KnightForce Ethan (La Patron's KnightForce)

by Sydney Addae

  “You’re a half-breed, what are you talking about?” Lilly asked.

  “True. I’m a half-breed who never wanted forced assimilation.”

  Jasmine sat back in her chair and stared at the young man on the screen. Forced assimilation? Was that the new thing? Half-breeds fighting against joining the nation? Then why not just remain in hiding like they’d been doing for decades? There was no reason to attack KnightForce or full-bloods to prove a point. Thorne’s reasoning made no sense.

  “Come up with a better lie, or tell La Patron the truth when he talks to you,” Cameron snapped.

  Thorne’s jaw tightened and he remained silent.

  “Ready?” Cameron asked Lilly.

  She nodded. “Pray that the Goddess intervenes on your behalf.”

  “I’m not the one who needs her help right now,” Thorne said and turned away.

  Chapter 10

  Ethan pulled into the restaurant’s parking lot and killed the engine. Callum had been pouting since Cameron and Edwin appeared and took Thorne and the other rebel into custody. After answering a few questions, Ethan showed Edwin the wall in the mine he’d opened. The KnightForce agent assured him that he’d do some tracking and clear it out. Edwin told him about this seafood restaurant on the outskirts of Richland, a small town near Garrett pack grounds.

  “I’m hungry,” Ethan said, opening the door. He wanted a cold beer, large steak, and a piece of salmon, everything else would be a bonus. Callum stepped out and they walked toward the entrance in silence. The idea of the three-hour drive home with a sullen Callum called for two more beers.

  The hostess sat them in the back near a window, which suited Ethan just fine. Before she walked away he ordered his first beer.

  Callum ordered one too. “Edwin told you about this place?”

  “Yeah, said they made decent steaks when he was here last year.”

  “Smells funny.”

  Ethan had noticed human scents, the foods, and yes, something else he couldn’t put his finger on. “Pack?”

  “Just a couple, on the other side,” Callum said, looking around. “That dude’s looking at us.”

  Ethan didn’t look right away. He pulled out his cell and read a few text messages from Dohosan, his brother, who insisted on this form of communication. As a pediatrician and self-proclaimed family harmonizer, Dohosan sent him updates on everything happening at home. This time he asked if Ethan wanted to participate in the Booger Dance with him and Kitchi, their oldest brother. Instead of typing no immediately, he had no interest in seeing Chogan again, he paused, inhaled, and checked the room. “Human. That’s all I’m getting.” He turned slightly, glanced at the guy, and continued looking around the restaurant.

  A woman approached their table with two large beers and a wide smile. She was cute in a perky ‘I’m happy with my life’ kind of way. Definitely not his type. “My name’s Ginger and I’ll be serving you. Here are your beers, did you have a chance to look at the menu?” She pointed to the lacquered page on the table. “Our specials are on front and I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have.”

  “I’d like a large portion of grilled salmon, broccoli, rib eye steak, lots of pink, the salad bar… oh and calamari to get started,” Ethan said, ignoring the surprised look on Callum’s face.

  “Great. I’ll put that in for you guys.” She turned to leave.

  “Wait, that was his order not mine,” Callum said.

  Chuckling at her pink cheeks, Ethan drank his beer and looked around. The older, white male stared rudely now. Ethan lifted his glass in toast.

  The man nodded and turned back to his plate.

  Two beers, a plate of calamari and salad later, Ethan’s spirits had lightened considerably. He listened to Callum’s rant over his love life, nodding and periodically giving pointers to remind the pup to speak out loud instead of mind speaking while in public. It’d look odd for them to sit in silence while nodding and occasionally laughing.

  “I want you to be in the wedding, please.”

  Ethan stopped mid-drink as chills ran down his spine. His beast rose and pressed against his chest.

  “Of course I’ll be in the wedding, have you guys set a date?”

  He frowned at the second voice. It was the mystery female from last night. She was here.

