Guarding His Mate Read online

  Casius pulled into his drive and insisted on helping me. I shook my head, but I knew he was upset I gotten hurt instead of him, so once I had my feet on the ground, I gave his broad chest a grateful pat, and then made my way up to the porch.

  Casius brought up the rear with the now-empty duffel over his arm and his hand in the small of my back. He leaned over me and punched a code into his door that I didn’t recognize.

  “New security measures. The code changes every three days. I’m going to get locked out any day now.”

  But the door beeped and swung open, and I immediately felt like I’d walked into a wall of scent, heavy and solid with spices.

  “Whoa. Are we back in Goldleaf?”

  The scent led to the kitchen where it mingled with something even more tantalizing—my mate’s omega scent. My breath caught in my throat when I saw Stef, his back to me, as he chopped a pile of herbs. A pot bubbled so loudly on the stove I wasn’t at first sure if he’d heard me come in, that he hadn’t noticed I was there, but then he stiffened. I moved closer and put a hand on his shoulder. He didn’t relax.

  He also didn’t turn to look at me. He just spoke, like he was talking to the herbs or the knife in his hand, rhythmically chopping away.

  “Are you staying for dinner?” His voice was neutral. No sass. No attitude at all. “You’ll need to set another place at the table.”

  I glanced at Casius. He just shrugged, as if to say he had no idea what had gotten into Stef either. He then grabbed more crockery and went to set me a place at the table.

  I released a little pheromone in the hope Stef would react, even just a little. He stopped chopping and sighed, and I took that as my opening. I pressed myself against him and nuzzled my nose against his neck.

  “Thank you for taking care of me at the hospital,” I said softly. “I’m all healed now.”

  He inhaled sharply and went back to chopping. “You’re welcome. Just doing my job.”

  “Hm, I think it was more than that.” I ran my hands over his arms, enjoying the smoothness of his skin.

  “I assure you, it wasn’t.” He shrugged my hands off, and I took the hint. I stepped back and looked him over, frowning and downright confused.

  How could he have gone from being so affectionate in the hospital to this cold, uncaring approach?

  One step forward, two steps back…

  10

  Stefan

  Julian swooped into the kitchen as soon as Nic had stepped out onto the deck and closed the sliding door behind him.

  “You’re being an idiot, Stefan.” Julian’s words stung, but no worse than a mosquito bite. And I wasn’t about to entertain the idea of having to defend myself. Yet again.

  “I’m not discussing this again.”

  In classic Julian fashion, he ignored my request. “I know you better than anyone, Stef. Ever since your break-up with Justin, you’ve pushed away anyone who’s tried to get close to you.”

  “Yeah because I’m smarter than to fall for that false sense of security.”

  “You don’t want to be alone forever, do you?”

  “I’ve kept you around, haven’t I?”

  “Well, I’m amazing. And your life would be sad without me.” Julian crossed his arms and looked at me like his point was so obvious it was barely worth saying.

  “That’s so comforting to hear.” I turned back to the cutting board and started to chop some green olives to add to the tagine simmering on the stove.

  “Stef. C’mon. What’s going on? You can tell me. It’s me, for moon’s sake.” Julian’s face softened.

  I sighed and shook my head. I put the knife down. Exhaustion suddenly washed over my body, and I felt my lower lip tremble ever so slightly. I gripped the counter to steady myself as a realization settled into my mind—I was tired of holding it all in. I took a deep breath and started to explain.

  “I was touched the other day when he came into the hospital to bring me breakfast on my first day. That was really thoughtful, and it made me think about him differently. I could see some of his appeal… But when he came back a few hours later, bloodied and on a stretcher, I realized I can’t commit my heart and my life to someone whose job puts him in a position like that. It would be horrible, heart-wrenching, just…fucking torturous!”

  I bit my lower lip, realizing I’d gone off the rails a bit. After all, Julian’s mate was in just as dangerous a position. If not more so.

