“Yeah?” Wolves aren’t that big on dairy.“Mari and Annie love it.”“It’s from cows right?” If it comes from a cow, it could be good.“Yeah.”“All right. Let’s go for ice cream in a big, safe group.” I help her to her feet and address the lodge. “Who else is coming to town for ice cream?”The place erupts. Pups start begging. Half of the elders shake their heads, aghast, while the other half help each other up and grab their shawls and hats.“Bring your girls,” I tell Una. I’m not leaving them alone with a frustrated Eamon and company. Lochlan’s sulking at the B-roster table, about to blow. He’s got a ‘roided up look about him.Una smiles and waves her girls over. My wolf begins to relax. The pack is acting like itself again, each member worried about himself. Challenge averted. For now.I have no doubt that this shit will come to a head soon, but not tonight. I wave Ivo over and tell him to tap Gael and a few other trusted wolves to stay back and keep an eye on Eamon’s faction. Then,
I don’t want fucking ice cream.I want to pull over onto the shoulder. I want her to flee again, and this time, I won’t stalk her. I’ll catch her. Take her. And she’ll cry my name. Her wolf will howl it to the skies.I adjust my cock before it punches through my zipper, grateful for the dark and Una’s distraction.I might have never mounted a female before, but I’m no pup. My body is a finely-tuned instrument, and I can read a partner in the ring. Una won’t be dissatisfied.These aren’t nerves. It’s anticipation.13KILLIANOur caravan pulls into Chapel Bell as the clock tolls eight. There aren’t many humans around, but the lights blaze at the stand in the square with the cow statue in front. It’s a prime specimen. Nice haunches. Really gets your mouth watering, and then you see the menu, and it’s instant disappointment.We park our makeshift caravan, and I help Una out of the Jeep. Maybe I linger. The nip of her waist and swell of her hips are sweet as hell. Made for my grip. Her ha
I’ll be gentle. I’ll make it good for her.My cock strains, the urge to chase rising, even in this human contraption.I force the rut down, call on my wolf to restrain the lust in my blood. My mate will want her nest, not the dens. I can hold out a little longer, take her to the cabin, not some cave in the woods.I obey the speed limit. I won’t jostle her leg more than I have to in my haste. I won’t hurt her ever again.I park right in front of my cabin, and I scoop her from her seat. She’s hot to the touch, eyelids at half -mast. She wasn’t feeling the heat back in town, but she is now. Her eyes are hazy, and she’s fiddling with the buttons on her top before I get her to the front door.Her need beckons to me.“I can’t stop,” I tell her.“I don’t want you to,” she says, breathless.I carry her across the threshold like a human bride, and she wriggles in my arms, trying to get closer, to press her swollen breasts to my chest. I kick open the bedroom door and place her reverently in he
She’s fucked other males. They need to die.“How many?”Her nostrils flare. “N-not your b-business.”“Were you willing?”“Yes,” she sobs.My wolf goes nuts. He howls. The walls shake. She scrambles for the edge of the bed. Our vision flashes red.She’s trying to leave us.My wolf lunges for her neck. He needs to sink his fangs into his mark, bite down until he hits bone. Until she submits. I struggle to hold him back, and he tears at me, raging. She screams, burrowing into her nest, her cries muffled by the pillows.Oh, Fate, this is wrong. She’s so scared. I fight for control, and it slips from my grasp. The wolf drags her back to the center of the bed. He wants to mount her. Needs to. Other males have touched her. Tasted her. They’ll take what’s ours.We’ll die without her.She doesn’t belong to us. She’s given herself away.My wolf lifts his muzzle and bays his misery, straddling her so she can’t run to another male.She whimpers and rolls to her side, tucking her knees to her bell
Of course she’s going to want to leave. She didn’t want to be here in the first place.Is she hurt? She ripped herself off the knot. I didn’t see a tear or smell blood, but what if the damage is internal? I seek out the bond, feel for pain, but it’s all a kind of—shrieking.I have never fucked up anything this badly before.I roll the wheelbarrow to Darragh—who’s wisely staying just outside my property line—and he dumps his contribution with a loud thud. Then he carefully places a thick, double-wrapped package on top. It’s labeled “Mari” in thick black grease pencil.“You’ll make sure she gets it?” he asks.His white T-shirt is covered in blood. He peels it off and drops it in the path. His sweatpants follow. He’s become so uncivilized, I’m surprised he can still write.“You know she throws it in with the rest,” I tell him with maybe more sympathy than I have in the past. It’s not the first time I’ve told him Mari wants nothing to do with his gifts.Darragh and I go back a long way; I
I was waiting. And I knew I’d wait forever, and some nights were long, and I’d wonder why I was making such a big deal out of something every animal does when the mood strikes him. But I never changed my mind.I never wanted anyone until Una Hayes, and it came on so gradually. She slipped into my hands, and I am so very painfully aware that she can slip right out again. Maybe she already has.I’m an idiot, but I feel what I feel.Why couldn’t she have waited?I sigh. “I want to kill someone, and I don’t ever want to know who he is.”“Did she want it?” Darragh asks carefully.“Yeah. That’s what she says. She says it’s not my business.”“You’re her mate.”“I am.” Everything about her is my business.“Heard you rejected her in front of the whole pack. Had Tye throw her out back by the trash.”My chest aches. None of this has been auspicious. None of it has been right.“Yeah. I made a mistake.”“And now you’re losing your shit because—I don’t mean to presume, but—she, uh, has seen a littl
