Zack finished his business at the mine early, and he and Jamie started back to the lodge. All afternoon, his mind had been on Gabe, and what had happened that morning.He really didn’t know what to expect when he got home. They’d had their first really serious fight, and he’d pushed Gabe’s limits to the max. He had worked his little man over pretty good and punished him most of the morning, starting with the time-out in the corner and ending with restraining and then flogging him—not to mention the mind-blowing sex.He’d left him asleep on their bed around noon, wearing nothing but his new collar, and he had no idea what to expect when he got home.

He really didn’t want to punish him anymore. He loved him so much, and he wanted to just take care of him and make his life easier.Gabe’d had such a hard time since the attack and his mother’s passing. But before he could do any of what he wanted to do, Gabe had to assimilate into the pack. He had to follow the orders of his alpha.

Every member of the wolf pack had a place in the hierarchy, and Gabe was no different. He was the mate of the alpha, and as such he had certain obligations, not just to Zack, but to the entire pack. He needed to show a good example for the other pets. He should actually be a leader and a spokesperson for the pets,much like Zack’s mother had been. Zack’s mother had sat in on the council meetings and spoke up for any inequality she noticed. One of the most important aspects of being mate to the alpha was to cooperate and obey his wolf mate, so long as the wolf was reasonable and acting in his pet’s best interest. Even the alpha’s pet didn’t get any free passes, or it would cause jealousy and dissention in the entire pack.

As soon as he got home he went in search of Gabe. He found him in the bedroom, working on Zack’s laptop, wearing his collar and snug, but not overly tight, leathers. He looked up and smiled tentatively at Zack as he walked in, and Zack grinned widely back at him, relieved and happy to seehe didn’t seem to be holding a grudge.

“Hello, baby. Are you feeling okay?” Gabe laughed. “Do you mean is my ass sore? A little, but in a good way.” He reached up selfconsciously and touched his collar, but didn’t mention it.

Zack came over closer to him.“What are you doing? Are you on Facebook?”

“No, I stopped posting on Facebook after I left home like I did. I think most people think I’m dead or something, but it’s okay. I guess I don’t have much in common with them anymore.”

“Then what are you doing?”

“I’ve been looking at classes online. I’d like to take a few if you don’t mind spotting me some cash.I can pay you back when I graduate.”

“You don’t have to pay me back, honey. You can take classes if you want to. Just let me know, and I can let you use my credit card to sign up.What kind of classes?”

“Agriculture. It was my major—you know, before.I don’t have many more credits to get my degree. I don’t know exactly what I could do with it. I’d always planned to run our farm at home.”

His voice took on the lost quality Zack hated to hear. He crossed over to him and sat down beside him, touching his leg.“You can do anything you want to do. You decide, and I’ll support you.Maybe you could farm on some of our land here. Whatever you decide, I’ll be there behind you if you need me.”

Gabe closed the laptop and looked up at him.“I don’t want to fight anymore, Zack. I feel like I’ve been fighting everything and everyone for the past year, and I’m so tired.”

Zack touched his jaw and rubbedhis fingers along it. “I don’t want to fight either, darlin’. I just want to love you.”

Gabe hesitated for only a few seconds before he threw his arms around Zack’s neck and held on tightly.“I was scared when you sent me away.”

“Oh, honey, I didn’t send you away. I gaveyou a choice. I didn’t want you to think you had no alternative and wind up resenting me for it. You had no need to be scared, either. I would have always watched out for you, no matter what your choice was. You’re my mate, baby. I can’t not protect you and worry about you.”

“You came for me, though. I was afraid you wouldn’t.”

“You were?”

Gabe gave him a wicked little smile.“Uh-huh. I wondered how long it would take Scott to call you.He didn’t for the longest time.”

“You knew Scott was watching you?”

“Well, duh. It’s pretty hard to hide a wolf. You’re all pretty damned big. I figured when I got up to dance on the bar he’d call you.”

“Why you little…” Zack pulled him up in his arms, and Gabe wrapped his legs around Zack’s waist, his arms around his neck, cuddling his face into his neck. With both hands on Gabe’s ass, Zackmassaged the cheeks slowly and sensuously. “I really should punish you again for your little stunt and for drinking so much.”

“Mmm…with the flogger? Yes, please.I really have been bad.”

