Cutting Ties

by C. M. Torrens

  “Information,” George said.

  Jesse hesitated. “Very well. I don’t have time today, and I refuse to give any information concerning the pack or Dante.”

  “Fair enough. When can we meet to just talk a bit?”

  Jesse paused, considering the question. “Today and tomorrow I’m busy. Saturday. You can meet me for brunch at the Blue Café. Around eleven?”

  “I’ll be there.”

  He hadn’t really expected Jesse to agree. Now he wasn’t even sure what to ask. He’d have to think about it tonight. His mind was spinning with the possibilities. There were so many things he wanted to know.

  Jesse turned and left with his heavy. George grabbed his laptop and headed out to see Nathan and Mrs. Sawyer. Jesse said maybe Nathan could see their pack doctor. Even if his heavy suggested that might not be a good idea, he did know enough about pack hierarchy to know Jesse had enough pull to get it done. If he could do it, then George wanted to make sure Mrs. Sawyer would allow it. If he had to, he’d talk to Nathan to make sure it got done.

  20. Home

  HOME. SWEET Creation, it was good to be home.

  Dante grinned as his pack greeted them. Out of the cubs, Kent reached him first. The young one was growing quick. Dante had to be careful and brace himself for the sudden weight that landed on him, absorbing it as the cub landed on his chest and climbed up under his chin to cuddle close.

  The other cubs gathered and climbed on him as he tried to walk into the house. Brady and Quinn bounced off each other trying to get to him. He chuckled and kissed them both before the pair ran off to play. Faith squealed and climbed onto his back, giggling.

  “I missed you.” Kent kissed him and hugged him tight.

  “I missed you too, my little one. Were you a good cub while I was gone?”

  “Yep,” Kent said with a grin. “But Faith wasn’t.”

  “I was too!” she snapped, and they tried to fight on top of him.

  Dante sighed and plopped the cubs back on the ground, then shooed them off to play. He turned to greet Michael with a brief hug before leading the way into the house.

  “How was everything?” Dante asked Michael.

  “Everything was fine. Not a peep of trouble.” Michael was his heir, and together they’d kept the city under a tight grip since the hybrid trouble began.

  “Anything from that hunter?”

  Michael shook his head. “Nope. Hopefully out hunting hybrids. Maybe we’ll get lucky and he’ll find the nest for us.”

  Dante frowned. “That would be unfortunate because I doubt he would live long enough to relay the message.” He glanced around. “Where’s Jesse?”

  Michael cleared his throat and looked away. “In the pack room, maybe?”

  Dante winced, and an angry voice drifted from the direction of the pack room. “You know, there are these fascinating devices called phones! Last time I checked, you carried one of these things.”

  Dante sighed heavily and pulled his phone out of his pocket. “It went dead at the gathering, Jess—”

  “And electricity in France is in short supply, is it? France was suddenly thrust into the dark ages while you were there? Did Trevor’s phone die too, Evan’s and River’s?” Jesse appeared in the hall that led to the pack room. His arms were folded in anger, and his hazel eyes flashed a vivid green.

  Dante cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. I knew I was coming home soon so—”

  “So? So what? You decided it wasn’t worth the trouble calling home?”

  “You knew we were fine.”

  If anything Jesse’s glare turned more piercing. He spun on his heels and disappeared into the pack room.

  River frowned at Dante. “Told you you should have called him.” She wandered off to catch up with Ivory and Stephanie. And the females were soon off talking among themselves.

  He wanted to dive in and tell Michael about the France trip, but Jesse was a bit more important at the moment.

  He found his way down the hall and opened the door to the pack room. Jesse was sitting on the edge of the massive bed that took up an area the size of a normal room. His back was to the door, and Dante stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

  “I was worried.” Jesse glared at the wall, his posture stiff and angry.

  “You knew I was okay—”

  Jesse shot him another glare. “You know that’s not enough! We’ve discussed this. The weave isn’t enough. I need to hear you at the very least. I’m not like the rest of the pack, and you know it.”

