All he could see was red. He wanted to stay feral and tell humankind, including his mine and life in Climax, to go fuck itself. He’d find that little bitch and teach her a lesson she’d never forget. Show her how much pain she’d created in his life. He should have known it would be a female to fuck up his life—like many of the so-called caregivers he’d had as a child.
When he’d arrived at his home, the cabin he built deep in the woods with his pack, he found Shade but no female. Her scent had been everywhere, even on his packmate.
Shade cared more about saving that fucking girl than following orders. It was unacceptable. If Corbin thought Garret’s pack was besting him before, this would be the finishing nail.
After dealing with Shade and his poor attempt to hide the girl from him, Corbin moved quickly through the forest. He attempted to push away all his destructive human emotions and embrace his wolf. Life was best lived in denial, enjoying sinful pleasures without consequence. It had always been enough before, but apparently not for his pack. Fucking traitors.
The female was slow and weak, easy to track. He found her before making an effort, her clumsy trail clear enough for an inexperienced pup to follow. What will I do with her first? He lived to play with his prey. And his revenge was the only thing keeping him going at this point. After a lengthy bout of torture, he could strangle the life out her or not even bother to shift, ripping her to bloody shreds. She deserved something painful, a punishment to fit the crime. She’d managed to seduce and blind his brother, tearing apart the Rockford Pack, member by member, along with its legacy. Without his pack, he was nothing, a lone alpha with nothing to ground him.
He jolted to a stop when he realized she wasn’t alone. A male? After testing the air, he identified the man as one of the trespassing Arctic wolves. The ones he’d warned to stay off Rockford land only hours ago.
Anger and power flooded his veins. He’d call for his pack to join him in handling the threat, but his men were divided and he had no clue if any of them were still loyal. He was on his own. How fitting considering the course of his life.
“Let me go!” Nova shouted, writhing futilely in the man’s grip.
Corbin had come to kill her, so why did his protective instincts suddenly kick to life? He blamed his territorial nature. An intruder was attempting to take something off his land. He watched as they plodded unceremoniously through the unbeaten paths, thick with briars and wild brush. His plan began to take shape as he observed from the dark shadows.
She must be valuable—his men cared more about fucking her than the welfare of the pack, and his rivals were trying to steal her from his land. It left him the only solution. He’d keep her for himself, dare anyone to take her. Corbin would kill before he gave them what they wanted. They all knew what they’d signed up for when they joined the Rockford Pack—loyalty to the death. Their lack of honor made his wolf crave bloodshed. If they demanded he hand over their precious female, he’d return her back piece by piece. He had nothing to lose, not with Ryder turning his back on him.
He crept along at a close distance, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Before long it would be daylight, taking away his advantage. There were rules passed down from generation to generation of wolf shifters, strict rules to protect their species from humankind. No shifter could expose themselves to an outsider, a human. Tonight wasn’t a time for rules. Since he planned to kill the human anyway, who the fuck cared if she saw him shift into his beast? She’d already seen too much. There was no way she was getting out of Climax alive.
Corbin shifted close behind them, rolling his shoulders as he seamlessly adjusted to his human form.
“I warned you not to return to my land. By the way you ran off with your tail between your legs, I assumed you understood.”
The blond whipped his head around, tugging the female close to him like a shield. He said nothing.
“Let her go,” Corbin warned, keeping his tone low and menacing. This punk didn’t know who he was fucking with.
“She’s not marked. What’s it matter to you?”
“Marked or not, she’s on my land, which means she’s my property.” Corbin stepped closer, daring the piece of shit to make a move.
“Stay back…” The man grabbed a handful of Nova’s hair, pulling her head back until she whimpered.
A darkness Corbin had never known filled his soul, raw power and intense hatred fueling him. Without a second thought, he shifted back into his wolf. He couldn’t control the beast within him, his wolf ravenous for bloodshed. With a warning growl, he leapt forward in a frenzy of violent energy, striking out to kill. He knocked down the male before he could shift into his Arctic wolf, biting into flesh and bone. By the time the bastard managed to gain his fur, he was seriously injured and easy to finish. After a final tussle along the forest floor, the wolf’s white fur was stained red and the wolf was motionless.
Corbin’s breathing was heavy, his adrenaline still pumping wildly through his veins. He stared at his kill, feeling a deep satisfaction and sense of honor. His only regret was the other wolf not presenting more of a challenge. When he heard a sniffle, reality settled down around him like an acidic rain. He became hyper-aware of the situation. The sky had morphed from navy to a lazy blue, enough soft lighting for a human to see around them. He stood on all fours, his fur coat bloodied and chest still heaving. Nova had watched him shift, watched him mutate from his human form into a wolf. She’d seen him kill.
When he turned his head to make eye contact, she froze, her mouth slightly agape. There was no way she’d ever leave this forest with his secret. This was her final destination.
No matter, he had a plan. She was his pawn, one he’d use to exact revenge on his wayward pack and his enemies from the north. He stalked closer to her, entertained as she attempted to blindly back up, her hands searching for anything to anchor her.
“Please don’t hurt me,” she said to his wolf.
