by Marla Monroe
Wren couldn’t stay angry with him. He looked genuinely upset to hear it wasn’t some fairy tale that all shifter communities had to keep their young in line. He didn’t look at her with pity but with sadness and she could see warmth in his expression. Warmth and support if she was willing to reach out.
“He’s holding on. He’s been holding on for me for a long time. Mo is thirty-five. I’m afraid that if I accept the mating right now, he’ll give up. I want more time for him. As long as he thinks he has to be responsible for me, he’ll fight it,” she admitted, staring down at where her fingers pulled on the blouse she’d worn.
“Is that why you moved out, or was it really to get away from him pushing you at Alex?” Eason asked.
“It was a little of both. The more he pushed me at Alex, the angrier I’d get, and I knew I’d do something stupid if I didn’t move out and put some distance between us. And,” she sighed, pushing her hair out of her face, “being so far from you guys was eating away at my ability to focus and be normal. Mo would have figured out what was going on before much longer. Wild dogs get stir-crazy without their mates and I guess my hormones have already claimed you two.”
“Good,” Eason said.
Wren frowned and turned toward the other bear. “What?”
“Because we’ve already claimed you, too.” Eason closed the distance between them and took her mouth in a gossamer kiss she felt more in her heart and soul than she did on her lips.
When he pulled back, all Wren could see was his dark eyes staring down at her with an intensity that almost scared her. She’d never had anyone that focused on her before. It was disconcerting and a huge turn-on all at the same time.
“Time to get out of the truck, guys. I see wild dogs heading our way.” Warren’s voice broke through the spell that had stilled her body when nothing else ever had.
“Give me a week, Eason. Okay? I promise I’ll come to you in a week.” With that, Wren climbed out of the cab of the truck with Warren’s help to meet her welcoming party.
Chapter Five
Eason didn’t say anything all the way back home. He couldn’t stop thinking about what that kiss had done to him. Not only had it rocked his world, but it had affected him some other way as well. He felt different inside. For once in all his years after he hit puberty, the bears weren’t rumbling in his head trying to hold dominance over the other. The silence had instantly felt wonderful and amazing, but now it felt odd. As if all of a sudden he was the only person alive in the world.
“You haven’t said one word since we left town. Are you okay, brother?” Warren asked.
He’d felt the other man’s looks in his direction despite the gloom of the evening around them. As his bondmate, they shared a common link that would solidify once they’d gone through the mating in full. Right now, it was more of an inkling of understanding between them.
“I’m good. Kissing her fixed something inside of me. I’m just trying to figure out what it is that changed.” He hoped Warren wouldn’t push just yet. Like their mate needing some time, he did, too.
“When you figure out what changed, talk to me, Eason. We need to be able to handle whatever it is.”
“I will, but I don’t think it’s anything bad. At least I don’t think it has the potential to be bad. It’s just different.” He shrugged, using the excuse of keeping his attention on the road to avoid looking at his bondmate.
“I can’t believe you kissed her. Right there in the parking lot where her brother could have seen her. Hell, for all I know, the wild dogs who came out to get her might have seen you. You know they’ll report back to their alpha,” Warren said.
“They didn’t see anything. If they had, they’d have been all over us before we could get the doors open,” Eason said.
“How are you dealing with her putting us off?”
“Why are you asking so many questions? You aren’t my therapist, Warren.” Eason couldn’t believe that had come out of his mouth. “I’m sorry. I don’t know where that came from.”
Warren was silent for several heartbeats before he started chuckling. Eason wanted to hit him and demand what was so damn funny to him. They had a mate who didn’t want to claim them publicly just yet and her brother was on the edge of losing his sanity. What could he possibly see that was funny?
“Brother. That kiss packed more than just hormonal lust. I think you’ve already exchanged some of the mating hormone. You sound like Wren,” Warren said between chuckles.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Eason asked, turning to glare at him.
“Keep your eyes on the road, Eason,” Warren said. “Tell me. How often when I’ve asked you how you were feeling or if you were having trouble with the bears, did you want to tell me that or just to shut the fuck up?”
Eason planned to tell him he didn’t think that. He appreciated Warren was trying to keep him sane and alive, but what came out was entirely different.
“All the fucking time. I know you’re just trying to help, but talking about how I’m feeling and do I need to do some breathing exercises all the time was going to drive me crazy if I hadn’t been heading that way anyway. It pisses me off sometimes.” Eason would have slapped his hand over his mouth if a semi hadn’t chosen that moment to pass them and he had to use both hands to keep the steering wheel straight.
That seemed to amuse Warren even more. He nearly shook the truck as much as he was laughing. Eason was going to beat his ass when they got home and he wasn’t busy driving. He would wipe the ground with him.
That was when it hit him that he was the one talking about throwing a good old ass whipping to his best friend. The bears were quiet. They were still there, but it wasn’t them demanding satisfaction. What. The. Fuck?
What happened to me? Is it permanent or will it go away? Did Wren’s kiss do that to me? Holy fuck!
He probed the two bears who’d always been fighting over dominance in his head. Neither of them seemed to care about that right then. They were too busy watching what he was doing.
