by Limoges, M.
Damien pointed to his vacated chair. “Wolves. You’ve seen the photos.”
“Yeah, I get that. But I also saw a picture of you in that stack and some doctored image of…Hell, I don’t know what the fuck that thing is supposed to be.”
His lover paused a foot or so away, the intensity in his gaze direct and unyielding. “There are things in this world many people wouldn’t understand. What they don’t understand, they tend to destroy.”
He narrowed his gaze, striving in vain to follow the thread of conversation. Something about those words prompted him to mutter, “Roberts thinks there are Werewolves in Los Lobos.”
Yeah, so what if he felt foolish for saying it? It was the twisted truth Roberts believed.
“Werewolves.” Damien snorted, the sound lacking amusement. “There’s no such thing as Werewolves.”
“I figured that much out on my own.”
Damien shook his head in disgust. “Dave Roberts isn’t going to stop until he gets what he wants, no matter who or what he has to go through to achieve his goal.”
“Why the hell would he go to so much trouble just to get rid of a pack of Wolves?” He asked, more confused than ever. Roberts’s motivation made no sense, not to say the man had any sense left.
“They’re not typical Wolves, Mike.”
“Then what are they?”
The question hung in the silence between them. Damien’s serious gaze never wavered from his, and the sinking feeling in his gut plunged to his feet.
Another full minute passed before Damien apparently came to a decision. “It’s easier if I show you.” Scowling, he grabbed the hem of his t-shirt. “Just…don’t freak out or some shit.”
He lifted his brows at the strange statement, unsure what the crap it meant. He remained quiet, watching as the other man swept the shirt over his head and tossed it in his chair. When he popped the button on his jeans and lowered the zipper, Mike sat at attention.
“Uh, this requires you to take off your clothes?”
Ignoring the question, Damien made quick work ridding himself of the rest of his clothing, lobbing them in the chair to join his shirt. He stood as bare as the day he was born, the porch light gleaming on his tanned skin. Closing his eyes, he inhaled in a deep breath and rolled his neck from side to side.
Mike let his gaze rove over the length of his lover’s body, absorbing every defined line and contour of his strong frame. A low hum buzzed around them, the electric fizzle raising the hairs on his arms. When Damien lifted his glowing gaze, he experienced a moment of panic.
“Don’t freak.” The raw, guttural tone cut through the charged air, robbing his limbs of the ability to move.
Easier said than done.
Reality, or at least the one he knew, halted and bended into impossibility. Mimicking the ugly image in Roberts’s photo, Damien’s mouth morphed into what could only be described as a distended muzzle. His limbs and torso elongated, while hair sprang from every inch of his skin. As bones snapped and crunched, his figure morphed into something different.
Something completely fucking unfeasible.
Within seconds, he dropped onto all fours and shook out his big body, from the tip of his nose to the last hair on his tail.
Mike snapped his sagging mouth shut and gawked at the large black wolf standing in front of him. “Can I freak out now?”
Chapter Seven
Damien shifted to his human form, making the transition just as quick as before. “I’d rather you didn’t.”
Slow and cautious, he bent forward, extending his arm to retrieve his clothing from the chair. Redressing as quick as possible, he studied his human lover, watching for any outward reaction apart from the blank expression pasted on his face. Aside from his question, the man hadn’t budged a single muscle in the last few minutes.
“Are you still with me?” Since he’d entrusted him with the most important secret of his life, he sure as fuck hoped his mate was with him.
Mike leaned his head against the deck chair, the air dispelling from his lungs in a loud whoosh. “I was so not expecting that.”
Damien resisted the urge to pull him into his arms and soothe his distress. “I didn’t mean to alarm you.” He shrugged because he honestly had no idea what else to do. “It was the fastest and easiest way to explain.”
“Hell of an explanation, man.” Mike barked out a laugh. “I suppose it does answer a lot of questions.”
