Fagin's Folly Read online

  “Male?” Buster grinned wide enough to show his teeth. “Great. With any luck he’ll have a brother for me.”

  The car swerved as Fagin looked at his friend in shock. “You’re gay and you never said anything?”

  “You’re gay and you never said anything?” Buster laughed.

  “But…you and….” Buster had been through as many of the single females in the pack as he had.

  “And you and Missy doesn’t count, I suppose.” Buster shook his head and watched out the side windows as they got closer to Fagin’s bar. “Face it, man. Neither one of us could say anything and I’m sure you snuck off and got your jollies where you could, same as me. Wolf stamina means we can get it up for anyone in a pinch and there was no way I was going to let anyone know my tastes swung towards the male persuasion. I’m sure you felt the same way, or you would’ve told me about this before.”

  Fagin heard a hint of reproof in his friend’s tone and immediately felt guilty. Tagging after his ass couldn’t have been easy for Buster, especially when Fagin’s cock itched for a male’s ass to plunge into. They were barely ever apart and if Buster shared the same drives he did…Fagin started to laugh. “We’re a right pair of idiots, aren’t we? If I’d told you back when I had my first taste of male, we could’ve protected each other instead of fucking hiding it.”

  “Well I wasn’t going to say anything. You’re alpha-heir after all and as much as I appreciate our friendship, I wasn’t going to put you in a sticky position.”

  “I won’t be within the next month; alpha-heir I mean.” Fagin swung into the parking lot by his bar. The air was quiet the moment the engine was turned off. “I was given this month on the understanding that I come back and breed with one of the pack females. I can stick my dick in any willing woman to keep the peace, but I will not bond, mate, or have pups with someone not my mate. I just don’t believe that sort of behavior is right.”

  “And if your mate is male….” Buster nodded to show he understood.

  Slapping his friend on the shoulder, Fagin mustered a smile. “We have one night here so I can get things organized and then we’ll hit the open road. Hopefully, our animal halves will know where our mates might be.” His hand hesitated over the door handle. “Or you can come with me for a day or two and then head back to the pack and say I lost you. From what I’ve heard being a lone wolf isn’t a lot of fun when you’re used to being in a pack.”

  “Who said we won’t have a pack? It just won’t be this one.” Buster let out a long breath. “You know, since my mom and sister died my dad does nothing but work. I won’t be missed. You, on the other hand, will be.”

  “Either one of my brothers can be alpha-heir and would probably take over the pack in a heartbeat. Come on,” Fagin noticed the sad expression Buster was doing his best to hide. “Let’s get some drinks in. It’s going to be a long night and I want an early start in the morning.”

  “Yeah, you and your early starts,” Buster chuckled as he got out of the car. “You don’t get out of bed before noon on the best of days.”

  “We’re on a deadline,” Fagin reminded him. “Every second counts.”

  Fagin didn’t even want to think what he’d do if he didn’t find his true mate in the month his dad allowed. Many wolves went their whole lives and never met the one fated for them. But Fagin’s gut was telling him this was the right thing to do. Failure wasn’t an option. His mate was out there. His wolf could sense it. He just had to find him.

  Chapter Three

  Cooper stared at the address card in his hand and then at the large wooden sign on the door. Fagin’s. He’d got the right place, but that wasn’t what was causing Cooper to hesitate. His keen nose had picked up the faint scent of wolves and while he knew he wasn’t in pack territory, he was still cautious enough to worry about his welcome.

  Straightening his suit, Cooper patted his hair self-consciously. Beth assured him it was the latest style and made his cheekbones stand out; not something he’d ever considered important. But as Beth swore black and blue they were ‘besties’ and she was only trying to get him laid, he’d succumbed to pressure. His neck felt bare without his long curls covering it and he tugged at the length on the top. It didn’t work. It wasn’t long enough to hide behind.

  Enough, Cooper told himself firmly. You have a job to do. Just march in there and tell whoever you see first that you are here for your appointment. Fagin Mars was the man he was supposed to be meeting, but Cooper didn’t care if he got fobbed off with some minor office worker. They usually knew more about what was going on than the owner anyway.

