by Jo Penn
“No one mates him but me and our mate.” Caspar did not like this at all.
“No, I assure you, he doesn’t need to fuck everyone to increase the pack and keep the wolf kind going. Others just pass him by and catch a whiff and they’re running off to their mates, partners, a liaison, and fucking like bunnies and producing a litter. Luka gives off a pheromone that sends wolves, and as we’ve found, a lot of other creatures, into a bit of lust. Back in the old days they called his kind the fertility wolf as fertility rates rose when there was a rare one among them.
“Side effect though. Luka has excess everything. Energy, needs, sexual drive. He has to have sex or basically stops producing the pheromone and that will kill him eventually.”
Cas stared at Drax, then Luka. Well fuck. Learn something new every day. “And this cannot be controlled? He couldn’t just say ‘no’ last night?”
Luka winced. “Sure, but it hurts like hell for hours and builds up until I’m in so much pain I can’t think or do anything.”
“First it disables him, then kills him. We were going to address the issue. Until a few weeks ago, Luka was still considered a pup. We monitored and had him guarded, only a few creatures were allowed near him. Our laws state that once a wolf gains control of their shift, their gift, and are thirty, they are an adult so we dropped the monitoring and guards. Unfortunately, this has resulted in a few problems and we were going to reinstate the guards, which will be done regardless of whether you are his mate.” Drax looked coldly at Cas. “And don’t think of trying to keep a wolf locked up, because we don’t like it and will go feral.”
“Can we take these chains off now? They’re starting to restrict my blood flow.”
Cas twirled a finger and the chains dropped to the ground. “Why did you run yesterday, Luka?”
The wolf stood and stretched, moving around as though loosing up muscles. “Because I don’t want to be mated.”
“Truth.” Prince Dominic grinned. “He has a thing against monogamy, must be a side effect of the fertility wolf.”
Visij chuckled, then laughed his ass off.
Cas glared at his right hand man and long-time friend. “That’s helpful, thank you, Visij.”
“S-sorry, it’s just…” Visij laughed some more.
“Wizard, make a counter potion and have it here this evening, along with Tudor’s belongings.” Cas glanced at the Alpha. “He requires punishment as a mate bond is sacred. Leniency though, he aided a friend who obviously required it, though he did this in a very bad way.”
“Laurie will be punished and will have the potion to you in a few hours. We shall discuss the locations and you remaining in the area in two hours, Prince Caspar.”
Cas quirked a brow with curiously. “Will we? What makes you think my guild will choose Milson Valley?”
The Alpha grinned. “Because an entire pack of wolves, a pride of felines, and coven of witches and wizards will stop you from taking Luka away. He’s one of ours.”
“See, you do care!” Luka laughed and threw himself into the Alpha’s arms. “All that yelling about me being a shit and disrespectful was a cover.”
The Alpha dropped Luka and growled, half smiling. “You are annoying and a brat. Now give your new mate a hard time, not me anymore, or your brother. I need Drax’s attention on Renegades, not chasing off your trillions of stalkers.”
“I’m happy to hunt stalkers down and deal with them, Alpha,” Visij offered.
“Sure, go for it. We’ll give you a long list. And call me Urian or Uri unless we are on official business.”
“And I am simply Cas.”
“I prefer Caspar.” Luka prowled the room, staying far away from Cas and Tudor. “And I’ll be real upset if Laurie and Marco are punished, and you know what happens when I get upset, Uri.”
“Most annoying brat in the world.” The Alpha stormed out.
Laurie gave a tentative smile. “Coming, Luka?”
“Laurie, Luka has to remain with his mates,” Dominic said gently.
“Oh, right…Tudor, eh? We never got much of a peep out of him.”
“Now be nice, brother. Laurie will get the potion, and you will drink it and mate. Or I’m telling Dad.” Drax left with Prince Dominic and the wizard.
Cas turned to his wolf mate. “You still betrayed me. If you had pain from not having sex, you should have come directly to me. I cannot forget this slight and you will be guarded, constantly.”
