Endurance (The Sin Trilogy 4)

“The lass sounds obstinate. I don’t want a difficult wife.”

“I admit my daughter is stubborn, but she isn’t unbending. I swear to you, Mitch, you won’t find a more beautiful wife within The Fellowship or The Order. And she is pure. Arabella and I have ensured that she will be a virgin on her wedding night. You won’t be disappointed with her.”

I don’t envy the pressure Mitch must be feeling right now.

“I will go through with the marriage.”

“Deliver Shaw to us by Friday, otherwise the agreement is off and we will expect Westlyn to be returned.”

“We want this treaty, Thane. Probably more than you. I give you my word Shaw will be here.”

“Then this meeting is adjourned.”

So Westlyn is carted off to The Order without any kind of insurance? “Wait. I need to know what this means for my sister.”

Kieran reaches for Westlyn’s hand. “She is my mate and will leave with me when we go. I’m claiming her tonight.”

Am I supposed to be fucking okay with this? “I need a few minutes with my sister in private.”

“You can have as many minutes as you like, but Westlyn is mine. It’s been decided.”

What an arrogant arsehole. “You haven’t delivered your end of the bargain, and you’ve not officially claimed her. Nothing is in stone yet.”

Westlyn follows me into the hallway. “You don’t have to do this because you want to save Ellison. We have a plan.”

“It really has nothing to do with Elli. It’s about me and what I want.”

“You want to marry that arsehole?”

“I never had the intentions of marrying a Fellowship man. This works for me.”

“It works for you? Don’t you want more? Don’t you want someone to love?”

“Of course, but you and Ellison are some of the lucky ones. We don’t all find love.”

“I will find you a good match. I will find you a brother you can love.”

“No, Jamie.” I hate the tears in my sister’s eyes. “I can’t stay; I’m ruined with the brothers. Tainted. They all know I was kidnapped and held prisoner for three days. None of them are going to want me. You know this.”

“Fuck. I hate that bastard for what he’s done to you.”

“You don’t have to like him. And neither do I for this treaty to work.”

“I hate this so much.” How do I let my sister leave with a man I don’t trust and be taken to another brotherhood in the process? How do I say nothing as he walks away with her as though she’s a possession and not a person?

I don’t know how a treaty works. Will I be allowed to see her? I can’t go without seeing my sister.

“It’s going to be okay. And hey . . . another perk is Mum will be happy.”

An advantageous marriage. But he’s not in The Fellowship. How could Mum feel this is okay? I’m sure Mum will eat this shite up. Her daughter will be securing a place high on the hierarchy by becoming the wife of a leader. Mum’s grandchildren will be the future leaders of The Order. “You’re gaining status you wouldn’t be able to achieve within The Fellowship so I guess she will be thrilled.”

“Marrying Kieran is for the best. You might not see it right now but you will.”

“I doubt that.”

“This treaty is coming at the perfect time for you and Ellison. The Order is no longer a threat to her with them as our allies. There’s nothing stopping you from claiming her.”

“I’ve already claimed her. We notified the district registrar two days ago of our intent to marry.”

Westlyn propels herself at me for a hug. “I’m so happy for you. Have you told anyone?”

It hasn’t been possible to tell anyone. We haven’t left our bed in three days.

“You’re the first to know, but we’re telling Thane and Sin after the meeting.”

“I’ve wanted this for a while but I’m scared for you. Endurance is bad.”

I saw firsthand how wounded Sin was after he went through endurance. I thought he had lost his mind for doing something like that for a woman. I get it now. “Can’t lie. I’m not looking forward to it, but every blow, every punch, every lash will be worth it for her.”

“I hate that part of The Fellowship.”

“It’s one of the ways we protect ourselves from bringing in untrustworthy outsiders. It’s necessary.”

“I don’t like it but I’ll go along with it because she’s who you want.”