  But like a good best friend, Julian didn’t take it personally. He gave me a look of genuine sympathy in response. “There’s always a risk in love.”

  “That’s very sagely. But you’re right. I just don’t think it’s worth it. For me. Other people can make their own choices. But I know myself, and I just couldn’t cope with that life. That’s all there is to it.” I turned back to my work and started zesting a lemon with determination.

  Julian caught the finality of my statement, gave my shoulder a squeeze, and shuffled out of the kitchen to leave me to my own devices. Just how I liked it.

  Dinner was tense. Nic stared at me the whole time like a puzzle he was trying to solve. At first, I just pretended not to notice, hoping he would calm down and start acting like the acquaintance I considered him to be. But he didn’t. And he loved the chicken tagine and couscous I made, raving about it and making loud sounds of pleasure as he chewed. He even asked me twice about the recipe.

  “How many different spices did you say were in here, Stefan?”

  “You asked me that already. There’s at least six.”

  “I know, it’s just really impressive stuff. I can’t wait to get back to Goldleaf and try some more of the specialties you have down there.”

  “Hm. Well, you’re not the only one who can’t wait to get back to Goldleaf.”

  Nic just grinned at me like an idiot. Somehow the bandage on his neck made it look even thicker and more muscular than it already was. He seemed to flex his shoulders slightly, and I could feel my face start to get warm as I imagined how his skin looked hugging all those muscles under his clothes. Annoyed with myself, I shook my head.

  “You’re being so weird, Nic.”

  “I am? How so?” He still looked amused, wearing a skeptical smile. And he was, unfortunately for me, undeterred.

  “I’m giving you obvious vibes of, like…” I waved my hand in the air to gesture at the general situation. “You need to chill out. We’re basically just acquaintances. But you’re not picking up the hint. And it’s weird. Therefore, You. Are. Being. Weird. Got it?”

  “So you’re trying to say you don’t like me?”

  I stared at him, amazed because I thought I’d said exactly that. “Do I need to spell it out for you?”

  “No. You don’t. Because I think you do actually like me, despite not knowing me. I understand you may not like the role fate has played on us, but you can’t blame me for that. That’s what I think is really going on.”

  I examined him. He was good-looking, he was persistent, optimistic, and by Casius’s account, he was, overall, a great guy. It all seemed a bit much. Surely the guy had some faults, and I was going to find them.

  But did I like him? Well, I wasn’t letting myself like him. It was obvious I was attracted to him, for various physiological reasons. But…

  I suddenly realized Casius and Julian had left the room while Nic and I were barking at each other. It was just the two of us and the remains of the tagine. Alone.

  Nic raised his eyebrows. “If you don’t like me yet, I think you will. Eventually. And I don’t mind waiting.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “Doubtful.”

  He laughed joyfully. “I like your sass, Stefan.”

  I felt a smile tug at the corners of my mouth, but I tried to hold it together. My groin started to tingle as he held eye contact with me. I hated how he was so sure of himself. But did I like it too? It was definitely turning me on. As proof, my ass became moist with slick.

  “Thank you.” I coughed to try and cover up my
arousal, in case he noticed.

  “I think you could use your sass in more fun ways than attacking me ruthlessly, though.” He winked at me like we shared a secret.

  “Oh yeah? Like what?”

  Nic flashed a wicked grin. “Like in my bed.”

  A shiver ran through my body. When I took a deep breath to steady myself, I caught the intense musk of Nic’s pheromones. My mouth started watering. I felt my perfect fingernails dig into the wood underneath the dining table.

  Despite the fact he was employing the same goofy tactics I had objected to earlier, I suddenly realized he and I could maybe have some fun together. He was clearly horny for me, and I had already accepted he was hot, and he had proven to be strong and resilient, which I imagined would translate to his sexual prowess as well. Better yet, it might relieve some tension.

  I wet my lips.

  My prolonged silence must have given away I was genuinely considering his suggestion because he swiftly made it into an invitation that sounded more like a command.

