by Shelby Lynn
He fit into Haven's lap perfectly. His rage was building again from the pain his mate was feeling. However, he was so thankful to have found him. Though his face was covered in bruises, he could still see the beauty; his hair was the color of the first snow. From the looks of him, he was young, though it was hard to tell with their kind. There was an innocence about him though that made Haven's protective instincts kick into overdrove. Haven was much bigger than he was also, since he stood around six foot, it was easy to tell that his mate was shorter, and thinner. Haven had the build of a n athlete; his thighs were muscular and his waist smaller. Then his chest and shoulders bulged out again. His Pack mates liked to call him the Enforcer, because most people were afraid of his build. His face was ruggedly handsome with a strong nose and cheek bones, but his hair was what made people sit up and take notice of him. His black hair was long and thick. The kind women were jealous of, according to a few of his female friends.
Haven began to think about his mate. Where was his family, why would they have allowed such a thing to happen to anyone, let alone his mate? Someone was going to answer for every bruise on his body if it was the last thing he ever did.
With that thought, the phone rang.
"Hello," he barked into the phone as he snapped out of his thoughts. He needed to get moving. Strapping his mate into the seat next to him, he pulled the seatbelt tight. After everything that happened, he didn't want him to be injured more.
While listening to the man who called, he jogged around the truck and jumped in, peeling out from the side of the road he was on.
"This is Alex Blackwood from the Blackwood Pack; your Beta called to let me know you're coming in fast with your mate. As soon as you turn onto the exit, go straight for ten miles then turn on Jasper Road. We 're about five miles out.
You should have no problem finding the Pack house. I already have Doc Taylor waiting to help out your mate."
"Thank you, Alpha Blackwood, I owe you big time."
"You can return the favor if needed, no problem."
Haven drove faster while watching his mate to make sure he was okay. He was mentally clicking off the miles and directions and soothing his mate by rubbing his fingers through his hair. It was intoxicating to do; he could feel his arousal again just from touching him. He really needed to stop, or he was going to have to go right to the bathroom when he arrived at the Pack house. The mating frenzy was already starting to run through his blood. Haven continued towards Liberty. I t seemed an eternity, but really it was a short time. He hit the city limits and headed out toward the Pack lands.
As Haven turned off the beaten path, he had to slow the truck down a little to keep from jarring his mate too much.
Occasionally, he would whine or try to move closer, but the seatbelt was holding him tightly in place. It was probably uncomfortable, but there was no other choice. Without knowing the extent to his injuries, Haven needed to be careful.
In the distance, he could see a huge house, which must be the Pack house. In all the Packs he visited, the Pack house was always bigger than any other within the Weir communities. It was where the Pack meetings were held, and the mating ceremonies were celebrated. Usually the Alpha and the Pack Betas were the only ones that live d there all the time. At least, that was the way with his Pack.
Chapter 3
When Haven drove up, he used caution. Although the Alpha said that he would have the doctor ready, he was not taking any chances with his mate. Too many times one of his Pack brothers was lured into a false situation. Haven was not going to let that happen this time.
Stopping the car, he watched for a brief moment to make sure no other wolves were going to come out. There were two men on the front porch, he could easily tell the difference between the Alpha and the little doctor beside him. Haven quickly went around the side of the truck and gently lifted his mate out of the seat. As he turned back to the men, he tilted his head to the side in a sign of respect for the other Alpha, and he did the same.
The doctor hurried forward and glanced down at his mate and grimaced, "Quickly. He looks like he's in bad shape, bring him into the house. We don't have time to take him to my clinic. I 'm just glad I keep supplies here in case of emergencies."
Haven hurried behind the doctor as he led him into the Pack house and then through the maze of corridors. If he had time, he would have loved to check out the place. A s he walked by, he could see a game room and a lounge area.
Something his Pack house was lacking. "Lay him down on the bed please."
"Would you please help me take his clothes off, Haven? I have to see just what we 're dealing with."
"I will leave the room," Alpha Blackwood said.
Haven was shocked as he started to unbutton his mate's shirt and uncover ed months of beatings and neglect. Haven knew it would be bad, but nothing prepared him for the torture his man had gone through. They gently removed his shirt together as Haven held him as securely as he could. Haven reached for the button of his jeans, eased them down. Haven bit his lip to keep from groaning —his mate was "commando" as many of them do for easier shifting.
The only area the bastards hadn't touched on his body was his genitals; the rest of him was covered in bruises of varying degrees. He tried to hold his anger in check because the implications were not good. He would find out if anyone had touched his mate intimately, and then he would hunt.
Haven must have let out the low growl he heard echoing in the room. "Haven, I know it's bad, and you just found him, but I 'm going to need your help."
"What can I do?" Haven asked feeling helpless.
"I need to give him an adrenaline shot, to kick-start you're mating bite enzymes, and it's going to hurt even worse than the bruises he carries. you're going to have to hold him down, so he doesn't hurt himself more."
"Shit, okay, let's do it," the tall Alpha said, rubbing a hand over his face before bracing himself and doing as the doctor instructed. This was gonna suck, he thought, and placed his hands where he was supposed to.
