Third Rank Penn Lake Wolves Book Three

by Clare Atling

  ‘I don’t think. I know. When I first saw you, it was your scent that drove me crazy with need. You smell like lavender and sweet roses. Then, when you opened your eyes, I knew you were mine and I knew I would do anything to keep you safe.’ He bent and kissed her lips so sweetly that all she could do was sigh. ‘I know you have been through a lot and you need time to process everything that has happened with you parents. I don’t ever want you to be afraid of me. I’m not like one of those creature you saw that night that took your parents away from you. I want you to feel safe with me. Trust me.’

  ‘I do trust you and feel safe with you, Brandon,’ she replied. ‘More than you will ever know. But I’m not the mate for you. I’m not a good person and I’ll end up hurting you.’ Her eyes stung with the tears that were now trailing down her cheeks.

  ‘I know you’re not a bad person, Maggie. Don’t say that about yourself. The only way you could ever hurt me is not to have trust in me. I’ve never seen anyone so beautiful...’ His mouth was on hers quicker than she could think, pressing together like she was his last meal. She could feel his tongue searching for entrance and she opened to him, enjoying the moment, moaning to let him know how she felt. Maggie pressed against him, revelling in the hardness against her soft body. One of his hands was curled tightly in her hair to shift the angle of the kiss, whilst the other rubbed against the bottom of her breast.

  She was so hot for him and knew the supernatural pull was making her feel this way, but she still had a job to do. She had to get Marcus one of the brothers and save herself. She hoped, in the years to come, she could ask for Brandon’s forgiveness and he would find a place for her in his heart again. Brandon drew back and looked down at her.

  ‘You okay? It felt like you disconnected for a moment there.’ She was still wrapped up in his strong arms, loving the feel of his warmth against her.

  ‘Sorry,’ she replied. ‘It’s just that, after everything that’s happened, I feel bad for wanting you as much as I do.’ She dropped her eyes from his, as if he would see straight through her lies.

  ‘Hey, it’s okay, Maggie,’ Brandon replied. ‘I want you so much, but I can control my urges. I know you’re not ready, but I hope you will tell me when you are. I hope you will learn to feel for me the way I feel about you. I’ll wait forever for you.’ He kissed her lips again so tenderly that she couldn’t help the fresh tears that spilt over.

  ‘I just want this to all be over. I just want my life back…’

  ‘I know, my angel. I know.’ He wrapped her in another one of his warm and comforting hugs. His angel. That’s what he had called her. Little did he know she was as far from an angel as she could get. ‘We are heading off in a few days to where you were camping to see if we have any fresh leads,’ Brandon continued. ‘Seth and I will take the camp and the two-mile perimeter, while Logan and Dad will take the radius out another couple of miles. There has to be something left. If it was a rogue wolf, then he will need to pay for his crimes. No one will ever hurt you again. I promise.’

  ‘I wish you were right, Brandon. I wish I could stay here forever with you.’ Maggie knew she had to make the call to Marcus about the search party before Greg told him. He would surely come for her for not doing her job properly.

  ‘I’ll never let you go, Maggie. I’ll protect you till my heart stops beating.’ Brandon kissed her again before opening the front door and watching her walk away. ‘Will you come over to my place tomorrow? We can watch a movie and I’ll make dinner. I can’t cook much apart from pasta and sauce, but I promise it’ll be the best you’ve tasted.’ His smile lit up his whole face. How could she refuse when she knew the time they had together was coming to an end? She would cherish what time she had with him whilst it lasted.

  ‘I’d love to,’ Maggie smiled back at him. He stepped back and waved goodbye from the porch.

  ‘Close the door, my angel, and I’ll see you tomorrow.’

  Maggie did as he asked, but still watched him through the glass panel. Her heart was beating so fast she thought it might explode. She had a call to make to Marcus, then she was going to cry herself to sleep and think of a way to free herself without sacrificing this family.

  When she could no longer see Brandon through the glass, she walked to her room and took out the mobile Marcus had given her. His number was the only contact on there and she hit the call button. She waited for him to answer.

