Page 9

MACK

T hey are not here. Mack told Craig telepathically.

I told Brianna to meet you there with Ella in thirty minutes. She will be there.

Well, it’s been forty minutes, and they are not here Craig.

Fuck’s sake came the reply.

Mack crossed his arms, his legs wide as he glared at every single person walking through the lobby of the castle.

“You trying to scare our employees away?” The king asked as he walked past with a handful of guards.

Vincent stopped.

“Your Majesty.” Mack dipped his head.

When the senior warriors were in public, they all respected the royal traditions. However, when acting in their roles in the army, formalities were parked. It was for safety and productivity reasons. Wasting time bowing could get someone killed.

Craig strode in his direction, likely having teleported somewhere to get here this fast, and looked just as pissed as he felt.

“Where are they?” he growled loudly.

“I don’t bloody know.” Mack slammed his fists on his hips.

“What’s going on?” The king frowned as vampires gave them a wide circle.

He assumed PR was of big importance to him right now and they were making a scene. The castle might be full of soldiers, but not everyone was a warrior, and both he and Craig were big males.

“My mate was...” Craig started, then trailed off. “Never mind, I know where they are. Come on, Mack.”

He glanced at the king. “Sorry sire, the females are acting up.”

“Jesus. If they’re even thinking about a mid-year Christmas, tell them I will blow those fucking reindeer to pieces myself.”

Craig was already halfway down the east corridor.

“Sure. Okay. Gotta go. My lord.” He used some speed to catch up with the commander. “What did I miss? Reindeer?”

“Yeah, keep away from that topic.” Craig shot him a look. “Trust me.”

After a minute, he figured out where they were headed, and a growl built inside his chest. This was exactly why he didn’t want Ella hanging out with the females.

Craig punched open the door of Max Bar and the music and cheering hit them both in the face.

What the fuck?

“Bri!” Craig boomed and the redhead who was kneeling on a bar stool dancing turned her head and grinned.

“Hey baby.”

Mack saw the flicker of oh shit on her face, but it wasn’t Brianna he was paying attention to. It was the petite brunette who was on top of the bar, dancing like a goddamn stripper.

Ella.

His female twirled around, slid on her feet and a male grabbed her, steadying her. Mack’s body immediately snapped into action mode, but before he could move, Craig’s arm shot out and stopped him.

“Think before you make a move, my man. Trust me on this.”

Grrhhh.

His wolf was activated.

Mack was certain there was no other vampire on earth who could hold him and his wolf back right now, except Craig Giordano.

“Brianna, get the fuck down here.” The commander growled.

“No can do baby. We have a bet on.”

“The fuck?” Craig muttered as Mack kept his eyes locked on Ella.

Craig’s arm dropped away and together they strode farther inside the bar. Eyes followed them—that is, except for all the females who rebelliously continued to wave their arms in the air, egging Ella on.

“They’re all in on this,” Craig muttered, like it was some kind of social movement.

A quick glance around and he saw Madison, Anna, Brooklyn, Cassy, Charlotte, Lucinda, Sofia, Piper (unsurprising!), and Amber all waving hundred-dollar bills.

The only females not here were the queen, Willow, and Sage.

The sensible ones.

Mack’s brows dipped—even he knew that was untrue about the princess.

There were a few of the warriors here also and he was furious they hadn’t let him know. When he saw Tristan smirking as Ella attempted to bend over sexily, and failed, he crossed his arms and counted to ten.

Killing the guy would be counterproductive to the war.

That was the only reason he was still breathing.

“Jesus, glad you guys turned up.” Oliver strode over.

“Is this your friend? ” Darnell joined them.

Mack let out a growl and shook his head.

“What the hell is going on here?”

“Oh right. You’re a newbie.” Oliver leaned his shoulder against the wall. “So, what happens when the girls get the scent of a potential mate is that they zone in, kidnap, and manipulate until you trip over your own dick and fall in love.”

“In a nutshell.” Darnell nodded repetitively.

“He’s not wrong.” Craig grunted.

“That’s insane.” Mack shook his head, watching Ella’s feet carefully.

“And yet...Brianna, get your hot damn ass over here right now,” Craig called out once more.

Ella’s sparkling gaze found Mack’s across the room and, as if she’d been busted doing something illegal, she froze.

Oh, shit.

A shot of electricity sliced through his body as her sexy mouth fell open. The rest happened fast. Ella’s arms flung into the air and a squeak escaped as she began to fall.

Mack teleported across the bar, landing on the top of the bar in a crouch, and scooped her into his arms.

Then leaped to the ground.

When he straightened with Ella’s arms looped around his neck, a roar went up in celebration.

