by Toni Griffin
Liam could see mate threads. Every shifter he'd ever met had a distinctive strand that searched for its other half.
As soon as Liam met the second half of a pair, a connection formed in his mind, letting him know who they were matched with. He would then let the person know where they could find their mate. He hadn't yet encountered anyone who hadn't been overjoyed at the prospect of finding their soul-mate.
But throughout all the travelling and visiting of different packs, and all the couples he had helped join together, he still hadn't met his own mate. Liam longed to have a soul deep connection with a man. He wanted to love, to wake up and see the same pair of emerald green eyes every day for the rest of his life. He had no idea how he knew what colour eyes his mate had, but something deep down inside told him he would be looking into deep green eyes.
Pushing his morose thoughts to the back of his mind, Liam removed the keys from the ignition, got out of his truck and headed for the mailbox out front by the curb.
He had forgotten to check it on Friday. After he removed what looked like two bills, he turned towards his front door, feeling the hair on the back of his arms stand up. Liam looked around, but even with his enhanced sight, couldn't see anything in the gathering darkness. Lifting his head, Liam sniffed. He caught a slight, sweet scent on the air but before anything could register in his brain, the scent drifted away.
Not noticing anything else out of the ordinary, Liam unlocked his house and went inside. He dumped his wallet, keys, and mail on the small hallway table he had situated by the front door, kicked his work boots off, and flicked a light switch on. Liam flexed his toes. He didn't know if his wolf or his human half detested shoes more, but he always felt better when he could be barefoot.
Liam headed into the kitchen. Had a quick look in the fridge and not seeing anything that took his fancy, he opened the freezer. When in doubt, a nice juicy steak always did the trick. Pulling a pack of thick T-bones out of the freezer, Liam put them in the microwave to help the defrosting along.
Satisfied he had dinner under control for the time being, Liam grabbed a beer from the fridge. Bottle in hand, he headed down the hallway towards his bedroom, stripping his shirt as he went. The cool evening air hit his sweat-covered chest and caused his nipples to harden. He thought about lighting a fire to warm the place but decided to leave it until after he had checked his e-mails.
Even with the weather being cool during the day they were still doing hot sweaty work. Feeling better when the dirty material had been removed from his skin Liam threw the dirty clothes in his washing basket. He walked over to the small desk he'd set up in the corner of his room with his laptop.
Booting up the computer, Liam settled back and took a long swig of his ice cold beer. A wolf shifter's body always ran a little hotter than a human's and the cold beverage felt wonderful going down after a hard day at work. So much so that he didn't mind waiting for the computer to load all the start-up programs.
Declan felt confident he had managed to out-run the two Betas chasing him, so hopefully no one from his old pack knew of his whereabouts. He needed to contact his brother and let him know he was okay and it might be a while before he could return. Honestly, he had to admit to being a little worried about Tommy. Declan really hoped Alpha Wallis would leave his brother alone. Surely the man had to realise Declan couldn't have told his brother about what he had witnessed.
Once he'd finally made it to the town of Atherton, Declan had no idea what he should do next. Breathing deeply, the most amazing scent he'd ever smelled filled his nose and lungs, even better than fresh-baked bread or cinnamon rolls just out of the oven. His stomach rumbled violently at the thought of food. The faint smell drifted on the breeze, barely there at all, but something about it registered deep down inside Declan.
Deciding to follow his nose and see where it would lead him, Declan took off in the direction the scent originated. By the time he reached the house the aroma seemed strongest at, the waning sun had set and the temperature that had been cool to begin with dropped even lower.
Looking around to make sure no one was watching the trees behind the houses, Declan shifted, shivering as the cold night air hit the sweat currently beading on his body.
Not wanting anyone to see a naked man walk across the cleared area between the houses and the tree line, Declan sprinted towards the high fence. Once safely ensconced in the dark shadows of the fence, Declan quietly and slowly opened the single gate, trying not to make any noise and alert anyone to his presence. He felt a little like a burglar on his way to complete a job, although he doubted a thief would be naked. Closing the gate just as quietly as he had opened it, Declan studied the house in front of him.
He saw lights on inside but no one walking about.
The home looked like a fairly standard size for the area, from what he'd seen on his way here. It was nothing too ostentatious or flashy, just a standard single story brick house with curtains in the windows and a garden out back.
At one end of the large patio sat an outdoor setting and a barbeque and at the other end stood a pool table. A fridge completed the outdoor furniture.
Declan smiled. It looked like whoever lived here certainly knew how to entertain. He couldn't think of anything better than grilling a couple of steaks and drinking beer while playing pool and hanging out with friends.
Declan lost his smile when he realised he didn't have any friends he could ever do that with. Tommy was the only constant person in his life. Declan yearned for a man he could count on, someone to share his life with.
The computer dinged when it had loaded and Liam opened his e-mail. He wasn't expecting much. His parents lived on the other side of town and most of his friends or pack members called if they had any problems. However, he did get e-mails for work and always checked when he got home in case something important came through.
