Marked

by Sean Michael

  He barked in surprise, twisting to face Cody. Cody chuffed softly, tail wagging. Barker leapt forward to nip at Cody’s muzzle. He almost got it, but Cody danced away in time. He gave chase, getting more serious now. He would get Cody.

  Cody’s head lowered, the wolf careening to the left, trying to fool him. He matched the move, though, leaping in the same direction. Cody was unpracticed, and Barker took him down fairly easily, rolling him to nibble at the soft fur of his belly.

  He growled softly, telling his mate how good he was. Then he remembered the bond. So good, mate.

  Cody wagged happily. Good.

  He rubbed their muzzles together. Why can’t we just do this forever?

  I don’t know. Cody panted, eyes happy.

  He licked his mate’s muzzle this time, pulling all the scent of Cody in. The smell was home and happiness, sex and pleasure and comfort. He woofed and licked one more time before bouncing away. It was Cody’s turn to chase him.

  Cody ducked his head and came, claws digging into the dirt. Barker ran, dodging low-hanging tree branches and some roots, rocks on the ground, just going all out. They breathed together, panted together, learning how to move as a pack.

  He heard something to the right and turned, Cody right there with him, not missing a beat. It felt amazing. It felt right. This prey was larger than a rabbit. A small deer. They would need to work together, to coordinate.

  Mate. Deer.

  Cody’s eyes were fastened on it, focused.

  Go right. I’ll flush it that way. He didn’t wait to see if Cody had heard him, simply circled around to head the deer toward his mate.

  Cody panted, nodded, crouched low.

  Now! He sprang forward, running for the deer, chasing it toward Cody.

  Cody bounded just at the last minute, springing up, teeth sinking into the deer’s throat.

  He stepped forward to help when a click sounded, a red-hot pain searing through his back leg. His back end went out from under him, a surprised whimper coming from him. He heard Cody barking, snarling, taking the deer down, but he couldn’t get free.

  He snarled, looking back, trying to figure out what had him. A snare. Clamped around his leg. Panic filled him. Mate! Run! Go! Cody needed to go, to get away.

  Mate? His lover’s attention was on him, fully, suddenly.

  Go! Don’t get trapped. What if it was the Clan? That didn’t make sense, but he couldn’t shake it. He yanked on the snare. A part of him knew he couldn’t just pull out of it, but he still couldn’t stop himself.

  Cody came to him, not listening, growling low, sniffing his leg.

  Mate! Careful! Go! He growled and twisted back, trying to push his mate away. Cody had to run, to get away.

  Be still. The words were snapped, rough. Then Cody began to try and shift.

  No. Go. Be safe. Someone could be coming. If they saw Cody, they might shoot him. He started panicking again.

  I will never leave you. The pain began to grow—his pain, Cody’s pain.

  Mate. He whimpered, cried out.

  Cody knelt before him, naked, human. “Okay, Barker. I’m going to get you out, then get you to the truck and check your leg. Okay?”

  He whimpered, worried for his mate’s safety, hurting.

  “Shh. Here. I’ll open it.” The human hands worked the snare open, then his mate lifted him like he weighed nothing.

  You hurt. Don’t hurt. Change back.

  “Hush. I have to look at your leg.”

  Hurts. Maybe even more now that he was out of the trap.

  “I bet. We’ll wrap it up, look at it. I don’t think it’s broken.”

  He licked Cody’s face. He had a good mate.

  Cody had to stop, twice, and ease Barker down, catch his breath. “I’m sorry.”

  I can make it the rest of the way. He could ignore the pain for Cody.

  “I’ve got you.” The care his lover took of him made his heart soar.

  He stopped arguing and let Cody do what he was going to do. He tried to ignore the throbbing in his leg.

  He was placed carefully in the bed of the truck, Cody’s hands so gentle. “It didn’t get the bone. I need to clean it.”

  Hurts, mate. Barker whimpered softly, the pain filling his head.

  “I know. I’m sorry.” Cody found a bottle of water, the cool splash almost helping.

