Wolf in the Woods

by N. J. Walters

  Was it fate or just happenstance? Planned or totally random? She didn’t know, but whatever the reasons, she was glad they’d found each other.

  And tonight, she planned to tell him she loved him, even if the idea of doing so kind of freaked her out. Taking a deep breath, she filled her lungs with fresh air, catching the scents of several wolves that she easily recognized. One in particular caught her attention. Growling, she grabbed Sue’s arm and yanked her back.

  “What? What’s going on?” Sue demanded.

  Simon stepped out from behind a tree. He was naked, which meant he’d managed to slip past the pack sentries in his wolf form. “Don’t do anything stupid like howl for help,” he warned her. “You do that and I’ll kill that human beside you.”

  Addie shoved Sue behind her. “Run.”

  “I can’t leave you here alone.”

  Once again, it was a human trying to protect her. She loved her for it but couldn’t protect them both. “Go!”

  Taking advantage of her momentary distraction, Simon shifted and pounced. She threw herself into his path.

  He never touched her.

  Gator appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, caught Simon in midair and, in an amazing show of strength, tossed him to the ground without breaking a sweat. “You want to be staying there, boy.”

  On a growl, the wolf slowly rose to his feet, crouching, readying for another attack.

  Gator laughed, not the least bit concerned by the threatening gesture. “You’re as stupid as you look, you know that?”

  He growled again and showed his fangs.

  “Boy, I’ve eaten bigger than you for breakfast.”

  She didn’t think he was exaggerating. For all his laid back manner, there was something decidedly deadly about him.

  “Are you okay?” Addie glanced around to find Gator’s son helping Sue off the ground.

  “I’m fine. Thanks to all of you.”

  She smelled them before she saw them. Pack members emerged from the surrounding woods. Some were in their wolf form. Others were human.

  “Addie!” She heard Billy’s frantic yell and then he was there. She wasn’t sure if she ran to him or not, but she was in his arms. “Are you okay?” he demanded.

  “I’m fine. Your momma—”

  Keeping her tucked tight against him, he went to Sue. “Mom?” She hated the fear in his voice, hated that she was the cause. Simon had come looking for her.

  “I’m fine. Addie protected me long enough to give Gator time to intervene.”

  Sue seemed so calm and collected. Of course, she was being held in Elias’s strong arms, and the killing expression in the older wolf’s eyes warned everyone away from them. He wasn’t about to let anyone harm his mate.

  Maybe if she’d been more honest with her daddy about the situation with Simon right from the beginning, this would never have happened. But she’d downplayed it, not wanting to make trouble or have her freedoms curtailed.

  It all came down to choices. Each individual one, no matter how big or small, was what made a life. She had to consciously decide what she was going to do going forward, whether she allowed life to just happen and reacted to it or if she was going to choose her own path.

  “You’re brave when it’s all of you,” Simon sneered. The idiot was actually goading them when he was outnumbered.

  Jacque stepped forward and stared until the younger wolf dropped his gaze. “I promised your alpha I’d bring you home to face pack justice. Otherwise I’d kill you right here and be done with you.”

  The quiet threat seemed to get through, and he began to tremble. Then he raised his head and found her. What was he up to now?

  “I claim Addie as my mate. She is mine.”

  “That’s a lie,” she shot back.

  He looked cocky now. Sure of himself. “If you take me back, you have to bring Addie. I’m challenging Billy for the right to claim her.”

  It was an old custom, one that she’d never seen used in her lifetime. If two males wanted the same woman, they’d fight, sometimes to the death. That’s what he wanted. If he couldn’t have her, he was going to make sure she didn’t have Billy.

  “No.” She wanted her voice to be firm, but it came out as more of a whisper.

  “Afraid lover boy there can’t win?” Simon taunted.

  She grabbed Billy’s arm when he took a step forward. “You don’t have to do this.”

  He froze in his tracks, his jaw tight, his expression grim. “You don’t think I can beat him.”

