by M. L. Briers
“Got a good one.”He motioned to the eight foot blue spruce that was the epitome of the greeting card Christmas tree. Adam nodded his approval, a large grin spreading across his face as he slapped his brother on the back on route towards Joshua.
“Now that’s a tree that won’t lose me my balls.”Adam informed him and Abel grunted.
“You lost those the minute you were mated.”He spat out and Adam growled at him over his shoulder. He went to answer his brother’s snipe, but the sound of someone flat out accelerating their car drifted towards them.
“What the hell?”Adam looked at Joshua as he chuckled.
“Sounds like someone’s not too fond of their gearbox or their engine…”Joshua shook his head in disbelief. “Gotta be city folk up here for the Christmas holidays, nobody around these parts would be stupid enough not to fit winter tyres.”He added of a huff.
An instant later the sound of that same car hitting into something solid and immovable echoed out into the woods. All three men set off at once in the direction the crack of wood and metal had come from.
Adam exited the clearing first, axe still in hand, and his long legs eating up the space until he was standing beside the driver’s door of the car that was now hugging a tree trunk.
The front end seemed moulded around the wood, and he had to wonder how someone could be stupid enough to do that. He yanked open the door and stared inside at the female figure hunched over the air bag that had deployed from the steering wheel.
“You hurt?”He growled out, reaching for her with one hand as she started to turn her head towards him. He noted the small cut above her eye and the whack she had taken to her nose, and knew she was going to look like a racoon by nightfall, at best.
She looked groggy for a long moment and then her eyes fixed on the axe in his hand and she snapped back to reality.
“Back…”She flicked her hand in his direction, and it felt like someone the size of Joshua had thumped him in the chest. He was swept off his feet and propelled backwards into a snow drift. More than thankful for the soft landing, if not overjoyed with the ache in his chest.
CHAPTER TWO
“What the hell…?”Abel growled out, moving towards the car as Joshua moved towards Adam to help him. He caught sight of her for only an instant before she swept him up too and he landed beside his brother.
Sasha yanked the door to the car closed and hit the locks. Lycans, she knew she was close to pack land, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. Her eyes flicked quickly from the men scrambling to their feet, back to the deflating air bag in front of her, and what she could see of the remains of her car wrapped around the tree trunk and felt the panic rise inside her.
She was trapped and they were coming.
“I think she’s nuts…”Joshua growled out and Abel nodded his agreement.
“That’s a good bet, she is Fae, and she can’t drive, unless she was deliberately targeting the poor tree.”Abel sighed.
“I think she saw the damn axe and panicked, idiot.”Adam growled out at his brother, and Abel shrugged.
“So what, you wanna go back for more? Be my guest brother, perhaps she can embed your thick skull inside the tree trunk this time.”Abel’s sarcasm was almost dripping from each word as he watched the woman from as far away as he could get. He’d already been tossed on his backside once, he wasn’t eager to repeat the experience.
Adam took a step towards the car and waited for the woman’s eyes to flick back towards him. He deliberately put the axe down on the ground and held up his hands to show her he wasn’t about to attack her.
“You’re hurt…”He offered and she scoffed.
“Genius…”She ground out between clenched teeth. Hitting the damn tree had taken its toll on her nerves as well as her body. Her chest felt sore from the seat belt and her nose throbbed like a bitch, but apart from that, happy bloody Christmas, she thought as she eyed the three stooges out of the window.
Maybe she’d been a little rash, after all if he’d wanted to attack her he wouldn’t need a damn axe to do it. He was Lycan, he could rip the damn doors off her car in a heartbeat if he felt the need, and she hoped he didn’t feel the need.
Her eyes flicked to Joshua and she had his number straight away. Bear shifter. Bear shifters always looked like damn big bears, all cuddly and hairy, and he was no exception. Definitely not her type. None of them were. She didn’t date shifters, whatever form they took.
“You’re going to need help…”Adam offered, and she couldn’t help but snort a laugh, even if it did damn well hurt to do it.
