Authors: BA Tortuga
MatingCall (3 page)
Jordan grinned wildly, feeling the magick pulse through him.
He came hard, deep in Shaw’s body, and Shaw pushed down, took his lips in a
hard, happy kiss.
God, that felt good. Now if Steph would just come to them…
The candles went out, one after another, the tingle of
magick fading. Steph was so quiet, as if she wasn’t really there.
“It’s done.” The room was dark, the fat moon laughing
through the window. “Take as long as you need, boys. Just lock up when you
leave.”
Wait. Leave? No. No, that wasn’t… He reached for her, got
nothing but her robe.
She slipped from his fingers, dark eyes shining with unshed
tears as she looked back over her shoulder. “Goodbye, boys.”
Just like that, she was gone. Which sucked some heavy-duty
hairy donkey balls, because all he’d been able to see as a result of her spell
was her. Her face, her body, her being their mate.
He looked at Shaw. “I think we fucked up, baby. Big time.”
* * * * *
But when Wendy opened up, wearing an old terrycloth robe,
her thick blonde hair piled on top of her head, took one look at her and said,
“Oh, Jesus. What happened? Come in.”
Stephanie lost her shit and sobbed.
“Oh, man.” Wendy grabbed her in a bear hug, the door
smacking shut behind them. “Oh, honey.”
“They… I…” She gulped in air, shoulders shaking.
“What? What happened? I can go arrest them, whoever they
are.” Wendy was always willing to kick ass for her.
“No. No, the boys, they… They asked me to help them find a
mate.”
“Wait. What?” Wendy’s light-blue eyes narrowed. “You mean
those mangy mutts you sleep with sometimes dumped you?”
She nodded. “We… They came over and we…you know. And we
hadn’t even finished when they asked me to find them another girl.”
Wendy growled. Actually growled. “Those rat bastards. I will
kick their sorry asses.”
“I just…I know we hadn’t made any…I mean, how could we?
They’re wolves and I’m a human and we’ve laughed about that over and over,
but…” Steph shook herself, slapped her tears away. “With my luck they’ll come
after you.”
“Oh, I don’t think so.” Wendy let her step back, but her
friend was all outrage, hands on those curvy hips. “I will beat them down with
a rock.”
“Promise?”
“God, yes.” Wendy led her into the chaos that was her best
friend’s house—guns and magazines, dog beds and the biggest German Shepherd on
Earth. “Hey, Mongo.”
Mongo looked up from his bone, wagged once, then went back
to chewing.
“We could always let Mongo eat them,” Wendy said, grabbing a
bottle of Kahlua out of the liquor cabinet.
“Mongo has better taste.” Way better taste than she did,
obviously. “What was I thinking, Wendy?”
Wendy grabbed the half-and-half and two glasses from the
kitchen. “You were thinking that you could handle the whole thing and not get
hooked up. I told you to date around. You’ve been exclusive for what? Two
years?”
She nodded, “Almost.”
“Well, they suck. So, now you cry and tomorrow we get
pedicures.”
“Can there be chocolate too? I left them at my house.”
“Call the cops. Oh, wait. I am one…” Wendy tried a smile,
even if it looked more grimace-y. “Drink up and I’ll get the cake. I got one
yesterday at the store.”
“You’re the best friend ever.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She got a wink. “Tell me what your obsession
with wolves is, exactly?”
“Hey, I didn’t know you were one until after we were
friends!”
“Yeah, and that’s only because I trust you.” Wendy was lying
low, trying to avoid the local pack.
Why, she didn’t know, not really. Wendy said lots of
things—from not wanting to deal with the drama to having a bad experience.
There was something Wendy was hiding, but Steph didn’t push. Whatever the
reason was, she’d never betray Wendy’s secret.
They both grabbed a fork and dug into the cake. Wendy was
appropriately solemn, not making her usual cake noises.
“Wendy, do you think…” She sighed. “Can I spend the night
here?”
“Of course you can. Though we can go kick them out and I can
stay with you.” Wendy waved her fork. “You shouldn’t be afraid of your house.”
“I’m not afraid, Wendy. They won’t do anything. Hell, you
know they’re already gone, looking for her, whoever she is.” She sighed, ate
another bite of cake. “I hope she’s got warts.”
“And love handles and unwanted under-boob hair.”
Steph cracked up. “Is there wanted under-boob hair?”
They looked at each other and leaned together, laughing long
and hard, and while it didn’t make it all okay, it sure as shit helped.
