by Cree Storm
It didn’t take long before the pleasure of it all was just too much, that and the fact that Spencer had wanted Throg for so long, and finally was being granted his fondest wish—his mate.
When Throg’s lips kissed, and then he lightly nipped that spot on his neck that would mark him, Spencer lost it. He came with a scream of Throg’s name on his lips. His ass clamped down on Throg’s still-moving cock, only to feel his channel being filled, and filled some more.
Holy fuck, Nakaka had a lot of juices. That would be something to remember if ever they wanted to get it on in the office again.
When both men had spent their seed, Throg kissed along Spencer’s neck, and Spencer just knew this was when Throg would bite him. He would claim him. Throg would make Spencer his for all eternity. But instead, Throg started whispering, “My amans. My mate... I wish things could be different, but you are who you are, and I am what I am. It can never be.”
Spencer didn’t completely understand those words, until Throg had pulled out and stepped back. “I’ll get something to clean you with.”
Throg turned, and Spencer watched him walk into the bathroom. What had just happened? Did his mate just refuse him? Did he refuse to accept Spencer as his mate?
The words Throg said, played over and over in his mind, and Spencer felt himself go numb. Of course, his mate didn’t want him. He had been used and abused by another. He was dirty and not worthy of someone as wonderful and powerful as Throg. Spencer knew this. He had struggled with how he could ever be accepted by a mate after what had happened to him. How anyone could look at him and not think, how weak and pathetic he was, how disgusting he was.
Spencer pulled up his pants, ignoring the mess filling them. He needed to leave. He needed to get out of there. Gods, how would he ever look Throg in the eyes again?
Hearing the water shut off, Spencer took off out of the office as fast as he could. He ran, not really knowing where he was going. He couldn’t go to his room, Throg would know where he was. No, he needed to find someplace to hide. Someplace no one would ever think to look for him. So, he went to the one place he knew no one would see his humiliation... Spencer ran until he made it to the cell Chantal had forced him into. The cell that had changed and ruined his life. The cell that had cost him his mate.
“Spencer! Damn it, answer me!”
A sharp slap had Spencer looking up and realizing everyone was staring at him in horror. Feeling something wet running down his cheeks, Spencer realized he had been crying. From their looks they all thought he was upset about the baby. No. He could never be upset about the baby. Not only was it the one thing in this world that would love him... truly love him... but it was the only part of Throg he would ever have. “I... I need to go.”
Spencer rushed from the room hearing Elijah calling his name. He needed to think. He needed to be alone. Again, he couldn’t go to his room, because Elijah would find him and demand answers. No. There was only one place he could go that he would be able to find that peace. The cell.
CHAPTER 4
Throg had gone to the man’s room and knocked, but no one answered. Thinking Spencer was just ignoring him, Throg made his way inside. The smell of apple-spiced cake filled Throg’s senses, but besides an unmade bed and some clothes thrown on the floor, Spencer was nowhere to be found.
Throg was getting more and more pissed. He had a job to do, and Spencer still was nowhere to be found. Yes, things might be uncomfortable after what happened, and if Throg had a choice on working with Spencer, he wouldn’t do it. It was too hard to keep his distance if they were in the same room together. What happened the last time they were together was proof enough of that.
Every part of him wanted his mate, and not just because Spencer was the other half to his soul. No, Spencer was a great guy. Any man would be thrilled to have someone as smart, funny, kind, and caring as his Spencer.
“He is not your Spencer, Throg. You know this, so stop calling him that.” Throg muttered to himself. “Let’s just find the man, do the job my Caliph has ordered of me, then maybe talk to Hron about changing the ancient family he was to serve.
Throg hated thinking about leaving Hron and his family. He had served them for many centuries, and Throg even looked at them as family. However, it was apparent that being so close to his mate, and keeping his hands to himself, wasn’t going to work.
A thunk and soft, “Crap!” had Throg looking up to see Nug and Jory.
“I told you, you were going too fast. Now look at what you did,” Jory softly scolded.
“I didn’t do anything. It’s the stupid floor. We have pot holes,” Nug insisted.
