Chapter 15
“Where’s Norman?” the man asked.
“Who are you?” asked Ollie, springing up and moving in front of Theo.
He hadn’t been at the Blackwood Pack long enough to know all its members, but from his cousin’s reaction, the man was a stranger.
“You need to leave—you’re trespassing on private land!
” he ordered loudly before lowering his voice so only Theo would hear it. “Go get the Alpha.”
Leaning to the right so he could see around Ollie, Theo eyed the man who had taken several steps closer. Alarmed, he rose and whispered frantically, “I can’t leave you here alone.”
“He’s not after me,” Ollie muttered.
“But he’s bigger than you,” Theo whispered fearfully.
“I’ll be fine…go get my mate,” Ollie replied, keeping his voice low, making it impossible for the man to hear him.
Theo hesitated for a moment, then, hearing his cousin’s low growl, he turned to leave, but before he took a step, the man spoke again.
“Theodore, your parents sent me. They want you to come home.”
Swiveling around, Theo looked at the man in disbelief and with a bit of hope. “They do?” he asked.
Nodding slowly, the man took another step closer. “Yes, they do…they’re waiting at home for you and Norman.”
“Why Norman?” Ollie asked suspiciously.
“They know he’s my Fated Mate,” Theo whispered to his cousin.
“I don’t know,” the man replied. “They hired me to bring you and Norman to them.”
“Who hired you?” Ollie asked.
“Theodore’s parents, of course,” the man said. “They’re waiting at their house.”
Ollie’s bear growled a warning, and he agreed with him that something didn’t ring true with the man’s words, but he was at a loss to figure out what it was.
Glancing sideways at Theo, he saw his cousin had already decided to go with the man; the only thing keeping it from happening was the tight hold he had on his cousin’s arm.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the man’s smirk, and that’s when it hit him.
“When was the last time you saw Theo’s parents? ”
“A week ago,” the man answered smugly.
“At their home, right?” asked Ollie.
After nodding, the man shifted his gaze to Theo, his eyes focusing on Ollie’s hand restraining him, and anger began to distort his features. Quickly regaining his self-control, he snapped, “Theodore! We need to go now! Your parents are very anxious to see you.”
Ollie felt his cousin try to tug his arm free of his grasp and knew he only had a moment to prevent Theo from leaving with the man.
The lure of his parents wanting him was too much for his cousin to resist. “You’re lying!
” Ollie shouted. “Theo’s parents are locked up in the basement of the Alpha’s house…
and the condition they’re in proves they’ve been there for years.
” He heard Theo’s gasp at the news, but Ollie didn’t have time to say more because the man suddenly let out a roar and shifted into a wolf.
Pushing Theo away, Ollie rushed the wolf, shifting in mid-stride.
He didn’t know who sent the man, but it was obvious Theo was the target of a kidnapping.
And that would not happen if he could help it.
Opening his mouth, his bear let out a loud roar, answering the wolf’s call of battle.
The wolf would have to kill him to get to Theo.
Extending his four-inch sharp claws, Ollie dug them into the ground for traction and used them to launch himself at the wolf.
The force of the impact had the bear and wolf tumbling over several times until Ollie finally retracted his grip.
Rising on his hind legs, Ollie’s bear roared again as he engaged the wolf.
Raking his claws along the wolf’s side, he heard its whimper of pain as it twisted its body in an attempt to escape.
But before Ollie could go in for the kill, fifty wolves, all snarling and growling, advanced toward him.
Realizing he was out-numbered, he slowly backed up until his bear was standing over Theo, who had curled up in a ball with his hands covering his ears.
Breathing heavily, he watched the wolves, readying himself for another battle.
But Ollie knew he would lose—there were just too many for him to fight; all he could do was hope help would arrive soon. But how? And from where?
It had been mere luck that one of the Blackwood Pack’s wolf patrols had heard the cries of battle and notified Groose of it.
Within seconds, the Head Enforcer had sent out the orders for his men to converge on the combatants and put a stop to whatever was happening.
Now, emerging from the path that led from the pack house to the meadow, Groose paused to survey the scene, first noting the Ghost Bear protecting Theodore.
A quick sniff told him it wasn’t Norman but Oliver.
After confirming that both were safe, he shifted his gaze to where a strong scent of blood was coming from.
There he found a wounded, strange wolf who was trying to crawl away on its belly.
Groose walked through the meadow, stopping when he reached the Ghost Bear and said, “I’m Groose, the Blackwood Pack’s head enforcer. Are you hurt, Oliver? Do you want me to get your mate?”
