The Light at the End of the Tunnel - 7. Chapter 7

Caleb groaned. For a moment, he thought he was back at Giles’ in the aftermath of being shot. His muscles spasmed in protest as he moved. Why the fuck was he so sore?

Shit, Asa!

His eyes flew open. He tried to push himself upright and floundered helplessly.

“Whoa! Hang on there, Caleb.” Santos hurried to the bedside, his bag of medical supplies clutched in his hand. A strong arm pushed him back onto the bed.

He scowled and attempted to sit up again, wincing as the doctor gave in and helped bolster him against the headboard, propping a pillow behind him. “Where’s Asa?”

Santos smiled reassuringly. “He’s in his bed, still sleeping. Probably will be for a while, too. You guys went through a lot.”

Giles appeared in his doorway, and a cross between relief and concern flickered across his face. “I just checked on him. He hasn’t stirred. I think he’ll be sleeping for quite some time. How are you feeling?”

“Physically, I’m sore all over. Mentally, I’m not sure—” Caleb realized his head was quiet. It was disconcerting. For too long, his brain had been betraying him. He wasn’t sure what normal felt like anymore. “My head isn’t buzzing and spinning like it usually does. My thoughts seem calm.”

“That’s a good sign,” Santos replied. “Shifting will take care of the soreness.”

“What happened?” he asked as the doctor checked his vitals.

Giles guarded his expression as if debating how much he wanted to tell Caleb. A stern look from the doctor had him capitulating. “Your mate scared the living hell out of us. I’m not sure if I can explain it.”

“Try.”

The Alpha overlooked the harshness of the comment. “The moment you locked forearms, a bright light surrounded you. It came from Asa. We could still see you but didn’t touch you as we promised. Your muscles locked up tight and stayed that way the whole time. Caleb, it took all day until the sun went down. It’s no wonder you’re sore.”

Caleb frowned, fidgeting with the blanket. All day? It was daylight now. In fact, the way the sun slanted in the windows said it was late afternoon. “How long was I out?”

Giles glanced at Santos, who looked at his watch before replying. “Twenty hours.”

His eyes widened in disbelief. “Damn.”

The Alpha blew out a breath. “Damn is right. The scariest part was the last couple of hours. Asa had to lean into the sunlight more and more frequently. It was as though his battery was draining faster and faster. Shortly before sunset, he flung the two of you onto the ground. He was convulsing with effort. It took every ounce of restraint we had not to interfere. I was about to step in despite my promise when Asa suddenly let go of you.”

Caleb nodded. He vaguely remembered lying on the ground, Santos hovering over him. “Then what happened?”

“Santos got you settled while your mate went all Exorcist and started puking out some nasty black sludge. Then he exploded from the other end. All we could do was let it run its course. When it finally stopped, I cleaned your boy up and put him to bed. He’s been there ever since.”

“I need to see him.”

“Can you shift?” Giles asked. “I think your wolf needs to come first. You’ve pushed him back for too long.”

Caleb considered Giles’ request. The Alpha was right. Denying his wolf his rightful place in his life had been wrong—no wonder the animal was pissed at him. Allowing him to see their mate first would go a long way in soothing his other half. He felt his wolf push forward, and he let him. He allowed the beast free rein for the first time in what seemed like forever. Bones popped and snapped as he shifted.

Immediately, the animal bolted from the bed and made a beeline for Asa’s room, following the scent of its mate. Instinct led him down the hall to the other bedroom, and he leaped onto the bed, curling into his mate’s heat.

Asa didn’t stir, but that didn’t stop the wolf from licking his face. He let out a soft whine at the lack of response.

The Alpha’s voice said it was okay. He’s asleep. The wolf settled, content for now. Caleb felt a long-forgotten sense of calmness wash over them.

Caleb’s wolf kept watch over his mate until the Alpha insisted they needed to eat. Reluctantly, he allowed the human to retake control.

“How long will he be like that?” Caleb asked.

“I don’t know,” Santos replied after checking Asa’s vitals. “Physically, he is fine. He warned us he might be out for quite a while. If he’s not awake in a couple of hours, I may need to reevaluate him and consider some additional intervention.”

