Before the sun rose up the following week, Jan walked to the hotel gym after Ethan left to shower. They had just finished their morning workout, and the large room was hot and steamy. Zyga's shirt was soaked and plastered to his back while Jeb dripped sweat onto the floor.
".... he's picking up fast. Just like his father," Jeb was saying as he wiped his face with a towel. "I didn't see that swipe coming... nearly clawed out my side."
The old tracker merely grunted.
They both turned to him as he stepped through the swinging doors. Jan tried not to breathe in too deeply. The heavy musty scent was nearly toxic.
"Good morning, Zyga, Jeb. A quick moment?" he asked.
Ethan's adopted father had his scowl in place even before Jan spoke. Jeb, on the other hand, was cordial as usual.
"Good morning, Jan," he responded, hanging the towel around his neck.
Jan ignored the tracker's less than friendly welcome. He would have probably avoided them himself if it was not for Ethan. Though they shared a building, they barely spoke to each other. The vampires stayed on their side and the wolves on another, leaving Ethan and the humans as the go-between.
From Jan's perspective, it was the best scenario for a bad situation. He could live without Zyga's constant glare.
"I just became aware that this weekend is Thanksgiving. Do you plan on having Ethan join the Games?" he asked, keeping his eyes on the bulkier vanguard.
Jeb glanced at Zyga, whose frown deepened.
"Yes. Eric already invited us to stay. We agreed it may be best to have him join the challenges here instead of going back home," he said in a resigned tone, indicating he was less than happy about it.
Jan nodded. "Could you let Eric know that we would like to come along?"
If Ethan was going to be part of the Games, Jan intended to be there whether they liked it or not. He could not get the haunted image of Ethan looking deflated at his doorstep out of his head. The least he could do was to go out in support of the wolf who had once saved his life. Jan just wanted to do so without stepping on the toes of the Gray Oaks beta, who was working overtime to keep the peace between the vampires and his pack.
"Why?" Zyga demanded, distrust woven within his scowl.
Jan half turned to him. "I just thought that with more people around and Ethan out of the safety of the hotel, maybe Eric might need more hands for security."
"We don't nee-" Zyga started, but Jeb cut him off.
"I'm sure Ethan would love to have you there. "
Jan glanced at Jeb. The warrior's intense eyes and gentle smile seemed to hide some deep knowledge behind them. For a minute, the vampire hesitated, tempted to talk more with Jeb and learn about their pack dynamics. But the angry huff from Zyga killed that desire. Jan nodded and left.
Miserable old wolf!
His cell phone rang just as he got off the elevator on his floor. The caller ID was a string of Russian characters.
"Ivan," he answered.
"Jan," his brother's rough voice responded. "How's it going?"
"Nothing unusual. No activity since you left."
"I don't mean at that place," the Russian grumbled. "I mean with the wolf. Have you fed?"
"Not yet," He answered, opening the door to his suite.
YOU ARE READING
Blooded Mate
Fantasy[[MATURE CONTENT]] Pack, family, mate. Loyalty, respect, honor. These are the words that form the foundation of the wolf society. At six years old, Ethan had to choose between his Alpha title and his survival on the night of his father's death. As a...