  Chapter Four

  Marcus sat smiling at his desk, welcoming the news that that useless bitch had given him. He had given Greg the instructions to make himself known to Maggie; that way, she’d know he had a watchful eye over her at all times. If Greg did as he was told, he would be given her as a prize for making the alpha happy. For now, though, he wanted her to believe she would be walking free after finishing her task. Stupid bitch! As if he would keep her all this time, then let her walk away from him. No, he was going to give her to that spineless, snivelling wolf for all his loyalty. If he didn’t break his neck first.

  He found Greg to be of some use to him, but he didn’t have the backbone his son now seemed to possess. Although it had pissed him off greatly to be locked down in the dungeon whilst his precious Callie had got away from him, he was pleased that Colt had finally stood up to him and showed him the alpha he could be. Now, he just had to find the stupid boy and bring him home. Some harsh lessons were going to be administered for going against Marcus’s wishes; but, in the end, Colt would stand by him when the Penn Lake pack fell to their knees, and fall they would.

  The news that three of the brothers and the old alpha were going hunting in the next few days filled him with glee. He needed to get them back here and make the trade for Callie. That bitch was going to breed him the heirs he needed if it was the last thing she did. Nothing would stand in his way and he would kill anyone who tried to stop him making his pack the strongest ever.

  Chapter Five

  The next day was bright and sunny, but it didn’t reflect Maggie’s mood at all. She wanted to bury her head under the duvet and stay there forever, but the knock at her door forced her to get up and go answer it. Hope was standing there with a huge smile on her face and was peering over her shoulder into her room.

  ‘Damn it, Maggie! I thought Brandon was the only brother who wouldn’t leave at the crack of dawn and bail out on his date.’ She was still looking over Maggie’s shoulder, trying to see in her room. The old pyjama bottoms and tank top should have been a giveaway, as they were hardly a seductive outfit for the morning after – not that Maggie knew what to wear on the morning after, seeing as she had never had one. She opened her door and invited Hope into her room.

  ‘Brandon was the perfect gentleman,’ she said. ‘Walked me home, made sure I got in okay and left.’ She sat on her bed and motioned for Hope to do the same. Hope was like a big puppy, Maggie often thought. She was so full of life and bounding with endless energy. Her mate would have to be one strong wolf to keep her under wraps.

  ‘Really? My brother is that boring. Maybe I read the signs wrong. Maybe he’s gay?’ She laughed at Maggie’s blush. ‘Or maybe he didn’t want his sister catching him sneaking out the window!’ She winked at Maggie.

  ‘Nope, no sneaking at all,’ replied Maggie. ‘As I said, the perfect gentleman. There may have been a few kisses and some light fumbling, but he said he wanted to give me time. He is cooking for me tonight at his house, so hopefully we can talk some more then.’ Maggie was shy telling Hope all about what went on the previous night, but she really needed to talk to someone before she made a fool of herself.

  ‘Yuk,’ said Hope laughing. ‘I don’t really need to hear all about the touchy feely stuff with my brother, but glad he’s finally making his move. He’s been playing it safe for too many years now and I know you’ll make him the perfect mate. However, I do warn you, if Brandon is cooking then it’s probably safer to eat before you go. Computers he can fix, but dinner not so much.’ Maggie laughed at Hope’s joke. At least, she hoped she was joking
.

  ‘Hope, can I talk to you about something? It’s kind of embarrassing, but I need some girl advice.’ Maggie knew she was blushing, but she didn’t have anyone else to talk to about this stuff, and the little she did know was from the books her mum had brought her to read. She knew Brandon would be a gentle lover, not rough like the other wolves from Marcus’s pack when she listened through the door.

  ‘Not sure I can give you the down and dirty on my brother, because that’s just gross,’ replied Hope. ‘But I can tell you that, if this is your first time, you should talk to Callie. She was a virgin when she met Logan, but somehow that big, dim-witted brother of mine got her to mate with him. Brandon won’t care if you’ve never been with anyone before. In fact, all the better. Plus, Mum would kill him if he didn’t treat you right.’ Hope had lessened her anxiety a little, but she knew she would feel better if she could find some time to speak to Callie.