“It’s not personal—”
“Very personal.”
The wolf stood, his head tilted very wolf like as though listening and thinking. He was a gorgeous man. Six foot of lean, very toned muscle, light brown hair worn shaggy and unkempt, tanned and gorgeous bone structure. And those clear, crisp hazel eyes were to die for.
“You should see to your mate, he looks tired and like he’s sleeping with his eyes open. Cute.”
“He is your mate also. It is good you notice Tudor and think of his care.”
Luka laughed, it was an attractive sound, lighting the man’s gorgeous face. “I notice everyone. Male, female, anything in between, kinda a slut that way.” Luka grinned, knowing he was pushing Cas’s buttons, hard. “Let’s get this out in the open. I don’t do relationships.” He shuddered. “Ever. I won’t commit. I won’t submit. I don’t take orders. And I’m not going to touch him or you.”
Cas smiled slowly. “Oh, but you will, my wolf. We will mate and I don’t give a fuck about submitting and taking orders. I’ll simply lock you down with magic and have you guarded. As for a relationship, well as you won’t be having sex with anyone but myself and Tudor ever again, you won’t have much choice with that pain problem, will you? It is simple. Combined with your mate reaction, this wolf fertility, and the pain if you don’t mate, I just have to wait you out.” Cas smiled. “I’m sure it won’t take long at all. Probably minutes.”
A tick started in Luka’s clenched jaw.
Then he had a huge tantrum the likes Cas had never seen before. He guessed this is what the others had meant by excess everything. Grabbing Luka from behind, he lifted his mate off his feet and calmed him down with magic.
Yes, he had known Luka was going to be difficult.
Chapter Four
What he had not known was Tudor was a damn sneak! Once Cas dumped Luka on one of the sofas, dazed and docile from magic, he noticed Tudor was gone. Visij had gone to see their visitors out, so with Cas distracted by their wolf freaking out, Tudor had decided it was a good time to sneak out.
It was not a concern. The house was surrounded by magic that would allow no one through that meant harm. Plus, fae guards were outside. Stepping out of the house, he saw Tudor sitting on the grassy front lawn directly beside the four stairs leading up to the porch.
The creature was an enigma to Cas. He had no idea what the creature thought or felt, what he planned. With his attention so much on his wolf, Cas had not had much time to even take in his wizard, and that was a shame for the man was very appealing.
He was small, compared to Cas anyway, only five foot nine and was very slender, almost bordering on skinny. Cas would have to ensure his wizard ate.
Tudor was appealing, though, with those adorable few freckles scattered over his cute upturned nose. He was cutely handsome, rather awkward in his movements, jerky, not quite sure of himself. Cas loved Tudor’s hair and could not wait to run his fingers through the shiny cinnamon locks that fell in loose ringlets around his narrow face and emphasized the paleness of his skin.
After all that had happened today, Tudor must be feeling shocked and frightened. Cas would go gently with his mate, take time to let them gain a little knowledge and understanding of one another. He was sure that after the events of the day and seeing Luka’s meltdown probably unsettled Tudor even more.
It was fortunate Cas knew sign language, but then he knew every language, had studied extensively throughout his long life. It was a requirement of a royal fae and a few others within the inner circle.
> Now he crouched in front of his mate, waiting as those beautiful dark blue eyes slowly fixed on him, blinking.
“What are you doing?” He signed.
“Thinking,” Tudor replied. The wizard glanced around as though puzzled how he had gotten here.
Yes, perhaps a little shock, Cas decided.
He tapped Tudor’s shoulder to regain his attention. “Why don’t you come back inside and think there.”
Glancing back at the big house, Tudor looked up at the sky and signed. “I don’t get outside much.”
How curious. There was much to learn of his wizard mate.
“We cannot allow the Renegades to see you, Tudor.” But at Tudor’s resigned nod, Cas stilled his mate and waved a finger over him. “I have placed a protective bubble over you, no one will see or hurt you, Tudor. Do you mind if I sit with you for a while?”
