Part 13

The knocking echoed down the empty hallway. When there was no answer John knocked again calling, "Ortz? Ortz, you in there?"

He raised his fist to knock again and only just avoided smashing it into Randy's face as the door was yanked open and a rather grumpy Orton snarled, "What the hell is your problem?"

"I need to talk to you," replied John, only belatedly noting that Randy was stripped to the waist and looking slightly flushed. Looking past Randy John caught a glimpse of Evan propped up on their bed staring daggers at him. Realising he had interrupted the mates he gave an apologetic cough and rubbing the back of his neck he murmured, "Sorry."

"You will be," hissed Randy glaring at his best friend. His wolf snarled angrily, demanding to be allowed to return to his waiting mate but there was something in John's eyes that stopped Randy slamming the door shut. Frowning he cocked his head asking, "What's wrong?"

John flicked him a look – a scared, nervous, uncertain look that Randy had never seen on John before. Looking back over his shoulder, he was about to call out to his mate when he saw Evan padding towards him, the smaller man looking surprisingly relaxed. Pulling his t-shirt on Evan went up onto tip toe and stealing a lingering kiss from his mate, he whispered, "Take care of him. I'll go downstairs."

Randy sighed, his wolf howling in annoyance as his mate padded away from him with little more than a backwards glance. Waiting until Evan was out of sight he stepped back and snarled, "Guess you better get your arse in here."

John brushed past him and headed straight for the window. Staring out over the garden towards the forest he hunched his shoulders and sighed. Bowing his head and not daring to look at his best friend he asked hesitantly, "Did you...how did...when you and..."

"For god sake just spit it out!" rumbled Randy his voice muffled as he pulled a t-shirt over head. Smoothing the black fabric down, he added, "What's wrong, Johnny?"

Not responding to the familiar name John just stayed hunched staring out of the window. Shaking his head at his best friend Randy wandered over and landing a hard slap against John's arm he hissed, "You just stopped me having private time with my mate, so there better be a damn good reason why I'm talking to you instead of enjoying my mate."

"How did you know Evan was your mate?"

Randy blinked in surprise. For a moment he was silent then tilting his head he frowned, rumbling, "What do you mean?"

"I mean," murmured John turning slightly to glance at his best friend, "How did you know he was your mate? How did you know that...that he was the one your wolf was meant to be with?"

Randy frowned even more. He had never been comfortable thinking about his relationship with Evan. He'd known even before he'd met and married Sam that Evan was his true mate. From the first time he'd seen the smaller man he'd known and the jolt of electricity that had shot between them the first time they touched had proved that. But he had denied his wolf. He had denied the fact his chosen mate was a man.

Instead he had pursued his relationship with Sam, wooing and marrying her even though his wolf longed for and demanded Evan. That wasn't to say he hadn't loved Sam. He had. He had loved her more than anything in the world. And her death had nearly destroyed him. But nothing could match the calm and peace that being with Evan bought him. There was a satisfaction that came from being with his true mate that no other relationship could ever match. The relentless angry howling that had echoed in his head ever since he could remember had finally subsided, leaving him in a far better place both as a man and a pack member.

"Randy?"

The soft call bought him back and it was only as he blinked his eyes clear he realised John was staring at him with something akin to deep-seated concern.

"You okay?" asked John softly, looking slightly spooked.

Randy nodded. He didn't trust his voice. Emotions he had thought buried were starting to bubble under the surface and right then and there, he didn't need the carefully constructed walls to break. Drawing in a raged breath, he growled, "What's going on, John?"

John swallowed then without looking at Randy, he murmured, "Just now I was talking to Riley and...I...we..I touched him and..." his voice caught in his throat and it took him a few moments to get the courage to say the words burning his throat, but when he did the silence that followed was deafening, "I think I've just met my mate."

X x x x x x x x x x

Evan was the first to hear the car pulling up outside. For a second his wolf was on high alert then as it sensed who had arrived he was up and off the sofa calling, "Shawn! Your favourite trouble makers are here!"

