CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER TWO

Pretty much in a sensual daze, Casey didn’t object when he literally picked her up and set her on the passenger seat of an SUV. Moments later, he was sliding onto the seat beside hers and then they were driving out of the lot.

“Where are we headed?” he asked, his voice thick with the same relentless arousal that beat at her.

She swallowed around her dry throat. “Do you know where Craven Pack territory is?” He just nodded. “I live above the bakery on the border.”

Her territory was much like a gated community. Among the streets of houses and apartment buildings were a school, an infirmary, a rec center, and the headquarters for her soccer team. Surrounding the housing estate was a great deal of land and wooded areas complete with rivers and lakes.

Many breeds of shifter shopped at the pack’s stores—all of which were situated just outside the large iron gates of the community. Although her pack rarely encountered trouble from outsiders, the enforcers lived in the apartments above each of the pack-run stores so that they were near the border in case—

A wave of unbearable heat swept over her again, making her pussy clench and her nipples throb. Letting her head sag forward, Casey swore and gripped the edges of the seat hard. Jesus, this was bad.

A warm hand palmed her nape. “You’re okay. Just breathe.”

She was fucking breathing. She was also burning up inside. Her body raged for his, not just for satisfaction—no, it demanded him.

Casey could sense his beast pressing against Eli’s skin, watching her. Yeah, she’d heard that his wolf always liked to make its presence known. Her mink was just as bold. Right then, the animal was hanging close to the surface, wanting at her mate.

Soon, they were pulling up outside the bakery. Eli followed her up the iron staircase at the side of the building that led to the upstairs apartment. Her hand was shaking so badly he took her key and unlocked the door for her. Then they were inside, and he was kicking the door shut behind him. She only made it two steps before he was on her.

Growling low in his throat, he backed her into the wall and shoved his cock against her; it was long, fat, and rock hard. His eyes were locked on her with the lethal precision of a sniper rifle, and they glittered with something dark that made her blood heat and her mink quiver with anticipation.

“Now I’m going to claim what’s mine,” he rumbled. “You won’t be able to move after I’m done with you.”

Eli took her mouth, needing more of that sweet, addictive taste that seemed imprinted on his soul. Egged on by his wolf, he greedily took what he craved—licked at her tongue, nipped the corners of her mouth, sucked on each lip. Feasted on her until his head was spinning and his cock felt so impossibly hard it ached like a bitch.

Nothing had ever felt better than having his mate’s body pressed to his, her scent filling his lungs, and the heat of her pussy practically scorching his cock through his jeans.

The mating urge still had a firm grip on him, but he’d managed to find enough semblance of control to battle the drive to just rut on her with no thought to anything but claiming her. No, he’d make this good for her.

Needing to feel more of that butter-smooth skin beneath his hands, he clawed off her jeans and panties, scoring her flesh slightly. He smoothed his hands up her thighs to cup her ass. “So soft. But this skin won’t be so flawless by the time we’re done here. I want to mark you. Bite you. Scratch you. Maybe even bruise you just a little.” Her pupils swallowed the color in her eyes, and he almost groaned. “You like the idea of being all marked up, don’t you?”

She tore off his shirt and splayed her hands on his chest, letting him feel the prick of her claws. “You won’t be the only one marking their territory.” And then she raked those claws down his abs, drawing blood.

Snarling, Eli slammed his mouth down on hers again. He rocked his hips over and over, grinding against her clit, delighted by her little gasps. All the while, he squeezed that tight ass he had every intention of fucking at some point.

He’d known plenty of women, had had a lot of great sex. But not even during the hottest of those fucks had he felt anywhere near as good as he did right then. Everything was just so much more intense with Casey. Like she’d woken up nerve-endings that hadn’t before been active; ones that responded only to her.

Casey almost scowled when he pulled his hips back slightly, but then she heard a zipper lowering. Thank God. He pressed his cock against her pussy and, oh shit, she could feel it—so warm and hard—throbbing against her clit.

“I bet you taste as good as you smell, don’t you?” He dropped to his knees and nuzzled her pussy.

“No, I need—”

“Shh, I’ll give you what you need soon.” Eli parted her slick folds with his thumbs. “I’m not leaving this apartment until my come’s deep inside you.” He lashed her clit with his tongue.

