Battle for a Mates Heart

by Raven Darkwing

  “Sammy?” Ricky sighed, “She should have saved herself and let the bastard take me instead. At least she could fight. Her brother made sure she could handle herself, which was hard to do under Alpha Clifton’s rule. Females had one purpose, and it wasn’t fighting.” Sparky saw a shudder run through the human as he continued to swirl the coffee in his cup for a moment before he took a sip.

  “I haven’t seen your friend Jake around, but I’m sure if you wanted to see him, I could give him the secret password to come over here and breach the castle walls.” The mechanic swore he could feel the loneliness seeping from the man across from him as Ricky shook his head.

  “We actually weren’t that close before, he just felt sorry for what was happening to me. Besides, I’m sure he’s spending his time trying to find his sister.”

  “Look,” Sparky placed his hand on Ricky’s arm, “I know we had kind of a rocky start, and heaven knows I’m not the best person to tell you how to fix things with your mate, but I do understand where you’re coming from.”

  Ricky slammed his fist on the table, “How could you understand? How can anyone? I lived through it, and I can’t wrap my head around it. I should have been stronger. When they killed…” the human swallowed and took a deep breath, “when they killed my boyfriend, I should have grabbed Sandy and run as far as I could, but I didn’t. I let them do things to me, things no being should allow.”

  Sparky crossed his arms over his chest. “So, you think I’m weak?”

  “What? No!” Ricky stuttered.

  The mechanic took a deep breath before he continued, “I know most people think I’m out and proud,” Sparky glanced up at the slight chuckle he heard from across the table.

  He tried to glare at the man but couldn’t keep it up as he glanced down and remembered he’d grabbed his gay pride T-shirt, complete with a vibrant rainbow across the front. “Okay, so I maybe shout I’m gay, but I wasn’t always like this. In fact, I was so deep in the closet I let my ex-boyfriend make me his own personal sex toy.”

  Sparky took another sip of coffee and smiled sadly at the man sitting across from him. “I figured out I was gay when the boys on the football team at my high school made me hot under the collar. Oh, I tried to date girls, mostly because in my pack it was not only discouraged but would be grounds for banishment. I had to keep up the pretense and for a while, I could, but when my mother started talking about the alpha’s daughter’s interest in me for a mate, well, let’s just say I had to finally admit I’d rather mate with the alpha’s son.”

  “Ouch, so were you banished?” Ricky asked.

  “I never even got a chance to pack. One moment, I was living in a nice home with one of the most reputable families in the pack, and the next, I was homeless with only the clothes on my back.” Sparky shrugged, as he remembered the day he’d been thrown out. It had hurt at the time, but over the years, he’d learned to live with it. Besides, it wasn’t like he was the only shifter to live through the bigotry of some packs.

  The human leaned forward, “I’m sorry, Sparky. I know what it’s like to have your family turn on you. My dad,” he paused and rubbed at one of the light-colored scars on his arm, “well, my dad never accepted me because he blamed me for my mother’s death. But when he found out I liked boys, it got even worse. If Maria hadn’t come along, I don’t think I would have made it.”

  “She was your father’s Semme’ mate, right?” Sparky asked.

  “Yeah, she was a shifter, and I guess on her way to mate with Alpha Clifton when she met my father. It was nice for a few years, but then my dad discovered me with my boyfriend,” Ricky swallowed and looked back down at his coffee cup.

  His knuckles were almost white as they clutched the handle of the cup. Sparky placed his hand on Ricky’s arm until the human looked up. “My dad tried to kill me, but Maria got in the way. He didn’t mean to kill her, and when he saw what he’d done, he turned the gun on himself.” The human stopped to angrily wipe a tear from his cheek, “The last thing she asked me to do was to take care of Sandy. I promised her I would…”

  “And you’ve done a great job!” Sparky interjected. “I know you think you failed her, but you didn’t. You were young and alone with a small child, a pup no less. Anyone in the same situation would have done what you did. You just lucked out and got into a pack run by the world’s largest dick.”

  Ricky shrugged. “I could have left—I should have left sooner,” he said more forcefully.

