by Scarlet Fox
“Good. Because I don’t want you to.”
* * * *
Red sat across the kitchen table from Max, crumbs of the food from her picnic basket decorating its surface. She picked at the last piece of bread, stalling her departure. She found it cute he’d been doing the same with his sandwich.
Finally popping the last bite into his mouth, Max dusted off his hands. “I can’t believe we just ate the meal meant for your elderly grandmother.” He cocked his head to the side with an amused smirk. “After I already attacked and seduced you out in the forest.”
She smiled and offered a soft laugh. “I believe the seduction was mutual. Besides, every couple has their challenges.”
He arched a brow. “A couple. Is that what we are now?”
There was a hint of teasing to his voice, but the topic made her extremely self-conscious and uncertain of herself. There was no denying how she felt about him, but they barely knew each other. To even consider what transpired between them the beginnings of a relationship was insane. Instead of answering, she shrugged a shoulder and lowered her eyes to the last remaining bite of bread in her hands.
He reached out, taking her hand. “I know.” He didn’t say anything else, but when she looked up, his blue eyes said it all. She knew the turmoil whirling inside of her was echoed in him. This was all just too unbelievable.
“I need to get home,” she said quietly. She squeezed his fingers before pulling away and climbing to her feet.
Max stood and followed her to the door. Once there, he reached out to take her arm. “Wait.” When she turned to give him a curious look, he leaned down and sniffed at the top of her head. “This won’t do. I still smell me all over you. Even that shower this morning didn’t wash away my scent. You go waltzing back home smelling like that, and your father is going to know exactly where you’ve been.”
She let out her breath in a hiss. “Shit.” Though she wasn’t afraid to approach her father with the suggestion of a man in her life or a budding relationship, being gone all night and coming home smelling like another wolf was not a wise choice. She wanted to ease him into the idea of Max, not slap it in his face.
Max crossed the porch and hopped down the steps to the lawn below. “Here. Use this.” He broke off a branch from a nearby shrub and held it out to her. “Rub the leaves over your arms. Cover yourself in nature, tell him you went camping or something.”
Red snickered. “That’s something I’ve done in the past, so I’m fairly confident he won’t question that excuse.” It was a wolf thing. Many of them disappeared for a night or two to immerse themselves in nature. It wasn’t out of the ordinary, so hopefully her dad wouldn’t look too closely at her disappearance.
Placing her basket on the ground, she rubbed the branch over her arms and along her clothes. She was still wearing Max’s shirt, but that was something she’d have to deal with. Hers was in shreds. It wasn’t like her father payed any attention to her attire anyway. As far as he knew, this was a vital piece of her wardrobe.
After the branch had served its purpose, she dropped it to the ground. Then, as a means to solidify her alibi, she dropped to the ground. Feeling a little silly, she rolled in the grass of his lawn, making sure to trail her long red locks through a patch of daisies.
Max leaned against the doorframe of his cabin, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched on with amusement. “You have no idea how badly I’d like to join you right now.” He looked longingly at the dirt. “It’s been a long time since I’ve let go and truly enjoyed nature. I can’t even remember the last time I went for a run. There’ve been too many complications in my life to let my wolf out for some exercise. It just didn’t seem worth the risk.”
She sat up and gazed at him with pity. She couldn’t imagine keeping her wolf tamped down inside. It had to be awful. “Once this is all out in the open, once my father knows you’re here and not looking to cause any problems, we’ll go running together. Just the two of us.”
“That sounds like fun.”
Red climbed to her feet and lifted her picnic basket from the grass. She wanted to go to him. She wanted to kiss away the sadness in his eyes, but she’d just finished masking his scent. If they came into contact, she’d have to start all over. Besides, if she touched him, she didn’t think she’d be able to pull herself away again. She’d never leave. “When can I see you again?”
“Soon,” he said, voice husky. “I’ll find you.”
“You don’t even know where I live,” she said, somewhat nervously. The thought of Max showing up unannounced on her doorstep sent a thrill of alarm through her belly. Her father might be willing to listen to reason, but if an unfamiliar wolf came knocking at his door…
“I know the path to grandmother’s house though.” His eyes glinted with a devilish light. “I hear it is filled with wild animals and dangerous predators. You should be careful.”
She smiled, her heart pattering with excitement. “I’m not afraid of the big, bad wolf.”
“You should be.”
Chapter Six
Red was barely up the steps of the porch before the front door swung open, and her father and Hank joined her. She didn’t even have time for that last breath of courage or a second to straighten her skirt out. They were just suddenly right in front of her. She supposed it squelched any opportunity for her to become nervous.
“There you are, Red,” her father said with an exhale of relief. “You have no idea how worried I was.”
She blinked at him for a long moment as wariness filled her. Since when was an overnight outing something to worry about? “Why? I went camping last night out by the lake. Like I’ve done a hundred times before.”
Her father’s eyes slid to Hank, causing hers to follow. She didn’t like the almost smug expression on the man’s face. It made her nervous. Anytime he looked like that, something unpleasant was surely about to follow.
“What am I missing?” she asked carefully.
