THE DIRE WOLF WHO STOLE MY HEART

Dire Pack Reborn

STEPHANI HECHT

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Dire Wolf Shifter, Angel, may be the youngest of four brothers, but

that doesn’t make him the stupidest. He knows that Valentine’s Day is
nothing but one big joke. It’s just a way for candy and card shops to
make extra money. How does he know this? Because there is no such
thing as true love. Every man he’s met has proven this by stomping on
his heart, leaving him bitter and jaded.

Fellow Dire Wolf, Baily, has always had a crush on Angel, but he

never acted on it. As one of Angel’s older brother’s best friends, Baily
had never thought the time was right or appropriate. But as he sees
Angel hurting, Baily can’t stop himself from reaching out to the younger
man.

Will Baily be able to show Angel that there is such a thing as true

love? Or had Angel’s heart grown too hard?

Copyright Acknowledgement
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents
either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is
entirely coincidental.
Copyright 2014 by Stephani Hecht
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part
in any form.
Published by
MLR Press, LLC
3052 Gaines Waterport Rd.
Albion, NY 14411
Visit ManLoveRomance Press, LLC on the Internet:
www.mlrpress.com
Cover Art by Deana Jamroz
Editing by Kris Jacen
ebook format
Issued 2014

This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or

distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International
Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction,
fines and/or imprisonment. This eBook cannot be legally loaned or given
to others. No part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the
express permission of the publisher.

CHAPTER ONE

Angel let out a muttered curse as he passed yet another store that had

nothing but pink and red displayed in its front window. Hearts…
flowers…cupids…bows…arrows, they were all there in their glittery
glory. If they’d been alive, Angel swore he would shift into his Dire Wolf
form just so he could go for their throats.

It wasn’t like they lived in a big town, either. Holly only had a small

uptown and an even smaller downtown, but damned if Angel didn’t have
to drive through both of them to reach his home. He lived with his three
brothers in a big house that stood in the middle of a ton of acreage. They
needed the land so they could shift and run in solitude without the threat
of coming across human hunters. Yes, believe it or not, even though
their animal counterparts were extinct, there were humans who knew of
the shifter kind. Thus, Angel and his kind were hunted down viciously.
Dire Wolf pelts brought in a huge prize on the black market.

Most of Angel’s neighbors were Dire Wolves, too. Although he

wouldn’t go so far as to call them a pack, they did always go to his oldest
brother, Bishop, whenever there was a grievance or a problem. So did
that make him the Alpha?

Angel shook his head. The thought of that was just laughable. His

brother? An Alpha? Yeah, right, and what did that make Angel, an
Omega? He shuddered. He was glad they had long ago put those old
customs behind them and caught up to modern times. Just because
Angel had blond hair, blue eyes, and was the runt of the litter didn’t
mean squat. Except that maybe he needed to check into drinking a daily
protein shake or two.

It sure as hell didn’t mean he was a punching bag. Something his last

boyfriend had found out the hard way. For while Angel might look weak,
he was stronger than any human, and that’s what said boyfriend just so
happened to be. He got in one good slap on Angel. Angel had punched
him in return, and that had been that for their relationship.

As he pulled into the long drive that led up to their big farmhouse, he

noted that the vehicles belonging to his other brothers, Darien and
Corey, were absent. They must either be at work or on dates, because
they had…barf…Valentines…this year. Those shmucks.

There was one car that Angel didn’t recognize. But since he didn’t

detect the scent of fear in the air, he knew that it didn’t mean any danger
to them. Still, when he got closer to it, he gave the car a good sniff just
to see if he recognized the owner. When he got a good whiff, his
stomach flipped over.

Baily! What in the hell was he doing here? He was supposed to be off

at that fancy job of his.

Angel put a hand over his stomach. Why, oh, why, did Baily have to

choose this day to come and visit? It was like somebody had given Angel
a paper cut and was now rubbing salt in it.

Well, it wasn’t like Angel could stay out there all day. He might as

well go in and face Baily. The sooner, the better. Then Angel could go
hide out in his bedroom for the rest of the visit.

Angel walked into the side door that led into the kitchen and was

greeted by Baily and Bishop right away. Shit! Why couldn’t they have
been in the living room or something? But no, they had to be right there
so Angel saw Baily right away.

Angel had hoped that in the years that Baily had been away in college

and then at his job as a lawyer, Angel’s infatuation for the other man
would have died. One look at Baily quashed that idea. If anything, Baily
looked better. From his dark, chestnut hair cut short in a business style
to his dark brown eyes that were framed with the longest lashes, he was
still a dream come true. Angel allowed his gaze to travel down Baily’s
body. What a body it was, too. Trim, tall and muscular, Baily wore a T-
shirt and a pair of tight jeans, leaving nothing to the imagination.

Damn, damn and double damn. Angel had worked hard for years to

keep his crush on Baily a secret, and now the jerk just had to get better
looking. He could have had the consideration to at least grow a paunch
or something. It would have made things a lot easier on Angel.

“Are you going to say something, Angel, or are you going to stay there

staring all night?” Bishop asked.

Angel shot his brother a dirty look. Like most Dire Wolves, his

brother had dark hair and eyes. Angel was the only one who had blond
hair. Which made him the freak in the bunch. Yay him!

“I was just shocked to see Baily here. I thought his work had

transferred him to Florida,” Angel retorted as he began to take off his
boots and coat.

“Not anymore. They moved me up here. So I’ll be your neighbor

again,” Baily said.

Angel paused, boot in midair, dripping all over the floor. “Really?”
“Yeah. So what about you? What have you been doing with yourself ?”
Angel snapped out of his shock and finished taking his boots off. “I’ve

been going to the local college and working at the hardware store in
town.”

“And he’s been as grumpy as hell for the past two weeks,” Bishop

added.

“Leave it,” Angel warned as he went over and poured himself a cup of

coffee.

“Oh no. You know we can’t do that. Spill,” Baily said.
“Angel here hates Valentine’s Day so he’s been one grumpy Dire

Wolf,” Bishop confided.

“What? Why would you hate Valentine’s Day so much?” Baily asked,

his eyes wide.

“Because it’s a loser holiday that’s made up just to make single people

feel bad about themselves,” Angel replied in a dull voice.

“You’re alone because all you’ve ever dated is humans,” Bishop

pointed out.

“In case you haven’t noticed, none of the Dire Wolves are exactly

lining up at the door wanting to date me. Nobody wants the runt in the
litter,” Angel said.

Ouch, did it hurt to say that, and in front of Baily no less. But it was

the truth. The other male Dire Wolves just didn’t find Angel attractive.
They liked their prospective mates to be big and strong. Not little and
scrawny. It was a fact that Angel was getting used to…or at least he was
trying to.

Angel grabbed his mug. “Now if you guys will excuse me, I’m going up

to my room. I’m sure you have a lot of catching up to do.”

Angel practically ran up the stairs to his room. Once there, he shut the

door and put his back against it. So much for him not making a fool out
of himself in front of Baily. In the span of a few minutes, Angel had
managed to do that and more.

He was so lost in berating himself that when somebody knocked on

the door, Angel jumped. In the process, he spilled some coffee on
himself. Letting out a muttered curse, he set the mug down on his

dresser, then answered the door.

When he saw that it was Baily standing there, Angel almost swallowed

his tongue. What in the hell could he want? Unless maybe he came up to
laugh in Angel’s face.

“Hey,” Angel said.
He winced when he realized how stupid that had sounded.
“Can I come in for a moment?” Baily asked.
If Baily only knew how many of Angel’s wet dreams began with those

words, he’d probably scream then run in the other direction. Fighting to
keep a straight face, Angel gestured him in.

“Sure, it’s a little messy.”
“That’s okay, you should see how my house gets sometimes,” Baily

said as he came in.

“Maybe you should look into getting a housekeeper or something.”
Baily kept walking, moving closer to Angel. With each step he took,

Angel’s heart beat a bit faster as he wondered what kind of game Baily
was playing. Panicked, Angel let go of the door and began to backtrack
until he was flush with the wall. He realized that was a big mistake when
Baily had him cornered. Their bodies so close together that Angel could
feel the heat from Baily’s body, and oh, was it ever so good. Angel only
hoped that Baily didn’t feel how much he liked it.

