A Mate Beyond Their Reach (10 page)

Trent now began to understand his mother’s sadness. A human mate? Val’s brother had been in the same situation, and his story didn’t end well.

“What happened?” he asked. “Did she turn feral?”

Grant shook his head. “We forced ourselves to stay away from her, for exactly that reason. The time we had together meant so much to us. We tried to get the Magistrate to help us, to give us a solution.

But the law was the law, and as such, humans must never mingle with spirit wolves. Back then, we didn’t have the influence we do now.

The laws forced us to give her up. It was the only way to keep her safe.”

“I now wonder,” Marion said, “if we did the right thing. In her heart, she knew we should have been together forever. In the end, she withered away slowly, and we could do nothing to stop it.”

Trent was horrified. How hard had it been for his parents to do this? He couldn’t imagine being so brutally separated from either of his mates.

Marion wiped her eyes and stepped toward Trent once again. She took his hands and squeezed them. “We are telling you this now, son, because you three need to be ready. A lot of time has passed, but our people have not changed. Tradition rules us, and anger festers in our hearts. They will harm your mates and tear apart your relationship if they can. You must be strong.”

“We will help you, of course,” Grant said. “Perhaps you will manage what we did not. And perhaps your human will find a way to figure out the answer to all our questions.”

Trent nodded. “Can I tell him about this?” he asked his father. “I have a feeling it’s very important.”

Marion actually laughed. “We would not expect you to keep things from your mate.” She paused, sobering once more. “I do have a question, son. Where is your other mate? Why didn’t he come with you?”

“He stayed behind to cover our tracks,” Trent answered, his heart heavy as he acknowledged the fact behind the words. Grant’s expression looked glum, and Trent knew what his father meant to say.

“If he doesn’t meet us here like he is supposed to, I will go after him.

I will not allow anyone to separate us.”

Marion smiled at him. “Good. Now come. There are still many arrangements to be made. And you still have to explain to me why your mate has a son and who his friend is.”

The inquisitive words might have bothered anyone else, but Trent sensed the concern behind them. He rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry. I’ll explain everything.”

Valerius shut down his laptop, satisfied with a job well done. The Turners had been notified of Drew, Paulie, and Dan’s supposed demise. Since they didn’t have any other family, the locals in Tennington stepped up to cover the bills for the funeral ceremony.

Like he always did, Valerius deposited an anonymous donation in the account of the mayor’s office. Drew had done a lot of good as a pathologist. It could be easily explained.

The documents for the spirit wolves were harder, since it implied falsifying several records. The ruse would be discovered eventually, but Valerius hoped that, by then, he’d be safe and reunited with his mates. He didn’t kid himself. His father would figure out their hiding place, especially if he somehow found out about Trent being his mate.

Valerius could only hope the Hart family’s influence could, indeed, keep them safe.

He’d talked with Trent just this morning, and they were all set for their reunion. Trent insisted on coming to pick him up, and Valerius had been unable to refuse. Still, he couldn’t help but be a bit concerned. The weather had worsened today, not exactly appropriate for flight. Spirit wolves were resilient, but a crash would kill anyone.

With his job finished, he left his study and headed up to the roof to meet up with his mate. Only a couple of days had passed since he’d seen Drew and Trent, but it already seemed far too long. He didn’t know when Trent would actually arrive, but he couldn’t wait inside.

The need to see his mates and his concern for them both, and Trent in particular, was killing him.

Much to his relief, Valerius soon sensed Trent and spotted his helicopter approach. He waited impatiently until the aircraft landed and the cabin door opened. Trent hopped out, and Valerius lunged for his mate. Their lips met for a sweet kiss.

“I was so worried,” Valerius whispered when they broke apart.

“You shouldn’t have flown in this weather.”

Trent just grinned rakishly. “Come on, now. Trust me a little.”

“I do trust you,” Valerius answered, surprised at how much he meant it. “It’s that flying machine I don’t trust.”

Together, they scanned the darkening sky. “It would probably be best to wait the storm out,” Trent agreed. “We’re no use to anyone dead.”

“Come on. Let’s go inside. In a few hours, the weather should improve, and we can get back to Drew. How are things there?”

