Wolf Leader (Wolves of Wisconsin Book 5)

by Marie Fraser

  “So, I probably won’t need to bust out the high protein meals until later in the week?” Kevin asks as the bacon sizzles. Byron had to admit, it was a pleasing sound.

  “Not for another day or two at least, but maybe have some snacks prepared for the hiking trips? Just light stuff. No need to weigh down their stomachs while they’re on the go,” Byron said as he glances at a plate of fruit that sat tantalizingly in front of him.

  “Don’t even think about it, Byron.” Kevin warns, his back facing him.

  With a frown Byron stands up from the chair, shaking his head. “Kevin, I swear, sometimes you have eyes in the back of your head.”

  “Also, if you see Jess, give him a smack on the head for stealing my bacon.” Kevin replies, still attending to his pans.

  Byron chuckled as he left the kitchen. Jess was always a troublemaker. The second breakfast bell wouldn’t be going off for another hour so he had time to check his fishing equipment, before heading back to his room. As he was walking out the front door a caravan pulled into the parking lot. It definitely wasn’t new, but it looked well taken care of. The engine sputters before the driver turns it off. Three women and a man make their way out of the vehicle. Byron’s eye wanders across one of the women getting out of the back seat. From afar, her beauty struck him like a lightning bolt. Her figure, from what he could make out, was trim. The jean shorts she wore drew his eyes to her curvy waist and hips, which was all he had time to notice before Jess walked into him.

  “Hey Byron!” He said, after bumping into him.

  “What do you want? I was just checking out the new arrivals,” Byron replied a little annoyed to be disturbed. He couldn’t see the woman anymore, mainly because Jess was blocking his view.

  “Oh nothing, nothing at all.” Jess said as he walked off in the direction of the main cabin.

  Byron stood there feeling confused, which was something Jesse usually enjoyed doing to people. He strived to throw people through a loop. The group that had just arrived started to walk towards the main cabin while Jesse had distracted him. Byron was rooted in his spot. He could see the woman he had set his eyes on a few minutes ago.

  “Hi, do you work here?” A young man asked, switching his duffle bag to his other hand.

  “I uh –” Byron stares down at his bare feet, his mouth going dry as he notices the woman’s eyes on him. “Yeah, I guess I do.”

  The newcomer raises an eyebrow, as chuckles erupt from the women.

  “Well, do you know where we can check in?” The man inquires, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

  “Of course,” Byron points to the cabin the group faces. “Go in there, turn to the left and you will find our receptionist. You can check in with her and if you like even leave your bags, she can bring them to your cabin while you go out and explore a little before you all settle in.”

  The young man looks at the women who shrug and nod. “Alright, well thanks, man.” He says as he reaches out his hand to shake Byron’s. “I’m Max by the way, this is Celine, Camilla, and Rebecca.”

  Celine…

  Byron had to shake his head to stop from staring at her. As they walk away, Byron had a chance to watch her from a different perspective. What caught his eye at first was her beautiful, shiny auburn hair. It was the color of a cool, red wine; vibrant, beautiful, and intoxicating. He could picture burying his face in it as he hugged her from behind.

  His hips pressing against the small of her back. His sensitive nose caught the scent and Byron knew just how it would be, burying his face in those long, lush locks. It was long enough to reach the jean shorts she was wearing. He runs a hand over his face as he enjoys the hypnotic way her hips sway as she walks. His thoughts drift towards running his hands over her curvy waist, cupping her tight ass before he-

  He was broken out of his fantasy by the last breakfast bell. His jeans were a bit more constricted than usual as he looks down at his still bare feet.

  “Shit.” He says out loud and continued walking towards his cabin. He could always check on the fishing equipment later.

  Chapter 2

  The group of newcomers walked into the main cabin. Max and the two other women turned to the left and continued on their way to reception while Celine stayed behind. She stopped to admire the pictures on the wall of the main entrance. Almost every shot had been taken outside in the surrounding area.

