Jacks, Marcy - Eli's Reluctant Mate [DeWitt's Pack 5] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) by Marcy Jacks (best ereader under 100 .txt) 📗

Tristan said.

More evidence that these men were here as guards rather than as

friends.

“I’d rather go alone.”

They both looked at each other again in that way Chris was  growing to despise. “Uh, look,” Corey said. “I’m sure you’ve  probably already guessed that we’re here to watch you, but it really is  for your protection.”

Chris liked to think of himself as the sort of guy who was capable  of being calm, even when he wanted to blow his top. “Okay, can you  explain that to me? I thought we were safe here.”

“We are, relatively safe, anyway,” Tristan said. “But attacks have  been known to happen here when weres from other packs try to take  over the land. There was an attack here two months ago, and it  affected quite a few of us.”

“So, it’s not safe here,” Chris said.

“It’s safer for you to be here, where you can be watched, instead  of strolling around the woods by yourself, where a wild were from  another pack could be lurking,” Corey said. “And it’s safer for us, too.  You’re still a stranger to everyone out there. For all anyone knows,  you’re a spy send by a hunter or something.”

“I’m not a spy,” Chris said,  the anger rising inside of him.

“And we believe you,” Tristan said. “But it makes for better  common sense if we don’t let you roam free around the place. We still  have to be careful.”

Christ, now how in the hell was Chris supposed to argue against that? He couldn’t. Their reasoning was too solid for him to fight against it. Any thought-clearing meditation he did, it would have to be done in the presence of these two men here.

“Fine, let’s go then,” Chris said, getting to his feet and heading for the door.

44                          Marcy Jacks

It might irk him, but he really needed to stretch his legs. Maybe when he met Eli next, these two would be allowed to give them some privacy.

Chris needed to make sure that Eli understood that there would be

nothing happening between them, but he also trusted the man enough

that he wanted to ask him about Dean. Him and no one else.

If Eli had some feelings for Chris, whether they were based solely on the color of his eyes or not, then maybe he could count on Eli to help him dig up some information.

And if it turned out someone here was responsible for Dean’s having gone missing, well, then he would just have to hope that Eli’s feelings stretched far enough that he wouldn’t want to see Chris vanish the same way his brother had.

* * * *

Eli didn’t find them in the small cottage, but the scents of all three men was strong, meaning they’d just left minutes before he’d arrived.

It made following their trails too easy, and Eli came upon them walking through the trees several yards away from the nearest house.

His  protective instincts flared, and he was nearly upon the group of them before Tristan turned up from whatever they were looking at to see the anger on Eli’s face.

He backed up a step, his hands raised. “Whoa, man, relax,”

“What the hell are you two doing bringing him out here?” Eli snapped. He didn’t care if Corey was James’s mate either. He was going to yell at him, too. “There’s other wolves prowling around who want a piece of him, and you bring him this far past the tree line?”

“We’re not that far out,” Corey said, looking beyond Eli to where the brighter clearing of cottages could still be seen in the distance, out from under the heavy canopy of trees.

If Eli strained his ears enough, he could still hear some of the children playing while the other omegas did their chores. He couldn’t

Eli’s Reluctant Mate                       45

make out exact words, not from this distance, but the noise, and the

sight of their home, had probably given these two omegas here the  false sense of security that had allowed them to come out this far.

“It doesn’t matter,” Eli said, refusing to be placated. “Other alpha  wolves have come this far in before. They’ve snuck in further, and as  long as he’s here, they’re going to think they have a reason to attack  us.”

“Shouldn’t I leave then?” Chris asked. “If I’m going to be causing  these kinds of problems, then―”

“No!” Eli snapped. “You can’t leave. You need protection as  much as anyone now that they’ve seen you.”

Seen your eyes, he wanted to say. If Chris really was some kind of  walking good-luck charm to whomever claimed him, then any were  who saw him would want him. They would kidnap him, try to force  him to become part of their packs. They would change him against his  will. Some would rape him.

Just the thought of that other wolf on top of Chris, trying to take  his clothes off while Eli had been lying there, almost too weak to even  do anything to save him …

It made him see red. It made him want to run off and hunt down

that son of a bitch right now and finish what he’d started.

Relax. Stay calm. Eli took in a deep breath.  You’re just having a  strong reaction because your mate is right there. He’s safe for now.  Nothing is hurting him.

Corey and Tristan looked at each other and then at Chris.

“Maybe we should leave you two alone,” Corey said, walking  around Eli and heading back to  the cottages.

“Yeah,” Tristan agreed, following behind him.

With the way he’d acted, Eli half expected Chris to put up some  sort of protest at being left alone with him. He said nothing.

“You and I need to talk,” Eli started, hooking his thumbs into the

pockets of his jeans.

“Yeah,” Chris said. “Did you go around telling everyone in this

46                          Marcy Jacks

camp that I’m yours?”

That made Eli pause. How could he have―?

Right. Corey or Tristan must have said something. “I did. You’re  my mate, so I wanted to make that clear to everyone before someone  decided to be cute and try seducing you.”

“I’m not your mate,” Chris insisted, a frown pulling down on his  face.

Now Eli was