Enforcer - 9. Chapter 9

Buzz sat down on the ground and stared at the natural wonder in front of him.

Everyone should see the Grand Canyon before they died. He was alone, not a soul around. Only the sounds of birds, the wind, and the river far below interrupted the peaceful quiet.

Why did it take him so long to come here?

The canyon seemed to go on for miles. Buzz found himself lost in the stripes of rock that made up the ridges. When he counted the rings, he forgot all about life and duty. Maybe he could just sit here and be one with nature for the rest of his life. Or shift into his wolf form and never look back.

He leaned forward and looked down at the Colorado River. He was so close to the edge, he could simply tip himself forward just a little more and fall…

Well, there was a fence, but it would be easy to climb over it. Maybe it would be easier on everyone if he was gone.

You sound like a coward.

Buzz cringed inwardly. He was running, just like a coward. Never one to hide, he did what he was told. Always. This wasn’t like him, but he was backed into a corner. Instead of facing the situation, he ran.

Buzz pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. With a sigh, he leaned his chin on his knee. The sun was setting and the air was cooling. Buzz watched the shadows move across the ridges and plateaus as daylight was lost.

Maybe he could go see Devil’s Tower next. He always wanted to see it in person since he’d watched Close Encounters. Then maybe he could check out Mount Rushmore. Yellowstone would be the next logical step.

The vibrating of his cell phone pulled Buzz from his thoughts.

Shauna.

Ignoring the call, he held down the power button and turned it off before slipping it back into his pocket.

It wasn’t the first missed call he had ignored, and it wouldn’t be the last. He supposed he could say that he got lost. Not that anyone would buy that, but it might get him another day or two.

He just needed some time to himself, a couple of weeks to think. After all, if he was going to devote the rest of his life to someone, wasn’t he entitled to this?

But they wouldn’t understand. No one understood. They didn’t care. They wanted to use Buzz to do their bidding, to further their ranks in the pack.

Jed would understand. He has no ulterior motives. Jed wants nothing but you.

As the last of the sunlight disappeared below the horizon, Buzz stood up and brushed away the dirt from his knees and butt.

He knew what he needed to do.

* * * *

It was amazing to Jed how much things could change in just a few short weeks. Now that he had taken over the Timber Service Station from Old Man Buchanan, he was busy non-stop. When he wasn’t working at the station, he spent his time finishing up the addition on Colton and Parker’s cabin.

The extra room turned out great. Colton was happy with it, which made Jed happy. Jed and Curtis split most of the work. They only needed Jed’s older brother’s help with the electrical work. Jed also took advantage of Junior’s network of contacts in quickly securing the permits and the inspection.

He was so busy he didn’t even have time to think about Buzz.

Yeah, right.

He thought of Buzz constantly. He hadn’t actually spoken to Buzz since the night they had phone sex. Jed had known that night Buzz wasn’t going to call him back. He pushed too hard and now Buzz was moving in with that bitch Shauna. Because of his pack’s stupid outdated prejudices, Buzz was being forced to mate and marry.

Jed wouldn’t do the same. He would not force Buzz. Buzz would have to come to Jed on his own. If it meant letting go of his mate, then so be it.

In a moment of weakness, Jed had called him, but it went straight to voicemail. Maybe it was for the best. Though his heart was broken, Jed really did hope Buzz was happy, but deep down he also knew Buzz would never truly be happy living a lie.

It didn’t help that Trey was off visiting the Tech campus for college orientation. He really missed his friend.

Sometimes it was hard to get up in the morning. He had responsibilities, and he couldn’t just hide away in his cabin, in his bed. To keep from falling apart, Jed threw himself into his new job.

Now that the gas station had standard operating hours every day of the week, business had picked up quite a bit. The station saw regular gas customers and he was starting to get service customers as well. Many of the town’s residents were happy to keep their business inside the community and support their neighbors. It helped that Jed and the others frequented the town’s businesses regularly.

Amazingly enough, Jed’s dad was able to convince Alpha Forrest to let Zef help out a few hours a week. Jed was positive the Forest View alpha would say no just to be a dick. That was the kind of asshole he was.

The oil change on Dottie’s Chrysler now finished, Jed washed his hands and stepped into the customer lobby. He just needed to give the diner’s owner a call to let her know her car was ready to be picked up.

Parker sat on a stool behind the lobby’s counter. Though Jed didn’t really need Parker to man the cash register and lobby, it was a good compromise from leaving Parker alone at the camp. Colton had said he would spend all day worrying about Parker if he knew he was all alone.

The little blond man was staring intently at his laptop, a fancy ultra-thin model that probably cost his parents a fortune. He sat to the side of the old cash register. A textbook was propped open on the counter. His backpack sat on the floor next to his feet.

While Jed sometimes missed the social aspects of school, including playing sports and hanging out with friends, he did not miss having to do homework.

“How’s the studying?” Jed asked.

