CHAPTER THREE

"They're dead." The young wolf reported.

"Cory killed the humans trespassing on our land?" Jaron snapped at him.

"No, Cory and the others, four in total, they"re all dead." Jaron took the cup of coffee he was holding and threw it across the room, striking the wall and smashing it into pieces, and narrowly missing the young wolf.

"How is that possible?" He shouted. "Did the humans have weapons? I was told they were fishing and camping on the shore with no visible defenses." Jaron moved to tower over the young wolf, intimidating him successfully. He cowered and dropped his head.

"Eamon and another wolf interfered and saved the humans. Eamon also reported the incident to the elders." The young wolf's voice grew softer and softer as Jaron's anger escalated.

"They hid the fact it was a wolf attack?" He questioned, and the young wolf nodded. Jaron was more infuriated by the fact he hadn"t been able to start a war with the humans than he was with the death of his four men. His hand shot out and grabbed the young wolf by the throat and began to squeeze.

He fought and scratched at Jaron"s fingers around his neck but could not remove them and could not draw a breath. Jaron stared crazily into the young wolf"s eyes and continued to tighten his grip. Then, suddenly, he threw the young wolf across the room.

"Get out of my sight." He growled and turned his back on the wolf, who was struggling to get to his feet. He fell several times before making his way out the door. Jaron held no concern for the condition of the young wolf and quickly walked over and slammed the door shut.

"That was unnecessary." An older wolf commented as he walked out of the kitchen and stepped into the living room with Jaron.

"I didn"t see you trying to stop me." Jaron shot back, still pissed by the failure last night.

"I didn't say that I cared, I simply told you that it was unnecessary and a waste of your energy. Anger without control is chaos and chaos will never lead this pack." The older wolf stated and took a seat on the couch. Jaron stomped over and sat in one of the chairs. This was an elder and it was prudent for him to listen even if he was exploding with the need to kill something or someone.

"Two of the humans were taken to the hospital, and the third was taken by Eamon"s friend, Sean Brendon." The man told him.

"Why would he take him?"

"It's rumored that he saw them shift."

"That could mean death for the human." Jaron flashed an evil smile, suddenly feeling so much more hopeful in his endeavors than he had been a few minutes before. "Is he someone important or well-known?" He could only hope.

"He"s a local and well-liked from what I hear."

"Good, that's good." He started to laugh.

Lowell was regaining consciousness by the time they reached the lake house. The man or wolf rather brought him inside and took him into a bedroom and laid him down on the bed. He then went into an attached bath and got a wet washcloth and towel.

When his vision cleared, he could see that the man was no longer naked but was wearing a pair of loose-fitting sweats. He had jet-black hair that hung straight and was swept back from his face. His face was tanned and firm with hard angles and deep shadows. It was his eyes, though, that transfixed. They held the fire and warmth that pulled him closer and kept him staring. This was definitely the man from his dreams, but Lowell wasn"t sure what to make of that.

Lowel just lay there watching the activity not sure what was happening. He didn't know where he was, who this man really was or why he was in this house. His panic started to churn slowly in his gut as the man began cleaning Lowell's wounds. He wasn't hurt bad just some deep scratches. He was very lucky, and he knew it.

"Where are my friends?" Lowell croaked out the few words finding it hard to breathe and to speak clearly. The man had been one of the two who had saved them but in his mind Lowell had seen this man as a wolf. He may have been hallucinating or tapping into his dream world.

"They're being cared for don't worry." The man's voice was deep and easy it was a voice Lowell could listen to forever. His look, his scent, his tone and his touch lulled Lowell into the twilight of peace. It was the same feeling of peace and security he felt in his dream.

"Why am I here?"

"I wanted to speak with you about what happened." The voice gently washed over him, much like the touch of the soft washcloth. "The one that lay on the ground the one you two were protecting is most serious, but he will be okay. The other is in a condition much like you." Lowell appreciated that he told him the situation rather than trying to keep it from him. "You were very brave. What is your name?"

"Lowell French." He saw no reason not to tell him. "We were going to spend the long weekend camping and fishing." His tone fell with the realization that all their plans had been torched the moment those beasts entered the clearing. "Wolves don't usually act like that. Were they diseased?"

"My name is Sean Brendon and I'm here visiting a friend we were out in the woods when we heard you and your friends." He was being very careful with his words and Lowell wondered why.

