Tempted by the Wolf

by Alicia Montgomery

  The she-wolf growled at the humans, ignoring them as she advanced toward the other wolf. Daric took care of them anyway, as their weapons jammed the moment they tried to use them on her. The two wolves were evenly matched, same height and weight, but Meredith had an advantage, of course. The child inside her would protect her, and she wasn’t afraid of getting hurt, especially not when she was protecting those she loved. Her mate. Her clan. Her family.

  The black wolf lunged first, and she sprang at him, ripping with her claws and fangs. The other wolf’s claws ripped down her face, sending the blood spurting and staining her snowy fur, but she ignored the pain. Instead, she went straight for the neck, clamping her canines down on the flesh as hard as she could. The wolf let out a howl of pain and rolled away from her as soon as she released him. He limped away, dragging his body into the corner as he lay down and turned back into his human form.

  “Stefan!” Daric called as the mage disappeared. “Goddamnit!” He turned to the she-wolf, who had padded over to him and was licking his hand. “I must go,” he said. “Take care of them for me, she-wolf.” Without another word, he disappeared.

  The she-wolf whined and then turned around, running into the chaos outside. Inside her, Meredith railed and scream, begging the wolf to go and find Daric, but the wolf didn’t listen. Instead, she raised her head, sniffing the air as she tried to find a distinct scent. The scent of fire and ashes.

  ***

  Daric immediately knew where Stefan had disappeared to, or rather, the mage had told him, sending him a vision of where he was. As he focused on the exact place, he thought that it might be a trap. Perhaps it was, but one way or another, this would end tonight.

  He appeared right on top of the cliff, the highest point overlooking their village. Here, the northern lights seemed to burn much brighter and he could feel its effect more prominently. He thought he had enough power for at least a few more spells, but he was almost tapped out.

  The cliffside point also offered a view of the action below, and it seemed Stefan had used the last of his powers to bring his remaining four mages and six of his human slaves with him. They stood to the side, ready to defend their master.

  “Ah, you’ve come,” Stefan taunted as he looked at Daric. The mage struggled to get up, but he managed to get to his feet.

  “Your magic is almost gone,” Daric stated.

  “And so is yours. Get him,” Stefan ordered. One of the mages stretched his hands out and began to chant. The human slaves suddenly stood up straight and began to lumber towards Daric.

  Daric lunged towards Stefan, tackling him to the ground. He would kill Stefan with his bare hands if that’s what it took. The master mage screamed in protest as Daric’s heavy body landed on top of him, pinning him down.

  “Get him!” Stefan managed to croak out as Daric’s fingers wrapped around his throat.

  Daric squeezed as hard as he could, but the human slaves pulled him away before he could feel the last breath leave from Stefan’s body. The six men restrained him, forcing him to his knees as the largest of them twisted his arms back before pushing him down on the ground.

  Stefan heaved as he tried to get up. “It is such a pity,” he rasped as he slowly stumbled to Daric. “You could have been great! Could have ruled by my side, but you throw it all away for a worthless little Lycan bitch.” He looked at the man holding Daric down. “Kill him.”

  A meaty arm wrapped around Daric’s neck and tightened, squeezing the air out of him. As spots appeared in front of his eyes, his last thoughts were of Meredith and their unborn child. He wished he could have seen her future if only to know what their offspring would look like. Probably beautiful, like Meredith.

  “Stefan, you shithead!”

  The sound of large wings flapping filled Daric’s ears and a large rush of wind knocked over both him and the man who had him in a chokehold. They rolled around several times, and when Daric ended up on top, he slammed his fist into the other man’s face, knocking him out. Looking up, he saw a giant golden dragon flying overhead. Its wings slowed down, and the dragon swooped lower. A figure dropped to the ground, and he held his breath when he saw Meredith’s body fall to the ground, transform in mid-air, and land on all fours. The magnificent white wolf stood in front of Stefan, growling and snapping, forcing the mage to retreat. Behind her, however, the remaining men advanced. One of them pulled a pistol from his pocket, and he trained it on the she-wolf.

