Where are we? he asked.
Again, she turned in a circle. The sun reflected off her fur and got caught in those marvelous eyes.
Hank Swift’s field just past the sanctuary’s borders.
Reardon scanned the trees nearby, happy that home was so close. But first…
We’ve taken care of my problem, he thought. Now let’s take care of yours.
He took off at a run. Brandy matched his pace, and he’d never felt so free, so perfectly in sync, so fortunate.
Soon an unkempt farmhouse came into view. The roof was ready to cave in and the wraparound porch veered away from where it should have been secured to the house. Though flower pots flanked the front steps, nothing green and summer-vibrant grew in them.
No wonder he’s miserable, right? Brandy thought.
Reardon nuzzled her neck, loving the pure smell of his mate. He led them—cautiously—around the house and to the equally decrepit barn where it sounded as if someone was using a handsaw.
Follow my lead, Reardon thought.
Using his paw, he pushed open the askew barn door. After a quick search to see if any guns or traps were in range, he eyed Brandy then let loose a ferocious bark.
Hank shouted, dropped his saw, and whirled around from the piece of wood he was cutting. He too looked around the barn for something to use as a weapon, but Brandy rushed forward with her own vicious snarling. The fur around her neck stood out like a lion’s mane and she bared absolutely every one of her teeth as he had.
All the color drained from Hank’s face, leaving him a nice shade of gray. Corpse gray. He attempted to flail his arms and shoo them away, but his attempt was stilted by outright fear.
This is fun! Brandy increased the frequency of her barking and rose to her hind legs a few times.
The two of them circled around the stunned man, each revolution bringing them closer.
Hank backed up until he hit the worktable behind him. “Where’s that stupid sheriff now? I’ll see that Silver Moon Sanctuary is shut down for good. Nothing but a bunch of rabid dogs over there.”
As soon as those words left his lips, Reardon shifted to human and Brandy did the same.
“Did he call us dogs?” Reardon said to an open-mouthed Hank. “No, I don’t think you’ll be shutting anything down. I think you’ll be packing your bags and moving to another location.”
“You don’t want to live next door to wolves that are much more than wolves, do you, Hank?” Brandy’s naked form distracted Reardon, but when he looked to Hank, the man didn’t seem to notice her incredible body. In fact, the only thing he did was wet himself.
“What are you?” Hank whispered.
“Your worst nightmare,” Reardon said as he lunged forward and grabbed Hank around the neck.
The older man sputtered and clawed at Reardon’s grip on him. “P-please, please. D-don’t hurt me.”
“If you leave this place and we never see you again,” Brandy said, coming up next to Reardon and giving Hank a look of pure disdain, “we won’t tear you, limb from limb. You’ve injured my wolves for the last time, Hank. No more guns. No more traps. No more you.” She poked her index finger into his chest at each period.
“And if we do see you around here,” Reardon added, tightening his hold, “it will be the last time anyone sees you. Got it?”
Hank nodded, speechless by this point. He had barely blinked through the conversation and looked as if he wanted to cry.
Reardon regarded him. The old Reardon McAlator would have simply charged ahead and torn the old curmudgeon to shreds. He knew Brandy wouldn’t approve of that, however, nor would Flidae.
You are learning, wolf, Flidae said from the distant recesses of his mind.
He’d learned so much already. About family. About pack.
About love.
“I’ll leave. I’ll put out a for sale sign today.” Hank’svoice crackled and Reardon felt a little bad. Just a little. “I don’t know why I’ve stayed here this long anyway. It hasn’t been the same without my wife. My livestock’s gone. I have nothing here.”
“Time to build your life somewhere fresh, Hank,” Brandy said. “Away from my wolves.”
Convinced Hank had read their message, Reardon shifted again to wolf form to drive the point home.
“And if you try to tell anyone what you’ve seen here today, consider what they will do with a crazy old man who spouts tales of wolves turning into humans.” Brandy shifted as well and bolted to the tree line after Reardon.