He taken Shaw home two days ago and the pup had done nothing
but cry out in his sleep. When Jordan fell asleep, he dreamed of their
mate—dreamed of chasing her, touching her, adoring her.
The problem was that their mate was Stephanie.
Something had gone wrong.
Terribly, totally wrong.
So here he was, to apologize. To ask her to forgive them, to
take the spell off. Ask her to…
The door opened and she looked like shit—hair mussed, eyes
bruised. “What the hell do you want, Jordan?”
His lips opened to talk, but he was a little stunned by the
sight of her. “I…”
“I have a client coming, man, and a vicious headache. Did
you two leave something behind?”
He nodded. “Our mate.”
Her pretty, pretty eyes filled with tears, lips parting.
“You asshole. You come here… I did your goddamn spell. I did what you asked.
Now you have to go away.”
“But we…” They needed her.
“I don’t care, Jordan. I don’t. I gave you what you wanted.
I did it. You want a wolf; I’m just a girl. Go find someone else.”
The door slammed in his face, the sound of her sobs lost in
the clicking of the locks.
He stood there, staring at the wood, a deep growl rumbling
in his chest.
Stubborn bitch.
Aggravating, stubborn…
He was going to bite something, and possibly kick one of her
fucking cats on the way to his truck.
* * * * *
“
Shaw.
Shaw, please. I need you.” Steph’s voice echoed inside him, Shaw growled, deep
in his chest.
“I’m coming. I’m coming, Steph. Jordan? Jordan, do you smell
her?”
Jordan stalked beside him, rumbling deep in his chest, head
shaking. “She’s not here.”
“She has to be here. I can hear her.” He snarled, ducking
Jordan’s swat. “Can’t you hear her?”
“Yes. Damn it.”
Then they had to find her. Protect their mate.
The city was unfamiliar, the scents more desert than
mountain, more sand than pine needles, and they confused him, made him go in
circles.
Shaw figured he was just going to go crazy. He ran, barking,
his wolf form screaming at him.
When he smelled blood, he snapped, howling himself awake.
Shaw sat up, barking once, eyes rolling as Jordan snarled.
“Wake the fuck up, pup.”
“What?” He pushed into Jordan’s arms, needing comfort, and
it stung when Jordan pushed him away.
“You were dreaming again, pup. Get the fuck up. We’ve got
stuff to do today.”
Jordan was growly and angry and so touchy that if you looked
at him sideways, he bit you. Not in a sexy way, either. They hadn’t heard a
peep from Steph in two weeks, the alpha, Brett, was all over them—also not in a
sexy way—and damn it, Shaw just kept having the dreams.
He dreamed of Steph sliding up over him in the moonlight,
her lips on his belly. Jordan driving into her softness as her lips wrapped
around him. Their girl laughing with them. Hunting with them. And those were
the good dreams.
The bad ones involved Steph hurt and scared, hunted by some
strange male, alone and injured, calling out for them. They left him feeling
bruised and exhausted. Scared.
He got out of the damp, tangled sheets and threw on a pair
of jeans and a flannel shirt, padding out into the kitchen, hoping for bacon.
Jordan dragged him in as he passed, offering him a kiss that
was I’m sorry and Forgive me and I love you all at once. “Baby, can I have the
coffeepot?”
“Uh-huh.” He headed for the sink, stumbling over his own
feet.
“Hey. Hey, what’s up, Shaw?” Jordan moved fast, catching him
in a solid grip. Oh, it felt so good to touch.
His eyes rolled a little bit, his whole world tilting. “Why isn’t
she coming?”
“You mean our mate?” Jordan rumbled. “I think we fucked up.”
“How do we fix it? She’s in that house. Alone. Another male
could come for her. Someone could hurt her. Someone could rob her!”
“You mean Steph?” Jordan raised a brow. “She can’t be our
mate, baby.”
Shaw looked at Jordan, shocked to the core. “Have you lost
your mind? You were there. You know she is.”
How could Jordan deny it?
“She’s not a wolf! No matter what the dreams say.”
“She has to be. She has to be our mate.” Maybe she was
broken. Maybe she needed to be bitten. She was always freaking out about being
bitten. Maybe that was all Steph had to have to change like a regular werewolf.
Jordan tilted his head. “You—huh. Maybe… Shit, don’t give me
hope, baby.”
“Why not? She’s ours. You know it. You’re having the dreams,
aren’t you? Can’t you feel the call?” He stomped one foot, the cabin actually
rattling. “Could you go to another woman? Fuck her?”