Waiting for the damn send/receive to run Liam took another swig of his beer. Tapping his nails on the desk, he grunted when a small chime finally sounded, letting him know his messages had arrived. He finally had a reply from a supplier about some granite he needed for an upcoming project. Liam loved his job in construction. He got to help build people's dream houses for a living. He loved the look of joy on their faces when a job had been completed.
There were drawbacks with being the boss. He didn't always get weekends off. Due to his work for Ben, Liam constantly found himself at a building site on a Saturday or Sunday just to give his managers a break. He didn't know what he'd do if he didn't have Miles and Aaron running things when he had to be away. The good thing about the pair being pack meant he didn't constantly have to make up excuses as to why he travelled so often. Today being Sunday, Liam had to go to one of his sites to complete a couple of jobs that needed to be finished prior to work starting tomorrow.
Turning his attention back to his email, Liam skimmed through and deleted any penis enlargement or Viagra sales then sent the two work related e-mails to the printer before clicking on the last one.
He smiled wide when he realised the message came from Rick Holland.
Hey man,
How are things all the way up there in sunny Queensland?
Sunny Queensland? Liam snorted. Not likely. This time of year it was more damp, overcast, and cold than sunny.
We've had nothing but rain for a
fortnight now, and frankly living in a house of testosterone filled werewolves who are stuck indoors because they don't want to get their fur wet is driving me insane. I swear I'm about two seconds away from
committing a double murder. I can't quite decide which of my brothers to off first. So for the time being they all get to live. LOL
Liam laughed at Rick's comment. He'd never met any of Rick's siblings but he had met Rick and the man was something else. He'd held out hope for ten years his mate would finally get his head out of his ass and claim him. But he didn't do it quietly, sitting on the sidelines. Liam smiled when he remembered Jake's reaction when Liam had broug
ht Rick home after their date. The man had been livid. If he remembered correctly, only a matter of days after that incident Jake finally claimed the man he loved.
Liam shook his head, trying to get his thoughts away from mates, and continued to read.
Although I'm not quite sure if it's the weather, my brothers, or my hormones that are making me so damn irritable lately. You know the reason we visited you last year?
Yeah, well, it turns out Jake and I weren't paying as close attention to the calendar as we should have been and sort of jumped one another on a day we shouldn't have. So now, according to the doc, we'll be adding
another to the family.
Holy fuck. Rick was pregnant!
I'm over the moon. Always wanted kids
but just assumed it would never happen.
Jake, on the other hand, is a little freaked. I think he's worried about turning out like his father. When he's not flipping out about becoming a dad, he's hovering, making sure I'm okay. He jumps at the slightest move I make and I reckon, if I let him, he would carry me everywhere until this was all over.
Liam understood Jake's worries. The man's father had been a homophobic asshole who had kept them apart for ten years by threatening to have Rick killed if Jake so much as touched the man. He had even gone so far as to try and shoot both when they had been out running on the full moon soon after they returned home from Atherton. Ben had been informed about what had taken place and Rick had sent Liam an e-mail soon after, filling in all the missing details.
Mum and dad can't wait. Mum's in her
element, surrounded by grandkids. Me, I can't stop eating. I'm hungry all the damn time and for the weirdest shit. At the moment I can't seem to get enough of marshmallows and balsamic vinegar. (Not together, thank God.) I constantly have to send Jake to the shop because we keep running out. God, I'm gonna be the size of a house soon. LOL. Oh well, all I can say is thank God for a high metabolism.
Marshmallows and balsamic vinegar? Eww. No way could Liam handle all that sugar, let alone the acid in the vinegar in the amounts Rick seemed to be consuming.
He hoped Rick ate the balsamic with something, like bread or salad and didn't drink it straight from the bottle.
Liam had never really thought about having children. He figured there wouldn't be a point longing for something that wouldn't happen unless he somehow did the impossible and found his mate. So he didn't allow himself to think about it.
Anyway, I think I've rambled on for
long enough, plus I'm pretty sure I can hear Jake coming down the hallway, probably wondering if I need anything. I love that man more than my life, but sometimes he can be a bit overbearing. So I'm going to sign off now and go deal with my very over-protective mate. I hope everything is well with yourself and Ben.
In friendship,
Rick Holland
The microwave beeped at the same moment Liam's stomach rumbled, sounding like it would give a good try at eating its way out of his body. Deciding to deal with dinner first, Liam put the lid down on his laptop and headed back to the kitchen down the hallway. He would reply to Rick's e-mail after he had eaten and thought about how he would congratulate the happy couple.
Nothing much had changed in Liam's life since Rick and Jake had left. He had no significant other to write about, hell there had only been a handful of one night stands in the past year. Even with his business doing well, he didn't think Rick would be interested in hearing about the ups and downs of building houses in Atherton and the surrounding areas.
