by Vivian Arend
She was furious with him, and she’d never wanted to fuck anyone so badly in her life.
From deep in the haze of his madness, Evan struggled to focus on the here and now. Finding some other wolf hanging off his mate was the last thing he’d expected when he walked through the door.
It was bad enough to wake in an empty bed and discover a casual note telling him nothing more than she’d see him later.
Things to decide or not, no one was touching Amy.
And now with her taste roaring through his system, he knew he needed to calm down, but damn if he wanted to.
Pain exploded along his spine as she fisted handfuls of his hair and pulled violently. Of course, with the way he was feeling that was just a lovely bit of foreplay.
She did manage to break the seal between their lips. “Damn you, Evan, there was nothing going on, and now you’ve freaked out one of my pack.”
“He kissed you.”
That was all the explanation he needed, which was good, since it was the absolute limit of comprehendible words he could manage.
Fortunately, she was as wild as he was, using her firm grip to jerk his head to the side. “You will not scare any more of my pack. Do you understand?”
“No kissing,” he demanded.
Amy licked him. Started at his neck and went all the way up to his temple, before she put her lips by his ear. “You are such a jerk.”
He had been considering putting her back on the floor, but after that? “Someone is looking for trouble. Like getting tied up. Or a spanking.”
“You wouldn’t dare.” Amy had him by the ears, her gaze boring into his. They stayed still for one hesitant moment as a world of possibilities swirled around them. Something flashed in the depths of her eyes, dark and hungry.
“Lock the front door,” she whispered.
Halle—fucking—lujah. Evan held on with one hand as he sprinted for the front of the shop, miraculously avoiding taking out any of the displays. She clung to him while he turned the deadbolt and damn near ripped off the cord controlling the blinds covering the glass door.
The next second his shirt was shred from his shoulders. Amy put her mouth to his neck, biting hard as nails scraped down his arms. Evan’s cock went from zero to five hundred between one breath and the next.
She wasn’t marking him or accepting him as a mate, but fuck, he liked that touch of pain from her, especially when he was at a feverish pitch to begin with. “Use your teeth again.”
Amy caught him by the chin and kissed him madly, all teeth and delicious fire. He tore her shirt open, pushing her against the wall with his hips so he could get his hands on her perfect breasts. Massaging and playing, teasing her nipples to tight points so he could lick them again and again with his tongue.
By the time she was whimpering, they were both shaking violently. Tucked in the corner of the computer shop, broad daylight streaming in the front display window only two feet to the side.
Evan brought her feet to the floor, ripped her pants and underwear away and put his mouth over her sex. It was only a matter of seconds before she started swearing. Loudly. And creatively, especially when he slipped two fingers between her folds and plunged them into her while he worked her clit with his tongue.
“Oh, yes, right there. Right there. Right there…”
She screamed. Evan moved before she was done shaking. Pulled out his cock, twirled her and plunged in deep. He was bent over her, one arm wrapped around her waist, the other braced on the door as he pumped wildly. Her feet hung off the floor, legs swaying every time he buried his cock as deep as possible. The overwhelming sensation of being surrounded breaking him.
His orgasm surprised him, not only with its power but with how long it lasted. Every time he thought he was done, she squeezed her muscles, and he would jerk again, another layer of ecstasy breaking free.
By the time they had stopped tormenting each other, he could barely stand. Amy had both hands clutched around the door handle. Evan had to lean on the wall as he helped her back to vertical. Bodies curled together, he reluctantly pulled his cock free.
He slid down the wall, drawing her into his lap and brushing her hair off her face. She wore a bemused smile, and he figured his expression must be pretty much the same.
“You will not freak out any more of my pack,” she mumbled as she tugged on the remains of his shirt.
He kissed her cheek, working to catch his breath so he could respond. “I will not freak out any more of your pack, except if—”
“There are no exceptions, Evan,” Amy challenged him.
He cupped her face, twisting her so he could nibble on her lips and press kisses to her cheeks. “I don’t want to see that blond close to you again. Not for a while. I know it’s stupid, and I’m sure there’s a logical explanation, but my wolf wants him for a rug.”
She sighed, looked as if she was going to say something, then changed her mind. And when she rested her cheek against his chest and relaxed, Evan took that as a yes.
Chapter Fourteen
Evan straightened himself up before following Amy into her office. His mate pulled extra clothing from the cupboard, tossing him a T-shirt.
He sniffed it.
“It’s new. I occasionally get wolves in here who need clothes, so I keep some on hand.” She straightened her own clothing then settled into one of the easy chairs. “Let’s talk about dealing with the packs.”
He pulled his chair close enough he could lay a hand on her thigh. The need to touch wasn’t fading.
She stared at his fingers, a faint smile on her lips. “I did a lot of planning, and if we’re careful, things shouldn’t get too messed up. I have to warn my pack before I bring you around, so give me a couple days for that. But with the way Takhini operates, I should join you as soon as possible.”
It was a great idea, but…
Something felt off. Dangerous.
