THIRDS Beyond the Books Volume 2 Read online

  “You really shouldn’t worry so much. It’s only a training exercise.”

  Hudson headed for one of the changing bays, and Seb followed. The speakers came on, and the information they’d been waiting for was relayed for each team. Sloane and Ash were the aggressors, Ethan and Hudson defenders, Seb the victim.

  “Son of a bitch.” Seb turned to the appointed assistant for that bay. “Could you give us a couple of minutes?”

  “Of course, Agent Hobbs.” The cheerful blonde woman went to chat with one of her coworkers while Seb followed Hudson into the curtained-off area. He gently pulled Hudson into his arms.

  “I’m sorry. I was hoping we’d at least be on the same team. I can’t believe they made me the fucking victim.”

  “It’s all right, darling. Don’t get yourself worked up.”

  “How can I not? They shouldn’t place you in there with us. It’s not right. We’re all Felids. You’re the only Canid. At the very least, they should place you with a pack, not leave you on your own.”

  “If I had a pack, I wouldn’t be here, remember?” The brightness in Hudson’s blue eyes dimmed, along with his smile.

  “I’m sorry, lobito.” It pained Seb every time he saw the sadness in Hudson’s eyes. Seb couldn’t imagine life without his brothers, much less what it might be like for a wolf Therian to lose his pack. How could anyone shun such a beautiful and wonderful guy?

  “It doesn’t matter. You’re my pack now,” Hudson said, his warm smile returning.

  Seb blinked at Hudson, his heart ready to burst from the touching admission. “Am I really?”

  Hudson’s cheeks flushed. “If you’ll have me, that is.”

  “I would be honored.” He kissed Hudson deeply, his arms wrapped around him and holding him close. Knowing they couldn’t stay like this much longer, Seb pulled back and cupped Hudson’s face. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

  “Of course I will.”

  “I can’t do anything to help you.” Seb couldn’t think of a more frustrating position. As the victim, all he could do was lie there. Lie there while he watched the fiercest of his teammates go after his lover. Of course they wouldn’t seriously hurt Hudson, but it was their duty to push him. The thought of someone else’s claws on Hudson was almost too much for him. “You do what you can to stay away from Sloane and Ash. Ethan will try his best to protect you, but the odds are against the both of you.”

  “Sebastian,” Hudson warned sweetly.

  “I know,” Seb sighed. He was being overprotective again. “I’m sorry.” He brushed his lips over Hudson’s. “I don’t mean to be overbearing.”

  “Hush. You’re no such thing. Now let’s go out there and show those grumpy cats a thing or two.”

  Seb chuckled and kissed Hudson once more before leaving him to shift. Seb went next door into his own bay to do the same. He concentrated on his own shifting and not the pained screams and howls of his lover next door. He gritted his teeth against the pain, the popping bones and shifting mass. His peripheral vision grew darker, and he retreated into himself, allowing his waking Felid to claw out and assume control of his Felid body. When he was done, he looked out into the world through the sharper eyes of his Felid half.

  With a yawn and a stretch, he spread his toes and twitched his tail. Padding outside, he sniffed the air, one scent standing out above the rest. He chuffed, and his call was answered by a soft, short howl. A gray wolf with bright eyes approached and pressed his nose to Seb’s. Seb rubbed his much larger head against Hudson’s fur, purring as Hudson licked his muzzle. A sharp whistle blared, and Seb hissed. He stayed close to Hudson, following him to the outdoor area. Up ahead, his brother pounced and played. Seb ran and leaped, landing on his brother and pushing him onto his back. They growled and chuffed in fun, knocking each other over and pawing each other.

  A low growl brought their play to an end, and Seb sat on his haunches, watching Ash as he slowly circled them. Seb hissed and Ash growled. The gate closed behind Sloane. Hudson sat beside Seb, nuzzling him and licking him as Sloane roared, displaying bone-crushing jaguar Therian fangs.

  With a hiss, Seb lay down. He watched Hudson and Ethan break into a run around the course with Ash and Sloane taking off after them. Seb bared his fangs every time someone pawed at Hudson. His claws dug into the earth, his tail unable to stop thumping against the grass. It wasn’t real, but it felt real. Seb’s heart pounded in his ears, his nostrils flaring at Hudson’s scent, at the pheromones his wolf Therian body released while in danger. He was being chased by Ash, who had his claws out, his lion Therian roar echoing around them.

