How Not to Hate Your True Mate: M/M Werewolf Romance, page 2
Finally, the guards reach a decision.
“You can enter,” the first one says gruffly.
I let out a small sigh of relief and start to move forward, but the second guard holds up a hand. “Once we inspect the potion.”
Crap. Of course it can never be that easy. “Sorry, I’m supposed to deliver this potion directly to Elias Blackwood. I can’t hand it over to anyone else.”
“You think we let any wolf stroll in here and demand to see our Alpha? Your so-called pack may let anyone traipse around your land, but we take protecting our territory seriously.”
“Do you honestly think I’m here to cause trouble?” I ask.
“We’re the ones asking the questions here.” That means no. “And we don’t like your tone.”
“This isn’t Clover territory, sweetheart,” the other guard sneers. “We’re real wolves. Show some respect.”
Ugh. Assholes. They’re enjoying the opportunity to harass me too much. There aren’t many chances. Us wolves steer clear of the other pack’s land without an official invite, and the covens insist on peace inside the actual city. If hundreds of covens can cohabit harmoniously, they expect two wolf packs to manage it as well.
Headlights flood the clearing, momentarily blinding the two Iron Pack guards. I turn my head and squint against the glare, thankful to my savior—until the vehicle’s engine cuts off and the lights fade.
Oh no. It’s Bane.
The guards automatically defer to him and he takes over smoothly. One of the guards eagerly fills him in about how a wolf from a ‘rival’ pack is trying to get into Iron territory with a ‘mysterious potion.’
“I’ve been ordered by a coven to deliver this potion directly to Elias Blackwood,” I correct the guard’s account.
Bright gold eyes lock onto mine, slicing through the darkness. “Which coven?”
“The Fern coven, via the Fern and Flower.”
“Well now,” he smirks. “That doesn’t count for much.”
“What are you talking about? The Fern Coven is respected! They’re the best at potioncraft in Concordia.”
“Yeah, you would say that about your mom’s coven, just like mommy would vouch for you.”
My face reddens as the other jerks chuckle. Bane’s version does sound less legitimate since technically I am here because of my mommy—ahem, my mom.
Damn, I always wondered if Bane Blackwood really disliked me personally or if I was just being paranoid. Guess I was right. He hates me. He even knows my mom’s coven. The other two certainly didn’t. How did I get lucky enough to be personally despised by Bane Blackwood himself? The world is cruel.
“Leave us,” Bane barks the order at the guards. They retreat hastily, leaving me alone to face him.
Great. One vs. one is so much better odds than one vs. three. Somehow, being on my own with Bane doesn’t feel any safer. His quiet confidence infuriates me more than the guards’ outright hostility. Why does he get under my skin so badly?
“Alright, you did your job,” he says. “You put up a good fight. Now give me the bottle and we can go on with our lives.”
“Just let me in,” I suggest. “You can even go with me, just let me make the delivery.”
“No can do,” he says. “Hand it over.”
“No.”
“I’m Elias’s son. Give me the damn potion.”
“I can’t.”
Bane rolls his eyes. I brace myself for more arguing, ready to stand my ground no matter what.
“Whatever,” he huffs and turns on his heel. “Come on.”
“Uh, what?” I blink dumbly at his retreating form. “Where are you going?”
“To call this in. If you’re legit, someone should know the Alpha is expecting a delivery.”
I follow Blackwood to his car in case I need to explain myself again. At least we’re getting somewhere now. Why are the Iron wolves so sanity impaired? All bark, aggression, and superiority. So glad Clover does things differently.
He opens his car door and even reaches inside for his phone. Then he suddenly spins around and rushes forward. I have enough time to realize he’s played me and then he’s yanking the potion right out of my hands.
“No!”
“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”
“Hey!” I protest, reaching for the bottle, but he holds it up above my head, his superior height giving him an advantage I can’t match. “What about verifying my story?”
