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    Wiccan-Were-Bear Series Volume Two
    Wiccan-Were-Bear Series Volume Two
    Wiccan-Were-Bear Series Volume Two
    Ebook569 pages8 hours

    Wiccan-Were-Bear Series Volume Two

    By R.E. Butler

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    About this ebook

    This book contains books 6 through 9 in the Wiccan-Were-Bear Series: A Twitch of Tail, A Promise on White Wings, A Slash of Savagery, and Awaken a Wolf. If you've already purchased these titles, please do not buy this book!

    A Twitch of Tail (Wiccan-Were-Bear #6)
    Were-tiger brothers Melo and Tahlon Thorne have spent the last three years in different ambushes. Now that Tahlon is coming to join Melo’s ambush, they both begin to grow unsettled. It’s not until they follow a sweet scent into the tiger king’s home that they realize the unsettled feelings are because they’ve found their mate. But Melo and Tahlon’s past comes back in force and it’s not just Tera’s life that hangs in the balance.
    * * * * *
    A Promise on White Wings (Wiccan-Were-Bear #7)
    Taken in by a bear den as a child, Danika doesn't know what she is, only that she’s all alone in the world. A visit to a bear den in Northern Ohio brings her face to face with her future in the form of two males who are meant to be her mates. She discovers that she’s not only the destined mate of the falcon Prince Jesuit and the white lion Prince Chance, but also the answer to a prophecy about a white-winged woman. When a bear from her den makes a claim to her, her mates must fight for their right to her and to their future.
    * * * * *
    A Slash of Savagery (Wiccan-Were-Bear #8)
    One thousand-year-old vampire Brone has spent the better part of his immortal life with a sword in his hand. One look at the beautiful Wiccan, Arissa, and he knows that he’s found his beloved mate, and he’s willing to walk away from everything that he knows for her. When the coven’s enemies attack the one meant to protect them, can Brone get to her in time?
    * * * * *
    Awaken A Wolf (Wiccan-Were-Bear #9)
    Cinder discovers that she’s not truly a Wiccan, but something much more, and Adam is the only one who can help her. The infuriating alpha male manages to put the brakes on his desire to rush her into mating him because she needs him as she navigates the waters of her new destiny. When someone from her past threatens all they’ve built, will Cinder survive the full moon or will Adam find himself alone once more?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherR.E. Butler
    Release dateDec 13, 2016
    ISBN9781370416561
    Wiccan-Were-Bear Series Volume Two
    Author

    R.E. Butler

    A Midwesterner by birth, R.E. spent much of her childhood rewriting her favorite books to include herself as the main character. Later, she graduated on to writing her own books after "retiring" from her day job as a secretary to become a stay-at-home mom.When not playing with her kids, wrestling her dogs out the door, or cooking dinner for her family, you'll find her typing furiously and growling obscenities to the characters on the screen.Her best-selling series Wiccan-Were-Bear, The Necklace Chronicles, Hyena Heat, Wilde Creek, Were-Zoo, Arctic Shifters, Norlanian Brides, Saber Chronicles, and Ashland Pride are available now.

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      Book preview

      Wiccan-Were-Bear Series Volume Two - R.E. Butler

      Wiccan-Were-Bear Book Six

      By R. E. Butler

      Natural witch Wysteria Brannick has a great life: a job she loves at the new were-animal hospital and a place in the Wiccan coven that resides in Cleveland. But all is not right in her idyllic life, as dreams of two mystery lovers plague her nightly. When she arrives at the were-tiger king’s home to heal a young tiger, she comes face to face with the two men from her dreams.

      Were-tiger brothers Melo and Tahlon Thorne have spent the last three years in different ambushes. Now that Tahlon is coming to join Melo’s ambush, they both begin to grow unsettled. It’s not until they follow a sweet scent into the tiger king’s home that they realize the unsettled feelings are because they’ve found their mate. But Melo and Tahlon’s past comes back in force and it’s not just Tera’s life that hangs in the balance.

      Be prepared for plenty of growling, love bites, hot were-tiger loving, and m/f/m interaction. This novella contains scorching hot sex, two possessive were-tigers, and the witch who loves them both.

      Chapter 1

      Melo Thorne sat in the backyard of his modest home in the tiger ambush’s territory, south of the city of Cleveland, in the small town of Whispering Creek. He’d been with the tiger ambush, led by the king tiger Midas, for three years and had always found solace sitting on the back porch and staring up at the stars.

      But peace hadn’t come to him for the last few days. His bones were itching. Something important was about to happen; he just knew it. The shitty thing was that he didn’t know if it would be something good or something bad.

