by M. L. Briers
“Can I just say…?” He started and Leo growled.
“No!”
“Yes…” Eleanor sighed up at her mate and he groaned.
“Fine.” Leo snapped.
“I caught the vampire’s scent and tracked him through pack lands…”
“So you weren’t here to see Eleanor?” Leo said it like an accusation. Greg gave a small growl.
“I might have been hoping to catch sight of…”
“Ah-ha!” Leo tossed up a hand and Eleanor groaned. “You see!”
“I just miss our talks…” Greg scowled.
“You can’t miss my mate.” Leo snapped.
“Of course I can miss her.” Greg growled back.
“No, you can’t.”
“Yes, I can…”
“Oh for the love of sanity.” Eleanor hissed out. “You two are acting like idiots.” Both men took to looking a little sheepish.
“The bear is overstepping…” Leo started but she cut him off.
“Being my friend?” She offered up and watched as her mate considered it.
“Yes.” Leo didn’t want to back down.
“Idiot.” Greg muttered.
“What did you say?” Leo knew perfectly well what the shifter had said.
“I said…” Greg started as he raised his voice.
“Can we just deal with the problem at hand and not the egos on offer?” Eleanor gave a small growl of her own and that got her mate’s attention.
“He…” Leo tossed up a hand in Greg’s direction.
“He looked at me funny.” Eleanor baby talked her mate and Leo growled.
“ It was a little more than that.” He growled.
“Yes, how dare he protect me, his friend, from the vampire? Shocking.” Eleanor berated him and Leo dropped his head on his neck and slowly shook it from side to side as he growled in annoyance.
“That’s not the point.” Leo wouldn’t back down.
“Tis so the point.” Eleanor couldn’t hold back her smile a moment longer. She loved Leo’s protective side, but this time he was being irrational.
“The last time he was protecting you, he nearly killed you.” Leo growled at the memory.
“I’m outta here.” Greg growled out as he turned on his heels and started to stalk away. Eleanor gasped at her mate’s mean streak.
CHAPTER EIGHT
~
“Leo!” Eleanor broke free from his hold and made a move towards Greg, but the man had already taken off into the woods and Leo snagged her wrist and drew her back towards him.
“You’re not going off with a vampire out there.” Leo growled.
“Fine. You go after him then.” Eleanor knew which battles to fight and that wasn’t one of them. Leo growled at the thought of it. “Please, Leo.” She batted her eyelashes at him and Leo rolled his eyes.
“Eleanor…”
“He’s my friend, and he was only trying to protect the pack.” Eleanor argued and Adrian cleared his throat.
“She’s right, Leo.” The alpha offered. Leo groaned.
“Damn it!” He growled.
“Let’s go.” Eleanor grinned.
“Not you. Go back to the house with Joe and…”
“I’m going with you.” Adrian stepped towards his brother. “I wouldn’t want any… misunderstandings.” He offered diplomatically.
“Fine. Go back with Joe.” Leo sighed. Eleanor eyed the wolf.
“Do I have too?” She offered. “It’s Joe…” She gave a small shrug and the wolf growled as Leo chuckled.
“Yes, consider it your penance for sticking up for the damn bear.” Leo informed her and she huffed.
“Fine.” She bit out. “Don’t fight that bear.” She snapped at him and he groaned again. “Or you’re sleeping outside tonight.” She whispered up at him and saw him incline his head as he stared at her in disbelief.
“Fine.” He ground out.
~
~
~
Kathy twiddled her fingers and wiggled her toes in her sock clad feet as she dangled them off the end of the bed. She would have stayed suited and booted if she’d thought that there was a chance to escape the pack’s land that night, but if Gideon was on the prowl then she believed that she was probably better off staying put- for now. Although, she was second guessing that decision as she sat in Joe’s bedroom and eyed the meagre male possessions around her.
His man cave. His inner soul, and it was just what she was expecting- as messy as all hell with clothes strew everywhere, and empty of anything really substantial that might give her an insight into the man himself.
