Ranger's End Game (Northern States Pack Book 1)

by Lee Oliver

  “Did you get checked out at the infirmary?” Cam slid into the seat across from him. Aiden knew from his research, Cam was Ranger’s right-hand man and had been for twenty years or more. Maybe he was the reason Ranger didn’t want to mate with him.

  “I don’t need it, thank you,” he said, remembering his manners. “A shift took care of the worst of the damage.”

  “Your wolf half seems to like my assassin friend,” Cam grinned. “You know I’m much more approachable if you fancy a fling.”

  “Yeah, er, no thank you,” Aiden said quickly. “I…my wolf hadn’t been free for a while. He just got overexcited. I won’t let it happen again.”

  “Ranger didn’t seem to mind,” Cam said with a wink. “But come on, that’s the bell. I’ve got a short video for you guys to see this afternoon and then I’m going to pair you guys up and see how you do at sparring.”

  Brilliant, more bruises. Aiden groaned quietly. It was only his first day. If it got much worse he’d be glad of death before the week was out.

  *****

  Ranger growled as he shoved yet another piece of paper at the hapless assistant who was cowering quietly by his desk. Lunch time was a distant memory. He hadn’t had a chance to see Aiden, let alone talk to him. It seemed throwing two men off the base required more paperwork than if he’d killed them. “That’d better be the last of them,” he snarled as he saw the young man rifling through more wretched forms.

  “Oh…er…yes, Sir. I…er…er…if you need anything else please let me know.” The young man’s face was scarlet; his pants were tented and Ranger sighed.

  “It’s Cam you want for that sort of thing,” he said, trying to keep the snap out of his voice. “But that reminds me, I’ll need forms to register my mating. I assume you have such a thing?”

  “Mating sir? Yes sir.” At least the young man could run off with a good reason for Ranger’s refusal of his blatant offers.

  “Just leave it on my desk. I’ll fill it in later. In the meantime, can you tell me where the task force group is expected now?” As with any base every group, training session, and fart were recorded somewhere.

  The young wolf looked at the clock on the wall. “They were scheduled in the media room directly after lunch. But they were only booked there for thirty minutes. They’re due in the gym after that for the rest of the afternoon.”

  The gym. Hand-to-hand fighting. Ranger remembered Cam suggesting it over breakfast. Bloody hell, after Al’s accusations they’ll kill him.

  “If anyone needs me, I’ll be at the gym,” he yelled as he sprinted out of his office, determined no one was going to stop him a second time.

  *****

  I’m going to kill him; I’ve had it up to my fucking ears with this shit. It seemed Brian, actually Aiden didn’t think it was Brian who started it, but someone decided to mention his little wolf display over Ranger. The comments about his necessity to be on his knees to complete the course had been coming thick and fast all afternoon. It seemed all wolves had the same idea when they looked at him. Aiden was well past flattered and on his way to pure fury.

  He was in the ring with Gerald. His fourth fight since lunch. Aiden hated fighting for the sake of it, but of course, this was supposedly training so he had no choice but to jump in. Yeah, the guy was bigger and heavier, but he was slow and telegraphed every move. Aiden might not have beaten his six brothers; they preferred to come at him in pairs. But he could take any one of them singly in a fight. He ducked as a meaty fist came his way and spun around, kicking the man behind the knees.

  “Another one down, your match again, Aiden,” Cam said cheerfully. “Get some water; Brian and Ruff, you’re up next.”

  “You doing okay?” Cam said quietly as Aiden climbed out of the ring. “Those guys seem to be giving you a hard time. You’re winning. I’m impressed, but some of these dudes seem to be out for you personally.”

  “No worse than at home,” Aiden said shortly brushing past the blond reason for Ranger not wanting him. And oh, think of the fucking devil, the man himself was standing by the ice chest. Aiden’s first instinct was to walk in the other direction, but every man was going through six fights that afternoon and he still had two to go. Dehydration was not going to help.

