by M. L. Briers
“Ignore him, Tyler. He’s just trying to get a rise out of you,” Chelsea shot Connor a warning look.
“And you’re not?” Connor chuckled. “At least the rise that I’m trying to get doesn’t involve his little head taking over from his big one and forgiving you your sins.”
“I-” Chelsea started but Tyler cut her off.
“What sins?” Tyler asked and Chelsea grimaced again.
“Fighting me, when she knew you wouldn’t like it. Turning your shirts pink…”
“I like to think of it as a manly off – red.” She offered.
“Pink.” Connor corrected and she groaned.
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re an asshole?” She turned the tables on his earlier question.
“Yes, frequently.” Connor gave her a victory smirk. “I wear it like a badge of pride.”
“You would,” she sneered.
“Pouting is unbecoming.” Connor tossed back.
“So,” Tyler offered and stopped as they both turned back towards him. He looked a little confused.
“See, little head, big head.” Connor announced and Chelsea groaned.
“He’s fine.” She hissed.
“Fighting the vampire?” Tyler saw her face drop.
“On the plus side,” Chelsea started and Tyler folded those big old arms across his barrel chest and she winced.
“There’s a plus side.” It wasn’t a question, Tyler was just repeating her words.
“If he hurts me, he can fix me?” She dropped her chin and gave him a sexy look from under her long eyelashes and Tyler shifted in place – she’d done what she always did and made him as hard as steel, and that steel was restricted by his jeans.
“We talked about you being a little more… docile.” Tyler offered and the way her bottom jaw dropped open made him wonder if he’d chosen the right word. Connor chuckled.
“Docile?” Chelsea repeated, bite your tongue. She clicked her fingers and he did, with a grunt that let her know that her point had hit home.
“Maybe not docile,” Tyler shifted his weight again as his arms dropped to his sides and his eyes shot towards Connor for help.
“Don’t look at me, I’m just frosty the snowman here.” Connor grinned and Tyler grunted. It was Chelsea’s turn to cross her arms and she glared at her mate.
“Less hostile?” Tyler offered looking as if he was sounding it out before he’d said it even though the word was already out there.
“I’m not hostile,” she turned her nose up at the accusation.
“You are…” Connor offered and she glared at him, “a little.” He nodded.
“I thought you loved me no matter what.” Chelsea tried for guilt.
“I do, and always will, but you have to stop terrorising people.” Tyler gave a small helpless shrug of those broad shoulders.
“I’m not terrorising people-”
“No, just the pack,” Connor offered; trying to sound helpful. Then he snapped his fingers and shook his head, “oh, wait, the pack are people too.” He grinned at her.
“Bite me,” she snapped and Connor lifted his hand and opened his mouth to come at that one, but Tyler was already growling a warning.
“Stop teasing,” Connor said as he took a step back from her for Tyler’s bear’s benefit.
“Ha! Sucker,” Chelsea sneered. “In more ways than one. Mr Slurpy.” She started over towards Tyler through the snow and the big man reached out, wrapped a hand around her, and lifted her the rest of the way to his side, tucked under the protection of his arm, both man and beast felt a little easier.
“She pissed off the alpha so badly that he took off for the winter cabin,” Connor deflected Tyler’s wariness away from him.
“I did not!” Chelsea hissed and Tyler sighed.
“Perhaps I’m going to have to keep you more thoroughly occupied.” Tyler offered with a small grin that bowed his lips upwards.
“Yes, go make cubs, lots of them,” Connor announced and Chelsea snorted as Tyler gave a gentle growl at the thought. “Or at least, practice. Lots and lots of practice.”
Connor stopped in mid flow and tilted his head to take in the frosty breeze that blew at him. The wind changed direction and he lost it.
“Did you pick that scent up?” He shot a look towards Tyler who slowly shook his head.
“What was it?” Tyler asked.
“Thought it was wolf, just not a wolf I’m familiar with.”
“Oooo, werewolf?” Chelsea asked and Connor shook his head.
“Don’t think so,” He started off up wind, hoping to catch it again if the beast was still close enough and the winds were successful in catching the scent once more.
“But you’re not sure,” Chelsea’s interest was piqued, but Tyler rolled his eyes at her.
“Can you knock off the werewolf thing? If it’s anything, it’ll be a rogue.” Tyler growled at the thought. A rogue wolf, and his mate outside with him. That wasn’t good. His bear clawed to get out.
“Take Chelsea back to the cabin,” Connor said over his shoulder. “I’m going to check this out.”
“Oh, come on.” Chelsea protested. “I can help.” She gave him an impish grin and Tyler rolled his eyes.
“Stay behind me,” He growled, as he tucked her around his back and followed Connor.
“And I’m the sucker.” Connor shot back at him to another grunt.
~
~
~
“Has it worn off yet?” Justice had started pacing a while ago and hadn’t stopped since. His wolf was antsy inside of him, waiting for the moment that the witch’s spell would wear off and Sophia would understand that she was his mate.
“No,” Sophia answered in a bored tone.
Justice sighed and turned on his heels to pace back in the other direction, when he ran out of room and swivelled back around on the balls of his feet towards her she raised her hand this time and got in there first.
