Chapter Fifteen

They had managed to make it a good three days without Noah and Dax being called away to deal with Pack business. In that time, their bond had grown by leaps and bounds. They used the time getting to know each other better. Unfortunately, it was only a temporary reprieve. Being newly mated did not get you out of your duties when you were a member of one of the scouting teams.

Landon sat on the sofa and observed them while they bustled around, preparing to head out to some top secret meeting that he had not been invited to. They had been apologetic, promising to return as quickly as possible and encouraging him to make himself at home and explore the apartment. He considered the suggestion for all of two seconds then dismissed it completely. While it might feel like home someday, for now, without one of his men present, it felt like an invasion of their privacy. No, it seemed like he was destined for an afternoon alone on the couch, cruising through the offering of daytime television. Yay.

Blessedly, there was a knock on the door and a moment later Jai’s voice could be heard from the entryway.

“Where’s the fire?” he asked, entering the apartment with his normal, cocky air.

“Kellan’s called a meeting for the scouting teams. Apparently one of Dylan and Ryker’s informants came through with some new intel on a possible location of another facility, this time on the outskirts of Detroit. According to Ryker, if what the man told him turns out to be true, the Detroit facility is at least three times bigger than the one Landon and his Pack were found at.” Noah shook his head. “Can you imagine how many Shifters they could have locked up in a place that size?”

“Fuck.”

“That’s putting it mildly.” Noah sighed and went to grab a jacket out of the hallway closet. “Are you here to see Landon?”

“Yeah. I thought he could use some company and a familiar face. We could watch movies or maybe go for a run if he felt up to it. I know he’s been missing his wolf and I figured he might like the chance to get reacquainted.”

“Really?” Landon was on his feet in seconds. The idea of getting to run as a wolf again had him so excited he thought he might jump right out of his skin. Throwing himself at his friend, he wrapped his arms around him and pulled him into a tight bear hug. “Oh, my God, Jai! You are the best!”

“Tell me something I don’t know.” Jai laughed and returned the hug. “I knew a run would be what called to you. We just need to clear it with the warden first.”

Pulling apart, they turned to Noah, expectantly.

Noah chuckled at their antics. “You know, I never noticed it but with the two of you standing side by side, you look a lot alike. If I didn’t know you, I’d say you could be brothers. Hey, D, come check this out!”

Dax came around the corner a moment later with a toothbrush hanging out of his mouth and a towel in his hand that he was using to roughly dry his unruly hair. “Wassup?”

“Look at them and tell me the first thing that crosses your mind.” He motioned to Jai and Landon.

“Holy shit.” The toothbrush sagged and nearly fell out of his mouth as he leaned forward and squinted at them. “I mean Jai’s hair is a little bit lighter and your eyes are a little bit bluer, but other than that, you guys could be fucking twins. How did we not see that?”

“No clue. Crazy right?” Noah chuckled.

Dax scratched his head. “Huh. They say everyone’s got a twin somewhere. Turns out yours lives just down the hall.”

Landon gave Jai a skeptical look and was given one right back. “Do you have any idea what they’re talking about?”

“Not a clue,” Jai answered, turning an expectant look at Noah and Dax. “So what’s the word, guys? Can I take mini me out for a run in the woods or are you gonna make us stay cooped up in the apartment all day?”

“I don’t know,” Noah hedged, concern wrinkling his brow. “With Alec and Gregory still out there and my father knowing that Landon is here, I wouldn’t put it past him to send someone after him. D?”

Pinning Dax with his most pathetic puppy dog eyes, Landon held his breath as he waited for his decision.

“I don’t see a problem with them going for a run, as long as they stay close to the Pack House. I can set up a few extra guards to keep an eye on things while they’re out there. The chances of someone not only finding this place but also getting inside the grounds without being detected are astronomical. They should be fine.”

Noah still didn’t look convinced but eventually nodded. “You’re right. I’m just being paranoid. As long as you guys are good with the extra guards and stay close to the House, I’m okay with you going for a run.”

Landon had to fight back the urge to jump up and down like an excited five-year-old. “Thank you guys, so much. I promise, we’ll do whatever you say and follow any rules you lay down. I’d even be willing to run circles in the front yard if it means I can shift into my wolf again.”

Dax laughed and pulled him into a hug. “We won’t make you do anything quite that restrictive. You two just stick to the agreed upon stipulations and have a good time, okay? If anything feels wrong or out of place, don’t hesitate to contact us. Preferably through the mate link, if you can manage it, otherwise cell phone or one of the guard’s radios will suffice.”

“How long until you think you’ll be back?” Noah asked. “Our meeting should take about an hour. Do you want us to wait for you here in the room or would you prefer to meet up downstairs for dinner?”

“We should be back by the time your meeting ends,” Jai confirmed. “Until it’s safe to go farther into the woods, any running we do today will basically be laps around the House. It shouldn’t take long to get bored doing that.”

“All right then.” Noah bent down and placed a hard kiss on Landon’s lips, then turned and headed toward the front door. “Be careful and have fun,” he called as he opened the door and exited the apartment.

