Chapter Eleven

Leaning against the wall outside Kellan’s office, Noah was about ten seconds from going to look for his mates when they finally rounded the corner, disheveled and reeking of lust. The shit-eating grin on Dax’s face was all the confirmation Noah needed. Bastard. Not that he could blame him. If their positions had been reversed, he would have done exactly the same thing. He raised an eyebrow as Dax approached, Landon still held securely in his arms.

“Have fun?”

Dax’s answering grin stretched ear to ear. “You wouldn’t believe how much.”

He nuzzled the curve of Landon’s neck then licked a path all the way up to his ear. Landon stiffened and an enticing flush spread over his cheeks as Dax laved his ear with the flat of his tongue before delivering a sharp nip to the fleshy lobe. A light sheen of sweat beaded on Landon’s forehead, increasing the natural musk of his skin. The masculine scent called to Noah, all heat and need with just a subtle hint of submission. It pushed all of Noah’s buttons and had him on the verge of panting like his canine counterpart.

“Didn’t your mother ever teach you to share?” Noah griped, pushing himself away from the wall he’d been leaning against.

Dax grinned and nodded in invitation. “By all means, help yourself.”

Noah was across the room in three steps. Looming over Landon, he saw the smaller man cringe slightly and attempt to burrow deeper into Dax’s embrace. Noah reached out a hand and carded his fingers through Landon’s silky hair. He grabbed a handful of the golden strands and delivered a rough tug. Their mate’s eyes widened and his nostrils flared in response to Noah’s small display of dominance. When his eyes shot up and locked with Noah’s, it was hard to miss the blown pupils nearly drowning out the natural cerulean blue. Noah kept his expression neutral and refused to back down, needing to see how their young mate would respond. Landon’s reaction would set the tone for their relationship and determine how they moved forward.

Without any further provocation, Landon lowered his eyes and exposed his neck, his breath rushing out in needy pants. Noah gave out a mental shout of victory. While he and Dax had known that Landon was their mate, his natural instinct to submit to them was just the reassurance Noah had needed.

Placing a hand on the long expanse of Landon’s throat, Noah smiled down at him and delivered a gentle kiss on the curve of his neck. Landon’s sharply inhaled breath was music to his ears. He swooped down and claimed Landon’s lips in scorching kiss. He kept it brief, knowing it would be unwise to get X-rated in the hallway right outside the Pack Alpha’s office. That knowledge didn’t make it any less tempting, however. Noah took in Landon’s glazed eyes and swollen lips and couldn’t contain his smile. Their young mate appeared thoroughly debauched and he’d never been more gorgeous. It made Noah want to pin him to the wall and fuck him until he couldn’t walk. Arousal pooled in his belly, awakening his cock until it was hard and aching, pressed uncomfortably against the closure of his pants.

A glance at Dax showed a heat he knew had to be reflected in his own eyes. Without a thought, he put a hand on the back of Dax’s head and pulled him in for his own lip lock, complete with clanking teeth and dueling tongues. With the combined taste of his mates on his tongue, he couldn’t imagine there being anyone in the world luckier than him. Ending the kiss was hard but necessary. Licking his lips, Noah pulled back and took in Dax’s dazed expression. It so nearly mirrored Landon’s that he couldn’t hold back his rumble of laughter.

“What?” Dax shook his head, his eyes still slightly unfocused, and scowled.

“Not a damn thing,” Noah said. “It’s just been a while since I’ve been this happy.”

Dax’s expression softened and a smile brightened his face. “I know what you mean. It’s been a good couple of days.”

Giving Landon and Dax each one last fleeting kiss, he pulled away from them and turned toward the door. He hammered out a quick knock on the weathered oak but didn’t bother to wait for an answer before pushing his way into the room with Dax and Landon in tow. Kellan was seated behind his desk with Eli perched on the corner, while Jai sat in a chair off to the right. Kellan’s eyes locked on Landon’s battered form, still held securely in Dax’s arms. A frown tugged at his lips even as his eyes softened.

