Mine for Eternity [Council Enforcers] (Siren Publishing Classic) (11 page)

“Wow.” She covered Nico’s ears before looking over at Ryan. “I can promise that whatever woman you end up with will be very lucky. There is not a woman out there that has not had a fantasy of being sandwiched between two gorgeous men. If they deny it, then they’re lying.”

Ben laughed. “Yep, I am definitely in love with your mate, Mitch.”

Mitch growled but laughed to let Ben know that he wasn’t truly mad. He knew he had nothing to worry about when it came to his best friends and his mate. He was happy that Tessa seemed to fit in so well with his family.

Breakfast went well, and Mitch was starting to notice that Ben and Tessa had the same sense of humor. They easily traded barbs back and forth across the table that ended with everyone cracking up. He didn’t remember ever laughing so hard or so much.

Unfortunately, all too soon, reality came crashing in. The phone rang, and Mitch’s stomach turned. His gut was telling him not to answer, but Mitch knew he had no choice. He couldn’t deny his job. He stood and walked over to the phone, willing it to stop ringing the whole way there. Of course his wish didn’t come true.

“Ericson speaking,” he answered.

“Uh, Enforcer Ericson, this is Detective Reynolds.”

“What can I do for you, Detective?”

“Well, I know you were looking into rogue attacks, so I was calling to let you know we had another one last night.”

“Did you report it to the council?” he asked the detective.

“I reported like normal, but they didn’t even respond. A containment team wasn’t even sent out.”

“What do you mean a unit wasn’t sent out?” Mitch couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Did the human police take over the scene? What are their reports saying?”

“The containment unit was informed of the attack, but just as they were leaving, they received a call telling them to stand down because it was a human matter. That isn’t even the worst of it. The attack itself seems weird.”

“Weird how?” The detective had the attention of everyone in the room aside from Nico. He knew the others could hear every word of the conversation.

“Well, I’ve personally looked at the crime scene photos and there is no denying the attack was from a rogue. As a matter of fact, the damage done to the bodies couldn’t have been done by just one rogue. There had to be at least three of them. They decimated a campsite and left no one alive. Ten members of a family including three children were all literally torn apart. The press is already having a field day over this. Somehow, they are attributing the attack to a cult of devil worshipers, but we all know there is someone out there that will start putting the pieces together.”

Mitch was stunned at what he heard. Rogues never worked together. If they were now, then that meant the problem was bigger than he had imagined. One rogue was enough of a problem to deal with and keep from the public, but a pack working together was something even Mitch didn’t want to ever imagine. He could feel Tessa’s distress at what she was hearing, but he ignored his instinct to hang up and comfort her. He hated that she had to see the dangerous side of his species, but the irony was, it was what brought her to him.

“Listen, I want you to try your best to run with the devil worshipping story. Do whatever you need to in order to keep the press thinking that. Falsify reports, plant evidence. I don’t care what you have to do, just do it.” Mitch looked over at his friends who each nodded, letting him know they already knew what he was thinking and they were on the same page. “This stays between you and me, Detective. No one is to know about this, not even the council. A few enforcers and I are heading your way as soon as this call is over, but I need you to maintain control of the situation until we get there. Can you do that?”

Detective Reynolds swallowed loudly before answering. “This goes deeper than just rogues if you are asking me to keep this from the council, doesn’t it?”

“Yes.” There was no need for Mitch to say more than that.

After hanging up with the detective, Mitch hung his head and rubbed the back of his neck. All he wanted to do was drag his mate upstairs and not come down for a couple days. Instead, he was about to leave her the day after their mating.

“Ben,” he called without turning around.

“Don’t worry, man. I won’t let them out of my sight.” His best friend already knew what he was asking. “Go handle things in Chicago. Your mate and cub will be safe with me until you return.”

“Tessa.” Mitch finally turned to find her staring at him with tears in her eyes. “Come on, baby, I need to talk to you.”

He waited until Ben lifted Nico out of her lap then grabbed her hand and led her to his office. Once inside, he sat in his chair and pulled her into his lap. He didn’t say anything for a while, just breathed in her scent, letting it soothe him and his lion, who hadn’t stopped growling since the phone rang.
I want to find these rogues and kill them for forcing me away from my mate.
Mitch agreed. The sooner they figured out what was going on, the faster they could get back.

“I know you have to leave.” Tessa sighed. “Everything in me is screaming for me to beg you not to go, but all I can think about is that poor family and those babies. That could have easily been me and Nico. Just promise me that you will take care of yourself and return home.”

Mitch kissed her then. “I’ll be back as soon as possible. Ben will be here, and he won’t let anything happen to you. There is no one else I would rather have protecting you other than me.”

“Don’t worry about us, Mitch. We will be here when you get back. Just hurry.”

That was a command he was willing to follow. Mitch pulled Tessa into a hug before releasing her and standing. Once he sat her on her feet, he went about his office gathering what he needed. He pushed a button under his desk that revealed a secret closet when his bookshelf slid over. Grabbing a duffel bag, he quickly loaded it with whatever weapons he may need and then pushed the button again, closing the closet.

“Just in case, the button is underneath the right-hand corner of my desk. All you have to do is slide your finger back until you feel it and push. Ben knows about it, but in case you get separated, now you know, too.”

Tessa’s face was pale, but she nodded and followed him out of the office. His little mate was stronger than he ever imagined. By the time they made it to the front door, Ryan and Ken were already there with their bags over their shoulders. Ben was there holding Nico.

