by Sarra Cannon
“I’ve been looking for you,” he growled, his eyes locked on Angelita’s wolf form.
“Go,” Sariel yelled, shoving the animal toward the safe room as she hurried to her feet. She planted herself between Angelita and the angry shifter, feet wide, hands up and ready to fight. “You can keep right on looking because you don’t get to take her again.”
“Oh, really?” he asked, snorting a laugh. “How exactly do you intend to stop me? I’ve taken care of your little guard dog downstairs.”
Sariel’s heart shattered, bursting into flames that sent her reeling, leaving nothing behind but scarred walls and a sooty mess on her soul. Her mate…he had to be talking about her mate. Her Bez.
But as the man took a step in her direction, Sariel pushed aside the ache burning her alive from the inside out. She’d deal with the loss of her mate later. If Bez was dead, he died battling to save Angelita. Those were his orders, and Sariel wouldn’t let him fail. Feeling a buzz of power radiate under her skin, she gave herself over to her wolf, letting the beast within have control even as she stayed in her human form.
“You may have gotten past him, but you won’t get through me. Not tonight.” Sariel snarled and ducked low, ready to battle. Just before she leaped, a muscled arm reached through the hole in the floor and gripped the man’s ankle, yanking him backward and forcing him to fall through the floor to the lower level. Sariel froze, not sure she’d seen what she thought she had. Not knowing if she could believe the sight of that hand she recognized. Big and thick, that hand looked just like one that had grabbed her hip, had slid up her thigh, had made her wet with its blunt fingers and rough skin. She knew that hand.
At the sound of a vicious snarl from below, Sariel rushed to the edge of the hole in the floor, the scene below making her breath catch. Bez, naked and bloodied, had the kidnapper in a kind of headlock, one the man was desperately trying to get out of. His flailing and jerking were hindered by blood on the wood floor. Another body hung half in and half out of the bedroom where the girls had been sleeping, still and quiet. Dead, she assumed.
As the kidnapper continued to struggle, Sariel leaned out farther, her hand catching her weight on the opposite side of the hole. The buzz inside grew stronger, more vibrant, becoming a physical link she felt to her mate. She’d heard the stories of the Omega strength, of the power they brought to their packs, but she’d never felt it for herself. That buzz, that power, was undoubtedly coming from her wolf, and she felt the power flow from her to her mate. Backing up Bez, even though she didn’t know how it was happening.
Bez growled and yanked, eyes meeting hers for a single, tense moment, before finally getting his footing and jerking his arm around the other man’s neck. His claw-like fingers cut through the flesh, tips stained red with the other man’s blood. A fast death for a bad man, brought about by a skilled warrior. Strong, efficient, and effective.
Bez dropped the man’s body to the floor and looked up, chest heaving as he met Sariel’s gaze. God, he looked so wild, so completely animal even in his human form. A true wolf in a man’s body. The two shared a moment filled with fire and passion, with desire and need. A moment of shared power and relief. Of connection.
“You good?” Bez asked, his voice rough like sandpaper against her ears. Sariel nodded, unable to speak. Bez held out a hand, keeping his eyes on hers. “Get down here, Freckles.”
Sariel shivered at the command in his voice. Without pause, she dropped through the ceiling, landing with a soft thud as Bez guided her. Before he could speak, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his. She poured every emotion she felt into that kiss—fear, anxiety, relief, and even lust. As much as Sariel should have been scared by all the death around her, she couldn’t be. Seeing her mate so strong and capable, as a victorious protector, was one of the biggest turn-ons she’d ever experienced. She wanted to make sure he knew that.
Bez returned her kiss with equal fervor, running his hands over her hips to grasp her ass and yanking her off her feet. She wrapped her legs around his waist, holding him tight to her body, rubbing against where he was quickly becoming hard for her. Nothing in between them. Flesh on flesh, hard on soft, knowing the slightest shift on either’s part would take them from third base to a home run. If she just angled her hips like—
A soft bark from above broke the spell woven between the two. Bez jerked and spun Sariel against the wall, caging her in with his body. Sariel growled, her tongue licking her bottom lip to savor her mate’s taste. She stared at Bez’s mouth, desperate for more of his touch, needing him in ways that defied the reality around them. But at least he seemed to feel the same. Bez growled low, his hands squeezing her ass harder, pulling her closer. Offering her one final tease before he glanced at Angelita overhead.
