by Неизвестный
“Canine desire is pretty strong.” Malcolm resisted the urge to move closer and reveal his own canine desire. Karin was already as skittish as a newborn colt. He didn’t want to scare her, but watching his animal brethren awakened his inner wolf and stirred him to action.
She just looked so damn cute today, all girly in pink, and those tight jeans just about did him in. And she smelled like a sweet, juicy Georgia peach, ripe and just waiting for him to take a bite.
His whole body vibrated with tension. The temptation to rub his growing erection against Karin’s curvy little butt increased alarmingly the longer he stood behind her. Coming here today was definitely a mistake. He didn’t need to come back. His nose healed just fine, so fine it might make her suspicious. He just couldn’t stay away. She intrigued him. Not only did he want to fuck her, he actually enjoyed being around her. When was the last time he’d been able to joke around with a woman, with anyone for that matter? There was only Ralf, and one-sided conversations weren’t very stimulating.
“And how would you know?” She looked over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes.
“My own wolf is pretty horny right now.”
“You own a wolf?”
He laughed at her shocked expression. In the past few days, he’d become a tease and a flirt. He felt like a kid again. “A hybrid.”
“You surprise me,” she said, shaking her head.
“I don’t tell many people about Ralf. Wolves aren’t popular around here, even half wolves.”
“Don’t I know it. Your secret is safe with me.”
Too bad he couldn’t trust her with a few more secrets. He jammed the brakes on that line of thinking. Sometimes he forgot she belonged to the human race and not his.
They both turned as Bo let out a territorial howl and mounted his mate.
“Lucky bastard.” Malcolm worked hard to suppress his own howl. Having a mate was fundamental to his people’s existence, an instinct as natural as breathing. He’d known who his mate would be before they reached puberty. She’d been his childhood friend, his lover, and then his wife. Mia had been gone for fifteen years, and he still missed her. He could count on two hands the number of women he’d had since, one night stands, women he’d never have to see again. Suddenly he wanted more.
“Shush!” Karin put a finger to her lips, calling attention to a mouth he wanted very much to taste. “Don’t interrupt them.”
“I wouldn’t think of it.”
She glared at him, and he smiled back. He sniffed the air. She could feign anger as much as she wanted, but he smelled arousal on her as thick as his own.
Claim! Her! Now!
His wolf told him to take what he wanted. He fought the urge to grab her, strip her bare, and mount her right here and now. He wanted to hear her beg him to fuck her and then scream his name when he took her over the edge, marked her, and made her his. Just the kind of twisted thinking that would get him into big trouble. It took every bit of his resolve to keep still.
Whoa, buddy, stop acting like the Big, Bad Wolf. This is Karin, not some bitch in heat.
A little harmless flirting didn’t mean anything, but he couldn’t let it get out of hand. Things would get way too complicated. Karin was a keeper, not a one night stand, and he didn’t do relationships, not with a human woman.
His sister married a human, and her mistake destroyed their Lycan community. Generations of his people had made their home in the Pine Barrens, more than a million rural acres in New Jersey. When human settlers arrived, the Lycans kept their distance.
Everything changed when his sister decided their home schools weren’t good enough for her. She begged and pleaded until their parents allowed her to attend school in the city. When she eloped with a boyfriend, they should have disowned her, but instead they welcomed the newlyweds back and gave them a home. His sister had taken her husband into her confidence, and the elders felt it best to keep him close.
But his sworn brother’s fragile ego was easily bruised, and soon the young couple were arguing constantly. When he left her, the family trusted him not to reveal their secrets.
A week later, Malcolm woke in the middle of the night to smoke and flames. He and his mate shifted and ran. If they hadn’t been separated in the smoke and chaos, if he hadn’t been caught in a leghold trap…
By the time he shifted back to his human form and freed himself it was too late to save anyone. If any Lycans survived, he’d never found them.
