Wolf in Hero Clothing

by Serena Spacey

  “That won’t always be the case,” Greg interrupted as he shoved his head in still fully human formed. “I don’t like turning wolf. I don’t really like confrontation.”

  ~Hero~

  “Which was why he had escaped me all these years,” I had to admit. I couldn’t kill something that wouldn’t be out hurting something else. No wonder he had eluded me. At least now it had been a good thing. “Any bruises or scratching?” Oh yes. Duh, how insensitive. She had already been trying to cover up her body to me and the X. Just because a part of her had an insatiable need to mate, didn’t mean that was actually Roxie Malone. Like any other girl out there, she clearly wasn’t happy about her current condition. Even the X wolf Greg had kept looking away, only glancing at her.

  Roughed up and dirt on the face, her skirt was practically non-existent and ripped off. Her front was not much better but she was still decently concealed. She wasn’t standing up, but hiding herself along the ground, out of view. Perhaps afraid that I would become attracted to her more if I saw how vulnerable she had been. I could not vouch for the X, but I had seen my share of turmoil as an Adventurer. Nothing was going to shock me, nor deter me.

  “Maybe a date,” she said softly. “Maybe we could try one date.”

  Ah. It wasn’t marriage, but it was a start. The next time we’d meet, the X would be around at a safe distance and her and I would be ready to look and act decently for all the press that would eventually arrive at the date to find out the scoop.

  At least, that was what I had hoped would be the case.

  “I hate this,” I complained as I adjusted my tie. “You humans and your clothes, you get so wrapped up in them.”

  “Don’t even think about complaining,” Bose said to me as he tried to help with my tie. “You are lucky you even get a second shot. The way you treated her before, if I were her, I would not have given you a second shot. She is in a tough position too.”

  “Yes, I know,” I agreed, “but she is not the only one in a tough spot. I have to marry someone that I don’t even know just in the name of protection.” I stared at myself in the mirror. “The press are going to have a field day with me. Even more articles will be out all over the place. I will be the flavor of the month for them.”

  “You are an Adventurer,” Bose said. “It comes with the territory. You can’t just go out and keep rescuing her, it is too dangerous. You just keep having sex with her.”

  “Did not last time.”

  “Only because of the X, and you barely stopped the time before that. Honestly, if you do not marry her, then he should.”

  “He is no more interested in her than I am.” I shook my head. I had no idea what that Bladon saw in her. Honestly, what made her so different than everybody else? Even before the Z’s disappeared, she was considered important. Why? Well, maybe tonight I would learn.

  Chapter 7: Press

  ~Roxie~

  There was a limo to pick me up. The whole day I had been out with Hero’s personal fashion designer finding just the right outfit for tonight. It really put everything I owned to shame. It was a light blue dress sequin-studded with a strap going over one of my shoulders. It had a strange blue tiara that also came with it. I suppose it was supposed to make me feel like a princess, but it didn’t. It made me feel even more awkward. At my size, I would never expect to see such a thing available. Honestly, it was probably custom made for my dimensions because it hugged my curves just right. It had matching dewdrop earrings that went with a long silver necklace. The shoes were like glass, like in that book Cinderella. My hair had even been done up in a bun and I had a special purse, tiny, and blue with silver lining created just for the occasion.

  When I stepped out of the limo, I was hit with flashes from everywhere. People were calling out to me asking questions. There were so many, so fast, it was like a rushing waterfall.

  “Miss, is the rumor true that you’re also a wolf?”

  “Madam, please. How is it that you and Adventurer Hero met?”

  “Is it true that he almost killed you like a regular project?”

  The questions were fast and furious. My mouth just dropped open, but there was never any time to answer before another question flooded me. It did not take long for apparently assigned bodyguards to make their presence known. They kept the press back as I tried to walk down a red carpet. It was insane.

  Last time. The events of last time were slowly creeping into my mind. I remembered . . . a raw steak. A fork. A pair of wolf cufflinks on a suit with a man glaring at me.

