by Fel Fern
Darkfall Mountain Pack 9
Brian’s Freedom
Ever since werewolf A.J. Rogers lost his arm and his boyfriend, he’s become half a man. Worse, he’s half a werewolf, and A.J believes a flawed shifter isn’t any good to anyone. The Darkfall Mountain Pack is A.J’s only family. The wolves are supportive, but A.J. doesn’t want pity and sympathy. He wants to build a home with a mate who doesn’t care about his disability, but he doubts that is still a possibility…until he meets Brian.
Finally free from the humans eager to treat him as a science experiment, Brian Wells isn’t sure if freedom is what he really wants. Scarred inside and out, nothing in the world makes any sense anymore, especially now that Brian can’t return to his old life. Meeting A.J. is exactly what Brian needs. Can he convince the dominant wolf they’re two broken souls perfect for each other?
Genre: Alternative (M/M, Gay), Paranormal, Vampires/Werewolves
Length: 22,319 words
BRIAN'S FREEDOM
Darkfall Mountain Pack 9
Fel Fern
EROTIC ROMANCE
MANLOVE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance ManLove
BRIAN'S FREEDOM
Copyright © 2016 by Fel Fern
E-book ISBN: 978-1-68295-296-2
First E-book Publication: June 2016
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2016 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
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DEDICATION
To my readers, without you I won’t be here.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
About the Author
BRIAN'S FREEDOM
Darkfall Mountain Pack 9
FEL FERN
Copyright © 2016
Chapter One
“We’re still waiting for news from the Silverback pack regarding the humans who’d set up their base near our mountains a month ago. I’m pleased to announce we’ve returned the rescued shifters back to their homes and packs,” Alessio, the Darkfall Mountain pack Beta, was saying.
A.J. listened with half an ear. Four weeks ago, the pack had gotten wind of humans kidnapping and running illegal experiments on shifters near their territory. Scenting his mate, Zack, one of their pack members, had also gone in to aid with the rescues.
Equality laws made by the human government and paranormal council fifty years ago ensured nothing like that happened again. However, living in peace with humans for made it hard to remember their species were at war not long ago.
“We’re looking for volunteers to drive up to Silverback territory and exchange information,” Alessio finished.
Normally, A.J. would have been one of the first to volunteer for any mission that screamed danger and potential bloodshed, but not anymore. Outside the house the pack used for meetings, the full moon, bloated and menacing, shone above the crest of trees. He hated being helpless and useless.
Christ. Not long ago, full moon, A.K.A. mating season, was A.J.’s favorite time of the year. The empty space where his left arm had been a month ago made him sink further in his seat.
These days, his favorite activities included sulking in shadows and recalling all the things he’d never do again, given how far he’d fallen. Once one of the more powerful shifters in the pack that the weaker wolves could rely on, A.J. had become nothing more than a burden.
He’d gotten sick of the pitying looks the others gave him. All of them had been in that fight with the humans Alessio was talking about. No one expected the humans to come equipped with heavy artillery and hired mercenaries. One blast from a bomb scattered silver shards that embedded themselves into his arm, and it was game over.
By the time the injured were sent to a shifter clinic, the poison from the shards had gone too deep. It was either A.J.’s life or his arm. A.J. knew he should be grateful. The pack had been nothing but supportive, and so had his human boyfriend, Kyle. He shouldn’t be prone to suicidal thoughts or wishing he’d died instead. Better to go out with a bang, with a noble death, than being a cripple, a deficient werewolf.
Born on the wrong side of the tracks, A.J. thought he would amount to nothing. When he’d been given the gift of the bite by the Darkfall Mountain pack Gamma, A.J. thought his old life had ended and his new one had begun.
Becoming a werewolf was the best thing that had ever happened to him. The pack became the family he’d never had. A.J. wouldn’t have met Kyle, either, or saved his human, if he hadn’t possessed the supernatural strength and speed to drag Kyle out from underneath a truck.
“A.J.? The meeting ended fifteen minutes ago,” a gentle voice said, interrupting his train of thought.
These days, A.J. would tell anyone to fuck off and leave him alone, but, seeing who it was, he held back his tongue. Michella, the pack Gamma and the werewolf who’d given him the gift of the bite all
those years ago, took the empty seat beside him. Outside, A.J. could hear the other werewolves whooping, cheering, and yipping.
