Winter shoved a finger at Dasani. “Because I saw him shimmer away with the bear shifter.”
“But we’re back,” Kevin argued. “No harm, no foul.”
“Why are you two in these woods anyway?” Winter asked. “This is private property.”
Dasani couldn’t string two words together. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Well, something did, but Dasani was sure the weird squeak didn’t constitute coherent language. It did, however, make him look like a boob.
Winter stepped closer, and Dasani was shocked at how even more stunning the man was up close. His blue eyes were as light as crystals, his musculature beautifully sculpted, and his scent… Dasani leaned in closer and took in deep drafts of the guy’s aroma.
Winter’s eyes were wary as he did the same. A low growl emanated from the guy before he grabbed Dasani in a crushing hug.
“Let him go!” Kevin shouted and then threw out his hands.
“No!” Dasani shouted, but it was too late.
Kevin had rendered the man unconscious.
Chapter Two
Winter grabbed his aching head as he slowly blinked. He knew that he was lying on his back in the woods. He knew some punk had knocked him out without using his fists. He knew he’d scented his mate right before he bit the dust. What he didn’t know was why in the hell that bastard had attacked him.
“Dude, you knocked my mate out!” Winter’s mate shouted at the other man. Even though his head buzzed loudly, he still honed in on that soft and fierce voice. It was beautiful, melodic, and had Winter growing hard.
“How was I supposed to know he was your mate?”
Winter groaned as he pushed himself to a sitting position. “If I can stop the badly tuned radio from making static noises, I’m going to rip your ass apart,” he said to his mate’s friend.
“Language!” his mate shouted.
Winter gazed at the elf as he rubbed his temples. “Your friend nearly fried my brain, and you want me to watch what I say?”
The friend chucked his thumb at the elf. “Dasani thinks cursing shows how unintelligent a person is.”
“And Kevin thinks the more you curse the badder you are, and not in a bad way.” Dasani frowned. “If that makes sense.”
“Badass,” Kevin corrected Dasani. “I’m badass.”
Winter watched as Dasani curled his hands into fists and waggled one at Kevin. “Keep up with the bad language, and I’m going to tell Logan what you just did.”
Kevin thinned his lips but didn’t say another word. Winter had no clue who Logan was. He had no clue who Kevin was. But he sure as hell was going to find out who Dasani was. He took in the man’s slim figure and blue pigmentation, the flowing black hair that reached the middle of the elf’s back, the soft features of Dasani’s face. He catalogued it all. He also noticed that his mate was dressed for shit. It was cold out. Why wasn’t he wearing a coat and boots?
“I don’t care how badass you think you are. Do that again, and I’ll eviscerate you,” he said to Kevin. His head was pounding, and Winter was ready for a drink. It had been a long time since someone had put him on his ass. How had Kevin done it without touching him?
Dasani narrowed his eyes as he pointed a thin finger at Winter. “Watch your language.”
Winter leaned up and nipped Dasani’s finger, making the elf blush. His blue cheeks turned a light shade of purple. Winter finally staggered to his feet and glanced back at the ranch to see Chauncey in his human form, dressed and getting out of his truck, Curtis doing the same. It seemed the bear shifter was fine after all.
“Look,” Winter said as he turned back to his mate, “come to the ranch, and we’ll finish our conversation there. It’s too cold out.” He wanted to warm his mate. The man was shivering slightly.
“I’m good,” Dasani said rapid-fast and then looked at Kevin. “Ready?”
“Whoa, wait a minute.” Winter held up his hands. “Where are you taking off to?”
Dasani rotated slightly and looked at Winter with something close to regret in his beautiful eyes. Something was wrong. Winter could feel it.
“I cannot be seen with you,” Dasani stated in a tone filled with remorse. “Not now. Not ever.”
Before Winter could ask what that meant, Dasani grabbed Kevin and they shimmered away. He stood there for a moment and thought about what his mate had said. Was Dasani ashamed that he had a Bengal tiger for a mate? Did Dasani even know that Winter was a shifter?
He trudged back to the ranch, rejection weighing heavily on him. He stepped onto the porch and knocked on the door. There was only one person he could think of that could give him answers.