Born Wild

by Nikki Jefford

  Wolfrik’s hands slipped momentarily and Kallie pitched forward, but he caught her again and gripped her hips, bumping against her back, and entering her again and again with each stroke.

  Wolfrik slammed into her one final time and roared his release. His body jerked back as his chest and head lifted to the sky. Then he pitched forward and fell against her, nearly knocking them both to the ground. Wolfrik recovered just in time to catch Kallie and pull her up to a standing position.

  Once steadied, he drew back gently. A shiver rocked through Kallie’s body as Wolfrik pulled out. She caught her breath, turned to face him, and placed a hand over her racing heart.

  “Wow. That was—” She shook her head, lost for the right word to describe the experience that was Wolfrik.

  A smile stretched across his cheeks. “Would you call that fucking or making love?”

  “I’d call it incredible.”

  Wolfrik laughed and pulled Kallie into his arms. He drew her close and kissed the top of her head, murmuring, “You are so cute.”

  “Cute?” She wrinkled her nose even though her heart jumped.

  “And sexy—but mostly cute.” Wolfrik kissed her head again.

  “You’re all sexy,” Kallie spoke in a teasing tone while inside her heart was bursting with happiness. It scared the crap out of her. Wolfrik was more than sexy—and more than a wild beast. He was a tender, caring male, and he had a sensitive side that stabbed at her heart.

  He’d told her to stay away because of his past, then he’d left her waiting in the glade because of the way she’d used him to get the message across to Palmer and because of her past feelings for Raider.

  How soon until he pushed her away again? How many times would she run after him? How many second, third, fourth, and fifth chances would she give him?

  She cared deeply for this wild wolf, but he still had to learn how to trust.

  Kallie stepped back and cleared her throat. “So, are you going to introduce me to the human?”

  Wolfrik grunted. “Not a chance.”

  “Are you going to send me away—alone in the dark?”

  “No. Our wolves are going to find a place to sleep for the night. There’s a dry trench lined with moss not far away.” Wolfrik started down a path, leading away from the river.

  Kallie held back. “Don’t you need to tell Aden?”

  “He’s used to me coming and going.”

  Kallie suppressed an exasperated sigh.

  Guess I’m not the only one he pulls the disappearing act on.

  Wolfrik led Kallie through the woods, not far, to a sloped area of the forest that dipped into a cozy trench.

  Kallie raised her brows. “It’s too early to turn in, and I’m hungry. Any food at your little camp by the caves?”

  Wolfrik flashed her an amused smile. “Never give up, do you, Kallie? I was wrong when I said you were playing with fire. You are the fire. A spitfire woman who will burn me alive if I’m not careful.”

  Kallie tsked. “I’d do no such thing.”

  “I’ll shift and catch us dinner.” Wolfrik jutted his chin forward.

  “I’ll help you.”

  He pursed his lips and regarded her with a look tinted with skepticism.

  Kallie lifted her chest. “I can still take down a small animal.”

  The smile returned to his lips. “Kallie, dear, of course you can. You already took down a beast.”

  Wolfrik spent his nights with Kallie in the den after that. Apparently, Aden had volunteered to guard the human night and day.

  “Better him than me,” Wolfrik had said.

  Nearly three weeks had passed, and there were no reports of human sightings from the hollow’s lookouts. The den and glade remained undisturbed—no wandering strangers, no mad wolves or vulhena, and no sign of the black wolves Wolfrik and Kallie had seen on the clifftop.

  “The quiet before the storm,” Emerson muttered in line for stew.

  A distant howl arose as though in answer to her ominous projection.

  Everyone in the glade went still, including Kallie. She wished Wolfrik were there, but he’d left on foot to bring jars of stew and porridge to the human. On the days he resupplied the hollow’s captive, he didn’t return until after super—often crawling into Kallie’s shelter, exhausted, after dark.

  As the howl echoed away, Raider removed his pants and handed them to Jordan to hold while he shifted.

  The howl came again. Raider answered with his own piercing wail then shifted back, taking his pants from Jordan as he stood up. “Ford’s returned,” he announced.