Most of them were probably changing forms, eager to run out into the vast woods surrounding the town of Darkfall Mountain. Mating season was the only time when single werewolves found temporary mating partners for the night, an opportunity for the younger ones to get wild. Envy hit A.J. in the gut. He clenched his hand, breathing hard. He remained silent, forgetting Michella was still beside him.
She’d always possessed that ability, to remain invisible until needed. Although she was younger than him by a few years, the soul peering back at him from those eyes was old. Unlike the others, she didn’t judge or pity him.
“Go home to Kyle, A.J. There’s nothing for you here.”
A.J. jerked back at her words.
“I know.” He let out a bitter laugh. “I’m no longer good to anyone, to you or the pack.”
“That’s not true.”
“You don’t understand what it’s like.”
“None of us do.”
A.J. gritted his teeth, feeling guilty for snapping. He stared at the fluttering sleeve where his arm should have been, glaring at the stump as if flesh and bone could grow back. A werewolf needed all four limbs to run, to chase prey, but A.J. couldn’t even hunt food for himself, much less protect anyone. What a laugh.
“Sorry. You’re right. I’m heading back home. Kyle must be worried.”
“A.J.” She hesitated. “Have you considered Doc’s offer?”
A.J. snarled. He knew she was trying to be helpful, like everyone else, but this was pushing the envelope. What happened to people minding their own business these days?
“An artificial paw like the ones injured dogs use? Give me a fucking break.”
She didn’t flinch from his outburst, only gave him a contemplative look. Finally, Michella nodded, brushing her hand against his shoulder, the one where the stump started. She was one of the few people A.J. knew who didn’t seem to make it a habit to avoid his injury.
If A.J. weren’t gay, he’d have fallen for her already. Then again, Michella had overprotective brothers, brothers who were Alpha and Beta of the pack. Not many males in the pack had the guts to face down Sergio or Alessio.
“I won’t push, but in case you change your mind, we’re always here.”
A.J. gave her a curt nod. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
She walked him out of the pack house and to the parking lot. Thankfully, she’d stopped talking about his disability and asked everyday things.
“How’s Kyle? I haven’t seen him around.”
“He’s good, the usual.”
Another lie, but A.J. couldn’t dump his problems on Michella. As an empath and the pack Gamma, she had plenty of responsibilities on her shoulders. Most of the wolves approached her about their problems, given that she was more reachable and easy to deal with compared to her brothers.
“Did you manage to find the right rings?”
Startled, A.J. paused in fishing out his car keys. Plenty of things weighed heavily on his mind. Michella wasn’t just his mentor or Gamma, she was his friend. A.J. had shut everyone out after the accident, but maybe today had been a rude awakening. Michella knew he was about to propose, but A.J. had put off the engagement after he’d lost his arm.
“I did, but I’m not ready.”
“I see. Give yourself some time. You’re too hard on yourself.” To his surprise, she gave him a quick, sisterly kiss on the cheek.
“Thanks. I will,” A.J. mumbled, a little embarrassed.
Watching her retreating back for a moment, A.J. got into his car and drove home. Playful growls echoed from the woods, making the ache inside him worse. Never again would he feel the earth underneath his four paws, or the wind in his fur while he ran and kept on running, as if he could forget the world and his problems for a little while.
“Reality got a little harder,” A.J. muttered in disgust.
He still wasn’t used to doing things one-handed, but he was slowly adjusting to it. A.J. peered at his cell phone on the dashboard, frowning. Usually Kyle bombarded him with a dozen texts when A.J. didn’t check in. He was going to send Kyle a message but then recalled he only possessed one hand for the wheel.
“Fuck this.” A.J. knew he’d been in an irritable mood on most days, but he couldn’t help himself.
Maybe he needed the power of positive thinking, or to start reading those stupid self-help books some of the pack kept sending his way. Michella mentioning the wedding bands made him realize just how much of an ass he’d been over the past four weeks. A.J. had been a dick, not just to the people he considered his family, but to his boyfriend.
A.J. checked the time. Nine-thirty. Kyle would probably be watching TV in the living room, having finished dinner. A.J. made a quick stop at Kyle’s favorite diner and ordered him a cherry pie before driving back home. For some reason, A.J. felt nervous. Parking the car by the curb in front of their apartment building, he rubbed his sweaty hand on his jeans. Before leaving for the pack meeting, Kyle and he had had a fight—one of their worst—and A.J. had stormed off without listening to Kyle.