What if Takhini rejected her? Or hurt her. Images of the Hudson Bay disaster flashed to mind, not just the fire and the explosion, but the screams.
The crying.
No way was he letting her get into a situation where she could be hurt. He’d step on the hotheads before they could get out of line, which meant putting the fear into them before Amy starting hanging around.
Evan shook his head. “No. Let’s tell them on our own. Sort of a heads up before the merge officially begins. You talk to Canyon, I’ll deal with Takhini.”
Her nose wrinkled. “You think that’s the best way?”
“Straight-up shocking my crew isn’t a good idea either. Last night worked great—no one was upset or worried with you there. It’s a good start.” Yeah, this was a plan. Evan patted her leg. “There we go. We both spend the day working. We can get together for supper, touch base on how things are going, and make plans for the next stage as the packs fall into line.”
Amy hesitated. “I thought Takhini would need a bigger show of power.”
“No.” Evan insisted. He was not going to let that be needed. She’d done fine dealing with Shaun, but the entire pack? Hell, no.
“But—”
“No,” he snapped. “Drop it.”
She eyed him for a long time before rising to her feet and heading to the chair behind her desk.
Evan looked at the obstacle she’d placed between them. He watched as she turned on her computer and without another word went back to work.
Okaaay.
Evan moved his chair beside her. She seemed to have pulled on a mask. This was not the hot-blooded, enthusiastic woman he’d just fucked in the front shop. “What’s wrong?”
Amy blinked. “Nothing’s wrong.”
Silence returned.
Evan leaned back and watched her. The next fifteen minutes she kept her eyes glued to the computer screen. Every now and then her lips twitched, and she
seemed to hit the keys a little harder than was necessary.
Something had gone wrong, but he was no super sleuth. Unless she gave him a clue, he wasn’t going to be able to solve this mystery.
Finally she gave up her façade of being deathly interested in whatever she was working on, and faced him. “Can I help you with something?”
“Yes, you can talk to me.”
Her exasperated sigh escaped in a gust. “I thought you wanted to talk to the packs on our own.”
“This isn’t about the packs. It’s about us.”
She paused before speaking. “I need some room,” she confessed.
“Room for what?”
Amy shrugged, her gaze not meeting his. “An awful lot has happened in the last two days, and I need some time to process it. Plus I’ve got pack to see, without you in tow.”
“I have things to do as well,” Evan reminded her. He paused and considered. While he hated the idea, he supposed there was no reason to push. He leaned in and kissed her cheek, frustrated at the wall building between them.
She didn’t even say goodbye.
Justin and Shaun were both waiting in his office.
“I’ve got good news.” Justin glanced up from the computer screen. “Amy sent an email with a list of the cancellations she had made that would impact the hotel and restaurant over the next two weeks.”
“We’ve already gone through and updated the orders. No more having to shut down the restaurant because we have no supplies on hand.” Shaun lifted his hands in the air and did a cheer. “You did it, dude. You got the evil she-dragon to cave.”
Evan glared at his Beta. “I did not get her to do anything, she gave up that information of her own free will. And you will not shit talk her again. Do I make myself clear?”
Shaun’s eyes widened as he backed away to a safe distance.
A bit snarky, maybe, but Evan refused to apologize. Amy was his, and the sooner that sank in for Shaun, the better.
Justin stroked his chin thoughtfully. “There’s a lot that needs to be dealt with. I checked her place yesterday morning, and it seems she knows plenty about running a business.”
“So we let her keep ownership of everything? Is that what you’re suggesting?” Shaun demanded.
“I’m saying it’s not as big of a worry to leave control in her hands as it would be if she were incompetent. As long as Evan trusts her to act in a manner that doesn’t harm Takhini, there’s no need for immediate action.”
Evan settled into his favourite chair, the worn leather upholstery nowhere near as comfortable as he remembered.
This was bullshit. Why was he hanging out in his office when his mate was somewhere else?
The big bear shifter excused himself with a comment about needing to meet someone. Shaun threw himself onto the couch across from Evan, propping his feet up on the coffee table. He examined Evan thoroughly, shaking his head.
“I hate to say it, but you don’t look good.”
“Shut your yap.” Evan stared at the ceiling. “She wants some space.”
Shaun gurgled. “What the fuck?”
“Seriously.” Evan ran a hand through his hair. “I mean, I get it. She came to Whitehorse to track me down.”
“Wait. What? You didn’t tell me any of this yesterday.” His Beta’s eyes narrowed. “And that doesn’t sound good at all. Track you down? Where the hell has she ever met you before, and if you’d met, why didn’t you know you were mates?”
Evan swung his feet to the floor and rested his elbows on his knees, allowing him to brace his aching head in his hands. “She’s from Hudson Bay.”
“Shit.” Shaun knew Evan’s history, shared during late-night drinks. Over the past months, they’d become best friends as well as a leadership team.
“It gets worse. Remember how I told you things went to hell at the end?” Evan stared into the concerned face of his Beta. “Her brother was the innocent wolf who took the fall.”
