by Elsa Jade
Avoiding his alpha’s stare, Iron took a quick look across the room. The small bar was as crowded as it got, both pool tables and the dart board in use, with people lining the bar and talking over each other. Most of them were strangers. Usually the bar was filled with pack or those connected to the pack with only a few outsiders, but this was the mating season, so usual rules didn’t apply. Unmated pack members went beyond the pack’s territory looking for women, and for those already mated – well, they didn’t want to leave home.
For Iron, mating season was hell on earth, and that wasn’t a fucking exaggeration. Connected to his true mate but not mated to her, mating season meant the sensation of a thousand pinpricks jabbing at his skin every moment he wasn’t touching her and constant desire to move, to find her, to fill himself with her and to fill her. His nose searched out her scent and every other one made him want to puke. The clawing need to sink fangs and cock into his woman, to mark her, to get her pregnant and to feel her come.
And here she was in front of him, unexpected and unwelcome, because she was pure temptation and the wolf within was throwing itself at the cage where Iron kept it locked tight. It lunged and growled and bared its teeth in frightening display, determined to get to his mate.
Iron refused to let that happen. True mates were fucking lies and he wasn’t going down that path. Bella wasn’t meant for him, his wolf be damned. “Instead of bitching about my life, don’t you think your ass should be out there finding your mate? Doesn’t look good if the alpha is unmated too long. Challengers start sniffing around.”
Steel threw him a goddamn annoying smirk. “Unlike some, I’m not scared of getting my mate. Once I find my true mate I’m courting the hell out of her and mating her the second she allows it. I only need to keep my eyes open to grab her up when she comes by.”
“And you think she’s going to come by while your ass is planted on my bar stool?” Fucking Steel. Iron could take dealing with the shit thrown at him if the alpha was easier to rile, but no, he’d always been calm, cool, and fucking collected.
“Once I’m meant to find her, I’ll find her. Doesn’t matter where.”
“Where did all this Zen bullshit come from? You need to let me know so I don’t ever visit.”
Steel took another swig from his beer bottle, unaffected by the aggression pouring off the pack’s beta. “Might as well stop hoping I’ll give you a fight and a reason to shut the bar down so Bella has to go home. Suck it up, buttercup.”
Too bad. A full-out fight would have been welcome. Humans being so weak sucked sometimes, since any fight with them was over before it began.
Out of habit, he did a quick look-over of the bar for any signs of problems. Since most here weren’t pack or regulars, he didn’t know who to be wary of, so he glanced from dart board to pool table to pool table…
Fuck. Bella was at a pool table, lining up a shot like the little shark she was, and that ass in those jeans was on perfect display – bent over the pool table, pointed in his direction, and begging for him to spend days worshipping it like he’d wanted to since the moment he first realized what his dick was for.
“Iron’s looking like the wolf from one of those old cartoons, tongue all out and eyes three feet extended. Is Bella around?” Dropping into the bar stool next to Steel, the man speaking was almost pretty-boy handsome with his clear blue eyes, blond hair, and cocky grin, but was saved from that description by the deep voice with its I’ve traveled the world and picked up a bit from everywhere accent and the thick scruff over his cheeks and neck.
“Don’t give me shit, House, since you’re only here for Mel. Speaking of, where’s your other half?” House’s grin dropped and a scowl took over. Yeah, Iron wasn’t the only one in a shit situation, and they needed reminded of it some days.
House’s mouth pursed, like he was debating if it was worth letting an argument develop, but he dropped it, saying “Mel here tonight?”
“She should be arriving in a few. She’s got the shift til close, so I hope you don’t have to work tomorrow. Since you’ll be here all night drinking and all.”
House threw some money on the bar. “Just get me a beer and shut the hell up.”
“And your partner in crime? Should I set up a tab for him as well?” Hell yeah, it was a lot more fun being on the giving shit side instead of taking it.
