Denying Dare by Amber Kell Page A

He couldn't
    change the fact he was a weretiger, even if he wanted to,
    any more than he could help pining for the handsome
    werewolf.
    Anthony looked unimpressed by Dare's heartache.
    "As much as I love him, Steven's an idiot. In the past three
    months none of those pieces of ass he's picked up have
    touched a fraction of his heart. He's only determined to
    have a wolf mate because his adopted parents are human
    and he wants to belong to a pack."
    Dare blinked back tears, dipping his head so the
    empathetic alpha mate wouldn't notice. "I can't give him a
    pack, weretigers only meet to mate."
    "Shit, Dare. I can give him a pack if he wants a
    pack. What he needs is a soul mate and it's my job, or so
    Silver keeps telling me, to watch out for the packs' best
    interests. Well the pack's best interest is for its fabulous
    bartender to be happy."
    Small bolts of lightning flashed in the beautiful
    blond's eyes; a sign of a storm of the worst sort, an
    Anthony storm. Shit. It took a lot to upset the sweet-natured
    alpha mate but he was an unstoppable force when he was
    crossed. Dare looked nervously at the wall of bottles. He
    hoped he wouldn't have to explain to Silver what happened
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    to them. Anthony's anger had been known to shatter glass.
    Before he could say anything else, Anthony slid off
    the bar stool and marched across the busy dance floor.
    Using some strange, mystical ability he walked directly to
    Steven while everyone moved out of his way in a smooth,
    natural style as if they were never even there. Dare shook
    his head. Although he'd seen the phenomenon many times,
    the process still amazed him.
    Dare watched the smaller man approach his friend.
    He briefly got a glimpse of Anthony pulling something out
    of his pocket, but by then it was too late.

    * * * *
    Fury followed Anthony's every step. How could
    Steven not see what was right in front of him? Every
    weekend he came to the club and picked up a different
    wolf. Every Monday he mourned to Anthony about how
    that wolf wasn't 'the one', and yet here was this sweet-
    tempered man with sable hair and stunning green eyes
    Steven completely ignored. Well no more, he was done
    with this.
    "Steven," Anthony shouted over the crowd.
    The familiar dark-haired head turned towards him,
    away from the were-twink he was talking to. What Steven
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    thought he'd have in common with a skinny submissive
    growing something on his chin that should've been allowed
    to die gracefully, Anthony didn't know. The kid was at least
    ten years too young and thirty IQ points too stupid.
    "What?"
    "I've got something for you."
    Steven looked at Anthony's empty hands, searching
    for his present. "What?"
    Anthony slipped the envelope out of his pocket.
    With deft fingers, he popped open the flap and dumped the
    contents into his hand.
    "This." Taking a deep breath, Anthony blew the
    entire handful of green powder onto Steven's blue silk top
    and brown leather pants.
    "Shit." Steven tried to brush the stuff off but it
    clung like mad to the silk, just as Anthony planned when he
    recommended the shirt earlier. "What the fuck did you do?"
    He glared at Anthony, his blue eyes bristling with ire.
    "Enjoy your night." Giving his friend a wide grin,
    Anthony turned on one booted heel and sauntered off,
    letting the crowds swallow him up.

    * * * *
    Steven watched his best friend ditch him after
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    ruining his outfit.
    What the hell?
    Members of the Moon pack might be fooled into
    considering his best friend sweet, but Steven knew the
    ruthless manipulator that lived behind that innocent smile.
    If Anthony thought something was good for you, it was
    best to either sit back and take it like a man or run like hell.
    And usually running didn't work for long.
    "Shit, man. What does the alpha mate have against
    you?" The twink looked at him with suspicious eyes, as if
    Steven was marked for death and he didn't want to