“Look, you have to cut me some slack. It was only a few days ago that a creature like you attacked me and left me for dead.”
The wolf’s lips parted to expose sharp deadly teeth. A low, menacing growl came from deep within him. Oh, he wasn’t pleased to be compared to the wolf that had attacked her. And maybe it wasn’t fair, but she couldn’t help being afraid.
Inside her, she felt something stir. Could feel something rippling beneath her skin. Don’t be afraid. She could see the female wolf in her mind, the one she’d dreamed about, the one who’d told her she wouldn’t die.
Could she really believe she was one of them now, like Armand and his friends? Did this wolf truly live inside her as part of her?
Yes.
Anny shook her head, not in denial, but because it was all simply too much to deal with at once. There was a wolf inside her. Did that mean she could shift, become a wolf like Armand?
She didn’t know whether to be scared out of her mind or excited by the idea. It was definitely something to think about, but when she was alone, not while a massive wolf was staring at her.
The wolf kept his gaze on hers and his body started to change. Anny watched, totally fascinated as the beast became a man once again. Limbs shifted, bones cracked. She winced, wondering if it hurt him to shift forms. Fur receded and his jaw retracted. Within seconds, Armand was standing there, naked, watching her.
She knew she needed to say something. “That was—” She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry, and tried again. “That was amazing.”
“You were afraid of me.” He tapped the side of his nose. “I could smell it.”
The sheet she held in front of her slipped and she yanked it back up. “Yes, I was afraid. The last time I saw a creature like that I got my throat ripped out. You’ll have to excuse me for being scared.”
Some of the tension drained out of him and he raked his fingers through his straight black hair. “I know this isn’t easy for you, but it’s important you recognize me in my wolf form. You’ll have to see all of us.”
It was intimidating enough to be in the room with Armand in his wolf form. This was a man she trusted not to hurt her and she’d even been afraid of him. It was beyond terrifying to imagine being in a room with a group of werewolves.
Armand tapped his nose again. “I can tell you don’t like that idea, but there isn’t much choice. In case you’re ever in a situation where there’s fighting you have to know who the good guys are.”
That made sense, but she was still frightened. Any intelligent woman would be.
He sighed again and slowly walked toward her. She tried to take a step back, but her spine was already plastered against the wall. He paused for a second, but a determined expression covered his face, his eyes narrowed and a muscle in his jaw pulsed, and he kept coming. His eyes never left her face as he slowly lifted a hand to cup her cheek.
“I will never hurt you,” he promised. “And as long as I’m around no one else will ever hurt you.”
She felt his pledge right to the depths of her soul. The wolf inside her arched its back and preened with delight. Anny leaned into his touch and released a pent-up sigh. “I know. This is all just so confusing.”
He gently pulled her into his arms and hugged her. “I know it is. And I’m sorry you have to go through this.” He eased her back and smiled down at her. “But I can’t say I’m sorry you’re here with me.”
Her stomach growled and he chuckled. “Come on. You need to get some clothes on before I forget all my good intentions and take you back to bed again.”
Her pussy clenched and her nipples tightened at the thought of rolling around the sheets for another hour or two. But that was only putting off the inevitable. She had to face the others eventually.
“I need to get a shower.” She raised one eyebrow at him. “Alone.” Because she knew all too well what would happen if he took a shower with her.
Armand ran his hand down the front of the sheet and cupped one of her breasts, rubbing the nipple through the thin fabric. “That’s too bad.”
She made herself pull away from his touch when all she wanted to do was sink into it. “Sex maniac,” she muttered, unsure if she was talking to him or herself. His chuckle followed her into the bathroom.
She shut the door and dropped the sheet. The mirror was just to her right so she peered into it. The scars on her neck looked even better than they had yesterday morning. She was healing at an astonishing rate. Even the wounds on her stomach were almost healed. Yes, she’d always bear the marks of her attack on her body, but considering the alternative—death—she was thrilled only to have a few scars to remind her of her ordeal.
