Stretching the Rules (7 page)

HANK!
Jonah used the same tactic to call out to his boy.

He got nothing but white noise. Not a thing.

Christ. Oh please. Jonah rounded the last bend before he turned off on the driveway, tires throwing out gravel. Pain radiated from his head, down into his hands where he clenched the steering wheel.

Liv was in full on kitty mode, standing on the carcass of a wolf, destroying it.

Jonah leaped out of the truck, shifting to his wolf form halfway there. He could cover more ground, and his teeth were way sharper in this body.

The scent of the blood wasn’t his pack, wasn’t familiar to him. Where was Hank?

He streaked by Liv to the cabin. She had her shit under control. Jonah needed to pick up Hank’s trail.

Hank left him a huge one, the scent of fury and pain like a beacon. Okay. He had a good nose and a ton of rage.

Hank. I’m coming.
Jonah knew Liv would hear him.

He put his nose to the ground. There were four of them. Four. Not pack. Not his, and not all wolf, from the scent. Thank God, but he had to find Hank.

Hank. Hank. Hank.

While he knew he was lucky they hadn’t just killed Hank, he worried about what these fuckers planned to do. He ran, panic beating at him like a flock of crazed birds.

Jonah! More are coming!
Liv’s mental shout stopped him in his tracks, torn between going back to her and finding Hank.

They would be safer in the truck, moving. Goddamn it.

He heard the grind of another big truck pulling into the clearing, then a familiar voice shouting. “Jonah! Jonah, we’ve got your perimeter. Where the fuck are you?”

God almighty, Boothe. His Alpha must have followed him. He howled, calling out. Liv was standing her ground, teeth bared, tail lashing.

Boothe came bounding to him, huge and dark gray, clearly the leader of any fucking pack. James and Seth came with him, the pack third and fourth. He bowed to Boothe, barking out his distress.

Taking the lead, Boothe charged into the woods behind the cabin, following the intruders as of their scent blazed a yellow brick road.

Something inside him rejoiced, even as he worried for Hank. His pack had his back. All the fear, and Boothe trusted him. That fact humbled him a little, because he’d sure as shit been keeping secrets from his Alpha.

Coyote secrets, and that had been a pack problem for weeks.

They ran, safety in numbers giving Jonah confidence.

Liv was in his mind, worried and unsure, and the fear made her furious.

We’ll find him, Kit. I promise. Alive.

You’d better. He’s mine. I need him. I need you both.

Boothe veered off sharply, and Jonah almost lost his footing on a loose patch of shale, but he recovered. He could hear them now, as men, all of them whooping and shouting. Not expecting company.

They had Hank behind the truck, legs bounds at the ankles, wrists bound and held apart with a log. Fuckers.

Fuckers.

Jonah was going to rip them to shreds.

Boothe barked out orders, and the four of them separated, going into a classic wolf hunting pattern. They moved as one, focusing on the interlopers.

“Shit! What the fuck? You said there was no pack here, Santos.” One of the guys broke and ran, but James took his ass down.

The truck revved as they attacked, moving forward maybe a foot, before Liv landed on the hood of the truck, screaming as she smashed at the windshield.

Seth went for the driver, and Boothe slammed into the guy still standing by Hank’s bound form.

Which meant Jonah could rescue his boy.  

Jonah ripped the chain off first, growling violently. Hank flopped around the ground, grunting with pain. Jonah snapped at the air, wanting to hurt someone, but knowing the idiots who’d tried to hurt his lover were being taken care of.

Jonah nuzzled Hank, pushing and licking at him.
Wake up
, he urged.

Hank tried to roll away, clearly acting on pure instinct.  

Jonah barked, and then Liv was there, standing over Hank, defending him, bloodlust in her eyes.

Help me
, Jonah told her. His wolf didn’t want to let go of his body, not until all threat was gone.

She roared, her voice ringing out. Then she head-butted Hank.
Wake up, boy.

Hank popped up, trying to stand. “Liv! I’m coming, lady.” He swayed on hands and knees, eyes wide when he saw the pack, Boothe and the others.

My pack,
Jonah told him.
They saved all of us.

Hank’s eyes rolled up in his head, and he collapsed onto the ground.

Hybrids
, Boothe told him, coming to stand beside Jonah, blood dripping from his muzzle.
Formed their own pack of bachelor males.

