Everything That You Are

by Nikki McCoy

  “Pulling over, guys. We need a minute.” He pulled his truck to the side of the road, which was thankfully free of traffic at this time of day, and unbuckled his seatbelt to turn and give Kaden his full attention. He reached over to grasp one of his hands and instantly felt the increasing amount of anxiety the man was feeling.

  “Kaden, I was angry, but only because I’m concerned about you. I don’t understand why you felt the need to change your name or why you kept whatever must have happened out there on the ranch from me, but I trust that you have your reasons.” Michael reached over with his other hand and unbuckled Kaden’s seatbelt as he was talking.

  “You’ve given me no reason to doubt you in the entire time we’ve been getting to know each other, while I, on the other hand, have given you plenty of reasons to doubt me.” He pulled Kaden over to the middle seat beside him and wrapped the smaller man in his arms.

  “I know you don’t completely trust me yet, and I can’t fault you for keeping some things from me, but as long as you let me, I’ll be working to rectify that. You’re a very talented, charitable, impressive young man, and I hope one day you’ll be able to see what I and everyone else sees in you. Until then, please don’t be worried when I get angry. It’s nothing against you, and in case you haven’t noticed, it happens to be part of my charm.”

  Kaden let out a bark of laughter at that and actually reached his arms around him to hug him back. He could not have hoped for a better response. They held each other for a few minutes before he released his boy and buckled him into the middle seat.

  “I want you as close to me as I can get you for the rest of the night,” he explained off-handedly. He kept one arm wrapped around his mate and drove the truck back onto the road with the other. He could still feel the heat from the sun in Kaden’s platinum hair as his head rested on Michael’s shoulder. He couldn’t bring himself to lift his jaw from those silken strands for the rest of the trip home.

  * * * *

  Jim stared at the golden liquid filling his sixth shot glass of the night, although his thoughts were elsewhere. The call he’d just received from his friend still working out on Henry’s ranch had taken his mood from happy to downright, disgustingly ecstatic.

  The little slut that had got him fired had deserved what had been coming to him. The boy had the body of a sixteen-year-old girl, and flaunted it by running around in tight jeans and shirts that showed off his figure like a damned drama queen, and yet Jim was the one being punished for it.

  You dress like a whore, you should expect to be treated like one. Henry, in his old age, was just too damned blind to see that.

  He downed the shot and waved the bartender over for a refill.

  “I think you’ve had enough, man. Why don’t you call it a night? I can have a cab here in five minutes to take you home.”

  Jim was about to rip into him when a smooth, deep voice from behind him said, “I’ll buy the next one and make sure he gets home all right.”

  He watched as a twenty was placed on the bar and slid towards the bartender. The man behind the counter shrugged, took the money, then went off to fill the order.

  Jim turned in his seat and felt his eyes bulge at the mass of the man behind him. He had to be around six feet with a chest at least half as wide. He raked his gaze down the man’s body and took in the expensive threads and posture that spoke of a privileged lifestyle. As much as he despised the look of the stranger, though, he was not about to turn down a free drink.

  Jim swivelled his stool back to the bar and grabbed the shot the bartender placed in front of him. Taking it in one swig, he turned back to the large man who was now seated to his left.

  “Is there something I can help you with?”

  The tall blond looked him over and curled his lip in disgust. “Yes, I’m afraid there is. Do you know a boy named Kaden? Twenty-two, white-blond hair, five-foot-six, a hundred and fifteen, maybe a hundred and twenty-five pounds? Pretty boy?”

  Jim snorted. “No, but I know a little bitch goes by that description on the ranch I used to work at.”

  “And his name would be?”

  Jim narrowed his eyes at the stranger. He didn’t trust him farther than he could throw him, judging by his aristocratic looks, but he was far too drunk and much too pissed off to care.

  “Jade. Name would be Jade. Little slut got me fired. What’s it to you?”

