Isaac drove them back to the pack house. Gabriel sat in the passenger seat, and Alfred sat in the back with her. Alfie kept trying to get her attention, but she wasn’t up to plotting while they were clearly being watched.
Isaac glanced at her through the rearview mirror so often she thought they would crash. She couldn’t look out the front window for fear of locking eyes with the large man. She avoided the situation by staring out her own window. When the car turned and tires crunched over gravel, she knew they were close. Isaac pulled them in front of the large house just a few minutes later.
She saw the house in darkness, and in the low light of early morning before tramping off into the woods, but the house needed to be seen in full light to grasp the size of it. It was all new construction, but fit into the countryside well. Brick stones lined the base of the house, and creeped up for multiple chimneys. The stones formed the base for the four large pillars that extended a covered porch in front of the double-doored entrance. When she neared, she realized the pillars were actually tree trunks. She glanced down the length of the house and saw anywhere a column was needed, a tree trunk was used.
The Ross pack was doing quite well for themselves, it appeared. The small, often single room, homes her pack lived in were squalor compared to the pack house.
Gabriel and Isaac followed her and Alfred inside, no doubt to make sure they didn’t try to run. Their belongings were still in the main room. They hadn’t felt comfortable exploring the house the previous night, and camped out against what she now saw was a huge fireplace. She figured she could stand inside it easily.
Isaac set a back of his own on a counter that drew a sinuous divide between the main room and the kitchen. He tossed keys to Gabriel. “Have a safe trip back,” he said.
“You’re leaving?” Marie asked.
“I don’t have time to babysit. My mate needs me,” Gabriel said tightly.
“And you don’t want us to have a car to steal,” Alfred sneered.
Isaac cracked his knuckles high above his head and settled his thick arms across his chest. “Exactly.”
Marie nodded. Of course. If what Cameron said about Claude was true, he wouldn’t want anyone running back to fan the flames of conflict. She felt like a hostage, but if Claude had been using her only to secure his own reentry to the pack then she had always been a bargaining chip.
Not for the first time, Marie wished her father and mother were still alive. They always had good advice, even if she didn’t want to listen at the time. She remembered her teenage years and the rows they would have over her choice of dates. She wondered what they would have said about Claude’s plan to align the packs together.
The door closed on Gabriel, and an uncomfortable silence engulfed the room. Isaac looked from her to Alfred, then opened his pack. “I’ll take help putting food away in the kitchen,” he said the no one in particular.
Alfie was never one for domestic chores. He huffed, and instead went to gather his own things. “Rooms are down this way?” he asked, nodding toward one of the hallways branching off the main room.
“That way, and down there,” Isaac pointed in the opposite direction, on the other side of the kitchen.
Marie knew Alfie would go his own way, rather than cross any nearer to Isaac than he needed. He slipped down the first hallway, leaving the two alone.
“We keep the kitchen stocked full of dry and frozen goods, so it’s only fresh things that need to be put away,” Isaac brought her attention back to him.
He hoisted the pack in his arms, and she saw his muscles bulge in the motion. He led her down the countertop and into the kitchen proper. Again, the wealth of the pack surprised her.
All the appliances were large, and would look at home in a restaurant kitchen. They were modern and sleek, and she felt a desire to dig in and bake something from scratch. Two islands expanded the workspace, and each had a miniature sink and oven installed. The main stovetop had eight burners ready for use, and an equally wide oven underneath.
The curved countertop started from one of the islands. She imaged tray upon tray of food being sent down the counter, like leaves floating down a stream. Just how large was the pack, to warrant a house like this?
Isaac opened a wooden cabinet as tall as himself, and the blast of cool air made him shiver. Marie had only seen wood-encased refrigerators in magazines, but here they had what seemed equal to two ready to be filled.
“So you’re here to watch us?” Marie moved the pack to a nearby counter, and started handing him items. Cartons of eggs were on top, so they wouldn’t get squished.
