The furious wolf shifter seemed to deflate, and Greg’s heart finally began to slow its intense beating.
“Why don’t you go on inside and have a brew. Tell them to put it on my tab. Sometimes things just don’t work out with people, right? It’s for the best if we only do what both people agree with and everyone’s allowed to change their minds. Go on then. Get yourself the good stuff.”
“I’d be robbing the cradle with you anyway, twink. Still in diapers? That omega bitch doesn’t need a daddy.”
“All right, just go get your beer.”
“I’ll deal with you later,” Bruce promised, and reluctantly turned to walk back into the bar.
Chapter 4
“What the hell?” Greg breathed, leaning weakly against the brick wall of the alley. He held his hand to his head and groaned. “That was fucked up.”
“You’re all right now,” the older man said, turning to face him. Greg’s heart thudded when the man’s dazzling blue eyes met his own. He was absolutely stunning. He had always thought that older human men looked better aged. That went even further when applied to wolf shifters.
“Your name is Luke?” Greg asked, hoping he had gotten the men’s names straight. Luke grinned and nodded.
Greg took a moment to catch his breath, and look the man up and down. He was unbelievably handsome. He looked like he had been working with his hands his whole life. His entire body was rippling with purposeful muscles; not the bulging kind like Bruce’s, that looked like you had to spend hours of your life in a gym to get them, but the kind that showed this man knew exactly how to use his body.
He was wearing a tight white V-neck t-shirt, and a tuft of silver hair poked out, pasted against his firm chest. His legs were clad in form-fitting jeans that gave a generous hint of the prize concealed beneath them. Luke said nothing as Greg studied him, and finally turned to leave.
“Wait,” Greg said softly, running after the man. His legs felt like jelly after being assaulted, but he couldn’t stand the thought that the man would disappear from his life just like that. “My name is Greg.”
“Nice to meet you, Greg,” Luke said, grinning at him. His teeth were a perfect pearly white. Everything about shifters was attractive, and somehow, this man had seemed to find the fountain of youth. Although his hair was grey, he seemed as spry and agile as the most fit men Greg knew. “What are you doing here anyway? This doesn’t seem like the kind of place a guy like you should be hanging around in. Nothing but trouble with some of these sorts.”
Greg was surprised that Luke would stereotype the shifters at the bar.
“Oh, you don’t like shifters?” he stammered. “I thought…”
“No, I love shifters. I am a shifter,” Luke said, his eyes sending a jolt of electricity into Greg’s. Greg’s heart hammered as Luke continued speaking. “I just think this club draws an unsavory sort. The crowds here tend to be a little on the wild side, you know?”
“I guess so,” Greg said, shivering as memories of the assault gripped him.
“So why are you here?” Luke persisted. He didn’t seem eager to drop the question. Greg supposed it did seem a little bit strange for somebody like himself to be hanging around in a place where shifters would get the wrong impression about him. He certainly couldn’t pull off the look, and Luke seemed to see right through him. His question seemed to be saying, “You’re not man enough to be here.” Although it felt like a challenge and embarrassed Greg, he felt compelled to answer anyway.
“I’m here because I wanted to meet a wolf shifter,” Greg admitted. “I’ve never been with one before and I thought…”
Luke raised his eyebrow, a wizened, whimsical look on his face.
“I don’t know. My life is kinda upside down right now,” Greg sighed. Jake grinned.
“Can’t be that bad, you ain’t dead yet.”
“No…I’m still here,” Greg agreed. Still, it felt miserable, and he was sure that the older man was probably making fun of him. He probably had a husband out there somewhere waiting for him to get back.
Suddenly, Greg’s phone buzzed and tore him away from the thought. He checked it and cried out in alarm. It was a message on his ShiftMe app from the terrifying shifter he had contacted, and had finally gotten out of his thoughts. With Luke there it was easier to be able to forget what had just happened. Now it was right in front of him all over again.
“What is it?” Luke asked, prickling and coming close to Greg to see over his shoulder at the screen.
I’m hunting you down after sunset, baby twink.
“That jackass,” Luke said with a sigh. “Let me go get my jacket.”
“What for?” Greg asked, bewildered.
“I’m going to have to take you home with me tonight to protect you from that idiot.”
Greg’s heart leapt to his throat and Luke disappeared into the club for a moment. He returned soon after with a leather jacket draped over his firm body and a smile playing at his lips.
“Follow me,” he said.
Greg obeyed, not knowing what else to do. It wasn’t every day he found himself in a ridiculous situation like this, but somehow he had managed to secure the protection of a man like Luke. What would he expect in return, he wondered? Maybe he could cook dinner for him, or clean…
“Wear this,” Luke said, stopping in front of a beautiful motorcycle. It was the nicest in the parking lot, although most people had taken bikes to the club that night. It was dazzling, even in the moonlight, and looked down at the black helmet that Luke had just shoved into his hands. He fastened it to his head.
“Are you sure this is necessary?” Greg stammered as Luke mounted the bike. “I could just go home. He doesn’t know where I live.”
“Silly boy,” Luke said, shaking his head. “That man can smell you and your fear. He’ll be on you like white on rice, no matter where you are in the city. But he knows better than to encroach on my turf. I’m respected here. Now shut your pretty lips and brace yourself. She goes fast.”
Luke patted the bike fondly before revving the engine. Greg gasped in surprise when the bike bolted forward.
“Hang on, Greg,” Luke hollered with a pleased whoop into the night. Greg gripped the older man’s chest for dear life as they sped down the highway, the bright beam of the bike’s headlight guiding the way to the safety of Luke’s house.
Chapter 4
On the road, Greg felt like he was flying. He had never been on a motorcycle before. The closest thing he had was an electric scooter that he had used in college to save money. It was fun, but nothing like the speed and power of Luke’s motorcycle speeding boldly down the highway.
“This is amazing!” Greg exclaimed.
“That’s nothing,” Luke called back to him. “Look at the stars!”
Greg wasn’t sure when it had happened, but somehow they had traveled outside the city. He was only used to seeing a couple of stars twinkling sadly in the sky as the rest were concealed by light pollution. But out on the open road, the sky had opened up into a whole new world of bright, twinkling lights, constellations, and even planets.
“A shooting star!” Greg cried, taking one of his hands from around Luke’s waist and pointing up at the sky. Luke chuckled, pleased by Greg’s delight.
“Make a wish, boy!”
It was a strange and impulsive thing to wish, but Greg squeezed his eyes tightly closed, and wished with all he had that he would never forget the feeling of freedom he had been blessed with by climbing onto Luke’s bike that night. At first he had been nervous, but somehow, he had been able to trust the man almost instantly. Whether it was because he had proven his initiative by protecting him from the terrifying shifter he had hoped to hook up with, or because he was just a comforting sort of man, Greg had never felt safer.
Finally, the bike slowed and pulled into a dirt driveway that Greg otherwise would have missed if he were driving or didn’t know exactly what he was looking for. They rode through thick forest and finally rolled to a stop outside a modest sized house. It was sturdy and well-built, but lacked the refining qualities of many of the modern conventional houses people in the city had custom made.
“Is this your house?” Greg asked dumbly as Luke climbed off the motorcycle. The man’s blue eyes twinkled.
“Yes sir. Do you approve?”
“Of course,” Greg said, scrambling off the bike to face Luke. “I didn’t mean…”
“No, it’s fine,” Luke chuckled. “Of course it’s fine. Come on in.”
They sauntered toward the doorway and Greg hung back, feeling a little bit apprehensive. The image of Luke having a husband waiting for him at home hadn’t left his head. They would undoubtedly have the perfect relationship; a couple of aged wolf shifters who were just old enough to know how the world worked, and still young enough to take it for all it was worth.
“What’s the matter, kid?” Luke asked, raising an eyebrow at him. He hadn’t realized it, but he had come to a full stop outside the front door.
“Do you live with anyone else? Are you sure they wouldn’t mind me being here?”
“Someone else?” Luke asked, as if confused by the concept. “Hell no. I’m a lone wolf.”
A surge of excitement swelled in Greg’s chest. The man was ridiculously attractive. And he was single.
“You coming or what?” Luke asked, opening the door. “Don’t have all night. I’m ready for supper.”
“You haven’t eaten yet?” Greg asked. “Let me make you dinner. As a thank you.”
“I don’t do thank-yous,” Luke said, his boots thudding heavily on the wooden floor as he crossed into the kitchen. “I only do what I want. You don’t have much to do with that.”
Greg stammered when Luke disappeared into the kitchen and took the opportunity to look around the room. They had come into a wide, spacious living room, heated by an old fashioned wood stove. The whole place was perfumed by the sweet scent of burning wood, and the whole place had a natural, earthy feel that made Luke feel instantly at home.
“Sit down,” Luke ordered from the kitchen. He couldn’t see Greg and Greg couldn’t see him, but he instantly obeyed. There was a handmade coffee table full of books and pens. Greg opened one of them, surprised to find that it was a sketchbook. Inside were beautiful, intricate drawings of wolves of all kinds; most of them at home in the deep wiles of nature.
“Don’t recall saying you could look at those,” Luke said with an edge to his voice when he came back from the kitchen. He was holding two mugs of coffee and handed one to Greg. Greg took it, lowering his eyes apologetically.
“I’m sorry, I thought it was just…”
Luke lowered himself beside Greg and chuckled.
“Don’t be sorry, boy. I should be sorry for being such a bad host. I guess I spend so much time alone out here that anyone messing with my things gets me a little bit territorial.”
Greg laughed quietly and sipped his coffee. For some reason he had expected it to be strong, but it had a perfect blend of sweetness. In fact, he had never had coffee so good.
“So what’s it like to be a wolf shifter?” Greg asked, unable to restrain his curiosity. This lifestyle seemed so exotic and interesting. It was nothing like the vapid, shallow life he had built around himself and his ungrateful ex Jorge.
“It’s exhausting,” Luke replied, leaning back into the couch cushions. “I’m an old man. You would think you humans would learn a thing or two about respecting your elders.”
“What do you mean?” Greg asked, immediately feeling as if he had done something terribly wrong.
“It gets tiring fighting off all the stories of persecution, having to avoid people who come out to the forest with guns and shoot on sight without ever stopping to wonder if we pose a threat or not. We’ve lost a lot of our kind over the years. A lot. We’re close to extinction. But I bet you didn’t even know that. News stations keep it all under wraps. Everyone’s afraid of us and think the less the better. But they sure as hell won’t advertise it.”
Greg was horrified. Luke must have seen the startled, sorrowful look on his face, because he smiled and patted Greg’s leg.
“It’s not your fault, kid. Just the way it is. Way of the world. Humans do the same thing with each other all the time over this difference or that. Hard to trust you sneaky buggers.”
“So why did you save me?” Greg asked. He felt like he definitely didn’t deserve to be saved. Not after putting himself into such a stupid and reckless situation. And especially not after hearing about the injustices that humans were doing to the wolf shifters. That had to be a lot to endure, and Greg was ashamed of the humans for their intolerance and embarrassed to be among them as a species.
“Oh, I don’t know. Hero complex. Or maybe I just think you’re cute.”
Greg looked into Luke’s bright blue eyes in surprise. They sparkled mischievously. “But you wouldn’t like an old fart like me anyway. Has nothing to do with that. I guess I think it’s worth looking past differences sometimes. Not everyone is a fool. You gave me good vibes.”
“Good vibes isn’t much to go on,” Greg said, laughing nervously. However, his heart was drumming wildly in his chest. The idea that this incredibly alluring man had somehow been attracted to him changed everything. He was single. He was comforting. And he was sexy.
“To a wolf shifter, good vibes are everything,” Luke said seriously. “We sense things that you guys are oblivious to. I could tell you were afraid. I could even tell that you were a kind person with a high sperm count.”
Greg grew red and a burst of laughter escaped his lips.
“Are you being serious?” he asked, turning his wide green eyes onto Luke.
“A wolf never lies.”
“Is that true?”
Greg had heard similar things before, but he had always taken it with a grain of salt. What kind of person never really lied? It seemed impossible. Then again, he supposed the whole idea of wolf shifters was kind of impossible. They had only been forced out of hiding a few decades ago, when humans were encroaching on their territory to build condos. In fact, the one Jorge had insisted they rent had once been a sacred ground to the wolf shifters. The whole thing had left Greg feeling uncomfortable, but Jorge loved it.
“Stick around and find out for yourself,” Luke said.
The man’s handsome face creased into a magnetic smile and Greg found himself drawn in. He seemed to have no will of his own anymore; just the simple longing to bask in the glow of this beautiful man. As if he could sense Greg’s feeling (indeed, he probably was able to do just that, Greg realized) Luke leaned in close, his eyes dancing with pleasure and mystery. Greg’s heart pounded when Luke’s lips finally touched his own and they were swept away by a tidal wave of desire.
“You all right with this?” Luke asked, apparently just in case he had read Greg wrong.
“Yes,” Greg whispered. Luke grinned and Greg moaned abruptly in pleasure as his hand plunged deep into Greg’s jeans. The fun was about to begin.
Chapter 5
Luke led Greg into his bedroom; a simple space with a handmade dresser and a comfortable bed with a blue blanket draped over it. The end table had an oil lamp and more books and pens, but before Greg could comment on that, Luke’s lips were pressed hard against his. The man was certainly assertive, and Greg found himself loving every second of it.
Soon, Luke’s calloused hands were deeply submerged into Greg’s jeans again, gripping his hard cock and stroking expertly. He clearly had experience with pleasuring a man before, but Greg wasn’t about to complain. The old dog knew a lot of tricks that were new to him, and before Greg could register what was happening, Luke’s tongue was spiraling around the sensitive head of his penis, sending a blast of fire shooting through Greg’s loins.
They moaned in unison as Greg grew harder under Luke’s touch and they both began to strip. Luke’s eyes widened as Greg’s muscular torso was revealed, and he tugged Greg’s jeans off for him. Greg’s erection was firm and tall, curving to his bellybutton. Luke gripped it with his lips as he tugged off his own pants and shirt, revealing his body to Greg.
Greg had never seen a more beautiful specimen in all his life. Even Jorge, who had been the talk of the town for so long couldn’t compare. All of his friends couldn’t shut up about what a catch Jorge was. But it was only to Greg’s detriment for being swayed by Jorge’s charisma and self-importance. Luke was nothing like the modest, sexy wolf shifter who was giving him untold pleasures right that moment. Luke’s body seemed to know exactly how to move against his to bring him the most pleasure, and it was the single most erotic experience of his life.
“I want you to go inside me,” Greg panted when Luke surfaced for air and grinned at the boy.
“No you don’t,” Luke laughed, flipping Greg over and running the length of his massive, swollen shaft along Greg’s ass crack. They both moaned.
“I do!” Greg exclaimed.
“I guess I should have a condom floating around here somewhere,” Luke sighed, reaching to the drawer in his end table and retrieving protection.
“Yes,” Greg hissed, watching Luke slip the rubber over his pulsing groin. He could still see the red tint of his member through the cloudy latex and soon Luke was behind him again, pressing gently against Greg’s opening and reaching around to fondle his balls.
“Are you sure?” Luke asked. “You’ve never been with a shifter before. I’m kind of the big leagues. If you want someone to sweet talk you, you might as well get back on that fancy dating app you have and find someone your own age.”
“Just do it,” Greg begged.
“All right,” Luke said. Greg could hear his grin in his voice and the older man trailed his fingers along Greg’s sensitive back. “Anything you’d like.”
Suddenly, Greg was crying out in a combination of pain and pleasure as Luke rammed himself completely inside of him. The suddenness of the gesture almost made him come right away, but Luke was experienced. He slowed his hips and dragged himself out slowly before entering again. It was enough to quell the climax but sent a hot fire through Greg.
“Don’t stop,” he pleaded.
“I have no intention to,” Luke said with a chuckle.
The couple moaned as Luke began to speed his thrusts, prying himself into Greg’s most intimate of areas and bringing them both untold pleasure. Luke stopped for a moment, leaving Greg to feel his shaft pulsing in the heat of his hole as Luke fondled him, rubbing the head of his cock in small circles with his thick fingers.
