Page 63 of Mated
Nestled amidst the bark, Callus sits like a king on his throne. In a pair of cut off shorts, his upper body is bare but decorated in strange grey mud or maybe paint. Whirls and lines cover him from neck to waist. At his sides, feet, and back, waits Ebony, Rosa, and several of the other alpha squad Tanner pointed out before.
Callus looks up as I near, his eyes burning softly in the dimness. “You are a vision, Nisha.” He climbs to his feet and walks towards me. Behind him, Rosa glowers daggers in my direction.
“Thank you,” I say softly.
“You’re causing quite the stir in my pack,” he mutters, gaze tracking from my bare feet up. “I find myself wondering if that is because of your newness, or the power I can scent even now.”
Power?
“Is there anything I need to know before we start?” I ask. “Rules or guidelines?”
He shrugs and makes a slow circle around me. “I will say a few words of welcome, then there will be a moment of recognition for those who came before us.”
Welcome, moment of silence. “Okay. Got it.”
“Then we will bless the pack for another fruitful hunt, and then we run.”
Seemed easy enough.
Are all their ceremonies so simple?
He continues his slow prowl. “I am sure Tanner has discussed some of how we do things here.” I nod. “If anything that happens makes you uncomfortable or you wish out, you are free to leave.”
That makes me look at him. “Really?”
His smile is mild. “We like fear, Nisha. Tis the nature of our beasts. But a willing partner must be willing. I do not condone rape or abuse. If you do not wish to lay with anyone, then that too is up to you.”
The way Tanner said it made me think that I would wind up in someone’s arms by the end of the night. Though my body has no qualms with that, my head isn’t so sure.
“And you would all be okay with that?”
Callus stops pacing. His hand is hot with his power and his beast as it carefully cups mine. He rubs his thumb over my knuckles. “We want you to join our people, Nisha. Not to chase you away. And though we’re shifters, we are still human too.” He lifts my hand and lays a kiss on my palm. “If you can resist the call from your body and from the magick around you, you need not lay with anyone.”
“And if I can’t?”
His smile is long white teeth as he nips at the sensitive pad of skin under my thumb. “Then my door is always open should you have …need.” A wash of heat goes through me straight to the center of my body. I arch up onto my toes. His spicy fragrance fills the air in waves.
All around us the pack turns our way. I can feel their eyes on me, on Callus. Not every gaze is friendly but there are many that are resigned. It’s then that something inside me clicks with a kind of dawning horror.
The scent. It’s his Alpha scent.
He’s marking me as his.
I pull away, holding my hand to my chest. He watches me, his ready smile fading. “You said I could choose,” I snap.
His teeth flash. “And you can.”
“But you’re damn sure making sure that no one else wants me by putting your scent all over me. How is that fair?”
“I am Alpha here, Nisha. They all know that. If I claim you tonight, then you are mine. It’s that simple.”
“Bullshit,” I snarl. “What happened to we are humans too?”
Callus’ jaw tightens perceptively. “Are you telling me you don’t feel the heat between us?”
That makes me step back. “It doesn’t matter. Because even if I did before, you marking me does not exactly endear me to you. Hell, give me the damn demon any day. At least he’s honest about what he is.”
“You rang, kitten?”
