by M. A. Church
“For the moment, that might be best. I don’t know Seth, and having him around my mate makes me uncomfortable. I hope you can understand that.”
This was hopeless. Brier shoved back from the table and stood. His sight was suddenly much clearer and sharper. He glanced down. His claws were out too. Getting pissed did no good, but he couldn’t seem to help it. “Oh, I get it, all right.”
“I don’t think you do. What I said has nothing to do with Seth being a shadow walker. Stop thinking as an offended mate and start thinking as my beta. I would never knowingly allow an unknown paranormal near either of my mates. Hell, I take one of you anytime I deal with anyone outside the clowder, and you know that.”
Brier deflated. Yes, he did.
“Now….” Dolf pointed at Brier’s chair. “I am your Alpha, and I love you like a brother, so sit your ass down and get yourself under control before you write checks your ass can’t cash.”
What the hell was he doing? Brier had come entirely too close to challenging his Alpha. He sat his ass down like he was told and pulled his cat back. Embarrassed, he bared his throat to his Alpha. “I’m sorry. Truly.”
“You’re worried, upset, and afraid. I know this and understand. As I was saying, first, Seth’s an unknown paranormal, one I thought was human when he was hired. No, I’m not comfortable with him being around my mate. Second, he’s mated to a werecat who does not have permission to be in my territory, but at least I can take care of that part.”
“Thank you.”
Dolf stood and walked to his desk. He grabbed two business cards with his and Tal’s name on them and signed the back. “Give these to Tyler and Seth in case they run into trouble with clowder members, which I hope doesn’t happen. It’s the best I can do for now. Also, take time off from your beta position. Stay with them. Get to know them.”
Brier pocketed the cards. “I’d planned to ask, so thank you. And for the cards too.”
“Are they staying with you or camping out?”
“Still camping out, and no, I have no idea where.”
“I wasn’t going to ask,” Dolf said. “I wouldn’t put you in position of having to possibly betray their trust. I will say that it would be better if they were with you. The less they’re about, the safer they will be. The last thing I, or you, need is a clowder member figuring out what they are and panicking.”
It pissed him off all over again, but he did understand Dolf’s point, so he reined it in. “I’ll, ah, see what I can do. But you have to know that if they stay with me, there’s a very good chance we’ll mate.”
“I’m asking that you don’t. Give me time to think this through, dammit. Just a few days, and then I’ll get back to you.”
This was a train wreck looking for a place to happen. Brier stood too. “Guess I’ll talk to you later, then.”
In a fog, he left Dolf’s. He didn’t remember much of the drive home. His animal demanded release, and he wasn’t sure how long he could retain control. When Brier arrived, he parked and stormed into the house, stripping as he went.
He could not lose them. He couldn’t. His cat wailed in his mind as the first bone broke. Sounds filled the room, most of which were unpleasant. His mass shrunk and reshaped as he morphed into a cat. Ears grew on top of his head, his face pushed out to a muzzle complete with whiskers, and fur sprouted over his body.
Smells were sharper, and he moved in ways he missed in his human form. He darted through the cat door. In the early-morning sunlight, the dew on the grass sparkled like diamonds. Uncaring, he raced across the backyard toward the woods.
HOURS PASSED as he lost himself in his cat. He napped, hunted, and then napped some more. As the warmth of the day receded, he woke. Sunset? Already? Raising his head, he took stock of where he was. A whole day wasted, and for what? I’m no closer to an answer than before.
A sudden urge uncurled in his belly, a need that pulled at the very core of him. Standing, he stretched, then trotted through the woods, following the demand ruling him. Twilight faded and darkness came. There was no mistaking where he was going, but why he felt the abrupt longing to go to the Circle of Stone escaped him.
When he arrived, he stopped, staring at the stones, which were a weathered gray with chips and cracks throughout, hinting at their age. The beautiful coldness of the rock spoke of its sturdiness and endurance.
They were large, bulky boulders at least four feet across and eight feet high. The surface of some were worn smooth and flat, while others came to a point, a finger reaching for the star-filled sky. The grass inside was always green, no matter the time of year.
