Healed by Hope [Marked 6] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove)

by Jana Downs

  Grayson appeared in front of him, clearly having been there for several seconds while Steve spaced. A fission of regret washed over him as he caught sight of his friend’s tear-filled gaze. He never wanted to hurt Gray. He was like a mix between Hagrid and the freaking Snuggles bear.

  “Please, Steve, please, we can get through this. I know we can.” He reached out and pulled Steve into a bear hug.

  Steve patted his back awkwardly. “Grayson…”

  “Come on, Steve. Just one pack meeting. I know if you just meet them you’ll see how well you’ll fit in here.”

  He sighed. If Grayson tried to muscle him into complying with Mustang’s ultimatum, he would’ve been able to stub up and still hold his ground. Unfortunately, Gray had always possessed the ability to guilt him into pretty much anything with one of his stupid puppy dog looks.

  “Fine. I’ll go to the pack meeting, but nothing is going to change. I’m going to go to the Circle and I’m going to die.” Then he’d finally have some peace.

  Chapter Two

  Steve trembled as he sat on the front porch swing and watched the parking lot fill up. When Mustang had a shindig, he literally invited everyone and their mother. He was surprised to see a few familiar faces make their way out to the meeting house Mustang had built a couple of months back. He’d gone to school with some of them.

  “Is everyone a freaking werewolf around here?” he muttered to himself. His wolf was already antsy as well, pacing back and forth in the shadow that clung to his peripheral vision. These were unfamiliar wolves, wolves who had the potential to hurt him.

  Stop thinking like that. It’s crazy, and this is how we end up biting people.

  He’d never forgive himself if he actually killed someone. He’d come damn close to really hurting Billy Carrigan’s mate. Mauling the poor kid had seemed a piss-poor way to return all the kindnesses the dear doctor had given him over the course of his “recovery.”

  He’d really crushed on Billy before he’d gotten into a really fast, really intense relationship with JP. He still regretted not saying anything even if Grayson reassured him that he had found his mate and that sort of bond was unshakeable. He wasn’t sure he bought the insta-lust and ridiculously high potential of happily ever after mating promised.

  It seemed half the town showed up for Mustang’s get-together as the sun slowly sank below the horizon and the moon began its ascent into the sky. Steve listened to the jovial hum of conversation from the porch, steeling himself for what his inevitable fuckup would end up doing. He hated being the one to always ruin everything. Grayson hadn’t smiled since Mustang had brought him home.

  He jumped as Mustang laid a hand on his shoulder. He hadn’t even heard the door open and shut behind him. “Hey,” he murmured in greeting. “Is it time?” He knew it was. Already the pull of the moon and the shift that would follow was coaxing him to shed his human form. Some big guys had brought in half a dozen deer and set them loose in the forest this morning. The promise of a good hunt definitely added to the anticipation. It was animalistic and felt weird to even think about considering the only thing he had hunted in his former life had been tail and a choice hamburger.

  Mustang nodded. “It’s time.” The grim set to his jaw made Steve think that Mustang probably had about as much faith in Steve’s ability to control his wolf as Steve did. He often got the impression that Mustang really didn’t care for him all that much. Steve didn’t really blame him considering what he put Grayson through, but still, he hadn’t been meaning to piss in the guy’s Wheaties.

  “Bet you can’t wait to get this over with, huh?” Steve asked. He’d meant it as a joke, but the words came out just as grim as Mustang’s expression.

  “What do you mean?”

  Steve waved his hand to encompass all of himself. “My bullshit. I mean, once you hand me over to the bigwigs, it’s over right? You and Gray can live happily doing your wolf thing.”

  He knew he’d never be able to have the peace that he and Grayson had. Even though he knew logically that not all wolves were like the psycho who turned him, his animal had a deep distrust of all of them. It had been weeks before he could prevent himself from attacking Mustang every time he walked into the room. He still didn’t trust himself.

  Mustang blinked. “You really think I want you to go off to be executed?”

  Steve frowned at the confusion in Mustang’s voice. “Why not? It’d be easier for everyone.”

