by M. L. Briers
Her top lip quivered with the need to plant her fist in his face. A broken knuckle here or there would be a small price to pay for such a pleasure, of that she was sure.
“Get in my damn truck and don’t make me carry you.” Joe bit out, suddenly all business, and she scowled up at him, debating her options. “Fine.” He snapped out and she jumped in place.
“Fine. I’m going!” She hissed back.
The thought of being slung over his shoulder didn’t appeal to her much and she surrendered before he had the idea of carrying his threat through. He lifted his hand and pointed to the pickup and watched as she debated it one last time. Then she huffed and set off in that direction, muttering curses with every step that she took.
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~
Courtney sighed inwardly. The elder had been taking care of the brothers for as long as she could remember. Cooking and cleaning the house around them- and they needed a lot of both- had become a matter of pride for her. Now that they had mates that was all coming to an end.
Of course, when the pups started to come thick and fast as she hoped they would, then they’d need all hands on deck again. But for now; she guessed she was going to have to leave the everyday running of the house, and the cooking- to the witches.
She grunted at the dried mud that had been left at the back door, and frowned at the pots and pans that were collecting dust in the sink, and she wondered when those girls were going to start… but then she thought of when she was newly mated, many, many moons ago, and she knew that cleaning house had been the last thing on her mind.
The back door opened and her mate strolled in. He eyed her across the way as she scowled at him.
“Thought I’d find you at home.” Cyrus grunted in his normal gruff manner, but underneath that bluster beat the heart of a pup.
“Thought I’d just pop in to make sure everything was ship shape…” Courtney frowned as she looked about her once more.
“Well, they’re newly mated. You can’t expect miracles.” He chuckled at the thought of times gone by and what they’d gotten up to. “As I remember we lived with plates up to our elbows by the time we got around to doing anything about it.” Courtney snorted her contempt for that idea.
“Ah, the days before you became an old fart.” She muttered, but he caught it.
“Says Mrs Cantankerous.” He shot back.
“Why are you here? Just wanted to steal some of my air?” She planted her hands on her hips and he scowled back at her.
“Thought I’d walk you home. I forgot one look from you could scare the hell out of a damn vampire.” He growled back.
“I’ve got things to do…” She swept a hand around the room; motioning to the mess.
“Because that can’t wait until morning.” He growled back.
“Oh, go stick you head up a deer’s backside you grumpy old fart.” Courtney growled.
Cyrus raised his hand and opened his mouth to speak; when the sound of a truck pulling up outside took his attention. He eyed the pickup and saw the woman in the front seat beside the beta.
“Heads up, Joe’s got company with him.” Cyrus informed her and she grunted again as she started towards the back door that her mate was propping open to get a good look.
“Who is it?”
“Female. Haven’t seen her before.” Now they were standing side by side and peering out.
“Hmm, pretty little thing. Maybe he found his mate.” She chuckled.
“Joe? Ohhh, I pity the woman that gets him for a mate…”
“She don’t look too happy to be here.” Courtney noted.
“Would you be happy to be anywhere with Joe?” He shot back and Courtney chuckled. Both fell silent as the beta popped open the driver’s door and unfolded his large frame from inside.
“Evening, Joe. What you got there?” Cyrus was worse than his mate for gossip, and Joe knew that the moment he found out that he’d found his mate it would be all over the pack like wildfire. He sighed inwardly. He’d been hoping for a little breathing space before everyone knew.
“Stray.” Joe offered back and his eyes flicked towards his mate in the front seat as she fidgeted and scowled back at him.
“Looks none too happy about it.” Courtney offered.
“No. No, she’s not.” Joe took a fast walk around the truck and opened the door for his mate. She looked straight ahead and didn’t move a muscle. “Anytime, princess.” He offered and saw her wince.
“I came. I never said I’d get out.” Kathy kept her eyes on the snow bank ahead of her and held onto the need to use her magic to plant his head and shoulders firmly inside. She'd been ignoring him since she got into the damn truck, why should thing be any easier for him now?
