by Aja Foxx
"How does he do that?" Elder Ramsey asked. "You did tell me he was blind, right?"
"He is," Beck replied, "and I have no idea how he does it. I stopped asking after we played chase in the woods and he didn't trip over anything or run into a tree."
He'd been shocked, but not as shocked as the others had been as they watched Fagan laughing as he ran through the woods trying to get away from Beck's tiger. Beck had almost laughed himself silly after shifting back.
"Give me about ten minutes and I should be ready to go."
"I'll be here when you get back."
Beck raised an eyebrow. "Back?"
Elder Ramsey chuckled. "Elders do not go on raids, bBeck. You know that. I'll stay here and keep Fagan company. I assume Dominic can protect both of us?"
"Of course," Beck said. He trusted Dominic to keep Fagan safe. He'd trust him to keep the elder safe as well.
"Good, good." Elder Ramsey reached for another pastry. "These really are quite tasteful."
"I'm sure Fagan would be happy to box a couple of them up for you."
"Oh, I don't want to bother the boy."
Beck bristled at the man referring to his mate as a "boy", but now was not the time to argue with the man. He needed to get his battle gear so he could go on the raid and then get back to Fagan as quickly as possible.
He still couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something.
Chapter Twelve
Fagan was not thrilled Beck was going off on some raid, even if he knew it was for a good reason, but he knew he couldn't keep the alpha male wrapped up in bubble wrap. No matter how much he might want to. Just thinking about Beck getting hurt made Fagan's belly cramp.
He didn't think he'd survive it if Beck died.
He knew at some point he'd have to come to terms with what Beck did. hHe just wasn't ready for that quite yet. He was not thrilled that his mate was some sort of shifter king. It put a big ass target on Beck's back, and Fagan hated that.
There just wasn't anything he could do about it, and he knew it. Beck was born a shifter king just as he was born an omega. They couldn't change the circumstances of their births, but maybe they could change how the world perceived them. It was something he'd definitely have to talk to Beck about.
There seemed to be a growing list of things he needed to talk to Beck about.
"Fagan."
Fagan glanced up and took a small sniff before he smiled. "Elder Ramsey, what can I do for you?"
"Beck said you might be able to box up a couple of those pastries for me to take home."
"I'd be happy to." Fagan reached into the cupboard and grabbed a container. He placed a couple of the raspberry pastries inside then placed a lid on it and handed it to the elder. "If you ever want more, just let me know. I bake a lot."
His guys ate like they were starving and their throats had been cut. It was nice to be appreciated, but he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to keep up with their appetites.
"How?"
Fagan chuckled at the elder's question. He no longer got insulted when someone wondered how a blind man functioned in a seeing world. "The elders at the monastery taught us how to cook gourmet meals in order to please our masters."
"You seem very comfortable in a kitchen."
"Once I learned where everything went, it was pretty easy to get used to the place. And the guys always make sure the dishes are done and the kitchen is cleaned up after each meal. Beck told them they had to help keep it clean if they wanted me to continue to cook."
"Makes sense," the elder mused. "If your meals taste anything like these pastries, I'd clean the kitchen too."
Fagan laughed, but it was a little forced. He felt weird standing there talking with one of the three people who ruled the paranormal world. "Did you want some more coffee?"
"No, thank you, Fagan. If I drink too much of it, I'll never get to sleep tonight."
Fagan's smile weakened as he tried to think of something else they could talk about. It wasn't as if they had a lot in common. Elder Ramsey was the shifter elder for the entire paranormal world. He served on the Comhairle de Trí.
They weren't even in the same league.
"You're not going on the raid?" Fagan asked. He knew he'd heard several motorcycles and a couple of vehicles leave. Despite what the man had said, Fagan had thought for sure the elder would be going on the raid until the man walked into the kitchen.
"No." The elder sounded almost amused. "I'm an elder and elders do not go on raids. They plan them."
