Chapter 3
Chapter three
“Ruger! Ruger!”
Luka snapped his head up, his gaze narrowed on the intruder bounding toward them. His lips peeled back from his teeth, and a loud, guttural growl ripped from his throat. Overhead, ominous clouds gathered above the lake, darkening the sky again as thunder crashed with every streak of lightning.
He didn’t know where he was or how he had gotten there. He didn’t know exactly how much time had passed. Hell, he barely knew who he was anymore.
Right then, however, none of that mattered.
No longer cautious or hesitant, he moved with purpose as he grabbed Ruger’s wrist and jerked him forward, away from the coming threat. Moving with the fluidity of a predator, he leaped off the stone pedestal and sailed over Ruger’s head to land in front of him on the sandy bank.
Wings spread and shoulders rounded, he lowered into a defensive crouch, prepared to fight to the death to protect his mate. Although now that he had a clear view of the newcomer, he doubted that would be necessary.
The male stumbled to a stop several yards away, his brown eyes wide and fearful. Dressed in a pair of pristine white pants and a crisp black shirt, with his mousy brown hair combed neatly to one side, he looked…important. Not aristocracy, but certainly of a higher class.
Physically, however, he posed almost no risk.
Luka stopped growling, but he maintained his tense posture as he lifted his head to sniff the air. Human, but the male also carried another, fainter scent. Shifter. Not just any shifter, either.
He smelled like Ruger.
Throughout his long life, jealousy had not been a luxury afforded to him, nor had there been any need for it. He had never owned anything. Nothing had ever belonged to him.
Until now.
Something wild coiled in his chest—a savage possessiveness tempered only by lingering uncertainty. Even as his instincts screamed to protect what was his, he hadn’t been given leave to make that decision. More to the point, he hadn’t been granted the right.
The moment stretched on, tense and uncomfortable, the stranger permeating the air with the scent of his anxiety. Yet, he didn’t retreat. Chest high, back straight, he stood his ground with a quiet bravery Luka couldn’t help but respect.
Behind him, more people had gathered at the top of the grassy hill—half a dozen males and a statuesque female with long, golden curls. Radiating poise and confidence, she started toward them, leading the way while the others fell in behind her.
Luka lowered deeper into his crouch, the muscles in his thighs and calves straining as he dug his toes into the wet dirt. It wouldn’t be the first time he had been outnumbered, but now, he had something worth fighting for.
“Okay, whoa.” Ducking under his wing, Ruger stepped in front of him, placing his back to the others. “Easy.” Calm and steady, he rested his hand in the center of Luka’s chest and traced his thumb back and forth across the skin. “No one is here to hurt us.”
He looked at his mate, then past his shoulder to the human male behind him, but he didn’t relax. “That one smells like you.”
Eyes the color of candlelight flared briefly at the corners, but he didn’t look away or remove his hand. “That’s Kol.” His lips twitched at Luka’s low grumble. “He’s mated to my brother.”
“Your brother?”
Ruger nodded. “So that makes him family.”
Luka’s brow knitted, and his lips turned down in a scowl. Of course, Ruger had a family. Most people did. Technically, he’d probably had a family of his own at one time. From his perspective, the institution seemed kind of overrated.
Still, he understood his jealousy had been misplaced and his reaction exaggerated. “I offended you.”
“No.” Ruger shook his head, shuffling a step closer until they stood only a breath apart. “You didn’t offend me.”
He detected no trace of deception in the male’s chemosignals, only the inviting fragrance of his natural scent. He had nothing tangible to compare it to, but it evoked the feelings of comfort from a warm fire on a cold night.
“I’m sorry if I startled you,” Kol said, his voice soft but steady. “I saw what happened on the security cameras, and I came to see if either of you needed help.”
This time, he did detect the hint of a lie, but he was too distracted by the strangeness of the human’s words to address it. “Camera?”
Ruger smiled and shook his head again. “I’ll explain later.
” With a gentle pat to Luka’s chest, he pulled his hand away and began removing his robe.
“We’re okay,” he added to Kol over his shoulder.
“We’re going to need some clothes, though.
” One side of his mouth crooked into a smirk. “Very large ones.”
“Why are you giving me your blanket?” Luka asked when his mate reached behind him to wrap the material around his waist. “I do not wish you to be cold.”
