Prickly By Nature (34 page)

“Come on, babe,” he coaxed, rubbing over Avery’s bristled spines. “It’s time to open your eyes now. You’ve got people waiting for you.”

Jaden’s scent seeping the strongest from the door to their right told Dylan he was beyond that barrier. He suspected Lacey was there too.

“Wake up for me, Av. I need you back, okay?”

A quiver vibrated through Avery, and slowly he uncurled his head from his body and blinked up at Dylan.

Dylan grinned at him. “Welcome back. You planning on staying like that all day?”

Avery clung to him after his shift. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he repeated over and over.

Words stuck in Dylan’s throat and tears burned behind his eyes. Avery was his heart in so many ways, made him feel like he could take on the world. To see him break down, Dylan wanted nothing more than to fix that as well.

“I think you still have work to do before you go to sleep,” Dylan whispered, running a hand up and down his bare back. In the adrenaline rush, he’d forgotten their nudity and suddenly wanted to shield Avery from prying eyes. Even if Heath was busy tying up the bear.

Avery jerked back, eyes wide. “Oh my God.” He struggled to get up but Dylan held him in place. Stretching to the side, Dylan snagged Avery’s shirt and tugged it over his head.

“Really, Dylan? Now? I can’t believe you.”

“Will you go get him already?” Heath huffed from across the room.

With a shove to Dylan’s chest, Avery pushed to his feet. “Why haven’t you gone down yet,
Detective
?” Avery sneered. “Afraid?”

Dylan had no doubt about that. Fear beamed from Heath’s eyes. “Leave him alone and go put on your pants, Av.”

After yanking on his own wet jeans, Dylan let Avery pull him to the closed door, but then Avery stopped and pointed at Heath. “I don’t know what happened to you, but I won’t let you play with Jaden’s feelings or hurt him. He’s my best friend, and the last thing he needs is you fucking with his head.”

Then he turned and yanked open the door, but not before Dylan thought he heard a mumbled “You’re right,” behind them.

THE OPENING
of the door brought with it a combination of odors both familiar and otherwise. Jaden’s citrusy musk hit Avery’s nose first, then came Sven’s gamey scent, and beneath those two, a third smell—something sweet and delicate but with the muskiness he associated with wolves… and Mr. Otis. Avery gulped as he realized it must be Lacey.

He felt along the wall until he found a light switch. A flick of his finger illuminated the staircase leading down to the basement. He wanted to race down the steps, but he forced himself to take it slow. Not only was he still dizzy after his shift, his body ached from a multitude of injuries. In case he lost his balance, he kept one hand on the banister as he descended.

At the bottom of the steps he hesitated, anxiety and anticipation roiling in his stomach. Dylan’s strong, comforting presence at his back was what got his legs moving again.

He saw Sven first. Sven had been bound at both his wrists and ankles, and he appeared unconscious but unharmed. Then he spotted Jaden, who was similarly bound, though he sat propped up against the wall. Dried blood stained his forehead and had crusted around his eyes.

“Oh, thank God,” he said when he saw Avery.

Relief flooded Avery. “Jaden.” He started toward him, but Dylan laid a heavy hand on his shoulder and turned him to face the opposite end of the room. “I’ll take care of him. Why don’t you go see to Lacey?”

Avery stared, his heart pounding. A custom-built cell filled one corner of the basement. Inside sat a narrow bed, a toilet, sink, and mirror, and pressed against the farthest wall, a waifish redhead dressed in a flowy white gown. She watched them with wide, terrified eyes.

Lacey.

Avery crossed the space without even feeling the ground beneath his bare feet. He stopped a few feet from the door. It took him a few seconds to find his voice. “We’re here to help,” he said, soft and reassuring. “You don’t know me, but I’m Avery Babineaux, part of the Portland Pack. I’m friends with your father.” He stepped up to the door and gripped the bars. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

His words didn’t lessen the suspicion in her gaze. Lacey eyed him warily, not moving from her position.

“Don’t be scared. I’m going to get you out of here.” Avery inspected the door. Like the cell he’d been held in at the warehouse, it had a keyhole on the outside and little else. The key itself was missing, and when he tried to pull the door open, unsurprisingly, it didn’t budge.

Lacey lifted a trembling finger and pointed to something to Avery’s right. “It’s th-there,” she whispered. “He liked for me to be able to see it.”

