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Stryker

“What if they arrest me?” Stryker asked as they stopped on the edge of the property.

The big house loomed in front of them as he nervously yanked on Gavin’s hand to keep them from moving forward.

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” Gavin promised.

“But you can’t promise that!” Stryker said. “This is like the big dogs of your world, right?”

“We don’t actually interact with them much. Rainier has more experience as the king of the fae, but our family tends to steer clear.”

“Because they are evil council members set to take me away and lock me into a cell somewhere I’ll never be found,” Stryker exclaimed.

“I wouldn’t allow that. Axel wouldn’t either. You are our family.”

“Is this about the money I stole from the coven?” Stryker asked.

“I don’t know. We reported everything months ago. It could have taken them this long to follow up, I suppose.”

“But why would they be asking for me?” Stryker questioned.

“That is a very good question.” Gavin glanced around. “Maybe I should have left you with Mal and Adam.”

“Or we could run!” Stryker thought that was a brilliant idea. “My bike is right over there.”

“We are not running.” Gavin turned to him. “I will protect you from anything.”

That was what Stryker was afraid of. “I don’t want anyone else to get hurt. Bryce, Nate, Sam, Lawson and all my new friends.”

“The boys will already be someplace safe,” Gavin assured him.

“They are.”

Both of them jumped at the new voice. Gavin barked out a laugh before pointing up.

Nate peeked out of some kind of hiding place at the top of the tree. “The boys took the portal to Dean’s bakery. Logan and Shawn are with them. Trevor and I are watching the perimeter in case anyone else shows up. Right now, it’s just two men from the council.”

“And they want me?” Stryker asked.

“I don’t know. As soon as they pulled up Axel sent me and Trevor out the back and the boys to the portal. They are in an official paranormal council SUV though.”

“Official,” Gavin said. “Which means they can’t just take you. Not with you being my mate.”

“Congrats by the way!” Nate called down. “I love getting new brothers.”

Stryker grinned. “As soon as I get out of this, whatever this is, we’ll find some trouble.”

Gavin grabbed the back of his neck. “One crisis at a time, please.”

“Sounds good, Stryker. I’ll be up here if you need me.”

“He is one of the best snipers in the world,” Gavin reminded him.

Stryker waved up to Nate in thanks. At least his new friends would be okay. Stryker really couldn’t think of why the paranormal council would be looking for him, unless it was to take him away. That worried Stryker.

This wasn’t the first time that he’d had to run from the cops. Hell, Stryker usually knew before the cops arrived when they were after him. This was more like when the witches had captured him. Stryker wouldn’t have gotten away without the help of Dean and Noah.

“Let’s get this over with.” Gavin started toward the house.

“Wait!” He grabbed Gavin’s wrist to halt him.

Gavin turned. “I promise it will be okay.”

How did this man have any faith after what had happened to him and his family. Had the council even helped them back then? Huh, that was a very good question. Stryker was basing his fear off what he thought the council could do. And yet, even Gavin said that they didn’t have much contact with the council. Wasn’t Axel like one of the most powerful alphas in existence? Stryker had a few more burning questions.

Maybe the paranormal council needed to answer a few of his questions.

“Kiss me,” Stryker ordered.

Gavin grinned. He pulled Stryker close then wrapped his arm around Stryker’s waist. “I’ll kiss you if you make me a promise.”

“What’s that?”

“Promise me that you won’t run. That you won’t leave me. No matter what happens,” Gavin ordered.

“I promise.” He had absolutely no plans of leaving Gavin. If Stryker left, he would take Gavin with him. However, Gavin wouldn’t want to leave his family behind, which meant that Stryker had to stay. Needed to protect Gavin’s family.

Gavin kissed him.

It was not a gentle, coaxing kiss.

Gavin consumed him. Thrusting his tongue inside as he yanked Stryker even closer, Gavin made love to his mouth. Stryker strained against Gavin as his cock hardened and he stopped caring about anyone other than the man who wanted to claim him as a mate.

“If you two fuck, I am totally watching!”

Gavin pulled away and laughed. “Don’t you get enough sex with your mates?”

Nate grinned. “But there’s never too much sex, am I right?”

Stryker nodded. “He’s not wrong.”

