Dane (Rise of the Pride, Book 8)

by Theresa Hissong

  “She’s not upset with you,” Cole promised and took a seat on the step above where Dane was perched. “She’s upset that someone would hurt you that bad.”

  “The damage to my ear wasn’t as painful as it looks,” Dane defended.

  “She’s not talking about the damage, Dane. She’s talking about your parents.” Cole reached out and placed his hand on Dane’s head, feeling the silky-smooth strands beneath his palm. He’d never purposely touched the male before, and Dane didn’t pull away.

  “I don’t like talking about them,” Dane mumbled, and in a surprising move, laid his head against Cole’s leg. At no time did Cole remove his hand, nor did he stop the tender stroking motion to Dane’s hair. He wanted nothing more than to console him, and if this awkward way of a connection was what did the trick, Cole would stay there all night.

  “You don’t have to talk about them,” Cole promised. “You do, however, need to show Liv that you are better without them. Don’t let them win. I learned that from my brother. Even with his downfall after our parents disowned him, he fought his way back and succeeded where they thought he would fail.”

  “Where are your parents now?” Dane asked, lifting his head.

  “They moved to New York after my dad’s parents passed away,” Cole said sadly. “I talk to them every now and again, but since I took Landon in and got him back in school, they’ve stopped calling.”

  “And you’re okay with that?” Dane asked.

  “Yeah…” Cole paused to think about it for a moment. “I’m better off without them. I don’t need that negativity in my life. I love my life here, and now that I found you and Liv, I like it a lot more.”

  “Good.” Dane smiled and straightened his back. “Good, I’m glad to hear that.”

  “Olivia is asleep,” Cole announced, standing from his spot. “I think you should go to bed, too. It’s been a long day.”

  “It has,” Dane sighed, and lifted himself off the stair.

  Cole began to climb the stairs, pausing when he got to the bedroom door. When he turned, Dane was there, his eyes sparking amber. There were no words spoken, but there was a sound. A sound of desperation in each heavy breath that left the men’s chests. The connection; the one of a shifter and his mate.

  “Do you still feel something when we touch?” Dane whispered, cupping the side of Cole’s neck, covering the spot where Dane had marked him. Cole closed his eyes when the energy of the shifter’s touch rolled through his body.

  “I do,” Cole replied, his eyes still closed.

  “Open your eyes and look at me, Cole,” Dane ordered, his voice lowering.

  When he opened his eyes, he saw his own desire reflecting back at him through the eyes of the other male. A stirring of lust began low in his belly. Cole mimicked Dane’s touch, cupping the side of his neck, running his thumb over the shifter’s chin.

  A soft purr rumbled out of Dane’s chest as he moved closer. They were chest to chest, still panting with need. Dane’s tongue swept across his own bottom lip as he gazed at Cole’s lips. There were no words…no questions as to what they both wanted. The connection between them was more than just a magical need by a paranormal force. No, Cole’s need for Dane came straight from his heart.

  The moment their lips touched, Cole felt the mating magic through his body just as fiercely as the moment Liv had touched him. A jolt struck him in the heart, causing a rush of desire to roll down his spine. Dane’s back hit the wall next to the bedroom door as Cole leaned his body against him, pinning the shifter by his hips.

  Dane’s free hand cupped Cole’s cock through his jeans as their tongues dueled. A bit of pain stung the tip of Cole’s tongue, and he pulled back, seeing Dane’s canines sharp and thick in his mouth. “Do you want to bite me again?”

  “I want to do more than that,” Dane replied, using his strength to push Cole toward the bathroom down the hallway, closing and locking the door with a speed he didn’t know the shifter possessed. Cole’s eyes closed when Dane pushed his head to the side to strike the same spot he’d already marked when they mated.

  “Fuck,” Cole moaned as Dane released him and fell to his knees, ripping at his zipper.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “We are on lockdown,” Winter announced as Olivia entered the alpha’s home. Every single member of the pride had gathered inside once the message had gone out for them to meet that morning. “The cartel has been seen in town this morning. There was a shootout with the sheriff’s department, and one of them was killed. Three of them got away.”

