by Jo Penn
Thankfully, Milo said they were here and parked the car along the side of the wide dirt road. Not sure about this, Finn climbed out and looked around. Deserted, desolate even, nothing around but dirt and trees. He guessed this could be a setup, but he didn’t get the feeling Milo was deceitful, rather the guy had been getting pissed off with Tristian lurking around and leading Milo intro traps.
Besides, if Milo thought Finn was defenseless, the coyote was about to learn a thing or two.
“There he is.” Milo pointed across the deserted road. “Getting out of town.”
Finn followed where Milo pointed and saw Tristian step out of thick bush a short distance away. The bear sniffed the air and glanced over, eyes narrowing. Finn felt a little light headed for a moment. It had been so very long since he’d seen Tristian, or been close to the man. And now he understood what they were to one another, all Finn wanted was to hold him, say he was sorry and be together.
“You’re here,” he whispered and hurried over to the scruffy, grumpy, gorgeous creature in front of them who didn’t look at all happy to see Finn.
“Fuck, great, just what I don’t need.” The grumpy gorgeous creature turned away and began walking down the long dirt road.
“You’re such a grouchy little sun bear!” Finn retorted, so happy to see his cranky bear and worried at the same time. After all, there was a large group of Renegades close by.
“What are you? A stalker?” Tris grouched. “Just leave me the hells alone and go back to your wolf.”
“Why are you so difficult?” Finn exclaimed, hurrying to catch up to his wayward mate. “Okay, okay, I messed up, I understand that.” He grabbed hold of Tristian’s arm and managed to get his grouchy mate to stop and look at him, without the sun bear trying to maul him. “I didn’t know, Tris! I wasn’t accustomed to creature ways, and honestly, you are such a contrary little thing, one moment you’re snarling at me, the next letting me close—oh shit!” Damn, the cavalry had arrived quickly.
Tristian smiled slowly, not a happy smile, canines sliding down a little, which he licked. “Setting me up, seer? I’ll admit, the wolves were good, distracting me, driving me back into the bush, I should have been paying more attention. So what happens now?”
Wincing at the particularly rude tone to his mate’s voice, Finn let go of Tristian’s arm when the bear shrugged him off and glanced over at Urian. Enforcer Drax Charmers was here also, as was Kelly Crane, the pack’s beta, and a large group of wolves, some fae and Alliance soldiers who are a mix of all different creatures.
Finn turned back to Tristian and gave a bright smile. “We need to talk, Tris. I can explain—”
“Yeah, you do that, golden boy,” Tristian muttered.
“You’re not helping. And believe me, you’re going to have some explaining to do also, so I’d drop the grouchy attitude,” Finn retorted and smiled at Urian. “So, this is Tristian –”
“I’m explaining nothing. I’m out of here.”
Finn went to stop Tristian and was growled at as pointed, sharp long claws took a swipe at him. It was fortunate he had such quick reflexes. Otherwise, he’d be paying a fortune to the witches and wizards for some healing masks and potions.
Urian moved fast, as did Drax. Urian grabbed Finn and moved him away while Drax picked up Tristian and stepped back. Finn found himself annoyed over that. No, furious. No one should be grabbing his bear but him! With a snarl at the big legendary wolf, Finn glared, his aqua eyes lighting up brightly and with his unique seer magic, he sent a mental push of energy that sent the Enforcer stumbling away from Tristian.
“Whoa, mate, settle down, Drax won’t harm the creature.” Urian hugged Finn close, sniffing deeply. “Drax, cuff the bear.”
“No! What the hells, man?” Finn pushed away from Urian, stunned. “What are you doing?”
“What am I doing?” Urian said thoughtfully. “Fulfilling the High Council decree. Tristian Le Faye is to be taken into protective custody. If he does not comply, he is to be arrested and will face a Council board. I have pack and Alliance soldiers out here putting their lives at risk to stop La Faye from being captured by Renegades and used as a weapon against us. So right now I don’t have time to be pleasant and sweet. If Tristian doesn’t agree to come with us now, he’ll be arrested.”
