Finding His Mate

by M. L. Briers

  “I guess your wolf likes me then.” He palmed her cheeks and lifted her head so he could gaze into her eyes, still dark with passion, and she smirked down at him.

  “She finds you acceptable.” Zoe teased and he raised his brows, mocking her.

  “Only acceptable? Well I guess this time I’ll have to do better.” He claimed her lips before she could say anything, pushing up hard with his hips, still buried inside her and hard already from wanting her. This was going to be a long, but very pleasurable night.

  George offered his hand to help Zoe out of the car. The feel of her palm sliding over his gave her the distinct urge to tell him to turn the car around and take her back to bed. She knew at some point she was going to have to get more than a few minutes sleep here and there, between long intense bouts of lovemaking and long ferocious sessions of just pure sex. But she’d cross that bridge when she came to it. Right now she was enjoying his attentions too much to care.

  Zoe had only agreed to come and pick up some of her things so that Dex could see in the flesh that she was alright. George was being careful where the pack was concerned and he’d argued that they didn’t need a pack full of angry wolves descending on their lair in the middle of making love to her. She could see his point. There would be some who questioned the choice she had made to bond with her Vampire mate. But Zoe was happy, more than happy, she felt alive.

  “If you still want to do this, you’re going to have to move aside.” She chuckled as he pressed her back up against the car with his hips and leaned in to run hot kisses over her shoulder and up her neck, her body responding to his touch in a heartbeat.

  “Maybe I should just honk the horn and you can wave to him as I drive us back to our bed, or maybe the shower again, or the kitchen counter, I liked the kitchen counter…” George whispered against her ear as his thumb brushed over the hard bud of her breast and she melted against him.

  “I liked the kitchen counter too, and the stairs. I really, really, liked the stairs.” She growled as she rolled her hips against his. The groan of pleasure that escaped his lips was lost into her hair as he nuzzled against her neck. Images of her on all fours in front of him on the staircase made his arousal as hard as steel and aching to find a home inside her again.

  “I like you on all fours…”

  “I thought you liked me on my knees, staring up at you while I…”

  The sound of a deep growl shattered the moment between them, and George moaned against her shoulder before pulling back away from her. He turned expecting to find Dex or Riff, but this wolf was younger, leaner than either of them, and he didn’t need his senses to tell him that this beast was madder than hell.

  The glare from its jet black eyes and the way the beasts upper lip was twitching just before it pulled back its lips and bared it’s fangs in a snarl, gave him all the information he needed, and he placed himself between the wolf and his mate in a defensive position that had him poised for attack should the need arise.

  “Pax, what the hell are you doing?” Zoe ground out in anger, trying to slap down Georges arm that had her caged behind him, but not succeeding.

  ‘You reek of vampire, Zoe.’ Pax growled back at her, the anger and disgust shouldn’t have taken her by surprise considering his beast’s posture, but it did. Pax had been her friend since they were pups. If anyone should have been happy for her, that she had found her mate, she would have thought it would be him.

  ‘Obviously, what’s your problem?’ She couldn’t see the wood for the trees. This wasn’t like Pax, he was generally an easy going guy, a little hot headed sometimes…

  “Jealousy.” George offered eyeing the wolf as it glared back at him. A jealous wolf was an unpredictable one, and George was ready for the fight that he instinctively knew would come.

  ‘He’s my mate, Pax.’ Zoe’s tone was hard and unyielding, laced with the warning that she would defend what was hers, even against her oldest friend.

  ‘He is a vampire!’ Pax ground out with all of the anger that was running through his veins. His refusal to acknowledge that George was her one true mate wasn’t lost on Zoe. She felt the anger rise inside her, felt her wolf chaffing at the bit to be released, relishing the defence of their mate, if this wolf was stupid enough to attack. George felt it too. The beast’s energy within her that bayed to be released and he moved aside to allow her the room the shift if that was what she needed to do. But he didn’t move far, he was still going to put himself between her and the young wolf.

