Chapter Four

Wyatt couldn't recall the last time he'd felt this relaxed and lighthearted. It had everything to do with Alister and how they'd exhausted each other yesterday when they'd sealed their bond.

Even now, just thinking about the way Alister's body responded to his touch, made Wyatt want to drive home and spread his mate out on the kitchen table and dine on him.

Wyatt shook his head, trying to dislodge the distracting thoughts. Sheriff Harper wasn't going to let him take the rest of his shift off again. Since first becoming a deputy, Wyatt had never skipped out on work. Not until Alister.

When he'd driven his mate to the station to pick up his car, Paris had been there. After the fox shifter had chased Alister around and pinned him to the floor, they'd finally worked things out.

It had taken everything in Wyatt not to go apeshit at seeing Paris acting so aggressive toward Alister. The only thing that stopped him was the fact that Paris loved his best friend and would never intentionally hurt him, and honestly, the two needed to settle shit between them.

Alister had been miserable without his best friend.

"I'm heading to Paris's apartment to pack his belongings," Cannon said. "You want Alister to hang with us when I'm done? I'm pretty sure the two are going to want to spend time together."

Wyatt couldn't wait until Cannon came off his honeymoon period. It was killing him not to be with his mate. They'd just claimed each other and should be having massive amounts of sex for the next two weeks.

"Alister told me they were meeting at Sweet Spot," Wyatt replied. "I'll swing by there in a moment to see what he wants to do."

"Listen." Cannon sighed. "Shit's been crazy since Negan's attack. Alister seems to be doing better, but I just want to know if he really is okay."

Wyatt knew the lion shifter had a soft spot for Alister, and he appreciated the concern, but his cheetah was snarling at the thought of his mate being around another apex shifter while they were still deepening their bond. "The only thing that made him miserable was not talking to Paris," he admitted. "I have no problem with the two of them hanging out, but…" Wyatt looked Cannon over. "I'd prefer if Alister kept his distance from you right now."

"Why would you have an issue with me—"

Wyatt saw the moment the lightbulb lit up over Cannon's head.

"I fucking knew it!" Cannon chuckled as he gave Wyatt a quick man-hug, slapping him on the back. "Congratulations, bro. I'm just glad and relieved Alister has a mate who'll look out for him."

"Thanks, now go pack Paris's belongings. As soon as I take care of some things here, I'll swing by the bakery."

"If they want to spend time together, they can hang out at Bluebird Café. I'll keep my distance and let Ajax know to do the same." Cannon headed for the door.

Not every apex nonhuman became hostile during their bonding period. Cannon hadn't, but Wyatt had. There wasn't anything he could do about it, either. For the next two weeks, his beast would have semi-control.

Wyatt forced himself to get his report from this morning written up. A neighbor dispute that had luckily been resolved without an arrest. It took him only thirty minutes to complete the report, and now he was heading out the door.

"Haven't ever seen a smile like that on you before." Dominic grinned as he slapped Wyatt on the shoulder. "Being mated looks good on you."

"Feels good," Wyatt admitted. "I always heard it changed a person, but until you experience it firsthand, you don't really understand the impact it has on you."

Dominic chuckled. "Haven't ever heard you get deep, either."

Wyatt shrugged with a smile. He'd always been a laidback kinda guy, even though a part of him lived in darkness. He finally felt much lighter, thanks to Alister. "I'm heading to the bakery. I'll pick up something for the station."

"Now you're just trying to spoil us." His boss smirked as he headed to his office.

Happiness washing through him, Wyatt exited the station. He tilted his head back and took a moment to enjoy the sun on his face before he drove to the bakery, anxious to see Alister.

God, Wyatt couldn't believe how deep his bond with his mate had become. It filled him up and spilled over.

Cannon's car was parked next to Paris's, and next to his was Alister's Mercedes. With a cocky smile, Wyatt entered the bakery.

He stopped, his heart hammering when he heard the sound of fighting. His cheetah snarling, Wyatt stormed toward the kitchen.

Cannon was brutally fighting a stranger.

The kitchen was in shambles, and the only thing on Wyatt's mind was finding Alister. When he spotted Paris on the other side of the room, that darkness, which was ever-present on the fringes of Wyatt's entire being, barreled to the surface.