  I remembered that glare. The school, the X warned me about him. Yes, little details crept up, just like Hero promised would happen. I couldn’t remember anything sexual though. As I headed to the table, I placed my purse on it and was escorted down into my seat by Bose.

  Bose. Hero’s right-hand person. I think there were parts of me that could never forget him. Or some kind of contract? That was in the past though. Hero had on a white suit with a light blue tie. I remembered him in a silver tie before, or silver with white stripes?

  “Adventurer Hero, is it true this is the woman you were with last time?”

  “Adventurer Hero, is your relationship serious now?”

  “Do your best to ignore them,” he whispered at such a low level I was surprised that I heard it. “I will take care of them. Just follow my lead.” He reached his hand out to the middle of the table and looked straight at me.

  Oh. I placed my hands on top of his and the camera flashes and questions came out like rapid fire.

  “To these people, you are the most important woman in the world right now,” he said to me. “Don’t blink fast, just stare ahead at me. Don’t talk. Let their own ideals run away with the pictures.”

  Strange. I had always pictured Hero the White Wolf more primal than someone who could throw a fancy dinner and handle press. Then again, this was also a part of his life. He saved the world, of course he had press at his feet. He had to learn to deal with them eventually. I just didn’t see it when he was fighting off all those wolves.

  Although I remembered vaguely his favorite being almost uncooked raw steak. We both ate rare steaks that most couldn’t handle. We also had crab and lobster, already shelled out and ready for us to eat. There was even a fine assortment of dessert after dinner. During this time, Hero did not talk. It was not until after we ate that he began to speak again.

  He took me from the restaurant into a large dancing hall that had been beside it. Holding my waist, he began to dance. “You are doing well, just continue to look at me.”

  “How much do they know about me?” I asked, “The questions that I could catch, it is like they knew something.”

  “I can never keep the press completely out,” Hero said to me, “they always pick up something. It is not surprising at all to me to hear that from you. If you recall, I had scheduled a date with you before. Last time, I thought you could have been an enemy. This time, we must make appearances to them, as a couple in love.” He grabbed my hand with his. “I cannot just announce marriage, it would not look right to them. Instead, we must make appearances at least three times. I cannot propose to you until I start hearing ‘they should get married already’ from the media. Before then, it will look like a grab. The territorial leaders do not want it to look like a grab, it is the reason they would not let me buy you.”

  Well, I never wanted to be bought, so I was good. However, there was one thing he was still missing. “I never agree to marriage yet.”

  “Roxie.” He was definitely annoyed, I could hear it in his voice. He rolled his eyes and continued. “I will never find a human attractive. At this point, I am 19 and have no sexual interest there. As annoying as it is, the marriage is fine to me. It is the best choice. I cannot guarantee your safety without it.” He turned me and we began to dance. “There is also another choice, however I cannot guarantee it is safer. I cannot guarantee that if you have a pack, they will not be feral.” He took a deep breath. “If they are, I will
have to kill them. You must understand that first.”

  If I had children, he could kill them. Whatever choice that was, it did not sound like a good one. “What is this other choice?”

  He turned me around again in our dance. “On your right, the X is there.”

  He was right, Greg was there sniffing at some food.

  “If you do not marry me, then you must marry him. He is the only one who can manipulate your scent.” He moved back around to our original position. “I would highly recommend it, except for the fact of the eventual pack. I do not know the effects of an X and Z joining because Z’s were only supposed to be with Y’s.”

  Still not a very good option, I couldn’t help it as I rolled my eyes. “I cannot even consider it. I could be killing my future children.”

  “I know,” Hero said, “which is why you need to marry me. Unless, you know how to manipulate your own power?” He was asking me? Like I knew how to do that. If I did, I would not be there right now. “The X believes that you might hold that power yourself. Another reason to take it slow for a month. If you learn to control your own power, I will not have to marry you. I would never have to save you again.” I swore that I saw a slight smile on his face. “You would be in charge of your own future.”