This place was sacred to them. Magic. It was where they communed with their goddess. He rubbed his face against a rough stone, needing some prick of pain to distract him from the torment battling within him. Energy raced from the hard surface into his body.
Surprised, he reared back, tail whipping. He’d felt it before, but normally he was human when he came here. He tingled from head to toe, but the feeling wasn’t sexual or unpleasant. It never was. It was more of a sense of acceptance.
A flash of light caught Brier’s attention. Then another. Then more, the brief flickers blinking crazily. From past experiences, he knew the circle was welcoming him. Stunned, Brier slinked inside, heading for the middle. He’d never heard of something like this. Usually when they came to the circle, it was to perform joining ceremonies, Rites of Passage, and so on. The ranked werecats were the ones who came here, and when they did, there were a lot of them. He’d never come here alone before. There had never been a need to… until now. And she had wanted him here. There was no doubt in his mind.
My goddess? Why have you called me here?
The trees rustled. A puff of air caressed his cheek. Whispers echoed on the breeze. Brier tilted his head, listening.
They need you.
Wind blew.
You need them.
Leaves fluttered.
Do not deny my gift, my child.
Grass swayed.
He is the one and only.
Brier inhaled. Petrichor swamped his senses, brisk and wild. It was a sharp, heavy smell that brought to mind rainy days and clean air with just a hint of flowers, aromatic and fragrant. Layered in that was the odor of rich, healthy soil.
He exhaled. Love and contentment flooded him, washing away the worry, draining it like a puss-filled wound. A sense of purpose followed.
He inhaled again. Magic snapped on the currents, alive like sunlight on water—new and sweet with a tang of danger.
Then he was sprinting, free and unfettered. In control and at harmony. Muscles warmed. His lungs expanded. Trees blurred in the moonlight, and wind whipped through his fur. Paws pounded the ground.
And an unseen forced led him to where he needed to go.
Chapter Fifteen – Seth
SETH SPENT the better half of the day dealing with Tyler, who was sure Brier was going to reject them and was nearly inconsolable. It didn’t help that Seth was fighting his own fears on that subject, along with the horrifying knowledge that he couldn’t drag a divine being into his world. And yeah, that shit freaked him right the fuck out since it had never happened before.
Finally, night had fallen. Restless, Tyler had shifted several hours ago and was prowling around. Seth let him go. This was one of those instances when Tyler needed some alone time. They both did.
Caterwauling rent the air. Seth froze, his head cocked. That was Tyler, but he’d never heard him sound quite like that. More loud calls disturbed the night, and Seth was up and running. Tyler hadn’t sounded afraid or in pain, so Seth wasn’t worried…. much. He emerged from the woods by the small waterfall he and Seth liked so much. There, bathed in moonlight, were two Savannahs.
Seth skidded to a halt, his mouth dropping open. “Tyler?”
Tyler rubbed against the other cat, his tail held high, and then he flopped on the ground and squirmed. A second later, he hopped up and turned his back end around.
Holy s
hit, was Tyler trying to lure that cat into mating? Could werecats even do that?
The cat trill-meowed as he sniffed at Tyler’s rear-end, then circled Tyler.
“Brier?” It had to be him. It was the only thing that made sense.
“Meeeer!”
The other werecat stared at Seth, whiskers twitching. Then he focused on Tyler again.
Both cats’ eyes were electric blue. Glued to the spot, Seth watched as Brier pushed Tyler down, grabbed him by the back of the neck, and mounted him. Tyler crouched, his belly on the forest floor. The mating was fast, loud, and looked violent. Was it sexy? No. Was Seth upset this was happening? Again, no. They’d come so close earlier. It had taken everything Seth had to walk away from Brier. But here Brier was. He’d found them.
They separated, and the first sound of a bone breaking disturbed the night. Seth cringed. In moments, two naked men stood in the moonlight. He licked his lips, gazing at the miles of sweaty, hard muscles. Brier was ripped, toned, and….
Brier prowled toward Seth.
And fuck if he didn’t move like liquid silk. Seth’s cock perked up. Brier stopped beside him, and Seth dragged his gaze up that banging body. “Brier? What—?”
