“And that is another reason we must keep Richard and his brother a secret for now. You know those humans who want to see another war would use this as proof that we are more animal than man.” Grant let out a long breath as he continued to try to control his wolf. His animal was pressing at him to seek revenge on behalf of his Semme’, but the human half knew it was not the time. He first had to find out what really happened as the crap Alpha Clifton told him was certainly not the whole story. “Not to mention it would mean that we could not protect him or his brother.” Grant paused for a moment before he revealed what his wolf had been whining for since they arrived. “Richard must be protected at all cost because…” The Alpha swallowed and saw the dawning realization in his brother’s gaze.
“He’s your Semme’?” David whispered as he looked back at the human. Grant nodded as he finally allowed himself to lightly stroke the hair of his mate. Even with the sweat and dirt embedded in the strands, he knew it would be silky and soft once cleaned. He couldn’t wait to examine the rest of the man but first they had to get the Landon boys back to his home. A hand on his shoulder brought him back to awareness.
“Well I’ll be damned. Your mate actually did show up on your doorstep! Congratulations, big brother.” David grinned like a loon as he turned to look at the young boy standing quietly in the corner. He moved slowly and knelt in front of Sandy. “Well, shrimp, it looks like I can’t eat you even when you do get some more meat on your bones.”
Sandy cocked his head to the side. “Why?”
David laughed as he swung the startled boy up into his arms. “Because you will be my nephew and I’m going to be your awesome uncle. Welcome to the family kid!”
Grant watched with amusement as his brother began to tickle the young boy again. Somehow in less than thirty minutes he not only found himself with a mate, but apparently he was also a father. He dropped his head and sighed. How had his life gotten so complicated?
“We should get moving soon,” Jason said, as he entered the dwelling and glanced out the window. “It looks like there is a storm coming in and I don’t think the human will survive if it hits while we are getting him home.”
“Not just any human, brother. Richard is Grant’s Semme’!” David jumped in before Grant could respond. Jason glanced at the injured human for a moment before he glanced up at his older brother. He placed a hand on Grant’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, big brother, everything will work out just fine,” Jason said softly.
A warning howl caused everyone in the room to look out towards the clearing. Sparky was running towards the woods at a fast pace. “Help him while we get Richard ready for travel!” Grant ordered his brothers. Without a word both men shifted and took off after their friend. Dakota had the travois out and was busy getting it ready. Sandy moved closer to the Alpha and looked up worriedly at him.
“Will you be able to help him?” Sandy asked quietly. For a moment Grant hesitated, not quite sure how to handle the young boy’s concern. Part of him wanted to hug the boy and yet he wasn’t sure if it would be welcomed. He remembered his father had always treated him like an adult when he was the same age as the pup standing next to him. He placed a hand on the pup’s shoulder and squeezed gently.
“We will help you both, Sandy. I’m not going to lie to you, though, it won’t be easy and you’ll have to listen to what I say from now on. Can you do that, son?” Grant watched as Sandy squared his shoulders and glanced at his older brother. He could almost feel the power radiating from the young pup. He had a feeling that some day, this wolf would turn into a powerful shifter.
“Yes, Alpha Grant. I’ll do whatever you say…” The boy paused and looked up at him with determination in his eyes. “As long as you don’t hurt my brother.”
Grant knelt down and placed a hand on both of the Landon boys before he looked directly into the solemn light blue eyes of his new son. “You have the Alpha’s promise.”
CHAPTER FOUR
T
HEY MADE IT TO THE PACK HOUSE WITHOUT ANY INCIDENTS. There had been a tense moment when Grant almost took Dakota down when he insisted on pulling the sled with his mate on it. But after his friend pointed out that with the other three wolves gone, the Alpha was their best means of protection, Grant had relented. It wasn’t that Dakota wasn’t good in a fight, but everyone knew Grant was the strongest and largest of their kind. All shifters and humans feared him. During the Great War, he had fought by his father’s side making him legendary even after so many years of peace had passed. He had never been defeated and now that he had a mate and a possible Omega to protect, he refused to even contemplate losing the battles that were sure to come their way.