  “And I should have been six inches taller and built like a brick house. Look, kid, sometimes things just get out of our control for a bit. I stayed with my abusive ex-boyfriend for years before I managed to escape, and believe me, it wasn’t easy.”

  The mechanic paused and swallowed before he continued, “He used his mind mojo on me and basically made me into his own little pet. The man became the Dom from hell, and I’d still be under his influence if his real mate hadn’t dumped me along the road out of town.”

  “I’m sorry,” Ricky said as he laid his hand on the shifter’s arm.

  Sparky placed his hand over Ricky’s and looked directly into the sad hazel eyes across from him, “It wasn’t a cakewalk for you to get away either. Jake told me how he found a way to finally help you, but he also told me Alpha Clifton ruled with an iron fist. Anyone who got in his way was either killed or disappeared.”

  “I know, but I should never have accepted his mark. If I hadn’t, I could have walked away,” Ricky continued.

  “Sorry, kiddo, but even if you hadn’t accepted his mark, you would have been trapped. From what I understand, he would have just imprisoned you sooner. As soon as he realized what Sandy might mean to him and his visions of power, you were doomed.” Sparky stood and refilled both of their cups, before returning to the table.

  “Just like I didn’t have any choice with Winston, at least not until I figured out a way to break his hold on me. I tried to get away once when he found his mate, but the magi wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

  “What happened?” Ricky asked quietly.

  “Nothing good, Ricky,” Sparky sat back down. He realized he would need to say more, but he hated going back to that time. He glanced up and saw the shutters begin to come down again in Ricky’s gaze.

  Sparky sighed, “I know I’ve been kind of a dick to you since you did your little magic trick, and I’m sorry about that, but out of anyone here you need to understand why you kind of threw me,” the mechanic chuckled, “literally.”

  Ricky looked down at his hand and sighed, “Yeah about that, I have no idea what happened. It’s just one more thing I can’t control.”

  “You’ll figure it out, especially with Artie’s help,” Sparky touched Ricky’s arm, “If it wasn’t for him, I’d probably be dead or worse.” The mechanic stood and walked toward the cupboard. He pulled out the ingredients to make hot chocolate. “This calls for hot chocolate with extra marshmallows.”

  The human chuckled softly, “Seems like your solution for any problem starts with chocolate and marshmallows. Sandy has become a big fan.”

  “Smart pup, he knows a good thing when he tastes it,” Sparky paused, a faraway look in his eyes, “besides, it reminds me of happier times.”

  The shifter finished making the hot chocolate and returned to the table. He put a liberal number of marshmallows in both cups before he finally took his seat. After taking a long sip, Sparky sighed, “Let me tell you about the bastard who I thought was my dream lover, but turned out to be my worst nightmare.”

  Chapter 6

  Sparky jumped as the front door slammed open. He immediately put himself between Ricky and the entrance to the kitchen. He might not be the best fighter in the pack, but he would make sure the alpha mate was protected or die trying.

  “What’s going on?” Ricky asked as he stood behind him.

  “I’m not sure. Stay here, and I’ll find out.” The mechanic didn’t wait to see if the human would obey, as he suddenly was hit with a scent he wanted to
roll in. His cock instantly became hard and pressed uncomfortably against his zipper. He walked quickly to the front room and stopped dead as he saw Alpha Grant gently place an unconscious, black wolf on the large sectional.

  “Get, Doc Houston,” Grant ordered.

  David rushed toward the front door, “On it, I’ll go pick him up to save time.” Sparky slowly walked to the sofa and glanced down at the wolf. He inhaled sharply when he saw the rough shape the shifter was in.

  The wolf looked like it was starving, its white- tipped paws were mud covered, and it looked like something had taken a bite out of his hind leg. He watched as Artemus rushed in and knelt by the injured wolf. He gently ran his hand through the matted fur before he looked up at Alpha Grant.

  “When you go to Seattle, I want to go with you,” the magi glanced down at the shifter, “he was supposed to be safe. I did everything I could to protect him, including sending him away, but somehow, that bastard got his claws into him.”

