The Mating Project Read online

  Then again she had told them to leave her alone, but, surely, if they cared about her, they would just come and get her, right?

  In a fit, she turned her damn phone off and threw it back into her bag with a frown.

  "Really, Maria, what is the matter with you tonight? Are you feeling quite well, and who keeps ringing you?"

  Maria flinched at the genuine concern behind her mother's words and wanted the ground to swallow her up when Anton, of all people, came to her rescue.

  "Perhaps Maria just needs some fresh air. I know I could do with stretching my legs after all this excellent food you prepared, Judith." Anton could be charming when he wanted to be, and her mum lapped up the praise.

  "What an excellent idea. Maria you can show Anton the new rose garden we've been working on. Maria has the most excellent green fingers, hasn't she, Gunnar?"

  Her father nodded, and while Jake and Carter grimaced at the barely veiled attempt at throwing Maria and Anton together, the traitors did not intervene. Anastasia at least threw her a sympathetic glance.

  "Yes, do go with Anton and show him the garden. I know he has plans to install one of his own, and your mother is right. You look peaky, and the fresh air will do you good."

  Maria glared at him and bit back the sarcastic comeback bubbling on her tongue. It wouldn't get her anywhere, and she needed her dad on her side, if she was to have any chance of having Silas and Malachi accepted as her mates.

  Unbidden Silas's worried voice invaded her mind, and she closed her eyes and shook her head.

  Maria, baby, are you okay? You're sending some pretty hefty distress signals right now.

  I'm fine. Get the fuck out of my head, Silas.

  Then pick up your phone and talk to me, little cat.

  Not now, Silas.

  "Are you all right, Maria?"

  She jumped at Anton's voice right next to her ear and forced herself to not snatch her elbow out his grasp. This close to him her cougar curled in on itself and hid. Something that always confused Maria. The only other time her animal had done that had been in that god-awful cell. She suppressed the involuntary shudder that always went through her when those dark memories invaded her mind, and forced a smile on her face for the benefit of her family. She could sense the worry coming off them all.

  Her dad in particular seemed most uncomfortable. He might have given his blessing to Anton to persuade her into mating with him, but he wanted what was best for her, she knew that. In his eyes, having his only daughter mated to an original would protect her and give her the status he wanted for her. Too bad Maria had never cared much for the status quo.

  "I'm fine, thank you." Her reply came out far too forced, and the pressure on her elbow increased enough to leave bruises on her sensitive skin.

  In her head Silas's worry increased tenfold. She should be annoyed that he was still probing, and Lord only knew how he did it, considering the man himself was miles away, but having them here calmed Maria's agitated beast. All she had to do was get through this walk, keep De Souza at arm's length, and then she could get out of here.

  Sounded easy enough, but an army of butterflies started a merry dance in her tummy the minute Anton let go of her arm and helped to pull her chair back. Oh yes, the perfect gentleman, but her skin still stung where his fingertips had dug into her arm. However, two could play this game, and Maria was neither a coward nor a pushover, so she smiled up at him, downed the contents of her wine glass with a mutinous glare toward her father, and stalked off to the outside.

  Anton followed with the quiet stealth of his animal, and Maria shook her head to clear it off the alcohol induced fogginess, when the fresh air hit her straight in the gut. The world swayed slightly, and Anton was right there, a solid wall behind her.

  They were still in view of the dining room, and as far as their onlookers could tell, Anton was merely making sure she didn't fall, but the heavy erection digging into her ass told of other intents. As did the hand he wrapped around her hair and tugged her along with, down the path, and out of sight.

  It took a few moments for Maria to get her bearings, but by the time he spun her up and into the sheltered gazebo her mind was clear again. Her scalp stung with the sheer force of his hold on her, and the breath left her lungs with a whoosh when he slammed her against the side of the wooden structure. The slats dug into her bare back, and she flinched as the rough texture took the first few layers of epidermis with her. The pressure on her scalp seized, and he yanked her arms up instead and kicked her legs apart. Every fiber of her being tensed when he inhaled against her neck and then licked along her jaw line. His eyes glowed in the dim light of the setting sun, and Maria swallowed down the bile clogging her throat.

