A Ravenous Pack: Wolf's Hunger 5 Books

by A. K. Michaels

  It was as his mind wandered to the ramifications of losing his mate, that Kirsty moved closer, her hand shaking his shoulder. “Hey, are you all right?”

  “What? Och, aye, I’m fine.”

  “No, you’re not. What were you thinking about just then?”

  Kade thought about evading her question, or just plain out lying, before he shook his head at himself. “Sorry, I was just about to try and not answer you. I didn’t want to alarm you with my answer but I don’t want to start off our . . . relationship that way.”

  Kirsty’s eyes widened for a moment, her lips pursing together. “I don’t like secrets, they’re not a good way to begin any relationship, whether it’s between friends, or a man and woman.”

  “I know,” Kade agreed. “That’s why I’ll tell you but I’m scared and that’s not something I’ll ever admit to anyone else, ever.”

  He paused, allowing his words to sink in. Kirsty’s body leaning toward him slightly, enough for him to wrap an arm around her shoulder and pull her against him. “I’m Alpha and we never show weakness, never admit we’re worried, or scared, and that’s the truth of things. The only time we do is with our mate, it’s a special bond that allows us to be completely open and honest. It also helps us to be able to vent and, on occasion, be vulnerable with that one person.”

  “That’s a hell of a burden to carry on your shoulders.”

  “I’m Alpha,” he said simply.

  “I’m just beginning to understand what that means. So, tell me, what were you thinking about that had you looking so worried there?”

  Kade heaved in a huge breath, letting it out slowly before he spoke, his voice soft and low as he tried to explain, knowing it must sound crazy. “When an Alpha finds their mate, I’ve explained about that, and how fast they join and bond together. Well, what I didn’t explain was what would happen if they don’t follow through and mate.”

  Kirsty frowned. “That never happens? Like, there’s never a time when they meet and they’re like, hell no, I hate this person?”

  Kade chuckled at her perception and innocence. “No, that doesn’t happen. Well, not to my knowledge anyway. The Goddess doesn’t pair a couple that is not a good match. She ensures that they’re perfect for each other, in every way.”

  Her green eyes twinkled as she stared up at him, her head nestled against his shoulder. “I wish it were like that for everyone. Too many people give up at the first hurdle and when there are kids involved it’s tough on them.”

  “Family is the most important thing to us,” Kade reiterated firmly.

  “I’m beginning to understand that, but carry on, tell me what would happen if an Alpha doesn’t mate once they find their soul-mate.”

  “First, I need to say that this is a very rare occurrence—” Kade paused, not sure how she would take the shocking news but knowing he couldn’t sugar coat the truth. “But if a mate was kept from an Alpha then he would go crazy, as in mentally unstable. His Wolf would fight to be free to hunt for her to seal their bond. In those instances, the Council would need to be called in, as a matter of urgency, to deal with the situation. An out of control Alpha is dangerous, and only the Council would be able to take care of it, but it wouldn’t end well for the Wolf in question.”

  He watched her closely as a gamut of emotion ran over her face, her body quivered as shock coursed through her. She raised her glass, failing to drink her wine as her hand trembled. Kade reached up, steadying it with his so she could sip some of the liquid before her eyes found his. “I didn’t realize it was such a serious problem. What would the Council do?”

  Kade sighed; again, he did not want to reveal the severity of the consequences but knew he could not hold back. If he did, then she would never trust him. “Firstly, they’d capture the Wolf to stop him from harming anyone. In his crazed state, he might hurt someone trying to reach his mate. He would not be himself, reason would have completely gone and that is why he would be dangerous. That’s the first item on their agenda. Stop him from causing any damage to anyone.”

  “Okay, that’s understandable,” Kirsty agreed. “Then what? Can they help him?”

  “Sadly, no.” Kade shook his head. “Once we find our mate there is only one thing we feel inside and that’s an all-encompassing love and the need to be with that person. We have to love them, protect them, and cherish them from the second we find them. If they’re taken from us, then we will hunt for them until we find them and make them ours. If we cannot do that, then it’s as if our mind just kind of shatters, and as far as I’m aware there is no way to fix it. They’ve tried, over the centuries, to find a way but nothing works, and they can only deal with the aftermath and stop the beast from causing any damage.”

