by M. L. Briers
“Okay, when you put it like that…” She rolled her eyes to the ceiling and considered his words.
“That’s not just me. That’s how the whole pack sees you. Strong. Kickass…”
“Kickass…?” She liked that.
“Very,” Finley said as he dropped his arms to his sides and started toward her. “That’s how I see you. You just earned the respect of the whole pack. My mate the kickass witch.”
It was a day of going from one extreme to another. Emotionally, she had been on a rollercoaster ride since the moment that she’d met him.
In the shower; she’d been cursing herself, berating herself for being so weak, and now here he was telling her just how strong she was. She guessed that life was so much different inside a pack.
Finley wasn’t the man that she thought he was. She had to wonder if being his mate would be the curse that she believed it to be a few hours earlier.
“I am a kickass witch,” she said tilting her chin up slightly and meeting his gaze when he stopped in front of her.
“Yes, you are.” Finley grinned. “And you’re mine.”
That sounded like pride in his voice. Casey had never been prone to tears, but she did feel the prick of them behind her eyes.
“I’m still thinking about that, Fin,” she said.
There was a part of her mind, maybe even her soul that had already settled the debate. She just needed a little more time.
“I know. I can wait as long as it takes for you.” Finley said, and those words alone were enough to make her throw herself at him – literally.
To say that Finley was surprised was an understatement. He barely had time to react and catch his mate, but he did it.
He swept her up into his arms and brought his lips down on hers a heartbeat later.
Mine…
~
~
~
“Oh look, she’s wearing my top!” One of the pack said with pride as Jodie started across the crowded room towards Steph.
That statement wrong-footed her, and she managed to elbow one of the big, male shifters in the back, and she grimaced as he turned and looked down at her.
“You’re a big one. My bad, sorry,” Jodie rushed out.
She’d decided that it was better to try and start off on the right foot — not that she didn’t have two left feet — with the people that were there than immediately get all defensive. But he was big, and kind of mean looking.
“Not a problem,” he offered along with a big beaming smile that made Jodie pull her head back in surprise and wonder if somebody had told them that she was on the menu.
“Cool,” she rushed out and then rushed off.
She practically bowled her sister over as she crashed into her, but that was only because she was looking back over her shoulder at the big shifter who was still grinning.
Steph nudged her back away from her, but she hardly noticed. Then she turned to her sister, leaned in, and whispered.
“Does this feel like the Twilight Zone to you? Because it kind of feels twilight-y to me — and when I say twilight-y — I don’t mean shiny vampires,” she rushed out on a hiss that sounded decidedly paranoid.
“I think it’s you.”
“What’s me?” Jodie asked in surprise.
“The Twilight feeling,” Steph said.
“It’s definitely you,” Nicholas offered as he leaned in and made Jodie pull her head back in surprise again.
“Ew, vampire,” she turned her nose up at him.
“Well, you did mention twilight — be careful what you witch for,” Nicholas grinned from ear to ear.
“Are you shiny?” Jodie demanded as she narrowed her eyes at him and he gave her a curious look.
“I don’t think so.” He offered back as if she were a child.
“Then bug out!” She hissed.
“You know, the pack thinks you’re nice — it’s a shame that they’re only going to be disappointed.” Nicholas offered back before he raised his chin and strolled away from her.
“He has a point,” Steph said.
“I can be nice,” Jodie frowned.
“Usually when you want something,” Steph said back.
“Not…” Jodie rolled her eyes and thought about it. “Always, and where is Casey?”
“I don’t think she’s come down yet,” Steph shrugged.
“She’s with Finley,” Turner said as he leaned in from behind her and his presence caused her body to mutiny against her brain. She really wanted to not like the feel of his closeness so much.
“Interesting,” she offered.
“Just like you’re with me,” Turner said.
“Not by choice,” Jodie rushed out, and Steph had to smile. She knew when her sister was deflecting, and right then, she was deflecting.
“Claws out,” Steph said, and Jodie snatched a look around her.
“Who?” She asked.
“You,” Steph chuckled back.
“Me?” Jodie looked at her as if she’d grown another head.
“Didn’t you just say you could be nice?” Steph pointed out.
“Not to him!” Jodie shrugged just one shoulder, and Steph couldn’t help but chuckle again.
“To the man that is about to feed you?” Turner said as he wafted a plate with a thick wedge of chocolate cake under her nose. Jodie perked right up as her eyes lit with glee.
“That’s — different,” Jodie practically purred.
“See,” Steph chuckled. “Nice when you want something.”
“Oh, shut up!” Jodie hissed at her sister. “I don’t see you with your mate.” She reached out and snagged the plate. She turned her head to thank him and was met with a big wolfish grin. She frowned. “Down boy.”
“Too late – it’s already up,” Turner chuckled.
“And this is where I walk away,” Steph said, but Jodie’s hand snapped around her arm with a death grip.
“Have some cake,” Jodie bit out with a warning glare for her sister.
“Oh, you share cake now?” Steph gave her a knowing smile. Her sister grimaced as she debated that question. “Thought not!”
