by M. L. Briers
Pack life wasn’t for her and she knew it, and boy would he figure it out fast. If she was a Lycan she would be a lone wolf. Not a rogue exactly, just a lone wolf that shied away from the rest of the pack, stayed on the fringes and never really belonged. She wasn’t Lycan, but she was that damn lone wolf.
“I don’t know what I said to upset you…”Flynn’s deep gentle tones drifted around her like a comfort blanket and she wanted to pull it around her and snuggle deeply into its warmth, but it wasn’t in her to do it.
“PMS.” Summer shot back. She didn’t want to have this discussion with him, mainly because she felt two things right now, stupid and guilty. She’d seen the look in his eyes back there on the roadway, and the way his whole body had just itched to reach out and comfort her, and it wasn’t his fault that he’d hit the nail on the head with a rather large hammer.
“You have it, or me accusing you of having it?”Flynn needed to know how he’d managed to wound her, so he didn’t do it again. The look of pain in her eyes had twisted his guts so tightly inside him he’d felt physical pain, but it wasn’t his pain he was concerned with, it was hers.
“I have it.”She lied and he felt it rolling towards him like a broken wave that had crashed against the shore. He didn’t call her on it, now wasn’t the time, not when he could feel how off kilter she was. God, but he missed the shrew in her. The fire and spirit that danced in her brown eyes when they flared with her caustic remarks…
“So tell me what you know about the Fae that are going missing.”Flynn buried the need to dig deeper into her pain and went with something that might just fire the life back into her.
“Why so you can cover your tracks?”She bit out and he wanted to smile and growl at the same time. The shrew was back, and as much as her words annoyed him, they at least showed that she had bounced back a little.
“Of course, and then when I kill you I can make sure that the next tasty Fae they send here won’t find what you found.”Flynn shot her a look, and saw the edged of her mouth start to curl upwards and it warmed him. Let his gut untwist just a little.
“Smartarse.”She mumbled as she turned to look back out of the side window. That smile that threatened tugged a little more against her lips.
“A butthead and a smartarse, I’m going up in the world.”Flynn ignored the fact that his mate was full of disrespect for him, she didn’t know him, but she would, and when she did she would realise that she was judging him unfairly and come to respect him on her own terms. He wanted her respect, he wanted her love, and it went without saying that he wanted her body, mind and soul.
“No, but as I learn more about you I’m sure there will be a whole long list of derogatory terms I can add.” She couldn’t help the satisfied smile that curled her lips and made her eyes brighter, like someone had flicked on a backlight behind those deep brown depths.
“I’m sure there will, and I’m sure you will. Just as when I learn more about you there will be ways that I can sooth your malice for me…”
“I don’t want to harm you, I want to catch you…” She didn’t get to the part where she said, if he was the one hurting the Fae.
“Honey, I’m already snared by you.”Flynn gave her a sinfully indecent look and she felt the blush reach her cheeks in record time, probably because it started at her toe and whooshed through her whole body like a hot flush. Boy was she not going to enjoy the menopause.
She could feel the sweat on the palm of her hands, and she just wanted to rip all of her clothes off and bask in the outside frost that was colouring the track a nice frosty white around them. Oh to be in the freezer section of the supermarket, she could just climb on in and snake under the layers of frozen desserts.
“If only it was in one of those big old nets that hunters suspend from trees, because I certainly wouldn’t cut you down.”Summer hissed back and she couldn’t help but catch sight of his wolfish grin.
“No you’d climb in there and have your wicked way with me…”Flynn’s eyes darkened but glinted at the same time, and the image of what he was describing couldn’t be dismissed so easily. Damn him.
“No, I’d be the one on the ground poking your butt with a long, sharp stick.”Summer tried to imagine her alternative to his, but it was no use, she kept seeing herself having her wicked way with him.
“If that’s what you’re into, I’m sure we could give it a go…”Flynn shot her a hot look of depravity. “Is that what you’re into Summer?”His mischievous grin, and the way he was looking at her like he wanted to reach for her, pull her over to him and start liking her like an ice cream sent her temperature soaring again.
“Well, I’m certainly not into you, Flynn.”She shot back, that air of acidity in her tone again as she tried to dismiss the erotic images that were pinging off the walls of her addled brain.
Goddess, but he had a sinful look about him that made the hair on her body stand to attention, along with some feminine parts that she was glad were secured under a bra, two tops, and a rather large padded jacket so he couldn’t ogle them.
“Its fate sweetheart, you can’t fight it…”Flynn’s tone was both oozing with sex and playful at the same time, and she couldn’t help but wonder just how close to his bedroom antics that would be. Was he the kind of wolf that wanted to dominate her? Throw her down onto her back, hold her down and thrust into her until he’d wrung every last orgasm from her body he could claim? Or was he going to be the playful kind of wolf that slowly teased her body to offer up everything she had to give him and more besides?
Summer felt her arousal deep within her womb and she snapped her thighs tightly together to hide the scent that he would surely pick up on. How the hell was she going to keep him at arm’s length while she worked the case? How the hell was she going to keep him at arm’s length while staying with him? How the hell was she going to keep him at arm’s length full stop? And how was he not finding every damn pot hole and bump on the stupid track?
