Love, Always, Promise [Wolf Creek Pack 5] (14 page)

I have something for you.

Trail? What trail? Ethan glanced around the room. He couldn’t see anything. Amused at the little game Jace wanted to play, Ethan again searched the rooms for signs of a trail. In the bedroom, he found what he didn’t see before.

The double glass doors sat slightly ajar. When Ethan pushed them open, he noticed a trail of red rose petals leading away from the house. Ethan began slowly following the trail, glancing ahead of the path for signs of his mate. He just saw more rose petals.

The trail led around the side of the house then out toward the barn. Intrigued, Ethan followed. He heard the barking before he reached the large bay door to the barn. Pushing the heavy door open, Ethan stepped back in fright as a large yellow dog barked at him.

Ethan laughed as the dog jumped all around him, barking. The large red bow around his neck told Ethan that this cute yellow lab was part of Jace’s game. It helped to see a large red piece of paper attached to the bow.

Ethan reached down and petted the dog for several moments before tearing the note from the bow around his neck. Once again, he read the words Jace wrote for him, amused at the poem his mate created. It was cute, but Jace would never make it as a professional poet.

Come with me and you shall see

a man who wants you more than can be.

He needed to follow the dog? Confused, Ethan glanced around the barn. Follow the dog where? Suddenly, the dog turned and bounded off farther into the barn. Shrugging, Ethan followed.

The dog was soon out of sight, but his barking could be heard echoing throughout the barn. Ethan followed, shuffling his feet along until he came to one of the unused stalls. A large red heart had been painted on the door.

Ethan pushed the door open. Whatever air he had in his lungs filtered out as he caught sight of his mate lying back against a pile of straw, his very naked and aroused mate. He didn’t know whether to laugh or melt.

A large red bow wrapped around Jace’s very erect cock. “I see you found me, sweetness,” he drawled.

Jace was a very attractive man. It wasn’t just in the way he looked, although that was rather impressive. It was also in the self-confident air about him. The man knew he looked gorgeous.

“I like this game, Jace,” Ethan said as he dropped his crutches and moved into the room, taking one slow step after another until he stood between Jace’s spread legs. “I’m very good at following instructions.”

“Prove it,” Jace dared him.

Ethan raised an eyebrow, silently accepting the challenge.

“Take off all your clothes,” Jace instructed.

Ethan knew Jace’s eyes followed his every movement as he slowly pulled his clothing off and dropped them on the floor. He didn’t even have to look. He could feel Jace’s burning gaze roam over every inch of his body.

Once Ethan stood naked before Jace, he waited. He knew Jace wanted something more. He was right. Jace crooked his finger, indicating that Ethan should move closer. Ethan didn’t know how much closer he could get. He practically stood in Jace’s lap as it was.

Jace grabbed him around the waist and pulled Ethan down, settling him on the straw covered floor between his legs. Ethan would have preferred to sit on Jace’s lap, but this was his mate’s show.

“So, what now?” Ethan asked when Jace didn’t do anything. After the way he found his mate, he would have expected Jace to do something. He hoped for some really good sex at least.

Jace gestured to the bow wrapped around his dick. “Unwrap your present, what else?”

Ethan chuckled and grabbed the end of ribbon, pulling little by little until the bow released and the ribbon came free in his hand. The other end of the ribbon didn’t float down like Ethan expected but fell down heavily as if weighted.

He glanced at Jace, but the man simply raised an eyebrow at him. He grabbed the ribbon with both hands and began sliding it through his fingers until he reached the other end. Ethan froze, his eyes widening at the glint of gold he saw dangling from the edge of the ribbon.

He pulled it up, realizing that the object was tied on with a small piece of red thread. It was not one but two gold rings. Ethan’s fingers shook as he pulled the rings free of the thread then cradled both rings in his other hand.

They looked like simple gold bands. There were no diamonds or other gems, no special designs to the rings. Just simple bands. They looked perfect. It wasn’t until Ethan picked the smaller one up that he noticed small engraved letters on the inside of the band.

He frowned, peering closely at the letters until he could make sense of them. Then his heart thundered in his chest. Ethan felt tears gather in his eyes.

Love, Always, Promise.

Ethan looked over at Jace. He silently questioned him, afraid to put sound to his words. He loved Jace for so very long. He told the man twice of his love. Both times, he received no response.

