by Elle Boon
Coti had looked at his mother, her eyes red rimmed and sad. He’d known how much it hurt her seeing what was happening. He could feel her suffering. If he fought his father, he’d win, but it would destroy his mother, and their entire house. Straightening, he gave a nod and picked up his small bag. “I shall do you proud, maman.” His father thought he’d become a raper and pillager of the young and innocent, or at least that was what he’d accused his son of on many occasions. Coti thought his father was a bastard, but he’d kept his thoughts to himself. He knelt in front of his little sister and younger brother. Seeing his siblings were normal, deep within himself, the knowledge that he was doing the right thing by leaving, resonated. “You be good for maman and do as she says. I’ll be back before you know it.”
His grandmother handed him his grandfather’s ring with the family crest. “When you find your mate, this will unlock the crest, and all will know. You’ll then rule the house of Chlodwig.”
Coti didn’t want to rule anything, least of all a house that hated him. His father was the ruler. Ulric, the name his father was given, meant Wolf Ruler. The first born was always named Ulric, yet Coti wasn’t just a wolf. His mother, a distant cousin of the Vampire Kings, had met him when she’d been young and fallen in love, hiding her true self from her mate until it was too late and he’d bonded with her. His mother had assured his family their offspring would all be shifters. Coti came first, followed by his sister, and a brother the following year. All seemed normal until his family was attacked. A five year old boy should’ve been easy pickings, yet he’d shifted into a huge white wolf and taken out three grown men who’d thought to kidnap him and his siblings. Blood had dripped from his fangs and covered almost every inch of his furred body, while he stood guard. From that day on, his father eyed him with distrust, challenging his abilities, and later, seeing how far he could stretch his punishments without killing him. He would snarl the Cordells’ name and laugh when Coti would ask to go to them for training.
Coti wanted to snort at the thought of being related to the Cordell twins, but they were so far down the line their blood would be diluted to the point of non-relation status. His mother’s family had been Gypsies. To hear his father talk, they were lower-class relations that none of the Cordells would spit on if they were on fire. However, it didn’t take away the fact he’d been gifted with the ability to do all the things a vampire could, plus all the things as a shifter, yet had none of their weaknesses. Silver, daylight, none of them hurt him like others of his kind. His father tried and failed, until his only recourse was to send him away. Of course, he’d not been decapitated and didn’t want to try that either. “Son of a bitch,’ he snapped, running a finger over the crest.
Throughout the first ten years, he’d been so damn lonely, missing his family to the point he’d tried everything he could think of to find a mate. Yet, he was a boy on his own. He may have looked like a young man, but he’d been twelve and cast out to fend for himself. The first harsh winter would’ve killed a normal being. Hell, most shifters would’ve perished as well. He’d hunkered down and survived. Year after year, he’d soldiered on, making his way across the world, searching for that elusive someone who would make it okay for him to go home. After fifty years, he’d given up. Goddess, he’d pretty much given up on everything and realized he was virtually indestructible. That was when he’d realized his father was scared of him for a reason. Nothing the bastard could’ve done would’ve killed the son who would soon take his place. Yes, Ulric, his son, or Coti as he was now called, would’ve snapped one day and killed his father for the way he treated his mother. So, instead of heading back to his family, he’d looked to the Goddess his grandmother had worshipped and asked her for guidance.
It had taken another hundred years, but the Goddess had finally led him to the Iron Wolves. “Why couldn’t you have let me have more time with her?” he asked the darkness.
Without waking NeNe, he padded naked out of the room. He needed to think. What had been done to her needed to be addressed. Plus, the fact there was a bunch of shifters congregating just outside the Iron Wolves territory, yet they hadn’t announced themselves to Kellen, the alpha didn’t bode well. “Fuck, Kellen’s not gonna be happy,” he whispered.
