“You can use me any way you want, darlin’.”
We pulled into the parking lot. The villas were the exclusive area of the resort, detached from the bigger hotel. Sleek black SUVs packed the parking lot. Ember didn’t skimp on details. My mud-splattered, beat up truck would trip every warning bell Ember’s pack had, but that didn’t bother me. I didn’t planning on staying here long, and I wasn’t in the mood for hide and seek.
Lyssie stayed in the passenger’s seat, smiling, when I cut the engine. “What’s going on in that head of yours?” The beautiful thing was I could never tell. She surprised me every day.
“I love it when you call me darlin’,” she said softly. “Make sure to do it in front of Ember.”
Two werewolves stood guard outside the largest villa. Ember expected company. Lyssie and I held hands, walking side by side to the door. We received a grunt of acknowledgement from the guards, but they let us pass.
Lyssie knocked on the door, hard. “I want to get this over with,” she muttered.
Ember answered the door herself. An oily smile slid up the side of her over-made up face. I never noticed makeup on women unless they wore way too much. Always made me wonder what they had to hide. With Ember, I knew. “Hey, Dallas. I see you brought us a pet.” Ember stepped toward Lyssie, who grasped my hand, her body tensing, but she didn’t retreat. Maybe the dream had been a premonition. “I knew you’d come to me willingly.”
“Actually, I came to thank you for your generous donation to Forever Home. You already have a lot of influence in town, Ember. Is it okay for me to call you that? Anyway, people have been matching your donation. A lot of animals are going to find and keep good homes, thanks to you.” Lyssie plastered a smile on her face. Ember would never detect the venom dripping from her sweet tone.
“You better find them homes. That check serves two purposes. First one will concern you the most. You cash that check, you owe me. But in the grand scheme of things, you’re insignificant, Lyssie. Is it okay if I call you that? The check’s real purpose is a down payment for the purchase of the land your precious little shelter is on. Turns out, it’s way undervalued. No one in this town seems to understand what they have to lose. Which is great for me. Maybe I’ll use that savings to boost wages in the new resort, but probably not. If I learned anything in Montana, it was to protect my investments.”
“Good, we have something in common,” Lyssie said. I hadn’t expected her to take the lead. She had this. I was familiar with this role. I protected anyone who fought for me, by any means necessary. I’d done it with my brother for years, and I planned to do it for Lyssie for the rest of our lives. “I protect what’s mine, too.”
Ember burst out in an ugly cackle. There was no question she was an animal. “Listen, human, I’ll use your boyfriend as a chew toy until I get my point across. How long was he sick? There’s only so long his body will be able to take it. So he’s got two choices. He can come to me now proud and willing, or crawl to me weak and broken. Play nurse as long as you want, but in the end, you’ll lose him. This fight doesn’t concern you. Cut your losses, and walk away.”
I squeezed Lyssie’s hand. Ember figured out how to tap into her worst fear. “She walks, I’ll follow her. You chase me, I’ll run to her.”
The tension left Lyssie’s body and she laughed. “Why are you chasing someone who doesn’t want you? He’d come to you, if he wanted you. The guys have told us the legends of this forest. Wolves mate for love. Mating by force almost cost them everything. I say almost because there are still these great guys willing to fight for what they want. And this great guy doesn’t want you, Ember.” Her face brightened as her strength blossomed. This was Lyssie’s second chance. Now she had a say in what happened to her. “Sure, you have tons of things I don’t. Money, power, a hot body. And you’re a wolf. I can’t compete with that, can I? On paper, we shouldn’t be having this conversation. I’m crazy to fight you. What do I have to offer, compared to you? But Dallas doesn’t want that. He wants me. I can give him all things you can’t. The things you’re trying to take away. Home. Security. That’s what wolves want, at least in Sawtooth Forest. I fall asleep listening to his heart beat, and we dream the same dreams. I took care of him at his worst, when he was starving and beaten. I did it because it was the right thing to do. Not because I wanted anything in return. I knew someday he’d be wild and free. And that’s why I deserve him at his best.”
If Lyssie had a microphone, she would’ve dropped it and walked off stage. But no, this Lyssie didn’t back down from a fight. She had no fear. She knew what belonged to her and she’d fight to keep it.
I couldn’t be more in love with her if I tried.
“You think I’m only here for your wolf? He’s a fool to resist me. I’ll own this town, and there will be no place for either of you. You can do this the easy way, human, or you can make it hard on yourself. Either way, you’re at my mercy.”
“Bullshit,” I growled. Ember didn’t expect it, and stepped back. Good. “This is our forest, you’re at our mercy. Your days here are numbered. People around here don’t care about money. They care about tradition and family. And they’re a lot smarter than you think. Your plan will destroy this town. You have us outmanned, that’s no secret. But the wolves of Sawtooth Forest fight for what’s theirs. We’ll fight for the town, and we’ll fight for our mates, no matter who they are.” I slipped my arm around Lyssie’s waist and pulled her against me. “Lyssie saved my life. All you do is destroy things.”
