Reunited with His Werewolf Beloved

by Anya Byrne

  Reunited with His Werewolf Beloved

  Lone Wolf Pack 4.2

  Copyright 2014 Anya Byrne

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  All Romance Edition November 2014

  All Romance Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook remains the copyrighted property of the author and may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please forward them a link to buy their own copy, or use the gift function available on your All Romance account. Thank you for respecting the hard work and livelihood of this author.

  This book is a work of fiction, not to be confused with fact, advice or suggestion. The characters are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons is purely coincidental. Cover art is for illustration purposes only.

  Blurb:

  A few years ago, Bobby Cox lost the most important thing in his life. Fearing the machinations of his pack leader, he broke up with his mate, TJ.

  Now, the Adler pack is free of tyranny, and the new Alpha seems open to inter-species relationships. Bobby finally has hope. But will TJ, a feline shifter, want to take a chance on Bobby again, or is their bond broken beyond repair?

  Warning: Gay erotic romance. The material in this document contains explicit sexual content that is intended for mature audiences only. All characters involved are adults capable of consent, are over the age of twenty-one, and are willing participants.

  6,460 words

  Table of Contents

  Reunited with His Werewolf Beloved

  About the Author

  Other titles by Anya Byrne

  Coming Soon

  Reunited with His Werewolf Beloved

  Lone Wolf Pack 4.2

  Anya Byrne

  Copyright 2014

  Chapter One

  "Starting today, I don't want any more prejudice and hatred here. We have left our past behind, and we've stopped being the Adler pack. We can be so much more now, and we'll begin by welcoming all the mates of our members here, no matter the gender or the species."

  Alpha Nathan Stone spoke steadily and clearly, the speech holding an honest decision that had been missing for quite a while in the Adler pack. Bobby Cox stood there, listened, and wondered if the day he'd been waiting for had finally come.

  He had lost all hope that it would ever happen—and then both his Alpha, and the Alpha's son had unexpectedly been killed. Now, they were ready to start over. Bobby didn't like to think he was a ruthless asshole, but he was glad they'd died. It gave him hope, and that was something he hadn't had in a long time.

  After the meeting, Alpha Stone waited for them to ask individual and private questions. He stood to the side of the clearing, and his human mate, Valentine Smythe was with him, which was another thing that had surprised Bobby. Seeing them together made something ache deep inside him. It certainly didn't help that, despite the loose clothes he wore, Valentine couldn't hide that he was quite visibly pregnant.

  Still, Bobby did his best not to stare as he approached the couple. "I needed a word with you, Alpha," he said respectfully.

  "Of course, Robert," Nathan answered. "What is it?"

  Bobby fidgeted, unsure how to approach this. He had never talked about his secret with anyone, and he didn't know Nathan all that well. Nathan's cousin, Mario, had made it his business to keep everyone in the pack, and especially Bobby, far away from Nathan.

  Still, this was important, so Bobby braced himself, took a deep breath and spoke. "Does this mean we will be accepting humans and other species into the pack? Will interaction with non-werewolves be encouraged?"

  His tone must have come out a little more combative than he'd have liked, because the Alpha frowned. "I would not hope to police the relationships of my pack members, beyond the fact that I wish them to be peaceful. Do you have a problem with that, Robert?"

  Bobby winced, realizing Nathan thought he must be angry because of the new rules. "No," he said quickly—possibly too quickly. "Of course not."

  Nathan's frown deepened. "I like you, Robert, but I won't tolerate any dissension when it comes to this particular policy. I know it will take some time for pack members to adjust to these new views, but I hope you'll work with me on this."

  Bobby would have tried to clarify the misunderstanding, but he didn't get the chance, because his father unexpectedly manifested by his side. "Greetings, Alpha. Congratulations on the speech. It was quite inspiring."

  Nathan acknowledged the praise with a barely there nod. "Thank you, Elder Zachary. I appreciate the support."

