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  Lachlan wanted to laugh at the needless determination on his mate’s face. Kicking Garrett out was the last thing Lachlan wanted to do. “I meant for you to join me in my bed, not leave the room.”

  “Oh.” A look of shock crossed Garrett’s face before he could mask it.

  Lachlan extended a hand to his mate, and Garrett accepted it. He pulled Garrett to his feet then walked hand in hand back to the bed.

  Lachlan pulled back the comforter and motioned for Garrett to climb in first. Once Garrett was situated, Lachlan curled in next to Garrett, wrapping his arm around Garrett’s waist.

  Lachlan combed his fingers through Garrett’s dark hair, relishing in its thickness. Garrett was always so eager to take care of everyone else, but Lachlan could sense his mate needed some pampering of his own.

  Neither one made the move to speak, and Lachlan had thought Garrett had fallen asleep until he turned to face him.

  “I’m sorry about tonight. I just got scared,” Garrett admitted in a small voice. One that Lachlan couldn’t believe came from his strong, confident mate. “I know I sound like a broken record, but I’m trying to work on not ordering you around, but it’s just so hard when you constantly want to step right in the path of a moving car.” Garrett darted his eyes up to Lachlan’s. “So to speak.”

  “I know you are, but you have to realize I’m not weak and I’m not stupid. I wouldn’t jump into a fight without having some sort of strategy in place.” Lachlan took a deep breath. He wasn’t about to let his emotions get the better of him. “You need to start seeing me as your equal and not one of the many people you need to take care of.”

  Garrett’s eyes dropped to stare at Lachlan’s chest. He started to twirl his fingers in the fine hair covering Lachlan’s torso, and Lachlan found the action sweet and innocent, so unlike the man himself. His Garrett’s Choice

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  mate needed someone to step up and take care of him for once. Too much pressure sat on Garrett’s shoulders. If only he’d see that Lachlan was here with no intentions of going anywhere. They could share the responsibility of running and caring for their pack.

  “Part of me knows that, but I can’t chance losing the one thing that makes all this worth living for.” Garrett gestured around the room. “I’ve been groomed from an early age to be the alpha of this pack, so my dad could one day retire after eight hundred years of service. The stress and anxiety has eaten away at me. I’m afraid to make any wrong decisions. My father was an amazing alpha. I cannot not live up to the expectations he set forth.” Garrett looked at Lachlan with sad eyes.

  Lachlan’s heart broke for Garrett. His mate didn’t try to always have the upper hand out of some sense of entitlement but out of training.

  “My dad taught me that family came first and above all else to keep them safe, that includes the pack. He said to let them down would be failure and that someone might challenge me for my seat as alpha.” Garrett’s hand stilled where it moved on Lachlan’s body.

  Lachlan wanted him to keep touching him but knew better than to interrupt his mate. “I might have grown up here, but knowing that one day these people’s fate would rest solely in my hands had me keeping my distance. If I didn’t know them on personal level, maybe it wouldn’t hurt so much if I did happen to let them down. After a while one face bled into another and all that meant was another person I had to keep safe. I never told my parents, but it was hard knowing my whole life had been planned out for me before I ever got the chance to really live it, you know?”

  Lachlan didn’t know what to say. This was the first time Garrett had opened up to him. If Lachlan thought too hard on it, he’d be riddled with guilt. Every time they were together Lachlan only thought about himself and his feelings and what he wanted. Never once did he consider Garrett’s needs or even inquire about his mate’s 96

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  past. Lachlan felt like a downright jerk. He’d guarded his heart for so many years, he immediately went on the defensive when Garrett didn’t live up to the expectations Lachlan had built up in his mind for what he wanted his mate to be like. In doing so he wedged a ten-foot gap between them to keep Garrett from hurting him. But in the end Lachlan had only hurt himself and made his mate suffer.

  Maybe Garrett had every right to punch me in the face. Lachlan twitched his nose at the memory of the hard right hook Garrett planted on him.