“You are my mate.” Brier’s gravelly voice echoed around the area. “You and Tyler. And no one will tell me who I can and cannot have, especially when Bast saw fit to give me the both of you.”
“But what about your clowder, your friends, your home?” Desperate, Seth tried not to look at Brier’s dick, which, of course was pointing right fucking at him like a homing beacon. Don’t think about his cock. “We have nothing to offer you.”
“But you do.” Brier’s voice steadied, and the conviction in his tone was clear. “You, Seth, have your loyalty, steadfastness, and a never-wavering devotion to the one you love. You meet any threat and stand firm in the face of darkness.”
Seth snorted. “I am the darkness.”
“You’re part of the darkness, yes, but there’s more to you than that.” Growling, Brier yanked him forward.
Seth stumbled against him, his hands landing on Brier’s naked shoulders. Brier wrapped one hand around Seth’s throat, and Seth’s entire body lit up. Fuck, that’s hot. Tyler never tried to dominate him. It wasn’t in his nature as an Omega, and it never bothered Seth. But this? This display of strength from Brier? It fucking excited the hell out of him. Made him want to prove what he was capable of doing also. One appendage in particular was interested in the preceding.
He swallowed, and Brier’s fingers moved on his skin. Sparks raced down his spine. Brier released Seth’s throat, wound his arm around Seth, and slammed their mouths together with bruising force. He opened his mouth, and Brier immediately took advantage—his tongue barreled inside, a demand for dominance that Seth refused to give in to.
As they fought for control, Tyler huffed in amusement.
Brier grinned against Seth’s lips, and Seth rocked against Brier in retaliation. When Brier broke the kiss, they were both breathing heavily. Brier’s chest heaved, and the tips of his fangs showed. Seth stared into Brier’s still-glowing blue eyes, then dropped his gaze to the glistening skin under his fingertips. He wanted to run his tongue over every fucking decadent square inch. They both looked down at Brier’s eager cock.
“You two are so hot together,” Tyler whined.
“Why are we stopping?” Seth demanded. If he didn’t get out of his clothes soon, his dick just might fall off from the lack of room.
Brier shook his head like he was trying to clear it. “Ah—”
“You mated Tyler earlier, right? Don’t we have to finish this up or something bad happens? That’s what Tyler told me.”
Tyler crept closer and rested his hand on Seth’s shoulder. “If we had mated, then yes, that’s true. But we didn’t.”
“What?” Confused, Seth glanced at Tyler. “But I watched you two. He mounted you… then bit you.”
“It’s not anatomically possible for a male cat to insert his penis into another male’s anus. What you saw was a dominance display,” Tyler said. “We didn’t mate, unfortunately.”
“Before anything like that happens, we need to talk. But make no mistake, my cat is all for it. It’s why I’m here.”
Seth stepped out of Brier’s arms. “But are you, the human, ready?”
“And did you speak to your Alpha?” Tyler threw out.
“I did. He asked for time before he made a decision. I told him it didn’t matter what he did or did not decide. That if I mated the both of you, I would stand by that and handle the consequences.”
“And then your cat hauled ass here.” Seth frowned. “Were you in control when that happened?”
“Of course. I wanted to be here.” Brier laughed sheepishly. “And so….” Brier held out his arms. “Here I am. Naked as the day I was born too. And I, ah, may not have thought this out.” He dropped his arms.
Seth snickered. “Okay.” He eyed Tyler, who nodded. “Well, why don’t you follow us back to camp? I might have some shorts that’ll fit you.”
“Really?” Brier asked. “You trust me enough to show where you’re staying?”
“We trust you,” Seth said.
“And you’re right,” Tyler added. “We do need to talk.”
THE TRIP back was quick. Well, Seth thought it was. He spent the entire time trying not to stare at all that sexy skin on display, sure he’d lose his mind before they arrived. Having both Tyler and Brier naked, and not getting down and dirty, confused his poor, aching dick.