“Hank just informed me of a strange wolf in our territory. A feral wolf.” Her father’s brows creased with concern. “This wolf snuck into our territory without permission and is now hiding out somewhere. We fear he’s looking for an opportunity to attack our community and attempt a takeover.”
“Feral?” she asked in disbelief. There was no doubt in her mind they were talking about Max, but he was far from feral. Feral wolves were those that let themselves become more animal than human. They forgot the rules of society and became vigilantes, killing humans and wreaking havoc. “How do you know the wolf is feral?”
“I just do.” Hank spoke with a low warning in his voice, and his eyes narrowed menacingly. It was obvious he didn’t like being questioned. “We need to find this wolf and put him down before he harms someone.”
Fear welled inside of her. If Hank found Max, she had no doubt he would try to kill him. No amount of protesting on her part would change that. The glint in his eyes said he’d discovered prey, and he wanted to take it down. It didn’t matter to him if the person was innocent or not. It was a chance to hunt a living being without repercussions. How no one else saw the evilness that dwelt inside of him, she couldn’t understand.
She would need to try reasoning with her father. “Daddy—”
“I need you to be extremely careful, Red. No more disappearing. It’s not safe. You’re an easy target for an adversary.”
“Easy target?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “I’m the most aggressive member of this pack after you and Hank. Since when am I an easy target?”
“You’re the pack leader’s daughter,” Hank said. “That makes you a likely target for someone looking to cause trouble for your father. I think it would be best if you stuck close to myself or your dad until we get this thing figured out.”
Of course he did. He was always looking for excuses to interject himself into her life. “There’s no proof that this wolf is f—”
“Wolves don’t enter territories without permission unless
they have unsavory plans. This wolf is dangerous.”
Her father’s words stung, because she knew they weren’t true. Max wasn’t out to harm anyone. But there was no way she could tell him as much without revealing where she’d been the night before. That admission would be enough to put Max in further danger. If they thought he was out to take over the territory, sleeping with her would only be more evidence against him.
No, she could not tell them about Max. Not yet. She would need to wait a few days and pretend she’d casually run into him and had an agreeable conversation with him in which he assured her he wasn’t out to overthrow anyone. That was the only way to keep him safe. She just had to hope Hank and her father didn’t go off on a hunt before she could convince them of Max’s innocence.
Chapter Seven
“Where are you going, Red?”
Her father’s question drew her up short. He never tracked her whereabouts. This sudden new fear in him was not becoming. It was cramping her freedom and prohibiting her from seeing Max again. It had been three days since her father started his big campaign against outsiders, and things had only gotten more difficult as time passed.
She was at her breaking point. He couldn’t keep her in the house any longer. She needed her freedom. “I’m going to Grandmother’s,” she said curtly. She flicked her red hood up over her hair in a pointed show that she would not be stuck indoors another day.
“Alone?”
Red let out a frustrated huff. “Yes. Alone.”
“Maybe I should have Hank escort you. The woods might be dangerous.”
The thought of Hank escorting her to Gran’s, of Hank possibly crossing paths with Max, sent a jolt of anxiety down her spine. She tried to hide her unease by straightening her shoulders and setting her father with a stubborn look. “I don’t need an escort. I’m a grown woman, an adult.” Hell, the only reason she was still living with her parents was because there had never been anything worth moving out for. Surely, he realized that. “And please do not forget that I’m a member of this pack. The woods might be dangerous? I’m a werewolf, Dad. A werewolf! I’m the dangerous one. I’m not going to start fearing my own backyard because of some paranoid—”
“I’m not being paranoid,” her father said sharply. “Hank’s right. There’s a strange wolf in our area. I’ve sensed him a few times, but he’s good at covering his tracks. I haven’t been able to pinpoint his location. Until I do, I want to make sure you’re staying safe.”
She sighed loudly, her frustration evident in that simple sound. “Did you ever think that maybe he’s not out to harm anyone? If he’s been in our territory this long without causing any trouble, maybe he just wants to be left alone.”
“I’m not willing to take that chance. Especially where you’re concerned.”
“I’m going to Grandmother’s.” She gritted her teeth and leveled her chin. She refused to become a hostage in her own home. She would fight him on this if he forced her to.
Her father let his breath out slowly, defeat on his face. “Fine. You will be careful though.” He lifted a finger in warning. “And you will text me the moment you arrive at your grandmother’s. I want to know you’re safe.”
“All right.” The words came out tense and hostile. She couldn’t help it. She hated being treated this way, especially when he had no proof of a real threat. He was allowing paranoia to get the better of him, and it irritated her to no end. “I’ll text you as soon as I get there.” Like a ten year old might have to do. Without another word, she pushed through the back door and trotted off down the path that led to her grandmother’s house before he could come up with any more restrictions on her life.
She’d never seen her father like this, and she didn’t like it. He was normally so levelheaded. He listened to reason. The only explanation in her mind was that Hank had gotten into his head. The man was unbelievably manipulative and knew how to spread fear. Pretty soon, the whole community would be out looking for Max. When that happened, hiding his trail would become nearly impossible. He had to go into town to shop. He would need supplies and groceries. Someone would notice him and report his movements back to her father. It was only a matter of time. And it wasn’t like she could do Max’s shopping for him. Her father was already questioning her every move. With things getting tense, there was no way she could make the trip without word getting back to him.
