Mark wasn’t sure how long he sat that way but he was so engrossed in his thoughts, he nearly jumped out of his seat when Luke’s fingers twitched under his hand and his eyelids began to flutter.
“Luke? Luke can you hear me?”
Luke opened his eyes a little and frowned at the bright light. He tilted his head to the side and saw Mark next to him, looking at him expectantly. He wasn’t sure where he was exactly, but he remembered he had to tell Mark something.
“Don’t leave me,” he rasped.
His throat felt like sandpaper and the words hurt as he choked them out, but he had to say them before he fell asleep. He was so tired.
Mark didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. All he knew in that moment was that he could never leave the man lying in the bed in front of him. His heart couldn’t take it. Mark got up and leaned over Luke to place a soft kiss on his forehead.
“Never,” Mark said resolutely. “You’re my world.”
A faint smile ghosted over Luke’s face as his eyes fluttered shut and a soft snore broke free from his lips.
Chapter Nine
Luke couldn’t believe the number of well wishers that stopped by the hospital to see him in the few days he had to remain there. He was both shocked and extremely delighted to hear Cody had finally found his mate. Luke couldn’t be happier for his brother. Mark had told him that Cody and his mate had called to see him the night of the shooting, but Luke had been so out of it that night, he couldn’t remember seeing anyone except for Mark.
Sheriff Ferguson had taken a statement from Luke informing him he had no news on Ethan’s whereabouts. Luke had stiffened each time the sheriff mentioned Ethan’s name but through it all, Mark remained at his side, clutching his hand tightly in his own.
* * * *
The night before Luke was due to be released, Kelan came to visit. Mark was lying on the small bed with Luke, arms wrapped around his mate, engrossed in their first passionate kiss since the shooting. When he heard a throat being cleared in the room, he broke away from Luke reluctantly.
“Jeez, do you guys ever come up for air?” Kelan asked around a grin.
Mark chuckled when he noticed Luke’s face fill with colour. He was indescribably happy that he still got to witness that charming trait of Luke’s.
“Any news?” Mark asked after Kelan had taken a seat in the chair Mark had rarely vacated since the night of the shooting.
“None, I’m afraid. We still haven’t found Ethan. I took my betas over to Joe’s place, but it seems he’s run out on his parents. They were as shocked as could be when they heard about everything Ethan has been up to. I don’t much like Joe, but I still didn’t take any pleasure telling them Ethan tried to kill Luke. Don’t think he even believed me at first until the police showed up and confirmed what I’d said. Course, telling them he was gay was another matter—man went so red I thought his head would explode. After everything he’s said about our family, that I enjoyed.”
“What about Gus and Jacob?” Mark asked, swallowing down the anger he felt towards all three men.
“No word on those two either. Joe hadn’t even heard of them. I’ve been asking around trying to find out some information on them but nobody seems to know anything about them.”
Mark frowned. “We have to find them, Kelan. Luke’s not safe until we do.”
“I know. We’ll get them.”
Luke had remained silent throughout the conversation between his brother and his mate. When they had finished talking he sat up in the bed and voiced his opinion.
“I think I have an idea on that.”
“You know where they’re from?” Kelan asked.
“Not exactly but one of the many times Ethan was pestering me to go out with him, he talked about this bar out of town. Jackson’s, I think it was called. He kept trying to get me to go with him. Anyway, he said it was full of wolves from all over so it was a great place to meet new friends. From what I could gather, it is some sort of gay friendly place. It’s not much, I know, but it may be a good place to start looking. Ethan said he went there a lot.”
“I know the place,” Kelan said, nodding his thoughtfully. “Haven’t been there for years myself. Stopped going around the time the bar was sold. The new owners practically ran the place into the ground. Let all sorts of undesirables in. There was trouble there nearly every night.”
“Then it sounds like the perfect place to look,” Mark said.
“Yeah, I think you might be right,” Kelan replied, “I’ll check it out.”