“No need. I believe you. But I’m still taking this.”
“Give it back,” I growl.
He tosses the bottle up in the air, catching it with ease. “Come and get it, little wolf.”
I lunge for it again, but he sidesteps me easily, laughing the whole time. An infuriating laugh that makes my face heat up with embarrassment.
“Stop messing around,” I snap. “This is important.”
“If it’s so important, you should probably try harder.” Bane grins smugly, enjoying this way too much.
I lunge forward, hoping to catch him off guard. Bane avoids me with a laugh. “Come on, at least give me a challenge here.”
“Shut up!” I swing my fist at him, but he catches it with one hand, holding me in place.
I lash out, kicking and swinging and desperate to land a blow, but he blocks every one of my clumsy attempts. This is foolish. Stop engaging with the Neanderthal. But the smug smile on his face makes my blood boil. I refuse to give up and go home with my tail between my legs.
Bane shoves me backwards, and I stumble, hitting the side of his car. He crowds in close, one hand braced on the door beside my head. He smirks and raises an eyebrow, his face inches from mine. “Is that all you got?”
“You’re an asshole,” I spit. “Just because your date went badly doesn’t mean you should take it out on me.”
The smug expression vanishes, and he flinches like I struck a nerve. The date going badly was only a guess since it ended quickly. Guess I got it right.
It’s the only opening I’m going to get.
My hand darts out, making contact with the neck of the potion bottle. I yank, but Bane hangs on, and we end up in a ridiculous tug-of-war. The potion sloshes back and forth inside as we jostle the bottle.
“Just give it to me,” I growl, pulling harder.
“Make me,” he taunts.
We’re practically wrestling now. My back thuds against the car again while we struggle, and then a sound… a cracking noise. Time slows as the bottle shatters and the potion erupts from the container, spraying outwards in a viscous wave.
Golden eyes widen as the potion drenches his jacket and shirt, the liquid soaking into the fabric. He releases the broken bottle, staggering back as a pungent aroma fills the air.
My mouth opens but no words come out. Shit.
Both a high priestess and an Alpha expected me to make this delivery. If not for their impending fury, I’d enjoy this moment. Because the confident Bane Blackwood suddenly seems nervous.
He stares down at his shirt, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. “Will I grow a second head? Turn into a toad? Oh no,” he gasps. “Am I going to lose my muscles?”
Mom never shared the potion’s purpose. The temptation is too delicious to resist. I decide to have a little fun at his expense and make something up.
”This potion? It transforms the drinker.”
He lets out a strangled yelp and waves his hands frantically, shooing me out of the way to his car. He examines his reflection in the passenger window from every angle, pulling at his skin and poking his cheek, trying to find any difference in his appearance.
“I don’t feel different,” he says, still patting himself down and searching for changes. “Transform me how?”
“You’re going to change into something… extraordinary.”
“Like a dragon?” he asks hopefully.
I fight to keep a straight face. “You might become a giant chicken or a were-gerbil or—”
“Oh my god,” he interrupts, the color draining from his face. “Why would my dad want a potion that—no, never mind. How do I stop the effect? Dude, I can’t become poultry.”
“Yeah, what if the other wolves eat you?”
“Shit.” He goes still, eyes huge, the horror on his face priceless. “Help me, Josh. Fix this. Please.”
He’s not making demands this time. Bane is begging.
Revenge is sweet.
Even if he kills me when he finds out I’m messing with him, it’s totally worth it. I’m dreaming up something dreadful to make him do in order to reverse the effects, when the potion—whatever it really does—takes effect.
Whoa. The moonlight hitting Bane suddenly seems to shimmer against his skin. The cocky, arrogant wolf looks… ethereal and mesmerizing. He’s the same beautiful, sexy jerk I’ve seen from a distance. Except this time, he’s incredibly tempting.
“Are you seeing this?”
The alpha blinks at me. “Seeing you act like you just saw a ghost? Yeah. Am I going to die?”
