“He looks at me? He actually looks at me?”
Hunter laughed and glanced over at Euan who was shaking his head. “Course he looks at you. You’re his mate, whether he wants to admit it or not,” Euan told him when he finished chuckling. “Do as Hunter said and give him time to get used to you and hopefully he will open up and tell you a little bit about himself.”
They fell into silence and continued through the woods. The sunlight streamed down to them through the branches above and the air was nice and cool away from the heat of the sun. Birds and other wildlife echoed around them and Dean was in his element.
They listened to every update that came through, hoping someone had more luck than them and had found the missing brothers, but so far there was nothing. It was like they had simply disappeared.
It was later into the evening when the call finally came through that they had been found and it wasn’t good news. One of the brothers was seriously injured having fallen down a steep embankment and into a tree. His brother had stayed with him helping him as best he could, but when they had finally been airlifted to the hospital, the prognosis hadn’t been positive.
They’d returned to base camp with a sense of failure beating down on them. If only they’d gotten there sooner. Everyone was quiet on the plane home, no one wanting to talk about what happened. The only news they were waiting for was good news from the hospital, but Dean knew there was a greater possibility of the news being bad. He’d had the accident the day before so had been out overnight in the elements while injured.
Donnie sat down next to him and sighed deeply. “I hate it when this happens.”
“Me too. Do we know when we’ll hear anything?”
“No, but I came over to ask you to ours tonight. Jeremy’s cooking and I know Wyatt wants to see you, even if he doesn’t admit it.”
“I need to see him,” Dean admitted quietly. “I can feel the pull, even if he hasn’t told me that’s what it is.”
“Well, he’s admitted it to Jeremy, so Wyatt will now know that you know. Don’t act any different around him and wait for him to come to you. Waiting’s shit though.”
“Yeah, it sucks big fat hairy balls.”
Donnie chuckled, nodding his agreement. “Hey, has Jeremy told you about the ladies?”
“No, what about them?”
“He has a group of older ladies who like to come in to the bakery. He’s even set up some tables and chairs for them. Anyway, they’ve kinda adopted Wyatt. Been giving him sex advice.” Dean snorted, arching an eyebrow at him. Donnie nodded and continued talking. “Oh yeah, Edith, lovely lady, thinks Wyatt should get laid as often as possible.”
Dean outright laughed, throwing his head back. “Seriously? Wyatt should get laid?”
“Oh yeah. Edith’s been married at least four times. No man knows how to please her and don’t ask how I know that. Jeremy is still traumatized by it.” Donnie sent him a vicious grin. “Lady parts, Dean.”
Dean nodded. “I like lady parts, but I never saw myself settling down with a woman. I always knew it would be with a man.”
“You’re bi?”
“Yeah, but I definitely lean towards men. I like women, love their curves, but a man’s body is something else.”
“Jared was the same until Sacha woke him up.”
“So I’ve heard. They’re good together. Like you and Jeremy or Chester and Silas.”
“Ale and Troy too, once Ale got his head out of his ass.” Donnie raised his voice towards the end, a grin on his face.
“I heard that!” Ale shouted from the front of the plane.
“You were meant to, A!” Donnie shouted back.
“Ah, fuck off, D,” Ale shouted back, but there was no heat in the words.
“Yeah, shut up, D, and be grateful Silas isn’t here.”
“Really, Chester? He’s still pissed?” Donnie asked, genuinely surprised. “I’d have thought he’d be over it by now.”
“Nope, not at all. Might take years of Ale groveling at his feet before that happens.”
Dean leaned over Donnie and peered down the plane. He heard the muttered ‘thanks Chester’ from Ale and grinned, leaning back in his seat.
“So, you coming?”
Dean glanced over at Donnie. “Yeah. I need to see him.”
“Good. Jeremy’s making up the spare room. It’s a pull-out bed. Hope that’s alright.”
“Yeah, that’s fine. Thanks, Donnie.”
“Right. Time for some sleep. Hopefully by the time I wake up we’ll have some good news.”
Dean nodded and got comfortable in his seat. Soon he’d see Wyatt again and he couldn’t wait.
