Aaden’s face glowed a ruddy color, drawing everyone’s attention.
Reaching over, Andre smacked Aaden on the arm. “What’s that look—” He paused and gaped, then barked a laugh. “How many of those chicks did you bang?”
Their friend’s face glowed even brighter. “Four.”
Aziel guffawed loudly as he shook his head. Grinning broadly, Andre reached over and smacked Aziel’s forearm. “Give the dude a break,” he quipped. Then his grin broadened. “He was just under the delusion that he was a stud that no girl could resist.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Aaden muttered, his tone full of embarrassment. After the group had settled, he rolled his eyes as he added, “Besides, I happen to know that Mitch has fucked at least triple that and he still wants to screw Candace.”
“He’s definitely something else,” Tian commented, smiling. “Nice guy. Would give you the shirt off his back, but he thinks with his dick.”
“Don’t you mean he’d give you the pants off his legs?” Aziel mused, smirking.
After the snorts of laughter died down and the nods of acknowledgment had stopped, Andre grinned broadly. “Just wait until he meets that special woman.” He shook his head, his expression vacant as he must have been thinking about that. “That lady is gonna have to have bigger balls than he does.”
“Or a whip,” Aaden agreed.
“Is he into that?” Tian questioned, his expression askance.
More than ready to change the subject, Aziel met Tian’s gaze. “I hear congratulations are in order.”
Tian grinned widely. “Yep. Two weeks.”
“You’re a tougher man than me. The idea of carrying a child, or gargoyle egg, inside my body for twelve weeks, then laying it out my ass—” Aaden rubbed his arms and cringed. “Congrats on being pregnant, though.”
Silently, Aziel agreed.
Evidently, when a gargoyle impregnated a male mate, the guy’s appendix grew and turned into a sort of make-shift womb. The egg would grow inside the man’s body for twelve weeks, then the guy would lay it through his rectum. The gargoyles had assured them that the man’s body would adapt for the process, but it was still damn painful.
“Yeah, man,” Andre cut into Aziel’s thoughts. “Congrats on your pregnancy. I know you’ve been trying.”
Tian grinned as he waggled his brows. “The trying has been fun, too.” He sobered then. “But thank you. Roman and I are real pleased. Always liked kids but didn’t think I’d really get the chance, working undercover all the time and all.” He focused on Aaden. “And give yourself ten or fifteen years. You might change your mind, but I have a funny feeling if you don’t, Grigoris sure ain’t gonna care.”
They all nodded. The huge gargoyle mechanic wasn’t known around the clutch as a touchy-feely sort. Aaden was the exception, of course.
A splash drew Aziel’s attention back to the pond. He smiled as he swept his gaze over the expanse of water. Seeing ripples, a feeling of déjà vu settled over him, and he grinned.
A few seconds later, that smile slipped from his face. There was a hell of a lot of thrashing coming from the far side of the pond. Grabbing a crutch, Aziel shoved to his feet. He squinted into the distance.
“What is it?” Andre asked, rising to stand next to him.
“Something’s wrong.” Aziel could just feel it. “That’s too much thrashing for a hunting otter, even a giant one.”
Aziel finally figured out what he was watching. Two other otters grappled with a third. “Oh, no,” he whispered. “Jerome is being attacked.” On instinct, he headed toward the water, intending to help his lover.
Tian and Andre stopped Aziel, each wrapping their own arms around Aziel’s. “Stop,” Tian ordered. “You can’t do anything about claws, especially in the water.”
“I can’t just leave him to be hurt!” Aziel cried, attempting to yank his arms free.
“Aaden is already sprinting to the mansion,” Andre told him, attempting to soothe him. “He’ll bring help.”
Help. Right.
Sweeping his gaze over the pond’s shore again, Aziel searched for a swath of white amidst the reeds.
Chapter Eleven
Jerome couldn’t believe it. Both Ryland and Scanlon were in the pond and had attacked him. He couldn’t understand how they’d gotten there unnoticed, but he needed to keep them as far away from Aziel as possible.
Pain stabbed through his side when Ryland managed to wrap his forelegs around his torso. He squeaked but remembered not to breathe in. Diving deeper under the water, he spotted the tree root he’d noticed when swimming there the first time.