  Squaring his shoulders, Cooper tugged one last time at the back of his jacket. He preferred his ass covered when he was on the clock, but Beth revamped his wardrobe too. Apparently, he had a bit too much nerd and not enough style for her liking. If only she knew. Omega wolves intent on self-preservation covered their asses and necks if they didn’t want to attract attention. But Cooper hadn’t had anything to do with any of his kind since he shifted a full decade before.

  And I am not in pack territory now. If the wolves are here, they can’t do anything to me. This is the human side of town. Grasping his brief case firmly with one hand, Cooper pushed open the main door with the other and promptly went flying back as the door was pushed from the other side and smacked him in the face. His briefcase disappeared as he fell on his ass, cradling his face. “Damn, my nose.” He fumbled frantically for the clean handkerchief he always carried. Blood would be impossible to get out of his new suit.

  “Shit, I’m so sorry little dude. I was busy…couldn’t see…carrying…carrying…well, hello handsome.”

  Wiping his face quickly, Cooper looked up to meet dark eyes. His destiny was looking at him as though he was an all-you-can-eat Saturday night special. Cooper gulped.

  /~/~/~/~/

  Fagin’s day started off bad and got progressively worse. He’d woken up late to the sound of his phone ringing. It was his mother wanting to know if he’d packed clean underwear for his trip of all things. Considering he hadn’t worn underwear since he shifted for the first time, he worried she was hiding something dire. But no, his mom rattled through a list of concerns; did he have enough money? Had he packed shoes in case he met a nice girl who wouldn’t be impressed with his leathers and boots? Was his car insurance up to date? Could Buster be trusted to drive sober?

  After reassuring her a dozen times he was more than capable of looking after himself, Fagin disconnected only to have the phone ring again. It was Missy this time; pleading with him to reconsider his trip. By the time he’d got free of her, after wishing her well with her mating to Bobby Joe because he wasn’t a complete asshole, he found he’d missed breakfast. The sight of Buster’s smug face as he pointedly looked at the clock didn’t help his mood. At least he’d taken time to pack the night before, although the state of his clothes sprawled all over the sidewalk completely fled his mind as he stared at the young man he’d bumped into.

  Stunning was the first word that came to mind. Despite the young man wearing a now crumpled suit and the smear of blood under his nose, Fagin decided the shock of silver blond hair, with just enough length on top to grab and wide blue-gray eyes would keep him mesmerized for the next million years or so.

  “Mine,” Fagin whispered as his wolf howled in agreement. All at once he was immensely grateful he missed his alarm, been bogged down with calls and hadn’t started out on his road trip at seven am the way he intended. My mate came to me! Then his wolf reminded him of the blood – not his own and he held out his hand.

  “I’m Fagin Mars, will you let me help you up? I do apologize. I’m not usually this much of a klutz.”

  “Cooper Samuels.” A soft hand grasped his as Cooper got to his feet, brushing himself off with his other hand. Fagin was pleased with the slender frame, the hint of defined shoulders and the pert ass encased in expensive material. “I’m the accountant your manager Jim Styles requested. We had an appointment at eleven today.”
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  Cooper took in Fagin’s strewn clothes and travel bags. “I’m guessing you are on your way out. If your manager is here, I can discuss your needs with him?”

  Fagin became aware of Cooper tugging at the hand he still held, and he tightened his grip, but not enough to bruise. “I was coming to look for you,” he said, deciding on complete honesty. “Why don’t you come inside, and we can discuss our future?”

  Reaching over, Fagin snagged what was clearly Cooper’s briefcase from the pavement and holding that firmly in one hand he tugged Cooper along with the other. He wasn’t planning on letting go anytime soon.

  /~/~/~/~/

  Cooper was sure the bump on his face had sent him into some kind of alternative universe where alpha wolves treated him like he was spun glass and wanted to be seen with him. Admittedly, at this point it was only one wolf; although he had the bad-boy vibe along with leathers Cooper associated with some of the meanest alphas. It looked good on Mr. Mars though.

