by Lisa Oliver
“You were freaking incredible, have I ever mentioned how incredible you are?” He whispered, leaning close enough to take in Devyn’s scent.
“You were going to shift. I could feel it.” Devyn’s cheeks were bright red. “I didn’t like hearing the trash that came out of his mouth, but then his opinion of me isn’t important.”
“Well, I hope you think my opinion of you is important.” Rex was still reeling that Devyn stood up for him, against an arrogant ass like Sloane. It seemed his little omega was going to keep him on his toes. “Hey, you know that arm touchy thing you did. How did you do that?”
Looking at him, Devyn blinked once, slowly. “Could you get me some water please? I don’t think I’m a fan of beer.”
Jumping up from the table, Rex was at the counter ordering water before he’d realized what Devyn had done – evaded his freaking question.
/~/~/~/~/
Devyn peeked out from under his fringe. Rex was leaning over the bar talking to Tony and Gregor. From the glances thrown his way, he guessed they were talking about him. They could keep talking as long as they liked. He had a crisis to work through.
He thought back to when he put his hand on Rex’s arm. He could feel Rex’s wolf, a powerful creature so quick to defend him. At the time Devyn knew he couldn’t possibly hold Rex back physically, but preserving their secret nature, and just not wanting Rex to hurt anyone, made Devyn do it anyway.
And it freaking worked. My touch calmed him down. Of course, then Devyn had to take over the talking side of things, because he didn’t have a clue how long his ‘power’ would last. And it wasn’t as though he had it in him to be mean to Sloane, no matter how nasty the man was being to him. Rex’s power manifested itself through sex, so it was no wonder the man was besotted.
Or not. Devyn still couldn’t work out the relationship between Sloane and Rex. The sex seemed to be the only thing either man was interested in, but was Rex really that good a human would stalk him at his place of work? Hmm… maybe. Although, Devyn was aware he didn’t have anyone he could compare Rex to in the sex department.
Thinking about sex and Rex caused a predictable reaction in his groin and Devyn shuffled in his chair, trying to make himself more comfortable. Focus. How the hell did I calm Rex down? Is this part of being an omega wolf? He thought back to the many stories he’d read. The more he thought, the more he recalled examples of an omega doing the same thing – mated omegas. That’s why I couldn’t do it before, although, Devyn knew he wasn’t giving Gregor any credit. The man kept him from conflicts his whole life.
A bottle of water appeared in front of him. “You look like you’ve got the weight of the world on your shoulders,” Gregor said, swinging his bulk into Rex’s chair. Looking over to the bar, Devyn saw Tony and Rex were still talking.
“I stopped Rex from shifting,” Devyn whispered. “I didn’t know I could do shit like that.”
“Yeah.” The side of Gregor’s mouth twitched. “He’s a bit freaked by it too. Seems that useless father of his never taught him anything except might is right.”
“Have I always been able to do this?” Devyn risked a quick glance at Rex, but he was still busy muttering to Tony. “Does it work with anyone, you know, like us, or just him?”
Gregor shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. But you’re a peacekeeper, you always have been, so don’t go worrying about it too much. I’m more concerned about how that guy is treating you. He seems like the pushy type to me.”
Devyn coughed to hide his laugh. “You’d know all about that,” he teased. “It’s okay, I guess. There’s still so much we don’t know about each other, and….” He paused, making sure Rex couldn’t overhear him. “I think his upbringing has got a lot to answer for.”
“You’ve got that right.” Gregor nodded. “Tony and I have got a bit to work through.”
“You are happy though, aren’t you?” Devyn could see the edge of the mating scar Gregor was now wearing. He suddenly felt sorry for his bear guardian. The man valued his privacy, had been nothing but decent to him all his life, and now he had another wolf for a mate.
“The Fates don’t make mistakes, and Tony’s got a good heart under those muscles of his. We’ll be okay.”
Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but then it was Gregor Devyn was talking to. “There’s going to be a lot of changes, aren’t there,” Devyn said softly. “I guess you’ll be working here now?”
“Change isn’t a bad thing,” Gregor said laying his hand over Devyn’s on the table. “Between the four of us, we’ll work it out. But let’s work on the bonds with our mates first, okay?”
