Chapter 4
Bennie
The Hemlock Wolf Pack, The Train Station in Star’s Territory
“Hello, sir,” I said, adding the ‘sir’ for good measure, because most shifters Clyde’s age appreciated it.
“Don’t do that,” Clyde said on the other side of the line. I knew of Clyde from his work with the Omega Liberation Front and how outspoken he’d been about ‘death by pack’ for anyone convicted of heinous crimes. I didn’t have much room to disagree with the wolf, if I was honest.
“Don’t let Alby know what I’m asking you about. Give him something about me warning you not to hurt him or I’ll skin you alive, because I will and I work in medicine. I can keep you alive a long time while making sure you suffer every second of it. Don’t make me go down that route again, okay?”
“Okay,” I nodded, used to the bluster that came from older family members.
“Your background check returned rather quickly. I expected more to be there. Either you are well connected or were an exceptional teenager.”
“My brother and his mate did their best,” I said, avoiding Alby’s eyes.
“Then in your twenties,” Clyde said and I already knew where he was going.
“I—”
“Shut up. I sacrificed a lot so that my kids and grandkids wouldn’t know the world I knew.
I’m sorry you were born into the war and lost your family.
I’m sorry you know that world. None of us should have to, but Alby doesn’t need to know all the details.
It was admirable. That’s what I expect of the alphas in my family.
That bear tried to rape her. You ended him.
That’s the only way to handle people like that.
I’m sorry you had to live with the aftermath.
I know it’s never easy. If it gets easy, you have something to worry about.
I’m sure the temple provides plenty of resources.
If you need more call me. Yank on my tail over the pack link.
This is my official acknowledgement that you’re worthy of being part of the family.
Welcome. Take care of Alby as much as he’ll let you. ”
“Always, sir,” I nodded.
“Let me know if you two need anything. Alby’s good about asking but this is a big change for him. I’ll get in touch with your brother about your mating feast. Don’t worry, we’ll give you at least a few weeks before that happens. Now you can pass the phone back to Alby.”
“Nice talking to you,” I said and handed the phone back.
“Well, I think he might be the nicest guy who has ever threatened to kill us,” my tiger chimed off into my thoughts.
The furry guy was right. I hoped he had a good therapist. I had no doubts about what I did.
While the Tenets of Frost never said anything directly about what to do when the two people in question were both part of your group I understood my choices in several different ways.
When I talked to the council at the temple I explained it with the tenets of Frost.
The first said to protect your packmates.
I grew up with Eloise. I saw her at school every day.
Sure, her attacker was also known to me, but he didn’t need to be protected in that moment.
The fourth said to protect those who fight by your side.
Eloise was fighting. I fought by her side.
Therefore, the fourth came into play. But more than anything it was the fifth.
Ignore not the call of your beast. My tiger wasn’t putting up with that shit.
Hell, most of the fights I’d been in boiled down to that.
He was usually a pretty chill guy. When you weigh a literal ton and have weight to throw around you can afford to be chill.
Still, there was a line that if crossed, he just got down to business and once someone crossed that line there was no middle ground because wrong was wrong.
In the end, Eloise escaped only battered and went on to meet her true-mate.
Her firstborn was a boy who she named Bennet after me.
I didn’t know what demons Clyde saw at night when he closed his eyes, but as for me, mine wasn’t anything to do with the one and only time I’d taken a life within the territory.
He was just one of those people who if you allowed him to live, then you wouldn’t be able to sleep with yourself that night.
“That went better than I thought,” Alby said, shoving his phone back into his pocket. “He’s way chill about it. Did you like beat Frost in arm wrestling contest or singlehandedly take out a supervillain?”
“Something like that,” I grinned.
I’d talk to Alby about what happened before our claiming vows just in case the true-mate response magic thought that was important enough to qualify for the highlight reel of my life.
“Whatever he found. He likes you,” Alby said, taking my hand again.
Frost damn it! Just touching him made me feel a little crazy.
A little bit like roaring that he was mine and if anyone even looked at him in a way that I didn’t like I’d rip out their entrails and wear them around my shoulders as a damn trophy.
Wrapping an arm around his waist, I pulled him into me.
He stepped forward, closing the space between us and looked up at me.
He had long, beautiful lashes and big eyes that I wanted to swim into.
His scent wrapped around me, beckoning me in.
I’d traveled Earthside over from tip to toe.
I’d visited the Starscale worlds and even fought in a few of their gladiator matches, winning as many as I lost. I’d been everywhere a tiger could go and all the while my true-mate was just on the other side of the territory.
I had about two seconds warning that my tiger intended for me to be a cave alpha.
Then my eyes shifted to his and I scooped Alby off his feet.
He leaned up for a kiss. I had intended to carry him to my car.
From there, we’d decide whether to go to Raz’s house or my apartment.
Probably Raz’s house because it had everything he’d bought for Alby.
Only, all that faded away to background noise when my mate leaned up for a kiss.
I kissed him gently at first, feeling him out.
Maybe he just wanted a peck of acknowledgement.
Maybe I was wrong. His hand found my jaw, holding me in place, our lips pressed together and his warm tongue probing into my mouth.
