Battle for a Mates Heart Read online

  “Why?” Sandy asked, showing his first sign of interest since they got into the truck.

  Sparky smiled as another memory of life from his childhood surfaced. “Well, that means we get to have snowball fights and build really awesome snowmen. Of course, my snowmen are always the best dressed,” Sparky winked.

  The young pup looked sad, “I don’t know how to make a snowman.”

  Sparky chuckled, “That’s perfect! Then you won’t have to unlearn the wrong way. Stick with me kid, and I’ll show you how to make the best snowman—except of course for mine.” He paused and glanced at his charge, “We can ask some of your friends to come to the alpha’s house if you want.” He watched Sandy smile for a moment before it was replaced with a frown.

  “I don’t have no friends,” Sandy said quietly.

  Sparky pulled the truck over to the side of the road before he turned toward the young wolf. “Why not kid, is someone giving you problems at school?” He watched as the pup shook his head while looking down at his lap. Normally he would have let it drop, but this had been going on long enough. “You know friends can confide in each other, right? Don’t you want to be my friend, anymore?”

  Sandy glanced up sharply, “Yes, I can’t—I mean, please don’t stop being my friend, Sparky! You’re the only one who likes me; ‘cept for Tank; but he don’t talk to me, and he sucks at playing any games…”

  The mechanic held up his hand, “What do you mean I’m the only one? You should have friends at school your own age. Your teacher said you seemed to be getting along with your classmates.” Sparky paused when he saw a single tear slide down the pup’s face before he dashed it away angrily. He placed a hand on the youngster’s shoulder, “Why don’t you think some of your classmates will come, Sandy?”

  “Their parents won’t let them play with me, Sparky. Jimmy told me he couldn’t hang out with me no more ‘cause his dad said I was bad, and Stanley said his mom don’t want him to talk to me. She told him the pack and the whole town is in danger ‘cause of me and my brother coming here. His mom don’t want him to get hurt and I don’t want no one to get hurt either so I can’t have any friends which is okay since I didn’t have none before, but now that Ricky is with Alpha Grant all the time and can’t come out with me no more, well you and Tank are the only ones who ain’t afraid of me. Tank is cool, but he has to take care of me ‘cause the alpha said so,” the kid glanced up with liquid filled eyes, “I just want to be normal, Sparky! Why can’t I just be like all the other kids, huh? Why can’t I shift when I want and why is my brother always getting hurt ‘cause of me? My life just sucks!” Sandy punched the door hard enough to make the window rattle.

  Sparky felt the corner of his mouth start to curl up in humor, but he managed to keep his face straight. He’d forgotten that once the kid started talking, he sometimes forgot to breathe. He also had to hide the anger he felt at the parents of the kids. He’d have to let Alpha Grant know what was happening and have a chat with the headmaster as well. He hated to see his young friend this upset.

  Of course, he was probably the last one that should be giving the young pup advice. He’d royally screwed up his life when he was younger; mostly because he tried to hide who he was. He saw a tear fall down the pup’s face. Sparky shook his head.

  The alpha needed to up his pay grade if he was expected to become a trusted adviser to the young kid. But then, maybe he really was the best one to be able to help. After all, he’d never truly fit in until he joined the Windy River Pack. At least it wasn’t a discussion about the birds and bees, because, well he really never wanted to go there.

  Taking a deep breath, Sparky placed his hand on the pup’s shoulder. “Ah kiddo, welcome to the world. But as much as it can suck big hairy monkey balls, it’s not all bad. Besides, being different doesn’t mean you have to be unhappy. Look at me; do you think I care what others think?”

  He held his arms out, “I like how I look and believe me, fitting in with my old pack would not have made me happy. Can you imagine me married to a she-wolf, working in my father’s accounting firm with all those gray monotone suits and coming home to the required gaggle of pups to continue the gene pool?” The mechanic shuddered.

  “You said big hairy monkey balls,” Sandy giggled.

  Sparky shook his head, “All you got out of that was hairy balls?”