  “What exactly does that entail?” Kirsty asked, her voice barely a whisper as she nibbled her lip.

  He could feel her fear, despair running through her as she waited on his answer. Kade was almost certain she knew what he was going to say, her heart speeding up as she gazed up at him. Her green eyes wide, full of anguish, a stray lock of hair falling to lay across her cheek.

  “They sometimes use a ceremony that ends with the Wolf remaining in beast form, with no memory of their human side, and therefore no thoughts of their mate. The beast is restrained in a prison, of sorts, with others like it, for the remainder of its life, which can be a very long time. However, it isn’t always successful and can result in their death.”

  Her hand flew to her chest, tears springing to her eyes, but not a word did she utter. Silence surrounded them as she fought for control and he wondered if he had gone too far. It was a lot to take in for anyone not familiar with their ways. Would she run from him? Would the burden be too much for her?

  Could he have worded it differently? Softened the blow to make it sound not quite so devastating? However, if he had he would be lying and that would not be right. It wasn’t who he was and it wasn’t how he wanted to start their life off. Shit. That’s if they even had a life together after he had dropped such a bombshell. One he was sure she felt squarely on her shoulders.

  “Kirsty,” he started but her hand shot up silencing him.

  She took a great gulping breath in, her face turning up with a look of utter compassion. “I had no idea that’s what would happen. I can’t even fathom what that would mean to someone as strong and powerful as you. You’re obviously dedicated to your Pack and to not be able to do that would be awful but to be disabled and . . . and . . . mutilated like that. I have no words. It sounds barbaric and like something out of the dark ages.”

  Reaching up, her hand cupped the side of his face. He leaned into it, her touch soothing his soul and his beast. “It may sound barbaric but it’s the only solution that ensures others’ safety and that’s the most important point for any of us. I, for one, would rather die than cause harm to anyone whilst lost to the frenzy that would overtake me if my mate was taken from me before we could bond.”

  Kirsty’s head tilted back, her lips parting in invitation, her soft words igniting his passion. “Kiss me.”

  His mouth covered hers quickly, tongues tangling, his strong arms moving her onto his lap, holding her tightly against him as he devoured her. Her scent invading him, her taste like summer strawberries and wild heather in full bloom, ingraining itself inside him. His heart and soul soaring to heights he’d only heard tales of.

  She was his. His mate. The one and only woman made for him and he would never let her go.

  Her hands snuck beneath his clothes, a moan escaping him when her fingers danced across his bare skin. His cock throbbed with a need so great he wasn’t sure he’d be able to contain himself much longer. A soft mewling from Kirsty was almost his undoing, her teeth nipping at his lip sending him over the edge.

  Kade tightened his hold on her, cradling her in his arms and standing, ready to whisk her to his room to worship her body. That was the plan until his front door flew open, banging loudly a moment before a large furry body barreled into him, knock
ing him on his ass.

  Luckily, said ass landed back on the sofa, Kirsty still in his arms, albeit their lips were no longer locked together. “What the hell?”

  “Leia!” Kirsty gasped, giggling as the Shepherd jumped all over them excitedly.

  “Sorry, Alpha, she got away fae me.” Little Jimmy flew through the door, face flushed, his freckles bright and shiny as he slid to a stop. “She’s had two full rabbits, ate all oh them, fur, guts, the lot. Then we took her for a run and played chase for a while but she suddenly just took off wae her nose tae the ground and found her way here. Guess she wanted tae get back to her master.”

  Jimmy stopped, scratching his head. “Nae, that’s no right. Mistress, ain’t it, Alpha?”

  “Aye, Jimmy, Kirsty is her owner. Thank you for looking after her for us.”

  Jimmy beamed with pride, his wee chest puffing out. “Nae bother, Alpha. Can I come and play wae her tomorrow?”

  “That’s not my decision, Jimmy. You’ll need to ask Kirsty.”

  Jimmy frowned, looking at Kade then Kirsty. “Sorry, I thought I did. Is Kirsty no Alpha tae? Or should I call her Mistress Alpha?”