Bastards. I need to take them home, Boothe.

Boothe looked at Liv, who stared back, bloody and trembling, but defiant. That big, shaggy head finally nodded.
I’ll leave James and Seth for today, but I think this was all of them. We’ll need to talk.

Yes.
He bowed again, full of respect for his Alpha. Jonah bent his head, offering Booth the back of his neck in thanks, humbled that his Alpha had come for him.
Thank you.

You’re my pack. We defend our own.

Boothe left him, and he went to Liv, rubbing his muzzle against her face.
We need to get him to the cabin. I’ll take him in their truck.

From there he’d get their things and they’d head into the packlands, to his home. He wasn’t hiding his mates. Not anymore. Jonah needed them safe.

Liv nodded, head butted Hank again. Jonah shifted and picked the lean man up, cradling him close. His skin felt cool, his heartbeat thready, and in the light from the truck cab, Jonah saw bruises popping up all over. Rage filled him, his ears ringing with it.

“You can shift, pup. It’ll be easier.”

Hank moaned, fingers curling into fists.

“I’m right here. It wasn’t my pack. I have you. Liv’s safe. You did so good.”

Those gold eyelashes fluttered, and Hank’s lips pursed. “Liv.”

“She couldn’t shift yet. I bet she’s beat us to the cabin.” Jonah babbled, telling Hank he was safe over and over.

“Hid the safe.”

“Liv told me.” The cab of the truck stank of the intruders. He’d turn it over to Boothe to sell for the pack fund as soon as he could.

“I tried to save her.” Hank moaned, eyes rolled back in his head, his poor abused body shaking.

“Can you shift, baby? It will help you heal. Can you try?”

“Want to. Liv. Liv’s in the attic.”

Jonah let his voice harden, putting command into it. Time to take control back. “Shift, boy. I mean it. Now. I have Olivia.”

Hank’s body shuddered, shimmered. The shift took longer than it should, but soon enough a lean, golden gray coyote lay on the seat next to him.

“Good boy.” He stroked Hank’s ruff, petting gently. Jonah turned into the clearing by the cabin and leaped out, coming around to lift Hank and carry him inside.

The place was trashed, and the smell was insane. Liv was already there, throwing clothes and food into bags like a whirlwind.

“Hey.” He laid Hank on the big leather couch gently, then walked over to wrap his arms around Liv. Jonah needed to hold her.

“Fucking assholes.” She shook like an Aspen leaf, her pain and worry evident.

“Yeah. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here. We’re going to my place. It’s safe there.”

She searched his eyes. “We don’t… Can we even go there?”

“Yes.” Boothe had tacitly approved his mates by riding to the rescue. “There might be some tense moments, but the Alpha has spoken.”

“I... I don’t… What do I do?”

“Finish packing. Get Hank some clothes and the shit out of your safe.” He kissed her hard on the mouth. “I’ll get the backseat of my truck set up for him with blankets and pillows and we’ll go.”

“Yeah. Okay. I just… I want him safe and whole.”

“I know.” Jonah kissed her one more time. “Let’s get this done.”

She worked like a dervish, packing and throwing things in his truck. Jonah made a nest in the backseat of the king cab, piling in warm blankets and pillows.

Hank was sleeping hard, panting and moaning in his rest. Those almost dainty paws ran, Hank trying to lead his attackers away from Liv again, he’d bet.

Jonah lifted Hank once more, then realized he was still naked. “Liv? Can you get me some sweats?”

“Yeah. Sure. You need your slippers?”

“Yeah, or the flip flops by the door.” He settled Hank into the truck, stroking those ears, which twitched madly.

Liv grabbed the clothes, handed them over. Her hand shook, his brave lady almost ready to break.

He didn’t comfort her. That wasn’t for public, wasn’t for now. She would scratch his eyes out if he tried. Jonah did open the truck door for her, one hand on the small of her back to guide her inside.

She had their pillows, their comforters from the bed.

Jonah could see James twenty feet away, and he nodded to his friend.
Take the interlopers’ truck when you come home.

James waved, nodded, eyes mostly on Liv. She was stunning, even bedraggled and stressed. Jonah wasn’t gonna hold that stare against James. This time.

“I’m going to bring you home, Kit. You’ll like it. It’s a good place.”

