The Mating Challenge

by Bonnie Vanak

  He needed to address her needs or she’d fly away like her birds.

  “Fine, pixie. I’ll pay attention.” He plucked the useless birdhouse from her lap and set it on a nearby table. “Right now I’m paying attention to the fact that you’re half starved. You need dinner.”

  Niki looked guilty for a minute. “It is a nice birdhouse. Maybe another bird would like it.”

  “I have something else I know you’ll like. For now, dinner.”

  At her protest, he put a finger to her lips, shuddering inside at the contact. Her mouth was warm silk. He longed to kiss her again.

  “Hush. Stay here. Darius is rustling up a real feast to celebrate. I’ll bring you a plate.”

  She didn’t protest and that alarmed him. Niki must be hungry and exhausted if she allowed him to feed her. She had too much pride.

  A few minutes later, he returned carrying a tray filled with silverware, plates, two cans of iced tea and a platter piled with thick sausage, four rare steaks, and hamburgers. He set the platter on the patio table. Niki joined him, pulling out a seat, her eyes huge at the sight of all the food. Hell, he could almost see her salivating.

  It killed him to know she’d been going hungry. For how long?

  Aiden cut into a steak and sat beside her. He forked a piece and held it to her mouth. Niki shook her head.

  Aiden brought the fork to her mouth, rubbing the steak against her lips.

  “Eat for me, sweetheart.”

  Niki pressed her lips together.

  “It’s really good. I bought this steak with my own two hands. Slaved over the selection all day in the supermarket.”

  As she laughed, he popped the morsel inside her mouth. Aiden placed the piece just inside her lips. She flicked her tongue daintily over the steak, then closed her lips over the fork tines. As she chewed and swallowed, he gazed into her face with a primitive male hunger greater than his need for beef.

  He fed her a few more slices of steak, instinct warning she had trouble shifting due to lack of fresh meat. After the fourth bite, she pushed his hand away. “I can feed myself, Mitchell.”

  But he felt a certain satisfaction, knowing she’d taken food from his hand. It was a traditional female acceptance of the alpha male’s role in providing for her needs. Aiden wondered if Niki knew this.

  Doubtful. If she had, she’d probably have taken the fork and stabbed him with it. Niki was not traditional in any sense. However, she was determined to play by the rules with the Mating Challenge.

  Did she know the tradition for an alpha female to accept the male’s role in caring for her sexual needs? Aiden’s groin tightened as he thought of tomorrow night’s ceremony. Oh yeah, he was most looking forward to fulfilling that need.

  Aiden placed a thick hamburger on her plate. “Here. Try this. My specialty.”

  She poked it with a finger as if it were a roach. “What is it?”

  “Rare hamburger, slathered with caramelized onions, Brie and bacon.”

  He could see her struggle with admitting her hunger. Finally Niki picked up the hamburger and bit into it. “OMG, I think I’ve died and gone to the afterworld.”

  “Not yet, sweetheart. I’m saving that for tomorrow night when we have sex.”

  He laughed as she rolled her eyes. Niki kept eating, making little sounds of pleasure. Satisfaction filled him. He liked seeing his woman happy and eating. He’d take good care of her. Very good care.

  Aiden picked up another hamburger, bit into it with a sigh. Delicious. He popped open the tea, offering her a can.

  Nia shook her head. “I don’t drink iced tea.”

  She went into the dining hall and returned with a bottle of water. For a while they sat eating, watching the glowing sun slowly set behind the mountains, streaking the skies with pink light. Finally she pushed back her plate. “Thanks, Mitchell. Nice feast.”

  “I aim to please.”

  She cast him a sideways glance from those incredibly blue eyes. “Your men?”

  “They’re staying.”

  Anger touched her expression. “Send them home.”

  “No.” He leaned forward, knowing this would be the first contest of wills as mates, but far from the last. “I want them here to look after your pack. Patrolling the grounds. I will not leave your females here unprotected, not with those damn gnomes roving the forest.”

  She glanced away, but not before he saw guilt shadowing her expression. “Fine. They can sleep in the cowboy’s bunk house.”

