Garrett's Choice (3 page)

AJ Jarrett

council, but Lachlan felt as if he was selling his soul if he agreed to this arrangement. He understood the circumstances if a corrupt wolf took over the pack, but did Lachlan have to sacrifice himself to prevent that from happening?

“What if I say no?” he had to ask. What were his options if he defied the council?

Ben snapped his fingers and pointed at Lachlan again. “See, I knew you would ask that and told my father as such.” Lachlan watched as Ben rummaged through the papers on his desk looking for something. Ben’s father, Benedict, was a bigwig over at council headquarters. His job consisted of running all sections of the Warriors of the Light and serving as head of security at the Council of Paranormal Beings. A lot rested on Benedict’s shoulders, and the man at times liked to flaunt his power when the need called for it, and Lachlan crossed his fingers praying this wasn’t one of those times.

“Oh, here it is.” Ben pulled out a paper out from under his keyboard. He held it up and stared over at Lachlan. “Now remember these are my father’s words, not mine. Okay?” Lachlan nodded his understanding.

“He said that if you refuse to do as the council has asked, he’ll send your cat ass up to Alaska. Where you”—Ben darted his eyes up from the paper—“I’m quoting this here, can freeze your furry little ass off.”

Lachlan’s head fell to his shoulders.
Shit!
He knew Benedict meant it, too. That guy didn’t fuck around. When he gave an order, he expected it to be followed through without question.

A loud grunt followed by a low growl rumbled across the room.

Lachlan turned to see his mate glaring at Ben. Garrett’s hands were wrapped tightly around the chair’s arm rests, displaying white, bloodless knuckles from the death grip he had on the poor chair.

“What?” Ben asked. He had one eyebrow cocked in question. “I didn’t write this.”

Garrett’s Choice

21

Lachlan stared at his mate who fidgeted in his chair. Garrett’s tan skin had a hint of pink underlying tones, causing the skin to absolutely glow. There had never been a question in Lachlan’s mind that Garrett’s was beyond handsome, but looks weren’t everything.

After several seconds and some deep breathing, Garrett finally spoke. “I just don’t like my mate to be spoken to like that. Be it face-to-face or through the written word. Lachlan should be treated with respect.”

“Oh please.” Lachlan rolled his eyes. “Now you want to stick up for me?” He turned his full attention to Garrett. “The phrase
too little
too late
was invented for moments just like this.”

“Dear god, you are a thickheaded man!” Garrett shifted to stare daggers at Lachlan. “I’ve always had your back, but I’m the alpha of my pack. I have to be neutral, especially now with that fucking witch on the loose.”

“It goes beyond just that.” Lachlan stood up. “You treat me as if I’m to be your trained little puppy always at attention and ready to do as you wish. Fuck that and fuck you.” He was losing his shit, but he couldn’t help it. He’d just been ordered to go live with Garrett or go freeze his butt off in Alaska. Either way he was fucked.

Garrett rose to his full six and half feet and took a step toward Lachlan. Lachlan was only a few inches shorter than Garrett, but he still had to fight the need to take a step back from the animalistic craze swirling in the stormy, blue depths of his mate’s eyes.

Lachlan held his ground, unwilling to show any signs of weakness. To cower in defeat would only prove to Garrett that Lachlan needed to be taken care of and that he should retire from serving with the Warriors of the Light.

Heat radiated off of Garrett’s body in subtle waves, causing Lachlan’s skin to tingle with awareness. Garrett’s intimidating frame always had the opposite effect on Lachlan. He wanted to hang on to his anger, but being so near to the one man that held his heart broke
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down Lachlan’s resolve. It almost made Lachlan want to forget his checklist for the perfect mate and Garrett’s controlling ways. Almost.

Garrett, being an alpha, loved to be in charge, and secretly, Lachlan kind of liked that about his mate, but he also wanted Garrett to know he wasn’t going to be pushed around just because fate stuck him with an alpha. There was no denying he was attracted to Garrett, but sexual attraction and sex were only a small part of any mating.

Respect and understanding were key to making any relationship work.

But damn if standing this close to his most desired temptation didn’t crack the majority of his resolve.