Frost damn. Alby was really going to be the end of me.
I’d dance at Raziel’s mating feast. I’d go toss his true-mate over my shoulder and carry him back here, if that’s what he wanted.
Well, I’d do whatever he wanted as soon as kissing Alby didn’t set every single atom of my body on fire.
“GET A ROOM!” some jerk yelled and Alby nearly startled out of my arms.
A wolf shifter across the parking lot looked like he’d never seen shifters kiss before. What the hell was his problem? I didn’t recognize him but he was about to find out what his insides looked like.
“Hey!” Raziel landed in front of the guy.
“Mind your business. Go on. Get in your car and mind your business. I don’t want to fight you.
You don’t want to fight him. We’re like a block from the temple.
You do not want all those warriors of Frost to come out here and laugh at you because you couldn’t live your day because you saw newly met mates kiss.
Go on. Mind your business. We’ll send you an invitation to the mating feast.” Raziel pushed the guy to a white pickup.
“Get in and go wherever you were going. This isn’t your business. ”
“He’s so loud!” Alby whispered to me, laughing and hiding his face in my chest.
“Yep. You’re here to invest. Okay. Invest in some therapy too.
They’re kissing. Big fucking deal. Yes, that’s my dad.
Call him. I’ll tell him to wait by the phone for you.
Yep. Report us to the Temple of Frost. I love that idea.
It’s right around that corner. Ask for Slyvin he’s the leader,” Raziel continued.
“Absolutely. No, I don’t think Frost would’ve only kissed Juda in the parking lot.
I think he’d have claimed him right here if Juda was down for it.
Then he’d have roasted you for a post coital snack.
Don’t you know the world was overrun with cannibals back then? ”
“Well, fuck you too. Hope your money is cleaner than your mouth, bro,” Raziel said, slamming the guy’s truck door closed behind him.
The truck pulled out and Raziel waved at us. A second later, Star, his dad and the leader of the territory, landed next to him, in human form with his wings out. He didn’t look upset. If anything, he looked amused.
“That wolf had balls,” Alby said. “To tell Raziel to fuck himself.”
“Most visitors have balls,” I nodded. “They know Star frowns on his kids eating people.”
“Does it bother you that he talks like that about Frost?” Alby asked me.
“No,” I shook my head. “Seriously, though, there were cannibals back then and Frost really didn’t play by anyone’s rules except for Juda’s. He’d have definitely kissed Juda in a parking lot if that’s where they met.”
“Good, because I like kissing you in parking lots,” Alby grinned up at me. “Probably would like kissing you other places too, but we’ll have to test that theory.”
“I plan to. We’ll keep a journal of all the places we test,” I nodded.
Star and Raziel made their way over and only when Star clapped me on the back in congratulations did I realize I was still holding onto Alby. He wasn’t complaining, so I didn’t set him down.
“Who was that guy?” I asked Star.
“A small-time investor from the mountain. I’m not sure if he meant it as a joke to begin with but…
” Star shrugged, because once Raziel got started there was no slowing him down.
Though this was one time I didn’t mind him overzealously having my back.
I was going to be distracted with all the kiss testing.
Star didn’t stick around long, but Raziel walked us to the car, with me carrying Alby. He opened the passenger door for me and I sat my mate down and did up his seatbelt. I stole one last kiss and told him I’d only be a minute talking to Raziel.
“Are you going to tell me how you did this? Did you know?” I asked him.
His grin gave it away before he ever answered.
“I knew but if I told you, I don’t think you’d believe me. You’d want to because Alby is right here but I don’t think you would. I don’t think anyone would and I have enough people running around who think I’m crazy.”
“To be fair, you just told that guy Frost would’ve eaten him. You know historically, Frost wasn’t a cannibal, right?” I laughed.
“Yeah, but I like to think about him eating annoying people. It makes him more relatable.”
“I think you’re thinking of that Volex guy from Clarence and Medwin’s Memoir.”
“You read that?” Raziel asked.
“I read memoirs of any leader or historical figure if they’re authentic,” I shrugged. “Gotta know history to prevent it from repeating.”
“True,” Raziel nodded and we hugged. “Seriously, my house and call me if you need anything. Your apartment is fine, but no one will bother you at my house.”
“Where are you going to stay? With your parents?” I asked him.
“I’ll be around. Don’t worry about me.”
“Dude, giving away your house makes you sound like a suicidal dragon,” I said, lowering my voice.
“No, I’m not suicidal,” he shook his head and smelled like he was telling the truth.
“I just know within the next few years I won’t need it and you need it now.
You’ve always wanted to do the whole family thing and it’s way too big for just me anyway.
My stuff is still there for now, but I don’t think you’ll mind too much.
Hey! Wait! I said for you matingmoon. How did you guess it was for good? ”
“Because you don’t do anything half-assed, Raz.”
“That I do not,” Raziel nodded. “Seriously. Call me if you need anything. You’re always running around trying to save the world. Now is your time to enjoy the world you keep saving.”
“Thanks again,” I said unsure of how many times you thank someone for a house.
“Go on! Your mate is waiting!” he hugged me again.
“Yeah and so is yours,” I told him.
“Not for long. Not forever at least.”