Breaths sawing in and out of her, Casey kept her palms flat on the wall behind her as that wicked tongue devastated her pussy—licking, swirling, flicking, probing, and generally driving her insane.

God, she needed more. Needed him inside her. Needed his come inside her. And she knew her body wouldn’t give her a minute’s peace until she had it.

“Eli.” It was a demand for more that vibrated with hunger and desperation.

Standing, he lifted her leg and hooked it over his hip. “I’ve got a feeling I’m going to find myself addicted to your taste.”

Casey gasped as he swiped the smooth, thick head of his cock over her clit and between her folds. Again. And again. And again. “In me. Now.”

“Not yet.” Eli clawed off her tee and bra. He sighed happily at the sight of her breasts. “Hmm. I’ll be fucking these soon.”

To Casey’s utter delight, he didn’t cease swiping his cock through her folds while he squeezed and plumped her breasts, occasionally pinching, twisting, and plucking at her nipples until the taut buds were throbbing with both pleasure and pain.

But it was the whispers that really hit Casey in her core—whispers of how much he needed her, of what filthy things he wanted to do to her, of how much he craved the feel of her mouth around his cock.

Her pussy felt so empty it hurt. Casey almost whimpered. “Stop torturing me.”

Eli bit her lower lip, deliberately leaving a print of his teeth there. “You ready to be fucked now, Casey?”

“You know I am,” she rasped, throat dry. He hoisted her up and inched the thick head of his cock into her pussy—and, God, that felt amazing. But he didn’t thrust inside. Instead he drew one of her throbbing nipples into his mouth and suckled. Head falling back, she slid her fingers through his hair. “Seriously, stop with the torture.”

He blew over her wet nipple. “I’m going to come inside you, make you mine. You want that, don’t you?”

Her mink hissed, out of patience. “For God’s sake, yes. Fuck me.”

He arched a brow at her. “You know what I want.”

Yeah, she did. She’d just hoped she wouldn’t have to give it to him. She wasn’t sure how she knew what he needed from her—the knowledge was somehow instinctive.

“The longer you keep me waiting, the longer I’ll keep you waiting,” he said. “That’s how it’ll work. So, what will it be?”

Licking her lips, Casey gave him her throat. With a growl he slammed her down on his long, thick cock, stuffing her full. A whoosh of air gusted out of her lungs. God, it burned as he stretched her, but she didn’t care. She could only marvel over how utterly possessed he could make her feel with just the sensation of his cock filling her, throbbing against her inner walls so that she felt every beat of his heart.

Eli’s eyes fell shut. Finally. He was finally inside his mate, right where he needed to be. Jesus, she felt so damn hot and tight, it was almost too much.

He licked over her pulse. “Gonna mark you right here, so I can watch your brand throb every time your pulse beats.” Eli slowly withdrew, groaning as her inner muscles clutched and fluttered around his cock. “Who do you belong to, Casey?”

“You. And you belong to me,” she snarled.

“That’s right. You don’t let anyone else near this tight little pussy, Casey. Not a single soul.”

Then he was powering into her—oh God, yes, this was what she’d needed—filling the room with the sound of flesh slapping flesh. It only made it hotter that his firm grip on her ass held her still, forcing her to take the pounding he gave her. Happy to just hold on for the ride, Casey fisted his hair and dug her heels into the base of his spine.

His pace was furious as his cock sliced through her over and over, stroking her clit each time, winding her so tight Casey felt like she was stretched on a rubber band. This wouldn’t be a slow build up, she knew. No. Her release was going to hit her out of nowhere—she could sense it.

Eli uttered a curse. “Never had a pussy this fucking sweet.” He wasn’t going to last. He’d make it up to her later. Would worship every inch of her with his tongue, teeth, and hands. Right then, he needed to possess her. Stake his claim. Fuck her so hard she was mindless to anything except the need to come.

“Mouth,” he bit out, slamming hard and deep into the scorching hot pussy that belonged solely to him. “Give it to me.”

Casey pressed her mouth to his, moaning as his tongue sank inside. He kissed her over and over, pouring hungry growls down her throat. Greedily ravished her until she was arching, bucking, and clawing at his back.

