{First published May 2016}

{Edited 6-19-2016}

|| Tusk Tusk ||

}Kayden{

Kayden's skin ripples and slithers. His wolf wanting to break out. He'd be calmer with fur, teeth, and claws. He holds back the change it's not what Avery needs right now. No not at all.

He pushes it back with a silent growl. Kayden gives a gentle tug on Avery's hand, moving in the door way.

They follow his brother down the hall. Kayden suppresses another snarl. He knows his brother wasn't telling them everything. That Nick lied to them in the bedroom. He knows his brothers tell. The hands in his front pockets, shoulders bunched up to his ears. Yes he knew Nick was keeping them in the dark and the raises more of Kayden's protective instincts to the surface.

A small hand grips his tighter pulling him from his lying brother and to the beautiful girl at his side.

Avery.

Awe spreads through his body at the sight of her by his side. Their hands locked together. His name on her neck and hers on his.

He still can't believe this happened. That she is his and he is her. That she didn't push him away but instead completed the bond. His thumb sweeps across her cold hand.

I love her. I'd do anything for her.

Worry influxes in his gut. Not his but hers.

Kayden wishes he could push it to the side. To do anything to make that go away. But he doesn't know how, at least not yet.

He glances over his shoulder as they take the stairs to the first floor. Dean's other worldly eyes snap from Kayden's and Avery's joined hands to Kayden's face.

Kayden tries to hide the whence but knows he failed as that self satisfied smirk covers Dean's face.

He turns back around, his grip on Avery's hand tightens. His own worries bubbles up. Dean. Kayden doesn't know what to think of the other wolf.

He could at any time make Kayden stand behind while Dean is with Avery. He has the power to do it. He is the first. Kayden can't help but wonder, worry why the Alpha steps aside and lets Kayden take the lending roll. Is it because Kayden knows Avery more than the other wolf or is it for other reasons.

So many things to worry about and work out. To understand. He bites his cheek stepping off the last step and going down the hall way.

Kayden looks at Avery out of the corner of his eye. A smile forming. He catches the silver glint of the markings around Avery's throat and almost grinds to a halt.

He keeps moving. He knows those symbols. Learned about them in his history classes. But for the life of him he can't grasp them. They mean something. Something very important but know matter how hard he reaches for the memories he can't catch them.

He's caught of guard walking into the kitchen. A snarl does fly from his lips but stops as soon as he locks his eyes on who jerk Avery from his hands.

Cam.

His eyes are red and shiny with tears.

As Kayden comes to his senses knowing Avery is in no danger and he starts to make out Cam's tear filled mumbles words.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry." Cam mumbles and cries hugging tightly to Avery. Cam places a peck of a kiss on Avery's forehead and flees the kitchen, nearly running through the sliding glass doors with Aden at his heels.

Avery shell shocked turns to Kayden with wide frightful eyes.

"What was that?" She whispers looking out the door, towards the trees where Cam disappeared.

Kayden moves to her and wraps his arms around her small body. A sigh comes from him as Avery wraps her arms around him. This right here is what peace fills like.

"I don't know." Kayden says softly kissing the top of her head, inhaling her cold winter scent that's a balm for his nerves.

A clearing throat has Kayden looking at his brother standing at the other door out of the kitchen.

He bares his teeth at Nick as he takes Avery's hand leading them into the formal part of the house.

Kayden's lips raise in a silent snarl as he smells and feels the other two wolfs just beyond the door way.

With shuddering breath, he locks down his emotions and walks into the room.

Jeff is standing right in the middle as they come in but what has his muscles locking up is the two men seated on the chairs in front of the big bay windows.

Guards of the six. The Crown wrapped around the the red paw on their shirts give them away. The right hand wolves of the six and who police his world. He's never met one before and fear skitters down his spine.

This is not good.

His hand tightens on Avery, ready to jerk her away.

"Kayden. Avery." An snarky voice pulls Kayden's attention to the left wall.

A man with greying hair and red robes stands with his arms cross, eyes widening on Avery's neck as they both turn towards him.

The man in the robes steps forward. A greedy light shinning in his eyes black eyes.

"Well, Well, It seems you have been keeping secrets Jeff." The man smiles never looking away from Avery, devouring her with his eyes.

"No Sire, this has happened after you where notified of Avery." Jeff bows slightly.

The man just grins stepping forward an old hand out stretched towards Avery. Kayden snarls pulling Avery behind him.

"Control your pack mate." The man snarls his eyes flashing yellow.

"Kayden stand down." Jeff commands.

Kayden eyes widen in surprise as he feels no need to fill his Alpha's orders. No gut jerking will. The surprise of it has him stepping back, pulling Avery with him.

Jeff looks at him with equal surprise and worry.

Kayden smiles now. An evil crude smile knowing Jeff can never command him to stay away from Avery ever again.

"Come now Kayden. Sire Loral just wants to meet her. You know I would never let anything happen to her." Jeff says trying a different route.

Yet Kayden could care less. He will not let that man near Avery. Not now with seeing those greedy eyes feast upon her.

Sire Loral snarls releasing a gust of Alpha power. "You will step aside now boy." The older man snarls. Only to be shut out with a more powerful blast of wild magic coming from the back wall.

"Tusk tusk tusk." Dean says his tongue clicking, stalking forward in nothing but those black shorts, standing at Avery's side.

"You have no power here old man." Dean says with that cocky smirk.

Thanks for reading.