Page 32 of Rescued

I’ve never felt so vulnerable, so exposed. It’s terrifying and freeing all at once.

“Mika,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know where this is going, but I need you to know…you’re not alone anymore. Whatever you went through, whatever you’re still dealing with, I’m here. Okay?”

His eyes glisten as he nods, and I know—I just know—this is the start of something neither of us could have imagined.

“Anyhow. Then I came here, to my grandparents. They loved me unconditionally, and that healed a lot of the damage my parents did. I’m sorry you didn’t have anyone to turn to when your pack kicked you out.” My voice softens, and I feel the raw edges of my own pain resurfacing as Mika’s dark, intent eyes meet mine. I give his shoulders a light squeeze, hoping to ground him—and maybe myself, too. “But you do now.”

Mika’s gaze holds mine, his expression shifting into something softer, steadier. “I’m sorry, Gabriel. For what your parents did. But I’m glad you had your grandparents…and grateful you found me. That we have each other.”

His voice doesn’t have the wounded tone from earlier, and that reassures me. He’s getting there, piece by piece.

“Yes, we do.” I give him a grin, trying to lighten the mood. “And we both smell like a teenage boy’s sheets—sweaty and cum-covered.”

Mika’s laugh is low and rumbling as I stand and gesture for him to follow.

“So your clothes, your ID, pretty much everything—it’s still on pack property?” I ask. “Will they toss it out, or can we go get it?”

“I don’t think they’ll throw it out.” Mika shrugs, his body still relaxed, though there’s a shadow of tension in his shoulders. “I left in a hurry, sure, but they’ll probably pack it up and ship it if I ask. They wouldn’t want me to have a reason to come back. I’ve got some money tucked away in a couple of accounts. I just need to access it.”

He nods toward the computer, giving me a questioning look. “If it’s okay, I’d like to use your computer for that. Then I’ll get cleaned up real quick.”

“Of course,” I say, but my mind latches onto his words.

They don’t want him to come back.

Thethought churns in my gut, sharp and ugly. I don’t like it. It’s bad enough they cast him out in the first place, but not even letting him return to collect his things? That level of rejection feels petty and cruel, and the fact that it happened to Mika—my Mika—pisses me off more than I care to admit.

He doesn’t seem fazed, though, moving toward the computer with a quiet focus. I’ll let it slide for now. But the more I think about it, the angrier I get.

Mika

Istudy Gabe’s profile as we drive toward Shasta. The sunlight catches on his jawline, highlighting the firm set of his features, and something about it pulls at me. His focus is steady, his hands gripping the wheel just tight enough to betray the tension he’s holding back.

The connection between us hums, constant and undeniable, but I can’t shake my unease. Gabe hasn’t asked about the mind-link or what it means to be mates, and I don’t know how long to wait before bringing it up myself. He said we needed time, but how much time does he mean? The thought of him rejecting me outright—of him turning me away—is unbearable. I’d rather take small steps, learning about him bit by bit, than risk losing him by rushing too fast.

“How did you get started rescuing strays out here?” I ask, keeping my tone light but genuinely curious.

He slants a quick look at me, the corner of his mouth quirking into a small, wistful smile before he focuses back on the road. “I don’t mind you asking,” he says. “It started with Todd, actually. One morning, not long after he started as a deputy, he tracked me down at Chaz’s Diner. I was finishing breakfast, and he walked in looking like hell. Pale, tired—off.”

Gabe’s fingers go white on the wheel for a moment, he’s gripping it so hard, his expression clouding. I reach out, resting a hand on his thigh to offer what comfort I can. He glances at me again, his lips pressing into a grateful line as he takes one hand off the wheel and twines his fingers with mine.

“He pulled me aside, out of earshot from the regulars, and told me about a call he’d been on with Kaufman. It was about some strays on old man Markum’s property.” Gabe takes a deep breath, his shoulders stiffening. “When they got there, Markum had penned up three dogs. Kaufman sent the old man inside and then grabbed a baseball bat…”

He trails off, and I feel the surge of emotion rolling off him. The anger in me builds to a steady burn, but it’s Gabe’s quiet pain that keeps me grounded.

“What did Todd do?” I ask, keeping my voice calm even as my muscles tense. “Don’t tell me he just stood there.”

The flash of irritation in Gabe’s green eyes is instant, and I immediately regret the way my words came out.

“Todd isn’t a wuss, Mika. You don’t know him, or what he’s been through.”

I hold up my free hand, trying to soothe the sting of my comment. “Then tell me,” I say softly. “Help me understand, so I don’t do something stupid when I meet your friend.”

He starts to pull away, but I tighten my grip, refusing to let him retreat. Whatever bond we’re building, I won’t let him close himself off from me—not now.

“Todd was green,” Gabe admits after a pause, his tone gentler now but no less firm. “Kaufman outranked him, and Todd was barely a deputy at the time. He tried to stop him, tried to step in, but Kaufman pulled rank. Told Todd to shut up and learn how things were done.”

A low growl rumbles in my chest, my anger threatening to boil over. Gabe squeezes my hand, grounding me again.

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