She smelled both his blood and her own, and she knew they’d each left several deep brands. That thought only made her hotter. God, she was so close …

She tore her mouth from his, panting. “Harder, Eli.” Eyes dark with naked want, he set his mouth into a merciless slash and gave her what she asked for. Every thrust was as possessive as it was brutal. Her pussy couldn’t seem to get enough—it was squeezing and rippling and weeping around him.

He snarled. Grunted. Cursed.

She moaned. Whimpered. Breathed his name.

And then she felt it happening.

“Yeah, that’s it, come for me, Casey. Drain every bit of come from my cock.”

She shattered, swept under by the shockingly forceful orgasm that made her eyes go blind and trapped a scream in her throat. Sharp teeth sank into her neck just as his cock slammed deep once more, pulsing and shooting jet after jet of come inside her.

She felt him lick and suck on her bite, knew he was leaving an irrevocable mark. She chose that moment to leave her own, biting down on the crook of his neck, tasting blood.

Sapped of energy and floating in a post-orgasmic daze, she slumped against him, shaking with little aftershocks. Truly, her limbs felt like noodles. Well, he had told her that she wouldn’t be able to move after he was finished with—

Her eyes flew open as a sharp pain lanced through her head and chest, making her breath catch. Her vision briefly dimmed and blurred as her world tilted. Then the pain receded, and there was only the mating bond. Surprisingly strong for two people who barely knew each other, the bond vibrated with emotions. Satisfaction. Contentment. Awe. Calm.

Her mink sprawled on the floor with a yawn, happy and serene despite that the bond wasn’t yet complete. It would take certain steps to help the bond progress, and those steps could differ from couple to couple.

Casey weakly lifted her head from his shoulder. The look of pure languid satisfaction on his face would have made her feel smug if it weren’t for the fact that he’d done all the work. Damn her mate was delicious. God bless fate. “Hey,” she whispered.

His mouth curled into a warm, lazy smile. “Hey. You good?”

“Can’t feel my legs. Other than that? Super.” She slanted her head. “You?”

“Well, let’s see … I’ve got my mate wrapped around me, our bond is alive and strong, and she just made me come so hard my knees shook. Yeah, I’m good, baby.” Eli kissed her softly, sipping from her mouth, loving her taste.

He’d claimed his mate. The knowledge settled into him, trickling through his system like thick, warm honey and gifting him with a peace he’d never thought he could feel. It had all happened so damn fast that he should have been finding it hard to process. He wasn’t. Nothing had ever felt more natural than the feel of her soul bonded to his.

It didn’t matter that he hadn’t officially met her before today, he knew heron a level he couldn’t quite explain. Strands of emotions had already formed between them. Affection, respect, tenderness, and protectiveness—they were all there.

She’d chased away that loneliness that had plagued his soul for too long, warming all his cold spots, soothing every frayed edge, and filling every empty space. Never in his life had he truly felt balanced until right then. “How’s your mink doing?”

“Oh, she’s lazing right now, quite content. What about your wolf?”

“He’s happy. He wants to lick you all up and have some time with your mink. So do I.” Eli also wanted to get a good look at the claiming mark on his neck—it pulsated and stung, just like the other brands he could feel marring his skin. They made his wolf rumble a growl of contentment.

Eli breezed his thumb over the claiming bite on her neck, brimming with self-satisfaction. He intended to fully relish the time it took to get to know her. He was in no rush. The bond was humming with life between them. Casey was going nowhere.

“Hold on.” As soon as she curled her limbs around him, Eli said, “I want to take you again, but next time I want to do it in your bed.” He didn’t need to ask where it was, since the open-plan apartment was tiny. She’d clearly tried to separate the space into “rooms” by using different shades of paint for each one—magnolia for the living area, apricot for the kitchenette, bright white for the bedroom area.

She’d also used a tall shelving unit as a divider between the living space and small bedroom area. She didn’t have a lot of furniture, so the place didn’t look cluttered. Really, given that shifters didn’t do well in enclosed spaces, it was a wonder that the apartment didn’t drive her crazy, despite that it was warm and cozy.

Eli carefully settled her on the bed, shed the rest of his clothes, and then slid in beside her. She wasn’t small, but she was petite against his larger frame. He liked that, though he couldn’t really explain why. He just dug it.

Lying on his side facing her, he drank her in. She was truly beautiful with her bewitching eyes, extremely fuckable mouth, satin-soft skin, and delicious yet delicate curves. She also had a … presence. An energy that was gritty, earthy and commanded attention.

