Resilience

by Bailey Bradford

  Todd kind of agreed, but, honestly, after what had happened to Maarten, Jameson and

  Luuk, who could blame him? “Why does Luther want Jameson? Just to hurt Luuk?”

  Maarten shrugged again. “I believe so. To have one’s mate taken, or killed? That would be hell for a shifter. Plus, Jameson was a very attractive man. Luther would enjoy…hurting him. My brother will give up being Alpha Anax—may have already done so—before he risks his mate. I suppose he already has given up on us, and I can’t blame him. I just keep hoping…”

  “Why don’t you take over?” How did that happen? Another coup?

  Maarten was vehemently shaking his head. “No, no way. I think I’ve shown I’m not the best strategist, and not the smartest guy. Whoever leads us needs to be both, and Luuk is.

  Luther is just a murdering bastard who rules through fear. He’s a thug, nothing more, but everyone is scared of him and his followers. He’s always surrounded by guards who would kill anyone just for Luther’s entertainment.”

  If Todd had to guess, he’d say that Luther and Maarten had been lovers, and Luther

  had used the big man and set him up to die. And maybe that was why Luther didn’t kill him now. Guilt. But did someone like that even have a conscience? Todd had noticed the pause earlier when Maarten first said Luther’s name, as well as the pinched look that settled on Maarten’s expression. Still, it wasn’t his business. Maarten wasn’t a friend, he was dangerous, and Todd had better not forget it.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Loud cursing and crashing sounds announced the arrival of Gabe, Mika, Aidan and

  Zane. Adam bolted upright from where he’d been lying in bed beside Todd. Adam had been trying to figure out a way to have sex without it making him want to scream in pain, but had just about settled on seeing if Todd would blow him…carefully, and he’d do the same in return. He just needed some energy, but, yeah, that was going to have to wait.

  “Guess they found them,” Todd muttered happily, already up and holding a hand out

  to Adam. “I think Maarten is going to have his ass handed to him.”

  Adam didn’t disagree, but—“I hope Gabe isn’t the one to try to do it.”

  Todd snorted as he opened the bedroom door. “Gabe isn’t stupid. He does have a

  temper, but he also likes to stay pretty for Mika. My bet is on Aidan or Zane.”

  Yeah, Adam could see that, although he didn’t really know Zane well. But it was

  always the quiet ones that could kick some serious ass, wasn’t it?

  A roar tore through the house and Todd sped up. “Sorry,” Adam said, knowing Todd

  would love to run but wouldn’t leave Adam behind.

  “It’s—” Todd began.

  “Where are they?” Aidan—Adam was almost certain it was Aidan—thundered loud

  enough to make Adam’s head throb.

  “Okay,” Todd finished weakly, eyes huge in his face. “Oh shit,” he exhaled as a loud thud sounded. “Did the house just shake?”

  Adam didn’t have the chance to answer, because the yelling and cussing and growling

  and snarling was too damn loud and scary to boot. He tugged on Todd’s hand. Todd

  stopped and frowned at him. Adam tipped his chin towards the living room where all the chaos seemed to be.

  “Maybe we shouldn’t go in there,” Adam said, “because it sounds like a pack of wolves, and I don’t know how that works, if they’re all shifted and we aren’t and—”

  Because Todd was facing him, Todd didn’t see what Adam did, a large grey wolf

  barrelling down the hall towards them. “Todd!” Adam forgot about his ribs and every other part of his battered body. He shoved Todd behind him with every bit of strength he had.

  “Damn it!” Todd yelped, grabbing at Adam. Adam kept his eyes on the wolf as it skidded to a halt right in front of him, literally feet to…paws. “That’s—”

  Adam figured it out the second before the wolf shifted. Zane knelt nude and staring up at him, his silver eyes still the wolf’s, or was it the wolf’s were always the man’s? Jesus Christ, what did it matter?

  “Adam, Todd.”

  Adam was still trying to get his heart to stop trying to fucking kill him when Zane

  darted up and gave Adam and Todd a very nice view of his, well, everything.

  “Geez,” Todd huffed, and Adam understood that completely. Zane was perfectly

  formed, each muscle chiselled and standing out in stark relief—but he wasn’t Adam’s

  beautiful, built man, not by a long shot.

