Spiral of Need

“You put red food coloring on my toothbrush! I looked like a damn vampire after I brushed my teeth this morning!”

“Well, if you hadn’t poured baby oil into my shampoo bottle, it would never have happened, would it?”

“So,” began Marcus before the siblings could argue any further, “you’re saying you’re okay with Ally being given sanctuary here?”

Roni shrugged. “I’ll support whatever decision Shaya makes. You?”

Marcus thought about it for a second. “I won’t have a problem with Ally being here, as long as she doesn’t share her visions with me. In my opinion, it’s best not to know the future anyway. It can just fuck up the present.”

Derren couldn’t have said it better himself.

“If you’re referring to what happened to Trey,” began Shaya, “that wasn’t the Seer’s fault—the blame belongs to Trey’s father.” Trey Coleman was the Phoenix Pack Alpha male.

Kent looked at Marcus. “What happened to Trey?”

“It’s Trey’s story to tell,” replied Marcus. “All I’ll say on the matter is that when he was a kid, the Seer of his pack told his dad he’d usurp his position one day.”

As everyone knew all about the deceased, violent, and totally fucked-up Rick Coleman, it was easy enough to conclude that the old bastard had punished Trey during his entire upbringing for something he hadn’t even done yet.

Cutting off whatever Nick was about to say next, the front door opened and there was a cacophony of exasperated voices. Three Mercury enforcers strolled into the living area, arguing. More accurately, Jesse and Zander were berating an eye-rolling Bracken.

Derren immediately summed up the situation, sighing tiredly at Bracken. “What did you and Dominic do this time?”

Dominic was a Phoenix Pack enforcer, who seemed to have no self-control and would probably fuck any female who stood still long enough. Though flirty and just as fond of sex as the average shifter, Bracken was a big gamer and preferred technology to people. It surprised everyone when the two enforcers became friends. Together, they had a talent for getting themselves in deep shit.

It was Jesse who responded. “Oh, they only had a threesome with an Alpha’s mate.”

“Intended mate, intended mate,” Bracken stressed. “Her father has arranged for her to mate some guy, but they’re not true mates. She wanted one last fling before the ceremony.” He looked at Jesse. “You’ve seen her—was I supposed to refuse?”

Jesse nodded. “Yes. That was exactly what you were supposed to do.”

“You’re lucky,” Zander told Bracken. “If the Alpha wasn’t absolutely terrified of Nick and our pack, he would have challenged you.” Nick had quite a reputation.

“We’ll discuss this later,” Shaya told the enforcers, gesturing for them to sit. “Right now, there’s a more important issue to discuss.”

“There’s nothing to discuss,” corrected Nick. “We’ve said all there is to say.”

As if Nick hadn’t spoken, Shaya informed Jesse, Zander, and Bracken of the Ally Marshall situation. Derren and Nick had first met the three enforcers in Arizona, where Nick had tracked down Shaya to claim her as his mate. The enforcers had separated from their old pack and, basically, followed Nick around until he agreed to form a pack and accept them as part of it.

Derren liked the three wolves. Jesse was the most practical of the trio, very circumspect and composed. He was also so serious that he made Derren seem fun. Bracken was a joker and not what anyone would call “deep.” Emotionally, he could be as equally affected by a hurtful insult as he could be by the discovery of a stain on his clothes. Zander wasn’t the most sensitive or empathetic of people. But he was sharp-witted and so intrepid that Derren would be surprised if the guy’s heart rate ever went up, no matter the situation.

When Shaya finished telling Ally’s story, Bracken puffed out a breath. “I’ve heard of that kind of thing happening before. A guy meeting his mate while in a relationship, I mean. His ex-girlfriend couldn’t handle it and killed herself.”

Shaya’s face crumpled. “Ally is probably in similar pain.”

“You should be more worried about the safety of the Beta female than her,” said Kathy with a huff. “Trust me, you never want to upset a Seer. No. They can hold a grudge.”

Shaya’s gaze sharpened on Kathy. “Why do I have a feeling you’ve had a run-in with a Seer?”

The woman evaded the question. “Have you ever met one?”

Frowning thoughtfully, Shaya replied, “I don’t think so.”

“Then that means you haven’t. Seers aren’t people you forget.” Kathy sneered as she elaborated, “They’re all the same: kooky, whimsical, gaga, think everything’s a spiritual quest, and believe they’re attuned to nature.” Her expression said pathetic. “And they think they’re much more important than they are. In their view, the pack wouldn’t be so safe without their visions, so they’re owed obedience and reverence.”

“You talk about them like they’re separate creatures.” Shaya sighed. “They’re just shifters who happen to have visions.”

“It’s more than that. They can feel people’s emotions. And they can heal.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Kent frowned.