“Step away from my mate HOGG!” my growl shook the very air surrounding us.

  “He’s not your mate. You kidnapped him. You’ve convinced him he belongs to you. We’ll deal with this in the courts.” He looked at Hutchins. “I want him arrested. He kidnapped my son. Look at the faded bruising. He’s abused my boy.”

  Doc stepped forward and handed Hutchins a folder containing the blood tests and documents from Theo’s Poppys will. The sheriff scanned the papers before he spoke. “Mister Mossdale, are you making a formal complaint of kidnapping an omega against Mr. Edward Sharkey regarding one Theodore Mossdale?”

  Theo giggled. “Soon to be Theodore Sharkey.”

  “Never son, that will NEVER be your name. Yes, Sheriff, I want to file a formal complaint of kidnapping.” Hogg wore a smile of smug satisfaction.

  Hutchins walked over to his vehicle and typed up a formal complaint report. Not much information was needed, as it was all in the file Doc handed him. Carrying a tablet back from his car, he handed the tablet to Hogg. Of course, Hogg immediately signed and handed the tablet back to the sheriff.

  Hutchins shook his head and huffed out a little laugh. “OK, Mako, you know what we gotta do.”

  “I do Sheriff, thank you.” I turned to Theo and kissed him deeply, causing him to moan. “I’ll be back no later than tomorrow, baby. Everything is gonna be OK.”

  “I know, love. Doc and Gates explained everything to me. This is how it has to be to end this. Wanna go to the courthouse day after tomorrow and get married?” The smirk on his face told me everything I needed to know. He was MINE.

  “Hurry and get him away from my boy sheriff.” Hogg was growing impatient. Well, let him.

  “Hush now Mister Mossdale, I’m taking care of it. Let me do my job. Theodore, do you have somewhere you feel safe to stay while this matter is taken care of?” Hutchins kept his back to Hogg to hide the smile he wore.

  “Yes, sheriff. I’ll stay with family. I feel safest around them.” Theo looked to Bear and Owen and smiled.

  Hogg puffed out his chest. “Yes Theodore, you’re safe with family. We’ll bring you home now.”

  I growled against Theo’s mouth. “Yes. Married on your birthday. But I was supposed to ask you.”

  Theo smirked. “Too late, alpha. I ask first. You can buy the rings.”

  “Done baby.” One more quick kiss and I turned to Hutchins, holding out my hands. “Cuff me, officer.”

  “Ooh, kinky!” Owen, of course. All the guys laughed.

  Theo stepped forward. “Sheriff Hutchins, I turn 25 in 2 days time. Can I stay with my friends until the case is resolved? I feel safe here.” Hogg let out another pathetic alpha growl and Theo giggled at him.

  “Under the circumstances, I don’t see why not. If the mayor has an issue with it, he’s free to file formal paperwork to take you back into his custody. Of course, it’ll be a couple days at least before it can be executed, so it’s kinda a moot point. Don’t you think Mister Mossdale?” The sheriff leveled his gaze at Hogg.

  “We’ll see about that.” Hogg just knew he’d won.

  Conversations in the back of the cop car were entertaining. Hutchins played music and we both sang along. Once the mayor’s car was no longer following us, the sheriff pulled over and got out. Opening the rear door, he reached in and unlocked the handcuffs. I got out and leaned against the car. “Care to share what all the theatrics were about, Mako?”

  “Yeah, about that. You saw the paperwork. He’s my mate. My fated mate. We did the blood test the other day and his first heat resulted in pregnancy.” I knew the sheriff and I were on the same side here. His Pops and my Gramps went way back.

  “Got that, but why the hatred of the mayor? Are you saying that recording was real?” It was sinking in for him.

  “Yeah, it was real. He hired us to kill his son. His other son and his friends had been sexually assaulting my mate for years under his father’s nose. He had the older boy take Theo out last week bar hopping. The set up was that we were to kidnap and kill Theo and leave his body to be found before his 25th. That way, the mayor and his family got the inheritance that was left to Theo. It was all about the money. My boys got you all the proof you need to give to the feds, and with a formal complaint filed, they have all the evidence they need to lock them away for life.” My club did his job, and we did it well.