  “Don’t make me end you wolf.” George felt the pressure of his fangs as they pushed through his gums, elongating and ready to rip out the wolf’s throat if he made a move towards his mate. The razor sharp claws that descended from each finger in anticipation of ripping the beast’s heart out from his chest, and his senses, primed and ready for action, should the need arise.

  “George, no. Pax, stand down. Why are you doing this?” Zoe took a step that George mirrored, and the wolf snarled a warning at the vampire.

  ‘If he dies, Zoe, you can find a real mate…’ Lost in his own reasoning, Pax didn’t want to hear anything other than her agreement.

  “He is my mate, Pax. My one true mate. If he died by your hand, don’t you think I would hate you every day for the rest of my life?” Zoe spat out, her anger matching his in every way. How dare he threaten her mate, she would kill him herself for it.

  ‘Maybe at first, but you would come to thank me…’

  ‘No. Because if you kill him, I will rip your throat out…’ Zoe couldn’t hold back her beast’s anger any longer. Her muscles rippled and contracted as she shifted into her beast. Her clothes ripped from her body and she landed down on her front paws, instantly pushing off on her powerful hind legs towards Pax. Her fangs were bared in a snarl of intent as she leapt through the air. Her mate powerless to stop her for fear he might hurt her.

  Pax hadn’t expected the attack to come from Zoe. He had been more preoccupied with the vampire. When she shifted and launched herself at him, he had no other choice than to defend himself from her attack, but by the time he had turned towards her she was already upon him. The weight of her body took both wolves down into a roll, and she snapped her strong jaws at his neck, missing by a breath as he tried to roll out from under her.

  Dex and Riff hit the clearing at the same time, but from two different locations. They had both been privy to the conversation that had taken place within the packs link and caught the main gist of what was going on, but Zoe’s attack on Pax had come as a surprise to Riff, although Dex could understand her passion to defend her mate.

  “Crap!” Riff growled out, his eyes dismissing the vampire who stood on the sidelines, more than eager to get between his mate and the second wolf, as he debated the logic of shifting and getting in there himself.

  Dex was faster to act, shifting into his wolf the moment he hit the clearing, he headed towards his family, snarling his own anger, just as Zoe clamped down her jaws around Pax’s hind leg and the young wolf yelped as she ripped into his flesh.

  ‘ Stand down!’ Dex growled out with his mind, issuing the order that his sister was slow to obey. If he nipped at Zoe, then Pax could use the distraction as a way to attack her. Launching himself at the wolves as they rolled and snapped at each other on the ground was the only way he could possibly separate them.

  Dex collided with Zoe, his weight taking her with him as he rolled with her over the clearing. Her jaws had been locked onto Pax’s hind quarter and her claws embedded in his side as Dex had attacked, and she hadn’t released either as she was thrown clear by Dex’s sheer size and weight, raking through Pax’s flesh as she went.

  The young wolf was whimpering with the pain of his injuries as she bounded up onto her feet, a moment after Dex had righted himself, and she snarled her intent, even as Dex stood between them barring the way.

  ‘Stand down sister!’

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Dex issued the order, not as her brother, but as her Alpha, and Z
oe’s beast had no other choice than to comply. The anger and frustration tore through her very veins, but she would not go against her Alpha.

  Dex satisfied himself that his sister would submit to his authority over her, when his attention was drawn back to Pax. The young wolf was bleeding and whimpering from the wounds that she had inflicted, but he was desperately trying to pull himself up from the floor, his damaged hind legs giving way beneath his weight every time he did.

  ‘ Stay down, Pax.’ Dex growled at the young wolf, when he once again tried to stand. ‘Stay down!’ Dex’s sheer force of will sent the young wolf back down to the earth, this time of his own accord, and Dex took up a position beside him, his eyes taking in the damage that his sister had inflicted. ‘Shift.’ Dex ordered him, and the fight having gone out of the beast allowed his Alpha to force the change on him instantly.

