by Macy Blake
“Ow.”
“Uh-huh. Now, Sol has about the subtleness of a sledgehammer, but he was just trying to make sure you ate. These guys… they’re family, right? I swear they don’t know how to act like it some days, but they care. That’s all Sol was doing. And no, he didn’t say it well. And yes, he was a total jerk-face about it. But I wanted you to know that it was coming from a good place. So take a few minutes and find your inner peace or whatever, and get that smile from earlier back on your face.”
Cody couldn’t help but smirk. “You’re going to go chew him out, aren’t you?”
“I’m totally going to chew him out. He’s so in the doghouse.”
Drew pulled Cody into a hug before shooting him a wink. “See you inside.”
Cody watched him cross the lot, a weird urge to make sure he made it safely inside coming over him. The over-protectiveness must be rubbing off. Drew opened the door and yelled, “Solomon!”
Cody snickered and pulled his phone from his pocket. If Drew wanted him to find his smile again, he knew how to do it. He opened the Bear4Me app and flipped to his message history with HellBent. After a quick read through of the previous night’s conversation— which definitely brought the smile back to his face— Cody started a new message.
GoldiLad: Thinking about you. I woke up smiling.
He hit send then wished he’d thought about it first. He was probably coming on too strong. He did that sometimes. Oh well, it was too late to worry about it. Cody stuck his phone in his pocket and went inside the bar. Everything was a bit more subdued than when he’d left. That wouldn’t do at all. Before putting Vice out of his misery, Cody went to the back where Sol had resumed his position. He had his arms crossed and watched Cody warily as he approached.
“Drew told you off, huh?”
Solomon scowled. “No. Worse. He gave me his disappointed look.”
Cody winced. No one liked Drew’s disappointed look. It was definitely worse than him chewing Sol out. “Sorry. But you were kind of a jerk.”
Solomon’s face did this funny thing where he tried to speak but obviously couldn’t. He looked like he was going to choke to death.
“Sol, just say ‘sorry, Cody.’”
“Sorry, Cody.”
“There. All better. Just… ask, don’t tell, you know?”
“I do now.”
“Good. Now will you go put on that old people dinner party mix Ollie and I made? I don’t know why everybody’s so glum all of a sudden, but we need to liven things up a bit.”
He got a concerned frown, but Sol didn’t say no.
“Pretty please?” Cody asked.
Solomon pushed to his feet. “If this is one of Ollie’s terrible ideas, you’re convincing Walt to make me another chimichanga. That’s the only payment I’ll accept. You know what that kid’s capable of.”
“Deal.”
Cody did know, but he’d helped Ollie and taken out all the ridiculous songs he’d tried to slip in when he thought Cody wasn’t looking. He returned to the bar, and Vice hurried from behind it. He was surrounded by big strong tough guys who couldn’t handle slinging a few drinks.
“Did he apologize?” Drew asked, once he’d resumed his place and started washing up a few of the empty mugs he’d gathered.
“Yep,” Cody said.
The music began to play, and Cody grinned as Sol came in from the back room and sat down on his stool. His face was creased in a scowl, but the look was normal so Cody didn’t worry too much.
“I know you want to leave me, but I refuse to let you go.” Cody used a beer bottle as a mic and sang along to the lyrics before he began to fill a few mugs of beer. “You sure you don’t need anything, Drew?”
Drew grinned as he began to dance on his stool. “You know what? I ain’t too proud to beg.”
Cody laughed and did a little twirl as he got another cocktail going for Drew. Everyone had begun tapping their feet as the music played, and the energy in the bar picked up again. His phone dinged as he handed Drew his drink and he pulled it out to see a notification from Bear4Me.
HellBent: I’m glad. Want to message later? Work is busy.
GoldiLad: Can’t wait.
He tucked his phone into his pocket and did a little dance that had Drew laughing at him. His night was looking up again.
Solomon
Solomon hadn’t been able to take his eyes off of Cody the entire night. Their encounter on Bear4Me hadn’t gone the way he’d expected. Actually, if Sol were being totally honest with himself, he hadn’t had any expectations for any interactions on the app. And he certainly hadn’t planned on getting off with Cody. He’d been stunned at how quickly the conversation turned. More stunned at how much he liked it.
