74.

Chapter Five.

Kevin climbed the steps to the pack house, his feet dragging and his bag heavier than ever before. James tore open the front door long before he reached the entrance.

"What happened? I've been trying to call you since Lance called the house. Why didn't you call me yourself?

Thomas is in a panic since you said for him to watch Jay."

Kevin assumed James was referring to the driver since he never got the man's name. "My phone broke."

Kevin told him everything including Edward's weird behavior in class, and how he disappeared somewhere on campus.

"Why didn't you have your gargoyle follow him?"

Kevin blushed. He didn't want to admit it never occurred to him. "Crag is not exactly subtle. He would alert Edward he was being followed." Yeah, that sounded much better than idiot Kevin didn't think of using his avatar.

James nodded. "True."

"Where's Jay?"

"He just showed up, and he's talking with Thomas.

Why?" A hint of jealousy threaded through the shifter's voice.

"I wanted to ask him about a potions project.

There's no need to get defensive."

75.

James shook his head. "Sorry about the interrogation. I know Jay and Thomas are mated, but since we aren't, I can't always control my jealousy."

Kevin walked up to James. Wrapping a hand around the back of his neck, he brought his lover's lips down to his.

"I might not be mated to you, but don't think I don't want you."

He had to make a decision soon. Not bonding with the wolf shifter was tearing the other man apart. He could see in James's golden-brown eyes the torment he unwittingly put his lover through.

Butterflies dive-bombed his stomach as Kevin contemplated a lifetime commitment to another person.

Examining the wolf's face, he knew James had nothing in common with his father. The larger man would never do anything to cause him pain, and he'd love Kevin forever.

Hell, what was he waiting for? He wasn't going to get a better offer, ever.

"I'll bond with you."

James's heart skipped a beat and then restarted at double the speed. Did he hear what he thought he did? Carefully wrapping his fingers around Kevin's upper arms, he held his lover back so he could see him better.

"Really?"

76.

"Yes, I'll bond with you."

Still the wizard wouldn't meet his eyes. He gave him a gentle shake. "Hey, look at me."

Tension and fear flashed in Kevin's gaze, his upper teeth worrying his bottom lip as he looked up at him. "I thought this is what you wanted."

"It is. I do want you. I just don't want you to do this because you think it's something I need and not necessarily something you want."

"I want you...it's just..."

"It's just what?"

Kevin convulsively swallowed, and James saw him take a deep breath before his lover confessed. "I don't want to be like my father."

James searched his mind, but he couldn't remember Kevin ever talking about his parents. "Come on; let's talk about this in my room. I don't want us to be interrupted."

Kevin didn't need to bare his soul on the front steps of the pack house.

As they headed towards the stairs, Thomas came rushing down, his eyes completely shifted to wolf.

"Jay's been kidnapped."

"What?" It took James a moment to realize what his brother said. The panic pouring off Thomas distracted his wolf. "How the hell was he kidnapped?" As Thomas came 77 *

closer, the scent of blood grew stronger. "What happened to you?"

Thomas held up his arm to reveal a large wound oozing droplets of red. James gave it a quick look, but with Thomas's shifter genes, the wound was healing well and didn't need further care.

"We were talking in the library when wizards came out of nowhere. They shot Jay with a tranquilizer dart and disappeared. At least I think it was a tranquilizer. It didn't smell like poison."

"How did you get injured?" James's fingertips hurt where claws were tipping out of his fingers. Fury over wizards invading a pack home brought out his wolf. Taking a werekin mate was tantamount to declaring war.

"One of the wizards stabbed me when I tried to grab Jay."

"Shit. I wonder if it's the same group that got Lisa,"

Kevin said.

Thomas grabbed Kevin by the front of his shirt and lifted him off the ground. "Where. Is. My. Mate?" The wolf's roar filled the room.

"Put him down, Thomas!" James commanded.

Thomas gave Kevin a shake, rattling his teeth in his head. "He knows where my mate is. Wizards took my mate! A wizard will know where he is."

78.

"Not this one. Now release my mate."

Obviously surprised at his brother's words, Thomas loosened his grip, and Kevin fell to the floor. "He's your mate?"

Some of the rage left the wolf's face, but his eyes weren't any friendlier when they flashed to Kevin.

Kevin quickly told the wolf of the conversation he had with Edward. "I don't know if it is the same person who got Lisa or the Senate grabbed him, but we need to figure this out before it's too late."

James could tell Thomas was seconds from turning feral. To prevent the shift from happening, they needed to find Jay and find him fast. A feral werewolf left a lot of bodies behind.

They called Vreel's office, but he was out. When they told his gnome assistant it was about Jay, she said she'd find the headmaster and get back to them. The gnomes all adored Jaynell.

"Thomas, listen to me." Kevin could tell James's patience was wearing thin as he tried to reason with his brother. "Kevin's classmate is the son of a powerful wizard."

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"Great. Let's kidnap him until they return Jaynell."

"That's not a bad idea, but if they can get in here, they can get anywhere."

"We will stop them," a squeaky voice said behind him.

James spun around to face an army of gnomes.

"They took the compassionate one. We will not serve them until he is returned." One of the gnomes stepped forward.

Kevin didn't know his name, but he knew it was one of the gnomes Jay used quite often for tasks.

Holy hell, it was a gnome revolt.

"They could certainly help, James. The university will shut down without its gnomes. It depends on them for damn near everything. All the professors have one to help them with their studies. The dean's secretary is a gnome.

All the businesses close to the college have gnomes. This could be catastrophic." Kevin surveyed the group with pride. "They'll have to put their resources behind helping us if they don't have any choice. Besides, the gnomes can help look."

Thomas shook his head. "They came into a pack house and took a pack mate. That alone is grounds for a shifter-wizard war. We will go to the Senate and ask them to return Jaynell if they have him or force them to find the ones responsible."

80.

"We need a mediator," Kevin protested.

"There is no negotiating. Whoever took my mate will pay for their stupidity," Thomas vowed.