Strength of the Pack (17 page)

What the fuck was going on? This level of unprovoked aggression and insubordination was completely out of character for Chandler. Given Noah’s tone, Lucas expected to feel rage rolling off of him.

There was a scuffle behind him, and Lucas wanted to turn and look. He didn’t, because the only thing he sensed from Noah was annoyance and concern.

“We’re RTB, Lieutenant,” shouted Noah.

“Solid copy.” Lucas glanced over his shoulder. Noah had Chandler by the collar of his armor and started marching him across the market. Lucas fell in behind them, watching the villagers closely.

A second look told Lucas that Chandler’s claws were sheathed. Around them, villagers watched their passage with curiosity and caution. He saw plenty of distrust but no aggression and thankfully, no weapons.

When they reached the center of the CP compound, Noah forced Chandler to his knees. The rest of the platoon poured in behind them, all unharmed and looking curiously at Noah and Chandler. Lucas unhooked his weapon from its sling and set it against the wall next to Noah’s. This was Pack business and Lucas had no idea what the hell was going on.

The platoon scattered, leaving only the other shifters. They approached Chandler and removed his Kevlar, armor and M16. Lucas feared he was about to witness a punishment; after all, the corporal had displayed his claws in front of his sergeant, more importantly, his Alpha.

To Lucas’ amazement, Noah crouched in front of Chandler and spoke softly to him. “Keep breathing, Eli. In through your nose; out through your mouth.”

“Yes, sir.” Chandler’s voice was strained.

Noah wrapped a hand around the back of Elijah’s neck. “Relax. Let the tension flow out of you with each exhalation.”

“I’m sorry, Noah.” Eli sounded like a lost child.

Lucas was baffled by what he was witnessing. Restless, he removed his Kevlar and set it with his weapon. The only thing Lucas sensed from Noah was concern for Elijah. Corporal Chandler. He wanted to demand an explanation.

“It’s okay,” Noah soothed, his tone intimate. “I understand. You just need to calm down and relax. Your control will come back when you do that.”

“I couldn’t control it.” Eli drew a shaky breath. “I just kept getting angrier and angrier, and suddenly my claws were out.”

Lucas watched the other shifters arrange themselves behind Eli, as if lending support or possibly awaiting orders from Noah. He felt confined, restricted. Lucas stripped off his armor and tossed it down next to his Kevlar.

“Come on, sit down and relax,” Noah urged. He sat on the ground, using the hand still behind Eli’s neck to encourage him to sit beside him. “Think about things that make you happy. Focus on pleasant thoughts.”

Lucas fisted his hands on his hips. He wanted Noah to take his hand away from Chandler’s neck. Instead, Noah used that hand to tug Chandler closer, to encourage him to sit right next to Noah.

They were touching at all points along their bodies. Lucas shifted his weight in agitation. What the fuck was Noah doing, touching someone else like that? He watched Noah speak quietly to Chandler, lowering his head and running a hand up and down Chandler’s back.

Lucas took two steps forward as white-hot rage flooded his system. Noah glanced up at him briefly, with a warning expression. It brought Lucas up short.
What the fuck was wrong with him?

Eli lifted his head and took a deep breath. His expression was serene, and his shoulders dropped, as if all the tension had left them. “Okay, I’m good. Thanks.”

“Yeah?” Noah asked. He ran his hand up the back of Eli’s head. “It happens to us all in the beginning. You’ll feel better after the full moon.”

“Yes, sir,” Chandler replied with a sigh.

Lucas shifted his weight again. If the crisis had passed, Noah could damn well stop touching Chandler.

“Guys,” Noah called over his shoulder.

The other werewolves all dropped to the ground, surrounding Eli. They sat, pressing against him, talking in hushed tones.

Noah got to his feet and walked toward Lucas. His eyes were silver.

When he was within reach, Lucas grabbed hold of Noah’s fleece. “What the fuck was all that touching about?” he demanded angrily. His body should be the only one Noah’s hands touched.