“What kind of intervention?” Caleb asked, his face pulling tight.

Santos reached over and touched his arm. “Nothing drastic. I inserted an intravenous line immediately after Giles got him settled to prevent dehydration. He has a catheter, too—fluids in, fluids out. The IV has some nutrients, but not enough. If he doesn’t wake up soon, I’ll insert a nasogastric tube and start loading him with calories. His body is depleted.”

His wolf emitted a low growl at the thought of anyone touching his mate. Realistically, Caleb knew it was necessary, but emotionally, he and his wolf were on the same page.

Santos squeezed his arm. “It’s part of my job. That’s all.”

The doctor's reassurance soothed the beast, and it settled down.

Giles chuckled as he slid two plates in front of Caleb. A large, bloody, medium-rare steak took up most of one plate. The other held a loaded baked potato the size of a softball and roasted vegetables.

“Eat up,” Giles instructed. “Jorge dropped off a fresh apple cobbler Mikey made this afternoon. Make a happy plate, and you’ll get dessert.”

Caleb gave him a genuine smile. Polishing off the food would not be a problem. He was starving. The return of his appetite was an unexpected surprise. Picking up his steak knife and fork, he dug in, savoring each bite. He marveled at how his mind allowed his taste buds to enjoy food again. It felt wonderful.

By the time Giles dished up dessert, Caleb had finished his food, plus an extra baked potato. He wolfed down two large helpings of cobbler before finally feeling satisfied.

“Thank you,” he said. “Everything was delicious. I forgot how much enjoyment food could be. I’m sorry I never truly appreciated Mikey’s culinary skills before. I’ll have to remedy that next time I see her. That cobbler was fantastic.”

“Yeah, Jorge lucked out when he met her,” Santos agreed.

He couldn’t agree more. Now that his hunger was satisfied, he felt the need to fuel his soul. Taking his plate, Caleb rose and placed his things in the dishwasher. “Excuse me, gentlemen, but I must get back to Asa.”

His light shifter hadn’t moved. The man was paler than usual, his skin almost translucent. Dark smudges tainted the skin under his eyes. Even in sleep, he looked haggard. Frowning, Caleb pulled a chair close to the bed, sat, and gently took Asa’s hand. It was cool to the touch. What the hell did I do to him?

Guilt washed over him, replacing the good feeling he’d woken up to. A soft rustling behind him, preceded by a distinctive scent, alerted him to Giles’ presence. A strong hand gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

“It’s not your fault. Trust me; he looks a helluva lot better than he did yesterday. He chose to help you. I have a feeling he wasn’t completely honest with us about the toll it would take on him.”

“I still feel responsible. If I weren’t so fucked up, he would be awake by now.”

“You don’t know that. I don’t think he knew it, either. As soon as the connection broke, he looked stunned for a split second. Then he started spewing satanic slime. I was a little preoccupied to notice anything else.”

Caleb shook his head. “But still…”

Giles cut him off, his deep voice bordering on Alpha command. “Stop blaming yourself. Asa is an adult who made a consenting choice. He knew the risk. He chose you, Caleb. He chose YOU!”

Immediately, tears sprang to his eyes. His attention shifted to the man lying still on the bed, inexplicably drawn to him. Gently, he raised Asa’s hand and kissed the back of it. This man had put his life and sanity on the line for him. How could he ever repay him?

Leaning forward, Caleb rested his head on Asa’s chest, listening to his heartbeat. It was solid and steady, like the man himself. At that moment, he knew he would do anything for his light shifter, including bonding them for life.

“I promise I’ll make you proud of me,” he whispered, not caring that Giles was still in the room. He felt the barest hint of pressure on his hand, still clutching Asa’s. He knew, in his heart, that his mate had heard him.

He heard Giles leave, closing the bedroom door softly. Letting go of Asa’s hand, he shifted, his wolf burrowed under the blanket, settling beneath his mate’s arm, content at last. Time ceased to exist as the wolf and man took turns watching over Asa.