Staying in wolf form, they followed the sanctuary’s perimeter fence to the entrance gates.
We need clothes, Brandy thought.
Stay here. Reardon darted off to his secret stash of supplies and returned clothed in human form. “I’ll get you something to wear at the house and see if anyone’s here.”
Brandy sat on her haunches and he couldn’t resist scratching her between the ears as she had done to him so many times. She pushed her nose into his thigh then rubbed her body against his leg. She slithered around him, something of a purr humming in her throat.
“I feel exactly the same way, fairy lass.” He dropped a kiss on her muzzle and opened the gates. “Be right back.”
He jogged to the house, scanning for anyone who might be around. So far he’d only come across a few of the wolves and could smell the others heading in his direction.
Give me a few minutes, my friends. He had to get Brandy’s clothes to her first.
After rummaging around in her bedroom closet, relishing in her heavenly scent, he returned to her at the gates with a pair of denim shorts and a Silver Moon tank top. She shifted to human, and he had a moment to appreciate her nakedness, then she got dressed.
“Is anyone home?” Brandy gestured to the house with her chin.
“I didn’t see anyone, but maybe Dylan and Meredith are at Meredith’s.” He held his hand out to her. “Let’s check it out.”
Brandy didn’t hesitate. She stuck her hand in his and let him lead her to Meredith’s cabin.
When they got to Meredith’s front door, Reardon tugged on Brandy’s hand to slow her down. “How much do we tell them?”
“They can definitely handle it. Dylan has grown up on comic books. When he saw the video of you shifting, he was psyched and called you a superhero. He and Meredith will understand why I wanted to be like you. Besides, they already love you in wolf form. It won’t be long until they love your human form too.”
Reardon couldn’t help smiling at that. “I had a connection to the boy and your mother as soon as I met them. I believe the term soul mates means much more than finding one’s life partner. It means finding all those with whom your heart bonds.”
“Those people that complete you. I like that.” Brandy grabbed a fistful of his T-shirt and pulled him in close. “And I love being counted among your soul mates.”
He captured her mouth with his and wrapped his arms around her, bringing her as close as possible while they were still clothed. Hopefully, there would be un-clothed times later on tonight. He was really fond of un-clothed times.
“I’m not going to get sick of that.” Brandy brushed her fingers against his lips. “Ever.”
“Good, because we have a long time together ahead of us.”
Brandy clapped, smiling widely at him. How did he get so lucky? Banishment from Ireland had brought him unimaginable treasures. He only wished he could be sure his men enjoyed the same fate.
Maybe you can. Flidae’s voice was faint in his mind.
He was about to ask how when the door to Meredith’s house ripped open and Dylan came barreling out. The boy threw himself at his mother, nearly knocking her off her feet.
“Mom! You’re back!” He stepped back to look at her then buried his face against her chest again.
Brandy smoothed a hand over his hair and held him close. “I’m back, baby. And I’m not going anywhere.”
“Good.” Dylan released her and tossed himself at Reardon next, warming Reardon i
n a way he’d never quite felt before. “I’m glad you’re back too,” he craned his head back and grinned up at Reardon’s face, “Alator.”
“You accept that I’m both that wolf and this man?” Reardon stepped back from the boy’s embrace and angled his hands at his human form.
“Sure! It’s like finding out that two really cool things are all rolled up into one!” Dylan took Reardon’s hand and reached for Brandy’s too. He sniffed his mother’s hand and looked back at Reardon. “And you turned my mom, didn’t you? She smells… different. You like her, right?”
“I did turn her.” How had the boy smelled the difference in his mother? Was there some wolf in Dylan? Reardon planned to investigate that later. “But I don’t like your mom.”
“What?” Dylan and Brandy asked together.
“I love your mom.” Reardon looked at Brandy over the boy’s head and the love reflected back to him in her bright, blue eyes overwhelmed him. How had he gotten so damn lucky?
