“He didn’t give me money, not as such. He, well, he became my partner, and we started working more closely together. I earned more money because I worked with him, with his contacts.” He looked at Jago. “I love you. I never stopped. Do you... do you think you can ever forgive me?”
Jago shook his head. “I don’t know. I want to, because I understand why you did it, but I’m not sure I can.”
Jago’s father looked like he’d aged twenty years when he got up from the couch. “I’m sorry.”
Corbin hovered next to Jago. He didn’t know what to say. He’d never felt as inadequate, as useless, as he did now. He knew words of comfort, of course, but they felt foreign, and he didn’t know if they were what Jago wanted to hear from him.
So he decided to give Jago his support in another way, one he didn’t need words for. He reached for Jago and curled an arm around his shoulders as gently as he could. Jago looked so fragile, and Corbin was afraid he might break him if he wasn’t careful.
He pulled Jago closer and hugged him. Jago wasn’t a lot smaller than Corbin was, but he felt like he was right now. He felt small and breakable, but even like this, Corbin could feel the undercurrent of defiance and strength that ran deep in Jago.
Jago leaned against Corbin, let Corbin be his strength, his pillar, and Corbin felt something break in his heart. He’d never been needed, not as a man. He’d been used plenty of times as a weapon, but who he was had never mattered, not until now.
He pressed his cheek against the silk of Jago’s hair and breathed his mate in, somehow feeling more vulnerable than ever, even though it was Jago who was hurting. Corbin couldn’t afford feeling that way, though, not now, so he ignored the feeling as best he could and focused on Jago.
Jago’s father was watching them, a question in his eyes. “You two are more than boyfriends.”
It wasn’t a question, yet Jago nodded. “We’re mated.”
Jago’s father sighed. “I’m happy for you. You deserve to be happy.”
“I know.”
Marian looked from her husband to her son. She walked closer to her husband and pushed him none too gently toward the hallway. “Go. We’ll talk later, but right now, I want to be with my son. I haven’t seen him for two years.”
Jago’s father left without protesting. Jago sat on the couch again and Corbin sat next to him, unwilling to release his mate just yet. He listened as Jago and his family talked. Jago told them about the pack, how he’d lived there for the past year. He told them about his job, about his friends, about Corbin, although he didn’t tell them who and what Corbin was. Corbin was glad, because he didn’t want Jago’s family to hate him, not yet.
While they talked, he thought about how he needed to tell Jago the truth about himself, about how he’d kind of known Jago before he actually met him. Part of him wanted to wait, but he knew it would only hurt Jago more, and it was the last thing he wanted.
Corbin never wanted to hurt Jago, but he knew it wasn’t a possible thing. Still, he owed his mate the truth, so when they finally said goodbye, after long promises of coming back as soon as possible, Corbin made the decision to tell Jago right away.
They climbed in the car, Jago still talking a mile a minute. Corbin could feel it was a way to keep his hurt hidden, but he didn’t point it out. He waited until they were on the road, the doors locked, to interrupt Jago. “I have something to tell you.”
Jago snapped his mouth shut and looked at Corbin. “That never ends well.”
“What?”
“Those words. They usually mean you’re going to break up with me or something.”
“I can’t break up with you. We’re mated.”
“I know, but I bet it’s something just as important and bad. Are you going to kill my father?”
“No. I’ll let him live, because I know it’s what you want. I don’t understand it, but I won’t touch him.”
“What is it, then?”
Corbin looked briefly at Jago, then back at the road. He tightened his hands around the steering wheel and stared straight ahead as he talked. “When you told your mother about the lab, and when you said elephant shrews are so rare in this country, I realized something.”
“What?”
“I knew you.”
Jago put a hand on Corbin’s arm. “What do you mean?”
“It was after I started working for the labs. Once my training was enough for me to go on missions, I didn’t stay only in one lab. I moved around as I was needed, and I stayed in one particular lab for a period. I still remember that lab, because it had shifters I’d never seen before. Not bears, or wolves, but exotic shifters.”