“I am.” Isaac started placing good only on one side of the doublewide fridge.
“We’re not trustworthy?” Milk and juice were next.
“Not quite.” Packages of different cheeses were shoved into a drawer.
“Well, I hope we’re not too demanding of you during our stay.” Lunchmeats were placed in a different drawer while she tried to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. He was only doing his duty to his pack.
“It’s my pleasure to help. I’m sure you want to get to the bottom of this as much as we do.” Isaac’s fingers brushed against Marie’s.
Marie shivered at the touch, and distracted herself by digging into the smaller bundle. Fresh fruits and vegetables were wrapped in plastic bags. She sorted through which should be stored in the fridge, and which would be fine leaving on the counter while trying to sort through her own thoughts.
“Since we’re done in here, why don’t you go pick out a room? I’ll see what we have in the freezer, and take something out for dinner tonight.”
“You cooking?” Marie leaned against the countertop.
Isaac smiled. “Don’t worry. Just because you’re the only woman here, I won’t assume you’ll do the cooking. It’s a hobby of mine, actually.”
“I prefer baking to the entrees.” Marie smiled back.
“That’s good to hear! We’ll have desserts on the table, then.” He led her back into the main room, then nodded in the direction of the hallway Alfred disappeared down. “Your brother went that way, but the nicer rooms are down that hall.”
***
Marie chose a room toward the end of the slightly sloped hallway, wanting to keep as much distance between herself and the rest of the house as possible. She opened to find the room dark. She fumbled for a light switch, and blinked when the room lit brightly. Drapes covered the windows to keep all the light out. When she flicked back a curtain, she found she was suddenly on the second floor. She hadn’t noticed the floor sloping at all, and found her stomach fluttering at the unique design.
The bed was large and dominated the room. An equally comfortable looking chair sat in a corner near the window. The simplest piece was a small dresser, though it didn’t surprise her. A side room in a pack house wasn’t meant for a long-term stay. She sat her pack on the top of the dresser, and wondered again at the inner workings of the Ross wolf pack.
A door caught her eye, and she nudged it open. Another flick of a light switch, and she was greeted with a luxurious bathroom. Two sinks and ample counter space lined one side of the wall, and a door to the next bedroom was directly across from her. She locked the door for the time being, wanting to give herself as much privacy as possible.
From the small antechamber, another door led to the bathroom proper. A large tub was positioned in a corner, and an even larger walk-in shower took over the longest wall. Marie closed the door, and fiddled with the knobs on the shower. Powerful jets of hot water shot out of the head, and steam started to fill the room.
Too enticed to resist, Marie stripped her clothes off. Her pale skin looked almost like marble in the low light. Marie pulled back the door on the shower and stepped inside.
Marie let the hot water run over her skin. It felt wonderful after a night of tossing on the hard, wood floor of the main room. She regretted not exploring the house last night. Finding a bathroom like this one would have been heavenly. She squeezed the wa
ter from her dark hair. She sat on the long ledge at the back of the shower stall, and let the clouds of steam overtake her. She inhaled the hot air, and tried to let go of the stress she felt in every part of her body.
She couldn’t go back home. She had no home to go to. The only relative she had left was Alfred, and the distantly related Claude. She’d only heard of him before he stepped into their lives, so she didn’t count him as someone she called family.
Her thoughts strayed to Isaac. Of course she’d been with other men, starting from the age when teenage hormones were raging through her body. But she was careful. She knew her status in the pack would mean her parents would find her a suitable husband to help keep the pack strong. Cameron had been a blessing, if he was to be her mate. But men like Isaac were more her type.
She lay back on the ledge, and wrapped her arms around herself. Isaac’s arms would be strong. He would be able to hoist her as easily as he hoisted the pack full of groceries. She wondered what he’d make for dinner, and a blush colored her cheeks. She thought of sneaking up behind him while he was flipping burgers, and letting her hands run over his wide chest. She didn’t think there would be much give if she tried to mold her body to his.
