The Warder's Wolf

by Kinsella

  As Zan’s steadying arm came around her, she looked wildly at her boss. “Oh, god.” The signs of the werewolf were easy to see, now that she was looking for them. Arissa as well. Damn.

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  “It was a setup. The whole thing was a setup.” Zan helped her into a chair and she buried her face in her hands. She was not upset, she was mortified. Humiliated.

  Her voice was muffled behind her hands, “Max, you were the one who told Keena to take me to the Howl.” It was a statement. She had finally put two and two together.

  “Actually, it was me.” Arissa’s smooth and low voice was gentle. “You were in heat, Ruana. If we didn’t send you into a controlled situation, you could have been hurt.”

  “You didn’t tell them about my fan club?” She looked at Zan, her voice almost hysterical. She knew that the whites of her eyes were showing, like a panicked deer. Ruana had never felt more like herded prey in her life.

  “How many?” Max’s voice was grim. Ruana was afraid to look up, but she could feel the hunter rising behind that desk. Now that she had physically contacted with a werewolf, her senses were going on overdrive.

  “Six. They followed her out of the club. Despite the ugly dress.” Her head lifted, and a startled laugh left her before she could stop it. Zan was watching for her reaction and tried to send her a soothing smile. It was more of a grimace, but he did try.

  Max tapped his hand against the desk to regain

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  their attention. “Any clan members among them?”

  “All of them. I scared them off, but they’re going to petition for her.” Zan was just as grim as his brother.

  His brother‘s eyes closed in resignation. “Ah hell. Are you ready for the challenges? Will you take them or let them have her?”

  She was indignant, “Hey!”

  “I will take them.” Zan’s voice was implacable.

  “Arissa, what the hell are they talking about?” She knew she sounded shrill, but this was not the kind of meeting she had been braced for. She had spent her morning memorizing inventory questions that he might ask.

  Arissa sighed and looked at her husband. At his nod, she began to fill Ruana in. “Ok, now you know your father left the clans when he married your mother. Right?” At Ru’s nod she kept going.

  “You were born of mixed blood, this usually results in a girl being born without any attributes of a werewolf at all.” Arissa smiled kindly, “ Not so with you. You may not be able to change shape, but you have the strength, the reflexes and the intelligence of the highest werewolf families. You also do something that only one in twenty full blood wer female’s do. You go into heat. Frequently, and obviously. The long and short of it is that you can have fully powered sons and daughters, who are just about guaranteed to be

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  Alphas, the highest ranking in the clans.”

  “Offspring of a female in heat are stronger, faster, and more intelligent than that of the average werewolf female. This makes you a valuable bargaining chip. The various clans are bidding on any female with this particular trait. Once discovered, you have nowhere to hide.”

  “I am only sorry that our little plan to get you to Zan at that time caused you to become exposed to the rest of the clans. The bidding war has already started. Zan will be challenged for the right to be your lover until you conceive. Then the next clan will be in line, after that first child is born.”

  “…And on and on, until I die in childbirth. Not a very pleasant future.” Tears seeped from he eyes as she contemplated her fate. Endless mating with strangers to produce children that could literally bite your head off. “Is there any way out of this? Anywhere I can hide?”

  “No. Once you were spotted, an alarm went out trying to find your identity. Your erstwhile suitors were very excited to come across one of your type with no clan protection. But there is something that you can do.” Arissa’s voice was soft, and she looked like she wanted to cry herself.

  Ruana was desperate- tears were slowly tracking down her cheeks. The only outlet for emotions that made her want to scream in anger.

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  “What? Anything. You name it and I am there.”

  Zan took over the conversation. “What Max wants us to try is a little complicated. You become my mate. Permanently. We marry and register it with the state. Not one clan can challenge our relationship after that. You will belong to me, and I to you. And hey! You can stop working for this tyrant.” Across the room, Max smiled at that. Well, she thought it was a smile, he bared his teeth.

  “Wait a minute- we still have your clan to contend with. Don’t we?” She was finally coming around into the planning stages.

  “I’ll start making calls. Zan, you get her out of here. Anyone of those who saw you could identify you and come to find her here. They all know where I am and that you are my brother.”

  Zan tugged her to her feet and was halfway out the door with Ruana before she added “Hey, you still have to pay me for working today.”

  The door closed on their laughter, and she took Zan’s arm as he led her out of the office and to his car. The secretaries giggled and pointed at them as they walked the halls. It was an occasion of monumental proportions that the ‘little librarian‘ had a man. And the boss’s brother, wow. The sports car was a devastating blue in the daylight. She was amazed. Last night it had looked black.

  She had always been a sucker for blue. “Your

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  car is wonderful.”

  “Thanks.” He opened the passenger door for her.

  She nervously drew her shaking hands across the seats. “Mm, leather interior. Nice.”

  He slid into the driver‘s seat and started the car. “You are chatty today. On Saturday you hardly said a word.”

