Yeah, right. Then his bad luck would kick in. Heaven had images of his house catching fire, his nonexistent dog running away, and losing the kids in a grocery store. That would be the likely scenario.
Ever since he was little, it seemed that when something good happened, the bad wasn’t too far behind. He knew life had balance but, damn, give a guy a break.
All of that didn’t matter unless Murdock showed up to redeem himself, and Heaven wasn’t sure he could forgive him. Then his execution would be carried out.
Heaven curled into a ball. His heart felt hollow, and he felt numb.
Beautiful gray eyes haunted him, even when he closed his own.
His mate had looked stricken when Heaven screamed at him. Was he sorry he did it, or was he a heartless bastard that fucked anything that moved? Heaven didn’t think he was heartless. There was too much pain in his eyes.
If his mate showed up, Heaven would at least listen to the wolf.
The forgiveness part would come if he believed him.
Murdock. What kind of name was that? Heaven smiled. His name was unique enough without poking fun at someone else’s.
A truck pulled into his drive. Heaven leaned up and pulled the curtain aside. It was Murdock.
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Lynn Hagen
Chapter Three
He jumped out of bed and walked down the hallway to the front door as his father reached it.
“Go back to your room.”
“No, I want to hear what he has to say.”
“Why?” His father growled.
Heaven wasn’t going to get into a debate right now. His father huffed then opened the front door. “What in the hell are you doing here? I should kill you myself.”
“Maverick, as my named executioner, has granted me two weeks with my mate. If he’ll allow it,” Murdock stated firmly, not backing down from Heaven’s father.
Heaven’s heart beat faster. Was Murdock here to truly see him or save his ass?
Of course he wanted to save himself from death, but did he want Heaven? No matter how much Heaven wanted to turn his back, he couldn’t. The pull was strong, making him step past his father and out onto the porch.
“Heaven, get back in here.” His father tried to grab his arm, but Heaven batted him away.
“Father, you know as well as I do that the law states that he is granted whatever his executioner has allowed him.” Heaven had never gone against his father before, he respected and loved him, but this was his mate.
“Don’t hurt my son, or I’ll forget about my demand and kill you myself.” Windstorm slammed the door.
“Hi,” Murdock said in that sexy, soft voice.
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Heaven stared at his shoes, unable to look up.
“Is there somewhere we can talk, or would you prefer to stay on the porch? I’ll do whatever you wish.” Heaven raised his head, glaring at Murdock. “Why? So you won’t die?”
Murdock shook his head, his face remained composed. “No, if I must die, then so be it. I just want a chance to get to know you. To apologize.”
“Apologize?” Heaven couldn’t help it. His lip curled up in a sneer.
It was so out of character for him. “How do you apologize for something like that?”
Murdock took a deep and steady breath then looked Heaven in his eyes. “I didn’t know you were there. Had I known, that never would have happened.”
“And that excuses it?” The image flashed once again in Heaven’s mind.
“No, there is no excuse. Only a reason.” Heaven wanted to stomp his foot, pissed that he couldn’t hold back the tears. “I can’t get it out of my head.” he cried.
Murdock took a step closer, hesitated, and then stepped back again. “I wish I could take it away. The pain in your eyes is burned into my memory. Something I’ll have to live with for however long that may be.”
“Did…did you love him?” Heaven asked hesitantly.
“God, no. My love is only for you.”
Heaven smiled through his tears. “You sound like you should write love songs or some shit.”
Murdock grinned. “It’s true though.” Heaven shoved his hands in his back pockets. Maybe he should forgive him. It’s not like the wolf knew he was there, and Lord knows karma was just laughing at him. Heaven didn’t even know his mate was in the same club. It would take a long time to get that image from his brain though.
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“Can we take that walk? Your dad is glaring at me through the window.”
Heaven turned, giving his father a frown. His father shrugged his shoulders before letting the curtain go.
“Okay.”
Murdock reached up and Heaven grabbed his hand, allowing Murdock to lead him down the front steps as they walked the pack land.
* * * *
Murdock’s heart raced as Heaven held his hand. His mate pointed out different interests around the land, chatting about his Alpha and anything else that came to mind.
