“What if the new Alpha’s already moved them somewhere else?” Cole asked as they neared Grand Junction.
“Now you worry about that? Hopefully, he hasn’t.”
A few minutes later, they drove into the campground and parked. Then they strolled casually toward the area set off for campers and RVs. At least Ky was being casual. Cole was tense, his hands clenched, until Ky pointed out they could teleport away at the least sign of trouble.
They were almost at the place where they’d seen Jenna and Venus the last time they’d been there, when a tall, muscular man stepped out of one of the campers. Cole hissed in a panicked breath when he recognized him as one of the men who had been at the vacant building.
The man held up one hand, saying, “Don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt you.” He looked at Ky, briefly smiling. “We figured the two of you would show up sooner or later. If you’ll come with me, I’ll take you to the new Alpha.”
He led them to the largest camper, signaling for them to wait before going inside. A moment later he returned, inviting them to enter.
The first person Cole saw when they were inside was Venus. She hurried over, hugging him, then Ky, before taking their hands to lead them to a man standing by one of the windows. “Ky, Cole, this is Quint. He’s our new Alpha.”
“Your Quint, Venus?” Cole blurted out.
She grinned. “Yep. I’m not sure he thinks of it that way, but, yes.”
Quint raised an eyebrow, then said, “Welcome, Kyland,” and held out his hand. Ky shook it, replying, “Thank you.”
After a momentary pause, Quint replied quietly, “No. Thank you for taking down Marsham. I’m not sure how you managed it, but we’re all grateful.”
“To be honest, I had help.” Ky put his arm around Cole’s shoulders. With a gesture from Quint, they sat and then Ky told them what had happened—especially Cole’s part in the fight. By the time he’d finished, Quint and the others were laughing.
“I’d give my right nut to have seen that,” Quint sputtered.
“It was the only thing I could think of,” Cole replied. He could feel his face heating up with embarrassment.
“Whatever works. That’s what counts,” Quint replied.
“Would you two like something to eat, or drink?” Venus asked. “We were about to have supper.”
Ky glanced at Cole, then replied, “Sure, if we’re not putting you out.”
“Not at all. Cole, I could use a hand, if you don’t mind.”
Surprised, Cole followed her into the kitchen.
“I’d have asked Ky, but I think he should get to know Quint better, if that makes sense.” She got plates from the cupboard, setting them on the counter as she talked. Lowering her voice, she said, “I think one of the reasons you came to visit is to find out if things have changed for the better for the pack’s women, right?” When Cole nodded, she said, “They’re beginning to. It’ll take a while, of course. Some of the males were quite happy with the status quo, as far as us females being theirs for the taking. Quint is doing his best to make them see that’s not right.”
“Good for him. How’s Jenna doing?”
Venus grinned. “Believe it or not, but the day after we heard that Marsham was dead, one of the males defended her from another one, then proclaimed that from now on, she was his. She told him to get lost, that she’d choose her own mate.”
“Wow. Gutsy. Has she?”
“Not yet, but she’s got two males panting after her—and behaving while they do, thanks to Quint’s edict. So it might not take long until she settles down with one of them.” She handed Cole two of the plates, which she’d filled with food while they talked. She picked up the other ones, they set them on the table in the living room, then everyone sat down to eat.
* * * *
“I’ll admit, I’m surprised things changed as much as they have, or seem to be,” Ky admitted Tuesday morning as he and Cole headed back to Denver.
They had spent a couple of hours, after supper the previous evening, meeting the rest of what was now Quint’s pack, before going to a motel. While things weren’t perfect, yet, Ky could sense that under Quint’s leadership the females were being treated better, and the males were at least trying to make the pack a family. Quint told Ky that, eventually, they planned on finding a permanent home. “In a city that’s large enough that an influx of Bullmastiffs won’t be noticed. Hell, we might even stay here, buy homes, and sell the campers.”
“They were all afraid of Marsham, even the ones like Quint, who might have been able to beat him in a fair fight,” Cole replied to Ky’s comment.
“Exactly. Afraid for their lives.” Ky smiled, patting Cole’s leg. “If it hadn’t been for his obsession with you, nothing would have changed.”
“I don’t know about that. He was dying, so sooner or later, when he did, someone else would have taken over. We just hurried things along, I guess.”
“Yeah, we did.”
They pulled into the garage at the house just before sunset. As they got out of the car Ky sniffed, then said, “We have company.”
Cole immediately tensed, wondering who was after them now.
“Relax. It’s just your family. They’re out back.”
“Just my family?” Cole called back over his shoulder as he bolted to the backyard. “Just my family? Just my family? “
“Take your choice,” Ky replied with a laugh, following him.
“Rilla!” Cole swept her into his arms, hugging her so tightly that she gasped, “I can’t breathe.”
“Sorry.” He released his hold after she’d kissed his cheek, heading toward Hallam.