He eyed his lover warily. “Why are you taking this so well?”
“I have no idea. Give me a minute.” Mike rose to his feet. “What I do know is I need a drink.”
Skeptical of his mate’s unruffled reaction, he followed him through the backdoor into the kitchen. He leaned against the bar, studying the other man’s every move. His lover reached into the fridge and grabbed a beer. After he’d downed the entire contents in one long gulp, he tossed the bottle in the trash, released a loud belch then sagged against the counter behind him.
“I’m not going to lie, that was some fucked up shit.” Mike lifted his arm and rubbed the nape of his neck. “But I’m dealing. I just wish you had told me sooner. It would’ve saved me a hell of a lot of trouble, and maybe it might’ve helped me understand you better.”
“This is not only my secret to share. The entire livelihood of my pack depends on what I just revealed to you. I need to know I can trust you with this.”
If I can trust you with my life? Since that’s what was at stake. Quite literally.
Mike’s head jerked as if he’d been slapped. A fierce glower marred his face, the hard glint in his gaze relaying his offence.
“It’s a bit late to question your trust in me, don’t you think?” He threw his hands in the air in an exaggerated motion and shouted at the ceiling. “Jesus Christ, Damien. Sometimes you make my fucking head hurt.”
Startled by the outburst, he stifled the sudden urge to laugh. It definitely wasn’t the appropriate time, but he’d never witnessed his usual calm and collected lover’s flair for dramatics. He crossed the kitchen, compelled to touch him, pausing when he stood a foot away. He gazed into the crystal-blue eyes that had snared him from the start.
“Sorry, baby.” He laid his hand against the side of his mate’s throat, rubbing his thumb over his flushed cheek. “I wish things could be that simple, but they’re not when so many people depend on me.”
Mike closed his eyes, leaning into the touch. “You can trust me. With anything.”
Warmth infused his soul to its depths. Closing the last bit of space between them, he wrapped an arm around his lover and seized his mouth. His lips brushed across Mike’s, sampling his sweetness with the tender kiss.
He pulled back to stare into a set of bright eyes. “I’ll never question you again. From this moment on, I’ll trust you with my life.”
Unease flickered in his blue gaze, but Mike swallowed and nodded. “All right.” His brow furrowed. “What happened to those men?”
Dropping his arm, he retreated a step. “Do you really want to know?”
Mike glanced at his feet and shook his head. “Hell, I don’t know anymore.” He lifted his gaze. “Are they dead?”
His mate had no trouble reading the truth in his eyes. “Fuck.”
Suddenly defensive, he hardened his features. “What did you expect us to do? Let them return to Roberts and expose us to the world? How long do you think we would’ve survived after that? Shit, you might as well of pinned a fucking flashing target on our backs. And what about our young? Some of them are no more than babies. Were we supposed to stand aside and allow hunters to come in and slaughter them, or worse, abduct them and place them in some fucking lab to be experimented on and dissected?”
The color drained from Mike’s cheeks and his eyes widened. Shit, he needed to rein in his temper before he scared off his mate completely.
Holding his lover’s gaze, he moved closer and softened his tone. “They can’t change what they are no more than I can. I was born this way.
I didn’t choose this life, but every Wolf in my pack has a responsibility to protect our way of life. We didn’t set out to intentionally hurt anyone, but we deserve a shot at living a normal life just like everyone else in this world. When someone holds the barrel of a gun to your head, what do you do?”
Mike stared at him long enough that he shifted from foot to foot in nervousness. Christ, had he blown it or what? When he couldn’t take the silence any longer, he opened his mouth, but Mike threw up his hand to stop him.
“Okay.”
He lifted his brows at the single word. “Okay?”
Mike nodded. “Okay.”
“What do you—”
A soft mouth crashed into his, stealing the air from his lungs. When his mate’s tongue pushed past his lips and swept inside, he hoped to God this meant acceptance. At once, his dick stirred to life at his lover’s passionate response.