Tudor frowned a little, looked around, and finally gave a little nod.
Cas did not push. He sat beside Tudor and also looked at the sky, briefly, then studied the surrounding area. The house itself was large and in an expensive suburb just outside the city. It belonged to a vampire, Prince-mate Xavier Armstrong Dalton, though he rarely used the Armstrong name. Xavier was the grandson of Lady Delia Armstrong, the matriarch of the witch and wizard coven here. Cas had scouted the area before accepting the house for his temporary residence from the Sanchez pride. He had bought fifteen fae, including himself, from their stronghold in L.A. as he planned to scout a number of locations across the states and near other paranormal strongholds. He had been to five before arriving in Milson City and found himself immediately liking the area. The magic felt strong in the air, nature’s currents alive with the paranormals already here which fed on and were fed by the moon, stars, earth, and water.
It looked like his guild had found their stronghold location. There was a particular site Cas and a few of his inner circle liked most, but he would consult with the coven, pack and pride here over acquiring it, and see if his wolf liked the area. If Luka did not, there was little point in settling in that spot and they would have to choose another as wolves were very particular about their territory and would not settle properly if not comfortable.
He wondered about Tudor, his likes and dislikes. The clothes he wore hung off his skinny frame and were lacking in any discernible style and his sneakers were well worn.
A tap on his shoulder had Cas turning to Tudor who rapidly signed.
“It may be a good idea to let the wolf get to know you without claiming him for a time.”
Cas’s brows rose, interested in Tudor’s thoughts. “Oh? Why?”
“I read lips pretty well and body language. From what I understood this fertility wolf magic overrides…” Tudor frowned, and looked around cautiously. “If you just take and claim his wolf, the man side will feel suffocated and that may end up killing him.”
Cas’s hands clenched. He relaxed them, smiling as he saw Tudor watching him.
“Do you suggest leaving the potion that affects his mate reaction and placing the medallion on so our wolf does not betray or need sex?”
“I think the medallion will be detrimental. From what I understood a fertility wolf needs to…” Tudor flushed, glancing away. Cas found that adorable. “Have sex frequently, if not he cannot give off the pheromone which will harm him and he dies. Perhaps it is like fae who cannot do their magic?”
That may be true in a similar sense. Cas nodded that he understood. Fae were magic, and they used it. If they didn’t, it built up and could do them harm to hold so much inside. The same if they used only a little, they would eventually lose their magic and perish. Every creature had their quirk.
Tudor was showing remarkable insight. Cas was seeing his wizard was cautious and smart. His mate grew more intriguing by the minute, and Cas very much wanted to know all Tudor’s thoughts and feelings.
“What do you suggest, mate?”
“Me?” Tudor blinked a few times, shaking his head.
Amused, Cas reached out and slid a finger across a pale cheek. He smiled at the wizard’s uncertain look and the uncomfortable way he shifted back from Cas’s touch.
“The wolf is yours also. You will soon know this, so we both decide, not one or the other. Your opinion and thoughts are needed and important to me, Tudor.”
This seemed to stun Tudor, then he was thoughtful, studying Cas for a time, not responding. He watched fae patrolling and go about their business inside and around the house.
“If he needs sex, you provide it, as a mate should. Allow him to get used to you before claiming. From what I have seen and read of mateships, it does not take long for a connection between creatures. A wizard potion will dull most but it will weaken soon when in constant contact with his…with you.”
Cas considered this. “I have been alive for nearly two thousand years, Tudor, I feel the draw for my mates, to connect, claim, and be intimate. I have waited a very long time. But my needs do not always dictate me. I can provide some time before the need to bond becomes too much.”
Tudor gave one of those rusty smiles. “I…well, I guess I am similar to Luka. I do not want to be claimed and bonded as you term this, not immediately.”