“O-k. Stay there until you get cold enough to come inside then.” He slammed the door closed on her and saw her jump in place. He guessed that she wasn’t expecting that answer, but he wasn’t about to go ten rounds with her in front of the elders.
“Mate?” Cyrus asked with a knowing look. Joe sighed inwardly. Then he nodded.
“Mate.” He offered and saw Courtney giving her the once over.
“Witch?” Courtney asked and he winced.
“Witch.” He offered back.
There was a moment’s silence when nobody said a word… Then the sound of laughter erupted from both of the elders and he felt his soul leave his body for the longest moment. He growled a groan.
“This should be good…” Cyrus chuckled.
“Joe mated to a witch…” Courtney chuckled as she lifted her hand and wiped an imaginary tear from her eye.
Joe groaned again. He hated elders. You couldn’t berate them like the rest of the damn pack because they would wipe the floor with him, not physically, but with mental torture.
“That’s great.” He bit out as he pushed his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans and strolled back around the truck. “I’m glad I could bring a little amusement into your lives.” He offered.
“Not so smug now, are ya?” Courtney asked before evaporating into laughter again. Joe just grinned through his misery. “Oh, the irony. Wait until your brothers find out.” Her shoulders were bobbing up and down and he took to looking anywhere but at the pair of them.
He guessed that in some karmic way he deserved what he got from his own mate. He’d overly enjoyed watching his brothers misery as their mates led them on a merry dance. Karma was a bitch.
“Who’s laughing now?” Courtney offered.
“Apparently, you are.” He bit out.
Accepting his karmic fate was obviously his first penance. But he’d woo his mate. There was no doubt in his mind about that.
CHAPTER FIVE
~
“A witch mate!” Eleanor savoured the moment of truth. Her eyes filled with amusement and she was hard pressed to hold back the laughter that wanted to roar out at him as Joe stood there in the kitchen.
He looked casual enough in his usual pose at the kitchen side. One hand held a coffee mug and the other palmed the kitchen counter as he kept one eye on his truck and his mate through the window, and the other on his kin. But in truth, he was ready to make a fast exit should Kathy decide to make another run for it.
“And she didn’t run away screaming?” Selena grinned at him.
“Well she did try to run, and the only sound of screaming was when the Faeries zapped her, thank you for that by the way…” He motioned towards Eleanor and she chuckled. “But no. She came quietly. Too damn quietly, it feels like she’s plotting her escape as we speak.”
“And she won’t get out of the truck.” Eleanor bit down on the laughter as it snuck out. She cleared her throat when he turned steely eyes on her.
“Can you blame her?” Leo chuckled.
“Shut it, Leo.” Joe growled. Then he turned on the charm. “I was hoping you ladies would persuade her to…”
“Oh, you need our help to woo your mate?” Eleanor chuckled again. Then cleared her throat as she mentally sapped her
self around the back of the head.
“Not to woo… Just to get…”
“Get her to come out of hiding.” Leo offered and Adrian laughed into his coffee mug.
“Yeah.” Joe bit out. He knew when he wasn’t going to win a fight and this was definitely one of those times. He bit the bullet and turned pleading eyes towards Selena.
“Oh for the…” She exclaimed as she dragged herself to her feet and cursed her aching muscles.
It was at times like these that she envied a she-wolf her ability to heal. She was sure that by the end of the week her muscles would have muscles if they kept up their bedroom gymnastics. Not that she wasn’t enjoying them, because she was, she’d just never been the sporty type.
“Thank you!” Joe gave her a small smile as his sing-song voice made her turn to look at him.
“I’m not doing it for you.” She lied. “That poor woman is freezing her backside off in your truck and you don’t seem to care. Some mate.” She berated him and he snapped to attention.