Nothing had ever enticed him the way she did. Everything about her incited his senses and drew him in. Her scent, her taste, the feel of her skin—all of it was perfect.

“I was starting to think I’d never find you.” He pressed a soft kiss to that plush mouth he had all kinds of plans for. “You were worth the wait.”

Casey felt her lips curl, feeling his sincerity through their bond. She could also sense how relaxed and at peace he felt, and that both warmed and reassured her.

She hadn’t realized how very alone she’d felt until the mating bond roared to life, connecting them. With her family, it had always felt like she was on the outside, watching a show unfold; she’d never felt a part of them. She had her soccer teammates and fellow enforcers, of course, but it wasn’t the same as having someone who was indispensable to you.

She’d only ever been truly close to her maternal grandparents, who’d taken her in when she was just fifteen. Both had long since passed on.

“So, is there a male in your life who’ll now need to be warned off?” he asked far too casually.

Goosebumps swept across her fresh. “No.” Dread suddenly filled her as she asked, “Were you dating anyone?” He simply shook his head. And the world was a fabulous place once again. “It feels wrong that I don’t know much about you other than your name.”

“I’m Head Enforcer for the Mercury Pack,” he said, gently removing her hair tie so he could unravel her sleek braid. “My brother, Nick, is Alpha male. My mother, Kathy, and my sister, Roni, are also part of the pack. There are eighteen of us in total. There’ll be nineteen once Ally has her baby. She’s the Beta female. Her mate, Derren, has been so extremely overprotective since she fell pregnant that he’s driving her crazy.”

“Wait, I’ve heard of your pack. It owns the Velvet Lounge, right? I went to the club once with my teammates. There was a woman singing there—she’s amazing. Her voice is all smoke and soul.”

“I think you mean Mila. She mated into the Phoenix Pack, which is closely allied to mine. She’s also a pallas cat, like my pack mate, Madisyn.”

“Those little felines might be cute as a button, but they’re plain crazy.”

His mouth kicked up into a smile. “I won’t deny that. Madisyn sure keeps Bracken—that’s her mate and one of my pack’s enforcers—on his toes.” Eli combed his fingers through the silky mass of Casey’s hair. He could just imagine bunching it in one hand as he took her from behind. “You said, ‘teammates.’ What do you mean by that?”

“I play for my pack’s female soccer team. Minks love soccer; it’s kind of our thing.”

“Yeah, I heard. The females were long ago banned from playing in the pros, though, because they tended to attack the referees or opposing team, right?”

“That’s right. So, now the female teams play against those from other mink packs. Each year, the six US teams compete against each other, all financially chipping in to cover the prize fund.”

“What position do you play?”

“I’m a forward. The teams take turns hosting the event. It’s our turn this year, so all the games will take place on my territory.”

“What’s the prize?”

“It’s often different each time—it can be anything from a team all-expenses-paid vacation to a year’s supply of luxury chocolate. All minks have a major sweet tooth, so the latter was a favorite of the past prizes. This year, the winning team will receive twenty-five grand, which will be distributed among the players. But it’s never really the promise of a prize that motivates us. The win itself means far more to minks than anything else—we’re highly competitive and hate to lose.”

“I can relate,” he said with a smile. “So, has your competition started yet?”

“It will soon. Whenever the games approach, our coach puts us through ten weeks of high-performance training, which basically involves an endless amount of soccer drills, sprints, and workouts so grueling that they make you want to die. We’re now on week nine. After training is over, the teams will draw straws to see who plays against who, and then they’ll eliminate each other over qualifying rounds. Those that come in first and second will then play in the final.”

Casey’s team, who called themselves the California Hounds, had won quite a few tournaments. The Orlando Seals, however, often bested the other teams and took home the prize. They were damn good, but the high-and-mighty females also loved to rub their win in the faces of the other teams and talk smack about them.

Miles’ ex-girlfriend, Sherryl, had switched from Casey’s pack to the Seals’ pack a year ago, and she was now a member of the Seals’ soccer team. This would be the first competition during which Sherryl would play against the Hounds, and what a fucking shitty situation that would be.

“I’m intrigued about what kind of player you are,” said Eli. “You’re a powder keg in the combat ring.” He fully intended to be at every one of her games, supporting and cheering her on. He had the feeling that she was as aggressive on the field as she was in the ring.

