A Wolf's Desire (Wolf Mountain Peak Book 2)

by Sarah J. Stone

  At that, she reached her left hand towards her staff. Wrapping her fingers around it, Helena rolled it between her palms. Dean watched, as thick, red smoke rose from the bottom end of the staff. The witch disappeared, leaving him alone, in awe and confusion. He had promised to call Kate, but, what was he going to say to her? What could he say to her? Reveal this information over the phone? That sounded like a terrible idea. Meeting her face to face was his best option. Even so, announcing this to Kate on their first date would require a great amount of subtlety.

  Dean looked up into the starry sky, wincing at the thought of having to tell her. The difficulty of his task frustrated him. He hadn’t even started a relationship with her, and there was a chance that he might never do so. Kate could well laugh at him. But, he had to proceed with this. He had to be honest with her…

  Chapter Eight

  The annoying noise of her apartment buzzer woke Kate up. However, for the first time in quite a while, her lips curled into a smile, as she opened her eyes. There was a small note on the pillow beside her:

  “Thanks a lot for the great night. I’m really sorry, but I had to go. If my brothers found out I spent the night in your place, I’d never hear the end of it, plus I had to wake up early. Again, I’m sorry. I’ll call you.

  Dean”

  Immediately, the night before flashed into her mind. It might have started out with her emotional breakdown, but that did not matter. On some level, she expected it to occur. Dean’s kind words and his understanding were of much greater importance. His warm embrace had soothed her, thereby proving to her that he would not be intimidated by her tragic story. Kate rolled out of bed, wishing he was still there. Still, that was secondary. It would be ideal if they woke up together, yes, but there would be plenty of time for that in the future. Dean had overcome the biggest obstacle: Her past. For her, this was much more significant than a passionate morning.

  Kate put on her purple robe, wondering who it was, as she made her way to her front door. A simple glance at the clock in her living room told her it was just 8:05am.

  “This has to be brats ringing bells on their way to school again.” She told herself, reaching for the panel.

  “Who is it?” Kate asked, her voice hoarse.

  “It’s Monica. I’m sorry to wake you, but we need to talk.” The urgency in her tone, and the early hour puzzled her.

  “Mon, what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” She wondered.

  “Open up, Kate. Trust me, you need to hear about this.”

  “Come on up.” Kate said, pressing the “unlock” button on the panel. Unlocking her door, she pulled it open, and then trotted off to her bathroom, too drowsy to speculate on what Monica wanted to say to her.

  Kate turned on the sink faucet, recalling the moment when Dean had picked her up in his arms. The cool water on her face would have awakened her on any other day, but her senses had no need for it that morning. The romantic night with her “friend” had already done so.

  Monica closed the front door behind her, as Kate stepped out of the bathroom. Her friend’s strained face loosened into a smile, as their eyes met. Kate started towards her, eager to tell her everything about the night before.

  “Good morning. You look radiant.” Monica remarked, reluctantly crossing her friend’s living room.

  “I should.” Kate said, her voice coming out lazy, as a broad grin spread across her face. “Last night, Mr. Sexy Beard listened to me, comforted me, hugged me, and then…” she paused, stopping in front of Monica, “…he kissed me.” She added, leaning forward.

  “You didn’t…”

  “…fuck him?” Kate finished her sentence; “yeah.”

  “I was going to say ‘sleep with him’.” Monica spoke, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

  “‘You say tom-ay-to, and I say tom-ah-to.’” Kate chuckled, reaching over to pinch her cheek. “I’ve missed teasing you, Dr. Stiff.”

  “Kate, I’m afraid I have some disturbing news.” Monica stated, as her smile faded. “Remember that woman I told you about? Her name was Helena.”

  “The witch that saved Raul’s skin,” Kate squinted at her, dropping her arm.

  “Yes.” Monica said with a nod. “She ran into Dean, late last night. She, um…”

  “Whoa!” Kate raised her tone, furrowing her brow. “Dean met the witch? What for?”