"Patrick was on the ground, and John stood with me." Lowel wanted them to have names and not simply identified as his friends.

The man stopped what he was doing and focused on Lowell capturing his gaze and holding it. "None of you ran or panicked you all did your best and you survived. You were prepared to live or die together. It was impressive. You're a good man Lowell French and you have good friends."

Lowell found himself blushing under the praise of this man who he did not know and had never truly met. This stranger was eliciting all kinds of feelings and emotions, and they were nice, satisfying feelings. Sean took the washcloth and towel into the bathroom and then returned with a soft t-shirt and helped Lowell put it on.

"Thank you." He said realizing how good it felt to have a clean shirt on. Lowell went to sit up and Sean instantly helped him into a comfortable position with his back against the pillows. Sean took a seat on the edge of the bed at his side.

"How are you feeling?"

"Good considering what I went through." Lowell took stock of his body and was surprised by his lack of pain and discomfort. "Did you give me anything for the pain?"

"Do you have pain?"

"No, that's why I thought you might have given me something."

"You may still be in shock, and if so, the pain will come later, but your wounds are not deep, so I think you"ll be fine overall." Lowell couldn"t believe that he had taken on four monster wolves and just got a few scratches out of the effort.

"Thanks again for helping us. I doubt any of us would have survived without you and your friend." Lowell suddenly felt the seriousness of what had happened and how it could have turned out. "When can I go home? When can I see Patrick and John?"

"It would probably be best if you stayed here until morning, and I"ll keep an eye on you just to make sure you"re okay. Your things are being gathered, and what"s salvageable will be taken along with your vehicle to the ranger station." Sean took his hand and held it, which was exactly what Lowell needed. The sensation of strength and support radiated through his body from the simple touch.

"Tomorrow I'll take you home and I'll arrange to have your things returned to you." That sounded fair enough so Lowell nodded and then suddenly without warning he couldn't help blurting out his thoughts.

"You were a wolf. You and your friend were big, ferocious wolves. You tore that monster off me and killed it. I saw your friend go head to head with those beasts. You"re a wolf." Lowell paused and stared at the man seated next to him and waited for a denial or an explanation that would make everything seem normal, but silence ensued for the next couple of minutes.

Sean took a deep breath and first glanced away looking toward the door and then turned back to Lowell and caught his gaze once again. "Tell me what you saw." He said finally. Lowell waited and sat up a little straighter, but he noticed Sean did not release his hand which seemed nice. "Start at the beginning when you first realized you were in danger."

Lowell started further back and explained their arrival and then the discussion about the fishing gear that Patrick forgot in the car and his use of smores to calm everyone down. That brought a shadow of a smile to the man's face, and it softened those dark eyes and that firm jaw making him even more attractive.

"We turned in early since the mood was a bit tense. I really had no idea that Patrick and John were interested in the same girl. I would not have brought her up if I'd known." He explained himself and Sean nodded his understanding.

"It was after two when I heard something outside the tent. It was loud enough and out of place that it woke me." He fidgeted, feeling a little tension overtake him as he relived the incident. The memory was charged and painful.

"It's okay, you're safe. Take your time." He must have noticed his stress, so Lowell tried to bury the discomfort a little deeper.

"I grabbed the bear spray and the flashlight and stepped out of my tent to look around. Everything got too quiet at that point. The tension was building, and I knew something was watching us I could feel it." Another pause, but he made it brief. "I rousted out Patrick and John and they joined me, but we couldn"t see anything for several seconds. Then one of those beasts broke out of the woods and we simply focused on survival at that point."

"They gave you no chance for escape?"

"No, they were going to kill us. That was made very clear." Lowell looked squarely at Sean and continued but was careful with what he said and how he said it. "You arrived, and the power shifted. They were still coming at us, and the bear spray helped, but only temporarily. John"s stick kept them off balance a little, but still, Patrick was hit with a set of claws that tore a big slice in his upper arm." The memory of that wound was upsetting, and fear for his friend was renewed.

"Is Patrick going to be okay?" He pleaded fearing that Sean might be sugar coating the truth.

"You got pressure on it in time, he will be okay." Sean squeezed his hand and unexpectedly brought it to his lips and kissed Lowell's knuckles. "Patrick and John are both going to be fine." Lowell needed to hear that. He let out a long breath before continuing.

