Lost in Wolf Dreams (Cormac's Pack)

by A. P. Jensen

  “I won her fair and square, loner,” Rex said.

  “She claimed you?” Mac’s voice was so low, Jillian could barely make out his question.

  “I passed ownership,” Bobby informed him.

  Mac looked at Bobby. “Jillian’s mine.”

  Rex looked him over and brushed a kiss over Jillian’s lips before she could pull away.

  “You chose him over me?” Rex whispered and then addressed Mac, “She’s not yours. She’s bonded to me now and I’m not giving her up.”

  Mac pulled his shirt off. “Get up.”

  Mac unbuttoned his jeans. Rex laughed and looked at his pack for support, but everyone was frozen in place. If Jillian wasn’t physically useless at the moment, she would have launched herself at him. Rex licked the bite he gave her and set her on the couch. She splayed awkwardly as she screamed at her body to move. Mac finished pulling off his clothes and waited for Rex who ripped his clothes dramatically and began to hop around like a hyped bunny. Jillian looked between the two men and forced herself to get to her feet. She didn’t know what Mac was doing here, but she was relieved. She couldn’t beat Rex on her own and if anyone could take this psycho, it would be Mac.

  She swayed on the spot as Rex and Mac went outside. She stumbled awkwardly after them while Paul walked over with a crooked smile on his face.

  “You think this is funny?” she snarled.

  Paul shrugged. “We’re part of the pack.”

  “What pack?”

  “The Cormac Pack.”

  She stared at him. “Mac doesn’t have a pack.”

  “He couldn’t come after you alone. What’s wrong with you?”

  “Good old daddy-o shot me up with some drug that turned me into a handicap. Tell Mac to kill Bobby after he kills Rex.”

  Paul reached out to help her, but Brant and Lan blocked his way, tense and ready to fight the unknown wolf. They would fight Paul because she was part of the pack now. She felt a tangled mix of emotion zing through the bond. Remy walked over and eyed her with a frown on his face. She had the childish urge to stick her tongue at him, but she resisted.

  Jillian clutched the back of Brant and Lan’s shirt. “Their fine. Just help me get outside.”

  They led her onto the porch. Bobby settled on the hood of his Jeep to watch and Olivia wrapped an arm around Jillian’s waist to steady her.

  “You okay?” she asked, rubbing her back.

  Jillian leaned against her. “I will be.”

  Paul and Remy walked out into the yard as Rex turned and blew Jillian a kiss. He was too arrogant to realize he was in mortal danger and she wasn’t about to enlighten him. Rex may be insane, but Mac could go feral like her when he let loose. Remy and Paul had grins on their faces and it made Jillian relax a bit. His brothers had no doubt Mac would win.

  Mac and Rex shifted at the same second. Rex was a huge red wolf and he faced the black wolf with impressive fangs. Rex made a lot of snarling noises and dashed forward to test Mac who watched him with fathomless silver eyes. In contrast to Rex, Mac was completely silent. Mac circled slowly and Rex became impatient and attacked. As they clashed, Jillian tried to push through her new pack mates, but they held her back.

  Not even a minute later, Jillian realized she didn’t need to worry. Through the bond, her pack could feel Rex’s pain as Mac strategically ripped him to pieces. Rex’s eyes glazed with bloodlust when he realized Mac was inflicting wounds that would cause the most pain. Mac didn’t have to go feral. He kept his head and coldly killed the alpha of the Rex Pack. The battle was quick, ruthless and brutal.

  Jillian knew the moment Rex died. Lan, Brant, Olivia and Jillian clustered together. The bond that bound them together severed so abruptly, they all fell to their knees. She wanted to lift her head and howl. The fact that she wanted to mourn someone like Rex made her realize how dangerous the pack bond really was. She glanced at Olivia, Lan and Brant and knew their feelings were amplified ten fold. God, this pack thing was no joke.

  Mac turned away from Rex’s body and shifted. Remy tossed him a shirt and he wiped his face and chest before he walked over to Jillian. The Rex Pack gathered around Jillian as he approached. Jillian didn’t know what he was going to do. His eyes were unreadable. Mac was covered in blood from an alpha he’d been obliged to kill because of her. She got to her feet as he stopped at the bottom of the steps.

