Later, as he walked home with Cole, the alpha’s arm around him, he brought it up. He couldn’t help but feel embarrassed that he’d panicked over watching a movie. But Cole waved it off like it was no big deal.
“We’ve all had bad days,” he said. “Bad moments. Yours are no different.”
“You were in the army. You’ve seen war. I think that might be a little different.”
“Look at it this way,” Cole said. “You’d do the same for me, right?”
“Of course.”
He felt better hearing it put like that, as if it was give and take. He didn’t want to be seen as the weak link, the one they had to tiptoe around for fear that he might break.
“Your pack is pretty awesome,” he told Cole. He meant every word.
“Yeah, they are,” Cole agreed with a grin. “And I’m glad you think so.”
Josh woke alone in Cole’s bed the next morning, finding a note from the alpha that he was at the packhouse, he’d be home soon, and that there was breakfast waiting for him in the kitchen. He sat up and stretched, welcoming the day.
He dressed in sweatpants and a T-shirt and padded into the kitchen, smiling at the bowl of granola, milk, and honey set out on the table. He pulled out a chair, ready to sit down, when he heard the sound of a vehicle arriving. Cole hadn’t said anything about a delivery, but maybe he’d forgotten. Breakfast would have to wait.
There was urgent knocking on the front door before he reached it.
“Coming,” he called, hurrying to open it. “Cole’s not here—” He pulled the door open only to freeze halfway, spying a familiar and unwelcome face.
“Good,” Stewart said. “Wouldn’t want anyone interfering, would we, Joey? You and I need to have a little talk.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Cole found himself awake just after dawn the next morning. The nightmare had been stark but mercifully short. Josh lay sleeping next to him, looking relaxed and peaceful. Cole wished he could find peace like that. And maybe, with Josh and his pack’s help, he could.
He made breakfast for Josh and left a note for the omega before hiking over to the packhouse. There, he found Brax in the garden with Nate, Alice, the three boys, and two of the cubs.
“Morning,” Brax called. “Joining us for breakfast? Kira’s making her special scrambled eggs on toast.”
“Sounds tempting,” Cole said, “but I’ll pass this time.”
Brax took a closer look at him, then handed the cub in his arms off to Nate.
“Take a walk with me?” he asked.
“Sure,” Cole said, relieved that he didn’t have to ask.
They wandered into the woods, taking a winding path through the forest.
“You look like you could use a good night’s sleep,” Brax said. “And I’m the one with four small cubs.”
“Yeah,” Cole said, forcing out a laugh. “Nightmares, you know?”
“I know,” Brax said quietly. “Anything in particular on your mind?”
Cole blew out a breath and pushed through his reluctance to talk.
“Dutchy and Andy. They’ve been in my thoughts a lot lately.”
Brax glanced over at him. “That have anything to do with Joshua?”
“Yeah. I think maybe it does. And it doesn’t.”
Brax stayed silent, leaving space for him to talk.
“I told Josh something. Something I should have told you a long time ago. But…”
“But I was a mess. You knew it, even if you didn’t know why. I’m sorry, Cole. I should have been there for you.”
“You were barely keeping your own head above water, Brax. You couldn’t hold me up too.”
Brax stopped walking and turned to him.
“Well, I’m here now. Maybe it’s time to get it off your chest?”
Cole took a breath and just came out with it.
“The bunker door took eight seconds to seal. I timed it.”
“Okay.” Brax frowned and waited for him to continue.
“Jackson’s countdown was at ten when I shut the door.”
“You couldn’t wait any longer,” Brax agreed. “Two seconds is not a large margin of error.”
Cole took another deep, hitched breath. “Dutchy and Andy made it back. I saw them, just before I closed the door.”
His hands were shaking, his breaths growing shallower.
“They reached it before the explosion went off. I— I heard them.”
Hands banging on the metal, voices calling. Just for a split second before—
Brax was suddenly right in front of him, one hand on Cole’s shoulder, the other cupping his face.
