Unmasking the Wolf

by Gissendaner, Christy

She’d really done it. She’d had sex with someone other than her mate. Her friend, Kayla, would have a shit fit. Thinking of Kayla reminded Gina she needed to call her. She hadn’t spoken to her friend since her birthday party. She’d texted her a few times, but a real conversation was definitely in order.

  The bathroom door swung open after a quick knock sounded. She straightened and glanced at the doorway.

  Luke poked his head inside. His hair was delightfully rumpled from sleep, and his eyelids were half-mast. Clad in only a pair of boxers, he gave her a sleepy grin. “Good morning. You should’ve woken me. I would’ve taken a shower with you.”

  The sound of his slow drawl and the mental image of a shared shower sent shivers racing down her spine. She turned to face him, careful to keep the towel clutched closed. “It was early. I figured you needed sleep before we head back to Boston.”

  His gaze noticed her death grip on the towel wrapped around her body. With a sexy smirk, he came forward until she was trapped between him and the sink. He loomed over her, his larger height easily dwarfing her. “If given a choice between sleep and seeing you nude, you’ll win hands down. Every time.”

  A flush heated her cheeks and upper chest. It was hard not to be pleased by his words. Although she’d slept with him the night before, she was still coming to terms with being nude around him. Today, the scent of his wolf was still faint but unmistakable. It was amazing that her cousin was responsible for creating L-12.

  Speaking of Dominic . . .

  “While you shower, I’m going to make a call.” She ducked under Luke’s arm and squeezed past him. She’d almost made it to the door when he grabbed her and hauled her into his arms.

  “Not so fast.” His lips were warm and demanding as they moved over hers.

  Moaning softly, she wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him. Like wildfire, her desire ignited. His tongue slipped past her lips, dueling with hers as they vied for control of the kiss. As usual, Luke won.

  Once she was breathless and her pulse racing out of control, she pulled away. “Wow.”

  Luke grinned and winked at her. “I like my women shocked speechless.”

  She narrowed her eyes and aimed a playful slap at his cheek. He caught her hand in mid-air, his fingers encircling her wrist, and trapping her in place. “Jealous?”

  She was, but she’d die before she admitted it. Leaning up on her tiptoes, she planted a quick kiss on his lips. “I’ll see you in a minute.”

  Leaving him to take a shower, she got redressed. Hopefully, they would be able to get a change of clothes that morning. Her sweater and jeans weren’t looking entirely fresh after being worn the past two days.

  Grabbing her phone, she quickly dialed Dominic’s number. She wasn’t sure how long Luke would be in the bathroom, so she wanted to check on her cousin before he finished.

  The phone rang several times before Dominic’s groggy voice came across the line. “Hello?”

  Relief made her knees weak. When it had taken him so long to answer, she’d begun to think something had happened to him. “Hey, Dom. It’s me. Where are you?”

  “In bed.” Dominic yawned. “What time is it?”

  She peered at the clock. “Almost five.”

  “Why are you up so early?” The sound of rustling sheets and his weary grunt confirmed that she’d wakened him.

  “I couldn’t sleep.” She crossed her fingers and hoped Dominic never learned what she’d been up to with Luke. “You didn’t answer my question. Where are you?”

  He chuckled. “Where do you think?”

  She groaned. “Really? You went to Clinton?”

  “I figured Luke would bring you here, so I hopped on a plane. Speaking of which, where are you?”

  “We’re in Cleveland. Luke was planning on driving me home, but something came up.”

  An alertness entered Dominic’s voice. “What came up?”

  “Something dangerous, I believe.” She kept talking over the strangled sound Dominic made. “Relax, we’re fine. I know he’s a wolf though.”

  Her cousin didn’t bother to deny it. “He told you?”

  “Yes, among other things.” She quickly explained Luke’s theories on the murders and L-12.

  Dominic cursed loudly and fluently. “You need to come home.”

  “No.” Determination strengthened her tone. “Luke wants me with him.”

  Dominic snorted. “Of course he does. Listen to me, Gina. This isn’t a game. You could be hurt or worse.”

