CHAPTER FOUR

"H ow did it go last night?" Dean came up to him in the hallway as he was heading to breakfast. Henry knew the man was genuinely concerned for him and not just asking out of curiosity. They continued walking down the hall and toward the kitchen.

"Okay, I think. Terry is trying, but I worry he has too many years of fear and loathing to overcome to ever be a comfortable gay man." He tried to smile, but it fell a bit flat. It hurt to have a mate that couldn't love you. It hurt a lot. His years growing up with his stepfather and his stepfather's family showed him that mates were important and they were precious.

Not all the wolves he'd known were like his stepfather. Some of them were decent people and cared about others. He learned from watching them that mates were special and people who found their mates were envied. He'd dreamed when he was younger of being mated to a wolf and having that individual treat him like he was their sun and their moon.

He'd never known real love and caring except from his late father, and when he first saw Terry and sensed their connection, his heart had soared. He was afraid to hope that they were mates, but the feeling was there, and down deep, he knew. But just as fate had taken his loving father and given him a cold bastard for a stepfather. Fate had granted him a mate but gave him someone who could never openly love him.

"Give him some time. Terry is trying. He really is." Dean reassured. It surprised Henry considering Dean had been the first to warn him away from Terry.

"What made you change your mind? I didn't think you trusted Terry to be sincere." They reached the kitchen, and others were already there eating and chatting. They took a couple of plates, filled them from the setup buffet, and then took their seats next to each other. Obviously, Dean had more he wanted to say, Henry thought as he spread jelly on his toast and waited.

"I always thought Terry was an asshole, especially after the stunt he pulled with Ronan and Molly, but things have a way of working themselves out. I think his mating with you is the Universe's way of making him into the man he should be. The Universe is telling him to grow up and get real, and it's up to him whether or not he rises to the challenge."

Henry took a bite of his toast and stopped to consider Dean's words. It made sense, but it also could be a bunch of horse shit. Could Terry rise to the challenge of being an openly gay man in a small western town? Terry's friends were all Pack, and as Pack, they had to get used to and accept an openly gay Alpha and a male Alpha Mate. It seemed to Henry that the foundation for change had been set, and Terry only needed to accept it.

"He invited me to meet him for lunch today," Henry stated and glanced around the table.

"Where are you going?" Ronan questioned

"He asked me to meet him at the Black Bean." Henry heard an audible gasp circle the table. It was then that he noticed a man at the far end next to Lance, that was a stranger. The man tilted his head in acknowledgment but did not speak. "Who's the guy next to Lance?" He spoke softly to Dean.

"He's the detective from Traverse City who came to pick up Jordan Randall. His name is Ivan Rand, and he's a wolf shifter from the Traverse Bay Pack in Northern Michigan." He remembered Terry speaking about him but hadn't realized the man would look so deadly. The guy was nearly as large as Lance, and he looked lethal with dark brown perfectly cut hair and eyes as black as coal. His body oozed toned muscle and steel control. Henry bet the guy could kill a man with his bare hands and not break a sweat doing it.

"He looks a little scary," Henry commented lightly.

"He's the Beta of his Pack and a detective with the Traverse City police force. He's been on loan to the Michigan State Police for a couple of months. He was put in place to investigate ADA Jordan Randall." Dean took a long drink of his coffee, nearly draining the mug before continuing. "Apparently, the last guy Randall tried to blackmail into sexual slavery was a member of the Traverse Bay Pack, so they had a vested interest in seeing that he be stopped." Henry nodded and glanced down the table where Ivan Rand was seated. He was startled when the guy smiled at him. Henry smiled back, realizing that Ivan wasn't exactly the total bringer of death Henry thought he was. The man had warmth.

...

Terry spent the morning preparing himself for the Black Bean. He was meeting his mate there, and they were going to have lunch. He was going to give his mate all the attention that he deserved. With a deep breath, he headed out the door at 11:35. They had agreed to meet at noon, but he wanted to be there before Henry and get himself acclimated.

He took a booth at the front and glanced out the large plate glass window that looked out onto the main street, and watched for his mate to appear. He'd been sitting there for about five minutes when Kelvin Minter walked in and sat down across from him. He and Kelvin had attended school together and played on the high school football team. They weren't close friends, but they hung out once in a while. Kelvin was good friends with Gary, Terry's close friend, so it was sort of like friends once removed.

