Maximus pulled up a chair and sat down next to them. “I want you both to listen to me.” After he had their attention, he continued, “Mating is both a blessing and a pain. Anytime two shifters join their lives together, it takes time to work out the kinks in the relationship. Especially wolf shifters because the need to protect and defend is embedded in our DNA.
“Ian, I know you’re embarrassed by what your wolf did, but don’t be. That’s what a fated mate will feel…the possessiveness and the need to protect…every day for the rest of his life.
“That said, I guarantee you’ll learn how to control your wolf when these strong feelings arise about your mate. And, Colton, it goes for you too. Both of you are strong, independent wolves so your mating will have challenges that others might not have. The most important thing to remember is that this is a Fated mating. So build on that. Spend time learning about each other but also spend time with others to learn how to control your wolves.
“Now dinner will be ready in 30 minutes and I want both of you at the table. It’s time to start your lessons,” Maximus said, smiling at the lovers before leaving.
Once the door shut, Colton leaned down, nibbling at Ian’s ear before he said, “Are you okay darling, because if you aren’t, we don’t have to go to dinner tonight. We can see the family in the morning.”
Ian gave his mate a quick kiss, thankful for the offer but shook his head. “No, I need to apologize to everyone and I also want to make sure Jackson is all right. Is that okay with you?”
“Yup, let’s shower so we don’t show up smelling gnarly.”
Ian swatted at Colton’s arm, “Gnarly? Where in the world did you learn that from?”
Standing and pulling his mate up, Colton said, “What? Gnarly? You never heard that term? In college when some dude came back from a date with the smell of sex all over him, we used to say he smelled ‘gnarly.’”
Ian sniffed before he said, “You’re right we smell gnarly. Okay shower time it is.” Following Colton to the shower, Ian was hoping for another blow job before dinner.
~/~/~/~/~
With Jackson deep in thought about Ian’s wolf, Steel held his hand and led them to the study.What a shock!When Steel ran in after hearing a challenge issued, he didn’t know what to expect. He knew the voice of Colton’s wolf but he wasn’t the one who howled. So, it had to be Ian, but why? There weren’t any security breaches or alarms. So who was Ian challenging?
When he’d entered Colton and Ian’s room, Steel stopped short after seeing the small, golden-tipped white wolf.Holy fuck! Royalty! Ian is wolf royalty!Every wolf knew the story of the King and Queen of Scottish Wolves.But fuck! Unfuckingbelievable!They died back in the 1880’s when humans started a war and eventually killed everyScottish Wolf shifter except—as it now appeared—Ian and his parents.Oh Shit! Ian’s parents are the King and Queen of Scottish Wolves!And before Steel had time to process the knowledge, Jackson had walked into Colton’s room agitated and yelling and suddenly Steel was facing off against a prince.
Once in the study, Jackson headed for the love seat. He needed to prop his legs up and the coffee table was a perfect height. Steel sat next to him, not saying a word which was good since he was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that Colton’s mate was a prince. Jackson groaned inwardly.Talk about a bombshell.This must be the gift Colton refused to tell him about and that’s why he didn’t want anyone to know.Fuck! Well the cat was out of the bag now!The question Jackson faced was what to do about it? He was pretty sure the shifter world thought everyone in the royal family died back in Scotland, victims of the humans who annihilated them.
Then, suddenly it hit Jackson as it had Steel:Oh my gods! If Ian’s a Prince, then his parents are the King and Queen!What a fucking logistical nightmare this is turning out to be. Every time he thought the threat level on his brothers was going down, something like this raised it higher than it was before.I’ll need an army to protect my pack if shit like this keeps happening! Fuck and double fuck with a heaping of hell! And my Dire Wolf pup will soon be here to add to the mix!
Steel heard his mate’s thoughts clearly and knew Jackson was right to be worried. If they considered Ian rare because he was a male omega, now he was priceless as a male Omega Prince.How the fuck does one protect a priceless wolf?Steel was clueless but he knew a call to his brother was in order. He needed those enforcers now, not next week. Suddenly, he heard a helicopter in the distance and remembered Slate had sent Pablo’s phone.He stood and said to his mate, “I asked Slate to send Pablo’s phone up here for Zane to look at. I’ll be right back and then tell you the rest of what Slate said. Okay?”
Jackson nodded, then tilted his head back against the love seat and closed his eyes. The punches were coming too fast and it was wearing on his body. “I’ll be here when you get back,” said Jackson, half asleep and slurring his words.
Steel studied his mate. He needed to speak to his mother about Jackson’s increasing tiredness. Maybe it was normal now that Jackson was so close but that wasn’t the impression she’d given them at the beginning of the pregnancy. He turned and quietly left the room, heading for the front yard. As he reached the door he saw Cody walking out to the helicopter. He frowned. Something was going on with Cody, but he had to put that aside for now.
He watched as Robert opened the door and handed over the package. When Cody cleared the blades, the helicopter lifted off and headed off. Steel’s focus shifted to Jackson’s brother walking toward him with the package in hand. He reached out to take it from Cody and asked, “Do you know where Zane is?”
“Yeah, he’s downstairs in his computer room. How’s Jackson after finding out Ian’s a prince?”
“You know?”
Cody scoffed. “Of course I do. Every wolf knows about the demise of the royal family, but not that any survived. How’s Jackson?” he asked, changing the subject. “He seemed tired when he left Colton’s room.”
“He is. I think all this shit is wearing him out. I’ve got to talk to my mother about it and also Ian. I don’t think Jackson should be this exhausted.”
“It doesn’t surprise me…he’s as big as a house.”
Steel frowned. “Please don’t say that to my mate’s face. I won’t take it very kindly if he gets upset.”
“You’re an asshole. I would never say that to my brother. Get the fuck out of my way,” Cody snarled as he pushed against Steel and went inside.
Steel looked down at the package he was holding before raising his eyes to the sky. Then closing them, he sighed.
Chapter 27
On his way to see Zane, Steel realized the only way his mate and unborn pup would ever be safe was if Jackson’s uncle died. Although Josiah had rescinded the kill order, he could just as easily reinstate it at any time. In order to justify his death, Steel needed hard proof of the Alpha’s involvement with some illegal action against a brother or brothers if evidence of the Silver Point Pack’s massacre of his mate’s family couldn’t be found.
Knocking and hearing a muffled “Come in,” Steel entered and shut the door behind him. Walking over to a bank of computer screens, he stopped behind Zane and waited for him to turn around.
