Chapter Eight
Angus
Angus looked at the piece of paper in his palm where Ryder had written, in his chicken scratch handwriting, an address and a date. He slipped it in his pocket as the satellite phone at his ear rang.
"Hello?" Heath answered and just hearing his deep voice had Angus' cock twitching. After their date, Angus had spent every day that week with Heath, and while he'd kept his hands to himself, it was becoming harder and harder—literally.
"Hey there, pumpkin. How's your day?" Angus asked.
His bear wanted Heath and Angus knew exactly why. He'd never looked forward to meeting his mate because he thought that would mean the end of his fun, but the prospect of fucking Heath for the rest of their lives was extremely appealing.
"Good, just doing some repairs around the house," Heath replied.
Angus had taken the process of courting Heath slow for a number of reasons. The first being that Heath was still figuring out who he was in the grand scheme of things. Angus couldn't rush that. Then, there was the business of the money Heath owed. Angus wanted Heath to accept him as his mate with a clear, stress-free conscience.
He was making the necessary arrangements to get Heath out of trouble. Paying the man off was the first and easiest solution, but Angus knew some of these old men spoke a different language. Simply paying Marcos might not be enough so, in the meantime, he had made arrangements with Roscoe for a security detail to guard
Heath and Maggie. Angus wasn't so naive to think there wouldn't be repercussions when Heath didn't fight on Friday.
"What are you up to tonight?" Angus knew what Heath would be up to the next day, Friday night. At least, he hoped their plan involved something that would leave them both extraordinarily sweaty and naked.
"T-tonight?" Heath squeaked, and it was like an alarm had been tripped in Angus' mind. "Nothing tonight," Heath replied hurriedly.
He was lying.
Angus stilled, hardly breathing as he listened to Heath shuffle and pace on the other side. "No plans?" he asked.
"Nope, nothing, got to go," Heath said, but didn't hang up. "Angus, wait," he said quickly. "I want you to know I really appreciate everything you have done for me. Without you, I would have had no one to turn to, and I think that would have sucked so much worse. So, thank you."
Angus slipped on his shoes, planning the shortest route to Heath's room. He'd drive through the forest if he had to. There was no way he wasn't going to check on his mate after he just said something like that. "I'm coming over," he growled.
"No! I… damn, I shouldn't have said anything. Forget it. And don't come over because I won't be here!" That time, Heath did hang up, but Angus was already out the door. He brought the slip of paper with him because he did have plans that night, but they would have to wait until he was able to check on Heath.
***
"He ran out of here around twenty minutes ago," Maggie told him when he knocked and asked where
Heath was. "I thought he'd gone to see you."
If only. The whole way over, Angus grew surer that there was something up with Heath. His thanks had sounded too much like a goodbye. Now he was missing, but Angus couldn't go searching for him.
Time was not on his side. His plans tonight were on a schedule that he didn't control. "When he comes back, tell him to stay put," Angus said. "I'll be back for him."
"Does any of this have something to do with the money he owes?" Maggie asked, worrying the kitchen towel in her hands.
"It better not. I told him not to do anything."
Maggie smiled softly, not the response Angus had expected. "Heath has always carried the world on his shoulders. He looks like this guy without a care or concern, but it is a front. I don't think I have to tell you that though."
She didn't. He'd known about Heath's fronting from their first meeting.
"If he has lied to you, it's because he is trying to keep you or me, or someone else he loves safe."
Angus couldn't obsess over the mention of Heath loving him, he didn't have the time. "That's great. While Heath is off keeping everyone else safe, who is protecting him?" Angus muttered. He didn't mean to hurt Maggie's feelings, she protected her brother as well as she could. But Angus felt trapped. He needed to go.
He left Maggie with another message for Heath before hopping back in the pack's jeep and inputting the address he got from Ryder into his GPS. Going to the bar that night had served many purposes. First and foremost, he'd enjoyed taking Heath out on a date, but secondly,
he had tasked Ryder with getting more information about the unlicensed fights in the area and the group who ran them. He'd given Angus the date and place of the next fight, and Angus needed to make it there in time to catch Marcos and convince him to forgive everything Heath owed.
