'Til Death

by Lorie O'Clare

  Dimitri leapt to the front of his pack with Josie and his mate falling in alongside him. On the other side of Josie, Rosa fell into place, running alongside her escort.

  Which made it easy to keep his eye on her, as well as be tortured by her sweet scent that seemed to rise above every other smell around him.

  He didn’t announce that they start running. He didn’t need to. In their fur, with primal instinct prevailing, leaping into the night was the natural thing to do. Running hard and fast didn’t allow him to escape his thoughts though.

  Rosa wanted him. Rosa was a damned good bitch. He’d fucking swelled in her, leaving his scent for anyone to smell. He’d marked her as his female. Tradition clearly stated he mated with her when he filled her and bonded with her. He was pack leader, bound to uphold law and tradition in his pack. He was the fucking example for all of them. Yet he hesitated in doing the honorable thing.

  But…was that what he was doing?

  Large trees passed him. He leapt over boulders stuck in the ground like it was cub’s play. Cold air parted his long, thick black coat, feeling damned good on his hide. He should take the time to enjoy the pleasure in the run. And he would if only his thoughts would quit plaguing him.

  It would be honorable to ensure that Rosa got the best male out there. That’s what Rosa deserved. The absolute fucking best. And maybe that wasn’t him. Maybe the unfair acts done to him and his den left him ruined and unsuitable to mate with any bitch.

  When they reached the swell in the creek, which looked more like a fucking river from all the melting snow, Dimitri knew they were almost to the top of the mountain. He was game to go over the top and race all the way to the bottom of the other side. But with younger females in the run, he slowed the group, allowing them time to prance and fish in the icy mountain spring.

  Stepping in and lapping at the freezing water, Dimitri then straightened and surveyed his pack members. Perry Zammit barked quickly, grabbing Dimitri’s attention. He met the werewolf’s gaze, then watched as Perry nudged his mate until she took off running down the side of the water. Perry was letting him know that he and his mate were breaking off from the run, taking some time to themselves. Apparently running this far was all the young couple needed before more carnal needs took over between them. Not to mention Perry’s mate’s swollen belly was even more obvious in her fur. This might be all the run she could handle in her late stage of pregnancy.

  Watching Claudette Zammit waddle away from him with Perry matching her pace opened a dam that protected unwanted memories from surfacing. Suddenly he saw his sire, looking like he would burst with pride when Dimitri’s mother, her belly swollen with pregnancy, walked by his side.

  The larger your den, the more love surrounds you, his sire used to tell him.

  Dimitri shook his head until he rattled the memory loose from his thoughts. He wouldn’t create a stench in the air from his thoughts by thinking about Malta. That life was dead. And he wouldn’t think about it again.

  Glancing around at the rest of the group, he watched the Shelling den prance in the water, more than likely feeling exhilarated that they finally had a pack, a place to settle in and call their own. It was a damned good feeling, and one he thrilled on giving to as many dens as he could. Malta werewolves were through being tortured. Every one of them who approached him would know a good life here in the mountains.

  He would damned well see to it, no matter what it took.

  He lapped at more of the water, keeping his head low and watching ahead of him as Josie and his white little lunewulf bitch chased each other up the stream. Something else that bit at him and yet he allowed to happen—mixing their breed. There was something about how the little bitch’s coat glowed under the moonlight. Nicolo, his older littermate, also ran with a lunewulf bitch. In fact, they would all find out real damned soon how well the two breeds mixed when his mate birthed their first cub.

  Tonya’s strong female scent hit him at the same time that he met her gaze. She laughed at him, her long tongue hanging from the side of her mouth and her silver eyes glowing against her black coat. Her attention shifted slightly, as if something behind him distracted her. Dimitri took his time looking over his shoulder, not smelling aggression. Behind him, Rosa sat at the edge of the bank, watching him—watching both of them.

