The Angel Pack 10 - Home

by Walsh Maggie

  “If the storm that’s coming is supposed to be that big, are you sure it’s a good idea to go into town today?” Evan asked.

  “It’ll be fine. I mean what’s the worst that can happen? I’ll be stuck in a strip club with a shit-ton of hot guys for the night. Now there’s a hardship,” Sage said with a laugh and left the room.

  Maddy looked at Josh. He could see the concern in his mate’s eyes, the same concern that he had. He flicked his gaze to Evan and saw that he, too, mirrored their worry.

  “Is it just me, or is Sage really good at deflecting and changing the subject when it comes to talking about his life?”

  “It’s not just you, Milo. He’s always been that way since the day I found him,” Evan answered sadly.

  “He also seems to crave men’s attention, almost like a drug,” Maddy added.

  “I’m worried about him,” Josh stated. “I think he has some major daddy issues. Maybe because of the way his father treated him, he’s looking for men’s acceptance, but I fear the way he’s going about it may just be bad for his health.”

  “You know about his background, Evan. What happened?” Milo asked.

  “Even if I did know, I wouldn’t be able to tell you boys, not without Sage’s permission. That’s one thing my boys have always known since day one. Whatever they shared with me would be kept between us, but I will say this. I don’t know a whole hell of a lot about Sage’s past. He refuses to share his childhood with me. All I can do is assume it was a bad one. I do know that he was adopted by humans and raised in the human world. He had no idea who or what he really was until he had his first shift. Scared the fuck out of him. Then he did everything he could to keep it hidden from his family until they kicked him out for being gay.”

  “Shit. I hate when I hear shit like that. Maybe because I had such great parents who didn’t give a crap about my being gay. When I came out at fifteen and told them, they just hugged me and told me I was still their son, and they still loved me. They never treated me any differently after that. I loved them more for it,” Milo said in a choked-up voice as tears came to his eyes.

  “I wish we could have met them. They sound like such great parents,” Josh said, and reached over to give Milo’s shoulder a squeeze.

  Milo sniffed and gave them a sad smile. “They would have loved you two. I know they would have. It may have taken them a while to get used to three of us being together, but I know they would have accepted it, knowing that I was happy, that you two made me happy.”

  “And you make us happy, too, mate,” Maddy said and kissed Milo tenderly.

  “I was lucky in the parents department, too. My mom and dad were the best and did everything they could to protect me and keep my secret. They did the same thing as yours, Milo. They hugged me and told me that they still loved me and that wouldn’t change, but back then, we couldn’t let the alpha or the pack find out.”

  “So your parents didn’t kick you out, Evan?” Josh asked.

  “No. I ran. The alpha and his betas found out, and I had no other choice,” Evan explained in a whisper as his eyes filled with tears.

  “Shit. I hate that the older generation of shifters had to deal with all that crap. Thank the gods we have this pack and Uncle Micah as the Alpha Prime. Now maybe no other shifter will have to deal with that hate anymore,” Maddy stated, then grabbed a cracker and a piece of cheese, and popped it in his mouth.

  “Amen to that,” Evan whispered.

  “Hey, the snow’s starting,” Josh announced, and everyone turned toward the window.

  “I’ll go out and put some salt down on the walkways and driveway,” Milo said and stood up.

  “I’ll help you, babe,” Josh added and stood, too.

  “I’ll go tell Sage I’ll drive him into town so he doesn’t have to walk in this crap.” Maddy stood.

  “Thanks, boys, and Maddy, if it looks like it’s getting too dangerous, just turn around and come home. Sage will get over it, and I’m sure Xander wouldn’t want his mate out in this weather either, so there’s a good chance Shelby won’t even be at the club,” Evan said.

  “Okay, Evan,” Maddy answered as he left the kitchen.

  * * * *

  “Well, that was a close call,” Sage mumbled to himself as he closed his bedroom door behind him. “Don’t be such an idiot, Sage. You know better than to ever talk about him or to ever talk about them,” Sage admonished himself as he went to his closet.

