Gage's Serenity Read online

  Table of Contents

  Table of Contents

  Copyright © 2018 by Taylor Rylan

  Caution

  Note to Readers

  Gage — 1

  Linus — 2

  Gage — 3

  Linus — 4

  Gage — 5

  Linus — 6

  Gage — 7

  Linus — 8

  Gage — 9

  Linus — 10

  Gage — 11

  Linus — 12

  Gage — 13

  Linus — 14

  Gage — 15

  Linus — 16

  Gage — 17

  Linus — 18

  Gage — 19

  Linus — 20

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  Copyright © 2018 by Taylor Rylan

  Published in the United States by Taylor Rylan

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, copied, or transmitted in any format or by any means without the prior written permission from the author.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are a product of the author’s imagination. Any similarities to actual persons, living or dead, is pure coincidence. As are any similarities to any businesses, events or locations.

  All products and brand names mentioned are registered trademarks of their respective holder and or company. I do not own the rights to these, nor do I claim to.

  Cover Design by Jay Aheer of Simply Defined Art

  Proofreading by Jill Wexler

  Caution

  This is a gay romance that contains the following:

  Adult language, adult situations, explicit sexual material between two men over the age of 18. Guy parts are seriously going to be touching, knotting, and sometimes vibrating. This book is intended for ADULTS ONLY.

  Note to Readers

  I just want to first say thanks for giving my take on shifters a chance. In my world, shifters live multiple centuries and only knot and reproduce with their fated mate. Mates can be found anywhere, and you’ll meet many multiple species couples in my world. I hope you enjoy Gage and Linus’s story.

  Gage — 1

  My entire body ached. I’d never hurt as much as I did now. What the hell had happened? Sure, I was a little accident prone, but this was a whole different level of hurt. I heard mumbling and tried to turn my head towards the sounds, but it was no use, my body didn’t want to cooperate. I gave in and let the silence pull me under again.

  My next coherent thought was that I was incredibly thirsty and way too warm. I was able to open my eyes and look around the room. I wasn’t at home, that was for sure. Was I upstairs at War’s house? Where was everyone and why did my stomach feel like it was on fire? I tried to raise my arms to throw the covers off of my too-warm body, but they felt like lead weights were attached to each of them, and I just lay there and hoped someone would come to my rescue.

  “Ah, I see you’re finally awake. I bet you could use some water, yes?” Edison asked. I only knew who he was because I’d seen the distinguished warlock around when I’d been here for den parties and functions. For the most part, the man fascinated me, but at the same time, intimidated the crap out of me. I had enough issues with trying to not mess everything up. But my nerves when you add in an incredibly powerful warlock and his formidable mate, yeah, I was going to mess something up.

  “Yes,” I croaked out. Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting. What was wrong with my voice?

  “Don’t worry, with some water and a little more time, you’ll be feeling as good as new. You have several scratches on your throat, as well as your chest and stomach. You lost a lot of blood, too much in fact. Here, drink this,” Edison said as he held a glass with a straw in it to my lips. The cool water felt like heaven and I drank greedily. “Better?”

  “Yes, thanks. Where is everyone? Did anyone else get hurt?”

  “Except for a few, everyone is downstairs. They’re mostly healed already, except for scratches from claws. They’re trying to comfort Linus as much as possible. He’s understandably upset. His parents were no match for the two alphas that Hank sent to the house. By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late to save either of them.”

  “I haven’t met him yet, but I’m sorry for his loss. I know what it’s like to lose parents. Many of us do.”

  “Yes, which is so unfortunate. Ryker’s were also found not far from here. The two that killed Tom and Gloria were sent ahead by Hank and they were waiting. When Ryker’s parents left yesterday, they basically walked right into a trap. If they’d known what was happening, I believe they would have had a chance, but they were completely taken by surprise and never had a chance to shift or defend themselves.”

  “I need—”

  “No, you need to rest. I’ll send Linus in a little later with something to eat. It’ll be a good distraction for him, trust me. He’s going to need you over the next few weeks to be patient and understanding. I know you’re probably going to fight your bear about it, but just listen to him and everything will turn out as it’s supposed to.”

  “He’s just lost his parents. The last thing he wants to do is play nursemaid to a bumbling bear, I’m sure. I can be understanding with him; I’m not nearly as bad as most seem to think. Just tell me why it is you think he’ll need me.”

  “You’ll be surprised at how much he’s going to need you. Right now, you’re all he’s got left. He’s lost everything but you. He just turned eighteen not long ago, so the timing is finally right,” Edison said and then he was gone. What the hell did that mean? Why would I care if Linus had just turned eighteen? And how was I all he had left? Linus and his parents had been in the den for close to a year, and I hadn’t ever even seen any of them. They arrived with Ivan and Sam after Hank had attacked their den in Alaska. And after everything that had happened with Arianna, I tried my best to just do my job, and then go home at the end of the day. I didn’t want to make any more mistakes, but I couldn’t seem to help it. For whatever reason, my mind was in a constant scattered state. I couldn’t stay focused on any one thing, and when I remembered my previous task, I usually fumbled trying to get back to it and complete it quickly.

