Desired (Two Marks 2)

Gibson pulled out a second notebook.

“This one is from the following year. It has the report of the accident in Cooper Valley. It sounds as if Harlan learned they were in Montana. He’d gone to try to fix things, but according to him, Noble and Cathryn took off in a car. He followed. My father writes that Harlan swore he didn’t run them off the road. There was a boulder that had rolled down with the rain into the road, a mudslide, and Noble swerved to miss it. The roads were icy. Their car shot off the road and crashed into the ravine below. That’s Harlan’s story, anyway. Again, my father seemed inclined to believe him. There’s no actual log of him ever being banished.” Gibson handed me the second notebook. “I suspect he banished himself out of grief and shame.”

“What about Nash? He had to be the reason they fled,” I said.

Gibson nodded, his look grim. “They must have been afraid Harlan would harm the baby. Cathryn had Nash in Montana in secret. There’s no record here.” He tapped the journal. “They must have found out Harlan was searching and fled, leaving Nash with Cathryn’s parents.”

“They died, and what? Harlan never even knew he had a kid?”

“Looks that way. My father believed in Harlan. If he’d known about a baby, he wouldn’t have kept a shifter from his infant son.”

What a twisted tale. “That means Nash’s grandparents thought Harlan to be guilty and a danger, because Nash never knew of him.”

Gibson sighed. “Don’t be angry with them. They did what they thought was right. To protect a cub is crucial.”

Harlan never knew about his own son. Nash never knew he had a second father who was still alive. So much secrecy. So much time lost.

“I can’t have pups,” I admitted. A flush spread across my face as I admitted that shame. I wasn’t even sure why I did it.

Gibson eyed me, leaned forward. “You’re sure?”

I nodded. I was the only sure person in this pack. I relied on facts, not guesses.

“So?” he said.

I frowned.

“You’re the pack scientist. You are well aware of the reason Two Marks shifters mate with two males.”

“Because of the lack of females,” I replied.

He shrugged. “That’s one answer. Perhaps another is in case there’s a match like yours. You can’t put the puck in the goal, but your scent match can.”

My mouth fell open at his analogy. “You been watching hockey?” I asked.

A slow grin spread across my alpha’s face. “You’re the doctor. I could say something about sperm and implantation, but that doesn’t sound as fun.”

I laughed. “Fine. I’m firing blanks, and Rachel loves kids. Wants them. I can’t give them to her.”

“Again, so? I’m not sure why you’re telling me this now. The three of you are nothing like Nash’s parents. Their story is tragic, but singular. Regardless, Nash’s soldiers can… whatever. He can be the one to make the pups. There’s no shame in your situation.” He studied me. “You feel shame, though.”

I looked down. Shrugged. “I did, because I didn’t have a scent match and couldn’t give a female pups.”

“Now you have a scent match and a mate. What the hell’s the problem?”

“I thought it was the fact that I had an unstable scent match, but I just proved that false.”

My research into the past offered the truth. Nash wasn’t a danger. He was an asset. Gibson was right. I couldn’t knock up my mate. Nash could. And we’d have fun doing it.

“May I take these?” I held up both the notebooks, suddenly relieved and eager to get back to my mate. “I’d like to show Nash. I need to show him.”

Gibson nodded. “Of course, just make sure I get them back as soon as you’re finished. I really should have Wade digitize all those so they’re never lost or misplaced.”

“I will bring them back tomorrow.”

Fuck. I hoped it wasn’t too late.

If our old alpha had believed Harlan, I was inclined to, as well. Which meant Nash didn’t have violence bred into him. Only a threat of moon madness.

In fact, the biggest danger was him walking away from his mate right now.

He’d probably go mad within the month if I let that happen.

I jumped in my truck, setting the books on the seat beside me. I needed to be back at my place before he talked to Rachel. Nash needed to know the truth.

20

RACHEL

When I heard the sound of tires on the gravel, I grabbed a sweater and went outside. Cord had me worried about Nash, and I wanted to be there to greet him.

Nash climbed out, looking a bit wild—like he was responding to some unseen emergency. His gait was jerky, his shoulders hitched up. It was the grim expression on his face that really worried me, though.

“Nash.” I jogged forward and slid my arms around his waist to hug him.