  The Alpha shook his head. “I love my people and I claimed you as one of mine through Grayson. I would never want something bad to happen to you. Besides that, if the Circle decided to kill you, Grayson would never forgive himself.” He crossed his arms over his well-muscled chest. “I’m not going to tell you that you’re being selfish because I understand that you’re in a lot of pain and limbo isn’t a great place to exist. However, I am going to tell you that if you pulled your head out of your own ass and stopped thinking about what you’ve lost, your wolf might settle down enough for you to see what you’ve gained.”

  The words gave him pause. As much as he wanted to get annoyed with Mustang, he knew that some of what he said held weight.

  “What? No smart comment? You’re getting slow, Steven.”

  Steve sighed. “It’s Steve.”

  Mustang huffed. “Yeah, well, your mother named you Steven and that’s whose judgment I’m trusting right now.”

  He rolled his eyes. Of course Mustang would see it that way. “Where’s Gray?”

  “Grayson is already down at the meeting house. Tanner gave him a dog from his recent litter and he got really excited to meet it.” The way Mustang said the word “dog,” he would’ve thought it would’ve been some sort of curse word. Disdain dripped from every letter so that it wasn’t one syllable but three.

  Steve laughed. “Not a fan?”

  “I’m more of a cat person.”

  Steve stared. He couldn’t help it. Big bad Alpha wolf was a cat person? This whole world is like freaking Wonderland, friends. He thought about that reference for a second. Yeah… If a rabbit popped up with a pocket watch, he wouldn’t have been surprised.

  He snickered. “That’s funny.”

  “That’s not funny. Dogs really don’t like me. I got attacked by a Jack Russell once. Little fuck made me get three stitches.”

  Steve nearly fell off the swing laughing. He could just picture it, six feet of prime male cowed by a terrier. “Why didn’t you shift and eat it?”

  “It’s a dog,” Mustang said like the mere suggestion was utter insanity. “What sort of things would people say about me if they knew I was a dog killer?”

  Steve whistled the theme from Twilight Zone. “The Big Bad Wolf is scared of dogs.”

  “I am not,” Mustang said, looking far from amused. “I just have a healthy respect for the fact that most people absolutely adore them, my mate included. It’s not my fault I would never hear the end of it if I happened to eat one for attacking me.”

  He didn’t point out that no one would know if there weren’t witnesses but he figured he’d harassed Mustang enough. A cramp hit his midsection as they descended the stairs to the graveled path below.

  He winced, putting a hand on the offending body part. It usually started that bit about five minutes before he was forced into furry. “The moon is pretty strong tonight.”

  Mustang nodded. “It’s a special moon. It’s a blue moon.”

  “And that means what to me?” he asked.

  “The effects are pretty intense. The shift happens earlier and stays longer. We’ll probably still be shifted until noon tomorrow. However, the effect is pretty nice for our wolves. They tend to be calmer after the evening of a blue moon until the next cycle rolls around.”

  A month of calm was worth whatever initial discomfort shifting caused in Steve’s book. He wondered if it would even apply to him given the fact that his wolf was a nut job ninety percent of the time. He hoped so. It would be nice not to have to worry about freaking out f
or the first time since he’d become a wolf.

  They made their way down to the meeting house at a leisurely pace. He knew Mustang was probably walking so slowly for him because he knew how nervous Steve was, and he was grateful that the Alpha didn’t come right out and say it. Every new scent and sound brought his wolf just that much closer to the surface. The combination of agitation and anticipation made sweat roll off his shoulders in streams.

  “Okay,” Mustang said as they reached the entrance. “Deep breath. Here we go.”

  Steve steeled himself for the inevitable and then followed Mustang into the meeting house.

  * * * *

  Hope left his pup with Grayson’s and the little kids in their designated puppy pen. He hated to let her go but he knew she needed the socialization. Granted, she got a lot of that at his office but she needed to get used to being around the rest of the pack. From the way things were looking now, she was going to do just fine. The little ones had already shifted and were playing with the puppies without a problem.

