A Wolf's Obsession

by Jennifer T. Alli

  Fully aware now that she wasn’t within the safety of the clan, Wyatt hunted her down. Her scent thickened, the wind telling him that she was moving closer. Steps that had once led her away from him had changed course. An angry snarl left his lips. She was trying to hunt him! She clearly didn’t understand the point of the chase was to prove that he was worthy of her. How could the instinct ever be satisfied that he was worthy of her if she offered herself up like a lamb to the slaughter? If she wanted the chase then he’d give her one she’d never forget.

  When her scent became so thick in the air he thought he might choke on it, Wyatt stopped. Hidden deep within the woods he let nature conceal him and waited patiently for his prey to arrive. With a patience possessed only by the best hunters, he stood as still as stone. It didn’t take long for her to arrive. The sight of her made his heart ache and the urge to tackle her to the ground and take her was almost overwhelming. It was only the knowledge that if he did the claiming would fail that kept him from reacting to her presence.

  When her body tensed, her eyes darting about the areas, he knew that she could feel a predator at her back. She turned in frantic circles, trying to find him but it was pointless. Unless her eyes were as good as his she’d never find him.

  “Wyatt?”

  He stayed silent, stalking towards her, fully intending to make her aware of him. Then she made a fatal mistake. She ran. A haze descended over his eyes consuming what was left of his sanity. In that moment life boiled down to a single thought. If she ran then he’d give chase.

  Leaping to his feet, he hounded her through the woods. Paws that could easily have caught up to her slowed regularly, his desire to prolong the chase temporarily outweighing his need to catch her. Content with how things were going, he ran after her marvelling at her speed. For a woman running on two legs she was surprisingly fast. His sense of contentment vanished when the rancid smell of smoke began to overwhelm her delicious sweet fragrance.

  Kass.

  The game was over. Picking up the pace Wyatt ran as fast as his body allowed. With every step the smell of smoke grew more intense until it was all he could smell. Cursing himself fiercely for dragging out the chase Wyatt felt reason and logic make an unwelcome comeback. There were a hundred things that could have happened to her because he couldn’t control himself. Her heart could have given up, she could have fallen and hurt herself or…she could have set herself on fire.

  Stood in the middle of an empty clearing Kass looked ready to take on the world. Flames as red as the hair skimming her shoulders lapped at her skin daring anyone to touch her and get singed in return. Her eyes glowed, the stars shining brighter than he’d ever seen them. When she’d said she could set herself on fire Wyatt had had difficulties imagining it and now he knew why. The idea of her being on fire was terrifying. She seemed unfazed by the inferno blazing around her…he didn’t share her confidence. Who knew how long she could burn like that? Who knew what sort of strain it was putting on her heart? She knew about as much as he did about her transition into immortality, which was very little. Just because it was the day of her birth didn’t mean that she was immortal already.

  “Wyatt?”

  Her voice floated slowly to his ears, his mind still very distracted by the idea that if her control slipped she could seriously hurt herself. He stepped closer in a trance inexorably drawn to her much like the proverbial moth to a flame. When he heard her heart start to pick up pace, as fear threatened to overwhelm her brave façade, he threw his head back and howled.

  Wyatt, is that you?

  Her soft voice calmed the worst of his fears. She didn’t seem perturbed in the least and he couldn’t scent anyone nearby which meant she’d done this to herself. Of course it’s me. What are you doing? You’ve set yourself on fire!

  I know that. I thought there was a bear chasing me. I was doing what I had to to protect myself.

  He silently cursed himself. She must have been terrified while he’d been having the time of his life. An apology almost left his lips until he remembered that she was meant to be safe indoors. She shouldn’t have been out in the first place. You shouldn’t be worrying about bears. You shouldn’t even be out here.

  The chase is an important part of the claiming. I want this claiming to happen don’t you?