True to his word, Santos inserted a feeding tube when Asa didn’t show any signs of waking up. Not long after administering the dense calorie-packed liquid nutrition, his mate’s color improved, losing the translucent pallor. It was the first sign of improvement they saw.

Two days passed in slow motion. Caleb left Asa’s side only for meals. He left the bathroom door open whenever he used the facilities or took a quick shower. He slept in wolf form, curled up against his mate. As a human, he took care of Asa’s basic needs, sponge-bathing him daily and monitoring the bags of fluids the doctor brought. Learning how to swap out one bag for another was easy—a simple task that went a long way toward appeasing his and his wolf’s need to care for Asa.

Four days after the event, as he now thought of his day of healing, Asa stirred. Caleb had just stepped from the shower when he heard the distinct rustling sound from the bedroom. Still dripping, he dropped his towel and hurried to the bed.

He sat on the edge, one leg bent, the other on the floor, steadying him. Caleb held his breath as Asa’s eyes fluttered open. His patience was rewarded when the farrier’s gaze caught his and held. A bright smile banished the lingering sallowness, leaving a mere trace of tiredness at the corners of his eyes. A few creases betrayed the remnants of his utter exhaustion.

“Is this the sight I get to wake up to from now on? I like it.” Asa croaked, his voice rough and raspy from disuse and slightly slurred from the tube threaded down his throat.

Nudity wasn’t something about which any animal shifter felt embarrassed. It was a fact of life. It made Caleb smile. He was pleased his mate liked what he saw. Leaning over, he gave Asa a soft kiss.

“I’ll strip for you whenever you want,” he promised. “But right now, I think it’s more prudent that I get dressed and let Santos and Giles know you’re awake.”

Asa signed dramatically, eliciting a laugh from Caleb. Walking back to the bathroom, he shook his ass playfully, mindful he was starting to chub up. Not now, he scolded his wolf when the animal pushed the thought, Mate!, at him.

Quickly, he finished drying himself and donned clean boxers, jeans, and a T-shirt. Barefoot, he returned to the bedroom, opened the door, and yelled, “He’s awake!”

Down the hallway, chairs scraped along the kitchen floor. The pitter-pattering of boots hitting wood evoked memories of Saturday morning Looney Toons. Santos smiled when he saw Asa. He dropped his medical bag on the nightstand. “It’s good to see you awake. How are you feeling?”

“Overall, it feels like I’ve been run over by a truck, dragged a few miles, and left on the road in front of a stampede.”

The doctor chuckled as he removed his stethoscope from his bag. “That good, eh?” He listened to Asa’s heart, checked his pulse, then inflated the blood pressure cuff. Caleb winced along with his mate. He had always hated the uncomfortable sensation of having his pressure measured. It seemed Asa felt the same.

“Well, everything looks good. All your vitals are normal, and your color has greatly improved.”

“How long was I out?”

"Four days,” Giles informed him.

Asa’s eyes widened. It would have been comical if not for the seriousness of the reality. “Are you shitting me?”

Giles shook his head. “Nope. Trust me, you shit yourself enough. No need for anyone else to add to it.”

A pink flush of embarrassment crept up Asa’s cheeks. Caleb’s wolf growled softly at the perceived slight to its mate.

Giles was quick to apologize. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. I was merely stating a fact. You were in rough shape right after you broke the connection.”

Caleb’s wolf settled.

“What happened?” Asa asked.

“Why don’t we let Santos unhook you from everything, then feed you a proper meal? I’ll explain everything then,” Giles promised.

Caleb was grateful the Alpha prioritized Asa’s physical needs. He remained close as Santos removed the various tubes. His wolf wasn’t pleased when his mate gagged as the narrow feeding tube was pulled from Asa’s nose.

Thankfully, it was over quickly.

“Will you help me to the bathroom?” Asa asked.

Caleb wasn’t capable of refusing the simple request. “Of course.”

He helped Asa to sit up on the side of the bed. His mate leaned heavily on him as they walked the short distance. Santos and Giles left, presumably to fix food for them. The slant of the waning sunlight streaming through the window let them know it was late afternoon. Not quite dinnertime, but close enough.

