“No, no. I was too late. They’ve already tried to kill him.” Sobs wracked his body. “Poor Theo, I could have saved him. I should have saved him. I was a fuckin coward, goddess be damned.” Fear, anger, and pain warred within his body and radiated from him in waves. Bear lay his hand on his shoulder, both trying to control any outburst and conveying comfort.

  I had to step up and be a leader when all I really wanted to do was jump across the desk and grab this man and ask what in the hell he had to do with my mate. “Teach, I think you need to talk now. What do you have to do with that family? What do you know?” I sounded calmer than I felt.

  Teach dropped his hands from his eyes but didn’t lift his face. Eyes hung low and his elbows were planted on his knees. He shook his head as if he was clearing a few cobwebs. He took a deep breath and spoke his first shaky words. “You guys know about my history and why I came to Misty Pines, so there’s no surprise in that. I was determined to live my life on my terms after all the shit that went down outside Tacoma. Even with the Alpha, Omega, female statuses, too many teachers are held to unreasonable standards. Being an openly gay teacher isn’t exactly accepted in smaller communities. Hell, just being gay period isn’t accepted in some places. My career there was over, and I knew between my tattoos and Harley it would be an uphill battle to fight the accusations. I had no choice but to come out. Either that or spend time in jail. I was fired from my teaching job and run out of town. Knowing no school board would hire me on, I took up private tutoring and moved to an even more rural environment. I found a home here. No one cared I was gay, no one cared I rode my bike, and my tats can be covered with clothing.” These were all things we knew before he ever began prospecting with us.

  I rose from my chair and made my way over to the bar in the office’s corner. Bear moved at the same time and took a seat in the chair next to Teach. I had a feeling that this was going to be more painful for him than he was letting on. “Want a drink prospect?” I gestured to the bottle of MacCallan on the bar. Teach just nodded his head, and I poured a few fingers into each glass.

  I took my seat as he took a tentative sip and swallowed. “One of the first ads that I applied for was at the Mossdale home. I met with Grey Mossdale and knew instantly that he was an asshole, but I also needed the money, and the pay was above scale, so I accepted the position.” Shame poured from his voice as he spoke. “I knew something wasn’t right immediately. I was told that the boy had a learning disability but still needed a basic education. On my first day, I saw the guards outside the doors to his suite when I arrived. The first time I saw him… Goddess Prez, all I wanted to do was give this boy a hug. He was in pain. Not so much physical, but emotional. It looked as if he had given up on the world.” My stomach twisted in knots. I’d seen that pain. I’d felt that pain in my mate. It radiated from him, even while he was in heat.

  “How old was Theodore the first time you met him?” Every bit of jealousy faded from my body. Teach cared for my mate. Not in a romantic love way, but in a humanly empathic way. He saw a creature in pain and wanted so much to ease it. Bear looked in my eyes and he saw it, too. He reached over and stroked his hand over Teach’s shoulder, trying to comfort him.

  “Eighteen or nineteen, I’m not too sure. We just talked for those first few sessions. No real rhyme or reason to the conversations, simply getting to know him and his educational needs. I tried so hard to make him comfortable with me. When Grey asked me why I hadn’t started lessons yet, I told him I was assessing Theo’s educational levels so I could plan the best learning plan for him, and he seemed to accept that. I knew by the end of the 2nd session that Theo was far more advanced than anyone ever gave him credit for. He simply needed a friend, so I was that for him under the guise of a tutor.” Setting his empty glass on the corner of my desk, he took another shaky breath.

  Swallowing around the boulder in my throat. “Thank you for that Myron. I appreciate it and I know Theo does too.” Bear lifted his empty glass in my direction in question. I just nodded, and he gathered all the glasses and went back to the bar to refill them.

