by Shelby Lynn
“Wow—I wondered about her beautiful eyes, and them being silver. I could sense right away that she was a wolf. I can’t wait to get to know her and Simon. If she is important to you then she is also to me as well,” he told the man before him.
“Thank you, that means more than I can possibly say,” Teddy told him. The sound of the phone ringing pulled them from their conversation.
Wolfe couldn’t help wondering who was calling. All their family and friends were here for the Ceremony. He watched Alpha Mate Garrett walk across the room to answer the phone. A few minutes later, he could tell it wasn’t a congratulatory call for the couple. From the looks of it—the call was serious. Within a few moments, he was heading back their way. He could tell by the look that it wasn’t good.
“What is up, Alpha Mate?” Wolfe asked.
“That was Councilor Jackson. As you know, the first call came into the Sanctuary hotline several hours ago to Garrett before the Ceremony began. We then had the calls forwarded during the Ceremony so everyone could be here today. The young wolf, Ethan, who was severely beaten by his Alpha, has escaped and is on the road. Councilor Jackson told him of the safe place to meet you. The Councilor wanted you to leave immediately after the Ceremony on this one, Wolfe.
“Which is the reason for the late call, he didn’t want to damper the Ceremony. Only now, it can’t wait any longer. The man is on his way, and in serious danger. If the Alpha catches this man, he will be dead,” Garrett told them very seriously.
How was he supposed to leave his mate, when he had just met him? Wolfe thought. He looked into his mate’s eyes with sadness for their situation.
Teddy watched the situation unfold before him. He knew his mate was torn between just finding him, and helping out the man in trouble. It was time to step in and help his mate.
“Wolfe, I’ll go with you on this rescue if you want. We can’t leave this man to die. I can handle my own in a fight. We can leave anytime. I always have a suitcase in the car for my sudden road trips with my book tours.” He hoped he wasn’t being to forward, but he honestly didn’t care. Teddy wasn’t letting his mate out of his sight if he had a choice in the matter.
Wolfe couldn’t even begin to tell his mate how happy he was in this moment. That his mate would ask to go with him was amazing. “Thank you, it means a lot you would want to go with me,” Wolfe told Teddy. Then he turned to his Alpha Mate to get the information they would need.
“Do you have the information, Alpha Mate, on the meeting place?” Wolfe asked.
“Yes—you already know the man’s name is Ethan Clarke, he will be meeting you not far from here. He is from a Pack about six hours from here, but he is on his way. The Councilor wants you to meet up with him. There is a small run-down motel about thirty-five minutes away called Shady Oak Inn. He is in room thirty-six, and the way he’ll know you are from the Sanctuary is by your code name Tiny Timmy. I am assuming little Timmy had something to do with that one,” Garrett said with a laugh.
“Thank you, Alpha Mate—we’ll leave immediately,” Wolfe assured Garrett.
“I’ll let the others know you will be gone,” Haven told them both.
They watched the Alphas walk away.
“Are you absolutely sure you want to go, Teddy?” asked Wolfe.
“Yes—where you go I’ll follow,” Teddy answered with a smile.
“Thank you, my mate. I’ll run up to my room and get my stuff. Is your bag in your trunk?” not really wanting him to leave his side, but knowing it was practical.
“Yes…I’ll meet you out front,” Teddy told him with a smile, and gazed up into his handsome face.
Wolfe couldn’t wait another moment to touch his mate. He gently took his face in his hands and slowly lowered his lips to his mate’s, placing a soft kiss on his mate’s firm lips. Then he looked deep into his incredible eyes, before he headed upstairs.
Teddy watched his mate walk away. All he could think was, holy shit…
Chapter Four
Ethan didn’t know if he would ever move again. His Alpha had literally beaten the shit out of him once again—well, with the help of his Betas! Dammit, why was it so damn wrong to be GAY! he thought for the thousandth time. There were others in the Pack with the same desires. Yet, for some reason, the Alpha didn’t look in their direction. Nor did he beat the shit out of them for it either. Not that he had ever made any advances on any of them.
