Rogue wolves weren’t to be trusted had been drummed into Russ from childhood. Lone wolves weren’t a good thing. They endangered all weres, didn’t live by pack rules, and should be eliminated.
Technically, Russ was a rogue. But in his heart, he yearned for a pack, longed for that sense of belonging. Now with Tori, if she’d join him, if he could keep her safe and get her through this mess, they might start a new pack.
Russ needed Tori to bring him home, where he belonged.
* * * *
Jake McCallan had to be one of the biggest men Russ had ever seen. They were equal in height and weight, Russ could see that, but Jake had the self-assurance of an alpha, a business leader, and a man who’d found his place in life and was comfortable in it.
He was everything Russ wasn’t.
And he wasn’t happy about Russ being in his home, for damn sure.
Jake glared at him over Tori’s shoulder as he hugged her in welcome. His brown eyes narrowed as he checked Russ out. This wasn’t the cool gaze of Tori’s mom, but the suspicious gaze of a wolf estimating a threat to all he held dear.
“You should have called right away, Mom.” The growl in his voice came through loud and clear.
“That would have been incredibly rude, to Tori and to Russ. Besides, I needed to have some time with Tori.” Carrie waved Jake’s concern away with a perfectly polished hand.
“Still…” Jake’s gaze shifted to Russ, as if he didn’t trust him. Hell, if the roles had been reversed, Russ wouldn’t have trusted Jake.
Tori stepped away from Jake. “Back off, big brother. I’ve got it covered. Russ is cool. He helped me escape, took a bullet protecting me, and brought me home.”
“Sure, he’s a real nice guy.” Jake eyeballed him again. Russ was fed up with the man’s attitude. If he didn’t back off, Russ was going to make him step back.
“I appreciate what you did for Tori. I can take it from here, Russ.” Jake frowned at him, not even trying to hide his displeasure.
“Well, that’s nice of you, but I’m afraid not.” Russ walked over to Tori and slung his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to his side. “It’s a little more complicated than that.”
Tori rolled her eyes to the heavens. “Guys, this is stupid. Can we have the pissing contest later? Like after the bad guy is behind bars?”
“No.” Jake shook his head, leaned back against the counter, and crossed his arms over his chest. “I have a few questions for your friend, sis.”
Tori huffed. Russ gave her a quick hug. “It’s fine, baby. It’s his right.” Russ figured giving the big man his due couldn’t hurt and it didn’t make him any less alpha.
She slipped out from under his arm and found a seat next to her mom. Carrie gave Russ a smile as she patted her daughter’s hand.
Jake turned his full attention on Russ and just for a second, Russ felt the power of Jake’s alpha, urging him to submit, but he shook it off. It’d take more than just a look to make him submit to Jake. Like getting his ass kicked, maybe.
“You got questions? Shoot.” Russ leaned back against the counter behind him, mimicking Jake’s stance.
“First, where are you from? What’s your pack’s name?” Jake shot out. Obviously, he’d thought about those questions, but it wasn’t anything Russ wasn’t prepared to answer.
“My name is Magnus. My pack is from Arkansas, around Hot Springs. We run in DeGray State Park.”
“Why are you here? Or actually, what were you doing in Mississippi?”
“Traveling.”
“On pack business?”
“No.” There was no point in stretching this out, he’d just look bad. “Here’s the truth. About three years ago my pack was wiped out. Everyone killed when a band of hunters found us. How they knew who and what we were, I have no idea. They showed up at our compound during our coming of age ceremony. Most of us were in the woods, changed. We’d left the women and children alone.” Bile rose in Russ’s throat, but he fought down the urge to wretch, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “When we returned, they were all dead.”
“Russ!” Tori cried out. “All of them? The children, too?”
“All of them.” He faced her. “Including my wife.”
She stared at him as she took in what he’d told her and he saw the hurt in her eyes. He needed to continue, get it all out, before the pain of the memory crippled him.
