His Perfect Mate [Nehalem Pack 6] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) by AJ Jarrett (if you give a mouse a cookie read aloud txt) 📕

fell to the floor. Jake circled Tobias as he lay on the floor twitching. Just as he had done the alpha shifted. Blood poured from the gaping wound and Tobias hobbled toward him. Jake snarled at Tobias, letting him know he welcomed the fight.

Tobias went left and Jake went right. The alpha was slowed down due to his wound and Jake was able to latch on to the back of Tobias’s neck. Tobias let out a loud, ear-piercing howl and flipped to lie on his back, trapping Jake underneath him. Jake struggled to get free but Tobias had gained the upper hand. Tobias rolled to where he straddled Jake’s body. Jake barked and nipped his teeth trying to ward the other man off but Tobias dodged his tactics and dove in for the death bite.

Jake clenched his eyes tight and growled as he felt Tobias’s teeth sliced through muscle and flesh. Tobias snarled against his neck and waggled his jaw, tearing more flesh from his body. Jake tried to use his paws to push at the black wolf’s chest but Tobias wouldn’t budge.

It can’t end like this! His voiced echoed in his head. He was supposed to save Carl from this life.

Tobias clamped down hard and Jake gasped as the pressure began to crush his wind pipe. His vision started to become spotty and he blinked his eyelids rapidly trying to regain focus. He wasn’t ready to die.

Jake called on his strength to push Tobias off. Just as he planted his paws the wolf above him whimpered and his jaw went slack.

“You’ve taken my parents. I will not let you take my mate.”

A gargling sound came from Tobias and his body went limp. Jake shoved Tobias off of him and scrambled to his feet. Carl sat with his knees under him staring at the black wolf. Jake forced his body to shift back to his human form. A scream shot out his mouth as his body stretched and popped back into place. He brought a hand up to clamp around his bleeding neck.

“Carl.” His voice was hoarse and his throat burned when he spoke. He reached out with his free hand, beckoning Carl to come to him. “Baby, it’s okay.”

Carl looked at him in surprise like he hadn’t noticed Jake sitting there. A rattled breath left his lips then without warning he fell to the floor.

“Carl!” Jake shouted as his rushed to his mate’s side. The bite marks on the left side of Carl’s body that had started to scab over broke open when he toppled over. Thin trails of bloods trickled to the floor. Jake with as much ease as possible lifted Carl into his arms.

“Are you okay?” Seth asked breathlessly. Jake looked up to see the man out of breath, holding himself up with the help of the door frame. Blood oozed down the side of his face to paint across his muscular chest.

“Yeah, Carl just fainted.” Jake rocked Carl gently from side to side, praying that was the only thing that had happened. “What about you?” He nudged his chin toward Seth. “You okay?”

Seth shook his head. “I’m fine but that fucker”—Seth thumbed over his shoulder—“was one hell of a fighter.” He reached up to cover his ear. “The bastard bit off a piece of my ear.” That explained all the blood matting his hair and rolling down his neck. “But he got his.” A chill ran down Jake’s back at the wicked gleam in Seth’s eyes.

“I’m glad you’re on our side.”

Seth shrugged and stepped into the room and walked over to where he sat. “I see you got the alpha.”

“No.” He shook his head. “Carl killed him.”

“Good for him.” Seth lightly touched Jake’s shoulder. “We need to get out of here.”

Jake nodded his agreement and stood up. He grabbed the comforter off the bed and wrapped it around his mate’s body. As they reached the foot of the stairs and headed for the front door, Seth said he would meet him out front and went toward the back of the house. Jake didn’t stop to ask why, just headed for the door. He had made it down the driveway when Seth came running out the house. He put an arm around Jake and ushered him to go faster. Glass shattered in the distance as a fire raged to life. Jake turned to look at the blaze, then back to Seth.

“Too bad the fire won’t erase their memories, huh?” Seth asked but never took his eyes from the house.

Heat drifted in their direction from the house as the fire grew larger. Jake wished it could be that easy. But nevertheless his mate and his brother had to live with the past and do their best to not let it infringe on their future. A lot easier said than done.

“Jake. Seth!” Holden’s shouts could be heard over the fire. They both turned to see Holden and Casper running toward them. “Thank god you guys are all right. I was getting ready to call Devon.”

“We’re fine,” Jake answered.

“Carl?” Casper’s tear-filled voice drew Jake’s attention. “Is he alive?”

The markings on Casper’s face had scabbed over and some of the redness had started to fade. He wore some clothes that he assumed Holden had given him. They swallowed up Casper’s thin body, making him look like a little kid.

“Yes, he’s alive,” Jake reassured the young wolf. “He’s just fainted.” Tears spilled from Casper’s eyes.

“Let’s get out of here.” Seth started off toward the trees and led the way back to where they had left their clothes.

Once they were dressed they headed in the direction they’d come. A few hours into the hike they decided to stop and rest. Casper was too weak to keep going. They made camp and somehow Holden, Seth, and Casper managed to share a sleeping bag while he and Carl shared the other. His mate never woke up and Jake held him through the night as his ravaged body shook and twitched.

At first light they continued on