by Macy Blake
“Meshaq! Help!”
He should help. He really should. But maybe he needed another few seconds? Then again, the sooner he got this dealt with, the sooner he could get back to Drew. With that thought, Shaq reached down and plucked the faun out of the water. He dripped, glared, and shivered.
“You sober now?”
Cosmo was considering kicking him again. Shaq could see it in his eyes. “Do it,” Shaq dared. “And I’ll leave you here to find your own way back to civilization.”
“I was having so much fun. You ruined it. I haven’t been this happy in years. No, decades. Can’t you feel it? There’s happiness in the air.”
Shaq had to admit that he was feeling pretty darn happy at the moment. “That doesn’t change the rules, Cosmo. Now I have to go clean up your mess when I could be doing something that actually makes me happy.”
Cosmo looked at him suspiciously. “Something has made the alpha of the hellhounds happy?”
There was no way Shaq was sharing his news with Cosmo. The entire world would find out about Drew before Shaq had even had a chance to explain to his mate that they were indeed mates. No way. Not going to happen.
“The hellhound is happy. The hellhound is glowing.” Cosmo gasped and his eyes opened wide. “The hellhound has found his mate.”
“Cosmo, shut up. Are you sober enough for me to take you home or are you going to cause more trouble?”
“The champion is mated. This changes things. Don’t you see? The darkness is losing the battle.” Cosmo grabbed Shaq’s arm and squeezed. “The chosen one has risen and the magic is responding. If the hellhound can find his mate, maybe Cosmo can too!”
Shaq grabbed Cosmo by the shoulder and gave him a gentle shake, breaking him out of whatever thought spiral he’d been driven down. “Cosmo, this is serious. You can’t talk about this. My mate is already in danger. Do you understand?”
Cosmo nodded, his eyes darting back and forth. “The dark one won’t be happy, Meshaq. He will strike back.”
“The dark one?”
Cosmo shook his head, suddenly desperately afraid. “Do not speak his name. You must take Cosmo home now. I will not speak of this to anyone, hellhound. Congratulations on finding your mate. You have given me much hope.”
Shaq opened a portal and grabbed Cosmo by the arm. He knew the patch of forest where the faun normally roamed so he delivered him to the edge of it. He had questions, but Cosmo wasn’t the one who had the answers. He had an appointment with his goddess, and he would share the faun’s words with her. If anyone could help him, she could.
“I’m sending Solomon to check on you in two hours. If you aren’t here and sobering up, he’s taking you back to the iceberg and leaving you. Do you understand me?”
Cosmo nodded. “Apologies for causing you extra work this fine afternoon, Meshaq. The magic is changing, and it is good.”
He skipped away and Shaq opened a portal to return to the neighborhood he’d left less than twenty minutes before. As he’d expected, chaos had erupted. The thing about a faun’s magic was that it spread joy and merriment to any who encountered it. So the half dozen housewives who were still in their pajamas dancing in the middle of the street didn’t come as a huge surprise. There were a bunch of kids running around like little maniacs, and someone had thought it was a great idea to set up a slip and slide. The kids were enjoying it, but he really needed to get this back under control. He used his abilities to pull Cosmo’s magic back, dialing it down slowly, a few notches at a time so it didn’t evaporate completely, but gave everyone much more rational thought. It took him a lot longer than he wanted, but if he stripped it back completely, they’d all feel sluggish and hungover. He’d have to send Solomon to check on them as well, to make sure everything had gone back to normal before the evening rush.
By the time he made it back to his house, he was exhausted. Of course, he’d forgotten all about the deliveries he’d arranged. Solomon couldn’t even look him in the eye. And Drew…well, Drew was just going to have to forgive him. He’d had a really rough day.
Drew
The least surprising thing about Drew’s afternoon was Solomon showing up with take-out containers of chicken soup from a local sandwich shop and half a dozen shopping bags filled with every possible variety of cold and flu remedies. It looked like he’d gone on the internet and searched for a list for how to best treat the flu and bought every single thing. Drew turned his head, gaping at Solomon, realization dawning. That was exactly what Solomon had done. Shaq’s second in command looked really worried about Cody, but he was also doing everything he could to keep Cody from realizing it.