  “Jim wanted to do it right away, but I’ve waited this long, I want a real wedding. All the bells and whistles. He gave me carte blanche on the budget so we can do it in three months.” She giggled. The sound ricocheted through him.

  Ethan’s beast howled. His body went from cold to hot and back to cold. He couldn’t move even though every cell in his body strained to see the owner of that voice.

  Mate.

  Ethan closed his eyes as that word echoed in his head and filled his body. He had never given much thought to a mate. His parents had not been mates and were happy for decades before they died. Neither of his brothers found mates. Dohosan lived with his full-blood lover and their pups for the past three decades. Kitchi loved many women, usually more than one at a time. He and Ethan rarely spoke and hadn’t seen each other since their parents’ homegoing years ago.

  His beast howled at his inactivity and pressed against his chest to get him moving. Paralyzed by fear, joy, uncertainty, he wasn’t sure which, but he couldn’t move, not yet. He needed to hear her voice again.

  “I’ll help in any way I can,” the female who’d given him the information about the rebels said.

  “Hey, that’s the same —”

  Ethan held up his finger to Callum. “Humans can’t hear us but she can. Be careful what you say from now on.”

  Ginger and another waitress brought their plates and placed them in front of them. “Another beer?” She looked at him.

  “Yeah, I’ll have one,” Callum said, drawing her attention. “He’s driving.”

  She smiled and walked off.

  “Are you going to talk to her?” Callum asked.

  Ethan stilled for a few seconds until he realized Callum didn’t know he’d just slammed into his destiny. Alpha Jayden expected him later today to help set up new security equipment at the compound that Ethan ordered last month. But he couldn’t leave now. The thought of leaving her behind made his stomach clench tight. “Yeah.”

  “Glad you guys worked through everything,” the female said as Ethan stood to follow the voice.

  “Me too. Where are you going?”

  “Bathroom, be right back,” Ethan’s mate said.

  Ethan turned a corner and ran into his future. She smelled incredible and felt perfect in his arms. Entranced, he stared down into eyes the color of coffee with a spot of cream and accepted his fate. The Goddess had been kind. The top of his mate’s head reached his chest. Perfect full lips that he’d see in his dreams opened and closed, but not before he saw even white teeth with a small gap in the middle. How sexy was that. Full breasts pressed against his chest. He wished he could explore every inch of her caramel coated body, placing kisses on her round face and the tip of her cute upturned nose.

  Cautious, he nodded but didn’t release her. “Hello.”

  She blinked and pushed back. “I’m… uh…sorry, I wasn’t watching… hello.”

  “No worries.” His beast wanted her with them, back in his arms.

  The female from the night before approached, her face blank. “Everything okay?” She looked at his mate and then at him.

  “Yeah, wasn’t watching where I was going, bumped into him,” she answered, moving around him and disappearing.

  Ethan’s gaze followed the movement of her hips until she was out of view.

  “Can I speak with you for a second?”

  With his beast demanding to see his mate he started to say no.

  “Please, this won’t take long.” Her eyes were an interesting shade of green and even though he wasn’t attracted to her, he thought she was extremely attractive, tall, statuesque and confident.

  “Of course.” He backed out the way and
followed her toward a side door and outside.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked as soon as they stood next to a car he assumed was hers.

  “Excuse me?” He crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at her.

  “Have you found the rebels?”

  “Yes.”

  She looked at him in expectation. “Well, what happened? Where are they?”

  “Why?”

  “I knew two of them.”

  Ethan thought of the bodies Edwin and his pack mates removed from the mine for burial. “Only two survived.”

  Her hand flew to her mouth and she closed her eyes. “I never should’ve…”

  “Four people had already given information that pointed me in that direction. Your information was confirmation on all the intelligence I’d received.” He rubbed his arms and glanced back at the restaurant. “Who was that you were with, she’s not pack?”

  She looked at him and then away. “No, that’s Vanessa. We work together.”

  “Work?”

  “At the school. She’s a teacher, engaged. You heard us talking about the wedding.”

  “Is her mate good to her? Do you like him? Approve?”

