“Okay. I don’t want to be banished,” Roxie said, getting that option out of the way. Never to see a single person again. Never.
“The last one.” Hero seemed irritated, as if he knew she’d pick it and didn’t want to offer it. “I can save you.” His voice was hoarse. “It comes with a price. I have backup men outside, Bose is in here, and I am trapped in a glass box. Out there, there is no one. If you call for me . . . there is a good chance we will have sex again and then forget.”
Oh. I understood. “It’s the other wolves, or it’s you.”
“Maybe not every time, I don’t know. I don’t know how controlled I am during it because I have no memory,” Hero tried to explain. “I just know that the closer we become, the more we want to do. I can’t guarantee I will get out before something happens between us.”
I kept my strength up, but my legs wanted to buckle. “Kill. Banish. Saved but with risk. Any other options left?”
“There is no other option, I am considered too young for the authorization of many things.” He looked toward me. “I have billions, but what I can do really is almost as much as you. I can’t drink. I can’t smoke. I can’t buy. I can’t do anything without the paperwork of guardians.” He grumbled. “The territory leaders are considered my guardians.”
His voice. For a moment, he was less a super wolf hero and more like someone my age. It was comforting for that period of time. We were both a little the same. Still, he wasn’t a normal person like me. Even, I guess? I wasn’t normal. The choices weren’t savory. Do nothing and let wolves hunt me down. Let my parents banish me somewhere. Be killed by Hero in the name of mercy. The thought was bizarre, but the more I thought about it . . . if a den captured me. The only times I’d remember would be awful. The rest of my life in that state. “Save me.” It was the only real option I had.
Hero nodded. “Figured so.” He gave a quick nod to Bose, who came around to see me. He had been outside of the glass to make sure I had a guard that could reach me. He handed me a strange wolf brooch. “Keep that pinned on you at all times. It looks like jewelry, but the left eye is a trigger button. Hit it, and I will come.” He moved away toward the door. “Bose will give you a paper to sign. Ask for a lawyer again if you want, but what it says is clear. I didn’t make it lawyer speech.” He looked straight back at me. “I am not required to save you. The majority rules. If I am somewhere else, I am somewhere else. I save more than you, and I will do the best I can, but I don’t guarantee I can make it every time. The second is the clause about cubs.” He had grown silent. “Unless deemed mine, I do have the authority to kill them if I think it’s necessary. The third, don’t talk about anything. And . . . if I feel that killing you is the best option, I will. If you are in a predicament where your sanity is best served dead.” He didn’t need to finish. I understood. “The usual from there.” He waved his hand almost in a shooing manner and headed out the side door.
Pen and paper in hand, I read the contract. It was as Hero said, simple and clear.
If I called for him, I had to accept the consequences that came with it.
With a deep sigh, I plunged the pen to the paper quickly, making the quickest signing of my name ever.
Roxie Malone.
It was done.
~Hero~
I lied in my blankets, thinking about Roxie. I had dug up everything I could on her. Scent attraction or not, she was beautiful. I tried hard not to think about my pack. My mother, she had been beautiful, but Roxie had been even more gorgeous. Not just that but smart, cunning, and loving. Roxie wanted to study Zoology. Her taste in clothing and accessories, it showed her primal side, but she was raised as human and communicated well with them.
She was as loving as my family before they were brutally murdered. The whole pack. At five years old, I still remembered it. My father had called out for my mother. Calling for his tigress.
Tigress. That’s right, memories were spurning me to remember. My mother was not a normal wolf and father had his name for her. Roxie was not a raw, primal wolf, but she was a project. Different.
I leaned on my side. Even though I had been the hero of the human race, I hadn’t always felt like I was a part of it. My home was buried in a mountain in the middle of nowhere. Even my closest friend, Bose, had not visited. I didn’t want to deal with the burden of a pack after losing my original one. I wouldn’t let anyone come close.
