is,” Kobie looked over at Blair, a relieved expression on her face, “this is Blair.”

Blair moved over close to the bed, so Jayden didn’t have to move around a lot to look at him. He was met with an expression he didn’t expect. He looked angry. Probably in a lot of pain. “How are you feeling?” He motioned to the door, “I can go get the healer…”

“Not yet.” His voice was weak. “Thank you, for getting them here.”

Kobie must have filled in some details of how they got where they were. “Of course.”

The fragile man looked back at his sister. “Where’s Huntley, Waylan, and Mace? Are they outside, I need to talk to them.”

Kobie leaned back from him and shook her head slowly. “We found them. That’s when I gathered everyone together and we went to Fish’s.”

“They were on our land?”

Kobie nodded.

“Fuck.” With slow movements, he reached over and touched his sisters’ hand. “Dad’s gone too, Kobe.”

Kobie nodded, “I figured as much.” She wiped her cheek with her free hand and Blair had to struggle to stand there and not invade their little family moment to comfort her.

Shaelan came in the door and then stopped and smiled. “It’s good to see you awake.” She gave him a pleasant smile. “I’d like to check on a few things before Devin and Calum come in here to talk, is that all right?”

Jay looked at Blair, then at his sister. “Devin Addison is here?”

Kobie nodded. “He came with you.”

“I’d like to talk to him.” He said in a weak voice.

Kobie leaned down and kissed his forehead. “I’m just going to take Daisie and Kasia to the river for a swim, then I’ll be back.”

“I’ll be here.” He said with a half-smile.