Wolf Pack Complete Series : Mate (Silver Mountain Wolf Pack), Alpha Bait (Russian Wolf Pack One) and Wild (Russian Wolf Pack Two)

by Zoe Perdita

  The wolf leaned over him, a calloused hand brushing the long hair from Wild’s forehead. “You’ll be fine. Doc said it was a simple fracture, but it should heal properly, given your unique abilities.”

  “But–”

  Wild didn’t know what he was going to say, just that he wanted to say something. Thank you? Maybe that was it, although it didn’t really sound like him. He hadn’t thanked anyone in years.

  “This’ll help with the pain,” the other man said, and something pricked Wild’s arm.

  He tried to sniff the air – to catch the man’s scent – but before he got the chance he faded into a dreamy, painless sleep.

  Chapter 2

  The two men looked at each other, then back at the little wolf asleep in the bed.

  “You really got yourself into a mess this time. This isn’t a baby raccoon – or hell, even an orphaned bear! Shirley isn’t going to take him in.”

  Caleb sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “I didn’t ask for a little werewolf to fall into a trap right next to my property. At least we found out who’s been stealing chickens from their pens and meat from the smoke houses.”

  Dr. Richards frowned and crossed his arms. “That’s not a consolation. He’s going to be your responsibility until he heals. Got that? I’m washing my hands of this matter here and now. Whatever he does, you’ll have to answer to the Eurasians or one of the other were-creatures.”

  Typical for a were-rabbit to be wary, but Dr. Richards took it to whole new levels sometimes. “I understand. Believe me. But I don’t think the Eurasians even know about him.”

  Yet. And when they found out – well, Caleb wasn’t about to hand them another member for their pack. If they’d even want him. Probably not. The Russians already claimed their prize.

  “Honestly, Doc, I’m more worried about what folks around here will think. The regular folk, not the were-creatures.”

  It’s not that Caleb had many neighbors – or that they were particularly close by. He lived almost as far up Mt. Spokane as humanly possible for the solitude, but the people around him all knew who he was. Most importantly, they knew he lived alone. Always had, for the most part.

  “You could tell him the boy’s your nephew,” Dr. Richards offered, his small eyes pinched under his glasses.

  “No!” Caleb said, with more force than necessary.

  The doctor raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Any reason why not?”

  The wolf was not going to tell this man. Hell, he wasn’t even sure if he could mutter the words out loud yet. He did know he couldn’t tell anyone this little whelp was related to him. No way. No how.

  “It’s not a good idea. Anything else I need to know?”

  Dr. Richards sighed and shook his head. “I gave you the prescription already. He’ll need them for the pain. Check on the stitches and clean the wounds daily. Otherwise, make sure he keeps his weight off of it for a few weeks. It’ll heal faster than a human, but that kind of break takes time. Oh, and why did you put a wolf trap out there? Were you trying to catch him?”

  Caleb furrowed his brow. “No. That’s the thing – I didn’t.”

  The man’s eyes widened. “Who did? Dirk?”

  The farmer might’ve. He was mad enough to shoot a defenseless animal, but that meant he placed it there recently or else Caleb would’ve noticed it sooner. Also, wolf hunting had been illegal for years. Where the hell did a man like Dirk Turner get such a trap to begin with?

  “Maybe. But that’s what I’d like to find out.”

  Dr. Richards threw him a wary glance. “If it wasn’t Dirk, you know what that means.”

  The wolf rolled his eyes to the ceiling and took a deep breath. “Yeah. But we don’t know that for sure. Not yet.”

  He led the doctor to the door, and watched the man climb into his car and rumble away down the mountain.

  Perfect way to start the day. Damn. He hadn’t even made breakfast yet.

  Caleb slipped back down the hall and peeked into the spare room. The same dusty blue curtains fluttered next to the window, the heating vent underneath picking up the light fabric and moving it with an influx of warm air.

  The little wolf lay curled in a ball, though his injured leg was stretched straight. A little knot formed in the wolf’s stomach as he looked at the sleeping whelp. How long had he been out in the wild away from humans? And why the hell didn’t a runt like him have a pack? He was probably an omega, but was the rest of his pack slaughtered by hunters – or was it something worse.