He pressed his foot down on the gas pedal, anxious to get where he was going. Heath had better be at the inn when Angus got back, or he was going to revisit the whole spanking thing.
***
Angus parked on the side of the road about a mile before his location. Without knowing anything about the event, counting whether an outsider would even be welcomed, he wanted to keep his paths for escape clear.
He hoofed it the rest of the way in, turning down an overgrown driveway with a mailbox that was covered in moss and slime. The peeling letters said Sutter Farm.
He heard whooping and cheering at that point and walked more carefully forward until the driveway opened up to a lot of land that looked like it had seen better days. There was a crumbling house straight ahead. All around, broken, rusted cars and trucks littered the lawn. A handful of chickens pecked the ground, ignoring Angus entirely. As he walked through the vehicle graveyard toward the barn in the back of the house, a tall, bald man stepped out of a van, eying Angus warily.
"This is a private event," the man said, crossing his arms and looking down on Angus.
It wasn't often that Angus met someone who was tall enough to look down at him and he smirked as he peered up at the giant. "I'm here on behalf of Ryder, he's thinking about getting in on the action."
"I don't give a fuck who you're here for. This event is invitation only," the man said.
Behind him, in the barn, men roared, cheering someone on.
"Fuck it," Angus muttered before striking the man in the face. He caught him before he could fall and set him on the ground. He'd wake up with a sour mood and a headache but would be okay otherwise. Angus thought it would be a good idea for him to be elsewhere when that happened, so he trudged on. The ground was muddier to the barn, indicative of many people taking the same path.
From what Ryder had said, he'd heard about the fights going on for years. They were so well established,
it was like its own little crime ring where people bet on the winners, and sometimes the losers. In the beginning, it was all small time but as the organization grew, so did the amount of money that was passed between palms.
Forcing Heath to fight would serve Marcos and his group two-fold. One, they would get new meat for people to bet against and, two, if Heath were harmed or killed, Marcos was out nothing but the money he likely had given up on getting back in the first place.
"This underdog has some spunk!" a man said, louder than the rest. Angus assumed there was some sort of sound system as he also heard the crack of a speaker turned up past its capacity. "Don't judge this pretty boy by his cover," the announcer said, and something about his words had Angus hurrying into the barn. There was no security at the barn door, as they likely relied on the man out front to turn away the riffraff.
"Betting's closed," an old man croaked at him as he stepped into the dim space. There was a crowd of men in front of him, separating Angus from the fighting arena.
He heard the sounds of a scuffle. Whoever was in the arena was fighting with everything they had. It sounded as though there was a size difference between the fighters.
"Oh, not sure how our frat boy will make it out of this one," the announcer said.
Angus froze. That was a weird thing to call a guy out here. The only frat boy Angus knew had promised him he wouldn't fight. He said those exact words in a promise to Angus just days before. There was no way Heath would…
I promise not to fight on Friday.
Angus pushed through the men in front of him, knocking some over onto the ground in his frenzy to get to the front and make sure that his mate wouldn't do something so bullheaded as—
The last line of men cleared, giving Angus a perfect view of the roped off, dirt arena at the exact moment a man with huge biceps swung his fist at Heath's midsection, catching him with so much force, Heath expelled all the air in his body and doubled over.
Angus roared and leaped into the arena. He didn't know when he'd shifted into his bear form. He only knew that when he landed on the other side of the ropes, he did so on four paws, crouched over the fallen form of his mate who was still gasping for air and had not yet realized a great beast stood over him, protecting him.
Other people had noticed though. And none of them looked happy. Angus swiped at the nearest threat, the man who had hurt his mate. His massive paw collided with the man's shoulder with a satisfying crunch. The man dropped, but the bear inside Angus demanded he finish the job. He stepped forward to obey when he heard a soft, wheezing voice below him.
"Don't, he's like me," Heath managed to say.