Then Baily did the most amazing thing of all, he reached out and

traced the outline of Angel’s lips. Shocked, all Angel could do was stand
there and let him do it. But when Baily went in for a second pass,
something in Angel awoke, and he slipped his tongue out so he could
taste Baily’s flesh.

“Now I still can’t understand why a pretty thing like you would hate

Valentine’s Day so much? I would think that you would have guys lining
up to ask you out.” Baily said.

So flabbergasted that it was Baily that had him pinned to the wall and

caressing him, it took Angel a few moments to form an answer. “You’d
be amazed at how many men are turned off by my skinny ass. Then the
guys I do manage to get tend to think that I’m nothing more than a
pushover and treat me like shit.”

“Then let me show you that it can be different.”
Angel let out a soft sigh. “If you’re trying to set me up on some blind

date, then you can forget it. I’m really not in the mood.”

Baily gave a chuckle. “If you think I’m going to stand by and let

anybody else touch you, then you’re really clueless. Why do you think I
have you pinned against the wall? Because I want to see how you react
when somebody invades your personal space?”

“What are you trying to say?” Angel asked, his throat going dry.
Surely Baily couldn’t mean what Angel hoped he did. Because good

things like that didn’t happened to Angel. He always got the old tires,
rather than the prize fish in the sea.

“I’m saying that I’ve liked you a long time, Angel. I’ve just been

waiting for the right time, for you to be older and mature enough to
approach you. Well, that time has come, and I want to take you out
tonight and show you how a true Valentine’s Day should be. So, be
ready in two hours.”

Shocked, Angel opened and closed his mouth a few times before

asking, “Does Bishop know about this?”

“What do you think we were talking about when you came in?”
Angel raised his hands, or rather he raised them as much as he could,

given the lack of space he had. “Just give me a second to get caught up
here. I thought that you always looked at me as the pesky little brother
of your best friend. Now you’ve thrown this curve ball at me. I’m just a
little off-kilter.”

Baily leaned even farther in and breathed into Angel’s ear. “Come on,

Angel. Don’t think I haven’t seen you looking at me. I know you want
me, too. Say yes.”

A shudder of desire danced up Angel’s spine. “Did Bishop put you up

to this? A pity date just to make me feel better?”

Baily breathed into Angel’s ear again, this time following it up with a

soft love bite on the lobe. “No, he was just as shocked about my feeling
for you as you are. Now come on, say yes.”

“What if we go out and you find that you don’t like me at all?”
This time, Baily swirled his tongue around the shell of Angel’s ear.

Angel couldn’t hold back his moan of desire. Baily was really proving to
be persuasive. Shit, who was Angel kidding? He was putty in Baily’s
hands.

“Now, Angel, we know that’s not going to happen. I’ve known you

since the day you were born. I know all your faults and all your strengths.
So give in already and say yes.”

Angel wanted to point out that people change over the years. That

Angel was a whole new person. That he was older and wiser, not the
same gullible child that Baily had left behind all those years ago, but he
didn’t. Instead, his body took over, and he said what his body screamed
for him to say.

“Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
“Yes, I’ll go out with you tonight.”
“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Baily asked.
“I still don’t like Valentine’s Day.”
Baily gave Angel a kiss that was sweet but way too brief. “Trust me,

by the end of tonight, you’re going to love it.”

“And if I don’t?”
Baily shook his head. “That’s not going to happen. I’m bound and

determined to make sure that it’s your favorite holiday.”

“And just how are you going to do that?” Angel challenged.
“You’ll just have to wait to see.”
With those parting words, Baily turned and left. A few moments later,

Angel heard the front door open, then close as Baily left. Running down
the stairs, Angel sought out Bishop. He found him still in the kitchen.

“Do you know what your best friend just did?” Angel asked, his voice

high-pitched with shock.

Bishop calmly took a drink of coffee. Why was everybody so damn

calm about this? Angel’s life had just been turned upside down, and
people were acting like everything was just hunky dory. He was half
tempted to pinch himself to see if he was dreaming or something,
because that was the only thing that made sense.

“I’m guessing he finally worked up the nerve to ask you out,” Bishop

said.

“And you have no problem with that?” Angel splayed his arms out.
“No, I’m the one who’s been telling you that you need to stop dating

humans in the first place. I couldn’t think of a better Dire Wolf for you
than Baily.”

Angel shook his head. Surely every Dire Wolf had lost their mind.

Because there was no way in hell in the real world that a hunk like Baily
would ever want anything to do with a runt like Angel. But if it got him a
date for the night, hey, he’d go along with it. Who knew? Maybe he’d
even get lucky that night.

CHAPTER TWO

As Baily got ready for his date that night, he still couldn’t believe he

had been so forward earlier. He didn’t know what had come over him.
Just one look at Angel with his soft blond hair, big, innocent blue eyes,
and full, pink lips, and Baily had been a goner.

Baily often wondered if the years would have made Angel more jaded

and sharp around the edges, and it had, but only on the inside. On the
outside, little had changed. Angel still had that air of vulnerability that
made Baily want to wrap him up and protect him from all the dangers of
the world.

Baily knew that Angel had been hurt by other men in the past. Bishop

had told him as much. Just the thought of anybody touching Angel, let
alone harming him, was enough to make Baily’s Dire Wolf growl in rage.
Angel might not know it yet, but he belonged to Baily and Baily alone.

Baily finally settled on a pair of jeans and a worn sweater. That way he

looked nice but didn’t appear like he was trying too hard. He wanted
Angel to remember the old Baily, the one that he’d grown up with. Not
the Baily who was now a lawyer and could be stuffy. Baily had a feeling
the most important thing was to get Angel to relax around him. After
that, everything would eventually fall into place. Or at least Baily hoped
so. He’d been waiting for this moment for what seemed like ages.

Grabbing his car keys, he made the short drive to Angel’s house. He

didn’t even bother knocking on the back door since he never had. He’d
been a part of the household for so long that it would be odd if he

did

knock. When he found only Bishop in there, Baily’s heart dropped. Had
Angel changed his mind at the last minute and decided to call off the
date?

“You can get that look off your face. He’s still coming. He’s just

running a bit late,” Bishop said.

Baily let out a sigh of relief. “Good. With his anti-Valentine’s Day

crusade, I was worried. I thought about bringing him flowers, but I was
afraid he’d shift and shred them to pieces if I did.”

Bishop cocked a brow. “That was probably a wise choice on your

part.”

“Do you think I have any chance getting through to him?”
Baily certainly hoped so. After waiting so long for Angel, he didn’t

want to find out that he’d put off making his move on the young Dire
Wolf for too long. Now, he might have lost any chance with Angel
because of it.

Bishop cocked his head to the side, thoughtfully. “If anybody has a

chance, it’s you. He’s always had it bad for you. I think he liked you
before he even realized he was gay.”

“What do you think your dad would say if he were still alive?”
“Say about what?” Bishop asked with a frown.
“That all four of his sons were gay?”
Bishop let out a heavy sigh. “Knowing my father, he would have tried

to beat it out of us. So it’s a good thing that he died in a car crash when
Angel was still young. The only bad thing is our mom happened to be in
the car with him at the time, and she perished along with him. Now, she
would have been supportive, loved us no matter what. How it was that
she ever ended up married to a bastard like my father, I’ll never know.”

“Do you know what I find funny?” Baily asked.
“What?”
“That before he died, the Dire Wolves in the neighborhood used to

come to him with their problems and grievances. Now that he’s gone,
they come to you. Some would say that’s an Alpha role.”

Bishop rolled his eyes. “Please, you know we left those old customs

behind us years ago.”

“Have we? We still all live in the same neighborhood. I would say that

makes us a pack.”

“We just stay close together for safety’s sake. Nothing more.”
Baily crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t know about that. While

I was gone, I felt as if a huge piece was missing from me.”

“You were just lost without my incredible charm and wit. That’s all.”
Even as Baily laughed at Bishop’s joke, he knew it hadn’t been that.

What he’d felt had been different. It had been more than just plain
homesickness, too. It was as if he were somewhere he didn’t belong and
he desperately needed to get back home. Which had been one of the
reasons why he’d pushed for the transfer. The other had been so he
could get back to Angel.