  ‘Can I borrow your phone to call Callie?’ asked Maggie. ‘I’ll see if she is free today. I know everyone is taking the day off today and the shop isn’t open, but I don’t want to get between her and Logan if they have plans.’

  ‘The only plan he has is getting her knocked up before she realises what a horrid mistake she’s made in mating him,’ replied Hope. ‘He was a pig to her when they first met, but seems to me that she has forgiven him far too quickly. I would have made him pay.’ She smiled at Maggie. ‘Plus, you don’t have to ask, honey, to borrow the phone. My home is your home.’ Hope squeezed Maggie’s shoulder and walked from the room.

  Maggie sat on her bed for a while longer and decided she wouldn’t talk to Callie first, as the whole of Penn Lake Island didn’t need to know she planned to sleep with Brandon, or her lack of experience. Plus, she knew Brandon was a private person and didn’t want him to think she was going behind his back. That caused her to snort out loud, as wasn’t that exactly what she was doing with Marcus? Reminding herself it was for her own survival, she decided to get showered and dressed and go for a walk to clear her head. Her whole body was aching to be near Brandon, hoping he would touch her as he had done the night before, and she decided that she was going to give him everything she had and more to let him know she belonged to him. Then, maybe, he would help her get out of this mess she was in.

  It was half past six and the walk had helped her get her thoughts into order, but now she was stressing about walking over to Brandon’s house to spend the evening with him. She didn’t know whether to pack a bag, but decided against it as she didn’t want to appear too forward. She gave herself a once over in the mirror and decided she was ready. It was time to walk into the wolf’s den and stop worrying about her life, just for tonight.

  Maggie arrived at Brandon’s door and knocked softly. She could hear him moving about, then quick footsteps coming towards her. When he opened the door wearing only his jeans and nothing else, she was sure she had drool dripping down her chin at the sight of him.

  ‘Shit. Sorry. Come in.’ Brandon was clearly flustered by her early arrival. ‘Sorry, I was hoping to have it all done before you got here.’ He motioned for her to come in, but her feet just wouldn’t move her forward. His chest was huge with a clearly defined six-pack and dark hair that travelled down his body, only to disappear below his jeans. She didn’t mean to lick her lips, but the sight before her had made her mouth go drier than the desert. ‘I don’t think I’ve been given such a thorough once over before!’

  Maggie realised her eyes had travelled down his body and had lingered at the top of his jeans. His laughter snapped her out of her lust-filled haze and her eyes met his.

  ‘Sorry,’ she said breathlessly. ‘It’s just that, when you open the door looking like that... Well... I mean... I’m early. Do you want me to come back?’ Great, now she couldn’t speak. She rubbed her palms down her dress and she could feel her own heat coming off her in waves of embarrassment.

  ‘No, it’s fine,’ replied Brandon, smiling. ‘But I really would like for you to come in. That way, I can go grab a top and finish dinner.’

  ‘Right. Yes. Sorry.’ Maggie finally got her legs to work and she edged passed him into his small hallway. Her whole body was tingling with anticipation and she was pretty sure she was going to be a heap on the floor at any moment. ‘You really don’t have to get dressed on my account.’ Was that really her voice? Since when had she become Miss Confident? Brandon laughed at her comment and placed his hand on her lower back in order to guide her down the hall to the kitchen area.

  ‘I think it’s for the best. Although, it might distract you from the wreck that is dinner.’ Once they entered the kitchen, Maggie couldn’t believe the scene that greeted her. There were pots and dishes everywhere, and the man clearly liked to use a lot of dishes.

  ‘Oh my god, what is that smell?’ As soon as she had said it, Maggie put her hand over her mouth in embarrassment, not meaning for her thoughts to come out.

  ‘Shit!’ Brandon leapt in front of her and grabbed a boiling concoction off the stove. ‘That would be the pasta. It’s supposed to be black, right?’ Whatever was lurking at the bottom of the pan didn’t look like any pasta she had ever eaten. It looked like it was well and truly stuck in there when he turned the pan upside down to drain. ‘Fuck... I’m sorry, Maggie,’ continued Brandon. ‘I wanted everything to be perfect for tonight. Who can’t cook pasta?’ He dumped the pan in the sink and turned to her, looking very sheepish.

