Baiting Ben (2 page)

mind that the little wolf beside him was his mate.

"My name's Benjamin," the pretty man said,

holding out his hand.

"Thomas Moon." He waited for the younger man to

claim his affiliation. In werekin culture your last name

indicated the pack you belonged to. When Benjamin didn't

answer he decided subtlety was wasted on his mate.

"Where's your pack?"

A chill came into Ben's gold eyes. The smaller

werewolf backed away until there was an uncomfortable

foot of space between them. Thomas resisted the urge to

grab Benjamin and drag him back into his arms where he

belonged.

"I left my pack. I have lone wolf status."

Fear trickled up Thomas's spine like a winter chill.

Lone wolves were dangerous. Most of them went solo

because there was something wrong with their psyche that

prevented them from traveling in a pack. Other times it was

because the pack found something wrong with the

werewolf and banished him. There was rarely a good

reason a wolf chose to travel alone. Looking around

Thomas realized they couldn't address something this

important in a crowded club. They needed privacy.

"Come with me."

12

Baiting Ben

Amber Kell

A wary look came into Ben's eyes. Smart man. "I

just want to talk. I'll even leave the door unlocked so you

can go whenever you want to," he promised. He didn't want

to scare the man off, but he really wanted to talk to him in a

quieter area.

After a long moment his mate nodded. "All right."

* * * *

Ben followed the handsome werewolf up a small

flight of stairs. It was odd to see a pack in an urban

environment. Growing up in the wilds of Alaska didn't

prepare him for the strangeness of city wolves. The man

walking before him looked cosmopolitan and suave, like a

werewolf version of James Bond. Watching Thomas's fine

ass flex as they climbed the stairs sent sparks of desire

dancing up his spine.

"Stop watching my ass."

"Nope," Ben replied. "I'm enjoying the view too

much. If you didn't want me staring you shouldn't be so

gorgeous." He was surprised at his own daring, but pleased

when Thomas turned his head briefly to flash him a smile

before continuing upstairs.

A beautiful man in a jewel-encrusted collar waylaid

them at the top of the steps.

"Thomas, you must tell Silver I don't need guards to

watch my every step. I practically trip over them. Please,

13

Baiting Ben

Amber Kell

please intervene."

The stunning creature clasped Thomas's hands

while he pled.

"No, Anthony, you need guards."

He felt bad for the beauty when Anthony's face took

on a look of such disappointment. He felt his own heart

clench in sympathy. Those sad eyes looked away and

latched onto Ben. "You found your mate." With a dizzying

flash of mood change, the blond gave Thomas a tight hug.

A growl built in Ben's throat but was quickly suppressed

when Anthony released Thomas and hugged him instead.

Skinny arms wrapped around him like a cozy

blanket as a feeling of intense well-being oozed through his

body like a narcotic. The man smelled like a living forest,

moist soil, green fields, and old oak trees. Anthony smelled

like home, even though home was more cold, snow-

covered woods than toasty warm forests. Ben dipped his

head in the beauty's neck and breathed. Stress he didn't

know he was holding left his body in a gush, leaving him

calm and almost dizzy with relief.

A low, dangerous growl broke his calm.

"I'd suggest you let go of my mate before I rip off

your arms and beat you with them." The voice was so deep

and calm he could almost feel the homicidal rage hidden

beneath the words.

14

Baiting Ben

Amber Kell

The blond wiggled out of his arms. "Relax,

snookums. I was just greeting Thomas's mate."

Watching the sweet, beautiful man walk up to the

calm psychotic twice his size made Ben's fingers twitch

with the urge to yank Anthony to safety. The threatening

man's sleeveless shirt exposed a set of mile-wide shoulders

and arms bulging with tight muscles. His grey eyes were

the color of an Alaskan winter sky and just as warm. Ben's

protective instincts rose up until he saw the man turn and

give the sleek blond a look of total adoration. It was like

watching an iceberg melt before his eyes. One massive arm

wrapped around Anthony cradling him close in an

obviously tender hold.

Anthony smiled. Standing on his tiptoes he placed a

soft kiss on one granite hard cheek.

"I'll pay you back for the snookums comment," the

giant said.

The blond looked completely unperturbed. He

blithely patted his lover on one bulging bicep while batting

his beautiful eyes artfully. "I'll look forward to it."

Ben watched the whole thing, fascinated. The

power pouring off the male was alpha strong, but it was

obvious who was in charge of that relationship.

One large hand reached out to him, he tentatively

took it. "I'm Silver Moon, the alpha of the Moon pack.

15

Baiting Ben

Amber Kell

Thomas is my right hand man."

"Benjamin."

A quirk of the alpha's brow had him confessing.

"I'm a lone wolf."

Silver stiffened. "Why?"

"We were planning to go talk about his status when

your mate stopped us to plead for fewer bodyguards and to

grope our bodies." Thomas reached over and grabbed Ben's

hand to drag him down the hall.

Ben was chilled his mate would throw Anthony

literally to the wolves. He dug in his heels, bracing himself

to jump in. The alpha might kill him, but he felt oddly

protective of the pretty man who smelled like a forest.

Instead of growling Silver threw back his head and

laughed. "You two go ahead and have your discussion

while I explain to my headstrong mate why he needs so

many guards." The alpha growled at the slim blond who

barely came to his shoulder.

"You-you’re not going to hurt him, are you?" Ben

couldn't help it. He feared for the smaller man’s safety next

to his huge mate. The alpha didn’t appear angry but Ben

had enough experience with alphas to know their tempers

changed with the wind.

