Chapter Eleven

Harley

In his whole life, Harley had never felt so damn satisfied, though that thought made him feel a little guilty toward his relationship with Nomad.

It's fine, I feel it too. You were right, the little imp makes us complete. I should have listened to you sooner.

Harley's laugh rumbled through Cosmo, who showed no signs of waking soon. He'd snuggled down on top of Harley when Nomad had gone to get a cloth to clean them all up. By the time he'd returned, Cosmo was out cold, gently snoring as he nuzzled on Harley's thumb.

I need to write that shit down somewhere to remind you that you said it.

Fuck off! Nomad's grumble was sleepy as he rested his head on Harley's other shoulder, his eyelids drifting closed. They opened a second later, then closed again, long, dark eyelashes fanning his cheekbone, casting a shadow over his cheek in the low light coming through the window.

Harley felt the moment sleep claimed Nomad, and he tightened his hold on both men, and he stared at their sleeping faces. In his whole life, Harley had relied on his extra senses to keep him safe. Then to keep Nomad safe. Now he would add Cosmo to the list, and with that change, Harley felt a shift inside him. One he didn't quite understand, not yet. His senses didn't always give him answers straight away. And in the main, that was okay.

The problem, as he saw it now, was Cosmo was in danger and the council was going to get desperate when they found out their mate wasn't toast from the bombing and fire.

They'd been stupid to not consider keeping one of the dead shifters and putting them on ice for such an occasion as this. It wouldn't be the first time they'd done it. But they'd not been thinking clearly with everything that had happened. They'd been chasing their own tails, and it had to stop… now.

Harley's senses were clear about that. They needed help if they were going to keep Cosmo safe and still do their job here and keep a low profile. Leaving nothing that connected to them at the scenes of carnage wasn't as cut and dried with burning the places to the ground, not if the council had someone with a good nose to sniff out scents on their payroll. After what had happened so far, the fires should eliminate most scents… even so, a good nose could detect them. They'd worked for the council for decades and although they worked undercover mostly, there would be some who knew who they were. What they were capable of .

If they figured out the connection to Cosmo, Harley was positive that would sign all their death warrants. They'd not only keep coming for Cosmo, but they'd come for them, too. Harley was as sure of that as he was a natural blond.

After everything Cosmo had shared, the council leads sat on quicksand and the rope holding the bridge needed to be tethered without Cosmo attached to bring them all down.

As different scenarios ran through his mind, sleep evaded him. Deep-rooted thoughts spiraled into his psych. Regardless of how wiped out Harley was by the epic orgasm he'd experienced at their union, his brain niggled, and his senses hummed, suggesting things were going to take another sideways swing and not in their favor.

They'd barely been here five minutes and Harley could feel how this was a place to set down roots. Cosmo clearly loved it here, and he'd already lost so much. Would it damage the growing bond between them, making Cosmo move?

Harley suspected the trinkets in the box held some meaning to Cosmo, too. And as much as he wanted to push for him to share, so he could assess what action should be taken, Cosmo wasn't someone to be pushed, as they'd discovered.

He eyed Cosmo's blond head. His curls fell around his sleep flushed skin. His lips moved occasionally as he suckled on Harley's thumb. He was beautiful, and Harley acknowledged how he would sacrifice everything to make Cosmo happy. As he knew Nomad would.

Harley considered the pair and spending some of their hard-earned money on building a home—with a playroom for Cosmo—here in town.

How would that work with everything still up in the air? The danger that lurked around Cosmo. Around them from their last undercover job ?

He sighed quietly and when Nomad stirred, Harley evened out his breathing to match Nomad's lulling him right back to sleep. A trick he'd learned long ago when he wanted to think out problems.

What could they do?

Gabai, would he help? He had a good feeling about the enormous bear. But Gabai taking time away from work like he wanted, could that mean he'd be less inclined to help Cosmo?

We'll ask him.

I thought you were asleep.

Dark eyes opened and met his worried stare.

One brow rose. And how am I supposed to do that when your head is full of concerns over cutie? Nomad lifted his head and kissed Harley squarely on the lips. We'll ring Gabai and ask can we meet with him tomorrow.

Thanks.

The kiss deepened and though he was tired, Harley's cock stirred as Cosmo gave a nice hard suck to his thumb. Little imp, you're awake.