Maybe Gideon had a change of heart and was coming back to keep up his end of the bargain? Maybe she should be hightailing it out of there to meet up with him? Maybe he was just after the ring and would leave her high and dry with her damn mate?
She was never going to find out the answers to those questions just by sitting on the biggest damn bed in the world. She pushed up and stalked towards the window. Her hands reached for the curtains and she yanked them backwards- she almost choked on her heart as it leapt inside of her when she came face to face with a very dark looking, and very naked Joe standing on the other side of the glass.
She didn’t know whether to drool or scream, but when her eyes defied her brain and took a downward stocktake of his assets- she felt a different urge altogether.
While she’d never really given much thought to dating a body and not a mind, preferring to judge a man by how much he could make her smile or his kindness and not by how the sight of him naked could curl her toes, and they were curling now- she had to admit that there was something to be said for all of those hard ridges and muscled appendages that actually made her fingers itch to reach out and touch him.
Then there was his- other- asset. She swallowed at the sight of his thick, hard length as it stood proud against the flatness of his tight stomach. When it twitched a hello, she could almost feel that satin smoothness in the palm of her hand. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but she did think she might be losing her marbles, somewhat.
“Hi honey, I’m home.” He growled out and the windows rattled in the frames. Her eyes snapped back up to his face and he wiggled his eyebrows at her with a smug smile of his lips.
Yep, that pretty much snapped her right back out of the spell that he’d put her under by flaunting his goodies in her face. If only there hadn’t of been glass in the way. No, she put that though right out her mind, or at least tried too.
She might just have zapped him for the fun of it and her own pride at being busted for gawking at him like a wanton, desperate, lovesick teenager eyeing her favourite boyband member, but she didn’t.
She fisted her hands at her sides and raised just the left eyebrow in his direction. Sure, her cheeks might have been blazing hot, and she probably had drool running down her cheek, but still- she was determined to make a stand and not turn on her heels and dive under the duvet never to come out again.
“Is this supposed to impress me?” She tried for bored.
He twisted his head on his neck for a moment and used those soulful eyes to stare into her very soul. Boy, did she have the urge to run and hide, in fact, that duvet was practically calling her name.
“With those rosy cheeks and the way you’re panting, somewhat…” He paused to let that information sink in and noted that it registered on her face as she blinked. Her muscles tightened as if she was trying to get back control of her body… “Yep, I’d say you are more than impressed with what I have to offer you.” He looked assured- too damn self assured for her liking.
She wanted to deny it, but she just wasn’t that good an actress. She was busted and there wasn’t a damn thing that she could do about it. She thought that she’d play him at his own game.
“It looks good- could be better, you’re a little disproportioned on the left side…” She reached up and absently pointed a finger at his body. He frowned and looked down. “Looks like someone might have pumped a li
ttle too much air in a couple of those muscles there.”
“Where?” He frowned harder. She grabbed a hold of the bottom of her shirt…
“Where as these…” She whipped it upwards, and his head snapped up as his eyes feasted on her naked breasts. His jaw flapped downwards and his eyes popped out of his head… “Are near on perfect.” His lower jaw started to flap about… and he took one long step forward, right into the window- the impact sent him reeling backwards, more out of shock than pain. “And that’s as close as you’re gonna get.” She used her magic to snap the curtains shut.
From the other side of the window she heard his groan as she yanked her top back down. Then she frowned and fanned her face with her hand. It certainly felt like summer had come early.
She had to chuckle.
~
~
~
Greg felt the heat of anger inside of him. His bear had raised its head once more but neither man nor beast wanted to go the whole way and shift. The last time his bear had tried to burst free he’d hurt Eleanor and even though she wasn’t around now, he wouldn’t allow that shift to take place.