“It’s a jacket,” Ruger corrected as he tied the soft fabric to hold it in place. “And don’t worry about me. I’m still wearing more than you are.”
His mate asked an impossible task of him, but instead of arguing, he accepted the gesture with a nod of gratitude. The jacket did feel nice against his skin, though it was unlike any coat he had ever seen.
By the time Ruger finished his task, the new group had joined them by the lake, all of them wearing similar masks of confusion and concern.
All of them except the female. Admittedly, he was out of practice when it came to deciphering facial expressions, but if he had to guess, he’d say she looked pleased.
“My name is Skye Maddock.” She spoke with a crispness that belied her delicate features. “I own this place,” she added with a dismissive gesture over her shoulder to the gothic castle atop the hill.
Though she bore a pleasant demeanor and a friendly smile, everything about her unsettled him. Not the least of which was the raw power he felt emanating from her.
“I am Luka Gregori.” He placed his right hand over his heart and bowed his head in a show of deference. “Please forgive my intrusion.”
Although it hadn’t been his intention—or his choice—he had trespassed on her land, and as such, he would accept whatever consequences she wished to bestow.
“There is nothing to forgive,” she assured him. “You are most welcome here.”
“Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?” one of the males to her left demanded. Big and gruff with long dark hair and eyes blacker than his, he clearly enjoyed some level of authority, and he clearly wasn’t used to being ignored. “Why are you talking like that?”
Skye’s smile softened, appearing kinder and more natural. “Luka and I understand each other. That’s all.” Her striking blue gaze flittered to his forearms, then back to his face. “Isn’t that right?”
He glanced at the golden light that surrounded his wrists, magical shackles only he could see. Or so he had thought.
Luka nodded.
“I will leave you in your mate’s care for now.”
“Mate?” Several voices chorused.
Skye ignored them. “I would be honored if you would join me for a meal soon.”
While he didn’t necessarily want to spend more time in her company, he couldn’t refuse without causing offense. “The honor is mine.”
She beamed at him, positively delighted by his response. “I look forward to it.”
Then she turned and strode away, her stride lithe and graceful. Like magnets, the males who had accompanied her turned and followed.
“We’re going to talk about this,” Kol said, his eyes darting back and forth between Ruger and Luka.
Ruger dipped his head. “I look forward to it.”
Luka recognized the attempt at mimicry, but his mate lacked the high-brow arrogance to make it convincing. Not that he considered that a bad thing.
With an irritated huff, Kol spun on his heel and started marching away. He made it only a few steps, however, before whipping back around to face them.
“It was nice to meet you, Luka. Welcome to Blackhaven Manor.”
“I do not believe his welcome is sincere,” he said when the human disappeared, leaving him alone with his mate again.
“You’re probably not wrong, but he’ll come around. He’s just protective.”
“I would never hurt you.”
Ruger dragged his gaze away from Kol’s retreating back and turned to face him. “I know, and I think he knows that too. You have to admit the situation is a little…unusual, though.”
“Because I am cursed.”
“Partly,” he admitted. “Mostly, I meant it’s not every day you meet your mate in such a dramatic way.”
Luka frowned. “I am not dramatic.”
“You are,” Ruger argued with a teasing chuckle. “But it’s not your fault.” Turning toward the bridge, he settled his hand on Luka’s lower back and gave him a light push. “Come on. It’ll be warmer inside.”
Heat flared beneath the light pressure, and a pleasant tingle raced across his skin from the contact, sending blood straight to his groin. Reaching down, he did his best to rearrange the coat-blanket that covered his lower half, but he could do nothing about the distinct tent in the fabric.
Adjusting his pace, he maneuvered Ruger in front of him and followed half a step behind.
While he lacked the modesty to care about his nudity, and he had no shame in his attraction to Ruger, he had long ago learned the importance of discretion and subtlety. Just because he didn’t care, didn’t mean others felt the same way.
With his emotions stabilized for the moment, the storm clouds broke apart and scattered, leaving only cerulean skies again. The sun steadily climbed to its highest point, the rays dancing over the surface of the water and gleaming off the bridge.
Ruger looked almost otherworldly in the golden light, his smooth skin and short, honey-colored hair aglow with health and vitality. Yet, despite the chill on the air, a fine sheen of sweat glistened across the back of his neck.