      His brother, Tahlon, opened the back door and stepped out, handing Melo a beer. Sitting in the chair next to him, Tahlon twisted the cap off his beer and took a long drink. Tahlon had shown up at Melo’s home three days earlier, with only a duffel of clothes and a wound healing on his back. Tahlon, like Melo, was a were-tiger. They had both been part of an ambush in Florida. Melo had been the tiger king’s personal guard, and Tahlon had been the tiger queen’s guard. Melo was older than his brother by only two years, and they were both gifted with the slow aging of supernatural creatures. For every twelve years that passed, their bodies aged only one. Melo was technically fifty-two, and Tahlon would be fifty in December. It always amused Melo when people considered him a young man because he looked twenty.

      Melo had come to Ohio when he had grown disillusioned with the tiger queen of his former ambush, who insisted that every unmated male in the ambush attend to her sexual needs during her annual heat cycle. Melo had been ready to find his own mate and settle down, but the queen wouldn’t allow it, so Melo left. Leaving the ambush hadn’t been pretty, and he’d hated leaving Tahlon behind, but Tahlon was loyal to a fault and said he wasn’t ready to leave. Something had happened to change that, and Melo didn’t know what it was yet, but it had to do with the wound on Tahlon’s back and the look of dread that came into his eyes whenever Melo talked about the Florida ambush.

      How long before you have to go back? Melo asked.

      I can probably push it off a few weeks. It’ll take a few days to sort things out down there, so the middle of October, in and out, should work. You sure you want to come with me?

      Of course. It’s hell getting out of the ambush, and you’ll need support. Besides, you said you’d come with me Saturday night to guard the Wiccans for their fall equinox ceremony, so I’ll owe you one anyway.

      Tahlon raised a brow and took a swig. You really like guarding those old witches?

      Melo chuckled. I haven’t done it for a while. A couple of years ago, I hooked up with one of them, and she ditched me for twin were-bears. I stepped down from guarding on the solstice ceremonies because it made me uncomfortable even though she left the coven. But one of the tigers who used to do the guarding on the solstice got mated, and his mate doesn’t want him ogling naked women all night, so Midas told me to step up, and if I have to go, so do you.

      Naked? How old are they anyway? Tahlon made a face.

      Are you picturing a bunch of wrinkled old ladies dancing around a fire?

      Something like that. Tahlon slumped down in the chair and crossed his legs at the ankles.

      A few of them enjoy the early bird specials, but most of them are young, in their twenties or thirties.

      Yeah? Tahlon’s curiosity was obviously piqued.

      Well, don’t get any ideas. Only a few of the women have our long life. The rest are mortal.

      I’m not looking to settle down, Mel, but I wouldn’t mind a roll in the hay.

      Melo snorted. Who wouldn’t mind that? Ever since Elizabeth had moved on, Melo had tried to do the same, but no one he’d met had really spoken to him or to his cat, and he was beginning to lose hope. He’d never thought that Elizabeth was meant to be his mate, but he had enjoyed being with her. Sharing her with a half-dozen other men hadn’t been ideal, but he did like her as a person. It had stung when she pulled away so completely and left everyone, including him, behind.

      His whole adult life had been dedicated to serving the king and queen of his former ambush. Although he was Midas’ personal guard, the job was much less time-consuming than it had been in Florida, and Melo was finally able to live the way he wanted, date who he wanted, do what he wanted. Even with the freedom he now enjoyed, he still found himself longing for a relationship, and the bonds of love that would come with finding his truemate.

      Maybe going to the solstice ceremony was part of what had been bugging him lately. Maybe Tahlon had the right idea, and Melo would meet someone there who would change his world.

      Oh, sure. Because he always had luck like that. He snorted inwardly, took another drink, and stared up at the stars.

      Chapter 2

      Tera rolled over in bed with an annoyed grunt and stared at the clock. She hadn’t slept well for the last few days, and even though she was exhausted all the way to the center of her body, she couldn’t seem to rest. When her eyes closed, she would drift away into a dream world punctuated with cries of pleasure, hot hands, and writhing bodies. She’d abruptly awaken, her body tense and her emotions strung out. She’d never had dreams like these before, clouded and mysterious.

      Punching the pillow with annoyance, she wrenched the sheet over her shoulder and tried to get comfortable. Almost immediately, she slipped into sleep, and the dream came back in a rush.

      Hands brushing down her body. A tongue lashing her ear. Teeth nipping at her neck.

      She snapped out of the dream with a moan as her body twisted on the bed, tangling in the sheet.

      Damn it, she groaned, rubbing at her eyes. She smacked her hand on the night stand and fumbled across the surface until she found her cell. It was just after four a.m., and she knew that she’d be waking up her boss, but she was out of options.

      With a quick scroll through the contact list, she dialed the head of the coven. The call was answered on the second ring, and Tera said, Lorene? It’s Tera. I need help.