Chapter Four
Dean walked behind Donnie into the kitchen to find Jeremy putting a salad in the refrigerator. Dean glanced around the kitchen then ducked out into the hallway but couldn’t find Wyatt anywhere.
He heard a sigh behind him and turned around. Jeremy was leaning against Donnie. “He’s gone out.”
“What?”
“When I told him you were coming over, he left. Says he’s not ready for all this mating shit.”
“Mating shit?” Dean clenched his jaw. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, but to have his mate run off without even saying hello left him feeling hurt and angry. He rubbed his chest and pulled out a chair and sat at the kitchen table. “Did he say anything else?”
“No, he just left.” Jeremy sat opposite him and sighed again. “I’m sorry about this, Dean. I’d hoped with him living here and being around us, that he would have gotten used to the idea of mates and seen how it can be between them.”
“I guess his family kicking him out did a number on him.”
Donnie sat next to Jeremy and held his hand. “You can only give him time.”
“How is that gonna work when he won’t be around me? He needs to get to know me and then he’ll see that everything will be okay. Him leaving before I’ve even walked through the door isn’t gonna help, is it?”
Donnie shook his head, leaning back in his chair. Dean glanced down, watching Donnie’s thumb rub the back of Jeremy’s hand. “Next time we won’t tell him.”
“Like an ambush?” Jeremy glared at Donnie. “Yeah, I can see him liking that.” Looking back at Dean, Jeremy said, “Text him and then work up to calling him. Once he gets used to you, things will go easier.”
“You say that now,” Dean muttered. Sighing, he leaned back on his chair, his shoulders slumping.
“It was never gonna happen in a day, or a week, or even a month with Wyatt. He was a prisoner, along with Carter’s parents. He witnessed terrible things. He hasn’t had an easy life, not since he came out, anyway. I was lucky that my parents didn’t care who I slept with as long as I was happy. And careful.” Jeremy grinned.
“Your parents are great,” Donnie said, smiling at Jeremy. Turning Dean, he asked, “What about yours?”
“My parents were shocked at first when I told them I was bi, they’d assumed I was gay, but once they got used to it, they were okay. They got used to me bringing men home.” Dean shrugged. “I guess I’m really lucky too.”
Jeremy leaned forward, his arms on the table. “So, we need a plan of action. I could always rope Edith in. She’d love to see Wyatt with a man. She’s forever going on about some man she knows who is single and needs a good seeing to.” Jeremy grinned when he said the last part. “She’s very open when it comes to sex.”
“I don’t know how you do it. That woman opens her mouth and I leave.”
“I don’t have a choice, do I?” Jeremy arched an eyebrow at Donnie. “And anyway, she means well, and she’s on the lookout for another man. Younger, taller, big, thick dick.”
Donnie’s jaw dropped as Dean spluttered. “She told you that?”
“Oh, yeah. And he can’t be fussy where he puts it.”
“I... what?” Dean asked, frowning. “Are we seriously talking about an old lady and, you know, anal sex?”
“Oh yes,” Jeremy nodded, gr
inning. “I’ve heard it all. Did you know when she was younger she had a threesome? I had to have a drink after hearing that one!”
“She looks so sweet and nice and like a little old Nana,” Donnie said, a look of shock on his face.
“She is all those things, but she’s free living where the sex is concerned. She told me age shouldn’t be a barrier to having fun, and I agree.” Looking at Dean, Jeremy said, “Come into the bakery tomorrow and I’ll introduce you to her. I’ll tell her our plan and she’ll help.” Jeremy looked him up and down. “She might make a pass at you but let her down gently.”
Dean blinked several times. “A pass? At me?”
“Oh yeah, she’s likes men with dark hair.”
“That’s... er, yeah. I’m not sure...” A grandmother making a pass at him? Dean shook his head. “That’s just weird.”
“No, that’s Edith.” Jeremy pulled out his cell from his pocket and scrolled through it. “I’ll give you Wyatt’s number and you can text him. You know, ‘sorry I missed you’ kinda thing.”
Dean put the number in his cell and quickly sent a text to Wyatt. He was surprised when seconds later he got one back. He quickly read it and frowned.
