by Angela Foxxe
“It’s not on our photos or your blueprints. My people are going to have to search it.” She turned to yell something at her agents. Carver put a hand on Monique’s arm to stop her from arguing.
“Our people live there,” she whispered to Carver.
“I know, but we need this to go off without a hitch. Just let them do their job; it’ll be okay.”
Monique let out a sigh. She wasn’t used to people telling her what to do.
The agent walked away without a word, engrossed in her work. Monique couldn’t tell if she was a wolf or not. Nothing about her screamed it, but she couldn’t always tell. Carver could, but not her. Now wasn’t the time to ask, though.
A second, identical SUV followed up the road. It came to a stop a hundred feet behind the first, the large engine under the hood idled for a moment before shutting off. Agent Nah led a small team down to meet it. Carver, unsure what to do, followed with Monique in tow.
A hand slid itself into hers and startled her. A young man of seventeen, with eyes as gray as an overcast sky, and wearing clothes that didn’t fit, walked beside her. Her breath caught sharply when she realized who it was.
“Hi, Mom, uh, did I do this right?” Kirk asked. His clothes were all from the lodge store, a sweatshirt, yoga pants, and a pair of sandals. While too big, they all were on correctly.
“Kirk?” Carver whispered with awe in his voice. “My boy,” he said.
“Hi, Dad. I’ll explain later,” he said to answer the obvious question Monique had on her mind.
The senator exited the car. He was a tall man with a weather-beaten face, and at least a day’s stubble. He pulled it off well, looking as if he stepped out of the cover of ‘Outdoor’ magazine. His suit fit him in all the right ways, and he moved with the grace of a lion. No, Monique corrected herself, a wolf. Her heart fluttered, sweat gathered on her brow, and her thighs trembled. Not now. God, not now.
Behind the senator, a young woman came into view. Long blond hair framed a heart shaped face. Her blue eyes peaked out behind half closed lids. Monique, in her haze, could feel Kirk’s hand grip her tight, and suddenly she realized why he chose now to shift.
CHAPTER 12
After a brief conversation with his security detail, the senator came over to meet them. Monique kept an eye on Agent Nah as she led a team to the employee’s bungalow. She still didn’t like them searching the place. Much of her fear, she admitted, could be down to her inherent distrust of the government after Hurricane Katrina. After all, the city, state, and even the federal government abandoned the city long before they told the people to evacuate. She squelched that line of thinking, though. It usually led to a sad place, and right now she needed her thoughts straight. Her body was playing tricks on her enough.
The sun shined through a clear sky, and the temperature sat at a balmy seventy-five. Perfect for September, and for the resort. The senator’s trip couldn’t have been planned for a better time.
With Carver in one hand, and Kirk in the other, Monique waited for him to approach. He rose a head taller than everyone around him, and from his build she could tell he used it to his advantage. Carver, while broad and six feet, fell five inches short of the senator.
“Senator Rogers, may I introduce Monique? She pretty much runs the place, and our son, Kirk.” Monique heard Carver speaking, but couldn’t take her eyes of the senator. His blue eyes, the same shade as his daughter’s enthralled her, almost calling to her.
“Carver, it’s good to see you again, and I’m glad to hear of your success; the place looks great,” the big man said as he shook hands, first with Carver, then he held out his hand to Monique. She stared at it dumbly, like it was a snake. Carver coughed politely. Monique shook herself and reached out. The air snapped between them when their hands touched. He didn’t seem to notice, but Monique had to bite her bottom lip to keep from calling out.
Kirk reached out lamely, not having ever shaken a hand before. He dropped his after a few seconds. Senator Rogers turned to wave his daughter over. Monique took a step back and leaned against the truck the second he looked away.
“Are you okay?” whispered Carver. She looked at him, his brown eyes, soft features, her heart swelled with love. How then, could she be vibrating with the desire to pull this man she just met into an embrace? All she could muster to answer Carver was a blank stare.
“This is my daughter, Portia; she’s supposed to be with her mom this weekend, but things didn’t work out.”