  “You two were hurt,” Zane growled, and Adam yelped then because Zane was patting

  and touching him, poking and reaching back behind Adam to get at Todd. “How bad? Who did it and are they still alive? They won’t be…”

  Just then Aidan’s shout turned into a howl and Adam guessed they hadn’t all been

  wolves in the front room, but they might be now.

  “Fuck!” Zane about whipped his head off his neck turning to glare down the hallway.

  “That was Aidan’s challenge, and…and I don’t want to fucking live here if he wins!”

  “Why would you have to live here?” Adam was beyond confused. Didn’t Aidan and

  Zane have free will?

  “Because if he defeats Maarten then Aidan has a pack to care for, get it?”

  Oh, that responsibility thing. Pack dominance and alphas and all. “But what if Luuk is found?” And Jameson, God, please let him be okay.

  Zane snorted even as he turned to keep poking at them. Adam hissed and slapped at

  his hand when he touched Adam’s ribs. “Watch it! They’re bruised.”

  “God damn it,” Zane spat. “And if Luuk is found, he is the Alpha Anax of the European packs, not just the alpha of this one.”

  “Couldn’t Aidan appoint someone?”

  Zane stopped and finally looked at Adam. “Well, yeah, I suppose.”

  Adam pushed him back. “Stop it already and go do something in there before there’s

  blood and guts everywhere. I don’t think Maarten is the bad guy, just…not the brightest bulb in the pack, you know.”

  Zane scowled. “Which is why there’s the whole survival of the fittest. If he isn’t smart enough to back down then he deserves whatever Aidan dishes out to him. Even death.”

  “I don’t think I like the shifter laws,” Todd said, sounding more than a little shaken.

  “And Maarten was worried about bringing strange shifters into the pack, about power

  exchange and stuff like that, in case it makes any difference. He was trying to keep some sort of peace, and he had a spy in his midst that did this.” Todd gestured at himself and Adam.

  Zane bit his bottom lip then seemed to deflate somehow. He gave a sharp nod then

  tipped his head towards the front room. “It might matter. I can actually understand, but I think I’m the calmest of our bunch. Mika’s possibly—” Another howl rent the air. Zane’s eyes bulged. “Or maybe not. Come on.”

  Adam still couldn’t run. “Go stop the chaos,” he said as he shooed Zane.

  Zane gave him what might have been a scathing look, it was hard to tell when the man was all but a blur of movement. One minute he was all nude flesh and flapping bits then poof, not so much.

  “This is a disaster,” Todd said as they made their way, albeit slower, after Zane. “It’s like they all think any little thing is an excuse to give in and let the animal part of them take over.”

  Adam would have disagreed but he wasn’t one for lying. “Maybe the wolf is really

  stronger than the human or something. Or maybe you’re right and they just think, fuck it, let’s be wild beasts.” Adam shrugged then bit back a whimper, because, damn it, that hurt. “I don’t know that I’d be much different, really. I’d have torn off Maarten’s head, Peter’s head, hell, probably even Daan’s and Sim’s and they aren’t even that bad, just…sheep in wolf’s fur, hey
.”

  “Yes, but all of them are responsible in some way for you being hurt, so, yeah, I agree there, but you and I love each other like I think the shifter mates do. It makes sense that we’re that protective of each other.”

  “Yeah,” was as far as Adam got then because they turned into the living room and

  chaos did not begin to describe it. Wolves were jumping and snarling and fighting and even Adam, plain ol’ human that he was, could feel the power in the room, the alpha-whatever it was that made one top wolf.

  And he had no problem picking out Aidan, because he was a huge white beast, and he

  was the one taking on an even bigger light grey wolf. And winning. Aidan had Maarten backed into a corner, dangerous positioning for sure, and Maarten was snarling, snapping, spit and blood flinging from his teeth.

  A quick look and Adam found Gabe, his calico wolf fur distinctive, and whoever he

  was going after was pinned down and whimpering. Mika was battling a couple of smaller wolves who looked terrified to Adam, not that he could really read wolf expressions, but still. Every time Mika lunged they both whimpered. Zane was fierce, biting and knocking wolves back. But no one interfered with Maarten and Aidan, and the two of them didn’t seem to be willing to call a truce.