I’d held that project Z beneath that table though, and like it or not, I know I had made her mine. Her scent would attract more comers. She’d eventually be taken by a group’s den and ravaged each day, bearing more projects I’d just have to kill. Calling for me was just postponing it all. I wasn’t always going to be there; I saved the world as a whole. Not just one girl.
I’d eventually not make it. I’d have to kill whatever children she had. Damn. It wasn’t right, she never did anything wrong.
My hands turned into fists, and my breathing became heavy as the thought struck me. Why? She had a wonderful life planned out for herself, but she was destined to become this thing project wolves would use over and over.
Unless she had a proper mate. Whoah, what had I been thinking? Mating was forever between wolves! There was no going back. Technically, she already had my scent, and it would be hard enough to ignore that. I turned back around, willing myself to go to sleep. I didn’t even know Roxie Malone! My job was to save the world, not just save one girl. I’d do what I can, but even I knew one day I was bound not to make it.
Chapter 3: Hero Comes
~Roxie~
I tossed my schoolwork onto a chair after I came back home. It had been a good two days, and I had imagined that maybe the threat Hero thought would come didn’t exist. I did keep his brooch on me, but so far, I hadn’t had any troubles.
When there was a quick and familiar playful knock tune at the door, I knew who it had been. Bladon, my second best friend from school. His family had got back from vacation finally. I answered the door with a bright smile, once again pretending that my life was completely normal.
He smiled at first, but then it faded into a look of horror. “Oh. Roxie.”
Oh, Roxie? That was no way to greet me. “Nice to see you too,” I said gruffly as I gestured for him to come in. “What put you in a mood?”
“What happened while I was gone?” That same concerned look haunted his eyes. “Roxie?”
“Nothing.”
“Something happened, I know something happened.”
“Nothing.” I couldn’t tell him, I signed that contract. If I hadn’t, I would still never tell Bladon. “How was your vacation?”
“Where are your parents?”
Okay. Insert my frustrated grunt. I folded my arms in disbelief. He wouldn’t talk to me the way he used to at all. “Bladon. It’s been a tough time, but I’d rather focus on you.”
“Someone hurt you. Someone, I can . . .”
No way. He didn’t. I suppose he did like to do that before, but I always thought it was a strange tick he had, smelling me slightly before talking to me. Maybe an allergy even, but as I saw his eyes once more, I was putting some things together.
But it couldn’t be. According to Hero, no civil wolves existed. No, it had to be in my mind.
“Damn it, Roxie!” he smacked his head. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know. This is bad. Okay, I have to loosen up.”
I didn’t want to assume he knew. I could be completely wrong. “Bladon?”
“I’ll kill him.” Bladon grabbed me and wrapped me into his arms. “I’ll kill whatever project took advantage of you, just tell me who it was. Do you remember enough to tell me who it had been?”
I tried to move away, but Bladon held me tighter. More than a friend ever had. I had become aware suddenly of how much his physical appearance had changed since we were children. When had he grown up so strong and why hadn’t I seen it?
“Don’t be scared, Roxie. There is a different scent on you. You aren’t talking to me about it, but you must
know something. Did you wake up in a weird position with a project?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Why not? Please, I’m your best friend!”
I wanted to tell him. My head was swooning. “I was sworn to secrecy through a contract.”
“A contract?”
The charade had been over. “Yeah.” I collapsed into his familiar embrace feeling so warm. I knew Hero hated the long name, but I needed it to be clear. “The Champion Adventurer Hero made me sign a contract, and I can’t say a word about it. I’m sorry.”
“Hero.” I heard it. There was no denying it now. A growl came from his throat. “Did he save you, or was it his hands on you that did this?”
His embrace. Usually, it was so tight when I had problems. He was as good a friend as Alexandra, if not better. His arms were becoming limp around me, casual like he was losing interest in the hug I so desperately needed.
“I’d kill anyone who hurt you, but I’m not allowed to hurt him. Fuck!” Suddenly the hug became overbearing. “Did he promise you marriage?”
Marriage? “No.”
