Casey Read online

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Epilogue

  Author Notes

  Casey

  By

  Sherry Foster

  Dedication

  To the family I adore,

  my friends who keep me sane,

  and the readers who love to read.

  A special thanks to the man who

  continues to believe in me.

  I have some incredible readers.

  I want to thank each and every one

  of them for reading these books.

  A special thanks to the JIT team

  Kelly

  Kimberley Devine

  Monica Hendrix

  Natalie Cream

  Tiffany Steinert

  Melanie Robinson

  If I missed anyone I am terribly sorry.

  This book is a work of fiction.

  All of the Characters, organizations, events,

  and places portrayed in this novel are products

  of the author's overactive imagination.

  Copyright © 2019 Sherry Foster

  DAS Publishing

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication

  may be reproduced, stored in a

  retrieval system, or transmitted

  in any form or by any means.

  ASIN: B07RPJ1NPF

  If you want to stay up to date on what is happening in the series join me on face book at

  https://www.facebook.com/SafeHavenWolves/

  Chapter One

  Trey watched the helicopter land. He hadn’t thought Marcus would be so quick to send Casey and the others to his territory. He knew they planned on leaving to rescue the children soon, but Roberts had called him earlier to tell him the bird was thirty minutes out. He had rushed to arrange rooms for everyone, and now he waited to pick up everyone and take them back to his house. Marcus really didn’t want Nathaniel in his territory if he took the time to send them and Casey over. Trey figured they would wait till after the current mission was over to send them.

  Trey had talked briefly with his dad concerning Alice, and after the initial refusal, his dad had come around. Alice might not be able to help figure out a way to break the curse, but with her intelligence and abilities, Trey wanted to try. He hoped Nathaniel was good with children, or rather, an adult in a child’s body, which was how he saw Alice.

  Casey was the first to climb out of the helicopter and turned to help a man Trey assumed was Nathaniel. Considering how much Gabby and Trina talked he wasn’t surprised at the man’s appearance, though with those blue highlights in that blond hair he would stick out like a beacon in the territory. Trey grimaced at the thought and hoped the majority of his pack didn’t find out who Nathaniel was and how instrumental he had been in cursing their people. The consequences could be catastrophic, and they didn’t need problems right now.

  Trey wasn’t happy about having the man in his territory either; he didn’t think any Alpha would be pleased to host the man who helped cursed their race. He planned on having a long talk with the man about the situation. All he had to go on was what Trina told his mate, and he didn’t fully trust Trina. Although to be fair, he thought Trina had been dealt a bad hand at life, and he was hopeful, for Gabby’s sake, he could put the past behind them and move forward now that he understood more about her.

  Gabby told him Trina was having a hard time, harder than expected after finding out she was a true-Seeker. Trey had no Seekers in his pack; he wished he had at least one. His sister would never have gone through a night of terror all those years ago if the pack had a Seeker. He had talked the situation over with Marcus once a few months ago. He thought having a Seeker visit his territory once a month to look around would be an excellent idea, but he hadn’t figured out how to get the guy in without offending his people. Knowing Trina was one, and sister to his mate, opened up possibilities.

  The only problem with that scenario was the fact Jaden was still sore about him asking Trina to leave his territory. Gabby was jumpy and skittish around people, especially men, but Trina was jumpy in an entirely different way. His men hadn’t enjoyed having a gun pulled on them if they surprised Trina and they were too much wolf to make a noise as they walked, so they often surprised Trina. He would have to talk with his dad and mom and try to figure out how to salvage the relationship with Trina. She wasn’t a comfortable person to be around. He shook his head and vowed to consider how to repair the relationship later. For now, he needed to concentrate on the company arriving.

  “Casey, you’re looking good. Better than a couple of days ago. Kate, Craig, good to see you came through the fiasco yesterday and made it out alive. Sibeal, Conall, welcome to my territory. And you must be Nathanial and dog.” Trey didn’t trust himself to shake the man’s hand, so he just nodded toward him.

  “I feel better. Marcus said you couldn’t get to my house?”

  “Yeah, about that. You weren’t in any shape to lift the protections you had on the house when I got you out and as it stands Gabby and I were the only two who could enter the house. You never invoked the protections to keep us out after you let us borrow it in December. We put some plastic up to keep the snow out, and Gabby and I cleaned up the inside the best we could. Most of the windows shattered; there is a huge hole in front of your door. We will have to get some dirt hauled in, but we can’t do that until the roads clear up some. I had Kyle plow the road earlier, and we can get you up to the cabin, but unless your magic can do something about the weather, it will be damn cold inside until we can get the new windows in. I don’t know shit about putting in a window so you will have to let Cain in the house to work. He ordered the new windows for you, but it will be a few days before they come in. We got you a new door waiting for you to lift the protection so they can put it in. We have the cabin out by Sam’s you can stay in for now. It has two bedrooms so someone can stay there. Under the circumstances, it would be better if Nathanial stayed at my house.”

  “You know?”

