Truth

by Maggie Walsh

  “Yes, the Angel pack asked for Aaron’s help, and he went to help. But they didn’t take him from us. My brother found his mate. He stayed with his mate,” Storm explained calmly.

  “He wanted Aaron for himself, Storm,” Bass said from beside him.

  “Is this true, Felix?” Storm asked. Felix looked at Bass, then Storm and nodded his head.

  “I see. So instead of being happy for my baby brother, you decided to try to turn everyone on the wolves?” Storm asked. When Felix didn’t say anything, only looked at the floor, Storm continued. “Get your head on straight, Felix. Be happy for Aaron, not spiteful. It wasn’t the wolves’ fault that Aaron found his mate, it was fate. I hope you are all fortunate to find your mate’s someday. I don’t want to hear one word against our new allies. They are here to help us. They could have just ignored our plea, like everyone else has, but they didn’t. So you will show them the respect they deserve. Do I make myself clear?” Storm eyed each of his guards. They each nodded in turn. “Good. Now the other wolf enforcers are pulling in now, please go and welcome them. See if they need anything,” Storm said and all the guards left the room.

  “Thank you,” Bass said to Storm once they were alone.

  Storm turned fully to Bass and smiled. “You’re welcome. I wanted to take their minds off what Taylor did last night, and remind them that we are allies. Also that they better show respect to my mate.” Bass looked down at the floor. Storm stepped forward and placed a finger under Bass’s chin, lifting his face until their eyes met. “I don’t know what’s going on, or how that place is affecting you, but I do know it has caused you pain and in turn causes me pain. I don’t know what you saw or what you think you saw in me, but you need to know that I meant what I said, Beauty. I do like to switch, and I want you inside me. I want you to claim me. I want you, Beauty. I want all of you. Yes, I do have a problem with kissing you after you take me into your beautiful mouth, but that’s only because I have never done that before. I have it in my head that it’s not a good thing, but I will work on it, for you. But know that I want you, Sebastian, I love you,” Storm said.

  Bass watched Storm’s eyes the whole time he spoke and he could see the truth in the man’s eyes. Tears started to form in the back of his eyes and he blinked to stop them. Then suddenly the last of Storm’s declaration dawned on him. His eyes went wide. “Did you just say you loved me?”

  Storm smiled and nodded his head. “Yes, Sebastian. I love you.”

  Bass deflated, his shoulders slumped and a tear escaped his eyes. “What’s happening to me? I saw the most horrible things in you, Storm. It destroyed me. I was so angry and hurt. I still feel the things I saw, and it still pains me, but I can see I was wrong. I’m so confused right now, Storm. I don’t know what’s real and what’s not,” Bass said as the tears started to slowly roll down his cheek.

  Storm’s heart broke at his mate’s words and the pain in his eyes. Storm wrapped his arms around Bass’s waist and pulled him into his arms. He hugged Bass tightly to him. “It’s okay, Beauty. We’ll figure this out. I’m not going anywhere, and I’m not letting you either. I love you, my mate, and I plan on keeping you.”

  “I love you, too, Storm,” Bass said as he clung to his mate.

  Storm pulled back slightly so he could see Bass’s face. He smiled at Bass and then leaned in, giving Bass a soft, gentle kiss. “Thank you, Beauty.”

  Chapter 6

  Noah sat in his cage, his knees pulled up to his chest and his head resting on his knees, his arms wrapped around his legs. It had been three days since he had last dream walked to his mates. Three days since the doc had taken him into his lab and had taken so much blood from him. The only saving grace was that the doc had taken so much, that by the time he was done, Noah was too weak to even open his eyes. So the doc didn’t inject him with the strange water, or force Noah to do those horrible things with him. Then, when he had to be carried back to his cage, he was too weak for Christoph to play with. The guards dumped him in his cage and left him. They came in and checked on him twice a day, but they left him alone.

  Today was the first day he could sit up. He was afraid to show the guards that he was starting to feel better, but as he lay there last night, he heard the guards talking about the wolves coming to the vineyard, and how they had a weapon of mass destruction. The wolves had used this weapon on some of the rogues and destroyed them. The remaining rogues were scared. Noah could see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices. Maybe that’s why they haven’t come in to check on me today?