Finally, Greg gasped as Luke gripped him by the neck and held him firmly in place so that he could unleash all of his strength on the boy. Luke grunted with pleasure as he pushed inside Greg again and again, their bodies merging. He unleashed an animalistic roar as a superhuman surge of strength urged him onward. Greg was frozen at Luke’s mercy as the man used his body for all it was worth, pleasuring himself first and foremost, while at the same time making sure that Greg wasn’t left behind in the fun.
Greg’s eyes widened and his entire body began to shudder as Luke let out an ear-piercing howl. He was coming, and coming hard. Greg’s eyes widened as he felt the liquid explosion, bursting through the confines of the condom that had broken with Luke’s intense passion. They both began to climax together, Greg into Luke’s open palm and Luke, still releasing stream after hot stream into Greg’s body.
When he was finally done, Luke pulled away and they grinned at each other. Luke was panting but otherwise he looked as fit as a fiddle.
“Oops,” he said, looking down at Greg’s abdomen. “You know, I asked if you were sure for a reason. Did you do your homework kid?”
“Homework?”
“Do you know anything about the ultra-fertility of my kind? The fact that men can get other men pregnant? The risks involved in intimacy with a wolf shifter?”
Jorge had spoken time and again about how dangerous shifters were, but his ranting never had anything to do with unplanned pregnancy. Greg shook his head in bewilderment and Luke pointed down at Greg’s belly.
“Look for yourself, kiddo.”
“Stop calling me a kid!” Greg exclaimed, looking down at his abdomen. He cried out in surprise when he saw that it was already swollen and purple.
“Yeah, looks like my seed likes you. Gestation is moving along quickly, even for shifter babies. That’s a good sign.”
“I can’t be a father!” Greg exclaimed, scrambling to his feet.
“Too late for that,” Luke laughed. He continued belly laughing as Greg ran from the room and into the bathroom, where he immediately began retching from the hard toll of pregnancy.
Chapter 6
Greg immediately wanted to go home. What had he been thinking, hooking up with a wolf shifter? It was the most reckless thing he had ever done in his life. But the strange thing was, when he was with Luke, Jorge was the furthest thing from his mind. Although he had originally wanted to hook up with a wolf shifter for revenge’s sake, somehow all of that went out the window when Luke was around. It didn’t feel forced or rebellious or dangerous. It just felt natural.
A knock sounded suddenly at the bathroom door.
“Go away!” Greg exclaimed, embarrassed that he had run from the room to be sick. He wished he was back in the safety of Marty’s apartment right now, where none of this would be happening. He looked down at his swollen purple abdomen and groaned. How could he show his face to anybody in this state?
“Are you all right?” Luke’s textured voice asked. He sounded gentle compared to the other wolf shifters he had spoken to. He thought that bikers were supposed to be all hardass. Somehow he had found himself with one who was compassionate enough to save a total stranger and check up on him while he was puking in the bathroom.
“I –“
Greg’s voice cracked and Luke pushed his way into the bathroom, his lips pursed as if he were trying not to smile.
“There now boy, it’ll be all right.”
Luke pulled Greg into a bear hug and slapped his back. “It’s just those crazy wolf hormones messing with your body. You might cry off and on but it doesn’t make you less than a man.”
Greg’s lower lip trembled and Luke laughed quietly, pulling away from Greg’s body and retrieving a cloth from the closet. He ran it under some cool water and wiped off Greg’s brow. It felt good, and made Greg dissolve into another irrational bout of crying.
Luke sighed deeply and rubbed his back.
“I’ll tell you a little story to take your mind off things,” he said. “Now I’m a construction worker. I own a company and was contracted to build a house for this guy. He was a real piece of work. Couldn’t stand him at first. Well one day he came by to check on the house and he howled out in pain. Had no idea what was goin’ on. So I went over to him wondering what in the hell was going on with him. Turns out he was in labor, and had been being a dick because of his hormones. Poor guy’s alpha had recently been killed by hunters so he was all alone and needed a place to raise his pups.”
Greg listened, mesmerized by the story. He had never heard about the birth of shifter pups, and he was curious to know what it was like. Especially now that he apparently had some of his own growing in his stomach.
“What happened?” Greg asked.
“I’d never birthed pups myself, but long ago my mother, may her soul rest easy, was a midwife. I had seen her work a hundred times, and she spoke about it candidly enough that I knew just what was expected of a successful birth. I had the guy lay down, fetched the supplies. Fortunately, the house was just about done and had running water and everything we needed. We eventually managed to bring two pups into the world. A girl and a boy.”
“Twins?” Greg said wistfully. “I’ve always wanted twins.”
Luke’s eyes sparkled. “Well, they came out kicking, I know that. And their daddy was so happy. Said they looked just like his mate who had passed. It was a really moving experience. Anyway, they moved into the house where the babes were born and together they started a new life. It was a good thing there was a legacy left behind. Sometimes these things happen.”
Luke grew quiet for a moment. Greg moved shyly beside him and Luke draped a heavy arm over his shoulder.
“Feeling better kid?”
“Yeah,” Greg said with a nod.
“Good.”
Luke led him back to the bedroom, where they both dressed. Greg was surprised when Luke offered him a brand new toothbrush and some comfortable pajamas.
“Why don’t you shower. It will get your spirits back up. I’ll make us something special to drink. It’ll be good for the pups.”
“Okay,” Greg said uncertainly. He disappeared into the bathroom again as Luke’s whistle quietly trailed off as he made his way to the kitchen.
Chapter 6
Greg re-emerged, feeling like a new man. It was nice to have the minty taste of toothpaste in his mouth, and he gently touched his swollen abdomen as he wandered through the unfamiliar house in search of Luke. He found the man sitting at a wooden table in the kitchen, two mugs of steaming liquid in front of him. They smelled very herbal, and Greg wasn’t sure if he liked that. They reminded him of the Chinese medicine stores he had lived near in the city before he had met Jorge.
“Good to see you,” Luke said. “You look great. Glowing.”
“Thanks,” Greg said, looking down at the floor with a blush. He had never considered the possibility that he would become pregnant, but somehow this was exactly what had happened. He had wistfully pretended once or twice during childhood that he could have his own babies, but this was something that took him by surprise completely.
Luke patted the chair beside him and Greg sat down.
“Bottoms up,” Luke said, picking up the mug and nodding expectantly at Greg. He picked up his own mug. It was warm, and he felt nervous butterflies in his stomach. What was it going to taste like?
“Thanks,” Greg said, bringing the mug to his lips. He was surprised to find that the concoction was sweet, with only a small bitter flavor left as an aftertaste. It tasted really good actually, nothing like anything he had ever eaten before.
“Any time,” Luke said with a wink. “What do you think?”
“This is really good,” Greg said, smiling shyly at Luke. He seemed so strong and capable. Even if he was a biker, when he was at home he seemed to be laid back and ready for anything. Whether that was soft feelings or hard, he seemed like he would be a master of them. That type of wisdom was unbelievably sexy.
“I’m glad you think so. That means the pups are taking well to it.”
“What is this?”
“Oh, trade secret,” Luke said with a wink. “Some herbs and stuff in a recipe that wolf shifters drink once in a while to keep their morale strong. Helps us grow and stay strong long beyond the lifespans we would have as normal wolves. That way we can keep up instead of dying before our time. Though the phrase ‘only the good die young’ might as well have been coined by one of our kind. Before this recipe was brewed up, it was hard for us to keep up with the humans in us.”
“Wow,” Greg said, studying the mug. “So this will help the pups age well?”
“That’s the theory. And look at me,” Luke said with a wink. “I’m getting some silver yet.”
Greg’s heart fluttered from Luke’s attention but he tried not to let it. He didn’t want to let himself become too vulnerable. He had seen what the shifters were capable of, and now that he was pregnant with pups, did that mean that he would have to associate with them for the rest of his life? He wasn’t part of the pack, so where did that leave him? He wished he could call his friend. Maybe he would understand what it was like to be a normal human carrying shifter babies unexpectedly. But Alex was different. Alex had been obsessed with wolf shifters since they were in high school. It was no surprise to find that he had quickly immersed himself in wolf shifter culture, and somehow found the ideal mate for himself. No, maybe Alex wouldn’t be so comforting to talk to after all. He would simply rave about how perfect his life was now that he had achieved his dream of being accepted into a family of shifters.
“Whiskey for your thoughts,” Luke said with a deep chuckle. Greg was startled and felt self-conscious at the idea of revealing what he was thinking to Luke. The man’s cool blue eyes were staring at him, full of mystery and amusement. What kind of things had they seen? He clearly led a much different life than anything that Greg would be able to relate to. Maybe he could just have the pups and leave them with Luke and return back to his normal life. Luke would know how to raise a shifter. He wouldn’t though. He would be a clueless father.
“This is all kind of weird,” Greg admitted. “I never would have imagined that something like this would happen to me. And I’m not sure how in the world I am supposed to raise a shifter baby. I’ve never done anything like this in my life.”
“Don’t worry, you’re going to do fine. It’s one of the most natural things in the world. You’ll see.”
“Yeah, but what if I mess up? Maybe it would be better if – “
“Look, I know you’re scared. Most normal humans are terrified when this kind of thing happens to them. I’ve heard it all. Some guys even go a little bit crazy and start clawing at their bellies, doing horrible things to try to kill the pups so they don’t have to live with the mistake they made in thinking they could handle getting involved with our kind. All I ask is you don’t hurt the pups. Don’t hurt yourself. If you can’t handle it, be honest with me. But give it a chance first. I have a feeling we will be able to work through it together, you and me. If we give it a chance.”
Greg stared at Luke and his eyes filled with tears.
“Oh hell,” Luke laughed when he realized that Greg was crying again. “Here we go.”
Luke pulled Greg into a big hug and Greg let it all out. He cried for what felt like an eternity, wetting Luke’s fresh white shirt as the man’s deep, rumbling voice soothed him.
“It’ll be all right. Just stick with me for a while and we’ll see what happens. All right?”
Greg sniffled.
“All right,” he said. “I’ll stick with you.”
***
When they finished their drinks and Greg had finally settled down a little, Luke led him back into the bedroom.
“Now, it’s late and you have a lot to think about. I want you to sleep here for a while, all right? I’m gonna make a bed on the couch in case you start feeling hormonal or something. Might as well give you some space, especially on the first night.”
“Okay,” Greg said. It made sense but for some reason, he really didn’t want Luke to go. He felt a small surge of panic at the thought of sleeping alone in the big room, but Luke’s mind was already made up. He packed up a blanket and a pillow and grabbed one of the sketchbooks from his bedside table.
“If you need anything in the night you just holler. I have excellent hearing so I’ll come and get you in a hurry. Got it?”
Greg nodded and Luke grinned before turning away and closing the bedroom door behind him.
Greg was left enveloped by the darkness of the room. He could hear Luke moving through the house like a phantom, stirring the wood in the wood stove and sinking heavily onto the couch. The rustling of paper as he opened his notebook and flipped through the pages. It was surprising how comfortable it felt to be in this man’s home, especially considering how strange it was to consider that they had never met before. Here they were, already acting like a married couple. Granted, the kind of married couple that gave each other all the space they needed, but still, it was funny.
Greg closed his eyes and sighed. What would it be like if he and Luke really were a couple? What was it like to date a shifter? Maybe a call to Alex really would be a good idea. He seemed like the person who would be the least judgmental of his condition. Marty would laugh him into next week if he found out, but Alex might have insight. But if Luke’s hearing really was as good as he said it was, then it would be difficult for him to get away with a private conversation. He would just have to wait it out and see what happened.
It wouldn’t be so terrible to have a relationship with someone like Luke, Greg decided. Luke was handsome, strong, and considerate. Those were some of the sexiest qualities that Greg could think of in a man. Not only that, but would it be so bad to try and make the best of his situation? He was going to have the man’s children for fucks sake. They might as well try to get along. And besides, the sex had been the best thing that Greg had ever experienced. It was so good that he could feel himself trying not to cry again just thinking about it.
Those hormones were really screwing him up. He had never been so emotional in front of any of the men he was intimate with. However, it seemed that life was Luke was already different than life with every other kind of man he had ever known. Every experience they had had together so far have been extremely emotional. From having his life saved to getting pregnant in the same night by the same man. In the sense that he was feeling a little bit off-balance. It was irritating and he couldn’t wait to get back to normal. He had so many questions about what it meant to the pregnant with wolf shifter puppies. How long would it take him to bring the pup to term? How fast would it grow, and how emotionally attached would he be to it? He already felt viciously protective of the unborn child. How human would it be, and what types of things should he expect from being its parent?
These were all questions he would have to run by Luke later on. It had already been a very difficult and exhausting day. Although he wished that Luke was lying in bed with him, providing him with the same comfort that he had given him all throughout the day, it was nice to have a little bit of space so that he could think about these things on his own. No matter how long and hard he thought about it, the fact remains the same. He had gotten himself pregnant by a sexy older man, and now nothing in his life would ever be the same.
Chapter 7
Greg awoke the next morning to the sun streaming hotly on his body from the window above the bed. For a moment he was confused and wondered where the hell he was, but when he looked down at himself, he saw that the bulge in his abdomen had swollen even bigger than the night before. He had a sudden realization of what was going on.
“Luke?” He asked, sitting up with his eyes darting around the room.
“Morning sunshine,” Luke said, grinning at him.
The man’s goatee had been freshly groomed, and Greg wondered how long he had been awake. He couldn’t remember his dream from the night before, and somehow he had woken up feeling as if everything was perfectly normal.
“Good morning,” Greg said.
Usually, when he had a bad one night stand or an experience that was embarrassing with someone, such as crying three different times in one night, Greg felt self-conscious of his company and wanted to make a quick escape. This time however, for some reason he only wished that he could get closer to Luke. Luke seemed to sense this and sat down on the edge of the bed. He had already dressed himself into a new pair of tight jeans, and splashed himself with a spicy scented cologne that drove Greg wild. Greg crawled closer to him until they were sitting next to each other on the bed.
“How did you sleep last night?” Luke asked. “Was it weird? I know I hate sleeping in strange places. I tried to make my den as comfortable as possible while I was building it. There isn’t a day that I don’t try to get home to sleep. It’s nice to sleep under the stars and all, but it’s dangerous out there these days. I feel safe here.”
“I feel safe here too,” Greg admitted.
“It’s good to hear that,” Luke said. “So how are you feeling?”
“Not too bad,” Greg said. “I just have a lot of questions.”
“I’m sure you do,” Luke said with a laugh, his handsome face lighting up.
Greg was half tempted to kiss him, but he had to stop himself. Luke was not Jorge. Although it felt like they were close and everything was very comfortable between them, Luke might not feel the same way. It was better to keep himself at a distance instead of making a fool of himself. Although Luke was gorgeous and had given Greg the best sexual experience of his life, that didn’t mean that they were dating. He didn’t just kiss them out of nowhere. Besides, sex might hurt his pup. That wouldn’t be something a good parent would do.
“You ask me them over breakfast?” Luke said. “I’ve been busy this morning. It isn’t often that I have visitors here, but I do try to treat them properly when I do.”
“Thank you,” Greg said, sincerely surprised by the idea that Luke rarely entertains other people. He figured a man who looked that good and wasn’t tied down might want to explore his options. Why else would he have been at the club that night when Greg needed him the most?
Luke slapped Greg’s back and let him into the kitchen, where fragrant smells of food wafted through the air. Greg stomach growled loudly and Luke laughed.
“Sounds like you have a whole litter in there,” Luke said.
“This is just my favorite meal of the day,” Greg replied. Luke’s dazzling white teeth smiled out at him and again, Greg found his heart palpitating with desire. He couldn’t believe how attractive he was. Greg had never considered himself to be the type who is attracted to older men, but in Luke, he saw every single reason why other men would say they were. There was so much about this man that Greg adored, and he had only known him for a few hours.
