He was strikingly handsome, not just good looking; this man was breathtaking. Black raven wing colored hair, short and stylishly cut, and a facial structure that was all hard planes and edges. The eyes, a penetrating deep blue, were what captured and conquered. Max thought he might be hallucinating, considering the level of allure he was feeling for this man. No one is that good looking coupled with also being kind and considerate, and from what he could see from his seated position, he also had a perfect build. Nope, had to be dreaming this one.
He continued to stare until Max began to feel ill at ease. What was he looking at? What did he see that warranted such scrutiny? Max wanted to ask, so with effort and attention, going slowly one word at a time, he managed to speak actual words. “What’s wrong” was what he was shooting for, and even with a few added syllables and running the words together slightly, it wasn’t wholly unrecognizable.
“Nothing is wrong,” Henrik said with a faint smile that contrasted with his sad eyes. “You were beaten pretty badly, but the doctor said you will soon recover. For now, you need to lay still and rest for your body needs to heal.” Max tried to speak, but Henrik stopped him. “Don’t force it, sweetheart, let your body rest.” With that, Max relaxed into the luxurious pillows under his head and fell asleep.
…
Henrik had stayed by his mate’s side all through the night, listening to the sounds of his fear and his pain. His sleep had been restlessly punctuated with nightmares and fever. Max was healing but at a slower rate than if they’d already bonded. The power of their connection was helping but not as fast as Henrik would prefer.
He pulled out his phone and called Derek, letting him know that Max had woken and had asked for Leo. “He’s sleeping now, but I think it would be good if Leo were here when he next woke up.”
“How is he?” Derek asked.
“He’s confused and afraid, which is expected.”
“How are you?” Derek went to the heart of it.
“Seeing him this way tears me inside out. He woke up swinging even though he could barely see, and moving caused him so much pain. He fought me, and it was heartbreaking.” Derek was the only person he was this open with. He was the only person who ever saw Henrik’s vulnerabilities. As Alpha, he could not risk showing weakness of any kind.
He was secure in his leadership and trusted his inner circle, but wolves were wolves, and they craved power. Any hint of weakness could lead to annoying and disruptive challenges for power. Derek never had such cravings. Derek was his rock.
“He’s tough like Leo. He’ll get through this with you by his side.” Let your wolf ease his pain and your mind. Don’t hold back, your wolf needs to be assured his mate is well.” Derek was more insightful than usual, and Henrik appreciated his encouragement.
“He’s been trying to push forward, but I’ve been preventing him. You’re right; he needs to feel the presence of his mate, and Max needs the power that he brings.” They talked for a while longer regarding the violent circumstances surrounding their mates and the need to finish whatever evil still remained of Raymond Russo.
“We’ll see you soon,” Derek said his goodbyes, and Henrik returned his full attention to his sleeping mate. Max looked tense even in sleep, and Henrik wished he could wipe the stress from his life and allow this man to relax. He bent forward and, without thinking about it too long, pressed his lips to Max’s. The contact was captivating and stirred a robust response from Henrik that encouraged him to loosen the reins of his wolf and let him come forward.
The kiss was soft and gentle, and he and his wolf couldn’t resist tenderly licking the wound at the corner of Max’s mouth. The act was comforting for Henrik and his wolf and healing for Max. The wound slowly disappeared, leaving the flesh smooth and unscarred. His wolf wanted to lick every inch of their mate’s body to heal and soothe all his surface abrasions.
Henrik would have agreed, but the act was a bit too intimate for their current level of acquaintance, and if Max woke, it could prove awkward. He smiled at the image that came to mind and satisfied himself with a light kiss to Max’s forehead before straightening and once again taking his hand. “You’re a beautiful man, Max Russo.” He continued to silently stare at the young human that was soon to be his. They were destined to spend the rest of their days together, and he couldn’t be more pleased with Fate’s choice.
…
Max woke to the sounds of voices softly discussing his condition, and he recognized one of those voices as belonging to Leo. The joy at the sound of his voice pushed Max to open his eyes.
