The Start

by Elsa Aarden

  Landen reached over Stella and patted Cecil’s shoulder, startling him to the point that he fell backward. “Damn it. Sorry.” He jumped over the bench and held Cecil’s forearm, helping him up. “I was going to thank you for not minding me, but I scared you instead.”

  Cecil took off some dirt and grass from his right elbow. Landen seemed very considerate. The others got up and started cleaning things up. He wanted to help them. “Do you…?” He hesitated when a couple of them glanced at him. He was much smaller than them. No matter how he much he tried, they still intimidated him.

  “We got this,” Mia said. “Go ahead and explore the backyard. We’ll tell you when it’s time to get ready to leave.”

  Once again, before he could refuse, she continued what she was doing. Cecil took in his surroundings. Close to the woods was a colorful garden. He approached it, feeling the grass against his bare feet. He crouched and touched a violet flower with the tip of his finger. The bright colors soothed him. He immersed himself in the beauty of the garden with flowers he’d never seen before.

  “Psst. Hey, Cecil.”

  Cecil jolted and looked across the garden. Wait, what were the two detectives doing in the woods? “Yes?”

  “We need to ask you something. Come here,” Adams said.

  Why would he ever do that? They were the ones who had suggested he go back to his father. “I’m sorry. I can’t.” He stood and took a step back. “I’m going to call Rowan. You can talk to him.”

  “Wait, no,” Cobb whispered harshly. “We just want to ask you something. It won’t take long. Rowan can’t know, okay?”

  Cecil glanced over his shoulder. The others were already inside the house. The table was empty. “What is it?”

  “It’s about your father,” Adams said. “He… He’s coming here, so you better come with us, all right?”

  His heart sank. Cecil stared, his legs shaking. He tried to speak, but nothing came out. Within seconds, he was covered in sweat. “I’m okay here. Rowan said Father is never coming here.”

  Cobb shook his head. “Unfortunately, Rowan doesn’t know what’s going on. Cecil, just come with us. We have a place made to keep you safe. This house isn’t safe enough for you.”

  Cecil gripped his shirt. “But I don’t want to leave.” This couldn’t be happening. What should he do? His father could show up at any moment. “Can’t you keep my father away?”

  “The only thing we can do is keep you away from him,” Adams said. She reached her hand out. “He’s almost getting here. You must hurry, Cecil. Imagine if he catches you. What do you think he will do to you if he finds you?”

  With his heart beating hard, Cecil paced around the garden. “Can I return later? Please?”

  “Of course,” Cobb answered. “All we need is to investigate a few things. You’ll be back here before you know it.”

  Chapter Eight

  “I’ll give him some time to think,” Rowan said to Gun. He looked toward the door when he picked up on Stella’s scent. “Yes?”

  Stella took a moment before she spoke. “Alpha, I’m sorry.”

  Something wasn’t right. Rowan stood from his bed and went to open the door. “Sorry for what? Where is Cecil?”

  “We—We can’t find him, Alpha,” Stella nearly shouted. “We’ve been looking everywhere instead of alarming you, but he’s nowhere to be found. Cecil told me in the backyard that he needed to think if he wanted to come with us to get groceries. He wouldn’t just go like this. It must be something else.”

  Rowan’s mind went blank. Cecil was gone? How? “Have you checked…?”

  “Everywhere, Alpha,” Stella blurted out. “We can’t detect his smell.”

  Finally snapping out of it, Rowan ran past her. On his way to the kitchen, the rest of the pack joined him. “There are so many of you. How could he go missing? This is impossible.” He stepped outside and turned, his body melting into a large wolf. He raised his snout and took in the passing breeze.

  A sliver of Cecil’s scent came into his radar. He ran to the garden. Cecil had been right here, next to the flowers. His pack couldn’t pick up on it because they hadn’t ingrained his scent into their wolf side yet.

  “Find anything?” Stella asked.

  Rowan shot her a glance, causing her to flinch. He turned back into his human form. “Bring me a change of clothes. I know who was here.”

  Stella gasped. “Who? It can’t be his father. You killed him. Why would anyone do this to Cecil?”

