by Jane Jamison
His father and mother hadn’t had the connection. Instead, they’d mated because they were compatible and willing to make a go of a life together. To his way of thinking, that was a lot more sensible than trusting to an invisible string that would tie him and his future intended mate together.
But now, with her standing so close to him and feeling…something…he wasn’t so sure. And that something was powerful enough that he couldn’t doubt its existence.
He stuck out his hand, determined not to judge her for shooting his cousin before he’d heard her out.
“The name’s Declain Sawyer.”
Acting as a lot of young werewolves did when they were faced with an older, stronger shifter, she stepped back and didn’t offer her hand to his outstretched one. Yet, unlike those younger shifters, she didn’t drop her gaze. Instead, she matched hers with his, defying his dominance. He hadn’t had many female shifters do that to him. It was odd, but at the same time it gave him a new kind of thrill.
“I’m Zoey Wate.”
He smiled, keeping his teeth covered, letting her know he didn’t mean her any harm. If Nolan hadn’t retaliated against her, he didn’t see why he should. “I’m not sure whether I should say ‘nice to meet you’ or not considering you put a bullet in my cousin’s leg.”
She dropped her gaze then jumped it back to his. He was struck in the middle of his stomach as though she’d physically punched him. Strange silver-blue eyes found his and held his attention as his body became even more aware of hers.
“Like I told him, I was aiming for his heart.”
She was a feisty one and he liked that. “I guess I’m glad you’re a lousy shot.”
The corners of her mouth tipped upward, belying her cool expression. “I guess I’m glad, too.”
“Is it bad?” He wasn’t sure if he meant Nolan’s wound or the powerful bond he was experiencing. Was she feeling it, too? He studied her and thought he saw her tremble. He would’ve bet good money that she was.
“Not really. It’s more of a flesh wound than anything. The blood looks worse than the actual wound.” Her chin tipped upward as though she were trying to make up for the five or six inches difference in their heights.
“He didn’t act like that was the case.”
She moved her shoulders up and down. “If you ask me, he’s milking it for all it’s worth. Course, like I said, that’s only my opinion.”
“Let’s head on inside and see what he’s up to.” He pivoted on the heel of one boot, then paused when he didn’t hear her following. “Is there a problem?”
“You’re a werewolf.”
He tilted his head again as most werewolves did whenever they had a question. “Are you asking or telling?”
It was silly question. Obviously, she’d already sensed it.
“Both.”
Damn, but he liked the way her chest rose and fell. Her body was all luscious curves that even her loose clothing couldn’t hide. He could imagine what she’d look like in a short skirt with a clingy blouse. Either way, she was a sight that would make any man hard.
“I’m a shifter, all right. Why? Is there something wrong with that?” He didn’t want to question her about herself. Not yet, anyway. Sometimes half-werewolves were touchy.
“Nope. Not a thing. But it’s strange that he’s not.”
Her line of thinking wasn’t making a lot of sense. “Why?”
“I’ve just never seen a werewolf and a human living together. Much less being related. You are related, right? He called you cuz.”
“Yeah, he’s my cousin. As for the other, I’m guessing you haven’t gotten out much.”
She looked taken aback. “So it’s not strange? I mean a human and a werewolf together?”
He chuckled, loving her naiveté. “It happens. Humans and werewolves can grow up in one family.” He couldn’t resist playing with her. “But a fairy and werewolf in one family? Now that’s just plain weird.”
She blinked, thrown by his assertion. “I’ve never met a fairy.”
“You hang around Forever for long enough and I’ll introduce you to one. Come on. Let’s go tend to his wound.”
* * * *
The men were being kind to Zoey, and she wasn’t used to it. After living with the Clayton Pack for years, she couldn’t shake the uneasiness their friendliness gave her. As Nolan rested in one of the kitchen chairs, she edged toward a corner of the room and took the chance to scope the place out. It was either do that or drool over the hunky men some more.
