Underneath

by Maggie Walsh

  “What do you mean you saw? Did you see inside his memories, Micah?” Dante asked in concern.

  Micah nodded. “I don’t know how Taylor projected it to just me, or if he even knows he did, but I saw everything. I heard everything. Taylor left quite a bit out of his descriptions as he told everyone in the room what was happening. But I suppose he did it to spare everyone some pain. But I saw it all.” Micah’s eyes met Dante’s again. “I don’t know how that little boy survived all the years of abuse he endured. No one should have to go through even one of the beatings he took. And if he makes it through this, then what? He didn’t have these memories before. What will they do to him now that he remembers?”

  “You will continue to show him the love you have for him. You will continue to help him and make him feel safe and protected. And we will all be here to help both of you,” Dante said. Micah’s eyes closed. He nodded reluctantly and dropped his head back down.

  Dante stood up and held out his hand. “Come on, my friend. Let’s get some food into you and then we’ll take it from there.” Micah looked up at Dante’s offered hand, grabbed it, and stood up. Dante leaned down, picked up the tray, and straightened up.

  “Jesse needs to eat, not me. But thanks for bringing it,” Micah said, and grabbed the doorknob.

  “Well, you can give this to Jesse, but I’m going down to get more for you. You need to eat, too. Don’t argue with me,” Dante added when it looked like Micah was going to fight him.

  They stepped into Micah’s bedroom and Jesse sat on the bed staring straight ahead. His eyes were void of all emotion. Occasionally he would blink but there was still nothing behind those beautiful eyes of his. Noah sat on one side of Jesse and brushed his hair, and Rory sat on the other side reading a book to him. They both stopped when they saw the duo approach.

  “Good, Jesse need eat,” Noah said and nodded at the tray. “Make brother better?” Noah looked at Micah questioningly.

  Micah and Dante looked at Noah in confusion for a moment. Micah closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He let it out slowly and opened his eyes. He looked right at Noah. “I wish I could, Noah. But I don’t know what to do to bring your brother out of this,” he said softly.

  “What?” Rory asked in shock.

  “How did you find out, Noah?” Micah asked.

  His eyes filled with tears and he ran his hand down Jesse’s hair. He swallowed. “Jesse, tell me. Ryland father. Jesse half-brother,” Noah explained.

  “Yes, Noah. Jesse is your half-brother,” Micah said. “Let me feed him and then get him ready for bed and then I’ll come find you, Dante. Will you stay until I’m done?”

  “Of course. I’ll wait for you in the kitchen,” Dante said, and placed the tray on the foot of the bed. He took one last look at Jesse then turned and left.

  “Noah, after I get him settled would you come back and sit with him so I can speak with Dante?” Micah asked as he picked up the tray and sat on the bed, facing Jesse.

  “Yes, Micah. I like that,” he said with a soft smile.

  Noah and Rory climbed off the bed and walked to the door. They looked back and saw Micah bringing a spoon up to Jesse’s lips, coaxing him gently. “Come on, baby, open up. You need to eat for me, my love.” Jesse’s mouth opened slightly and Micah fed him the soup. Noah and Rory turned away and left.

  * * * *

  Christian walked into Raffy’s bathroom and went to the sink. He turned on the faucet, cupped water in his hands, and splashed it on his face. He shook off his hands and turned off the water. He grabbed the hand towel and dried his hands and face. “Where are you, angel?” he whispered, burying his face in the towel and inhaling deeply. He could smell his mate on the soft cloth.

  His head snapped up when he heard a soft noise. If it wasn’t for his wolf hearing he probably wouldn’t have heard it. He closed his eyes and listened. He heard it again. There was a soft scratching noise. He turned his head from side to side as his eyes swept the bathroom looking for the source. He heard it again and his head snapped to the closed linen closet. He took a step toward it and heard a soft meow. He stopped in his tracks and tilted his head in confusion as he stared at the door. He walked to the door, slowly grabbed the handle, and quickly flung the door open, ready to attack whatever lay inside. He brought himself up as the shock hit him at what he was seeing.