  "The perfume was a nice trick, but did you really think I couldn't smell him on you?" His smile could only be described as evil incarnate. "His stink is all over you. You can't fool me, my sweet."

  "I have no idea what you're talking about, Anton."

  His laugh chilled her to the bone.

  "Of course you do, but that's okay. I'll let you have your little bit of fun—for now." As abruptly as he grabbed her, he released her, and Maria darted away from him to the opposite side of the gazebo. This had always been her favorite place to hide out as a child, but right now, she wanted to tear the damn thing to the ground.

  "I shall make this simple for you, sweet thing." She grimaced at the inane pet name. "I've been after Silas Deacon for ages. I want him on the Mating Project, and you, my sweet little Maria, will make sure he agrees to my terms, or…"

  He flashed his elongated canines at her, and Maria knew full what he meant.

  "What makes you think you can threaten me? You just wait ‘til my father hears of this, he'll—"

  "He'll what?" Anton interrupted her and leant back against the very place he'd held her captive, and lit up one of the sickly cigars he favored. He took a deep draft and then crossed the measly distance between them in one leap and blew the smoke straight into her face.

  Maria's eyes watered, and her lungs burned as she coughed the smoke she'd inadvertently inhaled, back up again.

  "I'm an original, Maria. Your father is a mere councilor, and whilst he has influence it won't reach very far. What do you think the council will say to the fact the he has allowed his only daughter and a pure blood cougar to boot, to run about town screwing whoever she fancied for the last ten years? Somehow I don't think they'll be too pleased, will they, now?"

  He paused again, and his eyes bled back to their usual silver grey orbs. His stare was no less menacing, though, and Maria crossed her arms and inched away from him some more.

  "So I tell you how it will be. You will make sure Deacon signs up to the project, and I will let him live." He smiled at her gasp. "I'll even let you fuck him for a while, and once he's signed the contract, you and I will be mated in front of the council, and then, my little cat, you're all mine."

  Cold sweat trickled down Maria's back, and hearing Silas's pet name for her coming from this man's lips turned her stomach.

  "Don't you dare call me that, and you're deluded if you think you'll get away with this. I'd rather kill myself than sleep with you."

  If Maria had thought to get a reaction out of him she was mistaken. Nothing seemed to shake this guy, and her cat whimpered and burrowed in deeper into her skin.

  "Words are easy, little cat." He chuckled to himself when she flinched at the moniker. "And if you really have a death wish that can be arranged. Once you've given me a litter of cubs. You're strong and healthy, and your family is clearly fertile, unlike the dud I was married to before. Stupid bitch couldn't carry one of my babies to term."

  Maria closed her eyes and shook her head. No, this was a nightmare. He couldn't be allowed to get away with any of this. She wouldn't let him. Malachi would know what to do. How she could be so sure of that, she had no idea, but it gave her the strength to summon her cat. The animal snarled, and Maria growled at Anton. His stoic smile slipped slightly when
she unsheathed her claws and cut that vile cigar in half.

  "Those will kill you, and if they don't, I will. No one threatens what's mine, original or not."

  Anton growled low in his throat, the sound so menacing it sent a chill all over her body, but before he could say or do anything, Carter's familiar scent enveloped her, and Maria sprinted toward her brother.

  "Hey there, sis. Anastasia is tired and antsy and wants to get home to the cubs. This is the first time she's left them, see, so she asked me to find you. Want a lift, seeing that you've drunk your bodyweight in wine tonight? Mum says you could stay here in your old suite, but Jake and I figured you'd rather go home, right?"

  He frowned at Maria's overenthusiastic nod, and she froze when Anton approached.

  "If she needs a lift home, I'm more than capable of providing her with one. After all, we'll soon be family, won’t we, Maria?"

