by Gwen Knight
A BABY FOR THE VIKING WOLF
A Howls Viking Romance
Gwen Knight
Contents
Blurb
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Epilogue
My Viking Wolf Excerpt
Meet Your Alpha
Whisk’er Away
About the Author
Also by Gwen Knight
With great passion comes great responsibility...
Lucy Tullet’s entire world has imploded, thanks to the two soft pink lines staring back at her. As a professional party-girl, she never considered settling down and having kids. Until she meets the blood wolf—a renowned Viking vampire hunter with a mysterious past—and spends the night in his arms. Now, thanks to him, everything has changed. Not only are there vampires running amok in town, hunting Lucy and her unborn child, but the blood wolf has staked his claim, determined to both protect her and take her as his mate.
Chapter 1
Two Months Ago
Oh, yeah. I am so gonna get laid in this dress.
With a quirked grin, I smoothed my hands down the supple material, my fingers trailing the plunging neckline. Damn outfit had cost me more than half a month’s rent, but so far, it was worth it. I’d chosen the deep ruby hue because it complimented my fair complexion and champagne-colored hair. But I’d picked this specific cut because it emphasized all the right curves—particularly my breasts. It’d taken an excessive amount of plumping and taping, but my girls were ready for a wild night on the town.
And so was I.
After the past few days, my body was wound tighter than a two-dollar watch. Time to relax and have a little fun—preferably the kind that ended tangled in a set of sheets.
I’d originally bought this dress to wear to my best friend’s wedding a week ago. But thanks to wildly unforeseen circumstances, the ceremony had never taken place, leaving me with this decadently expensive—and ultimately unwearable—gown. So, when Gabriel, the pack alpha, asked me to attend a fancy charity event, I’d leapt at the opportunity. Gabriel hadn’t given me all the details, but Reagan had. As my best friend, she knew I’d enjoy a bachelor auction. Nothing like drowning yourself in rakishly handsome men decked out in fine suits and polished shoes. What more could a girl want?
Reagan’s name had initially graced the invitation, but after everything that had happened over the past couple of weeks, she’d opted out. Have fun, she’d chuckled into the phone, but remember to set a good example for the pack.
I knew how to do my duty, but no way in hell I’d miss out on purchasing my own hunk of man-meat. It’d been far too long since I’d taken a spin down booty-call lane. And this was the perfect dress to seal the deal.
I leaned forward, about to apply a fresh coat of burgundy lipstick, when a soft chime rang from within my ivory clutch. With a grin, I reached into my purse and fetched my phone. I could only think of one person who would be calling me tonight, and at the sight of her number, my grin widened. I answered the call and placed it on speaker.
“You ready for tonight?” Reagan’s voice carried across the line in the way of a hello.
“Just applying the final touches.”
“Can I just say how relieved I am that you’re the one going? When Gabriel first told me about this event…”
Laughter slipped past my mostly-colored lips. “I can’t picture you enjoying this sort of thing.” I loved Reagan dearly, but she wasn’t cut out for these sorts of social events. She was Gabriel’s daughter and his heir. As such, her father had raised her to be a warrior. She knew more about swordplay and hand-to-hand combat than I ever would. Not that I minded. I wouldn’t have wished her upbringing on my worst enemy. All studious training, speeches about honor and glory, and tournaments to test her skills against chosen opponents. Gabriel had always envisioned his child being raised one way and one way only. Reagan epitomized that vision.
As for me? Well, while Reagan had been off playing soldier, I’d been out enjoying the more lascivious things life had to offer. Clubs, dancing, men…sex. A bachelor auction touched on every one of those elements.
“Word has it that the press will be there tonight,” she said with a long sigh. “Usually, a conservation event for wolves wouldn’t merit their attention, but with everything that’s happened recently, seems they couldn’t resist. Gabriel thinks they’re still expecting me, so they might bother you. But I thought you should know, just in case.”
I shrugged a shoulder. “I can handle it.”
“Of course you can. But they’re gonna ask you a lot of questions. You’ll need to be ready with the appropriate answers.”
“Reagan, I promise I can handle this. I’ve been watching you manipulate the press for decades.”
“Right. Well, just remember, if they ask anything about Benjamin—”
A low growl rose in the background, and I bit back a laugh. Clearly, Reagan’s new mate, Jerrik, was listening nearby.
“If they ask about Benjamin, I’ll tell them he was a sleazy lowbrow who tried to kill you, and, instead, got a taste of his own medicine.”
She groaned. “Could you maybe word it a little better than that?”
I drummed my fingers against my hips. “How about… We regret his atrocious actions and wish his pack the best of luck in all their future endeavors.”
“Better. We need to reassure the public that relations between the two packs are better than ever and everything has returned to normal.”
This time, I laughed. “In other words, you want me to lie through my teeth.”
“Lucy…”
“Oh, come on, Reagan. Things are hardly great between us and the European pack. It’s taking all your energy to keep Gabriel from ripping out their throats. And don’t forget, we killed their heir. That’s bound to ruffle a few feathers.”
