by E. M. Leya
I paused, lifting my head in the air as I tried to smell if there were others around. I couldn't be sure. I whined, hoping Bayne would suggest what to do.
"I think you're best to shift back and get dressed. We can walk down in human form and get an idea of the area. Kurt got pictures of the tire marks and other wolves have memorized the scents as well. I don't think there is much more here for us to do." He kneeled beside me. "I know you want to continue, but the dirt road is public access. It's not safe. One rancher sees a wolf and we both know what will happen."
I rubbed my snout against Bayne. It wasn't worth the risk to continue. He was right. If any rancher thought a wolf might be after his cattle, then he had every right to shoot. The law was on his side. Not knowing how many ranches lined the area around us, I wasn't about to put us in danger. I turned slowly and started back.
"It's safe to shift here if you want. You're covered," Bayne told me.
Taking him at his word, I was surprised when my wolf stepped back without a fight and allowed me to shift. I took several breaths as I lay in the dirt, wishing I could figure out the scent I smelled.
"You okay?" Bayne kneeled beside me, his hand pressed gently to my back.
"Yeah. There is a scent I know, but it's weird. Almost as if I hugged you and you carried my scent on you. It's mixed with something. Not as strong as it should be. For the life of me, I can't recall where I know the smell from. I know it's here, in Montana. It's not something from home. The second scent isn't familiar at all." I pushed up, remembering to keep my eyes closed since I'd had to take the eye patches off before I shifted.
"Here." Bayne slid the patches over my head, adjusting them so they covered each eye. He brushed his lips against my temple. "You're the most beautiful wolf I've ever seen."
I laughed. "You're just saying that because I'm your mate."
"Probably, but that doesn't make it any less true." He kissed my head again before standing.
I stood beside him. "I need to find out where I know that scent from."
"We will. We'll make a list later tonight of every place you and Bridger went. Figure out everyone you can remember meeting. Here are your pants."
I reached out, finding them in Bayne's hand. "Thanks." I slipped them on, hating that I had to get dressed. My wolf wanted to run, but I didn't know when or if that would ever be possible again. I guess if we found a huge field with nothing in it, I might be able to manage. Either way, the thought was depressing, reminding me how much I would no longer be able to do. I took the shirt and pulled it over my head before slipping on my socks and shoes. "How far are we from the pack house?"
"Ten minutes if we cut through the woods, thirty if we stay on the road," Bayne answered.
"I guess it's the woods then. I don't think we'll find anything more here." I debated on heading back up to the site where I'd been attacked, but there was nothing there I needed to smell other than my own blood. I got the scent I needed.
"We'll go back and eat. We'll let Kurt know you think you know the scent, then the rest of the night is ours." Bayne linked his fingers with mine.
"Are you okay with our mating happening?" He'd made sure I was, but I'd never really asked him about how he felt with everything happening.
"Are you serious? I'm more than okay with it. I didn't know how much I wanted a mate until I caught your scent and realized what a blessing it is to have you. It was like the second I caught your scent everything wrong in my life was okay. I could get through anything because you were going to be with me."
"You're okay your mate is male?"
"It honestly wouldn't have mattered to me. I've been with both, but I prefer men." Bayne's scent changed to almost something nervous.
"What are you thinking? Your smell changed. It's almost like you're nervous or scared."
"I was just thinking about how I always looked for men who were into rougher sex. Ones who would hold me down, take what they want. Don't get me wrong. I look forward to times when we are just holding each other and taking things slow, but I'm also glad there is a side to you that can give me what I need when I need it. That won't be scared to be rougher and cause a little pain."
My own cock stirred at the thought of things we would do. I couldn't wait until I could hold him down, my hand wrapped around the back of his neck as I sank deep inside him. The thought of him on his knees, taking me in his mouth caused me to shiver.
"Stop it. I can feel your arousal. We're never going to make it home if you keep that up." Bayne gripped my shoulder. "You're going to be the death of me."