“Still a wolf, huh?” Bez ran his nose along Sariel’s cheek, a deep chuckle rumbling through his chest. “Let’s get you down now that it’s safe.”
Bez carefully unwound Sariel’s legs from his hips. As her feet touched the floor, she ran her nose along Bez’s breastbone and clutched at his arms. Trembling. Never wanting to let go.
“You made it safe for her,” Sariel whispered. She pulled back, staring up at him with pride.
Bez’s ice-blue eyes met hers, swirling with a thousand untold emotions. “For you. I made it safe for you.”
Chapter 17
The roar of incoming vehicles met Bez’s ears barely an hour after the fight ended. He looked up from his spot on the front porch, gripping Sariel tighter. They’d each gotten dressed in the sweat pants and T-shirts Bez had in the back of the Jeep before finding their way to the porch, neither wanting to go back inside with the two bodies and the bloodstained floors. Bez sat with his back against the wall and Sariel curled in his lap, her head resting on his chest. Angelita lay beside them with her head on his knee and her paw on Sariel’s hand. The three cuddled together in what reminded Bez of a puppy pile, all touching, all warm and safe. He had to admit, he liked it.
Angelita heard the rumbling a few moments after Bez, her ears pricking. She whined as the sound grew louder, the air practically vibrating with the rumble of large combustion engines.
“We’re good, little one,” Bez said, smoothing his hand over her head. “It’s my pack.”
Sariel didn’t respond, just pressed herself against Bez’s chest and held tight to his arms. Something he found to his liking. Bez’s Dire brothers turned onto the driveway mere moments later. Two rode in on motorcycles, the third bringing up the rear in a behemoth of a Suburban. The truck’s windows shook with the percussive sound of the hard rock the driver was blasting, making Bez’s ears hurt. Still, he’d never been so grateful to see them.
“Stay here,” he whispered to Sariel as he glanced at Angelita. “You, too.”
With one final stroke of his mate’s arm, Bez lifted her and placed her next to Angelita, letting them form their own pile while he stood up and strode off the porch. Chin up, chest out, ready to defend his actions, Bez approached his brethren. Mammon was the first off his bike.
“What’s up, Bez? We hunting tonight?”
“Negative.” Bez gave the man a big, back-slapping hug. “All targets have been eliminated.”
Levi hopped out of the truck, meeting Bez for another rough greeting. “I thought the mission was retrieval, not elimination.”
“It was.” Bez waited for Thaus to stroll over from his bike. Bigger than the other Dires, the man exuded a sense of malice that most people found off-putting. It had never bothered Bez in the past, but knowing his mate was close by made him reevaluate. Thaus would probably terrify Sariel. He would definitely scare the little wolf. Something Bez found objectionable.
Bez looked each man in the eye as they formed a small circle. “The mission changed when I found the camp. There were two Omegas, not one.”
“Standard collateral issue during retrieval,” Thaus murmured, his disapproval clear. “Acquire the target as ordered and reconvene at a la
ter time to restrategize for the second retrieval.”
Bez shook his head. “I couldn’t leave her behind. She’s an Omega.”
“We would have gone back for her,” Thaus replied. “Taking her when you were unprepared endangered the life of the target. You should have left the extra until we could assemble a proper team.”
“She’s not just an extra. I couldn’t leave her because she’s—” Bez paused, the words harder to say than he could have guessed “—she’s my mate.”
The three Dires didn’t respond, didn’t move, or even blink as they stared at him. Bez stood tall and proud under their scrutiny, sure of himself and this truth, ready to battle their judgment. He’d been ready for them to doubt him. Their history definitely indicated they would never find mates. Hell, they probably thought he’d lost his mind.
“Not possible,” Thaus grunted.
