“So now your wolf is getting the blame?”

“Taryn,” he groaned. “Your father isn’t going to be the only Alpha male there. He’s also bringing along ten very powerful Alphas from his collection of alliances. Ten wolves I don’t know or trust. Then there’ll also be whatever enforcers or bodyguards they each decide to bring along. That’s a lot of strange wolves. Is it really so unreasonable to ask you to stay here where you’ll be away from them? Is it really so unreasonable to want you to stay away from any possible danger?” She didn’t answer, just continued to stare at him blankly. “Taryn, are you even listening to me?”

“I pretended to, so let that be enough.”

“He has a point though, Taryn,” said Tao.

She raised an eyebrow at the traitor. “If I want your opinion, I’ll kick it out of you, okay?”

When Tao went to speak again, Dante put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. “You should know by now that when she’s smiling like that it’s not a good sign and best to leave her alone.”

Suddenly Grace appeared and placed a glass in her hand. “Here, drink this. You need plenty of nutrients and lots of folic acid in your diet so -”

Taryn grimaced. “What the hell is that?”

“Fruit juice.”

“Really? Strange. Because it looks like vomit.”

“Grace, will you tell her it’s best to stay behind,” said Trey. “It’s not a good idea for her to be going to stressful meetings while she’s pregnant.”

Taryn poked him in the chest. “Oh no, Flinstone, you don’t get to drag Grace into this. I am going to this meeting.”

“Don’t make me have to lock you in our room.” He was expecting an outburst. What he got was a smile. Dante was right, it only meant bad things when she smiled like that.

“Try it if you feel you must. But just remember this: I know where you sleep, I know where the cheese grater is, and I know it’ll cause you a hell of a lot of pain if it makes contact with your cock. Don’t think I won’t do it. I know I can heal you afterwards so my conscience won’t interfere.” Her smile widened when he emitted a low growl.

He was still growling twenty minutes later when they left Bedrock en-route to Mo’s Diner. Taryn probably shouldn’t have found it so amusing, but she did – much like a smiling Dante who seemed to find humor in every dispute his Alpha’s had. As Trey was in overprotective mode, he had wanted to bring all six enforcers so they had taken his gold, nine seater, Chevrolet Tahoe.

When fifteen minutes later his mood hadn’t improved, she finally snapped. “Will you stop with the growling! If you really must brood then do it quietly.”

“This isn’t brooding, baby, this is me so unbelievably pissed I’m considering just taking my chances with the cheese grater and having Dante drive you back home.”

“Dante knows better than that.”

The Beta winced. “Yeah, I’d kind of like to keep my foreskin.”

Trey sighed at her. “Pain in my ass.”

“Pain in your c*ck if you try sending me home.”

And so the growling continued.

Finally they arrived at the diner and, much like last time, Trey received many wary looks. To her surprise, so did Taryn. Clearly the Brodie incident was still fresh in everybody’s minds. She picked up Lance’s scent almost immediately. Sitting at a long table surrounded by ten of his powerful alliances, he looked exactly like the big man he wanted to look. Scattered around the diner were enforcers and bodyguards ready to protect their Alpha’s at the slightest hint of danger. Trey subtly directed his own enforcers to do the same, other than Tao who came along with him, Taryn and Dante to the table.

All the Alpha’s stood, and all looked pretty insulted that Trey was keeping his Beta and Head Enforcer so close – it was considered a sign that he distrusted them. But then their eyes went to Taryn and she guessed that they had scented her condition and, thus, the reason for Trey’s cautiousness. She was proven right when her father spoke.

“Trey, Taryn. Congratulations.” Strangely enough, he sounded like he meant it. All the Alpha’s followed suit, congratulating them both and inviting them to sit opposite Lance.

“Thanks,” said Taryn while Trey gave them a nod. Dante and Tao stood directly behind their seat, alert and wearing ‘don’t dare try anything’ expressions. She hid a smile at the apprehension wafting from the wolves at the table. These might be very powerful Alphas, but they were still intimidated by Trey.

Lance introduced each of the Alpha wolves, though it hadn’t been necessary. Trey knew who each and every one of them was, just as he knew that each and every one of them had had problems with his father’s pack in the past. Much like Lance, his father had been good at making enemies. It was little wonder then that they were there, prepared to listen and possibly be present for the battle.

“Could you tell us what exactly the trouble is that you have with the Bjorn pack?” asked Lance.

Massaging Taryn’s nape the entire time, Trey explained about his banishment, his father’s death, and his uncle’s challenge. “My hope was that he would back down at some point before the twelve weeks were up. Instead, as ‘encouragement’ for me to give him what he wants, he ordered an attack on Taryn -”

“An attack on you?” If Taryn hadn’t known better, she might have thought Lance actually cared.

“- which very much backfired, leaving her unharmed.”

“It was most likely a trap,” said one of the Alpha’s – a very muscular red-headed guy with an accent Taryn couldn’t place. She didn’t bother to hide her smug ‘told you so’ smile from Trey, petty though it was.

“Yes, and that was the only thing that kept me from reacting.”

“This happened while you were pregnant?” asked another of the Alphas.

“If it had, he’d be dead right now and we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” replied Taryn.

Damn right, thought Trey. “The challenge takes place tomorrow. My uncle won’t keep this as a battle between two Alpha’s – he’s too much of a coward for that. He has many alliances, so I’m expecting a large number of wolves to appear with him. Nick Axton, the Alpha of the Ryland Pack, has already offered his support.”

“Ryland Pack,” repeated Lance. He looked at Taryn. “Your uncle Don mated into that pack, right?”

She nodded and smiled. “He sends his love.” Lance rolled his eyes.

A roundish, grim looking wolf looked at Trey curiously. “Nick’s a powerful Alpha, but his pack isn’t much larger than yours.”