“That’s his polite way of saying my mom took off with her latest guy for the weekend and forgot about me,” Portia said.
Kirk held his hand out to her. Monique wiped her brow with her forearm, took a deep breath, and got herself under control. Despite her feelings, she had to see this through, at least until she could be alone. When Kirk’s hand touched Portia’s she felt the spark all over again. Only the fact that she still leaned against the truck kept her from falling over.
“Carver, I need to lay down.”
“Of course, Senator, please come with me, I’ll give you the tour. Will Portia be joining us?”
Monique managed to look up and she saw in Kirk’s face a little of what she felt. He and Portia held hands, frozen in mid-shake, staring at each other.
“Portia?”
The blond girl blushed, quickly pulled her hand away, and looked at her dad.
“Sorry, uh, yeah sure… Could Kirk maybe show me around? There’s a pool right? I would love a swim,” she said.
Carver looked to the senator, who nodded, then back to his son. “Go ahead, be back in time for dinner.”
Monique put her arm around Carver’s waist and let him help her walk. She needed to lay down and figure out what was going on before it drove her insane.
*
If it wasn’t for her loser mom, she wouldn’t have had to come to this place. Her dad was constantly jetting off to some part of the country, either for fund raisers or business. Normally, she would’ve stayed home, but when she found out her mom’s wasn’t an option, well, a resort in the mountains sounded better than her room and bodyguard baby sitters. Now, with Kirk at her side, she didn’t think things were so bad.
Her skin itched in a way it never had. She looked at him and her mouth watered, her stomach ached, she trembled trying to say his name. That wasn’t like her. She didn’t have nerves, and she certainly didn’t have trouble talking to boys. Especially not ones with shaggy brown hair and eyes like an overcast sky. And his lips, she blushed thinking about what she would like those lips to do to her… What is wrong with you? Stop it!
A warmth in her hand made her realize that she had inadvertently reached out to hold his hand as they walked around behind the resort. When had she done that?
“Kirk, I don’t feel like swimming in a pool, is there somewhere else we can go?” she asked him.
Kirk cast his gaze at her for a moment, his features flickered insecurely.
“There’s a hot springs not too far away, the staff keeps it for themselves. This time of day it should be all ours,” he said.
“Perfect, let’s go there,” Portia said with a smile. When he turned to pull her to the woods, she wiped one hand across her face.
He led her behind the resort, up a small trail that disappeared into the woods. The birch trees mingled with the evergreens giving the forest an eerie dark and light look. The trail evened out and from her vantage point she could see the whole resort. She stopped to look at it; even at seventeen, she could appreciate the beauty of it. The main building sat nestled up to the cliff they just climbed, behind it was the pool and jacuzzi. The front of the place looked over its main grounds, the bungalow her dad’s people were freaked out about, the storage room, and a shed. On the other side was the basketball court, and the indoor shooting range. The whole place seemed to grow right out of the mountain, no artificial grass, or garish colors.
“Your people really make this place look like it belongs,” she said as they continued down the trail.
“Uh, my people?”
“You know, wolves, you’re a wolf right?”
He stopped short, peering at her. She smiled back. Of course she knew, her dad was one, and she could be one someday if she wanted. He was careful to keep her out of pack business, but she was smart, and clever, there wasn’t a whole lot he could hide from her.
“You know about us?” Kirk asked.
She couldn’t tell if it was a smile or a frown, and that bothered her. Reading people, especially boys, came second nature to her. This one though, she couldn’t see anything about him.
“It’s not a big secret; my father’s an Alpha, of course I know. Come on, I’m dying to get out of these clothes,” she said as she pushed past him. That ought to get him thinking! She followed him up the trail and around the ridge that took them out of sight of the resort. They passed a sign warning hikers that that the area was unstable and full of unexplored caves.
“Is it safe?” she asked. The boy just nodded to her. He was infuriatingly silent. She was used to boys prattling on, trying to impress her with knowledge or feats of strength. This one, this Kirk, seemed content to let her talk. And she was. She barely even knew what she said for the twenty minutes they walked through the forest. Suddenly he stopped, lifted his finger to her lips shushing her.
