Mate Set (7 page)

people playing the game. Grady pointed.

“Over there at the bar.” He had to yell over the music to be heard. “You sit your ass

down and stay there.”

She rolled her eyes but moved where he indicated. Mika appreciated the muscular

bartender in his mid-twenties with blond hair and dark brown eyes. He was total eye

candy. Their gazes met and held until Grady stepped between them so Mika was left

staring at Grady’s back. She sighed.

“Yon, guard her. She’s Omar’s niece. Her drinks and whatever are on the house. No

one touches her. Am I clear?”

Yon must have agreed because Grady jerked his head in a nod and slowly turned

around to glare down at Mika. “I’m going to my office for a bit to check on things. Sit

down and stay there. Order a drink.”

She gave him a salute. If her fingers bent except for her middle one as she saluted

him, so be it. He growled at her, dark eyes glittering dangerously, and then he shook his

head slowly. He stepped into her personal space as his head bent so his cheek nearly

touched hers. She inhaled his cologne and wanted to groan. Not only did he look good

enough to jump on but he smelled good enough to want to rub her body all over him.

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Laurann Dohner

“You’re not worth losing my balls over,” he whispered.

She clenched her teeth as Grady jerked away, spun on his heel, and disappeared

through a doorway. She climbed up on the barstool and gave the bartender a once-over,

immediately noticing that he wasn’t giving her a sexy look anymore. He actually looked

damn unhappy to see her now that he knew who she was.

“May I have whiskey? I want ice too.” She held up her fingers. “That much at least,

in a glass, and don’t give me a tiny shot. I’m drowning my sorrows here and Grady said

it’s on the house so show me the love when you tip the bottle.”

Yon’s eyebrows rose and he almost smiled but then masked his features. He walked

away, grabbed a decent-sized glass, dumped ice in, and set it down in front of her.

Within seconds he’d filled it with whiskey. Their gazes met and held.

“You’re really Omar’s niece?”

She sipped her whiskey. She made a face when it burned down her throat, clearing

a warming path all the way to her tummy where it settled. “Yeah.”

“How the hell did that happen? You’re not one of us.”

She knew what he meant. She wasn’t a werewolf. “I was adopted. My mom was

Omar’s sister, his only sibling.”

He blinked. “Do you know anything?”

She took another sip. “I’m well
aware
. My uncle doesn’t lie to me.”

“I see.” He nodded. “I have to work but I’ll keep an eye on you.”

She watched him go down the bar serving drinks. She was sure he would keep an

eye on her. He was obviously pack if he knew her uncle Omar. It also stood to reason

that Grady would hire pack to work for him since pack stuck together. She sipped her

whiskey and turned in her chair to watch the dancers, wishing she were out there since

she loved to dance. She tapped her foot to the beat. Grady’s bar played good music and

he had a good sound system.

A dark-haired man walked up to her. He was nice looking, in his late twenties, and

dressed in black slacks and a blue silk shirt. He smiled as he drew near. “Do you want

to dance?”

She set her drink down and was on her feet in an instant. “I’d love to.”

Mika glanced at Yon, spotting him at the end of the bar. His gaze met hers and he

shook his head. Mika walked to the dance floor with the man who’d asked her to dance

on her heels.

“I’m Jeff,” the guy yelled at her.

She turned on the dance floor to face the man, who was only a few inches taller. In

her heels she was just about five-seven. She met his intent look and smiled.

“I’m Mika.”

He grinned and reached for her hand, which she let him take. He tugged her farther

onto the dance floor and started to dance with her. He danced a little too close so Mika

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Mate Set

had to put some distance between them and when he spun her she pulled her hand out

of his to keep back from him by a few feet. She knew he was examining every inch of

her but she didn’t care as they danced. He was keeping his hands to himself and that’s

all that mattered.

Yon was watching her from behind the bar with a deep frown. Mika grinned and

waved. She turned her back to him and finished her dance with Jeff. The song ended

and she smiled at the man.

