by M. L. Briers
~
“That would be something, right?” Mary chuckled, excited eyes turning from one to the other of her friends, but when both of the witches turned to glare at her, she stowed the smile, and the laughter, and cleared her throat. “Or that would be very bad.” She shook her head and looked suitably chastised.
“How did you guess?” Rachel demanded. She never did possess a poker face and she hated that fact.
“Are you telling us that you’re a mate to one of those…?” Nessie turned her nose up at the thought of it.
Ok, the one that was chasing her might have been super sexy and built like a Greek God from one of those museum statues, Nessie reasoned, but a mate?
Like… for life?
Forever?
Nessie shuddered at the thought as Rachel’s eyebrows danced over her eyes with the wealth of emotion that rolled through her. She folded her arms across her chest and considered her answer for a long moment.
“Well…” Rachel winced. Then she sighed. Then she held up her hand and toyed her index finger in the air… “Kind of.” She finally spat out.
“That’s like being kind of pregnant!” Nessie hissed back.
“That’s true.” Mary pointed towards Nessie with a nod of her head.
“You either are or you’re not.” Nessie eyed her…
“Well, it’s sort of up in the air at the moment…” Rachel was still mulling it over when Ned started banging on the door again like it was his own personal drum…
“Oh for the love of silence.” Mary grumbled and snapped her fingers towards the door, putting just a little magic behind her wishes…
There was a small yelp, and then a sequence of dark curses from the other side of the door as Mary raised her eyebrows at the long list of words that the man drew on, until Nessie caught her attention.
“What happened to don’t wind up the wolfmen?” Nessie hissed at her and Mary took to shrugging her shoulders.
“It was just a little prick…” She offered. “Just like getting a shot.” Mary reasoned.
“I’d shoot him, but that’s a different matter entirely.” Nessie grumbled, folding her arms, and snorting her contempt for all things shifter right then.
“Can we not?” Rachel snapped out. “What are we going to do about my possible – mate issues?”
“Ah-ha! So you are a mate!” Nessie snapped back with something akin to glee in her eyes.
Rachel took to squirming under the scrutiny of her friends as they waited for her reply.
“Yes. You knew that.” She grimaced…
“But getting you to actually admit it was a good first step, don’t you think?” Nessie grinned mischievously.
“It’s not an addition – it’s a mate!” Rachel hissed back.
“Ha! Well, this should be good!” Mary chuckled again, until Nessie shot her a glare. “What? Tell me you’ve never wanted to see a wooing up close and personal?” She demanded and Nessie shrugged.
“Meh.” She didn’t want to go commit herself either way. There was such a thing as karma, she knew it, all witches did, and she wasn’t about to place herself in Karma’s bad books…
“Hello!” Rachel waved her hands in the air to gain her friends attention. “Not helping.” She berated them.
“So we’re supposed to what…?” Nessie demanded. “A mate is a mate and you can’t mess with fate.”
“Ooo, I wished I’d said that.” Mary chuckled.
“I like the rhymes.” Nessie said in an offhand manner that caused Rachel’s jaw to drop open.
“A mate is a mate and you can’t mess with fate?” Rachel craned her neck forward as if she didn’t quite hear the words properly, even though she’d quoted the verbatim.
“Uh-huh.” Nessie nodded.
“Are you freaking kidding me?” Rachel hissed on a scowl that practically covered her eyes with her eyebrows.
“Open the damn door. I’ve got a bone to pick with you!” Ned growled and Nessie lifted her index finger up to silence Rachel while she turned her attention towards the door.
“Sorry, wrong house. We don’t have any bones here.” Nessie called back and Mary sniggered behind her.
“What happened to don’t rile up the wolves?” Mary whispered.
“She’s a mate – they’re not going to eat us.” Nessie shrugged.
“Oh, I’m glad my situation is helpful to you.” Rachel snorted.
“In this kind of situation we will take all the help that we can get.” Nessie tossed back.