  Her eyes narrowed in concentration. “He’s okay. Pushy. Smart. He knows what to say and how to handle a woman that’s for sure. Let me correct that, a human woman.” She smiled. “Can you tell me who survived?”

  Ethan tore his gaze from the restaurant and read the sorrow in her eyes. “Thorne and his companion, I never got his name.”

  She closed her eyes and turned, but not before he saw them glistening.

  “I’m sorry. They attacked my partner, it was four at first and then three more.” Rarely did he explain his job, but she knew his mate and could be important later.

  She waved her hand and cleared her throat. “They knew what they were doing. It’s just they were so young,” she whispered.

  Uneasy and growing more and more desperate by the second to know everything about his mate, he said nothing.

  “I need to get back inside before Vanessa comes looking for me.” She paused. “You weren’t tracking me were you?”

  “No, this place was recommended to me by a friend. He hadn’t been here in a year but said it was good then. Why should I track you?”

  She chuckled. The small indentations bracketing her mouth took her from beautiful to gorgeous. “No reason, I have this thing about coincidences.”

  He nodded and followed her back into the restaurant. Instead of returning to his table, he went to hers to see his mate.

  “There you are; I was about to go looking… hello.”

  His beast howled as he breathed in her sweet scent. Intoxicating. He stared like a simpleton for a few seconds.

  “Vanessa this is Ethan, Ethan, my friend Vanessa.”

  “Oh, you know each other?” Vanessa said, breaking their connection to look at her friend and then back at him.

  “No, we just met after you bumped into him,” Shyla stressed.

  “Hello Vanessa, it’s nice to meet you.” Rings of curls covered her head and fell to her shoulders. If asked, he’d swear her nipples pebbled in greeting. From where he stood she was perfect.

  “Hi, Ethan. My fiancé is on his way; would you care to join us?”

  He frowned. “Fiancée?”

  “Yes,” Shyla said in a firm tone. “I told you my friend is getting married soon, we’re discussing the wedding.”

  Married? His mate? No. No. No.

  Shyla picked up Vanessa’s hand.

  He saw the ring on her finger and blinked. “Married?”

  “Yes, Ethan,” Shyla said. “Where’s your friend?”

  “Huh?”

  “Your friend you were eating with when we got here.” Shyla pushed away from the table. “Let’s go, I forgot to tell him something.”

  Ethan told his feet to move. To stop staring at the diamond glittering on his mate’s finger. He didn’t understand. How could this have happened?

  “Be right back, Vanessa.” Shyla slid her arm through his and tugged.

  “What?” he asked her when he didn’t move.

  “I need to tell your friend something, go with me.” The hard tug on his arm took it from being a question to a command.

  “Callum?” He asked looking back at Vanessa. She smiled at him. His heart dropped to his feet.

  “Yes. Come along, there are a few things you need to know about this area.” She held his arm tight and turned the corner. “What’s wrong with him?” Shyla asked in a low voice.

  “Huh? Who?” Ethan looked at her and then at the table. Callum sat slumped in the seat. His steak half eaten and his beer glass empty. Ethan straightened, moved quickly to the table and inhaled. Nothing strange, but he’d take the food and have it examined anyway. Callum was breathing but didn’t respond when Ethan tapped his arm. “Alpha, we have a problem.”

  “Callum?” Ethan called through their mind link.

  “What’s wrong?” Alpha Jayden asked.

  “It’s Callum. I think he ate something that didn’t agree with him. He’s passed out.”

  “One second.”

  “What’s happening?” Vanessa asked, walking up to them.

  “His friend is sick,” Shyla said as Ethan sat Callum up and patted water on his cheeks.

  “Can you bag up the remainder of his food and all of mine, looks like it’ll be to go,” Ethan asked Shyla.

  “I’ll do it,” Vanessa said, walking off.

  “She’s human,” Shyla whispered.

  “My wolf doesn’t care,” Ethan gritted as he prepared to carry Callum to the car.