  Her refusal to charge Tonya would be all the encouragement the little slut needed. And it was a low blow that Dimitri knew he deserved. Rosa wasn’t going to fight for him.

  Damn it. For some reason, that pissed him off. Like he had any right to be mad. Growling at Tonya, he took off running into the water, leaping when it got deeper. He didn’t want Tonya. He wanted…

  Shit. His thoughts were twisting around in directions he couldn’t control. She was playing games with him. Rosa sniffed after him, chased him down, and the last time they were up here, almost destroyed Tonya’s den the next day. And now she sat there, cleaning her fur like she didn’t have a care in the world.

  Paybacks fucking suck. Maybe he did say some harsh words back in his truck. Throwing in her face that she acted like the queen bitch wasn’t supposed to insult her. She just took it that way.

  The Shelling den came out of the water, shaking water everywhere when they stood along the bank. The littermate—the single male—sauntered over to Rosa. Her head snapped up at him and she no longer lazily cleaned herself.

  Where the fuck was Josie?

  Dimitri searched the water quickly, then spotted the werewolf up the bank, rolling his little lunewulf bitch around. The motherfucker! He was supposed to be Rosa’s escort, which meant keeping all single males the hell away from her. For a moment he swore Josie lifted his head, taking in the situation and grinning at Dimitri as if to say—sucks that you’ve got to do your own dirty work, doesn’t it?

  Dimitri growled, turning his attention toward the single male who now walked lazily around Rosa, as if eyeing the wonderful treat he just discovered and wondering where to bite in first.

  The bastard could just go find another fucking treat.

  Dimitri leapt over the water, reaching the bank within a couple strides. Without hesitating, he pushed into Rosa, almost knocking her over, and came face-to-face with the other werewolf.

  Mine! He growled.

  Chapter Eleven

  Rosa leapt out of the way, almost falling into the cold water. She dug her claws into the earth to keep her balance and growled at Dimitri, getting a mouth full of his fur for her efforts. His scent filled her lungs, intoxicating her with how possessive and determined he smelled.

  His warring thoughts distracted her so much that she didn’t see him coming before he leapt. The new single male, who she didn’t know, rolled to his side and quickly jumped to his feet, teeth bared until he realized who he was about to tangle with. Even then, his hackles were up as he sullenly retreated toward his stunned den.

  Now what, wolf man? She glared at Dimitri, daring him to continue to make a stand for her when his mind had been focused on all the reasons why he should leave her alone. She’d managed to stay put when that slut traipsed around him, although if Dimitri hadn’t run from her, Rosa wouldn’t have held out much longer. Making mincemeat out of the little bitch sounded damned good. Right now, picking a fight with anyone, anything to relieve the frustration crawling through her would be too easy to do.

  His long, black coat was damp from the water and looked radiant under the moonlight. Even with its thickness, his powerful muscle tone rippled underneath, making her mouth water. The urge to turn in to him, raise her tail and submit overwhelmed her. As strong as her animal instincts were at the moment, her human side still raced in her blood. And her aggravation peaked.

  Damn you for throwing in my face earlier that I am not your mate and then practically fighting for me now. No matter that her heart raced a mile a minute with the knowledge that he couldn’t stop his primal instinct to claim her while in his fur.

  Dimitri raised his head, looking over her at their packmates, an
d a low growl rumbled from deep inside him. With a few quick barks he made his meaning known.

  They were breaking away from the run. He stared into her eyes and she forgot to breathe, or be defiant and look away. Molten lava couldn’t have been hotter than the look he gave her at that moment. Her legs almost gave out underneath her.

  When he nudged her, indicating she should run at his side, she about fell over.

  You’re fucking with my head, damn you. You want me. You know you want me. Just admit it and make us both happy. She hated that he ignored her growls and instead pushed into her again until she fell in alongside him, picking up pace and leaving the others behind.

  The werewolves staring after them as they disappeared behind rocks and trees would be howling the latest news to the rest of the pack as soon as they returned to their dens. Their pack leader ran alone with Rosa Anthony.

  When will you announce our mating? She had a right to know the answer.

  But when they stopped and she dared growl at him and stare into his deadly expression, all she got from his mind was one thing. He was going to fuck her.

  Well, not here. Not like this. No way would he take her in his fur when he wouldn’t acknowledge swelling inside her while they were in their flesh.

  Turning quickly, she broke into a hard run, hauling ass down the mountain. Dimitri was bigger than she was, a werewolf in his prime, and there was no way she could outrun him.

  The best she could manage was reaching Josie’s den at the same time he did. And she panted so hard after the exhilarating chase down the mountain that all she could do when they reached his truck was move to the passenger side and try to regain her wits.

  She stared at the muddy, rocky ground, catching her breath, and listened, learning where he was. He didn’t come to her side of the truck.

  “You have two choices.” His voice was still garbled from going through the change. “Change now and get in the truck, or meet me at my den. But run from me again and I swear I will catch you.”

  Her heart pounded so hard she almost hyperventilated. Rosa looked up quickly, spotting him on the other side of the truck as he pulled his shirt over his head. His black hair was damp and stuck to his head and his dark eyes pierced right through her when he pulled his shirt down.

  “You better decide now.”

  Dimitri didn’t like being pushed into a quick decision. Well neither did she. Turning from him, she took off down the road, toward his den—and toward her own.

  There was one problem. Leaving him made it really hard to know what was going on in his mind. What the hell just happened back there? Before their run, he made it damned clear she was out of line for trying to help since they weren’t mated. Then he nearly attacked a werewolf for approaching her. And now he threw ultimatums at her.

  You know you want him. And there was only one way to learn what was in his head.

  She slowed when she reached his den, knowing it would be a few minutes before he got here in his truck. Circling the small cabin, she sniffed the ground, the walls and each window that she passed, learning that she was here alone and smelling Dimitri all over the place as she stalked his land.

  What would he do when he got here? In his fur, he clearly looked like he would fuck her silly if she hadn’t run. He would have. She didn’t doubt it for a minute. Acknowledging that fact made her almost weak in the hind legs. Moisture clung to her coat. She smelled her need for him and paused, glancing into the darkness, assuring herself she was alone.

  And she was—for the moment.

  It wouldn’t be long though. Dimitri would be here any second. Her scent was thick, stronger than usual, creamy and rich-smelling. Her body called out to his.

  The craving to mate, in her fur, bond with him and mark him as her male, was strong enough that anyone nearby would smell it. Might be a good idea to get the hell out of her fur.

  The cold bit at her flesh as the change washed over her insides. Her muscles constricted, painfully twisting around her bones. It took her a few minutes to stand up straight, her body damp and grossly unfulfilled. She shook miserably when she tried untying her clothes. Allowing the change when her mind was in all the wrong places made the metamorphosis an unpleasant experience. Her human brain didn’t twist around her thoughts any better than her animal mind did.

  And she hated it. Ever since she moved here, Dimitri filled her thoughts. She masturbated to images of him, followed his scent whenever she picked it up. And she flirted with him. It seemed forever now that she made advances, came on to him whenever he was around. It was damned easy to do when he didn’t respond.

  But then he did. He took her. Fucked her better than any fantasy she ever had about him. And now…now what?

  It was like the two of them hung in limbo together, half changed—an incredibly frightening position to be stuck in.

  “Let me help you.” Dimitri’s fingers shocked her flesh.

  Rosa jumped and screamed. Was her own scent so strong and her mind so tangled in her thoughts that she didn’t notice him approaching?

  Obviously so.

  “It’s just me.” His voice was soothing, almost too calm. Like he spoke to a frightened cub.

  Rosa never would have imagined that Dimitri would speak with such a soft tone to anyone. She turned in his arms, standing naked and freezing before him as he untied her clothes from her neck. Then without permission, he swept her into his arms and marched to the front door of his den.

