Coti's Unclaimed Mate

by Elle Boon

  Her words had the shifter protecting her mother growling louder. “Over my dead body. We’ve given you what you wanted.”

  A moan came from the cot on the floor. “Alaric, what’s happening?”

  “You both have served your purpose.” Mac motioned to someone behind him.

  The acrid scent hit her. A Dark Fae was helping him. The thin man moved forward, reminding her of the guy from the Poltergeist movies. With blurring speed, she placed herself between him and her mother. The animal within her allowed her to use the other being’s powers, knocking the man backward.

  “Well, isn’t this interesting?” he said, tilting his head to the side, his words came out a hiss.

  She felt the shifter behind her moving but didn’t take her gaze off the man or Fae. Where the hell was Coti? Her eyes caught Mac moving, his hulking size eerily quiet as he tried to sneak behind them.

  “Others are coming.” The man her mom called Alaric shouted, his warning came before she smelled them. Mac had clearly called the bitches back along with a few others. Fucking great. He needed the cavalry for little ole her and the shifter protecting her mom.

  “If you call me kicking your ass interesting, then yep, interesting it is,” she agreed, drawing his attention away from the couple. A shift to the left showed her Mac was moving in.

  “Alaric, is anything keeping you from fighting?” she asked.

  “Not anymore.”

  She wanted to look back and see what her mother looked like. The urge to do just that almost had her missing the hand moving back and forth, weaving a spell she was sure. “Yo, Creed, a little help here,” she yelled.

  “Got him,” Creed called, snatching the little man out of the air.

  NeNe covered her mouth at the sight of Creed’s hand entering the tent through a hole, his huge red face smiling like a kid on Christmas Day. “Um, thank you.”

  “Aw, would you look at that. I didn’t even have to say you’re welcome first. Be back shortly. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” He stood up from his crouched position, making her spin around on a gasp. “Oops, forgot to tell you not to look down. I guess I should’ve said not to look up. My bad.”

  She laughed, then the sound froze in her throat at the sight that met her eyes. Mac and Alaric were facing off. Although Alaric was big, Mac held a woman in front of him. NeNe knew without a doubt the woman was her mother. She also could tell she was a shifter, and she was pregnant. By whom was the question she didn’t have an answer to. If Mac felt it was his right to claim any female in his clan, then he would no matter if they were mated to another. Of that, she had no doubt.

  “Mac, you really don’t want to do that?” Coti said, coming up beside her.

  The sound of her mate’s voice gave her strength.

  “Why is that? You wipe out my clan so now you going to offer me a way out?”

  NeNe’s mother opened her eyes, dark brown orbs of fury stared at her. She gasped, wondering why there was so much hate and rage directed toward her. “I’m going to take my breeders and leave. That’s right, little girl. Your mama’s a breeder, just like you were meant to be.”

  Alaric growled, his wolf rippling over him, white fur coating both arms. “My mate is not your breeder, you sick son of a bitch. You kept her drugged, forcing her bear out so the human side of her had no respite.”

  She stared at Alaric, then at her mother. “How long?” she whispered.

  The man didn’t pretend to not understand. “He grabbed her over twenty years ago. Your father took the money he offered and walked away. I assume he thought he’d never see either again.”

  Mac laughed. “Your father was a dumb ass then, and is an even bigger one, now. He offered you up on a platter. It was fun to watch you, a little human in the middle of predators, while your mama was so close to you.”

  Her mind worked furiously, wondering why he was standing there talking. His Dark Fae was taken, yet he acted as if he had an ace in the hole. “He’s got a plan or another weapon,” she warned Coti.

  The ground shook beneath her feet. “Is that an earthquake?”

  Mac tossed his head back, bellowing out a laugh. “You threw in with the wrong side.”

  As soon as he finished speaking she heard Kellen yell. The battle that seemed to have ended began again outside the tent. Only this time it sounded as if they were surrounded.

  “You didn’t think I was that dumb, did you?”

  Coti grinned. “Pretty much.” He nodded toward her mother.

  The crazy look disappeared, her mom blinked then she smiled showing huge bear teeth. Her nails were long black claws. NeNe blinked, shocked that Mac didn’t seem to notice the woman he held was partially shifting in his hold.

