 
### THATCHER'S MATE

By

Dawn Wilder

Copyright 2016 Dawn Wilder

* * * * *

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is fictional and any resemblance to persons, places, or events is coincidental.

Adult Reading Material (language, violence, sexual content)- for readers 18+ years of age. All characters are above 18 years of age.

*****

Bundles are usually the best value, so they are listed first :)

Bundles

Mate Series, 1-12 (Gay Werewolf Romance)

Mate Series, 13-17 (Gay Werewolf Romance)

Mate Series, 18-20 (Gay Werewolf Romance)

Mate Series, 1-20 (Gay Werewolf Romance)- Select Retailers

Mated Series, 1-4

Billionaire Werewolf Bundle

Lupe Series: Alex Hunter, Books 1-3

Paranormal Erotic Shorts Collection

Paranormal Erotic Shorts Collection, Volume 2

Mate Series (Gay Werewolf Romance)

Gunner's Mate

Tracker's Mate

Breaker's Mate

Ryder's Mate

Asher's Mate

Foster's Mate

Fisher's Mate

Luther's Mate

Sayer's Mate

Casper's Mate

Rader's Mate

Fuller's Mate

Ryker's Mate

Hunter's Mate

Keller's Mate

Denver's Mate

Ranger's Mate

Thatcher's Mate

Kyler's Mate

Booker's Mate

Billionaire Werewolf Series

Billionaire's Assistant (previously titled Hidden Mate)

Billionaire's Mate

Billionaire's Neighbor

Billionaire Werewolf

Billionaire's Investment

Mated Series (Adapted from Mate Series)

Valentina's Mate

Lenora's Mate

Reina's Mate

Kiko's Mate

Dawn Wilder Writing as A.R. Dawn

Going Lupe

In the Lupe

Let Sleeping Lupes Lie

Paranormal Erotic Shorts

Mate Me

Were My Mark

Incubus Needs

Foxy Lady

[Foxy (adapted from the short Foxy Lady)- novella]

Runt of the Litter

Were It (best read after Were My Mark)

Sea Me

Fangs for Coming

Were Break (best read after Were My Mark)

Were Shield

Elena's Warriors

Curves Ahead

Play Hard

Her Commander

*****

### Free Paranormal Romance Bundle

If you sign up for my mailing list, I'll send you my paranormal romance bundle (Gunner's Mate, Breaker's Mate, Tracker's Mate, Ryder's Mate, Foxy Lady, Incubus Needs, Were My Mark, Mate Me, Runt of the Litter, and Going Lupe). Just email me at dawnwilderbooks@yahoo.com with the subject ADD ME. Or, sign up on my Facebook page and download a copy of the bundle right away!

Happy Reading!

*****

### Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Epilogue

Connect

*****

### THATCHER'S MATE

*****

Chapter 1

Lorenzo

I crested the rise and stopped, adjusting my backpack.

The place was already teeming with activity, plenty of people having already arrived.

The Silver Tip Pack, the pack hosting the event this year, had already set up various temporary structures, including tents and wood cabins that could be assembled and disassembled quickly.

I wasn't exactly looking forward to camping for the next few days, but understood the necessity of it.

It wasn't like we could all stay at a hotel and gather in one of the ballrooms to have a tournament fight every couple of hours.

Well, I guess we could, but it wouldn't end well.

I was certain it would be at least frowned upon.

My smile faded as the enormity of the situation settled in.

This was it. No going back.

Once I went down there and signed up for the event, I was officially cutting ties with the Spearhead Pack.

I knew it was the right decision. I knew I needed to move on.

But I still felt that fluttery feeling of uncertainty in the center of my stomach.

I knew it could ended badly when I first started a relationship with Haas.

Scratch that. I knew it was probable that it would end badly.

But I'd taken the risk.

Even though that decision led directly to this moment, I couldn't regret it. Maybe it had just accelerated the inevitable. I'd always been a little shaky on the Haas's qualifications for being Alpha, and when we had finally broken up and he'd become so petty towards me, those reservations had only solidified.

Sighing, I adjusted the straps on my shoulders and made my way down.

I kid ran up to me as soon as I crossed the edges of the encampment.

"Are you here for the tournament?" he asked, notebook and pen at the ready.

"Yes. Lorenzo Alba of the Spearhead Pack."

He quickly scribbled something down in his notebook.

"Great! We have a place for you. Right this way please."

I followed the kid passed the largest tents, the scents coming from them letting me know they were probably the mess halls. He led me past the center of the camp and towards the edges, where sea of smaller tents had been placed.

He made his way directly to one and opened it up.

"This one here is for you. You might be getting someone else in there too, depending on our turnout. We're serving lunch and dinner today, next meal will be in about a couple of hours. Latrines are about a twenty minute walk west, and the river is about a ten minute run in the opposite direction. In case you want to take a bath. If you need anything, just look for anyone in one of these shirts." He tugged at his royal blue tunic. "The Silver Tip Pack wants to make sure everything goes smoothly for everyone involved."

"Thank you."

The kid inclined his head and disappeared.

I ducked into the tent, pausing as I let my eyes adjust to the dim interior.

It was actually more spacious inside than I had anticipated.

Two cots were placed at opposite ends, with a trunk at that foot of each one. It was simple and serviceable, but clean, and when I sat down on the cot, surprisingly comfortable.

A five-star hotel it wasn't, but they had obviously made the effort to do the best they could with what they had.

The fights weren't supposed to start until tomorrow, so I had some time to kill.

Setting my things into the trunk at the foot of my cot, I ventured out to find some food.

They weren't going to be serving a meal for a little while yet, but if there were weres around, there was going to be food available.

As I expected, there were stalls set up.

I followed my nose to one towards that end. There was some kind of spinning large cone of meat that smelled delicious.

I bought a wrap off of the blond kid working it.

I took a testing bite.

Well. That was delicious.

"Thanks. It's really good," I said around my bite.

The girl grinned.

"It's my grandma's recipe. I'll pass on the complement."

I smiled back, wandering away as I ate.

The turnout was pretty good this year. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I firmly believed that this chance we got every year to leave our packs and find new ones meant Alphas and packs tried their hardest to keep their people happy.

A couple of years ago, a few Alphas had tried to restrict these tournaments, but there was such an outcry from other Alphas and pack members that they had to back off in a hurry.

But people had long memories and I knew many still cast a wary eye on the Alphas that had attempted that end run.

It wasn't surprising. In my experience, whenever someone got power, a percentage of those in power would try to reach for more power or try to find a way to make their position permanent.

Power was inherently corrupting.

These tournaments were a kind of check on that power.

I waved at a few familiar faces, stopping only when someone called me by name.

"Lorenzo!"

I turned to find Mario, one of my oldest friends, walking towards me.

We'd fallen in a little out of touch the past year or so with everything that had been going on, but it still felt like I was seeing a brother.

"Mario. It's good to see you."

We hugged tightly before breaking apart.

"What are you doing here? Last I heard you were with Haas."

I grimaced.

"Yeah. That didn't end well."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that."

Some people might say the very same thing automatically, a social expectation of politeness I guessed.

But I firmly believed Mario meant it.

"Thanks. But what are you doing here? I thought you liked your new pack?"

He shrugged.

"It was fine. But they already had a pack healer. I felt a little redundant. Thought I might try my luck out here. There are a couple of packs I have my on."

"I don't think you're going to have a problem. Healers are always in demand."

And it was true. His fighting skills would be almost besides the point, though he would have to participate and at least try. Still, I was sure he would get offers before they even began.

"Hopefully. I'll see you at dinner, yeah?"

"Yes."

With that promise of seeing each other later, we broke apart.

Bumping into Mario had me thinking about my own set of skills.

I tended towards security, seeing as I was good at all things technical. Security nowadays was often times less about physical prowess and more about being plugged into the digital age.

I knew I was solid in that regard. But I'd also served as both Second and Third before, so I was also good as an enforcer and all around go to guy.

So while I was hoping to put on a good show in the fights, it wasn't the only selling point on my resume.

I headed back to my tent, hoping to maybe fit in a nap before it was time to eat.

Well, eat again.

But when I got there, I hesitated before going back in.

There was a fresh scent. A dominant male.

Someone else must have been assigned to the same tent while I'd been gone.

I would have preferred to have it to myself, but it wasn't something I could control.

Taking a breath, I stepped inside and paused, letting my eyes adjust.

"You must be Lorenzo," a deep voice said.

I blinked as the dim interior slowly came into focus.

"Yes. And you are?"

He stood up and I fought the urge to take a step back.

He was intimidatingly large, maybe about four inches taller than me which put him at about six feet four inches.

And every inch of that large frame was heavily muscled.

His dark hair was trimmed buzz cut short, his face heavily stubbled. The dark slashes of his eyebrows drew even more attention to the piercing light green of his eyes.

Damn.

I had two thoughts simultaneously.

One- I hoped I didn't have to fight him.

Though, in my experience, size wasn't always necessarily an advantage.

Two- I'd honestly rather do something else entirely with all of that body.

I quickly squashed that second thought.

There was no reason to split my concentration right now. These few days were entirely too important for that.

"Thatcher. Of the the Bear Killer Pack." He tilted his head to the side consideringly. "Well, I suppose formerly of the Bear Killer Pack."

"Nice to meet you."

I held out my hand and he grasped it firmly, giving it a nice strong shake.

"Likewise."

"I was just going to take a nap before they serve dinner."

"Good idea. I'm beat too."

We both went to our respective cots to lie down.

I wondered if he even fit in his?

I glanced over to see that his feet were hanging off the end.

Poor guy.

That could not be comfortable.

Thatcher

Well, I'd made it.

I'd never expected to end up here. I'd been with the same pack I'd been born into for my whole life.

I liked the people, my family was there. My friends.

But nobody could have predicted that Merrin would rise to power so quickly.

Or that he would dislike me so much.

I knew it was simply because he felt threatened. Never mind that I had no desire to be Alpha. His wolf saw me as a threat and he wasn't strong enough to think through that emotion rationally.

I sighed, trying to get comfortable on the minuscule cot.

I'd probably give up eventually and take the ground.

I glanced over to the other side of the tent as I heard the covers rustling.

Lorenzo had turned over onto his side, facing away from me.

I judged him to be around six feet tall, lean. His light brown hair was caught into a short ponytail at the back of his neck, his brown eyes a little guarded, but kind. He was also clean-shaven, which made me wonder if he hadn't traveled from that far away.

I'd immediately felt the tingle of attraction. If we weren't where we were, I might have tried for something.

Hell, I might still try.

It wasn't like there was much else to do until the fighting started.

In either case, now wasn't the time.

He'd obviously gotten there not long before I had, which meant he was also beat.

Settling in, I closed my eyes, figuring getting some rest in while I could wasn't a bad idea.

I wasn't quite able to doze, but I was able to drift, let my body relax for a while.

As usual, I felt the urge to get up and move around not much later. I wasn't one to nap in the normal course of events, even when it was well advised.

I rolled out of the cot quietly, so as not to disturb Lorenzo.

A quick walk around the camp before dinner sounded like just what I needed to clear my head.

A few other people must have had the same idea, but most everyone was still tucked away in their tents waiting for dinner. I nodded at the few stragglers, but didn't stop to chat.

It didn't seem like a good idea to get too friendly with someone I might have to fight later on.

If I'd had a little bit more time, I might have changed and gone for a run. There were miles and miles of gorgeous forested land to explore.

The Silver Tip's territory didn't encompass all of it. At one point, two other packs used to be around this area, but in-fighting and lack of good leadership led to them dissolve years ago.

I turned back towards our tent, deciding I'd gone far enough.

I was still contemplating the importance of a good Alpha as I neared the tent, when I noticed a trio of men slipping inside.

Who were they?