“Told you.”Flynn made an exaggerated point of scenting the air and Summer gasped in shock at his blatant lack of decency.
“Wow, you really are a pig…”Summer hissed between clenched teeth and clenched her thighs tighter together.
“Is that better than a butthead or worse?”Flynn shot back as he tooled the car around in front of the large wooden cabin that drew her attention and made her click out of her seatbelt in record time to peer through the windscreen to get a better look at the place.
It was truly beautiful, and she wished her first sight of it had been in daylight, perhaps a sunny day. Two levels high with a wraparound porch and a wrap around balcony for the upstairs bedrooms, it was a lot bigger than the shack she was expecting. Nestled into the woods like it had always been there and mother nature was just an afterthought that someone added as a finishing touch, it made her pulse speed up within her, and she was mesmerised.
She had to admit, even if she didn’t really want too, considering who owned this place, but she could live here for a while, she just didn’t think she was going to get along with the current occupier or the neighbours very well.
Summer hadn’t noticed Flynn leaving the car, no big surprise there, she would happily have dropped him off long ago, but when he pulled her door open and offered her a hand out it did jolt her out of her appreciation for his home.
“Because I can’t get out of my own car without a man’s help?”She snorted up at him as he blocked her exit. Standing as he was between the open door and the car body, who was she kidding, he wasn’t just standing between it, he could have been the door. Flynn lent an arm on the top of the open door and dropped his head forward on a sigh.
“Because I’m trying here Summer.”Flynn admitted and she felt the pang of guilt spark within her again. Damn him.
Summer held out her hand and waited for his palm to slide in under hers, which it did. The warmth of his fingers skirted up over her palm and his large hand dwarfed her little one, and when he closed his fingers around her hand it practi
cally disappeared beneath his firm hold.
She allowed him to help her from the car. He’d meant to step back to allow her some space, but his legs just didn’t seem to get that message and he slipped his other hand around her waist to the small of her back to keep her from tittering back into the car.
“You need to move…”She breathed, not exactly doing well with the closeness he was providing her. Although he made a great wind breaker and warmth giver, he made her feel so damn claustrophobic right now.
“That’s what I keep telling my feet, but they won’t move.”Flynn growled down at her, gently, but oh so sexily.
“I could help with that.”She assured him and then remembered what happened with Abe earlier, and how she ended up on top of him and dismissed that idea, even though her eyes still sparkled up at him with mischief.
“You might have got away with doing your witchy thing to my Beta, but if you do it to me, who’s going to save you from my wrath?”Flynn was teasing her again, and even though his eyes were dark with desire, they were still bright with amusement.
“Thought you didn’t attack women?”Summer offered up on a knowing smile and he growled down at her a little more forcibly.
“I don’t, but I told you, I could make an exception for you.” He leaned in closer and took her scent, and just by that action her eyes fluttered shut, and she made a mental effort to snap them open again. She hadn’t even made it inside the damn house!
“You gonna take me here up against the car, alpha?” That barb of acidity was back in her voice and it sounded better to her than the breathless alternative that was running through her head.
“I would love too, is that an invitation?”Flynn offered back and she shook the veil of desire from her body and stared up at him with disbelief.
“So much for protecting your mate…”
“Oh Lycan’s don’t use protection…”Flynn teased back, sensing the moment was gone from between them, although with a little effort he was sure he could get it back. But she was right, he wasn’t going to take her up against the damn car, not yet anyway.
“Lucky I’m not Lycan then.”Summer shot back and he yanked her body firmly up against his, practically tipping her back over his arm at her waist to nuzzle into her neck and scent her.
“No chemical smell, no protection, but you’re not fertile at the moment either…”Flynn declared.
Summer couldn’t believe that this man could make her blush like a bloody danger beacon for all to see. What was with him?
Summer knew that she couldn’t shift him without the help of her magic, and she was standing too close to be able to bring up her knee, but her hand reached for the car door and with one fast tug she saw his pain and felt the jolt of his body against hers as she whacked it into his back and the backs of his knees, and he growled down at her.
“Whoops, sorry, just looking for something firm to hold onto.” Summer offered with her best innocent smile, but the sarcasm in her voice and the evil glint in her eye told him otherwise.
“Well that’s what I’m here for sugar.”Flynn thought if his mate wanted to play games, he could play, he’d play with her all damn night…
“You need to get a life.”
“That’s what you are here for sugar.”He offered back and she couldn’t help but roll eyes, just as Abe cleared his throat. Flynn’s head snapped around to look at him.
“What’s wrong?”
“Seems like your little witch… Fae…”Abe bit down and shook his head each time. “Mate is right. We might have a rogue problem…” Abe admitted and she felt Flynn’s arm loosen around her waist.
“I don’t get it, how does that equate to missing Fae?”
“Because one of our pack just found one of her Fae on our land. Looks like she might have been there for a few days, it’s not pretty.”
Summer put her hands against is chest and pushed him away with everything she had, but she felt as if he actually chose to move away from her, not that she had actually managed to move him.