Her features were the same—dark-brown hair, blue eyes, ordinary features. But she felt totally different inside. Stronger for sure. But it was like there was a part of her she didn’t know, didn’t understand. Something foreign yet a part of her. The wolf.
She shook her head at her image and padded to the shower, doing her best to ignore the massive tub where she and Armand had made love last night. She supposed she’d have to relent and agree it was making love. It went beyond just sex. She had feelings for him and sensed he felt something for her.
She turned on the water and stepped in the moment it was the right temperature. She didn’t linger, washing quickly. When she was done, she stepped out of the shower, grabbed one of the white fluffy towels from the shelf and wrapped it around herself. Armand didn’t have a hair dryer so she combed and braided her damp hair, cursing when she realized she didn’t have anything to wrap around the end of the braid to keep it from unraveling. She pulled open the drawers of the vanity but came up with nothing.
Leaving the bathroom behind, she went back into the bedroom. Armand had obviously showered somewhere else. His wet hair was slicked back from his face, making him appear even more fierce. He was wearing a black T-shirt that stretched at the shoulders and biceps. The jeans he wore fit him like a second skin.
“Do you have an elastic or something I can use to tie off my braid?” She raised the end of her hair for him to see. “Better yet, where’s my purse? I think I left it in the car. I probably have something in there.”
Armand left the room and returned a short time later with her purse. She used the time he was gone to look for the elastic she’d had holding her braid yesterday, but she couldn’t find it anywhere. Who knows what had happened to it when Armand removed it.
She took her purse from him and opened it. Rummaging around, she found a stray coated elastic band and wrapped it around the end.
He motioned to the bed. “Your clothes are there. If you want a clean shirt, feel free to raid my closet or dresser drawers.” He took one last look at her and left the room. “I’ll wait for you in the living room.”
She dropped the towel and grabbed her clothes. She wished she had fresh clothing but hadn’t intended to stay overnight. It didn’t take her long to pull on her underwear and jeans.
She paused before putting on her long-sleeved shirt. Instead, she went to Armand’s closet and opened the door. An array of T-shirts and shirts hung from a rod. She ignored them and plucked a long-sleeved cotton sweater in a chocolate brown off the shelf and eased it over her head. It was big and baggy and fell to mid-thigh. She rolled the cuffs up several times until they ended at her wrists. Satisfied, she pulled on her socks and sneakers and strode to the living room to face Armand and the day.
Armand thought Anny looked adorable wearing one of his sweaters with the sleeves rolled back. He liked the idea of one of his sweaters covering her, marking her as his. He’d had a few bad moments when he’d shifted and she’d cringed away from his wolf. The acrid scent of her fear still coated his nostrils. He much preferred the sweet perfume of her arousal.
As much as he understood her reaction and knew he had to be patient with her while she came to grips with the new reality she was living with, it had hurt him deeply when she’d looked at him with fear in her eyes.
Anny r
ummaged in her purse for her phone. When she found it, she set her bag on the back of the sofa. “I need to call my friend, Sue. If she doesn’t hear from me, she’ll probably call the sheriff’s office. I should have contacted her last night.”
He nodded. “Don’t tell her where you are.”
She shot him a withering glance as if to say she wasn’t stupid. He refrained from grinning, glad to see her fear of him had slipped away. She pressed a button and put the phone to her ear.
“Where are you?” She winced at the loud voice yelling in her ear. Armand had no trouble hearing the woman on the other end of the line.
“I’m so sorry, Sue. I meant to call you. I really did.” He could tell Anny was truly contrite and mentally kicked himself for not considering the fact that someone would be looking out for Anny when she was injured. It was a mistake he couldn’t afford to make. The last thing they wanted was the local authorities in their business.
“I went out to your place last night and you weren’t there. I didn’t know what to do. But your car wasn’t there. I didn’t know if you’d gone back to the hospital or where you were. The sheriff practically patted me on the head and told me you’d probably just gone away for a few days, but I know you wouldn’t do that without telling me.”
