by Tara Lain
Seth frowned. “You’re threatening me?”
Cole smiled. His canine teeth dropped a little longer than Seth had ever noticed on a human. “Oh yes.”
Seth frowned. “Okay, I can understand that. I’d do the same thing in your shoes. But I’m not going to tell anyone. Hell, they’d think I’m nuts anyway.”
“Good.” Cole stood. Not many people towered over Seth, but this guy did. “We’ll let you know what the pack decides.”
“What about Jazz?”
“What about him?”
“Can I see him? Hell, he’s my friend.”
“The pack will take good care of him. He was lost to us, and now we have a lot of time to make up for. I’m sure you’ll be able to see him occasionally.” He walked the few steps to the door. “I’ll let myself out.” He opened the door and left.
Seth stared at the spot where Cole had sat. A movie. He was in a fucking movie. But if that was true, why did his heart hurt so badly?
Chapter Thirteen
Seth stared at the computer screen like he had a million times, but this was a new computer in a new world. One he didn’t understand at all. If there were werewolves, were there vampires and fairies and shit? Could he live in a world like that? Hell, it seemed like he had no choice. Unless, of course, the “pack” decided to kill him. That would be easy.
“Hey, Seth.”
He looked up at Rickson. Just a poor human who didn’t know what was going on. Lucky guy. “Hey.”
“You okay?” He perched on the edge of the desk.
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“I heard you had a close call and had a kid with you.”
“Yeah. But we’re both okay.”
“Was there really a wolf?”
Now there was the question. “Yep. Came down the stairs. Almost unbelievable.”
“Shit, man, you got luck that doesn’t quit.”
Seth stared at him. Was that true? He sure as fuck didn’t feel lucky.
“And who’d have believed you and that Vanessen guy. The cop and the billionaire.”
“No, that was just a short-time thing. It’s over.” He looked down at his hands.
Rickson put a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, I’m sorry, man. He seemed like a nice guy, in addition to being great-looking and filthy rich.”
Seth nodded. “He is. But you think so? I mean, he’s quite a queen, don’t you think?”
“Hell, man, that dude runs a company the size of England. If he wants to be queen, he’s entitled.” He laughed.
Son of a bitch.
“Zakowsky! Heads-up.” Seth looked back at the captain strolling toward him with a big grin. “Gather round, you guys.”
The other people in the office walked over. Seth stood up. “What’s up, Captain?”
The captain, a large man who took no shit from anyone, smiled huge. He held up a large envelope. “What I have here, ladies and gentlemen, is a commendation from the Federal Bureau of Investigation for one Seth Zakowsky for excellence in investigation. Our brothers in Feebland do not hand these things out like candy, so congratulations, Seth.”
Everyone applauded. Well, shit. He smiled. “Thanks. Thanks a lot.”
“I had some champagne set up in the conference room, so let’s all go in and toast our fellow officer.”
The whole crew moved enthusiastically toward the champagne. A couple of people patted him on the back. One of the women hugged him. “Great job, Seth.”
Seth stared at the commendation. What he’d always wanted—the respect of his peers for his work. From the FBI, even. He’d broadcast his orientation and nobody had sneered. At least, not to his face.
Funny how little it mattered in a world populated by things that went bump in the night. The world of Lindsey Vanessen.
Seth walked into the bar. It ought to be a joke, but he wasn’t laughing. He sat on a stool and asked the bartender for a beer.
Three weeks. Three weeks to get used to the world of werewolves. He stared at every person he met, everyone he knew. People touched him and he jumped. He saw someone running and wondered if he was part of a pack. Anyone who asked a question about him felt like an informer for the pack. His body waited for something to jump out from a bush and kill him. Worse, he didn’t even care that much. Getting used to it? Not even close.
He missed Jazz like the kid was his own brother, or maybe even son.
Mostly he couldn’t get over not having Lindsey. Seth’s body ached like he’d been beaten, but that was nothing compared to his heart. How could he live like this? His whole world seemed unreal.
