Xan's Feisty Mate (3 page)

“Mind your business, sister.”

“Like you did, brother.” Lyric looked over her shoulder at Rowan, the newest member of their club and pack.

Xan grunted. “He’s still alive and able to function as a man. I call that a win.”

“If I remember correctly, darlin, he didn’t try to cut off my manly bits even though they were on full display the first time we met. Maybe we should allow your brother to handle this.”

Breezy felt like she was watching a tennis match, her head bounced back and forth between the three as if she wasn’t a participating member of the conversation. “Excuse me, but I am right here.”

The three continued to argue, forgetting she was there. She took a cautious step back, followed by another and another. By the time she hit the door, her keys in her hand, she was smiling to herself. For such a badass who thought he knew everything, he obviously couldn’t multitask.

She slipped out the door, glad Coti and Wyck were busy breaking up a fight. Looking around the empty parking lot, a shiver stole over her. Breezy had to take a deep breath to calm her nerves as she opened the door to her Mustang. She looked in the back to make sure it was clear, then slid inside, refusing to allow anyone to take her by surprise.

She straightened in the seat, her hands shaking like a leaf, and wanted to return to the safety of the clubhouse, to the arms of Xander Fucking Douchebag Carmichael, who thought she was a whore. Thanks, but no thanks. He’d probably laugh his ass off if he knew she was still a twenty-seven year old virgin. God, going home to her dad and brothers didn’t appeal, especially if she was bringing trouble. The note she’d found on her windshield a few weeks back flashed before her eyes.
Your blood will become my blood.
She still had no clue what that meant. Did it mean he or she wanted her to become part of their pack, or family?

“Damn it, you’re wasting precious time, Breezy. Get the fuck out of here.” She twisted the key in the ignition and heard the roar of her vehicle. The new Cobra was her present to herself when she’d gotten her RN license and had saved enough money to put a down payment on the candy apple red beauty. Living at home meant she was able to save up enough, making her grateful she didn’t owe very much on the muscle car, and would soon own it outright.

As she pulled out of the club lot, she looked in her rearview mirror and saw a very unhappy Xan burst out the door, frustration rolled off of him in waves. With the windows up and her radio blaring she couldn’t hear what he roared at her, but she was sure it was a litany of curses.

She noted the empty highway and almost thought to turn back around. The turnaround loomed ahead, she hit the blinker and noticed a large SUV sitting on the side, its dark windows made her inner wolf howl. With a second sense she got into the farthest lane without signaling and speed dialed the clubhouse.

“Where the fuck are you.” Xan said without preamble.

One quick visual of the highway marker, and the sound of loud pipes, let her know Xan had already forwarded the calls to his cell onto his bike. She’d worry about the consequences later. Now, she was glad he was following her. The SUV pulled off the shoulder and was gaining on her.

He growled through the line. The deep sound both terrifying and reassuring. “I’m at least five minutes behind you. Pull over and I’ll follow you home.”

“There’s a dark blue Tahoe following me.”

More curses flew through the line. “Son of a bitch. Why did you fucking leave like that?”

“Because you were pissing me off, and...because I was stupid.”

A grunt and then a chuckle. “At least you are honest. Luckily you’re gorgeous. Now, stay calm and don’t hang up. Tell me what the vehicle is doing?”

Breezy noted the blue Tahoe was gaining on her, coming up beside her with the dark windows rolled up. “It’s beside me. Should I speed up and try to lose it?”

“No, then you’ll just get further away from me.”

He asked what mile marker she was at. She sighed when the numbers showed he was closer than five minutes away. Her eyes flew to the side as the sound of the Tahoe got louder.

It looked as if the car had lost control and swerved in her direction. She slammed on the brakes, the tires squealing, her car did a little fishtail but she corrected quickly. It took her a second to realize they were slowing down too. “They tried to run me off the road. Oh, god, Xan.”

“Stay calm, bella. I’m almost on you. You know how to drive like a pro. I’ve seen you do it. Outmaneuver them.”

His confidence in her gave her the edge she needed. Shifting down to second, she swerved around the larger vehicle, using the shoulder to get some much needed space. Her vehicle had the larger engine, which she hated to use and put more distance between her and Xan, but if it helped get her away from the ones pursuing her then she figured it was a win.