  “Thank you, Bear.” Teach took his glass from Bear. Taking another sip, he continued, “After a few months and even more offhand comments about ‘Not being around for long’ and what it would be like ‘After he was gone’, I put 2 and 2 together. I knew one way or another I had to save Theo. To get him away from his family. From the few interactions I saw here and there, his parents were disgusted by him, and his piece of shit brother was just cruel to him. Too many times, I saw random bruises on Theo and when I ask about them, Theo would tell me that Gavin had been mad at him for something and got a little rough. I finally said something to Grey about sending Theo to the University once or twice a month for more in-depth classes that I was inexperienced to help him with. That got shot down like lightning in a storm. The next time I arrived for Theo’s session, I was pulled into Grey’s office and told that it would be the last time I would see him. My services were no longer needed.” One gulp and the last of the whiskey was gone from his glass.

  Bear drained his glass and made a low growl. “Clip should have killed that bastard instead of putting him in the fuckin hospital.” For the first time Teach raised his head, looking Bear in the eyes as he gasp.

  “Gavin’s in the hospital, not Theo.” For the first time in his tale, hope rose in his voice. Cocking his head to the side in confusion, “Clip, put him there? Why?”

  I opened the top drawer of my desk and pulled out a folded white piece of cloth. Walking to the front of the desk, I settled my ass against it. “I’m not how sure I am about this.” My voice was softer than usual. Bear simply nodded his head. I handed Teach the bundle of cloth. “This goes against the Rogue Nation charter, but it’s a guide, not absolute. Since the President and Vice-President are in attendance, I don’t think there will be too many issues regarding procedure.”

  Opening the cloth slowly, the edge of an RNMC patch came into view. The more uncovered it became, the faster Teach unwrapped it. “It’s… It’s…” was all he could get out.

  I huffed a laugh. “Yeah brother, we voted you in last week. We were gonna have a party and present it to you this week, but shit hit the fan. We want you to have a vote in church tomorrow and after what you’ve told us today, I’ve never been surer about you.” I was happy that I could finally call him brother instead of prospect.

  “But Prez, I’m not sure I deserve this. I came here as a prospect with an ulterior motive. I mean, I’m not sure how you’ll feel about me after I tell you the rest of the story.” He shook his head and lay the patch on the desk near my hip.

  Chapter Twelve

  Mako

  Looking at Bear, I spoke calmer than I should have in the moment. In my gut I knew I trusted Teach. With my friendship, my club and even my mate. “Alright Teach, give it to us. How did you come to us with ulterior motives?” Bear and I never took our eyes off one another. We both had a feeling what his answer would be, and it would only show us he belonged here as much, if not more, than the rest of us.

  “I knew I needed to help Theo get out from under their thumb. Something told me they were going to sell him to the highest bidding Alpha hole or kill him. Neither option sat right with me.” We both just shook our heads at him. “Just going by public records, I discovered just how powerful that family is. Not Grey himself per se, but his wife’s family. Going back a bit to their courtship and marriage gave a lot of insight into the motives for them marrying.” He let out an uncomfortable laugh and continued on. “Anyway, knowing the laws around Omegas, marriage and property made it obvious that marrying him off was the least likely option. He’s only got until his 25th birthday, Mako.” I wanted to pull this man to me and wrap him in a hug to show him just how much of a family member he was. “The research took a few months and a few months more to put a plan together, but I needed help.”

  Bear spoke before I got a chance. “Yeah, brother, you can’t mount a rescue operation against an enemy like that alone. It takes manpower, resources, and a bit of luck.” No one dared ask Bear how he knew something like that. Of course, I knew how, but it wasn’t my story to tell. Teach just nodded.

  “I was about ready to give up when I decided I could use a good drink and maybe it would reset my brain for a fresh perspective. I rode out to Dilly’s to tie one on, and that’s where I met Gates.” We nodded. We knew Dilly’s well. It was Gates’ favorite place outside the clubhouse. He helped the owner set up a satellite system to get every channel possible and would let Gates watch whatever he wanted when we were there. It was another home away from home. “We got to talking and showing one another our tats. I ask him about his RNMC tat, and he talked about brotherhood and how you guys weren’t a gang, you were a family. The more he talked, the more a plan came together.” The hurt and shame on his face clarified I shouldn’t let him continue.

  Holding up my hand to stop him, I bowed my head and shook it. From the corner of my eye, I could see the smile on Bear’s face. Smug bastard. I had to hold mine in until the fuckin conversation was over. “Let me guess. You figured you would prospect with us, work your way up and patch in. Once you were a full brother, you could bring it to the table to get Theo out of there.” Teach just nodded his head.