“I’m going outside to patrol,” Solomon huffed. Seconds later, he was out the door, shooting a warning glare at both Cody and Drew.
“Who peed in his Cheerios?” Drew asked once the door was closed.
“He doesn’t like me,” Cody explained.
Drew didn’t think that was entirely true, but there was clearly history there he didn’t know. “Oh?”
“Yeah, he thinks I’m a slut or something. I don’t know. And I know they’re all big and tough, but really. Patrol? What the fuck, man? Are we in some military compound? No. In need of protection? No. What’s he patrolling? The yard? He just wants to get away from me.”
Cody clearly didn’t know they were hellhounds. He also didn’t know that Shaq was worried the wolves were still after Drew. He wasn’t sure what he could explain, but it was clear that Cody had a lot of self-loathing going on. Drew couldn’t just sit by and let the guy think the worst. He sat down on the couch beside Cody and hit pause on the show he was watching. It was about some guy pretending to be a psychic detective and was actually pretty funny.
“So, you weren’t around when I came in the other night.”
“No. And believe me, I want to know how you hooked Shaq. That guy hasn’t shown interest in anyone since I’ve known him, and believe me I tri… I mean, I’ve seen people try.”
Drew’s heart gave a little sputter at the idea of Cody trying to steal Shaq away from him, but then he remembered the way Shaq looked at him when he left versus the way he’d looked at Cody. Shaq didn’t think of them the same way at all. “Well, someone is after me. And Shaq asked the guys to help watch out for me.”
Cody blanched and turned to him with wide eyes. “What?”
Drew patted him on the arm and tugged the blanket off the back of the couch. He hadn’t missed the fact that Cody had started shivering again. “Yeah. It’s a whole thing. Don’t feel bad. You didn’t know. But Shaq said he’d help me and then… I don’t know. Is it weird to say that I feel like… like I was supposed to find him?”
Cody didn’t look like he knew what to say to that and Drew didn’t blame him. He snagged one of the bags from the drugstore and began rifling through it.
“Okay, tell me your symptoms.”
He found a box of cold and flu meds that seemed to cover the majority of Cody’s symptoms and handed over the pills and a bottle of water. He’d just gotten Cody settled on the couch and his show started again when Solomon opened the door. The look on his face. He was up to something. Drew didn’t even know the guy could smile, but he looked like he was about to die laughing.
“What?” Drew asked.
“Delivery.”
“Um, okay.”
Solomon cackled. “Special delivery.”
He opened the door wider and a burly guy dressed in brown came inside pushing a dolly filled to the top with boxes. He didn’t look amused. “Where you want ‘em?”
“Here by the front door is fine.”
The guy gave Solomon a look to kill and went back outside.
“What’s all that?” Drew asked.
“That’s just the beginning.” Solomon went back outside and came back with an armful of boxes. The delivery guy had loaded up the dolly a second time and put his next stack beside the first.
After the third stack, Cody sat up and looked at the boxes with as much confusion a
s Drew. “Did stuff for the bar get sent here by mistake?” Cody coughed out the question and Drew fumbled in a bag for one of the honey lemon cough drops he’d seen earlier. He handed it over and stared at the boxes.
“I don’t think so. Solomon seems to know what it all is.”
“It’s like Christmas,” Cody said with a soft smile. “I love unwrapping stuff.”
“Yeah? I kind of do, too,” Drew confessed. “This’ll be like our birthday and Christmas all rolled into one. I mean, we have no idea what’s in the boxes. Could be power tools. Could be office supplies. Could be clothes. Who knows?”
They shared a smile as Solomon walked back in the door. He stumbled a little when he saw Cody smiling and put the boxes down in a hurry. “That’s the last of them.”
