by Shea Malik
“Damn straight,” Edrick said as he picked himself up and wiped the dirt off his pants and shirt as best he could.
Chadwick gave an exasperated sigh. “I will never understand mates,” he muttered. “You act completely irrational and then expect the rest of us to just go along with your insanity as if it were perfectly normal.”
Edrick chuckled. “One day, you’ll find your mate, my friend. Then you’ll understand.”
Chadwick scowled at Edrick. “That will never happen. And if by some miracle, I do stumble upon my mate, I will run as far in the other direction as possible. No person on earth is worth behaving like a complete moron.”
Once more, Edrick felt that stab of guilt for letting his friends down and not getting them out of the pack sooner. Chadwick so much more than the others, for he was the one who changed the most.
As kids, Chadwick used to dream of finding his mate. Even then, Chadwick had known it would be a man. It was his mother who had warned him never tell another soul, or he’d be sentenced to death. At the time, none of them had understood why.
It had been Chadwick’s mother, the only parent who hadn’t cared that her son was gay, who had explained the consequences for being attracted to the same sex. She begged him and his friends to not breathe a word. So, at the age of five, Edrick and his friends had made a pact to keep their secrets to the grave.
As his mate got smaller and smaller the further he walked, Edrick picked up the phone and called Lucca. “I need you to follow someone,” he said as soon as he heard his friend’s voice.
He would give Nole his space, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to make sure he could find his mate. After giving Lucca a description of Nole and the direction he was headed, Edrick hung up and turned to Chadwick. “You ready to head out?”
Chadwick stared at him with his mouth wide open. “You’re going to leave Kellach with only Hudson to protect him? What if your father’s pack finds this place?”
Edrick was. Hopefully, the decision wouldn’t bite him in the ass later, like the decision to stay in his father’s pack had.
“Let’s get out of here so we can get back quickly.” It was risky to leave only Hudson and Kellach behind, but, Edrick also couldn’t allow his mate to walk away without protection.
Chadwick may have been the first to realize he was gay, but he wasn’t the last. As they had gotten older, each of them began to discover they, too, were gay. With each admission, the pact they’d made at age five was renewed. It was Kellach coming to them with his sexuality that had the greatest effect.
For the others, Edrick had always believed they would be able to handle themselves if caught. But Kellach was only five-foot-five and a hundred pounds soaking wet. Not to mention he was sinfully gorgeous, making him hard to resist for both sexes. There was no way he would be able to defend himself if he were found out.
Knowing one day they’d have to run, Edrick and the others started planning. Each of them trained in areas that would be helpful if they were forced out. Edrick had become a computer programmer. Except he was far more than just that. Edrick had learned early on he had an affinity for hacking.
Using that skill, Edrick had made a lot of money doing contracting for both the government and private companies. All the while he’d managed to keep most of his jobs off the books, so his father never found out just how good he really was. At the same time, his father never knew how much money Edrick made. None of their families did.
With the help of offshore accounts and false identities, Edrick had built up a small fortune for him and his friends to survive. It didn’t begin to be as much as the pack had in reserves, but it would still give them enough to survive on while they ran.
Lucca, who would end up being Edrick’s second, had learned security. In today’s world of electronics, it made some things easier, while others harder at the same time. With Edrick’s help in programming, they had developed a state of the art security system that once setup, would give them enough warning to get to safety if attacked.
Chadwick, who would be one of the enforcers, had learned construction. Everything from houses to skyscrapers. He could do it all. From drawing to decorating. Chadwick never believed in doing things halfway, so when he’d chosen that field, he’d thrown himself into learning it all.
Hudson had one of the hardest jobs of all of them. He’d had to learn the law. They planned to do their best to make their little town into a safe haven for gay shifters, so they needed someone who could help them navigate not only shifter law, but human laws as well.
Kellach hadn’t been given a choice in what job he’d learned. Not because they hadn’t given him one, but because Edrick’s father hadn’t. As one of the smallest and most effeminate of the men, Lorcan had thought it appropriate that Kellach do what his father considered, “woman’s work.”
Why cooking was considered only for women, Edrick didn’t understand, but his father had thought the position demeaning and rubbed Kellach’s nose in it whenever he could. Edrick still wasn’t entirely sure cooking was something Kellach enjoyed, but as the rest of them burned water, for now, they needed Kellach to make their meals.
With one last look in his mate’s direction, Edrick turned and walked to where he’d left his bike. No matter how much he wanted to go after his headstrong mate, Edrick had a job to do. He knew Lucca would watch over his mate until he got back with their supplies.
Climbing onto his bike, Edrick prayed he wasn’t making another mistake.
CHAPTER 6
Icy cold tentacles wrapped around Nole’s heart as he scented at least five mice shifters in the air. They had found him, and Nole wasn’t so sure he’d walk away this time. He was in the middle of the forest with civilization at least a two-hour walk from his current location.
Considering he’d most likely have his ass handed to him – again – crawling to safety would be impossible. Assuming they left him alive this time, which would be doubtful, Nole had little chance of surviving, all because he’d been too stubborn and left his mate instead of staying to work things out.