She didn’t have to expound on her statement when Avery turned and found the key hanging from a hook on the wall. Warren had enjoyed tormenting her with the sight of the key she could never reach. Her freedom so close yet so far.

Jesus Christ.
Avery wanted to run back upstairs and kick that son of a bitch, maybe unload the rest of the tranquilizer darts in his hide so Warren could never hurt anyone again.

Rationality prevailed. They needed Warren for answers. On top of that, Avery wasn’t a killer, no matter how tempting revenge might be when faced with asshole rapists like Warren.

Avery grabbed the key and approached the cell again. It twisted easily and the click of the lock echoed loudly in his ears. He pulled the door outward and took a cautious step inside. He reached out to Lacey, moving slowly, but she flinched away like he’d moved to strike her.

Avery raised his hands, trying to convey that he meant no harm. “It’s okay. I’m sorry.” He’d wanted to go to her, take her in his arms and offer comfort. After all these months of searching, he felt as if he knew her. But Lacey didn’t know him from anyone. Of course she didn’t.

The reminder sent an icy shock down Avery’s spine. He backed up, giving her more space. “I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I wasn’t thinking. Are you hurt? Do we need to take you to the hospital?”

After a few seconds, Lacey shook her head. She straightened from her cower. “I’m not hurt.”

Avery nodded and gestured over his shoulder. “I’ll be right over there when you’re ready to come out, okay? Don’t worry about Warren. He’s knocked out and tied up. He won’t hurt you or anyone else again. Not if I have anything to say about it.” And though it killed him to put a few yards between them or even let her out of his sight lest she vanish into thin air, he turned and went to where Dylan crouched next to Jaden.

Jaden’s hands and feet had been untied. Sven’s as well, though he still lay unmoving. Dylan was inspecting the gash above Jaden’s forehead, his big hands cautious and gentle.

“Can you stand?” Dylan asked

A jerky nod was Jaden’s only reply. Dylan put a shoulder under his arm and helped him to his feet. Once Jaden was standing, Avery couldn’t help but step close and hug him. Jaden’s hair brushed his cheek, the strands stiff with blood. Avery sniffed and just barely prevented himself from squeezing Jaden tight. He could’ve lost his best friend tonight. His eyes burned at the thought.

“I’m okay,” Jaden said, returning Avery’s embrace. “Just a little disoriented. I was trying to figure out how to get us all out of here and failing miserably. I’m so glad you came.”

“Of course I came.” Avery’s tone was fierce. “None of us would’ve rested until we found you.”

“We’d better call Odell,” Dylan said.

“I already did.”

Jaden went rigid in Avery’s arms at the sound of Heath’s voice. Avery pulled back and turned to face Heath. Beside him, Jaden trembled, his breaths picking up speed. Out of the corner of his eye, Avery could see Jaden’s gaze was riveted on Heath, who stood near the stairs. Jaden’s desire to rush to his mate was almost palpable. Heath, on the other hand, looked unaffected. His scent told another story. Relief, fear.

If Avery was reading Heath correctly, he longed to go to Jaden as much as Jaden yearned to go to him. For a tense moment, neither of them moved. Then, right when Avery thought Heath might relent and surrender to his urges, Lacey stepped into the space between them.

“I want to go home,” she said in a small, wavering voice. “Please take me home. I can’t see him again.”

She didn’t need to specify the “him.” Avery flew to her side, though he stopped himself from trying to touch her. “We have to wait for Alpha Odell to get here, and we’ll probably have to call the police. It might be a while before you get home, but I promise you won’t have to deal with him again. We’ll wait outside or in another room. Whatever we have to do.”

Lacey swallowed audibly and nodded once.

Avery remembered his cell in his back pocket. “I know something that might make it easier,” he said, as he withdrew the phone. He brought up Mr. Otis’s number and handed it over to Lacey. “Why don’t you call your father? I’m sure he’d love to hear your voice.”

BY THE
time he set the alarm and turned the dead bolt on the shop Saturday afternoon, Dylan was beyond ready to get home. They had yet to discuss the night Avery left. Dylan had his own set of apologies to make, but the past couple of days had been full of activity from official interviews at the police department to meeting with the alpha and the only two betas left.

Dylan thought back on that day with satisfaction. Not only had Avery proven his worth to the Portland Pack, he’d done it much to the ire of Law—who had been vocal to the very end, demanding Avery’s removal from pack territory. At one point, Odell had looked torn, but in the end, he sided with his son. Jaden had been adamant as to his intentions of leaving if such a thing occurred. And it wasn’t as if the alpha didn’t have enough to deal with as it was. Left with two betas, rumors prattled all around the pack about what had happened that night. Odell’s toughest fight would be proving the strength of his leadership after such a powerful blow to his inner circle.

