Hagen, Lynn - Tater's Bear [Brac Pack 22] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) (4 page)

A few minutes later, Maverick Brac’s tall and menacing form loped out of the front door, the shifted wolf, now clothed, trailing closely behind him.

Maverick did
not
look happy.

Olsen wanted to kick Sloane out of his truck and take off before the alpha reached them. Having someone that massive and deadly-looking heading his way made Olsen rethink the whole
help a shifter out
philosophy.

“I don’t remember him being that fucking huge,” Sloane said in awe from beside him.

“Maybe if you had come during normal calling hours, he may not have been.” Olsen wasn’t sure what the hell he was saying, but the closer Maverick came, the less he liked Sloane.

“Who claims the Brac name?” Maverick growled as he approached the truck.

Olsen pointed at Sloane, not wanting Maverick’s anger directed at him. He had met Maverick before, but in the dead of night, mistakes could be made.

“Sloane?” Maverick said as he bent his ginormous form down slightly to see who was inside the truck. “Tell me that’s not you.”

Sloane gave a slight nod.

“Kill him,” Maverick said as he turned his back on them and headed for the house.

“Whoa, wait,” Sloane shouted as he was pulled from the truck by the wolves who had shifted into their human forms. “I can explain.”

Olsen could hear the panic in Sloane’s voice. Hell, he was panicking and the order was for the wolf to be killed.

Maverick turned, his canines gleaming in the light of the moon as his eyes shifted to an eerie crimson. “Explain then. Explain to me how you turned your back on me when I came out. Explain to me why you allowed half of the pack to turn against me, because I’d
really
love to hear the fucking excuse you have for your betrayal.”

“I didn’t betray you!” Sloane shouted from the other side of Olsen’s truck. “I swear. Do you remember Haggard?”

Olsen didn’t think Maverick’s growl could have gotten any deeper, but it did. “What about him?”

“He’s the one who betrayed you. Call your dad and ask him. I tried to hunt for you, but you had left by then.”

Maverick took a step toward Sloane, deadliness coming off of the alpha in waves. “I haven’t spoken to my father in years, but he would have never held something like that a secret.”

“He would have if it involved his sister.”

Maverick looked taken aback. “What does Aunt Jasmine have to do with this?”

“Do you want me to kill him now and save us all the headache?” one of the wolves asked.

Maverick shook his head. “No, Tryck. Bring him inside. He seems to have answers to questions I never knew existed.”

Tryck snorted. “Family will fuck you over if you let them into your home.”

Maverick’s brows pulled together as he looked over at Tryck. “You have two brothers under our roof.”

Tryck shrugged. “Semantics.”

Olsen was confused as hell but wasn’t going to say a fucking word. As long as he wasn’t the one in the hot seat, he wasn’t going to interfere.

Maverick turned and looked at him, his crimson eyes spooky as fuck. “Go home, Olsen.”

He didn’t have to be told twice. Olsen nodded toward Maverick and then put his truck in reverse, getting the hell out of there.

Chapter Three

Chauncey put a foot on the bottom step leading to the second floor but stopped as he looked around the banister and into the living room. There was no way he was seeing a vampire. “Who’s the bloodsucker?” he called into the living room.

“Chauncey!” his pa chastised him. “Use your damn manners.”

Chauncey removed his foot from the bottom step and headed into the living room. It seemed like his entire family was sitting there, minus Olsen. Why wasn’t he invited to their secret meeting? Chauncey had just woken from his sleep to get some sweets, and here his family was having some sort of powwow. “Okay, who’s the vein drainer then?”

His pa exhaled loudly as he pointed to a chair on the opposite side of the room. “You can sit over there since your manners still seem to be upstairs.”

Chauncey walked into the living room and took a seat, staring at Tater, who was sitting next to the vampire. He was confused as hell about what was going on. Olsen’s mate should
not
be sitting next to an undead. “Where’s Olsen?”

“He’s at Maverick’s. He’ll be back shortly,” Chance said with a grin on his face. “And I for one ain’t moving until I watch him try to kill Count Dracula over there.”

“Get out,” Pa said to the entire room. “All of you boys, go to bed since I can’t get you to behave.”

Chauncey watched the youngest, Roman, grab his mate and head upstairs. Gavin and his mate, Alex, went next. Chauncey didn’t move a muscle. He agreed with his twin, Chance. He wanted front-row seats to witness Olsen’s anger.

“Boys,” Pa warned. When neither of them moved, his pa pulled up to his full height. “Now.”

Instead of going upstairs, Chauncey walked over and pushed the front door open and headed outside. He sat on the front steps, listening as the first of the morning birds started tweeting out their melodies. His brother Olsen’s truck pulled into the drive just then, making its way up to the house.

Chauncey stood and walked over to Olsen’s truck as his brother parked it. “Ya got company.” He felt his brother should have a little warning before he walked into the house.

Olsen’s brows pulled together as he got out of the truck and slammed the door. “Who?”

“Tater and some vampire.”

Olsen quickened his steps at the news. “Is Tater okay?”

“Seemed fine to me,” Chauncey said as he reseated himself on the front steps.

This was going to be a long day.

