by Shannon West
Brett jerked his attention up to where Casey was pointing. Evan was standing with Nicky near the little dance floor, and he could see they were dressed almost exactly alike. Same leather pants, black t-shirt and laced up boots. Nicky, too, was wearing the little strap of leather around his neck. Since both the good-looking men were blond and about the same size, they almost did look like brothers. Two more people joined them and Brett felt steam rising. It was Gabe and Logan, wearing the exact same outfits and sporting the little black leather collars. They looked like some kind of little gang, and the twinges of unease he’d felt earlier became full pangs of alarm. What the hell were they planning?
The music started, some loud twangy party song about rowdy friends “gettin’ down”, and all four of the men pulled off their t-shirts and threw them on a nearby table. They stood in a little circle and started to dance, but not just regular dancing. This dancing was dirty, raw and hot as hell. All of them gorgeous, young and buff, they were thrusting their hips at each other and generally looked like they were having sex on the dance floor.
Casey started laughing and looked over at Brett, who had half-risen from his chair. “Better tighten up on that, Brett, before somebody else does.”
Brett threw down his fork and stood all the way up, shooting a look of pure fury around him. He saw everybody’s attention had been drawn to the four young men, and he didn’t at all like the kind of attention they were getting. A few of the unattached young gammas were pointing and nudging each other and one or two even moved over next to the group and were dancing alongside them. One of them looked up and caught Brett’s eye as he stalked toward them, froze and melted back into the crowd. The other one made the mistake of standing behind Nicky, making a motion like he was humping him.
Nicky pushed him away and climbed up on a table to dance. Evan climbed up beside him. With wicked looks directed at their respective mates, they both slowly unsnapped their tight pants and began to pull them ever so slowly down their hips. Before Brett could arrive, the young gamma, who was practically salivating by now, had been thrown halfway across the room as Marco arrived on the scene. He then turned, snatched Nicky off the table, and strode off the dance floor with him.
The music stopped as people started trying to gather close to see what was going on, and jostled each other excitedly as the wolf mates arrived. Zack and Brett arrived at the same time, each one snatching up their mates in their arms. Brett saw Ian looming over Logan with his hands on both Logan’s wrists, but he wasted no time with anyone else. He had problems of his own.
He’d thrown Evan over his shoulder to take him from the room, and Evan was making his displeasure known. Yelling and trying to raise up off his shoulders, Evan was furious, but no more so than Brett. He swatted Evan’s backside hard as he took him to their room and threw him down on the bed. Evan tried to jump back up and Brett pushed him back down again.
“What the hell did you think you were doing, Evan? You made a spectacle of yourselves! All of you! Whose brilliant plan was this anyway? Nicky’s? Gabe’s? And you were stupid enough to go along with it.”
“Leave me alone, Brett. How dare you drag me out of there like some kind of fucking caveman?”
“How do I dare? You belong to me, damn it! I’ll do whatever I want to with you!”
Evan opened his mouth in surprise. “Stop saying that! I belong to myself, not you!” He reached up and unbuckled the collar from around his neck and tossed it on the bed. “I wore this tonight to show you it’s a bunch of crap. My wearing a stupid collar means nothing to me. You don’t control me. I’m your mate, and I love you. But I’m not your possession. It’s fine for Gabe, because he and Zack have that kind of relationship. It’s something Gabe wants. But this collar is something you want because of your pride. It has to be about both of us or it’s meaningless.”
“You and Nicky both were flaunting your bodies!”
“If I was, then it’s mine to flaunt! I can do whatever I want, Brett, and you don’t control me!”
“You can do whatever you want, huh? I don’t control you? I think it’s time to explain a few things to you, Evan.” He leaned over the bed and began to take off Evan’s boots. “Don’t fight me, Evan,” he said as he started to struggle and kick. “I’ve let you get away with far too much, and it’s over. As Casey told me, it’s time for me to tighten up.”
* * * *
Nicky was having a second cup of coffee when Logan tapped on the door and came in.
