Free Everything That You Are by Nikki McCoy

clan. Unfortunately, half-breeds are frowned upon by most weres and especially by mages.”
    He paused and took a breath as if to collect his thoughts. “Michael, do you realise the amount of responsibility that will come with claiming your mate, which I assume you’ve already done judging by the mark I saw on his neck?”
    Michael felt his face flush and nodded, but his father only arched his brows at his non-verbal response. “I have claimed him, but I’m not sure what you mean by responsibility.”
    Sam dipped his head in acknowledgement before continuing. “It seems that your mate’s power lies in being able to feel the emotions of anyone he’s touching but, more than that, anyone who is touching him can project their emotions onto others through him. When I was—” Sam hesitated, searching for the right words. “—comforting my son-in-law, I was thinking about you and some of your more outrageous antics when you were growing up. The happiness I felt at those memories poured into him, then spread to all of you. Do you recall hearing him laugh before all of you joined in?”
    Michael exchanged confused, yet slightly amused looks with the men around him.
    “Wait, are you saying that…the happiness we felt…it came from you? The pup was sending your emotions into us?” Nick asked. “ ‘Cause I gotta say, once I started laughing, I didn’t want to stop. It felt good, but it was powerful. I don’t think I would have been able to stop even if I had wanted to.”
    The enormity of his admission hit everyone and Sam took a moment to let that idea sink in.
    “That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Sam looked each of his son’s Betas in the eyes before turning back to Michael. “I think someone has already taken advantage of your mate’s gift, given the scars on his body. It is now your responsibility to ensure that his gift isn’t abused again.”
    “But what if the kid decides to use his gift against us?” Joseph asked. He looked at Michael and said, “No offence, man, but we still know next to nothing about him, and he’s got a pretty damn effective tool that he can use—”
    “No,” Sam cut him off. “I don’t think so. The only time any of you were affected by his gift is when I purposefully sent my feelings into the young man. Once he learns to use his power, he might be able to project his own emotions, but for now I think that he can only channel what other people send into him.”
    Joseph gave him a doubtful look, and Sam replied, “That pup was naked, in tears, and admitting his association with killers in front of a room full of men he had to know would kill him over that kind of confession alone. Yet none of you could pick up on his emotions then.”
    Nick, Joseph and Dennis all exchanged glances, knowing that Sam spoke the truth.
    “But if that’s so, then how is it I can feel his emotions when I touch him?” Michael countered.
    Sam gave his son an indulgent smile and said, “He’s your mate.”
    Three simple words, and yet they seemed to explain everything. Michael inhaled a deep, slow breath, trying to process all of the information his father had just thrown at him, but he couldn’t think past his need to protect his mate at all costs. Sam had said the man’s gift had most likely already been abused. And even if it hadn’t, his mate certainly had. The countless scars on his body attested to that.
    After taking another deep breath, he released it and directed his gaze to the others waiting on him.
    Dennis, who had been unusually quiet throughout the whole ordeal, acted before Michael could speak. He strode forward and knelt down on one knee, holding out his hand to Michael, who took it in his firm grasp, and said, “Congratulations, Alpha Michael. I swear to treat your mate with all of the honour and respect I hold for you.”
    The sincerity behind those words shone out of the man’s bright, sombre eyes. His gaze never wavered from Michael’s as he recited the ritual