by Sean Michael
They stayed there, Cody perched on the edge of the counter, both of them panting, shaking. He let his pleasure and love go through the bond.
“Bed. This counter is biting into my butt.”
He laughed as he slid out, picking Cody up to carry him to bed.
“Do you think we can stay?” Cody asked.
“Maybe.” He’d do his best for his mate. Cody deserved to be somewhere he was happy.
Cody curled around him, human and melted for the first time in his memory.
“As long as I’m with you, that’s the important part.”
Barker squeezed Cody tight, nodded. “Love you,” he said quietly.
“Love.” Cody kissed his jaw.
He pressed their foreheads together, smiling into his mate’s eyes. The happiness there, that was worth fighting for.
After the last ten years, they fucking deserved it.
Chapter Eighteen
They stayed in the cabin—eating and resting and making love—for three days. Then Cody slipped out while Barker was sleeping and went to explore.
Riana was at one of the larger homes, a young girl in her arms, resting on the porch. “Brother.”
“Riana.”
“Finally came out of hibernation, hmm?”
He grinned, shrugged. “Winter is coming, isn’t it?”
“It is.” She gave him a sharp look. “Are you staying?”
“I hope so. This smells like home.” He arched an eyebrow. “If Barker’s uncomfortable, I’ll go with him.”
“Where? Where would you go? You fit here. You belong here.” She rubbed her belly.
He nodded. “How are you feeling? You’re the size of a house.”
“I’m ready to pop. I don’t know why they’re waiting.”
“Are there two?” He came closer, surprised as the little girl slid from her mother’s arms into his, cuddling in. He must smell like Pack.
“Yeah, there are. Two boys.” She reached out and touched his cheek. “I didn’t know you could get the change if you mated with another male. He makes you happy?”
“He’s amazing.” Barker was perfect.
Riana snorted softly. “You wouldn’t be biased at all.”
“No more than you are. I thought you were dead.”
She nodded. “It’s easier for the rest of the Clan if everyone believes that.”
“They know Cody’s alive, though.” Barker came up behind him, arm looping around his waist. “What’s more, they know he doesn’t need the moon to change.”
Cody felt a soft stroke through the bond he shared with his mate. He leaned into Barker’s warmth. The little girl in his arms looked up to Barker, smiled, and settled back down.
“Yes, and they’ll come for him.” Mick came out of the house with three other men and one tall, lean woman.
Great, this is where they asked him to leave. Barker stiffened slightly next to him, puffing up a little. The hand around his waist was solid, and Cody could all but hear Barker’s growls through their bond.
“They will,” Barker agreed, voice rough.
“Well then. We’d all better get prepared.” The Alpha’s voice made him shiver, just a bit. “Because I’m not giving up a single one of my Pack.”
Barker met Mick’s eyes. “You’re counting Cody and me in that number?”
“Yes.” No waffling, no doubt. Mick sounded sure.
They want us. You’re sure this is where you want to be?
Cody nodded. Yes. Yes.
“Thank you.” Barker looked at Mick and then tilted his head back, making himself vulnerable to Mick. “I’ll fight proudly by my Alpha’s side.”
Cody vibrated a little, when Mick’s lips touched Barker’s throat. Then everyone looked at him.
He nodded. “I’m in.”
Mate. There was a wealth of pride in Barker’s thoughts.
Mick’s lips touched his throat, a gentle welcome, then the touch was gone.
He’d felt Barker tense, but his mate quickly relaxed. “We’re going to need a plan.”
“First, we need some introductions. You have a Pack to meet.” Mick winked, lips quirking in something that could be a smile.
“Sure.” Barker’s arm tightened around his waist. His mate was making his claim very clear. As if the lurid mark on his throat wouldn’t do that.
“No.” Riana’s voice was sure, if a little breathless. “First, someone find Sally. I think my water just broke.”
“Oh, man.” Barker actually took a step backward. “No offense, but I am so glad I’m not female.”