It had been a promise that he’d made to himself as he stood on the outside of his own cabin and waited to see if Selena could help her friend to recover from his lack of self-control. He’d cursed the bear within and he knew that his bear had cursed itself too. The last person that he’d ever wanted to hurt was Eleanor and he wouldn’t make that same mistake twice.
“Don’t make me chase you the whole way through pack land.” He heard Leo’s stomping feet behind him and tried to ignore it. If the wolf wanted his pound of flesh he could have it, but he wanted to be far enough away from everyone else that if his beast did burst free then the wolf would be the only one hurt.
He knew that Eleanor would never forgive him if that happened, but he also knew that without her friendship life seemed a whole lot less worth the effort to drag his sorry butt out of bed every day.
“Then get lost, wolf.” Greg growled over his left shoulder.
“Greg, we’ve come to thank you for what you did with the vampire…” Adrian called after him.
“I did it for Eleanor.” Greg growled back. He wasn’t one to pass the time with anyone- except Eleanor. She seemed to sooth the beast within and he liked that. Now he didn’t even have her friendship.
‘Tell him you’re grateful.’ Adrian urged his brother and Leo sighed.
‘I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m grateful…’ Leo’s felt as if his pride was on the line.
‘Fine. Then I’ll tell Eleanor that you…’ He heard his brother’s growl and grinned to himself.
“I’m grateful… that you…” He growled again. “Were there to protect my mate.” Leo bit out.
‘Wasn’t so hard now, was it?’ Adrian chuckled to himself.
“You have no damn idea.” Leo muttered.
“My friend.” Greg shot over his shoulder and Leo took a long breath in.
“Yes, she is.” Leo agreed, although, he would rather have chewed his own paw off than admit it to himself, to that damn bear shifter.
“I just wanted to see her…” Greg bit out.
“At this time of night? Can’t you just knock in the day like a regular…?” Adrian reached out and slapped his brother around the back of the head. Leo growled, groaned, and bit off the rest of it.
“Look, Greg…” Adrian called after the man. It seemed that Eleanor didn’t hold a grudge against the bear for what he’d done, and in that respect neither should the pack, although telling his brother that was going to be a pain in the backside. “Nobody is going to stop you seeing Eleanor if that’s what she wants.”
‘Wait. What now?’ Leo ground out. ‘You do remember what he did the last time he was around my mate?’
‘Saved her from a vampire…’
‘Ok, the time before that time.’ Leo growled.
Greg came to a dead stop and Leo almost ran into him. Considering he was naked- that thought didn’t cheer him up any.
“She wants to see me?” Greg asked as Leo jumped back away from him and he slowly turned around.
“Probably not.” Leo snapped back and Adrian slapped him around the back of the head again. “Getting bored with that, brother.” Leo ground out.
“I think so.” Adrian said.
“And you don’t have a problem with that, wolf?” Greg eyed Leo.
“Yeah, I have a big…” Adrian elbowed his brother in the ribs. Leo bit off his words and ground down on his jaw as the pain shot through him. “It’s her decision to make…” Leo growled.
“I’ll ask her…” Greg put one foot forward and Leo growled.
“Not…” Leo bit down on his annoyance as the big man held in place. “Tonight.” Leo tried to rein in his anger. He was doing this for his mate. Playing nice with this man felt like he was sucking razorblades, but he didn’t want to end up in Eleanor’s bad books- again.
“So when can I ask her?” Greg was getting agitated. It felt as if the damn wolf was holding out a tasty steak right in front of him and then snatching it away again when he reached for it.
“Look…” Leo lifted his hand and pointed his finger at Greg. The big man growled back. Adrian slapped Leo’s arm downwards.
CHAPTER NINE
~
“Tomorrow. Come by in the afternoon. You have my permission to come onto pack land…” Leo growled at the offer. He’d much rather bury his head into a tree trunk.
“For now.” Leo growled. Greg eyed Leo for a long moment. “But if you hurt one hair on…” Leo’s hand was raised again and that finger was back to pointing, Adrian hit it down harder the second time.