  Neither was Ranger apparently. The man handed him a chilled bottle of water, a furrow deep above his eyes and his full mouth turned down. Aiden wanted to grab the bottle and walk away, but his feet wouldn’t move. His wolf was in a tizzy of excitement just being in sniffing range. That was typical of his wolf; too damn easy by half. The two men stood side by side in silence as they watched Ruff beat Brian into the mat.

  “Next,” Cam called. Aiden wasn’t next, but he was up just afterward. Guessing his initial thoughts about Ranger not wanting him were spot on, he started moving towards the mat.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Ranger asked roughly in a low tone.

  Aiden turned, deliberately looking Ranger up and down. Damn his mate was fine. Pushing those thoughts aside he said in his own low voice. “I’m up after this fight. I’ve won four so far. Not bad for a bruised loser, huh?”

  Ranger’s eyes widened. “But you’re…you’re you.” Aiden knew what his mate could see; slim build, pretty features. His blond curls didn’t help. Shirtless, the bruises he’d got from Dan and Al were still visible, and he’d accumulated a few more since then.

  “Yes, I am,” he said curtly, “and apparently me isn’t good enough for you. Your loss.”

  He turned and walked away in a hurry, the hurt fueling his anger. He’d never been good enough for his father; his brothers treated him like a joke. And now his mate – the one blessed for him by the Fates. Another freaking joke, he thought as he waited his turn.

  *****

  Ranger was torn; not anything he’d coped with before. He could kill anyone and right now he really wanted to kill the fat bruiser who’d managed to land a punch on Aiden’s face. Aiden staggered but didn’t fall and Cam, freaking Cam ordered the fight to continue. How could his best friend stand by and let his mate get hurt?

  Because you didn’t tell him you were mates, numbnuts and now Aiden doesn’t think you want him either. Ranger was still trying to work out how his mate got that impression. Okay, he’d called the trainees losers, and he might have mentioned he’d prefer to be on a job than stuck at base. But he was talking to Dominic, not his mate. He sidled up beside Cam, his eyes not leaving the ring.

  “The young’un’s good,” Cam whispered, conscious of other ears. “But his little display over you earlier isn’t doing him any favors with the team.”

  Ranger winced as the man fighting Aiden got in another blow to his ribs. Much more, and Aiden would be too hurt to participate in any of the sexy plans Ranger had running through his head. “He’s my true mate,” Ranger whispered back, determined to put one thing right. Cam’s eyes widened and his mouth formed the perfect ‘O’. “And if that jerk lands a one more punch, I’m going to kill the fucker.”

  “You can’t intervene; you’ll only make matters worse for him. He’s been putting up with shit all afternoon because of you. You didn’t even take him to see the medics.”

  “Dominic wanted to see me. Then I had to do the paperwork for expelling Al and Dan. I got here as soon as I could.”

  “We’ll talk about Dominic later,” Cam whispered, “But wait, wait for it. Yes, I knew he’d do it. That boy’s got good instincts.” Ranger watched in surprise as Aiden flung himself on the ropes and using the added power took his opponent’s legs out from under him.

  “Your round again, Aiden,” Cam yelled out. “Jace get your ass up and out of the ring. People are waiting.”

  “He cheated, the little cocksucker,” Jace yelled as he stumbled to his feet. “No one said you could use the ropes like that.”

  “A trained fighter will use every weapon in his arsenal and anything he can find to win,” Ranger’s temper was frayed beyond repair. “However, if you want a go with me, I won’t touch t
he ropes, and if you can take me down, you’ll have bragging rights. Me being a top assassin and all. Bet that’d look good to your friends.” He hopped up onto the skirt of the ring, stepping over the ropes as if they were nothing.

  “You’re an assassin,” Jace gulped. “You fight to kill.”

  “And so should you,” Ranger made it sound like it was the most natural thing in the world. “This isn’t a holiday camp; it’s a council training camp with a fifty percent kill rate and that’s without having an assassin as your head trainer. Didn’t any of you guys do your homework before you signed up?”

  From the mutterings in the watching crowd, it seemed none of them did. “You can take that up with your alphas, parents or whoever it was who cosigned your form when this week is over. But let this be a lesson to you. Read the fine print. There’s no retribution on me if you don’t make it home at the end of the week.”