“Not from you, wolf.”She muttered again. She really didn’t want to engage with these guys, and if she ignored them then she might just get lucky, they might get bored and go away.
Her eyes flicked to the other one. Abel stood there watching her with suspicion in his eyes. Nice eyes, too nice, a girl could get lost in eyes like that, and he still wasn’t her type, even if he was sexy.
“You’re Fae…”Adam took another step towards the car and she rolled her eyes.
“Tell me something I don’t know…”
“I’m Faith’s brother…”Adam offered, knowing that if this woman was here, then it was a good bet she’d come for the gathering.
Sasha’s eyes snapped back towards him and she narrowed her gaze on him, wondering if this was the wolf that Faith used to talk about when they were kids, her somewhat-adopted brother. She knew Faith had called the Gathering, and she knew it was on pack land, so the odds were in the guys favour…
“Ok. That was something I didn’t know.”She muttered to herself as a pang of guilt washed through her. Crap! She’d attacked Faith’s brother, Faith was going to be pissed, not to mention he was so obviously the Alpha of the damn pack, she could see that now, even if her eyes were starting to get puffy.
“You want to pop the locks so we can get you out…?”
“You can get her out.”Abel offered, digging his hands into the pockets of his jacket and looking anywhere but at her.
“Faith and Hope are back at the cabin, I’m sure they’ll be able to help with your injuries.”Adam offered, and saw her frosty exterior melting with every moment that past.
“You’re not pissed I tossed you on your butt?”She called through the glass, wary of him even though he told her who he was.
“His wife does it all the time…”Joshua offered with a smirk and Adam punched him in the gut. Joshua whooshed a breath out and bent in two. “Harsh.”He growled.
“Justified.”Adam growled at him and Abel chuckled.
“Yeah, even if you did tell the truth.”He teased his brother and then jumped back a few feet to save from getting a thump himself.
“Men.”Sasha shook her head and immediately regretted it. She felt as if the car spun around beneath her, or maybe it was the earth, maybe she was on a kid’s roundabout and the car was turning.
She felt the rush of heat go through her and then quickly drain away again as her whole body went limp a moment before the lights went out.
“Crap.”Adam growled as she passed out in the front seat. “Joshua.”He growled as they all stalked towards the car.
“Got it.”Joshua growled as he flicked out his claws. Hooking the small gap in the door, he wrenched it outwards. The sound of metal protesting, of locks protesting, and then a loud bang as the door gave way echoed through the woods. He ripped it completely off its mountings, tossing it across the clearing, as Adam and Abel leant in towards the woman to survey the damage.
Sasha’s sweet scent filled the small inner space of the car and Abel took in his fill as he leaned forwards towards her. There was a long moment when his body tensed. His mind reached for the reality of who she was a moment before his body accepted it.
His half mast was the first to react to her proximity. His hands fisted and then eased. His heart raced and then steadied, and his eyes took every inch of her poor battered face in to store it in his memory.
Adam’s hand reached for t
he seatbelt and he heard the long deep growl of warning that came from his brother and he paused. Turning his eyes to see the darkness within his brother’s eyes, as his Beta reacted to the proximity of the Alpha to his mate, to her being injured, and his need to protect her.
Adam shuffled back on his heels and straightened up. Holding his hands out in front of him, he eyed his brother.
“Easy brother, nobody is going to touch your mate but you.”Adam offered and Abel growled out another warning until Adam had backed right away.
“Mate, are you kidding me?”Joshua spat out in disbelief. This was just too good.
“Help her Abel, we’re not going to move.”Adam wanted to elbow Joshua in the ribs, but he didn’t want the man making any sudden movements that would make Abel feel threatened, so he buried the urge.
It was quite possible, especially with his mate being injured that Abel would attack without even thinking about it, and he didn’t want to have to deal with an irate mate, especially when it was his brother.