  “Trina and Gabby talk every night so yes, I know he was instrumental in cursing our race. Trina said the little war they had yesterday didn’t break the curse and Kate and Nathaniel working on finding a solution. Did he tell you why I wanted everyone here?”

  “It wasn’t to get us out of his territory and give his people time to calm down? You know most of them know the truth, right? Do your people know? About Nathanial, I mean?”

  Trey shook his head, “No, my pack doesn’t talk to the members of Marcus’ pack. I don’t plan on telling them either.”

  Casey bit her bottom lip before looking back at the others, “Probably better that way. So why did you ask Marcus to send us here if not to get us out of his territory until things calm down? You know he wants Craig and the others to revoke their pack oath?”

  “No, shit, I hadn’t heard that. Damn. If Marcus revokes their pack oath, no one else will take them after finding out what they are.” Trey looked over at Craig who shrugged. The family had a shattered look of loss about them. If Marcus were turning them out, he wouldn’t stop with one; he w
ould turn out the entire family. Trey couldn’t imagine asking one of his pack members to leave because they mated to a witch and problems occurred. Pack was family and family stuck together. Things must have gone worse than Trina let on for the situation to get to this point. Trey shook his head and turned toward the Suburban. As he opened the back for everyone to place their luggage, he noticed Nathanial didn’t appear to have any.

  “Look, man, as long as I get to spend some time with my niece and her family I don’t much care where we are but why did you want us here?”

  Trey stared over Nathanial’s shoulder at the snow-covered mountain before bringing his gaze back to the man responsible for the destruction of their race. Bitterness swamped him as he realized he would have to work with the man. Grey eyes, weary with knowledge and loss, stared back at him.

  “I have someone in my pack I want you to meet. No, that’s a lie. I don’t want you to meet her, but I think with her ability to analyze data and see possibilities the rest of us can’t she might be your best chance of changing the future of our race. For my part, I don’t give a shit about you, or your guilt, or how you feel about the situation. I don’t want to hear your apologies or sorrow. I can’t even feel sorry for your loss, not when you were so instrumental in causing so much loss for my people. But I will grasp any chance, even as far-fetched as this one, if it means our race may have a future.”

  “What makes you think the person you have can help? Is she so old she can remember a time when our races were allies? Does she know a weakness that we don’t know about?” Sibeal had heard the bitterness in Trey’s voice when he spoke with her uncle. She understood the bitterness; she had a bit of it herself. But bitterness and living in the past wouldn’t change the future.

  “No. She is so young she isn’t tainted with the knowledge of age. She gathers information and seems to see patterns others don’t see. My parents are adopting the child so tread carefully with her, it would put me out if you offend my newest sister.”

  Kate’s eyes opened wide as she realized who Trey had to be talking about. “Wait, wait, you want us to work with Alice? No, no, I have heard about her. Dawn had a lot to say about the girl. I don’t think working with someone who can aggravate you in three words or fewer and make you contemplate her demise in less than ten words would be the ideal situation. Perhaps you haven’t met the golden wolf? Maybe you have forgotten how quick the wolf rises at the least hint Craig, or I suffer. According to Dawn, anyone who spends over two minutes in her company suffers.”

  “For fuck’s sake, Kate, you haven’t even met her. Look, I don’t much care how anyone feels about anything. At least, not any of you, except maybe Casey. We have been friends for too long for me not to care about her. But the rest of you, well, to be honest, you are all mostly strangers to me. I barely got to know any of you when we rescued you and Craig. I care only in the sense that you are partial shifters and or related to our race. What saves one of us saves us all and as anyone can see what damns one pack damns us all.” Trey snarled the last sentence while looking at Nathanial. “If there exists the slightest hope for our race I don’t care if that hope is a damn witch or a freakishly smart child I am gonna take that chance and hold that hope tight.”

  Kate, forehead wrinkled stared at Trey before a small grin formed. “You don’t much care for the child either do you?”

  “She scares the shit out of me to tell you the truth. But that doesn’t change the fact you will be kind to her and treat her like a normal child. No, wait, not like a normal child. You will treat her like a” Trey paused, “you will treat her like a treasured gift who just happens to be smarter than all of you put together.”

  The ride to Trey’s was a quiet one.

  Chapter Two

  "I can't believe you spent all day at mom's house yesterday and never said a word to anyone about Samson. How could you Trey? You are so mean. I swear when he gets here, I am so telling him you have been mean to the whole family."

  Once Trey got word that Marcus was sending Samson home, he called his family together to give them the news. Stormie was not taking it well, which surprised no one. His guests were again in the conference room except for Casey, who was sitting in one of his recliners watching the family drama unfold.

  "Stormie, my dearest sister, give it a rest. If I had told anyone yesterday, you still wouldn't have seen him until today. And you know he keeps his phone off, so all you would have accomplished is calling his number over and over for nothing." The exasperation in Trey's voice caused Casey to snicker.

  "Yeah, but you have known since Thursday Samson had a mate and said nothing. It is Saturday morning. How could you?" Stormie wailed.

