Darkest Hour Before Dawn

by Charlie Cochet

  "He died years ago," Hudson replied with a shuddering sigh. "It's why I was shunned from my pack, my family. They blamed me for his death. It was an accident." Hudson told them the story of his beloved brother's death and how his body had been discovered. Seb had heard it years ago, and it broke his heart hearing it a second time, mostly because of how much it still pained Hudson.

  "You sure it was him on the table?" Ash asked. Seb glared at him, and Ash returned his glare. "Hey, I know what it's like to lose a brother, okay, so fuck off. It's a shitty question, but it has to be asked. You gotta admit, when this team is involved, shit has a way of turning all kinds of weird and fucked-up. I swear this team is fucking cursed."

  "Speak for yourself," Rosa said. "Milena and I have a very normal life together. She acquires antiques. Can't get any more normal than that."

  "Whatever," Ash said, turning his attention back to Hudson. "Come on, Doc. Look at what's happened in the past year alone. Are you sure?"

  "Yes, Ash," Hudson replied through his teeth. "It was Alfie on that table, and he was very much dead. Believe me, I wish I had doubts, but I can still see him." Hudson dropped his gaze to the floor.

  "Did you...." Ash cleared his throat. "Did you examine him?"

  Hudson shook his head. "It may have been possible, with my father's influence, but my family would never have allowed me to lay a hand on him. At one point, I tried to step closer. My father grabbed my arm and pulled me back." He wiped a tear from his cheek and sniffed. "Not that it mattered. All the evidence I needed was in front of me."

  Dex looked thoughtful. "Could the scent have been something else masking itself as Hudson's brother? Is that possible?"

  "What do you mean?" Sloane asked.

  "I'm thinking about the sleeve Sparks gave me to mask the scent of my mark. What if it's possible to mask a scent with another? Therians have a keen sense of smell. One they rely on, especially THIRDS agents. What if someone was trying to fuck with Hudson?"

  "Why? Why would someone do such a thing?" Hudson closed his eyes.

  Sloane shook his head. "That doesn't answer why you went feral. I can see it being a catalyst, but Therians don't go feral that easily. I know things have been... a little stressful lately. Anything happen that may have pushed you over the edge?"

  Seb stroked his hair, and Hudson met his gaze. He gave Hudson a subtle shake of his head. He wasn't quite ready to tell Ethan about TIN yet. The rest of Destructive Delta would find out soon, but the conversation was one he'd have in private with his little brother. He hadn't even decided what to say to his team or Dom. Seb had a lot to think about, like whether to bring his team into this mess or not. The more people he told, the more lives he placed in danger. Dom was his best friend, and Seb didn't keep anything from him, but he had to think about Dom and his family--his parents and four older brothers, two of whom worked for the THIRDS, one in Defense, the other Recon. If something happened to Dom because of Seb's association with TIN, Seb would never forgive himself.

  Hudson released a heavy sigh and turned his attention to Sloane with a nod. "I'm not ready to discuss it at the moment, but yes, you're right. I think with everything that's happened recently, the scent was the final straw. It was all too much. I never thought I could lose myself in such a manner."

  "Hey, everyone has their limit," Sloane offered gently. "You reached yours. It happens. Trust me."

  Hudson nodded. He leaned against Seb, burying his face in Seb's shoulder. "I just want to go home. Take me home, Sebastian."

  Seb swallowed hard. He looked over at Nina, who nodded, her big brown eyes filled with worry. Sloane had Ethan stop by a Therian restaurant, and Calvin ordered them some food to go before they dropped Seb and Hudson off at Seb's house. Once he got Hudson settled in the kitchen and eating, he texted Dom and asked him if he wouldn't mind picking up Seb's Suburban, and returning it to HQ. Then Seb texted Sloane to thank him and the team for everything.

  That's what family is for.

  Seb smiled at Sloane's text. It warmed his heart to know Sloane still considered him part of the Destructive Delta family, even if he was no longer on the team. He returned his phone to his pocket and joined Hudson at the island counter. His Lobito was lost in thought, but at least his appetite remained healthy. Once they'd eaten, they settled on the couch, Hudson lying between Seb's legs, his head on Seb's shoulder as Seb flicked through channels and absently ran his fingers through Hudson's hair, smiling at the soft sigh Hudson let out. It was all so... normal.

