by Kele Moon
“It’s my job to protect you.” Jason was furious, and he knew his voice betrayed the wolf in him. “You are asking me to go against my nature.”
Brandi leaned into him and ran her fingers through his hair. Her touch calmed him—and she knew it because he told her so the night before. She rubbed his chest and even undid a few buttons on his shirt to touch his skin. He loved the skin-to-skin contact and she used it to her advantage, but he still looked away from her rather than give in.
“You will protect me.” Brandi reached up and touched his face, forcing him to look back to her until their gazes locked. “You’ll be there. I know I’m safe. You killed three wolves to save me. This time you’ll even have help. We need to find this terrible alpha before he takes another woman. I can’t live with knowing it’s going to happen and do nothing about it.” She gave him a desperate, pleading look. “Please, baby?”
Jazz chuckled. “Baby?”
Jason jerked his face out of her hold and growled at Jazz.
“Hey, Sorry.” Jazz looked unfazed. “I just never thought I’d see the day someone would call you a baby and not get their asses beaten.”
Brandi turned and shot Jazz a dirty look. “You’re not helping, and for your info, I call him that because he loves my breasts.”
“Oh. Got it.” Jazz laughed. “Kinky for a human. I guess you got more wolf in you than we thought. Are you sure he hasn’t changed you?” His gaze went to Brandi’s breasts. “But, I see the draw. It would put me in a mindset to want to put my mouth—”
Jason snarled. “Don’t look at her!”
Desmon was grinning. “Jazz, maybe you should go outside? You’re aggravating him more.”
“It’s good for him. Like you, he’s way too intense.” Jazz snorted with amusement when Jason growled again. “I’ll go.”
He walked out of the cabin looking completely unremorseful.
“Think about it,” Desmon said softly. “I’ll go outside and let you two talk about this. It’s between mates. I’ll give you privacy to discuss it, but I need an answer.”
Desmon followed his best friend and left the cabin.
Once they were alone, Jason shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. I don’t want you to be a target.”
“I understand, but I want to help catch this bastard.” Brandi sighed, looking so incredible earnest despite the scent of fear clinging to her. “He laughed when he told me to run for my life, like it was funny to him that he was sending four of his men to tear me apart and leave my body parts in the woods. I want to stop it from happening to someone else. I know you’ll keep me safe. I trust you with my life, Jason, but I want to do this. I want you to support me on doing this.”
Everything in him wanted to fight against it, but he growled in defeat. “I am not happy, but I’ll support your decision, darlin’. I know why it’s important to you, but I want to warn you that if you’re there when I get my teeth into that bastard, it’s going to be brutal and blood is going to rain down on your apartment. You might want to take an umbrella with you.”
She smiled up at him. “I saw one by your door. I’ll take it with me.”
He slowly smiled. “I’ll keep you safe.”
“I know you will. There’s no doubt in my mind.”
“I wish you’d let me change you over first. You’d be stronger and faster.”
She shook her head. “Even if I were willing, you heard Desmon. The fact that I’m still human is going to make him come after me. If you changed me, I’d be a wolf and he might not want me.”
“You smell like wolf. You’re my mate.”
“And you heard Jazz. Perfume will confuse their noses long enough to let them think I’m just regular human, like I was when they caught me. We needed to go by my apartment anyway. I’m down to one bra. You broke the straps to the other one on purpose.”
He laughed. “I was in a hurry to get you naked. Would I really destroy your bra on purpose?”
She stared up at him, a smile tugged at her lips, and she didn’t even hesitate before she said, “In a heartbeat.”
Jason laughed and held up his hands. “I’m guilty.”
“Go tell them we’ll do this. I want to get it over with.”
Jason’s smile died; the pain of agreeing made his chest hurt, but he did it anyway. “All right.”
****
Brandi let Jason go and walked upstairs, desperate for a few minutes alone to clear her thoughts. She sat on their bed and took deep breaths to still the wild surge of panic that was making her heart beat rapidly out of control.