  Noah looked over at Raffy’s cage and the wolf was still curled into a ball. He lay on his side with his back to the rest of the room, but Noah could see his shoulders rising and falling when he breathed. He wished he could help his friend.

  Suddenly a loud boom rocked the building, making Noah jump. Even Raffy flinched at the sound. The other slaves all started to look around in a panic. Another boom sounded, quickly followed by gun shots. Noah shifted and crawled to the front of his cage and stared at the door. The noises coming from the other side of the door were muffled and sounded distant. Noah sat up straighter when he felt a jolt run through his body. His mates. He could suddenly feel his mates, but they were moving away, not closer. He had to do something. Noah closed his eyes and focused on his mates. Nothing happened. He closed his eye tightly and tried to focus more. But still nothing happened. Damn it, he thought to himself. He took a deep, relaxing breath and slowly released it. “Mother Fate, please help me,” he whispered to himself. Another explosion rocked the dungeon. This one shook the beams overhead and dust and dirt sprinkled down on them.

  Noah laid down and forced his body to relax. He closed his eyes and drew in another deep breath. He slowly released it and focused on just one of his mates. The one with the long black hair, with white streaks, Sebastian. That was his name. He focused all his energy on Sebastian. He sighed in frustration when nothing happen. He opened his eyes and he was no longer in the dungeon. He was still in his cage, but now his cage was outside. It was dark out and the moon hung low in the sky. He could see the start of light in the eastern sky and knew the sun was rising. Noah looked around and saw that he was in the vineyard.

  As he looked around he could see huge men fighting with some of the guards. There were two of the rogues to his left and they were trying to get onto the back of a...lion. The lion was having none of that though. He roared up and then pounced on one of the vamps. He wrapped his powerful jaws around the head of the vamp and the rogue screamed out in pain. The other rogue jumped at the lion, landing on his back. His long sharp nails dug into the lion’s side, but the lion didn’t release the rogue beneath him. A large man stepped from out of the vine rows and raised his arms. Noah saw something shine in his hands. The moonlight was reflecting off a long sword in the man’s hands. He stepped in behind the rogue and swung his arms. The sword arced and came down on the rogue, slicing through him and separating his head from his shoulders. Noah squeezed his eye shut as he turned his head from the sight. The scream’s from the other rogue stopped and the lion roared loud. Noah slowly opened his eyes, peeking at the lion, but he was disappearing into the vine rows. The man with the sword was gone and the two rogues lay motionless and bloody. Noah couldn’t find it in him to care. They deserved what they got for everything they did to Noah and the others. Something moved to his right causing Noah to jump and look in that direction. Four wolves came rushing out of the vine rows and ran around Noah’s cage. He spun around to see where they were going and saw six rogues coming toward him. The wolves attacked and brought three of the rogues down quickly. The forth wolf was having trouble with the rogue he was battling. This rogue was huge. His eyes glowed red and his long teeth glowed with the moonlight. He had the wolf around the middle and was squeezing. The wolf was howling in agony. The other wolves joined in and attacked the big rogue, bringing him down. He released the wolf as he was ripped apart by the wolves. Something moved to his right again and Noah swung around to loo
k. There was a very large man with long brown hair and a broad chest, not too far from him. Suddenly the man changed into a wolf in the blink of an eye, and he was really huge now. The wolf charged one of the rogue vampires and the vamp fell backward to the ground with the large wolf on his chest. The wolf lowered his snout to the rogues throat and opened his big, scary jaws. He wrapped those jaws around the vamps throat and bit down. Noah could hear the pop of the skin as those teeth broke through. The scream that came from the rogue was deafening. Noah shivered at the sound. He hoped this wolf was one of the good guys, because the thought of going from his current prison to a prison with this magnificent creature, was too terrifying for Noah to think about.

