To Save A Mate (A Western Shapeshifter Werewolf Romance): Somewhere, TX (VonBrandt Family Book 1)

by Krystal Shannan

  "Stop."

  Luke's arm froze in midair. He rolled his neck and stood, stepping away from Vincent and pulling her close to his side. "Don't you ever touch her again." He leaned over and Vincent cringed away from him. "Do you understand me? She's mine."

  Vincent nodded and scrambled to his feet. He took a couple steps away and then turned back.

  She could feel Luke's arm tense under her hand.

  "You'll be sorry, VonBrandt." With that threat he stormed off, pushing through the crowd of people that had gathered.

  Kara shifted uneasily from one foot to another. Students had gathered when the fight started. Phones were out. Pictures had definitely been taken and probably videos would be all over social media within minutes.

  Luke released a deep sigh, grabbed her hand and led her away from the crowd. By the time they reached the Sub, most of the onlookers had moved on.

  She pulled him to the side, into an alcove just outside the entrance to the food court doors. "You shouldn't have done that. I was taking care of it."

  "He hurt you, Kara." His blue eyes flashed with a fire of aggression she hadn't seen in him before. This primal side of him was more than a little overwhelming. But, as much as his machismo irritated her, she couldn't help but find it sexy too.

  Damn her traitorous hormones. She couldn't even be upset with him without wanting to plaster herself against his solid body and beg him to kiss her. Her body wasn't playing fair.

  She shook her head, clearing away her carnal thoughts. "I'm not yours. You don't get to say that. And you don't get to act like an animal because someone is a dick to me. I may be an emotional basket-case right now, but this," she waved her hands at him, "is not helping matters at all."

  His eyes turned bright yellow for just a second and he snarled. Not a little rumble. A full blown animalistic growl thundered from his chest.

  Her body quivered and liquid heat pooled at her core. His nostrils flared like he could smell her arousal. Thank God we're in public. If they'd been anywhere private she knew neither one of them would still be clothed.

  He narrowed his gaze, staring like he was trying to intimidate her into agreeing that he'd done the right thing. But he hadn't. He'd be damn lucky if Vincent didn't press charges.

  Kara stood her ground and glared. Luke didn't scare her. She knew no matter how angry he was, she would never be in danger from his hand.

  "Fine," he said through gritted teeth. "If you want to deal with assholes by yourself - go right ahead."

  "I will."

  The veins in his neck pulsed visibly and a tic in his cheek twitched. He was wound just as tightly as she was. She just hoped Vincent was smart enough not to confront Luke again anytime soon. That idiot was a glutton for punishment, though, and she wouldn't put it past him to gather up a few of his pals and try to jump Luke when he wasn't expecting it.

  She almost called after him. She wanted to tell him to watch for Vincent, but when she opened her mouth, words wouldn't come out. A frown pulled at the corners of her mouth and she ground her teeth. Hopefully the incident would blow over. But she wasn't betting on it.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  It was after five when she pulled into the lot next to Everyday Joe's. She hadn't seen or heard from Luke since the altercation this morning. Slamming the door on her jeep, she stalked across the parking lot toward the front entrance of the country western bar. She needed something. Anything to get her mind off stripping Luke VonBrandt naked. Even as mad at him as she was, she couldn't stop thinking about touching, tasting, and having every inch of him all to herself.

  "Aaargh!" she growled under her breath and pulled open the door. A wave of cool air conditioning washed over her damp neck, instantly making her forget the sweltering August heat outside.

  The scent of grilling beef assailed her nostrils, and she smiled. She was starving. Lunch had not appealed to her stomach, and she'd spent her entire lunch hour listening to Amy and Trish cackle on about the fight between Luke and Vincent. It hadn't surprised her. She'd known the whole campus would be gossiping in a matter of minutes.

  She headed for the bar, passing by a small crowd gathered in the karaoke corner. Some poor soul was wailing on a song like she was the next Kelly Clarkson, except she wasn't even on key. Kara winced as the girl went for the last note of the song and failed miserably.

