《The Alpha鈥檚 Tempting Mate》 1 Kylie Holy irony, Batman. As a teen, I hacked into apany and waved a virtual victory g in the founder and CEO¡¯s face. Nine yearster, I¡¯m interviewing for a job there. And not just any job-one in infosec. Information systems security, that is. If I get the job, I¡¯ll be defending thepany against hackers. Like Catgirl-my old DefCon identity.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. So here I sit, in the opulent lobby of SeCure¡¯s international headquarters, wondering if they¡¯ll somehow recognize me and send me out in handcuffs. A group of employees stroll past me,ughing and talking. They look rxed and happy, like they¡¯re headed into a resort, not their nine-to-five grind. Damn, I want this job. I changed my outfit approximately ny-seven times this morning-and I usually don¡¯t care what I wear. But this is the interview of a lifetime, and I¡¯ve obsessed over getting every detail right. In the end, I chose a sleek ck suit, the kind with a fitted jacket and short, tight skirt. I opted for no hose, going bare-legged, but stuffed my feet in a pair of sexy heels. Underneath the suit jacket went my favorite Batgirl shirt. It fits tight around my breasts, and the hot pink glittery bat nestles perfectly between thepels of my jacket. The outfit screams ¡°young and hip¡± IT genius, while the suit flips a nod to the conservative corporate thing. I debated over heels or Chucks, but, in the end, the heels won out. Which is too bad, because when Stu, my contact,es down for me, I¡¯ll have to stand up in them. And walk. If my teenage hacker self saw me now, she wouldugh in my face and call me a sellout. But even she shared my obsession with SeCure¡¯s billionaire founder/owner, Jackson King. An obsession that¡¯s morphed into admiration with a heavy dose of sexual attraction. Okay, it¡¯s a crush. But Jackson is totally crush worthy. Billionaire phnthropist, he¡¯s endlessly impressive. Not to mention smoking hot. Especially for a geek. And the one moment we shared-the moment when I made it past all his security measures and found myself face-to-face with him-well, cursor to cursor-is branded in my memory as the hottest encounter of my youth. I didn¡¯t steal anything from him. I simply wanted to see if I could get in-crack the genius code. I backed out after he found me, and never risked going back. Now, I might have another shot at cyber sparring with King, and the thought thrills me. Especially since, this time, my actions wouldn¡¯t be illegal. ¡°Ms. McDaniel?¡± I shoot to my feet, hand already extended, ready to shake. I only wobble a little on the heels. ¡°Hi.¡± Damn, I sound breathless. I force my shoulders down and smile as I grip the offered palm. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Stu Daniel, infosec manager here at SeCure.¡± He looks like a proper nerd, sses, cored shirt, cks. Thirty or so. His eyes flick to the pink bat in the middle of my boobs and then away. Maybe the T-shirt was a mistake. I keep pumping his hand, probably for too long. I read five business books to prep for today, but can¡¯t remember what Interviewing For Dummies said about the proper length of time to shake a hand. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Fortunately, Stu is just as awkward as I am. His eyes keep detouring downward. Not like he¡¯s trying to perv, but like he¡¯s too shy to maintain eye contact. ¡°If you¡¯ll follow me, we¡¯ll head to the sixth floor for the interview.¡± In addition to unbreakable cyber security, SeCure¡¯s physical fortress is also well-protected. When I walked in across the gleaming marble floors and checked in at main reception desk, they told me to wait in the lobby for an ¡°escort¡± to my interview. I trail after my escort. ¡°Beautiful building you have here.¡± Okay, that wasme. I suck at small talk. Like, really suck. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have spent thest eight years hiding from all social interaction. IT geeks shouldn¡¯t have to interview like normal people. They should just have to take a test or hack something. But, presumably, SeCure already knows about my code-cracking abilities, or so the headhunter said. I nearly choked on my coffee when she called me up out of the blue. I thought it was a prank by one of my old onlinepatriots-the Clean n. But, no, it was legit. Besides, the chances of anyone from my old life finding me now are nil. At least, I hope so. Stu leads me to the elevator bank and hits the up arrow. The doors of one elevator swing open to reveal a man in an elegant suit, his head bent over his phone. Tall and broad-shouldered, he takes up more than his fair share of the elevator. Without looking up, he moves to the side to make room for us. Stu lets me step on first, and I push down panic. It¡¯s a small elevator, but not too small. I can handle it. If I get the job, I¡¯ll find out where the stairwells are. I focus on the bright buttons and hope it¡¯s a fast ride. Before my escort can board, someone calls his name. ¡°One sec,¡± Stu says as a young woman bustles over, followed by two other people. ¡°Stu, the Galileo server shut down this morning¡­¡± Great. Just what I need-extra time in an elevator. I swallow, ignoring the prickling on my skin. A panic attack will not make a good impression. Stu takes his foot out of the door as the young woman opens herptop to show him something. The door snicks closed, and the elevator ascends. Just like that, I¡¯ve lost my escort. So much for tight security. I punch the number six button. I know where I¡¯m going. The sooner I¡¯m off this tiny box of death, the better. We¡¯re halfway up when the lights flicker. Once, twice, then off. ¡°What the¡­¡± I trail off to focus on breathing. I have about a ten second window before full on freak out. The suit next to me mutters something. The light from his phone casts an eerie blue light on the walls. The elevator car grinds to a stop. Oh no. Here ites. My heart ms in my chest; my lungs grab for breath. Stop, I tell my panic. It¡¯s nothing. The elevator will start up again in a second. You¡¯re not stuck here. My body doesn¡¯t believe me. My stomach clutches, skin grows mmy. Everything goes dark. Either my vision has dimmed or the guy has just put his phone to his ear. I sway on my feet. The big guy curses. ¡°No reception in here.¡± My heel twists under me, and I grab the rail, breathing in quick gasps. ¡°Hey.¡± The guy has a voice to match his giant size, deep and resonant. I¡¯d find it sexy under different circumstances. ¡°Are you freaking out?¡± Slight disdain in his tone. Not my fault, buddy. ¡°Yeah.¡± I barely get the word out on a pant. My death grip on the handrail tightens. Stay on your feet. Don¡¯t faint-not now. Not here. ¡°I don¡¯t like small spaces.¡± Understatement of the year. Did the elevator just move? Or is my body reeling out of control? Old panic grips me. I¡¯ll die in here. I¡¯m never going to get out. Tworge hands push me back against the elevator wall, pinning me with pressure on my sternum. ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡± I gasp. ¡°Triggering your calm reflex.¡± He sounds calm, as if he shoves hyperventting girls up against a wall on a daily basis. ¡°Is it working?¡± ¡°Yeah. Having a strange guy grope me always calms me down.¡± I swore I¡¯d hide my sarcasm until Inded the job, but here ites, spewing out. Being seconds away from passing out will do that to a girl. ¡°I¡¯m not groping you,¡± he says. ¡°That¡¯s what all the guys say,¡± I mumble. His short chuckle cuts off as soon as it starts. Almost like he didn¡¯t mean to let it out. Who is this guy? My heart rate slows, but my head still spins. I¡¯ve never had a man stand so close to me before. Not to mention touch me. A few inches over, and he¡¯d be cupping my breasts. Now, there¡¯s a thought. Sensations I haven¡¯t felt before outside the privacy of my bedroom thrill through me. ¡°Not that I mind you groping me,¡± I babble. ¡°I just think you should buy me dinner first-¡± His hands leave my sternum so fast, I lurch forward. Before I can fall, he catches my shoulders and flips me around. He locks his arms around me from behind, applying pressure to my breastbone again. ¡°How¡¯s this?¡± He sounds amused. ¡°Better? I don¡¯t want my good deed to get me written up on charges of sexual harassment.¡± God, his voice. His lips are right next to my ear. He¡¯s not trying to seduce me, but, man oh man, just the words ¡°sexual harassment¡± light my body up. ¡°Sorry.¡± My voice strangles a bit. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to use you. What I meant was¡­ thank you.¡± For a moment, he doesn¡¯t move, and I breathe into his firm hands, surrounding me, protecting me, keeping me safe. And all I can think is¡­damn. I thought a panic attack would be bad. Now I¡¯m stuck in an elevator, wrapped in a total stranger¡¯s arms. So. Very. Turned. On. It¡¯s like my pussy is disconnected from my body. The rest of me is running around wringing my hands with worry, but my hooha thinks being manhandled by a stranger in a dark elevator is a good reason to get all excited. ¡°You should sit down.¡± Apparently, I have no choice, because he lowers me to the ground with steady, inexorable pressure. Once there, he eases me against the wall, his firm, yet gentle hands maneuvering me like a doll. Sharp words dance on the tip of my tongue-I¡¯m a grown ass woman, not Barbie-but sitting feels good. Despite his blunt caveman act, he¡¯s taking care of me. I almost miss his hands on my sternum. ¡°Where¡¯d you learn that?¡± I ask to distract myself from the fact I¡¯m trapped in a tight rectangle of space with a guy who has no qualms about running his hands all over me. I am totally qualm-less about it, too, though I wish I could remember what he looks like. All I have is a vague impression of a rugged jaw and air of impatience. I was too focused on psyching myself up to ride the elevator to check him out. ¡°Years and years of terrifying women in dark ces.¡± Ah. A kindred spirit in dry wit. I like him even more. ¡°Thanks,¡± I say after a moment. He sits down next to me, his suit jacket brushing mine. ¡°You¡¯re still freaking out.¡± ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s better. Talking would help. Can we talk?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He adopts a German ent to sound like Freud, ¡°Ven did you first notice zee problem?¡± 2 Jackson The beautiful human female¡¯sughes so hard, she almost chokes on it. She continues to giggle for a moment-somewhat hysterically. Little bubbles ofughter keep rising to the surface every time she tries to speak. Finally, she chokes out, ¡°I meant talk to distract me-about something else.¡± I never joke-especially at work-but the leggy brte in a short, tight skirt puts my body on alert in an all-too pleasurable way. It¡¯s better now that I¡¯m not touching her. When I did, the electricity between us set my skin on fire. The itch and burn of the change came upon me as fast as it does a pubescent teen just learning how to shift. I nearly shoved her legs apart, pulled that miniscule skirt up around her waist, and imed her right there. Actually, my wolf senses went haywire the moment she stepped onto the elevator. It was all I could do to keep quiet and study her. Her scent intoxicates me-like some exotic flower begging to be plucked, except decidedly human. None of it makes sense. There¡¯s no reason I should be attracted to her, apart from the fact she¡¯s gorgeous. I¡¯ve never been attracted to a human before-hell, I¡¯ve hardly ever been attracted to a she-wolf, even at the full moon. To make it worse, she became aroused when I touched her-the scent of her nectar fills the confined space. For the first time in my life, my fangs sharpened, slick with serum, ready to sink into her flesh and forever mark her as mine. But that is insane. I can¡¯t mark a human-she wouldn¡¯t survive it. This human-beautiful though she may be-can¡¯t be my mate. I look her over, at a distinct advantage because I can see in the dark and she can¡¯t. She¡¯s stunning in every way-long, shapely legs, an ass that fills her short skirt, and Batgirl tits. That is, she has a hot pink bat on the front of her shirt, right over a pair of perky tits. And something about that bat just throws me over the edge. Spunky little superhero, begging to be bested. Guess that makes me the viin. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± she asks. I hesitate. ¡°J. T.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kylie. I¡¯m here for an interview, so I was nerved up to begin with.¡± I don¡¯t do friendly. I discourage my employees from engaging with me except to give me information in its most distilled format. But, for some reason, I don¡¯t mind her feeble attempt at conversation. Which doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll bother answering. I¡¯m too busy convincing my wolf not to jump her. She tries again. ¡°What department are you in?¡± I¡¯m not going to admit I¡¯m the CEO. ¡°Marketing.¡± I infuse the word with the disgust marketing inspires in me. It¡¯s true that the majority of my time is now spent on marketing or management, when I¡¯d much prefer programming and never interacting face-to-face with another soul. Sheughs, a husky, sweet sound. Despite the fact she can¡¯t see me, she peers up in my direction with a look of fascination on her face. Her hair, a thick shiny chestnut, hangs in loose waves over her shoulders. It¡¯s too dark to tell the color of her eyes, but her full lips are glossed, and the way they part now makes me want to im that lush mouth. ¡°One of those guys, huh? That is sad.¡± I smile-a rare urrence for me. She¡¯s already made meugh, something I haven¡¯t done in twenty years. ¡°What position are you interviewing for?¡± ¡°infosec.¡± Hot and nerdy. Interesting. She must have mad skills to rate an interview. Mypany is the best in the world for information security. ¡°You have much experience in the field?¡± ¡°Some.¡± She sounds nomittal in that way that makes me think she actually knows her stuff. The power has been out for a long time-at least ten minutes. I fish my phone from my pocket and try to dial my secretary again but still can¡¯t get a signal. ¡°How long do you think we¡¯ll be stuck in here?¡± Her voice wavers on the word stuck. Fates, I¡¯ve never had the urge to pick up a woman¡¯s hand before. My shirt cor¡¯s too tight. I wish to hell I hadn¡¯t worn a suit and tie. Of course, I wish that every day, but rarely have a choice, even though it¡¯s my damnpany. Once we reached a certain level, I had to conform to the dress code of corporate America when I had outside meetings-even in Tucson, which is notoriously rxed in its dress code. My little programmer, however, nailed the outfit-just the right mix of hipster with the bat tits and bare legs, and corporate with the suit and heels. I don¡¯t know when I started thinking of her as my little anything, but I have. The second she walked on the elevator and I inhaled her scent, my wolf screamed mine. ¡°I mean, do you think it will be hours? It won¡¯t be hours, right?¡± She¡¯s losing her breath again. It¡¯s all I can do not to pull her onto myp and hold her until all that trembling stops. ¡°Don¡¯t make me grope you again.¡± Okay, I definitely shouldn¡¯t say that, even if she said it first. The remark has its intended effect, though. She snorts, which changes up her breathing pattern and helps her chill out. ¡°So you¡¯re nervous about the interview?¡± I ask. Chitchat isn¡¯t part of my repertoire, but it seems I¡¯d do anything her calm down. Or maybe I just want to hear her voice again. ¡°You don¡¯t seem nervous.¡± ¡°Besides the whole panic attack thing you¡¯re doing a manly job distracting me from?¡± My wolf preens at thepliment. ¡°I¡¯ll let you in on a secret,¡± she says, and the muscles of my groin seize almost painfully at the purr in her voice. She¡¯s seducing me, and she doesn¡¯t even know she¡¯s doing it. Maybe talking is a bad idea. ¡°Okay,¡± I respond. ¡°I¡¯ve never worked a real job before. I mean, I have a job now, but it¡¯s all telmuting. I¡¯ve never been in an office like this.¡± ¡°Think you can take it?¡± ¡°You know, five years ago I would¡¯ve barfed at the thought. But, actually, SeCure is the one and onlypany I would put a suit and heels on for.¡± And every male in the building thanks God she did. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°SeCure represents the pinnacle of infosec. I mean, Jackson King is a genius. I¡¯ve been following him since I was ten years old.¡± I try to stop my wolf from strutting. ¡°You sure you want to leave the pajamas at home ande into an office every day?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯d be good to have a reason to leave the house. Programming can be lonely. I mean, I do my best work alone but, it might be nice to be around people like me. Maybe find my tribe. Feel normal, you know?¡± I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t had a tribe since I abandoned my birth pack with my fur soaked with my stepfather¡¯s blood. Apany full of humans is a poor substitute. ¡°If you¡¯re interviewing here for infosec, you must be talented,¡± I say to distract myself from bad memories. ¡°I have been coding since I was young,¡± she says dismissively, which again makes me think she¡¯s downying her talent. ¡°Being a teen geek girl definitely disqualified me from normal.¡± ¡°Normal is overrated. You just need to find your pack.¡± ¡°Pack?¡± ¡°I meant tribe.¡± ¡°No, I like pack. That makes me a lone wolf.¡± There¡¯s a smile in her voice, and I bite back a sharp remark. Being a lone wolf isn¡¯t as cool as it sounds. Even if it is all I deserve. ¡°So¡­¡± She has the tone of someone who¡¯s been waiting to ask something. ¡°Have you ever met Jackson King?¡± I hide a smile, even she can¡¯t see it. ¡°Mmm. A few times, yeah.¡± ¡°What¡¯s he like?¡± I shrug in the darkness. ¡°Hard to say.¡± ¡°Hard to say because he doesn¡¯t reveal much?¡± I keep my mouth shut. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard. So is he the awkward kind of geek or the creepy kind?¡± I wasn¡¯t aware of the various categories of geek. I don¡¯t consider myself a geek, but, then, as a shifter, I don¡¯t consider myself in any human category. ¡°I¡¯m guessing the creepy kind,¡± she goes on. ¡°Because no one that hot should be so anti-social. I mean, he must have some serious ws. ording to rumor, the man never dates. They say he has no social life whatsoever. Never goes out. Total recluse. He must be damaged. Or else gay. I bet he¡¯s the type who keeps his boyfriend tied up in a closet for whipping when hees home at night.¡± Again, my face almost cracks into a smile. I¡¯ll show you whipping, little Batgirl. ¡°Sounds like you know a lot about him.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I, uh¡­ I guess I¡¯m interested in him. He¡¯s kind of a celebrity to fellow geeks. I mean his original coding was pure genius, especially for the time.¡± This time, I do grin. Her assessment of me, apart from the gay whipping boy part, makes my pulse pick up speed. Another anomaly. I don¡¯t care for attention, and she¡¯s right-I don¡¯t give up personal information. I have too big a secret to hide. But her interest in me has my wolf pirouetting. Mine. ¡°So, what kind of geek are you?¡± I ask. ¡°Apparently the kind who thers like an idiot to strange men when she¡¯s confined in elevators. But I¡¯m sure you already picked that up. Sorry-I normally have a better-than-average filter. It¡¯s a good thing we can¡¯t see each other because I¡¯ve thoroughly embarrassed myself this morning.¡± It¡¯s getting harder and harder to keep from kissing her senseless. I¡¯ve never been so happy to sit and listen to a human babble. My wolf doesn¡¯t even mind being confined for over ten minutes. Usually, it¡¯d be growling to break free and attack the threat. Which could be deadly. My wolf seems more interested in protecting this lovely, feisty human. It took me a moment to recognize it, but now that I do, my pulse picks up and I have to force myself not to put my arm around her. Pull her close. Especially when she leans into me. ¡°Maybe you could agree not to look at me when the lightse back on so we can meetter under normal circumstances.¡± I don¡¯t answer.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Hopefully, I won¡¯t do this thering thing during my interview and screw it up.¡± ¡°You really want this job?¡± ¡°Yeah. I do. It¡¯s weird because eight years ago I would¡¯veughed in your face if you¡¯d told me I¡¯d want to work for SeCure, but I guess I¡¯ve changed. To me, Jackson King and thepany he built represent the ultimate in infosec coding, and I want to be a part of that.¡± The lights flicker on, and the elevator lurches into motion. Damn. ¡°Oh, thank God,¡± she breathes, scrambling to her feet. I follow her to stand. When she turns to look up at me, the smile freezes on her face. Surprise. She nches and stumbles back. The light illuminates her beauty. wless skin. Full lips. Big eyes. High cheekbones. And, yeah¡­ the tits and legs looked as good now as they did in the dark. She¡¯s a ten all around. And she¡¯s figured out who I am, which gives me the upper hand. ¡°Well, now you¡¯re quiet.¡± ¡°J. T.,¡± she mutters, sounding bitter. She res as if I¡¯d been the one smack-talking about her rather than vice versa. ¡°What¡¯s the ¡°T¡± stand for?¡± ¡°Thomas.¡± My mother gave me a decidedly human name. The elevator stops on the sixth floor, and the doors open. She doesn¡¯t move. I hold it with my hand and gesture for her to get off. ¡°I believe this is your floor.¡± Her mouth opens then snaps closed. She squares her shoulders and marches past me, two bright-pink spots on her cheeks. Adorable. Even though I¡¯mte for at least twenty meetings, I follow her off. Not because my body can¡¯t be parted from hers. Certainly not because I have to know more about her. Just to torment her a bit more with my presence, now that she knows who I am. ¡°Ms. McDaniel, there you are,¡± Stu says. He¡¯s waiting in front of the elevators¨Cmust¡¯ve taken the stairs. Luis, SeCure¡¯s chief security officer, stands with him. ¡°We¡¯re getting maintenance up here right away, Mr. King.¡± Luis signals one of his men, who takes his ce at the elevator to stop anyone from boarding. ¡°We¡¯ll have it fixed in no time, sir. And I see you escorted Ms. McDaniel. ¡± Stu nces guiltily at me. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to leave her unattended like that. I took the stairs up to make sure I was here when she got off.¡± He makes it sound like he deserves a medal for his heroics. I don¡¯t answer. ¡°I¡¯ve got her from here. I¡¯m sorry to have disturbed you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to sit in on her interview,¡± I say, surprising even myself. Both Stu and Kylie¡¯s heads whip around, and they gape at me. Kylie flushes further and blinks her big brown eyes. In the light, they are a warm chocte-brown with a starburst of gold in the middle. Incredible. The alpha in me doesn¡¯t mind her difort. I¡¯m used to making people squirm. But my wolf isn¡¯t happy about the tinge of anger in her scent. An apology is on my lips-another first. Jackson King doesn¡¯t apologize. I don¡¯t owe her one, either. If I had my way, I¡¯d pull her into the nearest conference room, spank her ass for the whipping boyment, and spend the next three hours teaching her pleasure at the tip of my tongue. I¡¯d go down on her until her screams of pleasure told everyone in the building that¡¯s she¡¯s mine. That would take care of her annoyance, and her nervousness. Or is it arousal? ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just a routine interview-no need to take up your time,¡± Stu says. I¡¯ll be damned if I let Stu-or any other male-get her alone. Luis clears his throat, warning Stu he¡¯s on the verge of pissing me off. I narrow my eyes at Stu. ¡°I decide how to spend my time. Shall we go into the conference room, or are we interviewing her here in the hallway?¡± Stu scowls as if I busted up his frat party. 3 Kylie Holy awkward, Batman. So much for acing the interview. I didn¡¯t think it could go more wrong, but being caught in a tug of war between Stu and Jackson is another precious moment in this craptastic day. I can¡¯t believe I just had a meltdown in front of Jackson King. And gushed like a schoolgirl about what type of nerd he was and whether he was gay, and oh God did I really insinuate that he whips his sexual partners? What the fuck is wrong with me? Not even Interviewing for Dummies can save me now. Of course, he let me think he wasn¡¯t the CEO. Kind of a dick move, really. I should be ring at him, but no, I¡¯m still flustered from him touching me. Too bad getting felt up by Jackson King isn¡¯t one of the perks of the job. Damn, I really, really want this. Groping aside, SeCure is the pinnacle of cybersecurity. As a teen it, was the ultimate hack. After almost ten years of hiding, it feels likeing home. Like I¡¯ve trained my whole life to stand here, and now that I¡¯ve gone legit, I can step into my rightful ce. The fact that I¡¯d be working under Jackson King has nothing to do with it. Well, maybe a teensy, tiny bit. My body would certainly like to be under him-right now. Lordy, I have to get through the interview without imagining his hands on me¡­ The death stare between Stu and Jackson has gone on long enough. ¡°Where¡¯s the conference room?¡± I chirp. I take several deep gulps of breath and follow Stu into arge conference room. I can do this. I¡¯ve handled much more difficult things-major heists at the age of twelve, losing my mom and dad, being trapped in an air duct for ten hours¡­ This is nothing. It¡¯s only an interview. I sit down, and the three men position themselves across from me. The chairs are big and plushy but barely amodate Jackson¡¯s muscr frame. He swivels a little, eyes on me. The man can intimidate even sitting down. I allow myself a tiny frown in his direction. He lied to me. And now he¡¯s making me interview with him, as if this day could get any more awkward. He meets my glower with raised eyebrows. Why, oh, why did I say all those things in the elevator? It was like I¡¯d swallowed truth serum. Maybe that is one of Jackson¡¯s superpowers: making people tell him every thought that pops into their heads. I¡¯ve never been so real with anyone in my life. I¡¯ve told a million lies, but a little bit offort after a panic attack, and all my training fell away. My dad would lecture me-if he was still alive. Stu shuffles some papers and shoves one toward Mr. King. ¡°Here¡¯s her resume,¡± he says. ¡°You can see her qualifications are quite impressive.¡± Stu definitely overstated my resume. Sure, I¡¯d graduated summa cumude with an IS degree from Georgetown-after convincing them to let me take all my sses online-but my work experience was writing code for the gamingpany where I currently work. At least, the only work experience that was legal. There¡¯s plenty of stuff I can¡¯t mention. The result: I don¡¯t look that impressive on paper. ¡°Her professors all gave her rave rmendations,¡± he goes on, seeming a little flustered. Not half as flustered as I am, though. It doesn¡¯t help that Jackson King gazes at me like he knows my life secrets. Now that¡¯s a terrifying thought. ¡°Do you want to start?¡± Luis asks King. King leans back in the chair and crosses his long, elegant legs. Damn. I¡¯ve always drooled over his pictures online, but he¡¯s even more handsome in person. Photos didn¡¯t do him justice-not even the spread in Time Magazine when he was named ¡°Man of the Year¡± for solving the world¡¯s credit card fraud problems. Nothing about him says ¡°geek¡± at all, actually. With thick dark hair, kept on the long, shaggy side, a square jaw, and jade-green eyes, he looks rugged. He also holds an air of danger, his power barely contained by his expensive suit. He looks back at me, his face an inscrutable mask. ¡°What do you know about infosec, Kylie?¡± Ice my fingers together on the table. No sense being nervous. I blew any chance I had of winning this job when I called him a deviant sociopath in the elevator. He probably just wants payback, and making me sit through the most awkward interview in the history of the world is his preferred form of torture. Fuck this. I¡¯m not getting the job. Why stay and suffer? I push my chair back and rise. ¡°You know, I don¡¯t think this is a good idea.¡± Stu shoots to his feet, looking angry. ¡°Why not? Wait just a minute.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have wasted your time.¡± Stu steps between me and the door, like he¡¯s not going to let me go. His job must be on the line if he can¡¯t fill this position. Not my problem, buddy. What¡¯s he gonna do, body check me if I make a break for it? ¡°I think, actually, I screwed up this interview back in the elevator. So I¡¯ll just see myself out. Thank you-¡± ¡°Sit down, Ms. McDaniel,¡± Kingmands, his deep resonant voice like steel. I stop in my tracks. Damn, he¡¯s even hotter when he¡¯s stern. Like in the elevator, my body responds, nipples getting hard, pussy dampening. His nostrils re as if he can smell it. But that¡¯s ridiculous. He¡¯s still sitting, but there¡¯s no question who holds the power in the room. I reach for my chair, a bit wobbly. And not just because of my heels. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± I sink back down. ¡°Thank you. I asked you a question, and I expect an answer.¡± Damn the man. He¡¯s determined to make me suffer. I rub my thumbnail with the pad of my index finger` then drop my hands to myp to stop fidgeting. ¡°Mr. King, I apologize for the things I said about you in the elevator-I was very rude and¡­ disrespectful.¡± King¡¯s expression doesn¡¯t change. He watches me with that cool assessment. ¡°Answer the question.¡± Okaaay. Guess he¡¯s just going to ignore my apology. I¡¯d fight back with sarcasm, but I promised myself I¡¯d keep a lid on it. ¡°My knowledge of infosec is mainly practical. You won¡¯t see it on my resume, but I do know all areas of security-how to assess weak points, how to mask code. No code is imprable, except maybe yours.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°How long would it take you to hack the average guy¡¯s Gmail?¡± I allow a tiny smirk to curve my lips. ¡°That would be illegal, Mr. King.¡± ¡°So do you, or don¡¯t you know how to hack?¡± He knows. That¡¯s my first thought. I shift in my chair. He¡¯s figured out I¡¯m Catgirl. No, that¡¯s silly. All infosec professionals probably know how to hack. Maybe it¡¯s a prerequisite. Like the way the home securitypanies hire busted burrs to improve their systems. Not that a security system-physical or virtual-has ever been able to keep me out. Although my skills might be a bit rusty. My cat burry days died with my dad. ¡°If I knew how to hack, Mr. King, I certainly wouldn¡¯t admit it here, and that¡¯s why you won¡¯t see it on paper. But if, in theory, I wanted to hack the average guy¡¯s Gmail, it might take me ten to twenty minutes.¡± Stu gives him a tight smile. ¡°We do have a series of tests we¡¯ll give Ms. McDaniel, after the interview.¡± He returns his attention to me. ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you tell us about your programming experience?¡± King looks as bored as I feel as I rattle off my programming aplishments. Luis grills with all the standard kinds of interview questions: Do I work well under pressure? On a team? Am I willing to work nights and overtime when necessary? How do I feel about relocating to Tucson from Phoenix? I answer automatically, studying Jackson King without making it obvious. He hasn¡¯t asked another question. What¡¯s he thinking? Is he still mad about what I said in the elevator? ¡°Do you have any questions for us?¡± Luis asks. ¡°How many candidates are interviewing for the position?¡± Stu shuffles his papers as the other two men look to him for the answer. ¡°Three.¡± ¡°When do you expect I¡¯ll hear something?¡± Probably a bit presumptuous, but presumption is all I have left. ¡°In a few days. We¡¯re interviewing everyone today.¡± ¡°Better get that elevator fixed, then,¡± I quip, my voice lighter than I feel. Stu stands. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll follow me, I¡¯ll take you to an office for the test.¡± Thank God. Tests I can handle. I don¡¯t dare look at King as I stand, my cheeks still burning. Ducking my head, I follow Stu. When I get to the door, I risk a nce. King¡¯s looking at me, his lips quirking at the edges. Sadist. He enjoyed making me squirm. 4 Jackson I watch Kylie¡¯s long muscr calves strut out of the room, her ass a perfect heart-shape in the short, fitted skirt. My wolf is still going nuts, snarling to get out. I¡¯ve never let him get so out of control, especially not in the office. But there¡¯s never been a temptation like Kylie. I force my thoughts to business. At least the part of the business that concern her. ¡°I want the results of her tests sent to me.¡± Luis bobs his head. ¡°Of course. Will you be sitting in on all the interviews today?¡± ¡°No.¡± Luis probably wants me to borate, or to exin myself, but he won¡¯t push. Everyone knows I¡¯m a minimalist when ites to conversation. ¡°May I ask¡­ what did she say in the elevator?¡± I shrug. ¡°She insulted me. It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m sure most of my employees have said simr or worse things about me behind my back.¡± Luis ys with his paper coffee cup on the table, too diplomatic to agree. ¡°What did you think about her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s bright, that¡¯s obvious. Her resume isn¡¯t that impressive. How did Stu say he found her?¡± ¡°Headhunter.¡± ¡°I wonder why the headhunter thought she¡¯d be a good fit when she has no infosec experience on her resume.¡± ¡°She¡¯s totally a hacker.¡± ¡°Obviously. But how did the headhunter know that?¡± Luis taps his paper cup on the table. ¡°Good question. Want me to find out?¡± ¡°Yeah. And get me her test results.¡± ¡°So did you like her?¡± No one that hot should be so anti-social. She thinks I¡¯m hot. Yeah, I¡¯ve heard it before, but never cared what humans thought about my looks. All shifters-well, all paranormals, actually-are more beautiful than humans. At least, I thought so, until I met Kylie. ¡°I found her¡­ ¡± Fuckable? Intoxicating? Adorable in a tough-girl kind of way? Right¡­ the tough-girl thing is an alpha trait. If Kylie were a shifter, she¡¯d lead the females of the pack. She had all the qualities of a top female. Luis waits for myment. What the fuck am I going to say? Her scent is addictive. My wolf wants to im her. ¡°Interesting. I found her interesting.¡± I stand, wanting to prowl after Kylie into whatever office Stu has set her up in just to watch her work. My wolf doesn¡¯t want her alone with any other male. And I like a good hunt, especially if Kylie¡¯s my prey. ~.~ Ginrummy He didn¡¯t expect Kylie to be so hot. Or poised. Brilliant, yes. But he pictured her mousy. Awkward. Socially anxious like him, perhaps with sses and her hair pulled into an absentminded knot. Maybe with a nose-piercing. Not the cute diamond-chip in the nostril, but the bull-ring in the septum tough-rebel-chick kind. He supposes not allputer geeks are misfits, but well, anyone who spent her entire childhood online and out of the real world shouldn¡¯t also be a certifiable brick house with high heels and juicy tits. Shouldn¡¯t be able to look that intimidating asshole Jackson King in the eye and run her own interview as if she was the one hiring. She looks bored, now, as her fingers dance over the keys, solving the security problems theyid out for her. In a way, this makes things easier. She¡¯s more like Jackson King than him. Dammit, Kylie-Catgirl-McDaniel is way out of his league. So framing her for the demise of SeCure won¡¯t hurt as much as he imagined. Because, in his mind, she¡¯s always been his cyber-girlfriend of sorts. Yeah, it¡¯s stupid, but she¡¯s female and he¡¯s male and they¡¯d been aplices in the hacker world since puberty when his raging hormones needed nothing more than the name ¡°Catgirl¡± to get off. They cut their teeth together as young hackers, sharing information and their sesses, passing along tips, advising others. It was dumb luck he found her after she disappeared for the past eight years. But she re-surfaced on DefCon, the old secret hacker forum where they¡¯d always interacted, looking for help with cracking into the FBI. Naturally, he¡¯d assisted. He¡¯d been looking for her for a long time. Not just out of nostalgia, although he wondered about her. She¡¯s perfect for what he needs. There are very few hackers capable of breaking SeCure¡¯s code. And he happens to know Catgirl is one of them. She did it before-as a teenager, no less. So when she resurfaced, he helped her with the FBI and then followed her through their doors to see what she was up to. She deleted files on three people-a deceased married couple and their daughter, vignte burrs, known for stealing from the dirty. She also added evidence on another criminal, including tips on his whereabouts. By digging, he gathered enough evidence to surmise she was the daughter of the cat burr team. It fit with the sorts of questions she¡¯d posed years before-about security systems and safes. Based on the FBI¡¯s limited information, the criminal she¡¯d set up for arrest had probably murdered her father during a job. After that, it had been difficult, but he eventually found her IP address, and then it was a matter of sending a headhunter after her for a job at SeCure. Imagine his surprise to find out she lived a mere two hours away in Phoenix. He watches her now, her glossy hair tucked behind her ear, whizzing through the stupid tests they made up for her. Oh, they were real tests-they would¡¯ve been a challenge to anyone else, but he knew she¡¯d pass with flying colors. If that damned power outage hadn¡¯t thrown her together with Jackson King, hiring her would be a sure thing. But it sounds like she said or did something to piss the CEO off. He sure as hell hopes King won¡¯t block them from hiring her. ~.~ Kylie I push open the door to the house I share with my grandmother. My legs are stiff after the two hour drive back to Phoenix, and I¡¯m ready to trash these heels. ¡°Meme, are you home?¡± My grandmother appears from the kitchen, her lined face split into a grin. ¡°Mte!¡± My pet name, mte, is the French word for kitty. My parents came up with it. My mom was French-Dad met her on a crew working an art heist in Arles. It was love at first sight, the way he told the story. ¡°Well, how did it go?¡± Meme always speaks to me in French, and I always answer in English. I speak fivenguages fluently, and French is one of them, but at home I¡¯mzy. Or maybe it¡¯s part of trying to be normal. I sink into a chair at the kitchen table and kick off the evil ck patent leather high heels. What a poor choice they were. Meme sits down beside me. ¡°I¡¯m waiting.¡± I blow a raspberry. ¡°Not well. I screwed up, actually. Big time, Meme. The power went out while I was in the elevator.¡± ¡°No.¡± Meme gives an exaggerated gasp and covers her mouth in the animated way only people of her generation still employ. Meme knows about my ustrophobia. She can probably guess its origin, although we never discuss my parents¡¯ profession or my former illegal activities. ¡°And I got stranded in there with Jackson King-the Jackson King.¡±Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Meme gives me a nk look. ¡°He¡¯s the founder of SeCure. But I didn¡¯t know it was him-it was dark. And I said some not-so-ttering things about him.¡± Meme looks sympathetic. ¡°Ah. That¡¯s too bad, ma petite fille.¡± She pats me on the shoulder and stands up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll get you some soup.¡± Of course. Because food fixes everything, doesn¡¯t it? Meme¡¯s cooking is as good as therapy. She moved in after my dad died, and, for a few months, her crepes were the only reason I got out of bed. Meme moves to the stove anddles the hot broth liquid into a bowl. Today¡¯s fare is French onion, my favorite. Meme serves the rich brown broth with a baguette and Swiss cheese. ¡°Careful, it¡¯s hot.¡± I grin up at Meme. After Maman died, I spent my entire childhood taking care of my dad-trying to keep him out of jail as he yed Robin Hood, stealing from the rich to right the wrongs of the world. After all those years, it¡¯s sweet to be coddled by Meme. Though she¡¯s tough when she has to be. I wouldn¡¯t have finished college if she hadn¡¯t convinced me. I¡¯d always taken online courses-just for fun. But she insisted I take sses above board, from the same college and finish a degree. Get the diploma and put myself in the real world, even if it was under a false identity. So I did. But I still barely have a social life. I¡¯m too used to being a loner, keeping my secrets hidden. After what happened-after my father¡¯s¡­ Jesus. I still can¡¯t think about it without a searing pain in my chest. His murder. His betrayal and cold-blooded fucking murder. Yeah. After that, I stopped all illegal activity. I erased our identities, not that Dad and I had ever been on the grid anyway. I went legit. With Dad¡¯s double-crossing murderer looking for me, I hid in in sight, as an ordinary American citizen. The heists were my parent¡¯s gig, anyway. They¡¯d been a regr Bonnie and Clyde. But mom died in a car ident when I was eight, so I became Dad¡¯s new partner. I¡¯d refused to leave his side, even though he would have preferred I sit safely in a boarding school or with Meme in Paris. But his vignte Thieves for Justice thing wasn¡¯t my calling. I just liked to hack. That¡¯s how Meme talked me into taking my current job for the gamingpany. But I¡¯m barely tied to the real world. I rarely leave home. I don¡¯t date or have any close friends. In some ways, I¡¯m still Catgirl, lurking in the shadows. Maybe that¡¯s why the elevator encounter threw me so much. I¡¯ve never been touched by a man, much less a hottie like Jackson King. Frightening, how easily he breached my walls. My cell phone buzzes, and I grab my purse to rummage for it. A SeCure number. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hi Kylie, it¡¯s Stu, from SeCure.¡± ¡°Hi Stu.¡± Brilliant K-K, really brilliant. ¡°I¡¯m calling to let you know we were impressed with your skill set, and we¡¯d like to offer you the job.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Part of me wants to fist-pump the air in triumph. I gave the worst impression ever, and I still got the offer. Take that, Interviewing for Dummies. The rest of me is skeptical. ¡°There¡¯s no second interview or anything?¡± ¡°Nope. You scored 100 percent on the test, and management liked you.¡± 5 Management?¡± He can¡¯t mean King.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°Yeah, Luis thought you were great. So the HR department will call you with the real offer, but I have permission to discuss sry with you. We¡¯re offering one hundred thirty-five thousand dors plus moving expenses. Full health and dental insurance, profit sharing, and stock options add another third to the sry package.¡± Er¡­ wow. I smile at Meme, nodding. It¡¯s fifty K more than I make at the moment, and I never expected them to foot the bill for moving. Probably too good to be true. But I can¡¯t turn it down. ¡°Thank you, that sounds great.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ll ept the offer?¡± He sounds enthusiastic. I should y hard to get, but fuck it. ¡°Yeah. Absolutely. I¡¯m thrilled.¡± ¡°Great. HR will send you a written offer tomorrow. How soon can you start?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ a month?¡± ¡°I was hoping two weeks,¡± Stu says. ¡°Really? That¡¯s pretty fast.¡± ¡°We are paying for relocation, so that will simplify the move for you.¡± ¡°Is two weeks a requirement?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be there,¡± I say. ¡°Great. We¡¯ll finalize the paperwork tomorrow. Wee to the team.¡± I hang up and beam at Grandmere. ¡°I got the job!¡± Meme throws her arms around me and kisses my temple. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! Congrattions.¡± I ept the hug, wondering what King thinks of my hire. At least he didn¡¯t veto it. That shouldn¡¯t excite me as much as it does. Jackson I sense the moment Kylie enters the building. Even if I hadn¡¯t already known it was her first day at SeCure, I wouldn¡¯t have missed her presence. My wolf senses prickle. A growl rises in my throat. Swallowing it back down, I move from my desk and pace to the wall-to-wall windows, gazing out at the Catalina foothills. My cor is suddenly too tight. I want to shed my clothes, take my wolf form. I want to run. To howl. To hunt. When Tucson courted SeCure to move our headquarters to the city, I yed hardball, pressing for tax advantages and new roads to the proposed location. But, in truth, it was a no-brainer. Tucson is perfect for a shifter-nestled between three mountain ranges, with a poption of only a million, it gives me quick ess to wilderness while retaining all the advantages for business. Attracting high-caliber employees wasn¡¯t hard-most professionals were delighted to relocate to the desert, even with the hot summers. I built the headquarters at the base of the mountains. My own mansion also nestles into the front range of the Catalinas so I can run and hunt at any time. I pace in front of the windows, skin tingling. I¡¯m actually considering shifting in broad daylight. My wolf wants out. He wants to hunt, to kill. Or fuck. Mine. Yeah, my wolf wants to fuck that hot little human on the sixth floor. If I were smart, I¡¯d stay way the hell away from her. But I wasn¡¯t thinking with my brain when I rmended hiring her in the first ce. I can¡¯t get Kylie out of my head. Over the past two weeks, her scentes to me at night. I see her in my dreams. The memory of her long legs and bat tits gets me hard every time. How can a human be so attractive? A tap on my door. ¡°Mr. King? Your nine a. m. is here.¡± With a sigh, I sit at my desk. ¡°Send him in.¡± More business shit to deal with. Kylie will have to wait. ~.~ Jackson I force myself to wait until eleven a. m. By then, my entire body twitches from the effort of resisting instinct. Shooting to my feet, I stride out of my office, past my secretary¡¯s desk. She looks, surprised. ¡°Your eleven a. m. is waiting, sir.¡± She¡¯d already told me once, and I¡¯d asked for a minute. ¡°Yeah, I know. I¡¯ll be back in five.¡± Or ten. Or however long it takes me to throw my little Batgirl up against the wall and fuck her senseless. I shove my wolf back down. This is a bad idea. She¡¯s human. Beautiful. Fragile. Breakable. At best, I¡¯d bruise her. At worst¡­ I¡¯d break her. But I have to see her. I take the elevator to the sixth floor-the memory of touching her making my cock even harder. Thank fate we were stuck together. Thank fate I didn¡¯t realize how her scent called to me until after we were out of the enclosed space. Only years of control kept my wolf from taking over and iming her right there. Control and being so fucking confused. I¡¯ve never felt this way before. I shouldn¡¯t feel this way. Especially not about a human. I prowl down the hall, ignoring the way all the employees¡¯ conversations die when they see me. Most days, I wee their nervousness. It satisfies the predator part of me. Today, I have different prey. I don¡¯t need to ask where my little hacker is stationed. Her scent leaves a trail. Vani and spice, and a vor I don¡¯t recognize. My hunt ends at a tiny windowless office. Kylie sits studying herputer screen with a coffee mug at her lips. Although I don¡¯t make any noise-shifters tread far more quietly than humans-she snaps her head in my direction before I step through the doorway, blinking as if she doesn¡¯t quite believe I¡¯m real. ¡°Mr. King.¡± She swivels in her chair but doesn¡¯t stand. My wolf likes that she¡¯s lost her fear of me. She crosses her long bare legs, and I thank the fates she¡¯s wearing another short skirt. ¡°Or should I call you J. T.?¡± So she¡¯s still annoyed at my little deception. Her voice holds a note of scorn no other employee would use, and damn, but it makes my cock twitch. The sight of her thrills me, but I allow myself only a small grin. ¡°You may.¡± Her gaze flicks to the doorway behind me, and only because I¡¯m part wolf do I recognize a slight trapped animal vibe under the confidence. Like it makes her itchy to have the only exit blocked. Must be part of her ustrophobia. I step into the office and away from the door to give her an unfettered exit, and she rxes. I lean against the wall, crossing my arms over my chest. My wolf wants me to puff out my muscles, and run out to hunt and bring her back a rabbit for lunch. Down, boy. Her scent hits me hard, bringing on the prickle of the shift. I will it back, hoping my eyes haven¡¯t changed color. She arches a brow. ¡°Is that what you go by?¡± ¡°No.¡± She sets her coffee mug down and stands. The skirt hugs her tight body, her heels making the muscles of her calves stand out in stark relief. A faded Spiderman T-shirt stretches across her chest. This girl has a superhero fetish. Too bad I¡¯m the viin. I want to yank the T-shirt up and drag my tongue up that t belly to the perky tits. ¡°Listen, I want to apologize again for what I said. I didn¡¯t mean any of it. I was just¡­ jealous.¡± She sounds sincere. I didn¡¯t expect another apology. The set of her shoulders says she¡¯s on the defensive, but the softness in her face and voice tells me she¡¯s actually trying to make nice. Which is¡­ refreshing. My employees, business colleagues, hell, everyone in my life either sucks up to me, or talks shit about me behind my back. Or both. Only other shifters are real, but the Arizona packs don¡¯t love me. Which is my own fault. ¡°Jealous of what?¡± She shrugs. ¡°Your brains, I guess.¡± Another surprise. Most people are jealous of my sess, my money, my power. They seem to think I haven¡¯t earned them. I got lucky. ¡°If you got inside my head, you wouldn¡¯t find much worth keeping,¡± I say. Just a lifetime¡¯s worth of guilt. Any therapist would point out my obsessive career drive aspensatory. And if the psychotherapist knew what I¡¯d done to deserve my self-loathing, they¡¯d lock me up. But my mistake can¡¯t be undone. My mom can¡¯t be brought back from the dead, and my stepfather¡¯s death still came toote. Kylie studies me. What does she see? A giant, awkward geek? A creepy guy? Or does she see the wolf in my eyes, the predator that wants to put her on her hands and knees and fuck her senseless? ¡°You like my code.¡± My voice is hoarse, guttural, this close to the change. ¡°I do.¡± She gives a slow, sensuous smile, as if talking code is forey. Her teeth are perfect and white, lips plump and glossed. ¡°Your eyes are lighter than I remembered.¡± Fuck. I blink rapidly, forcing back the change. ¡°They change.¡± Not a lie. ¡°I¡¯ve been working on a newnguage.¡± Jesus, this really was geek-talk. Next thing I¡¯ll be telling her a ¡°once, at band camp¡­¡± story. Her eyes light up, and she moves forward, invading my space. She¡¯s toned and leggy, but her tits and ass would make the perfect handful. ¡°I¡¯d like you to test it for me.¡± Oh fates-what in the hell am I doing? I never let anyone see my work, especially not a brand-new employee whom I know nothing about. She leans closer. ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡± Are her nipples hard? ¡°It would have to be after hours, on the side. I know Stu has other work for you.¡± ¡°Sure, great.¡± She isn¡¯t daunted by overtime, apparently. Definitely a legit geek. ¡°My office, six p. m.¡± Sounds like a date. It must have sounded that way to her, too, because the scent of female arousal reaches my nose. I ball my fists, pressing my blunt fingernails into my palms to keep from snatching her body up against my own. I imagine her naked, sprawled out on my desk with her legs open wide. No. No, no, no. It can¡¯t happen. Some wolves are able to have sex with humans, no problem, but they wouldn¡¯t have the urge to mate with one. A human wouldn¡¯t-shouldn¡¯t-inspire the urge to permanently mark her with my scent. But it seems this one does. And that makes fucking her an impossibility. Because I can¡¯t mark her without serious injury or death. Her berry lips part, as if waiting for a kiss. I step forward. ¡°Am I forgiven?¡± Her whiskey voice goes straight to my cock. I pin her with a cool nce. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± The scent of her nectar grows stronger. She likes my authority. I leave before I shove her skirt up, rip off her panties, and bury my tongue in her. Not going to happen. Can¡¯t. Happen. I walk away, body tense. My wolf wants to be unleashed. Maybe I need to get outside. I use my cell to call my secretary. ¡°Vanessa, cancel my appointment. I¡¯m going out.¡± 6 Kylie Holy sexballs, Batman. Jackson King has a thing for me. Why else would he show up, all growly and intense, and invite me to his office? He wants to show me his code. Is that what the kids call it these days? Maybe he¡¯s just being nice, making up for his first impression. Maybe he wants to put me, a new employee, at ease on my first day. Throw me a bone. The big one in his pants. Heh. But no. I¡¯m not that girl. I¡¯ve never even been with a guy. I didn¡¯t read Career Advice for Dummies, but I¡¯m pretty sure sleeping with my boss is not a good idea. Even if it¡¯s Jackson King¡­ After a few minutes of daydreaming, I shake myself. No, K-K, I scold my libido. Don¡¯t mess this up. I¡¯ve justnded my dream job. No more life of crime, or being on the run. No more hiding, the only excitement in my life discovering what Meme made for lunch. And Jackson King is probably a yer. Maybe that¡¯s why there¡¯s no news about a girlfriend. He probably sleeps with his employees and pays them for their silence. Jerkwad. If only he didn¡¯t have such pretty eyes. I thought they were green. Today, they were light blue. I tap my keyboard, acting busy in case Stu interrupts me. Even though we can email or chat via the intr, he drops into my office, often. I still haven¡¯t figured out why he was so gung ho to hire me. Glowing rmendations from college professors don¡¯t seem like enough. I pull up Google to do a search on Stu, to see if I can learn more, and end up typing in Jackson King¡¯s name instead. There he is, unsmiling as always, in a photo shoot for Wired magazine. He stares through the camera, his thick hair mussed and jaw clenched. His typical leave me alone or else look. It only makes me want to get closer. Only a few more hours before I can go see his code. And I actually do want to sit and program with him, even if it means unpaid overtime. Maybe diving into a project will end the awkwardness between us. I¡¯m standoffish and snarky in real life, but online, I¡¯m Catgirl. Leaping tall buildings in a single bound. Solving the world¡¯s problems, one hack at a time. When my dad was alive, we moved so much between his heists-unable to stay in one ce. Theputer was my home. I didn¡¯t meet my friends at the mall. I met them online. And coding-the numbers just made sense. A challenge and afort at the same time. Something about hiding in in sight. For some reason, I think Jackson King would understand. At six p. m., I leap out of my chair. My heart pitter-patters at a jaunty tempo as I take the stairs to the eighth floor-the executive level. When I break out of the stairwell-which brings back bad memories, but not as bad as an elevator-I walk briskly. Act like you belong, and people will assume you do. My father gave better advice on blending in than any business book. As a thief, he would know. I do belong here, I tell myself, as I head to the corner office. For the first time in my life, I belong. King¡¯s executive assistant is packing up, pulling on a light jacket and slinging her purse over one shoulder. She¡¯s cute. And her blouse is unbuttoned way too low. Holy cleavage, Robin. I try to walk past her. ¡°Excuse me? May I help you?¡± I whirl with a bright smile. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m here to see Mr. King.¡± The assistant shakes her head, bouncing her perfect blonde curls. ¡°No. He doesn¡¯t have any appointments.¡± ¡°Yes, he does. He asked me to look at some code.¡± I extend my hand, doing my best to look friendly, despite the frosty reception. ¡°I¡¯m Kylie McDaniel, the new infosec specialist.¡± The young woman shakes her head again and ignores my hand. ¡°Nope. It¡¯s not on his schedule. And Mr. King really doesn¡¯t like to be bothered. I can try to make you an appointment?¡± Her voice drips with doubt. The door behind her pushes open. ¡°Ms. McDaniel.¡± I shouldn¡¯t have done it. I could¡¯ve just waited until the woman walked away, and gone in anyway. But something in me itches for a fight. Eyes glued to the assistant¡¯s face, I answer, ¡°J. T.¡± The assistant¡¯s eyes widen right before her face pinches up tight. Fortunately, my over-familiarity doesn¡¯t seem to piss off Jackson. He doesn¡¯t exin himself to his secretary, but then he doesn¡¯t have to-it¡¯s hispany. He steps back and gestures impatiently toward his office. Only on him would authority look so hot. ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± I tell the assistant as I swagger on by. She ignores me. ¡°Do you need me to stay, sir?¡± No thanks, I¡¯m not into threesomes. ¡°No.¡± So he gives others the monosybic answers, too. Good to know. ¡°Okay, good night?¡± the secretary says, a hint of desperation in her voice. Without a word, he shuts the door. It shouldn¡¯t satisfy me, but it does. And now I¡¯m alone with Jackson King. ¡°You¡¯rete,¡± King growls. He¡¯s taken off his suit jacket and tie. His cor stands open. His broad shoulders fill the dress shirt. ¡°Am I in trouble?¡± He doesn¡¯t answer, only rolls up his sleeves. Holy hotness, Batman. ¡°If you miss me, I¡¯m only two floors down.¡± King grunts in answer and stalks behind arge, solid oak desk with a leather captain¡¯s chair. A retreat, but he¡¯s back in a seat of power. Two smaller chairs sit in front of the desk. I drop my bag in one but don¡¯t sit down. I¡¯m not a naughty student visiting the principal¡¯s office. Now, that¡¯s a fantasy. King¡¯s office is impressive. Two entire walls of floor-to-ceiling windows showcase a breathtaking view of the Catalina foothills, which glow pink and purple in the setting sun. ¡°Your secretary sure is protective of you. Are you fucking her?¡± Oops, maybe a little too blunt. But if he¡¯s a man-ho, leching on all his employees, I want to know. ¡°Excuse me?¡± That stern voice warns me to settle down. Too bad it only makes me more excited. I shrug. ¡°She seems jealous.¡± ¡°So you conclude I¡¯ve taken her to bed?¡± My face floods with heat. Once again, the first words out of my mouth are totally inappropriate. What is it about him that brings out inner thoughts? Around him, I can¡¯t hide. He tilts his head to the side. ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s the one who¡¯s jealous. What did you think we were going to be doing up here, Kylie?¡± I shiver when he says my name. ¡°Did you think we¡¯re going to sleep together?¡± ¡°No.¡± My lie isn¡¯t very convincing. I should know. I was trained to lie. ¡°Not at all.¡± His gaze drops to my breasts, and he raises his eyebrows, as if making a point. His eyes are light-blue again-almost silver. Meme¡¯s change like that. Sometimes they look chocte-brown, like mine, other times they are golden. I look down. My freakin¡¯ nipples are standing out so far they show through my bra and T-shirt. Damn. I cross my arms over my chest to hide them. ¡°Look, we¡¯re both adults. You invited me up here. Show me what you¡¯re going to show me, and I¡¯ll tell you what I think.¡± ¡°You think you¡¯re ready?¡± I saunter to his desk and nt my hands on it, leaning in. ¡°King, I¡¯ve been ready for you my entire life.¡± For a moment, King regards me. He pivots, squaring off to face me. He seems bigger, bulkier. His eyes burn into mine, ice blue with a ck band around them. A musky scent washes over me, spicy and masculine. My pulse picks up as I hear a low rumbling sound. It¡¯sing from King. I straighten. ¡°You okay? You seem-¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t going to work.¡± ¡°What?¡± I choke out, like he¡¯s punched me in the gut. He closes his eyes, opens them, getting himself under control with visible effort. Whether it¡¯s temper or attraction, I can¡¯t be sure. I feel numb as he walks back to the door, presumably to see me out. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I touch his arm. Electricity surges through my fingertips. King sucks in a breath. ¡°I¡¯ll behave. I really want to see your code.¡± He steps back out of reach. ¡°No. This was a mistake.¡± ¡°Give me another chance,¡± I plead. ¡°I can act professionally, I swear.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. He turns and hits me with the full force of his gaze. His eyes drift over my mouth, my breasts, down the length of my bare legs. Tingles spread through me. ¡°Maybe. But I can¡¯t.¡± I shiver again. My senses go on alert, danger twining with excitement. There¡¯s a predator in the room, and he¡¯s got his sights set on me. ¡°You need to leave, Kylie.¡± Ouch. Not even his sexy voice can soften the rejection. I back toward the door, swallowing. The air in the office is electric, making the hairs on my nape stand up. Something has happened between us. Something I don¡¯t quite understand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I search for more to say. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to-¡± ¡°I¡¯m not someone you should be alone with.¡± ¡°What? I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a good idea.¡± Head bowed, massive body outlined in red from the setting sun, Jackson King looks like a hero in aic book, a being from another world. ¡°King,¡± I say, and take a step forward. His head snaps up, and he pins me with those zing blues. ¡°Get out.¡± My back hits the door, and I twist the knob, unwilling to look away from the big bad King. Muscles tight and eyes wary, he looks every bit as dangerous as he does sexy. But I¡¯m not afraid. I want to seduce him. I¡¯m crazy. I don¡¯t know anything about seduction. These feelings are crazy. I try again, onest time. ¡°I still want to test your code. You could email me. Or something.¡± ¡°No,¡± he says. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± His lips twist into a miserable smile. ¡°Leave. Now.¡± His voice softens. ¡°While you still have a chance.¡± What does he mean? I don¡¯t stay to find out. I close the door too hard, and it ms. ¡°And stay out,¡± I mutter, my cheeks burning. At least his secretary¡¯s not here to witness my humiliation. As I walk away, a tortured sound rips from King¡¯s office. An inhuman sound. Almost like a howl. 7 Jackson I pull my clothes off in the parking lot and throw them in my trunk. It¡¯s reckless. There are still cars in the lot, and it¡¯s not even dark yet, but I have to run. The moon is waxing, which makes my wolf¡¯ antsier than usual. That¡¯s the problem. Not that smart-mouthed, intoxicating little human who calls everything the way she sees it. My chests shakes with a growl when I think about the danger Kylie is in. My wolf wants to protect her from all threats. But, of course, the only threat to her is me. Garrett warned me this could happen. The Tucson alpha runs a tight pack. His wolves are all healthy, well-adjusted. He and I have a tenuous rtionship-I am a lone wolf on the edge of his territory. Garrett keeps reaching out. Not just to assert his leadership-although he wouldn¡¯t be much of an alpha if he didn¡¯t try-but to save me from moon sickness. Wolves, especially big, dominant wolves, can go mad if they wait too long to take a mate. If I ever disy the signs, Garrett has made it clear he¡¯ll take me down. I told him to bring his best fighters to be sure he could finish the job. I can¡¯t be bothered with a mate. Hell, I don¡¯t even want a pack, not after my birth pack banished me. I am a lone wolf, or I would be, if I hadn¡¯t taken in Sam. But that was different. Sam needs me, and my wolf likes the kid. My wolf more than likes Kylie. It wants me to im her, but iming a human is dangerous. I know the consequences of letting my bestial nature run free. People get hurt. I can¡¯t let that happen to Kylie. I close my eyes and let the heat consume me. The cells tear apart. Rearrange. It¡¯s painless but requires concentration and takes energy. Dropping to all fours, I run behind the cars, out of the sr panel-covered lot, to the rocky dirt of the desert. I lope straight up the side of the mountain, racing to get behind the crest for cover. Nose lowered to follow a rabbit trail, I let my wolf rule. No more being a CEO. No morepany, or code. No more Kylie with scent, intoxicating and forbidden. The confused hurt on her face when I told her to get out¡­ For a long time, I run the mountain, dodging in and out of trees and scrub, stretching my muscles. The sun ducks under the horizon, and the moon rises, shimmery and plump, lighting the slope of the mountain. I catch a familiar wolf¡¯s scent a moment before I see a sh of ck and a pair of amber eyes. I tense my hind legs and leap to tackle the other wolf, knocking the young male onto his side and nipping his ear. Sam is scrawny for a shifter-stillrge by wolf standards. My young pack brother yips and nips back until I growl and show my teeth. Sam tucks his tail and whines, offering his belly and throat. I lick his ear and let the kid spring to his feet. Dominance and submission games are just that between us-y. It¡¯s the closest thing to fun I allow myself. If not for the kid-our pack of two-I wouldn¡¯t interact with anyone on a personal level-neither human nor shifter. But Sam refuses to leave. He remembers what it¡¯s like to be alone. I lift my muzzle and trot off, knowing Sam will follow. Tonight, we¡¯ll run and hunt just like we did in the mountains of California, where I found Sam starving and half-mad, his human side almost lost. He seems to know what I cannot exin. Tonight, I¡¯m the one who needs rescuing. Kylie It¡¯s been three days, and I haven¡¯t once seen Jackson King. Not since he threw me out of his office. Three days of reliving our conversation over and over. I tell myself to get over it, but I¡¯ve been obsessing over King for years, and this crush has bloomed since the encounter in the elevator. Work drags on. Stu keeps me busy with setting up new firewalls and other boring stuff. Meanwhile, I¡¯ve been wearing skirts and heels in case I see King again. Not that I want to impress him. I just want that big jerk to see what he¡¯s missing. Oh, who am I kidding? I still want him to notice me. Toe into my office and growl at me, bend me over my desk, flip up my skirt, and¡­ mmm. Holy horniness, Batman. ¡°Kylie? Are you okay?¡± Stu and the rest of the team peer down the conference table at me. ¡°Of course.¡± I sit up and try to remember thest few minutes of the meeting, but all I have are fantasies of Jackson King. Dammit. ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to go on screensaver. I must need more coffee.¡± Someoneughs at my screen saverment, but it¡¯s not a nice sound. I stiffen. I¡¯m the youngest of this team, but I work as hard as anyone else. Maybe harder. So much for finding my tribe. ¡°You were sighing a lot.¡± Stu refuses to drop it. ¡°My heels are killing me.¡± Which isn¡¯t a lie. I kick them off under the table and rub my feet against the legs of my chair. I¡¯ve got to go back to the normal geek-wear of jeans and Chucks tomorrow. Screw King. I don¡¯t dress for any man. The meeting ends, and I keep typing on myptop, only closing it when Stu leans his hip against the table in front of me. ¡°Settling in all right?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± I keep my smile cool. I like Stu, but his constant hovering is getting a little on my nerves. He keeps trying to make friends, but I get the feeling he only wants me around because he thinks I¡¯m hot. I guess that exins why he wanted to hire me. ¡°Bossman get you down?¡± Stu says, and I snap upright like he¡¯s thrown ice water over me. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I know he stopped by your office a few days ago. You haven¡¯t been as happy ever since.¡± Holy Stalker, Batman. Not that I¡¯m one to judge, but still. ¡°You my big brother, Stu? Always watching?¡± ¡°No, uh.¡± He flushes. Poor guy. He¡¯s obviously into me but trying to stay professional. Which is more than I¡¯ve done with Jackson. ¡°Just trying to show you the ropes. I feel responsible, ¡¯cause I got you hired.¡± You hired my boobs. My snark self rears her head. My brains are just along for the ride. ¡°I know Jackson King is a big name, but he¡¯s not a nice guy. Kinda a jerk, actually. He¡¯s got a reputation around here for being a royal dick. Thedies always fall for him.¡± Now, Stu sounds whiney and jealous. ¡°But he treats them the same as any employee. Barely says a word that isn¡¯t rude.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Stu. He didn¡¯t say anything rude. And I like working here, so far.¡± ¡°Well, great.¡± Stu casts about. ¡°Got any ns for the weekend?¡± Groan. ¡°Hanging with my boyfriend,¡± I lie cheerfully. Stu pushes off the table, away from me. Of course, I¡¯ve been sending I¡¯m not interested vibes for days, but now that he thinks a man has imed me, he¡¯s finally taking a hint. Jerk. ¡°Right,¡± he says. ¡°Well, I¡¯m off to the meeting with Finance. We¡¯re setting a project to test their structure before the next 10-Q filings. Which is in a week. I might need you on it.¡± ¡°Great.¡± I fake enthusiasm at the promise of overtime and mentally upgrade Stu from jerk to dickhat. ¡°Okay.¡± Stu shoulders hisptop case. ¡°I¡¯m heading up, now. You want me to hold the elevator?¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± I fight back a sarcastic reply. ¡°Gonna take the stairs. Need the exercise.¡± I let out a sigh when his footsteps fade away. ¡°Is Stu bothering you?¡± A low voice makes me jerk and almost spill coffee all over myself. King prowls in, looking like he¡¯s ready for the cover of GQ. ¡°I¡¯ll have a word with him if he¡¯s being inappropriate.¡± ¡°No. He¡¯s fine.¡± Lordy, I¡¯d forgotten how broad his shoulders are. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± I¡¯m babbling. ¡°He¡¯s just awkward. All geeks are.¡± ¡°Are we?¡± I arch a brow. ¡°You, especially.¡± Crap. Here goes the truth serum again. ¡°Thest time I saw you, you told me to leave. No exnation. No nothing. You tossed me out and didn¡¯t tell me why.¡± ¡°You know why.¡± His deep, quiet voice makes my cheeks flush and my pussy purr. To hide it, I roll my eyes. ¡°Stu just asked me the same thing about you. Wanted to make sure you weren¡¯t bothering me or being rude. Apparently, you have quite the reputation, Mr. Mean.¡± ¡°What¡¯d you tell him?¡± His jaw is clenched tighter than normal. ¡°I told him you huffed and puffed but didn¡¯t blow my house down. Rx.¡± I smirk, and the tension in him eases a little. ¡°I left out the part where you told me it wasn¡¯t safe to stay.¡± I nce around the empty conference room. ¡°Which reminds me. You said we shouldn¡¯t be alone.¡± A group of people pass the open door, chatting loudly. ¡°We¡¯re not alone. And we shouldn¡¯t.¡± He fixes me with a look, and his tousled hair falls over his hollowed cheek. It should be illegal for a man to be so beautiful. ¡°I think I can handle you.¡± Maybe. Something flickers across his face. He looks away. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about me.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯ve never dated anyone,¡± I blurt, mainly to distract him from the thought that put the pain in the expression. ¡°So you¡¯ve mentioned. You still stalking me, little hacker?¡± ¡°No.¡± Yes. He smirks as if he knows it¡¯s a lie. I grin back. ¡°Thank you. I can handle Stu. But it¡¯s nice to have someone check on me.¡± ¡°If anyone here harasses you, I want to know about it. Understand?¡± A thrill goes through me, but I hide it. ¡°Wonder Woman today?¡± ¡°What?¡± I blurt, before I realize he¡¯s talking about my shirt. ¡°Oh, yeah. Well, you¡¯re rk Kent.¡± I nod to his suit and tie. ¡°Ouch,¡± he grimaces. ¡°He was a nerd.¡± ¡°He was Superman,¡± I correct. ¡°And you are a nerd.¡± He shrugs. ¡°Billionaire nerd.¡± A grin hides just out of sight on his mouth. He¡¯s handsome now; he¡¯d be breathtaking if he¡¯d smile. ¡°Like Iron Man. Or Batman. He¡¯s more my style.¡± ¡°Or Lex Luther. Maybe you¡¯re not a hero.¡± The smile lurking in the corner of his mouth disappears, to my dismay. ¡°Yeah,¡± he mutters. ¡°I¡¯m definitely the bad guy.¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°I was kidding. You¡¯re not a viin.¡± I step closer, put my hand on his arm before I remember myself. ¡°You act big and bad, but I know what you¡¯re really like. You¡¯re the one whoes to the rescue. I remember what you did for me in the elevator.¡± ¡°No,¡± he says. His eyes drop to my hand and up to my face. I remove it and step back, flushing a little. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken.¡± My whole body heats from his nearness. He keeps shutting me down, but the fact remains, he¡¯s still standing here. I know he has a thing for me. He just has too much integrity to act on it. ¡°So why are you here? Marking your territory?¡± 8 ¡°Me? You¡¯re the one who set my secretary back on her heels.¡± ¡°I did not,¡± I sputter, then grin. ¡°That was just a little cat fight. And she deserved it.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. He holds up his hands. ¡°All right, kitten. Sheath your ws.¡± Smirking, he strides off, looking almost¡­ happy? What was that all about? Jackson My wolf whines a little as I walk away from my little superhero, but he behaves. He wanted me to close the door and mark her with my scent so the likes of Stu will stay away, but he¡¯s satisfied that we got to see her at all. I shouldn¡¯t risk getting near her, but I can¡¯t help it. At least I proved to myself I can be in the same room without jumping her. I love that she¡¯s not afraid to tease me. You¡¯re rk Kent. If she only knew. I skip the elevator, take the stairs two at a time. My secretary gives me a bewildered look as I pass. I realize the strange feeling on my face is a smile. ¡°Mr. King?¡± I turn, and my secretary¡¯s perfume hits. The downside of having a sharp nose. ¡°Yes, Vanessa?¡± ¡°You have a call from Garrett. Nost name. I wouldn¡¯t bother you, but you said to put him through-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± Ever since Kylie sparred with her, my secretary¡¯s been subdued. I still get rock hard when I think of the encounter. If Kylie was a shifter, she¡¯d be an alpha female. Perfect for my wolf. Strong enough to stand up to my rule, sexy enough to keep me wrapped around her little finger. Sweet enough to keep me hard, just thinking of putting my cock in her. Of long nights running under the full moon. Just the two of us at first, but, one day, there¡¯d be pups¡­ Shaking my head, I pick up the phone. I must be moon mad if I¡¯m thinking about pups. ¡°King?¡± The Tucson alpha sounds like he¡¯s making his voice deeper. At twenty-nine, he¡¯s one of the youngest alphas in the states. It helps that his father runs a big pack in Phoenix, and backs Garrett¡¯s im of the territory. ¡°Just wanted to check in.¡± Most alphas have a protective streak. Garrett is no different. But I¡¯m not one of his pack. If any alpha tried to im me, I¡¯d be obliged to make it clear I¡¯m no one¡¯s wolf. Quickly and violently. My wolf tolerates Garrett¡¯s ¡°check-ins¡± because it thinks of the young alpha as a kid brother, kinda like Sam. Still, Garrett and I are careful in our interactions. In a fight for dominance, I¡¯d win, but I have no interest in taking over his pack. And it¡¯d be a shame to best him, because I like the guy. ¡°Garrett,¡± I answer. ¡°Full moon this week.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m calling. My dad¡¯s hosting mating games on packnd near Phoenix. Wanted to invite you to run with us.¡± ¡°You going?¡± ¡°Yeah. The guys want to sniff some she wolves. They won¡¯t mate, but they¡¯d like to getid.¡± There are fewer than twenty members in Garrett¡¯s pack, all young, unattached males, like him. And they all live in the same apartment building. Bit of a fraternity. ¡°Appreciate it, but I can¡¯t make it. I¡¯d send Sam, but I promised him we¡¯d run our own property.¡± ¡°Dad says you¡¯re always wee,¡± Garrett says affably. My money is wee. I¡¯m barely tolerated, standoffish even for a lone wolf. I¡¯m dominant enough to hold my territory, but that doesn¡¯t mean I want a pack. I¡¯ve avoided gatherings since my birth pack banished me. ¡°There aren¡¯t a lot of single females, but you might find one you like.¡± ¡°Tell your dad thanks but no thanks. Maybe in a few years, if Sam wants a mate.¡± I don¡¯t want to insult the Phoenix alpha, but I find it best to be blunt. Maybe not the most politically sensitive, but I¡¯m big enough, people tiptoe around me. ¡°Look, King, I don¡¯t give a shit if you mate or not. Obviously, I haven¡¯t taken a mate, either. But three males in my dad¡¯s pack have gone moon mad in thest few years. It¡¯s my responsibility to make sure you at least mingle with some females, since we don¡¯t have any down here.¡± What he really means is: You¡¯re a lone wolf past the age of thirty, and a dominant, and more susceptible to going moon mad unless you take a mate. Also, there is at least one female wolf in Tucson. Garrett¡¯s beautiful younger sister is a student at the University of Arizona, but I can¡¯t fault the guy for leaving her out of the equation. Not that I¡¯m interested in her, anyway. The image of Kylie¡¯s Batgirl stretched tits rises in my mind. Not a wolf. Garrett goes on, ¡°I¡¯m bringing up my pack to give them all a chance to at least run off some tension.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know matchmaking was part of the alpha¡¯s job description,¡± I drawl. ¡°I know your wolf is dominant. Without a pack to run, it must be dying to bring a she-wolf to heel.¡± Every muscle in my body clenches, imagining bringing my little hacker to heel. ¡°Besides, with birth rates among shifters so low, it¡¯s good for the pack if the most dominant of us settle down and have pups as soon as possible.¡± He sounds like his father. ¡°Why put it off?¡± I scoff. ¡°Says the chronic bachelor. What, did your mother call asking for grand pups, and you decided to pass the advice onto me?¡± Any other alpha might bristle and take offense at my jab, but not Garrett. ¡°You caught me.¡± I hear his grin, and it goes a good way to mollifying my wolf, who¡¯s annoyed at having this conversation in the first ce. ¡°I figure if she has your wedding to coo over in the shifter society gossip pages, she¡¯ll leave me alone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m onto you now. I¡¯ll think about it next moon. Sam should definitely get a girlfriend.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Garrettughed. ¡°We¡¯ll look for you. See you around, King.¡± ¡°One more thing, Garrett.¡± I drop all joviality. With my wolf¡¯s newfound attraction to a human, I¡¯m suddenly not so certain about my own stability. ¡°If I do ever go moon mad, promise me you¡¯ll protect Sam. And bring your whole pack in to stop me. Whatever it takes.¡± ¡°Whatever it takes,¡± Garrett vows. The silence hangs cold and serious between us. We both hang up without saying goodbye. I drum my fingers against the desk, the warning a weight in my chest. Garrett did the right thing, bringing up moon sickness in the most tactful way possible. It irks me that it took this reminder to make me back off Kylie. The animal inside me is dangerous and just looking for a moment of weakness so it can break free. No more tests of my control. No more games like today. I have to stay away from Kylie. For her own good. I open myptop, ready to immerse myself in work, when the chat pings. Batgirl4u: Hey 9 For a second, I catch my breath, thinking I¡¯ve found my nemesis atst-Catgirl, the hacker who broke my code years ago. But no. It¡¯s Batgirl, with a B. And it¡¯s on our intr, the privatework my employees use. Except I only allow connections with my executive team. Which means I¡¯ve been hacked. King1: Who¡¯s this? I type, although I can guess. Batgirl4u: Who do you think? I shake my head. King1: Cute trick, kitten. But if you have time to hack our intr, I need to get Stu to give you more to do. Batgirl4u: Just proving my worth. You could send me that code you wanted to show me The cursor blinks at me. This isn¡¯t a good idea. I want to watch over her, but I can¡¯t. Today, I had a weak moment. I have too many of those around her. Like it or not, I am dangerous. Deadly. She thinks I¡¯m not a viin. She¡¯s wrong. I power off myputer. Time for another run. ~.~ Kylie After an hour waiting for King¡¯s reply, I power off myptop and head home. I shouldn¡¯t have taunted him like that. I was showing off, and, if I¡¯m not careful, he might connect the dots some day and figure out I¡¯m Catgirl. Infuriating man. One day I think he¡¯s going to bend me over his desk and fuck me senseless, the next he¡¯s throwing me out of his office. Then he¡¯s back to flirting. And then he ignores me online. I can¡¯t keep up. ¡°Holy mixed messages, Batman,¡± I mutter as I close my front door and pull off my heels. One thing¡¯s for sure, I¡¯m not wearing these shoes for him again. ¡°Meme? You home?¡± A note on the table in my grandmother¡¯s loopy scrawl tells me she¡¯s run to the store, so I pick up the mail, pulling out therge man envelope with no return address. I pry the p with my thumb and rip it open. A thick packet of papers emerged, with a typewritten cover letter. Oh fuck. My heart stops beating. We know who you are, Catgirl, and have the proof to put you away. To ensure our silence, you have twenty-four hours to install the code on this thumb drive into the main drive of SeCure. If you do notply, if you corrupt the files on the thumb drive in any way, or if you speak of this to anyone, we will send this packet to your new employer and the FBI. No. I struggle to breathe as I flip through the rest of the pages of the packet. They include all the evidence from my break into SeCure years ago, as well as IDs and photos of me and my parents under various aliases. None with my real name. Hell, even I¡¯ve forgotten that. My head throbs, and the room spins away. Someone found me. Maybe not him, but this is a huge threat. First things first. Is there anything in this packet that can put me in jail? I flip through the pages again. No. But it will raise gs. SeCure will fire me, for sure. I¡¯ll lose the chance to work with Jackson King, not that it looks like we¡¯d be working closely, but still. Goodbye to my chance at being normal. But I can¡¯t do it and stay. If I give in to these guys, I¡¯ll be their bitch forever. Next, they¡¯ll ask me to hack into the credit card vault. Then somewhere else. I can¡¯t do that. I have to disappear. Like I¡¯ve done a million times before. I stomp to the bedroom, grab a suitcase from the closet, and fling it onto the bed. Without thought, my hands move, packing the necessities. ck clothes, one pair of each thing. A simple bag of toiletries. Running again. It doesn¡¯t matter how hard I try to outrun Catgirl and my parents¡¯ legacy, the past always catches up with me. But what about Meme? We¡¯ve moved so many times, I don¡¯t want to drag her on the road again. This time, our lives aren¡¯t in danger. It¡¯s not fair to make her pick up and move. Can I leave her? She¡¯s the only family I have. Ditching her to keep her safe feels like what my father did to me, when he tried to stick me in boarding school after my mom died. I wouldn¡¯t let him, and I¡¯ll bet Meme won¡¯t like being left behind, either. Okay, so we¡¯d both move. Meme can make soup anywhere. We have to run. We have to hide. What other choice do we have? So much for my chance at normal. I wrench open my drawer. The Batgirl shirt stares up at me. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯m not a superhero.¡± I¡¯m definitely the bad guy, Jackson told me. If only he knew. I¡¯m his arch-nemesis, as bad as theye. I thought I was clear of my old life. I thought wrong. In the past, I¡¯d hack my way out of any problem-mine or my dad¡¯s. We were in it together. Always on the run, but together. I¡¯d felt safe. Powerful, even. But the Louvre shattered that. Stabbed in front of my eyes, my father gone forever. I almost died in that air-conditioning shaft, suffocating on my own panic. I¡¯ve never felt safe in a tight space again. Except in the elevator, with King. I remember the pressure of his arms around me, the triggering of the calming reflex. I¡¯d looked it up when I got home. All I found was reference to yoga postures that involve locking the chin into the sternum for calming. Jackson¡¯s big hands had been so much better than a yoga pose. They¡¯d radiated warmth and safety. If anyone harasses you, I want to know about it. It¡¯s not real. It¡¯s not safe. I can¡¯t trust him. But what if I can? I shove the papers back in the envelope, write a quick note for Meme and run to my room for a new outfit before I can change my mind. I¡¯ve built my life on lies. Maybe it¡¯s time to try the truth.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ~.~ Jackson The moon shines silver, lighting the mountainside. I usually run and hunt most of the night when the moon is so close to full, but my instincts screamed to go back early. It wasn¡¯t because of the rain, either. Sam chases me, nipping at my hind legs, but I turn and snarl at the young wolf, causing him to tuck his tail and whine. I don¡¯t want Sam¡¯spany-I never do, but the kid is my self-appointed permanent shadow. When we reach the back side of my property, we both freeze. The rain makes it impossible to scent anything, but the high-pitched tone set at a frequency only canines register tells us my rm system has been tripped. Sam snarls, his upper lip lifting to show fang. He charges forward, rounding the corner. I fly inside, through the dog door in the back, to check the interior. I scent nothing unusual. I shift and yank on clothes as I jog to the control room to look at the security feed. A lone bike stands propped outside the iron gates that surround the front of my property and a small dark figure trudges through the rain toward my front door. A growl reverberates, low in my throat. Who in the hell? Sam arrives at full speed, fangs gleaming, and leaps through the air, his front pawsnding on the intruder¡¯s shoulders and knocking him or her to the ground. Take that, motherfucker. Dark fury pumping through my veins, I leave the control room to confront the unwee guest. I jog down the slippery steps and across the rain-soaked gravel. ¡°Easy Cujo.¡± The shaky sound of her voice shocks me like a live wire. Kylie. A jolt of fear tremors through my body. ¡°Off. Get back,¡± I snap. Sam doesn¡¯t move, his wolf side not giving way to human reason, his instinct to protect and defend his home turf too strong. Thank the fates, Sam hasn¡¯t torn her flesh. My little hacker¡¯s smart-she¡¯s gone perfectly still beneath Sam. I grab the scruff of my pack brother¡¯s neck and haul him back. ¡°I said off.¡± 10 Sam gives his head a shake and tucks his tail at the sound of his alpha¡¯s angry tone. He takes a few steps backward. I gaze down at our intruder. Even soaking wet, in a sweatshirt and jeans, she¡¯s beautiful. She lies in the mud, not looking nearly as afraid as she ought to. ¡°What in the hell are you doing here?¡± She groans and starts to move, but winces, reaching for the back of her head. Well, hell. A good-sized rocky near her. She must¡¯ve struck it when Sam knocked her down. ¡°I had to talk to you,¡± she croaked. Anyone else, I¡¯d grill right there, while they lie on their back in the dirt at my feet. But not Kylie. That new, strange prickly heat takes over and screams at me to protect her-from Sam, from the rain, from the rock, from myself. I pluck her from the ground and set her on her feet, forgetting to pretend she¡¯s heavy.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Her eyes roll, unfocused, as if the movement pains her head. ¡°Ugh. Wow.¡± I reach around and cup the back of her head, fingers questing until I find the growing goose egg. She flinches when I touch it. ¡°You¡¯re hurt.¡± I turn and re at Sam, who ducks his head. She eyes my housemate, too. ¡°Good thing you were around, or I think Cujo would¡¯ve eaten me. Is that even a dog?¡± ¡°He¡¯s part wolf.¡± ¡°Part wolf, part what? Gargoyle?¡± I suppress a smile. I love that she pulls out the wry wit despite her injury. But then, it¡¯s her default defense mechanism, as I learned in the elevator. I study her. I ought to call the cops, or somehow scare her into respecting my boundaries. ¡°Are you going to tell me why in the hell you broke into my ce?¡± She rolls her eyes. ¡°Please, if I was breaking into your ce, I wouldn¡¯t trip theser sights to announce my presence. Forgive me, but I didn¡¯t see the doorbell out there.¡± What woman knows aboutser security systems? And doesn¡¯t scream when a giant wolf pins her to the ground? ¡°I don¡¯t recall inviting you. How the hell did you even find me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a hacker, remember?¡± ¡°Or a stalker.¡± ¡°Same thing.¡± Her hand goes to the front of her sweatshirt, and I hear the crinkle of paper. ¡°I have something to show you. It couldn¡¯t wait until tomorrow.¡± I take her elbow and lead her up the slick Italian tile steps and inside the mansion. Kylie moves stiffly, as if more than just her head hurts from Sam¡¯s attack. It doesn¡¯t stop her from looking around my ce as I escort her to the guest bathroom on the second floor. Somehow, I doubt she¡¯s missed a thing, either. Why is she here, really? I angle her through the bathroom door. I intended to grab her a towel and leave her to freshen up, but I find myself gripping the hem of her soaked sweatshirt. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I tug the fabric upward. ¡°Getting you out of these wet clothes.¡± Color infuses her cheeks, making her eyes shine bright. Strands of her wet brown hair cling to her cheek and neck, a drip of water rain runs down her throat. I want to lick it off. She lets her arms go ck and follows the movement of the sweatshirt, letting me pull it over her head without protest. My cock throbs painfully against the zipper of my jeans when I catch an eyeful of skin. I remove her undershirt with the sweatshirt, and she stands in nothing but acy red bra and wet jeans. Her chest heaves, and she keeps her gaze intent on my face, as if waiting to see what I¡¯ll do next. What will I do? I know what I want to do. I want to peel those tight, soaked jeans down and bend her over the bathroom counter. I want to plow her from behind as much as I want to get into that whip-smart mind of hers and find out what makes the unique female tick. And dammit, yes, I want to sink my serum-coated fangs into her flesh and forever mark her as mine. Which can¡¯t happen. I drop the sweatshirt on the floor and hear the rustle of paper again. Kylie¡¯s focus snaps to the discarded clothing, and she lunges for it, breaking the stare-down between us. Trapped between theyer of shirt and sweatshirt lies a man folder, which she retrieves and hugs to her chest, covering those perfect tits from my view. She licks her dry lips. ¡°Mr. King, before I share this with you, I just want to tell you when I did what I did, I was a cocky teenager trying to prove my worth to myself and the hacker world. I never took anyone¡¯s credit card numbers, and I never sold any information. It was simply a-¡± The realization hits me like a fist in the gut. ¡°Catgirl.¡± Of course she¡¯s fucking Catgirl. The only person who ever hacked my code. No wonder she was nervous about interviewing at SeCure. What in the hell kind of game was she ying, showing up at my headquarters, at my home, for fuck¡¯s sake? The one breach in security that haunted me for the past eight years just blew up in my face. Again. I snatch the man folder from her hands and dump the contents onto the bathroom counter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Her voice sounds small. Dammit. I hate hearing her diminished, even to me, a natural alpha who demands submission from everyone. Even when I¡¯m pissed off with her. ¡°What the fuck is this?¡± I flip the stack of papers and read the one on the top. Fuck no. Rage sharpens into a deadlier sense of awareness. ckmail. Someone wants to sabotage SeCure. Or is this some borate game Catgirl¡¯s ying? Because anyone as brilliant as she could have some unseen strategy going here. This girl¡¯s trouble and my judgment about her has been clouded by lust. She stands perfectly still, her small hands clenched into fists. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she repeats. I toss the papers back down the counter. ¡°What the fuck? What do you want? Why are you really here?¡± I hate seeing tears fill her eyes, but I steel myself against my instinct to yank her into me or y her foes. Those instincts can¡¯t be trusted. She shakes her head. ¡°Nothing. I don¡¯t want anything.¡± Her voice wobbles on the first word, but then she regains control of it. ¡°I just figured if I confessed, myself, the jackasses would lose their leverage. I don¡¯t want to negotiate with terrorists, you know? ¡°I just offered you all the information you need to hand over to the FBI to build a case against me. Obviously, I¡¯m hoping you¡¯ll settle for my resignation.¡± ¡°No,¡± I growl, surprising myself by speaking before I knew what I was going to say. But I¡¯m not going to let her off that easily. In my world-in the shiftermunity-transgressions are dealt with head on. They aren¡¯t handled by cops or resignations. Punishment is swift, usually physical. Or else rpense is demanded, or offered, and epted. She flinches, her slender shoulders sinking. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Her voice sounds hoarse. Blood rushes to my cock at the thought of taking her to task. Firmly. I lower my voice to a dangerous level. ¡°What do you think I should do?¡± ¡°Well¡±-she licks her full lips, the intelligence returning to her face- ¡°if I were you, I¡¯d want to catch these motherfuckers. So I might keep me as bait.¡± Damn, I almost trust her. An enormous mistake. ¡°You know, monitor me closely to make sure I don¡¯t misbehave, but wait to see who makes contact and put a stop to these guys.¡± Yeah, I¡¯ll monitor you closely. Monitor the way those redce bra cups lift her perky breasts. Monitor the scent of her arousal, the changing shape of that lush mouth. Kissable lips. ¡°I see. And how should I punish your previous misbehavior?¡± My voice is definitely deep and raspy. If she doesn¡¯t know what I¡¯m thinking, then she¡¯s aplete innocent. But her eyes dte, nipples pop through the fabric of her bra. That¡¯s right, baby. ¡°No pity for the kitty?¡± She loses her breath on the word kitty, which makes it sound twenty times sexier. ¡°Right.¡± I spin her around and bend her over the counter. My palm connects with the wet pocket of her jeans before my brain even knew the n. It makes a loud crack, satisfying on every level. My cock hardens at her gasp. Kylie tosses her head, looking over her shoulder, teeth bared. She likes it. Judging by the scent of her arousal-a lot. I smack the other cheek, harder. Fuck, I want to pull those wet jeans off her, find out what color panties she¡¯s wearing before I tear those down, too. But if I see her naked ass, there¡¯ll be no holding back the beast. Even this mild contact over her clothing has me harder than a fucking rock and my teeth lengthening. Since she didn¡¯t freak, I keep spanking, hard ps that echo off the Italian tile. ¡°You hacked me, Catgirl?¡± I smack her again and again. ¡°What were you-like twelve?¡± ¡°Fifteen,¡± she gasps. ¡°I never took anything-I swear-ung.¡± Thest sound from her lips sounds too much like I¡¯m fucking her instead of spanking, and my vision tunnels, my wolf wing to take over. I stop spanking, struggling to slow my breath. I keep my hand on her ass, because, well, the thought of not touching her kills me. ¡°Just wanted to see if you could, baby?¡± Now that it¡¯s set in, the fact that she¡¯s Catgirl turns me on even more. This girl hacked me as a teen. She¡¯s a fucking genius, and I¡¯m swooning for her brains almost as much as her sexy little body. 11 My eyes meet hers in the mirror. Her face is flushed, eyes dted and ssy. I reach around and cup her right breast, squeezing and pulling her back up against my chest. ¡°Bad girl,¡± I whisper in her ear, and she lets out the cutest little moan. I have to fuck her. As in, I¡¯m going to die if I don¡¯t get my cock inside her now. I need to own herpletely. Punish her with the roughest fucking of her life until she screams my name and learns I¡¯m the only male who will ever crack her fucking code. Then I¡¯ll start over again, slowly. Lick the pain away. Make here over and over again until she weeps. But I don¡¯t trust my control around her, so I settle for flipping her back around, picking her up by waist, and plunking her down to sit on the counter. ¡°Did you like your spanking, baby?¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± I love her honesty. I shove her knees apart and bring my thumb to the seam of her jeans, right over her pussy. She arches into me and catches my shoulders, her head falling back. ¡°Jackson¡­¡± she whispers. I push the hard fold of fabric into her seam, rubbing up to her clit. She jerks and lets out a needy cry. Her fingerse down and cover my hand, urging me to give her more. My mental faculties slip away. I yank open the button of her jeans and lower the zipper, parting the two sides. Matching panties. Redce, like the bra. I knew it. My satisfaction is short-lived because a storm of rage blows hot on its heels. ¡°Who¡¯s seen you in these, baby?¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡± ¡°Who has seen you in these cute-as-hell panties?¡± I get right in her face, teeth showing. ¡°Who do you wear these for?¡± She pushes at my shoulders, but, of course, I don¡¯t budge. Human female strength against shifter alpha male? Noparison. ¡°What gives, Jackson?¡± There¡¯s real fear in her eyes, and it drops me like bullet. The sh of anger evaporates, reced by the need to soothe and protect my female. Shit. I already consider her my female. I lean my forehead against hers. ¡°Sorry,¡± I murmur. ¡°Is it wrong to want to kill the guy you bought those for?¡± She lets out a shakyugh. ¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡± Because I¡¯m a stubborn bastard, I wait, still wanting her to answer my question. ¡°No one¡¯s seen them,¡± she mutters. Holy hell, is she blushing? Maybe she¡¯s more innocent than I thought. ¡°No one?¡± I¡¯m unable to keep the incredulousness out of my tone. She pushes again, but I¡¯m back to my original purpose. With an arm wrapped around her waist, I pull her off the counter to stand, and delve my fingers into her pants and panties. Hell, yes. The moist heat of her core slicks my finger, sending a kick of lust through me so strong I have to drag in a sharp breath. ¡°Jackson.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Yeah.¡± She can call my name with that husky voice anytime. I rub my middle finger along her weeping slit, spreading moisture up to the swollen bud of her clit. I¡¯m still pondering the blush. Is she embarrassed she hasn¡¯t been with anyone recently? Considering the way she clings to my neck and moans the moment I touch her perfect little pussy, I think that¡¯s a distinct possibility. Some ridiculous male pride surges through me. I¡¯m going to be the one to satisfy her. I force myself to slow down as I circle her clit, my free hand slipping around to grab her ass and pull her pelvis closer. She grinds down over my finger. ¡°Greedy girl,¡± I murmur. If I had her panties off, I would have spanked her pussy, but the fit¡¯s too tight. Her breath stutters as I screw one finger inside her tight channel. I work the heel of my hand against her clit. She rises up on her tiptoes and ws the back of my neck, fingernails scoring me like a female shifter marks her mate. My teeth sharpen in my mouth, and I mp my lips closed to keep from marking her, myself. Her pelvis undtes forward and back in greedy thrusts. I work a second finger inside her. ¡°You¡¯re so. Damn. Tight.¡± She stiffens slightly, even though I meant it as apliment, but I stroke her inner wall and hit her G-spot. Her muscles squeeze, and she grows even wetter. ¡°Fuck¡­ no¡­ I mean, yes. Oh please!¡± She hangs from my neck, her breasts pressed into me as she pumps her hips over my fingers. I feel like a pubescent wolf, ready toe in my pants. But this is for her-not me. I thrust in and out of her, letting my knuckles bump with force until she squeals and mps her inner thighs together. Her internal muscles contract, and shees all over my fingers in the hottest disy of female orgasm I¡¯ve ever seen. I did that. My wolf grins with satisfaction. When her orgasm fades, I ease my fingers out and im her mouth, prying her lips open with my tongue. I wrap a hand around the base of her head to hold it hostage and plunder,mand her to submit. She does. She opens for me, presses her killer body against mine, kisses me back. Damn. With great effort, I break off the kiss. She gazes up at me, beautifully disheveled from the rain and my assault. ¡°Does this mean we¡¯re square?¡± She sounds breathless. ¡°Not even close, baby. You owe me, and I intend to collect.¡± Her gaze drops to my stiffy. ¡°How?¡± She doesn¡¯t wait for the answer, but sinks to her knees. The creak of a floorboard in the hallway makes me curse inwardly. I yank her back to her feet before we give Sam a show. Why in the hell didn¡¯t I shut the bathroom door? Although the sound is soft enough I thought she¡¯d miss it, Kylie startles, craning her neck to see around my shoulder. Every cell in my body screams for me to reach for the door knob, shut the door and tell her to please continue. But no-Kylie is human. And my employee. Because I am keeping her on, where I can watch her. Keep your enemies closer. I¡¯ve already gone way too far with her. Any further, and I¡¯d mark her, and then I¡¯d have a world of new trouble on my hands. Forcing restraint, I pull a clean towel from the cab and toss it to her. ¡°Get in the shower and warm up. I¡¯ll find you some dry clothes.¡± I turn her around and propel her toward the shower stall, delivering another smack to her heart-shaped ass. She makes a low purring sound in her throat and looks over her shoulder with heat. I bite back a groan. It takes all my willpower to turn around and walk out, shutting the door behind me. 12 Ginrummy His cell phone beeps. It¡¯s eight p. m., and he¡¯s still at SeCure, but that isn¡¯t unusual. It isn¡¯t unusual for half the employees there. They work flex time, and a lot of programmers do their best work at night. It¡¯s Mr. X calling. Yeah, seriously. The asshole calls himself Mr. X. He doesn¡¯t know how many people he has under him or behind him. He did his best digging and all he came up with was that Mr. X doesn¡¯t exist. He¡¯s part of some powerful organized crime ring. Well, whatever. He¡¯d do his part and be a rich man. Maybe he would even warn Kylie back into hiding before the FBI pick her up. Or not. He still hasn¡¯t made his mind up about her. He is both more attracted and repelled by her now that he¡¯s met her in person. He swipes his screen. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Looks like your threat wasn¡¯t convincing enough.¡± Not a surprise. She is Catgirl, after all. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°Her bags are packed. We picked up the olddy she lives with, though. We¡¯ll take it from here.¡± His breath stalls in his chest, and he feels sick to his stomach. Well, duh. Of course these guys wouldn¡¯t be above kidnapping. Jesus, they probably aren¡¯t above murder, either. A chill runs through his limbs. What will they do with the olddy? What will they do with Kylie? Fuck. He doesn¡¯t want to be a part of all this. But he does want the fifty million dors and safe passage out of the country promised to him. And this is why he¡¯s partnered with men like Mr. X. They are willing to do the hard stuff. All he had to do was write the code. And it¡¯s too damnte to back out. Yeah, he has a feeling the only way out of this now will be through a bullet in the head. ~.~ Kylie My legs wobble as I step into the shower. I may still be wet, but I¡¯m sure as hell not cold anymore. Holy finger fucking, Batman. And now I see the advantage of a real live sexual partner. They do things to you you didn¡¯t know are possible. All this time I¡¯d been perfectly content with watching porn and using my battery operated boyfriend. I shimmy out of my wet jeans and take off my bra and panties. Who has seen you in these cute-as-hell panties? Did he really turn agro over some imaginary other man? A shiver runs through me, and I step under the spray of water. Is that a total red g? Maybe he is as creepy as I¡¯d portrayed him in the elevator. Would he keep me locked in a closet for whipping? Oh God. Just the thought of confinement in a small space makes my sr plexus twist. I erase the thought, focusing instead on the whipping part. He spanked me. A grin splits my face and I reach back to palm my ass, which burns a little under the spray of warm water. Yummy. Seriously, that was the hottest thing that ever happened to me. Okay, yes, it¡¯s the only hot thing that¡¯s ever happened to me. My V-card has never been punched. I¡¯ve lived such a strange existence, never able to trust anyone. I started college at age sixteen, had a few unsatisfying hook ups in which I abandoned my goal of punching the card and gave blowjobs instead. So, yeah. That¡¯s my sex life in a nutshell. Total virgin, finger fucked by Jackson King in his bathroom after confessing to hacking him as a teen. The fact he satisfied me and not himself is an argument against the creep factor. But who or what stopped him when I was ready to suck him off? He heard something in the house. Does he have a roommate? Secret girlfriend? Housekeeper? Pool boy? Even though I didn¡¯t enjoy either of my early experiences with men, I was so ready to blow Jackson¡¯s mind. My mouth watered to taste his cock, to pleasure him like a porn star. Hopefully there will be another chance. I run my hands over my ass again, reying the spanking. Leaning my forehead against the tile, I bring my fingers between my legs. Ohhh. I¡¯ve never been so slick and swollen. I imagine Jackson stepping into the shower with me, his huge frame crowding me back against the wall. He¡¯d order me to ce my hands on the wall and p my ass until I beg him to stop, then he¡¯d grip my hips and plow into me from behind. I pull up on my fingers, undting them between my legs. A second climax rips through me, and my head swims from the heat. I breathe deeply until the stars clear then I shut off the spray. When I step out, my wet clothes are gone, and a towel and a neatly folded MIT sweatshirt sit on the counter. A flush of embarrassment washes through me. Did hee in while I was masturbating? I grab the towel and dry off then pull on the warm sweatshirt. It¡¯s huge on me, falling to mid-thigh like a sweater dress, which is good, since he didn¡¯t leave me any panties. I love wearing something that belongs to him. I pull it to my nose, breathing in his faint scent. I can¡¯t stop thinking about his thick fingers moving inside me, and I¡¯m suddenly dying for the full package. Getting my V-card punched by Jackson King would be the ultimate hacker girl fantasy fulfillment. But no, this isn¡¯t about checking a box, or having a famous person. It¡¯s about the sheer animal attraction between Jackson and I. I felt it in the elevator before I even knew who he was. I loved the take-charge way he handled me there as much as I loved being bent over his bathroom countertop for a spanking. I search for a brush, but this seems to be a guest bathroom. There are no personal items anywhere, just cleaning supplies and toilet paper. I tear my fingers through my wet hair and head out. The house-mansion, really-is enormous. I follow the curved staircase downstairs and follow sounds of movement to a huge, open kitchen. The man standing behind the enormous granite-topped ind eating cold cuts from the container with his fingers isn¡¯t Jackson, though. ¡°Oh, hey,¡± I say inanely, giving a small wrist wave. He¡¯s young-my age or younger-with blond hair that is straggly and wet like mine. The lean muscles of his arms are covered with tattoos, and both his ears are stretched with rings. He has the still bearing of a predator, and he watches me approach without moving. I tug down the hem of Jackson¡¯s sweatshirt. ¡°I¡¯m, uh, Kylie,¡± I offer, hoping to get an introduction back. ¡°Sam.¡± Somehow I get the feeling he doesn¡¯t like me. Fuck. Is Jackson gay? ¡°Are you and Jackson¡­?¡± His cold demeanor cracks with a flicker of a smile. ¡°He¡¯s my brother.¡± I gape. Clearly not a blood brother. They look nothing alike. ¡°Looks like you were, um, out in the rain, too.¡± The young man doesn¡¯t answer. ¡°I see you¡¯ve met Sam.¡± Jackson¡¯s deep voice sends tremors through my body, like after-quakes from my climax. Climaxes. Plural. Because he was certainly responsible for both. I look from Jackson¡¯s huge mountain man frame and dark hair to the lean muscled fair man, and I¡¯m not convinced they¡¯re not lovers. Especially because Sam shoots Jackson a What the fuck? look. Why does that make me desperate to stake my im on Jackson? But it¡¯s not my right. I am in big trouble with my employer and my ckmailers, and we need to make a game n. ¡°Do you want to see what¡¯s on that thumb drive?¡± I ask. The envelope with the threat and thumb drive disappeared from the bathroom while I was showering. Even though nothing terrible has happened yet, I¡¯m still not sure I made the right choiceing here. Trusting someone other than family. I remember how badly that turned out for my father. Jackson gives me a cool nod. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll take a look at it,¡± he says dismissively. I hate getting the dis on this. I mean, I¡¯m a hacker through and through. I need to see the code, know what they were nning. Especially because it involves me. ¡°May I see it?¡± Jackson considers me for a moment. ¡°You didn¡¯t look before you brought it over here?¡± Despite the fact we just shared the hottest and most intimate moment of my life upstairs, he¡¯s returned to Mr. All Business. His face could be carved out of granite. I shake my head. ¡°Want to look at it now?¡± I don¡¯t add the together that¡¯s on my lips. ¡°I want to look at it first,¡± he says. ¡°Alone.¡± rm bells go off. Did I make a mistake bringing this here? Not handling things on my own? Now my fate is in his hands, and I still don¡¯t know how he¡¯s going to y things. ¡°I¡¯m pretty good with hacks, too.¡± His eyes narrow. ¡°So I recall.¡± He looks at Sam. ¡°My new employee turns out to be the only hacker who ever busted my code.¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. I can¡¯t figure out if he¡¯s still pissed or if I detect a note of admiration there. ¡°And she allegedly just received a ckmail letter asking her to install malware into our system in exchange for silence about her hacker identity.¡± Allegedly. The blow hits me like a hand grenade in the sr plexus. He doesn¡¯t believe me? Of course not. Why would he? Just because we both would like to get each other naked doesn¡¯t mean we should trust each other. Except I do want to trust him. And it¡¯s probably just my misguided teen crush, but I desperately want Jackson to trust me back. But hell, maybe his n is to turn me over to the cops just as soon as he knows what he¡¯s dealing with. 13 Jackson Kylie pales when I say she allegedly has been ckmailed. If not for the hurt I read on her face, I might have stayed on the fence about her. But it¡¯s so palpable, I swear I can scent it. And then this new mate-driven part of me has to step closer and make up for wounding her. She¡¯s standing opposite side of the ind from Sam, who¡¯s eaten three packages of cold cuts since we¡¯ve been standing here. I sidle next to her and give Sam a warning look about the meat. He immediately sweeps away the empty packages, dumping them in the trash, which, of course, only draws more attention to his carnivorous appetite. ¡°You were hungry,¡± Kylie observes. My wolf hearing detects the sound of her stomach grumbling. I don¡¯t want to feed her. Well, that¡¯s a lie, but I need to get her out of my house before I do something unforgivable to that hot little body of hers. She¡¯s standing in nothing but my sweatshirt, which looks incredibly hot, slipping off one shoulder. Knowing her bare pussy is just a hand-reach away has me balling my fists on the countertop. ¡°Are you hungry, Catgirl?¡± She hesitates for a moment then shakes her head. I cock my head, annoyed that she lied. If Sam wasn¡¯t standing there, I¡¯d give her a second spanking for it. ¡°Say it out loud,¡± I say softly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying. I want to hear you say it out loud so I know how it sounds when you lie.¡± She flushes to her ears and, this time, I enjoy making her squirm. I¡¯ve watched hundreds of employees or other wolves fidget under my dominance, but it¡¯s never turned me on like this. I want to strip her, tie her up, and interrogate her with a riding crop. And that image is not helping me stay disengaged. At all. But she rallies, lifting her chin. ¡°I didn¡¯te here to eat.¡± ¡°Sam, get her something,¡± Imand. As soon as I say it, I realize it will sound off to her. Without the lens of pack dynamics, she¡¯ll see him exactly as the whipping boy she described in the elevator. To make it worse, Sam flicks me a condemning look before he obeys. He pulls out a package of cold cuts, bread, and condiments and starts making a sandwich without asking what she likes. It annoys me more than it should, but Kylie¡¯s stomachins again, and she looks appreciatively at the food, so I figure it¡¯s okay. ¡°I¡¯m going to take you home. You¡¯re going toe to work tomorrow, like nothing happened. Let me know if they make contact again,¡± I tell her as Sam makes the sandwich. She lets out an impatient puff of air, but lowers her chin. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± My cock goes rock hard. Hearing those words, the same ones that normally annoy the hell out of meing from kiss-ass employees, feels like a total win. This time I picture her on her knees at my feet, gazing up with those beautiful, gold-flecked eyes, waiting for mymand. Sam slides the te across the counter to Kylie. ¡°Thank you, Sam.¡± She picks it up and eats with enough gusto to satisfy the itchy part of me driven to tend to herfort. ¡°You need me to do anything?¡± Sam asks. ¡°Bring her bicycle in from outside the gate and put it in the back of the Range Rover.¡± He nods and leaves, and I turn on Kylie. ¡°If you say one goddamn word about him being my whipping boy, I¡¯ll bend you over and spank you again.¡± Her lips stretch into a wide smile, and she flicks thest crumb of sandwich from the corner of her mouth with her tongue. The sh of pink makes my cock surge again. I¡¯m barely keeping it together with this girl. ¡°He¡¯s an adopted brother. I took him in as a homeless teen.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± She takes another bite. ¡°That¡¯s a fact that has never been reported about you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t owe the public any part of my private life.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good at keeping secrets-usually.¡± She flushes again. I arch a brow, trying to figure out what made her blush. ¡°For some reason, being around you is like drinking truth serum.¡± She can¡¯t quite look me in the eye, and I find it so damn appealing, I reach for her, pulling her body up against mine with one arm around her waist and one hand behind her head. ¡°You¡¯d better never lie to me, babygirl, or I¡¯ll make you very sorry.¡± Her breath catches, full lips part. The heady scent of her arousal wafts up and sets my wolf howling. Heat prickles my skin. ¡°You like to punish.¡± She sounds breathless. ¡°I got that much right.¡± ¡°You did.¡± Before tonight, I would have denied it, but I sure as hell enjoyed spanking her perfect ass. I nip her lips, tasting the sweetness there. With great effort, I pull away and cup her chin. ¡°So, the truth. Who do you think left you the envelope?¡± A line creases between her brows. ¡°I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s why I want to see the code. I might recognize the style.¡± I nod. ¡°Okay. Maybe tomorrow. After I take a look.¡± I still don¡¯t trust her fully, and I need to look at the malware when I¡¯m not distracted by her intoxicating presence. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I have to get this female back in her clothes and out of my house. Before I lose my mindpletely. ~.~ Kylie I don¡¯t want to ride home with Jackson, but I¡¯m too exhausted for another long bike ride in the rain. The thing is-I don¡¯t like riding in other people¡¯s cars. I¡¯m fine in my own. I know the exits and can control the vehicle. I can roll the windows down if I get itchy. I¡¯m relieved to see it¡¯s a Range Rover and not some tiny sports car. I climb in the passenger side and give him my address. I keep my hand on the door handle. Jackson turns into Mr. Silent again, nearly giving me whish with the hot and cold thing. I know he¡¯s into me. Even as inexperienced as I am, I¡¯m sure of it. But it¡¯s like he doesn¡¯t want to be. And it¡¯s not about trust, because he was like that even before he knew I¡¯m Catgirl. He pulls out of the gated driveway and onto the road. ¡°What happened to you?¡± he asks softly. I swivel my gaze to him, and he lifts his chin toward my white knuckles on the handle. ¡°The confined spaces. Something happened.¡± Without my asking, he cracks my window an inch, even though it¡¯s raining. My throat closes. I¡¯ve never talked about it, not even with Meme. I¡¯m not even sure I can. But Jackson is my truth serum. ¡°Yeah,¡± I mumble. ¡°Something happened.¡± I close my eyes against the memory of the panic. The walls closing in on me, my shoulderspressed, head unable to lift, darkness all around.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. He says nothing, and the space between us stretches like an invitation, a pool of real I could jump into if I only dared. Can I? Be real with someone who isn¡¯t a family member? No. My father¡¯s death proved you can¡¯t trust anyone but family. But my lips move anyway. ¡°I got stuck in a tight space once. There was no one around to help, and it took me hours to get out.¡± I¡¯m gripping the door handle so hard I might tear it off. Jackson reaches over and squeezes my hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that happened to you. You¡¯re safe now, baby. You have your own exit. I¡¯ll pull over at a moment¡¯s notice if you needed to bail. Okay?¡± Something tightens in my sr plexus as the torment of that particr trauma tries toe out. I suck in deep breaths. No fucking way I¡¯m going to start bawling in Jackson King¡¯s car. Damn him for dragging this out of me. ¡°Hey.¡± He releases my hand and contorts his arm to push on my sr plexus, the way he did in the elevator. ¡°You¡¯re okay.¡± He starts to pull over, and I shake my head. ¡°No. Keep driving. It isn¡¯t the car,¡± I choke. ¡°Tell me the rest,¡± he demands. His voice is hard, like he¡¯s suddenly furious. At what, I can¡¯t fathom. I shake my head. ¡°Drop it.¡± ¡°Not going to happen. Tell me, or I¡¯ll pull over and help you, baby.¡± I had no idea what help you meant, but I didn¡¯t want this to be a big deal. ¡°Something bad happened. Right before,¡± I blurt. His hand tightens on the steering wheel. ¡°Not what you¡¯re thinking.¡± I realize he might be going with some sex abuse or child molestation thing because his face turned absolutely murderous. ¡°Not sexual.¡± My throat works. ¡°I saw a murder.¡± Murder. The word has a jagged edge to it that charges the confined space of the vehicle with danger. The danger I¡¯ve been in ever since that night. ¡°I had to stay hidden. And then, afterward, I couldn¡¯t find my way out. I guess shock confused me.¡± Jackson curses. ¡°How old were you?¡± ¡°Sixteen.¡± A year after I hacked SeCure and thought I was the smartest girl in the universe. He eases the pressure off my sternum and slides his hand behind my head. ¡°Thank you for telling me.¡± I roll the window all the way down and let the rain pelt my face, hiding the rogue tear that slipped out. Actually, unbelievably, I feel lighter. Like speaking the words freed the lock on the darkness I trapped in my chest eight years ago. It lifts from me, still hanging in the car, still sobering and depressing but less intense. I imagine it getting sucked out the window, back to the ether. Whatever ether is. ¡°I¡¯ve never told anyone,¡± I say finally, my voice slightly raspy from the withheld tears. ¡°Now you have.¡± A deep sense offort settles over me like a nket. For the first time in years-since my mom died-I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. Alone. Someone shares my secret, and the world hasn¡¯t imploded. Not yet, anyway. Maybe I¡¯ll pay for thister. I lean my head back against the headrest, cooled by the sttering of rain, soothed by the shush of Jackson¡¯s wipers. He pulls up in front of my house. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± For one moment, I consider running again. I¡¯ve done the right thing by giving Jackson the thumb drive, but if things are going to get hot, if the ckmailers are going to call the FBI, it would be better for me to leave town. Except the thought of not seeing Jackson tomorrow is too much. I push open the door and step out. ¡°Yeah. See you tomorrow.¡± 14 Jackson I¡¯m stunned by my need to protect Kylie. I want to y every dragon that ever showed its teeth to her. To fix the wrong she suffered. And I must be crazy because, as soon as I get home, I research her, checkingw enforcement and social work databases with her name and social security number. Not surprisingly, I find nothing. The name and social she used on her employment application was probably falsified. A girl like her, a hacker of her caliber, would have the ability to create believable false identities. She could ess any Department of Motor Vehicle, the Bureau of Vital Statistics. The power she could wield is stunning. And yet she never stole anything from my clients when she¡¯d hacked SeCure. It was a game. She was just a kid. Whatever her story, her life hasn¡¯t been easy. No teen walks away from witnessing murder without some scars. I should know. Not satisfied, I vow to keep digging until I find out exactly what happened to my little hacker. But, for now, I have something far more pressing to research. On a power-washedptop I keep solely for testing code, I open the thumb drive and study the malware Kylie was supposed to infect SeCure with. It doesn¡¯t make sense to me, so I start brainstorming what angle they¡¯re going for. And wish I¡¯d let Kylie stay so we could look at it together. Tomorrow. In a public ce where I¡¯m less tempted to touch her. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll work on it together. I don¡¯t question the rightness of the way that feels, because nothing about Kylie¡¯s effect on me makes sense. Only Kylie. Kylie alone makes sense to me. ~.~ Kylie The lights are on in the little house we rented near the university. I chose that locale because it¡¯s hip and there are plenty of restaurants and shops within walking distance. I always pick ces where it¡¯s easy to blend in. ¡°Meme?¡± I push open the door and then stop. Something feels off. Hairs prickling on the back of my neck, I step in, trying to identify what¡¯s different. Nothing seems out of ce.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Meme?¡± Ites out sharp, and I hope she¡¯s not in bed already. I look around the kitchen and see unpacked grocery bags on the floor. rm bells go off full force. My phone rings. I dig it out of my pocket and stare at the words number blocked. Normally, I would never answer, but something¡¯s not right, so I swipe the screen and put the phone to my ear. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°You did not follow our instructions.¡± The voice isputer generated. A surge of anger rips through me. ¡°Fuck your instructions.¡± ¡°We¡¯re fucking your grandmother. You should have done what you were told.¡± Ice floods my veins. I sway on my feet. ¡°Meme?¡± I scream, running through the house. ¡°Install the code, and you¡¯ll see the olddy again.¡± The call ends before I can rip them a new one. I¡¯m not sure what I would have said. Most likely, I¡¯m going to kill you motherfuckers! My hand shakes with fury as I race through the house again. Of course, I know it¡¯s fruitless. She¡¯s gone. They have her. And I have no choice but to bring down Jackson King¡¯s multi-billion dor empire to get her back. I want to retch. And scream. Mostly, I¡¯d like to get my hands on whoever thought kidnapping an olddy was a good idea and ram a meat tenderizer down their throat. Kylie I¡¯m sorry, Jackson. My crush-induced idiotic decision to go straight to Jackson instead of getting the hell out of Dodge with Memest night has more than backfired. I ced the one person I love, the only family member I have left, in terrible danger. I¡¯ll never forgive myself if something happens to her. So, despite thepelling moments I¡¯ve had with Jackson King, despite my desire to make a genuine connection with him, to trust he could bridge the giant gap I¡¯d set up between myself and the rest of the world, hispany will be going down by my hand. Meme is more important. I have to get the thumb drive back from him without arousing suspicion. I decide to go with direct. It¡¯s definitely a Chucks day. Wearing a short jean skirt, an anime T-shirt and my ck sparkle Converse, I march into SeCure at 6:45 a. m. I figure it will be open, and I¡¯m banking on Jackson being in early to stay on top of the threat. I take the stairs to the eighth floor. The lights are off, doors locked. I plop down on the floor in front of Jackson¡¯s office, lean my back against his door, and pull out my personalptop. I¡¯m out of things to research-I stayed up all night trying to trace the blocked phone number from the threatening call to an IP address, but haven¡¯t locked it down yet. How did they find me? I¡¯ve been so careful, all these years. The elevator dings. I look up from my screen, fingers still flying over the keyboard, seeking data strings. Jackson stops when he sees me. ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep?¡± I scramble up to my feet. ¡°Nope. You?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°What¡¯d you find?¡± I¡¯m going with the let¡¯s pretend we¡¯re allies and in this together tactic. He lifts a brow to let me know I¡¯m out of line. He¡¯s in charge, and we¡¯re not a team. ¡°Sorry. Am I supposed to kiss your ass and call you Mr. King at work?¡± ¡°I liked when you called me sir,¡± he says, unlocking his door and stepping past me. ¡°I¡¯ll bet you did,¡± I mutter, the memory of his dominant handling of mest night flooding back. I trail in behind him, making myself at home in his ginormous office by plopping down in a chair and pulling myptop back out. ¡°I brought my personalputer to load the malware. I¡¯d like a chance to study it, if you¡¯re ready to let me take a look.¡± Fear and necessity have brought back the old Kylie, the one capable of lying to anyone, even Jackson King, my personal kryptonite. He ignores me, his face unreadable as he pulls out his ownptop and drops it into the docking station. Too fidgety to sit there and wait for him to deem me worthy of answering, I ask, ¡°Should I make the coffee?¡± He must have his own personal refreshment station on this floor. He stops moving, his eyes lighter in the sunlight that streams in through his wall-to-wall windows. There¡¯s something predatory about the way he looks at me. Like my offer to make coffee turned him on. Well, maybe he has a master-ve fetish thing going. He gets off on being served. He definitely was bossy with Sam, his housemate. ¡°Cream, no sugar.¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°Around the corner to the right. You¡¯ll find it.¡± Funny, but I might have the flip side of the same fetish because it turns me on to fetch his coffee. Grateful for the expenditure of the manic energy that¡¯s ruling me, I slip out of his office and make the coffee. It¡¯s freshly ground beans from Peet¡¯s, and there¡¯s real half and half in the fridge below. I make myself a cup, too, and head back, just as his secretary arrives. If looks could kill, I¡¯d be in twenty pieces on the floor. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about his coffee,¡± I say breezily. ¡°I already got it.¡± She gives me the up-and-down sweep of the eyes, her lip curling when she sees my sneakers. I sh my brightest smile as I head into Jackson¡¯s office. ¡°Your coffee, sir.¡± I walk around to his side of the desk and stand too close as I lean over like a sex kitten to deliver it. His secretary gapes in the doorway. ¡°Watch it, kitten, or I¡¯ll punish you here, too,¡± he growls in an undertone. ¡°What?¡± I ask innocently. ¡°Cancel all my appointments and close the door, Vanessa. We have a situation to deal with here,¡± he says to his secretary as he opens his desk and pulls out a wooden ruler. Heys it on the desk between us, shooting me a meaningful look. Despite it all-despite theck of sleep and worrying sick over Meme, despite my daunting task of getting the thumb drive and hacking into SeCure¡¯s system within the next twelve hours, a charge of pure sexual desire runs through me. Hell, yes, he can spank me again. He¡¯s going to want to do far worse when he realizes what I¡¯m going to do. And that thought sobers the lust right out of me. I hold out my palm. ¡°Thumb drive?¡± I¡¯m really not sure he¡¯s going to hand it to me, but, after a moment, he pulls it out of his pocket and tosses it in the air. I snatch it, and he smiles at my quick reflexes. ¡°You¡¯ll stay in my office while you work on it.¡± He lifts his chin toward the chair across from him. Shit. How in the hell am I supposed to hack into SeCure and load the damn malware while sitting in his office working on aputer that¡¯s not linked into the system? I settle into a chair and plug in the thumb drive. It¡¯s a sophisticated program, and I¡¯m not entirely sure how it works, but I can¡¯t concentrate on figuring it out. Instead, I¡¯m reviewing everything I learned about hacking SeCure eight years ago. Of course, I know nothing will be the same this time. Fuck, I¡¯ve only been on the job a few days. How do they expect me to get this installed? I haven¡¯t been given security ess to anything yet. Unless¡­ What are the chances of getting on boss man¡¯sputer? Here I am, sitting in his office. If he¡¯s logged onto the system, I can grab his password, or maybe even load the code from hisputer. The man will have to use the restroom at some point, right? Or leave for lunch? My heart pounds as I contemte the treachery, and Jackson looks up, like he hears the rampaging beat. I keep my head down, as if I¡¯m studying really hard. I¡¯ll have to make a run for it the moment I finish, or else I¡¯ll be leaving in handcuffs. I consider the exits. Stairwell leads to the back of the building. I might make it to my car. And then where do I go? The asshole ckmailers didn¡¯t even tell me how to get in touch. How will I get Meme back? A terrible, horrible fear strikes me like an electric shock to the spine. What if they don¡¯t intend to give her back? What if she¡¯s already dead, her body lying in the desert somewhere? I should¡¯ve demanded to hear her voice. What in the hell is wrong with me? Once I load the malware, I¡¯ll have no leverage whatsoever. Meme and I will both be expendable. I¡¯ll take the fall for the attack, and Meme dies. ¡°What?¡± Jackson¡¯s voice cuts across the office. 15 I jerk my head up to find him staring a hole through me. His nostrils are ring like he smells something distasteful. My heart pounds harder. Did I say something out loud? ¡°I sense your agitation. What did you find in the code? Do you know who did it?¡± Jesus, he senses my agitation? No wonder this man built a multi-billion dorpany out of nothing but aptop. And I¡¯d always thought he was socially stunted. Maybe he stays away from people because he can read them all too well, and they bore him. My mind races for something to give him. ¡°I-I think I was set up.¡± His lip lifts with scorn. ¡°I thought we knew that part.¡± ¡°I mean from the inside. How did I get this job? A headhunter called me out of the blue. I never saw it posted anywhere. Never applied to SeCure.¡± Jackson pales, and I swear his eyes change to blue again. He stands up with a grim expression. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± He walks out the door, shutting it behind him. I count to five, steadying my breath. Then I walk swiftly to Jackson¡¯s desk and sit in his seat. I learned in my heist days to disconnect fear when on a job. Time was always of the essence, and, if you lost your head, the job was as good as over. I learned to dive into a ck hole of concentration. I focus on nothing but the task at hand. That¡¯s the headspace I find now, my vision narrowing to the prompts on the screen as I sift through login screens to pull Jackson¡¯s password. I find twenty, with no discernable pattern. He must have a different one for every login. Smart man. I work to get through the firewall and into the infosec code. I do not allow myself to think of what will happen if Jacksones back before I¡¯ve seeded. Or if I can¡¯t get in. Or if they don¡¯t let Meme go. I only see the characters on a screen. A puzzle to solve. Sixteen minutester, I¡¯m in. No time to celebrate. I grab the thumb drive and insert it into his port.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. I¡¯m sorry, Jackson. I¡¯m so fucking sorry. It autounches, code unfolding before my eyes with lightning speed. I get up from his chair, pick up my things, and walk swiftly out. I don¡¯t acknowledge his secretary. I travel down the hall, like I¡¯m headed for the bathroom, and slip into the stairwell. Eight stories. Then a parking lot, and I¡¯ll be in my car. Except I already know I¡¯ve been had. They¡¯re not letting Meme go. How could they frame me if an olddy is telling a story about being kidnapped? So I justmitted another felony act and destroyed the onlypany I¡¯ve ever admired for nothing. Worse-I¡¯ve destroyed whatever I had going with Jackson King. And that¡­ that almost hurts as much as the thought of Meme being dead. ~.~ Jackson The way I see it, this attack had toe from someone in my infosec department. Unfortunately, that narrows it down to 517 people, located all over the world. Only 137 of them are in this building. But I can start with Luis, my CSO, and Human Resources, to get some answers about Kylie¡¯s hire. I head straight to Luis¡¯ office and barge in without knocking. He¡¯s on the phone, with his wife, probably, because I can hear the female voice on the line, telling some long, drawn-out story. Luis sits up straight, giving me an attentive look as he tries to interrupt the monologue. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, honey. Mr. King just stepped into my office.¡± ¡°Oh! Okay, call meter,¡± she says quickly. ¡°Yep.¡± He hangs up and gives me a sheepish look. ¡°My wife is all worked up about getting our kid into the school talent show.¡± I have to hand it to Luis. After all these years of me stonewalling all personal discussion, he still makes the attempt. It¡¯s like he wants me to remember he has a family and is human, so I don¡¯t ask too much of him. Not that it ever stops me. ¡°What did you find out about the new hire in infosec?¡± I ask. Luis¡¯ brow wrinkles. ¡°Kylie McDaniel? What do you mean?¡± ¡°I asked you to look into where we found her. Who vetted her? How long was this position open?¡± ¡°We always have open positions. You asked me to double our infosec team three years ago, and I¡¯ve been working on it. It¡¯s hard to find new hires. It takes an average of three months to fill a position.¡± ¡°And this position was posted?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not posted, no. We use a headhunter. It mitigates wasted time sifting through unqualified applicants. She¡¯s been actively searching for candidates for thest year.¡± ¡°And how did she find Kylie?¡± Luis shrugs. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I haven¡¯t looked into it. It¡¯s well known the hacker boards are tapped for these jobs. It makes sense to hire from the pool of those who truly understand what we deal with. We make special exceptions for candidates like Kylie. For example, the official job requirements demand twenty to twenty-five years in the field. But her demonstrated skills, based on the test Stu administered, are used in lieu of the years of experience.¡± It all makes perfect sense and even sounds usible. But, Kylie was right. It was too much of a coincidence that she was sent the ckmail note immediately after starting with SeCure. If the hackers were looking for an in, it would have taken them longer than a few days to identify and get the dirt on each employee. This looked like a first-ss frame to me. ¡°I¡¯d like the name and number of the headhunter.¡± ¡°Is something wrong, sir? I thought you liked the girl, despite her cheekiness.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether I like her or not. I want to know more about the headhunting practices used to fill the most sensitive positions at mypany,¡± I snap, using my most authoritative voice. Luis instantly puts on his calm, cating face. ¡°Of course, sir. I understand. I will call HR right now and get you the information.¡± He picks up his phone. ¡°Never mind,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯ll go there myself.¡± I need to see people¡¯s eyes, be close enough to smell their fear when I interrogate them. I head out, striding purposefully to the elevator and ride down to the fourth floor to see the director of HR. I get no further with her, other than receiving the name and number of the headhunter. By this time, my wolf is scratching at the surface, telling me something about Kylie. I¡¯m itchy to see her. Needy almost. Damn. Is it possible for a shifter¡¯s true mate to be human? Because there¡¯s no other exnation for the way I feel. Unless it¡¯s just my instinct warning about her potential danger to me. With that thought, I take the stairs two at a time back to my office, unwilling to stand quietly in an elevator. Her scent is everywhere, filling my nose as if she¡¯s in the stairwell with me. I get to my office and fling open the door. Myputer is open, and a program is scrolling quickly over the screen. Oh shit. My heart chokes me, stuck somewhere between my corbone and my throat. My palms go mmy; my vision tunnels with rage. Tell me it¡¯s not what I think it is. Tell me- Fuck! With a roar, I pick up myptop and throw it against the wall, shattering it into a million pieces. ¡°Mr. King!¡± Vanessa runs into the office. ¡°How long ago did she leave?¡± I¡¯m surprised how calm I sound. ¡°Oh! Um¡­ about ten minutes, sir. Why? What happened? Sir? Is something wrong?¡± I ignore her and run past Vanessa. The stairwell. The fucking stairwell. No wonder I thought I smelled her in it. That¡¯s how she got away. 16 Kylie I make it to my car and peel out of the parking lot. I head in the direction of downtown, but I have no idea where to go. The cops will look for me at home. It¡¯s time to bail. I¡¯ve done this at least twenty times. I know how to erase my existence and put up a new one in another city. Another country, even. But I¡¯ll be damned if I¡¯ll leave Tucson without Meme. So, I just need somewhere to lie low. To wait for the ckmailers¡¯ phone call that I fear isn¡¯ting. I drive to Bank of America, where I have a safety deposit box. Maybe I can get in before the FBI puts an alert on anything to do with my present social security number. I walk briskly into the bank, tugging the hem of my T-shirt down, wishing I¡¯d worn the heels today. I withdraw all my savings in cash, give them my ID, and ask to have my safety deposit box. They send me to an office to wait. Three minutes go by. Five. Please let this one thing go right for me. The overweight manager with a nies hairstyle returns with the box. Thank God. I open it and take everything out. I have passports and IDs in there, along with more emergency cash. I put on my most businesslike demeanor and resist the urge to stuff everything into my purse and run. I keep my movements clean and crisp. Not a wasted gesture or moment, while maintaining the cool, calm, and collected exterior necessary to avoid suspicion. ¡°Thank you very much,¡± I say to the bank manager with a bright smile. As I head out, I nearly crumble. If I run now, I will be utterly alone. No Meme. No friends. No chance of maintaining the normal lifestyle I¡¯d adopted. But, if I stay, I¡¯ll end up in federal prison. Instead of getting in my car, I start walking. Downtown Tucson is small, but there are people everywhere, and I fit in. I hoof it up Congress Street, not heading in any particr direction, just needing to move. To think. My phone remains agonizingly quiet. Surely the ckmailers know by now the code has been installed. So, yeah. They have no intention of setting Meme free. I find a cafe and pull out myptop to work once more on tracing the phone call I received the night before. Just having something familiar to do lowers my stress level. I work the rest of the day without luck. By the time the windows darken and the barista is giving me dirty looks, I know there¡¯s no hope.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. They¡¯re not going to call. I¡¯m somewhat surprised someone from SeCure or the FBI hasn¡¯t at least tried to ring my phone, not that I¡¯d answer it. I leave the cafe and walk back to my car. It¡¯s not surrounded by cop cars or impounded, but I walk by it, anyway. Not worth the risk. Instead, I call Uber and use a dummy ount to take me to a cheap hotel off the I-10 frontage road. I book a room with my new identity and credit card. In the hotel room, I kick off my shoes and sit on the bed with my best and only friend, myptop. Think, K-K, think. What do I do now? Drive out of town? Get on a ne out of the country? What can be done about Meme? I¡¯m a smart woman, but no answerse to me. I draw my knees up to my chest and rock back and forth. ~.~ Jackson I squeeze my temples with one hand as the other moves over my keyboard. It¡¯s four a. m. Every employee in infosec and myself have been working all day and night to iste the fucking malware, but it¡¯s gone everywhere. I implemented emergency measures of transferring the financial data of millions of users to new secure servers, but I doubt we are quick enough. They probably already have enough to do major damage. I still don¡¯t even know what they¡¯re after. This seems bigger than getting at the credit card data. There would be easier hacks than SeCure if that¡¯s all they wanted. ¡°Tell everyone in the department no one¡¯s going home tonight until we have the transferplete,¡± I snap at Luis. ¡°And if anyone breathes a word of what we¡¯re dealing with here, I¡¯ll have their ass. Understand?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already told them,¡± Luis says with his infinite patience. ¡°At what point are we getting the FBI involved?¡± ¡°Not until we have this entire situation managed. I don¡¯t even want the rest of the executive team to hear about this until it¡¯s contained.¡± Luis looks doubtful, but nods. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± My directive makes perfect sense. We¡¯re sitting on an emergency of epic proportions. If word of it gets out to the press, SeCure¡¯s stock will plummet, and the nation¡¯s popce will turn frantic about their money and information being stolen. But I have another reason for refusing to involvew enforcement. I want to deal with Kylie McDaniel personally. She betrayed me, and I need to look in her eyes and understand how I made such a mistake. I need to make sure it never happens again. And, there¡¯s something else. Something I don¡¯t even want to admit is a motivator, but it is. Kylie wouldn¡¯t survive in jail. She¡¯s ustrophobic. It would kill her. So I¡¯d rather take wolf justice on this one. Find Kylie and make her pay the traditional way. Punishment and repayment. She will fix this. Even if I have to keep her my prisoner until she does. ¡°Do we know how they got through, yet, sir? Do you suspect the new hire? I heard she disappeared today.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll deal with the people behind this. You stay focused on containing the disaster.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°You stay here and supervise. I¡¯m going to find who did this and make them pay.¡± The predator in me needs to hunt my prey. I have to find Kylie. Luis must see the fierceness of my wolf because he pales and bobs his head. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± 17 Jackson The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as I walk to the Range Rover in the sr panel-covered parking. I lift my nose to the air and sniff, but all I smell is the cool spring air of the desert. The moon beckons me, makes me itchy to shift and hunt for Kylie. I reach the vehicle and stop. A dark head is visible in the passenger seat of my car. I know immediately it¡¯s her. My body surges into emergency mode, the shift upon me. I don¡¯t know what to think-someone¡¯s murdered her and put her in there. Or that she¡¯s waiting to kill me. Or she¡¯smitted suicide and left her body for me to find. I know it¡¯s Kylie, and getting to her is a goddamn emergency. I rip open the door. She¡¯s not dead. She¡¯s not even hurt. And she¡¯s not holding a gun. All I find is a pale, tear-streaked face punctuated by huge, miserable eyes. Relief and fury simultaneously flood my veins. I haul her out of the car by her wrists and m the door.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. I don¡¯t smell fear on her, but she¡¯s docile, like she knows she deserves my wrath. Obviously she¡¯s delivered herself to me, which makes no sense logically, but the wolf in me approves. ¡°Kitten, you have to be crazy showing up here tonight.¡± A single tear tracks down her face. She bites her lip and nods. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m crazy.¡± ¡°You have thirty seconds to exin yourself.¡± I don¡¯t expect her to have an exnation-I can¡¯t fathom anything that would possibly excuse her behavior, but I need to hear what she has to say. ¡°When I got homest night, my grandmother was gone. They¡¯d taken her.¡± More tears well up in her beautiful eyes, and the scent of them does something to my wolf. Every cell in my body screams at me to protect her, to fix whatever has made her cry. ¡°They called, and aputer-generated voice said I should have done what they instructed me to do.¡± Two more tears track down her cheeks. I¡¯m ready to tear these fuckers apart with my teeth. I wouldn¡¯t even need to shift to do it. ¡°Meme is all I have. Stupid me. I thought they¡¯d give her back if I installed the code. But, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s dead. I¡¯ve been perfectly set up to take the fall for ruining SeCure. I¡¯m sorry, Jackson. I screwed you, but I¡¯ll do anything to help you fix it. I know you have no reason to believe me. I know you have even less to trust me. But I¡¯m here. I¡¯m offering myself up to you.¡± She holds her wrists out like I have handcuffs. ¡°Call the cops, if you want. But you know I¡¯m more useful to you outside of jail. And I sure as hell want to make them pay for what they¡¯ve done to-¡± Her face crumples, and I¡¯m helpless to do anything but pull her against my chest. The rightness of her body against mine soothes the wolf. ¡°She may not be dead.