“Come on,” Gavin urged. “The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can finish what that kiss was starting. And without an audience.”

“I don’t mind!” Nate called.

“Alright, let’s tell these council fuckers where they can stick it.”

“Maybe you should let me do the talking,” Gavin replied.

“Probably a good idea.”

Stryker slipped his hand in Gavin’s and this time they both turned toward the big house. Instead of being afraid, Stryker would help protect Gavin’s family from whatever trouble Stryker brought to them.

They strode forward and across the expansive backyard. No wonder Stryker had problems getting coverage of the whole property on his cameras. There was so much land that belonged to the alpha and his family.

There was a different feel from the territory claimed by the pack and the state park. Even as a human, Stryker understood.

He tightened his fingers with Gavin’s.

Stryker’s footsteps sounded heavy on the steps then the deck.

“Stop,” Gavin murmured. He released Stryker’s hand before taking up a fighting stance.

“Wh—” Stryker started to ask.

The back door opened. Two men stepped out and Stryker knew exactly who they were. Even as Axel, Crake, and Bo followed behind them.

“Well shit!” Stryker spat.

The younger man, blond with green eyes, grinned. “And here we are. The hacker that goes by the handle Stryker.”

Gavin made a distressed sound in the back of his throat.

“You’re part of the paranormal council?” Stryker questioned.

“You really should be careful of who you steal from, little thief,” Aaron Johnson told him.

“Maybe your friend should keep better track of his belongings,” Stryker quipped back. Okay, so they had agreed that Gavin would do the talking here but Gavin hadn’t said a word. He was all stiff beside him. Besides, Stryker could handle this. He’d only borrowed the RV after all.

Aaron Johnson growled as he stepped forward.

“That’s not how this is going to go,” Axel said as he stepped between Stryker and the private detective. “Stryker is a human and part of our family.”

Aaron shook his head. “Are you saying that he stole on your behalf?”

“I did not!” This was not going to be pinned on anyone other than him.

“Enough!” the agent Stryker had stolen from shouted. He stepped past Axel. “Gavin?”

“No,” Gavin whispered.

What the hell? Stryker turned to look back and froze. Gavin had gone completely pale. He was also shaking so hard that Stryker didn’t know how he was standing. Stryker went to grab Gavin, but he took a step back.

“Gavin?” the agent repeated.

Stryker moved to block the agent’s path to Gavin. “Back off.”

“Move!” the agent ordered. His eyes flashed. Familiar eyes. Eyes that Stryker knew.

“What the fuck?” Stryker demanded.

“No!” Gavin yelled. “You’re dead!” He stumbled back.

“Oh my God! Gavin!” the agent ran at him.

Stryker turned while Bo and Trevor leapt at the agent. Aaron Johnson pushed at Stryker’s back, but Stryker was stronger than he looked. He wrapped his arm around the agent’s neck. Axel reached for Gavin as he fell down the steps of the deck.

“Release me!” the agent shouted.

Above them the skies darkened. Lightning flashed and the ground rumbled.

“Gavin, it’s okay.” Axel hugged Gavin tight. “Calm down. It’s okay.”

Stryker was losing his hold on Aaron Johnson. A human against a paranormal was not a fair fight.

Aaron broke free then launched himself at Trevor and Bo.

“It’s not Gavin causing the storm!” Stryker shouted as the rain began to come down hard and fast. “It’s his brother!”

All movement around him stopped.

“What?” Axel demanded.

“Let the agent go,” Stryker said.

Trevor and Bo looked at Axel. Axel nodded. Agents Cunnings and Johnson pushed away. All the men on the deck were breathing hard. Well except for Gavin who looked like he saw a ghost.

Stryker marched forward.

“Gavin.” Stryker cupped his face. “Papi, can you hear me?”

“I—” Gavin turned pain-filled eyes toward him.

“I know,” Stryker said. “I know.”

Gavin shook his head.

Stryker wrapped his arm around Gavin’s lower back. Gavin leaned on him. Stryker almost couldn’t hold him up. Luckily, Axel moved to add his support.

“What’s going on, Stryker?” Axel asked him.

“Look at him.” Stryker pointed at Agent Cunnings. “Look at his eyes. Can’t you see it?”