      An hour and a half later, Tera sat at the large, oval table in one of the meeting rooms at the back of The Cleveland Mother Earth Store, which held not only a Wiccan supply store, but also the coven’s offices. Tera had an office in the store but rarely used it. Although many Wiccans in the coven worked at the store, Tera’s day job was as a receptionist at the newly erected Cleveland Supernatural Hospital.

      Seated around the table were the four Corners of the coven. Lorene was the North Corner and most powerful natural witch in the coven. Idurre, the South Corner, was also a natural witch. Bitty and Gwen were unnatural but powerful witches. Natural witches, like Tera and two of the four Corners, had at least one parent who was a full Wiccan. Unnatural witches were usually entirely human with a sensitivity to supernatural occurrences, although in the case of the two Corners, deep in their family line were natural witches, but they had turned from their powers and taken on the mantle of humanity, giving up their power and long lives. If the past power was strong enough and a witch trained hard for many years, she could reclaim some of that power.

      Tell us about the dreams child, Lorene said, steepling her fingers in front of her mouth.

      Tera took a deep breath and told them what she could about the dreams that had robbed her of sleep for the last week.

      There’s always a veil around everything, shadows and mist, but I know there are two men with me. Tera’s cheeks heated slightly at having a conversation like this with women she considered mentors.

      Gwen leaned back in her chair and lit a clove cigarette with an antique lighter. After inhaling and puffing smoke up toward the ceiling, she said, "We could do a calling, ask the goddess of future to reveal who the men in the dreams are."

      Lorene shook her head. A calling might alter the future. I think that you’re having mating-dreams, Tera, and that the men in your dreams are shifters. Some were-groups have them. It’s possible that because you have two mates and you’re a powerful, natural witch, you’re drawing on their power and it’s giving you a glimpse of the future.

      Two mates? Tera shivered at the thought. Do all were-groups have mating dreams?

      Idurre looked thoughtful. Not all of them.

      Tera chewed on her bottom lip. She’d been in a ménage before, but it had been a one-time thing suggested by the guy she’d been dating at the time. He thought inviting his friend into their sex life would liven up the cold sheets, but all it had done in the end was make the boyfriend jealous and the friend treat Tera as if she were a toy he could play with at any time. Which she most certainly was not.

      Tera cleared her throat. I didn’t know that were-animals shared their mates.

      The bears do, Lorene said. My granddaughter, Elizabeth, has twin were-bears as her mates.

      Bitty nodded. I believe that mate-sharing isn’t entirely common within the were-community, but when it does happen, it’s for a reason.

      What reason? Tera asked.

      Bitty shrugged and hugged her shawl tighter around her thin shoulders. I don’t know, dear. You’re a supernatural creature, and you know that there are often strange happenings that just can’t be explained. The universe has decided you’re going to have two mates. For whatever reason, that’s the path your life is taking. Embrace it. Don’t fear it.

      Idurre stood and came around to Tera’s chair. Putting her hand on Tera’s shoulder, Idurre said, When it’s the right time to meet them, you will.

      Tera nodded and watched them leave after wishing her peace and blessings. The room was filled with floor to ceiling bookcases, stuffed with books and Wiccan-related objects. She’d been in many rooms like this over the years and could spend hours just thumbing through the volumes of ancient spells. Her mind wandered to the men from her dream. Desire spiked through her at the thought of meeting them.

      By the time she left the store, after checking her messages and returning emails, she decided it was late enough in the morning to stop by the hospital and visit her favorite patient. The supernatural hospital was a desperately needed service in a community that was home to a vast number of supernatural groups. Human hospitals were wary of supernatural creatures, afraid that a werewolf who was injured might kill them all in a fit of pain, the way a dog might attack if it were hurt. Bullshit, of course, because even in their animal forms, they were still very much human inside. Although there were exceptions to every rule, most were-animals wouldn’t hurt a human, no matter which form they were in.

      When Tera turned eighteen, she was part of her mother’s coven in Greenwich, Massachusetts. The coven was totally old-school, shutting out the unnatural witches and only accepting natural witches. Tera came from a long line of natural witches. She hadn’t minded the exclusivity at first, proud to be included in the small but tight group of witches. But after awhile, when those same witches — her mother included — tried to dictate other areas of her life, including disapproving of her desire to help other supernatural beings, she decided it was time to look for greener pastures. When she heard that the Cleveland, Ohio coven was recruiting natural witches, and that they were also helping to raise funds for the new supernatural hospital, she knew she’d found the right place.

      As a supernatural creature herself, she had what was referred to as long life, which meant that she aged one body year for every twelve that passed. Even though she had been alive for thirty years, she had just had her technical nineteenth birthday. It was cool in the I’ll live a lot longer than a human sort of way, but it wasn’t cool when she wanted a beer and the bartender thought she had a fake ID.

