by Noah Harris
“Oh, I appear to have…interrupted,” Adrian said, trying to decide if he should laugh or not.
“Christ, Adrian, haven’t you heard of giving a little warning?” Eli grumbled as he adjusted what Adrian suspected was the front of his jeans.
“Well, never had to before, didn’t really think about it,” Adrian said with a grin.
Hunter turned to him, the smaller man glaring at Adrian. “You’re the only one in the whole damn pack who doesn’t walk like a herd of elephants. You know damn well that you’re always sneaking up on someone, but you keep doing it on purpose because you’re an ass.”
“I would have gone with ‘Because it’s funny,’ but that’s just me personally. Plus, it’s not like I haven’t seen Eli naked before,” Adrian told him.
Hunter looked at Eli with a raised brow. “Really?
Eli flicked a pen cap at Hunter. “Babe, you saw me naked before we ever got together, nudity happens between friends sometimes. I’m pretty sure anyway. Plus, we have to be naked when we shift or we get all wrapped up in our clothes, remember?”
Adrian watched hesitation flicker across Hunter’s face before disappearing. Despite having been the closest of friends with Eli for ages, extending back into their early teenage years, Hunter hadn’t known about Eli being a werewolf. That revelation had come shortly after the two of them decided to take their long friendship and make it into something more. Adrian was happy for them, glad to see his friends so content, but he didn’t know if he would have ever had the courage to do what they did.
Adrian snorted. “Yeah, it wasn’t like I was intentionally trying to see your man’s dick and I’ve never wanted to touch it. Mostly because that would be really weird, but also because I don’t want that thing anywhere near me. I’m not a masochist.”
Eli groaned. “Can we not have a conversation about my dick, please?”
Hunter finally smiled, eyeing Eli in amusement. “But it’s one of my favorite topics.”
“A topic I think you were trying to discuss before I stumbled in,” Adrian added.
Hunter, apparently sensing Eli’s growing discomfort, snorted. “No, I was taught to not speak with my mouth full.”
Eli flopped forward with a grunt of annoyance. “How can you go from yelling at him for being a jackass, then turn around in two seconds flat and help him torment me?”
Hunter bent down, kissing the top of Eli’s head. “Because I think it’s adorable when you get all red.”
Eli peered up at his lover, wavering between what looked like a glower and an attempt to forgive him. “You know it’s totally cheating when you give a cute reason for the terrible things you do, right?”
Hunter grinned. “Yeah, but I don’t mind.”
Adrian rolled his eyes. “Honestly, watching you guys fuck would have been less uncomfortable than this mushy shit.”
Hunter shot him a dirty look. “Then you should have thought about that before you came barging in.”
Adrian gestured to the office door. “It wasn’t even closed all the way! An open door, even opened a little, is still an invitation to just walk in!”
Hunter rolled his eyes. “Can we just get to the part where you explain why you’re cockblocking me?”
“As tactful as my dear, sweet mate is being, I would also like to know what brings you my way,” Eli said, with a look to Hunter.
“It’s been, what, weeks since you last saw me? You sent Max after me to tell me to go to Michael, then I find out that Michael and you had a merry chat about me before that. I figured with all of these people being sent my way by you, I should at least come see the man himself,” Adrian told him.
Eli raised a brow. “You’re in a mood tonight.”
Adrian groaned in exasperation. “You know, I’m starting to think you’re a bad influence on Max ever since he started helping out here, or the other way around. He was saying the same damn thing when he saw me.”
Hunter sat on the edge of Eli’s large desk, he, too, raising a brow at Adrian. “Probably because they’re right, something is bugging you.”
“You too, huh?” Adrian asked.
“The fact that it bothers you is telling,” Hunter said knowingly.
Adrian sighed. “Are we going to have a talk about our feelings now? Should I have brought a rom-com and a tub of fattening ice cream?”