  "Would you mind terribly if I stole my son for a bit? I wanted to discuss something with him."

  "Please do, Elder Zachary," the Alpha replied. "Family always comes first."

  On cue, Bobby's father grabbed his wrist and pulled him aside. Once they were out of earshot, he scowled fiercely. "What do you think you're doing? You know better than to antagonize the Alpha."

  "I wasn't trying to antagonize him," Bobby defended himself. He couldn't exactly explain what he'd been seeking, and his father didn't wait for him to find a way to elaborate. "Look, son. I realize things have been difficult for you since Mario died. I understand that without him, you feel you have no protection. But I am doing my best to change that. Nathan is a good man. He won't allow anyone to hurt you."

  Bobby bit the inside of his cheek so hard he tasted blood. His father was right, in a way, but he was also way off the mark. Bobby had always been considered frailer, inferior to other werewolves. His father had never told him who his mother had been, but judging by Bobby's more delicate looks and some of the abilities he'd never dared to use, he suspected he had a Sidhe ancestry. Either way, it had led to some persecution in the pack. His father's influence had helped some, but it wasn't until Mario, Alpha Adler's son, had taken an interest in him that he'd truly been left alone.

  That had brought Bobby little comfort, because Mario had been worse than all of them combined. Mario's stalking had been the main reason why Bobby had given up the best thing in his life. The man had never forced himself on Bobby, but Bobby had no doubt that it would have happened eventually, perhaps once Mario took over as Alpha. Or at least, he would have tried to do it. Bobby would have never allowed it, even if he had to show them all he wasn't quite as frail as they believed.

  The lies, fear and pretending had become unnecessary now, and Bobby didn't want to think about all the time he'd lost to it. He just wanted to dream and hope that he could still mend what he'd broken. Yes, it would probably lose him what little respect he had in his father's eyes, but Alpha Nathan wouldn't push him to change himself. How could he? He had a human mate, and he understood how it worked better than anyone.

  He realized he hadn't replied to his father's words when the man gave him a concerned look. "Robert? Are you all right?"

  "Fine," Bobby quickly said. "Don't worry about me, Father. It was all a big misunderstanding. I'm very happy about Alpha Stone's leadership. I'll speak with him later and clarify the issue."

  He'd have done so now, but there were already other members of the pack crowding around the Alpha, and Bobby couldn't stay here anymore. "Please make my apologies, and let him know I'll explain as soon as I see him again. You know I'm not very fond of crowds."

  His father sighed, but nodded. "Very well, Bobby. Go on. I'll see you later."

  Bobby took advantage of his father's goodwill and fled. He made his way through the forest, trekking toward his car as he mused over what he was about to do.

  There were no guarantees that his mate would even want to see him after the way things had ended betw
een them. For all Bobby knew, the man could have a different lover now. But Bobby had to try. If there was the slightest chance that he might be able to rebuild their relationship, he needed to make the attempt.

  In no time, he reached his car and slid inside. As he revved the engine, the memory of his mate popped into his mind's eye. His breath caught, and he set his hands on the wheel, close to hyperventilating.

  The last time they'd met, Bobby had hurt his mate so badly. He'd been afraid of what Mario would do if he found out Bobby's secret, and he hadn't wanted to risk his mate's life. But that didn't change all the pain he'd caused, or the fact that he no longer had any right to his former lover's affection.

  Bobby shook himself and started the car. The drive wasn't long, but it still took forever, and it was difficult for him to focus on the road. Paradoxically, he also seemed to get there too soon for him. As he parked the car in the same spot he'd used for quite some time—even in the past years, when he'd never gone inside the building—he mentally flailed, wondering how in the world he'd ever muster the courage to face his lover.

  He could see TJ now, through the windows of the store, talking to a customer. TJ held a small item in his big hands, and the way he moved reminded Bobby of better times, of moments when he'd been the recipient of both gentle touches and harsh pleasure-pain.

