Kester needed to make Tearlach understand the jeopardy he was putting the whole pack in because Declan didn't make threats. In fact, he was surprised Declan had even given him a warning at all. Maybe he did it to appease Rowan? Regardless, Declan would come at them in full force, if Tearlach continued in his reckless pursuit.
Kester had ordered Tearlach to meet with him privately. Waiting for him in his office at the compound Kester wasn't exactly sure what he was going to say. Everything hinged on Tearlach's response. He always tried to give his wolves the benefit of the doubt. He only hoped Tearlach could be reasonable about this delicate situation.
When Kester heard the loud knock on the door he didn't have to guess who it was, "Come on in."
"Kester." Tearlach was glad they were alone, this wouldn't be an easy conversation to have.
"Jesus, Tearlach! You look like shit." Kester knew immediately that Tearlach was not himself. His clothes were tattered, his hair disheveled and the circles under his eyes were evidence of his lack of sleep since she'd left. He was acting like a mated wolf. Typically Tearlach was a lighthearted guy who enjoyed teasing his friends and making people laugh. Not today. Today, Tearlach looked like a man who was runnin' head first into his grave.
"She's with that fucking vamp. I almost had her, but he sifted with her before I could reach them. I have to find her. She has no idea what he really is, Kester."
"Actually, that's why I asked you here. We need to talk." He motioned for him to sit down.
"About what?"
"I got a call from him yesterday. Claimed you were on his property up in Alaska?" Kester knew it was true, but he needed to hear Tearlach's side.
"He threatened you, didn't he?" Tearlach's face was fierce. Piercing blue eyes focused on Kester as he waited for his response.
"Not exactly, but he did promise to kill you if you walked onto another property of his uninvited." Kester waited while Tearlach considered the fall out.
"Meaning he would come for me here with his hunting party?"
"That's how it works T." Kester stood up and crossed the room.
"Mother fucker threatened my pack?" Tearlach ran his hands through his hair.
Standing a few feet in from of him he continued, "Not out right, but it was insinuated. Listen there's something else. Rowan was with him when he called. He didn't sift them outta there. She did. She said this issue is between you and her, not Declan. She told me to tell you."
"What? Tell me what?" Tension mounted in every muscle. He could take a guess at what she'd said.
Kester took a deep breath, "She doesn't want to see or talk to you T." He hated telling him this, knowing it would crush him, but he was the Alpha. No matter how he felt personally because right now his whole pack could be at stake.
"She's mine, Kester, and I will find her." Tearlach's heart literally hurt. He'd never felt pain like this and yet, his wolf had never even recognized her as his mate. He didn't know what she was supposed to be to him, but he knew she was his- period.
"She is not your mate T, you know that." Kester knew it didn't matter what he said. Tearlach's mind was made up.
"Neilina is not my mate. The wolf inside of me may have recognized that bitch, but I will never have her. I want Rowan." Tearlach knew there would be fall out between the packs over his refusal of Neilina.
"Wolves don't refuse their mates. It's unheard of T."
"Well, I'm telling you I do refuse her, and I will have nothing more to do with the rituals either." His eyes fixated on Kester's trying to get a read on him as the conversation took a turn.
"You know what that means for our pack, right?" Kester had a feeling this was coming.
"Not if I leave the pack and fly solo. They'll hunt me, not you." Tearlach stared down his Alpha.
"Fuckin' hell, never saw that one coming T. You would walk away from your pack for Rowan?" Hearing him say that, Kester would never let him face this alone. Something was going on here, and Kester wasn't the type of man who made decisions without all the information. He wanted to know what it was about her that was making Tearlach react this way. He was almost unrecognizable.
"I need her Kester. She's all I think about." Tearlach sank down in a chair. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can live without her."
"If this is how you feel, the pack will support you of course. But, you need to be smarter Tearlach. You're pushing her into his arms now. Think about it for a minute. Reign in your emotions and start thinking like the dangerous man I know you are because you can be certain that's what he's doing." Kester had no idea what the consequences for breaking their pact with the rival clan would be, but he hated making his wolves succumb to their breeding responsibilities for the sake of pro-creation anyway. He would rather watch their numbers slowly decline if that's what they wanted. Maybe this was just the opportunity he needed to make a change for his pack.
"You would support me in this?" Tearlach was shocked at this turn of events. He never expected to leave the compound with his Alpha's backing. He was speechless.
