Not for the first time Magnus was glad that his home was located a couple of miles away from the main pack area. Like wolves, they lived in a tight-knit community, close to the forest and a little drive away from the busy streets of Main. Of course, with their vast property, they could easily live miles apart, but wolves preferred to stick closer together. Hell, even Bjorn lived a spitting distance away from his oldest brother's house and he was a bear.
But not Magnus.
He liked living a little bit for himself, his home doubling as his sanctuary. The only place where his work, his pack, and his burdens stopped at the front door. A place where he could breathe and relax and just be himself. Let his troubled mind rest for the night and distance himself from everything that weighted him down…
Magnus opened the door to his home with a tired groan and almost stumbled inside. God, he was tired! A shower and a bed were in his nearest future, that was for sure. Agent Gage and Anders had stayed at the office forever, discussing strategy and theories on how to catch this girl.
A witch from the past…
Yeah, that definitely took the cake of weird shit that he'd heard. He didn't even know witches could do that. Made him wonder if there might have been some corporate corporations that hired witches to travel back and forth in time in order to stay ahead in the industries.
Wouldn't really surprise him if they did…
He entered the living room--- and a smile spread across his lips when he noticed the huge black cat lying sprawled on his couch.
"Hi, Love," he said with a huge grin, the feeling of pure joy warmed him from the inside out. "You're back!"
The black bobcat jumped off the couch when she saw him and went to rub herself all over his legs, purring her greeting. And she didn't stop until he plucked her off the floor and walked with her into the kitchen. The kat was way bigger than any ordinary house cat and like his wolf would put away pounds of meat. That that he minded their little evening routine. Red meat for dinner and eating it in front of the TV.
What more could a guy want?
Well, a mate that had the meat ready for him when he got home. They'd eat it in front of the TV, and then he'd show her just how much he liked it after. In the bedroom…
Yeah, he definitely belonged in another time period!
"Where have you been this time, ha?" he teased his cat as he placed her on the kitchen counter, before heading for the refrigerator, looking for leftovers. "I hope you haven't found any male bobcats to play with."
It was disturbing how jealous his wolf got at that concept!
He growled viciously and knocked at his mental barriers, making hair sprout across his arms and down his back. A growl trickled up his throat and claws sprouted from the tip of his fingertips.
What the fuck?!
He tried to shake it off, looking back at the cat who was staring at him wide-eyed. Yeah, he had no idea what had gotten into his wolf, and he tried to push him down again. But he did worry about the cat, though. She'd gotten into the habit of disappearing for long hours and was sometimes gone for an entire day or two. He had no idea what she was going but she didn't seem to be in any kind of distress. The only change he'd seen was the new collar that she'd gotten her hands on somehow. But when he went to inspect it, she'd hissed at him and knocked his fingers away.
"Are you cheating on me with another owner?" he'd joked back then, but as if understanding him, she'd lovingly licked his cheek, as if assuring him that there was no other male in her life but him. Which again had made him stupidly happy and he wondered if he needed therapy!
He was getting WAY too attached to this cat!
"You won't believe the day I've had," he went on to explain to his cat, who faithfully tilted her head as if paying attention to everything he said.
He sort of loved it…
He found some Shepard's Pie that his mother most likely had brought over. God bless her soul! He'd loved his mother to bits, but he couldn't stand it when she meddled in his life. Hell, he hated it! His father was to date the only male he knew who could hold down his spitfire mother, but even he knew to say out of her schemes.
"Remember Agent Dumb and Dumber?", he continued, taking out the pie and two beers, and then went for the plates. "Well, they showed up at the office tonight and---"
Suddenly there was a knock at the door and hell, even his cat frowned at that. She turned to look at him in an almost "are we expecting anyone tonight?"-kind of way. And no, he didn't think so, which meant that whoever was at the door was either pack business or work-related.
Great!
"Oh, what the fuck now?" he growled annoyed, too low for any human to hear anyway. But as the alpha, he had a responsibility that he'd never slacked off before and he wasn't going to start now. Reluctantly he put his things down and headed towards the door. "Coming!"
He opened the front door--- and his heart dropped to the pit of his gut.
"Alpha Christine!" he exclaimed--- and instantly hoped she didn't pick up on the panic and horror in his voice. Shit! He'd forgotten all about her…!
"Evening, Alpha Dale," she said in a sweet voice and gave him a smile that would probably melt the hearts of ordinary men and mothers-in-law. She was once again dressed to impress, in a red dress that could probably double as a napkin and he was having a hard time not staring at the generous amount of her exposed breasts.
Hell, he was only human after all…!
