Bryan pushed himself up on his elbow and looked down at her. “So you’ve never really...?”
“No.” She answered in small voice, staring down at the covers.
“Ah, Cassie...” He exhaled slowly then gathered her close, tucking her head under his chin. “I’m sorry. I just assumed you and Kellen...”
She shook her head.
“I never should have started anything with you.” He started to loosen his grip on her. “Listen, you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow; so maybe you should just go to sleep—”
“No!” She blurted out her protest more loudly than planned.
“Pardon?”
“I don’t want you to stop. I just didn’t want you to...expect too much. I might not be any good.”
Bryan burst out laughing, flopping onto his back.
“What’s so funny?” She felt her face heating with embarrassed indignation.
“You are.” He hugged her tight and rested his head beside hers on the pillow. “Having sex isn’t a competition where you get rated afterwards. It’s two people sharing themselves, giving each other pleasure, telling what they like and don’t like. And you were doing a very good job.”
“I was?”
“Uh-huh. You were making these great whimpering noises that let me know—”
“I was not whimpering!” She paused. “Was I?”
“Yep. I bet I can make you do it again, too.” He turned his head so he was looking directly at her. “Want me to try?”
Did she? A minute ago that was what she thought she wanted but now that the heat of the moment was over...Was she ready to have sex with Bryan? There was this connection, this pull between them, but they’d only just met...
Yes! Say yes! He is ours. We’ve waited all this time. The wolf inside was pressuring her.
“I think so...” She gave a nervous laugh. “The wolf is saying yes.”
“But the human isn’t so sure?”
She searched his face and found no judgement, no condemnation. Just understanding. Reaching up she cupped his face. “I really, really like you Bryan, but so much is going on right now.”
He kissed her gently. “I understand and when we finally make love, I want both you and your wolf to be in full agreement. How about I just help you relax a bit?”
Relaxing sounded good. Her muscles were as tight as proverbial fiddle strings. “Okay.”
“And whenever you want me to stop you just say so, all right?”
She nodded and he eased the pillows out from under her head.
“On your stomach.” When she complied he knelt knelt astride her, gathering her hair up and moving it out of the way. Then he settled himself lightly on top of her rear end and began to massage her shoulders.
“Mmm... That feels so good.” She groaned into the mattress as his fingers worked their magic on her back.
“See?” He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “I can make you whimper again.”
Cassie giggled. “That’s not a whimper.”
“Sorry. I stand corrected. I can make you moan in delight.”
She laughed again. “Okay, I guess you’re right.”
“Good, just remember that and keep saying it to yourself. Bryan is always right.”
“I didn’t say ‘always,’ she protested.
“I’m sure you meant to.” He answered cockily, then leaned forward to quickly kiss her cheek before sitting up again.
In silence, he worked on her neck, her shoulders, down the middle of her back; rubbing and pressing. His hands moved sideways, the tips of his fingers barely brushing against the sides of her breasts. She bit back a moan, not wanting him to know exactly how arousing she found this to be. What would it be like to have his hands actually cupping her breasts? His thumbs playing over the tips? His hot mouth suckling...
“Cassie...” Bryan’s voice sounded deeper and she became aware of the fact that a certain part of his anatomy was waking up, pressing into her backside from his perch on top of her.
She cleared her throat, anxious to return to neutral ground. With faked casualness, she began to ask him questions about his life. “So, besides bossing people around, what exactly does a Beta do?”
He was silent for a moment, his hands still, possibly wondering what she was thinking. Then he started the massage again, his voice a normal tone as he began to explain his duties, then moved on to life in the pack, the townsfolk in Stump River...
She fell asleep under the rhythmic movement of his hands and the soothing sound of his voice.
Chapter 21
The next morning Marla drove to work feeling tired and irritable. Her dreams had been troubled, her wolf dragging her from scene to scene as she revisited her life. Strange how she’d forgotten how happy she’d been as a young pup. It was only as she had become older and begun to sense subtle undercurrents that her discontent had begun. She hadn’t thought about it in years, mind you. The arguing; how her mother—a half-breed—never felt totally accepted, how her father sneered at her.
Marla remembered how scared she’d been the first time she’d had to transform. What if she were more like her mother than her father? What if she had difficulty changing? Thankfully she hadn’t and her father had begun to plan great things for her. He wanted her to mate an Alpha, or at least a Beta; to regain some status for his family. Status lost due to her mother.
She hadn’t understood why it mattered that she was only three-quarters werewolf, but her father had drummed it into her head to keep it a secret. Just as he had kept her mother away from the pack as much as possible. Her father had been a proud man and bitter that a youthful folly had left him saddled with a half-breed mate.
Of course, her father’s plans weren’t hers. She had her own dreams. Dreams that didn’t include living in a pokey town in the middle of nowhere, being mated, or spending part of her life as wolf. Of course, the stupid animal inside her didn’t agree; it was loyal to the pack, to their Alpha. The creature rejected her desire for worldly status, her need to leave pack life and set out on her own. That was when the struggle inside of her had begun; the constant conversations in her head, the battle of wills. For years now, she’d been fighting to maintain supremacy over the wolf, but lately... She shook her head and tightened her jaw. No. It wasn’t true. She was still in charge, no matter what the creature might say.