“If that door wasn’t sealed when the explosion hit, all three of you would be dead right now. And Zane, at the top of the stairs. And many of the civilians on the floor above. We weren’t even halfway through the evacuation.”
Cole met Brax’s eyes, shaking his head.
“I could have got them out and closed the door.”
Brax shook his shoulder.
“But not sealed it,” he said, his voice low and insistent. “Not airtight. The explosion wouldn’t have been contained. We couldn’t have been sure that what they were cooking up in that bunker was destroyed.”
Cole knew, he knew, and yet…
“They were right there, Brax. Right there. And I… I…”
“You saved the world. It came at a fucking high cost. To you, to us, to Dutchy, Andy, and Jackson. But you made the right call. No one ever said being a hero was easy.”
Cole snorted at that. “Hero is just a word people throw around to make themselves feel better for sending other people into danger and expecting them to come out in one piece on the other side.”
“Doesn’t make what you did any less important, no matter what name you put on it.”
Cole tried to look away, but Brax wouldn’t let him.
“I can’t stop seeing their faces, seeing the look in their eyes as I shut that door,” he admitted.
“They knew,” Brax said softly. “They were aware of every detail, every risk, just like you were. If it had been you inside the bunker and them on the other side of that door, what would you say to them now?”
Cole thought about that for a moment. “I’d want them to know that they made the right choice, that it wasn’t their fault, and that I didn’t blame them.”
He couldn’t get absolution from his dead teammates. But it wasn’t them he needed it from. He had to forgive himself.
“It could have been any one of us, Cole. Any one of us at that door, any one of us trapped behind it.”
Cole had wished many times that he’d been on the other side of that door, but less so in recent weeks and months. He’d started to remember what it was to have something to live for.
“This isn’t a burden you should have carried alone,” Brax said, his eyes sorrowful.
“We’ve all carried burdens,” Cole insisted. “You got the raw end of the deal where that was concerned, not me.”
“Let’s not argue over who had it worse. It was crap for all of us, and I’m sorry you felt you couldn’t come to me.”
“I’m here now.”
“Yeah.” Brax grinned. “And I’m glad.”
They heard shouts from the house.
“Breakfast is ready,” Brax said. “Are you sure you won’t join us?”
“Josh is waiting, and I’ve got to take care of the horses. Next time,” he promised.
“Tomorrow,” Brax countered. “Bring Josh.”
Cole agreed readily.
He left for the cottage, a lightness in his step. Josh had been right—it had felt good to tell someone, someone who was there, who understood.
His happy mood faded when he heard yelling—Josh’s voice. He took off running toward the cottage, racing around the side of the house and toward the front.
He was greeted by the sight of Stewart trying to force Josh into his car, the omega twisting, turning, and fighting him off. There was blood running d
own Josh’s face. Cole ran at them, belatedly seeing what Stewart had in his other hand—a gun.
He reacted before Stewart even saw him coming, grabbing the arm holding the gun and forcing it away. With his other hand, he grasped Stewart’s wrist, forcibly separating him from Josh.
“Run, Josh!” he yelled.
The omega didn’t need to be told twice, his footsteps racing away around the cottage, leaving Cole with only Stewart and the gun to worry about. The agent was stronger than he looked, emboldened by the rage Cole could see on his face.
“Get the fuck off me,” Stewart growled. “That omega is mine.”
The gun went off, the sound surprising them both. But whereas Stewart wasn’t used to gunfire, Cole barely blinked. He snatched the gun from Stewart’s hand and tossed it aside, punching the agent in the face for good measure. And then he threw him face down on the ground, getting a knee into his back and pinning his arms behind him.
“And stay down,” he grunted, reaching for his phone.
Thorn was his first port of call, the alpha promising to be right over and to call Brax and the local police. The sheriff wouldn’t be happy to see Cole’s face again, but at least he was on the right side of this one.
