“We’re almost to the hanger, Alpha,” Sparky’s subdued voice filled the silent cabin of the SUV.
“Good, the sooner we get back to our pack lands the better I’ll feel,” Grant growled as he gently shifted the human in his arms. He had to believe that whatever ailed his mate could be reversed and that he’d have the opportunity to explain how he really felt about the man in his arms; the man he suspected he was already beginning to fall in love with.
Ricky slowly opened his eyes and sighed as he saw a familiar scene. His brother slept in his wolf form at the end of the bed while the large frame of Alpha Grant slept in the chair that had been brought into his room. Neither of them had left since he’d been returned, which made him feel safe and yet it also increased his guilt.
It was hard to believe that it had been over a week since his rescue. He blushed as he remembered the pack doctor removing the large butt plug and cock ring during his initial examination. While there hadn’t been any severe damage done to him during his captivity, Ricky could feel that he was still dying. He slowly reached up to touch the collar around his throat. No one had been able to figure out a way to remove it and as luck would have it, Alpha Clifton hadn’t been lying about the effects.
Even now Ricky could feel his energy being drained, slowly and painfully. Every joint and muscle in his body ached as if he had aged a hundred years in the span of a week. The only bright spot had been his freedom from the spell that had controlled his body. Artemus had been right. It had only lasted for a day and yet the effects still lingered. The total loss of control only reinforced his belief about himself. He was the weak link; so much so that he actually was a danger to his younger brother. If Alpha Clifton had succeeded, he had no doubt his brother would have ended up under the evil bastard’s control.
Then there was Alpha Grant. Ricky had to admit that the shifter had more than come through. The Alpha had spent the past few days trying to explain that he didn’t see Ricky as being damaged and would be more than honored to have him as a mate. While he wanted to desperately believe things could work out, he’d been shown more than once his shortcomings. Alpha Grant deserved someone who could stand proudly at his side, to fight beside him and to be able to receive his affection without flinching or having a panic attack. As much as his heart wanted a closer relationship with the handsome shifter, his head argued it could never be.
He’d had plenty of time to think during his captivity and since his rescue. No matter how he looked at it, his death would be better for not only Alpha Grant and Sandy, but also for the pack that had offered him a home. If he was gone there would be no one who could be used to control his little brother. Alpha Grant would be able to find a mate worthy of him and if Ricky was being honest, he’d finally find some peace from the hell he’d experienced since his parents’ deaths. In short he was tired.
Ricky sighed softly as he turned to look outside the window to his room. It wouldn’t be long now. He refused to tell Alpha Grant about the possible way to remove the collar and save his life. How could he? He knew the shifter would claim him out of a sense of duty, the need to protect a member of his pack. He refused to allow that to happen. And so he waited for the inevitable.
A soft knock on the door caused Ricky to pull the covers closer. “Come in,” Alpha Grant’s sleep roughed voice answered. Sparky glanced at Ricky before he quietly entered and stood in front of his Alpha. Grant had explained why Sparky was a little leery around him and after experiencing mind control magic, Ricky didn’t blame the wolf’s hesitance. Of course he still had no clue how he’d managed to throw the shifter across the room. Sandy shook out his fur but remained guarding the end of the bed as he listened in on the conversation.
“Were you able to get any information from the Magi?” Alpha Grant asked as he sat up straighter in the chair.
Sparky ran a hand through his hair before he responded. “I just don’t understand. The Artemus I knew would have never been involved with Alpha Clifton much less use magic to control another.” He glanced over at Ricky for a moment before he continued, “If it wasn’t for him, I don’t think I would have recovered.”
Alpha Grant growled. “And yet he refuses to help us now. I’m afraid he doesn’t leave us much choice. Tell him if Ricky dies, his death will follow.”
“NO!” Ricky said softly, surprised at the lack of strength in his voice. He watched as both men and his brother’s wolf looked at him. He glanced down at his hands for a moment before he looked back up at the Alpha. “Please, you don’t understand—”
Alpha Grant stood and moved to sit next to Ricky. The Alpha placed his hands over his nervously twitching ones. For a moment Ricky allowed the feeling of calm and safety to flow over him before he took a breath and looked up into the concerned eyes of the person who was quickly becoming his everything. If only—but there was no time to go back, no do-over’s that could make what happened disappear. But there was something he could put right.
“Make me understand, Richard. Tell me why I shouldn’t kill the man who caused you so much pain.” For a moment, Ricky could see the wolf shining through Grant’s eyes. He had no doubt the Alpha would carry through with his threat. Ricky sighed before he took a breath and began to tell Grant how Artemus had tried to help him even at the possible cost of losing the only link to his missing half-brother Charles.
“Artie has a half brother?” Sparky asked as he cocked his head to the side. “How did I not know this? I stayed with him for months after…” the shifter swallowed before he continued. “…well after Winston’s last attack.”
Alpha Grant stood up and gazed outside the window for a moment before he looked back at Ricky. “Did he give you a last name?”