“Is there somewhere private we can go, sir?” Noah asked placidly.

“Not until you answer the damn question.” Lucas stepped into Noah’s space.

“Lucas, this is Pack business,” Noah said softly. “Do you want to handle this in full view of the battalion?”

Lucas stepped back, feeling slapped. He took a deep breath and realized something cool and calm was trying to snake its way inside of him. Glancing around, Lucas saw that he was very close to making a fool of himself.
What the hell was going on?

“Follow me,” he said, leading Noah between two large gun trucks and out of view of the battalion.

Lucas shoved Noah up against the side of one of the trucks. He pushed his body against Noah’s lean, hard one. He pressed his face to the pulse in Noah’s throat. “What the fuck were you doing touching someone else?”

Christ. Was that
his
voice?

Noah lowered the zipper on his fleece and tugged the ends of his collar apart. “Eli is a young werewolf. The closer it gets to the full moon, the harder it is for him to stop his shift.”

Lucas inhaled Noah’s scent. His heart slowed slightly, and the tightness in his shoulders eased. Noah’s hands gripped his hips. His explanation made sense, suddenly.

“Why all the touching?” Lucas asked on a whisper. He curled his fists into Noah’s fleece and held him steady.

“It helps calm us,” Noah replied.

Lucas knew that. Why had he forgotten?

“Jesus, what’s wrong with me?” he asked, pressing his forehead to Noah’s shoulder.

“Nothing, Lucas,” Noah breathed. “There’s nothing wrong with you.”

“This isn’t like me.”

“It is now.” Noah’s hands released Lucas’ hips and skimmed up his back.

“Something inside of me needs to claim you. I need to leave a mark on you.” He spoke against the heated skin of Noah’s shoulder.

“Yes, I know.”

Lucas pressed his lips to Noah’s throat and exhaled.

“Please, Lucas, do it now,” Noah pleaded.

His resistance collapsed. Lucas sank his teeth into the soft flesh of Noah’s throat. Noah growled. He fucking
growled
. His hands came up to clutch Lucas’ head. Lucas shifted and bit down on Noah’s collarbone.

Noah’s chest heaved with each breath. He stood rigidly, his hands sliding down Lucas’ arms. Lucas nipped repeatedly at Noah’s chest and throat. He curled his hands tighter into Noah’s fleece so he couldn’t escape. Noah’s hands slid back up his arms and firmly cradled his head once more. Each time he had Noah’s flesh between his teeth, Lucas felt a little calmer. With each inhalation of Noah’s scent, Lucas’ body relaxed a little more.

Noah whimpered and something inside Lucas clicked.
What the fuck was he doing?
He shouldn’t care if Noah touched another of the werewolves, so why did he? When Lucas remembered how he’d shoved Noah up against the truck and proceeded to
bite
him, his face flamed with shame.

When Lucas went to step back, Noah gripped his fleece and tried to hold him in place.

“No, Lucas, don’t pull away,” Noah said desperately.

“Jesus, this is so wrong,” Lucas insisted, but he didn’t insist on separating himself from Noah. “What the fuck is wrong with me?”

“Nothing. There’s nothing wrong with you,” Noah whispered, running his cheek over Lucas’ hair, one hand cradling his cheek. “You’re just not familiar with our ways.”

“I shoved you up against a truck and bit you.” Lucas tried to pull away again, but Noah still held him fast. “How can you be so blasé about this?”

“You’re my Dominant.” Noah caressed Lucas’ hair. “If you
didn’t
want to claim me, then I’d be upset.”

“I don’t behave this way.” As calm as Lucas was now, memories of Noah touching Eli still bothered him, and he couldn’t let anyone know that. “This isn’t me.”

“There is some part of you that relates to our wolves, even though you’re human. That’s the part that reacted when Eli had trouble controlling his shift.”

Lucas knew Noah was only half-right. The human part of him had strong opinions about Noah, too. “Did I hurt you at all?”