She was putting her life in danger to catch a killer. That terrible alpha who set her up to be murdered in the most brutal way possible needed to be caught. He’d masterminded her abduction for nothing more than territory, and he trained his pack to be mindless killers. She’d survived this much. Brandi knew she could do this, and she’d have Jason there to protect her.
Gathering her nerve, she stood and headed downstairs again. She found Jazz and Desmon standing in the living room next to Jason, and forced a smile. “So when do you want to do this?”
“Today.” Desmon eyed her for a second before he admitted, “I sent one of my men to your apartment yesterday. He smelled wolf. That other pack’s been watching your place.”
A fresh surge of fear slammed into her when she thought about that alpha stalking her home, but she pushed it down as Jason walked over to her.
Brandi knew he could smell her fear, and gave him a smile. “I’m okay.”
He wrapped his arms around her protectively. “It’s not too late to change your mind, darlin’. I’m hoping you will. We’ll catch them sooner or later.”
“But later will mean after someone else dies,” she said softly. “Let’s just do this and catch the bastard.”
Jason nodded grimly, and then leaned down to press a kiss against her forehead.
Desmon cleared his throat. “She needs to bathe in scented soap. I bought scented lotion too. I even obtained clothing worn by a human female from town. She’s a friend to the pack. You know Roni from the bar in town, Jason. We told her what was going on and she agreed to lend us some of her clothing and her home. All of it will hide your scent on your mate. You’re going to have to resist the urge you’ll experience to get your scent back on her. I hear it’s a strong impulse when a mate doesn’t smell like you anymore.”
Jason nodded. “I understand.”
Desmon looked to Brandi. “We’re going to drive you to Roni’s house. You’ll take your bath there and we’ll stay back so there’s no scent transfer from us. Roni is lending you her truck to drive, that way you’ll smell like another human and not us. We’re going to be following you in two cars. All you have to do is drive to your apartment and wait. We’ll be outside to protect you. When shit hits the fan, you lock yourself inside somewhere safe. We already have one car at your place with two other enforcers there as back up.”
She took another long, steadying breath. “Okay.”
“Let’s go.” Desmon eyed Jason, before he said solemnly, “We’ll protect your mate with our lives.”
“I know that.” Jason nodded. Then he turned and suddenly grabbed Brandi. He lifted her up in his arms and hugged her.
She wound her arms around his neck, clinging to him as tightly as he held her. “I’m going to be fine, baby.”
Jazz laughed. “Sorry,” he chuckled. “It’s just that now every time I hear her call you that, I see you with a breast in your mouth. Mental image.”
Jason growled and planted a kiss on Brandi’s lips. He was completely unapologetic as he looked down between them, eyeing her tits as he said, “And what nice breasts they are.”
Brandi laughed. “Can you put me down now?”
He shook his head. “Let’s go.”
Jason not only carried her out to Desmon’s waiting SUV, but he made Brandi sit on his lap in the backseat, holding her tightly the entire ride. She let him do it without complaint. He was worried about her safet
y and she knew it. She was scared too, so she hugged him back.
Jazz turned in the front passenger seat and frowned. “She’s going to be safe, Jason. Do you honestly think we’d let him hurt your mate?”
“She’s human,” Jason said softly. “One wound could kill her. She’s so damn fragile. You have no idea how fragile she is.”
“You think I have no idea?” Jazz sounded almost insulted. “You know I get it. You know Des does too. We’ll protect her, Jason. They won’t even get close enough to see the color of her eyes.”
Jason hugged Brandi tighter rather than respond, and she almost winced. “Speaking of fragile, you’re about to crush me.”
Jason eased up on his hold and brushed a kiss against her forehead. “Sorry.”
Brandi smiled at him. “Never be sorry for hug injuries.”
“What about sex ones?” he asked playfully.
She laughed. “That depends on how good it feels when they occur and what you did to cause them.”
