Zack looked at him steadily.“Okay, I’ll bite, what the hell is a tequila backdoor?”

“Ooh, it’s nice, babe. You just sprinkle a little salt on my rim, pour on a little tequila, gimme a squirt of lime,and enjoy, baby!” Gabe fell back in the seat laughing uproariously at his own joke.

Rolling his eyes and not saying a word, Zack drove down the road to the hotel where Scott said he was staying,took him upstairs to his room the same way he’d taken him out of the bar, and locked the door behind them.

Carrying Gabe straight to the bathroom, Zack started the shower, and pushed Gabe inside, clothes and all. The water was ice cold, and Gabe put up one hell of a fuss, fighting to get out and cussing. Zack held him in with a steely grip on the back of his neck, keeping him from turning the water off until Gabe shivered and his teeth clacked together. He turned off the water and helped him to strip off the skin tight jeans. Wrapping him in a big towel, he pushed him out to the bedroom and sat him down on the bed while he sat in the only chair in the room.

Zack sat there brooding, staring at him until Gabe finally spoke.“Why are you doing this to me? What are you doing here, Zack? Just leave me alone.You said you didn’t want anything else to do with me.”

“I never said that, and you know it.”

Gabe’s voice suddenly choked with tears. “You told me to go.”

Zack sighed.“No, honey, it’s not what I said at all.I said I wouldn’t stop you, and I released you from your vows if you were really so unhappy. I love you. I’ve told you again and again. You’re my mate, and I’ll never want anyone else. Obviously it’s not anything you really wanted. You’ve never said you love me, and I could have even lived with that, but you constantly fight me on every little thing.I’ve tried to compromise. I’ve really tried while you disrespect me all the time in front of my pack. Packs have hierarchy, Gabe, which you well know.I’m the alpha, and I have to have the respect of my people.They’ll soon lose respect for me if your contempt and disrespectful attitude continues.If you’re really miserable, I can’t, in good conscience, force you to stay.”

Gabe sat looking at him, but made no more comments. Zack had called his bluff, and he could see Gabe hadn’t really wantedto leave, but didn’t know how to get out of the situation he’d created. Afraid his sheer stubbornness would overrule his heart, Zack helped him out.

“Of course, if you changed your mind and wantedto stay, I’d be very happy. Really happy. You only have to tell me.You’d have to decide being with me is something you want, and it will be forever, Gabe. Make no mistake about it. If you come back home, you’ll have to agree to some things. If you stay, you’ll take orders from me in the important issues. I’ll try not to be too bossy, and I’ll always respect your opinion, but I’m the alpha, as well as your mate. As your alpha, I’m owed your obedience and allegiance.”

Gabe was silent for a long moment, obviously thinking it over. Zack was careful to keep his face neutral.

“So if I decided to stay—and that’s a big if—you’d still want me as your mate?”

“Of course. I’ll always want you as my mate. I love you, Gabe.”

“I can’t believe you would take your ring off. I would nevertake mine off.” Gabe turned his head away, biting his lip, completely disregarding the fact he had taken his own off and thrown it across the room. Zack could see tears standing in his eyes. Since hedidn’t trust himself to say anything in response, he simply held up his hand and showed him the rings.

“I’m still wearing it. I have yours right here too.” Zack could see Gabe really wanted the ring back on his finger.

Gabe sighed heavily.“If I decided I wanted to stay with you, what would happen?”

“Happen? Well, you’d need to apologize to me, accept your discipline for disrespecting me so badly and promise to try harder to be a good pack member and obey my direct commands. In return, I’d promise to protect you and provide for you always.I’ll never put this offer on the table again.It’s a one-time good deal. This marriage is not going to be a revolving door. If you don’t want me, if you want to leave, this is your chance. Your one and only chance. If you come back home, and don’t change, the offer is no good any more.Next time I’ll lock you down and spank you every day until you straighten up.”

Gabe flushed and angled a strange look at Zack.“What about you apologizing to me? You treated me like a not too bright child. I ought to be able to decide for myself if I want to wear a damn cervical collar.”

Zackdropped his gaze, considering his mate’s words. He nodded and glanced back up at him.“You’re right. I admit I was being overprotective.I’m sorry, and it won’t happen again.”

“And the threats to spank me? I don’t respond to threats.”

“It wasn’t a threat, Gabe. It was a promise. If you agree to be my mate, then you are agreeing to accept my discipline. Think it over. This is your decision. If I feel it’s in the best interests of both of us, I will discipline you—it’s part of the deal.”

