Born Wild

by Nikki Jefford

  All was quiet around the cabin when she approached. The door had been left propped open with a rock, air flowing in and out freely. The windows were also open. There was no glass to cover them, but there were thick moss-colored curtains inside to block out the light—and signal that the cabin was in use.

  The last time Kallie had been there it was to bring bland food to a violently ill Emerson who, it turned out, had been poisoned by her youngest sister, Sydney. Kallie shook her head, still in disbelief that Sydney had resorted to such treachery for a chance at winning Raider as her mate. Sydney had also led Jordan out of Wolf Hollow and pushed her into a human trap, attempting to get rid of her newest competition.

  And then there was David, a young pack member who had died after getting caught while he and Sydney were on patrol. She’d lied to the council when he went missing.

  “She was a bad seed,” Jager had said after Aden took her to live with the Glenn Meadows shifters on probation.

  A bad seed that had originated from Palmer—one in a million, trillion reasons why Kallie would never submit to him.

  The floorboards creaked as she entered the cabin.

  What she needed was a useful skill, and Tabor had offered to help. She’d absorb everything she could on her own and show him how serious she was about learning. His cabin was a fair distance, but her wolf could get her there easily. Kallie wasn’t the only one feeling cooped up in the den; her animal desperately needed out.

  Without another thought, Kallie limped to the cabin’s bed and sat on the edge to pull off her dress before lying it gently over the blankets. She limped back outside and got onto the ground carefully to shift. Once in fur, her wolf bounded off toward the western woods.

  The morning and afternoon flew by with the flip of pages and new knowledge filling Kallie’s brain. She sat cross-legged on the ground outside Tabor’s cabin, reading in the sunlight. Insects hummed from the flowering herbs in the flourishing garden beside her, almost as though offering encouragement. She’d learned that arnica was good for sore muscles and joints, and that chamomile and peppermint helped with morning sickness. The pictures in the book helped her identify the herbs growing in the garden. She leaned forward, staring from the open book to the garden. A real sense of excitement burbled up inside her. Anyone could patrol, but healing required experience and expertise—plus it was fascinating. Mother Nature truly was amazing and kind—providing everything they needed to live well.

  All too soon, it was time to go. Kallie closed the book and stroked its cover lovingly before replacing it on the shelf inside Tabor’s cabin. She didn’t linger long, feeling like she was invading his and Sasha’s personal space. Back outside, she got on her hands and knees and shifted.

  The first thing Kallie noticed when she returned to the cabin was that her dress was missing from the bed.

  “Looking for this?”

  Her heart jumped into her throat and felt like a fist strangling the breath from her lungs.

  Palmer half sat, half stood, leaning against the table. Her yellow dress dangled over the edge beside him. At least he had on pants and a partially buttoned shirt. He leveled a steady gaze on her, and even though he didn’t smile, his teeth still seemed to gleam at her.

  She swallowed past the lump and glared at him. First, he’d ambushed her naked in her shelter, now inside the cabin while she was naked—it was too much.

  As much as Kallie longed to cover herself with her hands, she resisted. “What are you doing here?” she gritted out.

  “We never got a chance to finish our conversation from yesterday. Where have you been?”

  “None of your business.”

  “You’re right.” Palmer nodded. At least he kept his distance, and the door was to Kallie’s back. She could leave at any moment. “I’ve been too forward,” he acknowledged, training his eyes on the floor and bowing his head slightly.

  Kallie wasn’t fooled by his remorseful act. She held her ground and stood tall, ignoring the throb that pulsed like a heartbeat inside her bad ankle. If she didn’t face Palmer now, she’d have to the next day and the next.

  “I know I’m supposed to love my mates equally,” Palmer continued, “but there’s something extra special about you, Kallie. I wish I’d seen it earlier. Then things might have been different.”

  Kallie laughed roughly, and Palmer’s gaze flicked up to hers.

  “I can make you happy.” He spoke the words with conviction and a hint of defiance, as though he were a pup insisting he was the fastest runner in the den. “Let me prove it to you.” Palmer stood up straight.

