by Susan Laine
Then Kris stirred in his sleep, moving onto his side, humming in his sleep. And Rafe’s eyes flew open, and the pain refilled him, like something concrete, ice-cold, and alien. His serenity gone, Rafe curled into a ball over his knees, and silently cried out, his body racked in shudders.
Fuck, he’d never survive tomorrow.
Chapter Six
“I’M CONFIDENT we can come to an equitable arrangement on the mate price,” Daniel King said, seated straight-back at the head of the dining table that served as a conference table too.
“What do you mean by… mate price?” Isaiah asked, irked, his grayish eyes flashing as he readjusted his stance on his stool, clearly edging for a fight.
“What happened to the wolfie woman from last night?” Kris interjected quickly to prevent a scene—or a brawl against lycans—that Isaiah had zero chance of winning.
Gabriel, the eldest brother, darker and beefier than Rafe, leaned forward to say in a low rumbling voice, “The sheriff’s men took her to the hospital. She was badly injured. Once she’s out of the woods, she’ll land in jail. She’s being charged with trespassing, assault with a deadly weapon, and attempted murder. But since she’s clearly off her rocker, she’s probably going to spend the entirety of her sentence confined to a straitjacket.” Glancing hesitantly at his father, he continued. “She did threaten to go to the press about the King family if she wasn’t allowed to mate with one of us brothers. But since she’s so evidently insane, it’s just an idle, meaningless threat. There is no risk—for you, Kris, or for us. So cast aside your fears.”
“Okay, now that that is settled…,” Isaiah said into the pause, fierce and determined. “What the hell does mate price mean?”
“Your family is giving Kris away,” Daniel King replied coolly, as apparently was his habit and personality, unwavering like a rock. “That is the nature of an arranged marriage. Only it is neither Kris nor Rafe, or either of our families, making the choice of mating, but greater forces.”
“There is an engagement period,” Gabriel cut in, conciliatory.
Isaiah shook his head. “But they’ve already had sex, so doesn’t that mean that they’re already an item?” Wishing to possess the ability to sink into the ground, Kris slid down in his chair, embarrassed that the whole household seemed to be privy to his intimacy with Rafe last night. It wasn’t that he was ashamed that people knew, but he did care because it was supposed to be private and no one else’s business. Yes, this mating—this arranged-by-the-universe bonding—did involve other people too, but still…. Ultimately it was about Kris and Rafe, just the two of them—and everyone else could go jump off a bridge, for all he cared.
“Yes,” Daniel King confirmed with a curt nod. “Technically, if their relationship has been consummated and a claiming has occurred through biting, then the mating cannot be undone.” Turning to Kris, he resumed. “You’re an educated young man with scholarly pursuits. I’m sure you have done your research concerning mate price.”
“Yes, sir,” Kris responded.
Speaking to Isaiah and to Kris’s parents, Daniel explained shortly, “Mate price is intended for the immediate family of the person being given away as a mate to someone from the Unseen world. It’s especially customary for us lycans, who mate for life. We will negotiate a proper amount, money, land, whatever, to be paid by the groom’s family—us—to you, so that—”
“Whoa, back up, buddy,” Isaiah called out, steaming mad, putting both his hands up in a furious mannerism, and his tone rose to an alarming high. “Kris is not the woman.”
“No one is saying that,” Gabriel said with a practiced mediation approach. “It’s just traditional wording concerning a role that was initially and historically assigned to a woman but that no longer applies—”
“But Kris would still have to come live with you—permanently,” Isaiah said, and his eyes flashed a look over at Kris, who felt clearly the sadness of being separated from his family being shared by Isaiah too. “I mean that’s the whole point of the mate price, isn’t it? It’s a monetary compensation for Kris—without you even knowing him. Are we just supposed to tag a price on my brother’s value to us? Forget about this sounding like an arranged marriage—this is more like slave trade.”
“So what if it is—if you get what you want out of it?”
Rafe’s harsh words were met with an astounding silence, and Kris felt like he’d been sucker punched as he stared at the cold, stony gaze of his mate aimed at his brother, remembering how kind and warm those hazel eyes could be.
When the shock waned, however, in a flash he got the gist of his mate’s intentions, and with his head held high, he simply stated, “Fine. I’ll agree to any mate price negotiated in good faith. Looks like you’ve got yourself a mate… mate.” Everyone was stunned by his declaration, and when he saw the frightened look on Rafe’s face, Kris knew he’d been right about his assumption about his mate’s motives and sudden change of heart.
“Well, I don’t want you anymore—” Rafe started roughly, but Kris interrupted him impassively but steadfastly.