My gaze stays fixed on him. All the unpleasant details melt away, leaving only his winning smile, the ridiculously built body, and those stupidly golden eyes.
“No, uh, it’s not lethal. The thing is… I, I don’t know.”
“Oh god, that sounds bad.” He seems alarmed by my tone, bouncing on his feet and turning his hands over and over rapidly, like he’s expecting feathers or scales to erupt at any moment. “Is it bad?”
“No, I think there must have been a mix up,” I stammer, unable to keep teasing him. “You’re going to be fine.”
“Oh, thank God. Thank you, Josh.”
Just for a second, he pats me on the back, leaning close enough that his breath gusts against my cheek. I gasp, struck by his scent, my heart speeding up. He’s too busy getting over his imagined near-death experience to notice it or to see that now I’m the one freaking out.
But not only his body affects me. I see him clearly, maybe see his aura, even though I’m no witch. Is that what the potion does?
A regal violet color coats his outside. His pride, the egotistical demeanor that gets under my skin. I thought it went down to his very core. The purple pretension only forms a thin layer on the surface.
Underneath, he’s warm, warm and so bright.
“Uh, what are you doing, man?” he coughs, and oops, I’ve stepped right into his space, so close that our noses are almost touching.
“Sorry, just checking.”
It’s a bad excuse, yet he only nods and backs up. “I’m all good, right?”
“Mmhmm. All good,” I echo faintly.
Yeah, everything looks good. Amazing. This can’t be just his aura. That wouldn’t cause this overwhelming attraction. What in the world?
My mom said she experienced something similar with my stepfather when she... when she Recognized him.
No, it can’t be. This must be some kind of lust potion.
Why the hell would Alpha Elias need a lust potion? No idea. But it’s the only answer that makes sense. Because Bane and I being mates, me being connected to the cocky Alpha’s son? That makes no sense at all.
4.
Teaming Up with an Enemy
Josh
I stare at the spot where the potion shattered. Glass shards and dark liquid stain the asphalt, barely visible in the moonlight.
Most of the concoction itself landed on Bane. And what it showed me, it’s just not possible. Magic and my eyes are playing tricks on me. Or the stress of the situation has caused temporary insanity. Maybe it was a stupidity potion?
“Josh?” Bane’s voice pulls me from my thoughts.
Whoa, here’s another side of him I’ve never seen before. All arrogance vanished, replaced with someone uncharacteristically pale and uncertain. The fight we had moments ago and the anxiety over the potion have drained him, leaving behind someone who looks as lost as I feel.
“Look,” he starts, rubbing the back of his neck. “We better get this over with.” What’s he talking about? Why does he look like he’s heading off to his own execution? “Come on, keep up. It’s best not to keep the Alpha waiting, especially when delivering bad news.”
“The Alpha—your father?” I ask, swallowing hard. “Elias?”
“Yeah.” He sighs, raking a hand through his dark hair. “We have to explain why you didn’t deliver the potion.”
No wonder Bane looks so unsettled. From rumors I’ve heard about the Iron Pack’s severe Alpha, an execution might be more fun than the wrath awaiting us.
We walk in silence as we make our way deeper into the Iron Pack’s territory. The buildings are flat squares, no decorations or style, everything functional and precise. Even though the wall on one side and the mountain on the other keep out unwanted visitors, there are still guard towers and sentry points set up. The place reminds me more of a military barracks than a pack’s den.
Eventually, we reach a small neighborhood with fairly simple homes. The Alpha’s estate is obvious, a bit bigger and grander than all the rest.
“Enter,” a deep voice bellows when we knock on the office door. “Come in. Sit down.”
Other people might speak those words in a friendly manner. Sounds more like an order coming from this Alpha. All my instincts are telling me to run away, but I step inside with Bane instead.
