by Maggie Walsh
“I’ll keep watch while you get some sleep, Maddy,” Ash offered.
“Thanks, man. Did you get any sleep last night?”
“I got a little, but don’t worry. I’m wide awake right now so you get some sleep and when you get up I’ll catch some shuteye.”
“Okay, but if you get tired, just wake me up and we’ll take shorter shifts.” Ash nodded at him, and Matthew rolled over to get more comfortable. He closed his eyes and visions of Josh appeared, as they always did. Gods, he missed Josh. He missed Milo too. He and Milo had been starting to get to know each other a little before he left and he really liked the guy. Matthew really enjoyed the conversations they had, and he loved looking at the man. Milo was just as hot and sexy as Josh. Yesterday was Josh’s birthday, and the thought of him not being there to wish his mate a happy birthday was killing him. But the thought of seeing Milo get claimed by Josh before him was just too painful. He wanted both his mates, but he wanted to be Josh’s first, and he wanted Josh to be his first.
What would it be like to be with both of them? He wanted to feel their bodies writhing together in ecstasy. He had dreamed for months about what it would feel like to be inside Josh and to have Josh inside him. He wanted to know what a blow job felt like, both giving and receiving. He longed to know what Josh tasted like.
How would it work with three of them? There were tri-matings back home, and he had seen the mates together, but not in an intimate way of course. Hell, his dad was part of a tri-mating. His mind began to conjure up images of him, Josh, and Milo in sexual positions. He fell asleep dreaming of his mates.
* * * *
“So this is the place, huh?” Taylor asked as he looked out the window from the back seat of the SUV they rented.
“Yup. But it looks a hell of a lot different than it did almost three hundred years ago when we left,” Cass said with a chuckle from the back seat.
“Back then there were all farms and horses. The town was one of those villages you see out of the dark ages. A livery, a general store, and not much else,” Gabriel said.
“How about you, Raffy? Does it look different since the last time you were here?” Taylor asked him as he turned to look at him in the third row seating. Raffy was sitting beside Christian, holding his mate’s hand so tight that his knuckles were white. His face was as pale as a ghost, his eyes were as big as saucers, and he was breathing heavy. “Hey, Raf, it’s okay,” Taylor said when he saw the state Raffy was in. Taylor unclipped his seatbelt and turned to fully face his brother-in-law. He reached over the seat and grabbed Raffy’s other hand. “Raffy, look at me.” Taylor waited until Raffy’s eyes met his. “You have nothing to fear from this place or these people any more. You are a strong, amazing man. There is no one in this pack or this town who can come close to comparing to you. You are an omega,” Taylor said with strength and pride. “Your powers have grown and flourished because of the wonderful mate you have and all the love he showers you with. None of these people have anything better than you, my brother. They can’t hurt you anymore. You have your mate, your brothers, your cousin, Jesse, and me here to stand beside you. But I don’t think you’ll need us. You can just burn their asses if you feel like it.” Taylor gave him a smile and winked.
Raffy returned the smile and his shoulders relaxed. “Thank you, Taylor,” Raffy said, choked up with emotion.
“You’re welcome. Now just remember what I said. If you feel stressed again while we’re here, just remember my words. You. Are. Strong,” Taylor emphasized his words.
“I will, Taylor. I promise,” Raffy said and gave him another smile.
Taylor squeezed his hand and released it. His eyes met Christian’s, and the wolf gave him a grateful smile and nodded his thanks. Taylor winked at him and turned to face forward, clasping his seatbelt.
“So is it much farther?” Jesse asked from the front passenger seat.
“It’s a little hard to tell with the new town and the roads, but I think it’s right up here…” Micah cut himself off and his brows furrowed as he stared out the windshield.
“What is that?” Jesse asked, grabbing everyone’s attention.
“It looks like sentries,” Cass answered as he leaned over and looked through the windshield.
“You’re right, Cass. It looks like they posted sentries on the road. But why?” Micah asked suspiciously.
