The Avenger Claims His Mates [Milson Valley 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour ManLove)

by Jo Penn

  Deak leant back against his desk, not sure what to do. Ran was pretty adamant about not joining a pack, and Deak had never pushed it because he wasn’t all that creature friendly, except with Ran of course. And maybe his crazy, chaotic large family.

  When he first found out Ran was a shifter, Deak had trouble accepting the fact and it nearly broke them up. In fact, he had to chase Ran down as the man had left town shortly after being rejected.

  But what Enforcer Charmers said did have Deakin thinking. There were a lot of times they’d moved over the last ten years, a lot of jobs that Ran had shrugged off saying he’d lost because of some nonsense or other, which started Deak really thinking.

  They were both on the shorter side and slender, both had been called twink often enough he no longer found it annoying, and men cracked onto them a lot and just seemed to expect either Ran or Deak to be meek and do whatever they were told.

  They may be short, or as Ran often said, runts, but they weren’t brainless followers either. It did worry Deakin, though, that maybe Ran losing his jobs in the past weren’t due to his little mistakes, but because he was harassed and didn’t put out?

  Well, he better not have put out.

  “If Ran joins the pack, how does that make him safe?” Deakin asked curiously.

  “Not going to happen.” Ran shook his head vigorously, light auburn and blonde hair flying everywhere. “Babe, it was just a misunderstanding.”

  “Listen up, pup. I don’t know why you’re wandering around the country unprotected without a pack, and who the hell let you out? You’re still a pup. You should be monitored and in training. Have you ever even shifted?”

  Ran flopped into a chair. “Man, was this ever the wrong city to choose. Who knew Milson City would be so damn civic minded? Yeah, I’ve shifted. Yeah, I’m a runt in wolf form and, no, I don’t need or want anyone training or monitoring me.”

  “Fine. Then you come to the police station and fill out a complaint form or I arrest you for withholding information.”

  The big wolf wasn’t joking around. Deakin grabbed his coat.

  Starters’ wolf pack of Milson Valley owned pack lands about ten minutes out of the city and past the ever extending suburbs. What shocked Deakin the most was how much the pack grounds actually felt like a quaint village.

  He was so surprised he just stood gaping beside the large extended cabin truck the wolf pack Enforcer, Drax Charmers, had driven Deak and Ran in after they spent an hour at the police station with two bears.

  And, oh my fruit loops, Lord, were those bears big! Deakin may have hyperventilated a little when one of them—they were very nearly identical except one had short hair, the other long—walked into the interview room where he was seated with Ran, who had his head laying on his arms on the table. Ran showed no reaction. He did sniff the air though.

  Now they were at the Starters pack lands and it was like a self-contained village with a big pack house that held offices, lounges, spare rooms, and game rooms for everyone to hang out in. Behind that and back a bit was a huge mansion that was the Alpha’s house, and across the street were cute houses, a strip of low-set villas, a few shops, and a huge park fitted out with every type of play equipment a child could ever dream of wanting. There was even a mythical castle and a flying fox, and there appeared to be a childcare center.

  Sure, he had gone to pack lands before with Ran when they entered a paranormal’s territory and had to speak to the Alpha, male or female, and he’d even been to other paranormals' covens, herds, and whatnot. There were few that rivalled this place, though he’d seen some in magazines.

  Milson Valley was known as the paranormal hot spot of North America, more and more paranormals making their homes here, and covens splitting off to form second branches in the Valley and city. Deak could certainly understand why. In all the times they had drifted and moved around, this was only the second time he’d ever really felt like staying and liked a place enough to consider pestering Ran until the wolf settled down a bit.

  He often wondered why Ran said they had to keep moving. Ran once mentioned he was searching for something, but then just laughed. Now it was becoming a bit clearer, especially when the wolves passing them sniffed the air and looked Ran over.

  Deak was beginning to get the whole pack thing and runt. Deak had always just thought himself and Ran were short. But when he looked around, he saw how big these paranormal types were, and realized Ran wasn’t just short. He was a runt.

  There never seemed much that ticked Ran off, but the runt thing was like a thorn in his paw.