  Hudson sped past with Ash on his heels. Ash swiped at Hudson on a sharp turn, catching him on his flank with the tips of his claws. Hudson yelped, and Seb roared, only to be met with Sloane’s unhappy hiss. With a groan, Seb lowered his head onto his paws. He wanted to claw at Ash, stop him from getting near his wolf again. His claws itched, and he kneaded the dirt beneath him. His fur bristled and his blood heated as he watched Hudson maneuver through the obstacle course, leaping and ducking, doing everything to avoid Ash’s claws. Seb turned his gaze to his brother, who had just knocked his weight against Sloane before darting off. With a chuff, Seb turned his attention back to Hudson. He hissed, watching Hudson run up a wooden incline with Ash behind him.

  Unable to help himself, Seb sat up, his tail thumping hard against the grass as Ash chased Hudson up to the top of the wooden platform. He was about to be trapped. As if anticipating his reaction, Sloane hissed. Seb lowered himself with a mewl, ears flattened back as he waited and watched.

  Hudson reached the top platform, but instead of stopping, he leaped against one of the corner beams and pushed off it with his paws, launching himself at Ash, who went tumbling down the incline. The buzzer sounded, and Seb leaped to his feet. He darted in Hudson’s direction, hissing at Ash, who huffed and shook his mane before trotting off, ignoring him. Seb purred and chuffed. He pushed his head against Hudson’s, licking him, grooming him, offering his comfort.

  The gates opened, and everyone headed out. The first round was over. They would rest until the next round in an hour. Seb followed Hudson to the bays, eager to shift and receive postshift trauma care so he could go to Hudson.

  The ordeal seemed to take forever, and Seb grunted at his assistant, who insisted he needed more time to recover. He pushed himself to his feet, wrapped a long towel around his waist, and went into Hudson’s changing bay, walking in just as the assistant was applying Therian disinfectant to the claw marks on Hudson’s ass. Seb snatched the bottle away and patiently told her to wait outside.

  “That bastard.”

  “Easy,” Hudson said softly. He stood and wrapped his towel around his waist before slipping his arms around Seb. “He was only doing his job.” He pulled back, looking worried.

  “I know. Doesn’t mean I have to like it. It was torture, sitting there, watching him come after you.”

  “That’s the job.” Hudson ran his thumb over Seb’s bottom lip. “Sloane’s going to be upset with you. You shouldn’t have reacted, darling. You know how these things go.”

  Seb felt his anger rising, and he couldn’t help but growl. “Yeah, well, when he falls in love, we’ll see how he feels when a Felid tries to turn his lover into a scratching post.”

  Hudson stared at him. “Love?”

  “I….” Seb swallowed hard. He took Hudson’s hands in his and kissed his lover’s fingers. “I’m in love with you, Hudson. I know I can be pretty intense at times. I don’t mean to be, and I’m sorry if it’s too soon, but I’m crazy about you. I love you.”

  The most beautiful smile Seb had ever seen came onto Hudson’s face, and he threw himself into Seb’s arms.

  “Oh, darling. I love you too.”

  Seb brought Hudson in for a kiss, their warm skin pressed together. His legs were still a little shaky from postshift, and probably from the amazing man in his arms. He walked them to the bench and sat down. They’d have to go back to tr
aining soon, but in the meantime, he couldn’t contain his joy. He basked in the taste of his lover’s mouth, in his scent and the feel of his skin against Seb’s. His hand went down to Hudson’s flank, and his lover let out a small hiss. He quickly pulled his hand back.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  A wicked gleam came into Hudson’s eyes. “It’s all right. You’ll just have to kiss it and make it better later.”

  Seb laughed and pulled him close. “Whatever you want, it’s yours, lobito.”

  “I already have everything I wanted,” Hudson replied, a contented sigh escaping him as he snuggled closer to Seb.

  That made two of them.

  Prompt #30: I would love the van scene from Hobbs’s point of view!