Angus took that to mean that like Heath, this man had been coerced into fighting. He wouldn't fight anyone for a while.
Just then, a group of men charged the arena with weapons raised. Angus lunged, never going more than a foot away from Heath, who still tried to get to his feet.
Angus stood on his hind legs, towering above every person in there as he roared.
Most of the gunmen ran away at that. The few that continued forward didn't stay for long, as Angus made short work of them. A human against a normal bear was an unfair fight. A human versus a shifter bear was asinine. The hardest part for Angus was making sure he didn't accidentally kill anyone. There would be plenty of broken bones.
Especially when a man pulled out a gun, shooting at Angus and barely missing his leg before Angus could bat the gun out of his hand, tossing the man across the room in the process.
Smoke thickened in the arena, and Angus realized that in the frenzy, the barn had caught on fire. He shifted back into his human form, lifting Heath and holding him to his chest as he carried him to the door. Everyone else had made it out, some of them relying on others to help carry them out. He stopped at the door and turned toward the burning barn, checking to make sure no one would be left inside. He felt someone's stare drilling a hole into him and peered through the smoke to the far wall. An old man stood on the other side next to a door.
Angus could just make him out through the smoke.
Though he had no way of knowing, Angus was certain that the man was Marcos. Maybe it was the way the old biker stared at him like he was a problem to be solved and not a monster that could turn into a bear.
Angus kept the man's gaze for as long as he dared before ducking out of the barn. He carried Heath into the forest as the barn, engulfed in flame, collapsed to the ground.
He couldn't risk going back to the jeep just yet. It wouldn't take a huge leap in logic for someone to discover the vehicle parked down the road was his, and while he didn't fear facing a crowd, he needed to make sure his mate was safe first. Angus didn't worry about a crowd of people returning to Noel calling news channels about a great big man-bear. Most of them had been intoxicated and the ones that weren't, likely avoided publicity as much as Angus.
He ran with Heath tucked to his chest. Heath's body was warm and sweaty. Angus recalled the cheering and the announcer, trying to add up how much time Heath might have spent in the arena, fighting for his life.
As the barn grew farther and farther behind them, Angus' concern for Heath morphed into anger. His mate had lied to him and, even worse than that, had told a lie that had put himself in harm's way.
"I'm sorry," Heath muttered, as if he was able to hear Angus' thoughts.
"You promised me you wouldn't fight," Angus growled.
"I said I wouldn't fight on Friday."
Angus stopped and set Heath down. They were closer to the campsite by that point than they were the barn. "That's bullshit. I told you I had this handled, and I asked you not to fight. You promised. And now you think you aren't in trouble because of a technicality?"
"In trouble?" Heath scowled. "You've helped me figure some things about myself, but you aren't my father. I've known you for like a month and—"
"You are mine," Angus roared back, letting his anger get the best of him. He paused and took a deep breath.
This wasn't how this moment was supposed to go. He had planned on telling Heath with the help of a perfectly planned meal, maybe a few beers. He hadn't wanted to scream to Heath that he was his mate but the image of Heath, doubled over in pain, played in a loop in his mind. What if Angus had waited at the inn for Heath to return?
What if he had decided not to check out the fight after all?
"I'm out of here," Heath snapped, stomping in a direction that wouldn't take him back to Noel.
Angus quickly got in front of him, paying no attention to his own nudity. He hadn't had time to undress before he had shifted and now those clothes were ruined. But his clothes were the last thing on his mind. "That's hilarious. Like I am going to let you—"
"There you go again!" Heath exclaimed, jabbing his finger into Angus' chest. "Let me? You don't have a say!"
"I have every say! You are my mate!"
His words had a physical effect on Heath, who swayed back as if pushed. "Your mate? Like what Sawyer and Roscoe have? Forgive me if I don't believe you. This is nothing like their—"
"I don't give a fuck about my brother or what he does with his mate. You are my mate and are my only concern. I've held back because you were figuring things out, but look where that has gotten us," Angus said, stalking forward.
