by Jackie May
Me either, buddy. “It’s…complicated, but don’t worry. I’ve danced with over a dozen men tonight. I think it’s just different with you because you’re the first wolf who’s asked me. But don’t worry about Rook. He knows the point of this party is for me to get to know other underworlders.”
We reach a clear spot on the dance floor, and Evan glances once more at Rook. He’s standing off to the side, scowling at us, with Alpha Toth and Terrance standing on either side of him, as if ready to hold him back. I shoot him another look, then step into Evan’s space, forcing him into action. He gently places one hand on my waist and takes my hand with his other.
For a moment, I simply read him as he leads us into a waltz. He’s shocked—more than shocked—that Rook has finally taken a mate. What I like about him is that he’s not disappointed I’m spoken for, he’s excited about it. They’ll be a good match. Rook deserves someone like Nora. If they’re going to be mated, I wonder if he’ll try to reclaim the Huron River pack. I wish he’d challenge Axel instead. We could use a good alpha pair. I’d be honored to be Rook’s second.
Interesting. Evan really doesn’t think much of his alpha. That counts as points in his favor. He seems like a good man who just wants what’s best for his pack. “So,” I say, searching for something that might bring up the topic of Axel without sounding obvious. “You didn’t bring a date this evening? No mate?”
Evan gives me a roguish grin. “I’m still in the market for the right one.”
I snort. Wolves. “How about your alpha? I didn’t see a woman with him, either. I thought wolves couldn’t be alphas without having mates.”
Evan sighs. “It’s uncommon. Axel is…” an abusive jerk who the women in our pack fear and loathe. “…very dominant. He won’t take anyone but the strongest female as his mate, and there aren’t any in our pack that satisfy him in that department.”
“Sounds very…shifter-ish.”
Surprised, Evan laughs. “I suppose that’s true, though not all wolves are created equal.” Not all of us are monsters like Axel. I’m glad Nora got to know Toth’s pack first. Toth is a good man, and Rook is one of the best.
“I’m sure they aren’t. Just like with any group of people. I’ve seen the worst of the human race all my life, but I know there are good ones out there. As for wolves, well, I admit I quite like you guys. Aside from the rogues that attacked me, I’ve had a great experience dealing with your race.”
Evan smiles proudly. “I’m glad to hear it. And, might I add, if you do decide to make the change, you’ll be a wonderful addition.”
I don’t know how to answer that. How can I explain Rook’s possessiveness without explaining my curse? It’s not something I want to get into tonight with a man I just met. “Thank you. That’s sweet of you to say.”
The song comes to an end, and Evan lets go of me with a playful sigh. “I suppose I should return you now. But seriously, Nora…” His smile vanishes, and his face grows somber. “Thank you.” I start to protest, but he shakes his head. “No. You saved my life. I am in your debt. If there is ever anything I can do for you, all you have to do is ask.”
Arguing is futile, so I force a smile and nod. “I’ll do that.”
Evan walks me back toward Rook, but Axel steps in front of him, his hand outstretched to me. “Think you have one more in you?” he asks.
His smile is more of a leer and makes me feel dirty, but I force myself to stay pleasant. “Of course.”
“So…” Axel says on the way to the dance floor, “you’re the woman who saved my beta. Evan talked about nothing but you for weeks.”
We reach the spot where Evan and I had just been dancing, and Axel pulls me into his arms. Unlike his gentlemanly beta, Axel lifts my arms around his neck and slides both of his hands low around my hips, pulling me closer to him than I care to be. I grit my teeth and force my smile to stay on my face.
“He said you’re special, not the average human.”
“I have my gifts,” I say vaguely. It appears Axel and I have the same purpose for this dance—to feel each other out and glean as much information as we can.
I wonder what her powers are. She’s so dominant, and if she’s as powerful as rumors claim, she would be a great luna for my pack. Much better than Marie. She’s so much more beautiful, too.
“You definitely have your gifts,” he agrees. It’s completely suggestive, and he squeezes my hips a little to emphasize his point. I want to gag.
