Page 32 of Their Mate
CHAPTER 10
Jamie
A guttural war cry sliced through the quiet of the alley, echoing through the night and vibrating deep inside my chest. Every muscle in my body snapped to attention. I spun toward the sound, instantly alert. Beside me, Logan and Edward went rigid, the ease we’d been savoring evaporating from their expressions as the echoes faded into tense silence. Even Sera froze, head whipping toward the distant source, her body suddenly coiled as if readying for something even worse than us.
“What the hell was that?” I asked, my voice rough with strain.
Edward’s eyes narrowed, his posture shifting instinctively into the stance of a soldier preparing for imminent combat. “Whatever it was, it wasn’t human. And it didn’t sound like any feral wolf or lycan I’ve ever heard.”
Logan turned sharply to Sera, gripping her arm firmly but without cruelty. His voice was hard, his expression suspicious. “You know what that was, don’t you? I can see it in your eyes. Start talking.”
Sera’s jaw tightened with rebellion, her chin raised stubbornly even as fear flickered briefly across her eyes. “I don’t owe you anything. Certainly not an answer to that question.”
Edward stepped forward, ice-cold calm radiating from his voice, betraying the danger lurking beneath. “Let me be very clear, love. Aidan and Declan are out there injured, and they could be in danger at this very moment from whatever that was. If you’re holding anything back, now would be the time to reconsider unless you want that lovely little ass of yours spanked quite severely.”
She hesitated, visibly torn. Her breathing had quickened, pulse hammering at her throat as she glared furiously at Edward. But behind her anger at us were recognition and a shadow of dread. Her silence was damning. She definitely knew something.
My patience snapped. “Enough of this,” I growled, stepping forward to tower over her, arms crossed firmly over my chest. “We’re done playing games, lass. Either you tell us what’s out there, or we’ll have to find a more persuasive way to get it out of you.”
She glared at me, defiance blazing in those brilliant eyes. “You think threats scare me, Jamie Buchanan?”
Logan stepped in close, his voice deceptively quiet, threaded with steel. “You misunderstand. They’re not threats. They’re promises. If our pack is at risk, we’ll do whatever it takes to protect them. Even if that means dealing punishments to our own mate as we see fit.”
The word mate visibly shook her, sending a conflicted shiver rippling across her frame. She clenched her jaw, uncertainty mixing with stubbornness all over her face.
Edward moved in again, relentless, his voice lowered to a dangerous growl. “You’ve got about three seconds to start talking before Logan and Jamie help pin you down right here and now so I can thrash that impertinent ass of yours. You won’t enjoy the process, love—though we certainly might.”
Sera’s breath caught, her cheeks burning as the image flashed through her mind.
I grinned. “I can see it now. You bent over Edward’s knee, your bare, wet pussy and your well-fucked ass exposed to the cool air and completely on display. He has your belt in his hand, the thick leather poised high to snap down hard on your naked ass.”
“I’ll be standing before you with my cock in my hand. Your pretty mouth will be open wide taking me deep while you take your spanking. You can scream around my cock,” Logan said. “When Edward’s done punishing that sweet ass, we’ll take you and Jamie and I will take turns stuffing your pussy and your ass while you suck him off.”
Her cheeks burned brighter, and she shifted on her feet, her arousal thickening the air around her. She was getting wet just thinking about it.I could scent it in the air.
“We’ll use and fuck all of those pretty holes of yours until you’re begging for mercy, but you’re being a bad girl and withholding information, so we’re not going to give you any.”
“We’ll fuck what we need to know out of you, little mate. It’s simply a matter of how long it’s going to take before you give in and surrender, but not before you’re very sore, and very thoroughly punished.”
She was quiet, her lips pressing together in a firm line and I knew she wouldn’t be able to stand that punishment for longbefore she caved. Still, the thought of fucking her while her ass was marked from her own belt was enough to make my cock stir to life, and I had to fight back a low groan of desire. I wanted to push her up against the wall and drive my cock into her tight, wet heat until she was screaming out her climax, with her legs wrapped tightly around my waist.
But there wasn’t time for that.
Instead, Edward snapped his fingers. “Time’s up.”
Sera swallowed hard, the movement visible in the soft light of the moon. She licked her lips nervously, her gaze darting between us. She knew we weren’t fucking around. Then a flash of defiance passed over her face and she glared at each one of us in turn.
Edward stepped closer, arms folded in a pose of clear authority, his voice calm, edged with steel. “Tell us what’s out there. What is it?”
Her jaw clenched tight, rebel eyes blazing. For a heartbeat, I was certain she’d refuse, but something shifted behind her gaze; calculation, resignation, and finally, a reluctant sort of surrender.
“You can punish me all you want,” she finally bit out, each word clipped and precise. “And let’s be perfectly clear—I’d have never cracked. You’d never have gotten a word out of me.” She straightened, throwing her shoulders back boldly. “But I’m telling you now because I can’t fight it alone.”
Logan studied her carefully, suspicion giving way to curiosity. “You can’t fightwhatalone?”
“You idiots have no idea what you’re dealing with,” she finally spat, fury and fear warring in her voice. “That war cry you just heard belongs to someone infinitely worse than a pack of ferals or a few lycans. That’s someone you don’t want to cross, ever.”
“Who?” Logan demanded sharply, grip tightening slightly on her arm. “Start explaining right fucking now.”