  The pride gasped, and Olivia tightened her hold on Cole’s hand. There were Guardians everywhere. Every one of them was on high alert as they stood at every window and door in the home. Evie and Hope were there, both of them strapped with guns. Nova stood at her mate’s side, and she was armed as well. The older women of the pride were tucked close to their mates and their cubs were gathered at their feet.

  “What’s the plan?” Dane asked, stepping forward. He released her hand and nodded toward Cole to come to his side. “This fight belongs to my mate, and I want to be in charge of finding these men.”

  “Garrett is at the station,” Winter said. “We are to meet him there in thirty minutes. Make your plan. Booth is at the hospital with the healer and our alpha.”

  Olivia didn’t need to be told they were going to war. She could see the need for blood in every one of the Guardians’ eyes.

  “Taze, Ranger, Lucky, and Axel are to stay here to help Hope, Nova, and Evie with the protection of the pride,” Dane announced. “The rest of you be ready to leave in ten minutes.”

  As the Guardians scattered, Dane and Cole turned to Olivia. Tears welled up in her eyes. She knew this was going to be dangerous. No one needed to tell her otherwise. “Oh, God.”

  “I need you to stay here and care for my brother,” Cole begged, cupping her face. He kissed her softly and released her. She felt the absence in her heart, and that only made her tears build and fall over her lashes. Dane’s thumb removed them as he kissed her lips, as well.

  “We will keep him safe,” Dane promised. “Whatever happens…whatever comes for us, I need you to promise me you will follow Evie and Hope’s lead.”

  “I promise,” she whispered and wrapped her arms around both of their waists, pressing her head into Cole’s chest. “Just come home to me.”

  The Guardians entered the house and waited for Cole and Dane to release her. The others said their goodbyes to their mates and families before walking out the door.

  “We are going to be safe here,” Evie announced. “We will stay here until we get word from our alpha or Winter.”

  “When does your mother return?” Dane growled into the phone. They’d sent a deputy by Olivia’s home and discovered the home had been broken into recently. Everything inside the main house was destroyed.

  “What? Why?” Olivia asked.

  “Damn it! Olivia, tell me,” he snarled.

  “Tomorrow,” she snapped. “Why are you asking me this? What the hell is going on?”

  “Someone destroyed your mom’s house. The contents inside are tossed everywhere,” he answered. “The sheriff’s office is going to send someone to the house when she arrives, so we need to know her flight schedule.”

  Olivia pulled up the information on her phone and rattled off the flight number and time of arrival at the Memphis airport. “Shouldn’t I be there to pick her up and tell her?”

  “No,” Dane replied, looking into the meeting room Cole was in with several men dressed in military attire. Sheriff Lynch had contacted them, and now they were there to help the pride and local sheriff’s department locate the cartel before they came after Cole. He wouldn’t tell Olivia, but all of the men who’d served on that mission with Cole had been found dead. Cole was the last one on the cartel’s list of revenge. “It’s very important for you to stay at the pride.”

  “But, my mom,” she sniffled.

  “She will be protected,” he promised. “
I have to go. I’ll call you with more information once I have it.”

  “Dane?”

  “Yeah?” he replied. His beast rumbled in his chest at hearing the desperation in his mate’s voice. He hated that he couldn’t be there to protect her.

  “I love you,” she cried. “I love you and Cole so much.”

  “I don’t want you to worry, sweetheart,” he replied, feeling his chest burst open wide from her words. “And I want you to tell us those words when we get home.”

  Dane disconnected the phone and slid it into his back pocket. He would cherish what she had said, waiting for the moment they arrived home so he could properly tell her how much he loved her as well, but he had to help Cole put an end to the risk to his life.