  He pulled out a tight pair of black leggings and a white wifebeater. If he was going to be sliding around a pole, he wanted to make sure his clothes were formfitting. “They’re gone now, and you don’t need to worry about it anymore. He’ll never hurt you again. Neither of them will ever hurt you again.” But what if the alpha ever found out that you killed your father, a human? Then what?

  Chapter 5

  “Storm’s starting,” Xander announced as he walked into the den.

  “Nooo. I promised Sage I would meet him at the club and start his pole-dancing lessons today,” Shelby whined as he straightened. He was leaning over the pool table with cue stick in hand.

  Xavier stood against the wall, watching. He, too, was holding a pool stick. “Maybe we can finish this game, then? I mean, we could stop now and you wouldn’t have to feel bad about losing.” He chuckled.

  Shelby turned and glared at him. “Hey, mutt, we said two out of three. It’s possible I could still whip your ass.”

  “That was four games ago, and I won every one. I think the two out of three went out the window a long time ago.”

  Xander walked up to Shelby, wrapped his arms around his waist, and pulled him close. He knew what was about to happen, and he needed to be ready. He smiled as he looked at his best friend. “He’s a pool shark, starshine. Nobody can beat him. He hustled you.”

  Shelby’s eyes went wide as his mouth opened. Anger clouded his eyes. “You fucking cheat!” Shelby screeched as he tried to vault after Xavier, but Xander held him tight.

  Xavier laughed as he put his pool stick back in the rack on the wall. “I was wondering how long it was going to take you to realize I never missed one ball.”

  “How could you? I’m gonna…Just wait until…Ugh! I’m so mad at you.” Shelby stopped fighting his mate’s hold as he crossed his arms over his chest and pouted his bottom lip.

  “Aw, starshine. It’s okay. I’ll make it all better for you,” Xander offered and kissed his pouty lip.

  Shelby immediately melted against Xander. “Oh yeah? And how are you going to do that? You gonna staple his nuts to the floor for me? Or chop them off so Taylor and I can use them to play pool with?” Shelby seductively ran his hands up Xander’s broad chest.

  Xander growled and pulled Shelby against him tighter. “Whichever you want, my mate. I can do both if you’d like.”

  “Hey! What the hell, man? I thought I was your best friend?” Xavier asked in annoyance.

  “You are, but this beautiful creature is my mate, and if seeing your nuts stapled to the floor would make him happy, then let’s go find the staple gun,” Xavier said mischievously without breaking eye contact with Shelby.

  Shelby chuckled and rubbed against Xander.

  “No fair. He’s using his body against me,” Xavier huffed.

  “No, he’s using his body against me,” Xander said with a smile. “Because if he used it against you, he would be getting a spanking, and you would be dead by now.”

  Xavier huffed, grabbed his beer from the table, and took a big swig.

  “I think I need to call Sage and tell him it’s not a good idea today. By the time I get to the club to help him, the snow may be a few feet deep,” Shelby said softly, as he leaned in and licked a line from Xander’s collarbone to his ear.

  Xander moaned as he dropped his head back. “It won’t take that long, baby.”

  “Oh, yes it will. I plan on taking you upstairs so you can fuck my brains out and I don’t plan on rushing.” Shelby bit Xander’s shoulder without breaking skin
and pulled away. His eyes filled with heat, and he licked his lips.

  “Oh, hell yeah. Call Sage and tell him you can’t make it,” Xander growled in a husky voice. He grabbed Shelby around the waist and threw him over his shoulder. “X, call Sage for us, would you? Shelby’s about to be a bit occupied.” Xander left the room without waiting for an answer from Xavier.

  “Call Sage for you, huh? What the hell do I look like, your secretary?” Xavier called after them. “I’ll call Sage for you,” he mumbled under his breath in annoyance. Then a huge smile crossed his lips. “I’ll call Sage for you, all right.” Xavier fished his cell phone from his back pocket.

  * * * *

  “I’m taking your SUV over to see Evan, Micah,” Raphael said as he peeked into Micah’s office.

  “Sure, Dad. I told you, you could take it whenever you wanted. We should look into getting both you and Ash cars. This way, you can come and go as you please.”