“Did that asshole leave without me?” Dax asked as he careened around the corner.

His jacket was hanging off one shoulder and his boots were on but unlaced. He was an adorable mess.

Landon bit his lip to hide his smile. “He did tell you that if you couldn’t be ready on time, he wasn’t going to wait for you anymore. You know how he feels about being late.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. How the hell did I end up mated to such an anal retentive prick, huh?”

“That anal retentive prick has the cock of a stallion and the skill and stamina to use it,” Landon reminded him.

“Oh,” Dax murmured with a thoughtful smile. “Now I remember. Have fun on your run. Be careful of the pricker bush around the back of the House. Once those things get stuck in your fur, they’re a bitch to get out.” Moving in hard and fast, he kissed Landon’s forehead then turned and ran out the door. Jai was sporting a bemused grin. “Are they always like that?”

Landon shrugged. “Only on the days they make it out of bed. Now, let’s go for that run!”

* * * *

The air outside had become crisp and chilly, making Landon ridiculously glad he’d remembered to grab a jacket from the closet as they’d left. He and Jai walked side by side, talking about everything from the trouble they’d gotten into as pups to who was hooking up with who in the Pack.

“So, how are things going with your boys? Have you gotten through all the initial pleasantries—what’s your favorite food, what’s your favorite color, how big is your cock?”

Landon coughed, practically choking on his tongue. “I’d say we’ve covered all the basics. Some things you just have to learn by experience.”

Jai laughed. “Well, look at you, you little sexual deviant. I’m happy for you. I think you’re well overdue for some happiness. So tell me, how’s the sex? Double the trouble or twice the fun?”

“A gentleman never tells.”

“Someone accused you of being the ‘g’ word?” Jai asked, aghast. “Point them out and I’ll kick their ass.”

Landon took one look at the mock indignation on Jai’s face and lost it. “You’re a good guy, Jai. Thanks for hanging out with me. I needed a bit of normalcy. “

“Man, if you want normal, you picked the wrong guy. Shit, you’re not even in the right area code.”

“Well, then maybe normal is overrated. After all, my life has officially become a circus.”

“Oh, can I be the ring master? I’ve always thought I’d look amazing in a top hat and tails.”

“More like the lead clown. You are a total nutcase.”

“Admit it, your life would be boring without me.”

Landon smiled. “Truer words were never spoken. I can’t tell you how good it feels to have someone to talk to that I can trust. With Noah and Dax on one of the scouting teams, they already told me that they’re going to be out on missions, a lot. I thought maybe I could start training and join up to help, but I was given an emphatic ‘no’ and sent along on my way.”

Jai stopped suddenly, his eyes locked on Landon’s face. “Why wouldn’t they let you join one of the teams?” he asked, his tone sharp.

“Apparently, Noah, Dax, Kellan and Ruby all sat down and had a more in-depth talk about the strengths and benefits of obtaining an Omega. After what I was told was a unanimous vote, it was decided that I should not be allowed to leave the grounds without being accompanied by a team of guards, for any reason. It seems that everyone is worried about what will happen if Alpha Steele manages to get his hands on me. I tried to tell them that for me to be any good to Steele, he’d also have to abduct Noah and Dax, but no one was interested in listening to me.” Landon kept his eyes on the ground and kicked a loose clump of soil. “They think I would be a distraction on missions because everyone would be too focused on protecting me to get the job done.”

“Are you kidding me?” Jai asked, incredulously. “Who the hell do they think they are, telling you that you can’t sign up to help protect our people? It makes me sick. They claim they’re just trying to protect you, that you should be grateful about it because they wouldn’t do it if they didn’t care about you. Bullshit! They treat anyone who’s not an Alpha or Beta like they are weak children that need to be coddled and kept safe.” Jai clenched his hands and looked Landon straight in the eye. “You are not weak, Landon. You are stronger that anyone I’ve ever met. Don’t let them make you feel like less than you are. Do you understand me?”

Landon gave him a sidelong glance. “Yeah, understand. Damn,” he muttered, “I’m so sick of everyone being focused on my drama. I know this might get me punched in the face, but I have to throw it out there. What’s the deal with you and Dylan?”

“What do you mean?” Jai’s tone was cool and cautious, nothing like the warm tone he usually directed at Landon.

“Look, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or start a fight. If you’d rather not talk about it, I totally understand. I just thought you might like someone to talk to. Someone who doesn’t already know about all of your baggage and might be able to listen with an unbiased ear.”

Indecision flared in Jai’s eyes. Landon could practically see the wheels turning in his head as he mulled over his options. The staring match seemed to last forever until Jai’s shoulders finally slumped in defeat and he let out a weary sigh.

“As I’m sure you’ve probably heard, Dylan Cantwell is my mate.”

“Why do I hear a ‘but’?”