“I want to come with you,” Mark said quickly.
“What?” Luke gasped.
Luke’s quick intake of air caused a coughing fit which left him clasping his chest in pain. Mark rubbed soothing circles on his back.
“Breathe baby, breathe, that’s it.”
Mark reached for a glass of water and handed it to Luke. When Luke finally stopped coughing, he took a sip of the water before turning to glare at Mark.
“Are you out of your mind? You’re not going. Nuh uh, no way,” Luke said petulantly.
“I want to help catch them, Luke,” Mark implored. “I have to do what I can to protect you, and you’re not safe until Ethan and those degenerates he’s rolling around with are behind bars.”
“For what it’s worth,” Kelan said, “I happen to agree with Luke on this one. I don’t think you should come, Mark. Besides, you just said yourself Luke isn’t safe until they’re caught, so I think the best thing you can do is stay here to help protect Luke.”
Mark frowned. He wasn’t happy with the situation but he knew they were both right. He’d never forgive himself if something else happened to Luke and he wasn’t there to protect him.
“I guess you’re right,” he conceded.
Kelan grinned. “Always am.”
* * * *
The following day, Luke was released from the hospital. Doctor Browning had made sure only himself or one of the other wolves on duty changed Luke’s bandages. That way no suspicions would be aroused about Luke’s super fast healing ability. The scars on Luke’s back and chest were nearly gone, but it was the mental scars that Mark was most worried about.
Luke stiffened every time Ethan’s name was mentioned and he jumped every time the door to his room was pushed open in haste. Luke kept denying that anything was wrong, but Mark could tell by the tight set of his mate’s shoulders and his skittish behaviour that Luke was afraid Ethan might make an appearance.
Cody had wanted to arrange a welcome home party for Luke but Mark had luckily been able to dissuade him. Mark couldn’t think of anything worse for Luke than a bunch of people jumping out to say surprise. It seemed he was the only one aware of the change in Luke’s demeanour.
“Watch your step, baby,” Mark said, helping Luke up the stairs to the porch in front of their house.
“I’m not an invalid you know,” Luke huffed. “I was shot in the chest, not in the leg. Besides, I’m fine now, it’s healed perfectly well.”
“I don’t care. I intend to wrap you in cotton wool for the next, oh, fifty years or so.” Mark ushered Luke through the front door to the ranch.
Luke rolled his eyes but his mouth curled up into a small smile. Mark was sure Luke had no idea Mark was distracting him so that Luke wouldn’t look at the place he’d been shot and get upset again. Mark had a hard time looking at the spot himself. The anger within him grew every time he entered or left the house. The more time that passed without finding Ethan, the more anxious he became.
Mark was of a mind to pay a visit to Jackson’s himself, even though he’d made a promise to Kelan he’d stay clear of the place. He was not the type to disobey his alpha, but the sitting around waiting for something to happen was killing him. He wanted to be doing something to help with the search, but at the same time he was afraid to leave Luke’s side. He’d never felt so torn.
* * * *
Luke hadn’t been left alone for a single minute in the week after his return home from ho
spital. He knew Mark and his brothers meant well, but he was beginning to feel smothered by their constant attention.
He’d tried to sneak out once to go to the store in town, but he only made it halfway to the truck before Mark was at his side, demanding to know where he was going. Even though he was now fully healed, his family still treated him as though he were fragile. He was tired of it. After the seventh day of walking around the house with a shadow, Luke finally lost it.
“I don’t need you to carry my damn plate for me,” Luke snapped, getting up from the table after lunch one day.
“I was only trying to be helpful,” Mark mumbled.
“Well don’t. I’m sick of it.”
Mark looked silently at Luke for a moment then turned on his heel and left the kitchen. Luke sighed and set the plate down on the counter top. He hadn’t meant to shout at Mark but he just wished the man would stop trying to do everything for him.
“There’s no need to snap at him,” Kelan said sternly, picking up his plate and carrying it to the sink.
