by AJ Jarrett
Holden pulled his hand way. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. Jake and I are just friends.”
“No, Holden, I’m sorry.” He flattened his hands and laid them flat on the table.
“It’s okay, Carl.” Jake pulled Carl toward him and Carl fell into his arms. It felt so natural to be this close to Jake. After the time spent with Tobias, he didn’t think he’d ever let another man touch him but this felt good. “I’m sorry for shouting at you. Can you finish telling us what led to you and your brother running from your alpha?”
Carl rubbed his forehead in the area where Jake’s shoulder and neck connected. The man’s fresh, clean scent seemed so strong right there. He felt light headed from the masculine scent. He took one more deep breath then pulled away. “Tobias had always been kind to me. I thought he was like that with all the wolves. After we went to live with him he started spending more and more time with me. I loved the attention and the next thing I knew I had fallen for him.” He could still remember the first time Tobias had kissed him. His strong fingers caressing his cheeks. The softness of his lips as Tobias kissed along his jawline. It seemed like forever ago.
“I was only sixteen when we got together. Casper tried to warn me that what Tobias was doing with me wasn’t right but I ignored him. I so desperately wanted to feel loved and taken care of that I would have done anything he asked and I did. We’d been sleeping together for over a year when things started to change. I couldn’t leave the house and he even limited the amount of time I spent with Casper. When I questioned him he’d hit me. He would always apologize after and swear it would never happen again but it did. When I finally found the courage to leave Casper and I had barely made it off the property before he found us. He had his men bring us back. They took us to the basement of Tobias’s house and they put us in cages. After a few days of being locked up they came down and took Casper kicking and screaming back upstairs. I screamed for someone to help him until my throat went raw but no one came. When they brought him back Casper had been severely beaten and drugged. After the drugs wore off he told me what had been done to him. Tobias’s men took turns raping him.” Carl stared down at the table. The guilt that he felt for not protecting his brother ate at him every time he looked into Casper’s big blue eyes.
“What about you?” Jake asked.
Carl couldn’t bear to look into his eyes. “Tobias was the only one allowed to touch me,” he mumbled.
“Why did no one help you? This is crazy.” Holden pushed his chair back and started to walk back and forth in the small area. “Your alpha deserves to die.”
“And he will because I’m going to kill him.” Jake’s voice had grown rough and garbled.
Carl didn’t know what to say. He wanted the alpha dead but not if it meant putting Jake in danger.
But why do you care so much? the little voice in his head asked. Carl chose to ignore it because he didn’t have time to examine why he felt so strongly toward a man he just met. And what he might feel toward this man didn’t mean anything. The most important thing was getting Casper back.
Chapter Six
After listening to Carl’s story Jake was fuming. He could barely keep from shifting and killing something. But that would only be counterproductive and just eat up time they didn’t have.
“Should we call Devon?” Holden suggested.
“Who’s Devon?” Carl asked. His eyes looked around the room wildly as if he were looking for the nearest exit.
“Devon is our alpha back where we live. Trust me he’s nothing like yours. If Devon knew of this he’d be here and ready to kill yours,” he reassured Carl. “But no we’re not going to involve him or my brothers just yet. Let’s see if we can handle this situation on our own. It’s never good for an alpha to stick his nose in another’s business even if what the bastard is doing is wrong.”
Jake had learned that from his father. He said to always mind your own business and not to borrow trouble if it can be avoided. Devon didn’t need to be involved in this situation but Jake found himself knee-deep in it and was ready to draw blood for the grievance committed against his mate.
“Fine but at the first sign of trouble I’m calling him. I’m new to the pack. If I let you get yourself killed they’ll tear me limb from limb.” Holden stopped pacing long enough to give him a hard stare.
“What can I say, they love me.” He nudged Holden in the arm as he passed by. Jake turned to look at his mate when he heard a light growl come from his direction. It would appear that his mate was jealous and Jake had to wonder if Carl could feel the bond between them. “Easy, Carl, Holden and I are just friends.”
Carl brought his hands up to cover his face. “I’m sorry.” He moved his fingers so that one eye was visible. “I don’t know why I keep doing that. I barely know you. Maybe it’s just from all that has happened.”
Jake chewed on the inside of his cheek, pondering if he should tell Carl. Something must have shown on his face and Seth called out to him.
“Jake, now is not the time. We need to have clear heads when we go into this. Keep whatever it is you want to say to yourself for right now. Okay?”
His jaw clenched tight. Seth knew exactly what he wanted and needed to tell Carl but he had to agree with Seth. Now wasn’t the time. “Sure, Seth, whatever you say.”
Carl kept looking from him back to Seth. The young wolf must have sensed the tension in the air.
“Come on, guys,” Holden spoke up, drawing everyone’s attention to him. “We need to get a plan together and get going.” He put his hands on his hips. “So who has a plan?”
“We’re going to drive up to Edgerton in my Jeep,” Seth answered. “When we get there we’re going to walk on foot to the house. From there we’re going to camp out and watch the property until we know exactly how many wolves are there and to find the easiest way to break Casper out.”
“What?” Carl stood up. “How long will that take? We can’t leave Casper in there. I know what they will do to him.”