His mouth went dry, and words escaped him, as he forced himself to look at her face. She'd definitely made an effort for him, and that should flatter him, but---
Fuck!
"Not going to invite me in?" she asked, her voice smooth as fine wine and without an invitation, she stepped closer.
"Erm," he mumbled and stepped aside without really thinking. "Sure. I mean, come in."
Or rather he was thinking too much. He had no idea what he was supposed to do. He couldn't just tell her to leave, she'd be insulted and while she was only one alpha, he knew she had many other alphas in the palm of her hand. Insulting her would not go over well. But then again, with an alpha like Christine, any form of rejection was going to come back and bite him in the ass.
So, what the fuck did he do now?
He closed the door, wishing he could bang his head against it and hope it would give him some idea on how to handle the situation when he suddenly heard a startled squeal from the alpha female. He turned to see that Love was sitting in the doorway to the kitchen and intently watched the she-wolf, who was sneering down at her in disgust.
"You have a cat?" Christine hissed, contempt clear in her voice as she glared back at Magnus. He didn't know why, but suddenly every protective instinct he had fired to life. He just barely muted a growl as he stomped over to where Love was still frowning up at the intruder.
"She's actually a bobcat," he said coldly, now not caring so much about diplomacy but more about protecting his cat. "Come here, Love."
He picked her up and held her in his arms, glad that he was between the feline and the she-wolf that followed him into the living room. He didn't like the way she was looking at Love. Like she was one of the first things she'd order gone when she moved in.
His wolf growled!
Love wasn't going anywhere! Over his fucking dead body! Any female that came into his house had to accept Love as part of the package or leave the same way they came in. And hell, as if sensing his deadly intent, Alpha Christine quickly diverted her eyes away from the cat and studied the place. He didn't care about what kind of impression she got of his home and instead focused on getting as much distance between Love and the she-wolf. He deposited her on the hammock he'd set up for her at the window that had an amazing view of the forest and town below. It was her favorite place to be when she wasn't curled up on his lap…
He turned back to Christine who was looking at him with a questioning gaze. It took him a hot second before he realized what she was politely not asking.
"We had a meeting that ran longer than I expected it to be, and I was kept at the office until now," he explained, trying to sound chagrinned. It was the least he could do since she obviously had put time and effort before coming here. Or should he be honest and confess, he'd forgotten all about the date?
Best not to mention it…
"No problem at all," she replied and stalked closer to him. "Being alpha means sometimes you have to work long hours. I know all about it."
Something in the way she said it had chills running down his spine. Yeah, he had a feeling that she'd be someone breathing down his neck every time he did any tax papers for his pack or dealt with any kind of issues that arose within the pack. Not the kind of office romance he wanted or the life he wanted for himself.
Nah…
His fantasies involved his mate surprising him in his office with home-baked cookies, that he would take a little nibble off, before turning his attention to her. Then he'd push her against his desk and bend her over it, he'd fuck her right there and then. Because he couldn't get enough of her. Because she'd be soft where he was hard and patient where he was bash and hotheaded. She'd be his match in every way and she'd make him a better person. A better son and a better man.
A better alpha…
He shook those thoughts aside, knowing his daydreams weren't going to come true as long as he had Alpha Christine in his living room. Now all he needed was a way to get rid of her.
Would Bjorn understand to call with a fake emergency if he texted his three Xs?
Before he could even think about going for his phone Christine was right in front of him and--- He froze when her lips suddenly crashed against his. Stumbling a step back, he barely caught himself, before they went tumbling to the floor. Her fingers tangled in his hair and more of her weight pushed against him. To steady himself, he placed his hands on her waist and tried to keep them from falling.
Well shit!
This was NOT going according to plan…!
*
Kat felt as if someone was ripping her heart out. The woman in her living room wasn't just stunning beyond belief, she was also currently kissing HER mate!
At that moment, the pain turned to fury and with a hiss, she launched herself out of the hammock and straight at the female currently trying to stick her tongue down her mate's mouth. Claws out she launched herself off the floor and with a quick climb, she'd ascended the female's leg and had deposited herself on her shoulder. She heard the she-wolf scream and jumped just before Kat raked her claws across her face. Satisfied she saw four huge gashes cut the woman from her ear to her cheek.
"Lips to yourself, bitch!" she hissed at the she-wolf. The alpha female couldn't understand her, but Kat didn't let that hold her profanities back. And just as she was about to fling her claws at the tapdancing woman one more time, she was suddenly air-born when her mate hauled her off the woman.
"What the fuck?!" the woman screeched just as Magnus yelled.