His cheetah barely contained, Wyatt strode angrily toward Paris. He wasn't pissed at Paris. He just wanted to know where Alister was. Wyatt rounded the chrome worktable as Paris ran to Cannon and saw his little red panda on the floor.

Not again. Wyatt was thrown back to the apartment where Negan had tried to kill Paris and kidnap Alister. The stranger Cannon had fought was either someone Sloane had hired or Sloane himself.

If it was Sloane, Wyatt wanted to eviscerate him, but Alister came first.

He crouched and gently lifted then cradled the panda in his arms, relieved when he ran his hand over his mate's fur and didn't feel any blood or wounds.

The red panda was so small in his arms. Wyatt stroked his hand down Alister's back, sick and tired of his mate getting hurt.

"He fought like a warrior," Paris said to Wyatt. The sound of fighting had ceased. "I'm so damn proud of him."

Wyatt smiled but didn't pull his gaze away from his mate. He didn't need Paris to tell him what he already knew. "I told him he had inner strength, though I know he didn't believe me."

Alister might be na?ve in so many ways, but along with his heart of gold, he was a fighter. Even so, Wyatt would make damn sure this was the last time his mate was hurt.

"Before all hell broke loose, Sloane said he'd sold Alister and just had to deliver the goods," Paris said.

The stranger's identity was just confirmed. Wyatt had known Sloane wouldn't give up. He'd come to Midnight Falls to find Alister and Paris.

Wyatt was furious Sloane had already brokered a deal for the red panda. "I'm taking Alister home to rest. If our boss wants to talk to him, tell him to swing by my house."

And if Dominic had an issue with Wyatt taking off the rest of his shift to care for his mate, he would hand in his badge. Wyatt took his job seriously, as well as his responsibilities, but Alister came first.

As soon as he was outside, he tucked the panda against him and slid into his patrol car. The entire drive Wyatt kept Alister tucked against him, running his thumb over his mate's soft fur.

When he arrived home, Wyatt took Alister to his bedroom and placed the panda on his bed, then slid on a pair of silk shorts and a T-shirt. He crawled into bed and pulled the little red panda to his chest. "If anyone comes after you, it'll be the last mistake they'll ever make."

Alister was a beautiful panda with soft, white-lined ears that contrasted against his vibrant reddish-brown coat. His belly and legs were dark as night, and his tail was a stunning burst of red with bold black stripes running down its fluffy length.

Alister was undeniably the cutest shifter he'd ever laid eyes on.

Wyatt pulled his arms away as Alister shifted back into his human form and shot up, looking around frantically. "Paris!"

"He's safe and with Cannon." Wyatt sat up and hauled his naked mate onto his lap. "What happened at the bakery?"

"Kayla went into the kitchen when she heard a noise. When she took too long to return, Paris and I went into the kitchen to check on her. We saw her duct-taped, and a moment later Sloane emerged from the side of the industrial refrigerator with a gun in his hand."

Which meant Sloane had already been in town. He had either lucked out and saw the two entering the bakery, or had been following one of them, biding his time until the opportune moment to try and reclaim what he believed was rightfully his.

"That poor woman has to be traumatized."

"Finish telling me what happened, hon." Wyatt encouraged.

"Sloane fired his gun at Paris. It was only a warning shot, completely missing him, but something snapped inside of me." Alister brushed aside strands of black hair. "It was like this primal part of my animal woke up, and then I simply reacted. I picked up a heavy mixer and tried to bash in Sloane's face. When that didn't work, I grabbed a large knife and let out a crazy scream, trying my hardest to cut off the hand that held the gun. Then he backhanded me, sending me across the room." He looked at Wyatt. "There were only two things going through my mind."

"And what were those two things?"

"It was my turn to keep Paris safe, and I couldn't let Sloane take me away from you." Alister curled into Wyatt's chest. "Sloane is a wolf shifter, stronger than me or Paris, but I wasn't going down without a fight."

Wyatt held Alister. "Paris told me you fought like a warrior. He said he's so damn proud of you." He kissed Alister's temple. "I told you that you had inner strength."

Instead of panicking at facing his enemy, his mate's inner warrior had burst free.

