Awaken a Wolf by R. E. Butler Read Free Book Online Page A

darkly.
    “Wouldn’t accept your gift or come here.”
    “Why?”
    Angie sniffled and shuddered.  “I don’t know, alpha, I’m sorry.  I-I-I’m s-sorry.”
    His lip curled and he fought the urge to throw something.  “Get out.”
    She scampered away, leaving him alone in the room.  He turned toward the window, anger boiling through him.  What was it going to take to get Cinder to see that they were mates?  Surely she could feel the connection to him.  She might be a witch, but that didn’t mean she would be immune to the pull of their mating connection.  He’d seen the evidence of her desire for him the night she almost died.  How could she keep away from him?
    An image flashed in his mind of the tiger, and he slammed his fist into the wall with an aggravated growl.  His hand smashed through the plaster with a loud thud.
    “Brick!”  He snarled his beta’s name loud enough to wake the dead.
    Brick’s heavy footsteps rushed toward him.  “Yes, Alpha?”
    “Get me the tiger king on the phone.  Now.”
    Brick opened his mouth as if to protest and Adam snarled.  Brick’s mouth snapped shut with a click, and he spun on his heels and raced into the kitchen.  A few moments later, he heard Brick ask if Midas was available to speak to Adam.  He returned to the front room and handed his cell to Adam.
    “Hello, Midas,” Adam said, reining in his rage.
    “Adam.  To what do I owe the pleasure?”
    All the leaders of the were-groups in the area were friendly.  They had their own territories and handled their own people’s issues.  There was an unspoken rule among the leaders that if there were an issue among their people, they would reach out to the leaders first before any actions were taken.  Adam wanted the tiger out of Cinder’s life.  He was certain that the male was influencing his mate negatively.  Cats and wolves didn’t necessarily get along, especially where females were concerned.  He and Midas were on friendly terms, though, and he had no qualms about asking the male to step in.
    Adam laid out his issues with the cat.
    There was a long pause, and then Midas said, “You’re certain Cinder is your mate?”
    “Yes.”  Adam barely stopped from growling the word.
    “Cyrus is an honorable male.  He wouldn’t overstep with another male’s mate.  They’re friends and roommates.  I would know if there were more going on between them.”
    Adam let the silence stretch.
    Midas exhaled.  “I’ll speak to Cyrus.”
    “I don’t want you to just speak to him.  I want him out of her apartment.”
    “Are you certain you want to go this route?  I don’t know Cinder personally, but I would wager that most women wouldn’t appreciate someone being so heavy handed.”
    “Would you tolerate another male living with your mate when you weren’t around?”
    “Of course not.”
    “If I see that tiger around her again before we’re mated, I can’t be held responsible for my actions.”
    “It’s unnecessary to threaten my pride member.”
    “I’m not.  I’m just speaking the truth.”
    There was a brief, tense pause.  “He’ll be gone tomorrow.”
    “I owe you one.”
    Midas chuckled.  “I’ll keep that in mind when I’m ready to trade in my SUV.”
    Adam snorted and ended the call.  The wolf pack owned a car dealership, and most of the weres in the area came to them for better deals than they received at human-owned dealerships.  Although weres had been known to humankind for years, there were still those who had prejudices against shifters for no reason other than the fact that they were different.
    “Adam?”  Angie’s voice was soft and low.
    He turned to face her.  “Yes?”
    “Don’t do this.”
    “What?”
    “Take Cinder’s friend.  You already took Leo from her.”
    Adam growled and Angie’s eyes widened.  Her fear scented the air like sour milk.  “Don’t mention that pup to me again.”
    Angie’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, and she