  “I’m working the night shift tonight, but I’m free on Saturday. Be at my house at seven for a home-cooked meal. Then we can see what happens after that.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  “Then I’ll come and see you here. And Casius and Julian will find out what it sounds like when I make you come as loud as a freight train.”

  11

  Nicolas

  Ah, the observation room. Stepping back in there felt like coming home, in a perverse and kind of depressing way. The dim lights were a welcome change from the hospital’s fluorescent glare, and the soundproofed room was like a little cocoon. The time Mikel’s big butt had spent in the main chair had somehow made it more comfortable, like he had massaged the cushion’s inner fibers to become looser and fluffier. I lowered myself down into the seat and literally let out a satisfied moan as it cradled my hips and ass. I leaned back and propped my feet up on the desk, ready to settle in for a few hours.

  Staring at two humans doing sweet fuck all was as good a way as any to pass the time until my hot date with Stef. Damn, I could not wait to get that man in my bed! I grinned to myself as I watched tapes of the last few days and passed the time by thinking about him.

  I let my mind wander to the way his skin had felt against mine as I touched his arms, and I wondered how it would feel pressed against my chest, my stomach, and the flat underside of my cock. Would he take me into his mouth all at once, or make me beg for it?

  I moaned and squirmed in the chair. I readjusted my dick so it could get hard without hurting as it strained against my pants, and I thought about Stefan doing it for me instead. His hand would feel so good on my cock, even through the fabric of my uniform. And when he’d bring it out, I’d want him to adore it like it was the best thing he’d ever seen, stroking it with both hands, kissing the tip…

  He’d been so flushed when I’d taken a direct, demanding approach with him over dinner. Would he like that in the bedroom? I sure would, but how much control would I be able to take?

  I took a sharp breath and cleared my throat. I tried to focus on the tapes, but nothing was happening, and my mind jumped right back to Stefan. What about his cock? Was it as big as mine? What if it was bigger? I’d love to struggle to fit it in my mouth. My dick got harder and my mouth flooded with saliva as I imagined slurping up the sides of his undoubtedly beautiful member.

  “Oh man,” I groaned out loud.

  I needed to focus. I leaned forward and pushed my dick down so it stopped rubbing against my pants. I put the tapes on triple-speed and then skipped through footage of non-events to get to the good stuff. Lachlan, Casius, and Alpha Hughes had tried to get answers out of both Eli and the older human about what they were planning, and how we could contact their leader. Neither of them had given anything up. They simply continued to sit in their cells while we kept wondering how the hell to get any information out of them.

  Now the older human—or maybe it was more accurate to say the only human we had in custody—was still refusing food but he was drinking a little water. Just enough to survive, but barely. He lay on his bare cot with his eyes closed, and rarely moved. The guards had taken out the strips of sheets he’d ripped up, worried he’d try to hang himself with them. Not that he would have had the energy to tie a noose now. It was painful to see him lying there with his breath coming in and out so slowly and shallowly. My thoughts of Stef faded, and my grin dropped into a sad frown. Watching that guy starve himself was a real bummer, to say the least.

  So I focused on Eli. In comparison to the older human’s, Eli’s cell was spotless and almost looked like an unfurnished apartment. He’d made his bed. There were no dirty dishes or unfinished glasses of water lying around, just a clean cup by the sink. He sat on the edge of his bed as usual, but he wasn’t motionless. Instead, his knee was bouncing, and he chewed his fingernails. His gaze darted around the room then came to rest back on the spot in front of him. But otherwise, he looked healthy. The guards had given him a few changes of clothes that reminded me of Stef’s scrubs, except they were white instead of blue. What he was wearing was spotless. I noticed a pair of wet pants hanging over the side of the short shower screen. He must have hand-washed them in the shower. A pile of clean, dry clothes was stacked on the floor at the end of his bed, near his boots.

  I watched him closely for almost an hour, and the longer I watched, the more a feeling of uneasiness crept through me and my wolf. One of the guards delivered food, and Eli ate, but it was mechanical. Slow, small bites. Like a mouse. Or like a mouse in shock.