Asa was panting as they reached the toilet, his strength still depleted. Caleb steadied him as he slid his boxers down and sat. Relief showed on Asa’s face as a steady stream of piss landed in the bowl.

“Do you want to shower?”

His mate shook his head. “I don’t have enough energy yet. Can you just run some water and get me a washcloth? I’ll need clean clothes too. Just shorts, please. I need to feel the sun on as much of my skin as possible.

Ten minutes later, Caleb steadied Asa as he lowered them onto the glider facing the western sky. The late afternoon sun was bright and warm. Not a cloud was in the sky, and Asa stretched his legs out, resting his bare heels on the bottom of the porch rail. He was stunningly beautiful.

A low hum of contentment accompanied the soft glow which shimmered over his body. Caleb felt privileged to witness this rejuvenation. He was immensely grateful Asa was okay.

“Thank you.”

Asa didn’t move, and for a moment, Caleb thought he didn’t hear him. Slowly, Asa turned his face away from the sun to look at him. It looked as though his mate was about to protest, but instead, he reached out to take Caleb’s hand.

“You’re welcome.”

They sat in companionable silence until Giles came out to ask if Asa preferred to eat outside.

“Yes, please.” His mate answered, a happy smile stretching across his face.

Caleb helped him walk the short distance to the teak dining table. He noticed an increase in his mate’s strength already. Asa still was a far cry from being one hundred percent, but he wasn’t completely depleted anymore.

He ensured Asa was comfortable sitting in the seat with the most sunlight before helping Santos and Giles bring out the food.

The smell of roasted pork, seven-grain rice, and a sauteed vegetable medley teased their noses. Asa piled his plate with food, unashamed of the considerable portions he took. Every bite seemed to restore another bit of vitality. By the time his plate was clean, his cheeks were a healthy pink. It was a good sign.

Swallowing the last bite, Asa wiped his mouth and pushed his plate away. “That was the best meal I’ve ever had,” he declared. “Now, will you tell me what happened?”

Giles smiled. He recapped the events of four days ago. Asa sobered as the reality of what happened sunk in. He shook as he realized how close they came to a much different outcome.

An uncomfortable silence hovered over them when Giles finished speaking. Caleb stood and gathered his mate in his arms. Four days ago, he would've pushed Asa away. Now, he couldn’t get close enough.

“Now, what do we do?” Caleb asked no one in particular.

“That’s up to you two. The fact remains: you are fated mates. Only you can decide if you want to complete the bond,” Giles stated.

“I think you should wait until you’ve both completely recovered,” Santos suggested. “It might take a couple of days for you to recuperate fully. Your bodies withstood an incredible amount of stress, physical and mental. It’s not something you can bounce back from overnight.”

The doctor had a good point. Caleb still tired quickly, even after four days and multiple shifts. Asa didn’t have the same accelerated healing capabilities. He could heal others but not himself. At least, not to the same degree.

Santos continued. “I don’t believe completing your mate bond before regaining your full strength would be wise. The risk of something going wrong is too great.”

“I agree,” Giles remarked. “When and if you’re ready, Santos and I should be nearby, just in case. Your mating is unique. We don’t know how Asa will react. I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

As much as Caleb’s wolf bristled at the idea of anyone being near them when they mated, rationally, he knew Giles and Santos were right.

Asa shot him a look of concession. That settled it. They would wait.

A yawn split Asa’s face, triggering a mirror response in Caleb. “I think we need to take a rain check on dessert.”

“Is the offer to help me shower still on the table?”

Narrowing his eyes, Caleb gave him a heated look. His voice dropped an octave. “Of course.”

Santos and Giles laughed as they stood. “We’ll take care of the dishes. Don’t worry. We’ll lock up too. Have fun,” the Alpha teased as he gathered their plates.

Caleb grabbed Asa’s hand and led them back to the bedroom, beelining for the bathroom. Once inside, Asa surprised him by closing the door, pushing him against it, and kissing him stupid. Exhaustion be damned.