  “Yes, sir. I’m sorry, Mako. I never intended to hide it from anyone. Something had to be done. If you want me gone, I’ll go, but please, help the boy.” He was close to begging, and that made the decision to let him off the hook so much easier. Yes, he didn’t tell us the whole truth, but he never lied to anyone. He’d put in almost 3 years as a prospect, never trying to rush the process or undermine our authority. In the time we’d known him, he’d shown repeatedly that he was all in for the brothers and the troops. Not one toenail out of line.

  Bear must have seen my intentions before I could speak because he rose to stand over Teach and smacked him on the back, hard. Teach lurched forward with a grunt. “Damn boy, you’re more like Mako and I than I will ever be willing to fuckin admit.” Laughter clear in his voice. Reaching over and grabbing his patch off the desk, Bear palmed it and slapped it into Teach’s chest. “There’s more going on than you know and it’s too much to explain more than once, so at church tomorrow morning you’re gonna have your chance to cast your vote regarding the Mossdale family.” The look on Teach’s face was utter confusion. Bear continued, “Suffice to say Brother, they crossed a line with us, and we can’t let sleeping dogs lie.” Teach got up, and with a sharp nod of his head he walked out of the office, closing the door behind him.

  Once the door closed, Bear burst into a fit of laughter. “Fuck Eddie, I think we might owe Gates for bringing us that one. That man is Rogue Nation through and through. I couldn’t ask for a better man or brother.” He poured us both another shot of whiskey and handed me a glass. Raising it high, “To Brothers,” we said in unison. “So, I take it by the lack of smell in the clubhouse the boy’s heat is done. No issues with any of the troops while we were gone?”

  It was time for me to come clean. I shook my head and mumbled, “What the fuck? Has this office become the church confessional?” I grunted a laugh. “Yeah man, about that, umm…”

  “What’s up boss?” Bear, still grinning like a Cheshire cat. “Musta been interesting you staying here while that boy was in heat.”

  “Interesting isn’t even the beginning of it, Nate.” I couldn’t bring myself to look him in the eye.

  “Well, not too bad. You seem to be in a decent mood. The guest room was proofed out in case one of the troops forgot their suppressants, so with him in there, I guess you got a bit of sleep.” He knew something was up and was having a good time dragging it out of me.

  I rubbed my hand across the back of my neck. “Yeah, he didn’t stay in the guest room. He’s still in my rooms.” Why in the hell had every nerve in my body become uncomfortable? I wasn’t ashamed of my mate, but I really didn’t want to endure the ribbing I was about to get from Bear. Goddess knows I deserved it. I fucked with him enough.

  “Sooooo? Why is he in your rooms boss?” I swear, his fuckin’ grin covered his entire jaw now.

  “Umm, because he’s… umm…” Fuck me, I was gonna stumble over this like a fat kid drooling over cake.

  Bear burst into a fit of laughter. “Umm, my ass man, he’s your mate! That boy is your mate. It’s written all over your face Eddie, you can say it.”

  “Well, yeah, he’s, my mate.” I broke into a grin to rival Bears. “How did you know?”

  “Look Eddie, we all heard the stories from your pops and Gramps. Fated mates, true forever love, the works. They sound like fairy tales, but somewhere in every one of us is the hope and belief that the stories are true. When you said something on the phone about smelling something and Clip couldn’t smell it. Well, it all clicked in place. Not to mention, if you would have stayed here in the clubhouse with an omega in heat and didn’t… well, there are very few alphas on this earth that could have stayed and resisted.” Nate bound up from his seat and pulled me into the tightest bear hug he could muster. Whispering against my ear, “I’m so fuckin happy for you, brother.” I could only nod my head and hug him back.

  My good mood lasted all the way to my room. Opening my bedroom door, expecting to see Theo still curled in the blankets of the bed fast asleep, had a big grin on my face. My face fell immediately. The bed was empty, and the blanket was missing. “Theo? Theo, baby? Where are you?” I heard a whimper from the other bedroom. I rushed across the main living space into the other room. What I saw ripped my heart from my chest.

