Daring Fate: Silver Tip Pack series

by Megan Erickson

  “You’re dumb.”

  “I am funny.” He drew out the words. “So tell me his story.”

  “It’s pretty shitty.”

  He snorted. “We all have tragic backstories in today’s world, Dare. Just tell me about him.”

  Point taken. “He’s a Whitethroat from Astria.”

  Bay squinted. “Astria.” Then his mouth dropped open in an O. “Shit. They got attacked about fifteen years ago, yeah?”

  I nodded. “Reese was ten. His parents got him and Jude out and took them to the Bluefoot pack hoping for sanctuary. Instead Xan killed his parents and put Jude and Reese to work.”

  “Damn.”

  “Then he tried to escape, and you know the rest.”

  “I thought Xan was doing okay over there, but he’s killing and forcing wolves to do labor?”

  “According to Reese. Why else would he risk escape?”

  Bay sighed heavily. “I heard he was in bad shape. He’s healed now?”

  I nodded. “Yeah. He’s really thin. I’m on my way to get him some food.”

  Bay was quiet for a moment. “And…you think he’s legit?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, do you think he’s telling the truth? He’s not some sort of mole or spy or whatever?”

  I bristled, my immediate reaction to defend my mate. “You think Xan would beat up his own pack member and send him here to spy on me?” Bay and I looked at each other, and then I sighed. “Okay, yeah he probably would. But he wouldn’t have been able to anticipate that Reese was my mate.”

  “Fair enough,” Bay said. “I thought I’d be a voice of reason while your brain is clouded with hormones.”

  “Since when are you the voice of reason in this family?”

  Bay laughed. “Yeah, it’s not a good fit.”

  “You’re right, though, about the hormones. I don’t—” I shook my head. “I don’t know how to handle this. I don’t know enough about True Mates to understand what’s normal.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I bit him.” I blurted out.

  Bay didn’t react. “You bit him?”

  “Yeah, the first time I fucked him, I lost control. I half-shifted then I bit him and passed out.”

  Bay blinked at me. “Uh, that’s intense.”

  “You think?” We didn’t have any True Mates in the pack for me to look to for an example. In fact, I’d never met any in my life.

  Bay held up a finger and hopped out of bed. He rummaged under some clothes on a table in the corner of his room, and I peered around him to see a stack of books. “Are all those books signed out?”

  He turned around with a roll of his eyes. “Probably not.”

  “Bay! How many times—?”

  He shoved a book in my face so fast that the cover smacked my nose. I grabbed it out of his hand with a snarl and read the cover. Real Accounts of True Mates. “Oh. Thank you. Still, sign the books out like everyone else, okay?”

  He waved a hand at me. “Sure. I grabbed that a while ago because I was curious. There are all kinds of stories about alphas being able to control entire packs. Their mates gaining alpha powers. Stuff like that. True Mates are the real deal.”

  “I don’t feel any different so far other than wanting to fuck him a lot.”

  Bay barked out laugh. “Well, I’m not sure how much that book will help because it doesn’t have any mentions of True Mates between species. Only accounts of Weres with Weres and werewolves with werewolves.”

  I ran my fingers over the embossed lettering. “I wonder if, before the humans went extinct, there were any Were/human True Mate pairings.”

  Bay sat down on the edge of his bed. “Yeah, I don’t know. It’s rare enough to find it in species.”

  I smacked the book on my thigh. “So how’s the pack?”

  “They’re fine. It’s normal to spend a week with a new mate. Now that you found your True Mate? They’ll get it. Take your time to get to know him, it’ll be fine.”

  I blew out a breath. “It feels like a fine line. I want to make sure we’re adequately bonded before introducing him to the pack, but too long and they’ll think something’s wrong.”

  “Well, you’re still well within the line.” He leaned back against the wall, folding his hands behind his head and crossing his feet at the ankles. “Except with Gage, but he hates everything you do.”

  Gage was our older cousin and an ever-present thorn in my side. My history with him was…nasty. Most of the pack knew about it, but we’d grown so much since then that the last thing I wanted to do was take the pack back to that violent, uncertain time. “Anything new?”