  Kade fought to control himself, knowing the laddie was being deadly serious. “Mistress Alpha isn’t required, no, Jimmy. Kirsty, is it all right if Leia goes out to play tomorrow?”

  Before she could answer Jimmy butted in. “I’ll make sure she’s fed and I’ll introduce her to everyone and I’ll tell them all that she’s tae be protected, just like the Alpha said earlier. I promise tae look after her. Honest.”

  Kirsty looked very solemn as she addressed the boy. “If you promise to take good care of her. She’s very precious to me, Jimmy, so it’s a big responsibility.”

  “I promise,” Jimmy said quickly, making a cross over his heart.

  “All right, you can come get her in the morning. Thank you for looking after her for me today.”

  “Nae problem, Alpha Kirsty.” Jimmy looked behind him, checking there was nobody listening. “I’ve always wanted a dog but my da keeps saying what did I want a dog fur when I’ve got a Pack of Wolves. He disnae understand, ya know?”

  “I do know.” Kirsty nodded, smiling. “She’s a very special dog too, she’s smart and loyal. She’s also lots of fun, so enjoy her as much as I do and you’re welcome to play with her anytime you like. Just remember to let me know so I don’t worry. Okay?”

  “Aye!” Jimmy nodded vigorously. “Bye, see you in the morning, Leia.”

  Leia jumped down from the sofa, licking Jimmy’s face and wagging her tail before Jimmy reluctantly left. “I better go. Nite.”

  “Goodnight, lad.” Kade waved the youngster away, waiting until he’d closed the door before snuggling against Kirsty, chuckling. “Looks like Leia has joined the Pack just fine.”

  “Yes, seems like it.” Kirsty ran a hand through Leia’s fur before the Shepherd wandered off to settle down on the rug beside the front door.

  “Now, where were we?” Kade leaned in for another kiss but Kirsty pushed her hands against his chest, shaking her head.

  “I think I was getting carried away earlier,” she said, raising an eyebrow and piercing him with those impossibly green eyes. “You make it far too easy to forget my ‘never on the first night’ rule, Kade.”

  Damn. His cock still throbbed beneath her backside but he certainly wasn’t going to push her. “I think you feel it too, Princess. The mating call isn’t just on my side or you wouldn’t feel as you do, but I respect your feelings. Why don’t I show you to your room?”

  “That’s a good idea.” She wiggled to get off him. “I think I’ll be having a shower before bed, a bloody cold one.”

  “Tell me about it,” he retorted, rising to adjust himself before leading her upstairs.

  Kirsty turned, obviously surprised when Leia didn’t follow. Kade saw the Shepherd sound asleep and smiled. “She looks right at home, leave her be. You can leave your door open if you want, and she can join you later if she’s of a mind to.”

  “But I’ve never slept alone since I got her,” Kirsty whispered, wavering on the bottom stair, her bottom lip quivering just a little.

  “You don’t need to ever sleep alone again.” Kade tilted his head to the side. “You’re more than welcome to sleep in my room. I promise I won’t try anything.”

  Holding his hands up, he carried on quickly. “I mean it. You’ve gone through a hell of a lot today. You’ve been chased by rogues, you’ve killed two, got knocked out, been brought here, met me and my Pack. Jeez, that’s a tough day for anyone. I’m just saying that you don’t need to be alone tonight.”

  Kirsty looked longingly at her pet then back up at Kade. “I’m not used to being on my own but I’m a big girl. I could manage it if I wanted to. But I guess I just don’t want to. No wandering hands though, or you’ll find out what it feels like to get on my wrong side. Trust me, that’s not somewhere you want to be.”

  Kade backed up the stairs. “I would never do anything to upset you, Princess. You have no idea how much that would hurt me. I think you should talk to some of the Pack tomorrow, maybe some of the women who are mated, and find out a little more about how this works. I think you’ll be surprised when they fill you in on things. I’ve done a piss poor job of it if you’re under the impression I could do anything that could cause you any distress, hurt, or suffering. For now, we’ll get some rest and tomorrow is another day. Okay?”