“I care…”
“Obviously. Standing here in the warm, drinking hot coffee…” Selena muttered as she yanked open the back door and disappeared outside. His frown turned towards Eleanor as she walked on by him. She lifted her index finger and wagged it at him.
“Shame on you, bad wolf.” She offered playfully to the sound of a low groan from her new pack brother.
“Witches…” He shook his head. Eleanor stopped dead at the door and scowled back at him.
“What’d you say?”
“Thank you.” He looked sheepish and she narrowed her eyes on him.
“Welcome.” She offered back, but she knew that hadn’t been it.
By the time she got to the truck Selena had already yanked open the door and was propping it open with her hip as she eyed the newest witch to the pack.
“Can I help you?” Kathy could sense the magic in the air. One, if not two witches…
“You know that you’re cutting your nose off to spite your face. While he’s in the warm, drinking coffee, you’re…” Selena waved a hand at the truck.
“As protests go, this one sucks.” Eleanor offered. “I’m Eli. This is Selena, and you are…?”
“Debating my decision not to fight harder to get away from him.” Kathy offered and Eleanor sniggered.
“Oh, trust me. She stabbed her mate with a pitchfork, tossed him from a ladder, a couple of times, and was generally a real bitch…” Eleanor felt Selena’s eyes on her. “Well you were.” Eleanor offered and Selena sighed.
“I was…” She agreed.
“And she still mated the alpha before I mated his brother.” Eleanor chuckled at the thought of everything the poor alpha had to go through to get his mate.
“The mating pull…” Kathy frowned and Selena nodded.
“It’s like the more you fight it- the more the damn thing pulls you in.” Selena tossed up her shoulders.
“So if I don’t fight it…” Kathy wondered how much time that might get her.
“It’s still gonna get to you.” Eleanor shrugged.
“Damned if I do and damned if I don’t.” Kathy sighed. “I’m Kathy…”
“Welcome to the madhouse, Kat.” Eleanor chuckled.
“Your room awaits.” Selena grinned.
“Straightjacket is optional attire…” Eleanor sniggered.
“But I wouldn’t recommend you wear it at dinner times…” Selena shrugged.
“Too right, it’s like feeding time at the zoo around here.” Eleanor grinned. “Do you cook?” She asked- hopeful.
“Not anything that passes for food…” Kathy shrugged apologetically.
“Join the club.” Selena chuckled. “But Courtney, one of the elders, she’s like a goddess of all things food.”
“Just hope she doesn’t expect us to take over.” Eleanor winced.
“Just hope she doesn’t expect us to learn. I can’t even boil an egg.” Selena admitted.
“Don’t look at me, if all things go well, I won’t be here long enough to cook an egg.” Kathy muttered. The others gave each other knowing grins.
“Sure you will.”
“It’s the mating pull.” Selena gave a helpless shrug.
“So I’ve heard.” Kathy sighed as she climbed out of the truck and frowned at the large house, taking it all in. “Not exactly a cabin in the woods.”
“They have electricity, running water, and everything.” Eleanor teased and Kathy sighed.
“I could go a coffee.” She admitted.
“That’s the spirit. Keep your chin up and your magic handy.” Eleanor offered.
“And if all else fails… put your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye.” Selena wiggled her eyebrows.
“That sounds like a plan.” Kathy bit out. She wasn’t best pleased about any of this, but needs must, and it wasn’t as if she had a choice in the matter- for now.
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“Do you have to keep staring at me like that?” Kathy huffed as she eyed her mate across the room. He might have looked casual enough, but his eyes were practically burning a hole into her very soul.
“No.” Joe offered with a small shrug off his shoulders, but he didn’t look away.
“Then could you stop?” Kathy scowled back at him.
“Perhaps.”
“Will you stop?” Kathy demanded.
“Maybe later.” Joe offered her the kind of smile that she was sure tempted woman from far and wide. It sparked a small fire within her, but she was able to dampen those flames with an imaginary broomstick and the annoyance that rallied within her against his attitude.