  I was feeling a little better after sipping the water, but I was still so very tired that I gave in and closed my eyes. The bed was soft and warm while the house was quiet and cool, so it didn’t take long before I was asleep again. When I next woke, I could tell it was early evening since it was barely light in the room. I was still too warm, but my arms didn’t feel weighed down anymore, so I was able to fling the blankets off. When I did, I saw the wide, red gash on my chest that was being kept closed with strips of white medical tape and was obviously still healing. No wonder my stomach felt like it was on fire.

  I remembered the fight and how I was ganged up on by two polar bears that were both much larger than my own grizzly. I got the one, but the other came up on me from behind and struck as soon as I turned. I went down and that was the last thing I remembered. Damn. I failed my Alpha and den. Again.

  A soft knock sounded on the door. Before I could answer, or even cover myself back up with the blanket, the most beautiful young man I’d ever seen came into the room carrying a tray with a bowl and several cups on it. His hair was so blond it was almost white, and he was a tiny thing, he couldn’t have even been five and a half feet tall.

  Everything seemed to happen all at once. The young man dropped the tray to the floor and looked up at me with his ice-blue eyes and stared at me in shock. My bear shouted Mate! Ours! At the same time my cock went instantly hard, and I caught the most alluring scent from the young man. He smelled like clean air and snow. How was that possible?

  I trie
d to cover my misbehaving body, but it was no use. My arms didn’t work fast enough, and the beautiful man that I figured had to be Linus came over to the bed and simply sat down beside me and started to cry. I struggled to sit up, my muscles straining when they pulled against the wound that would need another day to heal. I gave up and laid there on my back with a few pillows behind me to prop me up.

  “Linus?” I said quietly and he looked up at me. His tear-soaked face one that was filled with complete despair. “Come here, Linus,” I said as I opened my arms, hoping he trusted me enough to know that I wouldn’t ever do anything to hurt him. Luckily, he did because he crawled up to me and very carefully laid down beside me. I never expected to find my mate, nor did I expect him to be so beautiful, but here I was, finally, holding my mate in my arms. My bear was rejoicing and shouting that we were in bed and needed to claim our mate. I told him to shut up because he didn’t know what he was talking about. Our mate was hurt and needed tending too. He then argued with me that we needed to protect him, and I again told him to shut up; that’s what I was planning on doing.

  “I’m so sorry, Linus. I heard about your parents. I’m here for you if you need me,” I cooed into his hair as I gave his head a quick kiss and ran my hands up and down his back. His slight body felt so wonderful in my arms, but I knew my young mate was going to take a lot of effort and patience. That’s what Edison had been hinting at. I trusted the fates knew what they were doing, but why would they give such a beautiful young man to me?

  “They’re all gone, Gage. I was playing with the babies, and I heard Mom scream and then nothing. Arin rushed in and basically blocked the door. The next thing I knew, Edison was here and he said to stay upstairs no matter what. They’re gone though. They only wanted to protect me because I was born an omega. That’s why we fled Alaska. And still, they died because of me.”

  “Shh, no. They died because of a dishonorable Alpha. They didn’t die because of you, sweetheart. This wasn’t your fault. This is all on Hank and his messed-up ideas and way of thinking. You had nothing to do with this. Your parents loved you so much that they wanted to keep you safe. That’s why they protected you by leaving Alaska. That’s why they were here at the house today. Your parents were amazing people, and they were doing what any good parents would.” I wrapped my arms a little tighter around Linus and just held him. This was not how I expected the day to go. I knew there was a chance of getting hurt, or even worse, when we faced off with Hank and his crew. But never had I thought that it would be the day I’d meet my mate. But, as Edison said, the fates knew what they were doing. In most cases, mating age is eighteen, and Edison had mentioned that Linus had just had his eighteenth birthday. That’s what Edison meant. Everything happens for a reason, and the fates wanted me to meet Linus now, when he needed me and when I’d be able to accept him as my fated mate.

  I lay in bed with my mate in my arms and just listened to him cry. It broke my heart that I couldn’t bring his parents back for him. I’d do everything I could to protect and provide for him. He wouldn’t be alone ever again. When Linus’s sniffles ceased and his small body stopped shuddering, I realized he’d fallen asleep on my chest. I figured his day had been so much more traumatic than mine, so I scooted down just a little further and reached for the blanket. My body had finally accepted that my mate was near, but we wouldn’t be claiming him just yet, so my dick wasn’t rock hard. It wasn’t like I was in any shape to claim my mate anyway. And I was sure it was the last thing he was thinking about. Would he even want me? I was obviously so much older than him. And I wasn’t an arctic fox shifter like he was. I was a big, bumbling grizzly.

  Deciding to not worry about any of that at the moment, I pulled the blanket up over us and joined my beautiful little mate in slumber. After everything I’d been through today, my body needed the rest to heal and my mate apparently needed comfort. I could give him that. I was more than willing to hold and protect him for as long as he wanted me to. Hopefully, he’d accept me as his mate once he’d had time to get over all of the trauma he’d faced today. If not, then my bear and I would have no choice but to accept that and try to continue on as we’d always done. Alone.