  “YOU HERE with your boyfriend?” Bautista asked.

  Wow. Didn’t take him long at all. Ethan wasn’t surprised. Bautista hadn’t been the first guy to take notice of Calvin when he walked into the bar. Calvin looked great tonight, but then he always looked good to Ethan. He had that boy next door look that Austen was going on about. Wholesome and sweet, but Ethan was familiar with the fire that burned underneath that unassuming smile.

  “Nah, he’s busy working,” Calvin answered, sounding disheartened. “Seems like he’s always too busy.” He took a sip of his beer and shrugged.

  “Mine too. Don’t get me wrong, he loves me. I know he does. I just wish he were around more.”

  “At least you know he loves you,” Calvin muttered.

  Ethan frowned. How could Calvin not know he loved him? Oh, he meant… something else. That didn’t mean Ethan had never loved him. Calvin was his best friend. He meant the world to Ethan, and Ethan would give anything for his best friend. Wasn’t that love? It might not be the type of love Calvin was talking about, but it mattered just as much. Why was he even thinking about this? They were in the middle of a mission. An unsanctioned, ludicrous mission orchestrated by their crazy teammate, and although Dex wasn’t looking at him, he knew his teammate was aware of his every movement. Nosey. At times Ethan worried about Dex. The guy needed to cut down on the sugar. Might keep him from coming up with such harebrained schemes. If Sloane found out, he’d have all their asses.

  Bautista took a sip of his drink and swiveled his chair around so he faced Calvin. “Your boyfriend’s not dropped the L bomb, huh?”

  Calvin shook his head. “We’ve been together a long time, and I was happy with our relationship.”

  “But now things have changed?”

  “Yeah. Well, for me they have. He’s amazing, warm, and the nicest guy ever. He’s fun and silly, makes me smile with his dopey grin. We’ve been through so much together. Is it wrong of me to want more?”

  Ethan stared at the screen. He wasn’t an idiot. His best friend was talking about him, about them. Why couldn’t Cal understand it wasn’t as easy as he made it out to be? Everything was changing between them. It was terrifying.

  “Do you love him?” Bautista asked.

  Ethan’s eyes were glued to the screen in front of him, and he leaned in as close as he could. His heart pounded fiercely. He didn’t want to hear Calvin’s reply, yet it might just kill him if he didn’t. Calvin’s blue eyes moved up, as if he were thinking, but he was actually looking past Bautista and straight at the camera. At Ethan.

  “Yes.”

  Ethan inhaled sharply at the confession and sat back, his gaze not moving from the screen. His whole world had come to an abrupt halt. Things had changed, he knew that, but hearing Cal say those words…. Ethan’s heart was ready to burst from his chest. What was he supposed to do? Calvin loved him. Calvin loved him.

  The two continued to talk about their boyfriends—or in Calvin’s case supposed boyfriend. The drinks continued, though Bautista was getting drunk while Calvin was pretending to. His best friend could drink even the toughest of Therians under the table. He recalled their college years, where Ethan would be tripping over his own feet while Calvin sauntered on, perfectly sober.

  Bautista laughed at Calvin’s jokes and flirted back when Calvin teased him. Calvin told stories from their childhood and all the mischief they got into. He listened intently to Bautista, offering comfort when needed, and when he smiled it reached his eyes. Ethan frowned at that. He could always tell when Calvin was faking his smile, and he wasn’t now. Bautista leaned in to whisper something in Calvin’s ear, and Calvin nodded. Ethan tried his best not to growl when Bautista stood and took hold of Calvin’s hand. It’s just part of the job.

  “Shit. They’re moving out.”

  Dex jumped to his feet and slid in behind the wheel of the van. Bautista hailed a cab for him and Calvin. As they were getting in, Dex turned the engine on and turned the van around. The cab traveled for ten minutes before reaching a quiet street of brownstones. Dex parked the van a few feet away, and at the end of the block another cab stopped. Austen and Ash climbed out and disappeared into the shadows.

