It’d been a few days since Landon had last seen Noah. They’d had to cancel their dinner plans yet again, because of his duty to the pride. Noah had been ordered to work on his day off. Landon understood it, but he didn’t like it.
There was an eerie silence to the pride. The Guardians and Protectors were working more than ever, and the pride in itself was on edge. No one knew what was going on, but everyone was assured the alpha was doing whatever he could to keep them safe.
And it was obvious something was going on.
The Guardians and Protectors were tight-lipped. Even his brother, Cole, hadn’t been told by his mate, Dane, of any threat. When Talon used his magic to give a command to keep their mouths shut…they did. It was another one of those things Landon would never understand about his adopted family unless he was changed into what they were.
Landon shook his head as he turned off the light in his office. He wouldn’t even entertain the idea of becoming a shifter. Hell, the thought had never crossed his mind until that moment. He’d heard what happened during the change, and he was certain it was worth the pain, but he didn’t think he would be shifter material. He just wasn’t built like them.
His brother and Olivia were once human, and they’d commented a few times on how much better their lives had become since they were changed. Oh, they’d also complained about the first few weeks of learning how to live with the magic of the animal inside them, and he often heard them mumbling to themselves as if they were talking to the panther. It took some getting used to, and now, he didn’t think twice when he heard them addressing the animal.
“Hey Landon, you ready?” Sophia called out as she left the breakroom. “I’m done with the end of day reports. They’re in your email.”
“Perfect, Sophia,” Landon beamed. Savage’s baby sister was a miracle worker, and he couldn’t have asked for a better office manager. “I just need to leave some notes for Amaya.”
“No rush,” she replied, returning to the front desk.
Landon chuckled when she kicked her feet up on the desk and started surfing through some social media app on her phone. He glanced over as Malaki entered the room, nodding to let him know every window and door was checked and rechecked just as he’d done every night before they closed up the clinic.
Landon left his note for the night nurse and waited for Malaki and Sophia to gather at the door so he could set the alarm. Malaki drove them straight to the pride without saying anything to them. He could sense a change in Sophia since the Guardians had gone quiet, and he knew she was still feeling the stress from her alpha and pride. He wished he could help them, but he wasn’t sure how he could get involved. The only thing he could do was patch wounds should that ever happen.
As soon as he walked into his home, he stopped dead in his tracks. Noah was asleep on the couch in the living room, and Olivia was working quietly in the kitchen. She peeked around the corner and made a motion for him to be quiet.
“What’s going on?” he whispered to his sister-in-law.
“Noah showed up around three and said he was going to hang out until you came home,” she answered, tossing a paper towel into the trash. “He laid down and has been asleep ever since.”
“Do you know what’s going on?” Landon pressed, looking at his watch and noting it was after five. “Everyone is on edge.”
“I don’t,” she frowned. “Dane has been ordered to not tell us anything, and I know it’s killing him to keep it secret, but Talon gave the order.” Talon’s orders were law, and no matter how bad the Guardian wanted to tell the secret, he physically couldn’t. That was the part of the magic that interested him.
“I hope we know more soon,” Landon mumbled, mentioning he’d be back after changing out of his slacks and dress shirt.
Once he returned, Landon took a seat in the recliner next to the couch and watched Noah in his slumber. A soft purr could be heard as he exhaled. He was at peace, and from the sound of it, so was his panther.
He wanted time with Noah, but the scar on his back tingled, reminding him of his flaws. There was no way Noah wouldn’t be disgusted by his deformity. Hell, it made Landon sick if he even looked at his back in the mirror to see if the carving had faded. He wondered if he’d ever get past the fact the cartel had beat him and carved the letter E, for their family name, into his skin.
“Landon, what’s wrong?” Noah’s sleepy voice brought him out of his thoughts.
“Nothing,” he breathed as the shifter sat up, stretching his muscular arms. Landon couldn’t stop staring as his back twisted and turned underneath his tight, black shirt. His shoulders were broad, and Landon remembered the time he’d seen Noah working around the pride without a shirt on. He cleared his throat at the images. The last thing he needed to be doing was getting aroused in his brother’s living room. “Ah, just wondering what the hell is going on.”
“I…I really can’t say,” Noah replied, his face showing how torn he was. “Just know that we have the pride protected.”
“I trust you,” Landon vowed, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “You look exhausted.”
“I am exhausted.” Noah paused to yawn. “I wanted to be here when you got home. I think I owe you a meal.”