Abel eyed them for a long moment before he turned towards his mate, taking in her scent again as he reached in and unlocked her seatbelt. Making sure he kept her body still as his hands ran under her snow jacket and felt over the muscles, sinews, and bones within her neck, looking for any damage.
Only when Abel was happy that he wouldn’t be hurting her any worse than she already was by lifting her out of the car, did he reach in and scoop her gently into his arms, bringing her out against his chest, he ignored the men behind him and started off towards where he knew she needed to be, with him and the sister’s who could help her.
“Get her stuff…”Adam told Joshua, who growled long and hard.
“Why do I have to get her stuff? I’m a bear, not a damn porter.”Joshua growled out and Adam tossed him a glare.
“I hear the girls are preparing a nice meal tonight, it would be a shame if the bear among us had to go sit in the woods… and note I said sit.”Adam tossed over his shoulder as he followed on his brother’s heels, careful not to get too close.
“Oh wow…”Hope spat out as she eyed the outside world.
“What? Is it the tree?”Fay tried to get up from the sofa, but she just floundered in place like a big old beached whale, growling and squirming in frustration.
“Not exactly. Abel’s carrying an unconscious woman…”She gasped and turned to the others, eyes wide in knowing as Faith and Fay looked at each other.
“His mate!” Faith spat out and Fay yipped.
“Oh my god, we killed his mate!” Hope blurted out, her hands going to cover her mouth as Faith and Fay jaws just flapped about like goldfish. The sound of the door being kicked open, before Adam stepped back and allowed Abel to carry his mate inside, made all three of their heads snap around to the sight of him carrying his mate.
Fay almost rolled herself off the damn sofa trying to get up, but Adam had sidestepped his brother and was helping her in a heartbeat.
“What happened?”Faith asked, trying to sound as casual as she could.
“Abel’s mate was in a car wreck…”
“Mate…”They all spat out together, although it felt a little forced to Adam, he didn’t query it, not then.
“I think you might know her, Faith…”Adam offered and Faith took a tentative step towards Abel, as his low warning growl drifted towards her.
“Don’t you even think about it, Abel…”She hissed at him, and he gave a low whine, somewhere between an apology and permission for her to step forward.
Faith recognised her straight away. The shock of who she was washed through her, damn, if she’d know it was that easy to find Abel’s mate she would just have picked up the damn phone.
“It’s Sasha.”Faith told Hope who gasped.
“You’re kidding, Sasha’s Abel’s mate?”Hope went to take a step forwards but she took one look at Abel and decided against it.
“Take her up to the guest bedroom brother. Fay you stay here in case Abel gets a little antsy. Faith you should go with him.”
“Gee, thanks Adam.”Faith flashed him a look of knowing and he couldn’t help but smile. But Faith was as much a sister to Abel as to him and he didn’t think that Abel would get out of hand with her, especially her.
“Anytime, sis.”He teased as she followed Abel and his mate up the staircase. He turned his attention towards his mate, a guilty look on his face. “We did pick out your tree, we just didn’t have a chance to…”
“That’s ok, honey. I understand.”She informed him sweetly, and then eased herself back down to the sofa with a heavy sigh. “You can go back out and get it later.”She informed him.
“Hey Sash, how are you doing?”
Faith leaned towards the edge of the chair. Putting her elbows on the bed, she looked down into the purple and green of her friend’s bruised face.
“Like I’ve been hit in the face by a car.” Sasha swallowed against the dryness in her mouth and reached up to touch her nose.
“I wouldn’t do…”Faith started, but she did it anyway and let out a dark curse that echoed inside the four walls. “Did try to warn you.”Faith offered with a smidge of sympathy for her friend’s predicament.
“You’re all heart as usual, Faith.”
“Hey, she’s awake. How’s she doing?”Abel walked into the room carrying a tray with three coffees, and he set it down onto the bedside table, as his mate eyed him cautiously.
