by Stormy Glenn
“Yeah, they do like that biting thing, don’t they?” Darren laughed.
Love wiggled his eyebrows. “I might, too.”
Matt inhaled sharply. “Love, we don’t mark the alpha or beta.”
“Why not?”
“It’s just not done. The alpha and beta are the ones that do the marking.”
Love sorted. “Yeah, Logan and I already discussed the whole ownership thing. It doesn’t work for me. If he gets to bite me, I get to bite him.”
Darren laughed.
Matt gasped.
Love rolled his eyes.
“Come on, let’s go arm these people before they rebel.” Love waved his hand at the door. “Matt, stay here and watch the door. The moment you think they might be getting through, come let us know. We need as much time as we can to hide everyone.”
Matt nodded and walked over to stand by the doorway to the dorm, leaning back against the wall. Love pointed at him as he and Darren walked through the doorway.
“Do not engage the enemy. I just want you to watch the door, not fight whoever comes through it. Darren and I are going to need you in the other room to help us protect the clan.”
Matt nodded. Without another word, Love walked through the doorway and into the large dorm room. He found those of the clan that were in the room standing around looking confused.
“I know you’re all afraid,” Love said when they looked at him. “But we have a plan. Darren and I need those of you that cannot fight to move into the kitchen. We’re going to hide all of you in a secret passage.”
“And the rest of us, beta-mate?” one woman asked.
“Go into the kitchen and find something to fight with,” Darren said as he stepped up beside Love. “A frying pan, a knife, hell, use a cookie sheet if you have to, whatever you can find to defend yourself.”
The next few moments were filled with chaos as people ran around and prepared for the fight. Love and Darren helped get people into the secret passage then closed the door and pushed the fridge back in front of it. After that, they made sure everyone had a good weapon to use.
“Anyone that feels the need to shift, you can do so. Otherwise, use whatever weapons you can get your hands on.” Love waved his hands around the large room. “And spread out. We need to protect those in the passageway until others can get here.”
Love turned when he heard Darren suddenly inhale. “What?”
Darren stepped closer and leaned forward, whispering. “Did you let Logan know we’re hiding most everyone in the secret passage? If something happens, they’ll need to know where to look for people.”
“No, I told Logan about someone banging on the bunker door but nothing else. I thought you contacted Asher.”
Darren face paled as he shook his head.
Love rolled his eyes. “Well, hell!”
Chapter 16
Logan grunted as he took another coyote to the ground, landing on top of him. He dug his claws into the shifter’s side as deep as he could go then pulled them out, ripping away a good chunk of the man’s side. The man gasped then his eyes drifted closed.
Logan jumped to his feet and started toward the next coyote shifter. He’d lost track of how many he’d fought or killed. He just knew there were more coyotes racing toward him.
“Logan.”
Logan paused for just a moment when he heard Love’s voice in his head then jumped on the next coyote. “Busy, baby,” he growled mentally as he gutted the man.
“We’re in trouble here.”
“What?”
Logan cried out when his momentary pause allowed the shifter underneath him to get in a good shot. He felt blood start to trickle down from the new open wound in his shoulder. Pain racked his body.
Logan pushed the pain and fear aside and tore his claws down the front of the man’s chest. He knew it was a fatal wound even as he jumped to his feet and looked around, trying to find Asher.
“Someone is still trying to break through the door to the bunker,” Love said through their bond. “Darren and I put all the young and old into the secret passage in the kitchen and we’ve armed ourselves, but I’d feel a lot better if you got your ass down here.”
“I’m on my way, baby.”
Logan started running toward the bunker, striking out at any coyote he passed. He knew he took a few down but he missed even more. Whoever was attacking the compound had brought an entire army with them. Logan knew if they didn’t get the upper hand pretty soon, they would lose the battle.
“Ash,” Logan yelled out when he saw the alpha off to one side fighting another shifter, “Darren and Love need us. They’re being attacked.”
Logan kept running toward the bunker, not in the least bit surprised when Asher took down the coyote he was fighting almost instantly. Asher caught up with him within seconds.
“You and I need to have a little discussion with our mates about appropriate behavior when this is all over,” Asher said as ran up beside Logan. “I have serious issue with Dary and Love putting their lives in danger.”
“Yeah, you do that.” Logan laughed as he ran. “I’ll get the popcorn and watch the show. It’s sure to be a doozy.”
“I’m the alpha.”
“And?”
Asher sputtered for a moment then burst out laughing. “Yeah, I don’t seem to have much luck being the top wolf around my mate either. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to tan Darren’s hide for putting himself in danger.”
Logan thought that was a grand idea.
They ran into the main compound building and made their way down the stairs to the basement. The closer they got, the slower they went. As they neared the bottom floor that led to the bunker, they could hear a loud pounding noise.
They stopped at the bottom of the steps, and Asher peered around the corner. After a moment, he leaned back and motioned for Logan to take a look. Logan’s eyes widened when he did.
A group of at least five coyotes stood in front of the large bunker door. They took turns pounding on the door, trying to break it down. Logan could already see several large dents in the steel door. If the coyotes kept it up, Logan had no doubt they would break through.
