Without Reservations

down.
    “Yeah. Simon, Bobby and I always figured it was Remi’s dad, but we never could get Remi to say so. And Remi’s dad didn’t have a reason to kill Billy. It wasn’t like it was a big secret that Remi’s dad was abusive.
    We all knew it. My dad even tried to get Remi away from his dad, but Remi never would cooperate when CPS questioned him. He didn’t want to leave his mom and Sterling.” Chay tossed Keaton the boxers he’d brought for Remi to wear.
    “Sterling?” He helped Chay lift Remi to put boxer shorts on him.
    “Remi’s younger brother. He was an infant when Remi was almost killed. He’s about thirteen now. Sterling’s a great kid.”
    Keaton shook his head. He’d have never thought Remi the type to sacrifice himself for another, like he obviously had his younger sibling.
    He was about to ask where Sterling was now when Jake came into the living room.
    Jake wore a pair of Chay’s sweats and a T-shirt. Damn, Jake was a big man. Chay’s sweats looked like tights on him. Jake sat in a chair across from the couch, his eyes normal. “He looks better.”
    Keaton glanced down at Remi, now clothed. He did look better. His tanned skin wasn’t quite normal yet, but it was close. His breathing was regular.
    Chay nodded. “Yeah. I need to call Doc Baker and dump this water out.” He took the bucket of water to the kitchen.
    “You want something to drink?” Keaton asked.
    Jake stared at Remi for several seconds then smiled sadly. “He’s my mate.”
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    Shit, shit, shit. Keaton ran his hand down his face. “I was afraid of that.”

    After finishing his phone call, Chay grabbed three beers and settled in the living room with Keaton and Jake. The three of them sat quietly drinking their beers and watching Remi.
    Chay sniffed. “He smells like a wolf now.”
    Keaton’s hand landed on his shoulder. “Yeah, I noticed that too.”
    Jake signaled his agreement by dipping his head. “I’m not surprised.
    I’ve never heard of a case where a man was given blood and not been changed.”
    “What happened, Jake?” Chay asked.
    “When I followed Keaton home, I saw a car parked at the curb. I thought it looked suspicious, so I waited.”
    Keaton sighed. “My brother.”
    Jake nodded, absorbing that information. “After he left here, I followed him to that little wooded area a few miles away, the one that backs up to your subdivision. He got out and shifted. I parked further away, staying downwind. Figured I should shift and follow him. By the time I caught up to him, he was already here. I saw the motorcycle and smelled the blood. When I jumped the fence, he was standing over Remi.
    I ran him off. From a distance, I thought he…Remi, was you, Chay. Until I got close to him.”
    Keaton squeezed Chay’s shoulder. “Which explains a lot. I can see how someone would mistake Remi for Chay. They look alike from a distance.”
    Chay cocked his head. “But Aubrey is a wolf. He was even in wolf form. How could he not smell the difference? He’d just met me.”
    Keaton sighed. “My brother is an idiot. He’s never been one to trust his senses. He probably didn’t even try to differentiate scent.”
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    Without Reservations
    Jake set his beer down on the table next to him and idly scratched Pita’s head. “I guess this gives us a good place to start looking for your attacker. Why would your brother want to kill you?”
    Chay turned his head to look at Bit.
    Keaton shrugged. “That’s just it. I have no idea. He has no motive, whatsoever. I’m out of his life.”
    Chay frowned. “How about your parents?”
    Keaton shook his head, bewildered. “I…I don’t know. I don’t think so.
    The same thing applies, there isn’t a reason.”
    Chay patted Bit’s leg. “Jake, can you look into it?”
    “You betcha. Keaton, if you can give me names and addresses and that sort of thing, it’ll go quicker. What exactly did your brother—”
    Remi groaned and squirmed.
    Pita, noticing him for the first time, barked, making them all jump.
    Remi’s green eyes blinked open and his hand flew to his head.
    “Fuckin’ A, my head hurts.” He focused on Chay. “What the hell happened? I came over here to tell you I was sorry and this dog—or actually it looked more like a wolf—attacked me. Don’t tell me I passed out like some freaking pansy.”
    Keaton gasped. “You came to apologize?”
    Remi pushed himself to a sitting