She was more human than wolf, but the animal wouldn’t listen. It chastised her for her actions, blaming her for the steps she’d been forced to take in life. Well, she didn’t care. If people were in her way, they had to be dealt with, by whatever means necessary. It was as simple as that. The wolf could do and say whatever it wanted, but it couldn’t force her to listen.
As she arrived at the building that housed Aldrich’s penthouse, she lowered the car window and pulled out her security card to open the entrance of the underground parking garage. The usual smells of exhaust and oil greeted her, but another scent lingered too. Carefully, she sniffed again.
Her wolf rose to alert as the scent of other werewolves reached her nostrils. She stiffened and scanned the area, but could see no one about. Another sniff and the scent was gone. Had the wind shifted directions? Of perhaps the creature inside her was just playing games with her again. It was so recalcitrant lately; she wouldn’t put it past the beast. Irritation marred her face as she examined the quiet street one more time, then put the car back in gear and drove inside. There was nothing about; it was just her over-tired mind playing tricks on her.
Parking her car, she went in search of Jeffries. Aldrich had a private area cordoned off in the underground lot for his own use. It included a small room where Jeffries kept his tools, completed maintenance logs, and bided his time when he wasn’t needed. Marla walked over to the room, the clicking of her heels creating an uneven staccato on the cement floor and echoing throughout the cavernous space of the parking garage. She rubbed her side; it was aching from the dampness this morning, making her limp more pronounced and further dee
pening her dark mood.
As she approached Jeffries’ room, her acute hearing picked up faint sounds from outside; the outdoor traffic, the whir of exhaust fans that kept the air in the underground space breathable. A scratching sound caught her attention as well and she cocked her head, giving a satisfied smile when she identified it.
Jeffries was addicted to the various word and number puzzles that came in the daily paper. As she approached the room where he worked, the sound became louder until she stood in the doorway and watched him scribbling away on a bit of paper, obviously trying to figure out an answer.
“Jeffries?”
He gave a start and looked up, a welcoming smile spreading across his face. “Marla? You usually don’t come down here this time of day.” Setting the paper aside, he stood up and walked to where she leaned against the door frame. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her a kiss. “Why are you here?”
She studied his face. So handsome. It was a shame he’d likely be blamed for the accident. Oh well, it couldn’t be helped. “I was just wondering if everything was in place for our little joke today.”
The smile left the man’s face. “Yeah, but I still don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Relax. Nothing will go wrong. We’ll get together this afternoon in the sauna and I’ll tell you all about it.”
Jeffries opened his mouth as if to protest, then shut it and nodded. She rewarded him with a warm, wet kiss. As he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, an unexpected a growl rumbled in her chest.
Embarrassed, Marla pushed him away and tried to cover up the sound with coughing. Inwardly, she frowned. What was going on? Her wolf had no business judging her taste in men.
“Are you getting sick, Marla? That’s a nasty sounding cough.” Jeffries peered at her, concern etched on his face.
“Perhaps. Don’t fuss. I’ll be fine. I’ll just head upstairs and get something warm to drink. Give me a call when you have the elevator ready.”
“All right. But remember what I told you. Once the elevator’s been disabled, you’re stuck up there for the next few hours until someone comes to fix it.
“Why can’t you fix it yourself?” She queried.
“I can’t do it myself or it would implicate me in the prank. If Mr. Aldrich finds out, I could be out of a job.”
“Of course, how silly of me not to think of that.” She patted his cheek and he caught her hand and nipped playfully at her fingers. “See you later, Jeffries.”
As she walked to the elevator, she decided she’d miss the man.
*****
Bryan held onto one of Kane’s arms and Ryne gripped the other. The man had quit straining against them, but they weren’t taking any chances. When Marla had driven up to entrance of the parking garage, Kane had been all for taking her right there. It had required some fast talking and physical restraint to hold the man back.
“If you attack her out in the open, people will see. And undoubtedly there’s a security camera mounted by the garage door.” Bryan explained.
Kane growled and tried to pull his arms free again. “Let me go. I won’t do anything stupid. It was just the sight of her after all these years. I flashed back to how she’d tried to kill Elise...” He continued to growl, but his body relaxed.
Bryan and Ryne exchanged looks, silently agreeing to let Kane go. Once free of their restraint, the man shoved his hands through his hair and began pacing back and forth in the small alleyway where they hid.
“It’s a good thing you managed to convince Elise to stay back with Mel and keep her company.” Ryne quipped. “She’d have your hide for the fool stunt you almost pulled.”
“I know. I know. You don’t have to rub it in. But once I get my hands on Marla...” Kane paused and exhaled slowly. “I hope I can restrain myself until we get her to the High Council.”
“High Council?” Cassie queried. Bryan glanced over to where she stood huddled by the wall. It was a miserably cold morning, even for early spring in Chicago. The wind was whipping down the alley, stirring up dirt and debris. Being used to Las Vegas temperatures for the past three years, Cassie likely found this a shocking change.