Knowing he couldn’t put it off any longer, he opened the link to his alpha, giving the equivalent of a mental knock in case the other man was getting busy with his mate. It didn’t take long before he felt the answering connection. Unlike the other wolves, Coti was able to control the link instead of being controlled. Of course, he didn’t let on to the others that he could. An alpha wouldn’t want another in his pack who he couldn’t control.
“What’s up, Coti?”
He didn’t waste time, sharing what had occurred, skipping over the mind blowing sex and keeping his past hidden, for now. Hell, he didn’t know how long he was going to be able to keep his secrets. Forever seemed like the perfect length of time, but he had a sinking feeling that wasn’t what the Goddess had in store for him.
“Shit, why didn’t you reach out to me sooner?” Kellen growled.
Coti looked back toward his suite, then stared out toward the front lawn of his home. He felt time ticking away like the switch on a bomb. “My duty was seeing to the comfort and safety of my mate first,” he said without heat and waited for his words to sink in.
“Shit, son. NeNe’s yours? How the hell did you not know that all the times she’d been here with the girls?” Accusation laced his voice.
He turned from the view, heading toward the opposite end of his home. “Really? You want to explain how you turned your mate away for how long and almost lost her to two men? Don’t fucking lecture me, alpha.” He wasn’t going to show his damn throat, not over why he hadn’t wanted to claim what he knew was his. His life wasn’t cut and dried like Kellen’s and the others.
A snarl echoed through his head followed by an image of Kellen snapping huge jaws at him. Coti flashed an image of him batting the wolf down with a huge paw, startling the other man.
“You got big balls, Coti, always have. So, tell me more about this pack. Did they appear to be the friendly sort? Are they just passing through, or what?”
He placed his hand over the sensor and waited for the light to turn green. Once the panel accepted his imprint the door slid open soundlessly. His computer blinked, showing he had messages. “I think we need to have a meeting with them. They’re most definitely not a friendly bunch, Kellen.” Coti couldn’t get the feeling he needed to do something quickly to ensure NeNe’s safety out of his head. His hand went to his chest, rubbing over his heart. The thought of leaving her undefended made his wolf half crazy while the other part of him thirsted for blood. Neither was a good thing for anyone.
“Be here by noon tomorrow morning.” Kellen didn’t ask if that was a good time before severing the link.
Coti laughed at the arrogance the Iron Wolf alpha exuded. Sure, the man was a fucking beast who could turn into a wolf that would scare the shit out of just about anyone, yet Coti didn’t fear him. Maybe that made him crazy. No, scratch that, he was most assuredly crazy. However, none of them had seen what he could do. “Goddess save them all if they ever did.” He understood why his father had sent him away. Until he could get all three parts of himself on the same level, he was a danger to all if he was ever truly rattled. It was why he was always joking, staying light, and never caring kept his beasts at bay. His mind sought NeNe, checking to make sure she still slept peacefully. His carefree life was no longer a possibility. If he were honest, it hadn’t been since he’d recognized the little human as his, but he’d been able to deny the truth until tonight. Now, there was no stopping what was to come. “Fuck a goddamn sonofabitch,” he growled. “Why’d you give me a human for a mate?” he asked the empty room. The fates had a way of fucking with everyone, but to give him such a fucked-up fate was on a level he didn’t think was possible.
NeNe rolled to the side, her body aching in spots that hadn’t seen a
ction in forever. Memories flooded her from the previous evening, making her freeze in the act of turning back over. She remembered vividly getting her ass handed to her by the three crazy bitches, then Coti saving her. Things got hazy for a bit. Her memories foggy of people and faces, but she distinctly remembered arriving at his house, which holyshitballs, the man had to be rich as fuck. She blinked, shocked to find the ability to see out of both eyes. “Huh, guess they didn’t hit quite as hard as they claimed, bitches,” she whispered. The red silk sheets felt divine under and around her. She wanted to roll around in them but worried he’d come in and catch her. Nope, she was so not going to act like the trash she was accused of being. Just because she’d never slept on anything as soft didn’t mean she had to act like a hillbilly.