¡± Kylie bunches my button-down shirt in her fists as her tears wet it. ¡°Why would they keep her?¡± she chokes. The scent of her anguish fucking ys me. She¡¯s right. Her grandmother probably is dead. ¡°Get in the car,¡± I say, more gruffly than I mean to. I throw open the door. ¡°You¡¯re my prisoner until we figure this out. You won¡¯t leave the mansion. You won¡¯t do anything but eat, sleep, and trace this fucking code to shut it down. Got it?¡± She nods and slides into the passenger seat. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she whispers. She sounds so forlorn and lost, but my wolf still takes her deference as a win. Mine. She came back to me. Mine to handle. Mine to punish. Mine. ~.~ Kylie Jackson doesn¡¯t speak as he drives to his mansion. I can¡¯t believe he didn¡¯t wrap a fist around my neck and squeeze. Or call the cops. He¡¯s angry, still. I sense his fury, simmering underneath the tightly-leashed control. But it didn¡¯t stop him from wrapping me up in his arms and letting me cry on his shirt. I was right to stay in town. It¡¯s the first right decision I¡¯ve made in a long time. I¡¯ve never trusted anyone but family before, but something about Jackson King keeps meing back, checking my insecurities at the door, and offering myself up on a silver tter. It¡¯s crazy. Because he truly holds my life in his hands now. It would have been so easy for him to turn me over to the police. They could make an irond case against me. And maybe he still will, after I help him quarantine the infected data. But, somehow, I don¡¯t think so. Jackson feels like safety to me. Like home. The opposite of the utter loneliness I experienced walking down Congress Street contemting my future. ¡°Thanks,¡± I say hoarsely. He turns his serious gaze on me. ¡°I¡¯m d you came back.¡± ¡°Do you believe me?¡± ¡°Against my better judgment, yes. I do.¡± I settle back against the seat, exhausted, but relieved. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything to help. I won¡¯t rest until I¡¯ve fixed it. Okay? I promise.¡± He reaches over and brushes my cheek. ¡°I will help you, too, kitten. I¡¯ll hire a private investigator tomorrow to look into your grandmother¡¯s disappearance.¡± It¡¯s a sweet gesture, but I doubt a PI will be able to find anything a hacker couldn¡¯t. Still, tears of gratitude leak from the corners of my eyes. Jackson¡¯s nostrils re, and his nce shifts from the road to my face. He rubs away one of the tears with a knuckle. ¡°Tell me about your grandmother. She lives in Tucson?¡± I draw in a steadying breath. ¡°We moved here together. We live together. I¡¯ve been living with her since-¡± I stop because I¡¯ve already told him too much about myself. I don¡¯t want him to piece it all together. ¡°Since when?¡± he asks sharply, like he already knows. ¡°Since my parents died. She¡¯s all the family I have. Had,¡± I modify, my stomach lurching. ¡°Is she dead, kitten? Do you know it in your gut? Reach beyond the fear. Yes or no?¡± No. Relief slips around me like a nket. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± I croak. I¡¯m fascinated by Jackson¡¯s reliance on gut instinct over logic. A man with a brain like his? If he trusts it, so do I. Jackson gives a single nod. ¡°Then we need to crack this code and find her.¡± I square my shoulders, the mantle of purpose returning. My brainunches into dissecting what I¡¯ve seen of the malware. I pull out myputer. ¡°Mind if I work in the car?¡± ¡°I¡¯d be pissed if you didn¡¯t.¡± We drive another ten minutes in silence with me studying the uunched code I copied from the thumb drive earlier. When we reach Jackson¡¯s mansion, the automatic gate swings open, and he pulls into the drive. I snap myptop closed and shove it in my bag, looking up at the house. Jackson¡¯s ck wolf dog stands on the step looking down at us as the car rolls past. His greetingcks the waggy-tailed joy of a normal pet. There¡¯s an aloofness to it, an eerie quality that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. ¡°I¡¯m not sure wolves should be kept as pets,¡± I mutter as he pulls into the garage. Jackson arches a brow. ¡°I won¡¯t let him hurt you.¡± I won¡¯t let him hurt you is quite different from he won¡¯t hurt you. The capacity to maim or wound is definitely there. ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± Jackson hesitates, like his dog doesn¡¯t have a name, or he doesn¡¯t remember it. ¡°Wolf,¡± he says finally. ¡°Wolf? That¡¯s original.¡± ¡°Keep up the sass, kitten, and I¡¯ll add to your punishment.¡± A shiver runs through me, although I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fear. ¡°Punishment?¡± I give myself a mental high five for saying the word without my voice quavering. ¡°Mmm hmm. But we¡¯ll deal with thatter. Right now, we have work to do.¡± We get out of the car and enter through aundry room and into the kitchen. Wolf meets us there. He bares his teeth at me, growling. He¡¯s even more frightening in full light. He stands as high as my waist, and the ck fur at his nape is ruffled with anger, amber eyes staring right at me. ¡°Enough.¡± Jackson doesn¡¯t sound nearly as worried as he should, as far as I¡¯m concerned. I freeze. ¡°I don¡¯t think he likes me much.¡± Jackson ignores my question. ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll take you to your room.¡± I push back the disappointment that I have my own room. But what did I think? Jackson would take me into his bed and cuddle me after what I did to hispany? A blow like this may not end SeCure but even if we iste the potential damage, a loss in reputation may eventually undermine the entirepany¡¯s well-being. Even with my help cleaning up, the damage will persist. I follow him up the stairs. Jackson leads me to a guest bedroom and switches on a light. The room is tastefully appointed, but, like the rest of the house,cks any personal touches. I have a feeling he hired a decorator. ¡°You¡¯ll stay in here. I¡¯m going to catch a few hours of sleep before I have to get back to the office.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay up,¡± I say immediately. There¡¯s no way I can rest, especially now that I believe my work can help recover Meme.¡± I pull myptop out again. ¡°I need into your system, please. To know how this thing works and spreads. And I need to know what your team is doing to contain it.¡± He cocks a brow. ¡°Thought you¡¯d already hacked it. But, no, you went the easy route and used myputer. I must be the biggest idiot on Earth to have left you alone in my office.¡± He¡¯s already leaning over me, punching in the password for his Wi-Fi then logging me into SeCure. He smells divine. Like pine trees and¡­ masculine strength. Yeah, I know that¡¯s not a smell. But that¡¯s what his scent evokes. ¡°No, you weren¡¯t an idiot. You thought you could trust me. I¡¯m going to make it up to you.¡± He cups my chin and lifts my face. ¡°I love it when you grovel, kitten.¡± A flush spreads across my chest and up my neck. ¡°I¡¯ll bet you do,¡± I say drily, blushing further when I remember I have a punishmenting. What will it be this time? Another spanking? I hope it¡¯s something¡­ even more intense. He exins the orders he¡¯s given his infosec team for quarantining and moving SeCure¡¯s data. His n sounds solid to me. ¡°It looks like they have it well in hand, so I¡¯ll work on tracing the malware back to its source.¡± ¡°Good.¡± He drops a kiss on the top of my head. ¡°Wake me up at seven a. m. if I¡¯m not already up.¡± OMG. I¡¯m ying house with Jackson King. The directive goes straight to my naughty parts as I imagine pulling the sheets off his naked body and arousing him. Mind out of the gutter, K-K. There¡¯s work to be done. 18 Jackson I wake up with my fangs dropped and Kylie¡¯s scent in my nostrils. No wonder I dreamed about owning her hot little body the entire two hours I slept. I must have marked her in every position in my sleep. I shouldn¡¯t feel rested, but the sexual frustration pumps me with energy. im. Mate. Mark. My wolf fucking loves that she¡¯s in my house. I force myself to get in the shower with the spray on ice cold so I won¡¯t go hunt her. It doesn¡¯t help. I¡¯m still ready to dominate her when I get out. Chase her up a rocky mountain, knock her to the ground, and sink my teeth so deep into her flesh, she¡¯ll scream¡­ Yeah, and that would kill her. She¡¯d be screaming, all right, and it wouldn¡¯t be yes, Jackson. I skip the suit and tie today, opting for a button-down and khakis. My employees have been up all night working, I don¡¯t need to show anyone up. Kylie¡¯s scent hits me hard the moment I walk out of my room. My cock swells against the zipper of my pants. I find her in her room, still working. She has a pen stuck in a messy bun on top of her head and looks no less beautiful for not having slept all night. If anything, the sight of her up, working hard for me-for the benefit of mypany-sends a fresh kick of lust rocketing through me. Of course she¡¯s not doing it for me, she¡¯s doing it for her grandmother, but the wolf doesn¡¯t care about that. All wolves need to dominate their females, but I never knew how turned on I would be by having one under my paw, so to speak. At the same time, the urge to take care of her rises up strongly. ¡°Good morning. Are you hungry, kitten? I should have told you to help yourself to anything in the kitchen.¡± She shes an easy smile, the kind that has no intent behind it but could topple nations. ¡°Oh, I would have. I was about to go in search of coffee.¡± ¡°Find anything?¡± ¡°It¡¯s aplex sequence. There¡¯s something familiar about the style, but I can¡¯t put my finger on it. I¡¯ve been cross-checking old posts on the DefCon board but so far I haven¡¯t figured it out. Your employees have all your data secure now, but I¡¯m guessing the ckmailers had ess to at least 250, 000 records before you got it quarantined.¡± I¡¯ve already heard the same thing from Luis and Stu, but it¡¯s good to know my little genius concurs. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you some breakfast. Your body needs fuel after staying up all night.¡± Damn. Why am I talking about her body? It¡¯s a torture enough to me without mentioning it. ¡°I¡¯ll be down in a minute.¡± She taps her finger against the edge of her screen as she reads. Downstairs, I find Sam sitting at the breakfast counter. Apparently, none of us slept muchst night. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he demands the minute I walk in. I called him when I stayedtest night, and told him what Kylie had done, so my showing up with her in the wee hours of the morning must¡¯ve seemed incongruous. ¡°The ckmailers kidnapped her grandmother. She turned herself in to me. We¡¯re working on getting a trace on the code to find any clues.¡±N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Sam shakes his head, his mouth screwed into a judgmental ring. ¡°I don¡¯t like it. You¡¯re not acting right, Jackson. She¡¯s a fucking human. Why in the hell did you bring her here?¡± A growl erupts from my throat, the wolf in me ready to defend my chosen mate to the death. Sam¡¯s jaw goes ck as he stares. ¡°Are you fucking kidding me?¡± ¡°What?¡± I ask tightly. ¡°You do realize she¡¯s triggered your mating instinct?¡± I ignore him and pull out a carton of eggs, then break them into a bowl. ¡°I need you to stay here and keep an eye on her. Don¡¯t let her leave the mansion under any circumstances.¡± Sam doesn¡¯t answer, which forces me to look over. He watches me with narrowed eyes. ¡°And don¡¯t hurt her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m to hold her prisoner here, but I¡¯m not allowed to hurt her.¡± His tone drips with doubt. Another growl erupts from my throat, but I manage to cut it off as my wolf senses detect Kylieing down the stairs. She shouldn¡¯t have been able to hear our conversation, but, when she enters, her expression is sharp. ¡°So Sam¡¯s my keeper?¡± she asks brightly. I purse my lips. Damn. She has superhuman hearing. I need to remember that. ¡°Right. I forbid you to leave the house while I¡¯m gone.¡± ¡°You forbid it.¡± Her tone matches Sam¡¯s perfectly with the doubt-infusion. I arch a brow. ¡°You have a problem with that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the boss.¡± She shrugs. Damn right. ¡°House arrest with Sam. I can¡¯t think of anything more fun.¡± ¡°Watch the sarcasm, kitten,¡± I say, but my wolf isn¡¯t happy. I can¡¯t fucking stand her using the word with and another male¡¯s name, even if it is by my orders. She peers into the bowl of eggs. ¡°Whatcha making?¡± My innate sense of confidence wanes, the need to please my female, to feed her, swelling in importance. ¡°I was thinking about french toast. Does that sound okay?¡± Fates, I don¡¯t even recognize myself. When do I ever ask anyone if something is okay? She shes that picture-perfect smile, and the wolf rxes. ¡°Sounds great. Thanks. Is there coffee?¡± She looks around. ¡°Help yourself.¡± Sam points to the full pot. I¡¯m simultaneously grateful to Sam for making it and pissed that he gets to offer it to her. She pulls down two mugs and fishes the half and half out of the refrigerator. She hands me a full mug. ¡°Cream, no sugar, right, boss?¡± Her husky tone, along with her act of service, sends desire kicking through me. Mate her. I want her here every morning, making me coffee while I cook her eggs. I want to watch those gold-flecked eyes peeking over the top of her mug as she tells me something brilliant. I want to earn that easy smile by saying something humorous. Record scratch. I¡¯m not a funny guy. I never say anything humorous. Except I had in the elevator. I¡¯d made herugh then. Around her, I turn into someone else. Someone better. You¡¯re not the bad guy. I dip four pieces of cinnamon raisin bread in the egg batter and drop them onto a heated skillet doused with melted butter. ¡°I¡¯m going to head into the office after we eat. I want hourly updates. Unless you¡¯re sleeping.¡± I whirl around to pin her with my sternest look. ¡°You do n on getting some sleep?¡± She lifts her mug of coffee in the air. ¡°Not for a while. Don¡¯t worry. I do my best work when I¡¯m half-delirious.¡± ¡°Not on my watch. You need rest.¡± She rolls her eyes, and I smack her bottom as she passes by. My cock hardens at her yelp. Sam stares out the window like he¡¯s never seen such a fascinating view. ¡°Come on, boss, I need to work. Please.¡± Her begging melts me. ¡°I prefer catnaps to a solid eight hours anyway. ¡± I flip the french toast, delirious with the need to know if that¡¯s true. I want to know every single detail about this woman. Need to. I pull out my cell phone and hand it to her. ¡°Give me your number.¡± She scrolls to my contacts and adds herself with remarkable speed as I te the french toast and pull the maple syrup from the refrigerator. I see she¡¯s entered herself as ¡°Catgirl,¡± and it makes me smile. ¡°What¡¯s your real name, kitten?¡± She tenses, and her hesitation wounds me more than I care to admit. ¡°Why is it a secret?¡± I ask softly. ¡°Because of the murder you saw?¡± She pales, and I immediately regret pushing her, but, if she¡¯s in danger, I have to know. The need to protect her from any and all her enemies is a tearing, consuming beast in me. ¡°Yeah.¡± She picks up a te of french toast and butters them. Sam must finally realize he¡¯s a third wheel, because he stands from his perch at the breakfast bar. ¡°Holler if you need me. I¡¯ll be around the house, Catgirl.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he likes me, either,¡± Kylie says after he leaves. She doesn¡¯t know Sam can still hear every word. ¡°He¡¯s just protective. What do you mean, either?¡± ¡°Like Wolf. Your monster-sized dog.¡± She forks a piece of french toast, and a low rumble, almost like a purr, rises in my chest. I like feeding her. Too damn much. ¡°Where is he, by the way?¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably out. He needs a lot of space to roam.¡± Not a lie. ¡°Okay, so I¡¯m your prisoner, and Sam¡¯s my keeper.¡± She takes another bite, her tongue flicking out to catch a bit of powdered sugar, and I almost groan. ¡°I¡¯m to update you every hour. Any other orders?¡± Jesus, I get so hard when she ys submissive with me. And, believe me, I know it¡¯s y-a choice, not her personality. The girl is all alpha if I¡¯ve ever met one. An alpha female who only submits to her male. A tug of longing pulls at my chest. I finally meet a female who interests me-both sides of me-human and wolf-and she¡¯s human. Fragile. Unable to withstand a marking. How will I keep her? I have to. 19 Kylie The food and the coffee help. I spend the morning breaking into the FBI¡¯s system to get all their files on known hackers. The malware used to infect SeCure wasn¡¯t the most sophisticated thing I¡¯ve ever seen. Which is good-it enabled Jackson to contain the threat. The downside is I have to look for the suspects in a muchrger pool. Jackson messages me to say that he hasn¡¯t hired a private investigator because he doesn¡¯t trust anyone not to fuck with me, but he¡¯s working on a n. By noon, I¡¯m nauseous fromck of sleep, but now I¡¯m so wound up from the coffee and adrenaline, I doubt I¡¯ll be able to rest. I get up to stretch my legs and wander through the upstairs rooms. I haven¡¯t heard Sam-my guess is that his room is somewhere downstairs. I¡¯m drawn to search Jackson¡¯s room. Hackers are by nature stalkers, and I¡¯m dying to know more about my crush. I tap lightly at a closed door and push it open. Bingo. Therge master suite must belong to Jackson. I pick up his scent, and it calms my over-wired system immediately. I¡¯ve always had an overdeveloped sense of smell. My dad used to tease me about it. Like the rest of the house, the room is elegant but simple. There isn¡¯t much to look at, but I wander around, peering on the dresser top at his loose change, checking the wastepaper basket for anything interesting, but there¡¯s nothing. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I gasp and jump, my overtaxed system nearly sending me into cardiac arrest. ¡°Jesus, Sam. You scared me.¡± His eyes narrow. He doesn¡¯t look like the kind of guy to tangle with. He may be lean and wiry, but the tattoos decorate hard muscles, and the piercings give him a don¡¯t-fuck-with-me vibe. I remember Jackson had to give him the directive, don¡¯t hurt her. Kinda like his wolf-dog, the violence is there, right below the surface. I go for the truth. ¡°I¡¯m snooping. Trying to understand Jackson better.¡± Sam gives a quick shake of his head. ¡°His secrets aren¡¯t for you to unwrap, Catgirl.¡± I like that he calls me Catgirl. The name still has a power to it, evokes the invincible teen I once was. Before. I lean a hip against the dresser, holding my ground. ¡°So there are secrets?¡± Sam folds his arms across his chest and leans against the doorframe. ¡°Everyone has secrets.¡± I try a different tack. ¡°I never wanted to hurt him. I¡¯m here to fix things, not make them worse.¡± ¡°Your being here definitely makes things worse.¡± Now it¡¯s my turn to narrow my eyes. ¡°What¡¯s your problem with me?¡± ¡°Look, I can tell there¡¯s something special about you. Jackson wouldn¡¯t be interested, otherwise. But he can¡¯t be with you-it¡¯s not going to work. And your being in this house is going to be a problem for him.¡± I turn his words over in my head, but they don¡¯t make sense. The only thing I cane up with is that he and Jackson are a couple and he¡¯s warning me off. ¡°Is he gay?¡± Sam¡¯s brows twist in puzzlement. ¡°No. What makes you think that?¡± ¡°I was just trying to figure out if you and he-¡± Samughs. ¡°No. I told you, he¡¯s my brother.¡± Relief floods me. Down, girl. He¡¯s still not yours. ¡°How did you meet?¡± Sam¡¯s face sags and, for a moment, he looks thirty years older, weary from whatever happened in his young life. ¡°I was wandering in the Santa Cruz mountains, lost, and he found me.¡± ¡°What were you doing in the mountains?¡± I picture a lost Boy Scout, but it doesn¡¯t fit. ¡°I was a runaway. Figured I could survive there on my own. But I was starving. Half-crazy-I¡¯d been alone so long.¡± ¡°How long?¡± He shrugs. ¡°I don¡¯t know. A few months, maybe. Jackson saw me, and I ran. He chased me down. I fought him. I didn¡¯t want to return to civilization, but he forced me toe back with him. Promised not to tell anyone he¡¯d found me.¡± A rush of sympathy floods my chest. Sam¡¯s been in hiding, like me. Someone out there wants something from him. An abusive family, probably. He¡¯s right. We all have secrets. ¡°How long ago was that?¡± ¡°Seven years. I was fourteen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d he found you. And I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried anymore,¡± he says. ¡°But, thanks.¡± A reluctant smile tugs at his lips, and he steps toward me, holding out his fist. I bump it and follow him out of the room, d to have unearthed another small piece of the Jackson puzzle. ~.~ Jackson When I get home, I find Kylie crashed out on the sofa, her openptop tilted against her chest. Sam¡¯s in the kitchen, eating a stack of ten hamburgers. I pick one up and take a bite. ¡°How long has she been like that?¡± ¡°Couple hours,¡± Sam says with his mouth full. ¡°I found her snooping in your bedroom. She said she wanted to know your secrets.¡± A niggling sense of worry tickles me. What if I¡¯m still being yed by this girl? But that didn¡¯t make sense-what more could she want or need? She¡¯d already done enough damage to bring me down. No, hackers have boundary issues. They get an inted sense of power. They can spy on anyone and anything. Read emails, cancel credit cards. Check high school grades. Kylie¡¯s snooping around my room was an extension of that. She hasn¡¯t been able to hack me personally because there¡¯s nothing to find. She¡¯s not the only one who knows how to create or erase an identity. ¡°What¡¯s your n with her? You can¡¯t keep her here forever.¡± I stab my fingers through my hair. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I answer honestly. ¡°You can¡¯t. Keep her here,¡± Sam repeats. ¡°Why the fuck not?¡± I snap, even though I know he¡¯s right. He raises his brows. ¡°You nning to mate her?¡± I scowl. We both know that¡¯s not possible. A werewolf bite to a human could kill her. Would cause serious scarring and damage, at the least. And that¡¯s assuming Kylie¡¯s willing. Which would mean telling her-a clear vition of pack rules. And if I tell her and we don¡¯t mate, she¡¯ll have to be eliminated. Pack rules. Or have her mind erased by a vampire. I can¡¯t risk either of those things happening to her. So, yeah. Sam¡¯s right. I can¡¯t keep her here. But I sure as fuck can¡¯t let her go, either. ¡°Just until this blows over,¡± I promise. Sam¡¯s pursed lips tell me he knows it¡¯s a lie. ¡°You know what happens to a wolf who ignores his mating instinct?¡± Nausea twists in the pit of my stomach. Moon sickness. ¡°That¡¯s not what¡¯s happening here. She can¡¯t be my fated mate-she¡¯s human.¡± Sam shrugs. ¡°I realize that, but you¡¯re acting like a male ready to mark. And the moon is full tomorrow.¡± ¡°I have the situation under control.¡± And pigs fly. Sam polishes off his fifth hamburger and shoves the te of remaining burgers my way. ¡°I¡¯ll see you. I¡¯m working at the club tonight.¡± He sometimes works as a bouncer at Eclipse, Garrett¡¯s nightclub. Don¡¯t rush home. My wolf wants Kylie alone. Which is probably the worst idea ever.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. 20 Kylie I wake to the sound of Sam¡¯s motorcyle pulling away and Jackson¡¯s angry voice from the kitchen. ¡°Who leaked it to the press? I will have their ass. Well, find out and terminate them before I get my hands on them. Understand? Good.¡± Damn. Jackson¡¯s shit storm just got worse if one of his employees leaked the situation to the press. I wonder if that means I¡¯ve been named as the perpetrator? How long before the FBI is involved? I climb off the couch. The windows are dark, which means I must¡¯ve slept all afternoon. I check the time on myptop. Seven p. m. Jackson¡¯s starts up again-he must be making phone calls. ¡°Get me Sarah, in PR.¡± I jog upstairs, determined to take a shower and make myself presentable before he sees me. I fail miserably, because he walks out to the living room and watches me ascend the stairs while he yells at his public rtions director. I wince and give him a wave of surrender, mouthing the word shower. He nods and continues with his tirade. When the FBI gets involved, will he turn me in? I slip into his guest bathroom and the memory of what we did in there two nights agoes rushing back. I strip and climb into the shower, letting my fingers slide between my legs likest time. I have another punishmenting. I¡¯m suddenly desperate for it. My time here may be limited. If the FBI is looking for me, I may have to leave in a hurry. And my business with Jackson feels unfinished. I want his touch, his mastery, one more time. Right, and he¡¯s downstairs in crisis-control mode. But maybe a little distraction is exactly what he needs, too. I could give him that blow job I didn¡¯t get to startst time. It could be my penance for what I¡¯ve done. I rub my clit, excited by the prospect. But I don¡¯t want to finish myself off. I¡¯d much rather have Jackson¡¯s skillful fingers there. I shut off the water and step out, toweling off. Yep, there¡¯s only one way to y this. I wrap the towel around my waist and sashay downstairs, my bare breasts puckering in the cool evening air. Jackson¡¯s still on the phone, but, when he sees me, he stops speaking. He lifts one finger and points at me. I don¡¯t know what it means, but I keeping. ¡°You know what to do. Don¡¯t call me until it¡¯s done. Got it?¡± He hangs up. ¡°Kitten.¡± His voice sounds strangled. ¡°What in the hell are you doing?¡± I y the coquette and bring one finger between my teeth, biting down. ¡°Is it time for my punishment?¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± Ites out in a burst. His eyes look bluer than I¡¯ve seen them-a pale blue. No sign of the green at all. He points to the couch in the living room. ¡°I¡¯ll be right in.¡± My palms are mmy. Despite my bravado, I have no idea what I¡¯m doing. Seduction is a new game for me, and punishment ispletely foreign. No, that¡¯s not true. I¡¯ve watched my share of fetish porn. But I¡¯ve never experienced real pain. I¡¯m not sure how I will like it. Jackson returns holding a wooden spoon, and my stomach flips. I bite my lower lip and work to keep my breath calm. He sits down on the overstuffed brown suede sectional and pats hisp. ¡°Lose the towel, kitten.¡± My pussy clenches. I¡¯m not sure whether I¡¯m more excited or nervous, but either way, I¡¯m going forward. I drop the towel to the floor and climb over hisp, offering my ass up for his punishment. I pray a wooden spoon isn¡¯t the worst implement of torture in the world. It probably isn¡¯t, since was used regrly on children¡¯s butts in the days when spanking was considered a useful and eptable form of punishment. Not that I agree with such measures. ¡°Oh, kitten.¡± It sounds like ament, a groan almost. Jackson runs his hand up the back of my thigh and over the curve of one cheek. I feel his hard length press against my hip. I part my thighs. ¡°Baby, I¡¯ll take care of that ache between your legs soon. But, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s time for your punishment, now.¡± He gives my ass a p, but it¡¯s just with his hand. ¡°Mmm,¡± I encourage him. He ps the other side and rubs away the sting. A few more ps right and left and I start wiggling, wanting more. He leans over and bites my ass, and I shriek and giggle. He chuckles, too. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s say¡­ twenty with the wooden spoon.¡± I have no idea if that¡¯s a lot or a little, since I haven¡¯t felt the spoon yet, so I keep my mouth shut. He leans over. ¡°If it¡¯s too much, baby, I want you to tell me.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± He groans. ¡°I love it when you call me that.¡± ¡°Is that why you became a CEO?¡± He pops me with the wooden spoon. It¡¯s definitely worse than his hand, but not horrible. ¡°No, baby. I don¡¯t want anyone else to call me sir. Just you.¡± He starts spanking rapidly, one side then the other. I roll my hips, jerking with the impact. ¡°I only love it from you. The rest of them can go fuck themselves.¡± I squeeze my ass together. It hurts. A lot. But then it¡¯s over. Twenty spanks in twenty seconds. I¡¯m almost sorry it was only twenty. Almost. Jackson strokes his palm over my twitching ass, and I moan softly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that was enough,¡± he muses. ¡°I didn¡¯t know how you¡¯d take it.¡± His fingers delve between my legs, and my thoughts scramble. ¡°Should we do another round, kitten? Twenty more?¡± ¡°No.¡± Heat flushes everywhere; my pussy weeps for him. ¡°No?¡± His touch is so beguiling, fingers sliding up and down my slick folds. My brain can¡¯tpute that he¡¯s threatening me with more of the wooden spoon. ¡°Yes?¡± I say. He growls, low and sexy. More like an approving rumble. ¡°I like spanking you, kitten. Love having you spread across myp for punishment.¡± ¡°Who else?¡± I choke, because, for some reason, I¡¯m a jealous bitch when ites to Jackson. He stops moving. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Who else have you spanked?¡± His low chuckle goes straight to my erogenous zones, tightening my nipples, making my pussy squeeze. ¡°Just you, baby. Only you.¡± He picks up the spoon again and pops me with it.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. I definitely don¡¯t like it this time, since I¡¯m already sore from the first spanking, but I¡¯m also not willing to say it¡¯s too much. He applies another rapid-fire round, and I squirm and squeal over hisp. ¡°Ouch, please!¡± I shout at the end, but he was stopping anyway. His fingers immediately slip between my legs, and I can tell I¡¯m three times as wet as before. I guess I did need a second spanking. ¡°Jesus, this cute little ass bobbing over myp makes me want to do this all night.¡± ¡°Noooo,¡± I moan. I¡¯m definitely not down for round three. He chuckles and flips me over. He¡¯s a big guy, and I know he¡¯s strong, but I swear he makes it seem like I weigh less than three pounds. With one huge palm wrapped around my thigh, he pulls it open and lifts my hips. His mouth hits my core, ripping a scream from my lips. Holy cunnilingus, Batman. His tongue circles my inner lips. He sucks and nips on mybia, suctions his lips over my clit. I buck and w at him, closing my mouth around the screams that won¡¯t stoping. He growls, prating me with his thumb as he continues his earth-shattering torture of mydy parts. Ie unglued, a climax ripping through me with enough power to fuel a rocket ship. ¡°Fuck, kitten.¡± Jackson removes his mouth and pumps his digit in and out of me, watching my face as I finish. One part of me thinks I should be embarrassed that he¡¯s seeing my O-face, but the rest of me doesn¡¯t care. Or, rather, believes he deserves the privilege, since he¡¯s the one to produce it. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck.¡± There¡¯s desperation to Jackson¡¯s tone. His eyes glow light blue. He flips me over again, this time onto my knees on the couch with my torso hanging over the arm of the sofa. He ps my sore ass, and I hear the rustle of clothing. I realize I¡¯m about to lose my V-card. Things are moving so fast. Jackson¡¯s breath is erratic, his movements jerky. He rubs the head of his cock over my sopping entrance. I don¡¯t think he put a condom on. Part of me is thrilled to have inspired this much passion in him. The other part is-ouch. I gasp, tears spearing my eyes when he shoves into me, breaking my resistance. He freezes. ¡°Kylie, no.¡± I¡¯m still holding my breath. ¡°Baby, no.¡± His torso covers mine, and he strokes my hair back from my face, trying to see me. His cock fills me, stretching my opening. Now that the initial shock of pain is gone, it feels good. I want him to start moving. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. Did I just-¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m okay. Go on.¡± He curses and eases out. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± I snap. ¡°You¡¯re not taking this from me. Finish what you started, big man.¡± He strokes my hip. ¡°Kylie.¡± I hear the regret in his voice, and it pisses me off. I¡¯m not a fucking china doll. Or maybe he doesn¡¯t want to have sex with a virgin. Maybe it¡¯s a total turnoff and he¡¯s lost his erection. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± I whisper again, and my voice breaks. ¡°Kylie.¡± His hands are gentle this time. He lifts me and tries to set me on hisp, but I¡¯m too humiliated. I lurch off and run up the stairs. My nudity isn¡¯t sexy anymore. It¡¯s just¡­vulnerable. Jackson¡¯s right on my heels, but, to his credit, he doesn¡¯t touch me. ¡°Kylie. Kylie, wait. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so fucking sorry.¡± I run into my bedroom, but when I try to shut the door in his face, he stops it with his hand. Tears of frustration leak from the corners of my eyes. ¡°Kylie, please.¡± He puts his entire body in the doorframe, so there¡¯s no way I¡¯m closing it. I give up and walk to the bed, pulling on my day-old clothes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I totally lost control. I didn¡¯t even have a fucking condom on, and I had no idea you were a-¡± I whirl around and re at him, which stops the word froming out of his mouth. He shakes his head. ¡°I never nned to have sex with you. I was just going to give you a little pleasure. But you were so fucking hot, and I lost control.¡± He shoves his fingers through his hair, making it stick up in all directions. ¡°It¡¯s better this way, kitten.¡± Why does he look like he¡¯s breaking up with me? I want to throw something at his sympathetic face. ¡°I¡¯m d something stopped us. I¡­ can¡¯t have sex with you.¡± What in the hell is this? First, Sam tells me it¡¯s not going to work, now, Jackson. Why can¡¯t he be with me? Why? Is he married already? Subject to seizures? I just can¡¯t fucking figure out what makes it impossible for us to be together. But I¡¯m too fragile to drag it out of him now. ¡°I need to be alone, now,¡± I tell him. His face falls. ¡°Right. Okay. But, are you hurt? Promise me you¡¯re not hurt.¡± I lift my chin. ¡°Definitely not hurt.¡± Not physically. Jackson, on the other hand, looks like he¡¯s in enormous pain. I notice his cock still bulges in his khakis. Well, good. Serves him right for stopping. I hope those blue balls hurt him all night long. 21 Jacqueline Jacqueline rolls over in the dirt and groans. She¡¯s too old for this crap. If her granddaughter wasn¡¯t in terrible danger, she would let herself die out here in the desert. It would be so easy. She suffered so many bullet wounds. Four, at least. Not even a shifter should be able to survive a bullet to the head. But she¡¯s still breathing, so that must mean she survived. How long has she been out here? An entire night and day, at least. Could be more; she was in and out of consciousness. But the cat in her rallied, pushing the bullets out of her flesh, closing the wounds. There¡¯s one still stuck in her head, though. And she¡¯s lost a lot of blood. She just wants to sleep. But Mte. Her petite fille is in danger. The men who kidnapped her have ns for Mte. She has to get help. If only she could shift. Usually, if a shifter is badly wounded while in human form, their body will naturally shift to beast for protection and healing. Why she is still in her weak, human form, she doesn¡¯t know. It must have something to do with the head wound. She needs to get to other shifters. They¡¯ve only been in Tucson a week, but she paid a visit to the wolf alpha, Garrett, to introduce herself a few days ago. She needs to get to him. He¡¯ll be able to help. She forces herself to her hands and knees and then to her feet. Her clothes are stiff, covered in blood and dirt. She can¡¯t scent her way to civilization because nothing but the smell of blood fills her nostrils. Maybe it would be best to wait until morning, when she can judge the direction of the sun. But she doesn¡¯t want to spend another night out in the cold. Not in human form. Shift, dammit, shift. Why can¡¯t she shift? ~.~ Jackson I am the biggest ass. I pace in my bedroom, listening for every creak or movement from Kylie¡¯s room. I feel horrible about taking Kylie¡¯s virginity without asking. Without even using protection. Even worse, if things had continued, I would have marked her. I was already half beast. No thoughts were moving through my brain, other than to take her. im her. Mark her as my mate. Yes, if I hadn¡¯t hit her virginal resistance, I might have sunk my coated teeth right into her shoulder, tearing her delicate human flesh, possibly even killing her. But the fact I wounded her pride-insulted her by stopping-made the situation insufferable. How did I not realize she was so inexperienced? In retrospect, it should have been obvious by her blushes, yet she carries herself with such confidence, sexual and otherwise, I never guessed. The wolf in me preens over being her first, which disgusts me even more. I didn¡¯t even make it good for her. It was a negative five on a scale of one to ten. And yet, I can¡¯t figure out how to make it better. I can¡¯t finish what I started. If I learned anything tonight, it¡¯s that I can¡¯t trust myself. Especially with the moon full. Kylie¡¯s emotions aren¡¯t my only problem tonight, either. Someone leaked the story to the press, naming Kylie as the culprit. I will have feds at the office tomorrow, wanting to investigate her, and I sure as hell can¡¯t let them find her. I log onto myputer to check how the story ising out in the press. Art Thief Vignte¡¯s Daughter Hacks SeCure Corporation. Art thief? I pull up the story to read about Kylie. ¡°Daughter of Robin Hood-style art thief Jacob Anders, Kaye Anders, also known as Kylie McDaniel, may be responsible for hacking into SeCure Corporation and stealing hundreds of thousands of credit card numbers. McDaniel was hired by thepany just days before she hacked the system and installed malware. ¡°Sarah Smith, Public Rtions Director from SeCure corporation says owners of the ounts breached will be notified as soon as possible, and they are rmending the cancetion of all credit cards affected by the breach. ¡°Smith says it is unknown whether McDaniel staged the breach as another vignte-style heist, following in the footsteps of her father. Jacob Anders was best known for reiming art and other antiquities stolen by the Nazis during World War II and returning the treasures to their rightful owners or to museums. His body was discovered in The Louvre in 2009 with multiple stab wounds thatw enforcement officials believe to have been inflicted by a partner during a heist. The Degas painting ¡®Elegant Dancer,¡¯ a painting reportedly confiscated from convicted Nazi war criminal Hedwig Model and donated to the Louvre, was discovered missing from the art museum at the time. ¡°McDaniel, whose other aliases include the hacker moniker Catgirl, has been wanted for questioning since the 2009 murder but has not surfaced again until now. ¡°FBI officials were not avable forment, but the spokesperson from SeCure Corporation says they will work hand in hand withw enforcement to aid in McDaniel¡¯s arrest and will press charges to the full extent of thew.¡± Kylie, an art thief, in addition to the most talented hacker in the world. My beautiful, talented little cat burr. But Jesus, she watched her father murdered before her eyes. No wonder she has PTSD. I¡¯ve got to protect her. A growl rumbles in my chest, my wolf ready to go on the hunt. No one is going to touch my kitten. I don¡¯t know how to fix this, but I sure as hell am not going to let Kylie-or whatever her real name is-take the fall. I hired a hacker and thief into mypany. The PR is going to be hell. A whimper sounds from her room, and I surge to my feet, flying out the door to stand outside hers. Another whimper. I gently push open the door. My little hacker¡¯s asleep on her side, one arm tossed over her head, which she rolls back and forth fitfully. Bad dream. I ease onto the bed behind her, curling my muchrger body around hers. ¡°Shh, baby. It¡¯s just a dream.¡± She whimpers louder. ¡°Can¡¯t get out can¡¯t get out can¡¯t get out.¡± Her breath drags in and out, too fast, the way it did in the elevator. I rest my hand on her ribs and give her a gentle shake. ¡°Kylie. Kitten. Wake up, baby.¡± She startles awake with a scream. I start to cover her mouth but realize it will only make the ustrophobia worse, so I go for her sternum again. ¡°Breathe, baby. In. Out. You¡¯re safe. It was a dream. Just a dream, kitten.¡± She lets out a tremulous whimper, and I roll her to her back to see her face in the dark. Her arms loop around my neck, and she clings to me, trembling. I rub her back. ¡°Shh, baby. You¡¯re okay. I¡¯m not going to let anyone hurt you.¡± As quickly as she turned to me, she pulls away, scrambling off the bed and onto her feet. I follow her up. ¡°Kylie.¡± She ignores me and paces back and forth, her shoulders hunched, her head bent like she¡¯s thinking hard. She¡¯s rejecting my help. Fighting her problems on her own-as she has since she was just a teen. Maybe all her life. I want her toe back to me. Desperately. But I don¡¯t know how to get through. ¡°You saw your dad¡¯s murder.¡± She stops pacing, and her breath leaves her with a whoosh. ¡°In the Louvre? Where were you? In an air duct?¡± Her knees buckle, and I catch her as she stumbles back. I pull her up into my arms, but she fights me. The scent of her tears hits me, salty and filled with pain. I don¡¯t let her go. She needs me, even if she doesn¡¯t want to ept my help. ¡°Stop fighting me,¡± I murmur as she shoves at my chest. ¡°I¡¯m on your side, baby. Stop fighting.¡± She copses against me, tucking her face against my neck, wetting my skin with her tears. ¡°Damn you, Jackson. Damn you,¡± she sobs. ¡°Why, baby?¡± I stroke her head. ¡°I know I¡¯m an asshole, but why are you mad?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to take care of me so well.¡± I find her mouth, capture those tender lips, twine my tongue with hers. She shifts in my arms, holds my neck, and swings one leg around to straddle me. My cock grows heavy, pressing in the notch of her legs, the heat of her core sending darts of lust through my bloodstream. I¡¯m not going to lose control this time, though. My female needs me. Needsforting. Gentleness. And, wonder of wonders, my wolf submits. The need to protect her trumps his need to mate. My teeth stay human sized, even as my cock grows. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t have sex with me.¡± She tears open my button-down, popping the buttons. Oh fates and all things sanctified. I carry her to my bedroom andy her down gently on her back. I shove her skirt up and yank the gusset of her panties to the side, cing my mouth where it always wants to be. Right on her core. Tasting her sweet essence, giving her pleasure. Satisfying her. She arches, pulling her knees up to open wide. ¡°That¡¯s right, baby. Let me make you feel good.¡± She reaches down to help, rubbing her clit as I prate her with my tongue. ¡°I want your cock, big man. I need it here.¡± She taps her pussy. I groan. Can I do this? I have to. She¡¯s my female, and she needs me. Even the wolf understands. I grab a condom from my dresser. ¡°Clothes off,¡± shemands. ¡°I want to see all of you, Jackson King.¡± I smile and peel my clothing off with purpose, standing in the light of the nearly full moon through the window. ¡°I¡¯ll let you give the orders, just this once, kitten.¡± I roll the condom on my length, grinning at her wide-eyed attention. ¡°Because I fucked up earlier. But don¡¯t forget who has the wooden spoon.¡± Her face flushes, and the scent of her arousal fills the room, even stronger than before. I grip the base of my cock and point it in her direction. ¡°Like what you see?¡± ¡°No wonder it hurt,¡± she says, but she¡¯s wearing a grin. ¡°Clothes off, kitten. That will be a rule. You should never be wearing more clothing than I am.¡± I take the musical ring of herugh as another win. I¡¯m going to take care of you, baby. She shimmies out of her clothing and lies back. I see why I was fooled. There¡¯s nothing innocent about her peach-tipped breasts, the curve of her hips, her neatly trimmed mons, and long, shapely legs. Even with a blush on her cheeks, she gives mee hither eyes. I don¡¯t know how she made it this long without having sex, but my wolf is doing double backflips in celebration of being the first. I want to groan. I want to sing. Worship at the altar of her body for the rest of my life. I will keep it together this time. I owe her.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. 22 Kylie Jackson kneels between my legs. His body is even more incredible than I imagined-cut from solid muscle. His chest is covered in dark curls, and his cock¡­ sizable. He nudges my entrance with the sheathed tip of his cock and I arch, pleasure spiraling out, inner thighs trembling with anticipation. He¡¯s breathing harder than normal, but he goes slow, easing into me, even though he already plowed the path open. There¡¯s no pain this time, only satisfaction. He fills me, holds still for me to adjust. I lift my hips impatiently. Not fragile, buddy. I need this. I deserve it. Jackson groans and climbs over me, leaning his weight on his fist beside my head. He¡¯s huge, looming over me. Before I can control my reaction, I stiffen and lurch away from him, needing to see the exit. Still buried inside me, he rolls our bodies so I end up on top. I suck in a breath, my muscles rxing. He shows me his open palms as if to prove he doesn¡¯t have a weapon, then he shoves them under his butt. ¡°You¡¯re in control, kitten.¡± I nibble my lip because he¡¯s made it in he likes to be the one in charge. And I love his dominance. I just can¡¯t stand being crowded. Still, riding him feels good, and my hips start moving of their own ord, rocking over his huge, hard manhood. I tip my pelvis forward to grind my clit down over him, rubbing harder and faster. His lips peel back from his teeth, and he squeezes his eyes shut, breath dragging in and out audibly. A surge of power rockets through me, knowing I¡¯m affecting him so much. It spurs me on. I slide up and down faster, my tits bouncing over his chest. I dig my nails into his shoulders, taking him deeper. ¡°Fuck, kitten. Fuck,¡± he roars. His face contorts. His hands fly free of his self-imposed position and grasp my hips. I¡¯m grateful for him to take over because my muscles are shaking, straining for release. He yanks me over his cock, up and down, and then he shouts, his hips lifting off the bed, carrying me with him, even as he holds me to angle deeper than I thought possible. I cry out, too, muscles contracting around his enormous cock, milking it for all it¡¯s worth in a pumping motion beyond my control. Out of breath, trembling, I fall down over him, molding my body to his, nuzzling his neck. He wraps his strong arms around me and holds me tight. This time, there¡¯s no fear. Only tinum satisfaction. ¡°Kiss me, baby.¡± I turn my head, and he captures my mouth, kissing me aggressively, letting me feel teeth and tongue, owning me. Yes. That¡¯s what I like. Jackson in control. It brings back that sense of home. Belonging. His cock swells inside me. Lordy. Is he really ready for round two already? He groans. ¡°You¡¯d better get off me, kitten, or I¡¯ll be throwing you on your back and fucking you into oblivion. And you¡¯re probably already sore.¡± I am. I ease off him, checking out his cock to see it¡¯s still just as big. ¡°Jackson?¡± He reaches down to grip it and surges up, meeting my eyes. ¡°The condom came off!¡± I flush, like I¡¯ve done something wrong. I¡¯m not stupid. I¡¯ve read Cosmo. I know it happens. I also know I¡¯m now at risk of pregnancy. Jackson takes charge, pressing my hips to the bed and delving his fingers inside. Holy embarrassing moment, batman. He retrieves the condom. ¡°Shit. I¡¯m sorry, baby.¡± ¡°It was probably my fault,¡± I mumble, attempting to roll away. He catches my hip and rolls me back to face him. ¡°Hey. I¡¯m in this with you. Whatever happens. I wouldn¡¯t be sorry if you had my pup.¡± My heart pounds, but I snort. ¡°Pup?¡± ¡°Kitten,¡± he amends quickly. ¡°I¡¯d love for you to give me a little kitten-girl.¡± He gives me a devastating smile. I roll my eyes. At least he didn¡¯t say, ¡°I¡¯ll pay for your abortion¡± or freak out. But yeah, this is all too much to absorb. I just had sex for the first time. Twice, because the first time was an aborted mission. Then a rubber gets lost in my hooch. And now I could be knocked up by none other than the guy I¡¯ve been lusting after since I was a teen. Oh, and I may be on the run from the FBI. If I could just grab a breather and more than a couple of hours of sleep, I¡¯d probably be able to deal. Kylie I¡¯ve never slept with a man in my life before now. I had no idea how incredibly wonderful it would be. The rightness of being nestled against a man¡¯s body-not just any man¡¯s, but Jackson King¡¯s body-with his heavy arm draped over my waist. How safe andfortable I¡¯d feel. I don¡¯t want this impossible, short-lived romance to end. But reality calls. I¡¯m wanted by the FBI for robbing my new lover¡¯spany. So, yeah, hiding out at his house isn¡¯t going to work for long. The first rays of light illuminate the windows. Jackson¡¯s cock twitches against my backside, sending a fresh kick of lust shooting through me. I wonder if he¡¯s into morning sex because I totally am. Yeah, I was a virgin until yesterday, but morning is my masturbation time. I push my ass against his manhood, and his cock responds by lengthening, sliding between my thighs. Jackson¡¯srge hand coasts up my side and palms my breast. He pumps his hips, fucking the gap between my legs and running his hard length along my slit. ¡°Mmm, kitten. Is this pussy wet for me again?¡± He rolls my nipple between his two fingers. It would seem so. He pinches my nipple, and I writhe in surprise at the pain. I reach between my legs to pull his cock tight against my core. A slow undtion of my hips grinds my clit over it. He groans and bites my ear. ¡°You want me inside you, baby? You need me to fuck you awake this morning?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I rasp. I adjust my hips and angle his cock at my entrance. ¡°Fuck, baby, I don¡¯t have a-.¡± He slides into me. I shudder with pleasure, my muscles clenching around his cock. A condom. Oh yeah. ¡°Oops,¡± I say. Jackson¡¯s breath rate increases, and he holds my hip, thrusting deep into my channel. I know I should stop him, tell him to get the condom, but it feels. So. Good. ¡°Pull out before youe,¡± I tell him. He makes a pained sound. ¡°I¡¯ll stop now,¡± he says, but continues plowing into me with cruel, delicious force. His grip on my hip is bruise-worthy; his loins p against my ass. ¡°Jackson-¡± I gasp. He shoves me onto my belly and mounts me from behind, capturing my wrists above my head. Thankfully, the ustrophobia doesn¡¯t kick in. Maybe because the view in front of me isn¡¯t blocked. I lift my ass to him, loving the new angle, wanting more, wanting everything. Every position, every variation, every rhythm. An eerie, animalistic growl erupts from Jackson, and I twist to look over my shoulder. And scream. I scream at the top of my lungs, and I don¡¯t stop screaming. Because Jackson is a fucking vampire. Fangs have punched out, and his eyes are ice-blue. Ice-blue. Not green at all. And the sound he¡¯s making isn¡¯t human. He¡¯s going to bite me and turn me into a vampire. I feel like I¡¯ve tumbled straight into a horror movie.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Like the ustrophobia, my terror is a living thing. No thought, just pure adrenaline-fueled fear. Thankfully, my scream surprises him, and he pulls back enough for me to scramble out from under him. I grab my clothes from the floor and run downstairs stark naked. Barefoot. I fly out the back door, pulling my shirt over my head as I run. I thought it would exit into the garage, but I must¡¯ve been confused-I¡¯m out in the desert that leads straight to the foothills. I hear Jackson calling behind me, so I bolt straight up the foothills toward the mountain. ¡°Kylie!¡± Jackson shouts. He¡¯s outside, and he sounds furious. I realize now, they¡¯d been trying to warn me off. He and Sam both said he couldn¡¯t be with me. Why hadn¡¯t I listened? I stop long enough to yank my jean skirt on and keep running. I¡¯m not going to make it far without shoes. It¡¯s all rock and cactus, and my feet are already bruised. I turn to look over my shoulder, but I don¡¯t see Jackson following. Thank God. Maybe he went back in to get dressed. Then an enormous shape bounds up the hill. A silver wolf. And it¡¯sing straight for me. Oh Jesus. Jackson¡¯s not a vampire. He¡¯s a wolf. I can¡¯t decide if that¡¯s better or worse. Do werewolves infect you with their bite and turn you into one, too? Or is that vampires? No, vampires drain your blood. So, yeah. Werewolves infect. I still feel like I¡¯m stuck in that horror movie, only it¡¯s bing campier. 23 The wolf is upon me in no time, but it doesn¡¯t pounce the way¡­ Jesus. Was that Sam who attacked me outside the mansion? This one is definitely Jackson. I can tell by the ice-blue eyes. He nudges my hand with his nose. ¡°Get. The fuck. Away from me.¡± He lowers to his haunches and whines. He¡¯s enormous. Twice the size of a normal wolf with a thick, silver coat. A beautiful wolf, but definitely deadly. I blink, and he¡¯s a man, again, crouching beside me. Naked. ¡°Hey. You¡¯re safe. I¡¯m not going to hurt you, kitten.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± My strangled voice sounds slightly hysterical. I¡¯m generally someone who prides herself on keeping it together, but this situation has thrown me for a total loop. I run up the hill. In my periphery, the wolf appears, trotting by my side, like he¡¯s decided to be my pet. ¡°Go home,¡± Imand. If only he were a simple dog I could send running home. Of course, he keeps trotting along beside me. I re at him. ¡°So, you¡¯re a werewolf? That¡¯s your big secret? And what? You have to bite someone on the full moon? Something like that?¡± Jackson-or rather, the wolf-whines again. ¡°What do you want with me?¡± I sob. He licks my moving calf. ¡°No!¡± I shout. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. Stop following me. Go. Home.¡± A rock twists under my foot, and I go down on my knee, hard. Pain shoots through my entire leg. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to ignore it. When I open them, Jackson¡¯s in human form again. Naked. He scoops me into his arms. ¡°No,¡± I protest. ¡°Put me down.¡± He walks stone-faced down the hill. ¡°You¡¯re hurt.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going back inside that house with you.¡± My stubborn side has risen up, immune to logic. If he¡¯s a dangerous werewolf, waiting to turn me, he¡¯s not going to care where I want to go. But Jackson stops. His shoulders sag. ¡°Okay, fine.¡± He starts running up the hill at incredible speed. I clutch his shoulders. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± I gasp. ¡°I have a cabin up on the mountain.¡± Great. He¡¯s taking me somewhere even more remote so he can turn me. Except, I¡¯m no longer afraid. Now that the initial horror has worn off, my brain is starting to get back online. ¡°Jackson, what happens when you bite someone?¡± ¡°A serum coats my teeth. It leaves my scent in your skin.¡± ¡°And turns me into a werewolf?¡± ¡°No.¡± He keeps moving at dizzying speed, his bare feet and long strides eating up the mountain. I can¡¯t imagine how his feet don¡¯t get torn up. ¡°We don¡¯t change people,¡± he says stiffly, and I realize, with a bubble of amusement, that I may have offended him.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°But I am in danger? What does the serum do?¡± He stops running and closes his eyes in resignation. ¡°When a wolf picks his mate, he marks her with his teeth. A mating serum coats his fangs and permanently leaves his scent on her, so other wolves know she¡¯s been imed.¡± I gape at him. Illogically, a hot pulse starts up between my legs. ¡°Did¡­ do you want to mark me?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± he grits, once more ascending the mountain. ¡°A human couldn¡¯t withstand such a bite. Shifters heal quickly, but a human would lose blood, maybe even die. Shifters don¡¯t mate with humans.¡± A cloud seems to roll over us. ¡°Ah. That¡¯s why Sam said you couldn¡¯t be with me.¡± ¡°Right.¡± He clenches his jaw so hard I swear it will shatter. A small log cabines into view. He retrieves a key from the top of the doorframe and opens the door. Inside is a beautifully appointed mountain cabin, simple butfortable. He carries me to the leather couch and arranges me on it, with my back against the armrest and legs elevated on the cushions. My ankle has doubled in size from the swelling, and my knee is cut and bruised as well. ¡°I¡¯ll get some ice.¡± Jackson disappears around the corner. When he returns, he¡¯s pulled on a pair of jeans and carries a dishcloth wrapped around a cold pack. He crouches by my feet and applies the pack. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I freaked out on you.¡± He gives an impatient shake of his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m d you did. I would¡¯ve bitten you.¡± I stare at my throbbing ankle, unable to look at Jackson. ¡°Well, I¡¯m ttered, I guess.¡± He lets out a harshugh that doesn¡¯t sound amused at all. When he stands, he stabs his fingers through his hair like he didst night. ¡°Now, you understand. I¡¯m dangerous to you, Kylie.¡± I study him through narrowed eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of the big bad wolf.¡± His eyes look haunted. ¡°Learn to be. Listen, I need to get to the office. I have the feds to deal with.¡± He walks to an old-fashioned desk and pushes the lid up. Inside, theforting lights of a wireless router sh. He pulls out aptop and brings it to me. ¡°You can work from here. Or I¡¯ll go back and get the car and drive you down the mountain.¡± ¡°Here is fine,¡± I say quickly. For some reason, I¡¯m not ready to go back to his mansion. ¡°There¡¯s food in the cabs. I¡¯ll bring you things so you don¡¯t have to get up.¡± He leaves and returns with a loaf of bread and peanut butter and jelly, along with a can of oysters. ¡°I wish I had a painkiller to offer you, but shifters don¡¯t use them.¡± Shifters. It¡¯s still setting in, but now that it has, it makes him all the more fascinating and attractive. No wonder I¡¯d had a teen crush on Jackson King. He is superhuman. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about freaking out. I¡¯m embarrassed. I wish we could have a do-over, and I¡¯ll be uber cool about it. Can we try?¡± A reluctant smile tugs at Jackson¡¯s lips. ¡°How would it go?¡± ¡°I¡¯d be like, oh, you¡¯re a werewolf. That¡¯s cool. Don¡¯t forget the condom.¡± A shadow descends over his face, perhaps at the reminder of the condom mishap. ¡°I¡¯m bad for you,¡± he says tightly. ¡°This¡­ can¡¯t work.¡± Something tightens in my sr plexus. I want to grab him and tell him I¡¯m not afraid, but he snatches me first, stamps his lips over mine, twisting over my mouth with an intensity I find dizzying. I sense the desperation in the kiss. The goodbye. ¡°Don¡¯t message me. I don¡¯t want anyone to trace you through me. I¡¯ll be back tonight. As soon as I can. Do you want me to send Sam up to check on you?¡± I shake my head, swallowing down my disappointment. ¡°No, I¡¯m solid. I will keep working on the malware. Jackson?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Why haven¡¯t they contacted me if my grandmother¡¯s still alive?¡± He frowns. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re hanging onto her in case they need more leverage on you?¡± I shake my head. ¡°No, they leaked my history to the press. This was definitely a frame.¡± He touches my shoulder , and I swear I feel his strength transferring into me, warming me. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but my gut says she¡¯s alive, too.¡± He kisses me again and shucks the jeans. His cock is still hard, mouth-wateringly impressive. I watch this time as he transforms. There¡¯s a shimmer in the air and then he drops to all fours, a huge, beautiful wolf. I dare to stretch a hand out to touch his fur, and he licks it then licks the wound on my knee clean. It tingles. I remember a doctor in Mexico rmending I get a dog to lick a cut on my hand to make it heal faster. My dad and I hadughed at Third World medicine, but, of course, I¡¯d researched itter, and there is something to it. I wonder if a werewolf¡¯s saliva is even better? I stroke his silky ears. I want to bury my hands in his fur, but he spins and trots toward the kitchen. I hear the swing of what must be a dog door and he¡¯s gone. So. Jackson King is a werewolf. Now I know. I¡¯m surprised at how protective I feel over his secret. I will work even harder to straighten everything out at SeCure now that I know thepany¡¯s brilliant CEO is as vulnerable to being exposed as I was. 24 Jacqueline Jacqueline opens her gritty eyes, blinking against the morning sun. Still in the desert. Still in human form. She drags herself to her feet and checks out the angle of the sun. It is rising over the far mountain range, which means the Catalinas. So she¡¯s in the Tucson Mountains on the west side. Probably out in Marana somewhere, where the crackheads cook their meth. She isn¡¯t the only one who knows how to research things online. Her Mte thinks she¡¯s only capable of making soup¡­ Mte. She starts walking east. Her gait is clumsy at first, but after a dozen steps, her coordination returns. Her sensitive hearing detects the sound of cars in the distance. Dieu merci. Too bad she¡¯s covered in blood. It will make it hard to exin if she gs down a car. If only she could shift. She drops to all fours and closes her eyes, willing herself to shift. The trouble is, she hasn¡¯t shifted often enough in recent years. To stay nimble, shifters must shift back and forth as nature calls. A shifter who stays too long in beast form, will forget how to be human again, and vice versa. Living with Mte, her halfling granddaughter who never manifested as a shifter, she wasn¡¯t able to run wild as often as she¡¯d like. Especially when they were hiding in cities. Now, weak, hungry, and injured, it is even harder to call up the magic. Remember. Remember what it¡¯s like. She thinks about her first shift at puberty, the joy of chasing her sister through the French countryside. There. The magic shimmers around her. She stops to pull off her bloodied clothes so she won¡¯t have to fight them after the shift and transformation. Now, to stay hidden from human eyes as she runs downtown. At least she remembers the way. Garrett showed her a map of their territory on the west side once. His pack runs in Saguaro National Park West. Close to downtown and his headquarters. All she has to do is follow the Santa Cruz riverbed south. ~.~ Jackson I walk into the office like a fucking diator. Every employee who sees me takes one look and averts their eyes. Even humans know to submit when the dominant is out for blood. ¡°The FBI is in with Mr. Anderson, sir,¡± Vanessa says, pointing toward my CFO¡¯s office. Luis is in there, too. I already knew this from the fifteen phone conversations on my drive in, but I give her a curt nod. No one from SeCure has admitted to leaking the information about Kylie, which could mean she¡¯s right, it came from her ckmailers. Although the ckmailers could be on the inside, too. I can¡¯t stop the prickly awareness that there¡¯s still more to this attack we haven¡¯t seen. Would a hacker go to the trouble of kidnapping an olddy and framing someone for less than a million ount numbers? Maybe. But it was risky. I don¡¯t know how much money they managed to divert, but their window was short. We closed it on them yesterday. I march into Anderson¡¯s office and take a chair. My executive team is sweating. This is more pressure than I¡¯ve ever put them through, and it¡¯s not nearly over yet. Luis has given the feds Kylie¡¯s file and is bobbing his head up and down, agreeing with something they¡¯re saying. He looks over. ¡°Mr. King, the FBI have their own infosec team they¡¯d like to deploy on our system.¡± I nod. ¡°Good. Show them the breach and everything we¡¯ve done to shore it up.¡± One of the agents stands and hold out his hand. ¡°Special Agent Dous.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. I shake it. ¡°Jackson King.¡± ¡°Mr. King, I understand you were asking questions about Kylie McDaniel before the breach. Did you have reason to suspect her?¡± I go for the truth. If Dous is smart enough, he¡¯ll follow my logic. If not, we¡¯re no worse off than before. ¡°Actually, I was wondering how she got hired into the position. The assumption was she was a hacker, but nothing on her resume would have told us that. I wanted to know who gged her for this position and why.¡± ¡°You think she has a partner on the inside?¡± I shrug. ¡°Maybe. Something¡¯s off with this whole thing, and it¡¯s more than a twenty-four-year-old hacker who called herself Catgirl as a teen.¡± ¡°She¡¯s long been associated with vignte thieves. This could be an organized attack from that direction.¡± I consider the man. He seems sharp. ¡°Mr. Dous, I¡¯d like to share some information with you in private.¡± My team looks outraged, but I stand and walk to the door, knowing Dous will follow. I take him to my office and toss the packet Kylie brought to me the night everything started. ¡°Ms. McDaniel turned herself into me after she received this,¡± I exin. Dous shuffles through the papers, assimting the information quickly. ¡°But she still installed the code. From your office, I understand.¡± I rub my forehead. ¡°Yes. I brought her into my office the next day and asked her to decode the malware on an unworkedputer.¡± ¡°But she used the opportunity to load it onto yours.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So what do you think happened?¡± He holds up the packet. ¡°This was a ploy to get into your office? Save herself the trouble of having to hack through your firewalls?¡± I shake my head. ¡°No. She contacted meter to tell me her grandmother had been kidnapped and was being held hostage. The grandmother wasn¡¯t returned after she loaded the malware, so she offered her help.¡± ¡°Contacted you how?¡± he asked sharply. This is where it gets dicey. I sure as hell don¡¯t want them looking for Kylie at my ce or around me. ¡°She was waiting for me in the parking lot.¡± ¡°The hacker who took down your system was waiting for you in the parking lot, and you didn¡¯t call the police? Something¡¯s definitely off with this story, Mr. King. What aren¡¯t you telling me?¡± The need to protect Kylie makes anger curl in my stomach. I don¡¯t answer. ¡°Oh, I get it. You have a thing for Ms. McDaniel, don¡¯t you?¡± There¡¯s no missing the note of scorn in his voice. ¡°I heard the two of you were trapped in the elevator together on her first morning. Think that was a coincidence?¡± A chink of doubt sticks in my chest. Would Kylie orchestrate such a thing? Why? To get close to me? Seduce me? But no, her terror in that elevator had been real. No ustrophobic woman would choose an elevator to stage a seduction. I pace the office, shoving my hands into my pockets. ¡°So she met you in the parking lot and offered to help. What did you do?¡± ¡°I let her go.¡± I¡¯m facing away from Dous, staring out the full length window. Lying isn¡¯t my forte, and I don¡¯t like the dishonor of it, but I¡¯ll do anything to protect my mate. Fuck. Not my mate. Can¡¯t be my mate. ¡°Bullshit. Where is she, Mr. King?¡± My fingers tighten into fists. ¡°She¡¯s trying to find her grandmother,¡± I snap. He stares at me a long moment. ¡°Okay,¡± he says finally. ¡°We¡¯ll follow up on that lead.¡± I force my teeth to unclench. ¡°And when you¡¯re ready to tell me where to find your mysterious Catgirl, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± He tosses a card on my desk. ¡°My cell phone is on there.¡± I nod. He picks up the packet. ¡°All right for me to take this?¡± I¡¯m surprised he asks for permission, but it¡¯s probably just a courtesy. ¡°Yes. Let me know what you find on the grandmother.¡± He pauses on his way to the door. ¡°Am I working for you Mr. King?¡± I clear my throat. It¡¯s not in my nature to grovel, so this makes twice today. Once to Kylie, once for her. ¡°Please.¡± The ghost of a smile ys around his lips. ¡°I¡¯ll keep you posted.¡± I sink into my chair when he leaves. The alpha in me wants to tear things apart and howl. The moon is full. Mypany¡¯s under attack. My female¡¯s in danger. A human knows my secret, which means by packw I must do something about her. And while telling Kylie should have ended our rtionship-now that she understands why we can¡¯t be together-my wolf won¡¯t stop seeing her as my goddamn mate. 25 Ginrummy The n is unfolding. Kylie hacked SeCure and installed his code. That much worked. As did the leak to the press to get the FBI onto her. He didn¡¯t care whether the FBI found her or not-the point was just to throw them off his trail. Mr. X said they took care of her grandmother. He didn¡¯t ask what that meant. He knew. Time to issue the next ckmail threat. He shifts around in his seat, heat building under his cor. The feds are all over the building, and everyone is talking about the private meeting King had with one of the agents. What in the hell did it mean? What could King have to say to the agent that he wouldn¡¯t say in front of his executive team? He doesn¡¯t like it. He spent all morning answering the same questions about Kylie four times to different agents. Now, he¡¯s supposed to give them ess to the SeCure system so their infosec people can do their own investigations. He has nothing to hide. Kylie uploaded the malware; his IP or prints aren¡¯t on anything. He checks his phone. A message hase through from Mr. X. Making the call to King, now. A muscles twitches in his cheek. This is the part of Mr. X¡¯s n that goes way beyond cybersecurity and credit card numbers. They¡¯re making a y to take down the entirepany. The credit card number theft was a diversion from the true infection into backup data, which granted the X team the capacity to wipe out every record stored by SeCure. So asking SeCure to transfer five hundred million dors to restore the files won¡¯t be too much. If sessful, it will be the biggest ransomware attack in history. If not, they already stole a half billion in credit card transactions. ~.~ Kylie At dusk, I limp to the shower to clean up before Jackson shows. He hasn¡¯t contacted me all day, and I¡¯m itchy to see him. To touch him. My body feels achy from the sex and my run up the mountain, but all I can think about is having Jackson¡¯s hands on me, having him take me roughly the way he wants to-biting me and marking me as his own. It¡¯s like the full moon has affected me, too. The scrapes on my knee look a week old instead of a day. I guess werewolf saliva is better than dog spit. I spent the day hacking into multiple credit cardpany sites to get the data on the stolen card numbers. By my estimate, around five hundred million dors was stolen in the twenty-four hours before the owners were notified and cards frozen. It must have been all automated. Using the small vendors¡¯ merchant ounts stolen, they charged random amounts under a few thousand dors on each credit card. Again, it suggests an insider, someone who knew what data they would find and how it would be configured in order to have pre-programmed such aplex form. With no contact from Jackson-although his reasons for limiting it are sound-emptiness sets in. He doesn¡¯t think he can be with me. He wants to-I know that much-but he believes he¡¯ll harm me. I¡¯m not afraid, though. He pulled back when I screamed. Went to his belly, even when I gave chase. He has way more control than he believes. And I¡¯m not afraid of being marked. In fact, the idea thrills me. Maybe this is why ordinary men never interested me. I needed a superhuman. I want to know everything about his shifter life. What it¡¯s like, how it works. What happens on the full moon. Which is tonight. The bathroom door opens and closes, and my heart picks up speed. Through the foggy ss door of the shower, I see Jackson¡¯s wide frame. ¡°Jackson?¡± A momentter, he slides open the shower door. He¡¯s naked, his sheathed erection even more pronounced than it was this morning. Blue eyes burn from his face. His hands ball into fists at his side, his expression dark, furious. Hungry. I catch my breath. ¡°Jackson?¡± My voice wobbles. He steps into the shower with me. I half expect to see elongated fangs when he opens his mouth, and I tense, not sure whether I¡¯m going to let him mark me or not. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to fuck you in the shower since the night you first showed up at my house.¡± His voice is low and gravelly. ¡°You think I didn¡¯t see you touching yourself through that fogged-up ss door?¡± A shiver of pure desire runs through me, shooting down my inner thighs, curling my toes. He catches my wrists and spins me to face the shower wall. His touch is reverent as he presses my palms against the tile. ¡°New rule,¡± he murmurs in my ear. ¡°You don¡¯t touch that pussy without my permission. Understand?¡± I don¡¯t, but I¡¯m too turned on to speak. ¡°I need to hear a yes, sir.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The words slip out of me before I even know I¡¯m going to speak them. Heat blooms in my core at the bossy edict. ¡°Do you know why?¡± His voice is like a rumbling purr in my ear. ¡°N-no.¡± He reaches around to cup my mons, sliding two fingers along my wet slit. ¡°This pussy belongs to me. I get to pleasure it. My job. Got it?¡± Oh Jesus, fuck. My legs tremble from desire. I can¡¯t do anything but moan my assent. ¡°Good girl.¡± He rewards me with a quick shimmy of the pad of his finger over my clit. My knees buckle, but it doesn¡¯t matter, because he wraps an arm around my waist, catching me and holding me up as he prates me with two fingers. I throw my head back on his shoulder and close my eyes, lost in the ecstasy of his touch, his heat. ¡°You left me blue-balled this morning, kitten.¡± I cry out as he grinds the heel of his hand over my clit. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to punish you, now.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I breathe. Punish me. Fuck me. Keep me as your ything. I want to be owned by Jackson. Marked by him, no matter how much it hurts. He pulls his hand away from the notch between my thighs, and I moan with disappointment. ¡°Ass out, baby.¡± I immediately obey, pushing my ass backward for his punishment. He ps it, and I shriek. The water makes it sting so much harder; the tile makes the crack of his palm echo. He spanks my other cheek then repeats, right and left. I¡¯m in heaven, the cacophony of sensations-the water of the shower, the pain of his spanks, the pleasure of his touch all mingle to bring me right to the edge of orgasm. Jackson groans. ¡°Fates, I love spanking you. I ought to take a belt to your ass for the state you left me in today.¡± His voice is a deep rumble that seems to enter my body through every pore. When I don¡¯t disagree, he curses. ¡°I¡¯m going to fuck you so hard, kitten, you won¡¯t be able to walk right. Then you¡¯ll remember who this pussy belongs to.¡± I steal a nce over my shoulder, checking for fangs. The domination is hot, but it¡¯s also way over the top, tonight, and I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s in control. When I shift my weight, the pain in my ankle twinges. Jackson surges forward and catches under the thigh of my hurt leg, hoisting my knee up to the tile wall. His body molds against my back, the head of his cock prodding my entrance. ¡°Are you okay, baby?¡± His lips brush my ear as he speaks. If possible, my pussy turns even more molten. He¡¯s in control. Protecting me. Like he¡¯s done from the start. ¡°Yeah,¡± I pant.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Reach down and guide me in.¡± I obey, reaching between my syed legs and directing his cock to the sweet spot of entry. He eases forward, parting me, filling me, inch by delicious inch. The position is so lewd, his dominance so extreme, I feel like the star of a porn movie. Jackson makes an approving hum behind me and then thrusts upward. ¡°Take all of me,¡± he growls. I cry out. It¡¯s the good kind of hurt-deep and delicious. His cock stretches me, hits the front of my passage on each ramming instroke. ¡°Oh God,¡± I moan. ¡°Not yet, baby.¡± Jackson must be talking between clenched teeth. He braces himself with one hand against the shower wall by my head and continues to plow into me. Need coils tight within me. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Oh fates, baby. Are you begging? Keep fucking begging. That makes me so hard for you, kitten.¡± Tears sting my eyes. I¡¯m desperate for release. My one standing leg shakes so hard, it¡¯s a wonder it holds me up. ¡°Please, please, Jackson,¡± I plead. An inhuman sound rips from his throat, and I freeze. He fucks me so deep and hard, I see stars. Another roar sts against the shower walls, and Jackson plunges deep, lifting me off my feet, spearing me with his erupting cock. He catches me around the waist, still holding my lifted knee with his other hand. I clench around him, release spiraling out of me in a divine series of squeezes and shudders, until I¡¯m wrung out and limp with pleasure. All the time, I¡¯m waiting for the bite, but it neveres. I can¡¯t decide if I¡¯m disappointed or relieved. ¡°You take my cock so well, baby.¡± His lips are right at my ear again, his deep, rasping voice seductive. ¡°Open your eyes and look at where you are.¡± Are my eyes still closed? It seems they are. I allow them to flutter open. I¡¯m still nose to tile with the shower wall, Jackson¡¯s hard muscled body pressed against my back. ¡°This is a tight space, don¡¯t you think?¡± My heart hups. It is a very tight space. And the exit is blocked. And I¡¯m not the least bit afraid. I let out a puff ofughter. ¡°It is.¡± He nips my ear. ¡°You survived it.¡± He eases out of me and gently turns me around. His eyes are still blue, and his teeth do look sharper than usual, but he is clearly Jackson the man, not the wolf. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid when I¡¯m with you.¡± It¡¯s true. Not a twinge of ustrophobia. He shakes his head. ¡°You don¡¯t ever need to be afraid again. You¡¯ve conquered it.¡± I¡¯m not sure I share his confidence in me. This situation is special. Next time, I probably won¡¯t have a goddess-worthy male fucking the daylights out of me to make me forget to be scared. But I love that he remembers. That he cares. I smile up at him. ¡°Maybe we should practice a little more to be sure.¡± Agony flits over his expression. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll survive it. I need to get out of here and run. Otherwise, I¡¯m going to end up tying you to the bed and fucking you for the next eight hours. And that¡¯s if you¡¯re lucky and I don¡¯t lose control.¡± And bite me. Mark me as his. 26 Fresh heat spikes in my core. I¡¯ve never felt so desirable in my life. Yeah, I know I have a hot body and have even used it on asion to my advantage. But this animal side of Jackson, this crazed, I can¡¯t-stand-being-near-you-without-fucking makes me feel like Helen of Troy. Or the most irresistible siren. He tugs off the condom and steps out of the shower to dispose of it. When Ie out, he opens a towel for me. Doesn¡¯t just hand it to me but waits for me to step into it then wraps it around me. There¡¯s a familiarity to the gesture-like we¡¯re a long-time couple, easy with the little sweetnesses. Suddenly I want that so badly-want to stay and have Jackson King be my normal. My pack. But he¡¯s already said it can¡¯t happen. He has to mate another shifter. Not me. The pain of it nearly blinds me. I turn away so he won¡¯t see it on my face. I need to rescue Meme and leave town. Guilt for even thinking about a man when she¡¯s missing squeezes my stomach. Yes, finding Meme and leaving town is the only ending to this story that makes sense. I just pray she¡¯s still alive. She¡¯s the only home I have. Jackson I don¡¯t know how I survived fucking Kylie without marking her. My teeth were down, serum coating my fangs, but I somehow kept the wolf in check. Because I had to. To protect my female. Yeah, I just flipped the bird to moon sickness. Taking the female my wolf wants desperately to mate without biting her ought to win me a medal of achievement. But my entire body itches to shift now. And I don¡¯t know what will happen after I¡¯ve given the wolf free rein. I wrap a towel around my waist and stalk to the back door where I jam the barricade in the giant doggy-door. Thest thing I want is toe in after running under the full moon and attack Kylie. ¡°Do not let me in if I¡¯m on four legs,¡± I tell her. She¡¯s followed me out, also dressed in a towel. It urs to me that she could really use a change of clothes-she¡¯s been wearing my clothes or her same jean skirt and tee for three days now-and I feel like an asshole for not remedying the situation for her. A small onepared to her missing grandmother. Her eyes are wide, but she nods bravely. No surprise there. My little hacker thief, stealing million dor paintings by age ten. Somewhere out on the mountain, Sam howls, calling me out to run. ¡°I have to go. Lock the door after me and don¡¯t open it. Understand?¡± Another nod. I grab her for a rough kiss, our mouths melding, tongues twining with enough heat to draw my fangs down again. It takes all my effort to pull away from her, shift, and run out into the night. ~.~ Kylie I wake to the sound of howling right outside the cabin. The hairs on my nape stand up at the eerie cry. One wolf. I look at the clock-four a. m. I passed out in therge,fortable bed in what I assume was the master bedroom right after Jackson left. And now, it seems, he has returned. But he¡¯s on four legs, which means I can¡¯t let him in. Thud. That sounded like a body being thrown at the back door. He¡¯s trying to get in. I slip out of bed and limp to the kitchen at the rear of the cabin. I¡¯m wearing nothing but one of Jackson¡¯s T-shirts, which I found in the dresser. I peek out the window and see Jackson, in his giant silver wolf form, heaving himself at the barricaded doggy door. The ck wolf-must be Sam-appears behind him and nips at his hind quarters. Jackson turns on the smaller wolf and attacks. The two roll on the ground, their horrible growls filling the air. It seems like more than y. Jackson¡¯s teeth snap, Sam¡¯s answering whine sounds pained. Jackson once again runs and heaves his enormous body at the door. He seriously is trying to huff and puff this door down. The fact that he doesn¡¯t just shift and use the doorknob tells me he¡¯s incapable of it. And this is why he told me not to let him in. A shiver runs through me that has nothing to do with the cool mountain air. So what¡¯s Sam doing? Trying to protect me? Keep Jackson away? It would seem so, because the smaller wolf once morees after Jackson, nipping him and running away before Jackson can bite him in return. When Jackson ignores him and goes after the door again, Sam repeats the action. This time, Jackson moves faster, taking a bite out of Sam¡¯s nk. The wolf yips pitifully, and my hand flies to the door handle. I need to stop this before Sam gets hurt. But I¡¯m no wolf. What do I know about stopping a wolf fight? Maybe this is just full moon y. But no. Jackson stays on Sam, even when Sam rolls over and gives him his belly. The great silver wolf goes for his throat. I scream at the same time Sam transforms into human form.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Jackson.¡± The urgency in Sam¡¯s tone scares me. Dear God, if Jackson¡¯s jaws snap on Sam¡¯s throat in human form, will it kill him? I fly out the door, needing to help. Sam¡¯s amber gaze swivels to me, rmed. ¡°No!¡± Jackson whirls and leaps to the steps in a single, impossible arc. His shoulder hits my waist and knocks me against the door. ¡°Ooph.¡± Sam transforms back to wolf and makes a simr graceful leap,nding on top of Jackson and throwing him off the steps. The two tussle again. I cage my scream. Common sense tells me to run back inside the cabin and lock the door, but I can¡¯t let Sam stay out here and get hurt for me. I can¡¯t. ¡°Jackson!¡± I yell to distract him. His head jerks up with a ferocious snarl, and he charges me once more. Sam moves quicker, leaping through the air andnding between us. Once more, he shifts to human form, reaching for the door knob. ¡°Get. Inside.¡± Jackson shifts too, and ms Sam against the wall, choking him with a forearm across Sam¡¯s windpipe. His eyes are ice-blue, eerily inhuman. ¡°Stay. Away from her.¡± Sam¡¯s palms fly up in surrender. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ a danger,¡± he wheezes. For a moment, I think Jackson will kill Sam, but his eye color starts to bleed into green, and he releases Sam, who gasps and clutches at his throat. Blood drips down Sam¡¯s leg from the earlier bite. ¡°Sam,¡± Jackson rasps, regretced through the single syble. He cradles Sam¡¯s head and leans his forehead against the younger man¡¯s. ¡°Fuck. Thank you. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You okay?¡± Sam asks, which seems backwards, since he¡¯s the one who¡¯s hurt. But I know he¡¯s asking if Jackson¡¯s in control. ¡°Yeah.¡± Jackson grabs my arm and spins me around, giving my ass a pop. ¡°Get inside, female. I told you not to open that door.¡± Butterflies take off in my belly at the hint of punishment toe. ¡°You want me to stay?¡± Sam asks as I head inside, as told. ¡°No, I¡¯m back. Thank you, brother.¡± There¡¯s a solemnity to the way he speaks, as if he¡¯s uttering a solemn oath or vow. A shiver of recognition of their pack roles gives me gooseflesh. Jackson steps in, his cock fully engorged, swinging as he walks. He¡¯s an incredible sight-wild, smelling of pine and dirt and the night air. His muscles bulge and shift as he stoops to throw me over his shoulder. His expression is dark. Ravenous. ¡°Jackson. Jackson. Are you okay?¡± He carries me to the bedroom and sets me on my feet. ¡°I don¡¯t know. You tell me. Is it okay to disobey me?¡± He rips the T-shirt off me in a swift tug. Wraps a fist in my hair and pulls my head back. I¡¯m unbelievably turned on, and a smidge scared, because he¡¯s not quite Jackson. There¡¯s a fierce hunger in his face, a controlled violence just below the surface. He kicks my feet apart. ¡°Spread your legs.¡± I obey. His palm connects with my pussy, a punitive p. ¡°Wider.¡± I spread wider. He ps my pussy again, still controlling my head with my hair. ¡°Answer my question. Is it okay to disobey me, kitten?¡± Any minute, I¡¯m going to tell him to take it down a notch, make sure this is y and not real. But, apparently, I don¡¯t want that, because my molten pussy aches for his touch and, ¡°N-no,¡± is the only sound from my lips. Another p. Another. It hurts and sings at once. p. p. He continues spanking mydy parts. My legs tremble, and I wonder if I cane from pussy spanking alone. I don¡¯t get to find out. ¡°Bad girl,¡± he murmurs in my ear. His huge palm kneads my ass. He doesn¡¯t sound the least bit angry. All I hear is excitement. Seduction. He wiggles a finger between my cheeks and presses on my anus. I jerk in surprise, tightening my cheeks in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to fuck your ass for this.¡± He releases my hair and stalks around the bed, throwing the pillows in the center. My poor wobbly legs barely hold me up, and my tummy is all flutters. ¡°Jackson, I don¡¯t think-¡± I trail off, staring at his enormous erection. No. Way. ¡°You¡¯re too big. I don¡¯t think I can take you.¡± He stalks out of the room, and I hear a darkugh. When he returns, he¡¯s holding a bottle of olive oil from the kitchen. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll take me, little girl. You¡¯ll take every inch of me. That¡¯s your punishment. When you disobey, kitten, you get it in the ass.¡± It sounds like a horrible idea. A terrifying, wonderful, horrible idea. But I can¡¯t bring myself to refuse. My body is wound up in a tight coil, desperate to be sprung. He ps my ass. ¡°Lie over the pillows, baby. I¡¯m going to own that hot little body of yours.¡± Something akin to a mewles from my lips, but I find myself obeying, tottering to the bed and climbing over the pillows. Presenting my ass to him like a cake on a tter. There¡¯s a dark rumble of approval. I watch over my shoulder as he sheaths his cock and pours a generous amount of oil over it then trickles another stream along my crack. He crawls over me, one hand fisting his cock, the other massaging oil into my ass, around my anus. ¡°There are consequences for disobeying your alpha.¡± He pushes the head of his cock against my anus and waits. I tighten against his touch, but, a momentter, the muscles give. As soon as they loosen, Jackson pushes forward, prating my tight hole. I let out a keening cry. He stills, stretching me wide, waiting for me to calm down. The care he takes reassures me that he¡¯s in control, and I yield, willing my pelvic floor to rx. He pushes in farther and the stretch bes more intense, then eases. ¡°There. That¡¯s the head. I¡¯m in, baby. Now, take the rest of me.¡± I whimper but let all my muscles go ck, arch my back a little, and wait. ¡°Good girl,¡± he rumbles, one hand coasting up my side, stroking my skin. The praise sends curls of warmth through me, and I arch some more. ¡°That¡¯s it, baby. Take it like a good girl, and I¡¯ll kiss that ripe pussy when I¡¯m through.¡± He eases in and out, giving me a tremendous sense of urgency each time he fills me. My ass is stuffed full of his cock, but my pussy feels tragically empty. I reach my hand between my legs to remedy the situation. My flesh is juicy, swollen beyond recognition, even to my familiar fingers. Jackson growls and catches my wrist, pulling my hand out. 27 ¡°Mine. What did I tell you about touching your pussy? Only I get to master this sweetness.¡± He covers my body with his, reaching around to cup my mons. It¡¯s exactly what I need. The tremors start through my body. ¡°Jackson.¡± The hoarse cry doesn¡¯t even sound like my voice. ¡°Jackson, please.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it, baby. Beg me.¡± He picks up speed, plundering my ass while his fingers fuck me from below. I¡¯m dizzy with lust, drugged with need. The cabin spins and tilts. ¡°Jackson!¡± The room fills with keening cries, which must be mine. A snarl and a roar cut across them, and Jackson plunges deep. I grab his fingers in my pussy and push them deeper and hold them there as Ie, too, my vaginal muscles squeezing, anus tightening around his huge girth. He pulls out too soon, stumbling back, and I twist to see what I already know will be there. Fangs. He tears off the condom and discards it. Thenes for me. Jackson If I don¡¯t get enough of Kylie, I¡¯ll die. I need to possess her in every way. Fates, I almost killed Sam out there. My wolf smelled Kylie in the cabin and needed to get inside with a desperation that rocked me. When Sam tried to interfere, the wolf thought he was challenging me for her. Thank fuck he shifted, or I would¡¯ve gone moon sick for sure. Even now, the fact that I just orgasmed doesn¡¯t ease any of the fierce need sifting through me. I pray if I just keep iming her, pleasuring her, fucking her, it will appease my wolf enough he won¡¯t mark her. I pull the pillows out from under her heart-shaped ass and flip her over. Shove her knees apart. Apply my mouth to her core, licking and sucking like my life depends on it. She¡¯s limp at first, her knees falling open, stillnguorous after her orgasm. But her fingerse to my hair when I tongue her clit, and she lets out a weak moan. I don¡¯t stop. She tastes like heaven. I feast in her juices, devouring her. I rub her clit, suck and nip herbia. She tears at my hair, hoarse criesing from her throat. She¡¯s incredible, the way she gives herself to me, so willing to receive all the pleasure I need to pour on her. Her untrained body is infinitely responsive. I prate her with two fingers, find her G-spot on her inner wall, and work it until the tissue hardens and wrinkles. ¡°Jackson. Jackson. Please. I can¡¯t take any more.¡± Her knees cinch around my head. I prate her with both tongue and fingers then return to sucking her clit, pumping three fingers in and out of her until shees for the third time tonight, her channel squeezing and releasing as she lets out a long, keening cry. I wish it was enough. I know I¡¯ve already exhausted my little human. Precious, beautiful female. I climb up to sit on the bed and pull her across myp. Her scent punches me into animal mode again. I spank her pretty ass, fast and hard. ¡°Jesus, kitten. The scent of your arousal makes me crazy. I can always smell when you¡¯re turned on. I knew it that first day in the elevator after I touched you.¡± She whimpers, and I register than I¡¯m hurting her but can¡¯t seem to stop. It feels so damn good to smack her juicy ass, and the little cries she grunts she makes only feed my frenzy. My wolf starts to howl. I spank her until her ass turns red. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± she cries, and I work my hand under her hips, twiddle her little clit again. I keep pping, loving the way her cheeks tten and spring back under my hand. ¡°I don¡¯t need you sorry. I only need your surrender. This is the only way I keep my wolf from marking you.¡± She wriggles over my hand, her cunt leaking juices down my fingers. ¡°Do you like that, baby?¡± ¡°No¡­ yes¡­ ohhh,¡± she pants. ¡°Too much. Too much, Jackson. I can¡¯t take any more.¡± I push her off myp, but there¡¯s no stopping me. ¡°Inside you,¡± I growl. I lift her to her hands and knees then force her upper body down, so her face presses into the covers. Somehow, miraculously, I remember to don another condom. I snap it on and push into her wet heat. My fangs punch out longer; a snarl rips from my throat. Don¡¯t mark. Just. Fuck. Mate, the wolf roars. Just. Fuck. My balls p against her, cock sliding in and out of her tight channel. She takes all of me in this position, takes me deep. My thighs shake, balls draw up tight. She moans and wails, her cries both pitiful and wanton at once. Her pussy is still wet and willing. Generous in how hard a fucking it takes. Just fuck just fuck just fuck. Don¡¯t. Bite. Ie again with a roar. Kylie¡¯s screams join my snarl, and she orgasms, milking my cock with her tight muscles, drawing even more cum out of me. I shudder, chills and heat running through me like I have a fever. Kylie lets out a sob as I slip out of her. I dispose of the condom and catch a whiff of salt. No. A tear slides down her nose. The scent immediately takes my wolf down. He whimpers and retreats. The lust-induced haze over my brain dissolves. Oh fates-my female. Have I hurt her? ¡°Baby, baby, baby,¡± I croon, quickly disposing of the condom. I scoop her into my arms, cradle her against my chest. I settle back on the bed. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°Not hurt¡­ just wrung out.¡± She tucks her head under my chin, her limp body molding to mine. ¡°Tell me you¡¯re okay,¡± I plead.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. She kisses my neck. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m okay. I love you.¡± 28 I go still, and she stiffens, seeming to realize what slipped out. ¡°I mean-¡± ¡°Shh. Don¡¯t you dare take it back,¡± I warn. I cradle her face in my palm and turn it to look into her warm brown eyes. ¡°I love you.¡± I don¡¯t say I love you, too, because I don¡¯t want it to sound less serious than her admission. I utter it like a vow. I don¡¯t know how the fuck I¡¯m going to make things work with a human, especially if every full moon is like this, but I sure as hell have to try. I¡¯m not giving her up for anything. And that means I need to eliminate all the threats to my female. ¡°Kylie, I need to know what happened at the Louvre.¡± She blinks in surprise and tries to pull away. I literally can see her emotional retreat before my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t run,¡± Imand. ¡°Look at me. I need to know.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been in hiding since then. And now you¡¯ve been outed. Are you in danger?¡± She shakes her head. ¡°Not for the next seven to ten years.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°It was my father¡¯s partner in the heist. A double-cross. My father nned to return the painting to its rightful owners-rtives of the Jewish family it was stolen from during the war. As soon as they had the painting, he stabbed my dad and took the canvas. He didn¡¯t know I¡¯de along. Never knew there was a witness. I stayed in hiding as a precaution. I figured if he knew where to find me, he¡¯d want me dead. But, strangely enough, he became the victim of quite a few cyber attacks over thest few years, including one that stole enough evidence to send the FBI after him.¡± My brave little warrior smiles up at me. ¡°So, I¡¯m safe for now. Until he gets out of jail andes looking for me.¡± I growl. Not good enough. I vow to eliminate that threatpletely. But at least I know, for now, she¡¯s safe from that direction. Kylie lifts her chin. ¡°What about you? Anyone want you dead?¡± I rub my forehead. ¡°Maybe. If I returned home, I¡¯d probably be challenged.¡± ¡°Why?¡± My head suddenly aches. I lean my forehead against hers. ¡°You don¡¯t want to know, baby.¡± ¡°I told you mine. You tell me yours.¡± Her voice is firm, the challenge clear in her eyes. My female is alpha all the way. ¡°I killed my stepfather.¡± The only person I¡¯ve ever told before is Sam, although Garrett might know if he¡¯s done any research into my history. To her credit, Kylie doesn¡¯t flinch, doesn¡¯t show any shock. She touches my face. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°He was the pack leader. Alpha. A first ss asshole. Beat my mom regrly. Not like a spanking, the way wolves establish dominance. With his fists.¡± Kylie pales but remains quiet. ¡°He put my mom in the hospital once. Shifters heal fast, so you have to know how bad it was.¡± The memories raced back to him. Seeing his mother bloodied and battered on that hospital bed. I¡¯m not going back, Jackson, she told him. You don¡¯t go back, either. ¡°She didn¡¯t heal. I can only guess she didn¡¯t want to. Or that he¡¯d battered her mind so badly, too, that the ability to heal shut off.¡± I was only fourteen. Old enough to want to fight my stepfather, but too small to stop him. ¡°She died three dayster. I watched her just slip away. And I¡­¡± My throat works. I don¡¯t want to tell her this part. She strokes my arm, listening. Waiting. ¡°I killed him.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that, baby. I don¡¯t want you to think of me-¡± ¡°You can tell me,¡± she murmurs. ¡°It won¡¯t change how I feel about you.¡± Like hell it won¡¯t. ¡°I ran home from the hospital. My fangs were probably down like they were tonight. I¡¯d only just started shifting and had little control of the animal inside. He heard me snarling and came outside the house. Stood there like a son of a bitch with his hands on his hips. What? he sneered. Your mama send you after me, boy? Is she still pretending not to heal? ¡°It¡¯s hard to kill a shifter. A bullet to the head usually does it. Or severing the head. There was an ax sitting there on the chopping block. I picked it up and came at him. I said something like, She¡¯s dead, you miserable piece of shit and then I swung. I figured he¡¯d stop me. Maybe kill me, too. I¡¯d tried to fight him before and always ended up bloody. ¡°But he just stood there as I came at him. Probably the shock of hearing he¡¯d really killed her. He shifted after the blow, but it was toote. He died just a few secondster.¡± Her breath hitches, but she keeps her face smooth. ¡°Wow. That¡¯s¡­ intense. I¡¯m sorry, Jackson. I¡¯m sorry you had to go through that.¡± She blinks her big doe-eyes up at me, and they swim with sympathy. Not horror. Relief pours through me. Lightens the heaviness in my chest I¡¯ve carried every day since my mother¡¯s death. Sharing my terrible secret with Kylie eases the burden of it.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°So then what happened? You left? Do you have a buried identity like me? Are you wanted for murder somewhere?¡± ¡°Yeah, I left. I didn¡¯t lose my identity. No one ever came after me. No police reports were filed, but I¡¯m from the backwoods of North Carolina, where the entire town was made up of shifters, sheriff included. Shifter business is generally kept to shifters.¡± ¡°And you haven¡¯t been back?¡± I shake my head. ¡°Never. I left a much younger stepbrother behind. I hate myself for that. But the whole town was made up of my stepfather¡¯s extended family. He would¡¯ve been well taken care of. I knew that much.¡± ¡°You took Sam in to make up for it.¡± My eyebrows shoot up at her guess. ¡°Yeah, I suppose so.¡± She tucks her head under my chin and hums softly. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m snuggling. With a human. And nothing has ever felt so right in my life. I stroke her hair. ¡°I won¡¯t let anything happen to you, kitten.¡± Even if it means protecting her from myself. 29 Kylie Jackson wakes me in the morning by pulling a T-shirt over my head and picking me up into his arms. ¡°Come on, sweet girl. I¡¯m taking you back to my house.¡± He carries me out of the cabin to his car. ¡°There¡¯s not enough good food for you here. Besides, I want Sam nearby so he can protect you if anything happens.¡± I make a contented purring sound in my throat. I love being carried like I weigh nothing, gently deposited in the car seat. Jackson even buckles my seatbelt for me. When did the big bad wolf turn so damn sweet? He climbs behind the wheel and drives down the mountain, shooting concerned nces my way every now and then. ¡°How do you feel this morning?¡± I stretch, still hatching from sleep. ¡°Good. You?¡± He drops a hand to my thigh and drags it up to my bare pussy, lightly brushing his fingers over my sensitive flesh. ¡°How about this sweet pussy? Too sore?¡± I flush a bit at having my pussy be the topic of conversation before eight a. m. ¡°A little sore,¡± I admit. ¡°But I¡¯m notining. That was the hottest sex of my lifest night.¡± Jackson makes a choked sound, and pride battles with disbelief on his face. ¡°You were a virgin two days ago.¡± ¡°So? It still was hot.¡± ¡°It was fucking nuclear. Baby, I want you to know, I¡¯ve never had sex like that with any female before-human or wolf.¡± I smile at the serious tone he adopted. He shoves the hem of my T-shirt-his, really, but the one I¡¯m wearing-up to my waist, exposing my bare pussy. ¡°Spread those creamy thighs, baby. I need to see your pink heart.¡± My breath stutters, but I part my legs. He cups my mons. ¡°You remember who this belongs to?¡± I flush. ¡°It¡¯s mine. And if I was too rough with it, you¡¯d be within your rights to pout a little, kitten. Make me kiss it better when I get home tonight.¡± The thought has my nipples tightening, pussy clenching. The image of us as some kind of 1950s married couple floats through my mind. I¡¯m the sex-kitten wife, waiting for him toe home from a hard day at work. Offer him a drink and loosen his tie before I pout and make him lick my pussy aspensation for pounding me too hard the night before. Okay, I¡¯m getting way too excited. And there¡¯s work to be done. Serious work. He pulls into his garage and insists on carrying me inside. ¡°Your ankle is sore, and you¡¯re not wearing panties.¡± Iugh. ¡°So those are the two criteria for getting carried?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Now, watch the sass or I¡¯ll have to see to that pretty little ass of yours before I go. Is it sore, too?¡± I reach back and run my hand over my bare cheeks. ¡°No.¡± I can¡¯t decide if I¡¯m d or disappointed. He settles me on the couch. ¡°Listen, I didn¡¯t tell you something that happened yesterday. I got a call from the ckmailer-with the robotic voice. They identified themselves as Catgirl. Said they installed corruption code to wipe out all of SeCure¡¯s backup data. Told me to transfer five hundred million dor by midnight tonight if I want it back.¡± I sit up straight. ¡°Tell me you have the information backed up somewhere else.¡± Of course he does. He¡¯s Jackson King, genius of cyber security. ¡°I do. Triple saved. Not even my infosec team knows how.¡± He flicks his brows, and I understand he believes this threat came from the inside.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°So what did you tell them?¡± ¡°I told them to go fuck themselves.¡± Iugh. ¡°I believe I used those exact words, too.¡± His eyes crinkle, and he kisses the top of my head. ¡°I have it handled. I just wanted you to know. No contact with me. Stay off your phone, or they¡¯ll trace you here.¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°Yeah, yeah, yeah. Preaching to the choir, big guy. I wrote the manual on going dark.¡± He gives a reluctant nod. ¡°Okay. Make sure you eat and get more rest.¡± It¡¯s too good to be true. I like it way too much. The practical little voice in the back of my head tells me not to get used to this. Not to trust. He¡¯s already made it in he can¡¯t be with a human. And I can¡¯t stay in hiding in the mansion of a member of the Forbes Fortune 500 CEOs. I need to put my head on straight, fix this situation, and get lost. It doesn¡¯t matter how good the sex was. How much I want to be imed and marked and kept by Jackson King. It can¡¯t happen. Won¡¯t happen. I grab some toast and coffee and start to work. I start by opening Meme¡¯s favorite Parisian antique message board. Meme and I have prearranged to message each other there if we are ever separated or need to get in touch. We made the arrangement years ago, and I forgot it untilst night. I hope her memory serves her better. I search out her alias and click to private message her. Even though it¡¯s a private message, I keep my note cryptic. Looking for you. Can we meet? I hope she remembers. From there, I click open the DefCon boards. The ce where hackers meet. The ce I let slip, years ago, that I¡¯d hacked into SeCure. Someone there had set me up. And now that I realize that, something in the malware has jogged my memory. If I can find the conversation I¡¯m remembering, I might have my hacker. ~.~ Ginrummy Something is wrong. He should be hearing more about the ckmail threat. They should all be scrambling to try to decode my corruption. He knows SeCure doesn¡¯t have additional backup. He¡¯s in charge of this shit. And the FBI clowns should be all over it, too. Which means Jackson King didn¡¯t tell anyone about the call. Why in the fuck not? Perhaps out of nostalgia, he opens the DefCon boards. It would be interesting to see if they were talking about the SeCure hack. Some idiot is probably bragging in there that it was been him. He finds a direct message in his DefCon inbox. From Catgirl. His pulse stutters as he opens it. Ginrummy, I need to talk to you. In person. Meet me at the Park ¡®n Save at the Tucson airport at one p. m.. The shade structure on Row 7. ~Catgirl His heart pounds triple time. He knows, without a shadow of a doubt, going to that meeting would be a huge mistake. He should let the FBI know he¡¯s had a tip she¡¯ll be there. But what if she presents the FBI with the dirt on him? Better to tell Mr. X. But that thought just doesn¡¯t sit right with him. He now has no doubt they will kill Kylie like they did her grandmother. And, while he should be d he¡¯s working with an organization willing to tie up loose ends, he can¡¯t stomach it. Catgirl means something to him. Even if she doesn¡¯t reciprocate. Even if what she means is mostly in his head. He¡¯s not willing to let go of that fantasy. 30 What does she want to say to him? Why does she want to meet? The fascination with her every move, every thought hooks him like a barb, reels him in. How does that brilliant mind work? Is she nning a counter-ckmail? She asked to meet at the Tucson airport. Does that mean she¡¯s headed out of town? If she is, he¡¯ll let her go. Let her disappear into hiding again, bearing the suspicion for his crime. Perhaps she just wants to let him know she knows. Or maybe she wants to kill him. No. he doesn¡¯t think Catgirl¡¯s a murderer. She has principles. Very high moral standards. He remembers long discussions they had about right and wrong, which heter realized must have been colored by her parents¡¯ vignte thieving. So, what does she want with him? Damn. The temptation to meet with her overrides reason. The need to know, to see the beautiful hacker onest time infiltrates his being, sucking him down the rabbit hole of bad decisions. He has a gun. He¡¯ll bring it to the meeting, in case she tries anything. And he won¡¯t notify anyone-not the FBI or Mr. X just yet. Better to figure out her game first, then make a decision about how to react. ~.~ Jackson Work is still a public rtions nightmare. I¡¯m on teleconference with the board most of the day, and many of them are calling for my resignation. Our stock price is down, and there are threats ofwsuits. All I can think is fuck them all. I can¡¯t even make myself give a shit about SeCure¡¯s stock price or what I¡¯d do if the board fires me. My mind is only focused on one thing. Figuring out who framed Kylie. Apart from me, I try to remember who from SeCure knew Catgirl hacked us eight years ago. Luis. A few members of the infosec team at the time. Who were they? Stu? No, he didn¡¯t work here then. Why did he pop into my head, though? I remember Kylie¡¯s interview. How eager he was to get her hired. At the time. I¡¯d thought it had to do with her beauty, the Batgirl tits. But what if Stu was the one who orchestrated her hire? He¡¯d be capable of writing the code that infected our system-he¡¯s a damn good programmer and probably another hacker-turned-infosec professional.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. A prickle runs up the back of my neck, and I stand. I need to have a word with him. As if I¡¯ve conjured him with my thoughts, I catch sight of his slouchy figure out my window, walking to his car. The prickly feeling hasn¡¯t gone away, so I head for the door and take the stairs down to the parking lot at shifter speed. His car pulls out the gates. I jog to my Range Rover and climb in. It¡¯s all I can do not to screech the tires following him, but good sense wins out, and I keep a distance. He drives for a long time. This isn¡¯t a quick lunch date. It¡¯s a forty-five minute drive to the south side of downtown. Though I have nothing to go on, my gut tells me to keep following. He pulls into the Park ¡®n Save at the Tucson airport and parks near a shade structure. Rolls down his window like he¡¯s about to make a drug deal. My instincts re into high alert. This is not normal. Whatever he¡¯s doing is totally suspect. I hang back by a few cars, park a distance from him, and stay in my car. He also stays in his car. A growl rumbles in my throat as my wolf prepares for danger. I stop cold, though, when a familiar motorcycle zooms in front of me and pulls up alongside his car, the long-legged brte looking way too good on Sam¡¯s motorcycle. What in the fuck is Kylie doing here? Pain pushes through my heart like a nail in a coffin. Punctures straight through to the other side and leaves me wheezing for breath. Betrayed. She¡¯s been working with Stu all along? A great roaring starts up in my ears, deafens me. My body goes numb, freezing cold as it all clicks into ce. She and Stu are working together on this. I was so stupid to believe all her lies. A known thief, a known hacker, I actually saw her install the malware into my system, and I didn¡¯t realize I was being yed? She took me by the balls. What in the hell is wrong with me? I was thinking with my dick, not my brain, that¡¯s what. I let a pair of sexy legs and Batgirl tits lead me around by the nose. What a fucking idiot. I watch, like a dead man, as she pulls off her helmet and dismounts from the bike. She leans back against it, folding her arms across the same breasts I worshipped onlyst night. I can¡¯t tell what they¡¯re saying. Even if my wolf hearing could detect their voices through the window, the rushing in my ears keeps me from being able to concentrate. I turn weak, like she¡¯s wrapped me up in silver chains-a werewolf¡¯s kryptonite. Power simply drains from the soles of my feet, leaks beneath the car like blood. The betrayal coats my mouth, puts a red filter over my vision. Darkness falls across everything-the peachy future with Kylie I¡¯d been trying way too hard to figure out. It ckens the time we spent together, muddies my trust in my own instincts. Like I¡¯m that teen again, covered in my stepfather¡¯s blood, I go numb. Just shut off. Kylie ¡°You going to shoot me with that thing?¡± I ask, peering in at Stu through his open car window. He has a gun in his pocket pointed at me. He¡¯s pale, sweat beading his forehead. ¡°What do you want, Catgirl?¡± ¡°My grandmother. Where is she?¡± Something that resembles sympathy flickers over his face. ¡°Right. They took your grandmother. I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know.¡± He rubs his forehead with the hand not holding the gun. ¡°I had no idea they would do something like that.¡± A sick twist wrenches my stomach. ¡°Who is they?¡± He shrugs like we¡¯re out to coffee discussing code or what we think about the boss. ¡°Guy calls himself Mr. X. That¡¯s all I know.¡± My hands turn mmy, and I sway on my feet. ¡°You just took down the country¡¯s top credit card securitypany working for a man named Mr. X? Have you met this guy?¡± A sh of misgiving passes over Stu¡¯s face before he hides it. ¡°We¡¯ve been inmunication for over a year. He¡¯s ced a good faith down payment in my offshore ount.¡± ¡°Offshore ount, hm?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hack proof, Catgirl.¡± I¡¯ll see about that. I cut him with my most scornful nce. ¡°You must be pretty proud of yourself, framing me to make yourself rich.¡± Again, a flicker of regret seems to pass over his face. ¡°Get out of town, Catgirl. You can still leave. They¡¯ll never find you. You¡¯re as hack proof as theye. That¡¯s one of the reasons I picked you. You won¡¯t be any worse off than you were before. Hiding and assuming new identities is what you do best.¡± I must be crazy because I actually see his logic. ¡°I need to know where my grandmother is.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really don¡¯t know, but¡­ I wouldn¡¯t wait around.¡± Again, he looks almost sorry for me. ¡°Get out of town, while you can.¡± I eye his gun. It was crazy of me toe here unarmed, but I just had to look him in the face and hear him say for himself what he¡¯s done. He¡¯s telling me my grandmother is dead. My hands start shaking-whether from rage or shock, I¡¯m not sure. Either way, there¡¯s nothing I can do now. Not when Stu has a gun and I¡¯mpletely unarmed. Besides, physical violence has never been my way. I¡¯ve always been the cyber attack sort. If he thinks his money will sit quietly in his offshore ount, he¡¯s fucking delusional. I nod, once. ¡°Okay.¡± Relief flickers over his face. ¡°Okay? You¡¯ll leave town?¡± I shrug. ¡°What choice do I have?¡± ¡°Good.¡± He rolls up his window, and I watch as he puts the car in gear and coasts away. I want to throw Sam¡¯s helmet through his back window, chase after the car and pull him out of it, stand on his throat until he tells me where to find Meme, but I¡¯m helpless. Just like when I watched my father murdered and couldn¡¯t do a thing to save him. Didn¡¯t do a thing to save him. I¡¯ve always wondered if things would be different if I¡¯d gone after his partner that night instead of hiding like a terrified child. He¡¯d already stabbed my father, but what if I¡¯d found a way to kill him? Would that have been the honorable thing to do? Instead of hiding and going after him the sneaky way? The shameful way? Now, I¡¯m doing the same thing. Letting Stu drive away after basically admitting Meme¡¯s been killed. The sound of a car door mming nearby makes me jerk my head up. My throat closes when I see the figure storming toward me, dark and furious. Jackson. His huge hand shoots out and grips me by the throat. ¡°Jackson,¡± I choke, real fear shooting through me. His eyes are ice-blue, inhuman. As if he catches the fear, something flickers in his expression. The fury slips away, reced by something far more raw and broken. ¡°So.¡± He brings his face right up to mine. ¡°You¡¯ve been working with Stu all along. yed me for a fool, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No,¡± I gasp. ¡°You have it wrong. I came-¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± He gives me a little shake. With my weight suspended by the column of my neck, he pulls me to my tiptoes. ¡°All I have to do is squeeze to crush your throat.¡± There¡¯s a sharp menace to his voice I¡¯ve never heard before. It terrifies me. ¡°Or snap to break your neck.¡± I remember this is the man who lost control of his wolf and killed his stepfather with an ax. Who hunts and runs wild on the mountain. He¡¯s no stranger to violence. ¡°Which would you prefer?¡± ¡°No.¡± It¡¯s hard to speak around the fingers partially cutting off my air, around the crushing panic, because strangtion feels a lot like ustrophobia. Tears spike, drip out the corners of my eyes. His nostrils re, and he releases me abruptly, a look of horror on his face. He shoves his fingers through his hair. ¡°Get out of here. Get out of my sight before I harm you. You aren¡¯t safe with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not working with Stu,¡± I rasp, my throat sore from his fingers. He lunges for me again, covering my mouth with his hand. ¡°No more lies from that pretty little mouth. No more. Just. Leave. He takes my helmet from my hands and puts it over my head, buckles it even. He tugs the chinstrap forward and stamps his lips over mine. I moan into his mouth, hope ring that he is still with me, that he will listen, but he makes a broken sound and, when he pulls away, he doesn¡¯t even look at me. A goodbye kiss. Fuck. That¡¯s what it was. It guts me. He stalks away without another word. I open my mouth to call after him, to exin, but tears choke my voice, followed closely by anger designed to protect against the kind of injury I sustained. Heartbreak. He should have let me exin. Why would he give me the benefit of the doubt all along and then choose now to believe I¡¯m against him? Now, when I¡¯m already hopelessly in love with him? Now, when I can no sooner walk away from him than I can from Meme? Tears streaking my cheeks, I throw a leg over Sam¡¯s motorcycle and take off. I have nowhere to go, no leads to follow. Stu was right. I should get out of town while I still can. Why, then, would I rather cut off my own arm? 31 Jackson Driving back to the office, it takes me a long time to realize my phone is ringing. I check the screen. Garrett. Because the guy doesn¡¯t call me often, and that means it¡¯s wolf business, I take the call. ¡°King speaking.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Garrett. Listen, do you know anything about a female called Kylie?¡± The distortion in my vision and the roaring in my ears fall away, my attention sharpening to a razor point. ¡°What about her?¡± I snap.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°You do know her?¡± I wait, my fingers fisting around the steering wheel, ready to rip it off. ¡°An elderly cat shifter showed up here this morning suffering from four bullet wounds, including one to the head that should¡¯ve killed her. She couldn¡¯t shift for a day, but she finally limped into my ce, disoriented and badly dehydrated. ¡°Cat shifter?¡± I repeated, my brain skipping in twenty directions. ¡°Yeah. Jacqueline Dumont. You know her?¡± ¡°What does she have to do with Kylie?¡± I demand through gritted teeth, impatience tearing at me, even though I already know the answer. ¡°Says she¡¯s her grandmother. Thinks Kylie works for you and is in trouble. Is this the woman who¡¯s been all over the news for hacking your ce?¡± ¡°Fuck. Yes. Where is she now-the old woman?¡± ¡°My ce.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± ¡°She¡¯s under my protection,¡± Garrett warns. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt her,¡± I practically yell into the phone before tossing it onto the seat. Downtown is just a few exits away. I follow roads that should be familiar as if in I drive in a new city. My mind turns over the new information. Kylie really has a grandmother. Who was shot multiple times. If she wasn¡¯t a shifter, she certainly would have died. And ho-boy-Kylie¡¯s grandmother is a cat shifter? Is Kylie? She can¡¯t be. Her fear when I partially shifted was genuine. But how would she have a shifter for a grandmother and know nothing about werewolves? Another thought creeps in, full of heat and tingles. Kylie has shifter blood. No wonder my wolf wanted to mate her. And it means she probably would have survived it. But that is water under the bridge. Kylie just met with Stu, proving she was in cahoots with him the whole time. Except, now that this new information has knocked me out of my stupor, doubt creeps in. Could there be another exnation for her meeting with Stu? I pull up in front of Garrett¡¯s apartment and get out, walking swiftly in and onto the elevator. I stop on Garrett¡¯s floor and get off. The scent of shifters-both wolf and, yes, the distinctly feline smell as well, hits me. I knock on the door and one of Garrett¡¯s housemates answers it and steps deferentially aside to let me in. The old woman is on the sofa, pale and weak. She¡¯s dressed in one of the wolf¡¯s T-shirts-far too big for her. She sits up when Ie in, eyes glowing gold. ¡°Where is she?¡± She speaks with a thick French ent. My eyes narrow. It¡¯s not my habit to answer anyone¡¯s demands, especially someone I¡¯ve just met. ¡°Jackson, meet Jacqueline,¡± Garrett says, appearing from the kitchen. ¡°I smell her on you. Where is Mte?¡± Jacqueline demands. ¡°I don¡¯t know anyone named Mte.¡± She makes an impatient sh of her hand and attempts to stand, but it¡¯s obviously too much for her. She sags back against the sofa. ¡°My granddaughter, Kylie. They say she works for you. She¡¯s in trouble.¡± I pull a chair from the kitchen table and ce it beside the sofa, settling into it. ¡°Kylie is in trouble, yes. She stole hundreds of millions of dors from my customers.¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± She waves her hand dismissively. ¡°No, she didn¡¯t. These men did.¡± She points at a ce on the side of her head where she must have been shot. The hair is growing back, and the skin closing, but she¡¯s extremely lucky she didn¡¯t die. The wall I spent thest forty minutes erecting shudders, as if moved by an earthquake. This is the moment. I either go on believing in Kylie and her story as I have from the beginning, or I stick with my newer, excruciating understanding that she betrayed me. If Kylie was in cahoots with Stu, there wouldn¡¯t be an old Frenchwoman lying on a couch with bullet wounds, would there? An old woman who greatly resembles my little hacker. The high cheekbones are unmistakable, along with something about her mouth. Which means¡­ I¡¯ve made a terrible mistake. For the second time in an hour, my heart stutters. Stops. Starts again to a new beat. Fates. I sent Kylie away to face her enemies on her own. It¡¯s unforgivable. I swallow hard. ¡°Tell me what happened to you.¡± She blinks at me with her big golden eyes, as if judging whether I¡¯m worthy of her story. I must pass her test because she says, ¡°Men came to our house. They were different nationalities. One Irish, one American. Two Germans, from the sound of their ents.¡± I lean forward. ¡°I was returning from the grocery store. Mte¡¯s car was there, but no lights were on. They surprised me-were waiting in the house. Drugged me before I could shift and fight.¡± What a surprise it would¡¯ve been for the men if the olddy had transformed into a giant cat and attacked them. Too bad she hadn¡¯t had the chance. ¡°How did you escape?¡± The woman groans, and her expressive hand flutters toward her face. ¡°They kept me drugged. I was never able to fight because every time I woke, they stuck another needle in my neck.¡± She rubs a ce below her left ear. ¡°Next thing I knew, they¡¯d taken me out in the desert and filled me with bullet holes. They must have thought I was dead when they left me. Thank the fates they were toozy to bury me.¡± With noticeable effort, she swings her legs to the floor to face me sitting up. ¡°Now, I have told you my story. You tell me where to find my Mte.¡± She exhibits the same steely determination I¡¯ve witnessed in Kylie, and my chest aches. I scrub a hand over my face. ¡°I just sent her away. I believed she had betrayed me.¡± Jacqueline¡¯s eyes move over my face, and she must see my misery because something akin to understanding flickers in her eyes. ¡°You care for my Mte?¡± I nod. How could I make such a mistake? The wolf knew, all along. I should have trusted my instincts. To distract myself from the searing pain that sliced me open from neck to groin, I ask, ¡°What kind of cat are you?¡±¡±Panther.¡± ¡°Kylie doesn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Non. My Mte never manifested. Her mother died when she was still a girl, and she was apart from me during puberty. Her father knew to contact me if she showed signs of shifting, but she never did. I reunited with her after her father¡¯s murder, but she hasn¡¯t needed me. Not until now.¡± She peers up at me, and I¡¯m not sure if she means because of the men who framed her or because of me. ¡°Is she half or quarter?¡± ¡°Half. Her mother was truly the cat burr.¡± My skin prickles. Half shifter. No wonder my wolf wants her. Mate. I didn¡¯t mean to speak it out loud, but I must have because Jacqueline¡¯s eyes glow with curiosity. ¡°She knows about you?¡± ¡°Yes. She saw my teeth when the wolf wished to mark her.¡± The old woman shifts and, even with her obvious frailty, her movements evoke the grace of a cat. ¡°Did you mark her, wolf?¡± I immediately feel like a young teenager getting the third degree at his girlfriend¡¯s parents¡¯ door. Shame tinges my reply. ¡°No. But I frightened her.¡± Jacqueline¡¯s eyes glint in that unearthly manner cats have. I can¡¯t read her reaction. I slide to the edge of my seat. ¡°Jacqueline,e to my mansion. I will protect you, and we can find Kylie together.¡± ¡°Non.¡± She doesn¡¯t even hesitate. ¡°I will not be your bait for my granddaughter. I am safe here. If Kylie wishes to see you, she will make contact. In the meantime, Garrett will protect me.¡± The band around my throat tightens. It¡¯s like the woman already knows I don¡¯t deserve to see Kylie again. I fucked up-put her in danger, failed to trust the female who had ced herself in my hands so many times. I let out a low curse-not at Jacqueline, but at myself. I write my cell on my business card and hand it to her before I stand. ¡°Please contact me if you hear from her. Tell her I¡¯m sorry, and that I made a mistake. I¡¯ll do anything I can to help her. That¡¯s a vow.¡± I go through the motions of shaking Garrett and his pack member¡¯s hands on the way out, but my movements are jerky. Mechanical. I¡¯m already a thousand miles away, searching for my mate. Figuring out how I¡¯m ever going to make this up to her. 32 Kylie I ditch Sam¡¯s motorcycle downtown and check into the No-Tell Motel on Miracle Mile, a ce where you can pay for a room with cash and rent by the hour. Porn is showing on the television in the room. Nice. Very nice atmosphere. I switch it off and pull out myptop. I¡¯m dying to lose myself in code. No, I¡¯m dying in general. I haven¡¯t felt this lost, this destroyed since my father¡¯s death. Back then, Meme was the only thing that kept me going. If I don¡¯t have her now¡­ No. I can¡¯t think that. My gut says she¡¯s still alive, and I have to trust she is. She¡¯s tough, even for an old woman. So my new n is to find Meme and leave town. But the emptiness of that n, even being reunited with Meme, leaves me thinner than a ghost. Leaving Jackson believing the worst of me is unthinkable. One part of me hates him for not trusting in me-after what we didst night, he thinks I yed him? But maybe that¡¯s why it cut him so deep. He isn¡¯t someone who gives his trust easily or to very many. Last night, he shared his deepest tragedy with me. Seeing me with Stu must¡¯ve felt like the worst betrayal to him. But understanding doesn¡¯t lessen the sharp cut of his mistrust. He yed me in a million pieces back at the airport. Still, I need to make things right. I won¡¯t let him believe I destroyed his entire life¡¯s work. That I stole from him. And even if I didn¡¯t care about Jackson and SeCure, I need to make those fuckers pay for involving me in their greedy n. Stu, included.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. I get to work following the money trail. The FBI should eventually be able to follow it, too, but by the time they do, the money will be long diverted. I have to hack into five different banks, which takes me the rest of the afternoon, but I pick up the trail. Bingo. I let out a wicked witch chuckle as I send the money back to the first ce from which it was diverted and reverse every transaction. Most of those ounts will be frozen or on hold. Issued new numbers. But the point is, the money will be tied up while the banks try to figure out where it¡¯s supposed to go. Take that, Mr. X. Take that, Stu. Framing Catgirl was your biggest mistake. The light has dimmed, and I take a break and check the antique board for a message from Meme. With a surge of joy, I see a message in my inbox. Mte, I am with friends. Call them at 520-235-5055. My heart pounds. I don¡¯t dare use my phone, but I immediately hook up an Inte voice line and dial the number. A male voice answers. ¡°Hello.¡± For a moment, I freeze, not sure who I¡¯m talking to or whether it¡¯s safe. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°May I speak to Jacqueline?¡± ¡°Ah. She¡¯s been waiting for your call.¡± He says nothing more, but Meme¡¯s voicees on. ¡°Mte! Dieu merci. Is it safe to talk?¡± ¡°Yes. Where are you?¡± ¡°I am with the Tucson wolf pack. Downtown.¡± For a moment, I simply rey her words as my brain struggles to catch up. ¡°Did you say wolf pack?¡± ¡°Oui. I¡¯m sorry, I never told you, Mte. I am a shifter-a cat. Your mother, too.¡± I¡¯ve had too many surprises today to take it all in. My hand drops limp at my side. ¡°Wh-what?¡± ¡°Where are you, Mte?¡± Mte. The French word for puss. She¡¯s always called me little cat because¡­ she¡¯s a cat. My mind topples ass over tea kettle down a slope of dawning. ¡°My mom?¡± I croak. ¡°Yes, your maman, too. This is why this wolf is attracted to you. Where are you, my sweet?¡± ¡°Not far from downtown. Are you hurt? What happened?¡± ¡°I was hurt, but I will be better soon.¡± My engines finally start firing. ¡°We need to leave town right away.¡± I stand and pick up my leather backpack purse. ¡°Are you sure?¡± There¡¯s something coaxing in Meme¡¯s voice, but I can¡¯t decipher it. ¡°Your wolf was just here. He said he¡¯s sorry and wants to help.¡± The tightness in my chest gives way to relief, followed quickly by anger. A wedge of stubbornness rises in me. He doesn¡¯t get to flip-flop so quickly. I flip him a mental bird. He¡¯s not my knight in shining armor. I¡¯m the one saving his ass. I¡¯m going to stick to my n of reversing the money trail and refunding the millions in transactions and getting the hell out of Dodge. If Jackson wants to beg for my forgiveness when that¡¯s allplete, I might consider it. We¡¯ll see. ¡°Give me the address where to find you, Meme.¡± She must hand the phone back to its owner because the young man returns and rattles off the address of one of the few Tucson high-rise apartments downtown. He clears his throat. ¡°Your grandmother needs some fresh clothes when youe, too.¡± I hate the icy spines that needle up my arms at hearing that. ¡°I¡¯ll get her some clothes,¡± I promise. I consider my options. I¡¯m without a vehicle, since I already ditched Sam¡¯s motorcycle. I could wait for a cab. I could hack Uber and set up with a credit card with one of my new ID names. But, for some reason, I want to do this without breaking thew. I don¡¯t know, maybe I need to prove I¡¯m not the criminal the entire world thinks I am. My house is a few miles away. Meme¡¯s clothes are right inside. The FBI will be watching. What about the supposed Mr. X? Probably. Damn. I have a bag packed on my bed already. It¡¯d be so great to run in and grab it and some things for Meme. Maybe what I need is a diversion. I call for a cab and wait for it to arrive. Then I call in a violent robbery in progress at the house across the street from mine. I lose the cab a block away from my ce and head through the back alley, sticking to the shadows in the cover of night. Sirens screech in from several directions at my neighbor¡¯s house. I creep up my back steps and use the key hidden in the mouth of a ceramic frog in the garden. Inside, the house feels wrong. People have been inside. I don¡¯t know how I can tell, but I know it without a doubt. But that¡¯s no surprise. Surely the police have already searched the ce. I move through the dark without turning on any lights. I grab my suitcase and move to my grandmother¡¯s room. I hear the gun cock just before a hand ps over my mouth and hard metal prods the back of my head. 33 Jackson I¡¯ve never felt so impotent in my life. I fucked up with Kylie, mypany¡¯s in the gutter, and I¡¯m pacing my office after midnight, unable toe up with a strategy to fix things. I told Special Agent Dous about my suspicions of Stu, although I didn¡¯t want to tell him about the meeting with Kylie. I couldn¡¯t very well tell him about Kylie¡¯s grandmother, either. Somehow I doubt, ¡°I saw the olddy, but it turns out she¡¯s a shifter so the bullets didn¡¯t hurt her a bit,¡± would fly. My cell phone rings. Garrett. I take the call, biting out, ¡°This is King.¡±N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°Jacqueline expected her granddaughter to pick her up here hours ago. The old cat thinks something happened.¡± Ice washes over me, and I curse loud enough to shake the windows. ¡°I know, bro.¡± ¡°Where was sheing from? What was the n?¡± I demand. ¡°She didn¡¯t say where she was. I¡¯ve tried the number she called from, but it just rings and disconnects. She said she was on her way over and asked for the address. I told her to bring some clothes for Jaqueline because hers were ruined with blood. That was around seven p. m.¡± I partially transform, my wolf wanting out to kill. I fight to bring my human side back, but my voicees out pure growl. ¡°I¡¯m going to sniff around her house. Keep in touch.¡± I hang up without waiting for his response. I curse my office building for being so far from Kylie¡¯s house. I want to shift immediately and run there, but I dare not waste precious time. I drive, hands nearly tearing the steering wheel in pieces. Two feds are sitting across the street in a van, staking out the house. I knock on the door of the van as I go by and walk up to the front door. I catch a variety of scents, human males. Nothing fresh. I walk around the house, wishing to fates I could shift, but I don¡¯t dare. It¡¯s okay. My human nose still works better than most other humans¡¯ olfactory senses. I catch a whiff of Kylie at the back door. Her fresh scent. I try the handle and find it open. Her scent is easy to follow-into a bedroom, but what terrifies me is the aroma of a human male. Not Stu-some other man. And gunpowder. Fuck. Kylie ran into trouble. Damn her. Why in the hell had she riskeding back here? She should know better. I m back out the door, sniffing the breeze, trying to find out where he¡¯s taken her. It wasn¡¯t out the front door-I would¡¯ve smelled it there. Besides, the feds would¡¯ve seen. I catch a trace of both their scents in the alleyway and then it disappears. There must have been a car waiting. Christ on a stick, this couldn¡¯t be worse. I pick up my phone, then dial Garrett,municating with him what I¡¯ve found. Jesus fuck. If anything happens to her, I am going to tear the throat out of every man I even suspect of knowing about it. For the hundredth time, I curse myself for mistrusting her. For sending her into danger on her own. Kylie. My kitten. Out there on her own in mortal danger. I lift my mouth to the moon, barely holding back a howl of rage and anguish. ~.~ Kylie I¡¯m in the trunk of a car, my hands duct taped behind my back, another strip covering my mouth. I¡¯m choking to death on my own spit. My breath sucks in and out with frantic, tearing attempts, but my nostrils seal closed, keeping me from seeding. Stars dance before my eyes. The trunk spins. Don¡¯t make me grope you again. I must¡¯ve passed out, because I hear Jackson speaking to me. I conjure the feel of his hands pressing firmly against my sternum. My breath eases off its frantic, suffocating pace. I imagine Jackson lying behind me in the trunk, his huge arms banded around me, palms pinning the center of my chest. I¡¯m triggering your calm reflex. I let the relief flow over me the way it had in the elevator. The sense of security being near Jackson brought me. The sense of belonging, of home. Of course, I know that is best forgotten, but if deluding myself in this moment with the memory of Jackson King helps, I¡¯m doing it. The car pulls onto gravel and then slows to a stop. I tense, preparing to fight. My foot shoots out the minute the trunk opens, but the asshole dodges out of the way and punches me in the face. Pain explodes in my cheek, shatters the little concentration I¡¯d gathered. I wilt, sickness rising in my belly, desperation bleeding in. The guy hauls me out. We¡¯re at some kind of warehouse. He drags me inside where several other men are gathered, including Stu who sits bent over aputer set up on a card table. ¡°Look who showed up at her house,¡± my captor drawls. I re at Stu, who has the nerve to look sickened by my appearance. ¡°The first fucking thing that¡¯s gone right all day,¡± a guy answers in a crisp British ent. ¡°Sit her down here.¡± He kicks out the chair beside Stu. ¡°Someone reversed the money trail on the hijacked cards. I¡¯ve got Stu working on it, but how much you want to bet this little hack had something to do with it?¡± I want to say damn straight, but I¡¯m not suicidal. I¡¯m thrown down in chair, and I look over Stu¡¯s shoulder at his screen. He splits a nce between me and the screen. Desperation is present in his face. And fear. Looks like Stu bit off way more than he can chew. I should be gloating, but I¡¯m not happy for his misery. Having the one viin who¡¯s half an ally to me be in trouble with the rest of them doesn¡¯t help me much. ¡°How about we cut off her fingers? Permanently stop her from hacking?¡± Thises from the peanut gallery, one of four men leaning against crates, smoking cigars and talking. ¡°Shut up. You cut off her fingers, she can¡¯t fix this.¡± British ent walks over to me. ¡°Too bad we already killed the olddy. She would¡¯ve been good leverage, now,¡± another from the peanut gallery deres. I attempt to look casual despite the terrible throbbing in my cheek where the guy punched me. Like it¡¯s my first day on the job, not like I¡¯ve just been kidnapped and threatened. I cross one leg over the other and lean close to Stu. ¡°So, what¡¯s going on?¡± British ent grabs a handful of hair and yanks my head back so hard my teeth rattle. ¡°Did you reverse the money trail?¡± I give him my most mulish look. ¡°Why would I help SeCure? Jackson King thinks I¡¯m responsible for all this.¡± He ps me, reigniting the wicked pain of my bruise. ¡°Get him back into the system,¡± hemands. I wiggle the fingers taped behind my back. ¡°I¡¯ll need my fingers free,¡± I sing out. ¡°No fingers. Talk him through it.¡± Damn. I ignore British ent and direct my attention to Stu. ¡°Okay, where are you?¡± He¡¯s attempting a straightforward hack into SeCure, which we both know isn¡¯t going to work. It urs to me he might not be trying that hard. Maybe he¡¯s seen the writing on the wall. They¡¯re probably going to get rid of him as soon as he finishes the deal. British ent yanks my hair again. ¡°Help him.¡± I allow my anger to show. ¡°Okay asshole. Do you know anything about hacking? No one ever knows the way in. It¡¯s about experimentation. You just keep trying things until you make some headway. If I¡¯m going to help Stu, I need my ownputer and my fingers. Me looking over his shoulder just slows us both down.¡± British ent-I¡¯ll call him BA, looks at Stu, who shrugs. ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± It¡¯s too much to hope they¡¯ll give me myputer, but he does slide the tape off my wrists and shove anotherptop in my face. Despite the fact that I¡¯m still wearing the mini skirt from days before, I prop one ankle on my knee to make a desk and flip open theptop. I¡¯ve been in Jackson¡¯s system all week through hisputer, but I left an open door for myself, which is how I transferred the funds back today. I don¡¯t go in through the door, now. I go at the firewall, same as Stu. ¡°Is she doing it?¡± BA demands. Stu looks over my shoulder. ¡°Yeah.¡± I ignore them all, my fingers flying over the keys as I set up automatic password reveal programs. As soon as they look away, I start a hack into Verizon, which was how I made my phone call to Meme before. Stu looks over, and I flick to the open window behind it, keeping my fingers moving. I hold my breath. He looks a moment too long, and I know he¡¯s seen me. I wait for the hammer toe down. Nothing happens. ¡°You know, with Kylie working on this, you don¡¯t even need me. I¡¯ll just slow her down.¡± Stu closes hisptop and stands up. The sound of a gun cocking makes both of us freeze. BA-who, by now, I believe must be Mr. X-holds the muzzle of a pistol to the side of Stu¡¯s head. ¡°Are you sure you want me to believe we don¡¯t need you?¡± His icy tone sends shivers up my spine. I think it made Stu nearly pee his pants because he lets out a weird squeak, sits down and opens hisptop. Still, I gotta hand it to him because he really brings it back. ¡°You¡¯re threatening me? You have nothing without me. Zero.¡± ¡°You just told me all I need is her.¡± ¡°And who¡¯s going to know if she¡¯s hacking SeCure or into your mother¡¯s IRA?¡± Mr. X palms the pistol and smacks Stu on the side of the head with it, hard enough to make him fall to the floor with a groan. I wince, mostly at the sound of metal on bone, but also at the pathetic crumpled heap that Stu became. Reminder to self-I am on my own, here. Nothing new, though. I switch screens again, enter the number I¡¯d memorized for Meme, and send a text message. Need help. In warehouse, 10-15 minute drive from my house. Red Toyota Coro parked in front. Lic. DCR 583. I close it out and flick back to the main screen. Meme would get help to me. I¡¯d been stupid to go back to the house, but I might still survive this. Especially since now they need me alive. All I have to do is stall for time¡­ 34 Jackson I wear a hole in the floor pacing at Garrett¡¯s apartment. Sam is there, too. It¡¯s two in the morning, but no one¡¯s asleep. Jacqueline appears paler and more worn than this afternoon, her fear over Kylie aging her another ten years. I¡¯dfort her, but I¡¯m ready to tear the building down. The ding of Garrett¡¯s phone makes everyone look. He reads the text aloud. Instantly, all his men stand, a unified force. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve had a warm feeling about a pack in years, maybe ever. But this solidarity, this support, is something I¡¯ve cut myself off from. I don¡¯t fool myself into thinking they¡¯re doing it for me. It¡¯s clear they all love the olddy. Plus, they¡¯re natural bred heroes. Garrett has an army of young, fierce twenty-somethings. Warriors, ready to defend their pack. ¡°That can¡¯t mean too many ces. There are warehouses on South Kino, and some south of downtown, on the other side of the train tracks.¡± He pulls a map up on his phone and holds it t for everyone to see. ¡°We¡¯ll divide up, take drive-throughs. If you spot something, you call in. No one goes in on their own, understood?¡± Garrett barks the orders, and, for once, the alpha in me doesn¡¯t even bristle. His head is way more level than mine right now. I¡¯m grateful for his leadership. ¡°Jackson and Sam, take these square blocks east of Kino.¡± I nod and head out the door, not even waiting for him to finish divvying up the areas. Kylie needs help, and I¡¯m sure as hell going to find her. We drive to the warehouse district and drive slowly up and down the streets and alleyways, looking for the Coro. Thirty minutes slip by. Forty-five. The knot in my stomach is so tight, it¡¯s twisted up to my throat. My phone rings. ¡°We found it. 738 North Toole.¡± I don¡¯t bother answering Garrett, just step on the gas, peeling around the alley corner with a spray of gravel. I¡¯m there in two point five minutes. I cut the engine before I reach the building and pull into the shadows. A motorcycle with one of Garrett¡¯s soldiers already stands there. Three more pull in behind me, all equally silent and cautious. Smart boys, Garrett¡¯s men. We pull off our clothing and shift. ~.~ KylieContent bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. I hear something outside, but no one else seems to notice. I hope it¡¯s the cavalry but don¡¯t dare let myself believe. Metal scrapes near the door, and all five men reach for their weapons. ¡°Shh-what was that?¡± Mr. X hisses. I surge to my feet. ¡°Hey, I gotta pee,¡± I announce in a loud voice. ¡°Where¡¯s the bathroom?¡± ¡°Sit the fuck down.¡± I walk forward. Maybe I took stupid pills, I don¡¯t know. Maybe I was just so sure help wasing. I underestimated how trigger-happy and dangerous these men were. Guy points his pistol at my chest. Stu-like a crazy man-jumps in front of me and takes the bullet just as the st rings in my ears. I watch him fall, see the life slip from his eyes. Damn. Stu just died for me. Chaos erupts everywhere as the metal garage door shoves open and a pack of giant wolves flood in. Guns fire. Bullets fly. Above the terrible ringing in my ears, I hear the whine of wolves being struck and the scream of men attacked by the beasts¡¯ snapping jaws. Though there are many silver wolves, there¡¯s no mistaking mine. Huge. Majestic. Ferocious. He sees me at the same time, and it costs him a moment of distraction. One of the assholes aims and fires. ¡°No!¡± I scream and dive in front of him. Pain sears through me, through the front, out the back. White hot mes of heat. I try to keep running toward Jackson, but my body crumples into a heap. Satisfaction rises up and licks my face. For once I didn¡¯t stand there and watch someone I loved die. Stu saved me. And, now, I¡¯ve saved Jackson. And yes, I love Jackson. I know it with absolute rity. He is my safety. My home. He is my past and my future. My now. Jackson leaps over me in a fifteen foot graceful arc, and a gurgling sound fills my ears. I don¡¯t look, because I know he¡¯s just taken my shooter¡¯s throat out. Then he¡¯s here, beside me. He stands over me, protecting my fallen body with his own. Licking my face, whining. A terribly pricklinges over my entire body. shes of heat strike me like lightening. My vision narrows to a tunnel, yet seems to sharpen. Sounds grow louder, smells stronger. My vision shes to ck at the same time my cells seem to split apart. I am nothingness and everything at once. Holy afterlife, Batman. I just died. It doesn¡¯t seem fair. I¡¯ve only just found Jackson. Allowed myself to admit my love for him. Believed we could be together. My vision clears and, with it, all my pain returns with brutal intensity. I try to groan, but the only sound thates from my mouth is a low growl. Growl? Jackson shimmers and shifts, his human face looming before mine. He blinks back tears, but he doesn¡¯t look sad. His face is full of wonder. ¡°That¡¯s it, kitten. You shifted. You showed me your panther self.