Someone sat down next to him, and he looked over and nodded. “Hi, Aaron.”
The big man saluted with his beer bottle. “You remembered me. I’m honored.”
“You’re hard to forget. You gave me good advice.”
“I’m gathering, since you look lower than the gum on my boots, that the advice sucked the weenie.”
Seth shook his head. “No, it was great while it lasted. Really great.” He motioned to the bartender to give them each another bottle.
“So it’s over? You looking for a little male companionship?” He laughed.
“I should be, but I seem to have had my fucking heart broken.”
“Well, shit, man, how did that happen?”
He sighed. “I guess you could say he turned out to be something different than I thought.”
“Hate it when that happens. But shouldn’t you be happy you escaped?”
“What?”
“You said you had your heart broken. Sounds to me like you got disappointed that the guy was different than you thought, right?”
“Yeah.”
“But whatever the guy actually is must be something you love, or you wouldn’t care about not having it, right? I mean, yeah, we get sad when shit doesn’t fit our pictures, but heartbreak? That, my man, is real life.”
Holy shit.
Seth’s phone started to ring. He looked down. The screen said Harker.
Lindsey sat in the lawn chair and watched the teenagers running in a pack. Jazz was right in there. Tonight was the night. Tonight, he’d shift for the first time, or at least that’s what Cole predicted, and the alphanta was seldom wrong. At least, on those kinds of issues.
Three and a half weeks. Three and half weeks since he’d betrayed the pack by revealing himself to humans. Since he’d run from the warehouse, never to see Seth again. Since his heart stopped beating.
“Hey, Linds.”
Cole bumped his shoulder and sat in the chair next to him.
A soft kiss on his other cheek announced Paris, who sat beside him in the third chair. “Hi.”
“Hi.” He stared at the kids. It wasn’t that he was angry at Cole and Paris exactly. But they were so happy together, it almost hurt to look at them.
Cole patted his arm. “Excited about Jazz?”
That earned a genuine smile. “Yes. He’s thrilled. It’s so very different than the fear and horror when I shifted the first time. I’m so glad we found him in time.”
“You found him, Lindsey. You did.”
“Yes.”
Paris smiled. “Glad you could take some time off. It’ll be a happy celebration.”
“I had so much vacation time, Pop-Pop was glad to let me go.” He hadn’t felt much like working anyway. Or doing much of anything else.
“Hey, you three, get ready for the party.” Crystal Harker waved from the edge of the big covered porch that surrounded the Harkers’ home.
Cole laughed. “Mom’s got this thing organized, and she’s not giving an inch.” Cole and Paris got up, and Paris grabbed Lindsey’s hand to haul him to his feet.
He frowned. “It seems odd that we all have to dress up just so we can undress for the full-moon run.”
Paris bumped him. “I’ve never known you to pass up a chance at fashion.”
“I suppose.” Hell, he didn’t feel like moving, much less dressing.
They walked into the big hou
se, and Lindsey separated from the other two and went to the small guest room they’d provided for his stay. He undressed, took a quick shower, and started putting on his tux. Maybe he should go on a trip away from all this. Once Jazz shifted tonight, there was nothing to keep him. He had two more weeks off. He could hop in the Tesla and drive somewhere he could be alone. Hell, he was already alone. Might as well make it official.
He pulled his lavender neck scarf from his bag. The one he’d used to wipe Seth’s cock and tied on his own. When the moment had come to throw it away, he couldn’t. He sniffed it and imagined he could smell Seth’s wonderful scent on it. The scent that had first attracted Lindsey back in that parking lot. It felt like one hundred years ago. What the hell. He tied it around his neck and tucked it into his formal shirt, then slipped on his purple Gucci loafers. Not formal, but this was not really a formal occasion. Not all the pack members even had formal attire. Some might be there in jeans.
