A Wolf's Pride

by Jennifer T. Alli

  “But,” she stuttered, unsure of what to say next.

  He turned her in his arms so that she could look at him directly in the eye. His tone was fierce as he spoke but his eyes were clear, there wasn’t even a speck of amber in sight. “You don’t seem to understand just how important you are angel. I live for you, breathe for you. I love you dammit.” She gasped at the admission but he didn’t give her addled mind an opportunity to respond. “I can’t lose you. I won’t be without you again and anyone who thinks to threaten your life should expect to forfeit theirs. I’ve made this clear to everyone. Mates are the foundation of our species, without them we are nothing. Having one destined, true mate is what differentiates us from humans. Mates are what have allowed us to live alongside you for so long. Mates give our lives meaning. Lucinda knew all of this. I’ll never hesitate to protect you. Ever. I understand that this may be hard for you; Alex was the same way when she arrived here. Humans seem very opposed to the taking of life even when someone truly deserves it. If it makes you feel any better Lucinda was over one hundred and fifty years old, that’s at least two human life spans. Think of it as dying of natural causes.” Her natural stupidity. “Don’t worry angel, the less pleasant side of our existence will never again touch you. If I’d known that it would upset you so much I would never have taken you to the trial. I won’t do it again.”

  “I don’t want secrets between us Ryan. After Gary, I swore never again to be in a relationship where one of us was keeping secrets.”

  “If that’s really what you want angel then I can only do as you ask.”

  She gulped, “Did she suffer Ryan?”

  “No. I stuck to my word, I made sure I was quick.”

  “Then why were you gone so long?”

  “I let her say goodbye to her family. I’m not so heartless that I would deny her a final request.” Especially when Alex was demanding that Tobias and I give her one.

  “You’re a good man Ryan.”

  “I don’t want to be a good man.” Confusion became etched on her features at his statement. “I only want to be yours. I want to be your man whatever that entails.”

  She smiled shyly. “Then just keep being yourself. I like you as you are.”

  “Even though I killed someone?”

  She paused, trying to give him an honest answer to his question. “You’ve said it yourself, you aren’t human. I can’t expect you to act like one. Since I met you you’ve shown a flagrant disregard for the laws that I was raised to follow, your laws aren’t my laws, I can accept that. Still, I can admit that something had to be done about Lucinda, she tried to kill me. Murder isn’t acceptable in any society it seems.”

  “So do you still think of me as a murderer?”

  “No, she was punished according to your laws, someone had to dole out her sentence, it just happened to be you.”

  “And Tobias,” he inserted cheerfully.

  “And Tobias. You’ve never hidden who you are from me, I’ve been hearing your threats towards others since I got here, it’s my own fault that I shrugged them off as a joke. You’re still exactly who you are when I met you. You’re still arrogant, aggressive and very, very demanding.”

  “Don’t worry, you’re learning to manage me very quickly and I meant what I said, I won’t let this side of my nature touch you again. If it’s really what you want, I’ll do my best not to fight again.”

  “Do you mean that?”

  “Yes I do Chloe.”

  “When I got here Ryan you told me that I might be able to go home.”

  “Yes,” he drawled uncertain whether he liked where this turn in the conversation might lead.

  “Is that still true?”

  “A promise between mates is practically sacred, of course it’s still true.”

  “I know that you think my family are dangerous, but they’re not. I don’t mind if you fight other people but I want you to promise me that you won’t hurt my family if you meet them.”

  “If I let you go to them, I’ll be going with you. If I let you go alone they might try and stop you returning to me and I can’t have that.”

  “Fine,” she sighed. “When you eventually meet my family promise me you won’t hurt them.”

  “Not even a scratch?” he whined.

  “Not even a scratch.”

  “Is this what you really want?”

  “I want my family to be safe. I love them Ryan.”

