Mate Set (12 page)

mindset from the pack. The fact that he was alpha blooded would make him want a

werewolf woman even more. Pure-blooded mating made strong offspring. Any

children she had with Grady would probably be considered mutts in werewolf terms.

Unlike her parents, she would be raising shifters. Grady had alpha blood so all his

children would definitely be shifters, even with her, a mere human. She’d never have

that in common with her children. She’d always be different from them because she

couldn’t change into another form the way they could, and she’d have to learn how to

care for shapeshifter children.

She couldn’t be with Grady the way a werewolf woman could. No midnight runs

and no doggy sex while in four-legged bodies. She curled her lip at the thought of his

conversation on the phone. She bet that’s what he meant about animal sex with that

bitch and that was probably important to Grady. She’d overheard her uncle and Minnie

chuckling about how great sex was between them in Other form. It had grossed her out

but she wasn’t able to see their perspective of it.

Mika couldn’t forget what Minnie had told her either. Grady was Elroy’s bastard

child and his mother had been human. Elroy’s mate was a bitch but she’d taken it to a

new level by refusing to accept Grady into their family so he’d been reared in another

one. He probably felt left out and bitter.

Acceptance was probably something Grady longed for. Mating with a human was a

surefire way to never receive it. Mika’s shoulders sagged in defeat. There was no way

Grady would ever mate with her even if she totally fell in love with him and wanted to

mate with him.

She had to face that there wasn’t going to be a happy ending here. She wasn’t what

Grady wanted or needed. If he hadn’t had to bite her, he’d never have touched her.

He’d said it himself. She wasn’t worth losing his balls over and Uncle Omar would

have castrated him if he’d touched her before he’d had to bite her to save her from that

jerk in the bar and maintain peace between the packs.

The house was quiet. She wondered what Grady was doing and what he was

thinking. She could guess he was probably considering what a pain in the ass she was

and wished that he’d never laid teeth on her. He’d be going on his weekend with his

werewolf bitch for his obviously desired animal sex the minute Mika was gone.

The phone rang and startled her. She leaned over and grabbed it before it rang a

second time. “Hello?”

“I wanted to call you last night,” Minnie said softly. “Omar ordered me not to. Are

you all right? I heard what happened and Omar was really upset. He’s worried. He

wanted to call and check on you but he’s afraid to. He thinks you’ll hate him for giving

Grady permission to fuck you and I think he’s afraid you will tell him that you got hurt.

Are you all right?”

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Laurann Dohner

Mika hesitated.

“Damn it. Was he not careful with you? They can be rough and you’re so human,”

Minnie growled. “If he hurt you, I’ll tell Omar. He’ll kill the son of a bitch.”

“No, don’t do that. He didn’t. I’m fine.”

“You don’t sound fine.”

Mika stretched out on her bed and took a deep breath. “It’s complicated but I’m

fine.”

“Do you want me to come over?”

“No. Please don’t.”

“You’re not talking much.”

“You have good hearing.”

There was a pause. “Oh. He’ll hear what you say.”

“Exactly.”

“Did he hurt you during the sex?”

“No.”

Another pause. “Was he hell on wheels?”

“Oh yeah.”

Minnie chuckled. “I’d heard that about him. Us women talk and he’s gotten around.

So what’s the problem? Give me a word and I’ll guess. He won’t be able to hear my side

of the conversation unless he’s sitting close to you.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

Minnie was silent. “You have feelings for him, don’t you? You sound depressed.”

“Yeah. Good guess.”

“He’s a good catch, Mika. If you feel things for him then why fight it? I know your

uncle doesn’t want you with a wolf but Grady is a damn good man. You could do a hell

of a lot worse and you’ve been raised with our kind so there won’t be many surprises.”

“It’s not me.”

Another long pause. “He doesn’t want a relationship beyond the sex?”

“Bingo.”

“You don’t know that. Give it a week. I can’t see any guy spending that much time

getting to know you without falling in love. Any man would be damn lucky to have

you, Mika.”

