Heart of a Rocky (14 page)

TYSON RELAXED
against his
headboard, Harmony’s head resting on his lap. She was asleep after one too many rounds of sex. They had shit to do, but it seemed the only way they could manage to get along was when she was under him, when his body was molded to hers and ecstasy coursed through her veins.

He could lie and say he regretted it, but he didn’t. Truth was he felt more relaxed than he had in a few years. He should fuck more often.

After placing Harmony’s head on a pillow, Tyson showered and dressed in a pair of jeans with his boots and a plain black t-shirt. He came out to find Harmony sitting up and looking around the room, bewildered.

“What?”

“I…” She gasped and clutched her stomach. “I feel funny.”

“Funny or are you in pain?”

Her features paled, and she didn’t respond. Pain.

He left the room to find Ronan, his thoughts revolving around the rough treatment he’d had of her body.

“Ronan, I need your help.”

“With what?”

“Harmony. Something is wrong with the baby.”

“Stay here.”

“Like hell.”

“You’re a complication I don’t need. Stay out here, and let me do my damn job.”

Ronan kicked the door shut and started asking Harmony questions. Her answers were muffled, which pissed him off.

“Sucks doesn’t it?”

He spun around to find Lykil with his feet on the dining room table drinking a beer.

“Meaning?”

“You are the cause of her pain. Again.”

Annoyed, Tyson rolled his eyes and sat at the table, pushing Lykil’s feet off. “I eat at this table. Now what do you really want?”

“Are you ready to get her sisters or do you plan on staying and fucking her a little longer?”

“We can leave after Ronan finishes checking her out.”

“She’s coming right?” Lykil laughed. “I mean with us. You did make sure she came right? I don’t take you to be a selfish bastard, but who knows, you could surprise me.”

“Unless someone is staying behind to guard her, yes, she’s coming with us.”

Lykil nodded and took another long swig from his bottle. “Torin.”

“What?” Torin said appearing next to the kitchen sink.

“Stay here and watch the girl for me, will you?”

“Is that an order or question?”

“Order?”

Torin laughed. “Try again.”

“What kind of Hermod are you? Aren’t you supposed to listen to me?”

“Since when have I done that?”

“I think I hate you.”

“You don’t, and as for the girl, yeah, I’ll babysit. She should be easier to take care of than you.”

“That was low. I haven’t done anything lately.”

“Egomyr Mt?”

“I was asked to destroy that volcano. I did good and only nudged it.”

“And Larka’s Rebel Queen hates you now.”

“She can blame her mom for that. I could have made it worse.”

“Shut up and get ready. And Kyran said stop drinking all his damn beer.”

“He should drink it faster.”

They all looked up the bedroom door opened and closed. Ronan exited the room with a frown.

“What’s wrong with her?”

“I don’t know.” Ronan waved him off. “And before you ask the follow-up ‘what do you mean, you don’t know?’, the answer is the same. She’s in pain, but I can’t tell where it’s coming from. I might have to stay here, unless someone else has medical training above the combat stuff we all know.”

Torin stepped up. “I’ll be here.”

“Okay, good. I’ll shoot Ky a text to be on guard should you need to take her to the compound for treatment.”

“I doubt it will come to that,” Torin said, a knowing glimmer twinkling in his eyes.

Tyson moved to his bedroom door, but Ronan stopped him.

“Leave her alone. I don’t know what you did, but she’s in pain. Another round won’t help.”

“My weapons are in there, as are my phone and keys,” he said, pushing Ronan’s arm aside. “I think I’ve wasted more than enough time between her thighs.”

Lykil laughed from across the room. “The baby percolating in her womb says you weren’t wasting too much time. Neither is the amount of times you spent revisiting her hot, wet—”

Torin clamped a hand over his mouth. “Dude, shut up.”

After shaking his Hermod off, Lykil smirked at Tyson. “Pussy.”

Tyson had to decide if he felt like being agitated by his Champion or not. He settled for getting his stuff, because frankly, being annoyed with Lykil’s general disposition was a job he didn’t have the time or energy to invest in.