“What should we do, Micah?” Jesse asked.
“We came to search this place for Matthew and that’s exactly what we’re going to do. We keep going forward. Let’s see what happens.” Micah advanced forward slowly until he got to within feet of the six men standing across the road, blocking their way. He stopped the car and put it in park. Micah just stared at the men through the windshield. He was studying each one, sizing them up. Not a one of them looked like they could be enforcers, so why were they guarding the road?
“Get the hell out of your vehicle!” one of the men called out to them.
Micah looked over at Jesse and gave him a big naughty smile. Jesse chuckled and looked back at the others. “Shall we?”
“Great idea. Let’s see what these puppies think they can do to us?” Cass answered.
“Twenty bucks says the little one on the left pisses his pants first,” Taylor snickered.
“I’ll take that bet. I think the big one in the middle who thinks he’s in charge out here takes off first, screaming like a banshee,” Micah said with a laugh.
“Ooh, can we get them good and angry first? That could be fun,” Taylor asked.
“Sure. Let’s see what they do,” Micah answered.
They all sat still in the car just watching the six men. The big one in the middle was getting red in the face, making his growing anger apparent. Then the one next to him started to shift from foot to foot and look over at the big one in the middle, as if asking what they should do know.
“I said get the fuck out of your vehicle! Now!”
Taylor rolled down his window. “Technically, you said get the hell out of your vehicle, not fuck.”
The big man flinched in surprise and looked like he didn’t know what to do. Finally, he turned his attention to the woods and made a gesture. Jesse followed his line of sight and spotted another four men hiding. “There are another four on my side and three behind us,” Micah said without moving his head.
“This is definitely not a fair fight.” Gabriel snickered.
“Seventeen-to-seven. I think they need more men,” Taylor added, and everyone laughed.
The big guy was getting angrier. He took a step toward the car and then gestured to the men in the woods. The four on each side advanced out of their hiding spots, each of them carrying a gun, pointed right at their car.
“Let’s see what this does,” Micah said, and rolled down his window. “We are trying to find the Angel Pack. We need to speak with the acting alpha.” His voice was steady, but he made sure not to exude his alpha powers or his alpha voice.
“We don’t have an acting alpha! We have an alpha! Now get out of the car!”
“Why the hell is he yelling? Doesn’t he smell that we’re wolves too, and he doesn’t have to do that?” Cass asked.
“I think it’s more to try to intimidate us than anything else. Or he’s just stupid,” Christian added to the conversation, causing everyone to chuckle.
“What the fuck is wrong with you? Don’t you know how to follow instructions? I said get out of your vehicle. And seeing as I am the highest ranking wolf here, you have to obey me!” the idiot yelled.
“Oh, hell no! I don’t obey anyone. Especially someone who doesn’t even know how to tie his own shoes or wipe his own ass,” Taylor yelled out the window.
The asshat pulled back, stunned again. Then his face twisted in rage, and his eyes shone brightly with his wolf. He looked at the men with the guns and motioned with his head for them to approach the car. The four on each side and the three in the back began to approach the car slowly, guns pointed ahead of them.
&nbs
p; “If they don’t come out by the time I count to three, I want you to shoot them,” the big guy ordered.
“Would you mind, Christian?” Jesse asked and gave him a smirk.
“My pleasure, Jess,” Christian said with a smile.
“One!” he yelled and they just sat there staring at him. “Two!” Taylor lifted his hand and started to inspect his nails. “I’m not kidding! Last chance to come out now or suffer the consequences!” They all just remained as they were. Taylor looked out the window and gave the four to his side a big smile as he waved good-bye at them.
“Fine! Have it your way! Three!” As the word fell from his lips, their car lifted off the ground, clearing the shot path, and the four on each side shot each other. The three in the back shot into the six in front of them and they went down.
“Now we’re at seven to six odds. They really do need more men,” Gabriel said with a laugh as Christian lowered the car gently to the ground.
