A Cold Winter's Day 25

Brac Pack 25

LYNN HAGEN

Copyright © 2012

Malcolm Lakeland sat on his horse, surveying the land as he watched the sun set off in the distance. It was such a beautiful sight. One he would never tire of seeing. The red and orange hues painted the sky to make it appear a masterpiece.

He loved the land he owned now. It had such a breathtaking view every day, no matter what time of day it was, but he really loved the end of the day when he knew it was finally time to rest and take in everything he worked so hard for. He was glad that his family had settled in Brac Village. Not a day had gone by that he wasn’t grateful for what he had.

He just wished his wife could have seen this. Clarisse loved to watch the sunsets with him. She loved doing everything with Malcolm. That was one of the things he loved most about her. She was so easygoing.

Malcolm rubbed his sternum from the empty ache inside as he began to work his way back down to his small ranch. His grey stallion moved at a slow pace, knowing Malcolm all too well by now.

Malcolm was in no hurry.

His horse, Lover Lost, was getting up in years, but he was still just as good in spirit as he was the day his wife had given him the stallion right before she passed away.

Malcolm cleared his throat, feeling a lump form. That happened anytime he thought of Clarisse. She had been a sweet gal, a loving mother, and a wonderful person. He missed her terribly.

“Come on, boy, let’s head home.” Malcolm steered the horse toward the barn, feeling older than he truly was. His boys’ words had been playing through his mind lately. Many of them asked him to take a lover to warm his bed, but Malcolm had refused.

He knew it was high time for him to move on and find someone to at least share his bed with, but no one had piqued Malcolm’s interest. What he never told his boys was that their mother hadn’t been his mate. It didn’t matter to him. From the first moment he had laid eyes on Clarisse, he had fallen in love with her. That was good enough for him.

Dismounting, Malcolm removed the saddle and blanket and then brushed Lover Lost’s coat until it shined before putting him into a stall and giving him some oats. He ran his hand over the stallion’s head before heading into the house. He could smell the stew cooking as he reached the front porch.

It was his favorite.

“Something smells good,” Malcolm said as he stepped into the kitchen, inhaling deeply.

“Like you don’t know what it is.” Steven, his youngest cub’s mate, laughed. “You’d know the smell of beef stew a mile away.”

That he did. Malcolm could also smell the buttery biscuits baking in the oven as well. “We have honey?”

“Yep. I put a lock on the pantry so D would stop trying to throw everything away,” Steven said as he pointed with his spoon to the lock on the pantry door. “It’s driving him crazy. He swears we’re all going to die from eating what’s in there.”

Malcolm shook his head. D was a strange fellow. He’d never met a vampire who was health conscious with other people. The guy was squirrelly as hell, but as far as Malcolm was concerned, D was family.

He just wished he’d never introduced the guy to coffee.

Malcolm rubbed his stomach once more at the smell of the stew cooking before turning to leave. He needed to wash up before supper. “Let me know when dinner is ready. I’m going to go wash up.”

“Will do,” Steven said and then shouted, “Maverick called.”

Malcolm walked back into the kitchen, his hands on his hips as he narrowed his eyes at the mate. “You could have told me that before I walked out.”

Steven shrugged, a mischievous gleam prancing in his eyes. He had been around Malcolm’s cubs far too long. The playfulness was rubbing off on Steven. “It was more entertaining to watch you walk back in.”

Malcolm ran his hand over his stubbled chin and then waved a hand at Steven. “You want to tell me what the alpha wanted, son?”

Steven began to grab plates from the cupboard as he answered, “He said he needed volunteers at the rec center tomorrow. They’re hosting their annual basketball competition, and he needs a few chaperones for the kids.”

“I’ll send Chance and Chauncey.”

Steven snorted as he set the dishes on the table. “He needs chaperones, not more kids. Besides, he asked for you specifically.”

Malcolm had never been to the rec center. There was no need. He had a ranch that kept him pretty busy, so volunteering—as much as he’d like to—wasn’t possible most of the time. But this was Maverick asking for a favor, something he rarely did. “Tell him I’ll be there.”

“I’ll call him just as soon as I’m done setting the table.”

Malcolm jogged up the steps, heading for his bedroom and a nice hot shower. He sat on the chair and yanked his boots off and then slid his jeans from his body, tossing them on the bed. He pulled his shirt over his head as he headed into the bathroom, throwing it in the hamper. Once he regulated his shower, Malcolm tossed his socks and underwear aside.

He groaned when he stepped under the spray and felt the heat pounding his sore shoulders. He’d been mending fences half the day in the cold ass weather, and he could feel hard knots where his muscles should be. It had been a very long day, and all he wanted was to sit down to a nice dinner and then go to bed.

As the water ran over his body, unthawing him, Malcolm curled his fingers around his cock, squeezing it tightly in his grip, and then began to stroke it slowly. He gave in to his fantasy as the steam swirled around him, creating a veil where no one knew his thoughts or saw his desires.