  “The detectives from before,” Rowan said between clenched teeth. “The human man smelled heavily of cigarettes and coffee. His distinct citrus cologne is mixed in. They must think I killed Cecil’s father and that Cecil was in danger here. Did anything happen out here during breakfast?”

  Stella sighed and slumped over. “Landen touched Cecil’s shoulder to thank him for something, but Cecil wasn’t expecting that and fell. Maybe they thought Cecil was surrounded by criminals or something.”

  Rowan clenched his hands into fists. “We have to get him back. Those bastards and their suspicions. Cecil isn’t used to the outside world. He must be scared to death.”

  “How will we do it? This is the police we’re talking about,” Stella said. “We can’t barge in and take Cecil. We’d have the whole country after us.”

  That, he already knew. Rowan gazed at the garden. He hadn’t expected anyone to take Cecil. If they were able to convince him to leave, they must have messed with his mind. “Call Trent. Ask him to have a word with those detectives.”

  “Trent handles info, not kidnappings by detectives, but I’ll try,” Stella said. She took her cell phone from her pocket and made the call.

  Rowan took a bath robe Mia handed to him in silence and put it on. Cecil was waiting for him. He didn’t want to know what the detectives had put in Cecil’s head. His instincts told him to rip them apart. They must have opened Cecil’s biggest psychological wounds.

  “He’s on it,” Stella said. “Trent knows Adams and Cobb. He agreed to try, but he can’t promise anything.”

  * * * *

  Cecil fiddled with his fingers in his lap. They had brought him into a small room with nothing but a table and two chairs. That was after a ride in a car. They had told him not to look outside, for some reason. He jolted when the door opened. Cobb walked in and closed the door behind him. “Do you know where my father is?”

  “Cecil, your father was killed when you left his house,” Cobb said. “We believe that Rowan is the one who did it. You have to tell us exactly what happened.”

  The door opened again, and Adams peeked inside. “Cobb, Trent wants a word with us.”

  Cecil watched as Cobb left the room. They thought Rowan killed his father? It couldn’t be. Nothing ever happened to his father but that big hit. There was no way. His father was like the villain that no one could hurt. Had they mistaken him for someone else?

  Yet again, the door opened. A man with short brown hair and dark eyes walked in. He wore a dark blue suit and tie. Cecil had never seen this man before.

  “Are you Cecil Hayes?” the man asked, and Cecil nodded. “I’m Trent, Rowan’s friend. His Beta called me. Said that you were brought here by Adams and Cobb without warning.”

  “They told me Father is going to Rowan’s house to look for me,” Cecil said. “I’m going back soon. The detectives assured me.”

  Trent raised a brow, causing Cecil to lean back with fear. “It’s fine. You did nothing wrong.” He pulled the chair across from the table and took a seat. “I’m also a wolf, but don’t tell anyone. Rowan said I can trust you on that. What I don’t understand is why he accepted you as his mate. He’s gone cuckoo.”

  Cecil looked away. “I’ve heard something like that a few times.” Was this really Rowan’s friend?

  “Anyway, this is what we’re gonna do,” Trent said. “Adams and Cobb have no reason to keep you here. No one else knows you’re here yet or the reason why. They think Rowan is keeping you at his house against y
our will.”

  Who made up such a thing? Cecil composed himself, or he would talk louder than he should. “I’m not there against my will. I want to be there, and Rowan feels the same.”

  Trent crossed his arms on the table. “That’s beside the point. The goal is to get you out of here. I’m gonna need an excuse to do that. Otherwise, they’ll find it suspicious. Rowan and I are in the process of making the investigation disappear. The problem is that Adams and Cobb are persistent. You can’t tell anyone any of this. Got it?”

  Cecil nodded. He didn’t understand much of what was going on. All he wanted was to stay away from his father and go back to Rowan.

  Cobb walked into the room again. “You can take him. Adams and I will take over the investigation from here. Rowan Sands is bound to slip up without Cecil around.”

  Trent stood. “Great to hear. Cecil, come with me. There’s no need for you to stay here any longer.”