  When the customer left the store, purchase bag in hand, Bobby finally stepped out of the car. He crossed the street and stepped into the antique store, moving quickly so he wouldn't have time to change his mind.

  His mate was behind the counter, seemingly setting some papers in order. "Hi, Jay," Bobby greeted him.

  TJ didn't turn toward him, not that Bobby expected him to. The man had most likely felt Bobby's approach ages ago. His senses were just as acute as Bobby's, and they'd always been good at finding one another.

  "What are you doing here, Robert?"

  Bobby winced. TJ had never called him Robert in the past. From the moment they'd met, he'd been Bobby, or, at times, TJ's little robin. He swallowed around the knot in his throat and forced himself to speak despite the pain. "I came to see you."

  At that, TJ turned and looked toward him. His gold eyes seemed to pierce Bobby's soul and Bobby froze, torn between the urge to get closer and the agony he felt at TJ's enduring anger.

  "That's not an answer," TJ snapped at him. "When you left, you made it quite clear it was over. You're not welcome here anymore."

  "I know that," Bobby whispered, miraculously managing to find his voice. "But things have changed."

  "Changed?" TJ sneered. "Please. Some things never change."

  "There's a new Alpha now, Jay," Bobby blurted out, "and Mario is dead. It's safe for us to be—"

  "That was never the problem and you know it," TJ interrupted him. "I would have fought for you, for us. I would have taken both of us far away, where they could never reach you. But you were ashamed, ashamed of having a mate who's not even a werewolf."

  Bobby's face flamed. It was true that Jay's nature had made the entire issue more complicated, but it wasn't because of Bobby's embarrassment. Despite his father's expectations, Bobby would have left it all behind, ignored all the sneers that would have undoubtedly come—if he hadn't been worried about what his then-Alpha would do. "I could never be ashamed of you, of us," he whispered. "I love you."

  "No, you don't," TJ bit out. "If you had, you never would have given up on us in the first place."

  Bobby opened his mouth to protest, but TJ wasn't done yet. "Besides, it doesn't matter anymore. I have someone else now."

  Something inside Bobby cracked at TJ's words. The spark of hope Nathan had given him fizzled and died. "Oh."

  It was as he'd feared then. His cowardice had permanently alienated TJ. Even if both of them knew they were mates, sometimes it simply wasn't enough. It was clear. Because of what Bobby had done, TJ hated him, and he'd taken refuge in the embrace of someone else.

  "I see," he murmured. "I'm sorry to have bothered you then. I'll... just be on my way."

  Without looking at TJ, he turned on his heel and fled the store. He half-hoped TJ would call out to him, but of course, that didn't happen. Bobby got in the car and drove off, cursing himself for a fool. He should have never come here.

  When he entered pack lands again, he found the first reclusive spot and parked the car. By now, it was noon—his Alpha had chosen a peculiar hour for their meeting, possibly to point out things would be different from now on. Bobby didn't care.

  He hid behind the large trees and hastily took his clothes off. Once he was naked, he allowed the change to flow over him. The wolf came bursting out, and as Bobby fell on four paws to the ground, his instincts flared inside him.

  Bobby released a mournful howl, grieving the loss of the bond he himself had cut off. And then, he started running, moving through the forest, letting his mind fade away within the instincts of the beast. Too bad that, despite his speed, he could never outrun the pain.

  Chapter Two

  Frozen behind the counter, TJ watched his mate exit the store like there was a horde of silencers tracking him. The agony that had burned in his little robin's green eyes had crushed TJ inside, especially since he knew he was the source.

  But Bobby had been the one to end things. Two years ago, he'd come to TJ and said they couldn't go on like this.

  By that point, TJ had agreed. He was for the most part a lonely creature, having left his pride and chosen to wander around instead of being tied down to a particular location. Lone felines like him regularly got leeway even if they were found on werewolf territory, but that didn't mean such a conflict would be pleasant. Nonetheless, TJ had grown tired of being a dirty secret for his own mate. He'd wanted to claim Bobby, to have them leave together and rebuild their lives elsewhere, but Bobby hadn't trusted him enough to follow that plan. And so, they'd gone their separate ways. But TJ had never stopped craving Bobby's touch, his scent, his beautiful submission.