Ah, shit. Urian had a valid point. Finn couldn’t find fault with his mate’s reasoning. Tristian had known they were searching for him and deliberately kept away. Finn grimaced, watching as Urian turned away and strode over to Tristian.
“He’s wily, this sacred sun bear,” Milo commented, scratching his chin. “A sacred creature is meant to be able to lead an army, of sorts, more like a group, to either victory or destruction, whichever he or she is inclined…that one seems a bit more inclined toward the destruction side, no offense, Finn.”
“None taken, he’s a grouchy little shit, but he’s mine.” Finn grinned when he got a lip curl from the creature in question. “Come on, care bear, let’s hug it out!”
Yeah, it was fun to tease his grouchy mate, though it usually meant he got snapped at and kicked out bed for the night. Receiving a droll look from Urian, Finn shrugged and smiled.
“Not helping, Finn.”
Finn sighed at Tristian’s growl. “Oh stuff the growl, you’re about as menacing as a Leprechaun, who really aren’t a threat as they don’t have much magic, believe me. I mean, come on, you look like you’ve been sleeping in a ditch and haven’t eaten for two and a half months. And what did you do to your hair this time? Don’t worry, a bubble bath and—”
“Finn, we’ve spoken about thinking before speaking.” Urian moved to stand in front of their sun bear. “Hello, mate.”
Beautiful, unusual big blueberry colored eyes stared mutinously up at Urian. With a snide little smile, Tristian tossed the handcuffs Drax had snapped on him at the Alpha’s feet. Urian glanced down at them then back at Tristian and quirked a brow.
Finn humphed. “I can explain all this. He won’t…holy crap, how many are there?”
Creatures wandered out of the forest around them, all scruffy looking, tired and curious. Tristian grumbled something under his breath then pointed at Urian.
“There. You’re the Alpha, you’ve got a responsibility to take care of the lost and helpless.” He glared at the scruffy group. “I brought you to him. He’ll sort you out. I’m out of here and stop following me every-frigging-where!”
Tristian didn’t even get a step. Urian reached out and snagged the little grouch by the back of the neck and halted the menace. When the wolf went to take a deeper sniff, he got growled at.
“Yeah, you keep that up, and I’ll put you over my knee, mate.” Urian scratched his cheek, looking at the creatures around them. “What am I meant to do with them?”
Tristian tried shaking Urian off, and when that didn’t work, he pretty much stomped his foot and glared at the ground mutely.
“You’ve got to find them somewhere safe to live,” Finn said helpfully. “It happens all the time. Tris is like the piped piper except he doesn’t drown the rats. Nor does he have a pipe, thankfully. If he did, Tris would just play some miserable tune or other until we lost our hearing.”
Urian marched Tristian to Drax. “Hold him.”
Tristian tensed and hissed at Drax which made Finn upset, and he used his energy to push again. This time the Enforcer wolf was prepared and didn’t budge.
“Easy, darlin’.” Urian tugged Finn into his arms and breathed in his scent. “Why don’t you see if you can change our mate’s mind about coming with us of his own free will?”
“Where are the Renegades?” Finn asked worriedly.
“Close, very close. Last report, about five minutes away. They’ll get through, so we need to move out of here fast. I would prefer Tristian came voluntarily, and that he understands that by deciding not to, he is placing everyone in danger.”
“Hmm, but when has anyone helped him? Everyone just wants to use him for what he is, babe. After a few
hundred years, I’d get testy, too.”
“True, but right now he has a choice. Come with us willingly, or go to the High Council and get locked up in protection.”
Finn so didn’t want that! He wanted his mate close, to work this all out. “But there are rules. Mates cannot be interfered with, they are meant to be together. If there are problems, then the mateship rules apply—”
“True, all true, and I’ve argued with Emile while you were on your way here with Milo. Everything is different because of who Tristian is. They cannot stop us seeing him and building a connection between us, but he has to be protected—”
“Then protect at the pack!” Finn argued, stunned that the High Council could take away their mate.