Conscious of the fact that Stewart was recovering enough to try to fight him off, and worried about Josh, Cole pulled the keys to Stewart’s car from the agent’s pocket. Then he dragged Stewart to his feet and over to the trunk. He popped it open, tossed Stewart inside, and slammed it shut again before he had a chance to try to get out. Then Cole leaned his weight on it and waited for the cavalry.
Thorn arrived on his motorcycle a few minutes later, pulling up next to him.
“You’ve got him in the trunk?” Thorn asked, trying not to smile.
“He had a gun, Thorn. And he had Josh. I’m not taking chances here.”
“Well, the deputy is on his way. I’ve got Stewart. You go check on Josh.”
Cole clapped Thorn on the shoulder and ran around the house, searching for the omega’s trail. He stopped and called the packhouse.
Oliver answered.
“Did Josh get to you?”
“No, there’s no sign of him. Brax and Duke are on their way to you.”
“Okay. Call me if he turns up.”
It was then that Cole spotted Josh’s clothes on the ground. Okay, the omega had shifted. Which meant he was covering a lot less ground than a running human. But he’d be better able to hide. Smart choice.
Cole took off toward the woods but paused when he saw blood drops on the ground leading to the stables. He ran in that direction.
“Josh?”
There was no answer to his call, and as he stepped inside, all seemed quiet.
“Josh?” he called again.
He was just about to leave when he noticed that Thunder seemed oddly restless. If it had been Ginny, he wouldn’t have paid much mind. But Thunder…
Crossing the stables, he peered into Thunder’s stall. There, at the back, he spied a hedgehog huddled under a small mound of hay. It was a good hiding place for a scared omega, but not a safe one for a hedgehog. A kick from Thunder could easily injure or kill Josh in his fragile shifter form.
“Hi, Thunder,” he said softly as he opened the stall door. “How about you go and head on out into the paddock? It’s a nice day out there, I’m sure you’d like to see it.”
Thunder tossed his head unhappily but trotted forward, not needing any encouragement once he spotted the open stable door.
Once he was out, Cole let the stall door fall closed and leaned against it.
“Hey there, Josh,” he greeted softly. “It’s okay to come out now. Stewart’s been handled, the pack is here, and the police will be arriving any minute. You’re safe. You can change back any time you’re ready.”
It would be better if Josh was back in human form before the police arrived, but Cole wasn’t going to rush him.
Turning his back to give the omega some privacy, he took off his jacket and hung it over the stall door.
“I’ll leave this here for you,” he added, folding his arms and leaning against the wall.
He didn’t have long to wait before he heard soft footsteps and the swish of material as Josh slipped his jacket on. He glanced around to find Josh watching him, wide-eyed. There was a bruise on his cheek, his lip was split, and his face was tear-stained.
Cole pulled open the stall door and opened his arms, letting Josh come to him. The omega all but threw himself into his embrace, letting out a sob as he clung to Cole.
“I’ve got you,” Cole promised. “You’re safe.”
Hearing more cars arrive outside, he led Josh out toward the cottage. Brax and Oliver met them at the door, Oliver going inside ahead of them to get Josh some clothes.
“Police are here,” Brax said, nodding to the front. “They’re busy dealing with Stewart, but they’ll want to talk to you both any minute now.”
“They can wait until he’s dressed,” Cole said, taking the clothes Oliver returned with.
It didn’t take long to get Josh into a T-shirt and pants, the omega shivering like he’d been dunked in ice.
By the time the deputy stepped inside, they had Josh on the couch in the living room, curled up and clutching a blanket.
The deputy’s eyes softened on seeing Josh.
“This the victim?” he asked carefully.
“Yes. Deputy Thomas, this is Joshua. Josh, do you feel up to answering some questions?”
“I’ll try,” Josh said shakily. “It all happened so fast.”