  Barker’s back end twitched and he rested his head on his front paws with a sigh. Cody kept murmuring to him, spreading a cream, tearing a shirt to make a bandage.

  So good to me. Cody had to be hurting, stuck as a man again during the moon.

  “Hush. Your poor leg.” His fur was smoothed. “Thank the Moon I was here.”

  He barked his agreement. Who knew what would have happened if he’d been out here on his own? It was just one more advantage of having his own land. Would they ever be able to go back to his grandfather’s cabin?

  “Damn trappers.” Cody leaned against him. “I need to feed you.”

  He didn’t want to make Cody have to work, but he hadn’t really had much to eat while human—they’d focused more on the distance driven than physical comfort.

  Cody rested their heads together. “You stay here, quiet. I’ll be back.”

  Careful. There’s traps. Who knows what else?

  “I will, but you need food.”

  He wagged his tail for his mate.

  “Stay put.” Cody shifted back, yelping at him then his mate ran back into the grass.

  Careful!

  Shh. Hunting.

  He chuffed and thumped his tail once more before settling his muzzle back on his paws. He tried not to worry, but he couldn’t help it. If Cody tripped another snare, his mate would be trapped until sunrise. Trapped, hurting, bleeding.

  Cody’s mind brushed over him.

  Safe? Barker needed Cody to be okay, far more than he needed to eat. Come back.

  You need food. I’m being careful.

  He growled. Such a stubborn mate.

  The sun was barely lightening the sky when Cody returned, a haunch of the deer dangling from his jaws. Barker felt the change coming, and he snapped up the meat, knowing he couldn’t eat it once he’d changed.

  Good. Good, mate. Cody rested beside him.

  He’d barely finished the meal when the sun crested the horizon and Barker felt himself change. The leg hurt about five hundred times more as a human, and he clenched his teeth hard, holding back a cry.

  He looked down at it, where Cody was licking it, cleaning it. Fuck, he was torn up. It could be worse—a lot worse. His leg was whole, the bone was whole, but…

  He let Cody wash it, knowing it was the best thing for it—it would heal quicker. “Shit, that’s not going to make driving easy.” He may have to let Cody take care of it.

  I’ll drive. You’ll rest.

  “Yeah, I think it’s going to have to work that way.” He hadn’t even tried walking on it, but it hurt like a son of a bitch, and he was sure any sort of pressure on it was only going to add to that. “You wanna change and help me get into the cab?”

  He felt Cody’s soft sigh, then watched as Cody changed, slowly losing his fur.

  “It doesn’t hurt when the moon’s not up, does it?”

  It took Cody a minute to answer. “No. Let me help you.”

  “That wasn’t very convincing.”

  Cody winked. “Up, oh growly one. I need to get us to a town, a pharmacy.”

  “Yeah. Just don’t hurt yourself.” He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the truck bed. Oh, he was not looking forward to standing.

  Cody walked up between his legs and lifted him, grunting under his weight.

  “Cody! Put me down, you fool.”

  “Your fool.” Cody panted. “Open the fucking door.”

  He got the door open and grabbed onto the sides of the truck, helping get himself into the passenger seat. He nearly passed out when his leg hit the side of the truck, the pain shooting through him.

  “E
asy! Easy. Fuck.” Cody growled, eased him in. “Do you have any more painkillers?”

  “I don’t know—you’re the one who packed the truck up.” He could sure use something, though. Painkillers, getting knocked out, a shot of something strong—he wasn’t feeling particularly picky. And he couldn’t remember what was left in there.

  “I grabbed that bag in the bathroom.” Cody started rummaging, eyebrows furrowed.

  Barker nodded, leaning his head back against the seat. “Yeah, yeah, I think there’s still something in that.”

  “Bingo. Here’s a Vicodin and an energy bar. Oh, dude. Penicillin. You get all three, lucky bastard.”

  “I’m not feeling very lucky just now.”

  “Why not? The leg’s not broken; the muscle looks bruised but whole.”

  “Hurts like a mother. I tell you what, I’ll feel lucky when it’s better, okay?”

  “Okay.” A lukewarm bottle of water was handed over, and a pair of shorts.