  The wolf shook his head and pulled back and the head of the rogue was still within his jaws. Noah felt the bile rise up his throat. The wolf jerked his head to the side, releasing the head as he flung it in Noah’s direction. The head came flying through the bars of Noah’s cage and right past his head. He screamed out as it got closer and he flung himself out of the way. The wolf jumped, turning completely in his direction. Noah’s eyes locked with the beast. The wolf tilted his head to the side and studied Noah. The wolf slowly, cautiously walked toward Noah. It looked like he was trying to let Noah know that he was safe. The wolf approached the cage and sniffed. He suddenly started to growl. The noise seemed to come right from the wolf’s lower throat and rose higher and deeper. The wolf crouched down into a pounce position and Noah started to hyperventilate. Suddenly another large wolf appeared and Noah thought for sure he was a dead man, but this wolf barked at the huge one and the huge one stopped. He turned his head toward the new wolf and snorted, then took off running through the vines.

  The second wolf approached his cage slowly, then sat on his hind legs in front of Noah. Noah just stared at the majestic creature. The wolf started to shimmer and in a few seconds there was a beautiful, naked man sitting in front of him. Not just any man though. It was his mate, Sebastian. Noah released the breath he didn’t even realize he was holding and his eyes lit up at the sight of his mate.

  “Noah,” Sebastian said breathlessly and reached out for him. But of course his hands went through him. “We’re here, Noah. We’ve come to rescue you. But we can’t find you. We’ve searched all the buildings. Where are you being held?”

  “Below,” Noah answered, looking at Bass with tears in his eyes.

  “Below? Okay, so you’re under the buildings,” Bass understood.

  “Dungeon,” Noah said.

  “Okay, cutie. We’ll find you,” Sebastian said with conviction.

  “Boom,” Noah said with terror in his eyes.

  “Boom?” Sebastian sighed softly in frustration.

  “Above,” Noah said with urgency.

  “The boom came from above?” Sebastian asked. Noah nodded his head.

  “Okay, cutie, hold on,” Sebastian said then closed his eyes. He opened his eyes again and smiled. “It’s going to be okay, Noah.”

  The large wolf was back, with a smaller wolf that was so beautiful, it took Noah’s breath away. It was a blond wolf, not white, but blond. There was another large wolf next to the blond one and he made Noah smile. He smelled like Raffy. Not exactly, but close. Suddenly a large white tiger emerged from the rows of vines and approached Noah’s cage. Noah started to laugh. Really laugh for the first time in a long time. The animals looked at him with tilted heads, which made Noah laugh even harder.

  “Noah, are you okay, sweetie?” Sebastian asked with concern.

  Noah took a deep breath trying to control himself. Once he thought he was under control he looked at Sebastian and nodded. “Opposite.” He chuckled.

  Sebastian looked at him for a moment and then looked around at the animals. He studied them and then started to laugh, too. He looked back to Noah. “Opposite. The animals are outside the cage and you’re in one?” Sebastian asked, his eyes filled with merriment. Noah nodded enthusiastically. Sebastian turned to the animals. “Noah, says that the boom’s, um…the explosions were above his head. He’s underground in a dungeon. Where was the last bomb set off?” Sebastian stared at the three wolves as if they were talking. He nodded his head at times, and to others it looked like he may be talking but his mouth didn’t move and no words came out. Finally Sebastian turned back to him. “We think we know where you are, cutie. How many of you are there in the dungeon?” his mate asked.

  “Me,” Noah said and Bass nodded. “Raffy,” Noah said with tears in his eyes.

  “You and Raffy. How many others, Noah?” Sebastian asked gently.

  “Six,” Noah answered.

  “Okay, Noah, we’re coming,” Sebastian said and reached out his hand to try to cup Noah’s cheek but of course it went through again. Noah appreciated the thought though. He so wanted to feel his mates’ touch. Both of them. He wondered where his other mate, Storm, was. He looked around with his eyebrows drawn together.

  “What is it, Noah?” Sebastian asked.

  “Storm?” Noah asked.

  Sebastian smiled and looked at the beautiful white tiger. The tiger came closer and sat next to Sebastian. He licked the side of Sebastian’s face, making Sebastian laugh and run his hand over the beast’s head. The big beast tilted his head and raised a paw at Noah. Then the beast shimmered and Storm appeared in all his naked glory. Damn, his mates were gorgeous. Storm smiled at him. “I’m here, Noah. We’re gonna get you and the others out of there, okay, baby?”