“I haven’t shifted since…” Greg admitted, and then bit off his words as if they shamed him.
“Your bear must be antsy…” Adrian frowned.
“My bear knows what he did and is ashamed.” Greg assured him.
“So, you’re never going to shift again?” Leo snorted his contempt for the man.
“I don’t want to discuss this with you.” Greg growled.
“Well, excuse me…” Leo growled back.
‘You promised, Eleanor…’ Adrian reminded him. Leo sighed.
“Fine. Come back tomorrow.” Leo snapped.
“I will.” Greg growled back.
“Good.” Leo snapped and then frowned hard. That hadn’t come out right, damn it.
“Fine.” Greg spun on his heels and stomped away. Leo let out a long, calming breath that wasn’t so calming.
“Well- that went well.” Adrian chuckled to himself as he turned and started on back to the house. Leo growled as he stood there staring at Greg’s back until the bear was out of sight.
“I still want to sink my fangs into that guy’s ass.” Leo growled out.
“Your sexual fantasies should remain private, brother.” Adrian tossed back over his shoulder and he heard Leo growl. He had to chuckle, he couldn’t hold it in much longer.
~
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~
Joe stood there staring at his bedroom window in shocked disbelief at what she had done. Flashing her goodies at him like that had jarred something loose within his brain and he couldn’t seem to make his legs, eyes or even his mind work properly. He wondered if he was drooling but he didn’t have a mind to lift his hand and find out. It was as if his whole body was waiting for her to just come back and do it again.
“Damn, it looks like he wants to lick that window clean or something.” Leo chuckled at the sight of his brother standing there with his tongue practically hanging out of his mouth. The sound of his brother’s voice broke the spell and he shook it off.
“Did he eat the bear?” Joe deflected the attention back towards Leo.
“No, but I think he has a man crush on him.” Adrian announced and heard Leo growl.
“Don’t even go there.” Leo warned. Adrian chuckled some more.
“What’s up with you? You’re mate kick you out of the house?” Ad
rian asked and Joe frowned. He’d been enjoying where his mind had taken him after seeing his mate naked, and now he was back to the real world and his damn brothers again. Life was unfair.
“Please. I have her right where I want her.” Joe smiled.
“Yeah. Locked away inside that room where you can’t get to her. Gee, smart move, brother.” Leo folded his arms across his chest and willed his brother to deny it. He watched Joe’s eyes narrow as he tried to find a comeback line…
“Yeah, I have nothing.” Joe admitted after a few fruitless moments. Leo chuckled.
“Not as easy as you thought, right?” Leo rubbed the salt into Joe’s wounds.
“So far…” Joe’s smile faded. “No. Not exactly. But I will woo her.”
“Dream on, wolf.” Kathy’s voice came from inside the room and felt like a cold bucket of water had been tossed over his head. His brothers laughed. He groaned inwardly.
“You’re not going to stand for it, right?” Leo tossed his brother’s words back at him and Joe bit down on humble pie.
“I’m working on it.” Joe assured him.
“Ha!” Kathy’s voice made him tense, and for a moment he closed his eyes and said nothing.
“I think your mate has other ideas.” Leo leaned in and whispered.
“Over my cold dead body comes to mind.” Kathy called.
“Sounds good.” Joe shouted back and then grimaced at the thought of it.
“That’ll woo her, Brother.” Leo teased as he shook his head. Joe held up both hands.
“This one says woo and this one says kill.” He admitted as he balanced them out in front of him, and Adrian chuckled.
“Sounds about right. At least she hasn’t maimed you with any farming equipment.” Leo offered and got a hearty growl from his alpha.
“The night is young.” Kathy offered and Joe groaned.
“I’m leaning towards kill… is that wrong?” He asked. Then the curtains were wrenched open and his mate gave him the stink eye through the glass.
“Give it your best shot, wolf.” Kathy snapped. She would have given him a small growl, but he might have taken it entirely the wrong way.