Heath's eyes opened wide, something in Angus' face had him backing up with his palms in front of his body. "Stay back," he said weakly.
"No, mate. I've been patient. I've stayed back. No more." Angus erased the space between them, slipping one hand behind Heath's back and one hand at the back of his head, holding him in place. Heath didn't struggle. His lips parted as he took in a breath, looking as if he was tasting the air between them as he did.
"You have to know how special you are to me," Angus whispered before claiming Heath's mouth. He didn't give the man time to adjust before slipping his tongue inside, swiping at his mouth and asserting his dominion over that space. He caught Heath's face, pushing the man back against the tree as he kissed him, letting all his worry and anxiety flow out of him as he did.
Heath bowed under his touch and moaned. And then, it was like he caught himself and stiffened, nipping at Angus' tongue. "I'm not your property," Heath snapped.
No, he wasn't. Heath wasn't an item or a piece of land. He was Angus' mate, which meant he was Angus' to take care of, to nurture and to keep safe. "You are mine," he said softly, pressing his lower half against Heath.
He gasped softly, catching his bottom lip between his teeth. "No," he said weakly, but Angus saw the signs. Dilated pupils, heavy breaths and the rock-hard erection sticking out from between Heath's legs all told a different story.
"You want me to stop?" Angus asked as he rolled his hips forward and kissed Heath's neck. "You're telling me no?"
If it were true, Angus would stop immediately. But, if Heath was just saying what he was saying because he thought he was supposed to or was confused about what he meant to Angus, then that was a different story. Angus bit Heath's neck, sucking the flesh into his mouth. "What do you want, Heath?" he asked in a breath.
His mate looked up at him with the most awe- inspiring expression, sparkling blue eyes, pink cheeks and a full mouth. "I want you to fuck me."
Angus growled and pulled Heath into a kiss that bordered on brutal. He broke away and spun Heath around, shredding his pants in the process. The shirt fell off Heath's body next, falling to the forest floor in tatters. There would be time for slow later. There would even be time for sweet. For now, there was only a frenzied need to claim.
He pushed Heath against the tree, his body bending slightly to give Angus complete access to his sweet hole. Angus set the head of his dick against Heath's backside. His mate froze, clenching his muscles tight.
"Is it going to hurt?" he asked softly.
"No," Angus replied, caressing his spine and ass. "You were made for me, and I was made for you. My body will help you accept me," he explained as he massaged his pre-come on Heath's entrance. The liquid not only had the power to help create life, but it worked as a lubricant as well, relaxing Heath's tight ring of muscles so that he could accept Angus' huge dick without pain.
Angus knew when it began to work because Heath hissed and bowed his back as he stuck his ass into the air. "That feels…oh my god…amazing," he said between his teeth. His fingernails scratched into the bark of the tree he was braced against.
"It's going to feel better," Angus cooed, lining their bodies up. He pushed forward, going as slow as his bear would allow.
Heath began to moan from the first push and did not stop, not when Angus had worked his head all the way in, or when he'd buried half his length. Heath's wails were constant and drove Angus forward.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Heath chanted as Angus bottomed out.
"You're doing so well," Angus whispered. "You've taken all of me on your first try," he said with adoration. Of course, his mate could accept his entire length, he was made for him after all. "Don't you see, Heath? What we have is precious. You are my one person. Do you understand?"
Heath muttered something into the bark of the tree.
"What?"
"Yes! I said, now will you please fuck me?" Heath nearly screamed as he lifted his head and turned his face back toward Angus.
Angus bent forward and caught Heath's lips as he withdrew, only to slam forward. He swallowed Heath's scream of pleasure as he repeated the motion, losing the fight with his bear to be gentle for his mate's first time.
Angus reached around Heath and stroked his cock.
He'd managed to stroke once before Heath's muscles seized and climaxed, spilling his seed over Angus' hand.
Angus brought his fingers to his mouth and sucked, growling as Heath's flavor exploded on his tongue.
