Page 17 of Honey Heat (Sin & Steel #9)

Simultaneously, Lucio and Matias moved with deadly precision.

Still in human form, they attacked the remaining hyenas with brutal efficiency.

Matias broke one’s neck with a single, brutal twist. Lucio drove his fist into a hyena’s sternum with enough force to crack ribs, following with a swift movement that ended with his hand buried in the creature’s chest. The hyena’s eyes widened in shock before the light faded from them.

The entire fight lasted less than thirty seconds.

Brett scrambled away from Drek’s twitching body, his hand pressed to the shallow cut on his neck as he backed toward his mate. Diablo moved to stand over him protectively, a low rumble still emanating from his chest.

Ethan stared at the carnage, his mind struggling to process what had just happened. Three bodies lay scattered across the pavement, blood pooling beneath them.

“Did he hurt you?” Lucio asked, suddenly in front of him, hands cupping Ethan’s face, forcing him to look away from the bodies.

“No,” Ethan managed, though his voice sounded distant to his own ears. “They didn’t touch me.”

Lucio pulled him close, one hand cradling the back of Ethan’s head.

“They wanted Kia or Jared,” Ethan said against his mate’s chest. “For their cheetah DNA. Drek said he already had samples from wolf and bear.”

Matias approached, wiping blood from his hands with a handkerchief. “Santiago, Bastián!” he called toward the still-open door. “Cleanup duty.”

The alpha hadn’t raised his voice, and still, two wolves appeared immediately, moving to drag the hyena corpses toward a pickup at the end of the alley that connected to Sin’s parking lot.

Diablo, still in wolf form, padded to Brett, who sat on the ground, one hand pressed to his bleeding neck. The massive wolf whined, nudging Brett’s arm with his muzzle.

“I’m okay,” Brett assured him, burying his fingers in Diablo’s thick fur. “Just a scratch. But you shifted, elegido !” His voice was filled with pure joy. “ Eres tan hermoso carino!”

“About fucking time.” Matias’s features softened, profound relief in his light brown eyes. “Glad to have you back, Diablo.”

Brett still looked stunned. “You shifted, carino ! A full shift!”

As they moved toward the door, Ethan turned to Lucio. “They’re not going to stop, are they? The man in the suit, the hyenas... they’ll keep coming for all of us.”

Lucio’s expression hardened, his jaw set in a grim line. “No, they won’t stop. But neither will we.”

“We need to warn my dad,” Ethan said, suddenly thinking of his clan. “If they’re bold enough to show up here, they’re bold enough to show up at home.”

“I’ll call him,” Lucio promised. “But first, let’s get you inside where it’s safe.”

Ethan glanced at the bloodstained pavement. “Is anywhere really safe anymore?”

Lucio didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he pulled Ethan closer, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Where I am, you are safe. That’s a promise, osito .”

Inside, the tavern was an explosion of cheers that Diablo was able to shift again. Brett sat at the bar, with Elijah tending to his neck, while Diablo hovered nearby, now dressed and wearing a huge smirk.

“They were waiting for us,” Brett was saying, wincing as Elijah applied antiseptic to his cut. “Like they knew we’d come out the back door.”

“They’ve been watching us,” Matias said, his voice carrying through the room as everyone quieted down. “Studying our routines.”

Ethan felt a chill run through him at the thought of being observed without knowing it. How long had they been watching? Since his escape? Earlier?

“What now?” Bastián asked.

“Now we go on the offensive,” Matias answered. “No more waiting for them to make moves against us.”

A murmur of agreement rippled through the assembled pack.

“I’ll contact Boone and Xavier,” Matias continued. “The bears and cheetahs need to know what’s happening. Santiago, I want extra security around the clinic. Chopper’s still vulnerable there. The rest of you, stay alert and travel in groups.”

As the pack dispersed, Lucio guided Ethan to a corner stool. He sat beside him, keeping one arm wrapped protectively around Ethan’s shoulders.

“You okay?” he asked softly, fingers gently stroking Ethan’s arm. “You’re trembling.”

Ethan hadn’t even noticed. “Seeing Drek again... it brought everything back.” He blew out a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. “But I’m not going to stop living my life, Lucio. I’m done letting them take from me.”

Lucio’s hold tightened slightly. “You’re so fucking hot when you turn rebel.” He wiggled his brows, making Ethan laugh. “There’s bedrooms in the back. Care to join me?”

