Unexpected Mate(22)

Kneeling down, Adam held out the deer steaks, and the jaguar took them from his outstretched hand. He watched Nicholas carefully, trying to see any hint of his mate’s human half. Adam sat down. He leaned back against a tree trunk, relaxing, while Nicholas ate. The jaguar inhaled the meat and then stepped forward, moving closer to Adam. He smiled.

Nicholas lay on the ground beside him, placing his head on Adam’s lap. The cat bumped his head against Adam’s hand, asking for attention. Adam lightly stroked his forehead, and his jaguar started to purr, communicating his enjoyment. Moving his fingers under the cat’s chin, Adam gently scratched the area before rubbing his hand along Nicholas’s jawbone.

“Will you shift for me, my mate?” Adam asked, his tone pleading.

The jaguar climbed onto Adam’s leg and closed his eyes, ignoring his question completely. Adam sighed. He couldn’t force Nicholas to shift back to his human form. And, although his patience was running thin, Adam had to force himself to stay calm. Being angry would only push Nicholas away.

Leaning his head back against the rough bark, Adam closed his eyes. He continued to pet the jaguar, running his hand over Nicholas’s soft coat. A noise spooked Nicholas, and he jumped up. Adam grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, keeping the jaguar where he was. He didn’t want the cat to run away.

“Good morning, Alpha,” Michael Atkinson, one of his pack members, greeted. “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

“No,” Adam massaged Nicholas’s ears. “I’m just spending time with my mate.”

“Your mate was prowling outside our house last night, screeching quite loudly.” When Adam didn’t respond, Michael continued, “Kaden’s staying in our guest room. We think the jaguar was attracted to his scent.”

The idea that Nicholas was after Kaden sent a spike of anger through Adam’s system. “I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

“But…” he started.

“Michael,” Adam warned.

“It’s not as bad as you think, trust me.”

That was just it. He didn’t want to think about it at all. Leaning down, Adam kissed the top of Nicholas’s head. “I’d like to be alone with my mate.”

“Yes, Alpha.” Michael nodded. He backed away, disappearing behind the thick underbrush.

Adam’s head was spinning. He didn’t want to admit that Kaden might be Nicholas’s second mate, but his actions seemed to be pointing to that conclusion. Wrapping his arms around his mate, Adam pulled the cat against his chest.

“I don’t want to share you.”





Chapter Eight




Kaden was nervous as he walked toward the front door of Adam’s home. He’d never defied an order in his life, especially one from his Alpha. It went against all of his natural instincts to obey the powerful wolf. But Kaden couldn’t ignore his gut any longer. Between the conversation with Seth, Luke, and Michael and the jaguar’s presence outside his temporary residence the night before, Kaden was pretty sure his suspicions were right.

What if Adam’s mate was his mate as well? What if they were supposed to be a trio? He needed to know the answers to those questions before he could move on with his life. If it turned out he was wrong, Kaden would shake Adam’s hand and walk away. He would accept the mating bought together by fate.

Lifting his hand, Kaden tapped his knuckles against the door. He took a step back and nervously straightened out his shirt. When the front door opened, he forced a smile, trying his best to appear casual when, in reality, he was scared.

“Kaden?” Adam’s brows furrowed. “What are you doing here?”

“I know you asked everyone to stay away so that you could have some space, but I was wondering if I could meet your mate.”

“You came here to meet Nicholas?” he asked, suspicion lacing his words.

“Yes,” he confirmed.

Adam shook his head. “I’m sorry, Kaden. This isn’t a good time. I’ll let you know when you can return.”

“The thing is…” Kaden started.

A series of loud yowls interrupted Kaden before he could finish speaking. Kaden spun around and found himself staring at a huge cat. The jaguar stood a few feet away, making wailing sounds. Kaden cringed and took a cautionary step backward. He hit Adam’s chest and froze.

“Don’t move,” Adam warned. He pushed Kaden aside, stepping in front of him. “Nicholas…please…”

Kaden wasn’t sure why Adam was pleading with the jaguar unless he was worried that the animal might attack. Since Adam seemed to have captured the cat’s attention, Kaden decided it was safe to move away. After making it a few feet without being noticed, Kaden decided to make a quick exit. He ran toward his car.