      On the way to the hospital, she mused over the dreams. Two mates? She snorted as she pictured her mother’s face going white with shock. She’d probably disown Tera for taking two mates, especially if they were were-animals. But Tera didn’t care about that. She’d long outgrown the desire to please her mother. It didn’t matter to Tera what her future mates were when they shifted. She just cared that they were good men and would treat her with respect.

      The Wiccan store was in downtown Cleveland, less than a mile from the new hospital. Cleveland was a hot-spot gathering place for supernatural creatures. Not only was the Wiccan coven the most powerful in the Midwest, but there was a large vampire coven, a werewolf pack, a were-serpent nest, a were-bear den, a were-tiger ambush, and a were-falcon nest. All the groups were loosely allied to each other, each promising to handle their own business and keep their noses out of everyone else’s.

      Hey, Doc, Tera said and smiled at Dr. Conner when she walked through the pristine waiting room and saw the head of the pediatric department looking over a chart at the front desk.

      Tera! I wasn’t expecting you. Dr. Connor smiled at Tera, her eyes crinkling at the Corners. Dr. Brenda Conner was a werewolf, and one of the nicest, sweetest women Tera had ever met.

      I was at the office and thought I’d stop by and bring Charlie a treat.

      Oh, he’ll like that. He sure has taken a shine to you.

      I’ve taken a shine to him, too.

      Tera smiled and walked past the desk, taking the elevator to the fourth floor and finding room 438. Charlie, a seven-year-old werewolf, was playing a game on an iPad Tera had bought for him. His mother, Claire, was curled up in a ball in a chair next to the bed, asleep. A week ago, Claire’s mate had gone on a bender and drank his weight in cheap whiskey. When he’d run out of money, he’d gone home spoiling for a fight. This time, little Charlie got in the way of his father’s rage as he tried to protect his mother, and his collarbone was broken as a result. Such a strong, brave young man.

      Tera! he whispered loudly, putting down the iPad and giving her a big smile.

      Tera bent down and hugged him, kissing the top of his tawny head. Charlie and his mom were going home in two days. The good news was that the pack stepped in and his father was long gone, with a few broken bones of his own to think about. Claire and Charlie were going to live with her sister who was married to the beta of the pack. The Corners had been by earlier in the week as well, casting a protection spell over both of them.

      What did you bring me? he demanded.

      Who me? I wouldn’t do that. It’s against hospital rules.

      "Come on, Tera," he pleaded, casting his hazel eyes up to her forlornly.

      Hades, kiddo, you’re going to be such a heartbreaker when you grow up. She pulled a packet of bubble gum from her front pocket and dropped it in his lap. He looked up again, expectantly. Her other front pocket revealed a bag of M&Ms, his favorite. After his lower lip jutted out in a pout, she gave up the contents of her back pockets — Crazy Eights and two Matchbox cars. After discovering that her pockets were now empty, he thanked her with a kiss to her cheek and tore open his gifts.

      While he chewed noisily on the gum and opened the playing cards, Tera checked the amount on the iPad’s gift card balance and made a mental note to add more money to the account. She kept it filled so he could download games and movies and music as he pleased.

      She and Charlie played three games of Crazy Eights before his mother woke up. Claire had the look of a long-abused woman who wasn’t sure she was really free yet. She was being strong for Charlie, though, and Tera applauded that.

      Go get something to eat from the commissary, Claire, while Charlie the card shark kicks my butt.

      Claire smiled and walked away after kissing Charlie on the top of the head.

      What’s a card shark? he asked, asking if she had any fours.

      She handed him two cards. Someone who is very, very good at cards.

      His eyes glinted happily. "Maybe you should change it to card wolf instead, since I’m a wolf and not a shark."

      Tera chuckled and asked him if he had any threes.

      When Claire returned an hour later, Tera ruffled the hair on top of his head and told him she’d see him soon. She said goodbye to his mom and then headed home.

      She stopped at a pub near her condo and grabbed lunch, reading some articles about equinox ceremonies that Irene had forwarded to her. Tera didn’t mind eating alone. She hadn’t been in a serious relationship in the last six months. But she was lonely. Her thoughts drifted again to the men from her dreams. She bet she’d never feel lonely with two mates.

      She rushed through lunch even though she had nothing to go home to except her empty place. She had no idea why she felt the urge to eat quickly and get home, but she didn’t ignore the instinct. Anxiety spiked through her as she paid the bill and walked quickly out to her car. All she could think of was getting home.

      She parked in the garage that was just big enough for her ruby red Lincoln MKZ. Once inside her condo, she kicked off her shoes and stood in the center of the family room, taking in a deep breath and trying to calm the staccato beating of her heart. What the hell is wrong with me?

      Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she lifted it, staring at the screen. Mari Cruz, one of the unnatural witches of the coven, was calling. Mari was mated to Manny, a were-tiger who was part of the ambush located in Whispering Creek, a small town south of Cleveland. Tera wasn’t close to Mari, but she did know her from the two full moon celebrations they had celebrated together.

      Are you busy right now, Tera? Mari asked when Tera answered the phone.

      Not really. I’m working a shift at the hospital later, though. What’s up?

      She blew out a breath of relief. Oh, that’s wonderful! One of the cubs in the ambush was injured, and Lorene and the other Corners are tied up with coven business. Can you come and do a healing?

      Tera’s heart clenched so tightly that she couldn’t get a breath for several moments. Finally, she was able to choke out, Wouldn’t it be better to take him to the supernatural hospital?

      Tigers don’t like hospitals. The cleanser screws with their scenting abilities, and that makes them feel vulnerable. Vulnerable tigers get pissed off pretty quick. It’s just easier to have a trained person come here.

      Tera had some training in healing, but her powers lay with manipulating water. Is it something serious?

      It’s a bad burn, and it’s out of the scope of my abilities. Please, Tera? It would mean the world to me, and it would really be a good thing to do, because of the alliance.

      After a moment of consideration, Tera decided that going out to do something was better than sitting around alone and wondering why she was feeling twitchy all of a sudden. Mari gave her directions to the ambush territory and ended the call.

      Tera ran a brush through her long, dark brown hair, brushed her teeth, and changed her top, which had gotten a smudge of gravy from the shepherd’s pie she’d had for lunch. She gathered a small bag of healing supplies and sent a quick text to Lorene to let her know she was going to handle things.

      It took almost a half hour to get to the tiger territory, and she followed Mari’s directions from the entrance through the winding dirt road that passed modest homes nestled in the wooded area. The tiger king, Midas, had purchased two hundred acres of land for his ambush when he moved into the area thirty years earlier. The ambush was small, only forty tigers including cubs and adults, and Mari was the only human mated to a tiger. Her marriage to her mate Manny had solidified the alliance between the coven and the ambush.

      Tera parked on the road in front of what Mari said was Midas’ home. It was a large two-story colonial, with a sprawling front porch and carefully manicured front yard. Tera grabbed the bag of supplies and walked up the slate sidewalk to the front porch. Before she could knock, the door opened. A tall, lean man with long, black hair stood in the doorway.

      You the witch? he said, narrowing his eyes at Tera.

      Someone shoved at the man, and he looked down as Mari slid past him. "Manny, it’s disrespectful to say witch. It’s Wiccan. She frowned up at him and turned to Tera with a smile. Sorry about him. He’s suspicious of everyone. Come on in, Tera. Did you have any trouble finding the place?"

      Not at all.

      Good. When we’re done here, maybe you can come by our home for a cup of coffee and we can chat.

      Sure, Tera said as she followed Mari and her mate through the foyer and into the family room. As they walked into the room, Tera’s heart started to pound. A faint scent tickled her nose, something dark and wild that she couldn’t place. Whatever it was smelled delicious. She stopped walking for a moment, pressing her hand to her chest and rubbing lightly. She glanced around the room. A quick look told her that there were mostly men standing around. Besides herself and Mari, the only other woman in the room was standing by the couch, a worried look on her face.

      Is everything all right, Tera? Mari asked, coming to stand in front of her.

      Hmm? Oh, yes, sorry. I haven’t been feeling well the last few days.

      Nothing serious, I hope?

      I don’t think so. I probably just need a vacation. She smiled as reassuringly as she could, even though she didn’t think a vacation would solve her lack of sleep, sexy dreams, or suddenly twitchy feelings. No, the only thing that would fix her problem was finding the two men from her dreams.

      This is Kaya and her mate, Ren. This is their son, Teague, Mari said as Tera followed her around the couch. The young boy was lying on the couch cradling his right arm that had been wrapped in bandages. His eyes were wide with pain, his face taut and his lips pressed together.

      Tera introduced herself to the boy and his parents, opened the bag she’d set next to herself, and lifted a small tin to Mari. Triple strength, lukewarm water, honey, no milk.

      While Mari went to make tea, Tera said to Teague, How did you burn yourself, kiddo?

      He glanced up at his father, and then returned his pale green eyes to her. "We were having a bonfire earlier, and one of the logs rolled into the grass. It wasn’t on fire, so I didn’t think it was hot, but it was really hot." His eyes filled with tears, and he stopped talking, struggling with his emotions.

      She laid her hand gently on his shoulder, willing him to find peace and calm, and he settled quickly. Mari came in with a coffee mug and turned the handle toward Tera.

      Wait, what is that? Ren asked, his voice a barely contained snarl.

      It’s made from specially sown chamomile seeds that have healing properties. It’ll help Teague to relax, like a drug induced twilight sleep without the drugs. It’s perfectly safe for were-animals and young cubs.