“Don’t tell me how to run my damn relationship, Kelan,” Luke seethed.
“The man’s worried about you, Luke. We all are.”
Luke’s shoulders slumped. Now he was snapping at his brother too when neither man had done anything to warrant his wrath.
“I know, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap. I just feel so helpless. And y’all trying to do everything for me is not making it any easier.”
Kelan shrugged his shoulders. “It’s not me you need to be apologising to.”
“You’re right, but I’m sorry anyhow.”
Luke left the dishes where they sat and went in search of his mate. He found Mark in the stables, grooming Misty.
“I’m sorry,” Luke said as soon as he entered the stall.
“’S okay.”
“No, it’s not. I know you’re all trying to help me, but I’m fine, really. I just want things to get back to normal around here.”
Mark put down the brush and wrapped his arms around his mate.
“I know, Luke, but until we catch Ethan that’s not going to happen.”
“You don’t think he’d be stupid enough to try anything again, do you?”
“I don’t know but I’m not taking any chances. I almost lost you once, it’s not going to happen again. I thought you died Luke,” Mark said, choking back tears. “In that moment, a part of me died too.”
Luke held Mark tightly to his chest, stroking his hands down Mark’s back, trying to soothe him.
“I know how hard it must have been for you, Mark. I don’t know what I would have done if the situation had been reversed, but I didn’t die. I’m okay and I need everyone to stop acting like they’re waiting for me to fall apart. It’s not going to happen.”
Mark nodded into Luke’s chest. “I’ll try.”
“That’s all I ask.”
* * * *
Kelan had finally decided to re-open the ranch for business so Luke threw himself into the work that needed doing around the place before they purchased the livestock. Luke was secretly nervous that the townsfolk wouldn’t want to do business with them because of his relationship with Mark. He knew there would be a lot of people who would disapprove but he kept his concerns to himself. Mark was incredibly happy with Kelan’s plans for the ranch and his role in them, and Luke didn’t want to rain on his mate’s parade.
Mark kept his promise and gave Luke more space, although he never left him alone for more than an hour at a time. There was always something important he had to tell Luke to do with the ranch. Even though Luke knew they were just excuses for Mark to see him, he didn’t call him on it. A part of him was happy to know how much Mark cared about him.
Kelan’s beta, Rick, showed up at the ranch every evening to discuss tactics before he and Kelan left to go to Jackson’s, but each night when Kelan returned home it was without any positive news. Ethan, Gus and Jacob were still missing. No one at the club had seen them for several weeks—or if they had, they weren’t talking about it.
Rick was sat at the kitchen table, deep in conversation with Kelan and Mark one evening when Luke came in from tending to the horses. The second Luke entered the room the conversation came to an abrupt halt.
“Hey, what y’all talking about?” Luke asked, taking a seat at the table next to Mark.
Mark leaned over and placed a kiss on Luke’s cheek causing Luke to blush.
“Nothing important,” Kelan said. “How’s Misty doing?”
“Misty’s doing fine, but you’re changing the subject. What’s going on?”
“I wasn’t changing the subject, and there’s nothing going on,” Kelan claimed, although Luke knew his brother well enough to know when he was lying to him.
“Mark,” Luke said, “tell me what y’all were talking about.”
Mark slumped his shoulders in defeat. He couldn’t lie to his mate and Luke knew it.
“Rick got a tip off about where Ethan and the others might be hiding.”
“Jesus Mark, can’t you keep anything from him?” Kelan asked sourly.
“No, he can’t,” Luke said. “So what are we going to do about it?”
“We are not going to do anything. Rick and I are going to go check it out tonight.”
“I’m coming with you,” Mark said quickly.
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Mark,” Kelan said. “It might be dangerous, and besides, wouldn’t you rather spend the night alone with Luke?”
Mark knew what Kelan was trying to do and although part of him would have loved the alone-time with Luke, he wouldn’t be swayed on this one.
“I’m coming,” he said resolutely. Kelan could like it or lump it.