"LOVE!" He growled and the second thing she knew, she was being deposited on the floor of the guest bathroom. Before she got her bearing the door closed behind her and a new surge of anger boiled her blood.
Did her mate just lock her in the bathroom?!
Yes, he did!
Hissing she attacked the door, clawing at the fame and leaping to get to the handle. Outside the door, she could hear Magnus apologizing and the women hissing out curses and insults directed towards her. And all her mate did was growl low with some kind of excuse for her behavior, before going out of his way to placate her!
Emitting a low growl of her own, she attacked the door handle again, trying to twist it. She wasn't done with the freak that wanted her mate and while her dual nature was gone, she knew that her cat would never forgive her if she let a skank like that picture-perfect barbie come between her and her mate!
Arg! Why did it have to be nobs?!
Trying with all her might she curled herself around the lock, trying to open it but to no avail. Which meant that Magnus had locked it from the other side. It was stupid, but that really stung. She couldn't help it but she wanted to cry. It would be hours yet before she could turn human and by then she---
Then their voices softened and became husky murmurs. Kat's heart hammered against her chest as the fight suddenly felt her. She dropped to the floor and listened. The unmistakable sound of people making out and the sounds of pure, raw enjoyment felt like nails on a blackboard to her brain.
And a buzzsaw to her heart!
Magnus and that woman were making out. And he was clearly enjoying it! And judging by the muffled sounds he was making it sounded like he was having a gut turning good time…
"Let's take this to the bedroom shall we?"
The husky tone of the female made her feel sick.
No!
No, he couldn't---!
But who was she kidding? Magnus was a male and like any hotblooded male, he had needs. In all the time she lived with him, he hadn't shown interest in a single woman, so she'd never really thought about it. Hell, it hadn't even crossed her mind that he might---
She'd waited too long!
She'd procrastinated for too long and postponed meeting her mate and now he was with another woman. The pain that came with that realization sliced through her like a hot knife. She wanted to stop them, but locked in the bathroom there was nothing she could do. Nothing but listen to them---
Almost in a panic, she leaped up to the bathroom window. Magnus always had it opened for her and tonight wasn't anything different. But tonight, she was fleeing his house for a different reason. Without thinking she leaped into the darkness, kicking up dead leaves and snow as she struggled to reach where her instincts were telling her to go.
Feeling as if her heart was going to tear through her chest at any moment, she hiccupped a sigh of relief when the familiar building came into view. The door of The Hut opened on their own accord when she came bolting up the stairs and allowed her entrance. As if the house knew she was always welcomed there…
"Kat?!" the witch spluttered, almost scolding the bobcat with her newly brewed tea, when she jumped into her lap. "What the---?!"
Bella jumped to her feet and deposited Kat on the sofa. Using some of her magic she forced the sand to run down quicker and seconds later, a crying woman was sitting on the couch. Hiving Kat threw her arms around her best friend and cried onto her shoulder.
"He's with someone else," she got out between streams of tears. "He's with another woman, having sex right now! I know he doesn't recognize me, but it hurt. Oh god, Bella, it hurts so much…!"
And no, it wasn't a physical pain. Not a pain like mates described when they cheated on each other. But her heart burned like someone had set her chest on fire.
"I'm going to kill him," Bella snapped, surprised by the venom in her own voice. Because this would be a perfect moment to refuel her powers. To regain her strength and get one step close to getting back to her time and save her sister. Yet the mare thought of causing Kat more harm, made her stomach turn and a knot form in her chest. Kat had been her rock ever since she landed in this God-forsaken time. And she didn't have it in her to repay that kindness with anything that gruesome.
No!
She'd find another way to restock powers and save her sister. Right now, her best friend needed a shoulder to cry on, and by everything unholy, she was going to give it to her!
"What do you need?" Bella asked, all business now, and sat them both on the sofa that had hurried towards them. "I got ice cream, vodka, chocolate, and cookies in the cabinets. And if you have a lock of his hair, I can give your mate the nastiest fungal infection he'll never live to forget."
For a split second, Kat gaped at her, not sure what to do with what she'd just heard. Then, realizing that there wasn't another person in her life – or ever – like Bella, she burst into ugly giggles. A horrible mix between crying and hysterical laughter, but all the same, just what she needed at the moment…
"You're the best friend ever," Kat hiccupped, pulling Bella closer and burying her face in her shoulder. Hell, she didn't even know, how other people got by without a witch-friend in their life.
Stunned beyond words, Bella took a second to go over in her mind what had just happened. In her mind, she hadn't done anything to deserve such praises, but the feelings blooming inside of her, wouldn't be denied. And so, she did the only thing she could do right at that moment.
She hugged her friend right back...