Elias Blackwood dominates the space behind his mahogany desk, fingers steepled in calculated silence as we enter. He radiates authority. Despite the graying hair at his temples, those light gold eyes are as keen as a hawk’s. It’s like being called into the principal’s office at school, except the principal is a lethal Alpha werewolf.
“Explain,” the Alpha commands.
“Um, the potion…” Bane hesitates, glancing at me briefly.
“The potion broke,” I blurt out, trying to rip the Band-Aid off. “See, what happened is—”
“Just happened…”
“It was an accident—”
“No one’s fault—”
Not all of these things are strictly true. But things have changed since we were fighting like grade-schoolers at recess over a cool action figure. Bane and I are on the same side now. The side where we grovel, beg forgiveness, and get the hell out of here as soon as possible.
“My mother can make you another potion tomorrow, first thing,” I promise. And I’ll make sure not to deliver this one.
“Father—”
The Alpha raises a hand, silencing his son. “What happened doesn’t matter. The solution is simple. You broke the potion. You fix it.”
“Yes, sir,” Bane agrees immediately. “I’ll take care of it.”
“No…” Elias’s eyes settle on me. His jaw tightens and the force of his stare steals the breath from my lungs.
Is he a werewolf or some kind of soul-stealing monster whose gaze sucks the life force out of bodies until only a withered husk remains? Has he formed an instant hatred for me? I wonder if he’s about to send me to the brig or something. Oh god, does this pack have a brig?
“Both of you will make this right,” he eventually rumbles out the command. “Together.”
Oh god. Just when I thought no punishment could be worse than this awkward, terrifying meeting.
“Y-yes, sir,” I stammer, my heart racing at the prospect of having to spend more time with Bane, especially after whatever the potion showed me.
“Understood,” Bane adds tightly.
“Good.” Elias doesn’t exactly relax, but he switches focus and gets down to business. “The reason I ordered the potion is because of my nephew Wynn. He doesn’t have the best instincts, always seeing the best in other people.”
Apparently, that’s a bad thing? I glance at Bane but he’s staring down at his hands, his jaw clenched.
“Wynn’s a Blackwood,” Elias continues. “He’s important to our pack and could fill a prominent position one day. Coupled with our family’s substantial assets, there are people who might see him as an easy target and take advantage.”
“What do you need us to do?” I wonder.
“My nephew has been getting close to a vampire named Dante. New to the city, not much known about him. Has con artist written all over him. I don’t trust his intentions and ordered a potion to reveal what’s hidden.”
My stunned expression causes Elias to give me a withering look and explain, “My pack is less free-spirited than what you’re used to and takes security matters seriously. We need to understand this vampire’s motives. Are his feelings real or does he have an agenda?”
Elias says more, I think. Someone is definitely talking. I hear none of it. The potion’s purpose, revealing what’s hidden…
What my mother told the customer in her store wondering about his true mate was right, that trying to use witchcraft to rush an already magical phenomenon almost never works. But when it comes to magical accidents like this, all bets are off.
Bane had looked so gorgeous, inside and out. The potion revealed his true self, which was hidden under the shallow surface of him. But did it cause me to Recognize him too? I never would have guessed this or gone looking for answers in this particular direction, not in a million years. Maybe that’s why the universe decided to toss me a clue instead.
No. Bane as my true mate is only one possibility, one terrifying, insane possibility. Another possibility is that the potion revealed an attraction to Bane that I hadn’t fully realized or focused on.
“Fielding,” Elias snaps, “are we boring you?”
I jump in my seat when the older wolf barks at me, and the apologies come spilling out. “Sorry, no, of course not! Sorry. I was just thinking, um, thinking about how to do what you’re asking.”
“Good. Because I don’t have to give you a chance to clean up the mess you made. I could skip straight to being upset.”
He sounds so calm but even Bane flinches at that offer.
“No!” I shout. “Uh, sorry. I’m glad we can fix this…” Glad is nowhere close to what I’m feeling.