“Thanks for coming so quickly.”

Noah glared. “Was there really any choice?”

Kellan sighed and scrubbed a hand over his hair. “I know you’re not happy about this, Noah. I promise, I wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t important. Another Pack was attacked last night. We can’t afford to wait.”

Noah stilled. “How bad?”

Kellan’s mouth was set in a grim line. “I sent Malachi, Dylan and Ryker up with a team. They haven’t finished a full eval, but based on their initial findings, the Pack lands are a total loss. They ransacked homes, stole anything of value then set the place on fire.”

“What about the Pack?” Dax stepped forward, his eyes filled with concern. “Were there any survivors?”

“The team has been searching, but so far they haven’t turned up any survivors. They do have some reason for hope, however. There are quite a few people unaccounted for. They’re going to keep looking until they clear the entire town. Until then, we just have to hold onto the hope that there is still someone there for them to save.”

“They’ve been taken.” There was no question in Noah’s tone. Just cold, hard fury. He didn’t need confirmation to know what had happened and who was responsible.

“Nothing is definitive, yet. However, I have the team collecting evidence and, so far, that is the way it looks. There are signs of a struggle at many locations and the only bodies that have been recovered are those of some of the more elderly Pack members. For all we know, everyone else could have been abducted by aliens. They’re just fucking gone.”

Kellan slammed his fist down on his desk, causing the wood to groan under the strain. “We’ve spent the last few months reacting to the shit that Alpha Steele pulls. We need to get ahead of him and put a stop to this.”

A vision of Landon, beaten and strapped down to that surgical table, flashed in Noah’s mind. He didn’t want to think of what could have happened to him if they hadn’t found him when they did. To imagine anyone else suffering a similar fate was heartbreaking.

Jaw clenched, Noah looked over to where Dax was standing, still holding Landon protectively in his arms. There was an answering anger reflected in his usually jovial face. When their eyes met, there was no need for words.

“You’re right,” Noah answered with a disgruntled frown. “This needs to end. You may ask your questions but, please, be gentle.”

Noah crossed the room and stood by his mates, anxiety eating away at his gut like a parasite. He placed a hand on Landon’s cheek and hoped his touch would provide the reassurance and comfort Landon needed to soothe away the tension Noah saw building up in the younger man. Smiling softly, he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss on Landon’s forehead.

“Dax and I will be with you the whole time. If it’s too much, if you want to stop, just say the word and we’re out of here.”

“What about the Alpha?” Landon whispered, his eyes wide with fear.

“Fuck the Alpha,” Noah grumbled. He bracketed Landon’s face with his hands and looked him in the eyes. “You are more important. For Dax and me, our main concern is your health and happiness. If that happens to coincide with what Kellan wants, then lucky him. If not, too fucking bad. I don’t answer to Kellan Reeves.” Crossing his arms over his chest, he glared over at the man in question, further emphasizing his point.

“Are you crazy?” Landon whispered frantically. “Everyone answers to the Alpha. Do you have a death wish or something? He could punish you.”

Total silence had descended on the room. Someone coughed. The silence was broken moments later when Dax, true to form, erupted into a deep, musical round of laughter. The sound was pure joy, leaving no one in the room unaffected.

“Oh, my God,” Dax gasped, trying to drag air into his struggling lungs. “Please let me be there to see that show. We could sell tickets.”

“That would be so freaking hot,” Jai purred. “I can already see the headline. Alpha vs Alpha, Punishment or Porn? You Be the Judge. It would be epic. There wouldn’t be a dry seat in the house.”

“You do realize that’s my brother and my mate you’re talking about?” Eli gave Jai a half-hearted scowl filled with disgust, which the troublemaker studiously ignored.

“Come on, E. Look at them. Can you really blame me? They are total eye candy and I have a notorious sweet tooth.” His eyes sparkled as he licked his lips lewdly, leaving behind a wet sheen.