“I missed you at the shop today,” Devyn admitted. “I kept waiting for the police to show up and question me after Jake called them the other day when Rex threw him out.”
“What did that fucktard want this time?” Gregor growled.
Realizing he hadn’t talked to his guardian since Gregor met Tony, Devyn explained about Jake visiting, his proposal about working in porn films, and how Rex threw him bodily out of the shop door.
“The alpha’s got some restraint then,” Gregor said approvingly. “If that idiot had said something like that in front of me, they’d never find the body.”
“You two are a lot alike.” Devyn stretched his arms up, relieving a kink he felt in his back. “Speaking of our men, where are they?” There was someone Devyn didn’t recognize serving behind the bar.
“They’d better be in the kitchen,” Gregor grumbled. “I told that man of mine I wanted food.”
“Aww,” Devyn leaned on his guardian. “Does he know what a grumpy bear you are when you don’t get fed regular?”
“I do not get grumpy,” Gregor insisted. Devyn was still laughing when Rex and Tony appeared, both carrying large plates of food. Catching Rex’s eye, Devyn’s heart gave an extra thump at the huge smile he received. If Rex had been bothered by his sudden surge of omega power earlier, he was over it now and that meant Devyn could stow it to the back of his mind too. As he’d told Sloane, Rex and Devyn were on their first date. Devyn didn’t want anything else to spoil it.
Chapter Fifteen
A week later and Rex was confident he was getting the hang of having a mate. He’d finally gotten all his stuff moved from the house he shared with Tony into Devyn’s lovely home. Between the two of them, he and Devyn worked out a loose routine where Rex would spend the morning with his mate at his shop, before heading into the bar. Devyn would join him later to share an evening meal and then they’d either hang out at the bar with Tony and Gregor, or go home and get hot and sweaty under the sheets, or on the couch, or wherever else Rex thought Devyn could perch his cute behind so he could rock his world.
A discrete call to the police station revealed no one was looking for him in relation to Jake, so that was a plus. Devyn had even shared the contact details of his accountant, so Rex didn’t have to fluff about with those wretched tax returns. Gregor and Rex came to a mutual understanding that anything concerning Devyn was Rex’s responsibility from now on, and while Rex wasn’t sure just how well that was going to work if a crisis hit, Rex was taking Gregor at his word for now. Tony was as happy as a pig in shit with his big bear.
So, the amount of tension he saw on Tony’s face as Rex stepped into the bar on a bright and sunny Monday morning didn’t make sense, neither did the fact Gregor was nowhere in sight. Rex instantly went on alert. “What’s going on?” He asked, striding to the counter. The place was quiet. Most of their regulars would still be working, although there were a few men in work boots playing a game of pool in the corner.
“You’ve got a visitor in your office,” Tony muttered, glancing down the hallway to where the office was.
“Yeah, and? Where’s your bear?”
“He’s gone back to Devyn’s shop. He said Devyn would need him. I understand he raised Devyn since he was a baby, but….” Tony’s voice caught.
“You needed him here with you. I understand, bro. I’m not keen o
n these afternoons without my mate either.” Rex patted the counter. “Let me deal with this visitor and then I’ll phone Devyn and they can both come back here, okay?”
“No!” Tony shook his head. Rex was stunned. He’d never seen his normally unflappable brother so upset. “Devyn can’t come around here. Not yet.”
“What the fuck?” Rex didn’t need this shit from his own brother no less. “Are you telling me my own mate can’t come….”
“Bovis is waiting for you.” Tony pointed down the hallway.
“Bovis?” Rex froze. “Father’s second? That Bovis?”
Tony nodded, and then leaned over the counter. “He didn’t say what he wanted but he was real pissed to find out you weren’t here. He’s been waiting for over an hour. I had to let him in the office when he started saying things like the stench of humans offended him.”
“Yeah, well he’s got no right being here at all.” Rex’s anger soared. Just having the man in the same town as his sweet mate was a threat Rex couldn’t ignore. “Make sure no one calls the police, no matter what they hear.”