  "Actually, I have known since Tuesday." He gave a pointed look at her stomach before continuing, "do you honestly think I should have told you Tuesday? The way you worry and fret over the people you love you think I should have told you earlier than today?"

  "But Trey—"

  "No, Stormie, I love you. But you have to realize at some point that not only am I your favorite brother but I am the Alpha of this pack. My word is law, and my job is to protect this pack with every fiber of my being. That means every member of this pack even the unborn. I would be a shitty Alpha if I told you that Samson was in danger knowing how you stress. Do you think I would jeopardize the life of my unborn nephew by causing you one moment of worry if I didn't have to?" Trey gave an evil grin just before he threw his best friend under the bus, "Besides, David knew Tuesday also, and I don't see you fussing at him."

  "Way to go. asshole." David glared at Trey before turning Stormie around in his arms.

  "You knew? And you didn't tell me? I thought you loved me." More tears formed in Stormie's eyes as she looked up at David.

  "Darling, don't cry. I love you. More than life itself but your brother is right. Look at you now. You know Samson and his new family are only two hours out, and here you are crying and making yourself sick with worry over what could have happened. We didn't tell you because we only want happy tears from you. Now stop crying. Samson is safe; his mate is safe as are the two small children she is bringing with her. Not only are you getting your brother back but two new sisters and a little brother. Shhh, baby please don't cry. You are ripping my heart out."

  "But what if he had failed?"

  "Stormie, stop, he didn't fail. Come on. This is Samson you are talking about. Do you think your brother would have gone for his mate and failed? Wait till he gets back, and I tell him you doubted him." Casey's lips twitched as she tried to bring Stormie out of her funk.

  "I never doubt Samson. Samson is my favorite brother; he never fails." Stormie turned on Casey in indignation.

  "Hey, I thought I was your favorite brother."

  "Nope, you can't be my favorite brother today. You were mean to me." Stormie turned her nose up at Trey before laying her head against David and glaring at the others.

  Trey held his hands up in mock surrender before turning to Casey. "Are you sure you are good with me sending Craig and his family to Cara's cabin for the night while you and Nathanial stay here? We could set up a bed down in the cabin's basement for you if you want to get away for a bit, but Nathanial absolutely can't leave my house without an escort."

  "Why not? He seems nice enough, and he isn't an Alpha. Why don't you let him stay in the basement at Cara's with the others and keep Casey here? She is like family, and I know she is looking forward to meeting Samson's new mate as much as we are." Stormie glared at Trey. She had asked about Nathanial yesterday, but her brother wouldn't tell her anything.

  "Nathanial is my business and not any of yours. He stays where I can monitor him, and that is all I will say on the matter." Power rolled from Trey with his words.

  "Um Trey, can I talk to you in private for a minute?" Casey looked toward the door before looking back at Trey.

  Trey shrugged his shoulders before heading toward the door. As he waited for Casey to put her coat on, he looked toward the room they had just left.
He could hear his sister making plans for the new arrivals and smiled to hear her laughter. He thanked the gods David could put up with her mood swings which had only gotten worse with the pregnancy because he knew, as much as he loved her, he would have strangled her long ago if he had to live with her emotional roller-coaster.

  As he and Casey stepped outside her shiver caught him by surprise, and he realized in all the years he had known her she had never seemed bothered by the cold. Since his kind was warmer than humans, the cold didn't affect them as much, but he realized he didn't know as much about Casey as he thought.

  "Are you too cold? We can step around the corner and get out of the wind." He offered.

  "No, not really. Our people can handle the cold fairly well; I don't care that much for it though."

  "So what is so important you didn't want anyone to hear?"

  "Look, Trey, I get why you want to keep Nathanial so close. Your wolf doesn't trust him, to be honest, I don't much trust him either. But he isn't the power of that bunch, Kate is. You didn't see his face when he found out that Sibeal was his dear niece who he helped raise. You didn't watch him as his heart-mate gave his life up for him. I don't like the man, well, no that isn't true, I like him, but he scares me. I don't trust him, but then again, I have never had a child of my own. Sibeal is the closest he will ever have to a child, and he thought he lost her. How far would you go, how insane would you go if you lost your child? I mean after you have one? If Sibeal is like a child to him, then Kate is like the granddaughter he will never have. He would give his life for those two. He turned on his own to save Marcus' pack because his family is part of that pack. And he will give his life for those two females if he thinks for one minute he can spare them one moment of pain. They are all he has left besides his dogs. I know you want to keep him close. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer and all that. Your wolf demands he stays so you can watch him. But Trey, my friend, you can't touch a fraction of the power he can call. I don't want to be in the same house with a depressed witch. I know you are the Alpha of this pack and your word is law but as your friend who also is a paranoid witch, I am advising you to fix up the basement of Cara's cabin for him and put all five of them there. It is still in your territory, and you can still feel what is happening there without having to worry about his emotional state. He needs to be with his child and grandchild. That is how he sees them, you know."