Armand inwardly swore. This was trouble they didn’t need.
“I’m fine, Sue. I did go away and I fell asleep and slept until a short time ago. I’m so sorry for worrying you like that.”
“When will you be home?”
Anny nibbled on her bottom lip. “I’m not sure. I’ll get back to you on that.”
“Where are you?”
Anny glanced at him. “Just somewhere I can rest, somewhere I feel safe.”
Sue’s tone changed immediately. “I’m so sorry you don’t feel safe in your home anymore. That will fade with time.”
“I hope so,” Anny muttered. “In the meantime, no need to worry.”
“You need someone to take care of you,” Sue protested. Armand was glad Anny had such a good friend.
“I’ll be all right. I promise. I’m healing nicely. Rest is what I need.”
“And food. Promise me you’ll eat,” Sue demanded.
“I will.”
“I’ll check on Tigger and Seymour for you.”
“No.” Anny shook her head even though her friend couldn’t see her. “I’ll make arrangements for them.”
“Are you sure?” Sue asked.
“Yes. I’ll call you later today, okay?”
“I’ll be working the late shift today, but leave me a message or text me or something. I was really scared last night.”
“I’m really sorry I put you through that. I’ll talk to you later. I promise.” Anny ended the conversation and closed her eyes for a moment before tossing her phone back into her purse. “I can’t believe I didn’t think to call Sue last night.”
“I’m sure she understands.” Armand put his hands on her shoulders and was pleased when she didn’t pull away from him.
“She saved my life. Without her, I’d be dead.”
Armand kissed the top of her head. “I’ll remind you later to call her.”
“My cats. I need to do something about my cats. I can’t leave them there alone and I don’t want Sue going out to my place by herself.” Anny chewed on her bottom lip as she glanced over her shoulder at him. “Just in case.”
She didn’t need to finish the statement. He’d had the same worry. If Remy or one of the other Louisiana wolves came sniffing around, they’d probably check out Anny’s place. “I agree. We’ll go over to your place later and get them. Better yet, we’ll send Gator or Cole.” He smirked at the idea of one of his pals wrangling the pair of cats. Other animals sensed their wolves and didn’t like them much. But better a few scratches than leave the cats at Anny’s house. Because if their enemies went back to her place, they might decide it would be fun to kill her pets.
He motioned to her purse. “You can leave that here. We’ll head over to the main house for breakfast.”
Anny wrapped her arms around herself. “Okay.”
He turned her in his arms. “What is it?” She was still chewing on her bottom lip and he put his thumb on it and gently pulled it away from her teeth.
“They’re all werewolves, aren’t they?”
He nodded. “Yes, they are. And all of them would protect you with their lives.” Armand sighed, wondering if she’d ever get over her fear of him, of his pack. He couldn’t blame her for being nervous when the only other werewolf she’d had contact with had tried to kill her. That it was his father made it even worse.
She studied his face and then nodded. “I can do this.” Her stomach growled and she gave him a rueful grin. “Seems like I don’t have much choice.”
Armand rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip before bending down to kiss her. He kept the caress light and undemanding, not asking for anything, his only goal to comfort her. He’d demanded a lot from her yesterday. Today it was his turn to give her what she needed, and that was reassurance.
“Let’s go. Gator cooks a mean breakfast. And knowing we have company, he’s probably making pancakes or French toast.”
“Really?” He could see the delight in her eyes.
He took her hand in his and led her toward the front door. “Really. I can guarantee he’ll have something tasty cooked up.” They stepped out onto the front porch and he shut the door behind him.
Watching her out of the corner of his eye, he saw her square her shoulders. Pride exploded inside him. His wolf strutted and stretched his neck out. She was brave, his petit loup, his little wolf.
Once again, he wondered if she’d be able to shift, if she’d ever trust her wolf enough to let it out. He wrapped his arm over her shoulders as they walked down the path toward the main house. It didn’t really matter in the long run, not as long as he had Anny with him in his life.