Ollie and Cody’s ridiculous playlist was still playing over the bar’s speakers. They’d picked classics— old people music as Cody had called it— but it wasn’t lost on Sol that Cody knew the words to every song. Sol couldn’t look away, and he hadn’t been able to resist asking Cody to message with him later. He’d really fucked things up with Cody by trying to demand he eat again. Sol didn’t understand what was going on in his mind where Cody was concerned. He just… he wanted to be in control of him in a way. He wanted….
He wanted. That was all it was. He’d wanted Cody since the first time he walked into the bar, hurt and afraid. He’d wanted Cody as he’d healed, grown stronger and more confident. He’d wanted Cody even when Cody wanted Shaq instead. But Cody had never wanted him back. They’d been oil and water, until the night before. They’d connected over an impersonal app, where Sol couldn’t scowl and be gruff and Cody didn’t have to constantly be on guard.
Part of him felt guilty about it. A secret identity on a website was the least of the secrets he kept from Cody, though. Cody had no idea about the other life he led. Who he really was. That had never been more clear than when he’d teased Drew about being pregnant. Cody was human, and he’d been making a joke about the impossible. He had no clue that Drew was an omega or what that meant. He’d not meant to rub salt in a wound. And Drew had handled it like a champ, even if the hitch in his heartbeat had pulled Sol to his side, unable to resist the draw of his pack’s omega in distress.
Drew, in fact, had been more philosophical about the whole thing than the rest of the pack. Shaq had been positive that he’d bred his omega during their first heat. And sure, that’s the way it normally went. But times weren’t normal and the magic that shifted around them made it unsafe. Drew may not understand how his omega magic worked, but Sol had realized early on that their pack wouldn’t grow that way until everything had settled. The fact that an omega had appeared was miracle enough. It showed them all that the wounds were healing, that balance was returning. But it was still healing, and until it did….
Sol’s arm began to burn, and he glanced down at the sigil. He gave a low growl, and Vice turned from his position at the door. After giving his pack member a quick look that alerted him to the call, Sol slipped out the back door of the bar and opened a flaming portal. He only took a second to brace himself for action, letting his partial shift take over. These days, it was best to be safe because being sorry meant being dead.
He stepped through the portal and dropped into a crouch. Whatever he’d been sent after was close. He could hear snuffling and heavy footsteps in the underbrush less than twenty yards away. Another portal opened beside him, and a half-naked man stumbled through. He was dripping wet and wrapped in nothing but the towel.
“Son of a bitch,” the guy grumbled.
Wolf. Sol could smell it on him.
“Shift,” Sol commanded.
“Yeah. I’m Bobby, by the way. Just— tell me what you need.”
He crouched down and shifted, a large black and gray wolf appearing where the man had been standing moments before. The other shifters were unused to the call of the champions. It had led to a few disasters, but fortunately, no tragedies. The wolves were the Earth goddess’s creatures, and they’d lived peaceful
lives with their packs until she called them to service.
As for Sol and his pack, they were still adjusting to having shifters other than hellhounds along for the ride.
“Stay with me,” Sol whispered. “We need to find out what we’re dealing with.”
Sol crept forward, and Bobby stayed beside him. The good thing about hunting with wolves was their ability to tread quietly through the woods. Sol, in his jeans and leather boots, had to be much more careful. He could shift, but if he did, he wouldn’t be able to communicate with his wolf assistant. It was a problem they’d been facing more and more, and Shaq planned on bringing it to their goddess’s attention the next time he met with her.
Until then, Sol would remain half-shifted. He managed to move quietly, and the creature he hunted maintained its strange snuffling sounds as he drew closer. When he finally caught a glimpse of it, Sol had to fight back a groan. A sus crofa, the wild boar of the fae realm. The fuckers were only deadly when provoked, but they were easily provoked, especially by any unsuspecting humans. The bigger problem? They ate three times their weight in a day. And they were a bright purple color which blended into the underbrush of the woods in the fae world. But in the human one? They stood out like giant, nearly thousand-pound purple thumbs.
