They were quiet for a few moments. “What did Ryker do to you, Sean?”
“He took my life. Made me run for years, trying not to get caught and chained to his bed.”
“And what is it about you that makes Ryker want you?”
No. No way could Sean tell Gareth—could tell anyone that. It was the one secret that he could never share, because once it was out, his life was going to be over.
“I can’t say.”
Gareth rolled, placing his head on his arm. “Can’t or won’t?”
“Won’t. Can’t. Are they really different?”
“Good. Keep it close to your chest. Guard it with all your might. One day, if you feel safe here, you’ll tell me and know that I will protect you and your secret.” He smiled. “That is, if you want to be a member of Lydon.”
An ache in Sean’s chest answered for him. The town was everything Sean had ever hoped for. A thriving, sustained community. The people here depended on each other, worked together for the betterment of all. To Sean, who’d lost everything, this was like finding the missing piece of his life.
“Yes, I do.” His stomach knotted. “Please, Alpha. Let me stay.”
Chapter Seven
GARETH’S WOLF howled its delight at the whispered plea.
“Of course you can stay.” Gareth wanted to touch Sean. He wanted to run his hands over the gentle curve of his hip, to dip his tongue into Sean’s belly button, to feel the skin of his ass, to taste him. He wanted to claim Sean, own him. He wanted—wait. Own him? No. Hell no.
He stared into violet eyes that were gazing at him with the beginning of trust. He would not—could not—betray the confidence he saw there. Others had tried, Sean said. He’d run from them. Well, Gareth would never give Sean a reason to fear him.
“I don’t know what I have to offer Lydon. I’ve been running since I was fourteen and never even finished school.”
“You don’t have to offer anything.”
“But you said—”
A gentle smile. “I said that was how things used to be. With your arrival, and a few words from Dani, my eyes were opened to the fact that we need to help out where we can. My project is to figure out the best way to allow more people into Lydon but still maintain our lands.” He reached out and touched Sean’s arm, doing his best to ignore the current that flowed between them. “If you have ideas, I would appreciate you sharing them.”
Between man and beast, Gareth’s wolf was obviously the more animalistic, but at the moment, it lay curled in the back of Gareth’s mind, content with being this close to Sean. Gareth realized that since he’d become Alpha, his wolf had always been on guard, ready for danger at every turn. Being this close to Sean, though? It simply felt at peace.
Gareth lay back again, arms folded behind his head. A cool breeze wafted over them, but he didn’t feel a chill. “Do you want to go home?”
Sean sighed. “Can we stay a little bit longer?”
“As long as you want.”
Though Sean probably hadn’t meant for Gareth to notice, he shifted ever so slightly closer. It was good that Gareth made him feel safe.
“Alpha?”
“You can call me Gareth, if you want.”
Where the hell had that come from? Few wolves in the pack would dare address their Alpha with a familiar term. Dani and Lyram did it on occasion, but she was his advisor and Lyram his Beta, so Gareth overlooked it.
“Gareth.”
The word was soft but filled with awe. Gareth reached out and put his hand atop Sean’s, who inhaled sharply. Realizing what he’d done, he started to draw away, but when Sean gripped his fingers, Gareth stilled. They lay there, with the Milky Way above them, holding hands and simply… being.
“OH GOD, I can’t believe I held his hand.”
The moment they walked into the Alpha’s house, Sean rushed up to the room they were allowing him to stay in and slammed the door. It was bad enough that he’d touched Gareth, but then to hold his hand?
“They’re gonna kick you out,” he muttered as he stroked his fingers through his hair. “You’ll get comfortable, and then you’re going to find yourself on the run once more.”
But he couldn’t help himself. Being next to Gareth filled Sean with warmth and hope and… God, so many ands. He’d never in his life felt safe enough to let go, but with Gareth there, Sean couldn’t hold on to the fear that had been his constant companion. And now he was going to lose it all.
A rap at the door startled Sean. Were they already coming to tell him to get out?