“You’d better love her.” This from Meredith who leaned in the doorway of her cabin, a smile on her face as well. “She risked everything to get you back.”
“Aye. She’s a brave lass.”
“It runs in the family.” Meredith took a turn hugging her daughter then Reardon. “Welcome home. Both of you.”
“So you’ll stay with us, Reardon?” Dylan led them around to the back of Meredith’s cabin where the view of the sanctuary’s woods was breathtaking. Mountains in the distance. Full treetops swaying gently in the summer breeze. Wolves lounging in the sun, waiting patiently for their Alpha—and Brandy—to run with them through the forest.
“Aye, I’ll stay with you.” Reardon turned toward Brandy. “On one condition.”
“That we still play catch every day?” Dylan asked.
Reardon laughed. “Oh, we’ll play catch every day, but that’s not my condition.” He took Brandy’s hands in his own, running his thumbs along her knuckles and searching for the right words. “I’ll stay here if your amazing mother will be my bride.”
Brandy slid her hands up to Reardon’s shoulders, her gaze full of something that made his insides ignite. She traced a finger along his jagged ear. “Deal. Now let’s seal it with a wolf kiss.”
He rubbed his nose against hers then caught her lips in a kiss so heated he almost shifted. Brandy’s scent swirled around him and he knew she was close to turning as well.
“Are vampires real too? How about mutants?” Dylan’s voice—and Brandy’s and Meredith’s laughter—brought Reardon back from the brink.
“I don’t know, lad. I’ve never met any.”
“But they could be, right? We should do some research, don’t you think, Mom?”
“Spoken like a true scientist. My heart is filled to overflowing.” Brandy put her hand to her chest and smiled at Reardon.
Reardon corralled Brandy in one arm and Dylan in the other. “Mine too.”
Epilogue
Fourth of July…
The sky was lit with red, white, and blue sparks, and the crowd around them oohed and ahhed after each pop, rumble, and hiss. Brandy leaned against Reardon’s chest as he sat on a blanket behind her, his legs bent by her sides acting like armrests.
Best chair ever. Certainly better than any rickety lawn chair like she usually brought to watch Canville’s annual Fourth of July fireworks. She’d always dreamed of sharing one of her favorite summer nights with someone like Reardon. Now she got to share all her summer nights with him.
Winter, spring, and fall too.
Nibbling at her ear made her press herself more firmly against Reardon. Maybe it was a werewolf thing, but the two of them were almost always touching in some way. It was probably sickening to watch. That was what Parker and Chella said anyway as if they weren’t equally all over each other, but Brandy didn’t care. She craved Reardon’s touch, needing it like she needed oxygen.
“Let’s go for a run,” he whispered, right before he tugged on her earlobe with his teeth.
Running had become one of their favorite things to do together—well, aside from making love, which Brandy was sure would always be number one on the list. Wolf kisses were apparently addictive. She could never get enough.
Pulling out her phone, she said, “I suppose we do need to run off all that blueberry pie we ate. Let me text Mom to see if she can take Dylan home.”
Dylan and Meredith were down by the water’s edge getting a closer view of the barge where the fire department set off the fireworks. After a quick series of texts, Meredith had agreed to watch Dylan, and Reardon had their blanket and picnic basket all packed up.
“How is it that you still look very Alpha with a picnic basket hanging from your arm?” Brandy teased.
“I’m confident in my manhood, fairy lass. Nothing can shake that.” He scooped an arm around her waist and brought her body up against his where she could very clearly feel his… manhood.
Damn, the man was always ready to go, and that got her all fired up.
“A run. Let’s go.” He nudged her toward the new SUV she’d picked up last week. It was black with the Silver Moon logo emblazoned on the doors in shimmery silver paint.
