Chapter 13
Chapter
Thirteen
ZANDER
My head throbbed and I rubbed at my temples as I got out of my parents’ spare bed, my jaw aching with the strain of clenching it for hours on end. I’d woken in the small hours of the morning to the sound of whimpers and cries coming from the room next door.
The sour stench of an omega’s distress would have driven my alpha side crazy even if he hadn’t been my mate.
I was certain that Dad must have been awake and suffering as well, eager to protect Reid from whatever plagued his dreams, but at least he had Momma to assure him that staying put was the right decision.
I’d second-guessed myself a dozen times over. It was difficult to believe that leaving Reid on his own was the best course of action when I could hear every sob and sniffle. The poor guy hadn’t even slept through it all. He’d woken every now and then, his heart racing as he tried to calm himself.
Everything in me wanted to go to him, but it was the knowledge that my presence wouldn’t bring him the comfort he needed that kept me pinned in place.
After how much time we’d spent together yesterday, I didn’t want to push my luck by forcing Reid to spend too long around me. I ducked out of the house before he stirred, grabbed a quick breakfast on the road, and drove to the police station.
When I entered, the lights were low. I went to the break room to make myself a cup of chamomile tea in the hopes it would ease my headache and found Garrick already in there, rinsing a coffee cup in the sink.
“What are you doing here so early?” I asked, sauntering over to the kettle and switching it on.
He sighed. “Trying to track the other omegas—the ones that the Red Moon Pack kidnapped and trafficked. I need to find them. It’s like this itch under my skin. I can’t handle knowing they’re out there and in danger.”
Assuming they’re still alive.
I swallowed the thought. Some things were better left unsaid.
“Any luck?” I asked instead.
“Not yet. Everything is rumor and guesswork. It’s driving me fucking crazy.”
I grimaced. “I know how you feel. Listening to Reid’s nightmares is almost unbearable. I wish I could bring Trent back to life just so I could kill him slowly. He deserved to suffer more than he did.”
Trent’s life had ended quickly. At the time, that had been the best thing for everyone in order to end the fight, but it would have brought me a sick sense of satisfaction if I’d had an hour alone with him so he could learn how it felt to pick on someone his own size. Someone capable of fighting back.
“No one could blame you for feeling that way.” Garrick set his coffee cup down and cocked his head. “It sounds like you’ve got a bit of frustration to work out.”
“Yeah.” I put my hand on my hip, waiting to see where he was going with this.
“Well,” he continued, crossing his arms. “I do too. Want to spar?”
A wicked grin stole across my face. “Fuck yes.”
Sparring with Garrick was exactly what I needed. We were a similar size—although I was slightly bigger—and of similar strength. We could both give as good as we got and not have to worry about permanently maiming someone.
We made our way to the built-in gym. It was a long, rectangular space. One end was taken up by free weights and exercise machines while the other had a padded floor and was used for sparring and self-defense or combat-readiness refresher courses.
I stripped off my shirt and removed my shoes, setting them neatly aside.
Sometimes, Garrick and I preferred to spar in our shifted forms, but we couldn’t do that in here without shredding the floor.
We’d have to keep to our human forms. He pulled off his overshirt but kept on his tank top.
His shoes came off and the socks followed.
We circled each other on the mat. Garrick’s amber-brown eyes assessed me for weak points as I did the same to him.
He struck first. Unsurprising. His internal alpha drove him harder than mine did. He was more inclined to aggression.
I deflected his fist from my forearm, pivoted, and tried to hook behind his leg with my heel. He bent his knees, leaned into me, and went to toss me over his shoulder, but I released him before he could throw me.
His grin had a maniacal edge and I was sure mine was the same as we leapt at each other with renewed vigor. We exchanged blows, but I scarcely noticed any damage until he cracked me across the face and the coppery taste of blood flooded my mouth.
I spat blood onto the floor, grimacing because I’d have to clean that later. We had a policy that people cleaned up their own messes, whether or not they were the boss. Being the sheriff wouldn’t get me out of it.
I tackled Garrick and managed to pin him but he flipped us over and yanked me into an arm bar. I tried to find a way out of it, but when it became clear that the only way I’d escape was by dislocating something, I conceded.
Garrick flopped onto the ground beside me and we both lay there, breathing heavily. My face smarted and my knuckles ached but everything would be healed before noon.
“Did that help?” Garrick asked.
“Yeah.” I held out my fist and he tapped his against it. “Thanks, man.”
“No problem.”
I sighed. “Reid needs comfort, but I don’t know how to give it to him.”
I didn’t know why I was opening up to my one unmated brother about this. Perhaps because this could just have easily happened to him instead of me.
Garrick levered himself up. “Well, what does he like?”
I racked my mind. The little warlock had been close-mouthed and hadn’t given much away. That said, I recalled that he’d said fried chicken was his comfort food. I couldn’t be sure whether he’d been truthful, but I saw no reason for him to lie about it.
I clambered to my feet and offered Garrick a hand to pull him up. “Thanks. I’ve got an idea.”
He nodded and didn’t ask what I was planning even though he was obviously curious.