Speaking of…the door opened to frame a big, hulking figure of a man, with a plain-bordering-on-unattractive face and eyes and short, shaggy hair the same color as tree bark. He made his way to the bar with everyone around him stepping back to let him pass unimpeded, taking the seat on the other side of Steel.
Steel gave a small nod. “How you doin’, Brick? The shop treating you well?”
“Working on a ’68 Mustang.”
“That’s sweet,” said Steel, and Iron nodded. House said nothing, and everyone ignored the thrum of tension that settled around the group as Iron went to grab another beer.
A shout rose from the pool area. Bella was running the table and looked ready to sink the eight. Now she was facing him, the front of her shirt cut low to reveal the upper curve of her breast. As she pocketed the eight her friends cheered, and she put her arms on the table, arching her back just a little, just enough to pull that shirt as low as it would go before it would be illegal. Before he mustered the willpower to look away, the little bitch raised her eyes until she was staring direct into his, long curly hair swinging over her shoulder, those cock-sucking lips of hers curled up at the corners and big brown eyes sparkling. Like she knew what he’d been ogling…knew, and approved.
Like she planned it. Of course she had. Sneaky, brilliant, beautiful bitch. No, really she was more a cat. After all, she’d been driving him crazy since they were six-year-olds in Mrs. Jenkins’s first-grade class.
House’s impossible-to-place accent cut through the spell Bella’s eyes always cast over him. “What’s Bella doing here, anyway? I thought she lived at the hospital these days.”
Hospital. Doctor Isabella Santiago. Ice-cold reality doused him, and Iron tore his gaze from her, slamming glasses on the bar and began pouring.
“You said the h word. Mistake.” Steel was responding to House, but his attention was fixed on Iron. “We don’t use such dirty language around here.”
“Steel, man–” Iron bit his tongue to keep from continuing the sentence. His alpha would put up with a lot of talk, but the words that wanted to escape Iron’s throat right now would get them into a fight that would leave a bloody mess across the bar. Besides, this was Steel’s way, trying to goad him into something that wasn’t going to fuckin’ happen. Steel might be doing it out of brotherly love, but it got tired.
In answer to a prayer Iron never said, the door behind him opened and in walked Melissa Harris for her shift, her dyed blonde hair up in a ponytail, face make-up free with her usual outfit of T-shirt, jeans, and boots, all well-worn. “Hey, guys.”
Brick and House both tensed, their gazes locking on Mel, which she seemed oblivious to as she started on her prep for the night. How much House and Brick’s situation sucked hit Iron again, making his own issues more bearable. Having the same true mate as another wolf? Not for any amount of money would he sign on for that.
As she finished counting the till, Mel said, “I’m surprised to see you guys here. Shouldn’t yinz be out, finding your true mates? Don’t be a dumbass like Iron here.”
Iron threw up his hands. “Fuck my life, man.”
“Why don’t you fuck Bella instead? And mate her while you’re at it?”
Fierce. That described Mel more than anyone else he knew, even Bella. She hadn’t blinked when she discovered in seventh grade that two of her three best friends were werewolves, and she discovered that after an attack where a werewolf from a different pack went after her. Steel stopped the attack, but it was Mel who had doused the bastard in mace, then when he was back in his human form kicked him in the balls so hard he was probably still singing soprano.
As awesome as it was to see her in action, it was less satisfying when she used it against him. When the season started and he hadn’t gone after Bella – for yet another year, the Mel voice in his head said, angry drawl and all – she’d taken to glaring at him as a hobby, and he knew the minute she began to suspect he was going to do something with Laura because she served his prized whiskey stash to the bar one night he was off, feigning wide-eyed ignorance of how it happened the next day.
Never let it be said Mel was subtle.
Steel spoke up, and though Iron could try to pretend it was because Steel was going to back-off, why bother? The reason was it would be bloody if Brick and House tried to make a wolf skin out of Iron should he lose his temper and upset Mel. “Mel, Bella’s here. Shouldn’t you go say hi?”
