Wicked Wolf

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  He led her to his home, ignoring people calling for them. She didn’t want to talk to anyone but Quinn. She wasn’t weak, but goddess, things kept piling up, and she didn’t know how she was going to deal with it. She just needed to stop and think about every detail then lead with her mind, not with her heart.

  If she could.

  When they walked into his home, she relaxed marginally and pulled away.

  “Gina.”

  She looked up at Quinn, at the sound of his deep voice. “Your former mate is a bitch.” Her eyes widened at what slipped out, but she didn’t regret it. She was done holding herself back. Done treading lightly to save someone else pain…to save herself pain. All it had done was put her in a position where she was going to be hurt anyway—emotionally and physically.

  Quinn blinked then snorted. “Yeah. She is.” He reached out and cupped her face. The calluses on his thumbs brushed her skin, and she shivered.

  She loved this man.

  Loved the way he protected what was his, loved the way he threw himself into everything he did. Loved the way he was as dominant as an Alpha, but stepped aside when he needed to.

  He was a wolf that made her feel safe yet let her fight for herself at the same time.

  She loved the man as well, not just the wolf. Quinn had done what he’d promised he’d never do—mate another. He was ready to willingly leave his Pack for her and his son.

  She saw the nobility in that…even if she was scared that he wanted Helena back. It didn’t make any sense, and it killed her that she was being so insecure, but she couldn’t help it.

  “What are you thinking about so hard, Gina?” he asked, his voice low.

  She narrowed her eyes at him and pulled back. “What do you think? God, Quinn. Your elder wants me to fight for my life in a mating circle so I can have the right to mate you. I’m already mated to you. It doesn’t make any sense.”

  Quinn growled low. “No. It doesn’t. That bitch Shannon has a vendetta against Gideon and everyone associated with him. She’s using every rule or half rule she can to find a way to hurt us. I’m so sorry you’re being thrown in the middle of it.”

  “I…I don’t know what I’m going to do,” she whispered. It hurt that she couldn’t just come out and say she wanted this mating. She was being a coward, and that’s not how she was raised.

  Melanie and Kade had been through a mating circle during their initial mating. Everything had turned out all right eventually. For a moment, she thought about calling her parents just to hear them, but stopped herself. This was between her and Quinn—and the rest of the Pack. She needed to learn to do things on her own—at least for now.

  Quinn looked hurt for a moment then sighed. He took her hand in his and traced a finger along her palm. She shuddered a breath at the contact, wanting more. The mating urge between them rode her hard, and it clouded her thoughts. It didn’t help that they hadn’t made love since the first night. In fact, last night was the first time she’d truly felt as though he wanted something more…then Helena had shown up.

  “I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to do.” He met her gaze, his finger still tracing her palm. “I already made you mate with me for Jesse when you didn’t want to. I’m not going to do that again.”

  Her wolf growled, and she wanted to do the same. “You’re saying you can just sever the bond if I walk away? It’ll be that easy for you?”

  His eyes glowed gold, and he let go of her hand only to grip her upper arms and bring her to his chest.

  “It will kill me to let you go. Don’t you get that? I don’t want to lose you because of a stupid technicality.”

  Her heart raced, but she couldn’t let him off the hook. She didn’t know what he wanted, and until he was honest with the both of them, she couldn’t make another mistake.

  “You won’t lose me because of that. You’ll lose me because you didn’t want me in the first place.”

  Quinn cursed and lowered his forehead to hers. “Gina, damn it. I’m not doing this right. I don’t want you to fight Helena. I don’t want Helena. I want you. If things had been different, if I hadn’t mated with her in the first place, there would have been no doubt in my mind. I would have mated you in a heartbeat.”

  She couldn’t believe her ears. Her throat went dry, and she tried to swallow. “But all of that did happen. And you got Jesse out of the deal.”

  He sighed. “Jesse’s the most important thing in my life. You know that. Hell, you mated with me because of that. Gina, you’re also right up there. You should have been up there in the first place, but I was too blind to see it.”