"As long as we kill each other off having sex that's okay with me." I reached down to adjust my cock. "Talk to me about something, anything. Get my mind off you under me in bed."
Bayne cleared his throat. "Um, fuck, all I can think about is being under you in bed. Let's see." He paused for a second. "I don't know what to tell you."
"Tell me what you do for fun? Where is your home? Do you live at the pack house?" I wanted to know everything he would share with me.
"No, I have a cabin not too far from the pack house. It's small, nothing fancy. I like the fact it's secluded, away from the town. I do spend a lot of nights at the pack house though. Usually, because I'm working on something for Kurt, or other times because I drink too much and play darts until the early morning hours." Bayne slowed. "There are logs in the path. Shuffle your foot and you'll feel them."
I did as he said, stepping over them easily. "Darts? You any good?"
"I like to tell myself I am."
I grinned. "I'm not great at darts, but I can play a mean game of pool. My dad taught me when I was little. He said playing pool was an easy way to break the ice and get to know people, and that it also kept you busy at the bar, so you wouldn't drink as much."
"Smart man," Bayne said.
"Sometimes too smart for his own good. My dad is your typical bow-tie wearing geek. He starts talking and half the people around leave because they have no clue what he's saying. His IQ is just so high that he lives in his own world." I paused. "We're close. I can smell the others."
"You're right. We're at the base of the mountain about to step out of the trees and into the parking lot." Bayne gave my hand a squeeze. "What about your mom? Is she smart like your dad?"
"No, my mom is the opposite. Too sweet for her own good. People think I'm kidding when I compare her to June Cleaver, but I'm not. She's the perfect mother, the perfect housewife. Dinner is always on the table at five-thirty sharp, the house is clean, laundry done. It's a bit overwhelming when I bring friends over for the first time. I love my parents to death, but they both are extreme in their ways." I smiled as I thought about my family.
"And you and your sister are nothing like them?"
"Not a bit. I guess in the sense that I'm a teacher and I love to learn, read, and keep up on stuff I'm like my dad, but I've also been known to party too hard, get in trouble here and there, and not live up to the family name. My sister is trouble. She's twenty-six and one of the most beautiful females I've ever seen. Of course, you can't tell her I said that. Anyway, she's into modeling and photography. She travels a lot, drives my parents crazy, and has no problem speaking her mind. She came home with her first tattoo at fifteen. I thought my mom was going to die. I think you'll like Cathy. She's wild and a lot of fun, but she's a good person." I missed my sister. She was the one it was going to be hardest to leave behind.
"I look forward to meeting her. I'm guessing between you and Kurt, you got them to wait before coming here?"
I nodded. "I asked them to let me see the doctor Cohen called first. Told them I didn't need the extra worry and stress. I think Kurt helped them understand I was safe and not on my own. They were shocked to know I'd found my mate. Asked a ton of questions about you I couldn't answer. It's crazy how much I feel like I know you, but at the same time know nothing."
"We'll fix that. It won't take long before we know everything about each other. Cohen said once we perform the mating ri
tual we have a better connection and can almost read each other's thoughts in some way. I get the sense that it's more reading emotions, but I can't be sure. This is all so new to me. None of the things they taught us about mating when we were little made sense, and now, facing it, it's even more confusing." Bayne gripped my arm. "Steps. Four of them up to the porch."
I slowly managed to make it up the steps, again thankful that I had Bayne by my side. It made it easier having my mate with me than it would have been with a stranger. Even though Bayne was still a stranger in many ways, he was also the man I would grow old with. He would be the one by my side through every struggle we had, and I had to keep reminding myself this was just one of many we would face. "Thanks." I smiled at him as he led me into the pack house.
It was late afternoon, and the place was busy. I smelled dinner along with a mix of alcohol and other drinks being served. The sound of the TV and pool balls filled the air along with the chatter of the shifters around us. I wondered how many were staring at me and what they'd been told about my attack.
