Purring with His Mate

Miracle Book 1

By

Shea Balik

BLURB

In a world where everyone was against them, they needed a Miracle.  What no one had expected was to find their salvation in an abandoned town that was ready to collapse.  Yet, that is exactly what happened when they moved to the town of Miracle, Oregon.

Edrick Rapp, a mountain lion shifter, wanted to kick himself for not moving he and his friends far from their former pack years earlier. It wasn’t until he came upon one of his friends being beaten to death for their sins that he realized his mistake.

Mouse shifter, Nole Hayward, had been punished by his Alpha.  Left for dead, he barely managed to crawl away with his life.  He ends up hiding out in Miracle, Oregon until a group of mountain lion shifters show up.  Before he could get away he ends up with a building collapsing down around him and his mate rescuing him.

Can Edrick and Nole find love or will they let the ghosts of their pasts tear them apart?

Copyright ©2017 by Shea Balik

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
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Printed in the United States of America

First Printing, 2017

Cover by: Harris Channing

Edited by: Avril Stepowski

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Dedication

To my fans who have encouraged me to do what is in my heart. 

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 1

“Please tell me we’re just stopping to take a piss,” Hudson whined as the rumble of their motorcycles died down.

Edrick Rapp ignored Hudson as he swung his leg over his treasured Fat Boy S.  He took in the surroundings and tried his best not to wince at what he saw.  The last thing he needed was for Hudson to have an actual good reason to bitch.  The man may be one of his best friends, but Hudson had the unique ability to complain about winning the lottery as if it were a bad thing.

When Edrick had bought this little town, he’d known it had been abandoned for some time and would need work.  He’d just hoped it wouldn’t look like if they breathed on it wrong, the whole place would topple over.

There had originally been ten buildings along the main street of the town, well, the only street the town had.  The two other roads the town boasted were nothing more than dirt paths.  One led to a small residential area, while the other led to a large farm that, according to the real estate agent, no longer had any buildings that were still standing.  There was a second farm nearby, but the owner had refused to sell.

Scanning the ten buildings, Edrick guessed he should be glad that only two of the buildings had collapsed.  The other eight buildings were still standing.

Sort of.

Okay, so they may have only been upright because they were leaning against each other, preventing them from tumbling into a pile of wood and brick.  The point was, they were vertical – mostly.

Hopefully, the six homes the real estate agent claimed were still intact that came with the town were in better shape, or they would be camping out - again.  Something they had done the past two nights as they’d run from their previous pack. Edrick could have gotten hotel rooms, but he didn’t want there to be any trace of where they had gone.

He only hoped traveling to the other side of the country was enough to keep his father from hunting them down.  Edrick sighed at that thought.  Two thousand miles would be a deterrent, especially if his father’s pack couldn’t follow their movements electronically.  But, sooner or later, Lorcan Rapp would find them, if for no other reason than to prove he could.

But for now, they were safe - he hoped.  The last thing Edrick wanted to do was to fight his father.  He had little doubt he’d win, but he wouldn’t relish killing his old man.

Shaking the morbid thoughts away, he answered Hudson.  “Sorry to disappoint, but this is our new home.”

“Good,” Lucca growled.  “Kellach needs to rest.  Riding on the back of my bike as he tries to heal isn’t helping.”

A stab of guilt pierced Edrick’s heart at the reminder of his failure to protect his friend.  Striding over to where Kellach leaned heavily against Lucca’s bike, Edrick cupped his friend’s face and tilted it up, so he was looking into his pretty lavender eyes, filled with so much pain it threatened to send Edrick to his knees.  “I’m so sorry, Kellach.  Can you hold on another few minutes?  The houses are just a short distance away.”

A much smaller hand landed on top of his as Kellach tried to smile.  “This isn’t your fault, Edrick.  We all knew the risks.  I was careless and paid the price.”

A rumble pushed up from deep within Edrick as he thought of what might have happened if he hadn’t come upon Kellach getting beaten by his friend’s father when he did.  The rage that had been in Milton Alder’s eyes had a promise of death that would be long and painful.  Something Kellach had already gotten a taste of for far too long before Edrick had shown up.

“If I had just gotten us out of there as I should have, this never would have happened.”  They also might not have his father’s pack after them, prepared to kill them.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Hudson called out as he picked up a sign that had been lying on the ground.  “This place is called Miracle.”  Hudson gave a snort of derision.  “Miracle the place is still standing.”

“Miracle it remains that way if we breathe too hard,” Kellach joked, even though he clearly was in a tremendous amount of pain.

“Miracle this place hasn’t fallen down on top of us,” Lucca said as he stared critically at their new home.

“Miracle if we can fix it,” Chadwick, the last of their team chimed in.  “Actually, tearing it down and starting from scratch might be a lot easier.”  A light Edrick hadn’t seen in Chadwick’s eyes for more than a decade flamed to life as their resident handyman started inspecting the closest structure from the outside.  “Although, it would be a shame to destroy the character each building has to offer.”

How they rebuilt the town wasn’t something Edrick cared about.  As far as he was concerned, that would be completely up to Chadwick, who was the only one of them with enough building experience to make that decision.  “We’ll follow your lead on this one,” Edrick told his friend.

Gray eyes studied him for a moment as if Chadwick was trying to ascertain if Edrick was serious or not.  He must have seen the sincerity in Edrick’s gaze, for Chadwick gave a nod.  “First we need to find these houses you mentioned and see if any of them are livable.”

Edrick agreed.  They needed to get some rest.  Tomorrow they could make plans for what they would need to do to restore the town Edrick had bought.  “Let’s load up.”

Once more the engines roared to life.  As soon as Kellach was safely on Lucca’s bike, Edrick rolled onto the road that should lead them to their new homes.  He just prayed they would have some time to figure out how they were going to defend themselves when Edrick’s father caught up with them.

As much as Edrick would like to believe they were safe, he wasn’t stupid enough to think that was an actual possibility.  Edrick had committed the ultimate sin in his father’s eyes.  He admitted to being gay.  At forty-five, a mere child in the shifter world, it had been past time to stand up to the archaic bigotry that ran rampant in the shifter world.

Why a person’s sexuality mattered, was anyone’s guess.

They were mountain lion shifters.  As with all shifters, fate designed mates.  Male or female didn’t seem to matter to the powers that be, so why did men like his father think it was a sin to love someone of the same sex?

In the past, same-sex mates had a difficult choice – ignore the mate-pull, which was nearly impossible, or accept their mate and live the rest of their lives on the run from shifters who believed they should be killed for their immoral ways.  In the past?  Who was he kidding?  The practice was still occurring.

Case in point.  Them.

Kellach had been caught kissing a man by one of their pack mates.  His father was told, and when Kellach got home, his father started beating him.  If Edrick hadn’t of passed Kellach’s home and heard his friend cry out, he had no doubt Kellach would have died that day.

The rage that had coursed through Edrick’s veins when Milton admitted why he was beating his son, nearly ended in Milton’s death.  Edrick had wanted to rip the man to shreds and would have, if Lucca, who had been with him when they discovered Kellach, hadn’t stopped him.

By then, it was too late to stop the wheels that had been set in motion.  Hauled in front of his father for daring to interfere with a father’s right to kill his own child for his perverted ways, Edrick had to explain his actions.

Refusing to allow his friend to be sentenced to death for being gay, Edrick admitted that he, too, was gay.  His friends had already grabbed their go bags by the time he’d made that announcement.  Their bikes were loaded up and waiting for them outside of the council chambers.

They had barely made it out with their lives.  Only the shock he’d caused by announcing his sexuality had delayed the attack by his father and his enforcers.  By then, Edrick had scooped Kellach up in his arms and charged out of the council room to where their friends were waiting for them, bikes ready.

From the beginning, they had known one day something would happen to out them.  Plans had been made, including a sizeable amount of money saved and moved to secret accounts that couldn’t be traced.  The more advanced technology came to be, the easier it became to create new identities and hide their actions.  But Edrick knew it would also make them easier to find in the end.  The world was just too small to keep their whereabouts a secret for long.

Turning onto an overgrown road that was more weeds and potholes than a smooth dirt surface, Edrick groaned as he took in the six homes that lined one side of it.  Two of the homes no longer had roofs.  Two of them had large sections of walls missing.  While the other two appeared in somewhat better shape, they still looked ready to fall over from a stiff wind.

He wasn’t sure any of them were livable enough to give them shelter.  It looked like they would be camping once more.

Turning off the engine, Edrick climbed off his bike and headed for one of the two story homes that might have a chance of remaining standing.  Chadwick quickly joined him.

They circled the structure first, looking for any obvious signs of trouble.  “Considering the other homes, it’s in relatively good shape,” Chadwick said as they came around to the front of the house.

Carefully, they opened the front door, which fell to the ground as soon as Edrick pushed against it.  “Then again, what do I know?” Chadwick quipped.

Edrick glared at him.  Normally he would be thrilled his usually reserved friend had been coming out of his shell the further from the pack they traveled, but this wasn’t the time for joking around.  They were all too damn tired.  “You’re a contractor.”

Chadwick lifted a shoulder as he carefully stuck his head inside the door.  “Yeah, but that doesn’t make me psychic.”

“That doesn’t look safe,” Hudson called out.  “Maybe we should find a hotel nearby.”

Out of all of them, Hudson hated camping the most.  He grumbled the entire time about how hard the ground was.  Then again, Hudson would have bitched about the thread count of the sheets at a five-star hotel, so he didn’t pay much attention to his friend.  Admittedly, camping wasn’t Edrick’s favorite way to sleep, but he didn’t mind it, either.  His cat enjoyed being outdoors.

Chadwick looked over his shoulder and gave Hudson a cocky grin.  “Aww, come on Hudson.  Where is your sense of adventure?  If you’re lucky, there might even be a ghost or two inside.”

Edrick had to stop himself from smacking Chadwick for bringing up ghosts.  They had enough problems.  The last thing they needed was Hudson becoming obsessed over paranormal activity.

“Do you think so?” Hudson asked as he clomped up the steps of the porch.  “I knew I should have taken the time to grab my equipment,” Hudson groused.  “It wouldn’t have taken that long.”

“For the last time, Hudson, even if you did have time, you have too much crap for us to have carried,” Lucca said from where he stood holding a now sleeping or most likely passed out, Kellach, in the safety of the yard.

“Enough,” Edrick growled.  He was too damn tired to let this inane argument continue.   They needed to find a safe place to bed down for the night and let Kellach get some real rest so he could finish healing.

Turning to Chadwick, he asked, “Is this place safe enough to enter or should we set up the tents?”

Chadwick crooked an eyebrow and shrugged.  “Guess we’ll find out.”  Before Edrick could respond, Chadwick stepped inside.

Not about to let another of his friends get hurt, Edrick entered right behind Chadwick.  As darkness fell, the dim interior didn’t allow them to see much, although as mountain lion shifters, they could see relatively well in the waning light.

As they walked further inside, a faint scent tickled Edrick’s senses.  His cock thickened.  He couldn’t explain what he was feeling, but the need to find the source of that scent became paramount.

Striding through the home faster than was probably wise, Edrick let the arousing aroma lead him up the creaky stairs to one of the large bedrooms with an attached en suite.  Disappointed not  to find the source, Edrick searched each nook and cranny.  He might have wondered if Hudson was right about ghosts if he hadn’t noticed there was a disturbance of dust along the floor.  It was more pronounced in one area as if someone had slept there recently.

“I think it’s safe enough for us to use as we fix it up,” Chadwick said several minutes later when he’d caught up to Edrick.  “It’s going to need a lot of work, but it appears sturdy enough.”

Edrick nodded his agreement.  “Tell the others and let’s get set up for the night.”

Once more Edrick’s gaze swept the room, looking for evidence of who had been there.  Not finding anything, Edrick headed downstairs to help unload.

Based on the faintness of the scent, the person was no longer there, but if Edrick had to guess, he had only been gone a couple of days.  If he were lucky, whoever it was would be back.  If not, he’d have to hunt him down, because Edrick was positive that enticing aroma was his mate.

CHAPTER 2

Exhausted after running from the hunters for the past six days, Nole Hayward nearly cried when he saw the motorcycles in front of the house he’d been using to hide out.  This couldn’t be happening.  Now where was he supposed to go?

It had taken him more than three years of running from his pack to find this abandoned town in the middle of nowhere.  All he wanted to do was collapse on the inflatable mattress he’d hidden in the house and sleep for the next twenty-four hours straight.

His tired and slightly irrational side wanted to storm up to the house and demand the intruders leave.  But the self-preservation side knew that wasn’t wise.  First, he had no idea who the shifters he smelled were.  They may have been hired by his former colony to kill him.

Then there was the fact that they were cats.  Mountain lions, if Nole had to guess.  Not something a mouse shifter relished facing.  Usually, shifters didn’t hunt other shifters just because they were considered prey.  But Nole had met plenty who didn’t seem to care that he was also human, only seeing that he was a mouse and fair game to chase and kill.  It had made being on the run that much more difficult.

Not only did Nole need to worry about Abdiel, the Alpha of his colony, sending trackers to find and kill him for being gay, but he had run into hunters – humans bent on killing paranormal beings - when he had ventured away from Miracle to find food.  Now he had these unknown cats to contend with.  If his luck didn’t change soon, Nole wasn’t going to live another year on the run.  Hell, he’d be lucky to make it another day with the way things were going.

It was times like this Nole was sure that fate was working against him to ensure he died.  He’d been running for five long years, and he was damn tired.  If he didn’t get some sleep, he would end up making a mistake that could cost him his life.

With that thought in mind, Nole made his way back to the small town.  Sure, the buildings were less stable then the house he’d commandeered, but at least there weren’t any cats around – he hoped.  If the obvious repairs he’d noticed to the outside of the house meant anything, these cats were planning to stay, and it would only be a matter of time before they started rebuilding the town.  He’d just crash for a couple of hours then head out and pray he found another safe haven he could hide in.

He took one last longing look at the home that had kept him safe on and off for the last couple of years.  It sucked that he had to give it up, but he wasn’t about to risk facing mountain lions.  Nole might be braver than the average mouse, but he wasn’t stupid.

* * * *

It had been three days since they’d arrived in Miracle and caught the scent of his mate and Edrick’s cat was starting to lose patience.  All he wanted to do was go chase down whoever that tantalizing aroma belonged to, yet he couldn’t.  His friends needed him, and until he knew whether his father had followed them, Edrick didn’t dare leave them to defend themselves.

Not that Lucca, Chadwick, and Hudson couldn’t defend themselves, but his father never fought fair.  He would send an army and arm them to the teeth.  The man would have no compunction about firing a missile into their new home without any warning just to prove he could win.

No, as much as he wanted to chase down his mate, Edrick had to stay and protect those who depended on him.  Plus, he wasn’t sure he wanted to bring his mate into his mess.  Putting his mate in harm’s way didn’t sit well with him or his cat.  It was probably the only reason his cat hadn’t fought harder to shift and chase the man down.

That didn’t mean he wasn’t fighting the instinct to do just that.  What was worse, he was taking his frustration out on his friends, especially since he could swear that this morning his mate’s scent was stronger than ever.  His cat was going nuts.

“If you need someone to hit, I’m more than happy to take you on,” Lucca said as he strode up to where Edrick was standing outside looking at the slight progress they had made.

The first day, they had spent cleaning.  He and Hudson had gone an hour away to buy supplies.  With only their bikes to carry stuff, they hadn’t been able to get as much as they needed, but it was enough to make a dent.

“I’m fine,” he told his best friend.  He just wished that were true.

The second day, Chadwick had taken a closer look at the house and made a list of things that needed to be done, along with what they would need to make it happen.  It quickly became obvious they were going to have to buy a truck to haul supplies.

Today, he and Chadwick were heading to another town in a completely different direction, to a farmer that was advertising a truck he was selling.  Edrick hoped, if he paid in cash, they would be able to keep their names off any paperwork, at least for now.

They all had aliases, but Edrick preferred not to use them for as long as possible.  He also planned to pull more money out of his secret account so they could continue to pay cash for things.

With each major purchase they made, not to mention anytime they ventured into one of the surrounding towns, they risked being discovered.  Knowing his mate was close had Edrick even more on edge to not be found by his father’s pack.

Lucca snorted.  “I get that you’re trying to protect us because you feel like you failed Kellach, but we both know something is wrong with you.  I don’t know what has gotten your panties in a twist.  If you don’t want to tell me, your best friend, fine, but do us a favor and don’t fucking lie about it.”

Edrick sighed as he watched his best friend storm off.  For too long, Edrick had done nothing but screw up.  At the age of twelve when he discovered his attraction to men, Edrick had known one day he’d have to leave his father’s pack.  But being so young had been both a blessing and a curse.

He’d spent so much of his life lying and hiding who he was that it had become second nature.  So, when he’d turned twenty, and Lucca, the last member of their group who announced he was gay, Edrick should have done the brave thing and made arrangements for them all to leave.

Instead, he’d begged them to be discreet.  Had he understood what his cowardice to leave would do to his friends, Edrick might have done it differently.  Then again, at twenty, he hadn’t had the balls to take on the leading of his own pack.  He just wished his decisions hadn’t affected his friends as much as it had.

Chadwick had been the worst.  He’d become solitary, reclusive.  It was as if not being able to be himself was slowly killing his once-vivacious friend.  In some ways, having to hide had killed something inside them all.  Twenty-five years was a long time to pretend to be someone they weren’t.

“You ready?” Chadwick asked as he strode up to Edrick with his list of supplies in his hand.  “I won’t lie.  This list is long.  We’re not going to be able to get everything in one trip, especially if we plan to buy groceries.”

That was the only bad thing about being a shifter, food.  Their bodies required a lot of it, especially when they shifted, which they needed to do at night to watch over the house.  Their cats were far better at scenting or hearing danger coming than their human halves.

“By the way, a shifter came in the middle of the night,” Chadwick said as they climbed aboard Edrick’s bike.  “I followed him to town where he crashed.  I didn’t deem him a threat, but it wouldn’t hurt to check to see if he’s still there.”

Edrick froze.  Could it be his mate?  It would explain why his mate’s sweet aroma was driving him insane today.  Not sure if he hoped the answer was yes or no, Edrick started his bike and headed into the small town that was now theirs.

The closer he got, the more his body tightened with anticipation.  Something deep within him prayed it was the man fate had created just for him.  At the same time, he prayed just as hard; it wasn’t.

Edrick feared he wouldn’t be able to keep the man, at least he assumed his mate would be male since he was gay, safe.  Something he would never recover from.  The guilt that ate at him for what he’d put his friends through by making them stay in a pack who hated gays would be nothing compared to the torment he’d feel if he let his mate get hurt because he couldn’t protect him.

The moment he pulled up in front of the first building, the heavenly scent hit him like a punch to the gut.

His mate was here.

Edrick breathed deeply, taking more of the aroma deep within his body.  His cock went from partially hard to stone in less than a heartbeat, leaving him a little dizzy as the blood pooled in his groin.

“Stay here.” His words were hard to understand as his voice was thick and guttural.

Chadwick’s eyebrows rose high on his forehead, but the order wasn’t one his friend would be able to ignore.  Edrick was an Alpha to the core.  Another reason his father wanted him dead.  The last thing Lorcan Rapp would allow was another Alpha to take over his pack.

It had never been something Edrick would have done.  Being Alpha was the last thing he’d wanted.  All Edrick wanted was to live in peace, be who he wanted, do what he wanted, and most importantly, love who he wanted.

“Are you sure?” Chadwick asked, but his friend didn’t move from where he stood next to Edrick’s bike.

Not sure he could get any other words out as the need to shift and hunt down the man fated to be his was hard to control, Edrick gave his friend a quick nod before heading along the wooden sidewalk that lined the buildings.

