Chapter Two #2
The sooner the better.
Theo waited. No mates. That was okay. Maybe he just needed to get out of the dark forest.
A sharp whistle pierced the air and he stopped walking.
“Ignore it,” Steve whispered.
Garrett glanced at him and Theo nodded back. Okay, he was ignoring the whistle. Nope, nothing going on here. No whistles. No strange rustling. It was all good. Tucking his hand inside Garrett’s elbow in case they needed to run, Theo got them back to following Steve.
The branches above their head swayed.
Ugh, he was not going to look.
Forcing his eyes straight ahead, Theo locked his gaze on Steve’s back right between his shoulder blades.
If they did get out of this and Steve ended up helping them, Theo wondered what would happen to the kid.
Steve said he was going to be in trouble but maybe that wasn’t really a bad thing.
Actions had consequences. Theo knew that better than anyone.
Another whistle and it was so hard to not turn his head and look for whoever was making the noise.
“Friend Theo?” Garrett’s voice was low.
“Just keep walking,” Theo replied just as quietly. “It’s fine.”
“Many eyes are on us,” Garrett told him.
Yeah, Theo had already figured that out. “I can see light ahead.” Hellcats, it was dark in the middle of the forest. And cold. Even in Wylder’s hoodie Theo was getting chilled.
“I keep walking, friend Theo,” Garrett said.
“You are doing a great job, buddy,” Theo replied. “I’m very sorry that you got dragged into this with me.”
“I do not like it,” Garrett said. “This…body. I should not be like that.”
“I know.” Theo was the worst friend ever. There was no guarantee that Garrett would be able to return to his old form. Theo hoped that getting out of the fae realm meant that everything would return to normal. But what if it didn’t?
“I do like talking to you, my friend,” Garrett told him.
“I love talking to you too,” Theo replied sincerely.
“I wish I could talk to Josh too,” Garrett shared.
Theo laughed. He’d been wondering what was going on between Garrett and Josh. Both Theo and Wylder believed that Garrett and Josh were mates. Fated to be together.
“You laugh?” Garrett’s voice held confusion.
“Josh has been teaching me how to talk with you for days. I worked really hard learning signs to exchange with you,” Theo responded. He squeezed Garrett’s arm where he still held him by the elbow. “He cares a lot about you.”
“Josh is good. Nice. Pretty.”
“He is pretty,” Theo agreed. “And nice and good. I wouldn’t be surprised if he insisted on coming with my mates. You might just get the chance to talk to him like you want.”
“I will think good thoughts. Papa Carson says thinking good thoughts is important.”
“Papa Carson.” Theo started to smile. He’d been thinking about his mates but there were so many more people on their side than just Wylder, Alek, Dario, and Mitch.
They had Alek’s fathers and brothers. Dario’s connections including Ferguson, who was fae.
And Mitch. Mitch had the demons of hell on his side.
With hellhounds. Not that Theo wanted to meet those dog creatures, but if they were attacked by pixies again, the hellhounds could eat them.
They had a whole family who would be searching for them.
Theo squeezed Garrett’s arm again. “We’re going to be okay.” He believed it with all his heart.
“Just ahead,” Steve called back. “We can exit the forest here. The bridge is just around the corner.”
Theo picked up the pace, practically dragging Garrett the rest of the way out of the forest. Once he was free of the trees, Theo could breathe easier. The dread that had been clawing at him flowed out.
Looking around, Theo was once again shocked by the difference of this whole new world. Realm. Whatever. The color. The scents. Everything was just more.
Steve was looking back into the dark forest, even after he’d told Theo to avoid doing just that.
Unease traveled up Theo’s spine.
“Should we go?” Theo asked. He needed to keep suspicion out of his tone. Taking the chance and following Steve’s directions was the only move that Theo had now. That didn’t mean that he would trust Steve blindly.
Steve turned and offered Theo a smile. “Yes. Sorry. I’m just glad we got out of there before the predators came out.”
While the words were right, there was still something off. “Let’s go then.”
“It should only be another couple of hours,” Steve told him.
“Lead the way,” Theo replied. He’d almost said thank you. Words were important in this realm. Theo needed to be very careful.
Steve skipped in front of them.
Garrett leaned against Theo.
“It’ll be fine,” Theo assured his friend.
Even though Theo hated everything about what was happening, he was also grateful not to be there all alone.
Theo hated to be alone. Now that he had his mates, Theo had believed that he would never be alone again.
With four men who’d claimed to care about Theo, they were supposed to keep him safe.