  A cat. A black cat sat at his feet and lifted its paw at him. “Who are you, little fella? You are a fella, right?” Christian asked. The cat raised its paw again and swiped at him playfully. “I’ll take that as a yes,” Christian said, and squatted down. He slowly reached out his hand and scratched behind the cat’s ear. He could feel the vibrations from the cat’s purr as well as hear it. The cat rubbed its head against Christian’s hand and meowed again. Christian picked the cat up and stood. “How did you get here, little guy? Was my mate hiding you in here?” The cat purred again. “Raffy disappeared two days ago, you must be hungry.” The cat meowed and swiped its paw at him again. “I’ll take that as a yes, too. Too bad you can’t talk and tell me where my mate is,” Christian said with a sigh.

  The cat meowed loudly and swiped at Christian. “What is it, buddy?” Christian asked in confusion, and gave the cat a look when it appeared to roll its eyes at him. The cat started to wiggle in his arms. It jumped away from him, landed on the floor, took off across the room, and ran out the door.

  Christian took off after the cat and saw its tail disappear around the doorframe into the hall. He quickened his pace to keep up with the little guy.

  Christian followed the cat down the hall and to the stairs. The cat ran down the stairs and Christian kept up the chase. “Hey, little buddy, where you going?” Christian called out as he took off down the back hall toward the kitchen. He ran into the kitchen and spotted the cat as it jumped on the counter of the center island and sat down. Lexi, Crew, and Taylor were sitting there eating when the cat jumped up and sat right in front of them.

  “What the hell is that?” Crew asked in astonishment.

  “I know you’re not familiar with pussies, Crew, but come on. Dude, it’s a cat,” Lexi said as he shook his head.

  “I know it’s a cat. But where did it come from?” Crew asked.

  “It came from Raffy’s closet,” Christian answered as he joined them at the counter.

  “I didn’t know Raff had a cat,” Crew said.

  “Neither did I until just now,” Christian said.

  “He is a cute little one, isn’t he?” Taylor said, and reached over to scratch his head. The cat purred and rubbed his head against Taylor’s hand.

  Dante walked into the kitchen with Raith, Aaron, and Rory. “What do you have there, guys?” Dante asked as he came closer.

  “It’s a black cat, Raith,” Rory cried out in shock.

  “Well, Rory’s eyes work.” Crew snickered. “Ouch!” he cried as Lexi and Taylor both smacked the back of his head. Crew glared at them.

  The cat looked at Rory and meowed. He sat back on his hind legs, brought his paws up, and swiped them in Rory’s direction.

  “I think he wants you, Rory,” Dante said.

  Rory stepped forward and reached out for the cat with a shaky hand. “Are you the one, kitty? Are you my familiar?” he asked. The cat meowed and shook his head. The collar jingled and Rory nervously touched the glass ball hanging from it. The cat meowed again and shook its head.

  “Remember what Tom said, Rory, the collar?” Raith asked, and stepped up behind his mate and placed a hand on his hip.

  Rory reached around to the clasp of the collar and the cat bowed its head. Rory removed the collar, brought it in front of his face, and stared at it.

  Micah slowly came into the room and walked past them. He went to the fridge and opened the door. Grabbing a juice bottle, he closed the door and turned. His eyes fell on the cat on the counter and he froze. He looked at Raith and raised a brow.

  “We think its Rory’s familiar,” Raith explained. Micah came closer.

 
Aaron rubbed Rory’s arm. “Baby boy, you need to open the charm,” he whispered.

  Rory brought the charm closer to his face and started reading the words. “Vestri posterus est hic. Potentiam tuam Et nunc tua. Et modo est libero. What does that mean?” Rory asked.

  “Your future lies here. Your power is now yours. He is now free,” Dante translated. Everyone looked at him and he shrugged. “I’m over two thousand years old. I’m Italian, I know my Latin, so sue me,” he said with a smirk.

