The doorbell buzzed, pulling him from sleep. Mike stumbled out of bed and scrubbed a hand over his face, blinking at the clock that blurred.
Then the pounding started. Mike walked through the apartment to open the door. Sasha was on his heels, barking excitedly.
Roxy stood there with her hands on her hips and her eyes blazing white—fucking white—not blue. “What the hell is going on with you?” she demanded, waving her hand up and down at him.
“Shit, come in,” he grumbled.
She didn’t move. “I come home today and I can feel magic pouring off you from across the damned street.”
“Roxy, it’s seven in the fucking morning. Why are you waking me up with this nonsense?”
“I can feel your magic. You have magic! When did that happen? And why aren’t you freaking out?”
He grabbed her wrist and dragged her inside before slamming the door. Rubbing his head with a frown, he asked, “You can feel it that far away?”
She nodded. “It’s like a damn beacon. Talk to me.”
He slumped onto the couch. Having greeted Roxy, Sasha curled up at his feet. “How about you talk first. When did you find out about your magic?”
Her eyes narrowed. “You’re going to redirect this conversation?”
“Fuck, fine. Yes, I know what I am.”
“You never had magic before.”
He laughed bitterly. “Not exactly true.”
“Who and what is she?” Roxy demanded as her eyes flew to the hall where a grumpy mage stood in tiny shorts and a tank that did nothing to hide her lush curves.
His stupid dick stood up and he dragged a pillow over his lap before anyone could notice.
Too late, Roxy’s attention jolted to him, her nostrils flaring as she breathed deep. “Oh, eww! What the hell did I walk in on?”
Gwen grinned, a sparkle in her eyes. “Don’t worry, cupcake. I haven’t slept with your brother—lately. Though I have nothing against feral loving with a druid. But first, he’s got to get over his fear.”
“Oh, fuck me sideways.” Mike got up and walked back to his room where he slammed the door, and locked it, before going to his bathroom, and locking that door too.
Roxy called after him, “Mikey, don’t shut me out. A lock won’t keep me from breaking the damned door down. You need to start explaining.”
He turned on the water and tried to wish it all away.
Roxy shouted, her attention clearly redirected to Gwen, “You stop your laughing. I’m trying to give whatever you are the benefit of the doubt.”
“It’s too damned early for this,” Mike yelled back and stepped into the freezing cold shower.
* * * *
Gwen attempted not to laugh her ass off as she started a pot of super-strong, curl-your-toes coffee. Roxy had followed her brother to his bedroom door.
Then someone pressed the buzzer. Gwen and Sasha answered the door. She found herself staring at a gorgeous man who sniffed the air and frowned down at her.
Mike had already told her about Roxy and her new husband. She assumed she was staring up at Trevor. Then Sasha scooted closer to him, confirming her assumption.
“Interesting. I’m almost afraid to ask.” His Irish accent was so damned sexy. And one more clue for good measure.
“Trevor?”
He nodded, his brow arching.
“I’m Gwen. Your woman is down the hall. I’m making us some coffee. I have a feeling we’ll all need it.”
Wolf-boy chuckled. “You know what we are?”
She nodded. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”
His brow arched. “You’re Silver Council though, right?”
Sighing, she nodded. “But I’m not here on Silver Council business. Well, not exactly.” She headed toward the kitchen. “My goal is to help Mike accept what he is.”
“Mikey, I’m coming in,” Roxy slammed her hand on the bedroom door.
His jade eyes snapped to his mate and went wide. “Now I’m doubly curious. You can explain in a few.” He stepped inside and shut the door before striding toward Roxy. Taking her face in his big hands, he murmured, “Calm down, A Chroí.”
Aww, he was sweet, and good. He stopped over-protective little sis from busting down the door.
Roxy shook him off. “Calm! You want me calm? First, there’s some weird caster here with her own magic sparking along my senses. Then Mikey’s in there giving off power like he’s about to light up the whole damned town, and you want me calm?”
“Yeah, love, calm. We can figure this out. The woman is a mage. She was clearly invited, and…” he sniffed, “they haven’t been together, if it makes you feel better.”
She growled, “He wants her though, and she sure as hell wants him.”
Gwen sighed and moved to the hallway. “Look, I’m not going to take advantage of your brother. He’s a sweet guy who has two choices. Learn to accept his magic, or attempt to convince Tremaine to lock it up again. For the latter, hell is more likely to hit glacial temperatures because Mike will take out most of Seattle when the magic blows. So I’m here to teach him control.”