Too soon, Mike pulled away and murmured. “I’m meeting Roberts at the reserve in the morning.”
The words had the same effect as a punch to the face. He shouted in outrage. “Are you out of your damn mind? Why?”
“After all this, you have to ask?” Releasing a gusty sigh, Mike leveled a stare at him. “He’s determined to find proof, and I have to be there to make sure he doesn’t do something stupid.”
“Then I’ll go with you.”
Mike rolled his eyes. “Yeah, he’d likely put a bullet in your ass first. He already has his suspicions of what you are. Hell, not that I really know myself, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. Just let me do this, all right?”
There was no way in hell he would leave him alone with Roberts again. However, he knew better than to bother arguing with his stubborn mate. He saw it in the determined set of his jaw. This was something his sheriff wouldn’t yield on.
“Fine.” Didn’t mean he wouldn’t be there tomorrow though.
“You’d better start filling me in on more crap. Roberts, for one. Then you can tell me exactly how the hell you can change into a wolf.” Mike strode across the kitchen and closed the backdoor, locking and securing it for the night. “Oh, and what’s your last name? That’s bugged the shit out of me all day.”
Caught off guard, he lifted his brows. “Uh, Marks.”
His lover turned to face him. “Damien Marks. Hmm, I never would’ve guessed that.” He shrugged then flicked off the overhead light and walked right out of the room. Damien stood there gaping like a fool in the dim kitchen, wondering what the hell just happened.
Was he supposed to leave? Well damn it, he didn’t want to. He glanced at the locked backdoor, suddenly unsure of himself. Before he had to make the decision to stay or go, Mike popped his head around the corner.
“Are you coming to bed or what?”
Equal parts confused and relieved, he grunted. “I’m coming.”
“Good. Grab some water. You’re going to be doing a lot of talking tonight.”
Chapter Eight
For the second time in twenty-four hours, Mike stood outside of the Den, hesitating at the entrance. With one last fortifying breath, he yanked open the heavy steel door and strode inside. As expected, every head in the place swung in his direction.
Thankful for the time of night, or morning rather, he was pleased to see only a few faces. Of course that didn’t dispel the sense of impending doom churning in his stomach. Especially after the information Damien shared with him. In fact, he found it hard not to examine each of the ten or so people scattered throughout the bar in an entirely new light.
He ignored the menacing stares and headed straight for the bar and the large Native American glaring a hole through him. Once he stopped in front of Gee, and with a shit sight more bravado than he imagined he possessed, Mike cut to the chase. “I need to speak with your leader…Alpha.”
Whatever.
If anything, Gee’s expression grew more threatening. “So you know.”
“Seems I do.” He didn’t dare blink.
The large man crossed his arms. “Drew’s unavailable.”
He anticipated the response. “Don’t matter. I still need to speak with him.”
Gee slammed his fists on the countertop and leaned forward, his posture screaming aggression. “I said he’s unavailable.”
Tension in the air was thick enough to carve with a wooden spoon. Behind him, the faint scrape of a chair passed over the timber floorboards, and a sense of urgency prodded him to blurt his next words.
“I’m meeting Dave Roberts at the reserve in”—he glanced to his right at the clock on wall—“six hours. I have to speak to Drew. Damn it.”
The glare from hell on Gee’s face morphed into a look of mild irritation. After a few moments, he reached into his pants pocket and retrieved a cell phone. Without a word, he lumbered from behind the counter and into a room off the side of the bar. Apart from the low drone of music in the background, Mike waited in uncomfortable silence. He felt every eye in the establishment glued on him.
Within a few minutes, Gee leaned halfway out the doorway. He waved him over. Sucking down a sigh of relief, he strode toward the room. Gee stood aside, allowing him to enter what appeared to be an office.
From the entryway, Gee pointed at a chair in front of a desk that had seen better days. “Have a seat. He’ll be here in ten.”
