Page 32 of Captivated By Alphas 1, Fated (The Blood Moon Chronicle #4)
CARMICHAEL COUSINS
The Aston Martin tore through mountain curves, engine snarling like the beast under Adrian’s skin.
He punched the accelerator, the car’s surge of power nowhere near enough to satisfy the clawing need inside him.
His panther had gone feral since the lake, prowling his veins and muscles with a single obsession.
Find him, it growled, raking phantom claws against his insides. Claim him. Mark him. OURS. NOW.
The demands hammered through his skull with every heartbeat.
He pushed the vintage car harder, metal protesting as he took curves too fast. Each bend in the road flashed images of Eli’s body pressed against his in that shallow water, his mate’s skin slick and perfect under his hands.
That almost-kiss burned in his memory like a physical pain, his lips still tingling with phantom sensation.
The irony wasn’t lost on him. He’d flown in at four a.m., rushed to the estate specifically to witness Jace’s mate crisis. To mock his always-composed cousin for finally losing his legendary control over someone. Now here he was, burning with the same primal need he’d planned to ridicule.
Hypocrite, he thought, though his panther didn’t give a shit about irony or hypocrisy. It cared only about finding their mate again, about claiming what it had already decided was theirs.
Adrian knew his reaction was unprecedented. He’d encountered countless beautiful people in his thirty years, but none had triggered this visceral, immediate response. His panther had recognized something in Eli Harper that went beyond physical attraction, beyond simple desire.
It had recognized a mate.
True mate, his beast snarled, the certainty absolute. Perfect mate. OURS.
The thought should have terrified him. Instead, it felt like the final puzzle piece clicking into place. The restlessness that had plagued him for months, the hollow emptiness despite his professional success—all of it suddenly made perfect sense.
The Carmichael estate appeared around the final bend, and Adrian’s foot eased off the gas.
The sprawling mansion rose from manicured grounds, vineyards stretching across eastern slopes, orchards dotting the southern exposure.
No matter how many glamorous Hollywood properties he visited, none compared to this—a perfect balance of power and beauty, just like the panthers who called it home.
Home, his panther acknowledged, momentarily settling as the mansion came into view. Den. Heart of territory. Perfect place to court mate.
He pulled into the circular driveway, parking beside Jace’s sleek black sports car. His cousin might prefer modern vehicles, but they shared a weakness for precision engineering.
Before he could even shut off the engine, the massive front doors swung open and his aunt Madi descended the stone steps, arms outstretched.
“Adrian!” she called, delight in her voice. “We weren’t expecting you until tomorrow!”
“The call of family was too strong to resist,” Adrian replied, embracing her warmly. The half-truth slid easily from his lips, omitting his original plan to arrive early and document Jace’s romantic downfall for future mockery.
Madi had been more mother than aunt since his and Cole’s parents’ deaths.
Twenty years had passed since that night—when both sets of parents vanished while investigating strange occurrences in a nearby town.
The human world bought the “hiking accident” story, complete with fabricated evidence, but the Carmichaels knew better.
Whatever they’d encountered had left nothing but cold, black ash where bodies should have been.
The mystery had died with them, but the loss had forged an unbreakable bond between the cousins—a pack within the pack.
“You look thin,” Madi declared, holding him at arm’s length for inspection. Her eyes narrowed with maternal concern. “Is anyone feeding you in Los Angeles?”
“Only the finest restaurants in California,” Adrian assured her, kissing her cheek. “And my personal chef would be deeply offended by the implication.”
“Your personal chef clearly doesn’t understand the nutritional needs of panthers,” she retorted, leading him toward the house. “Come inside. Jace is around somewhere, probably hiding from Sheena. She’s back early from Paris and on a fashion rampage.”
The great room buzzed with activity—Paul and David sprawled across designer furniture, gaming controllers in hand, so absorbed in their virtual race they barely glanced up at his arrival.
“The prodigal cousin returns,” Jace’s voice came from the doorway to the kitchen. “And a day early. What happened, Hollywood run out of adoring fans?”
Adrian turned to find his cousin leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, a knowing smirk playing at his lips.
Something in Jace’s posture triggered Adrian’s alpha instincts—a subtle tension, a hint of territorial awareness that hadn’t been there during their last meeting.