Logan leaned back and looked at Asher. He could see the fear on his alpha’s face and drew in a deep breath. If it was okay for the alpha to admit he was scared, then Logan could to.
“What are we going to do?” Logan whispered so only Asher could hear him. Coyotes might be nasty creatures, but they still had excellent hearing.
“There are five of them,” Asher said, “and only two of us—”
“Four.”
Logan jerked and swung around, his claws drawn. He breathed deeply and pressed his hand against his chest, his heart thundering in his chest, when he saw Cáel and Garen standing behind them. He hadn’t even heard them come down the stairs.
“What are you doing down here?” Logan snapped. “Shouldn’t you two be upstairs taking care of the coyotes up there?”
Cáel arched an eyebrow. “Our first duty is to protect Darren and Love, and you know it. We’re right where we’re supposed to be.”
Logan couldn’t fault Cáel’s logic. It was Cáel and Garen’s duty as guardians to protect the alpha-mate and the beta-mate. Besides, it gave them four men against five, much better odds.
Logan nodded at the two men then turned back to Asher. “It would seem we are now four against five. How do you want to do this?”
“There’s no way we can get in there without them seeing us coming. The bunker door is at the end of the hallway. There are no other entrances once we get around this corner. I suggest we rush them and take out as many as we can.”
“Agreed.” Logan flexed his fingers then tightened them into fists. “Let’s take out as many of those bastards as we can.”
Logan started to step past Asher when the man stopped him with a hand to his chest. “Try and leave one of them alive, would you? I’d like to know why they are attacking my clan.”
“You kn
ow why,” Logan said, “because Love killed Mick.”
Asher shook his head. “Not good enough. Love was protecting himself and his mate. It’s perfectly acceptable in our world, and you know it.”
“That doesn’t mean that his father will accept that. As far as he knows, a human killed his son. No matter how many laws you change, Asher, not many fathers will accept a human killing their children.”
“Then he can die right along with the others. He’s breaking the law by attacking my clan. He should have brought his issue before the council.” Asher grinned. “But now I have the right to eliminate the threat to my clan in whatever manner I see fit.”
Logan shivered. Asher’s grin was evil and merciless. He never wanted to be on the receiving end of whatever created that look. Asher Stone could be a cold bastard when he wanted to be.
“Okay, let’s do this then. On three?” Logan glanced at each of his friends. They all nodded. Logan took several deep breaths. “One, two, three.”
They all raced around the corner and down the hallway, shifting into wolf form as they ran. Logan saw Asher, Cáel, and Garen each attack one of the coyotes even as he chose one to hit himself.
Two of the coyote shifters saw them coming and braced themselves, claws drawn and teeth bared. The other three had no idea what hit them and were taken out fairly quickly.
Once they were down, Logan and Asher turned their attention to the remaining two. One was fighting Garen, the other was slowly backing down the hallway. Logan growled and started stalking him, Asher right beside him.
“You attacked my clan,” Asher growled. “By shifter law, I have the right to kill you.”
“I have no issue with your clan, alpha,” the man said quickly. “I just want the human that killed my son.”
“So not going to happen,” Logan said. At the same moment, he heard a voice speak from behind him and cringed.
“He’s a human!” the man growled, the corner of his lip curling up in disgust. It was clear to Logan that the man had issues with humans.
“That human would be me.”
“Get the fuck out of here, Love,” Logan growled through their bond without looking back at Love. He wasn’t about to take his eyes off the man before him, not even the glare at his mate.
“But…” The man frowned. “You’re not human.”
Surprised by the man’s words, Logan glanced over his shoulder to see a tall, black, furry werewolf slowly walking toward him. He had never seen Love in his shifted form and probably wouldn’t have known him if it wasn’t for the deep steel blue eyes looking back at him.
“Love?” he whispered.
Love winked as he walked by. Logan smirked as he watched Love swagger across the room. His baby finally got his wish. He now had ears and a tail, and they were completely natural.
“I don’t know anything about this hatred between wolves and coyotes, “Love said. “It all seems ridiculous to me. We’re all dogs of one type of another. But whatever, hate whoever you want.”
Logan smiled when Love crossed his arms behind his back and started pacing back and forth in front of the coyote. He was pretty sure he was the only on that knew how scared Love actually was.
“Mick Red kidnapped me and my mate, the beta of Stone Clan. From what I understand, that alone is a death sentence. But, I didn’t know about that law at the time. When I killed Mick, I did so because he threatened my mate.”
“I don’t believe you,” the man said. “Mick knows the laws. He never would have broken one of them.”
“Believe what you want. That still doesn’t change the fact that it happened. Mick came onto this compound and knocked me and Logan out. He kidnapped us and took us to some sort of dungeon where he tortured us. He was positive that you would approve as you hate humans so much.”
Logan could see the change in the man’s face and demeanor as the man realized Love spoke the truth. He was pretty sure the man already knew his son was warped. Love just put it into words for him.
“That wasn’t the only time Mick accosted me either. He attacked me once in a bar when I refused to have sex with him. Reed, the Stone Clan enforcer, his son, and mate were all witnesses to that attack. Later that night, Mick came to the moon festival here at the compound and again attacked me, only this time, he tried to drag me out of here, too. My mate, the beta of Stone Clan, as well as many of the clan members can attest to that.”