“Well, what does it say?”
Dean quickly glanced up at Jeremy then back at the message. “It says, ‘okay’, and that’s it.”
“Huh,” Jeremy mused. “Just okay?”
“Yep, just that.”
Donnie chuckled. “He’s gonna make you work for him. I like it.”
“Piss off,” Dean muttered, scowling at him.
“Start a convo with him. Ask him about his day, tell him about the search and rescue,” Donnie said. “Little things so he gets to know you. He’s running scared right now. Give him a reason to trust you and get to know you.”
Dean slumped in his chair, closing his eyes. “I know. I know I shouldn’t rush him, but it’s been three months and I want to be with him. This is the mate pull, isn’t it?” Both nodded. “How is he fighting it? Shouldn’t it be worse for him being a vampire?”
“Yeah, it will be. He’s damn stubborn.” Donnie grinned. “Just remember when you finally catch him, the sex will be amazing.”
Jeremy smacked Donnie. “Stop.”
Dean rolled his eyes. “Please. I’ve heard you two going at it.”
“Poor Wyatt.” Donnie chuckled.
“Not for long if I have my way.”
“Shop tomorrow. We’ll make our plans.”
Dean grinned. Looked like he had some help. Wyatt could be as stubborn as he wanted, but Dean was even more stubborn than him and he really wanted Wyatt.
Wyatt stared at the text on his cell. Dean. Sighing, he put the cell down and grabbed his beer, deciding to ignore it. How did Dean get his number? Why couldn’t the guy leave him the fuck alone? Because he’d opened his mouth and told Jeremy the truth and now Dean understood why he was feeling the way he did. The mate pull. The fucking mate pull.
Wyatt grimaced and glanced at his cell again. “Shit,” he muttered. Picking it up, he typed ‘okay’, then threw it down again. He wasn’t going to respond again.
He said he’d be there when Dean came home, but as the minutes inched closer to that time, he knew he couldn’t do it. His nerves had been in a ball of knots, and he’d felt sick at the thought of seeing him. Dean knew, and Wyatt hadn’t been the one to tell him.
“Shit,” he muttered again, dropping his head into his hands. He sighed deeply and closed his eyes. He wasn’t swapping one cage for another.
Lifting his head and opening his eyes, Wyatt stared at the glass in front of him. He traced a droplet of moisture as it ran down the side and sighed again. His life was a mess, and he needed to sort it out, but he couldn’t with the whole vampires ruling the world shit hanging over his head.
His cell beeped, and he saw he had another message from the same number. Dean. “What now?”
Picking it up, he opened the message and tilted his head in confusion. “Huh?”
The mission was successful. We found the two brothers and news is they’ll make a full recovery. Thought you might want to know.
“Okay…” Wyatt furrowed his brow. Why was he telling him this? He could have found that out from Donnie when he went home.
That’s good. Thanks for letting me know. He fired off the message and put his cell down, reaching for his beer when it beeped again.
Sighing, he picked it up and read the message. It is! We were really worried because one of them had suffered a head injury.
He’s gonna be okay? Wyatt bit his lip waiting for the message to come through.
Yeah, he is, but he’ll be in the hospital for a while.
Wyatt put his cell down, staring at the screen as it darkened then went blank. At least the guy was alive, right? His cell beeped again, and Wyatt sighed. Looked like Dean was going to keep texting him.
He was really lucky. So, what you up to?
Wyatt closed his eyes and sighed, yet again. Yes, Dean was his mate, but he wasn’t going to go running to him and fall into his arms and live happily ever after. That shit didn’t happen in real life and certainly not to people like him.
Just having a drink. I’ll see you around.
Sending the text, Wyatt hoped Dean got the message. He didn’t want a mate. He knew he had one and so he could always come back to Dean if he ever changed his mind, which he doubted. He felt the connection, the need to be close to Dean, but he ignored it as much as possible. Drinking helped. It helped to dull the edges of the pull, letting Wyatt carry on with his life the way he wanted to.
Another text had Wyatt growling into his pint. Great! Where are you and I can join you for a drink? I really need one after the last few days.