“Well, maybe he shouldn’t have put a hit out on me.”
I rolled my kohl-lined eyes. “I don’t think they care about that.”
“Just…reassure the public, all right?” I could hear her fingers tapping a table. “Maybe I should go with you.”
“Why? It isn’t enough that you already have a sexy werewolf to take to bed? Now you wanna eye-hump all the other eligible bachelors in the city?”
“The press is my responsibility.”
And Reagan was all about responsibility. As the heir, all public obligations fell to her. But Gabriel had been adamant about this change tonight. After Benjamin’s shenanigans, he wanted his daughter as far from the limelight as possible. Call him overprotective, but she was his only child, and right now, keeping her safe was his main priority. She might have been able to convince him otherwise, but for once, Jerrik and her father had agreed on something. And two overbearing alphas in one room was enough to set anyone’s teeth on edge. She’d agreed in order to avoid any bloodshed.
“I’ve got this, all right?” I reached for my favorite perfume and spritzed a bit on my neck. “I’ll be annoyingly vague and reassure them that their favorite werewolf princess is healthy and happy.”
“Great. But do me a favor and try to keep Jerrik out of it. They’ve been hounding us nonstop since they learned about our relationship. I swear, his picture is everywhere right now. Gabriel’s on edge enough as it is.”
“You wor
ry too much. It’s gonna give you wrinkles, girl. Besides, don’t you have something better to do with your time? Or rather, someone?”
Jerrik’s low chuckle rumbled through the line.
“If I had someone that fuckable at my disposal, no way I’d be worrying about all this nonsense.”
“Lucy,” Regan warned in a deep voice.
“Just telling it how it is, dove,” I teased, adopting Jerrik’s pet name for her. “If it were me, I’d never leave our bedroom.” A text popped up at the top of my screen, alerting me to my driver’s arrival. “But as much as I’d love to stand around needling you, it’s time for me to go. Cross your fingers that I find my own devilishly handsome werewolf to play with tonight.”
“Enjoy yourself,” Reagan said.
After we hung up, I slipped my feet into a pair of strappy ivory heels and strode outside. Sure enough, a limo awaited me at the curb where a chauffeur stood next to the rear door. Laughing under my breath, I started toward him, my heels clicking against the pavement.
“Good evening, Ms. Tullet.” He opened the back door and gestured toward the lush interior.
I slid inside and ran my hands over the warm leather. Next to me sat a tray complete with a chilled bottle of wine. Never one to let nice things go to waste, I popped the cork, poured a glass, then sat back and enjoyed the ride.
We pulled up alongside the hotel seconds before a series of camera flashes lit up the night sky. I leaned forward and peered through the tinted window, my jaw dropping at the sight of them. Journalists as far as the eye could see, and cameras and microphones everywhere. Hell, I could barely make out the hotel through the massive throng.
“Jesus,” I whispered.
“Ms. Tullet?”
I glanced through the open partition and caught the driver’s gaze in the rear-view mirror.
“Would you like me to go around back?”
“Thanks, but no. I was somewhat expecting this.”
Sometimes, I forget how crazed people were over werewolves. They treated us like royalty. They even called Reagan the Werewolf Princess. I suppose it wasn’t far from the truth. Gabriel had been here since the early sixteenth century or so, and Reagan and I were each over a hundred years old. That sort of thing often led to sensational stories and a teeny bit of obsession.
We pulled up to the curb, and like a ravenous swarm of locusts, they rushed toward the limo, all surging forward in a mad dash to be the first to question me. All thanks to Benjamin. I’d caught a few headlines while out and about, my personal favorite so far being Werewolf Princess goes for the Jugular. Seemed a member of the European pack had decided to feed the press all the gory details, including images of Reagan chopping off Benjamin’s head. Thanks to media censorship, no one actually saw anything, but they sure had gotten the gist of it. And since then, the press had been insatiable.
Once parked, the driver stepped out and opened my door. The vultures took advantage and swooped forward, their damn flashes assaulting my eyes. I ducked my head and exited the vehicle, grateful for the chauffeur’s hand guiding the way. Without him, I might have fallen in a blind attempt to find the sidewalk. As a werewolf, my vision was better than twenty-twenty. But throw in the glaring camera lights, and I was as blind as a bat. I couldn’t see anything beyond a bright white blur.
“Where’s Reagan?” one shouted.
“And Jerrik!” came another voice.
“Why are you here?” from a third.
Ouch. Reagan had always been their sweetheart, but what did that make me? Chopped liver?
I plastered on a fake smile and turned toward the nearest cameraman, secretly hoping I didn’t look as dazed as I felt. “Reagan couldn’t make it tonight. But thank you for coming! I hope your presence here helps bring awareness to the cause.”
“Why isn’t Reagan here?” a familiar voice questioned. “Too busy screwing her new mate after shamelessly slaughtering her fiancé?”