“Is the coast clear?” he asked with a smile. At Nicky’s nod, he came all the way inside and sat at the bar beside him. “Is Marco still mad?
“Oh hell, yes, but he’s always mad at me about something, though I must admit this one is worse than usual. It wasn’t the dancing that pissed him off so much—he’s seen me do that before and even joined me on the dance floor. He hated me unsnapping my pants. I tried to convince him I was only teasing, but he wasn’t buying it. He says I’m ‘an instigator’ again too. Heck, it was Gabe’s idea, I only went along with it. Although I guess I did go a little too far.” He dipped his head in embarrassment. “What about you?”
“Yeah, Ian huffed and puffed about it for a while, but it’s pretty much blown over now. He was not too pleased about the leathers and the collars. He said some of the older human pets still wear them, and we shouldn’t make fun of things we don’t understand. I can see his point, but that wasn’t what we were doing exactly. I mean, Gabe’s a submissive who wears his all the time, and that’s his choice. I respect that. I still don’t like it when it’s forced on someone, and I didn’t much like Casey’s and Zack’s attitudes about human pets and collars when you told me,” he shrugged.
“I tried to explain to Marco it was just a joke, but he said it wasn’t funny to a lot of people. Brett got really mad at Evan, I understand.”
“Really? Have you talked to him?”
“No. Brett’s got him locked down in his room. Marco told me to stay out of it, but I was actually getting ready to go check on him. You want to go with me?”
“Sure, I have time. The self-defense class doesn’t start for another hour yet. Can we get in to see him?”
Nicky smiled. “I have the passkey. I stole it off Marco’s key ring this morning. C’mon, Brett should be at work by now.”
They walked downstairs down halls that were mostly empty this time of day until they reached Brett and Evan’s door. Using his key, Nicky opened the door. “Anyone home?” he called softly. There was no answer, and he glanced over at Logan uneasily.
“You don’t think he’s done something to him, do you?”
Logan laughed. “Nicky, you’re so dramatic. Let’s look in the bedroom.” Logan eased open the door and they saw Evan sound asleep on the bed, one hand over his head and cuffed to the headboard.
“What the hell?” Nicky crossed over to the bed and sat down beside Evan, shaking him gently. He never moved. He was naked and had bite marks on his neck and shoulders. Nicky shook him harder and finally one eye opened just a little.
“Whassa matter?” Evan said in a weak voice. “Sleepy...”
Nicky looked up at Logan. “Damn Brett! He’s been feeding him too much. Probably fucking him half to death too, the asshole. Look over in that drawer for a key to this cuff.”
Logan opened a few drawers until he found another cuff and a key. He used the key to unlock Evan and he chafed his reddened wrist in his hands, while Nicky sat fuming.
“This is bullshit, Logan. I’m getting him out of here.”
“Nicky, calm down. He’s not hurt, and yeah, it looks like Brett’s been feeding him too much, probably to keep him calm. We may just need to stay out of this.”
“No, I won’t stay out of it. Look at those marks on him. This is what Marco did to me when I first came. He used to feed me too much blood to make me sleep all the time, and he locked me in cuffs a couple of times. The wolves used to claim it calmed pets down to be ‘controlled’ and put in restraints. I hated it then and I h
ate it now. It’s why Marco and I almost broke up, and I thought I’d managed to put a stop to this kind of thing.”
“At least go get Marco and tell him about it. If he’s really changed the laws, then he’ll back you up. You don’t need to get between a wolf and his mate without Marco’s support.”
Nicky set his jaw firmly. “I’ll tell Marco, just as soon as I get Evan out of here. Help me with him, Logan. I’m taking him home with me.”
* * * *
Brett stood in front of Marco, anxious and tense about Evan. He wondered where he was and if he was okay. What was Evan thinking? Did he hate him now? Was he asking to leave? He finally became aware that Marco had asked him a question.
“What? Uh..sir? I didn’t hear you.”
“I asked you if you put hands on him, Brett? Did you hit him?”