Ethan began to wonder if Jace would ever love him. He knew Jace cared, but caring was different than loving. As good as Jace was to him, Ethan didn’t want to upset the apple cart by speaking of their relationship a whole lot. He figured what he had was too good to jeopardize.

Jace nodded. He grabbed Ethan’s hand and pulled him closer. He grasped Ethan’s free hand and held it up. With his other hand, he grabbed the smaller ring from Ethan’s fingers and slid it down his finger.

“Love always, sweetness. I promise,” Jace whispered.

Jace grabbed the other ring. “I know we will participate in a mating ceremony in front of our pack,” he said, “but I want more than that. I want the whole world to know that we belong to each other.”

He handed the ring to Ethan then held up his ring finger. “If you want the same thing, you know where this goes,” Jace said. “Will you marry me, Ethan Brown?”

Ethan’s tears streamed down his face unchecked. He didn’t care if someone, anyone, thought it was too girly for a man to cry. His emotions felt too intense to hold inside. Ethan’s hands trembled as he slid the larger ring down Jace’s finger.

Looking up into his mate’s face, he was shocked to see mirrored tears on Jace’s cheeks. But there wasn’t sadness in Jace’s eyes, only joy and love. Ethan realized he saw this emotion in Jace’s eyes before. He just didn’t recognize it for what it was.

“Love you, Jace,” Ethan whispered as he leaned forward to kiss his mate. “Always, promise.”

Jace chuckled. “Then do you think you could do something about this?” Jace asked as he grabbed his erect cock with one hand and waved it in Ethan’s direction.

“I told you,” Ethan replied, grinning as he placed his hand over Jace’s. “I’m very good at following instructions.”

Chapter 9

“He’s really is cute, Ethan.”

Ethan laughed, his fingers threading through the soft yellow fur of his new dog, Mickey, a present from Jace to celebrate their engagement. Ethan quickly learned that having a three-year-old dog wasn’t much different than having a puppy.

Both took lots of energy, lots of attention, and lots of love. In return, Mickey gave Ethan all of his love and adoration. He became excited every time Ethan walked into the room, sat quietly with Ethan when he wasn’t feeling well, and loved him unconditionally. He was like an extension of Jace.

“He’s wonderful,” Ethan replied. “Jace and I discussed whether to get a puppy or a full grown dog. I think getting Mickey was our best choice. I couldn’t imagine having any other dog now that we have him.”

Nate chuckled. “So, you have your mate. You have your home. Now, you have your dog,” Nate said. “Anything else you need?”

Ethan shook his head. “I would have been happy with just Jace.” He waved his hand around. “All the rest of this? It’s just icing on the cake.”

“Speaking of icing, have you decided what kind of wedding cake you’re going to have?”

Ethan frowned. “We have to choose a wedding cake?”

“Oh, honey.” Nate giggled. “There are so many things you have to plan for a wedding.” Nate sat forward. “Not to worry, though. I know the perfect wedding planner for you.”

“Oh?” Ethan replied, curious. “What exactly does a wedding planner do?”

Nate’s grin looked mischievous. “Everything.”

The sound of someone knocking on the front door interrupted Ethan’s reply. Ethan grabbed his crutches and walked toward the door. He started to turn the door handle when Nate cried out behind him.

“No, Ethan!” Nate shouted.

Ethan turned to Nate in surprise. He never heard that tone in Nate’s voice before. He sounded frightened. It sent a shiver of dread up his spine.

“Don’t answer the door,” Nate said, quickly crossing the floor between them. He grabbed Ethan by the arm and pulled him away from the door, his face worried. “Come on, we need to get out of here.”

“Wha—” Ethan started to ask only to be stopped by a louder knock on the front door. He turned, confused by what was going on. Mickey began to bark and growl at the door. Nate yanked on his arm.

Ethan suddenly felt very scared. He grabbed Mickey’s collar and tried to pull him along as he followed Nate toward the back of the house. His heart pounded in his chest. The knocking on the door turned to pounding. It was accompanied by a loud, thunderous voice yelling through the thick wood.

“JD!” the voice shouted. “I know you’re in there. Open this damn door.”