The creak of wood beneath his feet wasn’t a good sign.  The give of the boards as he stepped on them showed just how much they were rotting.  He’d be lucky not to fall through them.  Not that he’d fall more than a foot to the ground beneath, but he didn’t want to cause any more damage to the already crumbling town than was necessary.

It was at the third building he’d come to that the scent wrapped around him like a rope, pulling him inside.  Edrick held his breath as he tugged open the door, afraid the entire building would come crashing down around his ears when he did.

The squeak of the hinges as he forced them to move was deafening, but the building remained intact.  Sighing in relief, Edrick headed inside.

Scuffling from the room in the back alerted him that his mate had heard him entering.  Afraid he would take off, Edrick raced to the small room that had a faded sign on the door indicating it had been a storage room.

In his haste, he’d forgotten just how fragile the place was.  The door to the storage room crashed into the wall when he’d shoved it open.  His eyes immediately went to the man who was at the back door, doing his best to pull it open, but having no luck making it budge.

Need slammed into Edrick as panicked dark brown eyes stared at him.  Hot flames of desire licked along Edrick’s skin as he stared at the most perfect man he’d ever laid eyes on.  A tan, lean, lithe body that didn’t come from a gym, but of hard work spent outdoors, stood there like a vision.

Full pink lips caused Edrick’s cock to throb with the need to see how they would feel wrapped around his thickness.  Need, too strong to ignore, had Edrick stalking toward his mate.  But his mate shoved against the outside door once more, this time managing to pop it open.

That’s when a sound had them both turning in horror to gaze at the spot where Edrick had slammed the door into the wall in his haste to get to his mate.  A loud crack, followed by splintering wood, echoed through the small room.  It took Edrick only a moment to realize what he was hearing.

Just as he feared, lines formed in the crumbling wallboard, getting bigger with each second.  The room shook slightly.

His gaze went to where the sexy man with melting pools of dark chocolate eyes stared at the wall that was crumbling around them.  Even as danger surrounded them, Edrick thanked fate for giving him such a beautiful mate.

Knowing time wasn’t on his side, Edrick raced to his mate and threw him over his shoulder before bolting out of the door.  The whoosh of air as the building collapsed behind them sent Edrick to the ground.  At the last second, he spun, stopping himself from landing on his much smaller mate and crushing him beneath his weight, while still holding him, so his body was shielded as much as possible from any flying debris.

“Let me the fuck up, cat,” his mate said even as one hand punched him in the gut.

Stunned at how much it had hurt, Edrick stared at the smaller man for a moment.  Then he smiled.  He should have known fate would grant him a spitfire for a mate.  Shifters didn’t necessarily have easy lives.  Being an Alpha and on the run from his old pack made it that much harder.

Having a mate who could take care of himself would make Edrick sleep better at night. Not that he still wouldn’t do whatever it took to ensure his mate’s safety, because now that he was holding the sexy man in his arms, Edrick knew he was never going to let him go for as long as they lived.  And if he had to kill every single member of his old pack to do that, so be it.

But first, he needed to get his mate to stop fighting him to get free.  “What’s your name, my little mouse?”

CHAPTER 3

The deep cadence of the man who had just caused a building to collapse sank into Nole and settled in his balls, giving him pause.  He couldn’t ever remember reacting so strongly to anyone in such a manner.  Nor was he sure he liked it.

Served Nole right for not heading out at first light as he had planned.  Although, in fairness, not even in his wildest dreams had he imagined an incredibly sexy man with a body that was built to pin Nole down and fuck him until he forgot his own name would come barreling through the door.

Taking a breath as he tried to figure out what was going on, Nole gasped as his dick went hard as a lead pipe.  Nole had always had a strong libido, but this was ridiculous.

That’s when he noticed it.  The scent emanating from the cat shifter who was holding him.  The very sexy cat shifter, he amended in his mind.  Cinnamon and pine assailed his senses.  To Nole’s horror, he leaned closer and nuzzled the man’s neck as if his body had a will of its own.

Damn, but he smells good.

Then he heard a sound that had him gritting his teeth to stop him from coming in his pants. Purring. It didn’t make any sense. He was a mouse shifter. Why would he be truned on by purring?

From the stories he’d grown up listening to his mother tell, there was nothing better than the scent of one’s mate.  Although, how she knew when her husband wasn’t her mate, Nole wasn’t sure, but he suspected it was one of the reasons she had been so miserable.

Fuck!  This is my mate.

Nole looked up into deep blue eyes and felt himself sinking even more into the cat shifter’s embrace.

“Edrick, are you okay?”

The sound of a voice as it rounded the now destroyed building woke Nole out of his daze.  He tried once more to pull from the man he assumed was Edrick – he did his best to ignore the little thrill that went through him as he said his mate’s name in his head.  But the strength of the cat shifter was too strong for him to get free.

“Let me go,” he demanded once more.  There was no way Nole was going to be mated to a cat shifter of all things.  He was a mouse - the two species didn’t go together.

Before he could blink, Nole was on his feet.  Instead of releasing him, though, Edrick stood next to him with his arm around Nole’s waist as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

How had Edrick done that?  Not only had he managed to stop Nole from running like he originally wanted, but he also had Nole wondering what it would be like to stay right where he was for the rest of his life.

“I’m fine, Chadwick, but I’m not sure we’re going to be able to renovate these buildings.  They seem more unstable than the house.”  His mate pressed Nole closer to his body when the man named Chadwick turned his gaze on Nole.

Were all these cats gorgeous?  It didn’t seem fair.  Not that Nole was unattractive, but he also knew he wasn’t even close to looking like either of these sexy men.  Ripped muscles were clearly delineated even through their clothes and each time they flexed; the seams strained as if about to pop open.

The two could be twins they were so similar in appearance. Ebony hair, strong chins, high cheekbones, and lush lips that when curved upward could make any man melt into a pile of goo.  Both stood around six-three and looked as if they belonged on a magazine cover.

 Even as similar as the two were, there were also a few differences.  His mate’s eyes were a stunning deep blue that Nole swore could see straight into his soul, while Chadwick’s were gray.  His mate also had a more cultured appearance, with a promise of wicked things that would have Nole screaming for more as the man fucked him senseless.  Chadwick was more rugged.

When those deep blue eyes stared into Nole’s once more, his brain turned to mush.  “What’s your name, sexy?”

Without the ability to think, not answering wasn’t even an option.  In fact, it was almost a compulsion to tell his mate what he wanted to know.  “Nole Hayward.”

Pissed that he’d given his name without any thought to the consequences, Nole forced his mind to come back online by looking away from those eyes that made him forget his mate was a cat.

This time, when he shoved, Edrick reluctantly let him go.  Probably because the man had managed to rub his scent all over Nole, effectively claiming him as his.  If his mate thought Nole would be okay with that, he had better think again.

“Edrick,” the man his mate had called Chadwick, said.  “What’s going on?”

His mate gave a huge smile as he continued to stare right into Nole as if he could see his innermost thoughts.  “This sexy little mouse is my mate.”

When Chadwick didn’t say anything, Nole glanced over at him.  Even though he was feeling pretty much the same as Chadwick looked, anger surged through him when he saw the horror on the man’s face. Nole was sick and tired of being judged.  Whether it was a problem because Nole was a lowly mouse shifter or the fact that he was a man Edrick was mated to, didn’t matter.  Nole wasn’t going to allow anyone to make him feel as if he shouldn’t be alive.

His hands instantly fisted as they landed on his hips.  “Are we going to have a problem?” he challenged Chadwick.

The man’s eyebrows rose high on his forehead.  “Uh...”

Nole didn’t bother letting him finish.  “Because I’m not going to put up with your bigoted opinions.”  Taking a step closer to the much larger man without even considering he could easily squish Nole like a bug, or, well, a mouse, without even trying.

As if to prove he had no sense, Nole shoved his finger against Chadwick’s chest and narrowed his eyes up at the man.  “I’ve had enough of being threatened, chased, beaten, and shot at to last me a lifetime. I’ll be damned if I’m going to let some cat,” he said the word derisively, “treat me like I don’t matter because of some preconceived notions.”

He shoved his finger against Chadwick’s chest once more to emphasize his statement.  “Got it?”

The confusion on Chadwick’s face was priceless, but Nole barely had time to register it with the sexier than sin growl that was emanating from Edrick.  The menacing tone should have sent Nole scurrying for the hills, but somehow it turned him on, instead.  How fucked up was that?

The next thing Nole knew, he was pulled into Edrick’s arms, something he hated to admit to enjoying.  “Who’s chasing you, little one?” Edrick demanded.

Tilting his chin up in defiance, he ignored the question.  “I’m not little.”  He hated being called small, especially when it was in comparison to freakishly tall people like Edrick and Chadwick.  Everyone could be considered little next to these two giants.

The muscle along Edrick’s jaw pulsed and Nole had the insane urge to lick it.  What in the hell was wrong with him?  He’d never felt like this before.  If this need that took over his brain and turned him into a sex-crazed maniac was what mating was about, Nole didn’t want anything to do with it.

Life had taught him the only person he could depend on was himself.  Getting mixed up with Edrick would only end up with him being stepped on and eventually kicked to the curb when Edrick realized what a pain in the ass Nole was.  Or at least that’s what every member of his family, not to mention his colony, said.

Apparently having a voice and sticking up for himself was a bad thing.  Nole had no idea why, but the last beating by his Alpha’s enforcers drove that point home with him barely able to crawl away and more broken bones than he ever thought were possible.

“Answer the question,” Edrick demanded.

Only because he hadn’t used the demeaning term, did Nole decide to answer him.  At least that’s what he told himself.  He didn’t even want to contemplate the reason he feared it to be instead.  That he was compelled to answer to the more dominant shifter, for there was no way Nole was going to allow himself to be ruled by another Alpha.  He’d run before he let that happen.

“You name it, and they have chased me.”  Holding up a hand, he raised his first finger.  “The alpha of my old colony, to start off with, wants me dead, so he sent his enforcers.  When they couldn’t catch me, he sent trackers.  When that didn’t work, he sent mercenaries.”

He lifted a fourth finger to join the other three and added, “Oh, and then there are the hunters, who I recently crossed paths with.  They were some nasty sons of bitches, who were harder to lose than I would have thought.”

Being human, without the enhanced senses of shifters, hunters were usually fairly easy to get away from, but Nole had to admit he’d nearly been caught.  He’d put it down to being tired, but he wasn’t so sure that had been it.

“Hunters?” Chadwick said.  “That’s the last thing we need on top of everything else.”

That was ominous.  “What is that supposed to mean?” he asked Edrick even though it had been Chadwick who’d spoken.

His mate sighed as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.  “We didn’t leave my pack under ideal circumstances.”

Well, that was vague.  “If you don’t want to tell me, fine.  I have places to be.”  That was a whopper of a lie, but Nole couldn’t help it.  He was hurt that Edrick wasn’t sharing, which shouldn’t have mattered since they’d just met, yet it did.  Damn this mate thing.  It was making him all sorts of crazy.

What he should be doing was getting as far away from Edrick as possible, not trying to get more involved in the man’s life by asking questions.  Sure as hell, he shouldn’t feel like he’d just had his heart ripped out of his chest.

Anger surged through Nole.  When was he ever going to learn?  No one had ever cared about him his whole damn life.  So why would he expect his fucking mate to be any different?

Refusing to stand there and subject himself to being tossed out like yesterday’s trash yet again, Nole jerked his arm free of Edrick’s grasp and strode away.  His animal begged for him to go back, but Nole wasn’t going to, no matter how much the urge to do so nearly had him stumbling to stop him from leaving his mate.

Nole wasn’t going to be thrown to the curb yet again.  That his family and colony had done that had stung enough.  He wasn’t so sure he’d be able to handle his damn mate doing it, too.  It was better just to walk away.

So why did it feel as if a hole was being carved in his chest when Edrick didn’t try to stop him?

CHAPTER 4

Edrick blinked as Nole stormed away from him.  He’d thought, for a moment there, Nole was starting to warm to the idea of having a mate.  Okay, maybe warm was too strong a word, but at least Nole had stopped struggling to get Edrick to release him.  His mate had even stepped closer to Edrick as he talked about having to run and hide from his colony.

Instantly, Edrick felt the loss of his mate’s slight body against his own.  As much as it pained him to bring Nole into his insane world, Edrick knew the second Nole stepped away from him that he would never be able to let him go, not without a fight anyway.

A growl ripped from his chest as he stalked after his mate.  Grabbing Nole’s upper arm, Edrick spun him around and slammed their mouths together, not giving the mouse shifter a chance to deny him.

At first, Nole struggled, but Edrick refused to relent on his onslaught as he nipped and licked at the lushest lips he’d ever kissed.  Nole’s taste was ambrosia and Edrick couldn’t wait to delve inside his mouth to get an even better taste.

A soft groan arose as his sweet little mate sank deeper into his embrace.  Nole’s lips parted on the sound and Edrick took full advantage and dipped his tongue inside.  Then it was his turn to groan.

Damn, but his mate’s mouth was so fucking sweet.  Edrick would die a happy man for the opportunity to kiss Nole for the rest of his life.

Stroking Nole’s tongue with his own, Edrick nearly came in his pants when his mate starting giving as good as he got.  Lust slammed into Edrick so hard he wasn’t sure he could control it.  That they were out in the open, with Chadwick watching, didn’t seem to faze either of them in the least.

A menacing growl rumbled from deep inside him at the thought of Chadwick, or anyone, seeing his beautiful mate naked.  That Chadwick was witnessing the pleasure on Nole’s face as they made out was bad enough.  That was only for Edrick to see.

Ripping his lips from Nole’s he growled once more at Chadwick, who raised up his hands and said, “You’re the one making out in front of me when we have things to do.  I get you want to fuck that tight ass, but there is only so much day-” Chadwick squeaked out a noise as Edrick’s hand wrapped around his neck, cutting off the rest of his sentence. 

Lifting his friend several inches off the ground, Edrick got right in his face and threatened, “Don’t talk about my mate’s ass again, or I’ll rip your throat out.”  That Chadwick had been one of his best friends since they were in diapers didn’t matter right then.  All Edrick knew was the rage that flowed through him at Chadwick having looked at Nole’s butt.

He watched Chadwick’s eyes grow until they looked ready to pop right out of his head.  Edrick knew he needed to gain control, but he just wasn’t sure he could, not when it meant allowing someone, even one of his friends, to disrespect his mate.

A soft hand touched his arm.  Chocolate eyes gazed up at him.  “Hey.  He was joking.  You need to put Chadwick down, even if he is an idiot.”  Nole shot Chadwick a withering glare.  “I’m sure your friend won’t make that kind of mistake again, will you, Chadwick?”

Chadwick’s mouth opened, but Edrick held him too tightly around the neck for him to speak.  For a second, Edrick squeezed even tighter; then he tossed Chadwick to the ground.  The umph that left Chadwick’s lungs as his body hit the dirt packed earth sent a twinge of guilt through Edrick, but only a twinge.

As far as he was concerned, if Chadwick was stupid enough to disrespect Nole, he deserved what he got.  There was nothing more sacred in their world than a mate.  They only got one, and a shifter would gladly defend that person with their dying breath if necessary.  Hell, Edrick had only known Nole a few minutes, and he already knew he’d lay down his life at his mate’s feet if that’s what Nole wanted.

Keeping their mates protected and happy was ingrained into their DNA.  So why had Nole been more than willing to walk away from him?

He wanted to ask.  He did.  It was just Edrick wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer.  There were some shifters who had been able to ignore the mate-pull, and he was afraid his mate was one of those.  It would mean a tumultuous mating for sure since Edrick wasn’t about to let his mate just walk away without a fight.  Oh, he’d let him leave if it was what Nole wanted, but Edrick would also do everything in his power to change his little one’s mind.

But Chadwick was right.  They had a lot to do and not much daylight to get it done.  “We’re heading to buy a truck and get supplies to rebuild.  Would you care to join us?”

Edrick had never prayed so hard in his life that Nole would agree.  It would mean going back to the house to get Chadwick’s motorcycle, but if it meant spending time with his mate, it was more than worth the slight delay.  Just the thought of having his mate behind him, with his arms around his waist as they drove the two hours to the farm where they were buying the truck, had Edrick’s dick throbbing.

There was uncertainty in Nole’s eyes.  Edrick was more than willing to beg if it meant Nole said yes.  “Please.  I’d really like a chance for us to get to know each other.”  When Nole still didn’t appear sure, Edrick said, “We are mates, after all.  You may not like that you’re mated to a cat, but fate paired us up for a reason.  I’m hoping to discover what that is.”

Nole stepped back, and Edrick’s heart broke as his mate shook his head back and forth.  “No.  I can’t.  I need to find a new place to hide out.  With so many people here, this place isn’t going to be safe for much longer.”

Edrick wanted to take Nole back into his arms and comfort the mouse shifter, but his mate appeared stiff as a board as if prepared to run if Edrick tried that.  So, he kept his own posture loose and relaxed.  “Then can I drop you somewhere?  That way you don’t have to walk as far.”

It wasn’t what Edrick wanted.  Hell, his cat was hissing in his head and scratching to get out and claim the sexy mouse.  But Edrick didn’t want Nole to run.  He worried if that happened, he’d never find the man again.  And Edrick had every intention of finding his mate once more so he could convince him to give them a chance.

“I…” Nole started.  Those liquid brown eyes peered up at him as if judging his sincerity.  He must have passed his little mouse’s test, for Nole gave a nod.  “Okay.  That would be great.”

Relief flooded Edrick as he prayed even the limited time he had with Nole would give him a chance to prove to his mate they were worth fighting for.  At the very least, he would make it a little harder for Nole to want to leave him.

“Chadwick.”  Edrick turned to find his friend about twenty feet away and trying to appear as if he hadn’t heard every word they’d spoken.  Shifter’s hearing was too acute for that to have been possible.  “Go get your bike and meet us back here.”

His friend’s brow furrowed as he glanced from Edrick to the several miles where the houses were located, then back at Edrick.  “That’s going to take close to thirty minutes.”

Maybe, but it would also give Edrick more time with Nole.  But they had wasted enough time.  “Then shift and run.”

Grumbling, Chadwick stripped off his shirt and started shoving down his pants.  White hot jealousy ripped through Edrick as he noticed Nole staring at Chadwick with interest.

Stepping in front of his mate, blocking his view, Edrick growled at his mate, “No looking at another man.”

Nole just turned his face up, giving Edrick a beaming smile.  “It’s not like I plan to do anything about it.”

Edrick didn’t give a fuck.  “You want to see a naked man?  I’m more than happy to strip down, but you aren’t to look at other men.”

Light flashed in Nole’s gaze.  It was the only warning Edrick got, before he found himself lying on the ground with the air knocked right out of his lungs and Nole standing above him smirking.  “I might be smaller than you, but that doesn’t mean I take orders from you.  Got it, mate?”  The derisive way he said that last word had Edrick cursing himself for handling things so badly.

At the same time, he wasn’t sure what else he was supposed to have done.  Nole had been staring at Chadwick with way too much interest, something he wasn’t about to tolerate.  They were mates, damn it.  Maybe it didn’t mean anything to Nole, but it meant something to Edrick.

CHAPTER 5

No matter how hard he tried to stop himself, Nole couldn’t seem to help but piss his mate off.  It was probably for the best that Nole didn’t plan to stick around.  Still, Edrick hadn’t deserved any of his snarky attitudes.  Even for Nole, looking at another man as he got naked was low and something he never would have done in any other situation.

They were shifters, being naked in front of each other tended to happen more often than not.  But there was a line one didn’t cross.  Ogling someone when they are shifting was one of those lines.  That his mate had been standing right next to him should have stopped Nole from staring, yet, he couldn’t seem to help himself.