The rest of the day passed without any progress being made in terms of discovering where other omegas kidnapped by the Red Moon Pack may have ended up. I tried not to take it to heart.
Instead, I headed home and searched the internet for a fried chicken recipe. When I found one, I did my best to follow it step by step, but I was smart enough to do a test run first. The final product definitely didn’t look or taste like anything that anyone would want to eat.
Disappointed, I called Momma to ask for help. I talked her through what I’d done and she figured out where I’d gone wrong and stayed on the line with me until I managed to create several edible pieces.
I covered the fried chicken to keep it warm and carried it over to my parents’ place. I knew they hadn’t eaten yet since Momma had been on the phone with me, so I let myself in and went in search of Reid. I found his bedroom door closed.
“Reid?” I called, knocking softly so as not to startle him.
There was a shuffling and he opened the door, a crease on his cheek that indicated he’d been lying down for a while—perhaps even napping.
“What is it?” he asked, a furrow between his eyebrows.
I held up the plate. “I made you fried chicken.”
His mouth fell open and he stared at me for a long moment before closing it. “You… made that for me?”
My tongue was suddenly clumsy. I hadn’t screwed this up, had I? Perhaps he’d said he liked fried chicken but actually hated it. Nervously, I offered him the plate.
He narrowed his eyes at it. “An… alpha… cooked for me?”
Ah, so that’s what his problem was.
With how poorly he’d been treated in the past, he couldn’t fathom an alpha choosing to act in service of him. My heart twinged. If he gave me the chance, I’d dote on him for the rest of his life, so he’d never doubt how much he—and other omegas—should be cherished by their alphas.
“I’m not sure that it’s any good,” I said awkwardly. “I can cook, but I haven’t used this recipe before.”
He took the plate from me and unwrapped the tinfoil covering. He glanced at me, as if expecting me to yank the plate back from him and shout that it had been a joke. When I didn’t, he hesitantly picked up a piece of chicken and nibbled on it.
His eyes widened. “It’s nice.”
My bear chuffed internally.
We pleased our mate.
I studied Reid’s face, a little dubious. I couldn’t imagine the chicken was particularly tasty. I saw no traces of deceit there though and he took a larger bite, keeping his eyes on me.
“Thank you,” he murmured. “This is… really nice of you. I love it. I’ve been craving chicken all week.”
Warmth filled me and my chest swelled. I fought the urge to preen, incredibly happy to have done something to nurture his unborn child and bust through his usual reserve.
“You’re welcome,” I said, tilting closer to breathe in his lovely scent with that hint of honeysuckle from the baby.
He glanced at the plate and then back at me before drawing in a deep breath. “Would you like to join me?”
I wanted to leap at the chance, but I reined it in because coming on too strong would only scare him. “If you don’t mind.”
He backed up and sat on the edge of the bed, patting the spot beside him. When I perched there, he offered me the chicken, and I took a small piece and ate it. I didn’t want to eat his treat, but if I just sat there without doing anything, he might get uncomfortable.
“What food do you like?” Reid asked as he dug into another piece of chicken.
“Honey is my guilty pleasure, obviously. I love honey-roasted nuts. But usually, I prefer lean meat and vegetables. I’m a simple kind of guy.”
He cocked his head and studied me intently. “There’s something to be said for simple.”
He didn’t speak again as he finished the chicken. When he was done, he smiled at me hesitantly.
“Thank you, Zander. I haven’t had fried chicken for years, and I really missed it.” He blinked rapidly, his eyes shining with tears. “Stupid hormones.”
“I’ll make it whenever you like,” I declared.
His answering smile hit me like a punch in the gut. I’d do anything if it meant he’d smile like that again.
I picked up the plate. We’d made progress tonight, but I didn’t want to stay too long and wear out my welcome.
“I’ll see you later,” I said, backing out of the room. “Take care of yourself.”
On the way out of the house, I ran into Dad. He grabbed my shoulder and whisked me into his office.
“What’s up?” I asked, leaning against the wall as he closed the door behind himself.
He turned to me, his expression uncharacteristically hesitant.
“Look, Zander. I know your mate made that oath and that he hasn’t tried to hurt anyone, but I’m worried that he might.
I don’t want to make him feel any more like a prisoner than he already does, but I don’t fully trust him either. Will you keep an eye on him for me?”
I stared at Dad, bemused. “Of course I will.”
As if I’d ever take my attention off Reid now that I’d found him.
His shoulders slumped. “Good. I know I can trust you.”
I nodded, but something niggled at the back of my mind. He’d said he was certain he could trust me, but could Reid? My mate ought to be able to, but I’d essentially just promised to spy on him.
Damn, I had no idea what the right thing to do was in these circumstances.
As if sensing the direction my thoughts had taken, Dad’s bear flashed in his eyes. “It’ll be all right, son. I’m trying to get in touch with an old contact who specializes in magic and is familiar with this sort of situation. We’ll figure it out.”
I nodded, hoping he was right. At the moment, I worried that if I put a foot wrong, it could cost me my mate.