Another round of laughter rang through the room.

Smiling to himself, Noah glanced over at Landon and choked on a laugh. The smaller man, who had seemed so weak and frail just moments before, now appeared to be on the verge of attack. The sound that fell from his lips was low and menacing, shocking them all into silence. In Noah’s opinion, the change was as sexy as it was startling. It was clear, by the bulge obscenely pushing against his pants, that Dax was in complete agreement.

Jai and Eli took a large step back in an obvious attempt to distance themselves from the somewhat deranged-looking wolf, while Kellan merely stared as the scene played out, boredom etching lines into his face. When Landon’s lips pulled back, revealing sharp, elongated incisors, Noah knew it was time to put a stop to his aggressive behavior.

“Enough,” Noah ordered, giving Landon a firm tap on the nose. “You need to calm down and control yourself.”

Landon’s hand shot out, wrapping around Noah’s wrist and dragging it up toward his face. Opening his mouth, he proceeded to lick a path over Noah’s wrist and across his palm before nipping the pad of his thumb.

“Mine,” he growled, his eyes practically crackling with blue fire as he glared out at the room.

Noah’s breath caught in his chest. Dax was dumbstruck. In that moment, even snapping, snarling and half-rabid, Landon was still one of the most beautiful things Noah had ever seen in his life.

Bending down, Noah took his mate’s lips in a kiss designed to quiet, as well as claim. He kept the contact as chaste as possible, not wanting to make a spectacle of themselves in a room of curious onlookers. It was difficult. The moment his mouth made contact with the softly swollen flesh of Landon’s lips, all he wanted to do was sandwich the young man between his body and Dax’s. Noah longed to keep him there, held between them, as he reveled in the feeling of every hard inch of Landon pressed firmly against his body. Slowly, the tension eased from Landon, leaving him weak-limbed and pliant. The kiss had the desired effect, successfully distracting Landon and locking his attention on Noah instead of challenging the rest of the wolves in the room.

By the time the kiss ended, Landon’s eyes were wild and his pupils were dilated, immediately cluing Noah in to the fact that he was still not completely in control of his faculties. It was the wolf that stared out at him through those amazing cerulean eyes. Oddly enough, it was the first time Noah had seen any sign of it. Fierce and possessive, the power in that gaze sent a shiver down his spine and flooded his body with need and heat. Thoughts of pinning the smaller man down and claiming him for all to see filled his mind and nearly overwhelmed him. Even Dax didn’t elicit this kind of reaction. There was something about Landon’s other half that was so completely foreign to him, he had no idea what it would mean for their mating.

“Noah…” His name on Landon’s lips was equal parts question and demand.

“Your wolf,” Noah murmured, tracing a finger along the ridge of his cheekbone. “Amazing.”

Landon jerked back as if he’d been slapped, shock stamped clearly on his face. “What did you say?”

“I said your wolf is amazing.”

Landon was shell-shocked. “I thought he was gone, forever,” he answered, barely more than a whisper. “You really saw him?”

Noah smiled. “I saw him. I’ve never experienced anything like that.” Turning his focus on Dax, he saw a lightly glazed look in his eyes. “Did you feel it?”

“Oh, yeah,” he groaned. Shifting uncomfortably from one foot to another, he finally surrendered Landon to the nearest sofa before blatantly reaching down to adjust his burgeoning arousal. “What the hell was that?”

“Landon,” Noah answered thoughtfully. He glanced at the others but saw no obvious signs they had been affected. “Did you guys feel anything?”

His brother shrugged. “Clearly not the same thing you and Dax experienced, but I do feel different. I noticed it as soon as you guys walked into the room. I didn’t think anything of it, until you mentioned it. It’s kinda hard to describe. I just feel really good. Kellan?”

“The same.” The Alpha’s brow furrowed and his lips thinned.