  “Fine,” she said, following him warily.

  Kirsty was rudely awakened with a wet nose pressed against her cheek, quickly followed by a rough tongue licking her face. “Leia, stop,” she wailed as she pushed her dog out of the way.

  Leia pounced up, her front paws on the bed and tail wagging furiously. “Give me a minute to wake up at least, girl.”

  Kirsty wiped the sleep from her eyes, stretching and looking around. “Shoot,” she said, realizing she’d had a damn good sleep in Kade’s bed and hadn’t even felt him leave. She felt a pang of regret at missing the opportunity to see him possibly naked, maybe even wet from a shower. Dang, that would have been some sight, and she’d slept right through it.

  A clock on the chest of drawers told her it was way past dawn so she hadn’t even been there to tell him to be careful. He was already well on his way to hunt down rogues, a dangerous mission, and she’d not been there to let him know how worried she was for him. Some way to start the whole “mate” thing.

  She got up, patting Leia for a few moments before having a quick shower and brushing her teeth. Kade had given her a toothbrush last night and she’d scrubbed her teeth clean before they’d had a chaste goodnight kiss. He’d kept true to his word, not attempting any kind of “naughty business” other than holding her close as they spooned in his huge bed. His hard body, full of strength, taut muscles, and oozing pure power had given her the best night’s sleep she’d had since her parents had died.

  From the moment she had set eyes on the stunning Alpha, she’d felt the tug toward him. Something deep inside urging her in his direction. It had confused her, even angered her, until he’d explained this mating malarkey. Then things fell into place and she couldn’t deny that the thought of having Kade as her “soul-mate” made her feel a happiness she thought she’d never have.

  She knew she still had a lot to learn. Shit, she knew next to nothing about Shifters, but she was a quick study and the fact she felt safe for the first time in ages went a long way to easing her concerns. Now all she had to do was try to figure out what being Kade’s mate entailed. Kirsty thought she had a lot of questions to ask but wasn’t quite sure where to start.

  Dressing in her one set of clean clothes, she followed Leia downstairs, finding an impatient Jimmy waiting. He shuffled from foot to foot, his face lighting up when Leia bounded down the last few steps, prancing around him.

  “Leia!” he shouted, crouching down to grab her ruff, shaking her and shoving his face into her fur. “I missed ye, lass. Are ye hungry?”

  Leia bark
ed, tail swishing around furiously. “I think that’s a yes.” Kirsty laughed.

  “Can I take her?” Jimmy asked, his eyes imploringly cute.

  “Of course you can, just be careful and make sure she’s safe. Okay?”

  “Aye, I’ll guard her wae my life,” Jimmy replied seriously.

  “I don’t think that’s required but if there’s anything dangerous, you get back here and get an adult. I don’t want you hurt either.”

  “Och, I’ll be fine. I know our land like the back oh ma hand.”

  Leia bolted to the open door, stopping to wait on Jimmy, her body quivering with excitement.

  “I think you’ve made a friend, Jimmy.”

  “Aye, I have,” he replied proudly, running after the Shepherd.

  “He loves animals.”

  Kirsty spun around, the soft voice surprising her.

  Skye stood at the kitchen door, wringing her hands nervously.

  “Oh, hi, sorry, you startled me.”

  Skye’s face flushed as she rushed to apologize. “I didn’t mean to.”

  “I know you didn’t. I’m just not equipped with your super-duper Wolf hearing so I wasn’t aware there was anyone here.”

  “I’ve made you some breakfast.” Skye still hadn’t made proper eye contact.

  Kirsty wondered if she ever did.

  However, if Skye spent her time here, working for Kade, she was probably a good place to start to find out what she needed to know about him, and the Pack.

  “Thank you, I really appreciate that.” Kirsty followed the nervous girl. “So, Skye, how long have you worked for Kade?”

  She tried to keep her tone friendly, conversational, but even so, she saw Skye tense up. Boy, this was going to be difficult.

  There were a few moments of awkward silence as Skye shuffled around, putting together a huge plate of food and bringing it to the table. “Do you want some juice or coffee?”