“No!” Brett replied indignantly. “I would never hurt Evan! I-uh-I took his clothes off. He didn’t like that too much.” He shifted his feet. “And I made him drink blood, but I never hit him at all. Did he say I hit him?” His tone was incredulous, and Marco shook his head.
“No, but I wanted to ask you to make sure he wasn’t trying to protect you.” Marco sat back in his chair and gazed at him sternly. “He did have bite marks on his neck. He said you’d been having a lot of sex with him too.”
Brett could feel a flush come over his whole body. It was true he’d gotten a little possessive and carried away the last couple of days. Okay, a lot carried away, and he’d planned on coming home that afternoon after work and releasing Evan and trying to patch things up between them. He’d always heard from the older wolves that feeding the human pets would calm them, and Evan had needed a lot of calming down after he stripped his clothes off him the other night. They said to tie him up or put him in cuffs and it would help him to regain his temper. Boy, they’d been wrong about that. When he’d tied Evan up the night before, he’d practically tried to claw his eyes out and kicked him off the bed before he’d managed to subdue him. After he’d cuffed him that morning, he’d had to feed him again just so he could leave for work.
Marco was speaking to him and he tried hard to focus. “I used to feel the same way you do, Brett. I almost lost Nicky a couple of times because I was too stubborn to really hear what he was saying to me. I tried to just bluster my way through an argument. Hell, I still do from time to time. I used the fact that I was bigger and stronger than he is to try to make him do what I wanted him to do. It didn’t work, Brett, and it won’t work with Evan.”
Brett looked down at his feet for a long moment and then back up at the alpha. “Can I see him? I won’t—I mean I don’t have to touch him. I just need to see him, Marco. I need to see if he hates me for what I did.”
Marco sighed. “I don’t think he hates you, Brett, but I don’t think he’ll come home right away, either. I’ve already spoken to both Nicky and Logan for their parts in this. Both of them are independent and strong-willed, and they’re veterans by now at fighting with their mates. They never should have allowed Evan to get so involved, as new as he is to Werekin life, and as new as your relationship is.” He took a deep breath and stood up. “There was no excuse for it, but no excuse for your behavior, either.”
“I know, Alpha. I’m sorry.”
Marco gestured to him. “Come on. I’ll let you see him and talk to him. He’s still a little confused. I’m afraid you’ll face punishment for your treatment of him, Brett. It’s time for the older wolves and for some of the younger ones, too, to realize that things have changed. They can no longer hide behind tradition to make excuses for abusive behavior. I’ll talk to Ian and decide on a fitting punishment for your actions. In the meantime, I don’t suppose it would hurt for you to see Evan for a few minutes, if he agrees.” He left the council room and led him down the hall to his quarters.
“Stay here and I’ll see if he’ll agree to see you.”
Brett stood in the hallway, feeling miserable and torn. On the one hand, he needed to see Evan almost as much as he needed air to breathe. On the other, he was ashamed and afraid. What if Evan didn’t want to see him? Or worse, what if he told him he hated him and rejected him as his mate?
Marco came back to the door and gestured for him to come in. Heaving a sigh, he stepped inside the door. Evan was reclining on the sofa, covered by a blanket, and Nicky had been reading in a chair next to him. Nicky scowled at Brett when he walked in, but Brett’s attention was focused on Evan. He had scooted to a sitting position and was picking at little pieces of lint on the blanket, looking down to avoid eye contact with Brett.
Marco motioned for Nicky to come with him, and they both stepped outside to give the couple some privacy. Brett noticed right away how nervous Evan seemed. He perched himself on the arm of the sofa to give him some space.
For a moment, neither of them said a word. Brett reached out cautiously to touch Evan’s foot under the blanket, but he pulled it away sharply. Brett pulled back his hand, literally at a loss for words. He gave a little ragged sigh.
“What do you want to do?”
For a moment he thought Evan wasn’t going to answer. Still looking down, Evan said, “I don’t know. I don’t want to come back, though.”
Even though he knew he was going to say those words, they still speared right through him. “Okay, I understand.” He stood up—he had to get out of there before he did something stupid, like fall to his knees and beg him. “If-if you need me for anything, just tell Marco.”
