by M. L. Briers
“Nice of the council to let us know what we were walking into.” Nathan bit out towards Jasmine and she shrugged.
“Don’t look at me. There about as fond of me as they are of you right now.” Jasmine hissed back and Brock shot her a look as he wrenched open the front door and motioned for her to enter. Nathan let go of her for only an instant, but kept her close. If he hadn’t been invited to enter, he wasn’t about to let her go inside alone.
Brock just stared at him, and then gave him an impatient look. Nathan rolled his eyes.
“Hello, vampire. Need an invite.” Nathan’s sarcasm wasn’t lost on any of them, and it actually helped to break the ice within the group as sniggers broke out and Brock swallowed his mistake.
“Sorry. Please come in.” Brock wasn’t used to having a damn vampire on pack land. He never dreamed he’d have to invite one into the place where he lived.
Nathan tested the doorway with his boot before he stepped inside, yanking Jasmine in after him. Stopping within the expanse of the open plan cabin, the whole place was quiet as Brock motioned towards the large staircase that dominated the middle of the room and lead up to a more enclosed first floor.
“The bedroom is this way.” Brock pointed towards the staircase and Nathan took Jasmine’s hand and felt her shiver.
“What’s wrong?” He whispered as they followed Brock up the stairs.
“Not sure yet.” She admitted trying to avert her eyes from the well muscled backside of the man walking in front of her. Nathan grinned.
“Him?” She knew what he was asking and she frowned at him, shaking her head and turning up her nose.
Brock led them down a small corridor and towards two doors opposite each other and motioned towards the right, but Nathan had already turned them in that direction. He could already smell the blood.
When they entered Sky’s bedroom Jasmine’s eyes immediately fell on the sight of the young woman in her bed. For a Lycan she looked small and fragile under the covers. Her chestnut brown hair was spread out over the pearl white of the pillow, her face battered and torn with gashes that could only have been made by claws that ran down over her right cheek.
The smell of blood hung in the air, and Jasmine saw Nathan tense for one long minute and was glad that she had allowed him to feed from her before they had started their journey.
The older Lycan woman looked up as they walked in with a sadness that showed a mother’s love for her child. She tried to smile, but there wasn’t any joy in her heart to even be able to pull off anything more than a glimmer. But when her eyes fell on Nathan, Jasmine could see the hope that filled her heart and lightened her mood.
“Thank you for coming.” Sienna got to her feet from where she sat at her child’s side. Her hand not relinquishing the hold she had on her injured child as Nathan detached himself from Jasmine and walked to the side of the bed. Staring down into Sky’s face as she flinched with the pain of her wounds, her lashes fluttering slightly against her pale cheeks, but she remained unconscious.
Jasmine saw Nathan’s reaction to the sight of the young woman. To anyone else in the room he was emotionless, but Jasmine knew him to well for that. She could see the slight wince as his eyes took in her visible wounds. The way he scented the air around him. The anger that flashed in his eyes and the compassion that followed.
Nathan sat on the edge of the bed and Jasmine felt Brock shift his stance beside her. He was naturally protective of the young woman in the vicinity of the vampire, but he knew that Nathan wasn’t a threat, and made no move to stop him.
Nathan reached for her with strong hands, and as gently as possible he lifted her from where she lay and brought her upper body around to cradle her in his lap. The sound of her whimper had Brock moving again, but Jasmine reached out a hand and wrapped her fingers lightly around the Lycans wrist, stilling him instantly.
“I know sweetheart, forgive me.” Nathan soothed her with his deep velvet tone as her lids fluttered open and she stared up unseeing at the vampire who held her. Her nostrils flared as she scented him and there was a moment’s confusion on her face, followed by the intense pain that flowed through her and she whimpered again. “You need to drink from me to heal.” Nathan’s fangs slipped down and locked into place, and this time Brock took a whole step forward before the deep tone of the man entering the room stopped him.