All right, get this over with. He left the room and moved toward the big living room where the pack would be gathered. They often used the meeting hall for events, but a first shift was a family occasion, and the home setting seemed more personal. He passed several pack members as he walked down the halls, and they all smiled. Cole had kept Lindsey’s betrayal fairly quiet, so to most pack he was just loopy Lindsey, the half-human, gay werewolf.
The big room was festooned with branches, and candles were lit everywhere. Odd to choose such a romantic setting for a teenage boy, but it was lovely. Lindsey found his way to the bar and snagged a glass of champagne. Food always played a big role in werewolf parties, and the buffet table practically protested under the weight.
A hand slipped around his waist. Jazz gave him a one-armed hug. “Hey, Linds.”
Lindsey smiled. “You excited?”
“Almost too excited to eat. Almost.” He laughed and tossed another huge bit of prime rib into his mouth.
“You look fabulous.”
Jazz twirled, showing off his perfectly tailored tuxedo. “Compliments of Marsha, uh, your mom. I told her I had a formal school function, and she got this for me.”
“You look wonderful, Jazz.”
The sound of a knife hitting a glass turned them around. Landon Harker, pack alpha and Cole’s dad, stood by the fireplace. “Good evening, everyone. We have some exciting events happening tonight, so let’s get started.” Everyone brought their plates and glasses and spread out around the alpha. “First, a serious matter. A few of you are aware that a human has come to know of our existence.”
Lindsey froze. He looked at Cole, but the alphanta’s eyes were fixed on his father. What the hell? Cole had said Seth was fine. No repercussions.
Lindsey stepped toward the front of the group. He had to speak for Seth. All around him, the pack murmured and hummed. If they planned to malign him, or worse, hurt him, they’d have to get through Lindsey. He tightened his fists and then relaxed them for battle.
“This revealing occurred in saving Jazz from death; therefore it was both a necessary and noble act, for which we thank our valued pack member, Lindsey Vanessen.”
Some wolves frowned at him but most nodded and smiled. He didn’t care what they thought of him. They would not hurt Seth. His jaw muscles tightened.
“We are left, however, with the fact that there is a human who knows about us. An unsecured human with no pack connections.”
More murmuring. Lindsey inhaled. Should he speak now? “I can speak for the human—”
Landon held up a hand. “Therefore, Cole has come up with what the pack board feels is an excellent solution. Cole, will you tell us?”
Cole moved to his father’s side with Paris beside him. Cole feared speaking in groups, and Paris was there to bail him out if needed. Lindsey stepped toward him, and Cole shook his head. Damn, he wouldn’t be silent. Not if they were going to threaten Seth. “Cole, I need to—”
Cole raised his big hand. “Uh, as you kn-know, I’m a lawyer. You may be aware that a sp-spouse cannot be comp-p-pelled to testify against his or her marriage partner.”
Paris nodded. “Therefore, if someone tried to force this human to rat us out, he wouldn’t be required to do it if he was married to a werewolf. Far more important, marriage to pack is nearly as good as blood. Anyone, even a human, married to a pack member is pack. So Cole suggested that the human be bound to the pack by marriage.”
Cole nodded. “That way, he’ll be attached to us by powerful bonds.”
Lindsey looked around. What were they thinking?
“And since the human is homosexual, what better marriage partner than the wolf who saved his life, Lindsey? Therefore, we are proposing that a marriage take place between Lindsey Vanessen and this human, whose name is Seth Zakowsky.”
Lindsey’s mouth hung open. This could not be happening. He looked around. Wolves stared at him. Some grumbled. He heard one say, “Not another gay wedding.”
Heat flashed behind his eyes. This wasn’t fair. How could they taunt him with something he wanted so desperately? He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Cole. I know you mean well, but I won’t agree to marry this human under duress. There’s no need. Seth could have taken me in or killed me on the spot when I shifted. He didn’t. He worked hard to contrive a believable story for the police and FBI so that I would be protected. So that Jazz would be protected. If he recanted and told some wild tale about a werewolf, they’d think he was crazy. I have total faith in his discretion. There’s no need for this kind of artificial bond.”