Which was just weird.  He really couldn’t care less to see Chadwick naked.  Sure, he had a nice body, but Nole wasn’t at all interested in the man.  He’d just wanted to piss his mate off.  The thing was, Nole didn’t quite understand why.

When Edrick offered to drive Nole somewhere and drop him off, like the man couldn’t get rid of him fast enough, he’d felt an ache in his chest.  That, in itself, was absurd.  Nole didn’t want to stay, so why was he upset that Edrick was giving him what he requested?

It was becoming apparently obvious that, being mated sucked.  Nothing was as Nole thought it would be.  Then again, how was he supposed to have known he’d be paired up with a cat shifter?  No. Not just any cat shifter, a fucking Alpha.

Nole had enough of self-serving, narcissistic alphas, who thought they could just order people around like it was their God given right.  So, when Edrick had given him an order, Nole had reacted.

Okay, so maybe, just maybe, he’d overreacted.  Edrick not wanting him to look at other men was very normal for a mate. It hadn’t been what he’d said, so much as the way he’d said it that had set Nole off.  Then again, hadn’t that been what Nole had been goading him for in the first place?  To force that Alpha out of Edrick, proving that they would never work?

Guilt rode him as he stared down at Edrick where Nole had dropped him.  The surprise that Nole had gotten the better of him showed on Edrick’s face, which only served to wipe any regret that he’d been feeling from his mind.  Served the jerk right if he thought that just because he was smaller, and a mouse shifter, Nole couldn’t defend himself.

He’d learned long ago how to fight.  The only time he lost was when he was severely outnumbered.  Something his Alpha had known, which was why when the man had ordered his enforcers to beat the shit out of Nolan, there were five of them.

Having already made a big enough mess of his mating, and not wanting to make a bigger one, there was only one thing for Nole to do.  Get out of there.

“Thanks for the offer to give me a ride, but I think I’ll walk.”  Nole didn’t wait around for an answer.  He just turned on his heel and walked away.  If only his heart didn’t feel as if it were being ripped right out of his chest as he took one step after another.

It didn’t help that Nole was damn sure this was the biggest mistake he had ever made in his entire life.  Even worse than letting one of the Alpha’s brothers, Harper, fuck him right there in the Alpha’s house.

What an idiot he’d been.  But Nole had been on a dry streak that had lasted two years, and he’d been desperate to feel a nice thick cock in his ass.  He’d known Harper was gay, no matter how hard the Alpha tried to hide his brother’s transgressions.  So Nole had taken a chance.

Little did he know Abdiel had been watching his brother like a hawk so he could stop Harper from fucking another male.  The enforcers had been on Nole in seconds, forcing him in front of Abdiel to pay for his crime of trying to seduce the Alpha’s brother.

As dumb as he’d been to allow that to happen, Nole was sure this was, by far, worse.  He hadn’t known too many who’d been able to leave their mates behind without going insane.  It was why so many of same-sex mated pairs tended to leave their homes and take a chance on their own.

Nole had met several same-sex mates after running from his colony.  Other than being tired of having to frequently move to new places as other shifters they ran across felt it a sin to be gay and would attack, the couples appeared happy to have made the choice they had.  In fact, several had told him they wouldn’t have made any other choice.  They loved their mates.

Not even being on the run changed how they felt.

That wasn’t something those who tried to ignore the mate pull could say. The need to be with one’s mate wasn’t easy to walk away from. Having to ignore the other half of one’s soul caused anger and resentment to boil.  In the end, the shifter often turned feral and had to be put down.

Not exactly what Nole would want to happen.  So, why was he still walking?  Because he couldn’t allow anyone, not even his mate, to think he could be ordered around like some servant.  Nole wanted his mate to be a partner, an equal, not someone who thought he could control Nole just because he was an alpha.  It wasn’t something he would tolerate, even if it meant going feral.

* * * *

Edrick didn’t move from his spot on the ground.  Even as the anger at watching his mate walk away seeped into him, Edrick found himself smiling at his mate’s spunk.  Damn, but Nole was an alpha mate to the core. 

The rumble of Chadwick’s motorcycle could be heard as he headed toward town.  Edrick’s gaze narrowed in on Nole’s ass as it swayed while he walked.  Seeing his mate walk away shouldn’t be this enjoyable, especially since it was obvious Nole didn’t plan to come back, but Edrick couldn’t help the way his body reacted to his mate’s enticing backside.

Chadwick cut the engine, and Edrick pulled himself out of the daze he’d let himself sink into as he continued to stare after his mate.  He wasn’t about to just let Nole leave, but at the same time, he didn’t want his brave mate to get the impression that Edrick was going to stifle him. 

Admittedly, finding a balance between keeping his mate safe and not taking away his independence would be difficult.  Then again, Edrick was ready for whatever challenge Nole threw his way.

“Where is Nole going?” Chadwick asked as he rounded the corner of the pile of rubble the destroyed building created.  Chadwick glanced his way and stopped in his tracks.  “Why are you on the ground?  Did you hurt yourself?”

“My mate put me on my ass for ordering him around.”  Edrick couldn’t help but grin as he admitted the truth.  He was proud of Nole for being able to take care of himself. 

Chadwick’s look said his friend thought he might have lost his mind, which was a real possibility at this point.  “And you’re happy about that?”

“Damn straight,” Edrick said as he picked himself up and wiped the dirt off his pants and shirt as best he could.

Chadwick gave an exasperated sigh.  “I will never understand mates,” he muttered.  “You act completely irrational and then expect the rest of us to just go along with your insanity as if it were perfectly normal.”

Edrick chuckled.  “One day, you’ll find your mate, my friend.  Then you’ll understand.”

Chadwick scowled at Edrick.  “That will never happen.  And if by some miracle, I do stumble upon my mate, I will run as far in the other direction as possible.  No person on earth is worth behaving like a complete moron.”

Once more, Edrick felt that stab of guilt for letting his friends down and not getting them out of the pack sooner.  Chadwick so much more than the others, for he was the one who changed the most.

As kids, Chadwick used to dream of finding his mate.  Even then, Chadwick had known it would be a man.  It was his mother who had warned him never tell another soul, or he’d be sentenced to death.  At the time, none of them had understood why.

It had been Chadwick’s mother, the only parent who hadn’t cared that her son was gay, who had explained the consequences for being attracted to the same sex.  She begged him and his friends to not breathe a word.  So, at the age of five, Edrick and his friends had made a pact to keep their secrets to the grave.

As his mate got smaller and smaller the further he walked, Edrick picked up the phone and called Lucca.  “I need you to follow someone,” he said as soon as he heard his friend’s voice.

He would give Nole his space, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to make sure he could find his mate.  After giving Lucca a description of Nole and the direction he was headed, Edrick hung up and turned to Chadwick.  “You ready to head out?”

Chadwick stared at him with his mouth wide open.  “You’re going to leave Kellach with only Hudson to protect him?   What if your father’s pack finds this place?”

Edrick was.  Hopefully, the decision wouldn’t bite him in the ass later, like the decision to stay in his father’s pack had. 

“Let’s get out of here so we can get back quickly.”  It was risky to leave only Hudson and Kellach behind, but, Edrick also couldn’t allow his mate to walk away without protection.

Chadwick may have been the first to realize he was gay, but he wasn’t the last.  As they had gotten older, each of them began to discover they, too, were gay.  With each admission, the pact they’d made at age five was renewed.  It was Kellach coming to them with his sexuality that had the greatest effect.

For the others, Edrick had always believed they would be able to handle themselves if caught.  But Kellach was only five-foot-five and a hundred pounds soaking wet.  Not to mention he was sinfully gorgeous, making him hard to resist for both sexes.  There was no way he would be able to defend himself if he were found out.

Knowing one day they’d have to run, Edrick and the others started planning.  Each of them trained in areas that would be helpful if they were forced out.  Edrick had become a computer programmer.  Except he was far more than just that.  Edrick had learned early on he had an affinity for hacking.

Using that skill, Edrick had made a lot of money doing contracting for both the government and private companies.  All the while he’d managed to keep most of his jobs off the books, so his father never found out just how good he really was.  At the same time, his father never knew how much money Edrick made.  None of their families did.

With the help of offshore accounts and false identities, Edrick had built up a small fortune for him and his friends to survive.  It didn’t begin to be as much as the pack had in reserves, but it would still give them enough to survive on while they ran.

Lucca, who would end up being Edrick’s second, had learned security.  In today’s world of electronics, it made some things easier, while others harder at the same time.  With Edrick’s help in programming, they had developed a state of the art security system that once setup, would give them enough warning to get to safety if attacked.

Chadwick, who would be one of the enforcers, had learned construction.  Everything from houses to skyscrapers.  He could do it all.  From drawing to decorating.  Chadwick never believed in doing things halfway, so when he’d chosen that field, he’d thrown himself into learning it all.

Hudson had one of the hardest jobs of all of them.  He’d had to learn the law.  They planned to do their best to make their little town into a safe haven for gay shifters, so they needed someone who could help them navigate not only shifter law, but human laws as well.

Kellach hadn’t been given a choice in what job he’d learned.  Not because they hadn’t given him one, but because Edrick’s father hadn’t.  As one of the smallest and most effeminate of the men, Lorcan had thought it appropriate that Kellach do what his father considered, “woman’s work.”

Why cooking was considered only for women, Edrick didn’t understand, but his father had thought the position demeaning and rubbed Kellach’s nose in it whenever he could.  Edrick still wasn’t entirely sure cooking was something Kellach enjoyed, but as the rest of them burned water, for now, they needed Kellach to make their meals.

With one last look in his mate’s direction, Edrick turned and walked to where he’d left his bike.  No matter how much he wanted to go after his headstrong mate, Edrick had a job to do.  He knew Lucca would watch over his mate until he got back with their supplies.

Climbing onto his bike, Edrick prayed he wasn’t making another mistake.

CHAPTER 6

Icy cold tentacles wrapped around Nole’s heart as he scented at least five mice shifters in the air.  They had found him, and Nole wasn’t so sure he’d walk away this time.  He was in the middle of the forest with civilization at least a two-hour walk from his current location.

Considering he’d most likely have his ass handed to him – again – crawling to safety would be impossible.  Assuming they left him alive this time, which would be doubtful, Nole had little chance of surviving, all because he’d been too stubborn and left his mate instead of staying to work things out.

Heartbroken over walking away had been the only reason he hadn’t noticed someone was closing in on him in the first place.  Stupidly, he’d allowed himself to become distracted when he should have been vigilant.

He knew his colony had still been searching for him.  Then there were the hunters he’d encountered the last time he was out there.  Nole’s mind should have been on keeping himself safe, instead of how great his mate smelled.  Or the sexy growl and how great it would feel as Edrick sucked Nole’s dick.  His cock throbbed as it hardened in his pants, making them uncomfortable.

Ahhh!

Even knowing he’d been discovered and tracked, Nole couldn’t keep his mind from thinking about Edrick.  He might as well face facts.  He was going to die today all because he was an idiot who had walked away from his mate.

With each step he took, thoughts of turning around and going back had consumed him since leaving Edrick.  Now he wouldn’t have that chance.  He should have at least gotten Edrick’s phone number so he could have called his mate and apologized for being such a douche.  There was little he could do about it now.

Searching for a way out, Nole figured he had less than fifteen minutes before they caught up to him.  Sure, he could run and make it twenty or thirty minutes, but eventually, they would catch up to him, and when they did, Nole preferred it to be on his terms.  It would also be better if he weren’t too exhausted from running to fight back.  It didn’t help that he’d already been walking for over eight hours and was ready to rest.

No, it was better to find a location that would give him an advantage, no matter how small.  Like that rock formation to his left.  Admittedly, it was a little further than he would have liked to go, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.  His only other option was to climb the trees, but the tactical advantage wouldn’t be enough to help him out of this mess.

Needing all the time he could get to find the best position, Nole ran to the outcropping and nearly cried out in despair.  It wasn’t nearly as large as he’d hoped.  Worse, there was nowhere else he could hide.  Nothing to use as a weapon.

With no other obvious location he could use to his advantage, Nole would have to make this work.  He just wished it offered him a way to win.

Resolved to do whatever it took to survive, he picked up a couple of stout branches and scattered them around to use later when fighting.  Then he took off his backpack and pulled out his gun.  He already had three knives strapped to his body, but he was hoping to take at least one of his attackers out of commission before they got too close.

The snap of a twig alerted him they were close.  It also told him whoever his alpha had sent, were idiots.  They were shifters - mouse shifters. Snapping a twig was the mark of an amateur.

Hope flared inside him, but Nole squashed it quickly.  He couldn’t rely on the hope that those after him were untrained or he’d end up dead for sure.

Keeping his body behind the small group of rocks, Nole aimed his gun in the direction that he scented his pursuers.  His heart raced way too fast.  Nole needed to calm down.

Breathing deeply, he kept his senses open.  That stubborn thread of hope bloomed once more.  It couldn’t be, could it?  Once more he drew air into his lungs.  Letting his senses open fully, he scented the air around him.

His gaze went to the north, where he’d come from.  He was positive he scented cat shifter, one he didn’t recognize, but it was definitely feline.  He just wasn’t sure if it was friend or foe.  But it was a scent even further away that gave him pause.  He would swear Edrick was near.  Not close enough to help him now, but close enough that if Nole could keep himself alive long enough, his mate would be able to help him defeat those after him.

As much as he prayed Edrick would make it in time, Nole knew he couldn’t count on his mate getting there.  Especially since whoever his alpha sent was nearly upon him.  If Nole was going to survive, he needed to depend on only himself.  If his mate made it, great, but he was too far away to be a safe bet.

Two of his colony stepped close enough for Nole to make them out.  His heart sank.  It was men he’d considered friends once upon a time before he’d been caught with the Alpha’s brother.  Once that had happened, everyone, even his family, had turned on him.

He didn’t want to hurt either of these men.  But they had known what the alpha had expected of them.  They had come with the intention of ending him.  Nole may not want to kill them, but if it meant saving his own life, he would.

He didn’t think he would be able to forgive his alpha or his friends for putting him in this position.  Nole just wished he knew if he’d be able to forgive himself for choosing his life over those he’d once considered friends.

* * * *

“Protect him, no matter what,” Edrick snarled into the phone when Lucca called him to inform him whoever had been following Nole had finally caught up with him.  Thankfully, whoever had been tracking Nole sucked at their job, or they would have reached him too soon for Edrick to have any hope of reaching his mate.

As it was, there was a good chance he wouldn’t make it.

Lucca was right on top of them, shadowing their movements.  He hadn’t been sure if they were friend or foe until he’d overheard them talking about how Nole had ruined their colony by existing.

Their intent to kill Nole was obvious with all the firepower they had brought along.  Not that Lucca was worried.  None of them had scented him, and they would be in for the surprise of their lives if they did attack Nole.

Lucca had never been a fan of bullies who felt it okay to outnumber their prey.  He would teach all of them what it was like to be out powered, for Lucca could, and would, wipe the floor with all of them.  He didn’t make a habit of boasting, but his skills were that good.

Unfortunately, his sense of honor didn’t allow him to attack without provocation.  So, until they made the first move, Lucca would sit back and wait.  Once they did, all bets were off, and Lucca would kill without prejudice, or mercy, especially since the mouse shifter he was there to protect was Edrick’s mate.

He just wished the heavenly scent of sage and lemon wasn’t distracting him.

CHAPTER 7

Both of his former friends were in Nole’s sights.  He could kill them before either of them knew what was happening.  It was obvious neither knew exactly where he was.  How his alpha could send such poorly prepared men showed just how stupid the leader truly was.

Or desperate.

Nole getting away from the teams Abdiel sent after him time and time again had to be causing the man to appear weak to the colony.  He needed Nole dead, even if it meant sending a team so inexperienced that they let themselves walk into their deaths.

But Nole just couldn’t pull the trigger.  Not until he knew they came here to do him harm.

Slowly, Nole blew out a breath, then did the one thing he would never do under normal circumstances.  He gave away his position and shouted.  “That’s far enough, Jari, Reyd.  What are you doing here?”

Both of their eyes widened for a moment before they first glanced at each other, then in Nole’s direction.  Except they didn’t look his way, not exactly.  They either sucked at understanding where his voice was coming from or...

Nole froze.

Gods’ damn it!

Scenting the air once more, he picked up the team coming up behind him.  If he managed to get out of this alive, Nole was going to kick his own ass for being so fucking careless.  What had he thought that the only team Abdiel would send would be as incompetent as Jari and Reyd?

They were the distraction.

Had Nole not already been distracted by thoughts of his mate, he might have realized this earlier instead of giving the second team a perfect target.  There was nothing to guard his back.  No rocks.  No trees.  No other person.

Nole deserved to get shot at this point.

Since his odds of surviving Jari and Reyd’s incompetent team were better than whoever had silently moved in behind him, Nole jumped out from the outcropping of rocks.  A shot rang out as he moved.  Rock sprayed up right where his head had been, just missing him.

He dove in front of the rocks, leaving himself completely vulnerable to the men he’d once considered friends, but keeping him safe from the real threat, the other team.  Well, as safe as possible until they caught up with him, which wouldn’t be long.

A roar split the air that had the hairs on Nole’s body standing up straight.  It was still far away, but Nole was sure it was Edrick.  He sent up a fervent prayer that he could keep himself alive long enough for his mate to reach him.

“Give up Nole,” Jari shouted out.  “You’re surrounded.”

Nole stared at his former friend, who was pointing a gun right at him.  Jari had never been a good shot, and Nole doubted he’d gotten any better since he’d been gone.  At the same time, even the most uncoordinated got lucky once in a while.  He hoped that since Jari’s hand was shaking, it meant his former friend wasn’t comfortable shooting him.

“Why are you doing this Jari?” Nole wasn’t just asking to stall.  He honestly wanted to know how Jari could turn his back on someone who had been his friend for thirty years.

It was Reyd who answered.  “You’re an abomination who needs to be eradicated before you taint any more of us.”

Sadness crept into Nole at the man’s words.  He hadn’t been all that close with Reyd, but he still had counted him as a friend.

“You need to let us take you to Alpha Abdiel,” Jari called out.  The thing was, he knew Jari was gay.  The man had just never dared to admit it.  Not that Nole blamed him.  Confession wasn’t always good for the soul.  In their world, it usually ended up with the confessor dead.  Or in Nole’s case, the subject of a hunt.

“You need to leave, Jari, before you end up dead,” Nole warned.  It was the only one his friend was going to get.

A low, menacing growl reverberated just beyond Jari.  Considering Nole was quite literally between a rock and a hard place at the moment, the sound scared Nole.  He searched for where the sound came from, but he couldn’t see anything out of place.

Reyd sneered at him, either not hearing the ominous growl or not paying it any attention. “By who?  You?  Please.  There’s no way someone with your moral depravity has a chance of killing us.”  As if to prove his point, Reyd fired a shot.

If Jari could be considered a bad shot, Reyd was worse.  He’d been the only man in history who could aim at a target at the firing range and somehow end up shooting himself.

The shot went wide, not even coming close to hitting Nole.  The thing with Reyd, he was a bit of a bully.  Nole had only been friends with him because he’d been friends with Jari.  Otherwise, he would have stayed away from the man.  Considering all Reyd ever did was put Jari down, Nole wasn’t quite sure why Jari remained friends with him.

When Reyd went to shoot again, Nole didn’t hesitate.  The odds of Reyd hitting him were remote, but he wasn’t about to take that kind of a chance when he still had a team at his back, advancing quickly, by the sounds of it.

He aimed and fired before Reyd had a chance to pull the trigger.  Brown eyes widened a fraction of a second as a hole opened right where Reyd’s heart was.  Then he crumbled to the ground in a heap.