  Now there was a ridiculous question if he’d never heard one. He wanted to claim her more than he wanted his next breath but the fact remained that this chase had put her life at risk. He moved closer, anger clear in his every step. Fury made him blind to the flames that still surrounded her. He’d let every hair be burned from his body before he let the person who had told her get away with doing it. Who the fuck told you about the chase? I’m going to kill them. Death was the only way they could compensate for putting his mate’s life at risk. Her chuckle made him even angrier.

  I don’t think that’s possible.

  He snarled revealing deadly fangs. She was clearly trying to protect someone from his wrath. Her attempt was doomed to fail. He’d have the bastard’s throat between his fangs soon enough. Don’t underestimate me Kass. I’m going to find whoever told you and rip their head off.

  She smiled and he snarled. This was not a laughing matter.

  Tearing your heart out didn’t kill you but I think the tearing your own head off thing would probably slow even you down. Seeing as I want to spend the rest of my life with you I’m not going to recommend you do that.

  The raging waves of his anger died down slightly at the revelation. His mind was quite clearly not as fixed as he’d thought. He couldn’t remember telling her and he’d worked hard to keep the information from her but her scent said that she wasn’t lying so he must have said something. Me? You’re saying that I told you? I said nothing about the chase.

  The flames died down. Wyatt saw her lips move so he knew that she was speaking. He thought he might have produced coherent responses to whatever she said but if he lived forever he’d never be sure. Every brain cell he had was concentrating on what he thought he could see beyond the flames. It looked like she had no clothes on but he couldn’t be sure even with his superior sight. His worst thoughts were confirmed when she knelt to the ground and hugged him tightly. There was no way that he’d be able to feel her luscious curves and soft skin if she was protected by the barrier that clothes provided.

  She pulled away from him and his eyes confirmed what his fur had felt. What the hell Kass? Where are your clothes?

  She looked behind her and his eyes were drawn to the ash that he presumed had once been clothes. You saw what happened to my clothes. I might be immune to fire but my clothes most certainly aren’t.

  Then why did you do it!

  I thought you were a bear. I called out to you when you were chasing me and you didn’t respond so I thought there was something out there that wanted to eat me. I did what I had to so that I could protect myself.

  I wasn’t thinking straight. All I knew was that you were running. My instincts made me chase you I couldn’t put together a sentence until you stopped. And let’s be clear there is definitely something that wants to eat you and as soon as the moon rises I intend to feast on you.

  The scent of her arousal thickened and he growled in response. There was nothing he’d like more than to take care of her needs but that was the one thing he couldn’t do.

  Again that isn’t my fault.

  I wasn’t saying it was. Groaning, Wyatt shook his head. Let’s not talk about this. You need clothes.

  I know that but where are we going to get any around here. I’m not going to walk back to yours naked.

  The thought of anyone seeing his mate in all her naked glory made him see red. Damn straight. My uncle Ryan built his mate a cabin around here. There should be something there. Even if there isn’t it’ll be warm enough inside. You can spend the day there. The decision made he walked towards the cabin fully expecting Kass to follow him and it came as an unpleasant surprise to find that she hadn’t moved an inch. Kass?
r />   If I spend the day inside will the claiming fail?

  He couldn’t help the smile that came to his lips. His mate wanted the claiming as much as he did and was prepared to fight for it. He’d never been so proud of another person in his life. No. As long as you don’t run from me the claiming will happen.

  Thank God for that. I was really not looking forward to spending a day naked in the forest. I know it’s summer but still.

  The walk to the cabin was distinctly tense. Without the protection of her clothes Wyatt had never been so tempted. He tried hard to keep his eyes on the path in front of him but he couldn’t resist turning around to see if she was still following and when he did it was all he could do not to jump her bones. Her breasts swayed temptingly with every swing of her glorious hips and the patch of red curls at the apex of her thighs tempted him to nuzzle deeply. When they finally reached the cabin he breathed a deep sigh of relief.

  Go inside, there should be some clothes for you to wear.

  She walked up the steps but stopped when she realised Wyatt wasn’t with her. Aren’t you coming in?

  His eyes locked on to her sex and he shivered in desire as he imagined her saying the same words to him when they were both naked. I’d love to.