¡± Panther self? I look down at giant ck paws. Holy shift, Catgirl. Jackson strokes my muzzle. Smooths my fur. ¡°You¡¯re going to be okay, baby. Shifters can heal from bullet wounds.¡± He manages a watery smile. ¡°Thank the fates. You shifted. You did it, baby.¡± A beautiful rumbling soundes from my chest. Purring. It increases the bite of the bullet wound, yet I instinctively know that¡¯s good. It¡¯s healing me. Jackson continues to stroke my face and ears, staring down at me with fierce attentiveness. Sirens sound nearby. A wolf barks, sharp and loud. It sounds like an order. Jackson scoops me into his arms and runs outside. I stare over his shoulder at Stu¡¯s lifeless body. At a man who righted the scales of justice in the end. Became a hero in death, instead of a criminal. Something about his act righted more than this fucked up situation. It feels like redemption for my father¡¯s death, too. Like the universe owed me. No, like the universe is showing me proof that there¡¯s still good. That I can trust more than just family. Hell, all around are people-shifters-who showed up to help me. Shifters who don¡¯t even know me. Sam is by the Range Rover, yanking on a pair of jeans when we get there. He throws the door to the back seat open for his pack brother, and Jackson climbs in, still holding me. Sam jumps in the driver¡¯s seat and starts the vehicle, driving off without turning on the lights. The sirens grow louder. Iy my heavy head in Jackson¡¯sp and close my eyes, the pain too much. He continues to stroke my fur and murmur softly and I believe-no, I know, without a shadow of a doubt-that finally, for once in my life, everything is going to turn out right. 35 Jackson The first rays of lighte up over the mountains as Sam pulls into my garage. On my orders, he stopped to pick up Jacqueline. I knew how worried her grandmother had been, and vice versa. I want Kylie to have all the support she needs, especially considering it¡¯s her first shift. While the shift was necessary for her survival, she may not know how to shift back when the timees. I carry her in. Sam tries to carry Jacqueline, but the old cat insists on walking on her own, leaning heavily on Sam. We install them both in the upstairs guest bedroom. Jacqueline shifts and curls her body up beside Kylie¡¯s, lending her purring vibrations for her granddaughter¡¯s healing. I sit beside the bed, my heart rammed up behind my chin, my fingers moving over Kylie¡¯s sleek ck fur. She¡¯s fucking magnificent. A huge ck panther with golden eyes. Truly awe-inducing. It¡¯s the first time in my life anything¡¯s made sense. Of course my wolf chose this incredible female. She¡¯s everything I could ever hope for in a mate-strong, brilliant, beautiful. And a shifter. Morninges on like a freight train, my phone ringing off the hook with calls. I leave the room so I won¡¯t disturb Kylie, then give orders and make statements on calls with Luis, Sarah in PR, and the CFO at SeCure. The money has been restored-all of it. I tell Luis to have SeCure take credit for the reversal because I know, without a glimmer of a doubt, who is responsible. My star employee, Kylie McDaniel. When Ie back into the room, Kylie¡¯s breathing flows even and rxed, her wounds already closed. ¡°Looks like all the money is back where it belongs. You did that, didn¡¯t you, beautiful?¡± I murmur, rubbing her cheek. She pushes into my hand. ¡°Can you change back, kitten? Bring Kylie back?¡± The great cat¡¯s eyes widen. As I feared, she doesn¡¯t know how. ¡°When Sam tried to lose himself on a California mountainside, I stood on his throat and demanded he transform. The animal can take over, if you go too long without the human side. You forget who you are.¡± Jacqueline shifts and re-dresses. She murmurs to Kylie in French. I catch words I understand here and there. ¡°Find¡± and ¡°quiet¡± and ¡°remember.¡± I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s different for cats, so I¡¯m d Jacqueline is there to help. Kylie moves restlessly. Her eyes open and close, paws flex, showing enormous, sharp ws. She rolls over and stands up on the bed. Rolls back down to her side. Jacqueline speaks again, a constant stream of coaching. Kylie ws the bed, shredding the sheets and nkets. ¡°Come back to me, kitten. I want to kiss you,¡± I murmur. She turns her golden eyes on me, and our gazes lock. Neither of us seem to breathe. Finally, the air around her shimmers. ¡°That¡¯s it, baby,¡± I encourage, but the shimmer fades. ¡°You were onto it there. Try again. I need to kiss that pretty mouth of yours.¡± The air shimmers again, and Kylie appears, pale, but even more beautiful than I remember. ¡°Baby.¡± I lunge to wrap a nket around her and pull her up into my arms. ¡°Where¡¯s the kiss you promised?¡± she croaks. ¡°Get her some water,¡± I bark at Sam, who¡¯s leaning in the doorway. He immediately disappears. ¡°Well?¡± she demands. I don¡¯t hold back. I im her mouth with every bit of ferocity inside me. The need to possess, im, mark, mate her flood from me in a torrent. The need to punish her for taking a bullet meant for me. The need to show her my love, my affection, my promise to be there for her next time. Not to let her down the way I did this time. I part her lips with my tongue, twine around hers. I nt my mouth over hers, demanding more, taking it all. I drink her in. I devour her. ¡°I¡¯m so damn sorry,¡± I croak when we finally part, both gasping for air. ¡°I will never let you walk away from me again. I¡¯ll never leave you. That¡¯s a goddamn promise.¡± She smiles weakly, and I¡¯m reminded of the fragile state of her health. A stab of guilt for kissing her so hard pricks me. Sam returns with the water, and I snatch it from him to hand to my mate. ¡°Jeez, man. Is this how it¡¯s going to be for the whole pregnancy?¡± Everyone in the room freezes as I flip his words over in my head. Pregnancy? Jesus. Yes. Kylie¡¯s scent has changed. Victory pummels me like a meteor. My wolf does a double backflip and moonwalks in a circle around Kylie while fist pumping. She¡¯s carrying my pup. My pup. Jacqueline covers her mouth. ¡°Mon Dieu,¡± she breathes thenunches herself at us, clucking rapidly in French. Kylie¡¯s bewilderment blooms into moist eyes. I clutch her against my body, my wolf fiercely protective even with no present threat. ¡°That¡¯s how you shifted, kitten. My cub¡¯s DNA tipped the scale.¡± Sheughs through her tears. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant? How do you know? Are you sure?¡± Jacqueline, Sam, and I all nod. ¡°Your scent has changed, baby. You¡¯re pregnant.¡± Tears prick my eyes. Jacqueline and Sam have the grace to slip out of the room, closing the door behind them. ¡°Kitten, I knew you were my mate from the moment you walked into that elevator. I need you. You¡¯re the only person I¡¯ve trusted, the only thing I¡¯ve believed in. Ever. I can y games with you right now, pretend I¡¯m offering you a choice to be my mate or not, but the fact is, you¡¯re mine. You run, I¡¯ll follow. You hide, I¡¯ll find you. So, please, make it easy on both of us, and tell me that you¡¯ll stay.¡± Kylie purses her lips and whistles. ¡°That might be the worst proposal I¡¯ve ever heard.¡± I can¡¯t fight the smile tugging my mouth. ¡°Is that a yes?¡± She gives me a long look-long enough I stop breathing, have to force myself not to fidget. ¡°I¡¯m still mad at you for not believing in me.¡± I cradle her cheek. ¡°I know. I fucked up. But I promise I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you. You and your grandmother will rule my fucking life.¡± Her eyes mist again, and she leans her forehead against mine. ¡°I thought you were the one who liked to rule.¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Mmm hmm. Yes. Always. Can you live with it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She didn¡¯t hesitate this time, and I nearly fall down with relief. ¡°There¡¯s just one small problem.¡± My shoulders tense. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m wanted by the FBI.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fixing that,¡± I promise. ¡°Garrett stayed to stage the bodies at the warehouse so it appears Stu and his cohorts killed each other. You will be given all the credit for the recovery of the money. Don¡¯t think of it again.¡± I can¡¯t stop my hands from roaming over her soft skin, sliding up inside her T-shirt to cup her breasts. ¡°The only thing you need to worry about is growing our baby.¡± She tips back her head, offering me her mouth again, and I im it, scarcely believing she¡¯s truly mine. ¡°When are you going to mark me?¡± Her voice sounds husky, not afraid. ¡°Just as soon as you¡¯re recovered, baby. Right after I turn that pretty ass red for taking the bullet meant for me.¡± She wiggles her ass in myp. ¡°You know you¡¯ll always be my hero.¡± She touches my face. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t watch helplessly while another person I love got killed.¡± My heart ricochets around my chest. ¡°You love me?¡± Sheughs the huskyugh that drives me wild. ¡°I love you, wolf. I¡¯ve told you that, before.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind hearing it again.¡± ¡°I love you, I love you, I-¡± I shut her up with a kiss, smothering her mouth with mine, stroking her lips, joining our tongues. ¡°I love you, kitten. You¡¯re home now.¡± She let her head fall back and closed her eyes. ¡°Yes,¡± she sighed. ¡°You are my home.¡± 36 Epilogue One monthter Kylie ¡°Pull that skirt up, baby. Let me see what¡¯s waiting for me when we get home.¡± My mate hasn¡¯t grown any less bossy since marking me. Our drive home from work together has be just one of the many pleasures of working for Jackson King. Shared lunch breaks are another one. And getting to help him with his new code. He stares over at me like a starving man. Like he hadn¡¯t already fucked me over his desk after using a ruler on my ass during lunch. Like he doesn¡¯t have full ess to me every night at home. ¡°Now, kitten. Every second you make me wait will earn you a stroke with my belt.¡± I already reached for the hem of my tight fitted skirt, but I stop now, shing a naughty grin. ¡°Is that so?¡± Now that I¡¯ve switched on my shifter DNA, my body heals almost instantaneously, which means Jackson can employ any form of punishment he desires and the pain is only fleeting. It¡¯s a bit sad, really. Because now I can never get enough. Jackson grasps the fabric and rucks my skirt up to my waist, tearing the fabric with the force of it. He ps my thighs apart. ¡°Show me what¡¯s mine.¡± His voice is thick. I love hearing him like this, halfway gone with desire for me. Now that he knows I¡¯m a shifter, he¡¯s not afraid to be rough with me. Last full moon, he installed me in his cabin again and imed me in every position, angle, and orifice ever invented. I¡¯d thought he¡¯d been insatiablest time, when he¡¯d been trying not to mark me, but it turns out mating him doesn¡¯t ensure my safety when the moon is full. Not that I¡¯d everin. I reach down and stroke the notch between my legs. ¡°You looking at this?¡± I purr. He bites out a curse. ¡°Off,¡± he growls. ¡°Panties down or I tear them off.¡± I make a show of shimmying out of my panties and dangle them in front of his face while he drives. He snatches them, brings them to his nose, and inhales deeply before shoving them into his breast pocket. He¡¯s in a suit today, which had me wet all day. I love when he wears his CEO garb almost as much as I love the tight T-shirts and jeans. ¡°This, baby.¡± He reaches across the car and wedges his hand between my legs. ¡°Open those thighs wider for me. I need to see my pussy.¡± I attempt to obey, but it couldn¡¯t be seen anyway because his fingers are tap-tap-tapping, spanking my clit and my feminine folds, making me squirm as heat floods between my legs. Jackson¡¯s rumbling growl fills the Range Rover. He pushes one finger inside me. ¡°Jackson,¡± I gasp. ¡°Not while you¡¯re d-driving.¡± He tsks and slides the beautiful, intruding digit in and out, sending spirals of heat and pleasure careening through my body. ¡°Who gives the orders around here, kitten?¡± I moan as he works the finger even deeper. I don¡¯t know how he¡¯s managing to drive straight. I¡¯m blind with desire, my world tilting and rocking, sliding to one side then righting itself and sliding to the other. ¡°Y-you do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, baby.¡± I grind my clit against the heel of his hand, taking his finger deeper. ¡°Who owns your every orgasm?¡± I lift my pelvis to meet his thrusts, gritting my teeth. ¡°You do! P-please, Jackson.¡± He growls. ¡°Beg for it, kitten.¡± I¡¯m not too proud. ¡°Please, please, please, Jackson!¡± He leans forward to change the angle and inserts a second finger. I lift my hips from the seat cushion, swallowing a scream just before Ie. ¡°That¡¯s right baby. Come all over my fingers. You¡¯ll be squeezing my cock when youe again as soon as I get you home. After your whipping.¡± My thighs tremble as I fall back, limp and shaky from the release. Jackson pulls into his driveway-our driveway, as he keeps reminding me. I still can¡¯t believe how fully enmeshed our lives are now. We get out of the vehicle, and I adjust my skirt. Jackson circles around the car and shoves me up against it. He captures my face with one hand and holds it prisoner for a hot, rough kiss.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°I know that pussy is still squeezing for me.¡± How he knows this, I have no idea, but he¡¯s right. The hand holding my face drops to cup my nape. ¡°So we¡¯re going to go inside and kiss Meme and eat dinner. But, when I give you the signal, you will scurry upstairs and take off everything but those sexy high heels. And I want you waiting for me with your ass in the air and your face in the nkets. Understand?¡± The squeezing between my legs bes more distracting. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± He smiles and traces the pad of his thumb over my lower lip. ¡°Good girl. Let¡¯s go.¡± Inside, the house smells of Meme¡¯s heavenly cooking. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re home.¡± Meme beams. She¡¯s wearing the goofy apron Sam bought her that has the French food pyramid on it-French bread, cheese, and quiche. Jackson kisses her on the cheek. ¡°What smells so good, Meme?¡± ¡°Steak for the wolves. Salmon for the cats. Rice and sd and fresh bread for all of us.¡± Sames in the back door carrying a tter piled high with steaks from the grill. ¡°Your meat, mademoiselle.¡± He gives Meme a bow and a wink. She blushes like a schoolgirl. She and Sam get along famously. At first, Sam had suggested he move out, but Meme and I wouldn¡¯t hear of it, and Jackson backed us up. ¡°You are my pack,¡± he insisted. ¡°The three of you. I need you all at my house where I can protect you. And, Sam, I need you around to protect my females when I¡¯m away.¡± ¡°Bring it to the living room,¡± Meme directs Sam now, and shoos us in after him. I try to sit in my chair, but Jackson pulls me onto hisp, instead. He still hasn¡¯t grown tired of feeding me. Something about a wolf¡¯s privilege. As I watch my small family gather around the table, my heart swells sorge, I¡¯m sure it will burst. As strange and unlikely a pack as we are, with them, I experience a profound sense of belonging. This is the normal I¡¯ve been searching for all these years. I¡¯m finally with my own kind, loved beyond measure. Home. Continue reading for book 2 37 Prologue Amber Let the record reflect: Crazy people subject to visions should stay away from crowded airports. I roll my suitcase up to the sink in the bathroom and gaze at my face in the mirror as I wash my hands. My hair¡¯s still back in a no-nonsense bun, but my piercing headache has turned me into a monster, eyes bloodshot and sunken as if they¡¯re receding into my skull to get away from it all. Great. A screaming migraine on interview day. Just what I¡¯ve always wanted. I dry my hands with a paper towel and pat the damp paper against my cheeks, suppressing a groan. What was I thinking, flying here? Nothing triggers my hallucinations like being around too many people. A guy in a business suit bumped into me, and his memory shed in my head: him in bed with a woman. He¡¯s cheating on his wife. I don¡¯t know how I know, but I do. And I wish I didn¡¯t. Maybe I¡¯ll just hide in the bathroom until they call my flight. Yeah, that¡¯s a n. Crazy Amber, hiding in bathrooms because she has visions wherever she goes. I went tow school for this? My phone beeps. Ten forty-two a. m.. Fifteen minutes until boarding time, and five hours before my interview. I dig for ibuprofen, wincing at the rattle of pills in the bottle. Let the record reflect: I need to keep giant bottles of pain meds in my purse at all times. ¡°Excuse me.¡± A warm voice sounds behind me, and an old woman touches my back as she reaches past me for a paper towel. I mean to duck away without eye contact, but the woman has me trapped between the sinks and the paper towels, unable to escape. I nce up with my polite smile pasted in ce. The woman has long white hair but a surprisingly youthful face, and wide blue eyes. ¡°How long have you practiced the intuitive arts?¡± I look behind myself, even though I knew no one else is there. But the woman couldn¡¯t be talking to me, could she? ¡°Excuse me?¡± She still touches me, her fingers lightly resting on my sleeve now. ¡°The intuitive arts? How long have you been practicing?¡± A chill runs through me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± The woman¡¯s face clouds. ¡°Oh.¡± Her expression clears. ¡°Well, you¡¯re supposed to, honey, and you¡¯re going to keep having headaches until you do.¡± My vision blurs with the fast-motion movie reel pictures I¡¯ve been trying to suppress. Nausea sts through me. I see a huge, muscle-bound man standing on a beach, brow wrinkled, fists clenched. Then a wolf in a cage, snarling. I force the breath out of my lungs and draw in fresh oxygen, shaking my head as if that might clear the stupid visions. When my focus returns to the bathroom, I blink. The woman¡¯s gone. Grabbing my suitcase handle, I wheel it out of the bathroom, scanning for the white-haired woman when the clock catches my eye. Ten forty-two a. m. That has to be wrong. I check my phone just as the two changes to three. Almost no time passed in the bathroom, but there¡¯s no sign of the woman. How did she vanish into thin air? Three Years Later Amber I step into the elevator, propping the door open with my foot to hold it for the group approaching. ¡°Thanks.¡± A deep voice resonates in the small space. Arge hand tattooed with a the phases of the moon wraps around the door. It¡¯s attached to a blue-eyed giant of a man. Underneath his faded T-shirt and tattoos, he¡¯s got muscles like Conan the Barbarian. He could probably eat me for lunch and still be hungry. Two younger men, just as hulking in size, nk him. Shaved heads, a mess of piercings, and more tattoos. I have to stop myself from recoiling. What are the Hell¡¯s Angels doing in my apartment building? Don¡¯t show fear. The first thing I learned in foster care. Study the threat. Again, foster care, though the lesson carries over to the courtroom nicely. I draw myself up to my full five foot, three inch height. No matter that I barelye up to the shortest guy¡¯s shoulder. I¡¯m a badass, too. Maybe I don¡¯t have giant ear gauges or an eyebrow piercing-ouch, talk about suffering for fashion-but I¡¯m wearing pointy pumps. They¡¯re pinching the hell outta my feet, but with a three inch spike heel, they¡¯ll double as a weapon. ¡°Visiting someone in the building?¡± My voice has a dubious lilt. I¡¯m not actually a snooty bitch, but when my safety ispromised, the wse out. The first guy gazes down at me and the corner of his mouth twitches. ¡°No.¡± At least this guy looks somewhat normal, except for his huge size. Scratch Conan the Barbarian. This guy is all Thor, right down to his square jawed good looks. I don¡¯t normally go for huge and muscled, but damn if he doesn¡¯t have mydy parts tingling with new awareness. I stifle any fantasies about what it would be like to be manhandled by such a guy. And manhandled? Seriously? When have I ever wanted to be manhandled? The three men file onto the elevator, choking the small space. The Three Thugs. Like the Three Stooges, except with more piercings and tattoos. There¡¯s so much testosterone in here, it¡¯s a wonder I can breathe. Heat rushes up my inner thighs. I lean against the wall, hope these guys aren¡¯t up to no good. I don¡¯t want to judge, but I wouldn¡¯t have survived my childhood if I ignored a threat. And these guys look rough. Their presence makes my skin prickle. Not the stomach-roiling of a full blown vision, but a slight buzzing that can only mean one thing. Danger. I stare at Thor¡¯s barrel chest, the raised contour of muscle standing out under his T-shirt, and curse my nipples for beading up at such an obvious disy of masculine power. What in the hell is wrong with me? I rarely get turned on by men, and my hormones choose this moment to rev into gear? Choose this motorcycle-driving He-Man? He¡¯s probably a criminal. I cock a hip and wait for him to exin why they are here. He says nothing, but one of the younger guys smirks at me. My hand flutters to my neck, ready to knead away the tension at the base of my skull. I cover the defensive gesture by checking to make sure my updo is secure before pushing the button for the fourth floor. ¡°Which floor?¡± I ask in my best I-could-kick-your-ass-in-court tone. ¡°Same as yours,¡± Thor drawls. Is that ae-on? Or a threat? Are they following me? No, that¡¯s silly. They could¡¯ve just grabbed me in the parking lot if they wanted. I heard their motorcycles roll up, but I never imagined the riders wereing in here. Thor looks at me, though I refuse to meet his eyes. I hold my briefcase in front of me like a shield until the elevator stops and the doors slide open to my floor. Please don¡¯t let them be after me. Paranoia, my old friend. I¡¯m being skittish here, but the whole reason I¡¯d moved into an apartment building instead of buying a house was to feel safe. You¡¯ll never be safe. Cell phone at the ready, I wait for the motorcycle gang to get out first. Let¡¯s see if they actually have somece to go. The men saunter off, heading past the door to my apartment and-oh crap-they stop at the very next door. No. Way. It couldn¡¯t be. ¡°You¡¯re my neighbors?¡± I¡¯ve lived here a few weeks but haven¡¯t met anyone, yet. The new high rise is right downtown, and the rent is pretty high, even for my sry. Not to be rude, but these guys in their ripped-up T-shirts and jeans don¡¯t look like they can afford the ce. Unless they are drug dealers. Which would be just my luck. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Thor asks. ¡°Ah¡­ no. Of course not.¡± Not until you throw a disgustingly loud partyplete with biker babes and too much booze. Frankly, I can¡¯t believe they haven¡¯t already. I slide my key into the lock, ncing back to make sure they¡¯re really going into their apartment. Thug Number Two-the smirking one- lunges at me, snarling like a ferocious dog. I shriek and drop my briefcase. Thug Number Threeughs. ¡°Knock it off.¡± Thor grabs the scruff of the barking man¡¯s shirt and yanks him back. ¡°Get inside. You don¡¯t need to scare her.¡± His eyesnd on me again. ¡°She¡¯s doing a good enough job of that herself.¡± The two young men stroll inside, still chuckling. I grab my briefcase. Tendrils of hair break free from my hair clip, and I swipe at them to hide my flushed cheeks. Damn punks. My hand shakes, and I hate that most of all. I am no longer the girl who cowers in doorways. My head feels a little tight, herald of an oing vision. I haven¡¯t had one in a while, so this one should be a doozy. Great. Heart hammering against my ribs, I enter my apartment and start to shut my door. A steel-toed boot jams inside the doorway, stopping me. My eyes fly up to Thor¡¯s face,nding on the startling blue eyes. The corners crinkle, and he gives me a predatory half-smile. I shiver. ¡°I¡¯m Garrett.¡± He extends hisrge hand through the gap in the door. I stare at it for a full two seconds before good manners win out over fear. I transfer the phone to my left hand to take his palm. The heat from his hand envelopes mine, a shock of connection running up my arm. A strange sense of knowing runs through me-like this guy and I are old friends, and I¡¯ve just forgotten. I shake off deja vu. Gotta keep Crazy Amber at bay. ¡°Sorry Trey scared you. I¡¯ll make sure it doesn¡¯t happen again.¡± His voice is deep and velvet-smooth, matching his rugged good looks. It sends heat curling low in my belly. He appears to be not much older than my twenty-six years. Too old to be dressing and acting like a punk. Although he does it so well. Faded T-shirt stretched across giant pecs, tattoos peeking at me from his sleeves and cor. Tousled, just out of bed hair and midday scruff. Mmmm. Let the record reflect: Tattooed bad boys make my ovaries sit up and beg. I shove my awakening lust back down. This is no time to be turned on. This guy probably mugs little olddies on his way to motorcycle gang meetings. ¡°Are-¡± I clear my throat, trying to sound conversational instead of freaked. ¡°Are all three of you staying there?¡± ¡°Yeah. So you¡¯ll be safe with us around.¡± He shes a full smile that takes my breath away. He has deep dimples and remarkably full lips for such a manly man. Chris Hemsworth has nothing on this guy. Safe. Yeah, right. ¡°Fantastic. I feel better already. Would you mind removing your foot from my door?¡± I¡¯m going for cool, calm, and collected, but ites out sounding a little tart. He gives me azy smirk that unfortunately ignites a slow burn between my thighs. ¡°You never told me your name.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I look pointedly down at his foot. He tsks, folds his arms, and leans against my doorframe. ¡°Look, princess-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me princess.¡± He raises a brow. ¡°Then, what do I call you?¡± ¡°Ms. Drake. Amber Drake.¡± ¡°You a teacher or something?¡± ¡°Lawyer. And you¡¯re close to a harassment charge.¡± He¡¯s not, actually. They haven¡¯t done anything wrong. I don¡¯t usually throw mywyer weight around, but I want to get inside my apartment before I have a vision. Don¡¯t need my hot new neighbor knowing I¡¯m crazy. ¡°We didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t scare me,¡± I say quickly. ¡°So why are you clutching your pearls? As soon as you saw us, you got your panties all twisted in a knot.¡± Oh lordy. He¡¯s talking about my panties. ¡°I¡¯m not wearing pearls.¡± I use my mostwyerly tone.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°What about panties?¡± God help me. The sensitive bits covered by said garment contract at the mention. ¡°Noment.¡± I yank the door, but it doesn¡¯t budge. He raises his hands in surrender. ¡°Figure of speech. You¡¯d be clutching them if you had them. The pearls.¡± The image of me clutching my panties instead, as he rips them off me with those strong, white teeth, makes my breath hitch. To hide my mounting lust, I go back to scowling, giving up on tugging the door. ¡°Listen,¡± he says. ¡°My guys are cool. They may look rough, but they¡¯re motherfucking Boy Scouts.¡± I wince at the ill-ced curse word. ¡°Well, Mr¡­. Garrett, maybe you should get back to helping olddies cross the street.¡± Or mugging them. I shoo him, but he doesn¡¯t budge. ¡°I¡¯d rather help you next door to my apartment.¡± He leans closer, and heat rushes over me. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been hit on by someone this hot. Maybe never. Theck of subtlety has me rolling my eyes, but I have to admit, there¡¯s something to his cocky directness. No. I am not tempted in the least. Let the record reflect: I need to find a nice, normal, non-scary guy and flirt with him. Never, ever entertain the thought of going over to my scary hot neighbor¡¯s ce wearing nothing but tiny panties and pearls. And maybe a pair of heels. Oh God. ¡°Seriously,¡± Garrett¡¯s voice drops an octave, the low rumble thrilling me. ¡°Come on over, have a beer. Get to know us.¡± Can Lawyer Amber turn into Amber the Biker Chick? For a split second, I see myself out of my chic business suit and in tight jeans and a tube top. Hair down around my shoulders, cheeks sun-kissed and tilted into the wind. I cling to Garrett, leaning into the curve of the road as we ride. I blink. Did I just have a vision? My head pulses a little in answer, but there¡¯s no pain. ¡°So, what will it be, princess?¡± Garrett¡¯s still looking at me, blue eyes friendly. A girl could get lost in that cerulean sea. Not. Safe. ¡°No, thank you.¡± ¡°Okay. Your loss.¡± He withdraws his boot. My push on the door makes it m in both our faces. I yelp like an idiot. Lordy. I draw in a long, shaky breath. Something has let loose in my belly and somersaults around like a balloon releasing its air. Locking the deadbolt, I press my ear to the wood and listen. Three seconds pass before I hear footsteps walk away. I sag against the doorway, put a hand to my head. The slight throb is gone. Let the record reflect: I need to call building management tomorrow and find out just exactly who those guys are and whether there are anyints against them. For all I know, my apartment might havee avable because no one wants to live next to those guys. I sure as hell don¡¯t. At least, that¡¯s what I¡¯m telling myself. 38 ¡°I don¡¯t even have pearls,¡± I mutter, toeing off my pumps and setting my briefcase on the table as I speed dial my best friend. ¡°Hey, girl,¡± she answers. I might be boring and normal-or at least I try to be-but my bestie is cool. Her mom was a hippie, though, which is how she ended up with an outrageous name. ¡°Hey, Foxfire. How¡¯s it going?¡± ¡°Trying to keep busy¡­ you know, to keep my mind off it.¡± Foxfire caught her boyfriend cheating the weekend before and kicked him out. About time, but breakups suck, so I¡¯ve appointed myself her number one cheerleader and activities coordinator until the risk of her caving and asking him back is over. ¡°Do you want toe to my ce? We could watch Netflix and chill.¡± I¡¯m ready for a bit of mind-numbing television tonight. Nothing like silly reality shows to keep my crazy visions at bay. If only it helped my headaches. ¡°No thanks,¡± Foxfire sighs. I sense a sad spiraling on, and scramble. ¡°Hey, you know what we should do?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Go out dancing tomorrow night. The Morphs are ying at Club Eclipse.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t really feel like it.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? They¡¯re your favorite. You¡¯re always telling me how good they are in concert.¡± Most days, I avoid clubs, bars, and any other loud spaces like my sanity depends on it. Which, given my tendency to have visions, it just might. Foxfire, you¡¯d better appreciate this. I take a deep breath and lie my face off. ¡°Now I really want to go.¡± ¡°You? You hate going out. Usually, I¡¯m the one dragging you.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, and now I miss it. I know you don¡¯t feel like it-that¡¯s not the point. The point is to force yourself to get out and be social.¡± I employ the argument she¡¯s used on me many a time. ¡°I¡¯ll bet a million guys hit on you.¡± Foxfire snorts. ¡°I doubt it. But I¡¯d love a Cosmo.¡± ¡°Me, too.¡± It¡¯s my turn to sigh. ¡°So what¡¯s with you? You¡¯ve been working so muchtely.¡± ¡°Yeah, the center¡¯s been busy.¡± ¡°Lots of kidsing through the system?¡± The gentle sympathy in Foxfire¡¯s tone causes my shoulders to unbunch. ¡°A few.¡± ¡°Well, I know you¡¯re helping them. You almost givewyers a good name.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but helping these kids is necessary. Jesus, so many of them have the most fucked-up lives. They deserve at least one person who cares representing them in the system.¡± I grab a sponge from the sink and wipe down the counter, even though it¡¯s already clean. ¡°So¡­ I just met the guys who live next door.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Foxfire drags out her voice in a suggestive tone. ¡°No, not like that. Scary-looking guys.¡± I recall Garrett¡¯s blue eyes and dimpled smile. Maybe he¡¯s not that scary. But he definitely left me feeling flustered and off-kilter. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I couldn¡¯t tell if they were intimidating me or flirting.¡± ¡°You sound interested.¡± ¡°No, definitely not.¡± Total lie. My hand tingles where Garrett grabbed it. A man like him would be big enough to climb like a jungle gym. Would he let me ride on top? Oh jeez. Head out of the gutter, Amber! I don¡¯t want him in my bed. Even though he¡¯s probably really good. But good in bed doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯ll be a good neighbor. Unbidden, the image of me joining one of their all-nighters in my panties and pearls pops into my brain. Stop it. ¡°Are they hot?¡± Leave it to Foxfire to read between the lines. Even though I¡¯m alone in my apartment, my cheeks grow warm. I let out a strangled chuckle. ¡°Um¡­ yeah. One of them was-is-whatever. But not my type. Definitely not my type.¡± Garrett I lift my palm to my face and inhale the scent still lingering from the pretty blonde human. She wore the hell out of that short fitted skirt and jacket, and as much as she wanted to project prim and proper with her hair up in a librarian hairdo, I smelled her interest. She was aroused. By me. And, when we touched hands, I felt the shock of something. My fingers still tingle from our connection. I smelled a little fear on her, but mostly the notes were warm and sultry, vani, orange and spice. My wolf didn¡¯t want to scare her-which is a first. He usually likes throwing his weight around, and feels only impatience for human women. Why would I be interested in a human? And she definitely is all human-I went in close to be sure. I have no idea why she made my dick so hard. Sassy little thing, pulling her uptown-girl act while her knees shook with fear. I wanted to push her up against the elevator wall, wrap those knocking knees around my waist, and plow the sauciness right out of her. I bet she¡¯s never had a proper orgasm. I just might have to show her what it¡¯s like toe all over my cock, my name falling from those berry lips like a prayer. I rearrange my swelling cock in my jeans before plunking down on the leather sofa. Trey and Jared have already opened bottles of beer and stand out on the balcony, talking loudly. Probably not the best for new neighbor rtions. Maybe I¡¯m getting too old to live with my pack brothers. My dad¡¯s been telling me for years I needed to take a mate, act like an adult, and make the Tucson pack into something more than an MC club of mostly male shifters. We live loose and free, but the fraternity feel makes most wolves wanting to start a family move to my father¡¯s pack in Phoenix, or out of state. My phone rings, and I check the screen. ¡°Hey, sis,¡± I answer the call. ¡°Hi, Garrett.¡± She sounds breathless. ¡°Guess where I¡¯m going for spring break?¡± ¡°Um¡­ San Diego?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Big Sur?¡± ¡°Nope, not California.¡± ¡°Where, kiddo?¡± ¡°San Carlos!¡± ¡°No.¡± I make my voice deep and forbidding. San Carlos is a Mexican beach town several hours south of Tucson, but, ording to the news, is having trouble with drug cartels. ¡°Garrett, I¡¯m not asking.¡± At twenty-one, my sister, Sedona-named for the beautiful Arizona town where my parents conceived her-is still the coddled baby of the family. She wants full autonomy when she demands it, and full support-financial and otherwise-the rest of the time. I was ten when Sedona, an ¡°oopsie-baby¡± was born, so she¡¯s more like a daughter than a sister. I sharpen my tone. ¡°Oh, you¡¯d better be asking, or we have a big problem.¡± My folks only allowed Sedona to go to University of Arizona because I live close enough to watch over her. I might be an easygoing guy, but I¡¯m still an alpha. My wolf doesn¡¯t tolerate tests of my authority. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m sorry. I was asking,¡± she capittes, changing from stubborn to pleading. ¡°Garrett, I have to go. All my friends are going. Listen. We¡¯re not going to drive through Nogales. We found out there¡¯s a safer route. And we¡¯ll be in a big group. Besides, I¡¯m not human, remember? Drug gangs can¡¯t harm me.¡± ¡°A bullet to the head would harm anyone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to get a bullet to the head. I won¡¯t be buying drugs, obviously, and I won¡¯t be around ces where stuff like that goes down. You¡¯re being way too overprotective. I¡¯m an adult, in case you¡¯ve forgotten.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get sassy.¡± ¡°Pleeease, Garrett? Pretty please? I have to go!¡± ¡°Tell me who¡¯s going.¡± A pro at wrapping people around her little finger, Sedona picks up on my crumbling resistance. She plows eagerly into her description of the group. Four boys, five girls, of which two are couples. All human, besides her. If they were wolves, I¡¯d put my foot down about the mixed genders-not that I¡¯m old-fashioned. With humans, though, no male would be capable of overpowering my sister in any scenario. Still, a spring break beach trip sounds like it would consist of too much drinking and partying, which always results in poor decision-making. A whoop from the balcony makes me re at my roommates. ¡°I want to meet these kids,¡± I tell my sis. ¡°Garrett, please! You will totally embarrass me. That¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°Then my answer is no.¡± She huffs into the phone. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll stop by on our way out of town to say goodbye.¡± Very clever. I¡¯d be the biggest jerk on Earth to pull the plug on her trip at thest minute. My dad would do it, but not me. Which is the main reason Sedona picked a college in my town, versus going to Arizona State. ¡°Okay. When are you leaving?¡± ¡°Tomorrow.¡± ¡°You¡¯re calling to ask permission the night before your trip?¡± I growl into the phone. ¡°Well, I was trying to avoid the asking permission thing.¡± Her voice gets small.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°You¡¯re lucky you reconsidered.¡± I force my hand to rx. I don¡¯t want to break another cellphone. ¡°So, I can go?¡± ¡°You will not allow anyone to drive drunk at any time.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°And you will never drink more than two drinks in one night.¡± ¡°Aw,e on, Garrett, you know I can drink more than that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m giving you my stiptions. If you want to go, you¡¯d better agree to them.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, I agree. What else?¡± ¡°I want a check-in text every day.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± I sigh. ¡°Did you get Mexican insurance for the car?¡± ¡°Yep. We¡¯re all set. I¡¯ll see you in the morning. Love you, big bro. You¡¯re the best!¡± I shake my head, but smile as I hang up. Whoever mates my sister has my pity. It¡¯s impossible to deny her anything. ¡°Hey, boss, you headed to the club tonight?¡± Trey ambles in from the balcony. ¡°Not tonight,¡± I examine my phone for cracks. Sedona brings out the protective side of me unlike any other. At least, until I met little Miss Prim ¡®n Proper next door. For some reason, my wolf has already decided she¡¯s under my protection, whether she likes it or not. ¡°¡®Cause I was thinking about inviting our new neighbor out. See if she has a wild side.¡± ¡°No,¡± I growl. My phone crunches in my grip. Rage res up out of nowhere, surprising the hell outta me. ¡°Leave her alone.¡± Trey¡¯s eyes drop to the floor. Beyond him, Jared freezes. ¡°Just stay away from our neighbor.¡± My wolf is close, making my voice husky. ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± Both wolves bow their heads. Instead of an exnation, another growl rises in my throat. I¡¯m alpha. I don¡¯t have to exin. ¡°And no more drinking on the balcony,¡± I add with a re. When I open my hand, pieces of my cell phone drop to the couch. My anger fades as they slink away, but the feeling of satisfaction remains. My wolf is happy we protected Amber. But why? What does one little human matter to me? 39 Amber Stacks of files stare up from my desk, but I can¡¯t concentrate. Pulling on a strand of my hair, I dial the number for the property manager of my apartment. Maybe I¡¯m being a bitch, but I really think I should follow up on the guys. ¡°This is Cherise.¡± ¡°Hi Cherise, Amber Drake calling. I¡¯m in apartment 4F?¡± ¡°Of course. Hi, Amber.¡± ¡°Listen, I¡¯m wondering about the guys in 4G. What¡¯s the scoop?¡± A pause. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± ¡°I met the guys in 4G. They looked really rough. I¡¯m a little nervous about having them as neighbors. Have you had anyints about them or anything?¡± Cherise barks augh. ¡°No, I can¡¯t say that we have.¡± ¡°So, they¡¯re not partiers or anything? No loud noises or too many motorcycles out front?¡± ¡°Do you have a specificint?¡± Cherise¡¯s voice turns cold. Okay, maybe I¡¯m being a suspicious bitch. ¡°No, nothing specific. I just wanted to be sure. You know, they don¡¯t look like the most upstanding guys.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t judge a book by its cover.¡± Cherise seems downright annoyed now. ¡°Right, I¡¯m sorry. I just thought I would check in. You¡¯ve relieved my mind. Thank you.¡± Cherise hangs up without a goodbye. Oops. Someone¡¯s pissy. But I¡¯m a single woman, looking out for myself. She should understand. Maybe I was too quick to judge. I rub my temples. My head throbs, tension radiating from the base of my skull, the way it does when I¡¯m about to enter a bad spell. I felt iting on from the moment I met those guys in the elevator. My instincts tell me something¡¯s up with them. Unfortunately, my instincts are never wrong. I drag my palm over the back of my neck, willing the ache away. The nausea is already growing. Today¡¯s gonna suck. ~.~N?velDrama.Org (C) content. I check out of work early, stuffing a few files into my giant purse. I probably should call Foxfire to take me home because this headache is affecting my vision. But I prefer to handle my problems solo. I learned as a child never to depend on others or you just wind up disappointed. I don¡¯t need anybody. I can handle this on my own, is my mantra. So I creep through traffic, squinting in agony. As soon as I reach the elevator, the migraine hits me. My vision tunnels. My heavy purse hits the floor, and I lean against the wall, finding the button for my floor by feel. ¡°Are you okay?¡± That voice. Even totally out of it with pain, I¡¯d recognize the deep resonant timbre anywhere. God, I¡¯m not up to talking to him right now. Not at all. It hurts to turn my head to look at him, to focus on his face. Garrett bends close, peering at me. Concern creases his features. ¡°Amber?¡± I sway, and everything goes ck. When my eyes flutter open again, the room spins. No, wait. I¡¯m on the elevator. With Garrett. And I¡¯m in his arms with my head lolling on his shoulder. He gazes down at me, a little line between his brows. ¡°Are you back with me? I lost you for a moment there. Are you sick?¡± I shake my head. Bad move. Closing my eyes, I grunt, ¡°Migraine.¡± ¡°Gotcha.¡± His chest rumbles under my ear. The elevator dings, and Garrett carries me out into the hall, striding as if I weigh no more than a feather pillow. ¡°My purse,¡± I mumble. ¡°I¡¯ve got it.¡± Automatically I rx against him, breathing in his masculine scent. His unshaven jaw brushes against my cheek. Just being in his arms calms the storm of pain raging in me. By the time we reach my door, I feel almost human again. ¡°Thank you, Mr. ah¡­ Garrett. You can put me down now.¡± He frowns at the door, still holding me as if in no hurry to put me down. I¡¯m in no hurry, either. For the first time in my life, all the noise in the world, all that distraction I fight to constantly shut out, has faded, leaving only Garrett and me. My hand rests on one granite biceps, feeling the strength in his arms, the controlled power. I stare at my door, too, wishing it would open itself. He eases me down and keeps an arm around my waist as I fumble for my keys. Once I have them, I point them towards the door, hoping I¡¯ve grabbed the right one. I¡¯m still shaky, my body weak from an afternoon spent fighting off the migraine. Garrett¡¯srge hand closes over mine, guiding the key into the lock and turning it. He pushes it open for me. Quite the gentleman for a guy who looks like a thug. To my dismay-or maybe delight-he swings me back into his arms and carries me inside. ¡°Thanks,¡± I tell him, hoping he¡¯ll set me back down in the little living room. No such luck. He carries me straight to the bedroom. I cling to him, wishing I¡¯d stuffed myundry back into the hamper this morning after upending it all over the floor to find a missing bra. At least the bra is safely hidden under my clothes. My panties, however, are smack dab in the middle of the floor. Forget the headache. Now I¡¯m hot all over from blushing. Garrett in my bedroom? I have to admit, it crossed my mind. I never thought it would actually happen. My room was a lot cleaner in my fantasies. Garrett sets me on the bed, and bends over me. Before I can say anything, he pulls my pumps off. ¡°Do you take something? Ibuprofen?¡± I start to shake my head. Ouch. Bad n. Noise rushes past my ears. It returned as soon as Garrett put me down. ¡°No, nothing helps but sleep.¡± The nausea makes talking a chore. Garrett touches me, his huge palm covering my forehead. The agony recedes again. ¡°What can I get you? A ss of water? A wet washcloth?¡± Tears prick my eyes, but not from pain. I¡¯ve never, ever had someone take care of me. ¡°Yes, please,¡± I whisper. He removes his hand, and I immediately miss it. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± I curl up on the bed, leaning into the throb. My skin tingles as Garrett bends over me again. A wet cloth drapes on my forehead. Heaven. A clunk as he sets down a ss of water. ¡°Do you need anything else?¡± His brows are drawn down low as his face hovers close. Who are you, and what did you do with Garrett the Thug? I want to ask. And what did I do to deserve this kindness? I know the answer to that: not a damn thing. ¡°Thanks,¡± I croak. I¡¯m sorry I judged you. ¡°Want me to leave or stay?¡± Stay. God, please stay. ¡°I¡¯ll be okay. You can go.¡± He stands. ¡°Thanks again.¡± He touches my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll be next door if you need anything. I have excellent hearing, so just shout if you¡¯re going to pass out again.¡± ¡°Why are you being so nice to me?¡± His rugged face splits into a grin. It somehow melts every defense I ever erected against men, in general, and him, specifically. ¡°I intended to hunt you down and give you shit today. Cherise told me all the horrible things you said about me.¡± Oh God. The throb in my head intensifies, as if he drove an icepick through my temples. Killing me with kindness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry-¡± ¡°Nah, don¡¯t worry about it. Just rest that head of yours. I¡¯ll punish you for itter.¡± He winks. A wink that could bring a girl to her knees. Not me, of course. But I can see the appeal. Wait, did he just say punish? It takes my body a moment to register the threat, but when it does, heat floods between my legs, a wee diversion from my aching head. I wonder, vaguely, if masturbating would cure a migraine. I¡¯m probably too far gone. ¡°You sure you¡¯re going to be okay?¡± he asks, and my heart melts a bit more. His fingers stir in my hair, butterfly-light touch brushing back a few fallen tendrils. Just like that, a vision rushes in. Garrett¡¯s face changes, elongates into canine features. A wolf stares at me, white markings around silver eyes. ¡°Amber?¡± The wolf image swims away, leaving Garrett¡¯s handsome face. Same eye shape as the wolf. His hand rests on my head again, grounding me. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Please. Just leave.¡± Disappointment rushes through me, but I can¡¯t risk him being here while I hallucinate. I want to be nice normal Neighbor Amber. Not Crazy Amber, who mutters strange things while she has her headaches. What I don¡¯t understand is why I feel perfectlyfortable in Garrett¡¯s presence, like I finally belong. I wince as he pulls his hand away. A few secondster, he closes my bedroom door softly, and I ignore the rush of agony and disappointment, and swallow the words to call him back. 40 Garrett I step into my apartment, closing the door softly, as if the sound of a door snicking shut would disturb my suffering neighbor. I¡¯ve never considered myself the caretaking type of guy. I¡¯m an alpha. I growl. I dominate. I demand. But fates, seeing my beautiful neighbor in so much pain nearly gutted me. I¡¯ve heard the scent of a wolf¡¯s mate¡¯s tears will bring him to his knees. Send his aggression level down to zero, unless it¡¯s required to defend her. I swear seeing Amber so diminished did that to me. My wolf chilled way the fuck out, tamping down my restless, lust-driven interest in her and recing it with the need to soothe away every crease of pain etched in her face. I swear I saw a lifetime¡¯s worth of trauma in her young face today. No wonder she¡¯s so skittish. I have a feeling she¡¯s seen and experienced things a woman so sweet never should have. I hated leaving her, but what could I do? Set up shop in her apartment when she asked me to leave? I make her nervous enough, as it is. And I need to lose my interest in this woman, anyway. She¡¯s a human. Which means, not for me, unless I want a quick fuck. Oh fates, I totally want a quick fuck. My wolf growls. He wants more. So much more. Down, boy. Not gonna happen. Amber ¡°Look at all the pretty colors,¡± Foxfire cries over the noise of the band. She turns slowly on her barstool before catching herself on our table, doubling over andughing. Then she makes a swipe for my drink. ¡°Whoa there, sister.¡± I hold my cosmo out of reach. I¡¯ve been nursing it since I got here, out of solidarity to my grieving friend. Alcohol this soon after a monster headache episode is a bad idea. ¡°Sam, I need another one!¡± Apparently, she thinks she¡¯s on a first-name basis with the bartender. I catch his eye and give a small shake of my head, and he ignores her. ¡°I think it¡¯s time we switched to water.¡± Foxfire pouts and shakes her head before barking withughter again. Let the record reflect: When liquoring up a friend so she can forget her ex, make sure she¡¯s eaten first. ¡°Maybe we should go outside, get some air,¡± I suggest. Foxfire isn¡¯t listening. She lifts her empty ss and waggles her tongue into it before setting it down with a clunk. ¡°So thirsty,¡± she whines. ¡°I¡¯ll get us some waters, but you have to stay right here, okay?¡± I hop down from the chair to head to the other end of the bar where I can have a private conversation with Sam the bartender about not serving her again tonight. I take my cosmo with me. Foxfire spins slowly in her chair with a drunk, unfocused look. Of the two of us, she¡¯s definitely the wild, fun one, but I¡¯ve never seen her like this before. Maybe she took something when she went to the bathroom. I would¡¯ve gone with her but this soon after a bad spell I don¡¯t like being in close spaces with too many people, and this ce is packed. What was I thinking,ing here? Hunching my shoulders, I weave through the crowd three deep around the bar, trying to make myself less of a target. Too much noise, too many people. One touch too many, and I¡¯ll end up in the middle of a vision. Let the record reflect: Next girls¡¯ night out, I will stick to Netflix and chill. A shout goes up, and I whirl. Some girl is making a scene on the dance floor. A few security guys, as big and hulking as my thug neighbors, converge on the scene. More shrieking, and one of the security guys lifts the belligerent drunk. Crap, it¡¯s Foxfire, her multicolored hair flying everywhere. ¡°Excuse me, excuse me,¡± I push back through pockets of people, no time to keep from touching. Their feelings and thoughts wash over me like the colors of the light show. I arrive at Foxfire¡¯s side, lurching like I¡¯m also drunk. Security takes one look at me and hikes a thumb to the door. ¡°Is she okay?¡± I straighten, projecting I¡¯m sober and responsible vibes as hard as I can. ¡°I just left her for a moment.¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Miss-¡± ¡°I just wanna dance!¡± Foxfire shouts, and windmills her arms. ¡°Okay.¡± A security guard the size of the Terminator points us towards the back. ¡°Time to go.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got her. I¡¯ll get her out of here.¡± I bob next to him, reaching for my friend. I barelye up to his biceps. ¡°Only I¡¯m parked out front and you¡¯re taking us to the back-¡± I spring back as Foxfire doubles over and starts retching. ¡°You need to leave,¡± the bouncer says without a flicker of expression. He really does remind me of the Terminator, looming over me. ¡°Both of you.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, we were just leaving. But I¡¯m parked out front.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. You¡¯re going out the back door. Now, move it.¡± Foxfire doubles over again and a second bouncer catches her arm, dragging her forward. ¡°Not in here,¡± he snaps, his double-pierced lip giving him an extra-menacing edge. He reminds me of my thug neighbors. What is with these guys wanting metal all over their faces? ¡°Hey!¡± I run beside them. ¡°You need to slow down. She¡¯s obviously not feeling well.¡± The thug bouncer just tows her onward, dragging her when she stumbles. ¡°Stop,¡± I cry. ¡°You¡¯re going to give her bruises. Don¡¯t you think getting her a ss of water or helping her to the bathroom would be a bit more in line?¡± He propels Foxfire onto the patio in time for her to lean over and puke in a potted nt. ¡°Out,¡± he thunders, pointing to the door to the parking lot. ¡°Just wait three minutes.¡± I dive to hold back Foxfire¡¯s hair. ¡°Back off, or I¡¯ll call the cops.¡± ¡°You¡¯re eighty-sixed. You need to get out-¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Amand ripples through the air. An enormous blond man unfolds himself from one of the patio chairs. I double take. ¡°Garrett?¡± Two strides and my gorgeous new neighbor is at my side, staring Metal Face down. ¡°Leave her alone.¡± ¡°But she-¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Garrett has quiet authority down pat. The guy shuts right up. ¡°Go work the floor.¡± The Terminator¡¯s hands mp down on the second bouncer¡¯s shoulders, pulling him back inside. ¡°Anything else, boss?¡± Terminator rumbles. ¡°You need help out here?¡± ¡°No, get back inside. I¡¯ll take care of them.¡± I help Foxfire to a chair, digging for the wet wipes I always have stashed in my purse. ¡°She okay?¡± Garrett asks. ¡°She will be.¡± A cocktail waitress bustles out with a tray of waters. ¡°Garrett? Tank said you¡¯d need these.¡± ¡°Thanks, Stacy. Make sure no onees back here, okay?¡± ¡°Sure thing, boss.¡± ¡°Good girl,¡± Garrett murmurs absently. His eyes are on me. The waitress flushes and licks her huge, glossy lips, and I feel a surge of hatred. ¡°You work here?¡± I ask as soon as she leaves. ¡°I own the ce.¡± He leans against the wall, arms crossed, muscles stretching his ck T-shirt. Same jeans, same leather motorcycle boots. I swallow. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize.¡± ¡°I know you didn¡¯t.¡± Same smirk. He¡¯s been toying with me. The owner of Eclipse also owns half the downtown real estate, including my apartment building. My new neighbor is a business owner, not a thug. ¡°I thought-¡± I stop. I can¡¯t tell him he dresses like a derelict. Head in hands, Foxfire moans. ¡°Um, I¡¯m sorry about this,¡± I stand, hands fluttering as if I could conjure away the situation. ¡°We don¡¯t usually party this hard.¡± ¡°One drink is partying hard?¡± I blink. ¡°You were watching me?¡± He inclines his head yes. ¡°You really should talk to your bartenders. You could be held liable for overserving-¡± ¡°Amber.¡± One word stops me. He steps into my space, his body heat washing over me. Instead of feeling intimidated, I rx. Safe. ¡°You feeling okay? Last time I saw you-¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I half turn away, pretending not to be affected, even though every inch of me buzzes, aware, alive. ¡°You sure about that?¡± His voice rumbles low, sending a shiver across my skin. ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± I whisper. After all, what am I going to tell him? You touched me, and the visions came, but the pain went away. ¡°Here are your waters,¡± the waitress chirps. Her lips seem extra shiny with gloss. Her gaze flickers over Garrett and I standing close together, and she looks disappointed. Without thinking, I step into Garrett until my shoulder touches him, as if he¡¯s mine, and I have a right to be in the circle of his arms. A soft chuckle sounds above my head. I tilt my face up, ready to meet his smirk, and, just like that, the hallucination hits me. My vision blurs. Images flip before my eyes, too fast for me to catch. A movie on fast forward. I¡¯m back in the elevator, with Garrett and his two friends. This time, I run out to the apartment parking lot. They follow, dropping to all fours, turning into wolves under the giant, glowing eye of the full moon. ¡°Amber?¡± I shake myself,ing to. I¡¯m in Garrett¡¯s arms, clinging to his shirt. My entire body shes hot then cold. ¡°Werewolf,¡± I breathe, staring into the handsome face that, only seconds before, was a wolf. Garrett jerks, almost dropping me, and his brow wrinkles. ¡°What did you just say?¡± There¡¯s a sharp menace to his voice and rm kicks through me. It¡¯s true. He¡¯s a werewolf. And he doesn¡¯t look happy that I know. ¡°Nothing.¡± I push away. Beyond him, the clouds part. The moon is full. I need to get out of there. Quick. ¡°Foxfire,e on.¡± I slip her arm over my shoulder and stand, ignoring her groan. ¡°Amber, stop,¡± Garrettmands, but I ignore him. Foxfire and I make it to my car, and, by the time I unload her into the back seat and get her buckled in, my heart has stopped racing. My mind is still running marathons, though. What did I just see? Could it be real? No-that¡¯s ridiculous. It was a hallucination. Not real. ¡°Werewolves don¡¯t exist,¡± I mutter. ¡°Amber.¡± I leap up with a shriek. Garrett¡¯s standing there, a huge hunk of silent menace in the shadows. ¡°We need to talk.¡± Prickles race over my skin. In answer, I scramble to my side, m the door, and squeal the tires outta there. It doesn¡¯t matter who Garrett is, or how much real estate he owns, or whether it¡¯s true he turns four legged and furry every full moon. Werewolves may not exist, but the vision made it clear. Garrett is a threat. 41 Garrett As Amber¡¯s little hatchback peels outta my parking lot, I touch my tongue to one of my canines to make sure they¡¯re still human sized. Little Miss Prim and Proper nearly fainted in my arms-again-then stared at my teeth, the whites of her eyes reflecting the moon. Werewolves don¡¯t exist. ¡°Fuck,¡± I mutter. My teeth haven¡¯t changed. My vision is the same-not domed with the oing change. I was on the patio to get some air and space for my wolf, but it wasn¡¯t like I was howling. Werewolf, she said. How did she guess? ¡°You okay, boss?¡± Tank strides across the lot to me. I straighten, stuffing down my wolf. ¡°Heading home. You okay to lock up?¡± ¡°Sure thing. Who was that?¡± He jerks a chin at the way Amber¡¯s car went. ¡°You know her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s awyer. Uptight as fuck. She¡¯s also my neighbor.¡± ¡°Human?¡± ¡°You know she is,¡± I say sharply. Tank was one of the few older wolves who followed me from my father¡¯s pack. His wolf is huge and dominant, though not more dominant than mine. I suspect he was sent by my father to keep an eye on me, though it¡¯s just as likely that, as a consummate bachelor, he prefers my pack to one made up mostly of mated pairs. Quiet, strong, loyal, he makes a great enforcer. One of these days, I¡¯m going to make him my official Second. As soon as I know for sure he¡¯s not spying on me for my dad. ¡°Trey and Jared mentioned a little blonde neighbor. They think you have a thing for her. Said they scented her on youter.¡± He says it like it¡¯s casual gossip, but I hear the note of censure, and it pisses me off. ¡°Worried I¡¯m banging a non-shifter?¡± Shifters don¡¯t usually mate with humans, but that doesn¡¯t mean a wolf can¡¯t sow his wild oats. There are nows against it, although more traditional packs-like my dad¡¯s-frown on it. I don¡¯t. Which is probably why so many bachelor wolves followed me when I left to start my own pack. ¡°They said you imed her.¡± Yep. The censorship in Tank¡¯s voice is real. I face him and crack my knuckles. ¡°I told them to stay away, that doesn¡¯t mean I mated her. You have a problem here?¡± ¡°Dating a human is tricky business. Fucking them is fine, but a real rtionship? Quickly bes a problem. They can¡¯t know about us. The rule is-¡± ¡°I know the oldws. Have you forgotten who my father is?¡± I hate invoking my father¡¯s authority, but Tank is old school. Some think I wouldn¡¯t control my own pack if I didn¡¯t have my father backing my rule. It¡¯s not true. I¡¯ve never asked him to back me up on anything, but I guess the threat is there, nheless. ¡°No.¡± Tank drops his gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t mean disrespect. I protect the pack.¡± Authority acknowledged, my wolf backs down. I p him on the back. The difference between me and my dad is I know when to be a hardass and when to be a friend. ¡°You and me both. I¡¯ll never risk the safety of my wolves over a human. This one is under my protection, but that¡¯s all. My wolf took a shine to her.¡± Shit, that sounds even more suspicious. My wolf has no business sniffing around a human. Shifters mate shifters. End of story. I crack my knuckles again, rubbing my tattoos. Full moon makes me antsy. I¡¯m not a newbie who has to shift, but the desire is there. ¡°I¡¯m heading out. Tell Trey and Jared no after-work party, or they¡¯ll be on dish duty for a month.¡± ¡°Right, boss.¡± Tank tilts his head, showing his neck a little in deference. He doesn¡¯t argue, or point out that my exnation of who Amber is and what she means to me falls short. Wolf packs aren¡¯t democracies. My word isw. All the more reason not to be an asshole like my father. But Tank was right to give his warning. We all know the rules. Outsiders can¡¯t know about us. In the old days, there was only one way to deal with a human who¡¯d learned the shifter secret. If Amber knows what I think she knows, she might have to die. A long, winding ride does nothing to calm my wolf. All too soon, I find myself striding down the hall of my apartment building straight to Amber¡¯s door. My phone buzzes, and I pull it out. There¡¯s a text from my sister with lots of happy face and palm tree emojis. Arrived in San Carlos. XXOO. I shake my head, fight a grin as I refocus on the matter at hand. An outsider knows our secret. My wolf doesn¡¯t think of her as an outsider, though. He wants to protect her as much as I want to protect my sister. Leaning close to the door, my skin tingles as I pick up Amber¡¯s sultry scent. Inside, a TV is on low, and I hear her moving around. Amber must have dropped off her friend ande back here. There¡¯s no other scent. I knock on the door. The apartment falls quiet. ¡°Amber.¡± More silence. ¡°I know you¡¯re in there. It¡¯s Garrett. I need to talk to you.¡± Her scent grows stronger. There¡¯s a slight rustle just behind the door. I realize I¡¯m gripping the doorknob and pull my hand away. I don¡¯t need to crush another thing this month. ¡°Open up.¡± I lower my voice. She¡¯s right there, on the other side. She doesn¡¯t answer. I throw some authority into my voice. ¡°Amber, open the door.¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°Open it. Now.¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Go away. Or I¡¯ll call the cops.¡± ¡°No.¡± I sy my hand on the door, as if I can feel her through the wood. ¡°Calling the cops would seriously piss me off, and believe me, little girl, you don¡¯t want to see me mad.¡± True story: I don¡¯t want her to see me mad. ¡°Now, open the door.¡± ¡°Go to hell. I¡¯m not afraid of you.¡± The corners of my lips tug upward, despite the seriousness of the situation. I love her bravado. She¡¯s so fucking cute. ¡°Right. So, if you¡¯re not afraid, open the door.¡± When she doesn¡¯t answer, I ball my hand into a fist. ¡°Open it, or I¡¯ll bust it in, Amber.¡± ¡°I¡¯m calling the cops.¡± ¡°No cops. Door. Now.¡± I¡¯m not used to being disobeyed-by my wolves or by humans. Usually, when I show my authority, people jump. She moves away. Is she calling the cops? Fuck. I¡¯m so used to people following my orders, I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d actually go through with her threat. I angle my ear to the door but don¡¯t hear her speaking. Instead¡­ dammit. That¡¯s the sound of her balcony door snicking open. Where is she going? The image of her attempting the crazy and dangerous gymnastic feat of leaping to the neighboring balcony to escape throws me into full shifter protection mode. My fangs punch out to defend her from the invisible enemy of gravity. I race back to my apartment and run out to the balcony. Fuckity fuck fuck! The crazy little human has climbed over the edge of her balcony and is inching her way to the fire escapedder. I swallow the shout that chokes my throat, not wanting to scare her. She¡¯s obviously already terrified if she thinks climbing off her balcony is a better option than facing me. But, yeah, I guess finding out your neighbor is a werewolf would scare the shit out of most humans. I dash to the stairwell and take eachnding in one leap, skipping the stairs altogether. On the first floor, I bang the door open and jog around to the back of the building. Adrenaline pulses through me, bringing on a partial shift. My skin ripples before I take a deep breath and settle. My night vision sharpens. There. Amber, still in her little skirt and blouse from the club, her hair in her usual bun. She¡¯s climbing down the metal rungs of the fire escape, barefoot. Her foot slips a little, and she yelps, clinging to the railing. She¡¯s going too fast. I race over just as she loses her footing again and slips. With a little scream, she falls the rest of the way-about a story and a half-right into my arms. I catch her easily but soften my body to cushion hernding, letting her knock me to the ground. A grunt escapes as I hit the cement. For a second, I just lie there, cock growing hard at the feel of her in my arms. She¡¯s breathing, heart racing. Her scent, sweet citrus and spice, makes me dizzy. I rest a hand on her back, encouraging her to lie still, her breasts pressed against my chest. Maybe she¡¯ll take the hint and rx into me. No such luck. She pushes up, straddling me as she stares down. Oh, honey. Not a good idea. My cock thinks it¡¯s a fabulous idea. It strains against my jeans, wanting more contact. ¡°That was a stupid-ass move.¡± She scrambles up, but I catch her,ing to my feet to swing her over my shoulder. I¡¯m halfway to the stairwell when she starts to struggle. ¡°Put me down, Garrett! I will scream.¡± Interesting she hasn¡¯t already screamed. Just like she didn¡¯t call the cops. Maybe she obeys better than I thought. Either way, I have the upper hand, and I intend to keep it. I hoist her higher on my shoulder, cutting off her protests. I give her bottom a p, which is a big mistake. It¡¯s got to be the cutest ass I¡¯ve ever seen, and now that I¡¯ve smacked it once, I¡¯m dying for more contact. I want to squeeze it, stroke it, smack it again. She sucks in a breath. I scent feminine arousal. Oh, honey, it¡¯s on. 42 I carry her in through the back door, taking the steps two at a time. I blow past her apartment and slide the key into my lock, kicking open the door. As I carry her inside, she starts struggling again. I shut the door and stride to the couch, where I plop down and pull her over my knee. Now that the idea¡¯s in my head, I can¡¯t let it go.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Never, ever run from a wolf.¡± I deliver three hard ps to her tight little ass. How I keep from squeezing it when I¡¯m done, I¡¯m not sure. ¡°Ow,¡± she yelps and kicks. ¡°Knock it off.¡± Her wriggling only turns me on more. I can¡¯t resist three more spanks, just as hard. The scent of her arousal fills the room. The need to fuck hits me so hard, I have to pause with my hand syed over her ass. And she waits, silent, draped over my knees like the good little submissive she is. Got your number, princess. I shove the short skirt up and nearly groan at the sight of her panties. Fucking pink satin. With tiny ck bows at the bottom of each cheek. The curves beneath the fabric blush with my handprints. My wolf howls with satisfaction. ¡°Oh that¡¯s pretty, baby,¡± I murmur. She starts to wriggle again, so I pick up spanking, pping her panty-d ass with slow, deliberate strokes. ¡°You never run from a wolf because it triggers our hunting instinct. You don¡¯t want to be caught by the animal, baby. Not a delicate little human like you.¡± She lets out a wanton moan and rolls her hips to and fro as I spank her pert little ass. Her hip rubs over my aching cock, torturing me with every small movement. I pull her panties up into her crack, baring more of her cute ass. Her cheeks are already rosy from the punishment I¡¯veid down, but, now that I¡¯ve started, I¡¯m in no mood to stop. Not when it feels so good to master her. Not when she loves to hate it. I can tell because the sweet nectar of her arousal fills the room, driving my wolf mad with desire. I p her bare cheeks, the soundying down the beat for her vocalizations-the cutest little cries and grunts. Only when one cry sounds a little too much like a sob do I stop. Shit. Did I go too far? Wolves are physical creatures. We¡¯re swift to issue consequences-usually physical. Females get spanked by their mates. But she¡¯s not one of us. I rub her reddened cheeks, lift her up, and sit her on myp. Her curves fit perfectly. ¡°And do not let me catch you endangering your life like that again. You scared the crap out of me.¡± ¡°I scared you?¡± Her little skirt is up to her waist, bare thigh and panties filling my eyes. My cock aches, and I bite back the growl rising in my throat. ¡°Let go of me.¡± She writhes as if she wants to get up, but when I lock my arms around her, excitement blooms in her scent. My good girl likes being restrained. I¡¯ve never been with a human who likes rough y. Bedding humans is allowed-as long as we don¡¯t let slip who we are. But humans don¡¯t usually interest me. Too weak, delicate. Not this little she devil. If she doesn¡¯t stop fighting me, I will pin her face down on the floor and take her hard from behind, make her scream for a different reason. A far better reason. But I have the feeling fucking her wouldn¡¯t get her out of my system. Whoever this female is, she means something more to my wolf. ¡°Do you know what I do for a living?¡± she grinds out, still squirming. ¡°I¡¯m an attorney, and I will sue your sorry-¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to sue me,¡± I drawl. ¡°I will notify the police and file a restraining order and-¡± Amber ¡°Shh,¡± my neighbor-my werewolf neighbor-soothes. He runs his hand over my bare thigh. I go still. Part of me wants to rip his eyes out, but the other part of me holds its breath, trembling under his caress, waiting to see what he¡¯ll do next. ¡°You¡¯re not going to call the cops, and you¡¯re not going to file awsuit.¡± He is annoyingly certain. My bottom stings and tingles from the smacks he delivered but my pussy is molten. What the hell is wrong with me? ¡°You don¡¯t want to get into a battle of wills with me, because you won¡¯t win.¡± ¡°Is that a threat?¡± He chuckles, his hand slipping around the curve of my knee and sliding up my inner thigh. ¡°No. It¡¯s a fact.¡± His arm hooks around my waist, pulling me close as I straddle his knee. His big hard thigh presses against my pussy. I rock down on it and let out a puff of air then immediately stiffen. ¡°You are so¡­¡± His eyes rove over me, lingering at the line of my cleavage. Damn this bra. ¡°Cute.¡± I will sue you, buddy. Sexual harassment. Infringement of tenant rights. A litany ofw marches through my head, but his next words scramble every thought in my brain. ¡°And naughty.¡± He kneads my ass, still bare due to the wicked wedgie he gave me. A wonderful wedgie that also stimtes my clit. I rock my pelvis over his thigh, grinding down to stimte the little nubbin. Garrett barks out a curse, and his hands tighten on my ass. His eyes look more silver than blue. He flips me around to face away from him, as if I weigh nothing. My knees drape over his thighs, spread wide. ¡°You need relief, baby?¡± His voice is thick and growly. His fingers zero in on the exact ce I need them, rubbing my clit over the satin of my panties. Garrett¡¯s other hand cups my breast, kneading and squeezing. My nipples pucker under my bra, breasts ache and pulse in time with my clit, which he circles with the pad of a finger. ¡°I need you to answer me.¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± Panting, I reach down and yank the gusset of my panties aside for him. Garrett groans. ¡°Oh yeah, baby. That¡¯s it. Offer that sweet little pussy to me.¡± His digits are huge. They glide over my slit, which is embarrassingly wet. I tip my pelvis down to meet his touch, urge him on. He works his middle finger inside me. It¡¯s been forever since I¡¯ve had sex, and I¡¯m sure it shows because I¡¯m almost orgasming the second his digit pumps inside me. I don¡¯t recognize the soundsing from my throat. Garrett adds a second finger, stretching me. I throw my head back on his shoulder, crying out with pleasure. He thrusts them in and out, uses the heel of his hand against my clit until I¡¯m nearly weeping with desire. When he abruptly pulls them out, my pussy clutches on emptiness. He delivers a sharp p, right between my legs. ¡°Naughty girl,¡± he growls in my ear. My hips jack up. He spanks my pussy again. A third time. Then, like he knows I¡¯m about to blow, he shoves two fingers inside me and fucks me hard and rough, not holding back, delivering the intensity and speed I need to crest the peak. I shriek and throw my head back on his shoulder, digging my nails into his forearms as I ride his digits, my hips bucking, pussy clenching, toes curling. My orgasm goes on and on while Garrett holds his fingers wedged inside me and Ie all over them. God help me. I¡¯ve never lost control like that. Never allowed anyone to give me so much pleasure or to see me out of my mind. He eases them out as I coast down the other side, my body going limp against his. His lips find my shoulder and he smooths my panties back in ce. ¡°That¡¯s it, naughty girl,¡± he murmurs in my ear, then rearranges me to face him once more. He brushes a strand of hair back from my face. ¡°My naughty little human.¡± He emphasizes thest word, looking me in the eye, and it alles rushing back. He¡¯s a werewolf, and he knows I know. I tense. What¡¯s he going to do? But werewolves don¡¯t exist. I must have been off my rocker. ¡°I¡¯m not crazy,¡± I blurt. His stern look softens a fraction. ¡°I never said you were.¡± ¡°Are you¡­ you¡¯re not-¡± He arches a brow. ¡°Not what?¡± ¡°Werewolves don¡¯t exist,¡± I repeat my assertion from earlier, but my gaze falls to his tattooed knuckles. The phases of the moon. Oh God. He¡¯s definitely a werewolf. I try to bolt again, but he holds me easily, his arm like a steel band around my waist. ¡°Wh-¡± I clear my throat. ¡°What are you going to do with me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. First I need you to answer some questions for me.¡± He sounds serious now. ¡°Like what?¡± He shifts me to the side. Taking my hands, he turns them over, examining my arms. ¡°Are you hurt at all, baby?¡± Biting back tears, I shake my head. There he goes, taking care of me again. ¡°Good.¡± He lifts me from his knee and sits me on the coffee table in front of him, holding both my hands in one of his big paws. The intensity of his gaze makes me blush again. Atst, he asks, ¡°How did you know?¡± I try to jerk my hands free, but he holds me fast, adding his other hand almost like he¡¯sforting me, rather than holding me captive. I pull harder. ¡°Hey,¡± he says. ¡°Settle down. I¡¯m not going to hurt you, but I do need you to answer me.¡± ¡°There is no answer,¡± I rasp. I don¡¯t talk about my visions, ever. Last time I did, I was thirteen, and it cost me my foster home. I learned quickly that people don¡¯t like having their secrets spilled for them. I don¡¯t know how I let my knowing slip this time. Garrett just waits, holding me without effort, saying nothing. I slump. He¡¯s not going to let me go until I tell him. ¡°Sometimes I just know things,¡± I mumble. ¡°I see them, like fast-forward pictures.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I stare at a hole in his jeans, wishing I had just stayed at Foxfire¡¯s ce. Sent a movingpany to get my stuff, found a way to avoid Garrett for the rest of my life. But I didn¡¯t. Because, deep down, I wanted to see him. Needed to know if the vision was true. ¡°Amber?¡± I shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I really don¡¯t. Sometimes I see stuff I wish I hadn¡¯t. Like dead people or the future-usually something bad, like idents or deaths.¡± I remember asking my foster mom why the two buildings in New York caught fire and fell-two months before the 9/11 attacks. That family returned me in a hurry after it came true. ¡°I don¡¯t do it on purpose. I hate it, actually.¡± ¡°You¡¯re psychic.¡± I jerk my hand out of his and swipe at my face. My hair¡¯s fallen out of my updo. I probably look a mess. Crazy Amber, the psychic. All I need is to carry a deck of Tarot cards, wear flowy skirts, and cover my apartment with crystals. Oh, and burn incense. Then I can hang up a shingle and tell fortunes. Garrett¡¯s watching me, stone cold serious. I swallow hard. I know he¡¯s a werewolf. Probably something he doesn¡¯t want getting out. My fear from earlier returns: I might die tonight. But no, if he wanted me to die, he would¡¯ve let me fall off the balcony. Unless he needed to question me first. ¡°Did you tell your friend?¡± Right. This is what he needed to know. ¡°Foxfire? No. She passed out on the way home.¡± ¡°Are you going to tell her?¡± 43 ¡°No.¡± My voice cracks. ¡°No way. I¡¯m not going to tell anyone. I don¡¯t need people thinking I¡¯m crazy.¡± Knowing I¡¯m crazy. ¡°Are you just saying what I want to hear?¡± ¡°Do I seem like the sort of woman to blow smoke up your butt?¡± He grins, a devastating smile that makes my insides quiver. ¡°You did say you¡¯re an attorney.¡± But he releases my hands, dropping his huge palms onto my knees. I stare at the tattooed knuckles, therge fingers caressing me. I never knew legs could be so erotic. I¡¯m still dizzy from myst orgasm, but I wouldn¡¯t be opposed to round two. ¡°Would you give me your word?¡± I nod once then several more times. Is that really all he wants? A promise I won¡¯t talk? He squeezes my knees. ¡°Thank you. Listen, I don¡¯t want to threaten you¡­ but wolves don¡¯t like humans to know about us.¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t exactly ask to know.¡± He crooks that smile at me again, making my limbs turn liquid. ¡°I know that, Amber. I just want you to understand that you and I are going to have big problems if you talk.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll spank me again?¡± Damn, I was supposed to sound annoyed, not breathy and fluttery. As if I want to be bare-assed over hisp again. Oh wait. I totally do. ¡°Did you like your spanking, Amber?¡± His voice rumbles, deep and seductive. ¡°No.¡± I want to stand up, but he¡¯s leaning forward, rough palms on my thighs, and I would have to push him away. Touching him would be dangerous. ¡°I think you did.¡± Sexy wrinkles appear in the corner of his eyes. He¡¯sughing at me. ¡°If I told someone you were a werewolf, what would you do to me?¡± I ask, mostly to kill the mood. His blue eyes turn to ice chips. His hands squeeze my knees, and I wonder that I ever thought his touch sexy. My body freezes, as I stare down a predator. ¡°You don¡¯t want to know,¡± he rumbles, totally serious. The threat in his eye effectively kills the sexy mood. ¡°All right, then.¡± I find my voice somehow. ¡°I don¡¯t need to know. I won¡¯t tell anyone, on the pain of death.¡± I try to say thatst part like it¡¯s a little joke but fumble it. My stomach feels like a bottomless pit. His big body rxes. After a moment, so does mine. ¡°Good girl,¡± he says. A sigh escapes me, so big it rattles my bones. ¡°Come here,¡± he murmurs, and gathers me in his arms. I stay stiff, stunned, before melting against him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I scared you tonight.¡± His voice reverberates in his big chest. His hand soothes up and down my back. It feels so damn good. ¡°Oh, I wasn¡¯t scared. I normally climb down from my balcony at two in the morning.¡± His chuckle warms me. ¡°I really like you, Amber.¡± He stands and sets me on my feet, as if he hasn¡¯t turned my world upside down. ¡°I hope we have an understanding?¡± ¡°Yeah. My lips are sealed.¡± ¡°Good girl.¡± Fuck. Those words. I raise my chin. ¡°I¡¯m reserving the right to sue you for assault and battery.¡± He grins again. A toothy, wolfish grin that makes my pussy clench. He reaches down and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. ¡°I would apologize,¡± he purrs. ¡°Except I¡¯m not sorry at all. I enjoyed seeing that gorgeous little ass of yours. And those panties-¡± He makes a satisfied, growly sound. Yep, another clench. ¡°Come on, baby. It¡¯ste, and you should get some rest.¡± He leads me out, a palm on my back. I thought he might just close his door behind me, but he escorts me to my apartment like a gentleman. We stand in front of the door a second before I remember. ¡°Crap. It¡¯s locked.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get it. I¡¯m good with locks.¡± He disappears back into his apartment and re-emerges with a wrench and another small tool. ¡°You¡¯re going to pick my lock?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good skill to have, not that I use it much. I¡¯m more of a huff and puff and blow your door down kinda guy.¡± A half-hystericalugh bubbles out of my throat. ¡°You don¡¯t keep a master key to all the apartments? Wouldn¡¯t that be easier?¡± ¡°This is more fun. Wanna learn how? I¡¯ll teach you. It¡¯s actually pretty easy. Come on,¡± he says when I hesitate. ¡°Unless the princess is too good to get her hands dirty.¡± ¡°No,¡± I scoff. ¡°This is what happens when you hang with a bad boy.¡± He winks, and gives me the wrench. He talks me through breaking and entering while slouching against the wall. ¡°Okay, so the tension wrench goes into the bottom of the key hole. No-¡± Hisrge hand swallows mine, and I jerk.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Easy,¡± he murmurs in my ear, and suddenly there¡¯s no air to breathe. He shifts the wrench, showing me how to apply tension in the direction my key would normally turn. ¡°Now, you insert the pick at the top. Yes, that¡¯s it. Move the pick back and forth in the keyhole to lift each pin. Whoops-you released the wrench. You have to keep applying pressure there, because that¡¯s what will actually open the lock. Try again.¡± Let the record reflect: Picking a lock is easy. Or, it would be, if I weren¡¯t pressed up against a giant hottie. Electricity runs through my body, tiny shocks pulsing between my legs. My head swims with Garrett¡¯s deep voice and patient instruction. He¡¯s so gentle, yet he carried me like a war prize just a few minutes before. Carried me in and spanked me. Oh God. Every time I think of it, my belly gets fluttery, and my pussy clenches. And even when he threatened me, I felt safe. My shaking fingers slip. ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Sure you can. Try again. It¡¯s easy once you have the hang of it. Slow and steady, Counselor,¡± he murmurs as I jiggle the pick back and forth. One by one, I release the pins, and the wrench turns. ¡°I did it!¡± He grins as he opens the door for me. I try to give the tools back to him, but he waves them away. ¡°Keep them. They mighte in handy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re myndlord. Should you be encouraging all this breaking and entering?¡± ¡°I trust you to be good.¡± He puts a finger under my chin and lifts my face to his. His handsome face fills my vision. ¡°Until I make you bad.¡± I can¡¯t breathe. Is he going to kiss me? He drops his finger. ¡°Remember what we talked about.¡± ¡°Or else?¡± His closeness emboldens me. I¡¯m giddy. Or maybe I¡¯ve just lost my mind. ¡°Or else.¡± His eyes are flint, striking sparks. ¡°You¡¯ll be punished.¡± I lick my lips. ¡°What do I get if I¡¯m good?¡± A pause then he crowds me against the door. Two giant handse to cup my face, tilting it up before his lips m down on mine. It¡¯s a great kiss. A bad boy kiss. A naughty girl kiss. He pins me against the door, mouth dominating mine. His knee presses between my syed legs, his hard thigh angling against my pussy. Sparks fly in my mind, my body reigniting like fireworks on the Fourth of July. I grind down, helpless against the rising tide. Let the record reflect: Werewolves kiss good. At thest moment, he breaks away. ¡°Damn,¡± I breathe. ¡°That¡¯s right, baby.¡± He angles his hips, and his erection brushes against me. ¡°Be good, and you just might get another reward.¡± 44 Garrett I sit sipping beer on my couch, staring at the moon as I try to get my wolf under control. Bad, bad girl, running from a wolf. And the way she responded to the spanking¡­ damn if my dick isn¡¯t all awake and ready to go. I hear boots in the hall before my apartment door bangs open. ¡°Not so loud,¡± I call, and wince. I sound like my dad. Why the hell did I think it was a good idea to live with packmates? It was fun just out of college, but I¡¯m twenty-nine, and a business owner. I own half the real estate downtown. Maybe it¡¯s time to buy a house, find a mate. Grow the fuck up. But that would make me into my dad. Damn, my wolf is riled up if I¡¯m thinking about mating. Trey and Jared stride inside only to stop short. ¡°What the-¡± Trey starts, his eyes turning silver. ¡°It¡¯s cool,¡± I tell them. They smell Amber. ¡°What¡¯s with you and the human? Tank said you took off after her,¡± Jared says. I scoff. That makes me sound desperate. ¡°Tank was wrong. I went for a ride then came back here. You know, the ce where I live.¡± Jared¡¯s eyes aren¡¯t silver, but he raises his head, sniffing like a wolf at Amber¡¯s lingering vani scent. ¡°But she was here.¡± ¡°She and I had a little talk.¡± I take a pull on my beer, keep my tone casual. ¡°She knows.¡± Jared and Trey go still. ¡°How?¡± Trey asks. His shoulders bunch like he¡¯s about to change. Jared sits down on a chair facing me. A string of tension runs through him, too, like a predator on high alert. And they¡¯re right to prepare to defend. Amber knowing is a liability to the pack. ¡°Back off.¡± I can¡¯t quite keep the growl out of my voice. ¡°She¡¯s one of us.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jared cocks his head. ¡°You told her?¡± Trey asks as if he didn¡¯t hear me, worrying his lip piercing with his tongue. He¡¯s the thinker of the pack. I should have forced him to go to college because he¡¯s the guy who researches the fuck out of anything and everything that interests him. He¡¯s a great advisor and strategist. ¡°Humans can¡¯t know about us, G. The rule-¡± ¡°Shut up, Trey,¡± Jared cuts him off. It¡¯s inappropriate for either of them to question any decision I make. I plunk my beer down. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t tell her. And I¡¯m aware of pack rules. That particr one hasn¡¯t been enforced for seventy years.¡± ¡°Yeah, because your dad would rip a shifter¡¯s guts out if they ever told a human,¡± Jared mumbles. His eyes are silver, too. ¡°I¡¯m not my father.¡± The guys freeze at my growl, so I force myself to rx. ¡°That might be how my dad runs things, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary. Like I said, she¡¯s one of us.¡± ¡°Shifter?¡± Jared asks, though he must already know by her scent she¡¯s not. I shake my head. ¡°Psychic. I didn¡¯t tell her. She guessed. Or knew.¡± I stand and cross my arms over my chest. ¡°But, we talked, and she¡¯s not going to say a word.¡± Trey gnaws his lip. Jared watches me. ¡°You gonna tell Tank?¡± My fingers curl into fists. Is Tank their fucking leader now? ¡°No need. She¡¯s not gonna breathe a word.¡± ¡°Whenever you talk about her, your wolf is in your eyes,¡± Jared observes. ¡°We¡¯ve been taking bets on how long before you im her.¡± They¡¯ve been taking bets. Which probably means the whole pack knows I have a thing for a human. Assholes. ¡°I want to protect her,¡± I admit. And fuck her senseless. ¡°She¡¯s a good person, and she doesn¡¯t mean to have these visions.¡± And my wolf wants her safe. At first I was going to deny the truth, but for some reason didn¡¯t want to lie to her. I¡¯m not crazy, she said, and it was all over. I couldn¡¯t let her go on thinking that. I couldn¡¯t hurt her. I¡¯m an alpha. I protect the weak. Whoever Amber Drake is, she¡¯s one of mine. ¡°She¡¯s one of us,¡± I repeat. ¡°She swore not to tell, and I believe her. And my wolf trusts her, so¡­¡± I shrug, watching their bodynguage carefully. Most of my pack is loyal, but I¡¯m bending the rules. One hint of them being a threat to Amber, and I¡¯ll do what I must to make sure she¡¯s safe. ¡°Whatever you say, boss.¡± Trey drops into a seat next to Jared. I grunt my approval, but, secretly, I¡¯m d they¡¯re taking this so well. ¡°Yeah,¡± Jared also lounges back, rxed and smiling. ¡°It¡¯s about time you took a mate.¡± My eyes almost bug out. ¡°What?¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°We followed you to Tucson because your dad¡¯s pack was too rigid. No room for a wolf to run. But all this bachelorhood is wearing on us. I¡¯m ready to chase down a little she-wolf, give her a iming bite. I think a lot of guys are, but we¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± These guys are party boys. The idea of any of us settling down anytime soon is ludicrous. Jared just grins. I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s goading me to find out how serious I am about Amber. ¡°I¡¯m not mating,¡± I say firmly. ¡°You both know I can¡¯t mate a human, even if she is a psychic.¡± But my wolf disagrees. Lots of wolves mate humans; it must be possible. I¡¯d just have to be careful not to give her a mating bite, or it could kill her. But mating a human would mean I¡¯d lose my position as alpha. It would be seen as a sign of weakness. Our pups would have weak blood. ¡°Well, I¡¯m ready to settle down.¡± Trey yawns. ¡°You just want your dick sucked on the regr,¡± Jared mutters. ¡°Yeah, so? Who doesn¡¯t?¡± Trey grabs the cushion he¡¯s sitting on and throws it at his pack brother. ¡°Guys,¡± I warn them absently. My head spins with the idea of mating Amber. It¡¯s ridiculous, but now that it¡¯s on the table, my wolf won¡¯t stop salivating over the thought of having the prim little attorney as my own. I want to pull that bun down, tie her to my bed, and spread her legs. Spend so long eating her pussy she screams herself hoarse. Every night. For the rest of my life. Not going to happen, buddy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Jared says. ¡°We¡¯ll find another ce to live after you bring the human to heel.¡± He and Trey swap grins, and I want to punch both of them. They¡¯re having too much fun with this. ¡°In the meantime, we¡¯ll get earplugs or something,¡± Trey adds. ¡°I already need earplugs.¡± Jared throws a cushion at Trey. ¡°You keep me up, howling while you jack off.¡± ¡°I do not howl.¡± Trey throws the cushion back and dives onto his pack mate, punching him through the cushion. ¡°Guys,¡± I warn, and they stop. ¡°Do me a favor. Sit tight on this. Amber¡¯s under my protection, but that doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s my fucking mate.¡± ¡°But she may be your fuck-mate.¡± Jared grins like he knows I¡¯m trying to figure out how to make it happen. ¡°We¡¯ll let you warm her up to us first. When it¡¯s time, we¡¯ll make Trey wear a bag over his head.¡± The punching starts again. I grab my beer bottle before it goes flying, and watch them push at each other, hoping the crashing doesn¡¯t wake Amber up. I know Trey and Jared are solid, but I don¡¯t want them telling Tank, who will run to my dad. If my dad decides Amber is a threat, he won¡¯t hesitate to give a death order. For him, rules are rules. Life is ck and white. I can just hear him lecturing me and Sedona, That¡¯s how we survive. But no one is putting Amber down. I would fucking kill anyone who came near her. A growl rumbles in my chest at the thought. But that doesn¡¯t mean I can have her, either. 45 Amber I dream I¡¯m being chased by a wolf. A huge, silver-eyed beast who morphs into a giant, ripped man. Who then catches me, pins me under his muscled body, and¡­ I wake up in the throes of orgasm. Let the record reflect: Full moons makes werewolves get freaky. Or am I the one who¡¯s getting freaky? The bathroom mirror reflects my flushed cheeks. Apparently I love freaky. Sighing, I drag a brush through my hair. Multiple visions, a horrible night out and then I meet a werewolf. Just another week in the life of Crazy Amber. After two hours of frantically wiping down every surface in my apartment, I feel a bit better. Maybe I can just keep on keeping on, act normal. Garrett told me not to tell anyone, so I may as well pretend nothing happened. Right? I mean, they¡¯re three huge, scary guys who happen to turn into wolves. Big deal. I turn into a monster once a month, too, when I¡¯m on my period. Maybe I have more inmon with Garrett than I thought. Dressed for yoga, I grab my mat and head out the door, pausing to check if I packed my keys. My back and bottom tingle as if my body remembers Garrett pressing against me. He caught me when I almost fell, and walked me to my apartment, and taught me to a pick a lock. Keeping me safe. Taking care of me. Do I pretend that never happened? What about the kiss and the spanking and his talented fingers between my legs? I suck in a breath as mydy bitse to life with happy memories. Ducking my head to hide my blush, I practically run down the hall. No werewolves ost me on the way to my car. I¡¯m almost disappointed. Maybe I am back to Normal Amber¡¯s life. When I see Garrett, I¡¯ll just be cool. Settling into my car, I¡¯m about to back out of my spot when I see him. Massive shoulders stretching an army-green shirt, Garrett crosses his bulging arms over his chest. His head tilts to the side as he watches me. I wave, ignoring the flip-flop of my heart. And then I hit the gas-only to have the car lurch forward. I forgot to put it in reverse. The front wheels of my Volvo hit the concrete block and roll over it, crunching the front of my car into the wall. A secondter, metal screams as my door rips off its hinges. ¡°Baby, are you okay?¡± Garrett leans over me, unclicking my seatbelt and pulling me from the car before folding me in his arms. ¡°Hey, neighbor.¡± My voicees out shaky. So much for being cool. ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°You startled me. I, um-¡± Garrett¡¯s scent surrounds me, and calm settles my jangled nerves. My hands are syed on his hard-muscled chest. ¡°Amber?¡± Focus! Amber the Lawyer is never at a loss for words. ¡°Are you, um, growling?¡± ¡°My wolf,¡± Garrett says through a clenched jaw. ¡°He¡¯s worried about you.¡±¡® ¡°Oh. Hi, wolf.¡± I speak to Garrett¡¯s belly button. His shirt has ridden up, showing muscles the size of cobblestones. More rumbles as Garrettughs. The pleasant sound rxes me. I¡¯m standing in my hottie neighbor¡¯s arms, talking to his wolf. Nope, not crazy at all. Garrett tucks an errant strand of hair behind my ear, brushes a thumb over the hill of my cheek, leans in, and kisses me. At the touch of his lips, little shocks of lightning sh through me. I sigh and press forward, ready to rub myself against him. My hand slips under his shirt, caressing the smooth, sculpted muscle. Garrett angles his head, grips the back of my neck, and deepens the kiss. His tongue in my mouth stirs up parts of me down below. The kiss goes on and on and when we finally break away, I can barely breathe. He holds me close with his firm hand on my neck and rests his forehead against mine. I¡¯m literally like the heroine of a Jane Austen romance, my chest heaving, about to swoon. ¡°Um. Wow. Do all werewolves kiss like that?¡± I ask inanely. Really? Where is the sane Amber who always can verbally spar with the best of them in a courtroom? Silver shes through his eyes. ¡°You won¡¯t be kissing any werewolves but me.¡± ¡°Well no, of course not. I didn¡¯t mean to kiss you, either. You¡¯re the one who keeps doing it. I keep letting you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay.¡± He releases the back of my neck, and I feel the loss. ¡°I was worried there for a second.¡± ¡°I see that.¡± My door creaks as it hangs on one hinge. My front wheels are stuck between the concrete barrier and the wall. ¡°What am I supposed to do now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised you don¡¯t have Triple A on speed dial, princess.¡± ¡°I do, actually. But how do I exin those?¡± I point the deep imprints in the metal Garrett put there with his bare hands. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. Most of my pack are mechanics. They can get this straight.¡± ¡°How are we going to get it back over the concrete barrier?¡± Garrett¡¯s busy shooting off a text. By the time he¡¯s done, two big guys burst from the stairwell door. Again, I automatically step back. ¡°You remember Jared and Trey?¡± ¡°Hi, Counselor.¡± Jared, the one with the shaved head and tattoo sleeves, nods. The heavily pierced one actually grins at me before he points to my car. ¡°This the problem?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Garrett pockets his cell phone. ¡°Tank¡¯sing with a tow truck. But I don¡¯t want to leave it until then.¡± The two punks walk to either side of my car. ¡°How¡¯s the weather?¡± Full Metal Face, also known as Trey, asks. Garrett stands at the rear, sweeping a nce around the parking lot. ¡°Olddy, three o¡¯clock.¡± The three of them lean against my car, looking casual as a woman crosses the parking lot, gets in her car, and drives off. ¡°All clear,¡± Garrett murmurs. The men all bend over and get a grip on my car before lifting it as if weighs nothing. My jaw drops. Let the record reflect: Werewolves have superhuman strength. They carry it back into ce, and set it gently down. ¡°Thanks, guys.¡± Garrett nods, and the two punks wink at me and disappear before I find my voice. ¡°I guess that works.¡± ¡°Tank will be here to tow it in a bit.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I say. ¡°You¡¯re wee, princess.¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. So much for a normal Saturday. ¡°I guess I¡¯m going to miss yoga.¡± ¡°I can help you with that.¡± ¡°How? You going to teach me to hotwire a car?¡± A grin, shake of his head. ¡°I¡¯ll do you one better.¡± He strides around a corner. The roar of motorcycle pipes herald his return. ¡°Oh no.¡± I shake my head as he glides up on a huge ck Harley. ¡°No way I¡¯m getting on that thing.¡± ¡°Come on, Counselor.¡± He tosses me a helmet. ¡°Live a little.¡± 46 Let the record reflect: When riding a motorcycle, you should bring a change of panties. Because they are basically vibrators. Really big vibrators. I hold tight to Garrett, pressing into his back as the wind whips my hair below the helmet. ¡°Hey!¡± I shout as we motor away from downtown. ¡°My yoga studio is in Armory Park!¡± ¡°Change of ns, princess,¡± he tosses back, and pulls in at a little Mexican taco stand on the west side of the now dry Santa Cruz riverbed. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to brunch.¡± I¡¯d protest, but I¡¯m not sorry. I would¡¯ve beente for yoga, anyway, and even though I know it¡¯s a bad idea, I crave more time with my overbearing neighbor. Even if it is on a death machine. Which feels amazing between my thighs. Garrett orders ten carne asada tacos, pays, and hands me the paper sack with our food. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°For a pic.¡± He starts the motorcycle and takes the turn for A Mountain, leaning into a curve. The A is for the giant letter painted there-for University of Arizona-and I lean with him, trying to ignore the fact that I¡¯m stered against the hottest guy I¡¯ve ever met. It¡¯s almost like I never had the morning orgasm at all. We head up A Mountain, the statuesque saguaro cacti standing sentinel as we zoom past. The sun is high, but the air rushes past me, making the temperature perfect. By the time Garrett pulls onto an overlook, I¡¯m actually having fun. The view of the city and naturalndscape beyond is incredible. Wrens chirp from their nests in the giant cacti. This is what it¡¯s like to be Garrett. Free. The familiar knot of anxiety I always wear is gone, as if I¡¯ve taken on his ease and strength. His overwhelming belief that the city belongs to him, and there¡¯s nothing he can¡¯t handle. I know I¡¯m projecting, yet my gut tells me I¡¯m right. What I feel is true. Garrett owns his life, downtown, this mountain. But that¡¯s stupid. He may be a werewolf, but it doesn¡¯t make him invulnerable. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be wearing a helmet?¡± I ask as I pull mine off. ¡°Worried about me, princess?¡± ¡°No,¡± I mutter. ¡°A wreck probably wouldn¡¯t make a dent in your hard head.¡± He just grins. ¡°How did you like the ride?¡± ¡°It was nice.¡± I flush. ¡°d I could pop your cherry. Your bike cherry.¡± I narrow my eyes and try not to think about what it would¡¯ve been like if he¡¯d been the guy who¡¯d popped my actual cherry. So much better than Tommy Jackson. He justughs. ¡°Come on, princess.¡± He leads me to a pic table. Here. Dig in.¡± He opens the container of tacos. ¡°Nice of you to ask me what I wanted,¡± I mutter. ¡°I could be on a diet. Or vegetarian.¡± He freezes, looking horrified. ¡°Are you vegetarian?¡± ¡°No.¡± My stomach growls. ¡°Thank the fates.¡± He picks up a taco and devours it in one bite. I¡¯m suddenly worried there won¡¯t be enough for both of us. ¡°But I am watching my weight.¡± He scoffs. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Same reason I go to yoga every week. It¡¯s what normal people do, you know, to keep in shape.¡± ¡°I like your shape.¡± His blue eyes sweep down from my face to my breasts and linger there. My nipples peak at the attention. ¡°Tell you what, you eat-¡± he plunks a taco in front of me. ¡°And I¡¯ll watch your weight.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I will watch it very, very closely.¡± He ducks his head beneath the table to ogle my lower half. I snap my knees shut, but a slow throb starts between my legs. I imagine him under the table, prying my knees apart. Putting those sensual lips of his against my core. ¡°I¡¯m sure you will.¡± Damn my voice for sounding breathy and excited. ¡°Pass.¡± I bite into the taco and moan. It is so good. The man-werewolf-across the table looks like he wants to take a bite out of me. Jesus, do werewolves bite? Why haven¡¯t I asked yet? I nod to his fingers, the blue ink rendering of the moon in its various phases. ¡°For someone who has a big secret, don¡¯t you think that tattoo is a little telling?¡± He gives me a lopsided grin, one side of his mouth pulling up. ¡°Most humans aren¡¯t like you, Amber.¡± It may not have been apliment, but the way he looks at me makes my insides warm. ¡°S-so, how does it work? Do you bite people to turn them during the full moon?¡± Garrett gives a short bark ofughter. ¡°We¡¯re not fucking leeches.¡± I stare nkly. ¡°Vampires.¡± My stomach knots. There are vampires, too? Eeesh. ¡°No, you¡¯re either born a shifter or you¡¯re not. You can¡¯t be turned. In fact, there are pathetically few of us left. Breeding with humans has caused our species to dwindle.¡± I suddenly long to know everything about them-meet the whole gang and understand what makes them tick. It hits me hard, like this is some knowledge I¡¯ve been missing my whole life, that I should have known. ¡°I have a question for you, Counselor.¡± Garrett has polished off six street tacos. ¡°How do you drive if you get visions all the time?¡± ¡°I can suppress them. I don¡¯t usually get them unless I¡¯m around big crowds of people. Or when I get touched.¡± He bares his teeth, like he can¡¯t stand the idea of anyone touching me. ¡°How are you not a recluse, then?¡± ¡°I kind of am. I don¡¯t go out a lot, except to work and yoga. Foxfire is my only close friend.¡± My life sounds pathetic. Normal Amber is prettyme. ¡°Why did you choose to be awyer?¡± I square my shoulders. ¡°Why? Because I could¡¯ve been a fortune-teller instead?¡± Heughs. ¡°No, baby. Somehow, I can¡¯t see you doing that. I¡¯m just wondering what makes a hot, talented woman like you go into such a rigid upation.¡± He means I¡¯m too uptight. I touch my tangled waves, wanting the security of my usual French twist. ¡°I work with kids in the system, getting them out of bad situations.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that pro bono stuff?¡± ¡°Almost,¡± I admit. ¡°I¡¯m lucky I got schrships forw school, otherwise I couldn¡¯t afford my student loans and rent.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were such a humanitarian type.¡± ¡°Yep. Foxfire calls me a bleeding heart liberal. But I want to give back, and if I can help these kids navigate the system, save them from what I-¡± I stop short. I didn¡¯t mean to tell him about that. ¡°Save them¡­¡± Garrett prompts when I don¡¯t go on. ¡°What were you going to say?¡± I set down the rest of my second street taco. Should I tell him? ¡°I was in the system.¡± I swallow a lump in my throat. ¡°Foster care, from the time I was six.¡± His fingers wrap into fists, jaw sets tight. He looks one part sick, one part furious. ¡°Are you fucking kidding me?¡± ¡°Easy, Hulk.¡± He exhales a measured breath and stands up. I watch him walk around the table and plunk down on the concrete bench beside me, straddling it. He reaches for me, using one giant paw to swivel my knees in his direction, turning me in my seat. Leaving his hand on my knee, he cups my nape with the other. His brow knits with concern. ¡°You okay?¡± His voice is gruff, like he¡¯s going to go back in time and kick the ass of anyone who hurt me in my past. ¡°Yeah.¡± I let out a shaky breath. I can¡¯t believe I told him. It vites my number one rule for keeping Crazy Amber under wraps. It took Foxfire years of prying to get it out of me. ¡°Foster care saved me, but it wasn¡¯t easy. I tried my best to act normal, but I kept getting sent back because they thought I was crazy. You know, because of the¡­¡± ¡°The visions?¡± ¡°Yeah. Myst set of foster parents thought I had a drug problem.¡± I shake my head. ¡°They spent years trying to medicate me.¡± ¡°Did it help?¡± ¡°No. It made me feel worse. But they meant well. And my life in foster care was so much better than the alternative.¡± ¡°So, now you work with kids, making sure they get the life they deserve.¡± His eyes are the deepest blue, filled with understanding. I don¡¯t want to ept it, but it feels so damn good. ¡°Yes.¡± I¡¯m grateful he changed the subject back to work. Work is safe. Iunch into a long exnation of my state job as child¡¯s attorney, representing kids in the foster system. ¡°Sounds intense,¡± he says. ¡°It also sounds like you¡¯re really making a difference. Not bad for a slimywyer.¡± He tries for light, but his eyes still hold a world of grief on my behalf. I roll my eyes and give his sturdy chest a light shove. He catches my wrists and pins them together with arge hand. ¡°None of that, bad girl.¡± Oh, lordy. The memory of my spankingst nightes rushing back. As if it hadn¡¯t been at the forefront of my mind all day. ¡°No disrespect.¡± His voice drops an octave. ¡°Or I¡¯ll have to punish you again.¡± My pussy clenches, but I ignore the way the threat lights me up. He drops his gaze to my pebbled nipples showing through my tight yoga tank, ratting me out. My face heats. ¡°Y-you¡¯re the bad one. Not me.¡± I yank the container of tacos closer. ¡°There are two left, Aren¡¯t you going to eat them?¡± It¡¯s ame attempt at distraction, but he allows it. ¡°So, if you were having lunch with a business owner who wants to give back to themunity, what would you say foster kids need most?¡± I straighten. ¡°Does this business owner happen to own property all over Tucson? Including Club Eclipse?¡± He grins. ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°Believe it or not, I¡¯d love to have ess to the club one night.¡± He quirks a sexy brow. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really. One of the social workers for the foster kids is looking for a ce to host a ¡°Families¡¯ Night Out¡± with kids and their foster parents. It¡¯d be so cool to take them to Eclipse. Let them have a dance party.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t serve alcohol to anyone under twenty one,¡± he deadpans.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Of course not,¡± I swat his hand. In a blur of movement, he catches it. My lips part as his mouth closes over my fingers, sucking them. The slow roll of his tongue has me blushing. Once more I imagine that tongue working between my legs. Not that I¡¯ve ever wanted that before. Hell, I¡¯d always thought it was kind of disgusting. You know, unsanitary. But the velvet wet heat of Garrett¡¯s mouth has me dying for it. I sag in my seat when he lets me go. Swallowing hard, I continue. ¡°I-it¡¯d be a dry event. Just sodas and music. Maybe a light show. The kids will think it¡¯s so cool. It¡¯ll be good neutral territory for them to bond with their new families.¡± ¡°All right,¡± he says slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± ¡°Would your roommates volunteer to help?¡± ¡°Jared and Trey?¡± His eyebrows pop up. ¡°They¡¯ll do whatever I tell them to do.¡± ¡°You said it yourself: they¡¯re Boy Scouts. They¡¯d be great role models. As long as they tell the kids not to drink or smoke, and to stay in school.¡± ¡°My buddy Tank owns a motorcycle shop. He has a handful of high school kids who hang out on the regr to learn from him. I¡¯ve always thought it could be a formal program. You know-vocational training or something.¡± My heart squeezes to hear that Garrett-the giant werewolf I¡¯d so misjudged-thinks about helping local teens. ¡°That¡¯s an incredible idea. Would you want to be a part of it?¡± He shrugs. ¡°Yeah.¡± I picture him mentoring young would-be thugs and giving them a sense of purpose and confidence. ¡°I bet you¡¯ll make a great dad,¡± I blurt. My eyes widen when I realize I just brought up having kids on our first date. I don¡¯t even know what made me say it. Yes, I do. My overactive ovaries, which are still dropping eggs every two minutes in hopes they¡¯ll get lucky with him. ¡°I mean-¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll teach them to pick locks and ride motorcycles. Isn¡¯t that what every woman looks for in the father of her pup?¡± There¡¯s a challenge in his voice, and a flush of shame runs through me for being so judgmental of him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I acted like a snooty bitch when we met. I was just nervous about my safety and I-¡± He cuts me off with a kiss, stamping his lips over mine with an unspoken demand. I yield, opening for his tongue, trying to ignore the way the Earth tilts on its axis and dumps me on my butt. Somehow, I know my hair is never going to fit back into the uptight twist I used to wear. ¡°Oh, Amber,¡± Garrett breaks the kiss. ¡°If you had any idea all the terrible things I want to do to you, you¡¯d know you were right to be nervous.¡± My breasts ache now, nipples stinging and chafing against the fabric of my yoga top. I want his mouth on them. I want to know all the terrible things. He¡¯s already spanked me. What else is the kinky werewolf into? Bondage? Humiliation? I never considered anything but in old missionary sex to be in my future, but it¡¯s like a door has slid open, showing me a whole new, beautiful world. I grope for something to say, something safe and neutral. ¡°What about you?¡± I bump his foot with mine. ¡°How did you get into real estate?¡± ¡°I moved to Tucson when I was eighteen. My dad gave me a startup loan, and I bought a smallmercial property and rented it out. Did all the repairs and fixup myself. Then I got lucky. Downtown revitalization took off, and the value of the property shot through the roof. I borrowed against equity to pay my dad back and open Eclipse. My dad was disappointed to say the least.¡± ¡°That you opened a nightclub?¡± ¡°Yeah. He says I¡¯ll always be a punk.¡± A rush of anger runs through me on Garrett¡¯s behalf. I may have jumped to the same conclusion when I met Garrett, but I¡¯ve since seen he¡¯s more than a motorcycle-driving hoodlum. And even with a startup loan from his father, any guy who could grow his real estate empire from onemercial building to a multi-million dor empire has some business skills and savvy. Garrett¡¯s smile doesn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°Guess he¡¯s right.¡± Hearing about his father¡¯s condemnation suddenly gives me some insight into why Garrett hasn¡¯t grown up. With a father like that, you¡¯d either want to prove him wrong or prove him right. Looks like Garrett chose proving him right. Yes, he¡¯s a little old to be rebelling, but if he grew up with an overbearing, judgmental asshole for a parent, I can see how that might stick with him. ¡°So, what¡¯s the average day look like for you?¡± ¡°Drink beer. Harass my hot neighbor.¡± He keeps ying the thug role. I yank the container of tacos away just as he reaches for one. He arches a stern brow. I stifle a grin and shove them back, eyeing his enormous pecs. He catches me looking and smirks. ¡°Like what you see, angel?¡± 47 I shrug like his nearness has no effect on me. ¡°You work out for those?¡± ¡°Naw. This is all gics, baby.¡± He flexes, showing off his giant biceps. I wonder how many girls at Eclipse throw themselves at his feet every night. The thought makes me want to strangle all of them. ¡°Run the club? Manage your properties?¡± I continue pressing.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Nope, I have pack members and employees to do that, now. I manage them.¡± Pack members. He has a pack of shifters. I don¡¯t know why, but I love that idea. The men who seemed so intimidating and rough in the elevator that first day, the tough bouncers at the club, they¡¯re not motorcycle club members. Or maybe they are, but they¡¯re also pack members. Wolf pack members. I suddenly wonder if every motorcycle club is actually made up of werewolves. I¡¯m too embarrassed of my ignorance to ask. I wonder if they dress like punks on purpose. To warn humans off or something. Not that I¡¯mining, today. His massive body is drool worthy in his signature ripped jeans and faded T-shirt that reads Dark Side of the Moon. Moon. Heh. I wonder how much moon paraphernalia he collects. ¡°Eat your taco, Counselor.¡± Garrett has polished off the remaining two and points at my second, half-eaten one. ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± ¡°Thene with me.¡± He tugs me up, his huge hand swallowing mine. Strong fingers, powerful enough to crush metal, but so gentle with me. He leads me up the mountain, away from the motorcycle. We¡¯re off the beaten path, and when it proves too tricky for my tennis shoes, he lifts and carries me easily over the rocky terrain, to the very top of A Mountain then sets me down on a small boulder. The view is even more spectacr. ¡°Is this what you wanted to show me?¡± I ask. ¡°I just wanted to change things up.¡± He fingers a lock of my hair. ¡°What you told me on the pic table-about being in foster care-do you tell many people that?¡± I swallow. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Are you close with your foster parents?¡± ¡°Thest ones? The ones who tried to medicate me? Not really. I think I went tow school just to prove I didn¡¯t need their help or anyone else¡¯s.¡± ¡°Do you have any close friends? Anyone who knows you¡¯re psychic?¡± ¡°Just Foxfire. At least, she¡¯s the only one who believes me when I tell her what I¡¯ve seen.¡± ¡°Anyone else?¡± I shake my head. My chest hurts a little. ¡°Why are you asking me these questions?¡± ¡°Now I know why you¡¯re wound so tight, baby. Your gift makes you iste from others. You have no one to watch your back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a gift.¡± My throat clogs. ¡°And you don¡¯t have anyone to share your secret with. No family. No pack,¡± he murmurs as if talking to himself. The pain under my breastbone expands until I blink back tears. He catches my expression. ¡°Fuck. I didn¡¯t mean to upset you.¡± He pulls me to stand and wraps me in his arms. I resist, hating weakness. He ignores my attempts to push him away, his strength making me seem like a toddler. ¡°I just want to know what makes you tick. I don¡¯t want to hurt you, Amber.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t hurt me,¡± I dere, but it¡¯s an old assertion. The cousin to I don¡¯t need anyone, and I know it¡¯s not true. I give up resistance and sag against him, resting my cheek on his massive chest. I wipe my eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t let anyone hurt you again.¡± I want to call bullshit on that. But I like the way it sounds. And I like the way it feels to lean into his warm strength and soak it up. I¡¯ve never opened up to anyone the way I did to Garrett. I¡¯m not even sure how he got me to. But I trust him. More than I¡¯ve ever trusted anyone in my life. ¡°Well.¡± My voice sounds shaky. ¡°I guess we both know each other¡¯s secrets now.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± He sets his chin on the top of my head. We fit perfectly. ¡°Your secret¡¯s safe with me, princess.¡± For a moment, we stay like that, molded together, looking down on Tucson. Garrett inhales through his nose, and his hands tighten on me. One wanders down to my ass, squeezing my buns through my skin-tight yoga pants. ¡°You had to be wearing these.¡± Both hands grip my ass now, squeezing and releasing, circling and caressing. I remember the way he stroked my ass after he lit it on firest night, and a dark hunger burns in my lower belly. He lifts me to straddle his waist. His mouth falls on my shoulder, half bite, half kiss. He lifts and lowers my ass, rubbing my core over the massive bulge of his cock. ¡°I can feel your hot little pussy, baby. Are you even wearing panties?¡± ¡°No,¡± I manage to say through panting breaths. I¡¯ve never wanted a man so badly in my life. I¡¯ve never surrendered like this-just let a guy lead and do whatever he wants. A rumble sounds in Garrett¡¯s chest. I draw back and see his eyes are silver. ¡°Your wolf is showing,¡± I murmur. ¡°Fuck.¡± He drops me to the ground and stares at me, fingers balling into fists at his sides. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You okay?¡± He doesn¡¯t answer. A muscle in his jaw jumps. He mutters a curse and pulls off his shirt. Dayum. His arms-the muscles are almost as big as my head. The sight of his eight pack makes me want to howl at the moon. He has a wolf paw tattoo on his shoulder. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I cross my arms in front of me to hide my tight nipples. His fingers go to his belt next. I throw out my hand. ¡°Hold up, big guy. What are you doing?¡± Does he think we¡¯re having sex, right here, right now? ¡°I need to shift.¡± ¡°Here? Now?¡± I nce around. ¡°Garrett, no.¡± The sound of a car below reaches us. ¡°It¡¯s broad daylight, and anyone coulde up.¡± He steps close, his scent washing over me. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. You bring the change on. If I don¡¯t let the wolf out, I¡¯m going to put you on your hands and knees and¡±-he cuts himself off with a dog-like a shake of his head-¡°do those terrible things.¡± Please-do them. His skin ripples in terrifying motion. ¡°No.¡± I put my palms on his chest, as if I can stop the wolf froming out. ¡°Stop, please.¡± I know what it¡¯s like to be a kid, and to see things I¡¯m not supposed to see. ¡°Don¡¯t do this. Not like this.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t stop.¡± His voicees out choked. He¡¯s going to shift in front of me, right now. ¡°Stay with me, Garrett,¡± I do the only thing I can think of. Surging up to tiptoe, I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him. Heat sts through me as soon as our lips touch. He lifts me, fists a hand in my hair, and tugs my head back. The swell of his hardened cock presses against my belly. The kiss ignites my body, sensation sting through me. Everything in mees alive. ¡°The things I want to do to you.¡± The raw hunger in his expression is unnerving. ¡°You can,¡± I promise, and I mean it. I want it. ¡°Just not here. Take me home. You don¡¯t have to shift.¡± I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s my intuition or fear speaking, but there¡¯s an urgency to keeping him sane, preventing whatever he¡¯s wrestling with from happening. He licks up my throat, my head still immobilized in his iron grasp. His lips drag across my jaw; he nips my mouth. My body responds, hips pushing up against him, the heat of my core seeking something to grind on. He bites my shoulder so hard, I cry out in pain. It seems to jerk him out of his lust-filled stupor, and he releases me, jumping back as if I¡¯d burned him. ¡°Fuck, Amber.¡± His eyes are still silver. He drags a hand through his blond hair, breathing hard. ¡°Fuck. Did I hurt you? Fuck!¡± ¡°No. No, you didn¡¯t.¡± It¡¯s a partial truth. I lean forward, missing him already. My hands want to stay molded to that incredible chest. ¡°It¡¯s okay-¡± I reach for him. I know what it¡¯s like to feel out of control. ¡°No.¡± Fury mars his handsome face. ¡°It can¡¯t happen again. This was a bad idea.¡± He¡¯s breathing heavily. ¡°I need to stay away.¡± ¡°Garrett-¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be near you.¡± He passes a hand over his face. His shoulders hunch. Arge pop sounds. ¡°Too close to a full moon. I¡¯ve got to go.¡± He whirls, striding down the other side of the mountain. Away from the road. Away from me. ¡°Wait!¡± Is he just going to leave me here? I can¡¯t drive a freakin¡¯ motorcycle. I scramble after him. ¡°What happens during the full moon?¡± His growl echoes off the boulders as he disappears, stopping me in my tracks. ¡°I go hunting.¡± 48 Let the record reflect: The werewolf abandoned his date on A Mountain. ¡°Thanks for picking me up,¡± I tell Foxfire as she pulls away from the overlook. The site of a date gone awry. I¡¯d waited a full hour for Garrett to return before epting I¡¯d have to find my own ride back. ¡°No problem. Least I could do, after making a fool of myselfst night.¡± She looks a bit wan but steadier than I feel. ¡°Tell me again what happened. You went on a date and, in the middle of it, he up and left?¡± ¡°He¡¯s¡­ strange.¡± Understatement of the year. And hot. And probably a millionaire. And a werewolf. And a goddamn asshole. ¡°Wait,¡± Foxfire says. ¡°I¡¯m putting together the pieces. Is this your neighbor?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°And he was therest night, right?¡± ¡°He owns Club Eclipse. And, after I got home, we had a little talk.¡± And a little spanking, followed by a not-so-little orgasm. And hot dreams all night long. I press my hands to my cheeks to hide my blush. ¡°He kinda knocked on my door. I got scared and went out the fire escape. I nearly fell, and he caught me. Brought me to his apartment and told me-¡± I break off. ¡°To never set foot in his club again,¡± Foxfire fills in my awkward pause. ¡°Because of me.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I think he¡¯d let us back in.¡± He told me we could use the club for the foster fun night. I hope he meant it. ¡°This morning, he helped me with my car, but then¡­¡± ¡°He took you for a ride on his motorcycle and stranded you in the middle of nowhere.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I rub my head. My temples throb like another vision is due. Wonderful. ¡°This guy sounds like bad news. You¡¯re usually not the reckless one.¡± ¡°I know.¡± What was I thinking? ¡°We have this connection.¡± ¡°What could you possibly have inmon with this guy? He¡¯s in a motorcycle gang. You spend nights working or organizing your pens and ironing your underwear.¡± ¡°Gee thanks. Why don¡¯t you just call me boring?¡± ¡°You know what I mean, Amber. I love you to bits, but you¡¯re a control freak. That guy is chaos.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it. I felt like I could open up to him. I told him about the visions.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Foxfire¡¯s eyebrows arch so high they almost disappear under her bangs. ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s the first person I¡¯ve told in years, other than you.¡± Foxfire¡¯s grandmother was a medicine woman, so she grew up hearing about the spiritual side of things. It¡¯s one of the reason we¡¯re so close.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you confided in that jerkoff. He seems likes the big Neanderthal type.¡± ¡°He is, but he¡¯s more than that. I had an episode in front of him, and he took care of me.¡± ¡°When you told him about the visions, how did he react?¡± My head swims at the word vision and I put a hand on the dash to steady myself. ¡°He believed me.¡± ¡°What¡¯d you see?¡± Foxfire asks. ¡°A wolf.¡± Something shes in the desert as I stare out the window. A coyote or some other wild animal? Garrett is out there, running in his other form. For a moment, I taste the hot, dry air, powering past cacti as I run on all fours. I¡¯m a predator, powerful, unafraid. The moon hovers just under the horizon, unseen, but my skin tingles as it calls to me, telling me to shift¡­ ¡°Did you just say werewolf?¡± Foxfire¡¯s gasp brings me back into the car. ¡°No,¡± I shake my head, dazed. Did I just have a vision? ¡°Um, what¡¯d I just say?¡± ¡°You said Garrett is a werewolf. At least I think that¡¯s what you said. You were kinda out of it.¡± Damn. ¡°Uh¡­ that¡¯s the name of his motorcycle club, I think. The Werewolves. They have a wolf theme. Club Eclipse. Moon tattoos. It¡¯s a thing.¡± Please, please, believe me. ¡°Okay, whatever.¡± I stay quiet, just focusing on breathing. Amber weaves into traffic as the desert slowly makes way for urban sprawl. I close my eyes, fighting dizziness. ¡°Does your head hurt?¡± Tess asks. ¡°A little.¡± ¡°You look a little sick, otherwise I¡¯d take you apartment hunting, right now.¡± I slide down in my seat. Do I want to leave my apartment? Not have Garrett as a neighbor? No. He fucked up today, but so did I. Was there ever more proof I¡¯m a freak? ¡°I don¡¯t like this, Amber.¡± Foxfire¡¯s frown creates furrows alongside her mouth. ¡°Garrett sounds like bad news.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I tell her. ¡°I think he¡¯ll stay away from me now on.¡± I ignore the pang in my heart. I barely know the guy. I shouldn¡¯t care if I never see him again. ¡°Just take me home.¡± My voice breaks on the word. I can¡¯t lie to myself. Years of foster care, and I¡¯ve never had a safe ce to call home. A ce I can be myself, a family who epts me for what I am. Garrett I made it home, no thanks to you. Just thought you should know. I read Amber¡¯s text as I enter my apartment building. For a second, I debate texting a reply, but I fire one off to my sister instead. It¡¯s been almost a day since you checked in. Call me soon. I pocket my phone before I crush it in my grip. Females. Maybe it¡¯s a good thing my pack is all male. My wolf surges forward as I pass the spot where Amber¡¯s car was parked. I push him back down. Hours of running, chasing jackrabbits, and I¡¯m still all riled up. One woman is the cause of this. I catch her sweet scent in the stairwell, and I¡¯m ready to rampage. Mate. There¡¯s no other reason I should act like this. I¡¯ve never had problems with my wolf before. But, one date with Amber, and I almost lost control. I was ready to rip her clothing from her, throw her down and fuck her senseless. Worse, my canines had elongated, ready to mark her forever with my scent. im her as mine so no other wolf would ever think about taking her. The trouble is-she¡¯s human. Mating her would mean relinquishing my position as alpha. An alpha mates an alpha. Humans are about as far from alpha as it gets. Although a psychic human might be different. If we produced dominant wolf pups with psychic abilities, it would be epic. But the pack isn¡¯t going to wait around to see what our pups look like. If they sense a leader has a weakness, another dominant wolf moves in. Tank. Or Jackson King, the lone wolf who owns the multi-billion dor techpany SeCure. No, I need to resist Amber. For her good, and mine. Hell, I could¡¯ve hurt her. I had zero control, was ready to tear her flesh with my teeth to make sure she knew who imed her. There¡¯s a word for wolves who lose it like this: moon mad. The wolf takes over, consumed with the desire to mate. The more dominant the wolf, the more dangerous it is. I¡¯m alpha. I¡¯m the most dominant wolf I know, except maybe my dad. It¡¯s clear my wolf wants Amber. To keep from going mad, I¡¯ll have to either im her or stay way far away. That¡¯s why spending time with Garrett was so special. For a few short hours, I felt like I belonged. 49 I take the stairs. I was out all night, running, trying to tire my wolf out before I had to get close to Amber again. No such luck. My animal goes crazy as I open the door to the hall. Not to mention my libido. My erection presses painfully against my jeans. Amber¡¯s door opens. Her name leaps to my lips, but outes a tiny woman with rainbow-colored hair. She shuts the door carefully with one hand, the other steadying arge, floppy purse as she starts down the hall. At thest minute, she looks up when I pass her. ¡°You!¡± She stops to put her hands on her hips to re up at me. ¡°What¡¯s your deal?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± My wolf would normally snarl at the challenge to my authority, but this littledy smells like Amber. ¡°Who are you?¡± I say, just as I recognize her from the club the night before. ¡°Foxfire. I¡¯m Amber¡¯s friend. I picked her up in the mountains where you stranded her.¡± Her finger almost pokes me in the chest. My throat vibrates with a growl. ¡°Sweetheart, you need to back off.¡± ¡°You need to stay away from my girl. You and your werewolf gang-¡± ¡°What?¡± I almost roar.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. She throws up her hands. ¡°Whatever the name of your gang is. Wolves or Werewolves or whatever. You can call yourself the Dumbass Jackholes for all I care. Just leave Amber alone.¡± With the final shout, she stomps off, leaving me trembling, my skin crackling with the desire to shift and tear apart the threat to my pack. Amber let my secret slip. I trusted her, and the first thing she does is tell her spitfire friend, who then shouts it to the world. ¡°Oh, hell, no.¡± I march to Amber¡¯s door, clenching my fist tight. She wants to see the big bad wolf? ¡°Amber? Open up.¡± If she goes out the fire escape again, she¡¯ll be sorry. The scent of vani and sweet orange. ¡°Open the door, Amber,¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± I hear the patter of her heartbeat even through the wood. ¡°Open it now. One¡­ two¡­¡± The lock clicks open. Her face is pinched and pale. ¡°Wise decision.¡± I push past her into her living room. She trails behind me. I stop, clenching my fists as if it will help me keep my wolf in line. I don¡¯t know what the hell to do. I don¡¯t want to threaten her with the old-school consequence of a human knowing our secret-death. I¡¯d take a bullet through the head before I let anyone harm this beautiful human. ¡°You broke your word to me.¡± She stands, shoulders hunched, eyes on the floor. The submissive pose flips a switch in me. My cock turns hard as stone, despite my disappointment. Genuine anger changes to a lusty desire to paint her ass red. Right before I bend her over and pound her from behind. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to tell her,¡± she whispers. ¡°I slipped into a vision and¡­ it just came out. I told her it was the name of your motorcycle gang.¡± Some of the tension in my face eases. I review what Foxfire said, and it fits. Still, I don¡¯t want anyone thinking we¡¯re wolves, whether it¡¯s the name of a gang or the real animal. ¡°Well, we don¡¯t have a gang. What are you going to tell her when she finds out we don¡¯t call ourselves that, even in jest?¡± She shrinks down even more. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t be this cowed, but I sense the shame in her scent. She¡¯s truly sorry. My chest rumbles with my wolf as I prowl around her. ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand. Shifters do not allow humans to know they exist. It ismon practice to eliminate any threats to our privacy.¡± Amber still hasn¡¯t moved. I¡¯m not sure she¡¯s breathing at all. My wolf loves dominating her, even though the human part of me scrambles to keep control. Images of pinning her delicate hands to the wall and smacking that cute ass flood my brain. ¡°You were already in danger, Amber. I liked you, so I was willing to go out on a limb and let you live. But now there are two of you who know. You just put your friend into grave danger.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt Foxfire.¡± A tear streaks down her cheek. The salty scent of it subdues my irritation faster than a tranquilizer dart. Another sign she¡¯s my mate. I run my fingers through her hair, gripping a handful and slowly drawing her head back, exposing her neck. For a second, my vision goes dark, as I fight the animal growling at me to mark her. ¡°Naughty, Amber,¡± I breathe in her ear, catching a note of arousal to her frightened scent. It spikes my own. I let her feel the weight of my dominance. Let her understand how dangerous a creature I really am. ¡°What am I going to do with you?¡± My phone rings, breaking the spell. I step back and yank it from my pocket. I see Sedona¡¯s name on the screen and answer it quickly. ¡°Why in the hell haven¡¯t I heard from you until now?¡± ¡°Uh,¡± a male voice says. ¡°This is Jason, Sedona¡¯s friend. We¡¯re in San Carlos?¡± Ice shoots through my veins. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Sedona¡­ well, she kind of disappeared.¡± ¡°What do you mean, kind of disappeared? Where is she?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know. She went out for a run on the beach, and she never came back. We¡¯ve looked everywhere. We even tried the cops, but they didn¡¯t seem like they cared that much. We were thinking maybe you could call the embassy or something?¡± Sedona. My sister. Gone. My animal rises in me, wing to the surface. Amber¡¯s worried face appears in front of me. I focus on her. ¡°I¡¯ming,¡± I growl, my voice half gone to my wolf. ¡°Where?¡± The kid gets what I¡¯m asking and promises to text the directions. The thought that I have to wait to know where to go is the only thing that keeps me from crushing my phone. ¡°What is it?¡± Amber¡¯s voice shakes. And she should be scared. She woke a big bad predator, and now she¡¯s going to have to deal with the consequences. I stalk forward, and she backs up, like the good prey that she is. ¡°My sister, Sedona. She¡¯s missing.¡± ¡°Oh no.¡± Her eyes go wide. Her back hits the wall, but she never stops meeting my gaze. ¡°What happened?¡± In answer, I press my forearms on either side of her head, caging her in. My body covers hers. One move and my cock will brush against her, and I¡¯ll lose it. My hands fist, fighting for control. I drop my head, inhaling her warm, sweet scent. Amber. Mate. She¡¯s the only thing holding me together right now. She¡¯s the only one with the power to tear me apart. ¡°Garrett?¡± My name on her lips makes me want to forget my failings as a brother and my terror over Sedona¡¯s disappearance. I want to breathe in Amber, and her alone. Instead, I back up enough she can see the light silver in my eye. ¡°Pack a bag and grab your passport. We¡¯re going to Mexico.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re psychic. You see thing others don¡¯t. You¡¯reing with me to find her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Garrett, but I can¡¯t. I have work on Monday-¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking. You broke the rules, little human. I can¡¯t let you run around free, and I have to go, which means you¡¯reing along. I own you now.¡± 50 Amber I huddle in the backseat of Garrett¡¯s Range Rover, shivering, even though it¡¯s not cold. The doors on either side of me open, and Jared and Trey slide in, sandwiching me between them. Let the record reflect: I¡¯m not into foursomes or kidnap scenarios. I guess I should have told Garrett that, because this is not my idea of a great second date. ¡°What¡¯s with thewyer, boss? She doesn¡¯t look happy to be here.¡± ¡°She¡¯sing with us. Don¡¯t let her escape,¡± Garrett growls. He climbs into the front seat and peels out of the parking lot. I scramble to click in my seat belt. My two bodyguards-because that¡¯s what they are-don¡¯t bother. The tattooed one-Jared-sits and watches me, arms braced as Garrett weaves in and out of traffic. ¡°What¡¯s your n with her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sitting right here,¡± I mutter. ¡°We gonna have to kill her?¡± Trey rumbles. They¡¯re joking. I¡¯m pretty sure. But not positive. Fuck. ¡°If he wanted to kill her, she¡¯d already be dead, and we¡¯d be disposing of the body,¡± Jared says, as I choke on my own breath. ¡°No killing. She¡¯s gonna help us.¡± Garrett¡¯s deep rumble stirs me even in this tense moment. ¡°Oh yeah.¡± Jared studies me. He has long eyshes and hazel eyes. ¡°I forgot-she¡¯s psychic.¡± ¡°You told them?¡± Garrett¡¯s eyes meet mine in the rear view mirror. ¡°I don¡¯t hide anything from my pack.¡± Oh, so no reciprocity here? I bite back a retort. Now is not the time for Lawyer Amber to assert her case. Maybe when the energy in the car isn¡¯t thick with tension. I can barely breathe. ¡°You think you can sense a missing person, psychicdy?¡± Jared asks. One of his tattoos is a skeleton amorously entangled with a very buxom, half-nakeddy. Charming. ¡°My name is Amber. ¡± I pull out my snooty voice to bolster myself against fear. ¡°And the answer is no. It¡¯s not a skill I know how to use. It¡¯s more like something that happens to me.¡± ¡°Well, I need you to try,¡± Garrett says from the front seat. ¡°I really don¡¯t know how.¡± I don¡¯t. And I know he¡¯s going to me me when it doesn¡¯t work. ¡°So, why is she our prisoner?¡± Trey pushes. I stiffen at the casual way he asks, as if taking prisoners is par for the course. ¡°She talked,¡± Garrett mutters. ¡°You¡¯re scaring her.¡± Jared puts an arm around me and lightly rubs my shoulder. ¡°She¡¯s shaking like a leaf.¡± ¡°Do not touch her.¡± Garrett¡¯s growl makes my stomach drop to my feet. His eyes glow silver in the mirror. Jared removes his arm.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Trey shifts in his seat, putting a few inches between me and his big body. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Understood, boss,¡± Jared echoes. They look like punks, but they sound like they¡¯re in the military. Garrett¡¯s not done. ¡°If either of you touches her I will smash your faces in, got it?¡± Neanderthal. These guys are total Neanderthals. But my entire body flushes, and some part of me enjoys his possessive threat. Or it just protective? Either way, it puts a warm, squirmy feeling in my belly. ¡°So, if she tries to escape, I¡¯ll just stop her with my invisible forcefield,¡± Trey mutters. ¡°Are you really talking back to me?¡± Garrett demands. His fingers are white on the steering wheel. ¡°No, sir.¡± Trey exchanges a nce with Jared, raising his eyebrows slightly, as if to say, ¡°What¡¯s with him?¡± I breathe a little easier after seeing this exchange. ¡°Amber has a friend.¡± I tense all over again at Garrett¡¯s words. ¡°Her name is Foxfire. She was at the club.¡± ¡°Miss Pukes-alot? I remember,¡± Jared says. ¡°Call Tank and tell him to keep an eye on her.¡± ¡°What?¡± I blurt before I think. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Yes-¡± ¡°Foxfire¡¯s harmless. She thinks Werewolves is the name of your motorcycle gang or something. I swear, she won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± My voice rises to match my level of desperation. ¡°You told someone about us?¡± Trey asks. The way the temperature drops in the car, I realize how serious this is. I¡¯m in big trouble. ¡°I had a vision. It slipped out. Don¡¯t take it out on Foxfire.¡± ¡°No harm wille to your friend,¡± Garrett promises. ¡°I swear on my wolf.¡± ¡°I just need her address.¡± Jared pauses mid text. I shake my head. Tears burn my eyes. Stupid, stupid visions. Stupid werewolves. I didn¡¯t ask for any of this. ¡°Please,¡± I whisper. ¡°Amber.¡± I meet Garrett¡¯s eyes in the mirror. He says nothing more, but his look demands I yield into his inflexible will. Maybe I have Stockholm syndrome. With a sigh, I tell them Foxfire¡¯s address. ¡°She¡¯ll be okay,¡± Garrett assures me. ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry,¡± Trey adds. We drive in silence for forty minutes, until we pass the sign for the Mexican border. A jolt runs through me when I see it. Am I really going to leave the country with these wolves? ¡°Amber, look at me.¡± Garrett taps the rearview mirror until I meet his eyes. ¡°No trouble,¡± he warns. ¡°Do not call attention to us in any way. Don¡¯t speak unless you¡¯re asked a direct question. Do not give them any cause to stop us, understand?¡± I tighten my lips. My heart races. I¡¯m in serious trouble. Kidnapped by a lethal pack of wolves and taken to Mexico. Am I evering back? Lawyer Amber would never allow herself to be taken out of the country by near strangers. She got a top score on the bar exam. She¡¯s not stupid. At what point did I check in my brain and start thinking with my vagina? I don¡¯t let anyone push me around, hot werewolf, or not. ¡°Are we clear?¡± I force myself to nod, before looking away. I need to think of something, quick. This is nuts, and I¡¯ve spent a lifetime trying to keep Crazy Amber out of my life. Our car inches forward in line. When we reach the little concrete hut, Garrett turns off the car, signaling that we all need to get out to bring our paperwork inside. He ps arge hand on my shoulder as we walk forward. Inside, he continues to direct me. I fill out the tourist visa form, and bring it forward when the man behind the counter motions to me. ¡°Disculpe.¡± I pray Garrett doesn¡¯t speak Spanish. His grip tightens as I rush on. ¡°Tengo un problema¡­¡± A rumblees from Garrett, low but distinct. A warning. I gulp down my words. What the hell am I doing, anyway? ¡°Em¡­ donde esta el bano?¡± I ask for the bathroom instead of exining my problem. and Garrett eases his grip. The man points toward the Damas sign on the restroom. I bob my head. ¡°Gracias.¡± When the man hands the paperwork back, I head to the restroom, Garrett on my heels. ¡°I¡¯ll be right out,¡± I tell him. Inside, I explore my options. Like many buildings in Mexico, the little concrete structure is simply made, with screen-less windows near the ceiling that hinge open. It¡¯ll be tight, but I might be able to fit through the small opening. I stand on the toilet and hoist myself up, throwing my leg toward the window. I fall short and drop back to the ground, panting. Come on, Amber. You can do this. Another try, and I manage to hook my ankle over the edge of the open window. My heart races like a hummingbird¡¯s as I inch my leg through to the knee then hang onto the top of the stall and swing my other leg up. Slowly, I push my body forward, on an angle to fit through the narrow passage. I have no idea what¡¯s outside. Probably a border guard with a machine gun who will assume I¡¯m a criminal. But I speak Spanish. I can present my case. No, better to not incriminate the werewolves. I¡¯ll just tell them I don¡¯t feel well and need to get a cab back to Tucson or something like that. Someone here will dly take my money. I wriggle and turn, propelling myself through the window. Sucking in a breath, Iy my middle across the narrow ledge of the window. A hand closes around my ankle, and I scream, jerking and smacking my head on the ceiling. I twist to see who grabbed me, but my own body blocks my view. I try to kick free, and for a moment, I almost seed, but then two hands grip my hips, lifting me from the perch and pulling me out. Garrett. Only a shifter is this strong. I slide down his hard, muscled body. Landing on the ground, I face two hundred pounds of disgruntled male. ¡°What did I tell you about running from a wolf?¡± My nipples are hard from dragging down his chest. His clean scent lures me in, reminding me of the night he carried me up to his apartment and spanked my ass pink. I must be nuts, because half of me hopes he¡¯ll punish me that way again. I draw in a shaky breath. ¡°It was worth a try.¡± He quirks a brow, slipping his arms around me and pulling me close to his hard frame. I stifle a moan. ¡°Listen, I know I¡¯m an asshole to drag you down here. I know you¡¯re freaking out. But you can¡¯t run away from me. My wolf will chase, and that could be dangerous for you. Besides, I need your help.¡± He stabs his fingers through his hair, leaving it rumpled. His emotions are palpable to me. I never considered myself empathic in addition to irvoyant, but with him, it seems I am. ¡°I-I don¡¯t even know where we¡¯re going.¡± He brushes a lock of hair back from my eyes. ¡°We¡¯re going to San Carlos, where my sister disappeared this morning. She¡¯s a werewolf, too, and she vanished into thin air.¡± ¡°But¡­ who can kidnap a werewolf?¡± His jaw tenses, but he draws in a slow breath and exhales. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But we need to find her. Soon.¡± The image of a terrified wolf lying on her side, surrounded by men shes before my eyes. Ice floods my veins. Garrett is telling the truth. 51 Garrett I toss Jared the keys. ¡°You drive.¡± I lead Amber to the backseat and climbing in beside her. I pull out my phone and open the photos on it, scrolling through until I find one of my sister and show it to Amber. ¡°This is Sedona. She went out for a run on the beach and didn¡¯te back.¡± Amber looks at the picture and nibbles her lip. ¡°You think I¡¯ll be able to figure out where she is?¡± ¡°Will you just see if you get anything? Anything at all?¡± She stares at the phone but doesn¡¯t seem to be looking at the picture. Her eyes are unfocused. I force down a stab of frustration and wait. Finally, she says in a shaky voice, ¡°What if I see something you don¡¯t want to know?