Hagen, Lynn - Hawk's Pretty Baby [Brac Pack 2] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) (9 page)

“Kick his ass, little man.” Remi laughed.

Johnny lined his pool stick up. “Eight ball in corner pocket.” He tapped the corner he was referring to and took his shot. Bingo.

“I’m beginning to believe Jasper when he said you were a hustler.” Hawk chuckled.

“Nah-uh. Just a good student.” Johnny beamed as he took another shot.

* * * *

“I have next game against the pint-size cutie.”

Johnny looked up to see a stranger walk in. The guy was as big as everyone else. He had the same black eyes as Tank. His hair was short and black, and he had hair around his mouth. His eyes sparkled. Johnny felt safe around him for some reason.

“Hey, Ludo, you’re back,” Caden yelled.

“Yes, my brother. My family has been taken care of and my mother pleased. All is well now, no?” Ludo strolled over to Johnny extending his hand.

Johnny shook it, but the man kissed his knuckles.

“I am Ludo, and who might this beautiful flower be?”

“Hawk’s mate,” Jasper said dryly.

Ludo dropped his hand quickly, shooting a glance at his Commander. “My apologies, sir. I did not know.”

“Now you do. Don’t let it happen again. Hey, Ludo. Glad you’re back.”

“Glad to be back, sir. Have I missed much?”

Jasper filled the wolf in on everything that had been going on. Ludo cursed a few times during the retelling. Jasper whispered a little lower, telling him about Johnny’s diagnosis. Ludo glanced at Johnny warmly, seeing him in a whole different light now. He walked over to Cecil and hugged him tight. “I am glad you are well now.” Cecil nodded, and Ludo released him.

“I must see my Alpha now. I will catch up later.”

“Was that a Russian accent?” Johnny asked.

“No one really knows,” Remi replied.

Hawk pulled Cecil to the side. “Hey, little man. Can you show Johnny how to use a computer? Just start him off with the basics?”

“Sure, Hawk. No problemo, no?” Cecil laughed as he pulled Johnny away.

“Little shit,” Hawk muttered.

* * * *

“Come in.” Maverick was getting a headache from the revolving door his office had seemed to turn into. Sentries and the Commander had popped in and out all day. He had just finished being brought up to speed by Ludo. Now what?

“Hey, Maverick.” Kota came in and stood at the door.

“Good. A welcome face. Come in, my friend. Have a seat.” Kota was not only Maverick’s Beta, but also his best friend. They were only two years apart and had known each other over three hundred years.

“Um, I have someone to introduce you to. Is that okay?” Kota opened the door, waving someone in.

“Sure, you know it is.” Maverick stood, wondering who had Kota so calm. He watched as a tall and thin young man walked through the door, standing close to Kota. Judging by Kota’s height of six foot eight, the man was at least six foot one. He had jet black hair that ran all the way down his back and touched his hips. His eyes were a strange brownish orange, and he kept them glued to the floor, glancing only at Maverick long enough to nod. Maverick saw right away the man was fidgeting and repeatedly tucking his hair behind his ear.

“Alpha, this is Blair, my mate.” Kota encouraged Blair to go to Maverick.

Maverick extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, Blair. I’m Maverick.”

Blair shook his hand and immediately went back to Kota’s side.

“Can I fill you in on everything in a little while? I want to introduce him to the pack.” Kota entwined his fingers with Blair’s.

“Of course, Kota. Take your time.” Maverick nodded as Kota and his mate left.

* * * *

“Well, look what the cat dragged in. A dog.” Remi laughed as Kota entered the den. His smile died as he noticed the man next to him, or should he say, hovering behind him. The guy looked nervous.
Don’t tell me, another fucking mate
. What was it? Mate season? The suckers were popping up everywhere. Not that Remi minded. He adored Johnny and Cecil.

“Hey to you, too, Remington.” Kota inclined his head. “This is my mate, Blair.” Kota reached behind him and placed his hand on the small of his mates back, bringing him forward.

“Hey, Blair. I’m
Remi.
Nice to meet you.” Remi hated when Kota called him by his first name instead of his nickname. Only his mom called him Remington.

Blair waved. “Hi.” He tucked his hair behind his ear, staring at the floor. Kota whispered in his ear, “Remember what we talked about, sunshine?” Blair nodded and raised his head, staring everyone in the eye.

“Hey, handsome. I’m Jasper.”

Blair took a step back, giving Kota a nervous glance.

“He’s the queen around here. He means nothing by it, love.” Kota softly spoke to him. Blair nodded and looked over at the redheaded wolf. “Hi, Jasper.”

“I’ll give you
queen
. Bite me, Kota.” Jasper stuck his tongue out.

* * * *

Kota laughed. He knew wolves had exceptional hearing. He didn’t care, as long as his mate was comfortable. Everyone else introduced themselves. Kota actually had to be introduced to Johnny. He had been gone while Hawk played patty-cake. “Where is that big brute anyway?”

“Right here, old friend.” Hawk slapped his back as he shook his hand.

“Congrats on your mate.”

“Same to you it seems. Hi. I’m Hawk.” Hawk extended his hand to Blair, who hesitantly took it.

* * * *

“Cecil, Johnny, can you show Blair around? I need to talk to Maverick.” Dakota kissed him, running his finger along his jaw.