Cole took a seat on one side of him, and Oliver on the other. The deputy kept his questions short and to the point. Cole filled in any blanks he could, then took over with his part of the story. By the time they’d finished, the deputy’s face was grim.
“Well, that’s quite a list of charges this guy’s going to be facing. They’ll be given more weight considering that the crimes happened on pack land.”
“If I might have a word with you outside, Deputy,” Oliver said, getting to his feet. “There’s a deeper history to this situation and some charges already standing that might have played a part in what happened here today. Maybe I could bring you up to speed and pass you on the contact details of the other police agency involved?”
Cole was immensely glad Oliver and the others were there to handle that, clearheaded and keeping their cool. All he could think of right then was an overpowering need to protect Josh from further harm.
Josh’s calm quiet was eerie at first. Cole just held him close, stroked his hands along Josh’s arms and back, and talked to him now and then.
Slowly, he came out of the haze of shock he’d fallen into—looking around more, tugging at the blanket around his shoulders, squeezing Cole’s hand.
“That was some knight in shining armor routine,” the omega said suddenly. “He had a gun and everything, and you just ran right at him.”
Cole gave a laugh of relief and hugged him tighter. “He’ll never touch you again, Josh. I swear it.”
“I believe you,” Josh murmured. “I’m safe, because of you.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Josh woke to find himself in Cole’s arms, laid out in the alpha’s bed. Something had changed, he could feel it. As he lay there, mulling it over, Cole’s nose pressed against the nape of his neck. The alpha inhaled deeply, making a rough noise of contentment as he woke.
“Josh?”
He sounded sleep-addled but curious. So Josh wasn’t the only one who knew something was different. But what?
Josh turned in Cole’s arms, a smile on his face, ready to greet the alpha. And then it hit him.
“Fuck. I’m in heat.”
It was like an icy bucket of water thrown over him, dousing the warm comfort from moments before. He jumped out of bed and ran for the bathroom, slamming the door closed and locking it. He stayed there, pressed against it, breathing hard. This couldn’t be happening, could it? Not now. Not yet.
He f
elt another unmistakable wave of lust run through his body, making him shudder right down to his toes. Oh yeah, this was happening alright.
There was a knock on the door, and he jerked back, eyes wide.
“Josh?” Cole said quietly, his voice rough with sleep. “It’s just me. Can I come in?”
“I need a minute,” he called back, hating how his voice cracked. “Or a week,” he muttered, letting his forehead rest against the door.
Talk about bad timing. What was he going to do now?
“Hey,” Cole said softly. “I know you’ve had a really horrible few weeks, and maybe this just seems like another problem piling on.”
Josh snorted at that. That’s exactly what this was. No ‘seems’ about it.
“But it doesn’t have to change anything. Not if you don’t want it to. Please, Josh. Come out, have some breakfast, and we’ll talk this through.”
Josh was far from ready to face Cole, not in his present condition.
“I think I’ll stay put, thanks all the same.”
“Josh—”
“Back off, Cole. This is me asking for space, not to be pestered with twenty questions.”
There was a short, heavy silence.
“Okay. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me. Or if you want to go back to bed, I won’t disturb you.”
Josh didn’t believe that. The second there wasn’t a locked door between them, Cole would be by his side, checking on him. That thought gave him pause. Other alphas would be testing the waters, seeing if Josh was up for sharing his heat, getting pushy about it. Cole wasn’t like that. He’d make it clear what he wanted, but he’d never assume his needs superseded Josh’s. It was refreshing for all that it could be annoying sometimes.
After another few minutes of leaning against the door, Josh pushed away and started the shower. He turned the heat down to barely warm, wanting the chance to clear his head. As he undressed, he caught sight of his face in the mirror and stepped closer, confused by what he was seeing—his bruises and cuts from yesterday looked better, not worse. As if they were well on their way to healing up.
Keeper (The Lost Pack Book 2) Page 16