Mel cut her eyes at Steel, but she smiled anyway. “Fine, right after I’m done prepping.” She turned back to Iron, poking him in the chest with her finger. “You – grow a dick, or a brain, or something. Quit making her wait.”
Twin growls of protection reached Iron’s ear, both pitched too low for Mel’s human hearing to grasp. Iron stepped back an inch in a show of understanding, head bowed a fraction to Brick and House. As beta he didn’t show submission to anyone but his alpha, but he was willing to give a small acknowledgment to keep the peace. No need for instincts to take over and start a bloodbath.
Both the other wolves knew Iron wouldn’t touch Mel, knew he wouldn’t hurt her for her display, but as Iron knew too well, logic meant fuck all when it came to mates.
Brick and House shook off their reaction as well. House gave Iron a conciliatory smile, and Brick – well, Brick didn’t leap over the bar and go for Iron’s throat. That was as conciliatory as the man got.
Mel wrapped an apron around her waist, pocketed her order pad, and began putting the bar to order, which meant making sure the beer was cold, the whiskey ready, and the glasses clean. The clientele they served here didn’t care for much beyond that.
Both House’s and Brick’s attention was fixed on her, both giving small groans when she leaned over to pull a case of beer out from the bottom shelf. Iron leaned close, saying in a low voice, “Should I go get you two some cigarettes?”
“Fuck off, man,” came House’s less-than-pleased response. Brick glared, and Steel fucking snickered, the asshole.
“Mel.” Bella’s happy voice rang through the building, and Mel responded, rushing from behind the bar to the shorter, darker woman, who had put down her pool cue and was waiting.
Squeals and hugs sounded between the two, and in Iron a deep growl of contentment sounded from his wolf. Its mate was happy and pack was close by – even if he did want to deck the assholes sometimes. This was right.
Iron shook it off. No. It wasn’t right. Laura was going to be his mate, and that was best for everyone, and his fucking wolf better get with the fucking program.
A table started calling out for refills, breaking Mel and Bella apart, and after one last hug Mel came back to the bar to start filling pints. House and Brick had changed seats while she was away and were now sitting across from Mel, which wasn’t an accident. Since these were the seats Mel was closest to when she was behind the bar, they were exclusively for Brick and House to use, and anyone who sat in them when Mel worked either would move – or they would be moved.
Since it was well known the two weren’t the best of friends, Mel spared them her usual quick warning glance. Why she still bothered was a mystery. Here at the bar was the only time Brick and House could be next to each other without a fight starting. Even if Mel didn’t understand the reason behind it, that was fact. Maybe a glare or a growl, but nothing physical ever developed.
The phone rang, and Mel grabbed it up. “Iron’s,” she said, but disinterest turned into muted panic. “What about Danny? Is he…no, have Daddy take him to the ER, I’ll meet you…I’ll be there as soon as I can. Mom – Mom – it’s okay, quit panicking, all right? Little boys break bones. The next few weeks will suck, but he’ll be fine…yes, Mom, I gotta go. I’ll call you as soon as I get to the hospital.”
The four wolves’ full attention was on Mel as she spoke into the phone. She hung up and said, as she began tearing off her apron, “Mom thinks Danny broke his arm. I need to get to him. I swear I’ll make this up-”
Iron interrupted. “Don’t be an idiot, talking about making shit up. Take care of Danny, call as soon as you know what’s going on.”
Mel proved once again her stubborn streak matched any wolf, because even as she was readying to leave to go to the hospital she shook her head, saying, “I will make it up. You’re already too good to me, letting me leave to take care of Mom and Danny so much, and don’t think I don’t notice my pay never seems to be docked the right amount of hours.”
Yeah, like he’d ever let Mel go without. Even if Brick and House didn’t get their heads out of their asses and figure things out enough to mate the girl proper this mating season, she’d always be pack to him.