“Okay, okay,” Baily relented for the sake of peace. “We’re not a pack

anymore. It was just my imagination going wild on me.”

Baily could hear somebody coming down the stairs, and he held his

breath, hoping it was Angel. When the person entered the kitchen and
Baily saw that it was indeed Angel, he almost forgot to breathe.

Angel had never looked better in his life. He had his hair styled

slightly to the side, as if in an absentminded manner. He wore a pair of
jeans that were so tight they showed off every one of his assets so
perfectly, Baily was just dying to ask Angel to turn around so he could
have a good look at his ass. Finally, Angel had on a blue sweater that
accented his eyes just right.

The only thing that was wrong was the look of hesitation in Angel’s

gaze. It was as if he were expecting the date to be a bomb. Well, that’s
where he was wrong. Baily was going to do everything in his power to
make sure that it was the best night of Angel’s life. One that Angel
would never forget and look back fondly on for years to come.

“So where are we going?” Angel asked.
“I thought we’d start with a movie, go to dinner and then play it by ear

from there,” Baily said. “There’s that new action flick that came out this
weekend, and a buddy of mine at work says it’s supposed to be pretty
good.”

Angel nipped at his bottom lip for a second before giving a shrug. “I

guess that sounds fine to me. I haven’t been to the movies in forever.
I’ve either been working or at school. It’ll be nice to relax for a while.”

While it wasn’t the click-your-heels reaction that Baily had been

hoping for, it wasn’t a rejection, either. So he would take it. Since he still
had his coat on, he waited while Angel slipped into his, then they went
to Baily’s truck.

Once they got inside, Angel said, “I thought that a big-time lawyer

like you would have a fancy sports car.”

Baily shrugged. “I’ve always felt more comfortable in one of these. I

guess you just can’t take the small town out of a boy.”

Angel smiled. The gesture did strange things to Baily’s insides. Dear

God. How could a simple thing like a smile affect him like that? It just
showed how bad he had it for Angel and how important this date was.

“I guess you can’t,” Angel agreed. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to

leave, even when I’m finished with college.”

“What are you majoring in?”

“Veterinary science. I figured our neighborhood could use it when one

of us gets sick or hurt. It’s not like we can go to a human doctor. As it is
now, we just have to suffer until we get better.”

“What happened to Dr. Newman?”
“He died last year.”
“Why didn’t my mother tell me?” Baily wondered.
Upon his return, he’d purchased the house next door to hers. So she

had ample time to tell him about that little tidbit. Lord knows she’d been
over every day to check up on Baily to see how he’d been doing. The
other day, she’d barged in while he’d been in the shower.

“It’s not something we like to talk about much. Everybody’s so

worried that one of the babies is going to get so sick that it’s going to
die. I know we have a higher tolerance to illnesses than humans, but
even Dire Wolves have their weaknesses. For now, it’s been the elders
that have been taking care of the infirm, but they only know so much. If
I were to go to school, I’d be better equipped to take care of everybody.”

“You’ve always cared for the members of our neighborhood. Almost

like an Omega used to care about a pack,” Baily observed.

Angel laughed. “What do you think? I’m the Omega because I’m the

only person in the area with blond hair and blue eyes? You’re so funny.
We gave up on those stupid traditions years ago.”

Baily wanted to argue his theory, much like he had with Bishop

earlier, but he knew it would only upset Angel so Baily kept his mouth
shut. Even so, he felt that there was validity behind his point. Not that
Angel being an Omega changed how Baily felt about the Dire Wolf.
He’d always liked Angel, and that would never change.

While they drove to the movie theater, which was in the next town

over, they talked mostly about meaningless stuff. Angel caught Baily up
on the neighborhood gossip. The stuff that his mother had left out. Like
who was sleeping with who and who had cheated on who. The really
good stuff. By the time they arrived at the movies, Baily was well
educated.

They got out and rushed to the door. It was one hell of a winter in

Michigan, and the temperatures had reached record lows, so it wasn’t
even fit for a Dire Wolf outside.

Once they finally reached the warm confines of the building, Baily

bought their tickets, popcorn, and soda. Then they went to find their
seats. It was already pretty crowded in there, but they managed to find a
couple of seats behind a human couple that seemed to be glued together.
They were older teenagers, a boy and a girl. The girl had long blonde hair
and way too much makeup on, while the guy wore a varsity jacket and
had the build of a wannabe jock.

“Great,” Angel muttered. “We have Barbie and Super Hunk in front

of us. How much you want to bet that they’ll make out the whole
movie?”

“I’m sure they won’t be too bad,” Baily tried to assure him, even

though he had the same sinking suspicion. Meanwhile, Baily was praying
that those two little brats would be good and not ruin this night for
Angel. Baily had promised him a perfect date, and that’s what he
intended to give the other man. Then his stomach did a nosedive when
the two teenagers started talking to each other.

“You know how much I love you, my big bear,” the girl said.
“Not nearly as much as I love you, my little kitten,” the boy returned,

kissing her on the nose.

“I still can’t believe that you bought me a promise ring for Valentine’s

Day,” she cooed.

“Only because you’re the girl for me.”
The lights for the theater began to dim, but not before Baily caught

the oh God look on Angel’s face. Baily hoped that once the movie started
the two lovebirds would forget about each other and get into the flick.
Much to his disappointment, the opposite happened.

It started with one kiss. Okay, that wasn’t so bad. But then another

followed and another, and soon the teens were making out. They weren’t
quiet about it either. There was the sound of slobber being exchanged.
Loud smacking sounds. But the worse had to be the moans and the
groans.

Baily sank down in his chair as he could hear Angel let out a sigh of

aggravation next to him. He wasn’t the only one, either. Baily could
catch the gasps of outrage and “how dare they” all around him.
Obviously several of the other movie patrons were just as disgusted. Not
that Baily was against a little PDA here and there, but there was a line
and they’d just crossed it.

Baily wanted to grab Angel and run, but they were boxed in by other

moviegoers. So they were forced the sit the entire movie and listen in as
the couple continued to make out so loudly that, had it been under any
other circumstances, it would have been comical.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the movie ended. Everybody

filed out. That is, except for the couple, who were still going at it. Baily
shot them one last dirty look before he exited the theater. How dare they
ruin his date before it really even began? Seriously, couldn’t they have
waited until they got home to play tonsil hockey? Why pay the high price
of a movie ticket to do it in the theater?

Baily turned to Angel. “I am so sorry for that.”
Angel gave him a soft smile. “Don’t be. It’s not like you had any

control over it.”

“Are you sure you’re not upset?” Baily asked, shocked that Angel

wasn’t.

Angel shook his head. “Nah, I think I may have even picked up a trick

or two off of them.”

Baily was so relieved that he let out a small laugh. “Anything you care

to show to me?”

Angel started to walk away, but after a few steps, he stopped and

tossed over his shoulder, “No, but I’m sure you wish I would.”

Excitement shot through Baily. Not only was Angel not angry about

the little snafu in their date, but he was getting comfortable enough to
make jokes. Things couldn’t be going better. Baily just had to hope they
kept going that way. Crossing his fingers, he ran to catch up with Angel.

CHAPTER THREE

Angel could barely contain his laughter as Baily got into the car. All

Angel could think about was the look on Baily’s face when that couple
had been making out. While Angel thought that the teens had taken
things way, way, way too far, it had been worth hearing all the gross
sounds just to see how big Baily’s eyes had grown and how red his face
had gotten as he kept shooting worried looks Angel’s way.

Yes, Angel still hated PDA. Yes, he still hated Valentine’s Day. But

he had loved seeing the normally in-control Baily thrown a curveball. It
was nice to know that crap like that didn’t only happen to Angel.

Then all of Angel’s good humor fled when he saw Baily pulling up to a

high-end restaurant. “What are you doing? We can’t eat here.”

“Why not?” Baily asked.
“For one thing, it’s way too expensive.”
“I already told you I’m paying for everything. So you don’t need to

worry about that.”

“But this is our first date. You shouldn’t be spending this much on me

already,” Angel protested.

“Ah, so you’re already admitting that there’s going to be a second

one,” Baily pointed out.

Flustered, Angel threw his hands in the air. “You know what I mean.”
“Well, this is a special day.”
Angel glared at Baily. “You better not say it’s because it’s Valentine’s

Day.”