“So how come you never settle down?” Greg blurted. He couldn’t believe that someone like Luke could possibly stay single for so long. He was the ultimate catch. He was talented, smart, and unbelievably strong. His body was amazing and had total intuition of how to please other people. These were qualities that he didn’t expect and someone who was a bachelor. Maybe something terrible had happened to his family. Greg hoped not.
However, Luke only smiled and shrugged.
“I guess I never really found the person who clicked with me,” he said. “I don’t feel comfortable talking to most people. They piss me off. Being born a wolf shifter, it’s kind of a common rite of passage to find yourself at a motorcycle club like the one where I met you. We going to talk about issues in the community that are threatening our kind. The younger ones mostly just use it as a place to hook up though. Especially that dirt pile in the city where you found yourself. You go there often or something? I’ve never seen you before, but it seems like a stupid move to go there at all if you ask me. At least if you’re not part of the pack already or you don’t already trust the guy you’re with.”
“Yeah, that was a pretty stupid move. This was the first time I’d ever been to a shifter club at all. Let alone a motorcycle club. I guess I was just acting out after breaking up with my acts. Yours looks down on shifters and I have it. I’ve never really interacted with them on a personal level, so I thought it was time. He always said how dangerous it was, but I’m not afraid. Or at least I wasn’t. I might be a little more terrified now.”
Luke laughed, his eyes crinkling kindly.
“Sounds like you found some perspective on the subject,” he said approvingly.
“A little bit,” Greg said with a laugh. “So anyway, what kinds of things am I supposed to expect from this pregnancy? I know it’s different than what women deal with, but how different is it?”
“Well the wolf pups tend to grow a lot faster than human babies do. But you have a lot of the same symptoms as the mothers of human babies. You have some nausea eventually, some bloating. Maybe some incontinence and mood swings. I wouldn’t worry too much about it though. I can walk you through every step.”
“You aren’t mad?”
Luke’s face contorted in confusion. “Why on earth would I be mad? You haven’t done anything wrong. In fact, I’m ecstatic. Out of all the jackasses in the world I could be spawning with, I found someone who seems to be sincerely the kind of person I would want to be raising my children. I know we don’t know each other very well, but I just get a good feeling from you, you know?”
“Yeah, I know exactly what you mean,” Greg said. “I have a good feeling about you too.”
“Well good. Now I have a crazy thought. What if we tried doing this together? It doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out and we can do with it like adults. We’ll figure out a way to deal with the kid, and it will be all right. But if it does work out, maybe it will be the best choice either of us has ever made. What do you think?”
“I think I like the sound of it,” Greg said. “I know this is crazy, but I never expected anything like this happen to me. And I really do like you. I wasn’t even thinking about my acts when we were together. Which is weird. Because the whole reason I was looking for a shifter tonight was because of revenge. I wanted him to feel like shit knowing what he had done for me and I thought this was the only way to make you feel anything at all. He was the last thing from my mind today and yesterday and I have you to thank for that.”
Luke laughed. “Well you certainly changed my plans for the week. But that’s not something that I’m upset about.”
“What kind of plans did you have for this week?” Greg asked.
“Shifter stuff, nothing special,” Luke said.
“Like what?”
“I was going to go out into the forest and do some communing with nature. Maybe a little bit of hunting? I really enjoy being outdoors you know? Maybe you would like it too.”
“I don’t know; I was raised in the city so I haven’t had a whole lot of opportunity to be out in the world like that.”
“Seriously? You’ve never slept under the stars? This would be a great way to get out of the house and get to know each other a little bit better. We can see if this thing we’re thinking about is feasible or not. What do you say? How about a camping trip?!”
Luke’s face lit up and Greg laughed. He looks like an excited puppy, and he could see the wolf shifter in him more clearly than he had yet. It was actually really endearing, and Greg knew it would be impossible to say no to that excited face. For an older man, he sure could look quite youthful at times. It must have been the spirit of the wolf within him.
“That sounds perfect,” Greg said, and Luke let out a whoop.
“It’s settled then; I’m going to start packing right now.”
Luke stood quickly from the table and rushed out of the kitchen.
“What about your breakfast?” Greg called after him, smiling and shaking his head from all the excitement.
“I’m fine, I’ll eat when I’m done. You just help yourself and don’t worry about leaving me anything, I ate while I was cooking,” Luke’s voice said, sounding far away as he bustled throughout the house gathering supplies.
Greg grinned as he finished his breakfast. This man was really something else, and he was really starting to like that.
Chapter 8
By the mid-afternoon, Luke had finished packing up all of the supplies that they needed for their camping trip. It was all put together in a rather large backpack that Luke strapped around his broad torso before offering his hand to Greg.
“Get ready for the time of your life boy,” Luke said, his face alight with the prospect of adventure. Greg took his hand and Luke led him out of the house, locking it behind him.
“Are we taking the motorcycle?” Greg asked.
“No way, were taking our feet. The hike down to one of the best spots I know. It will take a few hours, but a little exercise is really good for you and the pup. Studies have shown that pups with parents who exercise while they were in utero grow up smarter and healthier.”
Instead of asking what kinds of studies have been done and when, Greg simply nodded. It sounded legitimate. Similar things had probably been discovered about human babies as well. He couldn’t be sure. It wasn’t as if he read “Pregnancy Weekly” magazine or something. He had never been pregnant before and had never thought it was possible. Not even when he found out that the wolf shifters had the magic touch.
Soon, Luke led Greg to a trail deep in the woods behind his house. They began walking and Luke inhaled deeply, turning to Greg with a broad smile that made Greg’s heart flutter. “Smell that fresh air?”
Greg nodded and mimicked the deep breath that Luke had taken. “Smells a lot different than the city air.”
“Hell yeah it does!” Luke exclaimed. “There is how to take care of its own. So many people forget that.”
After a few hours of walking, Greg was exhausted. His stomach rumbled loudly and Luke paused.
“Sounds about time for lunch,” he said.
“That sounds good,” Greg agreed. He hadn’t felt so famished in years. “I can’t believe how hungry I am.”
“Oh, that must be the pup,” Luke said proudly. “We have voracious appetites. I’ll build a fire and cook the steaks I brought.”
“You brought steak?!” Greg asked.
“Of course,” Luke said, raising his eyebrow at Greg as if he were stupid. “It’s what pregnant men always want. Isn’t it?”
Greg frowned as he realized it was right. Nothing else sounded better to him than a steak lunch.
“That’s because the pups always need a lot of protein. They grow up big carnivores, though not generally the kind that eat humans, despite popular belief.”
“I guess I hadn’t thought much about that.”
Luke took his bag off and stretched. Greg’s eyes secretly roamed the man’s perfect body as he set to work getting the fire going. “We’re going to get you fed and then move on to the place where we’ll be sleeping tonight. How’s that sound?”
“Sounds good to me,” Greg replied, grinning.
“Good.”
They fell into easy conversation as Luke worked to cook the steaks, which he had packed in a small cooler filled with ice. He even brought more of the herbal drink for Greg in a huge thermos, and pulled him out a glass and filled it for him to sip on as Luke finished up the steak.
Finally, the food was done being prepared and Greg’s hunger was satiated. They sat for a few moments beside the fire as Greg digested his meal. The silence was comfortable, unlike the excruciating silences that Greg had shared with Jorge and many of his other ex-boyfriends. Luke seemed comfortable at all times, at ease both with himself and with others. And it was no wonder. He was masterful and skilled in everything Greg saw him attempt. There was nothing about him that was incompetent or unlikeable.
“How you feeling?” Luke asked after a few moments of silence. He took Greg’s plate and set to work cleaning it for him.
“Great,” Greg said, surprised by how deeply he meant what he said. It had been a long time since he had been able to feel so deeply relaxed. There seemed to be nothing in the world to worry about. Even the fact that he was pregnant was far from his mind and didn’t feel like a worry. He was enjoying the moment for the first time in years. Nothing seemed like it could be wrong. Everything was in its place.
“Good,” Luke said, casting a handsome smile to Greg. “I thought some fresh air might do you some good. The pups love it too. Believe it or not, they can tell the difference even before they’re born. We’re really in tune with nature. You might notice yourself feeling a little more sensitive than usual to strange things. Sights, smells, your own natural rhythms. That kind of thing. But most people don’t find it a bad thing. It just is what it is. I’m sure you’re going to love it. Most men, after they’ve been pregnant, miss the feelings of it. A few rare others get to keep the heightened senses. At least, if they take good care of themselves. The ones who go back to the same old terrible routines often just revert back to their old selves. But if you want to be part of the pack, really part of the pack, nature makes a way for you. You might not be a shifter but you’d still be one of us.”
Greg listened, enrapt by the idea of truly being able to become part of nature. Now that Luke mentioned it, he had been having really strong responses to food and smells. But that was something normal of most pregnant people he had heard. He had never heard that pregnant males could acquire shifter like abilities and senses. Would he like them? Would he be able to keep them over the long term? If he gave birth to his healthy shifter pup, would he be able to raise it or would he have to surrender its care over to Luke?
“I see that worried look on your face,” Luke said from across the crackling fire. “I want you to stop and relax. Nothing bad is going to happen to you or your pups. One way or another, we’re going to work together to make sure they have the best for them. If you want to raise them alone, that’s fine. But all I ask is you let me guide them when it comes to their shifter natures. No shifter to date has been able to fully blend into society. We’re looked down on you know. It’s not fair but it’s the way it is.”
Greg nodded.
“Of course. I don’t know the first thing about shifter culture…it would be best if you were involved in their lives. We will figure it out.”
“Good,” Luke said, his face relaxing into a smile. “You just keep that in mind. We’re going to be all right.”
Greg’s heart fluttered. He liked the way Luke said “we.” He liked being involved in Luke’s protective sphere. His pack. Nothing sounded more romantic or appealing to Greg than being able to enjoy the rest of his life in this same comfortable sort of life. It was exactly what he hadn’t known was missing from his life until he found it. But did Luke feel the same?
“Well, looks like it’s about time for us to move on if we’re going to set up camp before sunset,” Luke said, standing and dousing the fire.
“Okay,” Greg said. He tried getting to his feet and was surprised to feel a searing pain in his back. Luke stopped what he was doing and rushed immediately to his side, taking him by the hand and helping him to his feet.
“Easy there, boy,” Luke said, his blue eyes worried. “Don’t want to hurt yourself. You’re carrying a heavy load. Not too great for the lower back. But don’t worry, I’ll help you through.”
Luke held gently to Greg’s hand as Greg finally was able to regain his balance. Finally, when he was convinced that Greg was all right, Luke slung his bag over his shoulders. “Let’s get moving!”
Chapter 9
By early evening, Greg had followed Luke deep into the forest. They were well beyond anything Greg had ever explored before, and he found himself getting nervous butterflies in his stomach. What if Luke was only pretending to be the kind of guy every man would be crazy not to want? What if deep down, he was truly just as dangerous as other shifters could be? There was no way of knowing. Although Greg really wanted to trust him, what if he had taken him home and impregnated him on purpose? Maybe he was tired of being lonely and just wanted somebody to keep him company? A family he could take by force?
But when they stopped and Luke turned his kindly face to Greg and offered him a reassuring smile, Greg felt silly and guilty for doubting Luke’s intentions. Although it was true that you never really knew the kind of person you were with, it still seemed ridiculous that he would be wondering such strange things about Luke. It was probably the hormones, he knew. He had been given no reason to doubt Luke’s intentions. But still, things that were too good to be true, like this amazing, rugged, sexy man, usually were. Or they came with a catch. Maybe the only catch here was that he got Greg pregnant and his life would never be the same again. That wasn’t something he would have to feel too horrible about.
Luke had decided to settle down right beside a stream. From their vantage point, they could see a small trickling waterfall cascading into the stream. Across the water, the scenery was beautiful. You could see everything for miles, and Greg was blown away by how beautiful the site was.
“Wow, how did you find this place?” He asked.
“I was running around one day and decided that I wanted to live right near this area. But I figured if I built a house here, it would ruin the integrity of the place. So I built my house a few miles away right where you saw it.”
“It must not take you very long to get here when you’re in your wolf form,” Greg said thoughtfully. It was strange to believe that Luke was more than just the typical man. And yet, nothing else could possibly be the truth. He was exceptional in every way, so it made perfect sense that he would also have something incredible and supernatural about his personality.
“No, I can manage to make it across long distances when I am shape shifting. I’m pretty fast, if I do say so myself. Most people think that a silver wolf might have a problem with being able to keep up, but the fact is that I am able to use my experience and my wits to go even further than most people would believe is possible of me.”
“Wow,” Greg said, wondering what Luke could possibly look like in his wolf form. He wanted to ask, but he was worried that it would sound rude. One of the things that the wolf shifters were always complaining about was how normal humans were so frequently badgering them to show off their power. It was something that made them feel like they were supposed to be exhibitionists rather than living beings with their own lives. It wasn’t a spectacle for normal humans. It was simply the thing that made them happy and the natural ability that they were able to use.
Luke smiled over at Greg, and Greg could tell that the wheels in his head were turning. However, he had no idea what the man might be thinking about. Soon however, Luke was standing in front of Greg, the same sexy grin creasing his face.
“I bet I know something that you’re afraid to ask me,” he said. Greg’s heart pounded. It seemed as if this man was not only gorgeous, but psychic. Or maybe it was his wolf senses being able to tell what kind of things that Greg might be thinking. Or maybe it was his age, giving him the wisdom to be able to understand exactly how other people’s minds could work. Either way, she was insightful and intuitive, and it made Greg both nervous and excited at the same time. What else is he capable of?
“Oh yeah?” Greg asked, trying to play coy. “What would that be?”
“I bet you want to see what I look like as a wolf, but you are trying to be all politically correct so that you don’t offend me or some shit. Honestly, a lot of the newer generation are a bunch of wussies. They just want to have something to complain about. There are real problems out there, but people asking questions and simply being curious isn’t one of them. If we cannot get along, then most of the problems they are pitching about wouldn’t exist. But they’re the ones that keep up the negativity. I don’t understand what they are thinking.”
“Well it’s true, most people if they don’t understand something and they ask a question, they are doing it maliciously or to hurt you. And you’re right, I am dying to know what you look like as a wolf. I noticed while we were... Well anyway, I noticed that you’ve got Wolf tattoos on your back. Is that what you look like?”
Luke glanced out of the ground and grinned.
“How about I just show you what I look like? I read that would make you happier than just figuring that I look a little bit like one of the tattoos in my body art.”
“Did you draw those yourself?” Greg asked. He was carefully avoiding the topic of Greg actually shifting for him. Although he was curious, she was also a little bit scared. He didn’t mind waiting to find out what the man looked like as a wolf. He had never been very comfortable with wolves or dogs after being bitten as a child. He still had the scar on his arm. He didn’t want Luke to think that he was afraid of him. He knew that the wolves could sense fear. But the fear was just of canines in general.
“Actually yeah. In my down time, I do tattoos. I like to draw and figure things out. I’ve had to do tattoos for most of the shifter’s MC actually, they really love my art. They feel like it’s raw and tribal and it reminds them of what it really means to be a wolf shifter. A lot of the new generation of shifters have been begging me for tattoos, but they don’t understand the spirit of the pack, so I haven’t given them any. That’s part of the reason why that guy who was after you, Bruce, was so mad at both of us. He’s been wanting a tattoo for the longest time, one of mine, but since I refuse he’s had to settle for a random human giving him his. It pisses him off. Especially because they know I’m right when I told them that they are screwing up what we should be standing for. And everybody knows I don’t keep my opinions to myself.”
“That’s really brave of you,” Greg said, grinning shyly. He really admired the kind of people who were able to speak their mind without being afraid of what other people would think. Luke was clearly that kind of man, and he felt proud to be able to be speaking with him and holding his attention for so long. He knew that a lot of the time, people who only cared about their own values were dismissive of other people if they did not seem to share them. He wasn’t sure what Luke saw in him, but he was glad that there was something.
“It’s not brave,” Luke said scoffing. “It’s just what a man should do. He should speak his mind and mean what he says. He should learn what he stands for and where he comes from and learn how he can keep up the traditions of the past that made it possible for him to be who he is in the present. It’s pretty simple if you ask me.”