His panther surged forward, suddenly alert.
Something different, it growled, hackles rising. Something changed. Rival alert.
“I heard you were experiencing an emotional crisis,” Adrian replied with a deliberately provocative grin. “Couldn’t miss the chance to see the great Jace Carmichael finally lose his legendary control over someone.”
He crossed the room to clasp forearms with his cousin in the traditional greeting of allied alphas, fully intending to continue his teasing.
But the moment their skin touched, Adrian caught it—the unmistakable scent clinging to Jace’s clothes.
Something ethereal, like winter moonlight and hidden forest streams. His panther exploded into full awareness with such force that Adrian nearly staggered backward.
It was the same scent that had driven him half-mad at the lake. Eli’s scent.
MINE, his panther roared, muscles coiling to spring.
The possessive fury nearly overwhelmed him.
Adrian felt his eyes shift, gold bleeding into green as his panther clawed for control.
Every muscle in his body locked tight, fighting the primal urge to challenge his own cousin, to assert dominance, to eliminate competition for what his panther had already claimed as its own.
Rip. Tear. Kill. MINE, his beast snarled, the violent impulse shocking even Adrian with its intensity. His panther had never reacted this way to anyone, let alone family.
Jace’s nostrils flared, his own eyes darkening dangerously as he registered both Adrian’s reaction and, more significantly, the faint trace of Eli’s scent on Adrian’s skin.
A low growl built in his chest, too subtle for human ears but unmistakable to another shifter.
His fingers tightened on Adrian’s arm, claws threatening to emerge.
He knows, Adrian’s panther realized. He recognizes mate’s scent on us. Rival. THREAT.
“Boys.” Madi’s voice cut through the tension. “No territorial posturing in the house. I just had these rugs cleaned.”
The gentle rebuke didn’t touch the storm brewing between them, but years of discipline allowed both men to step back, to force their panthers into temporary submission. Adrian flexed his hands, feeling his claws retract with painful slowness, the points puncturing his palms as they withdrew.
Control, he ordered his beast, tasting blood where his fangs had lengthened against his will. Not here. Not now. Family watching.
“How was the drive up?” Jace asked, his tone deliberately casual though his eyes remained fixed on Adrian’s, a predator tracking potential threat. “You smell like… lake water.”
The emphasis wasn’t subtle. It was a direct challenge, a way of saying I know you’ve been with him.
Adrian’s panther bristled at the implied accusation, even as it preened with territorial satisfaction. Yes, we were with mate. Touched mate. Almost claimed mate. What will you do about it?
“Scenic,” Adrian replied, struggling to keep his voice even as his panther raged beneath his skin. “Though I had a slight fuel mishap. Had to take a detour by a particularly beautiful lake.”
“Only you would run out of gas in a vintage Aston Martin.” Jace laughed, though there was an edge to it that could cut glass. “How did you make it here without calling for rescue? This area isn’t exactly known for its helpful strangers.”
The question was loaded, a trap disguised as casual conversation. Adrian felt the weight of it, knew that Jace was testing him, trying to determine exactly what had happened between Adrian and Eli.
He’s fishing, his panther noted with predatory satisfaction. Wants to know if we touched what’s his. If we claimed what he wants.
“A good Samaritan happened by with an emergency gas can,” Adrian said vaguely, watching Jace’s reaction carefully. “Lucky coincidence.”
“Very lucky,” Jace agreed, a muscle ticking in his jaw. “Seems we’re both having interesting encounters lately.”
The challenge hung in the air between them, invisible to others but blazing like wildfire to their heightened senses. Adrian’s panther pushed against his control, demanding confrontation, demanding he establish dominance over this rival for their mate.
Challenge him now, it urged, claws scraping against his insides. Show strength. Show dominance. Win mate.
The tension was interrupted by a hurricane in designer heels.
“Adrian!” Sheena squealed, flying across the room to launch herself at him. “Thank God you’re here early! I need backup against these Neanderthals. They’re trying to monopolize my fashion project!”
Adrian caught his younger cousin easily, spinning her once before setting her down. The familiar interaction helped anchor him, pushing his panther back from the dangerous edge. “Hello to you too, Sheena. Paris treated you well, I see.”