Macauley walked home with his three betas while they talked a mile a minute. Bundy was closest to him, always near his side as he had an animated disagreement with Anna. He wasn’t listening to them because all he could think about was if Adres would come to him like he’d demanded. He’d been avoiding and blocking him for days. He didn’t believe he could take much more. The thought of Adres being hungry, almost starving and refusing to feed from him, was unacceptable.

“That was fucking wild what just happened in there.” Rich clutched his head as if his brain was having a meltdown. “Did you see the way Adres moved and the way Wrath enveloped him with his heat waves, but he didn’t burn?”

“I know.” Anna laughed. “I couldn’t believe my eyes when he sent Ramon flying into the wall with that light from his sword.”

“And what the hell kind of sword is that?”

“It’s magic, dumbass,” Anna told Bundy. “You saw the light.”

“Was it me or did Wrath kiss him?”

Macauley almost tripped over a bulging tree root, but he quickly righted himself.

“That wasn’t a kiss. It was a blessing from a demigod.” Anna sighed. “Wow. Adres Cavalerie is something else. His scary face and that dark magic. It’s kinda hot, right? I wonder if he’s into men or women? I heard vampires don’t care about that.”

Macauley’s wolf growled inside. Adres was his. He had to do something about the ache in his chest. His mate was right fucking here, on his pack lands, in arm’s reach. His wolf wasn’t liking that they weren’t mated yet, and frankly, neither was he. It was like dangling a pork chop bone in front of a dog but never letting him sink his teeth into it.

“Since Adres and Wrath killed the actual bad assassins and the prisoners are no longer a threat, then Justice will probably lift the curfew tomorrow!”

“Hells yeah. Finally.” Rich high-fived Bundy. “I need to shift and run… and not just around the damn compound.”

“The first thing I want is a rematch too,” Anna growled at Rich. “Double or nothing this time. Last one to touch the Mother’s rock at the top of Mt. Osceola has night watch for a week.”

“You’re so on!” Rich yelled.

Macauley was getting a headache. He rubbed at his throbbing temples, happy to see his cabin come into view.

“I don’t think I can wait another—”

“You guys can go for a run if you want. Justice is going to lift the curfew in the morning, so go ahead, no need to wait until tomorrow night for your rematch.” He told his betas to get them out of his hair. He was glad they were in such good spirits now, but he wasn’t in the mood to celebrate at the moment.

“Yeah!” Rich laughed as he began to yank his hoodie from over his head, Anna beaming widely and following his lead.

Bundy turned to face him. “You good, Alpha?”

Macauley nodded stiffly.

“Are you sure? You seem off or something. The past few days you haven’t really been yourself.”

Because I want my mate. Macauley’s body was thrumming with anxious energy, and for the first time, his betas were getting on his nerves. It was a telltale sign that the nature of who he was was being challenged. He needed to care for his mate.

“I’m fine… or I will be.” Macauley cupped Bundy’s shoulder and nodded towards Anna and Rich, who had already shifted into their tawny-colored wolves and were racing for the tree line. “Go on. Have fun. I just need some good sleep.”

“Okay.”

Macauley didn’t have to tell him a third time before Bundy flexed his neck muscles and shifted into his gray wolf. He caught up quickly to Anna and nipped at her tail, making her snarl and double her speed. Macauley waited until they were out of sight to release his exhausted sigh of relief. He was about to turn the doorknob to go into his home when he heard footsteps a few yards away.

“We can keep an eye on them for you if you like, Alpha,” Omor said as he and his twin approached him.

They’d done a good job at keeping their distance and not making him feel followed or watched all night long, but now that there was nothing to worry about, he felt the protection detail was a bit much now.

“I’d appreciate that,” Macauley said. “And I’m glad you guys are able to go about your regular duties now and not have to watch me like a hawk.”

Daciana tossed a long, blonde lock off her shoulder. “Oh, we still have to protect you… but not when the Lord of Arms is with you.”

Macauley snorted. “Adres isn’t here now.”

Omor and Daciana glanced back and forth between each other, their dark eyes sparkling with amusement. Daciana blushed. “Yes he is, Alpha.”