  She pulled back and stared up at him. “What are you saying, Quinn?”

  He cupped her face, his eyes bright. “I don’t want you to fight Helena because I’ve already made my choice. You’re it for me, Gina. I don’t want another mate. I want you. I want your strength, your heart, your loyalty, your beauty. I want it all. I’m a selfish bastard for wanting all of that without showing you that I’m a better man than I have been, but I can’t help it. I love you, Gina. I want that forever that our bond promised, even if we tried to hide it.”

  She froze, her brain going in a hundred different directions. “Quinn…”

  His thumb caressed her cheek. “I know I went against the rules and fell in love with you, but I’ve never been good at following the rules when it comes to you. If I could take you and Jesse and run away from the Pack, I would, but I can’t. We all need the bonds we’ve made. Our Pack needs us.”

  Tears slid down her cheeks, and he brushed them away. “You…you weren’t supposed to love me. We said we wouldn’t. We said we’d mate for Jesse, and that was it.”

  He nodded, the frown on his face making her ache. “I know. I will never be able to repay you for doing what you did to save Jesse’s life, but I want to find a way to make this work between us. Fate might have put us together, but I want to be the one who helps keep us together.”

  She licked her lips, her wolf nudging at her to kiss her mate and seal the promise. She couldn’t though. She couldn’t think. It was all too much, and she couldn’t believe it was real.

  His face fell, and he took a step back. “But I understand if you don’t want me. I don’t deserve it. Jesse should be fine if we have to switch over the bond to Helena.” His face looked like he sucked a raw lemon. “God, I hate that woman, but if you need to find yourself a mate you could love, one that you can fight for, I’ll step back. I’m not going to go all Alpha on you and force you to love me. You deserve more than that.”

  Then he did something that truly awed her.

  He lowered his head and bared his neck, giving her the upper hand, the dominance.

  That this man would do this…she couldn’t take it anymore.

  She took two steps and cupped his face, forcing his gaze to hers. “Never bow to me, Quinn. You’re a proud wolf, and you should remain that way. I was only hesitating because things are going so fast. I love you too. I know I shouldn’t have fallen for you, but I couldn’t help it. I want to know everything about you and fall in love with those parts too. Do you get that? I want you, Quinn, not some other fictional wolf I’ve never met.”

  He let out a breath and smiled, his eyes glowing with his wolf. “Gina…”

  She smiled back then kissed his chin. “We’re so freaking stupid, aren’t we?”

  He snorted then shook his head. “We’re stupid for each other, that’s for sure. I should have told you how I felt last night. In fact, I was working my way up to it, and then everything changed.” His face sobered. “I don’t want you to have to fight in a mating circle, but with the way the Pack is right now, I don’t see a way out.”

  She grinned. “I’ll kick her ass, Quinn. I was never worried about losing. She’s nothing compared to me. I was only worried that you didn’t want me to win.”

  “I want you, Gina. All of you. Forever. Got me?”

  She reached up and wrapped her arm around his neck, pulling he
r to him. “Yep. Now you’ve got me.”

  He pressed his lips to hers, and she opened for him, tangling her tongue with his. She moaned into him, gripping his shoulder with her free hand, wanting more of him. He pulled back, nipping at her lips, then her chin and neck. When she pressed her body tight against him, he growled then gripped her ass in his hands. He lifted her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, wanting him, craving him.

  She licked and nipped at his skin, running her hands over his face, his shoulders, his back. He massaged her ass, rocking his hard cock along her pussy. Her body ached and warmed, wanting him inside her.

  “If I can’t fuck you right now, I think I’m going to go wolf and rip something apart,” he growled.

  She smiled then licked behind his ear, loving the way his body shook when he did. “Then fuck me. Against the wall, over the couch, in our bed. I don’t care. Just get inside me.”

  Quinn slammed her back against the wall then reached between them for the button on her jeans. She whimpered, her body shaking.

  “Sorry to interrupt, but you’re both needed at the circle.”

  Gina froze as Gideon’s voice pierced through her sexual haze.