“You and me, both.” An older man drew them to the side as Mick sent a young girl to another cabin.
“I’m Vince, by the way. You’re Cody and Barker. Welcome.”
“Thanks.” Barker shook the man’s hand, replying for both of them. “Who are you related to?”
“My lady and me, we’re from the Northern Hill Pack. Well, we were. I was the Alpha until Mick came.”
“Are you like Riana?”
Cody could see Barker putting people together, figuring things out, how things worked.
“I am, and Leeah grows things. Everything she plants, it thrives.”
“Yeah? I’m good at guarding things.” Barker growled a little, baring his teeth.
“Excellent.” Warm brown eyes turned to him. “And you?”
Cody shrugged, suddenly worried. What if he didn’t have anything to offer? What if…Wait. Wait. “I worked in construction for years.”
“He hunts. He’s strong. He can be human when everyone else succumbs to the wolf.” There was that pride again, shining from Barker.
“Excellent. You don’t know how much we’ve needed help just keeping things up.”
“You’ll never regret inviting Cody to be a part of your Pack.”
“Of course not.” Vince laughed. “Come meet Layla and Ben, Mark and Hettie. There are ten families. You’ll learn about all of them.”
“Ten!” Barker grabbed his hand and they followed Vince. “And all of them have a wolf who can beast out whenever they want?”
“Yes. You’re the only same sex pair, though. No one knew that could happen.”
“Cody’s special,” Barker suggested.
“Yes.” Those eyes met his. “I can’t imagine going for ten years, suffering. You’ve got to be the strongest man I know.”
Cody felt Barker’s pride in him wash over him.
Before he could answer, a group of kids all younger than Caleb came barreling over.
“Are you new?”
He looked down at all of them—there had to be nine of them—and nodded. “I’m Cody.”
“Wanna come play hide and seek?”
He chuckled. “You know what? I do.” He grinned at Barker, at Vince.
Barker rolled his eyes and shook his head. Crazy, mate. He could hear the fondness in the thoughts, though.
Going to play!
He waved, ran, roaring playfully and chasing the kids into the trees.
It was home.
* * * * *
Barker knew he and Cody could contribute more than their share to the Pack; that wasn’t what worried him. What did was that they were bringing trouble with them. They hadn’t asked for it, but there it was—the Clan wasn’t going to just let Cody go.
While Cody was off playing with the kids again, he searched Mick out.
Riana had given birth to two beautiful boys two days ago, and mother and babies were doing fine. Mick was sitting on the front porch of his house with a lazy, tired smile on his face.
“Hey,” Barker called out as he approached, moving to sit in the empty chair next to Mick’s.
“Hey. Your mate is good with the kids. They love him.”
“I think he likes them because they’re uncomplicated. They say what they mean, and they just want to have fun.” There was an ease about Cody here that had been missing, even in the first days after Cody’s change.
“That they do. How are you? Have you
seen my sons?”
“No, I…” He grinned sheepishly. “I’ve never been too good around babies.” He’d never really been around babies, what with being a bachelor and all.
“Would you like to? Riana is sleeping, but they’re in their cribs.”
“Oh, uh. Sure?” Barker wasn’t going to insult the Alpha by not wanting to see his new pups. Of course, he’d better make sure he didn’t insult the Alpha by dropping said pups on their heads, either.
He was led into the house, which was filled with decorations and toys—obviously a home. There were two bassinets in the main room, two beautiful boys sleeping away.
“They’re so little. And perfect. Little perfect people.”
Mick nodded. “They’re going to be strong wolves.”
“They’re going to need to be protected until then.”
“They are.” Mick met his eyes. “I dare anyone to come take what’s ours.”
“Do we have a plan? Because before Cody and I left the city, I was warned. About what they would do to Cody. They want to take him apart and see what makes him able to change whenever he wants.”