Zack put back his head and laughed. “Yes, you certainly have. What am I going to do with you?” He dropped him down a bit, rubbing their cocks together and nibbled at his neck.

“Make love to me again?”

Zack smiled and kissed his nose. “Try and stop me.”

Gabe stretched luxuriously and reached over for Zack, but he was already gone. Pouting a little, he rolled over in bed and smiled over the delicious sting on his butt. Their lovemaking the night before had been hot and wild. Gabe had talked Zack into using some of the other sex toys Zack told him he’d made a special trip to town to buy. Gabe was determined to try each and every one of them out.He’d thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. He wondered idly what else he could do to get Zack mad enough to give him a little more of his undivided attention.

He heard a knock at the door and got up to answer, pulling on his pants and smoothing down his hair.

Scott looked frantic.“Gabe, you’d better come quickly. Zack just collapsed downstairs. We carried him to our infirmary, but the doctor hasn’t been able to bring him around yet.”

The last words were yelled at Gabe’s back as he raced downstairs, his heart racing even faster. Scott caught up with him easily and passed him on the stairs, which was a good thing, since Gabe had no idea where he was going. He followed Scott down into the basement and into a small room set up like a hospital. He stopped in the doorway and stared, clutching himself around the waist. Zack was still and white on his back on the bed, some men standing around him, all looking concerned and upset.

Gabe hesitated only a second in the doorway before he raced across the room and flung himself on top of Zack’s body, wrapping his arms around his waist.

The doctor standing next to him cried out.“No, no, young man, you must get off him! I’m still examining him and running tests. We’ll know more soon, but please control yourself.”

Scott motioned him gently down to a chair beside Zack’s bed and stood close by to keep him in place. He leaned over to whisper in his ear.“Settle down, Gabe. The doctor knows his stuff, even if he is a tightass.”

Gabe sat stunned, listening with half an ear to the talk swirling around him.He couldn’t lose Zack—he wouldn’t. The very idea was unthinkable. He stood up and turned to the doctor, his voice steady and firm.“What happened to him?Tell me everything.”

The doctor looked at him with irritation and spoke instead to Scott.“Will you please keep this pet out of my way?I’m trying to work here.”

Gabe stepped forward,grabbed a handful of the doctor’s shirtfront, and pushed his face up into his. His voice came out low and menacing.“Listen up, asshole. This is my mate on this bed. You talk to me,or I’ll rip out your throat.”

The doctor sputtered a few times and looked to the men standing around the bed for help. None of them made a move to stop Gabe. One or two even looked a little impressed at his aggression.

Seeing no help was forthcoming, the doctor put up both hands in a placating gesture.“All right, all right!Please release me and I’ll tell you what I know.”

Gabe let go of him begrudgingly, but stayed close, glaring at him.

“Uh…well, these men here told me the alpha collapsed at the breakfast table. He clutched his stomach and just fell over. From my examination,even though it seems impossible, I’d say he’s been poisoned.”

Feeling like he’d been hit in the gut with a fist, Gabe turned to the men standing beside the bed.“Who was with him?” he asked sharply.

Jamie, the beta, spoke up.“I was.”

Scott nodded.“Me too.”

“He was fine when he left our room this morning. What was he eating?” Gabe addressed his question to Scott, who shrugged.

“Nothing the rest of us didn’t have. He ate some eggs and toast. A little fruit, I think. We were all having the same thing. He said he had a little headache from staying up too late last night. He took some headache powders.”

“Headache powders?” Gabe sounded puzzled.“You mean the powdery stuff in those little packets?Where’s the package?”

“Try his pocket. I think I saw him get them out of there.”

Gabe rifled through his pockets and came out with a small packet of old fashioned headache powders.“These?” he asked. Scott nodded.“Do you know if the box was already open? Think, Scott!”

“Damn, I don’t know. He had it in his pocket. I think he keeps a box in his office. He just opened one up and threw it back like he does.”

Gabe turned to the beta.“Did he vomit anything before he collapsed?”

“Yeah, just as he started to get up. He said he wasn’t feeling well and…” The beta yelled to one of the guards.“Go upstairs and find me some samples. Don’t let anybody clean it up. We need to get the samplesto a lab.” He turned back to Gabe.“You think he reallywas poisoned?”

Gabe shook his head miserably.“I don’t know, but like I said, he was fine when he left our room.It doesn’t make any sense.”