All hell broke loose at that moment.

Jari screamed Reyd’s name.  The team that had been flanking Nole broke through the brush to advance on his position.  A man Nole had never seen but scented as cat shifter came up behind Jari with confusion in his stormy gray eyes.  Jari lifted his arm that was holding a gun and pointed it at Nole.

Not having time to deal with Jari, Nole prayed the cat shifter was on his side and wouldn’t allow Jari to shoot him.  For a split second, Nole felt a moment of true fear when he faced the team sent to kill him and found ten men, armed to the teeth.

Worse, they weren’t mice.  They were wolves. A hit squad if Nole wasn’t mistaken.  Alpha Abdiel wasn’t messing around this time.  He was going to make sure Nole died.

Low growls rumbled around him, making the ground shake beneath his feet.  Yep, Nole was fucked and not in a good way.  Not only was he going to die that day, but he suspected it was going to be quite painful.

That’s when he heard another sound that made all the hairs on his body stand on end.  Behind and slightly to the right of him, another growl, just as low as the wolves, yet meaner, fiercer rolled around them for a full minute.

Nole desperately wanted to turn around and make sure he wasn’t imagining things, but he also knew if he took his attention off the wolves for even a second, they would use the opportunity to attack.  His heart raced as he felt movement from behind approaching.

Fur touched his fingertips, and Nole risked a quick glance down.  His heart leaped into his throat as he stared at the beautiful golden brown coat of a gigantic mountain lion baring his teeth at the wolves, almost daring them to come closer.  Granted, Nole was a mouse shifter and used to smaller shifters, but he still was pretty positive Edrick was larger than average.

Of the wolf shifters getting ready to attack, four of them had shifted, and Edrick was definitely bigger than any of them.  That didn’t mean they didn’t have a shot at winning.  There were still ten wolves, who were obviously trained killers based on the cold, dead eyes of those in front of them.

It didn’t help that those who were still human held enough weapons on their bodies to supply a freaking army.  Until meeting these men, Nole had always assumed he’d carried a lot of weapons.  Boy, was he wrong.

Unconsciously his fingers dug into Edrick’s fur.  Regret swamped him for getting his mate involved in his battle.  If only he hadn’t been so stubborn and left Edrick that morning.  He promised to whatever God that was listening that he would not only accept his mate but love him with every fiber of his being if they survived this.

* * * *

They might be outnumbered, but Edrick wasn’t worried.  He and his friends had been training since they understood that one day they would have to fight their pack for being gay.  Their skills were honed, making them the perfect killing machines.

He wanted to reassure his mate, but as effective as Edrick was in his human form at killing, he was even more deadly as his animal.  All he could do was stand next to Nole and hope his being there would be enough to give his mate some encouragement.

What he hadn’t expected was the way Nole curled his fingers into his fur as if he were trying to hold onto Edrick.  Nor for it to feel so amazing.  Just being around Nole had his cock half hard.  His mate’s touch could easily make him painfully erect, which would make fighting that much more difficult.

That his mate was being threatened kept him from getting too hard, as the need to tear through the shifter wolves, who apparently thought the more leather they wore, the more they would look like badasses, rode him hard.  If Edrick were human, he would set them straight.  All that leather just made them appear pathetic.

One even had a leather harness around his wolf.  How the guy thought that was a good idea, was a mystery to Edrick.  It only restricted his animal’s natural ability to move, and it offered very little protection.

He wanted to laugh but only managed to chuff at the spectacle before him.  Nole must have understood he was laughing for he yanked on his fur in a warning.  His mate shook in fear next to him.  Desperate to soothe him, Edrick rubbed his head against Nole’s side.

Apparently, that was all the wolves needed to attack.

Standing his ground, Edrick let Hudson, their expert marksman, take out two men and two wolves before they had covered half the distance.  That was when Edrick sprang into action.

Leaping, he swiped his paw at the man closest to him, slicing his throat.  A bullet slammed into the man before he hit the ground, ensuring he remained dead.  Shifters healed quickly, allowing them to survive even severe wounds.

The only way to kill a shifter was to behead him, rip his heart out or shoot him in the heart or head.  The only problem with bullets was, they had to be dead on accurate, or there was a chance of survival.  Fortunately, Hudson never missed.

Lucca, who had managed to neutralize the mouse shifters who had distracted Nole and Chadwick, who had been right behind Edrick as he raced to Nole, joined him in the battle. Quickly, they whittled down the numbers to two, the leader and one wolf, who seemed determined to protect his alpha at all costs, including pinning Nole to the ground, forcing Edrick to freeze or risk his mate dying.

“I see you’ve allowed yourself to become weak,” the leader sneered with a way too triumphant smile on his face.  “Mates will get you killed, something you will experience firsthand.”

Edrick stared at the wolf who had one paw on Nole’s throat, claws just piercing the skin.  The scent of his mate’s blood had Edrick’s cat hissing as rage consumed him.  Hudson hadn’t taken the shot he easily could have to kill the wolf for fear the creature’s claws would rip Nole’s throat out.   Another thing a shifter didn’t recover from.

Focused on his mate, Edrick watched in horror as Nole’s hand slowly made its way down to his hip to pull out a very sharp looking knife.  He needed to distract the wolf or Nole’s actions would be noticed.  In his mountain lion’s form, that would be hard to do.

“Now, tell your shooter to get down out of that tree, or I’ll have Octo drive further into your mate’s throat until he’s coated in blood,” the leader said, even as he pointed his gun at Edrick’s head.

Edrick may not be able to communicate to his men in his shifter form, but the advantage of training together since the age of five, they didn’t need words.  Edrick glanced from Nole’s hand that gripped the knife, to Lucca, and gave a nod.

Lucca gave an imperceptible nod as he acknowledged seeing what Edrick had.  “Fine,” Lucca spit out.  Then he glared at Edrick.  “I told you we should never have come after the mouse.  I mean, you’re a cat.  What the hell were thinking that you could mate with a such a lowly creature?”

Both the leader and the wolf stared at Lucca in surprise, but it was all the distraction Nole needed to lift the knife and slam it right onto the wolf’s paw, severing it in one clean swipe.

At the same moment that the knife separated the wolf’s paw, Hudson fired, and a bullet slammed into the wolf, leaving a hole right between its eyes.  The leader snarled before opening fire, but Edrick had already leaped toward the man, slamming into him and dragging him to the ground with his teeth embedded in the man’s throat.

CHAPTER 8

“I’m impressed, shorty,” the man who had distracted the wolf leader said as he rolled the heavier than fuck wolf off Nole.  “I had no idea a mouse could do anything more than cower in fear.”

Nole glared up the handsome man. “Don’t call me shorty,” he spat out. What in the fuck did these cats eat that made them so drop dead gorgeous?  Not that it mattered, but it didn’t seem fair that so far all of them had been at least six foot, with more muscle than seemed possible on a body.

“Watch it, Lucca, Edrick doesn’t like it when you tease his mate,” Chadwick joked.

Speaking of Edrick Once on his feet, Nole glanced around for his mate.  “Edrick,” he cried out when he saw the big cat lying in a pool of blood with the leader of the wolves lying dead under him.

Please let it be the wolf’s blood; he prayed over and over again as he rushed to his mate’s side.

No matter how hard he pushed, he couldn’t get his mate’s heavy body turned so he could check out the injuries.  Thankfully, Lucca and Chadwick rushed over to help him.

Ice formed in his veins as he saw three bullet holes in Edrick’s thick fur as blood poured from the wounds.  “Shit,” he cursed.  “Does anyone have a med kit?”

They all looked at him as if they’d never heard of such a thing.  Sure, shifters might heal quickly, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t die.  With enough blood loss, it was entirely possible, and Edrick appeared to have already lost too much.  He needed to get these wounds stitched so he could stop the bleeding.

He pointed to the group of rocks he’d tried to use as shielding.  “My bag is tucked into the back of the rocks - go get it.”  His tone was demanding, not allowing for any argument.

Thankfully, the men didn’t offer any.  Chadwick raced to the rocks and quickly found Nole’s bag.  No words were said as they watched Nole work on Edrick, which was good. Nole didn’t need the distraction.  He was going to save his mate, come hell or high water.

Except there was too much blood blocking Nole from seeing the extent of the damage.  Frustrated, he growled as he shoved his finger deep into the gaping bullet hole.  Wiggling it around, Nole worked to figure out where all the blood was coming from.

If he didn’t find it, Edrick wasn’t going to survive, and that just wasn’t acceptable to Nole.  He may not have wanted a mate, especially one that was a cat shifter, but now that he’d met Edrick, he had to admit the man intrigued him.  Not only had Edrick been nice even when Nole had been his usual snarky self, but he’d given Nole the space he’d requested.

Although, apparently, he had Nole followed, but still, even that Nole couldn’t blame him for.  Mates were considered sacred.  Letting one just walk away would have been impossible for most shifters.  Even Nole had been having second thoughts as he’d searched for a new place to hide out.  He might not admit it aloud, but Nole would have returned to Edrick eventually.

Now that he was ready to accept that he’d found his cat shifter mate, Nole wasn’t about to let the man di…

There!

Nole’s hand brushed over the ragged edges of a shredded artery.  Pinching the ends with his fingers, he stared hard at Lucca and Chadwick, along with another man walking toward them, carrying a long-range rifle.  “One of his arteries has been hit.  I need to sew it back together, or he is going to bleed out.  Which one of you isn’t squeamish and can help me?”

It was the newcomer who answered.  “I’ve learned enough first aid to offer some assistance, but you’re going to have to guide me through what you need done.”

Nole gave him a curt nod.  “In my bag is a scalpel.  We need to open him up a little further so I can see to repair this.  Since my fingers are pinching off the artery, you’re going to need to make the cut. Do you think you can do that?”

The cat shifter didn’t answer, just fished through Nole’s bag until he found the small med kit Nole had in there.  Pulling it out, he laid it on the ground and opened it up.  Scalpel in hand he glanced at Nole and waited for his instructions.

“Carefully, but quickly, I need you to make an incision two inches wide right where the bullet hole is.  Just don’t cut my hand.”  Nole prayed the man didn’t end up making things worse.  It was always a risk having someone inexperienced assist him, but with Nole’s hand already busy, doing the incision himself was impossible.

Please, let me save Edrick.

“Wait, do you even know what in the hell you’re doing?” Lucca asked before the other member of their team made the incision.

This was so not the time for twenty questions.  His fingers around the shredded artery were the only thing keeping his mate from certain death.  “I’m a doctor and a vet,” he answered without elaborating before turning to the man who was going to help him.  “Now make the fucking cut.”

The man gave a curt nod, took a steadying breath, then did exactly as Nole had instructed.  To be honest, he was impressed at how well the shifter did.  “Good.  Now I’m going to need my suture kit.”

As if he’d done it a hundred times, the man pulled out exactly what Nole had needed.  “My name is Hudson, by the way.”

Surprised, Nole stared at the man for a moment.

Hudson shrugged.  “I figured if we’re going to work together, not to mention live together, since you’re Edrick’s mate, you might as well know my name.”

Nole gave him a nod of acknowledgment.

“It’s time to get to work, Hudson.  I hope you’re ready.”  Truthfully, Nole depended on it. For not saving Edrick wasn’t an option. 

CHAPTER 9

Fire raced along Edrick’s veins.  Sure, he was being burned alive, he desperately tried to claw his way to consciousness.  But the pain was just too intense to allow him to focus.

“Shh,” the sweetest voice Edrick had ever heard whispered against his ear.  “You’re going to be fine.  You just need to let your body heal.”

A hand ran first along his forehead, instantly soothing his cat, who had been fighting to wake up.  Then that hand traced a path down his cheek before soft lips touched his.  “I’ll keep you safe.  Just sleep.”

A part of him wanted more of that sweet kiss, but he was just too tired to not to succumb to the darkness that was once more trying to drag him into bliss.

* * * *

“Shouldn’t he be healed by now?”

The harsh tone of Lucca’s voice forced Edrick to become once more aware of his surroundings.  Struggling to open his eyes and find out what had his best friend so angry, Edrick fought the fog that surrounded him in a soupy quagmire.

“He lost a lot of blood.”  The soft melody of his mate’s voice was like a balm to Edrick’s soul.

Wanting to touch Nole, he tried to move closer to the beautiful sound but found it impossible to make his body respond.

“His body is going to need time to replenish his blood.  Until then, sleep is what he needs most.”

Not sure what Nole was talking about, Edrick once more tried to open his eyes. One lid cracked the barest amount, but it was enough to take in his disheveled mate.  Concerned at the dark circles under those chocolate brown eyes, Edrick tried to open his mouth, but again, found his body just wouldn’t cooperate.

Lucca stepped closer to Nole, towering over him with his hands curled into fists. “He better wake up.”  The threat in Lucca’s voice had Edrick’s hackles up.

A low rumble rolled out of his chest in warning.

Both Nole and Lucca turned to face him, but Edrick was already fading from that brief show of aggression.

“Edrick,” Nole said hopefully, as he bent closer and placed a soft kiss to his lips.

Heaven.  That was the last thought Edrick had as the darkness surrounded him once more.

* * * *

“Stop threatening me, or I’ll cut your fucking balls off, got it?” Nole was getting sick and tired of Edrick’s friends’ posturing.  He’d warned them how close Edrick had come to dying, yet they all had felt he should have healed within an hour of Nole stitching him up.

If they didn’t stop, he was going to bitch slap each and every one.  And he was going to start with Chadwick, who not only threatened him but kept referring to him being a mouse like he was shit on the man’s shoes.

Chadwick stood close enough to force Nole to have to tilt his head back and look up at him.  Asshole.  Then the man had the nerve to lean over, accentuating the fact that Nole was shorter than him.  “Try it, and I’ll feed you to the snakes.”

Narrowing his eyes, he glared up at Chadwick.  “I’d like to see you try, pussy.”  He found the nickname had a way of pissing Chadwick off like nothing else did. 

Chadwick growled down at him. “Call me that again, and I’ll hogtie your ass and turn you over to your colony wrapped in pretty ribbon for them so that they can shut you up once and for all.”

A hand was suddenly around Chadwick’s neck, and the man lifted several inches off the ground.  There was a promise of death in Edrick’s eyes as he snarled at his friend.  “Talk to my mate like that again, and being called a pussy will be the least of your problems.”

Stunned that his mate was not only awake but able to lift Chadwick off the ground, it took Nole a moment to come out of his daze and stop his mate.  “Edrick. Stop.”  Nole reached out and touched his mate’s arm.  “Chadwick and I were just blowing off steam because we’ve been so worried about you.”

When Edrick didn’t look any closer to releasing his ever-tightening grip on a nearly passed out Chadwick, Nole tried begging.  “Please, I need you to put him down so I can make sure you’re really okay.”

It was something Nole had been doing every five minutes for the past four days.  He couldn’t help it.  The need to be sure his mate was alive and mending was a compulsion that just wouldn’t go away, even now that he was awake.

Thankfully, that did the trick.

Edrick opened his hand, and Chadwick dropped into a heap on the floor coughing and gasping for air.  But Nole only had eyes for Edrick.  In the next heartbeat, he was pulled into Edrick’s embrace and his lips taken in a kiss that had his toes curling and his cock thickening.

That he was so easily picked up and cradled against Edrick’s hard body didn’t even irritate him. For the first time in his life, Nole had to admit that he enjoyed being smaller, just so that he could be in his mate’s arms.

“No.  Really.  Don’t mind me,” Chadwick grumbled.  “I just can’t breathe.  What does that matter?”

Both Nole and Edrick growled in their throats at being interrupted, but neither of them broke the kiss.  He didn’t know about Edrick, but for Nole, he was damn sure that not even the house falling down around their ears would have stopped him from trying to get closer to his mate.

It wasn’t until a door slammed closed, indicating Chadwick had blessedly left them in peace, that Edrick broke the kiss.  “Strip,” he ordered, even as he ripped off the boxers Nole had put him in for modesty’s sake.

Edrick’s friends had laughed at Nole’s need to cover his mate up from their gazes, but he didn’t care.  They may have grown up together and seen each other naked thousands of times, but that didn’t mean Nole wanted his mate on display for anyone but himself.

And what a mouthwatering body it was, too.  Nole couldn’t help but stare as Edrick removed his boxers to reveal his hard, thick cock.  Nole licked his lips as he thought about having that in his mouth.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, my little mouse,” Edrick murmured.

Nole had no idea what his mate meant until he heard fabric tearing as his mate reached for him.  Then cool air brushed over his heated skin.  Nole blinked up at his mate.

Did Edrick really just tear Nole’s clothes off?

Glancing down at his now naked body, Nole blinked again.  Fuck, that was hot.

He was too turned on not to give into temptation.  Nole dropped to his knees and took that impressive piece of flesh jutting out from Edrick’s body into his hand.  Leaning in, he breathed deeply, loving his mate’s musky scent.

Giving the silky rod in his hand a couple of strokes, Nole smiled up at Edrick when he heard his mate groan.  With his gaze locked with Edrick’s, he moved closer and licked the man’s thick vein from the base of his prick to the tip.

Desire burned like an inferno in Edrick’s blue eyes as he watched Nole take the spongy head into his mouth.  “Fuck, Nole.  Your mouth was made to suck my cock.”

Considering how much Nole loved to do just that, he didn’t argue.  In fact, he hoped he’d have plenty of opportunities to taste the man’s dick in the future.  But first, he really wanted to feel this monster in his ass, claiming him.

Who would have thought Nole would be prepared to beg to have his mate claim him?  He’d sworn to himself not to get involved with anyone ever again and risk being hurt once more.  Yet, there he was, prepared to be tied to this man for the rest of his life.  Which could be a long time, since shifters tended to live between five hundred to eight hundred years.

They may not know each other well, but Nole still couldn’t imagine lasting another day without belonging to Edrick.  He just prayed his mate didn’t tromp his heart into the ground.

Hands gripped his hair, as Edrick tugged for Nole to release his dick.  “As much as I love your mouth on my cock, my little mouse, I really want to fuck that tight ass of yours and claim you as mine.”

Nole froze for a moment.  He may want exactly the same thing, but the fear that Edrick wouldn’t give him a choice had him second guessing himself.  “That is if you’re ready for us to belong to each other.”

Just like that, Nole’s heart melted.  It had only taken a few words, yet Edrick had managed to settle any reservations Nole still had by ensuring they were mates, partners, instead of Edrick being the alpha and Nole his bitch.

Rising to his feet, Nole stood on his tiptoes and kissed Edrick’s lips.  “I would love nothing more than to claim each other.”

Firm lips once more descended on Nole as Edrick pulled their bodies flush together.  Their tongues twined, and hands touched every inch of skin they could reach.  It was so hot, Nole was sure it could have burned him alive. But what a way to go.

CHAPTER 10

Need slammed into Edrick like a punch to the gut.  Between having to watch his mate walk away from him, and him almost dying, Edrick’s cat was skimming the surface, clawing to claim Nole.  At the same time, Edrick refused to rush this.

He may have only just met Nole, but it felt like he’d been waiting for this moment his whole life and the last thing he was willing to do was hurry.  Edrick wanted to savor every touch, every taste, and every sound.  There would never be another first with his mate and Edrick wasn’t about to ruin it with a fast, hard rutting, no matter how much his body demanded he do just that.

With a herculean effort, Edrick slowed the kiss from a mashing of teeth to a slow sensuous slide of tongues.  He relaxed the hard grip he had on Nole’s waist, letting the smooth silkiness of Nole’s skin tantalize his fingers. One hand trailed from Nole’s waist down to grab ahold of that pert ass that Edrick was dying to sink into.  His other hand traced over each knob of his spine.