Not that Theo blamed his mates. Blame wasn’t the word he would ever use. It was just that Theo wanted his mates to be looking for him. To find him. To do the worrying and heavy lifting, so to speak.
His mates.
Where were Theo’s mates?
* * * * *
Alek
“Thanks, Mah.” Alek hung up the phone before turning toward his mates. He knew that all of them wanted to be searching for Theo already but there had to be a plan in place. Alek hated it. Despised not being able to throw away rules and just go after his mate.
The worst realm that Theo could have been taken to was fae. Even the good guys weren’t always that good. Especially when it came to those in charge.
The fae were primarily divided into two opposing, yet equally dangerous, courts based on disposition. The Seelie Court, supposedly light or benevolent, and the Unseelie Court, known for being dark or malevolent.
Truthfully, both courts held creatures that cared more about power and what they could gain from others. Those that they felt were lesser beings.
Mahah was the best at dealing with either side of the courts. Light or dark. Alek was putting all his faith in Mah’s ability to get them safe passage to search for Theo.
Although even Mah couldn’t tell Alek which side might have taken their mate.
Seelie fae might be known for being good-natured but could be tricky and vengeful.
If they made a deal to capture one of the chosen, they would do whatever they could to protect themselves while fulfilling their obligations.
The Unseelie loved unprovoked attacks and creating chaos. They didn’t need a reason to go after Theo. They would do it just for fun.
Neither option was good.
Not that Alek was going to have mercy for whoever tried to take Theo away from them. Chosen or not, Theo was special. The most kindhearted and loving shifter ever to be born.
It wasn’t fair.
Whoever took Theo was going to feel Alek’s wrath once he got his hands on them. Protocol and promises be damned. Someone would pay for this. And if one hair was harmed on Theo’s sweet little head, then Alek would repay that tenfold.
“Hey.” Evian bumped into Alek’s shoulder. “I sent you the list of everyone that has the ability to summon a shifter from here and into the fae realm.”
“How many?” Alek asked quietly. He didn’t want to draw the attention of his mates—more accurately Wylder—quite yet.
Carson and Tate were thankfully distracting Wylder, giving the human a quick rundown on what to expect in the fae realm and what to say and not to say. Wylder’s attention was mostly on Alek’s fathers, even if he couldn’t stop touching his face.
Wylder had never done that before.
The scar, while noticeable, hadn’t never seemed to bother Wylder. He didn’t like to talk about it but Alek knew how that injury had happened. He wasn’t sure if the others did or not.
With Wylder touching the scar, it meant that he was thinking back on the time he’d gotten it. Probably terrified that something similar might be happening to Theo.
“How many?” Alek asked again when his brother didn’t answer.
“Eight,” Evian revealed. “But they would all need his blood.”
“How would they have gotten it?” That was the question that Alek couldn’t get past.
“I have thoughts on that,” Dario said as he joined Alek and Evian.
Alek turned and pulled Dario into his arms. With Vadir, Seb, and Mah doing what they could back at the estate and Carson and Tate helping Wylder, they were closer to leaving to search for Theo.
Alek could see Daruo barely able to control his emotions.
They needed to remain levelheaded. There would be opportunity to break down later once Theo was back in their arms.
Dario buried his face in Alek’s neck and breathed deep.
Rubbing his strong mate’s back, Alek tried to offer comfort as he could. Dario had been holding it together so far but this wasn’t easy on any of them.
“Sorry.” Dario pulled back.
“Take a minute,” Alek advised.
Dario shook his head. “We don’t have time.”
“Dario,” Alek started.
“I can’t,” Dario whispered.
“Okay.” Alek wouldn’t push.
“But after talking to Fergie I started to think about what we know about Theo and his past,” Dario said.
“Which isn’t much,” Alek reminded him. “Because he doesn’t remember much.”
“Exactly,” Dario said.
“I don’t get it,” Evian stated. “What does that have to do with someone getting Theo’s blood.”
“He was in the foster system his entire life,” Dario said. “The dark elves attack. We never knew why Theo was targeted. If it was because of being one of the chosen or toward him. After this it makes me wonder what if it was always about Theo.”
“We need to know more,” Evian declared. “About his parents. I can work on that.”
“How?” Alek questioned. “Theo was left without any clues to who his parents were.”
“Then I should start my research at the beginning,” Evian told them.
A portal opened beside them and Mitch walked through, returning to them.
“Mitch!” Wylder shouted as he ran toward their demon warrior mate.