Heartbroken over walking away had been the only reason he hadn’t noticed someone was closing in on him in the first place. Stupidly, he’d allowed himself to become distracted when he should have been vigilant.
He knew his colony had still been searching for him. Then there were the hunters he’d encountered the last time he was out there. Nole’s mind should have been on keeping himself safe, instead of how great his mate smelled. Or the sexy growl and how great it would feel as Edrick sucked Nole’s dick. His cock throbbed as it hardened in his pants, making them uncomfortable.
Ahhh!
Even knowing he’d been discovered and tracked, Nole couldn’t keep his mind from thinking about Edrick. He might as well face facts. He was going to die today all because he was an idiot who had walked away from his mate.
With each step he took, thoughts of turning around and going back had consumed him since leaving Edrick. Now he wouldn’t have that chance. He should have at least gotten Edrick’s phone number so he could have called his mate and apologized for being such a douche. There was little he could do about it now.
Searching for a way out, Nole figured he had less than fifteen minutes before they caught up to him. Sure, he could run and make it twenty or thirty minutes, but eventually, they would catch up to him, and when they did, Nole preferred it to be on his terms. It would also be better if he weren’t too exhausted from running to fight back. It didn’t help that he’d already been walking for over eight hours and was ready to rest.
No, it was better to find a location that would give him an advantage, no matter how small. Like that rock formation to his left. Admittedly, it was a little further than he would have liked to go, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. His only other option was to climb the trees, but the tactical advantage wouldn’t be enough to help him out of this mess.
Needing all the time he could get to find the best position, Nole ran to the out
cropping and nearly cried out in despair. It wasn’t nearly as large as he’d hoped. Worse, there was nowhere else he could hide. Nothing to use as a weapon.
With no other obvious location he could use to his advantage, Nole would have to make this work. He just wished it offered him a way to win.
Resolved to do whatever it took to survive, he picked up a couple of stout branches and scattered them around to use later when fighting. Then he took off his backpack and pulled out his gun. He already had three knives strapped to his body, but he was hoping to take at least one of his attackers out of commission before they got too close.
The snap of a twig alerted him they were close. It also told him whoever his alpha had sent, were idiots. They were shifters - mouse shifters. Snapping a twig was the mark of an amateur.
Hope flared inside him, but Nole squashed it quickly. He couldn’t rely on the hope that those after him were untrained or he’d end up dead for sure.
Keeping his body behind the small group of rocks, Nole aimed his gun in the direction that he scented his pursuers. His heart raced way too fast. Nole needed to calm down.
Breathing deeply, he kept his senses open. That stubborn thread of hope bloomed once more. It couldn’t be, could it? Once more he drew air into his lungs. Letting his senses open fully, he scented the air around him.
His gaze went to the north, where he’d come from. He was positive he scented cat shifter, one he didn’t recognize, but it was definitely feline. He just wasn’t sure if it was friend or foe. But it was a scent even further away that gave him pause. He would swear Edrick was near. Not close enough to help him now, but close enough that if Nole could keep himself alive long enough, his mate would be able to help him defeat those after him.
As much as he prayed Edrick would make it in time, Nole knew he couldn’t count on his mate getting there. Especially since whoever his alpha sent was nearly upon him. If Nole was going to survive, he needed to depend on only himself. If his mate made it, great, but he was too far away to be a safe bet.
Two of his colony stepped close enough for Nole to make them out. His heart sank. It was men he’d considered friends once upon a time before he’d been caught with the Alpha’s brother. Once that had happened, everyone, even his family, had turned on him.
He didn’t want to hurt either of these men. But they had known what the alpha had expected of them. They had come with the intention of ending him. Nole may not want to kill them, but if it meant saving his own life, he would.
He didn’t think he would be able to forgive his alpha or his friends for putting him in this position. Nole just wished he knew if he’d be able to forgive himself for choosing his life over those he’d once considered friends.
* * * *
“Protect him, no matter what,” Edrick snarled into the phone when Lucca called him to inform him whoever had been following Nole had finally caught up with him. Thankfully, whoever had been tracking Nole sucked at their job, or they would have reached him too soon for Edrick to have any hope of reaching his mate.
As it was, there was a good chance he wouldn’t make it.
Lucca was right on top of them, shadowing their movements. He hadn’t been sure if they were friend or foe until he’d overheard them talking about how Nole had ruined their colony by existing.
Their intent to kill Nole was obvious with all the firepower they had brought along. Not that Lucca was worried. None of them had scented him, and they would be in for the surprise of their lives if they did attack Nole.
Lucca had never been a fan of bullies who felt it okay to outnumber their prey. He would teach all of them what it was like to be out powered, for Lucca could, and would, wipe the floor with all of them. He didn’t make a habit of boasting, but his skills were that good.
Unfortunately, his sense of honor didn’t allow him to attack without provocation. So, until they made the first move, Lucca would sit back and wait. Once they did, all bets were off, and Lucca would kill without prejudice, or mercy, especially since the mouse shifter he was there to protect was Edrick’s mate.
He just wished the heavenly scent of sage and lemon wasn’t distracting him.