While the two were talking and not looking at him, Seth gently touched his lips. They were tender, a little bruised, and holy shit, could Brier kiss. His cock threatened to plump up again just thinking about the forcefulness Brier exhibited. He couldn’t wait for Brier to turn all that sexual aggressiveness loose on him, and wasn’t that a shock to the system?
Tyler was an Omega, but he was by no means weak or a pushover. Tyler had a brain and knew had to use it. If he didn’t agree with the course of action Seth wanted to take, Tyler had no problem arguing with Seth.
Often Tyler’s insightfulness allowed Seth to see flaws in his plans, and more importantly, he was willing to listen to Tyler. Because of that, they worked well together. Plus, Tyler was cautious. Seth, on the other hand, blundered in, took care of business, and wasn’t overly concerned about the damages left in his wake. Hey, it worked, especially when getting him and Tyler out of a dangerous situation fast.
Discreetly he glanced at Brier. That was about to change, it seemed.
Brier was dominant and aggressive, just not as much as an Alpha. Or so he’d heard. He was also sincere, attentive, and levelheaded. The other beta characteristic, like showing commitment and loyalty to their clowder, worried him, yet there Brier was.
Seth didn’t consider himself a beta or an Alpha. With him and Tyler, he was the leader, but Tyler shared in the decision-making. But how nice would it be to… to not always be the responsible one. The one always on guard. The one always making the tough decisions when they were threatened.
He could give up that control to Brier some of the time. Making Brier take it from him could be hot, as he saw. And fuck, he was trying to get hard again.
His poor, poor dick.
Chapter Sixteen – Tyler
WHEN THEY arrived, Tyler dressed while Seth found Brier a pair of shorts to borrow. Tyler made him and Brier something to eat since they’d both shifted. Seth gathered the lanterns they used and lit them. He only snacked while Tyler and Brier wolfed down their food. They cleaned up once they were done and settled around the fire pit.
“Maybe I should start. I spoke to my Alpha….” Then Brier recapped his conversation with Dolf. When he finished, silence fell.
“I’m sorry we brought all this down on you,” Tyler said.
“Brought all this down on me? Is that how you’d describe me finding that I have not only one mate but two?” Brier scrubbed his hands over his face. “Goddess, Tyler.”
> Tyler scowled. “I’ve already told you, she doesn’t like her name being used in vain.”
“You may have a point.” Brier’s shoulders slumped. “I guess I shouldn’t.”
“There’s no guessing about it.” Tyler tossed a look at Seth, who nodded. He dreaded this and hoped Brier didn’t think he was nuts. “I know for a fact she doesn’t care for it.”
Brier frowned. “How’s that?”
Tyler squirmed. One last secret was left to tell. He took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. “Because she speaks to me.”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“You heard me.”
Brier scratched his head. Confused, he glanced at Seth. Then he blew out a breath. “She speaks to you.”
Tyler lifted his chin. Disbelief showed in every line of Brier’s body, and Tyler hated that. “Yes.”
Brier blinked. “I don’t know what to say here. What, ah, what does she talk about? Is that something I can ask? Will she get mad if you tell? Does she talk to you often?”
Tyler rolled his eyes. Brier was playing along, and it was so obvious that it was painful to see. Of course he didn’t believe Tyler. Who would? But it still hurt, and he wasn’t having it. Might as well begin how I mean to go on. “I can hear the disbelief in your voice. I know it sounds crazy. I’m well aware of that. But I’m not crazy.” Tyler debated telling Brier the rest. In for a penny, in for a pound, right? “She doesn’t just speak to me. She also pulls me into her world.”
Brier blinked again. “She… what now?”
His fists clenched, Tyler gritted his teeth. Dammit to hell and back, he expected more from Brier. “Know what? You can stick that disbelief right up your—”
“Hey, hey, hey.” Seth laid a hand over one of Tyler’s clenched fists. “Take it easy.”
Fuck taking it easy. Brier needed convincing? Fine, then. Let the convincing commence. “She sent Seth and me here for a reason. Says there’s a disturbance in the force.”
“A—”
Tyler barreled onward. “Yes, it’s a Star Wars reference, dammit. According to Bast, a new friend recently introduced her to this wonderful thing called movies.”