  Cecil followed Trent out of the room. He waited until they were outside, in the parking lot. He would take the time to see the world he had stopped seeing as a child, but now wasn’t the right moment. “Are you going to take me back to Rowan’s house, then?”

  “Get in the car,” Trent said. “You’re coming to my pack. Adams and Cobb are gonna keep an eye on Rowan, so you can’t be there. They’d find out.”

  Another pack? Cecil got in the car. “Is it far away?”

  “A few minutes,” Trent said as he started the engine. “Packs can’t be too close to each other. Each pack has a designated territory.”

  That was all their conversation until they arrived into an open field. A few houses were scattered through the land. “Does your pack live in one of these houses?” Cecil asked. He couldn’t stop thinking about Rowan. He missed Rowan already.

  “My Alpha owns the houses and the land up ahead,” Trent answered. “Our pack is like a closed community. We don’t live in one large house like Rowan’s pack. Then again, each pack has their own system.”

  Cecil got out of the car when it came to a stop. A massive man came out of one of the three-story houses. He wanted to hide behind Rowan as usual, but he couldn’t, for now. Instead, Cecil took a step back. The man was much more intimidating than Rowan, even if the way he dressed was the opposite. The man approaching them had on flip-flops, long brown shorts, and a gray T-shirt that rested well on his protruding muscles. His wavy blond hair was ear-length, and his eyes were light green, his jawline well defined.

  “Is this the human you told me about? Alpha Rowan’s mate?” the large man asked.

  Trent motioned toward Cecil. “Yes, Leader, it’s him. Thank you for letting him stay for a while. I’ll make sure to solve this as quickly as I can.”

  Cecil recoiled when silence fell between them. When he looked up, the man was watching him intently. This was all too new to him. His whole being told him to return to Rowan.

  “Trent, you can go on with your business. I’ll tell Nino to look after this human,” the man said.

  “Oh, that’s really nice of you, Leader. I’ll be on my way, then,” Trent said, and went back to his car.

  Cecil stared at Trent. He was going to be left here with people he didn’t know? Switching his attention back to the massive man, Cecil cleared his throat. “Th-Thank you. My name is Cecil,” he said almost inaudibly.

  “Call me Garth. Come, human,” he said on his way back into the house.

  With hesitation, Cecil followed with no other choice. Garth’s house wasn’t as big as Rowan’s, but it was quite welcoming, compared to the owner of the house. The pale blue walls had bookshelves and paintings of beaches and sunsets. That reminded Cecil that he’d never gone to a beach before. The movies always made them look amazing.

  “Have a seat, Cecil,” Garth said.

  Cecil sat on the living room couch, while Garth took the one to his right. The dark gray couches were for massive people just like Garth. Cecil looked out the windows and the glass sliding doors.

  “How long have you been Rowan’s mate?” Garth asked, startling Cecil.

  “Maybe…two days, I think?” Cecil said, avoiding eye contact. “I’m still getting used to it. Happened quickly.”

  Garth moved back and crossed his arms over his strong chest. “Do you have feelings for Rowan? Trent told me about you and your story, which Rowan told him earlier. Doesn’t seem like you know what it means to be in a relationship.”

  Cecil held the bottom hem of his shirt. Why was this matter always a big topic? “Everything is okay between us.”

  “That’s not what I asked.” Garth leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs. “If you truly are his mate, he will want to mate you eventually. Meaning sex, making love, or whatever you want to call it. Do you know what that is?”

  His ignorance didn’t go that far. Cecil turned his head down. “Do you mind if I don’t speak?”

  Garth hummed. “Does it make you uncomfortable to talk about sex? It’s not something from another world. It’s a natural act, and I know you’re not a kid.”

  Cecil decided to keep his mouth shut. Whatever Garth wanted, it didn’t require him to talk. That was unless Garth decided to hit him. A simple push would do a big number on him.

  “Cecil,” Garth said, drawing Cecil’s attention. “This is very interesting. I’m finding out that…you’re my mate.”

  Did he hear it right? Cecil tilted his head. “What?”

  Garth sighed. “I know, it’s strange. I’ve been too busy to look for a mate. A partner here and there is easy to find, but I didn’t think a mate would land in my lap like this. It’s almost as if Trent knew. Coincidentally, you’re Rowan’s mate, too.”