His wolf howled in disappointment, but he ignored it. Anny was all that mattered.
Remy LaForge stood before his alpha, ill at ease. He had no idea how Pierre had found out what he’d done. But when he found the fucker who’d told him, there would be one less wolf in the world.
Pierre sat in his chair on the front porch of his home, looking as though he didn’t have a care in the world. It was already hot, the oppressive air pushing down on him. Around him, the bayou was alive with life and sound. Birds flew and chattered, insects buzzed and in the distance a gator bellowed.
Remy ignored the sweat rolling down his back and tried to appear calmer than he was. His brother could sense his fear and smiled.
“So you took it upon yourself to stir up some trouble up in North Carolina.”
Remy put his hands on his hips and faced his brother, deciding it was better to take the offensive. “That’s right. My son was hooked up with some little human whore.” He sneered, remembering how the female had been covered in his son’s scent. “It angered me and I killed her.”
What he wouldn’t have given to see his son’s face when he found out the little human was dead. Maybe Armand wouldn’t care, but Remy didn’t think so. Armand was weak and would be distressed over the woman’s death. Remy spit on the ground. “He’s pathetic.”
“You’ve fucked human women before,” Pierre pointed out.
“Yes,” he readily agreed. “As do you and most of our men. They’re good for that.” He grinned. He liked fucking human females. They weren’t deadly like female wolves could be if provoked. “But Armand isn’t like you and me. He wouldn’t fuck one unless he cared for her.” He spit on the ground again.
“You’re sure she’s dead?” Pierre asked. “Because I’ve heard otherwise.”
Remy froze and shook his head. “Her throat was ripped open. She was bleeding out.”
“But you never actually saw her die.”
Remy shook his head.
“Your mistake,” Pierre pointed out. “The Internet is a useful place to find information.” He stood slowly and s
tretched. “I read about a wolf attacking a woman up in Salvation, North Carolina. Seems she survived her attack.”
Quicker than a snake, Pierre pounced, driving a fist into Remy’s face and knocking him to the ground. Remy heard the crunch and knew his nose was broken. It spewed blood, but he didn’t dare put his hand to his face and show weakness.
He sucked in the pain as Pierre leaned over him, his teeth bared. “You’ve broken the one rule we all live by. You’ve drawn the attention of the authorities our way. And that is a danger to all of us.” Pierre kicked him in the ribs again and again, the beating methodical and without emotion. Remy took it. To fight was to issue a challenge, and as much as he wanted to challenge his brother for alpha position, Remy knew he couldn’t beat him.
When Pierre finally stepped back, Remy was gasping for breath. Several ribs were broken and a lung punctured for sure. But it would heal quickly, especially when he was able to shift. But that wouldn’t be for a while, not until some of the pain subsided.
Pierre stepped back and resumed his seat. He picked up his glass and took a sip of the sweet tea. Remy dug deep within him and pushed himself to his feet. He wouldn’t stay on his back like some cur. He wasn’t steady and swayed, but he stayed upright through sheer willpower. He was grateful Pierre hadn’t shifted to fight him. At least his brother hadn’t been trying to kill him, only to make a point and punish.
“You will go back to North Carolina. You and Travis Dubois.” Pierre laughed at Remy’s incredulous expression. “You think I don’t know that Travis has been feeding you information? I know everything.”
Pierre set his glass back down on the small wooden table beside his chair. “Now, you will go back and clean up this mess. If the report was right and she isn’t dead, then you finish the job. The woman must die.”
The alpha flicked his hand. “Go and don’t show your face back here until you can bring me the news I want to hear.”
Remy staggered off, all the while cursing his brother, his son, Travis and even his dead wife. This was all their fault. This beating was the fault of that bitch in North Carolina. If she’d died like she was supposed to, this wouldn’t have happened. But it was Armand’s fault too for sniffing around a human.
Wolf in Her Bed: Salvation Pack, Book 2 Page 15