Man in the Middle [Wolf Creek Pack 9] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour ManLove) by Stormy Glenn (elon musk reading list txt) 📗

“And what did Taylor say?”

“Not much,” Chase snorted. “He told me that Justin was out running errands, and then he chewed me out.” Chase shrugged. “I guess I kind of had it coming.”

Joe shook his head, looking exasperated about the whole situation. “I don’t understand why you haven’t claimed them yet, Chase. You know they are your mates. They know it, too. I can tell you from personal experience that you would all be a lot happier if you just claimed them.”

“Until they die.”

Joe didn’t say anything for a long silent moment. He just stared at Chase. “Excuse me?”

“Did you ever wonder how I was able to call so many people in to rescue Nate and his friends on the spur of the moment, people with experience in that kind of operation?”

Joe gave a slight nod. “It came to mind once or twice. I figured if you wanted me to know, you’d tell me.”

“Well, for the record, I don’t. My past is just that, my past, and that’s where it needs to stay. But the moment certain people get wind that I’ve got mates, my past will come back to haunt all of us, not just me. Justin and Taylor wouldn’t be safe.”

Joe’s chair creaked as the man sat forward and rested his arms on his desk. He looked curious but cautious at the same time. “I assume this is a past that you can’t talk about—”

“Under pain of death.”

Joe’s eyebrows shot up. “Mine or yours?”

“Both.”

“Oh.” Joe’s eyes widened. “One of those kind of pasts.”

Chase just nodded.

Joe steepled his hands together and tapped his fingers against his lips for a moment, and then he dropped them back down on the desk. “I guess that kind of changes things, then.”

“It does.” Chase looked down at his hands, studying his fingernails like they were the most important things in the world. “I’d claim them if I could, but I can’t. It’s too dangerous for them.”

“Do you want to claim them?”

Chase groaned as he leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling. “Oh man, you have no idea how much I want to claim them. I can’t keep my wolf away from them. Every damn time I shift, my wolf heads right to wherever they are.”

“You know you’d be protected here in Wolf Creek. You’d have the entire pack behind you and your mates.”

“No…pack or no pack wouldn’t matter. Justin and Taylor would still be in danger.”

“So, what?” Joe asked. “You’re just going to deny your mates for the rest of your life?”

Chase had wondered the same damn thing. “I don’t know, Joe.”

“Is that fair to them? To you?”

“I don’t have any other choice at this moment. Believe me, I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out how to have them and keep them alive at the same time, but I’m not coming up with anything. Every scenario I come up with ends up with them dead.”

“What about your brothers? Can they help?”

“My brothers don’t know about my past. They know I did something when I was gone for a few years, but I never told them anything about it. It was safer that way.” Why couldn’t anyone understand that Chase was only trying to protect the ones he cared about? His brothers never asked, which Chase greatly appreciated, but not telling his mates was becoming harder and harder as time wore on. Chase knew that he was either going to have to claim them or leave the two the hell alone. He just wished his wolf got the message.

“Does Reece know?” Joe asked, referring to Chase’s former alpha.

“He knows, as does your father. I felt it was only right to warn them what they were getting into when they accepted me into their packs. They both told me that as long as I was out of that kind of work, that it didn’t matter to them.”

“Are you?”

“Oh yeah.” Chase chuckled nervously. “I gave up that type of work ages before I even joined Reece’s pack. I thought I had left it behind, but since I called in some favors to rescue the Teacher’s pupils, I’ve heard some rumblings through the grapevine.”

Joe suddenly seemed very serious as he sat forward again. “Is this anything I need to know about?”

“Not yet. I’ve been keeping pretty low key, and so far, no one has found me. I’m kind of hoping that they don’t.” Chase held up his hand when Joe’s mouth opened. “And before you ask, the moment I heard rumblings, I told your father.”

Joe whistled, his eyes going wide. “Man, you do know how to do things with style, don’t you?”

Chase shrugged. “It’s a gift.” It was actually a curse, but Joe didn’t need to know that.

“Now you sound like Nate.” Joe shook his head, looking like he was trying to put the pieces of a puzzle together. “Do you have any idea who might be after you?”

“It’s better if you don’t ask.”

Joe held up his hands. “If that’s the way you want it, man. But I expect you to tell me if there’s going to be trouble. It’s my job to keep this pack and this town safe, and I can’t do that unless I know if there’s going to be trouble.”

Chase nodded. He knew he could agree to Joe’s request, especially since Joe wasn’t asking the deeper questions—at the moment. He wasn’t stupid enough to think they wouldn’t come at some point.

“Well, you’d better get to work before we both get fired.”

“Thanks, Joe,” Chase said as he stood and started for the door.

“Hey, Chase?”

“Yeah?” Chase paused at the door and glanced over his shoulder at Joe.

“Just a word of advice. Get whatever you need to figure out figured out before you lose whatever chance you have with Justin and Taylor. They won’t wait forever.”

“Yeah, I know.” As much as it hurt Chase to say it, he did know that Justin and Taylor wouldn’t wait forever for him. They were already getting fed up with him.