Jai, on the other hand, was like the cat that ate the canary. He was sprawled out in an oversized arm chair, all loose-limbed and eyes heavy lidded.

“Holy shit,” he moaned. “Landon, sweetheart, you are like the afterglow times a thousand. I swear to God, I could just roll around in you. I don’t know what you’re doing, but whatever it is, don’t stop. I haven’t felt this good since the first time I realized what my dick was really good for.”

Eli laughed. “Thanks for that, douche. Inappropriate as usual.” He chuckled again as Jai bowed and tipped an imaginary hat in his direction. “Not that I’m complaining, but does anyone know why exactly we are all feeling this way?”

“You, gentlemen, are enjoying the effects of being in the presence of an Omega,” a feminine voice announced from the doorway. “Isn’t it a blast?”

Every head turned to find a tiny blonde standing just inside the entry.

“Sorry for crashing the party, but in my defense, I did knock first.” Lifting her head, she took a breath then released it slowly on a sigh. “Landon.”

“Ruby?” Pushing Dax’s massive form to the side, Landon caught sight of her and froze. “Ruby.”

Like a shot out of a gun, Ruby was across the room and throwing herself at Landon. Noah didn’t even have time to call out a warning as she slammed into Landon with all the restraint of a wrecking ball. The force sent them careening hard against the back of the sofa, then toppling over sideways where they fell together in a tangled heap of arms and legs.

Moving in unison and fearing the worst, Noah and Dax were at Landon’s side in seconds. A groan sounded, followed by a low, pained chuckle.

“What the hell have they been feeding you, Ruby? You weigh a freaking ton. I think you may have ruptured my spleen.”

“Hey! Low blow, Land. You know better than to go after a girl about her weight. I don’t care if you’re hurt. If you’re well enough to talk out of your ass, you’re well enough for me to kick it.”

“God! You’re such a lady.”

“And don’t you forget it,” she snarked, not even bothering to hide her smile.

Landon laughed, then groaned as he made a grab for his damaged ribs. Wheezing in a breath, he struggled and failed to pull himself up into a seated position.

“I hate to be a bother, but could someone give me a hand getting this heifer off of me so I can breathe again?”

Ruby let out a grunt of disgust as she leveraged herself clear of Landon and plopped down on the sofa next to his prone form. When Landon followed up with an exaggerated gasp for air, she nailed him with a solid punch to the arm. The move was a complete contrast to the wide, wet eyes she focused on him. “Are you okay, Land?”

“Yeah, Ruby,” he replied softly. “I’m gonna be just fine. Nothing a few days of taking it easy won’t fix.”

She nodded fast, her eyes blinking double time, trying to stem the flow of tears streaming down her face. She drew in a raspy breath as her whole body trembled. “Landon?”

“Oh, for Christ’s sake!” Landon grumbled, reaching over and dragging her into his lap.

He wrapped his long arms around her and held her to his chest, cradling her against his heart until her breath evened out and her body no longer shook.

She pressed her face against the curve of Landon’s throat then leaned back and placed a kiss underneath his chin. “I’m so glad you’re all right, Land. I was really, really worried.”

He squinted down at her. “Me, too, baby girl. How’s the rest of the Pack holding up?”

A small smile brightened her face and her eyes regained a bit of their sparkle. “Everyone is good. The Grand Rapids Pack has been very kind to us and we are extremely grateful. It’s the new beginning that we all needed.”

“A new beginning? That’ sounds about right.” Landon locked eyes with Noah.

Noah couldn’t help the flush of warmth that burned across his cheeks or the matching heat that washed over his groin and filled his shaft. Wincing in reflex as his zipper dug into his engorged flesh, Noah caught sight of Landon’s devilish smirk.

“You’re going to get yourself in trouble with that look, Land,” Noah warned.

Landon raised an eyebrow in challenge. “Dax told me that being in trouble’s not always a bad thing. I’ve been thinking maybe I need to test the theory.”