  “No!” Daric ran towards them. His magic was nearly tapped out and he couldn’t do anything to stop them or get her out of harm’s way. One of them shot at the wolf, and she yowled in pain. She turned around, growling and advancing towards the men. She leaped at the man with the weapon, disabling him, but the rest piled on top of her, seemingly unafraid of the giant animal. The she-wolf let out a howl and shook them off her as they tried to hang on and wrestle her to the ground.

  Daric wanted to help Meredith, but Stefan stood between them. The mage raised his hand, preparing to use his last bit of magic to help his goons. “Stefan!” he called, and the mage turned around.

  “Still alive? You’ve always been a survivor,” Stefan said almost proudly. “Too bad, though, I think you’ve used up your magic and your luck.”

  Calling on the last reserves of his magic, Daric used it to transport the sword strapped to Stefan’s side into his hand. “No, I think you’ve used up the last of yours.” Daric raised the sword, pushing it straight forward into the mage’s body. Stefan’s eyes bulged in disbelief and his face scrunched in agony as he screamed.

  “Kill them!” he ordered the remaining mages as he staggered back, blood dribbling from his mouth. “Kill them all.”

  The four mages turned their attention to Daric and Meredith. The she-wolf had managed to knock away one of the men, but the remaining four circled her. The mage controlling the human slaves waved his hand, and two of the men walked away from the she-wolf and trudged towards Daric. The remaining mages slipped their hands into their robes, preparing what Daric knew were various potions that could disable both him and Meredith.

  “Traitor!” Stefan hissed with the last of his breath. “If I die tonight, so will you!”

  The winds picked up, getting stronger and faster and Daric had to dig his heels in to keep steady. As he saw a flash of gold in the distance and heard the beating of wings, he knew what Sebastian was planning.

  “Meredith!” he screamed. The white wolf’s ears perked up, and with one last growl, she turned tail and dashed to Daric. When she was a few yards away, her hind legs gave one last push, and she lunged through the air to leap over Stefan’s dying body and tackle Daric to the ground, rolling them away just in time as fire and lava rained from above.

  The heat was unbearable, and the smoke and ashes made his lungs burn, but at least they were alive. They both were. Warm fur and heavy muscle shrank back into soft skin and supple limbs. Daric used his body to shield her, landing with a thud on his back as Meredith slammed on top of him.

  “Oomph!” Meredith sputtered. She tried to look back but turned her head away. The light burning from the dragon fire was blinding, and Daric himself closed his eyes until the heat faded away.

  “Is he…”

  Daric opened his eyes slowly. The faint light of dawn was slowly creeping across the sky as the sun rose from behind the hills. Turning his head to the side, there was nothing but ashes by the edge of the cliff. “Yes. It is done.”

  Meredith let out a whoop of triumph and pumped a fist high in the air. “We did it! Hey!” She looked down and raised a brow at him. “Are you getting a victory boner?”

  He laughed. “You are naked and bouncing on top of me,” he pointed out.

  “Right.” Meredith slowly eased off him and got to her feet. She bent down to help him up, and he accepted her hand. As soon as he stood up, however, Meredith let out an indignant cry.

  “Daric,” she sobbed, tears filling her eyes. “You…your…”

  “What is it?” he asked,
running his hands over his body. “Am I injured? Should we get a doctor?”

  “No,” Meredith cried. “Your…hair!”

  Daric frowned and touched his head, running his fingers through his hair. He realized that it must have caught some of the dragon fire, as half of his long locks had been singed off.

  “Nooo!” she bawled. “Your beautiful hair!”

  Daric chuckled. “Min kjære, it is just hair.”

  “Just hair?” she cried. “Just hair? Don’t you know how much I loved that hair of yours? It’ll take years to grow back.”

  “I’m a warlock,” he reminded her. “I could learn to regrow it back if you wish.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “Good,” she reached up and kissed him. “Now, let’s go back to the village and see what’s going on.”

  “As much as I love seeing your delectable body,” he said as he began to unbutton his shirt. “I’d rather keep the image to myself.” He handed her his shirt, and she accepted, slipping it over herself.

  “Thanks,” she said. Suddenly, her eyes grew wide. “Speaking of naked bodies…”

  Daric pivoted his head and saw Sebastian walking towards them, a scowl on his face and naked as the day he was born. He looked back at Meredith, and when he saw her eyes slowly dropping lower, he pulled her face to his chest.

  “A little help?” Sebastian asked.

  Daric nodded, and with the wave of his hand, the grass around Sebastian’s feet floated up, swirled around his torso and the fibers changed into a pair of white boxers.

  “Thanks,” he said gratefully.

  “Sebastian, my man! High five!” Meredith bounded to him, her hands raised. “Flying was soooo fun! Let’s do it again. What do you say?”

  “I’m not letting you anywhere near my dragon,” Sebastian huffed.

  “No more dragon rides?” she pouted.

  “Never again. What the hell were you doing, tugging and pulling on my horns?”

  “I was trying to steer!”

  “I was steering, you idiot!” he growled.

  “Oh, and by the way, you’re welcome for the rescue! Thank God my she-wolf was smart enough to come and find you first.”

  “That makes one of you,” Sebastian snorted.

  “Did you see what you did to Daric’s beautiful hair?” she countered.

  “I have to go see Jade,” he said, ignoring her. He looked down at his boxers. “Shit, I should have asked you to make me some stretchy pants like the Hulk. I don’t want to show up buck naked in front of everyone. I’ll see if I can walk back down.”

  “We’ll follow,” Daric said. “But I need a few minutes alone with Meredith.”

  Sebastian nodded and turned to walk away. Meredith suppressed a giggle when she saw what was printed on the back of Sebastian’s boxers. It was a unicorn in bright shades of pink and purple.

  “You’re so bad,” she whispered, swatting him playfully on the arm.

  “Since you seemed to enjoy his body so much, I thought I’d give you something better to look at. And no one calls you idiot and gets away with it.”

  “Ha! That’ll teach him.” She laid her head on his chest as Daric’s arms came around her. She breathed in his chocolate scent and murmured against his bare skin.

  “Did you say something, min kjære?”

  “I said,” she looked up at him. “I love you, Daric.”

  His blue-green eyes turned from stormy to calm, and a smile tugged at his lips. “And I love you, my she-wolf.”

  Their lips met in a soft kiss as the sun continued to ascend, filling the valley with light. When they had enough of each other (for now, at least), they pulled away and started walking towards Sebastian, who was trying to figure out how to get down from the cliff.

  “Let’s go,” Daric said, offering his hand to the other man. “I’ll take us back.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  The three of them appeared right in the middle of the village. While it was not as chaotic as it was just hours ago, the scene was certainly grim. Grant was kneeling next to a Lycan who was lying on the ground, his chest wrapped in bandages, comforting him as an older man tended to his injuries.

  “You’ll be fine, Patrick. Dr. Faulkner will take care of you,” he said, clapping the man on the shoulder gently. “Jared will be happy to know you’ll be coming home soon.”

  “Thank you, Primul,” Patrick replied. “It’s an honor to serve you.”

  Grant gave the man a nod and got to his feet. Beside him, Frankie helped him up and then wrapped her arm around his waist, snuggling into his side.

  “Meredith! Sebastian! Daric!” Grant’s face lit up. “Thank God! You…” He looked at Daric. “Is it done? He’s gone?”

  Daric nodded. “Yes, Alpha.”

  “And I made doubly sure,” Sebastian added. “I don’t think anyone can come back from being turned into ash.”

  Grant broke into a smile, and he hugged Frankie closer to him. Tears were streaming down the Lupa’s face. “It’s over,” she whispered, her hand slipping down to cup her growing belly. “It’s finally over.”

  “Meredith!”

  Daric saw the three Lone Wolves running towards them. Connor’s strides were much longer than his brothers’, so he reached Meredith first. He scooped her up into a fierce hug and kissed her forehead.

  “Mer,” he breathed, closing his eyes.

  “Aww, Connor,” Meredith said as he let her go. “I love you, too, ya big lug!”

  Killian came next, and he lifted her up into his arms. “I’m so glad you’re safe,” he whispered into her hair.

  “Hey, runt!” Quinn greeted, his face beaming. “I think if something did happen to you, I’d miss your ugly face. Owww!”