Steph allowed her magic to flow through her and sting her sister’s hand, and Jodie yanked her hand away on a grasp.
“I don’t believe you did that!” Jodie hissed.
“Eat your cake and be nice to people,” Steph grinned as she strolled away.
Jodie grumbled to herself as she picked up the fork and stabbed at the moist sponge. She shot a sideways glance at her mate and groaned inwardly at her sister’s betrayal.
“Don’t worry, I don’t bite – in front of company,” Turner leaned in and whispered, and Jodie almost choked on the cake that she was chewing.
Oh, how she hated her sister at that moment in time. She hoped that Steph got her own big dose of what she liked to call bitchy-fer-karma. It would serve her right.
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
~
“You know you are going to mate with me.” Kit sounded so self-assured that Steph had the urge to burst his bubble, but for some reason, she just couldn’t bring herself to do it.
“Talk to me again when my sisters are both mated,” she offered back. It was the best that she could do to deflect the alpha’s words.
“I know my brothers are idiots — but still…” He left it there.
In his mind, it was a foregone conclusion. Not that his brothers would be able to woo their mates, maybe not, but he could see in her eyes that she had no intention of walking away from him.
“You say idiots, and yet, Turner gave his mate chocolate cake,” Nicholas said as he strolled on by the alpha.
Kit’s whole body snapped to attention. His eyes scanned the crowd until he found Jodie who looked more than a little satisfied as she practically licked the plate clean.
“Don’t go anywhere,” Kit rushed out to his mate before he took off across the room on fast feet, grunting and grumbling loud enough to make the crowd part for him.
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Steph watched him go in confusion. She knew the vampire had said something, but she didn’t know what.
She tried to follow the alpha’s path across the room, but the crowd closed behind him. A moment later and he was at her side once again, coming from a different angle, and she rallied back a little from him as he shoved a plate under her nose.
“Chocolate cake!” Kit announced.
“I can see that,” Steph looked amused.
“You like chocolate cake,” Kit informed her as if she didn’t already know that.
“I like chocolate cake.” She nodded as a smile touched her lips.
“Then you should eat it.” He pushed it at her again, and she lifted her hands to take it before it ended up down the front of her. “Do you want more?” Kit demanded.
“I haven’t even eaten this piece yet,” she chuckled.
“Yes, but we’re shifters. You have to get it while you can.”
“I’ll remember that.” She chuckled again.
“So…” He leaned in and looked smug. “You are staying then?”
“Do you open Christmas presents on Christmas Eve as well?” She chuckled.
“Christmas — we don’t do Christmas,” Kit shook his head.
“Oh.” She tried to look as downcast as possible.
“What does that mean?” Kit demanded.
“Not doing Christmas — that’s sort of a dealbreaker.” She gave him an apologetic look. Kit’s eyes practically swiveled within his head.
“But that doesn’t mean that we can’t — do Christmas — whatever that means,” he rushed out.
“With sparkly, twinkly lights, a tinsel-filled seven-foot pine tree with glittery baubles, a sprinkling of fairy dust — and, let’s not forget the most important thing — those big inflatable figures on the roof of Santa and Rudolf and a sleigh – waving?” She offered him big wide-eyed enthusiasm and watched as the man practically turned green.
“O-okay,” he had to swallow that word down hard.
“Just kidding.” She chuckled with so much mischief filling her eyes that he almost choked on his tongue with relief.
“Oh, thank God!” He growled.
“God? I don’t think I could ever be with somebody religious…”
“I’m not…” He stopped, narrowed his eyes at her, and then grumbled a low growl.
“Gotcha!” She grinned from ear to ear.
Kit opened his mouth to speak but the sound of a mating howl shook the house and its contents, and his mouth stayed open, but no sound came out. The instant that the howling stopped, chatter went up around the room.
Kit slowly turned his attention back towards his mate. Steph had a frown lodged firmly on her face.
“One sister down…” He leaned in and practically brushed his lips against her ear. “One sister to go.”
It was Steph’s turn to swallow down hard. She hadn’t expected her words to come back to haunt her so quickly.
“W-which sister?” Steph managed to ask as her eyes scanned the room for Jodie, but her voice didn’t sound half as self-assured as it had before.
“Casey.”
The clock was ticking.
If the alpha had said, Jodie, then Steph knew that she had a little more time, but Casey mating first and Jodie practically being a sure bet to mate with Turner had pushed that timeline forward a lot.
“Eat the cake, Steph — I think you’re going to need the energy,” Kit chuckled.
~
~
~
“Keep your distance and don’t get any ideas,” Jodie eyed her mate.
“Oh, I have plenty of ideas,” Turner offered her a wolfish grin.
“I doubt that very much,” Jodie snorted her contempt for him.
“Would you like me to be more explicit?” Turner asked as he leaned his arm against the wall beside her head and leaned in towards her.
“I have the urge to zap you right now,” Jodie warned.
“I have the urge to throw you over my shoulder, carry you upstairs, and make you my mate,” he growled back.
