“I’m going to grovel. I was wrong and even though I told myself I was doing it for his good, it was really for me. I didn’t want to have the power of life and death so Ifigured if I ignored it, it would stay my secret and no one would ever know.”
“Colton, you are still you and always will be. Do you remember when I told you and your brothers that I could have pups?”
“Yeah, I remember and I also remember Zane calling you an abomination. I just don’t want my brothers to feel like I’m a freak.”
“I understand that. Ask Steel sometime about how nervous I was when we drove back to our house because I dreaded having to tell my brothers who I was.”
“Really? You seemed so calm.”
“That’s a story for another day. But during the meeting do you remember Cody asking Logan what he thought of my gift?”
“Vaguely.”
“Logan said, ‘Jackson’s still what he’s always been to me but now he is just a little bit more.’ And that’s you too. You’re Colton but now just a little bit more.”
“I never looked at it that way. I guess I was so freaked out, I lost my perspective. When Oracle spoke with me, I told her it was a burden and not a blessing. She told me one day I’d be grateful I had the power. And she was right. I knew the moment I used it to save you I was meant to have it. And from then on, I never regretted it. The only problem is I never told Ian and I’m not sure he’ll forgive me.”
“My advice? Give him some time to think it over. It’s very hard to reject a fated mate. I know, I tried. When he comes back, talk with him. Ian also has a number of big shocks to deal with so he’ll need your love and support.”
“How do you know I love him?”
“Bro, it’s written on your face clear as day. Now, I’ve got to get back to Daniel. I’m sure it’s time for Steel to handle his poop patrol duties.”
“Poop patrol? Great name. I think I’ll get Steel a t-shirt with it on it.”
“Just don’t make it brown.”
Laughing, Colton gave Jackson a hug and whispered words of thanks into his ear. After his brother left, he flopped on the love seat in the sitting room, planning how he’d convince his mate to forgive him.
~/~/~/~/~
Ian had been running for hours. Initially, his anger propelled him but now it was sadness.What the hell am I going to do?He knew rejecting his mate wasn’t a possibility. The Fates made sure of that.So now what? More lies in my life? Is that my future?Finally, his wolf gave up and collapsed in a bed of leaves. Half buried, Ian shifted back. His body demanded sleep and he gave in.
~/~/~/~/~
Pacing in their room, and not knowing what else to do, Colton was frantic with worry. Ian hadn’t come home yet and Colton refused to consider the possibility his mate had left him. Finally, he decided to search for him. He tried reaching Ian through their mind link, but there was no response to indicate Ian was alive.No, I have to be positive! Nothing happened to my mate.He opened the door, now eager to find his mate and bumped into Cody standing with a hand raised, about to knock.
“Err, Cody, did you want something? I’m in a bit of a hurry.”
“I know. I’m going with you. Two pairs of eyes are better than one. Come on, I have the supplies we need alreadypacked,” Cody said, as he turned and walked down the hall.
“What do you mean…supplies? And how did you know I was going after Ian?”
“We can talk about that later. Ian’s in trouble and we need to get to him soon. So move it.”
Colton shook his head and ran after Cody; he could sort out his brother’s behavior another time. His wolf had been warning him their mate was in trouble and hearing his brother warn about the very thing he’d feared for the last two hours had his wolf standing, hackles raised, growling and snarling at the threat.
Once outside, Colton saw Cody had rigged a backpack with camping gear and asked, “How are we going to take that with us?”
Cody was stripping, “I’m shifting first and you’ll put them on my back. You can use the straps to buckle them around my forelegs and under my belly,” he said, as he threw himself into his shift with sounds of bones cracking and stretching filling the air.
Colton picked up the backpack, placed it on Cody’s back and strapped it in place. Then he shifted. In his mind he heard Cody tell him to keep his mating link open in case Ian reached out for him. And then they were off. Colton followed closely behind his brother. After hours of running, Colton grew more fearful. He felt nothing from Ian through their mind link and it was getting cold, very cold as Cody led him up a mountain. Unless Ian hunted in his wolf form, he hadn’t eaten since breakfast.
After several hours of running, Cody suddenly stopped and pointed with his snout. Colton heard Cody tell him Ian was in front of them but he saw nothing until the clouds parted and moonlight flooded the clearing. Hiswolf found Ian, shifted and naked, partially covered by leaves. Shifting quickly, he removed the backpack from his brother’s wolf and then ran to his mate. Scooping him up in his arms, he carried him over to a fire Cody had started. Catching a blanket Cody tossed at him, he wrapped his mate’s frigid body tightly in it and, sitting close to the fire, he crooned an endless stream of love declarations to him.
Rocking Ian in front of the roaring fire, he prayed to the gods and the Fates to keep his mate safe. He vowed never to lie to Ian again and to cherish the mate he was given. For a long time, Colton held Ian while Cody set up a tent for them. Then he joined Colton at the fire and kept it fed as they waited for Ian to wake up.
After an hour, Cody asked Colton, “Why did Ian run away?”
