Tristan could not lose his mate so soon after finding him.
Cade stalked closer to Joey. His lips peeled back to reveal incredibly sharp teeth and his snarls increased in volume with each passing second. Joey’s eyes were wide and he’d begun to tremble. Tristan screamed out his frustration and pulled harder until finally, he broke free from the hold Sam had on him. He raced across the lot, but just as Cade was about to pounce, a deafening shot rang out that stopped both him and Cade in their tracks.
When Tristan turned to the sound, his brother was stood on the road beside his cruiser, shotgun in hand. Tristan had been so focused on Cade and his mate that he hadn’t seen or heard Jared arrive.
He’d never been so happy to see his brother in all his life.
Chapter Fifteen
Joey could hardly breathe.
He’d never been more terrified in his life. He had just lifted the wrench to defend himself against the wolf’s attack when a shotgun fired. He tore his eyes away from the large, snarling beast and saw Sheriff Ambrose striding across the lot, the barrel of the gun trained in their direction.
When Jared approached, he stared down at the wolf and ordered, “Shift!”
At first, the wolf stood his ground—he bared his teeth at Jared and snarled at him—but when Jared moved closer so that the shotgun was inches away from the wolf’s head, he finally acquiesced. As the wolf’s fur began to shimmer and his body changed shape, Joey was practically knocked off his feet when Tristan barreled into him, enveloping him in his arms.
“Oh God, I thought—” Tristan’s words cut off on a sob and he clung on, holding Joey tighter and practically squeezing all the air from his lungs. “I thought…”
“Hey, I’m fine,” Joey soothed. “I’m not the one who was hurt.” He pulled back to take a good look at Tristan’s face. “Look what they did to you,” he choked out.
Tristan’s left eye was swollen shut, his nose was misshapen and he was covered in blood, but even with all the injuries, he was the most striking man that Joey had ever laid eyes on.
Tristan tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace.
“Shh, don’t worry about me. I’m fine too. A day or two to recover and I’ll be good as new.”
Joey eyed him dubiously.
He didn’t sound fine. His words were nasal as if his nose was broken, but even so, relief unlike any he’d known rushed through him. Tristan was going to be okay. His wolf. After what he’d just witnessed, that fact had taken on an entirely different meaning. What would Tristan be like in his wolf form?
Would he be as terrifying?
Would he try to hurt Joey?
Those questions and a hundred others whirled through his mind until he felt dizzy from them. Just what was he doing here? He was way out of his depth. He didn’t belong in this world. The thought caused a sharp pain in his chest, but he tried to ignore it. He’d think more on the matter later. Right now, he was just relieved that Tristan was alive and reasonably well. He was so glad that he could hold him. He needed the reassurance that he really was okay.
Joey and Tristan turned to watch Jared slap a pair of handcuffs on each of the men while he questioned them.
“It’s lucky that Jared showed up,” Tristan mused.
Joey shook his head. “I called him,” he supplied.
“What?”
“Just as soon as I went inside, I called him. I told him you were in trouble and asked him to get here as soon as he could.”
The expression on Tristan’s face turned quickly from surprise to gratitude. He hugged Joey to his chest again and whispered a thank you against his neck.
“I just wish I could have done more,” Joey said. “I wanted to help, but Jared told me to call Kelan as soon as I was through talking to him. He said Kelan needed to know what was going on.
“When I got off the phone with them both, I knew I had to do something else. I couldn’t stand back and let them hurt you so I looked around the garage for a weapon, but I couldn’t find a gun or a knife or anything useful.
“That’s when I grabbed the wrench, but as soon as I got to the door, you were on your knees and your face…” Joey shuddered and pulled back a little to look at Tristan. “Look what they did to your face.”
“I’m okay,” Tristan reiterated. “I promise.”
The sound of a car door slamming caught their attention and they turned to see Kelan Morgan approach. He cut a glance to Jared and the two wolves but headed towards Tristan and Joey.
“Alpha,” Tristan said when Kelan reached them.