  Sliding into a seat, she propped her chin on her elbows and waited for Joe. He was chatting with a couple at the opposite end of the bar. She didn't feel like company and had claimed the very last stool closest to the far wall. Hopefully the newly arrived college crowd would keep their distance.

  "How was the first day?"

  First day of school? Or first day officially as an orphan? She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "It's been a hell of a day."

  His eyebrows raised. "You can't drink here, baby girl, sorry."

  "I know, Joe. I just needed ... I wanted ..." Why had she come here? Why hadn't she just gone home? "Can you just pour me a coke?"

  "Of course, hon." He stepped away for a moment, filled a glass, and then returned, setting a full glass in front of her.

  "Wanna tell me what's going on with you and Luke VonBrandt?"

  She took a sip of the sweet carbonated beverage and then sighed as it burned its way down her throat. "You saw the video, didn't you?"

  He nodded.

  "It's complicated, Joe."

  "Your new ink tells me that, baby girl," he said, leaning down.

  She swallowed and met his gaze head on. "What do you know about my tattoos?"

  "Enough to know that you're in deep with that family. How much do you know?"

  "A lot."

  "Good."

  She waited for more. For questions, but they didn't come.

  Instead he just nodded his head and laid his large hand over her small one in a comforting gesture. "People are starting to notice you’re here. You should get home, unless you want to be grilled about this morning's events."

  "Yeah," she said, glancing around the half-empty bar. It was slow, even for a Monday night, but he was right, people were starting to stare. It was the curse of small town life. Everyone did their best to know everyone else's shit. "I'll see you later."

  "No problem. I'm gonna give Holly your shifts this week. Let me know if you plan to take off next week too, okay?"

  "I will. Thanks, Joe." She slid from the stool and wove her way through the tables to the front door.

  Halfway to her car, her purse started buzzing. She pulled it out, and her heart leapt in her chest. The Somewhere Sheriff's Dept ID flashed on the glass screen.

  "Hello?" Her voice sounded like she'd swallowed a toad.

  "Miss McClure? Kara?" It was Randall West, one of her dad's best friends and Somewhere's Sheriff. As a lawyer, her dad knew most of the officers in Somewhere, but Randall and his wife Tracy were always coming over for dinner and a game of poker.

  "Is something wrong, Mr. West? I mean, Sheriff? Sorry." She swallowed, hoping the knot forming in her stomach would not get worse.

  "It's okay, Kara. We've known each other long enough to make that confusing. But, I need to ask you to come down to the station if you can. We have Luke VonBrandt in custody on aggravated assault."

  "Vincent just had to go make it worse," she hissed. "Is he still there?"

  "Kara, I need you to come down and give a statement."

  Ignoring the repeated request, she continued. "Is Luke okay?" Visions of him tearing up the sheriff's department office flashed through her mind. Surely he wouldn't, though. He was smarter than that... but Vincent was good at pushing buttons. If anyone could get someone to do something without thinking, it was Vincent Harris.

  "Luke is fine. He refused to say anything." Randall chuckled. "It's driving Harris crazy. Still, I would really like to know what is going on, and I know Harris is only telling me half the story. He says he was just trying to talk to you when VonBrandt jumped him unprovoked."

  "I'll be right there." Kara t
ossed her phone back into her purse and climbed into her jeep. She pulled out of the parking lot and was in front of the police station in less than five minutes.

  Parking in the lot next to the small sheriff's office, she threw her vehicle into park and practically jogged from her jeep to the front of the building. She yanked open the door and walked past Edna at the front desk straight to Sheriff West's desk in the back.

  "Kara McClure," Edna called. "Where do you think you are going?"

  "Where are they?"

  "Did Randall call you?"

  "Edna! Where are they?"

  The older receptionist pointed down the hallway.

  Kara turned and stomped through the otherwise empty office to the interview rooms in the back. There were only three rooms in the back, and one of them was a file room.

