by Jo Penn
“To learn about me? Trust me?” Urian asked sternly.
“Yeah.”
“Err, I don’t get it.” Finn stopped wiping off dirt. “Did you turn Uri’s wolves on him to see how he’d react?”
“Yeah.” It made perfect sense to Tristian.
Urian sighed deeply. “And you climbed out the window to do what?”
“Take a look around, learn about the place, see what you’re like.”
“We need to work on your issues and how you approach situations.” Finn rolled his eyes and putting a hand on Tristian’s chest, held up the forefinger of his other hand. “I know you’re pissed, babe, but Tris has been alone a long time with no one to rely on. It’ll take him awhile to settle in.”
“There were those he could have sought out. Tristian didn’t.” Uri shook his head, frowning deeply.
Tris shrugged. “There’s not many strongholds like Milson Valley. I approach one of the good groups, and I bring them trouble.”
Urian crouched in front of Tristian. “Be straight with me. If you don’t want to be here, be with Finn and me, tell us—”
“Now let’s not be rash,” Finn interrupted.
“I said I wanted to learn more. How does that equate to me not wanting to be here?” Tristian frowned.
“Tristian doesn’t always think along the same lines as others,” Finn said.
“What do you mean?” Tristian turned to look at Finn.
“Oh, ah, well, baby, let’s be honest. I say yellow, you say perennial.”
“Huh?” Uri grunted. “What does that even mean?”
Tris shrugged. “Perennials will come alive during summer.” He pointed upward. “The sun is bright. The gardens bloom.”
Urian stared. He blinked. He looked at Finn. “Ok-ay. We’ll get into that later. So what you’re telling me is, you weren’t leaving, you were just looking around. And when I came out and asked you to come inside?”
“You didn’t ask.” Tristian shook his head. “You told me to go with you. It was an opportunity to see how you behave in front of others, whether you would need me to submit, whether you’d try and force me to…huh, I guess in a way you did—”
“No, no I didn’t.” Urian waved a finger in front of Tris’s face. “In fact, you could look at it like you were challenging the Alpha of a wolf pack. But I see you don’t get that, so we’ll move along. Look.” Uri flicked hair out of his face. “What I want to know is if you do want to stay here or not.”
“Well, sure, or I wouldn’t be trying to figure everything out.” Tristian glanced at Finn. “I don’t get it.”
Finn smiled and held Tristian’s hand. “We just have different ways of handling this situation, baby, that’s all. Uri wants to make sure you actually do wish to be here with us. I want you here, with me. How about you, Urian?”
The Alpha met Tris’s eyes squarely. “I want you with Finn and me, Tristian. I would like us to get to know one another. But I need to trust you. We both know the Renegades want to get their hands on you and won’t care how they achieve that. And like I need to trust you, you’ll have to learn to trust me. Is it fair to test me? Make me live up to some standard or meet your expectations? I don’t agree with it. But that’s something you’ll need to really consider.”
The wolf had a point. Tristian nodded slowly. “Your way or no way.”
“Shit.” Urian stood and stepped back. “That’s not what I meant!”
“Babe, let me explain this to Tristian.”
“No. Don’t play mediator, Finn. Tristian and I need to be able to deal with one another without anyone running interference,” Urian said sternly and looked at Tristian. “Think about what I’m saying, and we’ll talk later. In the meantime, I have work to catch up on.”
Tristian watched Urian leave the room. He may not like it, but there were truth and logic in what Urian said. Tristian wasn’t perfect, he was well aware of that, and his past had shaped, or warped, his logic over some issues. That was probably why the moment Finn said no to being claimed and bonding, Tristian had been overwhelmed with hurt and any rational thought got lost in anger, hurt, and was unreasonably compared to past experiences.
Though Finn didn’t have to reject Tris outright.
“Are you sorry about rejecting me?” he asked quietly, staring at the door Urian had gone through.
He couldn’t look at Finn. He was still angry over the rejection, and unsure about them as mates. Tristian had fought to stay away, but when he discovered Finn was searching for him, hope—that he’d thought was forever crushed—unfurled.