He imagined a guy on his knees in front of him, licking at the head of his cock, his tongue gliding over Malcolm’s fingers as he jerked his cock harder. It had been so long ago that it felt like another lifetime since he had been with another man.

It was before his wife, and only once, but it had fed his bisexual hunger. Malcolm had never let his sons know, not that he was ashamed that he craved a man’s touch here and there. Malcolm had grown up in a different time, a time when two men together called for a lynching. A part of that way of life, a life so long ago, still clung to him.

Which was odd considering all of his sons were gay.

But Malcolm was a very private man. He was taught to keep his bedroom business to himself. If any of his sons would ask, he wouldn’t deny it, but they never did.

His thoughts scattered as he arched his back, cum shooting from his cock and washing down the drain as he became boneless, leaning his head against the tiled wall. Jerking off only went so far. It relieved the tension, somewhat, but that lonely, achy feeling always followed close behind, reminding him that he was still alone.

Malcolm sighed as he released his soft shaft and washed his hair and body. There was no sense in dwelling on it. He’d gone this long without seeking anyone out, so he might as well keep it that way. He had a ranch to run and boys to look after. He didn’t have time for entanglements.

With nothing more than a towel around his waist, Malcolm stepped into his bedroom. As he reached through the drawer where his jeans were stored, he heard D shouting at the top of his lungs. Malcolm shot across the room and out into the hallway.

The vampire was standing there waving his arms around, his face flushed. “I don’t care. Send him away!”

“What’s going on?” Malcolm asked the frazzled vampire.

“He’s back!”

Malcolm sighed heavily as he walked back into his bedroom. Once he was dressed, he walked back out into the hallway and motioned for D to come into his bedroom. “Have a seat.”

D sat down in the chair, clasping his hands between his knees as he stared up at Malcolm.

“I normally try and stay out of everyone’s business, but I would really like to know why you refuse your mate.”

D slumped back in the chair as he bit his lower lip, making his fangs very pronounced. “Because shifters and vampires are enemies,” he replied quietly.

Malcolm shook his head. He had heard D say that before, but he didn’t think the guy was serious. “D, you live in a house full of shifters. Tell me where the logic behind your thinking is.”

D shot forward. “You guys are different. You’re bears.”

“Tater’s a vampire.”

“He wasn’t born a vampire.”

“Josh over in the Brac pack is a vampire mated to a timber wolf.”

“Again, he wasn’t born a vampire.”

“Gabby?”

“Half.”

Malcolm leaned against his dresser as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Who taught you that vampires and shifters are enemies?”

D shrugged. “My father. He said that if a real vampire mates a shifter that he’ll starve and die. He said that shifters lure vampires in and then drain them of their blood!”

Malcolm could see he had his work cut out for him. D had been subjected to years of prejudice. “He’s your mate, D. Why would you think Sloane would hurt you? The man calls for you every day, shows up here trying to talk to you, and no man on earth could fake a look that says you’re the center of his universe. You have to see that.” Malcolm knelt in front of D, placing his hand on the man’s knee. “Give him a chance.”

When D’s bottom lip trembled and a tear slid from his eye, Malcolm pulled D into an embrace, holding him. “It’s not too late. You haven’t lost him.”

“That’s not why I’m crying.”

Malcolm leaned back, seeing the bloodred tears fall freely from D’s dark eyes. “Then why?”

“I called my brothers to take care of him!” D wailed as he covered his face. “What have I done?”

Yeah, that could be a problem.

“Did they say when they were coming?” Malcolm needed to call the alpha and warn him. This didn’t bode well for his family. A hit had basically been called on the alpha’s cousin. That was grounds for being asked to leave Brac Village.

And that was the nicest thing the alpha could do.

Malcolm didn’t want to think of the other things the alpha had a right to do to Malcolm’s family. He knew Maverick protected his family vehemently. There was no grey area for the man. Malcolm felt the same way about his cubs and their mates.

If someone had called a hit on one of his, he would kill them. It was that simple. “Can you call them?”

D shook his head as he wiped at his eyes with the palm of his hand. “They’re on their way. They won’t answer. What am I going to do?”

That was a damn good question. “How long before they get here?”

“A week at the most. My coven is pretty far from here. I only came this way because I had big dreams of having a life outside the stringent rules of my father. And now I’ve killed my mate!” D cried. “What do I do? Tell me, Pa. I’ll do whatever you say.”

“Stay in the house. And for god’s sake, don’t talk to Sloane until I can get this cleared up.” D might not be his biological son, but the Lakelands didn’t run off of blood bonds alone. Family was whoever resided under his roof. And that included D. Malcolm was going to fix this.

“I’m meeting with Maverick tomorrow. Let me talk to him. Keep trying to get into contact with your brothers.” Malcolm rested his hand on the back of D’s neck, making the vampire look him in the eyes. “You hear me?”

“Yes, sir.” D wiped his nose, sniffling as he rose from the chair. He looked like he was about to fall apart again.

Malcolm walked downstairs to join his family for dinner. Instead of it being a relaxing time, he knew he had to tell his sons. They had a right to know.