  ‘Well, you obviously can’t!’ Maggie chuckled, hoping she hadn’t offended him. ‘It’s okay, Brandon. Food was pretty much the last thing on my mind, anyway. Plus, Hope did warn me to eat before I came.’ She walked towards him and cupped his cheek in her palm. ‘It’s the thought that counts, right?’

  In an instant, his hands fell to her waist and he pulled her flush against his body. Yes, she thought, this is going to be a perfect night.

  Brandon couldn’t believe he had screwed up dinner, especially as his mum had showed him the simple dish at hers that afternoon. But then, who cared when he had Maggie in his arms, pressed against him? He had wanted to take it slow tonight and talk things through, but he couldn’t think straight when her breasts were pushed against him and her hand was stroking his cheek. He let one hand wander up her back and the other he moved behind her head so he could pull her closer for a kiss. He had been thinking about kissing Maggie all day and even had to take himself in his own hand in the shower just to make his hard-on go down. She was so beautiful she took his breath away. The thought that she was the one person made just for him caused his body to stand to attention right away.

  ‘Maggie, I wanted to go slow with you tonight, but I can’t think when you’re like this against me. I want to kiss you so bad right now.’

  ‘Yes, Brandon, please. I don’t want you to go slow. I want you to show me how you feel. Make me feel loved.’ Maggie couldn’t believe she had brought up the ‘L’ word and hoped he didn’t run scared. However, it had the opposite effect on him.

  Brandon swooped down and took her mouth in his instantly, pressing his tongue against her mouth to gain entry. He felt her go limp in his arms, so he pulled her closer to his body. Her soft, curvy body against his hard form was a perfect fit. Her little moans brought his wolf to the surface and he couldn’t help the growl that escaped. He needn’t have worried that he would scare her, as she seemed to cling to him more. He reluctantly pulled away from the kiss, but didn’t let go of her body.

  ‘I need to know you’re okay with this,’ he said. ‘I wanted to wait for you to be ready.’ Brandon softly kissed her lips once more before she answered.

  ‘I’m more than ready, Brandon. I’ve been ready for a while, but wanted you to be sure it was really me you wanted. I’m not a nice person, Brandon. I could hurt you so much…’ Brandon wondered why she thought of herself like that, but he was going to show her exactly how he felt. She was so right for him and the only way she could hurt him now was by walking away.

  ‘I don’t want to scare you, Maggie.
But I want you so much, my angel. I know for humans it takes a while to trust and love, but my wolf and me are so much in love with you that the only way you would hurt me is by walking through that door and never coming back. It’s instinctual for us once we have found our mates. We do have a choice, but I would still choose you.’ He stroked his hand down her back, causing goosebumps to appear under her dress.

  ‘Then show me,’ she said. ‘I’m ready to be yours, Brandon. Please…’ With that, she was airborne. Brandon scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. ‘Where are you taking me?’

  ‘I’m not making love to you for the first time on the kitchen floor. My brothers might have a knack for kinky places, but your first time needs to be special. I want it to be special.’

  Maggie couldn’t help but give in to the tears stinging her eyes. Brandon was so sweet and thoughtful and she knew that, once the problem with Marcus was settled, she would stay with him for the rest of her life, if he would still have her.

  She was glad to see that his bedroom wasn’t in the same mess as his kitchen, but she didn’t have time to take it all in once he laid her down on the bed. As soon as her back was flat on the mattress, Brandon was on top of her kissing her again. Maggie kissed him back with as much passion as he gave her. She felt his hand span her waist and make its way up her body, until he cupped her breast in his hand, causing her nipples to pebble against his touch. He stroked his thumb gently over the top of her dress as she moaned into his mouth and arched her back to get closer to his touch.

  ‘I think we need to lose this dress, angel,’ he breathed. His other hand got busy behind her as he lowered the zip. He moved away from her and she instantly missed his warmth and weight against her body. He pulled her up to standing and slipped the shoulders off her and lowered the dress to the floor until she was standing before him in just her bra and panties. His eyes turned to amber as he gazed down at her body. ‘You are so beautiful.’