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  Hunter chuckled. “Bored, huh?”

  “Nothing ever happens around here,” Brax whined.

  “I can fix that, if you’re interested.”

  “What? You need some help carrying your towels to the beach or something?”

  “Or something.” Hunter repeated everything he had told Zane to Brax.

  “Whoa, count me in! I’m there, man.”

  “I appreciate it. Zane is going to cover the airfare and the car rentals once you guys get here, so check in with him soon. There’s something else too. Once we’ve taken over Marked Tree, I’m going to need some of my Betas to relocate down here. You don’t have to answer now but be thinking about it. I’m going to offer the opportunity to you and four others.”

  “Wow. That’s… that’s… yeah. I’m going to have to think about that. All your Betas are going to stand with you for the challenge as backup?”

  “Yes. Zane is going to send a few of his so I have as many Betas as Alpha Bennett does, but I’m only asking a few to relocate.”

  “Gotcha. I’ll check in with everybody. When’s Alpha Zane booking us to leave?”

  “Hopefully everyone will be flying out tomorrow. Pack for at least two weeks. I’ll pick up whatever is needed once everyone gets here. Paul, the Guardian, is going to find someplace for everyone to stay.”

  “A Guardian. Wow.”

  “I’ve gone from trying to avoid them… to having one most likely being a frequent visitor on our new lands, but he’s nice. His—I guess Andy is his boyfriend—is pretty cool too. Michael is as easygoing as Mark. Michael’s mate, Clay, is an older vampire. He’s powerful. Jonas, the other Guardian, seems okay. Not sure what to make of Nicholas.”

  “An ice elemental. Can I just say my mind is blown?”

  “Wait until you meet him. If you need anything, call me. I’m going to get off here. I’ve got a couple more phone calls to make.”

  “I’ll talk to you later, then. Be safe, Alpha.”

  Mark sat quietly as Hunter worked his way through calling all of his Betas. While he was doing that, Zane sent a text with flight times and numbers along with the names of the Betas he was sending.

  Hunter flopped on the bed once he was finished. “Well, that’s that. Everything’s arranged.”

  “You’ve never actually said when you plan to challenge Alpha Bennett.” Mark grabbed a pillow, stuffed it under his head, and lay down.

  “Because I needed my Betas here first. Once they’re here, and we get them into their temporary apartments, I’ll do it.”

  Mark snuggled next to Hunter. “How exactly does that work? Do you call him? Send him a text?”

  “No. My Betas and you will go with me to Alpha Bennett’s land. I assume he has guards patrolling his pack’s boundaries, so when they confront us, I’ll tell them I’m there to challenge. Werewolf law dictates they have to take me, and those wolves with me, to their Alpha. Once we meet face-to-face, I issue the challenge. If they don’t have a place for that, we’ll set one up and get right to it.”

  “Just like that?”

  “Just like that.”

  “What happens afterward?”

  “When I win, and if Alpha Bennett still lives, I’ll give him enough time to pack his clothes and personal items and get the fuck off our land. I’m not going to let him hang around long enough to cause problems. That goes for those who can’t submit to us.” Hunter rolled to his side. “Then the real work will begin.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know what kind of condition this pack is in. How well-maintained are the homes? The land? That’s the physical aspect, but what about mentally? Are the members stressed? Scared? Half-starved? Stuff like that is a concern. Regardless, we’ll take this and make it ours.” Hunter sat up and tugged on Mark’s shirt. “And speaking of making something mine—wasn’t it you who said something about fucking me through the mattress?”

  Mark let Hunter get his shirt off, then proceeded to show Hunter just what fucking someone through a mattress was all about.

  THE SCENT of coffee woke Mark the next morning. Instead of getting up, he took a moment to just enjoy his mate, who slept soundly next to him. The burdens of being an Alpha didn’t show on his face quite as noticeably as he slumbered.

  The man was still the most gorgeous person Mark had ever seen, but now Mark knew what was inside too. Amazing how he had gone from being scared to death that first night to having complete faith in this man now.