She smoothed her hands down the length of her damp arms, then settled them lightly over her breasts. She thought of Isaac undressed, and his powerful muscles bulging with her in his arms.
Marie closed her eyes and massaged her own warm skin. She was slick with the moisture in the air, and a heat that was all her own. Her nipples peaked beneath her sliding fingers, and the thought of Isaac’s mouth sucking at the buds seared into her mind. She sighed, and wanted to hear the sound of moans caught low in his throat. She wanted to lick his lips.
She cupped her bare pussy, glad to have prepared herself before taking off on her journey. Her lower lip caught between her teeth, and she gasped softly as she slipped her fingers inside her tight folds. One knee lifted on the bench to help part her flesh.
Her fingers sought her clit as she imagined Isaac between her thighs. She wanted to see the dark chocolate pools of his eyes looking into her soul when his tongue pressed against her. She moved her fingers against herself in a poor imitation, but her body responded. Her back arched as her motions intensified, her fingers as insistent as Isaac’s imagined tongue. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly as her muscles contracted.
She wanted his fingers to splay her thighs open and force her to stay spread for him. She wanted to feel his thumbs sliding inside her as he lowered his head to taste her again. She wanted to feel his mouth move hypnotically slow against her skin. She wanted to feel watched and worshipped until she could contain herself no longer, and see the promise of an intense night in his eyes.
She moaned softly, longing for a man she shouldn’t touch.
Chapter Four
When Marie emerged from her shower and nap, she found Isaac in the main room. He had changed from his lawyer attire into something more comfortable. She liked the way he looked in jeans, and the way the white long sleeved shirt clung to his chest and arms.
“What smells so good?” she asked.
“I decided on a simple pot roast, with potatoes and green beans for sides. The roast is in in the oven now, and the veggies won’t take much time at all. I can put them in one of the other ovens and everything will finish at the same time.”
Marie giggled. “Simple, huh?”
Isaac glanced down at the place in his book, and marked it with a thick finger. He caught sight of Marie gulping while she stared at the digit. His gaze swept from her full lips to the slight blush on her cheeks. “I guess it does sound a little more complicated than ‘simple.’”
“Complicated isn’t always bad, though.” She came around to the sofa he had settled in, and perched herself in the opposite corner with a heavy sigh.
The tide had quickly turned on the conversation. Isaac took a guess as to what was bothering the beautiful creature. “No, but it’s not pleasant when you find yourself in limbo.”
Marie was quiet. Isaac wanted to take her hand and comfort her, but didn’t think it would be appropriate. She was promised to another, even if that other had already taken up his mate. She still considered herself unavailable. “I’m sure you’ll be welcomed back home once this is cleared up. And until then, you have full use of our pack house.” He cursed himself for minimizing the situation as soon as the words were out of his mouth.
“I can’t go back,” Marie spoke quietly to her hands folded on her lap.
“Of course you can. We won’t keep you hostage here forever,” Isaac tried to crack her with a little truthful humor.
Marie looked up at him with a twinkle in her eyes, but he couldn’t be sure if it was a smile or the start of tears. “No, you don’t understand. Even if your pack releases me, I won’t be allowed back. I’ll have shamed them with this rejection.”
Isaac frowned. He knew each wolf pack varied as much as their pack leader. His own Cutthroat City Wolves lived up to their name. They were businessmen and women, and all very ambitious in their careers. They all tried to improve their rank in the law firm and the wolf pack equally. Even those at the top, Cameron and Gabe, weren’t secure. They worked hard to maintain their positions in both company and pack. It was one of the things that made them respected by the others.
The other city pack was far more casual, from what he’d gathered. They were all friends, and mingled accordingly. They didn’t challenge each other to get one step further up the pack ladder. Most didn’t even work together, though the leader seemed to let anyone work for his landscaping company if they needed.
