Hagen, Lynn - Torem [Zeus's Pack 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting ManLove) (6 page)

Torem nodded, telling Chey without words that he understood and believed him.

“What is your gift?” Zeus asked, leaning closer from behind his desk.

Chey swung his eyes around to look at the Alpha, and Torem could actually see the sweat popping out onto Chey’s forehead.

“Nobody here would use it against you, I promise.” Torem reassured his brother.

Although Chey looked scared, his eyes told Torem that he trusted him. Chey got to his feet and walked over to Torem. “Can I see your arm?”

Torem gave his brother his arm and watched as Chey’s claw extended from his finger, cutting a gash across his hand.

“Fuck.” Torem tried to pull back, but Chey had a tight grip on it. Zeus had come around his desk and watched.

Chey’s claw receded, and he rubbed his fingers over the cut, healing it instantly. “Although shifters can heal pretty quickly, children can’t. We all know that until they hit puberty, they can’t shift. Remus refused to let me help the pack. He wanted to use my gift for his men only.” Chey dropped down next to Torem. “He even tried to make me bring back one of his men that had died recently.”

“Reanimation?” Zeus gasped.

“Yeah, but my gift doesn’t work that way. He became angry and said I was just being stubborn. I’m still learning what my gift can do, but even I know that bringing back the dead is impossible.” Chey jumped up and started pacing. “I can do one more thing with it.”

“And that is?” Torem asked.

“Heal from the inside.” Chey placed his hand over his heart. Torem looked down at his own hands, remembering how calm and docile he felt after hugging his brother in the store when they first stopped on their way out of Farmer’s Valley.

“I want you to keep your gift and your status as an Omega to yourself,” Zeus warned. “Not that I think anyone here would use you, I just want you to have as much as a normal life here as possible.”

Chey’s eyes became misty as they darted over to Zeus. “Thank you.” He swallowed a few times, and Torem was hard-pressed to keep his own tears at bay. He stood and grabbed his brother in a hug, patting his back.

“You’re safe here.”

Chey pulled free. “I need to go find Sid and make sure he isn’t hoarding Red Bulls somewhere.”

Torem laughed as he released his brother. “I apologize for not believing you. He’s something else when sugared up.”

“Is that what was wrong with him in the kitchen earlier?” Zeus asked. “I thought he was a little imbalanced.”

“He’s that, too.” Chey grinned. “But I love him.”

Torem growled, but Chey ignored him. “I know he’s your mate. I suspected in the truck, and Sidney confirmed it while I was getting ready to come down here.”

Torem looked at Zeus and then back at Chey. “How angry does he get when riled?”

“Very, why?”

This did not bode well for Torem. He cringed inwardly as the words left his lips. “Because I need to tell Sid about Dino.”

Chey’s brows pulled together as he looked at Torem. “Who’s Dino?”

“My other mate.”

Chapter Four

Dino brushed the sawdust off of the makeshift worktable as he spread the blueprints out. “Here’s where the gym will be added.” He pointed to the addition Zeus had asked him to make. “I want Quinn and Mickey to get started on it.”

The two workers nodded and grabbed their hardhats. Dino handed them their specs and trusted them to get the job done. Of course they would enlist the help of others, but Dino was confident in his men.

He grabbed his thermos, unscrewed the cap, and poured coffee into the lid. The rich aroma wafted past his nose as Dino took a sip, enjoying his morning cup of java. He loved early mornings. There was just something about the morning dew and the sounds of the birds in the overhead trees that helped to relax Dino.

Dino leaned against the wooden table and stared out over the jobsite. He was proud to see that it was coming along pretty nicely, and they were on schedule.

As Dino took a sip of his coffee, he wondered where Torem had run off to and if he would be back. Dino had kind of gotten used to the guy hanging around. It didn’t feel the same without the handsome man around.

Dino sighed as he dumped out the rest of his coffee and replaced the lid on his thermos. The time for his relaxation was over. Dino set the thermos aside and began his day.

The morning quickly turned to afternoon, and Dino was ready to go grab some lunch. “Hey, Quinn, ride with me into town.”

“You got it, Dino.” The guy tossed his hardhat on the makeshift table and jogged over to him. “Where we going?”

“I was thinking of trying Harold’s Deli,” Dino said over his shoulder as he headed toward his truck. He grabbed the handle and opened the driver’s door, as Quinn jumped into the passenger side.

Dino drove the few miles into town, parking in front of the deli. “I’m starving.” Quinn hopped out and raced into the building. Dino chuckled and shook his head. The guy could eat twenty-four-seven with his metabolism.

“Dino.”

Dino turned to see Torem approaching.
Fuck if that wasn’t one fine-looking man.
“’Sup?”

Torem grinned at him, and his pearly whites set Dino’s heart to racing. “I wanted to talk with you.”

“You want to meet at Theo’s after work?” He didn’t have that much time for lunch, and by the look on Torem’s face, this would take awhile.

“Sure, I’ll meet you there.” Torem leaned in and whispered into Dino’s ear. “It’s about time you stopped fighting me on this.” His lips pressed to Dino’s ear and then he pulled away.