  Then there was the little matter of his scent which reminded Cooper of the ancient oak that he played under as a child mixed with double fudge ice cream Cooper hadn’t eaten in years. Why that made his cock stand up, he had no idea, but that issue wasn’t going to be easily hidden thanks to his shorter jacket. Cooper longed to snatch his briefcase back, but that would be rude.

  “Buster,” Fagin yelled loudly as soon as they got inside what was clearly a biker bar. Cooper shrank back as another huge alpha type leaped over the bar counter like it was only a foot off the ground. “My clothes are all over the sidewalk. Grab them for me, would you?”

  “Are we postponing the trip again?” Buster said, eying Cooper like he was chopped liver. “At this rate we won’t be on the road until nightfall.”

  “It’s okay,” Cooper said quietly, tugging at his hand which Fagin hadn’t let go of. “If you gentlemen have somewhere to be, I can come back another time.”

  “I’ve already found what I’m looking for,” Fagin said smoothly, apparently unfazed by Buster’s attitude. “But a trip might still be a good idea. If you can pick up my clothes, and then meet us in the office. This young man’s still suffering from the fall I caused, and I want to make sure his nose isn’t broken.”

  Fagin and Buster shared a long look and then Fagin flicked his head at two men who were standing at the bar. Whatever that meant, Buster seemed to understand and strode out of the bar without another word. Confused, Cooper trailed along behind Fagin, dodging tables and chairs that all bore the marks of abuse. Names, gouges, and more littered the table tops and some of the chairs were barely holding together.

  His boss, Abraham had warned him a rough crowd frequented the place which is why Cooper had a morning appointment. A surreptitious sniff let him know Fagin’s didn’t conform to the anti-smoking laws and if the carpets were steeped in water there’d probably be enough alcohol in the residue to bring an elephant to his knees. If elephants drank alcohol. I wonder if there are any elephant shifters, Cooper mused before the slamming of a door snapped him out of it.

  Crap-sticks. Cooper was alone in a surprisingly clean office big enough for a cluttered desk and three chairs, and a guy whose scent was making it difficult to concentrate. The guy was a wolf shifter and suddenly Cooper was aware of how vulnerable he was.

  “I didn’t want to cause any trouble by coming here. I wasn’t aware this place was owned by wolves,” he said quickly. “My boss sent me because the call said you needed an accountant to help file your taxes. I can call someone else to come in,” he indicated the door as he edged towards it. “I don’t expect you to work with me and as you said, you’re going on a trip, so I can just see myself out and tell my boss to call you?”

  “Where do you think you’re going little omega?”

  Gulp. Was it too much to hope he wouldn’t notice that annoying little fact? Cooper studied his feet. Meeting the man…wolf’s eyes was not advisable. “Leaving? Removing myself from your presence as I’m sure it offends you? I just want to get out of here because I’ve no desire to get my head bashed in, or worse.” Now would be a really good time to shut up.

  “We seem to be suffering from a communication breakdown. Please, take a seat.” Fagin’s voice had none of the animosity Cooper was used to from alpha wolves, but now he had another dilemma.

  I don’t know your rules. I don’t dare ask. Where am I meant to sit? On the floor? Giving his suit up as lost anyway, Cooper crossed his legs and sat on the floor. It’s not as though the chairs looked comfortable anyway.

  “What the hell?”

  Cooper held his breath as the alpha’s face came into view. “You called me Omega,” Cooper muttered. “Where I came from, Omegas sit on the floor.”

  Fagin growled, and Cooper ducked instinctively. Although it had been ten years since he’d heard the low menacing rumble from an alpha, his wolf still reacted as though it was yesterday. The growl got louder in response and Cooper felt his heart start to pound rapidly and black spots appeared in front of his eyes.

  “Please get up. In this office you sit on a chair,” Fagin grumbled. “Or better yet, my lap. Who do I need to kill for causing my mate to cower this way?”

  Kill? Mate? That feeling of falling into the twilight zone increased. At least his hardened cock made sense, but Cooper didn’t know how to act around alphas any other way. Years of conditioning made some things instinctive. Focusing on what he could handle, Cooper made to get up but before he’d got his feet under him properly the office door opened and hit him on the ass. He went flying again – this time into the corner of Fagin’s desk. Fuck, that hurts, Cooper thought as he crashed to the floor and the lights went out.