  As he swallowed a sip of water and methodically rinsed the cup, I remembered where I’d seen this before.

  I dialed Casius right away. “Yo, he’s in shock.”

  “Eli?”

  “Yeah, listen, he reminds me of Mom. Right after my dad died, everyone was always talking about how well she was doing because the house was spotless. She just cleaned and cleaned and cleaned. But she just wasn’t there, man. It was a huge trauma for her, and I think Eli has just gone through something big like that too.”

  “Maybe he’d never sliced someone’s throat open before.”

  I touched my neck. The skin had healed and not even tender anymore.

  “Yeah or maybe…” I let my thoughts hang in the air until I could formulate the right words. “Maybe he’d never shifted before.”

  Casius was silent, the only indication he ever gave when something had actually opened his mind to a new possibility. I knew I had to take the opportunity and jump into his psyche before he shut it again.

  “I want to talk to him.”

  “Nic—”

  “He’s got an attitude with alphas. But I’ve seen the footage of him with other beta guards. He’s not talking to them, but he isn’t shaking like a leaf, either.”

  “Are you kidding me, Nic? No. No way.”

  I took in a sharp breath and stared at Eli in the monitors. I was so sure of myself, that in a rare act of beta bravery, I stood my ground against the Supreme Alpha Select.

  “Casius. I’m not asking. I’m telling you. He’s going to talk to me.”

  That was enough to get both Casius and Alpha Hughes down to the station and into the observation room. They interrogated me about why I thought this was a good idea, and with enough persistence, I wore them down for one simple reason: I was right. I played them the footage and they admitted that Eli did look far more comfortable when betas guards were in the room and not alpha Guards.

  “Alright. See what you can get out of him.” Alpha Hughes stepped aside and motioned to the door.

  “I’m coming to have your back,” Casius said, but I shook my head.

  “Hell no. If he gets a whiff of your alpha bullshit, he’s going to be all claws and fangs again. Please, for my sake, stay here.”

  Casius growled, but Alpha Hughes nodded, and Casius backed down. “At least take other beta guards in with you.”

  “Of course I will. You think I have a death wish?�
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  I hurried down the corridor. It was almost ten at night, and I wanted to get to Eli before he went to sleep. After grabbing two of the most awake-looking guards and a chair from the waiting area, I then made my way to Eli’s cell. I unbolted the lock and opened the door.

  Eli looked up at the sound of my boots on the linoleum floor, and he immediately scooted across his cot and pressed his back against the wall. His nose scrunched up and his mouth turned down. He didn’t look scared, he looked disgusted.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t kill you.”

  “Good to see you too, kin.” I put the chair down, moved it closer to the cot, and sat.

  Eli raised his front lip and snarled at me in what he might not have known was a very canine fashion.

  “All beasts will be burned by the purifier, and the land will return to the worthy, pure of blood. When land and water are restored, the unworthy beast will perish beneath the—”

  “Okay, okay, okay.” I held up my hands to stop him. “I get you think humans are better than shifters, but you do know what you’re saying is just coming across as a whole lot of self-hatred, right?”

  Eli glared at me and clenched his jaw. His face flushed red. Tears—probably of anger rather than sadness—filled his eyes. The guards standing to either side of me shifted uncomfortably. But the half-wolf boy stayed silent.

  I lowered my voice to a near-whisper. “Had you ever shifted before? Was that your first time?”

  Eli started to tremble. His body wasn’t shaking, though. There was just a quiver to his bottom lip and his shoulders as he spoke. “My soul has been cleansed of sin and I am not a slave to the beast.”

  “I’ll take that as a ‘no’. Eli… This might be hard to hear, but I gotta tell you, there’s nothing wrong with your wolf half. It might feel wild and uncontrollable sometimes, but it’s what connects you with nature, and your intuition. It helps you see things others can’t. It’s—”