"Can you put the brakes on this obsessive pursuit long enough to construct a plan and put some people together?" Kester needed to be sure T could be rational about all of this.
"Absolutely. Damn...you're right. Declan's smart. He didn't get this far playin' it straight. He's evil Kester and Rowan will see that eventually. He's bound to fuck up, and when he does, I'll be there to pick up the pieces. I just hope she's got her guard up around him."
"That makes two of us." Kester honestly didn't know where Rowan's head was at. She'd been warned about how dangerous Declan was.
"She likes Maitland. I should have him call her...warn her about him." Now Tearlach was thinking.
"We will always take care of our own, Tearlach. Rowan has no idea who Declan is, but she will. You know how he operates. We have about three weeks until the next full moon. I can stall on telling the rival pack anything. How do you think our females will fair?" Kester cared about his wolves.
"I think we all hate the situation, but it may be time for some of them to jump packs to be with their mate if that's what they want. " Tearlach smiled for the first time since Rowan had left.
"We'll have to see what needs to be done then. I'll talk to the women myself. In the meantime, what do we do about Rowan?" Kester gazed out the window.
"We get Maitland involved now. We know she wants Dermid, so we find him first and lure her back to our pack, away from the fuckin' vamp." Tearlach knew she would never agree to speak with him otherwise.
"No one knows where he is, but if he's with Vertigen that could prove difficult." Kester began toying with the idea.
"Difficult is not synonymous with impossible. What do you think Vertigen would do to Dermid if he found out he'd tried to murder his own sister, the twin with the real power, the one he's been looking for? Let's be sure that's gettin' passed through the grapevine." Tearlach rose from the sofa with a smile that radiated a new found confidence. He could do this. He knew exactly what he needed to do.
"You gonna talk to Maitland, or should I?" Kester watched the little lycans running around outside. It was his job to ensure they survived...that the pack prevailed in all of this.
"I appreciate the offer Kester, but I fucked things up. I'll talk to him." Tearlach looked over his shoulder as he headed out the door. "Thank you Kester. It's a privilege being in your pack." He put his fist over his heart as he bowed his head to the floor in respect.
"You're a good wolf Tearlach. Get your shit together and start acting like a lycan instead of a pussywhipped rabid dog. Now, go talk to Maitland."
Tearlach took off at a dead run down the hall, bellowing "Maaaitllaaannnd! Where the hell are you?"
Maitland was in the kitchen as usual when he heard T bellowing his name upstairs. All he wanted to do was enjoy a quiet meal alone.
Tearlach burst through the door, "Thought I'd find you here. Listen, I need a favor man." Tearlach watched as Maitland dropped his heaping spoonful of mashed potatoes.
Maitland stared down at his plate afraid he'd maim T if he even looked at him. "You're a stupid fucking bastard. I already heard what happened with Rowan."
"I get it. You like Rowan, and so you're pissed at me...right?" Tearlach stood opposite him across the island.
"No. You're a god damned idiot Tearlach. Why didn't you just tell her what was going on? I mean if you feel this strongly for her how could you have ...Oh, hell, never mind. What the fuck do you want?" Maitland's eyes glared at Tearlach from under hooded lids as he picked up his spoon to continue eating.
"She's with Declan.."
Maitland stopped mid bite, launching his plate into the wall, "She isn't..."
"She is..."
"This is your fault, Tearlach, and I'm gonna wipe the floor with your big dumb ass if he hurts her." Maitland walked around the counter and stood nose to nose with him.
"It is my fault. I know that, and it's eatin' me alive. I have to get her back Maitland...if not with me, at least back to our compound where she's safe. She won't take my calls, but she would take one from you.
"I'm not gonna tell her to take you back. You were a fuckin' prick." He liked Tearlach. He just didn't always respect the decisions he made.
"I wouldn't ask you to brother, only to warn her about him. He could really hurt her Maitland. You know that. We've all heard stories about the carnage he leaves behind." Tearlach retreated from Maitland to sit on one of the bar stools at the counter.
"I'll call her...tell her how disappointed I am in her....choices." He'd meant it, too. Neither Tearlach nor Declan were good enough for her.
"Thank you, Maitland."
"Not doin' it for you." Maitland left Tearlach in the kitchen. He wouldn't betray Rowan's confidences by allowing Tearlach to listen in on their conversation.