† Maddock †

“Did you decide when you’re going to tell her?” Kera asked as she sat on top of the bar counter, swinging her legs and picking at the fibers on the cleaning rag.

Coral stopped sweeping and leaned on the broom handle to wait for my response.

“Soon.” I growled, lifting the front door off the hinges and wondering what I’d done to incur the Gods’ wrath by being forced to keep company with two yipping pups all morning.

It’s for Sage. Anything for Sage.

“I think she knows,” Coral filled the silence when I didn’t continue to speak.

I’d grown used to tuning them out, but I listened to this new bit of information with open ears. Even my distant wolf perked up at the chance of learning inside information about our mate.

It wasn’t eavesdropping if they talked this loudly.

“If she knows and isn’t running for the hills, then maybe we can end this charade.” Kera yawned as she rested back on her elbows. “This is a

new shade of grumpy for Maddock. The sooner it ends, the better.” “He’s not normally this much of a jerk?” Coral whispered as if I

couldn’t hear.

“No.” Kera laughed. “Not this much. If Sage knows she’s his fated mate, why hasn’t she said anything?”

Coral sighed. “Maybe you scared her with the whole fated mate conversation. She doesn’t like to be told what to do.”

I huffed as I unscrewed the broken hinge on top and moved to the bottom one to replace with the steel plates I’d salvaged from my tool shed.

If Coral heard me, she gave no indication. “But I’m not sure she

knows it’s as serious as all that. She likes him a lot and I think she knows he likes her too. Something about the way her skin flushes and how she gets all goofy when he’s around makes me think she feels this bond you guys are

talking about. I’ve seen her date and stuff, but she’s always been kind of cold and distant with most men. Like they’ll be interested and she’ll

acknowledge them, but she never gets flustered like she does around Maddock.”

Four more screws and I’d be done with this job, but it was hard to focus with the wolf howling in my ears. Equal parts of pride and jealousy

had me wanting to beat my fist against my chest and also bash out anyone’s brain who dared to look at my witch.

She was mine. My mate. My eternity.

It’d only been a couple of days and she was already so deeply ingrained in my soul that I was tripping over my feet like some lovesick pup as I rushed to do her bidding.

I was trying my hardest to give her time even as my body physically ached with the need to seal our bond. She had to know that I was hers and

once she felt the bond, she’d know she was mine too.

If the latent pup was right in that Sage had acknowledged the attraction, what was taking so long?

I knew she wanted me. I could smell her desire. What reason did she have to hesitate?

Maybe she’d never feel the bond like a wolf.

“Um, Maddock,” Coral interrupted my thoughts. “No offense, but I thought you were going to fix the door.”

I stared down at the twisted metal in my hands.

“Get back to work and have this cleaned before your sister gets

here.” I pocketed the warped steel and walked outside, needing fresh air to clear my head and temper the fire running through my veins.

*

“Just the man I wanted to see.” Joseph stepped out from behind the stall of tanned hides, leaving his wife Sadie to run the booth for the scant

customers walking around the town square. Alder, his son, wasn’t here this morning. No doubt recovering from the training session yesterday.

“Do you have a moment, Enforcer?” Joseph continued walking to my side with the limp from an injury that never healed right. It happened

sometimes with our rapid healing, if a bone wasn’t set correctly. “There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

No. My wolf wanted to chase Sage’s scent through the forest and figure out what was taking her so long.

“What is it?” I asked through clenched teeth.

“In private, please.” Joseph clasped his hand on my shoulder even as he bared his neck in respect.

“Morning, Sadie.” I nodded to his wife, preparing myself for what was sure to be a long-winded complaint about Apollo’s drunken rampage he’d witnessed the other day.

“Good morning, Enforcer.” Sadie smiled, adjusting her long silver braid with a piece of beaded leather to tie it off. “A bunch of us are curious about the tavern your mate is fixing up. When you’re ready to show her off, I can’t wait to meet her.”

Hearing that the pack was including Sage already was as frustrating

as it was relieving. If she was welcomed here, it was one step closer toward settling her into her new life.

But no. I wasn’t ready to share her with anyone. Not until we’d spent time alone together. It was hard enough having to share her with the pups.

I nodded at Sadie and followed along at Joseph’s slow pace to the

edge of town square and then further down the alley to the back of the old tailor shop. He looked around to make sure we were alone.

“About your witch,” he started, casting a final glance over his shoulder. “My boy Alder tells me she challenged the Alpha yesterday and Apollo walked away.”

What the hell was this about? Even my wolf bristled in confusion. “It wasn’t a formal challenge. She was worried about her sister and told him to stop.”

“And he obeyed?” Joseph pressed.