“Just a minute.”
He crossed the room, taking in another feature of the room with each step. The dark blue paint and the white trim. The dark gold carpeting with moon patterns stitched into it. The bed where he’d had his first real night’s sleep. The bathroom with the amazing shower. He scrubbed his eyes, trying to brush away the tears he could feel tracking down his cheeks.
When he got to the door, he pulled it open, not surprised to find Gareth standing there, looking decidedly unhappy.
“I’m sorry,” Sean whispered.
“You should be. These steaks were for both of us, and if you don’t eat yours, I’m going to.”
Wait. What? “Steak?”
“We were supposed to have dinner, remember? The steaks Wolfgang sent us.” Gareth’s bottom lip jutted out. “It’s not rare anymore. It’s almost medium.”
A shudder went through Sean. When Gareth reached for him, Sean pulled away.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” He entered the room and crowded Sean against the wall. “Talk to me. Did I do something to upset you?”
Him? “No, it’s just… I’m sorry I touched you. I had no right to—”
“Stop. Just stop. We’re wolves, Sean. We thrive on touch. It’s why being part of a pack is so important. You needed comfort from me, and you felt safe enough to take it. Do you know how proud that makes me?”
Sean didn’t say anything.
“Okay, here…. Let’s try this a different way.”
Gareth reached out and cupped Sean’s cheek, his hand rough and warm. Sean tried not to, but he leaned into the touch, sighing as the sense of peace flowed over him again.
“I’m going to let you in on a secret that not many people know. I might be an Alpha, but do you have any idea how much I enjoy being touched too?” Gareth used his thumb to stroke Sean’s face. “Hardly anyone touches the Alpha, Sean. It meant a lot to me that you did.”
“Okay.”
“No, not ‘okay.’ Listen to me. Feel free to touch me. I love being hugged. I enjoy the contact just as much as any other wolf. Do you understand?”
“I—I think so.”
“Good. Stop worrying. If you ever did something wrong, I would tell you. Now, how about we go downstairs and grab the steaks that Dani has in the oven? I don’t know about you, but I’m starved.”
Unease settled in Sean’s stomach. “No, go ahead. I’m not all that hungry.”
Gareth frowned. “Do you think I can’t hear what you’re thinking?”
Sean sucked in a sharp breath. Could he read minds?
“No, I can’t read minds, but I don’t need to. Your expression tells me everything I need to know. What is it you’re afraid of? Can you at least tell me that?”
No, he couldn’t. He knew they’d seen the birthmark on his shoulder. The damn thing had given him away more than once.
“How about this, then…? When you feel like you want to talk to me about whatever it is that’s bothering you, then you come see me. I won’t press. Everyone is entitled to have their secrets.”
“This one could get people killed.”
Now he had Gareth’s attention.
“Explain.”
Sean drew in a breath, then blew it out slowly. “The mark on my shoulder? People seem to think that I’m the night wolf.”
“I saw it. Dr. Frank thought maybe the legends were true, but I said no. What about it?”
Sean went to the bed and s
at down. Gareth stood over him, his arms crossed over his chest.
“It showed up just before my fourteenth birthday. It was like a switch had been thrown, and I tumbled into the deep end of puberty. I tried to hide it, because I was afraid of people looking at me differently. When I was in school, someone saw the top of it under my shirt, and after class, they yanked my shirt off. Everyone freaked out. I went to my parents, begging them to help me. They told me they would, but then they sold me to Ryker.”
“But… I don’t understand. What does this have to do with—?”
“Ryker believes the legends. He thinks that if he bonds with me, he’ll have the power of the night wolf at his command.” Sean blew out a breath. At last he’d unburdened himself of the secret he’d kept close to his heart. “He’s insane and has no problem killing if it means he gets me back.”
Realization flitted across Gareth’s face. “That’s why you never shifted out of wolf form.”
Sean nodded. “It’s easier to hide as a wolf than as a human. It took stopping in a town and asking about a job to find out that Ryker has a bounty on me.” Sean swallowed hard. “A million dollars.”