He studied Harmony as she lay curled up in his bed. She was facing him, her arms clutched around her stomach, but her eyes remained closed. She was pretending to be asleep. Her breathing wasn’t right, and she wasn’t in pain. At least not anymore. Whatever she was up to, he didn’t have time to deal with. The sooner he dealt with those holding her sisters, the sooner she could go back to wherever she called home.

He passed his gaze over her one final time before leaving her alone to her pretenses.

* * *

Tyson stepped outside to find Omar, Luke, Stella, and Linda huddled around a map. Among them was Mikko Wayne’s twelve year old son, heir to the Rocky throne. He managed to stifle the annoyed growl building in his chest as he approached them.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

They all turned their attention away from the map, but Omar stepped into his personal space, crowding him and further pissing him off.

“You are still a Rocky, right?”

Tyson narrowed his eyes, wary of the direction of the conversation. He’d already faced Mikko Wayne for a potential Dispelling and had no desire to repeat the process. He gave Omar a nod, followed by his verbal agreement.

“Then that is why we’re here. To aid a Rocky.”

“I didn’t ask for aid.”

“Too bad,” Omar said. “We aren’t here solely for the Hafiz anyway. All of our people have suffered a loss. We’ve noticed a trend among our people, but we couldn’t get any intel until your… female escaped. All we knew was they were disappearing.”

“How long have you known?”

They all started relaying varying time frames. For the Alesers, their numbers had remained mostly untouched. Omar noted that he’d had a few go missing in the last few years since his takeover, but he didn’t know how much the Aleser numbers had suffered beforehand. Ronan, as a representative of the Talas relayed that most of their missing had to do with those who’d left their respective packs or went Rogue.

Stella, Linda, and Luke all had higher numbers. He’d been aware of the disappearances for almost two years. Most of the Shirikis stayed in small familial units like their coyote cousins and reported their missing to him. He was never able to find those who’d gone missing. Stella and Linda had only found out in the last year that their people were disappearing, but that had more to do with the nomadic lifestyle of the Bao and Shapa people.

“As far as we are aware, the Alesers and Talas are the only ones not reporting too many losses,” Ronan said, stepping into the conversation. “Seems there is a benefit to pack mentality.”

“The Shiriki are next on the least affected, but our overall population is nowhere near as large as the Tala and Aleser. Any loss is hard on us as a whole.”

“No loss is insignificant,” Omar said to the grunted agreement of everyone. “We need to revisit the organizational structure of some of groups.” He held up his hands to placate Linda and Stella. “I’m only making a suggestion to help you.”

“We could have never anticipated this, Tor,” Stella said, her hackles obviously raised.

“No, but if we don’t learn from this and adapt to better protect our people in the future, we will only doom them to the same fate as those before them.”

Stella and Linda nodded their concession and turned their attention to the twelve-year-old who’d entered their circle.

“For now we need to focus on freeing your people, Asim. Can you brief us on what the female told you about the compound she was held?”

Ronan snorted, drawing the attention of the others to himself.

“What’s so funny?” Trent asked.

“You might have better luck talking to her yourself. They,” Ronan motioned to Tyson and Harmony’s general location, “can’t be in the same room without agitating each other.”

“And that prevents intel gathering because?”

“Adult thing. Trent,” Luke said before Ronan got the chance to answer.

“Sex?” Trent responded, his tone conveying a level of annoyance no kid should be allowed to have. “Do you seriously think I don’t know what two Shifted Lycans can do when they get together? I’m young, not an idiot.” Trent’s odd yellow and green eyes traveled over him in a non-verbal rebuke. “Getting laid has cost us time and hindered our ability to plan accordingly.” He turned his attention back to the map in a silent, but pointed dismissal of Tyson and his failure to do what should have been done.

Tyson glanced at the others who were likewise amazed at the gall Trent displayed. He was at a loss as to what he should do or how he should handle the Rocky heir. He didn’t fear the kid. Only an idiot would fear an Unshifted Lycan, but Trent wasn’t an ordinary Unshifted Lycan.

As heir to the Rockys, Trent held the protection of the Order. To threaten him was to incite the wrath of all Rockys, including the baffled bastards present.

Trent turned around and met his gaze. “We need that intel, Asim Tyson. Can you get it for me? We can leave when you think we’re ready.”