“I guess I never thought of it that way,” Greg said, looking down at the ground, a little bit embarrassed.
“Well happy to enlighten you,” Luke said with a chuckle.
“I’ve been having to hide who I am for a long time. My family never would have accepted it if I was gay. I didn’t have the courage to come out until I was successful in all the ways they thought I should be. I moved to the city where nobody knew who I was and where my family couldn’t find me, and I got that job with my cousin. By the time I finally could afford that condo with my ex, I felt like it was okay to be honest. But it was still hard. It’s hard to admit it but my whole life has been a lie until now. Being with you…this,” Greg gestured down to his swollen belly. “This is the only thing that has ever fell sincere.”
Greg cut himself off, afraid that he had said too much. It would sound weird if he told Luke how he was feeling. However, since he had laid eyes on the man, he had felt a strong pull to spend his time with him. And he thought it was strange how he had felt immediately a safe and comfortable feeling in the man’s presence. Those were the kinds of things he would normally hide. But Luke seemed to demand total honesty. The kind that most people never were able to admit to. And if they did, they would have to hold their breath and hope for the best.
“Well I’m really glad to hear that Greg,” Luke said, grinning at him. He stood and began pulling things out from the backpack. Greg watched as he set to work unpacking, and then quickly built a fire again to get ready for dinner. When that was done he started to set up the tents. Greg watched him, rising once from his seat to see what he could do. But Luke wouldn’t have any of it.
“You sit on down and let me take care of this. I don’t want anything happening to you because I wasn’t a gentleman. If you’re gonna have my pup, I might as well accommodate you right? Now seriously, just relax and let me show you how this is done. You don’t come across to me as the type who went camping very much as a kid and you’re gonna need to have all the pointers you can get if that’s the case.”
Greg last. Although he was embarrassed that Luke was right, he was also flattered by the attention and Luke’s willingness to show him the ropes. He didn’t treat him like he was stupid for not knowing things. Instead, he explained the commonly and generously until he had the right idea. Most of the time, people looked down on him if he wasn’t exactly the way they thought he should be, but Luke was nothing like that. He accepted them for exactly how he was. Every second he spent the man became more intense and powerful than the last. How had he never known anybody so amazing before? He had been missing out.
Finally, once camp was set up, Luke sat down beside Greg.
“Are you hungry?”
“Not yet,” Greg said. He had been feeling a little bit nauseated actually, especially after admitting to Luke that his entire life had been a lie and that the only sincere thing he had ever felt was what he had experienced in his brief time with Luke.
“Are you feeling all right?”
“I should probably tell you that I’m scared of dogs,” Greg blurted.
What was quiet for a moment and then he burst out laughing.
“Well I don’t mean to sound insensitive,” Luke said, wiping a tear from his eye. “But as the parent of a pup, that’s going to be pretty difficult for you.”
“I know,” Greg said miserably. Luke last again, a hearty belly laugh that started to make Greg feel embarrassed again.
“What’s so funny?” Greg asked.
“It’s not funny. It just seems silly to me that you’re even willing to be out here in the woods with a wolf shifter and pregnant with my pup when you’re afraid of dogs. We are more dog than dog you know. We are wolves. I guess you’re in the wrong place, kid.”
Luke slapped Greg on the back and stood.
“It’s not like that. I mean I can still be around them, I just wanted you to know that if I get scared, it’s not because I don’t trust you. That’s all.”
Greg lowered his eyes to the ground, his face burning with embarrassment and misery. Luke seemed surprised by the revelation and raised his eyebrows. He took Greg by the shoulders and brought him into a warm embrace.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings or something. I just find it funny whenever people are afraid of dogs. Were the most loyal and kindhearted creatures on the planet if you don’t mistreat us. It’s just that there are a lot of people out there who mistreat us. You know what I mean.”
“Yeah, I know. On the one that attacked me had probably been mistreated by somebody somewhere down the line. It just left me a little bit scared, that’s all. I can still be a parent. I mean I think so. All of this is so strange and confusing. I’m not really sure what I’m doing.”
“Well you don’t have to worry about that. I’m going to be here for you every step of the way, all right?”
Luke smiled down at Greg, and Greg instantly felt himself relaxing.
“All right,” he said.
Chapter 10
A few hours later, after they had eaten dinner, Greg and Luke sat beside the fire together talking in hushed tones. It seemed like nature had chosen to quiet down for the night, and both of them lowered their voices to accommodate her while she slept. Greg had never been camping before, and was surprised by how soothing it was to be outside under the stars. He had always assumed that it would be scary to be deep within the woods, but he felt safe with Luke, and nothing that would have normally scared him about being in the woods at night was bothering him anymore.
“You know, even if we part ways, I want you to know that you can come to me if you need anything at all,” Luke said. “I’ve been around on this earth for quite a while now, so I’ve got ways to get what I want and what I need. So don’t hesitate all right? I know we don’t know each other that well, but I want you to realize that you’re taking care of now. You’ve got me on your side. And unless you do something to change that, that’s the way it will always be.”
“Loyal to a fault,” Greg said softly. He didn’t want to do anything to change the way that Luke felt about him. It was scary to consider that he might be able to ruin their relationship somehow. He couldn’t imagine going back to his normal life, sleeping in Marty’s apartment and raising a wolf shifter child. Now that he had gotten a taste of life with the shifter, he wasn’t sure that anything else would ever do. But wasn’t he moving too fast?
“I don’t think that is such a thing as faulty loyalty. If you care about somebody, you stick with them until the end. You know? Anything else isn’t real. There’s no point in committing to somebody on this is going to go all the way.”
“What if we went all the way?” Greg blurted. Since Luke seems to care so much about honesty and loyalty, he might as well be out with what he was thinking. Most normal people would think it was crazy talk, thinking about all of this strange ways that things could go wrong, but Greg and Luke had such an odd and powerful connection that maybe it wouldn’t seem so strange after all.
“You mean what if we mated for life?” Luke asked, studying Greg seriously. From the looks of things, it seemed as if Luke himself had been considering this question as well. It wasn’t surprising.
“Yeah, what if we mated for life?” Greg said softly, holding Luke’s eyes. They were both serious now, and considering the weight of what they were talking about.
“Well I don’t think that’s something we should be talking about until you have been able to see me in my wolf form,” Luke said, casting his eyes to the ground thoughtfully. “I don’t want you to start deluding yourself with these fun ideas that seem like it would be easy for you when in reality, you’re not going to be able to handle me for who I am. That’s why I have been single this long as it is. Nobody wants to handle me for who I am. And I’m not going to apologize or make any compromises. The way I am works for me and that’s just how it’s going to be.”
“That sounds fair,” Greg said, his heart pounding heavily in his chest. He had never seen anybody actually shifted to a wolf before. There were videos of it on the Internet that he had seen once or twice, but he knew that it was nothing compared to witnessing the real thing. And he had never seen anybody shift back into their human form either. All of this was really new to him. Maybe if he had been able to talk to his friend before any of this happened, she would’ve been a little more prepared. But he had gotten himself into this, and now he would just have to see it through.
Luke stood up and walked slowly toward Greg, his eyes glimmering in the firelight.
“Not going to do this, and I don’t want to scare you. Do you understand? I won’t hurt you. Even if you get scared. And if you are too scared, you just say so. I will understand and I will come right back to you as a human. And then, maybe if you can handle me as a wolf, we can talk about mating for life and what that might mean to both of us. Because right now in your head, as far as I’m concerned that’s a fairytale. And I would take it seriously only when you know who I am.”
“But if I could handle you?” Greg asked, his heart pounding anxiously in his chest. “Would you want to be with me?”
Luke answered with a wry smile and then immediately began his transformation. Greg’s mouth went dry as the man began to shrink and sprout hair. His muscles reorganized themselves, and a warm, pulsating energy radiated from his body as he changed. It must’ve taken a lot of energy for his body to be able to completely shape shift into something else, and Greg had never considered what it might feel like to be somebody witnessing another person’s transformation. It was almost erotic in a way as Luke’s clothes melted away and the hot energy brought goosebumps to Greg’s flesh.
Finally, a huge flash of light blinded Greg temporarily for a moment. When he could see again, standing before him was a gorgeous silver wolf. The wolf’s blue eyes stared into Greg’s, and he knew immediately that he loved the man in front of him. There was no fear in his heart. Only excitement and awe. Greg had never seen a creature so beautiful and flawless before. Luke seemed to be able to sense Greg’s reaction and took a tentative step forward before nuzzling Greg’s hand. Greg rested his forehead against the wolf’s, and the wolf’s face broke into a huge, goofy smile. It stood, wagging its tail for a moment before it turned on his heel and ran with all of its speed into the woods.
***
About 15 minutes later, the wolf returned from the woods. Greg’s heart thudded in excitement upon hearing the muted footfalls of the wolf’s pads hitting the leafy ground. He was happy to see it emerge from the darkness, and when it stopped in front of him Greg smiled.
“I missed you,” he said.
The smile returns to the wolf’s face and then suddenly Greg was blinded by another flash of light. The transformation began again and soon Greg was blinking hard as the warm strength of Luke’s hand took his. He was shocked, but pleasantly, to see that Luke was completely naked in front of him. The clothes had not magically reemerged on his body and were still laying in a pile beside the space where he had transformed. He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t expected Luke to be naked when he shapeshifted back into his human form, but the combination of the erotic energy that was omitted during the transformation and the sites of Luke’s perfect body exposed right before him immediately made Greg grow hard.
Without saying a word, Greg pulled Luke toward him by the waist and envelopes the man’s cock with his hot mouth. Luke moaned in surprise and pleasure as Greg sucked him deeply and gently, coaxing him to grow hard in his mouth. Luke started to pull off Greg’s shirt and Greg stood up so that they could kiss.
Luke’s body was glowing golden in the firelight, and Greg had never seen anybody look so perfect before. He moaned when Luke’s calloused hands made their way into his jeans and gripped his swollen shaft, squeezing it and stroking it. Every stroke sent thrills of pleasure up and down Greg’s body. Greg moaned deeply as they pleasured each other, until finally both men were fully nude.
Luke lifted Greg and pinned him against a tree, kissing him fervently on the neck and down his back. Greg moaned deeply when Luke gripped Greg’s cock in his hand and squeezed him tightly as Luke rubbed his swollen shaft against Greg’s ass cheeks.
“How’s that feel?” Luke’s deep voice rumbled into Greg’s ear, sending another thrill throughout Greg’s whole body.
They writhed against each other until Greg could no longer hold back his orgasm. He came hard into Luke’s hand, and soon Luke loosened his grip on Greg’s shaft. He used the semen in his hand to wet his erection, lubricating himself so that he could press the hot head of his penis into Greg’s opening.
Greg hissed in a sweet combination of pain and pleasure as Luke started thrusting into him, stuffing himself fully inside. It made him instantly hard again and Luke stroked Greg as Greg bent himself over for Luke, shivers of pleasure causing him to tremble against the tree where he was steadying himself. Luke uttered a deep moan of pleasure as Greg’s body enveloped him again and again, and he picked up his pace, his every thrust hot and desperate for release.
Greg tensed up as he felt himself close to the verge of cumming again. Luke seemed to sense this but he wasn’t ready to finish so he slowed his hips, bringing tantalizing shivers of desire quaking through Greg’s body. But it seemed to be too much for Luke to handle, and soon he was back to his urgent thrusting, expertly pleasuring Greg as he took pleasure for himself at the same time.
He stopped suddenly and Greg felt the man’s massive cock trembling inside of him, and a small burst of hot semen flooded his hole. It was a little anti-climactic and Greg was confused for a moment, until suddenly Luke began rocking his body hard against him, jamming his cock deeper and harder than he had ever been penetrated in his life. With every thrust Luke unleashed another powerful torrent of cum until Greg couldn’t handle anymore. His body was on fire and he began shooting his load into Luke’s hand.
They came together, wave after wave of hot pleasure erupting inside Greg, until finally both men were completely finished and Luke pulled himself out. They collapsed into each other panting heavily. Luke was the first to stand up straight. He took Greg by the hands and helped him to his feet, then walked briskly to the tent and pulled the sleeping bags outside beside the fire.
“Let’s lay under the stars for a while,” Luke said softly, helping Greg to lower himself carefully onto the sleeping bag. They fell asleep with their arms draped over each other, Greg’s head against Luke’s broad chest. He had never had such an easy time falling asleep before, and decided immediately that he loved to sleep under the stars.
Chapter 11
They spent the rest of the week camped out together, getting to know one another intimately. Every day they would eat breakfast together, then Luke would shift and go for a run in his wolf form. Greg would tidy up the camp site and sip on the special drink that Luke had prepared for him to help the pup’s development. It also had an unexpected effect on Greg. His wolf-like senses became even more acute, and soon he and Luke were able to communicate with their silences just as easily as they did through verbal words.
Luke was slightly surprised but mostly pleased by the development, only showing concern when Greg would become anxious because of sensing other animals in the vicinity. Luke began prowling around the camp regularly in his wolf form and he was able to comfort Greg. Eventually they came to the last day of the camping trip. Greg was getting really pregnant and Luke decided it was time to make sure that he was comfortable in a good, safe environment. While they were both enamored with the woods, a terrible downpour quickly helped them both realize that it wasn’t feasible for Greg to stay there in his condition. Maybe if he had been born a wolf shifter it would have been all right, but if he got sick while pregnant, the pups would be at risk, especially in this stage of their development.
Luke beckoned Greg not long after and they moved together through the wilderness, heading back toward the house. When they approached the back yard however, Luke stopped abruptly.
“Luke?”
“Shh!” Luke snapped. Greg recoiled, deeply hurt by the man’s quick reprimand.
““You don’t have to snap.”
“Yeah, old man, don’t need to wound the poor widdle baby, do you?” Bruce’s cruel voice wafted toward them and he emerged from the shadows. Greg gasped. He hadn’t expected to ever see the man again, but Luke didn’t seem to be quite as surprised.
“Get out of here Bruce, if you know what’s good for you.”
Bruce ignored Luke and walked toward Greg, sneering.
“Looks like you got a widdle pwoblem,” Bruce continued. “Babies having babies, what a world we live in.”
“Shut the hell up!” Luke growled, putting himself between the Greg and Bruce. “I told you to leave.”
“Not likely old man!” Bruce exclaimed. “I told you I would have my revenge and that’s what I’m going to do. I’ve been waiting to get the jump on you. Didn’t realize the two of you would get along so well. Guess baby found a daddy after all.”
Bruce advanced once again toward Greg, reaching his hand out toward his belly. That seemed to be the last straw for Luke, who snarled viciously and immediately began the stunning transformation from man to wolf. Bruce seemed surprised, but pleased, and a smug smile curled his lips.
Greg was terrified. He knew why Bruce looked so confident. Luke was an older man, and although it meant he was worldly and experienced, just like everything in nature it could also mean that he wasn’t likely to maintain the same amount of strength that he had when he was younger. Besides, after spending so long in the woods waiting on Greg hand and foot, the old man was probably tired out and ready for some rest and relaxation.
Unfortunately, it seemed that Bruce had other plans, and was thrilled by the challenge. He shapeshifted into his wolf form – a black, mangy looking thing that Greg could smell from where he was standing – as Luke crouched, baring his fangs at Bruce and growling ominously.
“Don’t fight,” Greg whispered, his voice wavering. If anything happened to Luke, he didn’t know what he would do. Luke appeared not to hear him and continued to bristle, until finally, Bruce seemed unable to wait any longer and pounced.
Luke met him in the air, as fast as lightning, and knocked the black wolf onto the ground with a sickening thud. He didn’t stay down long though, and reared his head, biting Luke’s muzzle as he righted himself back onto his four legs. Greg flinched at the sight of blood on Luke’s face, but soon the action was picking up again and Luke was flinging Bruce onto the ground, intimidating him with his size and muscle.
Bruce was still for a moment and Greg almost let himself sigh in relief. However, it seemed to be just a ruse. When Luke began to lower his guard, Bruce got up once again and attacked him from behind, sinking his teeth deeply into Luke’s neck. A heart-wrenching whimper escaped the silver wolf’s lips and Greg started to run toward them. Luke whipped his head toward Greg and snarled ferociously, enough to keep Greg frozen in place as he regained the upper hand with Bruce.