  Could TJ really give up on him, though? Was it fair, when in his heart, he knew his little robin's fears had been justified? Their situation had been a recipe for disaster. A werewolf with very little influence in his pack and with the heir of the Alpha obsessed with him, mating a lone feline shifter? Yeah, that wouldn't have gone well. TJ's mountain cat family might have helped, but they were a thousand miles away, in the Rockies, and TJ couldn't have pulled them into such a volatile conflict.

  He hated himself then, hated that he'd lashed out at Bobby instead of trying to compromise, to find a middle ground and make sure this never happened again. Cursing under his breath, TJ secured his earnings for the day, then rushed out of the store and locked up. He had a mate to talk to, and preferably seduce.

  It didn't take long for him to track Bobby down. His mate had predictably headed toward pack lands, where he seemed to have shifted into his wolf form. TJ parked next to Bobby's car and followed his mate. He took off his clothes and hid them with Bobby's. His mountain cat form came to him as naturally as breathing, and his senses registered Bobby's very distinctive scent.

  TJ couldn't help a small growl, his instincts to claim his mate rearing to the surface. He reminded himself that he needed to be careful. Mountain cats weren't native to the area, so if he was seen, it would definitely draw unwanted attention.

  Thankfully, there was no one around. The sound and feel of wildlife were the only distractions from his task, but TJ had a very different prey in mind—a far more valuable one.

  He could almost smell Bobby's pain, so intense it seemed physical. It hurt TJ in turn, echoing within the bleeding wound in TJ's heart.

  At one point, Bobby must have realized TJ had tracked him down, because he stopped running. TJ found him curled at the base of a tree, still in wolf form. His head rested on his paws, but he got up when TJ tentatively approached.

  Bobby was beautiful even in this shape. His luxurious black fur, reminiscent of his dark hair, simply begged to be touched. His green eyes were just as sad as before, and TJ
ached for him, in more than one way.

  He could have shifted, tried to have another conversation with Bobby in their human forms. He didn't. Instead, he growled, a playful sound, not a threatening one. Bobby visibly lit up, but TJ only got to see it for a few seconds. His mate took off running, heading back the way they'd come.

  Bobby was fast, very fast. Werewolves in Bobby's pack dismissed him because of his smaller size, but TJ knew the truth, knew Bobby was far stronger than he'd ever told anyone except TJ. In the Adler pack, it hadn't been safe to be different—and powerful and different was even more dangerous.

  But if Wendel Adler and his son were gone, the rules of the game had changed. TJ suddenly felt breathless with anticipation, with hope. He sped up, matching Bobby's leaps, tracking his beautiful mate through the forest.

  In the end, he caught up with Bobby in a small clearing. There was nothing particularly special about this place, at least not at first sight. TJ knew better. This particular clearing was the only place where they'd made love on Adler pack lands. It had been a particularly daring and maybe even unwise escapade, during a period when both Wendel and Mario Adler had been away. TJ could still remember every second of it, and he knew Bobby hadn't forgotten either.

  He pounced on his mate and landed on top of him, although he knew he only managed to do so because Bobby had slowed down. Now that the chase was over, though, their game changed too. They rolled in the grass playfully, but when they stilled, they were no longer wolf and mountain cat. They were men, mates who'd been separated for too long and finally had a chance to make things right.

  Feeling Bobby's naked body underneath him, TJ was almost afraid to move, lest he break the moment. Bobby took the decision out of his hands and wrapped his arms around TJ's neck. One leg went over TJ's hip, so high Bobby's heel nudged TJ's ass. With the other, Bobby rubbed TJ's shin. And it shouldn't have been as sexy as it was, but felines were very tactile creatures, and TJ loved the simple intimacy of holding his mate like this.