by M. D. Grimm
Audrey gained her feet and bared her teeth, eyes wild.
“Audrey, enough!” Talon bellowed, voice ricocheting off the buildings. “Your pack is down! Do you want them to bleed out while you continue to fight? The silver is eating them away!”
As if just realizing the severity of her situation, Audrey looked left, then right, growling at her whining companions.
Dexter realized Talon had positioned himself between Audrey and Stacey. He knelt naked in the snow, eyes hard, body starting to shiver. Dexter also shivered in the snow, clutching Orion close, and held his breath. Stacey was staring at Talon in shock, her gun still pointed at Audrey, not at him. Not yet.
“Look what you’ve become!” Talon said. “Look at what you’re doing. Do you really think Phoenix would approve of this? Do you really think this is the answer to our plight? We have to band together, not tear each other apart. We have always been stronger with allies.”
Sirens sounded in the ensuing silence.
Dexter grimaced. “Shit.” The campus might be mostly vacant, but that only meant the gunshots would have echoed spectacularly.
Orion mewled softly in his arms. Dexter rubbed his thumb over his head.
“Well?” Talon said. “What will you do now?”
With a disgusted snort, Audrey turned and padded over to her fallen wolves. The two with shoulder wounds could limp away haltingly, while the one with the shot rib crawled across Audrey’s back and she carried him carefully. She turned back only once, eyes gleaming in the darkness, then disappeared with the others.
Dexter stayed still and silent during the proceedings, as did Stacey and Talon. But once the wolves were out of sight, and even as the sirens came closer, Stacey lowered her gun to Talon’s back. Dexter sucked in a breath, and Talon stilled, reacting to his fear.
“Don’t!” Dexter said, staggering to his feet, then holding out a hand. “Please don’t.”
“He’s a… he’s….” But she sounded uncertain now. Her voice might have shaken, but the gun was steady.
“He’s mine,” Dexter said, stepping closer.
Orion squeaked and clacked his beak, wiggling in Dexter’s grasp.
“They’re both mine,” Dexter said. “If you’re my friend, you won’t harm them.”
“I am your friend,” she said. “And I must protect you.”
“I am in no danger from them.” Dexter reached Talon’s side and laid a hand on his shoulder. Then he shuffled over and put himself between Talon and the gun.
Tears tracked down Stacey’s face.
“You already tried to take Orion away from me,” he said softly. “I’m asking you to put the gun down and walk away.”
Now the gun trembled. She lowered it, her gaze locked with his. He saw her confusion, shame, and anger. Then she spun around and ran. She was damn fast despite the snow.
Talon hissed out a breath before standing.
“You better shift,” Dexter said. “Cruisers should be here any second.”
Talon glared after Stacey, his jaw ticking, but he nodded. In a heartbeat a great horned owl was flapping around his head. Dexter released Orion, and they hurried away before the authorities arrived.
THIS TIME Dexter was taken to the campus police station, and though it wasn’t big enough to boast its own interrogation room, the small office was off-putting enough. He knew his story was going to have holes and he did his best to swallow his shock and finds ways to plug them.
It wasn’t long before Officer Monroe joined him, his keen gaze assessing. Dexter couldn’t cower this time. He forced himself to sit up straighter and meet the officer’s gaze without flinching.
Monroe leaned his hip against the desk in front of Dexter and stared for a long moment.
“I’m beginning to wonder if you’re either cursed or blessed,” he said. “Start from the beginning.”
Dexter took a deep breath. “I was doing my usual rounds when I heard gunshots and noises outside. It was muffled and I wasn’t sure what I heard at first. Then I went to investigate.”
“Without calling the police? You thought you heard gunshots and went to get your fool head shot off?”
Dexter swallowed. “Look, I was stupid, okay? I didn’t want to raise a false alarm.”
“Uh-huh. Go on.”
“By the time I got up to the ground floor and looked outside, there was nothing to see.”
“So you’re telling me you missed the whole thing.”
