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  “It doesn’t matter. I was ugly when I met you. He’s made me hideous.” The despair in the man’s eyes as he raised his head and looked straight at Michael was more than he could take.

  Michael threw the blanket down and dropped all pretence of subtlety, striding forward to take the smaller man in his arms, but a raised hand stilled his advance.

  “You’re looking for the murderers of the were that was killed earlier, aren’t you?”

  Michael was baffled by the sudden change in subject, but stayed where he was. He could tell that his mate was hanging on to his control by a thread, so he let him have it for now, not wanting to tip him past his breaking point.

  “Yes. Did you see them?”

  The man gave a bark of laughter that sounded a little hysterical, but his lips never curved into a smile. “I saw them. I know them. Very intimately.”

  That last part was said so quietly that none of them would have been able to make out his words if not for their superior hearing. Michael could feel an irrational bout of jealousy rip through his body and freeze his mind. He felt the growl rumble from his chest more than heard it and took an intimidating step forward but the sharp command of his father’s voice pulled him up short.

  “Son!”

  “And what exactly was your relationship with them?” Michael knew the man had been turning tricks at the club. The possibility that his mate might have willingly given his body to men who were capable of cold-blooded murder had his body coiled in rage.

  His mate seemed to forget about his nudity and clenched his fists by his sides, matching Michael’s angry glare with one of his own. “You think I was fucking them? What do you care?”

  The urge to claim his mate again took over. He needed to prove that the man was off-limits to all others. Without though, he launched himself at his mate, who tried to turn and run but it was far too late. He locked his hands onto thin upper arms and pushed him back against the wall at the same time Joseph grabbed him from behind, but he wouldn’t release his hold on his mate. They all tumbled to the floor in a heap of arms and legs, but it was the young man’s high-pitched, tortured scream that brought their struggle to a halt.

  Chapter Three

  Michael felt his jealousy and anger melt as the echoes of his mate’s pained cry reverberated through his head. He shook off Joseph’s hands and leaned over his now unconscious mate. His alarm reached new heights as he saw two thin trails of blood leak from his nostrils.

  “Baby?” He checked the man’s pulse, feeling no less anxious at finding it faint and erratic, and began to gently shake him. “Baby?” He choked back a sob and turned to look behind him. “Dad!” he shouted.

  “Right here, son.” His father’s soft voice to his left calmed his frenzied thoughts a bit and he jerked his head around to stare into the man’s eyes, taking comfort in the control he found there.

  “I think he has mage blood in him. He told me he could feel my emotions when we were in the barn, and I could feel his also. I think I may have hurt him when I tackled him. I had so much anger in me. Dad…” His voice broke at that moment but thankfully his father remained calm and held his desperate gaze.

  “Do you trust me, son?”

  The answer was immediate. “Of course I trust you, but…”

  “Then let go of your mate and give him to me until you can get your emotions under control,” his father said in a tone that was so matter-of-fact, Michael didn’t hesitate to obey. He gently turned his mate’s head into his father’s waiting hands and sat back, taking deep breaths to try to regain his lost control.

  All four men watched in amazement as Sam softly caressed the man’s uninjured temple and quietly sang a song that Michael hadn’t heard since his childhood when his mother used to sing him to sleep. His mate started to stir and snuggled his face deep into Sam’s belly, curling his body towards Sam’s lap like a child. After a few minutes, a round of startled gasps filled the room from everyone but his dad at the younger man’s sudden laughter.

  That’s when it hit him.

  A burst of joy so bright that it took his breath away swept through Michael, almost knocking him on his ass. He couldn’t keep the bubble of laughter from erupting from his lips, breaking the thrall that had held him at watching his mate react so well to his father’s soothing touch. Similar sounds echoed around him and he turned to see looks of awe and happiness on the faces of his Betas. They all broke out in stunned laughter, enjoying the simple thrill of being alive and in such good company.

  After several seconds, the mood in the room began to change and they all became quiet but held onto that comforting glow of merriment. Michael looked back to see his father bent over the face of his mate, whispering something in his ear before looking up to meet his gaze.

  “Son, you’ve got yourself a very fine mate, but he needs his rest. I want you to hold on to the joy you’re feeling right now while you carry him up to your room. Mind, keep that joy in your heart at all times while you’re touching him, hear me?”

  Michael smiled and nodded, letting go of his fears and allowing his happiness to seep into every pore of his being before taking his mate from his father’s lap. He held his precious cargo close as he climbed the winding staircase to his room. After toeing his bedroom door open, he stared in wonder at the beauty in his arms.

  A slight smile remained on his mate’s lips as he laid him down over the comforter and pulled the hand-crafted quilt his mother had made for him over his shoulders. He chuckled at the way the man curled into the quilt, and was absolutely stunned when his mate chuckled back, as if reading his thoughts. This was definitely going to take some getting used to.

  He leant down to plant a chaste kiss upon his cheek before tiptoeing out of the room, leaving a slight crack between the door and the wall in case he woke before Michael could join him again. Michael returned to the living room and felt his smile begin to fade as he took in the disgruntled looks of his men. The mood in the room had decidedly taken a turn for the worse by the time he sat down on the couch and reviewed the events of the past few hours. Nothing made sense to him, and he found that the more he tried to put order to the chaos of the night, the more confusing it became.