  “Well, hell, Mako. Looks like there’s an election on the horizon.” We both laughed and I got back in the car, without handcuffs this time.

  Chapter Thirty

  Theo

  I lay in bed, unable to sleep. Owen and Bear left a couple hours ago and here it was 10 pm and still no word from my mate. Over 36 hours after his arrest and no one would tell me anything other than to hurry and wait. Gates and Doc went over the paperwork with me again and again. To me, it all seemed cut and dry, but there had to be something we were missing. Did the federal government not believe the blood tests? Had Grey Mossdale manipulated the system in his favor? There were too many unanswered questions.

  Around 3 o’clock, a process server knocked on the door of the clubhouse, asking for me. When I came to the door, he handed me the paperwork from Grey’s lawyer. I have 24 hours from the time it was to present myself at the courthouse to relinquish custody of my person over to Grey and Elsbeth Mossdale. Somehow, they convinced a judge that I could not care for myself and needed an alpha to ensure my continued health and care. So, without my mate, I had to move back in with them. At least until I was mated. I’m sure Grey already has an alpha in his pocket, willing to mate me, even pregnant, to gain access to my inheritance. Or worst case, end my pregnancy all together. No one seemed to notice my mating scar, and no one mentioned Gavin at all. I suppose that their own flesh and blood was expendable when it came to money.

  The only escape I got from my stress was when Owen and I were looking at homes to buy. I knew Eddie owned a house that his Gramps left to him, but it wasn’t in the best of shape and fixing it up would cause it to lose all the sentimentality it held when Mako, Bear, Gramps and Jaws lived there. I wanted something new, something for us, for our family. Somewhere we could keep our entire family close. It should be a new chapter for RNMC. Owen found the listing first.

  A property developer overextended himself and bet on more rural development than the job market in Misty Pines could handle. He lost his shirt and went belly up. They were now selling the land with 8 fully finished and 10 partially constructed homes in a gated community with a community center, including a swimming pool and children’s play park for a cool 30 million. The gating, security, community center, pool and park was complete along with the original 8 homes. Owen and I did the math, with my 50 million. That would leave us with 20 to finish the other 10 homes and get everyone moved. Mako could sell his Gramps house if he wanted or keep it as a getaway if not. RNMC could go from a clubhouse with members spread across the county to a compound. All of our family in one place and there would even be a few places to rent out for extra income. We knew not everyone would want to move into the compound, so that gave us a bit of leeway with finishing the houses and income ratios. Owen was a lot smarter than so many gave him credit for. It wasn’t surprising with his past.

  Deep in the fantasy of being married to my fated mate and raising our children in a family compound, I must have dozed off. I awoke to the click on the lock on the front door. Not sure who it was, I lay still with my eyes closed. Hopefully, whoever it was would think I was asleep and leave. I really didn’t want company at the moment. Heavy, booted footsteps made their way around the apartment and into the bathroom. The footsteps stopped and that smell hit me. My mate! My mate was home. I rolled over and threw the blanket off. “NO! Don’t move.” I froze at my alpha’s growl.

  Lying naked on my stomach, my body was covered by a very naked mate. He nipped my neck and shoulders while grinding into my ass. I could smell how turned on I was, so it was no surprise he could smell it too, and I really needed him to react to it. “Why are you so late? Is everything OK? Is it over?” short sentences between bursts of moans.

  “Everything’s fine. Don’t want to talk. Need to claim my mate all over again.” There he was, my growly hot mate. This is what I needed. “Roll over, wanna see your face when I claim you again.” I didn’t even have to use my own muscles as I was flipped onto my back with a heavy alpha, pinning me to the bed with his body. Kissing and licking over my mating scar. Can you come from having your mating scar bitten and licked? My body shook as my dick erupted between us. Yes, yes you can, untouched too apparently. “That’s one.” The promise in those words kept me hard for hours.

  The smell of coffee brought me out of a heavy sleep. As I rolled over, I went through a mental checklist of sore muscles and body parts. Was it possible that my balls actually felt lighter this morning? Could it be my imagination? I felt literally drained down there, but the rest of my body felt energized. My mate was in our kitchen making himself coffee. Eddie was home and said that everything was OK. The stress and worry didn’t seep from my body. It left with a rush.

