by Crissy Smith
A Total-E-Bound Publication
www.total-e-bound.com
Pack Enforcer
ISBN #978-1-907280-16-0
©Copyright Crissy Smith 2009
Cover Art by Natalie Winters ©Copyright September 2009
Edited by Jess Bimberg
Total-E-Bound Publishing
This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Total-E-Bound Publishing.
Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Total-E-Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.
The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.
Published in 2009 by Total-E-Bound Publishing 1 The Corner, Faldingworth Road
, Spridlington, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, LN8 2DE, UK.
Warning: This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has been rated Total-e-burning.
Were Chronicles
PACK ENFORCER
Crissy Smith
Dedication
This book goes to everyone who loves the wolves—thanks for the support.
Trademarks Acknowledgement
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmark mentioned in this work of fiction:
Monopoly: Hasbro
Chapter One
Emily Black kicked her shoes off and watched as they flew across her living room. Godforsaken things. She hated shoes no matter what kind they were. At least the tennis shoes she wore to class were more comfortable than the heels her friends wore.
She kicked them under the coffee table as she passed and stripped off her shirt and jeans while heading into the bedroom for loose shorts and T-shirt. Once comfortable, she headed into the kitchen. The fridge, which she kept overstocked, was cool as she opened it. She grabbed a bottle of water and the Tupperware full of lasagne she had packed.
Heating it up in the microwave, she sat on the counter to wait for it with a fork in her hand. Many people would consider her behaviour weird or think that she hadn’t eaten in hours. But, for her, it was just another day. She had eaten lunch only two hours ago, but a shifter burned a lot of energy and needed to eat large regular meals.
She, however, ate many small meals. Especially around the few people she called her friends. Even though the world had finally admitted there were Shifter or Were creatures out there, she didn’t like to call attention to herself. No one at school knew about her. Of that she was pretty sure. To them, she was just a quiet girl who liked to study and keep to herself. She was pretty in a traditional way, but not a head-turner. She would leave being stunning and charming to those around her. She preferred to blend in and not draw attention to herself.
She could see her answering machine light blinking, indicating she had a message, but wasn’t in any hurry to check. It was probably someone trying to sell her something. She didn’t get many phone calls.
* * * *
Cain knocked on the door to his Alpha’s study and waited for the grunt meaning to come in. He entered and remained silent as Lamont finished his phone call. If Lamont hadn’t wanted the conversation overheard, he wouldn’t have let Cain in. Werewolf hearing was better than any device you could buy.
Cain immediately recognised the young Were’s voice on the other end of the line. She spoke softly to the Alpha of the Pack, although her tone showed frustration. Hearing her voice sent a shiver down Cain’s spine and a jolt to his cock.
They all worried about the young Were women who were out of the Pack’s territory. In all of the attacks that had recently taken place, the females were away from home, out of Pack territory. Showing why he was Alpha, Lamont was calling them home before Cain had thought of it.
“Have some bags packed when your ride gets there,” Lamont said sternly into the phone.
Cain barely held back a smile when he heard the order.
“No, someone will be there to pick you up.” He looked over at Cain. “It will be someone you recognise from the Pack. Do not leave with anyone else.”
Lamont listened for a few more minutes before cutting her off. “No. You will stay in one of the cabins. It will be fully furnished for your arrival.” He waited again. “You’ll stay until we know what is going on and I tell you it’s okay to go back.” That was all Alpha speaking to one of his Pack. Cain knew how Lamont felt about Emily. How everyone felt.
Emily had been changed as a child, which was against every rule and law they had. Most children could not handle the stress of change. That was why it was forbidden. Too many children had died back in the settling days before his family had a Pack leader. It was Lamont’s father who had forbidden the change of children or anyone who did not choose it. There were too many risks.
Someone could carry the Were DNA two ways—through birth or by being bitten. However, being bitten did not mean they would automatically change. They must carry the strain somewhere down their line.
Cain’s brother, Tony, could explain it better. Tony was a natural born talker. He could smooth over anything or anybody. He was the face of the Pack. When the Packs had decided to come out in the open, to stop hiding from the world, there needed to be a recognised face. A face that people could see and not think of a monster. Cain was just glad it wasn’t him. He would rather stay home in his Pack’s territory, keeping watch and protecting his Alpha.
He turned his attention to the man who sat behind the desk. A man he respected more than anyone else.
“Emily Black,” Lamont told him once he hung up the phone.
“She’s coming home?” Cain asked even though he knew the answer.
Lamont nodded at him. “I want every female home and safe. Especially her.”
Cain understood what Lamont was saying.