It seemed a little odd for all three of them to duck inside silently instead of sending just one in if they were Lorenzo's friends.

Frowning, I picked up my pace.

If I thought something looked off, more often than not it was.

I paused right outside, checking to see if I needed to go in or not.

"We're really sorry about this, Lorenzo," an unfamiliar voice said.

"You don't have to do this."

That was Lorenzo. He sounded tired, almost...resigned?

"Unfortunately, we do."

The distinctive sound of flesh hitting flesh reached my ears.

That was my cue.

I ducked into the tent, pausing just inside to let my eyes adjust to the dimmer interior.

Lorenzo was in the corner, limiting points of attack.

Good strategic move.

The corner of his mouth was already bleeding, but one of the other guys also already had a busted nose.

"Hello. I don't think we've met. I'm Thatcher."

Everyone turned to look at me, blinking as they tilted their heads back to take me in.

I usually had that affect on people.

"This doesn't concern you," the same man I'd heard earlier said.

It might have come out more menacing if it didn't sound nasal and a little wet from the broken nose.

"Well, you're in my tent. Anything that happens in here concerns me."

I crossed my arms, flexing a little.

I found that often times I didn't have to engage in any kind of physical confrontation, so long as I was simply intimidating enough.

I saw the guys eyeing the bulge of my biceps and looking up, clearly calculating how large I really was.

And whether or not they wanted to take me on.

I kept my face neutral, not really wanting to have to fight them.

Yes, I could knock them around. But I didn't like to waste my time and energy unnecessarily.

I mentally rolled my eyes as the largest one took a step toward me.

Great. Someone who had something to prove.

"Why don't you just step outside. You can come back in after about fifteen minutes. Trust me- you don't want this kind of trouble."

I sighed.

"Trouble is tricky. You see, sometimes if you don't squash it right away, it becomes a real problem down the line." I took a step toward the guy, looking down to highlight the few inches I had on him. "I'm not much of a procrastinator. And I really don't like problems."

I blocked the swing he took at me, not bothering trying to dodge.

Stepping into his guard, I wrapped my hand around the front of his neck and simply picked him up.

His hand automatically wrapped around my forearm as he glared down at me.

I looked over at the other two. They were frozen as they stared at me.

"We can do this. Your call," I said quietly.

The guy had I held tried to land a blow, but I held him too close for it to really land.

The guy with the broken nose glanced over at Lorenzo and then over at me, obviously weighing his options.

"Put him down. We'll go," he finally said grudgingly.

I set down the macho man and stepped back.

He glared at me, his fists clenched at his sides.

"Red," the leader said quietly but firmly.

Clenching his jaw, the guy followed his two friends out.

I waited until I was fairly certain they were out of earshot.

"Wanna tell me what that was about?" I asked mildly, turning to sit down on my cot.

Lorenzo raked his fingers through his hair, out of his ponytail now.

It looked soft and silky.

I wouldn't mind running my fingers through it for him.

"Just some shit from my old pack. I'm really sorry about that. It's not your problem."

"Seems to me like those guys are the ones that should be sorry. I know about old shit. Don't worry about it." I watched as he wiped away the blood on his face with a grimace. "Though maybe you should avoid being alone. They were obviously waiting for a time when they wouldn't have witnesses."

He nodded.

"I'll take that under consideration."

The ringing of the dinner bell cut my questioning short, at least for the moment.

Saved by the bell.

Hopefully it would be alright.

Chapter 2

Lorenzo

Relief trickled through me when the dinner bell ring.

I'd known getting out was a good idea, but I never would've guessed that Haas would stoop so low as to send people to physically hurt me.

They'd offered me the opportunity to simply go back to the pack, but when I'd firmly and clearly refused that idea, they'd been ready to carry out orders to make me unable to fight.

What did Haas think that would accomplish? That I would simply return if nobody else wanted me?

I would rather go rogue.

Mentally shaking my head at his flawed logic, I followed Thatcher into the mess tent and the line for food.

Mario waved at me and I waved back, but I didn't make a beeline for him. I didn't really feel like talking at the moment.

Thatcher and I silently made her way into a quiet corner of the tent.

He didn't seem big on talking at the moment either.

I glanced at him as I started eating.

He'd had no reason to jump in like he had. He could have left me to my own devices, let me deal with the problem myself.

But he hadn't.

Which meant I owed him. I'd remember that.

But I also didn't want to put him in that kind of situation again.

His advice to avoid being alone was well-intentioned and practically correct, but I didn't want to use his presence as a deterrent for anyone.

It didn't seem fair.

Lost in my own thoughts, I finished eating.

Servers walked around offering mugs of beer to whoever wanted some.

Neither Thatcher or I fell into that trap.

Only an idiot would let alcohol compromise him at this point.

It could very well be a different kind of test for us. Alphas would be able to see who had self control and good judgment.

Fighting with a hangover sounded horrible.

We left the tent before things got too rowdy, preferring the relative quiet of the cool night outside instead.

"Do you feel like a run?" Thatcher asked as we walked.

A run did sound nice. It was still pretty early and I'd had that nap earlier, even though it had been so rudely interrupted. I didn't want to go to sleep just yet.

"Sure."

I followed him passed the perimeter of the camp, walking until we were far enough away not to smell or hear too much.

Thatcher began to strip unceremoniously.

I did my best not to stare as his impressively muscled body came into view.

The last thing I needed right now was to be sporting an erection.

I looked away and stripped quickly, closing my eyes and willing the change to take me over.

The familiar wave worked its way through my body, feeling like a good stretch- painful and enjoyable.

Shaking out body to settle my fur from my new lower position, I looked over to see Thatcher doing the same.

Predictably, his wolf form was as large and impressive as his human form.

His coat was a darker gray, or at least that's what appeared to be in this light. I wouldn't know for sure unless I saw him in the daylight with human vision.

I led the way this time, following my ears and nose to a tinkling stream not that far off.

We passed a couple of rabbits and something else small and furry on the way, but we'd just eaten and I didn't feel too much of an urge to give chase.

I let the sounds and smells of the untouched forest seep into me as I stretched my body out in a loping run.

Thatcher was a silent companion, easily keeping up with his longer stride.

I could probably outrun him, but I would have to put some effort into it.

We reached the stream and I stopped at the edge of it, dunking my head in to take a drink.

Raising it, I shook it to get rid of the excess water and then walked along the edge.

We stayed there for a while by mutual accord.

I didn't know what he was thinking about or what situation he was coming from.

And he didn't know either of those things about be.

The fact that neither of us could ask was relaxing in and of itself.

We stayed until the night sky was filled with twinkling stars, then we turned and headed back to camp.

Tomorrow was going to be a fighting day.

We didn't know if either of us would be up tomorrow- we would find out in the morning.

Better to be fully rested just in case.

We carried our clothes back in our mouths, our shoes draped over our backs. Both of us had automatically tied the laces together before we'd changed.

When we got back, I changed and got into bed.

It was possible Haas's men would show up again during the night, but I didn't think it was likely after the result of their last attempt.

In either case, if I didn't sleep, I wouldn't be in my best form tomorrow and might accomplish their goal for them.

Of course, as usual, it was easy to think reasonably and logically, but difficult to carry out those logical conclusions.

Mentally shaking my head at myself, I closed my eyes and tried to rest.

Thatcher

I listened as Lorenzo rolled around in bed again.

I knew he must be worried about a repeat of the performance a few hours ago.

But I spent a lot of my time as a scout, so I knew how to shut down the over analyzing part of my brain and rest while I could.

I doubted that they would come back, but I also knew that I could be out of bed and ready to take them on within a blink of an eye.

I'd trained myself to sleep lightly when necessary.

Though I hadn't realized I would have to use that particular skill here.

Lorenzo finally settled down and I heard his breathing even out as he finally slept.

Good.

I automatically woke up every hour or so, the urge to make certain everything was in place urging me to do so.

When dawn broke, I wasn't quite as rested as I could have been, but I also wasn't tired.

I would call that a win.

When I glanced over at Lorenzo, his face looked about exactly how I felt.

Good enough.

We both got out of bed to get dressed, and I couldn't resist the urge to give him a once over as he pulled his pants up above a deliciously tight ass.

Definitely an ass worth protecting.

We headed out to have breakfast, knowing the schedule wouldn't be up until after we'd all eaten.

Predictably, the mess tent was full of men and women who looked like they regretted their decisions the night before.

Bloodshot eyes and people with their heads resting on their folded arms weren't an uncommon site.

I would have spared them some more sympathy except they'd brought it upon themselves and it meant better odds for the rest of us.

As I glanced around, my eyes fell upon an older man.

Salt and pepper hair with a face lined by experience, he looked out of place among the generally much younger crowd.

He sat off to the side, eating quietly and basically keeping his head down.

What would have to happen for someone that age to try to start again somewhere new?

"Do you know who that is?" I murmured to Lorenzo.

"Who?"

I nodded my head in the man's direction, careful not to draw attention.

Lorenzo turned to look. And stilled.

"Sam Hutcherson? What is he doing here?"

"Who is he?"

"He's a doctor. A really well respected one. He's been...or was with his current pack for decades, though I know other packs have tried and failed to court him in the past. I wonder why he's here?"

"Must have been something serious he is," I commented, glancing at the man.

"Yeah. I guess so." Lorenzo was still frowning slightly as he went back to his food.

We didn't have too much time to contemplate the other man's predicament. As soon as we finished, we followed the crowd of people over to the match boards.

Half of the people would be fighting today, the other half tomorrow. As the tournament went on, there would be fewer people moving on until there were multiple fights each day.

I'd been to the tournament before, lending my own opinions on who would be a good addition to our pack.

The fact that I was on the other side now was strange to say the least.

I found my name listed for tomorrow, but Lorenzo would be fighting in a couple of hours.

Against Robertson.

I knew of him. He was a pretty big guy, not quite my size, but much larger than Lorenzo.

It worried me a little. I didn't know Lorenzo that well, but I was already growing attached to him. Maybe it had something to do with saving him from a beating.

I felt somehow responsible for his safety.

Which was ridiculous. He was a grown man and he'd chosen to be here.

I pushed my worries to the back of my mind as Lorenzo made his way through the crowd to where I was waiting at the edge of it.

"Want to go for a walk? I know if I go back to the tent I'll only psych myself out," Lorenzo said wryly.

"Sure."

I followed his lead out of camp.

"Know anything about Robertson?"

"Hmm. He's pretty big, so try not to let him get too close. Tends to go in with his right, though not always. And he likes to glare- thinks it makes him look intimidating."

Lorenzo glanced over at me as he stopped on a rise and took a seat on a boulder.

"Does it?"

I shrugged.

"Yeah. But I know for a fact he's spent hours in front of the mirror perfecting his look. Make sure you keep that in mind. Takes the wind out of the intimidation factor," I said with a smirk.

"Hmm." He looked over at me from the corner of his eye. "Know that for a fact do you?"

I shrugged, not commenting on it.

I didn't particularly want to talk about an old lover with him.

The thought gave me pause.

I shook my head at myself.

My interest obviously wasn't waning.

"Don't worry. I know how to handle a bigger guy," Lorenzo said, looking out over the camp.

I shifted a little.

He probably hadn't meant it like my body was taking it.

He glanced at me with a smirk.

Or maybe he did?

We stayed up there for most of the time until his match. It was a lot quieter than camp, a good way to settle the mind.

A lot of a fight was mental anyway. I was hoping he was shoring up his defenses.

He sighed and stood.

"Time to head back."

We made our way back to camp.

The air had changed completely from the night before. Everyone was much more quiet, more focused on the reason why we were all here in the first place.

I could feel the tension and the nerves.

Lorenzo had a determined and neutral look on his face as he went to the ring, a flattened dirt area surrounded by stands.