"Hey Terry, you look like you're waiting for someone. Mind if I join you until my wife gets here?" Kelvin didn't wait for confirmation; he just sat his ass down, motioned the waitress over, and ordered a cup of coffee.

"Henry Grange, Ronan's cousin, is meeting me for lunch. We're going to discuss the ceremony. He has some questions." Terry knew he was lying but couldn't stop himself. Now was not the time to come out of the closet. He was meeting an acquaintance for lunch, and that was all it was.

Kelvin snickered before commenting. "He probably wants to know what color dress to wear the little pansy."

"Shut up!" The words burst from Terry and elicited a wide-eyed stare from Kelvin. "The guy is very important to the Alpha Mate, so you'd better show respect," Terry spoke through gritted teeth.

"Sure thing," Kelvin stated sarcastically. "You best be careful, lest too many people see you cavorting with Mr. Grange. It might start a rumor." He smiled hatefully. Terry studied the man for a moment before answering. He wondered if this was how others saw him. Was he this crass, this base? A week ago, he would be sitting here, joining with Kelvin and his off-color remarks and adding some of his own. A week ago, he was the same man who was now seated across from him, and the realization nauseated him.

"Not everyone is as immature as you are, Kelvin." Terry turned away to look back out the window and saw Henry getting out of his car. He was parked on the street near the diner. He looked so handsome Terry wanted to eat him up. Henry made eye contact with Terry and then noticed Kelvin.

The friendly smile on Henry's face slid off, and a blank countenance took its place. It was as if Henry didn't even recognize him. He looked past him and just kept walking; he never stopped at the diner. It took Terry a minute or two to realize what had happened. Henry assumed Terry was with a friend and simply pretended not to know him. He was keeping Terry's secret, and it broke his heart.

"Well, it looks like your little friend forgot your lunch date, Terry." Kelvin watched as Henry walked past the front of the diner. "Too bad I'd love to know what's in fashion this season." Thankfully Kelvin's wife showed up and relieved him of the obnoxious man's company.

He wanted to throttle the guy; he was so angry at how the day turned out. He finished his coffee and paid his bill before walking idly back out onto the sidewalk. It looked like Henry had ducked into one of the stores that lined the street, but he had no idea which one. His car was still parked by the diner, but he was nowhere in sight.

...

Henry roamed the aisles of the hardware store, looking at everything and seeing nothing. It was such a shock to see that guy sitting with Terry; he didn't know how to handle it. He couldn't just go in and sit down, not knowing how Terry was dealing with it. Had he told him that Henry was coming, or would he ignore him? It looked like he was going to acknowledge him by the way he looked out the window and smiled at him, but it was too big of a risk.

Henry couldn't understand why he was put in such a difficult position. Maybe it would be better just to quit now, give it up and go home. His phone rang, bringing him out of his thoughts. He'd decided to buy a key ring just to make the time spent worth his while. He was paying while answering his phone. "Hello."

"Why did you run away?" It was Terry, and he sounded upset.

"I saw you were with someone and didn't want to intrude," Henry spoke carefully. He finished paying and stepped out onto the sidewalk. He looked to his left and saw Terry standing in front of the diner with his phone to his ear.

"Why don't you come back and have lunch? It's still early?" He gave Henry his most enticing grin beckoning him to return.

"Okay." Henry hung up and stuck his phone into his pocket. Terry kept his eyes on him the entire walk back. When they were face to face, Terry took him by the arm and ushered him inside. They took the table by the window where Terry had originally been seated.

Henry noticed the guy Terry had been sitting with on the other side of the room seated with a female. The guy gave him a look like he was dirt and then turned back to the woman and continued their conversation. Henry was more than a little uncomfortable with that guy in the room with him. He was the type of man who would have no qualms about verbal or possibly physical assault if they were alone. Henry would be careful; homophobes like him always waited until no one was looking.

After they were seated and had ordered, Henry asked Terry who the guy was that was with him. "Friend of a friend, no one important." He brushed it off.

"He's shooting daggers at me. I don't think he approves of your dinner companion." The man was really starting to bother him.