Trevor and Bo both turned.

“Fuck!” Bo murmured. “He smells just like Gavin. Thunderbird.”

“I don’t understand,” Trevor said.

“My name is Leo Cunnings. Or that is my name now,” Agent Cunnings said. “And you are keeping me from my brother.”

Gavin whimpered.

Stryker’s heart was breaking. Gavin sounded so lost and scared.

“Gav,” Agent Cunnings murmured.

“It’s a trick,” Gavin said. “The hunters—”

“They’re gone,” Stryker said. “Remember?”

“But—” Gavin shook.

“I need you to calm down, Papi.” Stryker hugged him tight. “You have your family here. We’re with you.”

“I’m his family,” Agent Cunnings growled.

“How?” Gavin whispered.

“I can explain,” Agent Cunnings said. He stepped forward. “Just…please, let me touch him.”

“Papi?” Stryker asked.

A tear fell and trailed down Gavin’s cheek, but he nodded.

Trevor and Bo stepped to the side.

Aaron Johnson watched with them with wide eyes.

“Easy,” Axel ordered. The word coming out with all his alpha power. “I don’t care who you are. If you hurt him, I’ll tear your head from his body.”

Tears were falling from Agent Cunnings’ eyes as he slowly walked forward. “I would never hurt him.”

Gavin gasped. “Leo? How?”

“Gavin.” Agent Cunnings stopped when he was right in front of them. “It’s really you.”

“Yes,” Gavin sobbed.

“My little brother.” Agent Cunnings grabbed Gavin hard, yanking him from Stryker and Axel’s hold. “My brother.”

Gavin was clawing to get closer to his brother. As if that was even possible. The brothers cried together, and Stryker found his own emotions coming to the surface. He stepped back to lean against the railing as he watched Gavin, his mate, his future.

The fates.

Stryker had cursed them for so long.

He’d been hurt. Scared. Lost. Abandoned. Stryker had never understood why he hadn’t been enough for the people that he’d been placed with. If his parents couldn’t even love him, then why would anyone else? Anger and confusion had run his life until Stryker learned to take control. To be the one that decided what he deserved.

Everything he’d been through had led to this moment.

Not only had he found his forever home, his partner, his family, but Stryker was the reason that Gavin was being given a gift that he’d thought he’d lost so very long ago.

Axel shuffled over and placed his arm around Stryker’s shoulder.

Stryker leaned against the alpha. “How is this even happening?”

“We’ll find out,” Axel vowed. “I do know one thing though.”

Stryker wiped his eyes. He hated showing weakness in front of anyone. “What’s that?”

“That Gavin wouldn’t have his brother back if you hadn’t stolen his RV.”

Stryker gave a watery laugh. “Do you think that will get me out of trouble?”

“I’m pretty sure reuniting the two of them trumps everything else,” Axel said.

Stryker nodded. “We should celebrate with chicken nuggets. I have this awesome air fryer that will have them ready in just minutes.”

Aaron Johnson stepped in front of them. “I bought Leo that air fryer for Christmas.”

“Must be a different one. I just found this one lying around,” Stryker lied.

Aaron Johnson glanced at Axel. “You have your hands full with this one.”

Axel chuckled. “You have no idea.”

* * * * *

Gavin

“This is a nice place,” Leo said sitting on the couch.

“Thanks,” Gavin replied as he pulled Stryker down on his lap across from his brother. His brother. Gavin was still unsure how this was even happening. Stryker frowned but wiggled until he was comfortable.

Gavin was a little clingy, but his mind was still reeling. Aaron Johnson, his brother’s best friend, sat beside him on the couch.

They retreated to Gavin’s cabin to catch up on things and so the boys could return home but not be in the way. Gavin knew that his chosen family was just as curious as he was, but they were giving him time.

“I can’t believe this,” Aaron said. “Who knew tracking down a little thief would lead to you two being reunited?”

“Fucking fates,” Stryker muttered.

Gavin bit back his amusement but Aaron gave a big belly laugh. Unlike Gavin and his brother, Leo, who were tall and sleek, Aaron Johnson was a little on the short side, heavier, with a bushy beard and interesting green eyes. Gavin couldn’t place his paranormal creature, but it was something old. Like him.