  Joseph was the first to break the silence by snarling out, “What the hell was that about?” They all shook their heads in agitation, feeling the same sentiment, until Michael caught the small, knowing grin on his father’s face.

  “Dad? Got something you’d like to share with us?” Michael asked.

  Sam’s grin broke out into a full-on smile at the question, but he quickly cleared his throat and attempted to school his expression into one of gravity, failing miserably. “I’m sorry, but can’t a man take pride in the mate Mother Earth has given to his son?”

  Michael furrowed his brow at that veiled response and continued to stare questioningly at his father. He knew that Sam had no qualms about his mate being male, but he hadn’t expected this type of enthusiastic response, even if he’d introduced his mate under more favourable circumstances.

  Sam cleared his throat again and finally adopted a more appropriate demeanour. “Son, you’re right about him being part mage. I couldn’t smell his power until I got close to him, but I suppose his were scent was masking most of it. All mages are born with a unique gift that can help their coven to prosper. They keep to themselves mostly. I’ve only met two in my lifetime, up in South Dakota and Michigan. A half-breed is almost unheard of. I’m assuming that since you found him working at a club, and then out at Mr Connel’s ranch, that he is without coven or clan. Unfortunately, half-breeds are frowned upon by most weres and especially by mages.”

  He paused and took a breath as if to collect his thoughts. “Michael, do you realise the amount of responsibility that will come with claiming your mate, which I assume you’ve already done judging by the mark I saw on his neck?”

  Michael felt his face flush and nodded, but his father only arched his brows at his non-verbal response. “I have claimed him, bu
t I’m not sure what you mean by responsibility.”

  Sam dipped his head in acknowledgement before continuing. “It seems that your mate’s power lies in being able to feel the emotions of anyone he’s touching but, more than that, anyone who is touching him can project their emotions onto others through him. When I was—” Sam hesitated, searching for the right words. “—comforting my son-in-law, I was thinking about you and some of your more outrageous antics when you were growing up. The happiness I felt at those memories poured into him, then spread to all of you. Do you recall hearing him laugh before all of you joined in?”

  Michael exchanged confused, yet slightly amused looks with the men around him.

  “Wait, are you saying that…the happiness we felt…it came from you? The pup was sending your emotions into us?” Nick asked. “‘Cause I gotta say, once I started laughing, I didn’t want to stop. It felt good, but it was powerful. I don’t think I would have been able to stop even if I had wanted to.”

  The enormity of his admission hit everyone and Sam took a moment to let that idea sink in.

  “That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Sam looked each of his son’s Betas in the eyes before turning back to Michael. “I think someone has already taken advantage of your mate’s gift, given the scars on his body. It is now your responsibility to ensure that his gift isn’t abused again.”

  “But what if the kid decides to use his gift against us?” Joseph asked. He looked at Michael and said, “No offence, man, but we still know next to nothing about him, and he’s got a pretty damn effective tool that he can use—”

  “No,” Sam cut him off. “I don’t think so. The only time any of you were affected by his gift is when I purposefully sent my feelings into the young man. Once he learns to use his power, he might be able to project his own emotions, but for now I think that he can only channel what other people send into him.”

  Joseph gave him a doubtful look, and Sam replied, “That pup was naked, in tears, and admitting his association with killers in front of a room full of men he had to know would kill him over that kind of confession alone. Yet none of you could pick up on his emotions then.”

  Nick, Joseph and Dennis all exchanged glances, knowing that Sam spoke the truth.

  “But if that’s so, then how is it I can feel his emotions when I touch him?” Michael countered.

  Sam gave his son an indulgent smile and said, “He’s your mate.”

  Three simple words, and yet they seemed to explain everything. Michael inhaled a deep, slow breath, trying to process all of the information his father had just thrown at him, but he couldn’t think past his need to protect his mate at all costs. Sam had said the man’s gift had most likely already been abused. And even if it hadn’t, his mate certainly had. The countless scars on his body attested to that.

  After taking another deep breath, he released it and directed his gaze to the others waiting on him.

  Dennis, who had been unusually quiet throughout the whole ordeal, acted before Michael could speak. He strode forward and knelt down on one knee, holding out his hand to Michael, who took it in his firm grasp, and said, “Congratulations, Alpha Michael. I swear to treat your mate with all of the honour and respect I hold for you.”

  The sincerity behind those words shone out of the man’s bright, sombre eyes. His gaze never wavered from Michael’s as he recited the ritual blessings each clan member gave to his Alpha upon the recognised union with his mate.

  Joseph and Nick were quick to follow his example, despite the reservations Michael could see in their eyes. He couldn’t fault them for having their doubts. This wasn’t exactly the most conventional coupling of an Alpha and his mate.

  Their declarations made his chest swell with pride and gratitude, and he nodded to each in turn, even his father. As his men filed out of the house and sought out their vehicles to leave, Michael laid a staying hand on his father’s shoulder before the man reached the front door.