"It felt…amazing." Alister smiled up at Wyatt. "It felt incredible to stand up for myself instead of cowering at the sight of Sloane."

"My badass butterfly." Wyatt cupped Alister's face, staring into liquid blue pools as clear as a mountain lake. "You're so goddamn extraordinary, sweetheart."

"What happened to Sloane?"

"Cannon killed him." Wyatt brushed a hand down his mate's arm. "Paris told me Sloane already sold you and just needed to deliver the goods."

"I remember." Several emotions flashed through Alister's eyes. Fear, anger, and determination. He pulled from Wyatt's lap and grabbed some clothes from his drawers.

Drawers Wyatt had cleared out for his mate to use.

"You don't have to worry about me going out." Alister slid on a pair of shorts that cupped his ass nicely. "Now that Paris refuses to let me quit him, I can hang with my bestie whenever I want to leave the house."

"You were sold." Wyatt got out of bed and moved toward his mate. "How do you not comprehend that, butterfly? It might be illegal, but men with that kind of money don't give a rat's ass about the law. In his depraved mind, he's paid for you, so he owns you."

"You have that kind of money," Alister argued.

"I'm not depraved," Wyatt ground out. "I actually work to uphold the law, Alister. It's my job to take down scumbags like him."

Was his mate in shock and not thinking straight? Alister was brushing aside the danger as though he dealt with this kind of thing on a daily basis.

"I thought you'd be happy that I have a babysitter, although I despise that word." Alister pulled a sleeveless shirt over his head, the color complementing his exquisite eyes.

"Guardian, supervision, whatever the hell you want to call, it won't change the fact that it's not me protecting you!" Wyatt had no idea why Alister wasn't taking this more seriously, and it was seriously pissing him off.

Twice now his mate had been hurt. Wyatt's heart couldn't take a third time.

"Try warden ." Alister glared at him. With his hands up and palms out, his mate pulled his shoulders back and took a deep breath. His tone calmed and became civil when he spoke again. "I hear you. I see you. I validate your feelings and concerns."

"Okay." Wyatt took a deep breath as well. He spoke in the same calm tone. "Do you validate the fact Sloane accepted money for the sale of you and the purchaser is going to want Sloane to render his goods?"

All Wyatt wanted was for his mate to recognize that there was someone out there who might track him down and try to take what he perceived was his. He also wanted Alister to take more precautions than just a babysitter.

Alister balled his hands and scowled. "I acknowledge that the transaction is bullshit because it isn't legal and Mr. Mysterious is fucking with the wrong guy if he thinks for one second he owns me."

"So we're back to square one," Wyatt snarled as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I've been in danger since Sloane targeted me," his mate pointed out. "I understand that I might have another goddamn grimy loser after me. Even so, I'm not going to hide under the bed, Wyatt. I'm fed up with deranged assholes, and although I'll be extra cautious, I'm not going to stop living."

Before he let his anger explode, Wyatt stormed from the bedroom and headed downstairs to the kitchen. There weren't enough deep breaths to calm his cheetah. What if Sloane told the buyer where Alister was? No one knew the buyer's identity. The guy could stand behind Alister in line at any number of places and not a single person would be the wiser. He could lure Alister away with charm, claiming to need help with some nonexistent problem.

A million scenarios raced through Wyatt's mind, each one more terrifying than the previous one.

The last thing he wanted to do was keep Alister locked up in the house, but the mere thought of some perverted son of a bitch touching Wyatt's sweet, na?ve mate filled him with primal rage.

Wyatt's head snapped up when he heard the front door open. He growled and headed toward the living room, stalking outside to the sight of Alister's hips swaying as he walked down the driveway.

"Are you fucking serious right now?"

Twirling around, Alister appeared startled. "If you're going to scream and curse at me, you could at least have the decency to be naked while doing it."

"I have never met anyone more frustrating in my life!" Wyatt thundered.

"Check your tone, kitty cat." The frost in Alister's pale blue eyes threatened to give Wyatt hypothermia. "Just because you fuck like a dream doesn't mean you can boss me around. I need to get my car, so unless you're going to take me, I'm walking to town."

Wyatt rubbed his hands over his face so fast and repeatedly he should have gotten friction burn. "What happened to hanging out with Paris anytime you want to go out?"

