As much as I enjoy Bud and Bobcat’s flavor of sex, I needed someone to take care of me that night, and that’s what I got from Dozer. Sure, towards the end he fucked me harder and faster than anyone ever dared while I was human, but the rest of it was the gentle giant making me his for the night in his own, sweet way.
Chapter 6
Briana
We had an uneventful night, and Maggie and I prepared a huge breakfast for Randall and whoever he brought with him.
Unfortunately, I was so damned nervous about meeting Randall, I went wolf during the middle of cooking — though I managed to get my dress off and make it to the back porch before I changed.
My paws pounded the ground as I tore through the pastures, over the fences, and into the forest. The wolf was certain we needed to be as far away from this place as possible when the Alpha arrived. The trees flew past me in a blur as my four legs carried me over hills and into valleys until I came to some dense brush around a stream, and I curled up as small as possible as I tried to catch my breath.
I heard them coming long before they arrived. I’m not sure why I didn’t run again — perhaps because they were on two legs instead of four, or perhaps because I smelled that they’d brought me shoes and clothes.
Perhaps because I knew I’d fucked up by running in the first place.
The Alpha sat on a boulder on the edge of the creek and said, “Little Bree, come out and let me see your wolf. You’ve wanted one so long, don’t hide her from me now.”
I crept out from under the brush, terrified, but I felt his soothing energy brush against me and I breathed in relief.
“You’re beautiful, Bree. I didn’t bring your dad, but you have to know he’s going to want to see you soon. Will you change to human for me, so we can talk?”
I have no idea why he asked instead of ordering, but I closed my eyes and thought of myself standing on two legs, imagined wiggling my fingers, and felt the change begin.
When I was standing before him — nude with hairy legs and a full bush covering my pussy — he smiled and said, “You’re beautiful in all your forms. Dozer brought a dress and some shoes, since he tells me you’re a tenderfoot. Get dressed and we’ll talk as we make our way back. I’m impressed with your control and I can sense your hunger, but breakfast will have to wait until we’re at the farmhouse.”
It turned out he’d sent Dozer to track me in wolf form, with a cell phone on a collar so they could track him. They’d driven to a spot a half-mile away, and walked in from there with clothes and shoes for Dozer as well as me.
“I’m not sure why I ran,” I told Randall. “I apologize. I was nervous, and then the wolf was terrified, and… it was too much.”
“It’s okay, Bree. Dozer tells me you did great on the rabbit test yesterday, and you aren’t even two weeks in. Do you have plans for your full moon run?”
I nodded. “I’ll be running with the group of women you’ve allowed to form a non-pack group.”
He sighed. “Maggie didn’t come to the run they were invited to at my house, and wasn’t present for the dinner I arranged, either. I’ll need to speak with Angelica to make sure there aren’t others involved who’ve avoided me.”
“She’s so submissive, Randall.”
“Tell me about Evie.”
I told him everything I thought he needed to know, including the fact I was certain she’d be fine with someone her wolf respected giving her orders. He didn’t agree or disagree, though he pointed out my running had further freaked Evie out.
He hadn’t introduced me to the other wolf he brought, and I didn’t introduce myself to him either. I needed to show respect to Randall, and I wouldn’t do that by stopping our conversation to speak with this other man.
Though, I’ll admit the other man had my attention from the very beginning. He reminded me of… not so much James Bond as perhaps Kevin Costner’s character in The Bodyguard. He was all business, and I had a feeling he was aware of how many grasshoppers were in the forest around us at any given moment, possibly how many ants, termites, field mice, worms, and every other living being, too.
When we arrived back at the farmhouse, I went to Evie and hugged her first thing. “I’m sorry I ran. My control isn’t perfect yet either. I’ve known Randall all my life and I’ve already told you he’s fair. Walk with me so I can introduce you properly, and remember what I said about the ways you can show respect for his authority. Everything’s going to be fine, and if you mess up, he’ll remind you without getting mad the first time because he knows you’re scared and you’re trying.”
I hadn’t verified that last part with him, but I felt certain it’d be the case. Randall can be scarier than the worst horror-show villain when he wants, but he can also be kind when the situation calls for it.
Randall held his hand out and said, “Take my hand and walk with me, Evie. You haven’t done anything wrong. Born wolves change when they’re a young teen, and you’ve had a tough time of it but I’m going to see what I can do to help you.” Evie put her hand in Randall’s and the two of them walked across the field and into the woods.
I looked at Maggie, standing on the porch with a distraught look on her face. I was worried too, but I was also starving. “I need food. Is there any left?”
“I should’ve gone with them.”
“You weren’t invited. I’d be willing to bet money he’ll spend some one-on-one time with you later.”
Probably me, too, but I didn’t want to think about that yet. I turned to the man I hadn’t been introduced to and offered my hand. “I’m Briana.”
He shook my hand as he said, “Patrick.”
I sniffed. “You don’t smell like Pack.”
He lifted an eyebrow at my impertinence, but explained, “I’ve been a lone wolf for years because I moved so frequently, but I’ve found an employer I believe I’ll stick with for the long term so I’ve recently joined the Pack. I’ve yet to do a moon run and integrate fully.”