Roxy’s hands landed on her hips as she spun toward Gwen. “Tremaine? What does he have to do with anything?”
“I’m sure Mike will explain, but if you’re impatient I’ll give it a shot.”
“Talk.”
Gwen snorted. “Look, Roxy, I get why you’re pissed off, but tone back your beast a bit. Okay?”
Roxy’s eyes flared, then she blinked in confusion.
“Give her a chance,” Trevor urged.
Roxy closed her eyes and breathed deep. When she opened them, they were back to the beautiful blue color of Mike’s. Sasha crept over, sliding her head under Roxy’s hand. “You aren’t using him for something?”
Gwen crossed her arms over her chest. “No. I want to help. Simple as that.”
“And you want him.”
Gwen nodded. “Wanted him from the second I saw him. Won’t lie about that. However, before I go after sex, I’m going to help him.”
Roxy’s eyes flashed white. “Why do you care?”
“Watched my brother’s magic break loose. The rush of power killed him and several other innocent bystanders. Similar situation to Mike’s in that he also had someone blocking his magic for too long.”
“Blocking it? Mike had no magic.”
“Oh, he’s always had it, but it was bound up, locked away. Tremaine has been casting the spells since you were both little. Until yesterday, Tremaine was recasting the wards, but he put his foot down when Mike showed up. I happened to be there, and I wanted to help.”
“I hadn’t ever met Tremaine until a few months ago.”
Gwen shrugged. “I don’t know all the details. Tremaine claimed he shut down your magic once and that was all it took. Mike, on the other hand, had to go back on a regular basis to keep his under control.”
“I don’t remember any of that.”
“You’ll have to talk to Mike. I only know what they told me.”
The fire died in Roxy’s eyes. “And he’s known all along?”
She nodded.
Mike opened the bedroom door and crossed his arms over his broad chest. He wore a pair of gym shorts and a towel over his sculpted shoulders.
A wave of lust hit her, and Roxy growled.
Gwen snapped a glare at Roxy. “Oh, for the love of god, if you put a half-naked gorgeous man in front of me, of course my mind is going to sink straight to the gutter. I can’t help the fact he’s your brother, or that you have a super-wolfie sniffer.”
Sasha voted by moving to sit next to Gwen.
Mike’s brow arched as she looked up at him. Then he licked his juicy lip and bit down.
Closing her eyes, she took a slow breath. “And now he’s taunting me, so thank you.”
Roxy gasped and there was a smack.
Gwen looked to find Mike frowning at Roxy. “What was that for?”
“She’s behaving, so you should too.”
“It’s too early for this shit,” he groaned. “You’re the one who showed up at the ass-crack of dawn.”
Gwen let out an amused laugh. “I made coffee.”
“Mmm,” he rumbled, and moved past them all to get a cup.
Roxy poked her head in Mike’s room and sniffed. “You didn’t sleep in there?” she asked with wide eyes.
“He has a guest room, and like I said, I’m more worried about getting his power under control than taking a ride on his magic stick.” She scooted past Roxy and Trevor, throwing her shields up as she went. Sasha followed on her heels.
Roxy’s protective snarl made Gwen chuckle.
Trevor tsked. “I wouldn’t taunt her. The shield she threw up is likely to zap you.”
Gwen added, “Listen to your man. He knows what he’s talking about.”
Mike gave her an amused smile as she walked around the counter and poured herself a cup of coffee. For her loyalty, Gwen slipped Sasha a biscuit from the treat jar.
* * * *
Coffee in hand, Mike leaned against the island and laid everything out for his sister. When he was done, everyone was silent a moment.
Roxy’s face scrunched as fury lit her eyes. “That bitch left you because you saved her life?”
Mike sighed. “She’s not a bitch. But don’t worry, I’m over her. Not what she called me, or the reason she left, but I get why I scared the fuck out of her. I wouldn’t take her back, but I can’t hate her for being afraid.” He wouldn’t mention he ran into Amanda a couple days before. Roxy wanted to tear her a new one, and now that she had claws, it was a real risk.
“Good. She treated you like shit anyway.” Her anger melted and a frown pulled her lips down. “Why didn’t you tell me you knew when I changed?”
“Didn’t want you to tell me what Tremaine has been telling me since Mom passed. I still don’t want to deal with my magic. Nothing good can come from it.”