  Kallie flinched before she could stop herself and wobbled backward.

  Palmer started forward, concern in his eyes.

  “No!” Kallie cried, slamming her palms into the air in front of her. “I’m fine.”

  Palmer stopped and nodded slowly. “I know you’re still capable, still strong. No one else sees it besides me. The other males pass you up because of your injury. How many of those scoundrels have you let between your legs in the past? Where are they now?” Palmer glanced around the cabin as though the empty space surrounding them proved some kind of point. “Give me the same opportunity you gave them. You won’t know if you like it unless you give me a chance.”

  Kallie’s stomach heaved with disgust. Palmer would never let up, never leave her alone, not until Kallie relented or gave him a reason to back off.

  “Fine,” she said, straightening her spine and leveling a cool gaze at Palmer. “Tonight, after supper, meet me here at the cabin and we’ll discuss it more.”

  Palmer went utterly still as though he’d stopped breathing. His eyes locked on Kallie’s. “You promise you’ll be here.”

  “I promise.”

  Palmer rubbed his jaw and continued staring at her. At least he kept his gaze off her breasts. Finally, he lowered his arm. A smug smile appeared over his lips, and his chest expanded now that he thought he’d won.

  He ran a hand over Kallie’s dress and stroked the fabric. She clenched her jaw and managed to suppress a shudder. She held herself steady as Palmer scooped up her dress and came over to hand it to her. His eyes never left hers. “Until tonight,” he murmured softly.

  She took her dress from his hands and held it against her chest, waiting until he’d left the cabin to put it on.

  Kallie would be there all right, but she didn’t plan to be alone.

  chapter eleven

  The council convened outside Jager’s hut before supper, ready to cast their votes.

  Wolfrik leaned against a tree opposite Ford. He hadn’t gotten a chance to speak to him, but maybe intimidation would help.

  Seeming to realize this, Ford cleared his throat and addressed Jager. “We should vote in private, so no one has to worry about retaliation if he or she doesn’t vote for Wolfrik.”

  Jager nodded. “Very well. Wolfrik, will you please wait inside my hut?”

  “Sure.” Wolfrik pushed away from the tree and swept past the gathered council members toward the elder’s hut. “Wouldn’t want anyone to lose any sleep fearing for their safety.” His lips lifted over his gums when he smiled at Ford.

  After Wolfrik swept aside the cloth hanging over the hut’s opening and ducked inside, he whipped around and searched for an opening through the branches, mud, leaves, and miscellaneous human debris that had been used to erect the unsightly dwelling. The space was cramped and murky, but the darkness helped him pick out thin openings from which he could squint and peer out. From this position, Wolfrik now had a view of Raider, with Sasha seated beside him. Jager sat across from them, back to Wolfrik, which muffled his voice, but at least the old man wasn’t soft-spoken.

  “Let’s get on with the vote, then,” he said. “All in favor of voting Wolfrik onto council, raise your hands.”

  Sasha’s hand was the first to go up, and it lifted something warm and
tender inside Wolfrik’s hollow chest. His pureblooded friend had always had his back. Even when she was mated to another, he could count on her loyalty.

  Emerson’s hand went up next—after she swept her blond mane back. It was good to know she kept true to her word.

  Jager raised his hand a little slower, but age had to be taken into account.

  Three hands reached into the air. When no others joined it, Wolfrik’s gut clenched. He’d been so sure he’d get voted in—not unanimously, of course, but a fourth vote at the very least.

  Why wasn’t Palmer voting for him? He’d been gunning to get Wolfrik on when he first returned. Wolfrik glared through the hut’s slanted opening.

  “Do we have any more votes for Wolfrik on council?”

  Wolfrik held his breath, then, realizing what he was doing, let it out with a heave of rage, ready to burst out of the hut and tell them he was voting himself onto council. He was a fucking pureblood, and they better remember to respect that.

