Without Reservations

by J. L. Langley

  “Mmmm… Actually I don’t know that we do. I don’t smell them.” Bit’s tongue pushed into his ear.

  “You aren’t supposed to. That’s the point.” Chay sighed and relaxed. Well as much as he could, knowing that at any time Aubrey could pop out of nowhere and threaten his Bit.

  Keaton gripped Chay’s cock and he about jumped out of his skin. He was concentrating on the area around the gazebo. He sucked in a breath and realized that his cock was hard. Chay may not have been paying attention to Bit, but apparently his body sure as hell was. He luxuriated in the feel of his mate for a few seconds. He buried his face in Bit’s neck and pushed up into his hand. Just a few seconds, that’s all he had. Someone needed to pay attention and Bit, despite what he said, wasn’t.

  Keaton’s head jerked up, his eyes wide, startled. His hand left Chay’s prick.

  Chay sniffed, taking in an unfamiliar scent. No, it wasn’t unfamiliar exactly. It was the scent he smelled the night he ran the man off outside of their house. The night Keaton’s brakes were cut.

  “I see it didn’t take you long to replace me.” A tall blond man came into the clearing, holding a gun. It wasn’t Aubrey.

  Keaton shook his head. “Jonathon?”

  Jonathon? Keaton’s ex? Chay positioned himself in front of Keaton. The gun wouldn’t do more than hurt a whole lot unless the bullets were silver, but he didn’t want his mate shot just the same.

  Jonathon smiled a nasty smile. “Oh, now you remember me.”

  “Jonathon what are you doing here?” Keaton pushed Chay back, maneuvering himself in front.

  “You ruined my life.” Jonathon shoved the gun forward at Keaton for emphasis.

  Chay pulled Bit back again, shielding his body. “Whatever it is you think Keaton has done, I’m sure it isn’t too bad. Maybe if you tell us, we can help you fix it.” Yeah, it was lame, but he didn’t want this bozo to shoot either of them. And it bought time for the cavalry to show up. They were out there hiding, weren’t they?

  “You shut up. I wasn’t talking to you.” Jonathon glared at him.

  “Look, Jonathon, I don’t know what you think it is I did, but—”

  Jonathon scoffed. “You left me.”

  Keaton scoffed right back. “You had a girlfriend, you dumbass.”

  Chay groaned. He and Bit were going to have to have a talk about antagonizing crazy men with guns. The man was a wolf, he had to know a gun wasn’t that big a threat to other wolves.

  “And you could have had one too, or a boyfriend. I didn’t care. I’d have overlooked it. We could’ve led your pack together. All of it could have been ours. All of this…” He waved his gun around, indicating Reynolds Hall. “We could have been happy, it would have been easy to overpower your father and take over, but you had to run off. And what do you do, at the first opportunity, you run off to New Mexico. I tried to scare you by shooting you so you’d come home. But then you replaced me.” He glared at Chay. “With this…this…injun. Really, Keaton, your taste is deplorable.”

  Keaton growled. His whole body tensed, readying for attack. His hands shifted.

  Chay stepped in front of him just as he charged.

  Jonathon pulled the trigger.

  Keaton screamed.

  Ouch. Chay staggered back. That bastard shot him.

  A blur of white fur streaked past the gazebo, launching itself at Jonathon as Keaton’s arms wrapped around Chay. The gun went flying. Jonathon tried to shift, his eyes and teeth changing instantly, but the wolf didn’t give him the chance.

  Keaton turned to Chay, his eyes wide. “Where are you hit?”

  Chay glanced down at his side.

  Keaton’s eyes followed. Bit ripped his jacket and shirt.

  “Damn it, Bit. We just bought those.”

  Keaton’s hands shifted to claws. “Deep breath. I gotta get it out. If it’s silver it could kill you.” He sliced his nails into Chay’s side, digging in.

  This time it was Chay who screamed. Fuck, he was woozy. That hurt, bad. Chay blinked the tears back and tried to focus on anything but what Bit was doing.

  The wolf bit into Jonathon’s neck, blood flying everywhere, covering the pale fur. He jerked his head back and forth, tearing the man’s skin.

  Jake, Joe, Remi, Howard and his Betas, all still in human form, came running into the garden from the direction of the house, the same direction the white wolf had come from.