Maybe…

Nomad

Nomad could feel the lingering effects of the energetic workout Cosmo had given him twice through the night and again this morning before he deemed himself ready to start the day properly. After a call to Gabai, who seemed very keen to speak to them, they drove up to his home. The directions were easy to follow, and everyone kept their thoughts to themselves throughout the trip. Nomad's reasons were all to do with Harley's concerns the night before that kept him awake long into the night about a future in town versus having to uproot Cosmo because of threats that would continue to come.

It wouldn't take long for the council to figure out they'd failed in their attempts to eliminate Cosmo a second time when they would find no body at the demolished house. They'd driven past the remnants of the structure this morning, and Nomad shuddered inside at thoughts of being too late to save Cosmo.

A town this small—there was bound to be gossip—he suspected that Gabai and Asher were already aware something had gone down with the ease at which he'd said to come over to the house.

At the gate to the large house, Nomad got the full effects of the beautiful home sat on the edges of the forest, which blended enough that Nomad couldn't see where the house ended, and the forest began.

It was tranquil. He could feel that before he pulled to a stop and got out. Harley, having already moved to help Cosmo from the back of the car, left Nomad waiting, using his cat to ensure there was no perceived threat around.

He had to admit he liked the feel of the place and wondered if there was any land available to use some of their hard-earned money to set up a home, something neither Harley nor him had wanted to do before.

The door opened to reveal a sullen-looking Asher who wordlessly beckoned them inside. He made a snarling noise at the back of his throat when Cosmo bounced up to him and flung his arms around him.

It's all show. Harley pointed out, as Nomad bristled at Asher's aggressive stance towards Cosmo, who didn't seem to notice or care as he held on.

What's his problem?

Not our business.

It is when our mate is holding him !

Gabai ambled out of a room, and his lips twitched when he saw Cosmo hanging onto Asher. He looked over Cosmo's head and something clearly passed between him and Gabai. Asher's arms hung at his sides for long enough that Nomad considered he would not return the gesture until he finally lifted a hand and patted Cosmo's back.

"Jeb needs to do more practice with you on the hugging thing," Cosmo said quietly, but Nomad's cat heard him clearly.

As must have Harley, who didn't conceal his amusement when Cosmo, instead of stepping away from Asher, gave him another hug, as if to affirm the man's need to let loose and cuddle him back.

"I think you've made your point, Cosmo." Gabai's nose wrinkled, and then a wide grin spread over his face. "You're all mated. They finally manage to catch you, Cosmo."

"Yep, my Daddies showed me who was boss… me ." He laughed at his own joke.

Little rascal, remember what it's like to feel Daddy's hand reddening your ass.

Cosmo gave him an innocent smile, and Nomad shook his head, while Harley joined in the laughter. His large shoulders shaking with it.

Gabai's smile remained, but no longer touched his eyes as he lifted a hand to direct them to the door he'd come out of. "I believe there's been some issue and Cosmo's home got burned down?"

Nomad led the way, not answering initially until everyone was in what appeared to be a home office. Several chairs sat around a small gleaming black table next to large doors that opened out into a large wooded area. He took the seat offered, then answered Gabai, "The council bombed Cosmo's home after a failed assassination attempt."

Gabai, who was about to take a seat, paused, his eyes narrowing on Cosmo. "This has got nothing to do with Asher's old pack, does it? "

Harley glanced at me a brow quirked up. Did we miss something?

"What are you talking about?" Nomad asked instead of responding to Harley, his gaze on Cosmo, who shook his head.

Cosmo

"I may have helped Gabai and Asher decimate the people who'd hurt Asher," Cosmo hedged. "Just like I've been helping Bash get back the rhinos that were stolen from his crash."

"May have, or did?" Daddy Nomad asked in a tone that meant Cosmo needed to stop beating around the bush and get to the point so they could help fix things.

"Did," Cosmo admitted. "They were bad wolves. They deserved to be taught a lesson."

"Only my guess would be that they were also on the council's payroll, or at least, someone high up in the pack that experienced your wrath was, which is why the council has deemed you too dangerous to live," Daddy Harley said, his concern coming through their link.

