Paws for Change

by Charlie Richards

  Chapter Twelve

  Derek groaned softly.

  Dillan smiled, tightening his hold on Derek. He’d been watching his handsome mate sleep for almost twenty minutes. Last night as he’d drifted off to sleep, Dillan discovered he hadn’t realized what he’d been missing. He’d found and claimed his mate. Dillan couldn’t be happier.

  Focusing on Derek, Dillan nuzzled his mate’s neck. “Sore, handsome?”

  When Derek rolled toward him, Dillan eased his hold, shifting up onto his elbow. He smiled down at his handsome human, watching as Derek stared at the ceiling. His face appeared flushed and he didn’t meet Dillan’s gaze.

  “Yeah,” Derek replied softly, his voice scratchy from sleep. He grimaced and finally looked at Dillan. “Definitely sore.”

  Dillan nodded. He didn’t want his mate more embarrassed that he already was, but he wanted to take care of him, too. He leaned down and pressed a quick butterfly kiss to Derek’s lips.

  “Stay still, my mate,” Dillan urged. “I have something that will help.”

  Slipping from the bed, Dillan padded quickly to the bathroom. He opened the medicine cabinet and scanned through the contents, knowing he’d put it in there the day before. Spotting it, Dillan pulled down the tube of cream.

  Dillan returned to the bed. Kneeling on it, he grabbed the comforter and sheet, flipping it toward the foot of the bed. Derek stiffened...and not in the way Dillan enjoyed.

  “What are you doing?” Derek asked, scowling at him. He lifted a hand for a second as of to wave him away or maybe to cover his groin, then allowed his hand to fall back to his stomach. “Dillan?”

  Dillan settled his hand on Derek’s thigh. “Easy, my lover,” he soothed. He winked, then added, “There isn’t a part of you I haven’t seen and don’t want to lick.” Dillan pushed gently against Derek’s inner thigh.

  After a second, Derek spread his legs. His face turned a pale pink as he muttered, “What are you doing?”

  Removing his hand, Dillan unscrewed the cap of the cream and placed it on the nightstand, then he poured a small amount of the yellow ointment onto his fingertip. As he did that, he explained, “I’m taking care of you. I should have done this last night.” Dillan met Derek’s gaze and added, “I’m sorry, Derek. I was a bit rough with you last night, but...Gods, you responded so beautifully.”

  Now, Derek’s face turned beet red. “Uh, how about you let me put that on?” he mumbled.

  Dillan’s first instinct was to refuse. Remembering that they were still getting used to each other, he nodded. He handed over the tube, then slid off the bed. Picking up the towel, Dillan wiped the cream from his hands.

  “I’m going to clean up and piss,” Dillan told him, realizing his mate needed a little privacy. Next time, he vowed to himself. He’d remember to take care of his lover right after fucking him. That way, Derek would be too bliss-out to protest the intimacy. “You can move your bathroom items into the master bath if you want after I’m done,” he offered.

  Without waiting for a response, Dillan turned and headed back to the bathroom. After doing exactly as he said, he returned to the bedroom. Dillan noticed Derek still lounging in bed and he’d pulled the sheet up around his waist.

  “I’m going to start breakfast,” Dillan told him.

  Dillan leaned toward him again, intending to kiss him. When Derek held up his hand, stopping his forward motion, he cocked his head and lifted one brow in silent question.

  “Uh, I haven’t brushed,” Derek stated. “We shouldn’t, uh—”

  Dillan chuckled. He shook his head as he gripped Derek’s wrist and pushed his hand from between them. Leaning down the rest of the way, Dillan finished his intention and pressed a slow, sipping kiss to Derek’s lips.

  Lifting his head so there was a couple of inches between them, Dillan stated, “I will always want your kiss. No matter what.”

  Derek nodded once. “Okay.”

  Dillan straightened and crossed to the dresser. He pulled on a pair of jeans, leaving the top button undone, then strode from the room. As he started the coffee pot, he listened. Within a few minutes, Dillan’s sensitive hearing picked up Derek’s movement, letting him know his mate was up.

  They’d just finished their meal and were sitting together on the sofa with fresh cups of coffee when Dillan heard the sound of an approaching vehicle.