Baily grabbed Angel’s hand and kissed the back of it. “No, it’s our

first date. I don’t know about you, but I consider that pretty damn
important.”

Angel sat there for a few seconds, thrown off by Baily’s answer. It had

to be one of the sweetest things he’d ever heard in his life. What’s better
was that it was directed at him, for once. It was as if Baily were too good
to be true.

“You really mean that, don’t you?” Angel asked.
“Yes, I do.”
Angel shook his head. “I still don’t understand how I didn’t know

about it before today.”

“I was very good at hiding it. Not even Bishop knew and he’s my best

friend.”

Angel gave a slight shake. “Somehow, I doubt that. Bishop never

misses anything. He just probably never said anything to you about it.”

Baily reached across the car and ran the back of his fingers across

Angel’s cheek. “You’re probably right. Bishop’s funny that way.”

Instead of pulling away, Angel found himself turning into the caress. It

wasn’t because Baily’s hand was warm, either. It was as if his inner Dire
Wolf called for him to do so. Like it was begging to be petted and loved
on by Baily.

It made Angel wonder about the mutterings of the elders. Of how they

said in the old times, when there were packs and the old customs, that
mates would instinctively be drawn together. That there would be a pull
like no other and nobody could break it.

Angel shook it off. Now he was beginning to sound like Baily. Those

days were over. He was just horny and his lifelong crush was finally
showing some interest in him. That’s all there was to it. Nothing more.
Angel was a fool to believe otherwise.

“So will you let me treat you like the special Dire Wolf you are and

take you to dinner here?” Baily asked.

“When you put it that way, how can I say no?” Angel said.
“You can’t.”
“Now I see why you became a lawyer. You always manage to get your

way.”

“I guess I can be persuasive when I want to be,” Baily admitted.
“Yes, you can. I planned on spending the night in front the TV,

watching bad movies and eating a pint of ice cream. Yet here I am.”

Baily gave a low laugh. “Let’s go inside and get you fed. You barely

ate any popcorn.”

“How could I? That couple was making such gross sounds. They must

have exchanged a pint of spit.”

“Ewww…that’s something I don’t even want to think about.”
They got out and went into the swanky restaurant. Angel was glad he

had dressed up a bit so he didn’t stick out too badly. The place was nice,
as in way out of Angel’s price range nice. The booths were all wooden
and halfway enclosed to allow the patrons some privacy. Lush carpet

covered the floor, and the waiters were all dressed up nicely. There was
not an apron or a decorative button to be found on these guys. They
even had their shoes shined and everything. Angel looked down at his
own scuffed-up tennis shoes and suddenly felt inferior.

Somehow, Baily caught on to this because he tugged on Angel’s hand

and said, “Stop it, you look perfect.”

“I probably could have worn a better pair of shoes.”
“Do you have a better pair of shoes?”
Angel felt heat come over his face, even as he smiled, “No, every pair

I get only lasts about a day before they get destroyed at work. Carrying
bags of fertilizer and concrete around isn’t very forgiving on clothes or
shoes.”

“Have you ever thought about working someplace else until you finish

school?”

Angel shook his head. “No, I love it there. It’s run by a family and

they’re all great to me. Plus, whenever I need a day off, they give it to me
and I’ve worked there so long I’m comfortable there.”

The hostess sat them at a table in the back of the restaurant. Angel

chose to sit opposite of Baily. Even if they were a real couple, which he
wasn’t sure if they were or not, he didn’t know if he would feel
comfortable sitting on the same side of the booth as him. Angel didn’t
know how Baily would react to him being that pushy on the first date.

The waiter approached them. He eyed first Angel, then Baily, before

his attention returned and stayed on Angel. Giving a smile that could
only be called flirtatious, the waiter asked, “What can I get you to drink
tonight?”

“I’ll just take a soda. What about you, Baily?” Angel asked as he

squirmed under the waiter’s stare.

Baily gave the waiter a tight smile and said, “I’ll take the same.

Thanks.”

After he left, Baily asked, “Could you believe the balls on that guy?”
Angel decided to play stupid. “I don’t know what you’re talking

about.”

“Come on, he was practically drooling all over you.”
“I didn’t notice.”
Baily gave him a narrow-eyed stare before they began to study their

menus. Angel was going to go with the cheapest item on the menu, but
the damn thing didn’t have the prices listed. He finally decided on some
kind of chicken dinner, deciding that it couldn’t be too much, before
setting his menu to the side.

The waiter came back. He practically threw Baily’s drink in front of

him, while he slid Angel’s soda down, all the while smiling at him. “Have
you decided what you want for tonight?”

The way the waiter put it made it sound like he was definitely listed

on the menu. It wasn’t that he was bad looking or anything. He had dark,
short hair that swept into his eyes, deep blue eyes and a slim build. But
he was no Baily, and Angel only wanted Baily, so the poor waiter was
wasting his time.

Angel put in his order, and the waiter turned to Baily and got a surly

expression, “And for you?”

“A large steak. The rarer the better,” Baily said with a malicious grin.
The waiter finally seemed to realize just how big Baily was and just

how much he might have pissed him off, because he swallowed hard and
turned a few shades paler. Angel had to bite the inside of his cheek to
keep from laughing. He’d never had two men vying for his attention
before. If he didn’t know better, he would have sworn that somebody
had slipped him some love potion or something.

“Right away, sir,” the waiter said. He scurried away to put the order

in.

“I have a question for you,” Baily said as he leaned toward Angel.
“What’s that?”
“Why did you order chicken instead of steak? There isn’t a Dire Wolf

alive that turns down red meat when it’s offered to him.”

Angel felt himself scrambling to come up with an excuse. “Maybe I

just happen to like chicken.”

“Or maybe you were trying to find the cheapest thing on the menu,”

Baily challenged.

“Well, I’m sure this place is pretty expensive, and I didn’t want to look

like I was taking advantage of you,” Angel finally admitted.

He hoped that he hadn’t pissed Baily off too much. That had been the

last thing he was trying to do. He just hadn’t wanted to come off as a
gold digger either. Angel wasn’t sure what Baily made as a lawyer, but he

was pretty sure it was a lot more than Angel made at the hardware store.

“You wouldn’t have been taking advantage of me. I already told you

that I want to make this night very special for you,” Baily said.

“You already have.”
Angel ducked his head so Baily wouldn’t see the blush that was surely

growing there. But Baily would have none of that. Baily stretched his
arm across the table, tucked two fingers under Angel’s chin and forced
him to look up.

“You don’t know how happy I am to hear that,” Baily said. “I’ve been

waiting for this for what seems like forever.”

“Me, too…or rather I should say, I’ve been dreaming about it. I never

actually thought it would happen.”

Baily shifted his grip so he was now holding Angel’s hand. “Well, if I

have anything to say about it, we’ll be having a lot more nights like this.”

Angel gave him a small smile. “I think I could get used to that.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel like I’m rushing things?”
Angel gave a small shake of his head. “Not at all. I’ve known you all

my life, and for most of it, I’ve had a mad crush on you. It’s like a dream
come true to me.”

“Funny, I was just going to say the same thing to you.”
They both sat forward in the booth enough so they could meet over

the table and exchange a kiss. Unlike the teens at the movies, they kept
theirs brief and PG-rated. Even so, it still left Angel’s head spinning and
him hungry for more.

He knew one thing. If he had anything to say about it, he would not

be going to his own home tonight. He wasn’t a whore by any means, far
from it. He’d only had a handful of lovers in his life. But he had the
undeniable need to make love to Baily, and Angel needed to quench it.

The waiter brought out their food. This time, he was a lot less chatty

and barely glanced Angel’s way as he laid out their meal. Angel almost
felt sorry for the poor guy.

The first thing Baily did after the waiter left was cut his steak in half

and put one part on Angel’s plate. Angel looked down at the juicy, nearly
bloody piece of meat and began to salivate with excitement. It looked so
much yummier than his chicken.

“You don’t have to do that,” Angel said, even as his stomach

screamed in protest.

“Yes, I do. You need somebody to take care of you. I’ve decided that

I’m the man to do that job.”

