Unexpected Mate
Prologue
Nicholas Sabbath heard a commotion coming from the front of the tattoo shop before Logan Briscoe started shouting.
“Nicholas! Help!”
Running from the back room, Nicholas skidded to a stop when he saw a huge bruiser of a man beating the hell out of his twin brother, Damon. One of the man’s meaty fists was wrapped around Damon’s neck while his other fist flew at Damon’s face, connecting in a bone-crunching punch. He didn’t know why the wolf was attacking Damon, and honestly, Nicholas didn’t give a fuck. If anyone messed with his brother, they had to deal with him. That was the way the Sabbath brothers rolled.
Nicholas’s jaguar rose, and his muscles flexed as his body prepared to shift. “Let go of him,” he said, the words coming out as a harsh growl.
He moved closer to the action. When neither of the men acknowledged him, Nicholas didn’t feel as though he had any other choice. He joined in the fray. Jumping onto the giant’s back, he wrapped his arms around the man’s thick neck while enfolding his legs around the guy’s waist. The man was a wall of solid muscle, completely unmoving and unaffected.
An unexpected scent hit him, and Nicholas’s entire body went rigid. The smell was wild and masculine—a mixture of pine and cedar, fresh yet familiar—making him dizzy and crazy with need. His gums tingled as his teeth lengthened. Nicholas tried to hold back his animal’s natural instincts, but it was impossible. His jaguar took control, and Nicholas struck, burying his pointed teeth into the assailant’s shoulder. The sweet taste of blood hit his tongue, and Nicholas moaned at the rich, decadent flavor.
When the wolf growled, the sound vibrated throughout Nicholas’s body, settling in his balls. His cock began to swell, and he moved his hips, desperate for more friction. Reality struck him upside the head, like a vicious slap, and Nicholas cursed. He’d just marked his mate. Son of a bitch. Through his shocked state, Nicholas realized that the big man had let Damon go. Loosening his limbs, he dropped off the wolf’s back. When his feet hit the floor, Nicholas took a few shaky steps backward, trying to clear his head of the intoxicating scent.
Damn it! What the fuck did I just do?
Nicholas rubbed a hand down his face. His brows furrowed as he stared at the man’s profile. The wolf wasn’t a bad-looking man, but he definitely wasn’t Nicholas’s usual type. He had a commanding presence, and there was no doubt that the wolf was an Alpha.
“What are you doing, Rory?” The growl of the man’s voice pulled Nicholas from his thoughts. “I came here to protect you, to take you home where you’ll be safe.”
Nicholas let out a snort. Bullshit. “He doesn’t need your protection. They’re mates.”
“That’s impossible.” The wolf cut his eyes from Damon and Rory to Nicholas. The coffee-brown globes seemed to stare right through him, unlocking every secret he had. It made Nicholas feel vulnerable and exposed. “My brother couldn’t possibly have a mate.”
Nicholas’s brows shot up. He glanced at Rory and Damon. The two were clearly in love, and they were mates. It seemed this Alpha, Nicholas’s mate, was looking to cause trouble. And even if Nicholas felt the mate-pull, he wasn’t going to allow this man to ruin Damon and Rory’s relationship.
“You came into Gideon Channing’s territory. You attacked a member of his pack. You’ll pay for attacking my brother.” Nicholas paused for a moment, staring into the man’s chocolate-colored eyes before adding, “mate.”
The room went silent. Nicholas could feel the confusion coming from his brother and Rory. He didn’t say anything. Instead, Nicholas continued to stare at Adam, waiting for him to say something, but the man didn’t even acknowledge his claim.
“Holy shit,” Damon breathed out as he stood up.
When Adam still didn’t say anything, Nicholas turned away. He wasn’t going to waste another second on the Alpha. It seemed that Adam was just like every other so-called leader that Nicholas had come into contact with, all except Gideon. He wouldn’t bow down. He wouldn’t change who he was, even for his mate.
Damon took off his shirt and held it out for Rory. The young man shifted into his human form and grabbed the garment, quickly covering his naked body.
“I want you to leave, Adam,” Rory said.
“Rory.” Adam’s tone was gentle as he spoke to his brother. “I came here to protect you. When I found out that you had made it all the way to New Orleans, I was really worried. I came straight here and met with Gideon. He told me where to find you.”
“I didn’t mean to worry you.” Rory sighed. “But now you’ve hurt my mate, and I want you to leave.”