“Relax, kid.” Seth held up a hand, cutting off any further outburst from Carl. “I sympathize for what you and your brother have gone through but I’m not going to put four people at risk just to save one. We need to be smart about this or it won’t matter if we get Casper out or not because we’ll all be dead.”
Carl’s head fell forward and Jake took a step toward his mate. He rested a hand on Carl’s shoulder, trying his best to lend the man some of his strength. What Carl must be going through had to be sheer torture but Seth was right in his estimation of how to go about things. They needed to watch the house and wait for the perfect opportunity to attack. That would be the only way they all would survive this.
“Carl.” Jake squeezed his mate’s shoulder where his hand lay. “We’ll get him back.”
“I hope so.” Carl looked at him with red-rimmed eyes on the verge of tears. “He’s all I have.”
Jake couldn’t stop himself from pulling Carl to his chest and wrapping his arms around his mate. If he could only tell Carl what they were to each other maybe the man would trust him more. But knowing that they were mates might be distracting to Carl.
Almost timidly he felt Carl’s thin arms wound around his waist. The man’s body shook as the tears he tried to hold back ripped through his body. Jake held him tight. Carl needed to get all his crying out now because when it came time to fight he needed to be prepared and ready for battle.
Seth pulled out his laptop and mapped out a route that would take them on every back road toward Carl’s alpha’s house. They wanted to stay hidden as much as possible as to not give away their intentions. From what Carl said the alpha wouldn’t be expecting Carl to show up with help. They had to use the alpha’s weaknesses to their advantage.
They packed up the supplies they’d need to camp out for a few days. Seth only had two sleeping bags and said they’d have to share because there was no time to run and buy more. Jake found himself looking forward to nightfall. He’d be able
to snuggle close and keep his mate warm.
He shouldn’t be having these types of thoughts right now but he longed to be close to his mate. He needed to show Carl that not all men were monsters.
Before they left Jake talked Carl into taking a shower. His cuts were healing but Jake guessed that it had been weeks since the man had had a proper shower. Carl tried to debate that they didn’t have time for him to take a shower but Holden intervened and said there was plenty of time and even lent the man some clothes.
With the Jeep loaded up they headed out. Clouds rolled in to cover the sun and a gray haze lay out before them. Jake thought it seemed almost foretelling of what was to come. He could lie to the others about not being afraid but he couldn’t lie to himself. The fear of the unknown had his heart racing and his palms sweating. He already had lost too many people in his life that he loved and he didn’t want to add Carl to that ever-growing list.
One town faded into another until nothing but rolling fields with trees covering the ground surrounded them. If the situation that brought them to this area hadn’t been so dire, Jake would have commented on how beautiful the scenery was. The different shades of greens and browns made for a pretty backdrop.
Seth hit the blinker and Jake leaned forward to look out Carl’s window on the left hand side. Hamilton Park.
“What are we doing here?” Jake asked.
“This park borders up next to alpha Tobias’s house,” Carl answered without even looking up at him. “Casper and I came through this way when we escaped.”
“Exactly.” Seth put the car in park. “This park is known for camping and hiking so we can leave my Jeep here without causing suspicion.”
Seth and Holden climbed out and Jake and Carl followed. The temperature had dropped and a brisk wind cut through the trees, chilling Jake to the bone. He had never been one to be bothered by the weather but he found himself shivering and he shoved his hands into his pants pockets.
As he looked around he saw a few other cars parked in the long parking lot. A ranger’s station sat off to the left but the building looked dark. Either the park ranger was out checking on campers or had left for the day.
“Jake, come on.” Holden hollered for him to come help and he rushed over to his friend. “You nervous?”
Jake grabbed his back pack and put it on. “A little. You?”
“Yeah, I am.” Holden handed him a sleeping bag. “My father was a crazy son of a bitch who had his own daughter murdered and for some reason I’m scared more now than when I had to fight my father this past summer. Something seems off here.”
Jake turned to look after Carl. He stood with his back to him facing the trees. He had to agree with Holden. Something didn’t seem quite right. “I think we just need to be overly cautious. If we don’t come home in one piece I think our families will bring us back from the dead just to kill us again,” Jake joked, trying to help ease his friends’ nerves.
“Damn right they would.” Holden grew serious. “I’m not afraid to die, Jake, I’m just not ready to leave. I’d miss out on Carson growing up.”
Carson was Holden’s nephew he just got reconnected with. The kid was a sweetheart that had grown on Jake. He understood what Holden had to lose and it made it that much more selfless what his friend was willing to give up if this situation with Carl’s pack went south.
“Holden, you don’t have to come with us. I’d totally understand.”
“No way are you ditching me.” Holden smiled. “We’re in this together for better or worse.”
“Oh would you two please stop talking about dying and did you just quote marriage vows?” Seth shook his head. “Maybe Carl should be worried about how close you two are.”
“Fuck you,” Jake snapped. “I take my mating seriously as well as my friendships. Aren’t you the least bit worried that something could happen to Holden? I thought he was your friend, too.”
