United

by Maggie Walsh

  “What are you doing sneaking out of work early, mate?” Lexi asked with amusement and kissed Bailey quick.

  “Shhh,” Bailey said and looked around to see if the guy from earlier was still nearby.

  “What’s going on, Bailey?” Lexi asked with a smile.

  “There was this guy,” Bailey said as he grabbed Lexi’s arm and pulled him away down the street. He explained to Lexi what happened and what he was thinking. Lexi listened to every word intently and Bailey could see his jaw clenching.

  “I think you’re right, mate. I think you need to go talk to Micah. I was gonna shake it off as just a hunter looking for somewhere to hunt, but the comment about no pets means he’s been watching. Then staying behind to watch you means he’s suspicious of something,” Lexi agreed with him. He stopped and faced Bailey, digging his truck keys from his pocket. “Here’s my keys.” He placed them in Bailey’s hand. “I wish I could take you, but I just started patrol and can’t leave. Take my truck over to the Alpha house and talk to Micah. Then you can drive it home and I’ll come by later to see you and get my truck.”

  “You’re trusting me with your truck?” Bailey asked in surprise.

  Lexi gave him a big smile and wrapped his arms around Bailey’s waist. “I trust you with my heart, pretty baby. That’s a hell of a lot more important than my truck,” Lexi said with humor and kissed Bailey.

  Bailey closed his eyes and let out a contented sigh. He loved the feeling of Lexi’s arms around him and his warm lips against his. It made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. “Thank you, Lexi,” he whispered.

  Chapter 9

  “Where the hell is Lexi?” Crew whined. “You think he would be here for his mate’s surprise party.”

  “He went to go pick Bailey up from work and bring him home. How else do you think we were going to get him here?” Cass asked.

  “Oh yeah, I guess that makes sense,” Crew answered and took another drink from his beer as he stepped away.

  “Sometimes I think his brain is shut off.” Cass snickered.

  “A car just pulled up!” Taylor yelled. “Everybody hide!”

  Everyone moved into the kitchen and Evan and Taylor stood by the kitchen door waiting. The front door opened and Bailey walked in, yelling back over his shoulder, “Thanks for the ride, Brenda. See you tomorrow.” Bailey closed the door and turned just as everyone rushed from the kitchen yelling, “Surprise!” Bailey jumped back, eyes wide, breathing hard, as he slammed against the door and he put a hand over his heart. “Holy shit! You all scared the crap out of me,” he said with a nervous chuckle.

  “Happy birthday, Bailey,” Evan said happily as he hugged Bailey and pulled him away from the door.

  “Thanks, Evan.” Evan released him and he was immediately scooped up by another person. This continued until everyone got a chance to hug Bailey and wish him a happy birthday. By the time they were done, Bailey felt like a rag doll. He laughed and thanked everyone as he accepted their hugs and back slaps. He turned his head, looking around at all the people gathered there. Evan and all the boys were there, as well as the Alpha, Alpha mate, and all the members of the inner pack and their mates. Also the vampire king, his two mates, and the fae king. He couldn’t believe they were all here for him, for his birthday.

  “Of course we are, sweet cheeks,” Taylor said, answering his unspoken surprise. “You’re Lexi’s mate. That means you’re family, not just pack.” Taylor draped an arm over Bailey’s shoulders.

  “So, where is Lexi?” Bailey asked hesitantly as he looked around.

  “What do you mean ‘where’s Lexi’? He brought you home,” Taylor said with a raised brow.

  Bailey shook his head and his face got very sad. “No, he never showed to pick me up. I assumed he had to go out on a mission for the Alpha again. Brenda drove me home,” he explained.

  “Did you just say Lexi never showed for you?” Crew asked with a snicker. “Damn, I guess he couldn’t wait any longer to get laid. I told him he wouldn’t be able to make it.”

  “Crew,” Micah growled angrily through clenched teeth. Crew paled as he turned to face his Alpha. “My office, first thing in the morning. You and I are going to have a long talk.” Micah’s angry eyes pinned Crew until the wolf raised his chin, baring his throat in submission, but Micah didn’t touch his neck. “Go into the living room and sit down, be quiet, and no more snide remarks for the rest of the night.” Crew lowered his head as his shoulders slumped and he shuffled into the living room. Micah turned to Bailey. “Lexi left the house hours ago. He said he was making a stop at the store for your present and then he was going to pick you up. He should have been there,” Micah explained with a hint of worry in his voice.