“You mean with you stealing their property and trying to kill one of them?” Rachel snorted back.
“I did not try to kill him…” Nessie shook her head.
“No? You think shooting the guy from the back of a stolen truck is good for his health?” Rachel berated her.
“There were extenuating circumstances for all of that.” Nessie whined, just a little, just enough so that Rachel raised her eyebrows back at her friend with a wry smile. “Kind of.” Nessie caved.
“Ha!” Rachel bit out in victory.
“The fact remains, you’re the mate.” Nessie tossed back and Rachel’s glee deflated like an escaped balloon that hadn’t been tied off at the open end.
“Open this damn door before I kick it down.” Ned growled long and hard.
“I’m guessing he really liked his truck.” Mary bit out.
“Or his friend.” Rachel offered smugly.
“Or both.” Mary added.
“Yes, yes, yes. I’m a truck thief and a bad person.” Nessie tossed up her hands and let them drop to her sides in frustration. “But at least I’m not a mate.” She pointed a finger of accusation at Rachel.
“Like that’s my fault!” Rachel gasped in disbelief.
“I never said it-”
“You wilfully stole that truck!” Rachel berated her.
“I was being chased by-”
“And shot that poor wolf off the back.” Rachel rubbed it in.
“Poor wolf?” Nessie snapped back in disbelief. “He was chasing me!”
“Well people do that when you steal their trucks.” Rachel shot back.
“I didn’t steal his truck it was the other one!” Nessie pointed towards the front door. “Thumper.”
“Thumper!” Ned growled.
He’d been listening to the witches chatter inside. After getting stabbed by their magic; he certainly wasn’t about to beat on the front door again unless it was absolutely necessary.
Sure, he had a bone to pick with the alpha’s mate, but from what he had managed to hear – he didn’t think that the witch that had claimed to be a mate was her…
Two witches.
Two mates.
Oh, things were certainly taking a turn, and maybe not for the better.
Both of his brother’s had found mates?
That had to be a Christmas miracle if ever he’d heard one.
“Nobody’s talking to you, bark when you’re told too!” One of the witches snapped at him, and he growled long and hard as his beast took exception to her attitude.
Witches were just downright rude, and probably more trouble than a mate was worth. One thing that he knew for sure, he was glad it wasn’t him that had to woo one.
‘Don’t let them run!’ Shaun growled out, using the link between the pack to speak with his brother.
‘Oh, look who’s back in the land of the living… don’t sweat it, you’re mate isn’t going anywhere.’
‘His mate?’ Caleb bit out. ‘Two mates?’
‘Ha! I knew it. You both found witch mates. What are the odds!?’ Ned chuckled.
‘Apparently better than you’d think.’ Shaun growled back.
They claimed it was the season to be jolly – well, the hell with that! Shaun had the urge to kill someone – again. He just wasn’t sure who the hell he wanted to kill.
His body was battered and bruised. He didn’t think that his ribs were broken, but as his blood healed the damage to them they still hurt like hell.
He certainly wanted to have words with his mate – if nothing else – her driving needed to be talked about. Once he’d made her his; he would make sure the woman never got behind the wheel again. That woman was a danger to herself and everyone around her…
‘About my damn truck…’ Ned growled.
‘I almost died and you’re worried about your damn truck?’ Shaun growled back in disbelief.
‘What can I say? I like my truck better than I like you.’ Ned grinned.
‘Asshole. Just make sure they don’t go anywhere or your truck will be the least of your damn worries.’
CHAPTER TWELVE
~
Ernod didn’t like it. It was quiet. It was too quiet.
Sure, the alpha was injured, but still, the man had found his mate and he could at least have shown some kind of effort in dragging his backside towards the house, clawing the earth all the way, and breaking down the door or something more exciting than this… waiting.
Time was ticking, and he wasn’t exactly a patient man.
He wanted to win that bet. He wanted that faerie wand.