Leo leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “What happened to you?”

Gavin shrugged. “I used the escape tunnel to get into the woods. I waited three days, but no one ever came for me.”

“No one?” Leo asked. “I’d hoped. Prayed. That maybe someone else had gotten away.”

“No, once the time past I went to check on things. I didn’t want to get too close in case the hunters were still watching. I could see and smell the smoke from the ashes.”

“They burnt everything to the ground,” Leo said. “I thought they got you too. I looked for you. I swear I searched and searched but there were no signs that you made it out of the cabin before it went up in flames.”

Gavin believed him. “How did you survive?”

“Father ordered me to shift,” Leo said. “The hunters had arrows though. Me and Uncle Mike were trying to help from the sky, but we were both hit. I managed to make it far enough that the hunters must have forgotten about me.”

“But you were injured?”

“Arrow in the shoulder and I fell hard and fast. Hit my head and had several broken bones. I was out for nearly a week after the council found me,” Leo explained.

“The council found you?” Stryker asked. His eyes narrowed.

Gavin was surprised by the scent of anger and doubt coming from his boy. “What is it?”

Stryker shook his head. “Nothing. Sorry I interrupted. Go on.”

Leo shrugged. “The council found me and took me to their doctor. Once I was awake and healed enough to ask questions, I asked about you, Gavin. They said there was no sign that you’d gotten out of the cabin.”

Gavin didn’t know how to respond to that. Obviously he’d gotten out.

“They took me to where they were housing the survivors of the attacks,” Leo said. “There were so many kids that were all alone just like me.” Leo looked over to Aaron.

Aaron nodded and gave Leo a small smile.

Aaron had been rescued from the hunters as well? That was interesting. Gavin still couldn’t place his paranormal creature though. Now he knew how Bryce had felt.

“They gave us some options. They could try to place us in foster homes, with new families, or we could train and become part of the council,” Leo told them.

“You both obviously chose to work for the council,” Stryker stated.

“I had a family,” Leo replied. “One that I loved very much. I didn’t want a new one. Besides, I was already old enough to shift and make my own way. I gave myself a mission.”

“What was your mission?” Gavin thought he already knew. He and Leo had been close as children.

“I was going to find the hunters that took my family from me and make them pay,” Leo said coldly.

“And did you?” Stryker questioned.

Again, Gavin was surprised. Stryker was almost hostile.

Leo smirked. “It took time but yes. My team and I tracked down hunters all over the world.”

“You said you looked for Gavin?” Stryker questioned.

Leo nodded. “I went back to the cabin. I searched for any sign that he got away. By then a few months had passed. I even searched the woods. Looking for something. Anything.”

“Leave nothing behind,” Gavin said softly. That was what he’d been taught by his brother and father.

“But you were so young,” Leo said. “I was sure if you were alive, I’d find something. Anything.”

“I traveled quite a bit once I got my bearings,” Gavin supplied.

“Where did you go?” Leo fisted his hands. “Who helped you?”

“No one,” Gavin admitted. “I didn't trust anyone. Not paranormal and especially not humans. I lived off the land for decades until I ran into Axel. I was in my late twenties by then.”

“That had to have been at least twenty years!” Leo exclaimed.

“I can see that.” A little smile played at the edges of his mouth. “And found a pack and a very strong alpha.”

He was a little embarrassed. Not an emotion he was familiar with.

“We’ve all heard of your pack in the council,” Aaron said.

“They’re a family. Not a pack,” Stryker stated.

Aaron laughed. “You don’t like us much, do you?”

Stryker rolled his eyes. “I haven’t seen or heard anything that I would change my opinion.”

Gavin squeezed Stryker, but Stryker wasn’t looking back at him. He was staring right back at Aaron.

“We’re the good guys,” Aaron responded.

Stryker snorted.

“We did come all this way tracking you down,” Aaron reminded him.

“And what were you going to do with me once you caught me?” Stryker quipped.

“Oh! We can send you the location of the RV.” Gavin just remembered that.

“That can wait,” Leo assured him.

“What do you think we were going to do to you?” Aaron asked Stryker.

