Mastering His Mate

by Delta James

  “This may be the best party we’ve ever had out here. Robert and his staff, both regular and those he brought on board for the evening, have outdone themselves.”

  The party lingered on into the wee hours of the morning. Oliver was convinced that not one person who had attended had not been impressed.

  As the last of their guests departed, Roz started trying to shuffle their pack off to their beds. The general consensus seemed to be that if she was going to be up to supervise the aftermath with the staff, they too would be up to help. Oliver watched as their generosity and support hit home with her.

  He joined her and offered her his handkerchief. “And you worried that they didn’t want you here.”

  “I know. I owe all of them an apology. They have been almost as good to me as their alpha,” she replied, smiling at him and reaching up to kiss him softly.

  “I see, all it takes is a diamond necklace and earrings to be forgiven for making you take a nap.”

  “Hmm, it helps, but you aren’t forgiven yet.”

  He chuckled, knowing the answer to his next question. “And what, my beautiful mate, would it take to be completely forgiven?”

  She leaned forward, slipping her hand just inside his waistband and nuzzling his neck. “Oh, I’m sure you can think of something.”

  He laughed. “I can indeed.”

  With everyone pitching in, Robert and his staff were able to quickly finish cleaning up and putting the house back in order.

  Roz wanted to personally thank Robert for all his expertise and extra effort to make this night a success. As she was headed into the kitchen, a figure moving just outside her peripheral vision caught her attention. She turned to look and only glimpsed a face that seemed somehow familiar.

  Liza joined her. “Not bad for a couple of Jersey girls, huh?”

  “Not bad at all,” Roz said with a smile but in a distracted tone.

  “What is it?”

  “I’m not sure. That guy who’s just leaving… does he seem familiar to you?”

  Liza looked at him. “No, why?”

  “Something about him. Robert?”

  The chef joined her. “Mistress?”

  “What do you know about that guy just getting on the scooter?”

  “He’s a day worker sent by the agency. I kept anyone who isn’t a regular member of our staff with one of our staff members to ensure there were no thefts of any kind, why?”

  “There’s something oddly familiar about him. Do you know who worked with him?”

  “Becky, I believe. Shall I fetch her for you?”

  “Yes, please.”

  Robert left them and went to get Becky.

  Oliver and Bash joined their mates. “What is it, sweetheart?” Oliver asked, seeing the look of concern on Roz’s face.

  “I’m not sure.”

  Robert returned with Becky. “Is there something wrong?” the young woman asked.

  “No,” said Roz, wanting to reassure her. “The guy you worked with tonight. What did you think of him?”

  “He’s kind of odd.”

  “What do you mean odd?”

  “Well, he didn’t talk a lot about himself. He didn’t seem overly curious about people at the party or the Hamptons in general.”

  “Maybe he’s from around here.”

  Becky laughed. “Not with that accent.”

  “What kind of accent?”

  “Oh, I don’t know, European, I guess.”

  Roz became very focused, “European as in French, Italian, or more Slavic—like east of Germany?”

  “Yeah, like that. And he had a bad knee. Said he got injured several months ago. Did he do something wrong?”

  Roz reassured. “No, just thought I might have seen somewhere before. Thanks again, Becky. You guys just pulled out all of the stops tonight.”

  “Happy to do it. Seems everyone had a great time.” She turned to Oliver. “And thanks for the nice bonus. I don’t know a lot of places who’d give you double time and a bonus.”

  Oliver smiled. “All of you worked so hard and made it easier on my mate. I appreciate it.”

  “Night then!” Becky said as she started back to the kitchen with Robert to collect her things.

  It was now only the four of them—Roz, Oliver, Liza, and Bash.

  “What is it, Roz?” asked Bash as he too had noticed her heightened concern.

  “I knew I knew him from somewhere.”

  “Where?” the other three asked in unison.

  “He’s one of the Serbian wolves that attacked us at Bae Diogel.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  “Bash, call the gate. See if you can get him stopped.”