  Seeing the image in Wyatt’s mind, Kass blushed and slapped him playfully. Wyatt, she laughed. I’m being serious, aren’t you going to come inside the cabin?

  Sighing, he looked longingly at the door. No. I need to stay outside for the claiming to work. He pushed her with his muzzle towards the door. I’ll watch you from the doorway. Go inside and put some clothes on.

  Sighing, Kass walked into the cabin wishing that Wyatt could be with her. It was odd being followed by a wolf that looked large enough to eat her without the help of a pack but she shrugged off her sense of unease trying hard to remember that inside the wolf’s body was the man that she loved.

  Taking care to make sure that the door was left open she walked into the small room, her eyes quickly locking on to a chest at the base of the bed. She could feel his eyes on her as she dressed and it made her breathless. The plain t-shirt that swamped her body clearly belonged to a man and almost reached her thighs. Wyatt’s growl came as no surprise to Kass. She was learning quickly about wolves though she doubted there would ever come a time when she knew everything about the mystery that was her mate. There was no need for him to say a word, she knew exactly why he was growling.

  It’s just a shirt Wyatt. You know I’m yours. What does it matter who I smell like?

  Baring his teeth, Wyatt took a menacing step forward. It matters. Wear the blue one.

  Kass couldn’t help but roll her eyes at his words. Sometimes it was hard to believe that he’d been born in the same century as the rest of the world. You know, sometimes you could try a little harder to sound as though you’re not a caveman. Smiling she thumped a fist against her chest. Me man, you woman. You do as I say. Wyatt’s low, rumbling growl just made her laugh harder. Turning from him, she reached for the blue shirt and brought it to her nose. Her knees wobbled as the rich scent filled her senses. Yours I take it? Wyatt nodded in response though he needn’t have bothered. Her senses might not have been as strong as his but she could recognise his scent anywhere.

  Still chuckling to herself, Kass pulled the shirt she was wearing off and slipped Wyatt’s on. She hated to admit it but he was right. It did matter. Surrounded by his rich scent she felt safe and protected. If wolves could smirk then the expression on Wyatt’s face definitely qualified as one. He might be right but that didn’t mean she was going to tell him.

  Curling his legs beneath him Wyatt settled in, content now that his mate was covered in his scent. It was a primitive gesture but he couldn’t bring himself to care. With his wolf so close to the surface his mind was steeped fairly deeply in primitive. What did it matter that he was acting less than human? He wasn’t one and his mate had finally accepted his differences. If she could accept the mating and go out of her way to instigate a chase then she’d have to deal with the consequences.

  Look in the pocket, he ordered.

  There was a slight quiver of nervousness in his voice that made Kass concerned. Wyatt was many things, nervous wasn’t one of them. Hands hesitant, she pulled out a small box from the deep pocket. Just that quickly her heart picked up speed.

  Wyatt?

  He got to his feet and inched forward until there was barely anything separating them. I know we’re getting mated tonight but I want – no – He cut himself off. No, I need it all. I know how much you want normal. I’ve been inside your mind so don’t try to deny it. I can’t give you normal. Even for a wolf I’ve never been normal. My mind has spent so long being broken that I don’t even think I’d recognise normal if I was staring it right in the face. He sighed, knowing that he was making a mess of this. He’d seen proposals in her mind and they did not look like this. I can’t give you normal right now but I’ll try for the rest of my life to make it up to you. I need us to be tied so closely together that nothing can come between us. You deserve to have a beautiful wedding. You deserve to have something that’s normal, that’s just for you. So Kass, will you marry me even though I’m the furthest thing from normal that you can probably think of?

  Tears of emotion welling in her eyes Kass couldn’t help the laugh that spilled from her lips. There’s nothing normal about being proposed to by a wolf. Falling to her knees she wrapped her arms around his furry form. Normal is overrated. I thought I wanted it but that was practically a lifetime ago. I’m in love with a werewolf and so what if his mind isn’t normal? Normal is boring and if the choice was between you as you are and a you that was completely sane. She leaned in closer and rubbed herself against his surprisingly soft fur as she whispered in his ear, I’d choose the crazy you every time. I wouldn’t want to change you for anything.

