A Mate's Revenge(2)

Well, damn. Infiltrating the Ozarka camp in the middle of the night was risky, but if the cats could teach an old dog new tricks maybe Cael’s plan could actually work.

Vesh’s gaze traveled to the dance floor where his mate was moving in a way that should be for his eyes only, and behind closed doors. He clenched his jaw tight. But he could hardly get mad since she was trying—and failing—to teach Kerrigan how to dance.

“Would we do it before or after the mating ceremony?”

“Before. I’ve already talked to Trager. He agrees, we can’t wait any longer.”

Vesh nodded. Good. His sister had suffered long enough.

“Yeah, okay. I’m in. If you say it’ll work, I believe you.”

Alpha nodded as Vesh rose from his seat, eyes lasered on the swaying hips of his mate. In unison everyone on the dance floor stopped moving and let out a loud owwoooooo before the music cut back in.

Braeh caught sight of him looming and passed Kerrigan off to Trager. “Isn’t this song perfect? Like, I dunno, your theme song?” She spun around, locking her arms around Vesh’s neck and sliding up and down his body.

He palmed her ass. “I’m not sure Maroon 5 is who I’d choose to sing my theme song.”

She turned, popping her butt against his front. “Why not?” she called over her shoulder. “Adam Levine is hot. And he sounds very wolfy in this song. As you know, I like wolfy.”

He yanked her backward so she was flush against him, wrapping one arm around her chest, palming her shoulder to hold her in place, while the other hand wandered over her hip and across the taut skin of her belly. “Oh, he sings a good game but the follow through is what really counts. Could he really hunt you down and eat you… like I can?” Vesh inhaled deeply as his mate’s scent strengthened at his blunt words. He nibbled at the shell of her ear, his finger gently tracing her belly button. “Could he really smell your scent for miles? Like an animal… animal… animal-al?”

Braeh shivered in his arms. “He’s a total poser, isn’t he?”

“Yes.” Vesh pulled the strap of her shirt aside to see the mark he’d left when they’d mated. He loved looking at it. It grounded him. Soothed him. Worried him. But mostly comforted him. He licked it, thrilled when her skin broke out in goosebumps.

“Maybe,” he said, running his nose along the curve of her neck, “I’ll prey on you tonight, Brae.”

Her quickening breath made her chest heave, pushing her perfect breasts up and down in a way that had him mesmerized.

“Maybe. Or maybe I’ll prey on you.” She turned her head, snapping her teeth at him, and his erection went from hi, how are ya to let’s get it onnnnnn.

His mind was already thinking of the fastest way out of the bar and the most secluded place to have his way with his mate, when Trager’s voice cut through. “Vesh.”

He pulled his gaze away from Braeh’s body to clash with Trager’s in a warning. But the look on the wolf’s face gave him pause. Trager jerked his head to the side and Vesh followed the action to the problem.

Cael paced a frantic path from the corner pool table to the crowded bar and back again while Lexar seemed to be trying to calm him down.

Vesh frowned at Trager. “What happened?”

“I don’t know.”

Vesh took Braeh’s hand, pulling her along with him to the corner of the bar. “What’s the problem?” he asked Lexar, but the man just shook his head. “Alpha,” Vesh barked. It was enough to get Cael to pause his pacing. “What is it?”

“I don’t need this shit right now,” Cael muttered. “Motherfucking fuck.” And then he resumed his carpet-stomping routine. He was angry, but also, for the first time ever, he seemed… flustered. As if the likes of Thumbelina had kicked him upside the head and knocked him on his ass. His control was shattered. He needed to get it back, and fast.

Vesh let go of Braeh and stepped in the path of his raging alpha. Cael came up short, and glaring. “Out of my way.”

“Talk. What has you all tied up like this?”

Cael’s nose twitched and his face scrunched up like he’d eaten a lemon. “I can smell her. She’s all I can smell and she’s not even in the fucking building.”

“Shit,” Lexar breathed.

“Who? Who can you smell? What are you talking about?” It was all Vesh could do not to take Cael by the shoulders and shake the answers out of him.

He ran a hand through his hair, making the long strands on top fall over his face. Two deep breaths later, he finally answered. “My mate.”