      Mari said, Tera knows what she’s doing. She’s a natural witch from a long line of witches.

      At Tera’s urging, and after casting a glance up at his father and getting a non-committal grunt, Teague drained the cup. With a loud sigh, he laid back on the pillow. Tera set a small, clean towel down on the coffee table behind her and laid out her supplies, giving the drink time to work. When she was ready, she turned to the boy and felt for his pulse, which was slow and even.

      Hi, Teague. Do you know what my name is?

      His eyes fluttered a bit, but he didn’t open them. Purple. Purple eyes lady, he said with a slurred voice and then began to breathe deeply in sleep.

      She smiled and began to remove the bandages. Someone had covered his wounds with burn ointment, and his own natural healing abilities had already started to work. But the burns were bad and that meant he might not be able to heal them entirely.

      With a mortar and pestle, she ground up many different herbs to promote healing. The herbs would act as a conduit that she could use to settle her power into the affected area and heal the wounds. When the herbs were ground into powder, she mixed them with lavender oil until they formed a thick paste. She turned Teague’s arm over gently and inspected the wounds. The worst burns were on his palm and fingers, where he had picked up the log, but he also had minor burns down the outer side of his forearm.

      She began applying the paste to the burns, careful to cover every blister and angry red mark on his young skin. Then she wrapped his forearm, palm, thumb, and individual fingers in blessed cloth strips before wiping her hands on a clean towel. Settling her fingertips on Teague’s palm, she closed her eyes and opened herself to the healing part of her nature. All natural witches could heal, some better than others. It took training to develop and grow the healing abilities. Her grandmother was a great healer, and Tera had learned many things at her feet as a child. Although it wasn’t her strength, she could heal the burn wounds because they were only flesh deep, and those kinds of wounds were easy enough to heal.

      In her mind’s eye, she saw the wounds on Teague’s arm, the thick blisters and raw, open wounds and burnt skin. And underneath that, she saw the healthy skin. She worked slowly, carefully, to rebuild the worst of the damage, watching as her power flowed through the herbs and into Teague’s arm, finding and repairing the burns. Her hands hovered over his wounds as she thought about what Teague’s life would have been like without the healing. He may never have been able to use his hand, or he may have had pain for his whole life. But through the healing, anything was possible for him and that filled her with great hope.

      She felt the last of the wounds heal completely, and eased her power away from his flesh. She felt herself weaken through the use of the healing powers. It was one of the reasons that a witch couldn’t walk into a hospital and heal everyone. Each healing took something from the witch, an essence in a way, that took time and rest to replenish. Too much healing, too fast, and a witch could die from it.

      She shook off the dizziness and opened her eyes. Reaching for Teague’s hand, she began to unwind the bandage. She heard the collective gasps from the tigers as the bandage revealed the healed flesh of his arm. She ran her fingers lightly down his skin, checking for any places that she had missed and found none.

      How the hell did you do that? Ren asked, his voice a choked whisper.

      Tera began to gather her things into the bag as she spoke, It’s part of my power as a natural Wiccan. Healing is one of the elements of my being. I’m not a healer by trade, but I can heal wounds like this. She closed the bag and stood, her knees buckling slightly. Ren grabbed her elbow and steadied her.

      You okay? he asked.

      I’m just a little weak from the healing. I’ll be fine in a few minutes, she promised.

      Midas, who hadn’t said anything, stood from the chair he’d been seated in. Come sit in the kitchen, and I’ll make you some coffee, Tera.

      He offered Tera his arm, and she took it, smiling up into his handsome face. Midas had a reputation as a ladies’ man. She hadn’t met him before, but she’d seen him at a full moon celebration. He was well built, with chocolate eyes surrounded by thick lashes, and dark blond hair that dusted his collar.

      He pulled out a bar stool for her and placed her bag on the counter. After asking Tera how she took her coffee, he filled a mug and brought it over.

      That was very impressive, Tera.

      Thanks. It’s a gift.

      He hummed in his throat. It costs you to heal, doesn’t it? That’s why you’re weak right now.

      She nodded.

      Silence settled between them for several moments. She had the distinct feeling that Midas was going to ask her something, but he mumbled thank you and walked out of the kitchen quickly.

      She took a sip of coffee, thinking it would be ironic if he asked her out, considering she didn’t think he was either of the men in her dreams. How does one go about turning down the tiger king? Probably very, very carefully and from a great distance.

      Making a face because he didn’t put enough creamer into the coffee, she stood and went to the large stainless steel refrigerator and pulled the door open. The shelves were stuffed full of containers and jars, and she bent over, trying to figure out where a tiger king puts his creamer. She heard a door open and shut somewhere behind her, but she was too preoccupied pushing containers around to see who it was.

