Corruption MxM

Chapter 12

---Anders' POV---

A smile slipped on my face as I watched Benji sleep soundly. Soft purrs rumbled through his chest as his fingers kneaded at the sheets beneath him. I brushed a strand of his hair from his cheeks, tilting my head to observe as he pushed into the touch, purrs intensifying.

Looking away from my mate, I could feel my instincts flare as I stared out the window and at the drifting boat in the ocean. I knew exactly where Vaughan went, as he was a capable swimmer in either form. But I wondered why he stashed himself away in the boat?

Was he biding his time, waiting for the moment I'd leave Benjamin's side to deal with the serpent? Or was it merely his self-preserving instincts that guided him off the island and out of reach from Vane's claws?

Benji huffed, rolling over just to paste himself completely against my body. I held my breath, not willing to wake him up and try to avoid his questions. Just like Vane, my little mate was curious to why I simply didn't teleport away from this island in the first place, why I governed over these inmates.

Truth was, this island was my property, bought when I was still a youngster and wanting to please a future mate. I bought it with the thought that if I'd ever found my mate, we'd be able to live in peace and tranquility.

But after a few decades, new arrivals kept appearing. Inmates, who had been dropped off on shore and whom would be killed on sight if they left the premises of the island.  Even if I opened up portals to allow them out, they'd be tracked, hunted down and murdered in cold blood.

It had happened once before, but never again. A young woman, tossed on this island for refusing the advances of one of the wolves. When she came here, she begged and pleaded with me to let her return home, at least to collect her young sibling.

I had opened up a portal and waited for her there. The portal had flared to life after hours but only for two bodies to be tossed through it. The woman and her sibling, defiled and murdered in cold blood.

A reminder to the rest of the island of what would happen not only to them, but their loved ones as well, if they ever tried to escape.

I quietly rolled out of bed, tucking Benji in and smiling as he hissed in his sleep, wriggling around before clutching my pillow in a death grip. He relaxed as soon as he inhaled my scent and I could feel my chest swell with emotion as I watched the pleasant smile curl on his lips.

Ah, little one. You brighten up the darkness that was my life.

Quietly I moved to my desk in the corner of the room, dimming the office light so I could work in silence and allow Benji his much needed sleep.

Even thought the wolves had forbidden the inmates to leave the island, they had never been so bold as to set foot on what was mine. Now they had not only breached their contract, they had also laid a hand on my mate, even tried to kill him.

But the wolves made a serious mistake. In attacking my mate and bringing along Vane and his own mate, they had given up information I needed to set things in motion. I knew Vane would be more than eager to help me and if everything was just right, we would be able to tackle the corruption that was flowing out of Red Hills pack.

As if my thoughts had summoned him, a soft knock sounded on the door before it was pushed open by none other than Vane himself. The bear wandered in without a thought, not even shooting a glance at my sleeping mate, which I was very grateful for.

Brushing my fingers against the wall, I opened a small portal to my office, motioning for Vane to go through. He huffed, his bear's suspicion bleeding through his motions but he relaxed when I glanced at Benji when my mate rolled over and mewled softly.