“Sorrier than you’ll ever know. I don’t care about what I’ve suffered from our separation, I’m just sorry I hurt you so much, and that I hurt Urian by not telling him.” Finn sighed, and when Tris looked at his mate, he saw tears sliding down Finn’s smooth, lightly tanned cheeks. “I’ve hurt so much, själ. But knowing you were out there, alone, hunted and so far from me was pure torture.”
“Yeah? But I’m grouchy and difficult.” Trist wanted to wrap his arms around his mate and wipe away the tears. It had been years since he had softer feelings as there hadn’t been anyone he let his defenses down for, until Finn. “You’ve got Urian Starters –”
“Yes, I’ve been very fortunate. Urian is amazing, and I couldn’t love him more.” Finn reached out and brushed Tristian’s hand with his. “We didn’t have a lot of time together, you and I, baby, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you. Every moment I had with you was precious, and I treasure that time. I messed up and admit that. I want to be with you.”
“I’m not sure your mate wants that. Oh, he’s tryin’. I can see it’s a struggle though.”
Finn nodded, one hand rubbing the back of his neck. “Finding out about you has been a shock for Urian. Tris, I wasn’t even sure you and I were mates until I’d been with Uri for a while. Seers aren’t the same as shifters when it comes to soulmates. We don’t have the same reaction. Once I realized you were my mate and I couldn’t find you, I was already ill from our separation. What do you want, Tristian?”
Looking into those aqua colored eyes and seeing the sorrow mixed with such hope cracked the hard shell around Tristian’s heart. He may be a grouch and crusty, but that didn’t mean he didn’t love and want things, it was just so difficult being who he was and always hunted.
Lowering his head, knowing this was it, this was one of those times in life where you hit a fork in the road and it could go either way, he clasped his hands tightly and stared at the carpet beneath his feet.
“I loved my parents and little sister. We weren’t Renegades, not while I was growing up and everyone was happy, despite being dirt poor and struggling. The Alpha had made some unwise investment, and the sleuth lost everything. Our homes, our territory, and we were left with a small plot of land that wasn’t suitable for growing anything, and was under snow three-quarters of the time. We were starving. My father and some of the big bears would head out for months on end picking up seasonal work, and we’d forage off the land.
We didn’t have much, and we missed Pops, but we would have got through the rough times. Then I went through puberty. Apparently, the beta had always been suspicious of what I was due to my blueberry colored eyes. As soon as my gift made an appearance, he knew I was a sacred bear. Within a few years, the Alpha was murdered, and the beta took his place. Anyone who opposed was tortured or outright killed. My family and I were practically prisoners, and when the Alpha began trying to force me to take over creatures to steal from them, my father challenged him.” Tristian would never forget, the horror of that day etched into his mind forever. “They tied my mother and sister to poles, and I was made to kneel by the side of the challenge ring. When I refused, I was beaten, and my sister was…yeah, I knelt after that.” Tris wiped away tears, his cheeks wet with them. “They had a potion that stopped me using my gift, that’s how they could control me all those years. But it was losing its effectiveness. Still…” He sniffed and wiped more tears. “I
was a cub and couldn’t fight them all. The Alpha sliced my father into pieces, then did the same to my mother and sister.”
“Oh, själ, I am so sorry—”
“Hmm. They had me another five years before my resistance to the potion kicked in fully and then I turned them on each other while I got the weaker sleuth members out of there.” Tristian looked at Finn in anguish. “I could have made them kill each other, but I didn’t. I couldn’t. Even after everything these bastards did to my family and others who opposed them, I still couldn’t! That makes me weak, Finn. That’s what the Alpha always said when I refused to give the kill command, but I couldn’t. And they’ve killed since while hunting me.”
Ashamed, Tristian dropped his tear filled eyes. He should have made them slaughter each other as retribution for what they did to his family and others, it burned like a fire inside him to make them pay, yet that day when he had the opportunity, Tris couldn’t. He wasn’t a killer. It wouldn’t have been self-defense as he wasn’t in immediate danger, nor were the others he was helping. So it wasn’t right.