“Son of a bitch!” Bladon pulled me away from his embrace. “He took you. Your scent is mingled with his. Instinct is too hard to control. Roxie, I . . .” He grabbed his head. “I can’t stay for long, I have to make this right.” He moved his hands from his head. “What did Hero tell you about the other projects?”
“I can’t say.” Even if I could, I couldn’t tell him.
“Every project has a unique gift.” He put his hands on my head. “Y’s were only created because X’s explored a different kind of power. I can control the scents power a lot stronger than any other project.”
An X. X’s still existed?
“I can help bring your pheromone scent up or down, and since your scent controls your memory . . . I swear I’ve only ever helped you. And now, I will help ease your pain. I loosened my grip on your scent. It’s acting naturally, and it is strong, so I had better hurry.” He pressed his head against mine, and I felt myself becoming tireder than aroused. “The last two days of your memories never happened. You won’t know your different and I know it will keep you happier.” I could barely concentrate as he unclasped the wolf brooch from me. “You’re just the ordinary girl, Roxie Malone. Your scent is dampened and fine with me, Roxie. Always has been. Nothing ever happened, and nothing ever will.”
***
“Hello?” Odd. Usually, my mom greeted me at the door on Wednesdays. “Mom?”
“Not today, dear.”
I turned to the door and saw two people I’d never seen. One of them looked like a normal man, but the other was a girl with black spots in her long hair. I covered my mouth.
They were project wolves.
“The girl Hero couldn’t resist.” The man grabbed me along with the other girl. “He can’t control himself around you. You drive him nuts. There’s no project stronger than him, but with you? He could finally be killed. You are a project Z, you can’t hide it.” He grabbed my hair, pulling it violently. “You’re coming with us.”
“No!” I struggled against them. My head was hurting from his treatment, and I didn’t want to know what else they wanted to do with me. “Never.”
The other girl let go of me. She strolled over to the pantry and opened it. My parents were tied up inside. Their hands were binded with rope and their mouths were covered with tape. I yelled toward them, but they were both unconscious.
“Pay attention, and be good.” Both the projects chuckled as they dragged me out of my house.
What were they doing? I was stuck in the middle of the road, at least ten projects surrounding me. For ten minutes, I was stranded out in the summer heat. My body was getting sweaty with the two projects both holding onto my hands.
Then, our world’s Adventurer, Hero, arrived in his wolf form. He landed hard, hard enough to crack the cement. He approached quickly but took a step back as he made contact with me. He seemed actually to stumble back, surprised. Maybe even frightened? “You? Why didn’t you use the brooch, don’t you need help?” He looked at my chest. “You aren’t even wearing the brooch. Cocky, weren’t you?”
“No need to be formal,” one of the projects laughed. “Roxie Malone. Lucky you. Or unlucky you.”
Hero looked to his sides and watched at least ten wolves gather against him. “Oh, I see. It’s not her that dragged you here, it’s the chance to take on me. Really? You would stoop this low to get the chance to beat me.” He grabbed one of them with his teeth and launched them into the nearest trashcan. “I’m not a pushover, and you can’t manipulate me.”
Why did he think I dragged them there? He acted like he’d met me before, but there’s no way I’d have forgotten about meeting the famous Champion Adventurer Hero, the illustrious White Wolf. That made no sense. The brooch too? What brooch? What could he mean?
“Not that far away, but come closer, lover boy.” The project wolf with the spotted hair pulled out a knife against the skin of my neck. Oh no! One wrong move and I would be a goner. “You can take us, and save yourself. Or, you can save her, and kiss everything goodbye. I know which one you’ll pick.”
He muttered damn beneath his breath so low I could barely hear him. What was to decide though? I was being threatened with a knife! Why was the Adventurer afraid to get close and why did those wolves want him closer? I watched him take a long, deep breath. Then, he ran to me. In moments, I was freed. Hero had pulled the knife by my throat away with his mouth, shoving it into the belly of the spotted project threatening me.
