Chapter 15

Once again Paycen kicked in the door but this time, the wolves charged in and laid waste to the people in their sights. No one was safe when the wolves were angry. Even Austin was nervous around them when they weren't on the same side.

Austin walked casually into the apartment. He was eerily calm as he looked around the room. Emery, Paycen and Petey were doing the job with what they had which was their powers.

Once everyone else was gone and couldn't help their leader, everyone converged before going to the double doors. Austin looked at Paycen. The Healer held his handguns at the ready.

"That's cute," Petey said. Everyone looked at him. "They think this little contraption will keep me out." He placed his hand over the little keypad and the tumblers to the lock opened automatically. "Idiots."

He threw the doors opened and the inhabitants in the room hissed at them. Several busted pieces of furniture came flying at them. With a slight motion from Austin, the wolves and Paycen were unleashed. Within minutes, everyone save four was dead.

Brad, his godfather, Jacq and Micah stared at him in shock. That's what he wanted. He wanted them to see the face of the man they wronged right before he killed them. He wanted them to see a man who would do anything to keep his family safe.

So he did the one thing he had learned a long time ago. He stalked them. Every step he took, the sound resonated off the walls. Jacq was the only one who could do any damage to him, but there were plenty of people behind him who were itching to rip him to shreds.

Jacq fumbled with words. He held a hand up in hopes it would stop him. "Now wait a minute, Austin. Hear me out."

"You sold us out to the mob so you could cover your tracks. You're the one who ordered the hit on Brayden Parker because he wronged you and you couldn't have that," Austin said. He kept his hands in his pockets to make it look like he was calm. He was anything but calm.

Micah stared at him then turned his blue-eyed gaze to the man beside him. "What did you do?"

Austin frowned, stopping three feet from them. "You didn't know?"

The other man shook his head. "No. Jacq said the mob already knew. I had no idea he was the one who told. It puts me in danger. He said he'd never put me in danger."

"He's one of us, Boss," Paycen said. He would be the one who knew because when he healed, he had to channel that person's energy.

"Micah, come here." There was power in Austin's voice. As the Sector leader, Austin had the power to command any member of the Court.

The young man tried to get up, but he was held in a stone cold grip. He struggled against that grip, desperation written on his face. There was also a little bit of terror mixed in. Micah was a little afraid of the vampire.

"No!" Jacq raged. He tightened his grip around the human. "If I can't have him, no one can!"

"No! Jacq, stop!" Micah fought as hard as he could but he was no match for a vampire. Now fear had overtaken him completely, and he pulled haphazardly at his arm. He broke it in the process and the proceeding scream was infused with a plead. "Please stop!"

Before Jacq could sink his fangs into the young man, two wooden stakes emerged from his chest. On the other ends of them were Dex and Keldin. They turned to look at each other and nodded.

"What…" Jacq couldn't even formulate words.

"The kid said to stop," Keldin hissed in the vampire's ear. He jerked his stake back and watched as the Atlantean slumped down to the floor. He broke the cold grip on the younger man's wrist and looked him over. "I hate bullies."

Austin turned to Brad and his godfather. "You better have a good reason for attacking not only me but my mate as well. In our world, a mate is sacred. Attempting to kill her is punishable by death." Neither one of them had a good reason running through their heads so he nodded to Paycen.

"What are you going to do to us?" Brad asked.

"Oh, you're going away for a very long time," Emery said as he and Petey led them towards the elevator. Cops were waiting downstairs for them. They had been summoned after information had leaked that the Crestfords had been embezzling money.

Keldin helped the shaken kid to his feet. He wrapped his jacket around him and led him from the room. Austin looked at Paycen.

"Don't worry, Boss. We'll handle this. I'll talk to Lin and Col. You take care of your brother and mate," Paycen said.

Austin nodded and walked out. He looked at his brother and they took Micah with them when they walked into the shadows.

***

Bryony sat at the bedside of the Queen. She had woken up in an immaculate bed in an equally immaculate home. Carter had been there and explained everything that had happened. She hadn't been shocked in the least bit. Nothing shocked her after the last three days she had just had.

Clint, Aiden's husband, had come to see her then asked if she'd like to see Aiden. She had jumped at the chance because there was a new baby in the family and she loved baby. She had been surprised when she heard that there were two babies, a boy and a girl.

Upon walking into the room, she saw a little blond headed boy that had to be Dylan. He was hanging on the bassinet watching his little brother as he slept. The little girl was curled up in her mother's arms as Aiden nursed her. Clint had allowed her to stay with his family while he had business to attend.

Aiden looked at her when the girl was asleep. She wasn't surprised Austin had loved this woman all his life. He was just the type of person to keep someone close to him for a long time. It was one of the good qualities about him that she loved so much. He was the one she wanted to fall in love the most.