"If they'd do their jobs and protect shifters like they are supposed to do, rather than exploit them, then it never would have happened," Cosmo hissed, getting upset over the things he'd discovered all over again.

This time, though, Daddy Harley wrapped an arm around him and tugged him against his side before Cosmo could start hissing about it.

"And now they're hunting you to keep you quiet," Gabai questioned.

"Because they don't think I have anyone I trust enough to tell," Cosmo admitted, the weight of so many secrets heavy on his shoulders. "Until I came here, they'd have been right. I'm damn good at what they trained me to do, but part of that training meant that I went where they sent me, and the only ones I ever spoke to were the council members assigned to be my handler. That's how it is for everyone in the beginning."

Gabai's expression softened. "So what changed?"

"Once I'd proved my loyalty and how much of an asset I could be, they started turning me loose. I still had to check in, but not after everything I did. The more successful I was in my missions, the longer my leash got, only that left me free to find things they never intended for me to."

"Like the things you'd learned about Asher's pack," Gabai surmised.

"Asher, when you were still with them, did you ever notice wolves who'd come through there for a little while and then vanish, never to pop up again?"

Asher was scowling, a mix of fury and pain darkening his features. Cosmo knew he didn't like to think about his time with them and what had happened to him. He hated bringing up such painful memories for a man he wanted to be his friend, but he needed Asher to confirm what Cosmo was already certain of.

"I always assumed they were visitors," growled Asher.

"Some probably were, but others were being ‘trained' there before being sent on to somewhere else for additional training, or placement with the ones who'd arranged their capture in the first place," Cosmo said. "They weren't visitors, they were prisoners. They sent the ones who resisted too much through your pack to be broken."

A growl rumbled out of Gabai, his angry bright in his dangerous eyes. "And you have proof of all this?"

"Yes," Cosmo admitted. "Enough to bury every corrupt member among them and the one who pulls their strings. "

"Wait," Daddy Harley said. "Are you implying that there is someone with enough power and means to control not one, but multiple council members?"

"Not implying, Daddy, I'm saying there is."

"Fuck me sideways," Daddy Harley muttered.

"Later," Daddy Nomad replied, lightening the tension in the room a little.

"You know, they only gather the full council twice a year," Cosmo said. "Once in fall, and once in spring. No one ever knows where the location is until it's actually happening. When they gather next, the council members that they couldn't corrupt will get taken out and replaced with puppets that will do as they're told without question. We can't let that happen."

"And yet, how are we supposed to stop it?" Gabai asked. "Decimating a single pack is one thing, but you're talking about going against the full council itself."

"Not the full council," Cosmo insisted. "We need to get to the ones whose lives are in danger and warn them of what's coming so they can take the precautions they need in order to stay alive. When the gathering happens, we need to make certain that it's the corrupt ones who don't leave those grounds alive, but in order to do that, we've got to get more than just wolves involved. We need the bears, the rhinos, the panthers, the eagles, and any other flavor of shifter we can trust to help us put things right."

"Which is what brought you to the club," Gabai said, eyes widening a little like a lightbulb had just gone off.

"Not entirely," Cosmo said. "I needed a place where I could step out of myself and away from what I was and the things they had assigned me to do. I needed Little Paws Haven as much as I needed air. That it's let me meet shifters from other groups is just a bonus. "

"But you have used the club to cultivate relationships with them," Gabai persisted.

"Only with two. Bash and Micha."

"The jackal?"

"Yeah."

"Why him?"

"Because he's searching for the missing, the same as Bash is," Cosmo answered, working on containing the pain that came from not being able to help them all. "We've already reunited one with her family."

"I don't understand how the council put in place to mediate disputes between groups and keep our community as a whole thriving, can turn around and betray the most innocent and vulnerable among them," Gabai snapped angrily, but Cosmo wasn't worried because he knew it wasn't directed at him.

"I can," Asher replied. "Greed. That's what it always comes down to. Somewhere along the line they stopped caring about what was right and turned all of their focus on themselves and how much they could get out of their positions. They perform token gestures and only once someone has gone through every other intermediary before bringing an issue to them. It's become more about the power than the people."

"Then maybe it's time for a show of what true power is," Daddy Harley suggested.

"You know what, maybe it is," Gabai replied, his hand reaching into his pocket, pulling at his cell phone.