  Frowning, Dillan turned to Derek and asked, “Did Edwin or your brother say anything about stopping by this morning?” He’d really hoped to get at least one quiet day with his mate before he had to deal with possible pack business. Dillan knew he’d have to approach Alpha Declan with his request to stay on the outskirts of his pack’s territory indefinitely.

  Derek shook his head. “Not to me.”

  Dillan growled softly and pushed to his feet. “Then let’s go see who our uninvited guests are.” He smirked and held out his hand. “Then, we can send them on their way.”

  Nodding, Derek took his hand, allowing him to pull him to his feet.

  Knowing his mate was still getting used to public displays of affection, Dillan released him. Besides, he couldn’t open the door if both hands were full and he planned to take his coffee with him. Dillan crossed to the front door and pulled it open. He stepped on the porch, shivering just a bit as the cool, morning mountain chill hit his bare chest.

  Dillan crossed to the wide steps. Standing at the top, he leaned his left shoulder against the wooden pillar and lifted his coffee cup to his lips. As he watched, a navy green SUV with tinted windows appeared from between the trees.

  Keeping his expression neutral, Dillan watched as the vehicle parked. He saw three doors open and four people exit the vehicle...the man who vacated the back seat turned and held his hand out to aid a woman dressed in a very pretty yellow sundress. Too bad her glacial blue eyes dimmed her beauty.

  “Oh, my God,” Derek whispered.

  Dillan didn’t pull his focus away from the three glaring men that accompanied the woman. Two were older, one a little heavy around the middle. A third was perhaps around Derek’s age. None of them were smiling.

  Dillan’s cat hissed in his mind and he completely agreed.

  Intruders were in his territory.

  “Do you know them?” Dillan asked softly.

  “That’s my father, Forest Sommers,” Derek muttered. “Shit. And that’s Jennifer, her father, Raymond, and her brother, Wayne. What the hell are they doing here? How did they even find me?”

  “That is a very good question,” Dillan agreed. “We should be certain to get that information before they leave.” He finally tore his gaze away from the group and turned to look at his lover, although he did keep the uninvited guests in his peripheral vision. “May I kiss you?” he asked softly. “Nothing big. Just enough to put my claim on you in front of your father and these people.” He forced a smile as he admitted, “My cat really needs it, since this woman is claiming to be your fiancée.”

  Derek’s eyes widened just a bit as he glanced toward the group. Then, he focused on Dillan and nodded once. “Uh, yeah. I’ve never really done public displays, but—” he cleared his throat and his cheeks pinked just a bit, reminding Dillan of his mate’s...well, inexperience. “I don’t want to ever deny you.”

  “I think I love you already,” Dillan whispered.

  Derek’s eyes widened and his jaw sagged open.

  Dillan took complete advantage. He rolled his shoulder on the wooden pillar so his back pressed against the wood. Then, he reached out, grabbed Derek’s neck with his free hand, and reeled him in, pulling him against his own body. Dillan thrust his tongue in deep for just a couple of seconds, and he swept his tongue around his mate’s mouth. Just as quickly, Dillan ended the kiss and lifted his head. He smiled at his mate.

  “Thank you,” Dillan whispered.

  Derek stared back at him, his expression a little amused and very much pleased. “Anytime.”

  “You get your filthy han
ds off my fiancé!” a feminine voice shrieked. “You old bastard! He’s mine,” she continued screaming. “I get his money!”

  “That’s enough,” one of the older men roared, yelling over Jennifer’s continued claims and obscenities. “Derek, you will cease that deviant behavior right now.”

  Stiffening, Derek licked his lips, then slowly turned and faced the speaker. “Hello, Father. I’d say it’s nice to see you but perhaps next time you should call first.”

  “Don’t you give me cheek, Boy, or you’ll be sorry,” the man Dillan realized was Forest Sommers warned, his face turning pink in obvious anger. “Don’t forget what I have in my safe. You wouldn’t want that little secret getting out, would you?”

  Derek’s jaw clenched, and he paled, looking for all the world as if he’d been smacked.

  Dillan’s possessive need to protect what was his roared to life. Hissing between his teeth, he stepped down the couple of steps needed to reach the ground, placing himself between the four and Derek. “You’ve come to my home and insulted my partner,” he snapped. “Leave now before I call the police.”