Jodie’s mouth felt dry, while other parts felt exceedingly damp at the thought of that, and her pulse rate had soared. She knew that he could hear her heart beating, the damn thing was running for the finishing line, and she hated that man had such big wolfy ears.
The image that his words had painted within her mind was pinging back and forth, and she wanted to groan but didn’t want to give herself away. She hated the fact that she was so damn tempted to take him up on his offer.
“Well, she didn’t say no,” Suzie chuckled as she strolled by the mates.
Jodie lifted her hand and went to speak to his mother, but the woman kept walking.
“She’s right — you didn’t say no,” Turner chuckled.
Jodie slowly turned that finger on her mate. Her lips were moving as she tried to formulate an answer for him.
“Look at that,” Nicholas announced from somewhere behind Turner. “A speechless witch. I never thought I’d live to see the day.”
“You might not live to see the sunrise,” Jodie bit back. She’d certainly found words for the vampire.
“Oh, temper – temper,” Nicholas chuckled.
“And still you haven’t said no,” Turner said and brought her full attention back to him.
“I haven’t bloody well said yes either,” she scowled at him.
“True. But I’m a glass half full type of guy,” he grinned.
“I don’t like that about you,” Jodie offered back.
“Perhaps you should give it a go and see what happens,” Suzie said as she walked back the other way.
“I’ll tell you what happens…” Jodie started, but a moment later she shrieked as she hung down her mate’s back.
“It’s always better to show not tell,” Nicholas offered as his face appeared in front of the witch.
Jodie had already drawn upon her magic — so she zapped the vampire just for the fun of it. She might have gone a little overboard, been a little zealous in her actions, as the vampire’s body stiffened like rigor mortis had set in, and he dropped to the floor at Turner’s feet.
Turner’s head snapped down, and his eyes took in the sight of Nicolas as stiff as a board. The vampire’s mouth was half open, his eyes were staring, and the long groan emanated from somewhere deep within his throat.
“I bet you’re regretting your words right about now,” Turner chuckled before he stepped over the man and the crowd parted to let him through.
“Put me down!” Jodie hissed out as she pushed up from his back and tried to wiggle off of his shoulder.
“I will — just not yet,” Turner chuckled.
“You will suffer the same fate as the vampire,” Jodie hissed.
“Sweetheart, there’s already a part of me that’s nice and hard,” Turner’s deep chuckle’s annoyed her so.
But what could she do?
If she zapped the man now, then she’d go down with him. Talk about cutting your nose off to spite your face — she was probably going to splat her nose all over her face if she tried anything.
“I’m warning you…”
“I’ll take it under advisement and get back to you in twenty years or so.” He said with glee.
Jodie gasped as he tossed her exact words from earlier back at her. The damn man even had a good memory. She hated that. She much preferred when people couldn’t quote her back to her.
“Daddy!” she caught sight of Vale on her way out of the room.
“Looking good, Jodie!” Vale said. “You’d better treat her right, son.”
“Daddy!” she hissed out.
“On my honor!” Turner growled back.
“That’s good enough for me,” Vale said, and Jodie squeaked out in annoyance.
“If you put one foot on those stairs, Mr…” She practically growled out at him.
“Stop pouting and scowling — you’ll get wrinkles,” he chuckled.
Then he started up
the staircase.
Wrinkles? Muppet! She wanted to zap someone – him.
Damn, now what?
He’s on the bloody staircase – I have to follow through with my threat, don’t I?
But I didn’t make a threat — it was just implied — oh God! It’s a long way down.
If I zap him now, I’m going down with the ship.
Maybe I should wait until he gets to the landing.
Damn it!
He’s on landing — now what?
Maybe I should wait until we get into the bedroom — a softer floor — cushioned – no, wait, that’s wood.
Oh no, the bedroom!
Maybe I should wait until he puts me down?
Maybe I shouldn’t be so bloody indecisive.
Stop procrastinating and zap him!
Just do something…
Jodie screeched as she flew through the air. Her back hit the bed, her mind went blank, and self-preservation took over.
Just as Turner was climbing onto the bed, she brought her hands up and released her magic. The beta went flying backward through the air; his arms were stretched out towards her.
She felt a rush of guilt that didn’t end when his back hit the wall, and he ended up in a heap on the floor.
Whoops!
Overkill.
Wipeout. Why do I always hear the Beach Boys in my mind when I use that word?
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
~
“Ouch!” He groaned.
Jodie grimaced. She hadn’t meant to hit him that hard.
“I warned you!” She snapped back.
“I’m just going to sit here for a moment while my broken bones heal,” he lied.
“Oh, my…” Jodie was off the bed in a heartbeat and on her knees beside him a few moments later. “Where does it hurt?”
“Why – are you going to rub it better?” He growled. “There is one place you could start.”
It took a long moment for her to catch on to what he was saying, but the hungry grin that spread over his face did sort of slap her around the back of the head to kickstart to process. She pushed back on her knees and raised an eyebrow at him.