Ricky shook his head. “No, he just called him Charles. But don’t you see—he had no choice but to obey.” He looked down at his brother. “How can I hold him accountable for doing whatever he could to save his brother? After all, I did things—allowed myself to be used…” He stopped unable to voice any more with his brother in the room. He knew Sandy was aware of the beatings and probably some of the more public displays, but he never wanted him to know how far he had gone behind closed doors to keep his brother safe.
Alpha Grant seemed to understand as he nodded before he stood and pulled out his cell phone. “Bring Artemus to me immediately,” he paused as he listened to the other person speak before he growled, “I understand the risk Dakota but we need more information and I believe I’ve found a way to get it.”
“What are you going to do?” Ricky whispered. He watched as the Alpha smiled softly down at him before he answered.
“I’m going to offer him a deal he won’t be able to refuse—I’m going to help him find his half-brother. Besides, if what I believe is true, we’ve already been helping him without knowing it.”
Ricky wanted to ask more, but was interrupted by a short knock at the door before it opened to show a chained Artemus being led into the room by the Sheriff. Ricky was alarmed at the appearance of the man. Gone was the self-assured Magi who had helped him. Dull jade colored eyes glanced up at Ricky for a moment before they dropped back to the ground. The man had obviously lost weight and walked as if the chains that held him would pull him over.
“What have you done to him?” Ricky gasped.
Dakota pulled the prisoner further into the room and indicated he should sit in the chair vacated by Alpha Grant. He then stood behind the captive man and shrugged. “He refuses anything other than water. Since he is more than likely to forfeit his life, I saw no reason to force him to eat.”
Before Ricky could object, Alpha Grant stepped forward. “Enough!” The room fell silent as the Alpha glared down at the magi for a moment before he sighed and placed a hand on the man’s shoulder. He squeezed it gently, waiting for the man to look up. Artemus took a deep breath before he finally spoke.
“I told Sparky, there is nothing more I can do to help you.�
�� He glanced over at Ricky and frowned. “You haven’t claimed him? How many days have I been here?” Artemus glared up at the Alpha. “I guess the rumors about you and your pack were just that—rumors.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Alpha Grant growled as he stepped back and glared at the man. Ricky wanted to say something, but suddenly he was afraid. No matter what he said, he knew Grant would never forgive him for keeping this from him. He wanted to close his eyes and pretend he was unconscious as the Alpha moved to stand directly in front of the captive, his arms crossed as he ordered, “Explain to me this rumor.”
Artemus glared right back at the Alpha, his eyes now as hard and cold as the gem they resembled. “You obviously aren’t capable of protecting members of your pack; you’ve grown complacent over the years. You’re hiding away in this stone castle while those who needed your protection are left to fend for themselves.”
“I will ask you one more time, what are you talking about?” Alpha Grant demanded in a voice that had the other shifters in the room baring their throats. Even Ricky felt like he should bow his head at the power he could feel flowing through the room. Artemus simply smiled as he shook his head.
“Your Alpha powers will not work on me,” Artemus sneered. Grant leaned over and placed a clawed hand on the magi’s shoulder. He gripped it hard enough to make the man wince. Ricky hadn’t even noticed the partial shift. It was pretty clear that Alpha Grant was quickly losing patience with the healer.
“STOP! Just—just stop, okay?” Ricky cried out as he tried to sit up in the bed. Unfortunately he didn’t even have the strength to do that simple task. He threw his hands up in frustration before he continued, “It’s not his fault, Alpha Grant. He told me how to remove the collar.” He stopped as all the eyes in the room stared at him. But rather than look at the disappointment he was sure to see, Ricky glanced down at his clenched hands.
“Artemus told me there were three ways to remove this cursed collar. Alpha Clifton could release it, the person wearing it dies or…” Ricky couldn’t go further as he shook his head.
“…your Semme’ had to claim you within ten days after you left the influence of the owner of the collar,” Artemus continued softly. The magi shook his head and looked up once more at the Alpha. “It seems I may owe you an apology. I just assumed you had denied the mating.”
Alpha Grant took a deep breath before he moved to sit beside Ricky on the bed. For a few minutes nothing was said. Ricky jumped as he felt a hand gently squeeze his shoulder. He expected to feel the pain from the Alpha’s claws but instead the hand moved to his neck and began to message it.
“Did nothing I said to you over the past week mean anything to you, Richard?”
He glanced up at the hurt he heard in the Alpha’s voice. The pain he saw reflected in the chocolate brown eyes took his breath away. He couldn’t let the shifter think it was anything he had done. “No—I mean, yes I believe what you said but that doesn’t change the fact that you are all better off without me.”
There was a shimmer followed by the human form of his brother who now knelt at the end of the bed, his eyes swimming with tears. “You promised, Ricky!”
Ricky sighed as he swallowed back his own tears. “I know, Sandy, but you have to understand, sometimes keeping a promise may not be the right thing to do.” Before Ricky could say anything further his little brother glared at him.
