A Mate Beyond Their Reach (4 page)

He took care of his last enemy with a fair amount of ease. When he finally shifted into his human form, a sense of weariness took hold of him. He wished things could have been different. These people, these ferals, were, in the end, closely bonded to his kin. If only the spirit wolves could find a cure for the feral madness. But all their research had been for naught. So far, the only way to stave off a fully fledged massacre of the humans at the hands of the ferals had been to wipe out the source itself.

And yet Drew effectively helped him defeat the feral virus. Of course, the spirit wolf immune system had, in the end, won the battle, but without Drew, it might not have gotten the chance to fight back.

The thought reminded him of his mate, and he turned back toward the clinic, intending to check on Drew. As he did so, however, he saw Drew standing beyond the shattered windows, staring at him with disbelief and terror. His heart fell at the realization that not only had the situation become even more complicated, but Trent may have also lost his mate before he’d even gotten the chance to have him.

* * * *

Drew couldn’t believe his eyes. The wolf he’d rescued from the river bank somehow turned out to be a man, a sexy man who turned Drew on like nobody’s business, and who’d just killed two other wolf-people in front of Drew’s home.

He’d been mystified upon seeing the strange naked man in his house, coming out of the examination room out of all things. It didn’t help that this stranger claimed the little work he’d managed to do in one night put him in danger. He’d intended to ask so many things, to understand what the man intended, and preferably, why in the world he made Drew feel like a teenager with his first crush.

His explanation had come in the most vivid way imaginable, and seeing the naked man turn into the injured wolf from the night before blew Drew’s mind. The shock made him swoon, and he landed into Dan’s arms. “What the fuck?” Dan shouted, illustrating Drew’s feelings perfectly.

The wolfman—wolfman?—moved so fast Drew’s eyes couldn’t even follow him. In a flash, he reached their side and pulled Drew away from Dan. Warm arms went around Drew’s torso, strangely comforting and familiar. Drew closed his eyes and allowed himself to melt into the embrace. He didn’t know why he felt so safe in this man’s presence, but he did. So safe, so hot, and young again.

Mister Tall-Wolf-and-Handsome was everything Drew had ever wanted and given up when Paulie appeared in his life. Chad and Judith would have loved to know about Drew’s homosexuality. It would’ve given them the opportunity to take Paulie away, and Drew could not allow such a thing.

The thought sobered him, and he broke away from the other man.

The stranger gave him a pained look. “Now you see why you’re not safe here anymore?”

Drew forced himself to analyze the situation as a scientific puzzle, even if all he wanted was to trust and allow himself to be swept off his feet. “I don’t understand,” he said. “Who or what are you?”

“A werewolf?” Dan suggested from behind them.

The man glared at Dan, then turned to Drew once more. “I’m Trent Hart,” he replied. “And no, I’m not a werewolf, but a spirit wolf. Werewolves—at least your idea of them—don’t exist. The closest thing to them is what you saw me fight earlier. They are called ferals, and the virus you investigated is the one that creates them.”

“A virus that creates werewolves,” Dan drawled. “Right.”

This time, Trent actually seemed irritated. “You just saw me and two other people turn into wolves before your very eyes. One would think the experience would convince you I’m telling the truth.”

As Trent spoke, Drew’s mind went into three directions. The first analyzed his previous laboratory findings by using the new information. To a certain extent, it now made sense why the human antivirals helped. Drew ached to investigate the virus further. The second one screamed at him to find Paulie and just get the hell out of Dodge. The third one aroused something new inside him, a deep need Drew couldn’t quite understand. He wanted to rub against Trent, touch the other man, take that magnificent shaft in his mouth and see if it tasted as delicious as it looked.

A new wave of desire hit him when he took in the look in Trent’s eyes. Drew had received similar glances in the past and, back before he’d become a father, even followed up on the silent offers. But now, he had other priorities. Shaking himself, he stole a look toward the wolf bodies. “Are there more of these…ferals in Tennington?”

“Not to my knowledge,” Trent answered, “but you started something with your call at the CDC.”

Drew frowned. “I’m afraid I don’t follow.”

“Humans are not supposed to know about this. I’m not sure what happens to those who do find out, but you most certainly won’t be able to live here anymore. The ferals will find you, and my kind will not allow you to go unsupervised.”