¡± ¡°What do you see?¡± She looks past me out the window, a haunted expression in her eyes. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I saw a white wolf, on her side, suffering. Surrounded by men.¡± My wolf nearly breaks out of me. My whole body shakes with the almost change. My growl vibrates through the car. I blink, but when I look over, Amber¡¯s almost in Trey¡¯sp. ¡°Stay quiet, eyes down,¡± he whispers to her. Why the fuck is she in his arms? I reach out and haul her into myp. ¡°I said don¡¯t touch her.¡± My voice is choked with wolf. ¡°You scared her, boss.¡± Trey keeps his own eyes lowered, his voice quiet and even. ¡°Don¡¯t fight him,¡± he warns Amber, and I realize the little human is struggling in my arms. I ease my grip. ¡°Sorry.¡± Onest inhale of her signature Amber scent, and I let her slide off myp to her seat. She starts to raise her gaze but drops her eyes again, holding still like a rabbit who thinks she can¡¯t be seen by the hawk above. I unclench my fists and reach out to stroke her hair. She doesn¡¯t move. ¡°I told you. No one wants to know the things I see.¡± ¡°No, I do.¡± I¡¯m about to apologize again, when I catch the scent of her tears. My wolf whines and backs down. It¡¯s almost a relief not to feel the power of the animal moring for freedom. As my brain and logic return, I¡¯m flooded with sympathy for this sweet human who obviously considers her gift a curse. How she¡¯s suffered for this skill. The need to protect and care for her outweighs the danger facing Sedona, which I can do nothing about at the moment. I cup her chin with a gentle touch and lift her face. ¡°You¡¯ve seen a lot of things you wished you hadn¡¯t,¡± I guess, keeping my voice soft, sympathetic. Her eyes fill with fresh tears. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± I sift my hand through her hair, releasing more of her scent. I don¡¯t want to drag her through bad memories, but I know she doesn¡¯t share much of herself with others. Maybe getting it out would help. She shakes her head, shoulders slumping. ¡°All kinds of things. Werewolves, for one thing.¡± Her lips twist into a wry grimace. ¡°Yeah, I think we¡¯ve covered that.¡± ¡°I saw my high school English teacher¡¯s husband beating her up, the rape of a friend. I see people¡¯s traumas, their worst secrets. It¡¯s a fucking curse. I have a recurring dream of a puppy standing in blood.¡± Tears fall down her face. ¡°And every time I have it, someone dies. First my dad. Later, my mom. Then a social worker. When I was little, I thought I made it happen.¡± I slide my arm around her shoulders and pull her in close. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sweetheart. That¡¯s terrible.¡± She sniffs. ¡°Yeah. I only see bad things-¡± she breaks off, staring at me, her eyes wide, and all the air leaves the Range Rover. ¡°You think I¡¯m a bad thing?¡± I guess, my organs turning to stone. She swallows and studies the tattoo on my hand. Maybe I am bad for her. Fuck. The fact that she knows about us puts her at risk from any vignte pack member who gets nervous about her. The fact my wolf wants to mark her with his teeth puts her at risk of being shackled to me for her whole life or, worse, dying from infection or bleed-out. But I¡¯m not going to let anything bad happen to her. No matter what. ¡°You see secrets,¡± I say firmly. ¡°Shifting is mine. Doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to harm you, baby.¡± Even as I speak, I doubt she will believe me. I strong-armed her intoing with me. I¡¯ve kept her on edge to win her silence. Her gaze drifts out the window of the car, her expression nk. Damn. I fucked everything up. Garrett We arrive at the beach at sunset, pulling into Condos Pr, the cluster of vacation rentals nestled along the white sand. I get out and stalk to the door of the condo where Sedona stayed, not waiting to see if the rest follow. I rap on the door and hear the voices of the young people and running footsteps. ¡°Hey man.¡± Jason, the young kid who called, opens the door. The rest of the kids stare at me with pinched faces. I met them all when Sedona stopped by on her way out, but damn if I remember all their names. The ce smells like sunscreen, liquor, and a sour smell that reminds me of nausea. Trey, Jared, and Amber arrive behind me as the group of college students gather around. They repeat their stories, each a variation of what I already heard: Sedona went for a run on the beach that morning and never returned. No one saw anyone or anything menacing. They spoke with the authorities and filed a report, but since she hadn¡¯t been missing twenty-four hours, nothing was being done. My fists tighten at my sides, wolf rages beneath the surface. The more they talk, the more I feel like I¡¯ming out of my skin. Finally, I reach for Amber. My wolf needs her close, and I¡¯m willing to give him whatever he wants to keep from shifting and tearing this ce apart. Already the kids look nervous, their gazes on the floor or darting to me, then away. Humans don¡¯t often understand animal dominance, but their primal brains recognize a predator when they see one. Amber leans into me, her arm slipping around my waist and giving me a squeeze. She¡¯s still too pale, biting her lower lip. I scared her, bringing her down here and keeping her from escaping. But, here she is,forting me. Her warm weight against my side keeps me focused.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Okay, do you know how we can rent a ce to stay here for the night?¡± I ask. It¡¯s almost dark, and I¡¯m dying to shift and sniff the entirety of the beach. ¡°Actually, we were thinking we¡¯d head back home tonight. We could go report it to the authorities in Tucson. So you could stay here.¡± Normally, I¡¯d do anything to avoid involving the authorities, but, in this instance, not knowing what had happened to Sedona, I want all the help we can get. I should call my parents, too, but I don¡¯t want to worry my mom or my dad to start a war. If I can find Sedona first, it, would be better. If not, I¡¯ll call them in the morning. ¡°That sounds like a good n. Thank you all.¡± Within twenty minutes, Sedona¡¯s friends leave. We settle into the ce, my pack mates searching the refrigerator to eat the leftovers from the college students. ¡°We¡¯ll go sniff the beach.¡± Jared shucks his T-shirt. I flex my muscles, my body itching to shift as well. While I trust Trey and Jared, my wolf won¡¯t rest until I¡¯ve done the sniffing himself. But I can¡¯t leave Amber here alone. I¡¯m not certain she¡¯ll stay put. Her attempt to climb out the bathroom window at the border crossing has me cautious. ¡°Bring me the duct tape from the trunk of the Range Rover,¡± I order Trey in an undertone. He raises his brows like he thinks I¡¯m nuts, but obeys. When he returns, I take Amber¡¯s hand, leading her toward a bedroom. Once inside, she turns. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I blow out a breath. I can¡¯t forget she betrayed us, no matter how much my wolf wants her. ¡°Listen, baby. I need to go shift and sniff the beach. I¡¯m really sorry about this.¡± I spin her around and pin her wrists behind her back. ¡°What in the hell-stop it!¡± she shrieks, real panic entering her voice. ¡°Easy, easy,¡± I murmur in her ear. While this is a necessity, I¡¯m going for seductive rather than abusive. I¡¯m hard as a rock, and I remember how much she liked being restrainedst night. If I can keep it sexy, I just might pull this off without her hating me for the rest of our lives. I work quickly, wrapping the duct tape around her wrists and picking her up by the waist. ¡°You¡¯re safe with me, Counselor. Nothing terrible is going to happen. It¡¯s just that after that little escape stunt you pulled at the border, I don¡¯t feelfortable leaving you here alone while I go check out the beach.¡± Amber¡¯s resistance ckens. I sense her confusion. I nip the shell of her ear. ¡°Be a good girl, and I promise I¡¯ll reward you when I get back, baby. I¡¯ll even keep you tied up.¡± ¡°You sadistic-¡± I cut her tirade off with a hard kiss. When I break it, she looks at me dazedly, lips parted. Gritting my teeth to keep from prying those legs apart to reward her immediately, I restrain her, plunking her in a high-backed chair and pinning her there while I rip off tape. Little angry grunts escape her. Sexy little grunts. ¡°You growling at me, princess?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± ¡°You¡¯re so fucking cute when you¡¯re mad.¡± I secure her wrists and tie her to the chair. ¡°Let me go, Garrett. This isn¡¯t funny.¡± I drop to my knees at her feet and pry her legs apart. She¡¯s wearing the yoga pants from this morning, and her arousal has leaked through. I press my face into the apex of her thighs, open my mouth, and nip at her sex through the thin fabric. She thrusts her pussy toward my mouth, making the cutest sound of dissatisfaction. ¡°We both know you like being restrained, Counselor.¡± I stroke my thumb slowly over her slit. ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you when I get back. You have my word.¡± She looks so beautiful, eyes dted, hair mussed, full lips parted. My wolf surges to the surface, and my vision domes. Fuck. I guess I still want to mark her. Desperately. Time to leave. I rip off another piece of tape and mp it down on her mouth. ¡°Sorry, sweetheart. But this is the only way I feelfortable leaving you. Trey will be right in the living room if you need anything. I¡¯ll be back soon. No more than a couple hours.¡± ¡°Rmphel mphs!¡± she repeats in a muffled scream. ¡°Be good.¡± I stroke her hair, watching her tits jiggle as she keeps squirming. ¡°Are you hungry? Do you need anything before I go?¡± Her brows m together. ¡°Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm.¡± She kicks at me, eyes narrowed. ¡°No? Okay, baby. Bathroom? I guess I should¡¯ve asked that before I taped you up. No? All right. I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡± I tug her head to the side and nip her neck. ¡°Please don¡¯t wear yourself out fighting with that tape.¡± Another furious scream, and I can¡¯t stop myself leaning down to kiss her lips through the tape. She tries to head butt me. Chuckling, I rear back and look her up and down. Her chest heaves, and there are pink spots on her cheeks. Fucking gorgeous. ¡°This is a good look for you,¡± I drawl, just to see the anger and frustration spark again in her eyes. She stills, and res at me. ¡°Uck. Oo.¡± She enunciates each word clearly, as best she can behind the tape. ¡°There¡¯s my good bad girl.¡± 52 Amber Let the record reflect: I¡¯m going to buy the biggest nutcracker in existence. I¡¯ll see how Garrett McJerkwolf likes getting tied up when he has a silver ballbuster mped to his nards. First I have to get out of here. I wrench at the tape for the thousandth time, but it won¡¯t budge. The front door bangs open. I sit up straighter, ready to go another round with a werewolf. But when Garrett walks in, his head down, shoulders slumped, worry lines creasing his forehead, all the fight drains out of me. I don¡¯t need a vision to show me he found nothing. He¡¯s shirtless. His sculpted pecs, lightly dusted with brown curls, stand out in relief above the eight-pack abs and narrow waist. The moment he sees me, the bar of his enormous cock presses against the front his jeans. I noticed it when he tied me up, too. The fact it made me crazy horny only pisses me off even more. I make a questioning sound, eyebrows raised. ¡°Nothing.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°There¡¯s no sign of her. All three of us shifted, but I couldn¡¯t catch her scent. The ocean probably washed it away.¡± I make anotherforting noise. He looks so dejected. He pulls the tape from my mouth, and the sting helps me remember my rage. ¡°Ow,¡± I snap. ¡°Sorry.¡± He breaks the tape from my chest and wrists with his bare hands, ripping it from me like it¡¯s tissue paper. ¡°I have some things to tell you, buddy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you do, Counselor.¡± Looking tired, but amused, he folds his arms across his chest, mirroring me. For some reason, this sends my temper into the red zone. ¡°That¡¯s funny. You acting like you respect me. Becausest time I checked, when you respect a woman, you don¡¯t kidnap her and drive her across the border to Mexico.¡± I channel Lawyer Amber as hard as I can to keep from screaming like a crazy person. ¡°You do realize this is the worst second date in the history of dating. And that¡¯s saying something because the first one was epically, epically bad. And-why are you grinning at me like that?¡± ¡°My wolf thinks you¡¯re adorable when you¡¯re mad. But be careful, littlewyer. I¡¯m real riled up right now. And I know just what would make me feel better.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Tossing you over my shoulder, carrying you to the bed, and fucking you six ways to Sunday,¡± ¡°It is almost Sunday.¡± My voice sounds strangled. Mydy bits are cheering. ¡°Nope.¡± Garrett¡¯s grin is feral. ¡°Not this Sunday. Next. It¡¯ll take about a week.¡± He leans forward. ¡°How¡¯s that end to our second date?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a date.¡± ¡°I know. You¡¯re the one who called it that. You like spending time with me, Counselor?¡± ¡°What? No, I-¡± My cheeks flood. Damn my libido for picking this moment to go into overdrive. Garrett steps close enough for me to feel his chuckle in my panties. ¡°I promise our third date will be epically better.¡± ¡°Look.¡± I hold up a hand, trying to put space between us. Itnds on his rock-hard chest, which doesn¡¯t help my focus at all. ¡°Your sister is missing. We need to find her.¡± My reminder sucks the energy out of the room. Damn. So much for my reward. I should have let him keep me tied up a little longer. ¡°Yeah,¡± Garrett sighs, and slumps. He looks about a thousand years old. ¡°You saw her surrounded by men, so she didn¡¯t drown. Or get lost. She¡¯s been gone for twelve hours now. No human could have taken her-she¡¯d rip their throat out. So it has to be other shifters.¡± ¡°All right. You brought me here to help. How can I help?¡± He stabs his fingers through his tousled blond hair. ¡°Really?¡± I nod. I hate being Crazy Amber, I¡¯m afraid of bing her, but I¡¯ve never been the type of person to walk away from someone in need. If he thinks I can help, I have to help. Even if he did technically kidnap me and bind me with duct tape. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing. We¡¯re at the point I should call in my dad. But, if hees down here, he¡¯s going to bring a hundred armed wolves and tear this town apart before asking questions. If you could get any more information before I call him down, it might keep wolves-particrly Sedona-from getting hurt.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t know how to use the visions. They juste.¡± He picks up my hand and rubs his thumb over the back of it. ¡°Just try?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I whisper. Crap. I am so not ready to embrace this side of myself. Especially around these people-wolves-I hardly know. Except Garrett doesn¡¯t seem like a stranger. Not at all. And he doesn¡¯t make me feel crazy, either. Maybe I can do this. I can at least try. Garrett ¡°So, who do you think took Sedona?¡± Jared asks as we sit around the table eating the fish tacos he and Trey bought. It¡¯ste, but no one can sleep. ¡°Did you see what they looked like in your, um, vision or whatever?¡± Amber shakes her head. She leans against the kitchen counter, eating standing up. Still putting distance between us. It¡¯s a good idea, but I want pull her into myp and feed her with my fingers. ¡°Were they wolves?¡± Trey cranks his neck around to look at her. Her brow wrinkles. ¡°No, they were men-oh.¡± She pauses. ¡°Well, how would I know? Is there a telltale sign or something?¡± ¡°Their eyes. Did they change color, or glow?¡± Frowning, she shakes her head. ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°Can you have the vision again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like a movie I rent. They juste to me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t control them at all?¡± I frown at Trey to shut him up. ¡°No,¡± she snaps. ¡°That¡¯s not the way they work.¡± ¡°Well, that sucks,¡± Trey mumbles. I growl, and he adjusts his expression to something friendlier. ¡°Look, I¡¯m trying.¡± Amber sets down her food and turns to the sink. She spends about a minute washing her hands, then grabs a paper towel and starts wiping down the counters. ¡°Hey.¡± I push out of my chair, amble over to her. I don¡¯t mean to crowd her, but she drops the paper towel and backs up anyway. ¡°We¡¯re all just trying to figure this psychic thing out.¡± She flinches at the word psychic. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. I¡¯ve spent my entire life suppressing these visions.¡± ¡°Is that why you get headaches?¡± Her shoulders lift and fall. ¡°Have you ever tried just letting them happen?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± I tilt my head to the side. ¡°I¡¯ve never tried,¡± she amends. ¡°I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll take over my life.¡± ¡°Okay. May I try something?¡± ¡°Like what?¡± She watches me warily. She used to trust me, against her better judgment. But I broke it. This distance between us? It¡¯s my fault. ¡°I¡¯m going to touch you,¡± I murmur. Behind me, Jared clears his throat. ¡°Please,¡± I add. A small hesitation, and she nods. ¡°Just breathe. Rx.¡± I ce a hand over her eyes. ¡°Close your eyes.¡± Hershes flutter against my palm. ¡°Just feel into it. Humans or wolves?¡± She stays quiet for so long, I give up on an answer. The heat of her body, so close to mine, makes my cock thicken. I breathe in her scent, knowing I should back away, keep my hands off her if I want to maintain control. ¡°Wolves,¡± she says atst. I force myself to step back. ¡°I knew it.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°What do you think they want with her?¡± Jared asks. He and Treye to their feet. I run my fingers through my hair. ¡°Probably breeding.¡± Amber looks shocked, so I exin. ¡°Many shifters consider our species endangered. Our DNA has been diluted too much with human genes. It¡¯s considered a sin against our kind to mate with a human. But that means in smallermunities in-breeding is now the problem.¡± ¡°What happens when they mate with a human?¡± Amber asks. ¡°These days, they produce human babies.¡± I meet her intelligent gaze. Is she thinking about what might happen if we continue on the path we¡¯re on, this doomed dance of attraction? ¡°Offspring who never get sick and heal quickly, but human, not wolf.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t shift?¡± ¡°Right. I mean, there are half-breeds who shift-it¡¯s not unheard of. There¡¯s a panther in Tucson who didn¡¯t shift until she got pregnant with a wolf shifter¡¯s pup. But it¡¯s rare.¡± ¡°So you think they spot a female wolf who hasn¡¯t been part of their pack, and just grab her for breeding?¡± Amber¡¯s voice sharpens, and I get a hint of what she must be like on crusade. I bet she¡¯s fucking amazing in the courtroom. I get hard just picturing her in one of her fitted suits, pacing the room in high heels, dazzling every male in the building with those shapely calves, that sharp mind. 53 ¡°I think it¡¯s possible, yeah. She¡¯s an alpha female, and young enough to bear lots of pups.¡± Amber swallows, looking a little sick. ¡°We have to get her back.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± My stomach clenches. ¡°Soon. Before they start¡­¡± I can¡¯t finish the sentence. My fists tighten, itching to punch someone. My wolf wants to rampage. I want to break everything I see. If Amber weren¡¯t here, I probably already would have. ¡°So what do we do?¡± she asks, chin up like she¡¯s ready to do anything. She¡¯s not going to like what we have to do. ¡°We have no leads, Amber. No scent at all. We got nothing but your vision. Let¡¯s y twenty questions with you and see what you can intuit.¡± Her shoulders slump. Doubt oozes from her stance. I step so my body blocks my two packmates watching her, and cup her chin. ¡°You can do this, Amber. Your gifts are meant to be used.¡± ¡°What if I¡¯m wrong? Or I can¡¯t see anything?¡± ¡°It will still be more information than we have now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy,¡± she mutters, but she walks to the couch and sits down, tucking her legs up under her body and closing her eyes. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Trey has hisptop open. ¡°It says here that psychics can be irsentient, irvoyant, iraudient or ircognizant. Which do you think you are, Amber?¡± ¡°irvoyant. I see things¨CI don¡¯t usually hear. Maybe irsentient¨Csometimes I feel things like emotion. Especially his.¡± She shifts her gaze to me. ¡°G, do you have something of Sedona¡¯s?¡± Trey asks. ¡°It says that police psychics hold an object that belonged to a victim or missing person to kick start the intuition.¡± I go to the room Sedona stayed in and grab one of her tank tops from her suitcase. I hand it to Amber. ¡°This belongs to Sedona.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t hurt to try, I guess,¡± Amber mumbles, taking the shirt and holding it in both hands. She closes her eyes. ¡°Where is Sedona now?¡± Amber sits perfectly still while three pairs of eyes stare at her in silence. Minutes tick by. She exhales in a whoosh as if she¡¯s been holding it. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she says atst. ¡°Is she in San Carlos still?¡± Another long pause and then a shake of her head. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Can you get a name of one of the men who took her?¡± Agitation radiates from my little human, but she squeezes her eyes shut again. ¡°La¡­ Luh¡­ Lobo?¡± Her eyes snap open. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s stupid. That¡¯s just wolf in Spanish.¡± ¡°No, you may be onto something. It could be thest name of a family of wolves.¡± ¡°Your father might have contacts with some of the packs down here,¡± Jared says in a low voice. I blow out a breath. I was hoping to find my sister fast, without involving my dad. ¡°First, let¡¯s do some digging. We need a lead.¡± I know my dad. He¡¯ll drive down with every warrior wolf in his pack, maybe even from packs who owe him favors. It¡¯ll be war. My gut tells me Sedona will pay the price. We¡¯ve gotta get more information. ¡°Trey? Will you see if Kylie can help with research?¡± One of the shifters in Tucson-the panther who mated a wolf-is a tech genius. She can hack any system in the world for information. ¡°I¡¯m on it,¡± Trey says. ¡°Is she in a house right now? Outside? Is she in wolf form or human?¡± Jared asks. Amber¡¯s face pinches, and she shakes her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you guys. I just don¡¯t know.¡± She looks pale and exhausted. My wolf whines, hating her distress. ¡°Okay,¡± I say. ¡°Amber, why don¡¯t you get some rest? It¡¯s been a long day. We¡¯ll try again in the morning.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s okay, I can keep going. Ask another one.¡± ¡°Amber.¡± I start to put an alpha-push to my voice. Jared catches my eye, and I back down. ¡°All right. One more.¡± ¡°What step should we take next to find her?¡± Jared asks. ¡°Hmm, interesting question.¡± Amber closes her eyes again as Trey walks outside to call Kylie. I motion for Jared to follow him. I sit back down and wait in silence, the sound of the waves crashing on the beach outside making a luby to ease the tension in the room. Amber gives a soft sigh. She¡¯s fallen asleep. As tight as my gut is right now, as much as I want to find Sedona, I can¡¯t bear to wake Amber. I lift her carefully. Her eyelids flutter, but she doesn¡¯t open them. Her lips move, but I don¡¯t catch what she¡¯s saying. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± She furrows her brow and shakes her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Yes, you do. You know,¡± I assure her, carrying her into the bedroom. How can she have gone this long without anyone telling her how powerful and special her talent really is? A gift, not the curse she believes it to be. I pull back the covers andy her on the bed. My little spitfire looks so fragile asleep, the line between her brows creased with worry. My wolf is calmer now, and I can¡¯t resist brushing a kiss on that little line. If she were my mate, I¡¯d do everything I could to make sure she never had cause to worry again. Amber I wake to find myself on the bed in the bedroom, Garrett sitting in the chair, chin in hand and eyes on me. ¡°How long was I out?¡± I croak. ¡°An hour. Any headaches?¡± ¡°No. Watching over your prisoner?¡± I murmur, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. I stretch my arms over my head, arching my back. Was the previous sizzling attraction a fluke? Nope. I spy with my little eye something that begins with C, growing long and hard against his jeans. ¡°You take this kidnapping thing seriously.¡± I really shouldn¡¯t poke the bear¡­ wolf¡­ but I can¡¯t help it. He looks so delicious with his dark scruff and tousled hair. ¡°I could¡¯ve tied you up again.¡± His voice is deeper than usual, his eyes boiling. My pussy clenches, but I school my face. He doesn¡¯t need to know how well he ys the game. His nostrils re, his eyes turning silver as he sniffs the air. ¡°You¡¯re close to ovtion.¡± ¡°What?¡± I yank the covers up, thankful I¡¯m still fully clothed. ¡°You cycle with the moon. Not many human females do, anymore.¡± I nce at the window, where the curtains frame a full moon. ¡°Two days,¡± he answers my silent question. His pewter gaze makes me pull the covers up under my chin. So, what happens during the full moon? I go hunting. ¡°What does that mean to you?¡± I ask. ¡°I might have to lock you up to keep you safe.¡± His glittering gaze screams big bad wolf. ¡°You already did that.¡± ¡°I mean lock you away from me.¡± Lust kicks through me. Garrett leans forward, his hands clenched together, his tattoos clear. He¡¯s a menace, I remind myself. He kidnapped you. Tied you up. A pulse grows between my legs. It would be so easy to push the covers back down, spread my legs. y with myself. See how long it takes him to lose control. No, no, no. Bad girl. This guy is every bad decision I never made, rolled into one. And if I don¡¯t snap out of lust soon, I¡¯m going to make what might be the biggest mistake of my life. A knock sounds on the bedroom door. ¡°Hey, boss?¡± Jared calls. ¡°Yeah,¡± Garrett gives his head a quick, dog-like shake and unfolds from the chair. He prowls to the door with a smooth speed, silent as a wolf. As a predator. ¡°I heard back from Kylie. She sent the list of people with thest name ¡®Lobo¡¯ in the surrounding area, and then all of Mexico. There aren¡¯t any in San Carlos, though. There¡¯s one about thirty kilometers away. We¡¯ll drive over and sniff around right now.¡± ¡°Thanks, guys,¡± Garrett says. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here and pick Amber¡¯s brain.¡± I bite my lip as the guys leave. A woman is missing. Whatever Garrett and I have for each other, it can wait. Thirty minutester, I¡¯m pacing the living room, balling my hands into fists. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just don¡¯t know. I wish I could help, but I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Just rx. You¡¯re too wound up. Lie down on the sofa and close your eyes.¡± My stomach twists up in a double-knot. ¡°I can¡¯t. Garrett, this isn¡¯t working. I¡¯m not going to be able to help you. You¡¯ve got to find another way.¡± ¡°It is working. It has worked. I¡¯m just asking you to try again.¡± ¡°For God¡¯s sake, I can¡¯t,¡± I snap, then close my mouth when I see pain on his face. I force myself to exhale. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯re stressing me out. This whole experience is very intense.¡± ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I wanted you to sit down. You need to rx. Either figure out how to do it for yourself, or I¡¯ll help you.¡± Excuse me? I whirl, my hands on my hips. ¡°You¡¯ll help me? Exactly how do you n to do-¡± I stop speaking when Garrett stalks toward me, pulling his T-shirt off over his head.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. 54 I back up, even though my ovaries rev their engines. You¡¯re close to ovtion. Who says that? A werewolf, I suppose. ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡± His lips twist in a wry grin. ¡°I know what helps me rx¡­¡± ¡°Oh no.¡± I dart to the side to avoid his grasp. He moves shockingly fast for a man his size, snatching me up by the waist and swinging me around as I kick uselessly. ¡°What did I tell you about running from a wolf?¡± he growls, his breath hot against my ear. ¡°Stop it! Put me-¡± I gasp when he rubs the seam of my yoga pants roughly against my clit. My pussy spasms with pleasure. ¡°You know you want this.¡± The rumble of his words reverberate from his chest right to my core. ¡°You¡¯ve known since the first night we met it¡¯s an inevitability.¡± I lean my head back against him. ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± I lie, a giggle leaving my throat as I thrash. I don¡¯t even know why I fight him, except out of indignation at his cocksure certainty. ¡°Oh yes you do. You think I can¡¯t smell every time your pussy gets wet for me?¡± I go still, contemting that. How many times have I been wet for him since the day we met? And he¡¯s known? Every time? Eek. I close my mouth on a moan as he continues to thrill my pussy with his rough pawing through my yoga pants. ¡°You can keep lying to me and yourself, but this responsive little body of yours always tells the truth.¡± He manages to pin me back against his chest and slide a hand up my shirt, his palm cupping my breast and squeezing.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. I arch with a cry of pleasure. He pinches the stiffened bud of my nipple between his fingers and rolls it, while the digits of his other hand continue to pulse against my clit, grinding the seam of my pants against it. ¡°Did you think I missed every time these little nipples got hard, or the way your eyes dte when you¡¯re thinking about what would happen if-no, when, you¡¯re finally imed by the big bad wolf?¡± My first mini-orgasm shoots through me, a shudder he surely feels. So much for pretending I don¡¯t want it. He bends his knee and brings it up between my legs, holding my weight while he moves, freeing both hands to grasp the waistband of my pants. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I squeak, but my voice sounds far more wanton than serious. ¡°Say yes,¡± he murmurs in my ear. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ I don¡¯t¡­¡± I moan at the sheer pleasure he¡¯s eliciting in myher regions. ¡°You need it.¡± He slides the t of his hand down the front of my pants and cups my mound. I jerk the moment his hot fingers touch my wet pussy, and I wrap my hand around behind myself to hold his neck. He slows down, tilting me back on his knee and running one digit up and down the length of my weeping slit. ¡°Say yes,¡± he murmurs. He bites my ear. ¡°And I¡¯ll let youe.¡± ¡°Let mee?¡± No one lets mee. Ie when I¡­ my eyes roll back in my head as his thick fingers part mybia and explore my inner pleats. Jesus, his index finger is as thick as some men¡¯s cocks. I want it inside me. As if reading my mind, he slides it in, alone, first, then with his middle finger, filling and stretching me, stroking the inside of my wanton pussy. I w the back of his neck, fighting like a cat in heat, which he doesn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°That¡¯s right, princess. Let youe.¡± He abruptly removes his digits and taps my clit lightly. ¡°Or do you want me to leave you all wound up like this?¡± ¡°I-I could finish on my own.¡± Technically, it¡¯s true. Although it wouldn¡¯t be half so satisfying. He lowers his knee, dropping my feet to the floor. ¡°Yes,¡± I bark in a hurry, all pride dissolving when faced with the loss of his hot hands on my body. ¡°I said yes.¡± He chuckles and picks me up. ¡°Good girl,¡± he murmurs in my ear as he carries me to the bedroom and tosses me onto the bed like a rag doll. I prop myself on my elbows, watching him crawl up over me, his cock bulging against his jeans, his expression ravenous. ¡°I¡¯m going to make youe so hard you scream.¡± Arrogant much? But then, he probably has reason to be confident. A man-or wolf-whatever, who looks like him probably has girls throwing themselves at him on a regr basis. He grabs my pants on either side and yanks them down, tearing my panties off in the process and throwing them both over his shoulder. Grasping my knees, he parts them and bends them up, opening me to him. ¡°I did promise you a reward.¡± I gasp at the shock of vulnerability, of having my most intimate parts spread and disyed for his close inspection. He brings the pad of his thumb to my clit, just rests it there, as if he knows I need a moment to calm down and get used to his touch. ¡°Lace your fingers together behind your head.¡± I stare at him, my brain slow to process his words. When he arches a stern brow, I force my mind to rey his words and bring my hands out of the way. The position increases my sense of exposure, but I immediately forget when Garrett brings the tip of his tongue to the seam of mybia, parting the lips and running along the inside of each before circling my clit. Already on fire, I jerk at the touch, bucking. He holds my pelvis down with one huge hand and prates me with his tongue, his thumb returning to my engorged clit and gently vibrating. I lose my breath in a cry, hands flying down to push his head away, the sensation too much. ¡°Uh uh,¡± he scolds, abruptly stopping all his ministrations. ¡°What did I tell you about your hands?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whimper, desperate for him to go on-as desperate as I¡¯d been for him to stop a moment before. He pulls his knees up underneath him and sits up, grabbing my ankles and lifting them into the air. ¡°What are you- Ow!¡± Garrett transfers both my ankles to one hand and ps my ass with the other one-hard. He rubs away the sting thennds another one and another. They aren¡¯t gentle, light spanks, but hard and deliberate, catching my bulgingbia and exposed sex with each p, his palming away wet with my juices. The fire he ignites is more than surface sting; ites from my very core. Even so, I fight him, kick my legs, though they barely move in his grasp. It¡¯s horrible and incredible at once. I¡¯m helpless, but, for once in my life, I¡¯m not fighting for control. I let him have it. Let him punish me because I know what¡¯sing next. Pleasure. Pure, unadulterated pleasure. ¡°Little girls who disobey get punished, don¡¯t they baby?¡± I hear pure sex in his voice, and I moan in response. ¡°What¡¯s that, angel?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± I don¡¯t even know what makes me say it. It¡¯s not like I watch BDSM porn or know anything about being spanked by a lover, but it justes out. He growls, eyes turning silver. ¡°Oh, baby. You have me harder than stone.¡± As I writhe and wriggle under the onught of his hand, I¡¯m suddenly desperate to help him with his harder-than-stone cock. How much would fit in my mouth? He stops spanking, and I let out a soft, low moan. He lifts my ankles even higher in the air and nts a kiss on each raw cheek before lowering my pelvis. I tuck my hands underneath, cupping my hot, tingling buttocks, still panting from the punishment. Of their own ord, my knees part and pelvis lifts in offering. He chuckles. ¡°What are we going to do about these hands?¡± I immediately snatch them away, my ass giving a reminder pulse of what happens when I disobey. I both want and don¡¯t want more of the same. ¡°Sorry, sir.¡± 55 Garrett Oh no.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. She did not just call me sir again. Fates, she¡¯s testing my self-control. My cock punches out against my jeans, painfully hard and dying to plow into Amber. But I¡¯m not going to. No, this is for her. I owe her pleasure. Besides, I don¡¯t trust myself with her. ¡°I¡¯m tempted to tie you up, since you¡¯re having a hard time following directions, but I don¡¯t want to get kicked in the nuts, which I strongly suspect would happen if I tried it again.¡± She gives a short bark ofughter. ¡°I was thinking about acquiring some silver nutcrackers.¡± I lower myself and return to my earlier pleasure, tasting her incredible pussy. I lick into her, nipping her lips with my teeth. ¡°Baby. you taste so good to me.¡± She jerks. ¡°Oh God!¡± I lift the hood of her clit and flicked it with my tongue then suck the little nub until her legs thrash around my ears and her choked breath sounds desperate. I thrust two fingers inside her sopping channel and swirl them around, stroking her inner walls. Finding her G-spot, I tickle it, feeling the tissue harden under my fingertips as her voice turns to a screech. I lick the thumb of my other hand for lubrication and wiggle it between her butt cheeks, seeking her little rosette. Her pelvis pops up from the bed, but I follow her movements, circling the tight ring of muscle, pressing into it. ¡°Stop¡­ what? Oh God,¡± she squeals. I shove my thumb in and out of her ass as I continue to stroke her G-spot. I don¡¯t stop fucking her, filling both her holes, demanding more and more of her. My vision has domed, my wolf is growling, but I¡¯ll be damned if I¡¯m going to give him an inch. This isn¡¯t about me putting my cock in a hot human, not even one my wolf has attached himself to. I fight the urge to swap my fingers for my cock, to pound her sweet pussy until we both shatter. Amber¡¯s already close, so close. ¡°Come for me, baby,¡± I growl. ¡°Come all over my fingers now.¡± Shests only three seconds longer. She explodes, screaming as I promised, bucking and kicking, her internal muscles tightening and spasming around my fingers as she unravels in the most gorgeous disy of an orgasm I¡¯ve ever seen. I keep pumping until she copses into a lifeless heap, then I ease my fingers out and nt a kiss on the swollen lips of her sweet little pussy. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± I scramble up and get myself into the bathroom to wash up and get my wolf under control. This was for Amber. Not for me. But my wolf doesn¡¯t give a fuck about whatever decision I¡¯ve made not to im Amber. He¡¯s pissed I still have a full cock and an unmated female. I force myself to think about Sedona and, after a few breaths, he backs down. I was rxing Amber so she can help Sedona. Not mating her. Once I¡¯m calm, I return and find she hasn¡¯t moved, her legs sprawled open, arms flung wide. Her mussed hair and flushed cheeks make her look thoroughly fucked. By me. My wolf preens. I climb over her and kiss her neck, settling beside her. ¡°What about you?¡± she asks hoarsely. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re ready for wolf cock,¡± I joke, hoping I¡¯ve hidden my grimace of pain. I seriously think I might die if I don¡¯t fuck her brains out soon. But Amber¡¯s not mine for the taking. I have no ns to mate any female, especially not a human. And, damn, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m capable of just fooling around with her. Not with my wolf howling at me to mark her. ¡°No?¡± she pouts. She¡¯s adorable. Her armor¡¯s fallen away, and I get to see the real Amber underneath. The sweet, soft, angelic Amber. And fates, if I¡¯m not careful, I¡¯m going to hurt her, despite my best intentions. I need to tell her we can¡¯t do this. Now. She gets up onto her hands and knees and crawls toward me. It¡¯s pure sex-ve stuff, and I almost pass out just watching. She flicks open the button on my jeans. I grab her hands to stop her, but it¡¯s toote. She brings that hot, moist mouth to my cock and bites through my boxer briefs. ¡°Fuck.¡± I grab her by the hair and hold her mouth still with one hand, whipping out my cock with the other. She opens wide. Ah fates, I shouldn¡¯t. I really shouldn¡¯t. But I can¡¯t seem to pull back. I plunge deep into her mouth, bumping the back of her throat and making her gag. I immediately pull back, shocked at what an asshole I am. ¡°I told you you can¡¯t handle wolf cock,¡± I say, but ites out strangled. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Yeah, my girl loves a challenge because she¡¯s immediately back on my cock, sucking hard as she draws it into the pocket of her cheek and out. She grips the base and strokes her hand up and down in synchronized movements with her mouth, making it seem like she¡¯s taking my full length. My vision domes. My teeth elongate to mark her. I take a page out of the y I just made her follow andce my fingers on the top of my head. I can¡¯t touch or I swear I¡¯ll throw her down and fuck the living daylights out of her. She looks so fucking hot, those full lips stretched around my throbbing cock, eyes trained on my face like the perfect submissive. ¡°Fates, Amber. I¡¯ll never say you can¡¯t handle wolf cock again,¡± I choke. I want to grab her head and urge her faster, but I don¡¯t let myself. No touching. Do not touch her if you want to keep her safe. She picks up speed on her own, probably sensing how close I am from the way my thighs shake how close I am. ¡°Fuck, baby, I¡¯m going toe,¡± I growl. I start to pull out, but she doesn¡¯t let me. She grips my cock tighter in her little fist and sucks so damn hard. Lights explode behind my eyes. I bellow, and the sound is more animal than human. Ie in her mouth, and she sucks it down, swallows. The release gives me a few precious seconds to get away from her. To keep from nailing that hot little pussy from here into eternity. I lurch away and walk until I hit the door, where I shove my cock back in my pants and zip them up. I force myself to remain facing the door, like a kid in a timeout. Despite my orgasm, my flesh is still on fire, teeth still at the ready. I work to slow my breath. I can do this. I am an alpha wolf. If I don¡¯t have the self-discipline to master my beast, I don¡¯t deserve the position. ¡°Listen, Amber,¡± I say in a strangled voice. ¡°What we are¡­ what we just did¡­¡± ¡°No, I know,¡± she interrupts, getting up and putting her clothes on. ¡°This was just to rx me.¡± I dare to turn and see the soft happiness in her face disappear, like a light switched off. The pain of that sight is enough for my wolf to pull way back. My vision clears. The teeth return to normal. ¡°We can¡¯t work long term.¡± The words are heavy on my tongue. ¡°Humans and¡­ we don¡¯t work out long term. Believe me, baby, I want you. I want you so badly it hurts.¡± I grab my cock in my jeans for emphasis. ¡°But I can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°You made your case,¡± she says stiffly. ¡°I¡¯ll stop thinking of this as our second date.¡± A terrible weight drops onto my chest. ¡°No, it¡¯s definitely a date. I don¡¯t kidnap and duct tape just any girl, you know.¡± I try for humor then sober again. ¡°I want you to know, I don¡¯t do this¡±-I wave a hand to indicate the bed-¡°casually.¡± ¡°Yeah right. I bet all those girls at the club throw themselves at you.¡± Do I detect a note of jealousy? My ego is momentarily cheered. ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± I growl. She turns away from me as she steps into her yoga pants. Fuck. I¡¯ve hurt her. I definitely screwed this up. I walk up behind her and wrap an arm around her waist, but she stiffens. Sensing the walls she¡¯s erected kills me. She picks up Sedona¡¯s tank like she¡¯s going to put it on instead of her shirt. Then she goes still. I remain still, too, though I know my touch is unwee. It¡¯s like I need the physical closeness to try to counteract the chasm I¡¯ve just put between us. ¡°She¡¯s in a cage, being taken out of an airne and put in a white van.¡± I drop my hold on her and whirl her around. ¡°Where?¡± I bark, cursing inwardly when she flinches. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The men handling her look Latino. So. maybe still in Mexico?¡± ¡°Where? What city?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Amber looks around for her pants. I pause at the door, then stride back, catching Amber around the waist and pulling her close for a kiss. ¡°Thank you.¡± She blushes. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know if it-¡± I stop her protests with another kiss. ¡°Thank you. I release her as abruptly as I snatched her up. ¡°Trey,¡± I shout, mming the bedroom door open. ¡°Call Kylie. Find out about every ne that left this area since Sedona disappeared-especially ones that might have been carrying a caged wolf.¡± The pierced wolf has his phone to his ear before I finish. ¡°Closest airport is in Hermosillo.¡± I turn to Jared next. ¡°Pull up a map of Mexico.¡± When the tattooed wolf walks over with hisptop and the map on the screen, I bring it to Amber, who has dressed ande out of the bedroom. ¡°Where?¡± She gives me a doubtful look but gazes at the map. ¡°Don¡¯t think, just say the first thing thates to your mind.¡± ¡°Mexico City,¡± she blurts, and then looks surprised, as if she didn¡¯t know she was going to speak. She blinks several times. ¡°But I also heard the word Lobo again.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get Kylie to cross reference that area with the word Lobo, Trey says. ¡°Do it in the car.¡± I nod to Jared, who starts packing up hisptop. ¡°We need to get to Hermosillo.¡± 56 Garrett At daybreak the next morning, we get on a ne in Hermosillo. It¡¯s a direct flight to Mexico City. Three hours. I should have called my dad before we left. It¡¯s been almost twenty-four hours since Sedona disappeared, but there¡¯s some part of me that needs to handle this on my own. Prove I¡¯m capable of leading my own pack, keeping my sister safe. Hopefully, I¡¯m not putting Sedona at more risk by waiting to call him. I stare at the golden head resting on my shoulder, the shiny waves cascading down Amber¡¯s sleeping frame. She normally has her hair up, confined, out of reach. She holds back her trust the same way. I finger a strand, rubbing the impossibly silky hair between my fingers. Mine. God, I want this little human. Not just to fuck, although that, too-definitely that. But my need for her goes beyond sex. I want to possess all of her-heart, body, soul. I want to mark her as my own. I want to treasure and spoil her, tell her every day how special she is. Guard and protect her so she can let her walls down and let her gift out. Live free. But it¡¯s not in my gic makeup to settle down. Besides, it¡¯s not possible. I can¡¯t have her and remain alpha, and my wolf is too dominant to be anything else. I could pull up roots and live as a lone wolf, but I was raised in a pack, destined to lead one. My wolf is too social to be an outcast. The scorn of the pack and disappointment of my parents would be too much to bear. Even with Amber as my mate, my wolf mighte to resent her for what I had to give up to im her. It¡¯s time for me to own up to my responsibilities and follow the rules. Rule number one: Humans and werewolves don¡¯t mix. The ne descends. Amber stirs, lifting her head from my shoulder and blinking as she takes my fingers and squeezes. She lifts her face to me, about to say something, but I cut her off with a kiss. Cupping the back of her head, I stroke her lips with mine, taking my mind off my gnawing dread about Sedona with the best distraction ever. I lick into her mouth, sucking her tongue, biting at her lips. She tastes as sweet as she smells. The ne bumps the ground, and I tear myself away. Time to focus. I¡¯m tense as we ride in the cab through thick afternoon traffic. Not even Amber¡¯s hand on my thigh calms me. When we get to the closest hotel, Jared steps up to handle check-in. I wait with my back to the wall, where no one can surprise me. Humans look at me and then away, scuttling to give me space. ¡°Boss,¡± Trey says softly, and I realize I¡¯m growling, a soft, low sound that nheless intimidates everyone in a hundred foot radius. As soon as we set foot in the hotel room, I almost turn around. ¡°I can¡¯t do this.¡± My voice chokes with my wolf. ¡°I can¡¯t be closed up.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Amber says. ¡°Let¡¯s go look around.¡± I nod, chest heaving in an effort to get control. ¡°I would if I knew where to go. Anything from Kylie yet?¡± ¡°No. Oh wait-it just came in. Here¡±-Trey holds up his phone-¡°Kylie found the name of the passenger traveling with a canine on the ne leaving Hermosillost night. He¡¯s a textile importer with a warehouse here. I¡¯ve got the address.¡± A growl rips out of me at full volume. Trey staggers back a little, showing his throat. ¡°Garrett,¡± Amber touches my arm, as my vision tunnels. I¡¯m about to go under. ¡°You have to keep control. Sedona needs you.¡± ¡°Stay,¡± I grit out. She nods. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here. Will you leave me a phone? Mine doesn¡¯t have service here.¡± I check my phone to make sure it works and toss it on the dresser. ¡°Trey and Jared¡¯s numbers are in there.¡± ¡°Boss? When are we going to tell the rest of the pack?¡± ¡°We go now, scout out. See if she¡¯s there and if we can get her out. If we need reinforcements, I¡¯ll call in my dad. He¡¯ll bring both packs, and it will mean war.¡± Amber I pace the length of the hotel room. I ordered room service, but I can¡¯t eat the torta-a toasted Mexican sandwich, filled with ham and cheese. I find myself toying with my hair, and twist it up into a bun, only to yank it down several minutester. I¡¯ming apart at the seams.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Crazy Amber. To pull back Lawyer Amber, I file imaginary civilwsuits against the men who captured Sedona. List all the ways I could bring them down. But what if Garrett¡¯s right? What if Crazy Amber is the only one who can save her? Not crazy. Garrett thinks my visions are a gift. I sit cross-legged on the bed. ¡°Come to me,¡± I breathe, trying to call up the rxed state I had with Garrett. Immediately, my cheeks heat. I shift on my bottom, ignoring the tickle in my special spot. I hope I don¡¯t have to masturbate or receive servicing from a hulking wolf-man every time I need a vision. I let out a humorlessugh. I need to stop this attachment to Garrett. There¡¯s nothing for us, no future. He made that in. Find Sedona. In this, at least, I can help him. Where is Garrett now? Pain stabs my head. Fuck. Does that mean I¡¯m holding back my inner sight? I get up and pace around the room. Seeing Garrett¡¯s bag, I rummage through it and pull out one of his shirts. ¡°Give it to me,¡± I call out like an absolute madwoman. Instantly, visions flood my head. Wolves in cages lined up next to one another-dozens of them. One of them, a giant gray wolf, throws himself against the bars, growling. Ie out of my vision, heaving, and throw my hands out to steady myself. My body is charged and ready with adrenaline, as if I had been in one of those cages. Garrett? I ask. Was that Garrett in the cage? Urgency throws me off the bed. But what should I do? Another vision swims into focus, and I close my eyes. Garrett leans against my door back in Tucson, showing me how to pick a lock. I open my eyes. The clock shows six p. m. Precious time lost. I know what I have to do. 57 Amber A half hourter, the cab I hailed pulls up one block away from the warehouse. Mouth dry, I pay the cabbie and start walking. Dusk presses upon the concrete buildings; litter is scattered the street. Graffiti covers several of the buildings. The warehouse in question, though, has a fresh paint job and tall, electric fences. I hesitate. What if this doesn¡¯t end well? Who will help Sedona? I pull out Garrett¡¯s phone, which I snagged from the dresser in the hotel before I left. Scroll through his contacts to one called Dad I punch it. A deep voice that sounded remarkably simr to Garrett¡¯s answered. ¡°Hi, Son.¡± ¡°Hi Mr. Green. My name is Amber Drake, I¡¯m a, uh, friend of your son?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on, Amber?¡± Power vibrates through the phone, and I almost drop it. Garrett wasn¡¯t kidding when he talked about alpha dominance. ¡°Sedona was kidnapped, and Garrett, Trey, Jared, and I followed her down to Mexico City. Garrett and the guys went to a warehouse, but I believe they¡¯ve been captured as well. I¡¯m outside, ready to go in and rescue them, but had to call someone and tell them what was happening first.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Garrett¡¯s neighbor.¡± There was a pause, and I knew what he wanted to ask. ¡°Human, yes.¡± Psychic. I still can¡¯t say it. ¡°Garrett nned to call you if he needed reinforcements. If you don¡¯t hear from me or Garrett in the next few hours, you need toe and bring both packs.¡± ¡°I will be on a ne tonight with reinforcements. You sit tight until we get there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already at the warehouse. I¡¯m going in.¡± ¡°No. Stay where you are until I get there.¡± Clearly, the elder wolf is as bossy and protective as his son. ¡°You will not go in alone. Wait until I arrive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Green, but I have to go, I¡¯m already here. I just wanted to get you the address in case I don¡¯t return. I¡¯ll text it.¡± ¡°No, dammit-¡± I end the call and silence the phone. It shes with Dad again, immediately, while I text the address to the warehouse, but I ignore the call and drop the device in my pocket. Before I lose my nerve, I force myself to cross the street and head towards the warehouse. I might be crazy, but it¡¯s what the situation calls for. I open my mind to my intuition as I approach the forbidding concrete building. It hits me with a wave of nausea. My entire body shudders. Which door? I ask, and let my attention drift. Left of the building. Striding toward the door on that side, I scan the eaves for cameras. I don¡¯t know what to look for, but it appears clear. I pull out the tools Garrett dropped in my purse the night he taught me to pick locks, take a deep breath, and imagine I¡¯m back outside my apartment, Garrett¡¯sforting bulk at my back. Slow and steady, Counselor. I hear a noise and drop the pick. Crouching, I wait. Spanish words and the smell of cigarette smoke waft my way. I grab the knob to pull myself up, and it turns. I almostugh out loud. My intuition brought me to a entry that wasn¡¯t locked. Inside, a long, dark hallway stretches ahead. Male voicese from a lighted room halfway down, along with the murmur of a television. If I go down the hall, I¡¯ll have to walk right past it. I force myself to move, creeping like a wolf. Turns out the light in the halles from a window in the door. I duck under it and run the rest of the way down the hall. It dead ends into another entryway. I try the knob. Locked. Fumbling in the dark, I palm the tools and insert them. You can do it. I imagine Garrett¡¯srge hand closing over mine, guiding me. Click. First tooth down. I hold it in ce and press the second, then third, and ease the door open. Metal shelves house rows of cages. Most are empty, but four are upied by enormous wolves. Growls greet me. I slip inside and shut the door quickly, telling my heart to calm down. I¡¯m in the wolf den, now. My basic instincts scream at me to turn and run from the roar of wild animals captive in this cavernous space. The warehouse must be soundproofed because I heard none of this outside. Eyes glow and fangs snap at me as I go by. Which one is Garrett? I look for therge gray wolf from my vision. I don¡¯t see any white wolves, which means Sedona¡¯s not here. I edge closer to a silver wolf in a cage but hesitate. Its eyes are yellow. Garrett¡¯s eyes turn silver. I hear a horrible snarling to my left and whirl. An enormous silver-gray wolf throws himself against his cage, snapping and snarling. ¡°G-Garrett?¡± The wolfunches at its cage, mming his shoulder into the wires. Silver eyes. I recoil from the snapping jaws and gleaming teeth. It can¡¯t be Garrett; he wouldn¡¯t try to attack me. Except, I recognize those eyes. I know it¡¯s him. I try to think rationally but can¡¯t bring myself to step any closer. This giant, terrifying animal snapping at the bars has no humanity. ¡°Garrett?¡± I try again. A croak from several cages down reaches me. ¡°It¡¯s him. He¡¯s freaking out because you¡¯re in danger.¡± I identify the voice. Down the row, a naked human form curls in a cage. Jared. ¡°Is it safe to let him out?¡± I ask, my spine unraveling as Garrett snarls again. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Jared¡¯s face contorts in pain. He throws his head back, his human form swallowed by an explosion of fur. Secondster, a wolf stares at me. Garrett¡¯s wolf lets out a half growl, half roar, and Jared¡¯s wolf whimpers and tucks tail. Goose bumps rise on my arms. ¡°All right,¡± I whisper, and crouch so my head is lower than Garrett¡¯s wolf. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me. Amber.¡± My hands shake as I reach for the lock. He¡¯s right there, though, snarling through the bars at me. ¡°Would you mind backing off a bit? You¡¯re scaring me.¡± He throws his shoulder against the gate of the cage again. ¡°I need you to calm down, or I won¡¯t be able to concentrate. We have to get out of here so you can find Sedona, remember?¡± Another half roar, and I cringe on the ground. Maybe mentioning his sister wasn¡¯t a good idea. Garrett¡¯s wolf paces back and forth, stopping to gnaw on the silver bars and bellow in pain. I resist curling into a ball and pulling my shirt over my head like a child hiding from a monster. At any moment, Garrett¡¯s captors coulde back here and find me. Then I¡¯ll be in a cage, too. If I¡¯m lucky. ¡°We need to get out of here. Let me help you,¡± I plead, careful not to make eye contact. Garrett¡¯s wolf chuffs but refuses to back away as I start to use the tools. His stare makes the hair on the back of my neck rise as I fiddle with the padlock. As soon as I open the gate, Garrettunches out. I drop to the floor. He hurtles over my head,nding on all fours in a so-fast-he¡¯s-a-blur move that nearly makes me pee my pants. The giant wolf sniffs me up and down. I close my eyes, stifling a whimper. A satisfied chuff blows my hair back, and when I open my eyes, he¡¯s moved on. I guess he decided not to eat me. He lopes to the hallway and stops in front of it, growling. ¡°Okay, just a minute.¡± I run to Jared¡¯s cage to spring the lock. The gray wolf, smaller than Garrett, is still frightening. One snap of those ferocious jaws, and I¡¯ll lose a limb. Once he¡¯s out, he catches my purse strap in his teeth and tugs me to a third cage. ¡°Trey?¡± The gray-and-brown wolf licks my fingers through the cage as I fumble with the lock. Garrett growls from the door again, and I rush to open it for him. With a furious roar, he and Trey barrel down the hall, towards the office. ¡°Senorita,¡± a voice calls from a cage. ¡°Sueltame y te ayudare.¡± The cage of the yellow-eyed wolf now holds a naked man, whose ck-eyed stare is no less intimidating than his wolf¡¯s. Jared tugs my purse strap, but I resist. ¡°He says if I set him free, he will help us,¡± I tell Jared, who stills as if considering. He cocks his head at me. ¡°I think we can trust him.¡± My intuitiones as a warm feeling in my gut this time.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Guns fire down the corridor. I scream, dropping to the floor and scrambling back. Jared thrusts his body between me and the entryway. A grunt of pain, and he shifts again to human form. I reach out a hand but don¡¯t touch him. Muscles ripple under his tattoos. He stands, and I keep my gaze on his face, but not before I notice taut six-pack abs etched into his tanned skin. More shots st through the hall. ¡°We need to help them,¡± I cry, but Jared catches me before I can run forward. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, Counselor. Garrett would kill me if I left you unprotected.¡± ¡°We have to do something.¡± ¡°I-help,¡± the strange wolf offers again. ¡°Give me the lock pick.¡± Jared holds out his hand. He heads to the cage but halts me when I try to follow. ¡°Amber, stay back.¡± What is it about these werewolves thinking they can give me orders? As soon as we¡¯re out of here, I¡¯ll remind them I¡¯m the one who saved their fur-covered butts. Another gunshot rings out, and I flinch. Okay, maybe the saving is a team effort. ¡°Hurry,¡± I say. Jared approaches the cage, hands up as if showing he has no weapons. With slow, careful movements, he starts to pick the lock. The stranger heads to the back of the cage. I notice both guys keep their eyes averted from each other. Let the record reflect: Wolves are into power games. Because that¡¯s definitely what¡¯s going on here. Even little ole human me can sense it. A rumbling soundes from the hall, just as Jared gets the lock free on the strange wolf¡¯s cage. He springs back when the cage gate swings open. I turn to figure out what¡¯s making the sound in the hall. In stalks Garrett¡¯s wolf, looking ten times bigger, eyes glowing like a demon¡¯s. It prowls forward, raising a nose to sniff the air, and then leaps over me,nding in front of Jared and the stranger. Wet spatters onto the ground. Something dark and liquid drips from the wolf¡¯s maw and side. Blood. Garrett¡¯s wolf roars. Jared cowers, and the Mexican wolf drops to his side to show his belly. ¡°No,¡± I shout, and rush forward like a crazy woman. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt them.¡± ¡°Boss.¡± Trey staggers in, naked, human form also covered in blood. ¡°Easy, man.¡± Garrett¡¯s power rolls through the room, sending me to my knees. Jared and Trey drop to the floor. The stranger jumps back in the cage, in wolf form, and rolls on its back with a whine of submission. His eyes roll with terror. ¡°Garrett,e back to me.¡± With effort, I raise my face. Whatever alpha weight he¡¯s throwing around, it affects me, but I can fight it. I stagger to my feet and approach the giant gray wolf, palms turned out. ¡°Please. I need you.¡± Another roar, and Garrett starts to shift. It takes longer than usual, but he appears, his head bowed, face twisted. When it¡¯s done, his chest heaves like he¡¯s done an Ironman. His muscles are slick with red, and his eyes still glow silver. I scan his torso to see if any of the blood is his and gasp when I see a bullet wound. He gives a dismissive shake of his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Jared and Trey rise slowly and put themselves between their alpha and the strange wolf in the cage who¡¯s still whimpering his submission. I notice they have matching wolf paw tattoos on their shoulders, like Garrett¡¯s. Must be a pack symbol. ¡°Garrett,¡± I say, a bit breathless. He might be back in human form, but his predator self is still running the show. ¡°What happened?¡± I ask at the same time Jared says, ¡°The raiders-¡± ¡°Dead,¡± Trey answers us both. ¡°They¡¯re all dead.¡± Garrett wipes the blood from his mouth and flexes his fingers into fists. I look away, to distract myself from what Garrett¡¯s done. They were bad guys; they deserved it. It¡¯s still a lot for our second date. ¡°Did you find out anything about-?¡± Jared asks. ¡°No.¡± With a roar, Garrett picks up a nearby cage and hurls it. ¡°I lost control.¡± Hearing the bitterness of self-censure, I step forward, longing tofort him. But I don¡¯t know how. He paces a few swift strides away, turns, and paces back, stabbing his fingers through his hair. ¡°No one left to question now,¡± he growls. His voice is barely human. ¡°What about him?¡± I tilt my head toward the strange wolf. He creeps forward and jumps lightly from the cage. Head lowered to the floor, he whines, as if waiting for permission. 58 ¡°Shift,¡± Garrett growls. The strange wolf contorts and changes into human form. I keep my eyes above his waist. Ribs show through his brown skin, and his eyes are hollowed out with dark circles. Long hair falls around his eyes. I wonder how long he¡¯s been held prisoner. Garrett prowls a circle around him. I step forward, between them, and he growls, picking me up with an arm around my waist, spinning, and setting me down behind him. Trey and Jared close in at his sides, making a human wall of protection, me behind it. I clear my throat. ¡°Do any of you speak Spanish?¡± ¡°You can trante from back there,¡± Garrett rumbles. I roll my eyes. ¡°Senor, did you see a white wolf? Small female?¡± I ask in Spanish, raising my voice to get through the wall of wolf-men. ¡°La Americana? Si.¡± he answers. I scuttle around to Jared¡¯s side to see the man, but Jared throws an arm out, keeping me back. ¡°Don¡¯t. Touch. Her,¡± Garrett growls. Jared drops his arm. ¡°Not touching, Alpha.¡± ¡°Where is she? Do you know where they took her?¡± I ask in Spanish. ¡°They sold her to the Montelobos. In the jungle.¡± I trante his answer. ¡°Where in the jungle?¡± I ask sharply. ¡°Do you know?¡± ¡°Monte Lobo.¡± Oh. Well, of course the Montelobos live in Monte Lobo. That¡¯s almost too easy. I pull my purse off my shoulder and thrust Garrett¡¯s phone at Trey. ¡°Monte Lobo-in the jungle. Get Kylie on it.¡± After a nce at his alpha, the wolf grabs my phone and takes off. Jared goes with him. ¡°Is there anything else you can tell us?¡± I ask the stranger in Spanish, and repeat in English for Garrett¡¯s benefit. He shakes his head. ¡°Ask him how big their pack is, how strong.¡± I trante the question to the stranger. ¡°More than one hundred wolves,¡± he says. ¡°Well defended.¡± ¡°Gracias, senor.¡±N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°A ustedes.¡± He gives a half bow, backing away. Jared walks in, dressed in cargo pants he must¡¯ve found. He tosses clothes to Garrett and the strange wolf, who wrinkle their noses but dress quickly. ¡°I found keys to their van outside. Trey¡¯s still trying to get through to Kylie, but we should get out of here.¡± ¡°Will you be safe if we leave you?¡± I ask the strange wolf in Spanish. He nods, exining in rapid Spanish that he¡¯s from a small coastal town but has a strong pack there. ¡°All right. Gracias,¡± I tell him, and we head out, down the hallway. ¡°Cover your eyes,¡± Jared murmurs. Before I understand what he means, arge warm hand closes over my eyes and an arm cinches around my waist. The way my senses leap up, I know it¡¯s Garrett. He¡¯s not gentle but steady and strong. My feet lift off the floor. I try not to think about the metallic smell of blood as Garrett carries me down the hall. Or what I¡¯m not seeing. Focus on Sedona. Once we¡¯re outside, he drops me to the ground, and I take deep breaths. Garrett spins me around and peers into my face with all-silver eyes. ¡°Are you hurt? Tell me you¡¯re not fucking hurt, or I¡¯ll go back and kill those guys a second time.¡± The violence of his assertion ought to frighten me, but it doesn¡¯t. It¡¯s for me. All that passion is for me. ¡°Not hurt,¡± I whisper. He yanks me against him, crushing my body to his so tightly I can¡¯t breathe. ¡°Easy, Alpha,¡± I choke. He releases me abruptly and paces away, as if afraid to be too near me. Trey trots up to us, cell in hand. ¡°I don¡¯t have a cell signal to get through to Kylie. Let¡¯s go to the hotel, and look it up ourselves.¡± Garrett nods, grim. ¡°I need to call my dad for reinforcements. We¡¯re not going into Monte Lobo alone.¡± ¡°I already did,¡± I admit, wincing as six pairs of glowing eyes swing to me. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure I would make it out of the warehouse, and I didn¡¯t want to¡­¡± The low growlinging from Garrett¡¯s chest warns me I¡¯m worrying his wolf again. ¡°Your dad¡¯s on his way.¡± Garrett I can¡¯t speak the entire ride to the hotel. I¡¯m barely staying in human form. I¡¯ve never been so on edge, so close to losing it. No-fuck that-I already lost it. I went savage on those guys back at the warehouse when the situation called for intelligence. If the guy in the cage hadn¡¯t given us a lead, we¡¯d be no closer to finding Sedona right now, thanks to me. The whole evening was a cluster-fuck. We showed up at the textile factory. Like most of the buildings in Mexico City, it was all concrete on the outside, no way to see in. I sent Jared and Trey in one direction around the building, and I went the other. When we met up, some asshole had Trey in a headlock, a gun pointed at his head. ¡°Manos arriba,¡± the motherfucker yelled. I didn¡¯t have to understand Spanish to know what he wanted. I had no choice but to put my hands in the air and climb into the fucking cages that lined the warehouse. A wolf can survive a gunshot wound, but not to the head. Only shifter I know who survived a gunshot to the head is an elderly panther in Tucson, and she was extremely lucky the shots didn¡¯t hit anything vital. I wasn¡¯t about to risk Trey¡¯s life. But the second I was in the cage, I shifted, shredding my clothes. The ce reeked of wolves, but I swear I picked up Sedona¡¯s scent. I tried to bust through my cage with sheer force, but they weren¡¯t ordinary dog cages. No, these guys knew what they were doing. The cages were made of reinforced steel. If Amber hadn¡¯t shown up- I growl in the backseat of the van, and Amber turns her lovely blue eyes up to me. I don¡¯t know why the fuck she¡¯s not afraid of me when I¡¯m like this. She sure as hell should be. My wolf is ready to break out and rip more throats just thinking about Amber being back there, putting herself in danger for us. I want to turn her over my knee and smack her pretty ass red for it, but I know it¡¯s not safe for me to touch her. Not that I¡¯d hurt her-not that way, anyway. But I¡¯m inches away from marking her. Between the full moon and my wolf¡¯s desire to protect her by forever imprinting her with my scent, I¡¯m shaking from the effort of keeping it together with her. We get to the hotel and I head straight for the shower. Maybe if I rid myself of the scent of blood, I¡¯ll be able to calm the fuck down. Doubtful. But it¡¯s worth a shot. I strip out of the too-small pants and step into the spray of water, pinching my wound to expel the bullet my body has already sent to the surface. I remember the way my littlewyer paled when she saw the wound, the horror that streaked her face. Damn, I¡¯ve done nothing to earn that concern, but I sure as hell am going to try to be worthy from here on out. And I have to do a better job keeping her safe. Fates, she could¡¯ve been taken prisoner, too, and we¡¯d all be locked up now. Or worse. I ought to be grateful to her, but instead I¡¯m just pissed. Pissed she had to put herself at risk to rescue me. A growl reverberates in my throat. I turn the water to cold. It does nothing to cool my burning skin, to stomp down the wolf. Mark her mark her mark her. I¡¯m burning to sink my teeth into Amber¡¯s ripe flesh. Make her forever mine. I¡¯m burning to sink my cock into her sweet little body, feel what it¡¯s like to move inside her. I bet she¡¯s tight as fuck. Like heaven. Maybe there¡¯s some way I could fuck her without marking her. I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s my wolf or my own mind trying to talk me into doing what can¡¯t be done, but I want her with a desperation that makes my canines pop out, dripping with the serum to mark her. I bite my own lip and draw blood. My tough-as-nails littlewyer is all gooey soft inside. A giant heart made of soft downy feathers. I¡¯d give anything to earn the right to call her mine. What would it be like to have Amber beneath me? I¡¯m dying to see her look up at me with those big blue eyes, trust shining bright, her small body yielding and sweet. Fuuuuuuck. I turn off the water and wrap a towel around my waist. My wound has already stopped bleeding, the edges starting to close. We booked a suite, with two beds in one room and a living area in the other. Trey and Jared are in the living room, and I want to howl because Amber¡¯s with them. Which is all kinds of stupid, because while I know they¡¯d die for her, it¡¯s only because they know she¡¯s mine. And my guys are rock solid. They would never, ever fuck with what¡¯s mine. Still, I m my fist down on the dresser. I want to tear the room apart. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to survive the night in the same hotel suite as Amber. 59 Amber It sounds like Garrett is throwing things in the bedroom. I sense his agitation through the wall. Guilt, anger, frustration roll off him in waves. Have I always known exactly how people feel? Or is it just him? Trey looks in the direction of the bedroom then shoots a concerned nce at Jared. We¡¯re sitting around the small table. They finished my torta in about three seconds t and have ordered more food from room service. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him this close to losing control,¡± Trey mutters. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± I ask. Jared fiddles with a book of matches that were on the coffee table, spinning it on its edge. ¡°Full moon. Sister¡¯s missing. And you.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°He was scared for you back there. I think he¡¯s still pissed off. He¡¯s really got it bad for you, Amber.¡± The matchbook spins to a stop. He picks it up and starts it again. My heart leaps then trips and falls. ¡°But wolves can¡¯t be with humans.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a problem. But it doesn¡¯t matter to his wolf. The animal¡¯s imed you. Once our wolf makes its choice, that¡¯s it. You have to mate or-¡± ¡°Or?¡± ¡°Or your animal might go moon mad,¡± Trey supplies, fiddling his lip piercing with his tongue. ¡°What is moon mad?¡± I ask. ¡°They turn animal and can¡¯t change back. They¡¯re lost forever. It doesn¡¯t happen with every wolf,¡± Trey exins. ¡°Only the most dominant ones,¡± Jared says. I swallow hard. Garrett is as dominant as theye. But he doesn¡¯t want to mate me. He already told me it can¡¯t work. ¡°Do wolves ever mate with humans?¡± ¡°Sometimes,¡± Jared says with a shrug. ¡°But mating with humans is discouraged by most packs. And an alpha male takes an alpha female.¡± I hear the subtext. Not a wimpy human. ¡°Garrett¡¯s dad wouldn¡¯t like it.¡± Trey snatches the book of matches from Jared¡¯s fingers and taps it open, pulling one out. Great. I¡¯ve already made a bad impression. ¡°But there are many who believe there¡¯s only one true mate for each wolf. And the wolf recognizes his mate when he sees her. Being near her both riles him up and calms him down.¡± He strikes a match against the side of the box and flicks the burning stick at Jared, who yelps and dodges it with a grin. ¡°That¡¯s what he¡¯s like with you.¡± Amber Drake, psychic. Tamer of werewolves. Maybe I¡¯ll hang that shingle after all. A thud sounds from the bedroom, like Garrett put his fist through the wall. Good thing the room¡¯s not on my credit card. If he¡¯s upset over me, it¡¯s my job to defuse it. I push open the door and step inside, closing it behind me. I ought to be afraid, but I¡¯m not. ¡°Hey. Are you mad at me?¡± ¡°No,¡± he snarls, whirling. I sense his pain. ¡°You¡¯re upset because I was in danger? Why don¡¯t you talk to me about it?¡± He stalks over, eyes shing silver. Picking me up by waist, he pins me against the wall, holding me at nose level. ¡°Baby, you scared the fuck out of me. You could¡¯ve been captured. Or hurt. Or killed,¡± he growls. ¡°Do you think I could live with myself if anything ever happened to you?¡± I can¡¯t speak. A lump forms in my throat. Has anyone ever cared so much about what happens to me? ¡°Well, I couldn¡¯t. I wouldn¡¯t be able to go on.¡± ¡°Garrett.¡± The extent of his anguish stuns me, cracking some hardened piece of armor that¡¯s been around my heart for most of my life. Someone cares-about me. ¡°I ought to turn your cute little ass red.¡± He drops me to the floor and cradles my cheek. His touch is far gentler than I expected. He leans his forehead against mine. ¡°You do not put your own safety at risk for me. I am a shifter-I heal almost instantly. You are human.¡± Yeah, I got that, big guy. ¡°You could¡¯ve been shot or had your throat torn out tonight,¡± he goes on. ¡°What if they took you for breeding?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not a wolf.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t argue with me.¡± He pulls me into a rough embrace, his huge arms wrapping around my waist. He drags his lips up the column of my neck. ¡°You¡¯re mine, dammit. I can¡¯t let anything happen to you. Do you understand?¡± ¡°I understand,¡± I whisper as the words you¡¯re mine knock around in my head, causing my brain to short circuit. For someone who never belonged, nothing could sound sweeter. And, somehow, I do belong with Garrett. Even though I am human and he is wolf. Even though we have nothing inmon-I am his and he is mine. A simple equation with no basis in logic. Only in love. Except he told mest night he can¡¯t be with me. He palms my ass and squeezes. ¡°I reserve the right to punish this juicy asster.¡± His voice is deep and gravelly. I give a huskyugh. ¡°Sorry, there¡¯s no retrial.¡± He tongues my earlobe. ¡°I¡¯ll have to do it now, then.¡± He turns me to face away from him. ¡°Hands on the wall.¡± The deepmand sounds like pure seduction. He slides his palms slowly down my arms to grip my wrists and lift them to the cool ster. ¡°Don¡¯t move them. If you do, I¡¯ll double your punishment.¡± I waggle my ass, only excited by his threat. This man-wolf-wants me. Needs me, even. I¡¯ve never felt so desirable in my life. His fingers work the button on my jeans open, and he hooks his thumbs in the waistband of both the jeans and my panties and drags them over my hips. They drop in a puddle at my feet. ¡°What¡¯s my sentence?¡± I say hoarsely, stepping out of them. Hends a hard p on my ass. ¡°This.¡± He strokes both palms over my bare ass and squeezes. ps again. ¡°I want you,¡± he says gruffly, unpinning my hair from its French twist. It falls over one shoulder. He slips his fingers under my T-shirt and glides them up until they reach my breasts. With a flick, he opens the front closure on my bra and cups my swelling girls. ¡°You¡¯re so fucking beautiful, Amber. I¡¯ve wanted you since the moment you cocked that hip and gave me attitude in the elevator. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ve kept from fucking you senseless.¡± His voice is thick. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± I dare. His sharp intake of breath has me biting my lip. One quick movement and my shirt and bra fly over my head. ¡°Hands back up.¡± He pins my wrists against the wall with one palm, smacks my ass with the other. My pussy clenches, excitement coursing through me. ¡°I¡¯m on the pill,¡± I whisper.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. An inhuman growl fills the room. ¡°Why?¡± he roars. I try to turn, but he keeps his hand closed over my wrists. ¡°For heavy periods. Jeez, Garrett.¡± I feel him sag behind me. ¡°Thank fuck. Don¡¯t ever tell me about another man unless you want me to rip his throat out.¡± ¡°Too much, Garrett.¡± My voice is shaky, but some part of me is thrilled with his possessiveness. His jealousy. I want him to fully im me the way no one has. He runs his hands up the length of my bare back, wraps them around the front to pinch my nipples between his fingers. ¡°I need you, baby.¡± His teeth graze my shoulder. ¡°I need you so fucking badly.¡± I try to pry my fingers from the wall again, nning to turn and help him get on with things, but clearly, he¡¯s the one in control. He ps a hand over mine, pinning them back in ce. A low growl of disapproval rumbles beside my ear. His free hand slides down my fluttering belly to cup my mons. I¡¯m already soaked for him, my legs shaking. He sweeps the pad of onerge finger over my slit, gliding in my juices. ¡°Tell me about this pussy, Counselor,¡± he rumbles in a low voice. ¡°Has she missed me?¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± ¡°Tell me I¡¯m the only one who gets her wet.¡± He taps my clit. ¡°You¡¯re the one,¡± I murmur. ¡°I mean, the only one.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to taste her again, but I¡¯m having a hard time dialing it back. I promise I¡¯ll give her the best licking of her life when the moon isn¡¯t so goddamn full.¡± I realize his breath is sawing in and out like he¡¯s running a race. Like it¡¯s taking all his effort not to attack. I don¡¯t want him to hold back. With a desperation that might very well match his, I want him, to get on with it ¡°Take me, Garrett.¡± I push my ass out, hoping to tempt him. ¡°Fuck.¡± I hear the rustle of his jeans hitting the floor. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can do this, baby. I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± I promise. I never thought I¡¯d be the type to like rough sex, but at this moment, I¡¯d give anything for a nice, hard fuck. Lawyer Amber is appalled. Garrett growls and rubs the head of his cock over my entrance, slicking it in my juices. ¡°Yes,¡± I breathe. ¡°Take me.¡± His breath rasps in my ear. He holds my waist and presses in, filling me, stretching me wide with his enormous cock. My pussy clenches around him, and I gasp at the intensity. My eyeballs roll back in my head. ¡°Don¡¯t stop, I need you in me.¡± His breath stops altogether thenes hot on my ear as he eases in, filling me. He crushes my breast in his hand and begins to pump in and out, his hips pping against my ass. My head grows light. The pleasure is like none I¡¯ve experienced. Wolf cock, indeed. Yeah, it¡¯s definitely better. He pummels me, the head of his cock hitting my inner wall. It¡¯s incredible. Miraculous, even. I realize I¡¯ve never, in my twenty-six years, been properly fucked. Never been taken from behind, even. Never done it standing up. Never had sex with my lover¡¯s hot handprints burning my ass cheeks. Yeah. Garrett has been a flurry of firsts for me and this one ising close to blowing my ever-loving mind. And somehow I have a feeling there¡¯s so much more. This is just the tip of the iceberg when ites to sex with Garrett. His fingers tighten on my hip. ¡°Oh God,¡± he mutters, and pounds harder. ¡°Fuck, Amber-I can¡¯t-¡± An inhuman growl cuts off his speech, and he pulls out. I gasp and look over my shoulder to see him stumble back, his eyes glowing silver, fangs bared. Fangs? He¡¯s still in human form. Why in the hell does he have fangs? He shakes his head like a dog shakes off water. ¡°Amber.¡± His voice is so guttural, I barely understand him. ¡°Get your clothes on and get out.¡± ¡°What? No.¡± The cords in his neck pop out. His muscles ripple and strain. ¡°Now, Amber.¡± The hurt must show on my face, because he looks stricken. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he mutters. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Amber. But I need you to get out. For your own good. Please. Get out.¡± He stalks to the bathroom and shuts himself in. Reeling, I pick up my clothing and put it on with shaking hands. Let the record reflect: I have no fucking clue what just happened. I don¡¯t want to leave, but I have to honor Garrett¡¯s request, so I open the bedroom door and walk out. Trey is still at the table, eating the food that¡¯s been delivered. He nces at me then does a double take. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Dammit. Tears streak freely down my cheeks. He stands and opens his arms. ¡°Come here.¡± I stumble forward, leaning into hisnky frame as he wraps me in a hug. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he repeats. I don¡¯t mean to tell him anything. But I hadn¡¯t meant to let them see me cry, either. ¡°His teeth got long, and his eyes changed color,¡± I blurt on a sob. ¡°He told me to get out.¡± Trey shares a nce with Jared across the room. ¡°Damn,¡± Jared mutters. ¡°What?¡± Trey blows his breath out. ¡°He wants to mark you, Amber. Do you know what that means?¡± I shake my head. No idea. ¡°It¡¯s the way wolves mate-the male sinks his teeth into the female to permanently leave his scent. We¡¯re quite territorial with our females. Once you¡¯re marked, you¡¯re mated for life. But he can¡¯t mark you, because you¡¯re human. At best, it can cause terrible scarring. At worse, it could kill you. He can¡¯t control himself right now, so he¡¯s trying to protect you.¡± A vision flickers before my eyes: I¡¯m standing in front of a mirror, lifting my hair away from my shoulder to examine a scar. The bedroom door opens with a bang, and Garrett looms in the doorway, brows tight around his silver eyes. Trey shoves me away from his body and holds up his hands. ¡°Not touching h-¡± A sh of movement and a snarl and Garrett flies through the air and knocks Trey to the floor. ¡°A little help,¡± Trey gasps as he rolls away, not fighting back but moving quickly to extricate himself. Garrett pins Trey down with his forearm across the wolf¡¯s windpipe. ¡°Garrett, stop!¡± I scream. He turns his glittering gaze on me and lunges, grasping my waist and pulling me down on top of him. His hands burn like brands; heat suffusing my skin everywhere he touches. He yanks my shirt up as if he intends to pull it off me, his fangs bared and gleaming. Clearly, he¡¯s more beast than man, now, and considering how cautious his friends are, I admit I¡¯m scared. I scream. Jared seizes me from behind, pulling me back off Garrett. He roars his displeasure and leaps to his feet after me. Trey catches him from behind before he reaches me, and Jared puts his body in front of mine, joining Trey in the fight against Garrett. The two younger wolves push Garrett backward, pinning him to a wall, leaning their full weight against him to hold him there. ¡°Go into the bedroom and lock the door, hon,¡± Trey says. Garrett roars again, pulling free of the wall, only to be mmed back by the two younger wolves. ¡°Sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to call her hon. Amber, get in the bedroom. Now,¡± Trey barks. But I can¡¯t let this go on. Garrett is suffering because of his need for me, and his friends are risking their lives to protect me from him. I ignore the directive, and walk, instead, to Garrett. Iy my palm t on his bulging chest. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of him.¡± I keep my eyes glued to Garrett¡¯s silver ones. I swear I see the spark of recognition, the flicker of blue in his silver eyes. ¡°You¡¯d better be,¡± Jared grits, obviously struggling with all his might to hold Garrett back. I ignore Trey and Jared and catch Garrett¡¯s gaze, holding it. ¡°Mark me.¡± He lunges forward again, but when the boys throw him back against the wall, he gives his head a shake. ¡°I¡¯ll tear you apart, Counselor. Get. Out of here. Please.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ve seen how this one ends. I want you to mark me.¡± Garrett stills, his breath rasping in his chest. ¡°What?¡± I nod. ¡°You need to mark me.¡± I turn to the younger wolves. ¡°Let him go.¡± They look to Garrett, who stares at me a long time before nodding. The boys ease their weight back from his shoulders, appearing ready to tackle him again at a moment¡¯s notice. He picks me up, and I straddle his waist, looping my arms around his thick neck. He looks up into my face. ¡°Are you sure?¡± I nod. Even though my heart thunders, I trust him. He would never hurt me if he could help it. 60 Garrett Even with the wolf screaming to be set free, my mind works to be present for Amber. ¡°Baby, do you understand what this means?¡± I ask as I carry her to the bedroom. I don¡¯t know how she even knows about marking. ¡°Yes,¡± she whispers. ¡°That you¡¯ll mate me for life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Once I¡¯ve marked you, I¡¯ll never let you go-not for any reason. I¡¯d follow you to the ends of the Earth to keeps what¡¯s mine.¡± Miraculously, she doesn¡¯t seem disturbed by that. My tough little independentwyer appears to be willingly giving herself over to me. ¡°Do you hear me? You will belong to me. Forever. You¡¯ll be mine to protect and hold. To pleasure.¡± ¡°I want you to mark me,¡± she repeats, seemingly undaunted by my words. I shut the door behind us. ¡°Do you know what it involves? I¡¯ll have to bite you, Amber. A wolf bite. It will definitely hurt, and most likely scar you.¡± And if I fuck up, I could kill you. Fates, I don¡¯t want to do this to her. She doesn¡¯t deserve this kind of trauma. She nods. ¡°I saw the scars-in a vision. That¡¯s how I know this needs to happen.¡± A vision. Thank the fates. I can¡¯t be making a mistake if she saw it. I sit down on a chair, Amber straddling myp. I figure I need to stay on the bottom. Anything to slow me down, keep me from mauling her. I palm her ass cheeks in both my hands, squeeze them. She rocks her pelvis down, grinding over my rock-hard cock. I tug her shirt off and unhook the pale-pink bra. It¡¯s sweet and delicate, like her. She definitely doesn¡¯t belong with a guy like me, but I can¡¯t stop myself from iming her, now that she¡¯s offered. My position in the pack will be altered. My dad¡¯s predictions that I¡¯d never be able to lead my own pack will prove true. I don¡¯t give a fuck. Amber¡¯s mine. I need her, like a wolf needs to run. Her perky breasts spring out of their satin enclosure, and I attack one, sucking the stiff bud into my mouth. Amber lets out a wanton cry that nearly has me jizzing in my jeans. I¡¯m one stroke away froming, as it is. One breath away from piercing her with my lengthening teeth. The second I sink into her, I¡¯m going to go off like a cannon. But I owe her so much more than that. I don¡¯t want her to remember her marking as only pain and trauma. I turn my attention to her other nipple, flicking it with my tongue, grazing my teeth over it. ¡°Shirt off,¡± she murmurs. ¡°Hmm?¡± She hooks a finger in the cor of my T-shirt. ¡°I want your shirt off, too.¡± I smile through my haze of lust, drunk on desire, and peel off my T-shirt. She runs her hands over my pecs and arches into me, rubbing those beautiful tits against my bare skin. A growl erupts from my throat. I have to mark her soon. ¡°I need to be inside you, baby.¡± I lick a line from her sr plexus to her throat. She wriggles off me and loses the rest of her clothing. ¡°Good,¡± she encourages. ¡°No,¡± I groan. My breathes in short little pants now as it takes all my effort not to throw her to the floor and pound into her until she splits in two. ¡°I doubt it will be any good. I¡¯m going toe the second I¡¯m inside you.¡± I unbutton my jeans and release my straining cock. I pull her onto myp, facing away, and bring my fingers to the notch between her thighs. ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to youter, I promise,¡± I manage to say. ¡°I¡¯ll make it up for the rest of our goddamn lives.¡± A shiver runs through Amber. I don¡¯t know what it means. I sure as hell hope it wasn¡¯t foreboding. But her pussy is wet. I know she wants me. I rub the head of my cock along her dewy slit. My entire body shakes with the effort it takes him to keep myself in check. Every cell in my body screams for me to throw her down and fuck her roughly, marking her forever with my teeth. She shifts to line her sweet channel up with my throbbing length, and I snap my hips, spearing into her. A shudder of satisfaction runs through my body. Like I¡¯ve just found home. Nothing has ever felt so right in my life. My vision domes and sharpens as the animal in me surges forward. I grasp Amber¡¯s waist and lift and lower her over my cock, hoping to the fates I¡¯m not bruising her, not scaring her with how hard I grip, how deep I thrust. My hips lift to meet hers and I¡¯m falling, falling into deeper, darker need. She¡¯s making encouraging sounds-wanton sounds. ¡°Amber¡­ Amber¡­ I want¡­ I need-¡± Fates I can¡¯t even put together a sentence. I bounce her over my rigid cock like I¡¯ll die if I don¡¯t get enough. If I don¡¯t get deeper. Faster. I squeeze my eyes shut, fighting back the impulse to fully im her. I pull her over my cock hard and fast, owning her body, dominating itpletely as I wrestle with my wolf for control. ¡°Yes, Garrett,¡± she cries out. ¡°Who do you belong to?¡± I snarl, riding a wave of lust so high I¡¯m delirious. Each thrust into her tight channel makes me crazier. ¡°You! Please, Garrett, I¡¯m so close.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you what you need,¡± I growl, hoping I can deliver because the fever that¡¯s taken over me is hotter than magma. I stand and bend her at the waist like a rag doll. Now I can drill into her with more force. She screams. ¡°There! Oh God, right there. Oh God, don¡¯t stop, don¡¯t stop, pleeeeeease.¡± She tumbles over the crest into orgasm. The moment her tight little pussy mps down on my cock, the leash on the wolf snaps. My movements grow jerky as she continues to squeeze my cock with her finish. Growls fill the room. and I open my eyes, realize I¡¯m making the sound. My fangs drip with the secretion to embed into her flesh. I want to give it to her so badly. Every muscle is coiled, ready to spring. And just like that, I go off. Cum shoots up my shaft. I sit and yank her down tight in myp, my feet stomping on the floor, a roar echoing off the walls. If she were a wolf, I¡¯d bite the back of her neck, but I have to be so fucking careful. I sweep her pale blonde hair from her neck and sink my teeth down on the fleshy part of her trapezius, where I¡¯m least likely to seriously injure her. I hold back the torrent of energy demanding I snap my jaws with force, bury those teeth deeper into her flesh. She cries out, and I squeeze my eyes closed against the surge of guilt. My stupid cock doesn¡¯t get the message, and Ie again, thrusting into her. Shaking, I extricate my fangs from her flesh and lick the wound clean. The antibodies in my saliva should speed her recovery. ¡°It¡¯s over, baby. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I grab my T-shirt and ball it up to press against the wounds and staunch any flow of blood. Amber gives another gasp and a whimper. She turns to look at me, and her wide blue eyes fill with tears. ¡°Oh fates,¡± I choke, my own eyes smarting. She touches my face. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay.¡± I lift her from myp and grab the nket from the bed, wrapping it around her. I must look horrified, because she holds up her hand. ¡°I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m okay.¡± But-fuck!-blood¡¯s soaking through the shirt at her shoulder. I want to smash things, everything within reach. My female is hurt, and it¡¯s my fault. ¡°Amber.¡± I speak her name like a prayer. Like ament. A beg for forgiveness, even though she¡¯s already granted it. A knock sounds at the door. ¡°Everything okay?¡± Trey asks through the wood.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. I lift Amber and ease her onto the bed then pull on my jeans and open the door. Trey stands there, Jared behind him. I¡¯ve never been more grateful for my pack mates¡¯ support, especially considering I just tried to smash their faces in. ¡°Do you think she needs stitches? Or whatever it is humans do for wounds?¡± Trey walks in, radiating calm. ¡°Let me see it.¡± He takes the shirt from Amber and peers at the wounds. ¡°No. these look okay to me. No major arteries. I think she¡¯ll be okay. They don¡¯t do stitches for puncture wounds anyway; they want them to get air to prevent infection.¡± Thank fuck. I hope to hell he knows what he¡¯s talking about. Jared produces a bottle of Spanishbeled pain reducers. ¡°I went out to get you some ibuprofen,¡± he says to Amber. ¡°And coconut oil because it¡¯s supposed to be anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.¡± ¡°Not for a major wound, you idiot,¡± Trey says and Jared punches him. ¡°And I have liquor, too, if you prefer that.¡± Jared holds out a bottle of Jose Cuervo. I shove the bottle of Cuervo away. ¡°No liquor. Yes on the painkillers. Can you get her a ss of water?¡± Amber epts the ibuprofen. She¡¯s looking pale, which fucking kills me, so I scoop her up and climb to the head of the bed, settling with her cradled against my chest. Jared returns with the ss of water and three ibuprofen. ¡°Do you need anything else?¡± I shake my head. ¡°All right, we¡¯ll leave you alone, then.¡± The two boys walk out. Maybe it¡¯s because my chest has been ripped up, leaving my heart standing open and unprotected, but my gratitude for their loyalty overwhelms me. 61 Amber I lean back against Garrett¡¯s solid chest. ¡°I feel¡­ kinda weird.¡± ¡°The serum that coated my teeth contains a drug that will make you a little high. It calms the female after she¡¯s been mauled.¡± ¡°Is this dangerous for female wolves, too?¡± He shook his head. ¡°No. shifters have incredible healing capacities. It would be a temporary pain for a she-wolf. She¡¯d be out of pain a few hours, healed by morning.¡± He strokes my hair back from my face, worry etched in the lines of his face. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, too.¡± He runs his thumb along my cheek. ¡°You are incredibly brave. You¡¯re alpha material, even if you aren¡¯t a wolf.¡± I study him. ¡°What does that mean, exactly?¡± His face closes, as if he has something to hide. ¡°Nothing. Just that you¡¯re a good mate for an alpha.¡± Ah. I understand now. ¡°Except that an alpha¡¯s mate should be a wolf.¡± His jaw tightens. ¡°I don¡¯t care about that.¡± I don¡¯t have to be psychic to know he¡¯s hiding something. Protecting me from something. Shitballs. My certainty about wanting to be marked erodes. ¡°So it¡¯s a problem that I¡¯m human? Of course it is,¡± I answer my own question. ¡°Because you won¡¯t produce shifter offspring.¡± ¡°May not,¡± he corrects. ¡°And that¡¯s inconsequential. Me being alpha is of no matter, either,¡± he deres. Goose bumps stand up on my skin. My head¡¯s foggy from the drug in the serum, and I give it a shake to clear it. ¡°Wait¡­ you might lose your position as alpha? Because you¡¯re mated to me?¡± His face hardens. ¡°You¡¯re not just a human. You¡¯re a paranormal, with second sight. You¡¯re a perfect mate for an alpha,¡± he repeats as if speaking directly to my would-be detractors. My vision blurs. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No,¡± he says fiercely. ¡°Not sorry. You¡¯d better not be sorry for me, because I¡¯m the lucky son-of-a-bitch who found his fated mate. Do you think the urge to mark happens every full moon, with any female? It doesn¡¯t. I¡¯ve never felt it before I met you. So, I may have held back, but it wasn¡¯t because I was worried about losing my position as alpha or of the stigma of mating with a human, or anything like that. Do you understand me?¡± He cups my chin. ¡°It was only out of my fear of hurting you, and because it wasn¡¯t fair to im you under these circumstances.¡± ¡°What circumstances?¡± His face clouds. ¡°I strong-armed you into helping me. I brought you here against your will. You hardly know me. And you have no idea what you¡¯ve gotten yourself into by mating with me.¡± The serum has rxed me now, taking away the agitation and sharpness of the pain. ¡°What have I gotten myself into?¡± I bring a teasing lilt to my voice. ¡°A dominant wolf who threatens to spank me when I don¡¯t follow orders?¡± Just saying the words reactivates my lust from earlier, and when Garrett inhales sharply, I know he¡¯s scented my arousal. ¡°You have a mate who¡¯s going to use your little body any and every way he pleases, anytime, anywhere,¡± he growls in my ear. Wrapping a fist in my hair, he tugs my head back. My pussy clenches. ¡°When you displease me, I will pull down your panties and spank you with my hand. I¡¯ll shove my big cock in your ass, and I won¡¯t let youe.¡± A shocked gigglees out of my mouth. My body turns to liquid desire as orgasm looms close without mydy bits even being touched. He seems to know because he slides his thick fingers between my thighs, somehow finding the swollen nub of my clit through my jeans. ¡°I¡¯ll tie you to the bed and fuck you senseless. And when I¡¯m finished, I¡¯ll shove a big plug in your ass and spank you, just because I feel like it.¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re crazy,¡± I mutter, but my thighs scissor together, and an orgasm rips through me. My pelvic-floor muscles lift as my pussy contracts in a series of waves. Garrett palms my nape. ¡°Damn, girl, even having marked you, I don¡¯t know how to make it through the night without fucking you six ways until Sunday.¡± ¡°What¡¯s holding you back?¡± I ask in my best bedroom voice. ¡°The open wounds on your shoulder.¡± That killed the mood. ¡°And knowing my father will be here soon.¡± A sh of knowing flickers. ¡°He¡¯s here now,¡± I say, just before a loud knock sounds on the suite door. Garrett ¡°You wait here, baby.¡± I ease her from myp onto the bed. I doubt my dad will greet our mating with celebration, and I¡¯ll be damned if I¡¯m going to subject Amber to his reaction. She looks adorable, hair tousled and eyes bright with that freshly fucked sort of look. Her color hase back, thank the fates. I stamp my mouth over her full lips and back away, hardly able to tear my eyes from her. My human. My mate. I can hardly believe it. Jared already let my father and the top three of his pack in, and they crowd the hotel suite wearing grim expressions. A fresh stab of shame over my inability to retrieve Sedona shoots through me as I step forward to shake my father¡¯s hand. He¡¯s not the hugging sort of father-he maintains his cold authority from a distance, even over his family members. ¡°Son.¡± He sps my hand. ¡°What in the hell is going on?¡± ¡°Sedona was kidnapped by wolves while on a spring break trip to San Carlos. She¡¯s in a remote area called Monte Lobo. With your reinforcements, we n to go break her out at first light.¡± ¡°You should have called me right away.¡± I expected this critique, but it still makes my chest heavy. ¡°I know. I wanted to take care of it without worrying you, but you¡¯re right, and I¡¯m sorry.¡± My father gazes at me, his steely gray eyes hard, the lines on his face making him look so much older than I remembered. I realize, with a start, he would no longer win in a contest between us for alpha, not that I¡¯d ever challenge him. My dad nods, once. ¡°Who the hell is Amber?¡± As if on cue, my little human toddles from the bedroom, dressed but looking slightly woozy. My heart lurches. I hold my arm out, and she ducks under it, nestles against my side. ¡°Amber Drake, sir.¡± She extends her hand. I don¡¯t know how she knows to call him sir, but I appreciate her ability to adapt to the situation. She¡¯s just a slip of a thing, but I see her grow taller, her back straighten. She must be a formidable enemy in the courtroom. ¡°She¡¯s my mate.¡± Ice my words with a touch of steel to warn my father against any insults. He may not approve, but it¡¯s done, and he¡¯ll have to get used to it. My father¡¯s gaze travels to the fresh wound on her shoulder then rest on her face. He gives her a stern look, as if she¡¯s one of his pack members. ¡°I told you to stay put, youngdy.¡± ¡°Lay off,¡± I growl, but Amber seems unfazed. ¡°I know, sir.¡± My father continues to glower at Amber, who, amazingly, doesn¡¯t cower. If she showed the slightest sign of distress, I would¡¯ve taken my father on right then and there-prove who¡¯s the alpha now. ¡°So you went to rescue these wolves all by yourself?¡± Amber lifts her chin the way she did the night I met her in the elevator, refusing to show intimidation. ¡°I had to, sir. I was shown it in a vision.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t mention that to me.¡± It eases some of my guilt and angst over her being at risk. ¡°You weren¡¯t in a chatty mood.¡± She nces up at me from under hershes, making my heart jump and bang against my ribs. Such a small thing, and she has me wrapped around her finger so tightly. ¡°So you¡¯re shown things?¡± my father asks. Skepticism scrawls across his features. Amber nods. ¡°Sometimes, sir. I can¡¯t always control it.¡± Her face contorts in a grimace of pain. Fates, it¡¯s the bite wounds. I pull her closer to my side, ready to rush her to the hospital at the drop of a hat.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Sedona¡¯s been mated,¡± Amber chokes out. Her wince was a vision, not the marking. ¡°But her mate didn¡¯t kidnap her. He¡¯s working to get her free.¡± ¡°Her mate?¡± my father snaps. Amber¡¯s eyes fly wide, as if her revtion surprises even her. She looks past my father, her focus going soft. ¡°Yes¡­ they were locked together over the full moon. He marked her.¡± ¡°You know where she is?¡± my dad snaps, looking at me. I nod. ¡°Then let¡¯s move. We have three vans of wolves waiting on the street. No humans.¡± Even though I agree, I hate the way he gives the order without even looking at Amber. I turn to her and cup her cheek. ¡°I need you to stay here, baby. I won¡¯t need it, but this time don¡¯t even think about rescuing me. No matter what your visions show you. Understand?¡± She nods. There¡¯s a trace of sadness to her that I can¡¯t pinpoint, but my dad is already pushing everyone out the door. ¡°Trey, you stay with Amber. In case her wounds turn bad,¡± I order. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± she interjects. ¡°Totally fine. You guys go.¡± I hesitate, torn between wanting to be fully prepared when we get Sedona and my concern over Amber. She pushes us out the door. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll lock the door, order room service, and wait for you toe back.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I relent. I bend to kiss her. ¡°Get some rest, baby. Sleep in tomorrow. I¡¯ll call you on the hotel phone with an update.¡± She lifts her lips and kisses me back, and I reluctantly leave her. Her face is shadowed, and the only way I can convince my wolf to leave her is vowing silently to return. 62 Amber Nausea hits me the minute they leave. Between the drugged out feeling from being marked, the pain and general exhaustion, my body rebels at what I know I need to do- Leave. If I¡¯d known Garrett would lose his position as alpha by marking me, I never would have let him do it. His pack is everything to him. I¡¯ve seen how tight they are-closer than family. They care for each other, have each other¡¯s backs. His guys would do anything for him. He has a pack tattoo on his arm, for God¡¯s sake. Loneliness shoots through me, just contemting leaving him. Before I met Garrett, I managed my loneliness. Used measures of order, control, and a sense of contributing to society to keep my life on the upswing. But now I see all those things for what they were-a mask to hide the truth that¡¯s always gnawed at me. I¡¯m alone in the world. Which is fine. Not everyone can be from big packs or families. I¡¯ve learned to manage on my own, and I¡¯ll manage without Garrett, too. I have my job. And my best friend. And foster kids who need my help. Well, yeah, that¡¯s my job. We were only mated for a few hours. I¡¯ve only considered him my boyfriend for a day. Letting go won¡¯t be that hard. Yeah, right. My eyes burn as I throw my things into the silver rolling suitcase I filled when Garrett ordered me to pack. Every time I waver into self-pity, I remind myself I¡¯m doing this for Garrett. He deserves an alpha wolf for a mate. Not Crazy Amber. Definitely not Crazy Amber. I don¡¯t want Crazy Amber-how could she be what Garrett wants? No, his worry over Sedona, the full moon, and their proximity made him impetuous. Sooner orter, he¡¯d realize he made a mistake. Maybe next week. Maybe in a month. Maybe not for three months. But it would happen, like the inevitability of the next moonrise. Better to rip the Band-Aid off quickly. Or leave before more damage is done. Or whichever saying best fits. It¡¯s been a wild weekend, but that¡¯s all it was. Wild. And a weekend. I leave the hotel room and take the elevator down to the lobby. It¡¯s past midnight, but I find a cab outside and ask to go to the airport. As I ride away, my head begins to throb. I pull the bottle of ibuprofen Trey brought me out of my purse and pop three, even though I know they won¡¯t do any good. I stare at the dark streets whizzing by and brace myself against the pain. Not in my head but from the giant javelinnced through my chest. I¡¯ll get by. I always do. In the airport, I check the departures and find one going to Phoenix at six a. m. It¡¯s two hours from Tucson but close enough. I pay for a ticket and sit down in a chair to wait for morning. The visionse the moment I close my eyes. I fight them back, but it feels like my head will explode. I see fast-forward movies ying of Sedona, a beautiful brte, locked in a sparsely-furnished room with a young Mexican man. It blurs and shifts into a fight between the young man and the wolves who guard the door. Then, the two of them, standing on a beautiful veranda that overlooks a vast jungle. The van Trey stole from the warehouse drives in on the road below. Garrett. My body grieves for him, as if he didn¡¯t embed just his scent, but his very essence in me, making me forever addicted to him. I shove the visions back, swallow them down. My legs are shaky when I stand, but I walk to the bathroom to ssh cold water on my face. It¡¯s almost morning. My ne will leave soon, and I can sleep on it.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll be home, and I can go about pretending this never happened. I look in the mirror, but I don¡¯t see myself, I see the white-haired woman from the airport restroom years before. She stares back at me with usation in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I choke, but the room is spinning. It¡¯s all I can do to hang onto the counter and not fall down. Thest thing I remember is my vision going ck right before my head strikes something hard and I blessedly lose consciousness. Garrett I sit in the passenger side of a twenty-passenger van and crack my tattooed knuckles. We have three giant vans-more like mini buses-driving in a caravan into the jungle. My father brought sixty men with him. The Montelobos have over one hundred. Decent odds, considering how ferocious my home pack can be. Still, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve gone into a fight with someone waiting for me to return. Life feels more precious now. My own life, Amber¡¯s. Certainly Sedona¡¯s. Fates, she¡¯s just a kid, still. This shouldn¡¯t have happened to her. I ride in the van with my pack members, to let them know how much I appreciate their support. How important this battle is to me. I¡¯m not going to go in there and lose. Losing isn¡¯t in my blood, especially not where Sedona¡¯s involved. Since the same blood runs through my father¡¯s veins, I know we¡¯re undefeatable. The drive takes two and a half hours. Enough time for me to rey every moment I¡¯ve spent with Amber, from the day I met her until the minute I left her at the hotel. In a short amount of time, she¡¯spletely changed my life. I feel so far removed from the never-willing-to-settle-down party boy I was a week ago. The guy my dad rode hard for not manning up and acting like a true leader. The guy who didn¡¯t take much seriously. Yes, I was a sessful businessman, but it hadn¡¯t been hard. I had the Midas touch. I got in the real estate market at the right time. My dad provided me with initial start-up capital, but I was able to pay him back within a year. The rest I did on my own. It¡¯s so easy to see now that I yed the rebel out of fear of bing my dad. Fear of bing an uptight asshole who rides his pack and family hard. Except now that my own instincts to protect those precious to me-Amber and Sedona, and my pack members, too-have kicked into high gear, I understand where he wasing from. I¡¯ve made different choices in my leadership style, but we probably both want the same things. And now that I have a mate, it¡¯s obvious to me I need to grow up. I need to be the kind of man Amber would be proud to introduce to her colleagues. Her foster kids. That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to put on a suit and tie, but it¡¯s time to stop living like a frat boy. The van winds up a narrow dirt road, climbing higher and higher into dense rainforest. Everything looks rural and poor until we stop by a high-tech electric security gate. My dad and I get out. I smash the security camera staring down at us and help him rip the gate from its hinges, bending and tearing the metal. I¡¯m ready to shift right there and run in on four paws, but my dad orders the vans to drive in farther. I tear my shirt off when I get back in the van, and my guys do the same. We¡¯ll be ready to meet them in human or wolf form, whichever is required. We drive another five miles, still climbing the side of a mountain. In the distance, a citadel looms. There¡¯s no other word to describe it. Surrounded by smooth adobe walls, an enormous pce sits on a high hill, with balustrade-lined balconies and turrets overlooking the enve of little thatch-roofed huts below. A medieval-style home to royalty and peasants-that¡¯s how it looked. The road dead-ends at a giant portcullis-closed, of course. The vans stop, and we start to pile out. A sh of movementing from behind us makes me whirl and partially shift, but I pull up short. ¡°Sedona?¡± My sister is running at us at top speed. She¡¯s wearing some kind of flowy, old-fashioned gown, and I scent her blood, mingled with that of a male¡¯s. Amber was right-not that I doubted it. Sedona¡¯s been marked. ¡°Garrett!¡± Sheunches into the air and flies into my arms, wrapping arms and legs around me like a toddler. I fall back with the impact and hug her. ¡°Sedona. You¡¯re all right. We¡¯re here now.¡± When my dad joins us, I put her down, and she hugs him, too. ¡°How do we get in? I¡¯m going to kill everyst motherfucking-¡± ¡°No.¡± Sedona shoots a look over her shoulder in the direction she came. A little boy, no more than nine years old, stands there, looking uncertain. ¡°Take me out of here. I don¡¯t want a fight. I just want to go home. Let¡¯s go.¡± My dad shakes his head. ¡°No one steals my daughter and lives.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t steal me, they bought me. You¡¯re wee to kill the fuckers who stole me, but I just want to get out of here. No bloodshed. Let¡¯s just leave.¡± I see my father isn¡¯t going for it, so I grab his arm and jerk my head toward the van. ¡°Dad,e here.¡± His mouth closes in a tight line, but he follows me around the back of the vehicle where we can talk in private. Well, the privacy isrgely an illusion because wolves have incredible hearing, but at least the others understand we mean to speak privately. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t you think Sedona¡¯s been through enough? She¡¯s been mated. She might have conflicted feelings toward the guy. Thest thing she needs is more trauma. If she says no bloodshed here, I think we have to honor her wishes.¡± My dad growls. I hold my ground, refusing to lift my chin or cower to his animal. My wolf is alpha, now. He needs to hear me on this. ¡°We don¡¯t kill them and we send the message we¡¯re weak.¡± ¡°So wee backter and ughter the whole town,¡± I say drily, although my dad is capable of such violence. ¡°I say for right now, we get Sedona out of here, hear her story, and regroup. If we decide toe back, wee back. I¡¯ll dly rip everyst motherfucker limb from limb. You know I will.¡± The rumble in my father¡¯s throat peters out and dies. He gives a single nod and stalks around the van, giving themand to load back up. I blink, somewhat dumbfounded that my father actually let me make the call. The guys move with military precision, and our caravan is on its way out in less than sixty seconds. I sit in a back seat with Sedona, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and waiting until she¡¯s ready to talk. 63 We¡¯re threading through the streets of Mexico City when Sedona finally speaks. ¡°How did you find me?¡± Despite the ordeal she¡¯s been through, she looks vibrant, youth and vitality oozing from her, as if her wolf loved being mated. ¡°My mate found you.¡± There¡¯s so much fucking pride in my voice when I speak, I¡¯m sure Amber can feel my love back in our hotel suite. I¡¯ming for you, baby. Almost there. Sedona lifts weary green eyes. ¡°Your mate?¡± I touch the back of her neck where her bite marks are healing. ¡°Looks like we both mated this moon.¡± Sedona¡¯s eyes fill with tears, and she looks away. I¡¯m ready to kill the asshole who did this, and I¡¯m dying to get her story, but I force myself to remain silent. If I get aggressive, she¡¯ll m up. ¡°Tell me about her?¡± Her voice is choked with tears. I drop a kiss on the top of her head. ¡°Her name is Amber. She¡¯s a human psychic and an attorney. And my next door neighbor. When you went missing, I volun-told her we needed her help, and we brought her along to Mexico. She helped us follow your trail to Mexico City, where we found your captors-they¡¯re already dead, by the way-and then she helped get the information on this ce.¡± ¡°A human, huh? Never would¡¯ve figured.¡± I don¡¯t hear a trace of judgment in Sedona¡¯s voice, or I would¡¯ve gone on the defensive. I¡¯m still expecting more shit from my dad. ¡°Me, neither.¡± I shrug. ¡°My wolf picked her.¡± Sedona¡¯s face clouds, sadness prating her gaze. ¡°Yeah. I guess that happens.¡± Fuck. She must¡¯ve fallen for her mate, whoever he is. Could¡¯ve been Stockholm syndrome. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want me to go back there and kill the entire Montelobo pack? Because I won¡¯t hesitate if you give the word, little sis.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°I¡¯m sure. Don¡¯t let Dad go back, either. I think¡­ they¡¯re just a really fucked-up pack.¡± She turns her face up to mine. ¡°So where¡¯s Amber, now? When can I meet her?¡± I know she¡¯s pasting on a sunny face for me, and it kills me. We pull up in front of the hotel. ¡°She¡¯s in our suite. Come on. You can meet her now.¡± We pile out of the van, and I get into the elevator with Sedona, Trey, and Jared. I notice Sedona is quick to join me, just like she was quick to get in my van. She doesn¡¯t want to deal with our dad. I don¡¯t me her. I drape an arm over her shoulders, and she leans against me. I¡¯ve only been gone six hours, but I¡¯m dying to see Amber. Fates, I hope her bite wound hasn¡¯t caused her trouble. She¡¯s probably been miserable. I stick my keycard in the door and swing it open. The moment I do, I know something¡¯s wrong. Amber¡¯s scent isn¡¯t there. Well, traces are, but she¡¯s not in the room. ¡°Amber?¡± I call out, even so. There¡¯s a note on the table, and I snatch it up. Garrett, I don¡¯t want to bind you to something that happened while under the influence of stress and a full moon. I know that mating with a human will change your position with the pack and with your father, and I don¡¯t want to have that weight on my shoulders. Let¡¯s write this off as an interesting second date and be done with it. I caught a ne back to Tucson. Please give me some time before you stop by my apartment-I¡¯d like some distance to heal. Love, Amber No. My roar shakes the pictures on the walls. I crumple the note and throw it to the floor. She can¡¯t be gone. I won¡¯t fucking ept it. I grab my phone and stab in her number before I remember her cell doesn¡¯t work here. I let it ring and go to voicemail anyway.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Amber. I need to talk to you right away. Call me.¡± I want to say a million other things, but I don¡¯t trust myself not to fuck it up and say something stupid. Trey, Jarod, and Sedona are all wide-eyed and cautious, staying out of lunging distance but pulling sympathetic faces. ¡°Trey, get Kylie to find out what ne she¡¯s on.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on it, G.¡± I stalk a tight circle around the room and m my fist through the wall. ¡°Garrett,¡± Sedona says sharply. I swivel to face her, fists clenching. My growls make it hard to hear anything. ¡°If you want your mate back, you¡¯d better have a better n than punching holes in ster.¡± I blink at her. It takes a full minute for her words to sink in, but then I realize she¡¯s right. ¡°Fuck.¡± I burrow all ten fingers through my hair and hold my head. I don¡¯t have a clue how to win my mate back. Clearly, I had no clue how to court her in the first ce, since she said our first two dates were epically bad. Trey¡¯s phone beeps. ¡°You¡¯re in luck. She was booked on an early flight out of Mexico City, but she never boarded. She is now rebooked for a flight leaving in¡±-he looks at his phone¡±one hour. Let¡¯s go.¡± I¡¯m relieved to let Trey lead for a moment while my brain tries to rein back my wolf¡¯s ferocious desire to reim his mate. We all follow him into the elevator and take it down. My dad and some of his pack members are still in the lobby, and they speak to us, but I can¡¯t hear for the buzzing in my ears. Somehow they end up joining, too, and we all stream back into one of the vans. As the vehicle shoots through traffic, my mind ys the reel of every moment I¡¯ve spent with Amber since the day I met her. If I¡¯d had any doubt as to why I picked her as a mate, it¡¯s clear as day now. A glow pervades every interaction we had. Amber Drake is a gift. To this world. To the kids she helps. To me. She has the heart of an angel and shifter courage. She¡¯s delicate but strong. Powerful in her own right. Her capacity to love, to forgive, to offer her time and heart to others knows no bounds. I need her. Not just for my wolf. For me. And I¡¯ll do anything in this world to make myself worthy of Amber Drake. 64 Let the record reflect: Breaking up with a wolf causes severe headaches. I wake up on the floor of the bathroom and find out I missed my flight. I have no idea how long Iy there or if anyone tried to help me. Women are walking arge circle to avoid going near me, as if whatever knocked me out might be contagious. Heaven forbid someone call 9-1-1. Of course, that number might not work in Mexico. I drag myself to a ticket counter, rebook for the next flight to the United States, and plunk down to wait. The light from the windows shes through my head like a physical object. Nausea makes me slightly dizzy. I can do this. I just need to get home, get into my bed. Of course that thought reminds me of thest headache I had, when Garrett carried me to my bed and put a cool washcloth on my head. How could I ever have thought of him as a ruffian? He may have a rough exterior, but he¡¯s a gentle giant. He never meant to hurt me. But he has. Not the bite-I know that will heal. I also know I asked for it. It¡¯s my heart that may never mend. I went my whole life without ever feeling safe. Or whole. Or loved. I never belonged, never fit in. With Garrett, all that receded. He embraced all of me-not just Lawyer Amber. He cared about me, about my safety. But agreeing to mate him after a single weekend together was stupid. It was the equivalent of the drunk Las Vegas wedding at midnight. With or without the Elvis-impersonating preacher. The event you wake up from and realize was a huge mistake. So I¡¯d go home. Be Lawyer Amber again. Keep helping kids. And, sooner orter, the memories from this weekend would fade. Right? I rub my pounding temples and shrink lower in the ufortable stic chair. Amotion near the security gate forces me to crack one eye to peek, and I go still. Garrett¡¯s marching toward me, nked by a dozen huge, bad-ass looking men, including Trey, Jared, and his father. Oh, and one female, who must be his sister. Dark determination scores his face as he eats up the space between us, eyes glued to mine. I brace myself for my headache to increase, for the possibility of passing out again, but it doesn¡¯t. Instead, my world goes quiet. All the noise in my head drops back. I resist the temptation to lean into this. Into Garrett. I left for him. He¡¯s better off without me. So I can¡¯t let the way my heart flip-flops in my chest, the way my body vibrates with excitement to see him, sway my decision. We¡¯re over. Garrettes up so fast and furious, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll tip out the entire row of chairs I¡¯m sitting in, but he pulls up short when he reaches me. Pulls up short and crouches in front of me. ¡°Garrett, don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Baby.¡± Oh God. I didn¡¯t count on him speaking so softly, so tenderly. I expected him to throw his weight around with his usual dominant-wolf bullshit. I was prepared to defend my case. But this sweetness knocks me between the eyes, sends a rush of longing and pain to my chest and face that builds, like a pressure cooker. Garrett clears his throat, as if he¡¯s unsure what to say. I¡¯m not used to seeing the cocky wolf so off his game. ¡°I made a lot of mistakes. If I had it to do over, I¡¯d make sure our first and second dates were the best of your life.¡± Tears swim in my eyes. I blink furiously, not wanting to shed them. Garrett¡¯s entourage has gathered behind him, not offering us any privacy, as if they, too, are a part of this discussion. ¡°I¡¯d make sure you never doubted the way I feel about you. And I¡¯d make sure you knew it wasn¡¯t the full moon or my wolf that picked you for my mate. I pick you, Amber Drake. Human. Gifted psychic. Big-heartedwyer. I need you, baby. And I don¡¯t care what any of them think.¡± He finally acknowledges our audience with a jerk of his head. ¡°I don¡¯t care if I lose my position as alpha. Or if my family disowns me. All I care about is you. Being with you. Being for you. ¡°Because nothing in my life meant anything until I met you. Now I know my purpose.¡± So much for not crying. Tears stream down my face as I try not tounch myself into Garrett¡¯s arms. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I whisper. ¡°Making myself worthy of you.¡± ¡°Stop it,¡± I choke. ¡°I¡¯ll shine my shoes and sell the motorcycle, if you want. I¡¯ll turn the nightclub over to the guys. I¡¯ll help your foster kids. Whatever you need from me, I¡¯m going to be that for you, Amber. Because you¡¯re mine. I told you once I marked you, I¡¯d never let you go. And I meant it. But I¡¯m going to work hard for your happiness. I¡¯m going to make you proud to call me your mate. So much for notunching. I fly at Garrett, and he catches me. My arms wrap so tight around his neck, I¡¯m strangling him. ¡°Baby,¡± he croaks. ¡°Is that a yes?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I whisper. The pack gathers around us, into a tight circle. Jared puts a hand on my back, Trey touches Garrett. Garrett¡¯s father clears his throat. ¡°Sounds like Amber¡¯s given you the inspiration I never could.¡± Garrett refuses to release me, whispering unintelligible words into my hair. ¡°Wee to the family, Amber,¡± Mr. Green rumbles. ¡°I appreciate what you did to save both my children this weekend.¡± ¡°Wee to the pack,¡± Trey and Jarod and many other voices murmur. Garrett finally releases me, and his sister picks up both my hands and squeezes them. ¡°Thank you for helping them find me,¡± she says. ¡°And wee to the family.¡± I remove my hands from her to embrace the beautiful brte. I sense her own heartbreak as a resonance of what I¡¯d just let go and I want to fix it for her. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse us.¡± Garrett takes my hand and shoves through the circle. ¡°I need to get my mate back to the hotel.¡± He looks down at me, his eyes soft with affection. ¡°We¡¯ll fly home tomorrow. Together. Okay?¡± I nod, mutely. I¡¯ll have to call work and let them know I¡¯m noting, but it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t have any court appointments. Garrett sweeps me up in his arms and strides out of the airport, despite my protests. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Amber. We¡¯ll get your luggage,¡± Trey calls after us. I tuck my face against Garrett¡¯s neck. ¡°How did you get past security without a ne ticket?¡± I ask.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Trey handled it.¡± Right. He has a pack. My pack, now, too. 65 Garrett I check into a private suite back at the hotel and Jared brings our bags over. Amber¡¯s blushing like a virginal bride, which is the cutest thing I¡¯ve ever seen. She¡¯ll blush even harder when she realizes what I have in store for that hot little body of hers. ¡°Clothes off.¡± My voicees out deeper than I expect. She looks over with lifted brows, probably surprised by the roughmand, considering I¡¯ve been treating her like a delicate flower. Whatever she sees on my face-must be bald hunger-makes her eyelids droop and nipples peak. She strips out of her clothing. I rummage through my bag for the duct tape. When I pull it out, she flushes, but her hands go to cup her own breasts, as if I¡¯ve started an ache there that needs to be relieved. ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡± I hold up the tape, stalking toward her like a predator sure of his prey. My cock is painfully hard for my new mate. ¡°Since you¡¯re having a hard time staying put for me, I thought I¡¯d better secure you.¡± She licks her pouty lips. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Damn, her voice is husky. I fucking love those notes on her. Can¡¯t wait to see what else I can coax out of her. I haven¡¯t had the time to spend getting to know my mate¡¯s body and responses-what makes her quiver, what makes her scream. I sure as hell am going to make up for it now. I drag a piece of tape out and tear it off. ¡°Oh, I think it¡¯s very necessary. You¡¯re going to spend all day and night bound to my bed, baby, and maybe then you¡¯ll learn to stop running.¡± I rip off a second piece the same length and put them together, sticky side to sticky side. I don¡¯t want to hurt my mate¡¯s skin tonight. I may like to dominate, but this is definitely all about pleasure. She lets out a chokedugh. ¡°I¡¯m not run-¡± I cut her protest off with a hard kiss at the same time I catch her wrists between us and wrap the tape around them, using a fresh piece to secure it. I slip my finger under the makeshift cuffs to be sure they¡¯re snug but not too tight. ¡°That should do.¡± I fold a long piece of tape in half lengthwise and loop it through the cuffs then tug my mate to the bed like a ve with shackles. ¡°On your back to start.¡± I lift my chin toward the mattress. A tiny smile curls her lips as she climbs up on her knees then settles on her back. I pull her wrists above her head and secure the long piece to the headboard with more duct tape. It wouldn¡¯t hold if she really pulled, but this is more about the illusion of capture than the real deal. I have to stop for a moment and just drink in the sight. Fucking perfection. Amber¡¯s sweet little body is spread out naked, like an offering, her perky tits falling open to the sides, belly shuddering in when she breathes.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Open your legs wider, baby.¡± She inches her thighs apart, a blush creeping up her neck. I squeeze my cock through my jeans, and groan. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful, Counselor, I can hardly stand it. Even with the full moon behind us.¡± ¡°Take off your clothes,¡± she orders, eyes dted,shes fluttering. I shake my head. ¡°Nope.¡± Confusion flits over her face. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°First of all, angel, I call the shots in the bedroom, not you. And you and I both know that¡¯s the way you like it, so don¡¯t even pretend it¡¯s not. Secondly, this is punishment. You left me. I haven¡¯t forgotten that. So, you¡¯ll lie back and receive whatever I choose to give you, when I choose to give it to you. Understand?¡± ¡°N-not really.¡± Her voice wobbles, but I smell her arousal, and the way her chest rises and falls rapidly tells me she¡¯s totally turned on by my dictate. I climb slowly over her, still fully dressed. ¡°Let me exin.¡± I grip her knees and push them up to her shoulders, spreading her wide. I stare down at the pink heart between her thighs, a growl of excitement rumbling from my throat. ¡°I¡¯m going to lick this pretty pussy until I¡¯ve had my fill. If that takes eighteen hours, and you¡¯ve screamed yourself hoarse, then maybe you¡¯ll learn your lesson.¡± Sheughs that huskyugh that drives me fucking wild. I let out a snarl and fill my hands with her ass, lift it until her delectable core meets my mouth, and lick into her. She shudders, knees mping around my ears. I lick the length of it, part herbia and trace around the insides with the tip of my tongue. Her thighs flex, and she lets out an unsteady moan. ¡°That¡¯s it, beautiful, let me taste what¡¯s mine.¡± I suck herbia, nibble them before applying my tongue to her clit. Her cries take on a higher pitch-the sound of desperation. I tten my tongue andp her from anus to clit, and she starts to pant and moan. I return to her clit and suck while I screw one finger, then two, inside her. The moment I stroke her inner wall, she shatters, her muscles contracting around my fingers, ass squeezing tight, pussy thrusting against my face. I¡¯m in heaven. Pleasing my female is clearly my purpose in life because I¡¯ve never felt so powerful. As soon as she finishes, I start all over again. I bring her to climax once more. Then go in for a third kill. She pushes my head away. ¡°I can¡¯t, Garrett,¡± she moans. ¡°Too much. It¡¯s so intense.¡± ¡°I know, baby. This is punishment. Who do you belong to?¡± I rim her, licking around her little starfish. She squeals, clenching her ass, her whole pelvic flower lifting. ¡°You! To Garrett, the most possessive, stubborn, domineering¡­¡± ¡°Uh oh.¡± Iugh. ¡°Someone needs a spanking.¡± Her pelvic floor contracts again so I know she loves the idea. I roll her over, adjusting the tape on her wrists to amodate the new position. She waggles her ass, inviting my punishment. I deliver a few swift spanks then rub away the sting. ¡°You know what happens to naughty mates who try to leave the male who marked them?¡± I reach for one of the pillows and lift her hips, sliding it under. ¡°Wh-what?¡± ¡°They get fucked hard.¡± I spank her again, one smack on each side. ¡°Are you ready for your punishment fuck?¡± Her adorable bottom squeezes up tight. ¡°God no.¡± There¡¯s a giggle in her voice. ¡°Too bad, baby. You¡¯re going to find out what happens when you displease your mate.¡± I stretch her ankles wide and use duct tape to fasten each one to the bedposts, again using the method of doubled-up tape so I¡¯m not using the sticky side on her skin. Her arousal leaks between her thighs, back moves with her panting breath. My female is so excited. I climb over her and put my lips to her ear. ¡°You know what happens if you¡¯re really naughty, baby?¡± ¡°What?¡± Fates, that husky voice. She kills me. ¡°They get fucked in the ass.¡± I spank her pretty ass a few times. ¡°Do you want me to fuck your tight little ass?¡± ¡°No, sir.¡± My cock jerks. I think it will probably jerk every time she calls me sir until the day I die. It¡¯s so fucking hot to me when she submits. I strip out of my clothes and climb up behind Amber, taking a mental picture of the way she looks facedown, spread-eagle, taped to the bed. I file it in the album I hope to soon popte with a million more erotic images: Amber strung up to a hook in the ceiling by her wrists, Amber leaning backward off the bed to suck my cock, Amber in every yoga position, naked, awaiting mymand. A growl starts to hum in the back of my throat. I fit my cock into the notch between her legs and rub the head in her juices. I slide my cock in slowly, teasing her by taking my time. She pants, lifting her ass up and tilting her pelvis to give me better ess. I sink in deep then draw out, almost all the way. ¡°No,¡± she whines. ¡°What are you-¡± I sink back in. ¡°Yes. That.¡± She sounds breathless. I chuckle. ¡°Who¡¯s in control here, baby?¡± She makes a show of pulling at her restraints. ¡°You are, dammit. Get on with it!¡± I pull out and deliver two quick smacks, one to each cheek. ¡°You must want it in the ass today.¡± ¡°No. No, I don¡¯t,¡± she answers quickly, and Iugh again. I grab a pillow and stuff it under her hips to give me a better angle, then I slip in again. ¡°Oh yes!¡± she cries out. I never would¡¯ve dreamed the uptightwyer I met the first day would be this expressive. This responsive. I dip into her again and again, keeping it slow and steady for several strokes. Then my self-control cracks. ¡°This is when you take it hard, sugar,¡± I warn. I brace my weight on my hands beside her head and plow into her, fucking her deep. If her ankles hadn¡¯t been secured, I would¡¯ve shoved her face all the way up to the headboard, my thrusts were so hard. Her cries make me crazy, and my wolf goes into a frenzy. I fuck and fuck and fuck her some more, the sound of my loins smacking her ass filling the room, the sound of her cries filling my ears. ¡°Yes, yes, yes, Garrett!¡± she screams. Her muscles contract and squeeze in pulses, and I shove in deep to let her enjoy her orgasm. She finishes and goes limp beneath me. I pull out long enough to yank her ankles free then lift her hips until she¡¯s on her knees, legs spread wide, ass in the air. Her face still rests on the bed, arms pulled taut over her head. I p her pussy. ¡°Did you think we were finished, angel?¡± She lets out a long moan. ¡°I can¡¯t. Too much¡­ pleasure,¡± she mumbles. ¡°Oh you will take it, baby. You¡¯ll take all the pleasure I want to give you. You know why?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m yours?¡± There¡¯sughter in her voice. ¡°That¡¯s right. You belong to me. You¡¯re mine. Forever.¡± I grip her hips and spear her once more with my cock after taking another mental picture. I p her pussy again. ¡°Are you ever going to try to leave me again, baby?¡± ¡°No, sir.¡± Three more spanks right over her clit. She moans. ¡°Naughty baby. Now I have to fuck you until you¡¯re delirious.¡± ¡°I already am.¡± Her words are muffled by the covers and possibly slurred with lust. I lean down to flick my tongue over her moist folds. ¡°Oh God,¡± she groans. I may want to torture my mate with multiple orgasms, but my endurance won¡¯tst much longer. I stand on my knees behind her and line my cock up with her entrance. I sink into her moist heat and groan. It¡¯s even better from this angle. Fingers tight around her hips, I pump into her, own her sweet body,mand it. My eyeballs flip back in my head. She feels too good. Too tight. Too hot. Too right. My climaxes on like a freight train, barrels through me. I choke on a curse and fuck her right through it, plowing her as ribbons of cum erupt from my cock. Time bes slippery. I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯s been when my vision clears and I realize I¡¯ve stopped fucking my new mate. I¡¯m still pinned to her backside, balls deep inside her. My breath scrapes in and out like I¡¯ve run a marathon. Amber moans softly, a contented sound, and nuzzles the nkets. I rip the duct tape cuffs from her wrists and pull her to her side so I can curl up around her. She fits beside me like our bodies were made to nest together. I stroke her hair back from her face. ¡°You okay?¡± She nods, a dreamy expression softening her mouth into a smile. ¡°How was that for a third date?¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± She reaches up and touches my face. ¡°Epic.¡± 66 Epilogue Amber The sign outside Eclipse reads Closed for Private Event. Inside, kids run through Garrett¡¯s club. It took a while to get them warmed up. Most foster kids have been through ugly situations. They aren¡¯t carefree. They hold back. But when Garrett runs to the face-painting booth and shouts, ¡°Face-painting is cool. Can I get a wolf?¡± it warms the kids up. The giant, tattooed tough guy modeling the wolf convinces every kid to get one just like it. Watching him, my heart is full to the point of bursting. He has more than honored his promise of making himself worthy for me, not that I thought he wasn¡¯t before. No, his clothes haven¡¯t changed, and he still rides a motorcycle, but he takes steps every day to make our future beautiful. Like getting the ns drawn up for our dream house. And taking me on real dates. ¡°Alisa, are you going to get a Shirley Temple?¡± I ask the shy redhead who just went through the system with me as her representative. Her wide green eyes lock on my face, but she doesn¡¯t answer, which is pretty typical. ¡°It¡¯s a drink. Sam is making them over there.¡± I point toward the bar where the young werewolf is mixing kid drinks. Her new adoptive mom picks up her hand. ¡°Do you want to try one?¡± She nods, still staring at me. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a tip-tell them you want extra cherries.¡± I wink and she smiles, revealing huge gaps where her baby teeth have fallen out. ¡°Who knows how to do the Cupid Shuffle?¡± Jared calls out. He¡¯s ying both DJ and dance coach out on the dance floor, with Trey as his backup. They¡¯re in the midst of the kids, shaking it with them in the mini light show. The strains of ¡°Cupid Shuffle¡±e on, and Jared takes a spot in the front of the group, leading them right and left, kicking and turning. I¡¯m smiling like a goofball, so touched at how generous Garrett and his pack are with these kids, who aren¡¯t even shifters. They¡¯re good people. Wolves. And I¡¯m so honored to be included in their midst. ~.~ Muchter, I press into Garrett¡¯s solid, warm body as he motors up the mountain. The city has a light ordinance to keep it dark for the telescopes on Kitt Peak; few artificial lightspete with the night sky. A few months ago, I would¡¯ve thought it was too dangerous to ride at night, but holding tight to Garrett, feeling his rock-hard muscles flex against my arms, I¡¯ve never felt more safe. The bike purrs off the road to an overlook. Garrett parks it and pulls me in front of him. We sit together and watch the show. ¡°That was a great thing you did today, opening up the club to the kids,¡± I murmur. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so good with kids.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t, either,¡± he chuckles. ¡°Well, you were awesome.¡± ¡°Am I going to get a reward?¡± He shifts me on hisp, and I feel just what sort of reward he wants. ¡°Mmm,¡± I stroke his rigid length under his jeans. ¡°Maybeter.¡± ¡°Not here?¡± Iugh. ¡°I¡¯m not quite that wild, yet.¡± He kisses me, a deep, drawn-out kiss that has me moaning in my throat. ¡°How about now?¡± ¡°Bad boy.¡± I shift on the bike so I¡¯m straddling hisp, facing him. The view is so beautiful, but I only want to look at him. He threads his fingers through my hair. I wear it down most days, now. It¡¯s crazy tangled from the wind, but he seems to like it. For a second his face blurs. I see Garrett, a little older and looking like his dad, in the driveway of an adobe brick home. Three kids-a girl and two boys-run and y around him as he fixes his motorcycle, sometimes stopping to show them how to turn a wrench. As the vision fades, I hug him close. ¡°Do you want kids?¡± I blurt. A chuckle rumbles through him. ¡°Not sure how great a dad I¡¯ll be, but yes. Though I was hoping for more time alone with you before we add some rug rats.¡± ¡°Rug wolves? We can always get Jared or Trey to babysit.¡± ¡°Or lock the bedroom door.¡± ¡°That only works if you don¡¯t teach them how to pick locks,¡± I scold, and heughs, shifting me back so he can see my face. ¡°What¡¯s all this talk about kids? Are you¡­¡± The hopeful tone of his voice tells me all I need to know. ¡°No. I don¡¯t think so.¡± Not yet, I add silently, tracing the scruff on his chin. ¡°I just had a vision of the future.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Really? What was it?¡± I smile. ¡°You¡¯ll find out.¡± 67 Book 3 Sedona My eyes crack open, gritty and sore. I¡¯d rub them if I weren¡¯t in wolf form. Where am I? I rise and knock against metal bars. Oh fates. I¡¯m in a cage-a fucking cage. Now Sedona, my mom would say, lips pursed. Do you really have to swear? Yes, mom. If ever there was a time for the ¡®f¡¯ word, this is fucking it. I¡¯m in a cage, like a fucking dog. A goddamn pet. I rub my head against the bars, but that doesn¡¯t help the pounding pain. My mouth is dry and I fight to swallow around a serious case of cottonmouth. Worse than any hangover I¡¯ve had in thest three years of college. Not that I¡¯m a party girl or anything. Well, sometimes I like to party, but who doesn¡¯t? I twist in the confined space, but it¡¯s impossible to getfortable. A low growl starts in my throat, and my wolf hunches down to pounce. I m against the bars and whine in pain. A few more tries and I give up, slumping muzzle to paws, squeezing my eyes shut against the ache. My headache screams louder. My captors dosed me with something to knock me out. How long have I been floating in and out of consciousness? Twelve hours? Twenty-four? I¡¯m in arge warehouse. Other cages line a giant metal rack of shelves-like the kind products are stored on in Costco or Sam¡¯s Club. Most are empty. A skinny ck wolf with yellow eyes blinks at me from where he lies on his side in one of them. Cigar smoke tinges the air and the sound of men¡¯s voices, speaking in Spanish,es from behind a door. It swings open, allowing a shaft of light to fall from the corridor. The masculine voices draw nearer until a group of men gather around my cage. The same assholes who grabbed me on the beach. If I were smart, I¡¯d shift and get some information out of them. Who they are, what they want with me. But my wolf doesn¡¯t feel like talking. I surge to my feet, my back and head pressing against the top wires of my tiny prison. My lips peel back to show my fangs. A deadly growl rumbles in my throat. ¡°Que belleza, no?¡± one of the men asks. There is more discussion in Spanish, but I don¡¯t catch any words, besides Americana and Monte Lobo. They¡¯re wolves, judging by their scent. All of them. Their leers send a cold prickle of fear through me. I snap my jaws through the wires, snarling. Ignoring me, the men pick up my cage and carry me outside to a gleaming white passenger van. They open the back doors of the van and lift me inside. I throw myself against the wires of the cage, barking and growling. One of the men chuckles.¡±Tranqu, angel, tranqu.¡± He swings the doors shut with a decisive click, leaving me alone once more. ~.~ I bounce around the cage in the dark. The van seems to ascend, traveling over bumpier and bumpier ground-must be a dirt road. I shift back to human form to think, hunching naked between the bars. My head is clearing from the sedative, although my stomach still roils like I just rode a double upside down loop roller coaster. I need a n. Some strategy to get the hell out of here. I grope the padlock on the outside of the cage. It¡¯s solid. I¡¯d need wire cutters or a lock pick to get free, but I¡¯ve got nothing. My older brother, Garrett, taught me how to pick locks. I watched him hell around as a teenager, picking every lock our dad tried to use to keep him in, or out, depending on the situation. But I have no hairpin, no purse. Not a stitch of clothing. Where are they taking me? My stomach knots. If this was a random kidnapping, I¡¯d say I¡¯d be ransomed back to my family. But I¡¯m an alpha¡¯s daughter. Someone might have a bone to pick with my dad, in which case¡­ I¡¯m going to be gang raped by a foreign pack. Turned into their sex ve. Fates, I hope they¡¯re not into torture. My wolf whines as the scent of my own fear clogs my nose.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Think, Sedona, think! They¡¯re wolves. They picked me up off of a tourist beach in San Carlos. I¡¯m young, female. They¡¯re probably not going to kill me. Female shifters are rarer than males. I¡¯m amodity. Maybe they¡¯re going to auction me off? Fuck. This is bad. Very bad. Garrett didn¡¯t like the idea of me going to San Carlos with humans. Like a fool, I blew off his concern. Thought he was being overprotective. I¡¯m a shifter. What¡¯s the worst that can happen? Turns out, a-fucking-lot. I can almost hear my dad saying, I told you so. If I get out of here alive, I¡¯ll happily agree. The van rumbles to a stop. My wolf fights to take over, to protect me, but I force her back. My only y is to pretend to cooperate, then gouge their motherfucking eyes out with my thumbs and run. To act docile, it¡¯s better that I be naked and afraid, like the stupid reality show. I roll to my side, pull my knees up and cover my breasts with my forearm. There. Helpless as a baby rabbit. The van door opens. ¡°Please,¡± I rasp. ¡°I¡¯m so thirsty.