DYLAN ||

7 days, that's how long I've been in the Shadow pack. 12 days totaling the time I've been away from my mate and fuck, I miss him like crazy!

I'm seriously cursing myself for not just marking Raiden before I left, then I could have at least felt him this whole time. Shit, I was planning on actually letting him take me that night, so I could have marked him with no problem!

I need to feel him, our bond has grown so fucking much since meeting each other and I seriously feel an unhealthy attachment to him.

Watching how sweet Taj is with my brother only further made my heart ache for my own mate.

Being here, I've noticed a lot about Bennett's issues. I know he said he lost his sight and hearing on the left side of his face, but I didn't really estimate what that meant for him. I guess I'm a bigger idiot than I thought because it should have been obvious that he would have a lot issues, but I didn't put two and two together until I actually seen the struggles he has on a daily basis.

Bennett has to tilt his head a lot to hear what people are saying or to see what's in front of him. He bumps into things a lot if he forgets to adjust himself and he spooks easily if someone approaches his left side too fast. Taj never left his side through it all though.

The issues with his sight and hearing aren't the only things either, his right leg is seriously messed up, like he barely puts weight on it and has a serious limp. I wondered why Taj kept such a tight hold on him that day when I got the fucking shock of my life, finding out Bennett was alive and the fact that Liam is my actual dad, but now I see why. My brother's injuries have taken a huge toll on him.

My brother relays so much on Taj to help him with everything, even though he doesn't want to. Everytime he gets that stubborn attitude, that dangerously matched mine, Taj would lay the law down and force his help on Bennett. My brother would fight him about it, but eventually would give in with just one look from the feline, much like Taj did when Bennett looked at him for threatening me.

They have a bond that others dream of. Their love for each other is so obvious, most of the time they don't even have to say anything and the other just gets it. They share this look that says the other is the only thing they need in the world. Bennett is really affectionate towards Taj too, even though the feline shows a strong discomfort with it, he still gives my brother whatever he wants, when he wants.

Taj told me that when he first found Bennett on the bank of the silver river 7 years ago, that he took one look at him and knew he had found the love of his life, he knew he would do anything for my brother, no matter what it was. Those 3 days they spent together while Bennett helped the best he could were the best days of their lives because they had only each other.

Apparently Bennett had completely lost his eyesight in both eyes after the attack from Dean and Jake, who I no longer consider family. Bennett couldn't see a thing, he didn't know what Liam or Taj looked like.

Taj never told me what brought my brothers sight back in his good eye, only that it was an intimate moment him and my brother shared and he wouldn't go into detail because that day would stay between them forever.

My heart melted everytime Taj would make sure Bennett recited their little phrase they had too. Taj said he created it when Bennett was at his lowest because my brother hated his own appearance, he go as far as to avoid all mirrors or anything that could show his reflection, but Taj worked for awhile to get Bennett to the point to where he accepted his own appearance again. After Bennett would recite their self appreciation phrases, Taj would then plant kisses on my brothers bad ear, then all across his face, focusing on his bad eye and the scar that laid across his skin.

I loved watching them together, after all my brother has been through, it was heartwarming to know that he has a mate that cherishes and adores him because he deserves it.

Gabe and Hunter have been spending a lot of time with me again. My beta explained everything to Hunter and of course, my gamma fully accepted what's happened. He was nothing but happy for me.

As far as my thoughts of the Shadow pack goes, it seems like this place is truly a family and it's not just wolves here either. Of course there's Taj, who's a black Leopard, but Liam also has a witch, 2 elves and even a vampire here.

When I asked why, Liam's answer was simple. He said they needed a home and he was willing to give them one.

The witch, named Eva, was kicked out her coven because she didn't necessarily like the fact that her leaders loved to kill for sport, so she took matters into her own hands and killed the head Warlock of her coven and that was it, a bounty was put out for her head, so when Liam found her in the forbidden forest, he took her in and she's been by his side ever since.

