Claiming His Witch (24 page)

“What’s so important in Detroit that you’re dragging your mate over there just to send her back west?”

Rebel smiled. “I’ve got a few things to set up with the den, and they’re things I have to do in person.”

“Like what?” I asked.
 

“Like…a woman has asked to pledge the Breed, and I’m allowing it. Plus we’ll have four mated members in the ranks.”

I frowned. “Four? Me, you, Gates…who else?”

Rebel grinned. “Kaija.”

My eyebrows rose as Rebel laughed.
 

“I know. But Gates called last night. He said she was ready and it’s what she wants.”

“A woman pledge.” Beast shook his head and grinned. “I never thought I’d see the day. I can’t believe Gates is going to let her ride.”

“Let her?” Amber scowled at the hulking shifter. “Who is he to
let her
? Are you wolves complete Neanderthals? A woman can do what she wants, including riding around on a motorcycle.”

“Here we go.” Zuri chuckled against my chest. “He’s going to get her all riled up now.”

I pushed my mate away from the group as they argued, sliding my hands into the back pockets of her jeans and squeezing her ass.

“How about, as soon as these guys leave, I get you all riled up?”

She leaned her head back and smiled up at me. “You going to take me for a ride, Pup?”

I growled, long and low as I brought my lips to hers. “You can ride me anytime, beautiful.”

“Yo, Pup,” Rebel yelled, making me jump. “I think you’re missing something.”

I glanced up to see Rebel and Beast standing on the far side of the vehicles, smiling.

“What’s up?”

He waved, beckoning me. “Why don’t you come here and find out?”

I glanced at Zuri, who simply shrugged. We walked over, holding hands, happy just to be together. It was an amazing feeling, knowing my mate loved me. Something warm and right, something I cherished. I pitied anyone who tried to take it away from me; even death itself wasn’t strong enough to best me.

When I reached the guys, Rebel smiled and grabbed me by my shoulders.
 

“You’ve been a wonderful prospect, one of the best we’ve ever had. You’ve showed bravery and smarts, loyalty and heart. You’ve earned our respect as a man, as a shifter, and as a brother.”

I swallowed hard, fighting a burn in my eyes as Rebel stepped back.

Beast smirked. “Yeah, yeah, you’ve earned our respect. But now it’s time to earn that.” He pointed across the field. A wooden stake had been planted in the ground, easily ten feet high. At the top, a vest hung. A black leather vest with a howling wolf insignia and two rockers on the back. The top rocker I’d had on my cut since I was made a prospect. It spelled out Feral Breed in a curve above the wolf. The other, sitting under the insignia, let everyone know my den home. Detroit.

“Fuck me.”

“No time, Pup.” Zuri grinned, obviously knowing what this was. “We’re not going to make this easy on you, so you better run.”

Flames erupted between me and the vest. A warm wind blew through the field, making the fire dance on the air. Storm clouds rolled in overhead, promising thunder and lightning as they darkened the morning sky.

“Damn, we should have gotten a couple of witches before.” Beast smacked Rebel in the chest as they watched the girls put on a show. “This is way better than when we made Numbers wrestle that alligator.”

“Hey Pup,” Rebel yelled. “You’ve got three minutes to take it, man.”

I immediately took off running, heading for the fire. While I didn’t think Scarlett would purposely burn me, I knew earning that patch meant braving everything they threw at me. There were no shortcuts or cheats. If I was going to get it, I had to run straight through the challenges the girls threw at me.
 

Nearing the flames, now curving and arching high in the sky as Amber’s wind fed them, I sped up. The heat burned my eyes and made it hard to catch my breath, but I kept running. Harder, faster, until finally diving past the wall of fire and rolling to a stop in front of the stake. Before I could reach for the vest, the sky above opened up. Thunder rumbled through the air, shaking the ground, and lightning struck a tree only a few yards away.

“My own mate is trying to kill me,” I yelled, smiling as I caught her eye from across the open field.

“Rebel said you had to work for it, baby.” Zuri’s grin was obvious in the tone of her voice. I rolled my eyes and shook my head as the rain began to fall, soaking me within seconds.
 

“I’m getting you back for this.”

Zuri laughed. “I sure as hell hope so.”

I examined the wood stake as the rain fell, wiping water from my face every few seconds. The vest was too high for me to reach, not even if I jumped. The rain made the stake too slick to climb, never mind the fact that it was too thin and weak-looking to hold me. There was only one way I could see to get my vest.

I took a step back, twisting my hips toward the stake.

“You’d better not let it fall, Pup,” Rebel yelled. I waved a hand in the air, not needing the reminder. This vest was something to be cherished, honored. Letting it hit the ground was sacrilege to the Feral Breed.

I took a deep breath. I could do this. I was strong enough, fast enough, and nimble enough to do this. I just had to concentrate.

Releasing the breath I’d been holding, I shifted my weight, aimed, and kicked. As my foot made contact with wood, I threw my upper body forward, grabbing the stake right above the break and shoving it away from me. The top of the wood came down nearly on top of me, exactly as I planned, making the vest land safely in my hands.

Raucous cheers went up from across the field, and I grinned. My hands shook as I ran them over the vest, the leather smooth and new. As Rebel, Beast, and the girls ran over, I untucked the top and opened the fold. My fingers found the front panel, where a patch sat on the left side. Curved, with bold block letters spelling out my new name.
 

Phoenix.

“You’ve proven yourself long before today.” Rebel walked up beside me, his arm wrapped around a smiling Charlotte. “You’ve earned that cut from the moment you pledged yourself, and I’m proud to be the one to put it on your back.”