  Chapter Four

  “You clumsy fucking idiot. Look what you’ve done.” Fagin didn’t know what to do first. Tend to his mate or rip out the throat of his best friend for causing the damage in the first place. Seeing as Buster was carrying his clothes, Fagin scooted around the desk and gently picked Cooper off the floor, holding him in his arms.

  “How was I to know someone was sitting on the floor?” Dropping the clothes in a heap in the corner of the office, Buster came over and peered at Cooper’s rapidly bruising face. “He’s pretty.” Buster sniffed and then his eyes widened. “Omega?”

  “Mine!” Adding a growl for emphasis, Fagin looked around for some water. He didn’t want to put Cooper down, but he was also sure he needed something to reduce the swelling on Cooper’s forehead. “Make yourself useful. Get me some ice.”

  Buster seemed reluctant to leave. “Look,” he said, looking Cooper up and down. “I get you can have first dibs, but I’ve never been with another male wolf shifter before. I’ve heard sex with a willing omega is out of this world. They have their own inbuilt slick and everything. I know we’ve got to leave, but he’s right here. When you’re done, can we…can I…?”

  “Not on your fucking Nelly!” Fagin yelled, guessing exactly what Buster was talking about. He lowered his voice as Cooper winced and stirred. “Just so there are no misunderstandings, this man is my Fated Mate. I knew it the moment I banged into him. I’m not mistaken. My wolf’s pushing me to tear your freaking throat out, so any thoughts you had that had anything to do with his lush lips around that slab of meat of yours, forget it. He’s mine. Now go and get that ice.”

  “Lucky bastard,” Buster muttered but he left, giving Fagin the chance to sit down, still holding Cooper safely in his arms while doing some quick but deadly serious thinking.

  We have to get out of here; out of town. That was Fagin’s immediate thought. He lived his public life as a straight man. Although very few pack members visited his club, Fagin maintained his charade except for the few times a year he went out of town. His father had eyes and ears everywhere, especially where his son was concerned and as much as Fagin chaffed under the restrictions, he used to get a sense of pride every time he sunk his dick balls deep into some cute ass. It was a personal victory, each and every time, doing something his father would kill him for and get a
way with it.

  But he wasn’t stupid. Cooper mentioned a boss; he had a job and likely had friends and maybe even family around. Fagin’s wolf rumbled as he considered the idea Cooper had a partner already. The boy’s an omega – it would be in his nature to seek protection from a stronger male, wouldn’t it? Fagin sniffed Cooper’s hair but couldn’t pick up anything but Cooper’s sweet scent.

  “Hey,” Buster peered around the door this time before pushing it open. “I found the ice.” He held up a bulky tea towel. “Hasn’t he come around yet? He looks awfully thin for a shifter.”

  “I’d take him to the pack doctor to check him over, but you and I both know that can’t happen.” Fagin took the ice and held it against the worst of the bruising. “He won’t last five minutes in a bar like this and I can’t take him to the pack for protection. The Fates have left with me with a doozy of a dilemma.”

  “You haven’t bitten him,” Buster didn’t seem to be able to take his eyes off Cooper and although Fagin couldn’t blame his friend, his wolf was damn protective. Unfortunately, Buster made matters worse when he opened his mouth. “You don’t have to mate with him.”

  Fagin’s growl was audible and Buster spoke faster. “I mean, I know it was different when you thought you’d meet your mate on the road. I assumed we’d set up base wherever that was and create our own pack. But he’s local. He works here. You can’t mate with him and stay here. If your father doesn’t kill him, someone like Missy will.”

  “I’m aware of that.” Fagin didn’t find it easy to talk when his fangs had dropped. “Are you suggesting I forget I ever met him? When my wolf’s taken in his scent and every cell in my body screams at me to protect him?”

  “You could trust me to protect him.” Buster met his eyes and refused to flinch even though Fagin’s growls got more menacing. “I could take him and run with him. If you’re still here and go through with your father’s plans no one will give a shit what happens to me. You know I’d see to his every comfort. He’d be safe and cherished.”