“A handshake will do,” Hallam told him with amusement. Taking him at his word, Cole shook his hand. “Where’s Eldon?”
“Last seen, he was exploring the neighborhood,” Rilla replied. “This is the first time he’s been anywhere larger than a small town.”
“Are you serious? Oh, right. He was born into the pack after it went into hiding.”
“Exactly.” She lifted an eyebrow. “Are you going to invite us inside?”
“Of course.” By the time they got to the back door, Ky had it unlocked and was holding it open.
“Very nice,” Rilla said, after exploring. “I’m glad to see you like to read, Ky.” She glanced at Cole. “I hope you do, too.”
“I love books.”
“But do you actually read them,” she teased.
“Well, duh.”
“Cole, is that any way to talk to your mother,” Hallam said.
Cole ducked his head, whispering, “Sorry, Mom.”
“It’s all right. Calling me Mom made up for it.”
“Well, you are, so why wouldn’t I?”
“Until this second, you’ve always called me Rilla,” she pointed out.
“Oh.” He worried his lip between his teeth. “I guess I have. In my mind, you’re Mom, it’s…Until I met you, I wasn’t sure you’d want me, so I thought of you as Rilla, usually, or ‘my mother,’ but not Mom.”
She put her arm around his waist. “That’s totally understandable, so don’t feel badly. I always wished I hadn’t had to give you up. It was for your own safety. You know that now.”
“I do.” Cole hugged her hard. “I love you, Mom.”
“Mom, Grandpa, you should see all the houses and shops,” Eldon said, dashing into the living room. “I never dreamed…I mean, I’ve seen pictures but that’s not the same.”
“If you’re planning on sticking around for a while, I’ll take you on a real tour,” Cole said.
“Are we?” Eldon looked hopefully at Hallam.
“I see no reason why not, at least for a day or two, if it doesn’t interfere with Cole and Ky’s lives.”
“I bet I can get off work tomorrow,” Cole said, “so it won’t be any problem at all.” He laughed when Eldon pumped a fist—but he felt the same way. The idea of having more time with his family before they went home made his day.
* * *
*
Mike did let Cole have Wednesday off—once he knew why he wanted it—and Cole spent the day giving Eldon, and by extension Hallam and Rilla, a grand tour of Denver. By late afternoon they began to flag, so when Ky joined them downtown, telling them he was taking everyone out to dinner, they jumped on the chance to get off their feet for a while.
They decided on one of the downtown steak restaurants for dinner, then, for dessert, they went to the Cheesecake Factory. The night ended when Hallam said it was time for the ‘boys’ to get some sleep. “Especially Cole, since he has to work tomorrow.”
“But I’m not tired,” Eldon protested—and yawned prodigiously, belying his words.
When they got back to the hotel where Hallam and his family were staying, he told Cole that he was considering moving the pack to Golden.
“It’s large enough that we shouldn’t stand out when we want to be in our Bullmastiff form, and close enough to the mountains that the members who might have trouble adjusting to city life after all these years can get away for a while.”
Cole beamed. “Also, close enough to Denver that we can see each other whenever we want. I love that idea.”
“I sort of thought you might. It won’t happen immediately. We’ll have to find places to live and what have you. The joys of moving a large number of people who want to stay together as a pack.”
“But it will happen. That’s what counts.”
“Absolutely,” Rilla agreed.
“Are the three of you planning on staying another day?” Ky asked.
Hallam shook his head. “I have to get back to set things in motion. The sooner I do that, the sooner we can move.”
“Oh.” Cole sighed. “I was hoping…”
“We’ll be back before you know it,” Rilla said, kissing his cheek.
“I know. I’m going to miss you until that happens.”
“I’ll miss you, too,” she replied softly. “You have no idea how glad I am you found me—well, us.”
“All of us,” Hallam added, surprising Cole by hugging him. He turned to Ky. “Without your help, none of this might have happened.”
Ky actually seemed embarrassed as he replied, “It took more than just me.”
“But you were the moving force, so thank you.” Hallam glanced at Eldon and smiled. “I think it’s time to go up to our rooms. Someone is definitely dragging.”
“Am not,” Eldon said. “Well, a little.” He paused. “I’m glad you’re my brother, Cole.”
“Back at you.” Cole gave him a quick hug. “Behave, and I’ll see you soon.”
Rilla smiled at her sons, embraced Cole tightly, and then she, Hallam and Eldon headed to the elevator.
Cole watched them leave, saying wistfully, “I wish they didn’t have to go.”
Putting his arm around Cole’s waist, Ky replied with a laugh, “In a month, you’ll be wondering if having your family so close by is really all that great.”
Cole looked at him in shock. “I will not!”
“I know. I was teasing. Come on, let’s go home. Eldon’s not the only one who’s dragging.”
* * * *
“You look on the top of the world,” Mike said the next morning when Cole came to work.
“I am, since I got to spend all day yesterday with my family. And guess what? My grandfather says that pretty soon they’ll be moving here. Well, to Golden.”