Rolling, Jerome slammed Ryland’s head into the exposed root. The move tore the enforcer free of him but also sent pain slicing down his sides. He scented his blood in the water even before he turned and noticed it oozing from between his fur.
Seeing Ryland shaking his head, obviously attempting to regain his senses, Jerome peered through the murky water. He searched for the other enforcer. Unfortunately, Scanlon found him first.
Scanlon slammed into Jerome from behind, latching onto his back with his rear claws. He couldn’t help but squeal in surprise and pain. When Scanlon swam forward, using his deeply-sunk claws to drag him through the water, agony surged through him.
As soon as Jerome’s body broke the water, he sucked in a deep breath of air. He then ducked back under the water, attempting to roll his body forward. Slamming his tail into the larger otter’s body, he thrashed and twisted, trying to tear free.
Ryland’s arrival made Jerome’s attempts seem futile, but he kept at it. He wriggled and rolled, slamming his tail into the other otters. Slashing out, he attempted to cut either enforcer as often as he could.
Jerome felt his body begin to tire. He knew he was losing a lot of blood. While he’d fought in the water a number of times before, it hadn’t been against his pod’s enforcers. Ryland and Scanlon were trained for these kinds of fights. Jerome had only fought bigots and bullies, who weren’t exactly known for their skills.
Just as Jerome feared he would have to submit, his body feeling heavy and his limbs sluggish, something hard—much harder than an otter’s body—slammed into where Ryland clutched Jerome’s rear leg. Ryland squeaked in obvious surprise and twisted sideways, releasing him.
Scanlon swished and curled, glancing around in alarm, probably trying to figure out what had happened.
In the next instant, a long, tapered white head appeared through the murky water. The alligator’s jaws opened, revealing row upon row of sharp teeth. A second later, it twisted and struck, snapping its jaws onto Scanlon’s leg.
The crack of a bone breaking, although muffled by the water, could still be clearly heard.
Scanlon screamed. He released the grip he’d had on Jerome’s back. In the next instant, the pair was gone.
While shocked at Tristan’s appearance let alone his aid, Jerome took advantage. He slammed his tail into the clearly just as surprised Ryland’s whiskered face. Next, he scraped his rear claws over his furred stomach, using the move to kick further away, then slapped him with his tail again for good measure.
Swimming as swiftly as he could in the direction Tristan had taken Scanlon, Jerome followed the currents that told him in which direction they went. He wasn’t so concerned about Scanlon’s health as much as he wanted to stick near the alligator shifter. If the other male was willing to help him, hell, he’d take it.
Jerome spotted the pair a few seconds later. Tristan’s alligator was spinning in the water, still holding Scanlon in his jaws. He’d read somewhere that the move Tristan was doing was called a death roll, and was used to suffocate an animal before it was stored under water to be saved for later.
The fact that Jerome had thought it was associated with crocodiles flickered absently through his mind. Of course, being a shifter, Tristan would probably have heard about it, too. Jerome wondered if it was something the alligator had needed to practice.
Just as Jerome reached them, Tristan stopped spinning. The alligator appeared to glance toward him, then he turned and dragged Scanlon away again. The enforcer was still struggling—although weakly—so Jerome followed again.
As Tristan hit the shore and began dragging Scanlon out of the water, black spots danced across Jerome’s vision. He swiftly rose to the surface. Knowing he wouldn’t be able to remain awake much longer, as soon as he could, he took in a breath of fresh air, hoping it would clear his head.
It didn’t.
Jerome whined as he moved sluggishly toward the shore. He spotted not only Aziel and his friends, but almost a dozen gargoyles. Along with them were Enforcer Charon, Alpha Saburo, Galen, and Sabra.
Confused, Jerome started toward them. He didn’t get far before he felt his battered body begin to give out. Those dark spots thickened to form a haze around the edges of his vision.
When a hard form pressed against his side, Jerome chittered in surprise. He realized a second later that Tristan’s alligator swam beneath him and was urging him forward. Jerome found himself practically riding the smaller animal toward shore.