* * * *

Tater could hear Olsen outside with Chauncey. His nerves coiled tight when he heard the squeak of the screen door being opened. Maybe he was a little hasty in deciding to come here. It had seemed logical at the time.

“What’s going on?” Olsen asked as he stepped into the living room. His light gray eyes scanned Tater as if looking for any wounds.

“I’ll leave you boys to talk,” Olsen’s father said as he waved a hand at D. “Come on, D, let’s go get some coffee.”

“I…uh…don’t drink coffee, sir,” D said as he followed Olsen’s father out of the room.

“Then it’s high time you start.”

Tater watched their retreating backs, unsure of what to do. Olsen crossed the room and took a seat next to him, sitting just as stiffly as Tater was. “Did something happen?”

Tater shook his head. “No. I just didn’t feel like going home.” He felt like a total ass. After the words he had shoved at Olsen back in that field, Tater wouldn’t be surprised if Olsen told him to get out. He hadn’t been very friendly. Tater had just panicked with Olsen being so close, but he felt it best to keep that bit of information to himself until he could figure his feeling out.

“You know you’re always welcome to stay here,” Olsen said as he seemed to relax a degree
.

Now Tater did feel like shit. Olsen was being nice, even after he told him to fuck off. Tater scratched his chin, wondering what to say to the handsome man. He was never one for polite conversation. “Thanks.”

“We have a spare bedroom upstairs,” Olsen said as he pointed at the ceiling. “But I think your friend will need it.”

Tater nodded numbly. Was Olsen inviting him to his bed? His heart began to pound heavily behind his ribs as Tater’s mouth went dry. He wanted to reply, to give Olsen an answer. He just wasn’t sure the words would make it past his dry throat.

“Then let’s get you settled in.” Olsen stood, reaching a hand out to Tater. He ignored it and sidestepped Olsen.

“Maybe I should go home.”

Olsen turned, his eyes assessing Tater. “But I thought you just said you didn’t want to go home?”

This was why Tater didn’t like commitments and relationships. He was nervous as hell and felt trapped. If Olsen had said
let’s fuck
and nothing more, Tater would have been all over it. But he knew better. Olsen was a forever kind of guy. The man screamed
commitment
.

“I…” Tater wasn’t sure what his brain was trying to force his mouth to say, so he headed for the door.

“Tater, wait.” Olsen reached out and grabbed his arm. “Just sleep?”

Tater stopped.

He wanted to agree.

There were so many things that he did want but wasn’t sure how to ask for them. Everything was coming at him all at once, and Tater felt itchy, like his entire body was breaking out in hives or something. He didn’t say a word when Olsen grabbed his hand and led him toward the steps.

The stairs creaked as he trailed behind the handsome man. Tater’s eyes locked onto Olsen’s nice backside. He wondered if a coin would bounce off of the tight muscles. Visions of nipping Olsen’s perfect backside had Tater getting rock hard. He wanted to reach out and touch that nicely rounded ass.

“In here.” Olsen pointed to a bedroom door and then opened it.

Tater stepped through, his eyes immediately zeroing in on the large bed centered in the middle of the room. He saw everything that was going on here, but was helpless to stop it. Did he really want to? Tater wasn’t sure. He became less sure as Olsen released his hand and began to undress.

He wasn’t a little guy, but next to Olsen, Tater felt puny as hell. The man was large, muscular, and Olsen had fine, black hair sprinkling his body. Yeah, Tater wanted some of that. Maybe afterward he could make an excuse so he could leave, but for now, Tater wanted.

“If you keep looking at me like that, it will be more than just sleep going on in here.” Olsen smiled as he warned Tater, shucking his jeans.

That was exactly what Tater was hoping for. It had been ages since he’d had sex, and the sight of the handsome bear was wreaking havoc on his own body. Tater could feel his cock hardening as he watched Olsen shed his clothes. His eyes drank in the large, sinewy muscles that were exposed. Only a blind fool wouldn’t be able to see the nice, well-developed back that screamed to be touched.

Damn, the man was simply delicious.

Tater slid his hands into his back pockets as he looked to his left, pretending he wasn’t watching Olsen when the man turned around. He could feel his eyes pulling to look, but Tater knew if he did, he would drool.

“Are you going to sleep fully clothed?” Olsen asked with a bit of a dare in his voice. Was it Tater’s imagination, or had Olsen’s voice dipped lower?

Tater didn’t immediately answer. He wasn’t sure what to say. Sex was on the menu, of that Tater had no doubt, but to openly discuss it? Was Olsen crazy? He glanced at his well-worn boots, wondering if he could just excuse himself and head home. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

“Hey.” Olsen walked over and lifted Tater’s chin with the knuckle of his hand. The only thing Tater could see was nicely exposed biceps and pecs. He could feel his body humming as he licked his lips. “You don’t have to do a damn thing that makes you uncomfortable. I promise.”

Tater rolled his eyes. As if the man could force him. Olsen was a few inches taller and more heavily muscled than Tater, but he sure as shit could give the bear a run for his money. “I know that.”

Olsen stood there studying Tater for a moment before nodding. “Good. Don’t ever think you’re not safe around me.”