  Having gotten into the habit of researching possible places to live long ago, Dillan had checked out the pack and surrounding areas where Edwin had moved. He knew a local detective was a Bengal tiger shifter and had his number programed into his speed dial...just in case. Dillan pulled his phone from his pocket.

  “Don’t make me call the cops,” Dillan declared.

  Forest barely spared Dillan a glance, which caused Dillan’s cat’s hackles to raise. How he’d love to shift and tear this human’s throat out. Only the fact that this was his mate’s father stayed the instinct.

  “Derek, get your car keys and give them to Wayne,” Forest ordered. “He’ll drive your car. You will ride in the SUV with us.” He narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. “We have a long drive ahead of us and can have a nice long chat.”

  Wayne stepped forward, his hand extended, an arrogant smirk on his face. Dillan knew the type. This human had had everything handed to him. With the blond hair, lean build and icy blue eyes, it was easy to tell he was Jennifer’s sister.

  “Come on, asshole,” Wayne snapped. “I missed a bachelor party last night because of you. Let’s get a move on.”

  “God,” Derek snapped, coming down the steps to stand beside Dillan. “I knew your sister was a selfish piece of work, so I should have known you were a chip off the old block.” Derek curled his lip at Wayne for a second, then turned and sneered at Forest and the other older male. “Forget it, Father. I don’t know how you found us or what you think to accomplish with this stunt, but I’m not marrying her.” Derek glared at Jennifer, curling his lip. “What? Did you buy your own ring for this façade? Or did you get it from one our daddies?”

  Jennifer’s eyes widened and her face turned an interesting shade of red.

  Raymond beat her to a response. “You said you had control of him,” he thundered, glaring at Forest. “Now he’s making my daughter look the part of a fool.”

  “Damn you, Boy!” Forest roared. “I did not track your car across three states for you to have a childish meltdown.” His eyes narrowing, his nostrils flaring, the heavy-set human continued, “You will do right by your family and—”

  Derek barked a laugh. “Right by my family? Right? Right like you disowned Deke?” He scoffed and shook his head. “Okay, Father. I disown you. I don’t care what business deal you have going on with Raymond. You all can leave me out of it.” He pointed his finger at his father and snarled, “I quit, remember? I’m done being your whipping boy and lap dog. I’m living my own life now.”

  “You disgusting abomination!” Forest roared. “After all I’ve done for you, I will not have you speaking to me that way. Get in the fucking car,” he continued, pointing at the SUV.

  “You’re such an ungrateful jackass,” Wayne hissed, drawing attention. “Denying my sister so you can act out in this deviant way.” He stalked toward the porch, lifting his right hand and shaking his fist at Derek. “If marrying you didn’t mean millions,” Wayne added in a harsh snarl, “I would never let an abomination like you near my sister!”

  Wayne swung his arm, aiming a fist at Derek’s jaw.

  Dillan roared and lunged toward Wayne, but it was too late. Except, Derek easily stepped to the right, blocked the blow with his left arm, and landed a right hook of his own. Wayne was already tumbling ass over tea kettle when Dillan’s body hit him and took him the rest of the way to the ground...hard. Dillan’s sensitive hearing picked up the distinctive sound of a pop. Judging from that and Wayne’s howl, Dillan bet the human had at least one cracked rib.

  Rolling off the man and springing back to his feet, Dillan curled his lip at the remaining trio.

  “I don’t give a fuck what—” Forest began.

  The sound of a rifle crack echoed through the morning air. “I don’t have to miss,” a clearly amused tenor called. “You’re in the mountains of Colorado and you’re harassing my friends. Even the cops wouldn’t touch us. You swung first!” The voice chuckled. “Now might be a grand time to leave and never return...Forest Sommers. You and your bigoted kind aren’t welcome here.”

  The sounds of half a dozen wolf howls filled the morning air...and they weren’t very far away.

  Dillan’s cat’s hackles raised in his mind. He tried to remind himself that he wasn’t their prey. He was a friend to the local pack. He had permission to be here.

  “Ah, better hurry,” the stranger called, clearing enjoying this. “I don’t like people using tracking devices to harm my buddies, and my wolves would love an excuse to...play.”