Anger flared through her at the presumption of being quieted. Before she could respond though, she heard it. A trickle of water against rocks.
“We’re almost there, if we’re quiet we might catch a deer drinking.” He crouched down and moved slowly down the trail. Mimicking him, her anger forgotten, she followed. The dirt trail was well worn from boots and shoes traversing it. The sides were slightly muddy, but mostly it was a dry path. Kirk pushed a bush aside and Portia saw the hot springs. It wasn’t as large as the pool, perhaps twenty feet across, but it was beautiful. Black lava rock encircled the edges, the bushes were cleared back a few feet to allow room to relax on the bank. Heat shimmered on the surface of the mildly bubbling water. A small stream fed in from the north side, and beside the stream, a fawn dipped down to drink the water. It wasn’t like she’d never seen a deer before, but not this close.
Kirk moved like a shadow, his feet not making a sound as he stepped over the brook. The deer only flinched when he placed his hand between its ears and gently rubbed. It bleated in happiness.
Portia couldn’t take her eyes off him. A smile spread on her face, and warmth flowed through her. She liked him. Not consciously, but she liked him more than any boy she’d met yet. He looked up to her. Blood rushed to her cheeks and she flushed with heat down to her toes. He smiled at her, a genuine smile that touched his gray eyes. She slipped her hands across her waist, grabbed the hem of her shirt, and pulled it off in one swift motion. She grinned at Kirk’s expression. Her shoes and jeans followed the shirt into a pile, leaving her clad only in her bra and thong.
“I can soak in here, right?” she asked with a confidence she didn’t feel. The hot water rolled over her calves as she slowly sunk beneath the water. Her feet didn’t touch the bottom. She bobbed gently, the tops of her breasts above the surface.
“Come in; you know you want to,” she said with a wink.
CHAPTER 13
After they dropped Monique off in her room, Carver led the senator to the main hall. Paul dismissed his security personnel to get lunch at the restaurant and relax on the grounds. Agent Nah stayed with him, but at a respectful distance. Carver wasn’t sure what to think of the man. Part of him wanted to like the older wolf. He had a grizzled complexion, a touch of gray hair, and steely blue eyes like his daughter. They were both Alphas, though, and that presented problems. He could smell Paul’s attraction to Monique, and worse, he could sense her reciprocation. He didn’t think for one minute she would ever cheat on him, but things were different for the wolves. Sometimes attraction was more than just a physical desire.
The two walked through the main hall, Carver taking the opportunity to assess the man and show off all of their hard work. The resort’s interior was decorated with hardwood—oak and cherry. The walls were panelled and carved with images of wildlife. Spaced equally in the hall were hunting trophies, photographs, and even a few interior trees. There was something for everyone. The main hall, an elaborate room that could act as a gathering point for new guests, reception for events, or to give speeches, was every bit as ornate as the rest of the resort. Massive twin skylights let in natural light, and allowed a gorgeous view of the sky. Picture windows set in the second floor and angled slightly in, gave snapshots of the distant peaks.
“You’ve got a beautiful place here Carver, I can see why some people are upset,” he said in his deep voice.
Carver bristled. “I’m not sure why anyone would be upset; we keep to ourselves up here, were not expanding our territory, and we certainly aren’t hurting anyone, Senator.”
The senator smiled. “Please call me Paul. It’s going to be a long weekend if we go by official titles.”
Carver nodded. “Paul it is.”
“I’m not the enemy here Carver, quite the opposite. I want to help. I think what you’ve done up here is a fine bit of work.”
Carver could sense the ‘but’ coming. So far, he remained quiet to evaluate which side of the fence Paul fell on. He badly wanted the man to be an ally, at the same time he stifled his resentment that Monique seemed to have feelings for him, even if they weren’t hers to control.
“I appreciate that, Paul, I do, we’ve worked hard, Monique has worked hard, to make it a good place for the pack. But I think we both know the Alphas aren’t upset about a resort… Senator.” While Carver talked, he watched the man’s eyes. When he mentioned Monique’s name, Paul’s pupils dilated. So it’s not just her. Dammit, this complicates things.