Jason hugged her once more. “I know the circumstances sucked, but I’m almost grateful to those assholes for what they did to you. It brought you into my life.”
She nodded. “I know.”
Brandi studied Jason. In just days, this man had become everything to her. He was loving, protective, fun—and she loved him. Staring into his eyes as he held her tightly on his lap, she knew she loved him more than she’d ever loved anything in her life.
Jason rubbed her thigh and asked, “What’s that look for? It looks like you want me, and I like it a hell of a lot.”
She smiled. “Ask me tonight when we’re alone.”
“Sex fantasy?” Jason’s grin grew wide and devious. “I love your fantasies.”
“Well, I do have a few of those.” She laughed. “I have a vivid imagination.”
Jason softly growled at her. “Want to share?”
“Wait until later,” Jazz groaned from the front seat. “The scent of you two makes me hard and it’s just mean to torture your co-alpha. Your mate is getting more aroused, Jason, so knock it off.”
“Ask me if I care if you’re uncomfortable,” Jason asked. “I’m still pissed we’re doing this in the first place.”
“She does smell distracting, and I assume you want us focused for this job,” Desmon said from the driver’s seat. “Let’s get this over with, and then Jazz and I will stay on the other end of pack lands until the honeymoon is over. You can do all the kinky human sex things you want.”
Brandi flushed and Jason winked at her. “Great noses, and you do smell very good when you get turned on.”
She shifted on his lap, purposely rubbing against the hard ridge under her ass. Jason bit his lip and his eyes narrowed. Brandi grinned at him and moved again, rubbing him with her ass.
“Keep it up,” Jason warned her. “And I’ll ask Des to pull over right here in the woods. They can stay in the SUV while I take you out there and show you what you’re doing to me.”
She laughed, because she needed the teasing to break the fear and tension of what she was about to do. Jason grinned, making it obvious he needed the games more than Brandi did.
“No time.” Desmon shook his head with a snort of amusement. “Sorry. We need to get to Roni’s and I want to be at Brandi’s place by dark. It’s a long drive.”
Jason groaned and asked Brandi, “How far away did you live?”
“Almost two and a half hours away.”
“Shit.” Jason eased her off his lap. “You better sit there, darlin’, or I’ll end up embarrassing the hell out of you by taking you right here, and I don’t give a damn who’s around.”
Brandi’s eyes widened, because he sounded serious. She scooted to the other side and gave him a dirty look. “I’d care a whole lot, and I hope you remember that. I’m not an exhibitionist.”
“That’s just depressing.” Jazz chuckled from the front seat. “I was hoping.”
Desmon laughed with him. “Keep it up and you know Jason is going to kick your ass.”
“He could try,” Jazz challenged. “Maybe it’ll help me work off the frustration.”
Jason sighed. “I can’t wait for you both to find mates.”
“Oh yeah.” Brandi agreed. “That will be fun. Maybe they’ll fall for humans.”
“No fucking way. I’m not going through that again.” Desmon shook his head. “No offense, Brandi, but that’s not in my future.”
Jazz didn’t say anything. Brandi glanced at his face and she saw such stark grief, it stunned her. She frowned and eyed Jason, seeing that he looked heartsick for his friend. He shook his head and motioned for her to be quiet. It was obvious Jason regretted bringing up the mate issue to begin with.
Somehow what she’d said had made Jazz sad. Maybe he’d fallen for a human and she hadn’t been able to accept what he was. Brandi changed the subject instead, asking Jason if he wanted her to move all of her things while they were there or if they were planning a future trip.
Her lease had five more months left on it, but she had never once considered dragging Jason into the human world, even though he offered. He was a god in the woods. He belonged there, and Brandi worked from home. She could do her job anywhere. Forcing him to move would make him miserable, and she loved him too much for that.