The fire burned for six days and consumed thousands of acres. Forest fires were common in the Pine Barrens. Officials blamed extremely dry conditions and high winds, while locals blamed the Jersey Devil. Traps lining the perimeter and the bullet-ridden bodies of wolves told the story. The only demon responsible was his brother-in-law.
Eventually he got his revenge, but it hadn’t meant a damn thing. Killing his sworn-brother didn’t bring back his family.
“Earth to Malcolm,” Karin snapped. “What are you doing here anyway?”
“Ah, sorry.” He buried the memories and forced a smile. “You were a lot friendlier yesterday when you asked me to come back.”
“Not to the enclosure.”
“They don’t seem to mind.”
“Okay, you got me there.” She returned his smile with one of her own. “Let’s go back to the refuge. I’ll take a look at your nose and make you some coffee.”
“Mind if I visit your other patient? I’d like to take a look at the terrifying beast everyone is so afraid of.”
“I guess it would be okay.” She frowned.
“What’s the problem?”
“She’s testy, doesn’t want me near her.”
“I’ll be careful,” he assured her.
Karin unlocked the front door and led him through the reception area. The large treatment room contained cages along the back wall for recovering animals. The black wolf occupied the biggest one, but it was no substitute for the freedom of the outdoors. His wolf howled in silent sympathy.
“She’s a beauty.” He walked toward the cage slowly so as not to scare her.
“Just don’t get too close,” Karin cautioned
“She looks gentle as a pup.”
“Looks can be deceiving, and we’re still not sure about rabies.”
“I’m a carnivore, but if this wolf is sick, I’ll give up meat.” He put a hand on the cage and let her get familiar with his scent.
“I don’t believe she’s a threat either, but it’s a safe bet for me because I’m already a vegetarian.”
“I should have known.” He laughed.
“I guess she’s calmed down some.” Karin joined him at the side of the cage. The wolf turned its amber eyes on her and growled. Karin gasped and drew back.
“She’s just scared.” He spoke to Karin, but his eyes fixed on the extraordinary creature in front of him. “She probably associates you with the cage.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” Karin said in a shaky voice. “Let’s give her some space.”
“We’ll get you out of that cage yet, girl,” he said soothingly. When he turned away, the wolf whimpered, and he stopped in his tracks. He turned back and stared at her. Something about her eyes caught his attention.
“Something wrong?”
“No.” But he couldn’t shake the weird feeling this was no ordinary wolf. Her eyes shone with intelligence, and she was pure black. Not another color marred her coat. If he didn’t know better...
“Coffee’s in my office.”
“Lead the way.” He didn’t drink much coffee, but if it meant more time with Karin, he’d make an exception.
He planted himself on the extra chair by Karin’s desk and watched her make the coffee.
“You look pretty in pink. You should wear it more often.”
“Oh. Uh. Thank you.”
The compliment seemed to take her by surprise, like she didn’t get too many. Hard to believe. She deserved a lot more.
“Any idea where your resident rogue came fro
m?”
“I have no idea, and it worries me. The landowners are right. How can I be sure there aren’t more out there?”
“Canines can travel long distances in a short period of time. She could have come from anywhere.”
“You’re right. She’s not tagged, and I contacted other refuges to see if they’re missing any animals, but we drew a blank. We may never know for sure.”
“What will happen to her?”
“If she’s healthy, and I can prove she didn’t attack the hiker, I’d like to integrate her into the pack.”
“It won’t be easy. You may have another alpha female there.”
“I’d like the chance to try. How do you take your coffee?”
“Black, two sugars.”
She poured them each a mug and sat behind the desk. Tongue-tied, she stirred her coffee continuously even though she drank it black. “I didn’t mean to be short with you, but an alpha can get aggressive if you interrupt his mating.”
“Is that right?” His mouth twitched with amusement.
“I’m not kidding. The last thing I need now is for someone else to get hurt by one of the wolves.”
“You’re right. It was stupid of me.” He plastered a serious look on his face. “The building was locked, but I saw the ATV and figured you were with the pack. I didn’t think. I was so anxious to see you again I couldn’t wait for you to come on out.”