There wasn’t much to see. Stairs that started only a few steps from the front door led to the second story. The lower floor spread out in an open concept design comprised of a living room with large sectional couch and a recliner facing a huge fireplace and flat screen television. The living room flowed into the kitchen with an eat-in area just big enough for a tile-top dining table and four white chairs. The kitchen was modest with older appliances, but it was clean and neat like the rest of the house. In fact, she had to wonder if a woman lived there. The men she’d known hadn’t known how to pick up their socks, much less sweep and dust. They’d left that to the females of the pack.
Soon enough, however, her attention fell back on Declain. He was as tall as Nolan and as solidly built. Like Nolan, he wore faded blue jeans and a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Declain’s stubble running along his jaws was thicker than Nolan’s, and she had to wonder if they’d forgotten to shave that morning or if they always sported the rugged look. She hoped it was the latter. But the real similarities were in their eyes. Both had amazing green eyes, with Declain’s being a lighter shade, and both had a way of looking at her that made her want to strip and spread her legs for the first time in her life.
That was where the similarities ended. While Nolan had short dark hair, Declain had longish dirty-blond hair that he kept sweeping back behind his ears. While Nolan’s demeanor seemed to consist of groans and scowls, Declain had an easier way about him. She got the impression that he could turn into one hell of a badass when he needed to, but that he’d learned to control his darker side better than Nolan had. Maybe that came from having to control his inner wolf.
Nolan groaned as Declain sauntered over and knelt in front of him. Nolan had his leg up on one chair and the makeshift bandages off and lying on the floor. A first aid kit rested on top of the table next to a couple of clean cloths and a mixing bowl filled with soapy water. To her relief, the bleeding had stopped.
Declain examined the wound, ignoring Nolan’s groans and complaints about Declain not knowing what he was doing.
“Yep, it’s only a flesh wound.”
“That’s what I said.” Zoey stayed in her corner, putting her body close to the front door. If things went south, then she wanted an exit close by.
For being a human, Nolan had growling down to an art.
Declain shot her a look that told her she’d be better off keeping her mouth closed. He took the cloth and dipped it into the soap and water then applied it to the wound. Nolan jerked a little, but held his tongue. “So why’d you shoot him? Not that I haven’t thought of plugging him with buckshot myself.”
She liked Declain. He was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt even though she’d shot his cousin. “He came up behind me and startled me. I admit that I kind of jumped the gun. So to speak.”
“Is that right?” Declain gave Nolan a chance to speak, then added, “You should know better than to sneak up on someone. Especially in these parts.”
Nolan hissed when Declain poured a disinfectant solution over the wound. “I didn’t sneak up on her. I thought she needed my help and I was about to offer it when she whirled around and pulled the trigger.”
“You did? Why? I wasn’t doing anything like hollering for help.” No one from the pack would’ve ever offered help if she hadn’t been screaming bloody murder. Hell, maybe not even then.
“I came up on a girl all alone, out in the middle of our land, without a horse. You were
in human form, so I figured you were human.”
Declain placed clean gauze over the wound then secured it with a real bandage. “I can understand that. I’d have assumed the same thing.” His green eyes, sparkled with bits of amber, skimmed over her. “Although I would’ve sensed what you were before I got too close.”
Shit. She hadn’t wanted to let them know she had werewolf blood in her. Not until she got the lay of the land.
“It’s okay, you know. I mean, that we know what you are.”
“Yeah. It would’ve been nice to know before you blasted me,” barked Nolan.
“Sorry. I guess I should’ve been wearing a sign. You know, one that read ‘Don’t sneak up on the shifter.’ Would that have made a difference?”
“Hey, wait a minute. You lied to me. You told me you were human.”
“I didn’t lie. Not really.” She hated being called out, but she didn’t have any way out of it now. “I’m both human and werewolf.”
Declain grinned at his scowling cousin. “She’s a real piece of work, isn’t she?”