They were going to run her to ground that was for sure the way they sped up. Her palms began to sweat. God, what did she do to warrant them chasing her? Looking in her rearview, she missed the other vehicle, the bump to her front end sent her spiraling out of control. The scream that tore from her throat was one born of fear. So many regrets, but the biggest was not waiting for Xan to take her home. Stupid was the last thought she had as her vehicle hit something solid, coming to a halt and the airbag exploding in her face. When darkness came, she welcomed it.

****

X
an gunned his Road King as fast as he could, promising himself whoever had just hurt Breezy would pay with their lives. The echo of her screaming his name, and then the sound of metal crunching, caused his wolf and man to both howl. He barely contained the beast from shifting, knowing he’d reach her faster on the big machine he was riding. The scene he came upon made him leap from the bike, uncaring if the thing slid the final twenty feet as he shifted into his wolf. His mate was being dragged from her mangled car, blood seeped from a wound on her head. The colors of her hair looked distorted through his wolf’s eyes, but he knew the normal blonde color with its pink and purple streaks had another mixed in. He could scent the metallic smell of her precious life’s essence.

Two vehicles had driven next to her Cobra. The blue SUV and a smaller four door. He took it in with a glance. The four human men glanced at the bike flying past them, not realizing the real danger was the wolf locked on their location. Xan didn’t think before jumping on the man who was closest to Breezy, ripping his throat out without stopping. His claws slashed at the next man holding a gun, his lifeless body falling to the ground. Xan spun, feeling a pain hit his shoulder, but he didn’t stop. Two down, two more to go. The men holding Breezy froze for a moment, then one transferred her to the other, lifting the gun and taking aim. With faster reflexes, he shifted, and leaped.

A startled gasp was cut off as Xan wasted no time ripping into him. He turned to see the last man had dropped an unconscious Breezy, his fleeing form had jumped into the Tahoe, its taillights getting closer. He shifted quicker than he’d ever done, grabbing Breezy and rolling just before the big vehicle would have driven over her head.

Xan growled low in his throat, looking at the license plate only to see there was none. Headlights lit up the night. The cavalry had arrived.

“Holy fuck, man. Did you have to go and have all the fun without inviting us?” Kellen kicked the center stand down on his bike, surveying the scene in a sweeping glance.

He shrugged his shoulders, not quite under control. “They were about to cart her off to god only knew where. I guess my wolf didn’t like it.”

Wyck drove up with a flatbed wrecker. “Dayummm,” he drawled the word out. “I missed all the fun. “We need to get this cleaned up quick like. Them are human boys.”

Kellen knelt next to one, inhaling. “They stink like shifters, but they’re not.”

Lyric and Rowan pulled in next, Rowan’s big ass truck blocking the view from the highway. “I’m assuming this isn’t going to get called in?” Rowan’s deep voice asked as he bent and lifted one of the dead men into the back of his pickup.

Xan was glad his sister had met and mated a man who was more than perfectly matched for her. Being ex-military and part of a Phantom team, Rowan had clearly seen and done more killing than any of the Iron Wolves.

“These guys were well organized and prepared for her,” Xan announced. I don’t think they knew I’d be following though.”

Coti came back from checking out the vehicle they’d left. “The car is totally clean, but it’s not a normal car.”

“What do you mean?” Kellen asked, watching Rowan load the bodies into the back of his truck as if it were a normal everyday occurrence. Xan was a little stunned too, at the efficiency of the matter, but he looked at his sister and she smiled.

“My mate is a man of many talents. He knows these guys were out to hurt a member of the pack, so that means they are the enemy. Therefore he is cool with what had to be done.” She shrugged as if that was answer enough.

“I knew I liked him from the beginning.” Kellen’s voice boomed.

Xan rolled his eyes, still holding an unconscious Breezy. He was getting a little worried. “Baby, I need you to wake up.” He ran his hand down her face. With all the noise and commotion she should have already been awake and ripped him a new ass, or at the very least been upset over the damage to her new car. “She’s going to be so pissed when she realizes her car is gonna need some work.”

Kellen looked at the car. “We can make it to where that thing never rides again.”

“I wanna get laid again, by my mate.” He glared at Kellen. One day a woman was gonna come and knock him flat on his ass, and Xan wanted a front row seat.