Chapter Thirteen
Roni was a petite, curvy brunette with big brown eyes. Her hair was long, hanging clear down to her ass in thick mahogany curls. She wore skin-tight jeans and a low-cut top that showed off impressive cleavage. The beautiful woman shot Jason, Desmon and Jazz a semi-frown, and then she smiled widely at Brandi.
“What in the hell is a pretty girl like you doing hanging out with these mangy mutts?”
“They’re kind of cute.” Brandi grinned. “They’re growing on me.”
Roni eyed the three men. She let her gaze run down each of them. “They’re okay, but then, I don’t really notice all the doggies in town. They aren’t my thing.”
Desmon chuckled. “Thank God for something. I couldn’t handle it if you mated up with one of mine. That’d officially make you one of my problems. Roni, you’re too much for anyone to handle, even me, and I’m a professional problem handler.”
The brunette grinned and then hugged Desmon like a brother. “Damn straight. I haven’t seen you in the bar in a while. You should show your face more.”
“I’ve been busy.” Desmon let her go with a grin. “One of these days I’ll get a break.”
“I hope so. We miss you.” Roni turned to Jazz with a glare. “You, on the other hand, need to stay away. I was cleaning up blood for days after the last time with that Goodwin pack wolf you beat the shit out of. It was on the ceiling. True story. I was on a ladder scrubbing it, but I’ll forgive you because he grabbed my ass.”
Jazz hugged the woman and swatted her ass playfully. “This here is protected land.”
Roni turned and showed them her jean-clad ass. “Could you protect it from gravity? Getting old is a bitch.”
Jazz laughed. “It looks great to me, but I could find you a mate who’d walk around behind you to hold it up if you’re worried.”
Desmon snorted. “You think we have anyone that brave in our pack? Jason was the toughest besides us and he’s mated now.”
“Someone took you on?” Roni spun in shock and grabbed Jason’s thick biceps through his shirt. “I’ve been waiting for this day forever. Who’s the bitch? What pack did she flee from?”
Jason gave her a wide, amused smile. “She’s not a bitch and she’s right here. Brandi’s my mate.”
The raw shock showed on Roni’s face, but she obviously tried to recover before it showed. She slammed her mouth shut and studied Brandi with renewed interest. “Wow, and you decided to stay human?”
Brandi nodded.
“Good for you.” Roni grinned. “He looks mean, but we all grew up together. He’s a pussycat.”
Jason growled, but Roni didn’t even flinch. She just lifted her hand and flipped him off. “They don�
��t like cat references, so if he’s being a pain in your ass, just buy some yarn, toss it out, and tell him to go play.”
Brandi laughed. “He’s informed me he doesn’t have the urge to chase balls.”
“I like you.” Roni looped her arm through Brandi’s as if they were the best of friends. “Now let’s get you de-dog scented and make you smell sweet again.”
“I resent that,” Jason growled. “And she smells real sweet, if you’re interested.”
Brandi tugged her arm free and closed the distance to Jason. She touched his stomach and tilting her head up to stare into his eyes. “I love your scent. Kiss me bye since we can’t touch for a while.”
Jason lowered his head and cupped her face with both of his hands. The kiss he planted on her left her panting for air when he slowly released her. His gaze went to Desmon. “Please? Twenty minutes.”
“I know it’s hard to separate when you’re first mated, but no.” Desmon shook his head. “We need to get there before dark. We want her noticed, Jason, out in daylight so they’re sure it’s her. You’ll have her back soon enough. I swear.”
Jason lowered his gaze. “When I get you alone…”
She nodded and stepped back, making him release her. “I feel the same way.”
“I know.” He took a long, deep breath, as though savoring it. “You smell good enough to lick for hours, darlin’.”
“Enough of that.” Roni gripped her arm. “There are some things I’m happier not knowing.”
Roni had a nice cabin. The only bathroom was downstairs, and the bath had already been drawn. Roni pointed at Brandi. “Strip. I have to take these out. We want to make sure your present scent and the new one don’t get mixed. You’d be amazed at how well their noses can pick up little things like that.”