Jordan’s face drew down into a thunderous frown. “Stop it.
You know I can’t. Yeah, I’m having the fucking dreams. We can’t just go tell
her that, though.”
“So, what? We just don’t have our mate?” That didn’t work
for him. He knew it couldn’t work for Jordan.
“No.”
That didn’t work for Shaw. Not at all. No way. “She’s ours.
I’ll just go talk to her. Tell her I’m sorry.”
Jordan growled, deep in his chest. “Like that’ll work.”
“It might.”
Steph was a reasonable girl. She was way smarter than Shaw
and magical. She could talk to her goddess and stuff, right?
“Shaw, baby. She’s…we really hurt her. She doesn’t want us.”
His eyebrow arched and Shaw frowned. “You went to her,
didn’t you? You talked to her.”
“I… Yeah. Yeah, I might have tried, yeah.” Jordan sighed.
“She wants us to go away.”
“No. No, she can’t mean it. She’s ours. You can’t tell me you
don’t feel it.”
“I feel it.”
Oh, thank the moon. “So,” he asked. “What do we do?”
They sat together at the kitchen table, the air beginning to
buzz with energy.
“I guess what we’d do with any female.” Jordan’s forehead
wrinkled. “If she’s ours, then she’s a wolf, somehow. We do what our kind does.
We’ll have to take it slow, though. Woo her.” Jordan waved a hand, looking so
frustrated.
“Woo her?” He could do that. “Beer? She likes steak.”
“Presents, dork. Flowers. Girl shit.”
“She likes…apples. And chocolate.”
Chocolate was girly.
“Exactly. We’ll start today.” Jordan nodded, the look on
that hard, handsome face utterly resolved. Once Jordan decided on something,
that was that.
“Okay.” Whatever. So long as they got their mate back. Here.
With them. Making cubs.
Jordan grinned. “Let’s go to town.”
God, he loved how Jordan thought.
Stephanie bent down, picked the flowers up off the porch
steps, a curious look on her face, then a smile lit her right up.
Score. His tail tried to wag again, but he held it still
ruthlessly. Thank God Shaw had stayed back at the truck. His pup would have
bounded right over and licked her.
She looked lickable.
She was wearing a tiny pair of shorts, a t-shirt and she’d
been running—he could smell her. Jordan whined deep in his throat, wanting his
mate. Their mate. He knew she was, even if he didn’t know how. Shaw was right.
He couldn’t deny it anymore.
She headed up the stairs, into her little house, whistling
softly.
She’d taken the flowers with her. That was a good sign,
right? He turned and loped back to the truck. He had to tell Shaw.
Flowers were good. Next time they should leave a nice
rabbit. Maybe a fat squirrel.
Definitely something with fur. It always meant love.
* * * * *
Jordan chuffed softly, admiring him, his catch. He was good.
He was a good pup.
Shaw preened happily.
Jordan licked his muzzle, then his chest, cleaning him a
little. Oh. That made him want to roll to his back and kick.
Soon. Soon. First he had to feed their mate. She was in her
house, the TV on, cleaning. He would take her dinner while it was still hot,
still fresh. Shaw bounced again. She would be so pleased.
He dropped the present on her doorstep, batted at her door
with his paws, then bounded off, tail high.
He heard the door open, then he heard an alarmed squeal.
Not a happy sound. That was a shriek. Oh. Oops.
Jordan came padding over, tongue lolling, almost as if his
alpha was laughing. Not fair. He jumped up and bit Jordan’s ear.
Shaw barked, tail thumping the ground. They’d done good.
Food. Flowers. Jordan had left
Brotherhood of the Wolf
,
Teen Wolf
and
Underworld
. They’d talked about the sparkly vampire movie, but
decided she’d just bite them.
They’d even left wine. Her favorite kind. She just had to
know how they felt.
She was the prettiest, best, most wonderful woman he’d ever
seen. He couldn’t stop dreaming about her and he was glad he’d asked her to do
that spell, even if it had made everyone grumpy. That way they knew for sure
she was their mate; they didn’t have to look anywhere else.
He really wanted to bite her.
He knew that he probably have to wait, let Jordan do it first,
but that was okay. Jordan would let him bite second.
Steph had gone inside, but she came back out with a plastic
bag and a roll of paper towels. Shaw whined. She didn’t like it.
She stopped, head tilting as though she heard him.