“Where do you work?”
“A security company. I’m not the only wolf employee — some are lone, but many are in the Pack. Randall let me run with them a few months as a lone wolf to be sure.”
“Ah, so he brought you to try to convince me to join the Pack?”
He tilted his head. “Since you hadn’t told him you’re a wolf, he has some concerns.”
“I’d have come to him once I felt more confident of my control.” I took a breath, blew it out. “It would’ve been to ask permission to live in his territory as a lone wolf, though.”
“No pressure from me. I understand there’s history I’m likely not aware of. Let’s get you something to eat, shall we?”
* * *
Maggie had bacon in a pan, and was stirring and turning the potatoes when we entered her kitchen. Dozer took over the bacon, Patrick cracked eggs into a bowl, and I set the table.
It wasn’t long before we were all eating, and I tried once again to assure Maggie. “She’s a kid. He’ll be gentle with her.”
“He’s going to test her.”
“Probably, but she may not even know she’s being tested.” I sighed. “Look, I’m not happy about the way things worked out, but he seems to be in a good mood. He treated my wolf and me with kid gloves — he’s going to do the same with her.”
“What happens when he’s in a bad mood?”
“He isn’t as patient, but he still isn’t a monster.”
“You may not remember me,” Dozer told Patrick, thankfully changing the subject, “but you brought Kirsten to us once, so I remember you.”
Patrick smiled. “Aaron’s quite protective of her, and either Cora or Nathan are usually with her if Aaron can’t watch her. She told me ya’ll did a good job of taking care of her, though.”
“We take care of anyone Aaron sends us, and he’s done the same for us a time or two.”
Okay, so maybe changing the subject wasn’t a good idea, because I had no idea what they were talking about. However, consideri
ng my first impressions of Patrick, and what they’d just said, I asked, “So you’re a bodyguard?”
“It’s one of my many jobs, but yes, I provide personal security.”
I looked at Dozer, who basically provides security for the club, and watched as he took a long drink of orange juice.
“You didn’t tell me everything.” I told Dozer.
He shook his head. “Told you what you need to know. I’ll go with Randall later to provide his backup, and Patrick will stay with the three of you. Everything should be resolved by tonight.”
“I figured he’d want Patrick watching his back.”
“Randall tells me the Pack and MC work hard to keep the peace,” Patrick told me, “and he says if Duke says Dozer’s the one to watch his back then he trusts him one hundred percent.”
I couldn’t help but ask, “He doesn’t trust you?”
“I’m a bodyguard. I’m capable of roughing people up, but my training is in keeping people safe. He wants to be sure the three of you stay safe, so he brought me.”
I filled in the blanks: Dozer doesn’t just keep people safe, but he also hurts people when he’s ordered to. Probably.
* * *
Evie was laughing and cutting up with Randall when they returned three hours later, and without asking Maggie, he took her to the kitchen, looked through the fridge, and started cooking steaks for the two of them.
Maggie stepped into the kitchen and I could hear Evie from my chair in the backyard. “Mom! Randall has three hundred acres to run on! And it’s all fenced in so they can be sure no humans will be there!”
“You changed and ran together?”
“Yes! And it was so awesome. He found some deer and we took one down, and I’ve never ate so much in my life! Oh! He made a pouch out of his pants and put all his stuff in them, and then tied it to a tree limb up high by the legs to keep critters from carrying stuff off!”
“I’m glad you enjoyed your time with him.” Her voice changed cadence as she addressed Randall. “Thank you for taking care of my daughter while she was out of my presence.”
“I hope you’ll trust me to see to her training for the next couple of months. I understand she’s being homeschooled, and I’ll see to it her education is kept up, but she’ll be moving into my house until I’m certain she has her wolf under control.”
“You can’t—”
“You’re welcome to come as well, though I understand you have responsibilities on the farm as well as another job. Evie will be sleeping on a sofa-bed in the sitting area of my bedroom until we’re certain she can make it through the night without changing. I don’t want her in a cell, and the only way I can help her during the night is to be close. I can assure you, I have no interest in thirteen-year-old girls, and her innocence will remain intact.”
“I’m not Pack. You have no authority over me, other than to tell me whether I can live in your territory or not.”
“Your husband requested permission. When he died, by rights you should’ve come to me as the new head of household. You were also required to let me know when Evie became a wolf and now there were two of you living in my territory. In this case, I’ll be taking Evie in because my choices are to kill her or see to her training. She isn’t trained because you didn’t train her. I understand you want to be her friend, but she needs someone dominant who gives her no choice but to follow the rules. Briana has provided it, and I believe some of the RTMC members have as well in previous days. She’s come a long way since meeting them, and you’re to be applauded for realizing you needed help and finding it. Now that help’s arrived, let us take care of her.”
Maggie was close to tears, barely holding on as she said, “But she’ll be so far away.”