Jago moved his hand away and Corbin missed the warmth, the contact. “It was the lab I was in,” Jago said in a small voice.
“I think so. I’ve never seen other elephant shrews than the two in that lab, but I didn’t think they were so rare.”
“It’s because they’re African shifters. My grandparents immigrated here before my mother was born, and my father’s grandparents even earlier.”
Corbin nodded. “I liked watching you. You were so small, and you looked so gentle. I felt sorry for you, so I asked one of the guards to give you things, but without telling you they were from me.”
“The food. The blanket.”
“Yes. I... we never actually met before Gillham, and I swear I didn’t know it was you. I’d have told you if I’d realized.”
“Can you stop the car?” Jago asked.
Corbin was afraid Jago was going to run, but he did as he was told anyway. If Jago wanted to run away from him, then so be it. Corbin would follow him from afar to make sure he was fine and that he made it home, then he’d leave Jago alone.
He stopped the car as soon as he could and turned it off. He kept his hands tight around the steering wheel and didn’t look at Jago, but a soft hand on his cheek startled him, as much as he could be startled anyway.
Jago looked at him for a few seconds, then he unbuckled his seatbelt and climbed onto Corbin’s lap. He straddled Corbin’s thighs and faced him, and Corbin let himself hope he was forgiven. He finally pried his hands away from the steering wheel and put them on Jago’s hips.
“I’m not angry with you,” Jago said.
“You’re not?”
“No. You didn’t know it was me, and you tried to make my life easier while I was there. You did make it easier.”
“I should’ve freed you, and the others.”
“I can’t say no to that, but you were different then. You didn’t know you could go against the company. You didn’t know better, and even without freeing me, you went against the company. Thank you, Corbin.”
Corbin’s stomach made a weird movement. He felt weird, but it was a good weird. He felt... lighter. Jago had forgiven him.
Chapter Six
It was Jago’s turn to cook, so he was peeling potatoes. He put the clean one down, grabbed another one and ran the peeler down its length. A shout resonated through the house, then footsteps, the sound of someone running, a door slamming.
Jago swore because he’d just peeled his finger instead of the potato. He put everything down and sucked on the wound as he turned on the water in the sink and took a napkin from the kitchen table.
He stuck his finger under the water, and it flowed pink. He waited until it was clear again before pulling his finger away and looking at it. It wasn’t a pretty sight, but he’d seen worse—a lot worse. It was only a small cut, and Jago wound a napkin around it.
Another door slammed and Jago frowned. What the heck was happening? Had Kameron and Zach had a fight? It didn’t happen often, but when it did Zach was usually the one to yell and bitch.
“Jago!”
Jago recognized Kameron’s voice. From his tone, something bad had happened, and if he was calling Jago, it meant someone was hurt, so Jago ran. He followed the sound of voices rising to the front door, then out of it. The porch was full
of people and Jago had to push them aside to get to Kameron. He couldn’t even see the alpha, and he found out why when the people in front of him finally moved and let him by.
Kameron was on his knees next to someone who was lying on the porch. Jago couldn’t see who it was, because his face was dark with blood and his hair was stuck on his forehead, but he could see it was a man, and that he was young.
Jago knelt next to Kameron, his hands already working without conscious thought. He looked around and saw Elias hovering next to the wall. “Eli, I need you to go and get me my bag. It’s in my room, just by the door. Then call Jared and have him come.”
It was in moments like this that Jago wished he’d become a doctor instead of a nurse. He could try to help the hurt man in front of him, but he wasn’t sure he’d be able to.
He didn’t even look to see if Elias was still there or if he’d obeyed Jago’s orders. “What happened?” Jago asked Kameron while peeling the man’s T-shirt away from his torso.
“We don’t know. He was found by two of the guards at the border of pack’s territory.”
“He was left there?”
The wounds on the man’s chest and stomach were deep, and Jago swallowed at the blood that came out of the deepest stomach wound when he gently pressed on it. He held his hand out behind himself. “Does anyone have a credit card?”