“Yeah, I explained that…but how many creatures are going to be in danger, angel? We’ll be trying to protect and stop Tristian leaving. Until he agrees, I can’t be sure he won’t try something and place everyone in danger. I have an entire pack and valley of creatures to consider. If that means I need to step down from my position and go with you and Tristian to wherever the High Council deems safe, then that’s what we’ll do.”
This wasn’t good. So many creatures and humans needed Urian, relied upon him. Finn swore, and giving Urian a quick kiss, hurried over to Tristian who was looking tired and grumpy.
“You heard all that. Are you really going to put everyone in danger? Are you going to make Uri give up his pack and the valley full of creatures who need him?”
Tristian glared at Finn but remained mute. The creature was so stubborn! Finn took a deep breath and tried another tactic.
“I was wrong, Tris, I know that. But are you going to punish me and everyone else just because of my mistake? Because I didn’t understand and might just have needed time? And maybe you let your emotions get in the way. Are you going to do that to all of us?”
Tristian frowned, blueberry eyes flicking away to where Urian was busy orchestrating the removal of the followers and getting the soldiers ready for a possible attack. Finn waited patiently. He knew he could never walk away from Tristian again, that he would go where Tristian went if the man refused to go with them to the Starter’s pack. But his heart would break for all that Urian would give up because being the upstanding person Uri was, he would go and protect his mates, stay with them and leave behind what he loved and worked so hard for all these years.
“Fine, whatever, I don’t care.” Tristian crossed his arms and hunched. “It’s your fault the Renegades found me. If you hadn’t hired that useless private investigator—”
“Hey! I found you, sacred bear, which was no easy feat!”
Tristian ignored Milo’s interruption. “I would have stayed under their radar.”
Finn nodded, smiling. “Rubbish. You were always on their radar. And Milo’s the best in the business. Not great, mind you, it took him long enough to actually do what I paid him for, but it’s all worked out. So, babe, how have you been? What have you been up to? Did you sleep in a ditch last night?”
“I’m not going anywhere you’re going,” Tristian grumbled.
“Oh, don’t be like that. And you just agreed. Can’t go back on your word.” Finn flashed a happy grin. “We’ve got so much to catch up on! Don’t worry, I kept all the clothes I bought you—”
“Kill. Me.” The bear growled.
“Testy,” Finn retorted.
Finn was so happy he could burst, and as he couldn’t hug Tris, the bear was irritated still, that was evident, he just grinned and called out to his other mate.
“Tristian’s coming with us, Urian. Let’s get out of here.”
Uri glanced over and nodded.
“Is there anything you need to collect before we go?” Drax asked Tris impatiently.
“No.”
“He carries everything in that backpack. Are we going via a fae portal?”
“Yeah…” Drax went still and quiet, cocking his head to the side. “Too late, they’re here.”
There was no time to get to safety as the first wave of attacks hit them.
* * * *
Fire rained down on them from all sides as bullets splintered the air and bodies. Tristian hit the dirt with a large wolf body covering his and wanted to curse the creature for being so frigging stupid! Renegades may shoot him, but it’d be a minor wound as they wanted Tris alive. Whereas they wouldn’t give a shit about Finn, Urian, and any of the annoying followers.
Jerking the wolf off him, Tris looked around for Finn and saw his golden mate with a large knife in hand fighting a shifter. For a moment Tristian was mesmerized by how the seer moved, like a dancer or gymnast moving with agility and skill to avoid the claws, fangs, and weapons that were coming at him. Finn slammed a fist into the creature face, and with a roundhouse kick, sent the gun the shifter was about to fire at him sailing through the air a foot away. Then with speed, Finn took hold of the shifter and thrust the knife deep into the man’s chest.
Tristian knew his eyes were wide and he slammed his mouth shut. Hells, he was aware that Finn could fight, but until actually seeing his mate in action, Tris hadn’t realized just how good Finn was.
“Give me one of your guns, Enforcer,” Tris growled at the wolf still shielding him. He thought the big creamy haired dude’s name was Drax, but he didn’t know him so would just stick to Enforcer.
