"Gideon is my avatar. He doesn't mean you any harm. He's looking out for Thomas."

"Some might think this is a challenge to my leadership, a statement that I can't look after my pack alone. Challenging an alpha is tricky business, my friend.

Make sure you know what you're doing."

"Thomas already told me he didn't want to be alpha," Jay said. "And, frankly, all I want right now is my bed and pillow."

"Jay, my boy." Michael Dragonspawn's voice reached Jay as the man came up behind him.

Jay instinctively turned to see the older man approach. "Professor."

Michael gave Jay a sexy smile that made him a little queasy. "I was hoping for the chance to speak with you alone."

"I'm sorry that's not possible." James stepped forward, wrapping his hand around Jay's arm. "I need him to come to the pack house and deal with my brother."

"Ah. You must be Thomas' brother. A fine wolf, that one."

There was something fake about Michael's smile, like if he scratched the surface, he'd find something 74 *

unpleasant underneath, like the really creepy doll in those scary movies just waiting to drag the hapless hero to hell.

"Professor, this is James Sparks. James, this is Michael Dragonspawn, one of my tutors."

"Nice to meet you, Professor," James said politely.

He didn't let go of his grip on Jay the entire time or offer to shake his hand. "Sorry, we've got to leave, but Thomas has been separated from his mate too long. It makes wolves cranky."

Without waiting for Dragonspawn to say anything, James dragged Jay off. He waited until they were traveling in the limo before he spoke. "There's something seriously off about that guy. How long have you known him?"

"Most of my life, but I have to say, it has only been in the last few weeks that he's been sending off the creepy vibes."

"Don't ever be alone with him," James said, his expression serious. "I still don't know if I approve of a wizard as my brother's mate, but I know he would lose it if anything happened to you. I may come across as a power hungry alpha who's only concerned with my position, but I love my brother and will do anything to help him. Besides,"

James said, settling back in his seat, "those gnomes really know how to clean a pack house. I didn't even know there was that much hair in the carpet."

75.

Laughing, Jay let the alpha take him to meet his mate a little earlier than planned. He could nap later.

76.

Chapter Three.

Thomas met Jay at the door, lifted him up, and swung him around in his strong arms.

"Mine, all mine," he thought he heard the other man whisper before Jay was placed gently on the ground.

"You did agree to be my mate?" Thomas asked, cautiously. Hope burned in the werekin's eyes. The need in Thomas' eyes was painful to see. Jaynell felt ashamed that he'd brought such a strong man to his knees. He knew, in that moment, he had the ability to hurt Thomas far more than anyone else on the planet.

He swallowed the lump in his throat and answered with his heart on his sleeve.

"Yes, I agreed to be your mate."

What other answer could he give? If Thomas was right and fate chose them as mates then he would become Thomas' mate eventually. It didn't make sense to put off the inevitable when doing so only made them both miserable.

The time he spent away from the affectionate werewolf felt like an eternity, and as much as Jaynell wanted to be independent, the universe had a different idea.

A female gnome popped up and gave Jay a bow.

"Hello, Master."

Jay returned the greeting. "How are things going 77 *

here?"

"The werekin are nice and dirty," the gnome said with a wide grin. "It gives us much to do."

"Glad we can oblige," James said in a dry voice from behind Jay. "I'd hate for us to be too tidy for the gnomes."

"I'm taking Jaynell upstairs," Thomas said. He brushed past the gnomes. He didn't mind the creatures, but he was determined to make Jay his before the night was over. Just the thought of losing his mate was enough to make him howl.

"Slow down, honey. I'm not going anywhere, except with you."

Thomas realized he was dragging his mate up the stairs. He slowed his stride so Jay's feet actually hit the stairs when he walked.

Finally, they were in Thomas' room. He was surprised when Jay broke his hold and went to the door.

The slim wizard slid his fingers over the door and said an incantation in a language that Thomas didn't understand.

"What are you doing?"