  So is that a yes?

  More laughter spilled out of her. It’s a definite yes.

  Pulling the lupine body of her mate closer, Kass was stunned by the way her life was turning out. Only a few short weeks ago she’d been convinced that this day would never come. Charlie might have been optimistic about her future but she’d seriously doubted that she’d ever make it to her twenty-seventh birthday and the immortality the day promised. Now she was not only going to obtain immortality and the peace she had fought so hard for, she was going to have a mate to spend it with.

  “It sounds awful.” She began slowly, her voice hesitant as she struggled to give voice to her inner turmoil. “But I really wasn’t looking forward to today. I wanted to be twenty-seven so Ethan would stop chasing me. I was not looking forward to being alone forever. I’ve never met any other phoenixes so for all I know I could be the last one left. The idea of being alone for eternity scared the life out of me. Now I don’t have to worry about that. Thank you Wyatt.”

  You don’t ever have to thank me. You owe me nothing. I owe you everything.

  With her soul feeling so raw, Kass was no longer inclined to go back into the cabin. There was nothing in the small structure for her. Everything she needed was right out here. Completely at peace for the first time in her life she let herself bask in the sun’s warm rays. Words flowed easily between them as they talked about their plans for the future; it had after all never looked so bright. Lulled by the easy conversation and the soothing rays of sunshine, Kass barely noticed time passing. She didn’t feel her eyelids get heavy until it was too late and they were fluttering shut. Smiling, she let her lids close on the world knowing that all was right with her life. There was nothing that could stop either of them from getting what they wanted out of life now that they had each other.

  If this was what it felt like to be truly mated then she understood why her mate had lost his mind. She couldn’t imagine a world without Wyatt in it. God help anyone who tried to come between them. It had taken her a long time to understand that she wasn’t, and never could be, normal but she’d fully embraced her phoenix. If someone took Wyatt from her she�
�d spend eternity hunting them down. Wyatt thought that she was teaching him how to regain some semblance of normality but it was the other way around. He was teaching her. He was showing her exactly how to deal with those that stood between her and the man she loved. Without pity or mercy. As she drifted off, dreaming of her future, she couldn’t help but think at the back of her mind of the things she would do to anyone who tried to come between them.

  Chapter Twenty

  She was so beautiful. Looking upon his mate’s beautiful face was fast becoming Wyatt’s favourite hobby. When he looked at her the madness of his mind retreated. With her he was normal. Looking at her did come at a cost; simply glancing at her had its own set of perils. Her parted pink lips were a temptation and he ached to slide certain hard parts of his anatomy between them. His mind was filled with images of her sucking his throbbing shaft deep into her mouth. It was all too easy to imagine the searing heat of her mouth and the pleasured moans that would slip from her mouth. Shifting, he tried to make himself comfortable. There was nothing he could do to act on his desires while he was trapped in the body of a wolf.

  It had been a long, difficult day staying at Kass’ side. Torn between desire and instinct, he’d counted the minutes until the sunset. While Kass had slept, oblivious to his torment, he’d cursed the long summer days. Dusk seemed to take an eternity to arrive though he suspected the slow passage of time might have had something to do with his impatience for night to fall.

  The moment night fell and he regained his human form Wyatt was on his feet. Heart pounding within his chest he lifted Kass into his arms. The time was now and he wasn’t going to waste another second. Moving quickly but silently he walked away from the cabin and into the welcoming darkness of the forest that surrounded them. It had been a long time since he’d walked through the forest on two legs rather than four and while Kass was out for the count he was able to fully appreciate the beauty of nature without the ferocity of his animal instincts to get in the way. He was able to smile as he watched the small creatures of the night go about their lives without thinking that they might make a tasty snack to tide him over until he hunted down bigger prey. Wyatt was pretty sure that if he told Kass that he’d spent years of his life living as a wolf in these forests that she would not be too pleased. Despite knowing that he would incur her displeasure, Wyatt smiled. He didn’t have to tell her now. They would have years together.