by Gina Kincade
A troupe of media moved through the hallway, interviewing the women lined up like models getting ready to appear on the runway. Their dresses sparkled in the dim lighting. It was truly a spectacle to behold. Like an army of shifter fem bots ready to take over the mansion.
God, it made her shudder.
Jess wrapped her arm around Sage and wrinkled her nose. “You know what...don’t worry about that. Reid, is there someone you can bunk with tonight?”
The male looked torn between wanting to spit nails and comply with the little brunette’s wishes. “I can inquire.”
“Good. Do it. I think Sage here might be sharing your room with me.”
“I’ll make the necessary arrangements.” He ground out, already striding away.
“I don’t think he’s very happy with you right now.”
“Probably not, but first things first. You have to tell me where you got that kick ass tattoo.”
CARRICK PULLED UP TO the back gate of his property and promptly wished he’d decided to keep going. He spent the day catching up on pack affairs and now he had the Gathering looming over his head like an ever present brick.
Women, both human and shifter, wandered the grounds and if he could judge from the chaos surrounding the estate, it wasn’t much better inside. Whoever created the pack law that every eligible female be required to attend the event should have had his throat ripped out at birth.
He edged his car inside and made for the garage, careful to keep his head down. He was fairly certain Jess was going to kill him before the night was over. Or he would wish for death. Just thinking about the feeding frenzy about to begin made his stomach curl in on itself.
So much for the big, bad Alpha.
Never in all of his experience had he ever had to deal with a travesty of this magnitude. He sat in his car and hit the remote control on the garage, effectively shutting out the world for a few more minutes. The box of pastries sat on the passenger seat. It would be his reward for living through tonight. The cherry cheese Danish winked at him through the cellophane and he sighed.
A sharp rap on the window broke him out of his pastry enhanced reverie. Reid. His surly expression only meant one thing. That things were going any direction but good.
He snagged the box of pastries and exited the car. “Well?”
“I can’t believe we have to do this. The place is crawling with females.”
“I didn’t make the rules.”
“But you can change them.”
“Don’t you think if I could, I would have done that by now? The pack elders wouldn’t hear of it.” Carrick made his way down the path toward the back of the house, his eyes brushing over the dark woods that bordered the property. He wanted, more than anything, to run free through the shadowy terrain. Instead, he was wading deeper and deeper into a shark infested miasma.
Chapter Four
Sage smoothed the gown over her curves and angled herself in front of the mirror. The black velvet skimmed over her hips and the bodice pushed her ample breasts into a delightful décolletage. In the mirror she could see the messy room behind her and struggled not to shudder. Had the man never heard of picking up his own clothes?
“You look great.” Jess emerged from Reid’s bathroom and grinned. “My brother won’t stand a chance.”
Sage shook her head and gave a wry smile. “I don’t have any aspirations there. This is called getting through the obligatory Gathering and getting back to my life.” She took out a tube of lipstick and smoothed the rich red color over her lips.
Jess plunked down on Reid’s unmade bed. “God, this guy is a slob. I’m going to talk to Carrick about getting some more help around here.”
Sage wandered over toward the window and glanced down at the happenings in the courtyard. It really was a cool setup. The woods loomed in the distance and that more than worked with a household full of shifters. Two lone white shirted servants manned the tables, moving back and forth with an efficiency that would have fit right in at her café. But it was too much for the amount of sparkling company parading across the flagstones.
The estate did seem more than a little bit unorganized. “So, why is it this crazy? Isn’t there someone to organize the event?” She could call a couple of the girls. Mel in particular would work nicely and her shift would be up in a few minutes. And perhaps Maya. She could hex up something and have the place running like a top.
Jess scrunched her nose. “Yes, there were. It’s weird. One by one the staff stopped showing up for work over the past couple of weeks.”
That was strange. In a pack environment, shifters tended to stick together, and she’d assume anyone vetted enough to work at Werewolf Central had to have had some loyalty. Unless the Alpha was a jerk. Sage sucked on her inner lip, considering. “Why do you think that is? I mean, is your brother an asshole or something?”
A snort of a laugh escaped Jess. “Sometimes. But no. That’s not it. The elders in the pack are hoping Carrick will fail in claiming his mate so they can challenge him and remove him from power. They are making it as difficult as possible.”
“So they lured away the maids? And the cooks?” That didn’t sound even remotely feasible. She glanced out the window at the caterers setting up the tables. Decorative lighting glowed from the trees “I mean, why bother? If the Alpha doesn’t find a mate this weekend, he’s ousted, right? They can put someone in power who they can control and whatever legislation they want passed with the human government and with pack law will just roll through. It doesn’t make sense to go to that amount of trouble.”
“Maybe. They’ve left over the last couple of weeks one by one. It’s kind of weird actually. If the house is in chaos, it’s a distraction from what really needs to happen tonight.”
“And what’s that?”
Jess got up, her gown swishing around her legs. She went to the window and looked down. “The Gathering will be held in the center courtyard. It will be where everyone can see Carrick and he can have contact with every female pack member who isn’t mated.”
“Why can’t he just pick someone?”
