Dark Wolf Returning

by Rhyannon Byrd

  “Have you called in help from the Alley yet?”

  With a nod, Charles said, “I just got off the phone with Mason a few minutes ago. He’s already mobilized five different scouting groups and put them on it.”

  “Do you need any help?” he asked, thinking he could call his men up and they could join the scouting parties, but Charles shook his head.

  “You and your guys have been going non-stop since you got here,” the Lycan said, giving him a friendly clap on the shoulder. “This is one you can sit out for now. But I’m sure Mason will call you if it turns out to be something more than we’re expecting.”

  He talked with the Lycan for a few more moments, satisfied that they had the situation under control, then turned to head back. When he emerged from the woods and looked down the street, toward Eric’s house, he wasn’t surprised at what he saw. Carla had run. But he didn’t think it was because she didn’t want him. Climbing up the porch steps, Eli gripped the back of his neck, and struggled to grasp on to the hope that it just might be because she did. That she’d run because she was finally starting to see that he was for real. That they had a chance, if she would just make the choice to fight for it.

  He might have lost her tonight, but tomorrow was a new day, and he was going to do everything he could to get this right.

  If he wanted to land his queen in this backbreaking game of emotional chess being played between them, then he needed to rethink his strategy. And he needed to do it fast, before he ran out of time and she slipped from his grasp. Not just for a day...or a month...or another three miserable godforsaken years.

  But forever.

  Chapter 12

  After spending the day with Wyatt at the training camps, Carla wanted nothing more than to soak her tired body in a hot bath and enjoy a glass of wine. Then she wanted to drag her aching muscles to bed early, and sleep so deeply that she didn’t even dream.

  Lately, dreams had become a dangerous playing field for her mind. As treacherous a landscape as her memories of the night Eli had forged the tenuous bond that linked them. She kept thinking of how deeply she’d been able to feel his need that night, as well as the pain he felt for what had happened to his sister. His fury for the ones responsible, and for the one he’d killed so viciously. He’d needed comfort. Had needed her.

  She’d felt that same need pouring from him last night, when he’d taken her into his arms and held her so tightly, his powerful body tremoring with desire. Was she just a fool, doomed to fall prey to a man who had brought her so much pain? Or was the fool the one who turned a blind eye to her own heart? Who never learned to forgive?

  She didn’t know. All she knew was that she fell further under his spell each time he touched her, which was the last thing that she needed.

  Determined to distract her mind from thinking about him, she mentally worked through her day as she made her way on foot through the heavily secured woods, and found her frown only deepening. She and Wyatt, who had been a pain and tried to talk to her about Eli the entire damn day, had worked with a group of women who wanted to learn combat skills that could be used when the Whiteclaw finally mounted their attack—but the female Lycans had been woefully uneducated when it came to even the most basic fighting techniques. She hated the idea of telling them they couldn’t fight, and yet, it wasn’t right to send them up against soldiers who fought as dirty and deadly as the Whiteclaw did. So there were definitely going to be some hard decisions to make in that regard.

  Reaching the edge of the trees, she came into the Alley behind Jeremy and Jillian’s cabin, and headed around the side, toward the open glade. The instant she rounded their front porch, she caught sight of a tall male talking to Eric on the far side of the Alley, and immediately recognized those broad shoulders and the dark, shaggy hair as Eli’s. She knew there was a part of her that had been hoping he would return, and yet, there was an equally strong part that had been terrified of that very thing.

  As if he could feel the sensual weight of her stare, he slowly turned around, found her with his gaze, and started walking toward her. Mere heartbeats later, he was right in front of her, and she could only stare back at him, a little in awe. He looked so gorgeous, standing there with the falling sun burning at his back, his hands shoved deep in his pockets, as if he were afraid he might reach for her if he didn’t keep them hidden. “I’ve moved back into the cabin.”

  “Why?”

  He cocked his head a bit to the side at her simple question, his gaze deep and piercing as he stared down at her, making her feel as though he was trying to read her. Read her more intimately than any other person ever had. Then he quietly said, “Because I don’t want to be that far away from you.”

  She shivered and pressed her trembling lips together, almost afraid of what might slip from her mouth in response.

  Lowering his lashes a little, he asked, “So why did you run off last night?”

  Squinting against the glimmering rays of sunshine, her face warm from the heat and the intense way he was watching her, she said, “I texted Wyatt and he told me what was going on. I thought I should get back in case I was needed, and I...I guess I just figured that the moment was...um, gone.”

  “Yeah, I guess it kind of was,” he admitted with a slight nod, his dark hair blowing in the breeze. “But I still would have liked to have you there, even if it was just to talk, Rey. Hell, I’d have been happy just to chill in front of the TV with you or to go to sleep. Whatever you would’ve wanted.”

  She wet her lips with a nervous flick of her tongue, her pulse rushing. “I...I should have said goodbye.”

  He lifted his hand, tucking a windblown strand of her hair behind her ear, but didn’t say anything.

  “Eli, I...I know we need to talk. About a lot of things. But I’m exhausted. I...I didn’t sleep much last night, after I left you, and it’s been a long day. Do we have to do this now?”