  “Because you have no cowboys left to sleep there,” he said softly.

  Niki whirled toward him. As she started to protest, he held up a hand. “Don’t lie, Blakemore. No males. Not a single one, except a few boys who look prepubescent. What happened to your men?”

  Cupping her face with one strong hand, he turned her to meet his penetrating gaze. “How long ago did they leave?”

  He could almost see her mind working. “They didn’t leave. They died.”

  “From what? Those gnomes?”

  “You can’t stay here, Aiden,” she whispered and he heard a note of desperation in her silky voice. “I’ll come to your ranch tomorrow and we’ll hold the ceremony there beneath the full moon. I’ll bring everyone, but you can’t stay here, and your men can’t, either.”

  Seeing the lines of strain on her face, the panic flaring in her eyes, he leaned his forehead against hers. “I will not leave you unprotected. And you know the rules. I cannot return to my pack and my territory without making you my mate in the flesh.”

  Not to mention his suspicion that Niki might bolt before he had the chance to do so. He didn’t know what was happening at the Blakemore Ranch, but would find out.

  Tomorrow. She was exhausted and needed sleep.

  She fished her cell phone from her leather pants and called her beta, telling her to arrange sleeping quarters for Aiden’s men, then thumbed off the phone.

  “You can bunk down in the guest bedroom.”

  “You don’t want me to share your bed?” He gazed at her, feathering his thumb across her plump lower lip, letting her see the intent behind the gesture. Gods, he wanted this female badly. Wanted to ravish her with slow, soft kisses, and strip away that layer of pride to find the woman beneath…keep her close to his side to rule…

  As equals? Aiden shook his head free of the idea. He was naturally stronger and his instinct to protect ran deep. Pack needed strong, fearless leadership and one leader, not two. His authority was final. Niki would be his helpmate, and he’d need her advice to help integrate their two packs.

  But rule at his side? Never.

  “I need one last night alone.” She bit her lip and he sensed her prideful struggle. “Please.”

  Aiden stood, silently resolving to find out what the hell was going on. “All right. But I’m putting my men on patrol. Fair warning, Niki.”

  He brushed a kiss against her forehead. “Tomorrow, when you’re rested, we’ll talk.”

  She eyed the leftover food. “Do you mind if I take that?”

  Such a hesitant request. Aiden’s heart turned over as he realized how much it took for her to ask. “You’d do me a favor if you did. I hate wasting food.”

  Throat tight with emotion, he stood and went into the kitchen to wrap everything. How long had she been living like this? Half starved, too proud and alpha to ask for help?

  Never again, he silently vowed. If he had to beg, borrow or steal, he’d make sure she was well cared for.

  Two hours later, a covered tray of food in her palms, Nia went to her cabin near the main lodge. She had a quick meeting with Roxanne and Mandy, instructing them to search for the chest when they could do so undetected. Nia knew she’d be too busy distracting Aiden Mitchell.

  As she approached her cabin, four wolves prowled up the path leading from the pond to the lodge, their scent unfamiliar.

  Aiden’s men.

  She waited until they passed. It would be almost impossible for her aunt and beta to search for Pandora’
s Chest tonight, with Mitchell’s wolves on patrol.

  She started for the walkway leading to the basement under her cabin. No one ever ventured here from fear of offending the alpha. This was her private quarters. A truck door slammed nearby. Nia stopped, her heart pounding.

  Darius came toward her with his mate, carrying a box.

  “Hi!” Samantha shifted the plastic bags in her hand and waved. “We were told to bring these to your cabin.”

  Nia’s mouth went dry. “Sure, come inside.”

  She walked up the back steps, opened the door and stepped aside as Darius carried the big cardboard box. Samantha followed.

  “Where’s your kitchen?” he asked.

  She led the way and the couple set the items down on her dining table. Darius opened the refrigerator and freezer and began stowing the items.

  Groceries.

  Nia set down the tray of leftovers, wishing the food wouldn’t go cold. But Niki had cold food before. It was when her twin didn’t have any food that she worried.