“Because he already has.”
“I don’t follow.”
“My brother is an idiot.” Jess rolled her eyes. “He thinks he found someone years ago and then promptly lost her. Having all the women together should be a way for him to either find her for once and for all or let her go.”
Sage slipped into her shoes. “But if he knows who she is, why hasn’t he claimed her already?”
“It’s complicated. But with Carrick, it almost always is, but he’s been searching for her for years.”
“Wow,” she mused. “It sounds like wolf man Cinderella.”
Jess snorted. “Yeah, doesn’t it?” An uneasy look passed over her face. “Look, you’re doing okay being back here, right? I know you left after we all escaped...”
Sage tucked her lipstick back into her makeup bag. “I am. It was just easier to leave. My parents were dead and I changed my name. I needed to find me and not be that girl who was taken, you know?”
“I do.”
A knock sounded at the door and Reid entered the room.
“Jeez. Don’t you wait for a girl to tell you it’s okay to come in?” Jess crossed her arms, her lips thinned in irritation.
“My apologies.” He glanced from Jess to Sage. “It’s time.”
“GREETINGS, ALPHA.” A sultry female in a low cut gown sauntered by, an extra swing in her step.
“God,” he muttered, stalking past another gaggle of simpering females. He’d only been at the Gathering for a few minutes and already he wanted to shift and become a permanent resident of the wooded lands behind his home.
He thought Jess had done a marvelous job setting up. Music filtered through the courtyard, a soft classical ambiance designed to sooth the shifters in attendance. Food tables were lined up to one side of the garden area and another table was laden with punch bowls and more potent refreshments.
Carrick move
d to the shadows behind one of the decorative alcoves, and observed the parade of women moving through the courtyard. It was open and airy, with enough space to house the pack for events like this. He’d always admired the way the house was built. Like a large U-shape that led to the deep woods beyond. He knew what was theoretically to happen tonight. He was supposed to magically scent his mate and they would run off into the brush and fuck like rabbits, or wolves as the case may be, until their joining was sealed, the entire pack present to make certain the mating held true.
But no one he’d come across tonight even came close to fitting the bill. For the sake of his pack, he knew he’d have to make a choice, but damn it to hell why did it have to be this way?
A familiar scent hit his nostrils and he stilled. “Where are you?” He whispered in utter frustration, and turned to see his sister walking next to Reid, giving instructions while his second rolled his eyes. If those two didn’t mate soon, he was going to slap Reid upside the head and tell him to get his shit together.
Like he should talk.
He wanted the girl who haunted his dreams, and no one else. Pushing away from one of the partitions that kept him hidden while he observed the crowd, he nearly bumped into a woman with long black hair and a black dress as she skirted the decorative wall, rounding the corner in a flurry.
“This is ridiculous.” She lowered herself onto the stone bench hidden in the alcove, her face still in shadow. “Why the hell did I even decide to come out here?”
The fullness of her breasts pushed up against the confines of the dress and despite his annoyance, a pang of lust stabbed through him.
“I couldn’t agree more,” he replied drily. She was wrestling with the clasp on one of her shoes.
“Here. Allow me.” He stepped forward to assist her, drawn by the faint hint of spicy sweetness that swirled around her.
But it couldn’t be. His goddess was only in the half-baked memories of a night he should just forget. Then she glanced up and the light hit her face and Carrick’s world tumbled out from underneath him.
Was it her? It was difficult to tell. That night she’d partially shifted, but her spirit shone from her eyes like a beacon. They gave him strength to become the Alpha and do what needed to be done to save her and the pack.
His fingers brushed hers along the top of the clasp. A jolt of electricity burst between them and he stepped back, eyes blinking.
“It really is you.”
Older. Curvier. And with a tattoo of lush flowers and a wolf snaking down her arm. How fucking hot was that? His wolf perked up. So did his cock.
The wolf recognized his mate and began to howl.
“You...” she whispered, her lips parting in shock. “Mr. Muffin.”
“What?” His axis was spinning and she was talking about muffins? His wolf’s energy licked underneath his skin and he fought the urge to pin her to the wall and claim her. He was the Alpha and she was hit mate.
Mate...
His wolf howled again, his tongue lolling into a lupine grin.
Stupid wolf.
She glared at him warily, yanking her foot from his grasp. His goddess stumbled to her feet a guarded expression across her face. “Are you following me?”
Did she feel it too? “No. I mean, yes.”
The scent of cinnamon wafted in the air as she marched toward him, her eyes violet fire. Her teeth were barred and a low growl passed her lushly painted lips. “I came here to handle pack nonsense with the Gathering, not deal with a deranged bakery fetish.”
Fuck. It really was her. The cinnamon scent. The electricity between them. He wanted to sink down on his knees and worship the fucking ground she walked on and bury his face between her thighs. All the nights his wolf made it impossible to sleep for wanting her. God.
“Where have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you since that night.” He reached up to stroke the tattoos alongside of her arm and she slapped his hand away. “Your scar. It’s gone.”
“Are you deaf? I’m not some...what?” She stared at him, uncomprehending. “My scar?”