“Stand down, Brock.” Jasmine caught the side profile of the man who entered. Taller than the other four men she had already met, and with a broader frame and more commanding demeanour, she knew that this was the Alpha of the pack. He seemed to linger for just a moment, his face started to turn towards his Beta on the other side of Jasmine and then he moved on.
He stood behind his mother and placed his large hands on her shoulders offering her comfort. The older woman reached up to cover one hand, but her hand looked like that of a child against his.
Jasmine noted that his eyes were dark and intent on what Nathan was doing with his sister and surmised that having a vampire in the house didn’t sit well with the Alpha anymore than it did with his pack.
Nathan sliced down into the flesh of his wrist, opening a wound that already spilled blood onto his pale skin and placed his skin against her lips. The she-wolf whimpered. Hesitating for one long moment as the blood smeared over her lips giving them colour for the first time since Jasmine had arrived, and then she closed her lips over the wound and tentatively sucked. The taste of the vampire’s blood spilling onto her tongue and down her throat.
“Don’t stop until I tell you, sweetheart.” Nathan breathed against her ear and Jasmine felt the relief that settled in the air around her, with everyone except her, as she backed out of the doorway and into the hall. Closing her eyes and letting out the breath that she didn’t know she had been holding for the longest time.
Nathan found Jasmine sitting on the top step of the impressive staircase in the hallway. Her back was to him as he approached with his usual stealth like quality, and when he dropped down next to her, she jumped slightly in place, her head turned towards him as he leaned in towards her.
“We have a little problem.” Nathan whispered, bringing Jasmine out of her thoughts, and she turned to stare blankly at him.
“Problem?”
“Just a slight…” He motioned with his fingers and she couldn’t help the sigh that escaped her lips.
“Tell me you didn’t compel one of the Lycans to cluck instead of growl again, because I swear…”She hissed and he held up his hands in mock surrender.
“Not guilty… This time.” He added, and then got that mischievous look in his eye, “Although, that would look really funny on that Alpha…”
Jasmine berated him with her eyes, “Even you can’t compel an Alpha, Nathan…” He went to cut her off, but she wasn’t having any of it. “Don’t even try.” She hissed at him, her eyes darting around her to make sure nobody was listening to them.
“What about Brock though…?”
“Nathan!” She wasn’t up for this right now. She only wanted to get out of there, as fast and as painlessly as possible.
“Ok. But the problem is slightly more of a problem than clucking…”She could see it in his eyes. She knew him too well, his little problem was going to be a big problem, she could tell.
“Please don’t tell me you bit someone…” She hissed back, her mind still elsewhere and he raised a brow and shot her a look of disbelief.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Jazz.” He growled at her and she shrugged, not in the mood for his posturing. “Do you see anybody chasing anybody?”
“Can we leave now?” She’d had enough of this, her nerves were on fire and she wanted the security of being in the car and getting the hell off pack land. She went to pull herself up to her feet, but his hand on her arm held her in place.
“Not- quite- yet.” It wasn’t what he said, but the slow thoughtful way in which he said it that had her insides knotting in apprehension.
“What did you d
o?” Jasmine closed her eyes and rested her head against the banister. She didn’t need any more bad news right now, she was antsy and she wanted to leave, pronto. Something was wrong, she could sense it. She just couldn’t put a damn name to it.
“I didn’t do it.” He denied hotly, even for him and she opened her eyes and rolled her head against the banister as she gave him a wary look.
“Nathan?” There was a warning in her voice that he knew well, she was hanging by the thread of her last nerve, but he didn’t know quite how to tell her. The wince she saw cross his face in record time made her snap her head away from the wood and stare at him with a piercing gaze. He wasn’t playing, something was wrong.
“I think I found my mate.” He admitted with another slight wince and he turned to look at her. The shock she felt reflected on her face, it always did, no matter what the emotion she was an open book compared to him, and he winced again.
“You- think?” There was a slight wrinkle of her nose, her eyes narrowed just a touch, and she gave him an expectant look. “Oh my god, Brock?”