      Success! she said, grinning triumphantly as she pulled the small container of creamer from the fridge and shut the door.

      She heard twin growls, low and deep, and turned quickly to see two large men stalk into the kitchen toward her. Despite their size, their bulky bodies moved gracefully toward her, and she straightened against the fridge door. One man had long, curly blond hair, and the other had the same color hair but cut short. They were without shirts and shoes, wearing only jeans that showcased muscular legs. Her mouth went dry as her eyes roamed over them quickly. Part of her thought she was gathering details to give to a police sketch artist, and the other part of her felt like she already knew who they were.

      They closed in on her, towering over her with just feet between them, and she looked up, up, up their bodies to their handsome faces. She tried to calm her flying pulse and take in slower breaths, but her body had a mind of its own. Her heart insisted on pounding in her chest like a trapped bird, and she couldn’t stop panting for air that smelled suddenly wild and sweet.

      They reached their hands out to her at the same time, and the moment their hands wrapped around her upper arms, everything clicked into place in her mind and her heart. Overwhelmed with sensations, her eyes rolled back in her head and everything went dark, as one word rolled through her mind: mates.

      Chapter 3

      Tahlon leaned on the railing of the back porch of Melo’s house and looked into the backyard. The neatly manicured lawn spread back for two hundred feet before reaching the woods that edged the property. The whole territory belonged to the tiger ambush Melo belonged to, but Melo had built the house himself, with the help of his ambush. Jealousy poked at Tahlon, and not for the first time.

      A few years ago, Melo had gotten fed up with how life in their Florida ambush had been run. Genevieve, the tiger queen, had what was commonly known as a harem, which she used for her annual heat-spell. Tiger queens were unique in the were-tiger world, because their bodies would slip into a sexual frenzy for seven days in the fall. The queen would go with little sleep during her heat, in a constant state of arousal. One male couldn’t hope to keep up with a queen during her heat, so the queen was allowed to create a harem of unmated males who would mate with her once the king had taken her first and then once each day to ensure that his seed would take in her belly. The males in the harem were supposed to use condoms to ensure that any cub born belonged only to the king.

      It was four years ago when the queen went into her heat and called for her harem after she had sex with the king. As it had been in the past, the harem joined her in her room, and she chose the order in which the males would service her. When Tahlon was a young man, he’d thought it was an honor to be chosen for the harem. He remembered how proud he’d been and how he’d wanted to be the best lover she’d ever had. But as time went by, it became less of an honor and more of a chore. There were nine males in the harem, including Melo. The queen, tall and lithe, with long, golden hair and ice blue eyes, lay on the bed in her private chambers, her bare body spread out on red satin sheets like a goddess. She called for a male named Jorah to join her on the bed. Jorah stripped from the white cotton pants they all wore during the heat-spell and opened the small drawer of a side table where mating supplies were kept.

      Jorah raised his head. My Queen? There are no condoms in the supply drawer.

      One of the other males offered to get some from his own home, but the queen shushed them all with a snarl. "No more condoms. My mate has been unable to plant his seed and give me a child. This heat I will bear a cub. She arched her back, spreading her legs wide. It will be our harem secret, and the king will never know."

      Tahlon remembered how Melo had looked at him, with worry in his eyes. And when the queen had called for Melo to join her several hours later, when he got up from the bed, Tahlon could not help but notice that Melo’s cock was still hard. He hadn’t come, and the queen had been so lost to her own pleasure that she hadn’t noticed that Melo had merely acted as if he had.

      Tahlon was called next, and as they passed by, Melo had shaken his head at him, just slightly, and Tahlon knew that Melo was trying to warn him. Unease settled in his stomach as he mounted the queen, and he strove to control his body and managed to hold off his own orgasm. When he was called into her bed again and again during the heat, he never came inside her, following Melo’s lead. They only spoke of it once after the heat, when Melo said that he didn’t think anything good could come from keeping a secret from the king.

      The queen became pregnant during her heat, and when the cub was born seven months later, it wasn’t a fair-haired cub like the king and queen, but a dark-skinned child with coal black hair and brown eyes. The king slaughtered the child as soon as he laid eyes on it, and sought out Rafael, the only dark-skinned male in the ambush, killing him as well. The queen had pretended to be surprised by the color of the cub’s skin and had claimed that she was tricked by Rafael. Melo had been shaken to the core by what happened; all the males had been. Melo decided to leave then, to join up with the tiger ambush in Whispering Creek. He’d begged Tahlon to come, but the queen had convinced him to stay. Instead of taking a risk of fathering a cub with the queen and watching it potentially be killed by the king, he took measures to ensure that during the next heat, he would not bear a cub on her. He’d taken a form of birth control that worked on male tigers, made up of herbs and minerals. And it had worked. He wasn’t the only one who took it. All the males in the harem did, unwilling to take the risk.