The best solution would be to return it to its own realm. The problem was herding the beast through a flaming portal. Needless to say, it didn’t like to cooperate. It wasn’t the first time Sol had dealt with one of these creatures, but it was the first without a member of his pack at his side. There was a reason Bobby had been called to assist instead, and Sol had to work with what he’d been given.
Sol reached for the scruff of Bobby’s neck and crouched down beside him. The wolf had clearly scented prey. “Our best bet is to herd it into a portal.” Sol kept his voice low, but even that much sound had the boar quieting in its quest. It moved a few feet away before pausing and continuing to eat everything in its path. “Problem is, they don’t like portals. Stay on its side. Whatever you do, don’t let it charge you. They’re really fast.” He gave the fur in his hand a gentle tug. “You hear me?”
Bobby made a low noise of understanding so Sol released him. The wolf darted away, moving like the predator he was to the other side of the woods. Sol could barely make him out, but he’d positioned himself on the opposite side of the clearing with the sus crofa between them.
Sol slowly moved forward, and Bobby mirrored his movements. He stopped twenty or so feet away, and opened a portal. The boar raised its head and snarled. Sol growled, hoping it would feel threatened by the predator side of him and run straight through the portal. Of course, he wasn’t that lucky.
The boar turned his way and charged. The damn thing was so fast. He had to leap to the side, grab a branch and pull his legs up and out of the way. The boar hit the tree at full speed but was only stunned for a second. Sol closed the portal as Bobby snarled, pulling the boar’s focus to him instead.
It began a dangerous game of monkey in the middle, but the boar had no intention of going through any of the portals Sol tried to throw in its path. And it kept getting more pissed off by the second. It managed to clip Bobby, and he only managed to get away from it because Sol leapt as well, landing on the boar’s back and jabbing his claws into its side.
“Fucker!” Sol snarled as the beast bucked and he went flying. He really didn’t want to kill the thing, but it was looking like he had no choice. Bobby howled and the boar took off toward him. He leapt into a tree at the last second. “Bobby! I’m going to try to get it to chase me through.”
The wolf huffed his understanding. He was panting for breath, obviously not used to this kind of fight.
“Here, piggy piggy,” Sol said. He moved into the boar’s field of vision and let his eyes flame. He growled and the beast charged. Sol turned and ran, opening a portal and darting through it. His plan worked. Too well. On his home turf, the boar moved faster than ever. He caught up with Sol and butted his head into Sol’s side. His tusk snagged between Sol’s ribs, sending shooting pain through him. He slammed his fist into the top of its head and spun free. He closed the first portal and opened a second into the same clearing. He made it through in the nick of time. Sol had felt the damn thing’s breath closing in on him a second time.
Bobby shifted into his human form, staring with horrified eyes at the bloody wound on Sol’s side. “I’ll be fine. Go on back to your pack and tell your alpha that Meshaq appreciates your service.”
The wolf shifter didn’t look comfortable leaving him, and it pushed him up another notch in Sol’s esteem. Never leave a wounded pack member behind. It was ingrained deeply into them.
“Fine,” Sol said. If he didn’t agree, he’d end up with Bobby’s entire pack at the bar, checking on him and begging Shaq for forgiveness. No one wanted to risk offending Meshaq these days. It was both awesome and frustrating. He opened a portal behind the bar. Bobby grabbed his abandoned towel from the ground and wrapped it around his waist before tucking his shoulder under Sol’s arm and half-pushed, half-carried him back to safety.
“Stay here,” Bobby said when they reached the woods. “I’ll get help.”
Sol would have protested, but he’d lost a lot of blood, more than he first realized.
Bobby ran, and Sol leaned against a tree. Moments later the back door to the bar burst open and Shaq came running his way.
“Alpha,” Sol said.
“You’re good. I’m here. Let’s get you over to see Vaughn.” Shaq sniffed the air and frowned. “Fucking purple pigs.”
“Get Bobby home,” Sol grumbled. “He wouldn’t leave me.”
