Keata's Promise [Brac Pack 7] (3 page)

“Try it,” Cody snarled as he bumped chests with Tank.

“Why should you care? You’re too busy with your head up your ass to even take care of your mate. Someone needs to.” Tank stormed from Cody’s bedroom to go find Keata. He had to make sure the little guy wasn’t hurting. Had he known Keata was going through this, he
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would have stepped in a long time ago.

He found Keata sitting next to Loco, one of the other wolves that had been asked by Storm, Kyoshi’s mate, to be Keata’s sponsor. In other words, he was Keata’s babysitter.

Loco was looking through a book as Keata laughed, and Tank’s chest tightened at the unfairness thrust upon Keata. Cody was a damn fool.

“I find book!” Keata giggled excitedly.

Tank pulled Keata up and sat him on his lap, sitting next to Loco.

“Keata? Can I tell Loco about your belly?” Tank pushed a finger lightly into Keata’s stomach.

Keata stared up at Tank then over to Loco, his expression hesitant.

Tank thought Keata looked scared.

“What’s wrong with his belly?” Loco’s eyebrows knitted together.

Keata nodded at Tank.

“Nothing, except it gets all butterflies when a certain wolf is near him.

Loco’s eyebrows shot up. “Who?” the warrior growled out menacingly. Tank knew how he felt.

“Cody.” Tank rubbed Keata’s back.

“Then why is he in your lap? It’s forbidden to touch another mate intimately like that, especially a mate who hasn’t been claimed yet,” Loco stated disapprovingly.

“Apparently Cody doesn’t want him, so the law doesn’t apply.” Tank shrugged.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding? Who in their right mind wouldn’t want Keata?” Loco looked over to the little man. “He is the most stunning man I’ve ever laid his eyes on. Cody has to be stupid.

Blind. Loose screws. Something has to explain Cody’s behavior.”

“I’m thinking maybe we should give Keata that extra attention, and maybe, just maybe, a certain wolf will see the light and get his head out of his ass.” Tank winked at Loco.

“You are a devious one. I think you’re right.” Loco had a gleam in
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his eye.

Tank nodded knowingly. Let Cody think his mate was going to be claimed by another. Let’s see the Code-man stand down on this.

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Chapter Two

Cody was torn. He knew Tank was right. He had been hoping Jasper would have gone to his mate by now. It wasn’t that Cody had wanted to get rid of him, but he knew Jazz belonged to another, and Cody had come to terms with it.

He cared enough about his longtime friend not to claim his mate yet and flaunt it front of Jasper, but he was getting tired of waiting.

Keata was his, and Cody had known that from the moment the little man had stepped through that door months ago. At first he was hesitant because Keata was so innocent, so fragile. He was confused as hell. Who wouldn’t be? He wanted Keata, craved him.

“I am so fucked up in the head.” Cody groaned aloud.

He jogged down the steps, seeking his mate. He found him in the den on Tank’s lap.
Oh, hell no.
Tank had lost his ever loving mind.

This was the moment. Did he step up and claim what was his or continue to avoid it?

“I’ve been looking for you.”

Cody turned to see Jasper standing behind him.

Just what he didn’t need right now.

Why was Jasper always around when Keata was? It hurt his heart to see the two sharing friendship time together. He wanted to punch a wall. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for his best friend, but he had to go to Zeus. It had hurt Cody when he first found out Zeus was Jasper’s mate, but they both had known it would someday happen. He had to get this over with. He needed to explain to Jasper that Keata was his mate.

“I need to talk to you, Jazz. Come to my room.” Cody cared
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enough not to tell Jasper in front of everyone that he was claiming his mate and Jasper needed to do the same.

Cody led Jasper upstairs by his hand.

* * * *

Keata watched Cody take Jasper upstairs, and he knew they were going to kiss and touch. His heart felt like it was being ripped out of his chest. The tears fell as he laid his head on Tank’s chest.

* * * *

Loco looked over in the direction of Keata’s pain. What the fuck?

Cody was actually leading Jasper upstairs to fuck him in plain view while his mate sat here to see?

Loco lost all respect for the wolf. He wanted to rip his throat out.

Instead, he went for a run. If he confronted Cody right now, blood would spill.