“Not that it isn’t fun watching you two eye fuck, but I’ve got a lot to do and not much time to do it,” Kellan grumbled. “The sooner we get this done, the sooner you guys can get on with your kinky fun.”

“My apologies, Alpha,” Landon responded, contritely. “It won’t happen again.” Taking the tangled mess he and Ruby had gotten themselves into, he frowned. “Umm, Noah? Do you think you could give me a hand, please?”

“Sure, Land. Here, let me help you up.”

Noah reached down and wrapped a gentle hand around Landon’s wrist while Dax was quick to move in and provide support for his back. Working together, it took no time at all to get Landon vertical and resting comfortably next to Ruby on the couch. When they were done, Landon appeared exhausted but happy.

“All right,” Noah said, turning to Kellan. “You called this meeting. Ruby already filled you in on what happened in the facility so what more do you need from us?”

Kellan scowled. “I need to know if there’s anything either of them can remember that might be of some use to us. Anything they didn’t tell us before that might help us get a lead on where else Alpha Steele has facilities set up and what other plans he might be working on. We need something—anything—that can get us a step ahead of this guy. He needs to be stopped.”

Ruby paled under the combined regard of the room and Landon didn’t look much better.

“I honestly don’t know what else I can tell you,” Landon offered. “I was kept in seclusion for most of our time at the facility. I don’t even think I could give you an adequate description of the building’s layout. They didn’t let me out of that cell for anything other than bathing and ‘treatments’ with Dr Gregory. I don’t really have any useful information to provide.”

“You might know more than you think,” Eli spoke up. “Did the guards or the medical staff mention anything about the other facilities or where they might be located? If we could get a heading, we might be able to find them, even without an exact description.”

Landon scrunched up his nose, his brow furrowed in concentration. “I think I remember hearing something about getting a new batch of guards shipped in from Detroit,” he said. “I don’t know if that’s helpful, but that’s all I can remember. Sorry.”

“No,” Eli exclaimed. “It’s a place to start. Thank you. Ruby, was there anything else you can remember, beyond what you’ve already told us?”

The tiny blonde shook her head. “No, I’ve already told you everything.”

Eli nodded with a smile. “No worries. We appreciate everything you were able to tell us, earlier. The information you’ve provided is the best intel we’ve gotten in weeks.”

“I just wish I could do more to help.” She frowned.

“You’ve done plenty,” Eli replied.

Casting a nervous glance at Landon, Ruby bit her lip, abusing the sensitive flesh between sharp teeth. When she turned to face him fully, her eyes were wet and her expression hollow and pained. “So, I guess Noah and Dax told you everything I told them?”

“Yeah, they did,” Landon confirmed with a dip of his head.

Ruby had the decency to look contrite. “I’m so sorry, Land. I didn’t agree with the decision to keep things from you, but I did follow the order when it was handed down. The deception was wrong. All I can say in our defense was that it came from a desire to protect you.”

“I’m not mad, Ruby. I just don’t understand the reason for the deception. Why keep me in the dark all this time?”

“I know you don’t understand, honey.” Blowing out a weary sigh, Ruby grabbed Landon’s hand and held it tightly between both of hers. “Promise you won’t hate me.”

“What?”

“Promise!” she ordered desperately.

“Fine, you lunatic! I promise.”

She smiled. “You love me.”

“Times like this I wonder why,” Landon answered, arms crossed over his lean chest, his expression stern.

Ruby took a breath. “After everything your father told mine, my dad was worried that others would come looking for you. Even if Charles Steele didn’t get his hands on you, there are a hundred other Alphas out there who would love to get their hands on an Omega, willing or not.”

“Jesus,” Landon breathed. “This whole Omega thing sounds more like a curse than a blessing. How the hell can I ever have a real life if I’m always worried that there’s someone lurking around the corner, just waiting for their chance to take me away? That’s no way to live.”