  The cat closed his eyes and his body started to shimmer. A bright light engulfed him and then dimmed. A beautiful, naked, Asian man sat on the counter. He had long, straight, black hair and golden skin, and his eyes were a beautiful teal color. He stretched out his body like a cat. He opened his eyes and looked at Rory, then smiled. “Rory, I am Adam, and I am your familiar. It is wonderful to see you again. Thank you for finally freeing me.” His voice was soft, but not feminine. It wasn’t exactly masculine either, it was almost ethereal. “Your powers are now yours. Repeat after me. Pater ad me sol,” he started, and Rory repeated each line.

  “Pater ad me sol, terra mater at sorer luna. Ignis, aqua, terra, aer, iubeo. Veniat ad me,” Rory said, and looked to Dante.

  “Come to me, father sun, mother earth, and sister moon. Fire, water, soil, and air, do my bidding. Come to me,” Dante translated.

  Everyone looked at Rory, expecting something to happen. Adam tilted his head. “Have you met both your mates and been claimed?” he asked.

  “Yes,” Rory answered.

  “Do you wish to have your powers?” Adam asked.

  “Yes, I do,” Rory answered. Suddenly Rory took in a deep breath and his eyes closed. His body fell back against Raith. Raith wrapped his arms around him and held him up. Aaron grabbed his hands and held them tight. Rory’s eyes snapped open and they were now yellow. He looked at Aaron and then turned his head to look at Raith.

  “Your eyes, baby. They’re yellow,” Raith said in awe.

  “Only because his power has just entered him. It will fade once his power settles inside him. But it will return when he uses it,” Adam explained. He felt eyes on him and turned his head. The man was watching him. He smiled. “Hello, I am Adam.”

  “Hi, I’m Crew. You do realize you’re sitting there naked, right?”

  Adam smiled. “Yes.” He giggled.

  “Sorry about that,” Dante said, and pulled the sweater he was wearing up over his head. He handed it to Adam. “Here you go.” He still wore a T-shirt.

  Adam smiled at him as he accepted the offered item. “Thank you, Prince.”

  Dante’s brows rose in surprise. “You know who I am?”

  “Oh yes, I know who you all are. I had been watching you all until Raphael found me and brought me in. Then he told me wonderful stories about all of you,” Adam explained.

  “You were watching us? For how long?” Raith asked.

  “Not long. I was following Rory. When you and Aaron brought him home from the hospital, I snuck into the back of your truck. Then when you brought him here and took him inside, I stayed outside. I watched you all through the windows until that man found me and tried to take me.” Adam shuddered.

  “What man?” Rory asked.

  “Your former man. The dickhead, Tom. He found me and tried to grab me but I got away. Then he tried to shoot me, but thankfully he missed. I jumped up on the overhang and crawled along it until I found an open window. That’s when I met Raphael. He was sitting at the open window and he brought me inside. He has been keeping me safe since.”

  “Thank gods for Raffy,” Aaron whispered.

  “Yes,” Adam said, smiling at him. “He is a wonderful man. Such a pure soul in him, only good. He is a very strong omega to have been able to converse with me in my cat form. Only very powerful beings can do that.”

  “Raffy could talk to you when you were a cat?” Christian asked.

  Adam turned to look at him. “Oh yes, Christian. We had so many wonderful conversations. Most of them were about you.” Adam blushed. “From the moment he met you, he loved how patient and understanding you were with him. He loved you from the first time you spoke to him.” Christian’s eyes filled with tears. “Upstairs you said that Raphael was gone. Surely you are mistaken. He would never leave you.”

  “He’s missing. Along with his two brothers,” Christian answered.

  “What?” Micah growled. Everyone turned in his direction. “What the hell do you mean they are missing?”

  “Micah, calm down. Raith and I have been doing everything we can do to find them. Your boys and mine have been searching everywhere,” Dante answered calmly.

  “Is this what you wanted to discuss with me?” Micah asked.

  “Yes,” Dante answered.

  “Shit,” Micah said, and ran his hands through his hair. “What else are we going to have thrown at us? First Jesse and now this.”

  “Maybe you can locate them with your power, Alpha? It is strong within you,” Adam asked.

  “I can try but I don’t think it will be strong enough. It wasn’t easy to find Rory when Tom took him,” he said, and shook his head then sighed. “I’ll try it.”

  “Oh no, Alpha. Your power is very strong. Very, very strong. Trust me, try it,” Adam coaxed with a smile.