“You don’t have to cook for me,” Landon protested.
“Yeah, I do,” Noah sobered. “Come to my place?”
“Okay, yeah, sure.” Landon stumbled over his words as Noah’s scent thickened in the air.
Olivia gave them a little wave as they said their goodbyes. Landon blushed when she gave him a thumbs up when Noah turned his back. His brother and his brother’s mates knew something was going on between them because they recognized the scent Noah was giving off whenever he was around Landon. It was a panther thing, and even though Landon could detect it, Olivia had told him the panthers could scent it even stronger.
As they walked toward Noah’s cabin, Savage and Mary Grace passed them on their way to the alpha’s home. Savage had tilted his head to the side while Mary Grace smiled widely at them. Booth and Jade didn’t act much differently when they saw them coming from the woods in their human forms.
“Everyone knows,” Noah said as he closed the front door.
“Knows what?” Landon asked.
“That my panther has chosen you,” Noah stated. He didn’t sound angry, nor did he sound sad at the revelation. He sounded…relieved.
“No one knew you were gay, right?” Landon asked, taking a seat at the small table Noah kept in his kitchen.
“Not until you came around,” Noah smiled. “It’s refreshing to know that my pride is starting to realize it.”
“Why don’t you tell your brothers?” Landon asked, bringing up the elephant in the room. “At least tell Talon.”
“I will,” Noah nodded. “With time.”
“Someone will tell him,” Landon narrowed his eyes. “Do you want that to happen?”
“At this point, I don’t really care,” Noah breathed as he shed his coat and hung it on a peg by the front door. “I am who I am, and with your brother mating Dane, it’s given me hope. Hope I could find my soul mate, too.”
“That being me?” Landon asked.
“Yes, that being you,” Noah nodded.
Landon’s heart fluttered in his chest. The male had finally come right out and said he knew they were mates. “But how? I don’t see humans and shifters together here. My brother and Olivia had to be turned.”
“They did,” Noah agreed. “Although, their story was different. They were both almost killed.”
Landon thought for a moment, but didn’t speak. Noah’s eyes were gradually glowing with amber sparks. His panther was close to the surface, but it didn’t scare him.
“Wait, you have to turn me?” Landon gasped, realization hitting him square in the face.
“I don’t have to, but I want to,” Noah admitted, coming to stand so close Landon could feel the heat radiating from the shifter’s body. “I’m selfish, and I want you to be like me so we can properly mate.”
“And how is that?” Landon had heard bits and pieces of the mating ritual, but he never paid attention because it never concerned him. Now, it did, and he was royally confused. “How do two males actually mate?”
A knock on the door paused their conversation. When he opened it and revealed his brother and the alpha, Talon Shaw, Landon felt his palms sweat. He wasn’t afraid of Talon; quite the opposite, he respected the hell out of him. He was, however, a little worried about how he would take Noah’s mating scent.
The leader of the panthers began to speak, and Landon’s world slowed, almost coming to a complete stop when Talon lifted his nose to the air, scenting what his brother was putting off. Behind him, Guardian Winter was sniffing the air like a cat looking for some fresh catnip.
Landon cleared his throat and stood from his seat. He walked closer toward the door, but Noah shot his hand out, signaling for him to stop where he was. A little bit of panic raced through his veins when Talon’s eyes narrowed and landed on him. Noah didn’t need to tell Landon to be still, because his brother’s eyes did that for him.
“Is there something you’d like to tell me, Noah?” Talon’s voice echoed throughout the tiny cabin. Or, maybe, just maybe, Landon was on the verge of passing the hell out.
“I really don’t think I need to discuss it further,” Noah said, standing his ground. “My scent doesn’t lie, brother.”
“Are you okay with this?” Talon asked the question with a confused look. Landon wanted to urge Noah to just spill the beans, but he didn’t have to. Noah did that for himself.
“Talon, I’m gay,” he admitted, sighing heavily. “Mom was the only one who knew.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Talon’s voice softened, and he looked at his brother with concern.
“You were always so busy with our father, learning to be an alpha, and Kye was too young to understand.” Noah stepped aside. “Come in so we can talk.”
“I will leave since this a private conversation,” Winter offered. Talon said a few things over his shoulder. Landon picked up a part of it, and it didn’t have anything to do with them. He’d distinctively heard the word “Gadaí”.
“So, Landon is your mate,” Talon began as he took a seat at the little table. His large body caused the chair to creak.