The 2 elves, including one absolutely stunning elf man named Quiweeme, we're running from mythic catchers. A mixture of humans and not so good vamps that took joy in collecting mythical creatures to auction them off for profit.

Liam found them by the silver river and offered them sanctuary, so their lives begun here in the Shadow pack.

The vamp that lived here, Alaric, helped the elves escape from the first auction facility they were in. He's the only vamp I've met that hates his own kind more than he hates wolves, which was hilarious considering he lives in a pack full of them. Alaric is not a nice man either, he's a grumpy old fart and by old, I mean old. Liam told me that he's over 1,000 years old.

If the other Mythic creatures that lived here wasn't enough craziness, Emilio, Gabe's father, showed up about 2 days ago, telling us all about some chaos in the pack with other shifters trespassing on our lands, he also told us that Raiden and Roman handled everything beautifully and that the pack was once again under control. Emilio was thankful for the breech though, because he said it gave him an opportunity to escape the pack and make his way here.

He only got to talk to Liam from across the borders for the last 21 years, never once being able to be in the arms of the man he's loved since he was 18.

So when Liam and Emilio reunited after all of this time, they've been inseparable ever since, like literally, joined at the hip and I could tell Liam wouldn't have it any other way. They were really cute together, but if they actually mark each other and become mates again, then that would make Gabe my brother in some weird way.

My observations of Liam by himself over the last week, I could totally see the resemblance between him, myself and Bennett.

He had dark brown hair and blue eyes like me and Bennett, he was left handed like us, he loved pizza and apple juice just like us. I seen how crazy he was when it came to sharing his Apple juice and it made me laugh, thinking about how similar my actions were to his.

Liam is super nice too. The affection I've craved all my life from Dean, that seemed so come hard for him, was so easy for Liam. He loved to hug everyone in his pack, paying close attention to Bennett, Taj and I.

He would shower us with affection and I would be lying if I said I didn't like it. I loved it, this is something I've wanted for so long from Dean and getting it from Liam felt so amazing.

My new dad really loved showing how much he appreciated someone too. Like he never hesitated in saying please or thank you or telling someone when they did a good job or when he was proud of them.

The amount of happiness that rushed through my veins everytime Liam praised me, was purely fucking ridiculous.

It wasn't the same feeling I got when Raiden praised me though. My mate's kind words set off a flame inside of me that only he could extinguish. I don't fully understand why Raiden's praise gets me all hot and bothered, but I didn't want it to stop. Ever.

Fuck...

Just thinking about my mate, has my body reacting in a way that poses a problem in front of other people.

I'm definitely hard now....

• • •

When midday rolled around, the pack headed into the meal hall, much to my surprise, the entire pack here ate every single meal together. This was definitely what it meant to be a pack.

Pack is family and family is pack.

Liam told about 10-11 warriors to stay along the border while the rest of the pack ate lunch, then the warriors would be able to eat, once their replacements took over.

We were all in the middle of eating and holding our separate conversations when Hunter busted into the hall, he was supposed to be on border patrol, so to see him now was a little confusing.

"Liam! There's been a breech at the border! It's all my wolf's fault! They're coming!"

"Wait a minute Hunter, calm down and tell me what's going on." Liam walked over to my Gamma and grabbed his shoulders.

"My wolf, we were on patrol and he heard our mate call out to us, they're coming and trust me when I say, they're not happy." Hunter rushes out.

"Well, that's ok. Raiden and Roman are coming, that's good news. I'm sure when they get here, you and Dylan can calm them down and explain everything to them."

"No, you don't understand Liam.. they're not alone." Hunter says, looking at me.

"What do you mean they're not alone? Who's with them?" Bennett panicked.

"The whole damn pride, a whole gaggle of felines and trust me, we're not prepared for this!" Hunter yells, just as the doors burst open one more time.

"BREECH! BREECH! BREECH!" One of the warriors yells before I hear the same roar that I've grown to love, the roar I know could only belong to my mate.