“Truth,” Bez growled, letting his wolf come to the surface. He knew they’d have to see the truth if his wolf claimed her; he just hoped they would believe the man first. “I found my mate, and there was no fucking way I was leaving her in that camp with those men. The bastards were going to use her as werewolf bait. There was no time. I made the call based on the situation I was in, and I’d do it again.”
Levi shook his head. “Blaze is going to—”
“Blaze will just have to accept my actions.”
Levi’s eyes went wide, his surprise evident. Bez had never gone against Blaze. Not once in all their years working for him. For him to be willing to risk Blaze’s ire certainly seemed to indicate the gravity of the situation in which Bez found himself.
“Show me,” Thaus said, still not sounding as if he even believed in the possibility of a Dire mating.
Bez nodded and turned back toward the porch. His wolf paced in his mind, angry that his brethren didn’t believe him, but Bez wasn’t ready to give up the hope that they would. They’d lived far too long mateless to be willing to accept this new bond without reservation. Bez understood that. Didn’t make it any easier, though, to be doubted by his pack.
Bez rushed up the stairs to a very curious looking Sariel. “Come.”
He held out his hand, furrowing his brow when anger flashed in her eyes. Angelita growled softly, a warning sound. One he understood and took to heart.
“Please, Freckles. Come with me.”
Sariel paused, looking past him to where the other Dires stood before placing her little hand in his. That moment, the amount of trust she gave him, was enough to soften the fury boiling up inside. They’d deal with his pack together.
Bez led her to where his brothers stood, keeping her tucked into his side. She trembled as she walked, though she never tried to stop him, allowing him to lead her where he wanted to go. Another sign of trust he appreciated. Angelita trailed after them, refusing to be left behind.
“Brothers, this is Omega Sariel. She’s my mate.” Bez stood tall and proud, staring each man down in turn. This was his mate, his fated one, and no one would refuse him his right to call her that so long as she allowed it.
Silence stretched between the groups, tense and dark. Bez’s wolf surged forward, ready for a fight. Bez knew the guys would sense the shift, feel the power of his wolf. Hell, they’d see it in the swirl of his blue eyes. His wolf would stake their claim for them if he had to; he’d also fight one of his own brothers for his mate. No one would be keeping Sariel and him apart.
Finally, after far longer than Bez was happy to wait, Thaus huffed.
“One of our own, come home to us at last.” He leaned down to Sariel’s height and gave her his best interpretation of a grin. “Blessings to you, Omega, and welcome to our Dire Wolf pack.”
Bez grinned, unable to hold back his joy. His brothers accepting his mate was a big step. When Thaus saw his smile, the man quirked an eyebrow. Bez just shrugged… He couldn’t help himself.
“Hey,” Levi called, giving Sariel a fake pout. “Don’t we get a chance to meet our little sister?”
Bez laughed and urged Sariel to take a step in front of him, keeping his arms wrapped around her shoulders. “Sariel, this is Mammon, Levi, and Thaus. Three of my Dire Wolf brothers.”
“Uh…hi.” Sariel waved, clinging to Bez’s arm with her other hand. He hated that the guys frightened her, but he knew she’d learn to trust them all. She was pack now, and Dires would fight to the death for their pack.
As Bez cuddled Sariel closer, wanting to offer his body as protection from the other Dires she saw as a bit of a threat, Thaus smirked.
“Blaze is still going to have your pelt.”
Chapter 18
“I have to commend you, Bez,” Dante said as he looked over the little cabin by the lake. “You really pulled this one off, even with the added challenges the job presented.”
Bez pursed his lips. “Challenges, sir?”
“Well, meeting your mate can be rather distracting. I should know; I’ve been through it twice.” He glanced over his shoulder to where Blaze and Moira stood. The curvy shewolf leaned against the side of the helicopter that would be taking her and her mates back to the airport with Angelita. Blaze, on the other hand, paced and yelled into his phone, obviously upset. Most likely about Bez killing off the kidnappers. Something Bez was still waiting to hear about from the leader of the NALB.
“I have no idea how you managed to keep the Omega safe when your mate was threatened,” Dante said, drawing Bez’s attention back to him. “I don’t think I could have done it.”