Nicholas Sabbath heard a commotion coming from the front of the tattoo shop before Logan Briscoe started shouting.
“Nicholas! Help!”
Running from the back room, Nicholas skidded to a stop when he saw a huge bruiser of a man beating the hell out of his twin brother, Damon. One of the man’s meaty fists was wrapped around Damon’s neck while his other fist flew at Damon’s face, connecting in a bone-crunching punch. He didn’t know why the wolf was attacking Damon, and honestly, Nicholas didn’t give a fuck. If anyone messed with his brother, they had to deal with him. That was the way the Sabbath brothers rolled.
Nicholas’s jaguar rose, and his muscles flexed as his body prepared to shift. “Let go of him,” he said, the words coming out as a harsh growl.
He moved closer to the action. When neither of the men acknowledged him, Nicholas didn’t feel as though he had any other choice. He joined in the fray. Jumping onto the giant’s back, he wrapped his arms around the man’s thick neck while enfolding his legs around the guy’s waist. The man was a wall of solid muscle, completely unmoving and unaffected.
An unexpected scent hit him, and Nicholas’s entire body went rigid. The smell was wild and masculine—a mixture of pine and cedar, fresh yet familiar—making him dizzy and crazy with need. His gums tingled as his teeth lengthened. Nicholas tried to hold back his animal’s natural instincts, but it was impossible. His jaguar took control, and Nicholas struck, burying his pointed teeth into the assailant’s shoulder. The sweet taste of blood hit his tongue, and Nicholas moaned at the rich, decadent flavor.
When the wolf growled, the sound vibrated throughout Nicholas’s body, settling in his balls. His cock began to swell, and he moved his hips, desperate for more friction. Reality struck him upside the head, like a vicious slap, and Nicholas cursed. He’d just marked his mate. Son of a bitch. Through his shocked state, Nicholas realized that the big man had let Damon go. Loosening his limbs, he dropped off the wolf’s back. When his feet hit the floor, Nicholas took a few shaky steps backward, trying to clear his head of the intoxicating scent.
Damn it! What the fuck did I just do?
Nicholas rubbed a hand down his face. His brows furrowed as he stared at the man’s profile. The wolf wasn’t a bad-looking man, but he definitely wasn’t Nicholas’s usual type. He had a commanding presence, and there was no doubt that the wolf was an Alpha.
“What are you doing, Rory?” The growl of the man’s voice pulled Nicholas from his thoughts. “I came here to protect you, to take you home where you’ll be safe.”
Nicholas let out a snort. Bullshit. “He doesn’t need your protection. They’re mates.”
“That’s impossible.” The wolf cut his eyes from Damon and Rory to Nicholas. The coffee-brown globes seemed to stare right through him, unlocking every secret he had. It made Nicholas feel vulnerable and exposed. “My brother couldn’t possibly have a mate.”
Nicholas’s brows shot up. He glanced at Rory and Damon. The two were clearly in love, and they were mates. It seemed this Alpha, Nicholas’s mate, was looking to cause trouble. And even if Nicholas felt the mate-pull, he wasn’t going to allow this man to ruin Damon and Rory’s relationship.
“You came into Gideon Channing’s territory. You attacked a member of his pack. You’ll pay for attacking my brother.” Nicholas paused for a moment, staring into the man’s chocolate-colored eyes before adding, “mate.”
The room went silent. Nicholas could feel the confusion coming from his brother and Rory. He didn’t say anything. Instead, Nicholas continued to stare at Adam, waiting for him to say something, but the man didn’t even acknowledge his claim.
“Holy shit,” Damon breathed out as he stood up.
When Adam still didn’t say anything, Nicholas turned away. He wasn’t going to waste another second on the Alpha. It seemed that Adam was just like every other so-called leader that Nicholas had come into contact with, all except Gideon. He wouldn’t bow down. He wouldn’t change who he was, even for his mate.
Damon took off his shirt and held it out for Rory. The young man shifted into his human form and grabbed the garment, quickly covering his naked body.
“I want you to leave, Adam,” Rory said.
“Rory.” Adam’s tone was gentle as he spoke to his brother. “I came here to protect you. When I found out that you had made it all the way to New Orleans, I was really worried. I came straight here and met with Gideon. He told me where to find you.”
“I didn’t mean to worry you.” Rory sighed. “But now you’ve hurt my mate, and I want you to leave.”