Gareth’s jaw dropped. “A million…. That’s insane.”
“He thinks it’s a small price for what he believes I can give him.”
And now that Gareth knew, would he—?
“No.”
Sean startled and looked up, meeting Gareth’s dark gaze. “What?”
“No, I wouldn’t turn you in. Not for a million or ten million. You’re mine. A member of Lydon, and I promised that I would protect you, even if it killed me.”
He… wasn’t going to turn Sean over to Ryker? He would protect him?
“You’d… keep me?”
The hand was back as Gareth pulled Sean close. “I will always keep you, Sean. Lydon is your home. All you have to do is say the word, and I’ll give you my bite. You’ll forever be part of our family.”
It wasn’t even something he had to stress over anymore. “Please, let me come home.”
Everything was still. Sean could hear Dani and Caleb in the house. The streets of Lydon were mostly quiet. The sound of Gareth’s heartbeat was strong and steady, and Sean listened to it, allowing it to calm him. Then Gareth struck, sinking his fangs into Sean’s neck. It was sheer agony as Sean’s brain was rewired. The connection to his old pack—his old life—was torn out. Gone were his parents and Ryker, obliterated beneath the power that Gareth wielded. In its place was a blank space, aching to be filled. Then thoughts and emotions rushed in, squeezing into Sean’s mind. In the space of a heartbeat, Sean could sense the pack within him. He was one with them, and they with him.
“I can feel them.” He turned his gaze up to Gareth. “I can feel you.”
“Good. Remember that feeling, because it’s never going away.”
Tears trickled down Sean’s cheeks as the warmth of family once again brought him peace.
“The bite generally exhausts the wolf who receives it. You need food and rest. C’mon. Let’s go down and get our steaks.”
Sean chuckled, free from nagging doubts and fears. “This was all about the food, wasn’t it?”
Gareth cuffed him lightly on the head. “Of course. It had nothing to do with welcoming a new member at all.” Then he did the most curious thing. He wrapped his arms around Sean and held him tight to the broad expanse of his chest. “Welcome home, Sean.”
DINNER HAD been everything Wolfgang said. Even though the steaks were way beyond rare, Gareth had loved his, and even Sean seemed taken with it. Still, he was too quiet, and Gareth wondered at what was going on in Sean’s mind.
After they’d eaten, Sean had said he was tired and asked if he could be excused. He got up and stumbled up the stairs, then closed his door behind him.
Gareth lay in his bed, the thoughts of the evening slingshotting through his head. Ryker believed the stories of the night wolf. He wanted to claim Sean. His Sean. No one would ever lay a hand on him, if Gareth could help it.
His wolf was in total agreement. Since Gareth had given Sean the bite, the wolf had calmed. It was no longer banging against Gareth’s mind, trying to get out. Now it slept in the deeper recesses.
“So you’re finally able to rest too, huh?”
A quiet chuff from the wolf was his answer.
Gareth picked up his phone and called Lyram.
“Yes, Alpha?”
“I know it’s late, and I apologize for that.”
“No need. I was awake. When Sean joined our group, I woke up, feeling happy and content. It’s good to have him here.”
That was exactly how Gareth felt. “I need you to hire guards. I want the town patrolled around the clock. No one gets near Sean. Do I make myself clear?”
“Of course. May I ask why?”
Gareth trusted his Beta implicitly, but it wasn’t his story to tell.
“I believe someone from his old pack might try to get Sean back.”
There was a growl on the other end. “Ours!”
Gareth was stunned speechless for a moment. Lyram was the most levelheaded person Gareth knew, and this behavior was totally out of character for him. “Yes, he is.”
“No one touches him.”
“Lyram? Are you okay?”
A voice, darker than any Gareth had heard before, crackled over the line. “Anyone tries to get to Sean, and I’ll rip their throats out.”
“Lyram!”
“What? Oh, sorry, Alpha. What did you need?”
