Sex and magic filled his nostrils until he couldn't stop the growl rolling through his chest. Unable to resist, he licked a long line up the sleek neck of the extremely sexy 14 *

man. It took him a moment to realize two groups of people were trying to part him from the gorgeous creature in his arms.

"Hey, man, he didn't mean to run into you. He's new," a dishwater blond said in a coaxing voice like he was dealing with a lunatic.

"Tom, you gotta let the pretty wizard go." His younger brother, Larry, tugged at his arm.

Tom snarled. His wolf was close to the surface and willing to hurt anyone who pulled him away from his mate.

He saw his pack getting ready to spring and take him down and the wizards pulling wands from their pockets.

"We can't yank him from the wizard. He might hurt the man," James, his oldest brother was saying. "I've never seen him like this. Maybe he's going feral."

"I'm not going feral." Thomas growled. "He's my mate."

The wizard jerked in his hold. "I can't be anyone's mate."

"You're mine."

"Shit." He wasn't sure which side said it, but he was pretty sure all the people around him reflected the sentiment.

"Bring him back to the pack," James said in a 15 *

resigned voice.

"I can't go to the pack. I have tests tomorrow," the beautiful wizard said, his soft mouth firming in a stubborn line.

"I'll make sure you get back in time," Thomas said soothingly, stroking a line up the wizard's back.

Those stunning eyes pinned him with a look.

"Promise."

"I vow on my shifter soul." The beautiful wizard searched his gaze for a moment, and Tom thought maybe he was actually examining his soul.

"All right. Tell Kevin where I'll be so that if I don't return he'll know where to start looking."

Thomas laughed, but no one else in the place smiled, not even the other wolves. He carefully spelled out his location to the wizards. Not that they could find it even if they tried. It was hidden except for pack and their mates.

Leaning down, he rubbed his check across the top of his mate's silky hair, spreading his scent across his head.

"Let's go home." Not giving the wizard a chance to come up with any other excuses, he was about to usher him out the door when a pair of gnomes zapped into view loaded down with pizza.

They handed the boxes to his brothers, exchanged a few words in what he assumed was their native language 16 *

with the gorgeous wizard, and then popped out of sight.

"What did they say?" James asked.

The wizard blushed, a charming thing that almost made him not care what the question was. "They said to feed me so I can keep up my stamina."

Thomas laughed. "Wise gnomes."

He kept a hold on the back of the wizard's neck and led him out to the limos.

"You took limos to get pizza?"

"We take limos for everything. We need someone else to drive in case we have unexpected shifting."

The wizard nodded. "Makes sense."

"What's your name?" James asked. Thomas wanted to smack himself in the face. Here was his mate, and he couldn't collect enough brain cells to ask the man his name.

"Jaynell Marley. People call me Jay."

"I'm Thomas Sparks, and I will call you mine,"

Thomas growled. He opened the limo door and ushered the wizard into the vehicle.

When James tried to get in after him, Thomas flashed his fangs.

"You don't want to challenge me, little brother."

Thomas felt power fill him as he stared down his brother, his alpha. "Today I will challenge anyone who tries to take what is mine."

17.

"Fuck. His eyes are glowing," Larry said. "Must be the wizard's influence."

"Because of your mating, I will defer and ride in another car."

Tom tried to look grateful but mostly he was resisting the urge to rip off his brother's head and beat him with it. He forced himself to give his brother a polite nod before climbing into the limo and sliding next to his mate.

Jay wondered how he went from eating pizza to being kidnapped by a werewolf pack. Not that he minded if it involved sex with the gorgeous creature beside him.

"We are going to have sex, aren't we?" Jay asked, blushing.

"Absolutely." Thomas slid across the long leather seat of the limo. A feral light glowed in the shape shifter's eyes as they latched onto Jay like he was the world's best treat.