  Grant shook his head, “You need to stay here and take care of your brother. He needs you to help him heal.”

  “He needs to be safe, and the only way that will happen is if I kill the son of a bitch who captured and used him.” Artemus stood and faced the alpha, “Besides, you’ll need someone who can protect you and your enforcers if there are any magi at the encampment. I’m sure I’m not the only magi Alpha Clifton either coerced or convinced to help him with his crusade.”

  “I’ll take care of him,” Sparky said softly, as he knelt beside the unconscious wolf. He couldn’t believe it, of all the possible beings on the planet, his Semme’ mate just dropped into his living-room. Worse, his mate was part magi, which meant he probably could use magic.

  Fate had to be laughing her ass off at him. The last person he wanted as a mate was a person who controlled any kind of magic. The mechanic jumped when he felt a hand grip his shoulder.

  “What is going on, Sparky?” Alpha Grant asked.

  For a moment, Sparky thought about denying what his wolf was telling him, but as he looked down at the person who was meant to be his other half, he couldn’t do it. There was a vulnerability he sensed as he stroked the mud caked fur. With a sigh, he sat back on his heels, “Charlie is my Semme’ mate, Alpha.”

  ◆◆◆

  Charlie woke slowly. The first thing he noticed was he was lying on a soft bed instead of a lumpy cot. For a moment, he was confused, but suddenly he remembered, “Sammy! I have to help her.”

  He jumped as a hand rested on his shoulder. Charlie looked up into the clearest blue eyes he’d ever seen. The man leaned closer with a cup in his hand, “Take it easy. Alpha Grant is gathering his enforcers. He’ll get her out.”

  The shifter held the cup to Charlie’s lips, “I have some water for you, and now that you’re awake, I’ll go down to the kitchen and grab you some broth. Doc says you need to take it easy with food.”

  “Who are you?” Charlie whispered.

  The man stood and took a step back. For a moment, he looked as if he wanted to run, but instead, he shrugged. “My name is Travis Malone, but everyone here just calls me Sparky.”

  Charlie let his gaze roam over the man. He was short in stature and had pale blonde hair that was short on the sides and spiked on the top, with what looked like purple highlights. For a moment, he wondered if the blonde hair was natural, but decided it didn’t matter, he liked the look.

  He watched as the man nervously bit his lower lip. God, those lips were made for kissing. Sparky was certainly his type when it came to bed partners. Not that he’d had many, but the few he had shared time with actually paled in comparison to the vision that stood in front of him.

  Charlie felt his wolf take notice and for the first time, he realized Sparky smelled of sunshine and home. He shook his head as he realized the man standing by his bed was his amar verus, his soul mate.

  He closed his eyes and called upon his magic. Charlie slowly opened his eyes and wasn’t surprised to see the light violet aura that surrounded the shifter. Pale purple, the color of romance and the color that magi see when they find their Amar Verus, the being who was to be theirs for all time.

  While wolves used scent to identify their true mates, magi knew by the color of the person’s aura. The fact that Charlie was a hybrid, meant he knew that he would be able to tell his true mate by sight and by scent. There was no doubt that Sparky was meant to be his. The problem was, he wasn’t sure he wanted a mate.

  He jumped as his mate spoke, “You feel it too don’t you. You know we are Semme’ mates.”

  “You’re part of Alpha Grant’s pack?” Charlie asked, instead of answering.

  Sparky crossed his arms over his chest, “Okay, so we won’t talk about the elephant in the room.” He turned and began to walk toward the door, but paused and looked back at Charlie, “Look, I wasn’t exactly thrilled with fates’ choice either. I mean, seriously, what were they thinking? Me with a magic user—no freakin’ way will that work.”

  The shifter sighed, “Just because fate thinks this will work out, we still have a choice. As long as we don’t claim each other, you’ll be free to find someone more to your liking, and I won’t have to deal with your magic. I’ll send someone up with your food.”

  Before Charlie could speak, his mate turned and left the room. “Crap!” Why did everything in his life have to be difficult? And why did the man have the cutest bubble butt that just called for his hand-print? Sparky obviously thought he had found him wanting in some way when it wasn’t anywhere close to the truth. But then, maybe it was for the best.

