Free Hagen, Lynn - Stormy Eyes [Brac Pack 5] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) by Lynn Hagen Page A

ruffling Keata’s hair as he walked inside.
    “You okay?” Storm asked as he sat where Loco just vacated. He looked around the front yard, the nice plush grass laid out before them. Storm’s gaze went to the gravel drive on the side of the house, multitudes of pick-up trucks and SUVs lined the drive. It seemed like a normal house, looked ordinary and human. If the outside world only knew who inhabited it.
    “I okay.” Keata patted Storm’s knee. “What rec center?”
    “A place to play with other people.” Storm kept the explanation simple, knowing Keata became frustrated when he didn’t understand.
    “Roger that.” Keata looked forward again, as if daydreaming. Storm wondered what Keata dreamed of, what he wanted out of life. Keata laid his elbows on his knees, watching as two squirrels chased each other across the expansive yard.
    “All the mates want to go,” Loco informed him as he stepped back outside. “Guess we posse up.”
    “I’ll take one of the larger vehicles.” Storm stood, brushing his backside off as he went to grab the keys to one of the SUVs.
    “Is Keata outside?” Kyoshi asked as he came from the den.
    “Yeah, he’s out there with Loco.” Storm leaned down, an overwhelming urge to hold his mate encompassing him. “I love you, dragonfly.” Kyoshi blushed and smiled up at him.
    “I love you, too.” Kyoshi pulled him down for a quick kiss.
    “We’re ready.” Johnny skipped to the door as Hawk followed close behind him. Once the mates met out front, they piled into the waiting vehicles, chatting excitingly about getting out of the house.
    Storm felt bad that they couldn’t come and go as other humans could but such was the life of being mated to a were-creature. The luxury of total freedom would no longer be theirs.
    Kyoshi buckled his seatbelt in the front seat, smiling at Storm before settling back.
    “Guys ready?” Storm looked into the rearview mirror.
    Everyone nodded. He pulled away and onto the paved road, two other SUVs following him. They reached the place and parked in the lot.
    “Haven’t seen you guys in awhile.” Thomas, one of the counselors there greeted them. “Had me worried for a moment.”
    “You can’t get rid of us so easily,” Cecil teased as he ran with Blair over to a corner to start another lesson. Blair had come to them illiterate, and Cecil was teaching him from the basics up. Blair wasn’t ashamed of it. He set his mind to it instead. He was making real progress. Storm was proud of the Alpha’s mate for helping him.
    “This is Kyoshi and Keata.” Storm introduced the two.
    “Pleasure to meet you.” Thomas shook their hands as he left them to wander around.
    Storm watched as Tank lifted the smaller children up, helping them score a basket. He was glad the warrior had recovered so quickly. They had been friends a long time, and he would have hated if anything happened to him.
    “Keata seems to be having fun,” Storm said to his mate.
    Storm looked across the gym, Keata jumping rope with a bunch of girls. His mate’s cousin seemed to fit right in.
    “He’s smiling,” Kyoshi noted. “Keata doesn’t seem to do a lot of that lately.”
    “He’ll be fine.” Storm kissed the top of his mate’s head before joining the other warriors. Kyoshi walked over to the craft table where the rest of the mate’s were sitting.
    Storm watched as Kyoshi raced across the gym ten minutes later, grabbing hold of his arm. “Where is Keata?”
    This got Storm’s immediate attention. The warriors had been so lax talking to Thomas that no one had noticed Keata disappear. He looked over to the group of girls, but Keata was nowhere in sight.
    “Search the building.” Gunnar growled as he went outside.
    Storm took the back double doors out, spotting a group of kids by the playground. They were huddled together, which raised his suspicions.
    “Just take a hit.” One of the punks was handing Keata a joint.
    Keata shook his head, backing away from them.