I’ll have to get Marie out of the way. Easy enough to tip off Peter to her location. He’ll take care of her himself. Rook’s going to be a problem, though. “So what’s the deal with you and Rook?” he asks.
Again, I’m not sure how to answer him. I can’t decide if it’s better to let him think Rook and I are together or fake an interest in him. I decide to go with the first option, because wolves can smell lies and it would be very hard for me to fake any interest in Axel. “It’s complicated. We’re very good friends, but it seems Rook’s wolf is demanding more. I think he’s claimed me.”
Axel’s brows reach for the ceiling. “Then you two aren’t dating?”
Again, I decide truth and vagueness are the way to go. I shrug. “He cooked me dinner and escorted me to his Pack’s social.”
Hmm. It’s more serious than I thought. I’ll have to get Rook out of the picture before I turn her. That means I’ll have to take care of his brother also. I’ll have to order hits on them both before we attack Peter’s pack. I can’t have the Winters brothers fighting with Peter. They’re too powerful.
“Well, my congrats to the happy couple, then,” Axel says, without missing a beat. “I have to admit, I didn’t think Rook would ever choose another mate.”
I chuckle. “Neither did he. We were both quite surprised when his wolf started acting so possessively of me. Alpha Toth was plain shocked.”
“I can imagine.” He’s probably worried Rook plans to take the pack back. Perhaps letting Rook live a while longer is a good thing. He’s probably an excellent distraction for Peter. I’ll have to ask Jeffrey what he thinks about it. He just can’t mate with Nora. He’ll be so much stronger then, and she’ll be that much harder to force into submission.
I shudder at that last thought and try to focus on what he said about Alpha Toth’s beta. So Jeffrey is in on the plan to attack. At least, in some capacity. He’s spying for Axel, at the very least.
The song comes to an end, and Axel stops spinning me in slow circles. He doesn’t let go of me just yet, though. He pulls my hips so close that our bodies press together, and he leans down to sniff my neck. After a deep inhale that has my skin crawling, he nuzzles me, as if deliberately trying to wipe his scent on my skin. “It was lovely meeting you, Nora,” he whispers.
Across the room, there’s a fierce snarl and we both look over to see that Alpha Toth and Terrance are holding Rook back. He looks like he wants bloodshed. Nick, too, for that matter. Axel chuckles and lets me go, but he takes my hand and brings it to his lips. “Until we meet again.” By Christmas, you’ll be mine.
I don’t think so.
I somehow manage to force one last smile, then quickly escape the creep. He must realize he pushed Rook too far, because he doesn’t escort me back to my friends, but rather, melts into the crowd heading toward the exit.
I hurry back to my safety net of friends, trying to shake off the heebie-jeebies Axel left me with. “Well,” I say when I reach the group. “That was unpleasant.” But informative, I try to add with my eyes and a subtle nod.
Rook scoops me into his arms, eyes lit up like torches and chest heaving. I freeze, knowing this is his wolf I’m dealing with and that he’s extremely unhappy. Alpha Toth, Nick, Terrance, Parker, Wulf, and even Oliver all look ready to jump in and save me even though there’s no way Rook would hurt me like this. Hurt anyone else who gets to close, yes, but me? He’d protect me with his life.
He buries his face in my neck and snarls again when he smells Axel on me. His entire body
starts to shake. Terrance doesn’t like that sound and matches his snarl with a protective growl of his own.
Uh-oh. My troll and my wolf are going to lose it on each other if I can’t get this situation under control. “Calm down, you big, possessive brute,” I say to Rook. “He didn’t hurt me.”
When I meet his scowl with an unwavering glare, Alpha Toth gently says, “With finesse, Nora.”
“Finesse?” I scoff. “Look at him. He’s not going to respond to finesse. He needs to be put in his place. He’s not my damn mate!”
Rook’s eyes flare brighter, and when he growls at me, there’s a low rumble that sounds more like a purr.
“That’s why you need finesse. Your dominance right now will only make it worse.”
“I don’t see how. Aren’t you supposed to be firm with shifters?”
“You’re exciting him, Nora,” Gorgeous explains dryly.