He came up behind me, taking the leather from my hands. I slipped my arms in as Rebel held it, so proud I had to blink back a burn in my eyes as he straightened the vest along my shoulders. Once finished, Rebel took a step back, joining the rest of my family forming an arc in front of me.

Beast stepped in front of the girls, beaming at me with what looked like pride. My friend and mentor, the man I’d looked up to for years, held a full leather jacket with the Breed insignia and rockers on the back as well as a skullcap matching his. All customized with my new name.

“My brother, my friend,” Beast said. “You carry my spirit in you, my essence, and my brother’s blood mixed with yours. You are family to me, pack, and you are one of a long line of brave protectors. I’ve never been prouder than I am today.”

He handed me the folded jacket and cap, gripping my arm in a show of companionship and welcome. Rebel joined him, his long fingers wrapping around my bicep.

“Be proud, be brave, and be Feral. Welcome to the Feral Breed, Phoenix.”

The girls clapped and cheered as I slipped into the jacket.

“Thank you.” I shook hands with Rebel, unable to keep the smile off my face.

“I never doubted you, man.”

I turned to Zuri, my mate, surrounded by her sisters and my brothers. My family—witches, shifters, and humans alike.
 

“I did it.”

Zuri rushed to me, wearing the brightest smile I’d ever seen. “I knew you would, Phoenix.”

Hearing her say my handle, my new Breed road name, made my grin widen. Damn, it felt good to know I’d finally done it. I’d earned the respect of my denmates. And I’d finished that proving with my mate at my side.
 

“Enough sappiness,” Rebel hollered with a smile. “It’s time to head for the dirty D.”

Beast, Amber, and Scarlett left for the lighthouse. He’d be staying with them and Sarah for the week, commuting to Yard Shark Customs. Even with Spook dead, none of us felt comfortable leaving the women alone. We could only guess why Spook had gone over the edge and fixated on Amber. We assumed it was because he’d been alone too long, having never found his mate. It happened more often than we’d like. But that didn’t explain how he knew her, why he stalked her, or what inciting event pushed him to obsess over her.

The unanswered questions made all of us too nervous to leave them unprotected.

Rebel and Charlotte hopped into his truck and pulled out of the driveway, ready to begin their adventure in Detroit.
 

Leaving my mate and me alone.

Zuri grabbed me by the sides of my coat and tugged me down, placing a small kiss on the corner of my mouth. I grinned, still riding a high of finally achieving my goal. I had my club, my den, my brothers, my new family, and my mate. What more could I want?

Her kiss deepened for a moment, giving me the tiniest taste of her before she moved to whisper in my ear.

“You, me, the cabin, and no clothing except that hot as hell vest.” She pulled back, smiling seductively and licking her lips. “I’m going to give you the dirtiest blow job known to man, wolf, or witch to celebrate.”

Well…okay. I could want more of that.

— —

Dear Reader,
 

Thank you so much for reading
Claiming His Witch
. I hope you enjoyed the story of Pup and Zuri, and that you are looking forward to the more from the Feral Breed series. Check out the
FERAL BREED SERIES
page for details on what’s coming in 2015 and beyond.

Have something you need to say? You can find me on
Facebook
and
Twitter
, or you can email me using the
contact form
on my website.
 

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—
Ellis

FERAL BREED SERIES

The Feral Breed Series consists of

Claiming His Fate

Claiming His Need

Claiming His Witch

And look for new titles beginning in 2015:

Claiming His Beauty

Claiming His Fire

Claiming His Desire

Claiming Her Heart

Check out the
Feral Breed Series Page
on my website for the latest listing of novels, novellas, and short stories in the Feral Breed world.

Don’t miss a release date! Sign up for Ellis’
newsletter
.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A storyteller from the time she could talk, Ellis grew up among family legends of hauntings, psychics, and love spanning decades. Those stories didn’t always have the happiest of endings, so they inspired her to write about real life, real love, and the difficulties therein. From farmers to werewolves, store clerks to witches—if there’s love to be found, she’ll write about it. Ellis lives in the Chicago area with her husband, daughters, and a giant dog who hogs the bed.

For the latest updates, additional content, and promotions, sign up for Ellis’
newsletter
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Find Ellis online at:

Website:
www.ellisleigh.com

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/ellis_writes

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/ellisleighwrites

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First and foremost, I want to say thank you to the readers of the Feral Breed. From the first book, you’ve made me so grateful to have the opportunity to share my stories with you. It’s your excitement and appreciation that keeps me working so hard to write better and faster.

To Lisa, who answers my questions, cheerleads like only a Texas girl should know how to do, and keeps me from looking like I don’t know the rules of grammar. Because I don’t…not all of them. That’s why you hire an editor like Lisa.
 

To Caren, who continues to be the bestest friend a girl could ask for. From calming my fears to turning around edits in record time, you make all of this so much easier.

To Esher, who makes me giggle-snort on a daily basis. Also, I’ll never wear a gray shirt on a hot day again without wanting to yell “hot as balls.”

To Heather, who dances in and out of my life but is never too far away.

To my husband, who continually reminds me to stop working and disconnect for awhile before I miss everything. And who makes me popcorn when I ask for it.

To all the folks in the Feral Breed Reader Group, to my Twitter friends, and to the authors over at Romance Divas, thank you for keeping my world so broad. You deserve cookies for the entertainment, instruction, and motivation you’ve provided me with.

COPYRIGHT

Claiming His Witch
 

Copyright ©2014 by Ellis Leigh
 

Edited by Silently Correcting Your Grammar, LLC
 

Cover Art by Cormar Covers
 

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author or publisher except for the use of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews. This is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events or locales is purely coincidental.

The author acknowledges the copyrighted or trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Ford, Kool-Aid, LoJack, Zippo.

CONTENTS

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN