by Colt , Shyla
Here they come, Luc thought as the guests began to arrive. She pasted on a fake smile and told herself the weakling from the past was long buried.
Most wolves only get aggressive when necessary, but her lack of proper hormones changed her right down to her scent. She smelled more like prey, and her temperament and attitude were in line with a human. The result in youth was numerous scrapes, bruises, and tears. Her life among humans gave her a perspective and strength she could never have achieved had she stayed. If need be, she would show them Luc Dryden had discovered her claws.
Ten minutes into the celebration, Kalyx showed up and devastated her senses. His chocolate curls curved around his ears and the nape of his neck. Black dress pants highlighted his slim waist, and a crisp blue button-down shirt brought out the gold flecks in his green eyes and clung to his well-formed chest. The change had been kind to him. He was leaner and muscular in a way he had not been before. It figured he would be an alpha given his parents. She eased deeper into the crowd to avoid his gaze and to give her some time to calm her heartbeat, which was pounding like a drum.
This was not how she had envisioned this situation playing out. The plan was to remain cool and unaffected. But now that she was bombarded by memories, all she could think of was an escape. Her gaze darted back and forth until she located the side exit and walked to it briskly, thankful for the bathroom sign offering her a safe haven. Locked inside a stall, she rested her head against the cool door to lower her spiked temperature as she slowed her erratic breath.
You can do this, Luc, just go out there, avoid him as much as possible and remember this is only temporary.
One last deep breath later she stepped back from the door, released the latch, and opened the stall door.
"Luc Dryden, imagine running into each other here," purred the waif-like dirty blonde she had hoped to avoid at all costs.
She was careful to keep her voice steady and devoid of emotion, "Violet. Always a pleasure."
"I'm sure. It's been a long time. I thought I smelled your particular aroma."
"Rebel Le Fleur is lovely, isn't it?" she asked. Her demeanor was dismissive as she ignored Violet's weak attempt at an insult.
"Oh, I see the little imut has grown claws."
"I can tell you're still caught up in that high-school mentality, so I'll leave you here with your memories of grandeur," she drawled. It felt like she had won a marathon. She smoothed an errant curl, heading for the door with an extra spring in her step.
"We're not done here," Violet said with a snarl, slamming her hand against the door to block her exit. "Listen to me you little twit; you're not about to come back here and ruin the sweet setup I have. Kalyx is off-limits now. Your pathetic little sidekick grew up and turned into the man he was meant to be."
"I wonder if he'd appreciate being considered your property." A smirk curved across Luc's full lips as the blood drained from Violet's face.
"If you say a word—"
"Save the threats. I'm over this town and its bullshit hierarchy. My sole mission is to make sure my sister's wedding day is the happiest day of her life." Her eyes focused on the hand that barred her exit until Violet moved it.
"This isn't over."
NURSING HIS WHISKEY and cola, Kalyx scanned the sea of familiar faces for Luc from his seat at the bar. He had caught her scent when he first entered the hall. It was spicy and sweet like honey laced with cayenne pepper. A part of him wanted to track her down, but he had his dignity and pack politics to observe. So he had made the rounds, shook hands, made polite conversation, and curbed his less desirable traits. Too many scents and emotions, coupled with his father's expectations caused his temper to grow short, his voice to deepen, and his territorial instincts to rise. The pack doctor thought if he was mated things would ease.
Which led his father to launch his scheme to campaign Violet as the next Mrs. Hunter. Just the thought of the woman made Kalyx's stomach curdle. Too much bad blood between them prevented even the most platonic friendship. Of course, this fell deaf on his father's ears. Randall didn't like to think of the time before Kalyx's change, the majority of Kalyx's life.
"What are you doing here by the bar, son?" his father asked. A frown turned his lips down.
"Just wetting my whistle after making the rounds," he replied, setting the empty glass on the counter.
"Nothing wrong with a little downtime." His approval was obvious as he gave him a pat on the back before he disappeared back into the crowd.
"One more round," Kalyx said shaking his glass. The bartender gave a nod and topped him off.
His glass froze halfway to his lips when he spotted the one woman he had wanted to see every morning for the past five years. Luc Dryden was less than thirty feet away and very much grown up. Her once stick-thin frame had rounded into curves that made him think of the pinup models from days gone by. Her legs were encased in a pair of tailored khaki pants shaped to her body. A pale pink tank top spilled ruffles down the center and nipped in at the waist, all topped off by a pair of pink- and- white peep-toe heels.
She was so well put together, with her light dusting of makeup and a loose bun; she would be the envy of any Stepford wives. Her prim, proper, and buttoned-up look threw him for a loop. The wicked high pink-and-white peep-toe heels were the only throw back to the Luc from his past. This was not the Luc he had been madly in love with. His Luc had used her appearance as an art form. An outlet to express all the creativity she held inside her body He smiled remembering the myriad number of hair colors and styles she had gone through.
Surely that Luc was still there, just buried under the surface. This was a semi formal event after all. Intrigued, he felt his desire to speak with her overwhelm him as his wolf surged to the forefront, forcing his legs into motion before his mind could stop him. He stalked her through the crowd, careful to keep out of her line of sight until she neared the door leading to the sparsely populated deck. With a quick grab of her elbow, he pulled her outside ignoring her sputters of protest.