  My own future. The idea sounded nice, being in control again. It was hard to believe I lost my virginity. Honestly, I had never even kissed a guy. Well, that I could remember.

  He had danced with me to the left, and I watched him reach out for something. White and fluffy, it was some kind of boa. I was reminded of his fighting skill back in the den when he whipped the boa through the air and it landed on my shoulders perfectly. Using it, he pulled me closer and touched my nose with his. “Before the dance is over, I am going to kiss you.”

  Kiss me. That would really make it look like love. I may have done things that I could not remember, but kissing him was not that small of a deal. I never remembered a kiss. As he brought me out to the middle of the dance hall, he pulled me closer and tighter. My heart beat fast in my chest as the dancing picked up speed. Soon, it would come soon. He would steal my first remembered kiss. He already took my body, and eventually he would take my hand in marriage.

  No. No, it was the only control I had left. I didn’t care to think as he tipped me. Before he pressed his lips to mine, I grabbed his with my own mouth.

  And then he dropped me.

  ~Hero~

  I had to catch my breath. Roxie had taken the initiative and kissed me instead. I saw that sparkle in her eye of determination right before she did it, and I had no problem with it. Until her lips met mine. I barely held back a primal growl as my body wanted to grab her. The ferocity of a project, for the moment, it threatened to take hold of me. My body was all too willing to get even closer to her. I had several years of training to keep most of my wolf instinct at bay, but everything was threatening to come up. I had vivid images of grabbing her from there and taking her to my den. I wanted at that second to mate with her, but not to create a pack. Just to mate with her. So dangerous. I could never think this way. Fighting my wolf side, I barely won out. Letting go of the heat of our bodies pressed together, I let her drop unceremoniously to the ground.

  After getting my bearings, I picked her up as quickly as I could, but the damage had already been done. Oh great, now what did the press think? That I had something wrong with me and could not even hold my balance? I glared at Roxie. “Why did you do that?”

  “I don’t have control of many things, but I had control of that.” Her eyes, enraged and passionate. This truly was not a human, those were not human eyes. Determined as if she were staring down prey. That glare pulled right back into mine.

  I dipped her, trying to regain my control. Those eyes, oh those eyes. I had never seen those eyes even within a project. A gorgeous seam of blue ran straight across them for just a moment causing a different glare I had never seen before. A turquoise glare followed by the usual glow. As if I wasn’t entranced enough, Roxie surprised me one more time. I heard a low, soft yet pleading purr.

  My body stayed frozen in that position with her. I do not know how, but he had been right. Bladon’s father was right to make his son make that wolf promise. There was something special about the woman who purred in my arms, and I could not stop myself. I hungrily kissed her. She struggled in my arms a few seconds, unprepared for my kiss. The more she fought against it, the more I wanted. Wrapped in my arms and as close as possible, I held her tight. My body felt so right being next to her, and I could tell hers did too. I could feel her melt in my arms, her only strength being wrapped against my back.

  ~Roxie~

  I didn’t know how to react at the end of the date. Ever since that kiss between us, the professionalism Hero held from me seemed to wander off. He was still a gentleman, but he didn’t look at me like I was something ruining his life anymore. I swear, I had no idea he was even capable of smiling at me.

  “Did you enjoy yourself?” Hero asked me before I turned to my limo.

  Yes, yes I did. It was an amazing night. Not just the attention, the food, or the dance. Him. The entire time he kept most people at a distance, even the one who had found him at five years old. I tilted my head at him and smiled. He tilted his head the other way and nodded, a teeny tiny smile breaking through. I really didn’t have to tell him I enjoyed myself. He didn’t have to tell me he enjoyed himself either. We just knew.

  Hero looked back toward my limo. “In a proper date, I should be escorting you home.” I watched his mouth and a slight smirk slid across his face before disappearing. “Would you like me to take you home?”