  Dante winced and nodded. “Yes. And I’m sorry.” He crouched down beside the bed in front of him and reached slowly for his hand.

  Jesse shot him a dark look and pulled his hand away. “I’m still mad at you. Phones aren’t difficult to use, you know. I’m on speed dial, for Creation’s sake. One button, Dante. One. Little. Button.”

  Dante set his dead phone on the nightstand beside the bed. “Did you call?”

  “Of course I called!” he snapped. “And I’m sure they have plugs in fucking France. Don’t use the dead phone excuse.”

  “I’m not,” he said quickly. “I should have called. I should have used Trevor’s phone. I’m sorry.” He reached out slowly and tried to touch him again. He ran his fingers over Jesse’s thigh, just barely grazing the skin. “I missed you.”

  Jesse didn’t pull away. “Did you?” he challenged.

  Dante smiled. “Don’t even pretend like that. You know I did.” He ran his hand down Jesse’s thigh and stroked the skin down to his ankle. “I have a lot to make up for, I think.”

  A ghost of a smile touched Jesse’s lips, and Dante began to massage his foot. “You could say that.”

  He rubbed little circles in the spot near the balls of his feet and paid close attention as he pampered his pet. He moved to the other foot, taking his time, and kissed Jesse’s ankle, then looked up at him from a submissive position to enhance his apology.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Oh yeah? How sorry?” Jesse asked.

  Dante kissed his knee and looked up at him. “Very, very sorry.”

  He felt the last of Jesse’s anger slip away. “You’re an ass.”

  “I never claimed perfection.” Dante slid his hands up Jesse’s strong thighs, enjoying the feel of the toned muscles under his palms.

  “A little effort trying to hit the mark wouldn’t hurt.”

  “It won’t happen again,” Dante promised and pulled Jesse gently to the end of the bed, closer to him.

  Jesse slipped his arms around his neck and leaned in to kiss him. “I’m still mad at you.”

  Dante nuzzled his neck and kissed that spot just under Jesse’s ear. “No you aren’t.”

  Jesse relaxed into his touch. “I could be,” he said, but a warm sigh escaped his lips. “Creation, I missed you.”

  Dante kissed his lips and urged Jesse back on the bed. The scent of Jesse’s skin, his taste, his touch. Creation, he could get lost in him every single day and never grow bored.

  Jesse wrapped his arms around him as they lay together on the bed, and Jesse nimbly stripped Dante of his clothes. He pulled Dante closer, and their kisses grew hungry with need.

  The ache of desire coiled in Dante’s gut. “I love you, Jesse,” Dante whispered.

  “I love you too, Dante.” Jesse’s voice had gone husky and warm with lust.

  He grazed gentle kisses over Jesse’s skin, little nips at his chest that teased out passion, and he rolled to pin Jesse under him. Hooded eyes looked into his and turned a deep green with desire, and Dante smiled down at him.

  He leaned in for another kiss, teasing a smile from Jesse’s lips as he kissed and pulled just out of reach before kissing him again.

  He took his time, loving every inch of his lover, pet, friend, and so much more. Jesse was his everything.

  They moved together, becoming one, the line between giving and taking a blur as he opened the weave between them.
The hunger, passion, and love was all he could feel and wanted to feel. He could get lost forever.

  The ache grew more intense, pleasure building, drowning their senses in nothing but each other. Claws bit into Dante’s back, and Dante crushed Jesse in his grip, nipping and biting until the crash of climax took them both, washing over them in a rushing wave.

  They held each other as the warm afterglow vibrated around them.

  He knew he should move but didn’t want to.

  Jesse traced the marks over Dante’s scarred chest and kissed some of the worst of them as if trying to kiss them away. “How was the trip?”

  “Exhausting,” Dante said with a sigh.

  “See any cute young males there? A gathering full of young and pretty alphas, something catch your eye?”

  Dante chuckled. “Barely noticed. Why even bother looking when I have you to come home to?”

  Jesse smirked at him. “Ooh, good answer.”

  “Honest answer.” Dante teased his hand through Jesse’s hair, enjoying the feel as it slipped through his fingers. “I’ve never really looked beyond you.”