“You hurt me in just the right way.” Noah ran his hands down Lucas’ arms.

“Jesus,” Lucas hissed, trying to push out of Noah’s grip.

“Lucas,” Noah said sharply, gripping his shoulders painfully.

His tone made Lucas look up at him before he could think better of it. He was stunned when Noah’s mouth came down onto his.

Noah’s tongue pushed unrelentingly into Lucas’ mouth, brushing firmly against his own. In spite of himself, Lucas relaxed against Noah’s body.

When he finally broke the kiss, Noah pulled back. “You’re my Dominant. You have my consent.”

Noah had said this before. Lucas realized it meant something significant. He just didn’t understand what. “Okay,” he agreed on a shaky breath.

Noah finally released him. “I need to go check on Eli.”

“Of course,” Lucas agreed hastily. “Go see to your men.”

As Noah stepped past him, he leaned down and nuzzled Lucas’ ear.

Lucas knew he should get back to work, but he stood, feeling shell-shocked, wondering what the fuck just happened. When he felt back on level ground, Lucas stepped out from between the vehicles. Noah was crouched in front of Eli, but he wasn’t touching. The Marines all looked relaxed, and they even laughed at something Hubbard said.

Lucas retrieved his armor and his Kevlar. Noah caught sight of him and gave a tilt of his chin in acknowledgement. Lucas was relieved that Noah didn’t seem bothered by what had been done to him.

He stowed the gear he didn’t need that moment and made his way down a maze of corridors. It wasn’t until he located Captain Madison, inside the structure that served as their barracks and their offices, that Lucas realized he was even searching for the other officer.

“Lieutenant,” the captain said even before Lucas could speak. “Scuttlebutt says one of your weres had a little trouble in the marketplace today. Everything okay?”

Lucas hadn’t thought it would be quite so easy. “Yes, sir. With the werewolf in question, everything is fine. Sergeant Hammond handled the situation with his typical competence.”

“Glad to hear it.” Madison went back to leafing through a stack of papers. “Is there something I can help you with?”

Lucas blew out an explosive breath. “Actually, captain, I’m not entirely sure what exactly went on. Do you have time to talk?”

“Let’s go outside,” Madison said with a nod of his head. He led Lucas across the compound to a stack of wooden crates. “So, what happened? And what has Hammond managed to tell you so far?”

An icy wind whipped around them. Before he answered, Lucas took his gloves and olive-drab watch cap from his uniform pants pocket and slid them on. Madison already wore his gloves and only needed to tug his watch cap over his ears.

Lucas explained the events that took place in the market. He described how Noah had dealt with Elijah. “The only thing, No—Sergeant Hammond has been able to explain is that Corporal Chandler is a young werewolf and has difficulty controlling his shifts just before the full moon.”

Madison chuckled. “The way I hear it told, being a young werewolf is like puberty, lots of raging hormones that are at their worst at the time of the full moon. Their emotions get the better of them, and they have trouble stopping an early shift.”

“Should I take that into account for duty rosters, in the future?” Lucas asked, not wanting a repeat of this morning’s events.

“That would be a good idea,” Madison said. “Ask Hammond who else might still have trouble at the full moon.”

“Yes, sir.”

The captain snorted. “This conversation is unofficial. I’m just trying to be of help. Call me Tim while we’re talking werewolves.”

Lucas smiled self consciously. “Thank you. I really appreciate this.”

Madison clapped Lucas on the shoulder firmly. “It’s in all of our best interests that you understand what you’re dealing with and are able to give them what they need.” He glanced around the compound as if looking for someone. “So, Noah got his wolf-pup back here to the compound. Tell me again what you saw and heard?”

Lucas’ stomach plummeted. He’d hoped Madison had missed his earlier slip at nearly using Noah’s given name. Apparently, it hadn’t gone unnoticed. He relayed everything he could remember about Noah calming Eli down, the talking and the touching. He left out his own extreme reaction to the situation. He didn’t need a superior officer to tell him it was inappropriate. He already knew.