I squeezed his shoulder.

"Good luck."

He nodded at me absently, his mind already on the fight.

Good.

I climbed up into the stands to get a better view.

Lorenzo

I rolled my neck, stretching out to loosen up.

Robertson came in across the ring, a large blond guy. I might have felt more intimidated if I hadn't just spent so much time with Thatcher.

We were allowed hand held weapons, though no projectiles. Robertson was shirtless and in a pair of loose cotton pants. No weapons, but he did have on wrist guards, which were the only kind of armor that was allowed.

I pulled out my short daggers, ignoring the glare he leveled my way.

Knowing that he had spent so much time perfecting it really did help take away some of the intimidation factor.

Thanks Thatcher.

The announcer keyed up.

"First up, Lorenzo vs. Robertson. Remember the rules..."

I absently listened to what he was saying, but I already knew.

Tossed out of the ring, you were done. Third blood, you were done. Unconscious, done.

If fatal force was shown to be attempted deliberately, that person would be immediately disqualified.

Problem was, in the heat of the moment people oftentimes went too hard. Every tournament I could remember had at least one fatality, deliberate or otherwise.

"Fight!"

We began circling, my eyes a little unfocused so I would be able to catch his movements better.

Patience was key.

Sure enough, he wasn't able to last long before he darted in with a right hook.

I dodged, slicing at him, but he was able to block with his guards.

We retreated back to our sides.

I could see a little wariness creeping into his eyes.

His claws sliced out from his finger tips.

Yes. Good idea to take me seriously.

I feigned a quick strike and he danced to the side, losing his footing a little.

It was my turn to dart in and slice him quickly before moving back again.

He snarled as blood leaked down the shallow cut along his rib cage.

"First blood!" the announcer called out.

And then Robertson let the anger get to him.

Rushing at me with a roar, he tried to grab me with his clawed hands.

I ducked out and slid to the side, quickly drawing a curved line on his opposite rib cage.

"Second blood!"

Rather than gathering himself and regrouping, Robertson, whirled around with rage clear in his eyes.

Shit.

I took a glancing blow to the midsection that knocked the air out of me as I moved to get out of range.

He ran full tilt at me, letting down his guard completely in his attempt to get through mine.

I bailed on getting out of range and moved in.

This was going to hurt.

I cut a quick slice high up on his cheekbone as his hands closed around my neck.

"Third blood! Bout over!"

Robertson squeezed anyway, his breath hot on my face as his claws dug into my neck.

"Don't do it. You'll be disqualified," I choked out. I didn't bother going for his hands, instead bringing my daggers up and pressing them into his neck on either side.

His eyes flickered as he realized he was in just as much danger as I was.

That moment after the fight was over only lasted about a couple of seconds, but time had an odd elasticity in situations like that.

I saw him come back down to earth as he decided to let go and stepped back.

I took in a deep breath, sheathing my blades.

He nodded at me as he turned and left the ring.

"This one goes to Lorenzo!"

The crowd cheered, but I didn't take it personally. They would have cheered had Robertson been the winner as well.

I walked off to the side where Thatcher was already waiting for me.

"He should have been disqualified," he growled, taking my arm and pulling me away from the crowd.

"He backed off," I said, my voice a little hoarse.

Having someone try to squeeze that life out of you would do that.

Thatcher glared down at me.

"Hey, it wasn't _my_ fault."

He muttered something under his breath as he dragged me all the way back to our tent.

"Are you hurt anywhere besides your neck?"

I took a quick inventory.

"Just some bruising." I winced as I rubbed my stomach a little.

"Take off your shirt," he demanded.

"I'm fine. It's just a bruise."

He crossed his arms and glared at me.

It was much more effective than Robertson's could ever hope to be.

Rolling my eyes, I took off my shirt.

The bruise was already starting to darken, a large area just above my navel that went across to my left rib cage.

I'd had much worse.

"See?"

Not commenting, he began feeling up my rib cage.

I watched his face, intent on what he was doing.

Alright. Now I was just enjoying his hands on me.

He looked up from his hand where it was now cupping my side protectively.

"Looks like you'll live," he acknowledged.

"Uh-huh."

His eyes darkened as they traced my face, settling briefly on my lips.

I was almost certain he was going to lean in and kiss me.

I was willing him to. The adrenaline of the fight already had me at half mast.

After a tension filled moment, he stepped back.

"I'm going to check out the next fight."

And then the tent was empty.

Well, that was a let down.

Sighing, I sat down on my cot.

Thatcher

I took a deep breath of fresh air as I walked out.

That had been close.

I'd almost said to hell with it and kissed him.

God knew I'd wanted to.

But I also knew there was no uncrossing that line once I went passed it. And it wasn't in either of our best interests to split focus like that.

Not when we had no idea where either of our futures lay or where we would ultimately end up.

No. We both needed our heads in the game completely.

Our futures depended on it.

But fuck.

That had been one of the most difficult things I'd ever had to do.

I needed to be more careful about being in those kinds of situations with him. Though it would be difficult when we shared a tent.

This was going to be hard.

I headed to the ring and watched a fight like I said I was before I left to go back.

I knew the line up pretty well, knew how they liked to fight.

And I felt uneasy leaving Lorenzo alone for too long when those assholes from his old pack were still around.

Feeling marginally more in control, I headed back to the tent.

Chapter 3

Lorenzo

The next day, I found myself in the stands, watching Thatcher loosen up.

Xander, the man he was paired up with, was joking around with a couple of his buddies on the sidelines, seemingly not taking anything too seriously.

But something in the steadiness of his eyes even as he threw his head back and laughed...

I had a feeling it was a subtle tactic, a way to get his opponent's guard down.

I looked over at Thatcher's hard face.

Good luck to Xander with that.

No way was Thatcher letting his guard down.

Xander finally left his hangers on, idly stepping into the ring, rotating his wrist, a short sword held loosely in his grip.

Thatcher wasn't carrying a weapon, but I hadn't pegged him as the type to.

He was however wearing a couple of plain, well-made wrist guards. His t-shirt and pants were closely fitted to minimize easy grabbing, but flexible enough to allow him to move easily.

The fact that they showcased his ripped body was a nice side benefit.

One I was trying not to admire too much with minimum success.

He stepped into the ring as well, loosening up his shoulders as he watched Xander.

The announcer keyed up the crowd, getting them excited before finally officially starting the bout.

"Fight!"

Xander and Thatcher both stepped forward, neither the type to wait apparently.

Xander started in with a testing swing that Thatcher easily deflected, sweeping his foot out to try to catch the other man's legs.

Xander easily evaded the leg sweep, moving back to circle Thatcher, his eyes focused even as he smiled like he didn't have a care in the world, his brown hair almost but not quite flopping into his eyes.

Looked like he worked hard at portraying the unaffected image.

He began swinging his sword in a complicated pattern that caught the sun light, designed to trick the eye.

Thatcher's eyes stayed focused elsewhere, not taking the bait.

Xander lunged forward, but instead of moving back like he could have, Thatcher stepped forward into the attack, taking a glancing blow to the hip from the sword.

He didn't react as he grabbed his opponent's loose shirt, picked him up, and tossed him out of the ring.

The crowd was silent as Xander landed with a thump and a curse.

I didn't think anyone was expecting such a quick and simple ending to the fight.

"Thatcher takes it!"

The crowd got on board with a roar, as if the verbalized ending to the fight allowed them to.

It was pretty ironic how sheep-like a bunch of wolves could be.

I pushed through them, moving down the stands to intercept Thatcher as he left the ring.

"How's your hip?" I asked immediately.

He grunted.

"Could be better."

As we walked away, I moved to his other side to get a better look.

"Shit. You're bleeding too much," I said grimly, stripping my shirt so I could use it to staunch some of the flow. "You probably need stitches at the very least."

"I'll be fine. Just need to stop the bleeding and tie it up to heal tonight."

I shook my head at the stubborn response, not arguing as we got back to our tent and I pushed him to lie down.

I undid his pants and pulled them down enough so I could get a good look at his hip, trying to ignore the fact that he wasn't wearing any underwear.

And that his cock wasn't exactly unhappy at the moment.

I shook my head at my own response, wiping away some of the blood around the wound.

It wasn't because of me. Fighting gut the blood pumping, the adrenaline going. I knew that.

I'd felt it.

"It's too deep. He slipped up," I said, shaking my head. "Blades are for shallow slices not puncture wounds in the ring."

"Why don't you move a little over to your left?" he said suggestively.

I looked up sharply.

"That's it. You're getting woozy. Stay right here."

Ignoring his reassurances that he was fine, I left the tent and made my way to the middle of camp.

I'd kept an eye on Sam Hutcherson after Thatcher had pointed him out.

Just in case.

I made a direct line to his tent and stopped just outside, hoping he was there.

"Sam? Sam Hutcherson?"

The flap in front was immediately pulled aside and his alert face peered out at me.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, but my friend just took a sword to the hip and he's bleeding. A lot."

"Hold on." He disappeared inside only to come out again with a black leather satchel. "Lead the way."

"Thank you," I said, relieved.

I ran back to the tent, Sam keeping pace with me easily.

When we got there, Thatcher smiled at me, a sappy expression on his face.

"He's acting off," I said worriedly. "He shouldn't be this affected from the amount of blood loss he's had."

Weres were tough motherfuckers, as a rule.

Sam made a noncommittal sound as he wiped the wound and looked at it.

Then he bent over to get closer, taking a deep breath.

"You'd be correct," he said grimly as he straightened. "Whoever stabbed him dipped his blade in something. I'm guessing some kind of tranquilizer."

That little shit.

"I feel fine. Good!" Thatcher interjected, his words slurring a little.

"Can you do anything about it?" I asked.

Sam should his head, pulling on some gloves as he took out a needle.

"Not without knowing exactly what it is. It'll have to work its way through his system. But I can sew up this wound so he can keep his blood inside where it belongs."

He suited action to words, sewing up the wound quickly and neatly as Thatcher finally passed out from a combination of blood loss and the tranquilizer.

Finished, he straightened and slapped a bandage on the wound.

"It should be mostly healed by tomorrow, at least the surface. The stitches will dissolve, so you don't have to worry about that. When he wakes up, make sure he gets plenty of fluids and some food in him. Should be up and walking around by the day after tomorrow, though I would be careful of the hip for another day or two."

"I'll be sure to tell him that," I said wryly.

Sam grimaced.

"Yes, I suppose being careful isn't really an option at the moment. What did you say your names were?"

"Sorry. I'm Lorenzo and that's Thatcher. I- we- really appreciate it."

He waived off the thanks.

"I'm glad you came to me. I have a feeling you won't be the only ones." He sighed, packing up his bag.

I wouldn't get a better opportunity to assuage my curiousity.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure. But I don't promise an answer," he said, straightening with his bag in his hand.

"Fair enough," I acknowledged. "I was just wondering...why are you here? Your skills are in high demand. I would think any pack would be more than happy to have you if your old one let you go."

He sighed.

"Perhaps a few months ago, yes. But that was before I disobeyed my Alpha's orders." He smiled bitterly. "Not the kind of pack member other Alphas are eager to recruit. I'll see you around."

With that firm ending to the conversation, he left us.

I sat down next to Thatcher, wondering what order he would choose to disobey. Something he would do even if it resulted in his exile.

I didn't come up with any definitive answers, but I knew it would continue to bother me. I'd ask around when I had the opportunity, maybe someone knew something.

Gossip usually spread like wildfire.

I watched over Thatcher until it was time to eat. Even then, I left just long enough to bring food back for the both of us, in case he woke up and was hungry.

When night fell, I dragged my cot over next to his so I'd hear if he needed me.

I must have fallen asleep, though it couldn't have been for long since it was still dark when I opened my eyes.

