Hagen, Lynn - Maverick's Mate [Brac Pack 1] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) (6 page)

A woman walked by him, winking. She stopped to give Cecil her phone number.

“Call me, stud.”

Cecil stared at her unbelievingly. Were woman actually turned on by gay men? Cody snatched the phone number from his hand and threw it in the trash.

“You are
really
trying to get me killed today.” He handed Cecil the bag with his cell phone and accessories in it.

“Hey, Code-man. You started it with that cheating outburst. What do you think Maverick would do if I told him about that, huh?”

“You wouldn’t!”

“Try me.” Cecil danced out of the way as Cody lunged for him, giggling as he raced away. He bumped into someone, nearly knocking them over.

“Excuse me. I’m sorry about that.” Cecil caught himself before he fell.

“No problem, Cecil.”

Cecil snapped his head up. Jeremy.
Was the guy following him? Cody walked up next to him and growled as Cecil got behind Cody.

Yeah, he was a chicken. So what? Too many memories of abuse assailed Cecil. Jeremy had put the fear of god in him and old habits die hard. He knew Jeremy couldn’t touch him now, but the triggers were still there.

“Run along, little boy. Leave us men alone.” Cody sneered.

Jeremy glared at him and walked away.

“You okay, Cecil?” Cody walked back over to the phone stand, retrieving the bags that were dropped.

Cecil shook his head, unable to answer the wolf.

“Come on, buddy. We have everything we came for. Let’s get you back to your mate.”

* * * *

“What do you mean it was for me? Enough is enough. I’m not taking it.” Cecil crossed his arms over his chest, twisting his nose in the air.

“What do you mean you won’t take it? Don’t you like it?” Maverick couldn’t understand why his mate was refusing his gift. He knew Cecil wanted a game system but couldn’t afford one. So why was he being so damn stubborn? Cody had given him his credit card back and all the receipts. He knew his mate was well taken care of today.

He had told Cody to buy him the console and all the accessories under the ruse that it was for the den. He knew his mate wouldn’t have picked out what he really wanted if he knew it was for himself. Cecil was going to take it whether he liked it or not. A mate didn’t refuse gifts, let alone from his Alpha. It was unheard of.

“Maverick, it’s too much. You’re spending too much on me. I appreciate it, I do. But I can’t take it. Take it back.” Cecil walked out of his office. Did his mate lose his mind?

“Cecil, get back here now!” Maverick barked in his deep Alpha commanding voice.

Cecil slowly stepped back through the door. A look of fear was on his face, his hands twisting together in front of him. Maverick could feel the fear coming off of him in waves. He could also see him trembling. This was not how he expected his mate to react when he presented him with the gift, but he was pissed. “You will never turn your back on me when I am speaking to you, do you understand? You will take what I offer without complaint. I will not tolerate this behavior from my mate.”

“Yes, sir.” His mate’s eyes were darting everywhere. “May I go now, sir?”

Maverick nodded, watching his mate run across the hall and slam the door. He cursed when he realized he hadn’t even shown his mate their bedroom yet. The only excuse he could give himself was that this mate stuff was new to him. Maverick was trying.

He felt like a bully, hating the way he had handled that. Cecil was human. He didn’t follow the same guidelines as the wolves. Cecil didn’t know that it was disrespectful to refuse a gift from his mate and Alpha. Maverick would have to keep that in mind when dealing with his human mate. He needed to explain things to Cecil. Calmly.

Maverick strolled across the hallway, trying to open the bedroom door, but it was locked. He knocked. He had never been locked out of a room in his own home before. When no one answered, he knocked again. Nothing. Fuck this. He broke it down to find the bed empty and the curtain blowing.

His mate had run away.

Maverick was seething. Didn’t Cecil know that he was the number one target now for his rivals? The small man didn’t realize the danger he was in. Dammit. Maverick called his Sentries to attention. There were six of them in the den.

“Cecil has gone missing. I want him found now!” The Sentries took off, shifting into their wolf forms. Maverick stormed out of the house. Cecil was so in trouble for this. First, though, he had to find him.

Maverick wasn’t going to shift. Tracking his mate would be easier in his wolf from, but bringing the wayward human back would be more challenging without a vehicle. He grabbed the emergency pack from the closet in the foyer which contained several changes of clothes. The warriors would need them when they shifted back.

Tossing the pack into the bed of his truck, Maverick followed the wolves. They would track down his mate, and then Maverick was going to spank his bottom.

The Alpha wouldn’t allow himself to worry. Worrying would keep him unfocused, and he needed to keep a cool head. The dangers his mate just placed himself in had his knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel.

If Jackson or one of his pack members found Cecil before Maverick, then a war would start. No one took what was his.

Chapter Six

He flung himself on the bed, crying, and balled up into the fetal position, letting large tears roll down his face. Maverick was just like Jeremy, only worse. He was three times the size of his ex and had ten times the strength. For the first time, Cecil was beginning to regret his decision.

He wanted to go home. He was a kept man, and he couldn’t have that. Cecil had to get out of here. There was no way he was going to stay in a gilded cage. Wiping the tears, he stood.

