The Wolf's Concubine

by Erin St. Charles

  She had a prime view of taut ass cheeks, beautifully sculpted back muscles, and deep back dimples. As fake fiancés went, she could’ve done a lot worse. He rolled his shoulders, causing his muscles to ripple and her pussy to dampen.

  She let out an involuntary sigh.

  He turned around quickly, catching her watching him. Flustered, she made as if headed to the bathroom and walked, forehead first, right into the cabin’s support beam. She swore under her breath at the pain, as well as the cocky smirk on his face.

  “Stay in the cabin,” he reminded her, stepping onto the front porch and closing the door behind him. She hurried to the kitchen window, rubbing the sore spot on her forehead, to see his wolf bounding away from the cabin. Damn, she had missed his shift.

  She thought about his admonition to stay inside and considered the upside if she did stay.

  On the one hand, she was possibly still in danger. But she had always taken care of herself, and in fact had stopped the creature's attempted kidnapping. Other than not knowing why she was targeted, she was hard-pressed to come up with a good reason to stay.

  He’s hot and you want to fuck him.

  When had she ever let her libido call the shots? Her foster mother used to have a saying.

  Men are like trains. There will always be another one.

  Ruby’s sly aphorism had stayed with her, even though she hadn’t seen the woman in years. And Ruby had been right; there was always another man, whether she wanted one or not.

  So, what if this one was hot and made her wet? It didn’t mean she necessarily had to act on it. Although, judging by his hard-on, Phelan was as attracted to her as she was to him.

  She shoved that thought back. The attraction had nothing to do with anything, and would only negatively impact her long-term goals. Speaking of which, she needed to check her accounts.

  She spoke a voice command to her smart device, “What is my account balance?”

  Her device reported the balance, which had ticked up slightly since the day before, thanks to the magic of compounding interest. She smiled to herself.

  Checking on her money was Lola’s security blanket, the primary way she reassured herself that the indignities she endured in her work would one day be paid back with financial independence. Whenever life left her agitated, checking on her balance proved to be a balm to her soul. Life had taught her that she was her own best protector, as well as her own best provider.

  It would be difficult to increase her bank account balance if she took too much time off from work. She weighed her options as she took a quick shower and dressed in her own jeans and the t-shirt she’d slept in. Staying for an undetermined length of time was out of the question. She had to go back to work.

  She knew Phelan wouldn’t like it if she left. The dude was like her own personal Boy Scout, and took protecting her seriously. In truth, he was too protective.

  She dressed quickly and went over the attack again in her mind. While the enforcers seemed to think the kidnappings were directed exclusively at concubines, there were plenty of other women who were potential targets right there in Dallas. Coming after her again would be too risky, she reasoned.

  In any event, this was just one theory. More likely, the kidnapper was simply going after low-risk targets like sex workers. Women who wouldn’t be missed immediately, or who wouldn’t garner much attention from the police if they were even reported missing.

  That attack was so random. She was probably in the wrong place at the wrong time. She was in no danger. They were probably only guessing that she was picked because she was a former concubine.

  Leaving might embarrass Phelan with his people, and that gave her a twinge of regret. But she couldn’t let his potential embarrassment keep her from doing what was right for her. He had a community he was a part of, one she could never belong to. And when she’d mentioned that she worked in a brothel, his firm monster cock had quickly deflated.

  Pulling up the Perdition Glide schedule revealed they ran on an every-other-hour schedule during off-peak times. The next one would arrive in two hours. While he was out for his run, she would walk to the Glide station in town. By the time he’d returned, she’d be halfway to town, if not farther.

  She found an old sweater hanging in the closet of the storage room at the back of the cabin and put it on. It was scratchy and the sleeves were far too long, but it would keep her warm. She glanced around, but there was nothing of hers laying around. She paused, considering leaving him a note. No, he'd know no one took me. Besides, what would she say?

  This is a good plan, she assured herself, though the twinge of regret would not leave her alone. She walked quickly down the gravel road to town and pondered her decision. This was one of those rare moments she wished she had a buddy to chat with, if only to reassure her that the course she pursued was the correct one.

  After she'd been walking for about ten minutes, it occurred to her that she did have someone to confide in. She engaged her smartphone and called Ruby.

  “Hey,” Lola said when her foster mother answered.

  There was a pause, then Ruby realized who was on the other end of the line.

  “Hey, baby!” Ruby said, and the older woman’s voice, warm and comforting, instantly made Lola feel calmer.

  “Hey, what’s up?” Lola kept her voice light, as if it hadn’t been months since she’d called Ruby.

  “You tell me, stranger.” There was no mistaking the gentle admonishment coming at Lola from the other end of the line.

  “You know, same old, same old.” Lola’s eyes drifted to the surrounding prairie, about as different from Dallas and New Orleans as she could imagine. Frost had settled on the grass overnight and it crunched under her trainers.

  “You still in Dallas?” Ruby asked cheerfully.

  “Not exactly…” Lola paused, waiting for the inevitable questions.

  “You know I’m not going to ask you tell me anything you don’t want to,” Ruby said in a gentle tone.