What had woken me?

I sat up slowly.

"Haas sends his love."

The blow to the face came before I was fully oriented.

Shaking it off, I rolled out of the cot, making sure to palm my daggers on the way to the ground.

Just what I needed.

Another run in with these assholes.

I rolled to my feet, painfully aware of Thatcher still passed out and helpless behind me.

I couldn't let them get to him.

The surge of adrenaline got rid of the few cobwebs that were left from the couple of hours I slept.

There was no more speaking as they came at me, getting in more than a few good blows.

I wouldn't be able to hold them off for long. I was only one person after all.

But I'd get a few good blows in.

And I wasn't pulling my punches.

This wasn't the ring and these guys didn't have any sense of fair play.

I fought with the intent to inflict maximum damage, which I didn't think they were expecting judging by the looks on their faces.

I blocked, sliced, and stabbed as efficiently as possible, feeling warm blood spatter across my face in the dark, tasting the distinct, metallic taste of it on my tongue.

It roused my wolf.

I growled as I took blow after blow and kept going.

Thatcher

My eyes snapped open.

Something was wrong.

I stayed still, trying to get my bearings without drawing attention to myself.

I was lying down.

My hip hurt.

And there was a fight going on right next to me.

I heard a grunt.

Lorenzo's grunt.

I rolled out of bed, wincing as I felt the pull of stitches.

No time to worry about it.

I fastened my pants and waded in.

"I thought I told you not to come back," I growled, my voice extra gravelly from having just woken up.

I didn't wait for an answer, simply grabbed the guy nearest me and threw him across the tent, through the front flap and outside.

I almost buckled as searing pain flashed through me, starting at my hip.

I turned to the coward who'd attacked my weak point and punched him.

Hard.

He fell to the ground, holding his face.

"Upsy-daisy."

Grabbing him, I threw him after his friend.

Before I could get to the last guy, he was down on the ground, unconscious.

"I take a nap for a couple hours," I grumbled, picking up the last guy and tossing him out after his friends.

"Sorry." I heard him spit to the side.

Frowning, I limped over to the battery-powered lamp in the corner and turned it on.

Lorenzo blinked at the sudden illumination.

Fuck.

He was splattered in blood.

"Where are you hurt?" I demanded.

"Uh." He blinked, looking down. "Hmm. I don't think much of this is mine."

I took a moment to take that in.

"I think we both need a good dunk."

He looked down and held out his arms.

"Sounds like a good idea."

We gingerly made our way outside.

Two of the guys I'd thrown out were still lying there, but one was missing.

Leaving your people behind.

Nice.

Ignoring them, we slowly made our way to the stream we'd gone to before.

Now that I wasn't in the middle of the fight, my hip ached like a bitch and I was feeling weirdly woozy still.

"What happened?" I asked as we walked.

Lorenzo wasted no words in his explanation.

"Xander laced his sword with some kind of tranquilizer. Sam patched you up."

I did have a vague memory of the older man telling me to stay still.

"And those guys decided to sneak in and attack you again while I was incapacitated," I surmised. "Something a wound like the one on my hip alone wouldn't accomplish. Nice coincidence, don't you think? Must have stumbled upon a dose of good luck that Xander just happened to drug me."

Lorenzo looked up at me, his face startled.

"I hadn't really thought of it that way," he murmured. "In that case, I'm even more sorry. Again. Maybe I should ask for a tent reassignment."

"And have me miss all the fun? Don't worry about it. Not your fault. Though I have no idea what they think they're accomplishing. Who's Haas?"

I'd definitely heard that name.

"My old Alpha."

"Uh-huh." I waited for more. When it didn't come, I continued. "And..."

He sighed.

"My ex."

"Your ex," I repeated. "Who's so bitter he sent a contingent of his pack to teach you a lesson?"

"The break up wasn't exactly...mutual."

I snorted.

"If he wants you back, this sure isn't the way to go about it. Sounds to me like he just wants you hurt."

Lorenzo didn't have anything to say that.

The fact that we'd made it to the stream gave him an excuse to avoid the issue.

And he took it, hopping into the water fast.

I let it go, stripping and jumping into the water after him.

"Shit that's cold," I muttered, dunking my head in and shaking off the water as I came back out.

"Yeah."

I looked over to see that with the blood washed off, he didn't look nearly as bad. I only saw a few visible wounds on him.

He must have really gone at those guys.

Good.

The icy water didn't encourage us to linger too long. We scrubbed off and changed into our wolves for the warmth of fur coats, taking our clothes in our mouths for the trek back to the camp.

When we got back into our tent, we changed back.

Lorenzo was still shivering.

"You're still cold?" I asked, concerned. "Here." I wrapped an arm around him to share my body heat.

"Sorry. It's probably a combination of the cold and all the stuff that has happened so fast," he muttered, pushing in closer.

I wrapped my other arm around him and held him against me.

I tended to run a couple of degrees warmer than the average were. More than one person had referred to my body as a furnace.

Should warm him up quickly.

Honestly, I only had the best of intentions.

Just get him warm.

But the feeling of his hard body against mine had another part of me taking notice.

"Sorry," I muttered, trying to move my hips away a little.

"Don't be," he murmured, his breath hot against my neck.

And he moved close again.

Close enough that I knew for a fact I wasn't the only one affected.

"Lorenzo..." I warned.

But I didn't move away.

I didn't have that kind of willpower.

His cock felt hard and hot, rubbing against mine between our bodies.

He nuzzled the side of my neck and began kissing it, hot, suckling little kisses that I felt everywhere.

I tried one more time.

"Lorenzo, I don't think it's a good idea."

But even I wouldn't have taken myself seriously, not with the way I groaned a little at the end.

Then he reached down and closed his hand firmly around my erection.

Fuck it.

I almost heard myself snap.

With a growl, I pushed him back until he fell onto one of the cots. I didn't know or care which one as long as he ended up horizontal underneath me.

I set my mouth against his soft one, skipping the preliminaries and going straight for a deep, open mouthed kiss.

He didn't seem to mind, meeting my tongue with his as his hands slid down my back to take a firm grip on my ass.

Hmm.

I slid my own down between our bodies to take an equally firm grip on his cock. His mouth stilled under mine as I rubbed at the head with my thumb, where he was already leaking with excitement.

I pulled back a little to see his face.

It was flushed, his eyes half-lidded with pleasure as I stroked him firmly, his silky hair splayed over the pillow.

Beautiful.

I kissed my way down his neck, feeling the beginnings of stubble that gave way to the smooth skin at the hollow of his throat.

I sucked there lightly before moving down farther.

I stopped to rub my face against the downy soft hair of his chest, taking the time to suck at his tight nipples before rubbing my face against his stomach as I moved even lower.

Right to my target.

I looked up at him and saw he'd propped himself on his forearms, his mouth slightly open as he watched me.

I took his throbbing length in my hand and deliberately flicked my tongue over the tip, holding his eyes with mine.

He licked his own lips as he throbbed even harder in my hand.

I broke eye contact to look down at the pretty cock I held in my hand, thick and flushed with excitement.

I cupped his balls in my other hand, noticing that he must shave because they were smooth and soft in my hand as I squeezed them.

I nuzzled them, licking lightly as he groaned.

I grinned at the sound.

Deciding that was enough teasing, I took him in my mouth.

He sucked in a sharp breath as I took him about half-way, using my tongue to tease the sensitive part underneath the head.

His fingers slid into my hair, but he didn't try to direct me, just held me.

I got him nice and wet before settling into a slow rhythm, paying attention to what kinds of touches he liked best. What made his short fingernails dig lightly into my scalp, what made his thighs tense underneath me.

What made him pulse harder against my tongue.

And then I used all of it on him.

He moaned, his hips automatically lifting to meet my mouth. I set one forearm low across his hips to keep him still as I increased my speed, my cheeks hollowing with the force of the suction I was using.

"I'm not...going to last..." he warned, his legs stirring underneath me as he neared his peak.

I re-doubled my efforts.

His body tensed as he realized I had no intention of stopping.

I looked up to see his head had fallen back against the pillow, his neck arched back, the cords in it popping out in high relief as he strained for his climax.

My own cock throbbed in sympathy as I kept up my rhythm.

It didn't take much more to throw him over.

He stiffened under me as his hands tightened on my head. His balls drew up hard.

And then he was pulsing with his release.

I closed my eyes and drank down every drop, wringing everything I could out of him.

I didn't know if I'd ever enjoyed going down on someone more.

He collapsed back onto the cot, his hands sliding out of my hair and falling to his sides as his chest rose and fell with his labored breaths.

I let him slide out of my mouth, giving him one last lick that had him tensing and relaxing again underneath me.

I climbed up his body and kissed him.

He made a small sound and kissed me back lazily, definitely wallowing in the afterglow.

I propped myself up above him, smoothing his damp hair from his relaxed face.

"Good?"

"Mm-hmm," he hummed, stretching under me. "But what about you?"

I glanced down at my still iron hard cock, the head dripping on to his stomach.

"Well..."

He reached down and grabbed me, no hesitation as his hand started moving up and down in a determined stroke.

I wasn't expecting it and I was already so on edge from going down on him...

In any case, I didn't last very long.

I pushed against his hand as I came quickly, spurting onto his stomach.

The sight of it had me coming even harder.

My head hung between my still propped up arms as I tried to catch my breath, feeling completely drained and empty as Lorenzo kept stroking my spent cock comfortingly, the touch light.

"Sorry I made a mess of you," I said wryly.

He chuckled.

"It's fine. I like it. Tells me how much you enjoyed it."

I looked up with a smile.

"There's no question I enjoyed it."

I reached over the side of the bed and grabbed the first thing that came to my hand, which ended up being one of my t-shirts, still damp from the stream.

Perfect.

I wiped him down efficiently and then threw the shirt back on the ground to deal with later.

Turning us on our sides, I re-positioned myself to spoon him from behind, making sure my body was tight against him.

"This is nice," he murmured, layering his arm over mine where I wrapped it around his waist.

"Yes," I concurred, nuzzling the soft space behind his ear.

It was really nice.

I couldn't even regret what I knew was most likely not the smartest move considering where we were and why we were here.

I sighed.

No undoing what was done.

And I was stupid enough not to want to anyway.

I decided to try to simply enjoy the bad decision at this point.

I took in a deep breath, reveling in Lorenzo's delicious scent.

At least I was too relaxed to fight sleep.

I dropped off faster than I had in a long time.

Chapter 4

Lorenzo

I woke up comfortable but also oddly achy.

Both in expected and unexpected places.

And with my body sprawled over someone else's.

I opened my eyes and saw the someone else was Thatcher, his face relaxed in sleep. But even in that state, he wasn't anything less than intimidating.

Nice trick.

I was up for a match again today. It wouldn't be fun feeling as beat up as I was, but I'd manage.

Deciding it was time to get up, I tried to get off Thatcher without waking him up, but paused as I felt something hard against my hip.

I looked up at his face, but he looked like he was still asleep.

I slowly moved up and sat back, straddling his heavy thighs.

There hadn't really been much of a chance to get a good look at him last night.

But now looked like the perfect time to remedy that.

With his piercing green eyes closed, the force of his personality was muted, but the sheer power in his physicality was apparent even relaxed like this.

He was just so...big.

And though his large bone structure was heavily muscled, he was still very lean, not bloated with excess, overdeveloped mass that took the elegance out of the human body. His broad shoulders gave way to muscled arms and hard pecs that led down to a slim waist and an eight pack.

His legs were also hard and heavy with muscle, the power in them obvious.

My mouth watered a little as I took in the grooves at the sides of his hips that seemed to be there simply to frame his cock.

And yes, his cock was just as impressive as the rest of him.

I gently cupped his lightly furred balls, using my other hand to trace a vein that ran up the underside of his shaft.