Jory huffed, “How does a carpeted floor get pot holes, Nug?”
“The carpet covers the holes. Trust me, they are definitely there,” Nug said with certainty.
“That wasn’t a hole you hit, Nug. It was my foot and it hurt like the dickens,” Jory hissed.
Nug looked contrite at his longtime friend. “I’m sorry, Jory.”
Jory seemed to soften with those simple three words, “It’s fine. How about we just take it a bit slower this time?”
Throg wasn’t a naïve man. He knew true love when he saw it. Hell, just working with Hron and Petree could educate a man on the “love look”, and these two little Nakaka were definitely in love. What Throg didn’t understand was why they hadn’t done anything about it?
Would that loving look ever have crossed Spencer and Throg’s faces when they were together? Most likely. Hell, it might already be there on Throg’s part, because damned if his heart didn’t beat a little faster, whenever his mate walked into a room as it was.
Shaking his mind clear, so he could focus on his goal, Throg asked, “Nug. Jory. Have either of you seen Spencer today?”
“He was in the infirm...”
Jory elbowed Nug, “Hush. We agreed we wouldn’t tell.”
“Tell me what?” Throg practically growled.
Nug stood up straighter, “You can’t growl at us, because Groth will beat you up. He said so and you were there. You heard. I know you did.”
Jory nodded, stepping a bit behind Nug. “He did. Groth said anyone that threatened, or tried to hurt us, he would take care of them.”
Throg blinked. What the hell were these twerps talking about? “I didn’t threaten you, or try and hurt you.”
Nug raised a brow, “That growl said otherwise.”
“Look, I’m not threatening you or Jory, but I need to find Spencer. Hron has ordered us to do an important project and I need to find Spencer, but I can’t find him anywhere,” Throg said in frustration.
Nug nodded, “You have to find the flash drives.”
Jory elbowed Nug. “Exna on the sevirda.”
Nug looked confused as hell at what Jory just said, as he started asking, “Wh…?”
At the same time, Throg gasped, “How did...”
Throg shook his head. “Never mind, just tell me where Spencer is, so we can get to work on this.”
Jory bit his bottom lip, “We don’t want to say something we shouldn’t.”
Throg must have looked like he was getting more and more pissed... because he was, and Jory had noticed it, because he stepped closer to Nug.
He wouldn’t hurt them, but damn if he wasn’t contemplating just how far Groth would go to protect these two nuisances. There was loyalty to your friends, and then loyalty to the clutch. As far as Throg was concerned, the clutch always came first. “I’m getting to the point I think I should be able to take on Groth without a problem.” In truth he could. Throg was older than any of the Nakaka, except the ancients... the originals.
“They didn’t look like they wanted anyone to know where they were going when they went into the d... ouch. Damn it, Jory, stop elbowing me, it hurts,” Nug snapped.
“Then quit talking so much. We agreed we wouldn’t tell,” Jory snapped right back.
Sighing heavily, Throg rubbed the middle of his forehead, where he was starting to get a massive headach
e. “Guys, this is for the clutch. I need Spencer’s help if we are going to make sure everyone stays safe, and no one tries to kill our Caliph and his inner circle, like they did Tamale.”
Jory gasped, “Oh, gods no. We don’t want Hron or his inner circle dead.”
“Groth is our protector. We can’t let him get hurt,” Nug said at the same time.
Throg quickly said, “Then, if you know where Spencer is, you need to tell me.”
Jory nibbled on his bottom lip and glanced at Nug. Nug tightened his lips as he rubbed his ribs where Jory had popped him a good one that last time.
For a minute, Throg thought Jory might not answer him, but then he surprised Throg by saying, “We saw Spencer and Elijah sneaking into the infirmary.”
Those words caused a strange fluttering in Throg’s stomach, that took him a moment to realize was fear, “The infirmary? Is Spencer hurt? Is he sick?”
“You do know that Spencer is a shifter, right? I don’t know much about sloths or shifters in general, but I do believe they don’t get or give disease or sickness,” Nug said, with a roll of his eyes.
Jory pursed his lips, then took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. “No one looked hurt, but we don’t know why they were going in there. However, Spencer looked like he wanted to be anywhere, but there.”