Shaun figured it out right away, swearing softly. “She tracked you down because her brother died.”
Evan nodded. “All of the crap she pulled was because I’m responsible for his death.”
Shaun’s rejection of Evan’s statement was instantaneous. “No, you are not responsible for his death. You told me what happened, and if she thinks—”
“I didn’t tell her everything yet,” Evan confessed. When Shaun looked as if he was about to protest, Evan hurried to explain. “Look, she just had something huge thrown at her, between meeting me in person and us being mates. I told her the explosion was for good reason, and that Philip’s death was an accident, and she seems to have accepted that so far. Telling her anything more…”
His Beta’s expression changed, no longer judgmental but incredulous. “That’s bull. You need to go the whole way, dude. Half truths aren’t enough with your mate.”
“But I don’t want to make things worse.”
“And her wanting space from you isn’t worse? I didn’t know any of this yesterday when I gave her hell. Now I feel like a shit, and you’re being a jerk.” Shaun paused, his discomfort and irritation rising. “Wait. Why am I trying to get you to confess everything? I don’t like her.”
The most entertaining part of the whole fucked-up situation was watching Shaun shuffle around the change in dynamics. “She’s got your number. She is the Alpha of the Canyon pack, which puts her a good boot print higher than you.”
Shaun sniffed. “We’ll see about that.”
The phone rang, and someone knocked on the door, and he and Shaun got tugged in different directions dealing with a crisis around the hotel. Fortunately, a normal, ordinary, everyday crisis that could be solved.
Through all the work, Evan couldn’t stop thinking about Amy. He hated not having her around, but he didn’t want to crowd her. He fought the urge to drop everything and haul ass to the computer shop so he could stay on her butt as a bodyguard. She could go ahead and do the things she needed, and he would innocently tag along…
And then he remembered her comment about him not fitting in with her pack.
He was stuck between two evils. Being without his mate, or being with her when his presence could damage delicate relationships. As a wolf, he wanted to say screw everyone else. As a fellow Alpha, he understood her dilemma.
Not to mention his insistence she not show up at Takhini. If he pushed her, she might push back and end up hurt.
If what she needed was space, that’s what he would give her. He pulled paperwork forward to distract himself. The entire time, though, his focus remained on one petite dark-haired wolf who had already tangled her fingers around his heart.
Amy rested her head against the window to gather her strength. She hadn’t lied to Evan about having work to do, but the biggest work she had was to avoid spending too much time with him. Familiarity was only going to make this harder.
Sex with him had felt so incredibly right. And then…all the doubts had returned. The confusion of those days after Philip went missing. The loneliness that had filled her life for the rest of her growing-up years.
Evan refused to tell her what had happened. He refused to listen to her suggestions and talk about the best way to merge the packs.
Was this going to be her life? Having a connection to a man who her body and wolf craved, but her mind and soul felt distant from? Like the married human couples she’d seen who were used to being with each other, but that was all they had. Familiarity. Comfortable with a person who they maybe loved once, but didn’t really like anymore.
She would be better off never falling into that trap in the first place. Until he trusted her enough to tell her everything, trusted her enough to listen to her advice, she couldn’t let her walls down again. She’d focus on her commitment to the packs.
Although, after she’d met with the first of her members, she wasn�
�t sure what was going to be tougher, avoiding Evan or making Whitehorse one.
The couple she’d thought would be the most reasonable about the announcement stood in shock, faces reflecting their horror.
Terry pulled his saucepan off the gourmet stovetop so it wouldn’t burn, a stream of faint curses escaping his lips. “Joining with Takhini would be like mixing cream and vinegar. You can’t be serious,” he gasped.
He could have been in theater, not culinary arts. “There are a lot of positive reasons for a merger, one of which is our joint powerbase would be expanded.”
“We don’t need more power,” he complained. “We have everything the way we like it. A comfortable catering service where we get to cook but don’t have to deal with actual people. It’s a nice, quiet and orderly lifestyle. Which is the opposite of most of them. Noisy, rude creatures.”
Good grief. “Don’t stereotype them all as hoodlums. There are good people in the Takhini pack. A few hotheads, yes, but we can deal with them.”
A sniff was all she got in response.
Amy sighed wearily. “Look, I know it’s not what any of us expected, but…” She had to confess it. “Their Alpha is my mate, and we are going to do this.”
Marie stepped closer and eyed her with concern. “You don’t look thrilled at finding your mate. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” Amy insisted. “I’m adjusting. Giving myself time, like I expect all of you to give this merger between the packs the time and effort it deserves.”
They still looked skeptical, but at least they weren’t complaining anymore. Amy visited for a while longer before gathering her things and getting ready to go.
“I plan to bring Evan around so you can get to know him one on one before we try anything with mixed packs. I’ll make sure to warn you ahead of time.”
“So I can find a good hiding spot,” Terry muttered.
His mate bumped him, and they both smiled innocently at Amy.
She shook her head. Wolves. “Behave, and that’s an order.”