  As he leaned away from the tiny crack, he caught sight of an arm moving. Wolfrik leaned back in and was startled to see Raider had raised his hand. That one was a surprise.

  “Okay, Wolfrik is voted onto council,” Jager said. “But before I call him back out, we have one more vote to cast. You all know what this means. One of our newest members must be voted off to keep our number uneven.”

  “This isn’t right,” Ford griped from off to the side. “You can’t kick a council member off when they haven’t done anything wrong.”

  “I agree it’s not ideal,” Jager answered, “but in this case, it’s how we’re doing things.” The elder’s voice got louder. “Everyone turn around, backs to the fire. Only I will remain facing to tally the votes. Each council member must vote for one, and only one, member to vote off council. The choices are Emerson, Ford, and Heidi.”

  There was a pause as the council members turned around, their backs to Jager, who remained facing in, back still to his hut and Wolfrik.

  “Those in favor of voting Emerson out, raise your hands.”

  Ford and Jager raised their hands. Wolfrik was relieved a third hand didn’t go up, condemning her before the other names were called.

  When Jager called Ford’s name, four hands went into the air, and Wolfrik breathed a sigh of relief. He found it interesting that Raider voted against his own cousin, alongside Sasha, Emerson, and Heidi.

  There was only one hand for Heidi—Palmer’s.

  The old man probably thinks she belongs back in the den making babies and taking care of her mate. Wolfrik held back a snort.

  “You can all turn back around. The decision has been made,” Jager announced. As soon as everyone faced him once more, he let them know the results. “I’m very sorry, Ford, but you had the majority vote. Thank you for the time you served with us; you may return to the den.”

  Ford shot up.

  “When he starts causing trouble, you’ll be sorry you voted me off.”

  Wolfrik couldn’t see his face from that angle, but his tone painted a picture of indignation and fury.

  “Cuz—” Raider began.

  “Don’t ‘cuz’ me. Tell me you didn’t vote me off?”

  Jager cleared his throat. “Voting is private. You know that. Now I’m sorry that this upsets you, but you knew what you were getting into when you were first sworn into council.”

  Wolfrik slipped out of the hut stealthily. With Ford in an uproar, no one noticed, and this was a scene he didn’t want to miss. He kept to the hut’s shadows, arms folded across his chest, body still, as he watched Ford throw his tantrum.

  “What I do know is you voted for him to be on council when a month ago you voted to keep him out of the den.” Ford looked accusingly at Sasha as though she was responsible for influencing Raider’s vote.

  Not for the first, or even third time, Wolfrik wondered if Sasha and Raider had screwed while he’d been caged and condemned in the city of hell. Wolfrik clenched his teeth so hard they felt like they’d crack. Any male who thought himself worthy to mate with Sasha should have been ready to claim her. Perhaps Raider had tried. Maybe Sasha had turned him down. Maybe that wasn’t the only thing she’d turned him down for. That pleasing thought made Wolfrik’s jaw slowly relax.

  He preferred her ending up with a half-breed over a commando who had half the females salivating over him. Raider’s newly claimed mate, Jordan, constantly rubbed herself over him like a bitch in heat. Wolfrik would have rather gouged his eyes out with a rusty knife than have seen Sasha act that way over the ape. Luckily, she didn’t force him or the rest of the pack to watch her drool all over Tabor. They kept their sexual life private.

  “It is not for you or anyone else to question another council member’s vote,” Jager said to Ford. “Your service here is done, and we thank you.”

  “Don’t expect me to return when things don’t work out with him.” Ford snarled when his eyes found Wolfrik’s in the shadows.

  Wolfrik stepped into the small clearing, arms folded, and met Ford’s glare. They stared one another down until Ford turned on his heels with a growl and stormed into the woods.

  Jager craned his head over his shoulder to look at Wolfrik with a crooked, yellow-toothed smile. “Very good, Wolfrik. It’s time to swear you in.” Jager pushed himself slowly off his stool with a wince, then faced Wolfrik. “Repeat after me. I, Wolfrik of the Wolf Hollow shifters—”

  Wolfrik lowered his arms and turned his body to face Jager. Behind the old man, he caught Sasha’s warm, encouraging smile.