Kelan’s gaze swept over Tristan’s bruised and battered face.
“How are you?” he asked by way of greeting.
Judging by the state of his face, Tristan had to be in pain, but he shrugged as though this sort of thing happened to him every day.
“I’m okay.”
“And you?” Kelan asked, turning his intense gaze on Joey.
Joey felt that same rush of power coming from the man and it made him uneasy.
“Uh, I’m fine, sir,” he replied.
Kelan gave a curt nod then turned his attention back to Tristan. “Tell me what happened.”
Joey listened while Tristan went over everything that had happened between himself and the two wolves, beginning with a fight they’d apparently been involved in at Jackson’s the other night and ending with Jared showing up and firing the shotgun.
Kelan stayed silent throughout the explanation, but when Tristan had finished talking, he nodded and said simply, “I’ll deal with it.”
Kelan leaned forward and sniffed the air between him and Tristan and his eyes widened slightly. “I see you two have mated.”
Tristan nodded. “Yes, Alpha.”
Turning to Joey, Kelan thrust out his hand. “I realize this is not the best time to welcome you into the pack, but needs must. Welcome. I hope you’ll be happy living here with us.”
Surprised, Joey took Kelan’s outstretched hand and shook it firmly. He wasn’t sure how he felt about Kelan assuming that he would be staying in Wolf Creek, but he didn’t voice his annoyance. He could barely untwist his tongue enough around Kelan to mumble a quiet “Thanks.”
Kelan kept hold of his hand and said, “I’m sure you realize that it’s imperative our secret remains a secret.”
Joey swallowed before answering, “Of course, sir.”
Seemingly satisfied, Kelan let go of his hand. “I’d better go and deal with this.” He turned to Tristan and added, “Why don’t you go and get yourself cleaned up? You look like shit.”
Tristan huffed out a laugh. “You say the nicest things.”
Chapter Sixteen
“Ow!”
At the pained exclamation, Joey quickly pulled the washcloth away and winced as Tristan touched his nose.
“Shouldn’t you see a doctor about that?”
While Kelan spoke with Jared and the two wolves, Tristan and Joey had slipped into the garage so that they could clean up the blood that covered Tristan’s face and neck. On the way to the bathroom, Tristan had grabbed one of the spare T-shirts he kept at work. They were holed up inside the small room, Tristan sitting on the closed toilet lid with Joey playing nursemaid.
Tristan shook his head. “Nah, we heal quickly. Don’t have much occasion for doctors unless it’s something serious.”
Joey gaped at Tristan. “A broken nose isn’t serious?”
Tristan shrugged. “I just need some time to rest and it’ll be good as new, although it would heal much quicker if I shifted into my wolf form.”
Joey tore his gaze away and chewed on his bottom lip as he stared at the washcloth that was covered in Tristan’s blood.
“What is it?” Tristan asked. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.”
“You’re lying,” Tristan proclaimed. “I can tell.”
Intrigued, Joey returned his gaze to Tristan’s and stared at him for a moment before asking,
“You can? How?”
>
“Your cheek twitches.”
Joey rolled his eyes. “I thought you were going to tell me you had some sort of wolf superpower or something.”
Tristan nodded sagely. “That too.”
Unsure if Tristan was just yanking his chain, Joey raised an eyebrow and waited. His confusion must have been evident because Tristan offered up a small smile and elaborated.
“I can sense your emotions. It’s not always a hundred percent accurate, but it works well enough. Right then, your emotions told me you were embarrassed and a little ashamed. Sure signs that someone is lying.”
“No shit.”
“It works best between mates and, as I said, it’s not always accurate. But you’re avoiding the issue. What gives?”
Joey left Tristan perched on the toilet lid and threw the washcloth into the sink. He washed his hands while he tried to think of how to reply then voiced the question that had been bothering him since he’d seen the man shift into a wolf earlier.
“Are you dangerous in your wolf form?” he asked. “Would you hurt me when you’re changed like that?”