While that comment should have angered Angel since he’d had so

many controlling boyfriends in the past, it didn’t. Instead, it made him
feel comforted and protected. As if he had finally found his place in the
world and it was by Baily’s side. Which was crazy, because while they
had known each other forever, this was only their first date. Angel shook
his head. He was just letting his crush get the better of him, that’s all.
Otherwise, next thing he knew he would be looking for a venue for their
wedding reception.

They finished their meal, and the steak was awesome, much better

than the chicken. Baily paid the bill, and they went out to the truck.
After Baily started it, he asked, “Where do you want to go to next? We
could go get something for dessert or hang out at the pub with the
others?”

Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Angel said, “I want to go

see your house.”

“Why? You’ve been there when old man Stevens used to live in it,”

Baily replied with a sly grin.

Damn it! Baily had him there. Angel quickly recovered, “Yeah, but I

haven’t seen it since you’ve moved in. I’m anxious to see the changes
you might have made.”

“Angel, is this your way of trying to get some alone time with me?”
Angel could feel the heat infusing his cheeks. He could have found a

way to be more subtle about that. But no, he had to just go charging in.
Now he had come off as some sex-starved goober.

“Maybe,” Angel mumbled, looking down at his lap.
“Because if it is, I would love to show you my house. Later on, we

could even go on a run if you like.”

Angel perked up. With school and work, it’d seemed forever since

he’d let his Dire Wolf out for a good long run. “Really? That would be so
awesome.”

“So I take it you’re in for a run, then?”
When Angel nodded eagerly, Baily laughed. “Good, it’s been forever

for me. I lived in the city before I moved back here, so I didn’t get a

chance to get out much.”

Angel was really looking forward to the run, but what he wanted even

more was what he was hoping would happen before the run. Just the
thought of lying down on the mattress as Baily pounded into him made
Angel grow hard with need. Angel was willing to bet that Baily would be
the perfect lover. He’d know when to be gentle and when to go at it hard
and fast. He’d always make sure that Angel’s needs were taken care of,
too. Not like some of the other guys he’d dated that would screw Angel,
get off and then be done, whether or not Angel had finished or not.

“You’ve gotten quiet all of the sudden. What are you thinking about?”

Baily asked.

“Nothing.”
Angel must have answered the question a little too quickly because

Baily gave a knowing chuckle. But Angel did notice that Baily sped the
car up a bit, showing that he was every bit as anxious to get home. Angel
smiled as he settled back in the seat. He hated to admit it, but he was
beginning to like Valentine’s Day.

CHAPTER FOUR

Once they reached Baily’s house, Baily only gave Angel time to kick

off his shoes. Then he was on Angel like a man starved, kissing and
pulling at Angel’s clothes. The younger Dire Wolf returned the same
passion, his own hands fumbling with Angel’s clothing.

Baily knew that they were probably taking things too fast, but now

that he’d had a taste of Angel, Baily just couldn’t stop himself. He
wouldn’t be satisfied until he claimed the small Dire Wolf. Made Angel
his and his alone. Baily was tired of waiting; the time had come, and it
was now.

Walking backward, he led Angel to the bedroom. The entire way

there, they continued to strip and kiss one another. By the time they
reached the bedroom, all they had on was their underwear.

Baily led Angel to the edge of the mattress. Once there, he didn’t

immediately push Angel down on it. Instead, Baily reached into the
younger man’s underpants and pulled out his cock, then began to stroke
it. Angel let out a moan that was muffled by Baily’s lips.

Wanting to up the ante, Baily pulled out his own cock. He then began

to stroke them off together. Angel seemed to be a little surprised by the
move at first, letting out a gasp. But he soon got caught up in the
moment, even pumping his hips in time to Baily’s strokes.

Just when he felt that Angel was about to come, Baily pinched the

base of Angel’s cock, staving off his orgasm. When Angel let out a cry of
disappointment, Baily laughed.

“Don’t worry, I’ll let you come. Just not yet,” Baily promised.
“When?” Angel asked with the cutest of smiles.
“Soon. Why don’t you lose the underwear and meet me on the bed.”
Baily turned around to grab the lube from his drawer, but the rustle of

clothing behind him told him that Angel was following orders. They
didn’t need condoms since Dire Wolf shifters didn’t catch STDs, for
which Baily was glad. When he took Angel, he wanted to feel every inch
of him without a barrier getting between them.

After taking off his underwear, Baily turned around. What he saw

made him nearly fall over. Angel was naked and spread out over the bed.
Baily had never seen anything more beautiful, either. Angel’s skin looked
stark against the dark comforter, his eyes half-lidded with desire, his

cheeks flushed with passion. He looked like the ultimate sexual sacrifice
and damned if Baily was going to turn it away.

Baily crawled on the bed and settled himself between the other man’s

legs. Running a hand down Angel’s chest, Baily earned a shiver of desire,
so it appeared that Angel was very receptive to touch. Good to know. By
the end of the night, he would have Angel screaming in desire.

Normally, Baily would have taken his time and really tortured Angel

by touching him all over before giving him some relief. But since Baily
knew his little Dire Wolf was already so close to the edge, he didn’t do
that to him.

So Baily opened up the bottle of lube and spread some of the liquid

onto his fingers. Spreading his lover’s legs even farther apart, he sought
out Angel’s hole. Once he found it, Baily carefully pressed one finger
inside.

Angel rolled his eyes into the back of his head, a low groan slipping

from his lips. Baily smiled, loving that he was able to bring his lover
pleasure instead of pain. Wanting to bring Angel even more, Baily began
to slowly work his finger in and out. All the while, he savored the look of
pure bliss on his lover’s face.

Once he thought Angel was ready for more, Baily added a second

finger. Once again, Angel took it like a trooper, his back arching up as he
let out a hiss of desire. Angel’s cock was hard and curled up toward his
stomach. Baily couldn’t resist reaching out to give it a few strokes.

Angel became unglued. He let out a loud cry, then said, “Fuck me,

now.”

“Are you sure you’re ready to take me?” Baily asked, concerned. The

last thing he wanted to do was hurt his little Dire Wolf.

“Yes, I am. I need you now. Claim me, Baily. Do it now.”
Baily pulled out his finger, flipped Angel over so he was on his hands

and knees. It almost caused Baily to get kicked in the head during the
process, but it was worth it. Running a hand down Angel’s spine, Baily
let out a hum of approval.

“If you only knew how many times I dreamt of having you in this

exact position,” Baily said.

“Well, now you have me here. Do something about it.”
Baily laughed. He should have known that Angel would be a pushy

bottom. The Dire Wolf had always had no trouble speaking his mind and
had a mouth on him that was like no other. Baily was actually surprised
that Angel wasn’t yelling out more instruction.

Baily grabbed his own cock and lined the tip of it to Angel’s hole.

While he tried to take things nice and slow, Angel would have none of
that. With one swift move, he jerked back and impaled himself onto
Baily’s cock.

Baily let out a cry of pleasure as his dick was suddenly surrounded by

tight heat. God, but it felt good. He could hardly believe that he was
finally inside Angel, of all Dire Wolves. The moment he had thought
would never happen had finally come to pass.

When Baily didn’t move at first, Angel grew impatient. “Please, fuck

me. My Dire Wolf wants you so bad.”

Okay, that wasn’t something that Baily needed to be told again.

Grabbing Angel’s shoulders for supports, he let go of his Dire Wolf and
began to pound into Angel.

At first, he was worried that he was going to hurt the smaller man, but

Angel let out a laugh and said, “That’s more like it.”

Baily showed no mercy, fucking Angel like it was going to be the last

time they were ever going to make love. Yet, at the same time, it felt to
Baily as if it was his first time too. Every sensation was sharper and more
intense than it ever had been. Each stroke seemed softer, gentler. Each
stroke sent great jolts of electricity shooting up his body.

Most importantly, though, was Baily could feel himself connecting

with Angel on a different level. It was as if their minds were connecting
and binding together. That he knew Angel on a different level than
anybody ever could. What’s more, he could feel his own mind opening
up to Angel, allowing the other Dire Wolf in, so Angel could see all of
Baily’s hopes, dreams, fears, both sad and good memories.

Then without any warning, Baily’s orgasm hit him. As if in perfect

synch, Angel came with him, his spunk covering the comforter under
him. Baily roared out Angel’s name as he came. Baily’s cock pulsated as
it filled Angel’s ass.