  Riff raced to Pax’s side as the man lay on the ground. His wounds were deep open gashes on his hind legs and across one side of his ribs, and they pumped blood out over his tanned skin. His face etched with the pain that rolled through his battered body.

  “Damn young fool!” Riff growled out. Dropping to his knees to see what could be done for him.

  ‘Zoe, shift. He’s not going to attack.’ Dex ordered and is sister complied, standing naked in the clearing, scratches adorning her body as George’s blood within her veins worked to heal her wounds. George was in front of her in an instant, pulling her against his body and wrapping her within his arms.

  “You got claws girl, I’m going to have to remember that.” George breathed against her ear as she melted against him. “Let’s get you some clothes.” He knew the Lycan way, and that she had probably been naked in front of her pack a million times, but she was his mate, and he’d much prefer it if he was the only one to see her body.

  “You’re so… vampire.” She teased, as she made no move to go anywhere. George stripped off his top and gave it to her.

  “Yes I am. And that’s a good thing.” He grinned down at her, as he watched her shimmy into his top. Her eyes eating up his bare muscled chest and making him hornier than hell.

  “We need to stop the bleeding.” Riff bit out as Dex shifted back into his human form, just as Kate came rushing into the clearing. Her eyes were wide as she took in the sight of Dex naked and gasped, in appreciation.

  “Oh my god.” She eyes swung in confusion to where Zoe stood half dressed in an oversized top that obviously belonged to George, his bare chest drawing her eyes for a long moment, “Oh my god.” She gushed in confusion as to why people had abandoned their clothes, and then she Riff kneeling next to the young man’s battered and torn body. “Oh god!” She went to rush forwards but Dex snagged an arm around her waist and hoisted her against him.

  “Stay back, Kate. He’s injured, he could snap at you.” Dex informed her. Turning her and putting her behind him before he walked over to where Pax lay dying.

  “He’s not going to make it to the moon tonight. He’s going to bleed out before then.” Riff offered looking up at Dex, concerned for his brother etched into his forehead as his eyes flicked towards Zoe.

  Zoe bit down on her jaw, the tears that welled in her eyes and threatened to spill over clouding her vision as she looked away from Riff and stared off unseeing into the shadows of the woods. She had wanted to kill him for threatening her mate, but now he lay dying she felt the loss of him in her life already. George pulled her back into his arms and she buried her head against his chest. Remorse washed through her in waves and battered against George as he tried to sooth her, his hands gently stroking down her back.

  “We need to stitch his wounds, buy him some more time…” Dex leaned down over Pax as the young wolf’s eyes rolled in his head.

  “He’s not going to make it, the wounds are too deep.” George bit out. The feel of his mate’s body tensing within his arms pained him. He would do anything to protect her from pain. “Only my blood can save him now.” George added and felt Zoe stiffen even more. She lifted her head to look up at him, her eyes searched his face.

  “He was going to kill you…” She reminded him, and he raised his brows and shrugged.

  “Guess I get the last laugh, he’ll have vampire blood in him when he wakes up.” George offered with the dry sarcasm that she liked about him. He reached up and wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. “If that’s what you want Zoe?” He wasn’t about to save the young wolf if his mate was just going to have to fight him all over again. If she would rather let it end here and now he could live with that, but could she?

  “He might come for you again…” She informed him, the argument was raging within her own mind, and George gave her a long moment to consider her options.

  “Then I can’t promise I won’t end him if he does.” George informed her as she brought her eyes up to him. “But you inflicted the wounds that will kill him now. Can you live with that Zoe?” He waited for her to consider his words. She didn’t answer him with words. She just shook her head. He planted a kiss against her forehead before turning towards Dex and Riff.

  “Hold him down, because if he wakes up and bites me, I’ll kill him myself.”George informed Dex lightly as he walked over to the group.

  “You sure you want to do this?” Dex asked as positioned himself on one side of Pax and Riff took the other.