An elegant hand inserted itself between Tristian’s and squeezed. “You did what was right for you, Tristian. I find that admirable. Despite everything you’ve gone through, you stuck to your moral code. You saved yourself and others, you help those who need it and don’t lead others to harm.” Finn leaned close and brushed his lips over Tristian’s cheek. “You’re bruised and battered inside, baby. You’ve seen too much nastiness and suffered too much pain. Urian and I can make sure you stay safe and give you love.” Finn sat back, his eyes bright with, surprisingly, malice. “I’ll find these bastards after you and return the horror and pain they inflicted upon you tenfold. Right before I kill them all.”
Tris pulled back, gaping at his stylish, dramatic, pampered mate. “What?”
“Don’t you worry about a thing, själ. Now, let’s go—”
“What?” Tris was sure he’d misheard. Finn wasn’t the bloodthirsty type…was he?
Finn sighed, eyes narrowing as he jabbed a finger in the air near Tris’s head. “Don’t tell me you’re going to be like, Uri.” Finn made a pfft noise, that finger jabbing sharply. “You’re covered in bits of grass and dirt and have a rash. Let’s get you showered then I’ll show you around the pack grounds—oh! We can stop in for a drink at the pack bar.”
Now that sounded good. Later Tris would figure out if his mate was a bloodthirsty seer or not. It’d probably be wise to know.
Chapter Seven
Urian had given up working two minutes after he began. His mind wouldn’t let him concentrate on anything but his mateship. Which, Uri admitted was probably for the best. An Alpha who was so preoccupied they got distracted every few seconds was useless to anyone.
Everyone got distracted at times, and he would always be distracted by his mates, but Uri never had the difficulty of not being able to concentrate on leading the pack before and it bothered him. So after leaving Kelly in charge and letting his Second, Tripp Croggen, know what was going on, Urian went in search of his mates.
Mates. Hells, Urian needed to deal. He was stunned when he caught his first whiff of Tristian le Faye, and his body screamed at him to grab the creature and never let go. At first, he thought it must be a trick, the fates were fucking with him, but deep down as he gazed into blueberry eyes, he knew. He had another mate.
There was a lot of shit that had gone down before Urian was even in the picture. Misunderstandings could ruin a mateship before it ever began, and had in this case. But he wasn’t a pessimist and had to come to terms with the new situation.
Stepping outside the pack house, he sniffed the air and followed Finn and Tristian’s scents around the corner and down a street. As the pack liked to keep things relatively open, the streets around their village were wide with a few trees for shade along the sides. The footpaths were concrete and well maintained, the houses back from the road while some were fenced and some open. The pack kept their village reasonably free of high buildings and too many large trees. They had a few hedges and shrubs, some taller trees placed strategically for shade in the parks and along the streets, but mostly you could see right down any street.
No surprises then. No places for creatures to hide and attack. Plus, they were surrounded by forest. These days as the pack grew, more land was cleared. Urian, Tripp, Drax, Kelly, and Rainer Charmers who was the Mayor, sat down with town planners, builders, financial gurus, and started initially working out how much space was needed, how much growth was predicted and the quantity of housing and business the pack village required. It was an eye opener for Uri. The pack was only going to get bigger. One thing he had never liked the idea of on pack land were apartment buildings. He believed packs took care of one another. Families lived together, friends made quasi-families, but it looked like the pack needed to supply housing for singles and couples. They came up with the idea of townhomes which were just a smaller version of a house. At least the architects they’d hired were working with them to make the townhomes fit in with the village theme.
He spotted his mates immediately. They were a few meters away outside the bakery. Tristian was arguing with a bear, Cole Stanford, the new chef, while Finn’s fingers flew across his phone. Uri joined his golden-haired mate.
“How long have they been arguing?”
“Ugh, like since the moment we stepped out of the house. I tried to interrupt, but they both growled at me.”
