Free Claiming His Mate by M. Limoges

front of Colt’s shirt and jerked him up against his chest. “You come in here, you sorry excuse for a Wolf, the son of my bitch sister or I would have had you put down at birth, and you make a demand of me in a way that only a man, only a trusted advisor, would dare? Even Ryker knows better than to use that tone with me, boy. How old are you? Seventeen?”
    His heart rate had kicked up, and he knew his uncle would be able to smell his fear. Still, he didn’t care. If Magnum pushed him, he would make a challenge; he wouldn’t be the wimp his cousin had proven himself to be.
    “I’m nineteen.” Certain his uncle knew exactly how old he was. The man wanted to throw him off, wanted to make him uncomfortable, unsure of himself. His mother had told him before she died— was killed —that Magnum was an expert at mind games.
    “Ooh.” Magnum laughed, a long cold sound. “All of nineteen and such a man, coming in here to tell me what I can’t do with my juvenile females. They’re all mine. All of you. You live and die in my care. If I’m not happy, you don’t eat. And guess what? It’s time for me to take a new mate. I want my complete options. So, I’ll parade around whomever I want to, and there isn’t a damn thing you can do.”
    He shoved Colt backwards, and he fell back a step until he righted himself. Heat infused his cheeks. He could not, would not make this so easy on his uncle.
    “Colt.” Ryker called out his name. “Go home. Someone will talk to you later.”
    “No.” He snarled even as he tried to keep his temper in check. Anger, he needed. Rage would get in the way. “Magnum, if you won’t leave the juveniles alone, then I will stop you. Physically, if I have to.”
    Magnum turned to Ryker. “Is that not a threat? Still not a threat?”
    Ryker shook his head but didn’t utter a word.
    “How dare the two of you dismiss me? I’m strong. And I will not be discounted. You will leave the girls alone. I’m going to make you.”
    Magnum growled, and Ryker rolled his eyes before turning around.
    “He issued me a challenge,” Magnum roared. “And now, I will tear him to small pieces and feast on high carnage tonight.”
    Behind him something banged, but Colt didn’t have time to turn around and see what it was. Not when he had to concentrate. His heart had never slammed against his rib cage so fast; his breathing seemed shallow. He needed to shift before Magnum did.
    Magnum moved fast, changing quicker than Colt had ever seen him do before. One second he was a man, the next the huge Wolf that had led the pack into disaster time and again. So much for shifting first.
    “No.”
    The voice shouting from behind him caught his attention, and he whirled around to see Tasha charging into the room, followed by Gee. What the hell? Magnum slammed into his back, and he hit the ground with a thud, cutting his chin. Blood pooled onto his lip, and he didn’t give a shit. All he could focus on was Tasha as she threw herself, still in her human form, onto Magnum.
    Oh, by the spirits, no .
    Colt rolled over, suddenly free of Magnum as his uncle turned his attention to Tasha. He darted to his feet. His body ached, but he didn’t have time to consider why. Growls sounded in the room. Both Ryker and Gee had shifted, and the giant bear charged Magnum, who still attacked Tasha in her human form. He could smell blood, and he knew his cut chin wasn’t causing the odor.
    Magnum would kill Tasha, and Colt would be at fault for not insisting she stay away, for not making sure she did. He lunged toward the fight, but Ryker had already pulled Tasha free. Her eyes were closed, and red covered her entire face. How badly had she been hurt?
    His heart fell into his stomach. Let Magnum kill him, let him eat him from the outside in while he stayed awake to endure, let the sweet girl be fine.
    Ryker growled, but Colt didn’t have time to figure out why. With Tasha removed from his path, Magnum turned his attention to Colt. He