Russell’s betrayal wreaked havoc on the alpha’s command. It also left him at least one man down. Abducting Jaden had been the worst decision the former beta had ever made, in Dylan’s opinion anyway. He’d confessed to going to Warren for financial help with his drowning construction business before being railed into Warren’s “side project,” he’d called it. Dylan hadn’t stayed for much more of the explanation. It had been a long night already, after taking down the bear and his accomplices, then caring for Lacey, Jaden, and Sven. All he needed to know, all that mattered, was that Russell wouldn’t hurt anyone ever again—especially Avery. His actions constituted a blood challenge—a challenge of leadership and authority—one punishable by death. Odell had taken care of it on pack lands the same night he’d discovered all of Russell’s gritty secrets.

In the grand scheme of things, Avery and Dylan ranked fairly low on Odell’s scale of worry. In fact, they’d rated far lower than Dylan’s father. After Russell was taken care of, the alpha’s suspicions turned to Law; he and Russell had been best friends. After the alpha discovered the many random visits from Russell and Law, not to mention how vocal Law had been in his attempts to banish Avery and Dylan from the pack, Odell seemed to be keeping a close eye on Dylan’s father. Though Law had made it a point to make his opinion on the situation known, it didn’t seem to sway Odell, who offered both Avery and Dylan his gratitude on their way out. Dylan might not like his father, but he was fairly certain he hadn’t been involved in Russell’s plotting. Law was an ass on his best days, but he was law-abiding in the strictest of ways. Still, Dylan was thankful for Odell’s sharp eye in the matter. It had saved Dylan and Avery from the ever-increasing headache that was Lawrence Green.

It also helped that Jaden had taken up residence in their guestroom for now. Dylan couldn’t blame him for his fear of being alone or in his condo. He was welcome to stay as long as he needed. That point had been conveyed to the alpha and his wife as well.

Dylan grinned as he strolled into the house and closed the door behind him. Avery was cooking. He beamed at Dylan as he approached. “Look,” he said excitedly. “Your mom e-mailed her vegan chili recipe.” He stood on his tiptoes to buss a kiss over Dylan’s lips, then went back to stirring.

“In June?” Dylan chuckled as he slid his arms around Avery’s waist and nuzzled his ear.

Avery shrugged. “I like chili. And it was easy to make.” He tapped his head to Dylan’s. “I didn’t burn it.”

“Sounds delicious.”

Avery glanced over at the kitchen table then back to the pot. “You brought flowers?”

Dylan was hoping maybe he wouldn’t notice. Maybe he could’ve secreted them into the trash first. “It’s weird, right? I just thought… I don’t know. I thought it would be nice. And then I passed that little florist down the road from the shop and stopped.” It was spur of the moment and stupid and Dylan should throw them away. He shouldn’t have even brought them in.

When Avery turned again to study the bright-colored arrangement of Gerbera daisies, Dylan thought his next reaction would be to laugh.

“You’re right,” Dylan said. “It’s stupid. I’ll get rid of them.”

“Don’t you dare.” Avery gasped and shifted in his arms, bringing them chest to chest. His smile untangled something inside Dylan. “I like them. It’s sweet. Thank you.”

Pleased by his reaction, Dylan leaned down and kissed him. Instead of the light, passing kiss he’d expected, Avery deepened it immediately. Avery held his face and melted into him. The kiss was heartfelt and passionate.

When Avery pulled back, he remained in the circle of Dylan’s arms, thumbs brushing over Dylan’s cheeks. His face lit up when he smiled, his hazel eyes sparkling. “Thank you,” he repeated.

If that was the kind of thanks he’d receive for bringing home flowers, Dylan made a mental note to do so more often. He had a feeling he and the florist would become fast friends.

“Go set the table.” Avery grinned his demand and turned back to the stove. “Luc called today.”

Dylan stilled, his hip against the cabinet, and glanced at his mate. Why had his best friend called Avery?

As if Avery read his mind, he shrugged and went on. “He had a couple questions about the city. He… he asked about apartments, and I heard someone else in the background. It was strange because it didn’t sound like he really cared about the apartments. I think he just wanted to check in without saying he was checking in.” He looked at Dylan, his bottom lip between his teeth.