“Yes.”
Monroe raised an eyebrow. “Okay, I can buy that.”
Dexter blinked. His tone was weird. “What?”
“We’ll have to fudge the timeline a bit. Seems our canine friends saved us the trouble of deleting the camera footage by breaking the cameras before everything went down. I’m guessing they were furry inside the building with you, right?”
Dexter gaped and nodded.
Monroe snorted. “Yeah, I bet you’re surprised. There’s more of us in the know than you might think. My youngest brother is part of the Agency. You know about them, right?”
Dexter nodded stiffly, stunned beyond belief.
“He called me a few days ago, the day after I took your initial report. They’re a little thin on resources and agents so I volunteered to keep an eye on everything. I got your back, Dex. Just let me call my bro to make sure everything can be tailored to your story. You should say you tried to call the police, but you couldn’t get reception. It’s crummy down in the basements, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. That’s what happened. Now shut your mouth or you’ll catch flies.”
Dexter’s teeth clanked as he did what he was told. “If your brother is part of the Agency, then doesn’t that mean he has special abilities?”
“Yep. Super sight. Wish I had that. His name is Mac.”
Dexter dropped his head into his hands. “I can’t believe this is my life.”
Officer Monroe snorted and stood up. He patted Dexter’s shoulder. “One thing to be sure of, you’ll never be bored.”
Dexter lifted his head. “Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”
“Didn’t know it was a shifter deal earlier. I suspected, but they’re secretive for obvious reasons and we don’t just out each other. The suspect for the attack on Mr. Matias’s office used spray paint on the cameras in the hallway, which obscured anything that happened.”
Monroe stared at him, waiting.
He relented. “It was Stacey.” Then he told Officer Monroe exactly what happened. He listened and nodded, not saying a word.
“You got balls of steel, my friend,” he said. “I would have pissed my pants if confronted with four adult wolf shifters.”
“I thought I was dead.”
Monroe slapped his shoulder. “Nope, still alive.”
Dexter scowled and rubbed his bruised flesh.
Monroe grinned charmingly. “Now you’re pissed, not scared. You’re welcome.”
Dexter huffed. “What will you do about Stacey?”
His smile faded. “Once she leaves campus, she’s out of my jurisdiction. I’ll alert Mac and make sure we keep an eye on her. If she doesn’t do anything more, then we’ll leave her be. Do you know if she was working for the Knights?”
“No. I really just learned about this whole secret world a few days ago. I’m still adjusting.”
“I understand. Let me take your statement, the one we agreed on, and then we can get you home, okay?”
“Okay, Officer.”
Monroe smiled, eyes warm. “You can call me Matt.”
DEXTER WAS still in a state of shock by the time he stepped into Talon and Orion’s apartment. He was mobbed by trembling, frantic mates, and they landed on the floor in a tangle of limbs and kisses.
“I’m fine. I’m okay. Orion, are you sure you’re okay?”
“My arm’s a little sore, but I’ll be fine.” Orion lay nearly on top of him, heart pounding like a drum against Dexter’s chest. “I thought we were going to lose you
.” He snuggled close, shaking harder, and not from the cold.
“So did I.” He closed his eyes and relished the feel of Orion’s warm body against his. “You’re not going to believe this, but we have an ally on the campus police force. A shifter ally.”
“Who?” Talon asked.
“Officer Monroe.”
They both stared.
Dexter explained everything, his throat going dry. Talon grabbed him some water and they moved to the couch. Orion took off his shoes and massaged his feet, sitting on the table, large eyes even bigger with shock.
“Friends in high places,” Talon said softly. “Glad I called when I did.”
“You’re welcome,” Orion said smugly.
Talon rolled his eyes. Then he kissed Dexter’s cheek. “I love you.”
Dexter laid his head on Talon’s shoulder. “I love you too.”