“Are you damaged?” Garrett asked in a low whisper. “I fucking love you, and all I get in return is what I didn’t do or how I did it wrong. You’re impossible to please.” Garrett grabbed Lachlan by the biceps and squeezed the firm muscles tightly in his grasp. A shudder zinged through Lachlan’s body at the rough touch. “I have half a mind to bend you over my knee.”

Lachlan’s lips parted, and all the air in his lungs rushed out. The air crackled between them and Lachlan could feel the electric current move across his flesh. He couldn’t help but be turned on by Garrett’s aggressive, take-charge attitude.

“Okay, that’s enough, you two.” Ben stood, placed his hands on his desk, and leaned across it. “I get you guys have some unresolved issues, but you’ll have to figure that out on your own time. Now please sit back in your seats.”

Garrett’s eyes never left Lachlan’s. Lachlan watched as Garrett’s pupils shrunk back to normal size, but he could still hear the rapid tempo of his mate’s heart rate. With a look to Ben, Garrett released Lachlan’s arms and went to his seat.

The temperature in the room felt as if it had dropped twenty degrees. Without his mate’s touch, Lachlan felt bereft. He wanted to seek out more of that scorching heat his mate emitted through his pores, but to do that would be to admit defeat and play by Garrett’s rules, and Lachlan wasn’t ready to do that.

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Lachlan fell back into his chair and stared at the floor in front of him. His skin itched with the need to come, and his cock had filled to half-mast, but he refused to acknowledge the bulge in his jeans.

Garrett was undoubtedly an attractive man. His body’s reaction had nothing to do with love. It was just a means to an end. And the end was Lachlan screaming wildly as he shot his load across Garrett’s finely chiseled chest.

“You have to go. There’s no choice in the matter,” Ben answered before Lachlan could speak. “I can tell by the look on your face that you don’t like this, but you have to see the magnitude of the situation.

I, no, we need your cooperation in this matter, Lachlan.” The hard lines around Ben’s mouth and eyes softened. “Please, my friend. Help us catch this witch.”

Ben had been a good friend and an excellent leader to Lachlan.

He’d probably do anything the man asked of him, even this. Lachlan chewed on the inside of his cheek as he gave one more moment’s thought to what he already knew he’d agree to. “Okay.”

“Thank you, Lachlan. The council and I both appreciate your willingness to help out.”

Lachlan gave one last quick nod to Ben and stood to leave. The council needed him to be professional and do his job. Being a Warrior of the Light gave his life purpose, and he didn’t want to let down the only family that accepted him and his brother, Lawson, when their pride threw them out.

As he reached the door, with his hand on the knob, he turned to Garrett. “I’ll be to your home as soon as I can.” Lachlan pulled it open and stepped out into the hallway. “When I get there you can give me the details of what is to be expected of me.”

Not waiting for an answer, Lachlan headed down the hallway that led to the staircase. He needed to pack his things and head out before he lost his nerve and couldn’t go through with it. Living apart from Garrett made them not being together easier, but living under the same roof? Now that would be more difficult. He was already
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suffering the aches and pains of not being with Garrett, and now the temptation to assuage his desire lay within his reach.

“I’m so fucked,” Lachlan mumbled to himself as he made his way to his bedroom. There wasn’t a timeline on how long he had to stay with Garrett, so he might as well prepare himself for the long haul.

There were more important things at stake than his pride, and that’s what made him an excellent warrior. He put others first and looked at the big picture. And right now they had to find this witch running amuck within the Carrington Pack. Lachlan couldn’t handle it if someone else got hurt, or worse, lost their life.

Garrett watched as Lachlan walked out the door and didn’t say a word. Really, what could he say? He fucked up. Being an alpha didn’t mean jack shit in his relationship with Lachlan. Lachlan wanted an understanding and loving mate, not one wanting to control his every move. Garrett didn’t do the things he did out of his need to control Lachlan but more out of fear. He’d waited years to find his mate, and to lose Lachlan would be his undoing. If Lachlan were to die during a mission for the council, Garrett would be good as dead, too. The love he had for Lachlan was so strong there was no way he could go on without him.