  As he entered the room, Cole shook the hands of several men and stepped back. His face had hardened and his brow was pushed forward with worry. Dane immediately came to his side and placed a calming hand on his shoulder, feeling the mating connection. “What’s going on?”

  “We know where they are and have made a plan,” Cole replied.

  “Are you the leader of the shifters?” a man in uniform asked as he approached. He was a large human male, maybe about twenty years older than Dane, and he had an eagle on the lapel of his camouflaged shirt.

  “No, I am not,” Dane answered. “I am one of the alpha’s Guardians.”

  “Where is your leader?” the man inquired.

  “I am the second-in-command,” Winter announced as he entered the room. “Our leader is with his wife at the hospital. He will be with us shortly.”

  “Who are you?” Dane pressed, feeling a little uneasy with the man in uniform, and he assumed Winter was feeling it, too. Keeping the pride’s business silent and not telling the male why Talon was unavailable was standard. They didn’t need humans knowing their business. Especially humans who posed a threat.

  “Colonel Bridges,” he said gruffly. The Colonel held out his hand for a shake and nodded once introductions were made. Sheriff Lynch entered the room and paused at the door. Dane noticed Garrett’s eyes flash white for a split second. It was too fast for any of the humans to register before it was gone.

  “Dane, it’s okay,” Cole stated as he moved away from Dane’s protection. Dane’s eyes sparked amber when the Colonel narrowed his eyes on his mate. “The Colonel and I worked together many years ago.”

  “Did he work with you on the mission?” Dane asked.

  “That’s classified information,” Colonel Bridges barked.

  “I’m guessing the answer to that is no, because if you were a part of that mission, you’d be dead or close to it by now,” Dane replied. The room turned amber with the push of his panther. He was in protective mode, and he felt a threat from this male. The beast inside him snarled, wanting to fight.

  “Stand down, Dane,” Talon said as he entered the room. A wave of calm pushed his panther back where he was relaxed and at ease. Dane wanted to fight his alpha’s command, but he didn’t.

  Cole introduced Talon to the Colonel, and they took seats at the long table in the conference room. Dane couldn’t listen to more talk about the cartel. He wanted to go after them and kill them all. His need for blood was a heavy taste on his tongue.

  “Dane,” Sheriff Lynch snapped under his breath, pulling him from his need for vengeance.

  “What?” Dane asked as he stepped out of the room. Garrett reached around him and closed the door. The sheriff looked downright pissed.

  “Now is not the time to get furry,” Garrett warned.

  “You know what?” Dane began, his hands fisting at his sides. He wanted nothing more than to put them around someone’s neck, and the thought that had been brewing in the back of his mind for the last week finally made him snap. “Want to tell me what the fuck is going on? Why haven’t you seen anything? I thought you were here to protect us from the humans.”

  “I am,” the sheriff replied, his voice calm, and that just pissed Dane off even more.

  “Then where is the goddamn cartel?” Dane exploded. “My mate is in there, putting his life on the line again, and you should be helping us…not the military!”

  “Dane,” Sheriff Lynch sighed, shaking his head. “I can see that you and Olivia are going to be just fine, but I can’t see anything about Cole because he’s a human.”

  Dane’s anger fled him as realization set in. The watcher would only be able to see if the cartel was coming for the pride. He was blind against anyone coming for Cole. Son of a bitch!

  “I have to change him,” Dane panicked, looking over his shoulder at the man he was falling in love with. He couldn’t let him be killed by the cartel. He needed to be a shifter so if they hurt him, he’d be able to heal much faster than a human. “I should have changed him when he asked.”

  “No.” Garrett shook his head. “There’s no time. The cartel needs to be taken down tonight.”

  “And the military is going to help?” Dane questioned, hooking his thumb over his shoulder. “I don’t trust that Colonel.”

  “You are not thinking straight,” Garrett accused, holding up his hand when Dane’s eyes flashed amber and his canines grew in his mouth. The sheriff was getting on his last damn nerve. “I promise you they are the good guys.”