“I’m also an enforcer.”

“Yeah? Well, things must be pretty hectic for you.” In fact, Eli would be willing to bet her days were a lot more eventful than his. He was Head Enforcer, sure, but there were hundreds within her pack, and her territory was far larger than his.

Now okay, yes, Eli had to worry about attacks from outsiders and people invading his territory. Mink shifters rarely had such problems, since people tended to leave them be—a smart move. But … “I’d wager you have far more issues to resolve each day than I do. Talk me through the type of stuff you have to do.”

“I mostly patrol the streets and borders of my territory. I also answer the calls that are made by my pack mates—reports of vandalism, accidents, drunken brawls, overloud music, and so on and so on. Minks are highly strung, temperamental creatures who can get into an argument over just about anything. But we’re also quick to resolve issues, and we don’t hold grudges against pack mates. Some days are calm, but those days are few and far between. I’m used to it. I’ve been an enforcer since I was seventeen.”

Eli’s brows lifted. “That’s pretty young.”

“I always knew I wanted to be one. I was sixteen when I asked my Alpha to let me train for the position. Adrian’s a throwback to the years where women didn’t take on what he considers ‘masculine roles,’ so I wasn’t the least bit shocked when he said no.”

“But you didn’t let it deter you.”

“No. I badgered him and badgered him for months until, just to humor me, he agreed to put me through the enforcer training. He’d fully expected me to fail. In fact, he hadn’t thought I’d last the first day.” But Casey hadn’t failed. She’d worked her butt off. Put her body through the ringer to strengthen it. Had done everything the trainers asked of her. Mastered every skill and form of combat they insisted on teaching her.

“Even though I exceeded Adrian’s expectations, he kept claiming I wasn’t ‘up to standard yet.’” She snorted. “He simply hadn’t wanted a female enforcer in his ranks. His Betas intervened on my behalf, claiming I was ready. Adrian relented eventually, muttering that I had no quit in me.”

Eli smiled, pride flaring deep in his belly. God, she had so much grit and drive in her, and that appealed to him on a very primal level. Casey Frost knew who she was and what she wanted out of life, and she had no compunction about going after it. He admired and respected that. Admired and respected her.

He also loved that she had a highly competitive streak he could fully relate to. That was going to lead to a lot of fun in the bedroom.

She bit her lip. “I guess we’re going to have to decide which of us is moving packs at some point.”

“There’s no rush.” Eli wasn’t gonna lie, he hoped he could make her fall in love with his territory. He’d switch packs if she couldn’t be happy within his own, but he’d always found his territory somewhat magical. If they did stay on Craven territory, they’d need to get another place, because he could never live in this apartment.

He glanced around the bedroom area. “I wouldn’t have thought a shifter could function living in such a small place.”

Casey sighed. “Yeah, I guess it’s fair to say I have pretty tight quarters. But size isn’t the only thing that matters and … Wait, I didn’t just say tight quarters, did I?”

Unable to stifle a smile, Eli cleared his throat. “You did, baby, yeah.”

Casey groaned. “I should probably warn you that I have a mortifying tendency to accidentally spout out sexual innuendos. But we’ll ignore that.”

His lips twitched. “All right.”

“I should probably also warn you that I’ve never been good at relationships.”

“Neither have I,” he admitted. “Or maybe I just wasn’t fully invested in my past relationships because those women weren’t you. We’ll find our way.”

She nodded. “There are no hard and fast rules, so there’s no sense in us obsessing over the ins and outs of everything. But since being closed off can have a deep impact on the bond, we should also take a long, hard look at …” Trailing off, she cursed. “See what I mean about the innuendos? Just scrap the last few seconds from your mind.”

His shoulders shaking, Eli dipped his head and pressed a kiss to the hollow of her throat. “My pack mates are going to be very anxious to meet you.” Especially his siblings. His mother? Kathy might be weird about it, especially since she disliked pretty much all breeds of shifter that weren’t wolves. Which meant it would probably be best if Casey wasn’t there when he first told Kathy about her.

“I have a lot to do tomorrow—including soccer practice and enforcer stuff,” she told him. “But I’ll be done by five.”

“All right. How about I pick you up at six and take you to my territory for dinner?”