Terry turned and gave the guy a scathing look, and he turned away. "Just ignore him. Everyone does." Terry smiled warmly, but Henry could sense his anxiety. Lunch went off without a hitch after that. Conversation flowed, and the time flew. It was after one before they left the diner. Terry had to go back to work, but Henry thought he would investigate the town a little further and check out some of the shops.

Henry walked Terry back to the station before veering off towards the bookstore across the street. Terry watched him jog across the street and wished he'd had the nerve to kiss him or hold his hand or show him some kind of affection.

Henry realized that they hadn't made any other plans. Terry didn't suggest dinner or a movie or anything. Perhaps he needed time to think and decide what he wanted. Henry decided he wasn't going to stress about it and just enjoy the rest of his day.

Terry toyed with the idea of calling Henry, but then thought he would just show up tonight at the Ranch. Hopefully, they could have an evening together without the added stress of discovery or having to explain himself or whatever else. He just wanted time alone with his mate to get to know each other.

He so desperately wanted to touch his mate. He wanted to hold him and learn all about his likes and dislikes and what turned him on. He smiled at the thought, looked at the clock, and wished for the time to pass. He wondered if others who'd found their mates were this anxious when apart from them? He needed to talk to a mated pair and get some pointers.

His friend Gary and his wife Marla were a mated pair, but he wasn't ready to out himself to Gary. Kelvin and his wife were not true mates, but they both decided they wanted children and didn't want to wait for their mate. They justified their marriage by saying that mates were very rare, and they didn't want to grow old alone. A thought struck him, and he grabbed the phone off his desk.

"Hello."

"Jamie, how's the cattle theft going?" He chuckled while shifting the receiver to his other ear and stretched out in his chair.

"Slow as always. I have a lead, and I'm setting a trap tonight. Maybe I'll have it wrapped up by tomorrow." He sounded hopeful.

"I hope it's successful. I really miss you around here. You're the only friend who I can be completely honest with." Terry's tone became serious.

"You talking about your mate?"

"Yeah."

"What's wrong?" Jamie's tone softened.

"Just the usual dickhead stuff I'm always pulling." He laughed, but not with humor. "I want to show Henry that I'm serious and let him know that he is everything to me as my mate. I don't know how to do that without looking fake or insincere." He waited for some advice. Jamie's parents were poster children for the perfect mates. They met young and had many kids, and have loved every day of their lives. Everyone wanted a relationship like theirs. He knew that Jamie understood what a good relationship looked like.

"What have you done so far?"

"I took him to dinner last night and then went for a walk in the park." Terry knew he would have to be completely honest if he wanted real advice. "I got spooked at the restaurant. People came in and sat next to us, and I freaked a little. I tried to make up for it at the park, and I begged his forgiveness." He took a deep breath and then rushed on. "I met him for lunch at the Black Bean today to show him that I am not ashamed to be seen with him."

"But you are ashamed, Terry. Everything you do supports that assumption. Your mate is your life, Terry; without him, you'll end up like . . ." He trailed off, but Terry knew where he was going.

"Like Kelvin Minter." He supplied

"Yeah, is that what you want?"

"No, I'd rather live the rest of my life alone than have his shallow, empty relationship," Terry admitted.

"Give it all you got, Terry, and open up. Be real with him and treat him like your mate. If he were a woman, a member of the Pack, and socially acceptable as a companion in the eyes of your so-called friends, what would you do?"

Terry smiled as he thought about the question. "I'd take him home to my house and never let him leave."

"Take him home with you tonight and see where it goes." Jamie finished the call with a heartfelt ‘good luck.'

Terry felt like he had a plan. He hadn't even invited Henry to his house, yet the realization made him uneasy, and the need to get him there was overwhelming. Jamie was a good friend and always gave the best advice. He was lost in his own thoughts when a deep voice spoke from behind him.

"Was that Officer McCormick?" He turned to see Ivan standing behind him.

"Yes, it was." Terry didn't want to go into any further explanation than that and hoped Ivan didn't ask for more.

"I look forward to meeting him." That comment completely confused Terry, but he simply nodded and stated, "He's a good officer and a good friend." Ivan smiled and headed back to where Jordan Randall was being held.