  Linus — 2

  I was so warm. And safe. I felt so safe. I hadn’t felt safe like this in over a year since we fled our home in Alaska. And something smelled good. So good that my fox perked up and noticed. He’d never done that before.

  When I moved slightly, I heard a deep groan and strong arms pulled me tighter to a very hard and naked chest. When I took a deep breath against the chest in front of me, my fox shouted and jumped for joy. Mate! Our Mate! That was when everything came flooding back to me. My parents were gone, and I’d discovered that Gage, the adorably goofy deputy I’d caught glimpses of from a distance over the past year, was my mate. I had a mate!

  My excitement was quickly dimmed with the realization that even though I was in bed with him I was still unclaimed. I should have known that a bear would never want a fox for a mate. What could he possibly see in me. My parents had always wanted me to have every opportunity to have what they did. I couldn’t help being an omega any more than I could being a fox.

  I noticed the angry-looking scar running down the middle of Gage’s chest, and I don’t know what came over me, but I leaned in and gave it a gentle kiss. I felt Gage’s chest rumble before I heard him.

  “Mmm, good morning, sweetheart. How are you feeling?”

  Sweetheart? Did that mean? I searched my thoughts; I didn’t feel a connection to Gage, so if we had mated, I hadn’t figured out the mate bond yet. I reached up and frantically felt my neck for a mating bite, but nothing.

  “Don’t worry. We’re not mated. I’m sorry. I should have known.” Gage let go of me and rolled away and stood up. When I saw the large scratches that were almost completely healed on his back and arm, I wondered how he was even awake yesterday. I was just supposed to bring him dinner…oh no! His dinner! I dropped it on the floor. I looked to where I’d dropped the tray last night but it wasn’t there. When I looked back at Gage, he was struggling to pull on a pair of pants with little success.

  “Wait! What are you doing? You’re not ready to be up and out of bed yet.”

  “I have to get home. I have to work later. Take care, Linus.”

  “So that’s it? Take care? Is it because I’m a fox and not a bear? Am I too young? I promise I didn’t mean it when I said I didn’t want babies when we first got here. I do. Lots of them. We’d have such beautiful kits or cubs together. Last night, I thought you wanted me? Was that just because you were delirious with pain? I can be a good mate. I’ll cook and clean, I’m good at laundry and—”

  “Linus. Stop. I don’t need or want a maid. I’ve been alone for a very long time. I’m quite domesticated. I don’t need someone to take care of me like that. Why are you so frantic?”

  “You’re leaving me. Just like everyone else. My parents are gone, and if you leave me too, I’ll have nobody. I thought we were supposed to be mates.”

  “I was under the impression you were upset about being stuck with me. I mess everything up. And I do mean everything. I can’t remember half the things I’m supposed to be doing. And you’re a part of this den now. No matter what, you’ll never be alone again, Linus.”

  “Well, I only mess some things up, so we’ll balance each other out. You’re my mate, Gage. I thought that when mates scented each other they were drawn to one another. Was I wrong?”

  Gage came over and sat beside me on the bed. On my knees, I was able to look him in the eyes. “Linus, what were you doing when we woke up?”

  “Trying to remember last night. If you claimed me, I didn’t remember it and that made me sad. I was so upset about everything that happened yesterday that I think I was mostly on autopilot or something. And if you did claim me, I wanted to remember it.”

  “Is that what you want? Do you want to be my mate?”

  “Why wouldn’t I? You’re really hot! Besides, I scented you;
you scented me. It’s how it works. Wait, can you not smell me? Is it only me that’s feeling this pull? No, you called me sweetheart. Why did you do that?”

  “Linus?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Shh. Come here, mate.” Gage scooted back on the bed and leaned propped up on the headboard and patted his lap. When I crawled onto it and straddled his hips, he wrapped his arms around my waist and slid them down to my butt and yanked me to him. “Now tell me, my little fox, does that feel like I don’t want to be your mate? You know that’s not how it works, right? You were destined to be mine. Period,” Gage whispered into my ear, sending shivers throughout my body.

  I moaned when he started nibbling on my neck right where my mating bite would go. Unfortunately, we were interrupted by a knock at the door. Edison entered, followed closely by Wallace. Both of them were carrying a tray with several dishes on each.

  “Good morning, you two. We’ve brought you breakfast. You need to eat to regain your strength, Gage. And you, Linus, well, it was understandable when you didn’t want to eat yesterday, but you’re going to need to keep up your strength,” Edison said as he leaned down to place a tray on the nightstand. Wallace had gone to the other side of the bed and raised one eyebrow when I looked at him. I glanced at Gage who smirked before I quickly climbed off his lap and sat beside him.

  “You know we could have come down for breakfast,” Gage told the other couple.

  “Yes, you could have. But you need another day of rest. Young Linus here can keep you company. It will give the two of you a chance to get to know each other better,” Edison told my mate.

  “I’m sure Gage doesn’t want me bothering him all day. Besides, I have so much to do and figure out. I don’t have a job yet, and now I have nowhere to live. I don’t even know when the rent is due! Do you know if anyone is hiring? I just finished school in May.” Gage placed his hand on my mouth and chuckled as he responded to our visitors.