  Samantha glanced at her and her smile was kind. “Aiden wanted to make sure your cabin was stocked. He’s a big eater.”

  How kind. She knew Samantha was trying to ease her humiliation, for certainly the woman had seen how bare the cupboards were. Then Darius removed a big box of cereal. Pride forgotten, she took it from him.

  “Chocolate puffs!”

  He gave a crooked grin and she saw why Samantha was smitten. “Aiden’s special request for you.”

  Mouth watering, she looked at the bags. Dare she hope…

  Samantha withdrew a gallon of milk. “Of course we got milk. What good is cereal without the milk?”

  “It tastes great without it,” she admitted.

  Samantha winked at her. “I know. Sometimes I love eating cereal straight out of the box, too.”

  When they finished unpacking, she shyly thanked them, wishing she could make friends. It was far too dangerous, no matter how nice the couple was. The last thing she wished for Samantha was for Darius to fall ill and die. Best they head back to their own home, where Darius would be safe.

  Nia waited until their truck pulled away. Then she took the tray, added the box of cereal and the milk, and raced down the hill to the basement door.

  Using the key beneath the cracked flower pot in the dead garden, she unlocked the front door and went inside.

  The basement had been fashioned into an apartment, complete with a kitchenette, full bath, living quarters, and a bedroom. There was even a lab where Niki worked, experimenting to try to find a cure for the disease. No windows, though. Nia shuddered. Her twin was strong to tolerate the lack of sunshine. All Lupines craved the outdoors.

  What little fresh meat Nia had managed to scrounge up, she gave to her twin. Niki needed her strength. And she needed to run as wolf at night, the only freedom she truly could enjoy.

  Nikita sat at the living room desk, absorbed in reading the ancient texts. She bent over a thick book, the green banker’s lamp casting a glow upon the ancient parchment. Her twin glanced up from the desk as Nia set the table. “You eat. I’m not hungry.”

  “Liar. I already ate. Mitchell’s men brought enough food to feed all of Montana. Want me to warm it up?”

  Niki shook her head, her nostrils flaring. Nia watched her twin sit at the kitchen table and devour the cold steak. Her stomach tightened at her sister’s obvious hunger.

  Nia went to the refrigerator and fished out a can of iced tea, popped the lid and set it on the table. Niki loved iced tea, one thing she did not share in common with her twin.

  Worry filled her as she sat at the table, chin on her arms, watching her twin eat. She was too damn thin. Nia had sold everything to pay for food, but it wasn’t enough to provide for the pack.

  When Niki finally finished, Nia dug out two bowls, filled them with chocolate cereal and milk. The twins sat on the living room carpet with happy sighs.

  “Remember when Dad used to buy this for us? And we’d eat out of the same bowl in bed while watching TV and he’d scold us for getting cereal between the sheets?” Niki crunched a mouthful of cereal.

  “And Rick and Don would grab the box and try to hide it from us, and then pelt us with cereal, until we threatened to show Dad where they hid all their porn.”

  Niki giggled. “Remember how pale they got? They were so scared.”

  Emotion tightened Nia’s throat. She set down the half empty bowl, her appetite diminished. Gone were the days of their little family, secure and hidden in their cabin, their older brothers fiercely protective of the girls and hiding the fact there were two. Oh how she longed for those innocent, carefree times when she could share things with her twin.

  Share cereal, share clothing.

  Share time.

  All that’s going away, she thought, tears pushing behind her eyelids. I’m losing her. All these years I’ve fought to keep her, and now because of the Mating Challenge, I can’t spend much time with her anymore.

  “How is your research?” Nia asked.

  Her twin’s expression shuttered for a moment. “I hit upon something that will guarantee a cure.”

  Her heart raced with excitement. “Niki! You sure? When?”

  “Soon. I need to run more tests to be certain. I need time, Nia.” Her twin looked at her, her gaze filled with determination. “Give me a little more time. I have to focus.”

  “I’ll give you all the time you need.”