  “Got it.” Bit gasped and suddenly the pain from Chay’s side receded into a dull ache.

  Chay’s eyes met his father’s. Joe looked worried.

  Chay’s brain was a little on the foggy side. From the pain he supposed. His eyes shifted and then Bit shoved his wrist against Chay’s mouth. Chay staggered and his knees hit the ground.

  Keaton stood over him. “Drink.”

  Chay drank.

  The wound closed and Keaton opened it up again, pressing it back to Chay’s mouth. By the third time, Chay felt much better. He could think again. The ache in his side was gone completely. He pushed Bit’s wrist away and looked down at his side. It was healed.

  Oh shit.

  He’d been so dazed he’d forgotten about Jonathon. Chay spotted the gun lying on the grass. He ran down the gazebo steps and grabbed the gun. He glanced around, finding the white wolf and Jonathon.

  Jonathon lay lifeless and pale in a huge puddle of blood. The large wolf still growled and shook the mangled flesh denying it a chance to heal.

  Howard walked up to the wolf, placing a hand on its shoulder. “Aubrey, let go. He’s dead.”

  The blood-splattered wolf released Jonathon’s neck, turned toward the house and left.

  Wow. Aubrey hadn’t been responsible for Keaton’s accidents? Man. Chay felt like a…well he felt like an ass. Make that an ignorant, slightly confused ass.

  They all stood staring at the limp body for the longest time.

  “Chayton? Are you all right?” Joe asked.

  Chay frowned. “Where the hell were all of you? Bit could have been shot. You guys suck as a rescue squad. You’re all fired.”

  Bit took the gun, opened the revolver and dumped the bullets into his hand. “Silver. Glad I got that out of you.” He touched Chay’s arm. “How do you feel?”

  “I’m fine. I guess we owe Aubrey an apology and a thank you.”

  Joe nodded. “Indeed you do. Aubrey talked to us all before we came out here.” He shot a sheepish glance toward Jonathon’s lifeless body. “That is why we were late. Apparently, Aubrey came to find Keaton as a surprise for his parents.”

  “The night Remi was attacked, it was Aubrey who ran Jonathon off.” Jake held out his hand to Keaton, silently asking for the gun and bullets. “He said he was going for a run, he went back by your house and heard Remi scream. He chased Jonathon all the way to the rez. He recognized Jonathon’s scent. Aubrey thought Remi was already dead, so he kept after Jonathon.”

  Keaton handed over the gun and ammo. “But why didn’t he come back and tell us what was going on?”

  Howard shrugged. “He tried. He didn’t have a phone number. He followed Jonathon all the way back to his hotel and watched him, by then all of you were already on a plane headed here.”

  “But why the change of heart? Aubrey hates me,” Keaton said.

  Howard shook his head. “No he doesn’t, son. We all make mistakes when we’re younger. He has grown up quite a bit since you left home. Give him a chance. You only have one brother.”

  Remi groaned, grabbing his face in both hands. “Goddamn it! I’m sick and fucking tired of my eyes shifting.” He dropped his hands and pointed to Jonathon’s body. “And that is just gross. Why do I want to eat it?” He stormed off toward the house.

  Chay glanced down at Jonathon. Yeah, it was pretty gross. But Chay didn’t feel the least bit of remorse. That son of a bitch tried to kill his Bit. Chay glanced up to see everyone staring, puzzled, after Remi’s retreating back.

  Keaton looked at Chay, his eyes wide. “You’re sure you are ok
ay?” He reached up and felt Chay’s forehead with the back of his hand. “You don’t feel feverish. If you had silver poisoning, you’d be feverish, right?”

  “If he had silver poisoning he wouldn’t have healed,” Howard said.

  Chay shook his head. He couldn’t believe everyone made such a fuss over him. Bit was the one who could have been killed. “Don’t even start, Bit.” Chay pointed at him. “You’re already in trouble.”

  “Me?” Bit squeaked.

  “Yes, you. What the hell were you thinking antagonizing a lunatic with a gun?”

  Keaton sputtered for several seconds.

  Chay growled and shoved Bit toward the house, following the others. “You psychotic little Georgia Peach.” He put his hand on Keaton’s shoulder, needing to touch his mate. “Geez, Bit, you really know how to pick ‘em.”

