Wen Read online

  Wen rolled his eyes and then winked at Gerri. “But he won’t come live in Alaska. I’ve asked.”

  “No fucking way. You make me land my plane and take off on an old road when I fly up there. I like actual airports. I’m no bush pilot.”

  Gerri listened to them chat as she stretched her legs and watched another small plane land. It slowed as it came down the strip and then the pilot drove in their direction. “Company,” she warned.

  “It doesn’t matter.” Wen shrugged. “We weren’t followed. Nobody knew I was coming.”

  “Do you want me to get the car while you handle business here? Make sure they refuel my baby?” Micah stared at Wen.

  He nodded. “Take her with you.”

  Micah opened the side compartment and got their bags out. He tossed her backpack at Wen, then another one. The last thing in the storage compartment was a duffle bag with a strap that Micah shoved over his shoulder. He locked the panel down and then winked at Gerri. “Come on, G.L. Let’s go pick up the rental.”

  “Her name is Gerri,” Wen ground out.

  “Sorry.” Micah smiled though, not looking sincere at all.

  Gerri paused. “What are you going to do?” She stared up at Wen.

  “He’s going to make use of his eyes with the airport employees so we’re not technically here and I don’t get charged for using their airport.” Micah stepped closer and lowered his voice. “He wanted no trace of where we’ve traveled this time.”

  Wen scowled. “Shut it.”

  She thought about it. “You don’t want anyone to know you were in Reno?”

  He sighed. “No.”

  “I take it your clan doesn’t know you asked me to help you out?”

  Wen shook his head. “As far as they know, you dropped off their radar when your mother took you away. I’m keeping it that way.”

  “Would Trayis be mad?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Your parents,” she guessed.

  He lifted their backpacks and strode away. “I’ll meet you soon.”

  Gerri watched him go and clenched her teeth.

  “Hey.”

  She turned her head, looking at Micah.

  “Don’t bust his balls too hard. He’s had it rough for the past thirteen years since Gerbin was killed. Did he tell you how it happened?”

  “If you haven’t noticed, he’s not the most talkative person.”

  Micah snorted. “True. Come on. We’ve got a car to get, and I’ll fill in the details since he won’t.”

  He took off toward the large building and she hurried to keep up with him. “I’m listening.”

  “Did you ever meet Gerbin?”

  “Of course, but he wasn’t around much. He preferred hanging with the adults when he was home. It hurt Wen’s feelings but he used to pretend it didn’t.”

  “Gerbin was hard-core, you know? Serious. He visited our pack a lot since Trayis’s mother and brother are pack.”

  “I didn’t know that.”

  “Half-brothers, actually. Trayis and Arlis shared a Lycan mother. She was my mom’s best friend. We’re based in Colorado, with five other packs in the area. Three are friendly but two weren’t. One of them wanted our territory and they attacked us.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Arlis became our alpha after that attack. He lost his parents and stepped up. Our pack managed to fight them off but we suffered heavy casualties. Trayis was furious that his mother was killed, and he wasn’t about to lose his brother too. Gerbin became our guardian angel. Some Lycan packs make alliances with GarLycans, to gain a guardian to protect them from enemies, but they expect something in return.”

  “Like what?”

  “Access to our women, if any of the GarLycans are seeking mates. Trayis didn’t want that for us. A lot of our pack are related to his clan. The Lycans who founded our pack came from Alaska. He gave us Gerbin as a guardian without any strings.”

  “I know the history. The first-generation VampLycan grew up and the Lycans who raised them decided to leave.”

  “Having that many alpha types fuck up a pack structure, and there was a lot of fear after what happened with the Vampires.”

  “They thought there’d be a repeat? That the VampLycans might tear into Lycan minds and force them into breeding like the Vamps did?”

  He shrugged, leading her to the front of the building and opening the door, waving her inside. “Maybe. The elders won’t admit that though, if that was the case. It’s my take on it. Anyway, after the attack on our pack, Gerbin was assigned to us almost full time while we recovered. He tracked the survivors of the pack that was responsible. Sometimes they fled into cities trying to hide.”

  “Into Vampire territory,” she guessed.

  “Yes. Gerbin didn’t mind. Wen and his parents see him as a saint, but the truth is, he was kind of bloodthirsty. Don’t say I said that. It would upset my cousin. Gerbin liked the killing and went after nests for the fun of it when he got bored. It ended up getting him killed. Wen tries to be as big a hero as he thinks his brother was. His parents expect it of him. I’ve watched the pressure he’s under change him. So give him a break, because he sure as hell won’t take it easy on himself. His life was taken away when his brother died. He stepped into Gerbin’s shoes. It fucking sucks.”

  She let all that information sink in. “I love him.”

  “I realize. He loves you too. I know the stuff you learned about Sherry upset you, but he doesn’t care about her the way he does you.” He stopped by the customer service counter, lowering his voice. “I’ve flirted with Sherry many times. Wen didn’t give a shit. He snarls at me for even using your nickname. He’d beat me nearly to death if I even joked about kissing you.”

  A man walked out of the back room and Micah smiled. “Hey. My girlfriend and I had a rental dropped off here for pickup.” He withdrew his wallet. “I’m Fred Tobis. I got an SUV. Have they delivered it yet?”

  “I need to use the restroom, Fred.” She wondered why he was using a fake name but she went along with it.

  “Hurry back, sweets.” Micah winked. “I’ll miss you.” He turned to the guy. “We’re going to visit her family so I can ask her dad for her hand in marriage.”

  She smiled and blew him a kiss. “I’ll hurry.”

  She fled to the ladies’ room and used the toilet. Everything Micah said kept circling in her mind as she washed her hands afterward and finger combed some of the worst tangles out of her hair. But it was what he hadn’t said that bothered her.

  Wen would never go against his parents’ wishes. He’d never mate her. His entire life had become about being a replacement for Gerbin.

  She left the bathroom to find Micah waiting outside the door. “That was fast.”

  He smiled and turned. She followed him outside. The man who’d been behind the counter pulled up in a blue SUV. Micah signed the papers, took the keys, and opened the passenger door for her. He tossed his duffle in the back before taking the driver’s seat. They pulled away.

  “What about Wen?”

  “We’ll pick him up soon. We didn’t want anyone seeing the three of us traveling together from the airport.”

  “Oh.”

  “He usually doesn’t hide his travels, but now I know why this time is different.” He pulled over to the side of the road a block away from the airport. “Have any ID? Give it to me and I’ll hold it while you’re with him. I want your cell too. You don’t want any of the bastards you’re going up against to learn your real identity.”

  She hesitated but then slipped her driver’s license and ATM card out of her pocket. It was tougher to give up her phone. “Please don’t lose them.”

  “I won’t. I’ll be staying in a hotel not far from where you’re going as backup. My brother is meeting me there. Wen said he had this, but we’d rather be safe than sorry.”

  “Graves?”

  He arched his eyebrows. “You’ve met my brother?”

  “No but Wen has