  “Rowan told me that he could look for another mate, but that he chose me,” Cecil said, feeling more comfortable now that Garth talked casually. “I think you might find one soon.”

  “I guess,” Garth said. He stood and stepped closer to Cecil. “Are you keen on being Rowan’s mate?”

  Cecil raised his brows. “What does keen mean?”

  Garth showed a glimpse of a smile. “Do you really want to be Rowan’s mate? It has only been two days.”

  “Yes,” Cecil answered without a second thought. Why did Garth ask that? If an Alpha could find another mate, it wasn’t as if he was the only one.

  “That’s nice. I’ll be right back. Make yourself at home,” Garth said on his way out of the living room.

  Garth seemed like a strange man. Cecil looked at the large flat-screen television across the room. Watching movies on it would be interesting.

  “It has been a while.”

  Cecil perked up at the sound of Garth’s voice from afar. Who was he talking to?

  “I have your mate here. You know what’s funny? He’s my mate, as well.” Garth continued. “Hey, relax. I won’t do anything to him. It’s a pity, though. You’ve only had him for a while. I’ll keep him safe and sound, Alpha Rowan…from now on.”

  Chapter Nine

  He kicked the side of the bed, flipping it over onto the dresser. “That bastard. I’m going to gut him with my bare hands,” Rowan shouted and snarled.

  “Alpha, what is it? Did something happen to Cecil?” Mia asked as she came running into his room. “Most of the pack is off doing their duties. Would you like us to get Cecil?”

  Rowan dropped his cell phone on the nightstand. “Alpha Garth has him, and he claims to be Cecil’s mate. The bastard said he’s going to look after Cecil from now on. Does he want to start a war between packs?”

  Mia stared at him for a long moment. “What now? If we go into his territory without permission, we’ll start a war over Cecil.”

  “Cecil won’t like this,” Rowan said, glaring at his cell phone. “If Cecil tries to run away and gets lost out there…”

  “Maybe we can reach an agreement with Alpha Garth,” Mia said. “They just met. Cecil won’t be developing any feelings for him for at least two or three days. That’s if what Alpha Garth said is true and he’s Cecil’s mate. If
not, he must be playing with you.”

  Rowan shook his head. “I’ve known Garth for years. He’s not the playful type when it comes to these things.” He finally regarded Mia. “Go get Stella. Tell her to gather anyone from the pack who has free time right now. We need to set up a meeting to figure out how to get Cecil back.”

  This was going to be a long Sunday.

  * * * *

  Garth returned and noticed Cecil’s blank expression. “If you don’t mind, I want to become your mate.”

  Cecil’s mouth fell open. Why had Garth told Rowan something like that? “I’m sorry, but I can’t.” As soon as he stood, Garth paced toward him. Cecil shut his eyes and put his arms over his face.

  “Hey, I’m not going to hurt you,” Garth said. He got on one knee and rested his hands on Cecil’s sides. “Look at me. You won’t be so scared if I’m down here.”

  Moving his arms away, Cecil glanced at Garth a few times. “I want Rowan. Please take me back to him.”

  Garth smiled. “Stay for a few days. You’ll see it’s not so bad to be with me.”

  Cecil was taken by surprise when Garth pulled him into a hug. He looked away as Garth smelled the curve of his neck and collarbone. “I can’t. Please, Rowan is…” Garth sat on the couch and pulled him to stand between his strong thighs. The massive man nuzzled his neck, creating a protective barrier around Cecil with his large build.

  “We can get to know each other,” Garth said. He pulled away and cupped Cecil’s cheeks. “You’re very adorable, Cecil. Has Rowan ever spoken to you like this?”

  Adorable? Did people ever call each other that? “A bit,” Cecil said. “I think he doesn’t know how to talk to me.”

  Garth moved his hands down to Cecil’s hips and pulled him closer. “Rowan doesn’t know how to handle you because of what you went through. But you’re not as unaware as he believes, right?”

  Why did it sound like Garth understood him? “Maybe.” It was all Cecil could say. He still wanted to be with Rowan.