"We never agreed to give you a wife."Shixyll grinned evilly, and for a second Ezra shut his eyes.She was openly disrespecting him.It was insulting to give him a worthless witch, but she'd taken it one step further and given him a male.He should've realized, but somewhere he'd heard shifters weren't picky about the gender of their bed partners.It was the one intriguing thing he'd picked up on.
He should've known it wasn't true.
"You promised me a mate."
"I did, and I'm giving you Ezra."She yanked at his arm, making him stumble since he hadn't been prepared.
"A male?"Amber eyes swept over his face but didn't linger long enough to meet his gaze.Ezra assumed the shifters knew witch clans were run by women.Of course they did.Flint had negotiated with Shixyll after all.
"You don't care what you stick your dick into, do you?"Shixyll cackled."Take it or leave it."
Ezra flinched, and he did nothing to hide his reaction.Shixyll might punish him, but he doubted it would be worse than what Flint would do to him.
Ezra held his breath as he waited for an explosion.Would the war restart right here?Ezra almost expected it to.Maybe it had been Shixyll's plan all along--bring Ezra here, disrespect Flint so much he had no choice but to retaliate, and then it would start all over again.
Flint snorted."Right.Let's get it over with then.Are you waiting here until it's done?"
Shixyll raised her chin, and her braid cuffs clinked."Yes.He's ours if you don't fulfill the mating, and we're not leaving here until we have proof."
Bile rose in Ezra's throat.She'd wait to see him properly humiliated, to have the entire pack see him debased.His eyes burned.
A large hand curled around his upper arm."Right, give us ten minutes."
For a second, Ezra considered fighting.But fighting never helped, so he shut his eyes and allowed Flint to pull him away from the crowd.Perhaps he should be glad he didn't claim him in front of everyone.
* * * *
Chapter 2
A tremble traveled from Ezra into Rourke, and he felt like an utter ass.He was the one who'd demanded a mate from the witch clan.This was his doing.
He guided Ezra through the pack house and squished the embarrassment wanting to well up inside at the state it was in.As soon as peace was ensured, they could use their money to renovate their home.
"Through here."His room was farthest away from the dining hall.He was one of few who had a kitchenette, the rest had to share, using the big kitchen next to the dining hall.It was wasted on him, though.He never cooked, but it was nice to have the space.
He pushed open the door and ushered Ezra into the one-room apartment.It wasn't big, but it was the best the pack had, and he refused to be self-conscious about it.Once they had more money, they'd upgrade.
Ezra looked around, his gaze bouncing before landing on the bed, and then quickly moving to the floor.
"Come on.Let's get it over with."Rourke looked at him, for real this time, not only to make sure he was seeing a man instead of a woman as he had outside.He was small, which he'd been prepared for, and he had fewer piercings and braids and stuff than he'd expected, which was a pleasant surprise, but he was still a witch.
"How...eh..."His voice died away, and Rourke took a careful breath to scent him.Petrified.Great.Would a scared witch combust?What if he panicked and flung a spell at Rourke right in the middle of the act?
"Have you ever been with a man?"Shit, this was too much like a virgin sacrifice for his liking.He liked competent men.Confident.Cocky.Secure in themselves.Ezra looked as if he was afraid of his own shadow.
Maybe it was an act.Had to be, right?He was a witch.He could most likely have Rourke pierced with invisible daggers.Fuck, maybe this had been a stupid idea.
His fear annoyed him."Pull your pants off, so we can get it over with."
Ezra nodded, undid his black jeans with shaking hands, and pushed them down along with his underwear.When he reached his shoes he made a muffled sound, as if surprised to see them there.Toeing them off, he almost lost his balance, and Rourke had a hard time looking away as he danced around in a display of uncoordinated clumsiness.Dear God.
Finally, he got the shoes, socks, and pants off and looked up at Rourke.
"On the bed."
His swallow was audible, and for a few seconds, he stood frozen in place.
"Hey."Rourke reached for him, but he jerked away.