“I’ve always wanted to see.”

Jonah’s gut twisted when he thought how she’d never seen his house when random people on Instagram had. Shame washed through him, but he didn’t have time for it.

“Well, it’s about to be your place, too.”

She shook her head. “I’m taking Hank somewhere safe.”

“He’ll be safe there. I told Boothe about both of you. He backed me. Nothing will happen to you there.” Jonah was determined to see that his words became law, too.

He had the chance to have his family with him, and he’d be damned if he lost it because he made the same stupid mistake twice.

“We’ll see.”

Jonah nodded, because he couldn’t blame her for doubting him.

They headed higher and higher, the forest getting thicker. The pack had a good chunk of land, where they could run and hunt, where no one could get to Hank. Finally he turned off on his little road. He defended the western edge, his house nestled into the mountain.

He loved his house. Loved the view and the way the ridge rose right out of his backyard.

Loved the huge bedroom, the balcony, the fireplace. Oh, they were going to get to snuggle in front of the fireplace. Maybe fuck like bunnies once Hank was feeling better.

“I have a huge bathtub. I put it in for you.”

“Did you?” She glanced at him finally, her green eyes haunted, hollow. “Really?”

“I did. I heard you telling Hank one night about the tub you wanted, with the jets and the ledge for candles. It has a separate rain bath shower.”

A single tear fell, sliding down her cheek.

“You did so good, Kit. So good. I’m so fucking proud of you.” Jonah ached to hold her, to make sure she knew she was safe.

“Be proud of Hank. He deserves it.”

“You both do. You came for him, you fought for him. I love you both so much.” Jonah was a little worried he might puke.

“Then you came, too. You told them about us.”

“Them?” Ah. The pack. “I did. As soon as you called about the dead cat. I went to tell Boothe because I needed to come to you.”

“That was hard, I know.”

She actually had no idea. He didn’t hold it against her because cats were solitary. Liv had no idea what it felt like on a gene deep level to go against the pack.

“I can’t live without you two. I know that now.”

“No?” She reached out for him, touched his thighs.

“Not one more second. Hell, if the pack kicks me out, we’ll go to Oregon or something, somewhere the mountains are really huge and the rivers run deep.”

“We could go, me and Hank, if you needed.”

“Go? Without me?” He scoffed. “No way.”

She took a deep, shuddering breath, but kept touching him. Jonah covered her hand for as long as he could with his, but the last half mile to his place took some maneuvering.

He pulled up to the house and Liv gasped, the big windows glinting in the lights from the truck.

“It’s beautiful, Jonah.”

“I hope you like the inside, too.” He was nervous suddenly. What if they hated it?

“We won’t hate it.”

Oh. She heard him. She
heard
him. Not when he was trying to call to her, or when they were shifted. Just random thoughts.

“I hope not, Kit. Let’s get Hank inside, right?”

He opened the garage, parked inside, and shut the door. Now they were safe. Jonah keyed the security from his phone, letting the system know he was in for the night.

Then he grabbed Hank and led the way inside.

Liv followed him, clutching two of their pillows to her chest. She looked around, then laughed at the leather couch that looked just like the one at her cabin.

“What? I like it. It suits us.”

“It does. Makes me wonder what the bed looks like,” Liv said, her mood improving visibly.

“It’s bigger. Like the bedroom.”

“Good. We need to get him wrapped up. Safe,” Liv said. Her lips trembled. “He was so brave. I tried to keep him with me.”

“I know you did.” He took her and Hank to the bedroom, a dark, quiet haven with a huge four poster bed.

Liv helped wrapped Hank up, the sweet coyote relaxing as he smelled them both. He was healing already, Jonah could tell. That body wasn’t so stiff, the curl of that tail not so tight.

“Rest, boy. We’re going to be right here. Together.” Jonah stroked Hank’s back, the fur there finally smooth and flat, the hackles down.

It surprised him, how soft Hank’s fur was, how silky. Not like his at all. Jonah was a fuzzy wolf. Springy.

Hank sighed, then settled, melted into the sheets. Oh. Oh, better.

Jonah glanced at Liv. “Want to take a shower with me, Kit?”

She nodded, the act near hysterical. “He’ll be okay?”

“He will.”
You’re safe, Hank. The door will be open.