“I’ll close up,” Tony offered. “I’m your beta….”
“And I appreciate that, but if something happens to you, Gregor will have me for dinner. Stay there. I’ll find out what this asshole wants and get rid of him.”
“Gregor said to tell you he’s got shovels,” Tony said as Rex strode towards his office. Opening the door and finding Bovis sitting in his chair, with his feet on his desk, did nothing to improve Rex’s mood.
“Get on your feet,” Rex snarled, slamming his office door shut. “Is this how you behave when you visit an alpha in his own territory?”
“Aww, how cute.” Bovis’s feet hit the floor with a thud and he slowly got to his feet. “The baby alpha thinks he’s all grown up.”
“Cut the shit, Bovis. I haven’t seen your ugly mug in twenty six years, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s not nearly long enough to miss you. What the hell do you want?”
Crossing his arms, Rex stayed standing by the door. Bovis hadn’t changed a bit. His brown hair was unkempt, having never been cut, and his red flannel shirt did nothing for his ruddy complexion. His dark black eyes were still as small and sneaky as ever, and his over-full lips were twisted in a familiar sneer. The guy was built like a brick shit house, and didn’t smell much better than one either.
“I bring you a message from the alpha,” Bovis smirked. “Your daddy says you’ve been playing city boys for far too long, and it’s time to come home and take your place in the pack.”
“Not happening.” Rex stepped to one side, opening the door again. “Don’t let this hit you on the way out.”
Bovis didn’t move. “You ain’t got a choice, boy. You are your daddy’s son and heir. It’s time to step up and take your place. The alpha’s ready to retire – wants to do some traveling. Hell, he’s even picked out some nubile young bitches to keep you happy.”
Curling his claws against his palm, Rex closed the door again. “Look, Bozo….”
“It’s Bovis.”
“It’s Bozo if I say so!” Rex let his alpha power rise, his anger only slightly appeased when Bovis blanched. “I made a life for myself here. My daddy knows it, hell, everyone in the pack knows it. And you’re lying, I can smell it.” He tapped his nose, making sure Bovis could see his partially shifted claws. A partial shift was something his father could never do. “My father would no more plan to travel than fly. Now tell me what the fuck’s going on, or get out. Better yet, keep your mouth shut and get out anyway.”
“My orders are to bring you back to the pack, by any means necessary,” Bevan sneered.
“Lay a finger on me and I’ll stuff your balls down your throat.” Rex showed his teeth. “I ain’t going to tell you again. You are not welcome here. Now get the fuck out, and stay out.”
Bovis leaned against the desk, his eyes sharp. “I’d think you’d want to be nicer to me, given all the interesting scents I picked up around this place. I’m sure the alpha would want to know all about it. That worthless brother of yours reeks of bear, and you….” He leaned forward and sniffed. “You stink of something sweet. Finally managed to get yourself some juicy pussy, have you? Maybe, I’ll just wait here, and you can introduce me to your new friends.”
You’re not getting near my Devyn. “Who I hang around with, fuck, or have drinks with is none of your concern.” Rex knew Bovis was baiting him. He wasn’t going to break. “I renounced my home pack when I was eighteen years old. Hell, you should know. You were there. There is nothing you can say to make me change my mind, so you can go back to your alpha with your tail between your legs and give him a message from me. I’m not ever going back.”
“Not even if you knew your daddy was sick?”
Rex frowned. Bovis wasn’t lying about that. “Wolf shifters don’t get sick. I talked to him just over a week ago and he seemed fine then.”
Bovis shrugged. “Shaman reckons he’s been cursed. We found a couple of Ma Adam’s boys in our territory about a month ago. They was carrying on like a pair of faggots. Me and your dad warned them off, didn’t hurt them much, but three days later, your dad started weakening and it’s gotten worse since then. This morning, before I came, he couldn’t even get out of bed.”
“Didn’t hurt them much?” Rex scoffed. “I bet there was blood spilled and for that, daddy dearest deserves to be cursed. The Adams family has been in that forest for generations. The pack and that family have had a pact for longer than I’ve been alive.”