Reardon stowed their things in the back of the SUV right next to the flat stones they’d picked up yesterday to extend the patio behind the house. Stones that were heavy and awkward, but Reardon had lifted and loaded like they were bags of feathers. In fact, the home improvement store manager had seen Reardon muscling the stones around with ease and had offered him a job on the spot. It wasn’t a dream job, but it was a start for a werewolf trying to build a life amongst regular humans… and save some money for a wedding which was set for October when the Vermont foliage would be at its fiery best.
Brandy could hardly wait to be Reardon’s wife. Her life had been so focused on the wolves and raising Dylan. Meeting a man who shared those passions plus had that something extra special completed her. She had absolutely everything she’d ever wanted.
“Let’s head this way.” Reardon guided her away from the crowd and toward the dark woods bordering Canville’s center green.
Under the cover of night, they shed their clothes and Reardon made a small sack of his T-shirt so he could take their clothes with them. They slunk into the forest and shifted. In no time at all, the warm summer night was whipping by them in a blur of shadowed greens and browns. Every now and then, the sky flashed with fireworks, illuminating everything growing in those beautiful woods.
As a wolf, Brandy found her connection to the earth had grown so much deeper. She frequently felt as if her heart beat in time with everything wild around her. When she stopped to enjoy that bond, Flidae’s voice often whispered in her head.
You have earned my protection, she-wolf.
Brandy wasn’t always sure she wanted the goddess’s attention after seeing what she was capable of, but as long as Flidae was not angry with them, that was probably a good thing.
They continued running, stopping only for a moment when they got to the For Sale sign by Hank Swift’s mailbox. The man had made good on his plan to sell and get the hell out of Canville. Brandy was trying her best to make a deal happen with the university Parker worked at to purchase Hank’s land as a remote campus. Then she wouldn’t have to worry about another grouchy, gun-toting, trap-wielding old man buying the place and endangering her wolves, her family.
Finally they reached Silver Moon Sanctuary and after playing around in wolf form for a little while, they shifted to human and opened the entrance gates. Brandy reached for their clothes, but Reardon ran ahead.
“I think I prefer you without these.” He wiggled the bundle and smiled wickedly.
“Likewise.” She gave him an appraising look. His human form was spectacular. All those muscles. Those green-gold eyes. That dark stubble around his mouth.
That mouth.
She ran to catch up and leaped at him. He dropped the bundle and caught her easily, cradling her against his chest in those strong, protective arms.
“You know the best way to celebrate freedom on the Fourth of July?” she asked as he carried her toward the house.
Reardon shook his head.
“Exercising your right to kiss me all over and make love to me until the sun comes up.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “I think I like this American holiday, my fairy lass.” He dropped a kiss on her lips and set her down so he could open the front door.
Before he got it open, however, a rustling in the woods to their left stopped him.
Brandy looked in that direction. “Probably one of the wolves.”
“Reardon…” A scratchy voice sounded from the darkness.
“Or not.” Brandy got behind Reardon. “Who is that?”
“Show yourself.” Reardon’s voice was full of authority as he nudged her behind him, and an image of him as the fierce Celtic warrior he once was flashed in her mind.
More rustling sounded then a naked man, about Reardon’s size, spilled out of the shadows. He was filthy and bleeding and could barely stand.
Reardon rushed to the man. “Jaemus?”
If you enjoyed Wolf Kiss,
please consider leaving a review on Amazon and Goodreads
and recommend my books to your friends.
Thank you!
If you have a book group, I’d love to interact with you!
Email me at [email protected]
or message me through Facebook for options.
Sign up for my newsletter and exclusive content/contests
at www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com
Books in the Warrior Wolves Series
Wolf Kiss (Book One)
Wolf Fire (Book Two)
Wolf Vow (Book Three)
Wolf Angel (Book Four)
Wolf Sun (Book Five)
Check www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com for release dates.
Read on for a peek at Wolf Fire,
Book Two in the Warrior Wolves Series !
Wolf Fire Sneak Peek
Wolf Kiss (Warrior Wolves Book 1) Page 25