  Mac didn’t look away from her as he addressed Bobby. “You give your daughter to me?”

  Jillian’s eyes flicked over to her father who yawned now that the fight was done. He had another cigarette in his mouth. Jillian started for her father, but Lan and Brant kept her back. The look she pinned on Bobby should have killed him on the spot. Bobby met her eyes and flicked his cigarette.

  “I had to pay Rex a debt so I used the girl, but now I can use her for another deal.”

  Jillian’s mouth dropped open and she fought against Brant and Lan to get at him.

  “I could kill you,” Mac said.

  “Killing me won’t make her yours. She still has to claim you as her alpha.”

  Mac looked at Jillian. “Either you claim me or your dad will use you for the rest of your life.”

  Jillian swallowed and cursed her dad to hell. She now knew exactly what power Mac had over her as alpha. It wasn’t something to take lightly, but she couldn’t let her dad choose another serial killer for her. Jillian finally looked at Mac. She didn’t understand him, but she trusted him not to hurt her physically.

  “I claim you as my alpha,” Jillian said.

  She gasped as another bond snapped into place. She sagged against Brant and Lan and Mac’s eyes narrowed. Her heart skipped a few beats and she felt jittery and elated. Her bond with Mac was a strong, protective shield where Rex was tainted and tangled with pain and fear. She felt an emotional kinship with Remy and Paul she knew stemmed from Mac’s love for them. This pack bond was more complex since Mac’s brothers didn’t need to hide their feelings from their alpha. The brothers were open with their affection towards each other. She could spend hours sifting through pack bonds nuances. She hated that her wolf wanted to rub against Mac in welcome.

  “Let’s go,” Mac ordered and turned away.

  “B-but what about us?” Olivia squeaked.

  “You can find another alpha,” Mac said dismissively.

  Paul and Remy stared dumbfounded at Mac, but they didn’t speak.

  “We’ll swear allegiance to-” Brant began.

  Mac sliced a hand through the air. “I don’t want more members.”

  “But you beat our alpha. We’re yours,” Olivia said.

  Mac bared his teeth. “I’m not interested in taking on corrupt pack mates.”

  “But we’re not-” Olivia began.

  Mac’s scowl made Olivia cower and back away. Jillian released a growl and stepped in front of Olivia, facing off with Mac. He cocked his head to the side and a muscle moved in his jaw when he met her eyes.

  “Let’s go,” Mac repeated and walked away.

  Mac, Paul and Remy made their way down the driveway where they parked the SUV. That’s when she realized the Jeep and Bobby were gone. How the hell had he managed that? Someday, she vowed. Who did he think he was, handing her off to any psycho wolf he wanted? This was the twenty-first century!

  “You should go,” Olivia said in a small voice and blinked back tears.

  Jillian folded her arms across her chest. She felt a compulsion to follow Mac, but she ignored it. “I don’t feel like it. Where are you guys gonna go now that you’re free?”

  Brant grabbed handfuls of his bushy hair. “We’re not free, Jillian. We’re free game for any alpha to kill.”

  “Mac was a lone wolf. Maybe you guys can do that,” Jillian said.

  “Lone wolves are usually alphas. They can take care of themselves. None of us are dominants.”

  Jillian shook her head. “Haven’t you ever gone to a self-esteem class?”

  Lan glared at her. “We all have ranks in
the pack. We can’t make ourselves into something we aren’t. We’re born to be in the positions we’re in. Packs need order, hierarchy-”

  “Okay, okay,” Jillian said quickly. She wasn’t keen on getting a lecture and she could hear it coming.

  “Jillian.”

  Mac’s voice made the three wolves duck their heads and Olivia whined in the back of her throat. It set Jillian’s temper on fire. Olivia had been tortured and bullied by Rex. Now that he was gone, Olivia didn’t have to cower, not if Jillian had anything to say about it.

  Jillian turned with her hands on hips. “Yeah?”

  “Come here.”

  “I’m busy.”

  Mac’s eyes narrowed and he looked dangerous with dried rivulets of blood on his bare chest. Jillian could feel his will pressing on her and she clenched her hands at her sides to stop herself from going to him. With the new pack bond she wanted, needed to obey. Her teeth chattered with the force it took to resist his command.

