by M. L. Briers
“Well, hold your breath…” Steph tipped her head to the side and stared at her sister. Jodie raised one eyebrow and sneered back.
“I’m not Casey — I’m not falling for that one.”
“Well then just give me a straight answer, damn it,” Steph grumbled and stomped her foot against the floor like a spoilt child.
“Okay, I feel like fate went to all that trouble to put me and Finley together,” she shrugged just one shoulder.
“That’s it? That’s your answer?” Steph demanded.
“Yes.”
“You suck!”
“Takes one to know one.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
~
“Any thoughts?” The alpha’s deep tones rolled over her skin and Steph jumped in place.
She’d been thinking – nothing profound — but she still hadn’t expected the alpha to walk up behind her.
“Yes, you’re stealthy, and my sisters suck.”
“I’ll try to be un-stealthy, but, unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about your sisters.” Kit chuckled.
That sound was just as bad as the deep tones of his voice. It felt as if it was plucking at everything inside of her that was feminine.
Kit knew one thing and one thing only; he needed to woo her.
It sounded easy enough, in theory, considering the fact that he had fate on his side. But for the first time in his adult life, he was unsure, second-guessing himself, and trying to see through the haze of self-doubt because he couldn’t screw this one up.
Life sucked — and yet it was great.
He hated fate — and yet he welcomed it with open arms.
He wanted to head-butt the nearest tree — and at the same time take his mate into his arms and never let her go.
He was conflicted — confused — and male.
God, how he hated being male right then, but he was glad he was.
He had to wonder, considering the way that he was feeling, just how screwy this all felt for Steph. If she’d have been a she-wolf, then the chances were good that she’d accept him, job done.
But she wasn’t a she-wolf; she was a witch, and that meant that all bets were off.
“Join the damn club; there’s not much I can do about my sisters either. Do you ever get the feeling you were adopted?” Steph was mulling that one over.
She might not have liked finding out that she was a mate, but still, anyone would have thought that an asteroid was hurtling towards the planet and about to wipe humanity out by the way that Casey was reacting.
“All the damn time,” Kit answered truthfully.
When she looked at him; the light of humor was playing in her eyes. He liked that way better than the scowls that she offered him, and a whole lot better than when she tossed death glares in his direction.
Mine…
His beast was an opportunist. The moment that the alpha let his guard down the beast pushed forward.
Steph noticed the way that he tensed, the distraction that took him away from her, and she questioned it.
“What’s wrong?”
“My wolf got a little carried away with himself,” Kit said, as he slammed the cage door shut on his beast.
“Want me to help with that?” She teased, lifting her hand and allowing a spark of magic to flow between her fingers.
“Hmm, do I want to get my backside zapped? Let me think on that for a moment.” He offered her a scathing look, but she could see the amusement just under the surface.
“Are you a man or…?” She left it there.
“Beast?”
“You said it…” she chuckled.
“And what would you like me to be?”
“Oh, my Goddess, don’t you start!” She tossed up a hand and slapped her forehead.
Kit looked lost. He certainly hadn’t expected that reaction from her.
“Huh?”
“That psycho-babble doesn’t impress me, nor trip me up. If anything, it makes me want to zap you.” She grumbled on another scowl.
Kit had walked into a minefield without even knowing it was there.
“O-k-a-y,” he offered slowly, offering her a curious look.
“You know what you did.” She informed him.
“I do?”
“There you go again…” She tossed up her hand in frustration. “Were you and my sister separated at birth?”
“I damn well hope not because that would make me your brother and that’s just damn wrong!” Kit bit out.
“Yes, yes it is, but you know what I mean,” she grumbled.
“One of us does, and it sure as hell isn’t me!” Kit growled.
“Don’t you growl at me!”
“Then stop trying to confuse me.”
“I thought that was your natural state of being…”
“And here we go again!” it was Kit’s turn to toss up a hand in frustration before running it through his hair.
“Sure, it’s my fault!”
“Glad you agree!”
Steph opened her mouth to speak but changed her mind. She grunted in annoyance, zapped him, then turned on her heels and clomped away.
“Oh for the love of…” Kit growled.
He’d failed again.
~
~
~
“And then she berated the alpha and stormed off.” Tina relayed the latest to Zoe as the elder stood in the kitchen preparing dinner.
“And what about the crazy one…?” Zoe asked.
“Jodie…”
“The other crazy one,” Zoe said with a small shake of her head.
“Oh, Casey!” Tina grinned. “She’s back to walking around with her mate following on like a lost dog behind her.”
“Dog jokes?” Zoe raised her eyebrows and scolded her with just a look.
“Her words, not mine,” Tina held her hands up in surrender. “Which witch shall I follow now?”
“You chose, just be careful, and…”
“Don’t get zapped. Got it!” Tina was out of the back door to the sound of the elder’s chuckles, but those chuckles were snapped off when she heard Suzie walk into the kitchen.