The Alpha stood in his office and glanced out the window. His brothers and Sparky still had not returned which had him worried. He had dispatched more Sentries to catch up with them and help if needed. However, he was pretty sure the reason for their delay was due to the Willow Creek Sentries charged with hunting down his mate. He glanced at the office door willing it to open with news of Richard. As soon as they had returned, Doc Houston had ordered everyone except for Dakota out of the room. That had been over two hours ago.
His gaze moved to the small sleeping form on the sofa in his office. Sandy had tried to stay awake but the days of running and caring for his older brother had worn the pup out. Grant moved quietly towards the youth and gently covered him with the throw that covered the back of the leather sofa. He smiled as the whelp burrowed deeper into the material and settled with a soft sigh. At least one of the Landon boys was getting some much needed rest. He hoped the same was true of the eldest.
A soft knock caused him to move towards the door. As the Doctor entered Grant held a finger to his lips and motioned for them to move into the hallway. Doc Houston glanced at the sleeping pup and smiled softly before he turned to exit the room. They walked in silence until they reached the kitchen. Grant poured a cup of coffee and handed it to the doctor. “You’re usual?”
“I think you should have the same, Alpha,” Doc Houston said sadly.
He settled at the kitchen table, while Grant reached into the cupboard and added a good dose of whiskey to the coffee. He grabbed a cup of coffee for himself but declined the liquor. Even though it didn’t really affect shifters unless they drank a lot of it, he still didn’t want to take any chances. The Willow Creek Sentinels could show up at any time and he intended to be ready to meet them.
They both sipped quietly from their coffee cups before the doctor broke the silence. “I’ve never seen anything this bad, even during the Great War.” Doc Houston sighed and glanced back towards the hallway. “That boy has suffered. I don’t even know how he has survived this long.”
Grant could feel a low rumble in his chest as his wolf pounded at him to be freed. “Tell me,” he ordered as he fought his animal.
The Doctor stood and began to pace running his hand through his short graying hair. The man had been the pack doctor before Grant had been born. No one knew for sure how old he was, especially since shifters aged much slower than humans. But Doc Houston looked to be in his late fifties, even though he’d been alive for hundreds of years.
“I was able to clean out the newest damage. The whip marks the boy had received were infected and will probably add to the scars he already carries. His right leg looks like it was broken at one time and healed badly. My guess is he walks with a limp. I also found signs of much earlier abuse, probably at the hands of another. It’s hard to tell. But the injuries are older than the time he spent with the Willow Creek Pack.” Doc Houston stopped and rubbed his forehead before he continued. “There is also evidence that he’s been abused…” the doctor swallowed before he finished, “…sexually. Those injuries are more recent, so I can only assume it happened while he was part of the pack. Of course, we have no way of knowing if it was consensual, but damn, Alpha, a shifter should know better than to handle a human with full force during sex.”
Grant growled and stood, his chair falling
back with a loud bang as his animal roared. He saw the doctor back away as he felt himself fighting his shift. He hadn’t gotten a good look at his mate but from what he could see, the man was on the small side and didn’t carry much muscle. To think of him being ravished by a shifter made his blood boil. Alpha Clifton had a lot to answer for beginning with why he didn’t make sure Richard had been protected. He paced for a moment, getting his beast under control before he turned to look at the doctor. “Will he live?”
For the first time the pack doctor smiled. “Yes. For a human, he certainly shows the strength of pack. He’s dehydrated, malnourished and the infection from his wounds has depleted him. But with medicine, good food and rest he should recover in time. At least physically…”
Grant didn’t have to ask what the doctor meant. He wondered what condition his mate would be in mentally. Would he want to bond with him or would he run again? His wolf didn’t want to wait, but the Alpha knew he must or he’d be no better than those who had hurt his mate in the past. “Can I see him?”