“She has a voice and a brain and can speak for herself. She feels like crap.”Sasha turned her eyes on Faith and rolled them, but even that caused a certain amount of pain. “Can’t you put the dog outside?”
Faith bit down on her lower lip so the chuckle and the smile that she was fighting to keep back didn’t escape her.
“Sasha this is Abel, Abel, Sasha.”Faith decided a formal introduction was probably in order. “Abel carried you here from the car wreck.”Faith offered and Sasha winced.
“Great, so not only do I look like a beast I smell like one too.”Sasha groaned. To say she had a problem with his kind would be an understatement. She hated the very nature of the beast. Wolves, vicious animals, packs of them living as humans, hiding their true selves.
“She’s even more of a bitch than you.”Abel groaned out, and Sasha glared at him.
“Doors right there, walk back through it, don’t let me stop you.” Sasha didn’t believe in sugar coating anything. She liked to get the truth and liked to give it, if people didn’t like it then tough, she was done hiding her thoughts from the world.
“Maybe you should give us a minute, Abel.”Faith offered and Abel shrugged.
“Fine by me, sis.”Abel turned on his heels and strolled from the room. It took a lot for him to do it. He’d sat by her bed for hours waiting for her to wake up, and then Faith had persuaded him to get the coffee, knowing that if Sasha woke up and saw just him by her bed, she might just zap him again.
He thought that was a reasonable assumption as she didn’t seem to keen on them when she met them. But now every step was like torture, especially after her words.
Faith leaned in further and winced slightly as she debated exactly what she was going to say.
“What is it?”Sasha asked. She’d know Faith for years. They had connected at every retreat and every festival they attended, and they’d spent some wild times together, and shared some secrets, and Faith knew that the secret buried within her friend was going to go a long way to making this mating process as painful as possible for both mates.
“You know how you like people to give you the truth, the whole truth…”
“And nothing but the truth. Sure. Hit me with it, what’s wrong?”Sasha agreed, and yet Faith still hesitated. She winced with the knowledge that this wasn’t going to go smoothly, but sooner or later Sasha was going to figure it out. The pull on her psyche alone would give her the damn clue, let alone what her body was going to be telling her to do.
“It’s about Abel…”
“Wolf boy…”
�
�And you…”Faith added, trying to look calm, and innocent, innocent and calm was good, especially as she felt a big twinge of guilt for doing the damn spell that had brought the mates together.
“Me…”Sasha echoed. The pieces weren’t even in position to fall into place, not with the way she felt about wolves.
“Yes.”
“Ok. I’m guessing there’s more.”
“Oh…yeah.”Faith wanted to whistle a happy tune. Instead she looked everywhere but at Sasha, and chewed on her lower lip.
“The suspense is killing me…”
“Hopefully not.”Faith offered back.
“Jesus, Faith, would you just spit it…”
“He’s your mate.”Faith went in for the kill quickly, giving Sasha no time to pull the band aid off slowly.
The silence was almost deafening, and the lack of emotion on Sasha’s face actually astonished Faith, and then it all changed so quickly.
“You have got to be kidding me. That’s not even close to funny, Faith.”Sasha accused and berated in the same breath. She gathered the covers into her fists and pulled herself up in the bed until she was sitting staring at Faith, searching her face for the amusement she expected to find there.
“Sorry and congratulations. He’s a really great…”
“Bloody wolf.”Sasha spat out in disbelief.
“Well, yeah there is that…”Faith admitted, wincing again. “Look, why don’t you just get to know him a little and…?”
“I reject him…”Sasha blurted out as she moved as fast as her injuries would allow her towards the bottom of the bed. Faith sat up straight and shook her head.
“What?”
“I reject him as a mate. He’s your brother, so break it to him as gently as you like, but make sure you tell him to stay away from me.”Sasha dragged herself to her feet and looked down at her sock clad feet. She had boots, and she couldn’t leave without them.
“Sasha…”Faith stood up and walked towards her, but she spotted her boots over on the other side of the room and went to retrieve them.