  “Oliver, don’t. Send one of them to follow him instead. At this point he doesn’t know I recognized him or that anyone is on to the fact that he was here.”

  Oliver growled low. “He attacked you. He doesn’t get to get away with that.”

  She touched his arm. “I know. He limps because I broke his knee. I’m safe here with you. You can deal with him down the road, but right now isn’t it more important to know why he was here and what he’s up to?”

  “I don’t like it,” he growled again.

  “I wouldn’t either,” said Bash. “But Roz is right. Better to follow him and figure out what he’s up to. I’m going to get our security folks to do a sweep of the house and anywhere he might have been. I want to make sure he didn’t leave us a little present.”

  Bash called down to the gate and one of the men down there was assigned to do some surveillance. He would stay with the foreign wolf until someone relieved him in the morning.

  “Bash? Do we have any equipment that might detect listening or other electronic devices?” asked Roz.

  Bash smiled. “Yes. Excellent idea.” He turned to Liza and kissed her. “You go upstairs and go to bed. I know you’re exhausted.”

  Liza stomped her foot. “You do not get to send me off to bed like a small child. This is my pack too.”

  “Liza, sweetheart, that wasn’t a request. Get upstairs and go to bed.”

  “Bash,” Roz started to intervene.

  Oliver shushed her. “No, Roz. This is between your sister and her mate.”

  “But he…”

  “Is her mate and will make decisions about her well-being without your interference. And I’m sending you to bed as well. Bash, do get the security teams to do a thorough check of both your rooms and ours, including the outside areas. I’ll keep the girls with me until you give me the all-clear.”

  Bash nodded and then went to join the security detail.

  Roz glared at Oliver then turned to her sister. “You know, if they weren’t so great in the sack, they wouldn’t be worth putting up with.”

  Liza giggled. “They do get just a bit overprotective.”

  “A bit? I break the guy’s kneecap and killed some of his pack members and this one thinks I’m helpless.”

  “This one,” said Oliver indulgently, “is standing right here and would remind you that earning yourself a spanking before your alpha mate takes you to bed might not be the best idea.”

  “You know if we were alone, I’d say something very naughty,” she teased.

  He laughed. “And I suppose you think you get points for not saying it?”

  “I figure I need all the points I can get.”

  Liza smiled, watching them. In some ways they behaved as though they had been together forever. The three of them watched while a group of six men carrying electronic equipment to detect explosives and listening devices split into two groups. One went up the stairs to sweep Bash and Liza’s room as well as the rest of that floor. The other started in Oliver and Roz’s suite before checking the remainder of the ground floor.

  Bash joined them, wearing a headset so that he was in constant contact with the security team.

  “So far, it looks like he was here doing a bit of preliminary surveillance on us. Liza, our room and the upstairs is clear. I need you to go up to
bed, please.” He leaned over and kissed her.

  “I don’t want…”

  Bash kissed her again. “I didn’t ask you if you wanted to. And I rather suppose you don’t want a spanking before you do as you’re told, now do you?”

  “No, but are you going to be long? I’ll wait up.”

  “I’m not sure how long I’ll be. I’d better find you asleep when I get there.”

  “You said we could run tonight.”

  Bash grinned, a bit embarrassed. “Yes, but that’s before we knew we may have trouble. I don’t want you running or wandering without me.” He pulled her close and nuzzled her. “When I come upstairs, I’ll wake you and you can tell me what I can do to make it up to you.”

  Liza grinned. Oliver smiled. Bash was right; a strong libido seemed to be part of the Kincanon DNA.

  Bash turned Liza toward the stairs and patted her rump affectionately. He pointed to their room. “Upstairs and to bed with you, mate. Be a good girl and I may overlook that earlier stomped foot.”

  “I was kind of hoping you’d forgotten about that,” Liza said as she started up the stairs.