Jay blushed adorably. "Blocking the room so the 78 *

gnomes can't flash inside. I don't want them popping in during an intimate moment."

Thomas smiled. "Good thinking, baby. Now come over here so I can strip off your clothes."

Jay gave Thomas a brilliant smile before walking within reach. Thomas didn't waste any time. He yanked off his mate's shirt and stripped off Jaynell's shoes and pants before the wizard could say anything at all, ripping the cloth in the process.

"I was going to wear those again," Jay said, once he stopped bouncing from where Thomas threw him on the bed.

"You have magic. You can repair them if you need to go."

Jay gave his clothes a rueful look. "I'm not sure even I can repair that much damage."

"I guess I'll have to keep you here, naked, in my bed," Thomas said. The large man stripped off his clothes and crawled across the bed until he was right over Jay.

"Shame."

Jay smiled back at him. Fuck, his mate was gorgeous.

Unable to resist that mouth, Thomas leaned down and kissed the wizard. Now that Jay had admitted they were mates, he had no intention of ever letting the man get 79 *

away again. He wondered how long it would take to move Jay into the pack house.

Leaning over, he licked a long line up Jay's neck, pleased when the smaller man gasped. "I can't bear to be apart from you any longer."

"I'm all yours," Jay said with an inviting smile.

Scrambling for the side table, Thomas pulled out a battered tube of lube. Squeezing a generous amount on his fingers, Thomas slid first one, then two fingers into Jay's hole, pleased when the other man moaned and rubbed against Thomas' hand, encouraging more movement.

"Relax, baby. We have all evening."

"I don't have all evening. I need to be fucked right now," Jay demanded, lifting his hips for deeper penetration.

"Patience."

The lights in Thomas' room flickered wildly.

Thomas smiled as he felt the electricity tingle along his lover's body.

"Fuck me now," Jay insisted.

"Pushy wizard," Thomas said fondly. "Turn over so I can mate with you properly."

"But I wanted to see your face," Jay complained.

"Next time, sweetheart. I need to fuck you from behind for a proper mating."

With only a little pout, Jay rolled over and got on 80 *

his hands and knees. "This what you want?" he teased, looking at Thomas over his shoulder.

Thomas let out a low moan. "You have no idea how much I want that." Thomas needed Jaynell more than he'd ever needed any other man in his life. The combination of sweetness and power was a strong aphrodisiac.

Letting his instincts take over, Thomas wrapped a hand around Jaynell's cock as he slowly pushed inside.

Unable to resist the feel of his mate wrapped around him, Thomas' hips convulsed as he plunged into the tight heat of his mate. His need to dominate his lover took over. Unable to resist the urge, Thomas let his incisors grow. After biting into the fleshy joint of Jay's neck, he lapped up his lover's blood. A tingle of power rushed through Thomas with the speed of a tornado.

He stilled his movement so he wouldn't spill his speed before he'd given his oath.

"I claim you as my mate. From this day forward, you are mine to love, mine to protect, and mine to command. No action or thought will be taken without your welfare in mind. With this exchange of fluids, forever we will be bound."

Thomas started moving again, letting his body take over as his mind filled with images of the two of them sharing their life together.

81.

"Under the eyes of my ancestors, I claim you."

Thomas bit down again on the same spot, sucking on the bloody hole he left in his lover's skin. Jay arched his back, and Thomas could feel Jay's cock pulse in his hand.

Disengaging his fangs, he whispered in Jay's ear, "Let go, love. I'll catch you."

Jay came with a cry, his ass clenched around Thomas' cock, wrenching the werewolf's orgasm from him.

With a sigh and another kiss on the back of the neck, Thomas pulled out of his lover. Taking internal inventory, Thomas let out a relieved sigh. He could feel the pull between them.

"We are bound," Thomas said with a happy sigh.

Jay would've enjoyed wallowing in the warm embrace of his mate but his ringing cell phone pulled him out of his haze of happy contentment.

Waving his hand, he floated the phone from his pocket to his hand.