  Bay shrugged “He’s been asking about your mate.”

  “Oh?” I crossed my arms over my chest and worked to keep a hold on the lick of anger surging in my gut. “What kind of questions does Gage have about my mate?”

  “He wants to know how it can be a True Mate pairing when Reese is a wolf. And…” Bay paused.

  “And what?”

  He sighed heavily. “And he’s questioning if this is actually what’s best for the Alpha of the Silver Tip pack—to be mated to a wolf.”

  I wanted to explode, punch a hole in the wall, shift and roar. Gage would find anything to undermine my authority. And using my mate to do it was low as fuck. Of course, that was how Gage operated.

  My lips curled into a sneer, and a growl rumbled in my chest. Bay winced, and I willed myself to calm down. I breathed out slowly, even though I felt anything but calm. “His speculation is just that. Keep an ear to the ground for me.”

  “Of course, brother. I have been. What do you think you should do?”

  It was a question I’d been asking myself a lot lately over the last few months. My father, may he rest in hell, was quick to challenge any enemies if they so much as looked at him wrong. It bred hostility and fear, which led to a lot of pack infighting. I refused to let the pack fall back into that under my rule. “He hasn’t challenged me, and I’m not comfortable with being the type of alpha who’ll initiate a challenge with someone who dislikes me.”

  “I get it. Although, this goes past dislike.”

  He had a point. “I know it does.”

  “I think you’re right, though. Eventually, he’ll either challenge or leave. And you can deal with him appropriately when that happens.”

  I respected the advice from my brother and the trusted members of my guard. I squinted at Bay. “Do you think I’m making the wrong decision?”

  He shook his head. “No. I think you’re making the best decision you can right now, based on the information you have. Plus, you’ve just found your True Mate. You need time to make room for that in your life.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “You’re a good alpha, Dare. And the overwhelming majority of the pack agrees.”

  “I want to make her proud,” I said. He knew who I meant.

  Bay’s voice was raspy when he answered. “You are.”

  I rolled my shoulders, feeling the ache in my bones from my separation from Reese. That was one side effect of the True Mate bond that I knew only affected Weres. The Mate Pain. The ache was bone-deep. Each time I left Reese’s presence, it would ease somewhat, but it was Fate’s reminder I was tied to Reese for the rest of my life. Literally. Because if Reese died, then so did I. “I need to get back to Reese.”

  “Sure, of course.”

  “Sorry I interrupted.”

  “Nah, she was heading out anyway.”

  “I’ll bring him out soon, okay?”

  “Of course, and I’m holding everything down while you’re busy. No worries, Alpha.”

  I still worried. I had pack members, family, and friends who relied on me. “Check in with Mav and Cati for me?”

  Bay grinned. “You got it.”

  I walked over to the side of the bed, gripped the back of Bay’s head, and brought his forehead to my lips. “Don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  “You’d make
bad decisions and laugh a lot less,” he answered, patting my cheek as I pulled away.

  I did laugh at that. I couldn’t help it. “You speak the truth.”

  “Always.”

  I pointed at him. “Be good, and I’ll bring Reese around for you to tease soon.” I smiled. “He’ll like you.”

  “Of course he will. Everyone likes me.”

  I rolled my eyes and walked out the door to Bay’s laughter.

  As I walked back to the kitchen, I gnawed my lip, thinking about Bay’s words of caution. Reese was telling me the truth about escaping the Bluefoot pack, of that I was certain. No way would they leave him as Nowere bait and hope we’d save him. It grated on me to learn how Xan was running his pack. Our truce stated that we would never intervene in other packs’ politics, but how could I stick to that promise knowing Xan starved his pack and enslaved others?

  I wasn’t sure I could live with that. Gage would, of course, tell me to mind my own business, or better yet, raid Xan’s compound, but that wasn’t my style. I could be ruthless when I wanted to, and I had been in the past, but I had to justify it.

  Could I justify breaking the truce to save wolves I’d never met?