  “This way. The Alpha’s waiting for you.”

  “Err, why exactly does the Alpha want to see Ran?” Deakin had to hurry his short legs up to keep pace with Enforcer Drax, whom he would not, in front of Ran, admit to having wicked thoughts over.

  Man, the Enforcer was hot with a capital. All big, hard muscles, gorgeous features, that creamy colored hair… The way he moved just made Deak shiver…

  “Wipe your mouth, babe. You’re dribbling.”

  Flushing that he’d been caught—ugh, wolves and their sense of smell—Deakin shoved his hands into the pockets of his neatly pressed pants and followed the Enforcer and Ran into the large pack house. They passed other creatures along the way, most taking a sniff of them. One, Enforcer Drax shoved into a wall when the male went to touch Ran.

  “In here.” Pushing open a door, Enforcer Drax grabbed Ran by the back of the neck and pretty much forced the other wolf through the door when Ran got that wild look in his eyes. “Settle down.”

  The command was hard but firm, even had a reassuring quality to it. Ran seemed to settle immediately, the wild look leaving his stunning sapphire eyes. Deakin peered up at the Enforcer curiously. Usually when Ran got that wild look in his eyes, Deakin was left with a messed up apartment to clean up and hours spent waiting for his mate to return from wherever he ran off to.

  “Wolves respond to older, dominant wolves. Pups require guidance, firmness, reassurance, and protection,” the Enforcer said quietly.

  Right… Well, that sucked. How was Deakin supposed to give that? Sure, he could give guidance and firmness, he could reassure and would protect his boyfriend, but he wasn’t really all that dominant, unless Ran messed up his neatly organized pantry, wardrobe, or his files.

  “Take a seat.” Enforcer Drax pointed to a chair on the other side of the gorgeous antique desk. “Alpha will be here in a moment.”

  “Okay. Is there anything we’re supposed to do? Like, kneel or bow or something? I read once that you’re not to look a more aggressive creature in the eye…oops.” Deakin had been looking Enforcer Drax in the eye for hours now. “Sorry.”

  “We have set rules in the Starters pack. When the Alpha enters the room on formal occasions, you rise and, as a show of respect and his authority, you tilt your head to the side, exposing your throat. Occasionally, kneeling is a requirement, but that is in extreme cases.” Enforcer Drax smirked when Deak gulped and touched his throat. “You wait to be told to sit. Day-to-day business, you head tilt. Looking a more dominant wolf in the eye is fine, normally, but not when you’re disobeying or being disrespectful.”

  A wolf strode through the door followed by a woman, another wolf, Deakin guessed by the look of her. This was Alpha Urian Starters and he was just as Google said. Tall, approximately six and a half feet, he had gorgeous grey eyes and was very handsome in a rugged, manly way with a bit of a beard, a tanned complexion, and he was muscle on top of muscle, like Enforcer Drax.

  Man, now Deakin felt like a runt.

  And what was with all paranormals being so hot and attractive?! Yeah, now he was just the unattractive sort of human runt in the room. He edged closer to Ran.

  Not that his mate seemed to notice. He was busy checking out his watch.

  “Do you need reminding of the rules, pup?” the woman snapped out.

  Even Deakin felt the power in her voice. Ran gave a shudder and lowered his head, tilting it to the side
. But his sapphire eyes flashed brightly with anger before he dropped them beneath his shaggy mix of light red and blonde hair that shone more gold in the sunlight.

  Not sure what to do, Deakin worried his bottom lip and tentatively reached out a hand to his mate of ten years. Ran smiled at Deakin, easing some of his nerves, and blew him a kiss before curling his always warm hand around Deakin’s and giving a light squeeze.

  The Alpha watched them closely a moment before he stepped over and touched Ran’s exposed neck and sniffed deeply. Immediately the Alpha jerked back, removing his hand.

  “Kelly, get me the Tester.”

  “On it.”

  “Sit, both of you.” The Alpha moved around the table and took a seat. “You get a whiff of the pup, Drax?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Right, so you’d already guessed.”

  “Pretty much.”