¡± One of the men mutters something in Spanish. Oh yeah. This game is going to be harder because I don¡¯t speak thenguage. Damn, why didn¡¯t I take Spanish in high school? Oh right, because I wanted to be in every art ss possible. And I had no idea I¡¯d one day I¡¯d have to speak with my Mexican kidnappers. ¡°Let me out of the cage,¡± I plead, praying someone speaks English. They ignore me. Two men pick my cage up by the handles on each side and carry it out of the van. They don¡¯t set it down, either. They walk up a tree-lined path, the cage jostling and swinging between them. Beyond thendscapedwns and high-walled building, there¡¯s only thick woods. My captors brought me to a fortress on top of a mountain. My pulse gallops into high gear. ¡°Please,¡± I beg. ¡°I need water. And food. Let me out.¡± ¡°Cate,¡± one of them hisses. Even I know that word. I am from Arizona, after all. Shut up. Okay, so they¡¯re less than sympathetic. Two older men-also shifters, judging by their smell-dressed in Italian suits and shoes shined up like mirrors, emerge from behind a giant portcullis made of steel and carved wood. Drug dealers. That¡¯s my first thought, based on the way they¡¯re dressed, although if there was a shifter drug cartel, I would¡¯ve heard of it. Wouldn¡¯t I? But who else wears thousand dor suits on a wooded mountain? The well-heeled men speak to my captors in low tones and usher them in. I try my naked and afraid game again. ¡°Please help me, senor. I¡¯m so thirsty.¡± One of the older men turns and looks directly at me, and I know he understands. He says something in sharp tones to my captors, who mutter back. Yeah, that didn¡¯t get me very far. But they have to open this cage sometime. And when they do, I¡¯ll be busting noses, shifting and getting the hell out of Dodge. No more nice wolf. My stomach lurches as the cage sways. I have to clutch the metal rungs to keep from sliding with the movement. The men follow a path along the inside of the high polished adobe walls. An enormous vi or mansion made of gleaming white marble rises up on the other side, majestic. It has an otherworldly quality, like we¡¯re in apletely different era. Or dimension. We arrive at a modern security door and one of the older men pulls out a keycard. He opens the door and leads my captors inside and down a flight of steps. There¡¯s a damp coolness to the air. My nose wrinkles at the musty smell. I blink as my eyes adjust to the dim lighting. Oh lordy. I¡¯m in a dungeon. I swear to the fates, there are iron doors with peephole windows all along the corridor. One of the old men barks something in Spanish and they stop and set the cage down to wait for him to unlock a cell door. The minute I see what¡¯s inside, I shift, my snarls echoing off the stone walls. The room holds nothing but a bed with iron shackles attached to the four posts, ready to hold a prisoner. And now I know why they brought me here. I throw myself against the cage walls. Somebody, somehow, is going to feel my fangs. A sharp jab pricks my neck and my legs go out from under me again. My growls echo in my ears as my vision fades once more to ck. 68 Carlos The back of my neck prickles as Don Jose leads me down the marble steps of the pce. ¡°Where are we going?¡± My dress shoes click on the stone, echoing against the walls of the dimly lit passageway, which glow from being scrubbed and polished daily. The head of el consejo, the council of elders, inclines his head. ¡°We need you to see something.¡± He keeps walking, expecting me to follow, like I¡¯m still a clueless pup. A low growl rises in my throat. Don Jose nces back and I swallow back my wolf¡¯s response. ¡°Calm your wolf, Alpha, if you would. You will want to see this.¡± The slight deference in his words doesn¡¯t touch his arrogant tone. I grit my teeth until he takes the turn to descend into the dungeons-the holding area for enemy wolves and insurgents. ¡°Enough,¡± I snap. My wolf¡¯s distrust is too intense to ignore. ¡°What is it you¡¯re showing me?¡± Don Jose hesitates. ¡°I¡¯m not a pup anymore,¡± I say softly. ¡°I¡¯m your alpha.¡± For a moment the old wolf¡¯s gaze meets mine. He drops it a second before it turns into a real challenge. ¡°You know our birth rates have been falling these past few years.¡± ¡°More like this past half a century,¡± I correct. ¡°Indeed. And many of the births produce only defectuosos,¡± Don Jose spits. ¡°Weaklings, unable to shift. In days of old-¡± I raise my chin, daring him to finish his point. I fucking hate the elders¡¯ days of old promations. ¡°In days of old, a shifter who has no animal is not a shifter,¡± he says stiffly. ¡°They were removed from the pack.¡± Removed. A nice way to say killed. ¡°You know my decision on this, Don Jose. Any wolf born to the pack is part of the pack. We do not turn our back on our own.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he bows his head again, his back rigid as he scowls at a point on my tie. ¡°But the pack must remain strong. Otherwise the weak blood will dilute us until no pup has the ability to shift at all.¡± ¡°All right.¡± I cross my arms over my chest. ¡°Get to the point.¡± ¡°The council has been working on a solution. While you were away at school, we had to make many difficult decisions. For the good of the pack.¡± ¡°For the good of the pack,¡± I murmur. ¡°All right then. Show me.¡± I prowl behind Don Jose through the dimly lit passage. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± Jose¡¯s dark eyes are cunning as he orders a guard to open the cell door. The trouble is, I have no beta. I have Jose as part of El Consejo, the council of elders. I could easily best any of the individual members, but together, they are stronger than I am. The only reason they keep me as their puppet leader is because the packw uses blood royalty to determine alpha. Someone from the original alpha bloodline bears the name of alpha, even if he doesn¡¯t rule like one. The cell door swings open and I freeze. Cuffed spread-eagle on a bed lies a beautiful, naked female. Her long, thick brown hair fans out around her head on a pillow-less mattress. Lush breasts, a t tummy, legs that go on for a mile. And between them-ah, carajo-a perfectly waxed mound and her tender pink center on disy for all to see. What the actual fuck? A kick of heat shes through me, thickens my cock. My hands curl to fists. My wolf is howling, adrenaline pumping through my veins, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s preparing me to im the gorgeous female or fight for her freedom. The woman strains against her bonds, the whites of her huge blue eyes shing. Her full lips are chapped and bleeding. When she whimpers, red hot fury kicks through me. The need to protect her, to rescue her from this predicament, shoves to the surface, erasing all traces of my ill-timed lust. ¡°What in the hell is this?¡± I stalk forward and catch one of her cuffed wrists, yanking on the chain. ¡°Unbind her,¡± I thunder. Later, I¡¯d rey the scene over and over again, berating myself for my stupidity. A sinister chuckle is all I hear before I whirl to see the heavy door swing closed, locking with a resounding ng. Rage makes me shift in a sh, shredding my tailored clothing midair as Iunch toward the door, my huge wolf body hitting it at full force, but not budging it even a millimeter. I snarl, leaping about the room, my fury too great for rational thought as I snap and growl, prowling the perimeter, searching for any way to escape. Of course there¡¯s none. I know these cells well. Shit. I turn back to the girl. Oddly, despite my ferocious disy of fury, her blue eyes don¡¯t hold panic now. She watches me with avid interest. Maybe because we¡¯re in the same boat-two prisoners left to¡­ damn. I know what they want. Somehow, they¡¯ve found a she-wolf from another pack and they kidnapped her to use for breeding. I knew they wanted me to mate but I had no idea they¡¯d go this far. I will kill them all-tear their damn throats out, every single one of the pinche council members. Holding me-their alpha-against his will, to be used as a goddamn stud? Fuck no. I roar and throw myself against the door one more time, though I know it¡¯s useless. Remembering a camera should be in the corner, I leap at it, mping my fangs down on the smooth stic and crushing the ss lens between them. Fuck. Them. I circle the small cell again and return to the bed, where I mp my jaws down on the chain that holds one of the girl¡¯s wrists. She closes her delicate hand into a fist, keeping her fingers away from my teeth. Fates, her scent. She smells like¡­ heaven. Sugar cookies and almonds with a touch of citrus. And wolf. This female sure as hell isn¡¯t defectuosa. I wonder what her wolf looks like. ck, like mine? Grey? Tan? I give my head a shake. It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m not mating her. I¡¯m getting her the hell out of here. I growl and pull with all my might, tear at the damn chain to pull it out of the wall. The gorgeous female joins in, her youthful muscles bulging in a show of spectacr athleticism. The two of us heave together with all our might, but the chain doesn¡¯t pull free. I sink on my haunches. ¡°Thanks for trying.¡± Her American English contains a sweet, musical lilt. No. I¡¯m not interested in this enticing American, no matter how charming and beautiful she may be. That¡¯s what they want. They think if they throw me in here with her, I¡¯ll im the prize they caught for me. Sink my teeth into her and mark her forever. They¡¯re relying on my alpha instinct to mate another alpha and reproduce. Do they think I¡¯ll forgive or forget this maniption? Do they seriously think I¡¯ll let any of them live after this stunt? I shift back to human form.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Carajo. Now I, too, am naked, my clothes shredded from the shift. And this raging hard-on isn¡¯t going to make the beauty in chains feel any safer. I whirl to turn my back to the bed. Well, hell. Of course my cock is harder than stone. No matter how pissed I am or how much I want to rescue her, chained beauty is undeniably the most erotic sight I¡¯ve ever witnessed. ¡°Fuck.¡± I pick up the tattered remains of my trousers and find my boxers within them. They¡¯re torn, but might stay on if I sort of hang onto them. I step into them. ¡°You speak English.¡± There¡¯s a note of relief in her voice. I scowl. She shouldn¡¯t trust me. Because if she knew what I want to do to that luscious, naked, fully avable body of hers, she¡¯d be screaming. My shirt lies a few feet away. I grab it and brace myself against her intoxicating presence before I turn back. It doesn¡¯t help. She¡¯s as beautiful as I thought. No-more. Somehow I make it to the side of the bed to arrange my shirt over as much of her skin, which is a shade of burnished gold with tan lines in the shape of what must have been a miniscule string bikini. My mouth waters imagining what she must have looked like on the beach where she earned her tan. I know she filled out her bikini in a way that made every male in the area groan. I drape the fabric over her pussy and stretch the other end up toward her breasts. She quakes, her thighs straining against the iron manacles on her ankles and I catch the scent of her arousal. Fates, is that all it takes? A single brush of fabric against her most sensitive bits and she¡¯s already ripe for the taking? I seriously will not survive this test. Arranging the shirt bes a torture in itself, because when the scent hits my nostrils, I yank the fabric too high and expose her pussy, then slide it off her breasts when I give it an impatient jerk down. The way her nipples rise and fall with her quickened breath doesn¡¯t help matters, nor does those big blue eyes fixed on me. ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake,¡± I mutter, stretching both ends simultaneously. My fingers brush her skin and I barely bite back a growl of excitement. It¡¯s baby soft. Smooth. My cock strains eagerly toward her and, like an idiot, I inhale deeply. The smell of her pheromones and arousal makes me dizzy. Judging by her scent, she¡¯s close to ovtion-they must¡¯ve known that. Must¡¯ve known that no full-blooded shifter male could survive being locked up with a naked alpha she-wolf in heat over the full moon without iming her at the very least, if not marking her forever his. I manage to cover her pussy and one breast with my shirt before I drop the fabric and step back. One more brush of her skin and I swear I¡¯ll be pawing every inch of her. I somehow drag my eyes away from her uncovered breast, with its peach-tipped nipple beaded up and hard. I wonder which part of this scenario turns her on-the bondage, nudity, or my attention on her fucking gorgeous body. No, I definitely don¡¯t want to know. My breath grows short as a fresh shot of lust kicks through me. I clear my throat. ¡°You¡¯re American?¡± She nods. ¡°Are you?¡± Her voicees out half-whisper half-croak and she clears it and runs her pink tongue along her chapped lips. I bite back a groan. Fates know I want to lie and say yes. Pretend I¡¯ve been kidnapped from America, like her. Brought to Monte Lobo and thrown in a cell. Rage at my own predicament almost brings on another shift. ¡°No.¡± I reach out to twitch the fabric up again, but only seed in making it slide away from both breasts. Fuck-those nipples. They are begging to be in my mouth, my tongue treating them to the adventure of a lifetime. I close my eyes and pace away a few steps to master my lust. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Ites out gruffer than I mean it to. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty.¡± I go to the door and pound my palm against it, making thunder of the steel echo against the walls of our cell. I¡¯m not surprised when there¡¯s no answer. ¡°She needs water,¡± I shout in Spanish. I can¡¯t see out the window because it¡¯s a one-way ss, frosted on the inside. This time I hear a low voice behind the door. Motherfuckers. They¡¯re standing there listening to this whole thing. At least I disabled the fucking camera. ¡°My name is Carlos. Carlos Montelobo.¡± I steel myself once more to face her. ¡°I am so sorry you¡¯ve been mistreated this way.¡± She licks her lips again. She has to stop doing that. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± That¡¯s where she¡¯s wrong, and I¡¯m an asshole if I don¡¯t tell her. Her eyes travel down from my face to my naked torso, reaching my waist before they skip back to my face. She blushes. Oh fates. So sweet. So fucking sweet. I stab my fingers through my hair. ¡°Unfortunately, it is my fault.¡± Her eyes narrow. I hold up my hands. ¡°I mean, I didn¡¯t know they were doing this, but this is my pack. I¡¯m supposed to be the fucking alpha. Only I was locked in with you by the council of elders.¡± ¡°Why?¡± She knows why. I can tell by the way her gaze darts to my erection. I swallow and sit down on the bed, my focus traveling once more to her bonds, as if I might discover some other way to free her. ¡°Our pack suffers from too much in-breeding. We¡¯ve dwindled in size and many of our numbers are unable to even shift. We call them defectuosos. Most females are barren and cannot reproduce. I knew el consejo was working on a n to introduce new breeding, but I had no idea it would be this.¡± I jab a hand in the air to indicate the cell. ¡°They want you to breed with me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Guilt drops down on my chest like an anchor, dragging me into its depths. Her cheeks grow pink and she pulls at her chains. ¡°Shh.¡± I touch her before I realize my own intent, stroking her cheek with my thumb. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, beautiful. I won¡¯t force myself on you, I promise.¡± When she continues to tug on her bonds, I grip both her wrists below the shackles. ¡°Stop.¡± My voice sharpens withmand. She freezes, her wolf responding instinctively to the dominance of an alpha male. Her re doesn¡¯t match her obedience, though. And her body¡¯s response doesn¡¯t match the stink eye. Yeah, my body is right there with hers. Restraining her has my cock waving like a g. Her exquisite breasts are just inches from my chest. I can feel the heat of her body, the puff of her breath against my neck. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to hurt yourself any more than you¡¯ve already been harmed.¡± I ease my weight from her and release her wrists. She flushes, and I want to tear out my own throat when tears pop into those incredible blue eyes. One escapes and slides down her cheek. I reach out to thumb it away. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, muneca. I won¡¯t im you and I won¡¯t let them hurt you. You have my word.¡± She jerks her face away from my hand. ¡°Why should I trust you?¡± She¡¯s smart. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t.¡± I¡¯m not even certain I can honor my word, but I know I will die trying. ¡°Right.¡± She gives a bitterugh. 69 Council Elder I stand outside the cell with my fellow elders Don Jose and Don Mateo, watching the two young wolves interact. I¡¯ve sent the guards away. They aren¡¯t necessary-these cells are impossible to break out of. ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time. Their attraction is already apparent.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Mateo says. ¡°He¡¯ll mark her before midnight. That much of the n will be sessful. But when we let him out, he may rip all our throats out. His wolf has grown fierce since we saw himst.¡± ¡°I have a n for that.¡± Don Jose taps one finger on the door. ¡°We drug them both before we separate them, then overdose his mother. When Carlos wakes, he will have to respond to that crisis first. He¡¯ll forget his fury because his mother will require all the gentleness he has inside him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not much of a n,¡± Mateo says. ¡°By the time he finds his female again, she¡¯ll be locked in a guest room, dressed in fine robes and being treated like royalty. He¡¯ll have no cause to punish us for our means, as he¡¯ll be pleased with the result-a beautiful prize for a strong alpha. Just what this pack has needed. Of course, we¡¯ll humbly beg his forgiveness.¡± I narrow my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s risky. What if he lets her go?¡± Although I was the one who the traffickers notified when they kidnapped the American she-wolf, the idea to imprison her with our alpha was Don Jose¡¯s. I would have preferred in vitro fertilization. To use the girl as a breeder for the entire pack. A science experiment. We can¡¯t depend on nature or animal nature to keep the pack healthy. ¡°If he marks her, he won¡¯t be able to let her go. Biology will take its course, just as it will tonight.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure of it.¡± I say it more like a statement than a question. ¡°Yes.¡± Juanito, a nine-year-old servant, arrives with the water I instructed him to fetch. He¡¯s a slight risk, because he¡¯s Carlos¡¯ favorite, but that¡¯s also why I picked him. We need someone to deliver food and drink to the couple, and I don¡¯t trust Carlos not to tear off the hand that goes through the window. He won¡¯t hurt the boy, though. There¡¯s too much goodness in him. Just like his father. Which was why we had to get rid of him. ~.~ Sedona Carlos paces away from me and I register the loss of his closeness like a nt deprived of water. Which pisses me off. I don¡¯t want to be so turned on by the dark, brooding, mostly naked alpha stalking around our cell. Even if he is made of solid muscle so sculpted he could be a bodybuilder. I watch him, fascinated. His chest is hairless and a tattoo covers his left shoulder and biceps, some sort of geometric pattern. A second tattoo covers his right biceps. I¡¯ve never had such a strong reaction to any male-human or shifter. But then again, I¡¯ve never been chained with my naked body on full disy for a male, either. I rey the scene where he held me down to make me stop pulling on my manacles. He moved lightning-fast, pouncing over me, pinning me to the bed. For one second, I thought he was going to kiss me. Damn. He has neatly trimmed facial hair. What would it feel like against my skin? What would it be like to have my wrists pinioned over my head by him while he plowed into me? To have all thatmand and power focused on me. Would he make it hurt? Or is he a tender lover? Even though his high-handedness annoyed me, he was right to stop me. My wrists are already bruised from where I pulled and the silliest part of me loves that he flexed his will for my own good. It¡¯s what a good alpha should do. A square window at the base of the heavy door slides back and a small hand pushes a stic tumbler through. Carlos springs into action, diving for it, but instead of taking the tumbler, he grabs the wrist delivering it. ¡°Ay!¡± The cry of pain from the other side sounds distinctly childlike. Carlos curses. ¡°Juanito?¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Perdoname, Don Carlos.¡± The boy sounds like he¡¯s about to cry. Carlos lets out a string of Spanish curses, many of which I recognize. He demands something in Spanish but the boy only answers with a sniffle. Carlos releases his wrist and says something in more soothing tones. The small hand folds up and bumps Carlos¡¯ fist before it retreats. Carlos picks up the tumbler of water and stalks toward me. A tightly-leashed fury radiates from him, which I find oddly attractive. But yeah, I was raised by a dominant, generally pissed-off alpha wolf, so I guess that would be my male ideal. It actually makes sense why no other male has caught my interest until now. My wolf only shows her belly to a true alpha. Great. I hope there¡¯s therapy for this, because thest thing I need is another big shot male telling me what to do. I already have an over-protective father and brother for that. I watch his muscles ripple as he walks to the side of the bed. ¡°They send a boy with the water because they know I won¡¯t hurt him. Chingada b de pendejos.¡± ¡°Who is the boy?¡± I¡¯m thinking he¡¯s a rtive of Carlos. ¡°A servant.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t they have childborws in Mexico?¡± Carlos¡¯ expression darkens even more. ¡°I know. My pack is¡­ archaic. They-we¡±- his voice takes on a bitter tone- ¡°live in a different era. The weak serve the strong. And they¡¯re kept weak by design. Congress ormerce with outsiders is forbidden, technology and media is not allowed, nor do we even trade with other packs. Only the council and myself are exempt from all these rules.¡± Water sloshes over the lip of the purple stic tumbler. With far greater finesse than he showed when he tried to cover me with his shirt, he slides a hand behind my head and lifts it to meet the cup. I guzzle down half the water, not even caring that some of it dribbles down my chin. ¡°Thank you,¡± I gasp when I¡¯m finished. ¡°If you don¡¯t approve, why don¡¯t you change things?¡± A muscle in his jaw jumps. ¡°I am-I will. It¡¯s a fight-always a fight against the council. But I will.¡± I ept another sip of water from the tumbler. Carlos stares down at me with glittering dark eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t even know your name.¡± ¡°Sedona.¡± He raises a brow. ¡°Like the city?¡± ¡°My parents met there.¡± A few years ago, I was afraid Sedona and Tucson would be the farthest I¡¯d ever travel from my home pack in Phoenix. And now I¡¯m somewhere in Mexico, chained to a bed with a sexy Latino wolf devouring my naked body with his eyes. Not quite the adventure I¡¯d hoped for. Carlos repeats my name in his Spanish ent, giving it an exotic and sexy sound. ¡°Beautiful name for a beautiful wolf.¡± The fact that he finds me beautiful seems to piss him off, because he scowls when he says it. He lifts his hand to my mouth, like he¡¯s going to wipe the water off my chin, then retracts it with a grimace. ¡°Gee, thanks,¡± I say drily. He brings his thumb to my lower lip and rubs it, back and forth slowly, his dark eyes growing ck. A thrum starts between my legs and my nipples tighten. Oh shit. I¡¯m totally out of my depth here. The honest truth-I¡¯m a virgin. My dad would¡¯ve killed any boy I screwed around with when I was in high school. And I mean that literally. I didn¡¯t even have a date to prom. I could¡¯ve had sex in college, but I hang out with humans, and human males just don¡¯t ring my bell. Not that they haven¡¯t tried. I¡¯ve messed around a little bit, but no intercourse. The next thing I know, Carlos pushes his thumb between my lips and I¡¯m making love to it with my tongue. A low growl reverberates in his chest like the start of an engine and all mydy parts rev up in response. ¡°Sedona,¡± he rasps in his sexy ent again. Say-doh-na. He pronounces my name like it¡¯s a magical ce. He drags his thumb from the suction of my mouth as if it pains him. ¡°Being locked in here with you is going to kill me.¡± It must be the repeated tranquilizers they gave me because I¡¯m seriously about to invite him to try out the Sedona buffet, seeing as how I¡¯m all spread out here for his delight. ¡°What¡¯s your-¡± I clear my throat because I find it hard to speak now since he invaded my mouth with his thick digit- ¡°What¡¯s your n, exactly? Wait it out? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to work. If they locked you in here to get us to breed, will they let us out before we do?¡± A muscle ticks in his jaw. He¡¯s beautiful angry, a lock of thick dark hair falling across his forehead, the strong lines of his face ented by the firm set of his mouth. His fingers close into fists at his side. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡± If I didn¡¯t have an alpha father and brother I might miss the legions of guilt and frustrationing off him in waves. Alphas can¡¯t stand not taking action, not having an answer, or having their hands tied. Considering the way his cock is locked in the upright position, the action he¡¯s most likely to take is thrusting into my warm, wet pussy. Not that I¡¯m totally against the idea. Liquid trickles between my thighs as I fight to keep my head. ¡°How long have you been alpha?¡± I ask. He rubs the back of his neck. ¡°De facto-since my father¡¯s death when I was sixteen. But el consejo encouraged me to leave, to continue at my boarding school education and then to attend university in the United States. And then to go to graduate school. I didn¡¯t return until this fall.¡± There¡¯s a heaviness to his words. I sense the weight of more guilt, or some other burden as he stares at the wall opposite him. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to return.¡± ¡°No.¡± He meets my eyes in a new way, as if the cloud of lust has lifted and he actually sees me, Sedona, not my naked body offered up on a tter. ¡°I¡¯ve never admitted that before. Even to myself.¡± ¡°How long have you been gone?¡± ¡°Seven years. Long enough toprehend if we don¡¯t make changes to this archaic ce, the pack will die out.¡± I shudder. I¡¯m the solution his council cooked up to save the pack. There¡¯s a certain amount of duty I was prepared for as an alpha¡¯s daughter. Being a part of a breeding program wasn¡¯t one of them. My dad is old school, but this is positively primeval. He sits on the edge of the bed near my waist and examines the locks on my shackles. My wrists must look as raw as they feel because he rubs my skin around the edges of the cuffs and growls. ¡°Tell me how you ended up here, Sedona.¡± The dominant tone makes me shiver. It doesn¡¯t matter that he¡¯s trying to be a gentleman. My body responds to him. ¡°It¡¯s my spring break-or was. I was in San Carlos with my friends and a shifter approached me on the beach. Another came up behind me and stabbed a needle in my neck to drug me. They put me in a cage and flew me to a city where I spent the night in a warehouse. Then they drove me here.¡± Carlos growls through my entire story, while his thumb works magic on the inside of my wrist, tracing light circles on my sensitive skin. I never realized a touch on the wrist was so sexy. My pussy throbs in a way that¡¯s hard to ignore. The strange heat floods my system again. ¡°Traffickers,¡± he says when I finish. ¡°From Mexico City. I¡¯d heard a rumor that shifters were selling wolves in my country, but I didn¡¯t believe it. The stories feature a demon called the Harvester who buys shifters, drains their blood, and steals their organs.¡± I shudder. ¡°When we get out, I¡¯ll kill everyst one of the traffickers who touched you. You have my word on that.¡± I swallow and nod. ¡°Thank you.¡± He brushes his lips over my pulse. ¡°Tell me, where do you go to school and what do you study, Sedona?¡± I lick my lips to wet them, and his gaze snaps to my mouth. Fates, I may actually be blushing. I¡¯ve had attention from males my entire life and never had this reaction. Shifting my hips to relieve the tickle between them, I answer, ¡°I go to the University of Arizona, in Tucson. I¡¯m getting a degree inmercial art.¡± He tilts his head to the side as if I¡¯ve said the most fascinating thing on Earth. ¡°An artist. ro que si.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± He smiles, shifting his attention to my other wrist. ¡°Yes, of course. I should have known a wolf as beautiful as you would only put more beauty into the world.¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°What kind of art do you produce?¡± I nibble my lip. ¡°Right now I¡¯m really into watercolors with ck ink outlines.¡± ¡°Likendscapes?¡± I don¡¯t know why it embarrasses me to say what I¡¯ve been drawing. I say it, anyway. ¡°Fairies.¡± 70 He cocks his head, studying me. I wait for him to scoff, but instead he asks, ¡°Why fairies?¡± ¡°Um.¡± I flush. No one¡¯s ever asked me this much about my art before. Not even my folks. ¡°When I was little, I had a nanny. Well, an older wolf who watched me in the afternoon sometimes. She always told me if I took a nap when she wanted me to, good fairies woulde and fill my life with magic. I, um, remember trying to draw them.¡± I rush to finish myme story, but he doesn¡¯t interrupt or look bored. ¡°Later, when she got sick, I made her little cards decorated with fairies. Somehow, I never grew out of it.¡± ¡°I would very much like to see your fairies, Sedona.¡± His intense gaze makes my heart flutter. I look away. ¡°I don¡¯t really show them to anyone,¡± I mumble. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°My professors would think it¡¯s dumb. My folks think that art is just a phase I¡¯m going through. Something cute for me to upy my time with until I¡¯m mated. It¡¯s like they sent me for the 1950s Mrs. degree.¡± Carlos clucked. ¡°They should be proud of you, and leave you to your art.¡± ¡°Yeah. My dad and brother just care about keeping me safe and protected. The rest doesn¡¯t matter so much.¡± ¡°But only you can live your life. You should be free to make your choices.¡± I snort. ¡°I¡¯ve never been free. They¡¯re¡­ dominant.¡± I remember just in time not to mention that Dad and Garrett are both alphas. ¡°Don¡¯t dominant wolves like making decisions for others?¡± ¡°An alpha should be a leader, yes.¡± Carlos nods. He caught what I didn¡¯t say, and I should be worried, but all I can think is smart wolf. ¡°He should oversee the good of the pack, protect the weak, and keep them safe. But he should also know what his members care about, what makes them tick. That is leadership.¡± I swallow hard. This is dangerous territory. At least Carlos doesn¡¯t seem to think all women should be tied to their beds for an alpha asshole to ravish and breed. Or he does, and he¡¯s talking a good game to manipte me. I¡¯m just not sure. ¡°What about you?¡± I redirect the conversation. ¡°Where did you go to school?¡± ¡°Stanford for undergrad, Harvard for my MBA.¡± Wow. Okay, he is a smart wolf. No wonder he didn¡¯t want toe back to his pack. A spark of anger on his behalf kindles in my chest. He should be able to choose his own future, not be shackled to this crazy pack. But a more pressing and disturbing thought pushes its way to the forefront of my mind. ¡°Carlos? I have to pee.¡± Carlos My wolf loves the way Sedona looks up at me and spills her problem, like I¡¯m the guy who will know how to fix it. And then I¡¯m enraged. There¡¯s a toilet in the room, but my female is chained to a bed. Yes, I called her my female. I know I can¡¯t keep her, but in this moment, she¡¯s under my protection. She¡¯s naked and vulnerable and-mine. My wolf snaps his teeth with that assertion. Down, boy. I stomp to the door and pound on it again. ¡°Give me the keys to her cuffs. Now.¡± I hear low voices murmuring behind the door, then Don Jose makes an offer, ¡°The keys for the clothing.¡± Fuck. Me. Anger has the cords in my neck standing out, but I¡¯m impotent to act. I grit my teeth and turn to Sedona. ¡°They say they will trade the keys for the scraps of clothing.¡± Her nostrils re, lower jaw juts out at a stubborn angle. ¡°Right. Because they¡¯re hoping for sexy time. How sexy will it be when I wet the bed?¡± I can¡¯t hold back the bark ofughter thates flying out. It surprises me-I honestly can¡¯t remember thest time Iughed. It¡¯s been years. Probably since before my father died. Sedona¡¯s lips turn up into a wry grimace and I get lost in the cerulean blue of her eyes. And then, because there¡¯s no fucking way I¡¯m letting my female be humiliated by wetting the bed, I make the decision for her. I march over and snatch my shirt from her body. ¡°Hey,¡± she protests, but her nipples bead up. ¡°Your freedom is worth my difort,¡± I tell her, dropping my boxers to the floor. ¡°Your difort?¡± Disbelief crowds her tone. ¡°Yes, muneca. I¡¯m the one who has to fight my instincts.¡± She blushes like an innocent, and I wonder how much sexual experience she has. She¡¯s mature, but still young. It doesn¡¯t matter. She shouldn¡¯t be locked up with a wolf like me. I gather up the other scraps littered around the room and give the delivery door a sharp kick. It slides back and I stuff the items through. Juanito¡¯s hand appears with the key. His wrist is still marked with red imprints from my fingers and guilt ms through me. Of all the shifters in the hacienda, Juanito is one I would never wish to hurt. Juanito and my mother, may the fates protect her. I wanted to ask Juanito to slip me the key to her cuffs when he delivered the water-I know the boy would do anything I ask-but I couldn¡¯t put him in that position. He¡¯d get a terrible beating at best. At worst, el consejo would exact their revenge on his mother, and she¡¯s had enough grief in this lifetime after losing her husband to the mines and her eldest son disappearing. If I can find a way tomunicate with him alone, maybe he can get me the key to the door and I¡¯ll be out in time to protect him and his mother. Fates, how I¡¯d like to just remove him from this dark ce. I take the key and Juanito¡¯s other hand appears with a ripe mango, still in its peel. I roll my eyes. Seriously? It¡¯s like they¡¯re taking advice from a bad dating book. Eating a mango can be sensual and stimting in forey. Lick the juice from your lover¡¯s skin, or have her suck on the seed. I take the fruit. My she-wolf may be hungry. I fist bump with Juanito again, stride back to the bed and unlock Sedona¡¯s wrist cuffs. She groans as she pulls her arms down and shakes them. When I¡¯ve freed her ankles, I help her sit and rub her arms to get the life back in them. ¡°What is moon-yeca?¡± she asks. I smile. ¡°Doll.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Her cheeks color again and she surges to her feet. ¡°Turn around. I need some privacy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s yours, doll.¡± I stand up and walk to the other side of the room, turning my back to the toilet and biting the peel of the mango to tear a piece off. The toilet flushes and I turn back. Sedona pours a bit of water from the cup over her hands to wash. My cock thickens at this new view of her. She¡¯s a goddess. Long legs, breasts, a perfect handful, her coppery brown hair falling in waves down her slender back. And that ass¡­ In less than a minute, I could have Sedona on her hands and knees, spreading those ass cheeks wide for me as I hold a fistful of her silky hair and pound into her. She¡¯s hot for it. I could make her want it. It wouldn¡¯t even be rape¡­ I shake my head and swallow the growl starting up my throat, but not before she catches it. She turns and quirks her brows. ¡°What?¡± Then her gaze drops to my erect and bobbing cock and she knows what. I don¡¯t know what I expected-another blush, or irritation. Maybe defensiveness. Instead, my American doll moistens her lips with her tongue. I groan. ¡°Don¡¯t do that, muneca. Not unless you want to find out what it¡¯s like to be thrown face down on that mattress and fucked until you scream.¡± Her eyes widen and I know I went too far. Maybe I was trying to piss her off, to get her to put up a wall to keep me out. Because fates know my control is crumbling. I face the wall so she doesn¡¯t have to look at my dick waving around while I speak with tant vulgar disrespect. And then it hits me-the scent of her arousal-so pure, so undeniable, my vision tunnels. Fuck. My wolf wants to mark her. I haven¡¯t even kissed the female and he¡¯s ready to mate for life. My fingernails turn to ws. I dig them into the wall and drag downwards, relishing the pain. Less than an hour and my control is dangerously close to breaking. I seriously don¡¯t know how I¡¯ll survive the night. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Her soft voice does wicked things to my body. ¡°Fine,¡± I give a strangled chuckle. ¡°Just fine.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem fine.¡± ¡°Just¡­ give me a moment.¡± I press my forehead against the wall. The council is smarter than I give them credit for. Locking me in with a female in heat-it¡¯s too much. ¡°Are¡­ are you moon mad?¡± she asks. ¡°No.¡± Not yet. I lean one hand against the wall. I¡¯m dying to stroke my cock, just beat off right here to keep from marking her. I¡¯d do it, except I doubt it¡¯d help. ¡°What do you know about moon sickness, Sedona?¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I know dominant wolves get it when their wolf needs to mate and they deny him.¡± ¡°Not just mate. Mark. For life.¡± ¡°Have you ever had it?¡± ¡°No. If I did¡­ I¡¯d take a mate. Not like this,¡± I hasten to exin. ¡°I¡¯d woo her. Court her. She¡¯d have a choice. Of course.¡± ¡°Your council doesn¡¯t take the same stance on she-wolves¡¯ rights.¡± ¡°No,¡± I breathe out, grateful she doesn¡¯t lump me in with them. ¡°They don¡¯t. They¡¯ve been pushing me to take a mate. But I¡¯m not ready.¡± ¡°Still ying the field?¡± Her tone has an edge that makes me turn. I brace as her beauty hits me like a blow. ¡°Jealous?¡± I try to joke. My voicees out strangled. She bites her lip. ¡°Madre de Dios,¡± I mutter. ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± Her lovely eyes widen. ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± I don¡¯t want to scare her. It¡¯s not her fault she¡¯s perfect. ¡°I¡¯m not a yer, no matter what you¡¯ve heard about Latin lovers. I¡¯ve never even had a she-wolf-only human females.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been with a wolf, either.¡± My fist curls at the thought of another male-wolf or human-touching her. I press my body against the wall and dig my nails into my palm until the bite makes me grit my teeth. ¡°You¡¯re in pain.¡± The concern in her voice wraps around me. And she¡¯s been kidnapped, drugged, and locked in a room to serve against her will in a bogus breeding program. I don¡¯t deserve herpassion. ¡°Look, Carlos. Neither of us want to be in this situation, but¡­¡± I open my eyes. She¡¯s gnawing that lip again. Naughty she-wolf. I¡¯d punish her for being a tease, if she were mine. ¡°Maybe I can do something to help you-¡± She lowers her eyes in the direction of my cock, flushing. I bite back augh. If I had known such an alluring innocent existed, I would have torn apart the world to find her. ¡°I mean,¡± Sedona continues, ¡°We¡¯re obviously attracted to each other-¡± The roaring in my ears is the sound of all the blood in my body rushing to my cock. It¡¯s so loud I nearly miss her nextment, ¡°We could just, I don¡¯t know, fool around.¡± She shrugs and swallows. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to mean anything, beyond tonight.¡± I¡¯m across the room before I realize my control has snapped. Sedona retreats, her face white at the wolf in my eyes. I stalk her until her back hits the wall and then nt my hands beside her head, caging her. I lean close, careful not to touch, but it¡¯s no use. Her sweet scent makes me dizzy. ¡°Is that what you did with your little humans? Fool around?¡± My voicees out a growl. ¡°No,¡± she breathes. Her pupils are blown. 71 I curl a lock of her hair around my index finger. ¡°No? You sure, angel? Because I seriously want to kick the ass of every boy who¡¯s ever touched you.¡± I¡¯ve gone way too far, but I can¡¯t seem to dial back thepetitive aggression burning just below the surface now. She shoves at my chest and when I don¡¯t move, tries to duck under my arm. Yeah, I definitely went too far. ¡°Wait.¡± I catch her and pull her back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know I¡¯m being an asshole.¡± ¡°Yeah. You are.¡± I flip her around, hold her against me until she stops struggling. Her scent envelops me, and I know she really is an angel. I¡¯m in heaven. My lips nuzzle her ear. ¡°I¡¯m trying. You see how difficult this is for me¡­¡± I rub my cock against her bare rear. Her breath grows ragged. ¡°I know. I can help with that.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sedona.¡± Although it pains me, I release her. ¡°But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± She hides the hurt confusion on her face. ¡°Whatever.¡± She stalks to the bed and sits down, arms crossed over her chest.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°You can¡¯t seriously think I don¡¯t want you.¡± My goddamn dick bobs in front of me as nodding in agreement. She gives a shrug. ¡°No, I mean for me, there¡¯s no fooling around. Not with you. Because I wouldn¡¯t be satisfied with just one night.¡± She shakes her head, muttering something about men and overinted opinions of their stamina. ¡°One night wouldn¡¯t be enough because I¡¯d want more of you. Not sex. Not fooling around. You.¡± I take a deep breath and tell her the truth. ¡°If my wolf was ready to choose a mate, I¡¯d choose a she-wolf like you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Kind. Intelligent. Educated.¡± A smile ys over her lips. ¡°You forgot smoking hot.¡± ¡°Muneca, I didn¡¯t forget.¡± Sheughs and her breasts bounce lightly. My cock is so hard I¡¯m in pain. But I¡¯d give anything to see herugh again. I sit next to her, leaving a space between us. My heart stops racing when I get a lungful of her scent. My wolf seems content I¡¯m with my female. Maybe I can do this. I bump her shoulder with mine. ¡°I changed my mind. Let¡¯s fool around.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not. I would never.¡± I search for a peace offering, and remember the mango. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Retrieving the fruit, I tear off a piece. She reaches for it and I shake my head. You want to y, doll? Let¡¯s see how you handle this game. I bring the mango to her lips. She holds onto the stiffness in her body for another moment, then leans forward to bite into the ripe yellow flesh. As expected, the fruit dribbles down her chin and neck, dropping onto her chest in sticky rivulets. ¡°Oh my God,¡± she exims with her mouth full, hands flying up to catch the juice. She chews, moaning. ¡°This is so good. Mangoes are not this good in the States.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fresh. We have a grove inside the hacienda walls with all kinds of fruit-bearing trees-almond, avocado, lemon, lime, sapote, papaya.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± She leans forward and takes another bite. ¡°This is one reason I¡¯ve always wanted to travel. The food.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t traveled?¡± I peel a new section, smiling like a fool as she lets me feed her. She licks her lips and my vision darkens. The only thing keeping me from iming her is my satisfaction watching her eat. My wolf is content, for now. ¡°I always wanted to get out, see the world. My folks won¡¯t let me. They¡¯re protective.¡± ¡°With good reason,¡± I say softly and feed her another bite. ¡°I used to think being named after an Arizona town was a curse. Like I¡¯d never get to leave. Of course, my one trip ended with me here-¡± She waves a hand at the cell. ¡°You will get out of here safely, Sedona. You¡¯ll get your chance to travel. You have my word.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± She swallows and forces a smile. ¡°Until then, I¡¯m just going to pretend I¡¯m stuck at a second-hand resort with an unfortunate dungeon theme. Of course, the food service here is very hands on.¡± She waggles her brows. A joke. Stuck in this hellhole with me, and she¡¯s making a joke. She¡¯s¡­ incredible. I can¡¯t stop myself from leaning down and kissing the side of her mouth. I pull back immediately, but her taste lingers on my lips, a bit of mango sweetness. ¡°Forgive me, I¡­ you had something.¡± I gesture to her face. ¡°Like I said,¡± she grins. ¡°Very hands on.¡± At a loss for words, I raise the mango again. She eats like she¡¯s ravenous, devouring the tender flesh. I make quick work of the peel, dropping it at our feet and turning the sticky fruit around and around until she¡¯s eaten all the orange meat. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t save you any.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, muneca. Do you want the seed?¡± I¡¯m dying as I offer it to her. She¡¯s winning this game without even trying. I won¡¯t survive the torture of watching her suck the seed, and yet every cell in my body requires I see it. She lifts her brows. ¡°What do you do with it?¡± There. It¡¯s all over. I have to show her. I push the seed between her lips, fuck her mouth with it. Her eyes dte, teeth mp down and scrape the remaining flesh from the seed. I pull the seed out so she can swallow and she sounds breathless. Fates take me now. Her pretty pink tongue extends from her mouth to lick away some of the juice from her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°What am I doing?¡± My voice is pure gravel. ¡°Making love to me with a mango.¡± I thrust the seed back between her lips. ¡°No, beautiful. That wasn¡¯t making love to you with a mango.¡± I pull the seed back out and trail it down her neck, between her breasts. I follow with my mouth, licking along the sweet trail of juice I¡¯ve left. ¡°This is making love to you with a mango.¡± I drag it all the way down her belly, turn the seed t side up and rub between her legs. She cries out and tries to close her thighs but I make a sharp disapproving sound and she stills. Fates, I¡¯m really doing this. She whimpers, rocking her pelvis down to grind into the fruit. We both pant as I rub it back and forth over her slit, her juices mingling with the mango¡¯s. The sound is slick, like sex. I pull the mango seed away and bring it back with a p, spanking her pussy. Her eyes widen and she emits a needy moan. ¡°Do you need me to clean up my mess, baby?¡± I p her with the mango seed again. Our eyes are locked, and I¡¯m hoping she¡¯ll see I¡¯ve reined the wolf in enough to do this for her. My cock may seriously break off it¡¯s so hard, but pleasuring her is a need fueling me like no other. Her head wobbles in a nod. Thank the fates. I drop to my knees beside the bed and lift one of her legs, propping it on my shoulder. With a t tongue Ip up the mango juice, cleaning it until I get to her natural essence, that tang that makes my blood hum. This is where I belong. It¡¯s like my entire life, which has been one giant, walking existential crisis, has been solved between her legs. Pleasuring my female is the only thing that matters in the world. I don¡¯t give a fuck about the elders, or even mind that they wanted this, they plotted it. They¡¯re probably watching it from the window. I only live for those cries of pleasureing from Sedona¡¯s throat, the way her fingers tear at my hair, urging me on. I make my tongue stiff and prate her, then move up to her sweet little clit. I suck on it, flick it, swirl my tongue around it. ¡°Like that, beautiful?¡± ¡°No,¡± she moans, pulling my mouth back to her clit. I smile against her flesh, returning to my chosen duty. Sensing her urgency, I give her more, screwing one finger into her pussy. She¡¯s tight-unbelievably tight-and she moans on every exhale like she¡¯s about toe. I curl my finger to reach her front wall, sweep it around until I find the ce where the tissue wrinkles up when I touch it. Her G-spot. She screams, rubbing her pussy over my face as her muscles mp down on my finger in a singrly glorious release. As if to punctuate the end of the show, the lights in the cell abruptly go out. 72 Sedona As if I wasn¡¯t dizzy enough from my orgasm, the fuckers turned the lights out on us. It would be pitch ck to a human. Shifters can see in the dark, so I¡¯m notpletely blind. They must have decided it¡¯s our official bedtime. I cling to Carlos¡¯ head because I need something real and solid to steady myself. Carlos mutters a curse and eases my leg down from his shoulder. He traces up my thighs with his palms until he reaches my waist. ¡°Okay, angel?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I sound winded. Well, an orgasm will do that to you. His palm coasts over the curve of my buttocks ever so lightly, then he gives them a squeeze. ¡°All right,¡± he clears his throat. ¡°I should let you sleep. I¡¯ll take the floor.¡± He stands and my stomach flips at the loss of his warmth. ¡°I don¡¯t mind sharing.¡± ¡°Oh muneca. I would kill to share a bed with you, but it would end with me pounding that sweet pussy of yours until the lightse back on. So no, I¡¯ll take the floor.¡± Lordy, he knows how to talk dirty. His words skitter over my skin, leaving trails of heat everywhere they touch. The room is still spinning from the best cunnilingus of my life. No wonder he was offended when I suggested we fool around. A man like Carlos gives everything he has in bed and takes everything in return. He¡¯s a total alpha. Dominant. Demanding. I had no idea that kind of thing turned me on, but it does. Even though he said he¡¯d take the floor, he¡¯s still standing beside the bed, staring down at me with the look of a starving man. His erection is huge and long, curving up toward his washboard abs. I lick my lips, the taste of mango still sweet on them. ¡°M-maybe you should take the pressure off. You know, with your hand.¡± Carlos exhales audibly. As if he¡¯d been waiting for permission, he immediately fists his cock. ¡°Lie back, doll. Show me what I¡¯m not going to have.¡± He must have a streak of masochism along with that dominant swagger. But who am I to deny him? He just gave me the best orgasm of my life. I lie back on the bed and cup my own breasts. He growls and starts pumping his thick cock. ¡°Are you going to let me paint you with my cum, muneca?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I whisper, before I even know how to answer. ¡°Sweet wolf,¡± he murmurs. I reach my fingers between my legs and stroke my pussy. Carlos¡¯ growls fill the room. Emboldened, I crawl up, sit on my heels and open my mouth. Carlos ps the head of his cock against my tongue as he beats off. ¡°Carajo, Sedona. That tongue has been my torture.¡± I wrap my hands around his fist and pull his cock into my mouth, closing my lips around his girth and stroking the underside with my tongue.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Oh fates,¡± he groans. I suck harder and bob my head forward and back over his length. ¡°Baby, yes. So sweet.¡± He tunnels his fingers into my hair and then closes them, stopping my head with a gentle tug. ¡°Such a good girl,¡± he croons as he slowly pushes his cock in my mouth. I tense, knowing I can¡¯t take his full length. He stops halfway and eases out, then repeats the action. ¡°Mmm, so good.¡± His voice is deep and raspy. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you offered up that sexy mouth of yours. I¡¯ve been wanting to kiss it since the moment I saw you, Sedona. Now I¡¯m fucking it.¡± My pussy clenches. I want him to fuck me, but I know that¡¯s a bad idea. I swirl my tongue around his cock, taking a long pull. ¡°Enough,¡± he barks. He sounds angry, and his brows are drawn up tight. He pulls my mouth off using my hair and pushes me onto my back. ¡°Touch yourself.¡± No argument here. My pussy is dying for round two. I cup my mons, pushing the heel of my hand against my clit and undting my fingers over the rest. Carlos roars and cum shoots out his cock in ribbons, covering my breasts, my belly, my thighs. He paints me with it, as if it gives him pleasure to see my skin decorated with his seed. I arch on the bed, my breasts thrusting toward the ceiling, knees falling wide. He shoves my hand out of the way and ps my pussy, short, sharp ps right over my clit. I can¡¯tprehend how he knows such a thing will satisfy me, but it does. It¡¯s exactly the right intensity, the right speed, the right sensation. Lights sh before my eyes as I explode into a second orgasm, writhing in ecstasy and agony on the bed. ¡°Sedona.¡± Fates, I love the way he says my name. He falls down on top of me, pinning my wrists, exactly the way I¡¯d imagined, and buries his face in my neck. ¡°Beautiful she-wolf. What will I do with you?¡± He bites my shoulder, suckles my ear lobe. Keep me forever. But that¡¯s ridiculous. Just because a wolf gives a good orgasm doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s my mate. No, he can¡¯t help himself because we¡¯re locked naked in a cell together over the full moon. And lord knows, by the time we get out, I won¡¯t ever want to see him again, anyway. Yeah, that¡¯s a lie, but I don¡¯t want to examine my feelings on the subject. Not now, anyway. I close my eyes and breathe in Carlos¡¯ scent. It¡¯s like the outdoors-woodsy and clean. And delicious. Carlos releases my wrists and settles beside me on the bed. I roll into him, ept his arm as my pillow. My nose rubs against the smooth skin of his chest. My wolf rxes. In her opinion, I¡¯m totally safe with him. I don¡¯t know how we got from fucked-up kidnapping situation to this, but I¡¯m going to enjoy it while I can. Carlos Sedona falls asleep in my arms and it¡¯s impossible for me to rest. Her scent is up in my nostrils, her bare skin touching mine. I¡¯m hard again in minutes. I close my eyes and distract myself by brooding over the elders. I¡¯ve been blind to the problems I¡¯ve seen since I returned to Monte Lobo this month. Things seemed bad, but I didn¡¯t want to think the worst of the council. These men stepped in as role models for me when my father died. They supported my education, encouraged me to spread my wings. Or so I thought. At the time, I¡¯d been grateful to leave. My mother was going mad from my father¡¯s death and I was too young to take the role of alpha. The elders stepped up to look after her, and I was relieved not to have to see her suffer day in and day out. Now I see they were getting me out of their way. I didn¡¯t realize just how power crazy and fucked up they were until they pulled this stunt. When I came home three weeks ago to take my ce as alpha, I¡¯d presented the ideas I worked on while I was getting my MBA. In this pack, the alpha doesn¡¯t act alone, he must gain support of el consejo first. It¡¯s always been that way. The elders tabled most of my suggestions. They had a million reasons why each of my changes wouldn¡¯t work. They urged me to go back out in the world and bring back a mate. Let them take care of business here as usual. As they had for years. I¡¯ve been frustrated, but I thought I just needed a little more time to prove myself as alpha. I told myself they were reasonable and intelligent men who wanted the best for the pack. But I ignored my gut, which told me el consejo had let power cloud their vision. This stunt proves it. Purchasing a kidnapped American female and holding her prisoner? Are they insane? She has family who will surely seek revenge, and this pack is ill-prepared for war. And now I know what they think of me as their leader. I¡¯m nothing more than a virile young stud to repopte the Montelobo bloodline. A puppet or figurehead for the peasants to follow while they make decisions that profit only them. I¡¯ve been a goddamn fool. I stayed blind to this situation because I preferred not to see it. Just like I preferred not to return. Since my father¡¯s death and my mother¡¯s mental illness, the atmosphere at the hacienda has be oppressive, but I chose not to figure out why and fix it. I¡¯ve failed my pack, and now Sedona is caught in the middle of a horrific power y. Sedona sighs and rubs her nose in my chest hairs. My cock stretches even longer. Maybe I should jack off again. Oh fates, now the image of spilling my essence over her gorgeous breasts careens into my mind and it¡¯s all over. Before I know it, Sedona¡¯s pinned beneath me, my cock straining in the notch between her legs. Her pussy moistens against my thick member, her ass presses against my loins, soft and inviting. ¡°What the-?¡± The urge to prate her tight pussy and satisfy my wolf is so great, I can barely reason. Off. Get off her. Now. I throw myself to the side, panting as if I¡¯ve run a mile. ¡°Lock me up,¡± I rasp. ¡°Put the cuffs on me, doll, or your innocence won¡¯t survive the night.¡± I stretch my arm out and lock one wrist in the cuff, then reach the second toward the other cuff. ¡°Do it,¡± I bite out. Her hands tremble as it snaps in ce, which fucking ys me. 73 ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry, Sedona. I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Madre de Dios, I almost imed the girl. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Her voice is shaky. She¡¯s on her knees, her glorious hair falling down across her breasts. She stares down at me. ¡°What makes you think I¡¯m innocent?¡± ¡°You said you hadn¡¯t been with a wolf.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not prude. And I hate the word innocent.¡± I stretch out my palms where they are cuffed. ¡°Sorry.¡± I can¡¯t decide if this is just the alpha female thing of not wanting to admit any weakness, or if she really is a virgin. She flicks my ear with her finger. ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot of experience. That doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t like sex.¡± Oh fates. Did she have to say that? I suddenly want to find out every single thing she likes about it. But anything I do to her in this cell would be akin to rape. She¡¯s here against her will. Thank the fates I¡¯m cuffed and she¡¯s safe from me. Sedona moistens her lips with her tongue and my hips snap in response. She catches the movement, but rather than frightening her, it makes her smile. ¡°Hmm, I thought we took care of this.¡± She grips the base of my cock and gives it a shake. I groan. ¡°Sit on my face,¡± I plead. I need to satisfy her again, need to taste her nectar.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she says in a teasing voice. ¡°I¡¯m not sure you deserve this pussy after the way you just tried to attack me.¡± Oh fates. If she goes domme on me, I¡¯m going to smack her ass red when I get out of these cuffs. And that thought does nothing to ease my throbbing member. How I¡¯d love to have this she-wolf face down over myp, squirming while I deliver a little pain-pleasure. A correction for taking the lead when it belongs to me. ¡°Baby, you¡¯d better not be keeping that pussy from me. I need to taste it. Now, muneca.¡± Sedona¡¯s lips curve and her eyelids droop. She crawls up and straddles my face. ¡°This pussy?¡± I flick her clit with my tongue. ¡°This pussy.¡± It¡¯s torture not being able to use my hands, because I want to grip that lush ass of hers and pull her hips down at the perfect angle, but I have to settle with angling my head. I have her at my mercy for a moment, but she pulls her hips up, dancing away when it bes too intense. She gets to set the pace, which drives me fucking insane. ¡°Get that pussy back down on me,¡± I growl, infusing dark authority into my voice. Her arousal floods her folds as she obeys, and Ip it up, teasing her entrance with my tongue, swirling over her clit. She grips my cock again and I shudder, nearlying from the sensation. ¡°I guess I¡¯m supposed to reciprocate.¡± ¡°No, beautiful. This is for you.¡± She ignores me and leans down, putting her mouth over my cock. I shout and flick my tongue over her clit like my life depends on it. She slides her hot wet mouth down, lower and lower, slowing when she reaches the back of her throat, then going on. ¡°Carajo¡­ carajo. Muneca, tell me you never deep throated those human boys of yours.¡± ¡°You like that?¡± she purrs, but lifts her hips from my mouth and crawls away from me. ¡°What are you doing? Get back here,¡± I demand. She settles between my legs and smiles. ¡°I¡¯m not sure you¡¯re in any position to give orders around here, senor.¡± I yank at the chains holding my wrists and sheughs. ¡°Sedona, there are consequences for she-wolves who tease.¡± Her smile grows broader. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± She drops her head to take my cock between her lips again and I close my eyes, the sensation too pleasurable to withstand. She continues her tease, practicing her deep throat skills at her own pace, sometimes pulling off and gagging, but then going right back to it. My canines lengthen, wolf ready to mark her. I close my mouth and turn my face away, not wanting her to see and be frightened. Not that my Sedona shows fear of much. Considering she¡¯s been kidnapped and held prisoner for days now, her resilience is stunning. Growls reverberate in my throat and I can¡¯t stop myself from jacking my hips up, thrusting into her mouth. ¡°Uh-uh.¡± She pulls off entirely and blows on my wet cock. ¡°Who¡¯s running this show?¡± I thrash my head from side to side. If I try to speak, it¡¯lle out a snarl. ¡°Do you need some time to cool off?¡± ¡°No,¡± I grit through clenched teeth. Sheughs, thoroughly enjoying my misery, and puts her mouth back over my cock. The contrast of the cool air and now her moist heat sends me into a paroxysm of pleasure. I snarl, thrusting up into her mouth without control as cum shoots up my shaft. ¡°I¡¯ming,¡± I warn and she pops off, angling my cock so my essence paints her beautiful breasts for the second time tonight. She uses my cock to smear it over them, then squeezes it between her breasts, letting me fuck them a few times before she releases my dick with a self-satisfied smirk. ¡°Angel, I will punish you for that,¡± I growl. She grins. ¡°You¡¯re assuming I¡¯m going to let you out of those cuffs.¡± I close my eyes with exasperation, but a smile ys on my lips. The lightness in my chest-in my being-is one I¡¯ve never experienced. My whole life has been darkness. Even my time away from this ce, was a time for serious study, dedication, hard work, and achievement. And I always carried the burden of Montelobo. But now, in this moment, with Sedona¡¯s teasing smile, I swear I could float off the bed. But she¡¯s not mine to keep, and if I wish to be a mate worthy of her, I need to figure out how to get her free before she¡¯s dragged down alongside me. 74 Council Elder It¡¯ste but I stand with the four other members of our council outside the prison cell door. None of us will sleep this night. If Carlos doesn¡¯t im the American she-wolf under the influence of the full moon, theirmunion will be far harder to ensure. They¡¯re close-so yful, but we hadn¡¯t counted on his using the shackles on himself. ¡°Maybe we should turn the lights back on, to make sure they don¡¯t sleep,¡± Jose suggests. He¡¯d ordered them to be shut off an hour ago thinking it would free them from any repression. While receptive, the she-wolf appeared to be inexperienced. She does not seem so now, though. ¡°Food,¡± I suggest. ¡°Let¡¯s send in food. And wine.¡± Perhaps Carlos will ask for his shackles to be removed to eat. A te has already been prepared in expectation that Carlos would demand more to eat, so I pick it up. ¡°Juanito, push this through the serving door.¡± The boyplies. I pour wine in a stic tumbler. We would use something more romantic, but we can¡¯t risk either of them using anything as a weapon against each other or us, so light stic is the best we can do. The she-wolf approaches to investigate. She¡¯s spectacr. Judging by the way our small group of elderly males tightens around the door, I¡¯m not the only one who finds his libido has returned when faced with such a symbol of shifter fertility. She¡¯s truly a prize. If I weren¡¯t so old, I¡¯d im her as my own. Fight every member of the council to do it, too. That¡¯s what concerns me. If she inspires Carlos too much, when we release him, he will be out for blood. ~.~ Sedona I never really got the whole horny during the full moon thing before, but I¡¯m crazy turned on right now. I thought only male shifters were affected. And yes, Carlos is definitely having a hard time keeping his wolf in check. I can see it shining in his eyes. The deep chocte brown flickers with amber lights. ¡°Is your wolf all ck?¡± I couldn¡¯t tell before, he was tearing around the room too fast. ¡°Yes. Come here,¡± Carlos rumbles and wraps his legs around my waist, dragging me down to his body. I dance away from him, slipping out from his leg hold with a giggle. Lordy, I want to tussle. My wolf ising out, too, and I need to run and be chased, to be taken to the ground and held down for my iming. Carlos growls his disapproval. ¡°Get over here.¡± I love his bossy tone. It¡¯s pure alphamand. On my father or brother, it¡¯s annoying. On him, it¡¯s ultra-sexy. I slither close, and lick a line up his six-pack abs. A rumble of frustration sounds in his throat. ¡°What color is your wolf, Sedona?¡± ¡°White.¡± ¡°ro que si.¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°Why of course?¡± ¡°You really are an angel. White and pure. Nothing like me. Such lightness doesn¡¯t belong with dark.¡± ¡°Carlos¡­¡± I sense the weight of all that rides on his shoulders and once more I¡¯m angry on his behalf. I run my nails over his sculpted chest. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be dark.¡± ¡°No?¡± There¡¯s doubt tinging the word. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ve ever known anything different.¡± I pinch one of his nipples and he growls. ¡°Well, you¡¯re a smart wolf. I¡¯m sure you could learn.¡± His smile is sad, but his gaze is warm, as if I¡¯m a kid who just said something sweet but impossibly naive, like I want to give my bubble gum to the starving kids in Africa. ¡°What? Why not?¡± I press. ¡°I wish you could show me,¡± he says it wistfully, like he knows he can¡¯t keep me. For a moment I can¡¯t breathe-his words strangle me. He¡¯s right-I¡¯m not sticking around. His problems aren¡¯t mine. Except there¡¯s a sharp sliver of panic running from my belly button to my sr plexus that says I don¡¯t want to leave this wolf. ¡°You don¡¯t need me.¡± I force the words out past the band around my throat. ¡°You have an MBA from Harvard. I¡¯ll bet you have all kinds of ideas of how to modernize this ce.¡± My words fall t because I know lightness and dark is so much more than modernization. It¡¯s the soul of the ce, the mental state of the upants. Something¡¯s made Carlos believe he can¡¯t change things. ¡°Tell you what. You get me out of here and¡­ I¡¯ll write you.¡± Another crazy twinge in my belly at the thought of being separated. ¡°You¡¯ll send me your fairies, Sedona?¡± ¡°Yes. Just promise you won¡¯t show them to anyone.¡± ¡°It will be my secret, though I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll want to show your talent to everyone I meet.¡± My cheeks warm. He knows just how to charm me. ¡°If I honor your request, there is something you must promise me-¡± A scraping sound by the door brings my head up with a snap. A stic te of food appears through the little service window at the base of the door, along with a new stic tumbler. Prison rations. Carlos uses the chains on his wrists to leverage himself to sitting, his brows puckered. I get up and pad over to retrieve the goods. The cup holds red wine. The te has an array of cut fruits, crackers, cheese, and chocte. There¡¯s even a mashed avocado with pistachio nuts and a white crumbly cheese. Suddenly famished, I dip a cracker into it and take a bite. ¡°Dinner is served.¡± I walk back, food and wine in hand. ¡°See? The hospitality here isn¡¯t so bad.¡± He mutters something in Spanish. ¡°Looks like I get to feed you this time.¡± Proffering the wine, I scoot closer to him on the bed. ¡°Uh-uh. No. Unlock me now.¡± It¡¯s hrious how firm Carlos is. He¡¯ll stand me giving him a blowjob, but apparently feeding him crosses a line. ¡°Sorry, Charlie.¡± My nipples harden as I hold a cracker with avocado dip up to his lips. There¡¯s something hot about serving an alpha wolf in my birthday suit.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. He takes a bite, his darkshed brown eyes locked on my face. ¡°I should be feeding you,¡± heins, although his jutting erection proves this is hot to him, too. I roll my eyes. ¡°You¡¯re so old-fashioned.¡± He arches a brow. ¡°Look where I grew up.¡± I pop another bite of cracker with dip in his mouth, watch his full lips as he chews. I kneel beside him, loving the way his eyes rake over my breasts, the hunger there. ¡°Tell me about this ce. What¡¯s it like? How did you be alpha?¡± Clouds storm over his expression. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ terrible,¡± he admits. ¡°Completely isted from the modern world. Not poor, but backwards. We have gold and silver mines, which is part of why the ancestors isted-to keep them a secret-but the methods of mining are ancient and unsafe. Most of the pack survives on subsistence farming and low wages from the mine. We also have plots of sugarcane, a little coffee, and cacao. All the profits go to my family and the council, who live in this gran hacienda.¡± ¡°The pack is led by the council, not you?¡± ¡°Yes, exactly so. I don¡¯t know how it came about, but there has always been a council that makes final decisions for the pack. The alpha is more of a figurehead.¡± ¡°Well I think your council sucks.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± His voice is dark. I feed him a slice of an orange star-shaped fruit. ¡°Why did youe back?¡± I think I know. He¡¯s a natural alpha, which means he wouldn¡¯t shirk responsibility, especially for the weak who might depend on him. But I want to hear what he says. ¡°You know,¡±-he gives a humorless chuckle-¡°if it weren¡¯t for my mother I might not have. And sometimes I¡¯m not even sure she knows I¡¯m here.¡± I wait for the story. ¡°She suffers from dementia. She has since my father¡¯s death. The poor woman doesn¡¯t belong here. She was given as a gift to my father from a pack on the coast and although she loved my father, she never took to Monte Lobo.¡± ¡°Given as a gift?¡± Carlos nods. ¡°As in, forced to marry, like some medieval princess? What is this, the Dark Ages?¡± And I thought my dad¡¯s dating policy was old fashioned. ¡°It may as well be. Monte Lobo is a fortress against time, as well as humans. Most of the pack live as serfs.¡± ¡°Let me guess. The council keeps it that way.¡± I run my hand through my hair. ¡°This ce is messed up. No wonder these assholes think they can just grab me from a beach and present me to their alpha.¡± Carlos winces. ¡°I know it sounds barbaric to you.¡± His expression turns brooding. ¡°I would never bury a woman in a life she hated.¡± I can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s talking about what his father did, or making a promise to me, but a chill runs across my skin. I take a deep drink from the cup of wine. I¡¯m not a huge drinker, but my brother does run a nightclub. The wine is expensive. Delicious. It warms my entire body. I swallow more and bring it to Carlos¡¯ lips. ¡°What did you want me to promise you?¡± He takes a sip and a drip falls down his chin. I lick it off,ughing when his cock bobs in response. ¡°In exchange for my fairies,¡± I remind him, my voice pure seduction. ¡°I don¡¯t wish this event to traumatize you. You¡¯re an extraordinary wolf. You have much to enjoy of life, and much to give.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± 75 ¡°Promise me, when you are free, you will not fear. You will still make your choices. Travel, like you wanted to. Forget this time. Forget me.¡± ¡°I promise I will live without fear,¡± I whisper. ¡°But, I can never forget.¡± Not this time. Not him. Deep down, I know it¡¯s true. I¡¯ve known him only a few hours, but, somehow, he¡¯s a part of me. ¡°Come here.¡± He lifts his chin, gaze on my lips. I know he wants a kiss, but I can¡¯t resist the temptation to straddle hisp first, then nt my lips over his. He growls, drawing my lower lip into his mouth, taking control back, even with his wrists bound. He tastes of wine and fruit. His facial hair rubs against my face as he tilts his head and masters me with his kiss, tongue sweeping between my lips. My breathes faster, liquid heat pooling between my legs. I moan and rub my clit over his erect cock. His tongue twines with mine. I wonder if these are the kinds of kisses he gives on dates and I¡¯m immediately furious with every girl he¡¯s had sex with. As if one of them were here now, waiting to take him away from me, I loop an arm around his neck and im his mouth right back, pressing my breasts against his muscled chest. Nothing¡¯s ever felt so right in my life. Would it be the worst thing in the world to have sex with him? He¡¯s an alpha wolf, a magnificent lover. For a first, it probably doesn¡¯t get any better than that. And he doesn¡¯t harbor any illusion of keeping me. He just said goodbye, for fates¡¯ sake. The wine is working its magic, along with Carlos¡¯ tongue, slipping in and out of my mouth on the same rhythm I¡¯m grinding over his cock. A wanton sound leaves my mouth. I want him. My wolf wants him. I look down at his cock erect between us. I shift back and grip it and Carlos breaks off the kiss. I watch him struggle with his wolf, eyes changing from chocte brown to amber and back to brown. ¡°Don¡¯t do it,¡± he growls. I freeze. I expected encouragement. Well, he just told me to make my own choices. I line his cock up with my entrance and rub the head in my juices. His eyes widen, almost with panic. ¡°Sedona.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What are you doing, angel?¡± I thrust my hips forward and take a half inch of his head into my channel. He¡¯s huge and I¡¯m tight, so there¡¯s a momentary stretch. Carlos yanks on the restraints like he wants to stop me. ¡°Please,¡± I whine. ¡°I need this.¡± ¡°Sedona, you¡¯re killing me.¡± I wrench back, sitting on my heels. His huge cock waves in front of me, inviting my touch. I wrap my hand around it and he groans. ¡°I want you.¡± I look him in the eye as I tell him. ¡°I want this.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing.¡± Sweat beads on his forehead, his breath is harsh andbored. ¡°I do. You told me yourself. It¡¯s time I start living my own life. Making my own choices. I choose you.¡± I lean into him. ¡°This is happening.¡± He shuts his eyes. I pick up the key to the cuffs. I may have decided to get my V-card punched, but it will probably be a way better experience if he¡¯s free, since he¡¯s the one who knows what he¡¯s doing. I start to unlock him, and his eyes snap open. ¡°No,¡± he roars. There¡¯s an urgency to his voice that makes my wolf sit up and listen. I have a biological response to his alphamand. My pussy turns molten, my body goes weak with submission. But that only makes me want this more. ¡°Don¡¯t uncuff me. You¡¯re not safe.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be safe,¡± I remind him. I¡¯m not teasing, not brave. Not when he pulls alpha on me. But I¡¯ve made my decision. I¡¯m not going to let some male authority take away my choices, like I have my whole life. I get one of his wrists unlocked. The minute his handes free, he snatches my nape and yanks my mouth to his. His tongue plunges before I can catch my breath. He dominates my mouth, punishing me with a hard, demanding kiss. But when he breaks away, he shakes his head, his dark eyes glowing amber at the edges. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± he pants, ¡°-not safe.¡± But my wolf needs this as much as his. She¡¯s decided she¡¯s having him. My fingers tremble as I release the second wrist cuff. Carlos is free. He lunges for me. In a sh, I¡¯m t on my back knees spread up to my shoulders. Carlos attacks my pussy with his mouth, hungry, devouring. He sucks and nips mybia, suctions his mouth right over my clit and pulls hard. I scream, back bowing up on the mattress. Fates, yes. ¡°Fuck, Sedona,¡± he growls, palming my ass, squeezing my cheeks firmly enough to leave marks. It satisfies me on a deep level, his intensity meets the burning need within me. He drags his open mouth up my belly andtches his lips over my nipple, biting before sucking it hard. I arch up, pussy contracting as I feel the ghost of his tongue still there. ¡°Please,¡± I whimper. I don¡¯t need forey. In fact, I¡¯ll die if he gets me any more aroused. I need satisfaction. No tongue. No fingers. Even though I¡¯ve never had a cock, my instincts scream for consummation in that way. I somehow know nothing else will do but to feel the hard length of him moving between my legs. Carlos pops off my nipple and shocks me to my toes by pping the same breast he¡¯d just pleasured. ¡°Oh.¡± I didn¡¯t even know that was a thing, but I freaking love it. ¡°Carlos, please. I¡¯m ready.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. He ps my breast again. His brows are drawn low; passion, hunger, pure animal nature burns in his eyes. Anger, too, because he¡¯s still working hard to keep his wolf in check. ¡°You¡¯ll take whatever I give you, muneca. I told you not to unlock me. In fact, I think a little punishment is in order.¡± Wait¡­ what? I jerk up onto my elbows. He scoops me into his arms, spins around and sits on the side of the bed, draping me over hisp. His hand crashes down three times before I can wiggle my ass. ¡°That¡¯s for teasing me, mi amor.¡± Oh, it¡¯s on. My wolf wants to struggle, only to feel his mastery. If we were in animal form, he¡¯d be chasing me through the woods now, nipping my nk. He keeps spanking. ¡°And this is for not listening. The cuffs were for your safety.¡± Oh lordy. My ass burns, but it feels so right. Again, it¡¯s exactly the intensity I crave. I need this pain, need something to ease the pressure building inside me. Because my wolf craves the game, I kick and try to throw myself off him, but he¡¯s quick, mping his leg over mine and pinning my wrists behind my back. I love feeling his physical power, how easily he holds me in ce for his punishment. He keeps pping my ass. The heat his spanks produces is wonderful. Intoxicating. ¡°You over-estimate my control, muneca. You think I can give you what you desire without tearing you up?¡± 76 Tearing me up sounds a little scary, but I do still have faith in him. He won¡¯t lose control. Not when he cares this much about keeping me safe. ¡°Fates. This ass.¡± I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s apliment. The rich baritone of his voice reverberates in mydy parts. He ps one of my cheeks and then the other. ¡°It was made for spanking.¡± I shiver, the idea of real discipline at his hands making something strange slither in my belly. Wolves are, by nature, ruled by physical dominance. Swift corporal correctiones within the pack, and also between partners. Wolves heal quickly, so there¡¯s no harm, no foul to any of it. It¡¯s dominance yed out, re-establishing who¡¯s on top. I¡¯ve never been afraid of it, but I never knew it would be this exciting. Sexual. Pleasurable. Or maybe it¡¯s just this way with Carlos. Or during the full moon. But no, I know the thrumming need between my thighs has nothing to do with the full moon and everything to do with being mastered by this sexy wolf, having my ass painted red by hisrge, powerful hand. I squeeze my thighs together, trying to ease the throb in my swollen sex. Carlos spanks me with a steady beat. As the pain begins to set in, I squeeze my bottom and writhe over hisp, trying to dodge the ps. ¡°Carlos,¡± I gasp. My ass tingles and burns. ¡°Sedona.¡± His deep voice is still rough. He catches the back of my thigh, where the flesh is more tender. ¡°Oh!¡± His erection juts into my hip, torturing me with its closeness, as I tortured him earlier. ¡°Please,¡± I plead. His spanking hand fists my hair and he pulls my head up. ¡°You think I have any control when you¡¯re wiggling this juicy ass all over myp?¡± ¡°More,¡± I gasp hoarsely. He growls, a rich sound that rumbles in his chest and sends my toes curling. When he starts to spank again, the ps fall even harder, but my flesh, already warm and tingling, seems to wee the blows. I still squirm under the onught, my better instincts trying to avoid the pain, even as my baser ones wee it. ¡°Carlos.¡± Need threads my voice. ¡°That¡¯s right, beautiful. Say my name.¡± He catches the back of my other thigh, making me cry out. ¡°Say it again.¡± ¡°Carlos!¡± He picks up both the speed and intensity of his ps, so the blows fall one after the next, stinging and smarting every inch of my bottom. ¡°Ouch, Carlos! Ow, please! Oh¡­ oh!¡± It¡¯s too much and not enough all at once. I lift my bottom to greet his hand, part my thighs, moisture dripping from my wanton pussy. ¡°Please what?¡± He¡¯s panting as hard as I am. I kick my feet and hump hisp, wild for something more, something less, for everything. He pauses, then gives me one more hard p and pulls me up to sit on hisp, facing away from him. He parts his knees, dragging my legs, which were tangled over the tops of his, wide. ¡°You still want more, Sedona?¡± His breath is scorching hot on my ear. ¡°You¡¯re going to get this pussy spanked.¡± He wraps a firm arm around my waist and brings his hand down between my legs. ¡°Ooh, ooh!¡± I squeal, but leave my knees open. He ps again. With his other hand, he crushes my breast, massaging too hard. After the third spank against my dripping folds, I practically sob with need. Thankfully, his fingers stay and cup my mons. I squirm against them. He screws one finger in and I grab his hand and urge it deeper. ¡°So wet for me.¡± He groans, like a broken man. ¡°Impossible to resist.¡± I struggle, need making me impatient. The struggle satisfies everything, though. I manage to squirm out of his grip and he tackles me onto the bed, catching my wrists and pinioning them in one hand over my head.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. He rises up over me. Dark determination wrestles with wild wolf in his expression. I spread my legs, curl my pelvis up for him as his hips settle over mine. He brings one hand down to grip his cock, pain rippling over his face like he¡¯s fighting for control. ¡°Yes, yes, Carlos.¡± I¡¯m moaning like a porn star and he hasn¡¯t even prated me. He rubs his cock over my slit and I moan louder. This velvet soft flesh over rock-hard muscle is precisely what I¡¯ve missed my whole life. Fingers are a poor substitute. ¡°Give it to me.¡± In a single thrust, he fills me and I scream in shock. His cock is so much bigger than his finger. I feel the head hit deep inside while he stretches my entrance wide. ¡°Sedona!¡± His eyes fly wide, only frenzied breaths issue from his frozen form. ¡°Angel, no.¡± I guess it¡¯s obvious I was a virgin. I don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t want to admit it earlier. His gaze glows pure amber now, sweat drips down his temples, but somehow he keeps from moving his hips. He¡¯s a goddamn saint for holding back. I may have begged for it, but I struggle to catch my breath from the burst of pain when he plowed me open. ¡°You should have told me,¡± he growls over clenched teeth. ¡°You deserve so much better than this.¡± He may regret popping my cherry, but I¡¯m not sorry. Already, the sharp pain is gone and the sensation of being filled by him is pure heaven. My hips move of their own ord. ¡°Shut up.¡± I thrust them upward. ¡°Give it to me, Carlos.¡± Carlos shudders, eyes back to brown-no, ck. With his face screwed up in pained concentration, he rocks his hips. It¡¯s a mixture of pain and pleasure for me, then the pain recedes and pleasure floods every cell in my body. ¡°More.¡± I wrap my legs around his waist and urge him deeper, faster. Carlos roars and ms into me, animal unleashed. His eyes sh amber as he fists the chains on the bedposts and fills me over and over again. I throw my hands up to the wall to keep my head from hitting. He pulls out and gives his head a shake. I think he¡¯s trying to speak but all thates out are growls. He rises up on his knees, cupping my ass, which he lifts in the air with him. He holds me at an angle, pulls my hips to meet his thrusts, getting so deep inside I swear he¡¯ll split me open. My eyes roll back in my head, mouth open for my steady cries. Carlos fills the room with growls, amber eyes fire-like against the dark of his hair and skin. I wonder if mine have changed to ice-blue. Just as I¡¯m about toe, he pulls out, flips me over and pulls my hips up so I¡¯m on my knees. When I climb to my hands, he shoves between my shoulder des, forcing my upper body down. Oh. Apparently he likes the angle thing. As soon as he enters me, I understand why. Fates, he¡¯s even deeper from this position, but it feels so right. He grips my hips with bruising force and plows into me, his loins pping hard against my still smarting ass, cock gliding in and out at the perfect trajectory. His balls p my clit. It¡¯s hard to imagine being fucked any harder than this, but there¡¯s no pain, no difort, no fear. I¡¯m drowning in pleasure and only Carlos knows how to give it to me. I quite possibly lose my mind, maybe I ck out, maybe I shot to Jupiter for a moment. The next thing I know, Carlos¡¯ snarls roar in my ear. I¡¯ming, my muscles gripping his cock and squeeze-releasing over and over again. He drags us both down t, me on my belly, his body covering mine. And then he bites me. 77 Carlos Sedona¡¯s yelp of pain brings me back from the brink and I realize my teeth are buried in her shoulder. Mierda. I disengage my fangs andp her wound, licking away the blood, providing the healing enzymes of my saliva for her quick recovery. It¡¯s not the actual wound that¡¯s the problem, though. It¡¯s the ramifications of what I¡¯ve done. Marked her. She¡¯ll carry my scent for the rest of her life. More than that, I¡¯m bonded forever to her. As much as I may have wanted to fight the elders to set her free, I will now kill anyone who tries to take her from me. Fuck. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I rasp. I ease my cock from her glorious channel and roll off her. I mean to scoop her into my arms, but she shifts, whether out of fury or pain, I don¡¯t know. ¡°Sedona.¡± Her wolf is gorgeous-snow white with silver tipped ears and the palest of blue eyes. Big, healthy. Beautiful. She stalks around the room, moving stiffly like I¡¯ve caused her pain in more ces than her shoulder. Double fuck. I¡¯m the king asshole of the continent. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to mark you, angel.¡± I can¡¯t stand to see her pace this way-my need tofort her is too great, and it¡¯s harder in wolf form. I stand from the bed, and meet her in the center of the room. She swings her head to turn from me. ¡°Sedona, shift.¡± I infuse every bit of alphamand into my voice. She will be unable to disobey, even though it will make her angry. She shifts, unfolding from a crouched position, fury ring from her eyes. She walks forward and ps me across the face. I take it. I deserve this. I deserve much worse. I have forever bound her to me after promising to help her get free. ¡°Forgive me. Please.¡± Tears swim in her eyes. ¡°What you did can¡¯t be undone, Carlos.¡± I bow my head. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°What do you know?¡± she demands. I know this conversation isn¡¯t going to be productive, but I also know she¡¯s pissed off and needs a way to let it out. I know I want to hold her, tofort her, but I¡¯m loathe to force myfort on her if she hates me now. I turn away from her, frustrated. Fury at el consejo returns. I pick up the iron bed and throw it against the wall where it tters and falls to its side. Sedona¡¯s eyes round. Because there¡¯s nothing else to do, I pick it up and throw it again, this time in the direction of the door. I know these room are made of steel, that I won¡¯t beat my way out, even with an iron bed, but I¡¯m not above trying. When I pick it up a third time, Sedona shouts, ¡°Stop!¡± I turn to find her holding her hands over her ears, tears swimming in those beautiful blue eyes. I storm her, picking her up against my body with an arm around her waist and walking until her back hits the wall. I kiss her, sucking her lips, iming her mouth with the ownership of a mate. It¡¯s not fair. It¡¯s not right. But she¡¯s mine now. There¡¯s nothing I can do to change that. My thigh presses between her legs and I don¡¯t stop tormenting her mouth, fucking it with my tongue, mopping it with my lips. I taste her tears and it only fuels this need to consume her, to devour her. To further establish my im on her because my wolf knows she¡¯s already slipped away. ¡°Sedona.¡± I pull back, let her see every ounce of misery in my being. ¡°I won¡¯t apologize again.¡± I pound the wall beside her head with my fist. ¡°I¡¯m not sorry. Not sorry for iming you.¡± She sucks in her breath, staring at me with wide eyes. ¡°You are the prize above all other prizes, and I got to you first,¡± I say through gritted teeth. It¡¯s wrong, but what I¡¯m saying feels so right. Passion zes bright in my chest, flowing down my limbs. ¡°You belong to me. I¡¯ve taken you. I will never let you go. And I¡¯m not sorry. You are perfect in every way. Smart, talented, beautiful.¡± I manage to pry my fist open to touch her cheek. ¡°Funny. You are the light to my darkness. You brought me to life. All these years, I¡¯ve been half-dead. It was the only way to survive the pain of my mother¡¯s illness, my father¡¯s death. The heaviness that belongs to my pack. But you-you sparked me back to life. And for that I cannot be sorry. I cannot. So I beg your forgiveness. I do. But I could never regret iming you. Not in this lifetime, or any other.¡± Sedona¡¯s lips tremble. I have no idea what she¡¯s thinking, what she¡¯s feeling. Whether she¡¯s scared of me or wants to cut my balls off. I didn¡¯t lie. I told her the goddamn truth, and if that makes her hate me forever, so be it. At least she knows. If I weren¡¯t so out of my mind, I would have registered the sound behind me sooner. The door opens. Sedona jerks in fear and a sharp stabnds between my shoulder des. Thest thing I see is a dartnd in my female¡¯s chest before we both crumple to the floor. Carlos I wake in my bedroom. The scent of Sedona is still in my nostrils and I reach for her, but my armse up empty. The memory of seeing herst returns and I bolt upright with a gasp. Sedona. Where is my female? The urgency to find her, protect her, nearly makes me shift. If those motherfuckersid one finger on my female, I will rip them to shreds. I don¡¯t care if I¡¯m banished forever from this pack. Even if it means leaving my poor mother. I will not stand by and let my female be mistreated. I surge from the bed and throw on a pair of pajama pants before pounding toward the door. A light but rapid tap sounds on it. The door pushes open before I can say pasale. Juanito bursts in. ¡°Don Carlos, It¡¯s your mother. She¡¯s having a fit. Come quickly.¡± Screams reach my ears. ¡°Dejame!¡± my mother¡¯s raw voice echoes in the center courtyard. Leave me. Sedona¡¯s fading scent clings to me as I run out and look down into my mother¡¯s garden, the center courtyard the hacienda is built around. Mama paces alone, her skirts aflutter. The servants huddle at the edges of the garden. She turns in a circle, long grey hair flying. Sweat drips down her face, her eyes are wild. ¡°Mama!¡± I run for the marble stairs and take them two at a time. My mother doesn¡¯t seem to even hear me. She¡¯s babbling something, as if arguing with demons or ghosts. She tears at her nightdress. ¡°Dejame s!¡± ¡°Mama!¡± I reach her and grip her arms, trying to get her wild focus to settle on my face. I don¡¯t seed. She pulls to get away from me. Tears streak her face, once lovely, now sallow with dark circles under her eyes. I could overpower her, of course, but I can¡¯t bring myself to manhandle my mother. ¡°Mama, it¡¯s all a dream. None of it is real. Look at me. Your son. Look at Carlos.¡± ¡°Carlos?¡± Her voice rings with panic. ¡°Where¡¯s Carlitos? What have they done with my little boy? They want to kill him, too.¡± ¡°No, Mama, I¡¯m right here-Carlos-Carlitos-all grown up. Look at me.¡± Her unsteady gaze wavers around the courtyard and skips around my face. She reaches out to touch it, her brow wrinkling. ¡°Carlos?¡± ¡°Si, Mama, I¡¯m right here.¡± She grabs my hand and tries to pull me further into the center of the garden. ¡°Hurry, Carlos. We have to run. Before they get you, too. Every alpha is in danger.¡± I don¡¯t move, forcing her to shift her grip to two hands and tug with all her might. ¡°No, I¡¯m not in danger. I can defend myself. And you. We¡¯re safe, I promise. Come-this way.¡± I wrap my palm around hers. ¡°Let¡¯s go to your room.¡± Her eyes widen. ¡°My prison, you mean?¡± She shakes her head wildly. ¡°That¡¯s where they want to keep me quiet. I don¡¯t want to go there. I want to leave, Carlos. Take me away from this ce.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Pain rips through my chest. Should I find a way to send her back to her own pack? She still hates it here after all these years. But would they even take her? A crazy woman who requires full-time care? Would they provide the level of treatment she requires? I¡¯ve never met anyone from Mama¡¯s old pack, or any pack other than my own. I feel the wrongness of that deep into my bones. I should¡¯ve done it when my father died. Not ten yearster. My head aches with the weight of my guilt, my responsibility. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take you away from here,¡± I promise, praying I can keep my word. ¡°But I need time to figure out where and how. So let¡¯s get you back to your bedroom-¡± ¡°Not my bedroom!¡± she shrieks. ¡°Not there! Don¡¯t take me there, Carlos.¡± She¡¯s suddenly weeping, like she¡¯s the child and I¡¯m the parent. I pull her against my chest and stroke her tangled hair. ¡°Okay, not your bedroom,¡± I agree. I look around desperately, trying to figure out what else to do with her. ¡°How about a walk in the outer garden with Maria Jose?¡± I make eye contact with Juanito¡¯s mother, Mama¡¯s servant, and nod. Maria Jose approaches slowly. My mother sniffs and pulls away, nodding. ¡°Si.¡± My shoulders sag. I tug her hand in Maria Jose¡¯s direction. ¡°Maria will keep you safe, Mama. I¡¯ll see you after your walk, all right? I¡¯ll see you for breakfast.¡± After I find Sedona. My mother toddles away on Maria Jose¡¯s arm, but Juanito scuttles over to me. ¡°Don Carlos,¡± he says in a low, urgent tone. He looks around like he¡¯s afraid of being seen, and I have no doubt someone is watching, somewhere. I grip his arm and tug him into the shadows. ¡°Que cosa?¡± ¡°The Americans are here to rescue your female. El consejo-¡± The bell in the bell tower starts to toll, signaling the pack of danger. Don Santiago enters. Something about the timing of his appearance seems deliberate. ¡°There you are.¡± His voice is smooth as caramel. ¡°We have a problem. Threerge vans breached the outer gate. Prepare to fight for your female.¡± Ice flushes through my veins as I see their n. They¡¯re banking on my strength to fend off these enemies they brought onto our pack. My mind races. I don¡¯t even know where my female is, and I¡¯m sure as hell not going to fight her family for her. That will not inure the beautiful American to me. With a calmness I don¡¯t feel, I squeeze Juanito¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Run and grab me a shirt, Juanito. I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡± I turn to Jose. ¡°Gather the males of the pack and tell them to meet on the terrace.¡± I infuse alpha authority into my voice, even though I know full well my orders mean nothing to this man. The council has been running me now for years. I run up the stairs and meet Juanito at the top, carrying my shirt. I grab it from him and pull it on as I murmur in a low voice. ¡°Where is my female, Juanito?¡± ¡°Locked in a guest room in the east wing, Don Carlos.¡± ¡°Can you find a way to set her free?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know, sir.¡± Juanito is a smart kid, I know he¡¯ll figure it out. ¡°I need you to try. Let her out and take her out to her people through the lower gate. Don¡¯t let anyone see you. The future of this pack depends on you, my friend.¡± Juanito¡¯s lowered eyes jerk up to mine and I watch honor fill his being. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± He slips away, quiet and invisible as a ghost. I head out to the terrace, where the men of our pack are gathering, in from the mines and the fields, watching the white vans wind up the mountain toward the citadel. ¡°We will defend our pack, if necessary, but there will be no violence without a cue from me, understood?¡± I use every bit of alpha power in my voice, making it boom and project confidence, leadership. The trouble is, these males have never fought with me before, never taken my orders. 78 Most of them are old. The only younger male shifter in the pack besides myself was Juanito¡¯s brother, Mauca, but he disappearedst year. Ran away, is what they said, but I know Juanito and Maria Jose don¡¯t believe that. There aren¡¯t many other male shifters under the age of fifty, except the defectuosos. They are here, though, armed with machetes, ready to fight as men. Guillermo, the big wolf who runs the mines is here, along with his men. I can count on them to defend the pack, if ites to that. Don Santiago and the rest of the council are here, but they are not preparing to fight. No, they are setting up as if to watch a football match. Granted, they are all over seventy, but shifters live long lives and heal quickly. I think they y the privilege card and the elderly card far too often. As I look at their self-satisfied faces, I want to beat the righteousness out of every one of them. And what better diversion? Especially with an audience. It¡¯s time to establish exactly who is alpha in this pack. A growl rips from my throat as I stalk over. I grab the first one I get to-Don Mateo-and grasp him by the throat. My fingers wrap right around his chicken neck and I lift him from the ground. ¡°You brought this attack on our pack,¡± I roar. ¡°You and the rest of the council.¡± ¡°Put him down,¡± Don Jose snarls. He uses his usual superiormand, but it falls t in the face of alpha rage. He turns to the pack. ¡°The boy has inherited some of his mother¡¯s lunacy.¡± Oh, fuck no. Of course they¡¯d try that tactic. Make me look insane. I look around at the council. They might treat me like a treasured pup, but these aren¡¯t the grandfatherly men who raised me. These are powerful wolves. ¡°You purchased a female-an American-stolen from her pack by traffickers. What did you think would happen?¡± Don Santiago goes for a smug, unruffled tone. ¡°We thought you would im her, and we were correct.¡± Don Mateo¡¯s face turns red as he struggles to drag in gurgling breaths. His feet kick out uselessly. The men of the pack move in close, crowding around us, but no one-including the other elders-physically challenges me. Together, they could take me down, but not without a lot of bloodshed. ¡°You locked me in my own dungeon. Disrespected your alpha. Do you think that deed will go unpunished?¡± Mateo¡¯s eyes bulge. If I don¡¯t release him soon, he¡¯ll die. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Guillermo step forward. The burly wolf isn¡¯t high in the pack, but with his miners behind him, they could overpower me. If the council gave the order, I could be dead, and my mother with me. I¡¯m surrounded by the pack I¡¯m supposed to lead, and I don¡¯t know who I can trust. ¡°Tranquilo, Carlos. It was not out of disrespect, but out of love. We provided you with a prize worthy of an alpha like you,¡± Don Santiago cates. I drop Mateo not because I¡¯m ying good little alpha for the council, but as much as I¡¯d like to kill him and all the dons, I¡¯m not a murderer. Whirling to face Don Santiago, I let out a ferocious growl. Every wolf around me drops his eyes and shows his throat in submission. Better. ¡°Now you disrespect my female. She is not an object, but an alpha she-wolf, capable of tearing out any one of your throats. If any of you ever touch or confine her against her will again, you¡¯re dead. Comprendes?¡± ¡°Si, Don Carlos.¡± The males of the pack mutter the answer automatically. I¡¯m not sure I hear it from the lips of the elders, but they nod their heads as if in agreement. Lying fuck-toads. This isn¡¯t finished. Even though I¡¯ve heard what I demanded to hear, I¡¯m not even close to satisfied. ¡°I will consider your punishment,¡± I growl. Yeah, I don¡¯t know how that will go down. Will I have the ability to enforce a punishment on council members? I don¡¯t have a fucking clue, but I sure as hell know I¡¯m not going to let them off easy in front of my pack. Behind me, the pack members shift in difort. They are either more loyal to, or more afraid of the council. I get that. I¡¯ve only been back a few weeks. They don¡¯t know me, and it will take time for me to prove myself as a leader. But I certainly intend to do that. ¡°Later.¡± Don Santiago points down at the road outside the walls surrounding our citadel. ¡°The Americans have arrived.¡± The three white vans pull up outside the front portcullis and stop. Their doors open and dozens of muscled wolves pour out, young males in their prime, arms covered in tattoos, weapons in their hands. Sedona The boy who let me out of the bedroom where I was locked beckons me forward. We¡¯re outside the pce or castle-or whatever they call this building. It¡¯s certainly regal enough to be a castle. In fact, we¡¯re heading along the same path the men carried my cage on when I arrived. Above us, looms the gleaming building, below us but still within the walls of the enve are little huts with thatched roofs. I woke up alone in a canopied bed dressed in a ridiculous flowing robe, like some medieval princess. Fitting as I was locked in a tower. This ce is seriously stuck in the seventeenth century. I tried the door, but it was locked. Pounding on it got me nowhere. Neither did calling for Carlos, but then the boy showed up, put his finger to his lips to silence me and rushed me out of the building. Now that we¡¯re outside, he speaks to me in Spanish, but I don¡¯t have a clue what he¡¯s saying. ¡°Juanito?¡± I ask. ¡°Are you Juanito?¡± He stops and turns, and his serious face splits into a grin. ¡°Si, soy Juanito.¡± He bobs his head, as if I just did him some great honor by knowing his name. He rattles off something else, but all I catch is ¡°Carlos.¡± ¡°Where is Carlos?¡± I ask. I¡¯m more than a little disappointed to be rescued by the boy instead of the male who marked mest night. It¡¯s stupid, but I feel abandoned. I need to see him. We need to talk about the fact that he marked me, and what it means. But I guess escaping the crazy council should be the first order of business. Juanito pulls a keycard from a cord around his neck and shes it against a surprisingly high-tech lock on a gate in the polished adobe wall. Outside, I hear¡­ English voices. I surge forward, running toward the sound, and I recognize males from both my brother and father¡¯s packs piling out of three white bus-sized super-vans parked outside a giant portcullis. I have no idea how they found me, but relief nearly drowns me. My brother senses meing and whirls. ¡°Sedona?¡± I¡¯m sure I look ridiculous in the flowing robe. Tears sting my eyes. I fly at him, wrapping my arms and legs around him. The force of my hug drives my huge big brother to take a step back. As soon as Garrett¡¯s arms close around me, I know everything¡¯s going to be all right. He¡¯s bigger and stronger than any of the fuckers who took me captive. The only exception might be Carlos, but I can¡¯t think about him right now. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Garrett murmurs. I press my face into his shoulder, clutching him. His muscles flex around me, big, protective. ¡°No one¡¯s gonna hurt you. Never again.¡± ¡°Sedona,¡± a deep voice makes me raise my head. My dad stands beside us, lips pressed tight together-a look I¡¯m all too familiar with. For once I¡¯m d to see it. ¡°Dad.¡± I turn to him and give him a heartfelt, if stiffer hug. It¡¯s only when I draw back and study the deep lines etched on my father¡¯s brow that I realize his stern look isn¡¯t one of disapproval. It¡¯s worry-and now deep relief. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± my voice cracks. ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Garrett soothes, at the same time my father says, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about itter.¡± I lean into my big brother¡¯s side, unable to look my father in the eyes. Garrett gives me a squeeze-another signal I¡¯m familiar with from the times I¡¯ve gotten in trouble. You and me, sis. Dad¡¯s gonna be a hardass, but we¡¯ll get through it-together. Even though he¡¯s eight years older, and as alpha and protective as our dad, Garrett has always stuck by me. I don¡¯t think my big brother can fix this. We¡¯re in some godforsaken mountain in Mexico, facing off with an unfamiliar pack, deep in hostile territory. My dad might be dealing with the political ramifications of this for the next thirty years. It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯m the alpha¡¯s daughter. It¡¯s my responsibility to follow the rules-for the good of the pack. Me and my stupid idea to live it up on spring break. ¡°How do we get in? I¡¯m going to kill everyst motherfucking-¡± Garrett¡¯s cracking his knuckles when I cut in. ¡°No.¡± I still don¡¯t know what in the hell is going on here. Carlos must have sent Juanito to set me free. But where is Carlos? I look back where Juanito stands, looking uncertain. Is Carlosing? He can¡¯t. My heart fills with lead. If he did, my father and Garrett would kill him. No, I need to get out of here before any wolves-on either side-get hurt. I couldn¡¯t stand having blood on my head. ¡°Take me out of here. I don¡¯t want a fight. I just want to go home. Let¡¯s go.¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. My dad shakes his head. ¡°No one steals my daughter and lives.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t steal me, they bought me. You¡¯re wee to kill the fuckers who stole me, but they¡¯re not here. I just want to leave. No bloodshed. Please.¡± I catch Garrett¡¯s eye and hold his gaze, silently pleading. He grabs my dad¡¯s arm and they walk around the back of the van to confer in private. Of course, because I have shifter hearing, I don¡¯t miss any of the conversation. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t you think Sedona¡¯s been through enough? She¡¯s been mated.¡± My eyes fill with tears. Hunching, I cover the already healed wound on my shoulder. In a few days it would be nothing more than a slight scar, but I will carry Carlos¡¯ scent, a trace of his essence, with me until I die. Garrett continues in a low voice, ¡°She might have conflicted feelings toward the guy. Thest thing she needs is more trauma. If she says no bloodshed here, I think we have to honor her wishes.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t kill them and we send the message we¡¯re weak.¡± They argue some more, but when theye back around, my father clips, ¡°Everyone back in the vehicles.¡± Garrett shoos me into his van and climbs in the back seat beside me, throwing his strong arm around my shoulders. As the van takes off down the mountain, I try to pull it together, but my emotions are all over the ce. I hate being the victim, rescued by the males in her family. It¡¯s pathetic and I know if I dip into that, even for a second, I could tumble into a pool of self-pity so deep I could let this experience scar me for the rest of my life. Poor Sedona, they would whisper about me. She¡¯s never been the same since her abduction and rape. Fuck that. I was a victim, yes. But it wasn¡¯t rape. I begged him for it. And I¡¯m not weak, I¡¯m an alpha female. I can turn this into a win, not a loss. But what did I win? I had my V-card punched, in the most incredible, satisfying way. It¡¯s hard to imagine it gets much better than what we shared. But I also walked away marked. I¡¯m not even sure of the ramifications of carrying a male¡¯s scent when I didn¡¯t choose him as a mate. Carlos let me go. Fates, thinking of him sends a searing pain right through the middle of my chest. Will I ever see him again? Do I want to? It¡¯s a fucked up kind ofplicated, isn¡¯t it? I still don¡¯t even know if he was as innocent in my imprisonment as he insisted. What if he orchestrated the whole damn thing? But no, why let me go, then? And I¡¯m sure it was Carlos who sent Juanito to shuttle me out to my family. Whether it was to save his own pack or for my benefit, I can¡¯t be sure. Because I know one thing-my family¡¯s packs would have brought it. So logically, it seems like I should count Carlos releasing me as a win. Why, then, does it seem like my heart is beating outside my chest? Like it stayed back on that mountain and the further we drive away, the more anxious I be at leaving it behind? But please. Did I want him to im me? To keep me? Fuck no. I would never stay on that godforsaken mountain with that crazy pack. They¡¯re the most backwards, insane bunch I¡¯ve ever seen, and my father has hosted a lot of pack mingles over the years. Even if they were the most charming wolves on Earth, I wouldn¡¯t want to stay. I¡¯m twenty-one years old. I haven¡¯t even finished college. I only just started having fun. Fates, my spring break vacation in San Carlos seems so long ago. So far away. What did my friends think when I disappeared from the beach? ¡°How did you find me?¡± I ask Garrett, speaking for the first time in what must have been a couple hours. I apud him for not grilling me the whole way, but Garrett is perceptive. I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t ride in my father¡¯s van. ¡°My mate found you.¡± Wait¡­ what? Garrett doesn¡¯t have a mate. He¡¯s been ying Mr. Bachelor for years with his pack of young males. ¡°Your mate?¡± Garrett touches my fresh mark. ¡°Looks like we both mated this moon.¡± Garrett sounds so happy. I¡¯m going to go out on a limb and guess his mating was nothing like mine. He wasn¡¯t locked naked in a room with her and forced to mate. He chose a female. The way I always thought I¡¯d get to choose a mate. And now I¡¯m wallowing in self-pity-the swamp I didn¡¯t want to swim in. ¡°Tell me about her?¡± I need distraction. ¡°Her name is Amber. She¡¯s a human psychic and an attorney. And my next door neighbor. When you went missing, I volun-told her we needed her help, and we brought her along to Mexico. She helped us follow your trail to Mexico City, where we found your original captors.¡± I scowl, remembering the cage and the warehouse. ¡°They¡¯re already dead,¡± Garrett assures me. ¡°A human?¡± Garrett mated a human? It¡¯s unheard of for an alpha wolf to take a human mate. I hope this doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯ll lose his position as alpha. His pack is as loyal as theye, but you never know. Some wolf may challenge him for it. The most likely contender would be Tank, his beta, except that Tank is from our father¡¯s pack originally and his loyalty there would prevent it. ¡°My wolf picked her.¡± Garrett shrugs but his goofy grin says he¡¯s hopelessly in love. Is that what happened with me and Carlos? Our wolves picked even though our human selves never would have? What about all that stuff Carlos said just before we were drugged? About not being sorry he¡¯d mated me? Was that the truth? Or just the effect of the full moon and a happy inner wolf? ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want me to go back there and kill the entire Montelobo pack? Because I won¡¯t hesitate if you give the word.¡± ¡°No.¡± I twist and grab Garrett¡¯s shoulders before I realize what I¡¯m doing. ¡°You can¡¯t do that.¡± Garrett falls silent, searching my face. My grip tightens. ¡°You can¡¯t. Promise me.¡± What if Carlos were hurt? Or someone he cared about, like his mother or Juanito? ¡°You sure, kiddo?¡± His voice is mild, but for a second I glimpse the cold-hearted predator lurking behind the human facade. The wolf would kill first and ask questions never, leaving a trail of bodies behind. ¡°I¡¯m sure. Don¡¯t let dad go back, either. Promise me.¡± ¡°All right, sis. Calm down. I promise.¡± I can tell he wants to ask me more, so I turn in his arms, tucking myself into his side. I hold him tight until my racing heart slows down. Our van rolls through a sprawling city, which Garrett tells me is the country¡¯s capital, Mexico City. We stop at a skyrise hotel and Garrett shifts in his seat, his eyes fixed on a high story window. His mate must be inside. Ugh. I rub my nose. What would it be like to be happily mated instead of leaving the most fucked up of matings possible? ¡°So where¡¯s Amber, now?¡± I try for enthusiasm. I¡¯m going to have a sister for the first time. With Garrett so much older, I¡¯m more like an only child. ¡°When can I meet her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in our suite. Come on. You can meet her now.¡± Garrett leads me into the hotel and up an elevator, but when he enters his room, I know something¡¯s wrong. There¡¯s no scent of a female present-human or otherwise. Garrett picks up a note and reads it, then roars, smashing his fist into a wall. Well, crap. I guess I¡¯m not the only one whose mating is a mess. 79 Carlos I walk along the outside perimeter of our citadel. The buzzing in my ears makes my head pound, but I keep pushing on. I¡¯m going to walk the entirety of our pack territory every day until I know who lives in which hut, the names of their family members, what they do for us. Even as I vow it, though, thendscape goes by without my seeing a thing. All I see is Sedona, chained naked to that bed. My terrible, wonderful prize. Watching her leave was like allowing someone to steal away with a vital organ from my body. I stood there, numb, not understanding how I still lived, still breathed without her here. It took all my willpower not to shift and chase after her pack¡¯s vans like amon dog. Not to howl. But somehow I managed to stay on the terrace and watch, keeping my pack out of danger. The council couldn¡¯t believe I let her go. When they saw her standing out there, her white filmy wrap threading around her legs in the breeze, their pompous airs dropped. ¡°Why is your female out of her room?¡± Santiago demanded. ¡°I set her free,¡± I said calmly. ¡°Are you mad?¡± Mateo asked. ¡°She¡¯s your mate.¡± Yes, mine, my wolf howled. But it doesn¡¯t matter. I wasn¡¯t going to show my teeth to her pack, to her family. It was wrong to keep her this way. Wrong to have bought her in the first ce. Everything we¡¯d done to her had been wrong. ¡°Go and fight for your female. Or are you too much of a coward?¡± Don Santiago challenged. I punched him in the face. I would never do something like that to an elderly human, but an old shifter can take it. The pack surged around me-I didn¡¯t know whether they meant to stop me if I continued, but no one touched me. ¡°Crazy, like his mother,¡± Don Jose proimed. ¡°I¡¯m not keeping a female against her will,¡± I snarled. ¡°Not even one I¡¯ve marked. And if any of you here believe such a thing is eptable, you are the reason this pack is falling to ruin.¡± I turned in a circle, meeting every male¡¯s eyes, forcing their gaze to drop in the face of my dominance. A small victory, but it satisfied my wolf. Don Santiago rubbed his jaw and climbed to his feet. ¡°So, what? You¡¯re not going to fight to win her love? Her affection? I daresay you already had it.¡± My heart squeezed painfully, then, and it¡¯s still squeezing. I want to believe that much is true. But it could¡¯ve been simple biology. The council knew exactly what they were doing putting a fertile she-wolf naked in a cell with a virile male over the full moon. And the adversity brought us together. Holding her to anything based on what we shared in there wouldn¡¯t be fair. She had no choice but to ept me. It doesn¡¯t mean she wants me as her mate. If she did, she wouldn¡¯t have been so quick to jump in that van and disappear. But even if she never wants to see me again, I will still avenge her. I gave the council one week to produce the traffickers who kidnapped her. When they hedged, I made it clear. ¡°I will have blood for what was done to my female. Either it¡¯s yours, or theirs.¡± They¡¯d better deliver. I walk on the edge of a small coffee grove. The front of Monte Lobo is covered in trees, but small farm plots make up the entire back side of the mountain, forming a patchwork quilt of color and texture. This extinct volcano we call Monte Lobo doesn¡¯t provide the best climate for coffee-not like the coastal states like Chiapas-but our pack has always been able to grow enough for our own use. It¡¯s actually impressive the variety and quantity of crops our pack produces simply for our own subsistence. Centuries ago, when our Spanish ancestors settled peacefully with the indigenous people who lived here, they set up a wonderful system for sustainable living in istion. They frightened the indigenous people off, not through violence, but by inciting their superstitions. Men who change into wolf form at the full moon won the awe and respect of the tribe, which moved to the base of the mountain and guarded it from outside visitors. It allowed our pack to shut themselves away. ¡°Buenas tardes, Don Carlos.¡± An elderly wolf in dirty, worn clothing and a wide-brimmed hat stops what he¡¯s doing to greet me. Despite the greeting, he looks wary, or suspicious of me. I stop and lift my hand in greeting. Judging by the way he scrutinizes me, he already knows what happened today. Or was he there? It¡¯s sad that I¡¯m not even sure. I don¡¯t even know this wolf¡¯s name. I¡¯ve been a piss-poor leader of this pack. I don¡¯t deserve the position of alpha. I force myself to stay, even though I¡¯d rather walk on, immersed in my thoughts about Sedona. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Yeah, it¡¯sme, but I don¡¯t really know how else to shoot the shit with the guy. He nods his head. ¡°It¡¯s going. Almost finished with harvesting this year¡¯s crop. Then moving onto the cacao.¡± ¡°Good.¡± That¡¯s all I can think of to say, but I¡¯m thankful when his namees to me-Paco. A womanes out of the hut and shades her eyes as she looks in our direction. She walks up the hill and stands beside the old man. Must be his mate. ¡°Alpha,¡± the old woman inclines her head. ¡°Is it true?¡± She¡¯s wearing a dress that looks straight out of the 1950s. It probably is, actually. Some secondhand find shipped over as a donation from the United States. I look over at their hut, where a curl of smokees from the chimney. The hacienda has every luxury imaginable and these people don¡¯t even have electricity. I knew things were bad, but this makes me sick. What sort of alpha leaves his pack in poverty? ¡°Hush, Marisol,¡± Paco admonishes. ¡°Is what true?¡± I brace myself for whatever is being said about me. That I¡¯m mad or that I let my mate go. ¡°You hit Don Santiago?¡± Oh that. Yeah. I shove my hands in my pockets. ¡°It¡¯s true. The council and I are in disagreement about some actions they took.¡± Right. I doubt I¡¯m projecting the confidence I mean to, but it¡¯s the best I can muster when my mate is on a van driving miles away from me. ¡°Be careful, Don Carlos.¡± Marisol¡¯s voice wavers, but I can¡¯t figure out why. Is it out of fear? Or ire? Is my pack ready to mutiny against me? I growl. Not to scare her, but my pack needs to know I won¡¯t be cowed. She takes a step back and her husband grasps her elbow to steady her. ¡°The council has overstepped.¡± Ice infuses my tone. ¡°They will not insult me or my mate without retribution.¡± Marisol and her mate both wear unreadable expressions. They probably think I¡¯m the enemy, allowing them to live in poverty while I travel and attend the best universities. I don¡¯t me them. That¡¯s exactly what I did. I don¡¯t deserve to be their leader. No one speaks for a beat, so I nod curtly and walk on.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°May the fates apany you.¡± Paco¡¯s benediction makes me stop and look back. He and his wife lift their palms in a wave. I return it. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to do it, but things have to change around here. Clearing this cesspool feels urgent. I¡¯m sure that reason has something to do with Sedona, but I don¡¯t even dare admit what my heart is pattering on about. Fix it for her. That¡¯s mad. Sedona¡¯s not going toe back here. Not in a million years. To entertain the fantasy is pure lunacy. 80 Sedona I lean my head against the airne window and stare down at the fluffy clouds below us. Garrett, followed by most of our pack bum-rushed the airportst night in time for him to find Amber, his mate. In front of all of us, he dered his love and his intention to make up for his mistakes with her and she allowed herself to be reimed. Now, they sit in the seats beside me, fingers intertwined, her blonde head on his shoulder. If it were up to me, I would¡¯ve given them some privacy-have them sit next to a stranger so they can wrap into themselves, but Garrett insisted his pack member, Trey, book me a seat beside him. I guess so he can send me concerned nces every so often. ¡°Stop it,¡± I snap when he does it again. ¡°Stop what?¡± ¡°Looking at me as if I¡¯m broken.¡± Garrett grimaces. ¡°I guess I just don¡¯t know what to do to help. Short of going back and tearing throats out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you did to the guys in the warehouse? The ones who kidnapped me?¡± I both want and don¡¯t want to hear the answer to this. Garrett scrubs a hand over his face. ¡°Yeah. I lost my shit because Amber was there and my wolf needed to protect her. I killed everyone before we questioned them. Thank the fates it didn¡¯t keep us from finding you, or it would¡¯ve been my faultpletely.¡± ¡°Carlos called them traffickers. Said he¡¯d heard there were shifters selling shifters but hadn¡¯t believed it. What do you think they¡¯re selling them for? It can¡¯t all be sex traffic because they had a male shifter in a cage when I was in the warehouse.¡± ¡°Yeah, they captured us when we first showed up and put us in cages, too.¡± Garrett tugged on his ear like he was embarrassed. ¡°Amber picked the locks to get us out. But I did wonder why they didn¡¯t just kill us.¡± ¡°They were shifters themselves, right? Not humans who want to study our genes or something.¡± ¡°Smelled like shifters to me, although I didn¡¯t see any of them shift. They had guns they probably thought would work to defend themselves. I killed them before they had a chance.¡± ¡°What if they¡¯re shifters unable to shift? Carlos said his pack is full of them from too much in-breeding. I forget what he called them-defectives or something. That¡¯s why their council bought me-to rejuvenate the bloodline.¡± ¡°Carlos. Is that his name? The guy you didn¡¯t want me to kill?¡± Oh lordy. Just hearing his name brings on a rush of pain. I duck my head. ¡°Yeah.¡± Garrett reaches out and touches my knee. ¡°Did he hurt you, sis?¡± The victim cloak falls on me like a smothering nket. I struggle unsessfully to free myself of its confines and my eyes fill with tears. ¡°No.¡± ¡°But he marked you?¡± Garrett clears his throat, obviously ufortable talking about sex with me, his little sister. ¡°imed you?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± My voicees out as no more than a whisper. ¡°You can tell me, Sedona.¡± I try to swallow down the lump in my throat. ¡°I was jogging on the beach when this guy approaches. Shifter. He says something to me in Spanish, which I can¡¯t understand, and the next thing I know, there¡¯s a dart in the back of my neck and I¡¯m on the sand looking up at four shifters. They put me in a cage and on a ne. I was in and out-I think they re-dosed me with the tranquilizer a few times. I woke up in the warehouse, and then they took me in a van to Carlos¡¯ pack where they sold me to two older men. They sedate me again to get me out of the cage and I wake up in a cell, chained to a bed. I have no idea how they got me to shift back to human form, but thest drug seemed different from the other tranquilizers.¡± Garrett is growling, eyes glowing silver and I shoot him a warning look. We¡¯re on a ne full of humans. I purposely left off the ¡°naked¡± part because I knew he¡¯d go berserk. ¡°Maybe we should talk about thister.¡± ¡°No,¡± Garrett snaps, pulling his alpha obey-me-or-else tone on me. ¡°Tell me now.¡± ¡°I will, if put your wolf away.¡± I¡¯ll obey, but I won¡¯t be treated like a child. It¡¯s time for my father and brother to learn that. Amber¡¯s fingers squeeze his and I¡¯m soothed, knowing he¡¯s taken a mate who obviously cares and supports him. Garrett cracks his neck, like he¡¯s about to go into a fight. ¡°I¡¯m in control.¡± I snort, but continue. ¡°The door opens and Carlos enters. He acts shocked and walks over to free me and they lock him in.¡± Garrett¡¯s eyes narrow and I know what he¡¯s thinking. It totally could¡¯ve been a setup. ¡°He shifts out of rage and tears around the room for a while, but they don¡¯t open the door. They keep us in there together over the full moon until we mated, then they hit us both with tranquilizers. I woke up locked in a bedroom upstairs. Carlos sent the boy to set me free when you guys showed up.¡± Garrett¡¯s face crinkles into a grimace but it seems he has no words. Amber supplies them. ¡°No closure. That must make it even harder.¡± I blink back tears, grateful she identified my mise. I shouldn¡¯t need someone else to tell me why I¡¯m so mixed up, but I do. ¡°Yeah,¡± I choke. ¡°You have to tell me something.¡± Garrett¡¯s frowning. ¡°Was it rape, Sedona?¡± My face grows hot. I shouldn¡¯t have to talk about my most intimate moments with members of my family like this, but I get it. Garrett¡¯s going to go back and kill Carlos if I say yes. I¡¯m d I don¡¯t have to lie. ¡°No.¡± His shoulders rx a bit. ¡°So you believe he had nothing to do with it? He was a victim like you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me victim.¡± Garrett studies me. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Yes, I think so, to answer your question. But I¡¯m not positive. If he were in on it, why would he let me go?¡± ¡°Because we were going to kill everyst one of them and he knew they¡¯d lose you anyway?¡± My sr plexus tightens. ¡°Right. That¡¯s a possibility.¡± Garrett turns to his mate. ¡°Do you get anything on the guy?¡± I don¡¯t understand what he¡¯s asking her at first, but Amber closes her eyes and I remember that he said she¡¯s a psychic. Daggers of anticipation stab me. Do I want to hear her answer? What if she tells me Carlos was a fraud? My stomach turns just thinking about it.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Amber shakes her head and I hold my breath. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Thank the fates. She leans past Garrett to look at me. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have anything of his that I could hold? We found that helped when I was trying to locate you.¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± I left with nothing but the stupid nightdress thingy they put me in. Fortunately, Garrett brought my suitcase from San Carlos so I don¡¯t have to fly home in it. Trey¡¯s head appears from the row in front of us. ¡°What about the mark? His essence is embedded there.¡± Nice to know our conversation waspletely un-private. I should have remembered my brother¡¯s pack members were right in front of us and could hear every word. Shifter hearing picks up far more than human ears can detect. Oh well. There¡¯s rarely any privacy in a pack, anyway. I cover my healing wound and lean toward the window, away from Amber, even though she hasn¡¯t reached for me. I don¡¯t want to hear what her psychic abilities tell her. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she says softly. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should trust my visions to make any decisions, anyway.¡± Garrett frowns. ¡°Your visions are the reason we found Sedona. We trust them. You should, too.¡± He reaches up to rub away the line between Amber¡¯s brows. The gesture is sweet and it makes me smile. I love seeing this side of him. I always knew my brother would make a great mate, but he¡¯d never been interested in iming a female until now. He could¡¯ve had the pick of any litter-in any pack, but he only went through the motions when our father held inter-pack mating games up in Phoenix. And no, they never let me participate, not that I had any interest, either. Trey shrugs and turns back around. He¡¯s like a second brother to me-all of Garrett¡¯s pack members are. I¡¯d trust them with my life, know they¡¯d do anything for me, any time. But it¡¯s not because they care so much about me. it¡¯s because of whose sister I am. Up in Phoenix it¡¯s because of whose daughter I am. That¡¯s why hanging out with humans in college had been so refreshing for me. Except when I think about my friends now, it¡¯s with total emptiness. I can¡¯t exin any of this to them. What would I say? 81 Pressure builds behind my eyes and nose as the confining of victimhood descends again. Hot tears sting my eyes. ¡°Hey.¡± Garrett grasps my nape but I shake him off. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back to school,¡± I choke. I only have one quarter left. It would be stupid not to finish, but the idea of returning to the silly farce I¡¯d been living, pretending to fit in with humans, makes me physically ill. I texted my human friends this morning to let them know that I¡¯m okay, and that I had a harrowing experience with some Mexican drug lords, but that I need some time to recover. Away from Tucson. It¡¯s not true, but I don¡¯t want them showing up at my door with sympathy on their faces, making me out to be the victim. ¡°Okay. You don¡¯t have to.¡± Our parents might have something different to say about that decision, but Garrett holds my gaze, brows lifted with finality. I see a promise in his eyes. Somehow, he dealt with our dad up on the mountain. Made him listen and not fight. I don¡¯t know how he did that, because our dad¡¯s the world¡¯s biggest alpha-hole. But Garrett¡¯s bigger now. Younger. The days of my dad kicking his ass are over. Maybe the power has shifted. I was surprised he epted Garrett¡¯s choice of mate without ripping into him. ¡°What do you want to do, sis?¡± ¡°Backpack across Europe,¡± I blurt. Garrett blinks at me. I bite my lips. What was I thinking? I can practically see him trying not to say ¡°no fucking way.¡± I mean, he barely let me go to San Carlos for spring break and look how that turned out for me. The idea of them letting me tool around Europe on my own isughable. And, yeah, even though I¡¯m twenty-one years old, I¡¯m still looking to my folks and Garrett to ¡°let¡± me do things. Of course, they do support me-I live in one of the apartment buildings Garrett owns, and my parents pay all my other expenses. Only you can live your life. You should be free to make your choices. The best advice I ever got, delivered to me in a dungeon by a man more imprisoned by tradition and pack history than I¡¯ll ever be. Promise me. Garrett arrives at his decision. ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen.¡± Shocker. I turn my head to the window to end the conversation. I might not be locked in a cell anymore, but I¡¯m still an overprotected pack princess. I¡¯ll never be free. ~.~ Council Elder ¡°How did the Americans find us?¡± I ask the four wrinkled faces of my fellow council members gathered in the meeting room. The trail should have been untraceable. Don Jose snips the end of an eight hundred dor Cohiba cigar and lights it. It¡¯s Cuban, from a limited edition box produced in 2007. I know, because I¡¯m the one who bought it at auctionst year for council meetings. Jose slides the box to the man at his left. ¡°Through the traffickers. Or the Harvester.¡± Not the Harvester. Probably the traffickers. ¡°I¡¯ll go down to el D. F.¡±-what Mexicans call Mexico City-¡°to pay them a visit.¡± I don¡¯t mention that I¡¯ve already tried calling them in Mexico City. Relentlessly. The Americans stopped there first, I fear. So either someone sold us out, or they¡¯re all dead. If it¡¯s the former, they¡¯d all be dead by the time I finish with them. But I¡¯ll give them to Carlos, to appease his thirst for vengeance. Hell, I¡¯ll take him there myself and watch him do it. It will be good for my research to watch him in action. I haven¡¯t seen the alpha fight yet. ¡°What about the boy? He didn¡¯t fight to keep her.¡± Don Mateo takes his turn with the cigar box, holding one up to his nose and inhaling deeply. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s not truly bonded?¡± It¡¯s indicative of how little power Carlos has here that we call him the boy rather than the alpha. But we need to be careful. He¡¯s angry with us now, which may cause unforeseen ripples. I would have preferred a much simpler n with in vitro fertilization procedures. ¡°I think Carlos may be more valiant than selfish.¡± I pace the room. ¡°He may have wanted to spare our pack¡¯s blood.¡± ¡°Or his own,¡± Don Mauricio says drily. ¡°No. He¡¯s not a coward. The boy is intelligent.¡± He is my great-nephew after all. ¡°His American business college taught him to strategize. He made the best decision he knew how to protect both the girl and the pack. Don¡¯t think he won¡¯t go after her when the dust settles.¡± ¡°Do you know which servant set her free? Juanito?¡± Don Jose asks. ¡°Yes, but leave it. Carlos will protect him from punishment and we don¡¯t want to anger the alpha any more. If the only pack member in his corner is a nine-year-old boy and a crazy mother, we could do worse.¡± The men around the table chuckle with me. ¡°I¡¯ll take Carlos to the traffickers. Let him win this round. He¡¯s had his say and his way. He¡¯ll go after the female and bring her back, hopefully pregnant with his young.¡± ¡°How can you be sure?¡± I lift my shoulders. ¡°He¡¯s an alpha male at the peak of virility. His wolf will demand he be near her.¡± ¡°And if he chooses to stay away?¡± Don Mateo asks. I smile. ¡°All the better. We only need his young.¡± And I would love to keep his body for experimentation. Carlos I sit in my mother¡¯s bedroom and watch her move around the breakfast food on the tray in front of her. Her eyes are ssy, face pale. It¡¯s been three interminable days since Sedona left. Three days, one hour and forty-three minutes, to be exact. Maria Jose, Juanito¡¯s mother, pours me a fresh cup of coffee, milky and smooth. I love the coffee grown here on our mountain. I¡¯ve been drinking it since I was a pup. It¡¯s mild enough I can drink it all day long. ¡°When is your fathering in?¡± my mother asks me. My chest tightens, as it always does when she forgets he¡¯s dead. ¡°He¡¯s gone, Mama. It¡¯s just me now.¡± I see a flicker of terror in her eyes before it fades and she bends her head to her buttered bread. ¡°I¡­ found a female, Mama.¡± I surprise myself. I didn¡¯t expect to talk about Sedona, but she¡¯s upying every part of my mind. My mother doesn¡¯t understand what I¡¯m saying half the time, but she does now. She lifts her head and stares at me. ¡°She¡¯s American. Her name is Sedona. Very beautiful.¡± Beautiful doesn¡¯t do her justice. Exquisite. Mind-blowing. A perfect ten. She¡¯s magical. My mother stands up as if Sedona is here and I jump to my feet and put a hand on her shoulder, gently pressing her back into her chair. ¡°She¡¯s not here now, Mama.¡± I sit again and pick up my coffee cup, staring into it as I swirl the contents. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she¡¯lle back, actually.¡± There. I admitted it. The dreadful truth I don¡¯t want to even look at. ¡°She didn¡¯t want to be mated.¡± To my horror, tears spring into my mother¡¯s eyes and her lips begin to tremble. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to, either,¡± she says. Oh fates. Why did I open this can of worms? ¡°I know, Mama. That¡¯s why I would never ask her to stay if she doesn¡¯t want to be here.¡± Tears fall freely from my mother¡¯s chocte brown eyes onto the breakfast tray. ¡°Why can¡¯t I go home?¡± she wails. ¡°Mama.¡± I reach across the little table and cover her hand with mine. ¡°Because we can take better care of you here. And I need you-your son,¡± I say, in case she¡¯s forgotten who I am. ¡°Carlos needs you.¡± She breaks into a sob. Fuck. I shove my chair back and walk around to put my arm across her shoulders. ¡°Carlitos.¡± She moans my name like ament. ¡°My only son.¡± My mother had five other pregnancies, but no others came to term. And I¡¯ve been gone all these years., leaving her alone with a pack she never felt was hers. I¡¯m a terrible son. I look over at Maria Jose for help and she immediatelyes forward. ¡°It¡¯s all right Dona Carmelita. You¡¯re just sad because you haven¡¯t had your pills yet today.¡± She picks up a little cup of prescription medications from the tray and shakes them so they rattle around. ¡°Take these and you¡¯ll feel better.¡± My mother shoves them away, scattering the pills on the floor and Maria Jose drops to her knees to collect them. I help her. ¡°Does she usually take them willingly?¡± Maria Jose shrugs. ¡°Sometimes. I never know how she will be.¡± ¡°What happens when she won¡¯t take them?¡± ¡°I hide them in her food if I can. If not, they have shots I can give her, but she hates that.¡± I drop the pills I collected back in the cup Maria Jose holds. ¡°Thank you.¡± I catch her eye and hold it. ¡°You¡¯ve taken care of her for all these years. I am grateful to you.¡± ¡°Don Carlos¡­¡± Maria Jose nces toward the door, then back to me. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What if¡­¡± She draws in a breath. The fingers gripping the cup of pills turn white with tension. ¡°What if these aren¡¯t what she needs?¡± I stare at her, trying to understand what she¡¯s saying. ¡°You think they¡¯re the wrong meds for her? They do more harm than good?¡± She bobs her head. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a way¡­ you could check?¡± She darts a nce at the door again.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Don Santiago,¡± I say, moving toward the door. Don Santiago, my grandfather¡¯s brother, has a Ph. D. in biochemistry. He¡¯s not exactly a doctor, but he acts as the medical consultant to the pack. ¡°No!¡± Maria Jose grabs my arm, the whites of her eyes sh with panic. She immediately releases my arm, no doubt realizing how inappropriate it is for her to grab an alpha. Ducking her head, she tilts the cup of pills back and forth with a shaky hand. ¡°Someone else,¡± she whispers. ¡°Not from the pack. Take her to the city. To America. Don¡¯t ask Don Santiago.¡± My skin prickles with what she¡¯s not saying. It¡¯s my turn to grip her. I grasp both her upper arms and squeeze until she looks up. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I ask Don Santiago?¡± There¡¯s menace in my voice. I don¡¯t mean it toward her, but my aggressiones out at the suggestion that the wolf treating my mother might not be trustworthy. Poor Maria Jose twists in my grasp. ¡°Please, senor. It¡¯s nothing. Forget what I said. I beg you.¡± ¡°No, Maria Jose. Tell me. You think I should ask someone besides Don Santiago. Why?¡± Maria Jose blinks rapidly, still shifting against my grasp on her. I ease my clenched fingers, fearing I bruised her. ¡°I am stupid,¡± she mutters, but it sounds more to herself than to me. ¡°I meant nothing by it. Do not consider the words of an idiot servant.¡± She yanks again against my grasp and this time I let her go. 82 Ropes of unease twist in my stomach. There¡¯s something going on here I don¡¯t like. Not at all. I watch, my mind whirling as Maria Jose coaxes my mother, docile now, into taking her pills. I consider my options. Wolves don¡¯t generally require a doctor¡¯s care, as we heal quickly and rarely suffer disease, but there may be some kind of shifter physician in the United States. I just don¡¯t know. I kiss my mother on the head and leave for my room, which doubles as my office. In the days since Sedona left, I¡¯ve been making lists and rearranging the ns and ideas I had for the growth and modernization of Monte Lobo. Most of it requires money, which means I need to investigate the finances of the pack, figure out what we have avable to spend. The trouble is, I¡¯ve asked the council for the ounting five times and have yet to receive anything. I also haven¡¯t decided what to do about the damn council. I need to strip them of some of their power, punish their actions against me. But before I do that, I need to truly understand all the dynamics afoot here. I don¡¯t have any support from the pack members, and why should I? I haven¡¯t been here to lead them. And without the pack, with the council calling me as crazy as my mother, I could easily wind up in that fucking cell again. Or dead. But that part doesn¡¯t worry me. It¡¯s thoughts of my mother¡¯s safety that has me cautious. The council can be vicious-I¡¯ve seen it before. I remember once, as a boy, smelling the blood from their meeting room as they called pack members in for untold crimes. There was secrecy and fear to the proceedings. Whispers and terror. My father had been away. When he came back, I remember him shouting at the council, arguing with them for hours, but nothing happened. Had he been as ineffectual as I am against them? Why? How long has this form of pack rule been in ce on Monte Lobo? Because it sure as hell isn¡¯t wolf nature. No other packs in the world are run this way, as far as I know. But just because things have always been this way doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t change them. I just need to be smart. Have a n. I rub my face as I walk to my room. It¡¯s the master suite of the hacienda, the room that used to belong to my parents. They gave it to me when I returned as an empty symbol of my alpha status. I stand at the window and stare out. It¡¯s hard to get my brain to focus on anything besides Sedona. I still imagine I smell her on my fingers, taste her on my tongue. The image of her smile, her lovely long legs, that perfect body, ys in front of my eyes over and over again. I hear her husky voice. Dream of iming her over and over again, all night long. My days are an endless torture of Sedona memories. And I can¡¯t stand that I haven¡¯t even spoken to her since she left. I don¡¯t even know herst name. Her phone number. Her address. But it¡¯s better this way. What would I say, after all? I¡¯m sorry my pack held you prisoner. I never want to do that to you, so have a nice life? I sigh and stab my fingers through my hair. A knock sounds at my door. ¡°Come in.¡± Don Santiago opens the door and saunters in. I turn back to the window. ¡°When will you produce the traffickers?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t get them by phone. It¡¯s possible the Americans already took care of them. I have the address of their warehouse if you want to check it out.¡± I¡¯m both surprised and suspicious by this offer. Why wasn¡¯t it made initially? ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°In el D. F.¡± Mexico City. That tracks with what Sedona told me. ¡°When will you look in on your female?¡± I jerk around, surprised by the assumption in the question. ¡°If she¡¯s pregnant, you¡¯ll have to take responsibility for the child.¡± Pregnant. I¡¯m sure the blood drains from my face. Why hadn¡¯t I considered the possibility? Sedona could be carrying my pup right now. She may need me. These past few days I thought I was doing her a favor by staying away, but what if I¡¯m actually not owning up to my duty to her? If she¡¯s carrying my child, I owe her my support, my protection. Sedona, pregnant. Oh fates. The thought makes me want to run and howl, whether from joy or desperation, I¡¯m not sure. All the itchiness to be near Sedonaes screaming to the surface. I¡¯ve been fighting it, but now, with this thought of my beautiful female alone, abandoned and pregnant, I can¡¯t stay still. I fly into motion, packing a suitcase before I¡¯ve even admitted to myself what I¡¯m doing. ¡°I will take you into el D. F., I have an errand there,¡± Don Santiago says casually. ¡°You can check out the warehouse before you go.¡± I¡¯ve just been yed and I don¡¯t give a shit. I can¡¯t think of anything except getting to Sedona. I need to find her, verify she¡¯s safe, and make her every promise she deserves. I will be there for her. I will provide. Protect. Whether she wants it or not. Sedona I park my Jeep outside Garrett¡¯s apartment building and get out. It¡¯s a Friday night, so Garrett should be working at his nightclub, but with a new mate, he might be home. I¡¯m not here to see him, though. That¡¯s the point ofing on a Friday night. I want to talk to Amber, his mate. Because in addition to my mind twisting around and around what happened between Carlos and me, I have a new anxiety. A huge one. A looming question I would have to wait a week or two to get an answer on¡­ unless I were psychic. I enter the building and take the elevator up to the fourth floor. I know Amber¡¯s apartment is next door to Garrett¡¯s. I¡¯m assuming they¡¯re staying there, since Garrett lives with Trey and Jared, and I doubt Amber wanted in on that frat party. I scent Amber inside the door to the left of Garrett¡¯s and I knock. I hear her on the other side and I don¡¯t catch Garrett¡¯s fresh scent. ¡°Amber? It¡¯s Sedona.¡± The door swings wide. ¡°Sedona.¡± Amber¡¯s blonde hair is pulled up into a French twist and she¡¯s still wearing her work clothes, looking sexy in a silk blouse and pencil skirt. Seeing her like this, it strikes me again how she¡¯s not the kind of female I would have thought Garrett would pick. She¡¯s sleek and refined where he¡¯s all rough edges and brute force, but her warmth is real as she invites me in. ¡°Garrett¡¯s not here, but he was going to try toe home early.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. I came to see you, actually.¡± She doesn¡¯t seem surprised. I guess psychics know when you¡¯reing. ¡°Do you want something to drink?¡± She walks over to the refrigerator in her bare feet and pulls it open. ¡°I don¡¯t have much, but there¡¯s some ginger ale Garrett brought over. And beer.¡± She looks quizzically over her shoulder. ¡°Ginger ale sounds great.¡± I ept the frosty bottle and Amber grabs an opener out of a drawer. She pops hers first and passes it to me and I trade her for the one in my hand. I look around her apartment. It¡¯s sparkly clean but not neat, if that makes sense. No dirt or dust, but there are papers scattered on the desk and a pair of high heels unceremoniously discarded by the front door. ¡°So, um¡­ how are you feeling?