  Mustang’s authoritative voice drew his attention away from the little ones. “All right, ladies and gents, settle down.”

  Grayson winked at him. “Guess that’s my cue. I’ll see you on the hunt, Hope.”

  “Sure thing, Alpha mate,” Hope said. He really liked Grayson. The gentle submissive had just the disposition for being the Alpha mate of their pack. Mustang had always been the protector, but he’d needed something to balance out his gruff nature. Gray was a nurturer through and through.

  “Don’t forget to look out for Steve,” Grayson repeated. “If you see him getting into any trouble, come get me.” He’d said the same to every dominant wolf in the house tonight.

  He nodded. “Will do.”

  Grayson nodded before he wove through the crowd to get to his mate’s side. Hope’s curiosity was definitely piqued. The mysterious house guest from the rival pack’s turned humans was a point of curiosity to everyone though. He was planning on keeping his distance for the most part, letting the new wolf get used to them before he barged over and did what the pack normally did and gave him so much welcome-to-the-family that it became overwhelming.

  It sucked though. He really wanted to get the skinny on their new pack mate. He might not have been a huge gossip but he did enjoy hearing the pack drama without spreading it. He liked to live vicariously through the rest of them for the most part. They did the drama. He watched on without judgment.

  “Now,” Mustang continued as Grayson knelt at his feet. “There were half a dozen deer released this morning and a dozen or so rabbits released last night. Plenty of game for everyone, if you care to hunt.” With all the new pack members it was no wonder that Mustang was sending out for game. The pack had literally doubled since the beginning of the year with the addition of the other pack under Circle orders and the new human mates that people were claiming. To preserve the natural balance, it was the only thing that made sense.

  “Stay off the neighboring farmland”—he’d heard this part of the speech before—“and make sure you’re back in the meeting house by sunup. The last thing I want is someone to report seeing a hoard of wolves on my land. I don’t want Charlie Rose’s office down here.” A chuckle circulated through the crowd. Charlie Rose was stationed at the local Fish and Wildlife office so it wouldn’t be a huge problem, but he would still have to come out and “investigate” the call and put in an official report.

  “Lastly, this is Steven Justice.” Mustang pulled Steven forward. “He goes by Steve and will be joining us tonight. He’s a guest of myself and my mate, so treat him accordingly. He may choose to join our pack on a permanent basis, so be on your best behavior. Any behavior otherwise will be met with consequences.” The way he said “consequences,” Hope wouldn’t doubt that the man meant death. “Have a great night and be safe.”

  Speech complete, the whole lot of them began stripping out of their clothing. The availables had already taken up residence on the bleachers where they normally hung out for the full moon, and the elders in charge of the pups let themselves into the play pen.

  He hoped Princess would be all right without him. She was fastly becoming a Velcro dog.

  His wolf tugged on his senses, straining against its metaphysical leash. Fine. Fine. We’re going. He understood the impatience well. He stripped off his shirt and folded it into a neat square before toeing off his shoes and then divesting himself of the rest of his clothes. He was so intent on finishing that he didn’t even register the Alpha opening up the larger barn doors toward the back of the room or the unfamiliar male approaching him.

  He raised his head as the fine hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He turned and found himself looking into the eyes of their new guest.

  “Hi,” he said, trying to put on a friendly face despite the fact that he was a little unnerved by the look in Steve’s eyes.

  “Mine,” Steve rumbled, taking another step in his direction. The male was a wolf walking upright. The human element had completely bled out of his gaze. The wolf was in charge, and that was all there was to it.

  Hope frowned. “What? Are you okay?” Apparently the rumors he’d heard about Steve being out of it since his turning weren’t entirely wrong. He looked around for Grayson, but he was nowhere in sight. Apparently he and Mustang had led the charge into the field.

  Steve stepped closer than was entirely appropriately, rubbing himself against Hope’s naked body. The attention made part of Hope’s anatomy stir. The guy was gorgeous. Even though he was shorter than Hope’s usual boyfriends, he was still tightly muscled with golden-blond hair and deep-brown eyes.