  Quinn growled then pulled back, his hands still on her ass. “Get. Out.” His wolf was upfront, and Gina was worried he’d do something stupid—like challenge the Alpha of his Pack.

  Gideon growled back, his eyes glowing gold. “Calm yourself, Quinn.”

  Gina patted Quinn’s cheek and forced him to turn to her. “Let me knock this bitch off her pedestal, and then we can come back and finish what we started. Okay?”

  Quinn lifted a lip in a snarl then visibly calmed himself, his shoulders lowering. He let out a shaky breath then let her fall to her feet. He took two steps back, his breathing labored.

  “I apologize, Gideon. I was lost in the moment, and you came at a bad time.”

  She couldn’t touch him to console him. If she did, she had a feeling they’d end up right back where they started, and that wouldn’t end well for any of them.

  “You have no idea how sorry I am for interrupting,” Gideon said roughly. “If I could, I’d have let you two go at it, and I’d kick Helena off our lands. As it is, in order to make sure Shannon doesn’t do anything else to circumvent my authority, I need to make sure this goes through without a hitch.”

  Quinn turned to Gideon, his head tilted, the action more wolf than man. “Then you’ll kick Shannon’s ass?”

  Gideon snorted. “Not physically, but now that I know at least some of her plan, I can make sure the elders don’t use any more power than they need. Meaning none at all in most cases. I don’t like having my role as Alpha challenged by someone who has no right to do so.” He met Gina’s gaze. “I am truly sorry you’re getting caught up in our Pack problems. It was never my intention.”

  She knew this was out of the Alpha’s control. Every Pack had their own laws, their own issues. This was just one thing the Talons wouldn’t let happen again.

  “You’re forgiven. There is something I will make clear though. I’m not going to kill Helena.” At both men’s looks, she shook her head. “I could kill her, but that will only make Shannon do something to take revenge against the Redwoods or Quinn. I can’t have that. Plus, I won’t be responsible for killing Jesse’s mother.”

  “She’s not his mother. She was an incubator who left her young when he was vulnerable.”

  Gina sighed at Quinn’s words. “I get that. I do. If I felt Helena was at all sincere about her desire to get her son back, I’d feel differently, but I don’t. What I don’t want to do, though, is have Jesse see me as the woman who killed the mother he never knew. I won’t take that onto my shoulders, and honestly, you can’t make me.”

  Gideon nodded, pride in his eyes, while Quinn came to her side. He brushed his knuckles along her cheek.

  “You’re a good woman, Gina. I’m proud to call you mate.”

  She reached up and kissed his chin again. “You’re a good man, Quinn. Never forget that.” She let out a breath. “Now, let me go kick her ass and prove to Shannon she shouldn’t mess with me.” She frowned. “Have you called my parents about this?”

  Quinn put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed.

  “We told them,” Gideon answered. “Finn is on his way to be here, but the others can’t come.”

  She nodded, understanding. “You don’t want to make it a Pack issue by having the Alpha and the rest of the inner circle here. I get it. As for Finn? Why is he coming? He’s the Heir. He should stay home. I’ll be okay.”

  Gideon merely raised a brow. “First, I can’t exactly tell the Redwoods what to do. Yeah, this is my Pack, my den, my land, but I can’t stop them from getting you and carting you away. It would start something. Not a war, but something none of us wants to deal with. The whole reason the two of you met was to ensure our Packs are working together. The fact that you two are even mated tells me we’re on our way to making sure that happens. As for Finn? He’s amazingly stubborn when it comes to people he cares about.”

  She grinned at the thought of her brother. “He’s tougher than anyone I know, and I know a lot of tough wolves. I’m glad he’s coming. That means that we’re showing cooperation between the Packs without making it look like it’s Pack against Pack.”

  “It wouldn’t be anyway, considering Helena is not Pack.” Gideon growled at that, and Gina had to agree with him.

  “No, this is all about power plays and protection,” Quinn added in.

  “And when you finish kicking her ass, that will be the last time we hear about her,” Gideon said, and Gina smiled.