  “On Saturday I was scared out of my wits. I hadn’t ever done that before.”

  “What, picked up a guy in a bar and fucked him senseless? You were very good at it.” He smiled over at her as he headed for the highway.

  “Thanks. You know I never thought that what came afterward would be so, pleasant.” Her face was completely bland, but she knew that that would get a rise out of him.

  “You enjoyed being chased through the woods, almost torn apart and mauled by a wild beast?”

  “It had its moments.” She glanced over at his crotch and noticed the bulge that seemed to be growing behind the fabric. “Like when you pinned me to the ground with your body, and I felt your enormous cock pressing into my ass as I lay helpless.”

  A few beads of sweat had formed on his brow, and the bulge in his trousers was no longer small.

  “While I am driving, could we please talk about the weather?” It was a barely human snarl, but she

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  understood it.

  “Ok, new topic. How did you get me into my house?”

  He gave her a sardonic look. “You left your purse in my kitchen. I can read a drivers license, and use a key.”

  She felt her face heat. “Why did you take me home then?”

  “So you would have familiar things around you when you woke up. I knew what would happen on Monday. Max had invited me to the meeting when Arissa had them bring you to me.”

  Ruana was silent. She carefully watched the route that he took into the farming areas around the city. They passed the Howl, the bar lying dormant in the sun, and she averted her gaze. She watched the countryside fly by the window once again.

  “Why did you let them convince you to go to the Howl on Saturday? You really don’t seem the type.” He broke the silence after a few miles had passed.

  She turned her face toward the window and kept her mouth shut. She had been kicking herself since the moment she had walked into the bar, and she wasn’t about to let him know that. He was nice enough for a werewolf, but she could not forget her father’s admonishing words about wer. Basic instinct was valued over intellect, and the


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  most cruel and violent of behaviors were applauded if they helped you move through the ranks of the clan.

  Zan may have helped her out by separating her from the others, but he was just as capable as they were of taking what he wanted, should she protest.

  She sighed and broke the silence. “So what is the type that frequents the Howl?”

  “Usually women in short skirts and tops slit down to the navel so that their tits hang out. They come in, get hammered, drool over the wolves that are in the bar, pick one up, and get hammered all over again.” He grinned and winked at her as she turned to stare at him in appalled amazement.

  “So, what you are saying is that I stuck out the second that I walked through the door.” She sank further into the embrace of the leather and squirmed uncomfortably.

  He let out a harsh bark of laughter. “No, I stuck out the second that you walked through the door. Damned uncomfortable in those jeans, I will have you know.”

  “You know, I never expected Max’s brother to be so…crude. He’s so polite at the office.” She was trying hard not to smile, and failing miserably.

  She smiled at his wicked chuckle. “Most men are fairly crude given the opportunity. It’s only the formal bonds of normal society that keep us from

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  making all kinds of unfortunate statements and noises in public.” He smiled. “And some of us do it anyway, but Max has his business to run. He had higher priorities the whole time we were growing up.”

  “Is he the older brother?”

  “Naw, my younger by about three years. I taught him everything he knows, including how to run a business. We are both of alpha standing, but have no urge to run the clan. Too much politics.”

  His hands were steady on the wheel, his eyes distant. He was obviously lost in some kind of memory. The grim set of his mouth was an indication that it was not a pleasant scene that he was recalling.

  Silence fell again.

  “Is there going to be trouble because of me? Because if there is, can I make a few calls?”

  “By the time we get you safely stashed at my farmhouse, half of the clans will know that there is a breeding female available, and the smart ones will know that you have no protection.” He sounded as if he were talking to a child. Explaining the facts to her in simple terms.

  “Fine. But can I call someone that can help? Yes or no?” She waited. And waited.

  From inside his coat pocket, he brought out a cell phone. “Fine, call anyone you want. But the

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  clans will handle this.”

  Ruana flipped open the tiny phone and dialed her mother’s number at work. When she was put through she told her mother everything as quickly as she could. Her mother sat in stony silence on the other end of the call.

  Finally, “Mom, do you think you can call out some of the cousins for this? Does it fall within Warder jurisdiction? Great Mom. Thanks. And can you make the call to Anryn? I think she would really get a kick out of this.”

  Zan had been listening carefully. “What is a Warder? And who all is coming?”

  “Long story on the clan, but currently it is a network of witches and warlocks related by blood who specialize in defensive magic. There is a clan that I belong to, The Warders.”

  “And the Warders will use all means to defend my choice of mate, but only once. So you had better have a detailed stock portfolio ready for my mom and the elders to go over, or kiss your ass goodbye.” For the first time in days, Ruana felt confidant.

  Her mother had been surprised, but not shocked, and had swiftly realized the peril that her daughter was in. Calling in the clan was standard procedure, and would surprise the hell out of the werewolves coming after her.

  “Mom is going to call me back in a few minutes.