Drew was going to get to the bottom of that mystery. Hopefully Shaq knew that their issue was. As if conjured from Drew’s thoughts, the door opened again and Shaq walked in. He seemed to be limping a little. Drew jumped to his feet and hurried over to him. “What happened? Are you okay?”
Solomon looked confused. “What? You’re hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
Shaq looked around at the boxes then gave Drew a sheepish grin. “So, um, I got stuff.”
Solomon burst out laughing.
Drew glared at him until he stopped. “I see that. You need help unpacking it?”
“Oh, uh. Well, see.” Shaq stopped talking and stared at Drew.
“Shaq?”
“It’s for you.”
“What’s for me?” Drew stared at the mountain of boxes lining the entrance to the house, realization refusing to sink in.
“That.” Shaq leaned his head toward the boxes.
“What?”
“I got you a few things.”
“What?”
“Well, you only had the clothes on your back. And I figured we’d make plans at some point to get the rest of your stuff, but I wanted you to have some stuff here, you know. So you’d be comfortable.”
“Shaq?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m so confused.”
Solomon laughed again. Drew pulled away from Shaq and went over to the other hellhound. He kicked him in the shin, which had Shaq laughing hysterically a moment later. Drew glared over his shoulder at Shaq so he zipped his mouth closed.
Drew returned his attention to Solomon. “If you’re gonna keep being a jerk, you can leave.”
“Ohhh, burn,” Cody said.
“And you, stop being sassy and drink your water. You’ll get dehydrated.”
“I’m—”
“If you say you’re fine, you’re getting kicked, too. You’re not fine.”
Cody sighed and took a sip of water.
Drew turned to Solomon. “You done?”
“I’m done.”
Drew reached out his hand to Shaq and tugged the alpha into the kitchen. “Explain.”
Shaq looked worried so Drew reached out and touched his chest. Shaq grabbed him by the hips and lifted him up onto the counter. Drew was really beginning to like this position. “I… like you,” Shaq whispered.
“I like you, too.”
“And I want you to stay. Here. With me.”
Drew processed that statement for a second. “We just met.”
Shaq shrugged. “So?”
“So… you want me to… what, move in with you? After two days?”
“I’m a he—” Shaq stopped and glanced toward the other room. He obviously didn’t want Cody to hear something he shouldn’t.
“I know. Continue.”
“And, well, I just know, okay? You’re it for me.”
Shaq tucked his face into Drew’s neck and breathed. Drew wrapped his arms around the alpha’s back and stroked it softly. “This is so weird.”
“Yeah, well. There’s things, you know? For us to talk about. Later.”
Another significant glance toward the other human in the house.
“Okay.”
“So… you’ll accept my gifts?”
Drew sighed at the fricking puppy eyes he was getting from a man who was the fiercest alpha in the world. “Yes, Shaq. I’ll accept your gifts. Within reason,” Drew warned. Shaq grinned and plucked him off the counter and into a hug that had Drew’s feet dangling two feet from the ground. “God, you’re lucky you’re so pretty.”
Shaq growled as he set Drew back onto his feet. “I’m not pretty. You’re the pretty one.”
Drew scoffed. “Have you even looked in a mirror?”
Shaq huffed and tugged Drew behind him into the living room. The big oaf smiled at Solomon like Drew was the one who’d given him a mountain of presents. “He’s accepting them.”
Solomon grinned in return. “That’s awesome.”
“Can Cody help me open them?” Drew asked.
“Sure,” Shaq replied. “It’ll be fun.”
Drew had to admit that he was curious as to what Shaq thought he would need in order to stay. He didn’t actually need anything. He had his clothes and that was really all he had to have.
“Move, Sol. Let Drew sit.”
Solomon looked at the wide empty expanse of couch with wide eyes. There was more than enough room for Drew between Cody and Solomon.
Shaq took a step forward and Solomon jumped off the couch and moved to the other side of the room. He was giving Shaq a glare that would have worried Drew under other circumstances. “There,” Shaq said. “You can sit right there and be comfortable. I’ll move the ottoman closer.”