  There was pride, sure. Hunter had a right to be prideful. He and his brother had built a strong and wonderful pack. But Hunter was also confident, kind, and trustworthy. Patient too. He was Mark’s rock. He didn’t want to try to imagine life without Hunter.

  Hunter snorted in his sleep, and warmth curled around Mark’s heart. Heaven help him, but affection was quickly becoming something more. He wasn’t sure if what he felt was love, but it might be.

  Hunter cracked an eye open. “Huh? Whaz ‘ime amit?”

  “Good Lord, was that English?”

  “Coffee,” Hunter grunted. “Ugh. Need. Please.”

  “One coffee coming up.” And Mark knew, right then, that he wanted to spend every day, for however long they had, with Hunter. He was Mark’s everything. He leaned down and gently brushed his lips across his very sleepy and very cranky mate. “I love you, Hunter.”

  Then he jumped out of the bed and headed toward the kitchen. That should wake Hunter up.

  “What! What! Dammit, Mark!”

  There was a crash, a snarled exclamation, and then the heavy thuds of footfalls. Mark quickly finished pouring Hunter’s coffee and turned around, holding it out as some sort of appeasement. Hunter slid into the kitchen, wild-eyed and his hair sticking up in all directions. A pair of night pants barely clung to his hips. Fuck, what a sight.

  He prowled toward Mark, then carefully removed the coffee mug, setting it on the counter. “What did you say?”

  “When?”

  Hunter growled, actually growled, as he leaned into Mark. “Tell me. And this time when I’m awake.”

  “Oh, you’re awake now?”

  “Mark!”

  Mark tangled his fingers in Hunter’s hair, pulling him closer. “I love you. Morning breath and all.”

  Hunter whined deep in his throat. “I cannot be held responsible for morning breath since I. Just. Got. Up. Goddess, Mark, I love you too. Now I’m going to go brush my teeth then kiss you senseless.”

  Grinning, Mark watched Hunter spin on his heel and storm out of the kitchen. Yes, he could envision a lifetime of mornings like these.

  Chapter Twenty-eight – Mark

  THAT EVENING, just before dark, Mark and Hunter stopped by a fast-food place, ate, then met Clay and Michael at Paul’s condo. Then they followed Clay back to his house.

  Mark whistled as they trailed Clay up the driveway. “Nice place.”

  “I’ll say.”

  Hunter parked where Clay directed, and he and Mark got out. Michael was practically bouncing, he was so excited. “Come on, I want to give you guys a quick tour, then I thought maybe we could sit out by the fire pit.”

  “How many times have you gotten lost in here?” Mark asked. He was only half joking.

  Michael snickered. “It’s huge, I know.”

  There were gleaming hardwoods that covered pretty much all of the downstairs. Mark caught a quick glimpse of the family room with its open floor plan, brick fireplace, high vaulted ceilings, crown moldings, and exposed beams.

  The kitchen was spacious with miles of granite countertops, a huge pantry, and stainless-steel appliances. It was beautiful and a complete waste since vampires didn’t eat. The dining area had French doors that led to an extensive deck overlooking the backyard.

  Michael was right. It was huge, and it was also immaculate. Mark also knew how messy Michael was, but he hadn’t seen proof of that yet. The place looked like something out of a magazine. It was almost as if no one actually lived there.

&
nbsp; They followed Michael outside to the backyard. There were several patios, serene lighted walkways, and a lovely pergola. Some of the trees even had fairy lights. Michael made a beeline to a firepit with comfy-looking outdoor chairs. An infinity pool was close to that with multicolored lights.

  Even though it was January, this part of Florida was still fairly warm. Nevertheless, Clay started the fire pit. While Mark and Michael got comfortable, Clay asked Hunter if he wanted to play some pool while their mates caught up.

  “Oh, you have a pool table? That sounds like fun. It’s been a while, though, since I played.”

  Clay and Hunter wandered back into the house, talking quietly. Mark watched them go.

  “I asked Clay if he would entertain Hunter so we could visit. I figured they’d be bored listening to us reminisce.”

  “No, I’m glad you did. I just found out Hunter plays pool.”

  “Speaking of Hunter…?” Michael trailed off.