Nathan rolled his eyes and drew himself up to him full height. “Ok. That’s not even close to being funny.” He growled, before adding, “look, I know, I did. She is. What can I say?” Nathan lifted his hands and spanned them in front of him.
It took a long moment for the news to finally sink into Jasmine’s addled mind. This was the last thing she had expected, and her brows slowly lifted on her forehead to tell him that she was processing the news, and then her eyes flashed up to his and he winced again, waiting.
“That’s amazing, Nathan. I’m so happy for you…” Jasmine pulled herself up to her feet and literally threw herself into his arms, hugging him, and he let go of the breath he neither needed, nor realised he’d been keeping inside.
“You’re not pissed?” Nathan asked out of the corner of his mouth, and she drew back and gave him the look that informed him that he had just grown another head.
“Why would I be? You’re fated mate. That’s huge.” Jasmine assured him and he took a moment to frown, and then a smile crossed his lips, and then he frowned again.
“I’m not sure if I’m relieved that you’re happy, or if I should be insulted by it?” He mused for a long moment. Then he pulled his head back and looked down at her, a playful tease to his voice and a gleam of amusement in his eyes, “did I mean nothing to you?” He gave her his best wounded look and she sniggered.
“We were never forever, Nathan. We both knew that…” He begrudgingly gave her that much.
“Now give me your damn car keys so I can get out of here.”
“Take you’re damn hands off her.” The growl of the Alpha was unmistakeable. Nathan and Jasmine both turned their heads to look back down the hallway to where the man stood, almost filling the space with the broadness of his shoulders and the menacing stare of his jet black eyes.
CHAPTER TWO
“Now hold on a damn minute.” Nathan growled back. Putting Jasmine as far away from him across the landing as he could reach, Nathan turned to face the Alpha, ready to defend his actions and himself should the need arise.
“Now hold on boys, let’s go downstairs and…” That was as far as she managed to get before the Alpha started towards Nathan on a fast run.
“Good idea.” He growled. Barrelling into him, he swept Nathan right off his feet as the two of them sailed through the air past Jasmine, who stood there for a moment with her mouth hanging open, until the sound of wood splintering and bodies hitting the floor below snapped her out of it.
“…Talk about this like adults…” she finished, staring down the staircase. “Really?” She almost growled the word herself, she didn’t need this now. She just wanted to go home, damn it.
Jasmine could hear fists connecting with bodies. Loud thumps, curses, and more broken furniture from below, as she went to start down the stairs on a sigh of resignation, strong hands came at her hips and she was lifted and spun out of the way. Deposited back on the top of the stairs where she had started, just facing the other way, and she half shook her head, unsure of what just happened.
“Don’t mind me.” She seethed between clenched teeth.
“Sorry.” The deep growl was tossed back at her.
Jasmine turned on her heels to see the back of Brock heading down the stairs, and she mumbled a few choice words, as she stalked down the staircase. Her eyes took in the splintered wood of the bottom rail and the debris strew floor, before something fast flashed past her eyes, ending with the sound of more broken furniture, then another something else streaked past.
Brock stood helplessly by, just off to the right of the staircase, as she dropped down to the floor and surveyed the damage. It looked like a twister had ripped the inside of the house apart, and she raised one brow and took a long, deep, calming breath before turning her eyes on the two that were still trading punches.
Putting her hands on her hips, she breathed her contempt for men in general.
“Enough!” She bellowed at the top of her lungs. Knowing that the sound was intensified for all the supernatural beings present, and sure enough all activity ceased as they stopped knocking the sense out of each other and turned to glare at her.
“Do I have your full attention, because I can get louder?” Both men half turned towards her, keeping an eye on the other as they did. “Good. Now stop acting like bloody idiots and remember that you have more important things to think about. Like a sick sister…” She turned her dark accusing glare on the alpha and then slowly transferred it towards the Vampire, “a sick mate…” and then back to the alpha again. “And think of your poor mother, half out of her mind with worry, and you’re smashing the house up.” She didn’t so much see Brock swallow hard as heard it, as he stood beside her, and she turned her glare on him.