It was the hardest thing Haven had ever had to do, grabbing his arms tight, knowing he was hurting his mate. As soon as the doctor shot the needle of adrenaline in his vein, the groans turned into full-scale screaming and thrashing. He heard his mate's voice for the first time say, "Please stop hurting me." Even though Haven knew in his heart that it wasn't directed at him, t hose words he would carry in his soul for all time.
"Fuck, I'm so sorry," Haven whispered in his mate 's ear trying to calm him. It seemed to go on forever, the screaming and jerky movements. He held on tight, knowing if he let go, his mate would fall off the table.
Finally, his mate passed out and was free from the pain for a little while. Haven turned to look at the doctor, there were tears freely running down the doctor's face. As the smaller man looked at Haven, he knew the little doctor had somehow tried to take the pain into him.
"I'm sorry, there was just too much pain for me to take on, please forgive me," the little wolf said, and Haven looked at him with a confused expression.
"There's nothing to forgive, doctor, you saved my mate. I am in your debt." Haven felt the dawning recognition of what the doctor had actually done. His mate had been in more pain than he realized and somehow, the doctor had taken some of the pain into himself.
"Please call me Johnny, no formalities here. All I am asking is that you keep my secret. If others were to find out, I would be in danger."
"You have my word as an Alpha," Haven said. He knew that some wolves were given special abilities when they were young. Like being an Alpha or a healer, even the Beta had the strength other wolves didn't possess.
"He's out now. This would be the best time for you to use your power to get him to shift so he can start healing. Just be prepared, Haven, he's still in bad shape, and it will take days before he can shift by himself. What is his name?"
"I wish I knew. I found him like this when he ran out in front of my truck a few miles back."
"At least you f
ound him in time, and I have no doubt that you will take great care of your mate."
"I take it that this Pack has no problems with us being gay then?"
"Absolutely not, Haven, our Alpha and several others in the Pack are either gay or bi -sexual in nature; we don't judge as many other Packs do."
"Thank you, Johnny, for the heads up. I t's good to know my mate is safe here until I can take him home."
"What Pack do you think that your mate might have run away from?"
"I think it was the Cedarhill Pack. He panicked when I mentioned it earlier when he was barely awake."
"I will go and tell Alpha Blackwood that you're going to be staying for a few days. Most likely, it will take a couple of weeks before he can travel a long distance. As soon as I leave the room you can bring on his change, I can feel the power in you. You will be able to make him shift very quickly, and he shouldn't even wake up."
"Thank you again."
As Haven watched the doctor quietly shut the door, he thanked the spirits for his gift and quick thinking that had saved his mate. As Haven turned back to his mate, he called his power forward, and then commanded him to shift. In the blink of an eye, before him was the most beautiful silver wolf. He had never seen one with quite that color before. As Haven stroked his fur, his mate slept on, not moving a muscle. Haven pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat down to watch his mate.
Chapter 4
About an hour later, the door opened and Alpha Blackwood slowly entered the room. Another Alpha in the room with an unmated pair could be dangerous, so he stayed by the door. Blackwood was waiting for Haven to invite him into the sanctuary of the Alpha and his sick mate.
"Come in, Alpha," Haven said and looked around to make sure he was the only one entering the room. Haven knew the doctor told him they were safe, but he was still on edge until they figured out who hurt his mate —his wolf was pushing him to protect.
"I think it would be easier to call me Alex. Too many Alphas being thrown around, it's getting annoying. The doctor tells me your mate is going to be alright with a little time and healing. I want you to know that you're welcome to stay here as long as needed. Haven, I heard nothing but good things about you and your refuge. In fact, we have a few issues with the neighboring Pack that I would like to talk over with you before you leave," the older Alpha said, and Haven looked at him closely. He was about the same height as he was, but his build was different, more beefy. An Alpha always sized up a potential threat, but he was getting the feeling the older wolf was trying to make him feel comfortable.
"Thank you, Alex, for your generosity, and I will help anyway that I can. I am in your debt. All you have to do is call and we will be at your aid if needed. And call me Haven, sometimes the testosterone is too thick," Haven said and then waited for the older man to get to the point. He had a feeling there was something more he wanted to talk about.
"Thank you. Now that the formalities are over, how about I have Susan b ring you two up something to eat? I know that she has already started on the broth for your mate until he can take more food. You will like Susan; she is like our honorary mom around here. We have had some reports around here of missing wolves."
"Sounds good, I am starting to get hungry. And that is the reason I was coming close to here in the first place. A member of the Cedarhill Pack contacted me about a missing female," Haven said and watched the expressions flit across the older wolf's face. Something was seriously wrong here.
Finally, Alex sighed and held up his hand and ran it down his face, suddenly he seemed so much older than he originally thought. "There have been more. Let me leave you with your mate for a while, nothing more can be done about this right now. I will contact a few of the wolves from neighboring Packs and see if they have any more information. Your mate is really the first proof we have had that something was going on over there. With your permission, I will put out a few feelers to see if anyone has reported him missing. That way, we can at least get a name if he stays out for longer than we thought."
