~

 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Fallon demanded, placing her hands on her hips, and glaring up at Jamie with a look that said she wasn’t about to be messed with by anybody.

“I need to draw you a picture?” Jamie growled.

“I guess so – do you need crayons?” She shot back.

Fallon’s eyes flashed with anger and practically dared him to mess with her. She’d more than had enough of men with bigger egos and not much in the bank to cash them with.

For his part, Jamie knew that he needed to keep his beast at bay, but she wasn’t making it any easier with the challenges that she was throwing out … the woman was frustratingly annoying…

“What are you; a man or a mouse?” Chloe called from outside, and Monty slowly turned his head and stared at her in disbelief…

“Nice stirring of the pot,” he offered, impressed.

“Well, I was a witch – it’s a knack you know?” She grinned back with a sparkle of wicked amusement in her eyes.

“All in the wrist?” He gave her a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows and heard her dirty little chuckle.

“Definitely…”

“Hey, Bonnie and bloodsucking Clyde, back off!” Dorothy berated the two of them.

Then she raised her hand and flicked it on her wrist, using her magic to drop the blind down over the window, and blocking out the two of them from view.

“Oh, trust me when I say that I don’t need a box of crayons for this particular picture…” Jamie offered back.

The beta took one large step towards his mate, wrapped one large hand around her wrist, and yanked her hand from her hip and her body towards his…

Fallon tensed her body and prepared for the collision of her soft body with his hard one, but it didn’t come, at least, not in the way that she was expecting.

Jamie dipped at the waist, and with a squeal that came from her lips of disbelief that was mixed with shock, she found herself hanging over one broad shoulder, with a great view of his taut backside…

“Are you freaking kidding me!” Fallon bit out.

Sarah slapped her hand over her mouth to hide her grin and the small cackle of laughter that escaped her lips.

Dorothy sighed inwardly at the spectacle of Fallon’s backside sticking up in the air, and groaned outwardly at the language that came from her granddaughter’s lips…

“Oh … whoa…” Angela said with a snort of laughter as she rounded the bend and caught sight of the spectacle. She might have been late to the party, but she was glad that she’d turned up for the fireworks.

Hank folded his arms and nodded his head in admiration for the man, a small smile of his lips… He might well have clapped, but his mate didn’t look too impressed and he didn’t want to get in her bad books…

Dorothy already hated him, and that didn’t bode well for his attempt to woo her. He definitely liked the beta’s technique at dealing with an awkward mate though.

It was just a shame that he thought if he tried that with Dorothy – then they might have both ended up in a heap on the floor … either way, he’d be in no position to mate with her after that.

“Any bedroom in the middle of the hall upstairs,” Sarah whispered to her pack brother as she pointed a sly finger upwards, and Jamie nodded once in understanding.

Then the behemoth turned on his heels, almost knocking Fallon’s head against the wall; as everyone squealed and grumbled in panic. But Jamie was somewhat oblivious, as he stalked off towards the staircase…

“Seriously?” Fallon called out.

She had taken to struggling against his shoulder until she felt one, large hand slap down on her backside to keep her locked in place.

Her head shot up and her eyes glared at the first person that she locked eyes with…

“Don’t look at me … I’m too old for that sort of thing,” Lark grumbled, hoping not to get zapped for something that was not of his doing and far out of his control.

He’d no more try to stop the beta from wooing his mate than jump in front of a high speed train. Each would certainly pack a punch that would knock him on his backside…

“He’s your pack…” Fallon hissed out, but each heavy foot that her mate placed against the stairs on his journey upwards towards the bedrooms, made her voice jump and her breath leave her body in little spirts as she bounced on his shoulder…

“Well, that’s not my fault either!” Lark played innocent and confused for all that he was worth, but inside he was laughing his backside off.

“Could someone just…?” Fallon squealed in frustration and bit down on her need to zap the man…

She would have zapped his taut, sexy backside in a heartbeat, except looking down from where she was hanging over his shoulder at the drop to the bottom of the staircase below and beyond, made her think twice.

Self-preservation was such a bitch!

“What’d I miss?” Nathan panted as he raced through the front door, ready to meet the challenge of dealing with an unwanted vampire, should someone point the way, and his eyes swept up the staircase to where Jamie was fast disappearing.

He scowled up at the young witch that offered him back a very convincing death glare from her positon over his younger brother’s shoulder, and he twisted his head on his neck and lifted his hand to point a finger of recognition at her…

“Don’t overtax your brain,” Hank chuckled at the alpha, and Nathan closed his mouth and pressed his lips together…

“You snooze, you lose…” Angela grinned.