“Hey, he’s waking up,” Leo said excitedly and came closer to sit on Max’s left side. The man, Henrik, was still seated on his right. He looked tired, and Max wondered if he’d been there for a long time. Not knowing why but feeling the need to do it, Max squeezed Henrik’s hand and received a loving smile for his effort. This man looked at Max like he was important to him, yet Max could not recall ever meeting him before.
“Leo.” He managed to croak out the one word. Instantly Henrik had a cup of water and a straw and was placing the straw between Max’s lips. He took a long sip of the cool liquid, and it was heavenly. It soothed his dry lips and throat. When he pulled it back and set it down on the side table, Max was able to speak clearly or fairly clearly at least.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He said and smiled again. Before he could dwell any longer on the fine attributes of the man paying him so much attention, Leo started asking questions, and his attention was diverted.
“Who beat you up?” Was the first demanding inquiry. Max struggled to remember what had happened, why he hurt so bad, but he could recall nothing. He felt Henrik lay his hand lightly upon his chest, which oddly helped him relax and let go. The need to remember had caused considerable stress, and now all he felt was a peacefulness.
“Take your time Max. You may not remember right away, but it will come back to you in time, do not panic.” Henrik’s soothing tone washed over him. Max nodded and relaxed, taking a deep breath before speaking.
“Raymond was hassling me demanding to know our relationship with the Vaughn Corporation. I didn’t know what he was talking about at the time, but I didn’t tell him that. Anything that upset Raymond was a good thing in my book.” Max began to cough, and Henrik immediately brought the water back and let him take a few sips.
“Go slow, we’re in no hurry.” He stated, and Max nodded. He appreciated that Henrik was taking control. He needed a shoulder to lean on right now, and with Leo in a new relationship, he didn’t want to put undue pressure on him. Henrik was just the man he needed. He hoped he stayed around for a while.
“He made a remark about the fact you weren’t as safe as you thought you were, and that’s when I warned you that things were getting dicey.” He spoke to Leo, who responded with a nod.
“Raymond went into hiding after his associates dropped him, and he lost control of the hotels. Unfortunately, he didn’t lose my phone number and continued to call and make strange veiled threats. Finally, he made me concerned enough that I took off and headed to Eastport, and that’s the last I can remember.” Max glanced up at Henrik, looking for the support he knew would be there.
“We haven’t located your car yet, but we assumed you must have parked it somewhere downtown. You wouldn’t have been able to walk very far in your condition.” Henrik spoke, and that voice flowed over him once again so gentle and smooth. “Your car may give us some answers to where you were and who did this to you.”
“Obviously, it was Raymond or one of his hired goons.” Leo pipped up with disdain.
“Did he hurt you, Leo?” Max asked.
“He tried, but Derek took care of it.” Leo turned to Derek and gave him a look Max had never seen before on his brother. He looked at Derek with love and adoration, and the look was mirrored by Derek. There were some seriously deep feelings going on here.
“Good.” Max yawned and found it hard to keep his eyes open. “I�
��d ask where I am, but I think you already told me. I can’t remember, so I’ll save that for next time.” As he began to slip away, he vaguely heard Henrik respond.
“You’re safe, that’s all you need to know for now.”
…
Henrik pulled the blanket up and tucked it in around Max, and not caring who was present dropped a soft kiss to his lips before standing and stepping back from the bed.
“He looks so much better than he did last night.” Leo stated his observation with relief in his voice. “It won’t be long, and he’ll be up and around.” Leo also bent and touched his brother lightly on the cheek. “His swelling is almost all gone. He looks like himself again except for the few cuts and bruises.”
“Henrik’s wolf healed him. They’re mates, the bond does wonders. If your brother were already claimed, he would have healed in a few hours like you.” Derek explained. He also seemed relieved that Leo’s brother was recovering, so his mate could stop worrying. Derek was a practical man.