  Conversations started anew, and the line moved steadily toward the cauldron and smell of cooked meat and vegetables. By the time Kallie dished up and settled on a log with her friends, Ford was loping into the glade.

  Jager approached their returned packmate and stood, hunched to one side, waiting as Ford shook out his fur then slowly shifted, taking twice as long as Raider had. Once human skin covered the length of his body, he swallowed a couple times and blinked his eyes, crouched as tightly as a newborn baby just coming into the world.

  Jager twisted. “Someone fetch him food and water.” He turned slowly back to Ford. “Are the den mates okay?”

  Ford nodded as he got to wobbly feet. “They’re all safe. Once we got settled, I shifted and ran the rest of the way back to the hollow.” He looked around the glade. “Any changes here?”

  “No activity yet,” Jager replied.

  “Maybe the humans won’t come,” Ford said.

  Jager wrinkled his nose. “Wolfrik insists they will.”

  “Where is Wolfrik?” Ford didn’t hide the sneer from his tone.

  Kallie’s lips lifted over her gums as she glared at the insolent den mate. Before she could snap at him, Sasha planted her hands on her hips and came forward. “He’s checking on the prisoner.”

  The evening after Ford’s return, Sasha called a council meeting with the five remaining members.

  Maureen had struck the gong, but Sasha wanted to meet before supper, so the council converged in front of Jager’s hut where the old man sat on a stump sipping brew and smiling.

  Raider sat beside the elder and blatantly ignored Wolfrik as he strode in. Wolfrik ignored him back, lifting his chest a little higher. He took a spot right across from Raider and silently congratulated himself when the ape turned his head sideways to Jager. Maybe Raider would get a neck crick by the end of the meeting. Dumbass. Wolfrik smiled smugly to himself.

  “Why did you call us here, Sasha?” Emerson asked, flicking her blond hair over her shoulder.

  “Just a quick meeting to discuss the upcoming full moon. Please have a seat.” Sasha took hers beside Wolfrik, and Emerson settled onto the stump next to Raider. Once seated, Sasha placed her palms on her thighs and straightened her back. “As you all know, the full Sturgeon Moon is tomorrow morning, about an hour after the morning gong. Tabor and I would like to excuse ourselves from patrol duties for several hours to try for a pup. As long as there are no signs of the humans overnight, I’d like the council’s blessing to mate during the full moon.”

  Jager hiccupped and grinned happily, bobbing his head. “Procreation is as much a duty as patrol. Tell that mate of yours we’re expecting results.”

  Wolfrik scowled, enjoying the topic of debate about as much as a chunk of week-old meat.

  “I thought Raider and Jordan might also want the opportunity,” Sasha said.

  Jager swung on his stump and patted Raider on the back. Wolfrik looked at the ass long enough to see him wince.

  “Jordan and I are holding off.”

  Jager’s mouth fell open. He closed it and wagged a wrinkled finger at Raider. “No sense waiting, my boy. If it’s not humans today, it will be some other trouble tomorrow. You can’t put your life on hold for the perfect timing. So long as
we breathe, we will face dangers.”

  Sasha nodded.

  Raider’s jaw tensed. “It’s not that. We’re waiting.”

  “Waiting?” Jager blasted. “For what?”

  “None of your business, old man,” Raider gritted out. “We’ll mate when we’re good and ready, and we won’t be asking permission or making an announcement to any of you.”

  Wolfrik smirked, enjoying Raider’s irritation. This topic was turning out to be slightly more amusing.

  Emerson, who had been twisting her hair around her finger, stopped and grinned, showing a set of mostly straight teeth. “Which reminds me. There’s supposed to be a new claiming before each full moon and, as you already know, I want to claim Gina.”

  Jager hissed, all his earlier elations draining like an overturned cup. “We’re not discussing this now.”

  “Why not? Did you or did you not tell the pack you wanted one new claiming every full moon for the next year? I, too, am just trying to do my duty.”

  Jager’s eye twitched. “You know very well the purpose of new claimings is to repopulate the hollow, and two females cannot serve that purpose together. It’s not fair to the pack.”

