“So certain that your swimmers are more powerful than mine?” Tyler grinned at him challengingly. “Maybe if you stopped your sulking around and actually tried to empathize with Angela, you wouldn’t be so dead-set against her giving birth.”
“It was a mistake, Ty. You can’t possibly think that we would make good fathers. We’re not parent material.” Max shook his head. “And we both know what we have to do with whoever it was who called you.”
Tyler nodded grimly. He didn’t like the idea but there it was. “We have to kill them.”
He and Max stared at each other, feeling out each other’s determination. There was no question about this—it was what they did. And if someone from the Pack was coming after them? Well. Then it was either kill or be killed. No middle ground.
But the only thought going through Tyler’s mind was how he was going to tell Angela.
Chapter Nine
It didn’t take much for them to track down their mysterious harasser. For someone who knew top-secret codes, they didn’t hide their location very well. All it had taken was Max going into the phone company and sweet-talking a few people to come back out with the unlisted number. From there, well. From there it was easy.
As they pulled up to the house in the suburban neighborhood, Max couldn’t help but think it all looked too nice. The white picket fences, the green, green yards, the flowers blossoming around the driveways. Like someone had picked up the 1950s and dropped it into the modern era. He was surprised that none of the women they saw were sporting poodle skirts.
Tyler scratched his chin as he gazed at the house. “We should have told Sly about this.”
Max snorted. “Sly would have just stopped us.”
“Yeah and that’s why we should have told him.” Tyler narrowed his eyes. “What if it’s a trap, Max? We didn’t exactly think this through.”
“Thinking never helped us before.” Max turned a glare on Tyler. “What’s the matter? Has Angela turned you soft, Ty? You worried about how this will—”
“Shut up,” Tyler growled, glaring at him. “I’m not soft just because I don’t think we should be stupid.”
Max snorted as he stepped out of the truck. What happened to Tyler these past few months? It used to be that he would take on any challenge, go on any adventure. These days, it was like he overthought everything. He’d even started saying that they needed to put money aside for emergencies in the business. It had confused the hell out of Max until he heard Tyler talking to Angela about college funds.
With a snort, Max headed for the house. Before he arrived, there was a bang from the other side, and he saw a figure rushing away on the other side of a low fence.
“Got a rabbit,” he shouted back to Tyler.
Both of them shifted at the same time, Tyler leaping over the truck to land beside Max. They sprang over the wall, chasing down the fleeing figure. The person shifted into a wolf but a small one. Max and Tyler were on him in an instant. He howled and snapped, but the two of them sank their teeth into his shoulders and neck and dragged him back to the truck.
Max had to fight the urge to just tear the wolf apart—he was the one who was harassing them, he was probably the one who killed that hiker. But they needed proof. They needed to know for certain. Probably just didn’t cut it.
They dragged the wolf back into the house he’d run from. There, with the two larger wolves towering over him, he shifted back to human form. And Max’s eyes widened. The kid couldn’t be more than fourteen years old!
Tyler grunted and trotted from the room. He came back shortly wearing a pair of jeans and tossed another pair at him and then the boy. The kid quickly pulled the pants on. He was clearly terrified of the situation. Max left the room to dress and when he came back, the kid was sitting on the couch while Tyler stood over him, glaring.
“Recognize him?” Tyler asked Max.
Max narrowed his eyes at the boy. He did look familiar at that. “Fuck. Brian Mortenson?”
Brian glared at him. The boy had only been seven years old the last time Max had seen him. He was the son of a member of the undercover wolves sent into the Pack—and Brian’s father had turned against the rest of them, killing off several of the Howling Ops, as they were called back then, and nearly getting Ian and Theron killed too.
So, this was about revenge but… “How did you learn that code?” Max snarled. No way his father would have told him.
Brian’s hands clenched. “He told it to me. Said you’d come.”
“He who?” Tyler pressed.
Brian glared more intensely at the both of them. “You killed my father.”