  Mark leaned back in his chair. “I wish I could’ve met him under better circumstances, but it is what it is,” he said softly. “I guess I need to start with what happened in Las Vegas. We were on the Strip, and it was getting late. All the lights and such were giving me a headache.”

  “I bet.”

  “We got ready to go back to the hotel. I remember Dad joking around. He told Mom that this was the city that never sleeps. I very helpfully pointed out that was New York not Las Vegas.” Mark chuckled. “I said to him, ‘You know, the place we live?’”

  “You got the famous Dad frown, didn’t you?”

  “Sure did. Dad found the shortcut through an alley, and I wasn’t thrilled with the idea, but we took it anyway. I wish now we hadn’t. Maybe… I don’t know. There were a lot of shadows and two men. They didn’t bother hiding their faces.”

  “God.”

  “I think some part of me knew then that we weren’t going to get out of there alive. I know now the two who robbed us were werewolves. I’ll have to explain that in a minute. They wanted our wallets and jewelry. We gave them what they wanted. I heard a gun cock. One of them called Mom a bitch.”

  Michael hissed.

  “Exactly. Then there was this growling sound, and it didn’t sound human. The robbers were getting impatient with us, I could tell. Dad made some comment about just taking the stuff and leaving us alone. He was worried. Things get hazy from here on out. I remember the smirking smile and yellow eyes of one of the robbers.”

  “Werewolves have yellow eyes.”

  “Yes, we do.” Knowing how hard the next part was, he got up and moved. He faced Michael and took his hand. “Then… gunshots.”

  Michael sniffed.

  “There was screaming, but it must’ve been from me. Dad was crumpled on the ground with Mom laying limply over him. I’m pretty sure they died instantly.”

  Michael whimpered.

  “I don’t remember exactly what happened after that. It was only later that I remembered the name Alpha Bennett, and that one wolf said there couldn’t be any witnesses. They shot me in the gut.” Mark paused. The fire light had illuminated Michael’s face, and there were bloody streaks down his cheeks. “Um, is that normal?”

  Michael tugged his hand loose and wiped his face. “It is for vampires. We don’t cry normal tears.”

  “Jesus, Michael. No wonder you wanted to do this alone.”

  “It does kinda suck, right?” Michael giggled weakly.

  “Should I continue?”

  “Please.”

  “I don’t remember much after that honestly, though. Well, I remember the pain. And they said some really odd things about a rogue wolf, an Alpha, and a Beta. Then they took off. I had no idea what they were talking about then, of course.”

  Mark didn’t see the point in telling Michael that he had tried to reach their mom and dad but couldn’t. The pain was just too bad.

  “Then I heard another voice, a harsh growl, and someone saying he was bringing the human. I think I passed out. When I woke up, I was in an SUV, and I got my first good look at Hunter. I think I asked him to please sedate me before he harvested any of my vital organs.”

  “Good grief, Mark!” Michael exclaimed.

  “Hey! Dude had taken me from the scene of a murder. What else was I to think? Little did I know that was the least outlandish thing that was going to happen. Anyway….” Mark described the next several days and how much his life had changed.

  He added that Hunter had probably saved his life. He explained that while he didn’t remember his first shift, Hunter had told him. He repeated what he’d been told to Michael.

  “So, I’m a bitten Alpha, something that shouldn’t exist.” Mark tilted his head. “You know, when Jackson attacked me at that gas station, he said something that stuck with me. He managed to get a mouth full of my blood, and he knew immediately you were my brother.”

  “That bastard.”

  “Hunter and I talked about it. We both think it was coincidence that Jackson happened across us, so he couldn’t have known who I was—but he did once he tasted my blood. Oh, and something else too. According to Hunter, a bitten wolf is never an Alpha, but I am. From what he says, I’m also powerful.”

  “Huh. Clay said the same thing about me right after I turned—that as a newborn I was very powerful. I always assumed it was because of Clay’s blood. He’s two hundred years old.”

  “But what if it wasn’t? Or at least, not solely? What if there’s something in our blood?”

  “Holy moly.” Michael goggled at Mark, his mouth hanging open.

