by Ellis Leigh
“Where the fuck have you been?”
Deus flinched at the tone in Luc’s voice, his wolf fighting the urge to submit to the more powerful beast on the other end of the call. “I’m in Alaska.”
“I know that. You arrived yesterday with a woman. Something you want to tell me?”
Fuck. Double fuck. It wasn’t that Deus didn’t want to tell his Dire brothers about Beautiful, but he wasn’t ready yet. Wasn’t sure how things would go with this mating. For what was likely the first time in his very long life, he felt uncertain about a situation and absolutely refused to show such a weakness to his pack.
But he also wouldn’t lie to Luc. “I’ve found my mate.”
Luc’s rough chuckle came as a surprise. “I know that too, Deus. I felt the pull when you were still in New York, though there’s static in the bond. You haven’t completed the mating yet.”
“No. Not yet. She’s…” Stubborn, skittish, unnerving, independent, the most terrifying creature I’ve ever met “uncomfortable with the idea of forming such a permanent bond with someone she doesn’t know.”
“So get to know her.”
“I’m working on it.”
Luc grunted, the sound telegraphing his doubt. “Speaking of work, I need you to get that intel.”
“We’re heading into town today to do some recon and start digging.”
“We? You’re taking her on the job with you?”
No way was he not. He simply couldn’t fathom leaving her alone in an unknown location. “Definitely.”
“Good. That works out even better than if you’d come alone.”
“Why’s that?”
“The pack is on edge—there’s a negative energy around the area that seems to be fueling their unrest. You alone might stand out as a threat to them. You with your mate won’t. You can go undercover as a couple on your Klunzad.”
A trip shifters sometimes took after a mating to get away from everyone, allowing them to learn about one another. Sort of a shifter honeymoon. And a brilliant idea. “We can run with that plan.”
“Good. But keep an eye on—what’s your girl’s name?”
Deus blinked, staring out into the forest as the sun topped the trees. A heavy weight settling on his chest. “I don’t know, but I call her Beautiful.”
Luc’s silence spoke volumes. As did his incredulous tone as he asked, “Are you telling me you don’t even know her name yet, but you brought her on a mission?”
It sounded so much worse when he put it that way. “I couldn’t leave her in the city, and she has skills that might come in handy.”
“What kind of skills?”
“She’s a thief.”
“A thief.” Deadpan, flat…doubt-filled.
“A cat burglar, if you will.”
“Is she a good one?”
Memories of her taking out those men who’d set up to scam her flashed through his mind, pictures of her sass and her confidence making him both hard as stone and proud. “She’s fucking amazing.”
“Then she may be an asset in this situation. Do what you need to do to get information on the pack and the area, but be subtle. I don’t want to cause more unrest without understanding the situation.”
“Roger that.” Deus heard the shower turn off inside the cabin, a sure sign Beautiful would be able to hear him. Time to wrap things up. “Is there anything else?”
“Yeah. Congratulations. Try not to get too caught up in the mating haze.”
The inability to focus on anything other than sex that often happened to newly mated couples. An event he’d never seen himself and doubted was anything more than desire boiling over. He had immense control—no way would such a thing be an issue for him and his mate. “Won’t be a problem.”
Again with the chuckle. “Sure. Right. Be careful out there, call me as soon as you know anything, and don’t fuck this up.”
Luc ended the call without specifying what this he meant—the job or the mating. Either way, Deus had a feeling both were far more precarious than he would have liked. But as he pocketed his phone and headed inside, his determination to succeed at them both only grew. Nothing as dubious as the supposed mating haze would stop him from getting his job done. And no way would he allow anything to come between him and his fated mate.
Only death would separate them now.
13
Having his beautiful mate’s little hand in his as they walked through what would technically be called a town was something Deus hadn’t expected to enjoy so much. There was something sweet about the moment, something that accentuated their connection. A simple gift of time and touch that implied togetherness. Having the scent of her cunt lingering on his skin didn’t hurt either.
But the time to mate and taste and fuck all over the cabin had passed with the numerous messages and phone calls from Luc. Information was necessary, research had to happen, and the mission needed to be completed. Deus had a job to do—one that would require him to dig deep into the local histories and culture, the legends that likely grew from a spark of truth. One his Alpha wanted handled subtly. Deus couldn’t storm in and demand.
The job for Luc and Deus’ growing relationship with his mate seemed to be following similar tracks.
So Deus had enacted the plan Luc had recommended to stay under the radar of the townspeople and local pack. One Beautiful was a vital part of. What made every single man seem less of a threat? A woman on his arm. Acting as a newly mated couple enjoying the solitude of the Alaskan wilderness and wandering through town as tourists seemed as good of a cover as any. And thankfully, they didn’t have to act too hard. They were newly mated, and they were enjoying the solitude of the wilderness. He hoped they’d enjoy it more later that night.