  “Dad, I was wondering if you could, well, if you and mom might…”

  “Your mom’s packing everything as we speak, and I do mean everything, with the exception of the kitchen sink. We’ll take the downstairs guest bedroom across the hall from your office to give you guys some privacy upstairs. I figure about two weeks should give you both enough time to adjust?”

  Michael let out a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding and smiled gratefully at his father. He’d never met a mage before and had no idea how to handle his mate’s power. The thought of hurting him again out of ignorance was more than he could bear. The support of his mom and dad living with them for a while to smooth over any emergencies that might arise, such as the one that had occurred earlier tonight, would be an immense help.

  “Yeah. Two weeks should be perfect. Thanks, Dad.”

  Sam grunted and shook his head as he said, “Don’t thank me yet. Your mother is so excited you finally found your mate that she’s bringing over her sewing machine and measuring tape to size him up for an entire wardrobe. I feel sorry for the little guy already.”

  Michael laughed and replied, “Well, at least she’s got good taste.”

  Sam spread his arms, showing off his well-muscled and lean figure, saying, “The best, son. We’ll let ourselves in in about an hour. I’ve got the house-key. Go take care of your mate.”

  Michael chuckled and locked the door after his father left. Taking the stairs three at a time, he reached his bedroom in moments, but paused once inside to savour the beautiful sight of the young man lying curled over a pillow in the middle of his bed.

  He looked almost the same as he had four years ago, only a little thinner, if that were possible. His platinum-blond hair fanned out around his head, creating the image of a halo, and the combination of his pale skin and delicate features made him seem so fragile.

  Michael was beginning to think that was closer to the truth than anyone suspected.

  He stripped off his clothes, tossing them into the hamper, then climbed onto the bed to stretch his considerably longer length alongside that of his mate. Before touching him, however, Michael took several slow, deep breaths and mastered his thoughts and emotions, envisioning tranquillity.

  This is definitely going to take some getting used to. But as he turned and pressed himself gently against the back of his mate, breathing in his unique, intoxicating scent of the ocean, he knew it would all be well worth it.

  * * * *

  Kaden awakened to the most wonderful sensation of being surrounded in warmth and strength. It seeped into his pores and invaded his being so completely that it felt as though he was wrapped in layers of steel clouds. He inhaled the scent of musk and a heavy forest after a spring rain and sighed.

  That smell was captivating, exotic, and…familiar.

  Where have I…? Realisation hit him a second before he snapped his eyes open to find two very large arms wrapped around his midsection. Memories of the previous night came flooding back and he could feel his body start to shake. He reached up with one hand to feel the raised ridges of teeth marks in the soft flesh between his shoulder and neck.

  No. No no no no no, this is not happening.

  “Good morning, beautiful,” a deep, rumbling voice said from behind him. Kaden wanted to jump from the bed, or better yet, beat the man behind him to a bloody pulp, but a wave of sexual energy tore through his body with such force that he gasped.

  His skin became so sensitive that he swore he could feel every hair on the body of the man pressed so tightly against his backside. He also became increasingly aware of the cock that was swelling in the crevice between his thighs. Even as his mind rebelled against his reaction, his arousal grew to a sharp, almost painful point.

  Kaden tried to remember all of the reasons why he should hate the man who was causing his body to respond in a way that it never had for anyone else before. He tried desperately to find his anger, but when he felt a tender kiss against the nape of his neck at the same time that a hand reached around to grasp his ac
hing cock, all of his thoughts scattered.

  His hips began to move of their own accord, rocking into that firm grip that he silently prayed would never let go. He wanted more, needed more, but the arm still banded around his waist held him still, forcing him to endure the slow, languid strokes of that hand. He bit his lip in an effort to keep from begging Michael to increase his speed. Kaden refused to let him know how much he wanted this pleasure. More pleasure.

  A soft chuckle vibrated through the chest pressed against his back, and he felt more than heard the man whisper into his ear, “Like that, do you?”

  A moan escaped his lips before he could suppress it and he felt what little resistance he had tried to retain melt away under Michael’s skilful hand.

  “Turn over, boy. I want to see you.”

  Kaden obeyed the command without a second thought, rolling over to get caught in Michael’s hazel gaze, shadowed by the fall of silken, black hair.

  His features were remarkable, but the look of wonder and desire in those soft eyes almost had him coming beneath the blanket. He flicked his tongue out to moisten his suddenly dry lips and felt his breath catch as he watched the man dip his head down and felt him swipe his own tongue along them, groaning into him.

  Michael shifted his body over so that his weight was braced on his forearms and he hovered over Kaden, delving his tongue inside as soon as Kaden parted his lips. The few inches of air that separated their bodies seemed like miles, but he wasn’t ready to close that distance just yet. He felt as though he was being swept away by his own arousal, betrayed by the lust consuming his body.

  The big man broke off their kiss and peered down into his eyes as though searching for something. “I don’t want to rush you this time. If you want me to stop, I will. Just say the word and…”

  Kaden felt an irrational bout of irritation that the guy would get him so worked up, so heated and desperate to find release, then back off as though his sexual ministrations weren’t a form of torture all their own. He effectively cut off the frustrating words by raising his hips and grinding his erection against that of the gorgeous man.