They had rescued her from the cage she had been put into after she had been changed—when the ones who had changed her couldn’t handle her. She had been filthy and bruised from head to toe. Neglected and scared with no idea what was going on. She’d been twelve. Now, ten years later, she would be coming home to be kept safe once again.
“I want you to go get her and get her here safely,” Lamont told him.
Cain just stared at his Alpha. “Me? You sure? Maybe Tony would be better,” he suggested instead. It wasn't that he didn't agree. He did—she needed to return home. He knew it was for the best. But after years of fighting his attraction to her, Cain wasn't sure being closed in a moving vehicle together was a good idea.
Lamont just looked at his second-in-command and raised an eyebrow.
Cain cleared his throat. “Of course. I’ll leave right away.” He turned to walk out.
“Cain,” Lamont called after him. He waited until Cain had turned around and met his gaze. “There’s always been something there between you and Emily. Do you want to tell me about it?”
Cain shook his head. “I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about.”
Lamont stood and walked around the desk. “I’m not asking as your Alpha. I’m asking as your father. Is there something between you that I should worry about?”
Cain understood the question that wasn’t asked. He was a dominant male. Emily was still scarred and young. It had
been cute, as she’d grown up, the little crush she had on him. She would follow him around instead of playing dolls; she would practice fighting and manoeuvres as he’d taught others. It hadn’t hurt anyone, and both he and his father had wanted her to be able to protect herself. Never to be a victim again. That was the promise the family had made her when they saved her. That no one would ever hurt her again.
So the lessons had started when she was seventeen. It was the longest year Cain could ever remember in his life. There had been something instantly attracting him to her. The first time he’d touched her to show her a throw, there had been a spark. He could still remember the moment. The widening of her eyes, the catch of her breath, and the feel of her skin under his hands. He had backed away immediately, but the damage had been done. The attraction had been noted.
But the big episode had come at the end of a year of working with her. She was eighteen by then, but still safe and off limits to him. He had made a promise to protect her, and he would—even from him. She had just thrown him, and he kicked the back of her knee, having her go down at the same time. He shifted to break her fall, and her body fell onto his. She didn’t rush or scramble off him as she normally did.
Their eyes met, and there was that connection once again. Then her mouth was on his, moist and hesitant. It was a feeling he would never forget. Her lips moving and caressing while her hand rubbed his chest. He’d rolled her onto her back, taking control of the kiss, deepening it, making it hard and rough. His hands slid under the tank top that she wore, and he rubbed her breasts, pulling at her nipples as he kissed her mouth. She moaned, and he felt that into the deepest core of his body. He was between her legs, hard as a rock and ready to plunge into her the moment he could pull her shorts off.
He stroked down from her breasts past her stomach to her hot core. He slipped his hand into her shorts and inside her panties, shimming his fingers against liquid heat. As he brushed his hand over her centre, she pressed against it, begging him to take her. And as she moaned and writhed under his touch, the kiss became brutal. When he dipped his finger inside, she exploded and rocked and screamed at the climax that tore through her body.
He shook the memory away. He hadn’t handled that well. He had come to his senses at the last minute. He’d stopped before it was too late, sent her back to the house and avoided her from then on. After that, she’d begged and pleaded with Lamont to let her go away to college.
Neither Lamont nor Cain had wanted to let her go. Being in Pack territory almost guaranteed her safety. Lamont had held off as long as he could, kept her there for four years at the community college in two towns over.
Finally, he had to let her go. At twenty-two, she’d left to go to the closest university. They would still worry with her being outside the territory, but she had promised one thing.
If trouble came, if she got a call from the Alpha, she would return home.
The call came now, and Cain would be the one to pick her up.
She’d returned every summer and for holidays to spend her time off with the only family she had ever known or could remember. So they had been thrown together numerous times but had managed to avoid each other and talking about what happened.
Obviously, they hadn’t avoided keeping everything from the Alpha. From his father.
“No, nothing.” Cain shook his head.
Lamont didn’t look convinced, but nodded. “Then go get our girl.”
Cain turned and left to go get the one girl he could guarantee wouldn’t be glad to see him.
Chapter Two
Emily glanced up at the knock on the door. She had been sitting on her couch with her packed bags at her feet. She was needed at home. She knew this day would come, when Lamont would want her to return.
The knock sounded again, and she smiled. Nothing like an impatient wolf at the door. She opened the door, smiling until she got a look at the dark, handsome man standing there.
Damn.
Cain looked wonderful. He was over six feet tall with dark hair and gold eyes. His hair was longer than she remembered and fell over his forehead. Her fingers twitched to push it back. He radiated strength as he leaned against the doorframe.