“Sure,
Dakota
. No prob.” Cecil winked at Remi, who gave him the thumbs up.

“Little shit.” Dakota kissed Blair again then walked with Hawk to the office.

“So, Blair. Where do you come from?” Cecil and Johnny walked him to the kitchen, grabbing the Moose Tracks ice cream. Johnny grabbed three bowls while Cecil dug the sugary heaven from its container. The two of them should be three hundred pounds by now. Thank the gods for youth and high metabolisms.

“I…uh, around.” Blair accepted a bowl from Johnny and sat it down. He really wasn’t a sweets eater, but he didn’t want to offend his hosts. Dakota had told him to start speaking up for himself, but these two were too adorable to resist. He watched as Cecil’s little tongue jutted out as he scooped the compacted treat. Very adorable. He thought about his little brother and how he used to do the same thing. Blair pushed the thought away. No way was he crying in front of these guys.

“How many scoops, Blair? I like three.” Johnny held his bowl in anticipation. He stood on his tip-toes trying to see how far Cecil had gotten in his battle to extract the ice cream.

“One is fine. Do you need some help, Cecil?” The little guy looked like he was breaking a sweat.

“No. I got it. Just give me a minute.” He finally got the scooper to relinquish its hold, giving everyone the serving they asked for.

“So, do you guys live here?” Blair wasn’t much for small talk. He always struggled for things to say.

“Yep. I live with Hawk. He’s my mate. Not the England kind of mate, though.”

Cecil and Blair laughed. Cecil loved the hell out of Johnny.

“Maverick is my mate.” Cecil ran his spoon around the rim of his bowl chasing a miniature peanut butter cup.

“You mean Alpha Maverick?” Blair sat his spoon down. Was that tall, gothic man really mated to this little pint-size person? Talk about odd combinations. Cecil probably had to carry a step stool around just to kiss the man. And sex? Blair didn’t even want to think of how Cecil probably hurt from that. He looked over at Johnny. The kid was a bag of bones. How could he be mated to that fierce, warrior looking dude? What the hell was going on here? Blair thought about his little brother again and became angry. Were these two being forced?

* * * *

“Blair, what’s wrong? How come you look mad?” Johnny stepped back. He didn’t like mad looking people. They usually hit. He walked over to Cecil, standing behind him. Blair was sitting at the table, clenching his fists, and he wouldn’t look up or answer them. Johnny was getting scared. He whimpered.

Cecil grabbed Johnny’s hand and took him to Maverick’s office, knocking on the door. Cecil didn’t wait for an answer. “Hawk, you need to calm Johnny down. Kota, go get your mate from the kitchen. He needs you.”

Hawk shot up and grabbed Johnny in his arms as Kota took off down the hall. Maverick raised a brow to his mate, so Cecil went to him. “I’ll explain later.” He kissed Maverick and went off to the den to shoot some pool.

Chapter Eight

“What’s wrong, pretty baby?” Hawk was rubbing his back as he took Johnny to their room.

“Blair was getting really mad and wouldn’t tell me or Cecil why. I got scared ’cause Sean used to make those faces, too, right before he hi—never mind.” Johnny buried his face in Hawk’s neck, wrapping his legs around Hawk’s waist.

“Look at me, baby.” Hawk put his finger under Johnny’s chin, making him look into his eyes. “Did Sean hit you?” Johnny tried to pull his chin away, but Hawk held firm. “Answer me, baby.” Hawk gave him a gentle warning.

Johnny gave a slight nod.

“More than one time?”

Johnny nodded again. “He made me go to the hospital sometimes, and he made me lie to the nice people about why I was there. I don’t like lying, Hawk.”

Hawk sat in the window seat, holding Johnny to him. “Where is your mother, Johnny?”

“She uses drugs. The courts said she didn’t know how to take care of me, so they took me from her and gave me to Sean. My mamma may not have taken good care of me, but she loved me. Not like Sean. He calls me names all the time and hits me when he’s mad. I don’t like living with him. Do I have to go back to him?” Johnny looked like he wanted to cry.

“Never. You never have to go back. I promise you that much.” Johnny wrapped his arms around Hawk’s neck. “Thank you.”

“I love you, pretty baby. I only want you happy and safe.”

“I love you, too, Hawk.” Johnny spoke a little lower, like someone was in the room to hear them, “Can we have sex now?”

Hawk set him on his feet. “Strip your clothes off, Johnny.”

Johnny did as he was told, standing in front of his mate naked. He felt vulnerable being naked when Hawk wasn’t. Johnny waited for Hawk to tell him what else to do.

“Do you want to try something new?”

Johnny hesitated then nodded.

“What’s your favorite drink?”

Johnny smiled. “You know what it is, Hawk. Orange soda.”

“When we try this, if you don’t like it and want me to stop, you have to say ‘orange soda,’ okay?”

“Okay. Why do I have to say that? Can’t I just say ‘stop?’”

“It’s a game.”

“Okay.”

Hawk got up and went to his drawer, pulling a few things out. He turned to Johnny. “Do you trust me, pretty baby?”

“Yes. Why?” Johnny was getting confused. He didn’t understand what Hawk wanted from him.