They moved out into the main living area of the apartment but kept the bedroom door ajar so Henrik could keep an eye on Max. “I want to move him to Bay Harbor as soon as he’s able to be moved.” Henrik stated as he took a seat with a clear view of the bedroom while Derek and Leo sat on the sofa. “I can protect him there better than here in the center of town. The Pack lands are secure, and the Mansion is guarded.”
“When he recovers, he’s going to want to contact the authorities and report both the attack on him and the one on me. He’s a legal eagle, that’s what I always call him because he believes laws are there to be followed and society depends upon laws otherwise, we might as well go back and live in caves, blah, blah blah.” Leo stated with only the slightest sarcasm. Derek laughed and slung his arm around him, bringing him up close for a heated kiss.
“I knew you and I were made for each other just as Max was made for Henrik. He’s not so much law-abiding as he is a rule follower. The only good thing being, Henrik makes the rules.” Derek barked a laugh, and Henrik rolled his eyes.
“Well, we can’t have him calling the police. I’ll come up with something.” Henrik kept glancing at the bedroom, making sure Max was resting quietly. Then he swung his gaze back to Leo. “Tell me about your brother apart from being law-abiding.”
“He’s five years older than me, and he pretty much raised me after our mom died. Dad was there but not really present if you know what I mean. Max was my guardian, my support, my rock. What I’m trying to say is that Max is an excellent older brother.” Leo smiled. “Besides that, he graduated from North Central College in Naperville with a bachelor's in hotel restaurant management. On a more personal note, Max is single and has never had a serious relationship. He dated a couple of guys in school, but nothing came of it, and he hasn’t dated in the past year or more. His favorite color is light blue like the sky, and I’d tell you his favorite music, but he doesn’t really listen to music. He likes the quiet. Max enjoys sitting on the porch or in the yard and listening to the sounds of nature. It sounds hokey, but it’s relaxing. I’ve tried it, and I’m not against it.” Leo finished and waited.
Henrik was pleased with the solid relationship that existed between the brothers, and it reminded him of his and Derek’s relationship. It spoke well of Max’s resilience and perseverance, which he will need in the days ahead. It also painted him as a loving man with high morals and integrity, although the law and order part of his personality may need some tweaking.
Henrik skirted the law most days, and he and his men weren’t averse to doing whatever necessary to achieve the desired goal. They, too, had morals and integrity, but it was a case of seeing the world in a different way and being responsible for the lives and prosperity of so many. Following the letter of the law was rarely the best course for someone like Henrik and the Bay Harbor Wolves. Max was his mate, and in time he would understand, it was the power of Fate.
“You took to the news of shifters and such quite easily, do you believe Max will accept the new reality as well as you did?” Henrik was impressed at how well Leo received the news of an alternative reality considering Derek was rather limited in his ability to explain complicated concepts. It wasn’t that he couldn’t do it more that he didn’t care to do it, and often explanations came out rather cold, sharp and blunt if Derek were delivering them.
“Derek was plain about it and to the point. He didn’t beat around the bush or come at it from the edges, and I appreciated his bluntness.” Leo stated. Well, that answered Henrik’s question. He couldn’t help but smile at the bond they had; it was beautiful. “Max will need you to be clear and blunt. Don’t play with him on this, he won’t like it when the truth comes out.”
“Good to know, thank you.” Henrik wasn’t sure how he was going to handle the big reveal, but he would take Leo’s advice and be honest about it.
“We’re going to head into town and see if we can find Max’s car or get a lead on where he was before he ended up at the lounge,” Derek announced as he stood, and Leo stood beside him. “If we find anything, I’ll let you know.”
Henrik stood and walked them to the door. “Dr. Abrams will be arriving shortly to give Max another once over. If he’s strong enough, I’ll move him to Bay Harbor this afternoon.”
“He’ll probably fight you on it,” Leo warned.
“He won’t win.”