Jai gave him a pained smile. “Perceptive, aren’t you? When I first moved here, I’d been looking for a new beginning—a place to belong where I could be free to be myself. After being cast aside by my parents and my Pack, I felt like I had nothing—that I was nothing. I’d been here almost a month before I finally talked myself into setting up a meeting with the Alpha. Imagine my surprise when I show up at Sephora to meet with Kellan and, in the process, found my mate. New Pack, new mate. It should have been the happiest time of my life. It only took a few days for the shit to hit the fan. He wanted me to move in with him right away but I said ‘no’. I told him I needed more time to get to know him and the Pack before I would be comfortable giving up my own space. I had just moved to the area and knew next to nothing about the Pack. I just wanted to get my bearings and not do anything impulsive. I thought he’d understand, but he was furious.”

“Holy shit,” Landon breathed.

“It might not have been so bad, but we were at Kellan’s club, Sephora, and he just totally lost it. Started going on and on about me not being safe on my own and how he couldn’t protect me if I wasn’t with him. I told him that he didn’t need to worry. I tried to explain about my job with Eli’s security company and the training that we’d all received, but he wouldn’t listen. He laughed in my face, said that no matter what kind of training I’d received I was still only a Gamma wolf and the only place I should be was safe at home where I wouldn’t get myself hurt. He basically announced to the Pack that I was too weak to take care of myself. That was when I made the decision to walk away. My parents and my old Pack all treated me like I was weak because I was gay and I didn’t hide it. No way was I going to come here and walk into the same kind of situation. Fuck that! I don’t need Dylan Cantwell.”

“Jesus,” Landon breathed. “Did the guy have a death wish or something?”

Jai managed a half-hearted smile and shrugged. “Who knows? He came to see me a month or two later, full of excuses. Said that he’d just wanted to protect me and didn’t want me to get hurt. Not once did he apologize for the way he treated me or for making me look like a lesser wolf in front of the Pack.”

“Then what happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?” Landon’s eyes were wide with disbelief.

“I told him that I couldn’t be with someone who didn’t believe in me and my strength. He left and that was the end of it.”

“Jai?”

When Jai lifted his head, there was no hiding the tears in his eyes. “Yeah?”

God, he looked so broken. Devastated.

“There was hasn’t been anyone else, has there?”

Jai shook his head slowly. “No. People see me dancing and flirting and having a good time. They never even asked, they just assumed the worst. I’m not a bad man. I’ll admit, I can be a pain in the ass but I’m not the person they think I am.”

“I know.”

Jai let out a pained laugh. “How do you know?”

Landon shrugged. “Not sure. Maybe it’s the whole Omega thing. I see you, Jaimeson Miller. You’re a good man and if Dylan doesn’t see it, he’s an idiot. He’s gonna be ready to kick his own ass when he realizes what he walked away from.”

“Maybe you’re right. In any case, I’m done letting Dylan ruin my day. I thought the plan was to go for a run, not stand here braiding our hair and talking about our feelings. You ready?”

Landon laughed. “Hell yeah!”

Running around the side of the House, they stripped down and shifted fast. There was a chill in the air and Landon didn’t want it to get to his more sensitive bits. Since Noah had forced his wolf out of hiding, Landon had been practicing his shift. It took mere seconds for two blond men to vanish and two golden wolves to take their place. Wriggling his body, Landon enjoyed the residual tingle that worked its way down his spine, an after effect that always came with a shift. He shook out his fur, yipped out an excited call and bounded across the backyard, Jai hot on his heels.

They ran for hours. Jumping and wrestling like pups. Landon couldn’t remember the last time he’d had so much fun when it didn’t involve him being sandwiched naked between Noah and Dax. They saw glimpses of the guards as they played but stayed out of the way, giving Landon and Jai the freedom to run without having to concern themselves with an audience.

When exhaustion finally settled in, they dropped to the ground next to their pile of clothes. Shifting back, Landon enjoyed the sensation of the soft grass at his back and the fall sun heating his sweat-slick skin.

“I feel like I could lie here forever. God, it’s so peaceful.”

“You lie there too long and you’re bound to lose something vital. I don’t know about you, but I’m fond of all my bits and pieces staying right where they are, thank you very much.”

“Fine. Just take the fun out of everything, why don’t you?”

“What are you talking about? I am the fun. Literally. I’m just trying to do you a public service. Think about how much less fun you’ll have if you lose your favorite appendage to frostbite?”

“Are you kidding me?” Landon chuckled. “I don’t know where you come up with this stuff. Do you have any kind of inner filter between your brain and your mouth?”

Jai gave him a mischievous grin. “I just believe in honest communication. Are you open to me acting as a surrogate for you in the bedroom? We wouldn’t want those men of yours to get bored.”

“Enough,” Landon growled playfully. “I’m getting dressed, you lunatic.” Jumping up, he began jerking on his clothes with blinding speed. “You keep your dirty, lecherous hands to yourself and away from my men. I don’t share. I already licked them, there’re mine.”

Jai wrinkled his nose. “That’s disgusting.”

Shrugging, Landon just smiled. “All’s fair in love and dibs.”

Jai laughed. “Touché.”