  “I was thinking the same thing. Maybe after this storm passes. I want to head over and make sure Evan and the boys have everything they need. This one feels big. They may be stuck in the house for a few days.”

  “I agree. I think this one may drop a few feet. We’re fully stocked to last everyone in this house for a month if we need to. Why don’t you stop in the kitchen and grab some supplies from here instead of heading the market? It’s probably packed by now with everyone getting ready for the storm,” Micah offered.

  “That’s a good idea. Thanks, son.” Raphael gave Micah a grateful smile.

  “So, how is everything going with your mate?” Micah asked hesitantly.

  “Is it that hard for you to know that I’m gay, too, son?” Raphael asked and stepped fully into the office.

  “No. No, that’s not it, Dad. It doesn’t matter to me if you’re gay or straight. I mean, why would it? I’m gay.”

  “Because it must have been a shock for you to find that out after all these years, and not from me,” Raphael said, and took a seat facing Micah.

  “I’ll be honest. It was a shock when Brighton told me, not because you were gay, but because of the knowledge that he had once been your lover. Then it was a bit of a surprise to find out about you and Alessandro. I mean…I have spent nearly three hundred years with Dante, and neither of us had a clue that you two even knew each other, much less that you were in a relationship for over a hundred and fifty years. I never even saw you with a female, Dad. Mom died when I was so young that I don’t remember the two of you together. Seeing my father with anyone is new to me. I like Evan. I think he’s a very special man. I think the two of you make a perfect couple,” Micah explained and gave his father a smile.

  “Thank you, Micah, and I guess you’re right. I never was with anyone while you were growing up. I understand where you’re coming from. I loved your mother very much, Micah. She was my best friend, and she mated me knowing exactly who I was. She was the most beautiful, caring, understanding, unselfish, giving, and accepting woman I have ever met. A big piece of my heart died the day I lost her. It took a very long time for me to be able to want to find love again.

  “I always prayed to the gods not to let me find my mate when your mother was alive. I knew the pull to a mate would be so strong that I wouldn’t be able to resist it, and I didn’t want to hurt your mother in any way. She was so special to me. Then with Alessandro, it was the first time in my life that I was in love, but we weren’t mates. We both knew that at any time we may find our mates. He still had another one out there somewhere, and as much as we were in love, we knew that what we had may come to an end someday. Another piece of my heart died the day I lost him.

  “Maxine and Alessandro will each always hold a piece of my heart, but I have finally been blessed with finding my true mate, and I don’t want to lose love again. So I hope you’re okay with seeing your old man with someone. Loving him and showering him with that love. Because I know how precious love can be. How precious it is, and how painful it is to lose it.”

  “Of course I’m okay with it, Dad. I’m thrilled that you finally found your mate, and I hope that you and Evan have a wonderful, long life together.”

  * * * *

  “Geez, it’s freezing out there. Get in here, all of you, before your balls fall off,” Taylor offered as he stepped aside to let everyone in.

  “Thanks, Taylor. It’s starting to get worse out there,” Josh said as he tapped the snow off his boots before stepping in.

  “What are all of you doing out on a day like this?” Taylor asked as he took their coats.

  “Xavier called and said that Shelby couldn’t make it to the club for our training today but that I should come here and he would help,” Sage explained. He took off his knit hat and shoved it into the sleeve of his puffy purple coat.

  Taylor smirked knowingly. “Oh, he did, did he? Well, now I know why you’re here, Sage, but what about the rest of you?”

  “Evan’s bus sucks in this weather, and we were all headed out to town to get supplies for the storm. Shelby needed a lift, so we jumped into Milo’s car, and we’re dropping him off first before we head back out,” Maddy explained.

  “Yeah, but as we were pulling up to the gates, it started getting worse. I don’t know if we’ll make it into town now. We should head back before it gets to white-out conditions,” Josh said.

  “Shit, I was hoping we could get to the video store first. I wanted to rent some games. Who knows how long we’ll be trapped in the house,” Tucker grumbled.

  “Why don’t you all come into the kitchen and have something warm to drink,” Jesse offered as he walked down the stairs. “I’ll call over to Evan and let him know you all made it here okay and that you’ll probably be staying.”