“Forgive me, baby, but things are about to change.” Saying the words out loud helped.
With the cherry pie in hand, A.J. got out and headed for the elevator. Once he stepped off on their floor, his nostrils flared. After the accident, A.J.’s wolf had mostly been quiet, too silent. A.J. had begun to panic and thought he’d lost his wolf along with his arm. Now, however, his wolf sat up, sniffing the air as if sensing a threat.
What the hell?
Kyle. Dropping the pie, A.J. practically ran to the unit at the end of the hall. Irrational fear crawled down his spine. Some of his pack mates were against A.J. taking a human for a mate.
For one, humans were fragile and couldn’t defend themselves against a supernatural attack. Two, A.J. couldn’t live with himself knowing Kyle was hurt on his account. A.J. had plenty of enemies, after all. Dropping his keys, A.J. cursed. He heard a moan from inside, definitely Kyle’s.
Pressing his shoulder against the wood, A.J. shoved against the door with all his might. Satisfied as it gave way, A.J. ran in, fangs bared. He might be a one-armed werewolf, but he still had one good hand and his teeth.
Someone let out a scream, not Kyle this time. A.J.’s worry vanished. His eyes took in the awful scene. Kyle was on his knees, sucking a man’s cock in their very own home. A man that was not A.J. Suddenly, all the missing pieces of the puzzle fell into place.
Too preoccupied and unable to come to terms with his injury, A.J. had noticed but not cared that Kyle was often coming home late, working a lot more than before, even on weekends. Kyle had started to smell different, too, his scent mingling with something or someone else’s.
How long had this been going on? Had some part of A.J. known Kyle was cheating on him, but he held on for as long as he could, because he was terrified no one else would want half a ma—hell, half a wolf?
“A.J.” Kyle had the decency to look embarrassed and get up.
The stranger did not, but he gave A.J. a sheepish look. If A.J. had been the bastard, he would have started to sweat. A.J. identified him as human, as prey. His wolf surged up inside him. This fucker had the guts to take what rightfully belonged to them. Seeing red, A.J. edged toward the stranger, fist blurring into claws.
“A.J., wait, Jack—” Kyle faltered at A.J.’s threatening snarl.
“Hey, man. Chill. Wow. Kyle, you said your boyfriend’s a cripple, but you didn’t mention he was a shifter.”
A cripple? A.J. knew what he was, but Jack and Kyle might have conveniently forgotten he could still rip them a new one.
“I have one word for you, bastard.” A.J. flashed Jack his sharp rows of teeth.
He knew Kyle would hate him for this, for reacting so irrationally, but how else could A.J. react? A.J. saw the wedding rings in his mind’s eye. Remembered how he’d gutted his bank account to get them for
a man who’d throw away his love as easily as he gave it.
A.J. grabbed a fistful of Jack’s shirt until the puny human dangled in his arm.
“A.J., let him go,” Kyle shrieked.
Let go. A.J. always had problems holding onto things that had slipped from his grasp a long time ago. While he wanted nothing but to rip Jack a new one, Jack wasn’t worth it.
“Get the fuck out. Both of you,” A.J. added.
Jack tugged at Kyle’s arm. Once upon a time, A.J. believed he’d never hurt Kyle in a million years, but seeing Kyle sucking another man’s cock crossed the line. If the humans didn’t leave, A.J. would resort to something he’d come to regret.
“A.J., let’s talk about this,” Kyle added.
“There’s nothing to talk about. Get out. I don’t want to see your fucking face tonight. Get your things out tomorrow.”
Kyle recoiled, looking pissed. “That’s it, then? We’re over?”
“You did that on your own.”
“No.” Kyle let out a hollow laugh. “Things started to turn bad between us even before the accident. You’re just too blind to see it. Jack, we’re going.”
Hearing the front door slam behind them, A.J. stared at the space where Kyle had been for a couple of seconds. It wasn’t too late to run to Kyle, beg his forgiveness, and start over. A.J. clenched his fist. No point denying the truth. A.J. bought the wedding bands as a last resort, a quick solution to save his failing relationship.
Staying put was one of the hardest things he’d ever done, even worse than waking up in a hospital bed and realizing his life was over. Kyle’s betrayal was the final nail in his coffin, and it confirmed A.J. had nothing else going for him. First, his limb ensured he’d lost his usefulness to the pack. Then, he’d lost Kyle, too. Death really started to sound like the better alternative.