  As I gripped the headboard and forced my toes to the foot of the bed, I stretched my entire body, shifting the blanket, causing it to fall off the side of the bed. I lay there, gloriously naked and stretched out on full display. “Baby, unless you want a repeat of last night, I suggest you get up from that bed and come have some coffee with me.” Eddie stood in the doorway of our bedroom holding his coffee mug.

  I sat up and giggled. Why was I giggling so much? Goddess, I was happy. “Alpha, I’m not sure there’s anything left in me to repeat last night.” I stood up and walked across the room, not bothering with clothes, and kissed my mate on the cheek. “I can’t have coffee, but thanks for the offer. Just juice for me.” Before I walked into the living room, I turned to him. “Anyone here that I need to get dressed for?” An intentional smirk on my face.

  “Nope.” He popped the ‘P.’ “Woulda warned you. No need to cover that glorious body on my account, either. I kinda like being the dirty ole man who leers at his naked mate.” He leaned over and pinched my ass. I jumped and yelped before I started laughing. “Besides, we’re switching to decaf coffee. Doc says it’s fine for you to drink, just like tea. Just gotta watch how much sugar you put in it.”

  “Coffee! Yay! I Love Doc so much!” I stopped laughing and headed to the kitchen area.

  “HEY! You love Doc? What about me? I’m giving up caffeine and beer for the next few months to support you. You don’t love me, first? Most?” He tried hard to hide his smile behind his coffee mug.

  I shrugged my shoulders. “Meh, that goes without saying. You’re my mate. I HAVE to love you. It’s like a cosmic law or something.” I took off running to the kitchen. I wanted my coffee.

  “You little shit!” I heard his boots clomping across the floor as he chased me. We were both laughing. My life was perfect.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Mako

  I’d called Bear yesterday when I was officially released from federal custody. I know Theo was gonna be pissed at me when he finds out that I was released at 10 in the morning. I didn’t want to come home and see him with loose ends hanging over our heads. Hutchins told me about the process server delivering the paperwork to Theo. I knew he’d be scared and hurt, but it was a necessary evil in my eyes. Grey Mossdale had quite a few cops and judges in his pocket for years. That one act forced them all to the surface.

  He falsified papers to the sheriff’s office and got his judge friend to sign off on Theo’s instability with no doctor’s certificates or exams. All so he could get Theo back under his control. His police cronies had been sitting on the clubhouse to make sure Theo didn’t leave. They even escorted the process server onto the property to serve the papers.

  I sat in the sheriff’s office and drank coffee with Hutchins and a few of his guys while it all happened. The federal agents were watching the surveillance videos of Grey and Elsbeth going from office to office in the courthouse. Bullying and making demands. The feds laugh and joked around. It was all pretty entertaining. The Mossdales were hanging themselves and their friends and didn’t even know it.

  Once the custody orders were signed and in the hands of the server, the feds made their move. Armed with the ‘fated mate’ blood test and a written copy of the federal statute, Grey and Elsbeth were taken into custody. When they forced the mayor and his spouse to ‘perp walk’ through the police station, Grey screamed and threatened everyone within earshot. Elsbeth, never spoke. Never lifted her head. She just walked, hands cuffed behind her, into the interview room.

  A couple hours later, a man came from the room and ask me to come with him to talk. “I’m glad you didn’t go anywhere. Elsbeth Mossdale isn’t talking. She’s saying that everything Grey had done is in the best interest of Theodore. None of it had anything to do with money or control. They just wanted to take care of the boy.” He shook his head in disappointment. “I know it’s not what you want to hear, but without his testimony, Grey may just get a slap on the wrist. He can use the ‘I was just trying to protect my omega son’ defense and some federal judge just might believe him. Even if we all know it’s bullshit.”

  “I got something that may help you get what you need.” I had to weigh my options carefully. I wouldn’t tell the feds exactly ‘who’ obtained the information or ‘how’ it was obtained, but they could make a few calls to verify the validity of it with ease. It may just put me in hot water, though. Fuck it, it’s my mate’s life on the line. Do what ya gotta do. Right? I pulled out my phone and dialed my destiny.