Though having Beautiful at his side—walking with her through the grungy town—definitely defied the concept of subtle. His mate shone wherever she went, dressing like a million dollars and looking even more valuable. Beautiful didn’t begin to describe her, ever. The cold had given a little extra color to her cheeks, which contrasted well with the winter-white coat she wore that covered what he knew was a soft, tight sweater and leather skirt. She’d lined her eyes in a smoky gray, making them appear even larger than normal. And those lips. Bright red, plump, and perfect—they called to him. Made him want to taste them every chance he got. Made him want to see them wrapped around his cock. He’d become obsessed with her and red. Who could blame him?
No one. “You look amazing, by the way. Did I tell you that?”
Those lips ticked up a bit. “Only about thirty times so far today.”
“Expect me to tell you thirty more. You really are stunning, though I’m worried about those shoes.”
Beautiful glanced down, frowning at her own feet. “What’s wrong with my shoes?”
Nothing. High and sexy as fuck, the heels on her feet would look amazing up in the air as he buried his face between her legs, or digging into his ass as he fucked her against a wall. He loved those shoes. “This place isn’t exactly made for walking. I worry you’ll ruin them.”
“Then I’ll buy more.”
“They seem expensive.”
“They are.”
“You could have worn something…less valuable and not had to worry about replacing them.”
“What fun is that?” She grinned up at him, making his world pause for just a moment. “I like the finer things in life, Alaska. Why bother getting dressed at all if you can’t be a little showy?”
He didn’t argue with her, just smiled and brought her hand to his lips so he could kiss the back of it. “Next time we just won’t get dressed at all.”
Her hazel eyes practically glittered as she said, “Deal.”
So they walked, and they held hands, and they stopped occasionally to kiss or touch a little more as Deus planned all the things he wanted to do to her body when they got back to the cabin. He also ran through all the ways he could find the information Luc needed.
Names.
D
ates.
Crimes.
Population records.
Genealogy within the local pack.
How these shifters had lead such isolated lives for so long without attracting the attention of the humans around them.
All things he wouldn’t find online, sadly. Only in this lonely, sequestered little town.
When his mate stopped to look in the window of a small storefront, Deus stood beside her. Watching her more than anything inside the store. Unable to look away. She had her hair pulled up, and her long neck appeared endlessly bitable. A thought that refused to leave his mind. A need he couldn’t shake no matter how many times he told himself that wouldn’t be happening. Not yet at least. Especially not today.
Still, he couldn’t look away.
“Do you sense them?” Beautiful asked, still not looking at him.
He hummed, wondering how deep he would need to sink his teeth into that flesh to mix his essence with hers. “Who, my sweet?”
“The other wolves.” She turned, leaving the window behind and taking a step closer to the street. “We haven’t run into any, but I can scent them under the more dominant human smells. They’ve been around.”
That thought, the potential threat of running into an unfamiliar pack, refocused his priorities. And when his mate showed fear, when she shivered as if the thought of strangers instilled a sense of being unsafe, Deus growled. “I won’t let them near you.”
“I’m not worried about that,” she said, though her tone betrayed her words. “It’s more…I find it odd that humans and wolves live together like this. Small town, low population—I’d think the wolves would pick an area where they could hide more.”
“They have the woods to hide in out here.”
“True, but they come to town. This place reeks of them.” She curled in on herself, frowning. “I feel as if we’re being watched.”
Deus let his senses spread, used sight and hearing and the scents on the air to evaluate the area. He didn’t feel the same sort of under-the-microscope sensation that she did, but he did notice an anticipatory energy that scraped along his nerves. Something hovering over the area, something dark and wrong. One he couldn’t tell her about as that knowledge would only exacerbate her fear.
It was a good time for a distraction.
He leaned against the lamppost and tugged her against him, wrapping his arms around her hips and nuzzling her neck. Holding her tight to both to get a feel of her and to keep her safe. “We’re not local, and it’s a small town. Of course, they’re watching us. Meanwhile, I’m watching you. That skirt hugs your ass just right. Makes me want to bite it.”
“You’re obsessed.”
“With my mate, yes? With that ass? Absolutely.” Distraction—achieved. And yet, he felt the need to reassure her as well, so he leaned closer and lowered his voice. “I feel the others too. I’m not sure if they’re watching or not, but they’re close.”
“What should we do?”
“Act normal. Keep pretending to be a newly mated couple on vacation.” He caged her in tighter, dropping a kiss to her neck. “Find a quiet spot to slip my hands under that fuckhot leather and see if I can get you off before anyone notices what I’m doing. The skirt was a nice touch—easy access later.”
“I am a girl with a plan.” She groaned when he pressed his hard cock against her. When he nibbled lightly on her shoulder. Fuck, he loved that sound, especially when he had the taste of her skin on his tongue. When he could rub his body against hers. When he could grab her ass and slip his hand—
“Maybe we should keep walking.” She tugged out of his hold, smiling up at him as if she knew how distracted she made him. And she did—her pink cheeks and her bright eyes told him she knew exactly what she was doing to him.
“Where do you want to go?”
“Anywhere. I want to see what this place has to offer other than all the beefcake.”
“Beefcake?”
“You haven’t noticed? There are no women here. It’s all men. This part of Alaska is a veritable sausage fest.”
He hadn’t noticed, but he wasn’t all that surprised. Alaska was known for having a much larger population of men than women. Though to have none in town…that seemed impossible. There had to be women around somewhere.