Baily shivered as he came down from his orgasm. Angel collapsed

under him. Baily pulled out and rolled over to the side so he didn’t crush
the younger Dire Wolf. They both just lay there catching their breath for
a second.

“How long do you think before you can go for a second round?” Angel

asked with a sly smile playing on his lips.

Baily reached out and tweaked his nose. “It shouldn’t be too long.

How about we go on that run first?”

Angel’s eyes grew wide with excitement. “That would be great.”
Angel scrambled out of bed and went to the sliding glass door that

was at the back of Baily’s bedroom. Pushing it open, he jumped into the
air. In mid-air, he made the change from human to Dire Wolf. Baily
couldn’t help but smile. He’d never seen Angel in his animal form, since
they didn’t have their first change until they were twenty. He was small
and gray, with a white chest and paws. He huffed at Baily as if to say,
Well, what are you waiting for? Get on with it?

Then all of the sudden, Baily realized he had actually heard Angel say

that. Well, he had heard it inside his head. Angel, can you hear me?

Of course, I can. Don’t be silly.
Angel, I’m not talking right now. I’m sending this all telepathically.
There was a long pause, and then Angel broke in. That’s impossible. I’ve

never heard of that happening between Dire Wolves before.

Baily rubbed his fingers together. I have, but only from the elders. They said

true mates could do it.

Angel let out a huffing sound. But that’s old talk. There is no such thing as

mates anymore. Remember?

I’m trying, babe, but every time I turn around, I’m smacked in the face

with something that tells me otherwise. You can’t tell me you didn’t feel
the connection just now when we made love.

The little Dire Wolf ducked his head.

Yeah, I felt it. It was a weird

sensation, but I’ve never felt closer to anybody than I do to you now. Now, come on
and shift. We can talk all about this after our run. I’m dying to stretch my legs.

“Okay, okay,” Baily said aloud. “I’m coming.”
Baily went to the sliding glass door and slid it closed behind him. Like

Angel, he jumped and shifted while in midair. When he landed next to
Angel, Baily saw how much bigger he was in Dire Wolf form. If a fight
were to ever break out and the neighborhood were to be attacked, Angel
would have to be protected at all costs.

Hey, I heard that! Angel protested.
Sorry about that. I guess I’m just a little overprotective of you.

Well, I have you know I can be damn scrappy in a fight if I have to be.
Baily nipped at Angel’s rump, making the younger Dire Wolf yip in

shock. Hey, what was that for?

Sorry, I just couldn’t resist. You have such a good tail, in both forms.
They continued to run through the wood, jumping over stumps and

dodging through trees. Baily’s heart beat faster as the wind blew through
his fur, and he felt so alive. There was nothing like a good run to make
one really connect with their Dire Wolf.

When they reached a little brook, they stopped to have a long drink.

Their sides were heaving from running so hard, and they were both
panting from exertion. Baily was just about to suggest that they start
back to his house, when he smelled them —humans.

If there were humans this far out in the woods, that could only mean

one thing. They were hunting, and it wasn’t for rabbit or duck. Angel
jerked his head up, showing that he smelled it too.

Then off in the distance, Baily could see them. There had to be a least

a dozen of them. The bad thing was they had already tracked him and
Angel, so they knew they were out there. Not only were he and Angel
outnumbered, but they were being actively hunted. While they could
outrun a man, there was no way that they could outrun a bullet.

Run! Baily ordered Angel.
They turned from the brook and began to run as fast as they could.

They could hear the yells from the humans behind them, and Baily knew
that they had been spotted. Since the men already knew where they
were, Baily threw back his head and let out a distress call. They were far
into the woods, but he hoped that maybe somebody else would hear it,
and come to their aid.

The shots began to ring out, one of them hitting a tree right next to

Angel’s head. Yet another nicked Baily’s ear before it disappeared into
the shrubbery. All the time, he and Angel continued to run as fast as they
could. The last thing Baily wanted was for them to end up as matching
rugs on some prick’s floor.

Baily dodged to the left, sending out a mental signal for Angel to do

the same. While it wouldn’t take them to Baily’s home, it would take
them back to Angel’s place, which at the moment was closer.

Just as they were making it to the clearing that would lead them to

safety, a hunter stepped out and blocked their path. Baily didn’t think
twice. He dove in between Angel and the gunman. One shot rang out.
Baily felt an agonizing, fiery pain in his left flank.

He fell to the ground. Never in his life had he felt more helpless. The

gunman was already getting ready to fire again, and there was no way
Baily could even stand, let alone help Angel. Left with no other option,
Baily let out another howl of distress. He then closed his eyes and prayed
that the hunter killed him first. That way he didn’t have to see Angel die.

Then all of the sudden, more growls filled the air. Baily opened his

eyes and saw all three of Angel’s brothers standing there, in their Dire
Wolf forms. The hunter let out a scream, but it was already too late. The
Dire Wolves descended upon him and ripped him to pieces. The man’s
screams gradually went deadly silent.

The Dire Wolves all shifted to human forms. All except for Baily, who

was still too injured to shift. He had to admit it was kind of comical to
be looking up at four very naked men.

“I don’t care how funny you think it is. We need to get you into the

house and have a look at that gunshot wound, right away,” Angel said.

I think they used silver bullets. It stings like hell.
“I’m sure they did use silver. They were out here specifically looking

for Dire Wolves, so they know our weaknesses.”

“Hey!” Bishop said. “Are you guys talking telepathically?”
Angel looked at Baily before he shrugged. “Yeah, it kinda happened

after we made love.”

“Dude! You did my brother on the first date. Isn’t that a little fast?”

Bishop protested.

“Can we worry about this later, when Baily isn’t bleeding out?” Angel

cut in angrily.

That seemed to snap Bishop out of it. “Yeah, right. Corey, go get one

of the town elders so they can come heal Baily.”

“Sure thing, consider me already gone and doing the job,” Corey said,

right before he quickly threw some clothes on, then sprinted out the
back door.

The rest of them went inside then quickly got dressed. They kept a

basket filled with sweats and T-shirts by the back door just for such an
occasion. Then Bishop, Darien, and Angel carefully lifted Baily onto the

kitchen table.

All Baily could manage was a little whimper. He was hurting so bad,

and the silver was beginning to have its effect on the rest of his body. It
felt like he was on fire. He only hoped that an elder got there soon, and
when they did, they would be able to help him.

CHAPTER FIVE

Angel looked down at Baily and felt helpless as what to do. He’d just

found out that the older man was his mate, and now he might lose him
forever. It made Angel so full of rage that he wanted to shift, go back out
into the wood, track down those hunters, then rip them apart with his
own teeth. He didn’t care that he was a smaller Dire Wolf. He didn’t
care that he might die in the process. All he cared about was getting his
justice.

Angel ran his hand through the fur of the Dire Wolf. Like him, Baily

was gray, but instead of having white markings, Baily had black. It made
the older Dire Wolf look darker and more dangerous, much like the man
himself.

“Has he said anything to you lately?” Bishop asked, his eyes full of

concern.

It was only then that Angel recalled how close Bishop and Baily were.

They grew up together and had been tight with each other. One never
went anywhere without the other one. They played together, fought
together, got into trouble together. Wherever one went, the other could
always be found.

Angel gave a sad shake of his head. “He slipped into unconsciousness

a few moments ago. I’ve tried to reach him, but I haven’t had any
success. When is Corey going to get back here with the healer? How
damn long can it take to wake one of them and bring them back?”

“You need to remember, even though they’re technically our

neighbors, a lot of land separates the houses. So it’s going to take him a
while to reach them. But don’t worry; Corey is the fastest runner we
have, which is why I sent him. You know the elders, none of them have
phones and their driveways are for crap. He’ll be back soon.”

“I just hope it’s soon enough.”
“He means that much to you?”
Angel laid his head on the table right next to Baily. “He’s my mate,

Bishop.”

“There’s no such thing as mates. You know that.”
“I thought the same thing before tonight. But after we made love, it

was…I don’t know how to describe it. It was different. I felt like he was
a part of me, and then we could start to speak with each other in our

minds. I know it sounds like it’s crazy, but it’s true. We mated tonight. I
know that whatever happens, no other human or Dire Wolf will ever do
for me. Baily is the only one who can fulfill my needs.”