Clearly puzzled, Ollie’s bear tilted its head as it looked at Groose before jerking its head towards the newly arrived wolves.
Letting out a low chuckle, Groose said, “Those are my men…they won’t hurt you or Theodore.”
Nodding, Ollie’s bear stepped away from his cousin before shifting.
Then, looking at Groose, he said, “That bastard tried to kidnap Theo…I was just trying to stop him.” After receiving Groose’s nod, Ollie bent down and gathered his cousin into his arms, murmuring, “It’s all right, Theo…
you’re safe now…do you want Groose to get Norm and Smokey? ”
Nodding briefly, Theo clung to his cousin, still shaking from fear.
When the man shifted and ran toward him, he’d frozen.
He watched as his cousin fought. The sounds of the fight were so loud they made his ears hurt, but it was the roar he heard from his cousin’s voice that had dropped him to the ground.
Now it was over, and Ollie was safe, but Theo couldn’t stop seeing blood spray into the air as his cousin’s claws ripped the wolf’s flesh open.
Glancing up at Groose, Ollie asked, “Can you please get Theo’s mates…and also ask Mac to come? Theo needs to be checked over to make sure his cub is okay.” Then he turned his attention back to his cousin, slowly rubbing his back to soothe him.
After ordering two of his men to get Smokey, Norm, and Mac, Groose turned his attention to the injured man, who had finally given up his attempt to escape and had shifted back.
“You’ll live,” he said gruffly, “but you’re gonna wish the bear had killed you when Smokey gets done with you.
” Snapping a pair of anti-shift cuffs on him, Groose pulled him up until he was sitting on the grass.
Then he asked, “What were you doing in the Blackwood Pack territory?”
The man glared at Groose for a moment before looking at Ollie and Theo. “I was hired to take that bear back to his parents.”
“Hired by whom?” demanded Groose.
“His parents.”
“You have proof of this?” asked Groose.
Jerking his head toward the far side of the meadow, he said, “It’s in my backpack.”
Gesturing at one of his men to retrieve it, Groose looked back at the cuffed man and said, “He’s eighteen, which makes him an adult. If he didn’t want to go, there isn’t a law that gives you to right to force him.”
“I didn’t force him…he wanted to come until that other asshole stopped him.”
Ollie piped up, “That’s because you were lying.”
“Fuck you! You got any proof of that?” the cuffed man shouted angrily, spit flying from his mouth.
Ignoring the man, Groose took the backpack his men had found and pulled out the contents.
He tossed several pairs of jeans along with the rest of the man’s clothing to the ground before he found an envelope buried at the bottom of the pack.
Taking it out, he held it up and asked, “Is this your proof that his parents hired you?”
“Yeah…it’s signed by a judge and everything.”
Frowning, Groose opened the envelope and pulled out several sheets of paper. Quickly scanning it, he said disgustedly, “You’re a bounty hunter.”
“It’s not illegal,” the man snapped.
“This warrant gives you to right to arrest Theodore and Norman for armed burglary, theft, and possession of stolen goods.”
“That’s right,” the man growled.
“Right…but what I don’t see is where it states his parents hired you,” Groose said.
“They were the ones who filed the complaint with the Alpha,” the man replied.
“He’s lying,” Ollie muttered, but before he could say anything else, a thunderous roar filled the meadow along with the sounds of crashing trees and breaking branches. Glancing over his shoulder toward the noise, he saw Smokey bursting through the edge of the surrounding forest.
“WHERE IS MY MATE?” Smokey’s voice was deafening as his eyes darted around the meadow, finally landing on the huddled figure in Ollie’s arms. Without waiting for an answer, he rushed to Theo and scooped him up in his arms, softly crooning in his ear.
Ollie stood as Norm, followed by Mac, emerged from the trees and made a beeline toward him, Smokey, and Theo. Relieved, he said, “I think he’s all right but…”
“What happened?” Norm asked, placing his hand on Theo’s back, rubbing it softly.
Groose stepped forward and explained who the handcuffed man was, then handed the warrant to Norm. “When the bounty hunter shifted, Oliver did also, and that resulted in a fight. My men heard it and arrived in time to stop Oliver’s bear from killing the wolf.”
“He was gonna kidnap Theo,” Ollie said softly. “I had to stop him.”
Shifting his gaze from Ollie to the bounty hunter, Smokey’s eyes narrowed as fury surged through his body. “Is that so?” he growled with icy anger, causing the cuffed man to shiver.