  A ripple of shock ran through the trainees and Cam grinned ruefully. “I’m guessing training is over for the day. You heard the boss; go and read your contract, all of it. I’ll see you all again at 0500 hours. Unless you thought a night run was in order, Ranger.”

  “Nope, I have other things to do,” Ranger stretched out his arms, knowing it made his muscles ripple. Jace went white. “I’m taking my true mate into town for a private dinner. Coming Aiden?”

  Aiden’s wasn’t the only mouth open in shock as Ranger casually climbed out of the ring, and with a strong arm over his mate’s shoulder, escorted him from the gym.

  Chapter Five

  Roller coasters. I hate roller coasters, and yet that’s exactly what Aiden’s emotional state was riding on. Up and down, up and down; and now slowly climbing as Ranger confidently drove his black Pontiac down the only road between the nearest town and the base. Ranger hadn’t said much at all after his surprise announcement in the gym; simply asking if Aiden had black dress pants and a suitable shirt. He escorted Aiden to his dorm; watched as he rapidly changed clothes, Aiden’s face flushing as he did, and then like the perfect gentleman, walked him to the car.

  “I need to apologize for what you heard me say to Dominic,” Ranger’s voice broke the silence. “I wasn’t thinking clearly and as soon as I said them, I wanted to take them back. But I was talking to Dominic, not you. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  Guessing Dominic was the councilman, Aiden tried to shrug off the memory. It wasn’t easy and given Ranger’s nose was the sharpest in the shifter world, he answered with the truth. “It hurt a lot and when I didn’t see you at lunch, I figured you just didn’t want me. I don’t blame you,” he hastened to add, “I never imagined I was a fit mate for an assassin. I never dreamed of having a mate at all.”

  “Bit of a shock to me too; but the best one I’ve ever had,” Ranger grinned and as it was the first time Aiden had seen it, he forgave himself for wanting to drool. All he’d seen of Ranger was the stern, unforgiving, and decidedly hunky exterior. That smile lit Ranger’s face from the inside and made it glow.

  “You didn’t have to take me to dinner, you know,” Aiden said when he could get his mind back on track. “I would have agreed to the claiming anyway and we both have to be up at five in the morning.”

  “You deserve better than a quick fuck and bite. I don’t think you should continue with the training anyway. You can stay with me until the week is over and then I’ll take you back home so you can collect your stuff.”

  “But I have to finish the training,” Aiden said, shocked at Ranger’s plan. “If I don’t, I don’t get my trust fund.”

  “What?” Ranger roared. The car swerved and he quickly corrected it. Aiden was thrown against the passenger door, and sat up, his hand on his chest. “I’m sorry. I need to pay attention, but you’re telling me everything as soon as we get to town.”

  Aiden sank into silence, unwilling to upset his potential mate any more than he had; although he didn’t understand why Ranger reacted so strongly. Surely, Ranger didn’t imagine he’d signed up for the task force for the hell of it. He wasn’t an idiot.

  *****

  Must keep calm, must keep calm. Ranger’s mantra was doing nothing to control Ranger’s rage. He’d barely scanned Aiden’s admission form; he just wanted to know his mate’s name. But thanks to perfect recall he was now reviewing the document in his mind and the details were making him more indignent by the second. Aiden’s signature wasn’t evident on the form. It appeared to have been signed by his father. The application shouldn’t have been accepted in the first place. Yet it was; suggesting his prospective father-in-law had friends on the council, too.

  The rest of the trip went smoothly, at least on the driving side of things. Inside, Ranger could feel cold fury swelling in his gut. He just wasn’t sure who to throw it at: Dominic, his future father-in-law or the council drone who rubber-stamped Aiden’s application when it didn’t carry the man’s signature. Parking the car, Ranger huffed out a long breath. “I made reservations,” he said, taking Aiden’s hand. “There shouldn’t be any problems, but if there are, please let me handle them.”

  Aiden frowned, three little furrows appearing above his eyebrows. “What sort of problems should I be expecting?”

  “Not everyone takes kindly to assassins,” Ranger tapped the star below his eye. “It’s one of the reasons Dominic has so many problems getting people to sign up for training. The tattoo is mandatory.”