Doc Houston stood and stretched. “He’s sleeping now but I don’t see why not. I’ll be staying in one of the spare rooms for a few days to look after him.” The doctor glanced towards the hallway. “And I probably should check out the pup too just in case.”
Grant growled low in his throat at the thought that something similar had happened to Sandy. He nodded at the doctor and left the kitchen. All he could think about was getting to his mate. He stopped briefly outside his office and looked in to make sure the boy still slept. He’d have to fix up the room next to the master bedroom for Sandy but first he had to check on his mate. Grant jumped as a hand landed on his shoulder.
“I’ll look after the boy. You go see your mate, Alpha,” Doc Houston said softly, as he entered the office with a second cup of coffee in his hand. Grant thanked the wolf before he headed toward his bedroom. His heart was in his throat as he slowly opened the door. He inhaled the special scent that belonged to his other half. The scent calmed his inner wolf as well as made the man feel whole for the first time in his life. If Richard decided he didn’t want the mate bond, Grant was afraid his heart would be destroyed.
He glanced at the figure curled on his side and banked in with pillows. The position was probably to keep pressure off the whip marks that cut across the man’s pale white skin. The need to soothe the pain those marks had caused ran deep. Grant pulled one of the chairs in the room closer to the bed. As much as he longed to hold his mate, he knew it would only cause the young human pain. Besides, the man had no idea who he was and from what Sandy had told him, he wouldn’t trust easily.
For the first time in his life, he cursed the fact that he was the Alpha. If he could have his wish, he’d take Richard and Sandy as far away from here as possible. The fact that his pack was now in danger also caused him pain. How could he reconcile the need to protect his mate with the need to protect his pack when they both conflicted? As he gazed at the face of the man who had become the center of his current problems, he couldn’t help thinking how handsome he was. Even now his hand itched to touch while his lips wanted nothing more than to taste every inch of skin on the man’s body.
A soft groan caused Grant to sit up straighter. He hoped his obvious excitement was hidden from his mate’s view.
“Who are you?” A whispered voice broke the uncomfortable silence.
Grant sat forward and gazed into the prettiest hazel eyes he’d ever seen. Right now they were dulled by pain and if his nose was right, fear. “I’m Alpha Grant Walker of the Windy River Pack. You and your brother are safe here. I already spoke to Sandy, but I wanted you to know as well that you have my solemn promise no one will hurt you while under my care.” He watched as his mate’s eyebrows scrunched together for a moment before with a defeated sigh Richard seemed to draw inward.
“All I ask is that you give us sanctuary for a few days. Once I’m stronger, we’ll leave.” Richard swallowed before he closed his eyes once more. “We won’t be your problem for long, Alpha.”
Grant wanted to shake the man. How could he not accept his pledge? An Alpha’s word was sacred and not given lightly. Did he think Alpha Clifton was better or was there more to their relationship than they originally thought? If Richard loved Clifton or someone else, then Grant would back away. It would kill part of his soul, but he would live.
“Get some rest, Richard. We will talk more when you’re feeling better.”
The Alpha watched as the man who had rejected him close his eyes and fell back to sleep. He slowly stood and walked from the room. Even if Richard didn’t want him, he’d still keep his promise. No one should have suffered at the hands of a shifter like this man had. But first he had to prepare for the battle that was sure to come to his doorstep. Then maybe his mate would see he meant what he said.
Ricky held his breath as he listened for any sounds. After hearing nothing, he slowly opened his eyes and looked around the enormous room he was currently lying in. It was obviously the room of the Alpha. The large mahogany bed was hand carved and big enough to fit ten men easily. But while the wood was warm and enticing, the rest of the room had a cold feel to it. The walls were made of stone and had nothing adorning them. The whole house was probably made from the granite from the surrounding mountains.
