Richard shook his head. “He was too resentful of me and too anxious to protect Tucker for me to get a good read on him. I couldn’t get a clear notion of how submissive he is. When I put him down on the bed, he did give in, but not right away. I think the right man could master him.”

“The right man, huh? And who would that be?”

“No idea. It would have to be someone my age or older, probably. Someone’s who’s learned some patience. Someone who isn’t still trying to find a bloodmatch, yet attractive enough that he can seduce him. Tucker insists this can’t be a forced mating, and I’d really hate to resort to any kind of mind altering techniques with him. He’s been a good friend to Tucker. He came here out of concern for him.”

“I know,” Gavin said thoughtfully. He regarded his beta speculatively. “Actually, this prospective wolf mate you’re describing sounds a little like you.”

Richard shook his head firmly. “No. No way. My bloodmate died a long time ago, and I have no interest in a love match. No. We’ll find him someone, if not here, then at one of the other lodges. That is, if he’s suitable. We don’t want to pair him with someone who’ll make his life miserable…and vice versa.”

A door closing behind Richard caused him to turn as Tucker came in the room. He walked up beside Gavin, hugging his arms to his chest, obviously still upset. “Not awake yet, huh? Damn, he’s going to be so angry. I wonder if he’ll ever speak to me again.” He turned to his father. “I should have been given a chance to explain things to him first. You didn’t have to drug him.”

“If you think he would willingly have let us strip search him and take his car, then you don’t know him as well as you think you do.”

Gavin broke in. “Tucker, it’s not up to you, honey. This is a pack decision.”

“I know you’re angry, Tucker, and I’m sorry,” Richard said. “I have to do what I think is best for all of us, and we had to make sure he didn’t have any tracking devices. From what I’ve seen of him so far, I knew he’d fight me. I didn’t hurt him…the doctor assured me the sedative was fairly mild, even though it was fast-acting. He’ll wake up soon.”

“Are you still determined to be in here with him alone when he wakes up?” Tucker asked his father.

“I think it’s best. He’s familiar with me, and he already thinks of me as the bad guy. Let him cuss me for a while and calm down before I call you in,” Richard said.

“Oh, we’re doing the bad cop, good cop thing, hmm? Okay, but don’t get him too crazy, or I won’t be able to settle him down enough to get him to listen to me,” Tucker said. He pointed his finger at his father. “And don’t make him mad. You guys don’t always realize how overbearing you can be.”

Richard smiled. “I make no promises. He’s got a short fuse.”

Kevin groaned and raised his knee restlessly, trying to turn over. The cuff on one wrist attached to the headboard prevented it.

“Is cuffing him really necessary?” Tucker asked.

“I won’t keep it on him long. Just making a point with him, that’s all.”

Tucker opened his mouth to say more, but a loud groan from the bed stopped him. Kevin thrashed his head on the pillow. “Better get out of here,” Richard said. “It looks like he’s waking up. I’ll call you after we talk.”

Tucker left with reluctance, allowing Gavin to tug him away, and Richard was alone with the beautiful man on the bed. Giving into the temptation to touch him, he brushed his fingers over one flushed cheek. He thought about what Gavin had said about him taking this man for a mate.

It had been so long since he’d allowed himself to have someone to love. As the beta, he lived his life mostly for the good of his alpha and his pack. Only once had he allowed himself to love someone who belonged only to him, and for that brief span of time, he’d had a treasure in his hands, only to have it snatched cruelly away. Now this new treasure was here within reach. Was it possible to have it all again? Did he dare to even try? There had been cases—a few—where a wolf had managed to not only survive the death of his mate but to find love again. The beta of the North Carolina pack had managed it. It was very rare, but possible.

His wolf stirred inside him, restless and edgy. He dropped his hand and turned away. No, it was too risky, and there was too much to lose. This time, if he lost, he knew he wouldn’t survive. The pain would surely kill him. He wouldn’t risk it all again, no matter how much he wanted this man. He stood up and crossed to the window as Kevin moved his head on the pillow, trying to wake up. Richard stared out the window and hardened his heart. He wouldn’t be hurt like that again. A love like he’d had with his wife only came once in a blue moon, and never came again. Besides, this guy didn’t even like him. He glanced back over at him. If only he wasn’t so desirable.