“And why didn’t you stop them?” She demanded, still in full fettle.
“A man has a right to defend what’s his.” Brock informed her, unsure if he should be sheepish or insulted.
“She’s not his…” Jasmine half heartedly pointed towards the alpha that was standing there dumb struck, just watching her. “She’s his mate.” Jasmine pointed towards Nathan whose frown etched deep lines into his forehead.
“Who are we talking about?” Brock tipped his head and leaned in towards her, a look of confusion on his face.
“Sky.” She spat out on an exasperated breath and heard the deep growl of the alpha from across the room, turning to look at him as he turned to glare at Nathan again.
“My sister is your mate?” He demanded the answer, and now Jasmine was the one who was confused.
“She is…” Nathan enjoyed delivering the confirmation and the alpha growled again. “Brother.” Nathan added just to rub salt into that particular wound, and Jasmine sighed with a roll of her eyes.
“So why were your damn hands on my mate?” The Alpha bit out between ground teeth and Jasmine’s heart hit her chest in an instant, her ears sealed up and her head spun as she stared dumbstruck at the giant in front of her.
“She was congratulating…” Nathan stopped and shook his head as if to dislodge something from inside, “wait… your what?” Nathan shot a look towards Jasmine, noting instantly the colour had drained from her face and that she was swaying on shaking legs. Nathan was across the room, scooping her into his arms just as her legs gave way and she went down.
On a deep growl of anger the alpha stalked towards them as Nathan turned and held out Jasmine towards him. “Yours, I believe.” He teased on a grin of amusement, thrusting her towards Wade as the man’s arm shot out to snatch her away.
“Bloody pass the parcel.” Jasmine managed as she tried to shake off the feeling of dizziness that came with the sense of her whole world crashing down on her. She heard Nathan chuckle as she looked up into the dark glare of her mate. “Oh put me down you overgrown mutt.” She spat out on a pout of her lips and the cut of her eyes, and he lifted one dark eyebrow and stared down at her, his eyes sweeping he
r face until he was satisfied that he’d taken her in.
“Not just yet.” He informed her, ignoring her slight against him, but pressing his lips together in annoyance.
“It wasn’t a request…” Jasmine informed him, her shock pushed to the back of her mind now that something more pressing presented itself, the fact that she was in his arms, the fact that her body was already starting to recognise him for who he was, and none of it sat well within her.
“So you are my sister’s mate?” He looked over the top of Jasmines head at Nathan, who folded his arms over his chest and smirked back, amused by Jasmines predicament and the alpha’s questioning.
“Hello?” Jasmine shifted her weight, but that only served to make the alpha’s grip tighter about her. The fact that he was ignoring her peeved her more than anything else right now.
The feel of the hard muscles of his chest under the thin top and against her bare arm, the feel of his thick muscled arms against her back and under her legs, and the breath that came from his lips and moved her hair on top her head, all served to heighten her awareness of just who was holding her and she wasn’t best pleased with the results. Her body slowly came to life, one little bit at a time, as though she was a house and someone was walking around turning on all the lights and electrical appliance, just for the sheer hell of it.
“I am. Is that going to be a problem for you or the pack?” Nathan felt amusement for Jasmines predicament, but he also knew that she was dreading this moment more than anything else, and he did feel a little guilty that she was stuck in the alphas arms, but there wasn’t a lot he could do about it.
“It’s Sky’s decision. If she wants to claim you as her mate, then the pack will bow to her needs.” Wade offered slightly begrudgingly and Nathan nodded, his eyes flicking down to Jasmine and a frown crossed his brow.
“You might want to put your mate down…” He offered, having seen that look on her face before. But the warning came too late to stop Jasmine from sending out a powerful shock through her body that had the alpha yelping in pain as every muscle in his body contracted into spasm with the sheer power of the jolt.