  Never did I think I would actually enjoy this date. “The X?”

  “He is right behind me.” Hero gestured behind himself. Greg waved to her. “Well?”

  “Am I really going straight home?” I asked him in my lowest tone. I knew he should have excellent hearing, and by the expression on his face, I was right. I was not supposed to go straight home in the limo. It was made clear to me that my parents were allowing a second date tomorrow. It would keep me from all media attention until my situation settled. I tried to meet his eyes confidently, but I couldn’t help a little excitement. “Do you have a limo?” I knew he didn’t, but I just wanted to hear it.

  “No,” he said, “I run faster than a limo.”

  I nodded and watched him transform. Beside him, Greg had transformed into his gray wolf form. I thought I would be asked to hop on, but Hero moved faster than I and slid between my legs. “Hero.”

  That tricky wolf just let out a small chuckle before bounding away with me.

  Greg stayed below us as we moved upward into my secret hideaway from the press. It wasn’t any kind of hotel, apparently that was the first place they looked for. Hero had bought a simple property so that I could stay somewhere safe. My parents were supposed to be only five blocks away to the west, in their own house as well. An issue about payback would only be present if I didn’t marry him. Once again, tricky wolf. I touched my necklace. “Thanks for a lovely time.”

  He didn’t answer at first, seemingly stuck on something. “Roxie Malone.”

  I squeezed my purse tighter, half wanting to throttle my own throat. This was supposed to be against my own will. Hero was essentially wanting to marry me to buy my safety. Yet, I felt butterflies in my stomach when he called my name. “Yes, Hero?”

  He smiled at the name. “Roxie.”

  How was it that it felt like we never even needed introductions? I chuckled and moved the tiara from my head. “Thanks for a nice date.”

  “Your nicest ever?” he asked.

  “Well. You had my hair done, got me a custom dress and a purse with a big old furry boa.” I touched his nose with it playfully. “Fed me extremely well, and let me get lavished by the press.” I shrugged. “Besides all those little mistakes, you pulled through with the dance. I never knew you could dance.”

  “Oh, I can do a lot of things you probably don’t know,” he a
dmitted. “I shouldn’t stay out here too long. People are going to recognize me more often until I keep my face out of the media again. I prefer to move around without all this nonsense following me in my human form.”

  “I could see why,” I added. “It would take time to get used to it. If I did marry you. If.”

  “Yeah.” He chuckled and then cursed. “Shit.” He rolled his eyes. “What are you doing to me? I don’t ever get this expressive with anyone.” His eyes lingered on me. “I bet you’d be drop dead gorgeous as a wolf.”

  “What makes you think that?”

  “Cause your human form already is.” After he said that, his eyes grew wide. “Oh shit, sorry. Fuck.” He grabbed his head. “Everything that happened between us, I can’t believe I said that.” He fidgeted around more. “Roxie. I hope that you have a decent night. I hope the property works for you.”

  Yet, he didn’t leave. I didn’t bring attention to it. We just stared at each other. A strange purr came from inside of me and I heard a growl from him in response. “Oh, sorry.” I shrunk back. “I know that’s not normal, it’s more cat. Probably driving you crazy.”

  “It is.” He looked toward the center of my dress. “Your sides are tucked in more than they should be.”

  “Uh, flattening little garter thing. Helped the dress form to the sides.” Eh, he didn’t need to draw attention to that.

  “I’ll tell them not to do that next time.” His eyes met mine again and he opened his mouth, but shut it and looked away. He had wanted to say something.

  “Yeah. Um.” I shrugged. “Hey, you get what you get with me. I’m not a supermodel.”

  “Supermodels don’t hold my attention.” He gestured to my stomach. “You could never change that, you were designed for great birthing hips.” He turned his eyes away again. “I really need to learn how to shut up.”

  I felt my cheeks grow warm. He liked my hips. Must be a wolf thing. Still, I couldn’t help a small smile. “I think you’re doing well so far.”