“We’ll find a different way,” Maggie whispered, moving to place a hand on Hensen’s arm as if he were somehow the one who should be upset.
“There is no other way.”
“Not against his will,” Maggie said calmly.
“You didn’t get a choice.”
“That was different. I was dying.”
Kade seemed as confused by the nearly silent, whispered exchange as Gavin felt. Whatever these two were sharing across their apparently telepathic link this seemed to be the most they were inclined to share out loud.
Hensen breathed out heavily and mumbled an apology to Gavin, but he didn’t look at him as he stepped away. Maggie finally moved toward Gavin and wrapped her arms around his waist. He held himself stiffly, unwilling to relax his guard long enough to embrace the woman who’d already become very important in his life.
Finally, Maggie stepped back and looked up into his eyes. Again her words were nearly silent.
“When you were with the SEAL teams, did you ever volunteer for a mission without knowing all the details?”
He raised an eyebrow at such an irritating question. That was basically the definition of being a Navy SEAL. He went where he was sent, and he and his teammates did what was asked of them. They didn’t pick and choose missions on the basis of what might be less hazardous or more glamorous. It was dangerous and dirty work, but Gavin had done it proudly and he had no regrets.
“Hensen needs you,” she whispered. “Please trust him.”
“After that,” he said, shaking his head, “I’m thinking no.”
“Not even for Maggie?” Hensen asked as he finally turned worried eyes to Gavin. In that moment, something passed between them, an understanding or perhaps a shared need. Whatever it was, it left Gavin worried that a man as powerful as Hensen could be so shaken.
“Will it make me stronger?” he asked, keeping his voice down. Gavin had practiced hand-to-hand combat with men larger than himself, but he’d never been left feeling quite so outgunned. Hensen was a big man, but his strength wasn’t in proportion to his size. It had to be a werewolf thing.
Hensen nodded and stepped a tiny bit closer. There was a fine tremor in the hand that he placed against Gavin’s face. “I promise you’ll never regret being mine.”
Gavin glanced at Maggie, but it was the man in front of him who dominated his thoughts. Until five minutes ago he would have sworn that Hensen would never try and force him to become a wolf. Whatever had happened had the man panicked.
He closed his eyes and nodded, already regretting the fact that he wouldn’t be able to track down his brothers. His family had drifted apart over the years, and it had been the one thing he’d been determined to fix. But with the purple hue becoming a werewolf would give his skin, chances were the only contact he’d ever have now with his siblings would be via a telephone.
“I’m sorry,” Hensen mouthed before leaning forward to press a kiss to Gavin’s lips.
Gavin felt his cock harden at the man’s sincere words. Whatever else was going on, he truly couldn’t deny the connection they had. He tilted his head to the side, giving Hensen better access, offering himself freely to the man who’d only moments ago seemed ready to take him by force.
“Thank you,” Hensen whispered against his ear and then opened his mouth over Gavin’s throat. The sharp teeth sinking into his skin hurt more than he planned to admit, but it was the sudden spike in his own arousal that nearly had him whimpering pathetically. He wrapped his arms around Hensen’s head, holding him closer, gasping as he felt the power that flowed into his veins. It was an incredible rush, a type of adrenaline high that Gavin had only experienced during life or death situations.
Hensen wrapped his arms around Gavin’s waist, pulling him tightly against him, their hard cocks colliding as Gavin fought to get closer.
“Wow,” Maggie said with a soft laugh. “I’m beginning to think I missed out by being asleep while you changed me.”
Gavin dragged in a faltering breath as he felt Hensen ease his teeth out of his throat and lick over the small wounds he’d created. The sensations seemed magnified, Gavin’s need for the man in front of him all consuming. He could sense the connection between them growing, his understanding of Hensen’s emotions moving to a whole new level, but it was the terrible fear that stopped him short.
What the hell had happened to scare such a strong and capable man?
* * * *
“Rest,” Hensen said against his ear and then eased away from Gavin’s hard body. “It takes a little while for things to settle into place.”