  “Can’t you just open a portal and pop us all home?” Shane asked hopefully as they followed Jesse into the kitchen.

  He turned and gave Shane an evil smile. “I could, but what would be the fun in that?”

  “What fun? And we can’t leave Evan alone through this,” Milo said.

  “You’ll all stay here with us until it’s safe to go home. Even will be in perfectly good hands,” Jesse said with a smile and turned toward the fridge. He pulled out a gallon of milk and went to the stove.

  “What do you mean, Uncle Jesse? I can see the wheels spinning,” Maddy asked with a smirk.

  “Nothing, only that Papa Angel left about an hour ago to head out to your place to see if you all were okay and ready for the storm. I’m guessing he’ll just have to stay there and wait it out with Evan.” Jesse chuckled and poured the milk into a pot.

  Milo, Josh, and Maddy started laughing.

  “Well I guess you have a few house guests until this thing blows over,” Milo said.

  “Yeah. Just don’t put me in a room too close to my dad’s room. I really don’t want to hear anything that may come out of there,” Maddy said and scrunched up his nose.

  “What’s the matter, son? Can’t handle thinking about your dad hearing you and your mates?” Raith said teasingly as he walked in with Aaron and Rory.

  “Oh gods. That, too.” Everyone laughed.

  “Hey. I have a question,” Sage said. “You have a feline mate, which means that you got two, and Maddy, your son, has a feline mate, which means he got two. Do you think it runs in the family and that’s why you both got lucky enough to have a feline mate? Because I would love it if you would adopt me so I can have two, too.” Everyone laughed.

  “I don’t think that’s how it works,” Jesse explained as he broke up chocolate and dropped it in the pot. “Noah’s my brother, and he has two mates, but I don’t, and our father doesn’t. I think fate gives us exactly what we need.”

  “Isn’t Fate your mother?” Sage asked.

  Jesse spun around quickly and looked at him in horror. “How did you know that?”

  “Yeah, Sage, how did you know that? That is a very highly guarded secret,” Raith asked and looked at Sage with narrowed eyes.

  Sage got really nervous and sta
rted biting his bottom lip while he twisted his fingers in his lap.

  “Fate is your mother, Jesse?” Maddy asked in shock.

  “Okay, all of you, listen and listen good, because I am only going to say this once,” Micah said in his alpha voice as he walked in. “No one, and I mean no one, is to ever repeat that or tell another living soul about it. Do I make myself clear?” Micah ordered and waited for everyone to nod. “Good. I order all of you as your alpha to keep that secret. If that information got out to the wrong people, it could be dangerous for all of us.”

  “Yes, Alpha,” was chorused by all.

  Micah turned, and he met Sage’s scared gaze. “How did you find that out, Sage?”

  Sage swallowed thickly and dropped his gaze, looking at his lap. “I was…hiding in the closet…in the club. I wasn’t supposed to be in Shelby’s dressing room, but I was. I just wanted to try on one of his outfits. Then I heard the door and jumped in the closet. Shelby and Xander came in, and they were talking. Then they started…well, you know. I couldn’t very well pop out of the closet on them. So I just stayed there and kept quiet. Then Xander said he would have to thank Fate the next time he saw her, for giving him such a wonderful mate. Then Shelby said he still couldn’t believe that Fate was Jesse’s mother,” Sage explained in his flamboyant way, flailing his arms, twirling his wrists, and rolling his eyes.

  “I’ll have to talk to my men about being more discreet. Not another word about who Jesse’s mother is, Sage. Got it?” Micah gave him a pointed look.

  “Yes, Alpha. I promise. My lips are zipped,” Sage said and made the motion of zipping his lips.

  “So all of you are staying here with us until the storm blows over, I guess?” Micah asked.

  “That’s what Jesse tells us,” Josh answered.

  “Well, while my wonderful mate is making everyone his famous hot chocolate, how about we get you each a room?”

  “Sounds good,” Raith said. “Maddy already put in a request not to be so close to my suite.” Raith started to laugh.