“You’re as clever as I’ve been told, okay then. It’s about your son. Is he the one?”
Carver could lie, the thought crossed through his mind, but any wolf would know that Monique wasn’t one of them, and the reports of her shifting were too well known for him to hide. In the end, he took a chance.
“I think so, I can’t be sure, no one can, but yes I think so.” He couldn’t stop himself from holding his breath. People would kill to control Kirk, or at least think that they controlled him. Carver hoped that the senator wasn’t one of them.
His shoulders slumped, and he blinked his eyes a few times. “I’m in a precarious position, Carver. The council thinks that if your son is the one, then we should take possession of him. Obviously,” he held up his hand, “as a father myself, I’m against that. But I’m not the end-all-be-all of the world at the end of the day, I’m one of six.”
Carver nodded. Anxiety raced through him, not just about the thought of losing his son, but if anyone tried to take him… Monique could be hurt.
“He’s already chosen his guardian. If anyone tries to take him against his will, I’m not sure you could stop her. She’s… fierce.” Carver wanted to say more, but his instincts told him to hold back.
“Is it Monique? Is that why she’s… with you?” He seemed to be asking more than just if she worked here.
“Yes, she’s with me. Kirk chose her, and I love her. Is that a problem?” He tried to keep the edge out of his voice, but from the way Paul tightened his jaw, he could tell that he failed
The two walked in silence. Carver led him up the staircase to the outdoor dining area. Unlit lanterns framed the area. It was one of Carver’s favorite places at night.
“I didn’t know, I want you to know that. I respect you, and I honor your pack, but if she chooses me…”
It was an old tale. The pheromones of a wolf were unpredictable. Sometimes they were just one-sided, usually with humans. The human would fall instantly and wildly in love with whomever triggered them. Other times it was a two-way street. The problem for Carver and Monique was that they didn’t fall in love because of his pheromones, there wasn’t anything keeping her from being attracted to another wolf. She loved him,
but he knew the draw of the wolf’s charm. It’s what brought him and Sienna together. Resisting it was an exercise in futility.
Carver caught a whiff of Kirk’s new scent, the smell of human almost hid the wolf. He also smelled something else, he smiled.
“Your daughter’s back,” he said to Paul as he turned to walk away. “Things are happening at a fast pace, Paul, change is always painful and messy, we don’t have to make it worse by acting hastily,” Carver finished as he walked out. He had nothing else to say to the senator.
CHAPTER 14
Monique sighed into the mirror. She desperately tried to picture Carver kissing her. His lips on her neck, traveling down her collarbone. Each time, though, it turned into Paul. Lifting her up with his strong arms, his hard cock pushing against her.
No, no, no!
She took a deep breath and hissed it out through her teeth. Her heart was with Carver, but her body and mind seemed desperate for the man she just met. How? If she could just clear her head for a minute, for one second not be quivering between her thighs and desperate to be fucked, she could answer the question. Her hands squeezed the edge of her vanity as her breath came in gulps.
Her thighs quivered, she could feel the warmth of her nectar seeping down her legs.
“Hello,” a voice said from her door. Had she missed someone knocking? With a surge of will power, she pushed herself up and went to the door. Paul stood on the other side. His casual shirt did little to hide his ripped physique. He opened his mouth to speak, but froze. His lips touched her before either realized what was happening. The door closed behind them and he pushed her up against the wall. Monique’s soft skirt and white top were appropriate for sleeping, but so thin as to hide nothing. Her skin lit on fire as he ran his hand up her leg. Her mouth parted in a moan. He savagely attacked her lips, his hot tongue invaded her mouth. Monique’s stomach tightened, her thighs shook as her orgasm built. Oh god, I’m cumming. His hands slipped under her shirt, callous fingers brushed her hard nipples. Bolts of lightning fired from her tits and she screamed into his mouth. She writhed against him, her hands found his pants and pulled the zipper down.