TALON HAD called his parents and explained everything and told them the Agency had come through, though not in the way he expected. He also called Officer Monroe himself, and they made plans to meet privately so he could tell him about Audrey. Despite thinking the situation was strictly a shifter issue, he couldn’t deny it had bigger ramifications for their extended community. The exposure of shifters would also expose the Agency and other shifter allies. He’d meant what he said to Audrey: allies equaled strength.
And he’d be damned if Dexter would be made a target again.
Talon used the calming routine of making tea to align his thoughts and smother any anxiety over the future. His mates were safe and sound, and he’d damn well keep them that way.
Dexter sat on the couch, with Orion using his thigh as a pillow. He ran his fingers through Orion’s curls, and Talon let the sight of them calm some of the rage. He hoped to never see Audrey again. She better not try something like that again. He’d gouge out her eyes. While he couldn’t exactly be grateful to Stacey for using silver on fellow shifters and for what she tried to do to Orion, he was glad Dexter was all right.
Talon set down the tea before sitting on the table in front of Dexter. “Do you know why Stacey has such hatred for shifters?”
Dexter heaved a sigh. “Beau, her ex-boyfriend. I guess he was a shifter and abusive. He ambushed her on campus once and tried to throw her down some stairs. I came by, and, well, he went down the stairs instead. He’s still in prison, I think.”
Talon nodded. “So she knew he was a shifter.”
“I guess. I don’t know the details.”
“She condemned all shifters because of what one did,” Orion said softly, rubbing his face against Dexter’s thigh.
“She also saved me,” Dexter said, voice barely more than a whisper. “I don’t know how to feel about her.” He buried his face in his hands.
Talon reached over and stroked his hair. He gave it a moment before gently taking Dexter’s hands in his and lowering them. He met Dexter’s gaze and rubbed his thumbs over his palms.
“I know you’re overwhelmed. Just breathe. I am so damn thrilled you’re all right. That you’re both all right. I can’t lose either of you. I can’t.”
Dexter squeezed Talon’s hands before leaning forward and pressing their foreheads together.
“Talon, I want….”
“Yes?”
Dexter closed his eyes and said in a rush, “I want you both to move in with me.”
Talon’s mouth dropped open. Before he could speak, Orion reared up with a squeal loud enough to shatter eardrums. He tackled Dexter to the couch and kissed him all over his face.
The suddenness of the attack surprised a laugh out of Talon, and Dexter simply gasped until Orion silenced him with a passionate kiss. Orion literally mauled Dexter, humping and squirming over his body. When he finally let Dexter up for air, they both turned dazed eyes to Talon.
He realized there was only one answer to such a request.
“We would love to.”
Chapter Thirteen
DEXTER WAS helping Orion carry a rather large box full of books into his house when Talon came to the door and held up Dexter’s phone, which was ringing.
“Let’s set this down here,” Dexter said and Orion let out a sigh of relief when they set the box on the floor by the couch.
“Who is it?” he asked Talon and nodded at his phone which just went silent.
“Your mother.”
Dexter swallowed hard. He’d been waiting for this call. He left a message the other night on their home phone saying he wouldn’t visit for Christmas.
“Right,” he mumbled and grabbed the phone before shuffling into the kitchen. He called her back and waited as the other line rang.
“Dexter,” she said, her voice chilly.
He swallowed hard. “Hi, Mom.”
“I really don’t know what to make of your behavior,” she said. “The holidays are for family and you are neglecting yours. First Thanksgiving and now Christmas. You have a responsibility to visit us, Dexter. Your father and I won’t be around forever.”
He grimaced as the guilt built up. Then he heard a noise near the kitchen entrance and turned around. Talon and Orion stood there, staring, Orion’s big eyes filled with love and concern and Talon appeared irritated, likely on Dexter’s behalf.
He took a deep breath, the guilt slipping away. “I’m sorry, Mom. I’m sorry I disappoint you and I’m not the son you wanted.”
“What are you—”
“I love you and dad very much but I can’t keep visiting and listening to your digs and Thomas’s fat jokes.”