  Eh, I’d follow Bay’s advice for now. I’d get to know Reese and watch him fatten up. I made my way to the kitchens, intent on spoiling my mate. The last look he’d levied at me had not been a happy one, which I probably deserved. I re-gripped the True Mate book in my hands. Maybe we could both stand to learn something from it.

  Reese

  * * *

  I didn’t know how long I stood there staring at the door after Dare closed it.

  My mind was a jumbled mess. In addition to worrying about Jude and Selene, I was worried about my damn self. What the hell was my role as Dare’s mate? Was I just a body he kept locked in his quarters to fuck when he wanted?

  My parents were True Mates, but their bond was so much more than fate. They’d loved each other with an all-consuming passion. I’d always dreamed of having that with someone else. I’d expected that was the way True Mates were supposed to be, that right away we’d be in love. I hadn’t considered that there would be a learning curve. Dare and I were strangers, forced together because of instinct, but we knew nothing about each other. I had no idea what this pack was like, what kind of alpha he was. All I knew was that I was alive and unharmed. For now.

  I wouldn’t do my sister or my brother any damn good if I didn’t start thinking smart. This wasn’t about me or my pride. This was about surviving long enough to be able to get out of here, rescue Selene, and be free.

  I had to abandon this dumb hope for love and the idea I’d be a respected partner to Dare. He was a Were for fuck’s sake. In his mind, I was an inferior species.

  As a True Mate pair, my parents had been able to communicate silently, a gift of their bond. Apparently, each Mated pairing was special and any gifts that might occur as a result were different, depending on the bond. Well, so far, I didn’t feel different except for a sore ass. Why couldn’t this True Mate bond make me fly or give me super Nowere-killing powers? Super sister-saving powers would be stellar too.

  Even though I was healed, in that moment, my heart felt battered. With heavy steps, I retreated to the bed, and crawled into it, covering myself with a knitted blanket. I lay on my stomach, hands under my head, and closed my eyes.

  When Dare returned, he brought the smell of food with him. Delicious food. I wanted to stay turned away from him in a silent protest, but my growling stomach overrode my desire to pout.

  I sat up as he set several plates in front of me. Chicken drumsticks. An omelet oozing with cheese. A big glass of milk.

  He grabbed a drumstick and sat down on a chair beside the bed, crossing his feet at the ankles and propping them on the mattress. He bit into it and chewed without a word, green eyes on me. When I didn’t move, he pointed to the food. “Eat.”

  I dug in, knowing I needed my strength. I hadn’t eaten this well in years. So at least I wasn’t the mate to some alpha with a rationed compound like Xan’s. Could be worse, Reese. Could always be worse.

  Hell, I could be in a Nowere’s belly right now.

  The chicken was juicy, the omelet fluffy as hell, and the milk cold. “How do you keep this cool?” I asked, licking the milk from my lips. “Am I allowed to ask that question?” I cringed immediately. Did I always have to run my mouth?

  Dare looked unimpressed by my second inquiry. “We have underground bunkers where we store food that needs to be kept cool.”

  “Oh. That’s great.” I poked at my omelet. Now that I’d eaten, my energy was coming back, which was the only reason I decided to blurt out dumb shit. “Hey, do you keep Noweres as pets?”

  Dare’s face remained frozen. “Noweres as pets.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Why are you asking me this?”

  “Never mind.”

  “Please explain. I’m curious why you’re asking me.”

  Now I felt stupid. “Just a rumor over at the Bluefoot pack. That you kept a Nowere in your bedroom and fed him wolves who wandered into your compound.”

  Again with that impassive expression. “Ah, well, that’s obviously incorrect.”

  I nodded. “Yeah, obviously—”

  “I keep him in the kitchen.”

  I stared.

  Dare’s lips twitched.

  I sat up. “I—are you making a joke?”

  “I guess we’ll cover that on the tour.” His lips twitched again. Fuck, he was mocking me. I sneered at him, which only seemed to amuse him more. The damn Were’s eyes were sparkling. With a small smirk at me, he placed his empty plates by the door, then rummaged around his bookshelf.