“You can say that again.”
If it hadn’t been for his tone, she might’ve taken Nolan’s agreement as a compliment.
Declain finished taking care of the wound and stood up. “Do you want to take a run into town and have the doctor look at it?”
Nolan pushed to his feet, tested his weight on the injured leg, and shook his head. “Naw. Like I said, I’ll be fine.”
She heaved a sigh of relief that she hoped they didn’t notice, then sidestepped her way to the door. “Okay, well, now that you’re home safe and sound, I’ll just be going.”
And yet the farther she got from them, the worse she felt. Like someone was ripping her guts out. She wanted nothing more than to stay close, even to the irascible Nolan.
“Where are you going, anyway?” Declain glanced at Nolan who only shrugged.
“I was headed to, um, Oklahoma, but then I got a little…sidetracked.” She kept her gaze on Declain. They all knew what she meant. Sidetracked by shooting Nolan.
“You sure got a ways off the main roads if you’re headed for Oklahoma.”
Declain was hinting for her to elaborate, maybe even to confess that she was lying, but she wasn’t ready. Who knew if the men, much less the rest of the town, would want her around? Especially if they knew the real reason she’d come there. It was better to keep things to herself for a while.
She took another few steps toward the door only to find Declain moving closer. Her nerves, already rattled by having shot an innocent man, set off fresh alarm bells. Were they going to try and stop her?
Did she want them to stop her?
“Where are you from? Come on and fess up. Why’d you come to Forever?” Declain must’ve sensed her anxiousness and added a smile. “I’m not trying to be nosy or anything. Well, okay, maybe I am a little.”
She couldn’t help but feel relieved at his joke even though his not-so-subtle attempt was to get her to admit that her real destination was Forever and not Oklahoma. Her intuition told her she didn’t have to be too wary of either man. They wouldn’t hurt her. If they’d wanted to do that, they’d already had plenty of chances. Having grown up the way she had and having lived with the Clayton Pack for so long, she’d learned to listen to her instincts.
Still, giving them a hint of the truth would make the rest of her story sound better. “I’m from Atlanta.”
Nolan’s head jerked up. “Atlanta? How’d the hell did you get here? Something tells me you didn’t hop a plane or even a train.”
“I hitched.”
That got both of them to perk up even more. Declain’s concern was evident in his worried expression. “A girl like you hitching at all is dangerous enough, but doing it alone? Damn, girl, you’re either fearless or foolish.”
“Probably both,” added Nolan.
“I had to do what I had to do.” She started moving toward the front door again. “Uh, thanks for…” Thanks for what? For yelling at her? For taking up the rest of the day when she should’ve been hunting a place to stay the night? Never mind that the delay was caused by her shooting Nolan. “Uh, good-bye.”
“Stop right where you are.”
Declain and she both turned to face Nolan. His arms were crossed over his still-bare chest, making him look like a Greek god overlooking his lowly subjects. He was every ounce as hard, tall, and hunky as his werewolf cousin.
She narrowed her eyes, ready for another verbal battle. “Yeah?”
For the first time since meeting him, he seemed to let go of his angry attitude. “You’ll stay here for the night.”
Chapter Four
To say they weren’t happy when she laughed would have been an understatement. The scowl that had finally left Nolan’s face was back, and Declain didn’t look all that happy, either.
She had to backpedal as fast as she could. After all, she didn’t want to make enemies before she’d had a chance to go into Forever. Besides, shooting Nolan hadn’t gotten her off to a great start to begin with.
“I didn’t mean to laugh.” She hadn’t meant to, really. But then she hadn’t tried to keep from doing it, either.
“I don’t get what’s so funny.” Like he’d been from the beginning, Declain was the more rational, let’s-wait-and-see-what-she-says kind of guy.
“Nothing. It’s just that I’m not used to men giving me a place to stay. Unless they want something in return. If you know what I mean.”