Cas’s heart stuttered, then beat furiously. He would not disrespect his mate, ignore what his mate wanted and needed, but refusing to mate, to be claimed and bonded could seriously harm both. Paranormals just did not do that to one another. And he could not understand why his mate, an intelligent, deep thinking and thoughtful wizard, would reject his mate. He took a cleansing breath and schooled his features and tone. Demands and anger he had learned in his long life did not win the battle, especially delicate ones such as this.
“Tudor, when you feel the connection between us, a wizard requires to bond and claim their mate. I am here to provide.”
Dark blue eyes without guile were steady on Cas as he signed. “I do not want to be claimed just because I am your mate. I won’t be claimed just because I am the mate fate provided for you. Not by the wolf, not by you or anyone else.”
“Tudor, what are you telling me? Do you refuse my claim?” Cas was serious now. He would fight for his mates and this he had not expected from his wizard.
To refuse a mate claim was generally unheard of, though there had been one recently put before the Council by a human, but it had been dealt with quickly and effectively by the eldest Sanchez tiger prince with a little help from Mason Armstrong. Magic had a lot of uses.
Tudor frowned, shaking his head. “At this stage I have not recognized you as my mate, but that does not mean I do not sense something. There is a tingle in my magic, a sensor alerting me to something, and I am…aware of you.” He flushed, dropping his eyes once more. “The wolf not at all. Perhaps that is the potion Laurie used. Whatever it is, I am not refusing your claim for I do not disbelieve you, but I just will not be claimed only because I am your mate.”
Cas had infinite patience. He was old and this gave him time to sit and considering what Tudor said to him. After a few minutes he tapped his mate to regain attention, having an idea.
“You wish to be claimed because I want you, as you are, not because you are my mate.”
“Does that make sense?” Tudor looked worried, but certain.
“It does, and is also unnecessary, for mates are chosen, are right for us. When you are able to see this with the mate connection you will know.”
Tudor actually scowled, shaking his head. “No! You must want me for me. If you cannot then I do not want to be claimed.”
Cas grabbed his mate as Tudor moved to rise. He waved a finger. “Very well, I shall provide time for you also.”
Breathing out a shaky sigh, Tudor nodded. “Thank you.”
There was a lot more to the wizard, more going on inside his head than was apparent at a glance. Cas would discover all. For now, he would give both mates some time, as much as he was able with his need to claim and bond fully riding him.
Cas frowned as cars pulled up
outside the house. He rose, drawing Tudor to his feet, and a few guards moved in front of them to protect. As he watched Lord Baron Sanchez, pride Enforcer, hopped out of a Land Rover. Another man climbed out from the drivers’ side, scanning their surroundings. From the back, two more tigers climbed out. One also looked around while the other was big, young, and walked around the car to join a few wizards and a witch emerging from the second car.
“Assist the wizards with their boxes,” Cas quietly instructed one of the guards.
The creatures were given admittance, Cas moving Tudor behind him.
Lord Mason Armstrong smiled and inclined his head in greeting. “Your Highness.”
“Cas is fine, Lord Mason.”
“Just call me Mason. We have Tudor’s belongings and a file of his situation for your information. Also, Lady Delia decided as punishment, as did King Diego of the Sanchez pride, that the two involved in ‘assisting’ Luka would stay with you for a time, take orders, and whatever else you decide. We felt it was a good solution and good for intercreature relations.”
Cas was dumbfounded. He grimaced as the wizard Laurence stood nervously behind Mason, a suitcase at his feet, and lots of boxes. The big young shifter draped an arm over Laurence’s shoulders and whispered in his ear.
“This is Laurence Armstrong.” Mason flicked a hand at the young wizard. “And Lord Marco Sanchez.”
Cas could see both Mason and Baron were endeavoring not to grin. He narrowed his eyes on the pair suspiciously, then Laurie and Marco and just knew he was in for a shitload of trouble. These were Luka’s friends after all, close friends by the feel of it.
“Not necessary, I assure you. I trust Lady Delia and King Diego to hand out punishments.”
“Creature interspecies relations.” Baron grinned, full of teeth. “Don’t worry, they’ve been told to be on their best behavior.”