  She didn’t remember his front door already being opened, and he wasn’t surprised to see it that way. She stiffened, thinking she was so lost in her thoughts that anyone could have approached her from behind and she wouldn’t have known.

  Dimitri kicked the door closed with his boot and then loosened his grip on her. She slid down his body, more than aware that she was completely naked and he fully dressed.

  “This is bad.” She didn’t mean to speak out loud.

  Dimitri cocked his head at her, frowning. “What is bad?”

  “I didn’t hear you come up to me outside.”

  “I smelled you the second I got out of my truck.” He took a strand of her hair and twisted it between his fingers, then tugged slightly until she looked up at him. “Your scent called to me,” he whispered.

  She backed away from him, but he simply tightened his grip on her hair. Putting her hands on either side of her head, one covering his, she closed her eyes, shaking her head and trying to clear it.

  “Dimitri, I’ve been howling for you for months.”

  “Looks like you got me.”

  “Do I?” She shook her head harder. This wasn’t how she imagined getting him. “Your mind says one thing and your voice another. I call you on that and you tell me to stay out of your head. Well I guess I train easy. I was so out of your head and into my mind that you snuck right up on me.”

  “No one else would touch you,” he told her, grabbing her hands from her head and pulling her back to him.

  There wasn’t any resistance in her. Every inch of her craved his body. “Especially after tonight,” she said, thrilled that he would fight for her but torn up in turmoil at the same time.

  Her words hit him harder than she planned. “Yeah,” he said, letting go of her and then walking over to the fireplace.

  She stood in the dark, naked and suddenly very cold. He had her clothes, and he dropped them on the floor next to him. That appeared invitation enough for her to move to his side.

  “Why did you do it, Dimitri?” She crept into his mind, knowing he didn’t want her there but needing to understand him.

  His thoughts were as jumbled as hers.

  Because I don’t want anyone else touching her.

  “Rosa, I’m not sure I’m the mating kind.” His body was stiff as a board, every one of his muscles knotted up hard. “There’s not much love inside me. And mating is until death. I’m a selfish fucking werewolf to swell inside you, attack for you and then admit I may not have what it takes to keep you.”


  She stared at her pile of clothes on the floor, digesting his words and feeling her anger slowly simmer to a boil inside her. When she looked at him, even though his back was to her and he was crouched in front of the fireplace looking ready to pounce, she swore she saw a wall of resistance built around him. It went as far as blocking out his scent. Even his mind seemed to go blank on her, as if he fought with every grain of his existence to shut himself down just to prove his point.

  Rosa moved quickly, grabbing the hair on the back of his head and yanking so that his head bobbed for a moment. She surprised him and her action created the results she wanted, even if they were short-lived. Dimitri jumped to his feet, reaching for her wrist and grabbing it before she could move out of the way. Taking her hand from his head, he held it tight enough between them that she felt the pinch in her flesh.

  Ignoring the fire that suddenly burned in his eyes, she growled at him.

  “Being pack leader is until death, and I hear you killed to gain the rank.” She clenched her teeth together, hurting her jaw to keep her teeth from growing. Letting her emotions get out of control here would make it harder to drive her point home. And he would hear her words. “And don’t tell me you don’t know how to love. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t still feel the pain inside you from those you’ve lost.”

  She jumped when he roared and couldn’t back up quickly enough before he grabbed her and threw her on the couch.

  “Don’t ever talk about my past. You have no clue about my past. Not even from my mind. Because I don’t even allow my past in there.” He pointed at her, then turned his back to her once again, blowing out a hard sigh and then scrubbing his hair with his hands.

  She sprang off the couch, hurrying around him and then stopping at the strong emotions that created lines in his face. Never had she seen him so racked with pain. Just as quickly as she saw what she did, it disappeared.

  “I didn’t mean to throw you. Are you hurt?” Once again he spoke with a tone quiet enough to soothe a cub.