  Bash turned back to Oliver. “I have a few more things to check and we’re doubling up security.”

  Oliver turned Roz toward their room. “I need to go with Bash. I want you to go to bed as well.”

  “Oliver…”

  “Points or no, little girl, I want you to mind me, and I want you to do it now.”

  “I should have just kept my mouth shut and followed him myself…” Roz muttered as she started toward their room.

  “And found yourself with a welted bottom when I found out. Now get to bed, Rozalyn.”

  He watched her all the way to their room before turning to Bash. “If we have the extra men, post someone outside my patio and your balcony. We don’t need the Kincanon sisters deciding to show us how wrong we are to be protective of them.”

  “You know,” started Bash, “there was a time I would have sworn that my Liza would never do anything so foolish, but with her big sister back in the picture, I’m not so sure.”

  “I know, and if and when she leads your mate down the wrong path, I’ll make sure she thinks twice before doing it again.”

  “Don’t, Oliver. Liza is an adult; she makes up her own mind. Besides, having Roz home has made her so very happy.”

  Oliver nodded. “I think she may have missed her more than we thought.”

  “I agree. I also agree that posting a couple of extra guards wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

  * * *

  Roz picked up her cell phone and started to call Skylar, but then realized the time. She thought about calling Darby who was now in New Orleans, but it was still way too late. She sat down to text the two of them. She was certain Oliver would alert Dylan, Jean-Michel, and several other alpha leaders. The knock and then unlatching noise behind one of the bookcases in their office startled her.

  “Hey,” said Liza, poking her head in.

  Roz grinned. “No way. Secret passages?” Liza returned the grin and nodded. “Do you know we have dungeons too?”

  “Yes, Bash showed them to me. You can get to them from the basement wine cellars, but they’re actually hidden deep in the cliffs. Kind of spooky and yet kind of sexy.”

  Roz laughed. “You don’t say? So, you and your mate have been playing sexy games down there?”

  “Sometimes,” Liza admitted with a blush. “And unlike you I have to change to a wolf to experience being knotted. You know it doesn’t hurt as a wolf, but they say it’s really painful when you’re human. Does he make you do it more often than once a month?”

  Even though they had been reunited for almost a month, they’d been so busy with preparations for tonight’s successful party, they had very little time to just sit and be sisters.

  “He doesn’t make me do it at all. If I hated it, he’d probably only make me do it as a wolf. But the fact is, it’s the most mind-blowing, orgasm-producing sex I’ve ever had. We do it all the time.”

  “So that’s why he seems so happy. Bash made the comment a couple of weeks back that you must be keeping him very happy in that department.”

  “I try, little sister, I try. So how long do you think they’ll be?”

  “Not sure, but a while I’d think.”

  “Do you know your way down to the wine cellar and then to the dungeons?”

  “Sure, but why?”

  “I’d like to do a little exploring.”

  “Roz… you’re not thinking of leaving, are you? I thought you were happy with Oliver. I don’t want you to go.”

  Her sister smiled. “Liza, I’m happier with Oliver than I have any right to be. I love him madly. I can’t imagine how awful my life would be without him. But I also want to know what means of escape or someone else getting in here might be. Those Serbs caught us unaware at Bae Diogel. I want to make damn sure it doesn’t happen again.”

  “Then a little adventure it is. But you might want to change. You’re a bit overdressed to go skulking around.”

  Roz realized that while Liza had changed, she was still dressed for the party. “Ya think?” she giggled. Rapidly she took off her evening clothes and put on a pair of jeans, a sweater, and pulled on some boots. “Let’s go.”

  Liza showed her how to activate the release on the bookcase to get into the secret passage. They used flashlights found just inside the entrance to the passageway to light their way. Liza showed Roz that the passages and then the tunnels also had electric lighting if stealth wasn’t a consideration.

  Liza led her sister on an extensive tour of the house’s many passages and where each could be entered or exited. It was rather exciting.