  “Jules,” Alaric whispered.

  Mac heard the whispered name, but it came too late, her mother reached behind her with one clawed hand. The roar Mac elicited as she ripped at his groin had the men in the space covering their own anatomy.

  Jules didn’t stumble away as Mac released her and fell. Her hand fell to her side covered in blood. She locked eyes with NeNe, a tear fell from one eye then the other. “Renee?” she asked.

  Nobody called her by her full name. She’d been NeNe since she started school. However, she heard the longing in her mother’s voice. “Mama,” she whispered.

  Uncaring they were both a little battered and bloody, NeNe wrapped her arms around the woman she’d thought left her all those years ago. “Oh god, you’re so thin.” NeNe held her mother tighter.

  Alaric came to stand behind her mother, his hand resting on her back. “She’ll get stronger,” he assured them.

  The sound of battle stopped outside as a sonic boom rent the air.

  “Creed,” Coti said.

  Kellen and Xan walked inside with several others following, their faces hard. “Tell me he’s dead.” Kellen asked.

  Coti pointed to the side and a still breathing Mac. “Not yet, but I think he wishes he were.”

  Alaric moved in front of Kellen, stopping him from reaching Mac. “It is my right to end his life for touching my mate.”

  “And you would be?” Kellen asked, pinning Alaric in place with his stare.

  Alaric looked around the tent, his eyes falling on Coti. “I’m Alaric Chlodwig.”

  “What the fuck?” Coti growled.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Coti looked at the man he’d fought that they’d called Champ. “Explain?” he ordered.

  “You’re not my alpha, brother.” Alaric stood to his full height.

  “Brother? How is that possible?” He inhaled, taking in the familiar smell of his mother and father. “Fuck!” he roared. “You can have this.” He ripped the ring off his finger. “I’m not taking over anything. I don’t want nothing to do with that bastard or his shit.”

  Alaric looked at the ring Coti had thrust into his hand. “I don’t want this,” he said, a loneliness echoed in his words.

  For the first time, Coti looked inside his brother’s mind. He saw his mother laughing with a young Alaric. As he searched, he could see his parent’s happiness had indeed been true with Alaric, unlike with him. When he’d left, Alaric had been an infant. “What do you want?”

  His brother looked at Jules, then at Coti. “I want my family. I came here looking for you but found her. She’s mine, even if you don’t want to accept me in your life.”

  “Well, shit, I think this is a discussion best held somewhere other than the middle of a blood bath.” Kellen’s tone brooked no argument.

  Alaric stared at Kellen. “You’re his alpha then?”

  Kellen nodded. “Yep. You got a problem with authority, son?”

  His brother laughed. “You do realize I’m much older than you?”

  “Age don’t mean shit to me. Grab your woman and let’s go. We’ll figure this out back on our turf. I have a feeling this place is about to get a cleansing. Ace, you and your crew joining, or what?” Kellen turned to face the felines.

  Ace shook
his head. “Nah, we’ll just stick around and make sure there’s no stragglers lurking about.”

  NeNe’s head went up, a growl emitted from her before she launched herself out the back of the tent. He tried to discern what she’d smelled that had her bear going off, while chasing after her. He came to a skidding stop as he, Xan, Bodhi and Kellen glared at the three females corralled around Gracie and her girls.

  Lyric waved at Xan. “Creed said all was clear and that our girl might need some help. Voila, the bitches are here.”

  Coti scratched the side of his nose. “Aren’t they the bitches?” he asked pointing at the snarling trio.

  Syn shrugged and blew a kiss at Bodhi. “Hi, honey. Be a dear and hold my earrings.” She tossed a set of huge gold hoops toward her mate.

  “Karsyn, you get hurt, and I’ll beat that pretty little ass,” he warned.

  “Fucker, I’m right here.” Kellen pointed at his chest.

  NeNe moved next to Lyric and Syn. “Wow, you girls sure do know how to show up late to a brawl.”

  Coti contained his snort as the three females shoved each other around, then turned to the women they planned to beat down. Next to them, Gracie, Kris, and Paula were like Amazons, yet none of the Iron Wolves females showed an ounce of fear.

  “Since you three like to gang up three to one, we thought we’d even shit out.” Lyric waved at herself and Syn, then NeNe.