He wandered out onto the deck grinning as he watched Shelley climb out the car. He was about to make a smart arse comment when he noticed the strain etched on Shelley's face. With his smile fading Evan hurried closer calling, "Lex – what's wrong?"

"Chris."

Evan's reply was lost in a shout of delight from the deck as Shawn appeared. Hurrying down to the steps the Alphamate closed the space between them and quickly threw his arms around the younger wolf. For a moment Shelley leant into the embrace, his wolf taking comfortable from his alpha's embrace but then he was pulling away, suddenly acting like a teenager embarrassed by his mother's fussing. Not that Shawn minded. He adored Shelley and Sabin – the trouble makers and jokers of the pack were two of his favourites. Grinning wilding Shawn slapped him on the rump, saying, "You're late by the way. You were due back yesterday and..."

"We had to wait for Chris to be let out of hospital," interrupted Shelley looking disturbingly serious for once.

Shawn's face hardened and suddenly the true power of the Alpha Mate was visible. "What do you mean hospital?" growled Shawn, the former playfulness all but lost.

"He got injured," explained Shelley as he turned back to the car opening the passenger door and reaching in. He helped Sabin out taking all of his mate weight trying to ease the pressure on the injured leg as he got out of the car. As he stood up and looked over towards his pack mates, Evan and Shawn were unable to hold back their gasp as they saw his right leg wrapped in heavy bandages.

"What happened?" demanded Shawn coming to Sabin's other side. Sliding an arm around Sabin's waist, Shawn helped him hobble away from the car while Shelley reached in and retrieved the elbow crutch.

"Got hurt in the ring," explained Sabin, his voice thick with pain and other emotions that had Shawn's wolf howling in annoyance and upset, "Bastard moved at the last second and I wrecked my leg."

"Why didn't you shift?" asked Evan frowning at his pack mate, "You shouldn't still be injured. You..."

"The bastard officials wouldn't leave us alone," hissed Shelley, absently handing their bags to Josh who had wandered out to join them. Giving Josh's hair a fond ruffle, he continued angrily, "I kept asking them to give Chris a moment to get his breath so he could shift but they wouldn't leave us along. They were too scared about him suing them or something and by the time we were alone it was too late. It was too fucking late and..." he gave an angry snarl, his wolf dangerously close to surface.

Without even needing to hear the words from his Alpha, Evan stepped closer and laying a hand on Shelley's arm, he offered, "Come for a run with me."

Shelley glared daggers at him – his wolf snapping bad temperedly when at anyone but his mate touching him - but he didn't say no. Instead he flicked a look at Sabin who was resting against Shawn. Sabin looked tired but there was a contentment in him that had been missing while they had been away from the pack. Closing the gap between them Shelley stared into his mate's eyes and waited. Sabin gazed back for a few moments, an unspoken conversation flashing between them before he smirked. Dipping his head forward he brushed his lips over Shelley's mouth and teased gruffly, "Stop being such a fucking girl! I'll be fine. Go on, go run with Evan."

Alex pulled back a wild look haunting his eyes. Loosening his belt and throwing his t-shirt at his mate - who caught the shirt in one hand - he gave a full body shudder and suddenly a black wolf with a violent white streak running from the crown of its head down its back and wrapping around it tail, was staring up at Sabin all but wagging its tail in delight. Evan gave a little chuckle and shifting himself, he gave a little yap of delight, relishing the prospect of a run with one of his closest friends.

Nudging Shelley in the side the little chocolate wolf gave a commanding bark before turning tail and setting off at a full run towards the pack woods. Shelley hesitated, the wolf gazing uncertainly at Sabin as if unsure whether he should leave him alone or not. Shawn gave a fond chuckle, ordering, "Go have a run, Lex. You'll feel better if you get some dirt under those paws. Go on. I promise I'll take care of Chris while you're gone."

The black wolf paused then padding closer he nuzzled his face against Shawn's thigh, whining happily when the Alphamate stroked his head. He pulled away and licked at Chris's hand yapping happily at the look his mate gave him before spinning around and chasing after Evan. The black wolf sending up a howl of delight that echoed through clearing filling the air with the sound of a finally contented wolf.

TBC