As she approached the lake, her thoughts only became gloomier. If Max was discovered before she could defend his innocence, odds were he would get hurt. They were progressing toward a mob mentality—the “shoot first, ask questions later” type of thinking. She could already see it brewing, and it was a dangerous thing.
She was so distracted with her concerns, she nearly missed the blur of movement to her left. She spun just as someone grabbed her by the arms and slammed her back up against a tree trunk. A startled gasp escaped her as she suddenly found herself staring down a pair of blue eyes.
“I thought I warned you the forest could be dangerous.” Max’s voice came out a low, sexy rumble that caused her belly to tighten in approval. That voice alone could turn her into a puddle of mush. “There are numerous predators out here just looking to take advantage of a sweet girl such as yourself.” He pressed the front of his body against hers, cocooning her with his much bigger form.
It was meant to be intimidating, but the sensual feel of his body against hers once again was turning her on. Besides, she knew he meant her no harm. He was merely playing the role society had stereotyped him into. He was being playful, not threatening. “I am the predator,” she said breathlessly, trying to sound bold despite her intense reaction to him.
Max chuckled and lowered his lips to her jaw, brushing a kiss against her skin. “You’re also my prey.” He lifted his eyes to hers, the expression in them penetrating.
“I also told you I wasn’t afraid of the big, bad wolf.”
“You should be.”
She held his gaze for a long moment, his proclamation sending shivers down her spine. Then he was kissing her. The yearning in his kiss echoed her own, spiking her arousal higher. She could feel in the kiss how much their time apart had driven him crazy. That coupled with the aggressive way he had her pinned to the tree made her head spin. Had her arms not been restrained at her sides, she would have wrapped them around his neck and pulled him closer. As it was, she used her lips to show him just how much she’d missed him.
“It’s been three days,” he growled against her mouth. “Why did you keep me waiting so long?” His frustration was evident in his tone. He’d missed her. Despite how little they knew one another, he’d wanted to be with her just as much as she’d wanted to be with him. That realization brought her true elation.
She couldn’t move much, but Red still managed to nudge her hips forward against his to feel the roughness of his jeans through her thin skirt. “They’re looking for you,” she breathed. “The asshole beneath my father has him convinced you’re feral. He’s practically had me under house arrest.”
Max hissed in displeasure, but his hands slid to her waist, stroking her sides through her top. “I sensed them looking for me and tried to keep from being discovered. I thought it was just about me being in the territory. I was trying to remain inconspicuous until I knew you had a chance to talk things out with your dad. I had no idea…”
“I’ll talk to him. I promise. Hank, the asshole, boxed me in during the original conversation. There was no way to admit knowing you without…” She shook her head, tossing her red curls. “Well, without explaining why I never came home that night. That would have only given us more trouble. They’d think you were making a play for pack power by bedding me.” She continued as he nodded his head in agreement to her deductions. “I’ll talk to him tonight, though. I’ll tell him I ran into you on the way to Grandmother’s and that you intend the pack no harm. He’ll listen to me. He has to.” The thought of her father believing Hank over herself was something she feared, but it was unlikely. Right
?
“How much time do we have?” he asked, pulling her away from the tree and into his chest. He held her close, his hands pressed to the small of her back. He was astute in realizing she wouldn’t be able to linger here in the forest with him. With everyone out looking for him, it was too dangerous. There was always a chance they could be spotted together, and that would arouse even more suspicion.
“Not long. If I don’t get to Grandmother’s soon, my father will surely send someone after me.” She nuzzled against him, smiling at the solid firmness of his chest. In spite of her worries, she was so happy to be with him again. She stood up on tiptoes to give him a quick kiss. Then she peeled herself out of his arms and rooted inside her basket.
Finding what she’d been looking for, she took his hand and walked him to a denser section of the forest, a spot hidden among the foliage. Flipping the checkered blanket up into the air, she fanned it out before spreading it out on the ground.
She took his hand once again and walked him forward onto the blanket. She kicked off her shoes, getting more comfortable. Then she molded herself against his chest, tilting her face up to kiss him.
Max gave a soft moan and lowered his mouth to hers. It was only after a slow, sensual kiss that he hesitated and pulled back. “When I asked how much time we had, I wasn’t insinuating we had to… I recall something about lunch.”
“I know,” she mumbled against his lips as she urged him down onto the blanket. “I know you weren’t pressuring me for sex.” When she finally got him seated, she straddled his waist. “But I want this. So badly.” Her hands swept through his hair as she pressed her lips to his. “As much as I would enjoy that lunch you promised me, I want to touch you that much more. I’ve missed the feel of your big hands on me.”
She peppered his jaw with light kisses. “Besides, it’s not safe for the two of us to be seen together in public right now anyway. Taking me out for lunch at a nice restaurant is out of the question.” She pulled back to grin devilishly at him. “This is much more fun anyway.”