“You had better not be hatching a plan.” Lucky hissed in his ear, and the elf snapped to attention at her unexpected arrival once more at his side. He turned to look up at the beauty. She had her charms and could tempt an elf to be very, very bad should she just say the word…
“A bets a bet and magic is not allowed. Unlike you – I stick to the rules.” Ernod shrugged. He didn’t trust her as far as he could throw her.
“Oh really?” She sneered at him, narrowing her eyes on the little elf until he felt hot under the collar just from her glare. He had an Aunt that could elicit that exact same feeling of guilt from him.
“Really. But tell me, why would the witch run, and how did she just happen across the truck with the keys still in it?” He eyed her back, trying his damnedest to give her those same guilty flushes of heat.
“No idea. Just… lucky, I guess.” She grinned a sinfully wicked grin, and he wished he was a faerie… Unfortunately, fraternisations between the species was frowned upon, otherwise he might just have laid some of his charm back on her.
Against the rules or not – if she said the word…
“I think someone is cheating and I know it’s not me.” Ernod snorted.
“Well, if that’s how you feel, calling into question my faerie honour…” She turned her back on him and eyed the alpha. The man was already recovering – she needed to get her witch out of there before she succumbed to the mating pull… and that would be bad, because then she would lose her bet.
“No – no, now a wager is a wager. As for faerie honour – you mischievous little hellion –” Ernod bit out.
“Fine. A bet’s a bet.” She bit down on her disappointment.
She knew that she would need to move fast if she was going to scare the witch away from the alpha – to live… unhappily ever after and win that bet. Although, she was a little less worried about winning the bet and Ernod’s possessions, and a little more worried about losing her wand to the elf now.
Time was definitely of the essence where the mating pull was concerned. She glided off on a flutter of wings.
“Thought she’d never leave.” Ernod muttered. He had work to do if he was to ensure the win, and there was no time like the present.
~
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~
Ned stalked back to his truck and dropped the tailgate. In one high jump he was up on the metal decking, reaching down for the box on the back and flipping open the lid.
A sideways flick of his eyes, and he caught sight of the alpha dragging himself up to his feet with a hard growl of pain. He reached into the box and yanked out a folding chair.
“What the hell?” Shaun growled up at him as he slowly limped across the street.
“Just getting some provisions for the show.” Ned shrugged those broad shoulders on a chuckle and a grin, and his brother growled long and hard in annoyance.
“I told you to guard the house. Nobody in or out.” Shaun pushed himself harder, moved faster, even though the stiffness in his muscles and joints was holding him back from moving normally.
“Pinhead.” Caleb growled on a dark glare. “Why don’t you go buy yourself some beer and snacks while you’re at it?”
“Got that covered.” Ned grabbed a six pack and a few bags of snacks. In one swift, graceful movement his feet hit the ground, arms full of supplies, and he stalked back towards the house.
“Remind me to kill him once I’ve wooed my mate.” Shaun growled to Caleb, and the beta acknowledged it with a nod.
“It will be my pleasure.” Caleb assured him as they watched their younger brother stalking ahead of them and setting up his folding chair on the grass just outside the front door.
“Maybe now.” Shaun growled, taking a detour towards Ned, and the man jumped behind the chair, as if that was a barrier for his alpha to overcome.
“Now – now. You wouldn’t want to break anything else and take longer to heal.” Ned taunted him. Although he did have the good sense to put his hands up in surrender at his chest. “You have a mate to woo.”
Shaun stopped heading for Ned, and his brother eyed him as the alpha’s top lip twitched in annoyance, his eyes were locked and loaded, before he decided against it, and Ned wasn’t sure that the danger of his brother’s temper had all but gone.
Shaun turned and headed for the house, mumbling out curses as he went, and leaving Ned to chuckle as he settled his backside in the seat of the chair and reached for a bottle of beer. He flicked off the cap and brought the alpha’s glare back to him, and tempting his brother temper once more, he raised a bottle towards the man.