  Emerson folded her arms. “It’s not fair to Gina and me. Maybe we should leave Wolf Hollow so we can live our lives the way we choose.”

  “No one’s going anywhere,” Sasha said. “Our pack was decimated by the vulhena, and now we’ve temporarily lost our den mates because of the human threat. We need to stick together. Once the humans are dealt with, you and Gina have my full support.”

  “It will have to be put to a vote,” Jager grumbled.

  “No, it won’t,” Sasha said. “We don’t vote on mate claims.”

  No one looked at Wolfrik. He was surprised to find how much it rattled him. They’d wanted to reintegrate him into the pack when he first returned and prepare him to take a mate. Now that he’d found a female, they ignored the relationship, along with the possibility that it could turn into a true claiming.

  Raider had warned Wolfrik away from Kallie, and even Sasha, in her own way, had done the same. Somehow those two seemed to work in tandem—always sure they knew best and could make decisions for everyone else. The council had rubbed off on them too much. Wolfrik’s life wasn’t theirs to influence.

  He knew Jager wanted him to breed and pass on his pureblood genes to his offspring, but what about Kallie? Had they written her off? Wolfrik knew what it was like to be discarded. When he’d returned to the hollow, he’d come upon Sasha and Tabor and known at once that they were more than just patrol partners. He’d scented the half-breed all over her naked body and been struck with the realization that not only had Sasha moved on, she’d given up on him entirely. His stomach had hardened to rock—the way it was tightening now. It had been too crushing to accept, so he’d walked away from her.

  He wouldn’t blow his chances again, and he wouldn’t allow Raider or Sasha to interfere. If the pack needed a new pairing, it should be him and Kallie.

  Wolfrik didn’t realize he’d growled aloud until he noticed everyone, including Raider, staring at him.

  He opened his mouth to speak, but only a snarl emerged as though his face had shifted. He lifted his hand and touched his jaw. Still human.

  Emerson squinted at him then leaned back and folded her arms. “Fine. I’ll wait, but I won’t wait forever. I don’t expect you and Tabor to wait.” This last part she fired at Sasha.

  The pureblooded female inclined her head—an indication that she understood and had nothing more to say on the matter.

  Wolfrik didn’t trust his own voice to convey feelings that he, himself, was still coming to terms with. Only one issue was decided. Sasha and Tabor would breed at the height of the full moon.

  They had no idea how lucky they were to make their own choice.

  “Happy full moon,” the shifters around the glade called to one another at supper, despite the cancellation of the ceremony.

  Wolfrik found Kallie sitting on a log beside Camilla, Olivia, and Rosalie, eating stew. The three females ran quick glances over him before resuming their conversation. Kallie got up, looked into her nearly finished bowl, then back up with a sheepish grin. “I can never be certain that you’re coming back.”

  Wolfrik shrugged, feigning indifference. “No sense waiting—never know how long those meetings will drag on.” He started toward the cauldron, Kallie limping alongside him. Wolfrik stopped but didn’t face her. “You can finish with your friends.” When he started walking, Kallie kept beside him.

  “I’d rather be with you.”

  The heat from the cauldron radiated over Wolfrik’s face as he approached, but it was Kallie who warmed him on the inside.

  After dinner, their usual group met in the den. The drums started up with gusto, and this time the females got up and danced. Kallie folded her hands in her lap and watched with a look of sad longing. Wolfrik leaned his arm against hers, and she pushed a smile to her lips that soon drifted away. He had no desire to dance, never had, but he hated to see Kallie miss out on anything.

  Before Wolfrik could summon his courage to lift her and lead her to the fire—and dancing—they heard loud whooping in the distance and were soon joined by Hudson and Chase, who strolled in carrying large mason jars filled with liquid. Their wavering steps and ridiculous grins suggested they’d taken sips of the brew along the way.

  “We heard there was a party going on in the den,” Hudson said with a sly wink.

  “Mind if we join you? We bring liquid satisfaction,” Chase added.