“Thanks.”

“Come to my table with me.” He reached for her arm again.

Mika dodged his hand. “I came with someone but thanks for the dance. Have a

good night.”

Jeff frowned, not looking happy, but he didn’t try to stop her as she walked away

from him. She moved toward the bar going between tables to get there. She noticed that

there were a lot more men in the bar than when she’d entered. There were women too

but the men noticeably outnumbered the women.

She was almost back to her seat when a man stood up from one of the tables and

purposely stepped into her path. She froze and looked up, taking him in quickly. He

was a big guy, in his late twenties, about six foot two if she had to guess, and about two

hundred pounds of beefy male who was decent looking. The look in his green eyes was

too intense for Mika’s comfort as his gaze locked with hers.

“Let me buy you a drink, pretty.”

Pretty?
She gave him a tight smile. “No thank you.” She tried to step around him.

His hand shot out fast and gripped her wrist. She was shocked that the man had

grabbed her that fast, hadn’t even seen his hand move, but his hold on her wrist was

tight. It didn’t hurt but she knew she’d be hard-pressed to make him release her if he

didn’t want to. She tugged but his hold only tightened almost painfully, letting her

know he wasn’t willingly going to let her go easily.

“I insist.” He had a deep voice.

“I insist you let me go. Thank you but no. I’m not interested.”

He jerked her closer, hard enough to knock her off balance, and she gasped when

her body hit his. She saw his nose flare and he had a hungry expression on his features

as he looked down at her. His other arm wrapped tightly around her waist, locking her

against his body. Her panic was instant as she realized he wasn’t human. She had

figured that out because of how fast he moved, the look in his eyes, and the fact that he

sniffed her.

“We’re leaving,” he growled. “I won’t hurt you if you don’t make a scene.”

She saw three men at his table stand. It was obvious that they were with him.
Shit.

What is it about werewolves traveling in packs of four?
Mika took a deep breath, pushing

back the memories of four other werewolves outnumbering her, and glared up at the

man who had her trapped in his arms.

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Laurann Dohner

“I’m pack protected,” she gritted out. “I’m Omar Deken’s niece and I’m also not

your type. Let me go.”

He blinked. “I don’t give a damn who you are but I’ll tell you what you are. You’re

mine tonight. If you’re worried about the other men, don’t be. I don’t share well with

others. This is going to be a private party when we get to my hotel.”

“I said no.” She had one hand free, pushing against his chest. “That means, let me

go.”

He growled at her low and deep. “You don’t know who I am. I’m Vargas Lorne,

alpha of the Lorne Pack, and you’re mine tonight, pretty. Don’t bother fighting. You

know what we are, I heard you talking to the bartender, and I watched you dance. You

stirred my blood so you’re leaving with me now. Don’t make a scene because it won’t

change the outcome. My men will handle any problems that arise if someone tries to

stop me from taking you. If you have friends here that you wish to remain unharmed,

you won’t fight me.”

Anger surged in Mika. “The only way you’re stirring my blood is by making it boil

because you’re pissing me off. I am not leaving here with you. I can guess what you

want from me and I’m not interested.”

The smile that curved his lips was ice cold. “I don’t care what you want. It’s all

about me.” His smile widened. “And I want you. I always get what I want.”

Mika’s fear made a lump form in her throat that she had to swallow down. He was

an alpha and he had men with him. That was bad. He lifted her higher up his body, her

feet leaving the floor as he held her in a near-crushing hold with his arm locked around

her waist, and he carried her a step. His hand was still gripped her wrist almost

painfully and she knew he could snap it easily.

“Don’t fight me and you won’t get injured. You might not enjoy what I plan on

doing to you but I know I’m going to enjoy it a hell of a lot.”

“Put her down,” a familiar deep voice snarled.

Relief swept through Mika. Grady sounded furious and close but she couldn’t see

around Vargas Lorne. She knew Grady was behind him somewhere though. The man

holding her sighed and turned his head toward Grady.