“Great. I want to meet them when that happens.”
“Well, duh.” Cole grinned. “You are my second grandfather, to hear you tell it.” He grinned.
“Father,” Mike muttered. “You better believe it. And as such, it’s my prerogative to tell you, it’s time to get to work.”
Cole laughed, and did.
* * * *
As soon as he got off work, Cole drove to The Haven to tell Adam the good news, after calling Ky to let him know he’d be home a bit later than usual, and why.
The first person he ran into when he got there was Bret, who of course asked, “Where’s Bull?”
“At home. I came straight here from work.”
“Well, bring him by sometime. The guys miss him.”
“Will do,” Cole replied before going to find Adam. He located him in his office, and filled him in on all that had happened since they last talked.
“That’s fantastic,” Adam said when Cole finished. “Things sure have changed for you since the first day you showed up here.”
“No kidding. You’re part of the reason why, you know.”
“A small part, but yes, I guess I am.” Adam went to one of the file cabinets, coming back with a folder that he handed to Cole. “If you really meant it, about becoming a social worker, this has a list of good schools, and a few available scholarship options. I’m sure you can find more, if you look.”
“Thank you.” Cole thumbed through the papers, then said, “Maybe, if and when I get my degree, I can come here to work?”
“You bet. We’d love to have you. Hell, by then The Haven might be a full shelter, not just a drop-in spot. I’m working on getting it accredited so that will happen.”
“If anyone can do that, it’s you.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“Turn about,” Cole replied. “You had confidence in me. If you hadn’t, things might have ended very differently.”
“We all did, Cole. Me, Larry, and most of all, Ky.”
Cole dipped his head momentarily, then said, “Speaking of Ky, I’d better get home. I’m sure he’s got dinner waiting.”
“He cooks?” Adam asked with amusement.
“Yep, since I don’t get off work until eight. I do it on my days off. Again, thanks for everything.”
“You’re welcome.”
* * * *
When Ky heard the car pull into the garage, he turned the heat up under the spaghetti sauce before putting the spaghetti into boiling water to cook.
“So how was your day?” he asked, as soon as Cole appeared in the kitchen.
“Busy, as usual,” Cole told him after giving him a kiss. “And yours?”
Ky grinned. “I made some of my clients a few bucks, which made them happy.”
“Cool. Need some help?”
“Finding them good investments?” Ky asked, straight-faced.
“No. Jeez. With dinner.”
“You can set the table.”
Cole did, they ate, then settled in front of the TV to watch a comedy show, followed by the news. When it was over, they went to bed—in Ky’s room. They had been sharing the same bed since soon after the first time they’d had sex, which had, at least in Ky’s opinion, become making love after that first night.
Still, Ky was loath to use the word love when it came to saying it out loud—until tonight.
After they’d recovered from their climaxes, Ky wrapped Cole in a tight embrace. Looking him straight in the eye, he said softly, “Maybe you don’t want to hear this, but I love you.”
Cole’s eyes widened. Then he kissed Ky, whispering against his lips. “Thank God. I was afraid to say I love you, in case you thought it was just a…a crush, or that I was too young to know what it meant. But I do. I have for the longest time.”
Ky grinned. “The longest time? We haven’t known each other that long.”
“So? Doesn’t mean I haven’t loved you almost from the beginning. Okay, lusted after you at first, if you want the truth. But once I got to know you…Yeah, I fell in love.”
“That makes two of us, and it’s about time we admitted it.”
“No kidding.”
“By the way, you aren’t too young, here.” Ky tapped Cole’s forehead, then over his heart. “In fifty years, our age difference won’t matter in the least.”
Cole snorted. “By then, I’ll look almost as old as you.”
“Good point.” Ky kissed him deeply before reiterating, “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Cole said when the kiss ended. “And that will never change.”
THE END
ABOUT EDWARD KENDRICK
Born and bred Cleveland, I earned a degree in technical theater, later switched to costuming, and headed to NYC. Finally seeing the futility of trying to become rich and famous in the Big Apple, I joined VISTA—Volunteers in Service to America—ending up in Chicago for three years. Then it was on to Denver where I put down roots and worked as a costume designer until I retired in 2007.
I began writing a few years ago after joining an online fanfic group. Two friends and I then started a group for writers, where they could post any story they wished no matter the genre or content. Since then, for the last five years, I’ve been writing for publication—my first book came out in February of 2011. Most, but not all, of my work is M/M, either mildly erotic or purely ‘romantic.’ More often than not it involves a mystery or action/adventure, and is sometimes paranormal to boot.
For more information, visit edwardkendrick.blogspot.com.
ABOUT JMS BOOKS LLC
JMS Books LLC is a small queer press with competitive royalty rates publishing LGBT romance, erotic romance, and young adult fiction. Visit jms-books.com for our latest releases and submission guidelines!
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