  He took the water and drank half the bottle down before grabbing the Vicodin and penicillin, swallowing them dry and following them with the rest of the water. The shorts he just looked at. He wasn’t sure he wanted to fuck around with pulling them up over his bad leg. He settled them in his lap so they covered him up and gave Cody what he hoped was a winning smile.

  Cody didn’t argue, just nodded. “That works, man. Let me get us to a town.”

  “Okay.” The engine came on and the truck lurched forward. Barker closed his eyes, breathing deeply through his nose. He was going to find the asshole who’d set the snare and put him in it.

  Possibly put him in two of them. Fucking hunters. Cheating. He knew he was growling, but he couldn’t seem to stop and he was too pissed off about the snare to care.

  “Barker?” Cody looked at him, a worried expression on his face.

  “What?” Barker snapped, pain and anger making him short.

  A flash of emotion bled through their connection then it went silent. “Do you need me to stop?”

  “No. Sorry.” He growled. “I just need fucking hunters to get caught in their own goddamned traps.”

  “I hear that. We’ll get you a hotel somewhere, let you sleep.”

  He shook his head. “We need to keep moving.”

  “They won’t chase us.” Cody sounded as unsure as Barker felt.

  He shook his head; he knew better. If they’d lied to him about being safe at his grandfather’s then he would bet they’d chase Cody even farther. “We can’t chance it. I can sleep here.” In fact, the pain was beginning to ease off a little as the Vicodin kicked in.

  “It’ll be okay. I’ll protect you.”

  Barker felt his head roll on his shoulders. “No. I can’t protect you. Keep driving.”

  “I am driving. You’re a turd.”

  “Fine. I’m a turd. Don’t stop for this turd. Just drive until you can’t anymore.”

  Cody’s fingers twined with his. “Rest. Please.”

  “As long as you keep driving, I will.”

  “Okay. Okay. I’m driving.”

  “Just keep on doing it.” He closed his eyes and sighed.

  Cody’s chuckle was wry and quiet, easing his nerves a little.

  Barker squeezed the hand holding his and let the sound of the engine lull him into a doze.

  * * * * *

  Cody drove until he found a town big enough for anonymity, then he searched for a pharmacy. He needed to clean Barker’s leg properly, get food, find somewhere for Barker to rest, and find work for a day or two for cash.

  Barker blinked awake when the truck stopped at a stop sign. He growled softly. “Why are we stopping?”

  “I need food. Caffeine. You need antiseptic.” Butthead.

  “We have to keep moving. I can’t protect you.”

  “I don’t need protection. I’m fine.”

  “I’m your mate. It’s my job.”

  “Uh-huh.” Barker was being crazy.

  “We move on as soon as we’ve got those things.”

  “Stop it. You need to bathe. I need to sleep. We’re getting a fucking hotel.” He’d take on the fucking Clan if they came.

  Barker shook his head, started growling. “No. We keep moving. I’ll fucking drive if I have to.”

  Cody growled right back. “Listen to me.”

  “When you start making sense, I will.”

  This was not working for him. “We’re getting a hotel room.”

  “Why are you being so fucking stubborn? The Clan is coming for you, get it?”

  “We’ve driven eight hundred miles. The Clan doesn’t leave the city.” He stared at Barker, then pulled over. “They drove me out, I’m leaving. Shit, you asshole. If they’re coming for anyone, it’s you.”

  Barker shook his head. “No. You don’t understand.” Barker sighed and rubbed his face. “They came to me before we left for my granddad’s place.”

  “Came to you? Who did?” What had Barker been keeping from him?

  Barker grimaced. “An old friend. Or so I thought. He came to warn me. To get you out of town.”

  “Why? Why do they want me?” Hell, he’d been skulking in the city off and on for years. Someone would have seen him; they would have had to.

  “Word got out that you can change now, Cody. From when you got mugged. Had to be. They want to know why and they won’t stop at killing you if that’s what it takes to figure out why. You staying alive is not on their agenda.”

  Cody shook his head. Monsters. They didn’t deserve to be animals.