“You sure you wouldn’t rather give your pack some time to get used to the idea of you being mated?”

“Fuck, no. I want them to meet you. I want you to meet them. And if I don’t take you, the females of my pack will harass me until I do. Especially Shaya, the Alpha female, since she’s not the most patient of people. You’ll like her, and she’ll definitely like you.”

“Are you close to your family and pack mates?”

“Yes, though I think some people might find it hard to believe that me and my sister are close. We constantly play pranks on each other and take sibling rivalry to a whole other level. We’ve been that way for as long as I can remember. She’s a tomboy with an IQ that would intimidate most people. She’s also an enforcer, and highly dominant.”

Eli paused to trace the tattoo on Casey’s side with his finger. The cluster of red roses was incredibly vivid and detailed. He loved that a sparrow wearing a top hat was nestled among the flowers. His mate had a streak of whimsy in her. “My brother, Nick, is like most Alphas—thinks he’s always right, wants everything to go his way, and is hyper-protective of the people he cares for. He and I get along well. My mother … I’ve got to be honest, I think she might irritate you at first.”

Casey’s brow creased. “Why?”

“Kathy was once a very open, trusting person. But after my dad died when I was just a kid, she changed. Became harder, colder, less accepting of people. She feels threatened by change, and she tends to stick her nose in places where it doesn’t belong.

“Don’t get me wrong, she’s a good person. She’ll kill or die for those she loves. And people respect her because she didn’t let go after her mate died, didn’t fall into a well of self-pity; she fought to live for Nick, Roni, and me. We’re grateful to her for that. But it doesn’t change that she can be a major pain in the ass when she chooses to be.”

“If she tries sharpening her claws on me, I won’t sit back and take it. You should know that now.”

“Baby, I wouldn’t expect you to take it. Not from her, not from anyone. I just wanted to warn you that she probably won’t make a great first impression on you.” Eli tugged her a little closer. “Tell me about your family.”

Casey inwardly groaned. She didn’t like talking about them, but she couldn’t exactly blow off the question when this was her mate. “My parents, Ira and Gayle, mated when they were eighteen. My dad is human, and my mother is a latent shifter. Honestly, I think Ira might have fought the pull of the mating bond if she hadn’t been latent—he doesn’t like shifters much. He was beaten by a gang of jackals when he was eleven. Beaten bad.”

Eli cursed. “Jackals can be cruel little fuckers.”

She nodded. “Ira didn’t want to live on pack territory, so he convinced Gayle to live as a human. My brother and sister are both latent like her, which means my dad can pretend they don’t possess shifter blood. But with me, he doesn’t have that luxury. I was thirteen when I shifted for the first time. He hit the roof. Threatened to throw me out if I ever shifted again.”

Eli’s eyes flashed wolf. “He what? Tell me your mother spoke up for you.”

“Gayle rarely contradicts her mate. She just told me to never shift near or inside the house, so I spent more and more time at pack territory. Despite that my mom left, the Alpha always considered her, me, and my siblings to be unofficial members, so I was welcome to visit whenever I wanted.”

“When did you move here?”

“When I was fifteen.” She licked her lips. “Me and my dad got into a fight, which wasn’t unusual. He said some pretty shitty stuff, and then he grabbed me by the throat. My mink rose just enough to take a hard swipe at his face, her claws out. Ira freaked. And for the first time, he looked truly scared of me.”

A growl rattled in Eli’s chest. “He should never have fucking touched you that way.”

“No, he shouldn’t have. He told me to get out and never come back, but I’d already decided I was leaving. While my mother was busy trying to calm him down, I packed my shit with my brother’s help. Miles then gave me a ride to pack territory. I’ve been living here ever since.”

“Do you still see your parents?”

“No. Miles told me that Ira forbid him, Mom, and my sister from contacting me. Miles was the only one who disobeyed that order. To be truthful, Dad never liked me anyway. I was a disappointment from the start. Both my siblings were child prodigies, you know. Emily’s a walking calculator. She has all kinds of degrees in mathematics, and she got the first of them when she was six. Miles is a violinist. He started playing when he was two, and he mastered it after only five months of training. That’s no exaggeration.

“Me? I’m not academic. Or musical. Or ‘gifted’ in any area other than sports, which he doesn’t consider relevant. I’m not bitter that I’m not a genius, so please don’t think I am.”