  Sandy smirked, “You know they really are hairy, right? Ricky took me to a zoo once and we saw one just standing there and he scratched himself there just before he picked up his poop and threw it at us. Some of it got on Ricky’s shoe. You should have heard the bad words my brother said to the monkey. Why do you think he did that? Hey! Maybe he was a shifter…”

  Sparky threw up his hand, “Okay, that really is TMI dude! Do I look like an expert on why an animal would be so, so gross?” The mechanic shuddered. “I can’t believe…never mind. No more talking about balls or poop! This conversation never happened because if your brother or the alpha find out, well, let’s just say I’d like to keep mine attached.” Sparky watched as Sandy nodded while still giggling.

  He reached over and put his hand on the boy’s shoulder, “The point I was trying to make was that if you spend your life trying to be something you’re not, you’ll only be unhappy. As to any of this being your fault, I call bull crap.”

  Sandy shook his head sadly, “But it is my fault—all of it. Ricky doesn’t think I know, but I saw what Alpha Clifton did to him, and worse, I could feel what it did to my brother. I knew my brother wouldn’t leave without me ‘cause he told me so."

  Sandy glanced out the window, "I don’t know what an omega is, but it has to be bad if people will fight each other just ‘cause of it. I think Jimmy was right when he said I’m cursed. Everyone around me is sad or gets hurt. Maybe it would be better if I just ran away.” Sparky pulled the now sobbing youngster into his arms. He hugged him close and rocked him for a few moments, smoothing his hand through the pup’s white hair.

  “Don’t you ever say that, Sandy. The world would be a much sadder place without you around. Besides, how do you think your brother would feel if you left him? He suffered to keep you safe because he loves you. The fact that Alpha Clifton was evil has nothing to do with either you or your brother. In fact, if what we suspect is true, this pack, as well as many others, would be at risk because of your former alpha—even if you had never been born.” He could feel Sandy nuzzle closer to his chest. At least the sobbing had stopped.

  “You know, I once felt like you do,” Sparky smiled when pale blue eyes looked up into his own. “That’s right when my parents and pack alpha found out that I liked boys, they tried to force me to change. When I refused, they kicked me out. I wandered around for a short time and found work in another town. I decided that maybe I should hide who I was and how I felt to blend in. That turned out to be a terrible decision.”

  “Why?” Sandy asked as he scooted back to his side of the seat. He quickly rubbed his face to clear away the leftover evidence of his crying.

  Sparky sighed. He had only told a few people what had happened to him, and he wouldn’t be able to share the whole experience with a six- year- old. But if he hadn’t hidden away and been ashamed of who he was, then Winston Taylor would have never gotten his hooks into him.

  “My first boyfriend liked that I hid who I was because it made it easier for him to live in his coven. You see like my birth pack; the Goldfield Coven didn’t accept people like me. It wasn’t ‘normal’,” the mechanic used air quotes, “not to mention magi and shifters weren’t meant to be together. I couldn’t be myself when we were together and well, he did things that left me very unhappy.”

  “He hurt you,” Sandy said with a look of understanding that no six-year-old should have in his eyes. “Ricky was hurt too because he didn’t like girls. Alpha Clifton called him an abonimat—abonnaton.”

  Sparky chuckled, “Abomination is the word you’re looking for, and believe me, I’ve been called much worse. But do you understand
what I’m trying to say, kiddo? You define who you are and to hel—I mean heck, with what anyone else thinks. You can either wallow around like a pig in a mud puddle, or you can sail through the air like a proud peacock; feathers unfurled and proclaiming I’m here and I’m proud of who I am. Personally, I prefer to be a peacock, what about you?”

  Sandy pursed his lips, “I’d rather be an eagle ‘cause according to my teacher, peacocks can’t fly very high…”

  Sparky dove in and quickly tickled the young pup, “Who needs to fly when you can strut!” For the next few moments, the cab of the truck was filled with the sounds of joyous giggles. The honking of a horn behind them caused the two to stop.

  Sparky rolled down the window and waved the car behind them on. As it passed them, he started the engine and resumed their journey. “I’ll have a talk with your friends’ parents to see if I can assure them their pups will be safe, and you should let your brother know what’s going on. He’s been worried about you.”

  Sandy shook his head, “I don’t want to bother him.”