  So she can love a bunch of lunatics but she can’t say the same to me? He groaned in frustration before looking at the eager look on her face. His heart twisted in his chest at the mere sight of her and he could feel the instinct beginning to press in on him, demanding that he please his mate. “Fine, I won’t hurt them.”

  “Yes,” she cheered triumphantly.

  “Angel, I’m going to kiss you now. Giving you that promise was painful so you’re going to kiss it all better.”

  It was the only warning he gave her before his head descended and his lips captured hers. Heat instantly curled through her, spreading from the point of contact to encompass her entire body. She leaned into the kiss, moaning lightly against his lips as she grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer. Her body was no longer her own, she was like a woman possessed. I need to get closer, she panted, running her hands through the already messy strands of his hair.

  Ryan’s lips curled upwards in a pleasantly surprised smile, his angel could be very demanding when she wanted to be. I live to please. His tongue swept across the seam of her lips, demanding entrance before curling around her own. Carnal desires thrummed through him as he deepened the kiss, his hands wandering beneath her shirt to caress her bare skin. His hardened shaft ached, throbbing within the confines of his pants, desperate for release.

  More, his wolf pressed. Take more Ryan.

  His eyes flew open as he felt his control slipping. His hands were roaming into dangerous territory, coming within millimetres of the soft globes of her breasts. He was holding onto his control by a single thread as he pulled back from her lips. Chloe moaned in disappointment as his lips left her, her cheeks were flushed and she was panting lightly from the pleasurable exertions.

  Not tonight, he reasoned. Not when I’m fresh from a kill. He stood up, setting her down in his seat and taking a calming step away from her control sapping fragrance. “I’m going to go now angel.”

  What are you doing? The wolf snarled.

  Following Erica's advice and ignoring you. “I’ll be back in the morning, be ready to leave early.” He turned on his heel and fled the room, his gait unsteady as he strove to walk with a raging erection. Nothing good could come of that meeting. I want her to do more than lust after me; I want her to love me. She’s already halfway there all I need to do is give her a push in the right direction. Starting from tomorrow, I’ll push her until she falls. Right after I’ve taken care of my problem. His eyes fell to the bulge straining against the seam of his trousers. It’s a good thing I’ve got a project to work on. Hopefully it’ll take my mind off Chloe. As he walked down the halls, his erection refusing to fade, he quickly came to the conclusion that nothing would be able to take his mind off his gorgeous mate. Maybe the project won’t take my mind off of her but it should at least keep my hands busy so that I don’t start something I have no hope in hell of finishing.

  Chapter Thirty Seven

  The rays from the sun were warm against the exposed portions of Chloe’s face telling her that she was outside. Other than that measly piece of information she had no idea of exactly where she was or why she was going. Ryan’s large hands were covering her eyes, effectively blinding her and keeping her in the dark despite the bright sun and the early hour of the day.

  “Where are you taking me Ryan?”

  “It’s a surprise, everyone likes surprises.”

  He had been secretive ever since he had returned to her that morning, refusing to tell her exactly where they were going or what they were doing. She had barely opened her eyes
since he had arrived, if he wasn’t covering them himself, he was asking her to close them, lifting her at odd moments and carrying her for a few minutes at a time before allowing her to walk again. She had long since lost any sense of direction she might once have had and was solely reliant on Ryan’s firm guidance.

  “I never did get the hand of doing things like everyone else. I don’t like surprises.”

  His steps faltered, drawing her to a complete stop. “Do you really not like surprises?”

  “No. I’m not a big fan of them. I like to know what’s going on around me.”

  “We’re not quite there yet but as you don’t seem to like being in the dark we can go the rest of the way there together.”

  His hands lifted from her face allowing the sunlight to finally reach her. She blinked blearily trying to reacquaint herself with the light. When her eyes finally adjusted she realised that she had been right, they were indeed outdoors. What she hadn’t expected was for them to be outdoors, in a forest. Her breath quickened, coming in short, sharp pants. Her eyes flickered wildly around her surroundings, darting back and forth as though expecting a wild animal to come lunging at her at any given moment. She took a deep breath and then screamed, long and loud.