  Bailey shrugged. “Maybe he got held up at the store.”

  “Not with where he was going,” Micah said. “He would have had plenty of time to get to you.”

  “And where’s Josh?” Matthew asked from behind them.

  Everyone turned to face him. “Isn’t he here, Matthew?” Evan asked, his eyes brows drawn down.

  Matthew shook his head. “No, he said he was going out to get Bailey’s present and he would be right back. He should have been back by now,” Matthew explained. Bailey could see a lot of worry in Matthew’s eyes but couldn’t understand why. He and Josh never got along.

  “Were they maybe going to the same place and we can check if there’s a problem there?” Evan asked.

  Micah shook his head. “No, Lexi was…I can’t say because it would ruin his surprise. But I highly doubt Josh was going to the same place,” Micah explained and looked at Matthew. “Where was Josh going?”

  Matthew looked at Bailey and then back to Micah. “I don’t want to give away his surprise either. Josh is already pissed at me enough.”

  “I think in this case Josh would understand,” Taylor said as he stared at Matthew.

  “He went into the woods where Bailey was taken from, to try to find his treasure box.”

  Taylor looked at Bailey with an amused, questioning look. “Treasure box?”

  “It’s a box that Josh gave me for my fifteenth birthday. I keep mementos in it. I thought I would never see it again after Gary grabbed me,” Bailey explained.

  “Raith, head over to the bank and see if Lexi is still there and if there’s a problem,” Micah said using the pack link. Raith nodded and headed out the door. “Gabriel, Cass, and Xavier, come with me. We’ll go check in the woods for Josh. The rest of you stay here and wait to see if they show up. Jesse, please let me know if they do or not?” Micah ordered everyone, except for his mate. Jesse smiled at him and nodded.

  * * * *

  “Don’t shift back, Josh. Whatever he says or does, do not shift back,” Lexi said to Josh using the pack link.

  “Okay,” Josh answered. “What the hell do you think this guy wants?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m hoping if we stay in our shifted forms, he’ll tell us. People who are up to no good usually love to boast about their evil deeds. Maybe he’ll tell us what’s going on,” Lexi answered.

  They both turned their attention to the guy in the kitchen. He kept pacing back and forth as he ran a hand over the back of his neck and mumbled.

  “Why is that? I mean, you see it in movies all the time. If the evil dude would just shut up and do what he was supposed to do, he wouldn’t get caught and stopped. Why do they always do that?” Josh asked in amusement.

  Lexi chuckled in his head. “I know, right? How many times did you scream at the screen going, just kill them already, ya ass?”

  “No shit.” Josh chuckled and then got serious. “But right now I’m hoping he’s like the rest of them and yaks his head off until the cavalry arrives.”

  “Yeah, me too,” Lexi agreed.

  “Bailey said you have your powers already. How about you use them and get us the hell out of here?” Josh asked.

  “I want to, and I will if he tries to hurt one of us, but I’m curious to see what he’s up to and why th
e hell he grabbed us,” Lexi said.

  “Shift back,” the guy ordered in a commanding voice. Josh and Lexi both tilted their heads and just stared at him. Lexi straightened and lifted his back leg. He scratched behind his ear and yawned big, then lay down on his belly, crossed his paws, rested his head on them, and closed his eyes.

  “Did you hear me, you stupid animals? Shift back, now,” the guy yelled and slammed his hands down on the table next to where Josh was chained up. Lexi jumped from the sound, like a normal wolf would do and lifted his ears up as he stared at the guy. “I know you’re shifters. The dude told me this town was full of them. I was about to move on from this hick town when I saw you shift from a blond kid into this bobcat,” the guy said and gestured to Josh.

  “Don’t shift, Josh, just stay calm,” Lexi commanded.

  “He’s using an Alpha voice, dude. My cat is clawing to do what he says,” Josh whined.