My father’s mate. The bruise on her cheek has faded yellow, but there’s no doubt in my mind, she has fresh ones somewhere else, somewhere she can cover with her long skirts and sleeves.“I’ll never hurt Una. I’ll never let anyone hurt her.”“You couldn’t stop it today.” Her voice is gentle, and her words cut to the bone.I push Una’s hair out of her face. It’s sticking to her clammy cheeks. “What do I do?”“You put things right.”“How?”“Everything has happened out of order. We need to pause time. Give you space to do what needs to be done.”She’s speaking mystic nonsense now. I need to know who to kill, and in what order.She presses the cooling tea into my free hand. “You can’t protect her like this. You need to grow into your strength. You’ll need all your focus to root out the evil in this pack.”“Tell me what to do.” I’m so tired. So terrified. My wolf prowls inside me on shaking limbs. He’s weak, too.“Drink,” she says, glancing down at the dark brew in the cup. I sniff. It has
I can’t leave my nest.Not here, in Killian’s house.He doesn’t deserve my nest.Asshole.The rage crashes through me again, and I grab a sheet and start stripping the bed. I fill my arms, over and over, shoving as many blankets and quilts as I can into the hamper until it’s overflowing. I lay a comforter on the floor and pile pillows and clothes and towels into it. Then I tie the ends and drag it down the hall toward the kitchen.Killian has his own washer and dryer in a mud room at the back of the house. I’ve got at least ten loads here, but I can get it started before I blow this pop stand.I cram sheets into the washer, fill it up well past where I should. I hope it gets off-balanced. I hope I burn it out.My nose itches. I swipe at my face with a fitted sheet, and it comes away damp. I’m crying.I don’t want to be.Killian Kelly isn’t worth it.And you know what?Screw doing his laundry. I’m gonna throw it all in the garbage.I limp back to the bedroom. My bad leg is stiff, and I
The humans know about shifters, of course, but there’s no need to draw more attention to us than we already do, as strangers in such a small town. Folks already gawk as Annie leads us to the village commons even though the streets are busy. It’s market day.As soon as we reach the grassy expanse filled with tables and tents, Alroy and Diantha peel off, heading in opposite directions. Griff seems torn, but when he sees that Diantha is making a beeline for a booth with racks of female clothing, he hurries to follow Alroy.Annie leads us down the makeshift walkways, smiling when she’s greeted by name. My mate is still shy, but there’s no trace of fear in her scent. I breathe her happiness and excitement in, letting it flush my lungs clean of the oily town air.She sees her friends before I do and lets go of my hand to run toward them.My mate. My Annie. Running with a smile lighting her face.This is a good, good day.Two females rush around their table, the third making her way more slo
JUSTUSMy perfect, beautiful mate does not like surprises, so she knows exactly where we’re going as we trot through the woods that run along the human highway. At first, I was sad that I couldn’t spring this visit on her, but I love watching her wolf get more and more excited the closer we get to Chapel Bell. Her short little legs are moving so fast, I almost don’t have to slow my pace.Alroy, Griff, and Diantha don’t have my patience, so they’re several yards ahead of us. Poor Griff has to be the buffer between them, and he keeps getting caught in the crossfire when their wolves decide to break the monotony by sniping at each other.I was worried that Annie would be too nervous to venture this far from camp, but she gets more confident every day. I’m pretty sure that’s because when we were out for a walk two months ago, she saw me take out two ferals that were encroaching on our territory to the north, so even though Killian and I pretty much fought to a draw, she knows I can handle
He bares his fangs, yanks the needle from his neck, and blinks at it, bemused.“Did you stab me with a fucking knitting needle?” He holds it up. Blood oozes from the wound, dripping down his bare chest. I didn’t even hit an artery.Justus snarls, squaring his shoulders and bending his knees, readying himself to attack. Every inch of his body is covered in mud and blood, gashes and purpling bruises. White bone shows through a jagged slash on his forearm.A male coughs, clearing his throat. “Can we just take a beat?” Killian raises his hands, raw flesh where his nails should be.I wouldn’t have thought it possible, but he’s as battered as Justus, and he seems to be favoring his left leg, like his right can’t hold weight. Our males spar constantly. I’ve seen all of them beat up at some point, but I’ve never seen any of them mangled this bad. I can’t believe either he or Justus are still upright.“That bitch stabbed me.” Leith points at me with the knitting needle.Justus howls and steps