Mika was silent.

“Mika?”

“I’m sure that’s not going to happen.”

“He said so?”

“In so many words.”

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Mate Set

“Why? What is he? Blind? Stupid?” Minnie was angry. “You’re my baby and that

son of a bitch should know what he has.”

“I’m not you,” Mika said softly. “Do you understand? I’m different.”

Silence. Minnie cursed. “He’s been treated like shit by Eve because he’s a bastard

and because his mother was human. He’s a bigot about you being human? Is that what

you’re saying?”

“You are really good at this.”

“Is he putting you down for it? Insulting you?”

“No.”

“But you being human is a problem for him?”

“Exactly.”

“He won’t mate with a human? He said that?”

“Yes.”

“Oh baby, I’m so sorry. He’s stupid.”

Mika smiled. “I agree.”

Minnie was silent. “You like him a hell of a lot, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Like him enough that it hurts that he won’t even consider long term?”

“Yeah. Stupid, huh?”

“Not at all. You like him too much and you’re facing about two weeks of getting hot

and sweaty with him. You’re going to get hurt when this is over and you go home,

aren’t you?”

“Did anyone ever tell you that you’re kind of spooky on how you can accurately

guess things?”

“I just know you. I’m also a woman and I can put myself in your shoes. Are you

sure you don’t want me to come over? I can send him on an errand and we can talk

without him hearing us. I can buy ice cream and we can talk about what dickheads men

are as we polish off a carton or two of something a thousand calories a bite.”

Mika actually chuckled. “Thanks, but no.”

“I could tell Omar and he could order him to mate you.”

Shocked, Mika insisted, “Don’t you dare. That’s not even funny. I already feel…”

She softly cursed. “It would make it way worse and it’s bad enough as it is.”

“Sorry. Shit. He feels as though you’ve been forced on him? Are you sure he doesn’t

want you? Is he gay? If he doesn’t want you, he’s definitely into men.”

“No. Definitely not that last part. The first part, yeah. Big-time.”

“And he told you that he doesn’t want you and feels forced?”

“You know how phone calls go.”

“Phone call?”

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Laurann Dohner

“Yeah. His.”

“You overheard him making a phone call?”

“Yeah.”

“To who?”

“A woman.”

“Shit. He had someone lined up to spend mating season with, didn’t he? A lot of

unmated males do that. They find some bitch who they know doesn’t want to settle

down yet and kind of make an annual date with them. Is that what you overheard?”

“Yeah.”

“What an ass. Is he still planning on meeting her? I’ll have Omar kick his ass. He

can’t be in your bed and another woman’s. Now that he’s marked you, you could

probably detect her scent and it would drive you into a rage. It’s just damn rude too.

Not to mention, he marked you so if he screwed around it wouldn’t get him off. It

would be like foreplay without the hope of a good ending, no matter what.”

“No. That got canceled.”

“He canceled? Well, that’s good.”

“Is it? Just listening to what you say is hard to do when you’re telling me what you

want and you know I can’t give that to you.”

Millie was silent for a moment. “Shit. He got all “sex talk” with her? In detail? Let

me guess. He wants to chase her tail through the woods and you sure as hell don’t have

a tail.”

“Close enough.”

Minnie cursed. “What an ass. You should give it back to him by telling him how

great human guys are so he knows how it feels. Tell him you hate sharp teeth and how

you think growling is low class.”

“I don’t though.”

“But he doesn’t know that. When he mounts you, you tell him you like it the

human-guy way. It’s different, right? I heard they are all romance and talk you half to

death and touch you like you are made of glass. That would drive me crazy and our

guys aren’t into that shit. They are into hot and hard sex. He’ll think he’s shit in bed

since he can’t give you what you tell him you want.”

Mika laughed. “Too late for that.”

“You let him know how good he was?”

“You’re the best,” Mika laughed.

Minnie laughed. “Oh, you so didn’t tell him that.”