Drew sat down beside Cody, who gave him a stunned look.
“What is happening right now?” Cody murmured.
He probably thought Shaq couldn’t hear him.
Drew knew better. “Shaq’s being adorkable.”
“Shaq is not adorkable,” Cody countered. “He’s tough. Cranky. Kinda mean, sometimes. Moody. Heart of gold, or whatever, but definitely not adorkable.”
“Oh yeah? Watch and learn.”
Shaq stood by the boxes, scowling at him. Drew beamed a smile in return. It took less than a second for Shaq’s frown to fade.
“Solomon, get a knife or something so Drew doesn’t hurt his hands trying to get into the boxes,” Shaq ordered.
Drew rolled his eyes, and Cody smothered a snicker.
He set the first box in front of Drew, and Drew swore the man had hearts in his eyes. He could actually see little flickers of red in them, except they were from flames. Drew smiled at him. “Thank you.”
Solomon brought Drew a knife, but Shaq quickly took it out of Solomon’s hand. Drew scowled at him. He was perfectly capable of opening a box. Shaq did the whole puppy eye thing again. Drew was really going to have to work on his immunity to that expression. It was more deadly than the flame-eyed growly thing Shaq could do. “Fine, you open them.”
Shaq nodded, as if he were the wisest man on the planet. “I’ll cut the tape. You open the boxes.”
Drew was not going to win this argument, and really, he was more curious about what was in the boxes than how he actually got them open. “Sounds good.”
Shaq sliced the tape and placed the first box on top of the ottoman. Cody leaned forward eagerly as Drew opened it and pulled out the packing paper. Beneath it was… a set of sheets? Drew tugged the package out of the box and stared.
“What?” Cody asked.
“Sheets,” Drew replied.
“Good sheets,” Shaq explained. “They have a higher thread count or whatever than what I have. I wanted to be sure you were comfortable. Feel them. They’re supposed to be soft. Really soft.”
Drew unzipped the plastic cover and rubbed the fabric. “Oh, that is soft.”
He passed the sheet set to Cody who also touched them. “Dude. I didn’t know sheets could be that soft.”
Shaq beamed and Solomon groaned.
“Thank you,” Drew said. “They’re awesome.”
Shaq threw the empty box at Solomon’s head before placing another in front of Drew. There was a lot more
packaging in this one, and when Drew tried to tug it closer, it had a bit more weight to it. He dug into the box and pulled out an odd shaped lump wrapped in bubble wrap. Once he managed to get it uncovered, he was left holding a jar of blueberry jelly.
“You got him jelly?” Cody asked. He frowned down at the jar before reaching into the box and pulling out another lump. That one had strawberry jam hidden beneath the packaging.
“Well, I made breakfast and I like jelly on my toast, but I didn’t know what kind of jelly you liked.”
“So you got one of each?” Cody asked before breaking down into another round of coughs. Drew patted his back until the coughing fit subsided, then handed him another cough drop.
“Well, yeah,” Shaq said. “How was I supposed to know?”
“Oh, I don’t know. You could have asked him,” Solomon suggested.
Drew bit his lip to keep from laughing and continued unwrapping jars. Sweet cherry. Peach. Blackberry. Apricot. Boysenberry. Raspberry. Grape.
“Do you like them?” Shaq asked.
“I do. And since I happen to love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, too, these will come in really handy.”
It was incredibly ridiculous how much Shaq preened at each compliment. Drew was beginning to realize there was something more going on here, probably having to do with the things they needed to discuss later.
Solomon wrangled the next empty box away and Shaq replaced it with another. This one held an entire collection of Blu-ray movies. They had action, comedy, drama, and even a few classics. Drew couldn’t wait to hear the explanation on this one. He looked up with a smile and held up a copy of the Back to the Future trilogy.
“Do you like it?” Shaq asked.
“I do.”
“I wasn’t sure what kind of movies you like, but I thought as long as I had enough for you to pick, you wouldn’t get bored or anything.”