“What happens if he dies tonight?” Bishop asked in a rough voice.
“I don’t know. But something tells me that I won’t be here on this

Earth for long afterward.”

“You’re just being melodramatic.”
“No. For once, I’m being deadly serious. I don’t think I can survive

without him.” Angel reached out and stroked the Dire Wolf’s fur again.

“Shit, do you have any idea how many ways that is fucked up?”
“Yeah, trust me, I do.”
The front door crashed open, and Corey came in with one of the

elders. Bishop ran forward to greet her. “Baily has been shot in the flank
and can’t shift back. Plus we think the bullet that was used is silver. He
passed out a few minutes ago.”

The elder lady walked into the kitchen. Frail, thin, with a mountain of

gray hair, she was still dressed in her nightdress. Her eyes were so pale
blue that they were practically invisible, and she used a cane to help her
walk.

She took one look at Baily before her eyes snapped up angrily at

Angel. “Why didn’t you treat him, Omega?”

Shocked, Angel put a hand to his frail chest. “Me? Well, for the first

thing, because I’m not an Omega, and second, because I haven’t started
veterinary class. All I’ve taken is the general education classes.”

The old woman hobbled her way to Angel. She didn’t stop until she

was just inches away from him. “As the Omega, you are born knowing
the skills. You don’t need to go to some fancy college to learn them.”

“But there are no such things as packs anymore,” Bishop cut in.
The elder threw her arm up in frustration. “Ah, you and your refusal to

except the old ways. Not only has it kept this pack from being what it
should be, but it almost got one of your best Betas killed tonight. As the
Alpha of this group, it is high time you brought this pack back together
and made things the way they should be.”

Bishop shook his head. “How can I be an Alpha? I don’t have the first

clue how to run a vacuum, let alone a pack.”

The old lady patted him on the shoulder. “That is where we come in.

We’ll show you how to run things. Before you know it, you’ll be running
things like a pro.”

More than a little aggravated, Angel turned to the pair. “While this is

all fascinating, can we get back to Baily? We can talk about packs and
Alphas later.”

“Oh! Of course,” the old woman said as she returned her attention to

Baily.

She carefully examined the bullet wound, before she leaned down to

smell it. Grabbing Angel by the front of his shirt, she asked, “What odor
do you detect?”

Sniffing carefully, Angel said, “Sulfur, but it has a metallic smell to it,

too. It makes my nose burns.”

“That is how you know that a silver bullet was used.”
Angel wiped the tears from his eyes that had begun to form. If the

small sniff of silver had affected him that much, what as it doing to poor
Baily? They needed to get that bullet out of him as fast as possible.

The elder pulled out a bag that had been around her elbow and began

to take out some instruments. They looked to be basic surgical
instruments to Angel, but then again what did he know?

The old woman turned to Angel. “Wash your hands and make sure to

do a good job of it. We want them as sterile as possible.”

A jolt of fear went through Angel. “You can’t possibly think that I’m

going to be the one that goes in to get the bullet out?”

“You’re the Omega, it’s your job. And get that look off your face, I’ll

be here the entire time and will guide you.”

“But he’s my mate. Isn’t there some guidelines about working on your

own loved ones or something like that?”

The elder slammed her cane on the ground. “The longer you put this

off, the longer your mate will be in pain. Do you want that?”

A jolt of anger went through Angel. “Of course not.”
“Then go wash your hands and let’s get going.”
Angel went to the sink and began to scrub his hands, much like he’d

seen the doctors on TV do. He still had an inkling that real surgeons
didn’t use Dawn , though. After he was sure that his hands were as clean
as they were going to get, he went back over to the table.

“Okay, what do I do?” he asked.
She handed him a scalpel. “You need to open the wound more so you

can reach in and extract the bullet.”

Taking a deep breath to ready himself, Angel did as the elder ordered.

Then to his great surprise, after the first cut, his mind seemed to direct
his hands on what to do. Without an ounce of training, Angel knew what
procedure to do next. Before he knew it, he had the bullet extracted. He
carefully deposited it into a bowl, a shiver of revulsion going up his spine
as he looked at it. He could hardly believe that a little piece of metal
could cause so much damage.

“Could you start an IV for me, so we can flush the silver from his

system?” he asked the elder.

She did so, then after a few moments, they all watched as Baily shifted

to his human form, the wound closing up and not leaving so much as a
scar behind. Angel fell upon Baily’s chest as relief flooded through him.
He’d done it; his mate was going to live. For once in his life, Angel
hadn’t fucked things up.

“What happened?” Baily asked, his voice a little slurred.
“As soon as we figure it out, we’ll tell you,” Bishop said.
Angel glanced up and saw all three of his brothers looking at him in

awe. No, better yet, they were looking at Angel as if he had suddenly
grown another head. Not that Angel blamed them. He had just
performed major surgery without any training.

Angel glanced down and busied himself by adjusting Baily’s IV, not

willing to meet his brothers’ stares. He knew what had just happened
was freaky. He didn’t need their ogling at him to tell him that.

“See, I told you so. The Omega knows what to do, because it is part

of his birthright,” the elder said. She then pointed a finger at Bishop.
“Just as it is in your blood that you’re the Alpha! You need to step
forward and claim your status and get the pack in order. Every day there
are more and more hunters. We need to unite to fight against them or
else we will all fall one by one to their bullets.”

“And just how am I supposed to do that?” Bishop asked.
“You start by calling a mandatory pack meeting. You tell them that

we are going back to our old ways. When they try to argue, you bring up
the facts about the human hunters.” The elder came up and put her

hands on Bishop’s arms. “You know how important this is. Everybody’s
safety depends on it.”

“I never asked for this,” Bishop retorted angrily.
“Maybe not, but you were born into it. Your father was an Alpha, as

was his father before him. So you have no choice.”

“And what if I say no? I can just take my brothers and leave this

place.”

The old woman gave a knowing smile. “But that is something that you

won’t do. You know too many lives depend on you. I’ve watched you
since you were just a babe. You’re way too protective of others. So you
won’t leave behind your pack to be killed by the hunters.”

Angel let out a low curse. He hated to admit it, but the elder was

right. Bishop was, if nothing else, protective of others. It wasn’t just of
family members either. He cared about all those that he called friends,
and that was most of his neighbors.

Bishop let out a sigh. “Fine, we’ll stay. But that doesn’t mean I agree

with you. I still think that you’re nuts for thinking that I’m the Alpha.”

The elder let out a laugh. “We shall see, Alpha, we shall see.”
She then turned and left the house, leaving behind an uneasy silence

behind her. Angel ran to the basket and got Baily some sweats and a T-
shirt. It took a lot of work, but they got the clothes on. Baily was still
feeling the aftereffects of the silver, and he let out a lot of moans and
groans throughout the process. Angel couldn’t help but wince in
sympathy.

“How about we get you into bed? You’ll be more comfortable,” Angel

suggested.

“That sounds great,” Baily agreed.
With some help from Bishop, they managed to get Baily to Angel’s

room, and get him settled into the bed. After Bishop left, Angel sat on
the edge of the mattress, afraid that if he moved too much he would hurt
his mate.

“Come here and lay down next to me,” Baily urged.
“Are you sure?” Angel asked.
“Of course, I am. I want the comfort of my mate.”
Angel carefully scooted up until he was next to Baily. Snuggling into

Baily, Angel felt the first moment of peace since they were first

discovered in the woods. They were safe…at least for now.

“I was so afraid I was going to lose you. Why did you jump in front of

that bullet?” Angel asked.

“For the same reason you would have for me. I love you,” Baily

replied.

Angel let out a gasp. “I don’t recall ever saying that I love you.”
“But I know you do. You forget, we’re inside each other’s heads now.

So I know everything you think. Like for example, was it really you who
operated on me?”

Angel tipped his head up so he could look at Baily. “I still don’t know

how I managed to pull that off. It just came to me.”

“Are you starting to believe that there may actually be some truth

behind this theory that we really are still a pack?” Baily asked.

“I’m not starting, I’m all on board. The elder told Bishop that he’s the

Alpha. Bishop about flipped out on that one.”

