Chapter 11 Rafael
Rafael
Rafael’s plan of staying in bed with his mate was thwarted by Isaac’s excitement to meet his best friends and more of his family.
Not one to deny his mate anything, Rafael followed a bouncy Isaac to the picnic area of the park after gathering a variety of food.
Much like the day before, Isaac was enthralled with the park, this time stopping and asking more of his newfound family a plethora of questions.
Rafael found he quite enjoyed following behind his lively mate, greeting anyone and everyone.
Cherry arrived with bright smiles and cheery wakefulness. Rafael groaned when she introduced herself, and Isaac squealed with delight.
“I love your hair!” Isaac went to reach for a strand of her blue dreads and hesitated. “Can I?”
Cherry laughed, her eyes sparking blue. “It won't burn you.”
Isaac's mouth dropped open as he twirled a lock of her hair between his fingers. “Are you the Fire Show?” He whispered reverently, so much so that Rafael was almost jealous. Almost.
Isaac picked up on Rafael's mood and chuckled at him. “She's gorgeous, mate of mine, but I'm happy where I am.” Isaac proceeded to sit on Rafael's lap. Which earned them a hissing catcall from behind.
“Naughty. Naughty,” Steve hissed as he rounded the table. “It must be nice to find your mate.”
“Wow,” Isaac was astonished once again. “Those are some wicked features.”
“Thanksss,” Steve hissed, deliberately sticking out his tongue.
“Wow.” Isaac was enchanted by his friends, and Rafael couldn't be happier. It eased his mind to know his mate fit in, and wouldn’t lack for companionship.
After distributing the food, they settled in while Isaac asked questions. Rafael could definitely get used to the homey, domesticated lifestyle. A small price to pay if it meant having Isaac with him.
“How long have you all been friends?” Isaac asked between bites.
“Eons, it seemsss,” Steve provided, adding a hiss to his word. The man didn’t always emphasize his hiss. “Cherry was the first of us to find Rafael stuck as his horse.”
“What?” Isaac choked and turned towards Rafael, eyes wide with accusing shock. “Oh,” he nodded when it clicked, “that's the block of time then?” He circled his finger between them.
“Yeah.”
“What was that, like nineteen twenty? There was a boom in platform carousels, or merry-go-rounds, and I'm lucky we found him.”
“How would you even come by that?” Isaac asked.
Rafael shrugged, indicating that he did not have a clear answer. “It was the first time I shifted. I didn't realize it exactly at the time. But while shifted, someone found me and put me on a carousel.”
“How awful,” Isaac abandoned his sandwich and hugged Rafael's neck, squishing their cheeks together. “How did you find him?”
Cherry looked around their location, then held up her hand. When she snapped her fingers, a blue flame licked at the top before she blew it out.
“Magic,” Isaac whispered once more. He settled back into his seat, and his shoulders sagged. “I should have listened to Granny Love more.”
“Granny Love?” Steven questioned in a stunned tone, his eyebrows disappearing in his hairline. “As in Madam Love?”
“Oh, no way,” Cherry exclaimed, her eyes shining bright. “She was amazing!”
“We could tell you stories, if you wish?” Steve added as he leaned in on the table.
Isaac smiled, his features lighting up once more. “I'll definitely take you up on that. Thank you.”
“She'd be so proud of you,” Cherry added. “I know you don't think so, but how else would you be here if not for her guidance?”
Isaac's eyes shifted to Rafael's. “Thank you. Because you're right, without her, I wouldn't be here.”
Rafael cupped the back of Isaac's head as they leaned together in a sweet and heartfelt moment. Until Isaac pulled back and tilted his head.
His intense gaze alerted them, yet they did not exactly know what it signified. Birds chirped; a light cadence of noises filtered throughout the picnic area, but nothing amiss stood out to Rafael.
“Isn't that the cop from yesterday?” Isaac asked quietly, with a faint nod of his head.
“The big guy in plain clothesss?” Steve asked, their jovial comradery now on high alert.
“Whoa, that little dude looks similar to you, Isaac.” Cherry leaned backwards to see around the tall figure that Rafael couldn't.
“I'll let Yvonne know. He can't be up to any good.” Something was off and Rafael heeded Isaac's warning. It was too coincidental for the same cop to be meandering around.
Yvonne, we may have a problem.
Where?
Not that she needed to ask; she was already probing their minds.
“That felt weird,” Isaac breathed out, lower than his whispers, as if afraid to speak.
The wind picked up where there hadn't been any previously, and they slapped their trash down to keep it from flying away. Yvonne was pissed.
Rafael and Steve rose to follow the cop as the man put his arm around the smaller man and began walking.
“Stay here,” Rafael demanded. Isaac would be safe with Cherry. Cherry came prepared with her own magical tricks up her proverbial sleeves.