Drew felt faint. “But I have a life,” he said weakly, “a son.”

“Paulie will have to come, too, and your dear friend, Dan.” Trent shot another glare toward Dan. “Now, seriously, we don’t have much time. You can either take your chances with whoever my people send, or trust me.”

For whatever reason, Drew didn’t even hesitate. He nodded. “I trust you.”

He felt Dan’s dismay and understood it. After all, Drew was taking quite a chance, and not only with his own life, but with his son’s and his best friend’s. But ever since he’d found the injured wolf on the bank, he felt something shift inside him, a part of his heart he’d thought gone forever. He didn’t want to let it go. Did this mean he was thinking with his cock? No. With his heart, maybe. But his heart never led him astray.

“I’m going to dispose of these bodies,” Trent said. His eyes looked sad, even if his voice sounded steady. “Pack up something for you and your son. Dan, you go and get Paulie, and don’t forget to take some necessities along, as well.”

Dan spluttered, obviously disliking being ordered around. Even so, he complied. Perhaps a part of Dan sensed the urgency of the situation, too. Whatever the case, Dan nodded and rushed to his car.

“You take care of Drew, or else,” he threw over his shoulder.

As Dan drove off, a surreal feeling hit Drew. Left alone with Trent, with this mysterious stranger, Drew didn’t know what to say.

He clung to Trent’s instructions. Having something to do would keep his mind off the recklessness of his own actions. “I’m going to pack,”

he told Trent. Without another word, he rushed off into the house.

* * * *

Trent watched his mate go with a mix of hope, arousal, and confusion. Drew seemed to be attracted to him, and his trust in Trent had been an unexpected gift. But Drew was also a doctor, a man of logic, and when his mind cleared up of the shock, the doubts would emerge.

Trent himself still couldn’t fathom what he’d do about a human mate. He hoped that once he got Drew to safety, he’d manage to contact his family. They might know more, and their influence could keep Drew safe.

He’d never expected meeting his mate in such circumstances.

Usually, spirit wolves arranged special meetings for such things, but Trent had never found anyone with such an instant connection to him amongst his kin. He wondered how he’d explain it.

It didn’t matter anymore. He’d find a way to make it work. Even if he couldn’t claim Drew, they could perhaps try a relationship the human way—assuming, of course, Drew even wanted to.

Sighing, Trent forced himself to proceed with his gruesome task.

He couldn’t exactly leave them in the center of Drew’s lawn. Besides, even if the feral virus could only spread through the bite, Trent’s kin never tested whether a dead body could infect an animal that accidentally ate from it.

He carried the bodies to the back of the house and dug a deep hole. After dumping them inside, Trent said a small prayer to the Spirit Mother. Perhaps these ferals once had a soul before the virus drove them mad. He hoped the Spirit Mother would help them find their way back into the light.

He covered the grave with dirt and camouflaged it as best he could. When he finished, he heard a car approach. It could be anyone.

Even if he hadn’t mentioned it to Trent, he knew the humans must have heard the bullet shower. He padded back toward the front of the lawn and peeked out. It was Dan’s car, with Paulie in the backseat.

Dan parked and turned toward Paulie. “Stay inside,” the human said.

The teenager protested, but Dan silenced him with merely a hand gesture. The human left the vehicle and went around the car. He opened the trunk and after some rummaging, retrieved some clothes.

To Trent’s surprise, Dan then headed straight toward him. As soon as he reached Trent, Dan tossed him the clothes. “Here. This isn’t some porn movie. That kid is far too young to watch you wandering around with your family jewels for everyone to see.”

For the first time, Trent admitted Dan might be right about something. After all, Paulie wasn’t a wolf. Unlike his kin, humans weren’t comfortable with nudity. So Trent acknowledged Dan’s offer with a simple “thank you,” took the clothes, and silently put them on.

They were a little tight, but other than that, fit him quite well.

“Did anyone alert the authorities?”

Dan nodded. “The neighbors did hear. I phoned the sheriff and said some vandals came, but I chased them off. Still, he should be arriving in fifteen minutes or so.”

“We can’t afford the delay. We have to go now.”