Blindly, he groped for the shower control, spinning the lever to what he hoped was an acceptable temperature. Keeping their mouths fused, they fumbled as they removed their clothes. Asa’s skin was warm. Its heat soothed him.

Breaking apart, Caleb panted as he made sure the water wasn’t too hot or cold. A minor adjustment had the spray just right. Asa pulled him into the oversized stall and then sat on the built-in ledge, the only trade-off he allowed for his weakened condition.

Caleb gasped when the man’s hands gripped his hips, pulling him close and swallowing his cock down to the root in one fell swoop. Holy fucking Christ on a cracker! The man’s mouth was custom-made for giving head.

He wasn’t going to last. Sweet suction pulled at his shaft. Asa’s hot tongue traced the thick veins along his length, stopping to tease the sensitive divot under his crown. He let out a loud moan as, once again, his mate deep-throated him.

“Suck it harder. I’m close.”

Wet, filthy slurping sounds were Asa’s response to his demand. Roughly, he grabbed the man’s head, face-fucking him.

“Take it.”

Asa gagged, and he started to pull back. Instead of coming up for air, the light shifter shoved Caleb’s leaking cock down the back of his throat, forcing it past his gag reflex.

“You like it dirty, don’t you?”

He nearly came when Asa hummed his approval. An incredible tightness gripped his shaft as Asa’s throat muscles closed on him. His balls drew up tight, and he roared as he emptied them down his mate’s throat, pumping his hips mercilessly.

Cum and spit overflowed Asa’s mouth. Tears leaked from the corner of his eyes. Caleb pulled back enough to allow Asa to lick his cock clean. Immediately, he dropped to his knees and captured his lips, allowing the taste of his cum to flood his taste buds. It was raunchy and sexy at the same time.

Asa’s hard dick poked his belly. Caleb sucked the remnants of cum from his mate, then bent to inhale the rock-hard shaft demanding attention. He didn’t have the same finesse as Asa, but he didn’t need it. His mate threaded his fingers through Caleb’s hair, pulling until pleasure bordered pain. His mouth automatically sucked harder, and he was rewarded with a flood of cum.

Caleb sagged, his head resting on Asa’s thighs as they panted from exertion. It was totally worth it. Fingers tangled in his hair and gently massaged. He hummed contentedly.

“You like talking dirty, huh?” Asa chuckled.

Caleb pushed himself up and grabbed the shampoo. As he lathered Asa’s hair, he retorted, “You like it when I talk dirty.”

“Touché.”

Silently, he washed them. It felt more intimate than sex, and in many ways, it was. Caleb had never allowed himself to feel this way with any of his former lovers. Sex had always been a means to scratch an itch. Feelings didn’t have a place in his former sex life. With Asa, it felt different. While the sensation was strange, he didn’t hate it. The opposite was true. He liked it–a lot.

After they rinsed, he turned off the water. They dried off and slid into bed. This time, Caleb was the big spoon. Contended, they fell asleep.

In the morning, Caleb woke refreshed. He ignored his erection as Asa stirred, grinding his ass against him. Teasingly, he tweaked the man’s nipple, garnering a yelp of feigned indignation.

Asa’s exaggerated scowl as he rolled over was cute. Caleb couldn’t help himself. He pecked the tip of his mate’s nose.

“What’s the game plan for today?” Asa asked.

“As much as I’d love to lie around in bed all day, I don’t think it’s wise. The truce I have with my wolf is tentative at best. He won’t react well if I restrain him from claiming you. He’s not good with the concept of waiting.”

A snort escaped his mate. “You don’t say?”

Caleb swatted Asa’s bare ass, ignoring the brazen way the man pushed his hips forward. “Besides, I should check on Eclipse and Hank. What about you? Is there anything you need to take care of?”

Caleb could tell from Asa’s frown he wasn’t happy that life was butting in on them. It couldn’t be helped. The world did not stop spinning because he finally got his shit together.

“I should make some follow-up calls. I rearranged my schedule this week, but there are a few horses I need to check on.”