  After the older men exchanged a look, they rushed forward. Dillan grabbed Derek’s elbow and urged him back a few steps. Wayne’s father bent down and wrapped an arm around his son. Forest curled his lip and snarled, “I will ruin you, Derek. You’ll never work in law again.”

  Derek scoffed. “Good.” Then, he narrowed his eyes and snarled, “Do you think I’ll need evidence that you were the one to pay the cop off? Or will insinuation be enough to ruin you, too?”

  While Forest sneered and turned to help Wayne, too, the man’s father curled his lip at Derek. “Faggot.”

  Wolves howled again and several appeared, bounding across the lawn toward them. While their teeth were bared and their ears were pinned, giving them a ferocious look, Dillan couldn’t help spotting the amusement in the shifter’s eyes. They were having fun.

  Within two minutes, the uninvited humans had piled into the SUV and sped away. The wolves—it looked like six of them, much to Dillan’s irritation—trotted around the clearing, sniffing at his cat’s scent markers. Derek was pressed against Dillan’s side, his eyes wide as he stared around at all the shifters in animal form.

  “Well, that went well,” the stranger stated, human by his scent, as he sauntered toward them. The lean man had a scoped rifle slung over his shoulder. “Jared Templeton. Mate of Carson Angeni,” he said by way of introduction. “I do hate bigoted assholes in our territory.” Jared looked at Dillan and smirked. “I disabled the tracking device he had on Derek’s car, but I’d recommend selling it.” He winked. “Have your mate get something that will handle the snow.”

  Dillan nodded slowly. He recognized Carson’s name. Looking over, he noted Declan McIntire speaking with another naked male, whom Dillan didn’t recognize. Seconds later, that man turned and started giving orders to a couple of wolves, who immediately turned and took off into the woods. Dillan guessed that they were told to follow the vehicle to make certain the humans really were leaving.

  In the next instant, Declan turned and looked Dillan’s way. He nodded and held up a couple of fingers, indicating he needed a couple of minutes, then wanted to talk to him. Dillan waved in understanding. It seemed, there was plenty to explain.

  “Oh, my God! There are so many of them!”

  Derek’s declaration drew Dillan’s attention. He realized h
is mate peered around the clearing with wide eyes, his focus skipping from one shifter to another. Derek was obviously still coming to grips with shifters.

  That didn’t really surprise Dillan.

  Grabbing Derek’s upper arms in a gentle hold, Dillan rubbed up and down. He hated the confused look that slowly turned to...defeat as he took in his mate’s face. “Derek, my mate, are you okay?” Dillan asked, glancing up and down, scanning his lover for injury. Other than scraped knuckles from nailing Jennifer’s brother, Derek appeared fine.

  Derek let out a slow breath and blinked. He met Dillan’s gaze. After a second, he smiled. “Yeah,” he said with a nod. “I’m okay. That went kind of how I expected.”

  “I’m sorry about your parents,” Dillan told him, meaning every word. His own pride had disowned him centuries ago, but every once in a while, that pang of sadness hit him.

  Shaking his head, Derek shrugged. “I wish it were different, but you can’t build a life on wishes.” He lifted his hand and cupped Dillan’s jaw. “Besides, I have you and Deke and all our new friends,” he said, glancing around at the group of wolf shifters whose unexpected arrival had helped send Forest packing.

  “Anything you want or need,” Dillan vowed. “Name it and it’ll be done.”

  Derek shook his head. He leaned forward and pressed a quick butterfly kiss to Dillan’s lips. “I don’t need anything.” Then he scoffed. “All I want is to sit and relax the day away in our hot tub. Is that okay?”

  Dillan nodded. “That sounds like a fine idea,” he replied, grinning. “After we chat with the alpha, we’ll do just that.”

  “Good,” Derek said. He pecked another fast, hard kiss to Dillan’s lips, he stepped away and waggled his brows. “Let’s hurry up then. I want to have a long, hard, deep discussion about the best ways to relax in our hot tub.”

  As Derek turned away and headed toward Alpha Declan, Dillan growled softly as he trotted to catch up. His mate’s idea sounded just about perfect.