THREE YEARS AGO
It was the official opening of the human side of the pack businesses: Ax to the Heart. A niche bar where you could throw axes at walls or just sit and have a specialty beer or two.
The entire pack had been working around the clock lately, finishing the bottom floor of the warehouse they’d purchased a few months ago. And they were all more than happy to have a night to truly just relax.
The new place was… huge. A warehouse near downtown. Not the new, skyrise business complex part of the city, but the old mainstreet historic district downtown. The entire area was going through a bit of a revitalization with companies buying up the lots, cleaning them up, and then installing new local businesses.
Kaeden was absolutely loving it. The entire feel of the neighborhood was about a million times better than the cold, impersonal mass marketing going on in the giant banks and huge mall just a couple of miles away.
And their warehouse? Seriously massive. It often amazed Kaeden just how big it was. Five floors with the bottom one having the thirty foot ceilings of a regular warehouse. But each of the upper four floors had fifteen foot ceilings. Big open areas. Huge windows with great views of the city.
They had decided when they bought it to make the bottom floor all human businesses staffed by the pack. Then the second floor would be the pack common area. Living spaces, conference rooms, training center. Everything their pack would need to live together in the city.
Then the top three levels were all smaller one or two bedroom apartments for the pack members to live in. They’d even bought the half-lot behind the warehouse to build a parking deck on. The pack could park on the top couple levels and rent out spaces on the bottom levels.
Yep. Mason’s plan wasn’t half bad. They had a long way to go before they’d get there. For now, only the bar was open. The top floors weren’t livable. They still didn’t have parking. But they would have a true home someday soon.
Tonight, though? Tonight was to celebrate one more step in their plan to move the pack into the city. To rest from the hard labor they’d been doing.
Kaeden grinned at Ethan, a guy he’d met at the appliance store when he was shopping for an industrial freezer for the bar. He’d flirted shamelessly with his salesman who turned out to be the owner’s son. And by the end of the night, they’d had a coffee together and made out in Kaeden’s truck.
And Kaeden couldn’t bring himself to regret a single second of it.
The past few weeks with Ethan had been the most fun Kaeden had had in ages. He was hilarious. He was adventurous. He was very passionate. And he treated Kaeden like he’d hung the moon.
Yes, Kaeden had been really happy. Exhausted after working so many hours and then meeting up with Ethan most nights. But happy.
“Did you have a good birthday, babe?” Ethan leaned into Kaeden’s side while he smiled at Kaeden. Ethan had taken him out to dinner over the weekend at one of the fancier restaurants in the city. But today had been rather low key.
“I did,” Kaeden grinned back at him.
Just as Ethan leaned in to kiss Kaeden, a voice came from the end of the booth they were snuggled in. “What’d you get him for his birthday, Ethan?”
Kaeden looked up into Blake’s eyes and winced when he saw the sneer on Blake’s face. His stomach dropped before Blake even continued.
“A gold Rolex with his name engraved on the back of it?”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Ethan laughed. “It has my name engraved on it. So that he never forgets who his sugar daddy is.”
Kaeden groaned and hit the back of his head on the wall above the booth. “Could you not?”
When both Blake and Ethan looked at him with perplexed faces, he went on. “Antagonize each other? Why must you two always pick and pick at each other?”
“Honestly, babe?” Ethan asked, a note of offense in his voice. “We’ve been together for weeks, and this jerk is always popping up, interrupting our dates.”
Blake snorted. “I cannot believe you’re still with this pretentious prick.” Blake waved his hand at Ethan. “I never actually thought your affections could be bought. And yet that seems to be the only thing he’s got going for him.”
“That’s it!” Ethan jumped up and shoved Blake back away from the table.
Kaeden just groaned and banged his head again. “God! Enough!”
He stood up and walked over to the bar where his packmate Anders was serving drinks.
“Please, give me something good. Something to celebrate my birthday.” Kaeden looked over his shoulder. “And will help me forget those two idiots.”
Anders raised an eyebrow and pulled a bottle of his own IPA out from under the counter.
“Is this a new recipe?” Kaeden asked once he’d gotten a mouthful.
Anders just nodded and watched Kaeden’s face.
“It could use a tiny bit more kick. What’s the spice you have in it now?”
“Redhots,” Anders grinned.
“No way, man!” Kaeden laughed. “Toss in another box in the barrel, and it should be just about right.”
“Fix that,” Anders said. Nodding to where Blake and Ethan were all up in each other’s business. Yelling ridiculous insults.
“I’ll fix that,” Hawk said.
Hawk was a… hawk that they’d taken into their pack a couple of years ago when his own abandoned him. He wasn’t the only non-wolf in their pack. Mason had a huge heart, and he cared more about whether or not someone was willing to be a part of their family than whatever their species was.
In many ways, Hawk was the reason they’d started looking into moving the pack into the city. Mason had realized just how many shifters had been abandoned, and he’d wanted to create a home for them all.
“Thanks,” Kaeden sighed. “Not sure what I’m going to do with Ethan.”
“Ditch,” Anders muttered softly. Hawk laughed.
Kaeden just stared.
* * *
When Hawk frog marched Blake and Ethan out the door, Blake was more than a little unhappy. Hawk was treating him like some human who just happened to walk into the bar. But he was pack! Ethan was the one with no standing here. Why was Hawk kicking them both out?
Just as the door started to swing closed, Blake heard “Last Christmas” come on in the bar, and a little pang shot through his chest.
Ignore it. Ignore it, man. You can do this.
“Okay, Hawk!” Blake said, shaking off the bird shifter’s hand. “I’m fine. I’m fine.”
“No fighting in the bar,” Hawk glared at both Blake and Ethan. “Too many weapons lying around in there.”
Ethan laughed awkwardly, but looked Blake up and down. “What’s your deal, huh? Why are you always hanging around us?”
“Why are you such a prick?” Blake knew he shouldn’t provoke the guy, but he couldn’t help himself. Every time Ethan came around, the fur on Blake’s wolf stood up in warning. It drove Blake crazy.
“What have I ever done except be nice to you?” Ethan threw his hands up in the air and turned away. But before he got more than a step, he spun back around. “Is this about Kaeden? Do you have a crush on him or something?”
“No!” Blake denied it. Shook his head. Slashed his hand between them. He managed to not stomp his foot. Barely.
Hawk snorted.
The two of them froze and turned to look at Hawk. Honestly, Blake had forgotten he was there.
“Something to add?” Ethan asked.
“I’m afraid that when these two finally pull their heads out of their asses, you probably won’t get an invite to their wedding, Ethan.” Hawk said with a cheerful smile. “Exes typically don’t get wedding invites.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Blake yelled. “Have you lost your mind?”
But Ethan didn’t say anything. He just stared at Blake for a long moment. Long enough that it became uncomfortable and Blake spun on him.
“What? Why are you staring?”
Ethan blinked a couple of times and then turned to Hawk. “Thanks, man.” Then he turned and started walking away.
Looking dejected.
Blake stared for a second before he weakly asked, “What the hell just happened?”
“What should have happened weeks ago,” Hawk said softly.