Not that she’d ever given any man what he’d wanted. She was still a virgin. Not so much thanks to her efforts to fend the males off as to Rick making it clear that he wanted her for his own. Most of the males of the Clayton Pack had kept hands off, knowing that she was under Rick’s protection. A few less-than-honorable males had tried luring her into their bed, including offering to share their rooms with her. As though they could’ve hidden that while living in one huge house along with the rest of the pack.
“That’s not the way it is. I hope you know that.” Nolan studied her.
Did he think he could see into her mind if he stared hard enough? “I appreciate the offer, but I think it’s best if I move on.” She wouldn’t go far, but they didn’t need to know that. Still, it would give her time to think about things. About them.
Declain nodded his head toward the windows in the front of the house. She pivoted to follow his direction and found that the sun had already set.
“Not tonight you won’t. We’re not letting you leave.”
When she faced them again, Declain had moved closer, getting within a few feet of her. He was fast and silent. Nolan had stayed where he was, probably because he’d known that, as a human, he couldn’t have moved as quietly as Declain had. Or maybe he was simply afraid of startling her again.
Declain moved again, putting his body as close to hers as possible without actually touching her. He leaned in and put his mouth next to her ear. “You’re staying, Zoey, and that’s that.”
Unlike Rick’s demands, Declain’s didn’t sound like a command. Instead, with his warm breath tickling her ear and his hair caressing her cheek, his words sounded more like a call to her libido. And her libido had no choice but to answer. Her breathing grew shallow as she tried not to do anything that would make him move away.
That didn’t last long. Suddenly, she had to do something, anything to make him get even closer. She placed her palm on his chest.
Their reactions were immediate. As though her touch had somehow broken through a wall of resistance, he clamped his hand behind her neck and tugged her mouth to his. Instead of fighting back as she knew she should have, she leaned against him and moaned. Her moan gave him the encouragement she’d wanted to give him, and he slid his other arm around her waist and held her even tighter.
She was breathless, and yet, felt like she never had to breathe again. As long as his mouth was pressed to hers, she’d have everything she needed to sustain her life.
His hand gripped her left butt c
heek in a firm, possessive hold. Her breasts pushed against his shirt, and she shifted her pelvis forward, searching for what she knew she’d find there.
The hardness of him against her mons drove her crazy. She’d already thrown caution to the side, and now she had nothing to keep her from doing what she’d wanted to from the moment he’d walked outside the house. And from the moment she’d seen Nolan fall to the ground.
Nolan is human and Declain is all werewolf.
She had nothing against humans, especially Nolan, but she’d heard that she couldn’t mate with a human far too long to think otherwise. Yet, even as she slipped her arms behind Declain’s back, taking in the ridges of his muscles flexing in his back, she wondered what it would be like to have both of them.
Declain cupped one breast and moved his hand across the rise of her butt cheek. She moaned again, urging him to take her right there, in the middle of the living room and in front of Nolan.
She was so deep into the feelings that he was bringing out in her that it took a moment or two before she realized that he’d stiffened. When he pushed her away from him, she growled, complaining at the loss of his body against hers. Before she knew it, he was holding up the gun she’d tucked in her waistband.
He stepped back, holding the weapon away from her. She had the insane urge to jump for it, like a child trying to get a ball back from an older kid playing Keep Away. “Give that back to me.”
“Not a chance, Zoey. You don’t need it while you’re with us. We’ll keep you safe.”
The phrase Rick had said so often ricocheted down her spine, stiffening her. “I’ve heard that before.” She wiggled her fingers, using the universal sign for him to give it to her. “Now give it back. I’d rather take care of myself.”
She lowered her gaze, needing verification that he’d been as horny as she was. As horny as she still was. As she’d expected, his jeans were tented out, and by the look of it, he was testing his jean’s durability. She eased close again, using her natural female weapons and batting her eyes for good measure. “Give it to me, Declain.”