Finding Forgiveness

Chapter Six

“Down, boy.” Dave grabbed his arm and got them moving again before Ben could go all Beast without Beauty. “Um. Why don’t we go back to my room and—”

The growls got louder.

“—not eat my friend for dinner.” Dave winced. Charlie was going to love Ben. The Lion would look at his mate like a giant squeaky toy if he kept this up. But Ben’s golden-brown eyes warned him that Ben’s wolf was close to the surface. “Don’t make me get the leash.”

Ben snorted, whether in disgust or amusement Dave didn’t know. He was going to walk Ben back to the Contemporary and introduce his mate and his friend and pray the two of them didn’t get them all kicked out. Dave was having the time of his life and didn’t need to lose out on his vacation because the two shifters didn’t get along.

Half of him was still convinced this was a dream. Maybe he’d fallen asleep on the plane and only thought he was in Disney. He’d been looking forward to this for so long he wouldn’t be surprised. Having Ben here with him had been a dream for just as long.

“Listen, the way you say Steve has been there for you? Charlie’s been there for me. Don’t give my friend shit, and I promise not to barbeque yours.”

Silence. Not good. If Charlie and Ben got into it, Dave could lose them both. Unless, of course, he was right, and this was all a dream. He had a sure-fire way of proving it one way or another. He just had to get Ben to his room first.

“Steve tried to protect me. He knew what my dad was doing to me.”

Dave froze. “Your dad?”

“That’s the explaining portion of tonight’s entertainment, remember? I explain my childhood, you explain Charlie being in your hotel room, we agree to move you into my room so we can have wild kinky sex to fireworks, the end.”

Dave started walking again. He did his best to ignore the thought of wild, kinky sex, but just thinking the words made his cock hard. Add in the words “Ben and,” and he was practically panting.

They were past Cinderella’s Castle and near Main Street, USA. They’d be out of the park in no time. “Oh! Monorail!” One of the reasons he’d booked the Contemporary was because the Monorail from Magic Kingdom and Epcot went right through the hotel. He’d always thought that was cool, but when he’d heard you could walk to the Magic Kingdom from his hotel he’d decided to do that first. But now he’d get to give the Monorail a try. Ben was calm again, in no danger of shifting. The Monorail would be safe and quick.

Ben laughed. “Yeah, I thought you’d like that.”

Dave pivoted and began walking backward, pointing at Ben with his free hand. “You need to learn to have fun.”

“You need to learn not to invite other men into your room.”

Dave’s jaw dropped. Other men? He began laughing.

Yup. Charlie was gonna love this one.

“It’s not funny, asshole. How would you have felt if I’d brought another man on vacation with me?”

Dave abruptly stopped laughing. “Like you haven’t done that.”

Ben snarled. “No. I haven’t.”

“So you’re what? A virgin?”

“Are you?”

The two men glared at each other.

“Gentlemen, would you mind taking a small survey?” A cheery blonde smiled up at them, some sort of data pad in her hands. An electronic pen was poised over the pad, ready to mark down their answers.

“Yes.” Ben grabbed hold of Dave’s hand and dragged him towards the exit. “Monorail. Contemporary. Killing Charlie. Fucking. In that order.”

Dave’s brows rose. He wondered what Ben’s reaction was going to be when he found out Charlie was—

“Dave, pay attention!”

Dave tripped over the curb, almost going to his knees. Ben managed to get his arms around him and keep him from falling, but the position it put them in brought other things to mind. Dave was bent double, his hands on the circular railing in the center of Main Street, Ben’s crotch pressed tight to his ass. Dave flushed, the feel of Ben’s cock hardening against his ass bringing to mind all sorts of wicked things.

The wolf-whistle had both men straightening. “Nice catch.” A man winked at Ben and waved at Dave. “He’s a big one too.”

The man at his side laughed. “Yeah, no need to lie when you brag to your friends about this one, huh?”

The two men walked off, still laughing. Dave’s cheeks were bright red, Ben’s only a shade lighter.

“Let’s get out of here.”

Ben nodded and walked under the train overpass that marked the beginning of the Magic Kingdom. The two men hopped the Monorail that led directly to the Contemporary, neither saying a word. He had no clue what Ben was thinking, but Dave was worried. Why the change of heart? Did Ben feel sorry for him now that he knew the truth? Was it jealousy, knowing Dave had chosen to come here during Gay Pride Week?

Did he know of Dave’s plans to find a second mate?

The Monorail came to a stop, and the two men left. They rode the escalator to the fourth floor where they caught the elevator to Dave’s room. Dave’s heart was pounding, his nerves shattered. The moment of truth was almost upon him. He only hoped Ben’s sense of humor would get them through this.

“Calm down, baby. If it means that much to you I promise to only take a small chunk of Charlie’s hide.”

He turned his head and looked down at the Marshall. The man was only a few inches shorter than he was, but it made Dave feel protective, something he knew he didn’t need to feel. If anyone could take care of himself it was Ben Malone.

“How do you feel about Lions?”

Ben blinked. He stared straight ahead. He ignored the other people in the elevator. “We’re going on the safari ride?”

Dave almost laughed. “Something like that.” The elevator doors dinged and let them out on Dave’s floor. It was two floors above the bridge that led to the Bay Lake Towers. “We’re here.”