Damn. Talk about going for the jugular. I scanned the crowd until my injured gaze found the man belonging to the voice. My smile turned predatory. “I’m sure you of all people, Mr. Dennison, know that Reagan was fully within her rights to execute Benjamin. That’s not open for debate. We’re here to help support a good cause, so if you don’t mind…”
No one budged when I tried to squeeze through.
“What about Gabriel?” Mr. Dennison pushed. “Is he still the alpha?”
I fed the cameras another bright smile. “Of course. He’s been our alpha for five hundred years. That isn’t about to change any time soon.”
“Rumor has it he nearly died. Maybe he isn’t as strong as you’d like to think.”
My gaze sharpened. Mr. Dennison needed to count himself lucky that I didn’t tear out his throat right here in front of all the cameras. “Gabriel is as strong as ever. I don’t know who’s been feeding you these lies, but I’d be interested in learning more.”
He sneered. “That would reveal my source.”
“A source who should know to keep their mouth shut,” I commented.
“So, it’s true then? Gabriel almost died? The public deserves to know if their local alpha is weak. Or about to be replaced.”
My hands curled into fists, my nails biting my palms. No wonder Reagan always looked so disdainful when one of the wolves acted out. My first time behind the cameras and I was ready to rip into this bastard.
“What about Jerrik?” another asked. “Is it true he’s a former assassin? That he was hired to kill Reagan, but turned on his employer, instead?”
Ice filled my veins.
Only Reagan, Gabriel, and I knew about Jerrik’s alter ego—or so we’d thought. We’d purposely kept all the details secret for fear of further upsetting the precarious dynamics. Things were delicate enough right now without fanning the flames.
“Well?” Someone thrust a microphone into my face.
I curled a lip and growled. So done with these questions, I turned and forced my way through the crowd and into the building. Holy hell, I had no idea how Reagan did this day after day. Even with the doors closed, I could still hear them behind me, throwing questions around with the hope I’d respond.
Instead, I ran my hands down my dress and stepped into the lobby. A giant sign rested across the hall: Weres for Wolves. Some brilliant mind had concluded that auctioning off male werewolves was the best way to raise money and awareness for natural wolf conservation. Personally, I was no longer in the mood to engage in a bidding war. But I needed to suck it up and put on a brave face. I was here for a reason. So, with a deep breath, I marched into the massive ballroom where yet another crowd gathered. Thankfully, this crowd seemed more interested in tuxedos and gowns than cameras.
The scent of bubbly alcohol caught my nose. Praising all things good in the world, I turned and liberated a long-stemmed flute from a nearby tray. I slammed the entire drink back in two swallows.
“That bad?” a deep voice commented next to me.
I glanced over and froze at the sight of a broad chest wrapped in a dark dinner jacket. My eyes climbed upward over his thick neck and strong jaw until finally settling on a face that had likely broken hundreds of hearts. My mouth parted against the rim of the glass, and I had to remind myself to swallow before champagne dribbled down my chin. It wasn’t often a man left me gobsmacked. In fact, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d laid eyes on such a gorgeous specimen.
Eyes darker than sin appraised me as a slow grin curved his mouth. Clearly, he liked what he saw. Which was good—because so did I. I’d expected men in well-tailored tuxes, but this one had clearly gone above and beyond the call of duty. My appreciative gaze lingered on his peak lapel and honest-to-God bow tie instead of a cheap clip-on.
He arched an ebony brow. “Well?”
I gave a long blink, then moved the glass away from my mouth. “I’m sorry?”
That damn grin widened. He jerked his cleft chin toward the crowd of unwelcome reporters swarming near the main doors. “I asked i
f it was that bad out there.”
It took a few seconds to focus on his voice, but the moment I did, my defenses slammed into place. There was no mistaking his accent. I couldn’t place exactly which region he was from, but he definitely wasn’t American. Which meant he was from the European pack.
To hell with that.
Those bastards had tried to murder my best friend. It didn’t matter that he was the most fuckable man I’d ever seen, no way I’d touch him now. In fact, he needed to leave.
I placed my glass down on the nearest table and cleared my throat. “I’m only going to say this once, so listen up.”
Mr. Sex-in-a-Tux turned back to me, his other brow rising.
“Get. The. Hell. Out. You have five minutes, and if you aren’t gone in that time, I’ll throw your ass out myself.”
On that note, I lifted my chin and walked away.
Chapter 2
The nerve of that guy!
I grabbed another champagne glass as I marched through the ballroom, and took a sip. The bubbles did nothing to soothe my pricked nerves. Part of me didn’t want to give him the five minutes. Hell, part of me wanted to call Gabriel right this second and unleash him on that bastard. After everything his people had pulled… Not only had they staged a coup in their own pack, but they’d also attempted to take over ours. Jackoff’s presence here was both unforgivable and ballsy, considering only four days had passed since the main event.
“Lucy!”
I spun around at the sound of my name. Two pack members barreled toward me with matching shit-eating grins.
“I didn’t think you were coming,” Bailey commented. “If I’d known…”