“Oh.” I meet Rook’s eyes again and finally notice that the heat is definitely not about being mad or wanting to protect me. I wince. “Oops.”
Nick snorts. I shoot him a glare, then offer Rook a gentle smile. “Hey, buddy. Can I have Rook back now?” Of course he growls at this. I sigh. “I’m okay. He didn’t hurt me.”
“He touched you,” Rook snaps. “He left his scent on you.”
I roll my eyes. “I’ll go up to Cecile’s room and wash it off, if you hate it that much. You can even replace it with your own scent, if you need to. You just have to calm down for me, okay? You’re making Terrance nervous, and we don’t want the troll to lose control.”
“Yes,” Rooks says gruffly. “Wash it off.”
He grabs my hand and starts dragging me toward the stairs. Damn bossy wolf.
“Nora,” Parker calls. “He’s not safe like that. You shouldn’t be alone with him. He could be pushed over the edge and decide to turn you.”
The vampire has a point. I can’t entirely trust Rook like this. His wolf is lost to my curse. I don’t want to be alone with him. I meet Alpha Toth’s gaze, and he steps forward to follow without question. That’s perfect, because I need to talk to him anyway. Nick follows, too. Double perfect. We can just all have a little powwow in Cecile’s suite while I wash Axel’s stench off me. That should be fun.
When we get up to Cecile’s suite, Rook marches me straight into the en suite bathroom and starts to remove my dress. He gets the zipper all the way down before I can stop him. “Oh, whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa! No way. You are not undressing me.”
Rook’s eyes flash fiercely. He means to get his way. I don’t care if defying him turns him on; I am standing my ground on this. “No.”
I zip my dress back up, then reach for a hand towel and turn the water on in the sink. Rook watches my movements with narrowed eyes, and when I move to squirt some hand soap on the towel, Rook snatches the soap away from me. “No,” he grunts.
I cock a brow, and he glares at me. Then he moves to the tub and starts rifling through a large basket of soaps. He sniffs several and finally hands me one. “This one.”
My jaw falls slack. I turn to Alpha Toth and Nick, who are both watching with amusement. “Seriously?”
Nick laughs and Alpha Toth bites down on his lips, doing his best not to join Nick. While I gape at my non-helpful friends, Rook grabs me by the waist and lifts me onto the counter. “What the—Rook!”
He grunts in response and takes the towel from my hands. Then, to both my horror and fascination, he wets the towel in warm water, lathers it with the sweet-smelling soap, and gently begins to wash my arm. His face softens as he works, and he starts to calm down.
I’m speechless. Rook is washing me. The moment is completely surreal. It’s humiliating that he’s washing another man’s scent off me, but at the same time, it’s a little exciting to have this kind of attention. Most men just want to rip my clothes off and take my body. And while Rook did try to undress me, he’s trying to take care of my body. There’s a huge difference.
Unexpected warmth spreads in my chest. Warmth that shouldn’t be there. I send a pleading look to Nick and Alpha Toth. They share amused smirks, and then Nick says, “Why don’t you tell us what you figured out?”
Both men snicker. Assholes.
Alpha Toth grabs a bath towel and winks at me as he drapes it over me to protect my dress from getting dripped on. He then looks at me as if waiting for me to start talking. I guess we’re really doing this while Rook gives me a freaking sponge bath. With a sigh of defeat, I say, “Well, Evan is completely innocent. He seems like a really good guy, and he pretty much loathes his scumbag alpha. He’s actually hoping Rook will challenge Axel because he thinks Rook has claimed me and he’d much rather Rook and I be his alpha pair.”
Rook’s eyes snap to mine.
“Down, boy. I’m not ready to turn furry and have your pups.”
He does that rumbly purr thing in his chest again.
I huff, exasperated, and move the conversation along because he likes the idea of pups way too much. “Anyway. Evan is not part of some grand plot to overthrow your pack.”
Rook rinses off my arm and goes to work on the other one.
“What about Axel?” Toth asks. “What did you find out about him?”
“Oh, he gave me a lot. He’s definitely planning a takeover. It sounded like he and Marie were the brains behind the operation, but he’s had a change of heart. He plans to leak her whereabouts to you so that you’ll take care of her for him.”