Omor chuckled before flashing away in the direction of Macauley’s betas.

He turned three hundred and sixty degrees, but he didn’t see Adres… nor could he scent him, which only served to infuriate him. “I don’t know what’s with the hiding act. But when you’re ready to be a man, I’ll be inside waiting,” he scolded, then slammed his front door shut behind him.

He was done playing games with his mate.

Macauley yanked his sweater over his head and tossed it onto the dining table on his way into the kitchen. He was starving, but he also wasn’t in the mood to jog over to Justice’s house and raid Henry’s leftovers. Instead, he made himself a heaping turkey, ham, and pastrami sandwich that he paired with a bag of plain potato chips. He ate standing in front of his counter and glanced around his home, trying to see it for the first time, the way Adres would.

His house was an open floor plan with a large stone fireplace almost as big as the one in the main house. While they didn’t get cold often, there were plenty of days in the winter when the snow was up to his window seal, and without that heat source, he’d freeze his nuts off. He didn’t have blackout curtains over his windows or even shutters like he’d installed for Alek when he mated with Belleron. He’d have to fix that.

Just like the rest of his brothers, they all had oversized furniture to accommodate their size, and he could see himself curling up on the wide chaise lounge and watching a movie with Adres resting against his chest.

Macauley shoved the last bite of his sandwich into his mouth and chased it down with a bottle of water. Once he was done, he wiped away the few crumbs he’d dropped onto the granite counter and turned off his kitchen light. He’d give Adres until the time he got out of the shower, and if he hadn’t shown up, then Macauley was going to hunt him down, and when he found him, it wouldn’t be pretty.

How dare his own mate be so disrespectful.

Macauley turned his taps on, ready to wash away the fatigue and stress of the day. He was getting backed up on his orders in his shop, and there was no way he was getting to those maintenance requests he had from at least five cabins last week. He hadn’t been able to focus on anything but healing his mate.

The steam began to fill the large space quickly, and Macauley couldn’t wait to enjoy the high-water pressure. He’d spent the most time and detail on his master bedroom and bathroom, which included a separate shower and a deep claw-foot tub that was perfect for days like this. He stepped underneath the dual showerheads and dropped his head to let the hot water beat against the knots at the base of his neck. It felt good to be able to take his time.

He poured a large dollop of bodywash into his palm and rubbed it over his chest. His nipples were hard and wanting to be bitten as he massaged the cardamom-scented soap along his pecs. He drizzled more down his abs and worked up a good lather before he took his cock in his hand and gave it a long stroke. Ahh fuck. He was too damn sensitive to hold back his groan, having gone too long since he’d had a decent release. Forever since he’d had a meaningful one.

He leaned against the tiled wall and spread his legs wider while the water massaged his body. Macauley slipped one hand under his balls and massaged the sensitive skin while he kept the other on his shaft. Thoughts of Adres being there with him, his pale body dripping wet, his dark gray-and-black hair slicked back, and his long fangs piercing his throat, ramped up the sensations until Macauley was gasping for breath. Need slammed into him as he gripped himself tighter and jerked slower, figuring this would need to last him a while.

Mmmm. Macauley was close already and he hadn’t been in there a whole five minutes. The veins in his forearms bulged with his restraint to be patient. It was a virtue he’d have to master if he was going to win the trust of his mate. And his soul.

The fire inside Macauley was growing hotter, the flames licking at his faltering self-control. He knew he was about to erupt, but no sooner had his balls tightened like walnuts and his dick pulsed in his hand, he heard his mate enter his home.

Or more like felt him.

Awareness prickled at the back of his neck, and excitement drenched him faster than the waterfall he stood under. Adres didn’t have a single shield up. Macauley released a sigh of relief and a groan of frustration at his neglected hardness which was going to have to wait a while longer. He turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. He inhaled deeply to see where his mate was as he tied a towel low around his waist, surprised to scent him just outside the door. Macauley’s cock pressed against the soft cotton when he smelled the richness of leather and the fragrance of sweet plums.

Mate, his wolf growled at him. His beast didn’t understand what their silly human hang-ups were. Their mate was right there in front of them and ripened for the taking.