The tone of Trent’s verbal transfer of leadership was all the apology that Tyson was going to receive. The kid had more balls than he had any right to have. The fact that the kid had a valid point didn’t calm Tyson’s rising agitation.

Omar walked around him and went to the door. “I’ll get the info. Where’s the bathroom?”

“In the hall to the left.”

Omar nodded and disappeared inside. Tyson returned the nod understanding that Omar had helped him save face in front of the other leaders.

“While we wait, I’ll tell you how I found her and the direction she said she came from.”

During Omar’s absence, they discussed the circumstances in which he’d found Harmony. Omar returned just as he was wrapping up the information regarding Harmony’s Rut.

“I owe you an apology, Asim,” Trent said. “I misjudged your situation from the beginning. For that I offer you whatever you deem necessary to repent my mistake.”

“It’s nothing, kid. Forget it.”

When one Rocky injured another—be it with words or actions—they had to repay their actions by whatever means the aggrieved chose.

Mikko Wayne was raising his son as a true Rocky despite no guarantee he’d be an Alpha, not that Trent’s attitude wasn’t enough to persuade Tyson to believe the universe would be cruel to deny him the strength of becoming an Alpha.

Omar took the map and started relaying the additional information he’d learned from Harmony.

“They aren’t too far from here,” Stella said, the accusation evident in her tone.

“I’m rarely here, so don’t fucking start. I got here no more than an hour before I found Harmony in the woods.”

“Defensive, Asim? You failed to take care of more than just your people. Everything around you is falling into disrepair.” She motioned to the overgrown shrubs that dotted his property. “Guess we shouldn’t be surprised at how little you’re aware of your people.”

Tyson growled, ready to rip off the female’s head when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.

“No need to be bitchy, Stella. Or would you like to answer for the higher body count among your people?” Lykil said . He smiled when she smothered her irritation and averted her gaze. “None of you—with the exception of Trent—are above reproach. Ronan is here as a Rocky, so I guess we can lump him in there with Trent, but the fact remains that all Lycans have suffered. So you can all shut the fuck up and work together or I’ll start taking people over my knee.”

Everyone laughed with the exception of Stella and Tyson. Stella had managed a small smile while Tyson remained unmoved at Destruction’s attempt at humor.

“Gods, who died and haunts your wet dreams, Tyson? Not even a smile? Fuck me—”

“No, thanks,” Tyson replied.

Lykil snorted. “Sorry you’re too hairy for me. I was going to say life is too long to not laugh or at the very least turn your grimace into a smirk.”

Tyson blinked and waited.

“Wow. Not even a smirk. I bet you think plain cornflakes are the epitome of a well-seasoned breakfast.” He shrugged “Whatever. We don’t have time for your personal issues.” Stella snorted, earning a glare from Destruction. “I meant as a group. The drama and in-fighting you have going on is back-burner shit. Today is about your people. If you can’t get the fuck on board, go home. I’ll come by later with your replacement, someone who gives a fuck about your people more than you care about your egos.”

“Are you fighting with us, Lykil?” Trent asked.

“No. I have another reason to go.”

The boy shrugged and went back to carefully inspecting his blade. “Just needed a head count, Champion, so that I can understand where I’ll be position-wise.”

Lykil smiled at the kid. “You’re going to be the death of somebody one day.”

Everyone froze and looked at Lykil.

“Seriously?” Ronan murmured.

Trent smiled. “I came into this world bringing death. Sounds like I’ll continue being more of the same.” He turned to the baffled faces of the Rockys. “No one can hurt me with the truth. My mother is dead, and I was the cause. If my life is destined to be the bringer of death, then so be it. I am death.”

“You might have to fight Lelah for that title.”

“Maybe, but I’m merely mortal. I’ll stick to keeping her busy.” He sheathed his dagger, having checked it for nicks. “Are we ready yet? I have a raid to run online with friends later.”

Just like that, the kid showed himself to be just another above average kid with normal preteen interests. Unfortunately, Lykil was likewise interested in joining Trent on his MMO adventure.

Omar led the way to the SUVs. “Kids and gods. Scary they’re so much alike.”