“No,” Tyler said.
Max heard a slight noise behind them just in time to see a grenade launched into the room. He shouted, grabbing Tyler and throwing him over the couch. He dragged Brian with him, shielding the kid with his body as the grenade went off. Heat flashed over his skin as the percussive wave slammed them all backward. The couch took the worst of the blast, bursting apart. The thick smell of burning polyester rose in the air.
The boy groaned, holding his head. Max’s body threatened to panic, his lungs seizing and his throat closing up. He lay there, still, forcing himself to draw in deep breaths.
Noises burst from another room and Tyler growled, dragging himself up. Max’s head rang but he didn’t waste any time, not when his partner was raring to fight. He shifted as several other wolves, just as big as he and Tyler, clawed into the room after the grenade. Fires and shrapnel were everywhere. The wolves came at him and Max stumbled, his equilibrium off. Two of them pounced on him, their jaws immediately going for his throat.
Three went for Tyler.
No!
Max flipped himself over, out of reach of the jaws. He kicked both his back legs into one wolf’s throat, throwing it back. As it stumbled, choking, Max leapt back to his feet. Everything seemed to fade away around him. The smoke grew more acrid but the noise nearly cut out. He was hardly aware of his own body as he flung himself through the air. The taste of blood on his tongue barely registered. Things were vague around him, divided between enemy and not enemy. If it was not enemy, he ignored it. If it was enemy, he tore it to pieces.
His wolf howled and snarled, pressing his mind into a distant part of his brain while it took care of what needed to be done.
Only after there were no more enemies did Max return to himself. He slumped on the floor as Tyler braced him, calling his name. Every muscle in Max’s body burned with exertion. He’d been injured. His arm hung limp at one side, blood coating him. Everything rushed on him at once; the pain, the taste of blood, the hot metal of knives in his hands—when had he gotten those? He blinked rapidly, his stomach rebelling against the smell. But they’d ended up outside.
How, he didn’t know. But Tyler was dragging him to his feet, pulling him toward the truck. Brian was huddled in it already, his eyes wide, blood dripping down his forehead from a cut at his hairline. His hands were bound with zip-ties in front of him, but he didn’t look like he had any interest in trying to escape.
“Do you believe me now?” Max muttered to Tyler, his body sagging against the seat. His jaw felt funny. Had he strained or broken something?
Tyler heaved him into the truck and then went around to get in on the driver’s side. They headed off and Brian started to sniffle. Was he really crying? Max rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything. The kid probably hadn’t realized that whoever had manipulated him into this would then turn around and try to kill him, too.
The drive back to Deville was silent. Max faded off to sleep and when he woke, they were at Sly’s. Tyler was handing Brian over to him and Devon. They talked for several minutes and Max thought about leaving the truck to join them but decided that he was just too damn tired. He stayed where he was as Sly and Devon took Brian into the house.
When Tyler got back into the truck, Max tapped his knee. “Technically that’s kidnapping.”
Tyler shrugged. “Sly still has ties with the Magn
us Academy and the Blaze Ops. He’ll be able to take care of it. And clean up the mess we left in the city.”
Max groaned. He hadn’t even thought of that, but of course there would have been neighbors calling the police. They left bodies behind, there would be an investigation. Just by leaving the scene, he and Tyler were going to be made into more dramatic suspects. Not to mention all the other crap going on… He scowled out at the pines they passed as Tyler headed back to their cabin.
“How many people did I kill?” he asked, finally daring to speak it out loud.
Tyler sighed. “Lost count. More than me.”
Max clenched his fists. “And after that, after seeing what I do when I’m faced in a fight, how can you possibly think it’s a good idea to pass my genes on?”
“Being a berserker isn’t genetic. And Devon’s one, too, remember? You gonna start campaigning that his mate abort just because it might end up a berserker, too?”
“Chloe’s pregnant?” Max’s eyes widened.