  Carter's frown increased, and he pulled Maria behind him and faced up to the older man. The air was suddenly thick with tension, and Maria swallowed nervously. Carter was close to shifting, and it had been a while since she'd seen her brother this agitated.

  "Nothing is settled yet, on that score, De Souza. My father might yet withdraw his permission, so I'd tread carefully if I were you. I don't take kindly to finding my little sister this perturbed."

  Anton growled, and Maria pulled on Carter's arm to get him to move.

  "Stop the caveman act, dumb-head. I can look after myself, and you don't want to keep Anastasia waiting, do you?"

  At the mention of his mate, Carter's tense stature relaxed, and he nodded.

  "Let's get you home, sis."

  Maria didn't need to look back to know Anton's gaze burnt a hole into her back. What had she ever done to deserve such a fucked up life?

  Chapter Eleven

  "Maria, dear, are you all right?" Anastasia's concerned voice drifted into the miserable fog for brains that was her thoughts, and Maria sat up with a start. She must have dozed off in the car. She'd shut her eyes to avoid any awkward questions when they'd made it back to her brothers' car, and Jake had given her that look that always made her squirm and confess all.

  Anastasia had come to her rescue and told him to butt out, but it seemed she, too, now wanted answers. Her friend's worry coated itself around Maria's senses like a suffocating blanket, and she shrugged her shoulders.

  "I will be, don’t worry."

  Carter snorted in the driver's seat, and Jake turned round and glared at her. Anastasia ignored her mates and grasped hold of Maria's hand.

  "You don't like him, do you?"

  She didn't need to clarify who Anastasia meant, and Maria blinked away useless tears. Anastasia sighed and nodded.

  "Me neither. There is something about him that gives me the creeps. Surely your father will not force you to go through with it. I know I'm relatively new to all this, but this custom, for sake of a better word is … is … well, it's just not right. You should be free to choose to mate who you want."

  "It is what it is, little one." Carter interrupted his mate and glanced at Maria through the rear view mirror. As quick as that glance was it conveyed his concern for her loud and clear, and it calmed Maria's agitated cougar. She should have known her brothers would have her back, no matter what. They always did, after all. Maybe she needed to confide in them. About Silas anyway. Malachi would be a step too far even for them, she was sure.

  "However," Jake said. "Anastasia is quite right, that Dad wouldn't force you into this. He simply wants what's best for you. In his eyes, and I agree with his thinking, being mated to an original like De Souza will keep you safe, out of the politics, and strengthen the status of the entire family. Especially with your past."

  He threw his hands up in defeat as Anastasia growled at him.

  "Hey, sweetheart, don't kill the messenger. I'm merely playing devil's advocate here. I'll back my lil’ annoying sister in whatever she wants to do, but the truth of the matter is, she is not getting any younger, and people are starting to talk. Not that either one of us gives two hoots about that, but there's the triplets to consider now. I will not jeopardize their future in any way—or yours."

  "Oh, poppycock. You two have managed to make a life for yourself outside of the council perfectly well, and our babies will do so, too. I've lived perfectly well as a human for years before I met you, so I'm not buying into this bullshit for one minute. You will not sacrifice your sister to that man on some imaginary path for our babies. I won't let you."

  "Please, stop arguing. You never argue. This is why I haven't said anything." Maria yanked her hand out of Anastasia's hold and put both of her hands over her ears. "This isn't your problem. It's mine, and I'll sort it one way or the other."

  Her brothers’ snarls filled the car, and Anastasia pulled Maria's hands off her ears.

  "This is very much our problem. You're my closest friend, and you're family. If you're in trouble I want to know about it, and we'll try and help, won’t we, boys?"

  She glared at her men, and both Jake and Carter smiled.

  "Of course, we will, little one."

  "You don’t even have to ask that, sweetheart."

  "Good, now that's settled. Tell me who the man is whose scent you've been trying to hide under a cloud of perfume?"

  Anastasia laughed at Maria's astonished look, and winked at her.