  “Don’t you think I know that? I can’t leave, not until I know what’s going on.”

  “Your father will kill me if anything happens to you.”

  She sucked in a quick breath. “You’re not going to tell him, are you?”

  Dominic sighed. “No. I’ll think of something and then I’ll catch a plane back to Boston.” Moments later, Dominic cursed again. “If this is true and the murders are somehow tied to L-12, does he think Laura’s death is involved?”

  “Maybe.”

  Silence fell on the other end. She waited patiently for Dominic to say something. After several heartbeats of silence, she prodded. “Dom?”

  His tone changed to cold, chilly steel. “I’ll meet you two in Boston.” The dial tone greeted her as he hung up.

  •●•

  Luke took Gina to his apartment. Even though Dominic had beaten them back to Boston, he refused to let her out of his sight.

  He wasn’t sure how his younger friend would take it, but it was something Dominic would have to deal with. Gina was his. He would be responsible for her protection. He’d wondered if he was making a mistake taking her back, but every instinct rebelled against the thought of taking her home. By doing so, he was scared he would lose her forever. He wasn’t willing to take the chance.

  They’d driven through the night to get home. After parking his Lexus in the garage, he looked over at Gina. She was asleep, the pale glow of streetlights reflecting on her face. Reluctant to wake her, he got out of the car and went to her side. He scooped her into his arms and carried her through the lobby and up the elevators to his private penthouse floor.

  She stirred once, but didn’t awaken, as he placed her on his bed. Turning on her side, she pillowed her cheek on her hands and murmured something indistinguishable. He brushed a kiss across her lips and covered her with a blanket.

  After showering and pulling on a fresh pair of boxers, he examined the apartment from top to bottom. Security was tight in his building, so he doubted anyone had gained access into his home. He never would’ve thought anyone could learn about L-12 either. He checked the apartment anyway just to put his mind at ease.

  Once he was assured the apartment was secure, he returned to the bedroom. He was tired, but not ready to sleep. He sat on the edge of the bed and watched his mate as she slept. Her chest rose and fell with every breath. The vanilla musk scent of her was a soothing balm. Just being around her made him feel better. She hadn’t yet seemed to realize he was her mate. She’d claimed his wolf scent was still very faint. L-12 apparently worked better than he and Dominic had even anticipated. Unless she was lying . . .

  He disregarded the thought as nonsense almost immediately. Gina had no guile about her. She seemed to be honest, one who would speak her true feelings easily. If she’d discovered he was her mate, he would’ve known. But how much longer until his scent fully returned? He had to come clean with her at some point, preferably before she found out on her own. He’d considered bringing it up during the drive back to Boston, but he’d never found the right moment. With all that had happened, he hesitated to add more stress to her already strained life.

  But part of him longed to see her natural reaction, craved to know how what would happen when the mating urge hit her. She’d already proven to be an excellent lover, despite her inexperience. How hot would it get when she truly let loose?

  Cock rock hard at the thought, he slid beneath the blanket to lay beside her. She was fully clothed, sleeping peac
efully as a baby. He chided himself for wanting to awaken her and make love to her once more. She needed to rest. They both needed to. Who knew what they would face in the morning? But it didn’t make it any easier to swallow.

  Chapter Eleven

  Warmth encased her and the subtle scent of cologne filled her senses. Sandalwood and . . . something else. Half-asleep, Gina sniffed. The intriguing hint of musk cleared the sleepiness from her mind. She opened her eyes, surprised to see a naked chest inches from her nose.

  She was in an unfamiliar bed with Luke. He was asleep, his arm outstretched beneath her head and a hip pressed against hers. He lay on his back, his breath softly whispering past his lips. God, he was so unbelievably sexy. Even sleeping, he was so hot she couldn’t wait to jump him. For a girl who’d waited to have sex for so long, it was unimaginable to have such an intense reaction to him.

  Smiling, she cuddled against him and threw her arm across his waist. The air stirred and she caught another whiff of Luke. Something was . . . odd about the scent, almost as if she recognized it but couldn’t quite put her finger on it. It was wolf, but darker, more seductive.

  Then recognition hit her.

