Season of the Wolf (BBW Holiday Romance)

by Mason, Marie

  What the fuck did he do now?

  “So, Mr. Dupree, have you ever mated?”

  He threw her a sideways glance. Did she know? Did she know they were mates? His instincts told him no. Besides, the knowledge was not instantaneous for humans as it was for shifters. No, the damn fates who decided to screw with shifters and give them a human mate didn’t put one extra iota of attraction in the human’s psyche. The wolf had to work for every smile or kiss they got from their chosen mate until the actual bonding took place.

  “Are you asking me if I’ve ever fucked?” One dark brow rose above his eye. “I’m a wolf shifter. What do you think?”

  She cleared her throat nosily. “I realize that you’ve had sexual relations before–”

  “My name is Jason, Jason Dupree.”

  Polite little thing that she was, she immediately introduced herself. “Priscilla Johnson.”

  “You can call me Jason.”

  “I don’t think that will be necessary.”

  “Oh, I do sweetheart. If you’re going to ask me about my mating habits, I think we need to be on first name basis, don’t you? Priscilla.”

  Oh boy, Priscilla thought, this man was definitely alpha. Extremely alpha.

  And damned if she wasn’t instantly turned on.

  “I’ll be asking several members of your pack about mating, Mr. Durpee. But I realize this isn’t the time to conduct an interview.”

  She thought she heard him say something suspiciously like ‘not if I can help it’ under his breath before he turned his attention back to the road.

  Her pussy had started tingling at the rich, dark sound of her name on his lips. What was it about this man that suddenly had her hormones ratcheting up into high gear? She hadn’t been attracted to a man in, well. Never. Even the two men she’d slept with over the years had been more in way of experimentation than actual attraction. She’d wondered what all the fuss and mystery was about and went about losing her virginity the same why she approached everything in life. Logically. Her first encounter had been with a boy in high school, a fellow member of her science club. They’d studied the anatomical charts and read how-to articles on-line. The experience hadn’t been mind-blowing or even pleasant. Plus, afterwards, the boy refused to talk to her. As if the somewhat less than satisfying experience had been her fault somehow. A week later he’d been seen with a more popular girl–a thinner girl–and she’d experienced her first feelings of self-consciousness concerning her size and sexual attraction to the opposite sex.

  In college, she had decided that she shouldn’t judge the entire sexual experience on one failed attempt by a teenage boy who had known little more than she had. With through investigation and another logical plan, she’d approached one of her professors and the man had eagerly agreed to help her. It was ridiculously easy to find a man to have sex with, even for a chubby girl such as herself. That experience, unfortunately, hadn’t been very pleasant either. Apparently, men were selfish lovers at any age.

  That, and her recent discovery about the shifter world, plus the extreme fascination she had with wolves despite her early childhood trauma, had led her to the subject to her doctoral dissertation. Shifters mated for life. It didn’t matter what physical features the other person had or didn’t have, the attraction was instantaneous. Or was it? That was what she wanted to find out.

  Shifters were not a subject spoken of highly in the academic world. Probably because they were shrouded in secrets they were unwilling to share with the general population. And the fact that their entire history, once thought of as ancient myths and fairytales, were indeed fact. She’d broached the subject to her department head cautiously. Her dissertation would push the boundaries of acceptable scientific research, but she was sure it would make a fascinating study. It was only through her friendship with Jason’s sister, Mary Jackson, that the alpha of the Montana pack had agreed to allow her on shifter land.

  She shivered suddenly and rubbed her hands up and down her arms. She studied the snow through the windshield. Had it gotten heavier? Jason immediately reached out and turned up the heat.

  Priscilla had met Mary during one of her master level courses. In getting to know each other, the woman had confessed she was a wolf shifter. When Priscilla had explained the basis premises of her research, sexual attraction and how she’d like to emphasis shifter mating, she’d been more than willing to help. She’d invited Priscilla to stay at her house while she conducted her interviews. She’d also invited her to spend the holidays with her family.