“This is perfect, Eason. I don’t feel your bears’ tension right now. Are they toning it down some? That has to make it easier on you to control them. Think what this means for you. No more struggling to keep them from lashing out. If she does that for you, we’re going to have to tie her to your side.” Warren slapped the dashboard as Eason pulled down the drive to park in the back.
The moment he’d shoved the gearshift into park, Eason grabbed the keys and jumped out to meet his bondmate at the front of the truck. Before either of them realized it, Eason was on him.
“Shut the fuck up, Warren. For once, keep your damn mouth closed and stop laughing at me.” Eason landed a punch to Warren’s jaw.
Warren’s head snapped back, but he managed to stay on his feet and connected with a gut punch that had the air whooshing from Eason’s lungs in a harsh exhale. They grappled for a good fifteen minutes before Locke and Otto were pulling them apart with snarls and growls.
When Eason could see again, he looked up to find all of his sleuth mates and his Ursa staring at him as if he’d grown a horn on his head instead of fur. What where they staring at? He looked down at his body then turned around to see if something was behind him but there was nothing but trees and the truck.
“I don’t believe it,” Serenity said with so much exasperation it was almost comical. “Why are you two fighting? You’re supposed to be bondmates working to take care of your mate.”
“We’re just letting off a little steam,” Warren said with an innocent expression on his face.
“That’s not what it looked like to me,” their Ursa said.
“You didn’t shift,” Otto said in his stilted accent. “Why you didn’t shift?”
“I didn’t want to shift. That takes things to a different level,” Eason said, narrowing his brows in aggravation. “I didn’t want to kill him, just rough him up some for driving me insane.”
“I think what Otto means is that you always shift w
hen you get upset or angry. You didn’t do that this time,” Creed said, looking from Warren back to Eason.
“Um, I wasn’t really angry, just tired of his constant nagging. I don’t always have to shift,” he protested despite the fact it was the truth.
“Yes,” Warren said with a huge shit-eating grin on his face. “You do.”
“Oh, that too,” Serenity said with a smile. “Looks like the love bug or the mating bug has a few surprises in store. Congratulations, Eason.”
Everyone gaped when she kissed Shayne on the chin and walked back inside as if nothing of major importance had occurred. Creed exchanged a look with Shayne and shook his head. His partner shrugged and followed their pregnant Ursa back inside.
“If this is true,” Creed began. “It solves a lot of problems for you, Eason.”
“I hope it is,” Warren agreed. “I said I planned to tie her to him.”
Creed chuckled at that. “Wren might not appreciate that. Did you three talk about things while you were on the road?”
“Yes,” Eason said with a sigh. “She knows we are mates and plans to accept the mating, but wants some time.”
“Just like a female to string you along while she makes you jump through hoops,” Locke said with a shake of his head.
“Screw you, brother. Just wait until you find your mate, and she isn’t stringing us along. That thing we’ve always heard about male African Wild Dogs going insane without their mates is true. Mojave is thirty-five and has been holding on by the skin of his teeth to keep his sister safe. She’s trying to come to grips with the fact that when she accepts us, it will be the beginning of his decline.” Eason was angry enough to fight his Ruka over the insult to Wren, but he didn’t feel the bears’ fury beating at him to get out.
“See,” Warren said with a smile wide enough to break his face. “No bears. She’s a miracle worker.”
“Impressive,” Otto murmured. “Have never seen him get that fired up without the fur erupting.”
“There’s one catch, though,” Warren pointed out.
“What’s that?” Creed asked, his previous smile fading.
“While he seems to be a little more in control of his bears, he’s lost control of his mouth.” Warren dodged Eason’s fist heading toward his face.
“Fuck you, Warren. I don’t have to watch everything I say in case I piss someone off enough they rile the bears.” Eason liked being able to show his emotions. But maybe it would get old fast.
“See what I mean?” Warren pointed out after taking two giant steps away from him.
Creed, Seth, and Bane all laughed. Locke and Otto scowled. Eason was in the same state of mind as Locke and Otto. It remained to be seen how long it would last and if his newfound control came with a price greater than motor mouth.
“Until he learns to watch what he says, everyone needs to stand back and relax around him. We don’t know what this means long term. No need to set him off if we don’t have to,” Creed told everyone. “I mean it. No teasing the bears!”
That brought out a huge feminine laugh from inside. Evidently Serenity was eavesdropping on them from the safety of the house, Eason thought. He smiled, realizing he could think freely for the first time since turning eleven. This newfound freedom meant he could think whatever he wanted it seemed like without adding fuel to the fiery nature of his bears. How cool was this going to be.
Now he could imagine his mate on her hands and knees while he thrust his hard cock inside of her honey sweet pussy or that plump tight ass without sprouting hair. Fantasies were never private with two warring animals inside of him. Any wayward thought that brought out emotions whether, anger, hurt, or arousal also brought with it the two bears’ dominant natures. They’d even fight it out over pretend pussy.
Warren popped him on the back of the head, making him swirl on his bondmate with a loud snarl.
“Didn’t you hear, Creed? No teasing my bears, asshole.” But Eason was only half serious. He was much too excited about the turn of events and wondered what would happen if he really did kiss his mate?