Tyler shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know if vampires can get pregnant, but Angela thinks she might be. Haven’t heard for certain one way or another.”
Max was silent for a long moment. He had never thought of Sly and Devon as parents. But somehow, he knew that if Chloe was pregnant, they’d surrounded her in a protective embrace and would care for their kid more than anything.
His wolf snarled, and he tried to push it away. Was that why he was so angry? Because on some level, he wanted to stand up, to protect Angela and those unborn children? To give them the love and safety that he never got?
If they are my kids, how the hell is me calling them monsters going to help them in the future?
He shuddered, not wanting to think about that. “None of this explains the vampire that Angela saw. I’m thinking maybe it wasn’t a vampire.”
“If not a vampire then what?”
“A wolf. Partly shifting to give himself fangs. A red herring. Just like Brian.”
“I don’t think red herrings are supposed to kill you.”
Max glared at him. “He didn’t, remember? He was suckered into this somehow.”
“Yeah, well…” Tyler glanced at him and frowned. “You look like shit. We’ll have to clean up in the outdoor shower so Angela doesn’t see all this blood.”
Max opened his mouth and then closed it again, not replying. Soon enough, they were back at the house. He still hurt something terrible but was feeling a lot less like he was going to keel over.
The water in the outdoor shower was cold since there was no hot water tank associated with it, but it was enough to scrub the blood off his skin. He had several nasty bite wounds and Tyler looked at him like he wanted to tell him to stay outside while he got something for him to wear. Max glared at him—he wasn’t standing out here shivering just so Angela didn’t have to see that they’d been in a fight.
Sandra and Theron were playing cards with Angela when the two of them entered. Angela’s eyes widened at the sight of them. Max hurried to his room before she could ask what happened. He didn’t want her concern. It made it far too easy to care about her.
Unbidden, the feel of her body against his returned to him. How soft and warm under his hands she had been. And the movement of the babies she carried, kicking against his hand. His chest hurt as his wolf whined and whimpered. It had not been happy since that moment. Always wanting to be with Angela. Always wanting to put his hands back on her stomach, to feel that movement again.
Max collapsed onto his bed. He didn’t want to feel that again. Didn’t want that swell of happiness that had overwhelmed him before he even knew what was happening. Didn’t want that connection.
Because as soon as he started feeling those things, he would be weak.
Guess that’s why I need to fuck her, he thought as exhaustion slowly overtook him again. Just get her out of my system. Put her back to being pleasant to look at and nice to hold but nothing else.
Chapter Ten
Angela huffed, throwing off her blankets. She had been lying here for hours, trying not to think of the state Max and Tyler had been in earlier that evening. But she hadn’t quite been exhausted enough to keep her mind off of it when Sandra and Theron left and the question of what happened rattled around in her brain until she was absolutely unable to sleep.
Tyler told her not to worry about it, that it was all taken care of. But how could she not worry about it? They were covered in injuries! She knew that wolves healed fast, but that wasn’t the point. The point was that they were supposed to have gone up to the city for a delivery of flowers for the funeral home and they came back looking like they’d just fought a war!
I am going to get answers, she thought angrily as she marched to Tyler’s room. Partly because she felt less intimidated by him, partly because his light was still on. She didn’t even bother knocking, just walked right in.
He lay on his bed reading. His body relaxed when he saw her, and he smiled. “Can’t sleep?”
Angela marched to the foot of the bed. “I saw Kristoff and Lucas hanging around outside. What is really going on here, Tyler? Ian has been more and more insistent that I move out. He says it’s not safe and I’m starting to think it’s more than just him being a big brother overly concerned about my virtue.”
Tyler scratched his head. “It’s nothing for you to be worried about.”
“It is, too,” Angela insisted, sitting on the edge of the bed. “It affects me, so it’s something for me to be worried about. Miriam came over earlier to drop off some old baby clothes from her nephews and they gave her the third degree. Obviously, there’s something going on. Is it the vampire?”
