Cyrus motioned me to stay while the pack was ordered to leave; Ghost was too volatile. The guy looked angry, freaked out, and confused—all at once. As one of the pack VPs, I reclaimed my seat at the bar to check in with my beauty. Cyrus was protective of the girl, we all are, but he mostly wanted me to do damage control. A mass exodus of a large group looks odd.
“How come you get to stay, Magnus?” Her bright eyes were filled with curiosity. She couldn’t quite understand our pack dynamics.
“Lucky, I guess. I’ll have a bourbon on the rocks, Princess.” She always smiled when I called her that. Her raven hair and icy blue eyes made her look ethereal, as if descended from the Romanoffs. There was something special about my girl, and everyone in the pack felt it.
I had staked my claim as soon as I set eyes on Esmerelda Cooper. Her beauty was only eclipsed by her kind nature. She had a bright smile and acted like she was fortunate to be alive, making serving drinks look virtuous.
My brothers in the Motorcycle Club took her friendly nature as a genuine interest. For the last month, they tried to secure a date, only to be shut down by her Uncle Harris. He was as protective as I was. We were silent partners in keeping Esmerelda away from the pack playboys. My noble actions were completely selfish. I was instantly in love with her, and my wolf agreed.
Ghost’s actions tonight were distressing. My heart was in torment when he found his true mate in Esmerelda. The Fates are honest but cruel. As a human, she could reject him. The magic of the mating bond was unbalanced unless you had enhanced blood—a shred of hope to me.
“Is there something going on tonight that you aren’t invited to?”
“I’d rather spend time with you, pretty girl.”
“I’d rather spend time with her, too. How about your number?” One of the locals was brave now that he was drunk, and most MCs were gone.
“Take a hike, Brent. She’s too good for the likes of you.”
“Magnus, I…”
“Esmerelda!” Harris always interveined when any of us had too long of a conversation with her. “You can refill the ice chest if you have nothing to do.” She rolled her eyes, making me chuckle. She lifted the bucket from the bin and went through the back door.
Only a handful of regulars were left at this time of the night. Besides the redneck townies, the MCs and University students were the only other groups that came down Route 7 for a drink. Students wouldn’t be back on campus until next weekend. The summer holiday was a nice reprieve from them.
I finished my drink, so she would have to serve me again. Harris knew my game and never bothered with me anymore. A few minutes of her absence turned into five, making me head for the back door. Dumping a bin of water shouldn’t have taken this long.
A low snarl rumbled through my chest at the sight. A dirty hand covered Esmerelda’s mouth, keeping her hostage while two young, burly men were whispering in her ear. Her eyes were wide with fright, almost making my wolf burst through.
“You two have a death wish?”
“Leave us alone, dude. She’s ours.”
“Wrong. She’s mine.” I growled. My body coiled and sprang, dislodging both idiots at once. Esme stood stock still as the men rolled around the ground, clenching their abdomens. I picked the bigger one up first and smacked him around until he begged for his life. He collapsed in a heap while I worked over the other one. They were big, but I was bigger. They were dumb and slow; I was not. As the enforcer for my club and pack, I was second in strength and skill only to our Alpha.
“Come on, Seb.” The smaller one spoke through his missing teeth. They crawled away, barely able to climb into their truck.
“You come here again or touch this girl; your life is over. Understand?” The cowards peeled out of the parking lot, unable to drive in a straight line.
“Magnus.” Her soft voice dispelled my rage.
“Princess.” I cupped her cheek as my thumbs wiped her tears. “You okay?” She nodded unconvincingly. “Do you know who they are?” She shook her head, hesitating, before reaching for me. My thick arms wrapped around her thin body. She relaxed into me immediately. I breathed in her scent, committing it to memory. After tonight, Ghost would try to kill me if her scent were on me.
Our tight friendship was void when there was a bond. I made the mistake last summer helping our Alpha’s mate, Jane, put up decorations for his surprise party when he became a partner in the law firm. Lifting her was enough for Cyrus to challenge me. His dominant wolf burst through inside our common room, and the party was ruined.
Emerelda shivered in the hot night air in shock from the trauma. “You’re okay now. Don’t go out here alone. I’ll tell Harris…”
“Please don’t tell Uncle Harris, Magnus. He won’t let me work here.” She purred in my chest, making my spine tingle. I was devoted to her and would blindly do anything she asked.
“That might not be a bad thing.” Keeping her safe was my priority.
“I need the money. I have to pay for school.” Fuck.
“You go up and take a nice, long, hot shower. I’ll tell Harris you got tired.”
“No! You can’t tell him that, either. He’ll think I’m having an episode. He almost sent me back with the last one!” Episode?
“What’s going on?” Harris startled us, and we flew apart. The loss I felt was severe.
“I tripped. We need a light out here.” She stepped away and picked up the bin. “Thank you, Magnus. I appreciate your help.”
“Anytime, Princess.”
Harris glared at me and followed her in. My vexation began to spiral. I had touched her skin and tasted her scent. I yearned for Esmerelda to be mine. The Fates chose Ghost, my friend, my brother. This would be the greatest trial of my life.