Shit—he would die before allowing those monsters to touch him. For the last two months, he had received repeated beatings from the three of them. It was now to the point of a life and death struggle.
Alpha Alexander was the worst of the lot, and his followers were right up there with him. In the last few weeks, it had become unbearable to live in the same Pack with those idiots! He no longer cared if he stayed in the Rivers Pack. His sole reason for staying was for an adopted family member that had died three days ago. Grammy Jess had taken him in as a little pup. She had seen the damage the Alpha and his “goons,” as she called them, had done every chance they got over the last three months.
The night Grammy had passed away, she made him promise to leave the Rivers Pack and never return. She handed him a card with the phone number of people who would help him. With her last breath, he promised to leave as soon as she was laid to rest. They had left him alone until after she was laid to rest. Unfortunately, they were lying in wait as he went to his small shack he had shared with Grammy.
His wolf was so weak from all the previous beatings, Ethan didn’t know if he could even shift when he saw them waiting. They were on him in a matter of seconds before he even had a chance to try. The two Betas where much stronger than Ethan was at that point, but he struggled for all he was worth. The strong man he was deep inside would come out in voice, if nothing else.
“Sons of Bitches, you are no leaders! A real leader wouldn’t treat his people like this!” Ethan shouted. He just couldn’t keep quiet. There was no one to come to his aid. The Pack was protecting their families by not stepping in.
“You no good, fag. I am going to beat the depravity out of your hide. No wolf of mine is going to want another man! If we can’t beat this sickness out of you—then you’ll at least die from our redemption!” Alpha Alexander screamed at him. His sidekicks, Mason and Lyell, just egged him on. There was something about this wolf—it was just unnatural.
Ethan had nowhere to run—they had all jumped on him at once. His wolf howled in frustration for not being able to help him. They left no part of his body untouched as they beat him. It seemed like hours later, but it could have only been five minutes, when he was just about to pass out from the damage. He knew he was about to die. The wolves were not letting up—if anything, the violence was getting worse with each passing minute.
All of a sudden, he felt something deep inside of him snap loose. It was the only way he knew how to describe the feeling that took over his body. Through his swollen eyes, he saw the brightest light literally knock the men off his body. What the hell? was all his barely conscious mind could think in that second? Then it felt like his body was breaking a part. Not even all the beatings he had suffered hurt this bad!
When the pain finally stopped, he was no longer himself. In fact, he was something altogether different. With the stretch of his wings, he took off into the wind. Never in his life had he ever felt anything like this. It was glorious—the pain a distant thought at the back of his mind. As he reached for his wolf, he suddenly worried that he had lost this important part of himself. His wolf was still very weak, but it was still very much a part of him. Just as this new form was a part of him now as well. He looked down at the men he had just thrown off him.
“What the hell just happened?” Alexander said as he picked himself up off the ground from the force unlike anything he had ever seen. He couldn’t believe his eyes at first. Before him, where once the disgraced man lay taking their retribution, was a white light with the man floating and changing before his eyes. In a flash, the m
an turned into a huge eagle, and took off into the air.
“How did he do that,” Mason asked in disbelief. He watched as it disappeared into the clouds above.
“He can’t get away! He has to be worth something being a freak of nature!” Lyell told the other two.
“Ethan is mine! I will never let him go! No one else can know about him, Betas,” Alexander yelled. Ethan was his property; of this, he had no doubts. Alexander’s own reasons for the beatings were much different from the other two men. Ethan would never touch another man! He hated himself even more for wanting the man. He wasn’t some GAY lover! Ethan bewitched him, and the sight before him just confirmed he was using magic on him. Ethan must die. He was evil, and there was no way he would allow him to entrap anyone else within his web.
“Alright, Alpha, we won’t say a word,” responded Lyell.