In a way, it was a reflection of the man. He remembered the sharp angles of a face that looked as if it had been cut from the same stone. Dark eyes had pinned him and dared him to disobey. Long black hair was gathered back into a ponytail Native American style, which added to the shifter’s austere looks. And yet, he couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to have the man dominate him—to run his hands over the chiseled face and soften those eyes with passion. Would the man allow him to run his fingers through the raven dark hair? He groaned as he realized his cock was hard and leaking. He glanced down and shook his head. How was it possible that he was having these feelings for a man who might be worse than the Alpha he had left?
A glance at the windows showed it was now night outside. He must have slept longer than he thought after the Alpha left. Ricky groaned softly as he tried to move to the edge of the bed. His back screamed in agony and his head spun. After a few more attempts it was clear he was still too weak to get out of bed. The only problem was, he really needed the bathroom. He also needed to check on his little brother. While he hoped the Alpha wouldn’t hurt Sandy, his little brother’s safety was still his responsibility. Even if he hadn’t been doing a good job of it so far, this time he would make sure before agreeing to stay. He couldn’t just accept another promise of safety like he had with Alpha Clifton.
Ricky tried again to get out of the bed, but only managed to curse as he fell back on his sore back.
“Damn it!” He growled as he fought the tears that threatened to fall.
His head whipped around when the door opened to admit an older looking man. For a moment fear swelled in him as he wondered if it was time for him to provide service in exchange for the care of his brother. That’s what Alpha Clifton had called it when he let members of the pack use him to satisfy their itch and order him around like a slave. Well so much for an Alpha’s promise. But then what did he expect. He wasn’t sure he could do it, but he’d try if it meant Sandy would remain safe and happy.
The injured man watched warily as the man approached the bed with what looked like a cup of something in his hand. “The Alpha told me you were awake earlier. We need to get you in shape and that begins with you eating something. I’ve brought you some chicken broth. If you can keep that down then we’ll see if we can’t get you something more substantial tomorrow morning.”
“Where’s my brother?” Ricky managed as he continued to stare at the shifter in front of him. He didn’t get the sense that the man wanted him in that way, but then he’d learned to be on his guard at all times. The shifter tsked before he moved forward and placed the cup on the table by th
e bed.
“You shouldn’t move around too much yet, Mr. Landon. I had to stitch up some of the wounds on your back.” Gentle hands turned Ricky slightly to examine the whip marks before he was helped to sit in the bed. Pillows were put behind him to cushion his sore back and the cup was handed to him. “I’ll make you a deal. You drink all the broth, take the medicine I prescribed to help you with the fever and infection and I’ll bring your brother in here.” The man grinned slightly as he cocked his head to the side for a moment. “Actually, the little scamp is outside your door right now instead of sleeping like he was told.”
The man stood and walked over to the heavy wooden door. It was barely opened before a familiar figure raced into the room and jumped onto the bed. Ricky couldn’t hold back the groan the movement of the bed caused, but he did at least manage not to spill the soup.
“RICKY!” Sandy cried as he scooted a little closer.
The shifter who had brought the soup chuckled as he placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Now, Sandy, I told you that we needed to be careful with your brother for a few days until he heals. That means no jumping on the bed young man.” He winked at Ricky before he stepped back and fixed a stern expression on his face. Ricky had a hard time stopping the quirking of his lips as Sandy smoothed the blankets before slowly climbing down from the bed.
“I didn’t mean to. It’s just I had to see him and you said I could as soon as I took a nap. Well I took a nap and I even ate the sandwich you left for me. So can I stay, Doc Houston?”
It amazed Ricky how his brother could talk so much without seeming to take a breath. The doctor rubbed his chin for a moment as if thinking carefully about the request before he smiled and nodded.
“Okay, but I’m putting you in charge of making sure that your brother drinks all the broth. I’ll be back shortly to give him his medicine and then I think the Alpha wanted to talk to you about how you wanted your room fixed up.”
The Alpha's Promise Page 5