The man was smug. Too smug. She’d like to wipe that smile from his lips and then some. It didn’t help matters that there were sniggers and knowing grins from the others going on around her.
“Do you honestly believe that I’m going to roll over and give in when you flash those super white teeth at me, and over bleaching is so not cool?”
“I hope not. Part of the fun is in the chase. The wooing.” He lied. He’d watched his brothers have to woo their mates and it wasn’t easy for either of them. He’d much rather that his mate just accept her fate, but she was Fae and they usually went down kicking and screaming.
“The zapping…” Selena smiled.
“The pitchfork.” Eleanor offered her friend and saw her wince as her eyes flashed towards the alpha and he frowned at the thought.
“Pitchfork?” Kathy asked and Eleanor opened her mouth to recant the tale.
“Long story.” Selena got there first.
“She skewered the alpha’s butt with a pitchfork.” Eleanor wouldn’t be denied her amusement. Kathy’s eyebrows raised slightly for a moment and then her eyes filled with mischief as she slowly turned them on her mate.
“Don’t even think about it.” Joe offered to more sniggers from those gathered.
“I don’t think. I do.”
“Well, if you do- do, then I can guarantee that I won’t take it as well as the alpha did.” Joe assured her.
“So you have a mean streak?” Kathy enquired.
“N-o-o-o…” Joe offered with a lot of thought. She was up to something but he didn’t know what yet. He didn’t know her well enough to make that leap, but there was definitely something there in her eyes and her demeanour that warned him to be on his guard.
“And yet you just threatened me.”
“I… warned.” He considered his words carefully.
“In a threatening manner.” Kathy shot back.
“It’s not like I’m going to put you over my knee and beat on your backside or anything.” He saw her cheeks colour at the thought. “Unless you like that kind of thing.” He followed it up with another one of those smiles.
“Sadist.” She muttered; giving him the stink eye, and he crossed that off his list of things to try with her.
“Not until I met you.” He muttered back.
“Well, I’m due out
on patrol.” Leo sighed with regret as he pushed up to his feet. He would much rather have spent his time watching his brother dig a hole for himself, but the land wouldn’t patrol itself. “Could you not maim him too badly until I get back. I wouldn’t want to miss the really fun stuff.” Leo offered her a wiggle of his eyebrows.
“No promises.” Kathy muttered again as she folded her arms under the curve of her breasts and stared back at her mate.
“Me either.” Joe offered.
“Get over yourself.” Kathy took to scowling again.
Joe made a deliberately slow walk across the room towards her. Every step was documented inside of her mind, it was as if she was counting them, although that was the last thing that she was doing. Her heart thudded out each step, and she had to tip her head back to look up at him.
Then he leaned in over her and all she could see was him. All she wanted to see was him, and that made the anxiety rise within her, but it was mixed with excitement, and when he palmed the table behind her, caging her body in with those big muscular arms, her womb kicked her brain out of the window.
“I will if you will.” Joe’s deep voice rattled her nerves and sent a wave of happy goodness to every nerve in her body.
Well… She mentally choked on her thoughts and cleared her throat. That’s not good. Guess that’s the damn mating pull in action.
“You were right about one thing…” She let him walk right on in.
“What’s that sweetheart?”
“Where your breath is concerned- I yearn for that wet dog smell again.” Joe grinned wide as the others sniggered. “Now back off, get going with the mouthwash, before I zap your backside- again.”
“You zapped him, oh tell me it was a good one.” Eleanor teased.
“Not one of my best. But I’ll try harder next time.” She informed him. Being that close to him was more than unsettling. Her body didn’t know whether to climb up those muscled legs and hold on for the ride of her life or slither through the back of the chair and hide under the table. Either way it seemed to want to wave a white flag.
“Trust me when I say; the next time you use your magic on me, there will be consequences.” Joe offered with a little warning growl to back it up.