“They can’t, and if they try, we call in the Northern Packs. No offense, Barker, but your Alpha’s a dickcheese and there’s not an Alpha from any of the packs that won’t stand with us, against him.”
Barker laughed out loud, surprised by Mick’s words. “No offense taken. And he’s not my Alpha anymore, Mick.”
“Good.” Mick drew him out of the house, letting the babies sleep. “I think we ought to make it clear, though, that we aren’t open to negotiations. They banished Riana and Cody. They don’t get to claim them now.”
“Exactly.” Barker nodded. “I think if we’ve got the threat of the Northern Packs behind us, they’ll be reasonable.” He hoped so, anyway. He didn’t want to have to take a whole bunch of packs to war, but he was willing to do it if he had to.
“So we’ll meet on neutral ground, bring Dorian and Kerry, Harrison and Starla from the Northern Packs. We’ll make a show.”
“You want me to contact them?” Although he had a hunch William would be more likely to treat it as a real meeting and not just a chance to snatch Cody if it came from another Alpha.
“No. I want you to make sure the Pack is safe while we’re gone. Make sure there’s enough coverage. Tell Vince that he’ll be in charge here.”
“If I’m not going with you, neither is Cody.” Mick might be their Alpha now, but Cody was his.
Mick’s eyebrow arched. “I didn’t say you weren’t coming. I said you were in charge of assuring our Pack is safe when we go.”
“Oh.” He blinked. “I’m the security? Are you sure I’m enough?”
“You’re going to have to be.”
He nodded. “Okay. Okay, I will be.”
He would do it. He would prove to his new Pack that he could protect them.
“Good.” One of the babies started wailing, the sound lost and scared. “I’ll leave you to it.”
“When are we going?”
“Let me make some calls. I’ll let you know.”
“Okay.” Barker held his hand out and shook with Mick.
Then he let the man go tend to his family while he wandered toward the forest that surrounded the clearing holding the Pack’s houses.
Mate?
Hmm? Cody was near water, walking, the children gone.
Want company? He closed his eyes and felt for where he thought Cody’s thoughts had come from, started walking in that direction. The bond was getting stronger with every passing day.
Yes. What have you been up to?
Working on getting us free of the Clan. Barker kept walking, following that feeling that said “Cody.”
Good. Every day, Cody looked healthier, less haunted.
You were right. This is a good place. Better than the city he’d thought he loved. It was funny, only not, how things changed.
He met Cody’s eyes as he walked into a clearing. Cody was human, lazing in the sun. Beautiful.
“Mate.” He spoke the word out loud. Or maybe through the bond; he didn’t know, and it didn’t matter.
“Barker.” Cody smiled at him, stretched.
“Look at you.” He growled a little and started stripping as he admired the sun-kissed skin.
“I’ll look at you. Mate.”
It made him strut and flex, showing off for his lover. The deep moan was gratifying, low. Appreciative. He pulled off his clothes, lying down with his mate.
“Barker.” Cody’s face was relaxed, tanned. Barker was watching his lover age backward.
“Cody.” He pressed their lips together, the kiss slow and sweet.
They rested together on the blanket that Cody had brought, both of them breathing into the kisses. His mate’s skin was so soft, calling to his fingertips.
“You taste good.” Cody’s words were warm on his lips.
“Good.” He wanted Cody to love everything about him.
“What did Mick say?”
“We’re going to meet up with William and the City Clan. Us and representatives from the Northern Packs. Work out a truce, make it clear that they mess with you, they mess with everyone.” He gave Cody a toothy grin. “Apparently there’s little love lost between William and the Northern Packs.”
Cody frowned. “They’ll go to war for me? That doesn’t seem right.”
“Why not? We’re a part of Mick’s Pack now. Would they go to war over the littlest pup? Of course they would. So why not you?”
“I just…” Cody shrugged. “Guilt, I guess.”
“You’ve more than paid your dues. You were alone and hurting for ten years. No more. You’ve got a mate who’s really present in your life now, a pack, and you can change at will. Take it—it’s yours.”