She noticed his eyes took her in the same way as she was him.
“Surprised?” he asked with a nasty twist of his lip.
She shouldn’t have been. Fate loved to throw her curve balls. And if her dreams lately were any indication, she wasn’t over this handsome, cocky wolf in front of her. It was going to be a long drive. She opened the door wider to allow him in. “I was expecting Tony.”
“Well, you got me instead.” Cain stepped into the small apartment.
With a deliberate ease he walked past her and sniffed the room.
“What are you doing?” she asked as her eyes narrowed.
She knew exactly what he was doing. He was scenting for other men. But she hadn’t been ‘dating’ anyone recently, so there were no others scents in her apartment but hers.
He just smiled back at her.
“Ugh.” She stomped over to her two bags and picked them up. “Fine, let’s go.”
Cain’s eyes lit in amusement. Whenever they were together, she could feel the tension in the room and in her body. They brought out the absolute worst in each other.
It took Emily twenty minutes in the car to finally give in. Cain knew she would. She always made the first attempt to talk. This time was no difference.
“Why am I going back?”
“That’s where you belong,” Cain told her, tightening his hands on the wheel.
She snorted. “Says you, but Lamont wouldn’t have called me back without a good reason.”
Cain glanced over at the woman next to him. It had taken all the control he had not to grab her in his arms the moment she’d opened the door. She was everything he remembered, everything he dreamt of at night. He could swear her scent had wrapped him into a web when he’d first seen her. Same now as she looked up at him expecting the truth. Weighing his options, he decided to tell her as little as possible.
“There have been some attacks on female Weres outside Pack territory,” he said gently.
When her eyes widened with horror, he reached over and patted her leg. “No one in our Pack. It’s been four women so far, but Lamont wants to be careful. The latest one was from Christian’s Pack.”
“Who?”
He frowned, thinking he should have left this for Lamont. “Mindy.”
She turned and looked out at the passing scenery. “What happened to her?”
He shook his head. “You don’t need to know that.”
She turned then to look at him. “Well, I think that since I was called home due to it being a danger to me, and the fact that a good friend was attacked only two territories over, I should have a good idea of what is going on. I‘m a big girl, Cain, I don‘t need you to protect me.”
He shook his head again. She might be a big girl, but he would always protect her. “If you want to hit up Lamont for that information, that’s fine, but I’m not telling you.” He took a deep breath. “And I’ll always protect you whether you like it or not.” They both knew he wasn’t only talking about with this situation.
He reached over, turned the radio on and put both hands on the wheel.
Emily just stared at him. She’d been dismissed. Just like that, he thought he could tell her that they weren’t going to talk about it and they weren’t. Well, he had another thing coming. She’d tried, she told herself. She would have been nice and polite, but his attitude just stank. She switched the radio off.
“Listen to me, Cain.” Surprised, he looked over at her. She kept her voice low. “I’m not a child any longer. You can’t pat me on the head and send me to my room.”
He cleared his throat. “I never did that.”
She laughed. “Yes, you did. I made a pass at you, you turned me down. We are both adults, and I think it’s time you stopped holding a grudge.” She crossed her arms over her chest an
d turned her head to stare out the window again. There. She’d said what she had wanted to for years.
“What are you talking about?”
When she didn’t say anything, he whipped the car to the shoulder and slammed on the brakes. She had to put her hands out in front of her to keep from hitting her head, and the seat belt tightened around her body.
“What the hell!” she cried out.
He undid his seatbelt and turned to face her. “I hate to tell you that you’re wrong, but being that you are, I’ll force myself. I crossed a line with you. I shouldn’t have, and I apologise. If the only way to make sure it doesn’t happen again is to stay away from you, then I will.”
Emily noticed his eyes were practically glowing. It was past time for them to talk about this, but now was most definitely not the time. But she had to know why he thought that.
He reached behind him to pull the seat belt back on, but she stopped him with a hand on his arm.
“What line did you cross?” she asked gently.
He growled in the back of his throat. “You know damn well what I did.”
She nodded, not moving her hand. “I know what you did, Cain, and I know what you didn’t.”
He tried to pull away, but she tightened her grip. She might not be as strong or as fast, but in the small confines of a car, he couldn’t move enough to avoid her.
“You refused an eighteen-year-old girl who jumped on you, who had planned for months for the right moment. Maybe I made a mistake. I don’t think I did, but I know you do. I was eighteen and infatuated with you, Cain. You were all I could think about. When you sent me back into the house, it broke my heart.”