  “He’s a human, not an Alpha. And he’s not your Alpha. As one of your enforcers, I hold the highest rank here and I am commanding you to not shift,” Lexi ordered with a growl.

  Josh’s body relaxed and Lexi could see his order worked on the kitten. “Thanks, man.”

  “I know what I saw, so you know what?” the guy asked. “I’ll just kill you. It’ll probably be easier for me to kill you as an animal anyway.” He stepped away from them and went to the table. He grabbed the gun that was lying there and turned back to them. When he turned back, he was momentarily stunned to find Lexi in his human form, standing naked before him. “I knew it,” the guy hissed.

  “What is your problem with us anyway? We don’t know you. What did we do to you to make you want to kill us?” Lexi asked calmly, trying to get the guy talking.

  “Your kind killed my brother,” he sneered. “My kid brother Frankie was all I had left in this world and one of you freaks killed him. All he wanted was to go away for a few days. He wanted to go hiking in Napa and try to get over our parents’ death. Is that too much to fucking ask?” The guy was screaming now.

  “No, man. That’s not too much to ask,” Lexi said calmly and with compassion. “I’m sorry to hear you lost your folks and your kid brother, really I am. But that has nothing to do with us. We didn’t kill him.”

  “Your kind did, and because of that I made a promise to my little brother that I would avenge his death and kill every last one of you until I get the fuck that killed him.”

  “We usually don’t attack humans. If a shifter attacked your brother that means he was a rogue. Our kind has been having problems with rogues, too, over the past year,” Lexi said compassionately as he slowly moved to stand in front of Josh, blocking the guy’s view of the young cat.

  “I don’t give a crap. A freak is a freak is a freak. And you’re all abominations!”

  “Abominations are things to be disgusted of. The gods created us for a reason, so therefore we are not abominations.” Lexi was trying very hard to keep his cool because he could see this guy was in pain. He was doing what any of them would want to do in his shoes. Avenge his brother’s death.

  “Don’t placate me, man. I don’t give a shit about anything you say. Now prepare to die,” the man hissed. Lexi burst out laughing. He placed a hand on his stomach as he bent slightly and laughed hard.

  “What the hell are you laughing at?” the guy asked in shock.

  “That movie, oh you know the one―the guy runs around asking about the six-fingered man who killed his father. Damn, what was the name of that?”

  “Are you crazy, man?” the guy asked in horror.

  “No. Come on, you know the one I’m talking about? I am something something Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die,” Lexi said in a Spanish accent. “Damn that movie was a classic.”

  “The Princess Bride,” the guy mumbled.

  “What?” Lexi asked.

  “The Princess Bride,” he answered a little louder.

  “Yeah, that’s it!” Lexi said in excitement. “Thanks, man. That would have kept me up all night.” Lexi snickered.

  “Um, Lex, does Bailey know you’re out of your fucking mind? The guy has a gun pointed at your head and you’re doing movie trivia,” Josh said inside his head.

  “Trust me,” Lexi said in a singsong voice as he smiled at the guy.

  “How about the part when the guy was paralyzed from the neck down and his head keeps dropping?” the guy said, laughing.

  “And André the Giant keeps lifting it up,” they both said together, laughing.

  “You’ve been mostly dead all day,” Lexi said with a laugh, quoting a line from the movie.

  “Oh that was great,” the guy said and slapped his knee.

  “Oooh, how about when they’re in the battle of wits and the guy switches the cups he thinks has poison in it, but then he drops dead?” Josh, now in human form, said, laughing hysterically.

  The three continued laughing like loons for a few more minutes. Josh took a step away from the wall and got closer to the guy. Suddenly Josh’s head snapped in the guy’s direction and his eyes opened wide. “Mine,” he whispered in shock.

  Lexi stopped laughing from Josh’s whispered word and stared at him. “You have got to be shitting me?” Lexi asked.

  “I wish I was,” Josh answered and swallowed hard. “Trust me, Lex. I really wish I was,” Josh whispered.

  “What are you two talking about?” the guy asked in confusion.