I hadn't had a chance to taste him last night.

Now seemed like the perfect opportunity to take care of that oversight too.

I scooted down, making room for myself between his legs, and hooked my arms under his thighs.

I would have preferred an actual bed for this, but I'd work with what I had.

Leaning down, I licked a line up his length, from his balls right up to the tip.

He twitched under me and I glanced up at his face as I did it again.

He frowned, his head turning to the side.

This time when I reached the tip, I took it in my mouth, steadying it with one of my hands.

I swirled my tongue around the head.

His eyes opened and he blinked. Raising his head he looked down.

I lifted my mouth off him.

"Good morning."

"Yeah. I'd say," he muttered, his deep, morning-gravel filled voice sending a zing right down my spine.

Chuckling, I got back down to business.

He was leaking a little now, and I swiped my tongue along the delicate, salty slickness of it.

"Not that I'm complaining, but why don't you spin around there so I can get at you too?" he suggested.

I pulled off.

"I want you to be able to relax and enjoy it."

He smirked.

"Don't worry. I'll definitely enjoy it."

Remembering how easy he'd shot off last night after going down on me, I gave in.

Twisting around, I spread my knees to straddle his face before taking him back into my mouth.

I paused as he kissed my drawn up balls, the wet heat of his mouth feeling way too good, especially in contrast with the crisp morning air.

Mentally shaking myself, I re-focused my attention on him.

Well, I half did.

I was only human and he was very good with his mouth.

I'd never had someone learn what I liked and use it so effectively so quickly.

Keeping that in mind, I went on a mission to figure out exactly what it was he liked so I could give it to him too.

He liked a delicate pressure on the tip, and suckling on the shaft, particularly along one spot on the right side.

I made sure to hit it often.

And he liked his balls caressed lightly, but squeezed firmly.

I spent the time to learn him as thoroughly as he learned me.

And used it all against him.

He had to pause what he was doing at one point and groan.

"Fuck, you're good at that," he said, panting.

"Right back at you."

Then there wasn't any more talking as we both focused on driving each other to the brink of madness as hard and fast as possible.

It wasn't difficult. Just the fact that he was so unashamedly enjoying himself helped me enjoy myself too.

I felt his balls contract hard and knew he was there.

The taste of him in my mouth was enough to set me off within the next second or two.

It was a struggle to keep myself from falling on top of Thatcher while trying keep up the stimulation on him and while riding my own climax, but I managed.

Barely.

But I managed.

He saw me through the entirety of it, his hands firm on my hips to help keep my in place.

Licking him clean, I pulled up to take a deep breath as I slid out of his mouth.

The sweet kiss he laid on my spent cock made me smile as I finally let my body collapse on top of his.

I sighed, rubbing my face against the soft skin of his inner thigh.

"When this is over, we're going on a vacation. With a huge bed. I'm talking orgy-sized." He paused. "And room service."

I laughed, getting up so I could turn around and lay along his side.

"Sounds like a plan I can get behind."

Neither of us brought up the fact that neither of us knew what our circumstances would be after the tournament was over.

Maybe it wasn't the most reasonable or forward-thinking way to handle this, but I didn't want to ruin how I felt at that moment.

And I didn't think Thatcher did either.

Thatcher

I saw Sam in the mess tent that morning.

Setting my food down next to Lorenzo's, I made my way over to him.

He looked up at me as my shadow fell over him, his face a little surprised.

"I wasn't expecting you to be fully recovered just quite yet."

"I have a fast metabolism, even for a were. Drugs run through me like water. I just wanted to come by and thank you for helping me last night."

He waved me off.

"It was nothing. Just a few stitches."

"Maybe it was nothing to you, but I still appreciate it and wanted to let you know that."

He nodded his head graciously.

"Anyway, if you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to come to me."

He smiled.

"That's very generous of you, but I would have done it for anyone. It's my job."

Thanking him again, I left his table.

I didn't think I would call it his job. Maybe his calling. From what Lorenzo said, the man hadn't even hesitated.

And I really appreciated that.

As I was heading back to Lorenzo, I saw some other guy walking away from the table.

Frowning at the instinctive territorial feeling, I slipped into my seat beside him.

"Who was that?"

"Just an old friend. I asked him about Sam. Turns out, he treated someone who invaded their pack land- an eighteen year old kid who was injured when he put up a fight and then taken prisoner. He might have died otherwise."

I frowned at that.

It sounded pretty heartless to let a kid die, but I also understood the need for hierarchy in a pack.

Still, with the decades of faithful service he'd provided to the pack, simply dismissing a gifted healer like him seemed severe.

"Seems a bit much to kick him out," I commented.

Lorenzo nodded, his face thoughtful.

"His Alpha was new and already dealing with some testing of his authority in the ranks. I'm thinking he reacted without thinking it through completely and is currently regretting his decision."

That sounded about right.

It usually took some time for an Alpha to become seasoned enough to deal with all of the issues leadership had to deal with. Especially the ones who skipped many of the positions between the bottom and the top, fighting for the Alpha position before they were really ready.

The allure of the prestige and the power led to some pretty green guys with a thirst for power finding their way to the top. Though they usually didn't last long there if the pack decided they weren't doing a good job.

Even as I understood the need for the ranks for our wolves, as with any other power structure, there were bound to be people who weren't quite suited for the positions and roles they found themselves in.

And power like an Alpha had sometimes brought out the worst in people.

You didn't have to look any further than me and Lorenzo for evidence.

We finished eating and then it was off for a walk again.

Lorenzo was fighting that afternoon, but I could tell his body was a little stiff.

Hopefully a little movement would help warm him up before the bout.

We were quiet, taking in the scenery and the fresh air. I didn't want to break his focus, so I made sure not to be too intrusive, keeping any conversation to a bare minimum.

Before we knew it, it was time for him to get back into the ring.

As I found a seat in the stands again, I realized I felt more nerves in my belly watching Lorenzo than I did when I was down there myself.

And after last night, both my wolf and I were in complete agreement that Lorenzo was ours to protect.

So it was particularly difficult to sit on the sidelines and just watch while he could very well be hurt badly.

Ren, the man Lorenzo was facing today, was a little shorter than him, but had more muscle. He was armed with a couple of thin stilettos, a little odd, but the way he held them had me thinking he knew how to use them.

I knew Lorenzo wanted to favor his left side as he had been all morning, but he didn't betray that weakness as the fight began, too savvy to telegraph it to his opponent.

Lorenzo liked to wait for the other guy to engage and plenty of patience to wait them out. Ren was no exception.

Ren finally broke and darted in after a few testing circles, coming in with a kick that Lorenzo blocked. But he got in a nick to Lorenzo's forearm before he danced back.

"First blood!"

Come on Lorenzo.

Lorenzo's face was calm as he drew in almost within range but didn't close the distance.

After a moment, Ren decided to come in again.

This time, Lorenzo dodged the blow and was able to get two slices in, one to each of Ren's thighs.

"First and second blood!"

Good.

If he could just get the third now...

I winced as Ren landed a punishing blow to the side of Lorenzo's thigh before a long, thin cut appeared along Lorenzo's other thigh.

But Lorenzo got in a shallow slice to the side of Ren's throat, the precision needed to only lightly cut there in the middle of a fight downright impressive.

"Lorenzo draws third blood!"

The crowd cheered as Ren shook his head, his mouth set in a grim line as he retreated from the ring.

I moved down quickly to meet Lorenzo to the side.

"Let me take a look at those."

He stood still as I checked his forearm and thigh.

"Not too deep," I remarked, trying not to let my anger at the damage show.

It was ridiculous to be angry about minor injuries, but it didn't stop me from wanting to find Ren and lay into him despite knowing that.

I was such a goner.

"No. Ren's pretty good with his control." His smile was a little cocky as he added the next bit. "Not as good as me though."

I snorted out a laugh and looped my arm over his shoulders as we headed back to our tent.

The next week passed in much the same manner as people were whittled down.

We started fighting multiple times a day, the test turning into one of sheer endurance as the tournament went on.

By the end of the week, everyone was feeling pretty beat up, no matter their rank on the scoreboard.

The mood was subdued as everyone filed out of the mess tent and went to the assignment board to see who would be matched up next.

I scanned through it with a certain amount of detachment, a necessary mode of operation in a situation like this.

Then I saw who I was supposed to fight next.

Sam.

Lorenzo and I looked at each other as we saw the match up.

Obviously the doctor wasn't helpless to have made it this far. But I had no desire to hurt the man, especially not after he helped me when I needed it the most.

"What are you going to do?" Lorenzo murmured as we turned away from the posting.

"I don't know. Can I forfeit?"

Lorenzo shook his head.

"Not in the rules. If you forfeit one match, you effectively forfeit the whole tournament."

I shook my head, trying to think through this scenario.

There had been a niggling worry in the back of my head that I might be paired up with Lorenzo.

But I hadn't thought about Sam.

What I knew for sure was that I wasn't hurting someone who was not only a healer by trade, but older than me by a good two decades on top of being significantly smaller.

It just didn't sit right.

By the time we got into the ring, I'd exhausted every possibility until I was left with two.

Which one would happen depended on Sam's response.

When I got to the ring, Sam smiled at me ironically from across it as we prepared.

The announcer didn't waste any time hyping up the crowd, probably figuring this would be over soon.

"Fight!"

We circled once before meeting in the middle.

I took a firm hold of him behind the neck and ducked down so our heads were near each other.

"I can just toss you out of bounds if you let me. If not, I'll take everything you have to give, but I don't plan on hurting you," I murmured, knowing there was too much ambient noise for anyone to hear me.

He sighed even as we played the struggle up to the crowd.

"Do it. We both know this match up is ridiculous anyway."

Taking him at his word, I took a firm grip on him and tossed him as gently as I could.

He landed in a crouch, adopting a dismayed look on his face.

"Thatcher defeats Sam!"

Lorenzo

I watched as Sam was tossed over the boundary line.

And that was the only way I could describe it. He definitely wasn't thrown, despite Thatcher's attempt to make it look like he was.

"Thatcher defeats Sam!"

The crowd went wild even as Thatcher made his way out.

He'd become somewhat of a favorite among the onlookers, though he didn't play up to them or try to ingratiate himself with them using any of the showmanship some of the others attempted.

But I could see why they were enamored.

Yes, he was large. But he had a grace of movement coupled with an efficiency that was riveting. The fact that he didn't play to the crowd increased the sense of mystique around him.

I could also tell that the crowd's response wasn't something he paid attention to at all. And that the aloofness actually seemed to work in his favor.

I didn't even know if he realized he'd become a favorite in that regard.

We walked away right after the fight- if one could call it that- as we'd gotten into the habit of doing right after either of our matches.

It wasn't worth getting caught up in other matches, not when we were going to be back in there ourselves soon enough.

"So...Sam decided he wanted to know how Superman felt?" I asked as we drew far enough away.

Thatcher smiled slightly but didn't respond.

I'd take that as a confirmation.

I tried not to think what would happen if Thatcher and I were paired up.

It might not happen at all.

I had full confidence in Thatcher making it to the very end, but I knew I wasn't quite as good as him.

In any case, each fight I won was a bittersweet victory now. I was still in the game, but that also put me one step closer to facing Thatcher in the ring.

We were far enough along now that various Alphas were already offering positions to people, regardless of whether or not they did well for the rest of the tournament.

I'd gotten a couple of offers and Thatcher had gotten even more.

Neither of us had given our answers yet.

I wasn't certain what was holding him back, but I knew one of the big reasons I was hesitating was because we didn't have any overlap in offers.

We would be going to separate packs if either of us accepted one of them.

I followed Thatcher absently into our tent, my mind still occupied with that issue.

Maybe I was reading too much into it.