There were some murmurs and surprised sounds behind him, but no one answered, so Jago asked again, this time more forcefully. “I need a credit card, now.”
Someone moved, then a soft voice asked, “Is this one okay?”
Jago turned to see Xavier handing him a card. He nodded and took it, then pressed it over the wound. It wasn’t a big wound, and the card covered all of it. Jago slipped his T-shirt off and pressed it over the card. He looked at Kameron, who was still by his side. “He needs a doctor.”
“I know.” Kameron’s face was grim.
“Who is he?”
Kameron briefly looked at Jago’s face. “Merle. He’s one of our recruits.”
“Oh.”
Merle was unconscious, and Jago was glad for that. There was another rustle behind him and Elias appeared, but instead of having Jago’s bag, he’d brought Jared with him. Noem was there too, and Jago moved aside to let them work on Merle.
He looked down at himself. He was bare chested, his hands were bloody, and there were splashes and streaks of it on his skin, too. He looked almost exactly like he had when Samkelo had died.
He shook his head and sat back on his ass. “Jeesh. People really need to stop trying to die when I’m around,” he said in a shaky voice.
“You all right?” Kameron asked. He was standing in front of Jago and Jago had to look up.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
Kameron offered him a hand and Jago raised both of his to show Kam they were dirty. Kameron shrugged and clasped one of them, then pulled Jago up.
“I should be used to this, but the people I treat are usually strangers.”
“You know Merle?” Kameron asked, his gaze never leaving Merle, who was still unconscious.
“A bit. We’re not close friends or anything, but I know him. We’re the same age, and we share some friends.”
Jared turned to look at them. “We need to take him to the hospital.”
“Go ahead,” Kameron answered. “I need to do a few things, then I’ll join you there.”
“Good. Call the mansion if you need a Nix lift.” Jared’s gaze slid to Jago. “You did a good job.”
Jago nodded once. “It’s my job.”
Jared nodded back, then turned to look at Noem. Within seconds, they were gone, and Jago slumped against the railing. He took care not to touch anything and listened to the sounds of Kameron telling people to go away and grumbling answers. Someone demanded to know what had happened, but Kameron didn’t have any more answers than anyone else in that moment, and he told them so.
Jago stayed against the railing with his eyes closed until the only voices left were Kameron’s and Nick’s. A hand on his shoulder made him jump and he opened his eyes to see Corbin looking at him, a frown carved on his face. “Are you all right? What happened?”
Jago raised his hands and splayed them, grimacing at the drying blood. “I don’t know. I just know that Merle’s hurt, but that’s all.”
Corbin looked at Kameron, and Kameron noticed him. He sighed. “Why don’t you take Jago in the bathroom to clean up and meet us in the kitchen afterward?”
Corbin nodded and took Jago’s wrist. He pulled Jago inside the house and Jago sighed in relief at the cooler air. He hadn’t even noticed how hot he’d been. He let Corbin pull him deeper inside the house, then into the bathroom. Corbin closed the door, turned the shower on, and swiftly unbuttoned Jago’s shorts. He pushed them down along with Jago’s briefs, stuck a hand under the water, then helped Jago climb into the tub. Jago sat down under the spray and hugged his knees. He tilted his head backward and let the water run on his face, taking away all signs of blood.
Jago heard the door open then close. It opened again a few minutes later and Corbin moved around, hidden by the shower curtain. It opened and Corbin climbed into the tub with Jago. He sat down next to him and put an arm around Jago’s shoulders and Jago leaned against his mate. “Thanks.”
“For what?”
“For being here.”
“I’m your mate.” And that said everything. Jago knew it was Corbin’s way to tell him he loved him and that he’d always be there when Jago needed him. It wasn’t the words, not yet, but it was good enough.
Jago sighed and let Corbin pull him to his feet. He stayed still as Corbin gently washed him. It wasn’t sexual, even though Jago’s cock thickened and twitched when Corbin washed it. Jago let himself enjoy the low drum of arousal and didn’t do anything to amp it, not even when Corbin washed his ass, then down his legs until he knelt in front of Jago.
