Soren
He’d never felt such rage and hate as he did the moment he came face to face with Baine. Rage at being tricked and hate for himself and the pain he knew he was going to cause when he had to walk away.
A thousand different emotions flitted across Baines' eyes as they stared at each other across the short distance. So close yet so fucking far away. Never in his life had he been as torn as he was in that moment. The need to crush his mate to his side, to claim his lips in a kiss so searing it would fuse their souls together as one, against the need to run as far and fast as he could. To save Baine from being shackled to the grotesque monster that he was.
He hadn’t meant to question his Alpha like that, he’d just been so shocked and felt almost betrayed that he hadn’t thought before speaking. The hurt his words caused were evident on Baine’s face, but he couldn’t take them back.
He heard Sypher and the kids talking, but he was only half listening. He couldn’t take his eyes off the man standing there in slack-jawed amazement. The longing and need in his eyes were gut-wrenching reminders of what he couldn’t allow himself to have.
Sypher’s word vaguely registered as he dragged his eyes away from his mate to look at his Alpha and closest friend. “What?” He’d heard him say his name, but he hadn’t processed the words that came after.
“I asked what you wanted to do with the kids. They can stay up in the pack house with us or do you want us to make other arrangements?”
“Uh…” He stammered as he tried to focus back on the events of the last couple hours. It was like his brain short-circuited now that his gargoyle knew his mate was aware of them. “It doesn't matter to me. Your house has more protection though, so it might be smarter for them to go there until we figure things out better.”
Sypher nodded, stood up and smiled down to the two kids. “You guys good with that?”
Soren watched curiously as Sarina cocked her head to the side and stared at him almost as if she was studying him before she nodded slowly. “That’s fine, but there’s more you all need to know first. What’s your mate’s name?” Sarina asked suddenly as she glanced between Soren and Baine.
“My name's Baine.” He replied before Soren could.
“We’re safe for tonight, but they will be back. My powers are greater than you know, and they want me for their fight. A fight that you’ve been fighting already, Baine. You and your soul brother cut off their legs, but you missed the head. They’ve grown and have been searching for you both. I’m afraid to admit my part in this will cause you more pain, but they know where you are. I was trying to get here to warn you. Your brother they believe to be human and therefore worth trying to save, but you they want to destroy.”
“Who?” Soren demanded angrily. “Why?”
Sarina shrugged, “I don’t know their names, just what I saw and heard. They are many, they’ve placed their seeds of hatred and distrust far and wide. Friends and family aren’t always what you think they are.”
“You’re giving me a headache kid. Stop speaking in riddles.” Soren growled, “Back in the alley you said I needed you. What did that mean?”
“I may be young, but I’ve got the wisdom of all that have come before me. My bloodline passes our knowledge down upon birth. If they knew it, I know it. I had to come here because I saw what would happen if I didn’t. I saw the slow destruction of your people until there were none left to stand and fight. You were my means to an end, but I also had to come for the two of you. Your love will be your redemption, don’t run from it. Allow it to fill your heart and drown out the words and actions done against you, Soren. He is not your enemy, he is your salvation.”
Neither man knew what to say as they processed her words.
“Sarina, you said we cut off their legs, right?” Daegan questioned. “So, this is an enemy Baine and I fought before, is what you’re saying?”
“Yes,” She replied, “They want you to pay for what you did, and they will use it as the first strike in their war against your kind.”
“You said ‘our people’ and ‘your kind’. What do you mean by that?” Sypher asked hesitantly almost as if he feared her response.
“Shifters for now. Their hate will eventually lead them to destroy any that are different from them. They seek to eliminate all that is different from what they believe to be created in their God’s image.”
“Fuck.” Baine cried out as he turned his terrified eyes to meet Daegan’s equally scared one’s “It’s them, it has to be.”
“Who?” Soren demanded as he took an involuntary step closer to Baine. The fear on the two men's faces was clear for all to see. It was tearing him apart knowing someone or something he couldn’t fight yet put that look on his mate's face.
“The DOA, or The Disciples of Adam,” Daegan answered. “The group we infiltrated and took down or thought we had right before Baine went missing.”
He wasn’t sure why but something about that scared him even more than he could have thought possible. He didn’t know anything about the group, he didn’t even know much about their lives before joining the pack. But there was something about the fear in their voices that increased his.
“I remember you told me the basics about what you did.” Sypher began, “You went undercover and helped shut down hate groups you said, right?”
Soren cursed, “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Guys, let’s get the kids back to the house and then we can sit and talk about that. They have to be exhausted and honestly, I don’t think they need to hear about some of this, do you?” Sypher interrupted. “I know I brought it up but I forgot for a minute where we were in my surprise.”
The last thing he wanted to do was be locked inside with his mate, at least outside he had the fresh air and wind to help block some of his scent. Inside an enclosed space like that it was going to be pure torture, add in what he was sure was going to be a brutal story and he wasn’t sure his resolve was going to hold up. He was already fighting his gargoyle with everything he had to maintain his control.