The Alpha's Warlock (Mismatched Mates #1)

by Eliot Grayson

“You’ll have to get to him through me,” Ian said, very low. “And I fucking promise you at least one of you won’t live to do it.”

“Nate.” Ian spoke so quietly I could barely hear him. “I wouldn’t have hurt you. No matter what you say or do, I won’t ever hurt you.”

“Nate,” he murmured. “Oh, fuck, baby, tell me you’re all right.”

“I didn’t say you were weak,” he snapped, finally turning to glare at me. Or try to glare. It didn’t work as well as usual, and it dawned on me why he’d been trying not to make eye contact: he couldn’t hide whatever unnamed feeling that was, lighting his pale blue eyes with something that shook me down to my boots. “You make me weak,” he said quietly. “If you’re hurt, if you’re in danger, I can’t focus on anything else.”

“Nate. I never hated that Jared was with you. I hated that you were with him. I hated him. I hated myself for hating him. I hated everyone in the fucking world except for you.”

Jesus fucking Christ, you’re the best thing in the world. You’re everything. I always thought so, from day fucking one. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of you.”

“Yeah,” Ian said. He didn’t sound happy. “Oh. Yeah, you have me wrapped around your fucking little finger. And now I’m never going to be able to say no to you, because you’ll always know it’s bullshit.”

“I’ve been trying not to fall in love with you for years and failing, and I’d die for you. You called me an asshole, so I think you actually mean it, so can you please, please just fucking say it again?”