  “Keep Mitchell occupied, and everyone busy and distracted. That’s all I ask. A week, perhaps.”

  Worry needled her. She hated deceiving Aiden. What would happen when the alpha found out the truth?

  He’d be furious. I’ll deal with it later. “Okay.”

  Niki pointed at Nia’s bowl with her spoon. “You finished?”

  “You eat it. I’m getting ready for bed.”

  Nia stood and gave her twin a critical look. “I know you’re bored and cooped up here, sweetie. I don’t think it’s a good idea to run in the woods anymore at night.”

  “I’ll be careful. I’m fast, and no one will see me.”

  Nia sighed. She worried about her twin getting caught, but couldn’t deny her only pleasure.

  After Nia finished in the bathroom, she climbed into the queen bed in green and pink polka dotted pajamas. Niki joined her a few minutes later, wearing a similar pair, only hers had pink pigs on them instead of polka dots.

  She curled up on her side and her twin slid her arms around her waist, snuggling against her. They had slept like this in the womb, after their birth, and as infants.

  When their parents separated them to keep Niki’s existence hidden from the Silver Wizard, and Nia was alone in her crib, she’d cried for hours until falling asleep. Every once in a while, the twins shared a bed and held each other for comfort.

  After tonight, she could never sleep with her twin again.

  A tear trickled from the corner of her eye. Niki kissed her shoulder. “It’s going to be okay, Nia. Everything’s going to work out just fine.”

  She closed her eyes, wishing she could share her twin’s optimism.

  Late that night, Aiden went for a run as wolf. The moon hung like a silver nickel in the sky. He headed for the pond and the circle of stones where ashes of old bonfires still lay scattered on the grounds.

  Something was wrong on this land, and he needed to find out what. His wolf sniffed around the pond, but could only detect very faint scents of game, indicating the smells were perhaps weeks old.

  Aiden sat on his haunches, panting, looking at the moon.

  A gray timber wolf emerged from the woods beyond the pond. He caught a tendril of scent and his nostrils twitched. Niki. He wagged his tail, giving a big wolfish grin. They couldn’t have sex until after the formal mating ceremony, but the rules said nothing about getting frisky.

  And his wolf howled to get frisky with her.

  Seeing him, the wolf raced past the pond, gaining the pathway leading up to the lodge. Eager for the
chase, he followed.

  The wolf bolted toward the lodge, and vanished behind a clump of bushes.

  Slowing, he watched a woman emerge from the bushes. She waved a hand and clothed herself in sweatpants and a T-shirt and ran up the lodge steps leading to the dining room.

  Intrigued, he shifted back to Skin, conjured clothing and then followed her into the kitchen.

  Niki stood at the sink, her gaze wide. She looked like a cornered rabbit.

  Aiden hung back, getting a whiff of her fear. He didn’t want to scare her. Why was she so frightened?

  “I like to run at night,” he told her. “It’s peaceful. Quiet.”

  “I like to run at night sometimes,” she admitted.

  “Good to know you’re back to form and can shift.” He headed for the refrigerator and she watched him with a wary look.

  “Drink?” he asked, opening the refrigerator. “I’m thirsty after that run. Thought I’d grab some iced tea. Want some water?”

  “I’ll take an iced tea. Love it.”

  He stared at her. How could she not like tea one day and then change her mind? He looked at her again.

  There was only one can left. He grabbed it, popped the lid and rolled it over his forehead. “Nice and cold. We can share.”

  He’d stared at her mouth, thinking of consummating their bond. He’d thrust deep and hard inside her. Every inch of her soft skin he would know, every nuance…

  “That’s okay. You take it.”

  Aiden gulped down a long draught, then handed her the can. Niki shook her head.

  Irritated, he shook the can a little. “Go on. I don’t have dog germs. Hell, we’ve shared more with the kisses I’ve given you. And we’re going to share a lot more, sweetheart, on our mating night.”

  With a shaking hand, she took it and sipped. Then blood drained from her face. Niki’s mouth wobbled. She set the can down upon the counter, and ran for the sink and threw up.