  “I’ve called the paramedics, our people,” Shyla said. “It’s necessary to fit in.”

  “This is Alpha Jayden’s oldest pup, pray that there was nothing in that food,” he told her. “I’m waiting for his instructions on where to take him. If he wants to use your people —”

  “Our people. We’re all pack. Except Vanessa.” She stressed the last two words.

  Ethan grunted.

  “Seriously, you can’t go after her, she’s finally happy. He adores her.”

  Ethan looked at Shyla.

  She exhaled and stared at Callum.

  Ethan’s gaze narrowed. “You don’t like him or trust him, probably both.”

  She leaned forward whispering. “Doesn’t matter, they’re human and she’s happy. That’s all I care about. Please leave her alone.”

  Ethan heard the sincerity in her voice and wished he could agree. Hell, he wished Shyla was his mate, but she wasn’t. “If only I could.”

  She looked up at the ceiling and then back at him. “So it’s true. We can mate with humans.”

  “Apparently,” he said in a dry tone, watching a curvy Vanessa walk toward them holding carry-out containers.

  “Goddess please spare me, no human mate, please,” Shyla murmured.

  “Here you go. Want me to put it in?” Vanessa pointed to his untouched food and the remainder on Callum’s plate.

  “Yes, thanks, just don’t mix them.” His beast howled in appreciation as he watched her bend over to pull the plates together. Her small hands moved gracefully. Intent on her chore, she smiled at him when she was done.

  “Is he going to be alright?” Vanessa tipped her head toward Callum.

  “I hope so,” Ethan said, looking at the pup.

  “Ethan, Edwin is on his way along with the local pack paramedics, they’ll take him back to the house where you were staying so he can recover. He’s not responding to me. La Patron checked him. Seems he ingested something that put his human side to sleep. La Patron wants the food tested, have it packed and ready for Edwin to take to the compound. Stay with him tonight and return home tomorrow.”

  “Sir, there’s another complication.”

  Ethan looked at Vanessa, who stood next to Shyla asking questions about him. Shyla’s brow rose as she placed her arm around her friend and walked away.

  “Something else?”<
br />
  “Yes, I met my mate.”

  After a lengthy pause, Alpha Jayden responded. “That’s great, the timing sucks, but I’m happy for you. Is she there now?”

  “Yes.”

  “We’ll talk later then. Let me know when you reach the house, oh and be careful, what happened to my son was deliberate and happened in a public place. I don’t know what’s going on up there but I plan to find out.”

  Ethan understood the frustration in Alpha Jayden’s voice. “Yes, Sir.”

  “Did something happen to your friend?” Ginger asked, looking concerned.

  “Probably too much to drink or something. If you bring me the check I’ll take care of the bill so we can leave.”

  “Sure, I’ll be right back.” She walked away.

  The pack paramedic vehicle looked like any other. Two full-blood EMT’s arrived, took Callum’s vitals, and loaded him on the stretcher. Shyla and Vanessa followed Ethan out the door. The manager was concerned and offered to comp Callum’s meal.

  Ethan refused.

  In the parking lot he watched the EMT truck drive off, and looked at Vanessa, who stood next to Shyla. “It was nice meeting you Vanessa,” he said, unable to leave or stop staring.

  “Same here, I hope your friend is alright.” Her voice sounded strained and she looked away. Ethan smelled fear wafting from her. Prepared to decimate the threat, he looked around the parking lot. There were only a few people walking around and no one paid them any attention. Without thinking, he moved in her direction.

  She took a step back.

  The sound of an engine stopped the question forming in his mind from tumbling off his lips. Vanessa’s face lit up as she turned toward the late model truck pulling into the parking lot. She waved and left without a backward glance. When the truck parked, Vanessa walked over to the driver’s side.

  “That’s her fiancé. Former military. Seems crazy about her. Please stop growling, someone might hear you,” Shyla said, stepping in front of him and blocking some of his view.

  “What’s going on? She’s scared about something, is it him? Is that why you don’t like him?” He looked at Shyla.