"Oh." He wished he'd known that before Beck left. He would have had Jaggar stick around. The man might get on his nerves at times, but he'd jump into a fight at the drop of a hat. Dominic was more of the "kill them all and let God sort them out" type. There'd be no one left.
Speaking of which, where in the hell was Dominic? Fagan thought the man was supposed to be with him, guarding him. He didn't like the fact that the house sounded silent like a tomb.
"Can I ask you a question, Fagan?"
"Of course."
"With all the training you've been given, did you ever wonder if you would have been better off with a master?"
Fagan tried to give the question due consideration considering his throat felt as if it was closing up. A trickle of unease began to slide up his spine. "I think the question is less do I think I need a master and more that I was never given a choice."
"We are what we are, Fagan. You can't change that."
Considering he'd just been thinking that not more than a few minutes ago, Fagan couldn't help but wonder if they were both wrong. "I'm Beck's mate. That's what fate said I was. I'm also an omega. I accept that. But I was meant to be Beck's mate, not some pervert's pet."
"I am not a pervert."
Fagan gasped and swung around. He didn't need to see to know who was standing there. He had nightmares about that voice. "Tyrnan."
"I told you I would find a way to come for you."
* * * *
Beck absently rubbed the center of his chest. A small ache had started there, growing bigger with each mile. He realized this was the first time he'd ever really been away from Fagan, but this was ridiculous. He was beginning to have trouble breathing.
Something was wrong.
He pulled his motorcycle to the side of the road then waited for the others to join him. He wasn't surprised in the least when the vehicles carrying Elder Ramsey's soldiers drove right on past him. They had been given their orders and would follow them to the last man.
Once his men pulled over and stopped next to him, Beck turned off his engine then turned to face them.
"What's up, Beck?" Greyson asked.
Beck gave a small shake of his head. "Something is wrong. I can't put my finger on exactly what it is, but I can feel that something is wrong."
"Something like?"
Beck rubbed his chest again as the ache grew bigger. "Fagan," he replied. "Something is wrong with Fagan."
"Wrong how?" Greyson asked.
"I don't know." He just knew how he felt. He could be totally wrong, but he didn't think so. "I need to go back." Screw the raid on the monastery. Fagan was more important. "Greyson, take the others and go on the raid. I'm putting you in charge."
"Take Jaggar with you," Greyson said. "I'll take Talon with me."
"Greyson—"
"If there's something wrong with Fagan, you're going to need the backup."
Beck couldn't argue with that so he nodded his head. "Report back to me as soon as you can." He started his motorcycle back up then gestured for Jaggar to follow him before pulling out. He made a uU-turn then started back for home.
Luckily, they weren't that far away. It shouldn't take more than twenty minutes to get home. Of course, Beck felt each of those minutes. The ache in his chest didn't go away the closer they drove to the house. It grew worse.
When they reached the beginning of the long driveway leading up to the house, Beck pulled his bike over. He turned off the engine and climbe
d off before pushing the bike behind some bushes. Once his bike was hidden from view, he pulled off his helmet, gloves, and jacket. He suspected he might need to shift and he'd be damned if he ruined his leathers in the process.
"And we're stopping here why?" Jaggar asked as he did the same.
"If there's trouble at the house, I don't want anyone to hear us coming."
Jaggar's eyebrows lifted. "You think there's going to be trouble?"
"I don't know." He hoped not, but he was pretty sure that hope was for nothing. "I just want to be prepared in case there is."
Jaggar gave a curt nod. "Silent entry then?"
Beck grinned then started through the woods. Jaggar could be a real ass at times, but he was a good warrior, one of the best. His ability to assess a situation in a single glance was one of the things that made him so great. It was probably why Greyson suggested Jaggar come back with him instead of one of the others.
When the house came into view, Beck squatted down behind some bushes and scanned the area in front of him. Elder Ramsey's limo was still parked in front of the house, but that was it. No other vehicles were present.