  “Well, you’re not alone anymore. You have me to help with the burden of leading the pack,” Lachlan said, wishing they could rewind time to have avoided all the misunderstandings that kept them apart.

  “I wish we could have talked about all this before now.” It wasn’t all Garrett’s fault for the lack of communication between them, but Lachlan wanted to right that wrong. Get on a more even ground with his mate. It wasn’t an issue of lack of love because the love was plentiful. It was Lachlan’s fear of being let down by his mate and Garrett’s fear of letting his mate down. It was a cluster fuck to the tenth degree, all from each of them being too stubborn to talk about their own fears.

  “There’re a lot of things I wished we would have done before now.” Garrett released a nervous chuckle. “But what is done is done.

  The question is can we move forward from here?”

  Lachlan leaned forward and brushed his lips lightly across Garrett’s. They still had so many things to sort out and work on, but this was a beginning, and it looked promising.

  Pushing Garrett to his back, Lachlan rolled to lie on top of his mate. The kiss deepened, and Lachlan could feel his cock rising to the occasion for round two. He reluctantly broke the kiss.

  “Does this answer your question?” Lachlan circled his hips, grinding his erection into Garrett’s hot length. Garrett gasped and his warm, moist breath fanned across Lachlan’s face, making him shudder from the light, teasing breeze.

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  No more words were spoken as Lachlan sat up and straddled his mate’s hips. Garrett quickly prepared Lachlan, then Lachlan rode Garrett until they both cried out their triumphant relief. The night had started out crazy but ended in an understanding that they would work together and start to share responsibilities as alphas of the Carrington Pack.

  Garrett still seemed hesitant to share responsibilities with Lachlan, especially with a witch on the loose, but Lachlan reassured him this was how it had to be. For them to be together they had to make adjustments. And that also meant Lachlan wouldn’t be taking as many risks. He agreed not to go on too many missions with the Warriors of the Light until he discussed their severity with Garrett. He had a duty to his mate and to the pack. Lachlan had finally accepted that and would meet Garrett halfway.

  As the minutes ticked by fatigue started to set in. There were still many more things to discuss regarding the sequence of events that transpired earlier that evening, but they decided to shelve it until morning. Wes and a few other wolves continued to search the woods.

  If any more information turned up, those men would find it and report back at first light.

  Snuggling in closer, Lachlan relaxed into Garrett’s strong arms.

  The constant, steady stream of his mate’s breathing started to carry his tired mind off to sleep.

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  Chapter Eleven

  Lachlan’s eyes blinked open instantly, and he knew he wasn’t alone. He reached out and felt the empty spot where his mate had been lying. The spot still held the indentation from Garrett’s body but had grown cold. Garrett wasn’t in the room with him, but Lachlan wasn’t by himself.

  He stretched his arms above his head as he turned to his side. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of a fair-haired man squatting by the wall next to the bed. The man didn’t move, and Lachlan could only guess he didn’t realize Lachlan had his sights locked on him.

  The predator inside Lachlan sprung to life as he stalked its prey.

  In a split second Lachlan went from lounging on the bed to leapin
g across the room and tackling the man to the floor. His lion instincts had him doing it with stealthy precision and agility, totally taking the intruder by surprise.

  Lachlan sat across the man’s hips and held his arms by the wrist, pinning him down. A combination of shock and fear danced across the man’s face. Bending over, Lachlan got closer. “Who are you?”

  His voice was low and gravely and had the man shaking in fear.

  “My name’s Damon,” the man could barely whisper past his dry lips.

  That took Lachlan by surprise. The witch they’d been searching for was in his fucking bedroom. What were the odds of that happening? And how did he get in unseen? And the question that piqued Lachlan’s interested the most was why was he here now?

  Before Lachlan could say any more Damon’s body began to shake. If Lachlan hadn’t been staring at the man, he never would have Garrett’s Choice

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  believed what he had witnessed. Right before his eyes Damon’s features began to change. His nose stretched to form a muzzle of a wolf, with a light dusting of hair marking his cheeks but not all over, as consistent with wolf shifters. His green eyes glowed in the dark, like two spotlights. His hands began to tremble in Lachlan’s hold and Lachlan darted a glance at the tight, balled-up fist. Short claws started to extend from his long, thin fingers.