Damn these rabid dogs chomping at the bit. “Apollo understood that Sage was no threat to him. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m not interested in feeding the rumor mill, especially when it’s my mate’s name you’re spitting around.”

Joseph took a step back as if I’d struck him and lowered his head in submission, but I didn’t miss the smile that curled under his whiskered lip. “I’m surprised to see you out here alone. It’s been decades, but I still

remember when I first claimed my Sadie that we stayed in the bed for weeks.”

A growl built in my chest as his words brought an image of Sage naked in our bed to my mind and I clenched my fists at my side to stop from putting them through the brick wall.

He took another step back. “My apologies, Enforcer. I didn’t realize you hadn’t claimed her yet. What are you waiting for?”

“That’s none of your business.” My voice held the warning of a threat.

With a pained sigh, he nodded. “I understand. Take your time if you must. We don’t want another Melinda on our hands. But don’t let her go. Anyone who stands up to Apollo and makes him reconsider his ways has earned a spot in our pack.”

He had the decency to look away when my nostrils flared and my wolf flashed in my eyes.

Joseph may have known me since I was a pup and been friends with my father, but I didn’t need his advice.

Especially not when it came from a place of cowardice.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again,” I kept my voice low so he heard the actual threat. “You know how pack structure works. Any of you are free to step forward and I will support a legal challenge against the Alpha. But until that day comes, stop plotting in the shadows and step into the light like real wolves.”

His wolf surged to the surface and retreated just as quickly as I stared him down.

“Very well.” He nodded and bared his neck before walking back to his meager stall, leaving the rest of the argument implied.

I was sick of this town.

Something was going to have to give soon and I’d be damned if it was me, no matter how much they wanted it.

I didn’t want this abandoned pack and had no desire for the title of Alpha. My job as enforcer was about as much effort as I cared to give this dying town. In truth, I already played the role of Alpha so I assumed that’s why everyone thought I’d be the best candidate. Or maybe it was because no one else stood a fighting chance against Apollo.

But Kera was the rightful heir. I still had hope that when she came of age, Apollo would step down.

I had to believe he possessed a father’s love for the girl and that’s why he was so hard on her, training her to be Alpha one day.

Even if he didn’t exactly train her himself, he’d required her to train with the warriors and never stopped my instruction.

That had to count for something.

If this pack wanted change, they’d have to wait for my choice in the next Alpha unless one of them had the guts to take on the challenge.

But with Sage and the latent pup’s arrival, things were getting complicated. I’d been content with my plan for many years. Now I was starting to worry that this pack wasn’t good enough for my mate.

My head and heart were torn in frustration.

I ducked back down the alley and jogged to the outskirts of town. At the edge of the woods, I left my clothes and gave my wolf the freedom to run.

*

Pine needles and the trees’ decay crunched under our paws as I pushed us closer to the border. Our lungs burned with the effort, spit frothed from our jaws, and the cool breeze burned through our ears with each powerful leap.

But the distance from town wasn’t clearing my head and it was a constant struggle to keep my wolf on course.

The woods were alive with prey as spring continued into full bloom.

A rabbit scampered across the trail into the underbrush.

For Sage. My wolf came to a halt, ignoring my command, and crouched low as he stalked.

Later, I reminded him, tired of fighting with the beast. Check the borders first and then we’ll go back to her.

Now, he whined, digging his paws into the soil. How was I supposed to handle this?

I couldn’t get my wolf to agree, couldn’t deal with the bullshit from Apollo and the town, and I couldn’t even claim my own mate.

I can.

I growled. If we don’t check the borders, then we can’t keep her safe.

Thank the Gods, it worked.

My wolf took off at full speed, leaping over fallen logs, until our hearts were beating as one.

We settled into a steady jog at the western line of Cerberus territory and moved along the familiar terrain marking spots that had grown faint in the past week or so. Normally, I’d run each border every two or three days.

Just because our pack was a fraction of what they once were, didn’t mean I wanted the other packs to know the state of our decline.

If the borders were clearly marked, rumors could continue about the mad, drunken, Alpha while our claim to these lands remained strong.

And maybe I should have ended Apollo years ago. It’d been at least a decade since his scent marked our territory or he’d come with me for a run. As far as anyone was concerned, this land was marked as mine.

But the day we lost Gabriel, a part of me had died. A part of Lisa and Apollo had gone too. It was a horrible situation that none of us could recover from. I wasn’t sure what was left of our fractured family could

survive another situation like the passing of Gabriel.

Apollo hadn’t wanted to kill his own brother either but fate had forced his hand.

He wasn’t all that bad of a guy. If I could get him away from his Beta and get him to stop drinking, maybe things would change.

You tried that. It didn’t work. Kill him, my wolf interrupted my thoughts, speaking his straightforward logic into the situation.