“There’s a lot of evidence against your son,” Logan said as he stepped forward and stood next to Love. “I’m sure, given the need, Love and I can both find the dungeon your son held us in. I’m sure with that plus testimony from everyone involved, the death of your son will be considered justified.”
“The killing of my son will never be justified!” the man growled and lunged at Love, his claws drawn.
Before Logan could react and push his mate to safety behind him, Love stepped forward and stuck something shiny straight into the man’s gut. Logan’s mouth dropped open as shock filled him at how quickly Love moved.
The man grabbed onto Love’s shoulders for a moment, the life slowly fading from his eyes, and then he slumped to the floor. Love followed him down, squatting next to him. He carefully covered the dead man’s eyes with his hand and closed them.
“I never wanted things to be this way,” Love said softly. His voice was laced heavily with sadness. “I was just protecting the man I love.”
Chapter 17
Love stared at the two small red tears tattooed by the corner of his eye. He hadn’t understood why Logan had the tattoo he did until he killed two men himself. And then it became blaringly clear.
It was important to remember the people he killed, even if he had done it in self-defense of himself and others. Remembering wouldn’t stop Love from killing again to keep people safe, but it would give him incentive to try and resolve things before it got to that point.
“Are you going to stare at those things all day long?” Logan asked from where he sat naked on the end of the bed. “They look fine.”
Love rolled his eyes and turned away from the mirror. “You’re just saying that because you like the tramp stamp on my ass better.”
Logan grinned. “Technically, the tattoo is at the bottom of your lower back, not on your ass.”
Love sauntered over to Logan and sat down on his lap, straddling his legs. “Face it, sexy, you like having your name tattooed on my ass.”
Love groaned as Logan’s hands stroked down his back to caress the tattoo on his lower back just above his ass. It had been expertly done, Logan’s name spelled out in cursive, surrounded by Celtic knots. Love had it done two weeks ago as a surprise to Logan when he got the tears tattooed on his face.
Logan chuckled. “I won’t lie to you, Love. I do like having my name on your body. It lets everyone know you’re mine.”
“I thought the mating mark did that.” Love groaned again and dropped his head back when Logan started nuzzling his throat.
“The mating mark only works for those of us that are shifters. It doesn’t work for humans, and I want everyone to know you are taken.”
“Possessive much?”
Laughter burst from Love’s lips when Logan growled and sank his teeth into the soft skin between Love’s shoulder and neck. His laughter quickly turned to an all out groan of pleasure as Logan’s fingers pushed into his ass.
“Fuck, the things you do to me,” Love groaned as he started pushing up and down with his hips, riding Logan’s fingers. There was only one thing that felt better than having Logan’s fingers in his ass, and he was pretty sure from the feral look on Logan’s face, he was going to get that soon, too.
“The things you do for me,” Logan replied. “I love watching you dance on my fingers.”
“I…I dance be–better on your cock,” Love panted. His eyes almost rolled back into his head as wave of pleasure rolled through him when Logan inserted a third finger into his tight ass.
“So, dance for me, baby.”
&nbs
p; “Oh god” Love groaned when Logan lifted him then brought him back down on his cock, impaling him in one fluid thrust. Sitting on Logan’s lap, Love’s own gravity pushed Logan’s cock deep inside his ass.
“I’m going to fuck you like this until you come for me, Love,” Logan said as he started moving, thrusting, pounding up into Love. “And then I’m going to fuck you from behind so I can see my name on your ass.”
Logan’s hands gripped Love’s butt cheeks, tightening with each word he spoke. Love grabbed Logan’s shoulders and held on. He used his leg muscles to lift himself up and slam back down onto Logan’s hard cock.
When Logan suddenly pulled him closer, what was left of Love’s mind melted into a pile of lust filled goo. His body was pressed up tightly against Logan’s. His aching cock was trapped between his own body and Logan’s light furred abdomen. Each thrust of Logan’s body against his drove his cock between them. It was like being massaged by furry silk.
“Oh, harder, Logan,” Love demanded. “Please!”
“Is that what you want, baby?” Logan asked. His voice was husky, his muscles taut. “Do you want me to fuck you into the wall?”
“Oh, god, yes!” Love screamed.
Love didn’t know how Logan did it, but the man continued to thrust in and out of his ass as he stood up and walked across the room, pushing Love’s body into the wall. Love vaguely remembered being in a position similar when he met Logan, and then all thoughts flowed away as Logan hooked Love’s legs over his arms and started pounding into him.
Love’s hard length was still sandwiched between them, being stroked and massaged with each thrust of Logan’s body. Love gripped large handfuls of Logan’s hair as his body started to shake, his orgasm just seconds away.
“Logan,” he whispered.
Logan’s deep amber eyes met Love’s then the man tilted his head to one side, giving Love his submission. Love cried out and leaned forward, sinking his teeth into the soft flesh of Logan’s throat. Hot, sweet blood filled his mouth, cementing his claim on Logan.