Stryker grinned. “I don’t think you could do anything to me. You didn’t call the cops. Why didn’t you call the cops? And if you work for the council, why are you listed as a PI? These are the questions I have. Not everything you’re saying is making sense.”

“We didn’t call the cops because we didn’t need to. Plus, who really wants cops in their business? We had the time and means to track you down.”

“Are you really a PI?” Stryker asked.

“Yes. I retired from the council,” Aaron told him. “And that RV is Leo’s retiring plan.”

“You want to retire?” Gavin asked. Could this mean that maybe Leo would be around more?

“I’ve been thinking about it.” Leo leaned back. “I used to be in the field quite a lot but now I mostly push papers. It’s boring.”

“What about the secret labs underground?” Stryker asked. “Or the experiments?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Aaron demanded.

“You know.” Stryker waved his hands around. “Evil government programs. Hellbent on taking over the world!”

Gavin shook his head. Stryker couldn’t be serious.

“The only secret we have anything to do with is preventing humans from ever learning of our existence again. To avoid the hunt or anything else like that happening ever again.”

“Boring!” Stryker responded. “You need to be deep into some kind of conspiracy that Gavin and I are going to have to break you from the council’s hold.”

“And yet if Leo would just turn in the paperwork, he would be free,” Aaron said. “No need to rescue him from anything other than his fear of being bored.”

“That’s why you haven’t retired?” Gavin questioned.

Leo nodded. He shared a glance with Aaron before clearing his throat. Aaron sighed.

“You might as well tell them,” Aaron said.

Stryker straightened. “Is it juicy? Do you need our help?”

Leo smirked. “Sorry to disappoint you. However, there is a reason I purchased the RV.”

“And never used it,” Stryker muttered.

“About six months ago, Aaron started to have dreams,” Leo said.

“Dreams?” Stryker repeated. He flopped back against Gavin’s chest.

Gavin placed his palm over Stryker’s stomach. Just above the waistband of his pants. His little mate wanted to thwart an evil plan so bad.

“Yes, dreams,” Aaron said. “I’m an oracle.”

“Fuck me!” Stryker exclaimed.

Gavin was just as shocked. An oracle? Gavin had believed oracles only existed in myths and legends.

“Not very many people know that.” Leo pointed at Stryker. “That information does not leave this room.”

Stryker huffed. “Fine.”

“Anyway,” Leo said. “Aaron started to dream about a place. The thunder and rain fell nightly. Lightning would brighten the sky. A lone figure in the distance circling above.”

“At first I thought I was dreaming about Leo,” Aaron said. “Which was quite awkward, let me tell you. I do not need to be dreaming about my best friend.”

Leo smirked.

“However, in the dreams I could feel that it wasn’t Leo. Something was different. Not wrong but not right,” Aaron shared.

“Aaron eventually told me, and it brought back all the hope that I’d buried. When he described his dreams, I could feel that I needed to find the place he was seeing. He’d already left the council. Most of my original team had. I was wasting my time there. So, I purchased the RV. Started making out where paranormal packs were,” Leo explained.

“And then some little thief stole it,” Aaron accused.

“You were going to look for me?” Gavin questioned. “You thought it was me in Aaron’s dream and were coming to look?”

“I was both afraid and hopeful. What if after all this time you were still alive? I have still put off retiring because then I would have to search for you. Find out one way or another if you were really dead. I was hanging on to the little bit of hope that I had left.”

“And then some thief stole the RV!” Aaron said louder.

“I would like to point out that by borrowing the RV, I did bring you right where you needed to me. I saved you months if not years of traveling,” Stryker said.

Leo snorted. “You might have a point.”

Aaron growled. “Fucking dreams. They could be just a little bit clearer.”

Leo laughed as he patted Aaron’s knee. “There, there. It all worked out in the end.”

A damn oracle. His brother back. All because of his mate. Gavin squeezed Stryker hard.

Stryker coughed. “Ease up there, Papi. I need to breathe. Human, remember?”

Gavin kissed the back of his neck. “Sorry.”

Stryker patted the hand still lying across his stomach.

“I still can’t believe that you were going to look for me,” Gavin confessed.