Silky.

Groaning into the kiss, Edrick lost himself in his mate’s arms.  Sex had always been good, but this, just touching and kissing, was so much better than anything he’d ever experienced. His slice of heaven right here on earth.

Nole met him halfway.  Neither one controlled the kiss.  It was a give and take.  Tongues twining before dipping into the other’s mouth for a taste.

A growl ripped through him when Nole sucked on his tongue.  He was already on edge after having that sweet mouth on his dick.  That was even truer as he felt his mate’s hands on his body.

Each stroke of those fingers along his skin set off sparks that raced along Edrick’s nerve endings and settled right into his balls, making them churn in their sac.  He wasn’t going to last long, not with his sexy mate able to turn him inside out with nothing more than a touch.

 Twin groans of bliss exploded from them as their cocks aligned.  As if they had a mind of their own, both of their hips started thrusting into each other.  The slide of Nole’s steely flesh along his had Edrick’s eyes rolling into the back of his head.

Too much pleasure zipped through him, setting his senses on overload.  At the same time, he wanted more.  Breaking the kiss, Edrick preened a bit at hearing Nole’s whimper of dismay at the loss of his lips.  But Edrick was too determined to taste every inch of his mate, not to mention he hoped to drive his mate out of his everloving mind.

The feline in Edrick was clawing to rub his scent all over Nole.  Something Edrick had no issues with as it meant feeling Nole’s silky smooth skin sliding over his.  With the way Nole was writhing in his arms, Edrick didn’t have to wonder if his mate felt that same need.

Edrick edged his fingers along Nole’s crack, zeroing in on that tight pucker that he couldn’t wait to sink into.

Lube.

No matter how much he may want in Nole’s tight body, he wasn’t about to hurt his mate by fucking him dry.  Edrick did his best to glance around the sparse room for any sign of something he could use as lube without stopping his path of licking and nipping down Nole’s slender neck.  His mate’s skin was just too sweet to give up, even if it meant finding lube.

“Is there lube around?” he murmured against warm skin that drew him in for a taste like the sweetest of honey.

Suddenly Nole was gone, rushing across the room to a small black bag against the wall.  The rasp of a zipper being ripped open and a small curse as things came flying out of the bag as Nole frantically searched for what Edrick assumed was lube, had him smiling that his mate was as needy as he was.

Nole gave a cry of triumph as he held up a tube.  Edrick’s heart skipped a beat as he gazed at his mate’s sheer look of joy.  Never in his life had he ever seen anything so beautiful.

“What?” Nole asked.  Doubt crept into those beautiful chocolate brown eyes.

Edrick didn’t even hesitate to answer.  “You’re breathtaking.”

There was a moment of uncertainty, but then Nole’s lips tilted upward in a shy smile.  It was so endearing, Edrick found it impossible not to stride over to where his mate still stood by his bag and kiss those lush lips.

The sweetness he tasted had him pushing deeper inside for more, lapping along the recesses of his mate’s mouth.  He wasn’t sure how he was ever going to resist kissing his mate every moment of every day when he tasted so fucking amazing.

Even as he delved deeper, a tube was pushed into his hand.  Not needing any more encouragement than that, Edrick quickly opened the cap and poured the slick substance onto his fingers.  Circling his mate’s pucker to loosen up the muscles, Edrick then pushed the tip of one digit inside and nearly lost his mind.

Tight heat encircled his finger.  His cock throbbed at the thought of being wrapped up in his mate’s vise-like grip.  Breaking the kiss, Edrick dropped his head onto Nole’s shoulder as he tried to gain a modicum of control over the orgasm threatening to tear through him.

His other hand dug into Nole’s hip, most likely leaving bruises behind, but Edrick just couldn’t help it.  The most intense pleasure licked along his nerve endings until he was sure he was going to go up in flames.  Harsh breaths left his lungs as he struggled against the need to bend Nole over and fuck his mate senseless.

It took far longer than he would have thought considering he only had the tip of his finger inside his mate’s snug channel to gain the control he needed.  When Edrick was fairly certain he wasn’t going to embarrass himself by coming before he buried himself in his mate, Edrick started once more to open his mate up.

“Fuck, my little mouse,” Edrick murmured against Nole’s shoulder.  “You are going to feel so good wrapped around my cock.”  As he slid in a second finger, Edrick licked a path along the spot where he planned to claim his sexy mate.  “I’m going to look forward to making you scream my name.”

Nole moaned and tilted his head to give Edrick better access.  “If you don’t get that fat dick inside of me soon, I’ll be screaming your name for a whole different reason,” Nole threatened.  “Now hurry the hell up and shove that monster inside of me.”

Chuckling at his mate’s demands, Edrick nipped Nole’s shoulder.  “Patience, my little mouse.  I’m not about to rush this any more than I have to.”

Although, Edrick did push a third finger alongside the other two to hurry things up a bit.  He might want to enjoy his mating, but that didn’t mean he had an endless amount of patience.

Teeth clamped down on the skin where his shoulder and neck met.  Edrick’s head dropped back onto his shoulders, and a drawn-out moan of pure bliss left his lips from the slight sting.  “Damn,” he groaned out, his cock throbbing in need.

His mate’s mouth on him was too much and not enough all at once.  Edrick needed to be buried inside his mate, like now.

Tugging his fingers free, he slid his arms around Nole’s waist and lifted him off the ground.  Instantly, Nole wrapped his strong legs around Edrick’s waist and started kissing a path from his neck to his chest.

Edrick nearly dropped his mate when he felt Nole bite down on his nipple.  “Fuck,” he cried out as he tumbled them both down onto the mattress that was on the floor.  “I hope you’re ready because I’m not sure I can wait a moment longer.”  It was the only warning he gave Nole before lifting his mate’s hips, lining up his cock, and plunging deep.

Twin groans rang out around them.

Heaven.

It was the only word to describe just how good it felt to finally be with his mate.

CHAPTER 11

The intense burn of being stretched to capacity was the only thing holding Nole’s orgasm from consuming him.  He was right there, on the edge, ready to go careening over the cliff.  He just needed one more push.

At the same time, he wasn’t ready to lose this intense connection he felt with Edrick.  It was overwhelming, and still, the immense need for more prevailed.  Nole wouldn’t deny being afraid of the powerful emotions he felt for this man who was giving him untold pleasure.  It was scary to know that he could feel so much, so quickly, for one person.

As much as his initial reaction was to run, to keep himself safe from the possibility of being hurt, Nole wasn’t about to go anywhere.  He’d run once and learned his lesson.  Even if the men that his former alpha had sent after him hadn’t chased him, Nole would have found himself returning to Edrick.  The pull was just too strong to deny.

Right here.  In Edrick’s arms.  This was where he belonged.

With each push and pull of Edrick’s thick cock inside of his channel, Nole soared even higher.  He’d always enjoyed sex.  Hell.  Who was he kidding?  Nole loved sex.  But this?  This was so much more than just sex.  It was as if he could see the link that connected them strengthening, forming an unbreakable bond.

“Do you feel that?” Edrick said as he continued to master Nole’s body as if it were made just for him.  In a way, he supposed it had been.  They had been created for each other, after all.

Words were beyond him at the moment, so Nole nodded.  His body writhed under Edrick’s, silently begging to find the completion he’d been striving for, yet couldn’t quite reach.

Needing to complete the connection that had been forming between them, Nole leaned up and sank his canines into Edrick’s shoulder.

“Fuck,” Edrick cried out as Nole drank deeply.

A band snapped into place, one that could never be broken, yet there was still another tether that hadn’t sealed into place.  Licking the spot where he’d bitten to let it heal, Nole leaned back onto the pillow and stared right into dark blue eyes that had nearly gone black as his pupils grew larger with passion.

“You are mine,” Edrick snarled before striking.

An instant of pain had Nole opening his mouth to cry out but before the sound could be made it morphed into pleasure as bliss swamped through him and their mating locked into place.  Everything happened at once, leaving Nole’s mind reeling.

The tingling at the base of his spine shot into his balls, causing them to pull up tight and unload their contents in jets of pearly white seed out of the tip of his cock.  Each pull of Edrick’s mouth on his shoulder caused more cum to spurt from him, even as he felt Edrick’s seed filling him.  Nole was drained and floating.

But it was the wave of tenderness and fierce possessiveness that he felt from his mate that sent him soaring into the stratosphere.  Nole had never known anyone to care for him so deeply.  It left him breathless in its intensity.  If he ever doubted his mate before, Nole couldn’t any longer.  Not when he could feel his mate’s feelings for him like a warm blanket surrounding him, protecting him, loving him.

Exhausted, Nole let Edrick maneuver them, so he was half lying on top of his mate as Edrick’s arms encircled him protectively. When Edrick started purring, peace settled over Nole. Not even as a kid had Nole experienced this kind of sheer happiness.

“I don’t want you to take this the wrong way because I’m immensely happy you stayed and took care of me, but, why did you?” Edrick asked even as he held Nole tighter as if afraid Nole might take offense and leave.

But he couldn’t blame his mate for the question.  Nole had walked away once already.  It wouldn’t be a leap to think he’d do so again once the opportunity presented itself.  Edrick had no way of knowing that Nole had already started questioning his reasons for leaving.

“Honestly?”  It was something Nole was having a hard time facing.  He might have come to the realization that he shouldn’t have left Edrick, but that was a far cry from dealing with the reality of why he wanted to return.

Fingers brushed through his hair before tracing a soothing path down his spine.  “I would prefer honesty between us.”  The quietness in Edrick’s voice didn’t hide the steely resolve of his words.  “We’re mates.  I know you felt the connection.  So, yes, I expect us to be honest with each other.”

Nole felt his defenses going up at the order in Edrick’s tone.  He didn’t want to fight, not after just mating Edrick, but if his mate thought Nole would just blindly obey, he might as well discover now that wasn’t going to happen.

“Wait,” Edrick said as Nole started to sit up to tell his mate what he could do with his edicts.  “I didn’t mean that to come out like that.”

His mate gave a heavy sigh, and Nole rose anyway so he could look into those deep blue eyes.  “I get it.  You’re an alpha, and as such, you tend to give orders and expect them to be followed.  But I’m your mate, not your slave.”

One of Edrick’s large hands came up to cup his face and Nole didn’t even hesitate to lean into the touch.  “I know that.”  Then his mate chuckled.  “Plus, I don’t think you were ever good at obeying orders.”

“You can say that again,” Nole mumbled with a smile.  It was good to know that even though they hadn’t known each other long, Edrick had been paying enough attention to realize that Nole had his own mind.

Suddenly, he was pulled down until his lips were against his mate’s in a hard kiss.  Next thing he knew, he was flipped onto his back with Edrick leaning over him.  “I can’t promise not to issue orders when we both know it’s going to happen.”

When Nole opened his mouth to tell his mate what he thought of that, Edrick silenced him by placing a finger over his lips.  “But,” Edrick said, “I promise you have permission to ignore my orders unless it comes to your safety or that of our pack.”

Nole wasn’t so sure about that.  It might sound reasonable, but he could take care of himself just fine.  Still, he knew what Edrick meant, and Nole had no reason not to agree.  “Just so long as you understand that I can take care of myself, so no thinking I’m going to hide while you protect me.”

There was a struggle in those dark blue eyes, but eventually, Edrick nodded.  “Agreed.”

Happy to have gotten that concession, Nole didn’t complain as Edrick once more maneuvered him, so he was lying across his mate’s chest.  He should have known Edrick wouldn’t let the initial conversation drop.

“You didn’t answer my question, by the way.”

Nole tried to play dumb to his mate’s statement.  “What question?”

A light smack on his ass told him Edrick wasn’t buying it.  “Why did you stay and take care of me instead of running?”

Nole wasn’t sure he was ready to answer that question, but if he planned on making a life with his mate, it was time for him to be honest with not only Edrick but himself.

“I am one of sixteen children.  Twelve of them are half brothers and sisters, as my father didn’t believe in fidelity.”  Something Nole hated, especially as he’d had to hear his mother crying herself to sleep so many nights.

Strong arms hugged him tighter.  “But mates can’t cheat.”

What his mate said was supposedly true, but then again, Nole wouldn’t know, for he didn’t know any true mates.  “They aren’t mates.  Alpha Abdiel arranged all the marriages in our colony.  You either married who he told you to, or you were banished, assuming he let you live.”

“But how was that possible?  The shifter council wouldn’t have allowed that.”

Nole snorted at his mate’s incorrect assumption.  “They didn’t give a shit about a colony of mice shifters.  As far as they were concerned, we didn’t exist.”

“What about you?  How did you escape having to marry?” Edrick asked.

“I didn’t.” His mate stiffened beneath Nole.  “No, I’m not married,” he assured his mate.  “When the alpha tried to force my hand, I reminded him that I was currently the only doctor in the colony, not to mention his doctor, and if he forced me to marry, I would make sure to poison him so his dick would shrivel up to the size of a peanut.”

Edrick’s body shook with laughter as he held Nole.  “I don’t suppose that went over too well.”

Nole had to admit to loving the look on the man’s face when he described taking away his manhood.  “No.  It pissed Abdiel enough that I became a target.  Within twelve months he caught me with another man and had me beaten to death.  Fortunately, his idiot guards didn’t understand  to check for a pulse.”

As hard as it had been to be on the run for the last few years, Nole had never been so glad as to be free of his colony.  “Anyway, I guess, with how miserable my parents were with each other, not to mention most of the other couples in the colony, I had decided I would never allow myself to be in that situation.”

“But we’re mates.”  His mate’s matter of fact tone told him so much.  Clearly, Edrick hadn’t grown up with the kind of animosity Nole had.

Propping his chin on Edrick’s chest so he could look at his mate.  “That’s just it.  The only mates I’ve ever seen were the ones I met running from my colony, and they were hiding or on the run themselves for being gay.  Until I met you, I had no idea just how strong that connection was.  Hell, it wasn’t until I was walking away from you that I started to realize how lonely I had been all my life.”

He was saying this all wrong.  “What I mean is…” What did he mean?  Nole wasn’t quite sure.  He just knew he felt something for Edrick that he couldn’t ignore.  Hell, he didn’t even want to.  Not anymore.  “This is where I belong.  With you.  I feel it deep inside.  I don’t know where it will lead, or if it’s love, but for the first time in my life, I want to be with someone - with you.  If you’ll have me.”

Nole found himself holding his breath as he waited for Edrick’s answer.  Thankfully, his mate didn’t make him wait long.

“Of course, I’ll have you.”  Once more Edrick rolled them, so Nole was on his back.  “We belong together.”

Impossibly soft lips took his in a searing kiss that curled Nole’s toes.  He may not know what being a mate meant, but already Nole liked the possibilities.

CHAPTER 12

“How can you not like cheese?  You’re a mouse.”

Edrick was instantly on alert as he heard the tone in Chadwick’s voice as he spoke to Nole.  Or, at least, he assumed it was Nole since he was the only mouse shifter there.

“Shifter.  Mouse shifter.”  Nole’s voice was raised in frustration, but he wasn’t yelling, which considering the heated argument he’d stopped the previous day, Edrick considered that a good sign.

Thoughts of what happened right after he interrupted Nole and Chadwick had his dick thickening in anticipation of a repeat.  He’d taken his mate over and over the night before.  It was as if he couldn’t get enough of Nole.  The fact that his prick could even get hard at this point was impressive.

Determined to find his mate and drag him back to bed, Edrick slipped on a pair of sweatpants and opened the door to the bedroom.  The moment he stepped into the hallway was when he smelled it.  Another mouse shifter.  Concerned there was someone there he didn’t know, he rushed down the stairs.

It was an easy matter of following his mate and Chadwick’s loud voices to the kitchen to find his friends and his mate eating breakfast.  Just like yesterday, Nole and Chadwick faced off, both wearing expressions of belligerence and amusement as they continued their argument.  At least they were sitting.

“What’s the difference?” Chadwick asked with a casual shrug.  But it was the gleam in his friend’s eyes that spelled trouble. “A mouse is a mouse, and everyone knows mice love cheese.  Why do you think we bait our mouse traps with it?”

Ready to step in and stop the stupid fight, Edrick held back when he saw his mate’s face.  His flushed cheeks, along with the light in his eyes, said his mate was having a great time.  Jealousy tore through Edrick that it wasn’t him to have put that expression on Nole’s face.  At the same time, he was enthralled and refused to do anything that would destroy his mate’s happiness.

“It’s as insulting to assume mouse shifters like cheese as it would be if I tossed you a ball of string to play with,” Nole challenged Chadwick.

His friend lifted his lips in a broad smile.  “String?  Sounds like fun.”

Hudson and Kellach choked on their food, spraying it everywhere.  Lucca on the other hand just kept eating as if Nole and Chadwick weren’t saying a word.  How his friend could remain oblivious to the chaos around them, Edrick wasn’t sure, but he had to admit to finding himself amused at the pair’s antics.

It was the first time in nearly forty years that he’d seen Chadwick be anything other than the aloof man he’d turned into when he had to hide who he was.  Maybe allowing the two to continue their bickering wasn’t so bad.  At least it was keeping everyone entertained.

“Bullshit,” Nole fired back.  “But let’s test that, shall we?”

Nole got up from the table and went to the fridge Edrick and Chadwick had bought the day he’d discovered his mate.  After buying the truck from the farmer, who thankfully was also selling a trailer with it, they had gone to the nearest town and bought a generator. It would only be a temporary fix until they could come up with a more permanent energy solution, and a fridge, along with all the other building supplies they had needed.

Edrick had just pulled out of the hardware store when Lucca had called him to warn him Nole was being tracked by a group of mouse shifters.  How Lucca had missed the wolves, Edrick didn’t know, but it was something he planned to ask his friend the first chance he got.

Edrick felt his eyes widen as he watched Nole pour some milk into a small bowl and put it in front of Chadwick, who stared at it like it was an alien concept.

“Here you go, kitty,” Nole said smugly.  “Lap it up.”

Chadwick looked from the bowl to Noel, then back to the bowl before he finally understood what Nole was doing.  That shit-eating grin was back on Chadwick’s face as he leaned down and did exactly as Nole suggested by licking up the milk with his tongue.  To add to his teasing, he even shifted his tongue into his cat’s, to get more of the milk into his mouth.

Every single one of Chadwick’s friends looked at him as if he’d lost his mind.  When he finished the bowl of milk, he looked up to see them staring at him with their jaws dropped, and he said, “What?”

It was Hudson, who finally answered.  “I don’t remember the last time I’ve seen you joke around like this, much less smile and mean it.”

Chadwick raised his middle finger.  “That’s because you all don’t have a sense of humor.”

“You’re an idiot,” Lucca mumbled as he pushed his chair back from the table, the legs scraping against the concrete floor that had been stripped of the broken tile that had been there before when they’d first arrived.  Apparently, his friends had been busy while he’d recovered from his injuries.

Washing his plate and fork in the sink, Lucca said, “I’m going to go check on Jari.”

Not knowing who Jari was, Edrick stopped Lucca.  “Who’s Jari?”

Was Lucca blushing?  Edrick was sure his friend’s cheeks had pinked at his question.  When Lucca glanced at Nole as if silently pleading for help, Edrick went on alert.

Since when did the man, who was every bit the warrior Edrick was, blush like a school girl and ask for help explaining himself?  Nothing about this added up and Edrick had a feeling he wasn’t going to like what Lucca or Nole had to say.

“Jari was one of the ones who set me up to be killed by the group of wolves.”  Apparently, Nole wasn’t going to help Lucca like his friend thought he would.  “He used to be a friend, until I was discovered fucking Alpha Abdiel’s brother, Harper.”