  “One more time. Come here.”

  Although he was talking to her as her new alpha, he wasn’t using the bond to make her obey as Rex had. He was still giving her the choice, but she could feel him losing control.

  “I’d rather stay here.”

  “That’s not an option, babe,” Mac said and started forward.

  Jillian tried to avoid him, but her damn sluggish body let her get caught. Mac tossed her over his shoulder. She let her canines pop out and sank them into his lower back. He went stock-still and slapped her ass so hard, tears filled her eyes.

  “There has to be a way to reverse this,” she said.

  “There isn’t.”

  “If they don’t come, I’m not going anywhere.”

  Mac slid her down his body so they were face to face. Her legs wrapped around his waist in reflex. When she realized what she’d done, she wriggled to be put on her feet. Mac cupped her ass in his hands and squeezed.

  Mac glared down at her. “You don’t know these wolves. They’re just like him-”

  “No, they’re not. They saved my life.”

  Mac stared at her and she could almost hear what he was thinking.

  “I am not crazy! They were bonded to Rex’s father and he died. It’s not their fault they got stuck with Rex. They had to follow his orders no matter how they felt about him. I’m not leaving them behind to be hunted by other packs.”

  Mac was silent for a long minute. “They’ll be bonded to me.”

  Jillian looked past Mac. “You guys mind being bonded to Mac?”

  Brant and Lan wore stunned expressions, but Olivia shook her head quickly. Mac looked down at Jillian and dropped her with a snarl. He walked over to the abandoned wolves who backed up warily.

  “You pledge your life to me?” Mac growled.

  All three wolves sank to their knees, heads tilted to the side to expose their throats. Jillian felt each of them join the pack and felt her heart swell. Remy and Paul came up behind her, alerted through the pack bond about the new additions.

  “I couldn’t leave them behind,” Jillian said without turning to them.

  “I’m glad you fought for them,” Paul said and Remy grunted.

  Lan, Brant and Olivia got to their feet, looking shaky, pale and excited.

  “Bring only what you need. We leave in five minutes,” Mac said and walked away.

  Mac passed Jillian with a hot glare. She ignored him and followed her new pack mates into the rundown house to help them pack. Jillian found Olivia in a tiny closet, gathering her meager possessions. Jillian held open a garbage bag for her.

  “There has to be another way,” Jillian muttered.

  “For what?” Olivia asked, nearly dancing with happiness.

  “To get out of this pack stuff.”

  Olivia stopped with her mouth open. “We’re wolves. Pack is everything.”

  “We’re also human. We should have choice,” Jillian insisted. “Mac didn’t want a pack and now look at this mess.”

  “He did it for you,” Olivia sighed, lashes fluttering. “That’s so romantic!”

  Jillian stared at her. “You should really get out more. Maybe we can go clubbing.”

  She’d never gone clubbing in her life, but she knew how it worked. Plus, she could really use a drink right now.

  “Clubbing?”

  “Yeah, you know, let it all hang out, drink and dance our asses off.”

  “Can I come?” Remy said from the open doorway.

  “No men allowed,” Jillian said frostily.

  Jillian tossed the trash bag over her shoulder and walked out of Rex’s hellhole. Mac sat in the driver’s seat of his SUV. Paul sat on the middle seat while Lan and Brant sat in the very back, uneasy with the dominant Mercer’s. Jillian felt Mac’s eyes on her as she hopped in the back and planted herself between Lan and Brant who looked as if they’d rather be anywhere else, but beside her. As she settled, she looked up and found Mac watching her in the rearview mirror. She could feel him pushing on her through the pack bond. She rose half out of her seat, compelled to ride shotgun, but she shoved her own will at him and sank into her seat.

  “Don’t,” she hissed.

  Mac’s eyes promised retribution for disobeying, but she ignored him. She didn’t want to be by him right now. She felt so strange. She was grateful Mac was here and taking on the Rex Pack as well, but she couldn’t be near him. Not yet. She needed time to register all that happened. She felt scrambled and out of her depth where Mac was concerned. He killed Rex to claim her and took on three more members to his pack on her account.