“Be safe.”
Rafael and Steve wove through the trees, following from a distance when the man darted off the path and into the thicker part of the woods.
Steve hissed beside him, a clear warning of distress. Rafael wasn't the best in a fight, but he could hold his own if it came down to it.
“Where'd he go?” Steve spun in circles as they lost track of the man. “He's too damned big to lose.”
“Listen,” Rafael closed his eyes, and that's when he heard the snap of a twig. “That way!” He pointed, but Steve moved already. Were scales breaking out on the back of his neck and arms?
The longer they trekked, the more Rafael wondered where they were headed. The man obviously knew where he was going. And by the feel of the chase, it was clear he had made this trip numerous times. Which did not bode well.
Yvonne, we need help here.
Stay on them. Damien's tracking them as well.
That explained the other noises in the forest he could hear. Rafael was not a tracker nor a fighter. But that didn't mean he'd give up the chase.
The illumination in the forest brightened, signaling a clearing. Yet when Steve and he broke through, it was more than a clearing. A side access road greeted them.
Before they could adjust to the light difference and comprehend the sight in front of them, Damien’s pack bounded from the forest. They surrounded the man before he could reach his vehicle.
The man pulled a gun from his pocket and held the young man in front of him like a shield. With the muzzle of the gun resting against the young man's temple, Rafael felt helpless.
Steve hissed and began to shift before Rafael could grab him. “No,” he whispered sharply at his friend, but Steve was already slithering away. How the gunman didn't notice a bright green snake slither his way was unbelievable.
Steve, in the form of his Green Mamba, rose up behind the man's leg and struck with his fangs raised high. Shouting, the man released his hostage and hobbled backwards, landing hard against his car.
Rafael sprang forward to snatch the young man, pulling him away, and behind Teddy and James, who closed ranks to hide them.
“What the?” The cop yelled, gripping his leg, when he spotted Steve on the ground.
Luckily Steve's venom rapidly took effect, causing the man to miss his shots when he randomly fired his gun.
By the time Yvonne and Garth, their resident gladiator, arrived, Rafael held a passed-out young man. The cop huffed and puffed, slumping against the side of his car as he begged for help.
The only help he had received was some choice snaps and snarls from Jim, John, and Damien.
“Steve,” Yvonne spoke softly. “You can shift back. You've done excellent.” She crouched down by Steve and offered him an arm to coil around. “You may want to shift back before your mate comes to,” she chuckled as she walked Steve up to where Rafael stood.
“Is Isaac safe now?” Rafael asked, even as Steve slinked across the back of his neck. Goosebumps broke out and an involuntary tremble ran down Rafael’s spine until Steve settled, with his head resting, evidently, on his mate's head, tongue flicking over his skin.
Yvonne looked him dead in the eye and gave him a side grin.
“I think it's safe to say your mate is secure. Unless he,” she tilted her head to the car, “has an accomplice. But I doubt it.” She huffed out a breath and patted Teddy's head. “Now I have to contact Agent Ryanne García,” she hummed low in her throat. “Damn man, couldn’t leave well enough alone.”
Several snickers sounded from the wolf pack. Rafael was smart enough to not comment when Yvonne mentioned Ryanne. One would have thought Yvonne and the agent were an item, but Ryanne never stuck around.
“Hey, Steve,” Rafael shifted his arms and the package he carried. “I'm glad you're comfortable, but would you mind shifting so you can carry your own mate?”
Steve hissed, his tongue tickling Rafael's ear. “No, man. Just no.” He tried to itch his ear but was hindered by the precious mate in his arms; if only it were his own mate instead. “You're explaining this all to Isaac.” Without waiting, Rafael began walking back towards the park.
About halfway through the woods, they ran into their medical team, complete with stretcher, and Rafael released a sigh of relief.
“How’d you know?” Rafael asked Jazmine as she unbuckled the straps, and James and Torri helped to lay the unconscious man down.
“Your mate is a wonder. He could see what was going to happen and knew you needed us.”
“He isn't here?” Rafael felt an involuntary growl bubble up out of his chest.
Torri chuckled. “Nope,” she popped the p. “He stayed behind with Cherry.”
“Stev, you can't ride–” James cut off his words at Steve's hiss. “Got it. All good. Don't mind the big ass snake.”
“How are we going to carry him back?”
That's when Damien’s pack showed up, shifted, and gathered around the gurney to assist. Several hands made light work, and in no time they were back at the office building at the front of the park.
Rafael left Steve and his mate in excellent hands while he padded off to find his own mate. All he wanted to do was hold Isaac. Squeeze him, kiss him, and tell him, or maybe show him, how much he appreciated the man.
“I'm at home. Waiting for you.” Rafael felt a surge of relief, heart skipping a beat, as Isaac sent him a message.