“I don’t think so,” Bryson said. “You are liable to cause more harm than good with a pair of pliers.”

  “Stop whining,” Remus said in a teasing manner. “They’re coming out, not going in.”

  Marco had such a dirty mind. Remus was talking about stitches.

  So why did it sound so naughty to him?

  “Can you wait until I’m finished before you two go hot and heavy at it?” Bryson said as he plucked at Marco’s skin. “It’s getting impossible to breathe in here.”

  Marco could feel his face heating with embarrassment, so he hid it in the folds of his arms he was lying on. He could hear Remus’s chuckling. Marco wished he was alone with his mate. They would be joining Rick’s group shortly, and there would hardly be any privacy.

  “How many people are with Rick?” Marco asked as he turned his head back around.

  “Too many,” Bryson replied. “He has his own group. I think there are about twelve people. Then there is Clyde’s group. Rick told me he had about forty changelings with him. And the coyotes from Iowa just joined them when Miguel and Benito returned to the group.”

  Marco could barely wrap his head around that many people traveling on the road. “How are they traveling with so many and not getting caught?” That was another fear Marco had. What if he came out of hiding just to get killed by Breed Hunters, mercenaries, or the military? There were too many possibilities.

  “Very carefully,” Bryson replied and then took a step back. “So get some rest. We’ll be joining them in a few hours.”

  “Thanks,” Marco said as Bryson and Remus cleaned up the discarded bandages. Now all Marco had to do was look in the mirror at the scars on his face.

  What terrified him and made his stomach cramp was the fact that he just might look like the freak his father had accused him of being.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Marco took in a deep breath as he sat on the toilet seat of the motel they had found for Bryson to take his stitches out. He was scared to death to look into the mirror. His hands were unsteady as he ran them through his hair.

  What if he looked hideous now and Remus regretted mating him?

  His entire body was covered in scars. The least that bastard Jayson could have done was leave his face alone. But that was the first thing the man had attacked.

  Marco still felt the pain of that knife as it sliced through his skin.

  Marco still had nightmares about it. He would wake up in a cold sweat only to realize he wasn’t in that concrete room and Jayson was nowhere around.

  “I can do this,” he whispered to himself. “I can look in the mirror.” He needed to stop being a fucking pussy and just get it over with. Marco pushed from the toilet and then sat back down.

  “Fuck,” he said as he gritted his teeth. Finding out if he was a sliced-up freak was harder than he thought. The bravery just wasn’t forthcoming. No matter what he said to himself, his body would not take the few steps to the mirror.

  “You all right in there?” Remus asked from the other side of the door.

  Marco tucked his hands under his armpits and tried to steady his breathing. He wasn’t all right. And if he was a freak from what Jayson had done to him, he would never be all right. It was bad enough he was small for a leopard. Now he was ugly as well. It wasn’t like he was a drop-dead gorgeous model to begin with.

  “Fuck you, fate,” he gritted out as he sat there with clammy hands and the beginning of a headache.

  “Marco?”

  Wiping his sweaty palms on his pants, Marco once again pushed from the edge of the toilet. He took a step, and then another until he was standing in front of the sink. But his head was still down.

  “What’s going on?” Remus asked from behind him. The guy had let himself in, and as angry at fate as Marco was, he couldn’t find it in himself to shout at Remus to get out. The changeling was the only one he had now. Marco wasn’t going to be foolish enough to push him away. He just hoped Remus didn’t run when he saw Marco’s face. As soon as Bryson was finished taking the stitches out, Marco had hurried to the bathroom.

  “Marco, talk to me.”

  His mate slid his arms around Marco’s waist and pulled his back to Remus’s chest. “Why are you just standing here?”

  “How bad do I look?” he asked Remus. “Am I a hideous monster?”

  “What are you talking about?” Remus asked. “The scars?”

  “Yeah, the scars,” Marco said bitterly. “Answer me.”

  Remus’s arms tightened around him. Marco knew it was from the way he had spoken to Remus. Marco had never been bitter with his best friend before. “Why don’t you look for yourself?”

  Marco shook his head. “I–I can’t.”