  He took a step back. The last thing he wanted was for Mustang to get pissed at him for taking advantage of their— His thoughts derailed as the man’s scent wafted up to tease his nostrils.

  Mine, his wolf rumbled. Mate.

  “Oh shit,” he said, eyes widening in what was no doubt a comical expression. How the man had known from across the room was beyond him, but there it was, a connection that defied all logic and desires. He was bewildered on what to do next. They were mates. The attraction didn’t lie. “Wait, just a second. Um.” What was the damn protocol for something like this? Steve was under Mustang’s protection. Technically, to even think about getting this close to him, Hope needed permission.

  Steve gave another slow grind, and Hope had to bite his lip to keep from moaning. “You smell so good,” Steve murmured, sticking his face into the crook of Hope’s neck. “Like seriously.”

  There was only one real way to get out of this before his wolf took over and did the deciding for him.

  He shifted, body contorting into the deep-gray wolf he changed into. The shadow surrounded him, and then he was on all fours, looking up at his mate. Steve tilted his head to the side, the expression on his face almost canine. “You’re beautiful.”

  If Hope would’ve been human, he would’ve been flattered by the compliment. He nuzzled Steve’s naked thigh and then trotted toward the door. If he could turn Steve’s carnal hunger into something else, he might make it through the night without insulting his Alpha and breaking too many laws.

  Mustang said to be friendly.

  Somehow he really doubted he meant quite the way Steve wanted it.

  The wolf was in control of the new shifter, and Hope wasn’t entirely sure if his consent truly counted considering it was a blue moon. Everyone’s instincts were running close to the surface tonight, and new wolves would be especially vulnerable to those instincts.

  Behind him, Steve shifted before running to catch up. Like a puppy, he rubbed against Hope’s side. Hope smiled at him, relaxing a little bit. Plan successful.

  He nudged him and pointed with his nose toward an isolated stretch of woods toward the west part of pack lands. He knew rabbits liked to congregate on a hill in that area. It’d be good starting game for the new wolf.

  Steve took off toward the place Hope had indicated at a casual lope, though he kept checking over his sho
ulder to make sure Hope was there. Hope followed at a slower pace but always within Steve’s sight.

  What am I going to do with this?

  He’d been fully prepared to spend a few years alone before thinking about getting into the dating game again. A few casual hookups here and there would’ve been more than enough to satisfy him until he was ready to give someone another shot. Now he’d found his damn mate and things weren’t so simple anymore.

  Maybe I can get out of it. It wasn’t a nice thought, but the idea of trusting someone with that part of him again was terrifying. Coupled with the fact the guy was not only Mustang’s guest but a little unstable, no one would blame Hope for chalking up this entire night to an unfortunate meeting and walking away. The Dom and the wolf in Hope weren’t pleased with the idea though. They saw the one person who the universe had made them compatible with, and that was all there was to it.

  Logic has no place in matings apparently.

  Steve nipped at his ear as he trotted into the line of trees. He growled in answer, not liking the way Steve was bossing him. He was the Dom here and didn’t appreciate being herded like a sheep. The new wolf shrunk back like Hope had bitten him.

  Chandler frowned. Who hurt you? Every protective instinct in him rippled with unease. The hackles on his neck raised as his irritation rose. Surely Mustang hadn’t done anything to hurt him. Maybe there was a reason Steve was broken.

  It’s not your business.

  His conscience didn’t believe it. Wolves didn’t operate that way. If he wanted to avoid mating Steve, he needed to get far away and stay away until the urge faded. He sighed. That put him between a rock and a hard place. Either he would deal or he would leave. There would be no other options.

  A smaller female wolf interrupted his contemplation as she trotted into their little forested area. Steve’s scent immediately changed, his body language throwing some serious fuck-off vibes. He frowned and bumped the male’s shoulders. He couldn’t possibly be scared of one little female. He sniffed the air. Apparently he was wrong. The fine tremble in Steve’s limbs coupled with the acrid scent of fear let him know exactly how he felt about it.