“Something amusing you about those peas?” Suzie asked and watched the elder grimace.
“Nope.”
“I can’t believe you sent a pup snooping for you,” Suzie berated her.
“Well, I’m a little long in the tooth to be chasing round myself,” Zoe offered her a wry smile.
“So…?” Suzie took a long breath and sighed it back out.
“Yes?”
“You know what!” Suzie scowled. “How’s it looking on the grand-pup front?”
“Meh.”
Suzie was sorry she’d asked.
“My daughter’s aren’t breeding mares,” Vale announced from the kitchen doorway and the she-wolves snuck a look, and a grimaced at each other.
“And they say wolves have big ears,” Zoe muttered.
“And they say vampires have big…” Nicholas appeared at the open window and gave a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows to the two woman. Zoe reached out and dropped the blind. “Fangs! I was going to say fangs!”
“I never said they were breeding mares,” Suzie didn’t turn around because she knew that she looked as guilty as sin.
“Shouldn’t put words in her mouth,” Zoe berated him and shot a shrug Suzie’s way.
“I’ve got ears…” Vale said.
“Not as big as theirs,” Nicholas offered from behind the blind. Zoe reached around it and slammed the window shut. “I’ve been invited in, you know?” he called, somewhat muffled through the glass.
“Just you try it and I swear I’ll get my wolf on and bite your backside!” Zoe growled. “Pot stirring vampires, worse than damn witches…” she bit off her words when Suzie gave her a sharp jab to the ribs. “Present company and offspring not included.”
“That’s right. We have no problem with witches,” Suzie said, offering the elder a warning glare.
“Never knowingly at
e one yet,” Zoe grumbled, and Suzie rolled her eyes at the elder’s antics, but she still couldn’t hold back the chuckles.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
~
“Don’t take it personally. I just don’t believe in mates,” Casey said causing Finley to groan inwardly at her words.
Sure, wooing was supposed to be a challenge, but there were challenges, and then there was his mate. She made him want to headbutt the nearest tree until he was oblivious to everything around him.
“How am I supposed to take it? You just took a dump on my whole belief system.” He frowned back.
“We’re not back in cavemen days anymore – life expectancy used to be about twenty back then – now life is old – like eighty years. Can you really see yourself with me for that amount of time?”
“Sure.”
“Seriously?”
“Well, not right this minute because you miffed me off, but…”
“See!” She lifted her hand and pointed at him. “Imagine what I’ll be like in a year. Ten years – twenty…”
“Please stop, I’m getting a headache.”
“Ah-ha! There you go. I’ve given you a headache after we’ve known each other five minutes, imagine…”
“Don’t make me…” Finley grumbled.
She was right – maybe. Perhaps fate had messed up. What if she wasn’t his mate?
He sniffed the air.
Mine…
Nope, she still scented like his damn mate.
“See!”
“Look, no more!” Finley growled. “I know what you’re trying to do.”
“Make you see sense?”
“Chase me away. I’m a wolf shifter. You can’t chase me away from my mate!” he growled.
“I’m sure I can come up with something,” she grumbled. “How do you feel about women that don’t shave their armpits?”
“I’ve got a thing for fur.” He looked at her as if she’d just thrown up on his shoes.
“Good to know I won’t have to pluck the hairs on my chin when I’m older,” she grumbled.
“Older…?” he couldn’t help but grin when her hand shot up to her face, and she covered her chin.
The sheer look of horror on her face was priceless. The sting of her magic was well worth it.
“Oh!” Casey gasped in annoyance before she turned her nose up at him and went to turn away, but Finley reached out and snagged her arm, bringing her back towards him.
“I’m just playing,” Finley assured her, but the low, deep chuckle still made her bristle with anger.
“I’ll tell you something for nothing – if this is wooing — you’re failing miserably.” She offered him the evil eye, and he offered her a drop dead gorgeous smile that made her body wave a flag of surrender.
~
~
~
Tina might not have liked the idea of a mate, but she was kind of rooting for Finley. Sure, the beta could be grumbly, growly, and full of the joys of a dark storm, but that was usually when she’d been up to no good.
She’d hate to think of Finley not winning his mate because that meant that he might go, rogue. No rogue could be allowed to live. They were a danger to the pack, to the humans, and to the discovery of their species.
She also liked the witches in a strange sort of way. They were feisty like she-wolves, just without claws and fangs to back it up. But then they had magic — and after witnessing the brothers varying reactions to being zapped – she didn’t think she’d want to be in the line of fire.
Three witches — three brothers. So much to try and keep track of for the elder. But she was enjoying it, getting a front row seat ticket to the wooing spectacle. If the alpha and betas couldn’t woo their mates then who could?
Tina watched as Finley yanked the witch back towards him. Momentum took the witch closer, and she lifted her free hand to brace against his chest as her head tipped back and she glared up at him.