“Stay out of this.”

“She’s mine,” Grady’s voice was steel hard. “She came with me and she’s leaving

with me.”

Vargas slowly eased Mika back to her feet. He turned, forcing her to turn with him,

his hold on her waist never easing but he let her wrist go. That hand moved to her

shoulder as his glance shifted from Grady down to her. Mika tensed as the man slowly

moved her shirt back on each side of her shoulders to look at her skin, one side at a

time. He smirked as his cold gaze rose to meet Grady’s, who was now behind Mika.

“She isn’t yours,” Vargas said calmly. “She doesn’t carry your mark or carry your

scent.”

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Mate Set

“She’s promised to me.” Grady had inched closer, sounding as though he were

right behind Mika. “She’s mine,” he repeated.

Mika was staring up at Vargas where he had her pressed hard to his larger body.

She couldn’t turn to see Grady because of the tight hold on her. The chest she was

pressed against vibrated as Vargas growled at Grady.

“You should have put your mark on her. That’s too bad for you that you did not.

You have no claim to her. She doesn’t even carry your scent. You can have her back

when my need for her is over.” Vargas smirked at Grady. “I’m alpha of the Lorne Pack.

Think twice before you attack me. My men will take you down before you get her away

from me and she’ll get hurt in the process.”

“I didn’t realize Jessup died,” Grady ground out.

“He didn’t. I’m taking over when he does. I’m first son.”

“So am I. I’m Elroy’s oldest.” Grady sounded closer now. “And she’s mine. This bar

is full of my pack. Do you really want to do this? She’s my future mate. I’m willing to

die to protect her. Are you willing to die to try to fuck her?”

Vargas looked angry as he glared at Grady. “Mark her now, then.” Vargas

suddenly dropped her on her feet and shoved Mika. She didn’t go far, slamming into

Grady’s body instead of hitting the floor. His arms locked around her waist and she

was yanked off her feet as Grady took at least four steps back and turned his body

sideways to get Mika away from Vargas. When he turned with her in his arms, it put

her totally out of Vargas’s reach.

“If she’s yours, then mark her now,” Vargas snarled.

Mika saw Vargas’s men spreading out to surround her and Grady. She stared up at

Grady, watching rage grip his features while he glared at Vargas. She could feel how

tense Grady’s body was, so hard it was as though a stone man were holding her, and

under her hand on his chest she could feel his heart pounding. Her own was racing just

as fast over the horrible situation.

The man was demanding Grady mark her in front of him to prove that she was his.

Mika wondered what marking entailed and prayed it wouldn’t mean he’d have to come

on her thighs again, this time in the middle of the bar for all to see.

“Mark her or hand her over because I’m willing to fight you for her. I could use a

good fight and a good fuck.” Vargas smiled coldly. “Of course, after the fight is over,

I’m going to be in a mood by the time I bend that bitch over in front of me. She won’t

enjoy that, will she?”

Grady growled. His hold on her eased as he gently set her back on her feet and

broke the glaring contest between him and the other man to look down at her. His arm

tightened again around her waist while his other hand gripped her shirt to yank it to

the side to expose the top of her right shoulder.

Mika could only gasp as Grady’s face buried in the crook of her shoulder and neck

and pain made her cry out. It hurt so much as his sharp teeth punctured her skin that

her fingers clutched at his chest and gripped the material of his shirt, clawing at him.

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Laurann Dohner

Grady growled and then his teeth pulled back just enough to leave her skin but his

mouth didn’t move away. He kept it open over his bite as his tongue licked across her

skin while he lapped at the bite a few times. His head jerked up as he yanked her shirt

back in place over the fresh wound he’d made.

Grady didn’t meet her eyes or even look down. He glared at Vargas Lorne instead.

“She’s marked by me. Now get the hell out of my bar.”

Fury lit green eyes as Vargas jerked his head in a nod. “Fine. We’ll leave. She’s