  "How about a shower?" Seb asked, kissing the top of Hudson's head.

  Hudson grunted. "That would require my having to move."

  Seb chuckled. "I don't know. Let's see." He sat up, his arm wrapped around Hudson's waist, holding him against Seb as he stood before flopping him over his shoulder.

  "This isn't what I had in mind," Hudson grumbled, and Seb smacked his butt for good measure, laughing at his yelp. "You're lucky I'm too tired to do anything about that."

  Seb carried him upstairs. "That's a shame." He dropped Hudson onto the bed before pulling his uniform shirt and undershirt up over his head, then dropping them to the floor. "And here I thought you might want to fuck me. But if you're too tired...." Seb shrugged and turned to go, but Hudson launched himself across the bed to snag hold of Seb's hand.

  "Wait!" He looked up at Seb, blinking innocently. "Did I say tired? I meant comfortable. Your shoulder was very comfortable."

  Seb stretched, arching his back, an arm lifted over his head, drawing Hudson's eyes to his torso. His blue eyes raked over Seb's chest, pupils dilating before he met Seb's gaze, his tongue poking out from between his lips.

  "Darling, I would very much like to fuck you."

  "Oh, okay, then." Seb turned to face him. "I'm going to go take a shower first."

  Hudson scrambled to sit up, and Seb held back a laugh. He took hold of Seb's belt to keep him from moving away. "May I join you?"

  "Sure." Seb winked at him, and Hudson let out a huff.

  "You enjoy teasing me, don't you?"

  Seb lifted Hudson's chin and brushed his lips over Hudson's. "I don't enjoy it. I love it." He kissed Hudson, taking hold of his shoulder, moaning at the taste of him. Hudson's mouth was sweet from the fruit tea he'd had with dinner, and Seb's kisses grew more urgent as he explored Hudson's mouth with his tongue. He pulled Hudson's sweater vest and shirt over his head and dropped them on the floor, a groan escaping him at the feel of Hudson's slender fingers gliding over the muscles of Seb's abdomen to his chest. If he didn't get Hudson naked and in bed, he was going to go crazy. His skin was on fire, his body eager to press against Hudson.

  "Come on," Seb growled against Hudson's lips. He took Hudson's wrist and pulled him along into the bathroom. They tore at each other's clothes, mouths sucking, biting, and nipping with every patch of skin exposed. Naked, they stepped into the shower. Normally they would have gotten each other off under the stream of warm water, but Seb was going to lose his shit if he didn't get Hudson inside him. A quick towel dry later, and Seb lay on the bed, his hips lifted so Hudson could place a pillow underneath his stomach. His body was thrumming with anticipation.

  The last man to fuck Seb was Hudson. Hudson, of course, had other plans. He wasn't about to dive right in. Nope. His Lobito was going to torture him first. Seb moaned as Hudson sat on his ass and lightly stroked Seb from his shoulders to his lower back. Pushing his hard cock against the pillow, Seb pleaded with Hudson, but Hudson pressed a kiss to his right shoulder, then his left. He planted kisses around Seb's back, alternating with nips to Seb's scorching flesh. Seb grabbed fistfuls of the sheets, rutting against the pillow as his desire threatened to consume him.

  The globes of his asscheeks were parted, and Seb bucked his hips, cursing under his breath and gritting his teeth when Hudson licked at his hole. Seb pressed his forehead down against the pillow as Hudson used his tongue to breach Seb's tight entrance.

  "Oh fuck." Seb's breath was coming out in pants as Hudson nibbled at
him. "Baby, please."

  Hudson chuckled, and a rumbling sound rose deep from Seb's chest. Seb heard the lube's cap being opened and the bottle squeezed. Soon after, he shivered at Hudson's cold, lube-slicked finger pushing tenderly into him. The wait was going to drive him nuts. In no apparent rush, Hudson buried his finger down to the knuckle before he pulled out slightly, and a second finger joined in.

  "Lobito," Seb growled. "If you don't fuck me, you're going to be the one pounded into the mattress."

  "That's not much of a threat, darling." Hudson pulled out his fingers, and when Seb looked over his shoulder to reply, Hudson breached his hole with the tip of his cock. He released a fresh barrage of curses, and Hudson laughed softly. "You were saying?"