  She was damned no matter what she said. If she agreed, she’d hurt his pride. If she told him she thought he could win, he’d fight.

  Pain flashed in his eyes. “I see.”

  “It’s not that I don’t believe in you.” She swallowed heavily, aware of everyone listening.

  “Just not enough.” He turned his back and walked away. She froze, not sure what she should do.

  Jacque jerked his head toward Billy. “We’re leaving in ten minutes,” the alpha called after her as she ran.

  That didn’t give her much time. Thankfully, Billy hadn’t gone very far. He was sitting on a log, elbows on his thighs, hands clasped, staring at the ground.

  Digging deep, praying to find the right words, she dropped to her knees in front of him. “I believe in you. But Simon’s had a lifetime as a wolf. It’s all so new to you.”

  “I’ve been around wolves, trained with them my entire life.” He still wouldn’t look at her.

  “I don’t want to lose you. I love you.”

  His head jerked up, and emotion blazed in his eyes. But it wasn’t pleasure she saw there. It was anger. “Why?” he demanded. “Why are you telling me that now?”

  He didn’t believe her. It was as though someone had ripped her heart out and tossed it on the ground. Then they’d followed up by stomping all over it. “I was going to tell you this evening.”

  “Convenient way to keep me from fighting. That’s what you’re thinking, isn’t it?”

  How could he say such a thing? “No,” she yelled. “It’s damn well not convenient. If we mate, I’ll be leaving my parents behind, leaving my pack. If I don’t, I’ll lose you. So no, it’s not the least bit convenient, but I love you anyway, you jackass.”

  ****

  As declarations of love went, it was a doozy. He was being an idiot, but he couldn’t stop the stupid train. The intensity of his emotions was amplified. The urge to rip out Simon’s throat for attacking his mate and his mother was foremost in his thoughts.

  But Addie didn’t believe he could protect her.

  And why would she when he’d failed so spectacularly so far? He hadn’t protected her in the woods. Simon had basically killed him. Hell, even Gator had come to her rescue before he could only minutes ago.

  Then there was the fact he hadn’t yet shifted into wolf form. There was something he couldn’t grasp, couldn’t quite reach inside. Maybe he’d never be able to shift, but that sure as hell didn’t mean he couldn’t fight.

  When she started to stand, he caught her by the shoulders. “I love you.”

  “Convenient, isn’t it,” she tossed back. “You think that will placate me.”

  Damn, she was one hell of a woman, full of sass and confidence. Hell, he loved her anger. It meant she really did care.

  “No, it’s not convenient.” He repeated her words. “But it’s vital to me. The most important thing in my life.”

  All the fight drained out of her. When she slumped forward, he pulled her off the ground and into his arms. “What are we going to do?” she whispered.

  He wished more than anything that he could tell her what she wanted to hear, but he couldn’t. “You know what I have to do.”

  She clung to his shoulders and squeezed so hard it hurt, but in a good way. He ran his hands over her arms and back and peppered her face with kisses. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.” And he was, but that didn’t change things. “I need to fight him. You know that. Your father and alpha won’t let
you stay with me if I can’t protect you.”

  It was a harsh truth, but one that needed to be faced. Their world wasn’t like the human one. They had animal instincts that they lived by. Intellectually, he’d understood, but it wasn’t until he’d met Addie and been changed that he truly grasped how primal and powerful those instincts were, how they ruled their lives and emotions. Some werewolf customs had changed and evolved over the years, but her family would hold with this one. If he wanted her, he had to fight.

  He captured her lips, tasting the warmth, the promise. A low moan escaped her, and then she was kissing him back. He prayed it wouldn’t be the last time. There was no way of predicting the outcome.

  At least Simon would never have her. If Billy was killed in the challenge, Elias would kill the other wolf. It was cold comfort. He wanted to live, wanted a life with her, but there was only one way to get it.

  He tasted her desperation, her fear. Beyond that, he tasted her love. He kissed her until neither of them could breathe and finally pulled apart. “I. Love. You.” He spaced the words, giving each emphasis. “Only you.” She was his mate, his one and only.