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  I gave her your cell number. The clan should start arriving this afternoon, I think you have enough room for them to camp out.”

  “What clan? I thought that your father had left his clan associations behind.” Zan was a little confused by the conversation that he had overheard.

  Ruana started to snicker. “Not my father’s clan. They won’t have anything to do with us.” She paused for a few moments, then dropped the bomb. “My mother’s.”

  “Your mom is a wer?”

  A short bark of laughter answered him. “No. My mom is a witch. Of the Warder clan. We are the largest and least respected of all of the magical clans in Realm.” She looked perversely smug as she described her family.

  “Realm? There are clan legends and histories, but none of us have been there.” He was looking a little white around the eyes. “So, your mom is a witch?”

  “One of the best Warders of the last generation.” Her chest puffed up with pride. “That was how my parents met. She laid a trap for him, and caught him.”

  “What kind of a trap?”

  “Nothing invasive. Just a set of standing stones. She needed his help tracking down a rogue wer from his clan. He refused to participate willingly,

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  so she trapped him.” Then seduced him, but she was not about to tell Zan that. The slightly trampy behavior of her relatives was not something she was particularly proud of.

  Mind you, last weekend hadn’t been all bad. Perhaps she could see the attraction in jumping guys after all. Well, Zan anyway.

  The car turned into the farmhouse’s drive. She smiled at the whitewashed porch and expansive lawn. There was serenity in the expanse of greenery surrounding the house in the woods. She felt part of her relax. It was the same part of her that hated the congestion of the city, longed for the hunt, the chase and bringing down her prey.

  Ruana shook her head. She had never hunted. She looked over at Zan and noted the relaxed, blissful look on his face as he took in the sight of his home. Her mind probed at the emotions that were rising within her, and she noted the distinctly masculine tone that they were taking on.

  Aw, hell. They were bonding.

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  Chapter Four

  an’s cell phone rang. Ruana grabbed at it and checked the caller ID. It was her mom. Thank god. Z

  “Hi Mom. What’s the verdict?” She listened carefully and looked over at Zan’s attentive expression. He was obviously puzzled at the turn of events that she was pulling on him, and slightly off balance.

  Her mother’s voice came through clearly. “We can have Anryn there as soon as you get a four foot reflective surface ready. The rest of the available clan members will be there by nightfall.”

  Ruana covered the lower portion of the phone with her hand and asked him, “Do you have a large mirror in the house?”

  “How large?” He placed one of his hands on her lower back and steered her to the front door.

  “About four feet.” She turned back to the phone. “Four feet. Right, Mom?”

  “Yes, dear. Just lay your hand on it, and she

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  will come through. She’s waiting for you.” Her voice dropped to a hushed level. “Are you sure that he’s the one, sweetie? It isn’t too late to have you pulled out of there.”

  “Mom, he’s willing to take on the rest of the clan champions to keep me. So, yeah. He’s the one.” Saying it out loud made it final. No matter what happened later this evening, she wanted Zan.

  “Well, Ru, as long as he’s the one you want. I am sure that your father and I will get along fine with him. We should be there after your dad gets off work. Anryn will bring us through Realm for the engagement ceremony.” Victoria paused for a moment. “Be careful, Ruana. I love you.”

  “Love you too Mom. Goodbye.” With a punch of her thumb, she disconnected the call and then turned to the mirror that Zan had led her to.

  Zan had grinned when she said that he was the one, but now he sobered. “So, how is your mother taking this?” His concern was obvious.

  �
�Pretty well, considering that this is something she has always dreaded actually happening.” Ruana shrugged and looked around her.

  It was obviously his bedroom. The king-sized bed gave it away. The room had the same lived-in feeling as the parts of his house that she had already seen. It was also spotless.

  Great, he was a neat freak. This was boding ill

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  for the future.

  “Ruana, the mirror?” He stood aside. “What are you going to do with it?”

  “Me. Nothing. My cousin Anryn however is going to use it as a gateway. Better stand a little further to one side. She tends to come through running.” She held her hand over the mirror’s surface, a tingling warmth jumping from the glass to her skin.

  “Ok, I am going to give you the short course here.” Ruana drew her hand back and took his to drag him over to have a seat on the bed. “If you don’t want to be involved with me after you see my family, you can just let me go. My family is magic. My mother is a descendent of one of the oldest bloodlines of magical humans.”

  She drew a deep breath and continued. “We have a family curse that keeps us from being accepted in the regular society of Realm. Realm is an alternate dimension that acts as a haven and a training ground for those of magical families. And all the non-human races, of course.”

  “Because of my family’s stigma, we are not usually welcomed as in-laws by the other families, so we find mates elsewhere. Usually in the non-human races. My cousin Anryn is half-dryad. I myself have more mixed blood in me than human. Our talents are varied, but one thing is certain. We can all cast wards. Magical barriers that keep out

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  whatever we tell them to. Kinda like your computer’s firewall.”