“He never stopped looking. Never gave up hope although we all told him that you were gone. That you would have resurfaced by now if you were alive. Every mission, he looked,” Aaron said. “It was one of the reasons our team was in the field for so long. He carried the only picture he had of you around. Still does.”

Gavin stiffened.

“What is it?” Stryker asked, his eyes narrow and lips pressed together.

Gavin kissed Stryker’s forehead and lifted him to sit on the arm of the chair. “I’ll be right back. I have…something.”

He hurried from the room as Stryker began to ask more questions. Instead of the accusatory or invasion questioning, Stryker’s interest had moved to the absurd. He really seemed to want to find a secret underground bunker or something.

Hurrying to his closet, Gavin pulled out the old wooden box that he kept hidden away. The few reminders of a childhood that had been ripped from him. He carried the box back into the living room but paused at the doorway.

His boy was reclined on the arm of the chair appearing relaxed but there was still a stiffness to his shoulders that Gavin didn’t like. They’d talk after Leo and Aaron retired for the night. Axel had already set them up in one of the cabins. At least until they figured out what to do.

Gavin wanted to ask his brother to stay.

Was that selfish of him?

Leo had a life, a job, friends. Gavin was terrified that if Leo left his sight, he might not ever see his brother again.

Before he could figure out what he wanted to do, Stryker glanced up at the doorway. “What do you have there, Papi?”

Gavin strode forward.

He stopped beside his brother and crouched, placing the box on the coffee table. “I went back to our house.”

Leo leaned forward.

“There wasn’t much I could scavenge. Some of Grandma’s canned food and a shovel from the shed, I think.” It was hard to remember. That had been so long ago. All Gavin really knew was everything had been gone.

Leo snapped his head to Aaron. “I knew someone had been there. I told you that they’d gotten in the cellar.”

Aaron patted Leo’s shoulder. “It could have been anyone. There were lots of us that had lost everything. Scavenging was common in that time.”

Leo nodded. “What if we just missed him? Or if we’d stayed longer, we’d have found him?”

Aaron sighed. “There’s no way to know. Don’t start playing the what if game.”

Gavin had to agree. It wouldn’t do either of them any good to wonder what could have been. If Gavin had been rescued by the council, would he have made the same choices as Leo or would he have sought out a family?

Eventually Gavin had found a family.

His family.

Axel and Bryce, Nate, Bo, and Craig, Drake, Lawson, River, Anton, Rainier, Shawn and Sam, Trevor and Anton, Seb, Ash, Adam and Mal, Levi, Mason, Jason, and Tristan, Logan, Dean, and Noah, Lucifer, Cary, and Gage, and the demons that were just joining them like Atom and Ari. It had taken longer than he’d liked but he wasn’t without those that he loved.

His finger shook as he opened the box.

Stryker and Aaron also leaned forward to see.

“I couldn’t find much,” Gavin said again in a whisper. “But I took these.” Carefully he picked up the old burnt photographs. The one on top had the edges burnt so badly that they crumbled. Right in the middle of the photo, yellowed and aged by the years, was the image of Gavin and Leo smiling. Gavin was missing both his front teeth.

“Fuck!” Leo’s finger hovered over the photo.

“It’s all I had left,” Gavin said thickly. Emotion once again overwhelming him.

He had spent a lot of time on his own. Gavin set the photo back in the box. He only had about six and all of them were damaged. “Anyway, you had one photo. I had these.” He went to stand but Leo grabbed his hand. Leo squeezed his fingers tight and nodded but didn’t say anything.

Gavin appreciated it.

Leo released Gavin’s hand and Gavin returned to Stryker. He sat and this time it was Stryker who slid onto his lap without any coaxing. Just having Stryker with him helped calm the feelings rolling inside him.

Rain still fell lightly out the window of the cabin, but he didn’t know if that was his doing, Leo’s, or a mixture of both.

“I have one more question,” Stryker said.

“Sure. Then you can tell us how you ended up here with my brother,” Leo replied.

“Oh!” Stryker clapped. That was the best story ever.

Gavin snorted. He wondered just how much truth was going to be in Stryker’s story. He was a hacker and a thief after all, and Leo worked for the council. Maybe he should be worried.

“So,” Stryker drawled. “How long have the two of you been fucking?”