“I want you both to watch for Ethan to return. Do not let him leave!” Alexander growled.
“Yes, Alpha,” said Mason.
Alexander knew it would take magic to break this spell! Now it was time to find a witch willing to help him. He needed this curse or whatever Ethan had given him gone! He would not rest until this was finished—no matter what it took! There was no way he desired a man willingly.
****
Ethan flew on the wind. He never wanted to come down and return to the real world. He couldn’t help thinking, was this all a dream? Was he really dead? Unfortunately, he still was very weak in this form. Another sign he was still alive with everything that had happened to him today. He circled back toward the only home he had ever known, just to find the idiots were still hanging around minus his Alpha. They were talking amongst themselves and not paying any attention.
He landed next to his beat-up car. The transformation back to human was less painful this time around. He was pleasantly surprised to find his clothes were still intact when he phased back. There was no way he was going to get past those two wolves to get a change of clothes. The wind must have blown their direction as he got into the car, because in the next moment they were racing in his direction.
He was so glad when the car started right up. All he heard as the car lurched forward as he floored the gas was the men yelling to each other.
“Stop him,” yelled Lyell.
Ethan knew this country, and was able to hide the car right off a little side road. He watched as the Betas, now in one of the Alpha’s fancy Dodge Dakotas, fly by and a few minutes later, he pulled out the card and made the call for help. He didn’t know where Grammy had gotten this card. Hopefully the person at the other end could help him. He was at the end of his rope, and didn’t know where to go from here. He listened to the ringing of the phone and on the third ring, someone answered.
“Dream Weaver Sanctuary, how may we be of assistance?” said the voice at the other end of the phone.
“I am in trouble.” Ethan didn’t know what else to say.
“Do you want to tell me about your situation?” said the voice.
“I am being abused by my Pack leaders for being “different,” as they call it. The last time almost killed me,” he told the man.
“Do you have family you need to bring along?” asked the voice.
“No—I just lost my only family member a couple of days ago. It will only be me,” Ethan answered sadly.
“Do you feel comfortable giving me your name over the phone?” replied the voice.
“My name is Ethan Clarke. I am from the Rivers Pack in Calgary, Canada.”
“I am going to wire you some money to Western Union for the trip. When you are comfortable you are far enough away from the Pack, stop and pick it up. Do you know anything about our Sanctuary, Ethan?”
“No, my Gram gave the card to me before she died,” Ethan said.
“Are you safe to talk, Ethan?” the voice asked.
“I am right now. Honestly, I don’t think the Alpha thought I would ever try to escape.” Just how sad did that make him sound? He was so much better than this! He swore never to let himself suffer from being bullied ever again!
“Good, now the Dream Weaver Sanctuary is located in Ashford, Washington, along the Cascade Mountains and Mt. Rainer National Park. It is the perfect hideaway with only a little over two hundred residents besides our Haven Pack. The Pack Alpha is Haven Storm, and you will never meet a more understanding Alpha. Alpha Haven and his Pack have all suffered from abuse of one form or another,” Councilor Jackson told him. He had volunteered to operate the hotline during the Mating Ceremony.
“I will be guaranteed safety within the Pack?” Ethan asked. He didn’t want to leave one and jump into even more trouble.
“No harm will befall you from any member of the Haven Pack. I know each of them, and I can guarantee you on this,” Jackson told the hurt wolf.
“Okay—what should I do then?” He was putting his life in the hands of a complete unknown stranger.
“Do you have a vehicle that can make it as far as Washington?” he asked.
“I believe so—it isn’t the best. I think the old “girl” will make it,” Ethan sighed.
“Alright then—about forty miles out from the Sanctuary is a town called Graham, Washington. I am going to have one of the Pack members meet you at the Shady Oak Inn. It is a low-key place, and a place to stash your car until we can have it looked over for tracking devices and such. The man who is meeting you is Wolfe Masterson, and he specializes in rescues. You are still looking at a good eight hours ahead of you,” Jackson told him.