CHAPTER THREE
Max opened his eyes and took a careful look around before signaling that he was awake. The last time he woke, he remembered a man holding him talking to him and giving him comfort and security. He wondered if the man was still there. He said his name was Henrik Vaughn, not a name to be tossed around lightly.
Henrik Vaughn was the man who put the run on Raymond. He destroyed everything Raymond had built and made him a pariah among his so-called associates. Raymond called them associates, but they were nothing but low life criminals who only stayed as long as the money was easy. They dropped him as soon as his business and thievery became challenging and transparent.
Henrik Vaughn, Raymond, said he was a bigger crook than any of the people he dealt with, but Max didn’t believe a word out of Raymond’s mouth. Leo trusted this man so he can’t be all bad.
Henrik wasn’t there where he’d been seated the last time Max woke up, and he felt a strange pang of disappointment. He’d enjoyed the warmth and strength conveyed through his grip on Max’s hand, and now he felt alone and unsure. Why was he panicking because a man he did not know was not there to care for him? He must have gotten his brains good and scrambled.
Before he knew it, a straw was placed between his lips, and that same reassuring voice was telling him to drink slowly. When finished, Max began to try and sit up, but he was quickly held in place. “The doctor will be here shortly to examine you again, so just try and lay still for a few minutes more.” The hand that stayed him was now urging him back down onto the pillow.
Why was it such a relief to see Henrik there? He didn’t have too much time to contemplate before a man who looked similar in age to Henrik walked up to the side of the bed and looked down at him.
“This is Dr. Abrams,” Henrik explained as he stepped to the side, allowing Dr. Abrams to get closer. If Max wasn’t mistaken, Henrik looked a little intense as if he wasn’t sure about backing up. His eyes stayed riveted on everything the doctor was doing. Max missed having those blue eyes trained on him.
Dr. Abrams gave him a thorough exam, and Max noticed that whenever his shirt needed to be lifted or he needed to shift to his side or back, it was Henrik who assisted him. The doctor never touched him except to check his vitals. Max appreciated not being manhandled. Henrik was careful and told him what he was doing each time he made a move towards him. There were no surprises and no getting pushed around.
“You’ve improved nicely since I saw you yesterday. You may still have some aches and pains, but those will dissipate soon. How do you feel?” The doctor took a half step back, and Henrik came forward to seat himself
back on the edge of Max’s bed. Without realizing he was doing it, Max reached out and took Henrik’s hand, which brought a nice smile to the big man’s face. Henrik was more handsome than he had a right to be. Max turned his attention back to the doctor before he got too caught up in Henrik’s good looks.
“I feel good, a little tired, but good.” The doctor nodded in response, and Max shifted his gaze back to Henrik. “I really am feeling okay.” He directed that comment to Henrik, who observed but did not comment.
The doctor finished and then stepped into the outer room with Henrik leaving Max alone for a few minutes. Max sat up, relieved that his ribs and back weren’t hurting like they were the last time he woke. The recovery he was experiencing was almost miraculous unless he wasn’t hurt as badly as he’d thought.
He moved to position himself on the edge of the bed with his legs over the side and his feet barely touching the floor. The bed was quite high, he hadn’t noticed that before, but then Henrik was a very tall man. He was only a few inches taller than his brother Derek, but he was head and shoulders over the doctor. He’d said this was his apartment, if Max remembered right.
Max looked around the room, and it was masculine in its décor but also minimal. He doubted Henrik spent too much time in this room. It had no character apart from the thick, rich emerald green comforter that matched the heavy brocaded curtains. Everything else was clean, neat, and expensive-looking but basic, no ornamentation, just useful items.
Across from where he sat, he could see an attached bathroom, and the need to use it came on him suddenly as he attempted to stand. Stiff and a little uncoordinated, he managed to get to his feet but steadied himself against the bed. After a few deep breaths, he took a couple of steps towards the bathroom but soon recognized his mistake in moving too quickly. The room began to spin as his head became light and dizzy.
Alpha: Bay Harbor Wolves Vol. 2 Page 2