“Hmm, they’re enjoying arguing.” Urian sniffed the air.
“How are you doing?” Finn slipped his phone into the back pocket of his pants.
Urian shrugged. “It is what it is.” Finn slapped Urian’s arm. Hard. “Ow! What was that for?”
“‘It is what it is!’” Finn rolled his eyes. “Look, it’s okay to say you’re pissed off about this. Being unsure and cautious is okay. You don’t have to just accept.”
Urian nodded. He loved that about Finn, the man said how he felt.
“This situation has…thrown me. But I know the only way I’ll adjust is if I approach it like everything else.” Urian frowned as Tristian jabbed a finger at the bigger bear shifter. “I need to step up and get to know him, and he needs to get to know me. How about you? How do you feel now Tristian is here?”
“Happy, ecstatic, sad, concerned and really horny.” Finn flashed a grin before his expression turned serious. “Tris opened up a little about his past. It wasn’t good.”
“Unless sacred or unusual creatures are protected, they can have a fucked up time of it. I’m going to join you showing Tristian around. Or, you can do whatever it is you’re itching to do.”
Finn chuckled. “You know me so well. I’ve managed to understand some of the vision I had in the motor home. It’s a forewarning of roads converging. The Renegades who attacked us up in Canada where we collected Tris from are part of the group who were from his original sleuth. It’s a large group. Bigger than I would have thought. Anyway, they’ve got spies in Milson City and Valley, they’ll try to get Tristian.”
For the last few months as the city and valley had population growth, unwanted creatures such as Renegades, had slithered in and holed up. They were slowly infiltrating organizations, businesses, and causing crime to increase. The Alliance had soldiers who patrolled Milson Valley and the city, plus there were the individual paranormal group members who each guarded and patrolled their own territories. Still, it was to be expected. For hundreds of years this city and valley had kept most of the dangers at bay with their stronghold approach, but as technology and weapons advanced, and populations grew, crime found its way in. The Alliance and paranormal groups would deal with what came up, and they’d continue to hunt down the nests of Renegades who’d set themselves up in this city.
Finn had some contacts, care of his family. Since filling Urian in on exactly who he was, the High Council had been scrambling over themselves to get Finn to join their ranks. Uri could see his mate was interested, Finn had a lot of ideas and would be an excellent
member, though he didn’t give second chances to those who’d broken laws or hurt others. Urian guessed that was a seer thing. That kind of creature had been hunted and exploited to very near extinction until King Konrad located all of the remaining seers and moved them all to his floating island. They’d learned to defend themselves, take care of each other and in doing so, had become quite hard at times, while others, were downright bloodthirsty. Survival instincts, most creatures had them.
But at the same time, Finn could be the sweetest guy Urian had ever known.
“What are you planning?” Urian asked bluntly.
Knowing his mate, Finn was already making defensive moves to keep Tristian safe. And those moves may involve slaughtering before getting the full facts.
Finn flashed a devilish grin and winked. “Oh, babe, have some faith. I learned after that little blood bath in Los Vegas to be slightly more circumspect. I have contacted the High Council and negotiated for another fifty soldiers to be temporarily stationed throughout the towns and cities closest to us. They’ll report on any Renegades setting up shop in those places, or passing through.”
“Just report?” Urian crossed his arms and quirked a brow at his mate.
“Interrogate and detain. I’ve arranged for them to call me when any are caught so I can go and see if I can obtain a vision.”
That was a good idea. Finn could sometimes prompt a vision when touching an object, or creature. By doing that the Alliance here would have time to prepare for whatever was coming.
“That’s sound thinking. Vicus will need to go with you. He can protect you and read the creature’s thoughts.”
“Yep.”
“You should have discussed this with me first. We’re a team. You are the Alpha mate and just as much a leader of our pack as me.”
Finn nodded. “You’re right. I thought that after I did it. I did send you an e-mail, but that must have arrived after you left your office as Kelly responded and tore into me, the bitch.”