She shoved herself into a sitting position, pushed her hair back from her face and wished she had a hair tie. “Note to self. Do not go to bed with wet hair. Ever.”
His room was huge and very masculine. The longer she sat there, orienting herself, she realized she was waiting for him to come back. When he didn’t, she began to feel stupid. “Get up and get going, girl. It was a one-night stand.” Not that she’d ever had any, but last night was a first of many, she hoped. She swung her legs over the side, wondering where her clothes were.
The door opened behind her, making her gasp and grab for the sheet on the bed. “Fuck me, you scared the shit out of me,” she yelled.
Coti raised a brow. “What’re you doing out of bed?”
He strolled into the room wearing a pair of sweats that hung precariously low on his hips, carrying a tray. The heavenly scent of coffee and eggs made her mouth water. “Um, I was just going to get dressed and head out.”
“Hm, and how were you going to do that?” He asked, setting the tray down before coming around the end of the bed.
NeNe tried not to drool at the vision he made, but seriously, the man had too much on display. “What did you ask?”
Coti’s chuckle sent a delicious shiver down her spine, making her nipples bead. “I asked how you were going to accomplish those tasks. Your clothes were ruined, so I tossed them. Not to mention, you don’t have a vehicle here. How were you going to get a ride when you’re nekkid?” He stood in front of her, his warmth urging her to lean into him.
She knew she should demand he get her clothes back, but his nearness was frying her braincells. “I can borrow a shirt and pair of your sweats.”
His deep chuckle made her angry. “Armina, my sweats are three times too big for you. However, one of my T-shirts would be like a dress on you. Yeah, you’d look good in one of them,” he agreed.
She held the sheet over her breasts. It’s silky fabric kept slipping when she moved. “This is not a joking matter, Coti. I need something to wear.”
He reached out, placing two fingers between her breasts and gave a tug. NeNe tried to hold the fabric in place, but in a tug of war, he would always win, damn him. The sheet fell between them, leaving her completely exposed before him. “Damn, you’re even more beautiful than I remember,” he murmured, bending to kiss her.
NeNe expected him to try and seduce her or take what he wanted. Hell, she wanted him just as much, but he only kissed her before stepping away.
“I brought you some coffee and eggs. I actually do have something more for you to wear, even though it’s a shame to cover up perfection.” His fingers traced her collarbone to her breasts. “I’m sorry you were hurt last night,” he said, anger making his features hard.
She licked her lips. “It wasn’t your fault.”
He pulled her against him, one arm going around her back, the other tilting her chin up so she had to stare into his eyes. “I’m not so sure about that, armina.” He kissed her one more time before releasing her. “Eat and have some coffee, we need to head to the club. Kellen’s called a meeting. We can’t be late or he’ll not be in the best of moods.” He winked, not wanting to scare her. “I let you sleep in because you needed it. Hardest fucking thing I’ve ever done.”
The huge bulge in the front of his sweats was a testament to that fact. Her body remembered what it felt like to have him inside. She wanted to experience that again, wanted to know what it was like to have Coti possess her during the day, night, in every way imaginable.
Coti inhaled. “Female, don’t. I left you some clothes in the bathroom. You best get your ass dressed, and then eat before I piss Kellen off and say screw his meeting.”
Truth was stamped on his face. If she made one move toward him, she knew he’d take her back to bed, but Coti was nothing if not a man of his word. If he’d told Kellen they’d be there, then he wanted to be there. She didn’t want to be the reason he wasn’t. She thought of wrapping the sheet back around herself, but he’d seen all of her, kissed all of her. With her head held high, she skirted him and the bed, and went into the bathroom. Once inside, she let out the breath she’d been holding. “Wow, the man is potent,” she whispered. The outfit he’d laid out for her had her narrowing her eyes. The tank top looked new and appeared to be her size with the Iron Wolves logo emblazoned on the front. The jeans also looked new and her size. She wondered who they belonged to, and who she needed to cut. Like Coti, she felt the urge to hurt every woman who’d been with him. Of course, his numbers had to be a lot more than hers, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. “Coti, there’s no panties,” she yelled.