  Jesse shoved away from him. “Ugh, you’re too adorable. Go away.”

  Dante laughed. “Should alphas be adorable?”

  “Mine is, that’s all that matters. Get out of here. I know you’re itching to talk to Michael.”

  “Not so much itching to work.” Dante pulled Jesse back into his arms.

  Jesse stroked his face and kissed him, his face going very serious. “Then get some rest. You can’t work all the time. Michael can wait. You’re working too hard.”

  “I just want this over, and it’s only begun.”

  “We’ll be okay.” Jesse drew circles down Dante’s bare his chest with his fingers. “We will. You just need a little rest. I worry about you. You have to rest, Dante. It’s not healthy for you to stress like this and not get enough sleep.”

  Dante nodded. “I know.”

  Jesse grinned suddenly. “If you go to sleep like a good alpha, you’ll get a treat after dinner.”

  Dante laughed. “You’ve been making deals with the cubs again.”

  “They’re easy to please. A story and a run and they’re good.”

  Dante rolled his weight over Jesse, pinning him to the bed under him. “Hmm, stay with me.”

  “Like you could get rid of me so easily.” He squirmed a bit to get into a more comfortable position.

  He laid his head on Jesse’s chest and trapped him tight in his embrace. Closing his eyes, he let himself drift off for some much-needed sleep.

  DANTE WOKE to harsh whispers around him.

  “I said shut up!” Jesse hissed. “Do you like your hide attached?”

  “Eh, you don’t have the claws,” Nicky grumbled back.

  “He needs to sleep. You don’t understand how little sleep he gets most of the time.”

  Dante listened to the hushed argument, trying to decide if he was going to get up or not. The bed was pretty damn comfortable, and a little more sleep wouldn’t hurt.

  “I need the Jeep,” Nicky said.

  “Then take the fucking Jeep and don’t bother him.”

  “He’s awake.”

  “I know that, you idiot. It doesn’t mean he won’t go back to sleep.”

  “Watch it, pet. You don’t have the claws to be calling names!” Nicky shot back.

  Dante’s eyes shot open with surprise as he let out a low warning growl. “But I do,” he said, narrowing his eyes on Nicky.

  Nicky cringed and took a step back from the bed.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you?” Dante asked, sitting up.

  Jesse winced. “Dante, relax. It’s nothing. Nicky’s just in a bad mood.”

  Dante glared at Nicky and got to his feet. With one quick swipe, he knocked Nicky down to the bed. Hard enough to give him something to think about for a while but not do serious damage.

  “Say ‘pet’ like that again, and we’ll have a serious problem, understand?”

  Nicky nodded quickly and moved very carefully, putting distance between him and Dante. “Yes, Alpha.”

  He shot Nicky a final dark look and headed to the bathroom to grab a shower. He was awake now and annoyed.

  After a quick shower, he headed out into the common room where most of the pack had gathered and lay down on the floor on a pile of pillows. The cubs pounced on him, and someone handed him a plate of food. Nicky was sulking on the far side of the room, and Jesse was talking with Paul and Tristan in the kitchen.

  Michael sprawled out beside him and picked at the oversized plate of food in front of Dante.

  “Someone want to tell me why Nicky’s in a mood?” Dante asked.

  Nicky flushed and curled up farther back into his chair. “It’s nothing,” he muttered.

  Michael glanced across the room at him. “He’s mad at me.”

  “Why?”

  “I haven’t made him a heavy yet,” Michael said.

  Dante hummed but said nothing more and picked at the food between them.

  “You aren’t going to ask why?” Nicky blurted out.

  Dante looked across the room at him. “Why would I ask why? If Michael doesn’t think you’re ready, you aren’t ready. And from the bout of attitude you spouted in the pack room, I’m not seeing anything that encourages me to bother asking.”

  Nicky glared across the room and sighed heavily. “I’m sorry.”

  “No, you aren’t,” Dante said. “You’re only sorry because you aren’t getting the response you were hoping for.”