  "Did you really think that would work? Clearly he means something to you for his scent to be that strong, and… Oh My God! Are you mated? To a human? Geez, Maria. You don't like to make things easy for yourself, do you?"

  Her amusement turned into horror when Maria burst into tears.

  "Okay, that's it. You're coming home with us, so we can keep you safe, and you can explain all of this."

  Maria shook her head and wiped the useless tears away.

  "No, I will not put you or the babies in danger. This is my mess, and I need to sort it out. If you want to take me anywhere, take me to his place. They both live there."

  "Both?" Anastasia's voice rose in amazement, and her brothers swore.

  "Goddammit, Maria, you better start talking, or so help me I'll forget you're my sister and stop this car and put you over my knee." Carter's blue eyes blazed at her through the mirror, and she didn't miss the white knuckled grip he had on the steering wheel. Jake, too, looked close to shifting. She could almost see his cat's fur stand on end, and her own animal wasn't much better.

  "Stop it all of you. If you ruin my car's upholstery, I'll never forgive you." Anastasia pulled them all back from the brink, and despite the situation Maria smiled at her grumbled words of damn stupid ass men. I swear I've got five kids instead of three.

  "You best give Jake the address of this human, and spill the details, girl."

  By the end of that car ride, Maria had filled them all in as best she could. Her brothers' reaction to the news that Malachi was back in town had been as predictable as it had been terrifying.

  "I'll string that damn mutt's balls up for the birds to pick apart."

  "That's too good a treatment for the asshole. Where the fuck has he been all this time?"

  In a strange way, her brothers' fury had been reassuring. They'd been the ones to pick her up and build her back up again back then. And whilst she had never divulged her rescuer's true identity they'd known he was a wolf, and it hadn’t taken them long to put two and two together.

  "You do know when Dad finds out he's back he'll go ballistic, right, sis?"

  Maria nodded, and her heart tried to beat itself out of her chest as they pulled up outside Silas's block of flats and Malachi stepped into the glare of the headlights.

  "Well, talk of the devil. You stay here, while we have a word with that wolf of yours."

  Before she could stop them, Jake and Carter had shot of out of the car, and half shifted the three men circled each other in an eerie dance of testosterone fuelled madness that really shouldn't excite Maria. Anastasia, too, was not unaffected if her increased scent and rapid
breathing were anything to go by.

  "Oh my," she whispered and tightened her hold on Maria. "Aren't they a sight for sore eyes?"

  "They'll kill him. I've got to stop this." Maria tried to yank herself free, but Anastasia had a surprisingly strong grip on her.

  "No, they won't. They might just rough him up a bit. Let them. They need to do something, and how he reacts to this will show us all how he truly feels about you. Besides," Anastasia pulled back and winked at her. "When they get this worked up, you know the sex you'll have afterwards will blow your mind, right?"

  "Anastasia!"

  Maria tried for outrage, but her protest came about far too breathy. In truth, she couldn't tear her gaze away from the sight of Malachi. He'd been magnificent as a young man, but in the years since, the boy she remembered had grown into a man. Muscles bunched and released under his tee, and the bulge in his jeans made her wet just looking at it. A three day old beard graced his square jaw, and the hands that formed into claws were strong and long fingered. The dark hair on his forearms led her gaze up to his bulging biceps and the wide chest. It tapered down to lean hips and thick thighs that strained the denim of his jeans as he hunkered down slightly ready for the attack that didn't come.

  Instead, her brothers said something to him that made him look straight toward her, and the world stood still at the depth of emotion she read in his amber eyes.

  Ignoring her growling brothers he stalked toward the car, yanked the door open, and before she could do anything at all, Malachi had slung her over his shoulder and strode away toward the block of flats.

  "Don't worry, this one is mine, and I’ll make sure she stays out of trouble."

  ****

  Malachi grinned to himself and tightened his hold on his precious bundle, as Maria kicked and pummeled his back with her fists. He had no doubt that had they not been in public she'd have shifted and torn his back to shreds.