  The radio crackled and Jason picked up the receiver. Priscilla tried to follow the conversation, but the static and the acronyms used by both Jason and the woman on the other end made it impossible.

  “Shit.” Jason cursed as he put the radio receiver back in place. His face had tightened into a mask of anger.

  “Is something wrong?” She was almost afraid to ask.

  “Yeah, something’s wrong alright. The highway patrol has shut down the road into Winter.”

  “So?”

  He threw her a look that questioned her intelligence.

  “Can’t you just take another way?”

  “No, I can’t just take another way. There is one road in and out of Winter. That’s what makes it so unique for us. But it also makes it damn inconvenient. Especially when something like this happens.” Jason shifted into low gear, even now having some difficulty cutting through the accumulating snow. Hell, if he was by himself, he’d simply abandon the car and make his way back home in wolf form. But with the woman by his side, that wasn’t an option. Keeping her warm and safe however was going to prove difficult.

  His wolf growled. Protecting their mate was now the only thing that mattered.

  “Can’t you just power through?”

  “I’m not some damned wizard that can make the car levitate, woman.” He knew his voice came out as a loud shout and a painful silence suddenly filled the car. Damn it.

  He wrenched the wheel as he hit a snowdrift. Thankfully, the highway was flat and the only danger was driving off the asphalt, not over a damn mountainside. That would happen in just a few more miles.

  “Look, I’m sorry I got upset. This wasn’t how I was planning on spending my Friday night.” He wasn’t about to tell her the truth—that the thought of being snowed in with her was about to drive his wolf insane. He glanced at her afraid to take his eyes of the road for very long. She sat very still, gripping the edges of her seat.

  “I, umm.”

  She licked her lips and he just about forgot everything. The snow. The treacherous road. His own damn name. He mind filled with the image of her on her knees, the tip of his cock nudging its way inside of her mouth.

  “Are there really such things as wizards?”

  “What?”

  “Do wizards exist?”

  Jason snorted. He didn’t want to get into an explanation of the supernatural world with his mate. He had a feeling the things he would soon be revealing would be mind-boggling enough. “I’ve never met one, so I can’t really say for sure.”

  “That’s a very politically correct statement.”

  His mind was racing with the options he had for getting her to safety. He knew the highway patrol was probably erring on the side of caution by closing the road. The road back to the airport would be getting as impassable as the one before him. Plus, he couldn’t see them spending a comfortable night in the rundown metal building. Or a couple of nights. Really, did he have any other choice but to ‘power through’ as she’d so innocently pointed out until he could go no further?

  His eyes swept over the landscape, determining their exact location. The closest shelter, besides some abandoned caves, was a small cabin on the edge of pack land. If he could make it a couple of more miles in the car, it could be reached.

  “We’re in trouble aren’t we?” The fear in her voice tore at him. It was a wolf’s number one objective to keep his mate safe, free of fear.

  “Don’t worry, d
arling.” He looked at her and felt the tug on his heart. She looked so small sitting beside him. The decision to abandon the car and seek shelter at the cabin was made for him as the wind shifted, catching the undercarriage of the SUV. That, combined with the snow-packed surface of the road was enough to send the vehicle skidding off the asphalt.

  Jason cursed as he brought the vehicle to a halt. The passenger side had tilted downward. “Are you okay?” he growled, reaching for Priscilla. He sent up a silent thank-you that she had refastened her seatbelt after she’d removed her coat. As it was, her head had made contact with the side window.

  “I’m okay, I guess.” Her voice was a little woozy and it worried him. The skin wasn’t broken skin and the small bump seemed to be the extent of her injuries. He touched the knot that had already begun to form on the side of her head. She sat there, a dazed look still in her beautiful green eyes. He wanted nothing more than to gather her in his arms and kiss her better. He moved his hand from the side of her head and cupped the curve of her jaw. “I’m going to see if I can get us out of this freaking snow bank. You stay put,” he ordered.