“It doesn’t seem real, sometimes.”
It’s real. You’re real.
He touched Cody, showing his mate how solid he was, how there.
We’re real and I can change.
Yeah. Not right now, though. He rolled on top of Cody, fusing their mouths together.
Cody’s laughter was surprised, happy, tickled as hell.
Skin warm from the sun, Cody felt so good under him.
Cody’s cock firmed, swelled, pressed against his thigh.
Groaning, he deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding between Cody’s lips.
Horndog. The tease was easy, lazy. Don’t we have work to do?
This first. This is important stuff.
Cody’s laugh rang through the trees, agreeing with him. The important stuff.
Chapter Nineteen
The Packs were meeting—there were three couples from different packs coming south, coming to get Mick and Barker and meet with William. The autumn was threatening to become winter, too, and sooner than normal.
His first winter with Barker, with this Pack.
Cody was feeling a little on edge.
Barker growled at him. “Why aren’t you sleeping?”
“Huh? I…I’m nervous, I guess? The meeting, our first full moon here. Everything.”
“Then come here.” Barker dragged him close, hands sliding on him.
He kissed Barker’s nose. “Are you ready for the meeting?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know. I have good men at my back, but William is…a creep. I don’t trust him.”
“He’s worse than a creep.” Cody sighed, stretched. “It’ll be good to have it over, though.”
“It will. Then we can settle.”
They’d already done a bit of settling. Cody had worked on the roof, shored up the foundation, and resealed the plumbing in the bathroom. He had a feeling he would learn a lot about septic systems, too. More than he ever wanted to.
Barker had gone around, patching up the Pack’s defenses, making suggestions for places to put fences, guards.
They were a part of this. Real.
Have you told anyone about this? Barker waved a hand between them.
No, but I thi
nk they’ve guessed. All the pairs have a…gift.
What makes you think they’ve guessed? Do other pairs have this gift?
Cody shook his head, but Riana had been in his dream and Barker had spoken to him in it.
I don’t want to share it. It’s ours. Special. Like you.
It’s you. He’d seen the other couples—the ones that had to change with the moon, they had something special.
Barker snorted. You’re the special one, mate. Barker’s fingers slid on his cheek, eyes shining for him.
He shook his head. He didn’t think so. He thought it was them, together, something about their chemistry.
“I’m just a growly old wolf,” Barker insisted.
“My growly old wolf. When do we leave?”
“As soon as the last couple from the Northern Pack get here.”
“Okay. That sounds-”
The alarm whistle went off from guards on the east side. Barker growled and they both leaped out of bed, heading for the door.
Cody was fuzzy before he hit the door, just like a goodly portion of his Pack, their hackles raised.
“What is it?” growled Barker, fingers in the fur on Cody’s head.
Mick came out, shotgun in hand. “I need someone to stay with Riana, guard the children.”
Barker nodded. “I can’t wolf out, so I’ll do it.” Stay safe, mate.
I will. If it was William, they’d be there for him.
“Go with the others,” rumbled Mick, pointing to where three other wolves were already loping out toward the eastern edge of the property. “Careful. They’ll be human, and they could have weapons.”
A battered truck filled with several men with guns in the bed stopped by Mick, and he jumped into the passenger seat. Cody ran with the other wolves, the four of them moving fast and low, nostrils working overtime.
They soon found the interlopers, four men at least, all werewolves. Clan from the City. Cody would know the scent anywhere.
He snarled softly, sniffing. Guns. They had guns. More of the weird darts, too. Taking Vince’s lead, they spread out, circling the men. Mate? If you can get a message to Mick, there’s four of them and they’re armed. I see Hannah; she’s down. The eastern guard was awfully still.
Walkie-talkie. I’ll tell him. Be careful. He felt Barker’s worry through the bond, but he could also feel his mate’s pride—they were going to have the upper hand in this because of him and his ability to report back.