¡± Amber asks. Ugh. This is definitely not the conversation I want to have, even though I know she¡¯s genuinely asking and seems to care about my response. I draw a breath andunch into why I¡¯m here. ¡°I know I didn¡¯t want you to, um, use your abilities to tell me anything about Carlos, but¡­¡± I swallow. It¡¯s harder to say than I expect. ¡°I just wondered if-I mean, I started worrying-¡± I walk around her living room, not able to face her directly. ¡°Yes.¡± She whispers it, and it flips every hair on my arms. But I don¡¯t even know if she¡¯s answering the right question. I whirl around and stare at her. She flushes, uncertainty creeping over her expression, as if a direct mirror of my feelings. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m pregnant?¡± I blurt. She flushes deeper and nods. ¡°That¡¯s what I saw.¡± I clutch a chair back to keep from falling over. The room spins around me and the floor possibly tilts as well. I don¡¯t know what I think or feel, but my gut believes she¡¯s right. My gut knew two days ago, I just didn¡¯t allow myself to listen. Crap! ¡°Are you sure?¡± The doorknob turns and I curse inwardly as Garrett¡¯s hulking formes through, carrying a box of takeout food. ¡°Sure about what?¡± His voice is sharp. Of course he heard, he¡¯s a shifter. ¡°Did you tell him?¡± I ask weakly, still holding onto the chair to stay upright. Amber¡¯s gaze darts from me to Garrett. ¡°No.¡± Garrett stalks over, crushing the box of takeout in his hand. Someone who didn¡¯t know my brother is a giant teddy bear to the women he loves might be afraid. His pack members would straighten up to see the silver glint in his eyes. I¡¯m not scared, though, and neither is Amber, although I sense her difort. She steps forward to salvage the box of food, shifting it swiftly to the counter before all the contents dump from the mangled cardboard. ¡°Tell me what?¡± I force myself to breathe. Amber doesn¡¯t answer, probably respecting my right to tell him or not. My hand moves to protect my lower abdomen and Garrett¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°Oh fuck.¡± He falls back and drops onto the couch. ¡°I need to sit down.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± I manage. Garrett scrubs his face. ¡°Oh kiddo. I should¡¯ve thought of this possibility. I was just so worried about getting you free and your mental state.¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I know,¡± I croak. ¡°Me too.¡± Garrett lifts his face from his hands and jumps to his feet, stalking over to me. He takes both my elbows. ¡°I¡¯ll stand by you, whatever you decide to do.¡± I tug away from him, hating the close scrutiny. I appreciate what he¡¯s saying, but my mama wolf growls at the suggestion I do anything but keep my pup. But will I be able to keep him or her? I moisten my lips. ¡°Wh-what do you think Carlos will do if he finds out?¡± My brother¡¯s lips tighten and his chest expands and I know he¡¯d do anything in his power to protect me or my pup from any threat. ¡°If he even tries to take that pup from you-¡± ¡°You think he will?¡± I cut in. Garrett¡¯s lips tug downward. ¡°Every mated male wolf needs to protect his female. Multiply that need by one hundred for an alpha male. And an alpha male with a pregnant female?¡± Garrett shakes his head. ¡°It would take an entire pack to keep him away.¡± I should have let Garrett hold onto me, because the floor tilts sideways again. My blood plummets to my feet. I can¡¯t put Garrett¡¯s or my father¡¯s packs at danger. But maybe Carlos won¡¯t find out. He hasn¡¯te looking for me yet-hasn¡¯t made any attempt to contact me. Maybe I can keep the fact that I conceived a pup a secret from his pack. ¡°I¡¯m moving you into this apartment building. It¡¯s where I wanted you from the start,¡± Garrett deres. I remember the argument. I¡¯d begged him to let me stay in one of his buildings closer to campus-and further from his watchful eye. He¡¯d relented, because even though he¡¯s an overprotective alpha, he¡¯s also a sweetheart. ¡°I-¡± I start to argue, then change my mind. Better not to tell him what I¡¯m thinking. ¡°Okay.¡± Garrett¡¯s shoulders sag. ¡°I¡¯ll get the pack over first thing tomorrow. Don¡¯t worry-they¡¯ll do everything. You don¡¯t have to worry about a thing, okay, kiddo?¡± I nod, but I¡¯m already heading out the door. ¡°Okay, thanks. Thank you, Amber.¡± I turn the doorknob. ¡°Maybe you should stay in my ce tonight,¡± Garrett says. I knew that wasing. ¡°No, I¡¯ll be fine. Tomorrow is soon enough. Good night.¡± I leave before he can think about it any harder. Carlos maye looking for me, and if he does, I need to be long gone from Tucson. In fact, I¡¯m safer if no one knows where I am. 83 CarlosThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. I lurk in the shadows of Sedona¡¯s apartment building like a thief. I guess I am a thief waiting to steal-what? Sedona¡¯s heart? Her body? Carajo, I¡¯d settle for a few minutes of her time. She isn¡¯t home at the moment, though. Finding her took little effort. Rather than ask around in the shiftermunity, which would alert her brother¡¯s pack to my presence, I searched for the word Sedona and University of Arizona art until I found a mention of an art show she participated in and discovered herst name. From there, I researched until I found an address, which I prayed was still current. Judging by her scent lingering around an upstairs apartment, it is. Now, just being close to where she lives, close to seeing her, my flesh pricks with anticipation. I can¡¯t get the image of her swollen, freshly kissed lips out of my head. Or the way hershes fluttered just before she came. And oh, fates, her taste. I¡¯m dying to get between those beautiful thighs again and lick her until she screams. My Sedona. A Jeep pulls up and I know before I even see the figure behind the wheel that it¡¯s her. She climbs out, looking every inch the goddess of youth and fertility. Her chestnut hair is pulled back in a thick ponytail that swings when she walks. She¡¯s wearing a pair of short shorts, her long legs tan and sleek. Oh hell, the curve of her ass almost shows in the back where they¡¯re cut off. A low growl rumbles in my throat thinking of all the males who have seen her dressed this way. I don¡¯t think she heard me, but she tosses a nce over her shoulder and picks up her pace. I slink along the side of the building as she approaches the front door. Fuck. There¡¯s a key card to get in. It must only be locked at night, because I¡¯d walked right in earlier. She slips through and shuts the door, peering out into the darkness like she knows I¡¯m here. Dammit. I freeze, ducking back into the shadows. When she disappears, I creep closer to check out the door situation. I¡¯m in luck. A couplees out, arguing about something and I move swiftly forward, walking like I own the ce, and catch the door. There¡¯s an elevator, but I take the stairs, calling on a little shifter power to mount them at full speed. Ie out on the third floor at the same time the elevator opens. Sedona sees me and her eyes widen. ¡°Carlos.¡± I start forward, but her next words stop me in my tracks. ¡°Did the council send you?¡± ¡°What?¡± I swallow a growl. ¡°No. Of course not.¡± Even if Santiago mentioned it, the idea was already in my head. ¡°They¡¯re lucky to be alive, after the stunt they pulled. I came because I had to see you.¡± I spread my hands. ¡°It¡¯s just me, Sedona. I am alone.¡± I wish I could report to her that I avenged her kidnapping, but when I arrived at the warehouse, I found the ce cordoned off with yellow police tape, and steeped in the scent of shifter blood. Santiago was probably right, her family¡¯s pack got there first. Sedona nods slowly, but to my shock, she turns and bolts for her apartment like she thinks she can outrun me. She should know better than to run from an alpha wolf. Stopping the impulse to chase is impossible for me. I¡¯m on her before I can even send the impulse to my brain to hold back. I grab her at the door and band one arm around her waist, catch the wrist holding her key to the lock with the other. Her scent doesn¡¯t help me get my wolf in check. It¡¯s like apples and sunshine, even better than I remembered. Intoxicating. I don¡¯t pick up the scent of pregnancy, but it would be too early. I bury my face in her shoulder, drag my lips up the column of her neck. My cock, already heavy from the mere sight of her, stiffens in my pants. ¡°Sedona, beautiful she-wolf, why are you afraid of me?¡± She is afraid-trembling even-and that¡¯s the part that makes me a sick fuck for not letting go of her. But I can¡¯t make myself, because now that she¡¯s in my arms, I¡¯m incapable of releasing her. Her back presses against my chest with each breath she takes, and I have the perfect view of her cleavage, rising and falling. I¡¯m reassured by the fact that her nipples are hard, tenting her thin fitted t-shirt. Her body remembers its master. Drunk on the feel of her, I slide my palm inside her shirt, up to one hand-sized breast, which I squeeze and knead, memorizing the weight, the size, the softness. Her breath whooshes out on an exhale. ¡°G-get off me.¡± Her voice doesn¡¯t match the words and my wolf doesn¡¯t believe her. ¡°Do you think I would ever hurt you, beautiful?¡± I nip her earlobe. The scent of her arousal reaches my nostrils and I breathe deep. ¡°N-no.¡± ¡°Did you just want to make me chase you?¡± I bring the fingers of my other hand to cup her mons, pressing my middle finger into the seam of her shorts. Her head falls back and she lets out a breathy moan that goes straight to my cock. Even through the material of her shorts and panties, I note her growing dampness as I press my fingers against her heat. ¡°I will always give chase, angel.¡± I scrape my teeth over her shoulder, over the ce I marked her less than a week ago. ¡°Because you belong to me.¡± She stiffens and I realize immediately my colossal mistake. ¡°I do not belong to you.¡± This time when she pulls away, I reluctantly release her. ¡°Just because you marked me, doesn¡¯t mean you own me. That¡¯s why I ran.¡± She shoves her key into the lock, but her fingers tremble too much to get it in the first time, giving me a few precious seconds to try to regain footing. ¡°Sedona. I¡¯m sorry.¡± I p my hand over the lock before she can try again. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. My wolf is growling to reim you, that¡¯s all.¡± I lean my other hand against the door, caging her between my arms, crowding her against the door with the heat of my torso. ¡°I¡¯m not so stupid or chauvinistic to think I have any rights to you. I came because I wanted to make sure you were all right. I couldn¡¯t stay away.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re going to have to. I need space, Carlos.¡± She turns, her soft curves brushing against my clothes, setting mes aze everywhere she touches. She puts a hand on my chest and tries to shove. She¡¯s an alpha she-wolf, so she¡¯s strong, but I still don¡¯t budge. ¡°Don¡¯t make me call my brother, Carlos. One word from me and he¡¯ll rip you apart.¡± I hate the direction this is going. I fucked everything up. Her brother might try, but I¡¯m certain no wolf could keep me away from Sedona, if I¡¯m under challenge. But I don¡¯t want to fight her family. ¡°You could have sent him after me at Monte Lobo, but you didn¡¯t.¡± Her bravado cracks and pain flits over her face. ¡°You let me go,¡± she whispers. I can¡¯t decide if she¡¯s thanking me or admonishing me. The idea that she wouldn¡¯t want to be released never urred to me, and believing she might have been hurt by my actions makes me want to stab a knife through my chest. But she wouldn¡¯t have wanted to stay. That¡¯s impossible. The agony of not knowing what she means makes me bold. Without touching her with my hands, I crush my mouth over hers, pushing until her head bumps the door. Once I have leverage, I lick into her lips, twisting mine and tilting my head for the best angle. If she hadn¡¯t kissed me back, I would have retreated-no matter what my wolf wanted-but she melts into the kiss, her tongue meeting mine, lips moving against mine. Until she bites my lower lip, hard enough to draw blood. I freeze as she holds it fast, tugging backward. When she releases it, there¡¯s a ze of anger and defiance in her beautiful blue eyes. ¡°Back off, Carlos.¡± I immediately retreat, hands in the air. Fuck. Stop thinking with your dick, asshole. ¡°Sedona, please. No ims on you. I just want¡±-I rack my brain for right thing to say- ¡°A date with you. Let me take you to dinner-to breakfast-anything. Meet me in a public ce. I won¡¯t touch you, I just want a chance to be near you. To talk. Please?¡± Sedona nods, but she¡¯s ducking her head back to the door, not meeting my eye. ¡°Yeah, okay. Tomorrow night. Seven o¡¯clock.¡± She unlocks her door and steps into her apartment, clicking it shut without a backward nce. My wolf fist pumps, but my brain knows better. She has no intention of meeting me tomorrow. She just said whatever it took to end the conversation. I tunnel my fingers through my hair and stare at the tile floor of the hallway. Carajo. I won her body with the help of the full moon and a confined space. But how do I win her heart? 84 Sedona Three a. m., my rm goes off. I¡¯m up, out of bed and dragging out my small purple rolly-suitcase. The same one I¡¯d taken to San Carlos just over a week ago. A lifetime ago. If I were smart, I¡¯d go to the bank and drain my ounts to take cash, but there¡¯s no time. I found a flight to Paris at quarter to seven, and I n to be on it. I need to get out of town, out of the country, now. You should be free to make your choices, he told me. Yeah, right. He may believe that in theory, but the minute Carlos finds out I¡¯m carrying his pup, I¡¯ll be lucky if he doesn¡¯t drag me back to the dungeon cell himself. He won¡¯t be able to help himself. Just like he couldn¡¯t keep from marking me. Alpha wolves are dominant wolves. Possessive. Controlling. Even domineering. ¡°He has no im on me,¡± I mutter, as I toss shirts and changes of panties into my bag. A dress, a pair of boots. My lips tingle at the memory of his kiss, and I wipe the ghost of his touch away. ¡°I was just a convenient piece of ass. I am not his mate.¡± Ignoring my wolf¡¯s protest, I stuff another pair of jeans into the suitcase and zip it up. I have no clue what to pack for Europe, but I¡¯m guessing they have ces that sell clothes. If I need something, I can buy it. That¡¯s if my dad doesn¡¯t shut down my credit card to force me home. Thank the fates I¡¯d gone to the trouble of getting a passport to go to San Carlos. My phone dings when the Uber arrives. I wave the driver off when he tries to help me throw my suitcase in the trunk and do it myself, then jump in the back of his car, twisting around to scan the area around us. No one is around, but the back of my neck prickles like I¡¯m being watched. I check in at the airport, buy a bottle of water and tell my racing heart to calm down. There¡¯s no way he knows I¡¯m here. But telling myself that doesn¡¯t help. I can still feel him, as if he¡¯s just touched me and stepped away. I barely sleptst night and when I did, my dreams were all of Carlos. My skin is itchy with the need to shift, as if I might be under attack at any moment. But that¡¯s silly. Carlos wouldn¡¯t attack me. He said he just wanted to talk. Go on a date, like a normal couple. What would it be like to date Carlos? The thought of sitting across from him at a candlelit table appeals more than I¡¯d care to admit. If only we¡¯d met under different circumstances. I indulge in a silly fantasy-Carlos is visiting the States, maybe setting up trade for his pack. We meet by chance-pass each other in a hallway, or hees to my art show. No, he¡¯s ahead of me in line at Starbucks. He scents me, recognizes what I am and turns, his dark eyes glimmering with interest. We flirt. He asks me to dinner. I¡¯m charmed by him, attracted to his good looks, enthralled with his intelligence and aplishments. He tells me about Monte Lobo.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Ugh. Or not. A happier topic, then. He tells me funny stories from his college days. Woos me into bed with him. My first time is jittery and exciting. He makes it ultra-romantic, pouring fresh wine into sses. He¡¯s gentle and sensitive. Hmm. Or not. Somehow this fantasy falls totally t. I guess I prefer the wild roughness of the way he took me in Monte Lobo. Did you just want to make me chase you? A new fantasy floats into my mind. We¡¯re in the woods, but in human form. I¡¯m running, he¡¯s giving chase. He tackles me to the ground, pins my wrists over my head as he shoves into me. I throw my head back, cry out at the mixture of pain and pleasure. He ims what he desires, so impassioned, he¡¯s unable to stop himself. I moan and writhe beneath him, resisting, but only because I love feeling his strength, having him hold me down and force me¡­ I squeeze my thighs to alleviate the pulse of heat starting there. Twitch them together when that doesn¡¯t work. Damn. I¡¯ll feel better once there¡¯s an ocean between us. I¡¯ll have some space and time to consider my options, decide how to proceed. Maybe when I get home, I¡¯ll allow Carlos to court me, as he suggested. Except then what? Am I going to get serious with the male from a pack that bought me? That considers me a prize for their alpha? How would a rtionship look? Would I move to Monte Lobo? Never! And I couldn¡¯t ask an alpha wolf to abandon his pack for me. No, the best thing is to keep this pregnancy a secret and never have contact with Carlos again. Maybe when our pup reaches adulthood, I¡¯ll tell him or her the truth about how he or she was conceived. But I have eighteen years to figure that part out. For now, my decision is made. No more Carlos. I may be marked, but it doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t find happiness with another wolf. One who will defend me and my pup against Carlos and his pack. Why does that thought bring on a nasty wave of nausea? Okay, maybe I won¡¯t find another wolf. I¡¯ll marry my art, find happiness that way. Promise me. I rub my chest as if I can will the ache away. It probably won¡¯t always hurt this bad. Will it? 85 Carlos I buy a University of Arizona t-shirt and ball cap and aftershave at the airport sundry shop. I step into the men¡¯s room and ther the aftershave over my face, neck and hands to mask my scent. I change out of my button-down, wrinkled from the long night I spent dozing in my rental car outside Sedona¡¯s building. I purposely bought the red t-shirt in a size toorge, so I won¡¯t call attention to my muscled shifter physique. Not that I think women will throw themselves at me, but I¡¯d rather blend in as the average American today. Or average Mexican-American, of which there are plenty in Tucson. If I concentrate, I can even speak without any ent. I rip the tag off the ball cap and pull it low over my eyes, then survey myself in the mirror. It will do. Now, I just need to remember to reapply the aftershave during the flight, and with any luck, Sedona won¡¯t scent me while I¡¯m on the ne with her. All the way to Paris. It was tricky to lurk behind her, close enough to overhear her book her flight, but far enough away not to trigger her sensitive sense of smell, but I did it. I adopt a casual walk as I head out of the bathroom and pass our gate, choosing instead to sit at the one across the way. The one that gives me an excellent view of my beautiful mate. Her hair is loose this morning, spilling over her slender shoulders, framing her perky breasts. She¡¯s dressed in a pair of jeans that ought to be illegal on any female with an ass like hers and she¡¯s squeezing her thighs together like¡­ Fuck me! Is she pleasuring herself? Sedona¡¯s cheeks flush and she continues to press her knees together, shifting her hips like she¡¯s turned on. I almost fail to swallow the growl that rises in my throat as I cast my gaze around the seating area with a re. Who has her turned on like that? I will fucking kill them. But I don¡¯t see any male who would arouse her excitement. It must be her own thoughts, then. Could she be thinking of me? That thought nearly brings me to my knees, the desire to spread her creamy thighs and apply my tongue to the pink heart there so overwhelming it makes me dizzy. Sedona. My beautiful she-wolf. I shift to rearrange my straining cock in my jeans. I need her like I need air to breathe. Thankfully, they call our flight, and Sedona gathers her things and stands. Another minute and I would¡¯ve been on the floor between her knees. Giving my presence away. I pick up my bag and stand, entering the middle of the throng, blending in. We board the ne and somehow, I manage to pass Sedona without her noticing me. I take my seat across the aisle and back a few seats and pull my cap even lower over my face. After the ne lifts into the air, Sedona pulls out a sketchbook and flips it open to a nk page. With quick movements of a ck ink pen, she sketches something I can¡¯t see from where I sit. I ache to know what she¡¯s drawing. I¡¯ve never even seen my mate¡¯s art-that guts me. There¡¯s so much I don¡¯t know about her-what she likes, what she doesn¡¯t. Why she wants to go to Paris. I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m doing. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, is the nagging thought that the council conveniently got rid of me before I made them pay for what they did to Sedona. Before I could interfere with the status quo that only benefits them. My pack needs me and I¡¯m out of pocket again. But my wolfpelled me to follow Sedona. Now I¡¯m creeping around like a stalker, hiding in in sight from my mate. What is my n? To convince her to date me in Paris? I actually scoff out loud. If my presence in Tucson upset her enough to leave the country, what makes me think she¡¯ll ever ept me after I¡¯ve followed her halfway across the world? I came to find out if she¡¯s pregnant-to provide for her, and protect her. But it¡¯s too soon to know if she¡¯s with pup, and she obviously isn¡¯t interested in my provisions or protection. Courting her isn¡¯t an option, either. She clearly doesn¡¯t want to see me. And I won¡¯t ever im her against her will. So that leaves me where I am-lurking in shadows. Watching. Waiting to find out if she¡¯s pregnant. Ready to protect her if she needs me. So what will I do if she is carrying my pup? Consternation grinds in me. My options totally suck. Capture her. Or let her go. Fuck. Garrett Sedona doesn¡¯t answer her phone or her door, despite the fact that her car is parked outside. A month ago, I would¡¯ve shrugged such a thing off as another irresponsible college student move. But after what happened to herst week, my paranoia spikes sky high. I pound on her door with my fist, cracking the solid wood. ¡°Sedona!¡± Trey and Jared shift behind me. The rest of my pack will be arriving in a few minutes to move Sedona¡¯s things to my building. ¡°You have a key, you know,¡± Trey reminds me. I curse and pull out my keyring, finding the master to the entire building and inserting it in the lock. Inside, Sedona¡¯s apartment is a mess. Not a mess like it¡¯s been ransacked, just her usual chaotic disaster-area. She definitely hasn¡¯t put any effort into getting packed for the move, but I¡¯d told her not to. I look around the room, my skin prickling with unease. ¡°She left you a note, G.¡± Jared hands me a piece of notebook paper with Sedona¡¯s hasty scrawl. Garrett, I¡¯m heading out of town for a while. Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m fine-just need some time alone to think and process. I love you. XXOO Sedona I crumple the paper up in my hand and hurl it at the wall, unable to stop the roar of frustration that leaves my mouth. Of course, my pack-minus my beta Tank, who is still tied up with the job I gave him of keeping a lid on Foxfire, Amber¡¯s best friend-chooses that moment to show up. They crowd into the room, their hulking bodies filling the small space until it feels like my nightclub on a Saturday night. I bark orders to get things packed up and loaded onto the truck and step outside to try calling my little sister once more. It goes straight to voicemail. Just likest weekend. But she left a note this time. And she¡¯s probably not answering because she doesn¡¯t want me to stop her. I pull out my phone, forcing myself to take a deep breath first to keep from crushing it in my palm. I send a text to Sedona, Please call or text me to let me know you arrived safely. There. Not too intrusive, but clear and firm. The real problem will be keeping my dad from going ballistic. Like when she disappeared, I¡¯m in the position of deciding how much information to feed him and when. And of holding him back from interfering, when my own instincts scream to go barreling after her and make sure she¡¯s safe. But maybe there is a way to make sure. I pick up the crumpled note and shove it in my jeans pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you guys at her new ce,¡± I tell Jared and head outside for my motorcycle. Amber hates being put on the spot as a psychic, but the more she practices using her gifts, the more she¡¯lle to ept this magical side of her. And who better to push her than her new mate? I speed back to my apartment building and find Amber still asleep in bed. Which is where she should be, considering it¡¯s a Saturday and I kept her up most of the night, screaming her releases until she went hoarse. She rolls over, smiling and humming softly when Ie into the room. Her naked body is twisted up in avender sheet and I can¡¯t resist the urge to yank it off and simply stare at what now belongs to me. Amber leans up on her elbows, studying me. Not in the suddenly sex-addled way I¡¯m staring at her, but with concern. As if she can read the emotion I brought in with me. ¡°What is it?¡± I crawl over her and run my tongue over her still-healing wound from where I marked her. Unlike Sedona, whose bite mark closed immediately, Amber is human so her flesh doesn¡¯t regenerate as quickly as ours. My saliva helps speed the process, though. She tilts her head to the side and makes that adorable humming noise again, but she keeps at me. ¡°What happened?¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Sedona¡¯s gone. She left a note that she¡¯s leaving town. I¡¯m guessing she¡¯s acting on her desire to see Europe.¡± I pull the crumpled note out of my pocket and hand it to her. Not for her to read the words, but to sense the energy. We found this method worked in San Carlos with Sedona¡¯s clothing. Amber takes it, but holds my gaze. ¡°Maybe she needs some time to regroup. A change of scenery.¡± ¡°I know. But I hate the thought of her all alone-unprotected. They might go after her-¡± I shut up when I see Amber¡¯s gaze lose focus. She stares through me for a moment, then murmurs, ¡°She¡¯s not unprotected.¡± I stiffen. ¡°Who?¡± But I already know who and it makes me want to kill the motherfucker. ¡°Carlos is following-not to hurt her,¡± Amber adds quickly, her focus returning to my face. ¡°He needs to protect her, but I don¡¯t think he wants topel her.¡± My most protective urges rx but I grumble as I settle beside my incredible mate. ¡°I still don¡¯t like it.¡± Amber blinks several times before she speaks in a faraway voice, ¡°The pregnancy ensures her safety¡­ but not his.¡± 86 Sedona My phone buzzes with an iing text. I set my sketchpad and pencil down on the bench I¡¯m sitting on and fish the phone out of my purse. It¡¯s from Garrett. By some miracle, he hasn¡¯t sent some alpha bullshit message demanding Ie home or hole up in my hotel room until he gets here. Instead, this text is a list of resources-the pack leaders in each country of Europe and where to find them or how to contact them. It¡¯s sweet, but totally unnecessary. I don¡¯t need help. Unless it¡¯s in the form of a date with a vampire to get my memory of Carlos scrubbed. But then I guess I¡¯d be pretty confused about how I got pregnant. Le sigh. I haven¡¯t heard from my parents yet, which means Garrett must not have told them. My mom had nned oning down to be with me in Tucson the minute I got home, but I talked her out of it, which I know hurt her feelings. I just don¡¯t want to be babied by my parents right now. I rub a line on my sketch of the ancient statue Winged Victory of Samothrace. I added Nike¡¯s head and arms back in but created the drawing in simplicity-a children¡¯s book version of the Greek goddess. I have to say, her wings are exquisite. Part of me feels likeing to the Louvre to sketch the art is too cliche-the art student studying the masters. But I actually forgot about Mexico and the pregnancy for a moment here, which is a gift. A girl-maybe nine or ten-stops and looks over my shoulder. ¡°Wow, mom-look, a real live artist is here!¡± She¡¯s American. Very cute. ¡°Shh, don¡¯t bother her, honey.¡± Her mother has that indulgent tone that says she knows her daughter is no bother, but feels obligated to say something, anyway. Humans have been looking over my shoulder all morning, murmuring theirments in variousnguages, but this one is the cutest. I tear the drawing out and hand it to her with a smile. ¡°Is this¡­ free?¡± Judging by her look of incredulity, she thinks I¡¯m on par with Michngelo. This is why I want to illustrate children¡¯s books. Or make greeting cards. Some artists would callmercial art a sell-out but for me it¡¯s not about making money. It¡¯s just the kind of art I like to make. The audience I prefer to reach. ¡°Yep. And it¡¯s just for you. What¡¯s your name?¡± I pull the drawing back and lift my pencil. ¡°Angelina.¡± I write To Angelina, from Sedona, The Louvre and the date. She beams at me as she takes it. ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Her mom cradles her shoulder as they walk away. Angelina turns back. ¡°Your English is really good.¡± Iugh and her mom looks embarrassed. ¡°She¡¯s American, honey.¡± Out of nowhere, Carlos¡¯ scent fills my nostrils. It¡¯s happened at least a half dozen times a day since I left. I think it¡¯s because his essence is embedded in me now. It could drive a she-wolf crazy. Because I seriously don¡¯t know how I¡¯m supposed to get over him when his scent assaults me at every turn. Even a continent away. Not that I ever forget, except that rare moment drawing. Everything reminds me of him. I remember the growl of his voice speaking low in my ear, of hisrge hands coasting over my skin. The way his eyes glowed amber when his wolf came to the surface. And I wonder a million things about him. What it would be like to run with him in wolf form, what he would think of Paris, of my family, of my art. Will I be able to keep the news of this pregnancy from him and his pack? I pick up my pencil and start to sketch again, only this time it¡¯s not Nike, it¡¯s a ck wolf. He¡¯s snarling, teeth bared, fur standing up in a ridge down his back. When I finish, I smudge the fur around his ears and hold it at arms¡¯ length for perspective. Goosebumps prick my skin. It¡¯s Carlos, but I don¡¯t know why I drew him this way. Do I think he¡¯s protecting me? Oring after me? Carlos I watch Sedona head into her hotel room and sag against a wall in defeat. Is it possible to go moon mad when you¡¯ve already taken a mate? Because I seriously can¡¯t stand being near Sedona but not with her. I¡¯m feverish with the need to touch her, to get closer to her. I want to be the recipient of the smiles she reserves only for children. Thank fuck she doesn¡¯t smile at other males or they¡¯d be dead before they hit the floor. I know I¡¯m not thinking straight. I¡¯m drunk on need. I¡¯ve forgotten what I¡¯m doing here.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Or rather I¡¯ve changed my mind a hundred times. Right now, my mind is set on winning Sedona back-not that I ever had her. But she¡¯d been warming up to me back in that cell. If I could just get some extended time with her alone again, I know I can seduce my mate. The physical attraction is strong. We¡¯ll start with sex and build from there. I¡¯ll learn everything else about her and show her I can be the mate she deserves. So. How to get her alone? It¡¯s wrong. So wrong. But I¡¯m an asshole enough to think I can pull it off. I head out of the hotel and find a sex shop. The kind that sells handcuffs. Bondage tape. Ball gags. This could backfire horribly. Or it might be just the thing we need¡­ 87 Sedona I step in yet another puddle and rain water soaks my shoes and socks. It¡¯s rained all day and I¡¯m not as excited as I expected to be walking along Montemartre tracing the steps of Picasso, Renoir, and Degas. I don¡¯t even know how much of Paris I took in as I wandered the streets today. My chest aches like someone punched me. A few Frenchmen give me odd looks, and I realize my wolf is whining. The only time she¡¯s happy is when I think of Carlos-or fall asleep and dream of him. This is Stockholm Syndrome. Right? I stop at a sidewalk cafe to get some dinner and sink into a seat protected by a wide blue awning. Water pours from the edges, sshing my legs and gathering in little pools beside my table. When raines in Tucson, we celebrate because the desert is always thirsty, but today it just depresses me. I stare unseeingly at the menu. It hardly matters-I don¡¯t speak French and no one seems to speak English-or if they do, they don¡¯t bother to help me-so I¡¯ve ordered frites and choct chaud or cafe auit everywhere I¡¯ve eaten. I¡¯m going to get sick of French fries and hot chocte soon. Carlos¡¯ scent swirls around me again and sadness stirs behind my eyes. Part of me wonders what our date would¡¯ve been like, if I¡¯d stayed in Tucson and let him take me to dinner. He would have held the doors and paid, like a perfect gentleman. That much I know. But would we have foundughter together? Would we joke? Tease? Would the same sparks be there between us that we felt during the full moon? Hah. How can I even doubt that? He couldn¡¯t keep his hands off me in Tucson, and he was trying to make amends. I stare at the cafe across the street, not really seeing anything or anyone. Not until my eyes meet the gaze of a man who has the look of a spy stealing nces. A jolt of electricity shes through me. Carlos. The man looks away, ying it cool. Wait, is it him? I can¡¯t tell now, because he¡¯s turned his face away. But it has to be. The man has the same broad shoulders, same dark hair and bronze skin. Fuck. Me. What in the hell is he doing here? Has he been following me this entire trip? I resist the urge to stomp across the street and sock him in the face. No, he doesn¡¯t know he¡¯s been made yet, which gives me the upper hand. If he wants to follow, I¡¯ll make it exciting for him. I finish my meal and pay the bill, then y entitled oblivious American and walk right through the kitchen and out the back door, slipping into the alleyway behind the cafe. Catch me if you can, I murmur through clenched teeth. I have no doubt he¡¯ll find me soon, and I¡¯m not feeling kindly toward him at the moment. But how to punish him for this incredible infringement on my privacy, my space? Garrett¡¯s text yesterday said his contact in Paris could be found at a paranormal bar called The Dungeon. I don¡¯t care about meeting up with the contact, but a paranormal bar would be just the kind of ce to get under Carlos¡¯ skin. Normally, it wouldn¡¯t be a location I¡¯d frequent alone. I¡¯ve been warned my whole life about staying away from ces like that. As a shifter, I¡¯m fairly safe in a normal bar-no human man could mess with me unless he drugged me first. But a paranormal bar is full of trouble, and dangerous for a single female. Or maybe that¡¯s just the bullshit lie I¡¯ve been fed all my life. Either way, I have a feeling Carlos will lose his ever-loving shit at seeing me there, and that serves him right for stalking me like a creep-o. I look up the location on my phone and, as luck would have it, find it¡¯s just six blocks from the boutique hotel where I¡¯m staying. I grab a cab to go back to the hotel, certain Carlos will show up there when he realizes he¡¯s lost my trail. Feeling almost cheerful for the first time since I arrived in Paris, I shower and put on the dress I packed. A red dress. With a short flippy skirt. I blow dry my hair and apply some mascara and lip gloss. It must be the pregnancy, because despite my low mood over thest week, I look radiant. Carlos, eat your heart out. I don a pair of ck knee-high boots and march out of the building with a flick of my umbre and a toss of my hair. Now that I¡¯m watching for it, I notice when the door opens behind me, sense the ck wolf¡¯s presence behind me. Did you just want to make me chase you? Yeah, I guess I do. Because my wolf loves this game. I have a bounce in my step as I walk down the narrow, cobblestone streets in search of The Dungeon. I walk past it a few times before I locate an unmarked door at the bottom of a short set of steps. Well, of course the Dungeon is located below ground level. Guess that should¡¯ve been obvious. I stretch out a hand to the door knob, listening first to make sure I¡¯m not trying to walk into someone¡¯s home or something. No, I hear music. I push the door open. It¡¯s like the cliche in every movie, when the needle scratches off and the ce goes quiet, everyone turns to look at me. One of these things is not like the other. At least I hope not. Because the crowd inside is seedy. With a capital S. And I stand out like a bright, juicy grape in a pile of raisins. Scents assault my nose-shifters of all kinds are here, along with vampires and whatever else is freaky in Paris. They look like they live in this bar, faces flushed red and pickled with alcohol use. I¡¯m one of three females in the ce, and the other two are old shifters of some kind and not attractive. I pick my way toward the bar. Dirt coats the floors, the tables haven¡¯t been scrubbed down to the wood in ages, if ever. Behind the bar, a short, disheveled man dries a ss with a dirty rag, openly staring at me like everyone else. I swallow and swagger to the bar, nudging my way between two leering males who don¡¯t have the decency to move their limbs and feet out of the way for me. ¡°I¡¯ll take a ginger ale,¡± I say. The bartender doesn¡¯t move, just keeps polishing the ss like I didn¡¯t say anything. Maybe he doesn¡¯t speak English. I sigh and try again. ¡°Cafe auit?¡± This time the bartender¡¯s lip curls and he shakes his head. Well, peachy. Even if I hadn¡¯t sensed Carlose in, I wouldn¡¯t let this asshole¡¯sck of hospitality chase me away. I plunk both elbows on the bar, like I¡¯m going to stay awhile. ¡°Well, what do you have?¡± He pours a clear liquid from an unmarked bottle into a small ss and pushes it over to me. It smells like rubbing alcohol. For all I know, it¡¯s a home brew. Maybeced with the date rape drug for good measure. Probably what they reserve for every stupid female who finds her way in here. I don¡¯t touch it. A shifter with broad shoulders and a tight ck t-shirtes over and leans his elbow down next to mine, a broad smile on his face. I don¡¯t recognize his scent until I see the dragon tail tattoo curling around the side of his neck. No. Way. I¡¯ve never met one before. Before Carlos I might have been impressed. The guy is big, good-looking and oozes male dominance. But all I can think is how much better-defined Carlos¡¯ muscles are, how much kinder his darkshed brown eyes appear. And suddenly, I¡¯m not so sure about my n to strut in here and get under Carlos¡¯ skin. I don¡¯t actually want to make him jealous-not in the real sense of the word, and this guy might do that. I try to take a step back, but I¡¯m pinned by another guy to my left. Also dragon. They¡¯re hunting together. The dragon murmurs something in French and I shake my head, twisting and looking around the bar with a forced nonchnce. Where did Carlos go? The dragon frowns and picks up my drink, lifting it to my lips. I turn my face away and some of it spills down the front of me, cold droplets trickling between my breasts. The dragon¡¯s eyes light on the droplets and he leans forward like he¡¯s going to lick them off. I shove at his head, trying to get his tongue away from my skin. His friend grabs me from the back, chuckling as he pins my arms behind me. I scream. I see a sh of skin and hear the crack of bone on bone. The dragon shifter roars and leaps to his feet, rubbing his jaw, as two hundred pounds of angry wolf wedges in front of me. Carlos. I¡¯ve bitten off way more than I can chew. I never meant for him to have to defend me or fight for me. I only wanted to rile him up a little. To reveal himself. Now we¡¯re both in serious danger. In human form, Carlos might be an even match for this guy, maybe even for the guy and his friend. But if they shift, a wolf is no match for a dragon. Hell, the dragon could burn this ce down with one roar. The dragon behind me chuckles, but he¡¯s released my arms. ¡°The she-wolf has a mate,¡± he observes in English. I grab Carlos¡¯ arm and tug him toward the door. ¡°Carlos, it¡¯s all right. Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± Carlos won¡¯t stop growling, nor does he take his eyes off his foe. I pull with all my might. ¡°Carlos, let¡¯s go.¡± The dragons haven¡¯t moved to escte the fight, but I have no doubt they will if Carlos keeps it up. I change my tactic, and push in front of Carlos, as if I¡¯m going to defend him. He immediately picks me up by the waist and tries to set me aside, but I don¡¯t go. I repeat the action of pushing my way between them. It seems to do the trick, because his brow furrows. I¡¯m banking on the instinct to get me out of danger being greater than his need to prove himself in front of me. Carlos picks me up again and carries me toward the door, only stopping to readjust and throw me over his shoulder when we¡¯re clear of the dragons. Miraculously, no one follows, no one challenges him. He doesn¡¯t say a word to me or anyone else as he shoves out the door and climbs the steps. The rain has stopped and mist curls around the buildings andmplights. Carlos¡¯ breath puffs in and out at an angry cadence as his shoes hit the cobblestones. A shiver of excitement goes through me. I like him mad. Of course that makes no sense. I don¡¯t even know how to analyze it, other than recognizing his take-charge disy of male dominance curls my toes. Maybe I do feel a teeny bit guilty, too, for nearly getting him killed in there. He marches all the way back to my hotel, not setting me down until the elevator doors close behind us. Then he drops me to my feet, spins me to face a wall, and ttens both my hands against it with one of his pressed over the top of them. His other hand crashes down several times on my ass.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Ouch. And¡­ yum. My panties dampen, heart taps rapidly against the front of my rib cage. Carlos, you devil. ¡°Never, never go into a paranormal bar alone,¡± he clips, his ent thicker than usual. The elevator stops on my floor. He pulls my hands from the elevator wall, whipping me around, making the skirt of my dress swing and re. ¡°Come.¡± He marches straight to my door, taking my purse from my shoulder and retrieving the key. I ought to be enraged by the proprietary actions, but I¡¯m not. I¡¯m still finding his anger enticing. I know, it¡¯s weird. The moment the door swings open, Carlos points to the opposite wall. ¡°Hands on the wall, like before.¡± I try to muster some fire, cocking a hip. ¡°What right do you have-¡± Carlos is upon me in seconds, shoving me back against the closed door, mouth pressing over mine in a searing kiss. Hisrge hands roam over my body, find the zipper on the back of my dress and yank it down. The dress falls to my feet and I stand in my ckce bra and panties and ck leather boots. Stunned. ¡°Panties off. Keep the bra and boots,¡± he orders. My tummy flutters with excitement. I¡¯m not the least bit scared of this male-maybe that¡¯s crazy. But we¡¯ve been through worse and he managed to be a gentleman. He may be angry now, but there¡¯s no sign of his wolf in his eyes, only dark promise. Delicious dark promise. Still, I don¡¯t move to obey him. Maybe I just want to see what he¡¯ll do. How far will he take this authoritative stance? I¡¯m right. He doesn¡¯t grow angry, instead his eyelids droop and he adjusts his cock in his pants. ¡°Muneca, get into position like I told you.¡± My nipples harden. I¡¯m sure he smells my arousal because heat blooms between my thighs. I¡¯m too excited to refuse him, so I strut across the room in my bra and boots and panties and put my palms against the wall, ass out. ¡°Good girl.¡± His purr hypnotizes. He walks up behind me and hooks his thumbs in the stic of my panties. I expect him to tug them off, but he lowers them to just below my buttocks. ¡°You don¡¯t want to take them off?¡± His lips are close to my ear. ¡°Now you have to keep them up. Spread your legs, angel. If the panties drop, I start the spanking over.¡± My pussy clenches at the word spanking, which somehow thrills me the most out of all the sexy things we¡¯ve already done, mango fucking included. I widen my stance to stretch the panties between my thighs. It¡¯s half-humiliating, half-erotic. I love it. But then Carlos¡¯ hand ps down on my ass, harder than I dreamed possible, and the fun is totally over. I yelp and jump away from the wall. ¡°Ouch! That hurt.¡± Shifters may heal fast, but it doesn¡¯t mean we don¡¯t experience just as much pain as your average human. 88 Carlos grabs my ass, fingers gripping the cheek he just marked with his palm. He brings his body right up against mine, snaking an arm around my waist to hold me tight. His thick cock presses against my belly, hard and insistent. ¡°I know, angel. I meant it to hurt.¡± He eases his grip on my ass and rubs away the sting. ¡°You must get back into position.¡± I don¡¯t know how he manages to make his bossy words sound so sexy. Is it the rough timbre of his voice? Or the way he holds his lips so close to my ear? Still, I¡¯m not falling for it. Not now that I know how hard he spanks. ¡°No.¡± He nips my ear, then traces the shell with the tip of his tongue. ¡°Si, mi amor. I need to show you I care enough to do this. I won¡¯t let you put yourself in danger.¡± My heart beats double-time. I feel he¡¯s telling me something important but it¡¯s all mixed up in sex and pain so I can¡¯t quite untangle it. ¡°Now go back to the wall and put your hands on it. Tip that perfect ass back for me so I can paint it red. And next time you think of risking your safety, you¡¯ll remember how much I cherish you.¡± He¡¯s massaging my ass with both hands now and I can¡¯t stop grinding my pussy down on his hard thigh pressing between my legs. ¡°Th-that doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± I soundpletely breathless. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it?¡± There¡¯s a smile in his voice. ¡°We¡¯ll see if it makes sense when I¡¯m done.¡± He grips my arm and propels me toward the wall. I¡¯m too curious now not to obey. I put my palms on the wall and tip my pelvis back. The panties fell to the floor when I jumped back thest time, so my ass is bare, legs quivering as I wait. ~.~ Glory to the fates, Sedona is right here, offering herself up like the most delectable morsel in paradise. She¡¯s beyond beautiful with my handprint painting her creamy skin, her thick chestnut hair falling in waves down her back. I take a mental snapshot, wanting to remember this image forever. The boots, the muscr thighs, her exquisite bare ass. I add it to the ones that haunt me from our shared cell in Monte Lobo. I would¡¯ve torn those dragons apart, limb from limb, if they¡¯d challenged me for Sedona. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s why they didn¡¯t. They would have caught my scent embedded in her skin and deciphered that she is mine. No smart shifter gets between a male and his marked mate, no matter what the species. And all that aggression seeks redirection now. If Sedona showed fear or anger, I¡¯d back down. But I can smell her interest. Her nipples are taut, her breaths make those perky tits rise and fall rapidly. And her eyes are ssy, like I¡¯ve already fucked her. She needs this. We both do. It will release my aggression, show her how worried I was. I draw my hand back and bring it down with a resounding p. She jerks, but incredibly, stays put this time. I spank her again, striking the other side, then pepper her perfect round globes with a volley of ps that leave her breathless, panting. Her ass looks so pretty with the blush of my handprints coloring the lower half. Just enough to warm it. As a shifter, the pain will only be momentary, fadingpletely within minutes. I squeeze a handful of her ass in one hand and wrap a fist in her hair, tugging her head back. ¡°What were you thinking?¡± I growl andnd another hard p to her backside. She jerks, but my grip in her hair keeps her from moving. ¡°I-I knew you¡¯d follow,¡± she confesses. I go still. She¡¯d known I was there. Of course she had. I¡¯d been so caught up in the moment, I didn¡¯t note herck of surprise when I shoved in to rescue her at the bar. ¡°I just wanted to draw you out.¡± What does that mean? She wants me here? I ease my grip on her hair and move into her line of sight, leaning my head against the wall. I need to see her face, try to understand. ¡°You knew I was here? For how long?¡± She nibbles her lower lip. ¡°I saw you at dinner.¡± I can¡¯t help but smile. Clever little she-wolf. That¡¯s why she disappeared from the restaurant. I¡¯d been frantic trying to figure out where she went after she paid her bill. With the rain, I couldn¡¯t catch her scent when I moved in to scout the building, but then I¡¯d looked up and seen her climbing in a taxi. I stroke my knuckles over her luminous skin, tracing the line of her cheekbone. ¡°Were you angry with me, beautiful? I was just trying to give you space, but I needed to look after your safety, too.¡± She moistens her lips with her tongue, which sends my cock surging against my zipper. ¡°I was angry, yes. A little.¡± Her eyes are dted. I¡¯d be a fool if I chose this moment for a heart to heart. My female is ripe for the plucking right now. Maybe my trip to the sex shop wasn¡¯t such a bad idea. I pinch her chin between my thumb and forefinger and lift it. ¡°So you punished me by putting yourself in danger?¡± I arch a stern brow. Her lids droop like she loves being scolded by me. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to put us in real danger. I just meant to tease you. Make you jealous of the attention I might get in there.¡± My wolf growls at the suggestion of males giving her attention, but I don¡¯t want to miss what she¡¯s telling me. My mate was teasing me. That can¡¯t be a bad thing. It means she wants something from me-but what? Attention? A deration of intent? The upper hand? Whatever it is, I¡¯m taking it as a win, just as I¡¯m taking this moment. I have my glorious mate nearly naked and trembling for me, legs spread, ass red, lips swollen from our kiss earlier. ¡°That was naughty, Sedona,¡± I chide, stroking her hair back from her face. I lower my voice. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to punish you again.¡± I see the re of excitement in her at the same time she turns and lunges away. I catch her by the waist and haul her into the air, tossing her on the bed. She shrieks,ughing as she rolls for the edge. I dive on top of her, tackle and pin her down. ¡°Tsk tsk, angel. That earned you even more punishment.¡± I can¡¯t stop the grin from stretching across my face. My wolf loves the chase as much as she loves to run. I hold her wrists down beside her head and take a moment to drink her in. So lovely. Her thick, glossy hair cascades in waves around her head, her cheeks carry a pretty flush of color. I bend my head to her breasts and bite each nipple through the ckce of her bra, then fasten my teeth around the center of it and tug. ¡°Wait, wait, wait.¡± Sedona struggles against my grip on her wrists. ¡°I¡¯ll take it off, Carlos. Don¡¯t rip it. I love this bra.¡± ¡°I do, too.¡± I waggle my eyebrows and release her wrists, help her peel the straps down her arms and unhook the fastener in the back. I use the bra to wrap her wrists together, then I fasten them to the iron bedpost at the head of the bed. ¡°Do not move, Sedona,¡± I warn. ¡°Or you¡¯ll rip your favorite bra. I will be back in two minutes.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± She twists around, her eyes flying wide. She doesn¡¯t like being left in such a vulnerable position. Oh fates, I hope this isn¡¯t bringing back a bad memory. I¡¯d only hoped to make good ones. I climb back over her and kiss the sensitive skin on the insides of her arms. ¡°You know you can get out of this with little effort, right, angel? I promise I¡¯ll be right back. Three minutes-tops. I just need to get something from my room. Okay, beautiful?¡± She nods, visibly rxing. I unzip her knee-high boots and slide them off her feet, along with the thin nylon socks she wore underneath to make her morefortable. To re-set the mood, I make my face stern. ¡°You use this time to think about what your punishment should be, little white wolf. And we¡¯ll see if our ideas mesh when I return.¡± When she rolls her hips, I¡¯m reassured she¡¯s not afraid or traumatized. My she-wolf likes what I n for her. I take Sedona¡¯s key and slip out of the room to jog two floors down to mine, where I retrieve the bag of toys. My eyes lock on Sedona the moment I walk in and I¡¯m unable to look away. Everything about her is mesmerizing-the smooth cream of her skin, the peaks of her breasts. The t, fluttering belly, her smoothly waxed mons. She watches me, twitching her thighs together like she needs relief. I definitely n to give it to her. After a fair bit of torture. ¡°Oh, angel.¡± I quickly unbutton my shirt as I stalk to the bed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I left these perfect nipples unsucked.¡± I shuck the shirt and climb over her, delighting in the shiver that runs through her body the moment my legs straddle her thighs. I flick one nipple with my tongue, once, twice, coaxing it into its stiffest peak. Then Itch my lips over it and suck, hard. She moans and arches, throwing her head back, chin toward the ceiling. ¡°Lovely, lovely girl.¡± ¡°Carlos.¡± I love hearing her say my name so breathlessly.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°That¡¯s right, angel, Carlos brings you pleasure. Only Carlos.¡± She wriggles, pants, whimpers. ¡°No.¡± ¡°No?¡± I stop torturing her worship-worthy nipple and lift my head. She shakes her head then changes it to a nod. ¡°Yes. Wait-¡± I don¡¯t move. I know she¡¯s confused-hell, I¡¯m confused, too. But I definitely don¡¯t want to move in for the kill if she¡¯s going to hate me afterward. ¡°Carlos-what are you doing?¡± I crawl backward over her luscious body to settle between her legs. Sliding my hands under her buttocks, I lift her core to meet my mouth and take a long lick. ¡°Punishing you.¡± Her entire body jerks and the cry thates from her lips has me groaning with desire. My cock aches to be inside my beautiful mate. ¡°You deserve this punishment, don¡¯t you, beautiful? For being a terrible cock tease?¡± I flick the tip of my tongue over her clit. She makes a sound resembling ooh-ooh as she thrusts her pelvis toward my mouth. ¡°That¡¯s it, doll.¡± I suction my lips over her little swollen bud and take a draw. She squeals, thrashing her legs around my ears. ¡°I have big ns for you, little she-wolf. And they all involve you naked and at my mercy.¡± Her pussy gushes moisture and it¡¯s all I can do to keep from yanking my dick out and sinking into her tight channel. But I want to take my time with her tonight. My n had been to re-forge intimacy and that means drawing this out. Even if it takes all night. 89 Sedona Somewhere in my brain lies the urge to protest this unexpected turn of events. I¡¯d nned to punish Carlos with my red dress and appearance in a bar, now he¡¯s wrested all control from me. But I¡¯m not feeling weak. On the contrary, being the object of Carlos¡¯ singr focus, seeing the dark need and lust swirling in his gaze sends power coursing through me even though I¡¯m the one tied up. He takes another pull off my clit, then rolls me onto my stomach, taking care to adjust the bra binding my wrists to keep my armsfortable. My mind may have a few reservations, but my body¡¯s clearly on board with whatever Carlos is nning, because I lift my ass, giving him a better view of my most intimate parts. ¡°Mmm.¡± Carlos grabs a proprietary handful of one cheek, squeezing roughly. ¡°You keep that ass rolled back for me, angel, show me you can take your punishment like a good girl.¡± My insides turn liquid, heat building in my core. I love Carlos¡¯ dirty talk-this game he¡¯s ying with me. I expect him to crawl up and enter me from behind-I crave that, actually, but I hear him rummage in the bag he brought and the flick of something stic, like the flip of a lid. When he pries my butt cheeks apart, I freak. Tugging on my bound wrists for leverage, I pull my knees up under me, and crawl away. Carlos grabs my calf and pulls me back t on my tummy. ¡°Ah ah, mi amor. That¡¯s not taking it like a good girl.¡± He tries again to prise open my cheeks, but I list to the side, rolling to press my ass to the bedspread. Amusement lights Carlos¡¯ handsome face. He¡¯s on his knees beside me, holding a tube of lubricant in his hand, but he drops the lube and grasps both my ankles. Connecting them in onerge hand, he holds them high and delivers several sharp ps to my ass. I shriek in surprise at the spanks and the shockingly vulnerable position, my ass in the air,dy parts exposed. Carlos tilts my legs toward my head and dribbles some lube into my ass crack. ¡°Carlos.¡± I¡¯m whimpering now. Anal sex is totally not something I¡¯m prepared to give him, no matter how hot and bothered he has me. He leans over and kisses my smarting cheeks. ¡°Shh, beautiful wolf. You have nothing to fear from me.¡± The flutters in my belly say different, but as I analyze the statement, I know he¡¯s right. I trust this male not to harm me. Even so, I shake my head. Carlos picks up what must be a butt plug-I¡¯ve never seen one before, but I can guess at its use-and brings the tip to my anus. ¡°This is your punishment, mi amor.¡± He lifts my ankles-not high enough to pull my pelvis up off the bed this time-and nudges the bulbous tip of the slender stainless steel plug against my back hole. My anus clenches, then, against my will, my body opens for it. Carlos presses his advantage, easing the plug into me. The sensation is at once delicious and horrifying. I don¡¯t want to like it, but I do. Pleasure floods me as he works the cool metal phallus deeper. It¡¯s not too big, so while there¡¯s a sensation of stretching and filling, there¡¯s no difort, other than my embarrassment at having an object up my ass. He pushes it in until it seats, then rolls me to my belly and gives my ass a light p. I¡¯m oddly disgruntled, not about having the plug in my ass, but now that it¡¯s in, I¡¯m needy and flushed, wanting more. ¡°Carlos?¡± ¡°Madre de Dios, yes, Sedona. Keep saying my name in that throaty voice of yours. It makes me want to jack off ande all over you.¡± A shocked little gustes out of me-halfugh, half moan. Like before, I hike up my ass, offering an invitation for him to take what he¡¯s already imed. Fates know I want his cock again, just as badly as I¡¯d wanted it the night he marked me. He groans. ¡°Are you offering me that pretty little pussy of yours, angel?¡± He slips his fingers between my legs and strokes my slit. My eyes roll back in my head. ¡°Yes, Carlos.¡± I hardly recognize my wanton moan. Carlos dips into my juices and coats my inner lips with my own natural lubrication, circling my clit with maddening slowness. Then, at the same time, he starts to move the slender butt plug in and out of my ass. I shout with surprise, the intensity of pleasure and need catapulting me into overdrive. ¡°C-Carlos!¡± ¡°You like that, doll?¡± ¡°Oh fates, please!¡± ¡°Please, what, beautiful?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t stop. Please, faster-Carlos!¡± I try to convey my urgency by beating my feet on the bed, like a swimmer¡¯s kick, only from just the knees. Somehow, despite myck of sexual experience, I¡¯m quite sure that the only thing better would be pration of my pussy, too. As if Carlos reads my mind, he glides two fingers inside me, pumping them alternately with the plug. My moans meld into one long, guttural cry. Probably everyone in the damn hotel can hear me, but whatever. It¡¯s Paris. ¡°Carlos, Carlos, please,¡± I beg. I seriously want to weep-I¡¯m so wound up, need release so badly. Carlos starts plunging his fingers and the plug at the same time, fast, and stars burst before my eyes. I feel like I¡¯m hurtling into a dark tunnel on a roller coaster. It¡¯s Space Mountain all the way as everything in me shoots toward the finish line. It¡¯s more like a portal, than a line, though, because the second I pass through it, my body tightens and squeezes, wringing everyst bit of pleasure out while my mind, my consciousness, soars. I coast into outer space, flung so far and so high I can¡¯t even remember my name. My age. My species. And then I¡¯m back. Panting into the bedspread as Carlos eases both his fingers and the plug from my body. He trails kisses across my lower back before he disappears to the bathroom to use the sink. I¡¯m boneless, incapable of moving from where I seem to have melted into the bed. When Carlos returns, he releases my wrists and gathers me up into his arms. ¡°Okay, angel?¡± Somehow I manage to nod. I try to make my lips move, to ask about his pleasure. I¡¯d invite him to satisfy his earlier expressed fantasy of jacking off all over me, but no soundes out. Carlos presses a bottle of water to my lips and I drink. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful,¡± he murmurs in awe. I don¡¯t need to be told-as an alpha female, it¡¯s something I¡¯ve always known, but he doesn¡¯t seem to be saying it for my benefit. More like an observation he can¡¯t help but make. ¡°Are you hungry, mi amor? I bought some snacks for us, too.¡± I manage a weak nod. ¡°When were you nning to feed me them?¡± I ask when he returns with a container of fresh strawberries, a baguette, and a jar of Nute. ¡°I hadn¡¯t figured that part out yet.¡± His rueful grin is humble and handsome and my remaining annoyance melts away. This is the male I remember from that cell in Mexico. The male I formed a bond with, whether I like it or not. He dips a strawberry into the Nute and holds it up to my lips. I take a bite, conscious of his gaze glued to my lips. A trickle of juice escapes my lips and Carlos lunges as my tongue flicks it away. He stops himself and swallows.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Sedona. I-I have so many things I want to say, but none of them seem good enough. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll start with that. I¡¯m sorry.¡± I look at him from under myshes. ¡°For what, exactly?¡± ¡°For what my pack did to you. I can never take it back. Never make it up to you. But the fates know I want to try.¡± I draw in a breath. I have to ask this question. I need to know how much of what happened in Mexico was biology-the full moon and two alphas locked together-and how much is real. ¡°What about what you said back in the cell-that you weren¡¯t sorry it happened?¡± Carlos clenches his jaw and busies himself with tearing off a piece of bread and dipping it in the Nute. He feeds it to me. ¡°That¡¯s also true.¡± His voice has the timber of a heavy confession, like he doesn¡¯t want to admit it, but can¡¯t lie. I¡¯m dismayed by how much lighter his admission makes me feel. How far have I fallen for this guy? I¡¯m loving the chocte bread treat and I lift my chin to urge him to give me more. He does, immediately. I don¡¯t have anyparisons, but it¡¯s hard to imagine a more attentive lover. ¡°Sedona, I don¡¯t wish to force myself on you. Thest thing I want is to make this all harder. But I¡¯m also incapable of letting you go. I¡¯m not saying that to scare you, I¡¯m just trying to exin why I¡¯m here, following you like a stray dog who smells meat.¡± My lips twitch at hisparison and I see relief seep across his expression. ¡°Let me serve as your escort on this trip. I know you came to forget me. To forget what happened. But I¡¯ve been watching you for days, mi amor, and your mncholy hasn¡¯t lessened. Maybe you need a¡­ friend to share your travels. I speak a little French and I¡¯m very good at holding umbres and keeping the flocks of fans away from soon-to-be-famous artists when they stop to sketch things.¡± I arch a brow. ¡°Friend, huh? Do you strip all of your friends naked and tie them to bedposts?¡± The minute I ask the question, I¡¯m burning with jealousy. Has he done this before? He did seem rather expert at it. I want to poke the eyes out of every female he¡¯s been with. His lips twitch. ¡°You brought that on yourself, nca. You should know better than to goad my wolf.¡± He uses that authoritative tone that gets me wet. ¡°What¡¯s nca-white?¡± ¡°Yes. So what do you say, muneca? Will you let me stay? Be yourpanion?¡± ¡°That depends.¡± I already know my answer is yes. The heaviness that¡¯s shrouded me since Mexico is lifting and European travel suddenly bes as enticing as it felt when I first dreamed ofing here. ¡°Name your conditions, mi amor. I will respect them.¡± I love the honor and respect he shows me. ¡°When I say I need space, you back off. I¡¯m not epting you as my mate.¡± He nods gravely. ¡°Understood. I¡¯m not asking for that.¡± Suddenly shy, I snatch up a strawberry and bite into it. I love the hungry expression that creeps over Carlos¡¯ face as he watches. I wonder if he¡¯s going to demand his own pleasure or deny himself to prove he¡¯ll behave. I¡¯m tempted to confess to him that next time I¡¯d love to try the butt plug and his cock, but I hold back. He¡¯s not my mate, he¡¯s apanion. We still haven¡¯t discussed how doomed and impossible any future rtionship would be, but the subject looms over us. ¡°Maybe we should go to Spain,¡± I blurt to keep from jumping his bones. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You speak thenguage. It might be more fun.¡± He leans his forehead against mine as he presses another strawberry between my lips. ¡°That is a wonderful idea, mi amor. We¡¯ll go visit the haunts of Gaudi and Picasso. Dali. Miro. Who else?¡± I beam at him. Though I¡¯ve been the princess of my father¡¯s pack my entire life, and many would call me spoiled, I always felt like no one knew me. Like I¡¯m little more than an object or symbol. Carlos pays attention. He knows exactly what I like and I love the feeling of being truly seen for once. And the idea of visiting museums with him nearly makes me giddy. I nestle my head against his shoulder, settling into thefort he provides. For all my brave desires to do this trip alone, it¡¯s much nicer to have a partner. Especially one as capable and caring as Carlos. 90 Carlos I should leave Sedona¡¯s room before my throbbing cock makes me do something stupid and I erode the trust we just built. I breathe in her scent, which both tortures and relieves me at the same time. My sweet mate fell asleep on my shoulder-a pleasure I will work my ass off to earn for the rest of my life. Nothing felt better than providing for my mate-feeding her and sheltering her in my arms. Well, nothing except bringing her to climax. My wolf is still buffing his nails over that one. It was risky pushing her limits the way I did, but the payoff was huge. At Harvard, they taught us to analyze risk, figure out how to minimize it. It¡¯s suddenly clear me that ying it safe has never served me. It goes against my wolf nature, my alpha nature. And it¡¯s definitely the reason I have a shitstorm to deal with back at Monte Lobo. Fuck the risks. My pack needs to be shaken up. The council needs their asses kicked and I¡¯m the only one who can turn them on their heads. Changes need to be made, progress instilled. Lying here with Sedona in my arms, everything is crystal clear. As if all I ever needed for actualization in life was to be Sedona¡¯s mate. If I¡¯m man-well, wolf in our case-enough to be her mate, I¡¯ve be the alpha who can properly lead his pack. And that may mean doing things differently than my father did them. Whoa. Is it true that part of my reluctance to move forward stems from a desire not to out-do my sire? Mind-boggling and stupid, but there it is. I¡¯ve been holding back out of honor for my father. If he didn¡¯t challenge the council, what made me think I should? Unexpected grief seizes my chest. I feel disloyal for even thinking I can do better. But if I don¡¯t, I will never, ever win my mate. How can I hope to bring Sedona to a broken pack? What life could I give her? I drop a light kiss on her forehead and ease her out of my arms and under the covers. I need to do something about my rock hard cock, or sleep will be an impossibility. If I were a better wolf, I¡¯d leave her here and go down to my own room. But that¡¯s a fucking impossibility. I will never leave Sedona of my own free will. Not unless she asks me to go. I pad to the bathroom and shuck my clothes, climbing into the shower. Even with the water turned on cold, I can¡¯t get my cock to shut down. Fuck it. I¡¯ll be better able to handle sleeping next to Sedona if I jerk off in here. I turn the temperature back to warm and fist my raging hard-on. All I have to do is think about Sedona, lying less than ten meters away. Naked. I pump my hand over my cock, eyes already rolling back in my head. All I have to do is rey the moment I imed her back in Monte Lobo, and I go off,ing against the shower wall, the heat of the water suddenly way too warm. I change it to cold and rinse off. Now, hopefully, I can lie next to her without danger of attacking her as she sleeps. I towel off and tug on my boxer briefs. But when I re-enter the bedroom, my cock lifts at the sight of her. Hell. It¡¯s going to be a killer-long night. ~.~ Sedona I dream Carlos¡¯ hands are all over me, stroking my bare skin. He¡¯s growling something stern and domly that makes my toes curl. No wait. Hold the phone. Those are Carlos¡¯ hands all over me. One glides over my hip, the other tangles in my hair. I¡¯m awake. But I¡¯m not even sure he¡¯s awake. His breath sounds slow, deep, and even like he¡¯s sleeping. I think his hands are roaming of their own ord. ¡°Carlos?¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. There¡¯s a hitch in his breath and he stops stroking me. Then, judging by his resumed slow exhale, he slides back into slumber and begins the caress again. Everywhere he touches mees alive, heating and tingling. His hand strokes up my side, slides around to cup my breast. He squeezes it, rubbing his thumb over my nipple. Seriously? The guy is so good in bed he can do it in his sleep? I should¡¯ve followed up on my question about how many females he¡¯s entertained this way. I squeeze my thighs together to alleviate the thrum of renewed desire building there. I blink at the bedside clock. It¡¯s four in the morning. If he keeps this up, I will never fall back to sleep. I grasp his hand and slide it down between my legs. Again, there¡¯s a pause in his breath before it rxes back into an even cadence, but his fingers know just what to do. He strokes into me. I¡¯m shocked at how wet I¡¯ve already be. I moan. Carlos growls. Is he awake now? I can¡¯t tell. ¡°Carlos?¡± The growls grow louder, his fingers quest deeper, parting my folds, prating me. I choke out a cry and scissor my legs tight around his hand, hungry for full contact. A snarl rips out of Carlos¡¯ throat and suddenly I¡¯m pinned t on my belly, his hand gripping my nape, his knees knocking my thighs wider. My breath leaves me in a whoosh when he drops his weight onto me, thrusting his stiff cock in the notch between my legs. I almostugh. His cock is shielded from my entrance by his boxers, but he¡¯s not awake enough to realize. He growls in frustration, thrusting harder. If it weren¡¯t for the hand at my nape, I¡¯d go flying into the headboard he¡¯s pounding so hard. He figures out the problem and bares his cock and a half-secondter he impales me with it. Fully. As in, to the hilt. I cry out, not hurt, just shocked by the force and abandon of his thrusts. He pumps hard and fast, pistoning with powerful hip-snaps, pping my ass with his loins. His growls fill the room, providing the bass to the soprano of my gasping cries. I spread my legs wider, arch back to meet him, blinded with the deepest satisfaction. Yes, this. I never knew it could be so good. So right. And sleep-fucking, no less. Carlos¡¯ growls choke off and his body jerks to a stop. ¡°Puh.¡± He lets out a breath. He releases his grip on my nape and shoves the hair out of my face, but his hips start thrusting again, even faster than before. I twist to look back, and he¡¯s staring down at me, his brows drawn together in a tight line. ¡°Sedona, oh fates-¡± He shouts his release, his voice echoing off the walls. I swear I feel his hot cum fill me. I shove my hand down between my legs and rub my clit as I follow him to the finish. He groans, stilling and rolls us toward our sides, reaching around to grasp both my breasts as he continues to thrust into me. His breath burns hot on my neck as he kneads my breasts, pinching my nipples. Ie again-an aftershock almost as good as the first one. Carlos sucks and kisses my neck, groaning. I get the feeling he¡¯s stilling back to consciousness. ¡°Sedona, I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to-¡± The fingers I¡¯m using on my clit scrape the base of his cock and he catches my wrist, pulling it up in front of our faces. ¡°What is this?¡± His ent is so thick, so sexy. He takes my fingers into his mouth and sucks. My pussy contracts as if he were sucking down there. ¡°Mi amor, you don¡¯t touch yourself when you¡¯re in bed with me. That¡¯s my job.¡± My heart, already racing from our interlude, picks up speed at the gravelly scolding. He sucks my fingers again. ¡°Mmm. You taste delicious, angel. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t do my job well this time. I was, uh¡­¡± ¡°Asleep?¡± I giggle. He drops his head into my neck andughs. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± he groans. ¡°Did I hurt you? Are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± He lifts his head, peering into my face with an intensity that makes my pulse jump. ¡°You sure? I didn¡¯t mean to do that to you, beautiful. I jacked off before I came to bed so I wouldn¡¯t force myself on you, and then I went and did it in my sleep. Without protection.¡± He looks so genuinely rueful. ¡°I would¡¯ve stopped you if I didn¡¯t like it.¡± A look of wonder creeps over his face. ¡°It was okay? You liked it?¡± ¡°I knew you were asleep. I was sort of amazed that you got so far with me without waking up. There ought to be an award for that or something.¡± He¡¯s still slowly pumping into me, even though we¡¯ve bothe and his cock is softening. He reaches between my legs and taps my clit lightly. ¡°I deserve no award if you had to satisfy yourself, mi amor.¡± A second aftershock ripples through me. A little one this time, but no less pleasurable. ¡°Never again.¡± He¡¯s pulling out the bossy tone once more. ¡°I will be the one to give you pleasure, angel. It¡¯s my duty. One I promise to take very seriously.¡± I want to giggle but he sounds dead serious. Like he¡¯s swearing a vow on his father¡¯s grave. ¡°O-okay.¡± I don¡¯t know what else to say. Hends an epic bite-suck-kiss on my neck. ¡°Nobody else touches this,¡± he growls, his voice low with warning. ¡°Not even you.¡± I shiver at the possibility of more punishment at his hands if I disobey. The idea thrills me and I can hardly wait to try it out, but I y along. ¡°Okay.¡± He nips the outer shell of my ear. ¡°Good girl.¡± Warmth curls through me at his words and I settle back into his arms. Maybe I will be able to fall back to sleep. 91 Carlos I carry coffee and croissants from the train snack cart to where Sedona sketches on her pad. The trip from Paris to Barcelona takes six and a half hours by speed train and I¡¯ve done everything I can think of to make things easy and enjoyable for Sedona. I bought usfort ss tickets and paid for three seats instead of two so we wouldn¡¯t have to sit with anyone else. I set up her phone to charge in the outlet between our seats and offered her my iPod and earbuds for music. I love to watch her work, so absorbed in her sketch of a fairy alight a flower. She barely looks up as I set the food down on my tray, but I don¡¯t take offense. I don¡¯t want to intrude on her time, I¡¯m just grateful she¡¯s allowed me to take care of her. I pull my phone out and call Monte Lobo. It¡¯s Sunday, and it was my habit when away to call my mother on Sundays. Of course, she doesn¡¯t have her own phone, since technology is banned for all but the council and alpha. I call Don Santiago, who acts as a sort of gatekeeper for the pack. Almost all transmissions go through him. I don¡¯t like Don Santiago-I don¡¯t like any of the council members-but he¡¯s probably the most capable. Like me, he went to university. He has an advanced degree, even worked for a time in a gicsb in Mexico City. He¡¯s been out in the world enough to understand how things work, including technology and how best to use it. He was the one responsible for getting the mountain wired for Wi-Fi despite the rest of the council¡¯s dire predictions that connecting us to the world would lead to our destruction. Don Santiago answers on the second ring. ¡°Carlos.¡± He always goes for this hearty, grandfatherly tone with me. ¡°Hello, Don Santiago,¡± I say in Spanish. ¡°How are things?¡± It¡¯s the same conversation we had every week I was away in college. ¡°All is well here, mijo.¡± He calls me my son, which always makes me bristle. I don¡¯t let it slide this time. ¡°Carlos. Or Don Carlos. Not son.¡± I¡¯m pleased I can say it coolly with nary a growl. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sorry Don Carlos,¡± Don Santiago smooths. ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve known you since you were a baby.¡± ¡°And now I¡¯m alpha.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. No one challenges that.¡± For some reason his words make the hairs on my arms stand up. He said it too quickly, too easily. As if I really do need to worry that there will be a challenge. I store that away to chew onter. ¡°Did you find your female, Carlos?¡± I stifle a growl again. I don¡¯t like anyone talking about my female, especially not any of the fucking council members. ¡°I found her.¡± ¡°And?¡± This time I do rumble. ¡°I am taking her to Barcelona. A honeymoon of sorts.¡± I nce guiltily at Sedona, even though she doesn¡¯t speak Spanish. I¡¯m not sure she would appreciate my calling this a honeymoon, since she hasn¡¯t agreed to be my mate, but I¡¯m just saying the thing Santiago wants to hear. To get him off my fucking back. ¡°Is my mother avable?¡± I ask impatiently. ¡°I¡¯m walking to her quarters now. Let¡¯s see if she¡¯s coherent today.¡± I gnash my teeth, even though it¡¯s not Don Santiago¡¯s fault whether she¡¯s coherent or not. In fact, I used to depend on Don Santiago to be the one who would give it to me straight about my mother. But after Maria Jose¡¯s suggestion I have someone else look at her, a seed of doubt has crept in. Does Don Santiago have her best interest at heart? What if they¡¯re not giving her the best care possible? What if I should have sought to return her to her own family after my father died?? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. It¡¯s not toote-I can look into it when I return. Yet another issue to address. I hear Don Santiago¡¯s voice and my mother¡¯s in response, then shees on the line. ¡°Carlos?¡± ¡°Hello, Mama. How¡¯s it going?¡± ¡°Carlos? Where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in Barcelona, Mama, with the girl I told you about.¡± ¡°In Barcelona?¡± She sounds confused. Nothing new there. ¡°Yes, with my female.¡± My mom gives a loud gasp, and a spike of fear rushes through me before she proims, ¡°How wonderful! Carlos has a mate.¡± ¡°Are you crying, Mama?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just so happy for you, Carlos. When are you going to bring her home?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± A fact which kills me. ¡°Soon, I hope.¡± Not a lie-I can always hope. ¡°Grandpups. I want grandpups, Carlos.¡± A rush of longing goes through me so strongly I have to close my eyes. Sedona, pregnant with my pup. My entire life would be worth living if that were the case. And I would damn well make sure their life was perfect. I clear my throat. ¡°I want that, too, Mama.¡± Sedona is looking over at me with curiosity, taking her ear buds out of her ears. ¡°Listen, Mama, I have to go. I¡¯ll call you next week. Take care of yourself.¡± ¡°I love you, Carlitos, mijo. Bring the she-wolf back here. I want to meet her.¡± ¡°Yes, Mama. I love you, too. Ciao.¡± I end the call and turn to Sedona and shrug. ¡°My mother.¡± ¡°Was she-¡± Sedona seems to struggle for the words. I appreciate her sensitivity. ¡°She was mostly coherent. I told her about you.¡± I fidget with the croissants, pulling one out of the paper sleeve to offer it to her. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Well, I told her about you the morning you left, but she¡¯d forgotten. I told her I was here with you now. She cried.¡± Sedona¡¯s watching me too intently forfort. I break off a piece of croissant and pop it between her lips. ¡°I am capable of feeding myself, you know.¡± ¡°I like to feed you.¡± She smiles as she chews. ¡°I know you do. So, why did she cry?¡± ¡°She¡¯s happy for me. I didn¡¯t tell her any of the, uh, history. Only that I¡¯m here with my female-a female,¡± I amend. The sadness I saw on Sedona¡¯s face allst week creeps back over and I want to shoot myself for making her remember. There¡¯s so much ugliness in our past-because of the council. I don¡¯t want to bring it up, but I know we have to face it at some point. I take a deep breath. ¡°Listen. We¡¯ll figure it out. I know it¡¯s a lot to ovee-what we¡¯ve been through, our differences, where we live. But give us a chance, Sedona.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Carlos. We live in different worlds.¡± ¡°We¡¯re two educated, intelligent wolves. We can make it work.¡± Her brow wrinkles, gaze going far away. I grab her hand to bring her back. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking of the way things are in Monte Lobo. I always nned to change things as soon as I became alpha. I¡¯ve only been back a few weeks, and it hasn¡¯t been as easy as I expected, but I promise things will be different. ¡°Sedona, first of all, I want you to know I tried to avenge your kidnapping, but someone got there first.¡± ¡°Garrett. My brother.¡± I nod. ¡°Second, I want to say, what the council did to you-to us-was wrong. When I get back, I¡¯ll be turning things upside down. There are many good wolves in the pack, and they deserve better.¡± Something in me shifts as I speak. I make the vow in my heart as I tell Sedona, ¡°I¡¯m going to root out corruption and carry the pack out of the Dark Ages. I will be the alpha they need.¡± Sedona studies my face. I stay very still, wondering what she sees in me. ¡°Okay.¡± Something rxes in her. ¡°I¡¯m d.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I¡¯m d she listened. I can¡¯t tell if I won her trust, though. ¡°One thing¡¯s for sure,¡± she says. ¡°Your council¡­¡± She shakes her head. ¡°You can¡¯t trust them. Not after what they did.¡± ¡°I know. After my father died, they ran the show. I was too young to lead and there was no other clear alpha. They¡¯ve taken way too much power. It will take a while to undo the damage they have done.¡± ¡°So you will return to Mexico?¡± she asks, and my heart seizes. This is the topic I¡¯ve been avoiding. I take a deep breath. ¡°I want to say no. See there¡¯s this beautiful female wolf who captivates me¡­¡± Sedona smiles. ¡°But she wouldn¡¯t respect me if I abandoned my duties.¡± ¡°No, she wouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°But I had to see her again. Even just for a few days. Monte Lobo is so oppressive, but the sight of her reminds me of what I¡¯m fighting for. I¡¯m hoping she will enjoy the next few days with me. We can pretend to be tourists who just met and travel together on a whim.¡± She raises a brow. ¡°It¡¯s a long shot, but I¡¯m hoping she¡¯ll understand. I need this. Even if only for a few days.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± she says softly, a shadow passing over her face. ¡°Hey,¡± I cup her cheek. ¡°We don¡¯t have to decide anything. Let¡¯s just focus on enjoying Spain together.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± A weight lifts off my chest. I have no answers for the future, but my wolf is happy to dwell in the now, basking in the presence of his chosen mate. I pop another bite of croissant in her mouth. ¡°May I see your drawing?¡± She reaches for the pad, then hesitates, shooting me an inscrutable look. ¡°Please?¡± I hold my breath as she slowly passes it to me, hoping I say the right things. The fairy is adorable-huge, wide-set eyes, a bow-tie mouth and red pigtails. Dainty long lines make up her body to give the impression of movement, like she¡¯s about to flit off to the next flower. She has her hands sped behind her back, like Degas¡¯ Little Dancer, but so much cuter. There¡¯s a joyful, impish quality-I don¡¯t know enough about art to understand how Sedona produced it, but it¡¯s there. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ perfect. You have a real talent, Sedona.¡± ¡°Oh please.¡± She tries to snatch it back, but I hold it out of her reach. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Cartoon-y stuff.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not nothing. It¡¯s beautiful. It¡¯s bewitching. And most importantly, it¡¯s what you want to create.¡± I can¡¯t help but think of mizing her art-it was pounded into me at Harvard. ¡°These would make perfect greeting cards. Or children¡¯s books. Even t-shirts.¡± She nibbles her lip, but I see a spark of hope in her eyes and I want to fist-pump. I said the right thing. ¡°I-I don¡¯t really know. I¡¯m not good with marketing or selling. I just like to create.¡± ¡°Then let me sell them for you. I¡¯ll act as your agent. Or business-manager-whatever artists have.¡± I grin. ¡°That¡¯d be cool.¡± She says it like she believes it won¡¯t happen, which pisses me off. It makes me even more determined to prove to her how hard I¡¯d work for her happiness. I flip a page back and she tries to snatch it away. I twist to hold it out of her reach, where I can see it. It¡¯s me-my wolf, in loving detail. She has my coloring right, my eyes. She remembered everything, even though she¡¯s only seen him once. ¡°Sedona.¡± I turn back to her, eyes wide with awe. ¡°You drew me.¡± Her cheeks are pink. She shrugs like it¡¯s nothing. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°May I have it?¡± ¡°No.¡± She reaches for it and this time I reluctantly let her have it. Disappointmentnces through me. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I want to keep it,¡± she mumbles. My nose-diving confidence takes a sharp turn. She wants to keep it. The drawing of me. I want to read so much into this, but I know that¡¯s not wise. She hasn¡¯t admitted any feelings for me yet. ¡°I want one of you, then,¡± I demand. She gives a snort. ¡°I don¡¯t draw myself.¡± Her cheeks turn an enchanting shade of pink. ¡°Try.¡± She rolls her eyes, but a smile ys around her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± I settle back in my seat and sip the coffee,ying one hand on her leg. Touching her grounds me, eases my anxiety even as it revs the engines of lust always burning in her presence. It feels easy andfortable with her and I hardly dare think it, but I¡¯m starting to believe we can find a way to make things work. I don¡¯t know how yet, but I know I want to try. ~.~ Council Elder I settle into my first ss seat on the ne to Europe and pull out myptop. I have a great manyb results to review from the tests run in Mexico City. Fortunately, they were at ab, not the warehouse. I didn¡¯t chance stopping there, in case it¡¯s being watched. Not by Federales-they can be paid off. But by shifters. Word is a wolf who wasn¡¯t part of the American party got free when they did and his pack is now on the hunt. Good luck to them. I¡¯ve done an excellent job staying behind the scenes. It¡¯s easy when you¡¯re willing to pay top dor for services rendered. I scan the results, studying the gic markers of the American she-wolf, as well as those of her pack mates. All healthy. Too bad I didn¡¯t have time to extract eggs and semen to initiate in vitro fertilization. All the more reason Carlos needs to get his female pregnant on this trip, if the deed is not already done. Barcelona. Carlos couldn¡¯t have made my job any easier. I have a warehouse there, with two she-wolves, one jaguar, and two bears in captivity there, all transported in from Siberia. I could have them transported to Mexico, but Carlos made the decision easy for me. I¡¯ll kill two birds with one stone. If Carlos doesn¡¯t cooperate, I¡¯ll imprison him and his little American, and breed them another way. Better than killing him, like his father. What a waste. I send a message to Aleix, one of the traffickers. There are two new wolves in your city. Find them, watch them, but don¡¯t touch them-they are under my protection. ~.~ Sedona Carlos holds my hand as we walk up Las Rams, the open air pedestrian mall in Barcelona. I try not to read too much into it-whether I should let him hold my hand, or the message it sends. He¡¯s already sleeping in my room, waking me up at night to fuck my brains out. Probably hand-holding shouldn¡¯t be a hard limit. The street is packed with tourists and vendors and I have to admit, I enjoy the way Carlos embodies safety and protection. I stop to check out a street performer pretending to be statue for a moment, then Carlos leads me to the Miro mosaic set in the sidewalk where tourists tramp right over it, never knowing it¡¯s a famous work of art. I check out a collection of leather bags at one vendor, and Carlos pulls his wallet out, as he has every time I¡¯ve stopped. He¡¯s so eager to buy me anything my heart desires. Too bad I¡¯m not some starving artist, or he could work that angle to bind me to him. That was a weird thought. It¡¯s just that he¡¯s so actively wooing me. He¡¯s proving he can provide, taking care of my every need. It¡¯s sweet as hell, but also unnerves me if I think about it too hard. I feel like I¡¯m on a reality television show where I have a limited amount of time to get to know bachelor number one and decide if he¡¯s the guy I¡¯m going to spend the rest of my life with. Um, no. Carlos and I have chemistry, no doubt about that. But I can¡¯t decide how much of the rest of it is real. Is he here wooing me because his biology forces him to? His wolf won¡¯t let me go now that he¡¯s marked me? Isn¡¯t there some better girl for him? Someone from his own culture, who speaks thenguage and doesn¡¯t mind the crazy council? But even as I think that, I hate this imagined mate. She¡¯d be all wrong for him, I just know. I set down the leather bag I¡¯m examining. ¡°Do you want one?¡± Carlos asks. I shake my head. ¡°No thanks, money bags.¡± He lifts a brow. ¡°Money bags?¡± ¡°Are you trying to show what a good provider you are?¡± He chuckles. ¡°I¡¯m old-fashioned. Maybe so.¡± ¡°What is your financial situation, anyway?¡± I ask, then immediately kick myself because now I sound like the bachelorette interviewing her prospect. ¡°My pack has wealth. Generally, it all goes to the hacienda and the rest are left with nothing.¡± He says this matter-of-factly, but I know it¡¯s not something he¡¯s epted, or he wouldn¡¯t call it to my attention. ¡°So are you going to redistribute the wealth?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not quite so easy. I want to divert the money to infrastructure-plumbing and electricity, better housing. But I think we could also change the way we do business to increase profits. I¡¯ve been examining the books and we should be making more. Much more.¡± ¡°Do you think someone¡¯s stealing it?¡± He meets my eye. ¡°To be honest? Yes.¡± I squeeze his hand. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure out who and take care of it. That¡¯s why you¡¯re there, right?¡± He loops an arm around my waist and twirls me into him, my breasts pressing up against his ribs. ¡°Everything seems doable when I¡¯m with you.¡± My heart stutters and I melt into him, lifting my face for a kiss. He ghosts his lips over mine. ¡°You give me reason,¡± he murmurs. Part of me wants to draw away, to deny him me as his reason. I¡¯m not ready for thatmitment. But fireworks are going off in my chest and I¡¯m smiling up at him like a goofball. His kiss is warm and tender, infused with something deeper than passion. It scares the crap out of me. ~.~ 92 Carlos I step out of the shower after a day spent touring the Gaudi House Museum with Sedona. I swear she makes everything magical. Gaudi¡¯s architecture is impressive, no doubt, but seeing it through her eyes made it all the more glorious. With a towel wrapped around my waist, I walk out of the bathroom into our hotel room and find Sedona. In the red dress. ¡°Oh no, muneca. You¡¯re not wearing that out,¡± I say withplete authority. I have to prevent this catastrophe, or I will be ripping out the eyes of every male who sees her tonight. Not to mention the additional problem of us not making it to dinner because I now want to throw her up against the wall and ball her brains out. ¡°Dress off. You can¡¯t wear that.¡± Bad move on my part, but I can¡¯t stop the dictate from flying out of my mouth. She throws her hands on her hips. ¡°Fuck. You. I¡¯ll wear whatever I damn well please.¡± Okay, yeah. I totally fucked up on that one. I stalk toward her, a hunter after his prey. I shove my wolf down before speaking this time. ¡°Forgive me, mi amor. I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡± My hands reach for her hips and I slide the fabric up to reveal more thigh. ¡°I just meant if you wear that, the only thing I¡¯ll be eating tonight will be you.¡± One of those beautiful smiles lights up her face. ¡°I¡¯m counting on that.¡± I groan. ¡°But you¡¯re starving. You already said so-twice-before we got back here to shower and change.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to contain yourself until after dinner.¡± She covers my palms with hers to stay them. ¡°Impossible.¡± She shrugs. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go alone.¡± ¡°The hell you will,¡± I growl. This time I can¡¯t help but crowd her back against the wall and trap her between my arms. ¡°Take off. The dress.¡± Her eyes dte. The corners of her lips kick up. ¡°No.¡± I hear the challenge in her voice. It¡¯s the same one that tells me to chase when she runs. But somewhere, somehow, I also remember that she¡¯s hungry. It¡¯s my duty to provide for my female. So I¡¯ll have to make this quick. I spin her around to face the wall and fist the fabric of her skirt in back to pull it up. She¡¯s wearing miniscule panties-tiny, G-string satin threads with a scrap of fabric between her legs. I rip them off her, unable to contain myself enough to take them off gently. ¡°Who are those for?¡± I growl, insanely jealous because she had those panties with her, she brought them to Paris, before she knew I¡¯d join her. ¡°Easy, big guy,¡± she soothes. ¡°They¡¯re for you. Only for you. Like this pussy.¡± She reaches between her legs and touches herself. Oh no she didn¡¯t. I snake an arm around her waist to hold her in ce and spank her lush ass, my hand falling fast and hard. My other hand slides down her belly to cup her mons. She¡¯s dripping wet. I press one finger into her wet heat, use it to spread moisture up to her clit. She closes her fingers over mine, rocks down for more attention down there. I suck my breath in over my teeth and stop spanking, squeezing and massaging her heated curves as I stroke her wet pussy. ¡°Turn around.¡± My voice is three octaves lower than usual, more beast than man. She turns and I shake the towel off my waist. When she slides a leg up around my waist, I scoop my forearm under her ass, lifting her to meet my throbbing member. And then I¡¯m in her. Exactly where I¡¯ve wanted to be all day. Where I needed to best night, and the night before. I thrust in and up, pushing her shoulders against the wall, but holding her hips out to meet mine. She¡¯s a disheveled goddess, dress tangled up around her waist, hair sprawled out on the wall. I fuck her hard and deep, relentless. ¡°I wanted to give it to you slow tonight, baby. Take my time with you. But no, you had to wear that dress,¡± I growl as I bang into her. She clutches my shoulders, nails scoring my flesh, marking me as I¡¯ve marked her. ¡°Carlos,¡± she chokes. The desperation is there already, she needs toe. Good thing, because longevity isn¡¯t in the cards for me at the moment. ¡°Take it,¡± I growl. ¡°Take it deep, muneca. You asked for this.¡± As usual, my female is excited by my dirty talk. She shatters, inner thighs squeezing my waist, pussy clenching and releasing as herst cry hangs, seemingly suspended in the air between us because she¡¯s stopped breathing. I m into her three more times and plunge deep for my finish. Sedona¡¯s chest moves again, and she slides her hands around, digs her nails deep into my back, closes her eyes. I im her mouth, nting my lips over hers, licking and sucking until I stoping. Then I freeze. ¡°I forgot a condom again.¡± I¡¯d worn onest night, but the night before, when I sleep-fucked her, I hadn¡¯t worn one, and now I did it again. As horrible as it sounds, I subconsciously must want her to get pregnant, to bind her to me. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± She tucks her face into my neck, still recovering her breath. ¡°You can¡¯t get me pregnant.¡± Relief pours through me. Well, mostly relief. Maybe with ten percent disappointment. She must be on the pill. Strange, but I hadn¡¯t smelled it the way I can smell it on a human female. Her stomach rumbles. ¡°Baby, you¡¯re hungry,¡± I chide. I ease out of her and lower her feet to the floor. ¡°Let¡¯s go get some dinner.¡± She stands still and I look up from where I¡¯d bent to pick up my towel. ¡°Sedona. Fuck.¡± I stalk back to her, wrapping the towel around my waist. ¡°Did I hurt you? I was way too rough. I¡¯m sorry, angel.¡± She reaches for me, which nearly floors me with relief. Wraps her arms around my neck and lets me hold her. ¡°I like it when you¡¯re rough,¡± she murmurs against my ear. Her body is trembling, though, and I feel like the biggest ass for fucking her and then dropping her to the floor while I wipe off my dick. I hold her, stroking her back, burying my face in her thick glossy hair. I¡¯m reying the scene, trying to figure out if something went wrong, or if she just needs a moment of aftercare when she says, ¡°You owe me a pair of panties, though.¡± I bark augh. ¡°And I¡¯m still wearing this dress out.¡± I groan. ¡°Okay, muneca, wear the dress. But you¡¯ll be held responsible for all the men whose faces meet my knuckles when they ogle you.¡± She lets go of me and I reluctantly step back. ¡°You¡¯ll behave.¡± She sounds like she believes it, which makes me vow to meet her expectations. Even if it fucking kills me. ~.~ Sedona I didn¡¯t lie. Not exactly. He can¡¯t get me pregnant because I already am. My insides swim around with the misdirection and all the issues I¡¯ve avoided examininge mming back into me. It won¡¯t be long before he scents the change in hormones on me. Before my body starts to change to amodate the new life within me. Our pup. What will it mean to him? I don¡¯t even know what it means to me. Fates, this entire trip to Europe wasn¡¯t to heal, it was ast ditch effort to spread my wings before I¡¯m saddled with a child. I¡¯ve been pretending that child doesn¡¯t exist, pretending none of my problems exist while I get my rah-rahs out seeing famous art and getting sexed against the wall by a libidinous werewolf. But I¡¯m going to have to face the music soon. Either I lose Carlos soon and try to keep this pregnancy from him or we stick together and he¡¯ll find out on his own in the next week or two. Then what? If he¡¯s already gone overboard to protect me on this trip, what do I think he¡¯ll do when he knows I¡¯m carrying his pup? Do I really believe he¡¯ll ever leave my side? What did Garrett say? It would take an entire pack to keep him away. I slip on a new pair of panties and smooth the skirt of the dress back down as Carlos gets dressed. He¡¯s looking over at me like he knows something¡¯s going on in my head and it worries him. He pays attention, I¡¯ll give him that. Moments like these I wish he¡¯d pay a little less attention. No, that¡¯s not true. Carlos escorts me out and we walk down to Las Rams again and find an open-air restaurant where we can watch all the activity on the tree-lined street. I¡¯m sore and used in all the right ces, but I know it will fade within the next hour, so I savor every twinge and pulse. Carlos orders a bottle of wine after consulting me on my preferences. When ites, I take a sip, but even if I¡¯d wanted to drink alcohol, I can¡¯t. My body totally refuses it. I can barely choke down one sip. After we order our food, Carlos asks, ¡°What¡¯s going on in that beautiful mind of yours, Sedona? You¡¯re too quiet.¡± I shake my head. ¡°Nothing. Just trying not to think about whates next with us.¡± His expression turns grave. He stares a hole through me and I can¡¯t breathe. ¡°Now I¡¯m trying not to ask you what you¡¯re trying not to think about.¡± I give a shortugh, grateful for his ability to be so real with me. For it to be this easy to talk about something so hard. The waiter brings our food and I tuck in, devouring my meal like I haven¡¯t eaten in a week. I hope this isn¡¯t the start of pregnancy cravings, because I don¡¯t want to spend the next nine months eating everything in sight. Ugh. And now I¡¯m thinking about the pregnancy again. Not that I ever stopped. I look out onto the pedestrian thoroughfare at a pair of musicians who just started up and Carlos follows my line of sight. He chokes on his wine and I look over, amused. ¡°Everything okay over there?¡± He dabs his lips with his napkin. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going to use the restroom, muneca. I¡¯ll be back in just a moment.¡± It takes about thirty seconds for it to sink into my brain that he didn¡¯t head in the direction of the restrooms, he headed toward the exit. My instincts roar to life, hairs standing up at the back of my neck, vision tunneling like I need to shift and run. But what is the danger? I look around, and catch sight of Carlos out on La Ram, talking with¡­ Oh fuck no. It¡¯s one of the council members. I¡¯d remember that old son-of-a-bitch anywhere. He¡¯s one of the two males who met the traffickers at the gate. I throw some Euros on the table and get up, marching out of the restaurant. I¡¯m so focused on Carlos and the council member, I don¡¯t see a group of young mening until they bump into me. Something pricks my arm and I nearly lose my bnce, but one of them catches me. They areughing and talking in Spanish-no, not Spanish-Catn, the firstnguage in Barcelona. One of them holds my elbow and says something friendly to me, but I shake them off, still barreling toward Carlos. When I go to wipe away the stinging on my arm, my handes away bloody. It¡¯s nothing, but it adds fuel to my fury and sense of vition. A fury which Carlos is about to get the full brunt of. ~.~ Carlos Don Santiago is here in Barcelona. I¡¯m ready to pound him into the ground. I don¡¯t know what his game is, but I intend to find out. Now. If we weren¡¯t in a public ce, I would already have his throat in my hand. ¡°Rx, mijo-Don Carlos-I¡¯m not spying on you, as you say. I had business to attend to here and I thought it would be a good time for a visit.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± Don Santiago hasn¡¯t wiped his indulgently amused expression off his face yet and I¡¯m about ready to do so with my fist. ¡°Bueno. You¡¯re right. The council has a stake in how you¡¯re doing here with your female. I came to see if I could be of service.¡± ¡°Of service?¡± It takes all my effort not to shout the words. ¡°What, are you going to send a mango and wine to our hotel room? Help get us in the mood?¡± Don Santiago folds his arms over his chest. ¡°Do I need to?¡± I clench my fists so hard my nails dig into my palms. ¡°Is she pregnant yet?¡± Don Santiago looks over my shoulder at the same moment I catch Sedona¡¯s scent. Carajo! I whirl, but it¡¯s toote. She heard. Her face is pale as snow, but fury zes in her eyes. ¡°Sedona-this isn¡¯t what you think.¡± She¡¯s already turned away from me, walking with purposeful strides in the direction of our hotel. ¡°Sedona-wait! Let me exin.¡± I chase after her. I stop myself just before I reach for her, because I¡¯m sure she will deck me if Iy a hand on her. I opt for matching her stride, instead. ¡°I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s here. I didn¡¯t know he wasing. Listen to me.¡± ¡°No.¡± She stops and throws a hand out against my chest, halting me, too. ¡°I don¡¯t have to listen to you. In fact, I can¡¯t. I won¡¯t. I heard what he wants. Whether you im to be innocent in your council¡¯s dirty little n or not, you¡¯re a part of it. And that means I¡¯m out.¡± She starts walking again. ¡°Fuck!¡± I can¡¯t help cursing out loud before I pick up my pace beside her. ¡°That¡¯s not what-¡± Except it is. She nailed it. I can¡¯t argue with her take on what¡¯s going down. ¡°Sedona, I¡¯m not here to get you pregnant. I don¡¯t see you as a prize. I came because I couldn¡¯t stay away. I wanted to honor your request for space, but¡­ I just couldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Well you¡¯re going to have to,¡± she snaps. ¡°Because I¡¯m done.¡± She¡¯s done with me. Her words drive a spike straight through my gut. I slow my steps, let her advance without me. I¡¯m not going to convince her to be with me by continuing to disrespect her wishes. She doesn¡¯t even nce back, still marching on toward the hotel. My chest feels like it¡¯s been crushed by a hundred pound weight. I sag against the side of a building, hardly able to drag breath into my lungs.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. She¡¯s right. Our problems are insurmountable. She¡¯ll never be able to forget what the council did to her and I am part of that horror. How could I even have hoped to bring her back with me? The idea is ludicrous. It would only ruin her, like Monte Lobo ruined my mother. All her light would go out, she¡¯d die a little more every day until she was either crazy, like my mother, or nothing but a shell. Maybe if I had another n to offer her. A different pack, another option. Maybe if I was willing to leave my pack, live with hers. But I can¡¯t abandon mine. My absence is part of the reason everything¡¯s fucked there. The pack needs me. No, if I care about Sedona-truly care-and I do, then the only right thing is let her walk away. Even if it means my chest caves in from the weight on it. ~.~ Sedona I sense the second Carlos drops back and lets me go. I know I should consider it a gift, but it wounds me as much as his deception. I march forward toward the hotel, refusing to look back. I don¡¯t want to see his expression. Don¡¯t want to think about what he¡¯s feeling now. Is she pregnant yet? I can¡¯t fucking believe his council is here monitoring us still. Have they been watching everything? Our meeting in Tucson? Paris? I hate them. I really do. I hate them with a bitterness that runs so deep I might drown in it. But no. This anger is the other side of the coin to being a victim. Which I¡¯d decided not to be. They don¡¯t control me. They¡¯re not going to shape my life or my future. They¡¯re especially not going to shape my pup¡¯s future. I run up to our hotel room and throw my things in my suitcase. I¡¯m going home. Maybe I¡¯m running scared. Yeah, I am running scared. But I have more than my own safety to consider. I have the safety of my baby. And seeing that council member here shook me up. Badly. Every hair on my arms stands up as I rey the scene. He was watching us. I may have thought I escaped when I left Mexico, but I didn¡¯t. They¡¯re still here with me. And they still believe I¡¯m their breeder. Tears blur my vision as I grab my suitcase and head out of the hotel room. I half expect Carlos to be standing outside the room, or downstairs in the lobby, or on the sidewalk outside the hotel, but he¡¯s not. No one stops me when I hail a cab and ask for the airport. I know there¡¯s a chance I won¡¯t find any flights out at this time of night, but I don¡¯t give a crap. Every cell in my body screams for me to get out of here, fast. I need to get back to my family. To my pack, who will protect me. Carlos can¡¯t be trusted. I don¡¯t even know if I can believe anything he said, anything that happened between us. It could have all been a fabrication to get me pregnant. I¡¯m d now I didn¡¯t tell him. There¡¯s a chance he¡¯s just as evil as his council. That thought hurts worse than any other. To believe Carlos duped me or yed me, that he never cared, leaves me clutching my chest to rid the searing pain. I want to believe his feelings were real. But it¡¯s not enough. He may have a biological need to be near me and protect me because he¡¯s marked me, but it doesn¡¯t mean he loves me. It doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re well-suited as mates. I was vulnerable and I read too much into his attention but I need to harden myself now. For my pup¡¯s sake. ~.~ Council Elder I snap open the tiny vial of blood and inhale deeply. Good. The American is pregnant. I had a few humans bump into her and get a blood sample. It isn¡¯t enough for ab test, but I can tell by the scent. Carlos is no longer needed. If he gives us any more trouble, we¡¯ll kill him off faster than he can whine don¡¯t call me mijo. And now I have his female¡¯s DNA too. Perfect for my gene maniption tests. Soon I¡¯ll have harvested samples from every specimen of shifter on Earth. Enough to build aprehensive DNA workup and determine the factors that improve or limit the ability to shift, to heal, to reproduce. What happened in my pack will never have to happen again, because I¡¯ll be able to manipte genes to create super-wolves, splicing in not only the best traits from werewolves, but also from other shifters. I walk through the warehouse with a clipboard and match each species with their blood sample data. A tiger throws itself against the metal bars, snarling at me as I stand in front of him. ¡°This one is beautiful. Where did you find him?¡± I ask Aleix. ¡°Bought him from an Iranian, but hees from Turkey.¡± ¡°A Caspian tiger? Very rare find. The animal counterpart is extinct. Good work. I¡¯ll pay a hefty bonus for this one.¡± ¡°I¡¯m counting on it.¡± Aleix folds his arms across his chest. He wants me to pay up now. I¡¯ve made him and his brother Ferran extremely wealthy over the past ten years. They don¡¯t participate in any of the hunting of shifters-only the purchasing and storage, the blood draws andb workups. Aleix is the businessman, Ferran is the bioscientist. They wouldn¡¯t be in for any of this, except I¡¯ve promised to cure their sister of the gic disease causing her to slowly waste away. The truth is, I could¡¯ve cured her years ago, but I know as soon as I do, Aleix and Ferran will fold and they¡¯re too valuable to me. Better to keep them working, seeking answers. The Harvester needs his henchmen. 93 Carlos Thirty-five hours since Sedona left me. Every minute, every hour, feels like an eternity. Every breath takes effort to pull in. Every heartbeat pangs my chest. I hire a car to drive me from el D. F. to Monte Lobo. I always feel heavy when I return to my home, but this time the weight of it makes it hard for me to even move. This must be what it feels like to be one hundred years old, the ache of every year pressing on your bones. Except in my case, it¡¯s the weight of every minute away from Sedona. Every minute with my mind turning over ourst moment together. I hate that she thinks I might be a part of the council¡¯s idiotic obsession with my future offspring. I hate knowing Don Santiago triggered the trauma of her ordeal again. But now I know withplete certainty-it¡¯s impossible for us to be together. I could never bring her back here. All she would remember is the evil done to her. A growl starts up in my throat. I should¡¯ve killed every member of the council the moment they set us free. Am I such a coward to turn away from murder? I scrub my face, but it does nothing to clear the cobwebs hanging over my eyes. If only I could find my way out of this legacy of gloom. Juanito runs out to meet me, his childish face, sometimes appearing so old with the burdens he carries, shines. ¡°Don Carlos!¡± He skids to a stop, reaches enthusiastically for my suitcase. I let him take it, not because he¡¯s a servant and I think it¡¯s his job, but because denying him would cause disappointment. I ruffle his hair. ¡°What¡¯s new, my friend?¡± The boy shrugs. ¡°Nothing. Did you bring your female back? They said you would.¡± The hole in my chest blows open even wider. ¡°No. She can¡¯t return here. She would never forgive the council for taking her prisoner.¡± Juanito looks up at me. ¡°Do you?¡± ¡°No.¡± I don¡¯t. And I should really clean house-throw them all out at the very least. But I don¡¯t know if I have any allies here, apart from my nine-year-old friend. Juanito nods, like he expected that answer. ¡°Me neither.¡± He pushes open my bedroom door and leaves the suitcase. I sigh and go to see my mother. The sooner I get that visit over with, the sooner I can get out and walk thend. Hope the answers somehowe to me. Tomorrow, heads will roll. Even if one of them ends up being my own. ~.~ Sedona It was easier to get a flight to Phoenix than Tucson, so that¡¯s where I go, calling my mom to pick me up from the airport. The moment I see her, I¡¯m like a child again. I burst into tears and throw myself into her arms while she lets out a stream of mother babble. ¡°Fates, Sedona, I¡¯ve been so worried-are you all right?-are you hurt?-what did they do to you?-tell me everything.¡± I pull away and dash at my tears with the back of my hand. ¡°I¡¯m marked and pregnant. I thought I might be in love, but it¡¯s not going to work out. So I¡¯m home.¡± ¡°For good?¡± My mom can¡¯t hide her joy. Of course she would love to have a grandpup around to spoil. ¡°I don¡¯t know, mom.¡± The tears start again. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± She bustles me out to the car, where my dad¡¯s waiting by the curb. He gets out and gives me a bear hug, and for once, says nothing. Maybe I hurt him by going with Garrett after the Mexico thing. No, that¡¯s stupid. My dad doesn¡¯t get hurt. He¡¯s probably trying to give me space. First time for everything. He takes my suitcase and throws it in the trunk. ¡°Sedona¡¯s pregnant,¡± my mom whispers as I climb in the back seat. Great. My dad climbs in and pulls into traffic. ¡°You okay, baby?¡± I swallow and nod. ¡°Yeah.¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Are they after you?¡± A chill runs through me. Are they? Did they send Carlos to bring me back and when he failed, went themselves? Or again, is Carlos really the mastermind behind the Breed Sedona Project? No. I know in my bones he isn¡¯t. He can¡¯t be. My instincts aren¡¯t that off. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Daddy,¡± I admit. ¡°Maybe. Or they will be when they find out about the pup.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll stay here, then. Where I can protect you.¡± I bristle even though I knew that¡¯s what he¡¯d say, and I truly need his protection. It¡¯s just that he doesn¡¯t ask, he orders. ¡°Garrett can protect me,¡± I say stubbornly, even though I don¡¯t want to return to Tucson. Not now, anyway. There¡¯s nothing for me there. But there¡¯s nothing for me here, either. And there wasn¡¯t much for me in Europe until Carlos showed up. Hell. Is this what it¡¯s like to have your heart broken? Life without your lover is nothing but shit? Will this feeling of loss and loneliness ever go away? Can I find meaning again? Maybe with our child. Fates, I hope I can kick this overwhelming sadness before he or shees. My dad gives a nonmittal snort. I seriously hope he¡¯s not insinuating the reason I was kidnapped was because Garrett didn¡¯t do a good enough job. He starts the car and lurches out into traffic. ¡°We¡¯ve been looking into things. Your brother killed the men who kidnapped you, but they weren¡¯t the wolves in charge. There¡¯s someone bigger. No one knows his identity, but he¡¯s called The Harvester. He buys wolves-other shifters too.¡± ¡°What does he do with them?¡± My voice is hoarse. ¡°It¡¯s unclear. None of The Disappeared have returned, except for you.¡± Something tickles my consciousness, my instincts gunning, and I rub a spot on my arm. I remember the blood there after I bumped into the group of humans on Las Rams. I grip my arm and examine the area. There¡¯s nothing there. Why would that memory surface now? My blood. Had someone wanted my blood? Had that crowd of jostling humans been an excuse to draw a sample of blood from me? But why? Duh. To see if I¡¯m pregnant. But was that the council or the Harvester? Probably the council. ¡°I think they are after me, Daddy.¡± My voice sounds so hoarse I don¡¯t recognize it. ¡°Who? Your mate or his pack? Or both?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. His pack, I think.¡± Sickness twists in my belly. I put a hand over my abdomen, sending a secret message of safety to my baby. I won¡¯t let them have you. ¡°There¡¯s a shifter up in gstaff who we think might be from their pack. Old she-wolf. I¡¯ve asked for a meeting.¡± ¡°What did she say?¡± ¡°I¡¯m waiting to hear. I contacted their alpha. Hopefully he¡¯ll get back to me today and I can drive up to talk to her.¡± ¡°I want to go, too,¡± I say. My father hesitates, meeting my eyes in the rear view mirror. He gives a single nod. I¡¯m surprised-I¡¯m used to him keeping me out of the fray. Things are changing. 94 Carlos I storm into Don Jose¡¯s office. I¡¯ve been back for a day and it¡¯s time to make some changes around here. ¡°ording to my calctions, we pull fifty thousand ounces of silver out of that mine each year and yet we¡¯re only selling thirty. Where is the rest of it going?¡± Surprise flits over Don Jose¡¯s face, but he quickly masks it. ¡°We¡¯re selling everything we pull out. What are you insinuating? That someone is stealing half our silver? Impossible.¡± He scoffs and waves his hand, like he wants to shoo me away. ¡°Come now, Carlos. You¡¯ve been in a temper since you returned without your female. I know you me Don Santiago and the rest of us for that failing, but now you¡¯re getting paranoid.¡± I ignore the dig and p the old ledgers on the desk. ¡°Here are the reports from each mine on their production output.¡± I point at several columns of numbers. ¡°These don¡¯t match the reports turned in by Guillermo¡¯s team down at the mine.¡± I set a dirty log book from the mine on the desk. Don Jose picks up the book from the mine and scans the numbers himself, then matches them by month to the log book. His brow furrows before it smooths. ¡°Who enters these numbers?¡± I tap the ledger. ¡°I do,¡± he snaps. ¡°But I don¡¯t use these mine logs. I use the reports generated by Don Santiago.¡± Our eyes meet. Santiago. I know both of us are thinking it. Sonofabitch. He must be using the money for whatever hobby science projects he has going. But Don Jose schools his face and says, ¡°Don Santiago knows what¡¯s going on. I¡¯m sure these are raw numbers and the one he enters are the final ones. If there¡¯s some discrepancy, the council will review it.¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. I lunge for him, wrapping his shirt up in a fist under his chin. ¡°You¡¯re sure? You¡¯re sure about a lot, aren¡¯t you? You sure about why and how the wealth of this pack has been drained over the past fifty years, leaving the majority of our people in poverty?¡± He doesn¡¯t struggle, probably because I would win a physical fight. But he doesn¡¯t give me the gratification of getting ruffled, maintaining his calm, condescending demeanor. ¡°You¡¯re off-bnce, Carlos. Get a grip, or we¡¯ll have to medicate you, like your mother.¡± I m his head down on the desk, cracking his nose. When I lift him, blood pours over his lips and down his chin. I bring my face right up to his. ¡°Try it,¡± I growl. ¡°Try it and I¡¯ll kill everyst one of you motherfuckers.¡± Don Jose gives a forcedugh as he gropes for a handkerchief in his pocket. ¡°You are deranged, Carlos.¡± ¡°Am I, Jose?¡± I drop the ¡°Don,¡± because he doesn¡¯t deserve the respect it implies. ¡°I¡¯m going to keep turning over rocks until I uncover where half the wealth of our mountain has gone. And you¡¯d better pray I don¡¯t link its disappearance to the council.¡± I turn to stalk out and Don Jose pinches his nose with the handkerchief. My fight for control has begun. ~.~ Carlos I head down to the mine to return the logbook. I¡¯m ashamed I haven¡¯t spent much time in the mines. I don¡¯t know all that goes into it, nor the names and faces of the men who work there. I find Guillermo, the foreman who gave me the logbook working right beside the rest of them. The mine consists mostly of silver and lead, but originally, when our Spanish ancestors settled here, they mined gold from it, as well. Guillermo straightens when Ie in. He¡¯s a huge wolf, face prematurely lined and craggy with hard work. He gives me an up and down sweep of his eyes, taking in my neatly pressed, fine Italian cks and button down. I look as out of ce as a flower in a shit pile here. His eyesnd on my cor, and I pull it away from my face to see what he¡¯s looking at. Oh yeah. Some of Don Jose¡¯s blood sttered on it. I don¡¯t offer any exnation-I don¡¯t have to, I¡¯m alpha. I hold up the log book. ¡°I brought back the records.¡± Guillermo takes it. I swear I see suspicion under his neutral gaze, but I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s for. ¡°You find anything¡­ interesting?¡± I nod. I¡¯m not sure how much to share. I don¡¯t know who is working for the thief or thieves. I can¡¯t say if any wolf here would side with me when I try to bring him or them down. My guess is that the council¡¯s behind it, but I need more proof. ¡°Numbers don¡¯t match the council¡¯s reports.¡± I opt for the truth and watch the faces around me absorb it. Some look wary, some angry. Most keep their faces carefully nk, like they¡¯re used to covering their thoughts. Guillermo crosses his arms over his massive chest. ¡°My numbers are good.¡± ¡°I have no doubt. If anyone here was stealing silver from the pack, you sure as hell wouldn¡¯t report it in that log book.¡± ¡°Stealing from the pack or the council?¡± one of them mutters. I can¡¯t tell who spoke because they all drop their eyes, as if afraid I¡¯ll get aggressive. ¡°The council doesn¡¯t own the mountain, the pack does. The wealth thates out of these mines should be for the benefit of all.¡± I¡¯m campaigning now. If I¡¯m going to make changes around here, I¡¯ll need support. None of them show any response to my words. ¡°Where¡¯s your female?¡± someone toward the back asks. The question hits me like a blow to the gut. I could¡¯ve handled any inquiry, was prepared for any discussion but this one. Carajo. The pack wants an alpha with a female. They need to know I¡¯m preserving our alpha line. It¡¯s what the council told me, but now I¡¯m seeing how much it matters to them. Goddammit. A leader doesn¡¯t me others when he¡¯s foundcking. I¡¯m not going to throw the council under the bus, even though I believe their interference ruined my chances with Sedona. Sedona-fates. I¡¯ve gone all day trying not to think of her, but now she¡¯s here, right in the forefront of my mind, the way Ist saw her. Hurt, angry, and afraid. Her face pale with fury, blue eyes shing. My Sedona. I nearly double over with the pain that seizes my gut. I clear my throat. ¡°I¡¯m working on finding a mate. I promise I will take one soon to continue the Montelobo line.¡± The wolves shift on their feet, and the scent of suspicion grows stronger. They know a bullshit line when they hear one, I guess. I owe them more credit. Despite the pain in my chest, I try again. ¡°You may have heard I took a mate over thest moon, and it¡¯s true. But my mate was brought here against her will, stolen from her pack in America. I refuse to keep her prisoner here. I released her.¡± Unbelievably, some of the wolves nod, as if they agree with my decision. Maybe all they need ismunication from me, so they understand the decisions their alpha is making. Rather than let the guilt at my failing as an alpha drag me under, I plow forward, give them more. ¡°I know I¡¯ve been a poor alpha to you. I¡¯ve been away while conditions here worsened. But I¡¯m back now. I¡¯m ready to dedicate myself to improving Monte Lobo for the good of all, not just those who live in the hacienda.¡± I wave a hand toward the log book. ¡°I¡¯m starting with the finances. Some things don¡¯t add up, but I¡¯m going to track where our money is going. Our pack should have greater wealth to make improvements here. Plumbing and electricity for everyone, for starters.¡± Again, I sense suspicion. Or maybe it¡¯s skepticism. How can I fault them? I¡¯m unproven as an alpha. I try onest time. ¡°My door is open. If you have anything to report, or request, visit me at the hacienda. I want to hear from you.¡± A few men nod. I incline my head slightly and turn to walk out of the mine, with the weight of at least twenty pairs of eyes on me. ¡°Senor!¡± someone calls as I step into the sun. I shield my eyes, blinking until I make out the weathered face. It¡¯s Marisol, the old farmer Paco¡¯s wife. ¡°Don Carlos, wee home.¡± She bobs a curtsey. ¡°Senora,¡± I greet her. At least someone is d to see me. She steps closer. ¡°My husband tells me not me to bother you, but¡­¡± She trails off, biting her lip. ¡°You are one of my pack. You are always wee to approach me.¡± The older wolf studies me. I catch a whiff of her emotions-worry, resignation, a tinge of something more than nervousness. Terror? ¡°You have nothing to fear from me,¡± I emphasize. ¡°Your father-he was a good wolf,¡± she whispers. ¡°He wanted what¡¯s best for the pack. And you-you are like him. We see him in you.¡± I didn¡¯t expect this, so I stay silent. She drops her gaze, shoulders hunching in submission. ¡°I don¡¯t mean any disrespect, alpha.¡± ¡°Marisol.¡± I touch her shoulder. ¡°I am grateful you spoke. I hope to honor my father¡¯s memory.¡± I search for the words. ¡°I also want what¡¯s best for the pack. Not a few wolves, but all of them. I promise I will work hard to be the alpha you deserve.¡± I lean close. ¡°Things are going to change around here. For the better.¡± Whether the council likes it or not. One day, the pack might rally behind me. Until then, I will work to win their trust. The hope on Marisol¡¯s face tells me that day might soone. ¡°Bless you, Don Carlos,¡± she whispers, dropping another curtsey. I let her slip away. I meant every word I said. Now all I can do is fulfill my promises. Even if I don¡¯t have the motivation of making things perfect for Sedona. Even if I¡¯m not sure how my heart will go on beating without her. I will throw myself into my work and make a difference for my pack. And someday, maybe, I can try again with my lovely mate. 95 Sedona My father and I drive two hours up to gstaff to visit Rosa, the shifter from Mexico. I fiddle with the radio, but every station gives me a headache. For four days I¡¯ve lived in a stupor. The pregnancy makes me tired-I sleep fifteen hours a night-but some of the fatigue must be depression. I see the worried nces my parents exchange when they think I¡¯m not looking. Everyone treats me like I¡¯m made of ss. It¡¯s exactly what I didn¡¯t want when I first came back from Mexico. Fates, I feel even worse now than I did then. I was confused, then. Now I¡¯m wrecked. Carlos ruined me for all other males. Ruined me for love. I seriously don¡¯t see any light in my future. No, that¡¯s not true. I have this baby to look forward to. At least that gives me purpose. We pull up to a tiny cabin out in the woods. It¡¯s a sweet domicile for a wolf-all of gstaff is, a small town surrounded by mountains and woods. A short, sturdy Latina womanes out onto the wooden porch, wiping her hands on a dishcloth. She watches me get out of the car with a steady gaze. My father marches over and shakes her hand. For some reason, my heart¡¯s beating faster than normal. She¡¯s a little sliver of Carlos-someone from his pack. I follow my father up the steps and into her little cabin. She waves us into seats at her round kitchen table, which is nestled in a corner under a big picture window. Her backyard sports a few pine trees and a dog house. The dog, a ckb, is parked right beneath the window, sitting politely, ears cocked and tail wagging. She pours coffee and brings a carton of half and half to the table, along with a bowl of sugar. I dump two spoonfuls of sugar in my coffee and pour enough milk to turn it blond. ¡°So,¡± Rosa says, sitting down with us atst. ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°As I said on the phone, my daughter was taken by the Monte Lobo pack. We have her back, but we want to know everything you can tell us about them.¡± ¡°They took you for their alpha? As a prize?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I clear my throat. ¡°For Carlos.¡± ¡°Carlos, yes. I remember him, of course.¡± She doesn¡¯t go on, but my father and I both wait, leaving the space as an invitation. ¡°I¡¯ll start by telling you why I left. You must have seen the disparity between the rich and poor.¡± I nod. ¡°I was one of the poor. My father worked in the mines, my mother worked agriculture. It was a good enough life, I didn¡¯t know any differently. I mated young, followed in my parents¡¯ footsteps. ¡°I had a hard time keeping a pregnancy. I only carried one pup to full term and even though he was perfect, to me, when he hit puberty, we found out he couldn¡¯t shift. Happened to a lot of pups in that generation-too much inbreeding, I know now. We were all rted in that pack. Don Santiago, one of the council members, took him from me. Said he could make him better. He drove him down to Mexico City But he never brought him back.¡± Her eyes fill with tears. ¡°He said he didn¡¯t survive the procedure. When my husband raised a fuss, he was crushed in a mining ident.¡± My father leans forward. ¡°Are you implying it wasn¡¯t an ident?¡± She shrugs. ¡°Any pack member who made waves disappeared in the mines. It¡¯s an easy way to get rid of troublemakers.¡± A growl sounds in the room. At first I think it must be my dad, then I realize it¡¯sing from me. ¡°There are alphas who rule their packs with an iron fist, who punish their pack members, even mete out death as a consequence. As wolves, we follow, we obey. It¡¯s in our nature. But nothing about that council is natural.¡± The hairs stand up on my arms. I growl again. ¡°Sneaky deaths, silent deaths-it keeps the pack afraid, and quiet. The council¡¯s spies are everywhere. No one speaks up, for fear they might be next. But after my husband died, I knew I had to leave. My sister, Marisol, helped me escape. She wouldn¡¯t leave her husband, but she told me to get out while I still could.¡± ¡°What about the alpha?¡± my father asks. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you go to him for help? ¡°They killed him.¡± My mouth drops open. Carlos hadn¡¯t told me that. Did he know? ¡°If they can¡¯t control an alpha, he dies. All they care about his keeping the alpha blood line pure. They don¡¯t care about actually having an alpha to rule. Your Carlos, he¡¯s in danger now.¡± ¡°Now?¡± She nods, her eyes haunted. ¡°Now that you¡¯re pregnant. They¡¯ll have no need for him.¡± ~.~ My legs are weak when we get back in the car. I knew Carlos¡¯ pack was troubled, but I never considered he might be in danger. But I should have. They had so little respect for him, they caged him in a cell with me. Their own alpha. My mate is in danger. The father of my pup. My hands shake as I pull out my phone. ¡°Who are you calling?¡± My dad¡¯s watching me with concern. ¡°Garrett.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I shake my head impatiently and dial the number. ¡°Hey sis. Everything okay?¡± ¡°Yeah. No, not really. Hey, could you text me Amber¡¯s phone number?¡± I can practically hear my brother grind his teeth. ¡°You gonna tell me what this is about?¡± ¡°I just want to check out some information Dad and I got from a shifter up in g. She¡¯s from Carlos¡¯ pack.¡± ¡°Okay. But just know that Amber¡¯s not entirelyfortable with her gifts yet, and she doesn¡¯t like to be put on the spot.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you did with her to find me?¡± ¡°Yeah, smart ass, it is. Never mind. You¡¯re both adults, you can work it out between the two of you.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Let me know how I can help, okay, sis?¡± ¡°Yeah, I will.¡± ¡°Youing back to your apartment here? We¡¯ve got you all moved in.¡± I nce over at my dad, who scowls at the road. Of course he¡¯s heard every word. ¡°Maybe. I don¡¯t know. I have a lot to figure out.¡± ¡°I know.¡± His voice is soft with sympathy, which I don¡¯t want, so I hit the end button, quickly. When he texts me the number, I hit dial right away. Amber answers in her professional voice, ¡°Amber Drake speaking.¡± ¡°Hi Amber, it¡¯s Sedona.¡± ¡°Hi Sedona. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Can I ask you a question? A yes or no one?¡± Amber¡¯s silent a moment, and I¡¯m sure she¡¯s thinking of how to politely tell me to stop using her this way, but she says, ¡°I can try.¡± ¡°Is Carlos in danger?¡± She¡¯s quiet for a moment, then I hear her suck in her breath. ¡°Mortal danger,¡± she chokes. ¡°Fuck,¡± I mutter. ¡°Thank you. Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.¡± I hang up. My dad frowns. ¡°I knew I should¡¯ve torn that pack apart the day we picked you up.¡± ¡°No, Dad,¡± I snap. ¡°Because you would¡¯ve taken down Carlos, too. And none of this is his fault.¡± My dad¡¯s brows draw together. ¡°We¡¯ll go back. Take out just the council. Then you¡¯re free to make the right choice about your ma-about Carlos. I don¡¯t want your decisions clouded by fear for your safety or your pup¡¯s or even the pup¡¯s father.¡± I nod mutely. This is why I love my dad, as much of a controlling ass as he can be. He takes care of things. Carlos would do this much for our daughter, too. For some reason, I¡¯m suddenly certain our pup is a girl. His vision of the pack has been obscured by lies from the council. If he knew they killed his father, I can¡¯t imagine he wouldn¡¯t take swift action. He¡¯s not a coward, not my Carlos. He¡¯s just concerned with doing the right thing for his pack. And for me. I realize with utter rity the reason he let me go. It¡¯s not forck of caring. It¡¯s because he cares enough. Both times I¡¯ve left, he let me walk. Because he would never hold me against my will.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Tears leak out of my eyes, but unlike the ones I¡¯ve cried over the past several days, these aren¡¯t full of self-pity. My chest is filled with love. Love for my mate, for Carlos. And he¡¯s in danger now. Yes, I believe my dad can take care of the council, but I want to be there first. To tell Carlos what I know, and help him sort things out before my dades in with the big guns. I can¡¯t tell my dad, though, he¡¯d never allow it. Tonight. As soon as I get back to Phoenix, I¡¯ll find a flight out. 96 Carlos ¡°Carlos, they took him from me,¡± my mother wails. I¡¯m in her room and she¡¯s pacing up and down in front of the window, stopping every now and then to look out. ¡°No, I¡¯m right here, Mama.¡± I put my hands on her shoulders and try to catch her gaze. ¡°Your father,¡± she whispers. ¡°They took your father.¡± ¡°Papi¡¯s dead. Remember? An ident in the mine.¡± She shakes her head rapidly. ¡°No, no ident. They took him.¡± I sigh and look over at Maria Jose, ringing her hands in the corner. ¡°Should we sedate her?¡± For a second, I catch a glimpse of judgement in Maria Jose¡¯s expression and I¡¯m taken aback. Then I remember what she told mest time. ¡°You think the drugs make her worse. I haven¡¯t had her checked out yet.¡± I stab my fingers through my hair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll take her to the city tomorrow. Don Santiago¡¯s absence makes it easier to get a second opinion.¡± Maria Jose¡¯s eyes widen and she steps forward. ¡°Yes, yes, Don Carlos. That would be good. Get her away from here. She¡¯s not safe-¡± She stops speaking and I catch horror on her face before she turns away. My instincts sharpen, vision tunnels like I¡¯m about to shift. I force myself to remain gentle as I go to her and take her shoulders to turn her around. ¡°What do you mean, she¡¯s not safe?¡± She shakes her head rapidly. ¡°Nothing, senor. Nothing.¡± I tighten my grip. ¡°Don¡¯t lie. Never lie to me,¡± I growl. When I see the whites of her eyes grow, I force myself to release her, take a breath. I won¡¯t get anywhere going in heavy. ¡°Maria Jose, this is my mother we¡¯re talking about. I need to know what you meant.¡± ¡°The drugs-¡± She wrings her hands again. ¡°What if the drugs make her crazy-not the other way around?¡± I look at my mother, standing in her white and pink floral nightgown and yellow housecoat, watching us with uncertainty. It¡¯s been so long since she¡¯s been normal, but I glimpse her old self there now. As if she wants to understand what we¡¯re saying. She almost does. ¡°Think about it, when did the craziness start?¡± Maria Jose whispers. ¡°After my father died. She was grieving-¡± I break off when Maria Jose gives a slight shake of her head. ¡°Think about what she says about your father¡¯s death.¡± They took him from me. It hits me like a bullet to the head. ¡°They¡¯re keeping her quiet.¡± Maria Jose takes a step back, like she can¡¯t believe what she¡¯s done.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. I stalk to the dresser where her medicines are stacked up and shove them all to the floor. ¡°Get rid of these. No more medicine until she¡¯s been checked out. And don¡¯t leave her alone for a second. Does anyone but Don Santiago ever inject her?¡± Marie Jose shakes her head. ¡°Good. I don¡¯t want anyone going near her. No one but you, understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Don Carlos.¡± She bobs her head approvingly. I look back over at my mother. She appears almost lucid, like she understands what we¡¯re saying. She points with a shaking hand to the floor by her bed. ¡°What is it, Mama?¡± Fates, the Parkinson¡¯s-like tremors in her hands break my heart. A side-effect of the drugs. My mother rushes over and drops to her knees on the floor. Carajo. More craziness. ¡°Mama, get off the floor. It¡¯s oka-¡± I stop when I see she¡¯s prying one of the floorboards up. ¡°What¡¯s in there, Mama?¡± I look a question at Maria Jose, who shakes her head. Gently lifting my mother to sit on the bed, I pull up the board and look underneath. There are hundreds of pills in a rainbow of colors and varying sizes. But underneath is a journal. I remember it from when I was a kid. My mom used to write poetry in it and read it to me. Is this a moment of nostalgia, or is she showing me something significant? I look over my shoulder at her, but her expression is simple and vacant. I pull out the journal, shaking off the pills and tuck it in my pocket. I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s trying to tell me something or if this is more of her crazy, but I¡¯m taking it with me for safekeeping. I bend and kiss my mom on the top of the head and nod at Maria Jose. ¡°Pack a bag for both of you. We¡¯ll leave in the morning.¡± When I see Maria Jose hesitate, I guess her fear. ¡°We¡¯ll bring Juanito, too. I will keep you both safe, I promise.¡± She rxes and dips into a curtsy. ¡°Thank you, Senor.¡± ~.~ Sedona By some miracle, I find a flight to Mexico City going out tonight and call an Uber to meet me at a block from my parents¡¯ house. Thest thing I want to do is get some pack member in trouble for driving me to the airport and I know my dad would never let me leave. I slip out of the house with nothing more than a backpack, because-yeah-a suitcase might signal to my family that I¡¯m going somewhere. I know they¡¯ll be on my tail, and that¡¯s fine. I just want to get there first. I board the ne, strong with determination. I¡¯m not letting anyone take my pup¡¯s father from her. Or from me. It¡¯s funny how things be crystal clear when you stand to lose it all. I won¡¯t lose Carlos. He¡¯s mine. My mate. The father of my pup. He has an enormous heart-cares deeply for his mother, the little servant boy who set me free, his pack. For me. It¡¯s so obvious now to me how much he both cares for and respects me. He worshipped my body, dominated me, but still gave me my congress. I¡¯m not willing to live without him. I don¡¯t know how we¡¯ll make it work, but we¡¯ll figure something out. If the council is eliminated from the picture, my trauma and resentments from my captivity could be put to rest. I¡¯d be willing to help him make the changes he envisions for his pack. If we worked together, I have no doubt we could do great things there. Look what my brother did in Tucson with just a little startup capital and a ragtag pack of young males. Now he has a thriving real estate business, a nightclub, and a strong, loyal pack, willing to do anything for him. And a mate. Having Amber will change things even more-I can¡¯t wait to see how. Maybe they¡¯ll provide a cousin for our pup. But I¡¯m getting way ahead of myself. I have to save Carlos first. The rest, we¡¯ll figure out. ~.~ Carlos I wake up with my head on my desk, drool running down my chin. I must¡¯ve fallen asleep reviewing the books. I spent the night pouring through more financial journals, following the trails of money. Since Don Santiago was the only tech-savvy member of el consejo, he¡¯s been the one to handle the on-line ounts. He appears to be the one stealing from the pack. Whether it¡¯s with theplicity of el consejo or not, I can¡¯t be sure. I swore for a moment, I saw surprise in Don Jose¡¯s eyes when I told him what I¡¯d found, but he quickly covered it up. That was what pissed me off. El consejo always operates alone, without bringing me in on discussions or decisions. I know that¡¯s not how it should be. My father was a member of the council. I remember him being locked in the conference room for long hours,ing out looking beaten down and haggard, angry and stressed by whatever discussion they¡¯d had. I haven¡¯t even been invited in on such meetings. I¡¯m ready to disband the whole fucking council. If I thought I had support from the pack, I¡¯d do it today. This minute. Before I drive my mom down to el D. F. Which reminds me-I never looked at her journal. I pull it out of my pocket and skim through the pages. It¡¯s what I remembered-poetry, quotes. Snippets of beauty my mother liked to share with me. I thumb toward the back of the journal. Does she still write in this thing? I wouldn¡¯t think she¡¯d even be capable with her shaky hands and addled brain. No. Thest entries are dated fifteen years ago. Which would be around the time of my father¡¯s death. I slow down and read. Her handwriting is messier, as if writing in a hurry, or under duress. The ink on thest pages is smeared with tears. My mate, my Carlos disappeared today. How will I go on without him? How can this be? I know who killed him. It¡¯s as in to me as day. The argument with the councilst night had gone onte. When he came back, he told me they seized control over all the mary assets, told him he is no longer allowed to make financial decisions for the pack. He was furious. He paced in the bedroom all night and left early this morning, but he never returned. Don Jose says there was an ident in the mine, but I know it¡¯s a lie. They killed him, just like they kill everyone who goes up against them. Everyone knows there¡¯s a pile of bodies in that mine. Every young shifter who might be a physical threat. Every wolf who dissents on any point. Any male or female who doesn¡¯t toe the line. Everyone lives in fear here. I only have one choice-to get Carlitos out of here before he bes their next victim. If only I knew who I could trust. Ice sluices through my veins as I read. The council killed my father. I always thought it was an ident in the mine. Like so many others. But my mother suspected none of them were idents. Are these simply the ravings of a madwoman? They don¡¯t seem it. Paranoid, perhaps. But fully coherent. Logical. They must have offered the first drugs to her as something to calm her down, ease her grieving. Then they kept her silent all these years. But why not just kill her? Wouldn¡¯t that be easier than keeping her around? Perhaps they feared it would arouse too much suspicion. I jump to my feet and go to my mother¡¯s room first, fear for her safety suddenly spiking through me. I find Maria Jose has her dressed, bag packed and ready. ¡°She¡¯s eaten breakfast, we¡¯re ready any time.¡± ¡°They started drugging her-when? Immediately after my father¡¯s dead?¡± Recognition sparks in Maria Jose¡¯s eyes. She knows what I know. She nods. ¡°And my mother suspected them of killing my father. Did you know that?¡± Again, she nods. ¡°So they¡¯ve silenced her with drugs that made her mad?¡± ¡°I fear it¡¯s so, Don Carlos.¡± ¡°Wait here. Lock the door. Don¡¯t allow anyone in but me. Understand?¡± She bobs her head. ¡°Si, senor.¡± I pound down the white marble steps and find Don Jose eating breakfast with Don Mateo on the upper terrace. His broken nose has already healed, which makes me want to break it again. I grab Mateo this time. ¡°What happened to my father? The truth.¡± ¡°A mine shaft copsed. You know that.¡± Mateo keeps his eyes lowered, doesn¡¯t pull the condescending bullshit Jose always tries. My wolf is close to the surface, ready to tear out and kill all threats. I shake him. ¡°Bullshit. You had him killed. How did you arrange it?¡± Servants gather in the doorway to watch. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Juanito in the shadows. My need to protect him makes me rougher with Mateo. ¡°My mother knew and you started drugging her. The drugs make her crazy, not the other way around.¡± ¡°Calm yourself, Carlos,¡± Jose cates. ¡°Your mother isn¡¯t well, and neither are you.¡± His cell phone buzzes and he pulls it out and looks at the screen. ¡°We have a security issue at the gate.¡± That¡¯s probably a lie, but I pull back, because I realize I¡¯m ying right into Don Jose¡¯s game of making me the crazy one. I have no proof but a raving woman¡¯s diary. What I do have proof of, is financial misdeeds. I release Mateo and straighten my jacket. Servants have gathered to watch the proceedings, along with a few pack members. I see Marisol out of the corner of my eye and she appears to be sending her husband Paco out, possibly to gather others. I have an audience now, it¡¯s time to make a deration. ¡°I¡¯m taking over the finances of this pack. Someone has siphoned off half the profits of the mine going back at least ten years and I¡¯m going to find out who. Anyone-everyone-who yed a role in the theft or covering it up will be punished. Severely.