I’d like to stall and keep my sister in this hallway forever but that isn’t possible. “Never hesitate to call on me for anything. Any. Thing. And you better tell me if that bastard mistreats you. I will kill him if need be. Don’t care if it starts a war or not.” To hell with the treaty. I won’t allow that fucker to abuse my sister.

“This treaty is about making allies. Not enemies. He’d be dumb to mistreat me. Plus, you know me. I’m a hard-ass. Not going to put up with bullshit.”

Kieran and Lennox come out of the dining room, and I know this is it. It’s time to say goodbye to my sister. “I love you, Wes.”

“I love you too.”

She is my blood. My instinct is to protect her. It’s damn near impossible to watch him take her when they go. Every fiber within me wants to keep her here where I know she’s safe. But I can’t.

Thane, Sin, and Mitch are already standing and ready to leave when I return to the dining room. “Wait. Before the council leaves, I have an announcement to make.”

The Breckenridge trio gives me their full attention. “Someone needs to call Alec Ferguson and tell him we’re on the way. I’ve claimed Ellison. Made it official three nights ago and I intend on marrying her as soon as our twenty-eight-day wait is over.”

Sin chuckles and comes over to do the half-hug-handshake-bro thing. “About fucking time, J. My wife has been about to lose her mind thinking her sister was going to be married off to someone else because you were being a dumbass.”

Mitch comes to me and offers a half-hug-handshake. “We knew it was only a matter of time. Damn, I know some brothers who are going to be pissed off about this.”

“They can be pissed off. Ellison is mine. Not a one of them is touching her.”

Thane smiles and slaps me on the back. “Kiss your girl goodbye, son. We have a long night ahead of us.”

Panic spreads across Ellison’s face. “They’re taking you for endurance? Now?”

“Aye.”

“I don’t want them to hurt you.”

I chuckle in hopes of lightening her mood. “I don’t want them to hurt me either, but it’s necessary.”

Ellison presses her forehead to mine. “I don’t want you to go through this.”

“A requirement, I’m af

raid.”

“God, I love you so much, Doc.”

“I love you too, Mac.”

Ellison lowers her voice. “Shit, Jamie. We just spent the last three days trying to conceive a baby we could use as the glue to keep us together. Unnecessarily.”

“I know. The irony isn’t lost on me.”

“What are we going to do?”

“Same thing we were going to do anyway. You’re going to take a pregnancy test in eleven days. Regardless of the result, we’ll get married in three and a half weeks.”

Ellison looks at the council and then back to me. “Do you want me to be pregnant?”

“I would be very okay with you being pregnant but if you’re not, that’s fine too. It’ll just give us more time for the two of us.”

Sin ends the call to Alec. “Ferguson’s going to meet us there.”

Tears pool in the lower lids of Ellison’s eyes. “Please don’t cry, baby. I can’t stand it.”

She lowers her face. “I’m sorry.”

I put my finger under her chin and force her to look up. “Listen to me. I need you to stay strong. I’m going to need you to be there for me when this is over.”

“I will not leave your side. I’m going to take care of you.”

“Can you handle being at the site when they’re finished with me? I’m going to need an injection to help manage the pain.”

“I will do anything you need me to do.”

I take my keyring from my pocket and hold it up by the small brass key. “I have morphine in a lockbox in the supply closet.”

“Should I give you ten or fifteen milligrams?”

“Use your own judgment.”

“You’ll get fifteen.” Endurance is going to be hell, but I’m positive Ellison will make sure I’m pain free afterward.

“Someone will come for you when it’s almost over so you can be there to inject me. You should expect the worst.”

Ellison launches herself at me and squeezes hard. My shoulder is still tender but I stifle the groan.

“I have to go, baby.”

“Will they come for me soon?”

“It’ll be hours. Probably early morning. Try to rest if you can.”

“You have to go through hours of torment for me?”

“Endurance takes a while. Go home and get the morphine and syringes and then go stay with Bleu and the babies. I don’t want you to be alone while you wait.”