  Ruby was so understanding, and Lola wanted to feel grateful, but instead she felt guilty.

  “Have you ever heard of Perdition?” Lola blurted out.

  Silence on the other end, then the clattering of silverware being put away as Ruby responded. “Do you mean the biblical perdition?”

  “No,” Lola answered with a nervous laugh. How much should she say? What would happen if she told the whole truth and trusted she would not be judged?

  “Let me sit down…”

  Lola waited as the woman on the other end of the line put away her dishes and found a comfortable seat.

  “I’m in Perdition, Texas,” Lola admitted nervously.

  “Perdition, Texas?" Ruby blurted. "What are you doing there? I thought you were in Dallas.”

  “It’s… kind of a long story,” Lola said, suddenly unsure if she should tell Ruby the whole story. "I just hadn’t talked to you in a while and, you know, wanted to see how you were…”

  “Baby, are you okay?” Concern colored the other woman’s voice.

  Lola frowned and stopped walking. She fingered the stitching of her hobo. Her gut twisted and her mouth went dry as she pondered Ruby’s question. Was she okay?

  She turned around and saw the cabin in the distance.

  Going back...it didn’t make sense. She turned back toward town, moving faster now, ready to get back to her life.

  “I’m fine. Everything is okay.” She sounded uncertain even to her own ears.

  Ruby’s voice went warm with understanding. “You always were one who needed to find her own place in the world. You hardly even let me take care of you.”

  Ruby chuckled, and Lola couldn’t help but smile at the sound of her foster mother’s laugh.

  “I was twelve years old. I didn’t need you to take care of me.” Lola couldn’t help but feel a bit defensive. Walking along a country road, not really knowing where she was, was kind of scary. Talking to Ruby made her feel less alone. She was about to hang up when Ruby’s n
ext words froze Lola in her tracks.

  “Baby, when are you gonna come visit me?” Ruby sounded sad.

  Never. She had left the tiny French Quarter bungalow behind years ago. Ruby had filled it with love, but it was the reminder of her past as a thrown-away child that Lola didn’t want to face again.

  “Baby?” Ruby asked in a soft voice.

  “I…I really need to go,” Lola said in a rush.

  Ruby sighed on the other end of the line.

  “It’s okay, baby.” Ruby’s voice held a note of resignation. “You call me whenever you need to.”

  It was time to get off the line. This was always the hardest part. Lola’s chest ached with the force of her emotions.

  “Okay.” Only at the end of their calls could she call Ruby the name she knew the older woman preferred. “Bye, Mama.”

  She hung up the phone and marched forward. She was making the right decision. Her future was forward, not in Ruby’s house and the memory of the mother’s love she would never experience again. Most definitely not in that little cabin behind her.

  Chapter 18

  Phelan knew immediately upon entering the cabin that Lola wasn’t there.

  He’d returned after a punishing run allowed him to work off some of his restlessness, but didn’t put a dent in his sexual frustration. Waking up dry humping Lola both embarrassed and aroused him, and was definitely not part of the plan to woo her with the respect and care she deserved. She seemed to take it all in stride, which did not mitigate the awkwardness of the moment. Her reminder that she worked in a brothel had thrown cold water over his arousal temporarily, and he'd handled that poorly.

  He had nothing against women working in brothels. As a rule, wolves were sexually free, laid-back, and open-minded. Except, of course, when a fated mate was involved. Then, they apparently became jealous bastards. At least, he did.

  He would have to a Talk with Lola about working at the brothel, as soon as he was able to find her. There was no way he'd be able to handle her sharing her body with other men. The thought made a haze of red rage overcome his vision.

  He'd also have to talk to her about listening to his orders. It was simple. Stay in the cabin. She had apparently ignored him.

  Where could she be? He stormed out the door, slamming it behind him. Then he shifted back into his wolf to track her. He immediately caught her scent in the air. She was headed toward town. Of course, she was.

  He followed his nose until he spied her in the distance, wearing her own clothes and one of his old sweaters. As he quickly gained on her, he saw her giant bag dangle from her shoulder as she walked with purposeful strides. He slowed and trotted after her at a leisurely pace.

  She must sense me.

  Which turned out to be true, since she stopped abruptly and whirled around to check her surroundings.

  Her eyes locked with his. The look of irritation on her face was comical.

  She waved her hands at him with a shooing gesture.

  “Go away,” she said, then turned on her heel and continued stomping toward town. He caught up with her, then settled himself in the grass in front of her where she’d have to cross his path to get by.

  “I’m leaving,” she huffed, challenging him, her dark eyes mean and cranky.

  She took another step and he again planted himself in front of her. She made to go around him and he growled.

  Her face turned bright red under her brown skin. Then her eyes narrowed into dark slits in recognition of his challenge. She crossed her arms over her chest, rolled her neck, and stared him down.

  “Move,” she said.

  He leaned back on his haunches and made a chuffing sound, a canine approximation of a human laugh. He sniffed the air to catch her scent. She didn’t have an ounce of fear toward him. More like irritation. And a bit of lust. Definitely lust.