  Whatever it was, the little wolf hadn’t had an easy life. Several thin scars trailed over his back and the side of his chest. His long, mahogany hair hung to his ass, over his golden skin. His face was angular with a stubborn chin and sharp jaw covered in thick, dark stubble, though his large, round eyes softened his expression into boyish innocence. The wolf’s body was all lean muscle and sinew – not an ounce of fat at all. Not to mention his eager cock –

  No. That’s a line of thought Caleb was not going to entertain.

  But why the hell did his skin tingle when he touched the damn kid. And really, that’s what he was – a kid. Eighteen years old. Hardly out of diapers as far as Caleb was concerned. But there was something in the whelp’s eyes – a flash of old hurt and determination that reminded him of someone else he knew.

  Well, two people, exactly.

  Grumbling, he turned and walked back to the kitchen. At least down the hall he’d be free of the little wolf’s startling scent. The smell that awoke his senses as he chopped wood in the early morning air. Just sniffing it made his whole body ache for something. Something he didn’t want – something he never wanted. Not again.

  At least it wasn’t as bad as the wolf’s bait, Sam.

  No, this was a different sensation entirely. Primal and raw, but with a depth the draw of wolf’s bait didn’t stir. And it sure as hell wasn’t a sensation Caleb was going to give in to. He might be forced to live as a damn werewolf, but that didn’t mean he had to abide by their outdated and ridiculous customs.

  He was a man – not an animal. He’d choose his own way in life. Caleb was on the wrong side of thirty, and he liked living alone. Just entertaining Sam for those few weeks was enough of a hassle as it was. Sharing his whole life with another wolf?

  That sounded like hell.

  Other wolves were a pain in the ass to be around. No. That was putting it lightly.

  Other wolves were bastards.

  The warm sun beat down on him, although an icy breeze from the lake blew over his face and pushed the pale hair from his forehead. Caleb crouched at the edge of the water and shut his eyes. If this was some tropical wonderland he could go swimming. It was probably already hot in places like California and Arizona. But up in Glen Arbor spring was finally taking hold. The snow was gone, for now, and it was possible to stroll along Lake Michigan.

  When summer finally hit, the tourist crowd would flood in and transform the sleepy little town into a bustling hot spot for a few months. Then, like always, the extra people would wander away and the locals would be left with the bitterly long winter.

  Every year. More of the same.

  Caleb kicked a rock with his worn tennis shoe. One of these days he’d get out of this town. He’d do something. Feel the sun on his face from exotic places. Not worry about money and bills like his mom. He’d make too much money to worry!

  When that day came, he’d be just like all the people who visited places when they were beautiful and left when they weren’t.

  He sure as hell wasn’t going to end up working at a factory like his dad. Or run a failing business like his mom. Or stuck in a nowhere town like this.

  Unlike them, his whole life was laid in front of him.

  In a couple of months, high school would be nothing but a bad memory. No more people bugging him to play basketball just because he was tall. No more girls asking him out on dates (he liked guys, but no way he could tell anyone that!).

  The blue waves crashed aga
inst the shore, and Caleb looked across, as if he could see the other side. Or maybe he could see his future out there somewhere, waiting for him.

  “Bit cold for a swim,” a man said, his voice a lazy southern drawl.

  Caleb jumped, kicking sand as he whipped around.

  A man stood about ten feet away. His greasy hair brushed his forehead and his cheeks were unshaven and dark. The clothes he wore looked like they hadn’t been washed in months – a dirty flannel and worn jeans. In most cases, Caleb would’ve wrinkled his nose in disgust, but something twisted in his groin instead. A sudden prickling excitement rose across his skin.

  The guy looked like a bum, but his eyes held an allure to the eighteen year-old Caleb.

  “It’s a bit early for tourist season,” he said, and crossed his arms.

  He towered over the man, who was probably a decent six-feet tall. It was nothing compared to Caleb’s proud six feet five frame. Nordic blood. He came from a long line of Swedes, and it showed.