  “They say it was the Halsey women who engineered and constructed these passage ways.”

  Roz grinned. “Oliver always says I’m in good company. That the mistresses of the Halsey pack have rarely been what they seemed on the outside.”

  “Bash says you fit right in. He commented tonight watching you that you looked every bit the great lady. He said it would be hard for those people to grasp the idea that you’ve killed defending your home and your pack. By the way, he admires you for that.”

  “Admires? Bash? No. Bash doesn’t like me.”

  “That’s not true at all. He thinks you’re pretty special. He says that he’s never seen Oliver as happy and not just sexually. The whole pack, by the way, loves the fact that he moved that partners’ desk into what is essentially his private office. That suite has always been his sanctum and even Bash was reluctant to bother him there. But he wants to share it with you. Although you might give the guy a break and tell him how you feel.”

  “He knows. He’s too smart not to know.”

  “Of course he knows. We all know, but it would mean the world to him for you to say it… and to the rest of us as well.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You left us once. And you didn’t want to be mated to him and weren’t thrilled at first about coming home. There’s a smidgeon of fear that part of you isn’t fully committed to Oliver, to us, to this place.”

  “Then I’ll have to fix that. I will tell you, and will make sure everyone else knows in short order that I’m all in. Oliver was right when he said we’re fated mates. He’s as much mine as I am his. Anyone tries to take him from me or hurt him or any members of our pack, and they’ll find out what a nasty, evil bitch I can be. Keep in mind, little sister, I’m a demolitions expert. I can make explosive devices with the best of them.”

  Liza threw her arms around her. “I’m so happy to hear you say that! Well, not the explosive devices part… the other part.”

  Roz laughed. “I knew what you meant. If you really think it’ll mean something to them, I’ll try to find a way to let people know.”

  They found their way down to the wine cellar. It wasn’t just a fridge or a small room. The thing was several rooms with a central wine tasting area.

  “I have got to tell Skylar about this. She
loves wine. She’d lose her mind in here. I’m set for her birthday and Christmas gifts for the rest of my life. I guess I’d better ask Oliver about that.”

  “I’m sure he won’t mind. He and Dylan have been friends for years.”

  Liza showed her another hidden latch that opened a section of wall that housed some lovely pinot noirs. The stairwell leading down had been carved from the rock and was cold. They descended what felt like at least two floors before the walkway opened out into an expansive area with what looked like eight cells, complete with bars, locked doors, dingy cots, and rings set into the wall. In the centralized area there was an old-fashioned furnace that looked as though it had used wood or hot coals and several devices Roz recognized from horror movies: a rack, an iron maiden, and a suspension bar.

  “Hmm, you and Bash could get into some pretty kinky shit in here.”

  Liza blushed. “No mostly, just I’m a prisoner and he has his way with me,” she giggled. “Do you think part of the reason the sex is so much more intense is because we’re wolves now?”

  “Could be. I also think the whole power exchange, getting spanked, etc., heightens the feelings. It makes me so mad when Oliver spanks me and then puts his hand between my legs to play with me and I’m soaked. So annoying.”

  “I know what you mean. And they’re so, I don’t know, forceful or in control and yet I have absolutely no fear of Bash. None.”

  Roz nodded. “I know. I’ve never felt safer with anyone. Do you remember how I used to just like them to go home after we fucked? Now I can’t imagine how awful I’d feel if I wasn’t snuggled up next to Oliver. It’s like I have to be touching him… geesh, that sounds pathetic.”

  “Hey, it’s been almost five years and there are nights I still can’t get close enough to him.”

  “Not what I needed to hear. You needed to tell me in time I’d find equal footing with Oliver.”

  “You won’t or at least not the kind you’re thinking about. He seems inclined to let you be mostly you. But that part of you that has always loved danger and the adrenaline rush it brings is either going to get controlled or not be able to sit down. You put yourself in danger and he’ll most likely introduce you to the idea of his belt.”