  “I love you, too. I thought I’d never feel that way about anyone, and then there you were. A human. And then more than a human.” She shook her head. “I don’t want to lose you when I’ve just found you.”

  “You won’t,” he promised and prayed it was one he could keep.

  “If you die, I’m going to be mad at you.”

  “I know.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  The entire pack was waiting for them in the parking area, but not all of them would be going. The show of support was overwhelming. He ignored Simon, who was between Cole and Gator with his hands tied behind his back. Thankfully, someone had found his clothes so he was no longer naked.

  Jacque gave Billy a nod of support. The approval from his alpha touched a place deep inside. His shoulders went back, and he stood a little taller.

  “Billy, you, Addie, and Elias are with me,” Jacque announced. “Gator, Cole, Reece, Sage, and Mikhail will go with us. The rest of the men will stay with the women and younger members of the pack.”

  Sue stepped forward. “I want to go.”

  Jacque was already shaking his head. Wanting to head off any argument, Billy went to her and took her by the shoulders. “I love you, Mom, but I don’t want you there.”

  She flinched. “I see.”

  “No, you don’t. I can’t focus on what I need to do if I’m worried about protecting you. And Elias and the others can’t watch my back if they’re watching you.” He hated hurting her, but it was the honest truth.

  “Some days I hate being human,” she muttered.

  Elias slipped his arm around her waist and kissed her temple. “I’ll watch out for our son,” he promised.

  Billy noted he didn’t promise to bring him back. His father understood this was most likely going to be a fight to the death. He tugged his mother away from his dad and hugged her, feeling like a little kid once again. She’d always been there, protecting and caring for him. But this time he had to handle the situation himself.

  Addie was beside him when he released his mom. “I’m so sorry,” she began.

  “Hush.” Sue pulled her into her arms and hugged her. “This is not your fault. We all know where the blame for this lies, and it’s with the idiot standing over there between Cole and Gator. You watch your own back.”

  “I will. I’ll watch out for Billy.”

  His heart was breaking, watching the two women he loved bond over their worry for him. “It’s time to go,” he reminded them.

  Addie slowly released his mom, turned, and headed toward Jacque’s truck. Not once did she look at Simon. The other members of the pack came forward one by one, the women to hug him and the men to offer advice and a slap on the back.

  Those who were going piled into three vehicles. He, Addie, and Elias went with Jacque. Gator and Cole were in another truck with Simon. And bringing up the rear of their convoy were Reece, Sage, and Mikhail. They planned to stop along the way, and Mikhail would drive Simon’s truck.

  Billy turned and watched the group getting smaller as they drove down the dirt road toward the highway. His mother was waving, so he waved back before sitting forward. “What can I expect from this challenge?”

  ****

  Addie’s emotions were all over the place. She loved Billy and he loved her. It was both a miracle and scary as hell. There was no time to enjoy or bask in what should have been one of the best moments of her life. They had to leave the safety of his pack, and he had to leave his momma fighting tears, knowing she might never see her son alive again. A challenge was a dangerous thing. It didn’t happen often, but sometimes people died.

  That was what Simon wanted.

  Guilt ate at her, worse because Sue hadn’t blamed her, hadn’t yelled or accused her of causing any of this. None of them had. They didn’t have to since she was doing such a good job of it on her own.

  When he linked their fingers together, she held on tight. She had to believe there was a chance he could win. Otherwise she’d lose her mind.

  “Challenges are brutal,” Jacque began. “In our old pack back in Louisiana, it was a way of life. My father thrived on the blood sport.”

  “I’ve seen a few in my day,” Elias added. “It’s never pretty. Usually it ends when one man admits defeat. I got a feeling that’s not happening with Simon.”

  Knowing she needed to be brave and speak up, she leaned closer to Billy. “It won’t. He’s the kind to blame everyone else for his problems. I thought he’d grow out of it as he matured, but if anything, he’s gotten worse.”