He hoped Gavin was reading in between the lines, understanding what it was he couldn’t say out loud. The newly made werewolf nodded but made no move to go into the bedroom. Maggie reached for Gavin’s hand and finally led them all into the kitchen. She practically shoved Gavin onto the stool at the bench and then turned to glare at Hensen until he took the stool beside him. Hell, what he wanted was to take the man’s ass, but they had too many pressing concerns as it was.
Hensen reached for Kade, dragging him into his arms and holding him close while Maggie wrapped her arms around Gavin and pressed her face to his heart.
“Baby, I need to claim you,” Hensen said to Kade very quietly just in case anyone from the pack was close enough to listen in. It was the only way he could create the telepathic link between them. It wasn’t an ideal solution—they’d all only be able to communicate with him—but it was the best they could do under the circumstances. They needed to move right now if they were going to have any chance of protecting Maggie.
Kade nodded, perhaps already understanding why the link was suddenly so important.
“Wait,” Maggie said as she moved away from Gavin and stood in front of Kade. “You should be inside him when you claim him.”
Hensen wanted that more than anything, but it wasn’t really necessary and they didn’t have time.
“Make time,” Maggie growled directly into his mind.
“Baby gir—” he started to say, but she cut him off with her angry words.
“I know from your memories that the claiming bite is important. It marks him as your mate. At least make love to the man when you do it.”
“It’s okay, Maggie,” Kade said, clearly understanding more of the situation than they’d told him, perhaps even intuiting the silent argument he and Maggie were having. “I don’t mind.”
“I do mind,” she said urgently as tears filled her eyes. “Make time.”
“Okay, baby girl,” Hensen said, turning to Gavin for help. Gavin obviously understood what he was silently asking because he stood up, grabbed Maggie around the waist, and placed her on the stool he’d just vacated.
“Stay,” he said in a growled voice.
“Woof,” she sassed with a smart-ass grin on her face, apparently realizing she was getting her way.
Gavin moved to stand in the kitchen doorway—the only entry to the room—both his gun and his knife in his hands, his demeanor that of a man on high alert.
“We need to be quick,” Hensen told Kade as he reached for the zipper on his mate’s pants, “but Maggie’s right. This is too special for me not to be inside you.”
* * * *
Kade nodded, a mixture of terror and arousal filling his senses. He’d already realized that there was a reason for Hensen to need the telepathic connection that would be gained by turning Gavin into a werewolf, so it stood to reason that he would claim Kade today as well.
Whatever was happening was obviously very serious.
But ever since he’d sensed Hensen that first day seven months ago he’d wondered what it would be like to be claimed by a born wolf. He’d built quite a fantasy in his mind, but it wasn’t important enough to him to risk putting Maggie in danger.
He went to protest, but when Hensen slid a hand into his unzipped pants his brain short circuited. Warm fingers wrapped around his cock, the firm grip making him gasp with need. Hensen shoved his pants down, his hand n
ever letting go as he somehow managed to drag off Kade’s clothes. He yelped softly as he was lifted onto the bench, his bare ass hitting cold tile before Hensen eased him back into Maggie’s waiting arms.
“Hello, sexy,” she said with a warm kiss against his neck. She was kneeling on the bench behind him, holding him up as Hensen used his finger to toy with the pucker of his ass. His anal muscles squeezed excitedly as he heard Hensen lower the zipper on his own jeans. He almost laughed out loud when Maggie leaned over and poured some olive oil into Hensen’s hands. It wouldn’t hurt—well, not for very long—if Hensen fucked him without lubrication, but he would certainly enjoy it more this way.
The first touch of Hensen’s cock had him bearing down, opening his body to take his werewolf lover deep into his back passage. Hensen grinned, sliding into his ass with a relieved-sounding sigh. He held still for a moment.
“I’m sorry, baby,” he said in a tight voice. “This isn’t going to take long.”