Kevin’s eyelids fluttered and then opened, as he tried to wake up. He lay on his back, one wrist bound above his head. Groggily, he took stock of his situation. His head ached and his stomach twisted with nausea when he tried to sit up. He was cuffed to a soft bed in a darkened room. His clothing had been removed, but he didn’t seem to have any injuries. Tucker must have prevented that. Tucker…it hurt to think he was part of this, but he knew he wasn’t really responsible for the betrayal. The bastards who brainwashed him were behind all of it.

He heard a slight noise to his left and saw the man who had attacked and drugged him standing by the window. He was silent, watching. It was a little scary to realize he could be so quiet and unmoving. It didn’t seem natural, somehow. Had he been watching Kevin as he slept? The idea caused a chill to run down Kevin’s spine. Richard’s gaze seemed to be measuring Kevin, though his posture was relaxed, and his face calm. His expression gave no indication of what he had planned for him.

The silence grew as they stared at each other. Richard let his unreadable gaze travel slowly over Kevin’s body and though Kevin was covered with a sheet, Richard’s eyes seemed to map every inch of him. Kevin was irritated to feel a hot blush starting on his cheeks. He had no doubt who had undressed him as he lay unconscious. He glanced up into the man’s eyes and saw the cool, steady regard. Once they arrived at the compound, Kevin had let his guard down, and now he would pay the price. This man was a predator, and he would do well to remember that.

His mouth felt as dry and dusty as a backcountry road as he cleared his throat to speak. “Well, I should have known you’d be here. Where’s Tucker? Why the fuck am I cuffed to this bed?”

Richard prowled closer to the bed, his eyes intent on Kevin’s face. “Tucker’s fine. He’ll be in to see you soon, but first you and I are going to have a little talk.”

Kevin pulled viciously at the cuff on his wrist. “Get me out of this shit!”

“Settle down before you hurt yourself. I’ll release you in a moment, but first we need to get a few things straight between us.”

“I have nothing to say to you, asshole. Do you have any idea how much shit you’re going to bring down on your heads by attacking me and holding me like this? I’m an officer of the law—do you really think you can get away with it?”

Richard lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “We already have, Kevin. And I don’t think you told anyone where you were going when you decided to come up here on your little rescue mission, because you didn’t want anyone to know in case Tucker turned you down. You’re here on your own because you couldn’t stand to let him go.”

“You’re full of shit.” Kevin glared at him, putting everything he felt, all the anger and frustration, even a little of the fear and desperation at the situation he found himself in—everything—into that look. He saw something move on Richard’s face and it softened, just the slightest bit as he came toward him.

“I’ll let you go, so long as you remember you’re a prisoner here. You can stop making threats, because none of this is under your control anymore. Understand?”

Kevin glared up at him silently, feeling cold fury, his gaze promising retribution.

Richard met his gaze unflinchingly. “Do you understand?”

“Yes, damn it. I understand.”

Richard pulled a key from his pocket and released him from the cuff. He stepped back as Kevin sat up, rubbing his wrist, and swung his bare legs over the side of the bed. He was careful to keep the sheet over his lap, and he could feel another flush slowly rising over his cheekbones. He resisted the urge to put his hands over his cock, instead meeting his captor’s gaze with a steady stare.

“So now what happens? You try to brainwash me too?”

Again, an odd look passed over Richard’s face but he sat down in the armchair next to the bed and leaned forward. “For the next day or so, nothing much happens. I’ll let you talk to Tucker, and you’ll mostly stay here until we can make preparations.”

“Preparations for what, damn it?”

Richard shrugged, and Kevin made a sound of anger and impatience.

“If it hadn’t been for Tucker, you’d be waking up in a cell down in the basement right now, so count yourself lucky.” Richard said sternly. “This is a private group, Kevin. We don’t appreciate outsiders coming to spy on us and threaten us, and we protect our family.”

“Family?” Kevin snorted. “Save the bullshit, Richard, I’m not drinking your kool-aid. If you let me go and take Tucker with me, I’ll tell the police you cooperated and maybe they’ll go easy on you. It’s your best chance.”

Richard raised one eyebrow. “No, actually, I don’t think it is. We have something different in mind for you.”

“Like what? I’m warning you, asshole…” Kevin stood up, clenching his fists around the sheet to keep it around his hips. He hated this, hated the smug bastard in front of him, hated the fact that he’d allowed himself to walk right into their trap. He wanted to smash his face in, make him feel as frustrated and furious as he did right that moment.