“I won’t,” Evan said shortly, ripping his heart out with those two little words.
“Oh. Okay...well...” He backed toward the door, afraid to say another word in case he started crying. He could feel the tears clogging up the back of his throat now, threatening to burst out and embarrass him completely. He had to ask the question though that was uppermost in his mind. He swallowed down the tears and forced the words out.
“Do you...have you rejected me, Evan?”
There was a long silence and Brett allowed himself to feel a bit of hope that Evan hadn’t said yes immediately. His next words dashed that hope.
“Not yet. Not officially, but I don’t think we have any future, Brett. You never really wanted a human mate in the first place. You told me so several times. You need someone who will let you boss them around, and I need someone who will respect me.”
Brett turned blindly toward the door, incapable of saying anything more. Evan was his life. He couldn’t live without his mate. He couldn’t live without his soul. He fumbled for the door handle when he heard Evan speak softly behind him. “Aren’t you even going to say you’re sorry?”
He turned back to face him, but he couldn’t speak. If he did, the sobs would burst from his throat. “Sorry,” he finally choked out, then turned and took off through the door and ran down the hall, passing Nicky and Marco on the way but unable to even speak to them. He saw Marco’s face filled with concern and then he was back inside the council room, slamming the door behind him. He couldn’t stand to face anyone right now.
He wished he was outside in the woods. He could pull his clothes off and shift to his wolf. He wanted only to get away. There was no way he could stay, knowing how much he’d hurt his mate—how he’d ruined the best thing that had ever happened to him. He’d lost him for good, it seemed. He put back his head and howled with the pain, the disappointment and the shame, and then he slumped down at the council table. He knew Marco was coming to mete out his punishment. He hoped he would be banished, sent far away. He couldn’t stay and watch as Evan took up with someone else. It would, quite literally, kill him. He’d rather be banished, and stay in his wolf form. He wouldn’t feel the pain quite so keenly then. He closed his eyes and let the pain crash down on him.
* * * *
Nicky leaned over Marco’s shoulder as he read his email from the inside contacts at the Hunter complex. Marco had forwarded the picture of Tim that Zack had sent him to several of these contacts over the last few days and almost all of them recognized hi
m as a young wolf who had been held captive at the prison complex for over six months. None of them were in a position to know what was done to him, but at least they’d confirmed his presence. It was a part of the puzzle of what had happened to Tim to turn him into a rapist and murderer.
“Have you told Zack yet?” Nicky asked.
“I’m forwarding everything to him. It might give his parents comfort to know about it, but it could only cause them more pain. Hard to say.” Marco turned around to face his mate. “Well, I guess I better go see Evan. You’re coming with me, right?”
“Oh, of course. It will be hard for him to feed from someone else this first time. I want to be there for him.” Nicky sat down in Marco’s lap and kissed the side of his neck. “Thanks for doing this for Evan. Rory offered too, but I don’t think Casey really liked the idea much—jealous pig that he is.”
Marco smiled. “I don’t mind, sweetheart. I just wish we’d hear something from Brett. I’m worried about him. Tomorrow will be two weeks since anyone has seen or heard from him, and it’s just not like him. When I sentenced him to thirty days in jail, I never thought he’d just take off like that. Brett’s the kind of man who makes mistakes, yes, but faces up to them. This behavior is unlike him, but then I’ve never seen him so distraught and upset.”
“Evan’s a wreck. He won’t admit it but he is. He’s scared to death that Brett will never come back, or that something has happened to him. We’d have heard if Winters got him, wouldn’t we?”
Marco nodded. “Yes, I’ve alerted all out contacts, even got word to Dr. Cornsilk. No one has seen any sign of him.”
“Stupid, stubborn wolf! Why would he just run away like that?”
“Well, from what Brett told me, Evan really didn’t give Brett much hope he’d forgive him. Brett said he was going to reject him as his mate.”
Nicky blew out a skeptical breath. “Like he cared. Evan said he hardly even said he was sorry, and then only after he prompted him to. I wonder if he even cared about what he did to him.”