  I made faces at his back.

  “I keep him in the kitchen,” I mimicked softly. “Jerk.”

  After a moment, he sat back down on his chair and resumed his favorite activity, which seemed to be watching me eat.

  “Can I ask you one more question?” I took his silence as an affirmation. “Can I see Jude?”

  He crossed his hands in his lap. “I’ll check on him soon.”

  That didn’t answer my question. I took another bite of food for courage. “Okay, thank you. But when can I see him?”

  “Soon. When I’m ready for you to be out among my pack.” I opened my mouth, but he cut me off. “G is a trusted member of my guard. I promise you that your brother is in safe hands.”

  I was about to remark that I didn’t trust fucking anyone, but I kept my mouth shut. He’d given me an answer. Not one I wanted, but I could work with that. I smiled at him faintly and resuming eating.

  When I couldn’t stuff myself anymore, I placed the plates on a table beside the door, then walked back toward the bed. I sat in the middle of it, watching Dare down a large glass of water, his Adam’s apple working as he swallowed.

  I hated that I found him so sexy, that while he was kind of a cold bastard, I wanted him so badly, I ached for it. I knew that was the True Mate bond talking, but it didn’t matter because I couldn’t deny it.

  He stood up, shucked his pants, and sat back down. His cock was half hard, and he stroked it a couple of times to full hardness before saying in a low voice, “Come ’ere.”

  Yes, okay, I was down for that. If I was stuck in this room with him, then I should go ahead and get laid as much as possible. Refusing would get me nowhere, and I didn’t want to refuse.

  I crawled toward him and when I was close, he gripped my hair tightly, leading me off the bed to kneel on the floor between his spread thighs. Fuck, being this close to his dick, the heat of his skin and the smell of his pre-come was making me dizzy with lust.

  With a fist, he gripped his cock and held it up against his stomach, then guided my mouth to his balls. Sure, yes, I was totally into those too. I licked the soft skin, then sucked one into my mouth, relishing the salty, musky taste of Dare.

  The color of his eyes swirled as I worked him. I tongued everything I could reach—all around his b
alls, the base of his dick, and even delving my face into his groin to take a heady whiff.

  “You like the smell of your alpha.” His grip tightened in my hair.

  “Yes,” I mumbled as I nuzzled closer, proud of myself that I actually formed a word.

  “You like the taste of me too.” His voice was thick as he guided my lips to the tip of his cock. “Go on, taste me.”

  I licked the head, and one taste had me moaning, eager for more. The slick around my hole was dripping down my thighs, and I was tempted to hump his leg.

  He slowly entered my mouth, and I kept my eyes on him the entire time until he touched the back of my throat, making me gag.

  If anything, that turned him on more. He pulled my head away, then began to fuck my mouth at a steady pace. I gagged the first couple of times, until I got the rhythm down, then I relaxed my throat and breathed in time to his thrusts.

  Finally, he released his grip on my hair and leaned back in his chair. It was my show now, and while I’d blown a couple of guys before, I’d never enjoyed it as much as I did now. I never craved it like this, my body telling me I had to bring him to release. I kept one hand at the base of his cock and pumped him in time with the bobbing of my head.

  He was silent above me, but his nostrils flared, his chest heaved, and he panted from between parted lips.

  I knew he was close when his hand dropped heavily on my head, and his legs shook. “My mate,” he moaned before shooting his load down my throat.

  I got one last lick in before he tossed me back onto the bed and crawled over me. A large hand closed around my aching dick. “Please,” I murmured.

  “What do you need?” he rasped in my ear as he loomed over me.

  “Need you to make me come.”

  He squeezed again, to the point of pain, and I cried out.

  “Fuck my hand.” He circled the rim of my ear with his tongue. “I want to watch you.”

  His grip was tight, but not too tight. I began to thrust my hips into his fist, and he watched me the whole time. Finally, with a slap to my hip to get me to stop thrusting, he began to stroke me off like a fucking expert, twisting his wrist at the top, whispering in my ear that I was his, that I smelled like him, that he couldn’t wait to fuck me again.