“No, still no, and no.” She shot back. Justice rolled his shoulders with the pent up tension that held them stiff. He sighed once more for effect and then stalked towards her again.
“You’re like a child waiting for Christmas morning,” Sophia grumbled, but it wasn’t without amusement for her.
Sophia had little doubt, from his actions alone, that when the spell wore off she would find out that he was telling the truth. It was something of a double edged sword – she wanted it over with so that he would stop fussing like a five year old on a long road trip, and yet she wanted to prolong his agony if only to mute her own.
She might have accepted that he was her mate, but she hadn’t really accepted it in the sense of everything that came attached to fate’s dictate.
What did he expect from her?
He was a Lycan and it was safe to say that she didn’t have the best track record with those.
“What can I say, I like presents.” Justice wanted to unwrap her like the best gift that he’d ever received, but from the way that she kept eyeing him, he wasn’t so sure that mating was going to be on her to-do list any time soon.
“I’m not exactly-”
“Damn,” Justice heard the generator as it coughed and spluttered before finally winding down to a silent demise. “Generator’s gone again.” Justice informed her as he stalked towards the front door, grateful for something else to do to fill his time.
“What are you going to do this time?” She frowned as he turned back towards her with a damned sexy grin and bright eyes filled with amusement.
“Hit it,” they both said together as she nodded her understanding. “This time,” Justice carried on without her. “Really, really hard.”
“Why don’t you just give it everything you’ve got and kick it too?” She offered helpfully and Justice’s grin widened.
“Now, you’re coming around to my way of thinking.” He chuckled, snatching open the door and filling the room with another chilly blast as he shot outside and closed the door behind him.
A few minutes later she heard the clanging start against in earnest and she couldn’t help but chuckle. She made her way over to the fireplace to stoke the flames. If there wasn’t to be any hot water, at least she could keep the heat going.
The sound of silence filled the air but she couldn’t make out the sound of the generator over the wind that had whipped back up outside. It sounded like they were in for another round of storms, and she had to admit that she was kind of grateful that Justice was there with her.
The storm last night had been a monstrous affair. Howling winds, snow as close to a blizzard as she would ever want to witness it, but she’d made it to the cabin, somehow, and then had spent the night wondering if the cabin was actually going to survive the storm.
At least with Justice there she would have some company in her misery, even if he was her mate. That felt like a heavy weight upon her shoulders…
A mate. A wolf one at that.
I have to admit, Fate, you play a merry game of irony sometimes…
Running from an alpha wolf right into another one.
This one might be even more dangerous – not in the physical sense – if… no, not if – he is my mate… which makes him twice as dangerous as a man who wants to kill me – I only have my life to lose to Reaver. I have so much more to lose to Justice.
That man is… I honestly don’t know what he is…
Sexy as hell, with a smile that can worm its way in and make you smile back, even if that smile isn’t on your face, it still brings light into the dark, very dangerous indeed.
And a pack to boot. Witches, bears, and a vampire? Strangest damn pack I have ever come across…
Witches, witch mates… just like me. I have to wonder if they tried to deny their mates?
I have to wonder if I will try to deny Justice…
The sound of the door opening and the icy blast that it brought to her across the room was nothing compared to the chill that took her body as she turned to ask if he’d fixed the generator…
There in the doorway, filling up the frame, with his eyes burning with rage back at her… stood Reaver.
~
CHAPTER EIGHT
~
“You run from me to another pack?” Reaver’s eyes blazed with the hatred that she was used to seeing. She gripped the poker inside of her fist, tighter now. The thought of Justice being just outside warmed her and chilled her at the same time.
“The alpha-?” She drew up to her feet as her head motioned towards the back of the cabin.
Reaver’s lips pulled back into a cruel smile. His eyes were black and she knew they matched his mood and his heart. Just the thought of him laying one hand on Justice made her feel nauseous.
“I’m your alpha, Sophia, and it’s a lesson I’m here to teach you.” He took one step, and she gripped onto the poker as if it was her only lifeline.
Her magic was moot. The amulet that hung around his neck ensured that she could never use her magic against him. But she wanted to kill him now – not for what he had done to her, to others in the pack over the years, but for what he might have done to Justice.
It wasn’t that he was her mate – it was that she had brought this to his door. This was hers to own and she had dragged him into it.
“It’s a lesson I’m tired of learning. So, if you’re going to teach me well, then you’d better finish it.” Sophia took a step towards him, and his head tilted. He was listening to something from outside.
Her heart raced. Justice? For one fleeting moment her heart fired with something akin to happiness – but the voice that she heard wasn’t a shifter.
“Vampire…” Reaver growled in rage. He stepped quickly back into the doorway, turned and disappeared, and Sophia only hoped that she was doing the right thing when she screamed.
Connor hit the doorway at full speed. His eyes found Sophia screaming like a banshee and he had the urge to cover his ears, but didn’t. The woman was coming at him, poker in hand, and he wasn’t entirely sure what the hell to do about it.
He didn’t know her. He could scent that she was Fae, and he could scent Justice in the air, but the woman was either demented or…?
