“Don’t freak out man. I figured Colton was hiding his gift after he laid into me at the door where I was guarding Ian after he came back from seeing Jackson.”
Steel stared at Cody, not sure if he believed him, but decided to let it go—for now. “Yeah, okay. I’m heading in to see Dakota and Logan is talking to Zane, so if you can get to Carson before dinner, I’d really appreciate it.”
“Sure, no problem. I’ll go now.”
Steel’s eyes narrowed as he watched Cody saunter to the house.That was one freaking weird experience I just had. Just too many things to be coincidences.
Pushing it to the back of his mind, he set out for the kitchen and Dakota.
Chapter 26
The late afternoon sunlight bathed Colton and Ian’s sitting room in a deep golden glow. They were talking about their love of medicine and sharing funny and sometimes sad anecdotes about patients. Ian loved Colton’s stories about growing up with his brothers. It was fascinating, especially the ones about Cody and Carson.
Ian was a lonely child and would have loved a sibling. The closeness and bond his mate shared with his brothers awakened a deep yearning in his soul—the need to belong. So far, all the pack had welcomed him and treated him as one of them. When Colton was in Mexico, Cody and Carson made him feel like he was their brother, always teasing and joking with him. And for the first time he could remember, he wasn’t eager to leave this assignment for the next one.
This pack was home. He could feel it and his wolf agreed. And that was a shock to him. Not growing up in a pack, he never thought he’d want to be part of one. But this pack…this place…this was his home and no matter where he went, he’d always head back here. A place where he finally belonged, with a family he wanted to be with so badly it could bring him to tears at the intensity of that need. And then there was his mate.
Ian was astounded at how alike their thoughts were. So many times during the afternoon, each of them would finish the other’s sentences. Ian discovered so much about his mate that he fell deeper—if that was even possible—in love. Ian felt Colton’s deep grief at the loss of his family, evident by the tears in his mate’s eyes when he choked out the words of what happened that night. And Ian’s heart broke at the pain his mate was feeling—a pain he could do nothing to assuage except to hug him and whisper words of comfort.
He understood when Colton blamed himself for not being there that night. He experienced the tenderness his mate felt for his most helpless patients regardless of who or what they were. Ian saw the love and the selflessness that was the essence of his mate and finally realized the Fates had given him something unique and special.
It was near dinnertime when Colton said, “I don’t want my kidnapper harmed.”
Ian’s eyes popped wide open.What? Why? That asshole…the one selling my mate and who nearly caused the death of my lover!As these thoughts filtered through to his wolf, it happened: Ian lost control.
His wolf surged forth, claws grew, teeth dropped, fur sprouted and he vibrated in Colton’s arms trying to fight the shift. But did he want to? Ian wasn’t sure. He and his wolf needed to avenge the wrong done to their mate. If Colton wasn’t going to kill Pablo, Ian’s wolf would. Then, mind made up, he pushed out of the arms holding him and landed with all fours on the floor. Snarling and growling, Ian’s wolf wanted his prey—to kill him and remove any threat to his mate. He lifted his head, opened his mouth and issued his challenge. Howling loud and long his wolf wasn’t going to quit until his mate was safe.
Stunned, Colton looked at the small yet fierce wolf in front of him—a rare golden-tipped, white wolf with deep golden eyes—the stuff of legends.Holy Shit! His mate was royalty!Before he could do anything, the room was filled with six, very large bodies, ready to handle the threat of Ian’s howls. In a blink of an eye, Ian’s wolf turned, facing the perceived threat against Colton. Hackles raised, saliva dripping, he looked as if he’d take on everyone now crowding the space.
Colton knew this had the makings of a disaster; he needed to calm his mate so he could shift back. Slowly he slid off the loveseat and knelt next to his mate. “Ian, please babe, stop. I’m safe. These are my brothers and Steel. You know them, please babe.” Colton put his arms around the neck and buried his hands in the soft fur. Rubbing his face against his mate, Colton inhaled deeply, marveling again at the scent. He felt Ian’s wolf slowly relax as he reassessed the situation. That was, until Colton heard Jackson.
Jackson waddled into the room, bellowing, “What the fuck is going on?”
And just like that, Ian’s wolf turned to face the new threat, growling, tensing, ready to spring. Colton saw Steel move in front of Jackson, the rest of his brothers moved and stood in front of Steel, forming a wall of muscled bodies, intent on protecting Jackson and his unborn pup.
Colton panicked. He jumped up and moved in front of Ian’s wolf. Nobody was going to touch his mate. Now Colton was the one fighting a shift as he listened to his mate issue howls and growls, warning everyone he was ready to fight. Colton knew everything was going to hell in a handbasket but he didn’t know what to do. He needed help to defuse this right now—but who?
Suddenly, he heard an Alpha voice so powerful and overwhelming that Colton immediately tilted his neck in submission as did all in the room. Maximus, in Dire Wolf Alpha mode, strode into the room, immediately sussed out the situation, and commanded, “Stand Down! Now!!” he roared those words, enveloping the room in his Alpha power.
It had the desired effect. Once Maximus saw everyone begin to calm, he looked at Colton and asked, “Whathappened? Why has Ian shifted? And why did he issue a challenge?”
“I’m not sure. I think he feels I’m still being threatened by Pablo and wants to kill him.”
“That makes no sense. Ian knows Pablo is in Mexican jail so what triggered his reaction? What were you doing before he shifted?”
“We were sitting and talking. I told him I didn’t want Pablo dead. That’s when he started to freak out.” Then he asked Maximus, “Can Jackson leave until this is sorted out? If something bad happened, my mate would never forgive himself.”
“Steel, take Jackson out of here and that goes for the rest of you too,” Maximus ordered.
Colton heard Steel urging Jackson to leave and then watched as one by one each brother left until only Cody remained.
“Are you okay, Colton?” Cody asked.
“Yes, please just leave. My mate needs to see there’s no threat to me before he’ll be able to shift back.” As Cody left, Colton turned and faced his mate. Kneeling, he leaned forward until his forehead was touching his mate’s fur. He started to pet the gorgeous wolf and said in a low voice, “Okay, darling, everyone is gone. I’m safe. Please shift so we can talk. Everything is all right. Please sweetheart, do it for me.”
Ian’s wolf was calm now that the room was empty except for Maximus. Knowing the Alpha wasn’t a threat to his mate, he finally relinquished control back to Ian who shifted quickly and found himself once again in Colton’s arms as he was lifted and placed on the loveseat by his mate. He grabbed the sheet he’d discarded when he shifted and wrapped it around him, covering hisnakedness. Looking up at Maximus, Ian muttered his apologies for causing all the trouble.Fuck! My wolf wanted to kill! I’m a doctor…I save shifters not kill them. Shit, this is all new to me! What the hell am I going to do?
Colton could hear Ian’s thoughts through their mind link. But he couldn’t let his mate know they had one because it might raise questions he didn’t want to answer. He sat next to him, grabbing one hand and, squeezing it, said, “Listen to me darling. Everything is all right. No one blames you for protecting me. Really, Ian, it’s okay.”