“He was with Elijah. It could have been that he just wanted to see his brother about something,” Nug said, with a smile and nod.
What Nug said was true. Elijah and Spencer could have just been together, and Elijah wanted to see his brother about something, but why wouldn’t Spencer want to be there with him, and why would he be with Elijah, when he should be working?
Throg couldn’t help but feel as if something was wrong. He needed to get to Spencer and make sure everything was okay. Throg gave both men a small nod. “Thank you,” then he left for the medical center, before the two could bring on a full-fledged migraine.
* * * *
Throg opened the infirmary door and looked around. Spencer was nowhere in sight, but Elijah was sitting on his mate’s lap, and it looked as if he was crying. Doctor Caden was pacing and grumbling about stubborn-ass shifters. All the while, no one noticed Throg standing there.
Throg was just about to announce his arrival, when the door slammed into his back and caused Throg to stumble into the wall behind the damn door.
“What’s going on? Who’s hurt? Nug said Elijah and Spencer were in here,” Petree said, sounding out of breath, then gasped, “Elijah? What is it, honey? Are you hurt?”
Throg was about to push the door away, when he was hit once more. “Son of a bitch what the hell is going on?”
“Elijah? Petree? What’s going on? Nug said Spencer and Elijah were hurt and seeing the doctor. What’s going on? Is my brother hurt?” Mason asked anxiously, as he, Abe, and Bryant came rushing in the room.
It still amazed Throg, how close all these men had become, after what they had endured in the hands of Chantal and his men. Raped, beaten, almost killed. How anyone hadn’t lost their mind with the torture they had endured, was awe inspiring to him. Throg had seen greater men fall, because of tragedy and harsh circumstance. Yet, these men didn’t cower or run, instead they banded together, became family, loved and stayed by each other’s sides. They were brothers, but not by blood... by choice. If one was in pain, they all were in pain, and Throg had watched these men come together in the most amazing ways. They helped Petree through his hurt and struggles when they had been saved almost a year ago, and they did the same when Elijah was going through all he had before committing to Khall. Throg could only wish he had people in his life that felt the love these men showed each other.
“Elijah’s fine... or he will be. He’s just worried about Spencer, Khall said calmly, as he did his best to soothe his mate.
Those words caught Throg’s attention. Spencer? What the hell was going on with Spencer?
Throg was about to burst from behind the door, when Elijah’s words stopped him. “He’s in real trouble, guys. We have to help him.”
“Anything. You guys know that. Whatever Spencer needs we’re here for him,” Petree said, looking around. “Where is Spencer?”
“He ran out of here,” Khall answered just as quietly as he had before.
“Ran out... What’s going on? Where’d he go? Why’d he run out of here? Is he sick?” Mason asked, looking around.
“Shifters don’t get sick, Mason,” Petree quietly said.
Elijah sat up and wiped his eyes. “I don’t know where he went. His room, maybe?”
Shaking his head, Abe answered, “No. My room’s right next to his and he wasn’t there when I got back from patrol today, and I didn’t pass him when I came here.”
“Then, I don’t know where he went. He was so... he was so upset,” Elijah whispered.
“Upset? If he’s not sick what’s wrong with him?” Bryant asked, this time looking at Caden.
Caden shook his head, only saying, “Patient-client confidentiality.”
Throg wanted to snatch the damn human by his throat, and squeeze until the son of a bitch told them all what was wrong with his mate.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean? We’re family! If something is wrong with Spencer, we need to know,” Bryant snapped to the doctor.
“I’m sorry, I’m unable to assist you with that. It was Spencer’s request that no one knows why he was here, and I not only will, I must do as my patient asks,” Caden argued back, then turned murmuring, “Even if I don’t agree.”
Throg knew all the shifters as well as the Nakaka had heard the doctors softly spoken words, and it was Petree that said, “Okay, we’ll just have Elijah tell us.”
Elijah seemed to sink further into his mate, as he muttered, “I can’t.”
“What the fuck do you mean you can’t tell us?” Mason shouted.