“Well, you’re going to have to get over it, Land. From what I’ve heard from some of the Pack, we’ve got bigger problems than your plans for the future.” She turned to Noah, her expression serious. “Did any of the men holding us escape?”

“Yes,” he answered angrily. “Dylan told me that there were three unaccounted for—Alec Pine, Xavier Timms and Dr Gregory Adams.”

Landon tensed in Noah’s arms as his whole body shook uncontrollably. His teeth were chattering so hard, Noah was afraid they would shatter. Not knowing what else to do, he wrapped his arms around their young mate, pulling him in tighter against him and sheltering him with the strength of his body. Dax was there too, rubbing Landon’s back while crooning nonsensically in an effort to sooth his frazzled nerves as he struggled for breath. Looking to Ruby, Noah took in her trembling bottom lip. Her pale blue eyes welled with tears and a devastation so deep, Noah couldn’t even begin to understand.

“If Alec and Gregory are still out there, you can bet your ass that Alpha Steele knows we escaped and who helped us. It’s just a matter of time before he sends a team after Landon. We’re not safe here.”

Ruby turned to Landon, her face lined with concern. “Have you been able to shift?” When he shook his head, Ruby’s expression filled with remorse. “You have to tell them. They need to know.”

“Tell us what?” Dax was on his feet and in Ruby’s face in seconds. “What’s going on?”

Landon’s fair complexion paled even further and his eyes dropped to where his hands rested in his lap. He seemed to shrink right in front of Noah, hunching in on himself as he dragged in a shuttering breath.

“I can’t shift.”

The words were barely more than a whisper, but they hit Noah with the force of a sledge hammer to the gut. The hopelessness and despair in those simple words nearly broke his heart.

“Excuse me?” Surely he had heard Landon wrong?

“I can’t shift,” Landon repeated, his voice gaining strength and a touch of bitterness. “Something happened to me at the facility. Alec punished me when I tried to escape. The shock collar… It did something to me… I can barely even feel my wolf anymore. I’d hoped things would get better once we were freed, but I still can’t coax him out. I think my wolf may be gone for good.”

When Landon raised his head there were tears running freely down his cheeks. Unable to keep from touching him, Noah placed a hand on the back of Landon’s head and pulled him into his chest. Dax moved in from behind and they offered him the comfort he so desperately needed.

“They’ve done so much—taken so much from us.” Ruby whimpered.

She didn’t continue. Noah noticed her hunched form and her arms wrapped protectively around her stomach. Tears tracked down her face in rivulets while her shoulders shook with silent sobs. Dropping his gaze, he saw a matching wetness glimmered in Landon’s eyes. Pain, humiliation and sorrow were all there in those blue eyes, raw and bleeding for the world to see. Watching Ruby hold herself, knowledge flared in his mind and had him swallowing back the nearly overwhelming urge to vomit.

“Ruby,” Noah coaxed softly, “are you…?”

Tears fell faster and a sob finally broke free as she nodded out her confirmation. “Eight weeks, I think.”

“Jesus Christ,” he breathed, his heart breaking for her.

He made a move to get up, which she countered with a panicked step back.

“Don’t. Just stay where you are.”

Her raspy voice was raw and filled with tears. What truly kept Noah glued to his seat was the fear that enveloped her. Nodding his agreement, he settled back against the sofa and pulled Landon snugly against his chest.

Awkward silence fell on the room in the wake of Ruby’s revelation. In true Alpha form, Kellan was still focused on the task at hand and was quick to move the conversation forward. Noah had a hard time concentrating on the plans and orders he was doling out. Keeping an eye on Landon and Ruby, it was all he could do to stay strong for his mate and not break down in front of God and the world. It was clear that, no matter how together they might seem, none of Landon and Ruby’s Pack had walked away from their confinement undamaged. Noah hoped that the old saying about time healing all wounds was right, because these men and women had suffered enough.