  Bautista emerged from the cab with Calvin in tow. He pulled him up against him, gave him a kiss, and laughed before heading to his front door, where he dropped his keys twice. That little bastard. Did he have to kiss Calvin? He didn’t even know the guy! A few drinks and he was all over him. Calvin teased him and took the keys from him. He opened the door with Bautista’s arms wrapped around his waist. If Ethan had been in his Therian form, his fur would have bristled. As it was, his feral half was not pleased. They disappeared inside, and although Ethan lost visual contact, he could hear everything. Fan-fucking-tastic.

  Things started to get hot and heavy between Calvin and Bautista, resulting in plenty of heavy breathing, groaning, and moaning. Ethan could feel every breath Calvin released. It crawled under his skin and seeped into his blood. Unable to take any more, he removed his earpiece and tossed it onto the console’s surface.

  “Take it easy, big guy. You know he’s just doing his job.”

  Ethan let out a huff and crossed his arms over his chest, his frown deepening. He didn’t care if it was part of the job. It shouldn’t have to be. Calvin was Defense. His job was to subdue Bautista, not seduce him.

  “You really need to say something to him.”

  Ethan’s reply was a lazy shrug, but Dex wouldn’t let it be.

  “Come on, man. It’s bugging the hell out of you knowing he’s making out with another dude. The guy just admitted he’s in love with you, and all you’ve got is a shrug?”

  Ethan refused to look him in the eye, acting like he didn’t care. Calvin agreed to do this, and Ethan had no say in the matter. He understood what was at stake, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. Also didn’t mean he couldn’t be miserable about it.

  “I know you kissed him back.”

  Ethan’s eyebrows shot up. He turned in his seat toward Dex and jabbed a finger at his discarded earpiece. Calvin told you?

  “Yeah, he told me. About what happened at the Fourth of July party, how things changed.”

  It was scary how well Dex understood him. It was one of the things that drew Ethan to him. Dex had a way of making him feel comfortable, of knowing what he was thinking or trying to say. Still, at times he wished Dex wasn’t so damned good at it.

  “I get the feeling you’re not big on change.”

  With a pout, Ethan shook his head. Dex had no idea. He was much better now, but when he was a kid, the tiniest of changes would freak him out.

  “How long do you expect to keep him waiting? Have you addressed it at all?”

  Ethan shook his head and turned around. He was not having this conversation. Not with Dex or anyone.

  “You know, for a big, scary-ass Therian, you can be such a child.”

  What? Ethan gaped at him. He pointed to himself in question.

  “Yes, you.”

  With lips pressed thin, Ethan poked Dex in the chest. Talk about pot and kettle! This coming from the guy who ate gummy bears during their briefings.

  “Ow.” Dex rubbed the sore spot. “I’m not childish.”

  Ethan scoffed. Right. Not
that Ethan minded. Dex was fun, and he made Ethan laugh. He was also a big kid.

  “Either way, we’re talking about you, not me.”

  With a roll of his eyes, Ethan turned around again. At least it looked like Dex was going to drop it. For now. Ethan lost himself in his thoughts while they waited to hear from Calvin. At least hear something that didn’t resemble a porn video. Ugh, I did not need that image in my head. Idiot. He flexed his fingers on his legs, rocked on his chair, did everything possible to drive both him and Dex crazy. How long was this going to take? How far would Calvin go to get the information they needed?

  It was nearly four in the morning. What the hell were they doing in there? Ethan was one wrong move from going feral. The tiger inside him was pacing, fangs bare and ready to tear someone apart. Ethan’s jaw was clenched so tight he was ready to break something, and his senses were sharpening. Despite being in his Human form, he was ready to pounce and tear the shit out of whatever he could get his claws on, preferably Bautista. How dare he put his hands on Calvin!

  Ethan shot to his feet so quickly his chair almost toppled over. He opened the back door and pulled Calvin in before shutting the door and looming over his friend.

  “What happened?” Ethan growled. He was on edge, and his fingers flexed into fists at his sides.

  Calvin’s eyebrows shot up before his expression darkened. He was pissed. “What do you think happened?”

  Anger flooded through Ethan. Really? Stop fucking around, Cal.

  “What, Ethan? Did I let him fuck me? Did I fuck him? What if I did? It’s not like you have a say in the matter. You don’t get to be pissed off.”

  “Stop,” Ethan snapped. The words were like jagged shards of ice piercing his soul.