  “Do not laugh at this.” Monica said, the stiffness in her voice sending tremors of fear through her. “Helena tried to look into your future. No surprises there; she’s done that before. She couldn’t. She told him your future is protected by a spell. Now, I know you are not…”

  “What?” Kate exclaimed, opening her eyes wide in disbelief, “A spell?”

  “Please, don’t interrupt me again.” Monica requested, reaching up her hands to her friend’s forearms. “Helena paid me and Raul a visit, after she met with Dean. I thought it’d be best if I told you about it, not him. She’s certain you are a witch.”

  “I don’t believe this.” Kate grumbled, pulling her arms out of Monica’s grasp. “I’ve never believed in magic in my whole life. I always thought it was some cheap way to scam people out of their money. Why would she say that? What about you?” She pointed at her. “You drove all the way here from Paxton, just to accuse me of being a witch?”

  “I never accused you of anything,” Monica made her voice sound sweeter, as she lightly shook her head. “I don’t think you are a witch. I just came here to tell you, because Helena said Dean got very, very upset. It’d be very awkward for him to deliver that kind of information. What would you do, if he were here instead of me?”

  “Look, I don’t know, ok?” Kate said, her voice shaking, as she put her hands up and ran them through her hair. “God, this can’t be happening.”

  “Kate, I’m sorry.” Monica whispered, as tears of frustration rose up in her friend’s eyes. “You should talk about this with Helena.”

  “Go home, Mon.” Kate said on an exhale. “I want to be alone.”

  Without uttering another word, Monica turned around, as Kate felt despair, gnawing at her heart. Her good friend might not have believed Helena’s words, but it was more than clear that Dean had. The consequences on their relationship could be disastrous. It could well destroy it, before it even began. Shifters had no love lost for witches. The Bradford brothers had made an exception for Helena, but only after she had proved that she meant them no harm. For all she knew, the three of them could barge in at any second and kill her, without even asking if she was innocent or not.

  A knock at her open door interrupted her thoughts. Kate slowly looked up, believing that Monica had come back to give her a hug. But, no; a large man was standing under her doorframe. Wearing jeans that hugged his lean legs, and a tight, red t-shirt that highlighted the muscles on his upper body, but with black circles under his green eyes, the same man who had comforted her the previous night, stood there: Dean Bradford.

  “I saw Monica on her way out of the building. She let me in.” He spoke in a rich, tired voice. “I thanked her for sparing me the trouble of having to tell you.”

  “It’s not true.” Kate whispered, as a tear toppled over the edge of her eye. “I’m not a witch. I don’t have a clue about magic.”

  “I’d like to ask you something, but you need to be a lot closer.” Dean claimed, waving her near.

  “What is it, Dean?” She muttered, dropping her eyes to the floor, as her reluctant footsteps led her closer to him. Kate’s uncertainty didn’t allow to her to stand before him. Still, he reached down to grab her by the wrists, and pulled her closer to him, his gaze settled on her face.

  “Do I look like I care?” His question made everything shine crystal-clear. He wasn’t there to criticize her or hurt her in any way. Kate ran her gaze up his body, her heart fluttering, as her lips curved into a glorious smile.

  “You don’t?” She gasped, staring up into his eyes, as he slid
his hands up her arms.

  “No.” He shook his head sideways, once. “Even if you are a witch, for me, you’ll always be the funny girl, who speaks with lyrics. Nothing will change that.”

  Kate’s heart wasn’t fluttering anymore. It was racing in her chest, pounding faster, as she realized what he had just told her. This wasn’t just a statement. It was commitment. Dean would accept her, regardless of the truth about her. She couldn’t force another word out of her throat. After all, this was no time for words. It was time for actions. Tilting her head up, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Kate pressed herself into him, their mouths joining in a long, tender kiss, as he ran his hands across her neck. Smoothing them up, he nestled her closer, as the fine hairs of his beard scratched her skin. His warm breath on her face sent waves of desire through her, as Dean cupped her face in both of his hands. Kate was on the verge of losing control. This handsome man had just rocked her world; she would gladly surrender to him, right there and then. Sadly however, as sweet as it was, their kiss was not meant to last, as he moved his lips to her cheek first, and then eased his forehead against hers.