JD? Ethan knew of only two people that called his mate JD. One was Joe, and he called Ethan’s mate Jace since they got back together. That left Jace’s father. And it terrified Ethan to know that his mate’s father stood just on the other side of the door.

Ethan wasn’t sure what to do. He didn’t want to be disrespectful of Jace’s father, but he didn’t want to let the man inside, either. He was terrified of him, especially after the things Jace told him. The man was a monster.

* * * *

Jace frowned as he pulled up in front of his house. He didn’t recognize one of the cars sitting in his driveway, but the other one belonged to Nate, which meant Ethan was home. Jace parked the car and slowly climbed out.

Loud pounding on the front door drew his attention. Jace felt his heart sink to his feet when he recognized his father. Nothing involving his father could be good. Jace braced himself then stepped around his car to face his father.

“Hello, Father.”

Arthur Dominick swung around, his hand raised in the air to pound on the door again. He glared, his hand slowly dropping as he walked down the steps and toward Jace. “It’s about damn time you got here!”

“I didn’t know we had an appointment. I would have been here sooner.”

“I’m not in the mood for any of your crap, JD,” his father snarled. “I’ve given you enough time to get this shit out of your system. It’s time for you to come home and take your place as next in line for alpha.”

Jace shook his head. “Not going to happen. I’m not going anywhere.”

Jace’s heart thudded in his chest when he spotted Ethan and Nate coming out of the kitchen door behind his father. He watched Ethan unclick Mickey’s leash and point towards him. The yellow dog raced across the yard, barking the entire way, until he stood between Jace and his father.

“Of course you’ll come home,” Jace’s father shouted. “It’s where you belong.”

“No, I won’t,” Jace replied calmly. “This is my home now.”

“Bullshit!” the man yelled. “This is your way of getting even with me for bringing that fool woman into your house. You know it, and I know it.”

“Oh, so you admit that was a stupid thing to do?” Jace laughed. “Why, Father, I’m shocked.”

The man growled. “I’ve had just about enough of this, JD. You have a duty to your pack. You’re my heir, the next in line for alpha. It’s time for you to come home where you belong. We’ll find you another wife.”

“Sorry,” Jace said. “No can do, Father. I already have a mate.”

“Fine, bring her with you.”

Jace grinned, his eyes turning to Ethan. “Him, Father, my mate is male.”

“Oh, it’s very possible, Father,” said another voice.

Jace turned to see his brother, Robert standing off to one side. He wouldn’t have been concerned except Robert held a gun in his hand, pointed directly at Jace and his father.

“What are you doing here, Robert?” Jace’s father asked as he turned to look at the man. “I thought I told you to stay home? And what in the hell are you doing with a gun?”

“I think he intends to shoot us both,” Jace said. “Don’t you, Robert?”

“The thought occurred to me,” Robert replied, a smirk on his lips. He waved the gun just a bit. “Tell your little whore to get over here.”

Jace bristled at Robert’s words but motioned Ethan over. He kept his eyes on Robert as Ethan walked the last few feet across the yard to stand beside him. Jace immediately wrapped his arm around Ethan’s waist and pulled him back and slightly behind his larger body.

Jace didn’t like the chuckle that came out of Robert’s mouth. It made him shiver even more than the presence of his father. There was something seriously wrong with Robert, a madness in his eyes.

“I thought I’d killed you,” Robert said, waving the gun towards Ethan.

Jace’s eyes widened at his brother’s words. Deep rage filled him. He started to lunge for his brother, ready to rip his throat out at the clear threat to his mate, but Ethan grabbed him, holding him back.

“Well, no one said getting to the top would be easy,” Robert drawled easily.

“Knock it off right now, Robert,” Jace’s father said. “I don’t have time for your shit.”

“You never have time for me, father,” Robert shouted. “It’s always JD. JD this and JD that. JD, JD, JD. I’m tired of hearing about JD. What about me?”

“Robert! Leave your brother out of this. I told you to stay home.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Robert said. “Let’s not bring the golden boy into it. We wouldn’t want to mar his good name.”

Robert turned to point his gun at Jace, making his heart beat faster. He just knew they weren’t going to get out of this unscathed. Robert was too crazy and he apparently had an agenda.

“You’re always letting him get away with things, with going against your words. You never punish him for it,” Robert shouted at his father. He waved his gun around then pointed it in Ethan’s direction.