That said, the large Native American stepped out and slammed the door, leaving him alone in a dank, old office. He supposed this was about as close to hospitality as he would get around here. At the moment, sitting didn’t seem like a bad option.
Plopping down, he pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and middle finger and contemplated when he’d lost his mind. Shit, if he had, it was Damien’s fault.
To be honest, he hadn’t realized how much he and his lover had in common until Damien had finally spoken, telling him how he’d left his original pack at a young age, of his lonely years drifting from one place to the next, searching for some form of acceptance, a place to call home.
But he’d had found it, hadn’t he? With his pack of Wolves?
They stood behind each other, protecting their way of existence. As Damien explained it, the pack offered a sense of community to a people used to surviving in the shadows, always on the fringes of life, hiding their true selves from a world that would otherwise persecute them. In Los Lobos they’d found a safe haven, which reasonably, they guarded with an iron-like grip.
However, Roberts appeared intent to obliterate the very sanctuary that had taken Damien and his pack years to build. Somehow, that just didn’t sit right with Mike.
In his life, he’d known people just like Roberts. People who couldn’t understand the world was not always black and white, that there were far more gray areas in between. Those who held nothing but disdain and hatred for others they deemed different, unnatural, unworthy of love. People like his parents.
When he’d lain awake in bed with his lover tucked behind him snoring loud enough to wake the dead, he struggled over the right decision, or at least what he felt was the right thing to do. It just so happened, sitting here at two in the damned morning, waiting for the leader of a pack of Wolves, did feel right.
A click of the door pulled him from his thoughts, and he craned his neck to see two men enter the office. Mindful of his manners and the fact this wasn't his neck of the woods, he stood and faced the pair. A few feet away, a different Native American male scowled at him, while a second man with short, disheveled hair looked him over.
“Well, Sheriff, I sincerely hope this is worth me leaving my woman alone in our nice, warm bed.” The brown-haired man stepped forward and extended his hand. “I’m Drew, by the way. And this is Ryker.”
Despite the tense setting, he snorted. “Sorry about that. It’s important or I wouldn’t have disturbed you.”
Drew nodded, released his hand then skirted the desk and dropped into the office chair behind it. “Please, have a seat.”
Mike returned to his seat, while Ryker sat in the chai
r beside him. Neither man’s gaze wavered from him, which added more weight to an already unnerving situation and prickled the hair at his nape.
He breached the silence. “I spoke with Damien.”
Drew leaned back in his chair and crossed his hands over his stomach. “That’s what I’d heard. Gee mentioned you were meeting Roberts later this morning.”
“I am.” Holding the Alpha’s direct stare, he realized there were times when right and wrong wouldn’t coincide with law-abiding. Some things in life were more important than duty. “I have a proposition for you.”
Chapter Nine
Mike leaned against the patrol car and tugged the brim of his hat lower, shielding his eyes from the morning sun. He glanced at his watch. A few more minutes and Roberts would arrive.
Despite the mantle of unease slung around his shoulders, he forced his body to relax. He sincerely hoped Drew was a man of his word, though the Alpha hadn’t given him a reason to doubt him.
In fact, he actually liked the man. He found him rather interesting and hospitable when all was said and done. He’d been quite forthcoming with information about Roberts, his business partner Marston, and the missing hunters, and more so about Damien. Some of the things he’d revealed had left him stunned, but he’d appreciated Drew’s frankness, and the Alpha had respected his position as sheriff. At the end of their hour-long conversation, they’d reached a compromise.
Later, when he’d stepped outside the Den into the rising light of day, everything had been set in motion, and he didn’t suffer a twinge of guilt for the decisions he’d made. He’d only hoped Damien would understand.
Gravel crunched beneath the tread of tires, signaling Roberts’s arrival. A gleaming SUV pulled alongside his patrol car and stopped. With a smile on his face, Roberts stepped out and opened the backdoor of his vehicle.