“No way. Stay down and stay put. The soldiers will have the Renegades under control—”
Tris didn’t bother to argue. He’d learned young how to sneak and use sleight of hand without any effort. He snagged one of the guns at the Enforcer’s waist. Rolling, he slipped out from beneath the big guy who was half covering him while trying to inch closer to Finn. It was a good move. Shield one mate and reach out and snag the other, drag him over. But Tris had never been one to let someone else be harmed on his account and wasn’t going to hide away now.
Jumping up, he hunched and ran over to Finn, firing at some guy dressed in camouflage.
“Tris! That’s one of the good guys!” Finn exclaimed, jerking Tris down behind bolders when he was within reach.
Tris winced. “Shit. Sorry about that, but stay the fuck out of the way!”
It was a small flesh wound, but the soldier was pissed and flopped down on the other side of them. “I’m wearing an Alliance soldier uniform, hard to mix me up with a stinky Renegade.”
The guy was hot! He wore a dozen earrings in one ear, a sniper rifle was tossed carelessly over his shoulder and he had a trim, slight muscular figure. Tris liked the eyeliner.
“Will you stop drooling,” Finn snapped and jerked Tris’s face around. “Drax, what’s the situation?”
“Uri has west and east covered. Visij is pushing the Renegades back in the South. I need to organize the North. So stay low. Dene will cover you and no, don’t shoot the bear shifter, we need him unharmed.”
“Why?” The frigging hot short dude with bright blue eyeliner frowned at Drax, perplexed.
“Man, why do I always get lumped with you?” Drax took a deep breath. “That’s the sacred bear. He’s also Urian and Finn’s mate.”
“Oh, shame. I don’t usually go for guys my height, but I’d make an exception—”
“Will you two stop it!” Finn poked Dene in the chest. “Listen you, keep your eyes on the Renegades and off my mate. You want to shoot someone, aim for the Renegades firing at us.”
“Cool.”
Tris could see a whole lot of issues surrounding the part shifter, but he’d figure that out later. Right now, he had to stop anyone else from getting hurt, and that meant using his gift. Finn pulled a gun out from inside the thick parka he wore and took up position on one side, Dene on the other while Drax, dropping onto his stomach, moved a few feet away and began firing. Tristian waited, taking everything in around him. Dene, the sharpshooter, was set up with unbreakable concentration and a shooting skill that impressed and alarmed Tris all at the same time. Finn was pretty good with a gun, too, dropping a few creatures when they got too close. D
rax was busy protecting them, ordering soldiers about on his radio and shooting.
Tristian began letting his gift out and directed it toward the Renegades. He whispered and locked eyes. Even from a distance the power of his gift captured attention and sucked others into his thrall, bending them to his will. He ignored Finn when the seer caught on to what Tris was doing and began worrying over Tris being hurt. This was child’s play as long as he was covered. Entrancing others when he was fighting and distracted was a lot harder, and he had yet to develop any real skill in that area. This though, hiding behind large rocks and being protected, drawing the Renegades out, was tiring but a skill he had worked to develop. He’d often used his gift to direct creatures who got too close in their hunt for him off in other directions and never realizing how close they’d actually come.
Now he drew them out and like a zombie apocalypse without the groaning and going for creature’s brains, they all lay on the ground and tossed their weapons aside. It was more tiring than usual as there were so many of them, a lot resistant, and others covered in magic to stop his influence. Still, he battled to keep looking around, locking eyes, whispering and spreading his gift on the breeze. By the time he had fifteen Renegades prostrate on the ground, the good guys were winning, and the Renegades were retreating.
Tristian was exhausted.
“You did great, själ.” Finn eased Tristian against his chest, lightly stroking his arms.
“Yeah?” He didn’t want to sound needy, but hells, it was so long since he could lean on anyone, trust someone.
His followers were loyal, but they needed him for support and direction, and since his family was killed and he was hunted, he found it hard to trust. Finn, he’d wanted to, but then Tris was rejected, and all this hurt and need to protect himself drove him away…maybe he’d been wrong? Maybe he’d reacted instead of staying around and sorting it out.
Urian appeared before him. “Your followers are safe. You’re safe. Rest, I’ll take care of everything.”