  Cryptic much?! Deakin watched in fascination when the female wolf, Kelly, returned and strode over to Ran, grabbed his hand, and pricked his finger on the little needle sticking up at the end. It kind of reminded Deakin of a diabetes tester, not that he’d ever had anything to do with one of those, but he’d seen them on the internet.

  “We’ve got a hit and a condition.” Kelly tossed the device to the Alpha who caught it one handed. “Azrael Randall Milton Jnr.”

  Bewildered, Deakin turned in his seat and stared at Ran. “What does that mean, Ran?”

  Shrugging, Ran tapped Deakin’s fingers with his thumb. “I changed my name years ago. That’s all.”

  “There is a warrant for your capture, pup.” The Alpha tossed the device onto his desk, which was covered in folders, papers, and a computer. Deakin’s hands twitched to straighten it all out. “Your brother is searching for you. I’ll give him a call and let him know you’re safe and have a mate. He’ll want to send some soldiers down to collect you, so until then, you remain here with us under protection.”

  “I go by Ran now. Sorry, Alpha Starters, not going to happen. I’m aware there are rules about pups, but I’m past that age now—”

  “You’re twenty-eight, Az—Ran. Until you are thirty and have complete control of your shift, and are deemed able to defend yourself, you remain with your pack and under their care. I know Mikkos. He seems a good Alpha. I don’t know why you two had a falling out, but with your condition and not yet being of age, you return to him unless you can give me a damn good reason why not.”

  “Wait. You’re twenty-eight? You said you were twenty-eight when we met…” Deakin gulped. “T-that means you were eighteen when we…” He reached for his puffer and took a few good breaths.

  “It’s just a number, babe—”

  “I’m like…I don’t know! A cradle snatcher! Lord, thank Gods you were at least legal! And I like it here. I don’t want to move again and I know those scars came from your old Alpha. You sleep talk sometimes—”

  “It doesn’t matter, just breathe, babe.”

  “What scars?” Alpha Starters asked quietly, looking between them. Ran gave a mutinous look, Deakin glancing away. “Fine. Kelly, why don’t you show our guests to one of the villas. And do we need to get a healer for this…” Alpha Starters waved a hand at Deakin’s Ventolin.

  “Asthma,” Deakin supplied. “No, thank you, Alpha. I would prefer to go home. If I give you my word we won’t leave the Valley, could we not just return to our apartment? I don’t plan on going anywhere, and though I don’t understand the wolf rules, I do know that myself and Ran have rights. As neither of us wish to go to his old pack, I think it best we exercise these rights. Is there a paranormal lawyer we should contact? And, as I am older than thirty, does that mean Ran can be in my care?”

  The Alpha’s brows shot up and Deakin could see the big wolf was re-evaluating him. Yeah, Deak had some little idiosyncrasies, and he may be a little nerdy, and a runt, but he wasn’t stupid and would stand up for himself when and where possible.

  “I have spoken to Mayor Charmers and your supervisor at the Council, Deakin, both informing me of your exemplary work and commitment. I will agree to your returning to your apartment, with Ran, on three conditions. The first is that there is a guard assigned. He or she can sit in the hall. They won’t disturb you. Second, you do seek legal advice and representation. I am fine with you remaining here and being part of my pack. As for Ran, I need to do some investigating. It would help if you encouraged him to speak to me. The third condition is Ran attends the Sanchez Clinic. Kelly will make him an appointment.”

  Ran grunted. “I don’t need to be psychoanalyzed just because I prefer not to return to my home pack, Alpha Starters. If you want to boot me out, go ahead—”

  “Quiet, pup. And you will be seeing a healer, either one from the W&W coven or at the hospital. Your choice.”

  Ran looked at the Alpha as though the man was off his rocker.

  “We look after our pack and creatures in this city,” Kelly said sternly.

  “Hang on, isn’t it against the law to force someone to…” Deakin shut up when wolf eyes locked on him. He cleared his throat. “Never mind, probably a wolf rule or something.”

  “That’s right, little part-sprite human. Kelly, arrange for the pair to be returned to their apartment and keep them monitored.”