"Aiden, what does being a mate mean?" Bryony asked suddenly.

The Queen smiled. "It means you are to help Austin when he's in trouble. He has the tendency to keep quiet about things that hurt him. When he does that, his power gets crazy. Being a Thunder Bearer means he's always charged. You have to keep him tame. It's much easier than it looks."

"What if I do a bad job?"

"I don't think you will. Austin's liked you since we were in high school. He just didn't say anything because you were with someone else. He's that kind of guy. Now that you're bearing his Mark, there's no escaping him. He'll be in your thoughts. You'll have an electrical current around you for the rest of your life. He'll always know where you are and what you're feeling even when you don't want him to."

"So I'm a prisoner?" The thought scared her. She didn't want to be attached to someone without having any say in what she could and couldn't do.

"Only if you want to be. Or you can be his partner. It's your choice." She lifted her head when the door opened. "It's about time. I was getting ready to send out a search party."

Bryony turned around as Austin closed the door. She watched him as he walked up to her and stopped by her chair. He didn't say anything as he looked down at her. She could feel the annoyance in the way he stood beside her. She gripped the hand he placed on her shoulder.

"Want to tell me why you went over my head for a death warrant?" Aiden asked. She pierced him a not so hateful look.

Aiden shrank back a bit, but he didn't look ashamed of what he did. "You were in labor and Clint couldn't be reached. I had to do something. Jacq was the one who ousted us to the mob," he said with no remorse. "I had to do something before someone else was hurt, before you were hurt."

"I understand why you did it. I just wished you had been more forthcoming."

"I didn't have any information. I did what you asked and gathered information as I went along. I had no idea we were going to run into the Elves. Speaking of which, I brought one with me." He looked over his shoulder. "Come on in."

The double doors opened again and Dex walked through. He smiled warmly at the Queen when he was by her bed. He had dropped whatever it was that kept him looking like a human. Now his ears were pointed and his blond hair was braided back out of his face. He wore a tunic with leather pants.

"It's good to finally meet you, Your Majesty," he said. He bowed at the waist but kept his eyes planted on hers.

"Are you the one who saved Austin?" she asked.

"I am and My Lord would love to have an audience with you at your convenience."

"I think we can arrange that. You would have to talk to my husband to get that situated. Carter, would you please escort Mr. Arrya to Clint's office." Carter appeared in the doorway. With a bow, Dex followed the young man. Aiden's attention was back on the others. "Now what are the two of you going to do?"

Austin opened his mouth to answer then closed it again. He had no idea what they were going to do. They needed more time to get to know each other. It had been five years since he had seen Bryony and he knew nothing about her. It would be odd if they suddenly decided to do anything.

"If it's all the same to you, Your Majesty, I would like to remain with your family seeing as I have no family of my own anymore," Bryony stated.

Austin's mouth fell open as Aiden laughed. "You're more than welcome to remain with our family. I welcome you to the family." She smiled when Bryony sighed. "Would you excuse us? Austin and I have something discuss."

Bryony nodded and stood. She looked at Austin. He lowered his head and kissed her, reveling in the fact that she was here. She pushed away and walked out the door. When she was gone, he sank down into the chair.

"She really completes you, Aussie. I never thought you'd find her," she said softly.

"Neither did I. Now that I have her, I can't let her go."

The smile on his friend's face was gentle and understanding. "I didn't figure you could."

"Did you know?"

She shook her head. "I had a feeling but I didn't know exactly." She waited a few moments. "What are you going to do?"

"Eventually I'm going to marry her."

"Do it sooner rather than later. Once you're married, you can be in her head at all times. Love will come once you get to know her."

"But I don't want to force her into anything. It's only been three days."

"You've known her for eight years." He made a face at her. "I'm just saying it doesn't hurt to ask."

Austin knew she was just trying to be a good friend but sometimes she made no sense. This was one of those cases. He looked over at her and knew she was tired. Very gently, he lifted the baby from her arms and placed her in the second bassinet beside her brothers.

Once he was certain Aiden was asleep, he turned the lamp down low and left the room, taking Dylan with him. Bryony was waiting outside the room when he stepped out. She took his free hand and together they went with Dylan to the courtyard so he could play.

"What's on your mind?" she asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Something Aiden said," he replied.

"Which was?"

"She said I should marry you before you got away."

She made a face. "She's not wrong. Besides, I've already told you I'm not going anywhere."

He turned to look at her. "So what do you want to do?"

She smiled wickedly. "Let's go to Vegas."

Austin laughed as he pulled her to him. He guessed they were going to Vegas.