“Before we could even bury our dead, the hunters descended on us. Most of the men and all of the boys were killed. I was shot three times and left for dead. Those of us, a handful, who survived, decided it was best if we split up, and went our separate ways. Safer that way.”
Jake stared at him, his features twisted in pain and horror. Carrie’s tears spilled silently down her cheeks, and Tori hung her head, refusing to look at Russ.
“So you ran?” Jake’s voice held a touch of a sneer.
“We were shot up. Devastated by the deaths of our loved ones. Entire families wiped out. Four of us against a dozen hunters, with no weapons? It would have been suicide.” Russ ran a hand through his hair. “Besides, we had our hands full just staying alive. The hunters managed to burn almost all of our cabins to the ground so we were without shelter. We’d lost everything.”
“That makes sense, Russ.” Carrie smiled at him.
“Why didn’t you just move and reform the pack?” Jake asked.
Russ took a deep breath. “The others blamed me. I was alpha. They were killed on my watch.”
Russ rolled his shoulders, the weight of it all lifted if only a bit. “I spent months in the woods, as a wolf, until I either had to change back or stay a wolf and forget about a life as a human. I changed and I’ve been moving around ever since.”
Jake’s brows furrowed. “So you’ve gone rogue?” He stood to his full height, hands in fists at his side.
“If you want to call it that. I call it just looking for a place to land.”
Jake faced his mother. “You know how dangerous a rogue is, Mom. Dad always taught us that rogue wolves had to be removed; they were a danger to us all. They don’t follow any of the laws of the pack.”
“Russ isn’t like that,” Tori exclaimed. “He saved me.”
“I’m the leader, sis. And I say he goes, either on his own or I’ll make sure he’s gone, no matter what. There’s more at risk here than him. I have a son and another on the way, and if you think I’d endanger my mate or my children you’ve been gone too damn long.” Jake shook his head.
Russ had had enough. “Look, I’m not here to challenge you, or to hurt anyone. All I’m doing is returning your sister to you.”
“Don’t I have a say in this?” Tori asked, slamming her hands on the table.
“You lost that right when you abandoned the pack, and refused to take your place,” Jake shot back.
“My place?” she shouted. “What place? Just who was I supposed to marry, Jake? There were no other weres!”
“There was Barker.” Jake stuck out his chin.
Who was Barker? Russ watched Tori flinch and Carrie do a double-take.
“Nothing was going on between me and Barker.”
“Not his fault, and you know that.” Jake pointed his finger at her. “That was all you.”
“He’s not even a wolf! How does that make him pack?”
“He’s the closest thing we have to a pack brother, and you know it. He’s been a part of this family his whole life.”
Tori stuck her chin out also, and Russ was struck by the similarities in the siblings. Both headstrong, both alpha, though Tori in her own way. “Exactly. Like a brother to me and I’ll bet he thinks of me as a sister. Face it, Barker and I were never going to happen.”
Carrie stood and put out her arms, palms facing toward her children. “Both of you—give it a rest.” Her order echoed in the kitchen and Russ glimpsed who really ran this small pack.
Her voice dropped very low. “Russ is a guest in this house and in this pack. He stays until I a
sk him to leave. Case closed.” She looked from Tori to Jake, and then gave Russ a nod.
“Thanks, Carrie.” And he meant it. He needed more time to change Tori’s mind. More than anything, he wanted a life with her, a pack to call his own, and a place to land.
Tori and her mom shared a look, and then Tori snuggled under Russ’s arm. “I think you’ve found it, Russ.”
“What?” Jake growled, his gaze never leaving Russ’s.
“A place to land.” She faced her big brother. “Russ is mine, Jake, whether you like it or not. It’s too late. We’re mated.”
Chapter 12
Marvin pulled into the lumberyard and parked his car. Although it was near closing, business was brisk with workers coming and going and customers in and out of the office door.
He got out and went to the office. For now, he’d be content to snoop around, get some ground info on the McCallan’s, and see what he was up against. Inside, two young men worked the counter, and the rest of the large building hummed with the vibrations and sounds of the mill. While he pretended to wait, he located the business offices on the second floor.