It took a moment for Kade to realize that Hensen wasn’t saying they had little time to spare, but rather that he was too aroused to control himself. Kade grinned, reaching up to pull Hensen’s head down, kissing him passionately as Hensen started to move, fucking his ass faster and faster as the kiss grew wild and their need for each other spiraled out of control.
Hensen grunted, dragging Kade toward him as he broke the kiss and opened his mouth over Kade’s throat. The first touch of sharp teeth had him gasping his lover’s name but it was the actual bite that shot him into orgasm. He groaned, grinding his hips as Hensen’s cock throbbed inside him.
Unexpectedly, Hensen grabbed Kade’s head as he moved away slightly. He held still, trusting his mate with his life, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that Hensen would never hurt him. He continued to fuck him as he offered Kade his throat, the unexpected gift not one he’d waste time refusing. They didn’t have time, but now that it had been offered he needed to claim Hensen more than he needed his next breath.
He sank his teeth into Hensen’s throat, feeling the full mating link click into place, their sudden dual orgasm taking them both by surprise.
They held each other close, gasping for breath, both a little overwhelmed by what had just happened.
“Sorry, baby,” Hensen said directly into his mind as he moved away slightly. “I promise that as soon as we get Maggie to safety I’m going to hold you in my arms for a very long time.”
As the link solidified between them, the reason behind the fear he’d felt from all three of his mates suddenly unrolled into his mind. Kade sat up quickly, clinging to Hensen for a moment before dragging his mate’s shirt off over his head and using the soft material to clean them both up in record time.
“We need to go,” he said to Hensen urgently, unable to comprehend how Maggie could have put herself at risk long enough to let him and Hensen share these precious moments. He turned to Maggie, reaching a hand out to her. “Thank you, sweetheart, but if you ever…”
His words trailed away at the sad look on her face.
“We’re okay,” Gavin said with a grim smile, suggesting that he understood what Kade had been about to say.
“But we should get moving,” Hensen added through their link.
Kade nodded quickly, wriggled off the bench, and back into his clothes.
“Where are we going?” he asked as they all hurried to gather Gavin’s and Maggie’s hiking gear and then headed into the panic room.
“Home,” Hensen answered telepathically.
* * * *
Gavin wanted to be angry. Lord knew he had good reasons, but the simple fact was that they needed to get Maggie back to Shy River before someone at Dry Creek decided to take the “expert’s” advice to euthanize the creature and anyone who’d been bitten by it. Maggie had already figured out that the person who’d created the mutated wolf had most likely tried to kill her before the mutations began to affect her. Whatever these unknown genetic manipulators had planned it seemed they weren’t quite ready to share it with the world. How the fuck could that be the only good news?
The worst part was that he’d seen the alpha’s reaction to whatever his caller had said on the phone and had recognized it as a man in charge having to make the hard decisions. At the time he hadn’t realized it was about Maggie. If he had he probably would have been the one shoving Hensen against a wall and demanding to be changed into a werewolf.
“How long will it take?” he asked Hensen silently as he, Maggie, and Kade walked along the hiking track used by humans. Hensen followed them at a distance, staying in wolf form, keeping himself between them and the pack they’d left behind.
“Direct route on four paws takes just over three hours. By road in a vehicle takes closer to seven.”
Gavin stayed on point, leading the way, following the official park walking trails and taking Hensen’s advice on which branch to take. He glanced back to see Hensen’s huge wolf shape behind them. “And in human form?”
“Since we need to dodge both electronic surveillance and possible searchers, several days at least.”
“Can you run ahead and get help?”
“That’s the plan, but I want to make certain that you and Maggie and Kade are safe first. I’ve managed to keep off the surveillance grid—it certainly helps to have been one of the designers—but if someone picked up our scents…”
He didn’t need to finish that sentence for Gavin to understand the danger. They’d done everything they could to mask their scents as they passed through the forest, but nothing was certain. Thanks to his link with Hensen, he now had the memory of every word of the conversation he’d only witnessed from afar. The worst part was that the expert’s advice had probably been very solid. Protecting the pack was important. Whatever had been done to the wolf that had attacked Maggie might constitute a significant threat to werewolves everywhere. Maggie could very well be the “Typhoid Mary” of the paranormal world.
