~Chapter Eleven~
The Arizona sun warmed Jesse’s face as he walked hand in hand with Noah through Sabino Canyon. They’d come to run along with Keegan and Vince, and Kory Maguire and Will Cooper. Their mates, Seth Ralston and Jacob Steele, had bitten the two younger men so they’d have a fighting chance if they were attacked by rogues. Unfortunately, that chance seemed more likely with each day. Jesse had to smile as Keegan fidgeted, with Vince at his side. Vince had opted to be changed when Keegan went into ‘mine’ mode.
Jude walked behind them with Hayden.
“So, Vince, how did it go?” Noah chuckled.
“Hurt like hell,” Vince grunted. “But the sex was awesome.”
“Vince!” Keegan slapped his husband’s bicep.
“What? It’s true,” Vince grinned, grabbing Keegan and lifting him off the ground. “I love you.”
“I heard you’re a pretty big werewolf,” Hayden laughed.
“Everything about me is big,” Vince waggled his eyebrows.
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Keegan sighed.
“Although,” Vince tilted his head. “Keegan surprised the fuck out of me. Guess it’s true what they say.”
“They really are territorial when they first shift.”
Vince looked over his shoulder to see Mateo Esposito with his husband, Riley.
Vince nodded with a grin. “And forceful. Like, surprisingly forceful. I rather liked it.”
“Are you done? Put me down.” Keegan was set on his feet and immediately put his hands on his hips, and glared up at his husband.
Vince palmed Keegan’s cheek and kissed him. “Yes, I’m done embarrassing you.”
Keegan snorted.
“Come here.” Vince hugged Keegan tightly.
“Aw,” Riley sighed watching Vince and Keegan together. “You two are so cute.”
“Yes, they are.”
Riley grinned as Andrei joined their group with his husband, Devin. Although Andrei had been married to Vince, he held no ill will toward Keegan and they had become very good friends.
“Hey, Andrei. How’s Nikolai?”
“Upset that he is not a werewolf,” Andrei chuckled.
“Yeah, but he is immortal,” Jesse winked. “You two going to be joining us soon?”
Andrei cast a glance at Devin. “We are discussing the pros and cons.”
“I haven’t found a con yet.” Devin smacked Andrei’s ass.
Vince’s muscles stretched and he closed his eyes. “Here comes a con.”
Jesse kept his eyes trained on Vince as his shift took place. It happened very quickly and Vince stood next to Keegan in his werewolf form. The jet-black coat and matching eyes were seriously intimidating.
“Thanks.” Vince grinned in wolf form.
Keegan slapped Vince’s butt. “Behave.”
“Shift for me sexy.” Vince nuzzled Keegan’s thigh.
Jesse had to laugh as Vince stood in front of Keegan to shield him as he undressed. They had all seen each other naked on multiple occasions, but Vince had never had to watch his own husband strip with an audience. Keegan stood with his arms at his sides and let out a slow breath. The change came quickly and Keegan stood next to his husband. His coat was also a beautiful glossy black, but his green-gray eyes were gentle.
Vince huffed at him and Jesse winked.
Mateo looked behind him as Killian made his way over to the group.
“I didn’t think you’d come.” Mateo put his hand out to Killian.
Killian shook it, eyeing the other men around them. It had surprised him when the werewolf Conner had shifted; the man seemed so…calm. No wonder he was mated to the created one.
He had worked side by side with these men, and had finally accepted that they weren’t out to capture him, or hurt him. He glanced at Jesse Salvatore with his mate.
“So, a white lion?”
Jesse nodded. “Yes, although I have no clue how to make the change again. If it requires Noah to be in lethal danger, I’m fine staying in this form.”
Killian’s brows furrowed. “Didn’t one of you say the warlock changed forms to help Jude shift into a white tiger?”
“Yeah, I said that.” Jude glared at Killian. “Can’t you remember our names?”
Killian shrugged. “Too many of you to even try. I might be able to help like the warlock did.” Killian closed his eyes and shifted into a lion. He leapt at Noah.
Jesse’s body went into a full-blown panic and he shifted in the blink of an eye, catching Killian in his side before he got within inches of Noah. The snarl that left him actually shook the trees. A low whistle came from the right of him and he caught sight of Riley nodding.
“Now, that is awesome,” Riley grinned.
“What else can you become?” Mateo asked out of curiosity.
Killian shifted into different forms, from an elephant to an ostrich.
“This reminds me of ‘Aladdin’.” Mateo turned to look at his husband. “Remember when the genie was trying to figure out what to make Abu into?”
Riley snickered as all eyes fell on the two of them.
“What?” Mateo met the stares of his team. “Maggie loves ‘Aladdin,’ okay?”