Heath's essence was like a catalyst, pushing Angus over the edge of rational thought as he thrust repeatedly and quickly, burying his thick dick over and over until he felt his knot swell.
Acting on instinct, Angus bent over his mate's back and sunk his teeth into the soft flesh at the base of Heath's neck.
Locked inside, Angus could do nothing but feel sensation after sensation. His dick was like a hose, pumping Heath full of his seed. His own chemicals were mixing with Heath's, and beginning the process in his body that would make him able to carry Angus' child, their child.
Heath moaned and cried as he came again and again. With Angus' knot pressed against the bundle of nerves inside of Heath's tight channel, his poor mate was stuck in a seemingly unending loop of orgasms.
As his knot went down, Angus discovered he was able to pull out, even if he didn't want to. Despite the prolonged orgasm, Angus wanted to remain where he was, for the rest of time, if possible.
But, it was cold, and while that cold wouldn't affect him, it could affect his mate who was naked, thanks to Angus. He pulled away, turning Heath around so that he could look into his bright blue eyes. There were tears on Heath's cheeks, but his eyes were clear.
"Why isn't everyone gay?" he asked with wonder. "I mean, if that is what it is like…"
Angus chuckled, wiping Heath's face dry and depositing tiny kisses on his skin. "It isn't like that for everyone. I knotted inside of you because you are my mate."
"Sawyer really wasn't lying about that whole knot thing."
"He told you?"
"Tried to, but I didn't believe him." Heath stopped speaking, his mouth gaped open like a fish out of water. "Does that mean…will I be…am I…?"
Angus thought he understood. "Pregnant?" he suggested.
Heath could only nod.
"No, you aren't right now. But your body is changing, of that I am sure. Do you have concerns?" Angus asked. When he thought of Heath pregnant with their children, his body swelled with pride. But, what if the same thought filled Heath with something else?
"I've been curious about it."
Angus remembered the day he found Heath with two pillows shoved under his shirt. "I know."
"Won't people look at me funny?"
Angus breathed a sigh of relief. If that was all Heath was worried about, then everything was going to be fine. "Not if they want to keep their eyes." He scooped Heath up and began the hike back to the campsite using the moon and stars as his compass.
"You use violence to solve a lot of your problems," Heath joked.
Angus tightened his hold. "You do too," he reminded Heath. During sex, he'd been able to forget the sight of Heath being beaten. The image was back now. "Do I have to tell you what will happen if you knowingly put yourself in danger again?"
Heath squirmed so that he was more fully pressed against Angus' chest. "No," he said, and Angus felt Heath's lips rub over his chest as he spoke. "But I don't regret it. I almost won!"
"You succeeded in not getting knocked out immediately," Angus conceded. "But from where I was, it looked like that was about to happen."
Heath popped his head up. "No way, that guy was the second one I'd fought! The first guy was bigger."
Angus tensed. He'd assumed he'd gotten there just in time.
"That first guy didn't even land a punch on me. You should have seen it—" Heath began but then stopped, realizing that there was no scenario where Angus would have simply stood and watched. "You should have more faith in me. We may be mates—"
Angus growled.
"Are. We are mates, but that doesn't mean you have to treat me like I am breakable. I like doing stuff like that, and who knows, maybe I would even like boxing in a situation where there are rules to help keep me from dying."
Angus couldn't reply. There was nothing he could honestly say that wouldn't just start another argument between them. While the last argument ended with Angus buried deep inside Heath's sweet ass, he didn't know if he would be as lucky a second time around.
Heath was simply too important to Angus to allow him to put himself into a situation where he was actively trying to be harmed. The idea was asinine.
"You should know that in my world, no reply means you agree with me," Heath said and then shivered. He pressed his face into Angus' chest, and his nose was like an ice block. Angus began to run. They weren't far out, but his mate needed heat.
"You are my mate now, Heath," Angus said as he ran. "When your body accepted my knot, it became more than something I just suspected. My scent will mix with yours, an ever-present warning to other shifters that you are a taken man. As my mate, I will do whatever it takes to keep you happy and safe."