  “I couldn’t sleep last night.” Dean whispered, splaying his fingers over her cheeks. “Whenever I closed my eyes, I thought about your reaction to the whole ‘witch’ thing.”

  “Thank you.” Kate sighed, leaning her head into the crook of his neck. “It really means a lot to me that you believe me.”

  “We have to find out, though.” He spoke, kissing her on the top of her head. “Think. Have there ever been any signs; at all?”

  “Honestly? No.” She shrugged her shoulders, her tone relaxed. “I don’t remember anything weird. I think my parents would have told me something.”

  “Where are they?” Dean asked.

  “In the same place they’ve been for the past eleven years: Mount Neboh Cemetery.” Kate replied, taking a short step back.

  “Dead? Both of them?” He said, his voice picking up volume, as she reached behind him for the doorknob.

  “I was at a party when it happened.” Kate uttered, her tone low, clenching her jaw as she pushed her door shut. “I was just sixteen at the time. A neighbor called; she said there was a fire. The fire department showed up quickly, but they couldn’t save them. Their bodies were…”

  “Shhh…” He hissed. “You don’t have to give me all the specifics.”

  “After that, I moved in with my Grandma in Queens,” she continued. “She died, four years later.”

  “I’m guessing not much of your parents’ stuff survived that fire;” frustration lingered in Dean’s voice.

  “You’re right.” Kate gave a sad nod. “Not much did. I put whatever was left in boxes. They’re in the bedroom, next to mine. I’ve never opened them.”

  “Lead the way.” He urged, gently patting her on the shoulder. She wouldn’t think twice. Even though unpacking those boxes would bring back too many memories, Kate strode across her living room, firmly believing that they wouldn’t find anything to support Helena’s claim. She wished she could remember more about her parents’ personal belongings, but, unfortunately, eleven years is a long time. Other than her mother’s extensive collection of shoes, she could not recollect much.

  Small boxes were scattered across the bedroom in question, all of them covered in dust. She recognized the pink one in the upper right corner at once. It was the one that contained her mother’s shoes, but the brown one to its left wasn’t at all familiar. Dean sat down on his knees, and pried it open.

  “Books,” he said, a hint of disappointment in his voice, as he pulled one out of the box. The purple cover was a thing of beauty, featuring Kate’s picture as a baby in the middle, and an engraved inscription, surrounded by musical notes:

  To my beloved daughter

  Touch pink, and open

  “Touch pink?” She murmured, seating down on the floor beside him, as he placed his hand on the cover. “What the hell does that mean?”

  Dean didn’t dignify her question with an answer. He attempted to flip the book open. Yet, it would not. It was as if the pages had been glued together. Kate could feel the frustration, radiating from him, as he squeezed his eyes shut.

  “It’s got to be a riddle of some sort.” He groaned, handing the book over to her. “Touch it.”

  Kate reached her right hand up, doubting whether doing so would make any difference. A pink glow spread throughout the cover, as her index finger made contact with it. It vanished altogether, when she removed her hand from it. Her brows popped up, before she cast a sideways glance up at Dean. Returning her attention to the book, she put her entire palm on the cover. The pink glow grew stronger and brighter, spreading to the back cover as well.

  “You are a witch.” He assumed an emphatic tone, staring down at the book. “No one else can open that book, other than you.” Utter disbelief and shock completely paralyzed her mind and her limbs. Kate could not believe her eyes. Helena was not playing any games. Neither was she trying to undermine her relationship with Dean. She was telling the truth, a truth that seemed too much for her to bear. “Don’t worry. It’s not the end of the world.” He spoke in a soothing voice, looking down into her eyes.

  “Not the end the world?” She squinted up at him. “Tell me you don’t mean th…”

  “Do you have to work tonight?” He interrupted, his tone firm.

  “No. Why?”

  “Go get dressed,” he commanded. “We’re going to Paxton. We need to see Helena.”

