ChoosingHisChristmasMiracle (4 page)

At that, Declan smirked. “Are ye interested in lunch?” he asked.

“I could eat,” Jared replied first. He dropped onto the couch and grinned up at Declan. “Thanks.”

Carson just nodded.

When Raul looked at Sean, he noticed that if his brows could get any higher, his hair would hide them. Declan raised his eyes and looked at them expectantly.

“Yes, Alpha, thank you. We haven’t had a chance to eat yet,” Raul replied, answering for both of them.

Declan nodded. “I’ll go let Lark know.” Pointing at a carafe and several cups resting on the sideboard, he said, “Feel free to help yourselves while I’m gone.”

Raul strode to the service and poured a cup for everyone. He added a dash of cream to Carson’s, left Jared’s black, and poured two scoops of sugar into his own. Turning to Sean, he asked, “How do you take it?”

“Uh, I don’t—no, thanks,” Sean said, stumbling over his words.

Raul rested a hip on the piece of furniture and gave him an encouraging smile. “It really is okay to have some coffee. This isn’t a test or anything.”

Sean’s gaze darted around the room, looked at the two men sitting on the love seat across from him, then returned to Raul. “I—it’s not that,” he said. “I don’t drink coffee.”

“You don’t?” Raul couldn’t hide the surprise in his tone.

Sean shook his head.

Well, he certainly hadn’t been expecting that. Who the hell didn’t drink coffee? Well, other than a certain elephant shifter Raul knew, Sean would be only the second person he knew who didn’t drink coffee at least on occasion.

“Okay, then,” Raul said with a shrug. “Would you prefer some tea? Or juice? I can run to the kitchen and get something else for you,” he offered.

“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” Sean quickly replied.

Before Raul could think of a way to assure the clearly nervous shifter that it would be no problem, Sean blurted out, “How come I’m allowed in here without several guards? What if I attack someone?”

“Who are you going to attack?” Carson asked, leaning forward. “Me? I’d take you down. My mate? No offense, little wolf, even though Jared is human, he could still take you. Or were you thinking of attacking your mate?” he asked, waving a hand toward Raul. “Declan allows you in here with us because he knows nothing will happen.”

Chapter Four

Sean couldn’t believe the strength of conviction in the enforcer’s words. He’d never seen a pack before where the alpha, especially a mated alpha, didn’t have at least one enforcer living with him, but he couldn’t scent anyone in the home but them. Sure, there were traces of other’s scents, but only one had a strong enough presence to signify a permanent living arrangement, and that scent was from an adolescent.

Jared shrugged. “Relax, bud. Stop thinking about it so hard. The fact that you saved Raul’s ass at the expense of your own goes a long way, too.”

“How do you know it caused problems for me?” he asked warily.

“I can smell the arsenic in your blood, Sean,” Carson stated softly.

“Arsenic! You’re sick?” Raul dropped onto the seat next to him, rested a hand on Sean’s leg, and peered closely at him.

Sean really just wanted to lean forward and capture his mate’s mouth again. The kiss in the car hadn’t been nearly enough. However, Sean saw the concern in his mate’s beautiful green eyes and the need to reassure him kicked in.

“Relax, sweet,” he crooned, lifting his free hand to brush away an errant strand of Raul’s red hair. For a second, Sean found himself caught up in the softness of the lock. Giving himself a mental shake, Sean said, “I’m fine. He whipped me with a poison coated flogger. He wanted me to suffer, not die.” Sean smiled. “It’s already almost worked through my system. I’m actually kind of impressed your enforcer could scent it,” he said, trying to lighten the mood.

“
Almost
worked through your system?” Raul snarled. “Your old alpha did that to you?” His gaze snapped to Carson. “Where the hell is the Shifter Council keeping him? I’m going to tear him apart.”

“Whoa, whoa,” Sean cried out. He shifted the arm holding Lily so the girl was lying on his lap with her head supported by the crook of his elbow. With his free hand, he grabbed the back of Raul’s neck and held him in place, looking into his eyes. “You
can’t
do that. I’m fine. Just breathe for me,” he ordered gently.

“Stand down, Raul.”

Declan’s order rolled through Sean. He knew it wasn’t for him, but his wolf still wanted to turn over and show its belly to the far-more-powerful wolf. To Sean’s relief, Raul must have felt the power in the command, too, for his shoulders slumped and the fight seemed to go out of him.

Raul grimaced, grabbed his coffee off the end table where he’d set it, and flopped back on the couch.