“All right,” Trent answered as they entered the elevator. “The humans are adjusting pretty well. My parents set up a lab for Drew in our hospital, and he’s already busy with tearing the viral strain apart.

But we missed you terribly.”

Valerius chuckled. “I missed you, too.”

The doors to the elevator opened, and as they stepped out, they ran straight into Thom. Immediately, Valerius noticed something was wrong. The butler’s usually stern face looked like a mask of panic.

“My Lord, we’ve just received notice His Highness, Lucius, is here.

He requests a meeting with you.”

Valerius cursed. Had he failed so abysmally in his reports? No, it couldn’t be. Something else must’ve happened. But who could have told Lucius about his plans? “What? Why wasn’t I notified of this?”

“We didn’t know, My Lord,” Thom stammered.

Valerius shared a look with Trent. They had two options. They could go back to the roof, take the helicopter, and brave the storm, or they could face Lucius D’Averam.

Fuck it.
Valerius wasn’t a child anymore, and he didn’t fear his father. He felt proud of his two mates. He would keep Drew a secret if he could, and, if not, he’d face Lucius standing tall.

Trent shrugged. “He’s bound to find out sooner or later. I’m not afraid of him.”

Valerius took heart and walked past his butler. “When my father gets here, lead him to the office.”

“Understood, Sir.”

Even as the butler said this, a feeling of wrongness encroached on Valerius’s mind. Perhaps they should leave, after all. His father was an enemy to be reckoned with, and even if he trusted Trent to take care of himself, he didn’t want to put his mate at risk in any way.

Lucius’s visit here couldn’t mean anything good.

Confirming Valerius’s suspicions, the lights inside the building suddenly flickered and went out. Trent looked around in shock.

“What the hell? The storm shouldn’t have reached us already.”

“It’s not the storm. Change of plans. You have to get out of here.”

But with the electricity down, the elevator wouldn’t work. As such, they needed to take the stairs. Only, Valerius had the feeling they were running out of time.

He led his mate toward the staircase, but just as they reached the side exit, the door burst open and a stream of soldiers entered the penthouse. Predictably, Lucius was the last one to come in. “Well, well. Look who we have here. My dear son and his supposed mate.

Trent Hart, if I’m not mistaken.”

Trent smiled tightly at Lucius. “That’s right. It’s an honor, My Lord.”

“I wish I could say the same,” Lucius answered coolly. Turning toward Valerius, he frowned. “I’ve heard disturbing things about you.”

Valerius arched a brow. “Oh? Do share them. Then maybe I can understand why you felt the need for this circus.”

“This is not a visit of courtesy,” Lucius shot back. “I come in the name of the Magistrate to demand you surrender the humans going by the names of Andrew Blunt, Paul Blunt, and Daniel Lawson.”

Valerius didn’t even blink. “Well, as you can see, they’re not here, like I said in my report.”

His father laughed. “That report is false, and we both know it.

Thankfully, I still have people who are loyal to the Magistrate.”

Lucius’s gaze shot to Thom, and Valerius at last understood how his father found out about this. What a fool he’d been. He’d known Thom forever, ever since the other man had been a pup. He’d brought Thom to work with him, given him a home, luxuries. Perhaps they weren’t friends, since Valerius long ago gave up any type of affection.

But Valerius liked to believe he at least had Thom’s respect.

Apparently not.

“I’m sorry, My Lord,” Thom said, “but the humans were clearly clouding your good judgment. Something needed to be done.”

“And you thought you could decide for me. Fool.” He shook his head. “At any rate, it doesn’t change anything. The humans aren’t here.”

“Don’t even say it,” Lucius replied. “I know exactly where they are. Do you think I am a fool? The Harts cannot hide them.”

So Valerius had been right. His father had figured them out, and all because of Thom’s betrayal. Once Valerius got his hands on the little weasel, he’d make the man pay.

Soldiers surrounded Valerius and Trent from every direction.

Thom watched the scene in visible dismay, obviously surprised at the outcome of his treachery. “I’m so sorry, My Lord.”

Valerius ignored him and focused on the imminent threat. They would not go down without a fight. “What do you plan to do?” he asked Lucius. He didn’t bother to deny his father’s words, since, at this point, it would only cement Lucius’s resolve.