“Why?”
My face falls flat. “He’s got his sights set on a new mate now.”
And, predictably, Rook snarls. I ignore it.
“He’s debating whether he should have Rook killed now or wait a while, because he also thinks Rook and I are going to be mated, and he thinks it will be a distraction for you.” I shoot Rook a glare that says I’m not impressed with his public displays of possession. “He wonders if Rook plans to take over your pack once he has a mate. He mentioned talking to Jeffrey about it.”
“Jeffrey?” Alpha Toth repeats. Now I have two wolves growling at me. Great.
“Yup. Your boy’s in on it. I’m not sure what he expects to get out of it, but he’s definitely in league with the enemy. At the very least, he’s a spy for Axel.”
Alpha Toth’s hands clench into fists.
“I didn’t get anything of his plan, except that he for sure means to get rid of both Rook and Wulf before he attacks. He thinks you’ll be too powerful with them. And he definitely plans to not let Rook claim me. He also said that by Christmas I would be his.”
“Christmas?” Nick repeats. “Six weeks? He must not have all his ducks in a row yet.”
Alpha Toth seems to relax a little at this. “That’s good. We’ve still got a little time.”
While Nick and Alpha Toth share a speculative glance, Rook moves his ministrations to my shoulder and neck, where Axel had rubbed his face against me. “Mine,” he says, while he makes long, soft strokes with the warm, wet towel down my neck.
I send another pleading look for help and still get nothing. Both Alpha Toth and Nick smirk again. Grrr! “Okay, I get that you guys think this is funny, but seriously, what am I supposed to do? Letting him do this feels like encouraging him. It’s only going to make him want more.”
The smile falls off Alpha Toth’s face. His expression is gentle but serious. “Would that be so bad?”
I close my eyes and let out a sigh. Would it be so bad? Would it be so awful to date him? Or Oliver or Parker, either? A month ago I would have said yes, but I swear I’m not sure anymore. My defenses are breaking down, wall after crumbling wall.
Rook rinses his towel, then gently pushes my head to the side and runs the warm, wet edge over my neck and shoulder to wipe off the soap. Goose bumps rise on my arms, and my eyes roll back in my head. His touch is slow and sensual, and his body is so close I can feel his heat. I like this so much more than I should. I swallow a moan only because there are two other men in the room, and I so do not want them knowing how mu
ch I’m enjoying this.
“It’s not real,” I murmur as much to remind myself as to explain to the others. “It’s just my curse taking hold of him. Rook doesn’t want a mate. You know that.”
Alpha Toth shakes his head. “You’re changing him, Nora. You’re healing him. Wulf was right to bring you to him. You were exactly what he needed.”
“So what if you have some kind of natural allure?” Nick adds. “It’s not some all-encompassing love spell. Rook and his wolf didn’t choose you on sight. They’re falling for you.”
My face pales. Could that be true? Could Rook’s feelings for me be real? At least, in some part? Or Parker’s? And Oliver…I have no doubt that his feelings for me are real. I’ve never questioned that.
I groan in frustration. I have no idea what to do about any of this. Thinking that their feelings could be real, that they may truly be invested in me, makes me feel that much worse. I’ve got three amazing men all vying for my attention, and for the first time in my life, I want to date them. The problem is, which one? How could I choose? And how could I keep Rook or Parker from losing control if I give them the okay? They may be only slightly affected by my curse, but they’d still lose themselves to it if things got too intense. Like Parker with his kiss. They just wouldn’t be able to help themselves.
“No.” I shake my head again and meet Alpha Toth’s gaze. “Maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if I knew what I was or why I have this effect on people. If I could control it, maybe I could date. But until I figure it out, it’s just not smart for me to get involved with anyone. People lose control of themselves, where I’m concerned. Case in point.” I wave at the werewolf, who has put his washcloth down and is now sniffing me again.
Rook, satisfied that I don’t smell of Axel anymore, runs his hands up and down my arms and nuzzles my neck, marking me with his scent the way Axel had before. “Much better,” he whispers, his lips brushing my ear.