“You’re a good man.”

Asa smiled at him. “So are you.”

They reluctantly rose and got dressed. Giles hadn’t explicitly said he would be stopping by, but the chances were high that they’d be having company soon.

The coffee was barely finished brewing, and Caleb had his head buried in Asa’s fridge, trying to decide what to fix, when a truck stopped in the driveway. The smell of French toast wafted in a few seconds before Giles stuck his head around the corner.

There was a distinct look of relief on the Alpha’s face as he registered their state of dress and the fact that neither of them sported a mating bite.

“I come bearing French toast casserole, courtesy of Mikey.”

“I think I love that woman,” Asa declared.

“Me too!” Caleb laughed.

“Jorge will have something to say about that, I’m sure,” Giles quipped, depositing the fragrant dish on the counter.

“Eh, we’re only in it for the food. Jorge can have the rest,” Asa teased.

“I’m sure he’ll be relieved to hear it.” Giles grabbed three paper plates while Caleb poured them coffee.

“What are you guys doing today?” Giles asked.

“I’d like to check on Eclipse and Hank if you don’t mind,” Caleb replied. “They probably think I abandoned them. Then, I’ll keep Asa company while he makes some calls and checks up on a few of his clients.”

“I don’t mind at all. How are you guys feeling?”

Asa took a deep breath and stretched. A thin strip of skin peeked through the narrow gap created by the movement. Caleb’s eyes narrowed, then flicked to Giles, satisfied the Alpha couldn’t see anything from his spot across the table.

“Still super sore,” Asa answered. “But other than that, I feel great.”

Caleb cleared his throat. “Me too. I still feel wrong about a lot of the stuff I did. Especially knowing I hurt others. But it’s not overwhelming like before. I wish I could’ve done something to help the hybrid pups. Instead, I just left.”

“What more do you mean by helping the hybrid pups?” Asa asked.

Caleb quirked his head to the side slightly. Asa wore an expression he couldn’t decipher. He’d forgotten his mate didn’t know the whole story of the Sentinels and their role in breaking up the trafficking organization. “It’s a long story.”

Giles tactfully excused himself. “I’ll leave you two. Stop by the ranch when you’re done. Asa, if you have any questions, I’ll do my best to answer them.”

Even though Caleb explained his background and how he fucked up with Vann, he had skimmed over many details concerning the creation of the hybrids.

Caleb spent the next hour and a half explaining everything he knew as he understood it.

Occasionally, Asa interjected with a question. Many he didn’t know how to answer.

When he finished, his mate looked puzzled. “So, the condition of these pups is purely physical? The issue is that they can’t find a cure?”

“Exactly. Sebastian and the current High Council have their best researchers on it twenty-four-seven, and as far as I know, still nothing. I feel partially responsible. I wish there were something I could do.”

Asa pulled Caleb to his feet and stood close, cupping his face in his palms. Caleb closed his eyes as the man feathered a kiss across their lips and whispered, “You can.”

His eyes flew open. “Huh?”

"Call your friend and tell him you found a cure. Then pack your bags. We’re going to Montana.”

The realization of what Asa was telling him left him dumbfounded. When he rediscovered his voice, he stammered, “Ar-Are y-you saying you can heal them?”

Asa’s shoulders shook as he laughed. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. Go on, call!”

“Are you sure? What about the toll it takes on you? Fixing me damn near killed you.”

“My love, healing a mind is vastly different than healing a physical ailment. I can do that much easier. Yes, it takes a toll, but not nearly as much. So call!”

Caleb grabbed his phone from the counter. His fingers shook as they scrolled down to a name he hadn’t let his eyes land on in many months. His successor answered on the second ring.

“Sebastian?” he said tentatively.

“Caleb?”

Before he could lose his courage, he blurted, “We discovered a cure for the hybrids.”

“What?!” Sebastian exclaimed. Caleb heard rustling as he correctly assumed the Alpha was putting him on speaker. “Could you repeat that?”

He grinned from ear to ear, saying, “We discovered a cure for the hybrids!”