Who knew if Thatcher was even on the same page I was? Maybe he wanted something short term, just while we were both here anyway.

My train of thought broke as I bumped into Thatcher's back. He'd stopped abruptly inside the tent for some reason.

I looked up to see why.

"Hello Lorenzo."

Haas stood up, the three idiots he'd sent for me before arrayed behind him.

Chapter 5

Thatcher

Judging by the company this guy came with and the look on Lorenzo's face, I was guessing this was his asshole of an ex.

And his former Alpha.

I kept my body relaxed even as I didn't move any farther into the tent.

If shit hit the fan, we needed to get out quickly.

Three against the two of us was one thing.

Two against four, one of them an Alpha, was something only an idiot would decide to engage in if they had a choice.

And I was no idiot.

Lorenzo didn't take a step closer either, though he did take one to the side so I wasn't blocking him.

I had the urge to sidestep right in front of him again, but I was sure he wouldn't appreciate it.

I understood the need to look strong right now.

"What are you doing here?" Lorenzo asked after a pregnant pause.

Haas was a big guy, maybe a couple inches shorter than me. He skin was a deep, even tan and his features had an exotic cast to them, with a blade of a nose and large, liquid eyes.

He was also in excellent shape, as all Alphas were.

The position wasn't hereditary after all.

You still had to be able to physically keep it.

There were those that people followed into old age because they were such excellent leaders, but even those Alphas originally had to fight their way to the top.

He spread his arms out wide in a placating gesture.

"I just thought I'd come down here and offer you a place in the pack again. You can't have gotten a better offer while you were here."

When Lorenzo failed to respond, he dropped his arms.

"Come on, Lor. Don't be stupid. Don't let your emotions stop you from making a logical decision."

That brought an incredulous snort out of Lorenzo.

"You send the three stooges here to assault me. Twice. You demoted me and gave me shit assignments after we broke up because you were bitter. Why the hell would going back to your pack make any kind of logical sense for me?"

Haas's face hardened.

"Because nobody else will have you once I tell them how you betrayed me."

"Please. That was personal. And we'd already broken up. Get over it already! What are you, five?"

Lorenzo sounded completely disgusted at this point and I couldn't blame him.

"You think anyone will care what you have to say if I say you betrayed the pack?" he countered silkily. He let that sink in for a moment. "Look, we both know where it is you belong. Stop fighting it so hard." He glanced over at me, frowning a little. "Or is it someone else that's turning you away from us?"

"You're enough on your own," Lorenzo said quietly.

"Hmm." Haas gave me a hard stare. I stared back at him, not giving him a reaction. "Tell you what, I'll throw in an offer for your friend too, if that's what's holding you back. You won't get a better deal." He smiled thinly. "I guarantee it."

Lorenzo and I stepped to the side as he and his men started for the exit, the stooges, as Lorenzo had called them, glaring at us as they followed their Alpha out.

Though I thought that was more about them feeling insecure at having done such a piss poor job of going after Lorenzo.

"Sorry about that," he sighed, dropping down onto his cot.

"Not your fault. That guy seems seriously unhinged." I sat down next to him. "You did the right thing leaving."

"Yeah. I know." He paused. "But I'm worried he's going to try to make things even more difficult."

That was a real possibility, so I didn't bother telling him it wasn't.

"Maybe. But you can't control what he does, only what you do. It's not worth wasting your energy worrying over it."

I wrapped an arm around his shoulders and he leaned into my side.

I wish I could do more.

I really wished I could just tear that asshole a new one. But anything unofficial I did would hurt us more in the end than it would him.

God, being on what amounted to a job interview for this long was draining.

Lorenzo

That night, I lay next to Thatcher, unable to sleep.

What had I ever seen in Haas? We'd been together for almost a year.

Why?

Even as I asked the question, I remembered how charming he'd been in the beginning. Before his jealous and controlling side started slowly peeking its head out.

Even then I'd made excuses for him.

But things had finally come to a head when he'd gone into a full blown rage after I'd had dinner with an old friend.

The accusations and the ultimatums were too much.

I'd just suddenly had more than enough of walking on eggshells around the guy.

I'd broken it off immediately, too tired to mollify him yet again or make any more excuses for him.

I'd never expected him to react like he did.

He started a campaign to make my life miserable.

The small things I could handle, figuring he'd get over it. But they started piling up.

And worse, when the Alpha treated a member of the pack like they weren't good enough, many of the sheep-minded members followed suit.

I'd finally had to admit defeat and get out of there when I realized he wasn't going to relent and move on.

The fact that the tournament had been about to begin had made me finally make the final break.

Despite all that, the fact that he'd offered to take Thatcher too had given me a slight pause before my logical self had slapped me across the head in disgust.

Re-joining my old pack was not an option.

But it did clarify exactly how much I wanted my life to include Thatcher.

If I even considered re-joining my old pack for a split second because I could be with him...

This was getting me nowhere.

I had to get through all of this and then see what my options were.

And whether Thatcher felt the same way.

The next morning, I knew something had happened as soon as we walked into the mess tent.

We tended to mostly keep to ourselves, but we'd get greetings and smiles wherever we went, weres being social creatures for the most part.

But there was a definite tension in the air as people avoided eye contact with me, the energy muted as we walked toward the back.

As we sat down, I looked over at Thatcher and noticed the slight frown on his face.

"Not just me, is it?" I murmured.

He shook his head.

"No. I feel like the temperature dropped ten degrees as soon as we walked in."

Before we could continue our speculation, Sam dropped his tray on the table next to us and slid in.

"So, looks like your Alpha has been spreading some rumors about you," he started. "Any of it true?"

My stomach dropped.

I'd been waiting for the other shoe to drop, but I guess I hadn't expected it to be so obvious.

"I doubt it." I looked around at the people trying to listen and also pretending not to. "But looks like everyone has made up their mind anyway."

Sam grunted.

"It was just something about betrayal." He shrugged. "Pretty vague actually. Though he obviously has it out for you if he's gone so far as to actively tarnish your reputation."

I nodded.

I wasn't even surprised, really. Just tired and disappointed.

Again.

"Ignore them. Fucking gossiping lemmings," Thatcher said, glaring at someone who looked over at our table too long. The guy paled and turned his head away quickly.

I tried, but I had the feeling that things were only going to get worse, not better.

And I was right.

That afternoon, all of my offers were rescinded.

I wouldn't have told Thatcher because I wanted him to keep his head in the game, but that decision was taken from me since he was there when I got the messages.

I had a fight scheduled that night.

"Are you going to go?" he asked quietly.

"What for? Their entertainment? Fuck that."

He nodded.

"Can't argue with you there."

Thatcher

Lorenzo was quiet as he walked with me to my next fight.

Even after the shit he was going through, he was still there for me.

I couldn't do less than that for him.

"Don't worry. I got this."

He smiled.

"Who's worried? Go kick some ass."

I grinned, giving him a tight hug before going into the ring.

I looked up in the stands, scanning methodically as I loosened up, barely even glancing at my opponent.

I knew he had to be here somewhere...

There.

Haas stared back at me with a smirk on his slimy face.

I wanted to wipe it off.

Preferably with my fist.

"Thatcher against-"

"Forfeit," I interrupted loudly.

Silence as the crowd quieted.

"Excuse me?" the announcer said over the loud speaker.

"I forfeit."

Another beat of silence.

"Uh, okay. Are you certain?" the man stammered out obviously ill-prepared for this turn of events.

I glared up at the booth where the slight man sat.

"Yes."

"OK. Fine. Yes. This round goes to Mitchell. If the fighters will please exit-"

"I challenge Haas. Of the Spearhead Pack. The cowardly asshole who decided to send his thugs to attack his ex and then spread lies about him. Haas- the dick-less wonder who can't handle a break up."

The silence broke as the crowd burst into laughter and conversation among themselves.

"Well, this is highly unusual. This is a tournament, not an opportunity to challenge. Though I suppose..."

He turned and consulted with someone behind him, covering the microphone with his hand.

I turned back to Haas and locked eyes with him.

The smirk was nowhere to be seen as he glared down at me.

Cute.

"Alright. A challenge supersedes these proceedings. To keep things simple, the rules are the same as a fight, but lethal force is allowed. If Haas of the Spearhead Pack is present, we can settle this matter right now."

I saw Haas's eyes flicker as he realized the fight would be in the ring, in front of the entire crowd.

But he couldn't back down now.

Which had been my intention.

Lorenzo

I shook my head in disbelief as I watched Thatcher challenge Haas.

After forfeiting.

What was he thinking?

I had to admit I enjoyed the insults, but he'd just thrown everything away!

His eyes found mine in the crowd and I glared at him.

He mouthed 'I got this' at me.

I rolled my eyes at that.

Fuck.

I guess there was no going back at this point.

I watched as Haas made his way down from the stands, his shoulders stiff.

He wouldn't have liked being called out and insulted like that so publicly.

Good. It might throw him off his game.

Thatcher had the size advantage, but I knew for a fact that Haas was a dirty fighter. And a good one.

He had to be to be Alpha.

The crowd was louder than usual as Haas and Thatcher faced off, the stakes suddenly higher than they'd been expecting.

The announcer, not knowing how else to deal with the situation, simply treated it like another fight.

Though this one was for keeps. And more than one challenge often ended in a death.

Trying not to dwell on that fact, I watched as the announcer started the fight.

Thatcher

I watched as Haas pulled out a blade, too short to be called a sword and too long to be called a knife.

It was long and slim, glinting sharply in the sunlight as he twirled it in his hand.

I let my own claws out, mentally adjusting my strategy for someone with a weapon.

I wanted to end this as quickly as possible.

Maybe that wasn't the best mindset to have right now, but I simply couldn't behave as detached form this fight as I had with all the others.

This one was personal.

The others were just a competition. People I needed to beat, but it was nothing personal.

I _wanted_ to inflict damage on Haas for everything he'd done to Lorenzo.

I went in, not waiting. He dodged and blocked my attack smoothly, nothing less than I would expect form an Alpha of a sizable pack.

I managed to land a blow to his thigh and scraped his ribs with a swipe of my claws.

By the time we separated again, he'd sliced a shallow cut across my shoulder.

"First blood!"

Even.

We'd both drawn blood.

He smirked at me as we circled each other.

"You've already lost," he taunted quietly.

Ignoring him, I re-engaged, setting my teeth as I absorbed a few punishing blows.

My next swipe was at his unprotected face.

He snarled as we broke apart, the furrows my claws had gouged bleeding sluggishly down the left side of his face.

"Second blood!"

Lorenzo

I watched as Thatcher clawed Haas's face.

He wouldn't like that at all.

He was the vain type, taking care and effort with his appearance.

The possibility of having his face forever scarred would enrage him.

My heart was in my throat as I watched the two large men circle each other, Thatcher with an economy of movement, Haas with an almost feline smoothness.

I frowned as I saw Thatcher stumble slightly over nothing.

His face looked confused as he righted himself quickly and kept moving.

Had Haas landed a blow on his still healing hip?

Thatcher

I frowned as I stumbled briefly.

Shaking my head, I kept moving, keeping my guard up as I watched Haas.

I didn't stumble again, but I felt almost like I was...floating.

Not quite there in the moment.

One thing was clear- I needed to finish this now.

Haas continued to smirk at me, his movements almost languorous as he watched me.

I wasn't fast enough to completely side step the flash of his blade as he stepped in close again, opening up another shallow, stinging line across my other arm.

"Second blood!"

Finish.

Finish.

Finish.

Gathering my strength, I feigned a kick and while he was maneuvering to block, I rushed him.

The full force of my strength and body was behind the tackle as I shoved him toward the edge of the boundary line.

He tried to resist, but he simply didn't have the mass to counteract the inexorable push out of bounds.