Heaven had him mesmerized.
He was honest when he said that if the choice was for him to die, so be it. The only thing on his mind at present was getting to know this beautiful creature.
“So all the soldiers live under one roof with the Alpha?” Murdock asked as he stopped his mate from tripping.
Heaven nodded. “Yes. We Grey wolves live differently than the Timber wolves. There are more of us. The wolves in the pack who aren’t soldiers live in their own houses, have normal jobs, and raise cubs. I like where you live though. From the feeling I got, you’re a tight-knit family.”
“We are. I don’t want to push you. I know you haven’t forgiven me, but if you do, I’d like for you to live there. Would you like that, or would you rather stay here?” Murdock loved his mate’s voice. He was soft-spoken, and his mannerisms were feminine and his looks stunning. He would grant Heaven’s wish of where they would reside, though he really hoped his mate choose the Brac pack.
“I’ll let you know.” Heaven glanced down, looking at their entwined hands.
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31
Well, it was a start. It gave Murdock
some
hope. “Fair enough.”
“So, you’re a hundred and a half?” Heaven asked as they walked toward the eastern part of the land where the mountains sat majestically against the beautiful blue sky.
“Give or take a year. You?”
Heaven blushed as he stared down at his sneakers.
“You can tell me.” Even with Murdock’s superior hearing, he didn’t understand the mumble. “Heaven?”
“Fine. I’m fifty.” He blew out heavily.
Murdock caught himself before he damn near shouted “holy shit.” His mate was young. Although shifters technically matured and were ready to leave home at the age of thirty, he felt like he should come back in fifty years.
Crap.
“Is that too young for you?” Heaven asked with a mixture of apprehension and snideness.
“No.” It just meant Murdock would have to keep that in mind when his mate acted his age. It explained a lot. A more mature wolf would have tried to rip the throat out of the twink and fought Murdock for their right to be claimed. His mate ran away crying.
“Would you like to go into town and get something to eat?
There’s a place called Theo’s Bar and Grill. They have really good food.” Heaven sounded hopeful. Murdock would deny his mate nothing.
“You have a town?”
“It’s like yours, but a little more metropolitan. It’s larger, but not large enough to be considered a city, and it’s pack run since there are so many of us.”
Murdock kept forgetting his mate was Grey wolf and not Timber.
“I’ll drive.”
Murdock helped Heaven into his truck, buckled him in, and then closed his door. On his way around to his side, he nodded and smiled at Heaven’s glaring father, who was standing at the window, and then he climbed into the truck. Thank god his mate was an adult and old
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enough to leave home. Dealing with his father all of the time would have been brutal.
“Just tell me which way to go.” Once out on the road, Murdock slid his hand into Heaven’s, craving the contact. “Is there a motel around here that I can stay in?”
“Why? Don’t you want to stay at my house?” Heaven sounded suspicious, and Murdock couldn’t have that.
He snorted. “So your father can try to cut my balls off in my sleep?”
Heaven shook his head. “He won’t go against the executioner’s decree.”
“Can we call him
Maverick
?
Executioner
sounds so ominous.”
“But it is.”
“Please?” Now that Murdock knew his mate’s age, Heaven sounded it.
Heaven blew out a breath. “Fine.”
“Wasn’t so hard now, was it?” Murdock squeezed his hand, giving his mate a lopsided grin.
Heaven’s smile was goofy. Murdock had an overwhelming urge to kiss him. His cock finally came back to life, beating out a tempo to claim his mate.
“No.”
* * * *
A week had passed, and it seemed Murdock was getting somewhere with Heaven, but his father remained cold and aloof.
Windstorm was the one who asked for the restitution, so he would have to be the one to call it off. Murdock wasn’t out to schmooze him, but the guy could give him a break.
He and Heaven had shifted, running through the forest on pack land. It felt good to run free with the ground beneath his paws and his mate at his side. Heaven had been stubborn though, not even allowing
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33
Murdock to kiss him yet. He said if his father didn’t change his mind, it would be better that he didn’t yearn for what he never knew.