  One of the doors in the hallway opened, and Sheriff West poked his head out. "I thought I heard you." He beckoned her toward him and moved out of the doorway so she could enter the small bare room.

  She nodded to him and turned, expecting to see Luke. Her blood boiled when Vincent's loathsome look met her gaze instead. His face looked worse than it had this morning, but she had no sympathy left for him. "You son of a turd eating hound dog!" Her voice rose in volume. "You drop the charges against Luke or I'll press the same ones against you. Or did you forget how you half wrenched my arm from its socket this morning?"

  His blue eyes darkened hatefully and he shifted his gaze from her to the Sheriff and then back.

  "Don't look at me, son. You're the one that said you were only trying to talk to Kara. This isn't the first time you've pissed off someone and gotten punched in the face for it."

  "Fine." Vincent said, running his hands through his hair. He shot her a black look. "Have it your way, bitch. You aren't worth fighting over, anyway. If he wants my scraps, he can have them."

  Heat flamed in her cheeks and tears clouded her vision.

  A crash came from behind a closed door on the other side of the hallway. She could hear Luke cursing on the other side.

  "Vincent Lee Harris, your mother would be ashamed of you," the Sheriff growled.

  Kara backed out of the room. She couldn't look West or Vincent in the eye. She just kept staring at the floor. How could he say those things? He'd cheated on her, yes, and now he acted like he'd never cared about her at all.

  "Kara, I'm so sorry." West closed the door. "Should I book Vincent? What do you want to do? You said he hurt you?"

  She shook her head. Her arm didn't even hurt anymore. It was just the only thing she could think of to use against Vincent. His parents would shit bricks if their perfect son got booked for assaulting a girl. His ex-girlfriend, to make matters worse.

  Something hit the wall with a thud inside the room where Luke was, and she jumped, startled. Another volley of curses followed the crash.

  "I just need to go home. I don't want to talk to either one of them." She turned and darted down the hallway, past Edna, out into the parking lot. Tears spilled from her eyes, burning salty trails down her cheeks.

  She wiped her face and sucked in a deep breath. Climbing into her jeep, she shoved the stick into drive and pulled out of the lot. The drive to her house was short. Minutes later she pulled into the garage, parked, and pressed the button to close the metal door on the setting sun. It fell into place with a thud, and she entered the house.

  Throwing her purse on the kitchen counter, she went straight for her dad's liquor cabinet and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. A shot or two of Maker’s Mark would help her forget the shit of the day. The frustrations and the longings.

  She downed two shots when the doorbell echoed through the house, breaking the dark silence with its cheerful tune. Fuck. Now what?

  Leaving the empty shot glass on the counter, she walked through the kitchen to the front door. She stopped in front of it, holding her breath. It was him. She could feel him.

  "Kara." Luke's deep voice bellowed from the other side of the door. "I know you're there."

  "Go away," she said, but her voice was barely above a whisper.

  "Please." His voice was raw, and she could almost feel his need through the closed door. Her body hummed with anticipation, begging her to let him inside.

  She took the last step forward and opened the heavy front door.

  Luke burst through, catching her into his arms and capturing her mouth with his in one fluid movement. He kicked the door shut behind him and she heard him fiddle with the deadbolt until it fell into place.

  He thrust his tongue deep into her mouth and his hands tore at the baggy t-shirt she was wearing. She lifted her arms, and he groaned his appreciation. He grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head, releasing her mouth just long enough for the fabric to pass between them.

  He pulled his head back and grasped her chin with one of his hands. She met his heated blue gaze and her insides melted. "I need you, Kara. I need you to be mine."

  "I am." She was. It'd happened so fast, but she was his. Body and soul. She needed him with the same all-consuming desire that flowed from him.

  He lifted her from the ground and carried her to her room, laying her on her back in the center of her bed. His hands caressed her breasts and deftly unhooked the front clasp of her bra, freeing them from their silk prison. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as he ran his fingers down her torso and hooked them in the waistband of her sweats. Pulling slowly, he bared her completely and tossed the clothes over his shoulder. Then he stood and stripped out of his clothes.