  Bolting upright, she shook her head in denial. It couldn’t be. Could it?

  Half-afraid to find out, she leaned down and sniffed him. Oh my God! Although she’d never smelled it before, she had to be right. Luke was her mate.

  Shock held her immobile as she rushed to process it all. The scent intensified, bombarding all of her senses. Anger, possessive urges, disbelief, even lust surged through her. He was her damned mate. He had to know, right? How could he not? She supposed in a way, it made sense. Luke’s seemingly odd interest in her, her reaction to him even when she didn’t know he was a wolf.

  But why would he keep the knowledge from her?

  Feeling like a fool, but determined to know why he did it, she shook his shoulder. “Wake up.”

  Luke blinked, his beautiful eyes slowly coming into focus. Her expression must’ve concerned him because his expression turned worried. “What’s wrong?”

  The slow drawl melted her insides despite her anger. Hardening her resolve, she spoke as calmly as she could. “When you admitted you hid your scent from me, did you not think I had a right to know the truth?”

  He sat up. The blanket dropped to his waist, revealing his beautiful muscular chest and arms. He ran a hand through his golden-brown hair, rumpling it even more than usual. “I thought we went over this yesterday? I had to protect L-12.”

  “No.” Her voice came out shriller than she intended. “I’m not talking about you being a wolf. I’m talking about you being my fucking mate.”

  Despite her good intentions, anger made her words loud and clipped. Her hands shook as she tossed the blanket away from her waist and slid off the bed. None too steady, she put her hands on her hips and faced him. “I had a right to know. All this time, I’ve told you of my plan to live my own life. I wasn’t ready to be mated, damn it!”

  Luke’s face remained impassive, yet his expression grew wary. He held out his hand to her as if she were a nervous animal he was trying to calm. “I know. I’m sorry.”

  A horrible thought struck her. “Did you plan this? Did Dominic somehow know and set all of this up?” Pain lanced her at the possibility. Betrayal wasn’t something she would take lightly.

  “No. I would never try to trap you.” Luke slid off the bed and stood up beside her. His hands grasped her upper arms gently. “I didn’t know about you until that day you showed up at the office. Dominic doesn’t know we’re mates. I swear it.”

  “Then why didn’t you tell me?” Damn it to hell. She didn’t want to cry. She wouldn’t cry.

  He sighed. “It was rotten timing. I’d just found out that L-12 was working and that it would go to trial. Then you showed up. I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to tell you, of course I wanted to. But how could I prove it to you if you couldn’t smell me?”

  “You didn’t trust me.” Suspicion made her narrow her eyes. “You thought I would leak the information on L-12.”

  “I didn’t know you, Gina. We’ve worked too hard to risk ruining it.”

  Jerking out of his grasp, she gave him a dirty look. “You knew me well enough to seduce me, but not enough to trust me with the truth. Is that it?”

  “No, damn it. That’s not it.” His arms wrapped around her waist and hauled her against him. “I wanted to tell you. It was hell knowing that you were my mate and I couldn’t do anything about it. Can you imagine how it was? One sniff of you and I wanted you fiercer than anything I’ve ever wanted in my life.”

  “You didn’t act that way.” She turned her head when he would’ve tried to kiss her. “Why didn’t you tell me yesterday? Why let me have sex with you without knowing the truth?”

  He growled and raked a hand through his hair again. “I was scared you would leave if you knew. The last thing you wanted was to find your mate. You basically said as much. I couldn’t lose you.”

  “I had,” she paused to catch her breath. “I have the right to do what I want, Luke. You don’t get to choose if I stay or go.”

  “Of course you do.” He spoke to her as if he were calming a skittish mare. “This changes nothing between us.”

  “Oh, really? You’re not going to exert your influence over me?”

  A pained expression flickered across his face. “I don’t know what you think about me, but I can assure you I would never make you do something you don’t want to do, especially when it comes to us. You’re free to leave whenever you want.”

  He was lying. He had to be. What sort of mate would he be if he let her leave?