Fuck me! Sex! Making love to her might just kill me. I don’t care. I’ll die a happy bear. Bring it on, mate. Bring it on!
Chapter Six
Wren smiled as she sat down across from her brother. Something about him seemed more relaxed. His answering smile melted some of the worry that had plagued her since she’d decided to move out.
“All unpacked, birdie?” he asked.
“Pretty much. I’m not sure where I want to put a few things, so they’re still in a box. I’ll sort it out, though.” Wren waited while the waitress went over the specialties then asked, “Anything going on at the garage? Has anyone said anything about my moving out yet?”
“No. They all know, but nothing’s been said. Of course I won’t hear it without you to fill me in,” he pointed out.
Wren cringed. It was another reason moving out had been a difficult decision for her. She was his beta, his ears and his eyes. She needed to convince him to find someone there he trusted enough to keep him informed about the pack. TJ was the only one she really felt comfortable with being honest, but the wild dog couldn’t hold his own if the others decided to gang up on him.
“Don’t worry about it, birdie. Everything will work out. I do need a favor of you, though. I was going to talk to you about it the other day but after Alex put the pressure on you again and you left, I hadn’t thought about it again,” Mojave said.
“What is it? You know you don’t have to ask. I’ll take care of it for you, Mo.”
“I’m supposed to meet with the alpha of two of the Midwest packs this coming weekend. I’m going to leave Friday morning and won’t be back until late Sunday night or early Monday morning. I need you to tend to the garage Friday and Saturday for me.” He smiled. “It’s nothing you don’t already do and have done in the past, but after the mess with Alex. I’m a little uneasy about leaving you.”
“Don’t dwell on it, Mo. I’ll take care of everything. The guys will be there, so nothing to worry about.” Wren smiled and started to ask him where they were meeting when the waitress returned for their order.
Wren forgot about it as they started talking about various pack members who needed help with something. Most people thought the pack’s alpha and beta were luxury positons where everyone had to wait on them. The truth of the matter was that they tended to be everything from psychiatrist, social worker, and priest to provider, referee, and disciplinarian. It was a draining job that left little time for them to enjoy themselves or just relax. There was always something to take care of.
After finishing their meals, Mojave excused himself for a moment, leaving Wren to glance around at the others in the restaurant. She noticed three of her pack mates sitting at a table far enough they wouldn’t be able to overhear their conversation, but close enough should there be trouble. There were mostly humans in the building but she recognized a few shifter faces from the wolf pack as well. Since they were tables of families, Wren didn’t think it was planned. Surely Alex wouldn’t put an entire family at risk just to spy would he?
Dismissing that thought, Wren noticed Mo walking toward the table at a brisk pace. She immediately stood up as he reached the table.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Got a text from the garage. TJ and Scoot are pulling guard duty. Someone’s poking around, so I need to get back. I’m sending Eddy and Hank to take you home,” he said.
“No. I’m coming with you to see what’s going on. They can take me back after we’re sure everything is fine.” She waved at the passing waitress. “Check please. We’ll be at the register.”
The waitress nodded and Wren followed her brother to the front of the building. She could tell he wasn’t happy that she planned to go with him. With relief, she noticed that their guard detail had surrounded them as was protocol. It had been another thing she’d worried about. She was the one who made sure protocols were followed. If it were up to her brother,
most of them would just go away. They were there for a reason.
It only took fifteen minutes to make the short trip back to the garage from the restaurant. The guards jumped out first, sniffing the air as they spread out. One of them signaled that they didn’t smell anything, so she and Mo stepped out of the car. Wren tested the air but couldn’t scent anything out of the ordinary. What had spooked TJ and Scoot? Neither of them were prone to nerves.
“Where’s TJ and Scoot?” she asked her brother. “I would have thought they’d be watching for us and meet us outside.” Wren didn’t like it one bit.
“Stay here with Eddy. Hank and Allen come with me.” Mojave started toward the back door of the garage.
“No. I’m not staying anywhere. This feels like a setup to me, Mo. I don’t like it.” Wren sniffed the air once again. This time she caught something but wasn’t sure what it was.
“Allen. You’re better at tracking than anyone. Do you smell something, I don’t know, different?” she asked.
Allen looked at her then lifted his head. A soft growl left his mouth before he opened it and inhaled that way as well.
“What is it?” Mo asked.
“Wolf. But it’s not one from Alex’s pack. His scent isn’t one I’m familiar with,” Allen said.
“Allen, try texting TJ and Scoot. See if they answer,” Mo said.
She watched as Allen pulled out his phone and typed out a quick message. While they waited for a reply, Wren urged her brother to duck down behind one of the trucks. She didn’t like that they were basically sitting ducks since they had no idea if someone was waiting on them or even watching them.
“It’s been nearly five minutes and no answer,” Mo pointed out. “Something’s wrong. I don’t like leaving them down somewhere when we could be helping them.”
“Me either, but we’ve got to be careful,” she agreed.
“Eddy and I will sneak in through the side door that no one knows about but the pack,” Allen said. “Call my phone and leave yours on once we are connected. You’ll be able to hear anything that might happen in case we’re attacked.”