  “I guess I probably should,” she said, a rueful smile curving her pretty lips as she rubbed the side of her head.

  As soon as Jason opened the door, the cold, bitter window blew in, cutting through his coat like a knife. Yeah, his wolf would keep him warm, but he hated the fucking snow. The SUV sat an angle, part on the road, part off the road. As he walked around the front of the vehicle, he let out a string of low, succulent curses. A thin trail of black oozed through the white of the snow. He crotched down in front of the car, knowing what he’d find even before he did. He’d busted the oil pan. Damn. Shit. Fuck. Double fuck.

  As he rose, he heard the sound of the passenger door opening. Before he could warn her to stay inside, she’d already opened it and sank knee deep into the snow. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  Priscilla instantly bristled under Jason’s hostile tone. Then she moaned as the snow closed around her feet and legs. Damn, the white stuff was cold. She immediately regretted her decision to leave the comfort of the nice, warm cab. “I thought I could help.”

  “You could have helped by staying in the cab, woman.”

  “Yeah, well, too late for that. Can we push it back on the road?” She tried to huddle against the SUV to conserve her warmth. He moved to her side, cutting through the large drifts of snow as if walking through water. She breathed a sigh of thanks when he stepped in front of her, blocking out most of the wind and snow.

  “Yeah, I can get it back on the road, but it won’t do any good.”

  “Is the snow that bad?” She looked up at him, blinking as snowflakes landed on her lashes. For one instant she forgot the wind, the cold, everything, as time seemed to slow down. He was bare headed, exposed to the elements and looked wonderful, his dark hair lifted by the wind. Hunger struck her. Hunger for this man’s touch. This man’s kiss.

  “It’s not going to get any better, that’s for damn sure.”

  He reached out and pulled her hat down on her head. She’d forgotten to put on her scarf and gloves. Her hands were shoved in the pockets of her jacket. His body seemed to generate heat and she stepped closer. What would it feel like to have another spirit inside you? One that made you stronger, faster and apparently warmer. Her lips curled a little at his tone. He sounded more like a grumpy bear than a snow-stranded wolf.

  “What are we going to do?”

  “Do you trust me, Priscilla?”

  “Of course.” There was no hesitation in her answer and sincerity rang in her voice.

  “Thank you.” Having the faith and trust of your mate was one of the most important things to a wolf. Besides her love and devotion. And the need for hot, rough sex.

  “There’s a cabin about two miles up the road. Less if we cut through the woods.”

  Two miles? As she did many times during her life, Priscilla regretted the fact that she hated exercise and rarely did so. She knew if she exercised more and ate less her thighs wouldn’t be quite so round and her butt not so large. But she hated exercise almost as much as she loved food.

  The prospect of walking two miles in the falling snow was not her idea of a fun time. “Okay.” She smiled her acceptance of the situation to him. She’d already figured out their choices were limited and now that the vehicle was damaged, the option to stay in the SUV was gone.

  “Good girl.”

  Her stomach quivered and she was almost embarrassed to admit her pussy clenched just a little at his deep, rough words. She could imagine him saying those same exact words when he praised her for obeying his commands in bed. Looking at his tall, towering frame, she knew there’d be very few, if any, orders she wouldn’t obey. When it came to sex. Otherwise, she was still a pretty independent woman who didn’t like to be told what to do. Like now.

  He was saying something but her lascivious thoughts had made her miss some of it. When he bent to pick her up in his arms, she backed away. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going to carry you to the cabin.”

  “Oh, no you’re not. I’m perfectly capable of walking on my own.”

  “You’re going to get wet and be frozen solid by the time we get there.”

  She didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to know what he was leaving unsaid was the glaring fact that he could probably shift and be in the cabin before a roaring fire in no time flat. She, a weak—overweight—human female would slow him down considerable.

  “I’m already wet and frozen,” she bit out sarcastically. “I can walk.”

