Chapter Sixteen
After they ate some food at the beach, Hunter sent Cade off with Joe, Angie, and Andy on the pretense that the rest of them were going to patrol before dinner. As soon as they were out of earshot, he changed direction, leading the group to the pack’s training area.
“This doesn’t look like patrolling,” Axel commented. He’d been quiet since they’d left the beach, but Hunter couldn’t fail to see how attached he’d been to Joe until the last moment.
“It’s not. I need a good fight. Three on one. Are you up for it?”
His three cousins glanced at one another. “I thought that was the whole point of you mating, so you wouldn’t need to do shit like fight three of us at once,” Dex said. Hunter shrugged. “What can I say? Mating isn’t a magic bullet.”
Yet something had changed. He’d been incensed, seeing red, when Cade had spoken to him like that and yet, he’d bottled it, hung onto his cool long enough to get them all out of there and walk all the way to the training ground.
“If you need it, I’m in,” Seth said. “But we should really have my Dad or someone to supervise.”
That was how they’d always done it in the past. But Hunter wasn’t ready for the inevitable questions that would bring.
“You know he’d grill us for ages first. Look, we’ll be done and dusted in twenty minutes, thirty tops. He’ll never know.”
Shedding his shirt, Hunter walked to the center of the arena, taking his position. Dex, Axel, and Seth followed suit, spacing themselves evenly around him. It was the only safe way for him to fight without someone getting badly injured. One-on-one was usually a disaster. Two-on-one still a risk. Three-on-one and his power was diffuse enough that the others actually got a few punches and kicks in.
He closed his eyes, centering himself, and letting that anger bubble up to the surface. Opening them, he took a breath and attacked.
The tally of injuries wasn’t so bad, all things considered. They all had a few scattered bruises. Hunter had more than a few but all were easily covered by his shirt. They’d be gone in a day or two. The older wolves spoke of healing much faster. Bruises gone within minutes, serious injuries healed within a matter of hours. As he grew older, he was starting to think they were fairy tales and not real memories. Watching a broken bone knit under your very eyes seemed too far-fetched now.
A few times during the fight, he thought he felt someone watching them. But when they finished up, there was no one there. Just his senses playing tricks.
Cade was in the kitchen with Joe when he arrived home, eating a plate of something. Joe said a quick goodbye and left. Cade got up as soon as Hunter walked into the room, clearing his plate.
“Don’t leave on my account,” Hunter offered. Cade ignored him, and Hunter heard him on the stairs moments later. He’d scared him. Good. Cade should be scared. His anger was not a thing to play with. He was dangerous, always on the brink of losing control.
He ate sitting on the couch, kicking back, and watching TV. Angus had relented when they were kids and agreed to let people have television. He noticed Cade hadn’t touched it at all. He might have been from a pack that didn’t have it, or maybe it just held no interest for him, like it didn’t for many of their people. But Hunter had grown up among humans, and watching TV was a habit he’d carried over with him, especially the sport.
He watched two games back to back, then went upstairs to bed. The bedroom door was shut but Hunter didn’t think Cade was asleep. He walked into the spare room, shutting the curtains, and shedding his shirt.
“You shouldn’t be bruising that badly.”
He whirled around to see Cade loitering in the open doorway. On instinct, he grabbed his shirt, ready to cover up, before realizing it was useless. Cade had already had an eyeful. He went with anger instead.
“It’s none of your business.”
“Shifters don’t bruise like humans. And they heal fast. Much faster than that. Your fight was hours ago.”
Hunter blinked at that.
“You saw?”
Cade shrugged. “I was curious. I convinced Joe to come with me and we followed you. The way you fight…” He left that thought unfinished.
“It’s still none of your business.”
Cade stepped closer, tilting his head to the side. “Does it hurt?”
“They’re bruises so, yeah.” Not to mention a kick from Dex had cracked a rib on his left side. That hurt like a son of a bitch.
The omega walked up close to him, getting right into Hunter’s space. He reached out a hand, then hesitated, fingers millimeters from touching Hunter.
“May I?”
“Why?”
He shrugged again, and Hunter started to get tired of his silent communication.
“Tell me why and I’ll let you. Otherwise, go to bed.”