  Hudson wasn't as big as Seb, but he was hardly small. His cock was thick and long, and Seb was so tight, his muscles fighting the intrusion until they finally accepted and gave way, making him cry out with how damn good it felt to have Hudson inching in until he was balls-deep inside Seb's ass.

  "You feel amazing," Hudson breathed. He released a low moan as he started to rock against Seb. The pleasure building inside Seb sent a shiver through him, and he lifted up onto his elbows so he could look back at Hudson, groaning at the sight of Hudson pulling out only to plunge inside Seb, his fingers digging into Seb's hips.

  "That's it, baby. Fuck me. God, you're so beautiful."

  Hudson closed his eyes and let his head fall back, his lips parted in ecstasy as he picked up his pace, the sound of his skin slapping against Seb's, making Seb whimper. Seb pushed a hand underneath him and took hold of his rock-hard cock.

  "Not yet," Hudson warned, lying across Seb's back. He took hold of Seb's hands and laced their fingers together. "Kiss me."

  Seb turned his head and sucked on Hudson's tongue before Hudson snapped his hips against Seb's ass, driving his cock in deep.

  "Fuck!"

  Hudson snapped his hips again. "Like that?" He rotated his hips, pulled out, and then drove in at a different angle, hitting that sweet spot inside Seb.

  "Fuck! Baby, yes! Yes, just like that. Fuck me just like that."

  Hudson drove himself in deep and hard with each thrust, pounding into Seb until he was seeing stars. The sounds coming from him were unlike anything Seb had ever made. Hudson's moans, his panting breath, and his fingers digging into Seb's hips were going to make him lose his mind. Hudson hit that sweet spot in Seb again, and Seb's muscles tightened. His orgasm threatened to send him spiraling down into the abyss. Hudson lay against his back, one hand on Seb's shoulder holding him in place, while he slipped his fingers into Seb's hair with his other hand, grabbing a fistful of it. He tugged at Seb's hair, pulling his head back so he could lick Seb's neck. He snapped his hips against Seb's ass, his teeth scraping Seb's nape before he bit down gently, suckling Seb's skin and sending him over the edge.

  Seb's pleasure tore through him, his orgasm causing his body to tighten, his hole clenching around Hudson's dick. Hudson gasped, throwing his arms around Seb's neck as Seb milked his cock, the heat of Hudson's come coating his insides. Seb rode out his release, his fingers closing around Hudson's arm, his groan deep and long as white heat spread through him. Hudson thrust several more times before stilling, his panting breath hot against Seb's cheek.

  "See. Just like... riding a... bike," Seb teased.

  "Darling, if my scooter made me come like that, I'd never get off." Hudson kissed his cheek. "Besides, I much prefer riding you."

  Seb laughed. He turned his head so Hudson could kiss him, slow and languid this time. Hudson pulled out of him gently before rolling off him and onto the bed. His Lobito was a picture of wanton decadence, his black, tousled hair a contrast against his fair skin now flushed from his exertion. He looked sated and happy. The words left Seb's lips before he could catch himself.

  "Let's get married."

  Hudson rolled his head to look at Seb. "I beg your pardon?"

  "You heard me."

  "Are you mad?"

  Not the reaction he'd been hoping for.

  "We haven't been together a week and look at the mess we made!" Hudson got out of bed, stalked over to the dresser, and pulled out a pair of boxers. "Must be a new bloody record. One week, Sebastian, and you end up in jail, I end up part of a covert organization of Therian spies, and then you go and jump in the fire with me. I lose control to my feral side after having a go at you about that very subject, and I keep catching my dead brother's scent." He pulled out a T-shirt and stilled, his bottom lip quivering. "I'm a jinx."

  "Hey, you're not a jinx." And if he was, he was the most adorable jinx Seb had ever known. He got out of bed, stepped up behind Hudson, and wrapped his arms around his waist. "You smelling Alfie, I don't have an answer for, but I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation. We just haven't found it yet. And as far as TIN is concerned, I'm not going to be anywhere you're not. So, are you going to be my husband?"

  Hudson worried his bottom lip, and Seb would have given anything to know what was running through his mate's mind. Seb pulled a pair of pajama bottoms from the dresser and quickly slipped into them before taking Hudson's hand and turning him so they faced each other.

  "Baby?"

  Hudson met his gaze, his blue eyes filled with so much love, and worry. "I love you, Seb, more than anything. I just.... Will you give me some time to think about it?"

  Seb nodded. "Of course. Whenever you're ready, I'll be here." A small part of him was disappointed Hudson hadn't said yes, but he couldn't blame him. Everything that had happened between them, plus the events of the last few days, would have broken a less strong man. Hudson needed time, and Seb would give him all the time he needed. He had his mate back, and for that, Seb was grateful. The rest could wait.

  Chapter 10

  "EVERYONE OUT!"

  Hudson wondered how everything had gone to hell so quickly. What started as a routine callout in the heart of Wall Street to pick up a DB in one of the flashy corporate buildings suddenly turned into a code red with thousands of lives on the line. The initial victim was believed to have suffered a heart attack, collapsing in the lobby of the seventy-one-story, gilded monstrosity. The moment Hudson and Nina unzipped the dead man's heavy jacket, they'd sprung to action. They had twenty minutes to evacuate the building before the device strapped to the man's chest detonated. Defense agents were on the way, but as Hudson sped through the marble lobby, shouting at Humans and Therians alike to get the hell out of the building, he feared his fellow agents wouldn't make it in time.

  Hudson enlisted the help of the building's security team, and emergency evacuation procedures were executed. Citizens flooded out from the emergency exits, from offices, from every floor. The lifts were still working, which was fortunate, considering there were seventy-one floors to evacuate. Nina rushed over to Hudson, her eyes wide and cheeks flushed.

  "There are too many floors, too many people, and not enough time."

  Hudson had no way to gauge how powerful the blast would be. An idea struck him, and after telling Nina to keep an eye out for their teammates, he ran over to the head security guard.

  "Bill, this building used to be a bank, right? Is the vault still here?"

  Bill nodded fervently. "Yeah, in the basement. It's a restaurant now."

  "Okay. Grab two of your men. You're going to help me." Hudson ran back to the body. Since the man had been moving around before he collapsed and the device had yet to go off, Hudson would hazard a guess it wasn't motion sensitive. Bill and two security guards appeared in seconds. "All right, lads. Help me carry him, and whatever you do, don't touch the device or any of the wires," Hudson instructed. Bill and the guards did as told, and Hudson grabbed under the dead man's arms. They lifted and hurriedly moved toward the emergency exit that would take them downstairs to the basement. The lift was out of the question as people were still flooding in and out.

  They carried the body downstairs and through the doors of a posh restaurant with red and gold decor, boasting a "unique dining
experience." They had no idea. One side of the restaurant had been a meeting room for the bank's executives and was now an expansive bar, while the other side was the restaurant. It was littered with tables, the exposed steel walls evidence of a time long gone when the room housed the wealth of the city's elite rather than the imported wine and champagne guests now imbibed.

  "All the way to the end, fellas," Hudson said. They placed the body at the end of the room and rushed out. "Does this close?" Hudson looked up at the huge steel bank vault door.

  Bill shrugged. "It hasn't been moved in years."

  "Let's put our backs into it, then." Hudson took position behind the vault door along with the three other men, two of whom were big, strong Felid Therians. "Okay, lads. Push!"

  The four of them grunted and groaned as they pushed with all their strength. Since the door was no longer in use, the hinges were a little rusty. There was no electronic switch, but the door had been created with the capability to be shut by hand. Sweat beaded Hudson's brow, and his muscles strained as he gritted his teeth and pushed with all his might. A shrilling squeal resounded before the door inched forward. They continued to push until the blasted thing finally moved. The thunderous bang it made when it closed was terrifying, considering what was on the other side.

  "Let's go." They hurried back to the stairs and ran up. "We need to clear the floor over the bank vault," Hudson said and cursed under his breath. The floor in question was in front of the rear exit of the building, toward which dozens of people were running. Hudson took off, waving his arm as he screamed to the panicked citizens. "Get away from the doors! Use the front exit!"

  People dispersed, and Hudson turned to Bill and the two security guards just as a deafening boom burst through the floor. Hudson was launched into the smoke-and fire-filled air. He thought he would never land, and when he did, the impact almost knocked him out. His head hit something soft, but his body was in pain, air rushing from his lungs. He gasped for breath, then coughed when his mouth filled with smoke and ash. It was too dark to see, and he tentatively put a hand down, realizing he was touching a body. He blinked, stunned his glasses were still on his face. Beneath him, he found one of Bill's men, his head twisted at an unnatural angle. Poor fellow.