  Well, this was not how Deakin expected the day to go. Nor was he expecting this type of behavior from wolves. Sure, during their time together there were a few occasions when a creature type took an interest in them, usually Ran, but Ran always managed to get out of it with a grin, and the next thing Deak knew they were on the train or bus to their next location.

  And Deakin was tired of drifting. He liked Milson City. He wanted to find a place where he could just go to work, have fun out of work, and not have to pack and move all the time. He didn’t know how Ran was going to feel about that though, and now the threat over their heads of Ran’s old pack having some sort of hold over him had Deakin worried.

  At their apartment and provided with a folder containing a lot of information, including customs, type of creatures, and their powers, abilities, and ways, a directory of services, emergency numbers, and a hundred other things, Deakin spent an hour going through the information while Ran lay on the sofa flicking through channels until he fell asleep, the remote sliding from his lax hand. Ran was always tired lately.

  After studying every inch of the folder and having little happy palpitations over the wealth of information and how well organized it was—wow, those Starters wolves were surprising him—Deak made a few calls, ate an apple and yoghurt, changed into smart jeans, a shirt, and a jumper over the top, wrapped a scarf around his neck and got Ran up. They left the apartment, a wolf asking where they were going, then following. They stopped on the way to look in windows, laughing over a few displays. Ran got a meatball sub from the local delicatessen, and if Deakin wasn’t a vegetarian, he would say it looked and smelt awesome, and they ambled through the café district in the old section of the town.

  Milson City just had a feel to it. It was growing bigger every day, a city now rather than a town. It was chic and trendy in parts, quaint and village style in others. There were jobs from menial to expertise required, and people and creatures lived here respecting one another. There was also a high level of police presence and Ran had said a few days after arriving that there were what they called “soldiers,” which were creatures from the pack, pride, and covens in the area who patrolled the Valley, keeping peace and protecting.

  They finally made their way to a lawyer’s office, and though Ran grumbled and dragged his feet, Deakin just ignored and pulled his mate into the comfortable, well organized and pleasant, but not over the top, office and took a seat.

  Their lawyer was a creature, and like most creatures, looked to be about twenty-two. If the creature was an immortal one, they would look that age forever. If not immortal, just long lived, they would look twenty-two when reaching maturity, and only in the last few years of life, depending on the creature type, did they age graceful
ly before passing.

  They spent a few hours with the lawyer, the man was easy to speak to and explained everything down to the finest detail, which Deakin appreciated as he liked to be prepared and know the full facts. Ran even paid attention and asked a few questions, not too many, but Deakin was glad his boyfriend was actually involving himself in this, and hoped later they could talk about what had made Ran leave his home pack.

  “You have a few choices, gentlemen,” River Aston stated as he leant back in his leather chair. “You can write an Affidavit explaining what happened in your home pack and why you wish to leave. If there are crimes, prejudices, injustices, or even something that causes emotional, mental, or physical distress and stress are all reasons to wish a change. Leaving a pack and joining another should not be such a difficult task, or we would have many more rogues. The reason this has come to my attention is because Ran is underage for leaving a pack and is required to, by law, seek guidance and have a mediator and advocate, one not involved with the pack. Legal advice and representation can be sought. Usually parents or guardians are involved. From what you have mentioned and the information I received from Beta Kelly of the Starters pack, you have a brother, an Alpha Mikkos Milton, whom has an order with the Wolf Council for your capture and return to his pack, which is his right, as your legal guardian and protector.”

  “I’m not going back there,” Ran said quietly.

  “Then we have a few options, as I have gone over. If you wish to join another pack, we will do this legally. Alpha Milton can protest with the Council and follow the law also. We can petition to remain with the Starters pack, but you will have to choose a guardian and they need to accept and take responsibility for you, both of you as you are mated. Can you tell me what happened in the Milton pack that made you leave, Ran?”

  Ran shrugged. “Nothing, I just wanted to get out and see the world.”

  Deakin sighed and shook his head. “Ran, do you not want to stay here? You said you liked it, and if Alpha Starters is willing to take you into his pack, we might be able to stay.”