“What threat…?” Groose began, but stopped when Jackson handed him a copy of the email Smokey had received.
“This is the other matter I wanted to talk to you about,” Jackson said. “Apparently, Theo and Norm’s former Alpha is searching for them. He’s trying to find out who posted it on the dark web.”
After reading the email, Groose asked, “Did you ask the sender of the email if he saved the page containing the ad?”
“Not yet,” Zane said. “If I can’t find it, that was gonna be my next step.”
Handing the email back to Jackson, Groose said, “In the meantime I’ll increase the patrols around the pack house and alert the men to be on the lookout for any attempted breaches of the property.”
Nodding, Jackson said, “That should do for now. Dylon is working on a plan in case Theo and Norm are in danger, but I don’t want to implement it unless we know for sure.” Then, looking down at his phone, he smiled when he read a text from Steel.
“Oh-oh, I know that look,” Zane said, chuckling.
Glancing up at his brother and Groose, Jackson asked, “Do either of you have anything more to say?” When only silence ensued, Jackson gave them a wry grin as he rose and headed for the door. “Meeting’s over,” he announced. “Keep me informed of any new developments, guys.”
Zane smirked at Groose. “Wanna bet on why my brother rushed off?”
Snorting, Groose got up. “No way! See you later.”
Zane sat alone in Jackson’s study for a moment, then grinning to himself, he sent a text to David, asking him to meet him in his computer room. It would take a while for his program to find the page with the ad on it, and he couldn’t think of a better way to spend it than with his mate. Getting up, he turned and headed out of the room, whistling a cheery tune as sexy images of David danced through his head.
~/~/~/~/~
Turning over in his sleep, Ollie snuggled closer to the delicious scent that had invaded his dreams. It was the best thing he’d ever smelled. Pressing his nose against the pillow, he sniffed, smiling as the scent filled every part of him. While he had dreamt in color, never had any of his dreams included scent. It was amazing, and it drove him to plunge his nose into the pillow, inhaling deeply before a contented sigh left him. Craving more, the urge to taste the source of the smell forced him to open his mouth and bite…“oh shit!” Ollie’s eyes shot open and he found himself staring at Mac’s neck and the purple hickey that was forming.
“Good morning, babe,” Mac murmured.
“Oh my god!” Ollie exclaimed. “I thought you were my pillow…well, not that, but I thought that…but my dream thought that…I mean I dreamt you weren’t you but a pillow…oh my god…so sorry…” Mortified at what he had done, Ollie tried to move away but Mac’s arms refused to let him go.
“Hey, it’s fine,” Mac said softly. “That was the best wake-up call I ever had. Feel free to do it every morning.”
Ollie raised his gaze until it met Mac’s twinkling eyes. “You want me to bite you every morning?” he asked, grinning. “And if I do, how are you gonna explain away so many hickeys?”
“I prefer to think of them as love bites,” Mac replied. “And trust me, around here…no one’s gonna say a thing.”
“Theo will.”
“No, he won’t.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I have seen them on Theo more times that I can count. The first time I found one on his neck, Theo was embarrassed until I told him they were called love bites in medicine.” Then leaning forward, Mac pressed a soft kiss against Ollie’s lips before continuing, “Speaking of your cousin, we should get up and talk to Jackson before we head down to breakfast…or do you want to wait until later?”
“What about our claiming?”
“As much as I would love to do that, I got the impression last night that Theo’s parents don’t have a lot of time left.”
Shaking his head, Ollie said mournfully, “They don’t…not from what I saw.”
“Then, that has to be our first priority…agree?”
“Yes…but promise you will claim me as soon as they are safe?”
Cupping Ollie’s cheek, Mac lovingly gazed at his mate. “Promise…wild animals won’t stop me from making you mine.”
“Nor you, mine,” Ollie murmured before kissing Mac softly. Then, sitting up, he asked, “What about your twin? Shouldn’t you see if he will come with us, first…before the Alpha?”
“I will, but Jackson should be first.”