Outside of the fact that Brick wouldn’t be such a grumpy asshole if he was getting laid regularly, the main reason they needed their mating situation figured out was because once Mel was pack, then Iron’d be able to take care of her openly, no more of this runaround bullshit where he had to try to be sneaky in getting her help and money. She wasn’t his mate, but she’d been in the same first-grade class as him, Bella, and Steel. Mel was the little sister of his heart, and had stuck with them for years. Like fuck he was going to let her go without.
Iron stopped her with gentle hands on her arms, making her look at him. “And who took over this bar for over six weeks when my dad died? When I was laid up with appendicitis? Who did it while she was fucking seven months pregnant, but if she didn’t, I would have lost fuckin’ everything? You ain’t got a leg to stand on in complaining. Go and don’t even think of coming back to this bar for the next few days, and let us know when we can come visit and sign Danny’s cast.”
Mel’s face was bright red, her mouth opening and closing like a fish, her face bashful and pleased and pissed, the mixture looking kinda cute on her face.
After several moments, she deflated, backing down. “Fine. But I owe you, and don’t even think of saying I don’t,” she said, stabbing him with a pointy index finger, the only person in the world besides Bella who could get away with that particular action without getting their throat torn out. “Let me call Rick and see if he can come pick me up a little early.”
House broke in. “Your car not working again? You should really let me and Brick fix you up-”
“No,” Mel said, voice the level of firm that Iron knew meant that train of thought was stopped hard. “I will not.”
“It won’t cost us anything, and you do our books. It’s the least we could do.” In yet another way fate was fucking with the two of them, Brick and House were gods when it came to cars. Fixing them, restoring them – there was none better, and if you gave them a junker they’d give it back to you cherry. Their mutual hatred didn’t stop them from realizing if they went into business together they’d be flush for life, so they had a mechanic shop with a side business of car restoration. Between the two of them, there wasn’t a car problem in existence that couldn’t be solved, and their frustration that their mate would drive around in an unsafe POS made them vibrate in helpless anger some nights.
Of course, she didn’t know she was their mate, which was part of the problem. She saw them as friends of one of her oldest friends, who wanted to help for that reason. While her pride could bend around Iron, with Brick and House it was an unyielding wall.
Mel rolled her eyes. “Which you let me do from home and pay me way too much for. You aren’t going to give me a car on top of that.”
“It would be good advertising for the business.” House gave her his movie-star grin, but unlike most people who were exposed to it, it didn’t melt Mel. In fact, it was the opposite, putting her back up as few other things could do.
Seeing her build-up a head of ste
am, Iron opened his mouth to defuse the situation, but Brick spoke before Iron could say anything, the second time the man had spoken tonight. “We’ll drive you. Don’t call Rick.”
Brick’s voice was flat, resolute, but a small muscle ticked at the corner of his jaw, and the male projected a do not argue with me vibe even Iron would have been hard pressed to ignore.
It stopped Mel cold, and after only a moment’s internal battle, she caved and nodded before slipping into the back room to get her jacket. April in Pennsylvania meant the days could be either too hot or a nice degree of mild, but almost always the nights would be too cold and people would need their coats.
While she was gone, Iron looked at the two of them, looked hard, a direct stare that could start a dominance war. “Are you two going to mate her?”
The muscle in Brick’s jaw jumped faster, his breathing sped up, and this was in danger of becoming a fight. From the corner of his eye, Iron saw Steel readjust, his posture going from easy-going to fight-ready.
House spoke for the two, as he usually did. Funny how at odds the two of them were, but somehow they’d gotten into a rhythm that spoke of how entwined their lives were. “You have no right to be talking about mating, do you?”
“My situation doesn’t come into this. She’s been my sister for over twenty years. I can’t do what I want for her on the outside, but here, I will protect her. You need to make your decision this mating season.”
More would have been said, except Mel stepped out, jacket on and purse over her arm. “Ready. Thanks for the ride.”
House slipped back into his easy grin. “Let’s roll, then.”
Both Iron and Steel watched as the three made quick work of exiting the building. After they disappeared, Steel spoke first. “Glad I didn’t have a blood bath to deal with tonight.”