“Thomas doesn’t—”
“He does.” Dexter was surprised at himself. He’d never interrupted his mom in his entire life and how did his voice become so firm and confident? He glanced from Orion to Talon and knew the answer. They both smiled at him.
“Maybe I’ll visit next year but I won’t be alone. I have two boyfriends that I love with all my heart and if they’re not welcome, then I won’t be visiting at all.”
His mother sputtered. “What are you… boyfriends? Two? Oh my poor heart. Think of my heart, Dexter! I think your father and I have been quite tolerant of your gay thing but two boyfriends? What are you thinking? Do you want your family and our friends to know we have a deviant son?”
Dexter squeezed his eyes shut. In a heartbeat, Orion rushed over and pressed against his side, wrapping his arms around him. Talon strode over and without a word, plucked the phone out of Dexter’s hand.
“Talon—”
Talon set a firm hand on his shoulder before putting the phone to his ear. “Good day, Mrs. Fortis. My name is Talon and I’m one of your son’s boyfriends. I would like you to listen to me for just a moment. Dexter is a beautiful and extraordinary human being and if you can’t see what a blessing your son is then the flaw is within you, not him. No, no, no need to scream. I’m simply telling you the truth. Orion and I—our other boyfriend—will strive to make Dexter happy every day and make sure he knows he’s loved for everything he is. If you can’t do the same then perhaps you should reexamine your own values and decide what is more important—your son or society’s fickle prejudices.”
Talon blinked and lowered the phone. “She hung up.” He glanced between Dexter and Orion as they stared at him, appearing a little chagrined. “I apologize if I overstepped, Dex. I just couldn’t bear the look on your face. I don’t want her to make you feel bad about yourself.”
Dexter’s throat closed and he yanked Talon into a tight hug. Talon grunted but hugged back and nuzzled his throat. Orion joined in and snuggled against both of them.
“I’ve never had anyone defend me before,” Dexter said, voice cracking. “Not like that, not to her face.”
“Happy to assist,” Talon said. “Though I hope I didn’t scare her away permanently. I’d never want to damage any hope of reconciliation.”
Dexter laughed slightly and pulled back. He rubbed his eyes. “Don’t worry, she’s not scared easily. You shocked her. She’ll call back after Christmas, probably with my dad. Who k
nows? Maybe all this will open a conversation that’s long overdue.”
Orion rubbed his back. “Are you okay?”
Dexter took a deep breath and glanced between them. “I will be.” He took his phone back and set it on the counter. “Let’s get the rest of your things.”
DEXTER LOOKED up as Beatrice stepped into his kitchen, which was laden with food. She carried two pies, one in each hand, and gave him a large grin, one he returned. Her dress was a sparkling green that showed off her killer legs, and a modest neckline. Her jewelry was red, as were her heels. Her makeup had gold tones and still managed to be conservative, especially for her.
“Your boys look delicious this morning,” she said with a wink.
He blushed and laughed.
“The children missed you at my Christmas Sock Puppet Extravaganza,” she said as she set the pies on the table.
“Yeah, I’m sorry I couldn’t make it, but—”
“But you had your boys to move in. How is that going? Need any help?”
“I think we have it covered. Thanks, though.”
It was Christmas morning, and Talon and Orion had partially moved in, and Dexter was overwhelmed. But he’d never been so happy in his life.
“It looks good on you.”
Dexter frowned and looked down at his clothes. “What does?”
“Love.”
Dexter blinked at her and knew his blush deepened. She cackled and strode up to him to place a smacking kiss on his cheek.
“I told you there are men out there who like a little meat on their lovers. Now you have two. You lucky bastard.”
Dexter snickered. “Well, I also heard you have your own lucky bastard. How did that happen? What happened to your untamable heart?”
“Who says it’s tame?” She sniffed, eyes gleaming with her own love and happiness. “He likes it wild. A good thing too. I can’t stand boredom.”