Before Bez could answer, Sariel herself walked up, sliding her arm around Bez’s waist. “He was very calm and focused. There was no way he could have failed.”
“Of course not. Bez never fails.” Dante smiled, turning to Bez’s mate. “I’m quite happy to meet you, Omega Sariel. I have to admit, your story has taken me a bit by surprise. An Omega we knew nothing about and a Dire Wolf with a mate, who would have thought?”
“Not me, sir.” Bez grinned as Sariel smacked him in the chest.
“She’s got your number, Bez. I’d be careful with your words.” Dante glanced between the two, smiling. “I’m thrilled he found you, Sariel. Bez here needs a good strong woman by his side.”
Sariel grinned. “As do most men.”
Bez rolled his eyes as Dante laughed, and hugged his mate closer to feel her giggle. “Are you heading right back to Chicago?”
“Yes, Moira and I want to update the Feral Breed specialists on this incident as soon as we can convene the team. We’ll need them to help us find this north camp.” He raised an eyebrow at the two of them. “Especially with our most successful hunter out for a few weeks.”
“Out?” Sariel asked, looking up at Bez with wide eyes. He glared at Dante, having not had the time to tell her the news yet.
“Bez has a mate now,” Dante said with a smile. “I think he’d like to take a little time to settle in to your relationship. Blaze and I did the same after Moira joined our triad. It made the transition for her much easier. Besides, our boy here deserves a break.”
“Our boy deserves a disciplinary hearing,” Blaze said, storming over. Anger poured off him, from the stiff set of his shoulders to the hard glare on his face.
“Blaze,” Dante started, but his mate wouldn’t let him finish. Blaze stalked right up to Bez, nearly bumping into Sariel. Bez growled and pulled his mate to the side, moving her out of the way as much as possible while keeping a hand on her arm.
“You were to retrieve the kidnappers, not eliminate them.”
Bez growled, refusing to back down. “They were a threat to two Omegas.”
“They were the key to finding the others, and you slaughtered them without permission. There had to have been another way.”
“Are you doubting my word, sir?” Bez’s voice came out deadly calm, even though inside, he was a volcano ready to erupt.
Blaze leaned closer and growled. “You’ve never given me reason to before today.”
Before Bez could react, Thaus stepped between the
two, flanked by Mammon and Levi. A wall of Dire muscle sliding between Blaze and Bez, tucking Sariel behind them as well.
“Our allegiance—while graciously shared with you, Blaze—is primarily for our pack,” Thaus said, glaring at Blaze. “Sariel is an Omega, of the lineage of the Dires. She is from the blood of our pack and therefore under our protection. Dire Beelzebub was acting with the full support of all the Dire Wolves in retrieving and protecting her.”
Blaze and Thaus stared one another down, neither willing to lose the challenge the other threw. Bez stood at his brother’s shoulder, ready to jump in and defend his actions again. For all the years he’d worked with Blaze, he’d never seen the man so wound up, so angry. But Bez refused to apologize—his mate had been in danger. A fact that justified his actions…period.
Finally, Blaze huffed, glancing from one Dire shifter to the next. “All the Omegas are in danger.”
“And we’ll do our absolute best to protect them,” Thaus said, moving to stand beside Sariel. “Every last of them.”
“You’d better.” Blaze shook his head, his anger deflating a bit. “I apologize, Sariel. I’m concerned for your Omega sisters.”
“As am I, President Blasius.” Sariel stood her ground, head up, staring hard at the powerful shifter. Bez practically burned with pride for his mate, whose bravery continued to impress him.
Blaze smiled, the tension in the air drifting away as he shook his head. “Please, call me Blaze.”
Angelita padded up cautiously, staying close to Sariel as she regarded the new shifters on the property. Bez and his three Dire Wolf brothers had been joined by eight members from the nearest Feral Breed denhouse, all ready to protect the young Omega. The reactions from the men ranged from relief to disappointment when they realized Bez had already exterminated four of the targets plus a werewolf. His own pack more disappointed than the others. Especially Levi, who had a slight werewolf obsession.