  The hybrid shifter had decided long ago that he wouldn’t mate because of his curse. His whole life had been spent hiding from those who saw him as a means to secure more power. There was no place he would ever be safe because of his abilities.

  Charlie didn’t know his mate that well yet, but he was pretty sure Sparky would be better off without him. In fact, it would be better for everyone if he just disappeared. His wolf howled and fought against the idea, but Charlie knew that a life of loneliness was better than a life of servitude.

  The door opened. Jason Walker entered carrying a tray. “Hi, Charlie. I don’t know if you remember me…”

  “I remember you, Jason. Thanks for letting me stay here. I assume I’m at the alpha’s compound, right?” Charlie groaned softly as he tried to push himself up higher in the bed. Jason quickly placed the tray on the nightstand and helped him up. “Thanks, do you know if they found Sammy and Radar?”

  Jason placed the tray on Charlie’s lap. He pulled the chair from the corner of the room closer and took a seat. “They’ll be hitting the facility tomorrow night. Luckily, I was able to pull up a complete layout of the place but if you feel up to it, can you tell me how many shifters will be there?”

  “I’m not sure. I was kept in a cell the whole time I was there, but I do know during the time I was there he had me read over a hundred shifters and a couple of magi.”

  “Read? What do you mean, Charlie?” Jason leaned closer, “Artemus told us you were a hybrid wolf shifter and magi. You know, you could have come clean with us when you first got here. No one would have bothered you. In fact, it would have made it easier for us to protect you. We didn’t know you had been kidnapped because everyone assumed you were a drifter who just moved on.”

  “I wonder what his abilities are? Why didn’t he trust us? Maybe he’s still working with Alpha Clifton—if he’s sending my brothers into a trap I’ll kill him!”

  “Argh, stop!” Charlie grabbed his head. “I’m not working for Alpha Clifton,” he managed to ground out. He watched as Jason inhaled sharply. The shifter quickly stood and moved to stand against the wall furthest from the bed.

  Jason’s eyes narrowed, “If you can read minds, you should have known we were no threat to you when you first came here. How do I know you aren’t working for Alpha Clifton as a spy?”

  Charlie sighed as he shook his head. He concentrated on tuning out the beta’s thoughts until
it was but a murmur in his mind. It was hard, but he could block the angry thoughts from the youngest Walker for a short time. “I’m no spy and yes, I can read minds, but when I came here, I had my pendant. It helps me to block thoughts.”

  Jason looked skeptical, “A pendant? You mean you can’t just turn it on and off?”

  “Not entirely. It’s hard to describe, but when I don’t have my pendant, it’s like living inside a beehive. I may pick up complete thoughts, as I did with you just now. But normally it would just be a stray thought here and there. Of course, when I’m in my wolf form, I can’t pick up any thoughts. It’s one reason why I spend a lot of time as my wolf.” Charlie looked down at the tray and pushed it aside.

  He glanced up when Jason returned to the chair. “I didn’t ask for this curse, and I will try to control it, but you should know that I can only do it for so long before it becomes too much for me.”

  “What do you mean?” Jason asked.

  “Can you imagine what it would be like to never be alone, to always have voices buzzing in your head day and night until you can’t concentrate? Imagine not only having your own thoughts and memories but of those of anyone you have ever walked past.” Charlie shuddered as the dark memories began to rise to the surface.

  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could feel his wolf coming to the surface, but he resisted the impulse to shift. “Do you know what I’d give for just one moment of complete silence?”

  Jason placed his hand on Charlie’s shoulder and squeezed, “No, Charlie. I can’t imagine what it would be like for you. Is there anything we can do to make it easier for you?”

  “You can find Sammy. She has my pendant and is keeping it safe for me. Until then, I’ll just try to avoid large crowds, and if it gets too bad, I’ll just shift into my wolf.” Charlie shrugged, “It might be better if I just remain a wolf anyway. At least then I won’t pick up on thoughts that you and the others would rather I not hear.”