Ben followed him to his room, his hand on the small of Dave’s back the entire way. When it came to helping Rick rule the Pack, Dave was a rock. Introducing his mate to his friend turned him into a wreck. “Listen, there’s something you need to know about Charlie.”

Ben blanched. “He’s your mate?”

“No!” Dream or no dream, he had to get that stricken look off Ben’s face. “Just…look. Charlie’s—”

The door flew open. “Davey!” Suddenly he had an armful of warm, cuddly, female Lion. Her long blonde hair tickled his nose. “Who’s your friend?” She leaned back and gave Ben the once-over, approval in her blue eyes. “Did you finally find someone to help you forget Big Ben?” Her eyes widened. “Oh, my God. You look familiar.”

Ben’s jaw had gone slack the moment Charlie threw herself into Dave’s arms, but it hardened when she mentioned someone else helping him get him over Ben.

Oh boy.

Ben held out his hand. “Name’s Ben Malone.” Ben shot Dave a look that promised retribution. “You must be Charlie.”

Charlie pulled slowly out of his arms, her gaze glued cat-like and unblinking on the Wolf. She dug her toe into the carpet and bit her bottom lip, the picture of innocence.

Dave took a step back so he wouldn’t get blood on him. He reminded himself that Ben could take care of himself.

Her hand whipped out so fast it was a blur, but the smack of flesh on flesh was loud in the echoing hotel. At least she’d kept her claws in. He wouldn’t have appreciated scars on Ben’s pretty face. “You bastard!” And she burst into tears.

Dave rolled his eyes, picked his roomie up in a fireman’s hold and carried her into the room. “No getting the nice Wolf arrested, Charlie.”

“But—”

“No, Charlie. And don’t you dare claw my ass.”

He heard more than saw her pout, but she went limp in his hold. “Aw, you’re no fun.”

The door shut. He glanced over to make sure Ben had followed them inside. When he saw the smirk on Ben’s face he dumped Charlie on her bed ass-first. “Be nice to my mate or I’ll limit your catnip to two a day.”

Charlie blew him a raspberry before turning her attention once more to Ben. “Are you going to treat Davey like he deserves, or are you going to continue being a rat bastard?”

Ben sighed and strolled into the room. “Long story short? My father was an alcoholic, a mean one. I can’t handle being around them, and I thought Dave was one.” He stared right into Dave’s eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“You said that.” Dave was glad to finally hear it, even if he wasn’t sure it was real.

“I’ll keep saying it until you believe it.”

“He beat you?” Charlie crossed her legs and propped her chin in her hands.

Ben’s eyes remained on Dave’s. Dave could see the remorse written there clearly. “Yeah.”

“Shit.” Charlie sighed and rolled onto her stomach. “Is he still alive?”

“I think so. I’m not sure.”

“How could that be? The Alpha, hell, the Marshall or Omega would have done something about it.” Dave knew Rick’s grandfather could be an ass when it came to dealing with outsiders but he’d never put his people at risk, even the teenage ones.

“They didn’t. He was a master at hiding it, even from them. The times they knew I’d been hurt? He blamed it on accidents. The Omega thought I was a moody little boy and a moodier teenager. Remember, just because you feel what someone else does doesn’t mean you understand why.” The way Ben was looking at him, Dave understood the message he was trying to convey. Ben had been wrong, just as the old Marshall and Omega had been, and now they were both paying for it. “The last thing the Alpha wanted to do was rock the boat over a boy they all thought was going through a stage and hurting himself.”

Dave flopped onto the bed next to Charlie. “That’s why you thought my migraines were hangovers.”

Ben nodded curtly.

“Shit.”

“Yeah.”

“Why didn’t you ask me about them?”

Ben winced. “Honestly? I couldn’t allow myself to get that close.” He perched on the other bed, the one Dave had been planning on sleeping in. Charlie had wanted the bed by the sliding glass doors so she could see the fireworks over the castle. “My mother didn’t fight him. She loved him too much, and he beat on her too.” Ben shook his head. “I think the old Alpha just didn’t want to see what was right in front of his face. If he had, he would have been forced to Outcast my dad and deal with what came next. Odds are good Dad would have forced Mom and me to go with him.” He shook his head. “I’ve watched someone I was supposed to love destroy everyone around him because of alcohol.” Ben clasped his hands between his knees and gazed right into Dave’s face, hiding nothing. “I’m sorry, baby. I couldn’t let myself become my mother.”

Ouch. That hurt, but he could almost understand where Ben was coming from. He’d had a twisted childhood, and that was going to do things to his perspective. Now all Dave had to do was decide if he forgave him or not.

Dave narrowed his eyes. “You said you’d do anything if I would just forgive you.”

Charlie chuckled. She knew what was coming. Hell, she’d helped him design the damned thing. “The shirt?”

“Oh yeah.” And if Ben wore it, he’d get his wish. Dave would do his best to forgive Ben for being a prick. Hell, he was halfway there just from hearing about Ben’s childhood.

Then again, if Ben put it on he’d know this was nothing more than a dream. Real Life Ben’s pride would never allow him to wear a shirt like that, let alone in public.

Ben looked like he’d just stuck his arm in a dark hole and had no clue if he was about to grab a handful of honey or bees. “What shirt?”

Dave handed him the bag containing the shirt and waited.