  “Shut up!” Meredith said as she launched herself into his arms. “I was worried about you, too.”

  Quinn’s face faltered for a second as he hugged Meredith. “Yeah, well, don’t think I’ll be around to help you next time you’re in trouble.” He released her and looked at Sebastian. “Jesus Christ, you really are a motherfucking dragon.”

  “I told you, but you wouldn’t listen,” Meredith said, giving him a shove.

  “I thought you were joking!”

  “Sonofabitch!”

  All of them turned towards the source of the cry of frustration, who was stomping towards them. Alynna’s face was drawn into a scowl as Alex ran behind her. He, on the other hand, looked ecstatic.

  “What’s wrong?” Grant asked his sister.

  “What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” she fumed, opening her jacket, and showing everyone her shredded and bloody shirt. She lifted up the torn fabric, showing the smooth, unmarred skin. “I’m pregnant. Again,” she moaned.

  “Hey, baby doll, don’t be blue,” Alex said as he came up behind her, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Mika will love having a baby brother or sister.”

  “I really didn’t want to spend another Christmas pregnant,” Alynna whined. “Do you know how much wine I’ll be missing? And eggnog? And vodka? And—” Alex kissed his wife to quiet her down.

  “Sebastian!” Jade was running toward them at full speed. She launched herself at her mate, who caught her and spun her around and planted a long kiss on her mouth.

  “I…I thought…” she choked, barely containing the tears and emotions.

  “I’ll always come back to you, darlin’,” he drawled, drawing her into his arms. “Always.”

  Lara and Liam approached them, the witch’s face grim. “Daric, Meredith,” she called. “We can’t find Zac. Nick’s been going crazy looking for him.”

  Meredith looked around. “I put him down in the cot! Let’s go get him.”

  As they walked towards his old home, Daric tensed. So many memories, so many words unspoken. As his steps faltered, Meredith threaded her fingers through his. “You can do this,” she whispered.

  He gripped her hand tight, and they walked inside. It was just as he remembered. His parent’s b
ed in the corner, and his own twin bed in the other end. The cot where Zac lay sleeping was the same one his father made, with his bare hands and not with magic. “A father should be able to build things for his child,” Jonas said as they put the baby cot in the storage shed in the back. “I’ll teach you how to make one of these so that someday, you can make one for your son, too.”

  Victoria’s body remained crumpled on the floor by the cot. He shook his head. Poor, misguided Victoria. Still, in the end, she did save her grandson’s life. With a wave of his hand, her body disappeared. Victoria’s favorite place was the gardens in Stefan’s mountain retreat in Colorado, and so, he sent her remains there, burying her under an oak tree.

  A soft cry drew his attention back and he looked at Meredith as she picked up Zac. He imagined her doing the same to their child and emotion welled up in him. It was real. This was all real. No more mages, no more Stefan, no more danger looming over their heads. Only Meredith from now on, and their child and many more children if he were blessed. Their love was like the sun, bringing light into the dark world he thought he would be living in until he died.

  “Zac!” Nick’s urgent voice knocked him out of his thoughts. “Where is he? Is he safe?”

  “He’s fine,” Meredith said. “He just woke up.”

  Nick strode to Meredith, freezing as his eyes zeroed in on the squirming bundle in her arms as if he wasn’t sure if it was true. As he took Zac from Meredith, his expression turned to that of relief, as if the weight of the world had lifted from his shoulder. He leaned down and took in the scent of his son, kissing the baby’s chubby cheeks. “Hi there, Zac,” he said, his voice shaking with emotion. “I’ve missed you. Mommy’s missed you too. She’ll be so happy to see you.” Zac gurgled back happily.

  Nick looked up at Meredith and then to Daric. “Thank you,” he said, clearing his throat. “And…I apologize. For everything.” The Beta smiled—a genuine one that Daric was sure didn’t come easily to the stoic Lycan.

  Daric nodded in acknowledgement and Meredith smiled. “You’re welcome,” she replied and then took a deep breath. “Wait, Nick,” she called as the Beta was about to leave. “There’s something you need to know. About Victoria.”