White hot rage flowed through Edrick at the image of Nole in someone else’s arms.  A growl rumbled through him as he lifted Nole right out of his chair and slammed his mouth down on Nole’s.  He understood they both had pasts, but at the same time, Edrick didn’t want to hear about his mate with anyone else.  Now that he had, Edrick wanted nothing more than to mark his mate as his once more.

“Please tell me we’re not going to have to watch the live show,” Kellach whined.  “I mean, I love porn as much as the next guy, but Edrick is like a brother and that’s just...”  Out of the corner of his eye, Edrick saw Kellach give a whole-body shudder.  “...gross.”

“Yeah,” Hudson chimed in.  “The audio was bad enough last night.  I had to go sleep in town so that I wouldn’t have to hear you two fucking like bunnies.”

Both Nole and Edrick laughed, breaking the kiss.  Brown eyes sparkled like the brightest star as Nole glanced over at Kellach and Hudson.  “Just wait until you find your mates, and we’ll see how quiet you are.”

Chadwick harrumphed.  “I’ve heard Kellach.  I don’t know which is louder, the moans or the dirty mouth on him.”

Kellach blushed furiously even as he glared at Chadwick.  “If I remember right, your grunts and groans weren’t exactly quiet.”

One of Chadwick’s shoulders lifted in a half shrug.  “If I want my bed partner to continue doing what I like, then a little vocal encouragement is required.”  A mischievous grin curved his lips upward.  “Well, that and my cock fucking him senseless.”

Nole laughed when Kellach covered his ears and started singing, “La la la la,” as he walked out of the kitchen.

The next thing they heard was the front door slamming.

Chadwick’s grin grew even broader.  “Was it something I said?”

Edrick did his best not to laugh, but he just couldn’t keep it contained, especially when his mate had his forehead pressed to Edrick’s chest as he laughed himself silly.

The only person in the room not laughing was Lucca.  Reminded of what started this whole line of conversation, Edrick sobered up very quickly as he faced the man who was to be his second.  “If Jari did set Nole up to be killed by those wolves, why is he alive, and here in our home?”  He didn’t bother to keep the irritation at his best friend out of his voice, or the anger at having the enemy living so close to his mate when Edrick had been unconscious.

Lucca’s gray eyes darkened in anger.  “Because he’s my mate,” his friend bit out.

Nole gasped in his arms.

Edrick was glad he held his mate.  Not just for Nole’s sake, but for his own.  If this Jari really was Lucca’s mate, and he didn’t think his best friend would lie about something like that, then their lives had just gotten a lot more complicated.  He would need to meet this Jari person.  Best friend or not, Edrick wasn’t about to let an enemy, who had already tried to get Nole killed, anywhere near his mate.

CHAPTER 13

Consumed with worry over Edrick as he’d fought to keep him alive, figuring out what was going on with Jari hadn’t been Nole’s top priority.  Hell, it hadn’t even been on his radar for the most part.

Sure, Nole had known his old friend had been there, but it had been easy not to think about him or what he’d been willing to do as Nole took care of his mate.  Now that Edrick had healed and they had mated, he supposed it was time to get his head out of his ass and deal with the problems at hand.

Like, Alpha Abdiel wasn’t going to stop sending someone to kill him.  Edrick’s pack was also searching for them.  There were hunters a little too close for Nole’s peace of mind.  Oh, yeah, and his best friend who not only turned his back on Nole when his alpha tried to beat Nole to death but went out of his way to set Nole up to be killed by a pack of wolves, was the mate to Edrick’s best friend and second.

How fucked up did life need to get before things got better?  Nole snorted.  Apparently, the answer was never.

“What?” Edrick asked as they worked outside to help Chadwick with the front porch.  The house might not be ready to fall over, but there were places it just wasn’t safe to walk unless he wanted to end up with his foot punching a hole through the rotten wood.  The front porch was by far the worst as it had been exposed to the elements for all these years.

Ignoring his mate’s question since he wasn’t quite ready to talk about Jari or more pointedly, that he was Lucca’s mate and would be required to live there, Nole asked, “Exactly how long was this town abandoned anyway?”

Hoping Edrick would allow the change of subject, Nole had to admit to being relieved when his mate started telling him more about Miracle.  “I bought it five years ago when I had come out west for a programming job for the government in Portland.”

The saw whirled to life as they worked to cut the next five boards that Chadwick had given them the measurements for.  As Edrick cut, Nole carried the boards to where Chadwick was hammering them into place.  By the end of the day, they should have a brand-new wrap around porch.

When Edrick finished and turned the saw off, he continued with his story even as they carried more of the lumber to the next section to be nailed in.  “According to the real estate agent, the town had been abandoned in the 1940’s when several people were killed, and they couldn’t find the murderer.  The town had been very small, less than a hundred people, and had been struggling to survive.

“When the murders occurred, the already dying town collapsed.  Everyone moved, even the farmers, although most of the farms were bought up by nearby towns.  But the town?” Edrick shrugged.  “It remained abandoned after reports of strange occurrences started to get around.”

Hudson, who had been helping Chadwick with nailing the boards, stopped and looked at Edrick with horror.  “You bought a fucking haunted town?  Are you out of your mind?”

Nole didn’t believe in ghosts or something being haunted.  But he had to admit to finding it fascinating that Hudson did.

There was amusement in Edrick’s blue eyes, making them shine as he asked, “Who said anything about it being haunted?”

The look of horror didn’t lessen on Hudson’s face.  If anything, it just kept getting worse.  “People were murdered,” Hudson said as if that explained everything.  When everyone around him didn’t seem to feel the same way as Hudson, he tried again.  “There were weird things happening after the murders.  It’s common knowledge when someone is murdered; they often hang around to seek revenge.  Did you even ask the realtor if there were ghosts?”

Edrick’s jaw dropped comically as he clearly fought not to laugh outright.  “It didn’t come up,” Edrick finally managed to get out.

Hudson stood and started walking off the porch to where his motorcycle was parked.  Nole, Edrick, and Chadwick just stared at the man as he climbed onto his Harley.  It wasn’t until it started that they came out of their daze.

Edrick shouted above the rumble of the engine.  “Where do you think you’re going?”

Hudson shook his head at Edrick as if it should be completely obvious.  “To get an EMF meter, digital infrared camera, a dowsing rod, and a Geiger counter.  All the things I stupidly left behind at home.  We’re going to need them.”

Before Edrick could stop him, Hudson roared away.

All three men stood there watching Hudson head down the road.

“You know, I always knew that man had a screw loose.”  Chadwick’s voice was laced with disbelief as he continued to watch the last spot they’d seen Hudson before he’d disappeared around the corner.

“Where did Hudson go?” Lucca asked as he stepped out of the house and onto the part of the porch that was finished.

Edrick slowly moved his head back and forth as he too continued to stare after Hudson.  “You don’t want to know.”

Lucca shrugged.  “Okay.  If you have some time, I was hoping we could discuss Jari.”

Lucca’s words had Nole stiffening.  He still wasn’t prepared to deal with facing what his former friend had done to him.  They had grown up together, played together, even cried together when Jari’s mom had died.  That Jari not only turned his back on Nole but was willing to set him up to die, stung.  No.  It fucking hurt.

As if sensing his discomfort, Edrick wrapped an arm around Nole and pulled him against his body.  It shouldn’t have helped.  Nole had always been independent, especially since being beaten nearly to death and left to die.  Yet, he had to admit, being in his mate’s arms soothed something within him.  Breathing Edrick’s musky scent into his lungs left him feeling much more relaxed and able to handle whatever was thrown his way.

Maybe being mated really was a good thing.  Nole wished he hadn’t fought it.  If he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have run into Jari to be betrayed.  More importantly, Edrick wouldn’t have been hurt.

The air in his lungs caught as he thought about how close he had been to losing his mate before ever getting the chance to know him.  Needing to be even closer, Nole tucked himself tighter to Edrick.  The smile that Edrick gave him at his move made Nole all warm inside.

“I know what Jari did was wrong, and he needs to be punished, but I’m begging you not to kill him.”  The slight tremble in Lucca’s voice as he talked about his mate dying gave Nole a pang of guilt.

Having Edrick so close to death had been one of the hardest things he’d ever had to deal with.  Even having to run from his colony in agony after being beaten was preferable to seeing his mate struggle to survive.  He could only imagine what Lucca was going through.

“We’re not going to kill him,” Nole told Lucca.

“We aren’t?” Edrick asked.  The tempered rage in his mate’s voice said he wasn’t so sure that was true.

But Nole wasn’t about to let one of Edrick’s best friends suffer, even if Jari deserved his fate.  Staring up into Edrick’s blue eyes, made darker by the anger of what Jari had done, Nole said, “No, we aren’t.”

A calloused hand came up to cup Nole’s face.  “Are you sure, my little mouse?”

The depth of emotion in Edrick’s voice caused tears to prick at Nole’s eyes.  “He almost got you killed.  What if he brings your colony to our doorstep?  I don’t think I could survive if anything happened to you.”

Since the day he’d crawled from his colony, Nole hadn’t shed one tear.  He refused to give anyone the satisfaction of making him cry and see him weak.  Yet, here in Edrick’s arms, he didn’t care who saw him or what they thought of the tears that spilled onto his cheeks.

Edrick was one of the kindest, loving men he’d ever known.  For that Nole would be eternally grateful to the fates for pairing them.  “I’m sure,” he whispered.  “Jari may deserve to die, but Lucca doesn’t deserve to lose his mate.  They aren’t going to have an easy road, and I’m not saying we let Jari free.”  He glanced over to Lucca, who had tensed.  “Yet,” he added.

Edrick leaned down and placed a gentle kiss to his lips.  “You are the most considerate, sweet, generous man I know, my little mouse.”

With words like that, Nole found he didn’t even mind being called little mouse, mostly.  He wasn’t about to admit it, but it was starting to grow on him.  “I feel the same way about you.”

Another tender kiss was shared before they straightened and faced Lucca, who appeared to be on pins and needles as the wood railing he’d been gripping creaked under the strain of him holding it so tightly.  “We won’t kill him, but we also can’t let him free until we’re sure he isn’t going to bring Nole’s colony to our doorstep.”

Lucca’s shoulders sagged in relief.  “Thank you.  I know that wasn’t easy considering what Jari did to Nole, but I think he’s sorry for his actions.  At least, I hope so.”  The worry in Lucca’s voice gave Nole a measure of comfort.  Just because Jari was Lucca’s mate, didn’t mean the cat shifter would be fooled by him.

“What about his punishment?” Lucca asked.

The shifter world was often a harsh one.  Then again, considering the damage they could do if they chose to, it was often necessary to remind them that they were going to be held accountable for their actions.  Sometimes, Nole wished the humans would do the same for some of their citizens.  In the shifter world, punishments matched the crime in severity.

What Jari had done would normally have resulted in his death, but as he was Lucca’s mate, they would have to come up with something else.  “For now, he remains chained up and only given basic food and water.” Edrick shook his head.  “I’ll decide on a more fitting punishment after I’ve had a chance to speak with him, but...”  Edrick sighed heavily as he stared up at his friend with regret.  “I’ll be honest.  I’m too angry right now to be rational if I saw him.  You’re going to have to give me a few days to deal with almost losing Nole before I’m able to be in the same room with Jair without killing him.”

There was so much pain in Lucca’s eyes, Nole was tempted to give the man a hug.  Only the knowledge that it wouldn’t be welcome stopped Nole from doing just that.  Lucca gave a tight nod then turned his gaze to Nole.  “I’m so sorry,” he whispered.

Before Nole could respond, Lucca turned on his heel and went back inside.

“Poor bastard,” Chadwick muttered.  “Mates are nothing but trouble and need to be avoided at all costs.”

Just a week ago, Nole would have agreed with Chadwick completely.  Now, as he stood within his mate’s arms, Nole realized what an idiot he’d been.

CHAPTER 14

 Hot coffee in hand, feet up on the newly constructed porch railing, Nole stared out into the dark of the predawn morning.  The quiet solitude should have helped the agitation that had him tossing and turning all night.  Too bad it wasn’t working.

Taking a sip of the bitter brew of strong, black coffee, he tried to come to grips with the reality that he would have to face Jari eventually.  It had been a week since Edrick had recovered from his injuries, but no matter how hard Nole had tried, he just couldn’t forget the fear of almost losing him.

For the sake of Edrick and his friends, specifically Lucca, Nole needed to find a way to forgive his former friend, but he just couldn’t figure out how.  That was why he was sitting there in the dark as he waited for the sun to rise.

Under normal circumstances, the stillness of predawn always settled whatever ailed Nole.  But this time...this time he wasn’t sure he was ever going to achieve any kind of peace.  Not when Jari had proven he couldn’t be trusted.

So how was Nole supposed to forgive the man, to move on with him living under their roof, when he’d forever feel the need to watch his back?  At the same time, Nole couldn’t put off facing Jari any longer.

Lucca had been left teetering on the edge for far too long, and it was starting to affect all of them.  It wasn’t fair to leave Lucca in limbo forever.

Edrick had already met with Jari a few days ago.  Which only pissed Nole off more.  Instead of deciding on Jari’s punishment, Edrick added to Nole’s pressure by refusing to come up with his repercussions until Nole talked with Jari and they came up with one together.  When Nole begged Edrick not to involve him, his mate refused, because Nole had been the one hurt the most by Jari’s actions, so technically his reparation was up to Nole.

He let a snort out into the quietness of the morning.

Nole wasn’t an idiot.  His mate was just trying to force him to face Jari.  The fact was if Nole couldn’t live with Jari around, which he highly doubted he could, someone had to leave.  Either Edrick and Nole, or Lucca and Jari.

Neither option was good, for it would mean tearing apart five men who had been there for each other their whole lives.  Men who had left their pack for each other.  Men who had dared to strike it out on their own for each other.  So how was Nole supposed to live with tearing that friendship apart?

“A penny for your thoughts,” Edrick said as he stepped out onto the porch with a cup of coffee in his hand.

The solemnness of his mate’s expression told Nole he already knew what Nole was thinking about.  So, he decided to surprise his mate.  “World peace.  The increasing national debt.  Oh, and if I tied a string to the roof and let it hang down over the side of the house, how long would Chadwick be entertained as he jumped up to get it?”

Edrick chuckled, and for that instant, all was right in Nole’s world.  It was bizarre, yet true.  Never would Nole have imagined that something as simple as someone laughing would melt his insides.  “I think world peace is a myth that will never exist so long as there is more than one person living on this earth.”

The coffee cup in Edrick’s hand was placed on the small table next to the chair Nole sat in.  “As for the national debt.”  Edrick leaned over Nole and picked him up before sitting in the chair with Nole in his lap.  “That would require getting rid of the government and its greedy politicians, which, sadly, isn’t going to happen.”

Gently, Edrick nudged Nole to lean back against his chest.  Wrapped in Edrick’s embrace, Nole felt that hard fought for peace settle inside of him.  He didn’t know how his mate always knew what to do to give Nole exactly what he needed.  It would be more annoying if Nole didn’t love Edrick so damn much.

Everything inside of him froze as that thought raced through his mind.  He loved Edrick.  How didn’t he see it before?  Not sure he was ready to say it aloud until he had some time to think about it, Nole decided to keep it to himself for a little longer.

“And Chadwick wouldn’t get any more work done if you hung a string from the roof.  Not that I would mind too much.  For too many years Chadwick has been aloof.”  A kiss was placed against Nole’s head.  “Before meeting you, he never joked, not since we were little kids.  Hell, I don’t remember the last time I saw him smile.”  Another kiss was given.  “Thank you for pulling him out of his shell.”

It really hadn’t been anything Nole had done, at least not on purpose.  But he was glad he could help.  “You’re welcome.”

Those big arms that surrounded him squeezed him a little tighter.  Nole smiled as he settled further into Edrick’s embrace.  “And the reason you are out here so early in the morning?”

Nole groaned. Why couldn’t his mate leave well enough alone?  He knew he had to face Jari, but Nole didn’t want to have to talk about it too.  “I don’t want to talk about it.”  A part of him wished he could run away and never have to face Jari.  He wasn’t even sure he could without tearing out the man’s heart for what he’d done.

Edrick stroked Nole’s back soothingly.  “As much as I would like to shield you from this, I can’t,” Edrick murmured.  “But you see what this is doing to everyone, even you.  It’s time to face Jari.”

He knew that.  He did.  That was why he was out there at such a ridiculous time of day to begin with.  Nole had needed to find the courage to do the one thing he’d been avoiding like the plague.  “I know.  I just...”

How did he finish that?

There were too many reasons why he didn’t want to deal with Jari.  He also knew there was one reason that scared him more than the others.  “What if I can’t forgive him?  I don’t think I could live with the guilt if that destroyed your friendship with Lucca.”

Suddenly large hands gripped his hips and Nole was lifted and turned so he straddled Edrick’s legs and he was facing his mate.  Then one of Edrick’s hands moved up to cup his face and pull him close, so their lips just barely touched.  “None of this is your fault, my little mouse.  Jari made his bed.  Whatever consequences come from that is all on him.”

“Edrick’s right,” Lucca said from the doorway.  “As much as I pray you will find a way to forgive Jari, whatever happens, is on him.”  The sadness in Lucca’s gray eyes tore at Nole’s heart.  He hated that this man, who hadn’t deserved to be with a mate who had nearly gotten Edrick and Nole killed, was mated to Jari.  Yet, not once had Lucca complained.  Nor had he blamed Edrick or Nole for dragging their feet when it came to his mate’s punishment.

“I’m so sorry, Lucca.  I just don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive Jari.  The fact that he turned his back on me when the alpha had me beaten and left for dead was bad enough, but I would have found a way to get past that.”  Nole glanced at Edrick, who had somehow become the center of his world in such a short time.  “But those wolves nearly killed Edrick, and I just don’t know if I can forgive him for leading them to me.”

Once more Edrick pulled Nole’s head down until their lips just touched and gave him the sweetest, most tender kiss Nole could ever remember receiving. It was so full of love, Nole could almost touch it.  Suddenly, telling Edrick his feelings didn’t seem so scary.  Although he refused to say them with an audience.

When the kiss ended, Nole tucked his head into the crook of Edrick’s neck and cuddled close.  He needed his mate’s strength if he was going to get through this.

For several minutes the three of them remained in silence.  The air was thick with things not said as they all struggled to find the right words to say to make things better.  But there just wasn’t anything that could change what had happened or what was about to happen.  Nole would have to face the man who had betrayed him and find a way to forgive him, or their lives would forever be changed.

A sigh from Lucca broke the silence.  “As much as it pains me to admit, what Jari did was deplorable.  He doesn’t deserve your forgiveness.  At the same time, he had his reasons, and I just hope you can find it in your heart to listen to him with an open mind.”

When Nole sat up, Lucca was no longer there, having gone back into the house.  He just wished he hadn’t felt so relieved not to have to answer the request.  Nole would like to say he would listen to Jari with an open mind, but he was still too hurt, too angry, too disappointed.

The sky had lightened considerably as the sun was getting ready to make an appearance.  Turning, so his back was to Edrick’s chest once more, they sat there and watched as the sun rose above the trees.

Nole blinked as he saw a figure approach carrying what looked like a large camera and a large pole, with what appeared to be a light attached to one end.  “Hudson?” Nole called out as the figure got closer.  “Is that you?”

“Yeah,” Hudson answered as he neared the porch.

“Did you catch a ghost?” Edrick asked, the humor in his mate’s voice hard to miss.

Hudson scowled at Edrick as he wearily climbed the steps.  “You know, I’m going to make you choke on that laughter when a ghost confronts you.”

“Wait.”  All week Nole had heard Edrick and the others joke around about Hudson searching for ghosts, but he hadn’t thought they were serious.  “You mean you’ve actually been searching for spirits?”