“He’s doing that thing where he thinks that if he’s both witty and insulting, we’ll somehow stop paying attention to the topic he doesn’t want to talk about,” Hunter said, turning to look at Eli.
Eli snorted. “So I see, but you know it’s better to just let him think he’s getting away with it until he’s finally ready to talk about it.”
“Yeah, he’s always got to do things the hard way,” Hunter said.
Adrian rolled his eyes. “Oh, hardy-har, yeah, talk about me like I’m not sitting right here, listening to every word you say. Very funny. Look, I’m fine. Can we talk about actual problems or are you two going to continue to try to play therapist?”
He could tell from both of their expressions that they were tempted to to try getting him to talk more. As much as Adrian appreciated everyone’s concern for him, it also left him feeling a little uncomfortable. Being a part of Eli’s pack had come with a few adjustments on Adrian’s part. The first had been giving up some of the emotional distance that Adrian had grown up knowing, and eventually appreciating. Eli was, in Adrian’s opinion, the perfect pack leader. He allowed Adrian his independence in what he did and when, and he never tried to force Adrian into some preconceived role. Adrian had quickly learned, however, that for Eli, and eventually Hunter when the human had come to know Adrian better, respecting Adrian’s independence was not the same as ignoring him.
Hunter seemed to give in first. “Is this pack business?”
Adrian nodded. “I mean, sort of, but mostly it’s an Adrian business sort of thing.”
Hunter turned to Eli, bending down to kiss the corner of his mouth. “Then I will get out of your way and get back to the house.”
Eli eyed Hunter. “You can stay, you’re not excluded from pack stuff. You’re part of the pack, remember?”
Hunter smiled warmly. “Since you guys like to remind me of that every chance you get, I know. But I still have work to do and I’m not going to get it done if I stick around here and listen to Adrian complain all night.”
Adrian snorted. “You weren’t too worried about it when I walked in.”
“Distractions happen sometimes, but at least this way I can get my work done before he gets home. Any fun we have after that will be completely guilt free,” Hunter told him with a smirk.
“Ah, the busy life of a social worker,” Adrian teased.
Hunter grabbed his shoulder bag as he rolled his eyes. “It must be nice to have a job that doesn’t require a shit-ton of paperwork to worry about.”
Eli looked down at his desk, was laden with its own pile of papers. “Tell me about it.”
“Hey, if you guys want to take over what I do, be my guest. I think it would be kind of funny to see Eli trying to sneak around,” Adrian commented.
Hunter looked to Eli, smirking. “Well, push comes to shove, he could always intimidate people to say that they didn’t notice him.”
Considering how obvious Eli was, with his towering height and massive muscles, Adrian thought that would be the only option available to the alpha. Adrian didn’t think Hunter would fare much better, since Adrian didn’t think the human could have kept his peace in the face of some of the things Adrian had witnessed. When you made a living out of being where you weren’t supposed to be, witnessing events meant to be kept secret, you saw more than a few nasty things. For all of Hunter’s toughness, Adrian didn’t think the man’s soft heart could have endured remaining silent.
Eli patted Hunter’s leg. “I think I’ll leave the sneaking and lurking to the professionals. Get home and get your paperwork done. At least one of us will finish our work.”
As Hunte
r passed Adrian, he frowned. “You need to get some more sleep, you’re looking even more tired than usual.”
Adrian waited until Hunter left before speaking to Eli. “I don’t look tired all the time, do I?”
“I’m pretty sure you’ve been looking more tired with every passing year. I think the rest of us get more sleep in a week than you get in six months,” Eli said.
Adrian grunted. “I get sleep.”
“When you’re not so occupied with keeping yourself busy that you slow down enough to pass out, sure,” Eli said comfortably.
Adrian rolled his eyes. “I’m so glad I came around to get evaluated by everyone.”
“It’s called being your friend, Adrian. If you’d like, we can start pretending like we don’t notice that you eat like shit, you’re rarely in your apartment, you don’t bother to have any meaningful relationships with anyone outside the pack, and that you probably don’t remember what good rest feels like,” Eli said, as he begun to shuffle through the papers on his desk.
