MASON

I sniffed my way to the kitchen. There was no use going back to sleep, not with those green eyes haunting my dreams.

Nightmares.

It was always the same.

The reminder of the human I’d once shared everything with was gone, and the guilt that even during our short mating — I’d been having dreams of another — came down onto my heaping shoulders tenfold.

I was not a good man.

I was more beast than anything.

Wolves mated for life, and in my dreams I’d allowed another female to touch me, to lick me.

I shoved the betraying thoughts away and turned on one of the kitchen lights. My eyes zeroed in on the freezer before I could stop them.

Ten steaks.

Red steaks.

Steaks with at least forty grams of protein, enough blood to saturate my mouth, coat it with its essence.

Embarrassed, I looked away.

Leave it to me to be the only wolf who craved both blood and meat. I was defective and why I’d stepped down after my mate’s death.

I did not deserve to be King.

Their leader.

The wolves had each other. The pack. They had no use for me.

“Mason.” Ethan, vampire pain-in-my-ass, barked out my name like he was irritated with me. He sat at the table, hands folded, black hair pulled into a stupid bun in the back of his head making him look like a female. He glared. “I can hear you.”

“I know.” I sniffed the air. “Where is Genesis?”

He rolled his eyes. “One day you’re going to ask about my wife, and I’m going to bite you where it won’t heal.”

I waved him off. “I always heal. It is what I do.”

“Right.” His grin turned lethal.

I started turning around, but he was in front of me within seconds. Damn fast vampire pain-in-my-hairy-ass. “I’m busy.”

“She’s been here for two days. At least talk to her.”

“No!” I barked, already feeling my hackles rise as my wolf shoved forward ready for a fight, ready to take down anyone stupid enough to stand in my way.

And then my least favorite siren in the entire universe entered the room, making the air sick with his heat. Tiny particles of dust pulsed around his body like they couldn’t help themselves — damn pheromones.

He took one look at us and grinned. “You guys fighting again?”

Sirens found great joy in emotional distress, especially ones like Alex — too damn powerful for their own good. His face lit up with excitement as he glanced between us back and forth and then finally calmed the tense air, sucking it through his nostrils like my pain was his drug and Ethan’s irritation his tonic.

“You done?” I gritted my teeth.

Alex shrugged. “Can’t help it. I love a good fight.”

“Go mate with your elf.” I felt my control snapping; everyone around me reminded me of loss.

Years ago, we used to find human mates by using a lottery of sorts. We called their numbers. They mated with us. We had children. End of story.

And then the system broke.

The mates began to die.

Mine included.

And now, now that it was fixed, it just seemed like one more cruel trick of the universe that everyone would be happy; everyone would have someone but me.

Not that I needed someone, not when I had friends.

Yeah, just keep telling yourself that.

And now, now that the thirst was suddenly getting worse.

And on the anniversary of her death.

I felt — helpless. Wolves weren’t supposed to be helpless; it was not in our nature.

I growled low in my throat at Alex. It only seemed to amuse the idiot more.

“Well someone should go talk to her,” he finally said, “We all know I’m not allowed near humans since they tend to die from lust.”

“Exaggeration,” I ground out. “You didn’t kill Hope.”

“She’s only part human.” He shrugged, looking to Alex. “And since Ethan has a shitty bedside manner—”

Ethan hissed, his fangs elongating past his lower lip before he retracted him.

“As I was saying…” Alex grinned. “…that leaves you!”

“Or we can send Cassius,” I offered, hating that I was even willing to send the dark angel in my stead.

Over a girl.

A simple innocent girl.

“Cassius—” The angel’s booming voice shook the room.

I hated it when he did that.

“—will not be going in your stead, ungrateful wolf. Go see to her injuries.”

“You heard the King.” Alex crossed his arms. “See to her injuries, Florence Nightingale.”

“I’m a wolf not a bird.” I snapped my teeth together.

Alex grinned wide. “Both are pets.”

I moved to slam him against the wall, but Cassius blocked me with one of his wings; the blue feathers stood out like spikes, ready to impale me if I moved to a track.

“Fine.” I jerked back. “I’ll check on our prisoner.”

“She’s a guest,” Ethan said as if I needed reminding.

I stomped down the hall and called over my shoulder. “We find all our guests in the street bloody and beaten now?”

Nobody said anything.

They didn’t need to.

Their answers, their worry hung heavy in the air. I could taste it.

Something had happened the minute I’d touched her, the minute I’d licked her wounds.

And I would take it to my grave.

Because it was an impossibility.

She was vampire.

I was wolf.

The two did not mate.

Could never mate.

Besides, it had been my imagination.

I knew, once I set my eyes on her again, the weird longing would flee.

Anyway, I still felt the cold blood of my wife on my hands, could still feel the way she’d tug my fur.

Men rarely got second chances.

Why the hell would a wolf be given one?