“Well, tough. I’m claiming you, my mate—and you don’t have a say about it.” Lifting his chin stubbornly, he stared his mate down. “Besides, unless you’ve completely forgotten or put it out of your mind, we have already mated.” Looking at Daniel King, whose surprise had subsided, Kris smiled congenially. “Sir, I should inform you that I spent the better part of the morning googling on your library computer, and there’re bachelor’s and master’s degrees programs available in both theoretical and applied mythology at the University of Wyoming in Laramie.” Yes, he’d remade his plans, and had surprised himself at how little he cared about the loss of all those earlier designs that now seemed like a faraway dream of something unfinished and not thought through. They had been a child’s aspirations. In just a few days, Kris had grown up—along with his dreams.
“U-Dub? My wife’s old alma mater,” Daniel King said with a smile that told Kris that the man was on the same page with him and understood exactly where he was going with this. It felt good to have a like-minded ally.
“I checked, and the car drive over there from the ranch here is only about two to two and a half hours, so it shouldn’t be too long a trip to make every so often.” As Daniel encouraged him to go on with a nod, Kris smiled. “I’ve already sent in my application.”
“Well, I’m sure you will get in, son,” Daniel said approvingly. “I’m sure I haven’t jinxed it for you even if I do say so this early on.”
“I’m sure you won’t… Pa,” Kris replied softly.
A chair was sent backward, clattering on the floor as Rafe stood up fast, and his face was like a storm cloud. “Can I see you in private?” he growled between his gritted teeth, his furious glare directed at Kris, who stared back with his blue eyes and sat in place cool as cucumber. No, he wasn’t about to let his mate do this to him—to them.
“Sure.” And he got up.
WANTING very badly to punch something or someone, Rafe paced his bedroom up and down, glancing at his mate, who stood in front of him, just waiting for him to speak first. Admittedly, Rafe was scared he might physically hurt Kris to get him to understand his position and his point of view—so he kept walking in a small circle and counted to twenty, and then to fifty. Having just about reached one hundred, he stopped, trying to breathe instead of sobbing or shouting.
“I thought you never wanted to—”
“I never said never. I was just unsure, and I do want to now.”
“But you had your whole life and your future all planned out—”
“Plans change. Just like life. It’s fluid, and I simply readjusted my goals.”
“So you don’t care that a social custom equates you with money to your family—”
“The actual mate price is yet to be determined.”
“You don’t mind being just a piece of merchandise—”
“Nope. Fortunately, I’m only worth top dollar to you, so no hig
her bidders out there.”
“You’d have to tie yourself to the pack, and pack land, and to the ranch, and to me—”
“Already halfway there, and with a little nudge, I’ll be in all the way.”
“What if I forbid you to leave me to go and study at—”
“Just try and tie me down, babe. That’ll be worth a chuckle or two.”
“Damn it, Kris! I don’t want you to get hurt!”
Kris sighed long and deep, and Rafe realized that that had been what his mate had been waiting for. Kris had pulled the wool over his eyes just long enough to get to him to open up and bare his innermost thoughts and fears. Yeah, his mate had totally manipulated him into emotional exposure—and for some indefinable reason that notion of his mate’s ingenuity made him so proud he was practically beaming. Damn it.
“I know you’re afraid, Rafe.” Kris stepped closer to him, nearly into his waiting arms that longed to hold his mate and never let go. “That wolfie woman scared me too. But I won’t let some crazy stranger separate me from you—or you from me.” Kris shook his head with determination. “When that horrid dweeb from the NFL first came to our house and told me about you, I was scared and angry and frustrated that I’d never get to make a single free choice again. The idea that I would be with and belong to someone I’d never met frightened me to death.” Smiling ruefully and encouragingly at once, Kris continued more softly, “We can’t live our lives in fear of what might happen, Rafe. Look, I know you’re worried, and I am too. But I won’t let fear rule my life or make my decisions for me for one moment longer. And I hope neither will you.”
“If you go off to school, I can’t protect you.”
Kris shrugged, and Rafe wanted to yell.
“So what? You have Taur security crawling up the woodwork. We’ll figure something out, babe. Don’t be so cynical and despondent.” Suddenly Kris was in his arms, embracing him with his arms wrapped around Rafe’s waist in a manner that suggested he wasn’t about to let go anytime soon, and Rafe hugged his mate back. In one move he let go of his resistance. In the beginning, he’d fought to convince Kris to stay and be his, and he sure as hell couldn’t complain now that he finally got what he wanted—no matter how frightened he was at the possibility of losing him. “I’m glad that I met you, Rafe. I didn’t expect you to walk into my life and turn everything upside down. I had such plans….”