“Whipped already,” Kellen said sounding disgusted.

Xan would gladly repair the vehicle if she’d wake up and look at him.

Her breathing was normal as was her heartbeat. A knot on the side of her head where the blood had come from was the only concerning thing he could see. He pressed his lips to her forehead, placing small kisses down her temple then on her lips. “Come on, love. You’re scaring the piss out of me.”

A moan escaped from her parted lips. “Xan?”

“Yeah, bella. You’re safe. I got you.” Because he couldn’t help himself, he feathered another kiss on her lips.

“What happened?” Then her body jerked as she tried to get out of his arms. “They were chasing me. My car. Oh, god. My poor car.”

Xan laughed. “I told you. She’d be worried about her precious car.” He looked down and swore he’d do anything she asked of him. “I’ll have your baby up and purring like a gem in no time. Better than it was.” Hell, he’d pull the moon down if it wiped the fear and anxiety from her face. He was so effing screwed, and didn’t that just make him happy. Now he just had to prove to one she-wolf he meant business, and wasn’t planning to let her run from him again.

“I don’t understand why they want me.” Her entire body shook.

Wyck came over to them. “I’ve got your car and Xan’s bike loaded onto the rig. Y’all ready to roll on up outta here or what?”

“What happened to your bike?” Breezy asked.

He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. Fuck, I’d give up my left nut if it meant you were never harmed.”

She turned startled eyes up at him, clearly noticing she was draped over his naked form. “What did you do, Xan?”

“Nothing I wouldn’t do again, bella. Come on, we’ll hitch a ride with Lyric and Rowan.”

Lyric nodded and jogged over to their truck. How strange it was to consider what used to be Rowan’s theirs. As in Lyric and Rowan’s. He wondered if he would be picking out china patterns with Breezy, then laughed. He was more of a paper plate and red solo cup kinda guy, but again, if it made his mate happy, he’d do it. Whoa, he needed to get one feisty woman to agree to be his. His wolf whined, but he pushed him back.

“Where to, Xan?” Rowan asked once they were in the backseat of the big truck.

“My place,” he said at the same time Breezy said her place.

“My dad and brothers will freak the fuck out, Xan.”

“Sweets, believe me, they’ll be just fine. You will be safest staying with me, especially with Kellen’s place not a mile away.” He gave her his most charming grin.

“We will meet at Xan’s and fill you in, Breezy. It’s non-negotiable. I’ll inform your family.” Kellen turned and walked back to his bike, strapping his skullcap back on.

It was good to be alpha.

“Don’t you dare smirk, Xander Fucking Carmichael.” She punched him in the arm. “Are you going to put some pants on? Also, are you going to put me down, and do you know you’re bleeding?” She ran her finger over his shoulder.

His cock hardened at her touch, making her eyes widened. “Bella, I’m not letting you go until I got you in my home. Who fucking cares about clothes, or that little scratch. Ignore him, he’s constantly in a state of arousal around you.” He shifted her in his lap.

“Well make him stop,” she groused.

Xan laughed. “Only one thing will do that.”

“And that ain’t happening in my backseat. The only ones allowed to fuck in my truck are Lyric and I.”

He growled. “Don’t make me kill you, Rowan.”

Lyric put her head in her hands. “Oh, god. I can’t believe you just said that to my brother.”

Rowan shrugged his big shoulders, not the least intimidated. “Hey, I’m pretty sure he’s done a lot worse in some...” Xan cut him off as he lifted his hand, claws extended. Rowan may be an alpha, but Xan still outranked him.

“You’d best concentrate on the road, brother.”

Breezy’s head fell to the crook of his neck. “I know you’re no angel, Xan. Don’t forget I’ve walked into the club office on a few things you can’t unsee.” Hurt laced her words. For the world he wished he could erase the past, but he couldn’t. However, he could make sure the future held only him and her and all the fantasies she wanted, and even some she didn’t know existed.

“From here on out, there will be no other but you and me.” He promised.

She tried to put space between them, but he held firm, then Rowan was pulling over the cattle guard at the entrance to his property. The rustic looking cabin was a mile down the tree lined driveway, with a wraparound porch. He waited to see what Breezy thought of the place, hoping she liked what she saw. Her inhale didn’t give away her inner musings, but the twinkle in the amber eyes staring at him confused him.