“Now I say we get out,” Micah announced. The doors all opened at once and Micah, Jesse, Taylor, and Gabriel stepped out. Cass, Christian, and Raffy moved from the back seat and got out behind Taylor and Jesse. They all slowly moved around the car to stand in front of it as they kept their eyes on the three in front, while Cass and Gabriel kept their eyes on the three in the back, who were still holding their guns. But they were now pointed at the ground as the three stood there, stunned.
“Now, I will say it again. We have come to talk to your acting alpha. Let us pass and we will let you live,” Micah said calmly, still purposely holding back his power.
“You don’t give the orders around here. I do,” the idiot croaked in a shaky voice.
“Notify your acting alpha that someone is here to see him, now.” Micah allowed a fraction of his alpha out and the six remaining wolves dropped to their knees and held up their heads, exposing their throats in submission.
“Who dares to come onto my lands and demand anything?” a loud voice came from the woods. Raffy drew in a quick breath, and he began to tremble as a whimper escaped his lips. Christian wrapped his arm around Raffy and pulled him close. “Your kind are not welcome here. Leave now. I will give you a half hour to get out of town, and then I will send my enforcers after you with the order to kill on sight.”
“And who are you to give such orders?” Micah questioned.
“I am alpha here,” the voice came to them, but its owner still didn’t show himself.
“Some alpha. You hide while your men stand here in the open and face the danger. I didn’t realize the Angel Pack had such a coward as their acting leader,” Micah taunted. He purposely used the term leader instead of alpha, because this man was no alpha.
“The Angel Pack is no more. This is the Stone Pack now, and I am Alpha James Stone,” the voice called back proudly.
“Under whose authority? The council definitely didn’t appoint you alpha. You’re an asshat,” Taylor argued.
“You will be the first I kill,” James growled.
“You and what army? You actually have to come out from behind the tree first, ya dipshit,” Taylor gibed.
A rustling came from the woods and a man about six feet tall stepped out. He looked to be about two hundred and thirty pounds, but they certainly weren’t muscled pounds. The man had a potbelly and his shirt was stained with spilled food.
“You’re the leader here?” Taylor said in disbelief.
“I am alpha here and I have ordered you off my lands. You are wasting your thirty minutes,” he sneered at Taylor.
“This is Angel Pack land and you have no authority here. So either you and your men step aside or suffer the consequences of the council,” Micah challenged.
“Alpha Angel was killed. Or are you too damn stupid to know that? All the leaders around the world were killed. So the packs go to the next in line or the one who wins all challenges. All the members of the Angel family are gone. So by battle rights, I am now alpha and these lands are mine.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. There are still four members of the Angel family who are alive,” Jesse declared.
“A coward, two queers, and a useless omega? Don’t make me laugh. Like any of them could lead a pack,” James scoffed.
“Every one of them could lead a pack a hell of a lot better than you. And if we really want to look at the idiot here, then we need to keep looking to you. Everyone knows that Alpha Micah Angel is the only wolf alpha to have survived the attacks. By birthright he owns these lands and he is the true alpha here,” Jesse corrected.
James began to laugh. “Micah? Are you shitting me? He couldn’t lead anyone out of a wet paper bag. From what I heard, he was a sniveling coward who was too damn weak to take over the pack from his father. That’s why Alpha Angel sent him away and he kept leading the pack himself. It’s no surprise Micah survived the attacks. They only took out the leaders, not the peasants.”
Micah looked to Jesse and then to each of his companions. They all gave him a knowing smile. He met Raffy’s eyes and spoke to him using the pack link. “You know this shithead, right, Raff?”
“Yes, Micah. He was one of the boys who was my friend until he found out I was an omega. Then he and his buddies would torment me and beat me up every time they saw me. He has always been a bully. He picks on those he sees as weaker than him and makes their lives hell, while he thinks it makes him tougher,” Raffy answered.
Micah turned back to face James. “And what of the other Angel family members? Lucian’s sons?”