Ember rolled her eyes. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m looking forward to watching you die slowly, absolutely destitute.”
“I’ll die in the arms of my mate, with everything I ever wanted.” I led Lyssie away from the door. As far as I was concerned, this fight was over. Ember would drag it out into the town and the forest, but Lyssie said it best.
We dreamed the same dreams. And mine was to grow old with the beautiful woman walking beside me.
“Oh my God, I’m still shaking,” Lyssie said when we got back to the truck. She traced her finger along the line of my neck, squinting in confusion, then repeated the motion on the other side, moving my head so she could get a better look. “The bite mark is gone.”
“It is?” It had faded to an ugly pink reminder of my encounter of Ember, but refused to disappear. Until now. “You sure?”
Lyssie’s smile was brighter than the sunshine. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
“You know what that means, right? You’re mine.” I captured her lips in a long slow kiss.
“I can’t believe I did that.” Lyssie looked out the back window as I started the truck. “She’s still there. I’m surprised that stare down hasn’t melted our skin from our bones. This isn’t over. Not by a long shot.”
“What are you talking about? You were amazing. I’m so proud of you.” I leaned over and kissed her. We weren’t running away from here. This was our land, and there was no need to burn rubber in the parking lot. “She expected you to run. To hand me over. It undermines her strength, to her pack and ours, that she can’t intimidate a human.”
“That was the scariest thing I ever did. She could’ve attacked us, or worse, you could’ve gone with her.” Lyssie shuddered. “But you’re still here with me.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” I backed up, waving to Ember, who stood in the doorway, fire burning her eyes. “I’d love to tell you this is over, but it’s just the beginning. We’ll take care of Ember, but there will be something else we have to fight for. I’ll always come home to you, Lyssie.”
Lyssie exhaled. I’d never seen her smile like this. It took over her whole being, and she’d never looked so beautiful. “For the first time, I actually believe it. There’s always been a little voice in the back of my head, nagging me, telling me I’ll lose anything that’s important to me. But it’s gone. You’re mine.”
“Damn straight, darlin’.” I was going to have to pull over in the next parking lot and ki
ss the hell out of her. “I’m yours. Forever.”
Thank you!
I hope you loved Lyssie and Dallas! All Channings and the Lowes get mates, and last but certainly not least is X. COMPLETE ME will be available February 8, but it’s available for preorder and you can snag your copy now.
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Shelter Me Chapter One
Chandra
Another second closer. Every one counted.
The moon expanded inside my skull, the throb of my heartbeat intensified with the gravitational pull. The second hand of the old clock in the Lowe’s living room slammed forward. The rhythms didn’t complement one another, and my vision became a dizzy swirl.
Time to shift.
All my life I’d been forced to hide. Who I was, what I wanted. I couldn’t believe I’d been here a month, among my own kind, and had yet to blow my cover. I was conflicted how I felt about that. My camouflage was like an armor, but the Sawtooth wolves should’ve known one of their own.
Unless I was so far removed from my wolf they couldn’t recognize it in me.
Delaney, the only human here, stopped dead in her tracks when she came around the corner. It was a shame she was human, she would’ve made a great wolf, always a little on edge. She couldn’t speak, and many days, I felt like I had no voice, either. I couldn’t tell what she signed to me in the shadows, her hands flailed wildly, repeating the motion.
“I’m fine.” I backed away from her. “Has anyone shifted yet?”
She shook her head.
I should’ve told her what was wrong. She knew it was something. My head was in my hands, sweat trickled down my forehead. Wrong didn’t begin to describe it. This is what I’d wanted my whole life. To run as a wolf in Sawtooth Forest. But I’d been questioned and judged the entire time I’d been here taking care of X. These wolves didn’t trust easily, and neither did I.
We needed each other.
“Tell them I’ll be down in a minute.” Everyone was on edge for this shift. X had healed completely from the Christmas night battle, and he insisted on getting revenge on his attackers. He wasn’t the only wolf that had been attacked, and there was a huge score to settle.
Delaney ran down the stairs. Guess I wasn’t getting an Oscar for that performance. It needed work, in all forms. I stood at the top of the stairs, lurking in the shadows I’d been dying to break free of. Everything seemed normal.
“Stop worrying, angel,” Shea assured Delaney, taking her in his arms and kissing the top of her head. I loved it when he did that. She was his mate. Well, she was human, so that made her his girlfriend. “This is what we do. We’re wolves. We’re still here. We might have wounds to lick, but we always come back stronger.”
It might not have helped her, but it gave me comfort.
X was the only one who noticed I came back in the room. No surprise there, everyone was tangled in their own drama. X’s older brother, Major, was busy with his mate, Cass, and her daughter. Cass had been cold to me ever since I got here, and I had yet to figure out why. X turned to me, his eyes lit up. He’d been standing by the door, tail wagging in anticipation.
After tonight, I’d finally see him in his human form. My tail wagged at the thought of it.
I wish they’d hurry up, he said. Wolves could understand each other no matter what form they were in. Delaney would’ve heard something totally different.