Ethan thought his life had been over when he’d been trapped in that warehouse. But he’d had a guardian angel looking out for him, a wolf he couldn’t imagine spending his life without.

Leaning in, he whispered into Lucio’s ear, “Only if you make good on your promise and give me my first lesson.”

Lucio’s nostrils flared as he sucked in a breath. “ Dios mío .” He grabbed Ethan’s hand and hauled him toward the back of the tavern, Ethan laughing the entire way.

* * * *

As Ethan drifted off on the couch, Lucio covered him with a throw blanket and settled into the armchair nearby, watching the gentle rise and fall of his mate’s chest. His phone buzzed with a text from Cesar, reminding him about Jamie’s birthday party tomorrow night.

Like Lucio could forget. Cesar had been working effortlessly behind Jamie’s back to make this the best party his mate had ever had. He’d also told Lucio, at the tavern, that he drove out to the farm where Chopper had bought the Jack Russell and purchased the puppy’s sister.

It seemed Jamie was going to get a dog after all.

Lucio’s gaze returned to Ethan, peaceful in sleep despite the fight in the alley. Lucio’s wolf prowled restlessly, knowing the danger was still out there. If any of those hyenas came near Ethan, Lucio would rip out their black heart.

The sound of tires pulled his attention to the window. A familiar truck had pulled into his driveway.

Boone.

Lucio rose quietly, not wanting to wake Ethan, and stepped onto the porch just as the bear alpha climbed out of his pickup. The two men stared at each other for a long moment, neither speaking.

Finally, Boone broke the silence. “How is he? I heard about what happened at the tavern.”

“Sleeping.” Lucio crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe. “He thinks you abandoned him.”

Boone's jaw tightened. “I would never.”

“I know that. But he’s hurt. Confused.” Lucio stepped aside. “Come in. But keep your voice down.”

Inside, Boone moved directly to the couch, his massive frame seeming to fill the room. He knelt beside his sleeping son, one large hand hovering over Ethan’s hair before gently stroking it.

“I’m sorry, cub,” he whispered, so quietly that even Lucio’s heightened hearing barely caught it.

Ethan stirred, eyes fluttering open. “Dad?”

“I’m here.” Boone's voice was rough with emotion. “I shouldn’t have left like that.”

“Why did you?” Ethan sat up.

“I needed to clear my head.” Boone settled on the floor beside the couch, his back against it. “You’re my only cub, Ethan. Since your mom died, keeping you safe has been my whole life.”

“I know, Dad.”

“When I saw you with him...” Boone glanced at Lucio. “It felt like I was losing you.”

“You’re not losing me,” Ethan said, reaching for his father’s hand. “I’m just finding someone else to love too.”

The word “love” hung in the air between them all. Lucio felt it like a punch to his heart. Fuck me. He couldn’t be more in love with his mate if he tried. Ethan was his everything, starting from the moment he’d laid eyes on his osito in that warehouse.

Boone sighed, squeezing Ethan’s hand. “I know. And if your bear chose him, there must be a reason.” He looked up at Lucio, his gaze stern but no longer hostile. “You’ll protect him? Keep him safe?”

“With my life,” Lucio promised.

“Good.” Boone stood, towering over them both. “Because if anything happens to him, I’ll keep the promise I made.”

“I’ll make sure to sign the form in triplicate and leave it on Matias’s desk if he even gets a scratch.” Lucio smirked as he recalled the conversation he’d had in his kitchen with Diablo, Santiago, and Cesar.

Something like respect flickered in the bear alpha’s eyes. “You’re not right in the head, son.” He turned back to Ethan. “I brought more of your things. They’re in the truck.”

“You brought my things?” Ethan asked, surprise evident in his voice.

“You’re my boy.” Boone said it like it explained everything. And in a way, it did. “And I expect you both at clan dinner on Sunday. Your Aunt Mabel’s been worried sick.”

Ethan’s smile lit up his entire face. “We’ll be there.”

After Boone left, Lucio sat beside Ethan on the couch, pulling him close. “That went better than expected.”

“He likes you,” Ethan said, nestling against Lucio’s chest.

“I wouldn’t go that far.” He chuckled. “But he’s trying. For you.”

“For us,” Ethan corrected, tilting his face up for a kiss.

Lucio obliged, his lips gentle against his mate’s. “For us. “ Te amo, mi elegido ,” he whispered against Ethan’s hair. “I love you, my chosen one.”

Ethan smiled against his chest. “I love you too, wolf.”

THE END