* * * *

Cody sat Jasper on his bed.

“I need to tell you something. I’m not trying to hurt you, Jazz.

Believe me.” Cody paced back and forth in front of his bed. “Keata is my mate.” There was no other way of putting it.

Jasper stared at him with his mouth hanging open.
“No way.”

“Yeah, I haven’t claimed him yet because I didn’t want to hurt you.” He waited for the crying, the curses. He waited for Jasper’s sarcastic personality to make an appearance.

He didn’t expect the laughter.

“You’re kidding? Oh, man.” Jasper fell back onto Cody’s bed, laughing.

“It’s not funny, Jazz. Keata is suffering because of me. He feels
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the pull and doesn’t understand it. I have to go to him.” What the hell was wrong with Jasper? Cody clenched his jaw. Jasper was a jokester, but this wasn’t the time for it.

“I’m laughing because the only reason I haven’t gone to Zeus is because I was afraid of hurting you. Don’t you see? We both have been afraid to claim what is ours because of the other. We were walking on eggshells, my friend.” Jasper dried his eyes as he looked at Cody.

“Seriously?” Cody was shocked. Here he thought Jasper was mooning over him, fighting the pull to stay with him. He released a relieved breath.

“Yeah.” Jasper sat up, his expression sobering. “Keata shouldn’t be suffering. What the hell is wrong with you? Wait, my dumb ass is doing the same thing to Zeus. Scratch that. Truce?” Jasper held his hand out. Cody ignored it and pulled Jasper into his arms.

“Truce. We’ll always be friends. If he does anything to hurt you, Jazz, I’ll kill him.” Cody hugged him tight then let him go.

“I’ll miss you guys. It’s scary, Cody.” Jasper twisted his fingers in his lap. “It’s a whole new pack. No den, no Cecil causing trouble or Johnny bouncing around. Hell, I’ll even miss Oliver and his sour disposition.”

“Oliver has mellowed since mating with Micah. We’ll miss you, too. You can come hang out anytime you want. You know you’re always welcome.” Cody squeezed his hand. “Now go claim that mountainous man.”

“He is huge, isn’t he? He’s hot, too.” Jasper giggled.

“I don’t know about hot, but I would say you made out pretty well.”

“You did, too. Keata is beautiful. Treat him right, or I’ll kick your ass. He’s my buddy,” Jasper teased.

They stood for a moment in silence then hugged one more time.

“Gonna miss you most of all, Code-man.”

“Same here, Jazz. Call me. Maybe we can go out to dinner some
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time. With our mates, of course.” Cody opened his bedroom door as he and Jasper left his room.

“Sure. I’m gonna go pack and let Zeus know I’m coming.” Jasper smiled.

“Love ya.” Cody kissed Jasper on the cheek then ran to find Keata.

“You, too, Code-man.” Jasper hurried to his room to make the arrangements.

* * * *

Johnny and Keata snuck into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and grabbed the ketchup. Keata hurriedly gave Johnny the Tabasco sauce.

“How much?” Johnny asked.

“I not know.” Keata shrugged. “Whole bottle?”

“Sounds good to me.” Johnny dumped the whole bottle of Tabasco sauce into the ketchup container and then replaced the lid, shaking it vigorously.

Keata ran over to the trash can and threw the empty bottle of Tabasco sauce away. “Hurry, someone come.” Keata whispered.

Johnny threw the bottle back into the refrigerator.

They both ran over to the table and took a seat, pretending to sit there and talk.

Remi came in, heating up a plate of leftovers and grabbing the ketchup. Keata curled his lips in and looked over at Johnny, trying his best to hold back the snicker.

“What are you two into?” Remi asked as he pulled the plate out of the microwave.

“Not much, just hanging out,” Johnny answered.

They both sat there watching as Remi dumped ketchup onto the food and then set the bottle down.

He took a bite and chewed, watching them watch him. Keata’s
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mouth dropped open as Remi turned a funny shade of red and then spit the food onto the floor, running around the kitchen, and waving his hands at his mouth.

“You think we do too much?” Keata asked Johnny.

Johnny was falling over in his seat laughing, Keata began to giggle at him, and then it turned into a full belly laugh.

“I’m gonna get you two.” Remi snarled as he finished drinking the gallon of milk he was chugging.