Shaq glanced toward the bar and smiled. “Good. I’ll make sure his alpha knows.”
“I’m fine,” Sol hissed. “Just a scratch.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Shaq!”
Drew called from the doorway, unable to see them. Sol groaned. “Don’t—”
“Over here,” Shaq called.
“Damn it, Shaq.”
Shaq smirked and pulled Sol up.
“Oh my goddess,” Drew gasped.
“He’ll be fine. Come on. We’re going to see Vaughn.”
Drew nodded and ran to them. “Cody and Vice have the bar. It’s busy, but they’ll manage.”
“Teague’s with the Jerricks at the moment. I’ll send him to get Bobby home, and then have him get back to the bar and help.”
“Bobby?” Drew asked. Then his brows rose. “Oh right, naked guy.”
Shaq growled as he opened a portal, and they moved quickly toward it.
“Don’t growl at me,” Drew said. “I’m human, after all. Well, mostly human I guess. Huh. Never thought about that before. But anyway, I’m allowed to look. Heck, I couldn’t avoid looking.”
Sol tried not to laugh at his alpha’s put-out expression. He limped closer to the clinic, and the senior Dr. Jerrick emerged. “Alpha,” Stuart said. “What do we have?”
“Boar attack. His ribs.”
“Get him inside,” Stuart ordered.
Sol liked Vaughn’s dad. He was as no-nonsense as his son. The Jerrick family had served as doctors to the supernatural world for decades, and their clinic was the best around. Sol had no doubt that he was in great hands.
“Uncle Sol!”
Ben came running when they entered the clinic doors. He’d be heading to campus in no time, but he’d been working in the clinic every spare minute since he’d first come to live with the Jerricks...Goddess. It had been just over ten years. Ben was no longer the scraggly fourteen-year-old he’d been when they’d found him.
“Ben, get me the white sage and black tourmaline tincture the coven left. I’ll also need sutures and bandages,” Stuart said.
Sol couldn’t help but smile proudly as Ben immediately switched into doctor mode and hurried to do as he’d been told. All of them were so proud of how far he’d come, and Sol hadn’t been surprised at all when he found out Ben had decided to follow in his alpha’s footsteps t
o become a doctor. Shaq hauled Sol into one of the treatment rooms while Drew hovered nervously beside him.
“Drew, I’m fine,” Sol said. It was only a little lie. He was actually starting to feel kind of loopy.
“You aren’t fine. Shut up. Focus on keeping your blood inside your body where it belongs.”
Shaq leaned him up against the table before stripping his jacket and shirt off. He couldn’t help but hiss when the fabric pulled clear of the wound. He glanced down but quickly looked away again. “That’s….”
“Horrifying,” Drew said. “Shaq, get him on the bed and get his jeans off. I’ll get his boots. They’re using tourmaline, which means they’re worried about magic. They’ll want him clean.”
Shaq smiled proudly at his mate even as he did as ordered. He helped Sol stretch out on the table while Drew began unlacing his boots. He lost a few minutes and next came aware when Dr. Jerrick stepped up beside him. He smelled like that weird soap they used when they were getting ready for surgery, and he had his gloves on. Ben had scrubbed up as well, and he watched his grandfather as he began poking at the hole in Sol’s side.
Drew stood on his other side and held his hand tightly. “You’re going to be fine,” Drew said quietly.
“Yeah. Just a scratch.”
Ben huffed and handed what looked like an over-sized pair of tweezers to Stuart.
“I think the tip of the tusk broke off. It’s why he’s bleeding so much.”
“Makes sense.”
“It hit bone,” Sol said dopily.
“Body armor,” Drew said with a glare at Shaq. “Full body armor.”
Shaq grimaced but didn’t argue. When Drew was in this mood, it was best not to.
“Dammit. It cracked a rib. This is gonna hurt. Ben, help Shaq keep him still.”
Shaq moved to his shoulders and pressed down. Ben added his hands to the mix. Sol’s eyes locked on his alpha’s. They flared red. “Breathe in and hold still.”
Sol complied. His alpha had spoken.
Pain exploded in his side, and he fought to obey the command.