That had to be good, right?
"Nothing seems out of place," Jaggar whispered. "Is there something specific we should be looking for?"
"I couldn't swear something was wrong," Beck replied, "but I know there is. I just can't figure out what it is."
"What's your gut telling you?"
"That not everything is as it looks." The scene was almost too calm. Beck knew that didn't make sense, but it was what he felt. And that feeling was overwhelming. "You take the front door. I'm going around back."
"Have you considered shifting and asking Fagan if everything is okay?"
Beck closed his eyes for a moment. He was such an idiot. His only excuse was that he had been mated for like a minute and wasn't used to being able to communicate with his mate telepathically.
Hell, he wasn't used to having a mate.
"We should both shift."
Jaggar nodded and started stripping.
Beck quickly stripped off his own clothes. hHe could come back for them later. There were times when he really wished life was like some of those romance novels he'd read where shifters retained their clothes when they shifted. It was a bitch getting out of ripped jeans.
Beck's shift was quick. He'd been doing it for a very long time. His body easily flowed from two legs to four, fur sprouting up, replacing tanned skin. Bones crackedled and reformed, and muscles stretched, all in the span of a few seconds.
Once he was fully shifted, Beck searched through the bond he had with his mate. "Fagan? Baby?" He swallowed tightly when he got nothing back except static. Well, it wasn't even static. There was just nothing.
He knew Fagan was still alive because his own heart still beat in his chest. If Fagan was dead, he would be too. Part of their bonding was intertwining their life threads. When one mate died, the other mate died. That was just the way true mates worked.
It was totally worth it.
He looked at Jaggar and shook his head. Jaggar gave a nod of his furry head then glanced toward the house. Beck took off through the underbrush, confident that Jaggar knew what he needed to be doing.
When they reached the edge of the yard, they split up. Jaggar headed for the front of the house. Beck went toward the back. That persistent ache was still in his chest. It wasn't getting any stronger, so that was something, but it wasn't getting any weaker either.
Beck slowed as he neared the back of the house. He raised his snout into the air and sniffed. It was immediately apparent to him that someone was here he didn't know. The scent was thick, and had a slight burnt smell to it, almost as if whoever the scent was coming from had been standing over an open fire pit.
He had no idea what that meant, but he didn't like it.
His steps were light as he climbed onto the porch, almost non-existent. He knew how to make a silent entry. Not only had he spent twenty-five years as a guard for the high council, but he'd spent years in training before that. This was the easy part.
Holding onto his temper as he stepped through the large doggie door and saw his unconscious mate lying on the kitchen floor was going to be almost impossible. He was even less confident when he saw that Fagan's hands and feet had been bound together with rope.
Beck took another strong drag of air. He caught Elder Ramsey's scent, but it was faint, as if the man hadn't been in the kitchen but might still be in the area. The other scent, however, it was fresh. He suspected whoever it was had tied Fagan up.
He padded across the kitchen and nudged Fagan with his nose. When his eyes began to flutter, Beck licked a line up the side of his face. "Fagan, mate, can you hear me?" he asked through their bond.
"Beck?" Fagan whispered back just as silently.
Beck almost cried. "I'm here, mate."
"No, you have to go." Pure panic laced Fagan's voice. "He said he'd kill you if he saw you."
"Who, Fagan?"
"Tyrnan. He's the headmaster's punisher. He's the one who said I was supposed to be given to him before I left the monastery."
Beck growled. "I'll kill him."
"He's not the problem," Fagan insisted. "Elder Ramsey is."
Beck glanced toward the entry to the kitchen before looking back at Fagan. "What are you talking about?"
"Elder Ramsey is behind all of this," Fagan said. "He's the one who's arranging for omegas to be trained then sold to the highest bidder.
Well, shit. That was going to make things dicey.
Chapter Thirteen
Fagan scooted around until he could roll onto his stomach. He wiggled his fingers. "Do you think you could get these ropes off of me?"