CHAPTER 7
Both of his former friends were in Nole’s sights. He could kill them before either of them knew what was happening. It was obvious neither knew exactly where he was. How his alpha could send such poorly prepared men showed just how stupid the leader truly was.
Or desperate.
Nole getting away from the teams Abdiel sent after him time and time again had to be causing the man to appear weak to the colony. He needed Nole dead, even if it meant sending a team so inexperienced that they let themselves walk into their deaths.
But Nole just couldn’t pull the trigger. Not until he knew they came here to do him harm.
Slowly, Nole blew out a breath, then did the one thing he would never do under normal circumstances. He gave away his position and shouted. “That’s far enough, Jari, Reyd. What are you doing here?”
Both of their eyes widened for a moment before they first glanced at each other, then in Nole’s direction. Except they didn’t look his way, not exactly. They either sucked at understanding where his voice was coming from or...
Nole froze.
Gods’ damn it!
Scenting the air once more, he picked up the team coming up behind him. If he managed to get out of this alive, Nole was going to kick his own ass for being so fucking careless. What had he thought that the only team Abdiel would send would be as incompetent as Jari and Reyd?
They were the distraction.
Had Nole not already been distracted by thoughts of his mate, he might have realized this earlier instead of giving the second team a perfect target. There was nothing to guard his back. No rocks. No trees. No other person.
Nole deserved to get shot at this point.
Since his odds of surviving Jari and Reyd’s incompetent team were better than whoever had silently moved in behind him, Nole jumped out from the outcropping of rocks. A shot rang out as he moved. Rock sprayed up right where his head had been, just missing him.
He dove in front of the rocks, leaving himself completely vulnerable to the men he’d once considered friends, but keeping him safe from the real threat, the other team. Well, as safe as possible until they caught up with him, which wouldn’t be long.
A roar split the air that had the hairs on Nole’s body standing up straight. It was still far away, but Nole was sure it was Edrick. He sent up a fervent prayer that he could keep himself alive long enough for his mate to reach him.
“Give up Nole,” Jari shouted out. “You’re surrounded.”
Nole stared at his former friend, who was pointing a gun right at him. Jari had never been a good shot, and Nole doubted he’d gotten any better since he’d been gone. At the same time, even the most uncoordinated got lucky once in a while. He hoped that since Jari’s hand was shaking, it meant his former friend wasn’t comfortable shooting him.
“Why are you doing this Jari?” Nole wasn’t just asking to stall. He honestly wanted to know how Jari could turn his back on someone who had been his friend for thirty years.
It was Reyd who answered. “You’re an abomination who needs to be eradicated before you taint any more of us.”
Sadness crept into Nole at the man’s words. He hadn’t been all that close with Reyd, but he still had counted him as a friend.
“You need to let us take you to Alpha Abdiel,” Jari called out. The thing was, he knew Jari was gay. The man had just never dared to admit it. Not that Nole blamed him. Confession wasn’t always good for the soul. In their world, it usually ended up with the confessor dead. Or in Nole’s case, the subject of a hunt.
“You need to leave, Jari, before you end up dead,” Nole warned. It was the only one his friend was going to get.
A low, menacing growl reverberated just beyond Jari. Considering Nole was quite literally between a rock and a hard place at the moment, the sound scared Nole. He sear
ched for where the sound came from, but he couldn’t see anything out of place.
Reyd sneered at him, either not hearing the ominous growl or not paying it any attention. “By who? You? Please. There’s no way someone with your moral depravity has a chance of killing us.” As if to prove his point, Reyd fired a shot.
If Jari could be considered a bad shot, Reyd was worse. He’d been the only man in history who could aim at a target at the firing range and somehow end up shooting himself.
The shot went wide, not even coming close to hitting Nole. The thing with Reyd, he was a bit of a bully. Nole had only been friends with him because he’d been friends with Jari. Otherwise, he would have stayed away from the man. Considering all Reyd ever did was put Jari down, Nole wasn’t quite sure why Jari remained friends with him.
When Reyd went to shoot again, Nole didn’t hesitate. The odds of Reyd hitting him were remote, but he wasn’t about to take that kind of a chance when he still had a team at his back, advancing quickly, by the sounds of it.
He aimed and fired before Reyd had a chance to pull the trigger. Brown eyes widened a fraction of a second as a hole opened right where Reyd’s heart was. Then he crumbled to the ground in a heap.
All hell broke loose at that moment.
Jari screamed Reyd’s name. The team that had been flanking Nole broke through the brush to advance on his position. A man Nole had never seen but scented as cat shifter came up behind Jari with confusion in his stormy gray eyes. Jari lifted his arm that was holding a gun and pointed it at Nole.
Not having time to deal with Jari, Nole prayed the cat shifter was on his side and wouldn’t allow Jari to shoot him. For a split second, Nole felt a moment of true fear when he faced the team sent to kill him and found ten men, armed to the teeth.
Worse, they weren’t mice. They were wolves. A hit squad if Nole wasn’t mistaken. Alpha Abdiel wasn’t messing around this time. He was going to make sure Nole died.