  Keaton stopped in front of him, turning. He looked Chay up and down slowly, a serene little smile on his face. He raised up and kissed Chay’s chin, his arms going around him. “Yes, I do.”

  Epilogue

  Grinning like an idiot, Chay sat on the couch watching his mate dismiss his class of werewolf cubs. Bit had made a life for himself in New Mexico. For a man who proclaimed himself to be socially retarded, he had become quite the social butterfly. He still couldn’t cook worth a damn, but he’d taken to hosting all their poker games and inviting more people to boot. The man had his mother’s flair for partying.

  Chay was so proud of Bit he could bust. Keaton had also been appointed pack teacher. Keaton was doing such a fine job of teaching Remi control that John Carter had begged him to take the position. Keaton was now responsible for teaching the prepubescent wolves how to control themselves and pack history—a sort of, “How to be a werewolf 101”—before they actually changed for the first time. He taught his werewolf pupils at their home, so Chay helped on occasion.

  “Bye. Have a nice Christmas.” Bit waved the last of his class off, all but one at least. From the sound of it, Remi was raiding their refrigerator.

  Remi came out from the kitchen with coke and chips in hand and sat on the couch next to him. His friend was getting pretty good at hiding his werewolf instincts but Keaton continued to work with him. Remi was adjusting well, but he still had no clue that Jake was his mate. Jake fortunately seemed to be taking things in stride, allowing Remi to get used to being a wolf first.

  Remi flipped his head up in greeting.

  Chay nodded.

  “You finish staining those bookshelves?”

  “Yup. Looks like I did it at a good time too.” He looked at Bit who had just closed the door. Chay was making the extra bedroom into an office for Bit now that Bit gave up the charade of it being his bedroom.

  Keaton stopped in the middle of the living-room floor, hands on hips, glaring at Remi. “Who said you could eat? You aren’t done with your lesson.”

  Remi groaned around a mouthful of chips and shot Chay a pleading look.

  Chay held his hands up in a you’re-on-your-own-buddy gesture. No way was he getting involved. Remi and Keaton actually got along pretty well nowadays, but that didn’t stop them from bickering at each other.

  Remi washed down his chips with a swig of soda. “Why did you let everyone else go?”

  “They were done for the day. But you aren’t.” You could practically hear the “duh” at the end of Bit’s explanation.

  Remi rolled his eyes. “I don’t know why I have to keep working. I’m older than they are.” He popped a chip in his mouth and glared up at Bit. “Why do I have to come to class with a bunch of little boys?”

  “Because there are no adults who need instruction. Werewolf attacks are very rare.” Keaton settled himself into Chay’s lap and kissed his chin. “Hey. Did you finish the bookcase?” Bit asked, practically bouncing.

  Chay smiled and kissed his nose. “Yes, I did. You want to see it?”

  “Uh-huh.” Bit smiled.

  “Hey. I thought I had more to learn today?” Remi protested.

  Keaton pointed at him. “Don’t start with me. I voted to let you die. But noooo…Chay and Jake wouldn’t have it.”

  Chay bit his lip to keep from laughing.

  Remi’s mouth fell open, then snapped shut. “You’re an asshole, Keaton.”

  Keaton blinked. “That is Professor Asshole to you. Now, strip!”

  “Excuse me?” Remi’s eyes widened.

  “Strip. I want to see how fast you can shift. If someone were to challenge you, how fast you can change forms could make the difference in life or death. Now strip.” Keaton turned to Chay. “Thank you for making me a bookcase. It will be all the better just because you made it for me. Now, if you’d learn to cook…”

  Chay grinned and pulled his Bit in to snuggle. “You’re welcome. And that goes both ways, you could learn to cook too.”

  Remi was still mumbling in the background, throwing clothes all over the place.

  Keaton leaned in, sealing his lips to Chay’s, his tongue probing.

  Ah yeah. Chay opened, letting him in. He was vaguely aware of Remi shifting into a wolf and back to human. He heard toenails on the wood floor, followed by a deep growl. The doggy door whooshed open, then shut. The whole time Chay’s tongue tangled with Bit’s, lazily enjoying his mate.

  “Dammit, Pita! Give me my underwear back.”