“I know,” he answered.
She rolled her eyes, then picked up the jeans. “I’m not putting on some other woman’s pants without panties.”
Coti came to stand in the doorway. “They’re yours. I had them delivered for you this morning while you slept.”
She stifled the yelp when he appeared almost soundlessly but was unable to suppress the sigh. How the man could look sexy leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over abs that were more than a six pack...did they come in eight packs? Damn, he seriously had her mind running in circles. “Do I want to know how you got me clothes so fast?”
He shrugged his massive shoulders. “Ace brought them when he came to get his car. I asked him if he could procure you some jeans. I told him your size and that they had to be new since I figured you wouldn’t want to wear some other female’s.”
The way he spoke, the way all the men referred to women was strange. She remembered the few times she’d been at the club and how they didn’t say man or woman, but male and female. When she’d mentioned it to Lyric, her friend had made a joke about the reference. It was as if they were referring to each other as different species, which made her snort. “I must’ve really been out of it,” she said instead of asking more. She didn’t mind having her hooha up close and personal in a pair of jeans without panties, if no other ladies hoohas had been in them. She had rules and standards. No other lady juice, even if it had been washed out, was going to be next to her punani. “Give me ten, and I’ll be right out.”
She waited for him to leave so she could jump into the shower, but the too sexy for his shirt man didn’t turn to go. Instead, he seemed to relax against the doorframe like he was getting comfortable.
“Coti, are you going to just stand there?”
He sighed. “I’d like to do a lot more, but that would make us late. I thought I could at least get a little pleasure.”
The way he growled the last word made her shiver. He’d given her more pleasure the night before than she’d ever experienced in her entire life. She had a feeling if given the chance, he’d show her even more. “Well, I can’t just shower while you watch. Go,” she said, waving her hands toward the door.
“You’ll do a lot more before I’m through with you, but I’ll give you a reprieve. Besides, I hear someone coming up the drive.”
She tilted her head to the side, wondering what the hell he was talking about. She was trying to remember the layout of his house. If her mind served her correctly, they’d parked in a garage, then it seemed as if he’d walked a bit before they’d made it to his bedroom. She distinctly remem
bered several turns and a hallway.
He pointed at her. “Get dressed. I’ll be back in seven minutes.”
Her mouth opened to tell him to kiss her ass, but he was gone. “Damn, how can a man as large as him move so fast?” Shaking her head, she jumped into the shower making quick work of washing. When she was dressed, wet hair wrapped in a towel, drinking the last bit of coffee, Coti returned, wearing a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt. His shitkickers didn’t thud the way her dad’s and brother’s boots did when he walked. It was as if he walked on air. Heck, she was getting fanciful, and she was so not a fanciful girl.
“You ‘bout ready?” he asked, looking her up and down.
She sat the mug back onto the tray. The eggs she couldn’t eat since they’d gotten cold by the time she’d finished showering and dressing. Her stomach growled, a stark indicator she needed food. Once Coti dropped her off, she’d swing by a fast food place and grab something. At the thought of buying anything, she bit her lip. “Damn,” she swore quietly.
“What is it?” Coti was at her side, his hands going to her waist.
NeNe shook her head, not wanting to explain to him how important it had been to her to get paid last night. How putting up with the drunks, and even Mac’s bullshit, just to get tips, meant she could get out from under her dad’s and the town’s bullshit. Gah, the man was rich, he wouldn’t understand how a couple hundred dollars would mean so much to her. “I don’t know where my purse is.” Which wasn’t a lie.
Chapter Six
Coti didn’t scent a lie, but he was aware she wasn’t telling him the entire truth. Her scent went from one to another, never hiding anything from him. If she’d been a female shifter, she’d have known how to conceal her feelings, how to hide her scent from him. He was glad she didn’t, glad she was human, and he could read every nuance in her facial expressions as well as her smells. Goddess, her smells could bring him to his knees.