Hero didn’t stay around me long, and quickly backed off to fight the others as they changed to their wolf forms. I was now free, but several project wolves were surrounding me again. They had all changed from human to wolf, ranging from black and gray to deep browns in their colors. Weird, I had never seen so many in one place. While I watched them, my eyes kept shifting back to Hero.
Hero’s body twisted, flipped, and kicked with such power. No one moved like that. My mind wanted to pay attention to the wolves around me while something else just wanted to watch him. His body was magnificent, whether it was wolf or human, flowing from one extreme to the other in a casual manner only he could possess.
Ba dump. Ba dump. With everything that had happened, it made sense that I was scared enough to feel my heart beat fast, but, I could do more than feel. I swear I heard the own rhythm of my heart. I tried to keep myself focused enough to run as a wolf chased me.
Hero had ran back toward me, grabbing the wolf after me and flinging him away again. Then, he tried to leave me as fast as possible to fight more wolves. He was fighting but watching out for me at the same time. I tried to run again, but two more wolves tried to stop me.
“You are one hell of a prize for us,” one of the wolves said as it sniffed at my hair. “Except for that extra something in your scent. Repulsive, but we can take care of that. Come on over here, and I’ll make you into a real-”
Hero crashed his body right into that wolf’s jaw. He took a few seconds to deal with the other wolves around me. Wouldn’t it be easier for him to stay with me? What was it about me already!
The last wolf stayed right beside me, refusing to move.
“Come over and get me,” the gray wolf squealed in excitement. “Come on, Hero, you aren’t afraid to get little old me.”
“You’re a coward, hiding behind an innocent civilian.” Hero still kept his distance, but the project wolf was standing close beside me.
“Or a genius,” the wolf commented. “Come on and tell her the truth. Tell her what she is, what her only purpose for being created will ever be.”
I heard Hero oddly take a deep breath and come behind me, trying to take care of the last wolf. The project wolf stepped on his foot though, causing him to breathe out. He smacked the other wolf to the ground, hard. Before it was all done though, Hero had cuts all over his arm.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered to him. “I don’t know why they chose me.” I r
eached out, inclined to help. I tried to grab his paw, but he shirked me off. “Sorry, Champion Adventurer Hero, the White Wolf.”
“No.” Hero held his nose away from my face. “I told you, I don’t need the whole thing! Just, Hero. Hero the White Wolf at most.” He reached out to my arm and rubbed his paw across it. “Never mind that, you’re hurt.”
“Yeah. A little scratch.” I felt a warm sensation run through me. What was that? “I’m...” My voice was getting huskier, and my body felt different. Hero’s breathing had quickened too, and I could hear almost nothing but the sound of my heart.
“I better house,” he said. I didn’t even care if that was a sentence, my thoughts were just as jumbled. “Not again. I can’t, not again.”
“What?” I felt myself needing to be closer. I moved closer to him, finding myself snuggling against his fur. “I need pantry. No, I...” My parents were in the pantry. I needed to say that, but I couldn’t concentrate. I gestured toward my home, but my mind was in a stupor. It had only had one thing on its mind.
Just a moment. Just, I had to. I couldn’t even explain why, and I never thought in a thousand years I would but . . . I rubbed my nose against his, unable to help myself. He didn’t shrug me away.
~Hero~
Let go. I should have let go. It was the pheromones, I was following instinct. Let go! Out in public, kissing Roxie Malone. Even in wolf form, someone was sure to see. If we didn’t let go, we would be doing more than kissing. Already my paws were roaming over her body. Ah, why did she have to feel so good? Such tender skin, never been in a fight. Innocent skin. Her mouth, I had remembered it had been so tasty, and I had a need to taste it again. I could have kissed her all day, never moving.
I ran one of my paws through her hair as my tongue gently lapped at her cheek. More, damn, I needed more of her again. She walked with me along the ground, and I licked her from side to side until I had her pinned up behind a fence. My front paws held her steady.
Wolf in Hero Clothing Page 4