Cecil closed the bedroom door, locking it. He tiptoed over to the window and, checking behind him, he slid the window up. He crawled through, landing on his feet. Looking around to see if anyone spotted him, he shot across the yard, heading for the woods.

Racing around the house, Cecil ran to the only place he could think of at the moment.

It took what felt like hours to reach what he thought would be a safe haven.

“Chad, it’s Cecil. Open up.” Man he hated to have to turn to his nasally coworker. Where else did he have to go? His apartment would be the first place searched. Chad finally opened the door, stepping aside to allow him entrance.

“What’s up, Cecil? Finally decide to grace us with your presence?” Cecil rolled his eyes. The guy was annoying.

“Hey, just thought I would come by and take you up on your offer to play.” Cecil pasted a phony grin on his face. It really sucked to realize you had no one when you needed a place to run to. He would just suck it up and act like these guys were his buddies.

“Sure, come on in and play. Sasha just got the newest release out. It’s a killer.” Chad snorted at his own joke. Maybe he had been too hasty with his prison break. Maybe dealing with Maverick’s overbearing manner wasn’t so bad compared to Chad’s bad puns and nasal-onics. He sighed. Too late now. To be honest, he was afraid to face Maverick. He had gone too far.

Cecil sat there bored out of his ever loving mind. He played the game with fake enthusiasm, declined the illegally purchased alcohol and started missing Maverick something awful. He wanted to go back.

Cecil knew running away from his problems was juvenile. He had panicked as flashbacks of Jeremy triggered the urgent need to run. Now he was stuck in a different kind of hell. The seventh circle, to be exact, with Chad as the gatekeeper.

His head jerked up when he heard howling. Had they found him? He had been gone for hours. Cecil was tired and hungry. Cheese puffs and soda weren’t cutting it.

There was a loud, booming knock on the front door. Cecil jumped. He had an urge to hide in a closet. Instead, he watched as Chad looked through the peephole and then paled. Yeah, his mate was here. Time to go back to the happy farm.

The banging became louder, with an audible growl to accompany it. Chad ran to his bedroom, slamming the door. Cecil rolled his eyes and got up, bracing himself for the abuse. He opened the door to one pissed off looking mate.

Maverick grabbed Cecil, pulling him into his arms. This wasn’t exactly what he had expected, but he would take it.

It beat getting knocked around.

“Let’s go home,” Maverick said in a deadpan tone.

* * * *

Cody stared up at the magnificent show Mother Nature was giving. Lightning streaked across the sky, lighting up the night. Storm was coming. Maybe he would go home tonight. If Maverick was going to punish Cecil, he didn’t want to be there. Cody had grown to care about the man in such a very short time. He wouldn’t be able to listen to any screaming or crying. His conscience couldn’t take it.

“You think he’ll hurt the little guy?” Remi asked solemnly.

“Don’t know. I’m heading home. See ya tomorrow.” He shifted into wolf form, taking off across the field.

* * * *

The drive home was silent. As badly as Maverick wanted to reach out to his mate, he was too angry right now. Instead, he stared out into the night, appreciating the beauty of the storm heading their way. It added mystery to the darkness. He watched the lightning storm until they pulled into the graveled drive.

Taking his mate inside, Commander Hawk was standing in the den, his hands shoved in the pockets of his charcoal gray slacks.

“I’m glad you found him, Maverick. Is he alright?”

“Yeah. He’s fine, Hawk.” Maverick looked down at Cecil, feeling disappointed. “Jasper, take my mate to my room.”

Maverick threw up a hand to silence Hawk. “Don’t, Hawk. I’ve already had one hell of an evening.” He blew his breath out, running his hand through the long strands of his hair. He had no clue how to deal with this.

“You know, sometimes people have to put their pride aside for the ones they love. Think about it. And remember he’s human. Totally different set of rules.” Hawk strolled across the room, fisting his jacket in his right hand and taking the back door out.

Maverick looked up at the ceiling. He didn’t want to start their life off with Cecil fearing him. Maybe Hawk was right. Maybe he had to handle this differently with his mate. He wanted Cecil happy. Jeremy had put him through enough.

“Sir, if I may add a word of advice. This must be nipped in the bud. Your mate must recognize your position and the responsibility of leadership. He must learn to keep his place silently at your side as an Alpha’s mate.”

Maverick turned to see Lonny standing in the hallway. He chewed on the advice for a moment. The man did have a point. He couldn’t have his mate running all over him and the Sentries witnessing it. Respect must be maintained. “Thanks, Lonny.”

“Just trying to keep a peaceful house. Is there anything else I can help you with?” Maverick noticed Lonny’s eyes lower to his crotch. No…he was seeing things. Lonny had never come on to him. Maverick needed sleep.

“Nothing else, thanks.”

* * * *

Cecil sat on the edge of the bed, his hands in his lap, picking at a fingernail. He wished Maverick would get his punishment over with. The wait was killing him. He wondered how bad it would hurt. He remembered the abuse he suffered with Jeremy. The trips to the hospital, the excuses given for the bruises to his coworkers. He had lived in hell for two years, finally escaping only to run right into another realm. This cycle had to be broken.

His heart thrummed in his chest when the bedroom door opened. Maverick quietly closed the door and took a seat in the soft, cushioned chair in the corner of the room.