“I so mean it too.”

Minnie chuckled. “Well, do it anyway. Try. I’ll think up something. Shit. Omar

walked in so I have to go. Call me if you need some girl time with high calories.”

“I love you.” Mika hung up.

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Mate Set

She knew she couldn’t hide out in her room all damn day. She finally stood up and

walked to the bedroom door. She hesitated and then opened it. She saw Grady sitting

on the couch, staring right back at her. He looked angry.

“Who called? Who was that on the phone? Who do you love?”

She hesitated, frowning at him, wondering why he was pissed. “Minnie.”

He visibly relaxed and the anger on his features melted away. “Why are you mad at

me?”

“I don’t want to discuss it. I’m bored and want to go do something. I need to get out

of the house for a little while.”

Grady shook his head. “I think we should stay here.”

“I don’t really give a damn what you think right now, to be honest.”

His jaw clenched. “You overheard my phone conversation, didn’t you? Is that what

has you so mad? I called to let my friend know I wouldn’t be joining her for the

weekend. I didn’t break your rule. I broke my date with her.”

Mika hesitated. “That’s not what upset me. I have had some time to think about it

and I’m not mad anymore, Grady.”

“You look mad and you smell mad.”

“I smell mad? Anger has a scent?”

“Yes. Fear, arousal, and even pain give off scents.”

“That’s disturbing.”

“Why?” He stood up slowly.

“Well, feelings are private, that’s why. Now, please take me to the movies. I want

out of here and you can watch me from the back of the theater while I sit in the front.”

Far away from you.

“I’m not taking you anywhere until you tell me what made you mad.”

“Fine. You want to do this? I don’t point out all of your shortcomings because

you’re
just
a werewolf. I heard you on the phone and I got it that you
clearly
have a low

opinion of humans. Since you didn’t seem to mind that so much when you were
inside

me it tended to piss me off that it seems a big point with you that you can’t have sex

with me with fur on.”

He frowned. “I didn’t say that and I didn’t insult you in any way. I didn’t even

mention you.”

She arched her eyebrow. “Okay. How would you feel if you overheard me talking

to a guy I was supposed to spend the weekend with and heard me tell him how much I

wished I was with him doing things to him that I know damn well you can’t do to me.”

His mouth tensed and his eye color turned black. “I can do anything to you that a

human can do.” He took a step and then another. “I can do it better.”

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Laurann Dohner

“Then swear to me that you can have sex with me without a condom on and not be

tempted to bite me. Can you fuck me without having your teeth grow out, or your eyes

turning black? With human guys I don’t have to deal with any of that shit.”

Anger tightened his face.

Mika studied him, realizing she was trying to piss him off and knew it was

dangerous. Werewolves weren’t known for control when they were angry. “I don’t

want to fight with you. You’ve already made it clear that the only reason you want to

have sex with me is because you were forced into it by protecting me.”

Grady inched closer to her. “You think I don’t want you? Look at me. Hell, feel me.

I’m hard because I want you.”

“If you hadn’t been ordered to guard me you wouldn’t be here. I wanted you but

you wouldn’t touch me until you were forced to bite me. If my uncle told you today he

was pulling you from guarding me, you’d be out that door in a snap if you hadn’t bitten

me. You sure wouldn’t be cancelling your weekend plans. You’d be chasing tail in the

woods.”

His jaw clenched but he didn’t say a word. His dark eyes looked away from Mika,

guilt crossing his features, and pain hit her hard.

“That’s what I thought. The token denial would have been nice though. Let’s go.

I’m leaving with or without you.”

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Mate Set

Chapter Seven

Grady’s bar wasn’t packed during the day. The female bartender was in her early

thirties, had black short hair, startling green eyes, and four face piercings. Her nose,

lips, and eyebrow sported metal. She watched Mika curiously as Grady introduced

them.

“Watch her, Tina. She’s Omar’s human niece and she’s aware of what we are.”