Once Jerome was in about two feet of water, Doctor Perseus waded to his side and lifted him off of Tristan’s back. “Come on, Jerome,” the doc rumbled. “Let’s get you out of the water. After you shift, I’ll check out your wounds, and we’ll get you patched up. You have some restitution to decide on.”
Jerome wasn’t certain what that meant. With his head swimming—and not in the way he enjoyed—he could barely nod. That seemed to be enough though because Perseus eased him onto the blanket still spread out on shore.
“Tristan, check out the pond,” Maelgwn ordered. “Make certain that last enforcer isn’t hiding in it.”
The alligator hissed softly, perhaps in acknowledgment, because he headed back into the pond and disappeared beneath the water.
“Hey, handsome,” Aziel murmured, pulling Jerome’s attention to him. His mate gently rubbed his head, sliding his thumbs over his cheekbones. “Come on and shift for me. Your back is pretty scratched up. Let’s have Doc Perseus fix it, huh?”
Jerome nuzzled into Aziel’s attentive hands for a few seconds, then nodded. He took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. Working through his shift, he groaned softly as his fur retracted, body reshaped, and limbs realigned.
“Okay, you just lie still,” Doctor Perseus urged, settling beside him. “I’m going to clean these and bandage them up. One or two of these might need some stitches.” Perseus leaned close, peering into his eyes. “You’re safe now. You understand?”
His lips curving, even in otter form he managed a smile, and Jerome gave a slight nod. He’d never felt safe in his own pod. Surrounded by all the gargoyles and their mates, it surprised him that he did right then.
Aziel sat on his butt next to him. He threaded the fingers of one hand through Jerome’s left one. With his other hand, he gently petted his hair.
If it weren’t for being injured, it’d have been about damn perfect. That was probably a stretch, he decided. Perfect would be naked and sated from his mate pounding him into the blanket he lay on.
Even injured and bleeding, just that thought caused Jerome’s dick to twitch a little. Of course, then Perseus started cleaning his back. He gritted his teeth to stifle his cry of pain or groans of discomfort.
Needing a distraction, Jerome peered around the group. He swept his gaze over Galen and realized his brother sported a fading black eye. His mate—Sabra—had her head bowed even as she glanced around furtively.
“You were coerced,” Jerome guessed, blurting out the words. His brother held his gaze and dipped his chin infinitesimally. Scowling, he peered at Alpha Saburo. “Why, Alpha Saburo? Why come after me? I wasn’t doing anything to you.”
Alpha Saburo’s lips curled. His eyes narrowed. A snarl rumbled from him. “You’re a fucking queer,” Saburo sneered. “You don’t deserve to live, to spread your perversities.”
“What the fuck did I say about spouting off that kind of shit,” Chieftain Maelgwn roared, glaring at Alpha Saburo. “You’re in my territory, Alpha. You respect my rules or leave.”
“Which you can’t do just yet,” Second Tobias growled from where he stood behind Alpha Saburo. He loomed over him, his arms crossed over his wide chest. “You have crimes to answer for.”
Evidently, that was the first Alpha Saburo had heard of crimes. He curled his lip as he glanced behind him, then around the group. It probably occurred to him that he and his people were vastly outnumbered.
“What exactly are you talking about?” Alpha Saburo demanded, drawing himself up to his full six-foot height. Amidst all the huge gargoyles, it wasn’t very impressive. “You can’t keep me here.”
“You entered our territory under false pretenses. You falsified documents submitted to the Shifter Council, saying it was Jerome’s parents searching for him when it was really you. You threatened those under my protection,” Chieftain Maelgwn began to list, a calm, cold note to his voice. “You sent your enforcers into my territory unannounced and attacked a shifter under my protection.” His eyes narrowed. “Need I go on?”
Alpha Saburo curled his lip. “I didn’t do any of those things.”
“You stink of lies,” Second Tobias claimed. “How anyone follows you is beyond me.”
“I request sanctuary for me and my mate,” Galen whispered, glancing from the chieftain to Jerome and back again. “I-Is that possible, please?”
“Of course,” Chieftain Maelgwn instantly responded, his expression softening. “You are welcome here, Galen. Your mate, too.”
Galen let out a clearly relieved sigh as he wrapped both his arms around Sabra. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, then murmured, “We’ll be okay.”