Greg had no idea what to expect from Luke. The man had everything under control so often, but there was an unmistakable frailty he thought of when he envisioned older men. However, this ridiculous notion seemed to shatter as Luke’s lithe body leaped on top of Bruce and attacked him so savagely that the man was no longer able to hold onto his wolf form any longer.
He lay naked, trembling, and bleeding on the ground as Luke panted over him, his eyes fierce and serious as he waited for Bruce to crawl out of his lawn. Apparently he wasn’t going fast enough because he nipped at Bruce’s ankles. The man yelped and hurried to his bike, pulling on a pair of sweatpants and riding away, his shoulders quaking with sobs of pain.
Greg was watching him go and was startled when Luke’s voice, clear and plain as day, came from behind him.
“You all right?”
“Of course! Are you?”
“Trust me boy, that fight was nothing.”
Greg narrowed his eyes at Luke.
“Then why is your nose bleeding?”
Luke laughed heartily.
“My nose?” he asked incredulously. “Did you even see the other guy?”
“Well…” Greg pouted. “I guess I was worried about you.”
“Oh please,” Luke laughed, coming directly in front of Greg, in all his naked wonder and putting his hands on Greg’s shoulders. “Just because you think I’m older than dirt doesn’t mean I can’t hold my own. I’ve been fighting bruisers like this my whole life. They’re nothing but fluff. And besides, he knows he’s no alpha now. It’s worth it to see them run off with their tails between their legs. Means he’ll think twice before flaunting any of his power from now on. Especially when it comes to you and our pup. That’s what matters.”
Luke pulled Greg into a tight embrace and Greg gasped at the feeling of Luke’s hard cock against his leg. The fight had clearly worked him up and the adrenaline was still coursing through the man’s body. Before Greg could comment, however, Luke kissed him hotly on the mouth, and their bodies began to do all the talking that needed to be done.
Luke lifted Greg easily and pushed him as hard. Greg gasped, exhilarated and aroused by the masculine display. Luke’s blue eyes bore into his as he stripped Greg slowly, rubbing his thighs tantalizingly against Greg’s body. The urgent press of Luke’s throbbing member nearly brought tears of longing to Greg’s eyes. The desire welled up within him and they kissed again deeply as Luke finally succeeded in pulling Greg’s dick out of his jeans.
Luke knelt down in front of him and took the head of Greg’s cock into his mouth. The feeling of the man’s prickly beard heightened Greg’s pleasure as Luke began submerging Greg’s shaft deeper into his mouth. They both groaned in bliss as Greg hardened, close to bursting in Luke’s hot cavern. Suddenly, Greg was flipped around, his hands steadying himself as Luke took the position behind him, holding his dick firmly in his hand and pressing the head of his shaft against Greg’s ass.
Greg groaned deeply in pleasure as Luke rocked his hips slowly, on the verge of pushing himself inside. Soon, the tip disappeared into Greg’s ass and they both hissed in pleasure. Luke grabbed Greg’s cock and stroked it up and down firmly. It was enough to make Greg’s dick weep with pleasure, and soon Luke’s hand was filled with cum. He rubbed it on his own cock for lubrication and kissed up and down Greg’s neck and back, sending thrills of desire and pleasure up and down the man’s body.
Greg shuddered in pleasure, and at that exact moment Luke chose to shove himself fully inside. Greg gasped at the unexpected pleasure and bucked his hips back. Luke grunted as he began to coax his cock as deeply as he could inside of Greg. Greg was already hard again, which seemed shocking so soon after an orgasm. But Luke wasn’t done with him yet.
He held Greg by the shoulders, hammering as hard as he could into him.
“You okay?” Luke’s deep voice rumbled into Greg’s ear, sending another deep thrill of pleasure through him.
“Perfect,” Greg whispered. “Don’t stop.”
Greg could feel Luke’s lips curl into a grin and suddenly his cock was submerged once again by the heat of Luke’s hands. He expertly tugged and pulled at Greg’s shaft until his whole cock was swollen and red, his face contorted with pleasure.
“I’m not gonna go easy on you, boy,” Luke warned.
“Good,” Greg breathed. “Don’t.”
“I’ve been waiting for someone who could accept me as I am you know. Not hold me back. Can you do it?”
Greg was quiet for a moment.
“Can you do it?” Luke insisted, his voice louder. Demanding.
“Yes.”
“We’ll see.”
Greg cried out loud in pleasure as his senses were suddenly hijacked by the deepest pleasure he had ever experienced in his life. Luke’s body had somehow become even more powerful and intoxicating than ever before. He was radiating the same sensual and erotic energy that Greg had felt before, only now he was pure human in his rawest form.
The sexual energy was almost tangible, and Greg gripped the side of the house as hard as he could to keep himself upright as Luke unleashed his full power into his body. Every drag of Luke’s cock brought a massive surge of bliss that shocked Greg’s senses and electrified him. Finally, as soon as he was sure he couldn’t take a second longer, the dam was breached and Luke unleashed an orgasm unlike anything Greg had ever felt in his life. The explosion of cum flooded Greg’s body and seemed to shoot straight through him and out of his own cock. The wall of the house was covered in a hot gush of Greg’s semen as Luke continued to rock his body, bringing him quake after quake of earth-shattering bliss.
Luke thrusted until every last drop of his explosive orgasm was emptied into Greg’s body, and didn’t stop until he felt Greg go limp in his hand. He pulled out, their bodies glistening with sweat and cum. Luke pulled Greg into an exhausted hug and kissed him on the head.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s go home.”
Epilogue
“Honey, it’s time!”
Luke popped his head into the bedroom. It had been a month since the intense fight that had secured Luke’s place as the alpha in the city, and Greg was more pregnant than ever. Now that he was finally ready to give birth though, all the composure and control that was usually on Luke’s face had melted into a surprised panic.
“Now? Are you sure?”
Greg nodded solemnly. He had been propped up on the bed reading when he’d felt the first contraction. He hadn’t known what it was so he’d ignored it. Now though, there was no ignoring it any longer. Especially not now that his water had broken.
“Get over here and help me birth our pup,” Greg said, grinning. “Remember what your sister did. Breathe sweetheart. It will be fine.”
“Look at you, telling me to breathe,” Luke said, coming shakily into the room. He was laughing but his eyes were serious and scared.
“Don’t worry, just stay calm and try to remember how it’s done.”
“Of course! I know what I’m doin’,” Luke said, finally getting back in control after a deep, shaky breath.
After a couple of hours of panting, sweating, and a little bit of screaming in agony, Luke and Greg’s glistening faces both broke into smiles as a tiny wail suddenly filled the room. Luke looked over Greg’s legs at him beaming.
“It’s a – “
Before he could finish, Greg bellowed again as another contraction overwhelmed him.
“What the…”
Another tiny wail began to join the other and Luke and Greg exchanged bewildered looks.
“Twins,” Luke breathed, standing up, holding one in each arm. “You ain’t got another one in there do you? Cuz I’d need a third arm to do that safely.”
Greg laughed.
“No,” he said. Somehow he just knew that there were just two. Somehow he had always known it.
Luke beamed and lowered the pups into Greg’s arms. Greg held them closely and melted into Luke’s warm embrace. The pups were beautiful, one boy, white with blue eyes, and one girl, brindle with amber eyes.
“Let’s call them Nero and Aliyah,” Luke suggested, nuzzling the pups. They nuzzled back and Greg’s heart felt completely full. He had the most amazing family in the world and he would never go back to the life he’d had before, even if it killed him.
“That sounds perfect,” he said. Their family was official, and together they would begin a new journey.
THE END
Dire Wolf
Chapter 1
Bronson Walker’s skin prickled as he watched the jerky movements of the elder, wisps of sweet-smelling smoke filling his nostrils. He had to squint to make out the figures behind the man in the dark. They were tall, covered in black robes that melted into the skyline, and waving ceremonial censers filled with burning incense as the elder carried out the ceremony.
“Alpha, Omega,” the figures chanted ominously.
Bronson felt electrified when the elder looked up to the sky and began to howl, the old man’s body stuck in the painful state of transition. He was at his truest form this way—part wolf, part man—and it had probably taken him more years than Bronson had been alive to perfect this state of being. Still, Bronson couldn’t help but wince. As all wolf-shifters knew, it was excruciating to try to still the body in the throes of transition, and only men with shamanic qualities had been able to perform rituals like this on command.
“The issue arises,” the elder spoke, his voice other-worldly. He spoke between a whisper and a growl, his voice commanding as it rang through the mountains of Montana to address his pack. “The Alpha must mate.”
All eyes turned to Bronson, a figure of virility and hope to his tired pack. It shamed him that he hadn’t been able to produce an heir that would keep his pack alive, but it wasn’t as if anybody blamed him for it. Nobody could help that all of the women of his pack had been killed by mountain lion shifters. They’d been picked off gradually, one or two at a time. By the time the pack had realized the mountain lion shifters had been doing it as part of a plan, it had been too late.
“There is hope,” the elder said, his eyes turned to the moon and voice distant. “But it is not a great hope. Great Alphas over time have been able to mate with hybrids, and produce offspring that can keep our pack alive.”
“Hybrids?” Bronson asked. He had never heard of such a thing. The attention of the pack turned from Bronson back to the elder, who continued speaking as if he hadn’t heard Bronson. In the trance state, it was possible that he hadn’t.
“The women who were lost to us were not our only hope. However, chances of a sacred union occurring are slim. I’ve lived many hundreds of years and have not seen this happen in my lifetime. But the elder before me lived under just such an Alpha as a young boy.”
A stunned silence brought all eyes back to Bronson. He felt like he should be offering his men some kind of hope, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak.
“We must find the hybrid fated to mate with our Alpha to protect the pack. They exist, surely, and it is up to us to bring them here. The Dire Wolves will rise again!”
The pack looked to the sky and unleashed powerful howls in unison. It brought Bronson to his feet and filled him with a new determination. The pack had suffered a tragic loss, and it was up to him to hold it together and bring his pack back to greatness. It was quite the challenge, but challenges were what the Alphas were made for.
Chapter 2
“Why do you have to move so far away?”
The voice of Hunter Lewis’ mother came through the speaker phone as he drove through the scenic Montana roads. His heart constricted painfully, both from the reality of leaving his family behind, despite their rocky history together, and the memories the mountains were stirring in his mind.
“You already know why,” Hunter said, trying to sidestep the issue.
“Honey, living in the mountains isn’t going to bring Tyler back,” his mom said.
At the sound of his partner’s name, Hunter’s eyes filled with tears.
“I know that! Don’t you think I know that? I know he’s not going to come back to life or anything, but being here just… I don’t know, I need to feel closer to him.”
“In the place he died, honey? Don’t you think that’s a little bit morbid?”
His mother’s voice was gentle and concerned, but Hunter couldn’t help but feel furious at her for broaching the painful subject. It had been almost a year since Tyler had been attacked at their campsite by a mysterious animal that had disappeared as quickly as it came. By the time Hunter had made it back from the convenience store with the hotdogs, Tyler was dying and there was nothing more that could be done.
“He loved it out here,” Hunter said, trying to keep his voice as even as possible. “These mountains…this sky…these were the last things he saw. It’s the last place he ever took a breath. I just need to be close by. I can’t explain it.”
“Well honey, I hope this is for the best. I wish you would have finished out that therapy you were doing. It seemed to—”
“I’ve got to go, Ma. I’m sorry. I can’t really talk about this anymore. I’m driving.”
Hunter’s mom hesitated, and for a moment he was afraid she was going to continue to pursue the subject.
“All right honey, I’m sorry. I love you. Keep in touch.”
“Sure, Ma, of course. Love you.”
Hunter picked the phone up off the seat and hung it up, throwing it back onto the seat a little more violently than he meant to. Why did everybody think they had a right to tell him how to grieve? His mom had never even acknowledged Tyler as an important part of Hunter’s life until the funeral.
Sure, he wasn’t sure what he would have done with himself without her, but hearing her say Tyler’s name just filled him with rage. Homophobia had been more important than embracing her future son-in-law, and that was part of the reason he’d chosen to move far away from everything he knew and make the mountains where Tyler had proposed to him his new home. Hunter had felt happier and more alive here than he ever had anywhere else.
A road sign appeared in the distance, and Tyler had to squint against the light to make it out. There was a fork in the road. The name of the campground he had spent Tyler’s last days in was on one side, while a town he had never heard of was on the other. He hesitated.
A few weeks ago, Hunter had made a reservation at the campsite, thinking he could stay out in the wilderness while he looked for somewhere more permanent. He had more than enough money to survive for a while, especially after selling the condo he and Tyler had shared for the last three years. But now that the name of the campsite was right in front of him, Hunter wasn’t sure he could go through with it. Visiting the place where he had experienced the single most traumatizing moment of his life suddenly felt like a mistake. He just wasn’t ready yet.
Without any further thought, Hunter put his foot on the gas pedal and turned, leaving the memories of the campsite behind. He would find a hotel or something in this nowhere little town coming up. That would have to be close enough. At least for now.
Chapter 3
“Missed you at Fangz last night, B,” a gravelly voice said from behind the lat machine.
Bronson let the weights fall and stretched, composing himself before turning to face Lance.
“Yeah,” Bronson said noncommittally. When he was a teenager, he’d had the biggest crush on Lance. It had been powerful and consuming for a while, but he had never been sure if it was okay for him to feel that way. It had always been clear that Bronson was an Alpha, but submitting to lusts of this caliber had never been addressed by any of the older, more experienced pack members before.
“I get it though,” Lance said, peeling off his tight tank top and revealing his perfect abdomen. He was getting ready to work out beside Bronson. Bronson averted his eyes skillfully by toweling his face off. If he looked away from Lance’s gaze outright, it would make him appear submissive. “The elders really need you now. I guess it’s time for us to step up our game.”
“Yeah,” Bronson replied. He really didn’t feel like talking about this right now. Especially not with Lance. Lance had been an unattainable dream in his youth, the kind of mate Bronson actually wanted to have. In a small, perverse way, he was almost relieved that he wouldn’t have to choose one of the females to mate with. Not that he was glad they had all been killed, of course; that had been a horrible tragedy and he mourned their loss as the entire pack did. It was just that he had always been more sexually attracted to men, and mating had always been a subject of dread for him.
“You should drop by tonight though,” Lance said. “The guys and I are trying to come up with a plan. You know. To sniff out the hybrids and bring them here. It’s our last shot. We have a lot of planning to do.”
Bronson nodded. “I’ll be there.”
He could feel Lance’s eyes on him as he turned his back and walked away. The other men in the pack were always watching him. How would Lance feel if he’d known that a secret, terrible, jealous part of Bronson had been slightly satisfied at discovering that the female Lance had chosen to mate with had been murdered by the mountain lion shifters? He was too ashamed of himself for that perverse pleasure to even look the man in the eyes anymore.
But that was what an Alpha was like, Bronson supposed. Competitive. They played to win. He couldn’t help but catch a glimpse of himself in the wall-length mirrors of the gym as he moved toward the locker room to shower. His form was impressive, intimidating, and his eyes and hair were as dark as the black fur that covered him when he shifted into his wolf form. He was built to conquer and take no casualties.
If he was made to be a winner, then why did it feel as though he was always losing? He’d lost Lance to the female Lance had chosen as a mate. And then, when she’d been murdered, his envy had turned into a sick sort of relief that consumed him with guilt and kept him from even fully being Lance’s friend, much less anything more.
The dark thoughts melted away as Bronson lathered his taut muscles in the shower. He winced as he ran his hand over his ribs, and gazed down at the dark purple bruise that was forming. Another mountain lion shifter attack had happened after the ceremony. They must have smelled the incense and come in for the kill.
“Done already?” a young man from the pack asked him. His name was Jameson, and his eyes always seemed to linger on Bronson a little too long. In a way, it was exciting to know other men in the pack might have sexual yearnings similar to his own, and Jameson and Bronson had taken to a casual, almost flirtatious, alliance.