Zack noticed Gabe’s cock had hardened as he spoke. Did he like the idea of being dominated? Or was it just the spanking? Zack filed that idea away for later and focused all of his attention on his mate.

Gabe sat sulkily on the bed, his eyes cast down.“Okay then. I accept the conditions, and I’m sorry.”

Zack felt a tidal wave of relief rush through him. Still he had to keep his face stern.

“You are? Sorry for what?” Zack prompted.

Gabe blew out a long breath and looked away from Zack.“Sorry for disrespecting you and not being a good pack member and saying I hated you.”

“Do you hate me?”

Gabe pressed his lips tightly together and then whispered.“No.”

Zack hesitated for a long moment before he asked the next question.“Do you love me?’

Gabe bit his bottom lip and dropped his gaze.Zack’s heart fell. He had resigned himself to giving Gabe more time to come to love him, but was still disappointed. Maybe Gabe would come to love him in time. Then his ears pricked up as Gabe whispered a word very softly. A single word that made Zack’s heart almost jump out of his chest.

“Yes.”

“Yes? Yyou love me?’

“I said yes, okay?”

Zack took a deep breath, reminding himself to calm down, to not rush him.“And do you remember what your promise is?”

“I promise to try harder and obeyyour commands.” Gabe practically spit out the words, but he said them, and for Gabe it was a major accomplishment.“And my discipline? What might that be exactly?” He shifted on the bed and tried to hide his erection with his arms.“Spanking?”

“No.” He had the feeling Gabe would enjoy that too much. “Take a chair and go sit in the corner for an hour. One hour, with no music, no TV, and no books. Face tothe wall.”

“You’ve got to be kidding! That’s just humiliating and stupid. You’re putting me in a corner? I’d hate it!”

“That’s the idea. Decide. What’s it to be? Do I put your ring back on, and we make this work, or do I leave hereand walk away forever?”

“You’re blackmailing me.”

“I’m sorry you see it that way.I’ve already said I won’t just leave you high and dry. I’ll make sure you have an apartment, a car, and money to get started again. If you decide to stay, it’ll be because you want to—because you want to be my mate and a pack member. If you want the same things I do, then take your naked little ass over to the chair, sit it in the corner, and face the wall. No talking. Not one word.One hour.”

Gabe sat on the edge of the bed fuming for a long time, shooting Zack looks which would peel paint from the walls. Zack had begun to despair and worriedhe’d gone too far. Gabe was still pretty drunk after all, but Zack wanted to try to give him time to sober up. The hour in the chair would do that. He wanted Gabe to know exactly what he was doing.

A lifetime passed for Zack before Gabe stood and stalked over to the chair, dragged it across the floor, and turned it to the wall. Dramatically, he threw himself down in it and faced the wall, his chest heaving up and down.

Zack almost was sorry for him, but Gabe had a huge erection when he threw himself onto the chair. Well, his boy liked a little discipline. Zack smiled, watching the clock next to him. He lay back on the bed, knowing full well Gabe was sneaking peeks at him from the corners of his eyes. He called out the time in increments of fifteen minutes and was treated each time to some very unrepentant huffs and puffs.

When the hour was up, Zack sat up on the side of the bed and spoke to Gabe very softly. “Your time is almost up, Gabe. When I call time, you will pick the chair up and place it back by the table.Then you’ll put on a shirt and pants—ones that fit you properly—and go back up the mountain with me. From this time on, if you have a problem with me, you will speak to me about it in private. In public you will treat me with the respect due to my rank. As soon as we get there, you will change into leathers—not the tight ones either—and wear them until I tell you differently. In addition, for the next week, you will start your mornings by sitting in a chair facing the corner in our bedroom for one hour.”

Gabe jumped to his feet and stood with his fists clenched.“That was not part of the deal!”

“No, it became a part of the deal when you made all the inappropriate noises. Sit your ass back down until I call time.”

Gabe threw himself down again and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Your hour is up.”

He jumped back to his feet and dragged the chair across the floor, rather than picking it up, glancing over at Zack to see if he reacted. When Zack made no comment, he went over to his bag and pulled out a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt. He stuffed his wet jeans right on top of the others in the bag and zipped it shut. Gabe was going commando just to irritate him, Zack was certain, but he didn’t say anything. Slipping his feet into his combat boots, but not lacing them, Gabe turned and grabbed his bag.