“Exactly,” said Trey. “That’s why I’m low on numbers, and that’s why I’m here.”

“If you win tomorrow, what do you intend to do with who is left of the Bjorn Pack and with their territory?” asked Lance.

“Let me make it clear that when I win tomorrow, I don’t intend to make any wolves outcasts or distribute the territory amongst others. I know a lot about being out there with no protection or territory and I have no wish to place others in the same situation. Whoever is left of the pack will be permitted to keep their territory and choose a new Alpha providing they swear their allegiance to me. They’ll be expected to do the same for any packs who back me, but that is the most I can offer in terms of reward for anyone’s backing. So, in other words, if that and a chance to settle some scores with Darryl isn’t enough for any of you, it’s important you say so now.”

“So, all in all, we have the support of only one other pack?” asked Cam later that day over dinner, sounding both panicky and beaten.

“Two,” corrected Dante. “Nick Axton also gave us his support, remember.”

Taryn watched from her position on the counter as the faces of those at the table all melted into ones of despair. Seeing that she had – gasp – paused in eating her meal, Trey and Grace, who stood either side of her, scowled at her until she jammed a chunk of steak in her mouth.

Kirk gave Trey an accusatory look. “You said that mating with Taryn would give us the alliances we need to get through this challenge.”

“And you said Darryl would never follow it through,” Dominic pointed out.

“Didn’t I say it would all be for nothing?”

Taryn didn’t even see Trey move. One moment he was at her side, the next moment he was clamping his hand around Kirk’s throat and snatching him from his seat.

“All for nothing, huh?” Trey growled. “That’s my mate you’re talking about. My mate who is pregnant with my child. My mate who is also your Alpha female.”

“Trey, I know he crossed a line, but…he can’t breathe.” Brock tried appealing to Trey with a look, but it was useless.

“There’s only so far you can push someone, Kirk, and you’ve pushed me too hard, too far, too many times. One more shove from you will be all it takes for me lose it.” The fear wafting from his cousin satisfied both Trey and his wolf enough so that they were prepared to release him. Kirk flopped back into his seat, coughing and trying to gasp in air. Trey returned to Taryn’s side and she kissed him lightly, easing his tension slightly.

“What time are Lance and Nick each coming with their enforcers?” asked Lydia.

“They’ve agreed to arrive here at noon. I’ve no idea what time Darryl will appear, but I don’t think it will be any earlier than then.”

“We might not have only Lance and Nick,” said Rhett. “You’ve had a lot of messages over the pack web, Trey. It seems that word’s gotten round about the challenge. Apparently Darryl has earned himself a number of enemies over the years and they’re all offering to be present tomorrow to stand at your side.”

“Standing at his side as in actively getting involved in the battle, or as in literally just standing there like lemons?” asked Grace.

“The term means that they’ll be present and act as back-up if things go to shit,” Taryn explained. “Unless Trey looks like he’s losing, they won’t get involved.”

“They’re more or less just people who want to watch like nosy bastards so they can go and tell everyone about how they were there,” said Trick. Ryan grunted his agreement.

An unexpected yawn escaped Taryn and she allowed her head to drop onto Trey’s shoulder as she closed her eyes.

“Tired, baby? Come on, let’s get you to bed, you need sleep.”

“I’m not tired. I’m just checking my eyelids for holes. It could take a while.”

He chuckled and scooped her up, cradling her against his chest. “Bed.”

“You’ll get tired more easily over the first month of your pregnancy,” Grace told her. “It’s totally normal.”

Having said their goodnights, Trey carried her to their bedroom, liking that she didn’t fight him and allowed him to carry her. Once inside he carefully laid her on the bed and peeled away her jeans before then removing her long sleeved t-shirt. “What’s with the glum look on your face, baby?”

“You’re kidding, right? Take your pick. There’s the fact that you’ll be in a battle tomorrow. There’s the horrible knowledge that we have a traitor in our pack. Oh and there’s the little matter of me being hidden away tomorrow instead of being part of the battle.”

He sighed and draped himself over her, kissing her neck softly, wanting to relax her. “Baby, you can’t be upset with me for asking you to stay clear of a battle.”

“I’m not. There’s no way I’d endanger our baby like that. I just worry something will happen to you. Any of you. It’s worse knowing I’m a healer and I can help but won’t be there to help.”

“I can understand how you’re feeling. I’d be going ape shit crazy now if I knew you were going to be near any danger and didn’t even have me with you. But I need you to stay here, inside. Nothing can happen to you or the baby, Taryn, it just can’t, I’d never get through it.”

“Nothing can happen to you either, so make damn sure you come back to me.” She fused her mouth to his, kissing him hard. He tangled a hand in her hair and tugged, reminding her who the more dominant was, and then he took over the kiss. His tongue plundered her mouth just as she wanted his c*ck to plunder her body, but for some reason he was holding himself back. He was so tense it was like he was bracing himself for some kind of impact. She arched against him and felt the very hard proof of his arousal. His entire body stiffened and he looked like he wanted to jump off the bed. “What’s the matter?”

His eyes danced to her stomach and then back to her face. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

She groaned. “Is that why you’re holding back? Trey, you won’t hurt me or the baby by f**king me.” He didn’t look convinced. She sighed dramatically. “I suppose I could just get my old vibrator out or -”

He pinned her with his gaze. “Nothing goes inside you except my cock, remember.”

“Yes, and I remember agreeing that…but it was pending the applicable terms.”

“Applicable terms?”

“In situations where you’re denying me said cock, I get to dig out my vibrator and take care of the matter myself.” His face molded into a menacing scowl. Or, at least, he thought she’d find it menacing. Instead, she laughed. And cupped the erection pressing insistently against the denim of his jeans. “I want it. It’s mine.”