“Not exactly…” Tyler marked his place and put the book aside. “Something is going on. And it might be connected to the vampire you saw. But we will tell you what you need to know. We always have wolves around the place so that you’re perfectly safe. Got it?” He cupped her face with his hand, and she leaned into his touch. “We’re not going to let anything happen to you.”
Angela worried her lower lip between her teeth. “Max, too?”
“Max, too.” Tyler grinned. “He pretends to be all macho and tough, but really he’s a softie.”
Angela didn’t believe that. Not when Max was still so hard and distant with her. Part of her thought that she needed to just tell herself to grow up and accept that he wasn’t going to change. She should just stop wasting her time on him. He wasn’t worth it… right?
But her heart ached when she looked at him and he looked back with that anger. She wanted him to stop being so angry. Wanted to be able to reach out to him and tell him that it was going to be okay. Even though she was the one worried that it wasn’t going to be okay… because of him.
Tyler put his hands on her hips and pulled her up to straddle him while he leaned against the headboard. A wicked grin crossed his face as his eyes twinkled. “Maybe I can do something to take your mind off your worries? You’ve been living with me for over two months and I haven’t yet been able to seduce you. If it goes on much longer, I’ll think I have lost my touch.”
Angela’s eyes widened. “Have you been trying to seduce me?”
“No,” he admitted, cupping her ass in his hands. It made her skin tighten and she bit back a gasp. “But maybe it’s time.”
Max growled from the door. “I hope you’re not planning on doing anything without me.”
Angela jumped. She twisted, seeing Max leaning against the doorway. He only wore a pair of boxers. The injuries on his chest and neck, which had looked so vividly red a few hours ago, had faded to a shiny pink. She bit her lip as she looked at him, wide-eyed. What did he want? Really?
Max strode forward, pulling what Angela first thought was a pom-pom from behind his back. Then he cracked it across his palm and her eyes widened. A shiver of fear combined with a shiver of desire ran down her spine.
“That’s a whip.”
“Oh, yes,” Max purred. He crawled up on the bed and handed it to he
r. “This one’s softer than more intense ones. Perfect for a beginner. Would you like me to tell you what I plan to do to you?”
Angela’s throat went dry. What he planned to do to her. She opened and closed her mouth several times, trying to make her brain reboot. But the heat flooding her body and the tightening of her core made it next to impossible. Tyler chuckled as he started to undo the buttons on her top. She thought about stopping him—but why? She couldn’t think of a reason.
“First off,” Max said as he stared her in the eye, “I am going to tie you up. Hands together, feet together, elbows to wrists. That way you’ll be offering your plump ass to me on the bed.” He smacked her ass with an open hand, making her jump, and grinned. “Do you like the sound of that?”
She did, but all she could do was nod mutely.
“Then I’m going to spank you. You’re a naughty, naughty girl who won’t do as you’re told, after all. And once you’re nice and red, I’ll use this on you.” He nodded to the whip that Angela now strung through her fingers.
She stared down at it, heart racing. From all her fantasies, she’d never really thought of that sequence of events. Tyler moved her shirt off her shoulders and Max took it the rest of the way. She wanted this. Her whole body sang with delight as their hands passed over her skin. But…
“But what about the babies?” She dropped the whip and clung to Tyler as she stared at Max. “You won’t hurt them, will you?”
His expression sobered. “No. I’ll be sticking with your ass and thighs and we’re not going to go very deep into it. But I am going to fuck you, Angela. You understand that, right?”
“We,” Tyler put in. “You don’t get to kick me out of my own bed.”
Max rolled his eyes. “We, then.”
Angela breathed deeply, inhaling their manly scent. Her whole body cried out to let them do whatever it was they wanted to her, but she had to remain in control, didn’t she? She had to protect her children. Max had made it very clear he didn’t want them born… but he hadn’t said anything to her about it since he felt them move.
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