“I know you’re not, I’d sense it through the bond if you were bitter.”

“I never minded that I wasn’t a prodigy. I just minded that my father minded. He and Mom put all their time and attention into my siblings, supporting and encouraging them. And I’m not saying they shouldn’t have. Child prodigies can be a handful.”

“But you needed that time and attention, too.”

Her nose wrinkled. “Not really. I just needed my father to not make me feel ‘less’ simply because I wasn’t a genius. His disappointment in me bloomed into full-blown disgust when he realized I could shift.

“Really, Emily’s the only child that Ira feels any pride in now. Not just because she’s super smart. She’s always fallen in line with what he wanted, always met his expectations. In short, she reflects well on Ira. Makes him look good to the outside world, which is important to him.”

Another growl built in Eli’s throat. Her sense of isolation fluttered down their mating bond. Ira had succeeded in making her feel like an outsider in her own family, the bastard, long before he’d tossed her away. Well, now she had Eli. She’d never be or feel alone again. “Does your sister share his view of shifters, even though she’s part shifter herself?”

“I don’t know. Emily is somewhat haughty and self-involved. She wasn’t nice or mean when we were growing up. I was sort of inconsequential to her. But when my mink surfaced, she changed. Became distant. I could never tell if she was just adopting my father’s views or if she was jealous that my animal had surfaced when hers hadn’t.”

“Was Miles jealous?”

“No, though he’s disappointed that he’s latent. He’s different from Emily. Cocky, sure, but also fun and quick to laugh. A sensitive soul. He spoke up for me if Ira went too far. He snuck me treats whenever I was confined to my room. Helped me with my schoolwork.”

Her brow furrowed as she added, “But he retreated into himself after his girlfriend—who’d also been one of my teammates—Sherryl, ended the relationship. See, the stirrings of an imprint bond had been there. It meant that the separation wasn’t easy on him. It gave him bad headaches and mood swings. It also made him slightly depressed.

“He withdrew from everyone. Disappeared for days at a time. I heard he was hanging out at shifter bars, but I didn’t think much of it. I don’t know at what point he started taking drugs—he was never specific about it. I only know that Ignacio gave him drugs for free at first.”

“He got Miles hooked on them.”

Casey nodded. “My father has disowned him, just as he did me, so my parents won’t help him. I’m really all Miles has. He never contacts me, though. You hear of addicts lying to and stealing from their relatives, but Miles … it’s like he just wanted to cut everything out of his life that reminded him of Sherryl—even me. Or maybe it’s that he just can’t face me, ashamed of how low he sank. Maybe it’s both, I don’t know.”

Eli smoothed his hand up and down her back. He now understood the reason for her unwavering loyalty to her brother. Miles was the only member of her family who’d never made her feel like she wasn’t good enough for said family. He’d stood up for her, he’d brought her to a place where she was safe, he hadn’t tainted the surfacing of her mink, and he’d kept in contact with her up until his own life fell apart. The rest of her family? They were fucking useless, as far as Eli was concerned.

He kissed her shoulder. “My dad was hard on us, but not in a shitty way. He was just all about tough love. He taught us that second best didn’t count, which might be why I hate not winning.”

“I’m sorry that you lost him.” Casey slid her hand over the intricate, tribal tattoo that not only spanned the left side of his chest but also covered his left arm. There was another tattoo on his right bicep; the face of an old, mechanical clock blended with a chess board on which a few pieces sat. Casey swiped her finger over the small numbers that had been tattooed just beneath the clock. “The date and time of your dad’s death?”

“Yeah. He was a master chess player. And if it looked like you might just manage to beat him at it, he’d swipe the board.”

She chuckled. “Miles used to love playing chess when he was a kid.”

Able to feel her pain as if it were his own, Eli kissed her, wishing he could take it away. He could feel sympathy for Miles, despite that he couldn’t condone the mink’s way of coping with his pain. But he really didn’t like that her brother had lumbered her with his baggage. Well, she’d no longer be dealing with the Ignacio situation alone.

Just the bastard’s name was enough to make his wolf snarl and pace. It had recognized the powerful predator in Ignacio; had seen that said predator had locked its sights on Casey, and he wanted to hunt the cougar down.