“Love doesn’t abide by schedules, my love.” Rafe chuckled pleasantly as the full understanding of his happy-ever-after future with his mate becoming realized finally dawned on him. “Because you know, honey, what we’ve got here is love, and not just a business deal, or an arranged marriage, or a mate price contract—or steaming-hot sex. This here is true love.”
Kris chuckled happily too. “Glad you finally got that through your thick skull, you big lug.” Snuggling closer to his mate, Kris sighed contentedly. “And Rafe? I love you.”
His heart skipping a beat, Rafe tightened his hold on his mate, closing his hazel eyes with the certain knowledge he’d found what he’d sought his whole life. “I love you too, honey.”
Epilogue
“AH, THERE she is,” Rafe stated, glancing toward the front door. “Hey, April.”
The day after his and Rafe’s kiss-and-make-up, Kris and his family were finally going to meet the traveling King sister, and in expectation of that meeting, both families were gathered in the large living room of the ranch’s main house. With curiosity, Kris peered toward the front door as it opened.
From his side, Kris could suddenly hear Isaiah draw in a sharp breath as he stared at the two women walking in. June, whom they were already acquainted with, was laughing at something April had said, while April, whom they’d not yet had the pleasure of meeting, smiled warmly. She was lovely in her formal, stylish business-type work dress and small woolly jacket over it, both the color of burgundy just like her long wavy hair.
“Hot damn…,” Isaiah muttered, and the room fell silent at the impromptu declaration.
Frowning in confusion, Kris looked up at his brother, seeing how Isaiah’s grayish eyes grew wide to gawk and sort of glazed over as his jaw dropped down. From the doorway, the women came in—and all of a sudden April’s nose twitched, as if she smelled something.
Nothing else was needed for Kris to grasp in a flash what was going on.
This hunch was only confirmed when a dazed Isaiah, with a goofy lopsided grin, took a step forward—totally forgetting the couch was there, and thus falling over it flat on his face. Scampering back to his feet, cursing while doing so, he shook his confused head and asked, perplexed, “What the hell just hap—”
Stopping suddenly, like hitting a brick wall at full speed, Isaiah stared mesmerized at April, whose warm brown eyes studied the dazed man from head to toe, and the curvy smile on her full, pouty lips indicated the true state of affairs.
Isaiah was April’s mate.
Kris nearly keeled over at the prospect but felt a giddy kind of elation at the thought of his brother finding happiness in the King household too. Now if he could just convince his parents to move out to Wyoming as well….
“Well, would you look at that,” Rafe whispered in Kris’s ear while wrapping his arms around his mate from behind, cradling him in his embrace.
Kris melted into the loving hug, biting back an ironic laugh at his instantly smitten brother, who’d been the most vocal against the whole situation concerning predestined mates, arranged marriages, and mate prices. Now with April to set his sights on, Isaiah was personally going to get a taste of the flipside of things. Kris chuckled amusedly, and with a deep blissful sigh settled back more comfortably into his mate’s hold, with every intention of never leaving it.
About the Author
SUSAN LAINE was born and raised in Finland to the best mother in the world, and she told her daughter time and again that she could be and do whatever she wanted in her life. However, it took her until her thirties to find the spark for serious writing by discovering the gay erotic romance genre which is what she mainly writes today.
Her formal education revolves around anthropology, but wishing in time to become a full-time writer Susan does office work at her unfortunately necessary evil day job. When not working or writing (yes, it’s her second job), Susan enjoys hanging out with her sister and friends in movie theaters and book stores. Her other pastimes include walking, swimming, and fantasizing about sizzling hot manlove. Some of her likes are Lady Gaga, chocolate and doing the dishes (it’s relaxing), and a few dislikes are sweating hot summer days, tobacco smoke and purposeful prejudice. She hopes to one day write a historical romance novel and a murder mystery, too, but all in good time - and there will undoubtedly be a gay romantic twist.
Visit Susan’s website at
http://www.susan-laine-author.fi/
or write her an e-mail at
[email protected].
Also from SUSAN LAINE
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Also from SUSAN LAINE
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Also from DREAMSPINNER PRESS
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Copyright
The Wolfing Way ©Copyright Susan Laine, 2012
Published by
Dreamspinner Press
382 NE 191st Street #88329
Miami, FL 33179-3899, USA
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover Art by Shobana Appavu [email protected]
This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. This eBook cannot be legally loa
ned or given to others. No part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the Publisher. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press at: 382 NE 191st Street #88329, Miami, FL 33179-3899, USA
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/
Released in the United States of America
May 2012
eBook Edition
eBook ISBN: 978-1-61372-508-5
Table of Contents
Title page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Epilogue
About the Author
Also from Susan Laine
Also from Dreamspinner Press
Copyright