  She looked closely at one that appears to be taken out on the water. It was breathtaking. The sky was so clear of clouds that you would have been able to spot a bird for miles. The calmness of the water in the photo makes her want to take a dip in it. What intrigued her most out of the entire photo was the solo canoeist. He was staring off into the distance. Her nose almost presses up against the frame as she notices that he was also shirtless. She couldn’t exactly make out his features, but he was almost, as breathtaking as, the view.

  “Oh, Celine!” A female voice drawls, tapping her on the shoulder.

  She turned around to see that her friends had finished in reception.

  “Well that was certainly fast,” Celine replied as she holds her bag in front of her.

  “It only seems that way,” Max chips in; he still had his bag over his shoulder.

  “So what cabin are we in?” she asks, a little curious since she had missed that little bit of information.

  “It’s by the water. Apparently, it’s one of the best, or that’s what the receptionist, Aiyana, told us while we were in there,” he says, filling her in on what she had missed out.

  “She was pretty cute too, I think she got our Maxie a little hot and flustered,” Rebecca said, as she playfully punches his arm.

  “Oh, shut up,” He says as he turns to walk out the door. “Are you coming or not?”

  “We’re right behind you!” Celine squeaks as the trio of women follow him out of the door and back outside.

  “She did give you directions, though right?” Celine asks, as they venture their way down a path that splits off from the main cabin.

  “No, we have to find it ourselves. Of course, she gave us directions,” Camilla said, as she rolled her eyes at Celine in mock irritation.

  “I was just wondering…” Celine began to say, trailing off when she spots the man they had met when they first got here.

  He was walking up the path towards them. Studying him from afar, she noticed that he had put on shoes at some point. He was ruggedly handsome and as he walked by them, she picks up on the strain on his face and wondered what could have possibly been bothering him so much to put that look on his face. She was still looking over her shoulder when she bumped into Rebecca.

  “Oops, I’m sorry, Becca.” she began, but was waved off by her friend’s hand. The entire group had stopped.

  Blocking their path was a mother doe and her baby fawn. They took their time crossing the path and stopped to graze on the shoulder.

  “They’re adorable,” Rebecca gushes as she clings to Celine’s arm.

  Celine only nods. It had been a while since she had gotten the chance to be one with nature. The entire ride up here she was awed by the surroundings. Trees were everywhere, it was almost endless. Even this path was surrounded by trees. It was almost like you were being swallowed up by nature. She was in love with that feeling. It took a few more minutes, until the little family of deer was on their way back into vast expanse of trees. A small smile erupted on Celine’s face once they were out of sight.

  The group started moving again and they had only a few more feet to go before they came face-to-face with their lodging. It had a rustic sort of vibe. On the porch there was a swing with a padded seat, Camilla ran to it, bag and all, and plops down. As Celine walked up the porch she wandered over to one of the front windows and peers into it. A pout curves her lips as her view of the inside of the cabin is blocked by its curtains.

  “Ya know Celine, there is an easier way to get inside,” Max teases her as he jangles a set of keys.

  Celine stuck out her ton
gue, as Max inserts the proper key into the lock. As he was unlocking the door, Celine notes that there was some sort of wooden plague on the front of it. From where she was standing, the plague looked like a bear.

  Max and Rebecca went inside and Celine could hear their contentment from outside. Camilla soon stopped her swinging to brush by her and enter the cabin, as well. She didn’t bother looking around the main living area, instead she left the room to go search for a bed.

  Celine stood in front of the door for a few more minutes studying the plaque. A gentle breeze ran its fingers through the tendrils of her hair, cooling her neck some. The plaque was indeed a bear, and it was catching a fish. She assumed it must be a grizzly or a black bear. She closed the door as she walked through the entryway, mesmerized by the skill it would have taken to craft that plaque amazed her. It would have taken days to get all of that detail to where it was at.

  “Earth to Celine!” Rebecca calls to her from the furthest side of the room; she was examining a shelf with various items on it.