“On your arm.”
“On my arm...” Sage began and her face blanched white. She took a step back. “Oh...Oh.”
His goddess blinked and wiggled her nose. She gasped and her hand flew toward her face, accompanied by a string of profanity.
Chapter Five
She did it. Again. Fucking whisker popping psycho mess that she was. He was here. Him. Gray eyes. Sage covered her nose and peeked over the top of her hand at him. Muffin man was Gray Eyes. How the hell had she missed that?
“Sunglasses.”
“What?”
Oh, my God. She didn’t connect the dots because every time he’d come into the café he’d been wearing sunglasses. And the cinnamon scones drowned out everything else. Well...nearly. Just the clean scent of man. Maybe her nose was defective after all.
“Are you okay? What about sunglasses?” Gray Eyes reached for Sage and she flinched as the electricity of his touch zinged through her and landed right in her naughty bits.
“Never mind.” She licked her lips. “Is it really you?” Her voice was muffled and small. She swallowed, not trusting herself to speak. How could she have not known it was him? But she had as soon as his finger brushed against the sensitive skin along her ankle. Her cat purred and her pussy woke up.
“Yes,” he murmured, stepping forward to enfold her in his arms.
His erection pressed into her stomach as she melded her body against him. He tugged her hand away, his lips meeting hers. He claimed her, his tongue coaxing her mouth open to explore her every recess. Her whisker tickled against her face and she groaned, afraid to move in case he noticed.
His arms enveloped her and she snuggled in closer, her body a perfect fit inside of his large frame. He made her feel petite and altogether girlie, a sensation that went right to her head.
“Sage! I know I saw you come around this corner. I want you to meet...” Jess skidded to a halt, her mouth agape.
Gray Eyes broke the kiss and stared at Jess. “Jess, did you need something?”
“Carrick? What are you doing?”
Sage moved in his arms. Why did that name sound familiar? “Carrick?”
“My brother.”
“Wait.” Sage took a step back, the nervous itch loosing another tickle underneath her nose. “You mean your brother the Alpha?”
“Yep,” Jess replied with smirk sliding across her face. “That would be the one.”
“Oh, God.” A fine sheen of black hair slid over her skin and she sneezed.
Pop!
Pop!
Two whiskers. Stat.
And something moved underneath her dress. Something soft and long and oh! Her tail. It swept along the back of her legs, eliciting a shiver as the soft black fur connected with her mostly human skin.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuckity fuck.
What started off a frustrated wail finished off as a feline growl as her body went into overdrive and she shifted, sprawling across Carrick’s dress shoes in a puddle of black velvet and cat.
“Now, you’ve done it. The girl was nervous enough coming here and now you’ve made her shift. Are you happy?” Jess stomped forward and thumped him on the arm.
A warning growl got Jess’s attention and she took a step back, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “Whoa.”
“Hey. I didn’t do that. You did.” Carrick reached down to stroke Sage’s head and she leaned into him, purring.
This was her mate. Mine. He could pet her all day if he wanted to. As long as he didn’t stop. Like ever.
“Asshole. What are you doing kissing her anyway? She just came here to get in her obligatory pack visit and then she was out of here.”
Sage chuffed and rubbed against his legs, removing herself from the confines of the dress. She was lucky. Shifting for her meant changing into a smallish black panther, probably one reason her family gave her up for adoption. She was a runt. Well, except for when s
he was human. Then she was anything but.
A scream rang out over the din of the partiers and Sage froze, Carrick’s hand on her head. She slid out from his grasp and leapt up onto the decorative garden wall. A familiar form careened through the courtyard, parting the sea of glittering women with his bulk.
Was it?
Oh, hell no.
The abomination from the deepest recesses of her nightmares stood, chest heaving, in the center of the event space. The marks he left on her arm burned in recognition, a mockery of the mate bond gone horribly wrong. There was only one thing to do and despite the fear that swirled in her belly, she moved into action. She fought the terror as she glanced down at Jess’s glazed expression and knew she had to do something. If she was the Alpha’s mate, then she was the Alpha female and it was time to start damn well taking things in hand starting with the bastard threatening her pack and her life.
CARRICK STALKED OUT of the alcove, his need to protect the wolves under his care superseding everything else. Reid and some of the other alpha males launched against the intruder, restraining Michael before he could get farther into the crowd. Snarls of both man and wolf were heard as the fight moved closer.
He was going to tear that motherfucker a new asshole when he caught up with him, but right now he had a panicked sister on one hand and a spitfire of a mate in the other.
“Oh, my God,” his sister’s voice quavered. He didn’t have to even look in her direction to know how terrified she was right now. It had taken her years to get over being abducted. He eyed his mate, fearing the same was true for her but what he got from her was a mix of anger and something else.
“Stay back, Jess.” He glanced up at the twitching tail of his mate as she flexed her claws against the stone wall and a smile turned up the corner of his mouth. “Sage. I’ll handle this.”
Sage dropped down, ears flattened against her head. She shifted, fire spitting from her eyes. She stood nude in front of him, her long black hair cascading down the front of her body. “The hell you will.”