“Now, I understand ye were punished for helping me people while they were in yer territory,” Declan stated, turning his intense dark-eyed gaze on Sean. “For that selfless act, I grant ye clemency. Ye’re welcome in me territory for however long ye need to stay.”

Sean’s brows shot up. “Just like that?”

“Would you rather he make you jump through hoops?” a slender blond human asked as he walked into the room. He smirked and set a tray of food on the coffee table in the middle of the couches. Two plates piled high with finger sandwiches took up most of the tray’s surface. The human picked up a tall glass of orange juice squeezed onto the tray and set it in front of Sean. He waved toward it so Sean knew it was for him. Then the human sat next to Declan on a love seat, practically on the alpha’s lap, in fact. Although the alpha didn’t remove his gaze from Sean, Declan did wrap his arm around the blond in a clear statement of possession.

Huh, the rumors are true. Declan really is mated to a man!

“Well, no, I…” He frowned, trying to get his thoughts in order. “It’s just, it wasn’t exactly a selfless act,” Sean admitted. “Raul’s my mate.”

“Oh, congratulations,” the human said.

As Jared, Carson, and Raul filled small salad plates with several sandwiches, it finally dawned on Sean that the blond human must be Lark, the man mentioned by Declan earlier. “Thanks,” he whispered. The surrealness of the moment wasn’t lost on him. This pack was like a complete opposite of his old one. The open door policy was almost freaky as hell.

“Here,” Raul said, leaning forward, grabbing the juice, and thrusting it into his hand. “Drink before you hyperventilate,” he ordered.

Spots dancing behind Sean’s eyes made him realize he’d stopped breathing. He sucked in a much-needed lungful of air, then gulped down some juice. The acid of the OJ burned slightly, grounding him.

“I’m sorry, I-I…” He stopped and shook his head at his stammering. Licking his lips, Sean tried again, “Thank you. I don’t understand why you’re making this so easy on me, but thank you.”

Declan lifted one dark brow. “And I don’t understand why everyone else seems to think it should be so hard. Ye work with yer people, not against them.”

Sean nodded, seeing the truth in that statement.

Declan turned to Carson. “I heard from Kontra this morning. They ran across a shifter in Kansas that escaped from a laboratory. It’s taken some work, but they’ve managed to back-track the shifter’s escape route and at least know the town the lab is near.”

Jared leaned forward, clearly interested. A cold light flooded his hazel eyes. “Really? Where?”

“Beamington. It’s a wee town southeast of Springfield, Illinois,” Declan stated. “I want ye three to head out there and do whatever it is ye do to figure out how to break in. Let me know how many more people ye need to shut down the facility and I’ll send them out.”

“Sounds like fun,” Jared responded immediately.

Carson nodded.

“I—uh,” Raul muttered, drawing everyone’s attention. “When?”

“As soon as possible,” Declan replied. “Manon is fueling his helicopter as we speak.”

Raul turned and looked at Sean.

Sean knew exactly what the issue was. He glanced between Raul and Lily. “But I just got here, I…” Sean stopped and bit his lip, hating how whiny he sounded.

Declan leaned forward, looking between them. “I know ye’re not mated yet, but if ye’d like to stay here, Raul, say the word. I’ll find someone else to—”

“No,” Raul snapped, interrupting him. “I’ll go.”

Instead of admonishing him, Declan just nodded and said, “Good.”

Sean couldn’t help it. He whimpered. “I just found you and you’re leaving me?”

He wanted to fight Raul when he took his hand, but the contact felt too good, almost like a lifeline as Sean’s heart tried to beat out of his chest. “I’m sorry about the timing, Sean,” Raul told him, “but I have responsibilities. We have to put a stop to these people experimenting on shifters. Keep the world safe for the next generation, like Lily,” he said. “Let me finish this.”

“Then I want to come with you,” Sean said, desperate to not let the man out of his sight now that he’d found him.

“Absolutely not,” Raul denied.

“No,” Declan said at the same time.

“But…” he looked between them, trying to think of a way to change their minds.

Declan shook his head. “Ye’re not going, Sean,” the alpha stated firmly, frowning. “For one, I don’t know ye. Two, if ye expect to stay in me territory, ye
will
follow me orders, and three, ye have Lily to think of. These men make a good team.”

A spike of fear went through Sean. He knew he really didn’t have any say in this matter, and he really wanted to stay in Declan’s territory. “Yes, Alpha,” he whispered, ducking his head in submission.