  “Then let’s get to it. I’m not cocky, I’m confident,” she said. “And I really want to get this over with.” Her wolf perked up, ready to fight. She didn’t know if they would be fighting as wolves or humans, but either way, she was ready. She had to be if she wanted to keep her mate thanks to archaic rules with loopholes that made no sense.

  Quinn kissed her one more time, and then they were off. By the time they made it to the circle, Finn was standing with the Brentwoods.

  She went to her brother and hugged him tight. “Thanks for coming.”

  “I shouldn’t have had to come at all,” he snapped. “This is ridiculous.”

  She rubbed his back then pulled away. “I love Quinn, Finn. I’m not going to let some bitch stop me.”

  Finn smiled full out, his eyes brightening. “No shit? You love him.” He looked over her shoulder and growled. “And you? You love my sister? Because if you don’t, I’m taking her home right now.”

  Gina closed her eyes and prayed for patience. God save her from dominant male wolves.

  “I love her, Finn. You don’t need to worry about that.”

  “Are you two done?” She opened her eyes and glared at each one.

  Finn shrugged. “It’ll be worse with Dad and Mark and the rest of them. Oh, and Mom? Yeah. This should be fun.”

  “One battle at a time, okay?” she asked, and Finn hugged her again.

  “Okay. Now kick her ass because this is fucking ridiculous.”

  “Stop cursing,” she teased, needing to lighten the moment.

  “Mom’s not here,” Finn whispered, and she laughed.

  Quinn came up from behind her and put his hand on her hip. She sighed and leaned into him, her wolf calming at the touch.

  “Where’s Brynn?” her mate asked Walker, who had come up to their party.

  “She’s with Jesse,” the other man said. “She wanted to make sure he had a familiar face since he couldn’t be here.”

  Gina looked up at Quinn, who nodded. “I’m glad she’s there,” he said.

  “Brynn?” Finn asked. “That’s your sister, right?”

  Walker narrowed his eyes at her teenage brother. Finn might have technically been an adult, but in the eyes of someone well over a hundred, he was still a pup.

  “Yes.” With that short answer, Walker went back to the others.

  “Did I
say something wrong?” Finn asked, a smile on his face.

  “Oh shut up. I don’t have time for this.” She grinned then looked out at the circle. “When do we start?”

  Quinn leaned down and kissed her temple. “Soon, I hope. I don’t know if Helena is here or not. We’ll find out though.”

  “Is that her?” Finn asked, and Gina looked up.

  “That’s her,” she growled.

  Helena strode in, her hips swaying. Gone was the woman who looked contrite and apologetic. No, this was a woman on the prowl, a woman who wanted the man she’d left behind.

  Well, too bad, because she couldn’t have him.

  “Since both wolves are here, and since we can’t let the mate in question decide, we’re ready to begin,” Gideon said, his voice holding contempt.

  “Since Helena is the wronged party, as her mate was stolen from her, she can decide if they fight as wolf or human,” Shannon said.

  Gina’s jaw dropped as the wolves around her growled and shouted.

  “Wronged?” Quinn yelled. “You’ve got to be kidding me. She’s the one who left me. She’s the one who almost killed me and Jesse. Fuck her. I want nothing to do with her. I’ve made my decision. It’s Gina. It will always be Gina. No matter the outcome.”

  Gina’s heart bloomed, and she gripped Quinn’s hand and squeezed. “I’ll fight and win. You don’t have to worry.”

  He turned and cupped her face before kissing her. Hard.

  “I love you, Gina. I made my choice, and you’re it. I don’t trust her not to try something tricky.”

  She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. It strengthened her while before it would have left her muddled and worried.

  “I have something to fight for, Quinn. Something more than she could ever hope to have.” She kissed him again, putting her heart into the kiss, into him. “I’m coming back to you.”

  “If you’re quite done...” Shannon snapped.

  “Watch your tone, wolf,” Gideon said, his voice deadly calm.

  Shannon glared then ran a hand over her dress. “What I meant was it was the witch who wronged her.”

  “Never trust a witch,” Helena said, her voice snide.