  “Yup. But honestly? I’m not sure it matters. I’m certainly not going to volunteer to let somebody study me to find out, and you’re... what? Dead?”

  Amusement flashed across Michael’s face. “Undead.”

  “Good Lord.” Mark scrubbed his hands over his face. He really needed to shave. His scruff was quickly turning into a beard. “I’m an Alpha werewolf, and you’re part of the undead. Wow.”

  Michael chuckled heartily. “Yeah, wow.”

  Mark was glad to see Michael smiling now instead of blood tracking down his face. No lie, that kind of freaked him out. Unfortunately, he was going to have to bring the situation back up so he could tell him about the Marked Tree pack.

  It took Mark a while to explain everything that had happened from the moment he had landed in Las Vegas until then. Once he was done, Michael shared his story. Any doubt Mark might have had about the necessity of Jackson dying was now officially buried.

  He also had a feeling that Michael had glossed over some of the details, just like he had when recounting what happened with their parents.

  “Are you ready to go find Clay and Hunter?” Michael asked.

  “Yes. Maybe we can talk them into letting us play pool too.” Mark elbowed Michael. “Since the loser can’t do shots, whatcha want to bet? Oh shit. Hunter told me once that werewolves have a ridiculously fast metabolism. I need to ask if wolves can still get drunk. Fuck!”

  Michael cackled all the way into the house.

  An hour before dawn, after numerous games of pool, they arrived back at Paul’s condo.

  Chapter Twenty-nine – Hunter

  THE NEXT few days were a whirlwind of activity. Paul came through with four furnished apartments instead of the three Hunter had asked for. It wasn’t ideal, but it would have to do for now. Hunter decided to rent them on a month-to-month basis.

  Brax and the rest of the Betas finally arrived. Hunter and Mark greeted them and showed the Betas where they were staying. That night Hunter asked everyone to come to Paul’s condo—it was the most secure—so they could meet Michael, his friends, and his mate. Hunter filled everyone in on what was going on and what to be on the lookout for.

  Before Hunter dismissed the meeting, he made the announcement they’d all been waiting on. “Tomorrow evening, I will challenge Alpha Bennett. As soon as it gets dark, we meet back here. Clay and Michael and Paul and Andy will be going with us.”

  Brax frowned.<
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  “Yes, I know they can’t attend the challenge, but they will be at the boundary line.”

  “As backup?” Brax asked.

  “Yes. Nicholas and Jonas will be staying here to keep an eye on things since Jackson is still on the loose. Any questions?” When no one said anything, Hunter added, “Stay in groups. Be careful. If anything seems out of the ordinary, call me or Mark immediately. Dismissed. Have a good rest of the evening, and I’ll see you guys tomorrow night.”

  Mark and Hunter packed their clothes, thanked Paul for letting them stay with him, and drove to their new apartment. Brax was already there and had picked out a bedroom.

  “Do you know who wants the other one?” Hunter asked after he locked the door.

  “I think Donny and Jeff are taking it. The guys are checking out the other apartments right now. We figured you wanted the master bedroom.”

  “Thanks,” Mark said as he passed Brax with his and Hunter’s duffels. He dropped them off and returned to the living area. “Nice place, huh? Seems pretty roomy.”

  “I had a quick look around while we waited for you guys.” Brax wandered into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. “It’s stocked too. Man, that’s a nice gesture.”

  “It must’ve been Paul.”

  “We need to remember to thank him,” Mark said.

  “Absolutely.” Hunter sat down on the couch and leaned his head back. “I hate to imagine how much that grocery bill ended up being.”

  Brax snickered. “Bet that was an expensive welcoming gift.”

  “No bet.” Mark sat next to Hunter. “But it’s definitely appreciated. Paul seems like a nice guy. They all do, actually.”

  Brax sat down across from them. “Even the ice elemental?”

  “He’s kind of reserved, but yes,” Hunter said. “Nicholas said something interesting right before he killed the Jackson look-alike that has me wondering, though.”

  “He basically insinuated killing is what he does,” Mark added.

  “Dear Goddess.” Brax shuddered.

  “Got that right.”