  “You’re bothering him more by not talking to him kiddo. Nothing is more important to him than you being happy and safe.” Sparky watched as the youngster rubbed at the birthmark on his wrist before the kid quietly responded.

  “I can feel he’s still unhappy and sometimes I can feel that he’s scared. When I ask though, he tells me not to worry; but I can’t help it. I don’t know exactly why I can feel what he does sometimes, or what this stupid mark on my arm means ‘cept I know it’s the reason Ricky feels like he can never leave me. Shouldn’t he be happy now that he’s mated to Alpha Grant? I mean, that’s what mating means right—that the person should make you happy, not sad?” Sandy replied, brokenly.

  “Whoa, slow down there,” Sparky held up his hand. He shook his head, as he took a few moments to process what the kid was saying. Of course, he knew why Ricky was having problems with his mating, but there was no way he was discussing it with his much younger brother. He was definitely going to have to talk to Alpha Grant about hazard pay—he never signed on to give the pup ‘the talk’.

  “M’sorry I shouldn’t have told you, I’m not supposed to tell no one about my Spidey sense with Ricky.” The smile that had been on the pup’s face had disappeared again. Crap, when the damn breaks with this kid, it really overflowed.

  “I already knew, kiddo. Remember when you took off on me in town; when you first got here? So, no worries, your secret is still safe,” Sparky paused. He knew Sandy was smart and wouldn’t be put off with a simple answer. “As to your brother, you know some of what happened to him with Alpha Clifton right?”

  Sandy nodded.

  “And you also know that Alpha Grant and your brother really have only known each other for a short time,” again Sandy nodded. “When two people first get mated, it takes some time to really be comfortable with each other. Your brother is still afraid Alpha Grant might be like Alpha Clifton; and until he gets to know his mate better, he will be.”

  “But Alpha Grant won’t hurt him. He promised me, and he told me good alpha’s always keep their promises!” The pup objected.

  “No, he would never hurt Ricky or you. Look, Sandy, just give it some time, and I’m sure your brother will find happiness. He just needs time to recover from what happened at your old pack. However, remember, whatever his problems are, they have nothing to do with you.” Sparky sighed with relief as he saw the alpha's house come into view. As he pulled into his parking spot and turned off the engine, he turned to Sandy, “First one inside gets the most marshmallows in their hot chocolate!”

  Grant stood in the kitchen pouring himself a cup of coffee when he heard the sound of the front door slam closed, followed by running feet and giggles. He smiled as he watched Sandy trying to push past Sparky, as they both arrived at the door at the same time. “In a hurry, gentlemen?” the alpha asked, amused.

  Sandy stopped, but Sparky used the distraction and surged into the kitchen. He raced to the pantry and returned dancing around the kitchen with a bag of marshmallows in his hands. “Mine, all mine because I’m the fastest and bestest peacock in the land!”

  “No fair, you cheated!” Sandy stood with his hands on his hips. “He cheated, Alpha Grant!”

  “Hmmm,” Grant placed his coffee cup on the counter and walked calmly toward his friend. He quickly grabbed the marshmallows and taking a handful, popped them into his mouth.

  “Hey!” Sparky and Sandy both shouted.

  After he finished chewing, Grant grinned at them, “My kitchen, my food, my marshmallows…” He chuckled at the look on both of their faces as he picked up his coffee cup and then left the kitchen with his coffee, and the bag of marshmallows.

  As he settled into his office, he couldn’t help but wonder why it was so easy for him to let go a little around Sandy, but not his mate. It had been months, and Ricky was still acting like Grant was his master, instead of his mate.

  When he found his Semme’, he thought it would be so different. He wanted what his parents had. Yet so far, no matter what he did to make his mate happy, it seemed to fail.

  There was a knock at the door before it opened to admit Sparky. “You can’t have the marshmallows,” Grant stated, as he grinned at the flamboyant wolf in front of him.

  “First, I want to state for the record that as the winner of the race, those technically belong to me!” Sparky placed his hands on his hips. “Just because you’re bigger and can order me to give them to you—doesn’t mean you should get to keep them.”