  Lachlan’s eyes rounded as he watched the man beneath him struggle for control as he was in partial shift. Damon’s eyes clenched tight and he shook his head in short bursts. Not once did he struggle against Lachlan’s grip. No, it was more like he was fighting himself for control.

  In all of Lachlan’s many years he had never seen such a sight.

  Damon was said to be a witch, but he was changing, though not fully, into a wolf. Whatever Damon was it wasn’t a full witch. Something Lachlan knew to be impossible. Paranormals couldn’t crossbreed.

  Something to do with the balance of good versus evil and Mother Nature not allowing the scales to be tipped to favor one side over the other, but it looked like someone found a way around that again.

  The only half-breed Lachlan knew of was Astrid. He was part witch and part fairy. It took great magic to make his conception come about. But this? Maybe they had been lied to or mistaken on exactly what species Damon was a part of.

  Damon struggled to calm himself, and Lachlan watched in awe as the man got his breathing under control and his face faded back to normal. His chest rose and fell heavily, but Lachlan didn’t move from where he held the man down. Something wasn’t right here.

  “What are you?” In a state of shock the words slipped out of Lachlan’s mouth.

  “Shh,” Damon whispered. “Please be quiet or they’ll hear you.”

  Tears started to pool in the man’s eyes. “They always do.”

  Lachlan looked up thinking that there must be more people in his room. Damon was worried that someone else would hear them, but 100

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  Lachlan couldn’t sense anyone else in the room. He looked back to Damon. “What’s going on? There’s no one else in here.”

  “They’ve got their ways. Just please be very quiet and listen to me.” The dam on Damon’s tears broke loose, and fat drops streaked down his face.

  Lachlan looked over his captive skeptically. The man was tall and lanky with hollow cheeks, and his skin was a pasty-looking gray.

  Lachlan could feel every one of Damon’s bones as they poked out against his thin skin. Lachlan had seen pictures of people who were malnourished and Damon fit the bill to a T.

  The most astonishing thing about Damon was his eyes. They were large and round and seemed to take up most of his face. The bright green hit a sense of familiarity with Lachlan, but he couldn’t place where he’d seen those eyes before.

  Coming back to himself, Lachlan asked, “Why should I? You’re the witch terrorizing my pack.” Damon’s eyes rounded on that statement. Lachlan nodded his head. “Yeah, we know all about your dealings with the recently deceased Rhett.” Rhett was a pack member who proclaimed Damon had promised to bring back his deceased mate if Rhett spied on the pack. When things started to go south Rhett abducted another warrior’s mate with the intentions of sacrificing him. “You’re a witch up to no good trying to harm my pack. Why shouldn’t I rip your throat out right now?” Lachlan threatened Damon but wouldn’t actually kill him. They needed answers, and the suspect came so willing to him. Lachlan couldn’t kick a gift horse in the mouth. Plus his curiosity was getting the better of him.

  “I’m sorry!” Damon said in a panic. “Please don’t kill me. I swear I never meant any harm.”

  “I ask again why I should believe you.” Lachlan let a low growl seep into each word, doing his best to scare the man.

  “Because if I wanted to hurt you I could have done it while you were sleeping.”

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  Lachlan jerked in surprise. “How long have you been watching me?”

  “For about fifteen minutes.” Damon nibbled nervously on his lower lip. “But long enough to kill you if I wanted to.”

  The guy had a point. Lachlan let go of Damon’s hands and scooted off of him and sat on the edge of the bed. He gestured with his hand for Damon to start talking. Damon’s eyes darted to between Lachlan’s spread legs then back to his face. Lachlan looked down at his body and realized he was naked. Had the situation not been so serious Lachlan would have laughed at the bright blush painting Damon’s cheeks and neck.

  “Okay, speak,” Lachlan barked at Damon. The sooner Damon got to talking, the sooner he got some answers.