  Chay and Keaton broke apart, heads snapping around.

  Remi stood in the middle of the living room, naked, glaring at the back door.

  Keaton started giggling. “Class dismissed.”

  About the Author

  J.L. Langley was born and raised in Texas. Which is a good thing considering that Texas is full of cowboys and there is nothing better than a man in a pair of tight Wranglers and a cowboy hat. She is fortunate to live with four of the most gorgeous males to walk the earth…ok, so one of those males is canine, but he is quite beautiful for a German Shepherd. When not writing, she can usually be found with a book in hand and chocolate in the other.

  To learn more about J.L. Langley, please visit www.jllangley.com/. Send an email to J.L at 10star@jllangley.com or join her Yahoo! group to join in the fun with other readers as well as J.L. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_yellow_rose.

  Look for these titles by J.L. Langley

  Now Available:

  With or Without

  Without Reservations

  With Love

  With Caution

  Sci-Regency

  My Fair Captain

  The Englor Affair

  Innamorati

  His Convenient Husband

  Coming Soon:

  With or Without

  With Abandon

  A brother’s vow. A lover’s promise. Both could put them all at deadly risk.

  With Caution

  © 2007 J.L. Langley

  With or Without, Book 2

  Remington Lassiter is trying his best to stay out of trouble while he learns the ropes of being a werewolf. When his little brother turns up covered in bruises, he is driven to finally bring their abusive father to justice. To do it, he must face a past he hides behind his cocky, trouble-making attitude. A past so dark it haunts him only in dreams.

  Jake Romero, a crack private investigator with a bad-boy biker image, realizes he has his work cut out for him when Remi asks for his help. From the first moment he turned Remi into a werewolf in order to save his life, Jake has been fighting to keep his inner demons at bay. He’s torn between the desire to tell Remi they are destined to be mates, and the need to first let Remi get used to the werewolf life.

  Jake will do anything to protect Remi and help him break the cycle of abuse he has endured all his life, but his investigation is about to uncover something far more sinister and deadly than they ever imagined.

  A past that could put all their lives at risk.

  Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, violence, hot nekkid man-love.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for With Caution:
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  “If you want my help, you have it, but I need to know what’s going on.”

  Remi glanced up, his eyes solemn. “I don’t even know if I can afford to pay you.”

  Jake started shaking his head as soon as the word afford left Remi’s lips. “I’m not worried about it. You’re my”—mate—“my friend. If you feel like you have to pay me, we can work something out. I’m not agreeing to help you for money. I keep getting the hint that you think Sterling is in danger of being hurt by someone and I want to help if I can.” Not to mention that helping—protecting—his mate was his job and made him feel good.

  “Okay.” Taking a sip of his beer, Remi pulled his other foot onto the couch, bending it in front of him and resting his arm on it. He watched the beer bottle dangling between his fingers for a few moments and nodded, like he’d made up his mind. “It’s Dirk. He’s never hurt Sterling before. This is the first time, but…”

  “But it probably won’t be the last,” Jake finished for him. Fuck. Even Remi called him Dirk. The guy was a piece of work. What kind of man didn’t want his own kids calling him dad?

  “Well, that was my experience when I lived there, but I’ve always kept him from hurting Sterling. He pretty much ignores Sterling as long as Sterling stays out of his hair and I continue to live my life by his rules.” Shaking his head, Remi snorted. “I’ve done that. I don’t even hang around my fag best friend anymore.” The venom in Remi’s voice said the word fag wasn’t his, but his father’s. “Well, not where he would find out about it anyway. I still go to Chay and Keaton’s, I just hide my bike. Pretty fucking pathetic, huh?” He took a long swig of beer, finishing it in one shot. He set it on the table and rested both his hands on his knees. He appeared far away, lost. “Simon and Bobby came with me to pick up Sterling one day and he kicked them out of the house. He told them to never come back because they’re still friends with Chay. So I pretty much steer clear of them too.”

  Jake had the urge to pull Remi into his lap and assure him it’d be okay, but instead he sat and listened. His heart ached for Remi. Given what he’d learned throughout the day, it shouldn’t come as such a shock the amount of control Remi’s father had over his life, but it did. And it pissed Jake off to no end. The idea of someone threatening his mate didn’t sit well with him.