“You can’t steal my pod’s members!” Alpha Saburo roared. “I’ll report you to the Shifter Council. You’ll be punished. You’ll—”
“Cease your lies before you dig yourself into more trouble, Alpha Saburo,” Chieftain Maelgwn ordered. “If anyone will be punished, it will be you.” The chieftain crossed his arms over his chest as he focused on Enforcer Charon. “Your alpha will be detained while we establish the extent of his crimes. Same as that one,” he pointed at Scanlon. The enforcer, still in animal form, lay passed out on the bank. “And the other... once we find him, and we will,” the chieftain stated bluntly. “You, however, have been spoken highly of. If I allow you to return to your pod and report these goings on to your beta, will you tell him the truth?”
Enforcer Charon nodded once. “I will.”
Jerome noticed the way Maelgwn exchanged a look with Einan, who was standing behind Charon. The gargoyle enforcer nodded once, obviously confirming that the enforcer scented that he spoke the truth. Maelgwn returned the nod.
“Very well, Enforcer Charon. One more question,” Maelgwn began slowly. “Upon hearing the tale, will your beta be inclined to retaliate?”
After glancing around the group, Enforcer Charon cocked his head. “I do not know how Beta Thespin will respond,” he answered, obviously speaking honestly. “He has always been a fair beta. Between you and me, he’d make a far better leader than Saburo.”
Upon hearing Alpha Saburo’s outraged cry, Enforcer Charon took a step away from him. Second Tobias’s hand on the alpha’s shoulder kept him from moving, however. The alpha snarled at the second, then winced and fell silent.
“Unfortunately, Alpha Saburo had the backing of Ryland and Scanlon,” Charon continued, his voice growing soft. “There’s also a few other bullies that we’ll have to clear out, but with these three gone... ” His smile was a little sad, but firm. “Thank you for this opportunity to clean up our pod of the bullies these assholes have welcomed over the years.”
“How dare you!” Alpha Saburo roared. “When we get back to my territory, I’m going to—”
“I’ll take Saburo back to the estate,” Enforcer Sapian stated, cutting into t
he alpha’s rant. “Greg, you’re with me.”
A wiry, redheaded gargoyle nodded, crossing to them. With Sapian and Greg on either side, they led Alpha Saburo away. His cursing could be heard far longer than he could be seen.
“We’ll take this one to a downstairs room in the west wing,” Tobias claimed. He hefted Enforcer Scanlon’s still-prone otter form over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. A look toward a green gargoyle Jerome didn’t recognize had the leaner male moving to flank him, probably to watch his back. “We’ll have Cosmo look at him.”
“Enforcer Charon,” Maelgwn rumbled. “If you’ll come with Enforcer Einan and myself. I’ll outline the crimes I’m reporting to the Shifter Council.” After he’d taken a couple of steps, he paused and turned to Galen. His voice softened. “I’m sure you want to catch up with your brother for a few minutes, but after that, Sumak can show you and your mate to a suite.”
“Thank you, Chieftain Maelgwn,” Galen responded, ducking his head in deference. “Your hospitality is greatly appreciated.”
Chieftain Maelgwn smiled at Galen. “We all need a little hospitality from time to time.” He turned toward Andre’s mate, Sumak. “When they’re done, show them to an empty suite in your wing.”
“Yes, Chieftain,” Sumak responded, the pale purple gargoyle grinning up at him. “The suite next to Grigoris is free.”
Before Maelgwn could head away, a splash came from the direction of the pond. Jerome noticed he wasn’t the only one to turn his attention to the water’s edge. In seconds, Tristan’s alligator swung his head and tossed a massive otter onto the bank.
Then the alligator shifter changed, resuming his human shape. The naked man sneered at the downed otter, looking entirely too pleased with himself. “Fucker was hiding in a cove, but I took him down.” He chuckled coldly as he took a pair of sweatpants from Grigoris and pulled them on. “Asshole might have a few broken bones though. Where do you want me to take him?”
Maelgwn told him. Tristan nodded, then hefted the male over his shoulder—which was impressive considering their size differences. The alligator shifter whistled under his breath as he headed out of the clearing and down the trail.
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