¡± That causes a stir amongst the servants. Mateo¡¯s gone pale. Now for the coup de grace. ¡°I¡¯m also disbanding the council.¡± My raised voice carries across the expanse of the terrace, out into thend beyond. The audible gasps and murmurs circte. Wolves have appeared all around, listening out windows, drawing near from the gardens and fields. I see Paco hustling back, followed by Guillermo and his men from the mine. They are the strongest wolves. If there is a fight, they will be the ones to win it. I wish I knew which way they¡¯d swing. ¡°This happened under your watch. Our pack grows poorer, sicker. Weaker. You cannot be trusted to protect the best interest of the wolves here. As alpha, that¡¯s my job, and it¡¯s one I ept. Your assistance in leading the pack is no longer wanted, nor epted.¡± The sound of a vehicle climbing the road to the citadel rumbles. Jose gives a loud, fakeugh. ¡°Boy, you think this pack would ever give control over to you-an untried, unpracticed youth-to lead, you¡¯re as deranged as your mother. You may have alpha blood, but you don¡¯t have what it takes to make the hard decisions.¡± The other two council members arrive, walking swiftly, straightening their ties and jackets. ¡°What is all this?¡± Don Julio asks. ¡°The council has been disbanded. Anyone who questions my authority will be banished. Is that clear enough?¡± I shout, making sure everyone can hear. ¡°Who¡¯s first?¡± I make a beckoning motion with my hand and sweep my gaze to epass every wolf around. I¡¯m ready to fight, in human or wolf form. ¡°The boy¡¯s gone mad!¡± Don Jose proims loudly. ¡°He¡¯s dangerous. Grab him and put him in the dungeons.¡± It¡¯s on. Three of council¡¯sckey servants strip to shift. The four members of the council advance on me. Alone, I could take any of them. Probably even all seven. But will the others stay back to watch? Or will they join in? Out of the corner of my eye, I see Guillermo taking off his boots, preparing to fight. I guess I¡¯ll find out which side he¡¯s picked. Growling, I tear off my shirt and yank down my pants, shifting the minute my clothes are off. Growls erupt all around. I leap, not waiting for the elders to strip and shift. Not waiting for the pack to choose sides. The warning bell tolls, calling all the pack in to join the melee. I take down one of the council¡¯sckeys, and knock his flying body into another. I tear deep into his shoulder. We roll on the ground but he doesn¡¯t give the submissive whine to signal defeat. To the death, then. I release my jaws, adjust and sink into his throat. Two other wolves attack me from both sides, but Guillermo¡¯s wolf knocks one of them down, snapping his neck with a crunch of bone. I tear the flesh of the third wolf. In a blur of movement, every pack member prepares to shift. Wasting no time, I flip up to my feet and lunge for the council elders, who seem to think they¡¯re exempt from the fight. Iunch into the air for Don Mateo. Shots ring out and pummel my chest. Toote, I see the gun in Mateo¡¯s hand. My body twists in the air. I lose my breath and my bearings andnd on my side. Snarls and yips-the sounds of a full wolf fight-fill the air. Before my vision clears, I spring up again, snarling, fully expecting attack from the wolves closing in from all directions. A blur of white fur shes in front of me. I lunge on instinct, then whine and twist away so fast I skid out on the blood pooling on the marble. Sedona. Somehow, my white wolf is here, fangs bared, feet nted in front of me. No, it can¡¯t be. This is some hallucination. Did I die from the gunshot wounds? I scramble back to my feet, vision swimming. A tight circle of fur and legs closes around us only-can it be?-the wolves are facing out, away from us. They¡¯re protecting their alpha and his mate. His pregnant mate. I snarl with a furious need to protect her when I realize the change in Sedona¡¯s scent. I spin in a circle, checking all around for danger, but we¡¯repletely protected. She growls at my side, fucking magnificent. Bigger, healthier than any wolf here. The ferocious sounds of wolves fighting to the death reaches my ears but I can¡¯t see over the wall of wolves guarding us. It goes against my nature to let others fight for me. I nip at the nks of my guards to get through and they reluctantly fall back, dropping to their bellies as I pass to show deference. The terrace teams with wolves and those in human form, who cannot shift. Every pack member must be here, the mines and fields empty. Dead bodies strew the terrace. One, two, three¡­ nine. All the councilmembers, minus Don Santiago, who hasn¡¯t returned from Europe. Some of their closestckeys and guards. Others are being chased away by small packs, the whine and yip of the hunt carrying away from us now. My body is weak, but I¡¯m careful not to show it. I sit on my haunches and howl. Voices lift all around me, mating with mine, answering my call. Gratitude pours from my being as the sense of oneness, of pack, of family joins us all. I wheel around and limp back to Sedona, who¡¯s still trying to nip her way out of the protective ring of wolves. When they see meing, they once more go down on their bellies and she rushes out, meets me halfway. We whine and lick and circle each other and every wolf there drops down, honoring us. Their alphas. If I can convince Sedona to stay. 97 Sedona Juanito takes away the bloody towels and spreads a nket over Carlos. I curl up on the bed with him because it¡¯s the only way I can get him to stay lying down. He refuses to be parted from me, won¡¯t take his eyes off me for a second. I twitch the nket higher over his mostly naked form. He did put on boxer briefs in deference to his mother, who insisted on sponging the blood from him. She appeared lucid to me, although she did babble a lot about a wolf fight that I think must¡¯ve been in the past. Carlos reaches for me, and I nestle closer so he doesn¡¯t have to move. ¡°Just lie still and let your body take care of the bullet wounds,¡± I chide. Shifters have incredible healing capabilities, but in such a serious case like Carlos¡¯, with major blood loss, it takes a few days of rest. Or at the very least, a night. We¡¯re nose to nose and he strokes my hair back from my face, leaning his forehead against mine. ¡°Mi corazon, I feared I¡¯d never be this close to you again.¡± ¡°What does corazon mean?¡± ¡°My heart. You are my heart. What made youe here?¡± He strokes a hand over my hip. ¡°Did youe to tell me about our pup?¡± I shake my head, experiencing a pang of guilt at keeping that from him the whole time we were in Europe. ¡°Carlos-¡± I stop, unsure how to tell him what I learned. He stiffens, like he thinks I¡¯m breaking up with him-again. ¡°I met a shifter from your pack. She told me the council killed your father.¡± I blurt it out quickly, so he won¡¯t have to suffer any suspense. He nods gravely. ¡°You knew?¡± ¡°No, I discoveredst night that my mother believed so. I now think the council drugged her to keep her quiet. I nned to take her to the city today to see a human psychiatrist. I don¡¯t know how much permanent damage has been done, but I¡¯m hoping there¡¯s a chance her mental faculties can be restored.¡± ¡°Were all the councilmembers killed today?¡± ¡°All but one-Don Santiago, who we saw in Barcelona. He¡¯s still away, but I¡¯ll deal with him when he returns. He¡¯s the one who¡¯s been stealing from the pack.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. I rub the ce my arm had been pricked again. ¡°I think he drew blood from me there.¡± ¡°What?¡± Carlos surges upright and I have to tug him back down to the mattress. ¡°When you were talking to him, these humans jostled up against me and something poked my arm. I think he was testing to see if I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Carlos¡¯ grim face pales. ¡°Santiago¡­ ying doctor with my mother. With you. Interested in gene mapping. Healthy young wolves disappearing from this pack-like Juanito¡¯s brother and father. Huge amounts of money disappearing¡­ Could he be the so-called Harvester?¡± I shiver involuntarily. ¡°There were lots of cages in the warehouse where I was held. Many wolves had been prisoner there. And they took my brother and his pack mates prisoner rather than killing them. You think he¡¯s¡­ experimenting on shifters?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Carlos surges off the bed and onto his feet. Fates, he¡¯s pushing himself too hard. ¡°Carlos, wait. He¡¯s not here now-it can wait. Or do what you need to do in bed. With me.¡± I add thest part on and waggle my eyebrows and his expression softens into a smile. He sinks back down onto the bed. ¡°Well if you put it that way¡­¡± His palmnds right on my ass and he squeezes a handful. But his smile falls away again and he pins me with his gaze. ¡°Tell me, Sedona. Can you ever forgive me? Forgive my pack?¡± ¡°Yes. I know you had nothing to do with it. And the council is now gone. I should tell you-my father and brother and their packs will be here soon.¡± I texted my dad when Indedst night. He let me know they were right behind me, on a flight this morning. I pull out my phone to text again and let him know I¡¯m safe. ¡°After we talked to the shifter from your pack, he believed me to be in danger from the council, so he¡¯sing to help you clean house. I¡¯ll let him know it¡¯s already done.¡± ¡°Then he will be here for our mating ceremony.¡± Carlos¡¯ tone is light, but he watches me closely and I don¡¯t think he¡¯s breathing. I throw a leg up over his. ¡°I believe we¡¯re already mated.¡± His smile shes, sexy and winsome. ¡°Does that mean yes? You¡¯ll have me as your mate?¡± My nod wobbles a bit. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Carlos sobers. ¡°I would never keep you here if you cannot find joy. But I promise I will work very hard to keep you happy, mi amor. And if you wish to split your time with the States, I understand that, too. You¡¯ll be like Persephone, taking a break from hell.¡± ¡°No,¡± I answer immediately. ¡°My ce is with you. I mean, yes, I want to visit home, but there¡¯s nothing there for me. Not without you. And this ce isn¡¯t hell. It¡¯s beautiful. A paradise, Carlos.¡± He blinks rapidly. ¡°Thank you,¡± he chokes and takes my face in both hands, stamping his lips over mine, stealing my breath. ¡°I think it can be a paradise. It¡¯s a fixer upper, but if I¡¯m working for you, there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do. Fates, I can¡¯t believe it. I feared I wouldn¡¯t manage to keep you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± I whisper. He kisses me again. ¡°I see you, preciosa. Gracias.¡± I gaze into his warm chocte brown eyes, feel the love pouring from him. ¡°When I thought you were in danger, all the walls I¡¯d erected, all the fears and insecurities about whether you really loved me, or if it was just your biology insisting you follow because you¡¯d marked me fell away. I knew I wouldn¡¯t want to know a future without you in it, that I¡¯d be willing to die to protect you. So I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Muneca, yes, there¡¯s biology-fates, so much-but my love for you goes way beyond the physical. You are everything that¡¯s beautiful in the world. And I know I don¡¯t know everything about you yet-I don¡¯t know your favorite song, or movie, or television show, I haven¡¯t met your family, yet, I don¡¯t know your childhood stories. But I do know that I crave every part of you, even the parts you keep hidden.¡± His hand curves around my nape and pulls my face to his. He kisses me with a soft, exploratory movement of his lips over mine. Heat surges through my body, but I do my best to ignore it. Carlos needs to heal. Jumping his bones definitely won¡¯t help. There will be time for that tomorrow. He must pick up my vibe, because his eyes smolder when he pulls away. ¡°Don¡¯t think you won¡¯t be punished for putting yourself in danger out there, angel. It¡¯s not your job to protect me. I would much rather die than ever see you hurt.¡± And just like that, my pussy is dripping. It¡¯s all I can do not to close the distance between our hips and grind against the bulge in his boxer briefs. I can¡¯t stop my lids from dropping to half-mast. My tongue runs over my lips. ¡°How will you punish me, Carlos?¡± His cock punches out to a full erection, tenting his shorts and he yanks my body up against his hard muscles. ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re clothed or I¡¯d already be inside you,¡± he growls. I push against his chest, but he doesn¡¯t give me any freedom-not that I wanted it. ¡°Easy, big wolf. You still have five holes in your gut.¡± He squeezes my ass and wedges a finger between the cleft, working deeper until he presses against my back hole through my pants. ¡°Tomorrow, muneca. Tomorrow I¡¯m going to fuck this ass until you scream. That¡¯s your punishment.¡± A tiny whimper escapes my lips as my entire body lights on fire, mes sizzling right down to my toes. I bite his bulging pectoral muscle. ¡°Promise?¡± 98 Carlos I wake with Sedona in my arms. I bury my nose in her thick hair and breathe in her scent. Somehow, I managed to actually sleep with her beside me and I didn¡¯t even have to tie her to the bedpost and fuck her senseless. It must have been the bullet wounds and my body¡¯s need to heal. Although my dick is rock hard, I don¡¯t move, content to simply watch my mate sleep. I¡¯ve already marked her, but today she¡¯ll be mine in front of my pack and hers. Her mother and Garrett¡¯s mate are even flying out this morning to witness it. Yesterday¡¯s cluster-fuck ended up better than I could¡¯ve wished for. Sedona¡¯s father and brother spent a good ny minutes giving me the third degree, but I think they finally conceded that I love Sedona and would give my life to protect her and make her happy. We spentst night initiating a worldwide search for Santiago, who I believe must be ¡°the Harvester.¡± ording to a hacker friend of Garrett, Santiago has gone dark. The hacker friend found every bank ount he¡¯s associated with and issued a fake FBI freeze on the funds. She also removed him from every pack financial ount, so I hope with his financial support cut off, his activities will be quickly curtailed. Sedona¡¯s father and brother vow to continue the hunt for him. Sedona¡¯s lids blink open and those azure eyes train on my face. Her soft lips part and she leans forward. I think she¡¯s going to kiss my neck, but she bites it. Hard. Laughter rockets from my throat as I flip her onto her back and pin her hands above her head. ¡°Someone¡¯s ready for her punishment.¡± She blushes and squirms, but the re of her pupils and scent of her arousal tells me I¡¯m right. Fates, how did I get so lucky? I nudge her legs apart with my knee, and bite her shoulder. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re up for it?¡± She peers innocently up from under hershes. I growl and roll her to her side, applying my hand to her backside several times. Nothing pisses an alpha off more than the assumption he¡¯s not up for something. She giggles and wiggles her ass. She¡¯s wearing a pair of panties and one of my t-shirts, which my wolf finds tremendously satisfying. ¡°Get up. Use the bathroom, if you need to. Take off your clothes. I¡¯ll deal with your misbehavior when you return.¡± She shoots out of bed, excitement evident in her race to the bathroom and her quick shower. She emerges damp and naked. Growls start up in my throat the moment I see her naked body, which she throws at me from across the room, tackling me down to the mattress when I catch her. I flip her to her tummy and pin both hands behind her back. ¡°Leave these here. Don¡¯t even think about moving them, or I¡¯ll double the punishment.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± A st of lust pounds through me at her submissive response. She¡¯s so hot. I pull her hips up until she¡¯s on her knees, her face pressed into the mattress. ¡°Get those legs wide.¡± My voice has never sounded so low. She spreads her knees apart and I grip the tops of her thighs and pull them open, parting her wide. I lick into her, parting her outer lips with my tongue, tracing the inner ones. Her pussy drips honey and Ip it up, tonguing her clit. Her thighs quake. I drag my tongue up to her anus, rimming her as I p between her legs. She cries out, a wanton, needy sound and I continue, spanking her wet pussy as I lick her anus. ¡°No, no more. Oh fates, yes. Please, Carlos.¡± I spank harder, faster, until shees, arms flying off her back, knees snapping closed. I change my attack, spanking her sweet ass, all the way through her orgasm, following when she flops t on the bed, body soft and pliant from her release. I turn her ass red, and the pain must set in, because she whimpers, twisting her head around. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry, Carlos.¡± I fall on her immediately, squeezing and rubbing her chastened cheeks as I kick her legs apart. I kiss a trail up her back, admiring the slender lines, the lean feminine muscle of my alpha she-wolf. We could be mated for eighty years and she¡¯d still steal my breath with her beauty. I caress her nape, move her hair to one side to bite her ear. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± I murmur. I scramble to grab some lube, still packed in the bag from Europe. When I return, I pull her cheeks apart and squeeze a dollop on her anus. Using a medium-sized buttplug, I stretch her opening. She whimpers and moans as I twist and pump it inside of her. ¡°Whates now, Sedona?¡± Her bottom squeezes around the plug. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Yes you do.¡± I give each cheek a smack. ¡°What am I going to do to you now, angel?¡± ¡°F-fuck my ass?¡± I grip each of her cheeks roughly, squeezing and separating them. ¡°That¡¯s right, mi amor.¡± I pull out the medium plug and apply more lube. I coat my throbbing cock, too. This might be punishment but there will be no pain, only pleasure. ¡°You¡¯re going to take it, you know why?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Yes, you do. Because you were a bad girl. You put yourself in danger. That¡¯s not allowed, beautiful.¡± ¡°S-sorry.¡± She¡¯s panting, lifting her ass for me, excited. I straddle her ass and pull her cheeks wide, bump the head of my cock against her back pucker. ¡°Take me.¡± Somehow, she knows to rx, and the tip of my cock enters. I go slowly, giving her time to get used to it. She sucks in her breath and bites the bedspread, gathers it up in fists as I inch in. ¡°Good girl.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± she gasps. I¡¯m not sure what she¡¯s saying yes to, but I take it as a sign that she¡¯s okay and continue, sinking into her. She¡¯s tight, her heat wrapping my dick up like a fist. I won¡¯tst long. There¡¯s something so taboo, so fucking hot about punishing her this way. I want to pound into her and find my release, but I force myself to keep my movements slow and even. I shove one hand under her hips and cup her mons. Her swollen, sopping pussy wees my fingers. I finger-fuck her with three, shoving my digits deep as my cock withdraws, alternating. ¡°Please, Carlos, please. Oh fates. Oh yes¡­¡± Her cries grow to a high-pitched squeal that never stops. My breath grows jerky and I plow harder, doing my best to keep the thrusts straight and measured. My eyes roll back in my head, stars explode in my vision. I bury myself deep in her ass ande. The minute I do, shees, too, her internal muscles quaking around my fingers. ¡°Carlos, Carlos, Carlos¡­¡± ¡°Keep saying my name, mi amor. I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s going to make youe.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Another spasm of her pussy. I bump her ass with a few short thrusts and drop my body over hers, kissing her neck. When our breaths slow, I ease out and roll to my side, wrapping her in my arms, her back to my front. ¡°I love you, beautiful. Love you so much.¡± She covers my hands with her smaller ones. ¡°I love you, too, Carlos. How do you say it in Spanish?¡± ¡°Te quiero. Te adoro. Te amo.¡± She gives a huskyugh that has my cock hardening again. ¡°All of that. And more.¡± ~.~ Sedona I stand by the entry to the terrace, my hand hooked around my dad¡¯s elbow. The terrace has been transformed. The marble gleams, scrubbed clean of the blood from yesterday¡¯s fight. Strings of lights twinkle from every banister, every tree. Round tables covered in white linen bedeck the space, and every seat is filled by the members of Carlos¡¯ pack, and mine. The scent of traditional foods fills the air and a long banquet table stands ready with heaps of savory meat, vegetables, fruits, and sweets. I can¡¯t wait to try the chicken mole, which Carlos promises is the best in Mexico. My body¡¯s already recovered from Carlos¡¯ delicious punishment this morning, but I feel fully imed by him. After we made love, he took me, Garrett, and my dad on a tour of the mountain, showing us its incredible beauty and riches and introducing us to his pack members. My mother and Amber arrived at noon and spent this afternoon helping me prepare. Amber wove a string of seed pearls in with my hair, braiding a crown around the top of my head. The rest she curled into ringlets that hang down my back. I miraculously fit into my mother¡¯s wedding dress, a spaghetti strap white and silver gown with a V that plunges almost to my ass in the back and a more modest matching one pointing to my cleavage in front. Amber lent me a pair of silver strappy sandals. I feel like a princess about to be queen of a new kingdom. The mariachi band finishes a beautiful bad and everyone looks expectantly at Carlos, who has stepped to a raised dais in the center by the edge. He looks unbelievably handsome tonight in a tuxedo. He says something grand about me in Spanish. I don¡¯t know the words he speaks, but the meaning isn¡¯t lost because he stares at me with a reverence that sets my body vibrating. His. Every cell in my body knows it. I belong with him. To him.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. He turns to the tables of Americans and says, ¡°To say I am honored to take Sedona as my mate would be an understatement. She is my life, my light. The angel who helped me see the way to clear the oppression and corruption that¡¯s gued my pack. I will spend every day of our lives making up for the wrongs done to her here.¡± He makes a point of looking at my father, then my brother as he delivers this. My father nods, as if he¡¯s been waiting for this pronouncement, and he leads me in. We¡¯re not having a real wedding ceremony the way some American wolves do. This is just a celebration of the mating that¡¯s already taken ce. Even so, Juanito, shined up in a suit, holds out a small jewelry box to Carlos and my mate takes out a ring which he slips on the tip of his index finger. He only has eyes for me as Ie toward him. My father stops in front of the raised tform and kisses my cheek. Carlos reaches for my face with both hands, and pulls my mouth up to his, nting his lips over mine. I moan softly into his mouth and he smiles against my lips. ¡°I love you, my white wolf.¡± He picks up my hand and slides a slender gold band with three oval emeralds on my finger. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a real ring soon, but I wanted to give you something tonight. This was my grandmother¡¯s.¡± It¡¯s loose, so I take it off and slide it on my middle finger, instead, where it fits. He holds both my hands and gazes into my eyes. ¡°Marry me.¡± Iugh. ¡°Again, I think the deed is already done. I¡¯m wearing the ring.¡± I hold up my hand and wiggle my fingers. He slides his nose over mine. ¡°I want it all ways-legal marriage, family ceremony, moon-marked.¡± I press my lips to his. ¡°You have me. I¡¯m in. I¡¯m all in.¡± Carlos grins and holds up our intertwined hands in a clear gesture of victory, turning to face the tables again. ¡°I have found and imed my mate. Please, let the feast begin!¡± The mariachi strikes up and I lean into Carlos, soak up his presence, so solid and warm. So right. ¡°I love you, Carlos.¡± He already knows, but it feels important to say it now, in this moment. He tips my face up and stares down at me without moving. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Memorizing this moment. I never want to forget how wonderful it feels to know you¡¯re mine.¡± I rise to my toes and stamp my lips over his. ¡°I im you back, ck wolf. You¡¯re as much mine as I am yours.¡± A boyish grin spreads across his face. ¡°Promise?¡± THE END | continue reading for next book. 99 Foxfire A small pop is my only warning before my soup explodes. ¡°Dammit.¡± I rip open the microwave door. Only half my tomato soup is left, and the inside of my microwave looks like a murder scene. Good thing I already ordered a pizza. With a sigh, I shut the door on the gruesome red spatter. My stomach¡¯s gurgling like I haven¡¯t eaten in a day. Maybe I haven¡¯t. I barely know what day it is. Day Eight of the Breakup From Hell, and the only thing keeping me connected to the outside world is my best friend. Speaking of best friends¡­ I hit my one and only speed dial number. It goes straight to voice mail, catching me by surprise. Amber should be home, lying low after I rescued her from her own date from hell. I give up the call and shoot off a text, Just ordered a pizzae share half? It¡¯s probably too soon to mention her dating disaster. She¡¯d only known the guy a few days, but he was her neighbor. Awkward. And yeah, he was hot, but since when does that give a guy an excuse to abandon a woman on the side of a mountain in the middle of a first date? My ex is a jackhole, and even he wouldn¡¯t do that. Bring a picture of Garrett. I¡¯ve got one of Benny, and a bunch of darts¡­ I start to text, and delete it. Instead, I type, I¡¯m giving up on men forever. Let¡¯s get fat and adopt lots of cats. There. That¡¯ll make herugh. I pace around the house, noting piles of mail and takeout detritus that appeared over the past few days. Since the breakup, I¡¯ve been practically a hermit. Benny still hasn¡¯te by, even to pick up his stuff. Not that I want him to. Rat bastard. Amber still hasn¡¯t texted me back. Weird. It¡¯s six p. m. on a Saturday night, but my best friend is usually home, alone. Like me. Geez, we¡¯re pathetic. Maybe we really should adopt some cats. I text Amber again. Don¡¯t adopt any cats without me. My mom was right. Men suck. I¡¯ll be happy if I never see another man for the rest of my life. Except the pizza delivery guy. I¡¯ll make an exception for him. When the doorbell rings, I dash out to the living room and open it, perhaps a wee bit too eagerly. ¡°What do I owe¡­¡± My voice dies. I look up. And up. And up some more. Damn, this pizza delivery boy is tall. And stacked. Like The Rock or something. Six foot and then some, with shoulders almost too big for the door. Military buzz cut. Mirrored shades on his face¡­ at dusk. Hey big boy, my foxy bits purr. No! Bad Foxfire! ¡°Foxfire Hines?¡± He looks a bit disbelieving, like he can¡¯t quite believe that¡¯s my name. I get that a lot. ¡°My mother is a hippie,¡± I say. ¡°What?¡± His eyebrows shoot up over the shades. ¡°My name. It¡¯s because¡­ my mom is a hippie. She thought it was pretty.¡± ¡°Your mom.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Your name is really Foxfire.¡± He sounds almost resigned, like he can¡¯t believe the turn his life has taken, to deliver him to my door. I understand. I¡¯ve never pledged my undying lust to a pizza guy. Both of us are having a night of firsts. ¡°Were you waiting for me?¡± he asks. ¡°Uh yeah.¡± Then it hits me, through the cloud of longing. What my brain was screaming over my libido. ¡°Wait¡­ where¡¯s the pizza?¡± ~.~ Tank Foxfire. Fucking ridiculous. The chick looks as crazy as her name. On paper, she¡¯s okay. Graphic designer, good client list, pays her bills on time. Lives in a respectable adobe brick house near the university. So far, so good. In person, she¡¯s a walking, talking freak show. Hair is dyed like a rainbow, something out of a cartoon. She¡¯s also tiny, a petite pixie in short shorts and strappy tank. I could pick her up and hold her in my hand. Oh and she¡¯s stunning. Even with the clown hair. This job¡¯s either gonna be easy, or a huge pain in my ass. ¡°Where¡¯s the pizza?¡± She peers around me. Before she can protest, I push inside, noting the explosion of papers on every surface, bean bag chairs on the floor, a few dream catchers in the windows, and avamp in the corner. The cartoon pixie lives in La La Land. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She blinks at me, her starry eyes wide. Totally unafraid. A man twice her size just pushed into her house, and she¡¯s asking about pizza. Most women would be freaked.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Not this one. Like I said, La La Land. ¡°I need to talk to you,¡± I say. ¡°Okay.¡± She adds in a hopeful tone, ¡°Did you leave the pizza in the car?¡± ¡°No pizza. This is about Amber.¡± ¡°Amber?¡± Her head snaps back, and she sucks in a breath. ¡°Miss Hines, you better sit down.¡± To my surprise, she drops onto the only decent seat in the ce, a battered couch. She responded to my authority right away. If she was pack, I¡¯d say she was a feisty, but submissive wolf. Maybe this is going to be easy. ¡°Is something wrong? Is Amber in trouble?¡± ¡°Not yet. Not if you cooperate.¡± ¡°What?¡± she whispers, the blood draining from her face. The scent of her fear fills the room, and my wolf raises his head. Because he fucking hates it. It¡¯s my turn to suck in a breath. My wolf never pays any attention to humans. Not even pretty females with freaky hair. ¡°I¡¯m not here to hurt you.¡± Now, why did I promise that? I¡¯m supposed to be intimidating her. My job is to get in, see what this female knows, and get her under control. Keep my pack safe. Easy. But now my wolf is all in a tizzy that we might be scaring her. Which is ridiculous. Since when does he care about a human¡¯s feelings more than the safety of the pack? ¡°I¡¯d like this to be quick and painless, but it¡¯s up to you. Amber talked to you this afternoon. I need to know what she said.¡± She stares at me. ¡°This will go easier if you do as I say,¡± I add. Immediately, her back stiffens. ¡°Did you just threaten me?¡± ¡°Miss-¡± ¡°Did you hurt Amber? Where is she?¡± She¡¯s on her feet now, voice rising to a shout. This five-foot-nothing pixie acts like she¡¯s going to challenge me. And my wolf¡­ he thinks she¡¯s even cuter when she¡¯s mad. ¡°You better not have touched her, buddy,¡± Foxfire hisses. ¡°I told that moron Garrett, and I¡¯m telling you. When ites to Amber, back off.¡± She is challenging me. She also called my alpha a moron. She either is crazy, or suicidal. ¡°Miss Hines-¡± ¡°I meant it.¡± She pokes me in the stomach, and my dominant side surges. I catch her wrist and pull her forward, turning her at thest minute so she ends up tucked against me, back to my front, my body bent over hers and nose buried in her rainbow-colored hair. I catch the scent of her: strawberry shampoo, printer ink, a bit of hippie incense, and a wild smell that hovers out of reach, familiar, but not something I can ce. She struggles but she¡¯s trapped, a slender armful curved in all the right ces. My dick takes this unfortunate moment to perk up. ¡°Let me tell you how this is going to go, sweetheart,¡± I whisper in her ear. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask the questions. You¡¯re going to give me answers. And if you¡¯re very, very good, you and your friend will be fine. Understand?¡± ¡°Let me go.¡± She rears up, stomping her feet on mine. Since mine are encased in biker boots, and hers are bare, it probably hurts her more than it hurts me. I lift her off her feet, and almost take a heel to my dick. I shift her to the side at thest moment, and her foot bounces off my thigh. ¡°Help, murder! Rape!¡± Foxfire shrieks. I mp my hand over her mouth, and she bites me. My wolf decides he¡¯s in love. In the next few seconds, we¡¯re down on the floor, my hand still over her mouth, my body weight pinning her. An interesting position for doing all sorts of things, my wolf points out. My dick agrees. I flip her so she¡¯s facing me. Her chest rises and falls rapidly, and her scent¡¯s filled with fear, but her eyes spit fire. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± I force enough dominance into my tone to cow a whole pack of wolves. ¡°Are you going to cooperate, or do I have to tie you up?¡± She makes a noise against my palm that sounds a lot like fuck you. I¡¯m about to tell her I¡¯d love to oblige, when the doorbell rings. The goddamn pizza is here. Maybe this isn¡¯t going to be so easy. 100 Foxfire As the doorbell echoes through my house, the big guy pinning me to the floor shifts so he¡¯s holding most of his weight instead of smooshing me into the hardwood. Which is pretty considerate of him. I appreciate that sort of consideration, even in a man who burst into my house under the false pretense of pizza. The doorbell rings again. ¡°Well?¡± My wordse out muffled under his hand. ¡°Are you going to get that?¡± He moves his hand. ¡°Are you going to behave?¡± I lick my lips, and his gaze snaps to my mouth. He moves again, and suddenly I¡¯m very aware of his impressive manhood pressed against my foxy bits. He¡¯s a big boy. Very big. Oh my god, are we having a moment? I stare up at him. Strong jaw, firm lips. Heavily muscled body pressed to mine. My tongue darts out to lick my lips, and his eyes follow every move. The weapon in his pants jumps against my leg. I try to wriggle out from under him, and his grip tightens, reminding me that he¡¯s a foot taller and a helluva lot stronger than I am. I could scream, but that might put the delivery man in jeopardy. And I¡¯m pretty sure it would make Mr. Wrestling Champ mad. The result: bad things. For me, for the delivery man, probably for Amber. And I won¡¯t get pizza. For some reason, I¡¯m not afraid of him. He smells¡­ right. When ites to people, I tend to trust my sense of smell. As weird as that sounds, it works. Besides, I¡¯m Foxfire Hines. I¡¯m not afraid of anything, except toilet snakes. The doorbell chimes again. ¡°I¡¯ll behave,¡± I say, ¡°If you pay for the pizza. But only because I care about Amber. And I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°You mean it?¡± ¡°Pinky swear?¡± He¡¯s pinned my wrists to the floor by my head, but I still can wriggle my baby finger. The dude studies me a moment. I smile all sweet and innocent. Trustworthy. He sighs and rises. ¡°No funny business.¡± He points a warning finger at me. ¡°I¡¯m not here to hurt you, but if you cause trouble, I will punish you.¡± My foxy bits quiver. I¡¯m not turned on, no way. My nipples tent my top because it¡¯s cold. I wrap my arms around myself, just in case. My giant unwanted guest is at the door, exchanging bills for a white-and-red square box. Not screaming was the right call. The delivery man isn¡¯t nearly as big and tall, and hasn¡¯t hit the gym in a while. Mr. Muscles looks like he lives in one, and sleeps on a bench press machine in between reps. ¡°Don¡¯t forget the tip,¡± I call. A scowl, and my unwanted guest angles away from me. Yowza. The back is just as tight as the front. I must have zoned out a little perving on the guy, because the next thing I know he¡¯sing back toward me, pizza box in one hand, catching my elbow and propelling me to the couch with the other. ¡°Sit,¡± he orders, and I do. As soon as my butt hits the couch, I reach for the pizza. ¡°Not so fast. First, we talk.¡± ¡°This is cruel and unusual punishment,¡± I blurt. He gives me another what the hell? look, which I easily ignore. I get those a lot. ¡°Well, it is unusual. And cruel. I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m gonna feed you. I need to ask you some questions first.¡± He puts the pizza in front of me on the coffee table and props his boot on the edge between me and the object of my desire. Of course, this gives me a full on view of his crotch, disying another potential object of my desire. No! Bad Foxfire! ¡°Your friend¡¯s been talking about us. I¡¯m here to see how much you know.¡± ¡°Us? Who¡¯s us?¡± Reluctantly, I raise my eyes to his face. Now that I think of it, he does look familiar. Another neighbor of Amber¡¯s? Garrett¡¯s whole gang seems to live in the apartment building he owns. ¡°I don¡¯t even know your name.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Tank.¡± Tank. I don¡¯t question the weird name. Pot, kettle and all that. Besides, don¡¯t gang members all get badass nicknames when they go through initiation? I¡¯d ask him, but I doubt he¡¯s up to fielding questions about gang life. And since he¡¯s built like, well, a tank, I¡¯m going to let him get his way. For now. ¡°All right, Mr. Tank-¡± ¡°Just Tank.¡± ¡°Just Tank,¡± I correct, and he closes his eyes in frustration. Excellent. ¡°What do you want to know?¡± He takes a deep breath. ¡°Earlier today you confronted Garrett outside Amber¡¯s apartment. You used him of being a werewolf.¡± ¡°Yeah? So?¡± ¡°I need to know what she told you about us.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t tell me anything. We were talking about her bad date. You guys were just mentioned in passing.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What exactly did she say?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that. It would break the girl code.¡± ¡°Miss Hines,¡± he growls. ¡°Call me Foxfire.¡± ¡°Miss Hines.¡± His voice gets even more deep and growly, ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand how serious this is. Amber learned some things about us, and was sworn into confidence by our leader, Garrett. Because she talked, she could be in trouble.¡± ¡°I thought you said she was okay.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t like outsiders talking about us. Her level of punishment depends on how much she told.¡± There was that word again. Punishment. I love it a little too much. ¡°You motorcycle types are pretty intense.¡± I don¡¯t call them a gang because maybe that¡¯s offensive. Or maybe it isn¡¯t because they definitely are a gang. A bunch of big dangerous guys covered in matching tattoos, riding motorcycles, sticking close together, and following some sort of bro code. Their leader owns a bunch of businesses, and they all work for him. I haven¡¯t heard a whiff of criminal activity, but I¡¯m not going to ask. ¡°Just tell me what Amber told you.¡± The jingling of little bells interrupts us. ¡°Is this your phone?¡± Tank picks it up before I nod. He closes his fist around it and squeezes. When he opens his hand, pieces of cell phone fall to the floor. ¡°Whoa,¡± I breathe, staring at the pieces. ¡°You need to start paying attention, Miss Hines. I¡¯m here to find out what you know, and neither of us is going anywhere until I¡¯m satisfied.¡± 101 Tank ¡°That was so cool!¡± she squeaks. ¡°You crushed my phone with your bare hands.¡± She stops and wrinkles her nose. ¡°Wait¡­ that was my phone.¡± I can only shake my head. ¡°Yeah, princess. Until I get what I want, you¡¯re not going anywhere or talking to anyone.¡± ¡°Can I have pizza?¡± ¡°Talk, first. Then pizza.¡± ¡°Amber didn¡¯t tell me anything about you guys.¡± ¡°You called Garrett a werewolf.¡± ¡°Yeah, because that¡¯s what you¡¯re called.¡± Fuck. I fold my arms over my chest. ¡°Amber told you we were werewolves.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°And you believed her?¡± ¡°Um yeah. You¡¯re in a gang. It¡¯s your name. You can call yourself whatever you want, as far as I¡¯m concerned. The Jets, the Sharks, the Werewolves¡­ the Deranged Iguanas¡­ whatever you think makes you badass, crewcut.¡± I swipe my fingers across my eyes. This chick has no idea how close she is to getting that cute little ass of hers spanked. And my dick thinks that¡¯s an awesome idea. ¡°So that¡¯s why you came down here?¡± she scoffs. ¡°To ask me what I knew about your gang?¡± ¡°Tell me what you know.¡± ¡°I know you ride motorcycles.¡± She ticks off on her fingers. ¡°A bunch of you live next to Amber, my best friend. Your leader tried to seduce her, and failed, miserably, when he abandoned her halfway through their first date.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°A bunch of you have moon tattoos on your knuckles.¡± She sneers. ¡°Werewolf and full moon. Very original. You also own Club Eclipse. You stick to a theme, I¡¯ll give it to you. There.¡± She throws her hands up in the air. ¡°That¡¯s all I got. You came all this way to shake me down?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t like people digging into our private business.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t like jerks dating my friends. I don¡¯t care if Garrett the Wolfman owns half the property around here. He can¡¯t treat my friend that way.¡± I raise a brow. ¡°Or what?¡± She scoots forward and sticks a finger in my face. ¡°I will end him.¡± I bite back a grin. She shakes the finger and I mock snap at it. She yanks her hand back with a yelp. Finally. A little fear. ¡°Very funny.¡± She folds her arms across her chest, matching my own pose. ¡°Garrett would never hurt Amber.¡± ¡°There are a lot of ways to get hurt,¡± Foxfire says. ¡°Only one of those is physical.¡± I incline my head. ¡°You¡¯re right. I can see you¡¯re no threat to our organization. We don¡¯t want to cause trouble, but as you said, Garrett owns a lot of property, and he doesn¡¯t want someone spreading nder about him.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry Garrett got his panties in a bunch. I didn¡¯t realize he was so sensitive.¡± Insulting my alpha again. If she were mine, she¡¯d be over my knee so fast¡­ hell, I¡¯d be dizzy. I¡¯ve never met someone so in need of a spanking in my life. ¡°Watch it.¡± ¡°You watch it.¡± She res at me. Unbelievable. ¡°You¡¯re five-foot nothing, and you think you can take me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m five five!¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I snort. ¡°In five-inch heels.¡± I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m riling her up. My errand may as well be over. Garrett might want me to call a bloodsucker to mind-wipe her, but that can fuck up a person. I don¡¯t think she deserves that. Even if she has poor taste in hair dye. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you-you-¡± ¡°Careful.¡± I can¡¯t believe I have to warn this chick off of picking a fight with me. My wolf could eat her in one bite. Not that he would. I¡¯m more interested in eating her a different way. After I warm her pretty ass. Her face goes red. ¡°Sit down, Foxfire,¡± I order. She drops to the couch. Very responsive. The spunky attitude is all bluster-and who can me her? She lives alone, her best friend is a workaholic stick-up-her-asswyer. It¡¯s Saturday night, and the Princess of La La Land is all alone. ¡°Obviously, we made a mistake.¡± Garrett might not want to let her off this easily, but I¡¯m not letting a bloodsucker touch her. We can find another way to keep her quiet. Not that she knows anything, but despite the smart mouth, she actually has a brain. If Garrett keeps sniffing around Amber, it might be only a matter of time that she realizes the truth. ¡°I gotta make a call. Eat your pizza.¡± I flip the pizza box open and leave her to it, heading to a private corner to call my alpha. It rings a few times and goes to voicemail. ¡°Hey, boss,¡± I lower my voice. ¡°I¡¯m at the girl¡¯s ce. She doesn¡¯t know anything. Thinks we¡¯re some sort of motorcycle gang who call ourselves the Werewolves.¡± I take a deep breath. I want to say I think we should leave her alone, but something stops my tongue. My wolf. He wants to hang around her more. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on her until you call, see if I can get her to open up more.¡± I check my messages and texts, but there¡¯s nothing from the pack. I could try Trey and Jared, but at this point, they had to be in Mexico, or close to it. I should be with them, going after our lost packmate, rather than babysitting Little Miss Looney Tunes. Now that I¡¯m in her ce, I smell marijuana, although none of the stink is on her. She¡¯s not doing drugs. She¡¯s this whacked out on her own. The sooner my alpha calls and orders me away from her, the better. My wolf doesn¡¯t agree, which makes it all the more true. She¡¯s still sitting on the couch, watching me with wide eyes. The pizza lies untouched before her. ¡°Where¡¯s Amber?¡± ¡°She¡¯s safe. Nothing¡¯s going to happen to her.¡± ¡°How do I know you¡¯re not lying to me?¡± ¡°Behave, and I¡¯ll let you talk to her. Right now she¡¯s busy.¡± Foxfire res at me. ¡°She¡¯s with Garrett.¡± ¡°Garrett? That jackhole?¡± I growl. ¡°Don¡¯t insult him.¡± ¡°He left my girl on the side of a mountain.¡± ¡°He had his reasons.¡± He was about go moon mad in public. ¡°Amber was fine.¡± ¡°Yeah, because I came and got her. If he seduces her again and breaks her heart, guess who¡¯s picking up the pieces? Me.¡± ¡°Your girl is fine. She¡¯s totally safe. We thought she broke some rules, but Garrett is handling it.¡± ¡°Rules? Geez you guys are anal for a gang.¡± ¡°You have no idea.¡± I really want to give her a taste of who¡¯s boss between the two of us. But that¡¯s not part of the job. Too bad. Wolves discipline their mates. My wolf likes the idea of punishing her as much as my dick. ¡°Go ahead and eat.¡± I motion to her. She stares at me. ¡°You¡¯re going to stay here?¡± I nod. ¡°For how long?¡± Until I know you¡¯re not a threat to the pack. ¡°As long as I want to.¡± She¡¯s breathing hard, her little shoulders rising and falling with anger. Her breasts stir under her shirt. The sight does interesting things to my cock. ¡°You dye your hair?¡± ¡°No,¡± she sneers. ¡°Ites out this way naturally.¡± I can¡¯t help it. Iugh. She¡¯s too ridiculous. I sit on the other end of the couch. She stares at me like she¡¯s weighing the odds between cooperating and fighting back. For all I know, in a minute she might decide it¡¯s a good idea to try to push me off the couch. I stretch out my legs. I¡¯m six three, 255 pounds of muscle. Plus, werewolf strength. In a wrestling match, I know who¡¯ll win. I almost hope she tries. Shees to a decision and gives me a bright smile. ¡°Want some pizza?¡± La La Land. ~.~ Foxfire Tank blinks at me. He¡¯s pretty nice for a gang enforcer. Too big and muscly for his own good. Obviously not used to someone standing up to him. He¡¯s in for a big surprise. ¡°I got supreme.¡± I reach for a slice. ¡°I figure, I need to eat healthy, so I should get veggie, but then I crave meat. So I just get supreme and tell myself I¡¯ll pick off anything unhealthy. I hate olives so I just pick them off. You¡¯re wee to half.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he says slowly. ¡°I didn¡¯t poison it.¡± I say before taking a big bite. I chew, swallow, and grin. ¡°You didn¡¯t give me enough time.¡± He freezes as he¡¯s reaching for the pizza. I smile wider, showing all my teeth. I¡¯ve decided to cooperate. In my own, fantastic Foxfire way. I¡¯m going to act silly and clueless until he realizes his mistake. But I¡¯m not letting him off easy. I¡¯m going to make him pay. He¡¯s going to regret the day he messed with me. I¡¯m going to drive him crazy. In the meantime, pizza. I polish off three pieces before I slow down. God, I was hungry. I¡¯ve watched Tank the whole time. He looks familiar¡­ ¡°I know where I saw you. You¡¯re the bouncer at Eclipse.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re the chick who can¡¯t hold her liquor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the middle of a bad breakup. I¡¯m allowed to overindulge.¡± I gesture at him with my crust. ¡°You¡¯d better eat something, if you want any.¡± With a shake of his head, he reaches again for his first slice. He inhales it, reaches for a second, folds it onto a third slice to make a pizza sandwich, and eats it that way. Within minutes, he¡¯s decimated half the pie. ¡°Dude. Want me to order another?¡± He shakes his head. I study him further. Motorcycle boots, jeans, tee-stretched over his stunning Hercules physique. He carries the smell of motor oil, and something else-a scent like cinnamon spice, not unpleasant. I have a pretty good sense of smell. In the past, I¡¯ve decided not to date guys, or take on clients, because they didn¡¯t smell right. Just another odd thing about me. As big as he is, and as much as he¡¯s tried to intimidate me, he seems pretty reserved. His movements are careful, controlled. I can¡¯t see him hurting a woman. Maybe that¡¯s why I felt sofortable pushing his buttons from the start. ¡°What?¡± he asks, and I realize I¡¯ve been staring for over a minute. ¡°Nothing.¡± I muster innocence. ¡°So how did you be a Werewolf?¡± He almost chokes. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I assume you weren¡¯t born riding a motorcycle. When did you join the gang?¡± He clears his throat. ¡°Not a gang. A club.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± I tilt my head to the side. ¡°A club. Like the Mouseketeers?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Do you have a cheer?¡± ¡°No.¡± He rubs his forehead. ¡°So, can women be Werewolves? I¡¯ve always wanted to learn how to ride a motorcycle.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t call ourselves that. At least, not in public.¡± ¡°Right. You just have moon tattoos and wolves painted on your bikes.¡± He res at me, and I raise my hands in defense. ¡°What? You stick to a theme, like I said. I admire that. If you didn¡¯t want your name to be obvious you shouldn¡¯t all hang out at Club Eclipse.¡± Tank¡¯s expression is carefully nk, but I can see I¡¯m getting to him. Good. ¡°Does Garrett lead some sort of Monster Mash dance every full moon? ¡®Cause you should. In fact, that could be your initiation. A line dance to ¡°Thriller.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°No? Then how do people join?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t join. You have to be sponsored.¡± ¡°Who sponsored you?¡± ¡°My dad.¡± ¡°He¡¯s in the club?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He looks away, as if he didn¡¯t mean to give me that little tidbit. ¡°Oh, nice. A family affair.¡± I smile sweetly, and his jaw clenches. He¡¯s practically grinding his teeth. Excellent. ¡°So, if I get a motorcycle, would you be my sponsor?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°No? I have a lot to offer a club. I can make a mean margarita. And margarita vored cupcakes.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I can fix the club¡¯s website. I¡¯ve been there, and it is dire.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been looking into us?¡± Oops. He¡¯s all tense again, so I shrug. ¡°Your little leader is dating my best friend. I did some digging.¡± He res and I raise my hands. ¡°Rx. Everything I found was legit. Except the website. A color scheme like that should be ouwed. Hey, if you let me go, I¡¯ll fix it for you at a friends and family discount.¡± ¡°You do websites?¡± ¡°Yep. It¡¯s part of my business. Online marketing and branding. Here, I¡¯ll show you.¡± I jump up. He rises, too, and I wave my hand. ¡°I¡¯m just getting myptop.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take too long,¡± he orders. ¡°I¡¯m not going to escape out the window.¡± Not yet anyway. Not if I can chase him off some other way. ¡°How long did you say you were staying again?¡± ¡°As long as it takes.¡± ¡°If you want something to drink, help yourself. I have water and water.¡± I grab myputer. Before I return, I stick my head into the bathroom and brush my teeth. I fluff my hair and apply some lip gloss. Not that I¡¯m going to flirt or anything. But just in case. I give the girls a boost, you know, for support, not to show them off to a certain sexy biker. When I return, he¡¯s cleared the pizza. And has a ss of water waiting for me next to his. He put both sses on coasters. ¡°A housebroken werewolf,¡± I murmur. ¡°Excuse me?¡± He nces up. He has sharp hearing. Good to know. ¡°You put the sses on coasters.¡± I smile at him. ¡°Was yourst girlfriend a bitch? Did she take you to obedience school?¡± I chuckle at my own joke while Tank looks longingly at the door. Poor guy, stuck with me. I didn¡¯t go to college, but I¡¯ve mastered the art of annoying people. ¡°Here.¡± I open myptop and show him my client portfolio. ¡°You did all this yourself?¡± ¡°Once you learn the basic design, it¡¯s not hard.¡± I pull up my most recent projects and point out the before and after. ¡°It¡¯s good. Really, really good. You do great work.¡± ¡°Well, thank you.¡± I sit back. Dammit, I need to stick to the n. But impressing him feels too good. I keep scrolling through my work. He leans close. Way close. The heat from his body seeps into me. His nose is practically in my hair, like he¡¯s- ¡°Dude, did you just sniff me?¡± I scoot away from him on the couch. ¡°Sorry,¡± he mutters. ¡°You smell¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m wearing deodorant.¡± ¡°I know. I don¡¯t mean you smell bad. It¡¯s just¡­¡± he trails off with a frown. ¡°Just what?¡± I raise my arm and sniff, just to be sure. I didn¡¯t put on any perfume in the bathroom because I didn¡¯t want to be obvious. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Well, what about you? You smell like motor oil.¡± He blinks ¡°You smell that?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve always had a keen sense of smell. You work on cars or something?¡± ¡°Yeah. I run the shop.¡± ¡°The shop? For the gang?¡± ¡°The club.¡± I pull up the club website and click over to the shop. ¡°You do good business?¡± He shrugs. I navigate around the site, ignoring him for a few minutes. This guy has me flustered in a way no other guy has before. ¡°You know, I¡¯m not going to tell anyone about you guys. You can go now.¡± ¡°Not until I hear from Garrett.¡± ¡°You do everything he says?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a good leader.¡± Tank stretches out his legs. ¡°You got a TV?¡± ¡°No. TV rots the brain.¡± ¡°And pot doesn¡¯t?¡± ¡°What?¡± I wrinkle my nose. ¡°I don¡¯t do that anymore.¡± ¡°Then what are those grow lights in the other room?¡± ¡°Those are for my tomatoes.¡± He just stares at me. ¡°Fine,¡± I sigh. ¡°We can watch Netflix on myputer.¡± 102 Foxfire The next thing I know, Tank is closing myptop. ¡°Bedtime.¡± ¡°Wha-!¡± I cry. ¡°It¡¯s only-¡± I nce at the clock. It¡¯s almost midnight. ¡°Come on.¡± He points to the bedroom. I yawn. I am pretty tired. ¡°Okay, Big D.¡± He shakes his head but doesn¡¯t correct me. In fact, I think I see the corner of his lips twitch. ¡°Wait, are you spending the night?¡± ¡°You got it, princess. Right out here.¡± He¡¯s already found a nket and pillow for the couch and brought in his ck bag from his truck. He must¡¯ve grabbed it when I was in the bathroom or something. I pause a moment. ¡°You¡¯re not in any danger from me,¡± he says quietly. For some reason, I believe him. Not sure why, but I do. Still, the whole situation is stupid. House arrest over a misunderstanding. As I brush my teeth in the bathroom, I consider my escape options. Maybe I could steal his phone and reach out to Amber. It¡¯s not Tank¡¯s presence that worries me so much as knowing Amber¡¯s caught up in some weird gang activity. Mywyer friend¡¯s idea of an exciting time is wearing yoga pants to brunch after her weekly Hatha ss. Her hooking up with a wild tattooed motorcycle man neighbor is high on my list of No way, never gonna happen. But I was rethinking that list. A few hours with Tank, and I¡¯ll never again underestimate the power that big growly biker guys have on ady¡¯s ovaries. I¡¯m two shots away from climbing Tank like a tree. I toss my rainbow-colored hair, squeeze my elbows together to push up my boobs, and pout at the mirror. ¡°How do you like it, big man?¡± ¡°You okay in there?¡± Tank calls. Crap. He must be right outside the door, making sure I don¡¯t climb out the window or something. ¡°Just a minute!¡± I lick my lips and frown. There¡¯s another way to control a guy. I¡¯m not ashamed-I¡¯ve done it before, to get out of speeding tickets and the like. A little flirting hurts no one. And ying the annoying little sister isn¡¯t working. I have to seduce him. ¡°Foxfire.¡± Tank knocks a few minutester. ¡°Hurry up-¡± I swing the door open before he finishes his sentence. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re still here.¡± He blinks at me. In the past few minutes, crazy Foxfire has be sexy Foxfire. I brushed and poofed my hair, added lip balm, spritzed some perfume. Nothing major. Except now I¡¯m naked under my bathrobe. I wait until I¡¯m in the bedroom before loosening the tie and letting it gape. ¡°It¡¯s too bad you have to stay here all night,¡± I purr as he checks the windows. My house is old-someone painted the jambs shut thirty years ago. I won¡¯t be escaping that way. If my seduction n works, I won¡¯t need to. Tank turns, takes one look at me, and stops. I smile at him. ¡°No,¡± he practically growls. Is that rm scrawling across his face? I guess sex really is the best weapon. At least when dealing with a giant MC club enforcer. ¡°What?¡± I bat myshes. He angles past me and goes to my dresser. He opens a drawer and rummages around. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I squawk, flying at him. ¡°Here.¡± He thrusts a shirt at me. ¡°Put this on.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I told you to. And, right now, what I say goes.¡± I pout. ¡°But I sleep naked.¡± ¡°Not tonight.¡± I shrug. ¡°Fine.¡± My bottom lip puffs out as I take the shirt. I wait until he meets my gaze. I shrug my shoulders, and the bathrobe falls to the floor, leaving me in nothing but my boyshort panties. His Adam¡¯s apple bobs, and I note his cock is swollen against his jeans. I¡¯ve totally hit my target. I shrug the shirt on, doing a little jiggle as I do, and keeping my shoulders back. I don¡¯t often wear this tank top-it¡¯s tighter than I usually like. But tonight, it¡¯s the perfect choice. Thevender tank looks perfect with my skin, and my girls are on full disy. ¡°Is this what you wanted?¡± The growl sounds again, deep in his chest. ¡°Get in bed.¡± His face is nk, but the tightness in his crotch hasn¡¯t lessened. ¡°Will you tuck me in?¡± I press forward, stomach fluttering with excitement. ¡°You don¡¯t want to do this.¡± ¡°Do what, Daddy?¡± I¡¯m close enough if I lean forward, my boobs will brush his chest. His rock-hard chest. Don¡¯t mind if I do. As soon as my taut nipples touch him, electricity shoots from the tips to my foxy bits. Tingling spreads all through mydy parts, right into my core. ¡°No, baby.¡± Tank grips my arms and sets me back a step, a strained look on his face. ¡°This isn¡¯t what you want.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a big girl,¡± I remind him. ¡°I know what I want. Tonight, I want to be naughty.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± he says through gritted teeth. His seriousness cuts through my aroused haze. ¡°You don¡¯t want me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± His big fingers close around a lock of my hair-a bright blue curl, carefully teased for his benefit. He squeezes, fist shaking, like an addict longing for a fix. Then he lets go. ¡°You don¡¯t want to do this.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I¡¯m rough.¡± His hand cors my throat. He doesn¡¯t squeeze, just rests his fingers there, as if to demonstrate how dangerous he is.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. I¡¯m not put off. Not in the least. ¡°Yeah?¡± I breathe. ¡°Yeah. When I fuck, I fuck hard.¡± He pulls me forward and holds me against his chiseled body. I feel him. Every inch. My pulse races. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t like it, baby. Because it¡¯s always going to be my way.¡± He dips his head, and his lips touch my ear. ¡°I say spread, and you spread. I say ride, and you ride.¡± His whisper sends tingles through me. ¡°I saye, and youe. And it¡¯s not over until I say it¡¯s over. Even if you beg me to stop.¡± Fireworks explode in my brain. My pussy squeezes as if he¡¯s already told me toe. Benny was bad in bed. Really, really bad. So much so, I tended to encourage him to do his own thing, while I did mine. I¡¯m essentially on a two year dry streak. My seduction n just backfired. Big time. ¡°So what¡¯s it gonna be?¡± he murmurs, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. ¡°You gonna be my good girl?¡± My lips part. ¡°Yes,¡± is on the tip of my tongue. My panties are soaked. No, Foxfire! Bad, bad girl! I¡¯m supposed to be seducing him, not melting into a puddle at his feet. His lips drop to my ear. ¡°You wanna be a good girl tonight, baby. You know why?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡®Cause if you¡¯re bad¡­ you get punished.¡± 103 Tank It was supposed to be an easy job. Get in, handle the girl, get out. Protect the pack. I¡¯m leaning against the wall outside of Foxfire¡¯s bedroom with the boner the size of a baseball bat. I¡¯m about to lose control. My wolf howls for its prey. Foxfire. Fuck. All evening, I alternated between wanting to dominate her and wanting tough. I¡¯ve never met someone so annoying. And cute. And saucy. And smart. I want to punish her, smack that tempting ass, and spread her thighs. Find out how she sounds screaming Daddy when my tongue¡¯s working her clit. Get underneath all her games and teasing to find out what makes her tick. To be the one who makes her tick. No. No messing with humans, even cute ones that fascinate my wolf. I can almost hear my dad. He lectured me my whole life to beware the pussy trap. ¡°Son, don¡¯t ever let a woman in. Give her an inch, she¡¯ll think she¡¯s a ruler.¡± I want to give Foxfire a lot more than an inch. But I don¡¯t want just to fuck her. I want to own her. ¡°Come on,e on,¡± I mutter, jabbing the buttons on my cell phone. Garrett. Jared. Trey. None of them are answering calls or texts. I called Sam over at Eclipse, but the wolves working at Garrett¡¯s club tonight aren¡¯t as high up in the pack, and they know nothing. I don¡¯t tell them what¡¯s going down-Garrett doesn¡¯t want word getting out about his missing sister, Sedona. I¡¯m his second. I have his back. I just wish he¡¯d call. Scratch that. I wish I could fuck Foxfire into next week then get my alpha¡¯s call. ¡°Packes first,¡± my dad told me. ¡°Always. A mate can trick you, a woman will leave you, but the pack will never let you down. Everything we have, we owe to our fellow wolves.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying,¡± I mutter. For a second, I think about calling my dad, but no. He¡¯s in another pack, and I know what he¡¯ll say. I¡¯m not in the mood for a lecture. This is my problem, and I¡¯m going to face it like a grown man. I¡¯m going to wait until Foxfire¡¯s asleep and then jack off a couple of times. Hopefully that will relieve the tension until morning, when I see her again. I don¡¯t even mind the freakish hair. It¡¯s got me wondering-if those are the curtains, what color are the drapes? One thing at a fucking time. I pocket my phone-carefully, not a lot of extra room in my jeans anymore-and start to tiptoe away when I hear it. Scrape, scrape, scrape. What the fuck? I open the door. Foxfire shoots me a guilty look from the window. She¡¯s got a metal nail file and is trying to work open the paint-sealed window. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Trying to get some fresh air?¡± She hides the tool behind her back. I want tough because she¡¯s the cutest fucking prisoner I¡¯ve ever seen, but instead I keep my face nk. I can¡¯t let her know her antics are working. And believe me, I do know she¡¯s working me with them. ¡°Nice try, princess.¡± I mp a hand on the back of her neck, ignoring the way her pulse jumps under my palm. A scent fills the air, and I get a lungful as I guide her to the bed. Hot, fresh pussy. ¡°Get in, little girl.¡± I pull the nkets down. ¡°Read me a story?¡± she mocks with a hopeful little-girl face. ¡°I¡¯m not your father.¡± She hangs one finger from her mouth, the perfect coquette. ¡°I know, big man.¡± Her bottom points in my direction as she climbs up, and I can¡¯t help it. I smack her sassy ass. She squeaks. ¡°That didn¡¯t even hurt.¡± Not over her boyshorts. I grab her hips and nip the offended flesh then kiss it better. She goes still, breath hitching. Fuck. What am I doing? I definitely have zero intention of getting involved with this crazy human, no matter how cute she may be. I p her ass again. It¡¯s addictive, how good her soft flesh feels under my hand. ¡°Get in that bed before I peel these panties down and give you a proper spanking,¡± I growl. I¡¯m not sure if I meant that to be a threat or an enticement, but she clearly isn¡¯t scared. I somehow wrangle my self-control and take a step back, so she¡¯s out of reaching distance. ¡°Get in and scoot over.¡± She obeys. I can¡¯t tell if I¡¯m relieved or disappointed. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I grab a pillow-she¡¯s got about a million, all different shapes and sizes. A few of them spill onto the floor as the bed sags under my weight. Tight fit, but we¡¯ll make it work. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± ¡°With me?¡± Hell, yes, with you! My wolf asserts. Down, boy. I try for stern. ¡°If you¡¯re lucky, all I¡¯ll do is sleep.¡± I lie down, my big body caging her against the wall. ¡°Keep up the games, and I¡¯ll punish you for real. Then we¡¯ll sleep.¡± I swear I scent her arousal, which makes my cock surge into ready mode. ¡°Whatever you say, big man,¡± she says sweetly and I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s won this round because I¡¯m the asshole with a hard-on so thick it could lift a car, and all she has is my handprint on her ass. ¡°Good girl,¡± I rumble. That¡¯s right, sweetheart. You¡¯re not the only one who can y that game. I¡¯ve started to rx when a small voice asks, ¡°What exactly do you mean by punish me?¡± ¡°Keep pushing, and you¡¯ll find out.¡± I drape my arm over my face, but it¡¯s no use. I¡¯m sprung. I should¡¯ve taken the floor. A deep breath is my only warning before Foxfire makes her next move. My dick is suddenly happy-very happy-to be straddled by a lithe little body. Her hands rest on my pecs, and she leans forward, her breath warming my face. In one move, I roll and pin her. Her breath shudders out of her, and the scent of her arousal definitely fills the air. ¡°Tank?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want this, baby.¡± Seriously. I would tear her apart. Her hips jerk, and I thrust my erection into the notch between her legs. Oh fuck, I think she¡¯s wet for me. Even through my jeans, I can feel her panties are hot and damp. She wraps her slender legs around my waist, inviting me home. I shove her tight tank top up and groan at the sight of her breasts. Not too big, not too small. A perfect handful. ¡°Oh baby, those nipples were meant to be licked, weren¡¯t they?¡± She arches up, offering them to me. I lean over and flick one with my tongue then graze it with my teeth. When I look back up at her face, her gray eyes are wide. All pretense is gone. She¡¯s not ying crazy or babygirl, she¡¯s panting and watching me, apparently transfixed. I m my hips home again, wishing like hell I wasn¡¯t just dry humping this little beauty. She gasps. ¡°Ow-um, you¡¯re hurting me.¡± Instantly, I let go and jerk away. Fuck. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± she says. It was just my hair was caught under the weight of your hand.¡± No, I would definitely hurt her if I kept going. Better to stop now, before I¡¯ve gone so far it¡¯s not possible. I scrub my face, angling away from her so she doesn¡¯t see how very close I am to tearing her skimpy clothes off and finishing what she started.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Stay here. Go to sleep,¡± I say. ~.~ Foxfire I¡¯m all hot and bothered. I could finger myself, but Tank¡¯s so close, he might hear me. He has really good hearing. And a good sense of smell. And he can practically see in the dark. Too bad he¡¯s not gonna fuck me. He must have some sort of code of honor, because I know he wants me. I never thought of motorcycle men as prudes, but there ya go. Now I wish I hadn¡¯t said he was hurting me. I meant for him to move his hand from my hair, not to jump off me like I burned him. I wait a few minutes and then pad out of the bedroom, heading for the kitchen. If I can¡¯t seduce him, I¡¯ll escape another way. ¡°Foxfire? ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Just getting a drink of water.¡± If you¡¯re not back in bed in two minutes-¡± ¡°I know, I know, punishment,¡± I call back merrily, and turn on the water, but not before I hear a creak. He¡¯sing into the kitchen. It¡¯s now or never. I duck into the little room off the kitchen, and crouch by the door. For once, I¡¯m d Benny didn¡¯t get around to recing it. It came with a doggie door-useless because I¡¯ve never had a pet. Useless, until now. ¡°What the fuck?¡± Tank growls, just as I scramble through the p. ¡°Stop,¡± he shouts. Hees after me, hitting the door, but the deck is warped, and the door only opens partway. Another Benny project, never finished, thezy asshole. The door opens enough that I can slip through, but a guy built like a Tank won¡¯t have so much luck. Then Tank hits it again, with such force it shudders but doesn¡¯t break. Damn. Tough guy. I find my feet and run, d I thought to put on sneakers. I race up the small hill behind my house and down into the wash. I chose this house because it was cute, right near downtown, but with the backyard against a wash, which means I get front-row ess to wildlife and desert. The nearby open space rxes me. When it¡¯s nice, I work out on the patio, looking over the sandy banks, tangled with mesquite and creosote. I imagine running out there, hiking all day to find out where it ends, getting lost and found again in the wild. I never thought I¡¯d need a ce to run and hide. I bound into the wildness, my sneakers scrabbling on the rocks. ¡°Get back here,¡± Tank roars. He¡¯d better keep quiet if he doesn¡¯t want the neighbors waking up. I would make for a nearby house and bang on their doors, but it¡¯s the middle of the night. There¡¯s no telling how long it¡¯ll take for them to answer. Not to mention, they might be just as annoyed at me as at Tank. I have a bit of a reputation as the resident weirdo. My best chance is to lose Tank in the wild out here, and hide. I dart around a cactus and crouch. Tank runs fast for such a big guy. And quiet. Folded in half, I sprint again. The moon lights my way, and I¡¯ve always had pretty good night vision. But Tank does, too. After my fourth sprint, I hide behind a boulder and wait. I listen, but there¡¯s no sound. My skin prickles. There¡¯s something out there, breathing heavily. Instincts older than time tell me it¡¯s not human. Something¡¯s out here, and it¡¯s hunting me. I peer around the boulder and meet glowing eyes. My stalker is some sort of giant ck dog. A pet off its leash? Or something more sinister? Tank¡¯s name is on my lips. The man I¡¯m trying to escape is the one who can save me. Ironic, but there it is. I spring up from my crouch and run hard. Behind me, the beast snaps into motion. I¡¯m running as fast as I can, and it¡¯s gaining on me. ¡°Help,¡± I scream. ¡°Help, Tank, help!¡± A growl rings out behind me. It¡¯s close. I¡¯m going to die in the brush, torn apart by a wild animal. And then- Everything changes. The darkness sharpens, and suddenly I see everything. Scents burst in my nose-the fresh-rain smell of creosote, the distant bloom of citrus trees. Something in the bush twitches-a feathery body, hiding and praying the predators will pass. I smell its fear. The moon shines her spotlight on me. My head whips back. My spine crackles. My body shrinks¡­ my hands morph from five digit, human ones to furry paws. Ind hard on all fours, my body aching, my nose twitching with a thousand new smells. I¡¯m tangled inyers of fabric. Yipping, I w my way out of the tent of my old clothes. My legs scrabble against the sandy earth as I break free. I shake hard, and the tingles on my skin fade. My fur stands on end. My tail fluffs up like a pissed off cat¡¯s. My long body feels sleek and strong. Fur? Tail? Wait a minute. I point my nose to the moon and yip. My four paws stay solid on the ground. Paws? Now I¡¯m really starting to freak. There¡¯s something I¡¯m forgetting. Something I¡¯m supposed to be doing. A growl ripples over the grass to my left. A dark shape crouches there, eyes glowing. What was I doing? ¡­ oh yes. Running for my life. With a high-pitched bark, I leap forward and race through the underbrush. There¡¯s a puddle ahead. If I roll in it, I might diffuse my scent. The wolf behind me won¡¯t be able to track me so easily. Wolf? Now, how do I know that? Teeth snap at my heels. My body finds new speed-the energy of the hunted. I surge forward. My four paws strike the ground seamlessly. Paws? Four? What? As soon as I think about it, I lose the rhythm. One leg misfires, and I go flying. I flop on my side, feet waving in the air in a desperate scramble to get back up. A shadow falls over me, and a growl makes me freeze. The wolf stands over me, lowers its head, and sniffs along my white belly. My paws shake in the air. The beast¡­ transforms. Moonlight shimmers as the ck fur sucks away, revealing tattooed skin and bulging muscles. Tank stands over me in human form. ¡°Foxfire?¡± His voice is growly rough, like a wolf¡¯s. My heart¡¯s gonna explode. ¡°Change back,¡± Tank orders. A sudden pressing urgees over me, like a sneeze. I sumb to it, and my body takes human shape. I shout, convulsing with surprise. ¡°Foxfire, it¡¯s okay. You¡¯re okay.¡± Tank kneels beside me, holding my shoulders, steadying my thrashing body. My limbs tingle like they¡¯ve been asleep, but other than that, it doesn¡¯t hurt. Not like my head, which is spinning. And-oh fuck-I¡¯m naked. ¡°Wha-¡± I sputter. ¡°What the hell just happened?¡± ~.~ Tank She¡¯s a fox. An actual fox, with white-tufted tail and rust-colored fur. Narrow nose and perky ears. She¡¯s simr enough to a wolf that I caught the scent on her but didn¡¯t know what it was until she shifted. An actual fox shifter. I¡¯ve never seen one before. I didn¡¯t know they existed until she transformed before my eyes and ran away, beautiful and lithe in the moonlight. This¡­plicates things. I scoop her up and carry her back up the wash. She whimpers in my arms. Her body trembles, and tears glint on hershes. She¡¯s scared as hell. Of me? Or of the shift? I somehow got the feeling this was her first time. ¡°Breathe, baby, breathe,¡± I murmur. We¡¯re both naked, but that¡¯s not why she¡¯s shivering. ¡°I¡¯m losing my mind. The moonlight, it called to me. And I¡­¡± She raises her hands and stares at them in horror. ¡°I had paws!¡± She turns wide eyes on me. ¡°And you were a wolf!¡± Yep. First time. ¡°Okay, baby. It¡¯s going to be okay.¡± I kicked the door open. I half-broke it before I decided to just change into a wolf and go through the doggie door. My clothes are in a pile on the old linoleum, but I don¡¯t stop. ¡°Please tell me this was a bad trip,¡± she whimpers. ¡°We did mushrooms or acid or something, and it¡¯s just a dream-it¡¯s just a dream.¡± ¡°Shhh.¡± I head to the couch, set her down, and pull a nket around her. ¡°Stay.¡± I put alphapulsion into my voice. It seemed to work before, getting her to shift back. Thank the moon for that. Otherwise, she could be stuck in fox form a long time, trying to figure it out. Some shifters shift naturally. Others need the supervision of an alpha. Most of us have the benefit of the pack and plenty of experienced shifters to walk us through it. At least wolves do. We¡¯re pack animals. Foxes-I¡¯m not so sure. As far as I know, the littledy freaking out on the couch is the only one. Of course, small, weaker shifters don¡¯t often make themselves known. If wolf packs are secretive, fox dens, if they exist, probably hide like their lives depend on it. I grab an energy drink out of my things, and a bag of beef jerky. ¡°Here. Drink this.¡± I hold the bottle for her. She¡¯s shaking but reaches for the beef jerky on her own. ¡°You expended a lot of energy, running from me and shifting twice. You always need to eat and drink enough afterward, or it could be dangerous.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ve never done that before.¡± ¡°I know, baby.¡± I tug on a pair of workout shorts, d I brought a couple of changes of clothes. Of course, I expected to be done with this job in a few hours, tops, and then be on my way to Mexico. The pale, rainbow-haired beauty trembles on the couch, and my wolf will be damned if he¡¯ll leave her now. Things just got a lot moreplicated. 104 Foxfire Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. This is a dream. A really bad dream, like the time Sunny left her mushrooms out and I ate them and thought the walls were melting. The rity of the moonlight, the scents that surrounded me, they were beautiful, but it¡¯s way worse than a bad trip. ¡°Here.¡± Tank sits down next to me, holding out a power bar. ¡°No more jerky?¡± I ask hopefully. ¡°Carnivore?¡± ¡°I tried to be vegetarian like so many times. I would have these cravings where I almost ate raw meat.¡± ¡°She wouldn¡¯t let you.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Your fox. She¡¯s pretty, by the way.¡± ¡°My¡­¡± ¡°Your fox. That¡¯s who came out to y just now. She¡¯s gorgeous.¡± I stare at him, remembering the harmony in my limbs, when I didn¡¯t think about it, the freedom, the whole new world of scents, beautiful and profane. ¡°What am I?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Um, no. One minute I¡¯m¡­ on two legs and then, the next I¡¯m¡­¡± My breath gets stuck in my throat. ¡°I¡¯m-¡± ¡°Okay, okay, rx.¡± He rubs my back. ¡°Just breathe. It¡¯ll be okay. You¡¯re a shifter, like me. Most of us have the benefit of growing up in a house surrounded by shifters. My dad coached me through my first change. I was early. Some kids don¡¯t shift until their teens, and then wake in bed all furry. It usually happens in adolescence, if not before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s never happened to me.¡± ¡°Yes, well, if I had to guess, I¡¯d say your fox is shy. And she¡¯s on her own, without family or protection.¡± I lean into him. My heart isn¡¯t pounding as hard, but Tank is the only one keeping me on Earth. Foxes. I¡¯m a fox. ¡°You¡¯re a shifter,¡± I state. ¡°Yeah, baby. I¡¯m a wolf.¡± I let out a noise, halfugh, half gurgle. ¡°I noticed.¡± He rubs my back some more. ¡°So that¡¯s why Garrett sent you. You¡¯re not part of a gang called the Werewolves. You are a werewolf.¡± ¡°A pack.¡± He says after a long silence. ¡°I¡¯m part of a pack.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°With Garrett?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± No wonder they¡¯re secretive. I¡¯d be less surprised if I found the path to another world in my closet, but it actually reassures me. At least Garrett and Tank¡¯s behavior makes more sense now. I open my hands, close them. Hands, not paws. No ws. Not right now. ¡°Are there others, like me?¡± ¡°Not that I know of.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Again, the world tilts under my feet. ¡°Foxfire¡­ is there anyone¡­ Do you know anyone in your family who might¡­ have a secret?¡± ¡°What, like my great aunt Agatha¡¯s chili recipe? Oh, and she turns into a Saint Bernard during the full moon?¡± Tank just looks at me, forehead wrinkled. He must think I¡¯m really losing it. ¡°No.¡± My breath shudders out of me. ¡°Nothing like that. I don¡¯t really have a family-only my mom. And I don¡¯t think she¡¯d hide something like this from me.¡± I rub my hands. Hands. Not paws. No fur. ¡°I¡¯m cold.¡± He grabs the nket and tucks it tight around me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and giving me a side hug. ¡°It¡¯s the shift. It takes energy. And you¡¯re skin and bones.¡± ¡°I am not.¡± I frown at him. ¡°You are, baby.¡± He squeezes me tight, pulling me closer. ¡°Petite.¡± ¡°Yes, well, I was born this way. Not all of us can be freakishly tall and built like a truck.¡± ¡°A tank.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Something he said unravels. ¡°Wait, so you think someone else in my family is a shifter?¡± ¡°Shifters breed shifters. It¡¯s gic.¡± ¡°So my mom or dad¡­¡± ¡°One of them carries the gene. Most likely they can shift. It¡¯d be almost impossible for two non-shifters with the dormant gene to bear one who can shift.¡± ¡°My mom.¡± I shake my head. ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s a shifter. I lived with her. I¡¯ve known her all my life.¡± ¡°She never snuck off into the wilderness for hours at a time?¡± ¡°No. She does a lot of pot, but that¡¯s about it.¡± Another long silence. ¡°What about your dad?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know him.¡± Tank nods. I swallow. I never met my dad. Around first grade, I decided I wanted to, but that was only because we were doing a ss project on our parents. Mom helped me do half the project on her, and half on the host of my favorite show, Reading Rainbow. My entire ss ending up thinking I was LeVar Burton¡¯s daughter. My poprity went way up, and I haven¡¯t given a thought to my mystery sperm donor since. Except, now. Because of him, I turn into a fox. The thing that will most impact my life, given by a man I¡¯ve never met. I sigh. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Foxfire,¡± Tank says again, and squeezes me tight. He may be a giant grouchy lump most of the time, but he¡¯s pretty good at reassuring me. I feel a lot better in his arms, anyway. If he wasn¡¯t here, I¡¯d be aplete mess. Probably ready tomit myself to the loony bin. ¡°It¡¯s going to be all right.¡± ¡°How is it all right? I turn into an animal during the full moon.¡± ¡°Not just then. With practice, you¡¯ll be able to shift at will.¡± ¡°Oh, goody. I can wow them at dinner parties.¡± A sound rumbles in his chest-a half growl. ¡°No. No dinner parties. You have to keep this a secret.¡± ¡°No shit, Sherlock.¡± He catches my chin lightly. ¡°Okay, baby. First rule of any pack. You give animals bigger and deadlier than you your respect. I¡¯m telling you now so you don¡¯t get it beaten into you by someone less sympathetic than I am.¡± I try to think of something snarky as his dominant gaze bores into me. ¡°Fine,¡± I mumble, dropping my eyes. ¡°Good girl.¡± He tucks me closer. I¡¯m practically on hisp. He nuzzles my hair. He¡¯s sniffing me again. This time, I don¡¯t mind. Must be a wolf thing. ¡°So, does this mean I¡¯m one of your pack?¡± ¡°No,¡± he says quickly. I hide my flinch. This creature, this animal inside me, she wants her kind. ¡°Most shifters keep to their own. But I¡¯ve never heard of a pack of fox shifters. You¡¯re the first one I¡¯ve seen.¡± Great. I¡¯m still a freak, no matter what species. Whatever. I sit up and scoot away from him to shake out my hair. It¡¯s a mess, full of sticks and grass. Ib my fingers through it. ¡°Let me,¡± Tank murmurs, and picks out the rest. When he¡¯s done, he keeps his arm around me. ¡°Thanks.¡± Slowly, I let myself rx. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Now, we wait. You need rest. In the morning, I feed you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re staying?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still my prisoner. And we both know I can catch you, no matter how far you run.¡± I nod. I¡¯m too tired to argue. He¡¯s been here only a few hours, and he¡¯s already a fixture in my life. But I¡¯m d. I feel safer with him, somehow. I¡¯m a fox. Fuck. I tuck my face into his shoulder. He¡¯s so big and so strong. And when I¡­ my fox came out, he knew just what to do. I¡¯m too tired to think about what that means, but maybe, for just tonight, I don¡¯t have to. ¡°I always knew I was different,¡± I mumble. ¡°What¡¯s that, baby?¡± ¡°My mom. She¡¯s weird. And she raised me.¡± ¡°Did she ever leave for periods of time, or act strange around the full moon?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my mom. She was always strange.¡± I remember kids pointing at us. Laughing. My name, my petite body, my hippie mom, smelling of patchouli oil and dressing us in clothes from Goodwill. Weird. I realize I said all this out loud when Tank tightens his hold on me. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay.¡± I wrap my arms around him and bury my face in his chest. He cups the back of my head as he murmurs, ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out, together.¡± 105 Foxfire I dream of my paws scrabbling in the rocky earth. A sunset zes in the distance, fiery red and orange. My broken cell phone crackles with my mother¡¯s voice telling me I should dye my hair those colors. Then Tank looms over me, shaking his head¡­ I wake with a start, the smell of bacon so intense, I can taste it. My stomach rumbles as I pad to the kitchen. Tank stands at the stove, his broad back hunched and shaved head bowed over a skillet. ¡°OMG,¡± I say. ¡°Are you making breakfast?¡± A folded paper bag soaks up grease under a stack of bacon. ¡°Is some of this for me?¡± He shes me a grin, jerks his head at the table. My little card table is covered with dishes of meat. Sausage, hamburger patties, more bacon. ¡°Oh my god, Tank. Did you kill every pig and cow in the world?¡± ¡°Just for you, baby. Eat up.¡± Baby. I like that. Bad Foxfire! ¡°I¡¯m such a bad vegan,¡± I mumble as I sit down. ¡°Seriously?¡± Tank raises a brow. ¡°What? I thought it¡¯d be healthy.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°You can¡¯t be vegan.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°¡®Cause you¡¯re a carnivore.¡± Tank puts a te of bacon right in front of me. ¡°I could eat tofu and stuff,¡± I argue, as if I¡¯m not about to swallow a pound of delicious pig. ¡°You can¡¯t cut meat out. Your fox won¡¯t let you.¡± Right. That. My stomach twists. ¡°Eat, baby.¡± Tank gets more bacon going thenes to the table. ¡°You had a long runst night. Your fox needs this.¡± His hand settles on the back of my neck, calming the storm in my stomach. I nod and pick up a strip of bacon. In no time, I¡¯ve demolished half the te, and a third of the sausages. Just enough to take the edge off my hunger. I¡¯ve always had a great metabolism. Guess now I know why. Tank moves around my kitchen as if he owns it. He¡¯s so big, but somehow he fits. ¡°I had a dream about my momst night,¡± I announce. Tank doesn¡¯t look up from the stove, but I know he¡¯s listening. ¡°Do you think she knew?¡± ¡°She did name you Foxfire.¡± ¡°That could just be her. Trippy hippy. She smoked pot all through her pregnancy.¡± ¡°That exins a lot,¡± Tank mutters. ¡°Hey!¡± I pout in his general direction. Hees with a fresh round of meat, and spills half of it on my te before bumping my foot with his in a silent order. We chew for a while. ¡°Do you remember ever shifting before?¡± I put down my fork and think. ¡°I once ate some mushrooms and felt like I had fur. You didn¡¯t happen to give me any mushroomsst night¡­?¡± He shakes his head as he goes back to the skillet. ¡°Didn¡¯t think so.¡± Too much to hope for. ~.~ Tank She¡¯s stewing again, frowning at the window. I dreamed of herst night, running and catching her and pulling her into position under me. I shift in my seat, d the table doesn¡¯t have a ss top. I¡¯ve got to get myself under control. I clear my throat. ¡°There are benefits to being a shifter.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Yeah. Being able to eat this much, for one. You¡¯ll need to bring extra food with you when you go to shift.¡± ¡°Where would I go? Wouldn¡¯t I just run out here?¡± She nods to the wash. ¡°In an pinch, yes. But be careful. People around here like to shoot coyotes, even though it¡¯s illegal. In the dark, your fox could be mistaken for a small one.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Her forehead wrinkles. ¡°You have to let your fox out once in a while. Once a month at least. Otherwise¡­ well, it might be different than for wolves. But it helps you maintain bnce.¡± My voice holds an echo of my father¡¯s words, teaching me our way of life at the kitchen table. ¡°It¡¯s important to take care of your animal. Feed her meat, let her out to run.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m a dog.¡± ¡°You are. A wild dog.¡± ¡°So you¡­ run regrly? Where?¡± ¡°The Catalina mountains. But also A Mountain, in a pinch.¡± A Mountain is the small peak near downtown painted with arge letter A for the University of Arizona. It¡¯s where Garrett shifted and ran off on his date with Amber the day before yesterday. I bite back my offer to have here on a moon run with the pack. ¡°You might be able to get away with some midnight runs out along this wash. But a better choice is a wildlife preserve, somewhere that bans hunters. Even then, you have to be careful.¡± I cut myself off before I scare her. But I¡¯m worried. Poachers, other animals, shifters, anyone who sees a pretty fox and decides they want her. Especially another wolf. My wolf is rabid at the thought of another male sniffing around her. I stand and clear the breakfast dishes. Foxfire stays zoned out. Maybe she¡¯s in a meata. She¡¯s never sat so still for so long. My wolf insists we go andfort her. But it¡¯s better she doesn¡¯te to rely on me too much. She needs her own kind. A fox den, maybe a mate. My fingers curl into the countertop. I release it before I leave an imprint. Not a mate, my wolf growls. Not anyone but me. I check my phone. No messages. Something¡¯s wrong. But Garrett told me to watch Foxfire, so that¡¯s what I¡¯m going to do. Even if I now have my own reasons. My dad wouldn¡¯t approve. But who else is going to take care of her? I approach the table, and Foxfire startles. Her big eyes snap to mine. Wide, dreamy. Sweet face, Loony Tunes hair. She¡¯s so small and, deep down, submissive. No wonder her fox stayed dormant for so many years. ¡°Come on,¡± I rap the table in front of her. She jumps but doesn¡¯t move. ¡°Time to get up. Face the day.¡± ¡°Are we going somewhere?¡± She arches an eyebrow. ¡°You need to act normal. Do whatever you do on a Sunday.¡± ¡°Normally, I¡¯m not under house arrest.¡± The bluster, it¡¯s an act. She¡¯s too smart for her own good. And she¡¯s been alone too long, without anyone to watch out for her. My wolf wants to give her everything she needs. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll take a shower.¡± She scoots out of her chair. ¡°Maybe then I¡¯ll feel normal. Human.¡± She pushes past me, and I ignore her disrespect. She¡¯s acting out because she¡¯s scared. And I¡¯m not her pack leader. I grew up knowing I was a shifter. Expecting it. Meeting my wolf was a beautiful thing, a rite of passage. I felt powerful. Foxfire emerges from the bathroom, clean and glowing. Her hair falls in soft rings around her pixie-like face. She struts out in cut-off shorts and a tight top, cleavage popping. ¡°Oh no.¡± I stand. ¡°You need to change.¡± ¡°Why?¡± she shoots back, pretending to be oblivious to her body¡¯s effect on me. ¡°We¡¯re staying here all day, right?¡± ¡°Just¡­ put on some clothes.¡± I don¡¯t need the temptation. She puts her hands on her hips. ¡°What¡¯s your problem with these?¡± I grit my teeth. My problem is my dick is hard enough to punch through a door. I¡¯d send her to her room for the day, but I don¡¯t trust myself. ¡°Just change.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± She shrugs and strips off her shirt. It falls to the floor between us. ¡°Foxfire,¡± I growl. ¡°You want me to change, Daddy Pops? I¡¯m changing.¡± She shoots me a lethal smile. Sweet as strychnine. ¡°Don¡¯t push me, baby,¡± I growl. ¡°I warned you what would happen.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± She twirls a rainbow curl around one finger. ¡°You¡¯ve made a lot of threats. I have yet to see you carry through with any of them.¡± Fates help us both. She has no idea what I want to do with that hot little body of hers. And it starts with showing her who¡¯s boss. In more ways than one. ¡°Okay, baby. Let¡¯s do this.¡± I lean down and pick up her shirt and toss it at her. ¡°Bedroom, now.¡± She smirks and waltzes in that direction. I fully nned on insisting she get dressed and having a sit-down discussion about dominant animals and her required submission. Instead, I snag her wrist and spin her to face the wall. I press her small hand beneath mine against the textured ster, pick up the other, and add it to my collection. She¡¯s still topless, and now I have the world¡¯s best top view of her cleavage. Heaving cleavage. Because she¡¯s definitely excited by my little show of who¡¯s boss. I pin both her wrists against the wall with one hand and squeeze her breast roughly with the other. My open mouth finds the column of her neck. ¡°You need to understand something, little fox. In a pack, there are rules.¡± ¡°I thought you said I wasn¡¯t pack.¡± There¡¯s a hurt quality to her voice that makes my wolf whine. ¡°Shifters, then. Either way, you need to know the limits on your behavior.¡± ¡°If I misbehave I¡¯ll get groped by a hot wolf?¡± she suggests hopefully. I suppress augh. ¡°I mean it. Following the rules can save your life.¡± She doesn¡¯t understand how dangerous this world is, and that¡¯s the part that has my wolf going nuts. ¡°Okay.¡± I release her breast and rest my palm on her ass. ¡°Your actions have consequences. Shifters who step out of line are punished.¡± ¡°You gonna ground me?¡± Her voice is pure sex, husky. ¡°Mm, no,¡± I rumble in her ear. I work the button on her short-shorts with my free hand and tug them until they drop to the floor. ¡°I take a more hands-on approach.¡± She waggles her ass in a clear invitation. Fates, I want to take this so much farther than I¡¯m going to. I have images shing in my brain of stripping herpletely naked and pounding her hard from behind. Instead, I bring my palm down on her panty-d ass. ¡°Ooh!¡± She jumps. Did I spank her too hard? I crane my neck to see her face. She¡¯s biting her lip, cheeks flushed with color, eyes zed. She likes it. I smack her cute ass again. And again. And then the goddamn doorbell rings. ~.~ Foxfire Tank goes rigid. He releases me in a sh and yanks my top over my head. Motioning for me to stay put, he heads to the door. So, of course, I yank on my jean shorts and follow him. He stops in the hall. ¡°It¡¯s a man,¡± he says softly. ¡°I can smell him.¡± I wrinkle my nose. I can¡¯t smell anything that specific yet. ¡°It¡¯s probably Benny. He¡¯s supposed toe by to get his stuff.¡± He catches my arm. ¡°Are you going to be cool?¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to run now. You¡¯re the only one telling me I¡¯m not crazy.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go that far.¡± ¡°Har har. I¡¯ll be right back. Stay out of sight.¡± I wave Tank into the kitchen, and he goes, face stony. Should I unt my ex in front of him? He went nuts over my Daisy Dukes. The doorbell goes again. ¡°Coming,¡± I sing and open the door. It¡¯s not Benny but a guy wearing a trench coat. It¡¯s still early on a Sunday morning, and my neighborhood is pretty quiet. We don¡¯t usually get solicitors. ¡°Can I help you?¡± ¡°Foxfire Hines?¡± ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± I chirp. ¡°Can I help you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man pulls his hand from his pocket and points a gun at me. ~.~ Tank I smell the gun before Foxfire¡¯s fear hits me, bitter and potent. My wolf snarls. I pad through her ¡°grow light room.¡± Maybe I can move fast enough to get to him before he sees what¡¯sing. My lips curl back. My wolf is ready to hunt. ¡°What the fuck is this about?¡± My rainbow-haired pixie puts her hands on her hips. I groan No, Foxfire. Behave. ¡°Just get inside, sweetheart. We¡¯ll talk it over.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± she demands. ¡°Who sent you?¡± What is it about her that makes her bluster in the face of danger? Now is not the fucking time. Does she think the gun is a toy? I want to smack her ass all over again. The man pushes inside, and she trips and falls with a soft cry. I see red. Five secondster, the thug is on the floor at my feet. I kick the gun away. ¡°Foxfire. Shut the door.¡± She scrambles to obey. The man is unconscious. Considering how hard I hit him, he¡¯ll probably be out for a while. He¡¯s lucky I didn¡¯t kill him. I still might. I use a nket to grab the gun, and then I wrench it open, emptying the chamber. Unmarked. Street gun. Mine, now. My wolf snarls. I focus on the gun to keep my wolf from tearing the man apart. ¡°Duct tape in my bag,¡± I tell her. She nods and rushes to get it. I tie the man and cover his mouth. Foxfire is pale and trembling. I take a deep breath and get my rage under control. Ripping this man limb from limb won¡¯t solve anything, and will terrify her. ¡°Come here.¡± I open my arms. She dashes to them. Her body is so tiny. I swing her up and carry her to the couch, where I canfort her and keep my eyes on the thug. ¡°What does he want?¡± Foxfire shudders. ¡°I don¡¯t know, baby,¡± I nuzzle her throat. She¡¯s alive. She¡¯s safe. She¡¯s in my arms. Foxfire and her crazy hair. I use a fistful to tug her head back, gently, and take her mouth. She tastes like melon and strawberries, sugar and spice, and everything Foxfire. My lips stroke over hers, despite the man unconscious on the floor. She¡¯s mine. Her nipples pebble against the thin shirt, and I¡¯m about toy her down and im her. When I back off, she¡¯s got stars in her eyes. I put them there. My wolf is satisfied. ¡°You¡¯re going to be okay,¡± I tell her. She stares at me, wide-eyed. ¡°What are we going to do with him?¡± Normally I¡¯d make a few calls. But this job has morphed into something no one expected. ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out. I¡¯m going to make sure he¡¯s not a danger to us, and try to get some answers. Can you go into your room and work for a while?¡± ¡°Yeah. Um, Tank? Can I use your phone, to check my messages?¡± ¡°Sure, baby.¡± Once she¡¯s gone, I kneel down next to the thug. He has the look of an ex-fighter, rough hands, beefy strength, belly gone a little soft. A local muscle-for-hire. Not too bright. He should¡¯vee with backup. But he was thinking he¡¯d shake down a small, unarmed woman. He didn¡¯t expect me. I step into kitchen for a moment while my wolf rages. Foxfire. Fuck. She could¡¯ve been killed. Or- ¡°Tank!¡± I spin around as she hustles toward me. Something¡¯s wrong. Her face is even paler than it was. Her eyes wide and frantic. ¡°I think I know who he is. We need to go, now.¡± She whirls and starts for the door. I catch her, holding her still when she struggles. ¡°Tell me, baby. What¡¯s wrong?¡± She holds up my phone. ¡°My mom called. She¡¯s in trouble.¡± ~.~ Foxfire ¡°Listen to this.¡± I jab the phone at Tank. ¡°Foxfire?¡± My mom¡¯s voicees over speaker. ¡°I just wanted to make sure you¡¯re okay. I¡¯m in a bit of trouble and had to throw away my phone. There might be some men whoe asking after me. Just tell them I¡¯ll get the payment when I can. Stay safe, sweetie.¡± Tank ys the message again while I bite my lip. ¡°Sounds like she owes the wrong people money.¡± ¡°No shit, Sherlock,¡± I hiss. His face turns to stone, and I remember how wolves don¡¯t like to be challenged. Well, tough. This is my mom we¡¯re talking about. ¡°She left me a messagest night, but I didn¡¯t get it because you killed my phone. Dammit! This is your fault!¡± He rubs his jaw. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for that. I really am. And I get you¡¯re mad, but dial back the challenge, baby, or my wolf will feel like he has to remind you who¡¯s in charge here.¡± The very recent memory of what form that reminder wille in rises up, a shimmering temptation. But now is not the time. ¡°Whatever.¡± I fold my arms over my chest. Yeah, he just gave me the best kiss of my life and punched out a gunman to save me. Whatever. I¡¯m still pissed. ¡°I need to go,¡± I tell him. ¡°Go where?¡± ¡°Go help her! I need to fix this.¡± 106 Tank looks from the thug lying at the floor to me. ¡°And just how are you going to do that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out.¡± He catches my arm. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere, baby.¡± ¡°Oh please. I¡¯m hardly going to tell your little secret. I¡¯m one of you, remember?¡± ¡°Hush.¡± He pulls me into the kitchen. ¡°You need to be quiet about that.¡± ¡°Well, I am. One of your little gang now, right? The furries?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just run off. It¡¯s not safe.¡± ¡°Why not? You already took out the guy they sent after me. He¡¯s not a threat.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean him. I mean other shifters.¡± ¡°What?¡± Tank curses, sticks his head in the other room to check on Mr. Unconscious, then returns and hauls me farther into the corner. ¡°You¡¯re not pack. You have no protection. If you ran across a shifter¡¯s pack, they mighte after you.¡± I blink. ¡°What? Why? And how will they know? ¡°Your scent. It¡¯s getting stronger. Every time you shift, until other shifters will know exactly who and what you are. And you won¡¯t have any protection. You have no people. You¡¯re alone.¡± Jesus. Like I needed the story of my life spelled out once again. I shrug him off. ¡°Well, whatever. I¡¯m used to that.¡± He presses his lips together, studying me. I meet his gaze, raise my chin. I¡¯ve always been an outsider, a freak. He knows me a day and thinks I¡¯m going to fall apart facing my problems on my own? Fuck him. I¡¯ve always been on my own. ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± I start for the door. ¡°You are not,¡± he growls, grabbing my wrist. ¡°You don¡¯t get a say.¡± ¡°You shifted for the first time in front of me. That makes me responsible for you.¡± He seems to have just made that decision. His words shock me into stillness. ¡°You don¡¯t want to go out there alone. Trust me.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not staying here. My mom is in trouble. The goon in the other room is proof of that.¡± ¡°Another reason you shouldn¡¯t be alone. He came here thinking he was going to confront a five-foot, hundred-pound woman he could easily overpower. And he would¡¯ve, if you¡¯d been alone.¡± ¡°Luckily, I wasn¡¯t. And I weigh a hundred and twenty pounds, thank you very much.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°You¡¯re not going alone. It¡¯s not safe.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± I grin without mirth. ¡°Then youe with me.¡± ¡°I-¡± He stops. ¡°Fuck.¡± He looks down at his phone like it¡¯s an oracle with the answer. ¡°I¡¯m going. You can eithere with me or stay here with my unwanted guest.¡± We both look at the still-unconscious thug. Werewolves hit hard. ¡°Or I could tie you to the bed.¡± I don¡¯t dignify this with a response. It¡¯s all fun and sex games until you get a visit from thug and a frantic call from your mom. Tank reads this on my face and sighs. ¡°Fine. But I¡¯m in charge.¡± I blink. I never expected him to have my back. Relief rushes through me. ¡°Okay, yeah. I¡¯m getting used to that.¡± ¡°Go pack.¡± Tank jerks his head at my bedroom. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this guy.¡± ¡°What are you going to do to him?¡± ¡°Wake him up and try to question him. I don¡¯t want you in here.¡± ¡°Do you want me to get a tarp? In case there¡¯s blood.¡± ¡°No. I-¡± A sound at the door makes both of us freeze. Someone¡¯s trying to get in. Keys jingle, and I hear a curse. Shit. It¡¯s Benny. Good thing I changed the locks. Tank starts for the door, a dangerous set to his shoulders. He¡¯s going to knock Benny unconscious. ¡°Wait.¡± I catch his arm. ¡°You can¡¯t-it¡¯s my ex-boyfriend.¡± ¡°What?¡± The doorbell rings. ¡°Foxfire?¡± Benny whines. ¡°I know you¡¯re in there.¡± He rings the doorbell a few more times and knocks. Jerk. ¡°He left stuff here. I¡¯ve been on him to pick it up,¡± I exin quickly. ¡°Fuck.¡± The mafia man is still sprawled on my rug. Fuck is right. ¡°I can stall him-¡± I start, when the thug begins to stir. At least, until Tank¡¯s fist shes out and catches him on the jaw. ¡°That¡¯s probably not good for him.¡± ¡°He held a gun on you,¡± Tank says. The flint in his eyes tells me in his world, you don¡¯t hold guns on women. You do pin them against a wall and spank them if they¡¯re naughty. It¡¯s a pretty interesting ce, Tank¡¯s world. ¡°Foxfire!¡± Benny shrieks. ¡°Coming!¡± I shout, stepping in front of the window in case Benny decides to try to look through the curtains. ¡°Give me a minute.¡± I whirl to face Tank. ¡°What are we-¡± Tank already has the thug rolled in my rug and is carrying him to the back room. ¡°No, not there.¡± I whisper. ¡°That is where I keep Benny¡¯s stuff. Out back. ¡± Tank heads into the kitchen. The doorbell dings constantly. ¡°Go get the door,¡± Tank orders. ¡°Keep him upied away from the windows.¡± I scramble back to the door, wrench it open, and slip out, pulling it shut behind me. ¡°What the hell?¡± My ex squints at me. It¡¯s not yet ten a. m. Early for him. In the daylight, he looks almost anemic. ¡°What do you want, Benny?¡± Weak chin, skinny, pothead. I have no idea what I even saw in him. ¡°I¡¯m here to get my stuff. Whose truck is that?¡± He scowls, pointing at the big gray truck with a covered bed in my driveway. ¡°It¡¯s in my spot.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a spot, Benny. I own this house, and we broke up.¡± ¡°You got a man in there?¡± He frowns at the door. ¡°None of your business. I know you¡¯re here for your stuff, but I¡¯m in the middle of something. Come backter.¡± Out of the corner of my eye, I see Tank emerge from the side of the house, carrying the rug. He¡¯s headed down the driveway, to his truck. ¡°On second thought, now¡¯s a good time.¡± I pull Benny inside before he has time to ask a question. ¡°Here¡¯s your stuff.¡± ¡°What happened to your rug?¡± he nces at the new bare spot in the middle of my living room floor. ¡°Termites,¡± I blurt. ¡°Rug termites.¡± I grab thevamp from the corner. ¡°Here.¡± I hand it to him. ¡°This is yours.¡± Benny frowns at it, which means he¡¯s not looking out the window where Tank is loading a mafia man wrapped in a rug into the back of the big gray truck. Hopefully, none of my neighbors notice, either. ¡°I don¡¯t want this shit.¡± Benny says. ¡°I want my lights.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The grow lights.¡± ¡°For my tomatoes?¡± ¡°No, you idiot, for my pot.¡± I suck in a breath. I knew he used but didn¡¯t know he grew. ¡°Did you grow here?¡± Benny rolls his eyes. ¡°Where are they?¡± I motion to the back room. ¡°But, what about my tomatoes?¡± Benny rounds on me and start in with that cutting, derogatory tone he always used when he thought I was too air-headed, ¡°Listen, dumbass-¡± The next thing I know, Tank¡¯s in front of me. He has Benny by the cor and hauls him off his feet. ¡°Did you just call her dumbass?¡± Benny splutters. ¡°Dude-¡± ¡°You know this asshole?¡± Tank growls. ¡°Yeah, Tank! It¡¯s okay. He¡¯s my ex-boyfriend.¡± A louder growl this time, deeper in his gut. His wolf. Hello, Wolfie. ¡°Apologize to Foxfire.¡± When Benny¡¯s eyes bug, but he says nothing, Tank bares his teeth. ¡°Apologize.¡± ¡°Jeez, I¡¯m sorry, okay?¡± Tank drops Benny, who sputters and backs up, wheezing. ¡°What the fuck?¡± ¡°Does he have any right to this ce?¡± Tank asks, his eyes on my ex. ¡°What? No. I own it. He was going to fix it up, though.¡± It¡¯s probably the only reason I dated him.¡± That, and he stuck around. In the early days, he made meugh. After that, he was just a habit, one I should¡¯ve kicked a long time ago. ¡°He osted me!¡± Benny shouts, pointing.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± I scoff. ¡°I was standing right here. Now, go away, Benny. Get your new girlfriend to buy you new grow lights.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call the cops on this ce.¡± ¡°What?¡± I gasp. ¡°You grew the pot, not me.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t know that. Like you said, you own the ce.¡± ¡°Get the lights,¡± Tank murmurs still not taking his eyes off Benny. I trot to the back room, noting my returned rug, crumpled on the floor and missing the mafia man. I grab the pair of lights and return to find the two men in my life having a staring contest. If we assign points based on tough,manding awesomeness, Tank is winning. ¡°Here.¡± Tank takes them from me and shoves them at Benny. ¡°You call the cops, I find you.¡± Tank says. ¡°Yeah, whatever man.¡± Tank shuts the door in his face. ¡°You dated that thing?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Break up with him?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. He was bad in bed. And then I found out he cheated on me.¡± ¡°He cheated on you?¡± Tank said as if I¡¯d just imed the sky was pink. I nodded. ¡°If he bothers you again, you call me.¡± ¡°Okay. What are we going to do about the wise guy?¡± ¡°He¡¯s in my truck.¡± ¡°What about his car?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. Get your things.¡± Tank whips out his phone. ¡°Hey, Nox? Yeah, I need a tow¡­ Hang on.¡± He pulls the phone away from his ear and smacks my ass. Fresh tingles start there and race straight to my core. ¡°What did I just tell you to do?¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°Bossy! I¡¯m going, I¡¯m going.¡± I spin on my heels and hustle to the bedroom to get my bag, feeling Tank¡¯s gaze on my twitching ass the whole way. Not sure why my foxy bits get so wet when he tells me what to do, but whatevs. Twenty minutester, Tank helps me into his truck, and shoves my bag behind the seat. The mafia man is in the covered bed behind us, duct taped within an inch of his life. ¡°Sure he¡¯ll be all right back there?¡± Tank nods, and turns on the truck. It roars to life, huge and powerful, like its owner. Tank¡¯srge hands turn the wheel. I get a thrill just watching him pull out of my driveway. I bounce a little in my seat. ¡°Road trip!¡± Tank is silent. We head straight for the highway. ¡°Can we stop for snacks?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± At least I have a water bottle. Although, I¡¯d better save it for thirty minutes before we make a nned pit stop. I have a dder the size of a pea. I rte all this to Tank. His lips twitch, but he doesn¡¯t take his eyes off the road or change expression. ¡°How about music?¡± I hold up my iPod. ¡°I have a great ylist. Do you have a way I can plug-¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay, I have speakers in here somewhere-¡± ¡°No. No music.¡± ¡°Righty-ho, Big Daddy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± His thumb and finger touch his brows, and he briefly closes his eyes. I grin at him, radiating cute vibes. They get me out of all sorts of trouble. Tank sighs. This is gonna be so fun. 107 Tank A half hour into the journey, and I want to throttle her. Well, not really. I just want to shut that smart mouth up with my tongue. No, my cock. Actually, my dick wouldn¡¯t mind thoroughly iming other parts of her. Every avable orifice. That would be about the only thing that could put a dent in my bad mood. And blue balls. But as hot as I find Foxfire, as much as my wolf is into her, I can¡¯t go all in with this girl. First of all, she¡¯s a little nutty. Adorably nutty, but still. She¡¯s the type my dad warned me about. He beat his variation of bros before hos into me so many times, I recognize the signs of getting swept away by a female. Never put a female before pack, son. They¡¯ll ruin everything for you. I fear he¡¯s right. I¡¯m already making bad decisions because of her. Garrett is in crisis right now, and I¡¯m his second inmand. I should be holding down the fort, checking in on Eclipse, and standing by for orders. Instead, I¡¯ve wrapped a thug up in a rug and loaded him in my truck, and I¡¯m driving four hours to gstaff. Because of a girl. Granted, she¡¯s a very hot, fascinating girl with the most fuckable mouth I¡¯ve ever seen. But I can¡¯t go there with her. Humming to herself, Foxfire props her legs on my dashboard. They are a mile long and all delicious bare flesh because she¡¯s still wearing those goddamn short shorts. I¡¯m pretty sure if she keeps them up there, I will crash the truck trying to lean over and lick them. ¡°Legs off,¡± I order. I sound grumpier than I mean to. It doesn¡¯t affect her, except to turn it up a notch. ¡°You got it, Big D.¡± She slips them under her, grinning as if she lives to get a rise out of me. ¡°Don¡¯t get toofortable,¡± I warn her, but it¡¯s myself I¡¯m giving a talking to. ¡°We¡¯re going to get to gstaff, question this guy, and check on your mom.¡± And be back before my pack wonders where I¡¯ve gone. I left a message with Garrett, and tried Jared and Trey, but I¡¯ve still heard nothing from them. It¡¯s a little worrying. But they¡¯re big wolves who can take care of themselves. Meanwhile, I¡¯m stuck on a road trip with Little Miss Sunshine. How did I get talked into this? Oh yeah. Because my wolf won¡¯t let her alone. I can¡¯t stand a human male touching her, much less threatening her. And two humans already have in the past hour. A wolf shifter, even one from my pack? Forget about it. ¡°This is so exciting. My first road trip with a werewolf.¡± She dances in her seat. She¡¯s taken off her hoodie, and her nipples press against the thin fabric of her shirt. My cock wants to dance with her. ¡°Settle,¡± I growl. What was I thinking, agreeing to being alone with her for a four hour trip? She¡¯s a beautiful foxydy, and I¡¯m a hot-blooded wolf. ¡°We need to be careful. It¡¯s not a good idea to rile my wolf up.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Full moon.¡± ¡°What happens then?¡± Her voice drops. ¡°During your time of the month?¡± I snort at her term for it. ¡°We don¡¯t have to shift, but we want to. Females usually go into heat.¡± ¡°Like get really horny?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I get it. You¡¯re afraid you¡¯ll jump me. So what¡¯s the big deal?¡± ~.~ Foxfire His hands clench the steering wheel so hard, he¡¯s gonna leave imprints if he¡¯s not careful. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not going to happen.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m hearing you don¡¯t want it to. What¡¯s the big deal?¡± I thought he could give it as good as he got it back at my ce. He mutters something under his breath. ¡°Wait, do you have a wife stashed somewhere? Little Tank babies?¡± My voice is light, defying the shrieking pain clutching my heart. ¡°No.¡± Relief. I try not to show it. I lean back with a smile. ¡°Look, this isn¡¯t a date. You¡¯re a shifter, and your mom¡¯s in trouble. We could be walking into a dangerous situation. We both need to keep our heads on straight.¡± He looks at me like he¡¯s not sure mine is ever on straight. It¡¯s a look I¡¯m used to receiving. He must¡¯ve seen a sh of hurt on my face, because his gaze softens. ¡°I think we can ask her about you being a shifter, and get you to your kin.¡± Kin. I can¡¯t even wrap my head around that. The highway signs sh by. We¡¯re approaching Phoenix. ¡°What about your pack?¡± I ask after a few minutes of silence. ¡°What about them?¡± ¡°I mean, they¡¯re like your family, right?¡± ¡°Closer than family. Pack is blood. Blood is pack,¡± he recites. ¡°Right. Why not get them to help? You know with-¡± I motion to the bed of the truck, where the gunman is tied and gagged. ¡°I don¡¯t need them to handle this.¡± ¡°But what about Garrett? Don¡¯t you have to report to him or something?¡± ¡°Garrett¡¯s busy. One of our pack mates is missing, and he¡¯s searching for her. And no, I don¡¯t need his permission. He¡¯s the alpha, but he trusts me. I¡¯m high enough in the pack, I only answer to him.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a hierarchy.¡± ¡°Yep. The more dominant your animal, the higher you tend to get in the pack.¡± ¡°So where would I be in the pack?¡± ¡°At the bottom. You¡¯re small and a weaker shifter.¡± I slump a little. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad thing. All packs need submissive wolves. They hold the pack together. Dominant wolves, we fight all the time, learn our ce. That¡¯s why roles in stable packs are strictly enforced. Otherwise we¡¯d tear each other apart. Submissive wolves don¡¯t pose that threat to dominant ones. We want to protect them.¡± ¡°Do you want to protect me?¡± His jaw clenches, and he doesn¡¯t answer. He doesn¡¯t have to-I already know. He feels like he has to protect me. But he doesn¡¯t want to. My game of annoying him has been sessful. I should be happy, right? This is a ploy I¡¯ve used my whole life. Act weirder than they already think I am. Beat them to the punch of calling me freak. Own it. Somehow it just makes me feel a little sick at the moment. What kind of woman does Tank prefer? I picture a tall, blonde she-wolf. I want to kill her. Maybe I¡¯m not as submissive as he thinks. I fall silent, mostly to give him a break. As we push through Phoenix, Garrett follows the signs to get on I-17 north to gstaff. He clears his throat. ¡°In a few hours we¡¯ll be in gstaff. Where does your mother live?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± He nods to the GPS. ¡°Plug in the address.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the thing.¡± I wrinkle my nose. ¡°She moves around a lot.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s her house?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t have one. After I moved out, she downsized to an Airstream trailer. You know,¡± I hasten to exin when Tank looks nk. ¡°Those silver travel trailers that people use to go camping cross country-¡± ¡°I know what an Airstream is. You¡¯re telling me your mother lives in one, year round?¡± ¡°Mmhmm.¡± ¡°What does she do for work?¡± ¡°She¡¯s an artist, mostly.¡± Tank heaves a heavy sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll put in herst known parking ce. She should be somewhere around gstaff. Sometimes she parks near the Grand Canyon to sell to tourists there.¡± ¡°On a designated camping ground?¡± ¡°Uh, sure,¡± I say in a tone that means probably not. Another sigh. ¡°What are you going to do with this guy?¡± I hitch a thumb behind me, indicating the truck bed and incapacitated thug. ¡°Going to question him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s been out a while. Maybe you hit him too hard.¡± ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡± Tank pulls out his phone. A gruff male voice answers. ¡°Tank here. Do we still have the safe house in New River? ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m using it for the next two hours. I¡¯ll exinter.¡± He hangs up, and, for the next few miles, he looks so grim I don¡¯t dare ask him anything. I hope he¡¯s not in trouble with his pack. Thirty minutes out of Phoenix, something in the truck bed goes thump. And keeps thumping. ¡°Uh oh,¡± I say as Tank swears. ¡°I think the mafia man woke up.¡± ¡°Too soon. Didn¡¯t dose him enough.¡± ¡°Dose him?¡± ¡°Hang on.¡± The hammering continues as Tank takes the exit. ¡°This was a damned stupid idea,¡± he mutters. I curl up on the seat. ¡°Where are we taking him?¡± ¡°A safe house. Private.¡± We¡¯re certainly in the middle of nowhere. The banging has stopped. For now. ¡°Did you really expect him to stay unconscious this whole time?¡± ¡°I dosed him.¡± ¡°Dosed him?¡± ¡°Tranquilizer.¡± My eyebrows crawl up to my hairline. ¡°You carry that stuff?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He nces behind my seat where his ck bag lives, full of duct tape and heavy sedatives. ¡°Werewolves aren¡¯t always in control. Sometimes their wolf¡­ goes funny.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. So we take precautions.¡± ¡°Have you¡­ dosed anyone before?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He looks ufortable. ¡°Not just wolves,¡± I guess. ¡°Humans?¡± ¡°The world can¡¯t know about us.¡± I lick my lips. ¡°Tank? Are you going to tell your pack about me?¡± ¡°Yeah. My alpha¡¯s out of town, but eventually I will report to him. I¡¯ll have to. He¡¯ll smell you on me and will want to know what happened.¡± ¡°What will he do? Will he let me into the gang?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no gang. Just the pack.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Foxfire, I don¡¯t know. You¡¯re not a wolf, baby. Toe into a pack, you need a sponsor. Someone to vouch for you. Otherwise, you¡¯re suspicious. A shy shifter like you- ¡°I¡¯m not shy.¡± ¡°Your fox is shy,¡± he rifies. ¡°Shifters have rank in a pack. A new shifter has no rank. That means they¡¯re fair game for dominance attacks.¡± He cuts a nce to me. ¡°I¡¯ll exin moreter.¡± ¡°Okay. But, if you tell the alpha about me¡­ couldn¡¯t you be my sponsor?¡± His fingers drum the wheel. ¡°Maybe.¡± His reluctance hurts more than I care to admit. I¡¯ve spent my entire life flying my freak g, precisely because I know no one wants me in their club. I¡¯m different. At least now I know why I¡¯m different. How I¡¯m different. But I guess it¡¯s too much to believe I¡¯d fit in with other shifters just because I have a tail. They still don¡¯t want me. We pull into a hidden driveway. Tank¡¯s shoulders rx a fraction. The thumping starts again. As we bounce down the gravel road, I hear muffled shouts. The thug must have loosened the tape over his mouth. We ride around a wooded bend, and a tiny log cabines into view. I gasp. ¡°This is so cute.¡± ¡°No one¡¯s supposed to know about this ce except pack.¡± ¡°You gonna get in trouble for bringing me here?¡± Instead of answering, Tank grabs his ck bag and gets out of the car. I scramble to follow, but when we reach the trunk, he puts out his hand. ¡°Stand back, baby.¡± I take a step to the side. He starts to open the tailgate and pauses. ¡°Go stand over there.¡± He points to a rock a few feet away. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You know why. It¡¯s not safe.¡± ¡°He¡¯s already seen me.¡± Tank whirls and picks me up, carrying me until my back hits a tree. He presses his hard body against mine. ¡°Baby, are you going to stay right here while I deal with him, or do I have to tie you to this tree?¡± My foxy bits throb, nipples tighten. Tie me up, big man. My lips part but no soundes out. I¡¯m staring at his lips, so supple considering what a manly-man he is. I want him to kiss me. He does. It¡¯s a hard, punishing kiss, and when he pulls away his eyes gleam yellow. He points a finger at me, his lips quirking. ¡°Stay.¡± I roll my eyes but obey, happy I have a front row seat. I watch from a safe distance as Tank pulls open the bed, grabs the guy¡¯s feet, and yanks him out. My gut clenches as Tank grapples with his captive, but he¡¯s a half a foot taller and fifty pounds heavier than the big thug. In no time, the man¡¯s on his knees, bound with tape. ¡°What the fuck?¡± the thug says. ¡°Shut up.¡± Tank smacks him. ¡°See this ce?¡± he points. The truck is between the man and the cabin, so all he sees is wilderness around an empty road. ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of nowhere. You have no rights. What did you want with the girl?¡± ¡°Foxfire Hines?¡± Tank smacks him again. I cower a little; even though I know the controlled rage on Tank¡¯s face isn¡¯t directed at me. ¡°You don¡¯t speak her name. As far as I¡¯m concerned, she doesn¡¯t exist for you after this moment.¡± ¡°All right all right! It was the job, man, the job.¡± The thug babbles for a few seconds until Tank cuts him off. ¡°What job?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I got orders-get the girl, tie her up, get her into the trunk, and take her to the drop-off.¡± ¡°Who else?¡± ¡°No one else. Just the girl. And I wasn¡¯t supposed to hurt her, just get her to the ce, alive. I don¡¯t know anything else, I swear.¡± The more the thug talks, the more Tank looks like he¡¯s gonna murder him. ¡°Where¡¯s the drop-off point?¡± he growls in a voice barely human. The thug names an address. I scramble to write it down. As my pen scrapes, the thug cranes his head my way. Tank smacks him again and puts a hood over the man¡¯s head, securing it with duct tape. The man struggles but ends up on the ground, hogtied and helpless. Tank leaves him on the ground andes my way. ¡°Go wait in the cabin. The key is under the mat.¡± ¡°You gonna torture him?¡± I whisper. ¡°No. I¡¯ll dose him and drop him on the edge of town. He doesn¡¯t know anything. I already sent his tes and information to someone who can get more info on him. He¡¯s a local thug, and he¡¯s telling the truth.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°I can smell it if he lies.¡± I shiver. ¡°Baby, go wait in the cabin.¡± When Tankes in to get me, he¡¯s on the phone with someone named Jackson, reading off the address the thug gave us. ¡°You can text me what you find.¡± I follow him out, and he motions for me to get in the truck. The thug is already in, the ck bag behind my seat. ¡°All right. Thanks.¡± ¡°Who was that?¡± I ask when he hangs up. ¡°Friends. They¡¯re good at digging stuff up on the Inte. They¡¯re gonna look deeper and tell me what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Werewolves?¡± ¡°Yeah, but not pack.¡± ¡°You¡¯re helping a lot,¡± I say as Tank climbs in. He grunts and rummages around the scary ck bag. I hold my breath, but he only tosses me a protein bar. ¡°Thanks. Got any water?¡± Tank offers a bottle up but pulls it away when I reach for it. ¡°We¡¯re not stopping until gstaff,¡± he warns. I grin. ¡°I just peed, but thanks for the warning.¡± He rolls his eyes while I smirk, but I only take a few sips from the bottle before closing it up. No sense stopping while we have a drugged guy in the back. We¡¯re off the main route now, taking back roads. Trees whip by. How many wolves roam this national forest? Coyotes? Foxes? ¡°You said before that my fox is shy?¡± I ask. ¡°I think she hid until she knew it was safe toe out.¡± ¡°How did she know it was safe?¡± He doesn¡¯t answer. ¡°Was it because she sensed your wolf? Or was scared of your wolf?¡± More miles go by. Tank¡¯s profile doesn¡¯t change. Apparently, threatening a thug and going to save my mother isn¡¯t the bonding experience I thought it was. If anything, he looks more closed off. ¡°Look,¡± I sigh, ¡°I know you hate me, but-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m annoying, then.¡± His head jerks no. ¡°Then what is it? Why won¡¯t you talk to me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better this way,¡± he mutters. I put my hand on his leg, and he catches my wrist. Shards of ss pierce my gut. I try to hide it, but Tank nces over, and his grip softens as he reads my disappointment. ¡°Baby, it¡¯s not you,¡± he says. ¡°It¡¯s just better if we don¡¯t get involved.¡± ¡°Tank, we¡¯re driving to my mom¡¯s in gstaff with a thug in the back. You spent the nightst night. You saw me shift for the first time, stood up to my ex, and showed me a werewolf safe house.¡± I sit back in a huff. ¡°It¡¯s toote to not be involved.¡± I free my hand and do air quotes around involved. He shakes his head, but his lips turn up a little. My little rant made him smile. ¡°What¡¯s so wrong about us being involved anyway?¡± Wrong question. Every bit of warmth leaves the cabin. Tank might as well have turned to stone. ¡°Tank?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not safe,¡± he says. ¡°What¡¯s not safe? You and me?¡± I snort. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. You¡¯re the safest guy I know.¡± ¡°No I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Are you telling me I¡¯m in danger? I can¡¯t see you hurting a woman.¡± ¡°Not any woman. I¡¯m only dangerous to you.¡± ¡°What?¡± He mumbles something, and I lean forward. ¡°I didn¡¯t catch that.¡± ¡°My wolf is attracted to you.¡± Ahhh. If I were a cat, I¡¯d purr. ¡°Your wolf? Or you?¡± I put my hand on his leg, again. ¡°Stop it,¡± he says. But he doesn¡¯t push it away. ¡°I never thanked you for helping me. I¡¯d be a mess without you.¡± ¡°You are a mess.¡± Iugh, but it¡¯s a harsh, bitter sound. ¡°The word you¡¯re looking for is freak.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a freak.¡± He frowns. ~.~ 108 Tank Foxfire cocks her head to the side as she studies me. I wonder what she sees. ¡°You think I¡¯m cute, though.¡± I shake my head. ¡°Oh,e on. You like me. Admit it.¡± ¡°No.¡± Disappointment rumples her face. Immediately, I want to take it back. But what am I going to say? Annoy me all you want, baby. Just be ready to face the consequences. Fuck. The thought of pinning her down and teaching her to yield has my cock painfully pressing against my jeans. Miles pass. Foxfire looks out the window, despondent. ¡°You¡¯re way beyond cute,¡± I admit. ¡°You¡¯re zing hot.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She brightens. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m trying very hard to keep my wolf from throwing you down and fucking you senseless.¡± ¡°Awesome,¡± she breathes. Totally mental. ¡°I knew you wanted me.¡± She gazes at me, head cocked to the side. ¡°What?¡± Her look makes me nervous. ¡°How about right now?¡± she asks. She puts her hand on my thigh and slides it up slowly. The truck swerves, and I grip the steering wheel harder. ¡°What? No.¡± But she¡¯s undone her seat belt and is sliding off her seat. ¡°Foxfire. No. Get back. I mean it.¡± ¡°I never thanked you for helping me,¡± she purrs. Leaning forward, she undoes the button on my jeans. My cock leaps. Fuck, am I going to let her do this? We¡¯re on a back road in the middle of the national forest, no cars in sight, but still. The chances of me smashing the car into a tree the second she touches me are through the roof. Small hands tug at my jeans. I shift to amodate her fingers before I know what¡¯s happening. I slow, but there¡¯s no shoulder on this stretch of road. Meanwhile, she grips my cock. Fuck. This is happening. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± I rasp. Can¡¯t stay in control. Can¡¯t drive the truck and have her sweet little mouth on my dick. Can¡¯t keep from fucking her senseless. I catch her wrist in a firm grip, not too tight. I don¡¯t want to hurt her. ¡°Please, big man,¡± she whispers, and I almost swerve off the road. She gazes up at me from her knees, her slender fingers stroking my dick. ¡°Please.¡± She licks her lips. ¡°I want it so bad. Let me give this to you.¡± As if any male alive could ever deny her when she begs like that. Her sweet little nipples are hard as she pleads for my cock. She leans close and blows her hot breath over my manhood. My balls tighten to the point of pain. I¡¯m so fucking hard. I¡¯ve been hard ever since I first saw her. The road widens ahead. Thank fuck. I roll to a stop and lift my hips. ¡°All right. Take it out.¡± She jacks my cock slowly. Her small hand barely fits around it. I put the truck in park and grip her hair. If we do this, we do this my way. ¡°I want your mouth on me.¡± ¡°Okay, Daddy.¡± It¡¯s so twisted that she calls me that, but my wolf fucking loves it. He wants to take care of her, protect her, show her what it means to be her daddy-in the dominant boyfriend sense, not the fatherly sense. She dives forward, swallowing my cock in her hot mouth. Just the right amount of pressure, tongue lolling. It¡¯s perfect, but I want to see how far she¡¯ll let me go, how she responds to the dominant side of me. I tug her hair and pull her off. ¡°Lick up and down.¡± ¡°Yes, Daddy-o,¡± she breathes. Okay, that¡¯s definitely wrong. But fuck if it doesn¡¯t get me harder. She licks me with lots of tongue, following my direction. She has an eager little mouth. I wanna make thisst as long as possible. But she¡¯s not making it easy. ¡°Suck me,¡± I order. ¡°Mmmm.¡± She suctions her lips around my width and pulls more vigorously, sliding down my pole.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Totally submissive. My wolf is going wild. He wants to mark her right now, right here. She¡¯s the one, he howls. ¡°That¡¯s right baby, take it far as you can go.¡± She swallows me deep then pulls off, gasping. ¡°Good girl.¡± I stroke her hair. I let her take her time before she tries again. I slip a hand into her shirt, pushing down her bra to cup her tit. She¡¯s soft and warm, her tits a perfect handful. I brush my thumb over her nipple, and she shifts restlessly. I squeeze her breast. ¡°Suck me.¡± Her head bobs up and down in rhythm. ¡°That¡¯s it, baby. I¡¯m close.¡± She applies herself with more vigor. ¡°Touch my balls. Cup them.¡± She does, lightly fondling them. They tingle and tighten. ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m gonnae. You ready, baby?¡± I expect her to pop off, but she keeps sucking frantically. ¡°Mmhmm,¡± she agrees. Fuck. Fuck. My sac tightens. Lights explode behind my eyes. Foxfire. Fuck. I pump into her mouth. She swallows it down, greedy little noises escaping. ¡°Fuck, baby,¡± I gasp. ¡°That was good.¡± She smiles up at me, a little angel with messy rainbow hair. Her lips glisten. She¡¯s so goddamn fucking beautiful. I want toy her out on my car hood, open her legs, and return the favor. ¡°Any time,¡± she says just as a siren res behind us. Blue and red lights flood the car. The cops. Fuck. ~.~ Foxfire Uh oh. I slip into my seat wiping my mouth. That was so hot, I could¡¯vee just from sucking him. Insane. Tank zips his pants, still cursing. The cop is getting out of the car. ¡°Seatbelt,¡± Tank orders as he gets his registration and driver¡¯s license ready. I buckle myself in, wondering how obvious I look with my wet lips and disheveled hair. Whatever. Worth it. I put on my innocent face as the cop approaches. Hopefully, the thug doesn¡¯t wake up, and the cop won¡¯t decide he wants to search the covered truck bed. We just have to act natural. ¡°Hi, Officer.¡± I wave as the trooper leans in at the window. Tank¡¯s jaw clenches, but he says nothing. ¡°You run into some trouble, son?¡± ¡°No.¡± Tank doesn¡¯t look at the trooper. His hand flexes on the steering wheel. The cop¡¯s eyes narrow as he takes in the tattoos, the giant muscles andck of respect for authority. ¡°No trouble at all,¡± I trill, smoothing my hair. ¡°It¡¯s totally my fault we had to pull over.¡± The trooper fixes his eyes on me. ¡°Um¡­ I dropped a contact. It¡¯s silly, but I went down to look for it. He pulled over to help me.¡± I flutter myshes. The cop looks from me to Tank and back again. ¡°So, it¡¯s my fault. He wasn¡¯t too happy at first,¡± I whisper like I¡¯m letting the cop in on a secret. ¡°I kinda lose them a lot.¡± I shrug, cock my head to the side, and giggle. Cute, clueless, manic pixie dream girl-that¡¯s me! ¡°You need to keep your seatbelt on, miss.¡± ¡°Oh I know,¡± I nod, my eyes big. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t let me go down until he pulled over.¡± Tank sighs on cue. I see the moment the cop starts to feel sorry for him, but also a little envious. ¡°Anyway, he¡¯s cranky,¡± I babble on. ¡°I promised I¡¯d cook him a big dinner, but it looks like we¡¯ll have to do drive through instead. I¡¯ll have to make it up to himter.¡± Another shrug and clueless giggle. Now the trooper is fighting a grin. He nces at Tank¡¯s credentials and hands them right back. ¡°This shoulder is for broken down cars only. You¡¯d better move on now.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you, Officer.¡± I nod, my hair bouncing around my shoulders. The trooper pats the side of the truck with his hand. ¡°You drive safe.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tank mumbles, not quite deferential. ¡°Thanks, so much.¡± I wave hard enough to jiggle my boobs. As soon as the trooper is back in his car, I sag back in my seat. Crisis averted. No thanks to the sullen werewolf next to me. ¡°He was cute,¡± I say as Tank pulls onto the road. He casts me a re on me that could turn a lesser being to stone. I just smile. ¡°But not really my type.¡± I rece my hand on his thigh, stroking the hard muscle through his jeans. He shakes his head. ¡°Baby, you are big trouble.¡± ¡°Mmm hmm. You gonna punish me?¡± He looks over, disbelieving, like it¡¯s way too soon for me to make jokes. His eyes slide down. My bra cup are still under my boobs, pushing them up into some nice cleavage. The straps have slid half down my arms. No wonder the cop let us off easy. ¡°I¡¯m definitely punishing you, baby.¡± His tone makes me shiver. I go to adjust my bra, and Tank growls. ¡°Leave it.¡± All righty then. Something tells me whatever punishment is, it¡¯s gonna be hot. Even if Tank can be a little scary. I¡¯m not worried. Besides, his expression of bliss when he came in my mouth¡­ Worth it. 109 Tank I stop briefly, to drop the sleeping thug off in the woods behind a gas station. I leave some extra cash in the guy¡¯s wallet and prop him against a tree. Foxfire¡¯s quiet as I turn the truck in the direction of thest-known whereabouts of her mother¡¯s trailer. I can¡¯t figure out how she makes me do such crazy things. Like letting her blow me while I¡¯m driving. With a mob enforcer in the bed of the truck. And a suspicious cop ready to look in the window. Fates, it¡¯s a goddamn miracle I¡¯m not in a jail cell right now for kidnapping and assault. My dad always warned me, ¡°Females are our downfall. Mark my words, son, so you don¡¯t find out the hard way.¡± He didn¡¯t mention how he learned the hard way. He didn¡¯t have to. ¡°There it is.¡± Foxfire sits up straight, pointing to the silver bullet-shaped trailer on the edge of national forestnd. ¡°But her vehicle isn¡¯t there, so I don¡¯t think she¡¯s home.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± I mutter. The trailer has a field of poppies painted on its side. Granted, the poppies are beautiful-very intricate and artistic-but still. Foxfire¡¯s mom is a total hippie. Now I know where Foxfire got the crazies. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing. How long has she been here?¡± ¡°A few years. She likes the energy.¡± Foxfire goes to open her door, but I motion for her to stop. ¡°Wait here, baby.¡± For once, she doesn¡¯t give me any lip. I approach cautiously, sniffing the air. Incense,vender or some other hippie oils. Normal human smells, blended with the wilderness scent. But something else. Cigarette ash. ¡°Is your mom a smoker?¡± I ask when I go back to the truck. ¡°You mean, like, pot?¡± ¡°Tobo.¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°When did youst see her?¡± Foxfire thinks for a bit. ¡°Maybest Thanksgiving? Or the year before that. Wait, what year is it?¡± ¡°Never mind.¡± I open her door. ¡°Thank you.¡± Her cheeks color. Her nipples press against her shirt. I¡¯ve got to get her thicker clothes. No one should see that sweet body but me. Not that I¡¯m iming her. She grabs a jacket out of her bag and tugs it on. She¡¯s still in her Daisy Dukes, so she looks fully ridiculous. And hot. As we approach the trailer, the door creaks open. ¡°Mom?¡± Foxfire calls. I hold out my hand to stop her. ¡°Does she usually leave it wide open?¡± ¡°Not usually, but she rarely locks it. Says anyone who steals from her needs it more than she does.¡± Foxfire shrugs. ¡°She doesn¡¯t own much.¡± Lots and lots of windchimes, and dream catchers hung from the awning and in the trees around. I walk inside. The ce is a wreck. Not just messy, but trashed. I¡¯m about to ask Foxfire if this is typical of her mom¡¯s housekeeping, when she lets out a sob. ¡°Mom?¡± We search, but no one is there. I try to get a scent of the ce, but it¡¯s too clogged with the smell of burnt sage. I cough and step outside to clear my head. That¡¯s when I notice what¡¯s in the dirt beside the door. Boot prints. ¡°Does your mom have a man?¡± I ask Foxfire when she wanders out. ¡°Someone who smokes?¡± ¡°She¡¯d never date a smoker. She hates Big Tobo.¡± I show her the prints with the cigarette ash. ¡°Someone was here.¡± ¡°They came for her, like they came for me. She¡¯s in trouble, Tank. I know she is.¡± ¡°Maybe not. You said her car isn¡¯t here, right? Maybe she¡¯s hiding somewhere.¡± I wrap my arms around her. I want tofort her, but all I can think about is how Foxfire is with me, safe, when she would otherwise be in danger. It takes me a moment to realize she¡¯s pushing at my chest. ¡°Let me go,¡± she says, and takes all the space I give her. She wraps her arms around herself and walks away. Damn, she mes me. I kept her from getting the phone call from her momst night. ¡°Foxfire-¡± I jog to catch her arm, but she twists it out of my grasp. I release her, let her scuttle away. I don¡¯t want to hurt her. I want tofort her. ¡°Leave me alone,¡± she snaps, and runs toward the pine trees. ¡°Foxfire, no.¡± I use every ounce of alphamand I can muster. She can¡¯t turn into a fox. Not here-there are cars zooming by just a few hundred feet away. I find her facing a tree, her fists clenched. ¡°Come on,¡± she whispers. ¡°Come on.¡± She¡¯s calling on her fox, but her animal won¡¯t give her release. Not until I allow it. ¡°Foxfire, it¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll find her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s my mom. She¡¯s the only family I have. If something happened to her, I have no one. No one. I¡¯m all alone.¡± ¡°Hush.¡± I pull her into my arms, scoop her up to carry her back to the truck. Without thinking, I kiss her temple. ¡°You have me.¡± ~.~ Foxfire I watch mom¡¯s trailer disappear behind us as we drive away. It¡¯s chilly, but that¡¯s not why I¡¯m shivering. I couldn¡¯t shift. My fox sits inside me, waiting, but she wouldn¡¯te out and let me escape my panic for a moment. Figures. I¡¯m a freak of a human, so why wouldn¡¯t my fox be broken? Foxfire, a shifter who can¡¯t even shift. I barely notice where Tank is driving until he parks on a forest road. We¡¯re not in gstaff or near civilization. ¡°Come on,¡± he says. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going for a run.¡± ¡°Here? Now?¡± ¡°This is a national forest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost dusk.¡± He pulls his shirt off and tosses it in the front seat. ¡°We¡¯ll run in the moonlight.¡± He strips out of his jeans. My mouth goes dry. ¡°Youing?¡± He¡¯s almost naked. ¡°You should take your clothes off first. Less wear and tear. Trust me.¡± I give him a small smile. It¡¯s chilly in the cool spring air. ¡°Come here.¡± He gathers me in his arms. He¡¯s so strong and warm. Super warm. After a minute, I rx against him.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°There you go, baby,¡± he murmurs. I shut my eyes and melt into his strong arms. A barrier between me and the world. A girl could get used to this. If I¡¯m smart, I won¡¯t. ¡°You ready?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°I know. I stopped you back there with alphamand. You were panicked, and it wasn¡¯t a good idea. But we¡¯re safe here.¡± Safe. With Tank. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t know-¡± ¡°Call her, baby. Call your fox. Just rx.¡± ¡°What if she doesn¡¯te?¡± ¡°She will.¡± He dips his head and kisses me. When his lips break away, his eyes glint amber. ¡°Now, Foxfire.¡± His voice holds that same authority he used before. My body shivers at the order, and he steps away. The world changes. The cold and my chilled flesh swirl away. I¡¯m on all fours, low to the ground, but it feels right. I blink at the giant ck wolf with yellow eyes facing me. He trots over and licks my muzzle until the tingles are out of my limbs. I take a step, hesitate. Tank nudges my side. And we¡¯re off. Running. Sometimes Tank¡¯s in the lead, sometimes he¡¯s behind me. I race, but I take many steps to his single loping stride. I find a few tight ces to hide, but he flushes me out. The sun dies, and the moon rises. The chill bites through my fur, but it feels good. Makes me want to hunt and feast before burrowing and curling up in my den. Wolf runs alongside, bumping lightly against my shoulder. He wants me to turn back. I feint and dodge him and keep running. He knocks me off my feet, stands over me. His growl rumbles through me. I roll on my back, tilt up my neck, offering my vulnerable side in submission. He licks my face and raises his head. With a groan, he morphs into a man, still crouching over me. ¡°Come on,¡± he says. ¡°Back to the truck.¡± Still in fox form, I rise to my feet. For a second, I consider darting into the darkness. He couldn¡¯t chase me. Arge hand grabs the scruff of my neck, and I yelp. Tank lifts me and fixes me with a dominant stare. I hang limp as a kit. ¡°Back to the truck,¡± he orders again, and drops me on all fours. I trot beside him obediently, and hop into the truck bed when he opens it. After tugging on his jeans andying a nket over the cold metal, he climbs in after me. ¡°Shift, Foxfire,¡± hemands, and my body obeys. For a brutal moment, the world contorts, every inch of me changing with a shock of sudden pain that leaves almost as soon as it came. I hadn¡¯t noticed the painst time. When it¡¯s gone, I lie on the nket, my limbs jerking with the sensation. ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby,¡± he murmurs, but doesn¡¯t touch me. I¡¯m grateful. My skin is so sensitive. He pulls out a meat stick, holding it for me to take a bite. He hands me a water bottle and finishes getting dressed while I sip. Finally, I find my voice. ¡°Cold.¡± I shudder. He sets my clothes down beside me and pulls me into his arms. ¡°You did good, baby.¡± Twenty minutester, I sit at a pic table inside a barbecue ce while Tank orders. Hees back carrying enough food for six people, including extra containers of meat. I grab one immediately and dig in without bothering to add sauce. ¡°So good.¡± My fox is happy. Tank follows suit, eating steadily through a container of meat then starting on a sandwich. He throws away the buns. If anyone¡¯s watching, they must think we¡¯re half-starved hikers on some crazy high protein diet. Tank opens thest container, and my eyes light up at the rack of ribs. He waits until I¡¯ve had my fill before he gestures for me to slide the container over. He picks through it, strips the rest of their meat, and gnaws the bones while I lick my fingers, content. ¡°Full,¡± I tell him, and he gives a satisfied grunt. He watches me as he finishes off the ribs, and I get the feeling he wants to devour me. Happy shiver. I go wash my hands and refill my drink. When I return, he snags me to his side. He sits straddling the bench, pulling me in so my back is to his front. I protest a little when he steals a sip of my drink, but mostly I lean back, content. Outside the window hangs a swollen moon and a sky full of stars. Tank isrge and solid under me. His hand sys across my midriff, rubbing absently. I really like cuddling with him. ¡°I¡¯ve never would¡¯ve thought you were so touchy-feely.¡± ¡°Mmm. It¡¯s a wolf thing.¡± I smile to myself. Yeah, right. ¡°We like touch,¡± he continues. He speaks in a low voice because there are people around. I get a thrill of being included in the we. ¡°I¡¯ve never been that into cuddling.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never been around your kind.¡± ¡°Will I ever be able to¡­ make the change¡­ on my own?¡± ¡°A little practice, You¡¯ll be fine. This is harder for you, because you weren¡¯t raised around your kin.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d I have you.¡± He doesn¡¯t say anything. Ouch. Right. He might be with me in this moment, but he makes no promises. My stomach tightens, but I shrug it off. I¡¯ll just have to take what I can get. ¡°I had fun tonight,¡± I tell him. He grunts. ¡°You¡¯re just as naughty a fox as you are a human.¡± I grin at him. He shakes his head, lips quirking. ¡°You gonna punish me?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Squee! 110 Foxfire We find a hotel in town. ¡°Wait here.¡± Tank heads to the lobby. I stretch and drink the rest of my water. My door opens, and Tank offers his hand. ¡°Time to get out, baby,¡± he murmurs. His voice is all sexy deep. I want to wrap it around me like a nket. I love that he calls me baby, almost as I love seeing the conflict in his eyes when I call him Daddy. It¡¯s one part pure lust, one part shock, one part guilt. ¡°I have to make a call,¡± Tank says as he opens the lobby door for me. ¡°You gonna be good and stay put?