  “I won’t let them hurt you, Cody.” Barker looked at him, eyes full of pain, and also fire. “They will have to kill me first.”

  “No one’s going to hurt me, but we have to get you somewhere to rest.” Hell, he needed rest.

  “They want to. Assholes. Afraid of anyone different from them. God. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I should have stood up to them.”

  Cody shrugged. “And I should have died, committed suicide, but I didn’t.”

  “I’m not going to let you do that, either.”

  “No, you’re going to let me find a hotel and get a room for a day or two.”

  “Now you want to stop for a day or two?” Barker growled. “Damn it, Cody, I’m worried about you.”

  “And I’m not worried? You’re hurt! I’m hungry and tired and it’s not supposed to be like this!” The wolf hit him, hard, square, and he fought the change.

  “Mate! Fight it!” Barker growled. “Okay. We can stop. No changing until we’re in a hotel, though. Hold on.”

  He nodded, panting, head bobbing as he did.

  Barker’s hand wrapped around his thigh. “Sorry.”

  “Not your fault.” It was so much easier to be fuzzy.

  “Just get us somewhere private, huh?”

  “I’m trying.” He found Barker a grin, a wink.

  Barker’s smile looked a little forced.

  “We’re going to be fine. You need a shower, a bed.” So did he.

  “I need the fucking Clan to back the hell off. They didn’t want you back then, they can’t have you now.”

  “I can agree to that.”

  “Hey, we agreed on something today.” Barker winked and then winced as they went over a bump, the truck jostling.

  “Don’t get used to it.” Despite the words, he winced, too, hating that he was hurting his mate.

  Barker’s laugh was strained. “We’re stopping soon, huh?”

  “I promise. There’s a motel up there. Not a chain. One story.”

  “Thank fuck, I think I’d rather die than face stairs.”

  “Well then. No stairs.” He wasn’t sure what else to say.

  Barker just grunted. He was looking a little white along the edges. Thank God they were coming up on the motel.

  “Stay. I’ll be back.” Cody parked, jogged up to the office, and tapped on the window. It didn’t take a second to get them a room, a key.

  Barker was where he’d left him, eyes closed, head bac
k against his seat.

  “We have a room in the back.” Cody started the truck up, moved them around.

  “Good. Shit, get me a towel or something to throw around my waist. I’m pretty sure I’m not getting these shorts on.”

  “I’ll carry you in, but I have to get the door open first.”

  “You are not going to carry me in.” Barker was growling again.

  “Quit growling at me.” Cody bared his teeth, puffed up a little.

  “Then get out of my fucking way so I can get in and lie down.”

  “Fine.” He tore the door open, carrying in supplies and ignoring Barker completely. Once the man was in and settled, he’d go look for food, for a place that needed a dishwasher for the night or something for a little under-the-table cash.

  By the time he came around from the bed of the truck, Barker was a few steps from the truck, pale as a fucking ghost, looking like he was about to pass out. Cody arched an eyebrow, then grabbed the man and carried him into the room.

  “Hurts, mate.” The sounds coming from Barker’s throat were more like whimpers than growls at the moment. And he was hot, hotter than usual.

  “I’ll get you in the tub and get you another antibiotic.” Cody didn’t panic. He wouldn’t. If Barker got too bad, the man would succumb to the wolf, even without the moon, and start healing faster.

  “Sorry,” muttered Barker, letting Cody manhandle him.

  “Shh.” The tub was small but clean, and he got the lukewarm water going.

  Barker sat on the edge of the tub and put his hand in. “Feels cold.”

  “It’ll help your fever. You want a little more hot water?”

  “Whatever you want.”

  “I think you need to cool off, then we’ll make it more comfortable.”

  “Sure.” Barker slipped into the tub at Cody’s urging, gasping as his body slid into the water.

  Cody looked at Barker’s leg. It was ugly, but not as bad as it could be.

  “I’m gonna live?” Barker asked, already looking slightly better for being in the cool water.

  “You are. You’re going to be sore, but it’s not bad enough to make you change, huh?” He poured the water over Barker’s chest.