  Gracie huffed. “How’s that evening things out?”

  Lyric smiled a wolfish grin. “’Cause we’re a lot badder than you three. We don’t need to gang up on anyone, let alone a little human to prove we’re tough.” Lyric reached up, not missing a beat and brought Gracie’s head down to her knee. The movement was smooth, fast, and vicious.

  Coti almost missed it.

  “I taught her that,” Xan said from beside him.

  “That one’s mine,” NeNe yelled at Lyric.

  Lyric released a bleeding Gracie. “My bad. Here you go.” She tossed Gracie to the side, ducked a swinging blow aimed at her head from Paula, and tackled Kris.

  Coti and the others stood with their arms crossed while their females commenced to beating the shit out of the shifter women who’d hurt NeNe. His mate landed on top of the one he knew had caused the most damage to her, raining down blow after blow on the other woman. NeNe was so focused on hitting and cursing while she pummeled Gracie, he feared she wouldn’t see the woman’s hand shifting into that of her wolf. He opened his mouth to warn his mate but froze as Kellen shook his head. “Let her be.” He tipped his head toward the fight.

  NeNe grabbed Gracie’s arm, snapping it backward. The crack loud to his shifter ears. Gracie’s howl of pain was even louder. Minutes later, the Iron Wolves’ females all stood back from their opponents, a little battered, a whole lot bloody, but they smiled.

  Lyric held up her fist, knuckle bumped Syn, then NeNe. “We the baddest bitches,” she announced, then howled.

  The rest of the pack howled along with her.

  “Time to go home.” Kellen clapped him on the shoulder.

  Coti waited for NeNe to come back to him. She stopped by where his brother stood with her mother, her hand shook as she ran it over her mom’s head. They had a lot to talk about, but now that Mac and his merry bunch of fuckups were taken out, they had time. He met Alaric’s gaze. The empty black orbs were replaced with green, the same as his. Fucking family. His kept growing.

  “You ready?” NeNe asked, staring up at him.

  “Yep.” He’d face anything as long as he had her with him.

  Coti and the others cleaned up before gathering in the office at the Iron Wolves. His brother sat holding Jules who appeared to be getting stronger with every passing minute.

  “So, how is it that you’re his brother?” Xan asked. Breezy slapped him on the arm, but he just stared at Alaric, demanding an answer.

  Alaric shrugged. “I guess I take after my older brother. My soul was very determined long before I came into this world. Even when I was just a little sperm surrounded by all those other little sperms that were stronger than me, had a longer tail than mine, swam faster than me, I fought my way through. I even got knocked into other sperms, it was a battle all the way, but look at me now, I made it to the end.”

  “Holy fuck, another one?” Kellen gazed up at the ceiling.

  Laikyn climbed into his lap. “I think you’re getting paid back for all your bad deeds.”

  Coti closed his mouth with the help of NeNe’s hand. “Did you just refer to yourself as a sperm fighting other sperm?”

  Wyck handed him a beer. “Yeah, he did. Freaking weird. I like him.”

  Alaric nodded. “Thanks. It was a tough time to be a sperm.” He winked.

  Jules sighed. “Please stop speaking of sperm and you in the same sentence, honey.”

  Coti laughed as his mate used his hands to cover her eyes. “Where’s Creed when I need a distraction?” she asked.

  “Damn, did you get an eyeful as well?” Syn asked.

  Several men growled around the room. NeNe turned and kissed Coti. Ah, his little mate was most definitely in for a reminder of whom she belonged to. She may have been unclaimed, but from now on, he’d make sure everyone knew she was his.

  They stayed at the club for a lot longer than he wanted, yet he gave NeNe a chance to be with the pack. Jules yawned, making Alaric stand with her in his arms.

  “Do you have somewhere to go?” he asked his brother.

  “I have many homes. My instinct called me here, though. I thought it was to find you and maybe it was, but I think it was also for her.” He kissed Jules on the forehead.