Condemnation was slow to form. I took my mate without her consent. She sank into my grasp as our orgasms retreated. We were floating outside our bodies in pleasure.“Ghost.” My name on her lips so reverently gave me hope. “What was that?” She purred at me.“I marked you as my mate.” The strength of my conviction waned as she tightened against me.“You bit me?” Her hand went to her throat to find the evidence. Fingers grazed over the four punctures, marring her beautiful skin. “Why did you do that?”Before I could answer, her hands gripped her stomach as it lurched. She looked at me in horror. “What did you do to me?” She shrieked in terror and jumped off me in time to vomit in a shrub.“What’s happening?” Her body shook and forced her onto all fours. “Ghost! Jake! What’s happening to me?” Pain and fear edged her words as I stood in my own shocked despair.Bones broke as they rearranged themselves for the first time. Esmerelda screamed and cried through the transformation process. Shif
The next month, I was happy playing house with my little witch. We still hadn’t discussed everything the Doc disclosed about her genetics or mine. She didn’t know shifters existed in the world. I had a suspicion she was aware of her abilities, even if just subconsciously.Our routine was firm. She slept through most of the morning while I worked until lunchtime in my office. We would have a long leisurely lunch, and afterward, Esme would spread her schoolwork out on the table and work until dinner. Short strolls around the property triggered her hunger, and we spent the night cooking and eating together. We slept entwined around each other all night.Her Friday and Saturday night shifts at the bar were the only deviations from our routine. Despite her insistence that she could handle the effort, I couldn’t help but worry. I sat at the bar, my eyes never leaving my girl all night.The school allowed her to finish Statistics and Psychology online, but she had to go in two afternoons to
Dr. Sawyer had Adam moved to his own room so we could have our privacy. Esmerelda was still under observation for her injuries. My body enveloped hers as we slept together on the small hospital bed. My mind raced from all the information I had learned. Witches were a lore I didn’t know truly existed. I began to wonder what other enhanced creatures there were in the world.For Dr. Sawyer’s research, I allowed him to take a sample of our blood. I trusted the information would stay safe since he and his son were also participants. I’ll have to meet with Cyrus tomorrow to update him on everything and my speculation about the shifter murders in the valley.“Ghost.”“I’m here, baby girl.”“I’m hungry.”“Cheeseburgers?”“Yes, please.”Deisal was still positioned outside the room. I shot him a text giving him our order. He sent back a thumbs up.“Deisal’s on it.” She turned in my hold to face me. Her mouth pressed on my neck, making me shiver. Soft kisses trailed toward my mouth. Our proper g
Gunnar and Deisel stood guard outside Esmerelda’s hospital room. My panic never calmed as I sped by them, giving a quick nod. My skills allowed me to skip the reception desk and the nurses’ station since my Deisel texted me her room number. I needed to see and touch her before I went insane. I could assess her condition better than any doctor.The door flew open, banging against the wall. My strength could not be contained. The sight of my mate lying in a hospital bed hooked up to beeping monitors released a menacing roar from my throat.The boy in the other bed woke, startled and scared. Esmerelda stayed asleep, partially unconscious. The guilt that I had left her unprotected was making me irrational and sick. I knelt in prayer beside her bed and took her hand in mine. The warmth of her flesh and the rhythm of the blood pumping through her veins began to settle me. I kissed her hand and placed it against my forehead.“She saved me.” The boy’s voice was stronger than I thought his thi
Ghost had only been gone a couple of days before the ache I felt for him overwhelmed me. I was edgy and unsettled. My tolerance for others was being irrationally challenged. I even snapped at Clara and Adam without real cause. I missed Ghost when he was away and pouted about it.The MCs were taking turns escorting me to and from school. Magnus or Deisel would bring me, and Gunnar dutifully waited to take me home. They acted friendly and supportive, but I felt like an added chore, adding to my vexation.My grumpiness didn’t deter Adam’s friendship. “We have our anatomy mid-term coming up. Do you want to come over and study?” He asked while searching for something on the ground.“What did you lose?”“An amulet my father gave me. I feel angsty without it.”“Maybe it’s back in the classroom? I’ll help you look.”“It’s fine. So you are coming?”“That would be great. Thanks, Adam.”“Thank you. My father would love to meet you. I don’t think he thinks you’re real.”“How so?” Adam looked away
After my Statistics mid-term, I sat at the desk reviewing my anatomy flash cards. The air in the room changed, sending a chill down my spine. The window was cracked to let fresh air in, but not enough for such a drastic temperature drop.“Esmerelda.” Ghost’s voice echoed in my head, seductively bathing me with my name. I leaned back in the chair, letting the sensation flow through me. A gentle kiss was placed on my neck, causing my back to arch in response. He was here like a phantom, only in spirit. My nipples hardened as I took in his scent. My belly clenched, remembering his handsome face and muscular body.I prayed he was real. Here in my bedroom. “You have something to tell me?” A longing whisper made my breathing stall. His hand caressed my throat, bringing my mouth to his. Our lips united, making every nerve come alive. He pressed our lips harder, letting our tongues dance. The heat between my legs caused my core to pulse and ache.His hand slipped into my tank, rubbing and cup