Movement in the house startled Declan and he watched as a man made his way into the kitchen. Yum. He moved closer to get a better look. Declan had never thought of himself as short, but compared to the man who just walked in, he started thinking it. The stunning specimen had probably four or five inches on Declan's own five foot eleven. His dirty blond hair had a little length on top.
The fact the man wore no shirt caught Declan's attention and held it. Declan wanted to feel those stunning muscles rippling under his fingers. What had Declan drooling most of all was the large tattoo. It covered his entire right arm, his right pectoral muscle and when he turned around; Declan could see it also covered his right shoulder. The entire tattoo had been created in nothing but black ink; however, it still managed to look like flames licking their way up the man's arm and across his body.
Declan's mouth watered at the thought of running his tongue along every single inch of the black design.
Being otherwise occupied fixating on the tattoo he hadn't been paying attention to what he was doing. Without realising it, he'd walked right up to the kitchen window.
Liam pulled the steaks out of the microwave and left them on the bench for a minute while he grabbed a couple of potatoes out of the cupboard. He turned around to grab a fork to stab the spuds with and nearly had a heart attack.
Outside his kitchen window stood a man.
Liam's heart pounded so fast he thought it would explode. His right hand came up and pressed against his chest. He could feel the frantic thumping under his fingers.
Liam took a deep breath and tried to calm his body.
Declan couldn't take his eyes off the man. Yes, he looked a little pale from finding someone standing outside his kitchen. Those big silver eyes, however, held warmth that Declan just wanted to curl up into.
Declan watched in quiet fascination as the man covered his heart with his hand as if he could force the thing to once again beat at a normal rhythm. The man's pulse pounded in his neck. Declan had no idea how long they stood there staring at one another. Declan couldn't have broken the eye contact with the stunning man if his life depended on it.
His body, however, wasn't in complete sync with the rest of him and he shuddered and shook from the cold.
He'd been standing still for far too long and the chill had completely seeped under his skin down to his bones.
Declan wrapped his arms around his middle, watching the man walk towards the back door.
Back in control, Liam gathered all his wits and concentrated on his visitor. How had he come to be standing there? Just one of many questions Liam wanted answered. Gazing outside, Liam took in details he hadn't seen when he originally spotted him.
The pitch black night hadn't made making out particulars easy, but the kitchen light helped Liam see the imploring look in the man's eyes. He appeared to be exhausted, breathing fairly heavily, if the rise and fall of his chest was anything to go by. The man's dark hair stuck to his head, probably with sweat.
And he shivered. Liam's gaze travelled down from the man's face and landed on a naked torso. The guy had to be freezing, standing out in the cool night air covered in perspiration.
Apart from freezing to death from standing out on the back patio, Declan would have one other disadvantage if the man stepped outside. The guy would find a naked, fully aroused male.
Declan had a sudden moment of insight. Could this man be the source of the incredible aroma? He had no control over the state he currently found his own body in, an almost unconscious reaction to the alluring scent he had been following. The wonderful smell permeated the air, causing Declan's body to positively hum with want and arousal. He had an idea what it meant, or what would happen when the door opened.
The man in the kitchen was a complete stranger.
Declan knew absolutely nothing about him. Hell, he didn't even know if someone else he'd yet to see would soon be joining them. Would the man be homophobic and turn abusive at the first site of Declan's condition. He sure hoped not. The guy didn't look like the type to use his fists against those that were smaller than him, but Declan didn't really know. Would the sexy stud be gay or straight? God, Declan really hoped for gay, even though the odds were slim. Whatever happened, it would have to be one of the most awkward first meetings of Declan's life.
Liam made his way slowly to the back door, never once taking his eyes from the man standing outside his window. Flicking the switch to operate the lights on the back patio, Li
am opened the door. Stepping outside, he inhaled sharply with surprise when he found the man completely naked, his arms wrapped around his waist from the cold. It didn't escape his notice however, how gorgeous the other man looked.
Declan blinked rapidly when the lights suddenly shone down on him. He never would have thought he would be introducing himself to a complete stranger while standing outside his back door completely naked, aroused, and freezing.
Declan took a step back when the man exited his home and joined him on the back porch. He sucked in a harsh breath at the stabbing pins and needles when his legs protested the move. Declan stood in silence, not sure what to say. He met the stranger's gaze and felt a jolt arc through his body, making its way directly to his cock which bobbed happily despite the cold.
The man in front of him seemed to collapse a little before he caught himself.
A gentle breeze brought the scent of earth and man with a hint of something sweet. Liam eyes widened when he realised he'd smelt that particular scent earlier. His cock stood up and took notice immediately. Liam's gums ached when his canines threatened to descend. As soon as his eyes made contact with the stranger's he noticed the mate thread, bright and golden reaching out to him, wanting to join with his own.
Liam staggered and reached out for the door frame to help him stay upright when the meaning of what had just happened registered in his brain.
He had finally met his mate.
CHAPTER 3
A broad grin spread across the man's face as he straightened to his full height. "Please, come in, you must be freezing. It's got to be close to ten degrees out here."