Haven nodded and then said, "My Beta is doing the same. I will call him and have him send all the information he has gathered, and together we can get this figured out. However, know this, if I find out the Alpha of the Pack hurt my mate, or in any way had anything to do with his being hurt, he is a dead man. I will make sure of it with or without your help, "
Haven growled. He was serious, and the other wolf knew it. Although he didn't want to start a Pack war, he would, no wolf would be treated like this and get away with it while he was an Alpha.
"I will be in my office down the hall, last room on the right, if you need anything. We can meet in a few hours and compare notes," Alex said and then walked to the door, but before he left the wolf turned around and said, "I don't blame you, and you will have the full support of the Pack."
Haven nodded and turned back to his mate and watched him. Hopefully, he would wake up soon so they could figure this whole mess out. Suddenly feeling very tired, he leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes for a brief moment. He would not fall asleep while his mate was unconscious and unable to protect himself, but the day's events had worn him out.
He had phone calls to make, but he needed a moment to process what the fuck happened today.
***
Garrett could hear voices in his head like the buzzing of bees, but he couldn't make out the words. He hoped that his friend Shannon was safe after releasing him. He would rather die than endanger a friend. Shit, those bastards worked him over good this time, if he didn't feel the pain, he would think he was finally dead. He hoped they hadn't done anything to his hair; face, ok, it would heal; body, eh, and it would heal, but his hair. Garret worked hard to keep the shine, since watching a certain movie with a certain hot elf —he had become obsessed about his hair.
Garrett could feel the prickle of awareness for a moment coming from all over his body, shit, that kinda fucking hurt s, he thought, as the blood seemed to zing where he hurt the most. Well, this was kinda fucking cool, he could feel his healing; Garrett had never before felt this after all the beatings, humph, weird, someone was in the room with him. As he breathed in deeper, what was that fucking smell, he thought, as he drifted into the blackness.
***
The food was superb and he had savored every bite, which was the only thing about a bunch of bachelors living together. Not a one of them could cook worth a damn. He watched his mate sleep on in that deep healing sleep. He was going on "empty" right before his mate practically landed in his lap.
Haven had made his phone calls while he waited. His Beta had found some information he was sure Alex would find very interesting. Obviously, the Alpha of Cedarhill had been pissing off Alpha s right and left. They would have no problem if it came down to a Pack war. Haven was surprised at the support some of the Packs were giving him; maybe he had been doing something right after all. Tyler had said that a few of them had gone as far as to offer their protection to him and his mate while here. Of course, it was good information, but they would be fucking nuts to leave the Blackwood Pack just yet.
Haven was beginning to see that maybe he had been doing things a little wrong.
When the doctor came back earlier, he asked him if Haven wanted to sleep in the room next door. Haven couldn't be that far from his hurt mate, so he had a rollaway bed brought in for him. It was actually comfort able and made for a man of his size and strength. He wasn't sleeping anyway; he was thinking and watching over his mate.
***
There it was again, that delicious smell Garrett had smelled earlier when he thought he was dreaming. As Garrett looked around the room, he didn't recognize anything. Garrett lifted up with a groan to get a better look around and caught another whiff of that intoxicating smell.
Just a few feet away lay the most gorgeous specimen of man in this world. From the smell coming this way he was his mate. How did he find him? Where are they? All these questions running through his mind as he gazed in wonder at his mate
. Holy crap, his hot, amazing mate. Garrett wanted to do the 'happy dance'. Someone was watching out f or him, because his mate was more than he could have hoped for. Garrett hoped his gentle face matched his personality. The feeling of someone watching must have alerted his mate, his eyes flew open and the brightest sky-blue eyes rested on him.
His smile capturing all of his beauty was breathtaking in its intensity.
"You're awake," the hunk said, and Garrett wanted to grin at his cuteness. As he jumped up from the bed, Garrett couldn't help taking in the fine body of his mate. His mate, wow, he could hardly wrap his mind around it. Only yesterday Garrett almost died, beaten within an inch of his life, now here he was next to his handsome mate.
"Hold on, don't move and I will help you shift back. You are still a little too weak to do it all on your own," Haven said as he pulled his power from within him to help Garrett shift back to human.
As Garrett listened to his mate, he shut his eyes to focus, and within seconds, he was back to human. He opened his eyes and said, "That kinda fucking hurt."
"Baby, do you know who I am?" the sexy man said.
"Yes, you're my mate. I have been beaten; I don't think I have brain damage." Garrett said rolling his eyes, he couldn't help himself. His mate needed to know the true him.
"Oh honey, you're going to be a handful," he laughed. "My name is Haven Storm. I found you yesterday when you ran out in front of my truck. I almost hit you. I nearly lost you anyway from your injuries that you suffered. I want to know about all of that soon, but first I have to know my mate's name."
"My name is Garrett and I lived with the Cedarhill Pack," Garret said guardedly. He wasn't sure where this was going, but mate or not, he was not going back to his Pack.