Anger flashed in Cade’s eyes but there was fear under it. Good, he wasn’t becoming too comfortable. If Hunter was right, the omega planned to run soon. He’d found the supplies he’d hidden in one of the kitchen cupboards. But if he ran too soon, they might both wind up in trouble.
“Maybe I could kiss them better?” Cade tilted his head, smirking up at him.
“Fine, if it makes you happy. No teeth.”
Cade’s fingers settled on his skin. His hands were warm, and he wasn’t hesitant in how he touched Hunter, carefully searching out each bruise. Hunter hissed as the omega’s fingers brushed across his broken rib.
“My omega father told us a story about a swan shifter he knew. Everyone thought swans were weak, easy to prey upon, and so this werelion took a liking to his territory, a beautiful lake, and decided to challenge him for it. They fought by the side of the lake and the lion was tearing strips from the swan. So the swan, knowing he was fighting a losing battle, dived into the water. The lion went in after him. Big mistake. Because in the water, the lion is no match for the swan. The swan shifter almost drowned him. But only almost. The swan shifted back to human form and he was in bad shape. He had broken bones, claw marks over half his body. My father helped the swan to drag the lion to the edge of the swan’s territory and leave him there. And as they’re dragging him, the swan’s bones are knitting, his skin is healing. By the time they get back to his home, he’s healed, barely a scratch on him. Because he was strong.”
Hunter isn’t sure what the point of the story was. Making fun of his less than stellar healing skills?
“What happened between the swan and the lion?”
“The lion wisely decided not to come back for a second round. At least, not that day.” Cade’s eyes had a faraway look that Hunter wasn’t sure he wanted to delve too deep into.
“He sounds like a jerk.”
“He was young and foolish.”
“Who isn’t?” This close, it was harder for Hunter to remember his reasoning for keeping Cade at a distance. He lay a hand on Cade’s shoulder, slowly trailing along the curve where shoulder met neck.
Cade’s hands let him go and he took a step back out of Hunter’s reach.
“I should go to bed. My side of the bed.”
The words shook Hunter awake, his hand held in midair. He could still feel the heat of Cade’s body under his skin.
“What are you?”
Cade looked startled by the question, taking another step back.
“I’m an omega.”
Hunter took a step forward, closing the distance between them.
“I’m starting to think I don’t know the first thing about what that means.”
Cade’s smile was almost sad.
“Most don’t care to. Not anymore.”
Cade turned and went toward the door.
“What if I’d like to learn?”
The omega paused, glancing at him over his shoulder. “Ironic, isn’t it?”
“How do you mean?”
“You wanting to learn about me when you haven’t the first clue about who and what you really are?”
Hunter scrubbed a hand across his face. He wasn’t in the humor for more cryptic words. “Go to bed. You’re giving me a headache.”
Cade snorted. “That’s the kick Seth gave you to the head. You should learn to duck.”
Hunter started toward him and Cade dived out the door, snickering as he raced into the bedroom. Hunter didn’t follow straight away, giving Cade some time to settle. He’d had enough for one night, his ribs ached, and he was ready to get to sleep.
Only when he got to the bedroom, Cade wasn’t asleep but sitting on the side of the bed, looking anxious. Hunter decided this was as good a time as any to address what Cade had said to him earlier.
“What you said before, about you being here as my punching bag. That’s not true. Angus and Sybil, they thought a mate would be a good thing, would redirect my energy so I didn’t get angry, not so that I’d have someone to take it out on. I’d never- I’d rather be exiled than hurt someone innocent. But I know exile will mean certain death. My family are what keeps me grounded, without them, there’ll be nothing. I can’t let my anger consume me, I can’t.”
He shook his head, pacing to the window.
“How was that supposed to work?” Cade asked. “I mean, relationships like that provoke some of the strongest emotions. I don’t see how they thought it would cool your anger.”
Hunter laughed bitterly. “That’s what I thought. But they were set on it and I was so scared of being alone that I went along with it. That’s why you’re here. I’m sorry, Cade, for trapping you in my mess.”
Cade was suddenly standing right beside him, resting his hand on Hunter’s where it gripped the windowsill.
“I was in a mess of my own, remember? And you freed me. You kept me safe from Zane.”