Her eyes widened, and her face darkened to match her blouse. She looked so cute in her embarrassment, he suppressed a grin. Over the rich warm aroma of coffee, he caught the scent of peaches and aroused woman. Most men relied on words and visuals to know what their woman wanted, but his keen sense of smell told him the whole story. It pleased him. What man doesn’t feel a smug satisfaction knowing his woman desires him? Not that she was his woman. Still, it was flattering.
“Well, no harm done,” she stammered.
“It won’t happen again.”
“I should probably check your nose and get back to work.”
Disappointed, he watched her play with the coffee stirrer for a few seconds, then put his cup down. “Sure, I don’t want to hold you up.”
She leaned over the desk. Just a little farther and he could nibble on the soft flesh of her neck.
“It looks good, better than I expected. I don’t think you need that X-ray after all.”
“I told you I heal fast.”
She didn’t touch him, and she kept the desk between them. Good idea. If they ended up in the bathroom again, he’d have her undressed and straddling his lap so fast she’d be scared senseless. And she deserved better, a lover who would take his time and worship every part of her body. And that was not him. No, he’d been stupid to come back. No point making it worse by starting something he couldn’t finish.
Chapter Seven
“This press conference is coming to you live from the office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Byron Fossick.”
“Finally.”
“Shut your trap, Glenn. I can’t hear.” Frank threw the deputy a dirty look and turned the radio up
“…using dental X-rays, we were able to identify the remains discovered in Black Wolf Gorge as those of Samuel Cooper of Pittsburgh. The body was discovered early Friday morning by a park ranger after Cooper’s companions reported him missing. The area has since been closed to the public. Time of death is judged to be between three and five p.m. on Thursday. Due to the condition of the body, there’s doubt as to the specific injury that caused the death. Further studies are being conducted, and on completion, an autopsy report will be released. That’s all I have at this time.”
“I expected a little more help from Fossick.” Frank’s mood nosedived like a commuter plane out of gas. “He knows damn well it was a wolf. That left-wing asshole won’t commit to anything he’s so afraid of offending his constituents. This thing will drag on forever.” He scowled and ran a hand through his crew cut.
“Don’t be so sure.”
“What do you know that I don’t?”
“Let’s hear the rest of the broadcast.” Glenn spoke with confidence.
“The medical examiner’s press conference brings no closure to the black wolf kill—”
“The black wolf kill?” Frank almost fell off his chair.
“Adds a nice touch, don’t you think?” Glenn said proudly.
“But, according to an anonymous source, Samuel Cooper’s tragic death was definitely due to a wolf attack. The cordial relationship between conservationists and ranchers in Black Wolf Gorge may come to an end after all the facts of this brutal attack come to light. According to our source, teeth marks were present in the skull, and the body had been torn apart and shredded with multiple claw marks. Parts of the body had been eaten—”
Frank snorted. “Who the hell is the anonymous source?”
“Who do you think it is?” Glenn’s grin left no room for doubt.
“It’s a damn good idea, but we still can’t kill the wolf until we get the go-ahead from the Wildlife Service. Can you afford a fifty-thousand dollar fine or a year in prison or both? And you’d lose your hunting permits besides.”
“Shit!” Glenn spat. “Are we gonna let the goddamn bureaucracy and red tape run our lives?”
“No, but this has to be handled right.”
“What if we could come up with some real proof that these predators don’t belong here?”
“Glenn, either you’re a lot smarter than I give you credit for or dumb as shit. Are you suggesting we come up with another body?”
“Wouldn’t hurt. As long as it’s not mine.” Glenn gave him a conspiratorial smile. “Or yours. What if the wolf gets loose?”
“I’m listening.”
“Suppose we go out looking for her and catch her making a meal of somebody’s cattle.”
“What if she decides to make a meal of you? You gonna sacrifice yourself for the good of the community?” Frank chortled.