“I want to see…”Summer started and Abe shook his head at Flynn.
‘When I say not pretty brother I mean the woman was practically torn apart, only her scent identified her as Fae.’
“It’s too dark now…”Flynn started, but Summer balked. “We’ll see what we can do tomorrow.” Flynn offered and Summer let out the long breath she was holding.
“Fine. Tomorrow.”How could she not agree? He held all the cards, she had no idea where her Fae sister had been found for one thing, or how to get there, and it was pitch black out. She stood no chance of getting there herself, even if he did want to share what he knew.
“Let’s get you inside, get something to eat and I can show you our… your bedroom.” Flynn corrected himself fast. It was their bedroom, or it would be just as soon as he made her his mate, something that he planned on achieving sooner rather than later, and he had the help of Mother Nature, of the Fates.
Her body would be pulled to his, as sure as a moth to a flame, some mates, especially Fae could hold out for a while, but not forever, and it took a lot to be able to deny your mate, to walk away. He knew she had a problem with commitment, but the way she was already reacting to him, he didn’t think it would be a problem for long.
He already had an ache for her that was growing within his body and soul. Now he had identified his forever mate it was as if someone had turned a switch on inside his very being. His attraction to her was undeniable, hell even when he was glaring and growling at her today he was damn attracted to her. But this was more than that. It was a connection, as if he had known her all of his life and had been waiting for her so he could begin the first day of forever, and this was that day.
Summer eyed him with a sense of foreboding. Once she stepped foot inside that house she knew she was a goner. Hell, she was a goner the moment she met him, but this just sealed the deal, didn’t it? Taking that very first step into the rest of her life wasn’t the easiest thing she would ever have to do. Right now she thought the idea of facing down the rogue whilst covered in honey and staked to a pole would have been more up her alley.
And when her feet suddenly stopped mid walk across the porch, and the front door of the property loomed in front of her like it was the gates of hell beckoning her in, there wasn’t a damned thing she could do about it.
Flynn pushed open the front door and turned to look at her expectantly, and all she could do was stand there and bite down on her lower lip.
“Summer, you actually have to walk through the door to be inside, unless you’re going to use magic to teleport yourself, or fly…” Flynn was teasing her but she wasn’t laughing.
“I kind of can’t.”Summer mumbled. Her eyes dropped to the wooden planks that stood between them like a portal that she had a fear of crossing, and she felt Flynn’s heavy steps walk back towards her, his large feet appear in front of her and she closed her eyes and cursed.
“Why?”Flynn knew she wasn’t a vampire, there was nothing physically holding her back from crossing the threshold to their house. Nothing but her and the fear he could scent coming from her. Damn, she really did have commitment issues.
“I can sleep in my car…”Summer went to turn away. Her body had no problem in moving in that damn direction, but he had a problem with it, and he reached out and snagged her wrist, holding her in place.
“Firstly, you’d freeze to death without me in there to keep you warm…”His words sent a flush of heat through her body that she couldn’t deny. There wouldn’t be much room for her with him on the backseat, she’d have to be above him or below him and both of those options were obscenely acceptable to her. “Secondly, it’s just one foot in front of the other. You learned to master walking a long time ago…”
“Not that damn long.”Her eyes snapped up to his face and he was silently amused by her inability to be a normal person.
“Summer, is it?”The sound of a woman’s voice made her tilt to one side so she could peer around the ve
ry broad chest of her mate, and the first thing she saw were the kindly eyes of an older Lycan woman that were smiling back at her and eagerly taking her in.
Flynn closed his eyes and picked at his ear. He should have know his brother would inform his mother that he had found his mate, and in turn he should have known that his mother would be here waiting to stick her tuppence worth in.
“Yes… Hi…” Summer assumed it was his mother and she wanted to kick herself in the backside for making such a ludicrous first impression.
“I’m Corrine, Flynn and Abe’s mother.”
Flynn hadn’t moved out of the way so Summer was still tittering sideways to get a look at the older woman. Her brain didn’t even tell her to step to the damn right, just poke her head out and she gave a little wave.
“Nice to meet you…” What else could she say? I don’t have a good history with mothers, so don’t expect too much because I won’t?
“What are you doing here, mum?”Flynn shot a look down the steps to where Abe was leaning against Summer’s car. His arms were crossed over his chest as his watched his brother’s attempts to get his mate inside the house. The amusement in his eyes goaded Flynn.
“Well a little bird…”She started and Flynn growled down at Abe, suspicion confirmed, his mother wasn’t damn psychic after all.
“You told her?”Flynn aimed the accusation at Abe and Abe just shrugged his shoulders, but the gleam in his eye said, hell yes.
“Now Flynn, don’t go getting…”His mother started, but Flynn had already side stepped his mate and was stalking towards the edge of the staircase as Abe chuckled heartily down below.
Summer turned and watched her mate go. This she could do, she told herself, and anything that had her facing away from the impending doom of the house was a good thing.
“Why, you lousy…” Flynn growled out as Abe held up his hands in front of him, grinning like an idiot and backing the hell away from Summer’s car.