Tina’s heart skipped a beat at the thought of what was coming next and what she could report to the elder. She edged forward on the rocky outcrop, excitement getting the better of her over caution, and almost lost her footing on the slippery rocks before she managed to stabilize herself.
Her heart hit her ribs for other reasons, like the drop down through the cracks in the rocks to the caverns below. Her attention was snapped back towards the mates when Finley yelped.
“What did you do that for?” Finley growled as he took a long step back from his mate.
“Because I could,” Casey said defiantly.
“You crashed into me.”
“You yanked me!”
“That’s your excuse, and you’re sticking to it.”
“Oh, don’t flatter yourself.” Casey hissed back. Then she turned on her heels and started away from him. Finley followed.
“Admit it, you can’t resist touching me,” Finley chuckled.
“I’m not listening to you,” Casey said as she lifted her hands, slapped them over her ears, and started to sing to herself.
Her voice was loud and out of tune and Tina heard Finley groan.
The young she-wolf sighed in disappointment. She guessed she would have to wait a little longer to have something really juicy to report back to the elder.
One step in the wrong direction and she felt her foot slide against the rocks. She gasped in a breath as she tried to stabilize her weight, but her body pitched the wrong way, and both of her feet slipped out from beneath her.
A small squeal escaped her lips as her back hit the jagged rock and her weight took her down through the small opening and into the semi-darkness of the dank cavern.
There was a moment of pure blinding pain before the lights went out.
~
~
~
“Don’t you dare,” Jodie warned her mate, but it wasn’t like Turner to heed a warning.
“Oh, you’re daring me,” Turner grinned from ear to ear. “You know, you look kind of cute when you have that scared rabbit look going on.”
“I’m not scared of you,” she said as she screwed up her face in disbelief.
“Prove it.”
“Okay, I don’t think you get it. I’m a witch, not a wolf — we don’t feel the need to rise to every challenge some idiot throws out.”
“And I’m guessing I’m the idiot in this scenario?” Turner grinned.
“It’s a good thing that you recognize your own limitations,” she offered back with a small, smug smile.
“It’s a good thing that sticks, and stones don’t bother me.”
“I’m sure if I threw them hard enough…”
“I’m sure you’re imagining me naked right now,” Turner offered back with a smug grin of his own.
Jodie hadn’t been — but now that he’d damn well mentioned it – she kind of was. She tried to shake that image out of her mind, but just like dried chewing gum on a brand new dress — it was holding on tightly.
“Are we back to that again?”
“You just can’t help yourself.” He shrugged those broad shoulders and only enticed her overactive imagination more.
I can’t now — damn it! She cursed the mating pull.
Jodie knew that she was never going to be immune to fate’s devious plans. But a girl could hope.
She’d at least thought she would make it to the end of the day before his not–so–subtle charms started to wear her down — foiled again.
The man was definitely eye candy. So, she couldn’t blame fate for all of her woes. She probably would have been attracted to him anyway.
But that didn’t mean that she would have acted on it.
Mates – she guessed she should have considered herself lucky to know that she had found; The One. Most people didn’t get to meet their split apart, and how sad was that?
Life sucked — but not for her, and for that, she considered herself grateful. That didn’t mean that she didn’t want to wipe that smug smile from her mate’s face.
; “You’re right,” she gave a small shrug of her shoulders, snapped her fingers, and watched as the man danced on one foot while cursing and growling in annoyance. “I just can’t help myself.” She shrugged again.
“Could you at least try?” Turner growled.
“I’ll take your request under consideration and get back to you in around twenty years or so.”
“Glad to see that you think before you act.” He grumbled another growl, but the smile that she was fighting to keep from her lips warmed him, and he found he couldn’t stay mad at her for long.
Damn it. He cursed fate.
I’m impotent – or is it imputant – doesn’t impotent mean I can’t have an erection? I certainly can have a damn erection – had one since the minute I met her… nope, it must be imputant – I’m imputant against her charms, and she’s got some damn nice charms.
Where’d she go?
Damn it!
CHAPTER NINETEEN
~
“I think you’re being slightly irrational,” the alpha said as he followed Steph down the rough cut stone steps that led to the back of the house.
“Slightly irrational?” Steph tossed his words back at him over her shoulder. “I’m sorry — I’ll try to up my game and be totally irrational from now on, maybe even border on stupidity. Although, I think you have the edge on me there.”
“All I’m saying is…”
“At this point in our relationship — I think it’s better if you just shut your yaps.”
Steph heard the deep rumble of a growl going through his chest, and she chose to ignore it. The man was an alpha — he probably thought he was never wrong — that made him wrong to start off with.
The man was delusional if he thought he could ride roughshod over her emotions. He was living in La-la land.
She wasn’t a member of his pack — yet. She was a witch, and as a witch, she had more than enough free will to go around.
Kit could grumble and growl all he wanted, but it wasn’t going to change the fact that she wouldn’t be rushed, she wouldn’t be cornered into a decision, and she certainly wouldn’t be bullied into it.