  Remus tucked his fingers under Marco’s chin and lifted his head.

  Marco slammed his eyes closed. “Look at yourself, baby.”

  With a racing heart, Marco slowly opened his eyes. He stared at himself in the dirty mirror, seeing what Jayson had done to him for the first time. There was a line from the outside of his eye to the corner of his mouth on both sides.

  “See, not so bad and barely noticeable.”

  If Marco had been looking at someone else, he wouldn’t have thought anything of the two vertical lines. But he was looking at the scars on his face. To Marco, they stood out like a beacon in the night.

  He tried to turn to escape, but Remus held him tightly in place.

  “You are not running from me, Marco. I know you too well, and I won’t allow you to beat yourself up over this.”

  “Of course not,” Marco snapped. “It’s not you who is wearing these scars.”

  “Knock it off,” Remus said as he pulled Marco from the bathroom and settled him on the bed. “They are barely noticeable. The doc did a damn good job on you.”

  Marco turned his head, feeling like Humpty Dumpty once more.

  He was all stitched back together, yet he felt as if he were cracking at the seams. “Tell the truth, Remus. You hate that you mated me.

  You’re stuck with a freak.”

  Remus gave a thunderous growl as he trapped Marco’s hands on either side of his body. He leaned in, his green eyes dark with anger.

  “I will never regret mating you, Marco. Don’t you ever say anything like that again! You are not a damn freak. You are still as stunning as you ever were. Stop fucking sulking or I swear I’m going to kick your ass.”

  For the first time in Marco’s life, he truly feared Remus. The man would do it. Marco didn’t doubt the threat for a second. He could see the harsh promise in the man’s eyes. “But—”

  “No buts, Marco,” Remus said right before he dipped his head and kissed each side of Marco’s face. “You are a very stunning man, baby.”

  He wasn’t sure what to say to that. He knew that Remus was telling the truth by the scent of the man. Remus truly believed Marco was handsome. A thousand tangled emotions tore through Marco. He wanted to believe his mate. He really did. How many times in his life had his father called him a freak before he died? A thousand, ten thousand?

  And here his mate was, confessing that he thought Marco was handsome and that calling himself a freak pissed Remus off. In that moment Marco knew just how lucky he was. He had a mate who truly loved and wanted him.

  Marco slipped his hand behind Remus’s neck and pulled his mate’s head closer, burying his face in the crook of Remus’s neck.

  “Thank you.”

  “For what?” Remus asked. “Telling the honest truth?” Remus pulled Marco’s head back and gave him a smile that played havoc with Marco’s body. “I love the way you look. From the black strands on your head down to your sexy toes.”

  “You think my toes are sexy?” Marco asked in astonishment.

  “Sweetheart, everything about you is sexy.” As if to prove his point, Remus released Marco and slid down the bed, grabbing his feet and kissing the top of each toe. The man had no idea how superlative he was. Marco wiggled his toes and laughed.

  “If you are going to lick any part of my body, my toes are not high on my list.” Marco pulled his feet free and then stood, giving Remus a show as he seductively wiggled out of his pants. He made sure he stuck his ass high in the air as he bent over to pull them off.

  He nearly fell over when Remus grabbed a cheek and squeezed.

  “You’re going to drive me crazy, aren’t you?”

  Marco twisted to the side and smiled. “I’m going to try.”

  The love in Remus’s eyes shattered any doubt Marco had about the man. His mate loved him regardless to what he looked like now.

  Marco stood straight and turned, pulling Remus into his arms and hugging him tightly. “I love you, Remus.”

  A gentle hand smoothed down his back. “I love you, too, Marco.

  Now finish getting undressed before I fuck you with your shirt on.”

  Marco grinned as he let Remus go and pulled his shirt off. He could see Remus gazing at him from head to toe. It was a bit intimidating considering his mate was still fully dressed. “Aren’t you going to get naked?”

  “Just as soon as I have my fill,” he said as he began to walk around Marco.

  “I never knew you were so kinky.”

  “That’s because we just started sleeping together, baby. You’re going to find that I like a lot of things. One would be you on your knees sucking my cock.”