  “Well, we’ve all been young, stupid and hormonal, might as well give him a chance to reflect on his mistakes.” George bit out with all the sarcasm he could muster. “Getting his backside kicked by a girl should keep his head down for a while, don’t you think?” George smirked as Zoe rattled off a series of swear words within her mind. “Yes, but you love me, I’m your mate.” George threw back over his shoulder as Zoe muttered some more.

  Dex forced Pax’s jaw open as George let his fangs push through. The sight of his elongated incisors had Kate catching her breath again and George tossed a smirk in her direction, before he turned away and bit into the flesh of his palm. Leaning over Pax he squeezed the blood from his vein’s straight down towards the back of Pax’s throat, before retreating and letting his Alpha deal with him.

  “Let’s get your stuff.” George walked towards Zoe as if nothing had happened, like it was just another day, and with an amused flick of his eyes towards Kate and a slight nod of his head, he wrapped an arm around Zoe’s waist and walked her along with him towards the house.

  Dex bounded over to where Kate was standing beside his truck. With a sexy smile he looked down at her and she just raised one eyebrow back at him, unimpressed.

  “Are you still mad because I broke your car?” Dex palmed the truck either side of her body and caged her in. Just that simple act made a spark of excitement rush through her.

  “It shows what a low down dirty rotten…” He cupped her chin with one hand and tipped her head up, silencing her rant with a kiss on her lips.

  “It shows that I didn’t want to let you get away from me.” He grinned. His eyes were bright and alive with the amusement that ran through him. He was as sexy as hell, and even now when she was mad at him, it did nothing to quench her needs. “Besides, I don’t think you should be driving.” He informed her as he took a step back and pulled open the passenger door for her and she climbed in.

  “Oh, you don’t, do you?” Kate was back to not being impressed by him, but he didn’t care. He was in a good mood and feeling as if everything was finally going right. George and Zoe were setting up house in the old McCartney place. The knowledge of that had irked him at first. He’d wanted that land for a while, but keeping it in the family was a close second, and the pack would still be able to run across the land.

  Kate had agreed to stay, which was always a foregone conclusion within his mind, but he was still grateful to hear her say the words. They would be going down to her place to pack her belongings in a week and haul it back home. He didn’t think she could be any more settle, but he still wanted her to have her things about her sooner rather than later, it might hel
p him with posing the questions about pups to her.

  Riff was keeping himself busy with Pax’s punishment. He had taken it upon himself to shape the young wolf into a Beta, after Zoe and George had spoken up for him and asked that he not be exiled from the pack. And George had been right about Pax, the fact that he had his backside handed to him by Zoe, and that a vampire had saved his life, did somewhat change his entire attitude on life.

  Dex seated himself behind the wheel and started the engine. With a quick flick of amused eyes towards Kate, he put the truck into reverse and gave her a pensive look.

  “Well you’re not that safe behind the wheel, sweetheart. Perhaps you should let me drive you around?” He managed to get it all out without chuckling, and watched as she folded her arms over her chest and physically pushed herself back in the seat. Pressing her lips together until they were nothing more than thin lines, she turned her head and gave him a dark glare.

  “Well maybe if your ego didn’t write cheques your body can’t live up too, I might be more inclined to listen…” She started, deciding to fight fire with fire.

  “What does that mean?” He couldn’t help but chuckle this time and she gave him a shrug off her shoulders.

  “Oh, well let’s take in the bedroom…” She offered and his head snapped around on his neck as his mouth dropped open.

  “The bedroom?” He spat out and she raised her brows and gave him a knowing look.

  “Well come on Dex, you don’t think that all of my oohs and aahs were real did you?” She tossed out there, feeling the emotions that were swirling through the cab of the truck towards her and revelling in the feel of poking the bear. His hand tightened on the steering wheel until his knuckles were white against his tanned skin.

  “Kate…” He warned and she unfolded her arms and shrugged again in innocent denial, wide eyed and playful as she turned towards him.