Looking up from his screen, Parker replied with an exaggerated eye-roll. “Ugh. I’m working on this group project and the rest of these people are such slackers. It’s like I have to do all the work if I want a good grade. And here I thought online school would be easier.”

Jed laughed. “I’m surprised you’re still here. I figured you’d be going with Shell to her doctor’s appointment.”

Parker shook his head, and for a split second fear lit up his eyes. “I asked her if she wanted me to come, and she about bit my head off. She said that I disrespected her mate by offering. I couldn’t believe it. I half expected her head to spin around, and split pea soup to come shooting out of her mouth.”

“It’s the hormones,” Jed explained. “My mom turned into a crazy person when she was pregnant with my brothers.”

Parker scrunched his brows, just barely tilting his head to the side. “I can’t really see that. Your mom is like the sweetest person I know.”

“Yeah, well imagine not being able to shift for months. Your body won’t let you, but at the same time your wolf is clawing to get out.”

Subconsciously, Parker rubbed his neck, where Colton’s permanent bite had marked him. “Yeah… I can totally see how that would make someone crazy.”

“Zef should be on his way if you want to take off.”

“Colton is going to swing by when he gets off work.”

“Cool. I wanted to show him some of the stuff I’ve done around here.”

“Yeah. You know what else you need in here? Snacks and drinks and stuff. People keep asking for snacks. And I’m not talking about that thousand-year-old gumball machine, or that ratty soda machine that likes to steal your money.”

“Well damn, can I get the place up and running first?”

Parker shrugged. “Just sayin’.”

“Can you give Dottie a call and let her know her car is ready to be picked up? I’m gonna go give it a quick wash around back.”

“Good idea. A little extra something will hopefully get you some repeat business.”

“That’s what I’m hoping.”

* * * *

Not for the first time Buzz wondered if he was making the biggest mistake of his life. From his car, he stared at the large two-story house. The home was different than he expected it would be. For some reason, he thought it would be bigger, more ornate.

He had no business being here.

Once the interior of the sedan became stiflingly hot, Buzz finally opened the door and got out. With a deep breath and a slow exhale, he made his way up the sidewalk to the front door. His hand shook like a leaf in the wind as he reached out to press the doorbell button.

You still have time to turn around and go.

The door opened and Buzz took a step back. The boy who answered the door looked like the spitting image of Jed, but he smelled… different. This was not Jed. Looking closer, Buzz could see the differences between Jed and the boy who must be a younger brother.

“Hi. Can I help you?”

Buzz snapped out of his daze. “Yes. I’m looking for Jed Stone.”

The Jed clone’s brows furrowed together. “He’s not here. I mean, he doesn’t live here anymore.”

“This was the only address I could come up with when I searched the Internet. Do you know where I can find him?”

“He’s working at the gas station in Timber. I work there part time as a mechanic.” He seemed awfully proud of that fact. “I’m on my way over there, actually, if you want to follow me.”

“That’d be great. I’m Buzz, by the way.”

“I’m Zef. Jed’s brother.”

Buzz held out his hand and Zef shook it. “Nice to meet you.”

* * * *

Just as Jed finished washing Dottie’s car, Zef pulled into the parking lot. His red Charger was followed by a silver Audi sedan. Jed didn’t recognize the expensive car, which pulled into the space next to Zef.

Zef got out of his car and shut the door behind him. He jerked his head toward the sedan. “I brought a friend of yours.”

Jed’s heart stopped as he watched Buzz get out of the other car. Without thinking, he ran across the parking lot and grabbed Buzz. He lifted his sexy little fireplug up in a big bear hug before setting him down and kissing him breathless.

As his tongue slid into Buzz’s mouth, the flavor of his mate exploded across his taste buds, sending Jed into overdrive. He deepened the kiss, aggressively ravaging Buzz. Pushing his hips forward, he rubbed the bulge of his hardening cock against Buzz’s belly.

“Okayyy… I take it you know him then,” said Zef with a snicker. “So, I’m gonna go gouge my eyes out, then say ‘hi’ to Parker.”

Jed ignored his brother. He was focused on the man in front of him.

Forced to end the kiss so they could catch a breath, Jed stared into Buzz’s gorgeous grey-blue eyes. His brown hair had grown out a bit since Jed last saw him, and he needed a shave. Wet red lips and flushed pink cheeks made him look even hotter.

If this was a dream, Jed didn’t want to wake up. His heart threatened to pound its way out of his chest, but having Buzz so close, smelling him in the flesh, it calmed him like nothing else ever could.

Holding Buzz’s face in his hands, he asked, “What are you doing here? Not that I’m not happy to see you. ‘Cause I am. You don’t even know how happy I am to see you.”

“Actually, I can tell.” The corner of Buzz’s mouth lifted in a smile as he shifted his hips, and made contact with the bulge in Jed’s jeans. He looked down at the ground for a moment. When he lifted his eyes, they had welled up with tears, and the smile was gone. “I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t take the chance. What if you are my mate? It would be something I could never undo. I couldn’t do that to you. To us.”