“Two queers and an omega? All of them were just as cowardly as Micah. They all took off in the night like thieves. Afraid to stand up and face their families and their pack,” James said in disgust.
“And who gave you all this misguided information?” Micah asked.
“Alpha Angel’s brother, Lucian. He told all of us the stories of his sons and nephew. We all grew up knowing what worthless shits they were. Now enough of this. Your time is running out and I will send my men after you to kill you.”
“You and those pathetic things?” Taylor asked in annoyance. “Please. I could kill you all before you even took one step toward us, and not even break a sweat.”
“Or a nail,” Cass teased.
“That, too,” Taylor agreed and wiggled his eyebrows.
“We’ll see about that,” James scoffed. He brought his fingers to his lips, and a loud whistled rang out. Suddenly the brush in the forest began to move. They watched as over a hundred wolves in human form stepped from behind trees and boulders. They all looked scared, but they continued to move toward the road.
“These poor unfortunate souls are who you bring into a fight? What kind of leader are you?” Jesse chastised.
“These are members of my pack who will fight for their lands. You are outnumbered. Leave now while you still have a chance,” James commanded.
“You’re good at giving orders, but will any of your pack follow them?” Micah asked.
“Of course they will. I am their alpha.”
“Prove it. Order them to do something. Use your alpha power to make them submit to you,” Micah challenged.
“I don’t need to prove anything to the likes of you,” James answered in disgust.
“Kneel,” Micah said calmly in his alpha voice. All the members of the pack in front of him dropped to the ground and exposed their throats, including James. Micah took a step forward as he straightened himself to his full height. “If you are truly an alpha, then why do you kneel before me?”
James swallowed hard as his fear-filled eyes met Micah’s. “Who are you?” he asked in a whisper.
“I am Alpha Prime Micah Angel and these are my lands, my pack, and I am the leader of the paranormal council. And you, James Stone, will pay for your crimes against your pack members. Come!” Micah ordered with venom. James went to stand, but Micah stopped him. “Crawl like the animal you are.” James dropped onto all fours and crawled to Micah until he was a few feet before him. “Now stay. The rest of you pay attention,�
� he ordered and they all looked at him. “I have come here in search of someone. Has anyone here seen a young wolf that goes by the name Matthew or Maddy?” Micah looked around the gathering and watched as everyone shook their heads no. “He is about six foot, a hundred and eighty pounds. Shaggy sandy-blond hair. Any newcomers to the area that fit that description?” Again, everyone shook their heads no.
A small thin man slowly raised his shaking hand as he looked at Micah nervously. “Yes?” Micah asked gently.
“The alpha…I mean, he”―he guy motioned toward James―“has guards in town. I overheard them saying something about losing a newcomer. A new wolf to the area. He was really mad when they said that they lost the wolf. They are in town hunting him.”
“What’s your name, little one?” Micah gave him a warm smile.
“I am Trevor. Trevor Wells, Alpha Prime.” Trevor introduced himself shyly and looked down.
“Thank you, Trevor.”
“Micah?” Raffy whispered from behind him. Micah turned and met Raffy’s sad eyes.
“What is it, Raf?”
“I know Trevor. Well, I used to. He disappeared when he was sixteen. That was like twenty years ago. No one knew what happened to him. His parents were distraught and did everything they could to find him. Uncle Raphael even gave them money and a car, so they could go searching for him when we heard someone spotted him in California. No one heard from any of them again. Trevor was a really good guy. Smart, funny, sweet. He never did anything to hurt anyone. But those asshats used to tease him and knock him around all the time,” Raffy said and pointed at James and three others.
“Raffy?” Trevor said in a small voice. Raffy looked around Micah and met Trevor’s eyes. “It is you. They said you ran away.”
Raffy shook his head and smiled at Trevor. “No, my father took me in the middle of the night and gave me to an evil demigod to do experiments on,” he explained sadly.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Raffy,” Trevor said with tears in his eyes.
