Page 4
Chapter Three
Z ack didn’t even bother looking up as Riley shooed everyone out of the small room. His dad put a hand on his shoulder and told him not to worry about Mattie tonight, as they would take the baby monitor into their room. He felt a stab of guilt, but his dad squeezed his shoulder lightly and reminded him his mom was having a blast with her grandson.
He knew Victor had left the room with his alpha, and for a moment it was blessedly quiet. Riley had to finish the healing, but he was resting and eating for now.
Victor had seen the energy exchange he’d done with Riley and Zack was expecting questions. It had happened as a complete accident last year. They’d gone on a job to look at a security system a charity wanted to implement to deal with the identity of their thousands of donors. Zack hadn’t flown them this time, as it had been all the way down in Miami. They’d been in a cab from the airport and barely twenty minutes later, some idiot in a stolen car had rocketed away from the cops straight into a school bus.
Riley had nearly killed himself trying to help before the ambulances arrived. Literally nearly died draining so much of himself. He’d staggered to another child and Zack had put a hand out to steady him just as Riley had touched the kid’s chest. Zack had felt the drain of his own energy immediately.
But it had worked. Riley had managed to keep three kids alive until help arrived, and Zack had managed to keep his brother alive to be able to do so.
They’d talked about it later with Asher and the only conclusion they could draw was that it was because they were twins, as when they’d tried with Asher, it hadn’t worked. Riley always asked that no one touch the person he was trying to heal, so he didn’t inadvertently heal a minor issue in the second person when he might need everything he had for the injured one, and as far as they knew it had been the first time Zack had touched Riley while he was healing. They’d practiced a little and knew roughly what they could get away with, but they had to be careful, especially if Zack had to fly the helicopter after.
He heard the door open, and expecting Riley, stiffened a little when he smelled the wolf. He’d hoped Victor had returned to the pack, but he guessed if Victor thought Lachlan was his mate, then he wouldn’t leave.
Zack tried not to feel a sense of satisfaction comparing their situations. The pack was already having trouble with the human/wolf hybrids. A fully human mate would cause even more, and he couldn’t see Victor leaving the pack.
“Any change?”
Zack looked up reluctantly. “No. Riley’s gone to refuel, but he’ll be back.”
Victor didn’t reply, but he slid his hand across the bed almost surreptitiously, so he was just touching Lachlan’s arm. Zack had a hold of his hand, but Lachlan hadn’t moved. “Has Raschid left?”
Victor nodded, but then scraped a hand over his face, drawing Zack’s eye. The man was attractive, Zack allowed. Kind of Antonio Banderas good-looking. Maybe he should slip up and call him Zorro? Might be fun trying to annoy him.
Then Zack realized what he’d said, and shame heated his skin. Fuck, how old was he? They definitely had a problem, though.
“I think we’ve got a problem.”
Zack gazed at Victor, surprised, as it seemed he’d just plucked that thought out of his head. But Victor was right. “More than one,” Zack allowed.
“Apart from my wolf and your bear recognizing our human mate, but not each other, you mean?”
That was the biggest, definitely. “And how does that even happen?” Zack asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Do you think it is a bit too much of a coincidence?”
Victor looked up. “You mean both of us?”
“Well, no, that’s unusual, but only because we aren’t feeling it with each other. I meant where he was dumped. Why here?”
“You mean as opposed to, say, outside a precinct or an ER?”
Zack looked back at his mate. “I hate to say this, but the other thing that seems too much of a coincidence is the drugs at the school and the fact that Lachlan only just started working there. Drugs are a nasty business.”
“What makes you such an expert?” Victor asked dismissively.
More guilt festered in Zack’s gut.
“Shit,” Victor swore, and Zack looked up in surprise. “I’m sorry. That was—I didn’t think.”
Zack shrugged as if it didn’t hurt and kept his gaze on Lachlan. He didn’t realize Victor knew, but it would be reasonable to ask where Zack’s mate was when Victor knew Mattie was his. “It wasn’t the same. Jessica was an addict. Lachlan definitely isn’t, or Riley would have known. He might have seen something with one of the kids and this was a warning to look the other way.”
“Or he might be involved,” Victor said.
“Wait—” Zack’s head shot up. “Are you implying my mate has something to do with the supply, actually dealing?” His bear growled long and low in his head.
Victor didn’t back down, just kept his gaze on Zack. “Bad things can happen to good people. Pretty sure your girlfriend didn’t set out to be an addict.”
Zack inhaled a lung full of his mate to calm his bear. He didn’t want to admit Victor had a point. “We’ll see when he wakes up,” Zack said grudgingly.
“Assuming he stays long enough to explain.”
Zack scowled. Was Zorro trying to bait him?
“Do you have any experience with human mates?” Victor asked quietly, his fingers gently stroking Lachlan’s arm.
“No. Shit.” An awful thought occurred to him just as the door opened and Riley and Alex walked in with loaded trays. He stared at Riley. “You need to warn Daniel to keep Luke away.”
Riley grinned. “Already done.”
“The Ashani wolf,” Victor murmured, understanding immediately. Zack hated that Victor knew all their secrets, but they’d had to tell Raschid for safety, and Zack understood that as Raschid’s beta commander, Victor would be told.
But yeah, Luke had to stay away or he could easily give Lachlan a wolf simply by touching him.
“Thought you two would be hungry,” Riley said and moved to the bed. “How’s he doing?”
“Shouldn’t he be waking up?” Victor asked, worry creeping into his voice.
“I’m keeping him asleep,” Riley said. “I need his body to rest.”
Alex left after Zack had thanked him. Riley stepped up and lowered the sheet, placing his hand on Lachlan’s chest. A low warning growl filled the room, but it cut off abruptly as Victor stood. “Sorry.” He crossed to the door and left quickly.
“His spleen is good, and the broken ribs. Can you roll him gently to you so I can see what the head injury is like?”
“Didn’t you heal it?” Zack blurted out the question and winced at the accusation in there.
“Internally, yes, but the actual wound itself still needs attention. Human brains can swell after trauma. Don’t forget I can’t make him shift to take care of everything. That’s what I need to check for. I couldn’t heal the skull itself until I was sure of that.”
Zack turned him gently then reluctantly let go and watched as more bruises lightened and disappeared on his mate’s skin.
“How are you doing?” Riley asked after a moment and let go. Zack immediately reclaimed Lachlan’s hand.
“How is it even possible?” Zack asked. He could tell Riley anything.
“I’m assuming you don’t mean that Lachlan is your mate, more that you don’t think Victor is?” Zack scoffed.
“No, I got lucky there.”
“Did you?” Riley asked lightly.
Zack sighed. It was complicated. “Victor’s worried that Lachlan is involved with the drugs.”
Riley pulled the small stool out from under the bed and sat down, his shoulder nudging Zack. “Let’s get Daniel on board.”
“No,” Zack said in alarm. He didn’t want the FBI agent anywhere near— “Fuck,” he whispered. They had little choice.
“This is going to be incredibly hard,” Riley said. “But hard on all three of you. Lachlan is human, and we don’t know anything about him.”
“I know,” Zack agreed, but he also knew whatever Lachlan had done or might be involved in, Zack would somehow get him out of it.
“But don’t forget how much harder this is for Victor,” Riley cautioned. “You have us. According to Raschid, Victor has nobody.”
“But I don’t even like the man,” Zack snapped out, getting the scent of wolf a second too late.
“Don’t worry,” Victor growled out as he came into the room. “The feeling is entirely mutual.”