Page 8 of Sex and Suspicion (Bay Harbor Wolves #9)

It was a massive home with so many places for them to be holding Jake, but he would destroy it all to find him.

He felt Derek take a step closer to him, probably feeling the anger and agitation burning off him.

Then he just lost it; probably not the best idea or the sharpest move, but it was all he had, and he was going to go with it.

“Where is Jake?” He shouted at the top of his lungs and ran for the staircase. “Where is my brother? What the fuck have you done with him?” He dodged Derek when he tried to grab him by the arm, dropped to his knees, and then quickly jumped back to his feet.

People were rushing him, and hordes of men appeared out of nowhere. Barlow was trying to do his job to block and also de-escalate, but suddenly, all was lost, and everyone came undone. Tense restraint and suspicious glances erupted into chaos.

Aidan didn't know where he was going, but he had to find Jake. He fought and scrambled to get away and get into the heart of the house, but they were too much, and they were too many.

Jake felt the upset in his core and knew that there was trouble.

Hayes had ordered lunch delivered to their room, and they had just sat down to eat when the flood of emotion overcame him.

"I think it's Aidan." He jumped up and ran to the door, but Hayes stopped him with a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“I feel it, too. Trouble downstairs, but let me go, and you stay here. This is my job, so just let me do it. It might be serious, and I don't want you getting hurt." Hayes forced him back and then headed for the door himself, but Jake would not be deterred.

“It’s Aidan, I know it's Aidan. I can feel him. I should have called him.” He tried to push past Hayes but was thwarted with each try.

"Please, I have to go." He shouted, and Hayes reluctantly relented. Jake hated arguing, but he had to find Aidan. Whatever was going on, it was his fault. He was so caught up in his new lover he’d forgotten about his brother.

"Stay behind me, and if I tell you to go, promise me you will go back to the room and wait for me to come for you. This could be bad and violent, and you are not physically capable of taking on shifters. Promise you will listen to me." Hayes was adamant, and Jake understood his fear.

“I promise to do as you say.”

“Okay.” Hayes headed for the door with Jake right behind him. Jake knew it was not ideal for Hayes to have to do his job protecting this place and also look out for his safety, but Jake could not ignore the panic he was feeling. Aidan was near, and he was in trouble.

Hayes moved swiftly through the house with Jake tucked behind him.

The disturbance was coming from the front of the house, and it sounded wild but odd.

The minute he made it to the staircase and saw the fight down below he knew that it involved humans.

The Alpha, Derek, and others were trying to restrain the two humans without harming them. But the humans were not giving in.

He recognized Deputy Katz and assumed the other was Jake's brother Aidan. Jake tried to push past him to get to Aidan, but again, Hayes stopped him. "Don't get in the middle of that," Hayes ordered.

"That's Aidan. They need to leave him alone.

" Jake cried out to his brother. "Aidan!

Aidan! Stop. I'm okay. They aren't hurting me.

Please stop." Aidan looked up at Jake and tried to break for the stairs, and one of the guards, without thinking, shifted into his wolf and leaped at Aidan.

Derek intervened and took Aidan to the floor, pressing him hard into the marble tile while the wolf quickly disappeared.

The others incapacitated the deputy, who had also witnessed the unfortunate shift. Aidan did not stop fighting, and Derek kept tightening his hold. Hayes stepped aside and let Jake run to his brother. Hayes followed, taking in the scene and wondering what was next.

“Take Deputy Katz to the infirmary and hold him there.

" Alpha Henrik instructed, and two of his enforcers carried him away.

The Alpha approached Derek, who was still holding Aidan firmly face down on the floor, but Aidan was still attempting to fight.

Jake fell to his knees next to Aidan and began a long apology for not informing him and not answering his calls.

"I met someone, Aidan, and oh my God, he is amazing. I forgot all about everything. His name is Hayes Castian, and I know you’ll like him.

He works security for the Bay Harbor community.

” Aidan took a breath and finally stopped fighting Derek.

He looked over at his brother and then up at Hayes, who was standing by his side.

"Is that Hayes?" He asked, and Jake confirmed.

"I don't like it, Jake.” He stated honestly but did not elaborate.

“It's not what you think these people are good. Please understand." Aidan was not buying it. Alpha Henrik asked Derek to take Aidan to the infirmary and place him with Deputy Katz. They had a situation to work out, and the two men needed to be isolated until it was settled.

Derek stood and pulled Aidan to his feet. "You can walk, or I can carry you; it is your choice."

"I'll walk," Aidan stated and followed Derek. Jake and Hayes fell in behind as they all made their way to the infirmary. Hayes stopped and spoke briefly with the Alpha.