  “Oh, sorry Becca. Did I miss something?” Celine asked, as a sheepish smile crossed her face when she realized she must have zoned out.

  “Well we were just picking out beds and we’re kind of waiting on you. I know how picky you can be, girl. I didn’t want there to be arguments already so I told the other two to hold off for a few minutes. Camilla wasn’t happy; she’s already basically claimed one of them,” Rebecca said, before she rolled her eyes and turned back to the shelf.

  Camilla wasn’t a bad friend, in fact if you needed her she was always there for you. But she was sort of an acquired taste sometimes. Camilla was a little rough around the edges, but that’s what Celine liked about her friend. She was tough and never took shit from anyone.

  A smile tugged on the corner of Celine’s lips as she pictures her friend already sprawled out on her bed of choice, with a book cracked open on her lap, making her chuckle.

  “What’s so funny?” Rebecca asked, as she looked over her shoulder.

  “Oh, nothing. Which way are the bedrooms?” Celine replied, as she walks further into the room, admiring the bay window that opened up one of the walls and offered a cozy seat beneath it.

  Rebecca motioned to the left with her head. Her interest was consumed by the miscellaneous items on the shelf. There were a few board and card games, she even saw a few books that she was familiar with and some sort of basket that caught her attention.

  “Are you coming Becca?” Celine’s voice drifted from around the corner of the hallway.

  “Oh yeah, I’ll be right there!” She answered, as she picked up her bag and scampered to join her friend.

  They walked down the hallway together. There weren’t any windows in this passage way, but the décor made up for it. On both sides of the walls were photos taken on the campsite. They were mainly nature shots, but there were also a few unfamiliar faces.

  Celine guessed that they were probably former inhabitants of this cabin. The first door they came to was a surprisingly large bedroom. It had a big window and a large closet, in the corner Celine spotted an easel.

  “Hey Becca, do you like this room?” She asked her friend, spying a nightstand in the farthest corner. There was a lamp on it and a small basket, although she couldn’t tell what was in it from the doorway.

  Rebecca pops her head into the room and scrunched her nose in distaste. “I think I’ll pass. I’m not a big fan of overly large rooms. But it’s kind of cute, I guess.”

  Celine laughed, “In that case, I’ll just leave my bag here. I like this room. The window is absolutely magnificent. I can just imagine waking up in the morning to the sun shining on me.”

  Celine shivered with absolute joy and fully entered the room to drop her bag on the bed. She ran her hand over the bed sheets for a moment before leaving. They were so soft and welcoming, she couldn’t wait to curl up in them and fall asleep.

  Once she’s back out in the hallway, with Rebecca, they hear laughter from down the hall.

  “I wonder what those two are doing,” Rebecca said, her stylish eyebrows rising in interest.

  “We might as well go find out,” Celine answered in response, quite curious herself.

  The two girls walk further down the hallway; the next door was open and empty. Rebecca stopped in front of it.

  “Celine!” She squeals and grabs her friends arm. “It’s beautiful! I love it!”

  The room was tiny. Only enough room for a bed, nightstand, and a small dresser. But Celine knew why her friend had fallen for it so quickly. The window beside the bed opened outwards. Rebecca had a slight obsession with princess movies and these windows reminded her of them.

  Rebecca dances into the room and picks up a shell and lifts it to her ear, trying to hear the ocean. She sighs with success, before putting the conch shell back down.

  A thud from a room two doors down attracted their attention. The last door was a strange looking bedroom. Camilla was standing in front of something laughing hysterically and pointing at something. Celine and Rebecca had to lean around her in order to see what it was.

  Max had apparently fallen from the hammock he had been trying to lay on. His body sprawled under it, his hand over his mouth to confine the laughter that was forcing its way out. His leg was still caught in the fabric.

  “What happened?” Celine asked, trying to contain the giggle that was bubbling up, as she looked at her friend’s faces.

  “Max can’t figure out how to get into the hammock without falling right out of it again,” Rebecca giggled

  “I was hoping to sleep in it, but I’m beginning to rethink that effort. All I need is to fall out in the middle of the night and wake one of you.”