“I have to take it easy today,” Bronson said, smoothing his hand over the firm ripple of his abdomen. Jameson’s eyes glittered at the invitation to look at Bronson’s powerful body, but his eyebrows quickly knitted when he noticed the Alpha’s injury.
“Ah, on the mend,” he said. “Take care then.”
Jameson walked away, slinging his towel over a broad shoulder. Bronson allowed himself to soak in Jameson’s confident masculinity from his vantage point. Vague tendrils of longing filled him, but he pushed them away. Now wasn’t the time to indulge in fantasy. He had something to finish.
Bronson stood and stretched, taking a deep, gratifying inhale. He always felt a little sore after a workout, but it was a feeling that he had come to relish. He felt alive, and a deep desire to protect the pack drove him forward. Injured or not, he had to take charge.
Chapter 4
Night had fallen, and the road splayed ahead of Hunter was dark and ominous. He couldn’t tell if it was creepy because he was so close to where his partner had been attacked, or if there was something more sinister at play. It was hard to put his finger on it. Whatever it was, all he really knew was that he couldn’t shake the feeling of foreboding in his chest.
Hunter slammed on the brakes when suddenly, in his rearview mirror, he saw three sets of shining yellow orbs behind him. They looked like eyes, set deep in the faces of dark creatures he couldn’t quite make out. Could they be the animals that had attacked Tyler?
Hunter felt a sudden, foolish surge of vengeance. He put his car in park and, with trembling hands, reached for his seatbelt. He fumbled with the latch, blind with fury. He would get out and shoot every single one of them. He’d murder them in cold blood the way they had murdered the man he loved.
He reached for the glove compartment, where he had safely tucked away his father’s old revolver for safekeeping, but when he glanced back in the rearview mirror, the orbs were gone. Hunter’s rage turned into blind panic, and without a second thought, he whipped the car into drive and sped forward, breaking out in a cold sweat. What the hell was going on?
The road was lonely out this way; he hadn’t seen another car drive past for miles. He was too afraid to look back in case the beasts might be there, ready and waiting to take him the way they had taken Tyler. Hunter was somehow certain that there was something malicious about the attack, something almost premeditated. He had gotten the same cold, fearful feeling when Tyler had been killed that he had now, driving down this dark road. For the second time in his life, Hunter asked himself if he believed in evil.
Before he could answer himself, relief washed over him in waves as he passed a sign claiming he was now within the city limits of Dire, Montana. He would find a motel, something cheap and functional, and settle in. Maybe once he dropped his bags off, he would go find somewhere that he could have a drink to calm his nerves. It would be nice to be around other people, even strangers. Especially after the bizarre experience he’d just had.
“Evenin’ son,” an elderly man with a full white goatee said to Hunter when he stepped into the first building he saw—which was, unsurprisingly, a motel. His voice was cheerful, but his face was grave. It somehow seemed to suit the overall feeling of the town in general. The town was small, maybe a little bit dingy, but it was well-placed among the mountains and the humble atmosphere was quaint. Or it should have been. Instead, he felt some sort of shadow hanging over the place. He tried to push the feeling of foreboding away, telling himself it was just because Tyler had been murdered so close to here.
“Hi,” Hunter said, surprised by how high-pitched his voice sounded in comparison to the motel manager’s. He was still scared. “Do you have any vacancies?”
“Sure do,” the manager said, his cheerful voice somehow contradicting the stern look on his face. Hunter wasn’t sure the night could get any weirder. “Just how long are you planning on staying?”
“Oh…I’m not sure. Is it possible to put me down for a month? I can pay up front.”
“A month, eh?”
This time, the manager’s face was as surprised as his voice, and Hunter felt oddly satisfied at being able to change the man’s tired expression.
“A month, sir.”
“I suppose that wouldn’t be a problem. Mind if I ask what you’re planning on doing here during your stay? Most folks head to the campgrounds a few miles back.”
Mention of the campground tied Hunter’s stomach in knots.
“I’m not sure what I’m doing, yet,” he admitted, just as much to himself as to the motel manager. “I’m trying to figure that out.”
“Well, Dire is a good place,” the manager said, smiling decisively. “My name’s Ed. Take this card. If you need anything, my number’s right there.”
“Thanks,” Hunter said, unable to keep a shy smile from parting his lips. There was something strange about Ed—about the entire place. But if he stayed on Ed’s good side, he might just get to like him.
“Here’s your key,” Ed said, sliding a key ring across the table to Hunter. “I assume a one bedroom is good enough for you.”
“More than good enough,” Hunter said. He had been expecting just a single room with a refrigerator and bed cramped side by side.
“It’s upstairs to the right,” Ed called as Hunter headed out the door to get his belongings.
Hunter opened the trunk of his car and sighed as all of his worldly possessions came into view. He could probably just do with bringing in the essentials for now. At least until he’d had a shower. He slammed the trunk closed and looked up at the clear, star-blazed sky. A town called Dire. Nothing to worry about here.
Chapter 5
The forest was alive at night, and Bronson crept stealthily through the foliage. He was following the trail the mountain lion shifters had left the night before. He’d gained enough strength over the night to investigate and now, he was certain, he was hot on their trail.
Bronson’s skin tightened as a surge of static made him shiver. A mountain lion shifter was close. He would have to be careful. He was injured, and they weren’t known to have mercy; especially on the Alphas of the wolf shifter clan.
He stopped in his tracks, hoping to get a sense of where the shifter might be. He had to get some answers. The fight that had happened between himself and the mountain lion shifters the night of the ceremony had left him feeling unsettled. They were getting bolder, and soon, he knew, they would make their move. But it was his pack’s mission to protect the town of Dire and the humans who dwelled there, and they wouldn’t abandon their people.
“A week is all it should take,” Bronson heard the tweedy voice of a mountain lion shifter say.
“They’re on their last legs,” another man sniggered. Bronson’s chest constricted with a rage so painful it was almost impossible to hold back. But this wasn’t an ambush, he reminded himself. It was reconnaissance.
“With the mutts out of the way, we’ll finally be able to take back the sacred land,” the first shifter said. “It’s been far too long.”
“The blood of the humans who have desecrated the land there will rain down as an offering to Bast. This will please the goddess.”
Bronson cringed as their laughter echoed in the darkness. The mountain lion shifters started moving away, back toward the territory line that separated them from the wolf shifters, and Bronson allowed himself to finally release the breath he’d been holding.
So that’s what they were planning. If anything happened to Bronson’s pack, the humans who lived in the town of Dire were going to be in grave danger.
Bronson knew the history of this place, all members of the pack were taught it when they were young. He wasn’t sure how much of it he believed, but the rumor was the mountain lions wanted the town because of a secret source of power, a sacred spot near the town hall that had once been the resting place of an ancient mural and the bones of the mountain lion’s deity, Bast. There was supposed to be some kind of underground lair, a sacred spring they said, that could give the mountain lion shifters supernatural strength. If they were ever able to reach it, the town would return to them and all the innocent people who lived there would be sacrificed.
Bronson wasn’t sure just how true the myths were. The wolf shifter packs didn’t have a deity or any source of secret power, so he didn’t know if it was possible for such a thing to exist. But it was real enough for the mountain lion shifters, and their claim to the land was long-lasting and vicious. When the humans had settled here, they’d quickly become a blight the mountain lion clan wanted to wipe out as quickly as possible.
But the elders of the wolf pack that lived nearby had watched the humans moving in. These were ancient wolf shifters, wise beyond their years, and together, they’d decided that it was right to protect the oblivious humans from the malicious cruelty of the mountain lion shifters, who saw anybody outside their own kind to be a virus. They completely refused to try to coexist with the humans as the wolves did. The mountain lion shifters felt they were above it all, and turned a hateful eye to anybody who fell outside of their expectations. Not to mention that supposed sacred spring.
Now it was time for Bronson to take the lead and continue the mission his forefathers had started so many decades ago. But to do that, he would need to get organized. It was time to head to Fangz.
***
“Where have you been?” Lance asked when Bronson finally walked through the bar’s double doors.
“Nowhere,” Bronson said. His mind had been whirling ever since he’d overheard the mountain lion shifters speaking, but he didn’t think he was ready to let the rest of the pack in on what he’d heard. It wasn’t like it was a huge secret that the mountain lion shifters wanted the pack out of the way, but the new timeline was something Bronson had to really consider before consulting the pack with a plan of action.
“You didn’t miss much,” Lance continued. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
One of the wolves at the bar pulled a stool out for Bronson. He paused for a moment before he sat down, letting his dark eyes roam over the familiar faces in the bar. He had a strange feeling; as if something big was about to happen. It might just have been his nerves though. Eavesdropping on the mountain lion shifters had given him a sense of foreboding and urgency. They needed to protect the town at all costs.
“We’ve decided we’re going to take to the road and split up,” Lance began. “We have to do something to find those hybrids the elder was talking about. I’m sure we’ll be able to smell them if we get close enough. If we don’t go now, it might be too late. We might not get another chance. Are you in?”
Lance’s dark blue eyes bored into Bronson’s. He could tell the pack had been seriously considering the journey, but there was no way he could go, not when he knew what the mountain lion shifters were planning. But it might be just what was needed to protect the remaining wolf shifters from the vengeful mountain lion clan.
“I think that’s a great idea,” Bronson said, trying to choose his words carefully. He knew Lance was hoping to get his approval and lead them all on a quest to reclaim the glory of the earlier years. But he couldn’t leave. “You guys seem to have this all figured out, so why don’t you head out tomorrow morning. I have to stay here and speak with the elders about a few things first, and then with their approval I’ll head out on my own.”
The men around him looked crestfallen, and he knew they had probably hoped he’d jump on board with no second thoughts. But he couldn’t leave the human populations vulnerable. There was something that was bothering him. Something he couldn’t quite place. It felt better to stick around and figure out what it was, to consult the elders before his feeling of foreboding translated into something even more sinister.
Everyone in the bar stopped speaking suddenly when the door creaked open and a human that Bronson had ever seen before walked in. He knew everyone in the town, so he knew instantly this was a traveler, a stranger to Dire. Bronson’s heart thudded as he watched the handsome, golden-haired man cross the room and sit down in a booth by himself, keeping his eyes low to the ground. He was lean, with sharp features and intelligent silver-blue eyes. The man’s hair looked like it was normally kept crisp and close to his scalp, but right now it seemed unruly despite his best efforts to smooth it to the side.
“Let’s get out of here,” Lance whispered. The rest of the pack agreed and stood, waiting for Bronson to stand up and join them.
“I just got here. I’m going to have a drink first, but you guys go on ahead. I’m sure you have a lot of planning to do.” Again, Bronson could tell that Lance seemed to feel deflated by Bronson’s lack of enthusiasm and Bronson sighed inwardly. “I think you guys are really on to something. I’m proud to walk beside men like you.”
For the first time since Lance’s mate had died, Bronson held his gaze and smiled approvingly. It seemed to reanimate Lance, and he straightened to his full height.
“Let’s go guys,” he said, and led the rest of the pack out the door.
Chapter 6
The second Hunter walked through the double doors of the bar, he felt like he had made a mistake. He was hit by a wall of cigarette smoke that stung his eyes. When he blinked it away, he saw that the whole place was filled with men that seemed five times his size, dressed in dark leather clothes. He had inadvertently found himself in a biker bar.
He tried to keep his eyes on the ground, trying to remember an article he had read once on avoiding confrontation, and slunk into a booth in the back corner. They had all glared at him murderously, and he knew that one wrong move could be his last. To his surprise, most of the men left not long after Hunter arrived. All of them but one mysterious man with a pensive—almost sexy—gaze who lingered behind. Hunter couldn’t fully see his face, and he couldn’t help but wonder what the rest of him looked like.
“What do you drink?”
Hunter was surprised out of his thoughts by the voice of a middle-aged waitress, who was looking down at him impatiently. She looked just as brutal as the men who had just left, but there was something a little bit gentler about her. As if she were more like him.
More like him? What was that supposed to mean? He shook the thought away and answered.
“Got rum and coke?” he asked, trying to keep his eyes from settling on the handsome stranger at the bar. The man’s jeans were sinfully tight, showing off the gentle curve of his firm ass. He was wearing a black leather jacket, and his hair was shoulder-length and dark. Hunter couldn’t make out any features other than the man’s ruggedly stubbled cheeks, but for some reason he was convinced that if the man turned around to face him, he would be absolutely gorgeous.
“Of course,” she said. “You want one?”
Her voice was impatient and sarcastic, and Hunter nodded dumbly, looking down at the table. He fingered a napkin as the waitress disappeared and returned a few moments later with his drink. Hunter wasn’t sure if he should thank her or if it would be viewed as a sign of weakness, so he gave her a weak smile and brought the drink close to his body.
What the hell had he been thinking coming into this place? He might as well have bought a bottle of whiskey at the gas station and gotten drunk alone in his room. But he had been spending far too many nights doing that since he’d lost Tyler.
The sudden memory of his loss combined with the immense stress of the bizarre encounter on the road that night and the overwhelming feeling of being in such an unwelcoming environment brought an involuntary sob from deep inside Hunter. He was horrified at himself for showing weakness, especially in a place like this. He probably wouldn’t be able to make it back out to his car without getting beaten up. And it would be his own damn fault if that happened. He never should have come here.
But it was too late for second thoughts now, and Hunter bowed his head into the crook of his arm and allowed himself to hide his face as he cried. There was no point in hiding it. He was overwhelmed and there was nothing he could do about it. He almost looked forward to the inevitable beating he was going to get when he left the place. He felt like a piece of shit.
Suddenly, he felt a heavy hand on one of his quaking shoulders and Hunter’s chest constricted painfully. Apparently, the violence was going to start earlier than he’d anticipated.
“Are you okay?”
Hunter was surprised enough to sit upright at the sound of the smooth but masculine voice. He turned his eyes toward the man beside him and his mouth immediately dried up. He felt like he was in a scene in a romantic movie, faced with a man so attractive that he almost appeared otherworldly. He couldn’t stop the thought that this was the sexiest man he had ever seen in person, and was too stunned to speak. Fortunately, the stranger smiled kindly and pulled his hand off Hunter’s shoulder.
“Nobody in here is going to hurt you, so you can relax.”
“How can you be so sure?” Hunter asked, stiffening up as the man took a seat beside him in the booth. He begrudgingly scooted over until he was sitting next to the wall. The man’s broad shoulder rested easily against Hunter’s.
“Well for one, I’m the only guy in here right now,” the man said, smiling. The playful gesture made his dark eyes twinkle mysteriously. “And secondly, the guys in here do what I tell them to. So just trust me. Stay on my good side, and as long as I’m around you’re safe. So what’s the trouble?”
Hunter wasn’t sure he could trust this man, though every bone in his body wanted to. Something about him seemed so kind and familiar. And yet one look at him convinced him that if the guy wanted to, he could bite Hunter in half and have him for dinner. Though what kind of person would do that? It’s not like they were animals. Just men, sitting together in a bar.
“Don’t feel like talking about it huh?” the handsome stranger asked. “I get that. The real problems… Well, there aren’t enough words for them.”
The man had taken the words right out of Hunter’s mouth. It was strange to speak with someone who truly understood how he was feeling, without him even having to say a word. There weren’t enough hours in the day for Hunter to begin to describe what his relationship to Tyler had meant, no way to express the nagging emotional strain he felt at having to justify moving to Montana to his oblivious and homophobic mother. And the incident out on the highway? Well, nobody would ever have believed him if he’d tried to explain it anyway, so what was the point in finding the words for it? Nobody was interested in him, and they wouldn’t ever truly understand, no matter how hard he tried to explain. It was a relief that someone out there could understand that.
“My name’s Bronson. Bronson Walker.”
He held out his big hand for Hunter to take. Hunter hesitated before grabbing it and giving it a firm pump.
“I’m Hunter Lewis,” he said, trying to ignore the way Bronson’s strong hand felt wrapped around his own. It was were warm and welcoming. Different from Tyler’s, but similarly exciting. The comparison almost made Hunter lose his meager dinner. Bronson must have noticed the change in his facial expression because immediately let go.