      Melo joined him on the porch and they stood in the afternoon silence, both of them staring into the woods. Melo had opened his home to Tahlon without question. Tahlon knew that Melo wondered what had happened to change his mind, but Tahlon wasn’t ready to tell that story yet.

      I feel weird, Melo said, leaning heavily against the porch railing.

      Yeah? Tahlon glanced at his older brother. I haven’t slept for shit since I got here. I figured it was because it’s so damn quiet here.

      Melo looked at him. I haven’t slept right since you got here. I thought it was because I wasn’t used to having anyone in the house. Maybe… His voice trailed off.

      Maybe what? Tahlon prompted.

      Shaking his head, Melo shrugged. I don’t know. I feel different. Antsy. Fall Equinox is tomorrow night, and sometimes that brings changes with it. He wiped the introspective look off his face and replaced it with a grin. Wanna go for a run? I told Midas I’d check in with him, and his place isn’t too far away.

      Tahlon nodded. He hadn’t shifted since he’d been here, and he and Melo hadn’t been hunting together since he left the ambush. Tahlon had missed his brother. Melo went into the house and came out with a soft leather pouch, instructing Tahlon to put his jeans into it, and when Melo had stripped and put his own jeans inside, he slipped the strap over his shoulders like a backpack and shifted.

      Tahlon followed his brother into the woods, and they prowled through the trees together, leisurely chasing small creatures and startling birds, which was always good fun. Melo led the way. The closer they got to the tiger king’s home, the stranger Tahlon felt. He almost felt as if his heart were being squeezed tightly, incessantly. The feeling grew stronger, until they stopped at the back of Midas’ home and shifted into their human forms.

      As he pulled on his jeans, Tahlon said, Fuck, I feel strange.

      Me, too, Melo said, looking toward the house. Ambush members were milling around inside.

      They walked into the house together through the back sliding glass door as Midas was coming out of the kitchen. Midas greeted them, and Tahlon was aware he greeted the king in return, but it was an automatic response. All he could focus on was a sweet scent in the air. He moved silently toward the couch, where a cub was sitting with his parents. The scent was strong there, and reminded him of brown sugar.

      Melo was next to him, almost mirroring his actions, as he followed the scent from the family room into the kitchen. The refrigerator door was open, and for a moment, he couldn’t figure out where the sweet scent was, until a short brunette popped upright from in front of the fridge with a bottle of creamer.

      Success! she spoke and turned, closing the refrigerator.

      And then she saw them, and Tahlon’s eyes locked with hers. Everything in his body heated and tightened as his heart began to pound so hard that he thought it would crack through his ribs and bounce around on the floor.

      He scented the air as they stalked toward the woman. Long, dark brown hair cascaded over her shoulders. She was dressed casually in tight jeans and a short sleeved shirt, her creamy skin mostly hidden from view. Her full lips, colored a glossy pink, were parted slightly, and her generous chest moved with her panting breaths. As they neared her, Tahlon could see that her eyes weren’t blue like he’d originally thought, but rather a vivid purple, unlike anything he’d ever seen.

      He and Melo reached out for her at the same time, and the moment that his hand wrapped around her arm, he felt the connection to her shoot straight through his body to his heart. She was his mate. And not just his, but Melo’s as well. Theirs to share.

      She made a soft sound of surprise, and then her eyes rolled back in her head. Her body slumped toward the ground.

      Shit! Tahlon snarled as he snatched her into his arms before she could fall. Melo touched her neck to feel for her pulse as she lay limp in Tahlon’s arms.

      She’s okay, but we should get her home.

      What the fuck did you do? Midas roared as he came into the kitchen. Tahlon tensed and hugged his mate tighter to his chest as he scanned the area for the closest exits. The front door through the foyer or the hallway behind him through the garage were the two nearest ways out of the home. He took a step backward toward the garage as Melo stepped in front of him.

      She’s our mate. She passed out when we touched her, so we’re going to take her to my — our — house to take care of her, Melo said with an even voice.

      Midas’ mouth dropped open. Several other ambush members had come into the kitchen at the sound of Midas’ angry words and were looking at them in confusion.

      Shaking his head slightly, Midas said, You don’t even know her.

      Melo shrugged. It doesn’t matter.

      A young woman came forward, and a male grabbed her arm to keep her back. Let me just check on her. I’m from her coven.

      Tahlon looked down at his mate. Coven? She was a witch?

      The woman looked up at the male holding her arm and said, Manny, please. Melo is one of the ambush. You know he’d never hurt me.

      Manny looked up at the two of them. My mate wants to check on her friend. Can she touch her?

      Tahlon wasn’t crazy about anyone touching his mate, but one of her own coven members might be able to help her. He and Melo

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