  Celine laughed before walking over and showing Max how to properly get in the hammock.

  “Easy for you,” he grumbled good-naturedly.

  “Think we’re too late for breakfast?” Celine asked, just as easily getting out of the hammock to lead the way from the room.

  “I hope not,” Rebecca sighed. “I smelled bacon and sausage earlier.”

  “Of course, you’d want meat,” Max pointed out, making everyone chuckle. “Hell, let’s go eat.”

  ***

  Byron would never admit to waiting on someone, but when Celine walked through the door, he knew he’d been hoping she’d stop in for a bite to eat. Walking over to her group he smiled.

  “I’m Byron, I didn’t get a chance to properly introduce myself earlier. I’m one of three owner/operators of Bear Lake. If you need anything or have any issues, please feel free to let me know.”

  “Thank you,” Camille said, before they all headed toward the area that said Food Court.

  Normally, Byron would have hung around and mingled with the guests, but he knew he had his fishing gear to check on before the lunchtime activities got started. He didn’t want to take a group out on the lake without checking and doing inventory on his supplies beforehand.

  “Is it true that you do solo tours?”

  Byron turned around to see Celine standing there, her dark hair driving him crazy. He stuffed his hands in his jean pockets to keep from reaching out to touch her. “Um, you’re the first person to ask me that. We’ve don’t advertise for them, necessarily, but if a guest requests a solo tour, we can certainly accommodate one.”

  “Good,” she smiled. “I’ll let you know when I’m interested.”

  Byron barely remembered to breathe before she turned and walked back to her friends, but he was a man and if he had to guess, there was a strong come on in the way Celine had mentioned being interested. If so, he’d be the one to return her interest full-force.

  ***

  Celine had seen enough good-looking men to know that Byron was one hell of a hot man. She could just imagine those massive hands roaming over her body, holding her up while he ravaged her. Her breasts tingled with anticipation as she munched on her bagel that she’d smothered strawberries and cream cheese.

  She liked that the p
lace offered a first-rate cooked meal and some alternatives for people who were in a hurry. She wasn’t, but the bagel suited her more. “I’m doing the fishing tour,” Max said, as they all ate. “I’ve heard its first rate and the brochure all but guarantees that you’ll catch something.”

  “I’m doing the nature hike later this afternoon,” Camille said. “It’ll give me time to unpack and catch a nap beforehand.”

  “Those both sound fun,” Rebecca chimed in. “But I think I’ll join Camille on the nature hike. Fish really aren’t my thing.”

  “I’m taking a guided tour,” Celine said, her body already anticipating alone time with Byron. Inwardly she wondered how long it’d take to talk him out of his clothes. “I caught wind of the solo tour option and it sounds amazing. I’m going swimming at the lagoon if the weather holds out.”

  “Swimming, god I hope we get to do that on the hike.”

  “Apparently there’s a waterfall on the hike as well.”

  “Oh!” Camille said, “Now I’m super excited about going.”

  Chapter 3

  The four friends went their separate ways after eating. Camille and Rebecca napped, waiting for the nature hike, while Max headed for the fishing area. Celine went in search of Byron, her body already ripe for their solo tour.

  Reaching the information cabin, she knocked, smiling when she heard a muffled curse before Byron appeared in the doorway. He easily filled it, being tall and largely muscled. His dark hair drew her attention as she looked up into his face. “I was hoping now was a good time for a tour,” she said, unaccustomed to the nerves that skittered along her skin.

  “Um,” he stumbled. “Yeah. I need to rearrange some things, but if you can give me ten or fifteen minutes, I’d be glad to take you on a tour.”

  “That’d be great,” she smiled.

  She watched him step out of the cabin and head for the main cabin. Not knowing whether or not she should follow, she trailed behind, giving Byron space as he ate up the ground with large strides. Even if she had wanted to keep up, she’d have had to jog to do so. He towered over her, even at five feet seven inches, he was a giant compared to her.