He fell on his back, his eyes glittering with rage.

I'd won the fight.

But I was within my rights to go for the kill.

I looked up in the stands, my eyes searching for Lorenzo.

My eyes locked with his.

I watched the internal conflict take place there, vicious and brief.

He shook his head slightly.

I took a step back, not breaking eye contact.

If he didn't want me to, I wouldn't take this any further. How he felt was more important to me.

But I forgot one simple rule of any fight.

Never turn your back on an opponent, even if you thought they were out.

"Thatcher!" I heard Lorenzo yell, his voice panicked.

I let out a breath, jerking my head back down as I felt the burning pain of my flesh being pierced.

Haas grinned at me from a few inches away, his knife buried in my side to the hilt.

"You should have minded your own business, asshole," he snarled.

He let go of the hilt and shoved me.

I stumbled back, sinking down to my knees.

Motherfucker.

Lorenzo

The roar of the crowd as Haas broke every rule regarding honor in combat was a background buzzing for me as I rushed down to get to Thatcher.

The distance seemed interminable, my movements molasses slow, though I knew I practically flew down the steps, reaching him within seconds.

I barely spared Haas a glance as officials dragged him away from the ring, his face set in a satisfied expression.

I didn't give a fuck.

The only thing that mattered was Thatcher.

"Sam!" I roared, supporting Thatcher's body as he started to fall back. "Sam!"

Sam must have already been on his way because he seemed to materialize almost instantly with his bag in tow.

Before he did anything, he leaned down and sniffed the Thatcher's shoulder and then the wound in his side with the blade still buried inside.

"What are you doing?" I demanded, wanting him to start fixing him.

"I'm fine," Thatcher murmured, his breathing shallow and his face pale.

I ignored that idiocy and looked at Sam.

"Same shit the other guy had on his blade. I'm guessing that might not be a coincidence," he said grimly as he took a firm grip on the protruding hilt.

"What?" I asked, not expecting that response.

"He's been drugged. Again," Sam said matter-of-factly. "Hold him down. I have to pull out the blade or he might start to heal around it and I'll have to slice into him again."

I gently lowered Thatcher to the ground, bracing him with my hands on his shoulders as Sam set his free hand against his hip.

"On three. One. Two. Three."

He jerked up, the squelching sound of the blade pulling free making my gorge rise as I fought with Thatcher, the drug and pain leading to confusion that made him fight us even though we were trying to help him.

"Fuck!" he yelled, even as he settled back down, his breathing labored.

"Shh, it's out," I soothed, cupping his face. I looked over at Sam. "Now what?"

"I'm doing my best to stop the bleeding," he said grimly. "I'm more concerned with him getting a larger dose of that stuff so soon after the last one. I don't know how his body is going to react."

My worry rose as I realized Sam was worried too.

The medics for the event finally showed up with a stretcher. It took three men to pick up Thatcher's limp body and place him on it.

I didn't need Sam to tell me that Thatcher losing consciousness wasn't a good sign.

Sam issued orders that nobody argued against as Thatcher was transported to the med tent.

When we got there, Sam suited up and preformed quick and messy surgery, trying to stop all the bleeding.

Weres healed fast, but even we could die from blood loss.

I had to wait outside.

The feeling of helplessness at not being able to do anything was soul crushing as I tried not to think of the worst possible outcome.

If I saw Haas again, he better fucking run.

I wouldn't be able to hold myself back.

And I didn't want to.

I should have let Thatcher kill him when he had the chance.

Sam finally came out, splattered with blood and looking exhausted.

I tried not to let the sight throw me into a panic, though it was close.

"How did it go?" I asked, standing up.

"Fine. I'm quite certain I got everything, no major damage to his organs- at least nothing I don't think rest will help him heal. The blood loss might actually help- I've given him a transfusion. It might dilute the effects of whatever was coating that blade." He shook his head. "That Alpha isn't fit to lead. Someone from his pack should take the opportunity to get rid of him and take over."

I agreed whole-heartedly with that sentiment.

If Thatcher had been a part of the Spearhead Pack, he could have exiled Haas and taken over.

But he wasn't, so Haas would stay exactly where he wanted.

I understood the rule. It was a barrier against violent outside takeovers of packs. Something meant to protect the pack members' interests.

When I went inside, Thatcher was still unconscious, his skin lacking the glow of health I was used to seeing.

Sitting down in the chair set next to him, I took his hand in mine, staring at the face that had become so important to me so quickly.

"You have to get better," I said, kissing his hand. "It's non-negotiable."

His breathing stayed even.

No reaction at all.

Setting my head down on the bed next to him, I took a deep breath, my eyes tearing up even as my free hand clenched in a fist as rage washed through me.

This was unacceptable.

Haas had gone way too far this time.

Chapter 6

Thatcher

I opened my eyes.

God, why did I feel like a truck had mowed me over?

Blinking, I carefully turned my head to the side, not wanting to make things worse.

Lorenzo was in a chair next to the bed, his head resting face down next to me, his hand clutching mine.

The beeps of the monitors and the starkness of the tent were both pretty good hints about where I was.

I raised my free hand to touch Lorenzo's hair but stopped short as I realized I was hooked up to an IV.

The movement woke him.

"Hey," he said, the relief clear on his face. "How do you feel?"

"Like shit," I said hoarsely.

He laughed, reaching for a cup next to the bed.

"Here. Have some water."

I took the straw into my mouth and drank a few sips, my throat feeling better for it.

"What happened? I feel like I was almost just in this situation," I said wryly.

Lorenzo's face turned serious.

"Haas stabbed you after you won. Sam thinks his blade was laced with the same stuff that put you out last time. I'm guessing Haas supplied it," he said grimly.

I cursed.

No wonder I felt like roadkill.

"No offense, but your taste in men isn't very good. Present company excluded, of course," I added.

He smiled.

"None taken." His smile faded. "Why did you throw everything away like that? You were doing so well! You could have won the whole thing!"

I shrugged, careful not to move too much.

"Worth it. Besides, what's the point of getting all those offers if you aren't with me?"

And it was true. The idea of going off without him just hadn't been an option.

He searched my eyes and I met them steadily, confident in how I felt.

"Do you mean that?" he asked.

"Yeah. I do. Are you on the same page?"

He nodded, swallowing.

"Yeah," he said a little wetly. "When I saw you go down like that..." he shook his head as he trailed off.

"Hey," I said, raising my head and squeezing his hand. "I'm going to be okay. I'm tougher than I look."

He laughed.

"Well, you already look like a tank," he said.

I grinned.

"Well, it's not false advertising."

I sighed, relaxing back into the pillow.

At least the bed was big enough for my body, unlike the cot.

I closed my eyes, thinking I might just rest them for a minute. It felt like weights were attached to my eyelids.

"Rest," Lorenzo murmured, kissing my forehead. "You need to heal."

I thought about arguing, but I was already drifting off before I could.

Lorenzo

Thatcher fell back into a deep sleep.

Good. It was what he needed to recover.

Giving him one last kiss, I stood up.

There was some business I needed to take care of.

Leaving the med tent, I walked through camp to the section reserved for Alphas here to watch the tournament.

It didn't take me long to find Haas's tent.

His goons were arranged outside along with some security from the actual tournament.

Looked like there were some consequences for his bad behavior for once.

Though not nearly enough.

But I was here to change that.

"Haas!" I called out loudly.

I noticed people coming out of the tents around us from the corners of my eyes.

Good. I wanted plenty of witnesses.

The tent flap pulled back and Haas stepped out, looking a little worse for wear after the fight with Thatcher.

"What do you want?" he asked warily.

"I want to re-join the pack."

He blinked, his face shocked as he stepped forward.

"You want to re-join?" he repeated.

"Yes. Now."

He smirked.

"Finally came to your senses, did you? That...friend...you have is weak and useless. You need to be with us." He came forward, taking out a small knife to make a cut in the palm of his hand.

I held out my own so he could do the same.

He clasped his hand with mine, mingling our blood.

"One with me and my pack," he said firmly. "Now let's get the fuck out of here."

I stepped back, letting go of his hand.

"I challenge you for Alpha," I said, making sure to project my voice.

He stilled, staring at me.

If I challenged and beat him before, he would have lost face.

But now that I was a part of the pack again, if I won, I could take his position.

I saw the realization cross through his eyes as his nostrils flared, his lips compressing into a thin white line in his anger.

"You little fucker," he breathed. He scanned the area, noticing the onlookers. "Just another example of your back stabbing nature," he said a little louder.

I didn't bother to respond.

Everyone else's opinion wasn't my concern.

Not anymore.

"Ready?" I asked, taking a few steps back.

The small crowd automatically formed a loose circle, creating an impromptu ring.

Not that either of us would be trying to push the other across any boundary to end the fight.

I had no illusions that both of us would make it out alive.

He kept the small blade he'd used for the abbreviated pack inclusion, but he didn't pull out any other blades.

They must have been confiscated.

Here was hoping they got everything that was contaminated with whatever he was using.

I was ready when he came at me in a flurry of motion, his rage fueling him.

He was fast, trained, and motivated.

But I kept the thought of Thatcher lying in that bed at the forefront of my mind. And there was no way he could beat that motivation.

I took a few blows and felt the sting of his blade, but I was just a hair faster.

And a hair counted when you were fighting to end someone.

He extended his arm too far, leaving him vulnerable to the pressure points I used to get him to drop his knife into my waiting hand.

I moved into his guard, which he'd left open just a little too long.

And I didn't hesitate.

I didn't feel elation as I slit his throat, too close to avoid the hot spray of blood across my face.

Only a grim satisfaction at justice being served.

He wouldn't be able to hurt me or Thatcher any more.

His eyes widened as he stared into mine, his hands automatically reaching up to his throat in a vain attempt to staunch the flow of blood.

I stepped back as he fell to his knees on the ground, the front of his shirt soaked within seconds.

The crowd was quiet as we watched the life drain out of him, nobody attempting to help.

His death was within my rights.

I waited just long to enough to make sure it was done.

I turned on my heel, the crowd parting to let me through.

I didn't look at anyone as I made my way back to the med tent.

Chapter 7

Thatcher

When I woke up again, Lorenzo was still in the chair next to the bed, though he looked like he'd bathed and changed, his hair still damp.

"Hey," I croaked.

He squeezed my hand and smiled.

"Hey. Sam said I can get you the hell out of here as soon as you feel up to it."

"Well, shit." I threw the covers aside without checking to see if I was still hooked up to anything.

Luckily, I wasn't.

I was also butt naked, but I was as comfortable in that state as I was fully clothed. And the way I felt at the moment, the whole fucking camp could point and laugh at me if they wanted.

I had no fucks left.

"Whoah, easy there," Lorenzo admonished, coming to my side as I teetered to my feet. "He didn't say you were ready to run a marathon, just that you could finish recuperating at home. In bed."

I took a few deep breaths to combat the light-headedness.

"Don't worry. I don't think I'll put on my running shoes quite yet," I said wryly.

"Here, let me help you get dressed. I already have your stuff packed."

Alright, probably best to focus on one thing at a time.

I was dressed quickly enough in a pair of sweatpants and a button down that Lorenzo did up for me.

Not the most fashionable outfit, but I didn't want to pull on my stitches trying to get a t-shirt on and sweatpants were about all I was up to at the moment.

When I walked outside, there was already a car waiting for us.

Thank God.

I didn't want to let on how weak I actually felt and now I wouldn't have to.

Lorenzo helped me into the passenger seat and circled around to get into the driver's.

I was asleep again before we even got out of camp.

When I woke up, we were still driving.

"How are you feeling?" Lorenzo asked, looking over at me.

"Fine."

That was a lie, but at least I didn't feel like I was dying anymore.