“But…” he pointed up at an empty space. His brother and the witch were already gone.

“Welcome home, dear, and how was your day?” Sarah teased and her mate frowned.

“Not as interesting as yours by the looks of things,” Nathan growled.

“Congratulations, you have another witch in the pack…” Sarah offered back, and Nathan opened his mouth to say something, but then he just lifted one eyebrow on a nod of acceptance.

“Oh.”

“Oh?” Angela teased.

“Ok?” he winced, somewhat unsure of what they wanted from him at that point.

He’d expected to be dealing with a rabid vampire in some way, shape, or form, and there was his brother – carting off Dorothy’s granddaughter over his damn shoulder…

“Better, but where’s the happy jig?” Angela’s sly smile spread across her face at the man’s confusion, and the alpha grunted back.

“Real men don’t dance,” He growled.

“Is that your way of saying that you have two left paws?” Dorothy offered, and he was momentarily stunned and confused once more.

He guessed with witches in the pack, he should get used to that helpless feeling…

“I do have two left … paws,” he said, rethinking that one through, even while he was giving his answer.

“On the front?” Dorothy raised her eyebrows at the alpha … and the man lifted his hand to his head and scratched…

“I don’t,” Hank announced. “I can trip the light fantastic.” He offered his mate a wicked grin and saw her eyes sparkle with amusement.

“Proof is in the pudding,” Dorothy shrugged, unimpressed by her mates declaration.

“Yes, as long as he doesn’t trip over his drooling tongue,” Lark grumbled, and Angela shot him a sympathetic look.

“Ah, can’t dance either?” She asked, and her mate grunted.

“But I can hunt better than he can.” Lark grumbled.

“No, you can’t,” Hank growled back. His beast had taken offence to that one.

“Proof is in the pudding,” Lark sneered back the challenge.

“Fine.” Hank growled.

“Good.” Lark growled harder.

“Anytime…” Hank countered…

“Oh would you listen to them…” Dorothy rolled her eyes.

“Can just feel the testosterone cluttering up the air…” Angela offered, folding her arms, and offering her mate one raised eyebrow and a very unimpressed look.

Lark grunted again, this time in annoyance…

“Well, I can…” He muttered. Not willing to let it slide.

“Can’t,” Hank offered back.

“You…” Nathan announced, pointing a finger at Lark, and the elder eyed him for a long moment. “Go … do something.” He snapped out before turning his attention towards Hank… “Don’t you have something more important to attend too?”

“Like what?” Hank grumbled.

“Wooing…!” Nathan bit out in frustration and Hank snapped to attention…

“Thanks a lot!” Dorothy grumbled.

“You’re entirely welcome,” Nathan offered back with a sly smile and a sparkle of amusement in his eyes…

“You old romantic…” Sarah teased, bringing his attention towards her and she gave a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows at the alpha, tempting him more than she’d ever know.

The low deep growl told her that the man liked what he saw, and she liked that he liked it – oh, she liked it a lot.

“I’d love to show you how romantic, but I need to go track the vampire…” Nathan winced with an apologetic look.

He growled internally at the thought of not throwing his own mate over his shoulder like his brother had done, and carrying her off up the stairs to have his wicked way with her, and it would have been very wicked…

“Me too,” Lark growled.

“And me,” Hank said, eyeing Lark with a dark glare. He wasn’t about to be outdone by the man.

“No, and no,” Nathan growled back.

Both elder’s snapped to attention, or as close to it as their backs would allow.

Nathan groaned inwardly. He hated it when the elders wanted to prove their worth to the pack … and now they had mates to prove a point to.

In his mind they’d put in their years, done their time, and should only be called on when absolutely necessary…

“We need you here in case the vampire comes back,” Sarah said quickly as her mate floundered in silence…

“Right,” Nathan lifted his hand and pointed a grateful finger at his mate. “Guard the witches.” He said with a nod…

“Sounds like pan duty,” Lark grumbled.

“Agreed,” Hank offered.

“Wow, you guys actually agreed on something – should I alert the media?” Angela snorted.

“What’s pan duty?” Dorothy asked, confused.

“It’s what happens after a meal, and the part that nobody wants,” Hank grumbled.

“You don’t want to protect your mates?” Sarah put in quickly, just in case the alpha floundered again … but, she didn’t realise that she was putting her foot right it in, and by it …

“Charming,” Dorothy said, clucking her tongue, and Hank snapped to attention once more…