Jed pressed his lips to Buzz’s forehead and kept them there. He squeezed his eyes shut in an effort to keep from becoming a blubbering mess of tears. “It’s okay, Buzz. I told you before. You have choices. I’m so glad you’ve chosen to give us a chance.”

“I don’t know, Jed. I mean, I hardly know you. It’s all so sudden. God, I must sound like a crazy person. It’s like I can’t make up my mind.”

“I’ll tell you what.” Jed chose his words carefully. He spoke softly and calmly, wanting to keep his man from freaking out even more than he already was. “The cabin next to mine is empty. You can move in there and we’ll get to know each other. How does that sound?”

Buzz nodded, his body noticeably relaxing. “I’d like that. Thank you for understanding.”

“I’ve waited this long for you, Buzz. I don’t need to rush things. Not if it means us being together. You’re my mate, and I’ll do whatever it takes to prove to you we were meant to be together.”

“Oh my god.” Parker’s quiet gasp was enough to distract Jed.

He looked back to see Parker and Zef standing in front of the open garage door watching the two of them. They both looked stunned.

Jed took Buzz’s hand. “Come on. Let me introduce you.”

Buzz gulped noticeably, but nodded his head. Jed led Buzz over to Zef and Parker.

“Parker, Zef. This is Buzz Hinske. He’s my… uh…” Jed didn’t want to presume. He wasn’t sure how to introduce Buzz.

“Mate,” Buzz finished.

A wide grin spread across Zef’s face. With a triumphant shout, he jumped into the air, then pulled Buzz in for a bear hug. “Welcome to the family! Oh man, Mama is gonna have a cow.”

“You think she’ll be upset?” Buzz asked, biting his lip with worry when Zef let him go.

“Upset?” Zef tipped his head to the side with his brow all scrunched up. “Why the heck would she be upset?”

Buzz looked at Zef like the reason was completely obvious. “Because I’m a man.”

Zef rolled his eyes. “Uh duh.”

Colton’s Lincoln pulled into the service station. The alpha wolf looked at the gathered men with an unreadable expression. His nose twitched almost imperceptibly as he regarded Buzz.

“What’s going on here?” He walked slowly and deliberately until he stood in front of Jed and Buzz.

Jed dipped his chin deferentially and Buzz did the same. Even though Colton was not a strict by-the-book alpha, he still deserved respect. Buzz was a stranger to their territory and Jed would be doing everything in his power to get Buzz to join the pack.

“Colton. Alpha. This is Buzz Hinske, my mate. He’s decided to come for a visit, so that we can get to know each other. I offered him the cabin next to mine, if that’s okay with you. If he decides to stay, I would petition for him to join the pack.”

Colton stared down Buzz. “Is that right?”

Buzz kept his eyes on the ground. “Yes, Alpha.”

After a moment, Colton reached out and wrapped his hand around the back of Buzz’s neck. “Your request to stay on our pack lands is granted. But if you hurt Jed, I will gut you and hang your severed head from a stake.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

Parker smacked the side of Colton’s arm. “Stop trying to scare him.”

Colton smirked. “And you don’t need to call me ‘Alpha’. My name is Colton.”

Buzz’s wide eyes bounced between Colton and his mate, as if he couldn’t believe the way they were interacting with each other. “Yes, Al– uh, Colton.”

“How was work, Deputy Butler?” Parker asked as he ran his hand across the trainee emblem on Colton’s shirt. Before he pulled his hand away, he ran it across the muscles of Colton’s chest, then down the middle of his torso.

“Mmm. Pup.” Colton stepped forward and sniffed at Parker’s neck. When he snapped at the flesh with his teeth, Parker let out a whine.

“Ow!”

Colton snickered. “You know better than to tease me.”

Jed laughed at their playful antics. He could only hope that he and Buzz would have that kind of relationship one day.

“Saw my dad today,” Colton said as he stepped back and took hold of Parker’s hand.

“Did you read him for not even talking to you at Conclave?”

Colton shot Parker a dry look. “No, I didn’t read him. I gave him a nod and kept it moving.”

“I just think it’s weird that he saw you twice, but didn’t speak.”

Colton shrugged. “Eh.”

When Jed noticed how Buzz looked completely lost by the conversation, he leaned in and whispered, “I’ll fill you in later.”

Buzz turned and pressed his mouth to Jed’s ear. “Does Parker always talk to the Alpha like that?”

Jed snickered. He put his arm around Buzz’s shoulders. “Things are a lot different around here than what you’re used to.”

“I guess so.”

“Colton!”

A distant shout interrupted Buzz’s introduction to the alpha.

The pack looked up to see Buck standing in front of his store, waving frantically. Looking crazy-eyed and pale, as if he had seen a ghost, the burly bear jogged across the street. “Colton. I just got off the phone with Doc. He’s been trying to call you.”

“Is everything alright with Shell?”

Buck shook his head. “He found Curtis knocked out, right outside the clinic. Shell is gone.”

“Gone? What do you mean gone?”

“She’s been taken. By hunters.”