“All the arrangements are made,” Dan answered. “Once Drew is ready we can be off.”

Trent narrowed his eyes at the human. Something didn’t quite fit in his opinion. Dan obviously didn’t like him, and yet the man seemed to admit the necessity of leaving. “Why are you suddenly being so agreeable?”

Dan shrugged, but Trent felt the discomfort behind the gesture. He sniffed around the human. Something was different. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but Dan had changed somehow.

Before Trent could figure it out, Drew exited the house. His eyes went to Trent first, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.

Trent felt his mate’s arousal skyrocket again. Dan’s clothes must look better on Trent than he’d originally thought.

Paulie chose this particular moment to disobey Dan and leave the car. “Dad, you’re all right. Thank God.” As he hugged his father, Paulie caught sight of Trent and frowned. “Who’s he?”

“Paulie, this is Trent Hart. Trent, this is my son, Paul.”

Trent extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, Paulie.”

Paulie took it, all the while giving him a suspicious look. “Uh…

hello? Who exactly are you, Trent?”

Trent didn’t even know what made him say the following words.

“I’m your Dad’s boyfriend.”

He was not surprised when Drew cursed and punched him.

As he drove Dan’s car, Trent struggled to keep hold on his instincts and frustration. Through some miracle, Drew still agreed to their little trip, in spite of Trent’s blunder and presumptuousness. But he could feel the tension in his mate, and it made him more anxious than ever.

Humans and wolf spirits were so very different. When wolf spirits found their mate, they could immediately acknowledge their bond, whereas humans hid behind their societal norms, burying the raw, instinctual part of them under thick constraints. For humans, dating and getting to know each other usually represented a prerequisite to introducing oneself to a partner’s family as a “boyfriend.” Wolves also passed through a period of courtship, and Trent now realized his intention had been to initiate it by his little announcement.

Drew had been furious, but at the same time unable to deny neither his attraction toward Trent, nor that toward men, in general.

Thankfully, Paulie had taken the news quite well. In fact, he seemed more concerned about Drew than anything else. “You okay, Dad?” he asked Drew. He and his father sat together on the backseat of Dan’s car, with Trent driving and Dan taking shotgun.

“Fine,” Drew replied. “Just a bit tired.”

Through the rearview mirror, Trent stole a look at his mate. Drew quickly averted his gaze, and Trent felt a pang of dismay. He’d really fucked things up, hadn’t he? He should have introduced himself as a man first, gotten Drew to know him, and only after they had something solid, told him about his wolf shifter nature. But he’d done everything the other way around, and now Drew had somehow ended up torn away from his home in the middle of a conflict between their races. True enough, circumstances played a big part in the whole debacle, but Trent couldn’t help but feel that he might have been able to do things better, if only he’d tried.

He was so lost in his thoughts he almost missed Paulie’s words.

“What happened with the wolf? Did it die?”

Trent smiled a little at the youth’s tone. He liked Drew’s son, and he thought that maybe, in time, he could even grow to love him as his own. He shook himself. He had to take it slow and think like a human.

Humans didn’t allow strangers to look after their children. And much to Trent’s dismay, he was, for Drew, nothing but a stranger.

“He didn’t die,” he replied to Paulie. “Your father is too good a doctor to allow that to happen.”

“Where is it then?”

Trent couldn’t exactly tell the kid the wolf was driving this car, and he didn’t get the chance to come up with a different explanation.

A sense of deep connection flooded over him, and at the same time, Drew clutched his chest. “Dad!” Paulie cried.

The sound of helicopter blades filled Trent’s ears over the thumping of his heart. His mind could not process what was going on, and yet, his instincts knew. They were screaming once again, for the second time in the last twenty–four hours.
Mate.

Trent pulled the car over. In a few moments, the humans would realize why, as well. No car could outrun a helicopter, especially not one piloted by a spirit wolf. “A chopper?” Dan asked. “What the hell?”

Paulie looked puzzled. “I can’t hear anything,” Paulie said.

Drew seemed just as confused, and it struck Trent as odd that only Dan would hear better than the other two occupants of the car. He didn’t have too much time to dwell on his new dilemma. Drew’s eyes widened, and he gasped. “No, wait. Oh, God. It
is
a helicopter.”