Adrian paused, blinking rapidly. “Wow, just call me out, why don’t you?”
Eli looked up at him with amusement. “You know we’re not actually going to ignore all of your really bad habits, right? That was me being sarcastic.”
“Yeah, thanks, couldn’t have figured it out on my own.”
“Right, well, let’s get to why you’re here then.”
Adrian slumped back in the seat. “Fine. Why did you whore me out to Michael and have Max be the one to deliver the message?”
Eli frowned. “I didn’t whore you out, you had every right to tell him no if you wished. He called me up and asked if I might be willing to loan him your services for an indeterminate amount of time. I asked him what for and he explained the situation. I told him that I had no issue with it, as we don’t have a dire need for you at the moment.”
Adrian rolled his eyes. “Thanks, it’s nice to see that I’m so wanted and useful around here.”
Eli narrowed his eyes. “Don’t try that on me, Adrian, it won’t work. We both know that you’ve been absolutely invaluable to the pack more than once and that I’m always thankful. You’re our warning system and our ear to the ground, and if you weren’t any good at it, Michael wouldn’t have asked for your help in the first place. But things are calm, for now, at least.”
Adrian chuckled. “What, with big, bad Richard out of the way, you don’t need me lurking in the shadows anymore?”
Eli’s face darkened at the alpha’s name. “Yeah, with him dead and gone, he’s no longer a threat to our pack, our territory. We’re better off for it.”
“Yeah, word on the street is that despite being a tiny-ass pack, we’re not to be fucked with.”
Eli nodded. “Exactly. Right now, we’re in the clear. But without anything to keep you occupied, you’re bound to get into trouble.”
“I don’t get into trouble,” Adrian protested, with very little feeling.
Eli chose to ignore him. “That, or you’ll be keeping yourself busy with jobs that you don’t need to be worrying about. Max told me that you were trailing some asshole with a shitty tattoo when he found you?”
“What, did he tell you what clothes I was wearing too?” Adrian griped.
“I asked him to tell me what you were up to when he found you. I knew the minute someone like me or Marcus showed up, you would have done your smart-ass thing and refused to talk. Max gets you to talk, gets us all to talk actually. Guy’s got a skill,” Eli said with a shrug.
“One you’re willing to take full advantage of,” Adrian pointed out.
Eli grinned. “A pack leader has to be willing to use whatever tools he has at his disposal at any given time. It’s not my fault Max has such a trustworthy face that even the great, cynical Adrian falls for it.”
Adrian rolled his eyes. “Okay fine, maybe I could use some actual work to sink my teeth into. I was getting a little bored with following adulterers and possible thieves.”
“I’m guessing from the pouty look on your face, you chose to help him?”
Adrian sighed. “Yeah, I told him I would.”
Eli nodded. “Good, he needs it. I didn’t want to say it when we spoke, but it sounds like someone close to him is giving away his personal information.”
“Yeah, that was my thought, too, but I’m pretty sure he’s already been thinking it,” Adrian said with a grimace.
“It’s a terrible thing to think. I can’t imagine how much it must hurt to suspect that one of your own might be willing to betray you,” Eli said grimly.
“That’s why you agreed, isn’t it?” Adrian asked.
“Partly. I’ll admit, I’m hoping that you discover that it isn’t one of his own, but I’m not clinging to that hope. Michael helped us a great deal when he spoke for us against Richard’s accusations, and I feel we owe him help in return.”
Adrian raised a brow. “You don’t think it’s connected to Richard, do you?”
Eli snorted. “It would be like that shithead to have a backup plan in action, but I don’t think so. His pack was separated from the others and I don’t think he ever thought he was going to lose in the first place. No, I think this has more to do with the fact that Michael has one of the strongest packs in the city, and one of the most profitable pieces of territory. Someone wants to either bring him down or take what’s his.”