“We don’t know,” Noah replied. “We haven’t touched.”
“Okay,” Talon nodded. “I’m hurt you never came to me, Noah.”
“What was I going to say?” Noah said through his gritted teeth. “I’m gay, and I want to be a Guardian, but don’t worry, males, I won’t look at you sexually?”
Noah took to the other seat after moving it halfway around the table. When he sat, his knees were touching Talon’s. The two brothers looked so much alike, and you could tell they were close. Landon could see in Talon’s eyes how the revelation hurt his feelings.
“They would’ve accepted you as you are, Noah,” Talon stated, wiping his hand down his face. “Brother, I love you, and you are free to love whomever you choose. No one here will look at you any differently.”
“Or you’ll order them to be nice to your middle brother?” Noah asked with a smirk.
“I’ll order them to shower you in praise every day for the rest of their lives,” Talon teased, reaching for Noah. The two males stood and embraced, bringing a tear to the corner of Landon’s eye. He knew the importance of bonding with your brother.
“Thank you for understanding,” Noah finally said once Talon released him.
“I wish you’d have told me sooner,” Talon scolded, again.
“Sometimes, we like to keep some things to ourselves, Talon,” Noah preached. “It’s not that I was ashamed or feared being kicked out of the pride. I just wanted to live my life as normally as possible.”
“And you will,” Talon promised. “You are a damn fine Guardian, and I trust you with my life and the life of my mate and cubs.”
“Thank you.” Anyone could see how much Noah looked up to Talon by the way his eyes watched him. Landon had been told Noah didn’t have an alpha gene and would rather just be a Guardian. He was proud of Noah for gaining that position even if it was before they’d ever met.
“I’ll leave you two alone, but I’ll need to see you in my office tomorrow before you head out for your shift.” Talon turned to Landon. “Take care of him.”
“I plan on it,” Landon vowed, shaking the alpha’s hand.
“Talon, wait!” Noah called as his brother stepped out the door. Noah rushed to Talon’s side and closed the door to his home.
“What is it?” Talon frowned as he turned to look at him.
Noah’s heart was still beating nine hundred miles an hour after telling the alpha he was gay. Somehow, he knew his news would be received well, but it still scared him to death to say the words aloud.
“I want to change Landon,” he blurted, mentally kicking himself for being so quick on the idea.
“What does Landon want?” Talon retorted.
“I don’t know,” Noah shrugged. “We haven’t talked about it. Well, I was going to speak to him tonight at dinner. We were starting the discussion when you arrived.”
“You know I won’t stand between you and your mate,” Talon began. “If he agrees, and you give him all of the details, I will be beside you in your decision.”
“Talon, thank you,” Noah replied. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”
“You’re welcome,” Talon answered and started to turn. The alpha stopped and looked over his shoulder. “Don’t keep these things from me again. We are family, and family supports each other.”
“Okay, promise,” Noah vowed, feeling the weight of his secret lift from his chest. As he turned to go back inside, he scented Landon’s cologne, and his panther growled with need. He didn’t waste time pushing the door open to find his potential mate pacing the floor.
“What did he say?” Landon asked, his sapphire blue eyes wide.
“He supports us,” Noah mentioned as he traced the sharp edges of Landon’s jawline with his gaze. The male was his, and he wanted to touch him. It was well past time they make the connection to see if what they were feeling was the mating pull. “He supports you becoming what I am, too.”
“I heard that it’s painful…for us both,” Landon said, his lids lowering to cover his beautiful eyes. “I don’t want you to be in pain.”
“And I don’t want you to be in pain?” Noah scoffed. “It’s going to be a long three days, and although the healer has a sedative they’ll give you, you’ll still feel it. There’s always a chance I could lose it, and the males are posted there to ensure I don’t hurt the healer, another pride member, or myself, because most mated males can’t handle seeing their mates in pain. They go feral.”
“This is okay for you?” Landon gasped. “You’d go through that?”
“For you, I think I’d do anything,” Noah promised as he reached for the male. Heat boiled just under his hypersensitive skin. There was anticipation in Landon’s eyes, but it was behind something else…uncertainty. Noah knew it was up to him to make the contact, because Landon wouldn’t take the first step. Time was up, and he didn’t want to wait any longer. “I’m going to touch you now, Landon.”
With a strong hand, Noah cupped Landon’s face and pressed his lips against the human male’s. The bolt of electric power that struck him caused Noah to growl deep in his chest. A tingling of something magical swirled around him, connecting his soul to Landon’s human one.