  Noah felt a warmth run through his body when Storm called him baby, like when Sebastian called him cutie. He liked this feeling. He nodded his head.

  “Go back to your body, cutie. We’ll be right there,” Sebastian said.

  Noah nodded and then he was gone. He opened his eyes and he was back in the dungeon. But Christoph and four of the other guards were there and they were moving the other slaves. Noah jumped up and started to pound on his bars. “No!” he yelled when two of the guards grabbed Raffy roughly and started to drag him out of his cage by the hair. Raffy was screaming and crying. He was flailing his arms and legs, trying to get out of their hold. A loud blast came from the other side of the door. Christoph turned to look at him and Noah could see the anger and hatred in his eyes. Christoph stormed over to Noah’s cage and grabbed the bars.

  “You did this to us, didn’t you? You brought the wolves and the cats here. I don’t know how you used your power, but you brought them here. I should have realized it before. Those times I couldn’t wake you. You were using your powers, like just now. Weren’t you?” He seethed at Noah through the bars, making Noah back away. “You can astral project can’t you? Only powerful fae have that power. The Master was right in acquiring you. But I don’t think even he knows how powerful you are. You’re coming with me, hole. You’re my ticket out of here. I’ll bring you to the Master. He will be so grateful to me, he may even reward me. I’ll let him keep taking your blood and doing his tests, but I will insist you belong to me now. I am your new Master,” Christoph said as he opened the cage and started to reach inside for Noah. Noah crawled as fast as he could to the back of his cage, trying to get out of Christoph’s reach. Suddenly Christoph went flying backward and Noah’s eyes got wide in fear. He closed his eyes, squeezing them tight, afraid of what was about to happen. Then he heard his name whispered softly. “Noah.” He slowly opened his eyes.

  The beautiful black wolf, with the white streaks was there. He was standing just outside Noah’s cage, looking at him so longingly. Noah sat up and slowly started to crawl to his mate. He knew it was Sebastian. The white tiger moved in next to Sebastian and Noah started to cry. His mates were there. They came for him. They rescued him. They both shifted into their human forms and each smiled at him with tears in their eyes, as they each reached out a hand for him. Noah reached out his hands and grabbed onto each of theirs. Sebastian and Storm gently wrapped their large hands around his smaller ones and gently pulled him toward them and out of the cage. When he got through the opening of the cage, Noah fell into thei
r arms. They both wrapped their big, strong arms around him and each other, in a tri-hug.

  Noah gloried in the feel of being in his mate’s arms, of being sandwiched between them. He loved the smell of them. Each unique, but wonderful. And their scents mingled together was even better. He rubbed his face on Sebastian’s chest as he wrapped one arm around his waist and reached back to wrap the other around Storm, who was pressed up against his back, kissing his neck. It was the most wonderful moment of his life.

  Suddenly Noah remembered the others. He pulled back and looked up at Sebastian. “Raffy?” he asked in concern.

  “He’s safe. We got him and the others. It’s okay, Noah,” Sebastian said and pulled Noah against his chest and kissed his temple. Noah thought he would melt into a puddle right there.

  * * * *

  Noah was in awe of the large home as he walked through the front door with his mates by his side. It was the second largest home he had ever seen. The first being the castle his king lived in back on his plane. This wasn’t anything close to a castle, but it was huge. The living room was a large open plan, with a dining table and chairs off to one side that could accommodate about ten people. Beyond that was a large kitchen with stainless steel appliances. Hardwood, honey-colored floors took up the whole expanse. There was a stone fireplace in the middle of the room. Off to the left was the kitchen and to the right was a hallway and then a wooden staircase up to the second floor. The walls were a warm beige and the couch was an olive, with light wood tables. A big green reclining chair sat next to the couch and other olive chairs were throughout.

  An older woman stepped out of the kitchen and smiled at Storm. Was this his mother? Noah thought to himself. Storm put a hand on the small of Noah’s back and gently pushed him forward. “Noah, this is Hazel. She is my all-around assistant. She cooks for us, cleans for us, does laundry, greets guests. Without her, I would be lost,” Storm explained as they approached the older woman. “Hazel, this is my other mate, Noah.”