  A smile that never quite reached the man’s eyes slithered across his face and he seemed to glow with interest. “It’s what’s in it for you that you should be concerned about. I’m prepared to offer you a tidy sum for information on the whereabouts of this boy, as well as your promise of confidentiality. You see, I can’t have you running around telling people about our meeting. I hope you understand.”

  “Are you threatening me?” Jim asked, hearing the slight slur in his own voice.

  “Only if I have to,” the blond replied. “However, I’d really rather not have to ‘threaten you’, as you put it. This meeting can be mutually beneficial.” The large man reached into his pants pocket and removed a thick bundle of cash wrapped in a rubber band and placed it on the bar between them.

  Jim felt excitement flood through him as he eyed the substantial amount of money, but he wanted more than just financial gain. The slut had humiliated him in front of his boss and co-workers, and while he didn’t exactly give a shit about what they thought, it was the principle of the matter. The boy had to pay.

  “I know where he is, or rather who he’s staying with. A friend of mine was gracious enough to fill me in on who he ran off with, but I want my own piece of him. That slut cost me my job and my reputation, and I wanna make sure he pays for it.”

  Thomas regarded the pathetic human with all the contempt he was due, but kept his comments to himself. This was the best lead they had on the boy and he didn’t want to blow their only chance at getting the whore back.

  “Done,” he lied.

  * * * *

  “Michael!”

  The shout arrested him as he was reaching for the towel on the rack beside the shower and filled his heart with terror. He immediately wrenched open the shower curtain and raced out of the bathroom to see his mate sitting up in his bed, eyes clenched shut and body drenched with sweat.

  He jumped onto the bed and encircled him with as much of his body as he could get around him. Kaden was trembling fiercely, still calling out his name, lost in whatever nightmare had a hold on him. Michael tried to still his pounding heart while pouring as much love and soothing emotion as he could manage into the vibrating frame.

  Kaden’s response was almost immediate, which helped to calm his own fears, but he was still shaking uncontrollably in his arms as Michael lowered him back onto the bed.

  “Shhh, baby. I’m here. I’m right here. I won’t let you go.” He repeated these words over and over again until Kaden slowed his breathing from its sobbing, frantic pace to one that allowed Michael to finally breathe through his own fear. He heard his bedroom door being thrown open and looked over at his father’s panicked face.

  He continued to soothe the man, who was still asleep but fighting the remnants of his nightmare, as he shook his head, letting the older man know there was no real threat to his mate. Katherine thrust her head inside the door before his father could close it, with a look on her face that said she was ready to tear apart anyone posing as a threat to him or his mate.

  He felt a surge of comfort at his mom’s love and dedication to Kaden, but the swamping feelings of fear and pain flowing from his mate’s body quickly took back his attention.

  He lay there for countless minutes after hearing his parents leave, trying to soothe his mate in any way that he could. Eventually, the man gave one last shuddering sigh and drifted back into a fitful slumber. Still Michael couldn’t bring himself to release him.

  This was definitely not a good way to start out the day when he would be forcing his mate to tell them about the murder he had witnessed, but he knew he couldn’t
put it off any longer. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed before he heard a soft knock on the door. A glance down at Kaden’s face showed that the man was still fast asleep, albeit significantly more peacefully, and he slid quietly from the bed.

  Outside the door to his room, he found two trays on the floor full of breakfast foods, coffee and orange juice. He smiled at the thoughtfulness of Katherine and Missy, knowing the teen had had a hand in it, and picked them up. Placing them on the dresser, he sat himself gently on the side of the bed next to Kaden.

  He started stroking the platinum strands of hair, which shone in the morning rays of the sun streaming through the bedroom window, away from his face. Kaden seemed so at peace right then that he was reluctant to wake him, but they had business to take care of soon that couldn’t be delayed any longer.

  “I love you, baby,” he whispered. The declaration shocked him no less than the first time he’d said it, and it was frightening and welcome at the same time.