The stairs ran behind the counter on the ground floor. Across the wide mill stretched a catwalk to the far side, with another set of stairs against the wall going down.
Two points of access. One door, and a wall of huge garage doors where the product was moved in and out.
The customer at the counter finished and left, and Marvin stepped to take his place. “I’m looking to put in some floors and I want the real old stuff. What’s that going to run me a square foot?” he asked the guy behind the counter. His nametag said Peter.
“Oak or pine?”
“Which is best?” Marvin leaned against the counter as if he had all the time in the world. The trick was to make yourself seem run of the mill, everyday, someone no one remembered clearly.
“Well, that depends. Good white pine, aged, can last forever. But the warmth of the oak once it’s stained is just beautiful.”
“Thanks. I think I want the oak.”
“We’ve got some gorgeous wood in now. How much do you need?”
“I want to do my living room, dining room and halls, so about fifteen hundred square feet, I suppose.” Marvin just pulled numbers out of the air, but they seemed to work for the counter guy.
“Runs ten a square foot. That’s just product. We don’t do installation.”
“Fair enough. Thanks.” Marvin made to leave, but then stopped and turned back. “Hey, the McCallan’s live in that big house just off Main Street, don’t they? That’s a beaut!”
“No, they’re off the highway. Those big black iron gates? That’s it. They own most of the land around here, and have never lived in town.”
“Makes sense. Thanks again.” Marvin gave him a tip of his head, and left.
He needed to find the house, scope it out, and figure out if his little pigeon had come home to roost.
* * * *
Tori’s mom stared at her, but it wasn’t anything compared to the look on Jake’s face.
“You’re what?” His voice had dropped to low levels, and sounded dangerous. Jake’s reaction was just why she’d wanted to leave in the first place.
“Is this true?” Carrie asked.
“Yes. It just sort of happened.” Tori shrugged.
Russ growled. “It didn’t sort of happen. I knew she was my mate in the woods before we met. She knew it too, just didn’t want to admit it.”
“You mated with him?” Jake glared at her, shooting daggers with his eyes.
Heat bloomed on her cheeks. She didn’t want to discuss their animal sex with her mom or her brother. Ewww!
“Mom, can we talk about this later?” Tori stood and pulled Russ to her. “We’re both exhausted. I think we should rest first, and then call the cops. I don’t think I could face them right now without some downtime.” She ran her hand through her hair.
“Of course. Your old apartment is still yours, honey.” Carrie gave her and Russ a smile. “How about we meet back here in two hours to make that phone call?”
“Fine. Let’s go, Russ.” At the door to the hallway, she stopped. “Jake, will you still be here?”
“Yeah. I have some work at the mill to do, but I’ll be back.”
“Good. I missed you, big brother.” She smiled.
“I missed you, sis.” He winked at her, but saved his serious face for Russ.
“Magnus.” He gave a nod.
“McCallan.” Russ nodded back. Maybe first names might come easier once Jake got over the fact that Russ had fucked his sister. Then again, maybe not. Especially if Jake had wanted Barker to be with her.
Tori grabbed Russ’s hand and dragged him down the hall and up the stairs to the second floor.
“What, no guest room?” he asked.
“I think we’re past that.” They got to the top of the stairs. “Each floor contains two full apartments, each meant to house one family. The house holds one on the first floor, my mom’s, two on the second and two on the third. Jake and Trey got the second floor, and I’m on the third.” She turned the corner and headed up the next flight.
“Cool. When you say apartment…”
“Living room, dining and small kitchen, two full baths, and three bedrooms. About fifteen hundred square feet each.”
Russ whistled. “Nice. My pack could have filled this house. Too bad it’s empty.”
“Well, Jake and his family live here now. I’m not sure where his wife and kid are, but they’re doing a good job of growing the pack all on their own.” She grinned.
“You don’t know her?”
“Sort of. I met her at the wedding. I wish I’d had more time to get to know her, but I wasn’t here long enough. She’s got Jake wrapped around her little finger, and so has the baby.”