Anthony gave him a big smile. "You're very sweet,

but Silver would never hurt me. Welcome to the pack."

16

Baiting Ben

Amber Kell

Silver growled. "You're not allowed to welcome

people to my pack. I'm the alpha; I get to welcome or not."

Wow, this looked like a real fight. The welcoming

expression left the blond as the shimmering gold eyes

turned solid before turning back to his mate. He could've

sworn he saw lightning flash in them before Anthony

turned, but he figured it was a trick of the hall lighting.

"Shit," Thomas whispered behind him. Ben was

slowly pulled away from the bickering pair. He could tell

the other man was trying to remove him from the line of

fire.

"Oh it's your pack is it? I guess I'm just a pet

accessory. I foolishly thought we were partners in this

relationship. You just let me know what your decision is

then, big man, and I'll decide whether you're welcome in

my
bed." With a frightening calmness rivaling the rage of

his mate seconds before, Anthony slammed the door to the

apartment he recently left.

"Fuck." The alpha glared at Thomas. "He better

fucking
be
your mate because there's no way I can go tell

mine
that I didn't approve him." Leveling an icy glare at the

pair, Silver followed the smaller man’s wake into the

apartment.

"Well, that was enlightening," Thomas said with a

wide smile at Ben. "Looks like Anthony can sense mates."

17

Baiting Ben

Amber Kell

"Why does he smell so good?" Ben didn't want to

give the wrong impression, but damn. "Don't take this

wrong. I mean you smell great, but he smells amazing. Not

mate amazing, but amazing."

Thomas nodded and gave him a knowing grin.

"Anthony's mother is a forest witch. I still haven't found out

what his father is. Just a word of warning, smell him at a

distance. That's what we all do."

Ben nodded. "Distance, got it."

He was positive he didn't want to be on the bad side

of the alpha even if he didn't end up joining the pack.

* * * *

Thomas walked down the hall to his suite in silence.

With Anthony's approval he knew his mate would be

accepted into the pack. There was normally a meeting to

determine if a new mate would fit in with the pack

hierarchy or if they would need to join the other wolf's

pack. Sometimes it was a matter of whether a new

personality fit into the group dynamic. He had a feeling

Anthony would short track the entire process. After all,

Silver didn't want estrangement from his beautiful man and

his mate was more than a little strong-willed. The alpha

mate might not be a wolf but he was powerful in his own

right.

Feeling better about the relationship by the second,

18

Baiting Ben

Amber Kell

Thomas led the cute redhead to his door.

"Each of us has a suite. The higher in the hierarchy

we are, the better the accommodations, but no one has bad

rooms. Some prefer to live in their own places outside the

pack house, but we encourage as many as possible to live

here. It's harder to protect everyone if they're scattered

around town.

Ben nodded. "Makes sense. I imagine it's difficult to

keep track of everyone in a big city. Is there more than one

pack here?"

"There are four packs in the area, but the Moon

pack is the only one in the city and Silver supervises the

entire Northwest. Most consider him the strongest wolf in

the United States. Anthony, who you just met, is an

architect and is currently building a hotel to host out-of-

town paranaturals."

"Clever."

Thomas nodded. "We're pretty proud of him. He

was reluctant to be Silver's mate at first because he lost a

lover to a heart attack some years ago, but he's settled in

well. As you can see they still have some power issues to

work out. We won't have that kind of problem."

He watched his mate puff up his chest like an

animal trying to make himself bigger. "And why is that?"

Ben's eyes took on a challenging shine.

19

Baiting Ben

Amber Kell

Damn if that didn't make his dick stand up and take

notice.

"Because although I'm the larger of the two of us, I

think we're pretty evenly paired power wise. The problem

with the alpha and his mate is that they have different types

of magic. Silver has issues with having a strong mate who

looks like a good wind will knock him on his ass, which is

why he usually has a retinue of bodyguards surrounding

Anthony. I don't even want to know where they were this

evening, Silver's going to have some harsh words for

someone."

Thomas could tell by the pleased expression on

Ben's face that they were going to be fine. He rarely met

someone he meshed with so quickly. Seeing the man in

Ned's clutches had almost unhinged him. It was fortunate

the other werewolf had released his hold on the redhead

quickly. He made a mental note to talk to Silver about

Ned's progressively aggressive behavior. They would have

to bar him from the club if he kept it up. As much as the

place was for werekin to hook up, it was also a place they

were supposed to feel safe. They couldn't have anyone

there who scared the other customers. Ben's panicky

expression had Thomas rushing to save him even before he

knew they were mates.

He opened the door to his apartment and, after

20

Baiting Ben

Amber Kell

hanging up their jackets, indicated to his mate to proceed to

the couch. Thomas kept his promise and left the door

unlocked. It wasn't like anyone was going to interrupt them

anyway.

"Sit down, honey."

He knew his gaze was feral but he was determined

to find out more about his mate before he pinned him

down, marked him, and made sure they were bound for

eternity. Ben sank down into the soft cushions, his eyes

wide with caution. "This must be nice to nap on," he said

petting the soft fabric. Thomas had a brief vision of the

man doing the same to him. The redhead's fingers were

long, elegant, and he wanted them wrapped around his cock

more than he’d ever wanted anything else in his life. He

pushed back those thoughts using a great deal of restraint.

"I want to learn a little more about you. If we're going to be