  Taking note of her surroundings for the first time, she glanced around the room. The lavish bedroom was done in cool grays and deep red. The color scheme was masculine and bold, but it was the view from the floor to ceiling windows that held her attention. The glass appeared to be privacy tinted, but it didn’t hamper her view of the morning skyline of Boston.

  “Where am I?”

  Luke moved away from her to rummage through a chest of drawers. He pulled out a T-shirt and shorts and tossed them to her. “My condo. If you want to take a shower, I’ll wash your clothes for you. Dominic is bringing you a bag later.”

  She caught the clothes and placed them on the bed. “You spoke to Dominic? When?”

  “He called me late last night. You were asleep.” He took turns balancing on each leg as he pulled on a pair of athletic pants emblazoned with the Red Sox’s logo. When he was done, he put his hands on his hips and studied her. “I didn’t know this would happen, Gina. You aren’t the only one who wasn’t prepared to meet their mate. Sometimes things happen that you don’t expect, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make the best of it. I like you. Even without the whole mating thing, you’re a beautiful woman. I want to get to know more of you.”

  Heat singed her cheeks. Being called beautiful made her insides flip with happiness, but it was the thought of spending more time with him that truly excited her. “You don’t mean that.”

  His expression hardened. Striding forward, he caught her chin in a firm grasp and tilted her head back to face him. “Yes, I do. If you don’t believe a word I ever say again, believe me when I say this. There’s nothing I’d rather do than crawl back into bed and make you scream my name. Your choice, Gina.” He backed away from her, holding his hands up to show his sincerity. “I won’t be pushy. Just letting you know your options. Whenever you decide that I’m what you want, I’m more than ready.”

  Chagrined he could make her blush and desire him with the fires of a thousand nights in one breath, she let him leave the room without another word.

  •●•

  God damn it!

  Tossing his coffee mug in the sink, Luke braced his hands on the counter and let out a frustrated groan. He’d known she wouldn’t be happy, but he didn’t want her to leave. Even though she hadn’t said she would, the implied threat was there.

  Th
ere was so much he should be thinking about . . . L-12’s trials, the murders . . . but all he could think of was Gina. It was like a fire he was unable to put out. Was it always like this with a mate, the unrelenting urge to be with her?

  “Hey.” Gina’s soft voice came from the doorway.

  She’d put on his T-shirt but her legs were bare. Noticing his gaze, she shrugged. “The shorts kept falling off.”

  “I don’t mind.” Not one bit actually. “Are you hungry?”

  She nodded and moved farther into the room. “A little.”

  “I made sausage and pancakes.” He motioned to the steaming platter on the counter. “And there’s coffee if you want.”

  She made an adorable face and moved toward the counter. “No coffee. Do you have juice?” She filched a piece of sausage and bit into it with apparent relish. “Hmm, good.”

  He turned to hide the grin her appetite caused him. “Is orange juice okay?”

  “Sure,” she mumbled around a mouthful of food.

  After preparing her glass of juice, they stood at the counter and ate together. He liked that she didn’t feel the need to stand on occasion and demand a plate. They ate with their fingers, dipping the pancakes and sausage into a puddle of syrup.

  Gina’s hair was long and loose. It fell like a waterfall down her back, the ends curling slightly. She smelled like his soap and shampoo, which made his chest swell with pride this amazing creature was his . . . or hopefully would be. Beneath the thin cotton of his T-shirt, the outline of her breasts was nearly visible. Had she kept on her panties or was she bare beneath the shirt? He couldn’t wait to find out.

  “What?” She held a piece of sausage to her lips, teeth flashing as she prepared to bite down.

  Her rounded, slick lips closed around the food and she chewed. Although she hadn’t meant it to be erotic, a shaft of heat pierced him. His cock lengthened, ready for the moist warmth of her body. “It’s nothing.” Even to him, his voice sounded rough.

  Probably catching wind of his thoughts, Gina turned to the sink and washed her hands. He’d imagined licking the sticky syrup from each of her fingers, but it was safer for him to keep his distance. Until she’d had a chance to process everything, he wouldn’t push her. Just like he’d promised, even though he wanted to kick himself for denying himself the pleasure of the female body before him.