“Only for a short while. You’ll be able to speak with her daily, and come see her as often as you can get away. There’s a guest bedroom just across the hall from my room, and you’re welcome to it anytime you want to stay.”
I stepped into the kitchen. “I can take care of the cows and chickens for a bit, while you go with them to get her settled in.”
Maggie shook her head. “You need me. I’m supposed to be helping you control your wolf, too.”
She was right, and I didn’t have an answer until Patrick told me, “I’ll be staying here a few days. I can help with your wolf while she’s away.”
“I thought the threat would be over tonight?”
“It will be,” said Randall. “Patrick will be staying because I need someone from the Pack to be sure you’re okay through the full moon, and a couple of days beyond.”
Chapter 7
Briana
I nearly gagged from the stench of terrified wolves when Randall parked in front of the house later that evening. He had a cover over the bed of his truck, and I’d have been willing to bet he had several wolves tied up back there, but I knew better than to ask.
Dozer got out of the passenger seat, walked to me and gave me a hug, and then put his helmet on and roared away on his bike without saying a word.
Evie had packed her bags and was ready to go, and Maggie had called in sick to work so she could go with them.
Before they left, Randall told me, “You and I still need to have a long talk.”
“You didn’t want me when I was human, you don’t get to just change your mind now that I’m wolf.”
“You don’t get to tell me what I can and can’t do, Bree.”
The human part of me wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, but the wolf inside me knew better. I dropped my gaze and said, “I apologize for the wording, but not the way I feel. The MC welcomed me with open arms and didn’t care I was a wolf without an animal form, and then came to help me when I got into trouble. You rejected me when my wolf didn’t come, and then when dad got transferred to Atlanta and joined the Pack down there, it happened all over again. They were accepted with open arms but I wasn’t welcome.”
“I’m sorry you felt rejected, Bree. We wanted you to find your footing as a human, and that wasn’t going to happen while you were immersed in Pack life.”
I stared at his feet without responding, and he sighed as he turned back to his truck. “We’ll talk later. The decision is yours, but I hope you won’t try to make it as a lone wolf. I still see you as one of mine and I want to take care of you, but...” He sighed and repeated, “We’ll talk later. Take care of yourself.”
They drove away and I realized I was alone with Patrick, and I gave a nervous laugh. “I’m certain she made sure the cows and chickens were okay for the night, but I should check them anyway.”
“I’ll walk with you.”
“I’m not going to eat them.” I did a self-check and added, “I don’t think I will, anyway.”
He chuckled. “I’ll keep you from it if you lose control, but you seem okay for the moment.”
“So what’s your story?” I asked. “Ex-military, or is there a special bodyguard school?”
“I worked for the government a while, and then went to one of the bodyguard training academies to get certified. I’ve been in the business long enough to get the interest of Drake Security, so now I kind of have it made. The owner demands a lot of his employees, but he also pays well and works with us when we need personal time, and that latter point is rare in this industry.”
“Are you married, or is there a girlfriend?”
“No, and no. Some say I’m married to my work.”
“You enjoy what you do?”
He smiled. “Most days. Some people I’d like to shoot in the head myself and it’s a pain to have to keep someone else from doing it, but most of the time I enjoy making people who’ve been afraid feel safe.” He was quiet while I made sure the cattle were secure for the night, and walked in step with me as we made our way to the chicken coop. “What do you do?”
“I haven’t really decided what I want to be when I grow up. I clean houses, for now, and I have enough clients I’m making more than most people ten years older than me.” I shrugged.
“It isn’t glamorous, but I like making things clean and it pays well.”
“Most nineteen year olds are shallow, superficial little twits who can only think in terms of what something means to them, personally. When Randall told me you were nineteen, I was dreading the time I’d have to spend with you. I’m happy you’ve turned out to be a young woman of depth who understands the world doesn’t revolve around her.”
“That may be one of the most backwards compliments I’ve ever received, but thanks. I think.” Before he could say anything else, I brought up the sleeping arrangements. “Before last night I’ve been sleeping in the containment cell in the basement. I slept upstairs with Dozer last night because he could’ve handled my wolf if she’d decided to make an appearance.”
“How often do you change at night?”
“More often than not,” I admitted. “Sometimes in my dreams I’m in the woods and mean to change, or something scares me and forces it.”
“I won’t sleep with you while I’m keeping you safe, but we’ll figure something out so we aren’t stuck in the basement.”
“There are twin beds in the loft.”
“I’ll figure out where I can most easily keep you safe.”
* * *
I awakened the next morning to a screaming alarm and Patrick’s alluring scent, and I rolled over expecting to see him on the twin bed we’d brought into the same bedroom Dozer and I’d shared. Instead, he was doing pushups on the floor, wearing nothing but jeans, and my libido screamed to life as I watched the muscles of his arms and back ripple sexily under his skin.
He must have scented my arousal because he turned to the side and stood as gracefully as a dancer as he said, “Well good morning to you, too. I don’t suppose you enjoy three to five mile runs before dawn?”
I shook my head and he laughed. “I assume you set your alarm so we can take care of the critters?”
Careful What You Ask For Page 4