But regardless of the man’s good looks, Jake didn’t care for the hard stare the other man was giving him. Jake wasn’t some lightweight but the man lounging back on the couch looked like he could wrestle a bear and live to tell the tale.
“Jake, let me introduce you to my friend, Seth.” Seth stood up and offered his hand to Jake and he accepted it. “We’ve been friends for years.”
“Nice to meet you, Seth.”
“Likewise,” the man said then sat back down.
“So what brings you to Nehalem?” Jake asked as he took a seat on the couch across from where Seth sat.
Seth tilted his head and cocked an eyebrow at him. Jake sat back further in his seat, not sure if what he had just asked had pissed the guy off.
“Seth has come here because he needs my help with something,” Holden answered. Seth opened his mouth to say something but Holden waved off his reply. “Seth, we can trust Jake. He’s my friend.”
“What’s going on?” Jake’s stomach clenched tight. He had a bad feeling.
Seth narrowed his eyes at Holden and Holden gave a nod of his head. With a resigned look on his face Seth started to explain. “Jake, I grew up in Holden’s pack but when I turned eighteen I chose to leave. I’m not one for large groups.” A smiled cracked the hard exterior of the man’s face. “I moved to a town in Vermont called Clawson. I like it there. It’s peaceful, away from any large cities, and I don’t have to deal with pack life. Until recently I hadn’t had any problems in avoiding other wolves.”
Jake wasn’t one to judge. Seth’s choice to leave his pack was his own to make. Not everyone wanted to be under the rule of another person and a pack always had an alpha. And sometimes the wolf in charge was a piece of shit that didn’t make the right decisions for the pack’s benefit.
“So what changed?” Jake asked.
“I spotted a young wolf on my property.” Seth shrugged. “Not a big deal until I noticed him more and more. Then I caught the wolf hunting on my land so I decided to follow him. The wolf never suspected that I had been following it and when he shifted I couldn’t believe the condition the kid was in. His body was thin and he looked malnourished. Scars covered the kid’s back like he’d been whipped. When I tried to approach him to tell him he was on private property he took off. Several days later I tracked him to a small, rickety-looking shack. And there were two of them. Brothers, I’m assuming.”
Jake hated to hear of anybody suffering from abuse, but what did this have to do with Seth needing help? “Why didn’t you approach them once you found where they lived?” It seemed like the most logical thing to do.
Seth let out a harsh laugh. “You’ve never had the privilege of being under the rule of a deranged alpha I take it?” Jake didn’t like Seth’s tone and just glared at him. “That’s what I thought. You look like you’ve lived a pretty pampered life.”
“Hey!” Jake stood up and Seth did so as well. His fist balled up tight and he could feel his body tingle with wanting to shift.
“Knock it off!” Holden shouted and put his arms out to separate them.
“Because, one of them had a gun and by the condition they were in they would probably shoot first then ask questions later. They need help and I’m not much of a people person. So I wanted Holden to come with me. He’s got a way with people and most seem to like him. I’m hoping he can help me get these boys the care they need and off my land.” Seth sat back down on the couch and put his head in his hands. The man looked tired.
Before Jake knew what he was doing he said, “If Holden’s going then so am I.”
“What?” both Seth and Holden asked simultaneously.
“If these kids need assistance then I want to help. And I want to make sure nothing happens to you.” He didn’t think Seth would hurt Holden but he wasn’t sure about the two wolves he spoke of. Also he needed a vacation.
“Um, are you two seeing each other or something?” Seth asked.
“Dear god!” Jake threw his hands in the air. “Can’t two men just be friends? I swear everyone has sex on the brain.”
“Let me guess, Skyler got to you, too?” Holden asked with a wide grin on his face.
“Yeah. Not that you’re not attractive but I don’t see you in that way. No offense,” he answered honestly.
“None taken and I feel the same. But are you sure you want to go with us? It might take a few days and it might be dangerous. If what Seth says is true these wolves might be skittish toward anyone trying to help them.” Holden rested a hand on his shoulder.
“I’m sure. I can handle my own and I need some time away.” Jake didn’t need to tell Holden why he needed to get away. His friend knew. Jake loved his brothers but ever since Josh left Cole had been treating him as if he were the baby of the family. Then when Josh returned his brother looked at him as if he would fall to pieces at any moment.
After their father had died he thought he might lose his mind. The grief was like a knife to the chest and he didn’t think he’d be able to live through the pain, but he did. Jake worked through his grief and in the process changed as a person. He no longer needed to depend on Josh to tell him what to do