  Wolfrik straightened his back. “I, Wolfrik of the Wolf Hollow shifters.”

  Jager gave a nod of acknowledgment before continuing with the last part. “Swear upon the moon in the sky that I will serve the council on behalf of the pack.”

  After Wolfrik repeated the final pledge, each council member got up and formed a line to shake his hand and welcome him to council. Not all the greetings were warm, but that was no surprise, especially when Wolfrik knew which members had voted for him and which hadn’t. Palmer glowered and refused to make eye contact while Heidi frowned with disapproval. Sasha squeezed his hand hardest, tears glossing briefly over her eyes before she blinked them away. “Your parents would be proud,” she said.

  What his dear friend didn’t realize was how much her belief in him meant. Their parents were free, but he and Sasha were still here, living among their packmates in the hollow, and there was no opinion Wolfrik valued above Sasha’s.

  “Good,” Jager said, sounding pleased. “Now, everyone, please have a seat.”

  To show he meant business, Wolfrik didn’t attempt to jockey for Raider’s spot beside Sasha. Instead, he strode directly to Ford’s vacated stump and claimed his recently won spot.

  Victory. Cujo had done it again. Wolfrik’s smile stretched up his face.

  He planted his legs wide over the ground and lifted his chin.

  Emerson leaned forward from her stump on his left, blond locks tumbling over her shoulders. She flashed him a golden smile. “Another knight of the round table,” she said.

  Wolfrik didn’t know what she meant, but her tone was warm and she’d voted for him, so it must be complimentary. Her father sat on his opposite side and kept his attention on Jager.

  The elder set his palms on his legs. “We have one last order of business which concerns a fellow council member—Emerson.” Jager looked around the circle at the blond shifter. The smile faded from her lips as she sat up straight and crossed her arms over her chest.

  “And what business of mine is the council’s?” she asked icily.

  Jager stared coldly back. “I would ask that you stop pursuing another female.”

  “What’s it to you?”

  “Your flirtation can’t lead anywhere, and in the meantime, it might give other pack members ideas.”

  Emerson’s face relaxed right
before she burst out laughing. “Oh, Jager, if two females, or males, want to get it on, that ‘idea’ has been there all along.” She smiled sweetly. “But if what you meant is that Gina and I will give others the courage to come out and express their true feelings, then I’m happy to set an example.”

  Unamused, Jager’s nostrils flared. “I forbid it. Mates must procreate for the survival of the pack.”

  Emerson snorted and flicked her hair back. “You can no more forbid me to love another female than I can forbid you from drinking your ghastly brew.”

  “You’re right on that count,” Jager said, “but that doesn’t mean you can dodge your duties.”

  Wolfrik growled, remembering the forced breedings back in the city.

  Ignoring him, Jager looked at the only other elder present, his voice rising as he said, “Palmer.”

  Palmer kept his eyes trained on his lap. “Perhaps we should take a vote.”

  “Oh, hell no,” Emerson snapped. “The council doesn’t get to vote on my love life. Back me up here, Dad.”

  Palmer glanced up, his forehead wrinkled, and his eyes squeezed together as though he were constipated. “I’ve always given you free rein, Emmy, but eventually you’ll want a mate who can give you children. I’ve seen how caring and kind you are with your baby sister. You would regret missing out on motherhood.”

  Emerson’s lower lip trembled. “Don’t be an ignorant bastard. Not to me, Dad.”

  “All in favor of forbidding same-sex relations, raise your hands,” Jager bellowed.

  He and Palmer raised their hands. The rest of the council stared at the two elders with reproach. Jager scowled. “Elders outrank the rest of council, and we have unanimously agreed.”

  Sasha scoffed and rolled her eyes. “There are only two of you, Jager—not enough to decide pack matters. That’s for the council to determine.” She stood up and, with a regal air, looked around the circle. “I put forth that we vote on a new head of council to lead future meetings.”