“How much does your brother owe Ignacio?” he asked. Her expression shuttered. “How much, Casey? I can’t help if you don’t talk to me.”

“I can handle this myself. Really.”

Yeah, he’d figured she’d say that. “You have no idea how dangerous that cougar is. You lost him money tonight. He’ll add that to your brother’s debt, and he’s not going to give you the option of paying it off a little at a time. You embarrassed him. You defied him. And then you put his own blade to his throat.”

“I know, I was there.”

Smart ass. “He’s going to want his pound of flesh.” Eli was surprised that Ignacio had let things get that far outside The Den. Eli had waited in the shadows, ready to intervene if the cougar moved to harm her or ordered his cats to do so for him. But the Alpha had seemed content to merely toy with her, which made absolutely no sense to Eli … unless the cougar had simply been drawing the whole thing out for his own amusement.

“I appreciate you wanting to help, but it’s my issue to deal with.”

“You’re not dealing with it alone, and that’s that.” Eli tensed as her eyes briefly flashed mink and he saw the animal’s annoyance. He really didn’t want to tangle with her mink. For one thing, he had a sentimental attachment to his nose and fingers. Minks would bite right down to the bone, and they weren’t always keen to let go. Two, trying to pin it down would work about as well as trying to baptize a cat.

Still, he wasn’t prepared to drop this matter. He rubbed Casey’s arm. “I know you think you’re protecting your brother by paying his debts, Casey, but you’re not really helping him. If he doesn’t have to face up to his mistakes, he’ll keep on making them.”

“Would you leave the fate of someone you cared for to Ignacio?”

Hell, no. He sighed. “Tell me how much Miles owes him.”

Casey didn’t know how, but his voice … it seemed to reach inside her, pull at her, compel her to obey. She didn’t think he even realized it. No, she got the sense that it was just part of the sheer force of his personality—a personality so big and powerful that it was almost like a weight, and it battered at her defenses.

He might not be a born alpha, but he was close enough for it to count. Going toe-to-toe with him would be truly like coming up against a brick wall. Good thing for her that she’d never been a pushover.

He nipped her chin. “Tell me.”

“You’re used to getting your own way, aren’t you?”

“My mom always said I had a one-track mind. When I want something, nothing will distract me from going after it.”

“Oh, I see. You live in Eli’s World. A place where it’s always sunny and warm and everything goes how you want it to go. Awesome.” Hell, Casey herself was somewhat single-minded—she owned that. But it seemed that Eli had her beat by a landslide.

She got the feeling that he’d be ten times more demanding than any of her exes were. This wolf was someone who would take and take and take, leaving a girl feeling wrung dry, unless she could somehow make herself stand up to be counted.

“My world is a good place to be, that’s true. Especially now that you’re finally in it.” He brushed his mouth over hers. “Tell me, Casey. I get that we don’t know each other well and it may feel strange to trust me with this, but I’m your mate. You don’t have to deal with this shit alone anymore. I’m here now. I protect what belongs to me, I keep it safe—it’s my right. Don’t try to take that away from me. Let me help you with this. You’d say the same thing to me if the situation was reversed.”

Unable to argue that, Casey sighed. As his mate, she saw it as her right to defend and protect him, so she could hardly deny him this. “Four-hundred dollars. It’s not about the amount for Ignacio. It’s the principle. Miles doesn’t always leave me to take care of his debts. Sometimes he pays them. Other times he disappears so well that not even Ignacio can find him.”

Eli twisted his mouth. “I’ll pay Ignacio the four-hundred. No, don’t argue, just listen. I will pay it, and I will make it clear to him that it will be the last time you take care of Miles’ debts. I’ll also make it clear that if Ignacio comes at you in any way, he’ll deal with the kind of blowback from which he’ll never recover.”

“If you want to talk to Ignacio, fine, but the only way you’re handing him the four-hundred dollars is if I give that money to you.”

“All right.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I mean it, Eli.”

“I know you do.” Eli closed his hand over one perky, creamy breast and gave it a possessive squeeze. It was enough to make her nipple bead. “I have no idea how you can get your skin this soft.”

“You’re trying to distract me,” she accused.

Of course he was. Eli skimmed his fingertips over the folds of her pussy. “You sore?”

“Not in a bad way.”

“Good. Because I want you again.” Eli rolled her onto her back. “This time, we’ll take it slow.”