"Leave," he commanded. A glance down his nose sent two couples back into the hall without comment.
"Could you be more dramatic?" Luc asked. Her cheeks flushed as she snatched her arm away from his hand like she had been burned.
"We don't need an audience for this."
"I would be perfectly okay with not having this moment at all." Her pink lips curled up into a sneer of contempt as she glanced away.
"How can you say that?" he asked, wounded by her words.
"Because all I want to do is forget we ever dated."
"Lucy—"
"No. You don't have the right to call me that anymore," she said. Her sherry-brown almond-shaped eyes flashed from distant to angry. He had to bite back the moan tickling his throat. She was hot when she was pissed.
"Look, we're adults, and the past should stay where it's buried. I'm not out to cause any problems. I already got the riot act from Violet."
"What did she say to you?" His body flooded with anger at the thought of the fickle woman interfering in his business with his Luc. His muscles tensed, and his skin prickled as his anger rose and the need to change crept over him. "Kalyx, calm down. It was nothing," she assured him. Her hand on his shoulder was meant to soothe him.
She knew the shift so late in life caused irrational behavior, but the worry in her eyes told him it was different to see it firsthand.
"I'm not with her, Luc. I would never be with someone like that," he protested. He had to make her understand how sorry he was for the way things had gone down.
If he had it to do all over again, he would never let them interfere. Back then he had been so green and out of control of his body. By the time he had gotten his shit together, she was long gone and ignored all of his attempts at contact. A slow panic began to rise as his mind grew cluttered and his animal threatened to take over.
"I know," Luc said, worry audible in her tone. Her voice lowered, and she sought to calm him as she began to talk him dow
n from the ledge his beast had forced him on to.
If this was all he could get from her, he would take it. At least he knew she still cared.
"Why didn't you answer me when I called or wrote?" he asked.
"Because it was easier for everyone if I didn't." She sighed.
"Why?"
"Your mother paid me a visit and explained that my presence was a hindrance. A smart girl like me must have realized that an heir to the throne needed to marry someone strong and able to produce healthy pups."
The words winded him, and he shook his head, unable to speak. He expected this from his father, but not his mother.
"I was a wreck for a long time." It wasn't an excuse, but it was all he had.
"You really don't have to do this," she mumbled, her eyes glued to the floor.
"Yes, I do. I owe you at least that much."
"Look, if you want my forgiveness, it's yours," she insisted as she refused to let him continue. "Now we've been out here long enough. I don't want to take any of the spotlight from Ivy," she stated, turning to leave.
The clicking of her heels on the wood pierced the stillness of the night around them as she walked away without a backward glance. Though the conversation had lifted a weight off his shoulders, he realized it was not enough. He wanted a second chance.
"This is far from over, Luc Dryden. I know the real you is in there somewhere," he whispered thinking of the flashes of emotions that had sprung in her eyes.
Chapter Three
"How you holding up?" Ivy asked as she sat beside Luc on the porch swing. Her face was full of sympathy as she handed Luc a mug of Earl Grey tea.
"Isn't that my line? Tonight was a big deal for you."
"I had a wonderful time. Now let's get back to the subject," she said, determined not to be deterred.
"It was fine, Ivy, we're all grown-ups now, and I am over letting bullies intimidate me."
"Asher said he saw you and Kalyx slip away."
"Asher talks too much."
"What did he have to say?" she asked.
"We cleared the air. He explained a few things and apologized."
"Hmph," Ivy huffed, crossing her arms and puckering her lips in a sour expression.
"You know as well as I, that the change past nineteen is usually a death sentence. You're either stuck in the middle between human and wolf, or you're stark raving mad."
"Well, he must be the later to give up a prize like you so easily."
"Thanks, Iv." She sighed. It was nice to know her sister was always on her team, but it did nothing to stave the loneliness.
"SHIT!
He flung the sheet from his heated body and sat up. Sleep had eluded him for the past three hours as his mind replayed every memory involving Luc. Even now her scent clung to the clothes he had donned earlier; a sweet torture he hated but craved at the same time. He moved his hand reached down to adjust the painful erection, making him feel like a man possessed. He had taken matters into his own hands when he first got home only to realize it was nothing but a fleeting fix when his erection returned shortly after.
He needed the real thing to sate the lust building up inside him like a storm about to wreck havoc. Disgusted by his lack of control he moved from the bed to the bathroom and splashed water on his face in an attempt to calm his frayed nerves. Energy prickled along his sensitive skin as his wolf begged to be set free. His was close to the surface tonight and agitated by the dismissal of the woman he considered to be his. A glance at his reflection in the mirror revealed his green eyes had already turned a pale yellow, and when his body began to shake he relinquished control. He had struck out with Luc earlier; perhaps the wolf would have more luck.
In seconds his bones shifted, fur sprang forth, and he hit the tile on all fours. The russet wolf with the mind of a man gave in to the call of his siren's scent and bounded out of the room.