  “Gates?”

  “Yeah brother, what you need?”

  “File?”

  “Lawyers notes?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Delivered within the hour. Cop shop?”

  “Yeah, thanks, brother.”

  I kept it short. The fed was standing there, listening to every word. “What you need will be here within an hour. You can’t use it in court, but every word can be verified with a few calls. Show it to Elsbeth. She’ll talk. I guarantee it.”

  “Thank you Mako. Sometimes our job is a matter of degrees. Not good versus bad or evil. While we’re aware of some things that happen in this town, they were quickly overshadowed by the political and government corruption. Better to go for the whole meal rather than just the small potatoes. Understand?” The little fed was smarter than I’m sure anyone gave him credit for. I was gonna have to call Bear to set up Church for tomorrow before I brought my mate back here to get married.

  “Oh shit, I almost forgot. Hutchins! You wanna take a walk with me across the street? I got something I gotta grab real quick.” I pulled out my wallet and made sure I had my cards on me and the tiny slip of paper that Owen had written Theo’s ring size on.

  “Yup. It’s my break time. I guess I can spend it running errands with you.” Apparently, the sarcasm was strong with our sheriff. As we walked out the front door of the station, Hutchins stopped, phone in hand. “You want me to call my buddy in the probate and family court office to set a time for you to do this tomorrow? I know he turns 25 tomorrow and I was there when you promised it would happen on his birthday.”

  I lay my hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “Yeah, brother, I would appreciate it. We got the blood tests, so there’s no waiting period on the license. They’ll just type it up right there.” He nodded, and the smile on his face completely lit him up. Damn, he’d be a good lookin guy if I was into alphas. If Toby weren’t so scared of cops, I’d set them up. Would be nice to have a cop in the family. Meh, a dream.

  Forty-five minutes later, ring in my pocket and appointment made, Hutchins and I strolled back into the station. My little fed buddy, as I thought of him, stood up and pointed over at a desk. “Yo, Mako. Delivery came for you.”

  I nodded my head. “It’s for you, man. Everything you need it right there.” I walked over and poured myself a cup of coffee. Damn, I could hear Grey still yelling from this side of the room. I wondered if I was an asshole because I was enjoying it.

  Little fed picked up the envelope, ripped it open and started scanning through the papers. “Holy shit, Mako. I know we can’t use these in court, but goddess damn, that fucker deserves every hour he’s gonna spend in prison.”

  “Yeah, he was lookin to fuck everyone man.” I took a sip of my coffee as he headed into the room to show the papers to Elsbeth Mossdale.

  It took all of 15 minutes, and a loud screech erupted through the building. “That mother fuckin son of a bastard. He was gonna get MY money and divorce ME!” Oh yeah, Elsbeth got the idea really fast.

  Little Fed popped his head out the door. “I need a recorder in here, NOW!” The smile he gave me was all I needed to know it was over. It was all over. Between Grey’s challenge of the mate claim and whatever Elsbeth was about to testify to, neither Mossdale would ever see the outside of a federal prison for the rest of their lives. My mate was safe. My only concern was the Gavin situation coming back to bite Bear and the guys in the ass. So, I stuck around.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Mako

  With Theo on my left, holding my hand on the table and Bear on my right, I relayed the entire story of my lock up. From the time I sat, cuffed, in the back of the sheriff’s car until Elsbeth gave her statement. The entire room sat silent while I spoke.

  Theo cleared his throat and stood up. “So, it’s over, it’s really over?”

  “Yeah baby, it’s over. They can’t touch none of us.” I pulled his hand to me and kissed the palm.

  “I’m glad you’re safe sweetie. It makes everything worth it.” Bear spoke with clear worry in his voice.

  Theo walked over to him and put his arms around Bear’s neck from behind and whispered in his ear, quiet enough that only us at the head of the table could hear. “I know what you guys did for me. I love you for it, big guy, but I hate that you’ve put yourself on the line.” Then he kissed his cheek.