Wyatt banged his head on the table. “For fuck’s sake. Take the hint!” He furiously texted a message to Dean. Look, I’m not ready yet. Give me space.
Sending the text, Wyatt threw the cell on the table and took several gulps of his beer. Sighing, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and put his pint down. Ten minutes passed without a reply and Wyatt smiled. “Finally,” he muttered.
His cell beeped again, and Wyatt threw his arms up in the air. Picking it up, he read the message and frowned.
One drink. That’s all I’m asking for. If after that you still want nothing to do with me, I’ll stop.
Wyatt arched his eyebrows. Really? One drink and then if I ask you to leave me alone, you will?
Yeah. Say Sunday, 8pm at Ryder’s Inn.
Wyatt nodded. He could do one drink if it meant he would be left alone. Okay.
I’ll see you then.
What the hell had he just agreed to? Wyatt groaned, dropping his head to the table. The thing was, a small part of him wanted to see Dean. No, actually, a huge part of him wanted to. It was the mate draw, that’s all. But when he closed his eyes and thought about Dean, his dick pulsed in his jeans, his hands went clammy, and his heart rate spiked. His fangs, yeah, they wanted to bite. He could feel them throbbing and he licked them with his tongue, his body shuddering with images of Dean naked, his neck exposed.
Wyatt sat up abruptly, panting. Shit, he wanted to bite Dean and taste him so bad he struggled not to jump up and run straight back home and throw Dean down and take what was his. Strip him naked, fuck him hard and deep and bite him.
“Shit, I can’t.” He shook his head, desperately trying to control his body. “Fucking hell.”
He was in shit and he didn’t know how to get out of it and agreeing to meet Dean for a pint was like throwing gas on a fire. Why? Why had he agreed?
Wyatt glanced at his cell and swallowed. He should cancel it. No, he should go and get it over and done with. Wyatt dropped his head into his hands. He was totally fucked up over it. It was only one drink, just one. Wyatt could manage that. If only his dick agreed with him.
Chapter Five
“So, young Wyatt, you’re going out with this Dean?”
Wyatt sighed and turned around to see bot
h Edith and Bernice stood smiling at him, along with another woman he knew was Letitia. He’d only met her once before, but she seemed nice. “Morning, ladies.”
Edith waved her hand at him. “Tell us all about him.”
“There isn’t much to tell. I’m going out for a drink with him and that’s it.”
“Is he the one?” Wyatt’s eyes widened at Bernice’s question. “You’re a vampire. Is he that special man? What do they call it, Letitia?”
Letitia frowned and glanced at the floor then she looked up grinning. “Mate. Is he your mate?”
“How do you know all this stuff?” Wyatt asked, shaking his head slowly.
Edith waved the question away. “Answer the question, Wyatt. Is he?”
Wyatt shrugged and began rearranging the pastries in the glass cabinet. “We’ll see.”
“He is, isn’t he?” When Wyatt didn’t comment, Bernice asked, “What’s the problem, Wyatt? Aren’t you happy to have found your mate?”
Sighing, Wyatt turned and faced them. “It’s not that.”
“Then what is it?” Edith asked. “You can tell us.”
“I don’t know if I want one. Well, not yet anyway.”
“I thought having a mate was what all vampires wanted.” Edith grabbed Wyatt’s hand where it lay on the counter. “What is it?”
“I’ve been on my own for a long time now and I’m used to it. I like it that way, never having to rely on anyone else.” Wyatt shrugged. “I’m not good mate material.”
“Nonsense,” Bernice said. “That’s the biggest crock of shit I’ve ever heard. If anything, you deserve a man to take care of you. All those years alone. Let him take care of you for once.”
“I agree, Wyatt,” Letitia said. “You deserve to be spoiled, deserve to be looked after for once. All those years alone and now it’s your turn to have someone be there for you.”
Wyatt grimaced but kept quiet. He just wanted to get on with his life, but he knew he couldn’t until the corporation was shut down. He knew too much and knew they wouldn’t let him go. They’d come for him at some point even if it was to end his life so he couldn’t spill the secrets he kept.
Rescue Inc Collection Vol 4 Page 13