  “No,” he said in that low, delicious voice that always made her melt, his blue eyes locked on her so tightly she couldn’t have looked away from him to save her life. “I just wanted to tell you that I’ll do it.”

  “What?” she mouthed, blinking up at him in shock. It was the last thing that she’d expected him to say, and though he’d been vague, she knew exactly what he was talking about.

  His eyes gleamed. “If Jillian promises to do everything in her power to make it safe for you, and you’re still sure that it’s what you want, then after the battle, I’ll do it. I’ll cut you loose.”

  She drew an unsteady breath, amazed at the burning sensation in her chest, as if he’d just stabbed her there with a lethal blade. If he truly felt like he’d claimed to feel about her, why would he give in? Did this mean she’d been right? Or that she’d merely succeeded in destroying something that should have been unbelievably beautiful?

  Knowing she needed to say something, she somehow managed to murmur, “Th-thank you.”

  “Please, don’t do that.” His voice was still soft, but with a hard edge of raw emotion that made her breath freeze in her lungs. “It’s ripping my goddamn heart out, Rey. So whatever you do, don’t thank me.”

  She swallowed, unsure of what to do as she watched him shove one of those big hands back through his disheveled hair. Then he gave a hard sigh and braced both his hands on his lean hips as he turned his head, staring off to the side, into the distant line of trees.

  Forcing the words up from the burning depths of her chest, she finally managed to ask, “What changed your mind?”

  He took a deep breath, then slowly let it out. “If it’s what you want, I don’t want to disappoint you. Not again. I’ve already done enough of that to last a lifetime.”

  She licked her lips again, unable to tell if she was flushed or pale, her body both hot and cold at the same time. “Thank you,” she repeated, even though he’d asked her not to, and hating the way the words tasted on her tongue. Or maybe she simply hated what she was thanking him for.

  But I can’t complain, can
I? Not when I’m the one who asked for this.

  Bringing his head forward again, he trapped her in the place where she stood with nothing more than a look. “But you should know I’m staying close.”

  She blinked, understanding there was a hell of a lot more to those words than their surface value. “What do you mean?”

  His hooded gaze burned with primal, visceral determination. “I’ll do it. But only on the grounds that until this thing is over, I’m your shadow.”

  Blinking up at him, she said, “I...I can live with that.”

  He seemed a little surprised, and maybe even wary, that she’d agreed without an argument. But it didn’t stop him from saying, “There’s more.”

  She nodded, waiting, unable to look away.

  Crossing his arms over his chest, he looked her right in the eye, and said, “You should know up front that I’m going to do everything in my power to change your mind. About...about a lot of things.”

  * * *

  Eli watched the slight shiver that moved over Carla’s slender frame, her soft lips parting on a gasp, but she didn’t say anything. Her throat worked as she swallowed again, then gave him a nearly imperceptible nod. He’d been expecting a hell of an argument when he put those words out there, and couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief that she wasn’t going to get into it with him now.

  From the dark smudges under her eyes, he could see how tired she was. He felt the same, the previous night spent lying on Eric’s sofa and staring up at the ceiling, lost in his thoughts. He hadn’t been able to shake the tension grinding through his muscles ever since she’d left him, but it was currently easing with each second that passed by. Now that he was with her, he could finally take a deep breath again, and he savored the way her scent filled his lungs, unable to get enough of it, the heat only making it more wild and lush.

  Lowering his arms to his sides, he held her gaze as he asked, “Will you let me help you tonight?”

  She slid him a wary look. “Help me how?”

  “You’re just as beautiful as you always are,” he murmured, while a wry grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “But, honey, you look about ready to fall on your face any second now. Let me bring you back to my cabin.”

  She looked stunned, and more than a little tempted. But her tone was still cautious as she said, “And do what?”

  He pushed his hands in his pockets again and tried like hell to look innocent, when he was fairly positive he’d never looked that way a day in his life. “Run you a bath. Feed you dinner. I’ll pamper you all night long if you’ll let me. I just want to spend time with you, Rey.”

  “Won’t Kyle be there?”

  He shook his head. “He’s gone until tomorrow morning. He and Lev have headed into Virginia to meet up with one of our East Coast suppliers about securing another batch of weapons.”

  Aside from the scare last night, things had been strangely quiet in regards to the Whiteclaw—especially considering the raids they’d made against their drugs and their weapons—and Eli and the others couldn’t help but assume that things were going to happen sooner rather than later.

  He could tell she was torn about what to do, but he gave her the time to come to the decision on her own, wanting her to choose him tonight over being alone. Needing her to do that.

  “All right,” she finally murmured, the soft words making him smile.

  “No need to look so wary, Rey. I’ll be golden, I promise. Scout’s honor.”

  She snuffled a quiet laugh under her breath. “I know damn well you were never a scout.”

  Eli grinned. “Wasn’t for lack of trying. One of my friend’s dads put together a troop when we were little, thinking it would be good for us, and he ended up kicking me out. Said I wasn’t good at playing with others.”

  She shook her head as she smirked. “I’ll bet.”