“Yes.”  The way Hudson held himself still as if preparing himself for further ridicule when he answered, told Nole him just how much Hudson hated being constantly picked on for his beliefs.

Unwilling to add to it, Nole nodded his head and said, “Cool.  Next time you go out, let me know.  I might join you.”

At first, Hudson stared at him in disbelief, but the longer Nole held his gaze, the more that doubt turned to hope.  “Really?”

Nole didn’t hesitate.  “Definitely.  I’ve always thought there was something…” He glanced in the direction of the town for several moments before continuing.  “I don’t know how to describe it.  But there have been times when I would swear there was someone in that town.  Yet, when I checked it out, there was no evidence anyone had been there in years.”

He turned back to Hudson.  “I’ve always thought I just imagined things. After hearing about the history of this town, I’m not so sure there wasn’t someone, or thing, there after all.”

Suddenly, that hope in Hudson’s eyes turned to excitement.  “I’ll be going out again tonight if you really want to go.”

There was no way Nole was going to turn the man down.  He may not know Hudson all that well, but he was one of Edrick’s best friends, not to mention one of the pack Nole was joining.  He might not be able to help Lucca when it came to Jari, but Hudson was someone he could do something about.  Giving Hudson a smile, Nole said, “I’d love to.”

With a bounce in his step that hadn’t been there moments before, Hudson headed inside to put his gear away.  It wasn’t much, but at least Nole didn’t feel like a heel for causing problems between Edrick and another of his friends.

As the darkness was chased away by the hope of a new day, Nole curled deeper into his mate’s arms.

“Thank you.”  The whispered words against his ear warmed Nole from the inside.  “I hadn’t realized how much we were hurting Hudson with our constant teasing.”

“You’re welcome.”  Having helped one of Edrick’s friends, Nole knew it was time to deal with Jari, if for no other reason than to give Lucca some closure.  “Will you go with me?”  Nole didn’t know where the question had come from.  He hadn’t meant to ask it.  But now that he had, he prayed Edrick would agree.

Thankfully his mate didn’t need to explain the switched topic.  “Of course, I wouldn’t dream of making you face Jari without me,” Edrick whispered into his hair.

Profound relief filled Nole at the assurance.  Maybe, with his mate safe by his side, Nole would find a way to do the impossible and forgive Jari.

CHAPTER 15

The wood creaked under their feet as Nole and Edrick made their way down into the basement.  The dank room was musty with a chill in the air that seeped right into Nole’s bones by the time they’d reached the cement floor.

As his eyes adjusted to the dim room, Nole saw a cot in the far corner.  There, sitting on a thin, stained mattress was Jari, head bent, his body shaking slightly, cuffs attached to each wrist, linked to a chain that was bolted into the wall.

Concerned when Jari didn’t even look up, Nole rushed to his former friend’s side. Before sitting down on the edge of the cot, Nole stopped himself.  The sense of betrayal chose that moment to rear its ugly head, reminding him this man couldn’t be trusted.

“Jari,” he said instead of pulling the man who had been his friend most of his life in his arms and comforting him as he heard the sobs that Jari was trying to hide.

At the sound of his name, Jari popped his head up.  His eyes widened in surprise.  “Nole?  You came.”  The disbelief in Jari’s voice along with the hoarse sound, most likely due to the man’s crying, tugged at Nole’s heart.

But it didn’t erase the fact that Jari had tried to get Nole killed.  Nor that he’d nearly succeeded with Edrick.  “I’m here, but only because Lucca needs this situation to be resolved.  Otherwise, I would be more than happy to leave you rotting down here.”

Despair filled Jari’s gaze.  “I’m sorry.  I don’t expect you to believe me or forgive me.”  Jari closed his eyes for a moment before those light brown eyes once more fixed on Nole.  “I don’t deserve it.  But I just want you to know I never wanted to hurt you.”

Nole snorted in derision.  He couldn’t help it.  “You lead a group of wolf mercenaries right to me.  You even distracted me so they could get close enough to kill me.  What did you think would happen?  We’d have a tea party?”

Jari winced at his harsh tone, but Nole couldn’t muster the concern to care.  Edrick had almost died because of this man, and now he was claiming he hadn’t meant for it to happen.  He had to take several steps back for fear of lashing out at Jari with the claws that had sprung out on his hands.

Edrick placing his hand on his shoulder helped Nole to relax a bit.  Glancing back at his mate, who stood there smiling encouragingly at Nole, the anger that nearly had him beating Jari as badly as Nole had been at the hands of his alpha and his minions lessened enough for Nole to gain control of himself once more.

The door to the basement opened, and heavy footsteps descended.  Lucca.  The man stared at his mate as if assessing him.  Probably checking for any signs that Nole had hit him.  Wise considering the temptation had nearly had him doing just that a moment ago.

“May I stay?” Lucca asked.  The question may have been directed at Edrick and Nole, but his gaze never left his mate.

The fervent hope that flared in Jari’s eyes pissed Nole off and had him biting his tongue when he wanted to crush it by telling Lucca no.  He just didn’t think he could get through this without trying to kill Jari.

“Nole?” Edrick asked when Nole hadn’t answered Lucca.  He really hated that his mate was so willing to let Nole make decisions.  Well, at least when it came to Jari.  Any other time he would have threatened to cut the man’s balls off for daring to presume what Nole wanted. 

Not trusting himself to speak, Nole gave a curt nod.  That was all Lucca needed.  He strode over to his mate and stood there, not close enough to touch, but enough that he could see Jari visibly relax.

The whole scene reminded him of he and Edrick, bringing home just how important it was that Nole find a way to forgive Jari.  But how?

“Did you tell him?” Lucca asked Jari.

Jari just barely moved his head back and forth as he glanced from his mate to Nole.  “It doesn’t matter,” he whispered despondently.  “I still allowed it to happen.  I don’t deserve to live after what I’ve done.”

A rumble filled the room as Lucca growled out his displeasure.  “Stop saying that.”

“Why not?  It’s true.”  Jari stared at Nole.  “You might as well sentence my death.  I know it’s what I deserve.”

This time Lucca didn’t just growl, he bent down until he was eye level with Jari and got right in his mate’s face.  “You. Are. Not. Going. To. Die.  Do you understand me?” Lucca’s fierce tone had Nole wondering how Jari wasn’t cowering in fear.

For as long as Nole had known Jari, the man had never been known to stand his ground.  Usually, he was the first one to try and make peace.  “What do you care?” Jari shot back at Lucca.

“I’m your mate,” Lucca spat out.

There was anger in Jari’s soft brown eyes, something Nole couldn’t ever remembering seeing before as he glared at Lucca.  “I haven’t seen any evidence of that,” Jari muttered.

Lucca’s hands reached out to grasp Jari’s shoulders before slamming their lips together in a brutal kiss.  Not wanting to intrude, Nole was tempted to go back up the stairs and away from this mess.

“Hear Jari out first,” Edrick whispered into his ear.

Nole glanced over his shoulder at his mate.  He’d planned on glaring at the man in irritation for being too damn observant for Nole’s peace of mind.  Except what he found when he looked into his mate’s blue eyes was love and concern.

How was he supposed to be upset with someone looking at him like he was the man’s world?  Leaning back into Edrick, he gave his mate a brief kiss.  “Thank you for being here.”  And he meant that.  Sure, he could have done it alone, but things were just better when Edrick was there.

After everything that had happened to Nole, he hadn’t expected to come to feel so close to another person, or trust them implicitly, yet with Edrick he did.

“It’s my pleasure, my little mouse.”  Edrick placed a kiss on the tip of his nose before they both turned back to find Lucca and Jari watching them with a healthy dose of fear and anxiety.

“Tell him,” Lucca ordered his mate.

One of the biggest differences between Nole and Jari was that Jari was quite submissive.  He never stood up for himself, or anyone as far as Nole knew – well, until just now.  Suddenly he started to get a clearer picture of the position Jari would have been put in if ordered to set Nole up.  Jari wouldn’t have felt able to disobey an order from the Alpha.

It didn’t excuse it, but for Jari, it would have been impossible for him not to do as Abdiel told him to.  Especially since the man was their alpha.

With a put upon sigh, Jari, voice so low Nole could hardly make out the words even with his shifter hearing, shared his story.  “No one knows this, but since I came back from cooking school at the age of nineteen, Alpha Abdiel had cornered me and forced me to become his bitch.” Jari blushed furiously, tucking his face into his chest as if trying to hide when that last word echoed against the concrete walls.

Nole was stunned.

“Alpha Abdiel is gay?”  Nothing, not even if Jari had said the alpha liked to dress up in drag and sing aria’s, could have shocked Nole more.  “But, he hates gays.”

Jari shrugged.  “He told me we had to keep things a secret or the council would remove him as Alpha and then he wouldn’t be able to change things.”

“Change what?” Nole yelled.  “The man has been trying to kill me for five fucking years.  He even used one of my best friends to do it.”

Jari shrank back at Nole’s harsh words.  That visible reminder of how weak Jari was deflated Nole’s rising indignation.  As much as Nole wanted to shake Jari for being so easily manipulated by their alpha, he knew there was no point.  Just because Nole had the sense to think for himself and stand up for what he believed in, didn’t mean others did.

His former friend was just one example, but Nole knew more people willing to just blindly believe what their leaders were telling them, never once questioning them.  It was how Nole’s old colony had gotten to the point of their alpha choosing their mates instead of fate.  Not even when confronted with one’s fated mate were the alpha’s declarations changed.

Too many of their colony had gone insane having to deny a mate.  Yet, they still followed Alpha Abdiel’s orders.  So how could he blame Jari for doing the same?

The warmth of Edrick’s hand as he placed it on the small of Nole’s back seeped into him.  But just because he could forgive Jari for allowing himself to be used, didn’t mean he was willing to let the man free.  As far as Nole was concerned, Jari was a risk.  A risk who couldn’t be trusted.

“I know what I did was wrong,” Jari whispered.  “But it wasn’t like I had a choice.”  There was an edge of steel in Jari’s voice that surprised Nole.  He hadn’t thought the man had it in him to stand up for himself.  “Alpha Abdiel killed my brother when he walked in on us and threatened to tell the colony.”

Nole felt the blood in his veins turn to ice as Jari spoke.

“After that, anytime I didn’t do as he said, Abdiel would threaten one of my family.”  Tears ran down Jari’s face, his hands fisting in his lap.  “When I refused to go after you, he…” a sob burst from Jari, but he forced himself to continue.  “He killed my parents and told me he would kill each of my brothers and sisters next.  Then he would go after my nieces and nephews.”

Heavy grief dulled Jari’s normally light brown eyes.  “I just couldn’t let them die.”  With a voice so small, so defeated, Jari said, “Once Abdiel realizes I failed, he’ll kill them.”  Jari shrank right before Nole’s eyes.  “They’re probably already dead.”

“Fuck,” Edrick and Lucca said at the same time.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Lucca asked.  “I would have gone after them.”  Clearly, Jari hadn’t told his mate the whole story.

Jari lifted a defeated shoulder.  “What’s the point?  Abdiel always wins.  I know that better than anyone.”

“Not this time,” Edrick snarled out.  “I’m sick of alphas feeling they can do what they want without consequences.  I can’t promise your family is still alive, but I can promise to do everything within my power to save those that are.”

“It won’t do any good.  Abdiel will only come after them.”  Jari pointed to Nole.  “Nole’s been running for years, and Abdiel hasn’t stopped trying to kill him.”

Edrick growled low.  The sound rumbled into the confines of the basement like thunder.  “And I will end him for his attempts.”

Before seeing Edrick and his friends in action, Nole might have thought that promise impossible to keep.  But now?  Now he knew just how deadly these cats were, and the hope of finally being free of his former alpha blossomed to life.  For if anyone could kill Abdiel, it was Edrick.

CHAPTER 16

“We don’t have enough manpower for something that big,” Hudson argued.  “Don’t get me wrong, I’m more than willing to go on this suicide mission if it’s what you want, but Nole and Jari’s colony is too big to get into without being seen. Not to mention we need to evacuate up to fifty members of Jari’s family.”  Hudson threw up his hands in frustration.  “How in the hell are we supposed to do that with four motorcycles and a pickup truck?”

As much as Edrick hated to admit it, Hudson was right.  They didn’t have the manpower to rescue so many people.  “If we kill Abdiel, we don’t have to rescue anyone.”

Jari snorted.  They were gathered in the kitchen after Nole had forgiven Jari. However, there was one concession.  Lucca wasn’t to leave Jari’s side since they didn’t trust the mouse shifter not to contact his colony and tell Abdiel exactly where they were. 

“Everyone who surrounds Abdiel is just as bad as he is.  In some cases, worse.  If you kill Abdiel, one of them will take power, and my family still won’t be safe, especially if they see me as a threat for bringing you to their doorstep,” Jari informed them

“What if we recruited help?” Nole asked.

All eyes turned to Edrick’s mate.  “Who?” Edrick asked.  It wasn’t like there were many shifters who were willing to help start a war with a shifter colony, especially when they would be helping gay shifters, an abomination in the minds of many.

His mate cocked his head to the side.  It wasn’t anything sexy, yet Edrick still found himself getting hard at how cute his little mouse looked.  “While running from Abdiel, I met many gay shifters who were in hiding.  If we offered them a safe place to stay, maybe they would agree to fight with us.”

“Safe?” Chadwick laughed.  “Have you forgotten we have our own alpha problems with Edrick’s father?  Not to mention this town is falling down around our ears.  Where are we supposed to put everyone and how in the hell do we protect them?”

“It’s not that bad,” Nole argued.  “Sure, we have a lot of work to do, but with more hands to help, it won’t take long to make this town livable.”

Both had a point.  Edrick just wasn’t sure he was comfortable adding more people to the mix.  He might be the Alpha, but Edrick had never wanted to lead.  Being in charge of his friends was easy since they all knew their jobs and worked together.  Edrick didn’t usually have to give orders.  That wouldn’t be true if they allowed others to live there.

“We also need to consider, the bigger this town gets, the easier it will be for Alpha Lorcan to find us,” Hudson added.  “Not to mention every alpha and bigot will come after us once it is known we have a town full of gays.”

Surprisingly, it was Jari who spoke up and confronted Hudson.  “So, you’re saying we should just leave all those people to fend for themselves because it might cause us trouble?”

“So, the timid mouse has a spine after all,” Chadwick said, which earned him a growl of disapproval from Lucca.  Flashing Lucca a cheesy smile, Chadwick flipped him off.  “Calm down kitty.  No point in getting your panties in a knot.  I was giving him a compliment.”

Hudson rolled his eyes at his friend.  “To answer your question, Jari, no, I don’t think that, but I also feel not understanding the consequences of our actions would be highly foolish.”

This time when Chadwick smiled, it was more menacing, with a touch of crazy.  “I’m all for giving the bigots a big old “fuck you” by banding together.  But if we’re going to do this, we need to start working on getting better weapons, maybe even a rocket launcher or two.”

Now that Chadwick had come out of his uptight shell, Edrick was beginning to wonder about his sanity.  “And where in the hell are we supposed to get a rocket launcher?” Edrick asked.

Lucca lifted his hand up partway to gain their attention.  “That’s easy.  I can not only get us a rocket launcher but have it delivered in twenty-four hours.  I’m going to have a harder time getting enough ammunition for our guns.  With this country’s sudden threat to their second amendment, bullets are hard to come by.”

Maybe it was Edrick who had gone crazy.  There was no way they were talking about getting rocket launchers like it was nothing.  On the other hand, they would need every advantage if they were really going to invite gay shifters to move to their town for Hudson was right.  The entire bigoted shifter community would come gunning for them the moment they found out they where they were.

The only one who hadn’t contributed to the conversation was Kellach.  Not that he was surprised.  Kellach was the most reserved out of all of them, especially around those he didn’t know.  Nole might be Edrick’s mate and Jari, Lucca’s mate, but that didn’t mean Kellach would instantly be comfortable with speaking his mind in front of them.

But this was too important to let Kellach remain in the background.  Whatever decision they made would affect them all.  “Kellach, what do you think?”

The knife Kellach had been using to cut vegetables for the stew he was making slammed, point down, into the butcher block, embedding the knife into the wood.  Startled to see such a violent reaction from their usual timid friend, Edrick and the others stared, jaws dropped.

“I think I hate fucking cooking.  You want to bring all these people here?  Fine.  I’m on board with that, since I’m sick and tired of those bigoted assholes chasing us like we are some disease that has to be eradicated, but I am not going to cook for all those people.”  By the time he was done, Kellach stood with his arms crossed over his chest and his feet braced apart as if willing to go to battle over his being forced to cook.

Even though he’d worried Kellach didn’t like to cook, Edrick had hoped he was wrong.  He had no idea what they were supposed to do if Kellach wasn’t willing to make their meals.  The last time Edrick had tried to cook, he’d nearly burned down the kitchen, and he’d only been boiling water.

“I’ll do it,” Jari offered.

All eyes instantly went from Kellach to Jari in surprise.

“What?” Jari drew his brows together as he stared back at each of them.  “I like to cook.  It’s why I went to cooking school, after all.  Is that suddenly a crime?”

Lucca raised one eyebrow at his mate. “Of course not.  But are you sure?  I don’t want you to feel you have to do something you don’t want to.”

Jari squared his shoulders as he faced his mate.  “I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want to.  I happen to love cooking.”  Jari glanced over at Kellach.  “If you’re okay with it, I would be happy to take over the meals.”

Kellach tore off the apron he had on.  “You won’t hear any arguments from me.  If I never step foot in the kitchen again, I’ll be a happy man.”  He left the vegetables right where they were and went to sit in one of the empty chairs around the table.  “You can even start now if you want. Otherwise I say we’re having sandwiches for dinner.”

Edrick bit back the groan at having to eat nothing more than a sandwich.  When they were busy working, he didn’t mind, but for dinner, Edrick wanted something more filling.  Thankfully, Jari jumped up from his chair and went to work chopping the rest of the vegetables.

The whole atmosphere instantly changed in the room.  Jari’s excitement was infectious as he made their meal.  Even Kellach’s normally sour disposition, while he cooked, was gone.  It was enough to give Edrick hope that they might just find a way to survive.

“So, are we in agreement?  Nole will make some calls and see who is willing to join us, while the rest of us get to work on securing this town and making it safer.”  It wouldn’t be easy.  Hell, Edrick was pretty sure it would be impossible, but if they worked together, they just may find a way to build the home they’d always dreamed of having.

Each man nodded in turn.

“Then let’s get to work,” he said.

Nole and Lucca pulled out their phones and started making calls, while he, Chadwick, and Hudson made lists for what they would need to defend themselves, rebuild the town, and ways to bring food and water to Miracle that wouldn’t always require them to drive to other towns to get it.

For the first time in his life, Edrick found himself up to the task of being Alpha.  It wouldn’t be easy, but with his mate and his friends by his side, anything was possible.

CHAPTER 17

“Do you think we have any chance of beating Abdiel?”  As much as Nole had tried to remain optimistic as he’d made his phone calls to the gay shifters he’d met over the years, inside he feared they would all meet their demise by going after the Alpha.

Not that Abdiel was that strong, for he wasn’t.  If anything, as an Alpha, he was pathetically weak.  But the one thing Abdiel had was sheer numbers of those willing to fight to the death for him.

Edrick kissed the top of his head as they lay in bed that night.  “I would like to say yes, but I promised, to be honest with you.”  His mate gave a sigh.  “So, I honestly don’t know.”

For several minutes, they lay there in each other’s arms.  Nole wasn’t sure what Edrick was thinking, but all he could do was fret about their future.  Even if they managed to defeat Abdiel, they had so many other obstacles, Nole worried they would never know any peace.

“Will your colony fight for their Alpha?” Edrick asked after a time.