  Chapter Nine

  Dean had to handle more than just exhaustion and sleep deprivation on the drive back to his birthplace. The revelation of Kate’s nature was not his biggest concern. Helena had already convinced him she was a witch; although he didn’t like it, he didn’t have a problem with it. Kate could still be his girlfriend, although she would have to be very careful. Witches could be very dangerous to virtually anybody, shifter or human. What really troubled him, was her reaction. She looked as if she had just received the worst news of her life. The usually chatty blonde had turned into a pale, frightened creature; silent, as she stared into the void. Dean stole quite a few glances at her, trying to catch her attention, but it was hopeless. Kate would not turn to him or address him, either. He hated seeing her like this; yet, he would not break his silence. She needed space and time to wrap her head around everything, not pressure. Dean would wait until Kate was ready to talk to him.

  As they turned onto the downhill road that led to Paxton, he checked the time on the dashboard. It was only 11am. Exasperation built itself upon him. Why? Because Helena only showed herself at night, and nighttime was more than nine hours away. Still, as Dean pictured that scene, a question flashed through his mind.

  “Why didn’t Helena look into my future, instead of Kate’s?”

  It was odd of her to choose to do that to Kate. She was close to his family; not a human from New York. Nevertheless, as much as he would like to, he wouldn’t venture a guess. The entire procedure was completely unknown to him. Dean had failed to ask Helena anything about it. He could only hope that Helena’s motives could justify her decision.

  His siblings, along with Monica, had gathered in the driveway, staring at his truck in awe, as he eased on the brakes. He cast a last, sideways glance at Kate, but, once more, she didn’t respond. Letting out a huff of frustration, he opened his door, as Raul’s mate headed towards her friend.

  “Stop looking at me like that,” Dean grumbled, feeling everyone’s eyes fixed on him, as he strode towards Ray.

  “Like what?” Ray retorted, the stiffness of his tone fueling his brother’s anger. “Like you’ve brought the plague?”

  “You little piece of shit,” Dean growled, clenching his fists as he quickened his pace.

  “You couldn’t keep your mouth shut,” Raul snarled as he glared at Ray with narrowed eyes that could burn through lead. Dean would not fight the rage that made his heart labor, and his blood pound in his temples. Ra
y had crossed the line; he had to pay for his mistake. He jerked his right arm back, but, at the last second, Raul whipped around and stepped in front of him. Throwing his own arm up, he blocked his brother’s fist in midair, and then shoved him back, as Monica and Kate slowly walked over to their spot.

  “Let him come!” Ray yelled, waving his hand toward himself. A louder, deeper growl escaped Dean, as he raised his upper lip in a threatening grimace. Just before he had the chance to move against Ray, though, a much smaller arm than his, rotating in midair, entered his line of sight. It was Melissa. His sister’s stiff blow was enough to knock Ray off balance. His cry was filled with more surprise than pain, as he landed hard on his back.

  “Will you shut up? Ever?” She shouted, the veins on her neck and her forehead bulging, as she stood over him.

  “Calm down,” Raul urged, as Dean shook his head in disapproval.

  “How?” Dean plaintively questioned , thrusting his arms out to either side. “How can I calm down, man? Did you hear what he just said?”

  “She’ll kill us all,” Ray muttered, pressing the back of his wrist onto his bloody lip, as he glared up at Dean.

  “Stop it!” Melissa cried, taking two, quick steps towards her brother. “Stop it, or I swear to God…”

  “Melissa, don’t,” Raul interrupted, looking down at her over his right shoulder, the steadiness in his baritone startling Dean. “I got this. Now…” he added, returning his attention to his brother. “I’m not going to lie to you. I don’t like this.”

  “I didn’t like it either, when you brought Monica here,” Dean stated, throwing a quick glance down at his brother’s mate. “We risked taking on the whole goddamn pack. What were our chances back then, Raul?”

  “No need to remind me.” Raul used a firm, steady tone, maintaining eye contact with him. “I just said what I feel.”

  “You did the right thing, Dean.” Melissa voiced her own opinion, brushing past her oldest brother. “She needs help right now. We shouldn’t turn our back on her.”