“Why do you think it’s artificial?” Seth’s voice turned Lindsey around like a top.
Lindsey just stared.
Dressed in a black tux, Seth looked like a big, hunky angel with a curly halo. He walked slowly toward Lindsey, and the wolves fell back. “I think I fell in love with you the first day I met you.”
The females giggled and a few people said, “awww.”
“You were everything I thought I didn’t want. It took me a long time to realize that the reason I was unhappy was because I wanted the wrong things.” He got up to where Lindsey stood and touched his cheek. “And now I’m faced with realizing the world I thought I knew is mysterious and scary. The only things that are real to me are you and Jazz and the love I have for you.”
Lindsey frowned and wiped the tears that flooded from his eyes. “Did they make you say that?”
Seth chuckled. “All the werewolves in the world couldn’t make me say I love someone if I don’t. I’d die first. And quite honestly, if you don’t want me, I’d just as soon die.”
Lindsey sniffed. “But I’m not even a very good werewolf. I’m half human and not nearly as cool as the others.”
Seth cocked his half smile. “I’m all human, so you’re cooler than me. Besides, you’re Super Granny.” Seth smoothed Lindsey’s hair. “You’re both grandma and the wolf.”
All around the room, the wolves repeated the words. “Super Granny.”
“Lindsey is Super Granny.”
Seth gripped Lindsey’s shoulders. “But if I’m not being forced into this marriage, maybe you are. I totally understand if you don’t want to marry a cop with a chip on his shoulder and no sense of style. Maybe you don’t want me.”
Lindsey wiped at his cheeks. “Of course I want you.”
“Is that all?”
Lindsey shook his head. “Of course I want you—darling!” He threw his arms around Seth’s neck and kissed him.
Somewhere in the background, he heard the wolves clearing their throats and shuffling their feet. Even Paris and Cole hadn’t put on a PDA for the group when they married, and wolves did not do gay. He did not give—a shit!
When he finally came up for air, Landon invited them to recite their vows. Seth asked Jazz to stand up with him. The kid wiped his eyes and stood proudly beside his friend. Lindsey extended his hand to Cole, who stepped up beside him.
Landon said inspiring words about pack and welcoming the first full human ever into their community. The vows
were gorgeous, and Lindsey repeated them with joy. But nothing could ever surpass those words—I think I fell in love with you the first day I met you.
He knew in his whole life he’d never forget the sound of Seth saying, “I do.”
When Landon asked him if he took this man, Lindsey smiled. “I fell in love with you the first time I smelled you. And I do.”
By the time they’d linked arms and sipped champagne, fed each other a bite of cake, and accepted the sincere if reserved well-wishes of the pack, the moon was full and shining. Lindsey looked up at Seth. “So, are you up for this?”
Seth swallowed and nodded. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
They walked outside arm in arm and boarded a truck. Forty minutes later, the assembled wolves all piled out in their remote running woods. Excitement trembled in the air.
Lindsey led Seth to a spot under a tree. He pulled off his neck scarf and laid it on the grass. “So you don’t mess up your finery.”
They both sat. Jazz ran over, dressed only in his briefs, and squatted in front of Lindsey. “I’m scared.”
“No need to be. You’re relaxed and know what to expect. It will burn a little, but not much. You’ll love being a wolf, Jazz.” He hugged him. “And in case I haven’t mentioned it, I love you.”
Tears filled his eyes. “Thank you for loving me.”
Seth put his arm around them both. “Hey, me too.”
Suddenly Jazz shuddered. “Oh God, it’s happening, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Don’t be afraid. We’re here.”
Jazz’s whole body seemed to ripple and flow, the outline of the boy expanding to become a golden-eyed, brown wolf, large and powerful. For a moment the eyes looked surprised.
One of the other boys, still in human form, called, “Come on, Jazz.”
Two young wolves barked, and the big brown turned and sped across the grass. Everywhere figures morphed and changed, and soon the huge silver wolf led them away, howling at the moon.