But that didn’t mean her mates wouldn’t protect her.
They were banking their hopes on Shy River having access to more advanced medical testing, techniques, and information. They were also praying that Hensen’s friendship with the beta and his partners, and Gavin’s relationship to his sister would help keep things calm until something concrete could be sorted out.
If Maggie was dangerous they’d take her deep into the mountains and live out their lives in solitude, just the four of them. They wouldn’t let anyone euthanize her like she was some sort of rabid dog.
“I’m sorry about before…back at the house,” Hensen said telepathically to Gavin. He sounded very serious, very apologetic. “I’ve never felt so off balance before.”
Gavin grinned even though Hensen couldn’t see his face. “You already know I’ve forgiven you.”
“Yes,” he said, filling their connection with his relief, “but some things need to be said.”
“True.” He was quiet for a few moments. “But I might have done the same if the situations were reversed,” Gavin finally sent telepathically.
Hensen seemed a little stunned by that admission, and Gavin could sense him nosing through a few memories that were none of his business. When Hensen realized what he was doing, he withdrew and apologized again.
“Like you told the alpha, we’ll learn how to control it eventually.”
“You heard that?” Hensen asked with a soft laugh. Gavin didn’t need to look over his shoulder to know the man in wolf form was shaking his head. “I think maybe the biggest threat to werewolves might be our own arrogance. I never expected a human to be able to hear a quiet conversation from so far away.”
“I’m not—well, I wasn’t exactly an ordinary human. Navy SEALs are highly trained. I worked black ops for a lot of years. Being able to focus on a single, distant conversation, lip read, and interpret body language were sometimes the difference between life and death.”
“I’m sorry about your last mission.”
“Holy fuck,” Gavin said in exasperation. �
�Twenty years of keeping secrets and I’m going to come undone by a telepathic link.”
“Who would I tell?” Hensen asked, maybe just a little defensively. But thanks to the link they now shared Gavin knew his mate well enough to know he was loyal to his alpha, especially now that a man named Eadan Barclay was no longer the second in charge at Shy River. Hensen must have heard that assumption because he sounded just as exasperated as Gavin had a few moments ago. “Not at the expense of my mates.”
This time Gavin did look back. “I know,” he said very seriously. Hensen would seek a way to protect both, but a straight up “them or us” decision would go his mates’ way.
They lapsed into silence again as Gavin used his newly heightened senses to check for people or wolves ahead before moving him, Maggie, and Kade down the mountain’s walking tracks.
Hensen was several hundred yards behind. Hopefully, if someone did get a visual on them they’d be mistaken for three humans hiking through the park. They’d deliberately chosen to stay close to humans and had already seen evidence of other campers in the area. Maggie, Gavin, and Kade were covered head to toe. Thankfully, the weather was cool enough to warrant the clothing, even the hoods that kept their faces in shadow, but if they ran into friendly, chatty humans they’d have to do some quick talking to explain the purple hue of the skin on their faces. With Halloween half a year away, that excuse wasn’t going to wash.
The purple hue wasn’t really an actual color. More like a glow one would expect from a purple-colored light source. The strange thing was that Gavin kept checking his own skin for the same changes, yet so far he’d noticed none. Maggie’s skin had taken on the unusual glow within minutes of becoming a werewolf. Several hours after accepting Hensen’s gift Gavin still saw no change in his skin.
“I don’t really feel different. Did it not work?” he asked Hensen telepathically, unable to hide his worry. Even as he asked the question he realized he was using telepathy, so something had changed, but he would have preferred increased speed and strength. He managed to keep calm, choosing to concentrate the bulk of his mind on getting Maggie to safety, but his concern was hard to hide from a man with a direct link inside his head. Gavin turned to steady Maggie as they made their way down a particularly steep part of the track. She smiled and let him help even though it was obvious as both an experienced hiker and a werewolf that she didn’t really need it.
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