“You will be arrested in the name of the Magistrate, and you will remain there while I deal with your human.”

Something in Lucius’s tone alarmed Valerius even further.

“Father, what are you talking about? Hurting humans is forbidden.”

“That may well be, my son, but mating them is worse,” Lucius answered.

“You can’t be serious!” Trent cried out. “This goes against everything we stand for.”

Lucius shrugged and waved at his men. “Enough of this nonsense.

Take them.”

Ripples of energy swept through the room as twenty spirit wolves shifted at the same time. Valerius and Trent did the same. Impotent anger flowed through him. They needed to get out of here if they wanted to save Drew. Lucius sounded completely serious, and that always spelled trouble.

The wolves lunged toward Valerius and Trent, snapping their jaws at them. Valerius dodged and as fast as lightning, struck back. His fangs bit into the flesh of one of their attackers, tearing tendons and muscles and effectively immobilizing his opponent. Seconds after, two more pounced on Valerius. He managed to roll away from the first, but the razor-sharp claws of the second nicked his hind leg.

The wound didn’t prevent him from fighting back, however.

Behind him, Trent attacked with unleashed savageness. The thought of their mate in danger drove them both crazy with fear.

Unfortunately, in spite of their experience and superior strength, Trent and Valerius were outnumbered. Assaulted from all directions, their bodies soon showed countless wounds, the loss of blood debilitating them more and more. Valerius tried to ignore it, and he thought he’d succeeded, but all of a sudden, a large, familiar wolf pounced on him. Valerius scratched at his new opponent’s belly, but in spite of his efforts, his father’s superior strength won out. Darkness began to encroach on his vision. In the distance, he heard Trent’s tormented howl, and he knew all was lost.

* * * *

Trent awoke to a strange sensation of déjà vu. He spent far too much time unconscious lately. For a few instants, he thought he could reach out and feel Drew’s comforting touch in his fur. But when his vision cleared, he didn’t see the white walls of Drew’s clinic, but the darkness of a cell.

The memories hit him, and he recalled going to pick up Val, then running into Val’s father, Lucius. The man had set his soldiers on them, and the last thing Trent remembered was Val going still under his father’s larger bulk.

He could still sense his mate through their connection. In fact, he smelled him nearby. Trent shifted and rushed to the door of the cell.

Predictably, when he touched it, he found it to be made of a silver alloy. Just great.

Beyond the grate, he spotted another cell. Inside, Val stood, looking at him. Val let out an audible sigh of relief. “Thank the Spirit Mother you’re all right. I was so worried.”

“I’m fine,” Trent answered. “You?”

“Nothing a few hours won’t mend.”

Trent knew that, but he still felt relieved when he heard it from Val’s lips. Still, his most pressing concern continued to be Drew. “We have to get out of here somehow, Val.”

Just as he spoke, Trent felt someone approach. The man made no attempt to disguise his arrival or identity. When he reached them, Lucius stood between their two cells. “I see you haven’t completely understood your position. You cannot get out. Be thankful I allowed you to be close to each other, in deference of your mate bond.”

“If you believe in the mate bond, why are you doing this?” Val said. “Drew is our mate as well.”

“Don’t be a fool,” Lucius answered. “I’ve told you a million times. A human cannot and must not be a spirit wolf’s mate.”

“Why not?” Trent asked. “Give me a reason.”

Lucius stared at him in a mix of amusement or disgust. “Do you truly not know? A bite from one of us can turn a human feral. Can you imagine what would happen if these matings were allowed? We would be overcome.”

“There’s always another way, father,” Val said. He paused, seemingly hesitant. Trent knew what Val meant to reveal. Perhaps if Lucius knew about their plan, he’d stop being so unmovable. Because Val and Trent wouldn’t be able to get out of here without a key, and by the time Trent’s parents found out about this, it would probably be too late for Drew and the others. Trent had no doubt Lucius would harm Drew, just like he’d said.

“Drew is a doctor,” he said, hoping he wouldn’t make things worse. “He can find a cure for the virus.”

Lucius actually looked surprised. “A cure? Are you serious?”

“He’s working on it as we speak,” Val confirmed.