  “Oh, and you’ve got a sassy mouth. I like that, boys with sassy mouths. Makes things more interesting.” The man’s eyes flashed, and he took a slow step into the sand. It crunched under his boots.

  Heat flooded Caleb’s pale cheeks. “What are you talking about?”

  “Don’t you know? Or have you been hidden away like a princess in a tower all these years. You are such a very special treat. Do I get to be the first one to taste you, boy?”

  “Stay the hell away from me!” Caleb said and turned toward the trail.

  “I can’t do that. You smell too good,” the man growled and charged, grasping the young man from behind.

  The sound that came out of Caleb’s mouth was something between a gasp and a whimper. Why did this weird bum’s hands feel good as they groped his chest? He shouldn’t enjoy the prickly edge of the man’s jaw, or his slender frame smashed against Caleb’s back.

  No!

  But his body didn’t want to listen to his mind. Every touch set his nerves on fire. Electricity charged through his veins, and if the bastard wanted to, he’d bend over and . . .

  No! What was he thinking?

  “I said get the hell away from me!” he cried again and pushed the man back.

  He stumbled, and Caleb ran. His tennis shoes slipped in the sand as he charged forward, trying to get some traction.

  There! The trailhead! If he could get on the pavement he could outrun this asshole for sure!

  Then the man barreled into him from behind and they both sprawled onto the ground. Sand flew into Caleb’s eyes, and he screamed and blinked it away. The man’s hungry hands gripped his hips, running slender fingers over his flank.

  Why did it make the heat rise to his flesh like a burning fever? He didn’t like this man. Didn’t like this.

  Or did he?

  A hot mouth pressed into his neck, and he pushed at the man’s hands, but they wouldn’t budge. How the hell was he so strong?

  “Oh no. Now that I’ve found one of your kind, I’m not letting you go, bait.”

  Bait? What the hell was he talking about?

  “I’m not – oh, what are you doing?”

  The hands found his bulge. Even concealed in his jeans, the man’s fingers woke it with a caress.

  “I’m going to claim you, bait. It’s going to be so much fun to watch you squirm.”

  His head felt light, and his body too hot. Every time the man touched him his skin burst into flame – in a good way. But this guy’s words didn’t make sense. Claim him? Bait? What the fuck was going on?

  Then, just as the bum found Caleb’s zipper, something leaped on them both. They skidded across the sand, and Caleb slid to a stop just shy of the icy water. Leaning back on his elbows, he wiped his watering eyes and stared.

  A wolf?

  They didn’t have wolves in Glen Arbor! Maybe in the mountains, but they never came into town.

  The animal was huge – bigger than any dog Caleb had ever seen. Its fur was slick black, and it pulled back its lips and snarled at the bum.

  Instead of running or shitting his pants, the man actually laughed.

  “You want to challenge me for him? Think just because you’re a big guy I’d lose? Fuck you!”

  Caleb’s heart slammed in his chest, but his feet were frozen in place. He knew he should get up. Knew he should run home and never tell anyone what the hell just happened (who would believe a crazy story like that anyway?), but his body stayed glued to the sand.

  The great black wolf growled, and the bum bared his teeth and his eyes caught a strange hint of light. Then his body twisted and bent. His legs turned from hands to paws – his nose and mouth extended into a long snout with razor sharp jaws – his back cracked and he sprouted a goddamn tail!

  Yeah. No one would ever believe this!

  As soon as the bum transformed into a wolf, his greasy brown fur slicked back, the black wolf attacked. It was hard to keep an eye on what happened. One wolf snapped at the other. Claws and fangs and fur flew. Blood splattered across the sand.

  Caleb scooted back. No way. Werewolves did not exist. Only maybe they did. And they were fighting on the beach right in front of him.

  He had to get out of here before one of them decided he looked like lunch! This is what he got for going to a secluded beach on the weekend. Next time, he’d just go to the movies like a normal teenager!

  He hurried to his feet and ran toward the trailhead. Get home. Get safe. And find out if someone slipped acid into his orange juice.