“Run!” Keata and Johnny shot out of the kitchen, Remi close behind.

* * * *

Keata and Tank had gone down to the recreation center. “This is a place that helps the people here in town. Mostly kids come here and are poor, needing a place to safely play,” Tank explained to Keata, who only understood a portion of what he was saying.

Tank was the little ones’ favorite jungle gym. Keata stared in amazement as the little kids jumped all over the big wolf. The warrior just laughed and gave them all a ride on his shoulders. Keata would be frightened to be that high in the air. Tank was almost as tall as the Alpha. Tank had lifted him once to make a basket, but it wasn’t that high.

Not knowing what to do, he reached down and picked up an orange ball. He remembered the game he had played with Oliver and Johnny. They had tried to make as many baskets as possible to win against the other mates who tried to beat them. The other team won, but Keata had had a lot of fun running around playing.

“This nice.” Keata threw the basketball toward the hoop, missing for the umpteenth time. The thing was just too high up for him. He pouted when he missed once again. “You go in, or I be mad.” He pouted and pointed at the ball.

It would be nice to make another one. He had made one when
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they played the other team only because Tank had lifted him in the air for it. Oliver had tried to teach him how to make what he called a jump shot, but Keata seemed to be too short.

“Here you go, buddy.”

“Whoa.” Keata felt the same way he did the first time Tank had lifted him in the air. Like his stomach was falling out.

Tank laughed and lifted Keata up so he could finally make the basket. He laughed with joy when the ball rimmed it then fell through.

His second shot ever. “Bull’s-eye!” Keata shouted.

“She’s pretty.” One of the little girls stared wide-eyed at Keata.

Tank lowered Keata to his feet. He knelt down to seem less imposing. “That’s a man, not a girl.” Keata felt his face heat at the little girl’s mistake. It wasn’t the first time.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” She blushed and hid her face. Tank chuckled.

“No big deal. You wanna shoot some hoops?” The little girl’s head nodded rapidly.

Keata made his way over to the craft table. He watched the little kids bead necklaces. Following their lead, he picked the string up and lined brown and black beads up, placing a red heart between each color. He looked down at his work and noticed that the colors reminded him of his and Cody’s eye colors.

“Not here, too.” He groaned.

A tear welled up and ran down his cheek. Keata wiped it away as he grabbed the next color. The other mates didn’t have to share, and Keata didn’t want to either. If Cody was supposed to be his boyfriend, then why did the wolf ignore him and kiss and touch on the redhead wolf? The image of Cody taking Jasper upstairs still haunted him.

Why didn’t Cody like him?

“Don’t cry.” The same little girl had come over and hugged Keata around his waist. Keata smiled and hugged her back. He wiped another tear that had escaped.

“I not cry.” He smiled as the little girl sat next to him and handed
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him the next color.

“I didn’t mean to call you a girl. You’re just so pretty.” She looked up at Keata with big puppy dog eyes. How could Keata ever be mad at her?

“Not you. I have broken heart.” Keata laid his hand over his heart then picked up his next bead that the little girl slid to him. Keata’s stomach hurt with wanting Cody. Why couldn’t Cody kiss and touch him? He would let him, although the thought was scary. He would.

But Cody didn’t want him, and he wasn’t going to let the wolf as long as he still petted someone else .

“You okay, buddy?” Tank knelt down next to Keata.

“I okay.” Keata smiled up at Tank. Even though he was kneeling, he was still taller than Keata. He was thankful for his big friend. He helped Keata understand what was happening and also had always been there for him.

Tank ran his hand over Keata’s hair as he stood and wandered back over to the basketball hoops.

Keata took a deep breath and let it out. “No cry over spilt cow milk,” he muttered.

He needed to cheer up. Keata had a cousin who loved him dearly and friends that took care of him. He had more than most people. So what if he didn’t have the love of a man he would do anything for? He could live without it. Keata had to because Cody didn’t want him.

Although the thought was painful, he had to keep reminding himself of that fact.

“You ready, little one?” Tank approached the table after about an hour. Keata held his finger up to ask Tank to wait. He placed the last bead on the other necklace he had been working on. It had pretty pink and white beads in the shape of hearts. He laced it around the little girl’s neck and smiled.