He took a breath and returned into his human form, his muscles and bones shifting and elongating. It felt foreign to change without attempting to hide their ancient secret, but this was a unique situation.
“Not yet,” Corbin said. The scent of her fear dissipated once he stood in front of her as a man. Interesting. A fearless little human…for now. By the time he was done with her, she’d know what real fear was.
“What–what the hell are you?”
He smirked. “What do you think I am?”
She looked him up and down, his body now naked and not hidden by darkness. “You must be a werewolf, like Jacob.”
Corbin frowned. “Who is this Jacob?”
If she’d seen another male shift into a wolf, he needed to know who and where. Shifting recklessly was not tolerated. And she was clearly not marked by this Jacob character.
“You know…from Twilight. The book.”
He growled his displeasure. Human fairy tales bored him. “I can assure you, I’m nothing like your Jacob from Twilight. And you should be much more afraid than you are, little girl.” He grabbed her arm and forced her toward the cave he planned to use. Ryder and Shade were very close now, and he needed to get his hostage into hiding.
Chapter Eight
Nova didn’t have time to collect her thoughts. The man she was supposed to be running from now pulled her through the forest at a dizzying pace. And he wasn’t even a man at all. He was either pure magic or a being right out of her paranormal romance novels—or nightmares. It wasn’t possible, but she’d seen him change from wolf to man with her own eyes. It had been grotesque, terrifying, and fascinating. She couldn’t look away. She wished Craig were here to explain how this could possibly happen.
Part of her knew she was in deep trouble, but another part felt relieved and intrigued. Nova felt much safer with Corbin than that crazy man—the dead man.
Her chest tightened. I shouldn’t feel safe, she reminded herself. I should most definitely not feel safe. Corbin was a murderer. And he’d probably kill her next. Th
en why did she feel so exhilarated? God, she wanted him to want her. Wanted him to rekindle their earlier passion. He’d be able to protect her from anything. The man was a fucking werewolf.
With the sun rising, she was no longer night blind. She could see Corbin with perfect clarity for the first time. He was a work of art—lithe and muscular. Even though the forest was an overgrown maze, he traversed it like a choreographed dance, barely disturbing a leaf. He was stark naked and not shy or ashamed about it, not that he had reason to be. Everything began to make sense. All these perfect men weren’t men at all, but werewolves, and her group had intruded on their land. This was a whole new world she knew nothing about.
“Climb up here,” Corbin said after coming to an abrupt stop.
She crashed into his back. Damn, he was hot to the touch and his skin so hard and muscly. She yanked her hands away, tucking them down at her sides.
Nova looked up but couldn’t see anything except leafy branches. He reached down, wrapping a strong hand around each thigh to hoist her up. She squealed as he effortlessly thrust her into the air, his fingers too close to her intimate parts. Luckily she was able to brace herself on the hidden entrance, and she scrambled in, less than gracefully. Once inside, she found she was able to stand up straight. The early morning light barely penetrated the dark, rocky interior, and she wondered if there were any wild animals living inside. Then she remembered the man behind her and her nerves settled. She could feel his presence looming behind her before she turned. He was so tall, shrouded in shadows. The moment was tense, and she knew she couldn’t trust her own judgment. Maybe she was so fucking starved for love that she’d find potential in a man who wouldn’t give a second thought to killing her.
“I won’t tell anyone,” she offered. Nova wasn’t sure what to think or expect. Was Corbin as dangerous to her as his friends claimed? Was he going to eat her? She needed to plead her case just in case.
“Tell anyone what exactly?”
“About you, about the wolf thing. And—”
He narrowed his eyes, beginning a slow inspection as he circled her. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“Why not? I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“This isn’t a trial by jury. I make the decisions around here. Don’t forget you’re in my forest, far from your human home.” The “human” word finally made perfect sense. He looked amused as he turned his back and disappeared deeper into the cave.
Was she wrong to think there had been a connection between them?
She looked to the entrance of the cave and wondered if she should make a break for it. How far would she get? Corbin could track and catch her within seconds.
“Don’t even think about it,” he said from the darkness.
Then a spark pulled her attention to the interior of the cave. He was starting a fire, and she was thankful for it. Her body was chilled to the core, and she hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours.
She stood in the same spot, hugging herself from the cold and not saying a word. Once the fire began roaring to life, Corbin sat down, leaning against the dark gray rock. He casually poked at the flames with a stick, not looking in her direction. There were no sounds but the crackling of the fire.
“Are you going to kill me?” she finally asked, her voice slightly echoing. What did she have to lose? Fear of the unknown was driving her crazy, and her lack of sleep was messing with her sense of logic.
He didn’t answer. Didn’t even acknowledge her.
Nova walked over to the fire, settling down on the opposite side. It gave her a sense of false security to have the flickering flames separating them. They danced—orange, red, and mesmerizing. Her muscles began to relax, and she felt as if she was melting into the rocky floor of the cave. She’d been walking for days.
“I know you can hear me.”
Just his eyes moved, glaring up at her from under those thick lashes. She was just a problem for him. She hoped he wasn’t deciding if she should live or die. “You talk too much.”