  “Can you”—Damon looked up at the ceiling as he pointed to Lachlan’s lap—“put some pants on?”

  Lachlan huffed out an exasperated sigh and pulled the blanket in front of him, covering his exposed body. “Better?” Lachlan didn’t wait for a response. “What are you doing here?”

  “I can’t tell you much because they’ll know. They always know what I’m doing.” Damon brought his hand up to chew on his fingernails. The man was scared of something. Something more so than being in a Warrior of the Light’s, plus a mate to an alpha’s, bedroom.

  “Who are they?” Lachlan narrowed his eyes at Damon.

  “I can’t say because…”

  “Because they’ll know.” Lachlan finished the guy’s sentence. “So what can you tell me? Why did you risk exposure to come here?”

  “All I can say is be careful. Don’t fall—”

  The sound of a floorboard creaking in the hall had both of them jumping and turning to face the door. Lachlan moved to stand, and Damon grabbed his hand, and Lachlan met the man’s frightened stare.

  “Please, whatever you do, don’t fall into her trap. The plan has been set in motion. It’s only a matter of time before they attack. Garrett’s a 102

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  strong warrior. Killing you makes him weak. They need him dead so he can’t fulfill the prophecy.”

  “Her? They? Prophecy?” Lachlan asked. His face scrunched up in confusion. What Damon said didn’t make any since. Garrett wasn’t a warrior, and what prophecy was Damon referring to? And what people had him so afraid?

  Another sound came from the hallway, and Damon edged toward the wall. “Whatever you do, don’t trust anyone.”

  Before Lachlan could say anything else to Damon, he was gone.

  Damon vanished right in front of his very eyes.

  How the hell did he do that?

  The encounter left Lachlan with more questions than answers.

  Lachlan replayed everything Damon had told him. None of it made a lick of sense. Lachlan started to wonder if Damon was insane and didn’t know what he was talking about.

  Shaking his head, Lachlan ran a hand through his hair. He couldn’t get past the fear he’d seen in Damon’s eyes, and the man reeked of terror.

  If Damon came to warn him, why? Damon was the bad guy or so they all thought. Damon had convinced a depressed, homicidal wolf who had lost hi
s mate to spy on the Carrington Pack. All with the promise to bring his mate back from the dead. Lachlan knew that was dark magic, but dark and dangerous wouldn’t be words he’d used to describe Damon. No, the man appeared timid and looked like he would be frightened of his own shadow.

  Lachlan glanced out the window at the brightening sky. The sun would rise within the hour, and the day would start. He and Garrett had to discuss what happened in the woods and the dead pack member. They also needed to inform Ben and the other warriors. It was the job of the Warriors of the Light to fight the dark warriors, and if Damon could be trusted, they needed all the help they could get.

  But Damon’s parting words were to not trust anyone so for the time being he’d sit on the information Damon had given him. The most Garrett’s Choice

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  important thing was finding out who killed Lacy, and with one look at Damon, Lachlan knew he wasn’t a murderer.

  The sound of footsteps creaking down the hallway had Lachlan hopping off the bed. He snatched up his discarded jeans and stepped out of his room. The hall was dark but getting lighter with the rising sun. Looking left then right, Lachlan saw Josh leaving his room and heading to another one, and if he wasn’t mistaken it was Victor’s room.

  What is he up to?

  “Hey, Josh,” Lachlan said as he jogged down the hall toward Josh.

  Josh jumped and spun in a circle facing Lachlan. He looked guilty but didn’t flee. “Oh, hey, Lachlan. Going to get your morning bowl of milk?” Josh teased but only halfheartedly. “I hear you kitty cats like your milk.”

  After the heart-to-heart he had with Josh in the woods, Lachlan knew for a fact Josh didn’t hate him, completely. Josh looked like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar who was trying to avert Lachlan’s attention away from the real reason he was sneaking into another man’s bedroom.

  “Cut the crap, Josh.” Lachlan nudged Josh in the shoulder lightly.