Corbin rinsed the washcloth, guided Jago under the spray, and helped him rinse his hair and body. He was the first one the climb out and he dried Jago. Jago felt a lot better once he was clean and dressed, and he was ready to get some answers.
* * * *
Corbin followed Jago to the kitchen. He wanted answers just as much as his mate. Jago hadn’t been hurt, not this time, but Corbin didn’t want to risk it, and he’d do anything to keep Jago safe. Even if it meant going after whoever had hurt Merle.
He wasn’t surprised to find Kameron, Nick, Zach, and Andy in the kitchen, all with coffee in front of them, all grim-faced. They weren’t talking, but Zach looked up when Corbin and Jago came in. He got up and got two mugs ready, and Corbin accepted his even though he didn’t like coffee.
There were two chairs still free, and Jago sat down in one of them. His mug clunked on the table when he put it down, and he linked his fingers together around it. He looked from Nick to Kameron to Andy before asking, “What happened to Merle?”
“What can you tell us about his wounds?” Kameron asked instead of answering.
Corbin could see Jago was bugged by it, but he still answered the alpha. “From what I saw... was he tortured?”
Kameron sighed heavy. “Can you be specific?”
Jago’s hands tightened around his mug, and Corbin slid his hand on the table, palm up. Jago looked at it, then at him. He smiled a little and took Corbin’s offered hand. Corbin tightened his hold as Jago started talking.
“I didn’t really have the time to examine all the wounds I saw, and I doubt I was actually able to see them all. He had burn marks on his arms and his torso. Round burn marks.” Jago swallowed. “Probably from cigarettes. His fingernails were missing, but I don’t know if we’re talking about all of them. He had...” Jago paused and Corbin stroked his thumb over his mate’s knuckles. “He had bruises, and they were recent. There were rope marks around his wrists, cuts all over his face, and of course the stab wound in his stomach. Someone wanted him to hurt, and they wanted to kill him as
slowly and painfully as they could.”
Zach sobbed once and pressed his hand against his mouth. “Who would do that?”
Kameron reached in his jeans’ back pocket. He pulled out a folded piece of paper, dirty with blood. He opened it and put it on the table, smoothing it with his hands. “Victor found Merle earlier. I guess he panicked and instead of leaving Merle and calling for help, he carried him here. He left him on the porch and called for me. When I got there, well, Jago knows what I saw. This,” he said, gesturing at the piece of paper, “was on Merle’s chest, tucked under his T-shirt. I took it off him before anyone else could see it, because I don’t need people panicking.”
Everyone leaned forward to look at the piece of paper. Corbin could see there was something written on it, but he couldn’t read it from where he was. An entire corner of the paper was red with blood, and there were some smaller spots of it on the rest of the once white surface.
“What is it?” Zach asked.
“It’s a threat,” Kameron told him. “Apparently, some of the alphas who aren’t happy with Dominic creating the council and keeping them out of it decided to create their own.”
“A second council?” Nick asked. He reached for the piece of paper and Kameron slid it toward him.
“Yes. It doesn’t say who the members are, or where it’s based, but the signature at the bottom...”
“Tom,” Nick growled.
Corbin searched his memory. He knew that name.
“Tom?” Zach asked in a strangled voice.
Corbin remembered where he’d heard the name now. Tom was the man who’d taken Zach and had nearly sold him to the company, the creature’s master. “Is this Tom the head of the other council?”
“The note isn’t explicit on that, but since he’s the one who wrote it, I’m guessing he is,” Kameron answered.
“Should’ve known he’d come back to bite us in the ass,” Nick grumbled. The note was now in Zach’s hand, and the man was pale as a sheet. Kameron gently took the note away and passed it to Andy, then he grabbed Zach and pulled him onto his lap. He murmured something in Zach’s ear and stroked his back, and Zach relaxed a tiny bit.
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