“Good luck.” Ned offered with a big old grin on his face that his alpha would love to have put his fist clean through.
“I’m warning you.” Shaun growled out, but he kept his feet moving towards the house.
“Taken under advisement.” Ned called back with another round of chuckles.
“His time will come, brother.” Caleb assured him and the alpha grunted.
“Not soon enough.” Shaun snapped back.
~
~
~
“Are you packed?” Rachel demanded as she pushed open the door to Nessie’s room and stopped frozen in her tracks. Surprise met horror on her face as her eyes took a quick sweep of the room. “Holy hell, Santa threw up!” She recoiled at the sight of Christmas everywhere.
“Oh shut up, it’s not like you two were ever going to see it.” Nessie grumbled.
She hated that she was going to have to leave most of the decorations behind, but there just wasn’t time – not if they were going to save Rachel from having a wolf mate.
“Whoa – wow!” Mary exclaimed as she almost run into Rachel’s back, distracted by the flashing lights, tinsel, and glittery… everything that adorned the room.
“Don’t you start!” Nessie wagged her finger at the other witch.
“Just wondering when the flights are scheduled to land…” Mary looked around in awe at just how much stuff Nessie had managed to drape, hang, and sprinkle around the room.
“How were you not covered head to toe in glitter after doing all of this?” Rachel eyed her.
“That’s what a little magic dusting down is for.” Nessie shrugged.
“Well, we have no time…” Mary waved a hand at all of the glitz.
“I know.” Nessie sighed as she gave everything a quick glance farewell. “But I’m not leaving Santa behind.” She reached up and snagged the old, worn out Santa topper from the tree.
“How do we do this?” Rachel asked.
“Distraction tactics.” Mary offered back.
“But, aren’t they blocking in the car with their trucks?” Rachel asked.
“Good point.” Nessie thought it through. Then she snapped her fingers. “We go out the back and into town, leave the car here…”
All three witches turned their heads at the sound of fists
banging against the front door again.
“Thumper!” Nessie rolled her eyes.
“How are we going to carry our bags to town?” Mary frowned.
“You’ve got those things called hands at the end of your arms…” Nessie snorted a chuckle at the sour look on Mary’s face. “Light as a feather floats in the air ring any Christmas bells?” Nessie grinned.
“Ooo, good spell.” Rachel looked enthusiastically impressed.
“Are you sure, Rach?” Nessie asked, and Rachel frowned, not understanding. “About your mate…?”
“Your… one true love.” Mary cautioned and Rachel snorted her contempt for that idea.
“Yes I’m sure. He’s a wolf shifter that lives in the middle of nowhere. What would I do out here?” Rachel waved a hand about her as if that made everything clearer.
“Have lots of sex and make cute little ankle biter pups.” Mary offered back and Rachel’s head snapped around on her neck as she glared at her friend.
“That’s not even close to being funny.” Rachel grumbled.
“It wasn’t supposed to be funny.” Mary shrugged back.
“Good. Because it wasn’t. If you ever say anything like that again I will spell you to bite your own tongue.” Rachel scowled.
“Got it.” Mary shrugged again. Rachel grumbled. “No mentioning shifter sex with a hot, hard body of your mate, and definitely no mention of pups, lots, and lots, and lots of…” Rachel snapped her fingers and Mary let out a yelp of pain. “I hate you.” She hissed, rubbing her sore tongue against the back of her teeth.
“Mutual.” Rachel scowled back.
“Can we just go and do the whole angst and recriminations afterwards?” Nessie offered.
Now that Rachel had made up her mind she didn’t want to stay around there longer than was necessary now that she knew that there were shifters nearby… nearby, ha!
They were the wolves at the door, literally.
~
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~
“What are you doing?” Caleb balked at the sight of the alpha unsheathing his claws… Shaun looked at his razor sharp claws and then back to the beta.
“I thought I hit my damn head, not you.” He growled.