“It’s almost time.” I sank to my knees and roughed his fur. His scent overwhelmed me, this close to my own shift. Earthy, spicy, and hopefully mine.
He wriggled free, staring at me with those incredible golden eyes. His brothers all had them too. They were gorgeous, with their long, dark hair and rippling muscles. There weren’t any pictures around the house, and I could only dream of what X looked like. You understand me, he whispered.
I nodded.
X pushed his snout into the crook of my neck. You’re gonna shift. I can smell it.
My skin stretched to the absolute limit. I had an overwhelming urge to run, hide. I’d had to do it all my life, find a place to take cover. No one had ever known my true nature. It would cost me my freedom.
My skin ripped my secret free. Brown fur blossomed over my arms. Long, black claws replaced my fingers as they retracted into paws. Shifting always terrified me. It was one of the reasons I’d studied veterinary medicine, desperate for the answers that no one would give me. When the moon reached its full beauty, my skull snapped, and there was no more hiding what I was.
I knew it, X said, smothering me in kisses. I can’t wait to run with you.
For the first time, I welcomed my shift.
“Holy shit.” Major whistled low, approaching us. He stopped short of touching me. I wasn’t sure of wolf etiquette in Sawtooth Forest, but it would’ve been as welcome as if he’d grabbed me in a dark alley. “Can’t say I’m totally surprised, but it’s still a shock.”
“There was never a good time to tell you.” My voice sounded different when I was a wolf. Like it was made of the same things that built the forest, it had grit. “Things have been crazy since I got here.”
Shea approached, clutching Delaney’s hand. He stopped next to his brother. “I knew there was something different about you. You knew too much about us. But, hey, welcome. You may have noticed, we need she-wolves like whoa.”
“Yeah, and we don’t have any.” Cass slid her arms around Major’s waist. She’d shift next, her scent overpowered me. “Who the hell is she? I don’t remember a Chandra growing up.” Her expression hardened, and she pulled Major back with more force than I expected. “We’ve had an enemy under our roof the whole time. Is she one of the Montana wolves? What has she done to X?”
“I’d never hurt him.” Even if I was an enemy, harming a wolf would go against everything that I stood for as a veterinarian. There was no right and wrong, just healing. “I’m one of you. You’ll see tonight. I’ll fight.”
“No,” Major snapped. “If you’re a Sawtooth she-wolf, we can’t send you into battle.”
“Please.” All this time, waiting to run, and they were going to hold me prisoner? Hell no. “I’ve never been able to run the forest. Free.”
“See?” Cass raised an eyebrow. She didn’t have a chance to say anything else, her back arched dramatically, and she fell to all fours, her shift in progress.
Watching her transform was truly a thing of beauty, even if she hated my guts. Her brown fur was tipped with gold, and her body was sleek, power rippling below the surface. Her breath was noisy, and now she didn’t hesitate to come over, check me out. X growled at her, and she nipped at him. Good thing for her it was playful, because I would’ve torn into her.
I had to get a hold of my emotions if I expected to survive this night.
“Not convinced,” she sniffed, but returned to Major. He was seconds away from his own transformation.
Connie, the woman Cass hired as a nanny for her daughter, came in the room. I’d never been happier to see her. She’d have my back. “You don’t have anything to worry about. Chandra’s my niece.”
A collective gasp formed over the wolves. Like a bubble, everything threatened to pop.
Cass’ daughter, Emma, came over wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck, burying her face in her fur.
“I don’t trust you, either,” Cass growled, stalking over to Connie. “You tortured me when my husband was alive, and the only reason I gave you a second chance was because Emma loves you. Don’t make me regret my decision.”
“She’s my aunt.” My heart pounded. X stayed by my side. He knew something they didn’t. “My parents left the forest when they found out they were pregnant. They didn’t want to sell me. When it was time for me to mate, they wanted me to have a choice.”
Cass’ body relaxed. “That I can understand.” Her tone softened. “You have a lot to prove to us, C
handra.”
I approached her, adrenaline speaking louder than experience. “I’ve been taking care of X like he was my family. Dropped my life to make sure your pack was taken care of. If that didn’t prove anything, you need to think about your priorities.”
Cass growled, but I stood my ground.
X returned to my side. The heat from his body comforted me before he came into view. “Knock it off. The last thing we need is more fighting, especially between ourselves. You don’t have anything to worry about, Cass.” He looked at me, the gold in his eyes like flowing lava. “Because Chandra’s my mate.”
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Other books by Kristen Strassel:
Colorado Shifters:
Lion and the Doe
Doe and the Hunter
Cougar and the Lion
Doe and the Pride
The Night Songs Collection:
Because the Night
Night Moves
We Own the Night
Silent Night
Cirque Macabre:
The Fire Dancer
The Spotlight Series:
Secondhand Heart
The Trouble With Bree
Too Many Reasons
The Escort:
No Strings Attached
Please visit www.kristenstrassel.com for more information!
Shelter Me (Sawtooth Shifters, #6) Page 10