“Are you going to contact the Coven and have them send someone?” He asked.

“Yes, we need to clear their memories. I know Aidan is your mate’s brother, but he cannot have this information. We can't take that risk, especially with such a hot-headed human." Hayes understood completely.

“Jake will understand.” He told him.

Jake watched as his brother and Barlow were led into two separate and secure rooms, and then the door was locked behind them. It was awful; he wanted to help Aidan, but there was nothing he could do. Their eyes connected just as the door was closing, and it broke Jake's heart.

Hayes put his arm around him and drew him close.

"It'll be okay, Jake. They saw too much, and that memory must be removed before they can be released.

" Hayes explained to him that vampires have the ability to erase memories, and they can be very specific. “There’s a coven in the area up on Old Mission Peninsula. The Alpha will contact them, and they will send someone to take care of the problem.”

"My brother is not a problem," Jake stated emphatically, and Hayes backtracked immediately.

“Of course not, I didn’t mean it like that.”

"I also asked that memories be woven in, erasing the incident of today regarding you and Aidan.

The vampire will plant a memory of you informing Aidan of your meeting someone and staying the night at Bay Harbor.

They are very careful, and I promise you that Aidan will not be harmed, and his mind, apart from the incident of last night and today, will not be touched.

You have my promise." Jake was struggling to come to terms with lying to his brother, but in the end, he saw the need and agreed.

“He has protected me my entire life. He has fought for me, gone to incredible lengths to support me and keep me safe, and now I'm lying to him and setting him apart from me and my life.” Jake shook his head and buried his face in Hayes’ chest.

“It has to be this way for his own safety and ours," Hayes told him, feeling his hurt and wishing he could take it away.

“They’ll take the memory, but it will not change him.

” Derek came up to stand beside them. He stared at the door to Aidan’s room as he spoke.

“He is a protector, a defender, and family is everything.

It's in his blood and his marrow. He was ready to die for you today, and that's just who he is and will always be. I understand him.” Derek then turned and left the area without further comment.

“The Master is sending over two of his sentinels. They should be here within the hour.” Zayn informed them. “It would be best if Aidan didn’t see you until after; otherwise, it will just make further memories to be erased.”

“Yes, but please let me know as soon as it's over," Jake asked, still looking a bit uncomfortable. He knew why it had to be done; he just wished that the misunderstanding had never happened.

“I will," Zayn responded. "He will be returned to his home and will wake up with new memories of the last two days. His worry and his visit here will no longer exist.” Jake nodded but said nothing.

Hayes took Jake out to the large back deck and made him comfortable.

He brought him a large coffee and then sat down next to him, gathering him into his arms as they stared out at the beautiful Bay.

"It will all work out, my love. Aidan will lose the worry, and he will gain some peace. Please don’t feel bad. ”

"I hate hiding things from Aidan. It had never been our relationship to hide or to lie. This is difficult for me, but I know that it’s necessary.

" He appreciated Jake's struggle but also appreciated the level of maturity he was displaying.

His mate was kind and loving but also practical and realistic, and he couldn't ask for more than that.

"I love you, Jake, and I look forward to getting to know your brother and building a friendship.” Hayes was impressed with the man even though he thought Jake had been kidnapped and imprisoned by what he thought to be a cult.

It made Hayes smile even in the midst of all the upset.

Aidan was willing to do whatever it took to protect Jake, and on that score, they were alike, and he could see Aidan as a future ally.

"I love you too, Hayes, so much I can hardly contain it all. I’m so happy and so in love that I just wish that I could share it all with Aidan.” He burrowed into Hayes’ side.

"You’re going to get that wish, Jake." Alpha Henrik and a smiling Derek stepped out onto the deck, and both Hayes and Jake turned in surprise. “The sentinels were successful with Deputy Katz, but it appears they are unable to touch Aidan’s mind.”

“What does that mean?” Jake asked urgently.

“The only people whose minds cannot be touched are those who are in close proximity to their future Fated Mate. It means that Aidan belongs to someone in the Pack." Henrik explained and smiled.

Jake's eyes lit up with the knowledge that he did not have to leave his brother behind.

Jake turned to Hayes and pulled him in for a hard kiss. “Aidan is coming with me on this adventure.”

“He’s going to be one of us sweetheart.” Hayes held his mate and thanked the Fates for their kindness.

Henrik turned to Derek. “Now we have to find the wolf that owns that hot head.”

"Yeah, before he manages to find a way out of that room," Derek commented. “I wouldn’t underestimate him.”

THE END