  Grant tossed the bag at the shifter. “Point well made. Did you need something else, Sparky?”

  Sparky turned to glance out the door into the hallway before he closed it quietly behind him. Grant sat up straighter as the shifter took a seat in one of the leather chairs opposite his desk. “Actually, I did have something to talk to you about, but you have to promise me you won’t go all alpha and kill someone.”

  “What’s going on, Sparky?” Grant growled. He listened as his friend told him about his conversation with Sandy. When the mechanic finished talking, Grant frowned. His first inclination was to go knock a few heads together.

  How dare they shun his mate or his new son! Of course, he could just order them to let their pups play with Sandy, but Sparky had a valid point, it would only make things worse for Sandy, as well as his mate. The alpha took a deep breath, “So, what do you suggest?”

  Sparky smiled as he leaned forward to speak, “Simple, we tell the town the truth about what we suspect. They should know anyway. You’re a parent now, Alpha. Would you like to be kept in the dark about something that might affect Sandy?”

  The alpha rubbed his chin. He thought it would be better to keep the details quiet. The last thing they needed was a panic. He knew the beefed-up security and building safe rooms wouldn’t go unnoticed for long.

  Then, of course, there were the new wolves that had been added to the pack, they probably had talked about what had been happening in their disbanded pack. “No, I wouldn’t, but we only know that Alpha Clifton is up to something—we don’t know what it is right now,” Grant replied.

  “True, but we know enough to tell them that Alpha Clifton is off his rocker and would have been a threat sooner or later. Ricky, and Sandy coming here actually alerted us to the problem and is allowing us to get our crap together first.” Sparky stood and began to pace for a moment before he continued, “You and Ricky also need to talk to the runt. He can feel his brother’s emotions, and he’s worried about him.”

  “I told him I wouldn’t hurt his brother,” Grant began but stopped when Sparky held up his hand.

  “And he knows you won’t hurt him, but he also wants his brother to be happy. I know it has only been a few months, and I also know the special—er situation, you two are in. Unfortunately, a six- year- old doesn’t quite understand why after being mated, his brother isn’t happy.” Sparky returned to his seat.

  “Neither do I,” Grant mumbled.

  Spa
rky shook his head but remained silent. A frown appeared on the shifter’s face as if he remembered something he’d rather have forgotten. Grant knew a little of what had happened to his friend, and what he had heard was enough for him to realize he wasn’t the only one who had issues with relationships.

  For a moment, he considered asking for advice but quickly discounted it. He was an alpha for a reason. He couldn’t appear weak, even to his friends and family. No, he would have to solve the problem with his mating on his own for now.

  The alpha was drawn from his musings when Sparky spoke, “So, how about you call a pack meeting and afterwards, Jason and I can circle around and make sure those who have been worried, understand the truth?”

  Grant stared down at his hands for a moment before he squared his shoulders and glanced back up at Sparky. “Have Jason get the word out that we will have a pack meeting tomorrow in the meeting hall. Make sure it’s clear that all pack members must attend. You are right, Sparky. They have a right to know what is happening, and what we are doing to ensure their safety."

  "I’ll also have Blaze talk about what he needs to ramp up the number of sentries and what kind of training they can expect. I’m not sure what Alpha Clifton is up to, but if Charlie was taken, then it is clear we were in danger before Sandy and Ricky appeared. We need the pack to be aware of the danger and report anything suspicious to Dakota or my betas.”

  The alpha stood and moved toward the window in his office. He placed his hands behind his back and looked outside for a moment, before he turned back toward Sparky, “We’ve taken our peace for granted and forgotten that it comes at a price. It’s time we remember that evil is always lurking in the shadows. It’s time to turn the lights on once again.”

  Chapter 3

  Sammy stood in her bathroom gazing into the mirror as she brushed her long hair. Her eyes kept going back to the unusual necklace Alpha Clifton had given her after her interrogation by Charlie. The stupid shifter thought it was just a piece of costume jewelry given to the half-breed by his mother, but she couldn’t help but feel it meant much more. There were times, when she thought the small amber heart, nestled in the center of the arrowhead- shaped obsidian stone, actually glowed.