  “This is bad,” Adam whispered, aware of the increasing tension in the room, the vicious sounds emanating from Aidan and Maarten. “They won’t stop.”

  “And Zane doesn’t want to live here,” Todd added, and Adam glared at him. Todd

  hitched up a shoulder. “I wasn’t joking. I don’t know what to do. They’re all wolves and we…aren’t.”

  “Is there a water hose we can use?” Adam asked, then shook his head. That was a

  stupid idea. “One of them is going to kill the other, an,d if Aidan doesn’t survive, I think it will be shifter war. And if Maarten dies and Luuk is found…”

  “Yeah.” Todd stepped further into the room and kicked when one wolf barrelled into

  him. “Get back!” The wolf yelped and darted across the room. Todd looked at Adam then stuck his fingers in his mouth. Adam had just enough time to plug his ears, and, even then, the God-awful shrill whistle about made his ears bleed.

  The wolves went nuts, yelping and barking, and Todd did it again. Aidan and Maarten

  both dropped their heads and pawed at their ears. Todd inhaled quickly, and let out a higher-pitched whistle. Adam clapped his hands just once, because, damn it, he kept forgetting he was hurt.

  “Stop it!” he shouted, pain fuelling anger and making him louder than he thought he could be. “God damn it, we’ve had enough of this stupidity! Why are y’all fighting? It isn’t over us, because we are standing right here! ” That got his friends’ attention, but it was Maarten who shifted and slid to the floor on his butt.

  “Back,” he rasped out, keeping a wary eye on the white wolf still snarling at him.

  Todd walked over to stand at Aidan’s side. “Aidan, cut it out. This isn’t helping anyone, and acting like animals instead of rational people is just asinine.”

  “Well, fuck, of course you’d be the voice of reason,” Gabe muttered. “And Adam, too.”

  Gabe sat but he kept a hand on the now-shifted form he’d been pinning down, which turned out to be Daan. “Seriously, we should talk first, then kick asses if need be.” Gabe leant forward and looked at Maarten. And snorted. “Well, it looks like someone already got their ass-whooping.”

  “Gabriel,” Mika rumbled. Gabe rolled his eyes and muttered “Whatever.”

  Aidan continued to give Maarten a menacing wolf-glare for several moments until

  Zane, still in wolf form, joined him and rubbed against his side. Something was

  communicated between them, Adam was sure of it, then Aidan snapped at the air between him and Maarten and turned his back on the man, flipping his tail up right in his face.

  “Talk about showing your ass,” Adam mumbled. He didn’t really blame Aidan,

  though. He truly thought the wolf demanded so much in the manner of respect and

  authority.

  Aidan loped over to him, Zane and Todd with him. As soon as Aidan and Zane shifted,

  Adam’s anger and energy drained right out of him. If it wasn’t for Todd’s quick action, sliding his arm around Adam’s waist and holding him up more than hugging him, Adam

  would have probably hit the floor.

  “You’re hurt,” Aidan snapped, and Adam could feel the man’s irritation at that. “I want to know who hurt you and Todd.”

  “Fuck. Now?” Adam wasn’t sure he could stay upright that long, or awake, even.

  Hurting was exhausting.

  “Come to our room, Gabe and Mika, y’all too.” Todd looked beyond them. “Maarten, you can join us when you’ve got your pack under control or whatever. Just give us a little time alone, okay?”

  “All right,” Maarten replied, and Adam heard the pain in his raspy voice.

  “He’s hurt.”

  “Not bad enough,” Aidan said. “He’s still breathing.”

  “Stop it,” Adam tried to shout. It came out as more of a whimper. How embarrassing!

  “Adam’s right, everyone needs to realise we’re all on the same side. Maarten.” Todd

  nodded at him. “If you need help, I’ll do what I can for you. Adam’s a vet, and he brought some stuff in case…we needed it. If you can wait, let him rest a little bit then he’ll take care of you as much as he can. If you can’t wait, he—”

  “I can wait,” Maarten interrupted. “Take care of him first.”