“You promised you wouldn’t leave me like mom and dad did. You promised to always be there for me. I don’t care what you say, a promise is a promise.” Sandy quickly jumped down from the bed and ran towards the door. Just before he escaped through it he turned angry blue eyes at his brother. “You suck!” The young shifter yelled before he ran out and slammed the door behind him.
Ricky couldn’t help the tears that slowly fell down his cheeks. He jerked as a finger wiped one of the tears away followed by a sigh from the Alpha. It was just too much for him to handle any more. He turned his head and closed his eyes hoping that everyone would get the message and just leave him alone.
“Your brother is right, Richard. A promise made should be kept whenever possible. If it was easy to do, then making one would mean nothing.” Alpha Grant stood and looked at the remaining men in the room. “Please leave us.”
Sparky stood and walked over to help Artemus to his feet. “Come on, Artie, I’m going to take you down to the kitchen and you’re gonna eat something or I’ll sick the Alpha’s mother on you and believe me—you don’t want to be on that woman’s bad side.” The shifter shuddered as he started moving towards the door with the magi.
Alpha Grant moved to stand by the door. He glanced back at Dakota who simply nodded his understanding. He would watch the magi. “It seems you and I have more to discuss, Artemus.” He held his hand out for the key to the chains holding the man captive. After quickly releasing the magi he held the man’s gaze as he spoke. “It seems we have more in common than either of us first thought. Sparky, make sure he eats and then show him to one of the guest rooms. I will meet with you once I have finished here.”
Artemus squared his shoulders as his eyes softened slightly. “Agreed. Perhaps there is more I can do to help.” He glanced over at Ricky before he continued. “Apparently the human protector does not fully understand his importance to the Omega.”
The Alpha looked over Artemus’ shoulder as he replied, “He obviously doesn’t understand how important he is as my Semme’ either but I intend to begin his education shortly.”
Sparky snorted. “I bet he gets an ‘A’ in that subject, I know I did!” The shifter winked at Ricky before he led Artemus and Dakota from the room. Ricky watched as Alpha Grant closed the door before turning to look at him. “I think our first lesson will be on keeping secrets—”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
GRANT MOVED CLOSER TO THE BED AND THE FRAIL MAN lying on it. He could smell the fear but he could also smell arousal. He didn’t need to look beneath the blanket to know his mate’s body called out to him. However, he knew physical attraction wasn’t the problem. He needed to not only win his Semme’s mind, but also his heart.
Richard looked down at his clasped hands, refusing to meet Grant’s eyes. His strawberry blonde hair hung limply around the man’s shoulders. The pale skin the Alpha admired when the human had first arrived was now almost translucent. Over the past few days he’d watched the cursed collar drain the very life from his mate. To find out that he could have prevented his mate’s suffering made his wolf agitated. He should be furious with Richard for not telling him.
Yet he had to remember the human had come from a pack where the Alpha didn’t protect his members in the manner that he should have. Richard had no idea how a true pack operated, nor did he have reason to blindly trust when apparently his life had shown him nothing but reasons not to do so. How could he get through to his mate that he wanted him?
Grant sighed as he sat on the bed and once again covered Richard’s hands with his own to still the trembling digits. He reached gently under the man’s chin and forced him to look up. The devastation he saw in the swirling depths of his mate’s eyes almost took his breath away. Richard believed what he’d said. The man didn’t see his worth not only to Grant, but to his brother as well as the rest of the pack.
“I wanted to give you, to give us, time to learn about each other,” Grant said softly as he pushed a stray lock of hair off his mate’s forehead. “But it seems as though we don’t have a lot of options if we want to stop the curse.” The Alpha traced the outlines of the collar with his finger. “But maybe it will help if I start by telling you a little about me and then we can talk about what we’ll do next.” He watched as Richard’s eyes blinked rapidly as if he was trying to keep the tears that formed in them from falling. Grant leaned forward and gently kissed each eye, tasting the salty tears before he moved lower and sipped at his mate’s lips.
Richard moaned softly as he opened his mouth, allowing Grant to press further inside to taste and encourag
e his mate to return the exploration. He was pleasantly surprised when Richard’s tongue began to push back, dueling with his own as they continued to explore together. After a few minutes, Grant pulled back and smiled as he saw the lust blown eyes of his mate looking up at him. His wolf was pushing at him, whining in his mind with the need to complete the bond. It was the hardest thing he’d ever done to sit back.
“There are a few things you should know about me before we go any further with this,” Grant said as he ran his thumb under the slightly swollen lower lip of his soon to be lover. He noticed Richard’s eyes returned to his lap, but Grant wasn’t going to let the human get away from him again. “Hey, none of that, Richard,” Grant chastised gently as he once again used his finger to force his mate to look up at him.
“What we have here is a failure to communicate—” Grant paused as he saw his mate’s lips quirk slightly.
“Did you just quote Cool Hand Luke? ‘Cause I gotta say, you don’t look or sound anything like Paul Newman.” Richard chuckled softly.
Grant winked. “Don’t tell my brother David, but I actually do get out and watch a movie now and then.”
“You’re telling me the last movie you saw was in the late 60’s?” Richard’s eyes grew wide.
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