“You’re alive when you might not have been. Amanda is alive when he could have easily shot you both. I’d say that’s pretty good, even if she was too stupid to appreciate you.”
Mike groaned. “Please, no more Amanda talk. It’s over. I’d rather deal with my power than kill everyone around me when it rips me apart.”
Trevor tapped his fingers on the table. “Then you know what Fiona is?”
Mike nodded. “Have all along. I couldn’t tap into my magic while it was warded up, except when it bled over, but I could still sense Others. Always have.”
“And you didn’t say anything when I introduced you to your half-sister?”
Mike crossed his arms over his chest with a scowl. “Yeah, I get it, I’m a dumbass. What do you want me to say? I don’t want this, but I can’t keep running.”
“Fiona could help you,” Roxy pointed out.
“No. I got this. Okay? Gwen has it under control. She understands my particular situation better than anyone else.”
Roxy shook her head. “Need I remind you, she’s a mage—not a druid.”
He huffed. “Yeah, well she also isn’t my sister. If I fuck up, she laughs it off and helps me fix it. You’d give me hell.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, her eyes narrowed. “I’d help. I wouldn’t be a bitch.”
“No, but I’d feel even more stupid than I already do.”
Roxy gave Gwen an appraising look. “You trust her?”
Mike looked to Gwen and smiled. “I do.”
“And Mr. Happy standing at attention for her doesn’t affect that?”
“Stop with the whole scenting everything.” He sighed and shifted his gaze to Gwen. “If she still wants me after whipping my ass into shape, I have every intention of exploring the possibilities with her.”
Grinning, Gwen turned to him. “I can be patient.”
Roxy groaned.
Trevor chuckled. “I like her. She doesn’t hold back, and she has your brother’s best interests at heart.”
Gwen nodded. “I was trying to convince him to tell you yesterday. You showing up was pretty perfect.”
Roxy looked at Gwen. Mike had the urge to step between them but relaxed when his sister finally smiled and held her hand out. “Truce?”
Grinning, she shook. “Truce, but for the record, I wasn’t holding any of this against you. You’re a new wolf, and you don’t know me.”
Trevor nudged Roxy. “Told you. Give her a chance.”
Roxy turned to Mike. “If you need anything from me, or any of us, let me know.”
“I’ll keep it in mind,” Mike replied.
“Actually,” Gwen gave him an apologetic smile, “sometime soon, I’m going to want Mike to get some practice in as his beast. We need somewhere quiet where the average human won’t show up. He needs to be around other big animals. His go to form seems to be a tiger, though. Think you and your guys can handle that?”
Roxy grinned. “So much is starting to make sense.”
“How so?” Mike asked.
“Your tiger on your side. The falcon on your back. Even, um…” her gaze skated to Gwen and back to him, “Even your thing with Isa.”
He gave her a warning look. “She’ll always be a friend.”
Gwen couldn’t help wondering, but she knew Isa had since found her mate. She believed Mike when he admitted to being relieved that Toryn had finally claimed Isa. She could relate.
Trevor spoke up. “Joey and I can help you with your beast. Shane can oversee.”
Mike rubbed at his temples. “Yeah, I guess.” He turned to Gwen. “That is, if you really think it’s necessary.”
“You want to be comfortable in all your forms in case you ever have to shift. There’s one other person I know who might help as well, or better, than werewolves.” She nodded toward Roxy. “No offense, but you’re new to your magic, and I don’t know Fiona. Fallon can shift into damn near anything, and I already spoke with her yesterday. She said she’d help, but not with sparring for her mate’s sake.”
Mike’s eyes flared. “She’s pregnant, and I’ve never met Fallon.”
Gwen smiled knowingly. “I hear Roxy has.”
Roxy nodded. “She’s cool, and can train you probably better than anyone.”
He glanced at his watch and sneered before looking up. “Okay everyone, I need to go. I’m meeting a client in an hour and should get ready.” He got up to move around the island and gave Roxy a hug. “You going to get over me keeping this secret?”
“All ready over it. I get it. Promise me no more hiding?”
“I promise.”
“Love ya, Mikey.” She gave him a kiss on the cheek before dragging Trevor out the door. He waved goodbye.
Turning to Gwen, he took a breath before stating, “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but you can’t come to this meeting.”
“Wasn’t planning on it. You can call me if you need me. I have a plan for later. As long as you’re willing.”