“He is and he knows that I care about him.” Seth glanced at Holden. “But he also knows I’m not controlled by my emotions like you bitches are.” Seth shouldered his bag and turned to walk toward where Carl stood. “Let’s go!” he shouted over his shoulder.
“How did you ever become friends with that guy?” Jake asked Holden. “He’s a dick.”
“True but he’s my dick.” Jake squinted his eyes at Holden who blushed. “Not like that. Jeez!” Holden punched him in the arm. “We’ve been friends for a long time. He hasn’t had an easy life so I overlook his dickish behavior.”
“Ladies,” Seth called out to them. “Are you done changing your tampons? Because we really should get going before it gets dark.”
Jake rolled his eyes. “I hate him.”
“Yeah he brings out that emotion in a lot of people.” Holden started to laugh. “But he’s right. Let’s get going.”
Holden and Jake walked over to where Seth and Carl were. They took the path that led up a tall hill. Jake looked back toward the parking lot one more time then followed behind his friends. Darkness would be upon them soon and he didn’t want to be caught out in the open just in case Carl’s pack was out hunting for him. Jake had no desires for himself, his mate, or his friends to become this fucked-up pack’s prey.
Chapter Seven
Jake brought up the rear. Carl walked in front of him and Jake could hear his mate’s deep intake of breaths. He sped up to walk beside him. Carl’s face was flushed and perspirations dotted his forehead and dampened his hair. The hike was grueling but not enough to make a person be this exhausted so soon. They’d only been walking for a little over an hour.
“Carl, are you all right?” He rested a hand at the small of Carl’s back and could feel the heat coming off his mate through his clothes.
“Just a little winded is all,” Carl huffed out.
Jake took off his pack and pulled out a bottle of water. “Here take this.” He pushed the bottle into his mate’s hands.
Carl took a long drink then gave him a small smile. “Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.” Jake slowed his pace so Carl didn’t feel like he had to strain himself to keep up. “So you want to talk?” Jake cringed internally at how lame he sounded. Being around Carl made him feel so insecure.
“About what?” Carl asked.
“I don’t know.” Jake shrugged his shoulders. “How old are you?” he blurted out.
“I’m twenty.”
Twenty! his mind screamed. “You’re just a pup.”
“Hey!” Carl tapped the half-empty bottle of water on Jake’s upper arm. “You don’t look much older than me.”
“Well thank you. I appreciate the compliment but I’m actually twenty-five.” He grinned down at his mate.
“Still that’s young.” Carl started to stumble and Jake reached out a hand to steady him. “So do you have any family?” Carl asked.
“Yeah, two brothers. Cole’s the baby and my twin’s name is Josh. He was born a few seconds before me so he likes to think he’s the big brother.”
“You have a twin?”
“Yep and we’re identical.”
“What about your parents?” Carl asked.
Jake walked in silence for a moment before he could answer. His dad had only died a few months ago but it still stung. He took a deep breath. “They’re both dead. My mother died when I was little. She was hit by a car and my father passed away a few months back. Another alpha abducted him and when we went to get him back a fight broke out. He was shot while trying to protect Cole.” His throat began to burn with unshed tears. “My dad might have been a hard bastard to live with but he loved us.”
“I’m sorry.” Jake jerked in surprise when he felt Carl’s warm, thin fingers entwine with his. “I guess you and I have a lot in common, huh?”
“I guess we do.” He wanted to squeeze Carl’s hand but was too afraid his skittish mate would pull away. “Do you remember your parents? I know you said you were only eleven when they died.”
“I do.” Carl stepped closer to him. “I can s
till remember the scent of my mom’s hair.” His mate took a deep breath as if smelling something. “Lilac. She loved lilacs. She also had this long and flowing hair. The long golden strands were always so soft and shiny. When I was little I’d twirl my fingers in it over and over again. God, she was beautiful,” Carl said wistfully.
“And my dad was the best. He spent all his free time playing with Casper and I. He worked as a mechanic in town and the drive was an hour each way but he made sure if he got home late to at least tuck us into bed and read us a story. We didn’t have much but we had each other.”
They walked in silence, still holding hands, for a bit. He caught Holden looking over his shoulder at them. His friend looked down to where Jake and Carl’s hands were connected and smiled.
“As more time passes I’m afraid I’ll forget them,” Carl said in a near whisper that Jake almost didn’t catch what he had said.
“You know, I use to think that way about my mother after she died. That I’d forget her smile, the sound of her laugh, the way she felt when she would hug me, even the way she looked.” Jake closed his eyes and he could still picture her as she had been. He opened his eyes and looked down at Carl. “But one thing I’ve learned is the memories do become fuzzy and you might not remember every little detail but you won’t forget them. They are always close to our hearts.” He shrugged. “At least that’s what I think.”
“I like that.” Carl brought his other hand over to rest on Jake’s wrist. “The one thing I won’t forget is how in love my mom and dad were.” Carl chuckled. “He used to chase her around the house and when he’d catch her he would lift her up in the air and swing her around. Of course, Casper and I thought it was so gross and would tell them to stop.” Casper’s frowned down at the ground. “I’d give anything to see my dad chase my mom around like that just one more time.”