  “You were a heavy at my age,” Nicky grumbled.

  “I was a lot of things at your age, Nicky. Not all of them good,” Dante said.

  Paul and Tristan joined them on the floor and cuddled close. He ran his hand absently through Paul’s hair and gave Tristan a quick kiss. It was nice to be home.

  Most of the pack made their way inside the house and found a spot on the common room floor with him and Michael. Trevor and Evan cuddled, half-asleep near his feet, and Jesse brought him a cup of tea before sitting down beside him.

  He took a deep breath and sipped his tea before settling in for the real discussion.

  “The clans and packs are on cautious ground, but it looks potentially positive. We’ll see how it goes. Odin will be here soon, if he isn’t already in the States, to work on the clans. He doesn’t have much pull here, but he and his children are working on it.”

  “Was the gathering there hit as hard as ours?” Michael asked.

  “Yes and no,” Dante said. “We had a bit of warning before they came. They sent in two waves. The second wave got through to the pack house, but I don’t think the death toll was as high relative to the number of alpha there. Still plenty brutal.”

  Michael cocked his head. “Is the gathering still going to happen here?”

  Dante frowned. “Angel says yes. He doesn’t want anyone to think we’re cowed by this, but getting people to go after this attack will be difficult.”

  Michael looked him over. “Are we going?”

  Dante shook his head. “I don’t know. I haven’t decided yet. I agree with him and all, but… it’s a big risk right now. If we could find the nest before the gathering, I’d feel much more secure.”

  “Ivory and I can stay here again,” Michael said.

  “We’ll see what happens between then and now. There’s still a few months until the gathering. No need to make a firm decision yet.”

  The cubs were curled on the floor near the plate of food. Kent untangled himself from his siblings to cuddle into Dante’s side. He looked worried. “You won’t go if the monsters are out there, will you?”

  Dante stroked his cub’s head and kissed his forehead. “I have to do what I think will keep everyone safe, Kent.”

  “I don’t want you to go and get hurt.”

  Dante smiled. “I’ll be okay. I was a heavy once, right? You remember, don’t you?”

  Kent nodded. “But you got hurt before.”
>
  “Yes, but not by the creatures, and I healed up just fine, right?”

  Kent nodded, and his claws dug into Dante’s shoulders as he climbed up his chest and onto his shoulders.

  The cub was starting to get heavy. They were all growing like weeds. He let Kent stay where he was and adjusted himself so he could take the added weight a little better. Pretty soon Kent would be too old to climb. Thankfully Quinn wasn’t nearly as needy as his twin. Dante wasn’t sure if he looked forward to the day they grew up or wished they would stay exactly as they were.

  Dante reached up and ruffled his hair. “Enough darkness and politics. Let me hear what everyone did while I was away. Anything had to be more fun than my week.”

  After catching up it was time for a hunt. The run would do him some good, and the youths needed some practice with real large prey.

  Dante slipped into the woods, shifted, and ran. The wind in his fur and the scents in the air helped push some of his worries aside. He called to his pack as he ran, and one by one they came to him as he caught the scent of a deer. Together they ran and played, chasing their prey. He hung back to watch Kip and Cory take the lead, allowing the two youths their first kill. They fed together, and the cubs, still not old enough to shift, joined them at the feast, chewing on bones with their sharp little teeth and giggling and laughing as they scuffled over the meatiest of fleshed bones Dante set aside for them.

  He smiled, enjoying the moment with his pack. Days like this were what made life worth fighting for.

  21. Vegas

  VEGAS. HE hated the city. It was loud, bright, and flat. There was nothing pretty about it. Artificial depictions of real places stuffed into massive air-conditioned buildings in the middle of nowhere. Only humans would think to build a massive city in the middle of the desert for no real reason but to say they could.

  He stepped out of the airport, and Velasco pulled up with the rental car. The flat roads spread out as they drove to a small nondescript building well away from the strip.

  The place was called the Dark Wood and looked like an office building of some sort. The door was stained a dark walnut, and the only sign that stood above the door was one written in Latin, Porta, in elegant script.