“Yeah, too bad Matty can’t sit still long enough to watch it. We could use the hour and a half to rest. Can we run now?” Riley laughed.
“Yes!”
Riley handed Maggie to Mark Montgomery, Josh’s husband. He knew Mark and Josh were planning to have children of their own. In fact, they were working with Alexander to impregnate a female werewolf.
Jesse had shifted back and was grinning at Mark holding the baby. He sidled up to Mark and pinched Maggie’s cheek. He got a squeal and a drool bubble.
“Ready for your own?” Jesse asked.
Mark held Maggie close to him and nuzzled her. Matty and Kane had already shifted and were running with their fathers. As much as Mateo hated shifting, he did it for his son at times like these. Mark smiled at Mitch Devan as he made his way over. Mitch’s mate, Locke Renfro, was running with the rest of the group.
“I can’t wait to have a child,” Mark admitted. “Josh is already going crazy buying little boy stuff.”
“What if it’s a girl?” Jesse raised a brow.
“She’s going to play football and baseball and learn how to shoot,” Mark laughed.
Mitch sat down beside Mark on the truck tailgate and smiled at Maggie.
“How are you, Mitch?” Jesse asked.
“Well, seeing as I dodged getting bitten, I’m good. I don’t know what would happen to me anyway now that I’m immortal,” Mitch sighed. “Never thought I’d say that out loud.” Conner had saved his life in Ireland by giving him his blood to heal a mortal gunshot wound. It had not changed him, but made him immortal.
“Did they try to bite you?” Jesse’s brows furrowed.
“No, and that was the weird part. It was as if I wasn’t even there. They went straight for Keegan and Chance.”
“Bet Locke went crazy,” Mark said. “Are you guys still taking it slow?”
Mitch nodded. “So slow we’re not even moving.”
“So no…?” Jesse used his fingers to make the motion of fucking, making a circle with one hand while inserting his finger in and out.
Mitch cracked up. “Um, no. We barely kiss.”
“Wow, that’s got to be —”
“Frustrating? Annoying? Pissifying?” Mitch provided. “Yeah, it is. But I know I’m supposed to be with him, so I’m trying to be patient.”
“I think he’s scared to death that if he makes love to you, something bad will happen,” Jesse offered. “Seems to be the thing with these guys.”
“Well, I’m no sex addict, but come on,” Mitch sighed. “My hand is getting calloused.”
“Okay, TMI and I’m outta here,” Jesse laughed.
~*~
Jesse ran side by side with Noah. He’d found his mate and had been changed into a white lion to fight a war that was raging. He’d been a SEAL, and now he was another kind of warrior — one created by the gods. It was humbling as well as exciting.
The rest of the shifters kept up with them and they finally stopped at the peak of Mount Lemmon. Jesse looked across the beautiful mountains of Arizona and felt the kind of peace he’d been missing. He truly did miss Arizona.
“We can buy a house here, come for the winters?” Noah nudged Jesse.
“Really?”
Noah nuzzled Jesse’s face. “Of course.”
“I want to live out here.” Jesse nodded toward the canyon.
“Then we will.”
Jesse glanced at all his friends. Will was snuggled into Seth’s massive form. The smaller man was still a decent-sized werewolf, but Seth made him look tiny. It was the same for Kory. Jacob was huge in comparison. The four of them stood close to each other, relishing the company and the much-needed peace.
Vince Markov as a werewolf was something he thought he’d never see. Because just being a crazy-ass killer wasn’t scary enough, right? Keegan was a tad smaller, but still looked formidable.
“Are you ready to go?”
Jesse took one last look. “I want to stop somewhere.”
Noah nodded. “Okay.”
Jesse and his brothers stood silently in front of a piece of land on a dead-end street. Secret Canyon Drive had been just that back then — a secret. Where a beautiful house once stood, an olive tree now represented the lives lost and the devastation that came that night. Jesse held his brothers’ hands as they said a silent prayer for their parents. It seemed like so long ago, yet at the same time so fresh. This was where their lives had changed forever. Arms came around his waist and Jesse leaned back into the safety and warmth of Noah King.
“I want to rebuild close by,” Jesse murmured.
“We will.” Noah pressed a kiss to Jesse’s neck.
“We own all the land for miles,” Justice pointed out. “We might as well bring it back to life.”
“So, a winter vacation house?” Jaxon chuckled softly.
“Yes.” Justice took in the land around them. “Mom and Dad deserve to be remembered. Having us here again will make them happy.”
“Yes, it will.” Jesse hugged his brothers tightly.
They returned to the truck. Jesse slid in the back of the extended cab with Noah, as Justice and Jesse got in front.
“Back to our other lives,” Jesse sighed.
“Your new life.” Noah palmed Jesse’s cheek. “With me.”
Jesse grinned. “I’m looking forward to it.”