Chapter Sixty-One

Waverly.

Barbie rushed in through the front door and slammed it shut behind her.

Waverly glanced at Sarah and then Barbie’s face. She locked the door, and rushed across the room, closing curtains and locking windows.

Waverly stood up and folded her arms as she watched her. “Barbie, are you okay?”

A heavy knock startled Waverly and made Barbie gasp from the other room.

Sarah stood up, looked out the window and raised both brows. “A big hulk-like man is standing on our porch. A definite silver fox.”

Sarah walked over to open the door but Barbie shrieked. “Don’t let him in!”

Waverly couldn’t help but laugh at Barbie’s franticness. “What’s the matter?”

Barbie hid beside the arm of the couch and sat against the wall. “That man thinks I’m his mate.”

Sarah choked on her spit and braced her palm against the wall to keep herself upright. “That sexy man-wolf is your mate and you’re hiding, Barbie?”

She glanced around the corner of the couch, looking younger than Waverly knew she was, and glared at Sarah. “Regardless of anything, I’m married.”

“To a power-hungry monster,” Sarah said.

Waverly sighed. “Barbie,” she said, bending down to look at her. “I know you’re scared, and this is uncomfortable, but you need to at least speak to this man.”

He banged on the door again. “I just want to talk.”

Barbie closed her eyes and hid her face in her palms. “I can’t. This is wrong.”

Sarah lifted both brows. “But it feels so right …”

“Stop it,” Waverly said, offering Barbie a hand. She took it reluctantly and stood up in front of her. “You know all of that advice you gave us?”

Barbie nodded.

“I’m repaying the favor. Go talk to him. Tell him what’s going on. He’s a wolf and you’re a vampire. Is that even a thing?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know of any.”

“Maybe he’s wrong,” Sarah said.

Barbie nodded her head slightly and took a deep breath before walking over toward the door. She unlocked it and opened it slowly. The man on the other side was man candy. Way better than her power-crazed husband by far.

And the look in his eyes showed so much love that it nearly knocked Waverly on her ass.

“I’m Alistar,” he said, offering his hand to her.

She took it and then shoved her hand back into her pocket. His gaze moved around the room slowly, examining all of them, before landing back on Barbie.

“Can I come inside?”

Barbie opened the door further allowing him access to the room. He bent his head to get inside and stood by the couch.

Drake walked into the cabin several moments later, judging the room with a skeptical look. “Mom, is everything okay?”

Alistar glanced at Drake. “I’m not here to hurt your mother. I’m here because she’s my mate, and we have things to talk about.”

Drake scratched his head. “You know she’s a vampire, right? A married vampire?”

Waverly heard a deep growl come from Alistar’s chest. He didn’t like that his true mate was married. “I know now.” He turned to Barbie, and Waverly watched a shiver rush through her body. “Are you separated?”

Barbie shrugged. “It’s complicated. He’s after our sons for not turning their mates over to the royals.”

“Sounds like trash to me.”

Drake glanced at his mother with a small smile on his face. Maybe he liked the idea of getting rid of his father, or maybe he liked the idea of his mother being happy.

Waverly cleared her throat. “Maybe we should go outside and give you guys some privacy?”

Sarah cursed under her breath. “Speak for yourself.”

Waverly elbowed Sarah in the ribs, grabbed her elbow and began to usher her toward the door. Drake was reluctant to leave, but his mother nodded at him.

Waverly let go of Sarah. “Dang it, Waverly. That was getting good. I wanted to see it.”

Waverly chuckled. “I’m sure Barbie will be forthcoming if we ask her anything afterward. They have things to talk about.”

Drake shut the door behind him. “God, like we need any more drama today.”

Reid and Clint stood with Beau in the yard. They didn’t care as much about the mate bond as Drake did. They walked over as a group when Reid met Drake’s gaze. “So, my father and your mother.”

Drake jabbed his thumb over his shoulder. “That’s your dad?”

Reid nodded. “Former alpha. My mother, his first mate, died years ago. He’s been alone since then. We all thought he would die alone.”

“Awe, that’s so sweet,” Sarah said.

“Yeah, if my dad wasn’t still in the picture. Do vampires and werewolves even mate?”

“Apparently,” Clint laughed. “It will be a crazy dynamic. Do you think she’ll accept it?”

Waverly watched the hope on Drake’s face. “Maybe. Hopefully. My dad’s part of the reason we’re all here.”

Beau pulled out his phone when it began to vibrate. “Hello?”

Waverly watched his face, knowing him for so long, she could sense the unease at the conversation happening on the other end. “Okay. Come back. We’ll make a plan when you make it.”

He ended the call. “The scent led them to an abandoned hunting camp in the middle of the woods hundreds of miles from him. It looks like they picked up on hundreds of scents. All vampires.”

A shiver raced through Waverly’s body. Hundreds? She glanced around the yard at the werewolves and vampires on their side. She prayed they didn’t have to lose too many souls because of this.

Maybe the royals will smell the wolves and leave? Or maybe it would make them angry at the alliance. She had no idea how to judge their next move.

“They're coming back?” Reid asked. “Did they mention my wolves being with them?”

“They met them earlier. They’re all coming back.”

Reid looked over at his wolves. “We need to eat. If they catch the scent of the wolves or the vampires they’ll follow it. We need to be fed and rested when they come.”

“I agree,” Beau said. He signaled for Scotty to come over. “Can you make sure all the vampires know to feel up? We have a feeling they’re coming soon.”

Scotty raced over to deliver the message, while Reid shouted their instructions to shift and find something to feed their wolves.

“I need to make sure that my father knows what’s going on. Do you think it’s safe to go check on them?” Reid asked.

Drake shrugged. “I have no idea what’s going on in my mother’s mind right now. So, I don’t know. I don’t hear …. anything unholy going on in there, so I think you’re safe.”

Reid let his head fall back in laughter. “My dad has enough manners not to attack his mate if he’s trying to sweep her off her feet.”

“Good,” Drake mumbled under his breath.

Reid walked toward the cabin and disappeared inside.

Drake turned toward Waverly, put both hands on her shoulders and kissed her forehead. “I need to feed. There is some blood in the kitchen. Once I have the go-ahead, I’m going to go inside. I think we need to figure out the plan for when the royals make it.”

Waverly looked at Sarah and then at Beau. “Where is the safest place for us?”

“There is a tornado shelter at the edge of the woods. We’ve never used it, but I’ve been down there. I store some supplies down there. I think having the girls there will be the safest. There is only one way inside. We can post vampires and wolves in the area so we can keep an eye on them. I’m assuming they’ll have both of the girls’ scents.”

“That sounds good to me,” Drake said.

Reid walked outside with a small smile on his face. Alistar walked behind him with Barbie.

Waverly was positive if Barbie had blood her cheeks would have been red.

Drake interlaced his fingers with Waverly's. “Come on.”

She walked with Drake toward the cabin, glancing over at Barbie who avoided her star. She took a look over her shoulder once more and noticed something move in the woods.

She stalled.

He looked back when she stopped. “What is it?”

“I think someone is watching us.”

Drake followed her line of sight and pushed her behind him.

“Beau,” he said in a normal voice, “someone is here.”