  “They didn’t protect the other men Cole worked with on that mission,” Dane reminded him.

  “No, they didn’t, and I’m sure they have their explanations,” Garrett told him, his eyes flashing white again. “You can’t change him yet.”

  “Why?” Dane asked, narrowing his eyes. What the fuck was the watcher up to?

  “Can you just trust me?” he begged, looking over Dane’s shoulder. “I don’t need you going off all half-cocked right now, Dane. I really need you to keep a level head during this. It’s almost over.”

  “It better fucking be almost over, Garrett, because if one or both of my mates are hurt, I will come for you, and it won’t be pleasant,” Dane warned and stormed off. He really needed to cool the hell off. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, the damn sheriff was right.

  Olivia set the tray of food on the bedside table for Cole’s brother, Landon. He sat up carefully, only wincing slightly as he reached for the tray and positioned it over his lap. The rest he’d had the night before did him good.

  “I’m sorry, but I can’t touch you.” Olivia frowned, feeling awkward. “That’s why I had to set the tray there.” She pointed to the food and backed away, taking a seat in a chair that was against the wall by the door.

  “Oh, I understand.” Landon smiled, making her feel at ease. “My brother explained most of it.”

  “He did?” she asked, feeling her cheeks heat from the blush.

  “So, you have two…err, mates?” he asked, seeming to test the term on his tongue.

  “Apparently so,” she shrugged. “And yes, they…I mean, we call each other mates.”

  “I knew my brother worked at the bar owned by the werepanthers,” he admitted, taking a spoonful of soup to his lips. Cole’s brother seemed very sweet, and he wasn’t as nervous around her or the others. “He didn’t tell me anything about them until this happened. He explained to me the relationship between the three of you.”

  “You seem very understanding,” Olivia stated. She wanted to get to know Cole’s brother better. He was very special to Cole, and she wanted that with him, as well. Landon meant the world to Cole, and that had to mean something. Ever since meeting Cole, she’d noticed he was only comfortable around the bar and the people that worked there. He had his regular customers that he would joke with, but he kept to himself around strangers. Maybe that was just because he was cautious after being in the military for so long.

  “I’ve always had a love of animals,” he snickered, then froze. A dusting of red painted his cheeks. “I don’t mean that in any way that may sound offensive, but I feel at ease around you and the panthers I’ve met over the past few days. I just feel odd letting the pride care for me. I’m not used to that.”

/>   “No offense taken,” she laughed. “I just became one myself, and I still have no damn clue what the hell I’m doing.”

  “I guess we both feel a bit out of place, huh?”

  “Yeah,” Olivia agreed. Landon was in a strange home, surrounded by strange people. He was a victim, and she was thrown into the life of the shifters due to the same enemy. She felt a bond to Cole’s younger brother because of their circumstances. Fortunately for her, she had been saved and her injuries were healed by the change. Landon didn’t have that luxury. Her pain had been excruciating, and she remembered pieces from those three days, but Landon had to heal and it was going to take longer. The mental healing could take years. “Are you okay? Is there anything you want to talk about?”

  “About what happened to me, or about being here?” Landon took another spoonful of broth and finished it off with a cracker.

  “I guess about both,” Olivia shrugged and leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees. She wanted nothing more than to hug him when his face fell.

  “I’m going to be fine,” he sighed. “At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.”

  “You will be,” Olivia nodded. “I know we’ve just met, but I would like to offer an ear if you need to talk things out. I can’t give you the best advice, but I will try.”

  “Thank you, Olivia,” Landon blushed. “Now I see why my brother loves you so much.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “We have the house surrounded,” Garrett announced as the shifters and soldiers arrived a few blocks away from the home the cartel was believed to be staying in. The cover of darkness hid the officers, but in this area of town, any police activity would cause a stir. It wasn’t the safest part of Memphis to begin with, and Dane felt uneasy.

  “I don’t feel right about this,” Dane mumbled to Talon.