And how would you feel about killing your brother? I sighed in defeat, giving into the madness that was conversing with my now distant wolf.

He’s feral. A threat to my mate. But even as he growled, it was tainted with a bitter regret.

We both felt like we failed them.

A new scent drifted on the air, setting our senses alert, and distracting us from the Gods awful contemplation.

We circled twice with our nose to the ground, but the scent wasn’t all that fresh. It was a few days old at least. A wolf shifter, young and male, and alone. Not from Cerberus pack.

The trail didn’t enter our territory, so I assumed the newcomer was from the Fenrir pack to the west of us. What some kid was doing this far out in the woods alone was a mystery to me, but maybe he’d been out for a run.

I took my time marking the area with a distinct border just in case he found himself out here again and made a mental note to increase patrols over the next few days.

There shouldn’t be any males sniffing around these borders. Not this close to my mate.

The thought of Sage sent my wolf howling again and I agreed, giving in to what he really wanted since we’d shifted this morning.

First things first, we go back to the cabin to get new hinges, and then we’ll go to see your mate.

*

Both the truck and her little car were parked next to the cabin when we came running into the yard. My wolf turned away from the tool shed and climbed up the steps to the porch before I had time to register that he was taking control.

The front door swung open and the smell of cinnamon filled our snout, setting every nerve ending on fire.

“Maddock!” Sage screamed, jumping backwards. “You scared the atoms out of me.”

My wolf whined as he moved forward to brush his nose against her leg, hating the fear in her voice and remembering the day in the woods.

“I’m sorry.” She dropped to her knees and scratched behind his ear.

“You didn’t scare me like that this time and I apologize for throwing a rock at your head. I wasn’t expecting you to be here. And I guess you aren’t really Maddock. Does Maddock’s wolf have a name?”

This was interesting.

She was petting my wolf.

He softened under her affection, loving her caresses on his pelt. I’d give him a moment before forcing the shift to tell her we were one of the same.

Mine. He growled as he put his snout against her neck and breathed in her heavenly scent.

“Okay big boy.” She laughed as he licked below her ear. “I kind of like you too. Is Maddock in there with you? Can he hear me?”

My bastard wolf fell back to his haunches and cocked his head to the side, letting his tongue hang out.

“Hmm.” Sage chewed her bottom lip as she looked him over and rose to stand. “I guess I need to figure out more about how all this works. Well, anyway, I just stopped here to change into something I could ruin and I’m heading to the restaurant now.”

He nudged forward, placing his jaw against her hand, and she scratched under his chin. “What are your plans for the day? Busy hunting rabbits?”

Images of chasing prey and ripping human clothes flooded my mind as the wolf thumped his tail against the porch and I tore him away before Sage could feel exactly what he was thinking.

He huffed at me as he set out on a trot across the yard.

“Alright, I’ll see you later,” Sage called as she headed toward the car.

My wolf whined, pawing at the door on the tool shed as he tried to get her attention.

“Do you need something in there?” she asked hesitantly, looking back to the car.

He nudged the door with his snout and Sage laughed as she came across the yard. “I guess it’s kind of hard to open doors when you don’t have hands.”

She opened the tool shed and my wolf brushed against her legs, making sure she smelled of him.

Smooth move. I chuckled, enjoying this show.

Mine, he grumbled. What metal things does she need?

“Oh, you smart boy,” she exclaimed as she saw the box of hinges I’d left on the work bench. “How did you know I need these?”

We both watched as she moved around the shed, grabbing hinges, matching screws, a crowbar, and a screwdriver. “I hope Maddock doesn’t mind if I borrow some tools.”

He has another tool you can borrow.

And we’re done.

I started to pull back my claws as Sage pushed opened the door. “Come on sweetheart. I don’t want you to get stuck in there.”

She likes me. He rejected the shift as he trotted outside.

Sage kicked the door closed with her arms full. “I’ll let you get back to your hunting or whatever. Thanks for all the help.”

My wolf raced across the yard and came to a stop in front of her car, brushing his body against it.

“Do you want to come with me?” Her eyes lit up in amusement as she set the tools on the hood. “Sure. Let’s go for a ride. I can put the window down if you like the wind in your fur. Wait. Do wolves do that?”

My wolf licked her hand as she opened the passenger door. She tasted as good as she smelled.

I should have forced the shift, but I was the slightest bit curious about where this was going.

He leaped onto the passenger seat and thumped his tail again.

We were both heading the same way anyway and I needed to get my clothes from where I’d left them in the woods. I guessed a short ride couldn’t hurt. Especially one in the car with the most delicious smelling woman I’d ever met.

And maybe it was a good thing for her to spend some time with the wolf. Hopefully it would quiet my beast.

Not a chance.