  “And he’s blaming me.” Billy nodded in understanding.

  “And me,” she continued. “If I’d simply agreed to mate with him, none of this would have happened. Therefore, I’m the cause of his problems. He wants to kill you to hurt me. He needs to be the best in any situation, to always win. When he doesn’t there’s always fallout of some kind. It’s always been small, childish things until now.”

  “What kinds of things?” Jacque asked.

  She shivered as the sheer power of the alpha washed over her. She licked her dry lips, wishing she had some water. “When we were kids if there was a dispute over a toy and he didn’t get it, the item would go missing or end up broken. Once a couple years back, another member of the pack beat Simon in a race. Two days later, that male was injured when he went stumbling over a cliff. He said there was a tripwire, but none was ever found. No one could prove it, but a few of us thought Simon was responsible.”

  “Why hasn’t your alpha dealt with him?” Jacque demanded.

  She’d often wondered the same thing. “No real proof, I guess.”

  Jacque growled and she automatically hunched her shoulders, not wanting to draw his ire her way. Her wolf had a great deal of respect for the alpha.

  “So this will be a fight until one of us is incapacitated.”

  “Dead,” she blurted. “If you don’t kill him, he’ll keep coming for you. It won’t matter if you win or not.” This was the price of being with her, what it would cost him. He was going to have to kill another man. “Maybe you should just drop me off and let me handle the situation.”

  They might not be together, but at least he’d be alive.

  He stroked her hair and kissed her temple. “Not happening. Even if we did as you suggested, are you telling me Simon would just let this go, that he wouldn’t come back to Salvation and make a try for me, maybe for my mom?”

  It would be so much easier if she could reassure him, but she knew better. “No, I can’t tell you that. He’s the type to pretend everything is fine and then when you least expect it, he’d slip away someday and come back to deal with you.” He’d always been vindictive, but she’d never expected he’d get this bad, that things would get this serious. Her entire perspective had changed this past week.

  “Sounds like his parents didn’t raise him rig
ht,” Elias commented.

  “He’s a lot like his daddy. His entire family thinks they’re better than everyone else.”

  “Why were you friends with him?” Billy asked.

  “He wasn’t always like this.” She needed them to understand. “When he was a kid, he was shy. I had the feeling his home life wasn’t very good. He’d sometimes have bruises. They’d fade quickly because we’re werewolves, but I saw them many times.”

  Jacque swore. “So the bullied became a bully.”

  “Yes.” She wished she had a warmer sweater. In spite of her ability to regulate her body temperature, she was chilled to the bone. “It happened slowly, over a lot of years. Small incidents here and there.”

  “Hard to see. Hard to stop.” Elias nodded. “I’ve seen that happen.”

  “I felt sorry for him,” she admitted.

  Billy hugged her and she soaked up his warmth and care. She wished they were already mated. If they were, Simon wouldn’t have been able to make a claim for her.

  Like a light bulb coming on in a dark room, it was suddenly all so clear and incredibly simple. Why didn’t I think of this sooner?

  “What if we mated,” she blurted out. God, it was so embarrassing to propose this in front of his daddy and alpha. She covered her face with her hands as her cheeks heated.

  “What?” Billy swiveled in his seat and forced her to lower her hands so he could see her, looking more shocked than pleased by her proposal.

  She had to get him to see reason. “If we’re mated, there is no claim to be made.” It was a brilliant solution.

  She didn’t know what she’d expected, but it wasn’t hesitation. He’s going to turn me down.

  Billy tenderly pushed aside a lock of her hair, regret reflected in his eyes. “I won’t rush our mating. When it happens, we’ll be taking our time.”

  She wanted to sink through the floor when Elias chuckled from the front seat. She didn’t dare look at Jacque to see what he was thinking. But something inside her settled. He’d said when it happens, not if.

  “Besides, we both know Simon wouldn’t let this rest. It needs to be dealt with before we can move forward.”