  “Chloe, angel, calm down,” Ryan pressed, pulling her against him. “It’s okay. I promise.”

  “What are we doing out here? This is insect territory Ryan. They live here. We’re meant to be living safely indoors.”

  “Chloe, I’m doing this for you. I want to show you just how beautiful the outdoors can be. I’m not going to let anything hurt you I promise.”

  “Ryan, I don’t want to do this.” Her eyes widened in fear, darting back and forth over their surroundings. “Ryan there are wild animals out here. You can’t expect me to just walk in there with no form of protection. Do you even have a gun or something to stop them from eating us?”

  “I don’t need a gun Chloe and when you’re with me you don’t need one either. There’s nothing out here that’s bigger or badder than me and everything out there knows it. If some animal were to try and hurt you then I’d tell them to get lost or deal with the consequences.”

  She laughed. “So you can talk to animals now?”

  “I don’t need to talk to animals angel. Animals can sense when a predator is nearby and they know that it’s in their best interests to flee.”

  “And what about the insects? I don’t want them crawling all over me with their spindly legs, their feelers moving over my skin.” She shuddered. “I can’t deal with them Ryan. I won’t.”

  “Angel, insects are no bigger than your baby toe, they can’t hurt you. Chloe, I’m a wolf. That’s the only reason I’m even alive today. I have to be outside, I can’t stay indoors all the time, it goes against my very nature to do so. You’re my mate; I want to be with you whenever I can. If you asked me to I’d give all of this up.” He stretched out both arms to encompass the wilderness surrounding them. “I’d give it up but I think it would change me. I wouldn’t be the same person I’m now. I’d be more irritable and probably make mistakes more frequently than I already do but even knowing this, I’d still do it for you.”

  “You’re awfully willing to give up things for me.” First his life and now his freedom.

  “I don’t know how many times I have to tell you this before you believe me. You’re the most important person in my life. Nothing is more important than you.”

  How many times in my life have I been as willing as he is to compromise, no, to sacrifice? After all that he’s done for me, is willing to do for me in the future, the least I can do is try. “Fine, I’m willing to do this but you have to promise that I won’t get eaten or anything like that.”

  “I swear. I give you my word even though I think it’s a bit unnecessary, I’d never let anything happen to you, that’s the promise I made to myself when I first saw you. I’ll try to keep the insects away as well.”

  “You had better. I think I could just about handle getting mauled by a wild animal but being touched by bugs is a whole different ball game.” She shivered, rubbing her hands over her crossed arms as though she were freezing. “The thought of them being near me makes my stomach turn.”

  “Really?” He purred, pulling her close to his side. His hand crept beneath the flimsy material of her shirt to gently caress the skin hidden beneath. “Do you want to test that theory? We’ve got a wild animal right here, do you think you’re up to the task of being mauled by me?”

  Laughter spilled from her lips and she pressed closer to him, allowing his touch. She melted against him, her limbs becoming weak, her body pliant allowing him to guide her further into the woods. Held within the safety of Ryan’s arms she was able to see the wildness around her with new eyes. Whenever she had ventured on an outdoor trip with her family she had been too terrified to enjoy the beauty of nature but things were different now. With Ryan she felt protected, one hundred percent safe from harm.

  I like this feeling, she decided, wrapping her own arm around his waist and pulling him closer. Who am I kidding? I like him full stop. Arrogant, idiotic Ryan. Kind, wonderful, loving Ryan.

  “Where are we headed?” she asked, struggling to get the words out. His proximity was making it hard to think. The warm, rich scent of him and the pressure of his thickly corded muscles against her side were all combining to cloud her mind, fog her judgement.

  “There’s somewhere I want to take you. If it doesn’t cure your dislike of nature then I don’t know what will.”

