smile to his lips, hoping to
stave off the worried expression he saw in Steven's eyes.
7
Attracting Anthony/Amber Kell
Surely three years was long enough. He could do
this.He was ready.Maybe if he chanted it a few more times in his head it would become true.
"You aren't asking me to go out more. You dragged
me here because you want moral support for your mate
hunt. Why you even want to mate is beyond me."
He didn't even want to imagine what would happen
if Steven found and lost his mate. Werewolves bonded for
life, something that could be good or bad depending on
your mate.
"You have something against wolves?" Steven's
tone was as challenging as any wild wolf, his eyes feral in
the club lights.
Anthony felt an uncomfortable number of gazes
turn towards him. Great, just what he wanted; to insult a
room full of werekin. A low growl sounded near them. His
temper flared but he firmly held it in check. Steven would
never forgive him if he crumbled the building and ruined
his mate hunting grounds.
"Don't be an idiot. We've been friends forever. If I
had a problem with wolves you'd know it by now. I have
something against mates."
He felt the surrounding people lose interest in their
conversation now that they knew he wasn't a threat.
Nothing would be worse than a hunter sneaking onto
8
Attracting Anthony/Amber Kell
mating grounds. Anthony had heard of that happening in
other cities and the resulting carnage wasn't good. The
amount of damage the hunters did was nothing compared to
the wolves' retaliation. Towns had lost whole populations
in a shifter/human wars.
"Oh don't start that." Steven's voice wasn't unkind
but the underlying firmness in his tone told Anthony his
best friend was running out of patience. "Just because your
lover died doesn't mean you can't find another. Besides, if
you don't start dating again your parents will intervene and
I've met your parents, they scare the crap out of me."
Anthony shivered at the memory of his parents'
matchmaking skills. "Last time they fixed me up with a
fairy."
Steven snorted. "I thought you didn't like labels."
"No. He was an actual fairy, you know, from
Faeland."
That got Steven's full attention. "What happened?"
Anthony shrugged. "Let's just say it didn't work
out." He wasn't going to relive the horrible details of that blind date, even for his best friend. Fae princes were a
touchy lot. "Anyway, it just proved I wasn't ready to date."
"Fuck it, Tony, it's been almost three years. Even if
you don't want a mate there are plenty of hot guys here for
a hookup. Hell, even if I don't find the 'one' it'll still be fun
9
Attracting Anthony/Amber Kell
shopping." His hungry eyes briefly scanned the crowd
before turning to lock eyes with Anthony, his blue eyes
filling with compassion. "I understand you lost your soul
mate, but you can't go the rest of your life untouched. There
are other people out there. If you didn't think it was
possible to find someone else you wouldn't have come."
Anthony looked away, blinking rapidly. "I know. I
do. It's just hard."
Sighing, he looked around the club. It was an
extremely selective club; they didn't let just anyone join.
He knew Steven went through a detailed screening process
to get a membership, and to have Anthony put on the
approved guest list. He was only one of a handful of friends
who were on it. He knew he wasn't let in without a
screening of his own, a wise move on the club owner's part.
It would be all too easy for a hunter to persuade a naïve
shifter he was their friend only to wreak havoc once they
got inside.
Everywhere Anthony looked there were men and
women dancing, drinking, and doing things not usually
allowed in public. There were certain advantages to
belonging to a private club and, as long as no money
exchanged hands between partners, just about anything was
allowed between consenting adults.
Tonight it was Steven who was on the hunt.
10
Attracting
stave off the worried expression he saw in Steven's eyes.
7
Attracting Anthony/Amber Kell
Surely three years was long enough. He could do
this.He was ready.Maybe if he chanted it a few more times in his head it would become true.
"You aren't asking me to go out more. You dragged
me here because you want moral support for your mate
hunt. Why you even want to mate is beyond me."
He didn't even want to imagine what would happen
if Steven found and lost his mate. Werewolves bonded for
life, something that could be good or bad depending on
your mate.
"You have something against wolves?" Steven's
tone was as challenging as any wild wolf, his eyes feral in
the club lights.
Anthony felt an uncomfortable number of gazes
turn towards him. Great, just what he wanted; to insult a
room full of werekin. A low growl sounded near them. His
temper flared but he firmly held it in check. Steven would
never forgive him if he crumbled the building and ruined
his mate hunting grounds.
"Don't be an idiot. We've been friends forever. If I
had a problem with wolves you'd know it by now. I have
something against mates."
He felt the surrounding people lose interest in their
conversation now that they knew he wasn't a threat.
Nothing would be worse than a hunter sneaking onto
8
Attracting Anthony/Amber Kell
mating grounds. Anthony had heard of that happening in
other cities and the resulting carnage wasn't good. The
amount of damage the hunters did was nothing compared to
the wolves' retaliation. Towns had lost whole populations
in a shifter/human wars.
"Oh don't start that." Steven's voice wasn't unkind
but the underlying firmness in his tone told Anthony his
best friend was running out of patience. "Just because your
lover died doesn't mean you can't find another. Besides, if
you don't start dating again your parents will intervene and
I've met your parents, they scare the crap out of me."
Anthony shivered at the memory of his parents'
matchmaking skills. "Last time they fixed me up with a
fairy."
Steven snorted. "I thought you didn't like labels."
"No. He was an actual fairy, you know, from
Faeland."
That got Steven's full attention. "What happened?"
Anthony shrugged. "Let's just say it didn't work
out." He wasn't going to relive the horrible details of that blind date, even for his best friend. Fae princes were a
touchy lot. "Anyway, it just proved I wasn't ready to date."
"Fuck it, Tony, it's been almost three years. Even if
you don't want a mate there are plenty of hot guys here for
a hookup. Hell, even if I don't find the 'one' it'll still be fun
9
Attracting Anthony/Amber Kell
shopping." His hungry eyes briefly scanned the crowd
before turning to lock eyes with Anthony, his blue eyes
filling with compassion. "I understand you lost your soul
mate, but you can't go the rest of your life untouched. There
are other people out there. If you didn't think it was
possible to find someone else you wouldn't have come."
Anthony looked away, blinking rapidly. "I know. I
do. It's just hard."
Sighing, he looked around the club. It was an
extremely selective club; they didn't let just anyone join.
He knew Steven went through a detailed screening process
to get a membership, and to have Anthony put on the
approved guest list. He was only one of a handful of friends
who were on it. He knew he wasn't let in without a
screening of his own, a wise move on the club owner's part.
It would be all too easy for a hunter to persuade a naïve
shifter he was their friend only to wreak havoc once they
got inside.
Everywhere Anthony looked there were men and
women dancing, drinking, and doing things not usually
allowed in public. There were certain advantages to
belonging to a private club and, as long as no money
exchanged hands between partners, just about anything was
allowed between consenting adults.
Tonight it was Steven who was on the hunt.
10
Attracting
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