"Hungry?" Bayne asked.
"Starving."
"Think you can handle eating with people or would you rather we grab it and go back to our room?"
I was glad he gave me the choice, but as much as I hated the idea of eating with people, I needed to get used to it. If this was going to be my new pack, then they would have to watch me struggle for a while and understand that this was all new to me.
Slowly, things were getting easier to deal with. I didn't want to run off and kill myself as much. There was still a sense of helplessness, but having Bayne helped to ease that, give me a sense of security that I could handle whatever was going to happen. "I'll try out here."
"Okay, I see Kurt and Josh already in the kitchen. We can join them." Bayne stepped close, hooking his arm through mine as he started to move us to the kitchen.
Trying to ignore the scents and sounds around me, I gave my trust to Bayne. This was my life now, and no matter what happened, I needed him. This wasn't going to be easy, but it was now what was going to be.
CHAPTER SIX
BAYNE
I glanced to my side, watching as Brett did a great job of eating. Granted, it was fried chicken, and we were all using our fingers to eat, but he'd managed to find the other small side dishes on his plate with me only having to tell him once where they were. He struggled a few times to keep the pasta salad on his spoon, but he was slowly getting the hang of it. I was so proud of how hard he was trying to make this all work.
"More tea?" Corta asked from beside us.
"Please." I smiled.
"Me too, please." Brett wiped his mouth with his napkin. "Do you guys always eat like this?"
Josh laughed from across the table. "When Corta and the women cook, we do. It's why so many of us stick around here for dinner."
I smiled at Kurt's mate. "You live here, that doesn't count. But I agree, I tend to eat here more than at home. Corta's kitchen never lets us down." I leaned closer to Brett, whispering even though I knew everyone around could hear what I was saying. "We're better eating here than have me cook."
Brett laughed. "I'm sure you're not that bad. Between the two of us, we can figure out something."
Corta grinned. "My wolves are always welcome at my table."
Kurt glanced over at me as he ended the call he'd been on. "That was Cohen. The doctor will be here tomorrow afternoon to see Brett."
I felt a wave of nervousness hit my mate. Wishing there was a way to make it easier on him, I reached over and gripped his thigh. "This is a good thing. We'll have some answers. Maybe he can fit you for the prosthetic eyes quickly and you won't have to wear the patches all the time."
Brett nodded, but didn't say anything.
I hated that no matter what we did, he would never see again. "We'll be here." I reached for my corn on the cob. "Brett and I hiked up the mountain today and let him get the scent of the area."
Kurt's eyes widened. "And?"
"I recognize one of the human scents, sort of." Brett set the chicken leg he'd been eating down.
"Sort of?" Kurt asked.
"I know I've smelled it before, but it was mixed with something. The best way I could describe it is it was a secondary scent. Like if Bayne had been wearing your shirt and been there. I could smell a strange smell I didn't know, but it was mixed with a light tang of one I did."
"Do you remember where you smelled it the first time?" Kurt looked hopeful.
"No, I know it was here in Montana. So, it had to be somewhere I went with Bridger, but I'm not sure where. I mean, we hit the bar, a couple stores, dropped by a couple of his friends' houses. Hell, it could have been someone I passed on the street for all I know. I'm just sure I'd smelled it before." Brett leaned back. "As soon as I'm a little more confident getting around, I want to go into town and hit some of the same places I went with Bridger. Hopefully, I can smell it again."
"So far, that's the best lead we have. Don't push yourself too fast, but go with it. We'll take anything we can at this point." Kurt draped his arm around Josh. "If you want, Josh and I will go out with you. Make it a double date."
"Thanks, I'd like that. It will give me a chance to get to know you guys better. Especially since I'm hoping you'll be willing to accept me into your pack soon." Brett covered my hand with his.
Kurt smiled. "I was hoping you'd want to stay here. You're welcome into our pack as soon as you feel ready. We can do the ceremony anytime you want. I have a feeling Pete was expecting this. He tried to tell me that you were needed there. That your pack was hurting for men."