  Theo wrapped in the blanket curled in the corner, his body shaking as if he were freezing. But it wasn’t cold, it was fear. My mate was afraid… of me. I could see his eyes get wider and more fearful as I entered the room. I moved to the bed and sat down facing him, placing my hands on my knees. He cocked his head in confusion. “You’re the Alpha that helped me through my… umm.” His face flushed red with embarrassment.

  “Yes, Theo, that was me.” Calm, I had to remain calm.

  “Th-th-thank you, sir.” He looked at the blanket puddled in his lap, as if I would attack him if he looked me in the eye.

  “Theo? Please look at me.” He must have heard the gentle pleading in my voice and raised his eyes to mine. “Do you understand what this is, sweetheart?” He HAD to understand he was safe here, safe with me. Gently nodding his head, he pulled the blanket tighter around him. I wasn’t so sure he understood at all. “Sweetheart, I’m going to send a text message and get someone in here to help me explain it to you. Is that, OK?” I pulled my phone from my pocket. Again, he nodded his head.

  ME: Get in here and bring Teach with you, move slowly and be quiet when you get here.

  BEAR: On it Boss, I’ll come in first.

  ME: KK

  “I know you have to do what you have to do. All I ask is you do it quickly and please don’t make it hurt. You don’t owe me anything, but I would like to keep the fantasy you gave me intact. Please give me that, please.” My poor mate’s hands were trembling as hard as his lips. I could smell the fear over his natural scent, and it was affecting me in ways that made me want to destroy anyone who had ever said a harsh word to this beautiful man.

  “Oh honey, I told you I would never hurt you, and I meant it. It’s gonna be alright, I promise. Please, try to calm down.” I held my hands up as if to surrender. Trying to show him I really wasn’t there to hurt him. I heard my front door click closed and Theo must have heard, too. His head snapped in the door’s direction, and he trembled all over again. “Bear… calmly, he’s afraid.”

  Bear entered the room with his hands in front of him in the same position mine were. I felt as though we were approaching a skittish animal in the wild. “Hi there, I’m Bear. It’s so good to meet you.” Theo’s eyes went wider than they had before, and his breath hitched. As he was staring at Bear, he sobbed. Confused, Bear looked in my direction. Then we noticed Theo wasn’t looking at Bear, he was looking behind Bear.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Theo

  Myron? Was it possible? Was he part of this? I tossed the blanket to the side and jumped from the floor. I barreled past the enormous man standing in the room’s doorway and landed in Myron’s arms with a grunt and a sob. “Myron, you’re here. You came to save me. You’re my only friend. I knew you would always be there for me!” he gently put me on the floor, and I could hear the alpha behind me growling low and deep. It sent a shiver up my spine. The other, bigger alpha in the door, Bear, I think his name was, was laughing and shaking his head.

  Myron froze and removed his hands from me, taking a step back. He was staring at the alpha by the bed. “Prez, I’m… I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I never thought.” He lowered his head, looking at the floor.

  The big guy spoke first as he stepped towards the other alpha and placed his hand on his shoulder. “It’s alright Teach, he knows you meant no harm. He told me to bring you here to comfort Theo. It’s just that it’s all new and his inner alpha hasn’t gotten the message yet. He knows you would never harm his mate.” The other alpha just nodded and looked at me.

  “M-ma-mate?” I squeaked, barely above a whisper.

  “Apparently kiddo.” Myron stage whispered to me.

  “But mates aren’t supposed to ever hurt you, much less kill you. Why was I kidnapped?” Then the last 48 hours dawned on me. I felt my face flush red, and my body got boiling. “You helped me with my… umm, yeah.” I couldn’t finish.

  The alpha nodded at me and smirked. Holy shit, that was a sexy smirk. Fuck, my alpha was hot. I mean HOT. He was bigger than Myron, who wasn’t small, but not as large as this Bear guy. Turning back to Myron I ask “Why are you here? Did you have anything to do with those guys who took me? Gavin was beating me up and I think I passed out and woke up here in, umm, heat, I guess.”