  “I think it looks sexy. Goes well with the streak in your hair,” Aiden offered a smile and Ranger melted. It was no wonder Marcus didn’t want to work anymore if his mate was as sweet as Aiden. Although Ranger knew Marcus’s mate was anything but sweet.

  In the restaurant, the hostess did a double take at Ranger’s face, but she managed a professional smile. “I have your table ready. Private, as you requested.” Ranger nodded his approval and holding tight to Aiden’s hand, followed the woman’s clip-clopping heels across the floor. He would have loved to seat Aiden by the window; explain a bit more about the town, but his dinner bill would be huge if half the patrons ran out without paying their bill. It was one of the reasons Ranger wasn’t a social gadabout.

  Their waiter was a young wolf who almost creamed his pants at being within five feet of an assassin. After the menus and orders were sorted, Ranger took Aiden’s hand and smiled what he hoped was a friendly smile. “You know, I don’t go out much, for obvious reasons, but I wanted to do something nice for you. We didn’t get off to a great start. Am I forgiven?”

  “You didn’t really do anything wrong,” Aiden’s eyes glowed in the candlelight. “There’s nothing to forgive. But thank you.”

  “I was upset,” Ranger chose his words carefully, “upset about your reasons for being in this training course. I notice you didn’t sign your application form. You couldn’t have known what you were in for and yet you came anyway. You said something about your trust fund? Is your family rich?”

  “I don’t have anything to do with my father’s company or his money. He owns an investment brokerage firm in the Northern Quadrant,” Aiden shrugged. “I work in a coffee shop so I can have money of my own. My grandmother set up a trust for me just before she died. She was an amazing woman and always stood up for me against my father,” Aiden smiled and Ranger found himself stroking his mate’s fingers. “Anyhow, she died about ten years ago; according to the will, I was to receive my trust fund on my twenty-fifth birthday.”

  “That was three months ago.”

  “You must have memorized my application form.” Ranger shrugged. He had a lot of skills; his mate would find them out in time. “But yeah, it was three months ago,” Aiden continued. “I asked my father about it of course, but he told me it would take time to release the money; something about audits and accounting procedures. I couldn’t afford to leave my father’s house until I got money of my own. I have a little in savings, but every time I suggested getting a studio apartment or something, Father would get angry and claim I wouldn’t be safe.”

  “Is your father Alph
a of your pack?”

  Aiden nodded. Just then the waiter reappeared carrying their appetizers. Ranger let go of Aiden’s hand so the table was clear for their plates, but even then, he almost ended up wearing his. “I’m so sorry,” the waiter dabbed a cloth on his jacket.

  “Scat,” Ranger said with a growl and a flick of his fingers. The young wolf scampered.

  “No wonder you don’t go out much,” Aiden chuckled and Ranger shook his head. Picking up his fork, he quickly scoffed down his food, unwilling to talk while they were eating. As soon as Aiden cleared his plate, Ranger stacked them and put them on a nearby empty table.

  “Now, you were telling me your father is Alpha. I presume you’re not in line to take that position?”

  “Hardly,” Aiden laughed. “I have six older brothers, all built like brick outhouses, and just as dumb. I think that’s why my grandmother left me the money. So I’d have some independence and wouldn’t have to be living with my father for the rest of my life. I only got the job in the coffee shop because the owners were new and lion shifters. They didn’t care when my father threatened them. They owned the building so there wasn’t anything my father could threaten them with.”

  “Your father sounds like a bit of a tyrant.” Among other things. Ranger had a feeling he and his father-in-law were not going to get along.

  “He’s okay,” Aiden said surprisingly. “My mom,” he dropped his head. “My mom died giving birth to me. I don’t think my father could ever forgive me for that. Once I got older, it was hard for him because I look so much like her. My brothers all take after him.”

  Ranger patted his hand, grateful when the waiter made another appearance. But as he methodically cut and chewed his food without tasting it, he couldn’t shake the feeling his father-in-law deliberately set his youngest son up for murder-by-council. He just wasn’t sure what he could do about it.