“Yeah, I was awake for that part. But it does kind of make sense.

Your dad was always the unofficial leader of the neighborhood, and after
he died, Bishop just stepped into his shoes.”

Angel interlaced his fingers with Baily’s. “There’s going to be a lot of

change in the neighborhood, isn’t there?”

“Yes, there is. That is, if we want to survive. I don’t see any other way

around it.”

“Would you consider me a coward, if I said I was more than a little

scared?” Angel asked.

“No, I would say you were being honest. I saw this coming for years,

and I’m still terrified.”

“At least we’re not facing it alone. We have each other,” Angel said.
“Yes, we do, and nothing is going to tear us apart, ever.”
They shared a deep, long kiss. Once they were finished, Baily let out a

small curse.

“What was that all about?” Angel asked.
“I just realize that now I have to do whatever Bishop tells me to do.”
Angel let out a laugh as he realized so were his other brothers. That

was going to stick in their gall, for sure. They both lived to argue with
Bishop. A day didn’t go by that there wasn’t at least one fistfight

amongst the brothers. Well, it looked like those days were far behind
them, now that they had the Alpha living in their home.

“I love the sound of your laugh,” Baily said.
“You better, because you’re going to be hearing it for the rest of your

life,” Angel retorted.

“I like the sounds of that,” Baily said as he grabbed Angel in for

another kiss.

As they kissed, Angel decided that he liked the sounds of it too. So

much so, that he didn’t mind being the Omega and he didn’t care that it
was Valentine’s Day.

SUPERIORZ.ORG

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephani Hecht is a happily married mother of two. Born and raised in

Michigan, she loves all things about the state, from the frigid winters to
the Detroit Red Wings hockey team. Go Wings! You can usually find her
snuggled up to her laptop, creating her next book.

Contact her at:
Email Address: [e-mail]
Twitter: http://twitter.com/StephaniHecht
FaceBook:http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?

ref=profile&id=110935385

tumblr:http://rainbowsandmish-mash.tumblr.com

TRADEMARKS ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of
the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:
Barbie: Mattel, Inc.
Dawn: The Procter & Gamble Company

MLR PRESS AUTHORS

Featuring a roll call of some of the best writers of gay erotica and

mysteries today!
Derek Adams
Z. Allora
Maura Anderson
Simone Anderson
Victor J. Banis
Laura Baumbach
Helen Beattie
Ally Blue
J.P. Bowie
Barry Brennessel
Nowell Briscoe
Jade Buchanan
James Buchanan
TA Chase
Charlie Cochrane
Karenna Colcroft
Michael G. Cornelius
Jamie Craig
Ethan Day
Diana DeRicci
Vivien Dean
Taylor V. Donovan
S.J. Frost
Kimberly Gardner
Kaje Harper
Alex Ironrod
Jambrea Jo Jones
DC Juris
AC Katt
Thomas Kearnes
Sasha Keegan
Kiernan Kelly
K-lee Klein

Geoffrey Knight
Christopher Koehler
Matthew Lang
J.L. Langley
Vincent Lardo
Cameron Lawton
Anna Lee
Elizabeth Lister
Clare London
William Maltese
Z.A. Maxfield
Timothy McGivney
Tere Michaels
AKM Miles
Robert Moore
Reiko Morgan
Jet Mykles
William Neale
N.J. Nielsen
Cherie Noel
Gregory L. Norris
Willa Okati
Erica Pike
Neil S. Plakcy
Rick R. Reed
A.M. Riley
AJ Rose
Rob Rosen
George Seaton
Riley Shane
Jardonn Smith
DH Starr
Richard Stevenson
Christopher Stone
Liz Strange
Marshall Thornton
Lex Valentine

Haley Walsh
Mia Watts
Lynley Wayne
Missy Welsh
Ryal Woods
Stevie Woods
Lance Zarimba
Mark Zubro

Check out titles, both available and forthcoming, at

www.mlrpress.com

GLBT RESOURCES

RAINBOW ROMANCE WRITERS

Raising the Bar for LGBT Romance
RRW offers support and advocacy to career-focused authors,

expanding the horizons of romance. Changing minds, one heart at a time.
www.rainbowromancewriters.com
THE TREVOR PROJECT

The Trevor Project operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock

crisis and suicide prevention helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender and questioning youth. Every day, The Trevor Project saves
lives though its free and confidential helpline, its website and its
educational services. If you or a friend are feeling lost, alone, confused or
in crisis, please call The Trevor Helpline. You’ll be able to speak
confidentially with a trained counselor 24/7.

The Trevor Helpline: 866-488-7386
On the Web: http://www.thetrevorproject.org/

THE GAY MEN’S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROJECT

Founded in 1994, The Gay Men’s Domestic Violence Project is a

grassroots, non-profit organization founded by a gay male survivor of
domestic violence and developed through the strength, contributions and
participation of the community. The Gay Men’s Domestic Violence
Project supports victims and survivors through education, advocacy and
direct services. Understanding that the serious public health issue of
domestic violence is not gender specific, we serve men in relationships
with men, regardless of how they identify, and stand ready to assist them
in navigating through abusive relationships.

GMDVP Helpline: 800.832.1901
On the Web: http://gmdvp.org/

THE GAY & LESBIAN ALLIANCE AGAINST
DEFAMATION/GLAAD EN ESPAÑOL

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is

dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive
representation of people and events in the media as a means of
eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and
sexual orientation.

On the Web: http://www.glaad.org/

GLAAD en español: http://www.glaad.org/espanol/bienvenido.php

SERVICEMEMBERS LEGAL DEFENSE NETWORK

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network is a nonpartisan, nonprofit,

legal services, watchdog and policy organization dedicated to ending
discrimination against and harassment of military personnel affected by
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT).The SLDN provides free, confidential
legal services to all those impacted by DADT and related discrimination.
Since 1993, its inhouse legal team has responded to more than 9,000
requests for assistance. In Congress, it leads the fight to repeal DADT
and replace it with a law that ensures equal treatment for every
servicemember, regardless of sexual orientation. In the courts, it works
to challenge the constitutionality of DADT.

SLDN Call: 800-538-7418
PO Box 65310 or (202) 328-FAIR
Washington DC 20035-5301 e-mail: [e-mail]
On the Web: http://sldn.org/

THE GLBT NATIONAL HELP CENTER

The GLBT National Help Center is a nonprofit, tax-exempt

organization that is dedicated to meeting the needs of the gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender community and those questioning their sexual
orientation and gender identity. It is an outgrowth of the Gay & Lesbian
National Hotline, which began in 1996 and now is a primary program of
The GLBT National Help Center. It offers several different programs
including two national hotlines that help members of the GLBT
community talk about the important issues that they are facing in their
lives. It helps end the isolation that many people feel, by providing a safe
environment on the phone or via the internet to discuss issues that
people can’t talk about anywhere else. The GLBT National Help Center
also helps other organizations build the infrastructure they need to
provide strong support to our community at the local level.

National Hotline: 1-888-THE-GLNH (1-888-843-4564)
National Youth Talkline 1-800-246-PRIDE (1-800-246-7743)
On the Web: http://www.glnh.org/
e-mail: [e-mail]
If you’re a GLBT and questioning student heading off to university,

you should know that there are resources on campus for you. Here’s just
a sample:

GLBT SCHOLARSHIP RESOURCES

http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/tell-us-about-an-lgbt-

scholarship

Syracuse University
http://lgbt.syr.edu/
Texas A&M
http://glbt.tamu.edu/
Tulane University
http://tulane.edu/studentaffairs/oma/lgbt/index.cfm
University of Alaska

http://www.uaf.edu/woodcenter/leadership/organizations/active/index
id=61

University of California, Davis
http://lgbtrc.ucdavis.edu/
University of California, San Francisco
http://lgbt.ucsf.edu/
University of Colorado
http://www.colorado.edu/GLBTQRC/
University of Florida
http://www.multicultural.ufl.edu/lgbt/
University of Hawaii, Mānoa
http://manoa.hawaii.edu/lgbt/
University of Utah
http://www.sa.utah.edu/lgbt/
University of Virginia
http://www.virginia.edu/deanofstudents/lgbt/
Vanderbilt University
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/lgbtqi/