Page 29 of The Tech Guru's Heart

Link had been surprised yet extremely pleased that Ezra had insisted on taking a day out of his vacation to spend cementing their bond.He hadn’t expected that.While Link had heard that the mate-pull affected the human in the pairing, too, seeing it in action was something else.

Damn it.Iwillkeep my mate safe.

With that thought, Link grabbed his satellite phone and powered it up.He called Theo, the man who’d sent the alert.When Link had started tailing Ezra, he’d turned over the monitoring of his systems to the technological expert.

“Hey, man,” Theo greeted.“I’m so sorry to be the barer of bad news.”

“It’s not your fault,” Link countered, keeping his voice quiet, hoping Ezra would sleep through his call.It wasn’t that he wanted to hide anything from his mate.Link just wanted him to get plenty of sleep, considering Link had woken Ezra up twice in the night for sex.Link just couldn’t get enough of his handsome, sexy human.“We knew going in that I was investigating hackers damn near as skilled as me.”

Some were even better than him, not that Link wanted to admit that to anyone.

“Well, at least we know who’s been selling information, now,” Theo pointed out.“Unfortunately, Shawn knows you’re the one who figured it out, and he’s coming after you.”Before Link could come up with a response, Theo added, “And he knows you found your mate and that you’re somewhere on the Appalachian Trail.”

Link grimaced, rubbing his hand over his bald head.“It’s not as if me finding my mate was a secret,” he pointed out.“It’s why I’m off work, remember?Common knowledge.”Then Link frowned, scowling at nothing.“But how did Shawn find out that I’m hiking on the trail?”

“I’m trying to figure out who was privy to that information,” Theo told him, his voice sounding troubled.“But, honestly, finding a mate is instant gossip.There’s no telling who blabbed to him or even just while around him.”

“True,” Link conceded.“So, Shawn disappeared from the headquarters before the enforcers could catch up with him.”He spoke softly, musing through what they knew.“And he’s threatened revenge on me and Ezra because I outed him and the council named him rogue.”

“Yup,” Theo commented dryly.“That about sums it up.”

It had been the information in his email, after all.

Link rolled his eyes.Still, he had to smirk upon hearing that response from his friend.

“What about Taleen?”Link asked, referring to Shawn’s lover.They didn’t call each other mates, but they did live together.“How’s she taking this?”

“According to Taleen’s friend, Sherry, she said she’s going back to her mother’s bear clan,” Theo told him, having obviously expected the question since he had the answer readily available.Plus, Theo was a very thorough human.“When the enforcers got to their place, the closet and bathroom were empty of nearly all her stuff.”

“Okay.”Link had always thought Taleen a little shallow...being with Shawn for his position and money, working for the council and all.“Can’t say I’m surprised by that.”

“We want you to come in for your protection.You and Ezra,” Theo told him.“Tell me your closest town, and we’ll send a couple of enforcers in an SUV to pick you up.”

Link knew Theo meant well, and bywe,he meant Theo’s mate, Councilman Regales, but he still shook his head—not that his friend could see it.“No,” he countered.“I’m not cutting Ezra’s trip short.He’s been planning this too long.”Scowling, Link grumbled, “What?You think just because I’m a computer nerd that I can’t keep my mate safe?Hello, pot.I’m kettle.You’re black, too.”

Theo barked a laugh.“Yeah, yeah.I’m the pot calling the kettle black, huh?”

Scoffing, Link pointed out, “You’re just as big a computer nerd, and you’re a Navy SEAL, so—” He paused and shrugged.

“Okay, so you’re not coming in.”While Theo’s voice held a wealth of concern, he admitted, “Not that I blame you, but you do see that thisisa little different, right?You do remember Shawn used to be an enforcer, right?”

“Yeah,” Link snapped, then glanced at Ezra.Upon seeing his human’s sleepy-eyed-gaze trained on him, he smiled while continuing his call.“Your point?”

“He’s a trained grizzly shifter,” Theo pointed out.“Like you said, I’m a trained SEAL.Were you ever trained?”

“No,” Link admitted.His eldest brother, Warren, was their head enforcer, so he’d been trained in combat and tactics, but Link had never been considered a fighter by his family.“But this is my mate, Theo.”Holding Ezra’s gaze, Link declared, “Iwillkeep him safe.”

The sound of Theo blowing out a sharp breath could be heard through the line.“Okay.Well, keep your eyes open,” he encouraged.“Our enforcers lost his trail northwest of Savannah, so we know he’s headed your way.You know they’ll do their best to intercept the bastard before he reaches you, but be careful, my friend.”

“I will,” Link assured.“And you know how to reach me if you have any updates that I need to be aware of.”

“Yep.”With that, Theo disconnected the call.

Link lowered his device as he held Ezra’s gaze.His mate’s beautiful green eyes were full of questions.He smiled as he set down his satellite phone before returning to their makeshift bed.While Link didn’t look forward to explaining the situation to his human mate, he would never purposefully lie to him.

I’d just hoped to have him more settled within our culture before trouble came calling.

Wrapping his arms around Ezra, Link pulled him against him.“How’d you sleep, baby?”he rumbled, nuzzling his beard against his temple.He loved the way Ezra pressed into his touch.His mate had become surprisingly tactile.

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