¡± ¡°For now.¡± I shoot him a sly grin. I go to flip my hair back and end up pulling a few stray pieces of grass out instead. ¡°I want to clean up, anyway.¡± He nods and leaves me be. I decide to go full force, taking a mini shower and then carefullybing my hair.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The hotel has an old time-y theme, with pictures of pioneers and a few wagon wheels hung on the wall. I eye the solitary bed. It¡¯s a sturdy thing made of real wood, only missing a quilt. I should offer to get a separate room, but I can¡¯t bring myself to suggest it. Tank returns with his ck bag and sets it on the floor while nudging the door shut with his foot. He rubs his face and then tugs off his shirt. Suddenly, I¡¯m wide awake. ¡°Damn. Are all werewolves so ripped?¡± Tank nces at his impressive self before grabbing a water bottle and downing it. ¡°Yeah. Our metabolism does it.¡± ¡°You should turn Eclipse into a male strip club. You¡¯d make bank.¡± Tank frowns. ¡°Just saying. I¡¯d work there¡­ for free.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to be looking at any other wolf,¡± he growls. ¡°Not while you¡¯re with me.¡± I blink. I didn¡¯t realize I was with him, but I like the sound of it. ¡°For example, flirting with that cop this afternoon. Big no no.¡± I hide a smile, feign innocence. ¡°But-¡± ¡°I mean it.¡± His stern naughty Foxfire gaze makes me shiver. Werewolves are possessive. Good to know. ¡°In fact, flirting with anyone in front of me earns you punishment.¡± I lick my lips. ¡°This punishment. Am I gonna like it?¡± His lips twitch. ¡°Yeah, baby, you¡¯re going to love it. You¡¯re a submissive, through and through.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± His voice grows deeper. ¡°I can smell your arousal from here.¡± He saunters slowly toward me. I sit on the edge of the bed and twitch my legs together for relief. When he reaches me, he grasps both my knees and shoves them wide. ¡°This pussy.¡± He stares at the apex of my thighs as if he could see through my jean shorts. The jean shorts that I should¡¯ve left in Tucson, because I¡¯ve been freezing my ass off at the much higher elevation of gstaff. I fall back onto my elbows. My breasts lift and fall with my panting breath. ¡°What about it?¡± I whisper. He crouches down and gets eye level with the seam of my shorts. Leans in and uses his teeth against my most sensitive bits. ¡°This pussy is wet right now just because I¡¯m bossing you around. Isn¡¯t it, baby?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I say it on an exhale, so it sounds like a gasp. He stands, pushing my knees back so they roll up to my shoulders. I lie t on my back, offering up the goods like a submissive pup. He looks down at me, eyes glowing amber. ¡°Show it to me.¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡± ¡°You heard me. I want to see that pussy begging for her punishment.¡± OMG. Did he just personify my pussy? I¡¯m beyond turned on. There¡¯s a rushing sound in my ears; my vision is going hazy. I fumble with the button of my jean shorts. ¡°Good girl,¡± Tank purrs. Flicking it open, I wiggle the fabric down my legs. ¡°Are you¡­ are you not wearing underwear?¡± he asks in strangled voice. Apparently he didn¡¯t notice when we stripped to shift. He takes over when my shorts are mid-thigh, pulling them the rest of the way. ¡°I don¡¯t like them.¡± ¡°I should punish you just for that. Naughty girl. Keeping that bare pussy so close to me all day long.¡± ¡°That makes no sense, wolf-boy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it, little fox.¡± He scoops his forearm under both my knees and pulls them up and to the side. I¡¯m confused until his hand ps down on my now exposed ass. I squeal. Hends a few more swats, one on each side and one in the middle. Holy mother of god! In this position, he can spank not just my ass, but my pussy, too, which protrudes between my legs. His lips quirk up, and I know he¡¯s noticed the moisture leaking from my foxy bits. He brushes his thumb lightly over them. I jerk, every nerve ending lit up and sensitive. ¡°Are you beginning to see how this works, little fox?¡± He strums my bits again. I¡¯m forgetting my own name. ¡°How what works?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s on top here? And who¡¯s on the bottom?¡± He smacks one cheek a couple more times, but he¡¯s far more interested in making me shiver and tremble as he pets between my legs. ¡°I¡¯m not ready to concede anything.¡± My voice sounds shaky and, considering my position, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s buying it. ¡°I-I still have rights.¡± ¡°What rights?¡± He smirks. ¡°I¡¯m bigger than you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it works. I¡¯ll treat you right, baby. If I give you orders, it¡¯s for your protection, not because I have a hard on for control. Dominant wolves want to protect the weak.¡± ¡°So you do want to protect me?¡± ¡°I have to protect you. It¡¯s apulsion.¡± Disappointment spears through my haze of lust. It¡¯s what I feared-he doesn¡¯t want to be here with me, he¡¯s just honor bound. ¡°So, when I give an order, you obey.¡± ¡°Yes, Daddy.¡± My tone is a touch snide. He lifts my knees higher and delivers several more smacks, harder this time. I yelp. ¡°Tank-¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby. Take your punishment, and I¡¯ll take care of you.¡± ¡°Please,¡± I gasp when he smacks particrly hard. It¡¯s not so much I can¡¯t take it, but I am super-duper turned on and don¡¯t quite know what to do with that. ¡°You gonna be a good girl?¡± ¡°Yes, please. I¡¯ll be so good.¡± ¡°You gonna do what I say?¡± ¡°Yes, big man.¡± ¡°Fuck,¡± he mutters. His cock bulges in his jeans. I¡¯m not the only one affected by this. He stops spanking me but rests his hand on my bottom, squeezing absently. ¡°Fuck,¡± he repeats. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you aren¡¯t wearing underwear.¡± He rubs his thumb over my slippery flesh and finds the sweet spot. He uses the lightest feather-touch along my aching bud. I suck in a breath, and he stops. ¡°Did I hurt you?¡± ¡°Uh no. It¡¯s just-¡± I¡¯m so sensitive. I was working and focused for so long, my foxy bits were ignored. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time.¡± ¡°Baby,¡± he murmurs and lowers my ass back to the bed, releasing my knees. When he brings his fingers back between my legs, I catch his hand, pressing my fingers over his. I show him how I like it, not that he doesn¡¯t seem capable of figuring everything-and then some-out on his own. ¡°Please don¡¯t stop.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t stop.¡± His voice sounds even deeper than usual. ¡°y with your breasts,¡± he orders. I relinquish my pussy to his care and slide my hands up inside my T-shirt, under the cups of my bra. Imagining my fingers are his, I pinch my nipples, tugging them, giving a little pain with the pleasure. I lose my inhibitions and rock against him. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± he murmurs. ¡°Take it, baby. Take what you need.¡± ¡°Fuck,¡± I gasp. ¡°I¡¯m gonnae.¡± I rock my hips harder, grinding against his fingers as my orgasm washes over me. ¡°Stay where you are,¡± Tankmands, standing up. I sprawl before him, my legs spread. He tugs me to the edge of the bed. I wrap my legs around him as he pushes his jeans down just enough to take his cock out and jack it slowly. ¡°Tank¡­¡± ¡°Touch yourself.¡± My hand creeps between my legs, and I do as hemands. ¡°Tell me when you¡¯re close.¡± He catches my ankle. ¡°Spread your legs wider. Give me a show.¡± My head rolls back at that. Fuck, obeying him is so hot. ¡°Tank-¡± ¡°You close?¡± I nod. ¡°Stop, and take off your shirt. I¡¯m gonna mark you. Not permanently, just with my cum.¡± I don¡¯t know what permanently even means, but damn, that¡¯s hot. I strip my shirt and bra off and scoot closer to the edge of the bed. ¡°Touch yourself again.¡± I do, keeping my eyes on his massive rod. His hand wraps around it, but mine barely fit. Arousal stabs through me, and I moan. ¡°Don¡¯te. Not yet,¡± he growls. ¡°Please-¡± He jacks faster. ¡°I mean it, baby. Youe before I do, and I¡¯ll spank your sweet little pussy.¡± Suddenly, I¡¯m close, too close. Right on the brink. ¡°Tank-¡± He gives a deep groan. I crest again as he paints me with his seed. ¡°Fuck,¡± I pant. ¡°Fuck,¡± he agrees. Iugh, but he¡¯s serious as he reaches out and smears his spend over my breasts. ¡°Good, baby. Stay.¡± I sag back on the bed as he heads to the bathroom. The tap runs, and he returns with a cloth and cleans me. I smell like him. I love it. I start to rise, but he stops me. ¡°Stay.¡± ¡°I want water.¡± Seems like I¡¯m thirsty all the time now that I¡¯ve found my fox side. ¡°I¡¯ll get it.¡± I sit up anyway, if only to admire the taut ass of the man who just gave me the best orgasm of my life. He returns and I drink the water then test my wobbly legs on the floor. I¡¯m rxed, like I¡¯ve had a full body massage. Spanking and orgasms. Miraculous. Tank cleans up by rubbing a wet towel over his face and body. I know this is just a romp, but I can¡¯t help imagine what it¡¯d be like to wake up next to this guy every morning. Not to mention go to bed with him every night. I might not leave the bed. But he¡¯s made it pretty clear he¡¯s not interested in a rtionship. And he just purposely didn¡¯t go all the way with me, which means he¡¯s holding back for a reason. ¡°Hey.¡± I touch my foot to his leg. ¡°Can wolves get foxes pregnant?¡± It¡¯s my old defense mechanism. Say the thing that will make them run. It works. He goes still. ¡°Kidding,¡± I say quickly, but it¡¯s toote. When he turns, his expression is nk. The walls are back up. ¡°Foxfire-¡± ¡°Tank, I know this is all for fun.¡± He looks annoyed at being interrupted, but I barrel on. ¡°No strings attached. I¡¯m not expecting anything long term.¡± He watches me carefully. Werewolves can smell lies. Well, I¡¯m not lying. I spread my hands and make my case. ¡°I¡¯m rebounding, remember? I just broke up with¡­ with¡­ um¡­¡± What was his name again? I sit blinking at Tank for a moment, drawing a nk until, finally, I remember. ¡°With Benny. We were together for two years, so¡­ yeah, that¡¯s a long time. Whereas this-¡± I wave my hand between us. ¡°This is just for fun.¡± I hold my breath, waiting for him to confirm or deny. This isn¡¯t more than a passing fling¡­ is it? Even if our chemistry is explosive, and I¡¯m starting to lean on him. 111 FoxfireThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. I dream of running through the long grass, chasing something small and tasty. The brush parts to reveal a barbecue sandwich. An obvious trap. I sniff around, and finally pounce. At thest minute, I look up at the big bad wolf looming over me- I jerk awake. It¡¯s early, but I slept well and am wide awake. Tank¡¯s curled around me, a ratherrge part of his anatomy digging into my bottom. I don¡¯t remember falling asleep-or curling into his arms. He must have pulled me close afterward. Unless he¡¯s already awake? I rub my backside against him. Impossibly, his cock grows bigger and harder. I roll and take him in hand. ¡°I¡¯m horny,¡± I tell him. His brown eyes flit over me, his features a little softer with sleep. Handsome, but a bit more approachable. I grin with all my teeth. ¡°May I suck you?¡± A pause, and then he moves in a blur. He flips me onto my back. ¡°Don¡¯t want your mouth,¡± he growls, and spreads my legs. His head lowers to my pussy. He licks into me, long, hard strokes that drive me toward Orgasm Town. ¡°Tank,¡± I chant, my knees swaying in the air. ¡°Oh, Tank, oooh.¡± As pleasure ebbs through me, he licks every bit of me clean then climbs up and presents his cock. Now he wants my mouth. I crane my head to suck as much as he¡¯ll let me. He leans over to the bedside. A crinkle of a packet, and he moves away from me, rolling a condom onto his giant, perfect, rigid cock. Thank you, baby Jesus. He picks me up and props my legs over his shoulders. When he sets the head of his cock at my entrance, I¡¯m almost folded in half. ¡°Ready?¡± His gaze rolls over me, face no longer nk but heated, active interest there. ¡°Yes. God, yes.¡± I grip the bedspread. He ms into me, no holding back, no warmup. I¡¯m soaking wet. My head flies back as he drills into me, but it¡¯s perfect. He draws out and does it again, the force moving me down the bed. I reach up and grip the headboard. ¡°That¡¯s it, baby. Hold on.¡± He fucks me hard, punishing thrusts that drive me closer to orgasm. He drives fast }|. ¡°That¡¯s it. Hold on baby.¡± He grips my legs. I was wrong-he was holding back. pummeling my lower half. His giant cock fills every bit of me. My orgasm blows up, ready to envelop me. ¡°Wait for permission,¡± he reminds me. ¡°Please oh please-¡± ¡°No.¡± He squeezes my ass. ¡°Hold off.¡± ¡°Have to-¡± I protest, my orgasm so close I can reach out and take it. ¡°Now, baby.¡± And Ie, convulsing, body lit up like I¡¯ve been hit by lightning. ~.~ Tank Fuck. Foxfire thrashes under me, her pussy spasming, gripping me. She¡¯s squeezes so tight, trying to snap off my dick. ¡°That¡¯s it, baby.¡± I roll her nipple between my thumb and finger, pinching a little. She cries out again. I pull out and flip her over, admiring the slight redness on her bottom. I cover her with my body, dragging her close with an arm around her middle. ¡°You know what happens to naughty foxes?¡± She¡¯s still crying out in the grips of orgasm. ¡°They get fucked-hard.¡± I thrust into her from behind. She¡¯s so wet, I bottom out immediately. Holding her tight, listening for the slightest sound of distress, I plow her, taking care to swivel my hips and fill every part of her. I cock one of her legs up and send my cock deeper. Fuck. I want to live inside her. I pause to slide my hand down her front, between her legs. Her pussy spasms as I find her clit. ¡°Oh no, Tank, please. It¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°Take it, baby,¡± I growl. ¡°Come as much as you want.¡± I pull my hand away and turn her over again. I want to see her, face flushed, hair mussed, big eyes filled with stars, looking at me like I¡¯m a hero. She doesn¡¯t disappoint. She has that hazy just-fucked look, but her eyes snap eagerly to mine, and she bites her lip. She wants more. I bend over her, pulling her into position. I close my teeth over her breast and scrape my teeth over her nipple a few times before rising up to give her what she needs. I¡¯m half off the bed, standing on my right leg, one knee digging into the bedspread. I grab her legs and lift her to meet me. She wraps her legs around my middle. I give it to her again, hard. With every thrust, the headboard goes thump, thump, thump, hitting the wall. ¡°Hang on,¡± I order, and she reaches for the ts again, doesn¡¯t quite make it. ¡°Tank,¡± she moans. ¡°I¡¯ming-¡± ¡°Come for me, baby,¡± I order and root myself deep. My cock pulses filling the condom, I wish for a second I was filling her pussy, burying my seed deep inside her. She should bear my mark, carry my pups. I draw a hand over my face. Fuck. Less than forty-eight hours, and I¡¯m a goner. Foxfire is a drug, and I¡¯m addicted. We wash up carefully. Foxfire pads around the room, touching random items and talking softly to herself. I imagine the pack witnessing a moment like this. Two things happen at once. My heart squeezes with a surge of protectiveness and affection for the princess of La La Land. And I see her through their eyes-the crazy girl who makes Tank lose his good sense. Lose his ce in the pack. Just like my mom did for my dad. Am I ready for that consequence? Fuck, no. But the thought of leaving her brings on the weight of a giant boulder crushing my chest. ¡°Tank?¡± she calls, and I¡¯m halfway out of the bathroom before she finishes her sentence. ¡°You need to see this.¡± She crouches next to the bed. I pull the toothbrush out of my mouth. ¡°What? What is it?¡± Foxfire look up with a guilty expression. ¡°Here.¡± she gestures. Ie around the bed to see what¡¯s wrong. ¡°What is it?¡± Foxfireys her hand on the frame. ¡°Right here.¡± A crack in the wood. The t is sagging. ¡°We broke the bed.¡± She puts her hand on it, and the thing groans, creaking lower under the strain. One corner of the bed does look lower than the rest. The bedclothes are strewn halfway across the room. The picture above the bed hangs askew. Her eyes dance with merriment. This is what she¡¯s done to me. My neat, rule-abiding life looks like a hurricane just roared through it. We pack up and head out of the hotel, leaving a wad of cash on theforter for the breakage. Foxfire¡¯s mom had better make an appearance soon because I can¡¯t stick around gstaff all week. Even if I¡¯m already dying for another fuck session with Foxfire. But I can¡¯t keep iming her like she¡¯s mine. Hell, if she only knew how much I wanted to mark her in that bed. Not mark her with my cum, but with my teeth. As in, make her my mate for life. Which means¡­ My wolf has fallen, fallen hard. So, why do I have this underlying dread about getting involved with her? Oh yeah. Because of my mom. 112 Tank ¡°Okay, let¡¯s figure out where your mom is,¡± I say as I pull into a diner. It¡¯s still before nine a. m. ¡°Her vehicle wasn¡¯t at her trailer.¡± ¡°Where does she work?¡± I park and get out. ¡°She teaches art at amunity center, and makes jewelry and other crafts to sell to tourists. Dreamcatchers, wind chimes, stuff like that.¡± ¡°She makes a living doing that?¡± Foxfire shrugged. ¡°Enough. She¡¯s never held down a job, as long as I¡¯ve known her. But, the way she lives, she doesn¡¯t need much.¡± We sit down and open our menus. ¡°The thugs who tore up her ce-they probably spooked her. Does she have friends she could¡¯ve run to?¡± ¡°I have no idea. Could you maybe sniff her out? You know¡±-she drops her voice¡±in furry form?¡± ¡°In public?¡± She shrugs, ¡°I could get you a cor and leash.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You have any better ideas?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll explore on foot. It¡¯s good for you to learn how to use your nose to track, in whatever form.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± We order and the foodes, and she tears into her te. We both got extra orders of meat. Under the table, Foxfire¡¯s foot rests on mine. When she finishes her meal, I slide her leftover sausage my way, and dig in. Her foot slides up my inseam, resting on my crotch. ¡°Careful,¡± I growl at her. She just smiles, the sweet curve of her lips making my dick hard. Naughty fox. I ask the waitress if the cook wouldn¡¯t mind making a few burgers to go, although it¡¯s not their lunch hour yet, and after she brings them, I put them in the truck. When I turn around, Foxfire is heading toward a craft and farmer¡¯s market. It¡¯s early enough it¡¯s sparsely attended. The booths are still getting set up. ¡°She used to sell here. I¡¯m going to ask them if she¡¯s been around,¡± she says when I catch up, growling at her for leaving without me. I ask first. ¡°Excuse me. Do you know where Sandra Hines has her booth?¡± The man frowns at me. ¡°Sunny,¡± Foxfire adds. ¡°She goes by Sunny. My boyfriend hasn¡¯t met her yet.¡± She grabs my hand, and the man¡¯s look of suspicion disappears when Foxfire adds, ¡°She¡¯s my mom.¡± ¡°Oh yes, Sunny. Usually she¡¯s set up over there. Haven¡¯t seen her since Friday, though.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Foxfire tries to hide her disappointment, but I can see the devastation in her eyes. Fuck. We have to find her mom. ~.~ Foxfire We do a round of the market. I meet as many of the stall owners as I can. They all agree my mom often shows up to sell there, but not every day. I give them my cell number and ask for a call if they see her. We take a break to step into a cell phone store. Tank buys me one to rece the one he crushed. ¡°So what now?¡± I ask as we leave the store and head for the truck. I lower my voice and wait until a few tourists pass before murmuring, ¡°You wanna do the four-legged thing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure it will help. Your mom has been all over this town. Her scent is here. Besides, you have a phone now. if one of her friends spots her they¡¯ll call you.¡± He puts the truck in gear. ¡°Let¡¯s try her house again, see if we sniff out any clues.¡± Back at the trailer, he shifts. I keep a lookout as a huge ck wolf sniffs around carefully. It¡¯s amazing how big he is. Just massive. Real wolves are prettyrge but he¡¯s taller than them by a head. He hops up into the bed of the truck, and waits to shift back until I close it up. When he climbs out, fully clothed and breathing hard like he¡¯s run a four-minute mile, I hold up the burger I¡¯ve unwrapped from its paper. ¡°Who¡¯s a good doggie?¡± He snatches the sandwich from my hand and inhales it in one gulp. ¡°Don¡¯t ever call me a dog. Not unless you want a red ass.¡± I hand him the bag with the rest of the food from the diner. ¡°Wolfie?¡± He shakes his head. I lean against the truck bed, admiring the flex of his strong jaw as he chews. ¡°I love teasing you.¡± ¡°Keep it up, baby. There will be consequences.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°I love consequences.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me that. I¡¯ve felt how wet your pussy gets.¡± ¡°My foxy bits,¡± I correct. ¡°That¡¯s what they¡¯re called.¡± Tank shakes his head. ¡°You know you love it, Big Daddy.¡± ¡°Keep talking, baby. I¡¯ll still be on top tonight.¡± I turn away to hide my happy grin. Tank finishes his food and uses a water bottle to wash his hands. I flop onto the truck bed. ¡°Now what?¡± ¡°There was something in the trailer. It smelled¡­ I think you should see it.¡± Reluctantly, I follow him inside. I should¡¯ve visited my mother more. She drives me crazy, but that¡¯s what family is about. Even though I never lived in this particr trailer, it smells like my childhood. There are a few things I recognize -the stained ss design I helped Sunny make, a small gold statue of Buddha, the Japanese tea set we bought at a thrift store. ¡°Here,¡± Tank beckons. Beside a little bench used as a seat and storage he taps a panel and opens a hiddenpartment. Out pours a stack of envelopes. I pick through them. They¡¯re all addressed to Sunny, but only a PO box is listed as the return address. ¡°They¡¯re empty.¡± ¡°Recognize the address?¡± ¡°No. Why did you think these were important?¡± ¡°Because,¡± Tank says quietly. ¡°They smell like fox.¡± ~.~ Foxfire Back in the truck, I finger the address. We took one envelope and put the rest back. At this point, it¡¯s my only link to my heritage. It¡¯s lunchtime, and even though he¡¯s already eaten, when we stop for tacos, he orders twenty. ¡°We might try themunity center. Find out if she still works there and if anyone¡¯s seen her.¡± I nod. I¡¯m still thinking of those empty envelopes. ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby,¡± he says. ¡°We¡¯ll find her.¡± ¡°Do you think someone¡­?¡± My throat clogs. Even if I don¡¯t visit often, Sunny is family. She¡¯s all I got. ¡°I think they scared her. She left a message for you and she¡¯s lying low. Foxfire, she¡¯s not a shifter.¡± ¡°But what about-¡± I lift the envelopes. ¡°Those are the only thing in there that smell like fox.¡± ¡°She could be dormant, though. Maybe her fox is like mine-she never felt safe, or protected enough¡­¡± My voice trails off at the pity in Tank¡¯s eyes. I can handle being called a weirdo or freak, but don¡¯t fucking pity me. ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s a shifter. I think you got the gene another way.¡± That only leaves my male parent. My missing male parent. Is it possible? The one who made me a fox is the father I never met? I don¡¯t realize I¡¯ve spoken out loud until Tank answers. ¡°I think it¡¯s the strongest solution. Either way¡±-he taps the envelopes-¡°these hold the answer.¡± I trace the address again. Large, clumsy handwriting, almost childish, indicating an address in Moab, Utah. The postmark is from three years ago. All this time, and my dad was only six hours away? It doesn¡¯t matter, I tell myself. All that matters is finding Sunny. ¡°Tank? What are we going to do, when this is all over?¡± His face goes nk. ¡°Let¡¯s just take this one day at a time.¡± I open my mouth to protest. ¡°Foxfire?¡± A familiar voice wafts across the street. A long-haired woman in a peasant blouse and skirt walks through traffic,pletely oblivious to the cars slowing to avoid hitting her. One honks, and I wince. My mother doesn¡¯t notice. At least, I think it¡¯s my mother. She¡¯s dyed her hair blonde, with pink streaks, making her look younger. ¡°It is you!¡± She gasps and rushes to me. ¡°I thought I was seeing with my third eye.¡± ¡°Sunny.¡± I run to her. ¡°Darling!¡± About a hundred thin bracelets chime on her wrists as she throws her arms around me and hugs me tight, enveloping me with the scent of sage andvender oil, and her own earthy smell. She still doesn¡¯t believe in wearing deodorant. Or shaving her pits. My super fox senses make that clear. Tank holds his hand near his nose, a stony look on his face. I grimace in sympathy and wipe my face clear of expression before Sunny lets me out of the hug. ¡°And who is this?¡± Sunny turns to Tank with a broad smile. ¡°This is Tank.¡± ¡°Oh. what a lovely name. Are you two-?¡± she looks from me to him. I was expecting this. ¡°Yes,¡± I say at the same time Tank says, ¡°No.¡± Ouch. ¡°We¡¯re not in a traditional rtionship,¡± I exin. ¡°We¡¯re just lovers.¡± Beside me, Tank goes very still. I want to look at him, but don¡¯t dare risk it. ¡°Oh, how wonderful.¡± Sunny ps her hand with a tinkling bracelet explosion. ¡°Love should be free from the constructs of society.¡± I grab Tank¡¯s hand. ¡°That¡¯s what we thought. I mean, whybel it? We¡¯re just having sex.¡± ¡°Oh, good.¡± Sunnyys a hand on Tank¡¯s broad chest. ¡°Yes, I see. Your chakras are out of bnce, though.¡± I cough. ¡°They should be bnced. We spent all morning working on alignment.¡± Sunny closes her eyes. ¡°Your heart chakra is damaged. An early wound, maybe? Something caused you to shut your heart to love.¡± ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡± I bat her hand from his chest, and she steps back. I scoot closer to Tank, who looks stunned. Maybe I should¡¯ve taken the time to warn him a bit more. ¡°Where have you been?¡± I ask Sunny. ¡°We went to your trailer and were worried.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She waves her hand. ¡°That was just a bit of trouble. Some men came by and said I owed them money.¡± ¡°Well, did you?¡± ¡°I may have borrowed a bit to fix the busst year. A Mr. Biggs. He¡¯s a nice man, runs a few card games.¡± ¡°Mom!¡± I pull her into an alleyway so our conversation is private. ¡°You got involved with the mob!¡± ¡°Really, darling? Well, you know, modern currency is a figment of our imagination. Someone should really exin that to these lenders.¡± ¡°Mrs. Hines-¡± Tank begins. ¡°Oh, Sunny, call me Sunny. I insist.¡± ¡°Your daughter had a visit from a thug. We think it had to do with your trouble.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Her hand flutters to her chest. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Fine, Sunny.¡± I sigh. My mom is so clueless, sometimes. I must take after my dad. ¡°Tank took care of him.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Sunny brightens. ¡°Is he swimming with the fishes?¡± ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°No,¡± Tank says. ¡°We did not kill him. We questioned him and let him go. Have you had more thugs bother you?¡± ¡°No, not since the first visit. ¡± ¡°But your trailer was trashed.¡± ¡°Yes, I think some kids did that. I¡¯ve been meaning to go back and clean it up.¡± She waves her hand to the chorus of bangles. ¡°You don¡¯t think it was the same thugs?¡± ¡°No, of course, not. I mean, I paid the loan back. Mr. Biggs said it would be all right.¡± ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you go back to the trailer?¡± ¡°Negative energy. I haven¡¯t had a chance to sage it and clear dark energies that came in, so I slept thest couple of nights in Daisy.¡± ¡°So you borrowed money, got a reminder, paid it back, but then your trailer was trashed. Did you call the cops?¡± Tank asks. ¡°No need, darling. The men who came had very bad energy. Karma will take care of them.¡± ¡°Men? There was more than one of them?¡± ¡°Yes, two,¡± Sunny says. ¡°And they seemed interested in you, Foxfire. That¡¯s why I called to warn you.¡± She looks back and forth between us. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back to your home, Ms. Hines. We have a few things to discuss.¡± 113 Foxfire ¡°Sorry,¡± I say as we drive over, following the brightly painted VW bus my mom calls Daisy. ¡°I should¡¯ve warned you about her.¡± ¡°Has she always been this way?¡± ¡°When I was sixteen, she met the guy who wanted to take me to prom, gave him a box of condoms and a candle shaped like the Minoan fertility goddess.¡± Tank winces. I shrug. ¡°I was used to her by then. She¡¯s a big believer in free love.¡± ¡°So, your father¡­¡± ¡°They were twin mes.¡± I mimic Sunny¡¯s airy tones. ¡°Souls destined to meet. They met at some sort of festival, I think.¡± ¡°So he could be the shifter.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I say quietly. My mom¡¯s anonymous sperm donor, aka Dear Old Dad, gave me more than gray eyes and the tendency to burn in the sun. Inside the trailer, Tank and I clean up while Sunny bustles about making green tea. Her bangles ring constantly until I ask her to remove them. ¡°Tank prefers silence,¡± I exin. ¡°Does he meditate?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I lie. Poor Tank hasn¡¯t said a word. ¡°Most days, he takes a vow of silence.¡± He snorts. ¡°Really,¡± Sunny breathes. I nod. ¡°He broke it to be with me. After I got your voicemail-¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m so sorry, darling. It just shook me.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I hug her. The teapot whistles halfway through, but we remain in our embrace until Tank clears his throat. ¡°Right, silence,¡± Sunny mutters. She serves the tea in traditional Japanese service, which means we get about a thimbleful each. Tank looks at his dubiously and doesn¡¯t touch it. ¡°So, Sunny, about these men-¡± ¡°They were very coarse, darling. I had a bad feeling and left in the bus immediately after talking to them. I came back to get my things and the ce-¡± She gestures. My poor mom, all alone. ¡°Do you have any idea who they might be?¡± ¡°No, darling. I asked Mr. Biggs about them and he said the matter was all settled, there must have been some mistake. It was all very strange.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Tank says. ¡°But you say they asked after Foxfire?¡± ¡°Yes. Perhaps they thought she had the money, if I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Excuse me. I have to make a call.¡± With a nod at me, he rises and leaves. ¡°Mom, I have to ask you something. It¡¯s about Dad.¡± ¡°Your father?¡± ¡°Yes. How did you meet him?¡± ¡°The street festival. He manned a booth near mine. We spoke quite often and, well.¡± She shrugs. ¡°Did he tell you anything? About himself or his family?¡± ¡°Only that they were very private. He grew up on apound up in Utah. Sounded quite secretive. They weren¡¯t at all weing to outsiders.¡± ¡°Did he¡­¡± I pause. I don¡¯t quite know how to say ¡°turn into a fox every full moon?¡± Tank returns to sit with me. ¡°Ms. Hines, your daughter is very special.¡± Sunny bobs her head. ¡°Oh yes. I know.¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°We¡¯re wondering what traits she might share with her father.¡± ¡°Do you mean his wild energy?¡± Both Tank and I sit up straighter. ¡°Yes,¡± I say slowly. ¡°You definitely share the same soul color. Sort of red¡­with gold. Vibrant. Pulsing energy.¡± ¡°Yes, all right.¡± We give each other a nce. She doesn¡¯t know anything. ¡°Funny. But we had the wildest time together.¡± I clear my throat. ¡°Once we partied and he disappeared, and in his ce-well, in his ce was his spirit animal. At first I thought it was a bad trip. But your father was in tune, very in tune. What makes you ask about all this?¡± I try to think of a logical way to ask without telling her I shift to a fox. ¡°I want to know more about him. Recently, I-¡± Tank shakes his head. ¡°Um, I¡¯m going through a spiritual awakening. Finding my spirit animal, too.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Sunny nods. ¡°Ms. Hines,¡± Tank cuts in. ¡°After you called, Foxfire was afraid for you. I thought it might be good if she learned more about her father.¡± ¡°I just want to know if I have any family on that side, and I don¡¯t know anything about him, really.¡± ¡°Of course. You just never cared to hear about him.¡± I blink. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to discuss him.¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mind. Your father was very special. I¡¯m d our energies aligned to make a child. No, whenever I brought him up, you changed the subject.¡± ¡°He abandoned us,¡± I croaked. My throat is suddenly dry. I swallow my tea and reach for Tank¡¯s. He scoots it closer to me, and I down it, too. ¡°He didn¡¯t. His sensitive nature didn¡¯t allow him to live around people for long. All his kin were very secretive. He was the only one brave enough to venture out to market. The rest of them lived off thend. Before he hitched a ride to the market, he had never ridden in a car. But he was more modern than all his rtivesbined.¡± ¡°Did he ever ask about me?¡± ¡°I sent him notes and a few pictures. He only sent back money.¡± I pull out the envelope and set it on the table. Sunny nods. ¡°Darling, if I¡¯d known you wanted to meet him-¡± I turn away from her. ¡°I looked up the address. It belongs to a Johnny Red.¡± Sunny nods. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s him? My dad? He was in Moab all this time?¡± ¡°No, darling. He moves around quite a bit. At least, he used to.¡± ¡°But he has a post office box there?¡± Moab. A wilderness. Good for fox shifters. Sunny hesitates. ¡°Darling, are you sure-¡± ¡°Just tell me. Is my biological father currently residing a mere six hours away from here?¡± My mom bites her lip and nods. Suddenly the trailer, with my mother¡¯s scent and items from my childhood, is too close and stuffy to bear. ¡°I need a moment,¡± I whisper, and leave. Tank stirs but lets me flee. Outside the chilly air has a bite to it, but I don¡¯t mind. I walk quickly to the edge of the woods and stop, chewing my lip. Sunny doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m a shifter. Maybe no one does. All my life, I¡¯ve marched to the beat of a different drummer. But now I really am alone. My skin itches, like I could shift and run. Life is simpler as a fox. ¡°Foxfire,¡± Tank calls. I don¡¯t turn around, even when his heat hits my back. The wind picks up. I wrap my arms around my body but refuse to move. Tank sighs. He stands beside me, keeping his eyes on the forest. His profile blurs out of the corner of my eye. ¡°My mom left, too,¡± he says. ¡°When I was nine. My dad was a wolf, had a good ce in the pack, but she¡­ she was a loner.¡± The wind blows along the trailer with a slight howl. I don¡¯t know whether it¡¯s creepy orforting. ¡°Did you ever see her again? After she left?¡± My voice is brittle. ¡°No.¡± Tank moves and puts his hands on my shoulders. ¡°Whoever your dad is, he cared for you. He¡¯s been sending money all these years.¡± My cheeks are a bit wet. I dash at my cheeks. ¡°He didn¡¯t care. He didn¡¯t stay. He didn¡¯t teach me who I am. I never thought¡­¡± I stop talking because, of course, I never thought anything like this would happen to me. I lived twenty-six years as a human. I embraced my weird. I just never thought I actually was a freak. ¡°Come here.¡± Tank folds me in his arms. He¡¯s so big, for a second I¡¯mpletely enveloped, hidden from the world. ¡°It hurts,¡± I whisper against his broad chest. ¡°Baby.¡± ¡°He should¡¯ve been here. He should¡¯ve helped me.¡± I wipe my eyes, annoyed. I never cared about my dad. He left. Why should I feel anything for a man who obviously felt nothing for me? ¡°I can¡¯t believe he didn¡¯t try to reach out, tell me he was a fox.¡± ¡°Maybe he wasn¡¯t sure you were one.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Children of shifters and humans aren¡¯t always able to shift themselves. Maybe he thought it best to leave you alone, let you live a normal life.¡± ¡°Normal life? Raised by Sunny?¡± I scoff. ¡°As a human, then.¡± ¡°Well so much for that,¡± I mumble, but I¡¯m not sorry I¡¯m fox. I refuse to regret my animal¡¯s magical presence in my life. It¡¯s not her fault my life is fucked up and my parents are a joke. Tank regards me, but there¡¯s no pity in his expression. Only a tenderness that will make me strong again, if I let it. He cups my cheek. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± I take a deep breath. ¡°I want to find him.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he says, and just like that, I feel better. But I don¡¯t let go of him. Tank¡¯s my rock, I decide. I¡¯ll cling to him, as long as he lets me. ~.~ Foxfire ¡°You sure about this, baby?¡± We spent thest few minutes informing Sunny of our ns and getting ready to head out. Tank has his arms around me again. I¡¯ve needed more fortifying hugs in the past day than I have my entire life. ¡°Yeah. My fox¡­ she needs her kin.¡± He nods. The door to the trailer bangs open, breaking us apart. ¡°This is going to be so fun,¡± Sunny trills from the front step. She¡¯s dragging arge carpet bag behind her. ¡°What is?¡± ¡°Road trip!¡± She ps her hands. I roll my eyes. Mom can be so ridiculous. I definitely take after my dad. ¡°Where do you want this?¡± Sunny lifts her bag. ¡°No,¡± Tank says. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Um, Mom,¡± I rush in, ¡°we didn¡¯t realize you¡¯d being.¡± ¡°Well, of course I am, silly. How else are you going to recognize your father?¡± I look at Tank, who rubs his forehead. ¡°I don¡¯t have room in my truck.¡± ¡°Oh, I can ride in the back,¡± Sunny waves a hand. Tank shakes his head. ¡°Or we could take Sunny¡¯s bus,¡± I offer. The three of us turn to look at Daisy. It¡¯s an old VW bus. The parts that aren¡¯t rusted are painted purple, with white daisies. ¡°What a marvelous idea!¡± Sunny crows. Tank¡¯s jaw clenches as he closes his eyes. 114 By noon, we¡¯re on the road. Tank insisted on driving, even though he¡¯s twice as big as the seat. His big hands are monster sized on the steering wheel. Before we left, Sunny insisted on burning sage and cedarwood throughout the vehicle to clear negative energy for our journey. The cabin smells of burnt herbs and spilled paint from her art projects. Even though Tank hasn¡¯t said a word, I can tell he¡¯s pretty close to the breaking point. I decide to sit in the back with my mom to act as buffer. ¡°He has such masculine energy,¡± Sunny tells me in a loud whisper. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll let me paint him?¡± Mom paints nudes. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. He¡¯s a very private person.¡± Sunny considers this. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t ask him,¡± I add. ¡°He gets¡­ grumpy.¡± ¡°You certainly have a way with him.¡± Me? ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. He¡¯s kinda bossy.¡± Especially in bed. Not that I¡¯mining. ¡°I like him,¡± Sunny decides. I let Sunny read my palm. She¡¯s always been a tarot reader, and palmistry is something new for her. ¡°Interesting, interesting. You¡¯ll live a long life, darling, and have one great true love. You¡¯ll have some challenges along the way, but it¡¯ll work out in the end.¡± She drops my hand, looking expectantly at Tank. ¡°What about a tarot reading?¡± I ask before she can grab his hand. Knowing her, she wouldn¡¯t care that he¡¯s driving a stick shift. My request buys another few minutes of silence as Sunny digs in her giant sack-like purse for the deck of cards she always carries. This time it¡¯s not traditional tarot but some kind of angel cards. ¡°You will go on a great journey-not in distance, but in importance.¡± ¡°Makes sense,¡± I agree. ¡°You will face a great enemy.¡± Sunny frowns. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted a nemesis,¡± I say absently. ¡°Darling, this is very serious.¡± ¡°Oh, I know. I fear for my life every time I go to the bathroom. Toilet snakes.¡± ¡°What are toilet snakes?¡± Sunny asks. ¡°They¡¯re snakes thate out of the toilet while you¡¯re sitting on it, and bite you.¡± Sunny gasps. ¡°Foxfire,¡± Tank rumbles. ¡°What?¡± I ask innocently. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing.¡± ¡°Oh I know that,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯m still scared of them.¡± His lips twitch. ¡°Speaking of toilet snakes¡­¡± Sunny says. Tank sighs, and takes the next rest stop exit. As Mom and I leave to go the bathroom, he pulls out his phone. I hasten through my business and leave Sunny admiring some murals. Tank¡¯s on the phone, I approach slowly, giving him space until he thanks whoever he¡¯s talking with and hangs up. Instantly, his eyesnd on me. I give a little wave and bounce to his side. ¡°I just called in a few favors,¡± he tells me. ¡°I have people looking into your father¡¯s whereabouts. By the time we reach Moab, we should know more.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± ¡°What about Garrett?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t heard from him.¡± ¡°Still? Is he usually this hard to get hold of?¡± ¡°No.¡± He rubs the back of his neck. ¡°I got a feeling-something¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Do you need to go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to see this through.¡± A thrill goes through me. It shouldn¡¯t. He¡¯s not choosing me over the pack, not forever. But it stills feels good. ¡°Thanks.¡± He cups my chin for a moment and studies my face. He¡¯s going through all this trouble. I hope it¡¯s worth it. I hope I¡¯m worth it. But, even if I am, in the end, he hasn¡¯t made me any promises. ¡°So¡­ my mother.¡± He just shakes his head. ¡°I¡¯m really, really sorry.¡± I begin. ¡°She means well.¡± He grasps my nape and pulls face up to his, iming my mouth. His kiss is dominant, demanding. I can¡¯t decipher the meaning. Is this more punishment? Promise? ¡°Don¡¯t apologize again, baby. You can¡¯t help who your mom is. None of us can.¡± My mouth twists into a wry smile. ¡°Well, my mom believes all babies choose their parents from the other side. We pick them for certain lessons we want to learn or something.¡± He frowns, shutters going down over his face again. He must be thinking of his own mom. What lessons-or scars-did she leave on him? ¡°Do you think she knows something? I mean, deep down? She did name me Foxfire.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, baby.¡± He rests his hand on the back of my neck and kneads it a little. I didn¡¯t realize how tense I¡¯d gotten. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on her head.¡± ¡°I will say this. She¡¯s friendly. She¡¯s never met anyone she didn¡¯t like.¡± Sunny is at a pic table with a group of tourists. She¡¯s got her astrology book out and is doing their horoscopes. ¡°Are you close with your dad?¡± ¡°Yeah. We were on our own for a few years, before we found Garrett¡¯s dad¡¯s pack.¡± ¡°Must have been rough.¡± ¡°He never really got over what my mom did to him.¡± ¡°Her leaving?¡± ¡°Not just that. When she left, she stole from the pack. Money. Each pack has central finances that everyone pays into, in case of emergencies, to pay for a safe house, that sort of thing. A small percentage, but it adds up. When my mom left, she took almost fifty grand.¡± ¡°Whoa.¡± ¡°Yeah. But that¡¯s not the worst. My dad was second in the pack. He was in charge of the finances. He was the reason she had ess. So when she left¡­¡± ¡°He was med.¡± ¡°We were in disgrace. Dad went from second in the pack to having his position in jeopardy. Everyone wanted to fight him. He was afraid for me, so we left and wandered around a while until we found a new pack. A good one in Phoenix-run by Garrett¡¯s dad. They weed us, but Dad never recovered. A new shifter has no rank, Tank had said. ¡°Didn¡¯t your dad have to fight for dominance again?¡± ¡°The pack he chose didn¡¯t make him fight for his ce. But Dad didn¡¯t try to establish dominance. He took a low rank and didn¡¯t bother to fight. Almost like he stopped caring.¡± Tank rubs his forehead. ¡°Anyway. It was a long time ago.¡± ¡°Parents.¡± I shake my head. ¡°Can¡¯t live with them, can¡¯t live without them.¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You can¡¯t rece family,¡± Tank says softly. Pain shes through me. ¡°What was it like, being on your own with just your dad?¡± ¡°Stressful. Most lone wolves are outcasts. Packs try to run them out of their territory. I was only nine, but my dad made sure to teach me to shift, to fight. Even if we found a decent pack to join, he knew I¡¯d need to be strong to fight to keep my ce. Know the rules, that sort of thing.¡± ¡°That exins a lot.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just so¡­ rule abiding.¡± ¡°Rules are important.¡± ¡°So is having fun.¡± ¡°Rules keep pack members safe. Wolves who don¡¯t follow them are ostracized.¡± I suck in a breath. Is that what he¡¯s afraid of, for me? That I¡¯ll join a pack and be kicked out because of my fabulous Foxfire-ness? ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re a perfect pack citizen,¡± I mutter. ¡°A pir of society.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t when I first joined.¡± ¡°Please.¡± I sniff. ¡°You¡¯ve never made a faux pas in your life. Me, I¡¯m a walking talking faux pas.¡± ¡°Yeah, you do that on purpose.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± My chest is tight. I¡¯m not sure where he¡¯s going with this. He tugs a lock of my hair. ¡°This screams notice me. But that¡¯s not what you want, is it?¡± He keeps ying with my hair. ¡°In the wild, bright colors can mean poison. You dye your hair this wild to say stay away, I¡¯m a freak.¡± ¡°Well, I am.¡± ¡°No you¡¯re not.¡± I shrug. ¡°People are gonna think I¡¯m weird. I may as well encourage it.¡± ¡°You push people away.¡± ¡°Oh, because you¡¯re so emotionally avable? I¡¯m Tank.¡± I mimic his deep voice and solemn look. I eat trucks for breakfast. Why, no, I¡¯m not a werewolf. I¡¯ll punish you if you say that again.¡± By the end, I¡¯m giggling. He shakes his head at me. ¡°I know you,¡± I tease. ¡°You can¡¯t hide from me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to hide from me, either,¡± he says. Before I can ask him what he means, he calls, ¡°Sunny, we¡¯re heading out.¡± 115 Foxfire Before dusk, we check into a hotel. Two rooms. One with a king, one with two double beds. I take my stuff and follow Sunny. ¡°I saw a lovely marketce on the way in,¡± Sunny prattles as we enter the room with the double beds. ¡°I think I used to have a stall there, in the eighties. We should go down and see it. Do you think Tank will let us?¡± ¡°I think Tank needs his space.¡± I set my bag down. ¡°I was actually hoping to talk to you. Why didn¡¯t you tell me about Dad?¡± ¡°You never wanted to know.¡± ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m like him. In a lot of ways.¡± ¡°I know, dear. But, Johnny was a free spirit. He¡¯d want you to make your own way.¡± ¡°I know. I have. I just want to know I¡¯m not the only one like me. I want to be a part of something. A family.¡± ¡°You are, Foxfire. You have me, and that tall drink of water who¡¯s probably wishing you were in his hotel room right now.¡± ¡°Tank thinks I¡¯m crazy.¡± Sunny just smiles. ¡°He¡¯s so different from me, Mom. It¡¯s weird. And yet¡­¡± It works. At least, I think it does. He¡¯s done all this to help me. ¡°I like him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so d.¡± I hide my eye roll as she hugs me. ¡°I¡¯m so d we had this chat.¡± She heads off to the bathroom. Maybe Mom¡¯s right. We make our own family,munity. Maybe my dad will know some other foxes, or Tank can hook me up. In any case, I have my mother. Maybe I should spend more time with her. The bathroom door opens. Sunny walks out, blonde and pink hair wafting around her shoulders. She¡¯s stark naked. ¡°Time for yoga,¡± she trills. ¡°Um, you forgot your clothes.¡± ¡°I always do sun salutation naked.¡± She opens the curtains for the light to flood in andys out a yoga mat. ¡°After all, when we greet the sun, the rays burn away all artifice-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just uh¡­ check on what Tank¡¯s friend found out about Johnny.¡± I scuttle for the door. My goal is to be out of there before she does downward facing dog. Tank¡¯s room is a few doors down. Praying that a crowd doesn¡¯t gather to watch my mother do her asanas in the bare, I knock on the door. ¡°It¡¯s open.¡± Tank says. ¡°How¡¯d you know it was me?¡± I step inside. Much darker. Tank probably isn¡¯t a sun salutation type dude. As my eyes adjust to the shadows, I realize he¡¯s sitting in a chair, huge body spilling out of it. He¡¯s got his shirt off, his hair damp like he toweled off. Water beads on his taut chest. ¡°I can smell you.¡± He¡¯s got a paper bag in his hand, and he raises it to his lips. He must have gone out and gotten a bottle of something. ¡°Can you spare a sip of that?¡± He offers it. ¡°Mom¡¯s doing her own version of hot yoga. Naked hot yoga. She has the blinds open.¡± Tank grimaces. ¡°Yeah,¡± I agree, and raise the bottle to take a swig. I cough a little as it sears my throat. I go to raise it again, but he takes it from me, pulls me into hisp. I snuggle up to him. He rests his chin atop my head. ¡°Any luck on my dad¡¯s whereabouts?¡± He shakes his head, and mine moves with it. ¡°Thanks again for all this. I owe you.¡± He rubs my back, slipping his hand under my shirt to toy with my bra strap. His cock grows against my leg. ¡°You¡¯ve been taking care of me. It¡¯s time for me to take care of you.¡± I slip to my knees between his legs.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. He lets me pull down his jeans and put my mouth on him. I breathe in his scent, swallowing him down, making little begging noises, especially after he slips his fingers into my top and squeezes my breast. I dive down on his length, choking a little, and pop off, gasping. He tugs me up before I can go again. I wind my arms around his neck. He plunges his hand down my jeans. ¡°Fuck,¡± he mutters like a prayer as his fingers encounter my slick folds. ¡°No panties again? Bad girl.¡± He finds my sweet spot and rubs it. I rise to my tiptoes. In no time, I¡¯m panting, sagging against his broad chest. I lick his neck, taste salt. My hand finds his dick and jacks slowly, but it¡¯s no use. I¡¯m gonna blow. Someone knocks on the door. ¡°Darling! What are our ns for dinner?¡± I barely register her words until Tank whips his hand out of my pants. ¡°Uh, give us a few, Sunny,¡± I call out. ¡°We¡¯re naked.¡± Tank makes a disbelieving noise. ¡°All right, honey, I¡¯ll go down alone. Make sure you use protection!¡± Tank heaves a sigh. I giggle. ¡°Come on.¡± I tug him up. ¡°Let¡¯s shower together.¡± ~.~ Tank I wrap a towel around Foxfire and maneuver her out of the shower. She¡¯s flushed and dazed from the hard fucking I gave her up against the wall of the shower. I¡¯m not sure her legs are steady, so I guide her to the bed and plunk her down. It¡¯s getting both easier and harder being with her. I just used up everyst ounce of self-control being with her naked, fucking her without marking her. The entire time we were in that shower stall together, my fangs were out, ready to punch through her skin, leave my scent there so every other male can smell she¡¯s mine. Instead, I took it out on her pussy. I pounded that sweetness until she screamed herself hoarse. And, already, I want round two of having those long legs wrapped around my waist, those fingernails digging into my back. ¡°What are we going to do for dinner?¡± ¡°I already ate.¡± She smacks me, giggling. ¡°Order whatever you want.¡± I hand her a hotel room service menu. ¡°You sure?¡± ¡°Yeah, baby.¡± I lie back and prop my arms behind my head, enjoying the sight of her with the towel falling open, her nipples chafed from my five o¡¯clock shadow. She looks so happy, I don¡¯t care when she orders fifty dors¡¯ worth of food and eats all of it. She prattles on and on about everything and nothing, and I don¡¯t care. I could stare at her for the rest of my life. My phone vibrates, and I answer without checking it. ¡°Son?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± I straighten as if my father could see me, even though he¡¯s a few hundred miles away, in Phoenix. When we were lone wolves together, he ran our two person unit like a pack so I was used to following an alpha. Technically, I¡¯m now more dominant than he is, but old habits die hard. ¡°Just wanted to check on you, make sure everything¡¯s all right. My alpha heard from a human named Amber. She said Garrett¡¯s in trouble.¡± Fuck. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Last I knew, Garrett was on his way to Mexico.¡± I hesitate, not sure how much Garrett wants other packs to know. Garrett¡¯s father is my father¡¯s alpha. ¡°To search for Sedona. That¡¯s what this Amber said.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± I pinch the bridge of my nose. ¡°Look, call Trey or Jared, but if they don¡¯t answer, you¡¯d better get down there. I haven¡¯t been able to reach them.¡± ¡°My alpha¡¯s already on his way. I just wanted to see where you were in all this mess.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on another job.¡± ¡°Tank, did you see my bra anywhere?¡± Foxfire shouts from the bathroom. ¡°I can¡¯t find it.¡± Fuck. I hold the phone against my shirt until I¡¯m outside the hotel room. ¡°Garrett ordered me to go after a stray. Otherwise, I¡¯d be down there already.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ fine, son,¡± my dad says. I wince under the weight of his disapproval. ¡°It¡¯s just a job. I should have things wrapped up soon. I was waiting to hear from Garrett, but if things have gone wrong-¡± ¡°No, no, you have to follow orders.¡± ¡°I want to be there.¡± ¡°You¡¯re second in the pack. Your alpha relies on you. Don¡¯t do anything to jeopardize that.¡± Especially not for a female. He may as welle out and say it. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± He hangs up, and for a second, I wonder if I should just pack everything up and hit the road for Mexico. ¡°Everything all right?¡± Foxfire chirps. She stands in the open door to the room, wearing a pair of skinny jeans and a tight T-shirt, head cocked to the side. ¡°Yeah, baby.¡± ¡°You look like you got bad news.¡± Should I tell her what¡¯s going down with the pack? She¡¯ll want to know, especially since it sounds like Amber¡¯s involved. ¡°I can cheer you up, big man.¡± Shees to hug me. ¡°No.¡± I fend her off. Foxfire stops in her tracks. She may y dense, but she¡¯s actually extremely sensitized to my moods, which makes me feel like an even bigger bastard. ¡°This is pack business. I need to make a few calls. Why don¡¯t you go find your mother?¡± Foxfire¡¯s smile is forced, her scent a confusing jumble. Women. Soplicated. And, now, my feelings are just as fuckingplicated. My dad is right. ¡°Look,¡± I try again, ¡°a few people in the pack are in trouble. I don¡¯t mean-¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s all right.¡± She picks up a hotel key and pockets it. ¡°I¡¯ll go. Sunny wanted to visit the market. I¡¯ll go see what time it opens tomorrow-it¡¯ll be a good distraction for her while we search for Johnny.¡± ¡°Okay. Thanks, baby.¡± A few more calls, and I¡¯ll mobilize the strongest in Garrett¡¯s pack to follow his dad down to Mexico. If I can¡¯t be there personally, at least I can help. 116 Foxfire He¡¯s shutting me out. Again. Not that I had a right to be in in the first ce. He¡¯s made it very clear: I¡¯m not pack. Not that I care. I wander around the empty market area, sniffing around the booths in a half-hearted attempt to find Sunny. I catch a whiff of something familiar, but I can¡¯t ce it. The moon rises, and I head back, slowing my steps in case Tank is still talking to his pack. He doesn¡¯t want me to be a part of his world. Maybe I¡¯m meant to be alone, just me and my fox. I pause in a deserted alley and try to shift. But I can¡¯t. Not even staring at the moonlight. Great. Now, even my fox has abandoned me.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Back at the hotel room, I knock, but no one¡¯s there. Tank must be out on an errand. I keep my jacket on and go out to lean on the balcony railing in the light of the moon. So what if I¡¯m alone? I¡¯m used to it. But my fox wants to be around shifters. I can handle a group not wanting me, but this is the first time I¡¯ve wanted to be a part of a one. I hate it. Stupid fox. Why couldn¡¯t I be a wolf? ¡°Foxfire?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± I call. Hees and silently hugs me. He won¡¯t tell me what¡¯s wrong, but he holds me like he needs me. ¡°Everything all right?¡± He grunts a non-answer. ¡°You know you can talk to me?¡± He leans down and puts his mouth on mine. The kiss is long, and deep, and feels like an apology for something. I wish I knew what. ¡°Full moon tonight,¡± I murmur. ¡°No, baby, it wasst night.¡± I turn in his arms as he holds me. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll ever be able to shift on my own?¡± ¡°Of course. It just takes practice.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± My voice wobbles. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do it.¡± ¡°Try it.¡± He leads me back into the room. ¡°Okay.¡± I strip off my clothes and take a deep breath, willing my body to morph. ¡°Rx, baby. This is natural. Just let her out.¡± This time, when I take a deep breath, the world changes immediately. I drop to four paws and yip at Tank. ¡°That¡¯s good, baby.¡± He growls approval. His scent is a haven, strong and sure. But there¡¯s another one tickling my nose. I trot to the balcony and bark for him to follow. ¡°No, Foxfire.¡± He starts toward me. ¡°You should stay inside.¡± Before he can reach me, I rush out the door and leap from the balcony. ~.~ Tank Foxfire disappears over the edge of the balcony. Her white tail streaks as she runs up the rise and disappears into the woods. ¡°Goddammit.¡± I shuck my clothes and call my wolf. The world tilts as I turn. As soon as I right myself, I run after her. Her trail is red hot and easy to follow. I keep to the shadows as she leads me into the heart of town. People might not notice a little fox, but they will definitely pay attention to a big wolf. Luckily, there aren¡¯t any cars. I duck my head and lope across the concrete and hope no one wants a wolf pelt in front of their firece. Regr bullets can¡¯t kill a werewolf, but they still hurt. Damn you, little fox. My heart is rammed up in my throat, thinking of all the things that might go wrong out here, showing our animals in public. Someone¡¯s out there looking for Foxfire, and we¡¯re in a town where there might be shifters. She isn¡¯t safe running around in fox form. She leads me to the marketce, abandoned for the night. When I catch up, she¡¯s sniffing around one of the booths. I bark at her. She automatically crouches, ducking her head. Her fox knows submission, even if my beautiful girl sometimes fights it. I trot toward her, and the scent hits me, surrounding me. Fox. And not Foxfire-but another shifter. A fox shifter has been here, in this booth. Foxfire faces me, her ears standing up and her tail wagging. See? she seems to say. I jerk my head toward the hotel. Head back. She doesn¡¯t protest. We lope back together, myrger body casting a shadow over her smaller one. Two animals might attract attention but not as much as two naked humans. Luckily, there¡¯s a little hill under our second-story room, and no one else is on the balcony. With a running jump I reach the railing and clear it. I turn and wait for the little fox toe. Her leap isn¡¯t as high and I catch her by the scruff of the neck. I carry her in like this and set her down, fixing her with another re. She¡¯s not afraid of me at all. Of course not, my wolf points out. She¡¯s our mate. I shift first, grunting with the force and speed of the change. I stride to the balcony door and close it. ¡°Change, Foxfire. Now.¡± She does and curls up for a moment, shivering. Shifting is still hard for her. ¡°Did you smell it?¡± she says as soon as she can catch her breath. ¡°There¡¯s someone like me. Another fox.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, baby. You did good.¡± I kneel to tip some water into her mouth, holding the bottle until she can sit up. It doesn¡¯t take as long as thest time. She¡¯s getting stronger. My wolf approves. ¡°Do we have any more steak?¡± she asks. I pull out thest one left over from room service from the mini-fridge, sit on the bed and pat myp. She curls up and I feed her. It¡¯s a simple act, but it deeply satisfies my wolf. When she¡¯s finished eating, I make her drink the rest of the water. I hold her the whole time. Fits right in my arms like she was made for me. ¡°Feeling better?¡± ¡°Yeah. Tomorrow we can track the shifter, right?¡± ¡°Yes. But we do it my way. Less chance of getting buckshot in our ass.¡± Stern tone. She squirms like it excites her to be in trouble. ¡°Yes.¡± I cage her throat in my hand without applying any pressure. ¡°You know what naughty foxes get?¡± ¡°Punishment?¡± Her pulse hammers against my palm. No fear in her scent. Just anticipation. And arousal. I slip my hand between her legs and brush the pad of my middle finger over her clit. She throws her head back over my shoulder, arching her breasts toward my mouth. She¡¯s so fucking responsive. I¡¯ve never met another female-human or shifter-whose body is so clearly mine tomand. Foxfire-the crazy hippie child-turns into a certifiable porn star every time we touch. Ready and willing to take anything I give her, no matter how rough. Willing to serve, too. I¡¯ve never had a female so generous with her mouth on my cock before. ¡°Get up on your hands and knees, baby,¡± I direct. She scrambles to obey, wagging her beautiful ass in my face. I stand up beside the bed and arrange her hips in my direction, letting a p fall on one cheek. ¡°Is this what you wanted?¡± I squeeze her bare cheek, and deliver another smack. ¡°Yes.¡± Her breath leaves in a gust. ¡°You sure?¡± ¡°Yes, please,¡± she whispers, not quite a plea. I hardly recognize the growling from my mouth. I slip my digits between her legs, again, stroke her slick folds. ¡°You¡¯re wet.¡± ¡°Well, yeah. You¡¯re naked.¡± ¡°Naughty little fox.¡± My hand ps her bottom and strokes her slit again. ¡°Yes.¡± She wriggles as I tease her sweet spot, her fingers wing at the covers. I keep her on the edge, alternating light smacks with frigging her clit until she¡¯s moaning with need. I want to plow into her, fuck her until tomorrow, but my wolf is right below the surface. The full moon wasst night, so the urge to mark her shouldn¡¯t be getting stronger, but it is. I pick up her hips and flip her around to face me. ¡°Suck me,¡± I order roughly, because I need relief or I¡¯m going to do something I regret. She parts those sexy lips and engulfs my cock with her hot mouth. ¡°That¡¯s it, baby.¡± She goes to town on me, trying to swallow me down deep, driving me crazy. I let out a curse. She pops off and nips my thigh, teeth sharp as a fox¡¯s. Her animal is right at the edge, too. I roar, my wolf mad to mark her, to dominate my little fox and show her which one of us does the biting. She kneels up, licking her glossy lips. ¡°Oops. Sorry.¡± Her mock innocence is too much for my self-control. To keep myself from taking her, I push her down on her belly with a hand at her nape and smack her wriggling ass. She writhes, not really trying to escape. ¡°Spank me, Tank. Harder.¡± Oh, fuck no. Did she really say that? I warm her ass, pping harder, loving the way she bucks on the bed, the little grunts and whimpers she makes. The next time I check between her legs, I groan. ¡°Fuck, baby, you¡¯re sopping wet.¡± ¡°Tank,¡± she screams as her orgasm hits her. She squeezes her thighs around my fingers. I wedge three into her pussy and plunge as her muscles contract and spasm. I lie down beside her and pull her into my arms, trying to slow my breath, push the wolf back down. She rolls into me, pressing against my bare chest. She nuzzles my skin, and I breathe in her intoxicating scent. She licks my neck, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯s aware of it; her Fox is still close to the surface. After a moment, she raises her head. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby. Do what you want.¡± She explores, tracing the curves of muscles, finding every little scar where a wolf¡¯s teeth or ws caught me when I was a teen and didn¡¯t have enough to eat so my body didn¡¯t fully heal. She runs her tongue over one t nipple, and I shiver. She kisses down my chest and slowly arranges herself on her knees, between my thighs. My dick bobs with approval but I say, ¡°You think you deserve my cock?¡± She nods. I catch her hair and tug it so she looks up at him. ¡°You gonna be a good girl?¡± ¡°Maybe. Probably.¡± ¡°Fuck,¡± I whisper. This girl drives me fucking insane. I burrow my fingers in her hair, watching the rainbow of colors and waves cascade as she hollows her cheeks and sucks. My vision starts to tunnel, hips strain to push my cock farther into her mouth. I don¡¯t want to choke her, at least that¡¯s what I tell myself when I tug her up on all fours, positioning myself behind her. I even remember a condom, which is a goddamn miracle. She waits for me, pussy slick and ready, thighs trembling with my desire. I slide right in. I¡¯m not a big talker. But there are words exploding in my head. The ones I¡¯m showing her with each hard thrust: I own you. You are mine. I pound into her. She presses her front into the bed and pushes back against me, meeting me, weing me. I hold her down and hammer her reddened ass. ¡°Yes, Tank, yes!¡± Her tight muscles grip my dick. I flip her over, prop her leg over my shoulder and pound myself home. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to-¡± ¡°Take it, baby.¡± I palm and squeeze her ass. A cry breaks from her as her orgasm blows up. I lose my mind the second she starts keening. Every inch, every limb, every cell vibrates with white hot pleasure. ¡°Fuck.¡± I fall on top of her, my arms holding my weight but my body covering hers. I tuck my face into her neck and shoulder. My teeth scrape her skin, and she shudders, still in the grip of her ecstasy. I hammer into her, blind with need. My balls tighten, thighs grip. My thrusts be erratic. ¡°Fuck, yes, Foxfire!¡± I shout as Ie. As I let loose, I bite down. Hard. Hard enough to break the skin. A mating bite. I fucking marked her. 117 Foxfire I bounce up at the crack of dawn. Tank slumbers beside me, and I let him. He probably needs a break, poor guy. My fox is eager to be on the prowl. I check the mirror before I leave. Yep, Tank clearly bit me. It¡¯s deeper than I first thought. Broke the skin and everything, but it¡¯s already healed. I push my hair back to admire the bite and then arrange my colorful locks over the marks to hide them. I stop by my mom¡¯s room on the way out, pressing my ear against her door. I try my nose, but I only smell hotel carpet and cleaner. My fox is impatient, so I hurry on down to the market. It¡¯s early, and most of the stalls are being set up. To my surprise, Sunny is there, holding a paper cup. Tea, from the smell of it. My nose is getting better. ¡°Darling! Did you have funst night? ¡°Yeah. It was wild,¡± I report, truthfully enough. I didn¡¯t check before I left, but I¡¯d guessst night¡¯s shenanigans broke the bed again. ¡°Good.¡± She beams. ¡°You¡¯re up early.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. There¡¯s a booth I want to see. Where did you get that?¡± I motion to her cup. ¡°The coffee shop-want one?¡± ¡°Yeah, if you don¡¯t mind. I was going to sniff-uh, check out some of these booths.¡± I hand her my money and stroll on. The booth I care about is already set up, the table sparsely dotted with products. Wood carvings. Woven nkets. Jars of honey. That sort of thing. Then the foxes into view. She wears a long jean skirt and flower-patterned blouse, homemade from the look of it. As soon as Ie close, she stiffens. ¡°Hey,¡± I call, keeping my distance. ¡°Can I talk to you?¡± Her nostrils re. She¡¯s caught my scent. ¡°I¡¯m just here to talk.¡± I spread my hands. I pad closer and pick up a jar of honey, pretending to study it. Red Farm Honey thebel reads. ¡°All right,¡± she says softly. ¡°But in a second, I gotta go.¡± I study her. ording to Tank, there are few fox shifters. Is it possible we¡¯re rted? ¡°I¡¯m looking for information about¡­ someone my mom knew.¡± I point out Sunny, who¡¯s chatting with someone outside the coffee shop. ¡°She does markets, too, and had a booth like this next to someone. His name was Johnny.¡± Recognition shes in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t tell you anything.¡± I just stare at her. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about that.¡± She nces around nervously, as if she¡¯s expecting someone to pop out and attack her. ¡°I have to go.¡± She darts around the stall, and gets on a bike she yanks out from under her table. ¡°Hey, wait,¡± I say. ¡°Please. Johnny was my father.¡± She pauses. For a moment, I think she¡¯s gonna talk to me. ¡°Foxfire,¡± Tank¡¯s voice rings out over the market. The blood drains from the woman¡¯s face. ¡°Wolf,¡± she mouths. ¡°No, please,¡± I call as I watch my only link to my father ride out of town as if escaping a fire. ¡°Who was that?¡± Tank rumbles behind me. I whirl, and he must read the desperation on my face. ¡°Was that her?¡± I nod and he grabs my hand. ¡°Come on.¡± I let him pull me along to the hotel parking lot. ¡°She¡¯s on a bike,¡± he tells me as we climb into Daisy. ¡°If shees this way often, I can track her.¡± We pull into traffic just in time for me to see Sunny crossing the street toward us, two paper cups in her hand. ~.~ ¡°There¡¯s only one road she could¡¯ve taken,¡± Tank says after I point out the way the fox shifter went. We left Sunny at the market, telling her we¡¯d be back soon. We ride in tense silence, quickly leaving all buildings behind for an open desert. When we get out of town, Tank pulls over. ¡°I¡¯m going on all fours now. Follow me in the car. If anyone sees me and asks questions, you tell them I¡¯m a wolfhound crossed with a European mountain dog, and whistle for me. I¡¯lle when you call.¡± The thought of Tank acting domesticated doesn¡¯t even make me smile. Tank ducks in the back to strip off his clothes. Within a minute, a huge wolf leaps out, and trots along the highway. I grip the steering wheel and inch behind him. The fox shifter looked so frightened. Is she really one of my people? What does she know about my father? Are all fox shifters that skittish? A few cars pass but no one stops. Tank leads me onto a small turnoff and disappears for a moment behind the rocks. Then he sticks his head out and barks. I turn off the car, grab his stuff, and lock it. Tank strides out in human form and pulls on his clothes. ¡°Trail goes this way. You want to do this? We can head back to town and wait for my contact to see what she dug up on your dad.¡± ¡°No,¡± I say, remembering the woman¡¯s face in the market when I mentioned Johnny¡¯s name. She knew him. She was just frightened. ¡°This is the hottest lead we have. Let¡¯s go.¡± We hike along. The reddish orange rocks would make the perfect camouge for a fox. ¡°As soon as she scented you were a wolf, she ran,¡± Iment. ¡°Do you think she¡¯s a loner?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that weaker shifters stick together. They¡¯re secretive, and there¡¯s strength in numbers. I don¡¯t know any foxes, though. Either because there aren¡¯t many, or because they don¡¯t make their presence widely known.¡± ¡°Or because we don¡¯t want a stinking wolf trespassing on ournd.¡± A voice rings out, and I start, looking for the voice. A giant pile of red rocks blocks our way, but there¡¯s no sign of anyone. I step forward, and Tank puts his hand out to stop me. ¡°Take your hands off her, wolf,¡± someone snarls. About fifteen men appear from behind the rocks. Some of them rise from the brush behind us. They all have shotguns, and they¡¯re all pointed at Tank. We¡¯re surrounded. ¡°Stay where you are, wolf.¡± Tank throws up his hands. ¡°No, don¡¯t shoot.¡± I raise my hands also. ¡°We mean no harm.¡± To Tank, I whisper, ¡°Did you smell them?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°This whole ce smells like fox, boy.¡± The oldest-looking fox, a sandy-haired man with a seamy face says, hands on his slender hips. More men surround us. They¡¯re sunburnt, short and muscr. They all look familiar. Several are identical from the reddish hair to the dirty overalls. ¡°We¡¯re not armed,¡± Tank says. ¡°A wolf is a weapon. He doesn¡¯t need one.¡± ¡°Look, he won¡¯t hurt you,¡± I blurt. ¡°He¡¯s just helping me find my kin.¡± The man narrows his eyes at me. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Johnny¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°Johnny?¡± He stares at me, as if trying to figure out how I¡¯d look without rainbow-colored hair. ¡°Probably lying, Pa,¡± one of the younger foxes says. He¡¯s a spitting image of the older leader. Tank stirs at my side. If anyone threatens me, he might snap. They¡¯ll hurt him. ¡°Jordy,¡± the leader barks, and another fox appears, a woman. She keeps her head bowed and shoulders hunched, but she¡¯s the one I saw in the marketce. ¡°This her?¡± Jordy nods. One of the men steps closer to me and sniffs. ¡°She smells like wolf.¡± He spits on the ground. Tank shifts beside me, and the shotguns snaps to readiness. ¡°No, no, this isn¡¯t what we want,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯m here because I¡¯m looking for my father. I¡¯ve never met him, but he kept in touch with my mother. She¡¯s human. But I¡¯m a fox. See?¡± I raise my hand and will it to change. Maybe because I¡¯m desperate, or maybe because my fox knows she¡¯s around her own kind, my hand turns to a paw with reddish fur. A murmur ripples around the group. ¡°You¡¯d bettere with us,¡± the leader says. ¡°It¡¯s not safe to talk out in the open like this.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± I ask, but the foxes are already melting away. Pa nods at Jordy, and shees to stand beside me. ¡°Because¡±-her voice is practically a whisper-¡°the drones. They might be watching.¡± ~.~ The foxes march us to the hills, and lead us into one of the caves honebed into the reddish brown rock. They pause to argue whether to blindfold Tank before one points out that with his sense of smell, he could find them anyway. ¡°I mean you no harm,¡± Tank says. ¡°I¡¯m here to help Foxfire.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be dead before I believe the word of a wolf,¡± one of the younger men says, and spits. ¡°Now, Jason,¡± Pa cautions. The shotguns rx, but Tank hovers close to me. The only one who¡¯s not openly hostile is Jordy. ¡°Sit here,¡± she whispers when we¡¯re sheltered in the mouth of the cave. The foxes gather around us, their leaders taking ces on a few rocks that help them stand a head over Tank. They pass around a jug of something that smells like Tank¡¯s bottle in a brown paper bag, only a hundred times stronger. They don¡¯t offer it to us. ¡°Is this how you treat all your visitors?¡± Tank eyes the guns. ¡°We don¡¯t get many visitors,¡± Jason says. The fox next to him, almost identical down to his work boots and dirty overalls, spits. ¡°Why have youe?¡± Pa asks. ¡°I just want to find my father. Can you tell me about Johnny?¡± ¡°Yeah, he was one of us,¡± Jason speaks up. ¡°My dumb brother.¡± ¡°So, we¡¯re rted?¡± ¡°All fox shifters are rted,¡± my uncle answers. ¡°There aren¡¯t many of us. No thanks to the wolves.¡± ¡°My pack never did anyone harm,¡± Tanks says. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to. Shifters disappearing all over, and it¡¯s got the stink of wolf all over it.¡± Jason res at us. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I ask. ¡°Johnny¡¯s gone,¡± Pa says bluntly. ¡°He disappeared a year ago.¡± Tank and I exchange nces. I notice Jordy staring hard at the ground. ¡°What, he just disappeared? Did you go looking for him?¡± ¡°No. Didn¡¯t have to. The wolves took him. Jeb and Joey went and sniffed them out.¡± My uncle points to two other sandy-haired shifters who look so much alike, they could be brothers. Or cousins. ¡°Maybe you should ask your wolf where your father is,¡± Pa says. ¡°Wolves aren¡¯t taking people.¡± Tank frowns. ¡°Says a wolf,¡± Jason sneers. ¡°Do you know where they took him?¡± I interrupt their ring contest. ¡°I just know they took him. Snatched him from the marketst summer,¡± Jeb or Joey answers. All these J names and simr faces, it¡¯s hard to tell them apart. ¡°Johnny ran the market stall before Jordy. Had all these high falutin¡¯ ideas of foxes being part of society,¡± Pa says. ¡°See where it got him,¡± Jason mutters. I swallow around the knot in my throat. ¡°Now, Jordy runs the stall. We didn¡¯t want it, but she insisted.¡± Jordy visibly pales. She hasn¡¯t lifted her eyes from the ground. It¡¯s hard to see her standing up for anything. ¡°And look what happened,¡± Pa continues berating Jordy. ¡°A wolf tracked us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not her fault,¡± I say. ¡°I just found out I¡¯m a shifter. My fox wanted to find its kin.¡± I look around at the shadowed faces.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You live alone, girl?¡± Jason looks me up and down. ¡°She¡¯s under my protection.¡± Tank moves closer to me. A few foxes shake their heads. ¡°Please, can you tell me anything else about my father?¡± ¡°Johnny was an odd one. Moved around a bit, even took up residence in town at one time. Moved back here when shifters started disappearing.¡± ¡°What sort of shifters?¡± Tank asks. ¡°Grizzlies, foxes, eagles. A few big cats. Mostly the loners, or the weak.¡± ¡°Who would be taking them?¡± I ask. ¡°We don¡¯t know. Wolves, some of them.¡± ¡°Not my pack,¡± Tank says quickly. ¡°Does it matter? You¡¯re all the same.¡± Angry mutters ripple around us, and the shotguns bristle again. ¡°And Johnny, did he know this was happening?¡± I step in front of Tank, hoping to keep my kin from turning into a mob. ¡°He knew,¡± Pa answers. ¡°And he wanted to stop it. Didn¡¯t back off until toote. They got his scent, and when he went out to market, they took him.¡± ¡°Kin keep to kin,¡± Jason says, and a few foxes repeat his words in an eerie chant. My extended family feels more cult-like by the second. ¡°Foxes are meant to live in secret,¡± my uncle continues. ¡°Johnny never learned. And now he¡¯s gone.¡± 118 Foxfire It¡¯ste afternoon when we hike back to Daisy. The foxes provide an escort to the edge of theirnd, but only Jordy walks with us. ¡°Hey,¡± I whisper to her as we go single file through a dense thicket. ¡°You¡¯re not in trouble, are you? I mean, it¡¯s not your fault we found you. We would¡¯ve sniffed you out one way or another.¡± She shakes her head, but I don¡¯t quite believe her.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. When we hear the sound of cars on the highway, Tank and I find ourselves alone. ¡°You all right?¡± he asks as we climb into Daisy. I barely nod. My father is missing, and has been for most of the year. My kin are a bunch of backwoods, inbred, wolf-hating hillbillies. We didn¡¯t see any females other than Jordy, but if she¡¯s their example of a liberated woman, I don¡¯t even want to know what they think of hippie feminists who dye their hair and own businesses. No wonder Johnny didn¡¯t bring my mother into the fold. As much as she might dig the homemade clothes and living in caves, she couldn¡¯t give up coffee shops and modern plumbing. ¡°Foxfire?¡± Tank has pulled over. We¡¯re at a diner on the edge of town. ¡°We should call Sunny,¡± I say. My mom might be worried. Or, knowing her, assume we snuck off to make love in the woods all day. I pull my phone out and shoot her a text, asking if we can bring her dinner. She replies right away that she made friends with a few local market people and is going to a vegan potluck and meditation session with them tonight. Tank guides me into the diner and orders food. When ites, I pick at it. After polishing off his huge order, Tank bumps my foot. ¡°So, you met your kin. Pretty smart of them to hide out like that.¡± ¡°Did you know there were¡­ people¡­ living like that?¡± ¡°No. But I¡¯m not surprised. It¡¯s dangerous for the weaker species. They lie low.¡± He frowns. ¡°You gonna eat the rest of your burger?¡± I shake my head. ¡°What do they do if they have to go to the doctor?¡± ¡°Shifters don¡¯t need much medical care.¡± ¡°What about food? Schools?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t trust any outsiders. They take care of their own.¡± He signals to the waitress and asks her to box my food up, along with a few extra orders. Halfway to the car, he stops and pulls me alongside the building. He crowds me against the wall and frames my face with his big hands. ¡°Foxfire, talk to me.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t know he had a daughter,¡± I say around the lump in my throat. ¡°They had no idea¡­¡± Tank searches my face. ¡°He didn¡¯t want me.¡± My voice wobbles. ¡°Baby.¡± He hugs me. ¡°You know that¡¯s not true. He sent your mom money all these years.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t he evere to meet me?¡± ¡°He thought you were human, remember? Maybe he wanted to protect you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Do you think he wanted to expose you to those people? Risk theirying im to you, demanding you be raised among them?¡± I shake my head. Life with Sunny was definitely better than with the extras from the cast of Deliverance. ¡°Sounds like he was trying to escape them himself.¡± ¡°But what about what they said?¡± I ask. ¡°Shifters disappearing?¡± Tank straightens. Shadows move across his face. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he says finally. ¡°I can¡¯t say whether their ims are true or not. Your father could¡¯ve just run and escaped them. We may never find out.¡± ¡°It just sucks. I finally have a reason to seek out my father, and I¡¯m a year toote.¡± ¡°I know, baby. I know.¡± I head into the diner for a pitstop while Tank loads the food into Daisy. When I return, a soft voice calls my name. I whirl and peer into the shadows. ¡°Jordy?¡± My female fox kin inches away from the wall where her bike leans. ¡°You came to find me?¡± ¡°I wanted to give this to you.¡± She holds out a small brown object, a wallet. ¡°It¡¯s Johnny¡¯s. He left it hidden at the market stall, the day he disappeared. I found it in the locked money box. I was the only one who had a key.¡± I flip the worn leather open and peer at the driver¡¯s license. A solemn faced man, light-haired, with freckles, looks up at me. ¡°Johnny,¡± she confirms. ¡°He was my brother. Older by a bunch of years.¡± I close the wallet, hiding my father¡¯s picture away. ¡°That makes you my aunt.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She smiles shyly. She doesn¡¯t look that much older than me, maybe five years. ¡°Foxfire,¡± Tank calls. Jordy startles. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I step into the light and wave at Tank to wait a minute. Jordy cringes against the wall, the whites of her eyes shing in the dark. ¡°He doesn¡¯t bite, I promise.¡± ¡°Wolves are so dangerous,¡± Jordy whispers. ¡°You get used to him.¡± I shrug. She shakes her head. ¡°The n doesn¡¯t want him around, even if he is your mate.¡± ¡°My what?¡± ¡°He marked you.¡± She jerks her chin at my neck. I put a hand over the ce where Tank bit me. ¡°That¡¯s what wolves do when they find their mates.¡± ¡°So?¡± I say, not certain what she means by mate. ¡°I¡¯m still one of you.¡± ¡°No, you ain¡¯t. And that¡¯s the way it¡¯s gotta be.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re my family.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better just forget all of us. Johnny would want you to. Johnny wished he could sometimes.¡± ¡°Everything all right?¡± Tank walks slowly toward us. ¡°I gotta go.¡± Jordy grabs her bike and climbs on, poised to flee. ¡°You going to be okay?¡± Tank asks her. ¡°Yeah.¡± I add, ¡°You¡¯re not in trouble foring to talk to us?¡± ¡°I had toe. Johnny would¡¯ve wanted it.¡± ¡°Jordy¡­¡± I want to tell her she doesn¡¯t have to go back, that she cane and live with me. But I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m going to do. I thought I¡¯d find my father and things would magically make sense. ¡°Write down our numbers,¡± Tank decides for me. I fumble in my purse for a pen and paper and take down the digits. ¡°You get in trouble, you call.¡± He holds the paper out to Jordy. ¡°We¡¯ll get you out.¡± She snatches the paper and folds it so it disappears among her clothes before pedaling away. ¡°You okay, baby?¡± His hand rests on my neck, stroking. ¡°Yeah,¡± I whisper, watching the lone figure ride into the wilderness. ~.~ Tank Foxfire¡¯s quiet as I drive to the hotel. Jordy gave her something. I can smell it in her purse, but she doesn¡¯t mention it, so I don¡¯t bring it up. Back in the room, she disappears for a few minutes in the bathroom. I give her space, touching her lightly when she leaves and I take my turn to wash up. When Ie out she¡¯s lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The bag of food sits by her, untouched. I don¡¯t like how little she¡¯s eaten, but I understand. It¡¯s been an intense day. I lie down beside her. ¡°What do you need?¡± A little sigh escapes her. Her scent changes. Before I can analyze it, she rolls to face me, blinking herrge gray eyes. ¡°Make love to me, Tank.¡± I don¡¯t know what to say, so I stay silent. Her whole world is upside down. I¡¯m the only one she has to talk to. I¡¯m happy to be there for her, I¡¯m just not sure I deserve her trust. ¡°Please.¡± She wriggles closer, her head tilting up to mine. ¡°I need to be touched.¡± She lifts her hand, hesitates, and then touches my hair. ¡°I need you.¡± I swallow, hard. I thought resisting Foxfire, the crazy-haired sex kitten, was hard, but seeing her hurting guts me. Nothing on the would keep me from giving my mate what she needs. Even if I haven¡¯t wrapped my brain around the fact I¡¯ve marked her. As in, she¡¯s mine forever. And I¡¯m still not sure that¡¯s the best idea. What am I saying? My wolf fucking loves the idea. I just have this itchy feeling about how this will all fall out with the pack. I¡¯m up here in g when I should be keeping an eye on Eclipse and Garrett¡¯s businesses in Tucson. Have I forsaken my pack for a female, just like my father did? But I can figure that outter. Right now, my babygirl needs me. I wrap my hand around her nape, pull her close, and kiss her. We don¡¯t talk. We don¡¯t have to. I¡¯m not rough, this time. I give it to her sweet. Not quite tender-I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s possible for me-but as gentle as I can. I stroke my tongue into her mouth, suck at her lips. Pull her shirt off and drag down the straps of her bra. I worship her nipples, sucking, pinching, kissing. I move down her belly, divest her of her pants. She starts begging for my cock the minute my mouth is on her core, and I don¡¯t have the heart to dy her orgasm. I stand up and yank off my clothes. ¡°You want this, baby?¡± I grip my cock. ¡°Yes, Tank. I need you.¡± I climb over her and rub my cock along her glossy slit. For once, I use some restraint, inching in slowly, doing my best not to turn this into another bed-breaking m fest. She arches and squeezes me tight. Fuck. Maybe it will be another bed-breaker. I rock into her, holding her gray gaze,cing my fingers over the tops of hers. ¡°Is this what you need, little fox?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she chokes. She¡¯s popping her pelvis up to meet me on every stroke, rubbing her sweet spot over my cock. ¡°Yes!¡± I keep our bodies connected but roll over. Let her drive, for once. She straddles me, and I grip her hips, sliding her up and down the length of my cock. Her breasts bounce, color flushes her cheeks. She drops her hands to my chest and digs her nails into my skin. I let her take over the rhythm. Her eyes ze, lips part. She¡¯s already shot to outer space, but I don¡¯t make her stay with me. She needs this. ¡°Take it, baby. Take what you need.¡± She rides me fast, making the sexiest little grunts until shees. I hold her hips in ce and jack mine up, fucking her deep until I go off like a firecracker. She hums and settles on top of me, naked, her cheek cradled on my chest. I run my hand up and down her back, soothing her, listening to her heartbeat slow. ¡°Whatcha thinking about?¡± I nudge her. ¡°My kin.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Yeah, there are no words. ¡°At least I found them.¡± It¡¯s an obvious attempt at a silver lining, and it makes my chest tighten for her. ¡°And I guess we know why I¡¯m such a freak.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± I say immediately. ¡°Do what?¡± She raises her head. ¡°Nobody calls you a freak. If I catch anyone calling you names, I¡¯ll make them pay.¡± I waggle my eyebrows. ¡°Even if it¡¯s you.¡± Her lips quirk with a reluctant grin. ¡°You¡¯re going to spank me for calling myself names?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She snorts, but I let her see I¡¯m 100 percent serious. Not about punishing her, but about defending her. Because, despite my father¡¯s advice, I will choose Foxfire over pack, if ites to it. Any one of my pack brothers judges her, and they¡¯re going to swallow my fist whole. I roll on top of her, holding most of my weight while still covering her slender body with mine. She doesn¡¯t move, doesn¡¯t breathe, looking up at me like I hung the fucking moon. I want to bottle this feeling forever. The glory of being her lover, her protector. ¡°No one insults my baby.¡± I nuzzle her neck, right over the mark I gave her. I haven¡¯t exined it to her yet. I still had to wrap my own mind around it, and she has way too much on hers. But I will. She¡¯s mine, now, whether she likes it or not. 119 Foxfire Someone knocks on the door. Tank and I are in a tangle of limbs. ¡°Go-way,¡± I mumble. ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby. I got it,¡± Tank whispers, the ghost of his fingers trailing down my back as he leaves the bed. My mother¡¯s voice mingles with dreams of returning to the fox caves to meet my father, and convincing Jordy to dye her hair blue. I jerk as Tank¡¯s warm hand covers my shoulder. ¡°Foxfire, we¡¯ve got a problem.¡± Ie awake. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Someone shed our tiresst night. Your mom was out early this morning and found it.¡± ¡°Oh no.¡± ¡°The vandals didn¡¯t leave a note or a anything, but the tires¡¯ stink of fox piss.¡± I start to get up, and Tank presses my back. ¡°You stay. I¡¯ll handle it. I saw a shop right around the corner.¡± ¡°Why would the foxes do this?¡± ¡°Send a message. They don¡¯t want us visiting again.¡± ¡°By making it hard for us to leave?¡± ¡°They may not be the smartest shifters out there. Your father must¡¯ve been the exception.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Not your fault. Rest baby. You need sleep.¡± He¡¯s not wrong. The second he¡¯s gone, I¡¯m falling back into my crazy jumbled dreams. When I finally get up, Tank isn¡¯t back yet, so I shower and do my morning stuff. There are dark circles under my eyes, and I look like I¡¯ve lost weight. Even my normally brilliant plumage droops a little. Maybe I should be a redhead. Or blue-maybe my dream was a sign. My father¡¯s wallet lies on the bedside table, where I put itst night. I open it. ¡°Hey,¡± I tell my dad. ¡°Look, Sunny says I didn¡¯t want to know you when I was growing up. That¡¯s not true. I wanted to know why the other kids had dads, and I didn¡¯t. I wanted to meet you. But whenever she brought it up, she¡¯s right, I denied it. ¡°Sunny did her best. I know you did, too. But I wish you had been more selfish. I was a tough kid. I could¡¯ve handled it. I wish I had known you. I have a feeling now I never will.¡± I flip the wallet closed. Why did my dad leave his wallet before he skipped town? Was it a message to Jordy? I search through, and other than a few folded bills, change and a library card, there¡¯s nothing of note. Except, when I search an inner pocket, I discover a brass key. A small piece of tape marks it with a long number. A code? Is this a key to a safe? I tuck the key back carefully. Tank will know. I grab my phone and dial him. A few ringster I realize his bag is vibrating. He must¡¯ve left his phone here. I go get it, ready to run down and find Tank and tell him what I discovered. He has a few missed calls fromst night and this morning. One¡¯s from Garrett. There¡¯s even a text from a ¡°Jared.¡± ¡°U alive?!?¡± Guess Tank has been neglecting his pack to deal with my drama. As I stand there, holding the phone and feeling guilty, it rings. The caller¡¯s name is ¡°Dad.¡± Biting my lip, I answer. ¡°Tank¡¯s phone. He¡¯s not here right now, but I can take a message.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± an older version of Tank¡¯s voice asks. ¡°I¡¯m Foxfire. Did you want to speak to Tank? He left his phone here but should be back-¡± ¡°Is there a reason you¡¯re answering his phone?¡± ¡°He just ran out on an errand and left it here. I¡¯ll tell him to call his pack as soon as he gets back-he¡¯s been busy¡­ um¡­ helping me with some family problems.¡± Silence. I wince. This is not how I wanted an introduction with Tank¡¯s dad to go. ¡°I¡¯m a fox shifter,¡± I offer, then wonder if it was wise to tell him that. ¡°You¡¯re his father? It¡¯s nice to meet you-¡± ¡°Look,¡± the man interrupts. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, and I don¡¯t care. Tank has been off with you while his alpha and members of pack were in trouble.¡± ¡°What?¡± The air sucks out of the room. ¡°I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s doing with you, but his alpha¡¯s back in town, now, and wants answers. Tank needs to wise up and get back to his duties.¡± It¡¯s my turn to be silent. ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t mean to be hard on you. But Tank¡¯s second in the pack. You know what that means? His alpha relies on him. He doesn¡¯t need a woman messing up his ce in the pack.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± I will my voice not to shake. ¡°We only just met, but I care about your son.¡± ¡°If you care for him, you¡¯ll be careful with him. You say you¡¯re a fox shifter?¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± ¡°Shifters don¡¯t mix with other species. Tank needs a mate who understands him. He belongs with his kind.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell Tank you called,¡± I whisper, and hang up. My body is numb, like I¡¯ve been mmed into the ground. Shifters don¡¯t mix with other species. My kin, waving guns at Tank. Tank needs a mate who understands him. Tank at the wheel of his truck, trying to exin how a pack works to me. He belongs with his kind. Tank¡¯s face, filled with pity as he looks at Jordy. At me. The missed calls. His insistence he can¡¯t involve his pack. His father¡¯s ugly words, not angry, but worried. I don¡¯t belong in his world. He definitely doesn¡¯t belong in mine. I¡¯m doing just what his mother did, putting his good pack standing in jeopardy. Selfish, selfish, selfish. I pack up my stuff and put it in Sunny¡¯s room. I find out from Sunny where Tank had the car towed. Turns out it¡¯s a short walk from the hotel. Tankes around the bus as I approach, rubbing his greasy hands on a rag. ¡°Tires should be here by noon. I just did an oil change, and I¡¯m going to check a few more things before we go.¡± He nces at me. ¡°Everything okay?¡± My feet falter. I rehearsed what I¡¯m going to say on the way over, but, at the sight of him, biceps stretching the sleeves of his shirt, jeans creased with oil stains, proof that he was taking care of my mom¡¯s vehicle even though we didn¡¯t ask, and she probably can¡¯t pay. Tank being Tank. ¡°So, we¡¯re leaving?¡± He shrugs. ¡°It¡¯s up to you. I was thinking we¡¯d stay a few more days, see if we can get any more leads on your dad-¡± I shake my head. It¡¯s just like his dad said. I¡¯m a ball and chain, dragging him down. ¡°You need to go,¡± I blurt. His head jerks back, brows knotting. ¡°I mean¡­ I think it¡¯s best if you go back to your pack. They need you. My kin won¡¯t talk to me with you around and¡­¡± I shrug. He studies me a moment. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Foxfire?¡± I take a deep breath, and bring out the big guns. ¡°When were you going to tell me you marked me as mate?¡± ~.~ Tank Foxfire rubs her palms on her jeans but stands her ground. Her scent is off, somehow, and she isn¡¯t looking me directly in the eyes. Until now. ¡°Well? You marked me, Tank.¡± Fuck. ¡°Who told you that?¡± ¡°Jordy.¡± She pulls her hair to the side, baring the red weal. It¡¯s healed up nicely. Shifters heal fast, but the serum in my fangs for iming a mate makes sure it leaves a mark. ¡°Foxfire-¡± ¡°Why, Tank?¡± Her voice is hard. I¡¯ve never heard this tone from her before. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say someone abducted my woman and put an actor in her ce. ¡°I messed up,¡± I say, rubbing the back of my neck. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± She closes her eyes. Fuck. ¡°Exin.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. My wolf wants you. He¡¯s always wanted you. But it was wrong of me to do it. I should¡¯ve had better control.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t belong,¡± she says. ¡°You¡¯re a wolf, and I¡¯m a fox.¡± I start toward her, and she puts her hand out to keep space between us. ¡°Your dad called.¡± I can¡¯t keep up with the change of subject. I realize she¡¯s holding out my cell phone. ¡°Garrett and the others are wondering where you are. Your pack has been in some trouble.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°They need you, Tank.¡± She takes a deep breath. ¡°I don¡¯t need you. Not anymore.¡± I search her face. Nothing of Foxfire in there, no light, no excitement. Stony and cold. I marked her without permission. She has a right to be upset. As soon as I take my cell phone, she turns away. She¡¯s right. My phone is blown up with texts and calls from the pack. My alpha. My dad. ¡°I took a call from your dad,¡± she says. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have done it, but you left your phone, and I didn¡¯t want them worrying. Anyway, he told me your pack needs you.¡± Fuck. There¡¯s a text from Garrett to the entire pack. A meeting, tonight. ¡°I should go.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s for the best.¡± She doesn¡¯t look back at me. ¡°We can give you a ride-¡± Dammit. Leaving her-especially now, when she¡¯s pissed at me-goes against every cell in my body-shifter or human. But I can¡¯t shirk my duties to the pack, and she clearly doesn¡¯t want me here. Maybe she just needs some space. I¡¯ll reconnect with her after the pack meeting and get her to talk to me. ¡°The car shop has a motorcycle I can buy and take back to Tucson. The repairs are all paid for, and the tires should be on before closing. I¡¯ll call when I get to Tucson to make sure you and your mom are all set.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be fine,¡± she says tightly. ¡°No need to check on us.¡± Fuck a goddamn duck. I guess I¡¯m getting a taste of my own goddamn medicine. She¡¯s totally shut me out. My instincts scream at me not to go, but staying doesn¡¯t make sense. The long motorcycle ride will clear my head. So will reconnecting with my pack. ~.~ Foxfire I wander through the market, stopping at my dad¡¯s old booth. The scent of fox is fading. Something tells me Jordy won¡¯t be back to run the booth. This is a dead end. This whole trip was. I choke back a sob. The wind picks up. Old newspapers swirl in the flurries. A gust carries the scent of patchouli oil to me. ¡°Foxfire?¡± Sunny approaches. ¡°I just saw Tank-he bought a used motorcycle from the repair shop and is heading back to Tucson. Is everything all right?¡± I burst into tears. ~.~ Back in our hotel room, I tell her everything. Everything except about us being shifters, of course. She grimaces at my description of Johnny¡¯s family but doesn¡¯t seem surprised. ¡°He told me a little about them. Enough to make it clear I¡¯d never want to meet them. Everyone worked in the family business, with no outside pursuits. The men were domineering, the women shut-ins. Very rigid society, very patriarchal. Your father wasn¡¯t that way at all.¡± I show her the wallet, and she smiles at the picture of Johnny. ¡°I found this.¡± I pull out the key. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what it opens, but he left it behind when he disappeared.¡± Or was taken. I don¡¯t know much about shifter society, but if his n thought he was abducted, I believed them. After all, he¡¯d wandered off before, when he met my mother. This sounded different. ¡°This probably opens a safety deposit box,¡± Sunny muses. ¡°Everything he sent me was from the post office here. I already went to visit-very nice people. They remember Johnny.¡± ¡°Have they seen him?¡± ¡°Not since earlyst year.¡± As I take the key back, I can¡¯t shake the feeling of dread. My father disappeared and left his wallet in a lockbox. Maybe he meant to return and put it there for safekeeping. Or maybe not.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°S-should we¡­¡± I stumble over the words because they feel like an acknowledgment Johnny is really gone. For good. ¡°Should we go see what it opens?¡± ¡°I think your father left it for someone to find.¡± ~.~ Papers, papers, and more papers-everything from handwritten notes to photocopied newspaper clippings. My father wasn¡¯t a fox, he was a packrat. Hiding my disappointment from Sunny, I dump the contents into a box the nice post office people provide, and return to the hotel. We spread everything out on the bed, and I eat my leftovers fromst night as Sunny sifts through it. ¡°Interesting,¡± she says. ¡°This looks like¡­ research. Some sort of project.¡± A newspaper headline catches my eye. ¡°Missing mother,¡± I read. ¡°And here¡¯s another. Missing local man.¡± I open my father¡¯s notebook and find a corresponding list. Name, date, and an animal name. I read a few before I realize what the animal means. Grizzly, lion, eagle, raven-they¡¯re types of shifters. ¡°Johnny was looking into missing people,¡± Sunny says, and starts stacking the newspaper clippings to one side. In the end there are over thirty, with a few more marked on the list in the notebook. Not just missing people. Missing shifters. The foxes were right. Shifters are disappearing. And my father waspiling evidence to prove it. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Sunny lifts a piece of paper, copied from some sort of map. Johnny sketched a few boxes on it, somerge, some small, withbels in his neat handwriting. ¡°Main warehouse, cage area,b one,b two,¡± Sunny reads. ¡°Apound,¡± I say, matching the map to my father¡¯s notes. ¡°It¡¯s near the Arizona border, just outside the Ute Mountain Reservation. Looks like total wilderness.¡± I get my phone out and look up the coordinates, but Google Earth doesn¡¯t show any buildings. ¡°It¡¯s a secret facility.¡± I raise my head, and meet my mother¡¯s wide eyes. ¡°That¡¯s where the missing people end up. See?¡± I flip to the end of the notebook, where Johnny has dates and notes of trucks moving in and out of thepound. He even noted license tes. ¡°Delivery, October 26th. He found this ce and spied on it for over a year.¡± I point to thest date. April 24th ofst year. ¡°He thought that something fishy was going on, and thepound was ground zero.¡± ¡°What does this mean?¡± ¡°Johnny didn¡¯t just wander off. Neither did these missing people. If his notes are correct, they¡¯re not just vanishing into thin air. ¡°They¡¯re being taken.¡± 120 Tank The bike had half a tank of gas, so I ride a few hours before I take a pit stop. Before I hit the road, I texted Garrett and a few others. Apparently, they had an adventure in Mexico, but everyone¡¯s safe home now. They¡¯ll debrief everyone at the pack meeting, and I let them know I¡¯d be back in time for that. I¡¯ll ride all day without stopping except for gas. Let the road and fresh air shake the memory of thest few days, trippy hippie humans and foxydies with Looney Tunes hair. Foxfire. Fuck. Dad was right. Women are crazy. I don¡¯t even know what happened back there, but I feel like a freight train just ripped through the center of my chest. When I stop for gas, I turn on my phone. A few missed calls, the newest from an unknown number, and my dad. I call him back. ¡°Son?¡± My dad¡¯s voice is strained. Of course, my pack has been through the wringer, and though I¡¯ve been out of it, he hasn¡¯t gotten hold of me. ¡°Yeah, Dad. It¡¯s me. I¡¯m on my way back to Tucson.¡± ¡°Everything all right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I rub my face, feeling about one hundred years old. My wolf is silent, like he¡¯s sick. I wonder if my dad felt this way when my mom took off. A loss like missing a limb. ¡°I¡¯m alone.¡± He hesitates. ¡°I made a mistake,¡± I tell him. ¡°But it¡¯s for the best. I¡¯ll be with my pack soon.¡± ¡°Son.¡± He clears his throat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry things didn¡¯t work out. I spoke to your female earlier.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Foxfire did mention she talked to him. ¡°I might have been harsher than I needed to be. I was just trying to protect you.¡± ¡°What did you say? No, it doesn¡¯t matter. The mating instinct-you were right. Ites on strong.¡± ¡°You¡­ was she your mate?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It¡¯s messed up, but there¡¯s no denying how my wolf feels for Foxfire. How I feel. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that,¡± my dad mutters. ¡°What does it matter? Mating instincts mess a wolf up. You always told me that.¡± My bike tank is full. If I hit the road, now, I can reach Tucson and not be toote for the meeting. ¡°Anyway, I gotta go-¡± ¡°Son, there¡¯s something you should know. Your mother-¡± ¡°She betrayed the pack. She betrayed you.¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t my mate.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We were stupid, and in love. She wanted me to mark her. But my wolf¡­ he knew. I tried to make it work.¡± ¡°My mom wasn¡¯t your mate?¡± My head is spinning. ¡°But I thought-¡± ¡°I told you beware the mating instinct. But, looking back, I realized, I never had it with your mother. The mistake I made-that¡¯s on me.¡± I don¡¯t know what to say. ¡°I did my best to raise you right,¡± my dad goes on. ¡°I did what I could. But, you¡¯re a man now. You can make your own decisions. And if your wolf decides it¡¯s time to take a mate, even if she is a fox¡­¡± ¡°Shifters don¡¯t mix. You always told me that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Times are changing. Your own alpha just took a human mate-¡± ¡°What?¡± My cellphone beeps with a missed message, and I can¡¯t handle hearing anything else. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve got to go.¡± ¡°All right, son. Be safe.¡± Thest few days have been crazy, and I¡¯m right back in the twilight zone. My dad just called and told me it¡¯s okay to take a mate. I may not have his blessing, but at least he¡¯s not going to disown me. At least not until he sees Foxfire¡¯s hairdo, and meets her mother. My cellphone beeps again, impatiently, and I hit the button to listen to my messages. A soft voice starts talking, and I have to punch up the sound. ¡°Is Jordy. Thought you¡¯d want to know¡­ Foxfire and her mom came by.¡± I tense. ¡°They had a bunch of evidence about the missing shifters and a location-¡± A bunch of bikers pull in, their Harleys drowning out Jordy¡¯s near whisper. I stride to the edge of the parking lot to get a little quiet. ¡°The elders refused to help. We¡¯re packing up. This ce isn¡¯t safe for us.¡± A pause. ¡°Don¡¯t try to reach me on this number. We¡¯ll be gone before Foxfire goes to thepound where the missing shifters might be held. She said you¡¯d left, and I know she¡¯s your mate. I just thought you¡¯d want to know.¡± I listen to the message twice more then hit redial. Sure enough, the number is disconnected. Fuck. I dial Foxfire¡¯s number. It goes to voicemail. ¡°Foxfire. Call me.¡± I text her, too, and call again, chanting, ¡°Pick up, pick up, pick up.¡± ¡°Hello?¡± At the sound her voice, my wolf raises his head. ¡°Where are you?¡± I growl. She doesn¡¯t say anything. ¡°I just got a call from Jordy. She said you found more about missing shifters, including a location where they might be held. So I¡¯ll ask again, where are you?¡± ¡°What do you care?¡± I ignore this. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re at thepound.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Silence. ¡°Foxfire.¡± My phone crackles under the strength of my grip. ¡°Your father disappeared. If he was kidnapped, then these people are dangerous.¡± ¡°I know that. I¡¯m not stupid.¡± ¡°So what are you going to do?¡± Silence. ¡°Foxfire-¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to wait until dark and sneak in.¡± I hear a slight crunch. My cellphone case. I loosen my grip. ¡°What if there are guards?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to set a fire and pull the fire rm.¡± ¡°Set a fire?¡± ¡°Yeah, just a small one.¡± ¡°Arson is not a n.¡± My voice is such a deep growl it¡¯s almost unrecognizable. I will myself to calm down before I shift and go on a rampage. ¡°Baby, just stay where you are. I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. I¡¯m not your baby. And I definitely don¡¯t want to be your responsibility. I can take care of myself-I always have.¡± Responsibility? I don¡¯t know what the fuck Foxfire is talking about, but we don¡¯t have time to discuss it now. ¡°Give me the address, Foxfire. Don¡¯t put yourself in danger. Or your mom. I¡¯ming for you.¡± I straddle my bike, ready to ride out. ¡°Tell me where you are.¡± ¡°Go to Tucson. Where you¡¯re needed. I don¡¯t want you to follow yourpulsion to take care of me.¡± She hangs up. I throw my head back and howl. When I¡¯m done, the Harley riders are all staring at me. I snarl at them, and pocket my phone. My bike leaves marks on the pavement as I tear off. A few miles down the road, I start to think clearly. She had time to visit the foxes, and then get to thepound, wherever it is, in the past few hours. If I ever meet those elders again, I¡¯m going to tear them a new one for leaving her unprotected. You left her first, my wolf reminds me. And he¡¯s right. And now Foxfire doesn¡¯t even want me toe. Not that I¡¯ll let that stop me. I¡¯ll never make that mistake again. I pull off the highway again and make a call. Jackson answers on the first ring. ¡°Tank?¡± I tell him my news in a rush. Jackson is a werewolf, and owns a systems securitypany worth over a billion. Oh, and his wife¡¯s one of the world¡¯s best hackers. I already asked him and Kylie to help me track down Foxfire¡¯s dad. Exining doesn¡¯t take long. ¡°What do you need?¡± Jackson asks. ¡°I have Kylie here.¡± ¡°Hey, Tank.¡± A bright voicees on the line. Kylie is a young for such a brilliant hacker, a beautiful nerd Jackson mated almost as soon as heid eyes on her. ording to Trey, she¡¯s a nerd with a bangin¡¯ body. We told Trey never to say that to Jackson¡¯s face, unless he wanted an early grave. Jackson may not be our alpha, but he¡¯s alpha material, for sure. ¡°Thanks for all the work you¡¯re doing on this,¡± I say quickly, putting as much respect into my tone as I can. ¡°You have no idea what this means to me and my mate.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Her warmthes through the phone. ¡°d to help. But there¡¯s something you should know. I did a little digging-not too much, Jackson doesn¡¯t want the feds after me again.¡± Jackson mutters something I don¡¯t hear. ¡°I got pretty deep into some¡­ illegal channels. A sort of job board for criminal types.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I say, as if I¡¯m following. Which I¡¯m not. ¡°Foxfire¡¯s name was there. Specifically, a low paying job to capture and carry-a kidnapping order.¡± Chills run up and down my spine. ¡°There was a bounty for her. A thousand dors, if she was brought in alive.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Kylie repeats it, but I¡¯m barely listening. The thug at her door. The mafia men shaking down her mother. It wasn¡¯t about Sunny. They were after Foxfire. ¡°Tank? Are you still there?¡± ¡°Yeah. Give me a moment.¡± There are people snatching shifters. Johnny looked into it, and he was taken. And now they¡¯re after Foxfire. Why? My phone vibrates with a text. I stare at it for a second before I realize what I¡¯m seeing. ¡°Thought you might need this. -Sunny.¡± Followed by an address. Not a road address, just degrees of longitude andtitude. For better or worse, Foxfire¡¯s mother is on my side. Thank fuck for the Queen of La La Land. ¡°Hang on,¡± I say, ¡°I¡¯ve got an address.¡± I read Jackson the coordinates. ¡°There¡¯s nothing there,¡± Kylie says after some ferocious typing. ¡°Oh wait. There was something-a building, or a few of them. But it looks like it was updated to show nothing there.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s fishy. Very, very fishy,¡± Kylie says. ¡°I¡¯m on it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m heading out,¡± I tell them. ¡°I think Foxfire¡¯s in danger.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll work on this and be in touch,¡± Jackson promises before they sign off. I¡¯m itching to get on the road, but there¡¯s one more call I need to make. I dial my alpha. ¡°Hey, Tank, what¡¯s-¡± ¡°I need backup,¡± I interrupt, and rush to fill the shocked silence that follows. Garrett knows I wouldn¡¯t interrupt him without good reason. ¡°Foxfire¡¯s a fox shifter. Her father was one too, and he¡¯s missing. Her kin won¡¯t look for him. They say he was snatched by shifters. They¡¯ve tracked his scent to a warehouse, and Foxfire is about to rush in.¡± ¡°Shifter snatchers?¡± ¡°Foxfire¡¯s dad was doing research on them before he disappeared too, a year ago. Foxfire found out, and now she¡¯s going to pick up where he left off.¡± I swallow. Any second now my alpha¡¯s gonna interrupt and order me home. ¡°I know it¡¯s sounds crazy, but I think we should help. I¡¯m going to, whatever you decide.¡± Defiance doesn¡¯t sit well with wolves. I may be out on my ass. ¡°Foxfire¡¯s a fox,¡± Garrett says slowly. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°And her dad¡¯s been abducted.¡± ¡°A year ago. He may not be alive.¡± I¡¯m about to tell my alpha I need to go, and deal with the consequencester, when Garrett curses. ¡°We dealt with these fuckers in Mexico. Whatever you do-don¡¯t kill them all.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Get your woman to safety. Then call me. Wait-Amber has something to say.¡± It takes me a second to remember who Amber is. Foxfire¡¯s friend. The little human Garrett was sniffing around. My dad said my alpha imed her as mate. ¡°Tank,¡± Garrettes back on the line. ¡°You need to get on the road, now. Amber¡¯s psychic, and she says you don¡¯t have any time to waste. If you¡¯re not there by dusk, Foxfire is in trouble.¡± 121 Foxfire I raise the binocrs and sweep the perimeter of thepound again. I¡¯m up a tree, trying to spy on thepound from the distance. We¡¯re on a hill, a little ways away. Not perfect, but the best vantage point I could find without getting close enough to get caught. ¡°No movement,¡± I mutter. So far, the ce has proved pretty boring. There are a few cars in there, but they have been there all day, and other than a few guards who patrol every other hour, I haven¡¯t seen any sign of a person. No vans going in and out today, like my father made note of in his journal. I guess that¡¯s something to be d of. No vans means no deliveries. No kidnapped shifters. I climb down and make note in my dad¡¯s journal, picking up where he left off. Thest entry was so long ago. I try not to imagine what that might mean. Sunny sits cross-legged in front of Daisy. I expect her to be meditating, but instead she¡¯s watching me, brow furrowed. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen anything yet. I¡¯m going to go hike around, see if I can get closer.¡± I need more information if I¡¯m going to break in tonight.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s wise?¡± ¡°Do you have a better n?¡± She presses her lips together. ¡°No,¡± I veto it before I know what she¡¯s going to say. ¡°Honey, really, we need to talk about Tank.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about. He left.¡± ¡°I can tell you¡¯re hurting. He meant something to you.¡± ¡°We met a few days ago.¡± I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s only since Saturday. I¡¯ve lived through several lifetimes. ¡°I barely knew him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s worried about you. He cares about you, too.¡± If he cared, why did he leave? Oh yeah, because I told him to. Because he doesn¡¯t belong with me. ¡°We don¡¯t fit, Mom. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡± ¡°All right, dear. I¡¯m sure you know best.¡± ¡°Yep. I never want to see him again.¡± Sunny sucks in a breath like she¡¯s gonna say something. ¡°What, Mom?¡± ¡°The thing is¡­ I may have told him where we are.¡± I cuss and check my phone. My signal¡¯s not great, so I climb the tree again. Sure enough, I have a bunch of missed calls, some from Amber. Plus a text from Tank. ¡°Stay where you are. I¡¯ming. I have a n to break in tonight. Do not go in alone.¡± ~.~ Tank At twilight, I reach thepound. I slow my bike and look for a road. Sure enough, there¡¯s one cutting through the trees, right where the coordinates indicate the hidden area. I pass it and circle back, running off the road and hiding my bike in the trees. I check my phone for a text from Foxfire. Nothing. I told her I have a n but that was a bit of a bluff. My n isn¡¯t much better than hers-sneak up to thepound, break in, and snoop around. The only difference is that I¡¯d rather be the one in danger than her. I dial Jackson and Kylie next. ¡°Tank?¡± Kylie answers. ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± I say quietly. ¡°I¡¯m about a quarter mile from thepound in the woods.¡± ¡°Good. Sit tight. Sam ising to help. He should be arriving at your coordinates now.¡± I nce around the dark woods. ¡°How do you know my coordinates?¡± ¡°I hacked your phone,¡± she says impatiently. ¡°He should be there any minute. He can help you break in and get the data I need.¡± ¡°What-¡± I start, and whirl at a minute noise several hundred feet to my right. I smell him before I see him. ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± I tell Kylie. ¡°He¡¯ll exin everything. Don¡¯t call me again unless you¡¯re on a burner phone.¡± She hangs up. ¡°Sam.¡± Sam¡¯s a young wolf who bartends at Club Eclipse but isn¡¯t a full member of Garrett¡¯s pack because he¡¯s bound to Jackson, who¡¯s a lone wolf. ¡°Tank.¡± He nods, not quite meeting my eye. I¡¯m more dominant than he is. If I remember the story right, Jackson took him in as a teen runaway. He¡¯d found him on a mountain in wolf form-running wild. He¡¯s been that way for months. If Jackson hadn¡¯t hunted him down and forced him to shift, Sam would¡¯ve lost his humanity forever. As it is, he¡¯s still a loner. Smart, but keeps to himself, even in a crowd. I¡¯m surprised Kylie would send him. Usually more dominant wolves are better inbat. ¡°Kylie says you know the n?¡± He nods. ¡°Garrett and Jackson worked it out.¡± ¡°Garrett?¡± ¡°He called after you did. They came up with everything, and sent me.¡± Sam must¡¯ve been closer to this ce than I was, if he got here so quickly. I don¡¯t waste time asking. ¡°What are we going to do?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a main building. We¡¯re going to wait until 21:00 and sneak in through a hole in the fence. I have bolt cutters. You look around for any captive shifters while I hack their intr and set up a mole program so Kylie can get into their systems.¡± ¡°You know how to do that?¡± ¡°I live with Jackson King.¡± ¡°All right.¡± I hold out my hand. ¡°I need your burner phone.¡± ~.~ Foxfire After sunset, the temperature drops quickly. I wish I had thought to pick up some food, more than just gran bars. Something vibrates, and I startle. My phone is off to save the battery from draining in the low service area. My mom holds out hers. ¡°It¡¯s Tank.¡± I sigh but ept it. The fact that she can even get cell service up here is a minor miracle. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°My mom already told you that, didn¡¯t she? You have a good nose. You figure it out. On second thought,¡± I add hastily, ¡°don¡¯t try. I don¡¯t want to see you.¡± ¡°Are you still nning to break in?¡± ¡°My dad might be in there. Or, I don¡¯t know, he might not be. He might be dead. I¡¯m not naive. I just want answers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to get them for you. In an hour, I¡¯m breaking into thepound.¡± I clutch the phone. ¡°You are?¡± ¡°Yeah, we have a n. I¡¯m with another shifter, a hacker. He knows how to get into their files. I¡¯m going in and standing guard while he hacks their system. I¡¯ll look for your dad.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s there, you¡¯ll break him out?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s your dad. I called the pack, and told them-¡± ¡°You called the pack?¡± My heart thuds harder. ¡°Yeah.¡± I can¡¯t believe it. He called the pack for me. ¡°I need you to take your mom and get away from this ce. Foxfire, I mean it. I need you somewhere safe.¡± ¡°I am safe.¡± ¡°You¡¯re in a VW bus painted bright purple with yellow flowers.¡± ¡°Actually it¡¯s bright yellow with purple flowers.¡± ¡°Foxfire-¡± ¡°All right, all right. I promise I¡¯ll be safe.¡± ¡°Promise you won¡¯t try to storm thepound.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t. I¡¯ll stay far away. Just¡­ Tank?¡± ¡°Yeah, baby?¡± ¡°Be safe. Okay?¡± ¡°Baby,¡± he says softly, before he hangs up. 122 Tank It¡¯s full dark when Sam and I arrive at the tall chain-link fence topped with barbed wire that surrounds thepound. There are a few small outbuildings, but the two cars in the dirt lot are in front of therge main building. ¡°That¡¯s where the server room is,¡± Sam points out. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°Kylie hacked a satellite to get updated images.¡± I mentally put her on my don¡¯t ever piss off list, and hunch down to wait. There is a hut with a few guards carrying automatic weapons, to keep out anyone entering the road. Most of their security lies in not showing up on any map. Their mistake, our good luck. I try to get a good scent of the ce. It smells like shifters, but not just one type. Wolf, and a few others I¡¯m not familiar with. No fox. Two men walk out of the building and head to the cars. Sam brought weapons for us-funny-shaped ck guns. ¡°Tranquilizers,¡± he tells me. ¡°Garrett doesn¡¯t want any deaths.¡± I rest my hand on it as we wait. ¡°All right,¡± Sam says, when thest car rolls past the guard¡¯s gate. We creep around to the back of thepound and he puts on gloves to use the bolt cutters. ¡°Wait.¡± I point to a sign that indicates electric current. ¡°It¡¯s off,¡± Sam says. ¡°Not sure why. It was probably built to keep shifters in, rather than out.¡± ¡°Maybe there¡¯s no one they need to keep in right now.¡± I hope it¡¯s not true. That doesn¡¯t bode well for Foxfire¡¯s dad. We crawl through the small hole Sam makes. He pulls it shut behind us so a guard won¡¯t notice the breach. From there it¡¯s a short run to the back of the main building. The scent of shifters is much stronger here, shing with a myriad of other smells: bleach, chemicals, and cleansing fluid over darker scents. Blood. Fur. Fear. Under the cover of darkness, we reach a door. I stand watch while Sam crouches to pick the lock. I stop him before he opens it. ¡°rm?¡± Sam shakes his head. ¡°They think they¡¯re safe.¡± I hold my breath as he opens it, but nothing triggers. ¡°All right. Go fast. Find the server room.¡± We follow our noses down a sick-smelling corridor. The harsh cleansers used to clean this ce almost numb my nose, but Sam seems to know just where he¡¯s going. I follow him,mitting a few turns to memory until hees to a quiet office filled with powered-down machines. ¡°Here.¡± He pulls a seat up to aputer. ¡°This will be a few minutes.¡± I hover in the door, keeping watch. The guards should patrol this ce regrly. My hope is that they¡¯recent. So far, they are. I¡¯d hate to get into a firefight with them. Our weapons will be no match for theirs. Especially if the guards are used to bringing down shifters. Sam¡¯s face is eerily lit by the screen. ¡°How much longer?¡± I ask. ¡°I¡¯m in. Ten minutes.¡± Just enough time for me to search the building and see if Johnny is here. ¡°Be right back.¡± I sneak down the hall, following my nose around a few turns. There¡¯s a definite animal smell that not even the antiseptic can mask. What sort of shifter, I can¡¯t say. I reach a stairwell and ease the door open. The shifter scent hits me full force, along with the scent of blood and shit. Breathing through my mouth, I descend the stairs. Tingles run up and down my spine as I enter the basement. There arerge cages on the other side of the door. The smell is even stronger. This is where they keep their secrets. Inside, I prowl up and down the rows of empty cages. There are several separate rooms of them, each smelling a little different. Different shifters, I guess. Each room fans off the central one, which is ab full of racks of test tubes,puters, and tables with heavy restraints. The smell of fear is strongest here. I gag and back out. One more round of the ce, and I reach a wall with small doors leading to cells. I nce in each one, relying on my nose to tell me if anyone¡¯s living. There¡¯s a few on the end with no window looking in. I almost miss checking when my foot hits the desk nearby and the consolees to life. On screen is a dark room. A camera on one of the cells. As I watch, the shadows move. In the darkness glow two bright eyes. There¡¯s only one creature in here, other than me. A shifter. A prisoner. I go to the door and rap on it. ¡°Hey. Anyone alive in there?¡± I wait a few minutes. Nothing. I need to be getting back up to Sam. I¡¯m about to leave when a growl brings my wolf to high alert. ¡°Who wants to know?¡± a deep voice asks. ¡°I¡¯m a friend. I¡¯m looking for a fox shifter. The father of my mate.¡± ¡°Are you a prisoner or one of them?¡± ¡°Neither. I¡¯m here to get you out.¡± It¡¯s the truth. The n is just to do reconnaissance, and wait for the pack to do a full out rescue within the next few nights. ¡°We will free you and whoever else is here, I swear on the life of my mate.¡± ¡°You here for Johnny?¡± ¡°You know him?¡± ¡°Get me out, and I¡¯ll take you to him.¡± Damn. That¡¯s not the n. ¡°Is this door rmed?¡± ¡°Not anymore. I¡¯m not the threat I used to be.¡± Here goes nothing. I study the door. I could try to kick it in, but it¡¯s probably built to withstand shifters. ¡°Hang on,¡± I mutter and rip the hinges off, backing up as the door wrenches open from the inside. ¡°I¡¯m armed,¡± I say as the prisoner climbs out. ¡°I¡¯m no threat, the shifter growls. He¡¯s huge but emaciated, his ribs jutting from hisrge frame. His scent is rich and smoky. ¡°What¡¯s your animal?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t smell me, wolf?¡± He turns his head and gives me the full force of his stare. Golden eyes with a small ck pupil. Lion. I recognize the tattoo on his shoulder. ¡°Special forces?¡± He nods. ¡°How long have you been here?¡± A pause, and then an awfulugh. If I were in wolf form, my fur would stand on end. ¡°To long. Far too long.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have much time.¡± ¡°This way.¡± I follow him back up the stairs, ears perked for any noises. The hall upstairs is as dark and silent as ever. ¡°What the fuck were they doing in here?¡± I mutter as we pass anotherb room. ¡°Experiments on shifters,¡± the tortured lion says. ¡°They¡¯re obsessed with bloodline. Sometimes¡­¡± His head cocks to the side as if he¡¯s remembering something. ¡°Sometimes,¡± he mutters, almost to himself, ¡°they breed them.¡± I keep my distance as we turn down another hall. I don¡¯t have to be a shrink to know this guy is crazy. ¡°In here,¡± he says. My wolf makes me wait until he backs away to peer through the door. There¡¯s no one in the room. Just arge white box and the smell of ash and death. ¡°Cremation,¡± my guide rasps. ¡°That¡¯s how they get rid of the evidence. You want to find Johnny? He¡¯s in there.¡± And he lets out anotherugh. I reel back, gut twisting with the awful sound. The lion shifter leaps forward and ms my head against the wall. I drop to a knee, dazed. When I find my bnce, the lion is gone. Fuck. I race back to Sam. He¡¯s not at the sameputer, but over by the wall. ¡°We got to go.¡± He rises and hurries to a table to pack up his tools. ¡°What happened to you?¡± I swipe at my face. My nose is bleeding. ¡°Found a prisoner and freed him. We need to move, now.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The prisoner might be smart enough to escape but might not care about not setting off rms. Sure enough, as we dart into the hall, lights flood the building. rms re. ¡°Shit.¡± ¡°Come on,¡± Sam grabs me and pulls me another way. As we run, shouts hit the building outside. ¡°What are we going to do? We¡¯re surrounded.¡± ¡°n B,¡± Sam says grimly. He pushes me against the wall and presses against it next to me. ¡°Brace yourself.¡± ¡°Wh-¡± A st shakes the building. ~.~ Foxfire ¡°Foxfire,¡± my mom calls from her perch atop Daisy. ¡°Something¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°What?¡± I ask, but as soon as I stand on the seat, hanging out the front door, I can see. There are floodlights on at thepound and ring rms ring. ¡°Oh no.¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Trouble,¡± I say. ¡°With a capital T.¡± ~.~ Tank ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± I shout as the shock of the st rings in my ear. The sprinklers cut on, and we run through the slick hall. ¡°n B.¡± Sam doesn¡¯t exin. ¡°You set a bomb?¡± ¡°Just in case we needed a diversion.¡± He¡¯s creepily calm. Still a slender, mild-looking shifter-apart from the piercings and tats. But there¡¯s gleam in his eye I don¡¯t like. ¡°Come on.¡± I race toward the door at the end of the hall. If we¡¯re lucky, the guards are distracted enough we can still escape. But when I stick my head out, lights sh my way. ¡°Shit.¡± ¡°This way. There¡¯s another exit.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± Sam propels me forward. ¡°I¡¯ve been here before.¡± I don¡¯t have time for the WTF rattling through my brain. More shouts ring through the building. The guards from the hut are inside, and now it¡¯s a game of cat and mouse to make sure they don¡¯t find us. We duck into a room, a normal-looking office. I crouch behind a desk, muttering curses. Sam squats next to me, an oasis of calm. ¡°Another ten seconds, and then we run for it.¡± He nods to the window. I stare at him. ¡°Wait for it,¡± Sam says, and I brace. Sure enough, another st ripples through the building, this onerger, shaking the floor. Sam rushes past me, and I follow, overtaking him to m feet-first into the ss. It breaks under my flying weight. I roll on thewn, Sam right behind. We find our feet and pelt toward the fence but don¡¯t quite make it before the guards notice us and shout. We m ourselves to the safe side of a small outbuilding before machinegun firees our way. ¡°Shit,¡± Sam says. ¡°The fence is back on.¡± Sure enough, the metal hums and crackles with electric charge, probably enough to knock a shifter unconscious. ¡°There.¡± Sam points to a hole in the fence, metal shed open. I give a silent thanks to the newly freed lion. Sure, he was crazy. But I¡¯m beginning to fear Sam could give him a run for his money. ¡°We can get to it if we have a distraction. Got any more explosives?¡± Sam shakes his head. I hear the guards getting closer and put my hand on my gun. I just hope they¡¯re not shooting to kill. Or, if we¡¯re captured, that the pack is close behind. I¡¯m about to dart out and make myst stand when something whistles and pops overhead. Sam and I duck at an explosion. But instead of an earth-shattering st, the sky lights up with colored lights. Fireworks. Beautiful, loud fireworks, exploding above the guard tower. A perfect distraction. ¡°Foxfire,¡± I whisper before grabbing Sam and shoving him first through the shredded hole in the fence toward freedom. ~.~ Foxfire Green lights explode above me. ¡°That¡¯s a little too close forfort,¡± Sunny calls. I ignore her, lighting three more and letting them sing off into the night sky. They blossom white, red, and blue. A little early for the Fourth of July. Maybe that¡¯s why the guy behind the counter looked at me like I was nuts when I bought out his stock. ¡°So patriotic!¡± Sunny crows with delight. Thepound¡¯s alive with red alert. Lights, rms ring, shots fired. Hopefully, this is enough of a distraction. We just gotta set them all off and get out of here before someonees to investigate. ¡°This one¡¯s a big one.¡± Sunny hands me another. I set it up farther away, light the fuse, and run. A screech and the sky pops with purple rain. ~.~ Tank Sam and I slog up the hill. The rms and lights are still behind us, along with enough rocket¡¯s red re to make me worried Foxfire won¡¯t escape in time. There are guards after us-a few bullets spattered the earth behind us before we took to the woods, but the rest might go after my mate and her mother. ¡°Where are we going?¡± I call to Sam, and nearly run into a giant de. ¡°Here.¡± Sam ducks around me and pulls off the camoting covering our escape vehicle. Make that, our escape helicopter. ¡°Get in.¡± Sam straps himself into the pilot¡¯s seat. ¡°You have a freaking helicopter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Jackson¡¯s. Kylie found it and thought it¡¯d be cool.¡± He flips switches, and themse on. ¡°It¡¯s actually a Bell 222, but we modified it for stealth mode.¡± He grins, an eerie sight. ¡°I call it the Air Wolf.¡± ~.~ Foxfire I shoot thest of our rockets off and run to the car. ¡°Shut the doors,¡± I scream to Sunny. ¡°We¡¯ve got to move.¡± The little bus squeals as I tear out of our hiding ce across the road. We pass thepound, still bright and full of chaos. I hope. ¡°Come on,e on,¡± I whisper to the bus as it chugs up a hill. ¡°Foxfire, we need to go faster,¡± Sunny reports. ¡°I think they saw us.¡± Sure enough, a caravan of ck Jeeps tears out after us. We pass oneing up the road the opposite way. It does a U-turn and follows. ¡°Hang on!¡± I press the gas pedal to the floor. Daisy hurtles down the highway, shaking as it goes faster than it¡¯s ever gone before. It¡¯s not enough. The guards are hanging out the Jeep windows, and they have guns. And they¡¯re gaining on us. ~.~ Tank ¡°Closer,¡± I shout to Sam. We¡¯re hovering over the road, our lights spotlighting the action below. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Sam says. ¡°They¡¯ve got guns.¡± ¡°Closer, goddammit.¡± Foxfire and her mom are in that bus. They¡¯re in danger. She risked her life setting off fireworks. ¡°What are you going to do? Jump on one of the Jeeps?¡± ¡°If I have to.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not gonna get anywhere close to her. Just hang on.¡± ¡°Fuck that.¡± I rise up from my seat, steadying myself as the helicopter dips. ¡°Nothing¡¯s gonna happen,¡± Sam soothes. I¡¯d rip his throat out if he wasn¡¯t flying the helicopter. ¡°We got backup.¡± ¡°What?¡± Shots ring out below us. I shout, gripping the side, watching the VW bus from above, helpless. But Foxfire and her mom don¡¯t slow. Instead, the Jeeps skid on the road. Some veer off, others jerk and roll to a stop, blocking the highway. Thest vehicles crash into them. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°I told you,¡± Sam says. ¡°Backup.¡± Then I hear it. The roar of motorcycles. One by one, they tear out from under cover where they ambushed the Jeeps. They weave easily around the wreckage. More shots fire, but the bikes all get clear. They zoom down the road and surround the VW bus. Sam flies overhead, the spotlight skimming a few of the helmets, including two red ones. Jared and Trey got teased mercilessly for choosing that color. They bring up the rear, escorting the VW bus. Leading the pack is a huge Harley. As Sam swoops the helicopter lower, Garrett raises his fist in salute. The rest of the pack does the same, and even though they can¡¯t see us, Sam and I raise our fists before zooming back up to cover the pack as they protect my baby and bring her home. 123 Tank I arrive at the roadside motel around midnight. The pack¡¯s already here, as well as the little VW bus, hidden behind the ce. Sam lets me down before fleeing in the helicopter to lie low. Good call. I¡¯ll bet neither Jackson or my alpha will be happy with the little bomb stunt he pulled. The first one to greet me is Garrett. The alpha pulls me into a hug, and we pound each other¡¯s backs. ¡°I oughta beat you,¡± Garrett growls. ¡°I don¡¯t care what n the hackers cook up, next time you wait for your pack.¡± ¡°I had to go in. Foxfire was going to do it.¡± Garrett grunts. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°Holed up in a room with Amber and her mom. Girl¡¯s night, or something. With all the adrenaline they had going on an hour ago, I bet they¡¯ve crashed now.¡± ¡°I was hoping to talk to her.¡± If she¡¯ll see me. ¡°In the morning. We¡¯ve got news.¡± Garrett leads me to another motel room. ¡°Hey man.¡± Jared and Trey greet me with hugs of their own. Human males might not touch each other this much, but shifters do. ¡°Where¡¯s Sam?¡± ¡°Going to stash the helicopter somewhere. Apparently it¡¯s not quite legal.¡± ¡°Neither is setting off fireworks in Utah outside of July,¡± Trey says. ¡°I don¡¯t even know where you¡¯d buy them.¡± I keep silent. I wouldn¡¯t underestimate Foxfire when ites to digging up contraband. Or her mother. I picture the two of them flirting with some hapless shop owner, convincing him to sell them, and I want to bash the imaginary guy¡¯s teeth in. ¡°The cops are all over thepound now. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it¡¯s put under investigation.¡± ¡°Are we in trouble?¡± There are enough shifters in the government to help with coverup. ¡°I think Sam blew up all the evidence. Kylie got most of the data out before then. She and Jackson are going through it now. We¡¯ll know more in the morning.¡± Garrett sits on the bed. Trey and Jared toss me a bag of fast food, but I¡¯m too wired to eat, so I grab a drink and down that instead. ¡°Kylie wants you to know she took down the bounty on Foxfire. She hacked the user ount. There were a few older bounties in there, for people all across the US and Canada. We think they were all shifters.¡± I debrief the room on what I saw in thepound, including a description of the lion shifter. ¡°Someone¡¯s snatching shifters and experimenting on them. But why?¡± I ask. ¡°We don¡¯t know. But we¡¯re going to find out,¡± Garrett says. ¡°Jackson called us after I told you Amber¡¯s vision. That¡¯s when I rallied the pack, and asked if Kylie could hack their systems somehow.¡± Garrett exins. ¡°We needed data. We think this operation is connected to the one in Mexico that took my sister.¡± ¡°What¡¯d you find out in Mexico?¡± I ask. ¡°Nothing,¡± Jared cuts in. ¡°We couldn¡¯t question anyone because Garrett ate them all.¡± ¡°They held us captive. And my mate was left unprotected,¡± Garrett says. He doesn¡¯t look at all repentant.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Well, this time we did it right. Or half right, if we got the data out before the ce blew,¡± Trey says. I shake my head. ¡°Sam is fucking crazy.¡± Trey and Jared look curious, but I don¡¯t borate. Sam may have disobeyed orders, but it worked out in the end. I¡¯m not sorry that ce is torched. Even if it almost cost me my life. It would¡¯ve if we hadn¡¯t had the fireworks as a distraction. I rise from where I was leaning against the dresser and start toward the door. I want to see Foxfire. No, I need it. ¡°Tank,¡± my alpha calls. Trey and Jared rise and, with a knowing look at each other, they leave the room. ¡°Who is Foxfire to you?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my mate.¡± ¡°You sure?¡± He folds his arms across his chest. He¡¯s probably protective because Foxfire is his mate¡¯s friend, but I still tense. ¡°I marked her,¡± I half growl. ¡°She¡¯s mine.¡± My wolf has his hackles up. Garrett studies me then nods. ¡°Get some sleep. We¡¯ll talk more in the morning.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Foxfire?¡± My wolf won¡¯t rest until he knows she¡¯s safe. Garrett¡¯s shoulders soften a little. ¡°I already told you. Girl¡¯s night. They¡¯re under guard.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a shift.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯ll get some sleep,¡± Garrett says with an alpha¡¯smand. ¡°By morning, we should know more about this shifter-snatching ck market. I¡¯ll need my beta at his best. So will Foxfire.¡± Despite my alpha¡¯s orders, I pace in front of Foxfire¡¯s room for a few minutes. I can smell her through the door, beyond the two wolves Garrett posted as guards. ¡°She¡¯s all right.¡± Treyys a hand on my shoulder. I¡¯m so wired, I¡¯m about to snap. ¡°She and Amber debriefed, but there have been no sounds for a while. I think they crashed.¡± ¡°I should let them sleep,¡± I say mostly to myself. One part of me knows this, but the other part won¡¯t be happy until my mate is in my arms. If she¡¯ll let me hold her. ¡°It¡¯ll be the best for her,¡± Trey agrees, and that decides it. I head to my room and crash. ~.~ Tank ¡°I¡¯ve got good news and bad news,¡± Kylie says through the speaker on Garrett¡¯s phone. ¡°All right, hit us.¡± Garrett leans forward on the bed, propping his elbows on his knees. Jared, Trey, and I stand around the phone, braced for Jackson and Kylie¡¯s findings. I checked on Foxfire¡¯s hotel room beforeing here, but the women are all still asleep. I¡¯m still itching to see Foxfire. ¡°The good news is, as of this morning, the entirepound is shut down. Humanw enforcement is swarming over it because of the bombs and gunfire. They found evidence of prisoner torture, as well the crematorium where theb destroyed the evidence. No one is getting back in there to do anything any time soon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good news,¡± Garrett says. ¡°What about the files?¡± ¡°Before the feds showed up, the files werepletely wiped, including the mole program. They won¡¯t find anything to suggest shifters exist.¡± We all rx. Thest thing we need is a branch of the government investigating us. ¡°Kylie and I spent all night going over the files,¡± Jackson says. ¡°From what we can tell, this was a several year operation, backed by some big money. A shadow corporation. We¡¯re going to keep following the trail. But we think it may be tied to the ck market shifter operations in Mexico. There was funding from international ounts.¡± A growl rumbles in Garrett¡¯s chest, echoed by Trey and Jared. ¡°Keep us in the know,¡± my alpha says. ¡°The sooner we find these guys, the sooner we can take them out.¡± ¡°Was there any evidence about the shifters who were kept prisoner?¡± A pause. ¡°Unfortunately, yes,¡± Jackson says. ¡°These bastards kept copious notes of their so-called experiments. They werepiling a DNA database, with every type of shifter represented.¡± ¡°What about fox shifters?¡± I ask before anyone else can say anything. ¡°Just one. A Johnny Red. His chart was linked to Foxfire Hines, with a note to apprehend her.¡± Jackson clears his throat, and I realize my wolf is growling. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Kyliees on the line, her voice full of sympathy. ¡°His file wasbeled deceased.¡± Damn. I need to break the news to Foxfire. ¡°From what I¡¯ve read, they wanted Foxfire because she was the daughter of a shifter and a human. The whole operation is centered around breeding new shifters that aren¡¯t defective, whatever that means.¡± ¡°It means they can still shift,¡± Garrett exins. ¡°Shifter rates have been decreasing, because birth rates are down. Some packs ban human-shifter rtionships because they believe bloodlines get watered down. More children are born without an animal.¡± ¡°So when they found out Johnny had a daughter, they wanted to bring her in,¡± I say. ¡°But the only link they had was Sunny. So they went to her first.¡± ¡°Kylie already deleted the bounty on Foxfire, but she might still be in danger. Along with her mother,¡± Jackson adds. ¡°We¡¯ll send someone from Dad¡¯s pack to get Sunny¡¯s trailer. We¡¯re moving it to packnd, until we¡¯re sure she¡¯s safe,¡± Garrett assures me. Noise from outside interrupts. The wolf guard outside the door is barring someone entry to our room. ¡°Well, I¡¯m his mate.¡± Amber¡¯s voice rises. Garrett¡¯s on his feet in a sh, heading to the door. ¡°Let her in,¡± he orders. A momentter, the human female storms in. ¡°Where is he?¡± She pushes past my alpha andes to stand in front of me. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°You hurt Foxfire!¡± she cries, getting right in my face. ¡°She was on the rebound. She didn¡¯t need you to y games with her heart while she¡¯s dealing with her family crises.¡± I surge to my feet. ¡°What the fuck?¡± What¡¯s wrong with Foxfire? I knew I needed to see herst night. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Amber?¡± Garrett growls,ing up to stand protectively beside her. ¡°He marked her without asking and then totally left!¡± ¡°She¡¯s my mate,¡± I snap. ¡°And I wasn¡¯t leaving-¡± Fuck this. I needed to exin to Foxfire, not these boneheads. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°She¡¯s leaving,¡± Amber snaps. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Something you said to her. You marked her and then refused to im her because shifters don¡¯t mix. She thinks you don¡¯t want her.¡± I reel back as if struck. Amber doesn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°She says she¡¯s moving.¡± Amber grips Garrett, appealing to him with wide blue eyes. ¡°She¡¯s all worked up about not inconveniencing the pack, whatever that means.¡± ¡°Where is she?¡± I¡¯m halfway to the door. ¡°Gone. Headed back to Tucson. I tried to stop her, but-¡± I rush out. Sure enough, the back parking lot is empty of the VW bus. ¡°Tank?¡± Trey¡¯s at my side. I push him away. ¡°I¡¯ve got to go.¡± ¡°Tank-¡± Garrett¡¯s in the doorway, Amber by his side. ¡°I im Foxfire Hines as my mate,¡± I thunder so everyone can hear. I¡¯ll get a bullhorn if I have to. Or pay Sam to fly a banner around the world. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Amber asks. She doesn¡¯t look mad anymore. She looks relieved. Women. Crazy. ¡°Make sure she knows she¡¯s mine.¡± I turn to Garrett. ¡°Do I have your blessing?¡± Garrett¡¯s lips twitch. ¡°Do you need it?¡± ¡°No,¡± I tell him. ¡°Foxfire¡¯s mine, whether I¡¯m wee in the pack after this or not.¡± My alpha pulls his mate closer. ¡°Foxfire is wee in our pack. Go get your mate.¡± ¡°Here,¡± Trey tosses me his keys. The rest of the pack breaks into whoops as I run to the bike. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!