“Justice, another alpha, find him…” Her rushed words didn’t make a whole lot of sense to Connor, but they made sense enough. He turned on his heels and followed the scent in the air, and that was when something like a fist gripped his heart as he scented the alpha’s blood.
“Damn it to hell – Sophia!?” Justice called out her name as he dragged himself up to his feet, dazed, bloodied, but alive.
His head was spinning and for one long moment he caught sight of Connor, and had to shake his head to make certain that the vampire was actually rushing towards him and not some horrible apparition.
“What the hell happened, and who is the witch banshee in the cabin?” Connor demanded, just as Tyler and Chelsea rounded the side of the cabin.
“She’s still there?” Justice demanded on a growl of anger mixed with fear.
“Screaming like she’d seen you naked,” Connor wrapped an arm around the alpha to steady him.
“She’s my mate, guard her.” He pulled himself out of the vampire’s grip and leaned against the generator for support. Connor didn’t wait a second longer as he took off.
“Bring him,” Connor tossed back over his shoulder, and Tyler ducked a shoulder under Justice’s arm and half lifted his weight.
“Tyler,” Justice growled in warning, but the big bear shifter just grunted back.
“Forget pride, think of protecting your mate.” Tyler offered back and never heard another growl out of the man.
“F-r-i-e-n-d,” Connor’s voice carried towards them, even over the wind and the snow coming down.
“Get out of my bloody way or I’ll stick this poker right up your-” Sophia wanted out of the cabin. Connor had caught her halfway out of the door and had lifted her up and dropped her back onto her feet in front of the fireplace. Then he’d backed the hell off; after she’d zapped him and swung at him with the poker…
“Sophia,” Justice growled out, wrenching himself away from Tyler and stumbling through the doorway into the cabin.
“Not again,” Sophia sidestepped the vampire and rushed to his side.
“This time you didn’t do it,” Justice tried to smile, but the pain in his head told him not too. He had an open wound down the back of his head and was losing blood fast…
“Not by my hand, no.” Sophia felt the guilt as if they were storm waves at sea battering her mind, body and soul. She knew that Justice could have died twice that day, and both times it had been her fault.
“Take my blood,” Connor thrust his arm in front of Justice’s face and the alpha batted it away. “Do you want to hunt the guy that did this or do you wanna wait a few hours until your blood heals you?” Connor demanded, either way he wasn’t about to take no for an answer, if he had to hold the alpha down, sit on his chest and force feed him, he would gladly do it.
“He can heal you faster than I can.” Sophia practically begged with her eyes, and that caused Justice to growl, but he locked his hand around Connor’s arm and growled up at the man.
“I’m not going to be gentle,” Justice growled out.
“You say the sweetest things,” Connor offered back, knowing that would make the alpha bite even harder, even deeper, take his blood even faster, and he did.
“Stop teasing the man, can’t you see he’s in pain?” Sophia bit out.
“You must be new,” Connor took to teasing her instead.
“I still have the poker,” she warned him and Connor smirked at her, just as Justice released his arm from his fangs and grunted in annoyance.
“Who hit you?” Connor demanded, ignoring Sophia’s threat and turning his attention back towards Justice.
“My alpha,” Sophia rushed out before Justice could.
“Interesting turn of events.” Connor mused.
“He’s a dead man,” Justice pulled himse
lf to his full height. He liked just how fast vampire blood worked on the Lycan system, but he’d be damned if he ever told Connor that.
“Stay with your mate and I’ll-” That was as far as Connor got before Justice’s beast roared within him for the blood of the man who threatened his mate’s safety, and the man growled in concurrence.
“No, this is personal.” Justice informed him.
“And yet, you have a mate to protect.” Connor reminded him. Justice stood toe to toe with the vampire.
“This – is – personal.” Justice growled like a wild thing. He’d been side-lined before during the pack troubles, but that wouldn’t happen this time. He needed that alpha dead and he needed to do it himself.
“I’m sensing more going on here than you’re letting on.” Connor had a smile on his lips, but there was none in his eyes.
Justice’s eyes flicked towards his mate for just a second, and then back again to Connor, but that was all the vampire needed to understand. He didn’t know everything, not yet, but Connor wouldn’t stand in his way.
“I’m asking you to stay and protect my mate,” Justice couldn’t believe that he was saying it. A man leaving his un-bonded mate in the care of another when there was danger around truly went against the grain, but Justice had a score to settle on Sophia’s account – not just the scars on her back, but the mistreatment that she must have suffered, and that, he wasn’t about to leave to another.
“F-i-n-e.” Connor bit out.
He didn’t like it. Two alpha’s going at it… what if Justice lost? He’d make it his mission to track down the alpha of the other pack and rip him apart, limb from limb, slowly.
“Thank you,” Justice offered as he turned towards the door.
“Slow-bear, go with him.” Connor insisted and Justice growled. “Trust me on this.” Connor said and Justice nodded.
“I’ll-” Chelsea put one foot towards the door but Connor wasn’t having any of it.
“You stay here.” The vampire bit out and Tyler agreed with just a look before he followed Justice out of the door into the night and was gone.
“Gee, thanks for that, Connor.” Chelsea grumbled.