Brett laughed. "Honestly, he said that?"
"He did. He said the women weren't able to find partners and birth rates were down." Kurt watched Brett closely as if wanting to see his reaction.
"That's bullshit. Half of our women are pregnant. Pete has over forty children. He breeds with the single females as long as he can. He hates men in the pack because the women will pair up with them just to keep from having to sleep with him again." Brett's angry scent was strong enough for everyone in the room to smell. "He tried to force my sister to his bed, and then he fined my father thousands of dollars when she left town and refused his request."
Kurt growled softly. "How old are the girls he's forcing into his bed?"
"He's smart enough to wait until they are eighteen, but even then, it's rape if you ask me. Very few go willingly. It's only to protect their families and a fear of upsetting their alpha. They've been raised that this is how it is. Our men tend to leave, not willing to deal with Pete's ego."
"No one challenges him?"
"A few have but lost. He is powerful, just not smart or decent. It's easier to move on than deal with him. I almost didn't come back from California, but I wanted to be there if my parents or sister needed me. Now, with my blindness, I'm no use to them anyway." Brett ran his fingers over his eye patches.
"You don't have to worry about your family. They are welcome here if they choose, but even if they don't, I think Pack Authority needs to look into how Pete is running his pack. I know we are lenient on allowing packs to make their own rules as long as they don't break wolf laws, but this rubs me wrong. Populating a pack with the alpha's offspring will only lead to problems later, not to mention the women deserve better." Kurt blew out a heavy breath. "I don't get it. Running a pack isn't hard."
"We're lucky we have you and your father before you." I met Kurt's angry gaze across the table.
"I'll let my parents know they are welcome. Thank you for that. I'm just waiting to hear what the doctor says before I make any huge changes," Brett said.
"You should know tomorrow. Cohen seems hopeful that this guy can help you." Kurt smiled at Corta as she set more food on his plate. "You two let me know if you need anything. You have the full pack's support behind you."
"Thanks." I took a deep breath as Kurt sent a wave of support through the link we shared with him as our alpha. I couldn't wait until Brett was able t
o feel Kurt's compassion through the link as well. Hell, I couldn't wait until we mated, and he could feel our own mate link stronger than it already was. "We're good, but thanks. We're going to sneak off in a bit and spend some time alone." I met Kurt's understanding gaze.
"I'm happy for you both." Kurt grinned.
"And I'll bring breakfast to you in the morning. I'll knock and leave it on a cart outside the door. You two take as much time as you want." Corta bent down and kissed my cheek before moving to Brett. "I'm going to kiss your cheek, so don't jump," she said as she bent in and kissed Brett's cheek as well.
A blush colored Brett's neck, but he smiled. "Thank you, Corta. Thank you, all of you, for making me feel so welcome. I know this has been hard on everyone. Bridger talked about a lot of friends in the pack."
"He was well liked." Kurt sighed. "His parents are planning a memorial for him. I'll let you know as soon as I have a date."
I pushed my plate back. "You done?" I brushed my lips over Brett's ear.
"Yeah, again, thank you for dinner. It was amazing." He reached over, searching for my hand.
I took it as I stood, giving a nod to everyone as I gently tugged Brett out of the kitchen. I was thankful I had such good friends. Corta had motioned me to leave our plates and go as everyone else watched us, most knowing we were going off to perform the mating ritual.
It was strange thinking that soon I would be officially a mated wolf. I still didn't know what it all meant or what would happen once we mated, but I was excited to find out. I'd watched Cohen and Kurt and a few others after they mated, and I saw how it had changed their lives in so many ways. All good. I wanted that. I'd always been nervous that I'd regret having to give up my freedom, maybe feel tied down, but that wasn't the case at all. I was finding that I wanted that attachment, that commitment. I wanted Brett to be part of everything I did.
As we made our way to our room, I wrapped my arm around his waist. "No doubts?"