“I don’t even know who you are. If you let me go, I’ll never be able to report anything I saw. It’ll be like nothing happened.”
“You’re not leaving,” he said flatly. “You’re lucky I’ve tolerated you this long.”
She should keep her mouth shut and pray for a miracle, but she couldn’t hold back. “You didn’t mind me earlier. Or do you forget promising me the world?”
He smirked. “Do you believe everything you hear, little one?”
Nova’s stomach soured. She felt cheap and stupid for falling for a stranger’s sweet words. Even Ryder and Shade thought she was naïve. “Do you always lie to women?”
Corbin kept quiet, tending the fire.
“I don’t know what to believe anymore. I mean you’re a werewolf. I wasn’t imagining that, too, was I?”
Corbin shrugged.
“You changed into a wolf. That other guy changed into one, too. How is that possible? Can you please tell me something before I go nuts?”
He took a breath of annoyance. “There’s a lot you don’t know.”
Why was it so hard to get him to talk? She needed concrete answers to the million questions dancing in her head. Nova dared to dig deeper. “I don’t understand why you hate me so much. Ryder thinks you want to kill me.”
As soon as she mentioned that name, his eyes narrowed and forehead creased. He tossed the stick into the fire and leapt up to his feet. He paced back and forth for a long, tense minute. She almost regretted pushing his buttons.
“They’re under the impression you’re our mate—to the point of insanity and mutiny. But they’re wrong!” His deep voice rang her ears in the confined space. The volatile energy made her skin break out into gooseflesh.
“W-Why?”
He turned and glared at her. “Don’t you think I’d know? I’m the alpha of the pack, the leader. I choose our mate. I make the rules.”
He began to rant, his right fist clenched so tight she expected him to ram it into the stony wall or possibly her face. She didn’t dare move and scarcely breathed.
“Can’t you work it out? Talk to them?” She’d taken enough psych classes and watched enough Law & Order episodes to attempt to talk him out of his anger.
He scoffed. “They’ve chosen you over pack law.”
Corbin walked toward her, crouching down so there was barely a breath between them. She was paralyzed with uncertainty.
“How do you know?” Nova admitted she felt a little thrill knowing Ryder and Shade were willing to risk anything for her. It was like a fantasy turned reality. Or maybe it was a nightmare in the making.
“They’re tracking you right now. Trying to rescue you from me.”
He was so damn close she could smell his musky, masculine scent—pine and sandalwood. His shoulders were massive, intricate black ink decorating the right side. “I told them you wouldn’t hurt me.”
Corbin smirked, that same sex-on-a stick grin that melted her to the core. “You don’t think I’m capable of hurting you?”
“I know you’re capable. I just don’t think you will.”
“Brave words coming from a little human.” He leaned closer, taking a breath near her neckline. She almost toppled backward but used a hand behind her to brace herself. “A little virgin.”
She swallowed hard. The word had sex written all over it. She was transported back into the forest when he’d showered her with sensual affection. Should she be turned on or terrified? She wished she could read him better and control her body’s response to his proximity.
“What do you think, Nova? Do you think my brother is right? Do you think you’re our mate?”
She knew he was playing games with her. A predator toying with its prey before the kill. There was no doubt he didn’t believe in whatever Ryder and Shade believed in. They thought she was their mate. What did that even mean?
Nova didn’t know what the right answer was in this game, so she shrugged.
“That’s not an a
nswer.” He traced his finger along the outline of her face, a slow, sensual drag. She found herself leaning into his touch. “Do you think you’re our mate?”
“Like you said, you’re the alpha. You’d know if I was, wouldn’t you?”
He frowned, slowing backing away to continue his earlier pacing. “That wasn’t an answer,” he said flatly.
“I don’t know what you want to hear,” she said, close to tears. She was scared, tired, turned-on, and more confused than she’d ever been.
“Is it too much to expect an honest reply?” he asked.
“You’ve lied to me.”
His personality shifted again, another mask. “Fair enough. I’ll answer anything you ask, honestly, once you answer my question.”
She gathered her thoughts. Corbin wanted to know if she believed she was their mate. What did she think? Nova knew that, by day, this forest was awe-inspiring and made her feel more alive than she’d ever felt. She knew she wanted to be loved and desired by these men. How could she not? They were a dream, a figment of her over-active imagination—only they were real. Very real. And for some reason they were interested in her. But they weren’t really men at all, but werewolves, something that wasn’t supposed to exist.
“I don’t know the answer because I’m not like you. I don’t have any werewolf instincts or whatever you have. But the idea sounds appealing. The idea of being wanted. It’s stupid, I know.”
He stood there with his arms crossed over his chest, his face unreadable. Had she said the wrong thing?
“Was that okay?” she finally asked.
“I’m waiting for your question.”
“Oh? Right.” What did she want to know? It needed to be something good, something clever to keep her alive. She could ask anything about werewolves, Corbin’s pack, or his plans for her. “Do you like me?”
Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.
She’d just blown her chance to ask a reasonable question and made herself look desperate on top of everything. Was she in grade school again?
The Rockford Pack [Wolves of Climax 8] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 6