She brushed a few stray hairs from her face and Bryan watched the motion of her hands, noting their jerky movement, the faint lines of tension on her face. He could sense her worry over the plan they were about to undertake and knew she was trying to distract herself. “High Council is where a werewolf who has committed crimes against a pack is judged. It’s our version of going to court except there are no lawyers.” He explained.
“Oh. I...I thought you were just going to...er...deal with her yourselves.” She shrugged and gave a nervous half smile.
“That’s always an option, especially since she’s guilty of crimes against an Alpha, but High Council is better. It’s more objective and prevents other wolves—family members of the accused for example—from claiming bias or saying we were acting as vigilantes.”
Cassie nodded and shoved her hands in her coat pockets, her shoulders hunching against the cold. Bryan moved closer to her and slipped an arm around her shoulder, sharing his body heat. Almost automatically she relaxed against him, a contented sigh escaping her lips.
Ryne noticed the move. Bryan saw how his eyes narrowed and assessed them, but the Alpha said nothing about it, instead focussing on business. “So, when are we going start this operation?”
“I would imagine Marla’s upstairs by now, so I suppose anytime Cassie’s ready...” Kane looked at Cassie and she straightened, nodding.
“I’ll try to teleport into the parking garage and open the door from the inside so you guys can get in. Then I’ll teleport upstairs to the room Kellen is in, shut off the security, send a message to Daniel to start purging Aldrich’s computer and then I’ll hide until you arrive.” She checked off the steps of the plan they’d devised.
“I still don’t like her teleporting into the parking garage.” Bryan frowned, a lead weighted ball of worry building in his stomach. “She’s never seen inside so she doesn’t really know where to aim for.”
“A parking garage is a parking garage.” Cassie huffed, rolling her eyes.
“Yeah, but you don’t know where the ramps are or the cement pillars. What if you teleport into one? Or suddenly appear in front of a surveillance camera?”
Cassie bit her lip and shrugged. “I guess we’ll just have to hope for the best.”
Both Kane and Ryne frowned, neither liking the idea. Bryan started pacing back and forth, shooting considering glances across the street at the entrance to the underground parking garage. He examined the area on either side of the metal door and then looked at the position of the security camera. “Okay, what about this? If I change into my wolf form, I can hide in the bushes that are just beside the entrance. When the next car goes in, I can sneak in beside it. Once I’m in, I’ll change back, disable the surveillance cameras, and then open the door for you.”
Ryne nodded slowly. “It might work, but I’ll do it.”
Bryan shook his head. “No. If Aldrich is watching the security cameras, you and Kane are too recognizable. I’m sure he hasn’t forgotten that it was a black wolf that attacked him. My light brown fur lets me pass myself off as a dog much more easily. Besides, he’s never seen me as a wolf. Neither has Marla.”
Kane concurred. “He’s right. Okay, we’ll wait here with Cassie. Once you’re inside, she’ll teleport directly upstairs to the room Anderson is being held in. While we make our way to the elevator, she can be disarming the security so we can sneak upstairs undetected.”
They all nodded in agreement.
Bryan stepped away to begin changing forms, then paused and turned to face Cassie. He took her in his arms and stared into her eyes. “You be careful, okay?”
“I will.” She smiled up at him, her eyes searching his. Then she stood on tiptoe and kissed him gently. “You be careful, too.”
“I will.” He cupped the back of her head and pulled her
back in so he could kiss her slowly, tracing her lips with the tip of his tongue. She moaned, opening to him and he slid his tongue inside to take one last taste of her. Memories of the previous night filled him, of her sleeping in his arms, her dark lashes fanned over her cheeks, her lips slightly parted. His heart thumped heavily and he pulled her even closer, crushing her mouth to his. She responded, clutching his back, rubbing herself against him. It just felt so right to be with her...
Bryan wrenched his mouth away, breathing hard. He rested his forehead against hers, their breath intermixing. “Don’t take any risks. If you run into Marla or Aldrich, be very, very careful. I don’t want to lose you. Understand?” He stared deeply into her eyes, searching for some sign that she felt as he did. There was a stirring in the depths; was it her or her wolf?
“Yeah.”
He gave her one final look and then a quick kiss before stepping away. Inhaling deeply, he focussed his energy and concentrated on the change. The air shimmered, a burst of pleasure, so intense it was almost painful, filled him, and suddenly he was on all fours. Giving the people gathered around him a final glance, he stepped out of the alley and trotted across the road.
*****
Marla exited the private elevator that led to Aldrich’s penthouse thinking fondly of how it would soon relieve her of an unwanted source of stress, namely Sylvia Robinson. Her wolf protested the plan, whining inside her, the sound making her wince. She rubbed her forehead, her head was throbbing and she wished the creature would be silent for a change.
She left her purse in her office, and walked down the hallway to Aldrich’s office for their usual morning meeting. A brief knock on the door let him know she was there and he summoned her in. Functioning on autopilot, she made note of the jobs he wanted her to deal with. The words washed over her, but had little meaning. Her wolf was pacing, restless. It sensed the approaching full moon, but this month it wasn’t responding well to being suppressed. Giving her head a little shake, she struggled to focus on what Aldrich was saying.
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