In a move that was barely visible, Tristan jumped up from the seat and stood in front of Joey. He placed his arms on Joey’s shoulders and stared into his eyes. The look was so intense that it made Joey squirm. He wanted to look away, but he was unable to tear his gaze from Tristan’s.
“I would never hurt you,” he promised, conviction dripping from every word. “Ever.”
“How can you be so sure?”
Tristan hesitated before replying as if he were trying to figure out the best way to word his reply.
“When we’re in our wolf form, we don’t lose our human sides. We’re still in there, still…lucid, I guess you could say. Sure, we act mostly by instinct, but our human sides are aware of what we’re doing.
“When we first shift, we’re disoriented and it takes a moment for our two halves to connect, but as soon as they do…” Tristan shrugged.
“So, you’d know who I am?” Joey asked.
“Sure I would. And so would my wolf. You belong to him as much as you do to me. He would recognize his mate. Matter of fact he could sniff you out in a room full of a thousand people.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely. So you have nothing to be worried about, okay? My wolf and I, we’re one and we’d die before we hurt you.”
Joey nodded, satisfied with Tristan’s answer.
He trusted him, but after his earlier experience, he wasn’t sure he wanted to be faced with another wolf again so soon, even if that wolf was his mate. It felt weird referring to Tristan in that way and Joey wondered if he’d ever be able to get used to it.
“I was so scared earlier,” he disclosed. “When I stepped outside and saw you on your knees—when I saw what they’d done to you, it terrified me.”
Tristan sighed and pulled Joey into his chest. “I was scared too, scared that they’d hurt you or worse… I can’t lose you, Joey. I just found you.”
Joey didn’t know how to respond.
He knew that Tristan was referring to him dying, but what if Joey decided that this life wasn’t for him? What if he couldn’t do this? He quickly changed the subject, leaning back and casting an assessing eye over Tristan’s face.
“Are you sure you’re okay? Not in too much pain?”
Tristan nodded. “Scout’s honor. And I have you to thank. You did good. I could be dead if you hadn’t helped. You saved my life.”
Joey dropped his gaze.
The subject change was no less comfortable because he wasn’t used to receiving compliments.
His neck and ears grew hot.
“Although, I’m still mad at you,” Tristan continued.
At that, Joey jerked his head up to stare at Tristan.
He wasn’t sure he’d heard him right.
“You’re mad at me? Why?”
Tristan sighed. “Do you have any idea how it made me feel when you walked out of the shop earlier with that wrench in your hand? Do you?”
Joey shook his head, unsure of what Tristan was getting at.
“It felt like my heart was being ripped right out of my chest,” Tristan replied.
Joey frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“I told you to go on inside earlier because I wanted you safe. And then you go and put yourself in harm’s way like that? I thought for sure they were going to kill you.”
When Tristan’s voice cracked on the last sentence, Joey reached up and cupped his jaw, holding his gaze.
“But they didn’t kill me. And I had the same fear, you know. You think I was just going to stand around and watch it happen, watch them hurt you like that?”
“That’s not the point! You’re human. You don’t have our strength.”
“Well, excuse me for not wanting you dead!” Joey retorted, suddenly furious and hurt by the implication that he was weak. “Next time I’ll just let them have at you, shall I?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, for God’s sake, you’re impossible!”
Joey threw his hands up and glared at Tristan. He was seriously pissed at the dumbass now.
“If you think for one second that I could watch you get hurt and not do a damn thing about it then you don’t know me very well. Actually, you don’t know me at all!”
“You are not to put yourself in danger like that again. Do you hear me?”
Joey stared at Tristan open-mouthed. “Don’t tell me what to do!”
“Then don’t do stupid things!”
“Grrr!” Joey threw his hands up again and made to move away from Tristan, but Tristan grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him back.
“Did you just growl at me?” he asked, his eyes flashing amber.
Joey shivered.
“Very perceptive,” he bit out.
He tore himself out of Tristan’s arms and reached for the handle on the bathroom door, but Tristan beat him to it.
