Marking Property |
Jamie Lowe |
Torquere Press (2011) |
|
Tags: | Romance, Werewolves |
Possessive werewolf Zevi Sahar is worried that his human mate, Conner, is cheating on him with the pack alpha. His fears reach a peak when Zevi confronts Conner about his supposed affair and decides to use sex to show his dominance and remind Conner just which werewolf he belongs to.
13 pages / 3300 words
![Marking Property By Jamie Lowe Zevi Sahar sharp-tongued beta of the Little - photo 1](/uploads/posts/book/216173/images/Image285_fmt.jpeg)
Marking Property
By Jamie Lowe
Zevi Sahar, sharp-tongued beta of the Little Creek werewolf pack, was not the kind of man who worried. Standing at six-foot-three with jet black hair, piercing blue eyes, and a thick layer of muscle, Zevi wasnt used to encountering situations he couldnt handle with his mere presence. But this was one situation he could do nothing about, and damn right he was worried.
He paced around the too-small living room of his apartment, kicking stacks of technology catalogs over onto the tacky green-and-blue plaid rug. He was vaguely satisfied by the mess that his roommate would never tolerate until he almost tripped over the snake of wires leading from the wall to the desk loaded down with computers and books.
Damn him! Zevi snarled, blue eyes narrowing. He knew he was losing it, that the approaching full moon made his quick temper even more volatile, but he was about to rip someones head off if Conner wasnt back in half-an-hour. For nerdy Conner Winston wasnt just his roommate; he was also Zevis life-mate.
The drive to protect his mate was strong in Zevi, so much so that the beginning of their relationship had been full of arguments about Zevis so-called control issues. All right, so he didnt like the idea of not always knowing where Conner was. Or the idea of Conner having friends that he hadnt met. Or the idea of Conner not answering his cell-phone when Zevi called. But it wasnt like he forbade Conner from spending time with his work buddies playing D&D or whatever it was geeks did after seven hours of mind-numbing programming. He just asked that Conner show a little consideration and let Zevi know where he was going to be.
Sometimes, though, just knowing where Conner was didnt reassure Zevi that his mate was safe. This was one of those times.
He hadnt been surprised when Ulric Ulf, the massive mink-colored alpha of his pack, had come by for a visit unannounced; they were alpha and beta, they did everything they needed to present a unified front to the pack, and they got along rather well besides. Ulric was everything Zevi had wanted in an alpha. He was stoic, demanding, and physically powerful. In fact, the only complaint anyone in the Little Creek pack had when Ulric had driven out their old alpha was that Ulric didnt have a mate.
Werewolves had a strong tendency to choose humans for their mates since humans were more likely to submit to their jealous, bossy, moody ways than another wolf would be -- except for Mark, the imposing mate of the Little Creek omega, Leavitt -- but Ulric hadnt shown interest in any human he had met in their town so far.
Except for Zevis beloved Conner.
Ulric was more than welcome to stop by, but he had just shown up at the apartment out of the blue, brushed past Zevi like he was so much empty space, and muttered something in Conners ear that had the computer geek rushing through the apartment for his jacket before he took off with Ulric, not telling Zevi a thing.
What are they doing? Zevi asked himself. Its been two hours already. Could Ulric really be after my mate? I dont care if hes the alpha or not, Ill rip him to shreds if hes doing something unspeakable to Conner. But Conner wouldnt cheat on me, would he? No, no, of course not; Conners a good mate, obedient and loyal. Besides, what interest would Ulric have in someone like Conner?
Certainly Conner wasnt what anyone would call attractive. Even Zevi had taken a few months to realize just what a prize he had in his grasp. Conner had gorgeous, long amber hair that felt like silk, but he kept all of it pulled back into a severe braid that sharpened his heart-shaped face. His emerald-green eyes were hidden behind unflattering coke-bottle glasses. He wore clothes that were too big for him and hung on his thin little body. The only times Conner removed his armor were in bed, when he let his hair down, tossed his glasses onto the nightstand, and got naked. Ulric wouldnt know of Conners secret beauty. Right?
No, Conner wouldnt, he thought with a growl. Theres no way Conner would be sleeping with Ulric; he knows that hes mine. Who could ever please Conner the way I can? I know everything about him. I know where he loves to be touched. So what if Ulric is tall... and strong... and handsome... and dominant... Thats it!
He stormed across the living room, not caring that he was stepping on Conners magazines, to pull on his shoes and wool coat. He was going to track down his traitorous mate and thieving alpha and teach them both why no one messed with Zevi Sahar.
He had just picked his keys up off the counter when his sensitive ears picked up the echo of an identical set jingling on the other side of the door. The door-knob turned and Conner walked in, head lowered and looking distracted.
Conner!
His mate jumped and dropped his keys on the rug. Oh, Zevi. You scared me, Conner chided as he took off his jacket and hung it on the hook. Did you eat? I didnt know I would be gone so long or I would have told you to go ahead; Ulric bought me dinner.
Well isnt that just cozy? Did you eat it off his dick? Zevi demanded.
Conner stared at him, looking shocked, and stammered, W-what? What are you talking about, Zevi? How dare you ask me something like that?
Oh, I dare. Why were you cheating on me with Ulric?
I was not, Conner shouted. He just wanted to talk to me about something! We went to dinner and had a few drinks, thats it. You seriously think I would cheat on you? Im your mate, Zevi.
My mate who just spent two-and-a-half hours doing who-knows-what with another guy! Dont try and tell me Ulric isnt your type.
Well, sure, Ulrics a good looking guy, but hes not my mate! You are! Conner stepped past him and pouted at the sight of the mess in the living room. There was no reason for this, Zevi. He knelt down and started re-stacking his magazines. Ive never cheated on you, and I never will. I thought you knew me better than that by now.
Hmph. So youre going to try and tell me that if Ulric told you to warm his bed you wouldnt even consider it? he demanded.
Absolutely not. Even if you told me to, I wouldnt do it. Believe it or not, Zevi, Im faithful to my lovers.
Oh yeah? Then why did Ulric take you out to dinner if he wasnt trying to seduce you?
Conner glared at him but nibbled on his bottom lip, showing that he was really quite nervous. Rightly so when faced with his highly irate and jealous mate. I cant tell you.
Why not? he growled. Is my alpha keeping secrets from me? What would he have to say that he could say to you but not to me?
Its nothing to do with Little Creek, Conner assured him. You know Ulric trusts you. Please, Zevi, he asked me not to tell anyone. He stood back up and gazed into Zevis blue eyes. Cant you just believe me?
Zevi snarled and turned to start pacing again. Maybe, he conceded after a long, heavy silence. You dont seem like the type to be disloyal.
Im not, Conner repeated. He slowly reached up and hooked his finger on the bridge of his glasses, pulling them off and setting them on the coffee-table. Zevi perked up; that was almost always a sure-fire sign that his mate wanted to make love. How can I prove it to you?