  As much as Adam would have liked to protest that he could see to Maarten now, he

  didn’t think he could. Plus, he needed to check his friends over first. There was bound to be more than one bite that needed tending. Hopefully he’d be able to do it, but, if not, Todd would help. He’d not want his friends to suffer, either.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  “I don’t give a rat’s ass if he’s a saint, he’s still a dick!” Gabe slammed the bedroom door.

  “You do realise that makes no sense,” Todd said, knowing well the reaction he’d get

  from Gabe.

  Gabe didn’t disappoint him, either, marching right up to get in his face. He planted one hand on his hip and shook his finger an inch from Todd’s nose. “Don’t even start or I’ll manscape you with the duct tape I have in my bag. You have to sleep sometime.” Gabe

  grinned, looking for all the world like an evil elf. “Just think of all your pubes being ripped off, those short and curlies on your balls and behind—”

  “Stop,” Todd squeaked. His groin was hot and he wasn’t entirely sure why. He was

  afraid, wasn’t he? That effervescent feeling in his stomach wasn’t some twisted kind of arousal?

  “The only person handling Todd’s goodies is me,” Adam snarked with almost enough

  bite to convince Todd he wasn’t about to keel over. “I will put Nair in your shampoo bottle or something equally horrible if you even come at Todd with duct tape.”

  Gabe opened his mouth, a thunderous expression on his face that, in a heartbeat,

  morphed into amusement. He leaned around Todd to look at Adam sitting on the bed. “Hey, that’s pretty evil, I am impressed. Apparently being beaten and scared brings out your devious nature. We should chat.”

  “No, y’all shouldn’t,” Mika interjected. “That’s the last thing we need, our mates

  plotting together? Nope.”

  “Spoilsport,” Gabe groused. “Adam doesn’t look so hot anyway.”

  “Fuck you too,” Adam huffed. “Come over here and sit down so I can check you out.

  Mika, you’re after Gabe, then Aidan and Zane and Maarten—”

  “Spiegel can handle some of them,” Todd interrupted, thinking Gabe didn’t look very

  damaged to him. “I thought you were bleeding…”

  Gabe shrugged and sat on the bed. “Shifters heal fast, and, for some reason, I heal
really fast. Maybe ‘cause I’m some freaky patchwork-coated wolf. Who knows. Besides, it was just scratches.” He raised his arms and allowed Mika to pull off his shirt. Someone had handed out sweats and T-shirts, thank God, because Todd sure didn’t want to keep seeing a shitload of naked shifters.

  “This is amazing.” Adam murmured that and other variations expressing his awe. Todd

  was just kind of struck silent, because, yeah, there were long, pink scratches on Gabe’s ribs that had been bloody gouges not very long ago.

  “See? I’m speeesshulll,” Gabe sang. “Mika got bit on the ass, though.”

  “Gabe,” Mika growled, then hissed between his teeth when Gabe poked at his butt

  cheek. “Stop it, or so help me I’ll paddle your ass.”

  Gabe went still, except for one eyebrow that he quirked up almost to his hairline. Then he poked.

  “Not in our room!” Todd yelped when Mika, moving faster than a rattlesnake striking, jerked Gabe up and over his shoulder, landing a loud, hard smack on his ass. Gabe yelped then moaned and wiggled. “Out.” Todd pointed to the door. “Maarten said y’all can have the room across from us. Go do…whatever in there, but we need to talk.”

  “Won’t take long, and Adam needs to check Aidan and Zane.” Gabe waved happily as

  Mika trotted out of the door.

  “Guess his ass wasn’t hurting that bad.” Adam rubbed at one eye. “Gabe’s will be,

  though, and that knowledge is just another traumatic realisation now permanently scorched into my brain.”

  Todd chuckled and sat on the bed beside Adam. He cupped Adam’s chin and tipped

  his head up so he could study his husband. Dark circles ringed his eyes, and his normally tanned skin had a sallow cast to it. Fine lines feathered out into bare crow’s feet, and his lips had a pinched look that conveyed the fact he was hurting.

  “Ribs?” Todd asked, caressing Adam’s cheek with his thumb. When Adam gave a bare

  nod, Todd gently eased him back, always touching, comforting with his hands. “Rest. I imagine Aidan and Maarten are hammering out some kind of agreement. I know I said

  Spiegel could help, but I don’t think Aidan or Zane will trust him.”