  The guy was serious. Marco felt flutters in his stomach as he lowered himself to his knees. He was staring right at Remus’s jeans where he saw a hard outline.

  “It won’t bite. I promise.”

  Marco reached up and unsnapped the button, and then pulled the zipper down. The scent of his mate’s pre-cum slammed into him even before he saw the wet spot on Remus’s dark-grey underwear. He slid his finger into the waistband of his mate’s boxer briefs and then gave the fabric a tug.

  The move had revealed the head of Remus’s cock. Marco almost couldn’t breathe. He dipped his head forward, tasting his mate’s very essence as he licked the clear liquid that was leaking heavily.

  “Don’t tease me, baby,” Remus said in a tone that was pure seduction. “I need you too badly.”

  Those words, combined with the flavor of his mate, and the look of pleading in Remus’s eyes pushed Marco to take the cock fully into his mouth. He took Remus all the way down his throat, breathing in through his nose and inhaling the man’s scent at his core.

  “You are so beautiful, Marco.” Remus sank his hand into Marco’s hair and gave it a small tug as he began to thrust his hips forward.

  Marco closed his eyes as he savored his mate’s taste, his touch, and most of all, his cock. His tongue teased the swollen shaft, tracing the veins and slipping under the head as he heard Remus’s moans of approval.

  His mate’s sounds washed over Marco as he opened his throat to take Remus’s cock over and over again. His fingers dug into Remus’s jean-clad thighs, his blood rushing with a euphoria he had never thought possible. The only time that could top this was when Remus claimed him.

  When he opened his eyes, his mate was looking at him with such soft eyes. Marco took in Remus’s blond-brown hair, his unshaven face, and his tawny body.

  “You keep looking at me that way and I just might think you want me,” Remus said before gripping Marco’s hair and pulling his cock free.

  Marco wanted to complain. He loved the taste of his mate on his tongue. But any protest he might have had died on his lips when Remus pulled Marco up and bent him over the side of the bed. His mate still hadn’t undressed. Marco was starting to wonder if he would. The rough fabric of Remus’s denims was felt on the back of his legs as his mate lay over him, his hand gliding over Marco’s ass.

  “I love that this ass is all mine.”

  Marco’s eyes rolled to the back of his head as he bit his bottom lip. Remus’s fingers were teasing his hole, pressing against it and then pulling back. He had always followed Remus’s lead growing up and he knew the man had a dominant personality, but to feel Remus taking control was like a high to Marco.

  “Goddamn, I want to fuck you,” Remus said against his ear. “Just thinking about sinking my cock into your ass is making me harder.”

  “Then do it,” Marco whimpered as he shoved his ass against Remus’s fingers, feeling the need to be fucked throbbing through his groin and ass. “Fuck me, Remus.”

  He was becoming desperate to feel his mate inside of him.

  “Patience,” Remus said as he nipped Marco. “I can’t just fuck you, baby.” One finger pressed hard against Marco’s entrance.

  “Yes,” Marco begged. “I–I don’t mind.” He couldn’t believe he was telling Remus his secret little kink. Marco wasn’t into being beaten or anything, but he had fantasized about being fucked that way.

  “What are you saying, Marco?” Remus asked as he reached down and rummaged through their bag on the floor, pulling the bottle of lube free. “You don’t want to be stretched?”

  Marco could feel his face flushing as he nodded. He wasn’t sure why he was embarrassed to tell Remus what he wanted, but he felt like he was under a microscope when Remus locked eyes with him.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I–I want to at least try it.”

  Remus stared at him for a long moment and then dipped his head, grazing his lips over Marco’s. “I just want you to be satisfied in our sex life.”

  “I am,” Marco quickly stated, although they had only had sex once so far. But damn if their first time together wasn’t memorable.

  “If you want me to stop, say so.” Remus pulled back, kicked his pants off and tossed his shirt aside before drizzling the lube on his cock. “I mean it.”

  Marco could feel his heart beating faster as Remus set the bottle down, lathered the clear gel over his erection, and then moved toward him. He turned, grabbing the sheets as Remus blanketed his back.