My wolf skids to a halt several feet away and then slinks forward, keeping the fire between her and the Salt Mountain wolf, letting the smoke block her scent. When she’s too close to dare creep closer, she huddles close to the ground, staring up and up at his tremendous mud-caked haunches. She’s a miniature in comparison. All the females are, and we all stare, powerless, as the wolf’s bones crack and a strapping man rises from the hulk of his beast.His blond hair shines through the dirt. I’ve seen him. Leith Munroe. The new Salt Mountain alpha.He rests his hands on his hips as if there isn’t chaos all around him as his wolves play a game of distraction, breaking after our slower, smaller, or older males and mauling them until our strong males are forced to turn back, away from us, to rescue them.Leith takes no notice of our wolves, even when they get close, or me, skulking behind the fire. Why would he? I’m no threat—skinny and small and stinking of fear.Instead, he’s intent on so
ANNIERun! Run! Run!I squat as low as I can in the wildflowers and tear off my clothes.A few yards away, Killian and Justus are murdering each other. Tye, Ivo, and the rest are just watching, and no matter how much I scream, no matter what I say, their wolves don’t listen.And the Salt Mountain wolves are up to something. They’re edging away from the fight toward the trail to camp. Quarry Pack is so intent on the fight, they either don’t notice or don’t care.I have to get to Khalil, and my wolf is faster.Run into the woods! The woods!I huddle in the tall grass and summon my wolf. For the first time in my life, she’s ahead of me, bursting through our skin before I’m ready, assuming form like she’s surfacing from water rather than tearing herself free from bone and muscle.She runs away from the woods, toward the trail. The Salt Mountain wolves have gotten ahead of her, so she hangs back, keeping low and downwind.Turn around! Now!What are they doing? They can’t think to attack La
“Lavender is light green this time of year. It doesn’t bloom until June or July.”“What are you going to do with it now then?”“Make a sachet. The scent mostly comes from the oils in its leaves.”“Make a sachet for who?”I wade through the tall grass to stand close to her and inhale her sweet rainy scent.“For the den,” she says, glancing bashfully up at me from under her thick brown lashes. She’s wearing my old sweater and another pair of my drawstring pants. Her pulse flutters at the base of her throat. She’s excited, too.Maybe we should cut this trip short and head back to the den.Or take a detour into the woods.She probably wouldn’t do that, but I think she’d agree to return to camp. I draw in another deep breath. Her arousal teases my nose.My wolf snarls.Annie startles.It takes my brain three seconds too long to catch up.Underlying the rain and slick, there is another scent. Earthy, yes, but not the right earth. It doesn’t belong. I’ve smelled it before. A long time ago.I
My grip on the pot handle tightens. Water sloshes over the sides. My jaw clenches, my guts knot, and my dry eyes burn.I can’t do this.I have to.“Justus?” Annie appears in the den entrance. She’s wrapped herself in a light pink sheet, and she’s holding a cup. “You brought water.” She smiles, padding toward me on bare feet.And then she stops. Her smile falls aways.She blinks in the sunshine, the bleariness of sleep disappearing as she takes in my grim face and desperate hold on the pot. If I had dignity, I’d find a way to smile back. Say good morning. Act like everything is fine.Her chest falls as she lets out a long, silent breath. She looks me straight in the eye. Her fear and doubt are clear as day.She’s going to ask me to take her home now.She takes a step closer to me, and then another, until we’re toe to toe. She gazes up at me, and for a second, all I can see is her beauty—her graceful neck, her delicate pointy chin, her soft, curving lips—and then I notice the expression
“Trust me,” he shushes, the hot head of his cock already notching at my entrance. He flexes his hips and sinks into me, a groan of pure relief torn from his throat. He fills me so completely that I ache where I take him, but I love it.I pant through the strain, and he gathers me close as he thrusts, cradling me to his chest, kissing my lips, my brow, my cheeks, the tip of my nose. I start to rock my hips in time.“You’re so beautiful, Annie,” he rumbles in my ear. “So perfect for me. My Annie. Mine.”I sigh and ride his bucking hips, his cock stretching me until I feel like a glove made for him.“Come for me, now,” he growls. “Now, Annie.”Hot cum floods my womb, and his knot catches and swells, tearing a raw shout from my throat. His fingers find my clit while his fangs sink into my shoulder.I scream, bucking against him, but I’m caught, so he moves with me, hushing me.I hover another second on the edge, somehow above myself, watching his strong arms tremble as they wrap around me
I let my hand fall and turn my head away.He snarls. He doesn’t like that.I drop back so I’m sitting on the pallet, lift my chin, and fold my arms. His wolf rumbles unhappily. He shouldn’t have let his man mess with my nest.He dips his head and looks up at me from his lowered eyes, a wolf playing at a lamb. “I’m sorry, Annie. Here it is.”He holds the pillow out.It’s a trap.Of course it’s a trap. I reach for it anyway. As soon as I grab the pillow, he yanks and falls to his back, dragging me with him. I tumble on top of him. He quickly nips the pillow from my grasp, tucks it behind his head, and grins up at me.I push up on his chest, struggling upright until I’m straddling his waist. He crosses his arms behind his head.I lean forward and try to pull the pillow free, but his head is too heavy.“Just ask nicely, Annie.” There’s a new note in his voice, a gravelly depth that has nothing to do with his wolf.I prop myself on his folded biceps. They’re hard and velvet and flexing und