  “I think I love you, too,” Kaden whispered. Michael watched in wonder as pale lids fluttered open and violet eyes pierced him with their intensity. He could feel Kaden’s sincerity beaming at him like the shining rays of the sun that lit his hair on fire every time the young man stepped outside. There was an underlying uncertainty to his emotions that let him know his mate was searching for his approval.

  He gathered his precious boy into his arms and held him there, rocking him, overcome with happiness and gratitude. He wanted to live in this moment forever. To wrap this strong yet fragile male in his embrace and hide him from the tragedies of his past.

  But all too soon the reality of what the day entailed broke into his consciousness and he was forced to pull back from his brief respite and acknowledge their responsibilities. But first…

  “I meant it. I do love you. I love everything about you. You’re so much more than I ever hoped for in a mate, cock, balls, talent and all.” Kaden let loose a peal of laughter that reached into Michael and set his heart to pounding. “You don’t have to love me back. I know I still need to earn your trust, but I will…”

  “Shhh,” Kaden breathed. “I know that I have to tell you about my past today. I can feel your trepidation. I also know that you won’t think of me in the same way after I tell you, but for now…right now…I can feel you. All of you.”

  Kaden’s face crumpled in pain, his throat swallowing convulsively, but it wasn’t like the pain he had felt from his mate before. It was full of the same kind of yearning he had felt over that interminable length of years he had spent searching for him. Michael reached to pull his mate into his arms again but was stopped by a small but firm hand on his chest.

  “I just want you to know that I don’t hate you anymore for rejecting me. I know that what happened afterwards was not your fault, and I want you to know that I’ve always wanted you.”

  Michael frowned at the cryptic words but Kaden rushed on to say, “I love you. And no matter what happens, I know you’re a good man, and I won’t blame you for anything you do after today.” Michael’s frown turned to a full-on black scowl and he was about to argue, but his mate seemed to possess more power than him with the simple, sweet sound of his voice. Kaden stopped him again by distracting him. “So you brought coffee for me?”

  He found he could do nothing other than smile and go to the dresser to retrieve the forgotten trays of food. “Actually, we’ll have to thank mom and Missy later for this.”

  “It must be nice having your parents live here with you.”

  Michael reached over to tuck a lock of blond hair behind Kaden’s ear. “They’re just staying here to help out for a bit. Dad has more experience with the powers of mages than I do, and I didn’t want to end up driving you away with my mistakes.” He frowned. “Although that didn’t work out quite as well as I thought.”

  Kaden shrugged. “I think you’re doing okay. You should have seen the first time I learnt about my power. It was also the first time I kissed a boy.” Kaden’s giggle had Michael completely intrigued.

  “Well?”

  Kaden’s cheeks flushed and his lips curved up into the cutest shy smile as he started talking in between stuffing bits of toast into his mouth. “I was with Rayne during lunch recess and we were hiding behind a huge yellow tractor they had in the playground. He was nice to me. I didn’t have many friends. Anyways, we kissed, and I thought it was the most wonderful thing in the world. Well, apparently, he did too. When we stopped and left our hiding place, about fifteen other kids close to us were kissing as well.” Kaden chuckled down at his food.

  “Boys with boys, girls with girls, boys with girls, it didn’t matter. It caused a huge fuss and when I told my mom about it that night, she decided to place me in home-schooling. Still, it made me happy to know that I made the first boy I kissed feel so good that his emotions made so many other kids feel good.”

  He was amazed that Kaden could retain something good from an experience that obviously must have caused him a lot of pain and loneliness afterwards. He remembered when Nick had discovered he was gay at a young age. Michael and Joseph had got into a lot of fights with anyone who would dare insult their friend until Nick was strong enough to defend himself.

  Even then, Michael and Joseph—and Dennis by that time—wouldn’t tolerate a single rude comment any of the other kids might make about Nick. He could not imagine how hard it must have been for Kaden to deal with not only his newfound power, but also the subsequent isolation.