“Smokey,” Mac said, interrupting the grizzly bear's thoughts of revenge, “I should examine Theo to make sure he is okay.” Then, turning to Ollie, his eyes examined his mate’s body for signs of injuries, but though there appeared to be none, he wouldn’t be satisfied until he’d checked him out completely.
Raising his eyes to meet Ollie’s, Mac smirked at the refusal he saw lurking there.
“You don’t have a choice,” he said quietly.
“Either you agree or I’ll have Jackson order you… what will it be?”
“Ollie? Please,” Theo asked, his voice barely audible.
After hearing the pleading in his cousin’s voice, Ollie knew he had no choice.
He had found it hard to resist his cousin in the past and now, knowing how frightened Theo had been about the fight, it was impossible to say no.
“I’ll go…but only if you look at Theo first,” he said, raising his head and staring at Mac.
“Of course,” Mac replied, holding out his hand to Ollie.
Rolling his eyes, Ollie grabbed his mate’s hand, muttering under his breath, “You know there’s nothing wrong with me.”
“I know,” Mac whispered, “but Theo needs you…and I need you, too.”
Ollie’s heart jumped at those words, and a smile broke out on his face. Bringing their joined hands up to his lips, Ollie kissed them before placing them over his heart. “I need you, too,” he murmured.
The bounty hunter suddenly realized Theodore was leaving. He snarled, “Hey…you can’t take him! He’s my prisoner.”
Smokey stopped and stared at the bounty hunter for a moment before glancing at Groose. “You got a cell somewhere?” he asked.
“Yeah…several of them in the basement of our building.”
“Put him there while I see to my mate,” Smokey growled. “I have some questions he needs to answer.” Then, ignoring the bounty hunter’s sputtering protests, he carefully cradled Theo in his arms as he and Norman headed to the path that led back to the pack house.
~/~/~/~/~
After Logan ensured Kieran was properly dressed for the chilly night, he smiled as he stood outside Brian and Reif’s home. “You look gorgeous,” he murmured, tucking Kieran’s scarf into his mate’s jacket. “Did you make this?”
“Nope,” Keiran said, giggling. “Q did…I just picked the color of the yarn.”
“Pink, of course,” Logan said, chuckling.
Grinning, Keiran said, “It’s ‘Perfect Pink’. I couldn’t believe I didn’t know there was even a color with that name, but I guessed I should’ve, right, macushla? I mean, could there be a more perfect color made for me than one called ‘Perfect Pink’?”
“It was made for you,” Logan agreed, grinning. “How’s squirt doing?”
Kieran’s eyes widened. “O. M. G! He’s so excited, I feel like I have a jumping bean in me. Here…feel.” Lifting his jacket, he grabbed Logan’s hand and rested it on his belly, smiling at his mate’s reaction. “See?”
Laughing, Logan said, “Yup…he’s certainly looking forward to his adventure tonight.”
Slamming the front door behind him, Brian grumbled, “I dinna know why ye picked the coldest night to go. The nessies are gonna get sick.”
Grabbing the big travel bag containing the nessies from Brian, Reif looked at his mate for a moment before saying, “It’s impossible for that to happen with the clothes they’re wearing and, between that and the sheepskin lined bag my parents gave us, they’ll be warmer than if they were under their heat lamp… even the doc said so.”
“Ay,” Brian muttered. He paused for a moment to search Reif’s face, nodding to himself at the uselessness of protesting any more.
His mate was determined to meet the Scottish wolves, and he realized nothing would sway him to wait.
Grunting in frustration, he brushed past Reif and stalked over to where Kieran and Logan’s dragon waited.
Reif shook his head, then said to his babies, “Daddy Nessie isn’t happy about flying tonight, so you all better behave.”
Julius peeked his head out of the top of the bag and flicked his forked tongue at his Papa. “Okey dokey,” he piped up sweetly.
“Hey, get back in there,” Reif said, opening the bag a little wider to help Julius settle back in his blanket nest. After checking each of the nessies to make sure they were covered, he snapped the latch on the bag closed and headed over to the huge black dragon who was waiting for him.
Reaching Kieran, Reif helped him put his arms through the newly added straps on the bag before lifting him up onto the dragon’s back. Once the Shaman was secure, Reif linked his fingers, making a temporary stirrup where Brian could place his foot. “You ready?”
“Ay,” Brian growled, lifting his left leg and putting his left foot onto the makeshift step his mate had made for him.
Then, without any warning, he was lifted into the air and onto the back of Logan’s dragon.
Quickly grabbing onto the bag with the nessies in it with one hand, he grabbed hold of the dragon with the other.
Then Brian silently began praying to the gods for a safe journey.