  She felt a moment of guilt, realizing her refusal would delay him reaching the cabin. Then she thought, tough noogies. He was a shifter, he wouldn't suffer from the cold. Or at least she didn’t think he would. She bit her lip and frowned.

  “No,” he said looking down at her with a scowl.

  She looked up, snowflakes falling across her frozen cheeks. “You don’t know what I was going to say.”

  “Yes, I do.” He bent his knees until he was looking straight into her eyes. “I am not leaving you in the SUV.”

  “But you would–“

  “Don’t make be take you over my knee, woman.”

  Priscilla gasped. She wasn’t sure if it was from outrage of his threat, the caveman way he said ‘woman’, or the full-body rush of lust she felt at the threat of being turned over his knee. “Let me get my scarf and gloves.”

  Jason cursed as Priscilla turned away from the protection of his body to open the door and promptly fell on her butt. Now, not only was her lower body wet from her feet to her knees, the back of her thighs were covered in snow. Cursing stubborn females everywhere, he picked her up, kicked away the snow surrounding her and brushed away as much of the snow as he could. His hand lingered on the rounded flesh of her ass, cupping the swollen curve. How he wanted her on her hands and knees as he thrust inside her from behind, his hands gripping the soft flesh of her hips.

  Her breath hissed from between gritted teeth at his touch and he smiled. She’d soon learn if she was going to be so damn stubborn about everything, she would pay a price. His threat of spanking was not an empty one. It was not unheard of for a wolf to discipline an unruly mate with hard, swift strokes on a rounded ass. Or, taking that ass, pounding inside that tight opening. He clamped down on his thoughts. First things first. Shelter, warmth and food.

  She jumped when he put his hand between her thighs and used the excuse of brushing away the snow to press against her pussy. He would have sworn to his alpha that he could feel the heat burning his hand. Even though his wolf enjoyed the intimate feel of their mate beneath the man’s hand, he growled, reminding Jason he was playing when he needed to get Priscilla to shelter as fast as he could. He opened the door and picked up the radio. The static was still strong, but he relayed the message that they would be seeking shelter at the cabin. He hoped Wanda understood and told his sister. He didn’t want her worrying about them. He quickly retr
ieved Priscilla’s gloves and scarf and grabbed a wool blanket from behind the seat.

  “Damn foolish woman,” he muttered as he turned back to her. She was already shivering. Hustling her into her gloves, he wound the scarf around her head and face until only her eyes were visible. He had to smile at the heat being directed at him from those bright orbs. Next, he took out his pocket knife and cut a hole in the blanket, making her a rough poncho. He slipped it over her head, careful not to upset the scarf.

  “Ready?” He wished now he had thought to bring a pair of gloves and hat for himself. His wide brim sheriff hat would do little against the cold or the snow.

  She nodded, which was about all she could do with her mouth covered by the soft knit of her scarf. It went against his every instinct to allow her to push her way through the ever deepening snow, but he did.

  Priscilla made it just fine the first half of a mile, staying on the path Jason made as he cut through the snow with seemingly very little effort. She had to admit the wool blanket did a lot to block out the wind on her back and front. But, even with the wide path Jason made, by the end of the mile, the snow was clinging to the end of the blanket and her blue jeans now looked very, very whitewashed.

  He didn’t allow himself to get too far ahead but he didn’t baby her either. She could tell he was worried about her though, because he kept looking back over his shoulder. When had someone cared for her this way? If she’d been with any other man, they would have left her at the truck to fend for herself. None would have even suggested they carry her.

  It was at the end of the first mile that she felt her legs grow weaker. Her breath was coming in large puffy gasps and her body was starting to shiver uncontrollably. She seriously couldn’t feel her feet anymore. She cursed the independent streak inside her that had insisted she was capable of making it on her own. What would it have hurt to have the big, strong shifter carry her? Wasn’t that the fantasy of every woman? Having a great big man rescue you? Stupid, stupid, stupid, she berated herself, right before she fell, head long into the snow.