  A sickening crack split the air, and Caleb froze in place – inches from the safety of the pavement and the road home. Something stepped across the sand toward him. He hated himself for turning around, for needing to see which wolf won the battle.

  The bum lay sprawled on the ground, a fatal amount of blood leaking from his chest all over the sand.

  Caleb’s breakfast rose in his throat, and he turned and expelled it onto the sand too.

  “Sorry about him. Rogue wolves get a little unseemly at times. What’s your name, boy?”

  The werewolf’s voice made the hairs on the back of Caleb’s neck rise. Deep and resonant, like waves against the shore.

  He wiped his mouth and looked at the man. While he was shorter than Caleb, around six-two, he seemed taller. His back was straight. His body strong and muscular, his waist and hips narrow. Black hair fell to his shoulders and over his startlingly green eyes. He looked like a Greek statue come to life, and Caleb’s whole body burned for that man to touch him.

  Caress him.

  Fuck him.

  He shook the thought from his head, and swallowed the lump in his throat. “I’m Caleb. What the hell is going on?”

  The man’s lips twitched into a slight smile. “It’s simple. You’re wolf’s bait.”

  Chapter 3

  Wild woke to the scent of venison. It curled throughout the room, lingering around his nose like a memory. Very slowly, he opened his eyes. A ceiling with wooden beams? He was indoors?

  Then his leg ached, and he remembered the events that led to this situation.

  The farmer.

  The trap.

  The wolf.

  Rain pattered against the room’s one window, but a dusty blue curtain obscured the view. Why would the big wolf want to block out the beautiful forest like that? Well, he was a changeling.

  Need pressed at his bladder, and Wild frowned. He had to use the toilet if he was indoors. Pissing on the dresser wouldn’t do. He pulled the covers back and looked at the strange contraption on his leg. It kept his foot from moving, but at least it dulled the pain.

  If he switched forms now the cast would fall off. Too bad they didn’t put it on him in his wolf form. Or maybe not. He couldn’t talk to the new wolf if that was the case.

  Slowly, he eased his good foot onto the floor and limped toward the door.

  No good! As soon as he put pressure on his broken leg, the pain shot through his whole body. Stars flashed before his eyes, and Wild crumpled to t
he floor, whimpering.

  A moment later, the changeling rushed into the room. “What the hell are you trying to do, Whelp?” he asked, but knelt by Wild’s side all the same.

  “Bathroom,” the little wolf managed, his eyes pinched shut.

  Large, steady arms hoisted him to his feet and carried him down the hall. “You need to keep weight off that leg for a few weeks. Doc gave you a crutch. I thought you’d have the sense to alert me if you needed something, but I guess I should be happy you didn’t piss the bed.”

  Wild tried to glare, but the throbbing pain kept his face twisted into a grimace instead.

  Caleb lowered him onto the toilet and helped Wild wash when he was through.

  The man’s large hands sizzled against his flesh, melting away any anger and replacing it with something else. Something that tangled his stomach into knots and made his groin ache expectantly.

  “I didn’t know you’d help me with that,” he finally muttered as the man carried him back into the bedroom.

  Why did his cheeks burn whenever he looked at this strange new wolf?

  Caleb frowned and sat Wild on the bed. “Well, whether I like it or not, you’re my responsibility until you’re all healed, got it? Now get dressed and we can have breakfast.”

  “Dressed? Breakfast? I slept all day?”

  The man’s pale blue eyes trailed over the little omega’s naked body. He looked almost as hungry as Wild felt. No one in his old pack ever looked at him like that before. Did that mean –

  With a heavy sigh, Caleb left the room and came back a moment later with a pile of clothes in his strong arms. “You’re going to be clothed while you’re in my care, Whelp. Here. I’ll help with the pants if you need it.”

  He plopped a T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants onto the bed next to Wild. The little wolf tried to remember the last pair of clothes he’d worn. Old jeans with a hole in the knee and a faded green T-shirt. They ripped to shreds when Wild changed. After that, he had no reason to go back to the human world, and no clothes if he wanted to. The sweats and T-shirt the changeling gave him were both blue. Too bad. He preferred green. It reminded him of the woods in summer.