Winter's Dawn (41 page)

“Wow, I can’t un-see that.”

“Can’t really complain about how he was treated, can he?” his father observed, sounding more amused than he should as he glanced around Max to look at the bed. “Looks like he’s been enjoying captivity. Smells like it too.”

Max groaned, cupping a hand to his face to block the smell of sex that was choking the air out of the room. His body made up for the past many days of relaxation as every hormone he had burst to life in one blinding flash of carnal need. He wavered where he stood, feeling the rush of desire wash over him so strongly he nearly blacked out from it.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

Max shook his head in a wolf-like manner once more. His senses felt fogged like they had when he was in the fire. He needed a clear breath without the scent of lust and sex clogging it.

Irritated and disoriented, he barked, “You couldn’t find other entertainment for a few days, Kat? You had to molest the human?”

“Hey!” John snapped. “Don’t pick on her.”

“Gods help me.” Max looked towards the ceiling as he tried to calm the rush of adrenaline that had his teeth growing long. “I’m trying very hard not to kill you, John. Please don’t mouth off to me.”

“She doesn’t want to be your pleasure slave anymore.”

Max raised his eyebrows and turned around to look at the bed in spite of bizarre situation. John and Katrina were now sitting up side by side. John pulled the sheet over his lap to cover his nakedness, but Katrina wasn’t bothered with it. She’d obviously revealed enough about their people for John to know they were comfortable bare. He didn’t seem to mind Katrina sitting naked next to him in front of Max and his father.

“My pleasure slave?” Max repeated in disbelief.

Katrina shook her head wildly, her braids flying, her light eyes wide with terror. “I didn’t say that. He jumps to human conclusions. I’m still teaching him our ways.”

“We’re getting married,” John went on, his eyes narrowed at Max. “And there’s nothing you can do about it. You don’t own her.”

Max gaped for one long moment and then turned around to look at his father. “Did I hear that right?”

“What does married mean?” his father asked in a hushed voice as if John and Katrina weren’t sitting right there. “Is that like bonding?”

Max snorted, shaking his head once more. “Serena is going to kill you,” he said, feeling his anger dissipate as quickly as it showed up when he realized the two of them were serious. “You can’t marry him, Kit Kat. You’re not human. We don’t get married.”

“I love him.” Katrina lifted her head, meeting Max’s gaze boldly. “He’s the one I’ve been waiting for.”

Max rubbed both hands over his face. The smell in the room was still wrecking havoc with his hormones. “Look, you two need to separate for a little bit. Kat, your hormones are obviously getting the better of you. And John, I realize she looks a lot like Susie—”

“Yeah, I bet you realize that.”

“You can’t talk to him like that,” Katrina whispered. “He’s king of our people. The Gods guide him. You have to show respect.”

“I don’t give a shit who guides him.” John’s blue eyes flared in a way that was odd for a human. There was a flash of silver that made him seem more wolf-like than he should as he growled, “This is America. No one owns you. If you want to marry me he can’t stop you. You don’t have to be his whore.”

Max was fed up, human or not, he was in no mood to be disrespected. He growled and leapt forward, making John jerk back against Katrina when Max was suddenly in his face. He wrapped his hand around John’s neck, thinking for just a moment how nice it would be to break it.

Katrina threw herself over John in response. Her eyes blazed silver as she growled at Max, showing off long, deadly teeth. It was against Max’s nature to back down, even when he was unnerved by an uncharacteristic display of aggression from Katrina. He showed off his own teeth, issuing a low wolf growl in warning, reminding her in no uncertain terms who was the most dominant.

Katrina changed forms rather than back down as any wolf would instinctively do when Max was flexing his authority. Max stared down at the beautiful snow-white arctic wolf standing over John, her hackles raised, making it obvious she would fight to the death to save him. Even if it were a futile effort, she would die trying to kill Max if he harmed John.

“They’re mated.”

Despite knowing the truth of his father words, Max wanted to see it for himself and used his grip on John’s neck to turn his head. He looked down at the fresh bite wound on the side of his neck. It was starting to heal, the skin coming together faster than a human wound should, but it was still there. It stood out starkly against John’s pale skin.

A wolf would protect their mate or offspring against any threat, even an alpha wolf. Family trumped loyalty to their king every time.

Max loosened his hold, allowing him to breathe. John sucked in a stunned gasp, before choking on the air, the coughs shaking his large frame. Max stared at Katrina, still in wolf form over him, feeling shocked to the core of his being.

“You bonded to a human?” he asked in awe. “To Susie’s boyfriend? Have you lost your mind?”

“I love him.” Katrina changed forms once more, her slim, naked body falling over John’s protectively. “He’s mine.”

“Well, I guess,” Max snorted, looking to his father, who was stunned speechless and then turned back to Katrina. “What’re you going to do now? What’s your family going to say? What’s
his
family going to say when he’s forty-five and still looks twenty? You drank from her, John. That means you’re
never
aging. Humans who drink from wolves start acting like them. You’re no longer fully human and hiding that is harder than you think, especially from family and friends who know you well.”

“How’d you know I drank from her?”

“I’m a wolf too. I know when one of my people has found a mate,” Max said blandly, gesturing to the bite mark on John’s neck. “If you didn’t have her blood in you she would have gone rogue when she claimed you.”