“Yeah, well they should’ve kept their faggoty ways on their side of the forest,” Bovis snarled back. “Giving our trees diseases, spreading confusion among the pups who are leaving home in droves. It didn’t ought be allowed.”
Rex shook his head. “You know, the only reason your pack numbers are declining is because none of you can get your asses out of the nineteenth century. Ninety five percent of houses all over the country have indoor plumbing. Marrying your cousin to keep the family line pure has been proven to cause birth defects and abnormalities in the blood line. Gay marriage is legal now and not a single tree in any forest was harmed because of it. For fucks sake, even if I cared about my father, which I don’t, I wouldn’t come back to the backwaters you call home. I’d be screaming and tearing my hair out in a week.”
“You’ve got to come. You’re the only alpha who can lead the pack.”
“Wrong.” Rex shook his head. “This is what comes from you guys holding on to such archaic ideas. There’s a shifter council. You’ve probably heard about them, because they’ve been around forever. You find a phone. You call them. You tell them you need an alpha and they send one. Problem solved.”
“The alpha said you had to come back with me and I’m not disobeying my alpha’s orders.” Bovis charged, and while Rex was semi-expecting it, his brain was still trying to work out how gay sex killed trees. He moved fast, but not fast enough, gritting his teeth as his shirt ripped and a stinging sensation pierced his side. Bovis crashed against the door with a loud thump.
“I warned you not to touch me,” Rex growled, allowing his claws to fully form, and his fangs to drop. He didn’t bother checking his wound – that would heal soon enough. All Bovis had was one puny knife. Rex already knew his father’s beta could never shift in time to avoid his attack. The office space was small, but it was big enough for what Rex needed to do.
Using his weight, Rex slammed Bovis against the door he was trying to push himself away from. Bovis slapped at him, kicking, scratching, but Rex couldn’t feel a thing. Bovis had been a thorn in his side for the first eighteen years of his life. Memories came rushing back – the snide comments, the little asides Bovis used to say when he knew the alpha wasn’t listening. Always making Rex feel like he just wasn’t good enough; a feeling compounded by the secret Rex kept close to his heart – the fact he could feel nothing but friendship for the women in the pack.
Using his claws, Rex pierced Bovis’s neck, lifting him
bodily off his feet, his alpha power rendering the man motionless. “You are nothing,” he sneered, seeing fear in the man’s eyes for the very first time. “Your mistake was still seeing me as the eighteen year old nothing you believed I was.”
“I have to follow orders,” Bovis snarled. “A beta has no choice.”
“Bullshit.” Rex knew enough about Bovis’s history to know he only ever followed his alpha’s orders when it suited him. “You took joy in killing, you took pleasure in making my life a living hell. If you think, for one second, I’d ever come back to the pack…”
“The shaman said your presence could revive the alpha.”
Rex wrinkled his nose. Lies, up close, stunk. “You know my dad is dying, that’s the only reason you’re here. Because you had some misguided idea that I would be as much under your thumb as your current alpha. That’s why you don’t want anyone else leading the pack – someone stronger, someone who’ll retire you or turf you out on your ear for all you’ve done.”
“Come back with me and I won’t tell him you love to shove your dick in a man’s ass.” Bovis had to be getting desperate, although which ‘him’ Bovis referred to – his dad or the shaman, Rex wasn’t sure. But just as it had when Sloane threw a tantrum, a calm came over Rex, although he didn’t loosen his hold.
“You’re not going to be telling my dad anything,” he snarled, showing all his teeth. “You’re not leaving this room alive. But I will tell you one thing, you can take with you into the afterlife. Do you remember that tiny baby you left out in the forest for the elements to kill? The Mortimer’s baby?”
Confusion shone in Bovis’s eyes. “That was years ago. The alpha ordered the culling. It was for the good of the pack. That baby should never have lived past birth.”
“Wrong again. That baby lived.” Rex breathed across Bovis’s ear.
“No. No, it’s not possible. I did what your father ordered. There was snow on the ground, bear tracks and stench all over the place. He’d barely have lasted an hour.” The sickening thing was, Rex realized Bovis’s upset was due to thinking he’d not followed the orders he’d been given. There was no compassion for the child.