Jordan bit his ruff, holding him when he would have bounced
out of hiding. But— she was there!
She was there and she’d heard him. Steph was looking for
him.
She cleaned up the rabbit, depositing it in the trash can
before spraying her porch with the hose. Shaw danced a little next to Jordan.
They could make her understand. They could.
Just as he was about to run to her, though, a car turned
into her drive. A sheriff’s car. Her friend Wendy, he guessed, though they’d
never met her.
Shaw sniffed when the tall blonde stepped out of the car.
How…odd.
He looked at Jordan, whining softly.
Jordan’s ears swiveled, that sensitive nose working and
working. Then Jordan nudged him away, back to where they’d parked the truck.
He followed, claws digging into the dirt. Why did that Wendy
woman smell like pack?
Jordan hopped up in the back of the truck before shifting,
grabbing clothes to put on. The whole time Jordan cursed quietly.
“What’s wrong?” He tugged on his clothes, shivering at the
change.
“The cop woman is pack. Well, wolf at least. She’s not one
of our pack.”
“How? No one’s told anyone about a new wolf. Why’s she with
our mate?” That was…weird.
“I don’t know. I mean, I know they’re friends, but how did
we not know this?” Jordan pulled him close, kissing him to keep him from
shaking.
“Are they…are they pack? Like together? Can—”
“I don’t know. How could they be? If Steph doesn’t know?”
Maybe that was it. They were pack and Steph knew it? Shit.
It made his head spin a little, the thought that she’d been hiding something
like this all along. Maybe her magick allowed her to.
Was she a liar? Their girl?
No. No, she shone so bright.
Right?
Jordan sighed, kissing his neck. “We’ll figure it out, baby.
As long as she didn’t call the police over our gift, we’ll be fine.”
“You swear, mate? She’s… She’s ours.” Steph was theirs. All
of her.
“I swear it. We’ll get her back, take her home. I promise.”
Jordan had never once lied to him and Shaw knew it. That had
to be good enough.
* * * * *
“You think this is those asshats you were seeing?” Wendy
tapped a finger against her pursed lips, peering into the trash can.
“Why would they do that? They have a girlfriend coming.” A
mate. Someone way more important than her.
“Hell if I know. It’s harassment.”
“It’s weird.” Maybe a little cute. A little. If she knew it
was the boys.
“Well, what you need is a hot guy who doesn’t leave dead
animals.”
She blinked over at her best friend, then started giggling.
“Do they make those?”
“Yes.” Wendy went to the fridge and grabbed a root beer,
popping the top easily. “I’m on duty, but I wanted to stop and tell you about
the one I’m lining up for you.”
“Oh God. No cops, Wendy.” She sat at the kitchen table,
listening to the cats hiss and snarl, rumble.
“Nope! He’s an EMT.” Wendy frowned at Wacky and made this
amazing noise. A growl.
“That’s pretty cool.” She tried it out. Nope. She sounded as
though she had a hairball.
Wendy raised a brow. “You’re not coming down with something,
are you?”
“Stop it.” She threw a napkin across the table. “So, an EMT?
Really?”
Was she ready to date? Was there any reason not to be? A girl
had to move on, and she’d been the one to insist she didn’t want to be serious.
“Really. He’s a doll baby. Big, strong, funny, with his own
house and a killer smile.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Why aren’t you dating him?”
“I don’t date.” The flat words left no room for debate.
Wendy just never talked about her personal life.
“I’m sorry.” She reached over, squeezed Wendy’s hand. “I
wasn’t trying to be a bitch.”
“I know that.” Wendy brightened up a little, shrugging it
off visibly. “Anyway, he’s not wolfy, not already with some other guy and not
likely to ask you to magically make him a girl to love.”
“That’s three in his favor.” The problem was, whoever he
was, he wouldn’t be Shaw and Jordan. She missed them so bad, from Jordan’s
growly morning face before he had coffee to Shaw’s love of steak salad to the
bouncing that Shaw couldn’t contain.
“Stop it.”
Steph looked up, surprised. “Stop what?”
“You’re thinking about them.”
“What?”
“Those two bums. You’re missing them and they don’t deserve
it.” Wendy blew out a sharp breath, eyes narrowing.
“I know. It’s stupid. Really.” She felt her cheeks heat.
“But I liked them. A lot.”
“I know, honey.” Wendy gave her a hug. “We just need to get
you back on the horse.”
“Oh God.” She met Wendy’s bright eyes. “Tell me they don’t
make werehorses.”