  “Hey, be nice. I was crushed. They got to go on all these kickass fieldtrips to places like DC and the beach, while I was left at home, cutting the grass.”

  Her eyes glinted with humor, and maybe even a little bit of sadness. “Aw. Now I am feeling sorry for you. Cutting grass sucks.”

  He laughed, then jerked his chin toward the cabin he and Kyle were sharing. “Come on. I promised you some pampering.”

  True to his word, Eli told her to sit on his bed and wait while he ran her a hot, steaming bath. The cabin had been furnished and stocked when they’d arrived, and he was glad to find some aromatherapy bath gel under the sink, a thick foam building up on the surface of the water as he poured a healthy amount under the tap.

  “It’s all yours,” he told her when he came back into the bedroom, catching her holding one of his worn T-shirts against her upper chest. He arched a brow at her, and she blushed at being caught with his shirt so close to her face, as if she’d been sniffing it before he’d come in, searching for his scent.

  Coughing to clear the lump of lust in his throat, he rubbed the back of his neck and said, “I’ll just go, um, get some food on while you relax in your bath.” Then he got the hell out of there, not trusting himself to stay and watch her undress, knowing it would be too much for him and shatter his control. And he was determined to do this right. To make it through one night with her, just enjoying her company, without everything falling apart on them.

  He wasn’t much of a cook, but he put some frozen pizzas into the oven while she took her bath, doing his best to keep his mind on his task...and not on what she looked like in all those bubbles, her beautiful body slick and wet and warm.

  “Get a grip, jackass,” he muttered under his breath. “It’s gonna be a long night. You can’t screw this up.”

  She grinned when she came into the kitchen dressed in one of his big T-shirts and saw the freshly baked pizzas he’d just set out on the table, between the two place settings he’d put together. A flush covered her smooth cheeks as she took a seat at the table, and he would have given anything to know if she was just warm from the bath, or if her reaction had something to do with the hungry sideways glances she kept stealing at his bare chest. The oven had made the kitchen warm, and he’d ditched his shirt, boots and socks in an attempt to cool off a little.

  “You still like pizza, right?” he asked, forcing himself not to stare at the way his shirt had ridden up on her bare thighs when she’d sat down. Christ, was she wearing anything underneath it? He stole a quick peek at her chest and had to choke back a low, appreciative growl at the sight of her hard little nipples pressing against the soft cotton. Yeah, definitely no bra.

  How the hell am I going to make it through this without lunging across the table and ripping that shirt right off her?

  Before he could come up with an answer, she said, “I love it.”

  Sounding more than a little distracted, he asked, “What?”

  She tucked her damp hair behind her ears, looking so much like the girl he’d first talked to all those years ago. “You asked if I still like pizza, and I said that I love it.”

  “Ah, right. Good,” he rumbled, turning toward the fridge. He took two bottles of beer out, twisted the caps off, and placed them on the table as he sat down.

  “So if Kyle’s with Lev,” she said, grabbing one of the slices of pepperoni and cheese and putting it on her plate, “where are the other guys tonight?”

  He took three slices of the spicy beef, saying, “They’re up in Shadow Peak with Brody and Cian, double checking all the security checkpoints we have set up around the town.”

  She took a sip of her beer, then picked up her pizza, her cheeks still flushed with that lovely warmth that made him want to kiss her until she forgot her own name. “They’ve been awesome at helping,” she murmured. “You all have. I don’t know what we would have done without you.”

  “Yeah, they’re a good bunch of guys.”

  She finished chewing the bite she’d taken, then said, “You know, you never have told me how you all ended up together.”

  * * *

  Carla watched as
he finished off his first slice, then washed it down with a hefty swallow of beer. When he set the bottle back down on the table, he leaned back in his chair and locked his beautiful gaze with hers. “When I left, I didn’t have a friggin’ clue what to do or where to go. I was sitting in this dive bar down in Wesley, getting drunk, when this news program came on the TV, talking about how skilled soldiers could make a lot of money working as mercenaries down in South America.” His lips twitched with a wry grin. “It was one of those journalistic exposés meant to showcase how dangerous the area was becoming, but all I saw was an opportunity. So I bought a plane ticket and headed down.”

  Grabbing the beer again, he tilted the bottle up to his lips, then went on with his story while she listened and ate. “And they were right about the money, as well as the danger. But I was feeling so reckless at that point that I just didn’t care. I was on my third job when I ran into Kyle, Sam and James. They’d had some trouble with their packs and had decided to do the same thing I’d done. So we started working together, and a month later, we’d recruited Lev, who was living in Colombia at the time. The five of us have been working together ever since.”

  “You got lucky, all of you, to find each other the way that you did.”

  Fiddling with the label on his bottle, he said, “Yeah, I’ve never really thought about it like that, but I guess you’re right.” He took a deep breath, then slowly let it out as he lifted his gaze back to hers. “If I had to be away from here, I was damn lucky to have those guys watching my back.”

  “They look up to you.”

  “Don’t know why,” he drawled, setting the bottle down and reaching for another slice of pizza. “I think it’s just that I’m the oldest.”