  Micah closed his eyes and concentrated on Gabriel first. Immediately a picture entered his mind. Gabriel was lying in a cage in what looked like a cave. He was unconscious and bleeding, but Micah could tell he was still breathing. His eyes flew open. “He’s in a cage, in some cave, and he’s hurt.”

  “What?” Taylor jumped up. “Where? Where is my man, Micah? And who has him? I will rip their eyeballs out through their assholes and then feed them to them.”

  “He could do that, too,” Adam leaned in toward Rory and whispered. Everyone looked at him in shock. “What? Surely you all know he is the guardian by now. There is great power in this house. His power is the strongest and with Raphael’s powers also present, I’m surprised all your powers haven’t shown up yet.”

  “Not all of us have reached the maturity of our powers yet,” Micah said.

  Adam laughed softly. “It doesn’t matter. Raphael’s omega power alone should kick-start all your powers, especially now that he has been claimed. What your kind still doesn’t understand is that yes, an omega’s powers can help a pack to be stronger. It doesn’t happen by all the members having sex with them, or even just the Alpha. It boosts their powers just from having an omega being in a pack. And if an omega is born within a pack, that pack is very lucky. The gods knew that pack would need that extra boost to preserve itself someday. So the gods had the omega birthed to that pack. The happier an omega is, the stronger their power is. Which in turn, the stronger the pack is. As the omega’s powers grow, the pack starts to gain their powers, even before they would normally develop. Your powers form when you hit three hundred, correct?” Micah nodded at him.

  “With an omega in the pack they would start sooner. And with a pack-birthed omega, the pack’s powers would develop as soon as he or she had their first shift and their powers started. Every pack member who has already gone through their first shift would start to gain their powers. For the cubs it would be slower. Like your aging process. You age normally as a human would, but when you hit twenty-five the aging process almost stops. But that is when the powers would kick in. That’s if the omega was happy. If the omega was not happy, or abused, then the pack would suffer. They would expect to have their powers at the three-hundredth anniversary of their birth, but nothing would happen or it would take longer for their powers to come to them and develop. It is a punishment from the gods.

  “Omegas are gifts from the gods and if that gift is treated poorly, then the pack would suffer for it. Once an omega is claimed by their true mate, their powers become stronger, and if the omega was also allowed to claim their true mate, then those powers would become immense, especially if the omega was happy. Technically, Raphael was born into the Angel pack, i
nto this pack. Your birth pack was always meant to be your pack, Alpha, and the gods birthed an omega to you, a great gift. It took a long time for that gift to find its way to you, but now that it has reached its rightful destination and it has been claimed and was allowed to claim its true mate and is very happy, all your pack should be developing their powers now.

  “Then there’s the boost of the true guardians powers. Each omega is given special powers. Each omega is different, just like you all will have different powers. But the guardian has been given all omega powers. You should all be coming into your powers soon if you haven’t already started feeling them. And you, Alpha, your power should be at its peak and new ones developing,” Adam finished.

  “Holy shite,” Taylor whispered in shock.

  “So those asswipes in Raffy’s birth pack that treated him horribly and abused him actually never developed their powers?” Lexi asked.

  “Probably not,” Adam said.

  “I’m a little confused. Aren’t all omegas born into a pack? So what’s the difference of a pack-birthed omega?” Aaron asked.

  Adam giggled. “Yes, all omegas are born into a pack, but what a pack-birthed omega means is they have blood ties to the pack. Raphael is an omega with blood ties to the Alpha. The Angel pack is one of the original packs from the start of the wolf shifter. It has been passed down from generation to generation to the first born son,” Adam explained.

  “So my father’s pack is powerless?” Micah asked.

  “No, not powerless. If they already developed a power then they still have it, but no new powers would be given to that pack. And if a member who already had powers wasn’t nice to the omega, then their powers would weaken. But a member who was good to the omega would keep the strength of their power and possibly develop more. But if the omega was miserable or abused, even someone who was nice to them wouldn’t have their powers grow in strength,” Adam answered.

  “So this is why I could see inside Jesse,” Micah whispered absently to himself.