“Yes,” Nole answered instantly.  “They may not like Abdiel.” Nole gave a grunt of derision.  “Most of them hate him.  But like Jari, Abdiel has a way of ensuring the colony’s loyalty through threats, blackmail, and any other underhanded means necessary.”  It was a sad fact, yet true.

Edrick pressed his lips to Nole’s head once more, then pulled him closer against his side.  “Speaking of Jari,” Edrick started.

Nole cringed at the reminder.  He didn’t want to face what Edrick would say next, but he knew there was little hope of avoiding it now.

“I agree we needed to forgive Jari for his betrayal,” Edrick said.  “But he still has to be punished for his part in trying to kill you.”  Edrick’s voice had turned rough with anger.

This had been what Nole had been hoping to avoid.  He wasn’t good with punishing people.  Who was he kidding?  He sucked at it.  He might have been forced to become a fighter to protect himself over the years but he was a doctor, and the thought of causing someone pain wasn’t something he wanted to be a part of.

Still, this was the shifter world, and Jari couldn’t be seen getting away with what he’d done, or other shifters would believe they wouldn’t have to pay for their crimes.  “Isn’t having to cook for all of us punishment enough?” Nole asked hopefully.

Edrick chuckled.  “Normally I would say yes, but Jari loves it too much for it to be considered a punishment.”

Nole considered Jari for a moment.  His likes, his dislikes, and then came up with something that would definitely be considered a punishment without having to hurt him.  “Then he should have to be my assistant for a month.”

Suddenly Nole was on his back with Edrick looking down at him, confusion in those beautiful blue eyes.  “How is that punishment?”

Nole grinned.  “Jari throws up at the sight of blood.”

Edrick gave a chuckle.  “You are devious, my little mouse.”

Then those firm lips Nole loved to feel against his were kissing him.  It didn’t take more than that for Nole’s body to erupt in a firestorm of need.

Wrapping his arms around Edrick, he held on, afraid he’d drown in too much sensation if he didn’t anchor himself.  His toes curled when Edrick kissed a path along his jaw and down his neck to where his mating mark was.

Rockets went off in his head as Edrick nipped at the spot where he’d made Nole his.  It was super sensitive and had Nole’s cock dripping precum with each lick, kiss, and nip Edrick applied.  Edrick smiled against Nole’s skin, telling him his mate knew exactly what he was doing.

But two could play at that game.  Nole moved his head just an inch to where he’d left his mark on Edrick.  Lapping along the raised flesh, he gave his own smile when he heard his mate moan in pleasure.  Emboldened, he continued his assault on Edrick’s neck.

It took only minutes for them both to be on edge and ready to come.  A slick finger was suddenly sliding along his crack.  Nole had no clue when Edrick had gotten the lube, but he didn’t waste time wondering.  Instead, he spread his legs to give his mate the room he needed to get at his pucker.

“Please,” Nole whined, opening his legs even wider.

Edrick kissed his lips at the same moment he plunged two fingers into Nole’s channel.  The burn took his breath away, but it was worth it to feel so full.  Seconds later that burn morphed into pure bliss as Nole rode his mate’s fingers.

“Fuck, my little mouse,” Edrick whispered, desire saturating those blues eyes.  “You look so gorgeous writhing on my fingers.  I can’t wait to have you wrapped around my cock.”

Nole groaned at the way his mate was looking at him as if he were the center of Edrick’s universe.  “Then fuck me already.”  He was so horny, Nole didn’t care if he was open enough to take his mate’s dick.  He just wanted to feel that connection with Edrick.  To feel complete.

A third finger was shoved inside of him beside the other two.  Edrick spread him quickly before tugging all three digits free.  Lining up that big, fat cock, he thrust home.

They both groaned as he sank deep into Nole’s body.  Not even the burn could diminish the feeling of having his mate inside of him.  It was heaven as that connection that had developed when they’d mated grew even stronger each time they’d made love.

Edrick moved his hands, pinning Nole’s to the mattress, fingers entwined as he started thrusting in and out of his body.  Blue eyes, nearly black with lust, stared down at him.  It was the most intimate moment of his life, as he could swear their minds linked and he could feel the love flowing from his mate.

 Nole opened his mouth to tell Edrick exactly how he felt, but a moan of sheer ecstasy came out instead as words became impossible.  He’d tell him later.  They had the rest of their lives, after all.  Right now, he knew Edrick knew exactly how he felt and that was good enough.

His balls rolled in their sac as a tingling at the base of his spine alerted him to just how close he was to coming.  It was too soon.  Nole desperately wanted this moment to last with his mate for the rest of their lives, but that wasn’t going to happen.  Not now.

Edrick slammed into him, hitting Nole’s pleasure spot.  Fireworks exploded throughout his body as his balls drew up and his dick pulsed.  A heartbeat later he was filling the space between them with his cum.

“Nole,” Edrick shouted as grabbed Nole’s hips in a bruising grip before thrusting deep one last time.  Heat flooded his channel as Edrick’s seed filled Nole.

When Edrick collapsed on top of him, Nole didn’t care that his mate weighed a ton, or that he could hardly breathe.  He just wrapped his arms around Edrick and held on tight.  He might not have wanted a mate, but now that he had one, Nole was going to cherish every second he had with Edrick.  Life was too precious to waste it worrying about their future.  They may not get forever, but they had now and, for Nole, that meant the world to him.

CHAPTER 18

The rumble of engines could be heard in the predawn hours, waking Edrick from where he slept wrapped around his mate.  Leaping from the mattress they had on the floor, as getting furniture hadn’t been a priority, Edrick shoved his legs into a pair of sweats.

“Nole, wake up.  We have company.”  Once he saw Nole heard him, Edrick took off down the stairs and out onto the porch.  Looking toward the main road from town, he saw headlights turn in their direction just as Hudson’s mountain lion leaped onto the planks next to him.

Seconds later a naked Hudson stood there.  “There are at least ten motorcycles, most with two riders, and six trucks, occupants ranging from two to six.  In all, there are thirty-six men coming this way armed to the teeth.”

A chill went down Edrick’s spine.  If the strangers were there to kill Edrick and his friends, there was little hope of surviving.  Oh, they would fight to the death, but the odds were not in their favor.  “Do you know who they are?”

Hudson shook his head, even as he pulled on the sweats Lucca handed him as he walked out onto the porch.  Next Hudson’s rifle was shoved into his hands, and his friend took off to get into position.  With Hudson’s aim, they would have a chance, not a great one, but at least it would be a chance.

Just as Hudson turned to leave, Edrick caught his first glance at the group heading their way.  A chill ran down his spine at the man in the lead.  He was massive.  At least three hundred pounds if Edrick had to guess.  If the rest of the men were anything like their leader, Edrick and his friends were fucked, and not in a good way.

“Make sure you don’t miss,” he warned Hudson as he stepped off the porch.

His friend appeared offended at the unnecessary statement.  Not bothering to give Edrick a response, Hudson strode toward the vantage point he planned to use.  Sure, Hudson didn’t need to be reminded how to do his job, but as the strangers rolled closer, Edrick felt it prudent.  These men were big, muscular.

But it was more than that.  They had the same look in their eyes Edrick, and his friends did.  They were fighters to the core.  Not from a desire to kill, but from the need to survive.  That made them dangerous, but at least not insane like so many of his father’s enforcers.

“I didn’t know mountains could ride motorcycles,” Chadwick quipped as he stepped out onto the porch.

The man in question stopped several feet before them.  His men fanned out to flank him.  When the big man swung his leg over his bike to stand before them, Edrick fought the need to drop his jaw.  Tall himself, it was rare for Edrick to find men much taller than him, but this guy had to be close to seven feet.  He’d also severely underestimated how heavy the guy was.

Muscles rippled under the stranger’s tight fitting shirt, straining the seams until they appeared ready to rip apart.  Blonde hair hung down past the man’s shoulders in waves.  Piercing bright blue eyes that missed nothing stared at him, assessing him.  Edrick was usually good at reading people, but this time...this time he got nothing.  The man was no more than twenty feet from him, and Edrick still had no clue if he was friend or foe.

The smirk he was receiving from the guy wasn’t helping.  He couldn’t explain it, but Edrick had the insane urge to wipe that damn smirk off his face.  It would be suicidal, but something about the stranger had Edrick’s hackles rising in warning.

A lot of that had to do with the guy being an Alpha.  Two Alphas didn’t do well in the same space.

“What are you doing here?” he called out when the last of the engines died down.

That smirk only grew.  “What?  No welcoming party?  I’m hurt.”

Edrick growled low in warning.  He didn’t know what this guy’s problem was, but Edrick wasn’t about to let him think he could come into his town and take over.  “That wasn’t an answer to the question.”

“No, it wasn’t.”  That was all.  No elaboration.

“Answer the damn question,” Edrick snarled.

“Kirill,” Nole cried out as the screen door they’d recently installed slammed shut.  “You made it.”  Before Edrick could stop him, Nole ran down the porch steps and leaped into the stranger’s arms.

White hot jealousy ripped through Edrick with no chance of him gaining control.  There was no thought, no plan, just the raw need to get his mate out of another man’s arms.  A heartbeat later he was yanking his mate away from the stranger, tossing him over his shoulder and striding back up to the porch before finally setting Nole back on his feet.

Edrick didn’t even have to see Nole’s face to know his mate was pissed.  Not only was the anger rolling off Nole causing the air around them to become sour and acrid all at the same time, but the fists slamming into his chest told their story.

Brown eyes flashed with fire, taking Edrick’s breath away.  Nole had a fiery temper, but Edrick was too on edge to use caution.  Having seen his mate in the arms of another man made him want to stake his claim once more.

“If you think you can manhandle…” Edrick didn’t give Nole a chance to finish as he leaned down and captured all that fire for himself, proving to all watching just who Nole belonged to.

He had meant for it to be nothing more than a claiming, but as always happened with Nole, once Edrick felt those magical lips against his own, he just couldn’t get enough.  Nipping and licking along the seam of Nole’s lush mouth, Edrick savored his mate’s unique sweet flavor, forgetting everything else around them, trusting his friends to keep them safe for the time being.

It didn’t hurt that he assumed the newcomers were friends of Nole’s after that greeting.  Still, he knew he should use more caution, especially with his mate at risk.  Reluctantly, he ended the kiss, smiling when he heard Nole whimper and try to follow his lips when Edrick leaned back.

Unable to let go of Nole, he placed a hand at Nole’s nape and stared into those beautiful brown eyes where he could happily drown.  The emotion became too much to hold it back any longer.  “I love you, my little mouse.”

Those pretty eyes widened as Nole absorbed his words.  In the next heartbeat, love shone clear as day from those brown orbs.  “I love you, too.”  Nole leaned up and gave him a quick kiss.  “But don’t think that’s going to get you out of trouble for behaving like a caveman.”

Edrick smiled.  He couldn’t help it.  He loved that his mate was so independent.

Even the fact that the big man Nole had hugged now had his head thrown back and was laughing at him didn’t hamper Edrick’s happiness.  His mate was truly amazing, and Edrick couldn’t be more thrilled to have him in his life.

“It’s good to know you haven’t lost your courage, Nole,” the stranger said.  “Now, why don’t you introduce me to your mate before he signals the man aiming that rifle at me to shoot me in the head.”

Edrick scowled, knowing that this guy had known Hudson was watching over them.  There weren’t many who were skilled enough to have any idea Hudson was out there.  That Kirill did, only attested to his skills.  He just hoped this man wasn’t going to try and fight him to be Alpha.  There was no real doubt Edrick would win, he was that good, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t be a challenge.

“Edrick Rapp, I’d like you to meet Kirill Levin.  Kirill, this is my mate, Edrick.”  Just hearing Nole introduce him as his mate eased some of the tension he’d had about seeing Nole hug Kirill.  “I met Kirill days after crawling away from my colony.  He and his merry band of misfits helped keep me safe while I healed.”

There was a teasing note in Nole’s tone that told just how close his mate was with these men.  As much as Edrick appreciated Kirill helping Nole after barely escaping his colony alive, he had to admit to not being sure he was comfortable with their connection.

Kirill scoffed at Nole’s words.  “Please, you hardly needed protecting.  You were nearly healed and doing fine on your own.  We just gave you a little peace of mind for a couple of days.”

That was all it took for Edrick to warm to Kirill.  Anyone willing to help his mate feel better about himself earned his thanks at the very least. “I would offer for everyone to join us inside but I’m afraid the house isn’t big enough to hold this crowd.”

Kirill waved him off.  “With your permission, my men will set up tents while you and I discuss Nole’s proposition for a place to call home in exchange for help with security.”

Edrick nodded.  “They can set up in the field.”  Edrick pointed to a wide-open field on the other side of the dirt road that led to the few homes that remained standing, including the one they were renovating.  “It’s flat, with decent drainage in case it should rain before we’ve had a chance to build new homes.”

Once Kirill gave out orders to his men, Edrick led Nole and Kirill inside with instructions to his friends to help set up the tents.  He wasn’t sure another alpha in town was going to be feasible, but Edrick wasn’t about to piss anyone off by being inhospitable, especially since Kirill and many of his men appeared battle hardened, which might just turn the tide in their favor when they faced Nole’s colony.

“Welcome to Miracle,” he told Kirill as they walked into the place he now called home.

CHAPTER 19

“Do you think they’re going to help?” Edrick asked as he watched Kirill through the living room window, across the dirt road to the tents that his men set up.  They had just finished talking with Kirill, and both sides had a lot to think about.

Nole wished he could answer, but he’d stopped trying to figure Kirill out years ago.  The man had always been hard to read.  Still, the one thing Kirill had been consistent on was helping those in need.  After talking with Edrick and Nole, Kirill spent time in the kitchen with Jari, who could give him a much better picture of the horrors their colony had suffered through with Alpha Abdiel.

He went to the window.  A bonfire burned as the men circled around to hear what Kirill had to say.  What Nole would give to be a fly listening in.  “Based on what Jari told him, then I’d say yes, Kirill will help.  And where the man goes, his men go, they are that loyal.”  At least they had been any time Nole had met up with the group.

“I’m not taking orders from him,” Chadwick stated matter-of-factly. “I didn’t run from one narcissistic asshole alpha to follow another one.”

Nole chuckled at the description of Kirill. The man may come off that way, but nothing could be further from the truth.  “Kirill leads because he was thrust into it.  But he hates giving orders almost as much as he can’t stand to fight.”

Hudson snorted loudly.  “Right.  He looks like he would rather tear you apart than talk to you.”

“I half expected him to start shouting, “Fe Fi Fo Fum,” and a beanstalk to grow up through the house.” Chadwick joked.

Nole rolled his eyes at their antics.  “Grow up.”

Chadwick blinked at him as if he’d lost his mind.  “Why the hell would I want to do that?  I’ve been monitoring everything I said and did since I was a kid, in case anyone discovered I was gay and decided I needed to be purged from this earth for my sins,” Chadwick made air quotes around the last word.  “Now that I’m officially out and being hunted, I don’t plan to be anyone but who the hell I am.”

Whereas Nole would normally applaud Chadwick’s declaration, he needed the man to get on board with Kirill joining them.  “Okay, but Kirill isn’t going to try and take over Miracle, or this pack.  He just wants what we all do.  A place to call home where he doesn’t have to worry about being dragged through the streets and strung from the nearest tree for being who he is.”

“I also would like to find my mate and live happily ever after, but if you don’t want us here, just say so, and we’ll pack up at first light,” Kirill said from the door.

None of them had heard the man, which was a feat since they were shifters and Kirill was a giant of a man who shouldn’t have been able to sneak up on anyone.  Hudson whirled to face Kirill.  Nole was happy to see that at least he looked a bit embarrassed to have been caught talking about the guy.  Chadwick, on the other hand, said, “How in the hell did you manage to walk in here without the ground shaking beneath your massive feet?”

Kirill smiled at Chadwick.  “Trade secret.  It works well when I need to get into someone’s room in the middle of the night to slit his throat.”

Nole had to bite his lip to stop from laughing as Chadwick’s face went ashen at Kirill’s implied threat.  “Did you talk to the others?” Nole asked to change the subject.

Nodding, Kirill said, “I did.  Everyone has agreed to follow Edrick and pledge their allegiance to him.  All we ask in return is to be treated with respect.”

Edrick stared at Kirill for a moment as if he measured his words.  Nole hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath until he suddenly released the air in his lungs when he saw Edrick give his nod of consent.  “Happy to have you on our team.” Edrick held out his hand.

With Kirill and his men, it should make Miracle safer.  At least that’s what they all hoped.  But only time would tell.

“So just out of curiosity,” Chadwick said as Edrick and Kirill shook hands.  “What kind of shifter are you that you’re so big?  Elephant, hippo, whale...”

Kirill flashed his large canines at Chadwick.  “Polar bear.  If you think I’m big, you should see my bear.”

With that, Kirill turned on his heel and left the house just as silently as he’d entered.

“I have got to learn to do that,” Chadwick murmured before chasing after Kirill.

“Five bucks says Kirill squishes him like a bug,” Hudson said.

“No way am I taking that bet,” Kellach said.  “But I am going to watch it happen.” Kellach hurried after the other two.

Hudson stood to follow but turned to Nole first.  “When this is all over, do you still want to hunt ghosts with me?”

The man seemed so unsure and defeated like he already knew Nole would say no.  It nearly broke Nole’s heart.  “I’m looking forward to it,” he said with a smile.

The grin he got in return made it completely worth wasting his time looking for spirits that weren’t there.  “Good,” Hudson said before following Kellach out the front door.

Lucca took Jari’s hand and led him up the stairs.  “We’re heading to bed.”

Nole glanced around the now empty room.  “I would ask if it was me that cleared the room, but if it means some alone time with you, I’m not going to complain.”  Nole slid his arms around his mate and leaned up on his toes to plant a kiss on the man’s lips.

Instantly he was wrapped up in Edrick’s strong arms and held protectively against his mate’s body as if he were the most precious person on earth.  Damn, but he could get used to this.

“Tell me again,” Edrick murmured against his mouth.

Nole knew exactly what his mate wanted to hear.  “I love you, Edrick Rapp.  More than I ever thought possible to love another person.”

It was true.  As scary as that idea had been to him when he met Edrick, now that he admitted it to himself and his mate, Nole found the thought comforting instead of terrifying.  The knowledge that Edrick felt the same only made it that much better.

“I love you too, my little mouse.”  Edrick took over the kiss.  Nole had to grab onto his mate’s broad shoulders when Edrick’s tongue danced along his, and his knees threatened to buckle.

The next thing he knew, he was swung up off his feet and into Edrick’s arms. He heard the purring that he loved so much as he leaned against Edrick’s chest. For once, Nole didn’t complain about being able to walk.  Why would he, when he was happy right where he was – in his mate’s arms?

In this crazy world they lived in, where they were hunted for being gay.  It wasn’t safe.  Yet here, in his mate’s strong arms, Nole felt peace, happiness, and love.  Tomorrow they would plan to attack his former colony.  The day after that most likely would bring another catastrophe with so many after them for being gay.  So Nole was going to grab hold of every moment he could with his mate and enjoy them.

Who would have thought that his mouse would feel most content curled up with a purring mountain lion?

THE END

About the Author

Shea Balik has always had a vivid imagination with stories running around in her head.  Often her stories are taken from observations of other people with her own spin. Traveling is one of her favorite ways of fulfilling her passion of people watching.  You never know, one day you may spark her imagination for her next book.

Whether at home or traveling she is usually in front of her computer writing or curled up with a good book. 

Contact information:

Web page:  www.sheabalik.com

Email: sheabalik@yahoo.com

Blog:  www.sheabalik.blogspot.com

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Twitter:  @BalikShea