“We haven’t finished with this conversation. Do not walk away from me,” he commanded hotly.
Joey glared at him. “Or what? Are you gonna drag me back in here like some type of caveman?”
“If I have to.”
“Really?”
Joey pulled Tristan’s hand away from the doorknob and turned it, swinging open the bathroom door. He took a step outside and looked over his shoulder, daring Tristan to make good on his threat, then he stormed through the shop, heading for the exit.
He only made it five steps.
He yelped as he was lifted off his feet and carried back to the bathroom.
“Damn it, Tristan! Put me down!” he demanded.
Tristan ignored him.
When they were back inside, Tristan slammed the door behind him before finally putting Joey on his feet.
“I told you not to walk away from me,” Tristan said, his chest pressing Joey back against the door. “Don’t you know anything about wolves? We love to chase.”
“I’m not a damn rabbit!” Joey exclaimed. “Fine. You want to talk, talk. Then I’m getting the hell out of here and next time you won’t stop me from leaving. If you try, I’ll have you arrested.”
Tristan’s mouth fell open. “For what?”
“Stalking, harassment, I don’t know. I’ll think of something.”
Tristan snorted. “I hate to remind you of this, but my brother is the sheriff.”
“Then he obviously knows what an annoying jerk you are!” Joey fumed. “Now, talk!”
Tristan's eyes flashed amber again and he let out a low, rumbling growl that went straight to Joey’s groin.
“Don’t want to talk anymore,” Tristan said, his voice rough. “You’re sexy when you’re angry.”
“I’m wh—?”
Tristan leaned in then kissed Joey roughly, cutting off his stunned reply.
Joey meant to protest, he really did. Instead, he deepened the kiss and grabbed hold of Tristan’s hips to pull him closer while he ground his suddenly rock-hard cock against
Tristan’s thigh.
Who knew he got off on the whole caveman thing?
That was something he needed to consider later. Much later, like when he wasn’t hard as a damn rock and humping Tristan’s leg like he was a dog in heat.
Tristan broke the kiss and fought with Joey’s zipper like a man possessed.
“Want you,” he said, sounding about as desperate as Joey felt.
Joey nodded and looked around the small bathroom desperately. There had to be something in there they could use. He suddenly needed Tristan in him like he needed air to breathe. His frantic gaze landed on a bottle of hand lotion and he pushed Tristan away and made a grab for it.
“Use this,” he instructed before opening the zipper on his jeans and tugging them and his briefs down his thighs.
Placing his hands on the countertop, he braced himself and arched his back. Catching Tristan’s eye in the mirror over the washbasin he asked, “What are you waiting for?”
A low growl ripped from Tristan’s throat as he tore open the button and zipper on his own jeans and yanked them down. The sound sent shivers of anticipation down Joey’s spine. Tristan wasted no time slicking up his cock then he grabbed Joey’s hips and slowly pushed inside. Joey gasped, his head falling back against Tristan’s chest. He closed his eyes as he tried to breathe through the initial stretch and burn.
“Oh God,” he groaned when Tristan finally bottomed out. “Oh, God. Why do I feel complete when you’re inside me?”
Tristan moaned. “Shit. I don’t think I can go slow.”
His voice was low and unnaturally raspy.
When Joey opened his eyes and met Tristan’s gaze in the mirror, Tristan’s eyes and teeth had shifted to their wolf form. After Joey’s earlier experience, the sight should have frightened him, but it didn’t.
He found it erotic, incredibly so.
“Fuck me,” he instructed. “Don’t hold back.”
With another low moan, Tristan gave him what he had asked for.
The fuck was hard and fast and it was exactly what Joey needed, even though he hadn’t realized it earlier. Throughout it all, he held Tristan’s gaze in the mirror. He couldn’t have looked away or closed his eyes if his life had depended on it. Tristan reached around and took hold of Joey’s cock. He began to stroke it in time with his hard, deep thrusts.
Tristan's Despair (2019 Reissue) Page 9