  “Renee, you’re a wonderful young woman. Exactly who I wish I could’ve helped shape you into being. As parents it’s our job to teach our children,” she whispered. “Children give us the ability to appreciate with grace the lessons they teach us as well. I was robbed of that with you.” Jules wiped a tear

  NeNe hugged her mother. “We’ll have time to get to know one another. Life didn’t go as you planned, but we can swerve with it. I love you.” She put her hand over her mom’s slightly rounded stomach. “I really hope you’re having a girl; my last brother was a dick.”

  Her mother blushed. “Alaric says she is. Our children are the mirrors that reflect back to us the shadows of ourselves. They show us the shame and our own insecurities. I would’ve loved and nurtured you as a child, ensuring you grew as an adult to be the brave woman you are today. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure I am for this one.”

  “You will be,” Alaric assured her.

  Coti’s brother grunted. If they wanted to know for a fact, he could find out, but until he was asked; he wouldn’t intrude. No matter what gender, he noticed his mate wasn’t asking if his brother was the father or not. Again, Coti could tell them that answer but didn’t since nobody asked.

  He couldn’t wait to get her home and show her how much she meant to him. If and when they had children, he’d do everything in his power to be a great example to them. Nothing like his own father. He’d seen through Alaric’s memories happiness and love, given and received from both his mother and father. For a brief moment, he’d felt bitter jealousy at the life his brother had compared to what he’d grown up with.

  Holding the door to his truck open, he winced at the bruises on NeNe. “I swear, I’m going to wrap you in bubble wrap. You seem to be a walking bruise.” He ran the back of his hand down her cheek.

  NeNe held his hand to her face. “These don’t even hurt. Actually, I feel pretty fucking awesome after handing Gracie her ass.”

  He chuckled. “There is that.”

  “Hey, you got a minute?” Alaric called out.

  Coti settled NeNe into his truck, wondering what his brother wanted. Kellen had already offered him the use of one of his vehicles, so he could get back to where he’d been staying before Mac had captured him. He’d seen how the Dark Fae had been used to enthrall him in order to keep his animal at bay while he fought, hol
ding Jules over his head. What else was there to say?

  “I’ll be right back.” He kissed NeNe on the lips, tasting beer and her unique flavor combined.

  She sat back and sighed. “I’ll be right here.” Her eyes closed as he shut the door.

  In three strides he met Alaric in the center of the parking lot. “What’s up?”

  Alaric tilted his head to the side. “You didn’t ask about our parents or sister?”

  “I heard you say you were the last of our family. I’m assuming they’re no longer alive?” He ignored the ache in his chest.

  His brother nodded. “That’s right. When father passed away, it was his time as happens with shifters due to age. I think he still thought our mother would bond with him fully and extend his life. She asked him throughout the years if he would ask you for forgiveness, but he was a stubborn male until the very end. With mother on one side and me the other, he did.”

  Coti waited but Alaric didn’t continue. “He did what?”

  “He said he was sorry for what he’d done. Said it was his pride that kept him from reaching out to you, up until several years prior. However, he said he did try to link with you, but there was no bond. He said his heart nearly felled him when he’d thought you’d died. I realized in that moment he’d sent men out to find out what happened. Those men returned weeks later with a tale of a man who could do amazing things but wouldn’t tell us where you were.” Alaric paused. “I never heard our father speak with so much pride as when he talked about you, his first born Ulric. Your name means Wolf Ruler, did you know that?”

  Coti laughed. “Some ruler I am. I never wanted that damn title, not like he did.”

  Alaric sighed, then looked Coti in the eyes. “I was never able to measure up to you. When we fought, even though my wolf was locked down, I really wanted to defeat you.”

  A grin split Coti’s cheeks. “I kinda got that, what with the way you tried to take my head off. Look, it’s been long enough to hold grudges. I wish I could’ve met the man you called father and felt love for, but that’s not what I had. For you and me, we have today, tomorrow, and whatever else we’re given, moving forward. Sure, we could hash over the past, but what’s that going to get us but angry. You pissed because I don’t give a shit about an old man, and me pissed because you had a happy childhood.” Coti put both hands on Alaric’s shoulders. “Your mate in there, along with your cub, needs you to focus on them and your future. You need a pack to keep you level. I know Kellen will welcome you, and NeNe wants to get to know her mama. All that other shit is just that, shit. You think your sperm was strong, clearly mine was too. Now, let’s hug it out so I can go fuck my mate.”