“Greed or revenge, how common,” Adrian said with a sigh.
Eli smiled suddenly. “And I think having to be around someone who deals with your shit even less than we do will be good for you.”
Adrian rolled his eyes. “Oh boy, let me tell you how exciting it’s been hanging around him. The dude is about as thrilling as unbuttered toast.”
Eli chuckled as he turned his attention back to his paperwork. “And I sure wish I could be there if you should ever discover otherwise.”
Adrian eyed him. “You know something, don’t you?”
“I might, or I might not, but telling you would ruin all of the fun,” Eli said with a smirk.
“Oh, don’t give me that.”
Eli continued to look smug. “You should probably get to work. You’ve got a lot of information to sort through and you’re not going to get anything done hanging around here.”
“Eli,” Adrian growled.
“Give Michael my regards when you see him,” Eli said with an air of finality.
Adrian huffed and pushed himself out of the chair, knowing that he wasn’t going to get any more information out of Eli. Adrian also had a sneaking suspicion that Eli had some sort of devious reason for not telling Adrian more about Michael. His pack leader was content to let Adrian discover it on his own, and Adrian figured the only way he was going to find out was to get moving.
“Oh right, before I forget, Michael did call me earlier,” Eli said.
Adrian stopped in the doorway. “And?”
“And you need to learn to answer your phone when someone calls. He wants you to stop by his home when you’re able, preferably tonight.”
“Tonight? What, it can’t wait?” Adrian huffed.
Eli waved him off. “You two boys play nice, ya hear?”
Chapter 4
The car came to a full stop at the curb before a long winding driveway. Adrian slipped out, tossing the man behind the wheel enough cash to cover the fee plus a generous tip. As the cab driver expressed his thanks, Adrian snorted, looking at the gate that blocked the driveway.
“Of course he’s got a fucking gated driveway,” Adrian said with derision.
He supposed he should push the button beside the gate, wait for Michael to respond and to let him in. Instead, he walked along the gate, eyeing the camera positioned above, pointed where someone would be if they were standing at the button. A glance told him that the camera didn’t have a very big viewing angle and he skirted around it into the hedges.
Along the dense shrubbery, Adrian discovered a few places in the hedge that were thin enough he could part the branches and peer in
. The closer he walked toward the house, the more weak points he discovered. He was interested to notice that the parts that looked out onto the backyard, a quiet little affair with an in-ground pool and wide deck, were consistently the weakest points. Almost the entire backyard portion of the hedge was thinned out, while Adrian bet that the side facing the house looked pristine.
Pushing through the shrubbery, he stood in the backyard and peered around. It was quiet and he could see lights spilling out from within the house. It didn’t strike him as a place for Michael to host parties or large gatherings. The size of the pool and deck, the various plants, and the small hot tub spoke of intimate coziness. Just like Michael’s private office, his home seemed to be more about comfort than ostentation.
The yard was in need of a cut, and Adrian wondered if Michael did it himself or paid someone else to do it. The night air had already cooled and dew began to form on the overgrown grass. As he rounded the deck, he let his eyes follow the perimeter as he walked a slow path. He stopped at a section of lattice that wound around the bottom of the deck, meant to keep anything from getting in or out beneath the boards. Adrian smirked and raised his arm, waving it until the motion sensor on the outer light noticed him, blazing to life in an accusatory glare.
Michael appeared in a nearby window a moment later, peering through the glass. Adrian waved his arm a little harder, rolling his eyes when Michael finally caught sight of him. He couldn’t quite see the man’s face, but he snorted when Michael disappeared from the window and he heard the back door sliding open.
“Why are you in my backyard instead of ringing at the gate like a normal person?” Michael asked softly.
Adrian snorted. “Since when have I ever been considered a ‘normal person’ by anyone who’s known me for more than five minutes?”
“A fair point, but it doesn’t answer my question,” Michael countered.