“What’s the matter?”
“It’s just… I don’t know if I can really talk about that here.”
The atmosphere of the bar was unwelcoming. Hunter wasn’t sure he would be able to talk about anything there, least of all something as personal as his feelings concerning his late fiancé. It was hard enough to think about by himself, let alone trying to explain his feelings to someone else. Someone who’d never met Tyler and couldn’t possibly know what an amazing man he had been. It almost made him angry to have to talk about it to people who would never know what he’d lost.
“Something’s really bugging you. Seems like you could use some time away from here,” Bronson said thoughtfully.
Hunter jumped in fear and surprise when Bronson slammed his fist onto the table. At first, he thought Bronson was angry, but when he turned to face Hunter, his face was brightened by a surprisingly handsome smile. Hunter was dazzled for a few seconds and had to blink hard as Bronson spoke.
“I have a great idea. You’re going to love it. Follow me.”
Without another word, or even a look back to see if Hunter was doing as he said—as if he was a man who was used to giving orders and expected full obedience—Bronson headed out the door.
Chapter 7
Bronson sauntered out of the bar with confidence; he could tell Hunter was walking close behind him. Just what he was doing, even speaking to this guy, he had no idea. If anybody caught him fucking around with the outsider, they would have a fit. He was supposed to be solving all of his pack’s problems and getting in touch with the elders to let them know what he had overheard when he was trailing the mountain lion shifters, not trying to turn some pretty boy’s frown upside-down.
But it was none of their business what Bronson did. Besides that, the boy was clearly scared as hell, and had been since he’d walked into the bar. Something was up, and it was Bronson’s job to find out what. It could count as one of his Alpha duties, couldn’t it? He wasn’t a total slacker after all. It could mean trouble from the mountain lion pack. But if the boy wasn’t going to talk about it in the bar, he would just have to make him more comfortable.
“You ever been on a motorcycle before?”
Hunter paused, his face frozen like a deer in headlights. He certainly didn’t look the type to have been on a motorcycle before, and Bronson had to bite his tongue so he wouldn’t say what he was thinking out loud.
“No…not really.”
“Not really?” Bronson asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Well, there was this one time on a carousel…” Hunter trailed off. If it wasn’t so dark, Bronson was sure he would be able to see a bright red glow around the boy’s cheeks. It was kind of cute.
“Well no better time than tonight. Look at the moon.”
Hunter’s silver-blue eyes followed the swift arch of Bronson’s arm as he pointed up into the sky, and widened when he saw the beautiful night. There was a meteor shower due for some time that night, and Bronson had been hoping to catch it.
“Wow,” Hunter breathed.
“Are you going to get on my bike or not?” Bronson asked. He couldn’t help the commanding tone in his voice. It made him feel kind of bad, knowing a boy like Hunter would probably have a hard time resisting his Alpha tendencies. But his curiosity won out over his guilt.
“I…” Hunter pursed his lips before finally blurting out what was on his mind. “I don’t feel comfortable with that. I don’t know you. I don’t know anyone here. And to be honest with you, something really creepy happened to me on the way out here that made me want nothing more than a very strong drink, but now that I’ve had one and you’re offering to take me out on your bike, it just seems like a little too much. So if it’s all the same to you, I’d really rather not.”
“Ah…”
Bronson took a second to mull over what Hunter had said. Something creepy happening wasn’t a good sign. The outskirts were dominated by the mountain lion shifters, and they were known for the mind games they liked to play on innocent people. People like Hunter, who had license plates from way out of town and who looked like sweetness itself.
“I know some thugs who like to mess with people who aren’t from around here,” Bronson said, looking Hunter straight in the eye. “If it felt like somebody was trying to scare you, it might have been those assholes.”
“What assholes?” Hunter asked.
His face was handsome in the moonlight, Bronson noted. His body was lean, but athletic and capable, and Hunter’s golden hair seemed to carry the glow of the sun, even in the dark. There was just something about him that made him want to protect him…maybe claim him. Which was ludicrous of course. But at the very least, he’d just be happy to carry on their conversation forever. Either way it was a dangerous feeling. Especially when he had work to do. Work that involved finding someone for him to breed with.
“It’s just a group of guys who get up to no good around here. They’re kind of rivals, really.”
“What kind of rivals?” Hunter asked, his eyebrows furrowing in concern.
Without even realizing it, Bronson and Hunter had begun walking together with an easy stride. Where they were going, Bronson didn’t know nor care. They simply walked; out past the back of the bar and down a comfortably lit path. He had been there a few times before, and as they walked, Bronson vaguely acknowledged that the trail they were following led to a conservatory that also functioned as a park for the younger generations, a place where they could play outside without much adult supervision and still feel safe. Feeling safe was important in Dire.
“Just some guys who think they’re better than everybody else. They like to drive people away. Very territorial.”
“I understand…” Hunter said. “I’m not really that kind of guy.”
No, he wasn’t, Bronson acknowledged. That was partly what attracted him so fiercely to Hunter. He was ignoring all of his responsibilities just to try to get some time alone with this man, not sure exactly what his own motivations truly were. He’d never done anything like this before, and although it was thrilling, it was also unnerving. Just what was going on in that brain of his? Or was he thinking with something else entirely? That seemed more likely to be the case.
“You can see the sky really well from here,” Bronson said, glancing up at the stars.
He hated to be confined in a building too long, especially at night. He found he missed the sights and smells of nature, especially the stars. They were right where he’d left them, and he felt a distinct sense of security upon taking them in.
They had wandered onto the foot path in the conservatory, and seemed to agree at the same time that this was the place to stop. Hunter and Bronson sat down at one of the benches. It creaked beneath their weight, and Bronson felt a sense of peace he had never known before. As if everything was right and was going to remain that way.
But that was a trick. He knew better than to believe it. Feelings were just feelings after all; they weren’t rational.
“It really is beautiful out here,” Hunter said. His gaze flickered from the stars back to the ground. It was almost as if the image had upset him, but that was silly. Who could be bothered by the stars? “That’s why I came out here.”
“Where are you from?” Bronson asked, eager for anything he could get from this alluring stranger. If he was going to ignore his duties anyway, he might as well go all out, right?
“Seattle, Washington.”
Hunter took a moment to answer, as if he wasn’t sure he wanted to be forthcoming with the information. In fact, he didn’t seem to give much in the way of replies. It was a little bit offensive, really, but Bronson realized that it was probably because Hunter didn’t trust him yet. Bronson couldn’t blame him. A lot of people were iffy around strangers. Especially when they came from situations where they didn’t feel like they could trust anybody else. Safety was important to everybody, after all.
“Seattle, huh?” Bronson said with a low whistle. “That’s pretty far away. You came here just for the sky? Most people would hang around at the campground for that.”
Hunter lowered his eyes to his hands and didn’t answer. Bronson got the distinct feeling he’d said something wrong, but he wasn’t sure what.
“Well… I just mean most people wouldn’t be hanging around town if they were just passing through.”
“I’m not passing through,” Hunter said with a sudden firmness. Bronson liked the strength in the man’s voice. There was something gratifying when people who seemed weak were actually steel on the inside. It demanded respect. “I’m here to stay. I just need to figure out my next step.”
“What, you mean you’re moving here? To Dire?”
Hunter hesitated. “I’m not sure if I’ll stay here exactly. But I want to be close to the area. I can’t live in Seattle anymore.”
“What, you on the run?” Bronson teased, nudging Hunter’s arm. That brought a wry smile to the boy’s lips, and Bronson couldn’t help but feel lit up from the inside out when he saw it.
“Nah,” Hunter said. “And maybe yes, in a way.”
Bronson raised his eyebrows as he sensed that Hunter was loosening up around him. Whatever kind of story he had to tell, Bronson was sure that it was going to be interesting.
Chapter 8
Hunter sighed inwardly. What was he doing with this man? And why couldn’t he shake his attraction toward him? Most baffling of all, he was starting to feel comfortable with him, when only twenty minutes earlier, he’d been sure that this man and the lot of his friends were anxious to tear him apart.
“What kind of thing does a guy like you run from?” Bronson asked, interrupting his thoughts.
Hunter could feel his cheeks burning. He knew he wasn’t the most aggressive of men, but was it so unlikely that he would have a dark past? There were a lot of crimes he could get away with, being lean and quiet, unassuming. Identity theft for one. But that wasn’t his crime. His crime was his tender soul and the scandalous gender of the person he’d taken to love. That was too difficult to talk about though. He just wished there was a faster way to get over the pain.
“From my mother, if that counts for anything.”
“Of course it does,” Bronson said. Hunter braced himself for the mocking to begin, but was surprised when Bronson quickly processed the answer and moved on to more questions. “Why do you want to get away from your mom?”
Hunter pursed his lips. There was no way of knowing how well a perfect stranger would receive the truth about his sexual orientation, and Hunter usually tried not to talk about it with men who looked like they could kill him within seconds of hearing it. Even if they weren’t capable of hurting him, it was usually a lot easier not to talk about being gay with people he had just met. Especially men who were as intimidating and muscular as Bronson was.
But for some reason, Hunter felt like he could trust him. He had made it a habit his whole life to trust his own instincts, no matter how hard it could be, so he took a deep breath before taking the plunge.
“She doesn’t agree with who I am.”
“Who you are isn’t her business to agree or disagree with,” Bronson said, his expression puzzled. “That doesn’t make sense.”
“Well a lot of people think they have the right to judge a man for who he is and what he cares about. Who he cares about…” Hunter trailed off. It was still hard to explain. Even if he could trust Bronson, he couldn’t trust himself not to break down about Tyler. He just wasn’t ready to talk about it.
“Sounds like you were right to leave, then,” Bronson said. His voice was surprisingly soothing, and Hunter turned to look at him. The man’s beauty was unreal, as if an ancient god had walked right off the page of a history book and sat down on the bench beside him. It almost made him forget what he was so upset about.
“I guess so,” Hunter said. “But she’s been trying to make me feel guilty about it. I just couldn’t stay there anymore! It’s so—”
“Hey,” Bronson said, laying his warm, heavy hand on Hunter’s shoulder. “You don’t have to justify yourself to me. Or to anyone else for that matter. It doesn’t matter if it’s your mom or your maker. We all do what we do for a reason. Reasons change, people don’t. At least, not so much. If someone can’t accept you for who you are, you shouldn’t hide who you are to make it easier for them.”
“Well, I made it this far,” Hunter said with an exasperated shrug. He had been waiting so long to be accepted. Only Tyler had ever made him feel that way. Even when he couldn’t accept himself, Tyler had been there to hold his hand and help him; Tyler had made him feel like they could face anything together.
“Hell yeah you did!” Bronson exclaimed. “And you should be proud of yourself for it. Don’t go beating yourself up so much, man. I know you have no reason to do anything for me, but promise me you won’t fall into that trap, all right? It doesn’t do anybody any good.”
“Yeah,” Hunter said, smiling shyly up at Bronson. “Okay.”
“Good.”
When they locked eyes, Hunter was shocked by a surge of power, a static that crackled almost like electricity. It made him feel hyperaware of everything surrounding him. Bronson’s dark, beautiful eyes. The way the man’s broad chest rose and fell with his breath. The dark contours of Bronson’s muscular arms testing the limits of the materials trying to confine them. And his own heart drumming wildly as a deep thrill of excitement began to pulse inside of him.
He hadn’t felt anything akin to arousal since he’d lost Tyler, and he was overwhelmed by its raw power. He had to swallow forcefully as his cock grew hard against his leg. He’d lost all ability to be turned on after his loss, but somehow just a simple look from this mysterious stranger awoke a deep, pent-up frustration that had quietly been begging for release. It had been so long since he’d been with anybody. Even if his heart wasn’t ready, his body was tired of waiting.
Bronson seemed to sense the shift in Hunter’s mood, and stood up from the bench. He offered Hunter his hand, his face serious and his eyes dark. They had been beating around the bush all night, Hunter realized. This whole thing had been a kind of a game, whether they realized it outwardly or not. Two perfect strangers looking for something meaningful in the place they were least likely to find it. But somehow they had stumbled upon each other. And maybe it was exactly what they both needed.
Chapter 9
Bronson’s entire body buzzed when Hunter took his hand and stood to face him, the man’s angelic face inches away from his own. The energy shift between them had been sudden, and Bronson seemed to understand in a single instant that the reason Hunter was leaving home, looking for freedom, was because he was gay.
It made sense, very rapidly, that Bronson would put off his duties to spend time with this man, whose vulnerability and courage were at odds with each other and made him a very intriguing specimen. As Bronson studied Hunter’s face, he gritted his teeth as huge waves of sexual energy radiated from the smaller man. His features were delicate but firm, and there was something familiar about him, something that he just couldn’t seem to place. But it was thrilling to be so close to him. Hunter’s body was awakening something unquenchable within him.
Hunter let out a quiet gasp when Bronson pulled him close to his body, grabbing his hips so that their waists were touching. A surge of ecstasy coursed through him when he felt the rock-hard mound of Hunter’s cock pressed against him, and when he thrust his own shaft against it, holding Hunter’s hips firmly in place, Hunter bowed his head to the ground and hissed with pleasure. He liked it, Bronson could tell, but he was resisting. Maybe he should stop.
But when he started to pull away, Hunter’s clear eyes pierced into his own and Bronson knew they were too far gone for either of them to stop. Without wasting any more time, Bronson shoved his hand into Hunter’s pants and wrapped his hand around the man’s swollen cock, stroking it; gently at first, and then more aggressively as his own massive erection began to protest being trapped inside his denim pants.
Hunter was losing himself in the pleasure. Bronson could tell it had been a long time for him, but he didn’t ask any questions. Instead, he did his best to gingerly remove Hunter’s swollen shaft from his jeans and unzipped his own pants to unleash his own throbbing member. They didn’t kiss; neither of them really seemed to be looking for that type of intimacy. This was bare-bones fucking, because they both needed it. They had both waited so long to give in to what they wanted.
Hunter moaned as they grinded into each other, their cocks glistening with precum and glittering in the moonlight. Bronson had never been this aroused before, and it took all the self-control he had to be gentle with the boy. He was afraid of unleashing his full power on a human, which would inevitably end badly. The last thing he wanted was for any of this to end at all.
He had to stop that line of thinking. They were both just getting off; it didn’t have to mean anything. In fact, it couldn’t. Bronson needed to find the hybrid to mate with. This was just to get all of his desire for other men out of his system. Anything beyond that would be detrimental to his pack.
Bronson closed his eyes, trying to ignore his mind as pleasure engulfed him. They were playing a game of cat and mouse; Hunter’s swollen cock touching and sliding along the length of Bronson’s shaft; their lips both nuzzled into each other’s necks as they slowly pushed and pulled away from each other, only to be drawn back in by their immense longing. Bronson hadn’t known his body was capable of such sensuality. But then, life was full of surprises.
Finally, Hunter seemed to tire of the game and looked up at Bronson with fire in his eyes. He didn’t have to ask what the expression meant. Hunter was ready; he was going to submit.
Bronson spun Hunter around, gripping the man’s hard shaft in his palm and grinding against the firm but gentle slope of his ass. He could feel Hunter tensing up as he began pleasuring himself in the warmth of Hunter’s body, slowly rubbing the head of Hunter’s shaft as he prodded his own against the tight space between the man’s legs.
They slowly writhed like that for what felt like eternity, drinking in the sensual pleasure of it like wine, until Hunter turned around and looked Bronson in the eye.
“Please…” he whispered. “Don’t make me wait.”
A switch seemed to flip in Bronson’s body and he grinned as all of his self-control disappeared. They were just going to have to find out the hard way if Hunter could handle him or not.
Chapter 10
Hunter turned back around, his eyebrows drawn in confusion. When he’d asked Bronson not to make him wait any longer, he could have sworn that he’d seen the man’s eyes change somehow. Their color had grown lighter, almost golden, and goosebumps prickled all over Hunter’s body. This place sure was full of strange people.