“There’s a bank,” Beautiful said suddenly, staring across the street at a small, squat building. “I don’t even see a guard inside it.”
His little cat burglar. “They probably only carry a few thousand dollars at a time in there.”
She shrugged, completely casual—intentionally so—as her eyes darted over every inch of the building. “I was just looking. I mean, you are taking me away from my work back home. I could try to steal a little time away from you one night.”
That wouldn’t be happening. Still, he laughed at her little play on words, dragging her past the building that had snagged her attention so completely. “We’re probably the only tourists in this town. I thought you didn’t like to be obvious.”
“You’re such a spoilsport. A girl has needs, you know.”
He did know. He’d gotten to know hers quite well. So he yanked her into his arms and kissed her, taking what he wanted from her. Demanding entrance and tangling his tongue with hers until she melted against him. Until he had her body all soft and pliant and ready for more. Then he pulled back.
“I know all about your needs, little mate. I think I’ve been pretty good about meeting them too.”
She shot him a saucy grin. “Such a dirty wolf.”
“Such a beautiful one.”
And so their day went. They explored, looked around, secretly investigated, all the while cuddling and teasing and kissing. Deus asked the locals questions while Beautiful charmed them, both of them pretending to be excited to learn about the nowhere town they’d happened upon. He didn’t finish his research for Luc, but he had a good start. One that he could build on once they hit the libraries and dug through cases of microfiche and old newspapers. Not his favorite things.
But the day wasn’t a complete waste. He’d spent it with his mate instead of alone. He’d even gotten a bit of a foot job sitting in a corner booth at the only restaurant in town. Bonus, though he’d definitely make her finish that later. It’d been hot as fuck to sit there and have to be still as she ran her little foot all over his cock. Her wicked smirk had been far more obvious that she’d been up to something than any reaction Deus could have given. He wanted to play more of that game—see if he could get her to break. If she could still focus on her meal if he crawled beneath the table and spread her legs. Took a little taste of her. At least, that was where his mind was as they stepped out of the restaurant.
And ran smack into a big, obviously pissed-off wolf shifter.
“You’re not welcome here,” the man said, his voice more growl than not. His long hair lay unkempt against his shoulders, and the cloak he wore looked old and threadbare. Shifter—definitely shifter. How any human in the area could see him as one of their own, Deus didn’t know. Doubted they could at all. This man was pure animal. He even reeked of the forest, a definite sense of wilderness lingering about him.
And his eyes refused to leave Deus’ mate.
Something she noticed, if the way she stiffened up and took a step closer to Deus’ side was any indication.
Deus couldn’t throw the mission, though. Couldn’t risk Luc by blowing their cover. So he kept Beautiful against him, kept his wolf chained up so he didn’t attack the man for daring to even look at his mate. And he chose his words carefully. “We’re just visiting—”
The man flipped his focus to Deus, that anger still boiling below the surface. “I don’t give a fuck why you’re here. She’s not welcome.”
The venom behind the words, the warning in them being directed at Beautiful caused Deus’ wolf to bristle hard. Caused his brain to shift into instinct mode. Deus had nothing to say to the shifter—he had to actually bite his tongue, because he knew if he opened his mouth, he’d
challenge the fucker to a battle. And though he had no problem fighting for this mate, he needed to think of Luc’s directives. To stay subtle, avoid attention. Fly under the radar. Luc’s work, this project, needed to stay as secretive as possible. Deus had to control himself too for the sake of the mission, though if the guy took one step toward Beautiful, the mission could go fuck itself.
Thankfully, the other man turned and stalked out into the street, leaving them alone. But not before looking over his shoulder at Beautiful one last time. “Leave here, or we’ll drag you out ourselves.”
Deus watched the man leave, staying in front of his mate. Standing sentry between her and the wild man. Protecting her. And when he turned, when he saw his mate’s face, all that protectiveness flared hot and bright beneath his skin.
Scared. His mate looked scared.
“Beautiful?” The word came out as a growl, his wolf responding to her obvious discomfort. At the slight bit of fear and pain on her face. Ready to fight anyone who could make her feel that way and prove his strength.
But in mere seconds, her expression changed. All that fear—that anxiety—gone. Mask in place, she shrugged as if the entire experience had meant nothing to her. “I have no idea who that was, but apparently, I’m not welcome in this town.”
“You’re welcome wherever I am. I’ll make sure of it.”
Her lips turned up in a smile, one that came nowhere near touching her eyes. Deus knew a front when he saw one. He could almost taste the lies she would spin about this moment. How she’d pretend to be brave so he wouldn’t point out a weakness. As if he’d even think of it.
So instead of pushing her, he lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “I have your back if you want to kick his ass.”
“As if I’d need help from a computer geek like you.”
“You never know. These fingers could be deadly.”
His mate laughed and tugged on his hand, leading him in the opposite direction of where the man had gone. Retreating for the moment. Deus went along willingly. This was her show, her moment. She’d been the one called out, been the one the negative energy had been focused on, and he needed to follow her lead. Right then, she was leading him away from a fight. He’d follow her anywhere, even if his instincts whispered it could be the wrong way.