Khall growled, then snarled, “You speak to my mate like that again, and brother or no, I will rip your entrails out and bathe in them!”
Elijah sat up smacking his mate’s chest, “You will do no such thing, and just for the record... eww... fucking eww, eww, eww. That image is beyond disgusting.”
“I’m sorry, songbird, but I will not sit here and allow someone to talk to you in such a disrespectful tone. Not even your brother. It pisses me off as your man, and it infuriates my Nakaka.” Khall defended.
“And I love you too, but Mason and I are brothers. We’re going to fight. He’s going to piss me off and I’m going to piss him off. That means you and your Gargoyle are going to have to get used to it or you and your gargoyle are going to have to find other sleeping arrangements.” Elijah said, in such a sweet tone that Throg could hardly believe the man was threatening his friend in a sexual way.
Khall grumbled something that not even Throg’s superior hearing could catch.
“What was that, my big warrior?” Spencer said, just as sweetly as he had his threat.
“I said, I am Nakaka. We do not call ourselves gargoyle, that is a human term.”
“And I’m human, but I will try and remember it bothers you to hear that term,” Elijah whispered, and then kissed his mate.
What seemed like a soft tender ‘make up’ kiss, seemed to morph into something altogether different. Mason hissing, “Oh god, would you two please stop. I seriously don’t want to see my brother getting it on here and now, or anywhere.”
The two pulled back, and Elijah’s cheeks pinkened, “Sorry about that.”
Abe stepped forward, “Elijah, we need to know what’s going on. How can we help if you won’t tell us?”
“I want to. I really do, but Abe I gave my word. What we need to do is find him. He’s alone, scared, and hurting. I’m afraid he might leave us if we don’t find him,” Elijah said, his hurt from earlier returning.
“Scared? Hurting?” Petree said, in question and then looked at the others. “Okay, we split up. Each of us takes a section of the clutch house. Elijah and I will go to the first floor. Abe, you and Ma
son take the business district.
Stepping up to them, Caden said, “I want to help.”
“You and Bryant can take the third floor, while Khall and Throg take the cell block,” Petree said, turning to look at where Throg had been hiding.
Everyone turned to see Throg standing behind the door. Elijah’s eyes heated. “What the fuck are you doing here? Spying on us?”
Throg didn’t know what to say... how to explain. Thankfully, Khall interrupted, “We don’t have time to discuss this right now. We need to find Spencer.”
“I’m going to contact Hron and let him know what’s going on. Maybe he can send some people to help us locate him,” Petree said, pulling out his cell phone and calling his mate.
Elijah walked up to Throg, snapping, “Why were you spying on us?”
“I wasn’t... well, not really. Hron has an assignment for Spencer and me, and... well I was looking for him. Nug and Jory told me he came in here with you, and I was going to tell you I was here, but then the others came in and you started talking and... I’m sorry. It was wrong of me,” Throg said, knowing he had never spoken so many words in his very long life. Yet, unable to stop himself from rambling with one mean look from the tiny human.
Elijah pointed his finger in Throg’s face. “If I find out you had anything to do with the pained look on my friend’s face, and all he’s going through at this point, I swear I’m gonna slice your balls off and feed them to you in a stew!”
Throg’s eyes widened. Damn, he could feel his nut sack shriveling into him, like he was doing one of those polar-bear swims in Alaska.
“Cancel the search. I know where Spencer is,” Petree said to everyone in the room, as he made his way to the door.
Everyone followed, Abe asking, “Where are we going?”
“He’s at the club,” Was all Petree said, as he made his way out the door and to the elevators.
CHAPTER 5
Spencer sat at the piano, pressing keys, thinking about where he was going to go from here. He knew he couldn’t leave. Not only didn’t he want to be alone out in the human world, expecting a child that he had no clue how to raise, but the thought of never seeing Elijah, Petree, Abe, Mason or Bryant again, wasn’t something he could handle right now... if ever. Besides, Hron and the clutch needed him. There was no way they could find those flash drives without him, or hack into the systems necessary to keep the Nakaka safe. However, Spencer just didn’t know how he was going to be able to be here... live here, seeing Throg every day, without him finding out about the baby.