  They waltzed up, not waiting for an answer. Wolfrik’s jaw tightened. He wasn’t thrilled to see the jokers. They were an unwelcome interruption to a friendly—calm—group he’d slowly become used to.

  Zadie stopped dancing and planted her hands on her hips. “We don’t need your brew. We’ve got music to move us.”

  “And no dance partners,” Hudson said, his eyes pointing at the four females standing around the fire.

  Maureen, Heath, and Alec kept beating their drums from their seats, not allowing Hudson and Chase to interrupt their rhythm.

  “We don’t need dance partners,” Zadie informed them.

  A smug smile lifted Wolfrik’s lips. He was liking this group more and more.

  “Do you speak for your sister?” Hudson asked.

  Nudara looked at him and laughed. “I speak for myself. Okay, Hudson. Put down the brew and let’s see if you can keep up.”

  “I can keep up.”

  “Really? I haven’t seen you on your feet during ceremonies in a long time.”

  Zadie snorted. “More like on his ass or passed out.”

  Hudson’s eyes narrowed. “Here,” he said, shoving the mason jar into Chase’s free hand. “I’ve got a challenge to accept. We’ll see who tires out first.”

  Nudara and Zadie looked at one another and laughed. As soon as Hudson reached Nudara, she shimmied in front of him, her eyes as feisty as a cat playing with a mouse.

  “Chase, you can dance with us,” Jolene called out.

  Chase grinned and set the mason jars on the ground carefully before joining Jolene and Lacy.

  Wolfrik shook his head. “Damn intrusion,” he grumbled to Kallie.

  She chuckled softly. “At least they didn’t come empty-handed. Want to hand me one of those jars?”

  Wolfrik frowned, but did as she asked. He snatched up one of the jars, nose wrinkling as the acrid scent reached his nostrils. He handed it to Kallie and settled back on the ground beside her. She tipped the jar back and took a deep swig.

  When she lowered her head and tried to hand the jar to Wolfrik, he shook his head. “I prefer to keep my senses sharp at all times.”

  “Good for you,” Kallie said approvingly.

  Wolfrik thought maybe it would make her think twice about consuming the liqui
d poison, but she drank from the jar again. As he watched her throat ripple, sadness washed over him. In his mind, he saw Jager, staggering around because of his injuries, dulling the pain with drink. He didn’t want Kallie to end up the same way. She was too young, too lovely, too full of life.

  He could see the sadness in her eyes. Underestimated. Cast aside. She was missing out.

  He didn’t want her to miss out anymore.

  Wolfrik stood. Kallie’s head followed him up. Her hair tumbled down her back, and the shine in her eyes made his heart skip a beat.

  It wasn’t too late for either of them.

  “Dance with me,” he said.

  Kallie’s eyes expanded. “But—”

  “I’ll hold you.”

  Kallie’s lips trembled, and tears glossed over her eyes. She set the jar aside and held her hand up to Wolfrik. He hauled her up and brought her to his chest.

  “Are you sure about this?” Kallie asked softly.

  Wolfrik jutted his chin in Hudson’s and Chase’s direction. “I can’t be any worse than those two fools.”

  Kallie chuckled, a grin lighting up her face. “Well, you can always use me as an excuse for not pulling out the moves, though I used to be quite the dancer, you know?”

  “Oh, really?” Wolfrik asked, voice turning husky.

  “Yep. Regular performer in the mating dance.” Kallie turned gently in his arms, brushing against his chest. When she thrust her ass against him, Wolfrik’s groin responded instantly. A low, pleased growl escaped his throat.

  Maybe this dancing thing wouldn’t be so bad after all.

  It was Kallie who ended up leading him to the small group around the fire. The other shifters had become blurs and flashes in his peripheral view, like dancing flames. He was too distracted to notice them.

  Kallie leaned her back against Wolfrik’s chest and slid up and down. The friction made his groin throb with strained pleasure. She turned and rubbed her breasts against him, her hands sliding down his hips and circling around to his buttocks. She gripped and pulled him against her. A rush of air left Wolfrik’s lips. Then heat filled his cheeks.