The look he gave me let me know he knew I was full of shit, but he let it slide.

"Where are we going?" I asked curiously, finally feeling well enough to actually consider that detail.

Neither of us joined a new pack. Maybe unclaimed territory?

Lorenzo took a deep breath and let it out.

"My old pack."

I whipped my head over to him hard enough that my whole body felt it- and not in a good way.

"What?!"

"It's not what you think," he said quickly.

"It isn't? Because what I think is that it sounds like the worst idea I've ever heard! No way are we going there! No way are _you_ going back to that sadistic, narcissistic prick's-"

"Haas is dead."

I shut my mouth with a click, stunned.

It took me a few beats to redirect my brain.

"They killed him? I mean, what he did was bad, but I didn't think the host pack would move so quickly and decisively. Just the amount of red tape..." I shook my head, trying to wrap my head around this.

"No. I killed him." Lorenzo glanced over at me briefly. "I killed Haas. After re-joining the pack. So, um, I'm kind of Alpha now."

I stared at him, my thoughts coming to a complete standstill as my brain went totally blank.

Lorenzo looked over at me, frowning.

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

Was I okay?

"Am I okay?! When the hell did you kill Haas?" I half yelled. "Wait, you need to pull over."

He didn't argue, immediately steering the car to the side of the road.

He waited until we were parked to answer me.

"I challenged him while you were out of it," he said calmly, turning in his seat so he could look at me.

"You challenged him while I was unconscious? What if something had happened to you!" I felt anger at the risk he'd taken, but my main emotion was sheer terror at what could have happened.

He sighed.

"I was willing to take the risk. I was tired of having to always look over my shoulder. Haas...he should never have been Alpha to begin with. He was obviously too unstable. And I didn't know if he would keep coming after me, after us." Lorenzo shook his head. "I was done. After seeing you hurt like that, waiting while Sam performed surgery..."

He looked over at me, his eyes tearing up a little.

Aw, man.

How the hell was I supposed to stay mad at him?

I scrubbed my face with my hands, running them through my hair.

I shook my head.

"Don't do something like that again. Not without talking to me first," I finally relented, looking over at him. "How do you think I would have felt if I woke up and..."

I couldn't even finish the sentence.

Lorenzo nodded.

"You're right. I'm sorry."

I sighed.

I didn't like him looking so fragile.

I reached over and pulled him into my arms for a tight hug, ignoring the twinges of my still healing body.

"I love you."

I didn't even think about it, it just came out.

And I didn't feel panic at saying it or fear that he wouldn't reciprocate. It wasn't about that.

I just wanted him to know.

He shuddered against me, his arms tightening around me.

"I love you too."

I squeezed him tighter.

"Sorry I didn't wait for a more romantic moment."

He chuckled, kissing the side of my neck.

"I don't need romance. I just need you."

Well hell.

Just break my heart why don't you.

We stayed like that for a little while and then Lorenzo put the car into gear and we began driving again, my hand linked with his.

I didn't care where we were going.

I knew it was home because it would be with him.

Epilogue

Two Weeks Later

"Oh shit."

I quickly turned down the heat on the sauce, but wasn't fast enough to prevent it from boiling over the sides and making a mess.

I sighed.

Just one more thing I'd have to clean up.

I'd finished work early and gone out to get groceries to make dinner. I wanted tonight to be nice.

It had been two weeks since we'd moved into the Alpha house.

The pack was still adjusting to having Lorenzo as the new Alpha, but from my impression of the things, the vast majority were happy and relieved.

Those who weren't kept it to themselves because they knew it wasn't a popular opinion.

As Second, I made sure I kept a close eye on those people.

One wrong move, and I was ready to hand their asses to them.

I took my duties seriously, more because of my love for Lorenzo than because of the tradition of the Second- but since the end result was the same, I didn't think it really mattered all that much.

All in all, everything was much better than I ever could have expected when I first walked into that tournament camp.

And I fell a little more in love with Lorenzo every day. Sappy, but true.

And I wasn't going to lie. Watching him be Alpha was sexy as hell.

Unfortunately, he'd simply refused to have sex until I was fully healed.

I appreciated the sentiment. I really did. But the frustration was rising.

Frankly, it was driving me up the wall.

I'd finally gone to Sam's new office here with our pack and made him write a note stating in clear terms that I was fine.

He'd smirked the whole time, but I didn't care if it helped me get what I wanted.

Yes, getting a doctor's note was a little extreme, but I was on the edge here.

And Sam could smirk all he wanted. It had felt so damn good to be able to offer him a home in our pack with us.

I was sure he'd gotten other offers, but he'd immediately responded with a yes.

We were lucky to have him.

I turned to the oven and got out the garlic bread, taking everything to the dining table.

I'd gotten out the good china and had even gotten candles for the occasion.

I checked the time and grabbed the lighter.

Lorenzo would be home any second now.

I'd just finished lighting the candles when I heard the key enter the lock to the front door.

"Something smells great!" Lorenzo said as he walked in, smiling at me.

He came over to hug me even as his eyes turned to take in the dinner I'd set up.

His eyes widened as he walked into my arms.

"Wow." He gave me a lingering kiss hello. "What's the occasion?"

"Well, I'm fully healed." I dug into my back pocket and pulled out the slightly crumpled doctor's note.

Lorenzo raised his eyebrows but took the piece of paper and smoothed it out to read.

"'Thatcher is fully capable of getting it on'," he read out loud. He looked up at me. "Seriously?"

I shrugged.

"I just wanted to make sure you believed me this time." I reached down to cup his ass and pull him closer, my erection finding his own hardening cock immediately. "Can't blame a guy so hard up. It's probably clouding my judgment by this point."

"Well, seems like this might qualify as doctor's orders," he murmured, wrapping his arms around my waist. "I wouldn't want to go against those."

"No, you really wouldn't," I agreed, leaning down to kiss him.

Hmm.

I deepened the kiss, using my grip on his butt to hike him up. He automatically wrapped his legs around my hips as I turned toward the bedroom.

He broke the kiss, wrapping his arms around my shoulders as I walked us inside.

"What about dinner? You spent so much time on it," he said, his face already flushed with arousal.

"It'll keep," I growled, tossing him on the bed.

And then we didn't talk anymore as clothes were shucked at lighting speed.

Thank God.

I layered my naked body on top of his, eating at his mouth as we tried to touch each other everywhere at once.

Just the feel of him naked against me soothed some part of me that I hadn't even realized was there until Lorenzo had become a part of my life.

"I need to be inside you," I panted, biting the side of his neck.

"Bedside drawer," he said, digging his fingers into the muscle of my ass.

I leaned over and found the lube, glancing over at him.

"Hey, I wanted to be prepared."

"I'm not complaining. All fours."

He flipped over and I took a moment just to skate my hands across his muscled back and flanks.

But I was way too impatient to go slow.

I squeezed some lube out into my hand and spread it over my rock hard erection, stopping quickly because I was much too close for the extra stimulation.

Squeezing out a little more, I spread Lorenzo's cheeks and rubbed it against him.

I was impatient, but I took the time needed to help him relax, using one and then two fingers to help him loosen up.

Besides, it wasn't like it was a hardship.

He was panting as I got into position behind him.

"Ready?" I asked, rubbing my tip against his furled opening.

"Yes," he said, his head hanging down between his arms.

I pushed forward slowly but inexorably, using short in and out thrusts to slide into his tight ass.

I almost came before I was even fully seated.

Gritting my teeth, I stilled as I bottomed out, both of our breathing harsh in the quietness of the bedroom.

"Shit," he groaned, dropping down onto his elbows and opening himself up even more to me.

"I agree," I said, my voice raspy with arousal.

Taking a firm grip on his hips, I slowly pulled out, watching as my length came out of him.

The sight of it combined with the feel of it was simply amazing.

And then I pushed back in.

We both groaned in unison.

Lorenzo slapped a hand against the headboard to brace himself.

I settled into a slow rhythm as he relaxed a little around me, making my thrusts smoother.

My body broke out in a sweat as I kept myself under iron control, wanting this to be good for Lorenzo.

"Go faster," he panted, reaching underneath himself to grip his dripping erection.

The sight of his arm moving broke my control.

Tightening my grip until I knew he'd have bruises the next day, I rammed into him hard enough that his arm flexed, his biceps bulging as he fought to keep us in place.

But he didn't complain, his other arm moving even faster.

Good.

I hammered away at him, both of us fully embracing the race to orgasm.

My sweat dripped down on his smooth back, mixing with his own as the muscles of his ass rippled with the impact of my hips slapping against him.

The scent of him, the sound of the impact of our flesh, the sight of him spread out underneath me.

It was a wonder I lasted as long as I did.

I let go of his hip with one hand to slam it up against the wall, thrusting in as hard and deep as I could as my balls contracted with my orgasm.

I poured myself into him, shutting my eyes tight as waves of pleasure took me over.

I heard his own groan as his ass clenched around me and knew he was caught up in his own wave of ecstasy.

I should have taken care of him first.

Next time I would have more control.

I slowly collapsed on top of him, taking him down with me as both of us tried to catch our breath.

Wrecked.

I was completely wrecked.

In the best way possible.

After a minute, I slid off him and turned to spoon him from behind, kissing his damp cheek.

"Good?" I asked, skimming my hand down his side, smoothing it over his hip and moving in to take a grip on his softening cock.

"Yes," he sighed. "Perfect. Top notch."

I chuckled, kissing his neck.

"We should probably shower," I murmured, nuzzling my face into his damp neck.

"Later," he said lazily, layering his arm over mine where I wrapped it around his waist and lacing his fingers with my own.

"Dinner?" I asked, my own eyes closing.

Probably I should at least blow out the candles.

"In a minute," he murmured.

To hell with it.

The fire alarm would let us know if the candles became a raging inferno if the smell of the smoke didn't get to our sensitive noses first.

It felt too good to be lying here with him like this.

"Thatcher?"

"Yeah?" I tightened my arm around him.

"I'm glad you're here. With me."

"Me too."

I held him close, knowing I'd do anything for him.

And that he'd do the same for me.

The future had never looked so promising.

No matter what else happened, I knew I would always have a place where I belonged.

Right next to him.

### If you enjoyed Thatcher's Mate, you might also like the rest of the Mate Series! Available separately and in bundles that are usually the best value :). The whole series as of now is also available in one bundle (Mate Series, 1-20)!

Bundles

Mate Series, 1-20 (Gay Werewolf Romance)

Mate Series, 1-12 (Gay Werewolf Romance)

Mate Series, 13-17 (Gay Werewolf Romance)

Mate Series, 18-20 (Gay Werewolf Romance

Individually

Gunner's Mate

Tracker's Mate

Breaker's Mate

Ryder's Mate

Asher's Mate

Foster's Mate

Fisher's Mate

Luther's Mate

Sayer's Mate

Casper's Mate

Rader's Mate

Fuller's Mate

Ryker's Mate

Hunter's Mate

Keller's Mate

Denver's Mate

Ranger's Mate

Thatcher's Mate

Kyler's Mate

Booker's Mate

### *****

### Connect with Dawn Wilder

I love to hear from readers. Feel free to drop me a line at: dawnwilderbooks@yahoo.com

I'm now on Wattpad! I will be posting free stuff there now too :).

My blog is a work in progress: http://dawnwilderbooks.blogspot.com/

Also, if you sign up for my mailing list, I'll send you my paranormal romance bundle (Gunner's Mate, Breaker's Mate, Tracker's Mate, Ryder's Mate, Foxy Lady, Incubus Needs, Were My Mark, Mate Me, Runt of the Litter, and Going Lupe). Just email me with the subject ADD ME. Or, sign up on my Facebook page and get the bundle right away!

Please leave a review if you can- more reviews mean more potential sales and hopefully more time to write :).