“She had a kid?”
“Yeah. Jake met her after she’d had the baby.” She really didn’t want to go into her family’s dirty laundry. Not yet, anyway.
“Look. I understand where Jake’s coming from, Tori. It’s drummed into us when we’re kids. Protect the pack. I get it, but he’s got to get over it.”
“I know. Jake’ll come around; he has to—we’re mated.”
“I hope so.”
They’d reached the top and she led him to a door on one side of the hall. “This is it.” She opened the door, and stepped inside. “My place.”
Russ entered and looked around. The living area was empty. “There’s no furniture.”
Tori laughed. “I forgot I packed most of it up when I moved. But I didn’t take the bed.”
Russ grinned. “Great. A bed is all we need.” He swatted her butt as she moved past him. She squeaked, and danced away from him.
Something in Russ’s eyes came alive, and she could read his desire, see the lust igniting in their brown depths.
Tori froze, and then a wicked smile crept over her face. “Now, Russ,” she put out her hands to ward him off, “you’ve got that look in your eyes.”
“What look?” He growled as he stalked her, and she backed away from him.
“Like I’m dinner.”
“You are dinner, wine, and dessert.” He pounced and she evaded him. He raced after her, as she dashed through the apartment. She hit a closed door, seconds before he pinned her to it, his arms bordering her shoulders.
“Got you.”
She smiled, twisted the door knob, and the door opened, spilling them into her bedroom. Russ caught her in his arms before she hit the floor, and fell to his knees, letting her down gently.
“Russ!” She pushed against his chest, but it was all an act.
“Baby, you know you can’t escape a wolf.”
She wiggled in his arms, brushing her body against his, and he groaned. “You shouldn’t do that unless you want me to take you right here on the floor.”
Her gaze flicked to the bed standing in the center of the far wall. “The bed looks more comfortable.”
Russ shifted
her in his arms, stood, and carried her to it. He tossed her up in the air, and she came down, laughing, in the middle of the mattress.
“Strip,” he ordered, as he unbuttoned his shirt.
Tori obeyed, enjoying the way Russ’s gaze heated as she unveiled her body to him. By the time she slipped out of her panties, the man was practically drooling.
She kicked them off and they flew past Russ’s head.
“You’re still dressed.”
He swallowed. “Sorry. Had to just watch. You’re so beautiful, baby.” Okay, she’d just have to give in on letting him call her “baby” and admit to herself she liked it when he did.
He kicked off his boots and tugged his shirt over his head.
She crawled toward him on the bed, reached the end, swung her legs over, and sat up. She hooked her fingers through the loops in his jeans and tugged him forward. He stumbled.
“What?”
She looked up at him and gave him a wicked smile. “Patience.”
His swallow sounded so loud she almost laughed, but now was not the time. She intended to have her wolf begging and whimpering.
She worked his belt off and unbuttoned his jeans, inching the zipper down to drag it out, drive him crazy. The huge long lump in his jeans outlined his cock and her mouth watered at the thought of tasting him.
He’d tasted her, gotten a look at her, but she’d never really seen his cock.
She spread the sides of his jeans open and leaned closer. Inhaling, she took in his scent, and she thanked God for her heightened senses. Musky, warm, sweaty male filled her nostrils, sending a message to her clit. It throbbed in response.
“Tori?” Russ’s voice wavered.
She didn’t say a word. She’d let her actions speak for her. And for her first action, she needed to free the object of her desire. Tori pulled down the black briefs and like a present, out popped Russ’s cock.
“Oh God,” he whispered. He’d finally figured out what she had planned.
She shifted closer, spread her legs wider to accommodate his, and wrapped her hand around his shaft. He hissed and sighed.
For a moment, she held him in her hand without moving. His body strained, muscles bunching. He must have wanted to thrust, but he didn’t. A thrill of heat ran through her at her control over this man, this wolf. He was large, powerful, and in her hands a complete puppy.
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