Mitch lifted the boy into his arms and hugged him. “You be good for your momma and Uncle Ben while I’m gone, and when I get back I will let the kitty out so you can play with him.” Nico agreed, and Mitch handed him over to Tessa. He quickly kissed his mate, not lingering so that he wouldn’t give in to the urge to throw her over his shoulder and carry her to bed, and headed out the door, ignoring the clawing in his gut telling him to not leave his family.

* * * *

Tessa held back tears as she watched Mitch walk out the door. She was trying to be strong for him, but with each step he took away from her, it felt like her heart was tearing in two. Not all of it was coming from her. Mitch hadn’t explained it to her, but she had a feeling part of what she was feeling was coming from him. She was feeling his emotions as well as her own.

“Come on, honey. He will be back as soon as he can.” Ben led her and Nico into the living room. “Did Mitch explain to you what his job was?”

“Yes, he told me he was an enforcer and what that meant.”

“Then you know how dangerous what he does is.”

Tessa had no clue what Ben was getting at, but if he was trying to make her feel better, he was doing a poor job of it. She frowned when he started moving the furniture around.

“Have you ever had any kind of self-defense training?” Ben asked as he lifted the couch single-handedly and moved it over to the far wall.

She stared, openmouthed. Being told a person had super strength and seeing it were two completely different things. Even Nico stared up at him with wide eyes before following behind Ben and trying to lift the couch himself. “Um no. I’ve always wanted to take a martial arts class, but growing up in foster care, I never had the money. When Nico was born, it became a matter of never having the time.”

“Well then, today is your lucky day. You need a distraction, and you also need to learn at least a little self-defense. I’m not trying to scare you, but now that you have mated Mitch, who is one of the most feared enforcers there is, the fastest way to bring him down is through you.” He pointed to the mark on her shoulder even though her shirt was covering it. “The moment Mitch put that there, you became his biggest weakness.”

Tessa knew Ben was right, but it still hurt to hear it. Something on her face must have given away her feelings, because he pulled her in a hug. Tessa sighed against his chest. She noticed shifters were a touchy-feely bunch, but she wasn’t complaining.

“I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I’m just showing you what you are up against. Hell, you already experienced what our kind can do. I just want you to be prepared to at least defend yourself and Nico until backup arrives. In our world, even one second can mean the difference between life and death.”

Ben had a point, and at the mention of her son’s name, Tessa knew she needed to do whatever it took to keep him safe. “Okay, show me what you got.”

“Good girl.” Ben grinned and rubbed his palms together.

She had a moment to think about what she had just agreed to then she blinked and Tessa realized she was staring at the ceiling. She couldn’t even begin to explain how he had gotten her on her back. Ben helped her up with a laugh as her son laughed and clapped his hands from his seat on the sofa. At least he was enjoying himself.
Lord, what have I gotten myself into?

“I did that to show you how fast we can move. Eventually you will be able to move fast, but you will always be slower and weaker than a full shifter. You have to always be on your guard and be ready for anything.”

Tessa thought about the nightmare she had about the man chasing her. Every time she had the dream, she never saw the man before he struck. Her subconscious had been trying to warn her about what she was up against even before she knew the truth about what was chasing her.

Ben came at her over and over again, and each time Tessa ended up on her back. He took care to never hurt her, and each time he knocked her down he made sure to somehow cushion her landing, but she knew she would still be sore before the night was gone.

“I think we’ve had enough for today,” he said when Tess was a little too slow getting up.

Frustrated, she bent over with her hands against her knees. “One more time,” she gasped between breaths.

“Are you sure? I didn’t expect you to get it all in one day. Learning to fight takes time.”

“I’m sure.” The words were barely out of her mouth when he came at her again, but this time she was ready for him. She noticed that each time he ran at her, she was able to track more and more of his movement. It was like her mind was slowing the action down so she could see it even though he was still moving at full speed. This time when he came at her, she waited until he was right on her then she suddenly jumped out of the way, letting his full momentum carry him crashing into the wall behind her. She didn’t stop to see if he was okay. Tessa leaped on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Ben froze for all of two seconds before laughing and standing with her still attached to his back. She dangled there like a hundred-and-twenty-five-pound human cape as he easily walked back to the middle of the room. She had no illusions that she had won that round by the show of strength he had just used to stand, but she was still proud of herself.

She let go of his neck and slid down to the floor. “I did it!”

“That was exactly what I’ve been trying to get you to do. Just because a person is bigger and stronger or faster than you, doesn’t mean they are smarter than you. Brains count just as much in a fight as all the rest combined.”

Tessa knew her smile was stretched across most of her face. “Thank you, Ben.” Her thanks seemed small compared to the confidence he had just given her in such a small amount of time. “Can we do this again tomorrow?”

“Sure, whenever you’re ready.”

Nico took that moment to let out a roar that Mitch would have been proud of before leaping off the couch and latching on to Ben’s leg. He made it clear that her sparring time with Ben was over and it was his turn. Ben lifted him into the air upside down and began tickling him.

Laughing, Tessa headed for the stairs. “I’m going to take a quick shower.”

Ben waved her off and tossed her son in the air. Knowing he was in good hands, she headed to the bathroom.

Three days had passed, and there was still no sign of Mitch. He hadn’t called or showed up, and Tessa was beyond worried. She could still feel him through her bond. He was too far away for her to know exactly what he was feeling at the moment, but the bond let her know he was okay. Ben had explained that if he was hurt or worse, she would know it, but that still didn’t stop her worry.

Even sparring with Ben wasn’t helping anymore. She had fought with him several times since Mitch left and had learned a lot, but after the last time when he swung at her and she failed to move, causing him to black her eye, he refused to train her anymore. He told her she was too distracted to focus, and he wasn’t going to have Mitch trying to kill him because she got hurt on his watch.