He was quickly distracted from the thought when a hot pleasure suddenly erupted in his body. Bronson had pushed the head of his cock inside of him, and he uttered a guttural moan as sweet tendrils of bliss overpowered his body. He almost came right then. The only thing stopping him was the bizarre memory of Bronson’s eyes changing color.
But Hunter had had a long night. He was probably just seeing things because he was so stressed out. He closed his eyes and chose to focus on the feeling of Bronson’s firm, warm fingers as they slid up and down his cock, wave after wave of hot pleasure consuming him. Bronson’s other hand had moved from Hunter’s hip to his shoulder, and he cried out in shock and ecstasy as the huge man plunged completely inside him.
Most of the time, Tyler had been the submissive one in bed, so it was strange, yet oddly comforting, to be the one to submit. Bronson seemed to know exactly what he was doing, and Hunter’s entire body tingled as the man’s huge shaft plunged inside him again and again, dragging against the hot walls of Hunter’s body and pausing to stay buried. Every tiny movement of Bronson’s cock inside him sent a shocking pulse of ecstasy through him.
When he began rocking his hips against Hunter with increasing speed, Hunter was sure he was done for, but somehow he managed to hold out as Bronson began to unleash a furious torrent of thrusting inside of him. Nobody had ever fucked him so hard, but it was thrilling and left him on the brink of climax again and again.
It had been so long since he’d felt anybody else’s touch. He’d sworn off sex since Tyler had gone, and until now, he hadn’t regretted his decision. But now, with Bronson, it seemed his physical needs had finally won out, and every little touch sent a deep pleasure throughout his body.
Bronson grunted, pushing Hunter forward. Hunter gripped the bench, his cock swinging wildly without Bronson’s hand to grip it as he thrusted. But Bronson seemed to forget all about touching Hunter’s dick. He was squeezing Hunter’s waist and shoving his cock as deep inside of him as he could get. Tears of pleasure sprung to Hunter’s eyes as Bronson’s powerful body blasted into him again and again. He’d never experienced anything like this; he felt completely alive for the first time since Tyler had died.
He felt the familiar pressure of his climax building in his abdomen. He didn’t want to cum yet, not before Bronson had finished. He tried to hold himself back, but he couldn’t. Amazingly, as soon as Hunter’s cock shuddered and began to release, Bronson growled and gripped Hunter in his hand just in time to feel the first hot, milky strand ejected from him.
Hunter’s body was suddenly flooded with the hot explosion of Bronson’s climax, and they both groaned together as Bronson fucked Hunter all the way to the end of his orgasm, until both of them were completely spent.
Hunter’s body was buzzing so intensely that he barely noticed Bronson pulling out of him, and was surprised to look up and find the huge, powerful man was standing in front of him, a sexy smile on his face.
“Want me to walk you back?”
Hunter nodded absently, tucking himself back into his jeans, and they headed back to the bar together, neither speaking a single word.
Chapter 11
Bronson watched Hunter drive away, his mood going from elated to pensive. What in the hell had he been thinking, getting off so irresponsibly when he’d sent his pack off to look for the Omega hybrid he was meant to mate with. Sure, he’d started the night intending to find more out about the new stranger in town, intending to see if Hunter’s fear had anything to do with the mountain lion shifters. But his original intensions didn’t excuse his behavior. And besides, he wasn’t so sure he hadn’t just been telling himself that so he could follow his physical urges.
Time was running out. Bad blood had existed between wolf shifters and mountain lion shifters for millennia, not just because they both wanted to stake a claim on the town of Dire. If his pack was caught unawares, there was no telling what kind of danger they might be in. And yet, all he could think about was sex.
He was a terrible leader. Bronson groaned inwardly and shifted into his wolf form. There was no way he could forgive himself if anything happened to his men. Especially because he was being irresponsible and wasting time on frivolous things like fucking handsome human men. There were much more important things for him to be doing.
Without a second thought about Hunter, Bronson ran as quickly as he could to the encampment where the elders spent most of their time.
The elders refused to be a part of the “civilized” society, and had made their own settlement on the outskirts of town, just far enough away from the border that they were safe from the mountain lion shifter’s territory. They said it was better for a shaman if he lived the life of a wolf, and the eldest wolf shifter still living among them, simply referred to as Agun, was very powerful.
Still, because of his age, he was also very fragile. He used a lot of energy to simply stay alive and outsmart natural aging and mortality. And so other elders and a few highly trained wolf guardians were living at the encampment with him, as he didn’t have the strength and energy to fight should he be attacked.
“Agun,” Bronson called, “greetings and peace to you.”
It was the typical greeting for coming into the encampment. Bronson used to think the ceremonial aspect of it was silly as a child and rarely came by. At least, not until his mother had been killed by the mountain lion shifters and his father had been mortally injured when trying to avenge her. Then, the encampment became like a second home for him, and the greeting comforting in its own right.
“Welcome, my child,” Agun said, his gravelly voice reaching Bronson from inside his small cave. The bodyguards looked at Bronson curiously before going about their business. When the elder was okay with someone, they were okay too; they took their cues from him.
“Agun,” Bronson said, ducking into the cool, dark dwelling, “I’m afraid I’ve made a mistake.”
“What mistake are you speaking of? There are rarely mistakes made that cannot be remedied.”
“I sent the pack out. They are determined to look for the Omega hybrids and bring them here. To save the pack.”
“This alarms you,” Agun stated. It made Bronson uncomfortable when he said things like that, things that made it seem as if he could see inside Bronson’s mind. Of course the idea of mating with an Omega hybrid female, whatever that would look like, alarmed him. He would only do it to save the pack, but not because it made him personally happy. Agun seemed to sense it whenever anything was even slightly inharmonious.
“I don’t want them to get hurt because I’m not going with them,” Bronson said, choosing to focus on a half-truth.
“What keeps you here?”
“I heard the mountain lion shifters plotting. They want to pick us all off now, not just the women. And when they’ve made our population vulnerable, they’re going to take their anger out on the human population. The humans have done nothing wrong. I want to stay here to protect them. I couldn’t convince the men to stay, and without them the mountain lion shifters have free reign. I had to stay.”
“I don’t see the mistake in protecting your home so that the pack will have a safe place to return to,” Agun said. “Something else is on your mind.”
“Nothing else is on my mind,” Bronson said edgily. In fact, he was making quite an effort to make sure he didn’t think about anything but his duties. He had already acted irresponsibly that night, allowing himself such deep pleasure with Hunter when his duties were clearly more important. He had to put his personal feelings on the backburner. It wouldn’t help anybody to know that he only felt an emotional and sexual connection to men. In fact, they might blame him for his lack of a mate if they knew. His position as Alpha could be challenged.
“I see,” Agun said. The most frustrating thing about it was that Bronson was sure he did. Just how much he knew about what Bronson was thinking he couldn’t be sure, but it was bound to be enough.
“I just want to make sure I’m doing the right thing,” Bronson said, exasperation showing through his voice.
“Leading is hard. Indeed, we often question whether we are making mistakes simply because so many people can be adversely affected by our actions. But in reality, hard choices need to be made, and none of us live forever. There are times we don’t always know what the best course to take is. But when we follow our intuition, things tend to work out in favor of the greater good.”
“Thanks, Agun,” Bronson said. The interactions he had with Agun were always a little bit draining, mentally and emotionally. He was anxious to head home and get some rest. Daylight was coming soon. It was only when the sun set that he really had to worry.
“Come back tomorrow for a meal with me. I have a story I’d like to tell you.”
“Okay.”
Agun’s wrinkled old face smiled at Bronson, and he couldn’t help but smile back. The man was ancient, but he was wise as water and always knew what to say to put Bronson in a thoughtful and introspective mood. It was hard to be uncomfortable, but the discomfort was usually something that stemmed inside himself. And that was the kind of thing that he could solve.
“Good night,” Bronson said to the men posted outside of the elder’s cave. They nodded courteously to him. Although Bronson was the Alpha of the pack, these men seemed to fall outside of the pack hierarchy. They served an even higher purpose; in this place, Bronson wasn’t the leader, Agun was. And that was the way it would always be.
Chapter 11
“We don’t hire out-of-towners,” the man said again, more firmly this time.
Hunter sighed in exasperation. “I’m pretty sure you’re stomping on my rights,” he said. “I could talk to a lawyer and she’d tell me the same thing.”
“You ain’t got rights in my store, boy! Now git on out of here! Try someplace else.”
Hunter left, his heart pounding in fury. That was the third time somebody in the town had turned him away. He had enough savings to live comfortably for a while, but he didn’t feel good about just lounging around in the motel. He wanted to get out of the stuffy little room and live a little. Work on something to keep his mind occupied. He couldn’t get over the guilt he felt about having sex with Bronson. The last person he’d touched had been Tyler, and now all that was gone.
He’d nearly driven himself crazy the night after he’d been with Bronson. He’d woken up feeling like the scum of the earth, and before he knew it, he was staying up until daybreak drinking and, every once in a while, crying. It was clear that he wasn’t over Tyler yet. In fact, he was only in the area because of him. How could he have been weak enough to give in to the first guy who was interested in him like that? What kind of a weak-willed shit was he? He’d always prided himself on his loyalty. Now that didn’t mean anything. He’d spent the past three days drowning his sorrows and hating Bronson’s guts.
And so he’d commenced job hunting as a way to get his mind off of things and become a more productive member of society. He wasn’t going to lay around doing nothing and hating himself and the man who had stolen his body from Tyler. But everybody in Dire was very protective of their little businesses. Most of them claimed they only had friends and family members working for them and that was just going to have to be good enough. None of them wanted a guy who hadn’t lived there his whole life to be part of the local economy. It was maddening.
“Don’t pay him any attention,” a gentle woman’s voice said. Hunter was surprised and looked around for the woman it belonged to. When he spotted her, it was startling. He had to work hard not to look surprised. She looked like she had just walked off the set of an old western movie. She was about Hunter’s age, with almond, cat-shaped eyes and flaxen hair. “Folks around here don’t trust anybody. Lots of weird stuff happens in these parts. Can’t blame them much for just trying to protect their own.”
“I guess not,” Hunter said. “What kind of weird stuff?”
The woman pursed her lips in a patient smile.
“I’m not sure you’d be all that interested. Just sometimes folks have the inclination to hurt others or disappear. Things like that. It’s nothing to alarm yourself over.”
“Ah…” Hunter wasn’t quite sure what to do with that statement.
“I’m Bella. Bella Rose. What’s your name?”
Hunter almost laughed. He really had just walked into a western. Fortunately, he was able to keep a straight face.
“My name’s Hunter.”
“I’m going to do you a favor, Hunter, and tell you that nobody in their right mind would give work to a city boy like you. We’ve had city boys here before, you know. They think they know everything, and when something happens to one of them, Dire gets all kinds of bad media attention. We try to keep our name out of the headlines, you know?”
Hunter nodded, though everything this woman said sounded like fantasy to him.
“You seem like a nice guy. Not like most people who come through here. Hell, most guys who live here have an edge to them. Bet you’ve noticed that by now, though.”
Hunter looked down at the ground as invasive thoughts of Bronson pushed into his head. He couldn’t stop the images of the man’s perfect body and the forbidden thrills that made him shudder whenever his mind brushed upon the pleasures they’d experienced together. Still, Bella was right. Bronson looked like a major hard-ass, and if he hadn’t been looking to get laid, he probably would have beaten the shit out of Hunter. That, or he would have ignored him completely.
Hunter nodded stiffly. It was true. The men he’d dealt with so far had seemed less than pleasant. And for some reason this odd woman was taking pity on him and taking him under her wing. Hopefully she wasn’t attracted to him; it was always painful to let people down, especially women who weren’t sure if he was telling the truth about being gay or simply thought they were repulsive.
Bella smiled. “All the city folk here leave quick if they know what’s good for them. But you seem pretty harmless. I like you.”
“Thanks…”
The girl was bold, and in a way she made him feel uncomfortable. But it was nice to have someone who was trying to be nice to him after a long day of being scowled and growled at by men who wanted nothing to do with him. It was starting to feel very defeating to be stuck in this town. He had already made a choice he felt like running from, though running would never make him feel better about betraying Tyler. They’d had something very special, and Hunter had fucked it up by giving into a base instinct. What would Tyler think about it?
“You know, some people say it’s haunted around here,” Bella said, whispering conspiratorially.
“Haunted? Really?”
Hunter frowned as he considered the strange occurrence on his way into the town. Maybe a haunting would explain the eerie golden orbs that had been trailing him. But Bronson had said it was just some men trying to scare him. Maybe Bella was in on it. Did everybody try to drive outsiders away here? It was getting old. And for some reason, it was having the opposite effect on Hunter. The more people tried to intimidate him, the more adamant he felt about staying right there until he was good and ready to leave.
“Yeah. I don’t know if I believe in all that myself, but I’ve seen some things. Weird things.”
“Like what?”
“Well…I think I heard a wolf right outside my door one time. But when I went out to check, there was just this man standing there. Some naked guy just staring at me. They say there are wolf shifters around these parts. Men who turn into wolves. Wolves who turn into men.”
“Sounds like a pervert,” Hunter said, though for some reason he didn’t fully believe himself when he said it. There really was something strange about the town, and the story she was telling made him feel a little bit on edge. Like he knew something that he wasn’t quite able to remember. It was frustrating. But wolf shifters couldn’t be real. Even if the story was comforting and somehow familiar.
“A major pervert! I called the police but there wasn’t much they could do about it. The fuzz here are basically useless. They know the biker gang runs the town. They mostly just sit back and let things sort themselves out. It’s a nice way to make a salary, but the people like me basically get screwed over in the process.”
“The biker gang?”
“Yeah, they hang out in that bar out yonder… Fangz. I don’t know why they’d give it such a name, but that’s the way it is, I suppose. Nothing to be done about it.”
“I’ve been there,” Hunter said, eager to hear more about it. He had definitely gotten a strange feeling about the place, and maybe talking more about it would give him an excuse to think about Bronson in a context that didn’t make him feel like the scum of the earth, as if he had cheated on the only man he had ever truly loved.
“What?” Bella exclaimed. “And you lived to tell the tale, huh? They must really like you.”
“What do you mean? They hurt people?”
“Nah… Well, not really. Depends, I guess? They’re real protective of Dire these days. More now than ever before. I’m not sure what’s going on. There were a lot of murders that I think made things personal.”
“This bike gang…they’re murdering people?”
“No, not the gang here. Their rivals.
“Ah, so then they have rivals? Capable of murder?”
“Definitely. They didn’t get to the top of the food chain here selling girl scout cookies,” Bella said, laughing.
Hunter didn’t feel much like laughing. If the strange event he’d dealt with on the way into Dire had been the rival gang that Bella was talking about, that meant he could be in serious danger. But Bronson had said he was safe with him, and he had fully believed it. In fact, he had gone back to the motel and had the best night’s sleep he’d had since the night before Tyler had passed away. He woke up a mess, but the sleep had been restful. Rejuvenating.
“What kinds of things do the gangs do?” Hunter asked.
Bella shrugged. “Whatever they like. Which is mostly just fighting each other. They mostly leave the townies alone, but when new folks come poking around, one or the other of them get worried that they’re going to bring unwanted attention to these parts. Strange things can happen to them.”
Hunter’s blood turned to ice. “What kind of strange things?”
“Oh, you know. Accidents on the mountain trails…disappearances. Animal attacks…” Bella’s voice trailed off and Hunter’s heart began pounding wildly. Animal attacks? Like what had happened to Tyler? If Bronson and the gangs had anything to do with what happened to his partner, he was going to go ballistic. He had to find Bronson. Right away.
“Thanks for all the information, Bella,” he said. “But I have to get going.”
“All right. Well I’ll be right around here if you ever want to talk. Guy who owns the shop in there is my father.”
Hunter was too consumed by his thirst to avenge Tyler to stop and tell her how rude her father had been, or maybe ask her to put in a good word for him. He nodded distractedly at her and ran clumsily to his car. He had to figure out where Bronson was and talk to him. He deserved answers, and he wasn’t going to leave Dire until he had them.