  Kara pulled her arms out of her bra and tossed it over the side of her bed just as he knelt between her legs. She caressed his arms as he settled his weight into the cradle of her hips, his hard erection prodding at her slick entrance.

  His mouth sought hers again, and she moaned as his tongue danced with hers, mirroring what she hoped his cock would be doing inside her soon. She arched her hips and ran her hands down his muscled torso. God help her, his body was amazing.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Luke nudged her thighs open further and slid deep into her slick entrance. Her body welcomed him without hesitation, and her legs closed around his waist, pulling him even deeper. Supporting most of his weight on either elbow, he started to move in and out, slowly and methodically. She made sexy little sounds as he pulled almost all the way out before driving back in hard and deep.

  His cock strained, and it took all his concentration not to come right away. He kept his movement varied and teasing, enjoying the feel of her nails raking up and down his back. Capturing a nipple with his mouth, he sucked hard, then scraped it with his teeth just a little. She moaned beneath him and arced her back, pushing the breast closer. Moving to the other nipple, he teased and laved until it too stood erect and hardened. A little nip brought a mewl of pleasure from her throat and tightened his balls.

  He slipped his hands beneath her lower back, holding her in place and rolled so that she was straddling him. Her gorgeous breasts swung freely, enticing him with each movement. Her pink nipples were swollen and begging to be kissed. He pulled her closer so he could do just that, and her gaze heated, watching him from beneath hooded eyelids.

  She tasted deliciously female. Soft, supple, and just a little sweet.

  He grabbed her hips and guided her up and down on his dick, groaning as pleasure coursed through his body. A few moments into the ride, she took control. Placing her hands on his chest she rode him hard, grinding her mound against his pelvis and squeezing his dick for everything it was worth.

  He sucked in a breath and reached for her bouncing breasts. Kneading them gently, he fondled until they swelled and hung heavy with arousal.

  The sounds coming from Kara were exquisite - mewls and cries and moans meant to bring a man to the brink of losing control. He was so close, but unwilling to let it end just yet. Not that either of them would get much sleep tonight.

  "You're so beautiful, Kara," he said.

  Her legs tightened around his waist, an
d she breathed deeply. She was so close to orgasm, she was having trouble focusing on anything else.

  He smiled, knowing exactly how he wanted her to finish.

  Sitting up, he grasped her face and pulled her in close for a kiss. Their lips and tongues tangled and he swore she even nipped. Her hands gripped his shoulders, and she never quit moving, thrusting her body up and down his hard dick.

  Moonlight flowed in through the cracks in the blinds and made her creamy skin glow. She was a glorious vision he didn't think he'd ever forget.

  "L-Luke, please," she moaned, laying her head against his shoulder. "I need." Her body shuddered against his and she clung to him as if she were holding on for dear life.

  He leaned her backward, wrapping one arm around her back and clamping his hand on her shoulder to hold her still. He could also balance on the one arm he had under her while he slipped the other hand between their sweat-slicked bodies. Tracing his fingers down her flat stomach, he slid it further down until he found her slick little bud.

  Speeding up his thrusts, he teased her clit and whispered in her ear how good she felt and how hard he wanted to make her come. Her breathing had turned to pants by now and she moaned even more in response to his words.

  "I want you to fly for me, baby," he said, nipping her ear, and then pinched her clit. The only way this joining would satisfy the bond and seal them together permanently was through a mate lock. He hadn't known how to explain it ahead of time, and now he could only hope she wouldn't freak out.

  He thrust hard, joining them deeply and completely. Her body shattered beneath him and a scream of pleasure tore from her lungs as an orgasm claimed her body. She was so tight, almost on the edge of painful. It was unlike anything he'd ever experienced with another woman. Then his body tensed and his shout joined hers as his seed poured into her and his dick swelled even more as her body squeezed harder.

  She whimpered beneath him.