“Relax,” Raul murmured, squeezing his hand. “I’ll be fine.”

Sean let out a slow breath and nodded. He couldn’t command his mate. He hardly knew the human, but it still hurt his heart that his mate was going into battle without him to watch his back.

Declan rose. Sean bit back a whimper. He wanted to object, again, so badly, but held his tongue, knowing as it was he was lucky he didn’t get into hot water for trespassing into the alpha wolf’s territory.

Declan paused at the doorway and looked back at Sean. “Where are ye staying?”

Before he could rack his brain and remember the name of the motel he was renting a room at, Raul stated, “I’m going to move him into my place so he’s comfortable while I’m gone. Once I get back, I’ll let you know how things work out.”

“Very good.” Declan turned to Sean. “I’ll have me beta swing by tomorrow to interview ye on yer current plans. I’m sorry I don’t have time to do it now, but I have things to plan.”

“Thank you, Alpha,” Sean murmured.

It was actually a testament to how smoothly his pack ran that Declan had even taken the time to meet with him and accept him into the area. Sean knew if it had been his old alpha, Guy, their beta, would have ordered him to remain at the hotel until he’d been called for.

“Come on,” Raul encouraged, carefully helping Sean to his feet without waking Lily.

They bundled back up and trooped out to the SUV. Sean remained silent, unable even to latch onto one coherent thought. Fear, frustration, grief, disbelief, and lust all swirled into one giant knot of irritation in his stomach, settling like a lead ball. Would Fate be so cruel as to take Sean’s mate away when he’d just caught up with him? Surely not…he prayed.

“Which hotel you at?” Jared called from the front passenger seat.

“Uh, that small one on the north end of Stone Ridge,” he replied. “Room two-sixteen.”

Raul wrapped an arm around Sean and pulled him tight against him. “I’m really good at what I do,” he reassured. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“I just found you,” Sean said, staring into eyes so green he could drown in their depths. “I don’t think I could stand losing you now.”

“You won’t,” Raul assured. When his mate buried his hand in Sean’s hair and tugged his head closer, Sean went willingly. “Never thought I’d want to kiss a man,” Raul muttered right before capturing Sean’s lips in a bruising lip-lock.

There was nothing tentative about Raul’s kiss this time. His sweet human dominated his mouth, forcing his tongue between Sean’s lips and delving deep. Raul twined their tongues so they could taste each other.

He didn’t know how long they kissed, but suddenly a deep chuckle intruded on Sean’s bubble of bliss.

“All right,” Carson’s deep voice said as they eased apart. “You want us to check you out so you can keep making out?” he teased.

Sean groaned, but wrenched away from Raul. “No. I need to make sure I don’t miss any of Lily’s things,” he said, somehow managing to pant the words.

Raul’s brows creased as he stared at the sleeping baby. “She messy?”

“She throws things sometimes,” Sean admitted. “Or drops things and they fall into crevices you wouldn’t think to look in.”

“Maybe she’ll grow up to be a quarterback,” Jared stated. “You want me to stay with her while you pack up?”

Raul’s brows creased. “A quarterback? Stay with her?” He rolled his eyes. “God, you’re an idiot sometimes.”

Jared smirked. “No, I’m not. There are those women’s teams,” he pointed out.

“They have some really hot uniforms,” Carson added.

Sean snorted, shaking his head. “Seriously? What planet are you guys from?”

“I think we call this Earth, don’t we?” Jared deadpanned, looking between Carson and Raul with a lifted brow.

“It is. Yes,” Carson agreed.

Sean burst out laughing. He couldn’t help it.

“There’s your smile,” Raul murmured, taking his hand and tugging him toward the motel. “Come on. Lily will be fine with Carson.”

Sean cocked his head, but allowed his mate to lead him as he tried to process what had just happened. After unlocking the room, he paused and watched his mate start picking up baby toys. “Wait a minute. Your friends spouted all that ridiculous nonsense because they were trying to cheer me up?” he asked incredulously.

Raul paused and turned to look at him. He cocked his head. “Why does that surprise you?”

Frowning, Sean racked his brain for a response. “I don’t think anyone other than my sister has done that for me before,” he admitted. Well, damn. Wasn’t that a sad admission?

Sighing, Raul came toward him. The man was only a couple inches shorter than Sean’s six foot one height, but when Raul wrapped his arms around him and pulled him into a hug, he fit perfectly in Sean’s arms.