  Her eyes wandered again, looking at the sun-dappled leaves with new eyes. She couldn’t remember ever having seen leaves so green, they practically shone in the light of day. She turned her gaze skyward, looking up at the tall trees that surrounded them as they stretched ever higher as though trying to reach the sun. The air was fresh, clean as it entered her lungs. She smiled as the beauty Ryan was trying so hard to show her was revealed to her with no effort on his part. The arm around her waist tightened suddenly, forcing her to stop and she turned to him, confusion in her gaze.

  He leaned down, whispering in her ear. “Do you want to see something special?”

  “I thought we were going to see something special.”

  “Yes, but I’ve just scented something that I think you’ll find pretty. Do you want to see it?”

  Why not? If I’m going to do this I might as well go all the way. “Yes.”

  “You have to be very, very quiet. Don’t make any unnecessary sounds.”

  “Okay.”

  He pulled her against him, lifting her from the ground. He crept on silent feet towards their new destination, trying his hardest to ensure the twigs and branches beneath his feet didn’t snap. His breaths were slow and steady, his movements swift and silent. He stopped, setting Chloe on her feet before pulling her down to crouch beside him. He smiled, his eyes alight with joy as he pointed towards a small clearing.

  Chloe’s gaze wandered in the direction Ryan was pointing towards, a small gasp escaping her lips when she saw the doe Ryan had been eager for her to see. The animal personified all the positive traits Ryan was trying to show her were intrinsic to the outdoors. Its coat was a smooth sable brown, adorned with simple white spots. A slender neck ended in a gently sloping head from which deep brown eyes looked out. The doe’s eyes were currently focused on the grass underfoot as it calmly chewed away at the long grass.

  Ryan’s breath was hot against her skin as he whispered in her ear, “I said no sounds.”

  “I couldn’t help it,” she retorted. “It’s beautiful.”

  The doe raised its head, dark brown eyes flicking back and forth as if it were looking for something. Chloe watched from a distance as the muscles in the creature’s legs tensed, quivering for a moment before it fled.

  “It’s gone,” she groaned, disappointed that she had only managed to catch a fleeting glimpse of the beautiful animal in its natural habitat.

  “Well we couldn’t expect it to stay there all day. I’m
surprised it stayed still for so long.”

  “Why?”

  “Because animals like that are usually very good at sensing when a predator is nearby. That doe was slow.”

  “It was beautiful,” she corrected. Her eyes were riveted in the direction the doe had fled as though she expected it to come back at any moment.

  Ryan barely resisted the urge to groan. Those who lived in cities had almost no understanding of how nature actually worked. Chloe overlooked the doe’s slowness, instead focusing on how beautiful it was. He didn’t have the heart to tell her that if it stayed that slow it might not survive the week. “Come on,” he urged, standing and offering her his hand.

  Her eyes flitted between his outstretched hand and the direction the doe had run in indecision. Her mind made up, she grasped Ryan’s hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. They resumed their walk, Ryan easily guiding her back on to the path they had been on before he had taken them on the detour. Ryan was silent as they walked, allowing Chloe to hear the different sounds that were being made around her. They were so far away from civilisation that she could hear everything, birds tweeting over head, the twigs breaking under their feet as they passed, she could even hear the wind as it rustled through the trees. The quiet wasn’t as disconcerting as she thought it would have been, in fact as they continued walking, it became rather soothing. Her heart slowed, her thoughts became less frenetic and her muscles relaxed as tension seeped from her. In short, she was at peace.

  As they continued walking through the trees, a faint smile crept across Chloe’s lips and when she spoke her voice was calm, mellow, as if the peace and quiet that surrounded them had settled directly into her. “I didn’t expect it to be like this.”

  “Like what?”

  “I don’t know…tranquil, peaceful. I never thought that quiet surroundings could be so peaceful. I’m a city girl, I’ve been surrounded by noise all my life, I’d gotten used to it.”

  “Gotten used to it?” he pressed. “Does that mean things are different now?”