  Lexi turned to him with a serious face. “This has been a lot of fun, but trust me, my friend, you don’t want to kill us. I know you’re angry and hurt more than anything in the world because what that fucking rogue did to your brother. I give you my oath as an enforcer that I will do everything in my power to help you find the one responsible for taking your brother away from you, and give you your retribution, but you shouldn’t kill us. This young man here”―he motioned to Josh―“is someone that is going to be very important to you. Probably the most important person you will ever meet,” Lexi explained.

  “Look, you two seem like nice enough guys and all but―”

  “No buts, friend.” Lexi cut him off. “Please, man. I got a family. I got a mate who’s waiting for me. Today is his nineteenth birthday and I’m sure he’s worried sick about where I am. I promise you no harm will come to you and my pack will help you find the rogue that killed your brother. But if you kill us, my pack will find you, and you will beg for death by the time they’re finished with you.”

  “He’s telling you the truth,” Josh said calmly as he took a step closer. “I know you’re hurt and you’re angry, but please don’t do this,” Josh pleaded.

  “I have nothing left,” the guy whispered with pain in his voice. “That fucking vampire took everything from me. It doesn’t matter if I die now. I have nothing to keep me here.”

  “Yes, you do,” Josh said softly and placed his hand on the guy’s arm. “You can have another family. A big one that will accept you for who you are and protect you. Please give me the gun,” Josh said and slid his hand down to the guy’s wrist and wrapped his hand around the gun. The guy didn’t fight him. He just stared at Josh in wonder. Josh took the gun from his hand and held it out for Lexi. Lexi took it from him and stepped away.

  “I know you don’t understand any of this, but you will someday,” Josh said comfortingly and placed his hand on the man’s chest. “By sparing me, you spared yourself and two others of tremendous grief and pain. Come with us back to my home and I’ll explain everything to you.”

  The guy swallowed as he continued to stare into Josh’s eyes. “I don’t understand, but something inside me is telling me to trust you. To go with you.”

  “I know, I feel it, too,” Josh said and entwined his fingers with the man’s. “Oh, by the way, what’s your name?” Josh asked and smiled at him.

  The guy smiled back. “Milo, Milo Garcia,” he answered.

  “I like it. Hi, Milo, I’m Josh Stevens and this is Lexi Angel.” Josh introduced them as he pulled Milo from the aban
doned house they were in.

  * * * *

  “There has to be a trace of them somewhere,” Micah said harshly as he paced the kitchen in Evan’s house. “They can’t have just disappeared.”

  “They’re coming,” Jesse said suddenly. Everyone turned to look at him. “I can feel Lexi close by. They’re coming, but they’re not alone. There’s a human with them.”

  “Where, baby? Where are they?” Micah asked gently as he placed his hand on the small of Jesse’s back.

  “Right there,” he said and pointed at the back door.

  The door swung open and Lexi entered, followed by Josh and another man. Lexi and Josh were both naked and Lexi held a gun in his hand. Micah pushed Jesse behind him and he and the rest of the wolves began to growl. The human’s eyes got wide and his face paled.

  “Don’t, Micah, please,” Lexi said soothingly. “We can explain everything. But I gave this man my word that he would be safe and that we would help him. I gave him my oath as an enforcer.”

  “Damn, that’s serious shit, Lexi,” Cass said.

  “Everyone, this is Milo Garcia and he needs our help. His brother was killed by a rogue vampire and he is…” Lexi looked at Josh in question. Josh shrugged. Lexi turned back to face his pack. “He is very important to Josh,” Lexi said, giving them a pointed look.

  Micah’s brows rose in understanding. “I see. Okay. Lex, why don’t you take your mate and go celebrate his birthday? Raith, Gabriel, Xavier, and I will stay here and speak with Milo while the rest of you go on home. We’ll meet you there later.”

  “Bailey.” Lexi looked at his mate. “I’m sorry I’m late, pretty baby, and if it’s all right with you and Micah, I would like to stay while they talk to Milo.” Lexi moved to stand in front of Bailey. He cupped his cheek and looked tenderly into his eyes. “I want to celebrate your birthday when we’re done. You can stay here or go back to the pack house and wait for me. I made a promise to Milo and I need to keep it,” he explained softly and pleaded with his eyes for Bailey to understand.