SHE OPENED HER EYES in response to the whimpers that traveled to her ears from the open window. The mating gesture was sweet, but she wished Asher had chosen a more appropriate time and place. Of course, the way she heard it told when the urges hit there was no such thing as rational thought. Saddened by the awareness, she would never experience this for herself she turned on to her side in an attempt to block out the intimate moment. Frustrated when her throat itched to respond she covered her face with a pillow. Was she really this hard up for male attention?
"Yes," a little voice mocked.
Another note from the rich baritone had her breasts heavy and her fingers anxious to tweak hardened nipples.
Amazed she could find Asher so tantalizing, she whispered, "Please answer him, Ivy. This is what happens when you're thrust back into a community full of virile wolves after living among humans," she chided.
The melancholy howl replacing the amorous whimpers pulled her from the bed and to the cushion of her window seat. The russet wolf she spied in the yard below was not Asher.
"Kalyx," she said remembering how his green eyes had flickered to a pale yellow on the deck at the party. He was magnificent, lean and sculpted with a shiny pelt her fingers ached to touch. The dark musk of the pheromones rolling off him brought her body to life. A strange sound rumbled up in her chest in response to his concentrated stare. Shocked by the odd changes occurring in her body she paused only to be goaded on by the playful yip of approval making her juices soak her silk panties.
A sane person would close the window and head back to bed, but the passion he aroused refused to be denied. She would deal with the consequences of tonight tomorrow after the smoldering fire had been extinguished. The smell of dark spice increased, and her center responded with a flow of liquid running down the inside of her thighs as her center pulsed. Her walls contracted with every breath she took. Her sensitive body begged for relief, and in a blink, she went from the hunted to the hunter. A smirk graced her full lips as she slowly unbuttoned the silk shift irritating her overly sensitive skin.
Lingerie had always been a guilty secret, and she knew from past experience he loved to watch her take it off. She shoved the offending material off her shoulders to the floor and ran her fingers up her flat stomach to cup her full breasts and begin a rough massage. Her long fingers elicited moans, pinching and pulling, the erotic site set his eyes aglow with passion.
"Like that, don't you?" she teased, a husky chuckle spilling forth when he nodded.
"Good."
In need of more stimulation, she untied the bows of her panties one by one and lifted her leg onto the sill to bare her slick center. More moisture streamed down her thighs as his growl of admiration made her spread her lips to reveal the pink petal inside. Past the point of a staged performance, she cried out as she buried two fingers deep inside and went to work. Hard, sure pumps had her hips snapping forward. She forced her eyes to remain open as she rubbed her swollen clit in circles, and her pussy rippled as an orgasm roared through her body.
Her mouth opened in a silent scream echoed aloud by his hearty howl of approval. Coming down from her high, she was grateful for the click of the light in the room beside her own, chasing him off into the night. Her head rested against the coolness of the window, and she knew the concept of being over Kalyx Hunter was nothing more than a carefully constructed lie.
THE WOLF COLLAPSED onto his back porch panting as the passion created by Luc's impromptu window display slowly ebbed. It was the last thing he expected after her brisk dismissal earlier.
She wants to mate with us. She reeked of the mating scent, the wolf insisted. If only it was that simple. It was clear she desired him, but mating was impossible with her condition.
Tired of his baser side's false accusations he took control and shifted back to human seamlessly. He wanted her so bad his own instincts lied.
Chapter Four
When a knock echoed through the empty house in the middle of the day, Luc had no doubt who was on the other side. Bracing herself for the battle to come, she straightened to her full five feet eleven inches. L
ast night was a major error on her part. The clawing loneliness had outweighed the logical but did not mean she was about to travel a road she knew to be a dead end. The emotions between them remained, but the reasons why they could never be together were vast, too vast to risk her heart.
"We need to talk about what happened last night," he said. Kalyx pushed his way past her the moment she opened the door.
Come on in Kalyx, she thought, irked by his behavior. "There's nothing to talk about." An arrogant jerk replaced the sweet boy I grew up with.
"After last night, how can you say that?" he sputtered. A scowl painted on his Cupid’s bow lips as he pinned her with flashing eyes.
"Because it's the truth. I was lonely, and you were there."
"Don't insult me," he snapped stepping forward deep into her personal space.
Her heart jumped, and her nipples pebbled as want endangered the aloof air she struggled to maintain. He was like a shark in water: one hint of blood and he would go in for the kill.
"Back off," she warned, her desire twisting her stomach into knots as her center wept.
"Or what, Lucy?" he asked as he moved in closer. "Your body admits what you continue to deny. You're so wet right now I can taste you on the tip of my tongue." His body was so close his breath tickled her ear and evoked a deep shiver.
"Chemistry was never our problem." She cleared her throat as she looked away and effectively erected the walls keeping them apart.
"We're not children anymore; we can make our own choices now." His voice sounded desperate as she retreated further.
"You may believe that, but I know better."
"Luc."
"Just go, Kalyx, you might have forgotten what it's like to be an immutable, but I can't," she spat, disgusted.
"Luc—"
"Now!" The force behind her roar shocked them both into temporary silence as her chest heaved.
"This is far from over." The sentence was an ominous promise as he headed for the door and left her alone in the silent house.