“Well, he’s fucked.” He heard Brayden say and glanced over to see the prince standing in the doorway.

“Another one bites the dust.” Oliver nodded.

Goddamn it. No.

Ella could only be his friend, and having the entire fucking castle rally around to watch him fall and bond with her was the opposite of what he needed right now.

She was here so he could protect her.

Not bond and infect her with the wolf DNA.

Surely the SLCs could understand that.

“Told ya, girlfriend.” Brianna high-fived Madison and they began exchanging money.

“The fuck, Ella?” He grumbled, as she hiccuped. For a vampire to get drunk, they had to consume quite a bit, and fast.

“We were just having fun, Mack-a-roonie. They gave me some of that new juice that gets vampires drunk.” Ella rubbed her fingers over his whiskers, and his cock swelled further. “You’re so pretty.”

Jesus.

“I’m not pretty. I’m a warrior,” Mack muttered, shooting his fellow males a nod as he strode out of the bar. “And I’m taking you home.”

“Wait. I need to pee.” Ella tensed in his arms.

Shit.

“Do not piss on me.”

“Mack Mazzini.” She slapped his chest. “Don’t be gross.”

God’s sakes.

“Hang on.” He stopped, focused on his apartment—a requirement when teleporting—and took them both there.

A bad move, but he didn’t have a choice. Mother Nature had called and there was no way he was taking her to the ladies room. The females would kidnap her again.

As Mack placed her back on the floor, Ella wobbled.

Grabbing her hips, he turned her toward the bathroom and patted her bottom before he knew what he was doing. Lust plowed through him as his wolf began scratching to get his paws on her.

Ella glanced over her shoulder at his hand and grinned playfully.

Fuck.

“That way. Go. Bathroom.”

She hiccuped again, but disappeared.

Almost five minutes later, Ella opened the door and stepped out. Mack had been worried she’d fallen asleep on the toilet, but spent the time having a serious conversation with his wolf.

Mine.

No.

Mine.

Listen buddy, we can’t. We have a war to fight and a subspecies to keep secret—you. Plus, we do not want to hurt the pretty vampire. Or kill her.

Hot.

Yes, fine, she’s hot.

Mine.

Christ. No. Look, but don’t touch.

Touch.

Mack sighed. His wolf might be a part of him, but conversing with the canine was a one syllable event. In truth, it was more a feeling than actual words.

“I’m drunk,” Ella said and grinned coyly as she propped out a hip.

“You are.”

God she was cute. Sexy and cute in a way he’d never allowed himself to acknowledge before. He’d never let her in his bedroom. Any of them.

Ella, being so close to his bed, was dangerous.

Very dangerous.

If she glanced down, she’d see his thick cock eager to escape and claim her. The way her nipples pressed against the cotton of her top made it clear she was aroused and wouldn’t say no, which made it so much harder as Mack fought his wolf and clung to what little willpower he had.

Not much.

Ella brushed her hair from her face and blew air toward it at the same time. “The girls are fun.”

“Trouble,” he muttered.

“Same thing.” Ella giggled. “Oh! And the queen invited me to stay.”

His brows shot up. “You met the queen?”

“Yes. Kate is so beautiful.” Ella sighed romantically.

Kate?

No one but the king himself and the family called the queen by her first name, Kate.

“She said I can stay at the castle.”

When she wobbled, Mack reached out but then stopped himself. The millisecond that his hand had been on her ass was now imprinted on his brain. There was a really strong chance if he touched her one more time, she’d be flat on her back and his face would be between her silky thighs.

Not necessarily in that order.

Christ, he wanted to feel her soft skin against his palm and run his hand along the arch of her hips, down over her peach of an ass and delve farther.

Was she wet?

Had she ever touched herself after an encounter with him? Rubbing her little pussy, imagining him filling her with his cock and thrusting so hard it almost forced them into next fucking year.

He had.

He’d stroked himself more times than he could remember. Always believing that when he was ready, Ella would be his.

Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined he’d become a different species. Or that the world would learn of their existence and the two fucking disasters would bring her closer and yet further from him than ever.

She was untouchable.

Literally.

“El, you can’t,” he rasped.

“Why?” Ella pouted. “I’ll be lonely in the house by myself. If I stay here, I’ll be closer and safer, won’t I?”

Yes.

But not if I bite you, then watch your bones shatter as you shift into a wolf.

Mack was sure he’d end up killing Callan if that happened. He might have forgiven him for biting him, but if Ella was harmed, all bets were off. And he really liked his alpha and friend.

Jesus, now I’m thinking of killing my alpha. I should never have brought her here.