Oh shit...

Liam yells for the rest of the pack to remain inside the meal hall as we rush out to meet our mates and the felines they brought with them.

The moment I stepped outside the hall, Hunter was right, we weren't prepared for what we seen.

Avery's wolf was surrounded by like 8 humongous lionesses, all of them snarling at any approaching wolves, including Gabe as he ran towards his mate.

The biggest male lions I've ever seen were busy ripping into the warriors that were desperately trying to subdue them, but the lions were flinging their bodies like flies. Hunter rushed off towards them, so I could only assume one of them was Roman.

There was a fucking Jaguar and three other lionesses bomb rushing one of the weapon stations, taking out every wolf in their paths, like they posed no threat to any of the felines.

Then there was two leopards running through the pack, one a lot larger than the other, the black one was the same size as the lions and the scent radiating off him told me only one thing...

That was my mate.

Onyx and the other regularly colored leopard were tearing into more wolves that shifted to join the spectacle. They fought alongside each other with such grace and precision, it made me wonder if they were related at all. Then the thought dawned on me, Raiden's mother is a Leopard.

I was in shock, rooted to the same spot, trying to process the carnage that my mate and this pack of felines were causing to Liam's pack. Then I panicked the moment Onyx locked eyes with Liam and Taj, who had had taken a protective stance in front of Bennet and I.

Onyx barreled straight for them and I screamed, not wanting my brother to lose his mate or the man that I've learned now was my father.

"ONYX, STOP!"

I pushed past Liam and Taj, then ran towards my mate in an attempt to get him to see I wasn't in danger. The moment he noticed me, his eyes widen and he tries to stop himself, his huge paws skidding across the gravel, he crashed into me, knocking me down to the ground. He whined loudly and practically mauled me with his tongue.

"Hi Onyx, ok, ok, yuck dude, come on, get off, your breath smells like armpits!" I plead with him, trying to fight off his assaulting tongue.

My mate's big body finally shows mine some mercy as he climbs off me and I sit up, hearing his bones cracking, I knew he was shifting and I would see my Raiden's face soon.

The moment he completed his shift, he stood up and crashed his body into mine.

"Pups, oh fuck, thank you Goddess, you're safe." He breathed out, his strong arms crushing me against him. I wrap my arms around his waist and bury my face in his neck, inhaling as much of his scent as I possibly could.

We held each other like this for what seemed like hours as the noise of the felines shredding Liam's pack died down.

When Raiden finally pulled away from me, my brain finally processed that he was naked in front of so many other men. I growled, tearing off my shirt and pulling it over his head. That didn't do much to cover him, but in my thought process at the moment, it made sense.

He smiled at me, then leaned in to kiss me. I melted against his soft lips until he broke our kiss and leaned his forehead against mine.

"You are not allowed out of my sight ever again." He snarled, I didn't put up a fight because I could feel how upset he was, so I just nodded and stayed quiet. Allowing my presence to calm him and Onyx.

"Son?"

My eyes flew open at the sound of Liam's voice as did Raiden's before he snapped his head in the direction of the man that he thought was keeping his mate from him.

The growl he released was terrifying and I grabbed his face, pulling his attention back to me.

"Calm down babe, calm down."

"Why should I? Who is this man? Why was he so close to you? Is he the one that captured you? That brought you here? Why do you smell like him? Did he hurt you?" His questions flew out at such a fast pace, all I could was shake my head.

"No, no Raiden. He didn't capture me, well he kind of did, but he hasn't hurt me. I trust him and you can trust him too." I tell him.

My mate looks over at Liam again before frowning.

"Who is this man pups?" He asks, his frown deepening. "How can you say you trust him if he captured you?"

I shake my head trying to come up with something else to say, when Liam speaks first.

"My name is Liam."

Raiden looks back at him, before looking at me once again, obviously trying to find an explanation that I didn't know how to provide, so I told him the only thing that made sense to me.

"Liam is my father."

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