“I can make it. If I break down or something, I’ll call. If I don’t make it you’ll know I was captured by them once again.” Ethan tried to keep the anger out of his voice.
“If you don’t show up at the Inn within a reasonable time, we will send help after you,” Jackson told the worried man.
“Thank you—I can’t even begin to tell you how much this means to me.” It was hard to believe there were people in the world that cared enough to help others this way.
“Checkin if you need anything. Just keep your eyes peeled for anyone following you, and drive safe,” Jackson told him before hanging up.
After hanging up the phone, he was still in shock. He slowly restarted his car and pulled out of his hiding spot. He took the back roads until he was on the main road heading out of Calgary. He decided to wait until he was well away from his hometown before stopping at a grocery store to pick up the money. It was a weight off his shoulders, because he didn’t have more than fifty dollars left after giving his Alpha most of his earnings from the gas station he worked in.
Ethan was feeling better about getting away as he drove through the city limits of Black Diamond, Canada. So far, he hadn’t seen anyone following him. He had visited this town once before. Just up ahead was a Price Cutter grocery store, and he would pick-up the money for the trip. When he pulled into the parking lot, there were just a few cars parked.
He was still very cautious as he climbed out of the car and took in his surroundings. Nothing looked out of the ordinary as he went inside. He walked up to the service counter and asked to pick-up his Western Union with the information the man had given him. In no time, he was walking out of the store with a thousand dollars in cash tucked into his wallet. It was more than enough to get him to where he needed to go. Ethan promised himself he would pay them back someday.
This was something amazing they were doing for people in trouble like him. Ethan wanted them to have it all back to help the next person who called. He would find a job and pay it back over time. With that settled, he got back in the car and drove to the nearest gas station to fill up the nearly empty gas tank.
With a full tank and a couple of burgers, he was back on the road. It would be a very long afternoon ahead of him. Although, for the first time he felt hope for his future.
Chapter Five
Two hours later, Alexander hadn’t heard a peep from his Betas. Just how long did it take them to find Ethan? he thought. They had called him after the “freak
” took off in his car. Now here it was two hours later, and he was getting pissed! Not a word from those two idiots, and he wasn’t one to sit idly and twiddle his thumbs. Everywhere he went, there was the same look of disapproval on the Pack members’ faces. No one was actually stupid enough to say anything to his face. It was enough to see it in their eyes. It must stop! Maybe they needed to be taught a lesson on pissing off the Alpha. Unfortunately, it would have to wait until the “freak” was taken care of though.
Alexander had just gotten off the phone with a less than desirable contact in the world of magic. There was a reason the Shifters steered clear of the Witches and Warlocks of the world. They had once been close, even mating at times centuries ago. Then many shifters started dying at the hands of Black Magic users. This only escalated as the years passed, and their involvement with evil widened the gap. Now, only the undesirables were in contact with the witches. If there was still good in any of them—they stayed well hidden for their own protection.
His informer had given him a name of a witch from California, who was rumored to be the strongest one of her kind. Now all he had to do was call her. Alexander didn’t worry about what this could mean to him personally. All he cared about was getting rid of this curse the “freak” had given him. Nothing else mattered!
After a short call to his Betas, he was fuming once again! Those idiots had lost Ethan!
Dammit—was he the only one who could do anything right around here! he thought. It was ending now! The looks, talking, the overall ignorance of his appointed circle, he'd taken more than enough. It was time to show them once again just who the strongest wolf in the Pack was. Even his own Betas were unworthy of his leadership, as he thought back to how he had come into that leadership in the first place.
He had killed the Alpha of the Rivers Pack in challenge a little over six months ago. Alexander was in search of a Pack of his own. He just happened upon this small Pack, and decided it was perfect for his needs. It didn’t take long to come across the old Alpha. In a matter of hours, the Challenge occurred, observing the rules. So what if he was a much younger and stronger Alpha. He still had won by the rules, per se.