“Will he ever forgive me?” Garrett asked Ben, hoping the other man could give him some insight. Lachlan and he had only been mates for a month, and Garrett didn’t know enough about Lachlan to know how long the man could hold a grudge.

“I’m sure he will in time, but you need to give him some space.

Like most men he doesn’t do well when given orders he doesn’t agree with. After what happened with his family, Lachlan keeps himself guarded. He’s constantly in protect mode.”

“His family?” Garrett’s brows drew together in confusion. He hated to admit it, but he didn’t know what Ben was referring to. He
Garrett’s Choice

25

and Lachlan hadn’t gotten that far in their relationship where they shared their pasts with one another.

Ben narrowed his eyes at him. Garrett felt like he was being judged for a crime he hadn’t known he committed. “Lachlan never told you about this family or how he came to be a member of the Warriors of the Light?” Garrett shook his head no. “Huh, that’s interesting. One would think you all’s past would be at the top of the list of topics to discuss.”

Garrett’s jaw started to tick as his teeth clinched tight. He didn’t need another fucking reminder that he messed up. “Did you know everything about Miles before you mated him?” He couldn’t hide the anger in his voice.

The harsh look on Ben’s face slowly dissipated to be replaced by an understanding glow in his eyes. Ben shook his head. “No, I didn’t.

I’m sorry, Garrett, that wasn’t fair to say. I know how this mating thing can go. We don’t always think with our big heads first.”

“No we don’t, and apparently I didn’t think at all.” Garrett leaned forward, rested his elbows on his knees, and dropped his head in his hands. He dug his fingernails into his scalp, letting his claws extend.

The sharp bite of pain he inflicted on himself wasn’t enough to ease the guilt he felt. “Can you tell me anything about Lachlan’s past?

Give me a hint of what I’m dealing with so I can make it better?” he asked then slowly looked back up and was met by Ben’s pity-filled eyes.

“I’m sorry, Garrett, it’s not my tale to tell. Like I said just give him time. I know with you being an alpha it will be hard when Lachlan refuses your requests, but you have to let him be the man he always has been. Don’t try and change him.”

Garrett let out a harsh laugh. “That is going to be hard. No offense to the council and the Warriors of the Light, but being a warrior is a dangerous job. I can’t help but want to keep him safe.”

“I can relate, but you need to let him be him. Lachlan has been in charge of his own life for quite a while now, and he can’t just submit
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AJ Jarrett

to your every whim no matter how much you want him to.” Ben shrugged a shoulder. “Being mated is one of the best things that can happen to you, but it’s also a lot of work. You’re going to disagree on things, but you have to learn to trust in each other. Lachlan needs to learn that as well. You’re not the only one to blame for this separation between you two.”

Ben’s words helped relieve some of the guilt he felt but not all of it. He didn’t want to blame Lachlan for anything, but the man never gave Garrett a chance to apologize or to explain.

“Thank you, Ben.” Garrett stood and so did Ben. He shook the offered hand then turned to leave.

A lot of work needed to be done to prepare for Lachlan’s arrival.

A part of him wanted to demand Lachlan stay in his room. They were mates after all, but that would be met with a fight. Lachlan needed space, and Garrett was going to give it to him.

The room next to his was currently occupied by his next in command, Wes. He’d have him move down the hall and give Lachlan that room. Lachlan would have his own space but also be close enough to Garrett that he could keep an eye on him. It made Garrett feel better knowing his mate would be close. Lachlan may not desire his touch right now, but that could change if Garrett played his cards right.

Garrett’s Choice

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Lachlan pulled up outside of Garrett’s house and stared at the large home that looked like an oversized log cabin. It was beautiful. It looked warm and inviting to any person passing by, but all it held for Lachlan were bad memories of what should have been.

“Please, god, give me the strength to do this,” Lachlan mumbled to himself as he pushed himself up and out of the car. He shut the door quietly, not wanting to tip off any of the wolves on the property that he had arrived.

In the four short weeks he’d known his mate, the bad memories far outweighed the good. Some of Garrett’s pack, not all but some, didn’t care much for Lachlan. They felt a lion shifter was beneath the wolf species and treated Lachlan like he was something nasty one would find on the bottom of their shoe.