“We’re asking for amnesty.” Katrina lifted her head to look up at Max once more. “We need help faking his death and creating a new identity. He wants to live amongst our people with me.”

“We don’t give humans amnesty,” Max reminded her with his eyebrows raised. “Especially humans who disrespect me. He should be dead right now. I never forced you into anything, Kat.”

“I never said you did.”

“Well, he’s acting like I’ve had you prisoner for three years,” Max growled, still feeling deeply insulted. “You know I would have found someone else if you were unhappy being my consort.”

“I was never unhappy.” Katrina looked at him with tears shining in her light eyes. “The Gods drew me to you so I could meet my mate. They drew John to Susie for the same reason. We’re supposed to be together. It was divine.”

“Gods,” Max groaned, putting a hand to his head that was starting to throb. “This is not divinity. This is insanity. Your sister is going to kill you.”

“We’re bonded. It’s not Serena’s place to argue with the will of the Gods. It wouldn’t have worked if our union wasn’t blessed,” Katrina said defiantly.

“She does have a point,” his father argued. “It is exceedingly rare for a human to be able to bond with one us. Bonding doesn’t work unless the Gods approve. There have been many who have had tried and failed and the timing is interesting. I’m inclined to agree with Kat.”

Max turned around, glaring at his father, who was smiling, looking to be extremely entertained with the entire situation now that the shock wore off. “Is this
funny
to you?”

He actually laughed, a broad smile appearing on his handsome face. “It’s a little funny, yes. Aren’t you and Serena the ones preaching tolerance and unity? Now’s your chance to practice what you preach. ‘Different not better’ is your motto is it not?”

Max stared, realizing his father had a point. “The Gods are mocking me.”

“Guiding you,” his father corrected because to say anything else was blasphemy against their people. “You’ll have to offer them amnesty or risk being hypocritical.”

“I’ll deal with them after the running,” Max said rather than dwell on the issue any more. He turned to leave, wanting to get back to Susie and away from the train wreck they had created in getting Katrina and John together. “John, you’re free to go. Just know that speaking of us will endanger your mate and her people.”

“I’d never do that.” John sounded hurt. “You could have trusted me a long time ago, Max.”

Max stopped, smelling the truth of his words and remembering John had been his friend since he’d been very young. For a moment he felt like a regular wolf, not king of werewolves. He turned to look back at John, knowing he was the closest thing to a packmate he and Susie would ever have.

“I understand you don’t know our ways.” Max was surprised at the tolerance he felt this close to the full moon. “Katrina
was
my consort for a long time but it was always consensual. Our people aren’t ashamed of sex. It was never a position of shame. It was one of great honor that earns my eternal gratitude. I owe her anything I can do to make her life a happy one. Amnesty is yours whenever you’re in need of it.”

“I love Katrina,” John said in response. “But, I hope I’m not hurting Susie.”

“Truth is, Susie and I were never kind to you. It was unlikely Susie could ever be yours and we knew that.” Max shook his head sadly. “It was unfair and I’m happy the Gods are giving you a happy ending.”

“Is she really your mate?” John asked, looking paler than usual. “Are you two really king and queen? That’s so bizarre.”

“Yes, we’re king and queen of our people,” Max confirmed, finding it easier to admit to John than he expected. “And she’s really my mate. I love her very much. Hopefully the Gods will give us a happy ending too.”

“They will,” Katrina piped up, giving Max a beaming smile, making her look beautiful and adorable with white blonde hair springing free from her braids and her cheeks still flushed with sex. “It’s already been predicted. You just have to have faith. The Gods guide you. Every turn in the road is for the right reason.”

“So I hear.” Max gave Katrina a wan smile. “Congratulations on your mating.”

“Thank you.” Katrina’s excitement was palpable. Though young at heart, her search for a mate had been a long one and she sounded just as she should, like a thrilled, newly-mated wolf who was about to have her first running with the one who was meant to share her journey. “Can we stay here for a while? A few months?”

“Sure,” Max said, knowing it was a risky commitment when he didn’t know how Susie would feel about it. “Stay as long as you like.”

“Just until we get all our affairs settled,” Katrina went on, now positively beaming. “Then we’re moving to Canada.”

“Lovely,” Max agreed, unable to resist Katrina’s excitement. “I’m really happy for you, Kit Kat.”

“Even bonded to me, he’s still part human. The Gods will bless us with puppies soon, I know it.”

“Very exciting,” Max mumbled, thinking of the human parents he and Susie had never known. “May your mating be fruitful.”

“You wait and see,” Katrina assured him. “Serena will be pleased when she realizes we’ll have young ones in our family again. It’s been so long.”

“Mmm,” Max hummed, not wholly convinced. It was more likely Serena was going to be out for blood over this fiasco, but he forced a smile. “Have a good first running.”

Max turned to leave with his mind on Susie. He left his father in the hallway along with all thoughts except the image of his queen curled up in their bed waiting for him. The scent of sex was still calling to the wolf in him, making him desperate to find his mate and mark her as John did with Katrina. He wanted his bedroom musty with the scent of sexual satisfaction and there was another arctic female who would look adorable with flushed cheeks and excitement glowing in her light eyes.

The running was in less than twenty-four hours. Max just lost one of the only two females who had ever been able to cater to his needs, but it didn’t seem like such an imposition. In fact, he felt oddly relieved, as if John had just handled a huge problem for him.

Chapter Twenty-Four