CHAPTER NINETEEN

 

 

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Thorn was an alpha, and as such he was used to taking control and putting the world to rights around him. What he couldn’t do was reconcile that with dealing with his mate.

He was a take charge kind of a man, and yet, she had that same quality about her. Two alphas together was sure to lead to trouble, and he guessed they’d be butting heads more often than not.

But that didn’t mean that it wasn’t worth the effort of trying – did it? She was his mate and fate had sent her to him for that very reason.

“Well, I don’t see it that way,” Martha tossed back on a frown and a challenge. Thorn was determined not to rise to the bait.

“I’m shocked,” he offered back in a dry, but playful tone, and watched as her eyes slowly narrowed on him.

“That’s all you have to say?” she demanded.

“Yep.” He shrugged his broad shoulders and tried to keep his body as relaxed as possible even if she was trying to tempt him into arguing the point with her.

Martha frowned. She’d been about to open her mouth and demand a better answer from him, and she’d certainly been expecting some sort of a fight from the man considering what she’d tossed out, but there it was. He looked relaxed, almost carefree at the prospect.

Was she not worth the effort?

“Okay then,” she said and pushed up to her feet from her seat at the kitchen table. “I’ll help Maxi and Kelly with the coffee.”

“How many witches does it take to screw in a light bulb?” Thorn chuckled as he tossed a look over his shoulder at the other two mates who’d gone off to make coffee at least a half hour earlier.

“Less than it takes for grumbly old farts to show some humility,” she muttered as she headed towards her brethren.

“Do you think he means it?” Maxi whispered as Martha raised her eyebrows at the pair and looked somewhat flabbergasted by the man’s willingness to concede the point she’d made.

“I’m just going to go outside and let you ladies talk about me behind my back,” Thorn said as he pushed up to his full height and started for the back door.

In truth, he needed air – he needed to settle the beast within him because his wolf didn’t like the compromise that he’d come to with their mate.

“Pee up a tree or two – mark your territory?” Martha chuckled, and he couldn’t help but grin and shake his head at her antics.

She’d won the day. At least, she thought she had – and yet, she was still yanking his chain.

“Sweetheart, it’s what I do,” he tossed back over his shoulder before he closed the back door behind him and breathed out a long hard breath as he tried to dampen his beast’s anger at him.

Mine…

Wasn’t that the truth. She was his mate, and there was no doubting that, but she was as cantankerous as he was, and her bullheadedness wasn’t going to do him any favors if he forced that wooing.

Nope, he’d agreed to her side of things. Friends – Pah! Friends his backside. She was his – his mate – and a witch or not, and right then he was coming around to the idea that being a witch didn’t matter a whole hell of a lot – he was going to woo her.

But he was older now. He didn’t see any use in rushing things and pushing the point home.

Nope, he’d take it slow, as slow as she thought she needed him to go, and he’d be like a witch – devious. He was going to woo her socks off, but he was going to do it slow and subtle.

And when she finally realized what a damn catch he was – then he’d make her his. Thorn grinned as his beast settled a little within him.

Mine…

The beast made his point known and staked its claim – the wolf wouldn’t wait forever for his mate, but then, neither would Thorn.

“Apparently, we’re just going to be friends,” Martha said, and he smiled to himself.

 

 

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When Emily walked out of the bathroom with the fluffiest towel that she had ever felt wrapped around her body, and fussing at her wet hair with another towel in her hands, she stopped in place, and there was no doubting that the supernatural was inside that room with her – she could feel the buzz of him against her magical shields.

Jai knew that she’d sensed him there without even looking in his direction, so he was unlikely to surprise her when he spoke and run the risk of being zapped by mistake. “I…” he felt the hard sting of her magic hit his body and bit down on the pain.

Nope, there was no mistake about that one – she’d meant every spine-screaming-for-mercy moment of it.