Thomas' kiss was like being plunged into an inferno. Heat licked at Jay like living flames, making his body hard and needy. Moaning, Jay shifted restlessly on the seat, rubbing against the larger man. The feel of the hard body above him was almost enough to make Jay come in 18 *

his pants. Frantically, he struggled to push Thomas away.

"What?" Thomas lifted his mouth, his expression puzzled and a little hurt. "Don't you want me to kiss you?"

"Um." Jay scrambled to grasp at his thoughts but they scattered like leaves tumbling with the wind. "Oh," he moaned as Thomas bit his neck. Shivers of need rippled up and down Jay's spine, making his skin feel too tight for his body as prickles danced across his skin.

Thomas licked Jay's neck with his rough tongue, ripping a whimper from the depths of his soul.

"Please," Jay begged desperately, his hands clutching Thomas. In a passionate fog, Jay was certain the man above him was the only thing grounding him to reality. Nothing was more important at that moment than the taste, feel, and scent of Thomas.

"Anything you want, my one. Anything at all."

"Touch me," Jay gasped, rubbing his body against the gorgeous man above him.

Thomas dipped his head and bit down on Jay's jugular. "Mine," he growled.

Jay cried out as wetness spread across the front of his pants. "Fuck."

"I will," Thomas said, nipping Jay's ear.

"Unfortunately, it will have to wait until later."

For the first time, Jay realized the limo was slowing 19 *

down.

Thomas gave him a shy smile, completely at odds with the aggressive man of moments ago. "Sorry about making you come without a change of clothes."

"No problem." Jay waved his hand as he whispered a word of power. The scent of flowers filled the air as Jay's pants cleaned and dried beneath a quick whirlwind that came and went within seconds.

Thomas flashed his canines, his eyes going feral.

"What was that?" he asked when the breeze faded.

"I'm not going to go into a group of shape shifters soaked in cum," Jay said with a glare. "I'm sorry if you don't like magic."

Thomas lifted his hands in a placating gesture. "I wasn't criticizing, love. I just wasn't expecting it. I'm not used to people doing magic. Werekin are magic, but we can't do magic."

"Huh." Jay didn't know what to say. It never occurred to him that magic would be strange to a person who could turn into a completely different creature.

Before he could pursue this line of questioning, the limo came to a complete stop and the driver opened the door.

Thomas climbed out, turning to hold out his hand to help Jaynell from the vehicle.

20.

"I'm not a girl, you know."

"Don't argue," Thomas growled. "It's in my nature to take care of my mate."

"We need to discuss this mate thing."

Jay had just gotten free of a bond with his father. He had no wish to ever be bonded to another person again.

Dating sure, maybe living together, but not bonded.

"There's nothing to discuss," Thomas said with a frown. His expression dared Jaynell to argue.

Biting back words he might regret, Jaynell let Thomas help him out of the car.

Thomas retained his grip on Jay's hand and led him up the steps of a sprawling mansion.

It wasn't what he expected of a pack house.

The house was a Victorian monstrosity, which looked more like something vampires would inhabit, not a pack of wolves. His opinion changed once he was inside.

For such a large interior, it had a cozy feel with overstuffed leather furnishings and natural wooden floors. Jay dragged his attention away from the exposed rafters to find a dozen wolves, shaped like men, staring at him with a startling intensity. Unconsciously, he stepped closer to Thomas, gripping his hand a little tighter.

Despite his onset of nerves, Jay didn't look away.

He met each wolf's stare with one of his own. His father's 21 *

advice whispered through his mind. Never back down.

You're strong enough to match anyone. The last man's eyes he met growled low at him. He recognized him as Thomas'

brother. Shit, he was probably the alpha. It was too late to look away. He'd already accidentally challenged the guy.

The alpha's words confirmed his thoughts.

"Your mate is challenging me," the alpha said in a gravelly voice.

Tom tilted Jay's head up to him so his gaze filled with the werewolf's face.

"He is my mate," he said proudly. "He is a powerful man in his own right."

"So with him by your side you seek to be alpha?"

the other werewolf demanded.