Even though the two packs had different dynamics, they were still a pack. Packs would support each other, even if they were challenging one another. It took a direct challenge to Cameron’s authority as pack leader for him to banish Claude and his band of followers.
“You shouldn’t have any worry of being unwelcome in your pack.” The thought made him shift uncomfortably.
“I’m the last girl in my pack, and my brother Alfred is the last boy. Everyone else is beyond breeding age. I was always told I was meant to bring the pack back to life. I would bring many pups to the alpha I mated, and some of those would go back to my home pack. They’d grow up, have families of their own. I’d help breathe new life into a dying pack. Cameron has chosen another, and now that won’t happen.”
“What about your brother? Shouldn’t he have as equal a pressure on him?” Isaac didn’t like seeing the woman hurt. It wasn’t fair for her to carry the pack’s hope for a future alone. He knew some packs still practiced arranged pairings, even if he didn’t agree with it. He believed new life should be brought into a pack by creating new werewolves. Depending upon a good match between old families led to the predicament her pack was in - no new members and a pack that’d fade out once the last of the youngest members moved on.
Marie blushed again. “He isn’t interested in women. My family had no problem with it, but some of the older members of the pack weren’t happy when the secret came out. I think leaving with me was a happy move for both sides.”
“That shouldn’t be how a pack works, Marie,” Isaac said softly.
Marie let his voice wash through her. Her name on his tongue sounded right. She disliked the antiquated name, paired with an equally old fashioned surname. He made it sound special. “It’s the only thing we’ve ever known.”
Isaac looked at her still studying her hands. Her tongue poked out and wet her lips. The motion shouldn’t have moved him, but he felt something stir in his pants. He shifted in his seat again to hide himself. “We don’t act that way. Once you leave, you’re welcomed back.”
“But why is Claude not welcome, then? Cameron said he was no longer a member in your pack. You can’t say anyone will be welcomed back when Claude and his folk aren’t. That’s a pretty big hypocrisy.” Marie drove her point home with wild hand gestures.
“Claude didn’t leave to pursue an arranged relationship. Cla
ude was forced out because he disobeyed his alpha.” Isaac hadn’t joined the pack until after Cameron’s leadership had solidified, but he had heard stories. Those that were left seemed to agree Cameron made the right move, but that didn’t surprise Isaac. If they had sided with Claude, they would have left with him.
Marie threw her hands in the air. “And isn’t that what I’d be doing? If I don’t find a mate and bring babies into the world for my pack, I’ll be the disobedient one!”
“Then find a mate. Find someone you choose. If they won’t have you back because they planned your life around incorrect information, then cut your losses and live for yourself.”
The ferocity of his words surprised her. Then she surprised herself. She rose from her seat and walked the few steps closer to him. She reached down and pulled his book from his lap, setting it on the sofa next to him. Then she lowered herself on his lap.
Her skirt bunched around her waist. The heat from his skin bled through his jeans and to bare flesh of her thighs. She resisted the urge to rock against him and feel the rough jeans pulling against her panties.
Marie looked into Isaac’s chocolate eyes, and brought her face closer. “You’re right,” she whispered, “I should live for myself.”
She closed the gap between them and placed her lips gently against his. She breathed in his scent while sampling it with her mouth: pine and spices under a light citrus that she thought must come from his soap.
Isaac’s nostrils flared. He wanted to wrap his arms around Marie, but kept them locked at his side. He let her lead their kiss. Her full lips rubbed against his own until the tip of her tongue dragged along his bottom lip. He gasped, and she took the opportunity his open mouth provided. Her tongue slipped inside, and she used the time to explore him. She ran her tongue over his back teeth, and between his lips. Then she touched it to his own tongue, testing, teasing, daring him to kiss her back.
Cutthroat City Wolves Volume 1: BBW Werewolf Shifter Paranormal Romance Page 9