“We were talking about Sean.”
“Uh…. We were? I just answered the phone.” He clucked his tongue. “Alpha, are you okay?”
“But….” Gareth had no idea what to say. “I need you to increase patrols in the town. Keep an eye on things.”
“Of course. May I ask why?”
The whole thing was surreal. “I just want to make sure everyone is safe.”
“Fair enough. I’ll handle it.”
“And Lyram? I need you to go see Dr. Franklin and ask him for a complete physical.”
“What? Why? I feel fine.”
How could he not remember? “Just humor me.”
Lyram sighed. “Okay, if that’s what you want. Should I tell him anything specific to look for?”
“No, that’s okay. I’ll give him a call.”
“All right, then. You’re the Alpha. That’s why they pay you the big bucks.”
Gareth laughed. This was the Lyram he knew. As soon as they disconnected, he called Dr. Franklin. “Hey, Franklin.”
“Good evening, Alpha. Is everything okay?”
“You tell me.”
Frank hummed. “Well, Sean’s blood work came back. His immunities are still low, but they seem to be rebounding. He’s funny and there’s a wit buried there, but I think you’ll have to coax it out of him.”
“Frank… is there something going on that you’re not telling me?”
“What? No, of course not. Why?”
God, could no one else know? “I just got off the phone with Lyram. He’s going to be coming to see you. When we talked, I said something about Sean’s old Alpha looking for Sean and maybe trying to get him back.”
The snarl on the phone startled Gareth, but the voice, gravelly and dark, made things even weirder. “Ours!”
Gareth pulled the phone away and stared at it for a moment.
“No one touches Sean. If anyone tries to hurt him, I’ll kill them.”
“Frank, talk to me. What’s going on?”
“Sean belongs to us.”
The words were dripping with anger, which Gareth had never heard from Franklin. “Yes, Frank. He’s ours. Can’t you feel him?”
“Yes. It feels good.” A euphoric sigh slid from him. “So good.”
“Frank!”
“What, Alpha? Did you need something?”
“What did we just talk about?”
“I’m not sure what you mean. I just answered the phone. Are you feeling okay?”
“And what is it you think I need to look for?”
How could neither Franklin or Lyram seem to know what was going on? “Just a general well-being checkup, please.”
“Of course, Alpha. I’ll call you tomorrow—well, later today—with the results.”
Gareth groaned. It was late, and he had a lot of things to do tomorrow. “Okay, Frank. Thank you.”
“Anytime, Alpha.”
Gareth disconnected, then stripped off his clothes and headed for the shower. He turned the temperature down all the way and set the spray to pulse. The sting of cold water might help him, but right now, he was tired. And concerned. Maybe in the morning he could….
The howl of a wolf caught his ear. He tore out of the bathroom and rushed to the window. As he glancing out, the gleam of hundreds of eyes reflected back up at him. He could sense them, every wolf in his pack, sitting outside the house and staring at….
Holy shit, they were staring at Sean’s window.
What the fuck was going on?
He grabbed his phone and snapped a few pictures, then put it back on the nightstand. Whatever was happening, it scared Gareth to his very core.
Chapter Eight
SEAN CAME down the stairs, looking sleep-rumpled and slightly out of it.
“Good morning, Alpha.” As soon as he said the word, Sean broke into a wide smile.
Gareth peered out the window and watched as the wolves that had been at his doorstep all night disbanded and shuffled away. He caught sight of Dani and Caleb moving toward the back door. He would have to talk to them later. He closed the curtain and turned to face Sean, doing his best to give him a smile that he didn’t feel.
“Good morning, Sean. Sleep well?”
“I slept okay. Had some weird dreams, but that’s par for the course.”
“Oh?”
Sean shrugged. “Ever since Ryker, I dream that he’s coming after me and there’s no one to help. I scream, begging for someone to save me, but it always ends the same way. He finds me and drags me off. Fortunately, I wake up before he can hurt me.”
The Night Wolf Page 7