  He tucked two fingers under Kaden’s chin and lifted it until he could see those captivating eyes again. “You never cease to amaze me, baby.” Kaden smiled shyly and returned to his food. Then Michael had a thought. “Wait, I have to know. Are my kisses as good as your first? ‘Cause I’ve got to admit, I think I’m a little jealous,” he grumbled.

  Kaden laughed and replied, “Not even close. Your kisses blow his away.” Michael wasn’t sure if that was true, but it was definitely a boost to his ego. They finished the rest of their breakfast in companionable silence, and he was glad to see that his boy had almost cleared his entire plate. He decided he couldn’t put off the inevitable any longer.

  They showered together, washing each other’s bodies, and even though they were both hard within seconds of stripping off their clothes, neither attempted to push things further. It was enough to simply enjoy each other’s presence.

  Kaden chose to dress in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt that had belonged to Michael in his teen years, wanting to surround himself with the faint, lingering aroma of his mate on the clothes. After following Michael out of the room and downstairs, they washed their dishes in the sink without speaking. In fact, Kaden noticed that the entire house was eerily quiet.

  When he asked where Missy was, Michael informed him that she and Katherine had taken the day to go shopping. Knowing his sister, that could be an all-day event, especially if there was a chance she could get out of her studies.

  When they were done, Michael turned and pulled him into a fierce embrace. Kaden knew that he should be distancing himself from the man to prepare for what he was sure would be the last time his mate would want to touch him, but couldn’t bring himself to give up this precious moment. Grief over his impending loss threatened to surge up and drown him, but he fought it down, not wanting it to ruin what little time he had left.

  When Michael pulled away to give him a reassuring smile, he felt his face reflect the man’s expression and allowed Michael to lead him through the living room and down the hall.

  His office was spacious but already filled with the company of Sam and Michael’s Betas. Nick and Dennis stood in front of several bookshelves that were stacked from floor to ceiling and took up most of one wall. Joseph stood at the opposite wall, leaning against a filing cabinet, and Sam sat in a recliner to the side of Michael’s desk.

  Michael took Kaden to the loveseat resting against the far wall across from the door and sat him down. Kaden expected him to take a seat next to him but the man gave him a t
ender kiss on the forehead then continued to his desk chair, where he sat down stiffly.

  Kaden felt suddenly very vulnerable and started to pick at a hole in the knee of the jeans, keeping his gaze on his lap. The silence was so ominous that Kaden almost jumped when the deep, resonant voice of his mate broke the stillness.

  “Okay, baby. We’ll try to make this as short as possible. Because of your power, I need you to tell us everything you know without anyone touching you so that we know you’re not being influenced by another’s emotions.”

  Kaden supposed that sounded like a valid reason, but all he could think about was how bereft he felt without the solid feel of his mate beside him, touching him.

  “Why don’t you start with who the killers are?”

  Kaden took a breath and let it out slowly between his teeth. He could do this. It was the right thing to do, even if it did put him in danger. Even if he would have to run again.

  He repeated that to himself as he answered, “Thomas, Brook and Daniel.” He looked up at Michael, but knew by the sober expression on the man’s face that he would need to do this on his own. “They’re Alpha Gregory’s Betas. Their clan is located here in Missouri, up north.”

  “Sorry, but if I can interrupt for a moment, that doesn’t make any sense,” Dennis spoke up. “All three of us,” he made a broad gesture to include himself, Joseph and Nick, “searched Stephen’s place and found several contact numbers belonging to guys I did background checks on and they were all located out of state, and most of them were human. I was also able to look up his bank statements over the past few years and found that he was receiving funds from many different domestic accounts, though I wasn’t able to identify who those accounts belonged to.

  “From what I gathered, Stephen was trading goods for several different people of influence. Are you saying that an Alpha put a hit on a wolf dealing with humans? If that’s the case, we could be dealing with something that’s a little more serious than just a clan issue.”