It made sense, but it still didn’t stop his blood from catching fire every time he was near Heaven.
His mate skidded to a halt, his snout lifting and sniffing the air.
Grey wolves had a better sense of smell than Timber wolves.
Murdock stopped, cocking his head and listening for what his mate was scenting.
Heaven whined, inching closer to Murdock.
“Look at the pups out to play.”
Murdock snarled when a couple of men emerged from behind a tree. One held a gun on them while the other had some rope in his hand. Murdock could tell they were human. Never before had he encountered unmated humans who had knowledge of their existence, except for Frank, half owner of the diner, and he didn’t like it one bit.
“You’re a big one, aren’t you?” one of the humans said to Murdock. “Biggest I’ve seen yet.”
Murdock tucked his ears back, taking a stand in front of Heaven as he growled a warning.
“Must be his mate.” the other snaggletoothed one commented.
The first human tilted his head, as he shook his head. “But they’re both male.”
“Maybe it’s his cub.”
“Don’t matter. Doc’ll take ‘em.”
Murdock lunged, snapping his jaws. He stepped back, pushing Heaven further away from harm. His mate whined again, and Murdock could feel him shaking as Heaven pressed his body into Murdock’s.
“Go for the small one. Shoot the big one, but don’t kill him for Christ’s sake.”
The gun went off. Murdock howled as he pushed his mate in the opposite direction. They broke camp, running as fast as they could.
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Shifting as soon as they made it to Murdock’s truck, Heaven snatched up their clothes and tossed them into the truck, but there was no time to dress.
There was blood oozing from Murdock’s thigh. He knew he needed to stay in shifter form to heal properly, but getting Heaven to safety took priority over his needs. He laid his foot heavily on the gas pedal as Heaven used a shirt to try and stop the bleeding.
* * * *
When they finally made it to his house, Heaven jumped out and ran for his father before the truck came to a stop. “Father!” Windstorm came out onto the porch, letting his son lead him to the truck. He cursed when he saw Murdock passed out behind the wheel. Very carefully, he extracted the wolf, carrying him into the house.
“We were out running in our wolf form on the western half of our territory when these two humans came at us. He protected me, but they shot him, Father.” Heaven sobbed as his father tried to wake Murdock. They had to get him to shift.
“Please don’t die, Murdock. I forgive you. Please,” Heaven cried.
His father grunted, gently pushing Heaven aside to dig the bullet out. Once it was removed, Murdock shifted to wolf form.
“Damn. Thing was pure silver.” Windstorm held it up for Heaven to see.
“Then the humans didn’t mistake us for regular wolves?”
“‘Fraid not.” Windstorm dug through the fur, cleaning the wound further. “I’ll rescind my restitution demand.” Heaven sniffled. “Thank you. He really is caring and sweet.”
“I hope so. If not, I’ll cut his balls off.” Heaven winced. “I’ll let him know that.”
“Go pack your things. I’m calling Maverick to come get him, and then I’m going to see our Alpha about a couple of humans.”
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35
“Thank you, Father.” Heaven kissed his father on the cheek, running down the hall to pack his personal items and grab Murdock’s bag. He refused to think how this may be his fault.
No one
had that bad of luck, did they?
Six hours later, Maverick came through the door after a long meeting with Alpha Zeus and the soldiers, calling a hunt for the humans who shot the Timber wolf. Two more large men stepped in with him.
“Gunnar will drive Murdock’s truck back while Mark drives your car. You and Murdock will be in the back of my SUV where he can lie down comfortably.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
Heaven followed along as the men lay his mate down in the back.
The seat had been put down for more room and a couple of quilts were placed in the back. Heaven kissed his father good-bye, promising to be back for a visit. Next, he hugged Olivia, his Uncle Sky’s, Tangee’s father, mate.
Although his uncle was killed over twenty years ago, his father took on the responsibility of caring for her now.
She had been in a terrible car accident, crushing her left side, and she needed physical therapy. Her daughter, Melonee, resided in the Brac pack home with her brother Tangee until Olivia was well enough to care for her daughter once again.