“Give me a little credit, chief.” He sat forward, his expression serious. “We drug her so we can move her, feed her somebody’s calf, and shoot her out in the gorge.”
“What if she kills you before I can shoot her?”
“She won’t get the chance. If we say she attacked, who’s gonna question us?”
“The timing is good.” Frank rubbed his temples thoughtfully. “The anonymous source already stirred the pot. If we get some animal do-gooders out here, we can blame them, say they let the wolf go.”
“I got a better idea. Why not pin it on our wolf-loving refuge manager? We can send her packing and get someone in there who will have our best interests at heart.”
“No, you leave Karin out of this,” he warned. “If no outsiders show up, I have somebody else in mind.”
“Suit yourself.” Glenn winked and gave him a knowing smirk.
He ignored the theatrics. “We have to make it look like a break-in, and maybe we should starve her for a day or two before we provide her some livestock. But then we need someplace to keep her.”
“I got the perfect place. My daddy’s old hunting cabin hasn’t been used for years.”
“I like it.” Frank unlocked the bottom drawer of his desk and pulled out a bottle of twenty-year-old single malt scotch. “Let’s drink on it.”
* * * *
The loft usually provided a respite. Today it was anything but. A king-sized bed was meant to be shared, but not with the big hybrid sleeping next to him. Malcolm’s mind was on Karin and the way her hands felt on his face. Closeted together in the miniscule refuge bathroom had been an exercise in control. It had been so long since anyone touched him in such a caring way he could almost believe she meant it. If someone had asked him two days ago, he would have said he didn’t want or need that kind of concern. He took care of himself. Now he had to admit he liked the attention, liked it a lot.
He’d like other kinds of attention as well. Seeing Karin again had only increased his desire and fueled his imagination. Images of him and Karin en
twined in every conceivable position passed through his mind in an erotic slideshow. Frustration and pent-up lust made him think with his cock instead of his head. He felt twitchy and hot, his skin too tight for his body, like he’d been covered in plastic wrap and microwaved.
He walked out on the second story deck to cool off. Fifty acres surrounded him, heavily treed and all his, bought cheap years ago. He had a real need for seclusion, and his property was far enough away to discourage visitors. His closest neighbors were deer, coyotes, and squirrels. Normally, he loved the solitude, but today he wished he had someone to share his million-dollar view.
He needed some female company. Hell, he needed sex. It had been too long since he’d been with a woman. Just being near an attractive female had him behaving out of character and panting like a randy wolf. He needed to play—just not with Karin. As much as he’d like to fuck her, it would be a huge mistake. The sheriff acted as if he owned her. He might as well hang a No Trespassing sign around her neck. He already had a spot on Frank’s shit list. He did not want to head for first place, do not pass Go, do not collect $200. There’d be no Get Out of Jail Free card for him.
Not that Karin wasn’t worth it. Her curvy body was made for him. She sent mixed signals, but this morning the unmistakable scent of her arousal told him she wanted it as much as he did. Her heady perfume penetrated every pore in his body until he wanted to mount her in the habitat like any other aroused alpha ready to mate. Just knowing she wanted him nearly drove him out of his mind. She’d gotten under his skin just as surely as if a mad scientist had spliced her genes with his. It was never a good idea to get close to anybody. Losing a loved one hurt too much. Whoa! He was not in love with Karin, not even close.
Desperate to get his mind off the little wildlife manager, he decided to go out. He hated bars, but he needed to get out of the house and needed to meet a woman who wanted the same thing he did, a night of quick, anonymous sex, no strings attached.
He headed for the shower. The size of his bathroom made him feel more alone than ever. It was obscene for one person to have a glass block shower for two, a large Jacuzzi, and a double sink. But then he had gone overboard with the entire house, the furniture too. The work kept him occupied for years. He was good with his hands, and it was a labor of love. When he finished, he sold some of his handcrafted furniture on the Internet. He created each piece with meticulous care and people ate it up. Now he had a business that earned him real money. He didn’t want for anything—not material things anyway.