“What was that?” Landon whispered once Noah released him.
“A mating.” Noah smiled as he relished in the feeling of their connection. It was as strong as the others had talked about when finding their mate. There was no doubt Landon was sent in his path by a higher force. Noah silently sent up a thank you to them as he inhaled his own mating scent.
“What happens now?” Noah wanted to take him like an animal, but he knew there was going to be some hesitation on Landon’s part. Noah needed to be strong for the male, and let him know he would cherish him regardless of the scars on his back.
“Now,” Noah growled, cupping Landon’s erection through the gray sweatpants he was wearing. “Now, we mate.”
“Noah,” Landon warned, closing in on himself, but Noah grasped the male’s face, turning it toward him when he went to look away.
“I know what happened to you, and I’ve already seen the scars,” Noah admitted. “I shouldn’t be locked out because of them. You are mine…you are my Landon, and I will not look upon you with disgust…ever.”
“You promise?” Noah hated the fact Landon needed conformation to continue with what they were about to do.
“I vow on my Guardianship,” Noah replied, placing a fist over his heart. “Now, will you be my mate?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” Landon replied after a moment of silence. He wrapped his fingers around the back of Noah’s neck, pulling him back for another scorching kiss. Their tongues dueled, their hands explored, and Noah’s beast demanded he bite the male to mark him.
“I will take you from behind,” Noah declared, his entire demeanor changing as he took control over his need for the male. “When I pull your back against my chest, I will bite your neck and leave a mark. Once you are turned, you will do the same to me.”
Noah followed up his promise with a kiss and nip to the spot on Landon’s neck where he wanted to place his mating mark. His hands were strong and steady as he lifted Landon’s shirt from his body, pulling the male by his hand as he redirected them to his bedroom.
No, their bedroom.
Noah took his time, preparing Landon for their mating. The room was dark; only a soft light from a lamp in the hallway casting a glow across the bedroom floor. Each touch from Noah primed Landon for what was coming.
Noah reached into his side table and grabbed a condom, tearing it with his teeth. Landon’s body shivered slightly, his muscles tightening.
“Don’t tense up,” Noah said, but paused. When Landon shivered, Noah worried he was pushing the male too far. “Wait…what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I’m just…I mean, can you see it? My scar?” Noah sighed, knowing Landon was thinking about what he would see when he mated him properly.
“Your scar does not define you, Landon,” Noah replied. “You have to remember something. I was there when you were in the hospital. I know what it looks like, and my beast and human side have chosen you because of what’s inside you. The outside doesn’t matter to me.”
“It bothers me,” Landon whispered, but the admission was loud enough to break Noah’s heart.
“Let me show you how I feel,” Noah urged, leaning over Landon’s back and placing a kiss to his shoulder. “Let me make love to you and mark you as my own.”
“Okay,” Landon replied after a long pause. “Okay, Noah.”
They kissed and touched for what seemed like hours, but once Noah was finally seated, all sense of his scars and trauma went out the door. Landon moaned when Noah began to move, his lubed hand reaching around to wrap around Landon’s cock. “Tell me to mate you.”
“Mate me, Noah,” Landon panted when Noah rocked into the spot that craved attention.
Noah’s growl was the only notice Landon had before the male released him and dug his fingers into his hair, pulling Landon up so his back touched Noah’s chest. With them on their knees in the middle of the bed, Noah could switch hands and resume stroking Landon, matching his thrusts. Noah felt Landon’s fingers digging into his thighs as he reached back to hold on for the mating.
“You are my mate, and I vow to protect you for the rest of our lives,” Noah said through his thick canines.
Landon didn’t scream out when Noah’s teeth sank into his neck. There was a thickness to the air and a spark of something wild enough to cause both of them to climax at the same time. Noah removed his teeth and licked across the bite with his rough tongue, taking his new mate with him when he fell to the side. Noah pulled Landon against him and let his panther settle from the mating.
A little while later, Noah quietly went to the bathroom and returned to change the sheets on the bed. Landon was a little dizzy from the bite, and Noah refused his help. “Stay in that chair. We are going to climb right back in this bed once I put on clean sheets.”
Landon smiled warmly at Noah when he finished making their bed. “Thank you.”
“You never have to thank me,” Noah replied, walking over to pull Landon by the hand. They climbed in the bed and pressed their bodies close together as they closed their eyes, resting on the eve of their official coming out and connection. Noah knew he’d never tire of that feeling.