"I left my phone in my car so I can't call him." Alister marched down the driveway and turned toward the sidewalk.

"I'm five seconds away from putting you over my knee, butterfly," Wyatt snarled as he took off after his mate.

Alister looked over his shoulder, saw Wyatt bearing down on him, and let out an ear-splitting squeal as he took off. "Don't you dare try to arrest me!"

Wyatt reached him in seconds and hauled his mate off his feet, then tossed him over his shoulder.

"Help! I'm being strong-armed by a luscious brute in popping muscles and ink!" Alister gripped the waistband of Wyatt's shorts as he kicked his slim legs up and down.

"Go ahead and scream your beautiful head off." Wyatt popped him on his ass.

"Did you just spank me?" Alister squealed, kicking his legs faster. "You did not just swat my tush!"

"I'll do more than swat it, brat," Wyatt grumbled as he headed toward the house. "At least our neighbors were entertained."

"You're the one who mowed me down!" Alister shrieked. "Do I look like a sack of potatoes? I just want my car."

Wyatt walked inside and closed the door, his arm still curled around the back of his mate's thighs. "So you can be reckless?"

"So I can drive," Alister countered. "Why am I still slung over your shoulder?"

Exhaling a deep breath, Wyatt set him on his feet. "All you had to do was say you wanted to get your car."

Though he wasn't sure he wanted Alister to have it. His mate was a hot damn mess right now, determined to shave a century or two off of Wyatt's life with his impulsiveness.

A chime sounded, indicating someone was at the door. "It's probably a neighbor making sure the meerkat has calmed down."

"I am not an anxious, sassy twink," Alister argued.

Wyatt arched a brow.

Alister erupted in laughter. "I'm shocked you know that reference."

"You'd be surprised about what I know." Wyatt walked to the door and answered it. Paris and Cannon stood on the other side.

"Sorry to drop by unannounced," Cannon said.

"I could hear your tantrum before I even got out of the truck," Paris said loudly as he strode angrily past Wyatt. "Calm the fuck down, you lunatic."

"Sure, come on in," Wyatt grumbled.

"I've just learned to roll with it." Cannon grinned. "Mind if I come in? I thought I'd be polite enough to ask, unlike my mate."

Wyatt waved a hand. "Have a front row seat to the entertainment."

"He called me a meerkat," Alister complained to Paris.

"How in the hell are you offended?" Paris twisted his lips to the side of his mouth. "It's like getting upset that someone called water wet."

"Wyatt spanked me in the driveway!" Alister jabbed a finger toward Wyatt as he stared incredulously at Paris. "I probably have a bruise on my tush now."

Cannon glanced at Wyatt with a smirk.

"I popped you on the ass because you were screaming your head off outside," Wyatt said calmly. "Consider yourself lucky I didn't put you over my knee."

Alister's eyes rounded. "You wouldn't dare."

"Try me." Now Wyatt imagined his feisty mate over his knee, his perfectly plump butt bare and raised in the air as Alister begged for more. If Wyatt didn't get that image out of his head, he would pop wood and tent his silk shorts. That wasn't a situation he wanted Cannon or Paris to witness.

"I came by to check on you, but I see I worried for nothing." Paris grabbed Alister and pulled him into a hug. "Tell me the real reason you're in a tizzy."

"I want my car," Alister whined.

"Bullshit. Have you forgotten that I know you too well?" Paris asked. "Tell me the truth, or I'll steal your car keys and park your precious Mercedes at Cannon's house."

"I was sold like I was nothing more than cattle, and I'm not dealing too well with that." Alister said, his words muffled against Paris's shoulder.

"So you did what you do best." Paris rested his chin on Alister's head, but looked right at Wyatt. "You played down the threat then lashed out."

Paris was telling Wyatt this was how Alister handled stress. The message was received. Having someone around him at all times and his need to get his car weren't Alister's real issues.

It was the inability to cope with what Sloane had done.

Wyatt crossed the room and eased Alister out of Paris's hold then enveloped his mate in his arms.

If Paris has trouble coping, you become his fucking rock. He won't be able to get past this if you can't be what he needs you to be.

That had been what he'd said to Cannon when Paris fought Negan and killed the guy. Wyatt needed to take his own damn advice.