Dino licked his dry lips as he watched Torem’s nicely muscled ass cross the street and get into his truck. Great, now he was going to have lunch with Quinn sporting a hard-on.

Dino spun on his heel and entered the deli. He found Quinn already seated and eating. Dino grabbed a sandwich and joined him.

“What did Torem want?” Quinn asked around a mouthful of deli meat.

“To talk.” Dino spread open the paper his food was wrapped in and grabbed the delicious-looking sandwich and took a bite.

“More additions?” Quinn asked and then shoved a handful of chips into his mouth.

“I don’t think so.” Dino feigned ignorance as he continued to eat. He was thankful Quinn left it alone and didn’t ask any more about Torem.

He was almost finished with his sandwich when a blond man came into the deli, catching Dino’s attention. He had to admit, the blond was hot.

The guy stood there by the door as he scanned the lunch crowd. Dino knew something was wrong when the blond’s eyes locked onto Dino, and then he stormed over.

He didn’t like the look on the guy’s face. “Who are you?” the man demanded as he stopped in front of Dino’s table, placing his hands on his hips.

Dino casually sat back, throwing one arm over the back of the chair and grinning at the handsome man. Damn if he wasn’t hot. “Depends on who wants to know.” He heard a snicker from Quinn’s direction but kept his eyes on the glaring man standing in front of him.

“Sidney Porter. Now tell me who you are and why you were all cozy with my Torem outside?”

My Torem?

Was Torem already in a relationship and looking to cheat with Dino? He didn’t fucking think so.

Dino watched the man spring back and forth from foot to foot as if he had to use the restroom. The blond looked jittery and nervous as he glared at Dino. What the hell was wrong with the guy?

“My name is Dino Tiziano and I had no clue Torem was already seeing someone.”

Sidney stomped his foot as he pointed a finger at Dino. “Well, he is. He’s
my
mate, and I am warning you to stay away from him.”

“Mate?”

The guy’s eyes widened and then his hand slapped over his mouth. “Shit,” he cursed under his hand.

Sidney sputtered before finding his voice. “Yeah, my guy, you know.” He smiled nervously, his eyes darting around.

“I have no intention of breaking up a couple. Thanks for the warning.” Dino was furious. How could Torem do that to him?

Sidney bent at the waist and leaned in, sniffing at Dino. “Oh my fucking god,” the blond shouted and then curled his lips in. The people in the deli stopped and quieted, watching the table where Dino sat.

“Can we take this outside?” Dino felt his face heat as he stood and looked back at Quinn who was trying to hide a smile.

“I’ll be right back.”

“Sure thing, boss.”

Dino ignored the stares from the customers in the place. He walked a stunned Sidney outside for a bit more privacy. Once they reached the sidewalk, Dino released him. “Mind telling me what the hell is going on?”

“Besides the fact that Torem is going to kill me?”

Dino wasn’t sure if the guy was joking or not. He was starting to get a massive headache. “Yes, besides that.”

“Not on your life, Rumpelstiltskin. I like my ass in the shape that it’s in. Torem is already going to bite a chunk off.” Dino noticed Sidney was still jumping from foot to foot.

He nodded at Sidney’s feet. “Do you do that all the time?”

“Do you know where a bingo hall is around here?” Sidney countered.

Dino scratched his jaw, wondering if the man was off his meds. He was going to confront Torem at Theo’s this evening, but maybe he needed to ask him about Sidney’s mental health instead. “Haven’t heard of one.”

“Damn it. I need to find one before I go crazy.”

That was too easy, so Dino left it alone. He pointed to the door instead. “I’m going to head back inside now.” Dino used slow movements, trying not to startle the man.

“No.” Sidney reached out and grabbed his arm. “You must promise me you won’t tell Torem that I confronted you.”

Dino pulled his arm free as he curled his lip at Sidney. “He just tried to cheat on you. Why shouldn’t I?”

“No he didn’t,” Sidney said a little too quickly.

“But you just said—”

“No I didn’t,” the guy cut him off.

Dino noticed a can sticking out of the guy’s pocket and wondered if he wasn’t some delusional alcoholic. Was Torem even his boyfriend? Dino wasn’t in the mood to dig any deeper. He wanted to go finish his lunch and get back to work. And if he was lucky, forget about this whole ordeal with Sidney.

“Look, I don’t have time for this.”

“Good, that’s right, we never even met.” Sidney winked at him and then took off, running down the sidewalk.

“What kind of fucking town is this?” Dino wondered as he walked back into the deli.

* * * *

“You fucking fell over the damn thing like a greenhorn.” Mickey chuckled and tossed a beer cap at Quinn.

“Only because you left the damn thing lying out.”

Dino chuckled as the men who worked for him bantered back and forth. He loved his life and the men he employed. Not everyone on the site worked for him. When a job was this big, he contracted a lot of the work out, but he did have six men who worked for Tiziano’s Contracting.

“There he is,” Quinn teased and nodded toward the door. Dino twisted around and saw Torem walk into the tavern. For some reason, every time Dino looked at the guy, his mouth started salivating. He felt like Pavlov’s dog, only Torem was the bell. Dino turned back around. He knew Torem would find him and he didn’t want to look desperate.