AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Everyone else stayed near the kitchen area.
“It’s good to see you, Ishmael,” Boaz rumbled quietly. His deep voice and massive body were at odds with his surprisingly nice-looking boy-next-door looks. “I’m glad to see you’re safe.” Boaz’s attention slipped to the man sitting beside Ishmael—his brown bear shifter, Madagascar. “And I’m really happy for you that you’ve found your mate. Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Boaz,” Ishmael replied, smiling widely as he glanced Madagascar’s way. “Mads has made my whole life better.” His expression sobered as he refocused on Boaz. “I’m sorry I don’t remember, uh, you or, well—” Ishmael paused, stumbling over his words. “Um, was our pack happy, uh, before?”
“It’s okay, Ish. I understand. I didn’t know anything or anyone for a long time.” Boaz rubbed over his thighs before moving one hand to Adisa’s thigh. “I’d never wish that on you, so maybe... maybe what happened to you was better in the long run.”
When Boaz’s tests had rendered him feral, Ishmael’s testing had been put on hold. Doctor Meyer—the female scientist who’d been working on Ishmael—hadn’t wanted her project to go to waste while she figured out what had gone wrong with Boaz. She’d wiped Ishmael’s memory, and through punishments and medication, she’d made him think he had hallucinations about wolves if he didn’t stay on the meds.
Ishmael hadn’t known anything about his shifter heritage until Madagascar had stumbled upon him acting as a janitor at Doctor Meyer’s facility. That place was no longer there. Kontra’s people had blown it sky-high.
All things considered, Khan was sort of relieved that he’d been sold to and held by witches instead of scientists. They occasionally drew his blood to be used in their spells, but for the most part, he was left alone. The worst part was being trapped in a cage to be ogled by tourists.
“And, yeah,” Boaz continued with another small smile. “Our pack was a happy one to grow up in before we were attacked.” His expression turned vacant with a hint of fondness. “Our parents were fated mates, and they loved us all very much.”
“All?” Ishmael cocked his head. “Who all?”
“We had an older brother. Cain,” Boaz revealed, pain filling his black eyes. “He was killed during the raid.” With a soft scoff, Boaz murmured, “Cain was a good brother. Took his oldest brother responsibilities very seriously. He helped Dad teach us to shift, then worked with both of us.”
For the next thirty minutes, Khan listened with half an ear as Boaz shared many happy memories with Ishmael. He was tempted to get up and leave the cabin. There was a large doggie door installed in the wall under a window, but Khan didn’t want to draw attention to himself.
Khan figured he probably shouldn’t have come, but he and Ishmael had become friendly—at least, while in wolf form. He loved playing with the other shifter. Ishmael had been altered to become a massive black wolf, too, but he hadn’t undergone the aggressiveness chemicals that had messed with Boaz. Ishmael was as big and friendly as a wolf or man.
Besides, Khan had needed something to do to keep his mind off of Nathan. His mate hadn’t accepted any of Sam’s invitations to join them on a motorcycle ride. Kontra had told Khan that he was going to try another tactic, but he hadn’t told him what it was. That was probably because Khan still hadn’t revealed that he could shift.
Maybe they would confide in me or ask my opinion if I could actually talk back.
With that thought in mind, Khan decided that when he returned to the farmhouse, he would reveal his ability. Then maybe someone could take him into town. Khan could pretend to run into Nathan.
Yeah, maybe I should have thought about doing that before.
Khan just hated the idea of spending so much time out of his fur.
Come on, man. Channel your inner Khan.
Barely biting back a chuff of amusement at his thoughts, Khan refocused on the conversation going on around him. He noticed movement from some of the others. A couple of Alpha Declan’s people had accompanied Khan, Madagascar, and Ishmael, showing them where the cabin was, but Khan didn’t recall their names. Madagascar’s brother, Congo, and his mate, Zhaul, had joined them for support, too.
Everyone but Adisa and Boaz were rising and moving toward the door. They stayed seated, waiting.
Finding his paws, Khan began doing the same. Most everyone had already filed out by the time he reached the open door. Madagascar and Ishmael were bringing up the rear.
“Ish?” Boaz called.
Pausing, Ishmael turned back with his ready smile in place. “Yeah?”
Boaz sucked in a big breath. He clenched and released his hands once, twice. Then Boaz crossed the room and wrapped his arms around Ishmael.
“It’s so good to see you, brother,” Boaz whispered, but it was loud enough for Khan’s shifter hearing to make out. Boaz continued, “I can’t go into town, yet. I’m not ready, but don’t be a stranger, okay?”
Ishmael hugged Boaz back. “I won’t,” he promised. “I’ll be back.”
Boaz jerked a nod before releasing Ishmael. He quickly rushed back to the other side of the room where Adisa wrapped him in his arms. Burying his face in Adisa’s neck, Boaz seemed to shudder, as if letting out some emotion or maybe getting himself back under control.
After a few seconds, Madagascar wrapped his arm around Ishmael’s waist and guided him out the door.
Khan followed. A glance back showed Adisa rubbing Boaz’s back with one hand while cradling his nape with the other. Khan wondered what it would feel like to have Nathan comforting him that way.
“So, now you know where the cabin is,” the sandy-haired wolf shifter commented as he led the way to the quads they’d used to reach it. “Just be sure to call and make certain Adisa is here before coming. Otherwise...