He really wanted to be free. Like, really, really.
"Tell me what happened," Beck whispered through their bond right before he shifted and started working on the ropes tied around Fagan's wrists. "Did Elder Ramsey tie you up?"
"No," Fagan whispered out load, afraid of being overheard. "Tyrnan tied me up then hit me on the side of the head when I spit on him. The next thing I knew, you were here."
"Then how do you know the elder is in on it?"
Fagan snorted. "He let Tyrnan inside the house."
"That doesn't mean anything, Fagan. If this guy was one of the guards at the monastery, Elder Ramsey might know him. There could be a hundred reasons why he would let Tyrnan in. We need more than that."
"Well, I'm sure you can ask Dominic when he wakes up. They have him tied up in the basement. They tossed him down there before Tyrnan knocked my ass out."
Beck's jaw clenched.
"I know you don't want to hear this, but your elder is up to this to his neck. After Tyrnan showed up, he started making all sorts of phone calls, but I definitely heard Headmaster Eithar's name mentioned when he started making plans to ship out the other omegas."
Beck growled. "I'll kill him."
"We need to get out of this first."
"Where are Elder Ramsey and Tyrnan now?" Beck asked. "Do you know?"
"I think they are searching your office. Elder Ramsey said something about trying to figure out just how much you knew."
"You stay here."
"The hell I will." Fagan shook the ropes off his ankles and wrists once he was free then stood to his feet. He kept a hold of the ropes. "That asshole tied me up. I'm going to shove these ropes where the sun don't shine."
Beck chuckled. "Just promise you'll let me know if you need help."
"I'll consider it."
Beck was a smart alpha. It was probably why he didn't reply. He just gave a curt nod then shifted back to his tiger form. "Stay close," Beck said through their bond.
Fagan sank his fingers into Beck's soft fur then started walking when he did. They passed through the kitchen and dining room then moved into the living room. He stiffened when he heard the unmistakable sound of paws padding across the floor.
"It's just Jaggar."
Fagan blew out a h
eavy breath. "It's nice to know we're not alone."
They needed the backup. Fagan might have boasted about taking Tyrnan on, but truthfully, the headmaster's punisher scared him to death. He'd been reprimanded by him before, usually over something small and petty, but Tyrnan seemed to really enjoy inflicting pain.
When they moved toward the office, Fagan picked up the sounds of someone talking. The voices were raised, angry. It took him a moment to figure out what they were saying, and when he did, he felt as if the bottom had dropped out of his world.
"Beck."
"I know. I hear it, too."
Fagan swallowed tightly as he listened some more.
"I want those omegas moved by tomorrow morning," Elder Ramsey said. "If there are no omegas, there is no evidence. No evidence, no complaint."
"Montgomery Beck could be a problem," someone else said.
For a moment, Fagan thought that someone else might have been in the room, then he realized what he was hearing was a man talking through a phone speaker.
It was the headmaster.
"Montgomery Beck will be too busy trying to explain what happened to his mate to be a problem," Elder Ramsey snapped. "Once Tyrnan finishes setting up the scene, no one is going to believe Beck didn't kill Fagan."
Fagan tensed. He was pretty sure that meant Tyrnan wasn't in the office with Elder Ramsey. He knew he was right when he heard Jaggar walk away. Hopefully, he was going to look for Tyrnan.
"If Tyrnan takes him, there won't be a body. How will you explain that?"
Elder Ramsey snorted. "Who said there won't be a body?"
"You promised the omega to Tyrnan." There was a hint of fear in Headmaster Eithar's voice. "He won't be happy if he doesn't get him."
"You still have over twenty omegas at that monastery of yours. Let him pick one of those."
"He wanted Fagan. hHe's been watching Fagan for years. He won't accept any other omega. Believe me, I've tried. Fagan is a fully trained omega. He's worth a lot of money. He's already caught the interest of at least three high rollers."