“Actually I think it’s a good idea that Mark comes, Kelan. Pete’s out of town right now so we could do with the extra manpower,” Rick said.
“Luke, you’re staying mighty quiet over there, that’s not like you,” Kelan said. “I know you have an opinion on this.”
Luke sighed. “I think Mark should go with you.”
Three sets of eyes all turned to stare at Luke.
“Are you serious?” Kelan asked, astonished by the turn-around in Luke.
“Obviously I don’t want him to go. But he’s got his own mind and I think this is something he needs to do.”
Mark grabbed hold of Luke’s hand and brought it to his lips, placing a soft kiss on Luke’s fingers.
“Thank you for understanding, Luke, I appreciate it.”
“’S okay.” Luke shrugged.
“I guess it’s settled then.” Kelan got to his feet. “Rick, Mark and I will meet you outside the gas station on Anderson in an hour. Mark, you’d better give Cody a call and ask him and Stefan to come over and stay with Luke while we’re gone.”
Mark nodded and left the kitchen.
“I’d better head on out,” Rick said. “I’ll see y’all in an hour.”
Kelan nodded. “You mind if Luke shows you out? I’ve got some calls to make.”
“Sure.”
Luke walked Rick to the front door. Before he left, Luke put a hand on Rick’s arm to halt him.
“How is everything going with the farm? Did you manage to find an investor?”
Rick shook his head. He kept his eyes to the ground, unwilling to meet Luke’s eye. Luke guessed the man was embarrassed by his situation. He couldn’t blame him. Luke wouldn’t enjoy discussing his financial situation with anyone but his family either.
“No. You’ve got to understand Luke,” Rick said almost pleadingly. “That farm is my whole life, my livelihood. I don’t know what my family and I will do without it.”
“I know,” Luke said with feeling. “I’m sure something will turn up.”
If he’d had the money, Luke would have offered it to Rick in a heartbeat but there was really nothing he was able to do. Every penny he had himself was tied up in their own ranch and business.
“Yeah,” Rick mumbled. “Maybe something will. Go
odbye, Luke.”
Fifty minutes later, Mark was pacing the length of the living room, practically wearing a hole in the rug.
“Where are they?” he asked Kelan for what must have been the fourth time in five minutes. “Did you try Cody’s cell again?”
“Yeah, it’s still going to voicemail, must be in a bad reception area. Don’t worry, Mark, they’ll be here. We need to get going.”
“I don’t like leaving Luke here alone, Kelan.”
“I’ll be fine,” Luke insisted. “Don’t worry about me. Cody will be here any minute. Go get ‘em, cowboy.”
Mark grinned and kissed Luke on the forehead.
“If you’re sure.”
“Positive, now get. And promise me you’ll be careful.”
“Of course, I’ve got you waiting at home for me, haven’t I?”
Luke grinned. “Always.”
* * * *
After Kelan and Mark left, Luke busied himself washing the dishes from their evening meal. When he finished, he swept the floors and started on the laundry. He wasn’t particularly in the mood for housework but he had to do something to take his mind off Mark.
Luke had made Mark promise to call him as soon as they had any news on Ethan but so far he had yet to hear anything. Luke had just sat down when the phone rang.
“Mark,” Luke said as soon as he answered the call.
“Luke, it’s Cody.”
“Oh, hey, bro. What’s happening? Where are you?”
“The damn truck broke down on the way over, and we didn’t have cell reception to call you. We had to walk to Bob’s house to see if he could come back and fix it for us. We’re on our way back there now. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. Just get here when you can.”
“Okay Luke, see you soon.”
The moment Luke disconnected the call; there was a knock on the front door. Luke frowned and got up to answer it. He had his hand on the knob to open it when the fear set in. Ethan could be on the other side of the door. He crossed quickly to the window and peered out the curtain to check who was there. Relief and panic warred inside him when he saw Rick standing on the porch. Luke hurried to open the door.
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