"We stood over Patrick and did our best to protect him and ourselves, and I watched you." He stopped and coughed, clearing his throat, which gave him a moment to gather his words. "I was on the ground next to Patrick, and I watched you kill that wolf. You were a wolf, but as you moved and walked toward your friend, you slowly turned into the man you are now. Your friend shifted as well. You were wolves and then you were men, and you were naked."

Lowell again expected an immediate denial and explanation, but like before, he got a steady stare and silence. "Let me get you something to drink. How old are you?"

"Twenty-two."

"I'll make it whiskey."

Sean went to the kitchen and poured himself a whiskey. He drank it in one go and then refilled his glass and poured one for Lowell. He loved that name. It was a gentle, sweet name for his sweet mate.

His desire and regard for the young man steadily increased the longer they stayed in close proximity. The pull was powerful and filled him with the urge to stay by his side. He could see that Lowell was experiencing some of the same.

He held tight to Sean"s hand throughout his report of the incident, even though it was clear that Lowell was experiencing flashbacks and should be afraid of Sean. There was no fear in his eyes or his actions. He worried about his friends and struggled with confusion, but he was very clear in stating what he saw.

Sean had to decide what he was going to tell him. He didn"t want to start their relationship with lies, but Lowell was far from being in a state of mind to accept the fact that the world isn"t quite like he thought it was.

He took the two glasses and headed back to the bedroom. Lowell was still seated leaning back against the pillows and waiting. His wounds were healing rapidly due to his mate, being close by and tending to the injury. His healing abilities were enhanced by Sean's presence, but could he tell him that, probably not right now. There were so many things he wanted to share but Lowell had been through too much as it was.

Sean handed him the whiskey and sat back down on the edge of the bed. Lowell took a long swig and seemed to enjoy the warmth and the flavor. Sean set his glass on the bedside table and took hold of Lowell's hand once again. "You were attacked by rogue wolves." He began and watched Lowell's eyes and expression gauging his acceptance and his grasp of the information.

"Eamon and I were out for a run. I am an enforcer with my pack in Saco, Maine, and Eamon is an enforcer with his pack here in Salida. We often work together on issues regarding the safety and security of our community."

"What is your collective community?" Lowell had been through hell, but his mind was sharp.

"Your eyes did not deceive you." Sean did not want to overwhelm him, but he didn't want to insult his intelligence either. "There's much more going on here than you're prepared to understand. Just let me say that humans are not the only species existing in this world." Lowell's eyes grew and his breath caught as he grabbed and held Sean's hand with both of his.

"You"re a wolf shifter; both you and your friend Eamon are wolf shifters," Lowell said with clear conviction, and Sean knew at that moment that he had to be completely honest. Any lies or subterfuge would work against him when he sought to secure Lowell"s love and trust.

"You brought me back here instead of sending me with Patrick and John because you knew I saw something that I shouldn't have." Lowell was extremely sharp, and Sean found himself both proud and conflicted.

"I brought you here because I wanted to speak with you." Sean was going to tell him everything and hope for the best. "What do you know about the town that you live in. I know you were born here, and you grew up in care here in Salida in three different foster placements. According to all reports, you"re a civic-minded, well-rounded, and well-liked individual. You care about your city, and you care about your neighbors."

"I worked on a ranch in Wyoming for one summer and couldn"t get used to the dryness of the land or the cold nature of the people, so I moved back. I like this town and most of the people in it. You seem to know a lot about me, but it"s just the surface. It"s what"s written in reports and stored in files. It"s just the parts of me that people see." That response brought Sean"s attention to a keen focus.

"I know you"re concerned about sharing your secret with me, so I"ll share one with you. I have a heightened sense of perception, insight, and sensitivity." He began, and Sean was intrigued. "I usually see things for what they are and can predict outcomes with staggering accuracy. My friends call it my gut feelings, and they never question it, but it"s more than that."

Sean looked at Lowell closely and scented him, taking in every air and nuance, having an idea as to what he was eluding. There was something there, something he"d missed before. Lowell"s eyes held an ethereal ring that was very light and barely there but noticeable if you looked closely. "Your eyes, they have the obscure ring."

"You"re only the second person to ever notice. The first person was an old man who I met in the park downtown when I was twelve. He explained a lot of things to me, wished me luck, and then left." Lowell was blowing his mind at the moment. Instead of Lowell being the one to have to process and catch up, it was Sean who was suddenly in the middle of something he had never imagined.