  Olivia’s eyes were wide as she looked from Jillian in the very back to Mac. They could all feel his anger taking up all the air in the SUV as they got in. Nobody was brave enough to ride shotgun. Olivia, Paul and Remy sat in the middle seat. Jillian leaned over the middle seat to roll down the window to let in fresh air. She settled back and closed her eyes. She let the warm breeze wash away Rex’s touch as Mac drove. She sensed Olivia’s sadness through the bond and went rigid when she remembered.

  “Stop!” she hollered.

  Mac glanced back at her, but didn’t stop the SUV. Jillian climbed over the middle seat and landed on Remy’s lap. He yelped as she opened the door and jumped out with the car in motion. Mac slammed the brake and the car skidded on the dirt road. Jillian headed into the trees, but didn’t make it far because Mac pounced and pinned her face down in the grass. She turned her face to the side so she could breathe and tried not to wince when she felt his temper. Before she was bonded to him, she tried to read his face to get a glimpse of his emotions. Now, his anger was a deadly inferno. It made her want to run and cower, but she did neither.

  Mac leaned down so the others wouldn’t hear. “I am so fucking angry with you right now. Don’t push me.”

  “There’s a witch not far from here. She’s coming with us too.”

  “Are you kidding me?!” Mac got to his feet and faced her with claws. “I can’t just take people onto my land, Jillian. They have to pledge to me and I’m bound to protect them with my life! This isn’t like adopting dogs from the pound, this is forever. Do you understand?”

  “I know I wouldn’t be standing here if it wasn’t for her. If you don’t want them, find a way to release all of us.”

  A muscle ticked in his jaw. “No.”

  “She was bonded to Rex. She’s not like him either. She’s a good woman.”

  “She’s a witch,” he said flatly.

  “She’s a person,” Jillian insisted.

  While Mac took deep breaths to keep himself from shifting, Jillian headed into the forest and sniffed out Flora’s cottage. She wasn’t surprised to see Flora waiting with a rhinestone covered suitcase in front of the cottage. When Flora saw Jillian, she ran forward to hug her. Jillian patted Flora awkwardly on the back in return. Flora looked like Princess Jasmine today. She had on some weird gauzy/flowy material that floated dreamily around her.

  “You’re right on time,” Flora said.

 
Jillian frowned. “I don’t know whether to thank you or hurt you. Taking away my memory made this way more complicated.”

  “It’s the way it was supposed to happen. I felt Rex die and I was like,” Flora did an Irish jig and an imitation of a slam dunk. “Boo yah! I knew it would only be a matter of time before you came. Great job.”

  “I didn’t kill him, Mac did.”

  Flora nodded, unsurprised. “Alright,All right I’m guessing I’m the last, right? Let’s go.”

  Jillian was amazed that Flora could be so chipper under such circumstances. How did everyone manage this alpha/pack stuff without screaming? There were so many rules and so little free choice. What stunned Jillian was everyone’s acceptance of change. What if Mac was a secret tyrant?

  “I don’t understand this at all,” Jillian mumbled.

  “You will in time. We need you,” Flora said earnestly.

  Jillian shot her a derisive glance and wheeled Flora’s suitcase through the forest. Flora mentioned frantic calls from Benji and Jillian explained what happened after Flora dropped her off at the cafe. Flora was fascinated by the events that followed and Jillian finished her story as they broke through the trees and faced Mac. He had his legs braced apart, arms folded over his chest and he didn’t look the least bit pleased with either of them. Jillian gave Flora credit for not running away, screaming. Flora’s Miss America smile faltered and her steps slowed.

  “You claim me as your alpha?” Mac snapped.

  Flora bowed her head. “I pledge to use my gifts to aid your pack by whatever means possible.”

  “You won’t practice dark magic,” Mac commanded.

  “No sir,” Flora said soberly.

  Mac grabbed the suitcase and Jillian’s hand and headed back to the SUV. When he shoved her into the shotgun seat, she simply slithered over the console and middle seat. Once more, she climbed over Remy who looked alarmed before Jillian reclaimed her seat between Lan and Brant. Lan glared at her while Brant went beet red and inched as far to his side of the car as possible when Mac eyed him in the mirror. Flora hesitantly got into the only seat available. Mac slammed the gas pedal down and Flora slid her hand back to Olivia who clasped it. It was a small gesture, but it warmed Jillian’s heart. She’d done the right thing.