  The blunt head of his mate’s cock pressed against his hole, and then Marco bit his bottom lip as Remus began to enter him. At first Marco had thought he made a grave error in his request, but the pleasure was there, along with the intense burn.

  “Feel good?” Remus asked as his fingers dug into Marco’s sides. “Do you like it?”

  “Remus,” Marco whimpered, unable to put his feelings to words.

  It was like nothing he had ever felt before. The mixture was simply amazing, but that wasn’t even a correct description. It went beyond amazing. His breathing was labored as Remus slowly inched his cock inside.

  Marco wrapped his ankles around Remus’s and began to push back. His breath caught in his throat when he felt the unshaven chin of his mate scrape along his shoulder. The added sensation made Marco cry out.

  “Anything you want, baby,” Remus murmured. Remus thrust the rest of the way in until he was buried to the hilt. “Fuck.”

  Marco gripped the sheets tighter, riding the wave of pain and pleasure. And then Remus began to curl his hips and fuck Marco like a dying man. He could feel his mate’s claws coming out, and that only excited Marco further. He didn’t want to be clawed, but knowing he was making Remus lose control was thrilling. His mate had already proven that he could partially shift when he claimed Marco. Although Marco was thrilled that Remus still had some abilities, he wasn’t giving himself false hope that they both would sooner or later regain their ability to shift.

  Marco wailed when Remus changed his angle and his sweet spot was struck over and over again. “Oh god…fuck me harder, Remus.”

  His mate took him at his word. Marco angled his hips higher as his mate pounded into his ass, shooting Marco closer to the edge. He needed just a little more, something that would—Marco cried out when Remus bit into his shoulder. His body twitched and convulsed under his mate’s, his cock exploding and his seed felt like it was being ripped from his body.

  Remus plunged deeper, moving even faster before he stiffened behind Marco and then released his shoulder, howling out his release.

  Marco laid his head on the bed, panting as his mate collapsed on top of him. “I love you, Remus, but get your heavy ass off of me.”

  Edward answered his phone on the second ring, expecting the caller to be his mate. He missed hearing her voice and wanted desperately for all of this to be over so he could go home and be with his family.

  “Edward.”

  “It’s Phillip.”

  Edward moved away from the loud noise of the men around him and found a more secluded area. “Is something wrong?”

  His cousin shouldn’t be calling him. Edward had made it very clear to stay off the phones while at the cabin. He didn’t want any of them traced.

  “Frisk is missing,” Phillip said. “I can’t find him anywhere.”

  Edward could hear the panic in the changeling’s voice.

  “Isabelle and EJ?” Edward asked as he felt his heart climb into his throat. “Where are they, Phillip?” Edward already started moving toward Clyde’s truck. He was heading back to the cabin. Edward’s soul froze on Phillip’s next words.

  “I–I don’t know.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Frisk wasn’t sure what to do, but sitting here on his ass with a band of werecoyotes glaring down at him and Isabelle, he knew had to do something. Isabelle was holding EJ in her arms, pressing him close to her chest as they both sat on the dirt floor of the tunnel under the cabin.

  A tic beat in Frisk’s jaw as he watched the leader play with his knife, swirling it around in his hand. “I’m so shocked I was able to capture you both that I’m not sure what to do with you.”

  Frisk was shocked as well. He never thought to keep an eye on the tunnel. It was their means of escape. It hadn’t dawned on him that it could also be an entry point for any enemies.

  What a damn fool he had been.

  If these bandits succeeded in killing everyone in the cabin, so many lives would be destroyed.

  “You would harm a baby?” Isabelle asked through gritted teeth, her hazel eyes filled with hate and fear.

  “Lady,” the leader said as he moved closer. Frisk scooted over, refusing to allow any harm to come to Isabelle. Not only had his king given Frisk the responsibility of watching over her, but Frisk knew he would die to protect her—even if Edward hadn’t issued the threat. “I would do whatever I had to in order to capture the loved ones of the most wanted men in America. Do you know what they would pay to get you back?”