MATE AND HIS LOVER 9

#36 Two birds

Nate's fingers are secure between the boulders like steel hooks, as he continues his pull ups. The orange sun casts a heatless light on his brawny back and the draft streaming down from the cliff dries away his sweat before it could even form.

With each pull his entire musculature constricts and churns out enough energy to lift his body by his fingers alone, and when he relaxes, he feels as light as the air around him.

One of the reasons Nate likes to train, besides to become stronger, is because it cinches his mind into a point he can concentrate on. People say mind over body, but in Nate's experience he has always found that it to be the other way around.

When he's done with his last set, Nate pulls himself up farther and rests his feet on one of the stone's rough face. With his feet secure, he turns around and sees the forest and the sky.

Right at the end of the forest is where the houses begin. Farther down, at the center, is where the Alpha's mansion is — a manor house where the ruling Alpha of the pack resides.

Although each presiding Alpha in the past had moved into that house (the former Alpha would relocate), it's not required that the Alpha has to reside in that house only. He can always choose a new place of residence and business.

Nate never thought about such amenities that came with being an Alpha. Not until Daisy.

Knowing that she prefers to mostly stay at home, the current Alpha's mansion will not suit her much, Nate once thought. The place is in the heart of the town — too many people around, and coming in and out of the mansion.

Nate takes his eyes to the pale green patch at the right of the forest, close to the edge. It's a land he had inherited from his mother's father. At the time, he didn't know what to do with it and even thought of selling it off. But his mother insisted he keep it. So he did.

Now, that is where he wants to build his house, if Daisy wishes. There won't be too much commotion around and he can repurpose one of the commercial buildings closer to the forest as the Alpha's new office. Will be only a few minutes drive from home.

Nate smiles at the thought.

Realizes he's smiling.

Shakes his head. "A few more sets," he says. "Need a few more sets."

He faces the cliff, fastens his fingers between the stones and starts doing pull ups again.

Focus, he thinks.

After he's done with his exercise, for sure this time, he climbs up to the top of the cliff and joins the other trainees.

There's a row of shower stalls at the left. Nate cleans himself off and gets ready to leave when Frank arrives, looking a little concerned. "We gotta talk," he says in a hushed voice to Nate so the others can't hear them. "It's about Ian."

Nate immediately follows Frank to Drey's car. Drey is at the driver's seat waiting for them.

After a few minutes, the three of them reach the Garison Flat. It's a popular camping spot, but not at this time of the year when it's prone to be inundated. Right now, it's just a wet abandoned patch of mud land.

"Alpha took a secret meeting with Ian," Frank says. "Not that many know about it. I don't think even Castino and Ross know. I found out about it from a drunk Keplan."

"What was it about?" Nate says.

"I'm not sure but it seems like Ian doesn't like you for the title. Wants Patrick to be the Alpha, and if Patrick fails, he wants to challenge you himself."

Nate laughs. "That thug thinks he could take me on?"

"Don't underestimate him," Frank warns. "He's not the Stanton gang's leader just because of his father. He's nothing like the henchmen that came after you that day, assuming they were his men."

"Who else's could they be?" Drey says. "Nate gets attacked and soon Ian and Alpha meet? Of course, those guys must be rogues from the Stantons gang. Wish the guy we caught would wake up already."

"That's not important now," Frank says. "What's important is why Ian is after Nate?"

Clenching his jaws, Nate says, "You mean if it's about the pack or about Daisy?"

Frank nods. "So far, though, I don't see anything that tells me he knows Daisy is here. Or even that she's your mate. I think he's just working with Patrick to bring you down so he could start selling his drugs in our pack land, too."

Nate also thinks Ian doesn't know Daisy is here. Or else he would've come for her already. "But it's still a risk," Nate says.

Frank nods again. "The guy arranging her new hideout said it'll take some time. Until then we better have some of our men around your house."

Nate says, "Do you still think it's best for her to leave now?"

"Truth be told, I have no fucking idea. You two are the most troublesome pair of mates I've ever come across!"

Nate looks away, a little sulking.

"Anyway," Frank continues, "Let's just make decisions for today, based on what we know. Clearly, planning for the future does not work for you two."

"Okay," Nate says. "Let's also add some more guards at the borders."

"The Alpha has already ordered that," Frank says, "I guess he didn't like Ian's proposal as much as we."

"Even so," Nate says, "Put some of our men in there, too. I don't trust my father that much, and I don't want to take any risk with Daisy's safety. And... don't tell her anything about it."

Frank gestures zipping his mouth. "I know it'll freak her out and she will start worrying again. She deserves some time off from thinking about those jerks."

Nate wonders for the first time what it really must be like for her — to keep looking out for the threat that seems to be always right around the corner, scared if she stops thinking about it even for a second, it will catch her.

That's why Nate hopes that Ian would really come and challenge him after he wins against Patrick. Two birds. One stone.

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