  She frowned, stepped around him, and kept walking toward town. He trotted around her, cutting her off once again. He sat on his haunches and squared his shoulders. The message was clear: You are not leaving.

  She halted in her steps, squared her chin, and glowered at him.

  “You can’t keep me here,” she declared.

  He cocked his head. We’ll see about that, sweetheart.

  He considered shifting to his human form, but harassing her with his wolf was too much fun.

  When he didn’t move, she sighed and took a step to walk around him. He gave a low growl that had her freezing in her tracks. Satisfaction surged through him. If she didn’t want to listen to him as a man, she would obey him as a wolf.

  They stared at each other for long, tense moments before she started moving again.

  He growled again. She stopped moving.

  “Phelan,” she snapped, pointing a finger at him. “Get out of my way. I’m not in danger and don't need protection. I’ve been taking care of myself my whole life.”

  From her tough demeanor, Phelan believed Lola had been taking care of herself for a long time. But that didn’t mean she should have to. She had him now.

  “Okay, so look," she said firmly. "I’m gonna take the Glide to Dallas, get back to my life, and let you get back to yours. No more of this.” She waved her hand in his direction, indicating his blocking her path.

  She sailed past him with a confident stride, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she had just challenged a more than capable wolf enforcer. She thought she could strut out of his life without looking back?

  The moment she strode past him and her back was turned to him, he pounced. Phelan grabbed the back of her sweater and tugged. She yelped and twisted to get away from him.

  “Stop that!” she yelled as she batted at him with one hand while clutching her bag with the other.

  Phelan held on tight as she continued to struggle. She fought fiercely, arms flailing and slapping at him, legs kicking to shake him off. The next tug at the sweater pulled her off balance and her butt hit the ground with a hard thud. She winced, but looked none the worse for wear. He pounced again, this time landing on top of her, and he pushed her on her back.

  His wagged his head at her, a crude approximation of a human head shake. He didn’t think he could be any clearer with his expectations.

  She glared at him and pushed to dislodge him, but his forepaws pinned her to the ground. Part of him truly enjoyed her struggles. Playing with her was fun. He wouldn’t mind chasing her down again and again.

  She looked about ready to spit kittens and showed not a shred of fear of his wolf. He’d like to see how mad he could make her. His little warrior kept fighting him, making him wonder when she would realize that even as a wolf, he was both heavier and stronger than her.

  He cocked his head at her quizzically, then opened his mouth and let his tongue loll out in a wolf smile.

  She rolled her eyes at him and didn’t seem impressed. Clearly, the woman was neither scared of him nor amused by him. She heaved on his shoulders and started to look truly angry.

  He backed off and let her up, hoping she got his message. When she started down the road in the direction of town, he rushed forward and pushed on her hip with his shoulder hard enough to make her teeter unsteadily, but not enough to completely knock her off her feet again.

  The ridiculously large knapsack began a swinging motion that did nothing to help her stability. She struggled for a moment to stay on her feet, setting her feet apart and standing firm. Phelan found this kind of adorable.

  “Fine!” she huffed, throwing her hands up. She pivoted on her heel and stomped away in the direction of the cabin. He was pleased with himself, having re-established his dominance and sending her back to the safety of the cabin.

  Guess I showed her who’s in charge here.

  Satisfaction had him giving a canine grin as he watched her backside, soft yet undeniably toned, obediently retreat up the road to the cabin.

  Then he saw several shadowy figures charge out of the woods, right at his woman.

  Chapter 19

  Lola’s prey
instinct kicked in as a chill crawled up her spine.

  She yelped like a little girl and broke into a dead run when she saw the hulking beasts coming at her with murder in their eyes. She sprinted toward the safety of the cabin. She ran faster than she ever had in her life. Her heart hammered in her chest and her breath burned in her lungs.

  The three wolves who had burst out of the small copse of trees weren't as big as Phelan, but all of them had plenty of sharp, white teeth and predatory intent in their eyes. Her mind dimly registered the need to move, move, move to the cabin. She saw it ahead and somehow found another burst of speed. When she reached the front door, her fingers clawed for the doorknob. The handle turned. Thank the gods, the door didn’t have a biometric lock.

  She crashed into the great room with her heart kicking in her chest and immediately slammed the door behind her. She leaned against the door and tears of relief pricked her eyes as she sucked in lungfuls of air.

  Lola expected to feel the wolves slamming against the door from the other side. Her eyes shot around the room. Or maybe they'd crash through the kitchen window. Her body pressed against the door and she held her arms out to her sides as if she stood the slightest chance of holding the door against three vicious wolves. Lola had no idea where Phelan was, or what happened to him. She hoped he was a match for those three, but the odds weren't good.

  She needed to protect herself, in case he wasn't able to handle them. She dug in her heels and frantically looked around the room for some sort of weapon. Her eyes landed on the poker by the fireplace.

  Lola suddenly remembered the door had a lock. She fumbled with the door handle while keeping her body pressed against the door. She found the lock and turned the latch with trembling fingers.

  Door secured, Lola raced to the fireplace to grab the poker. She settled against the wall and tried to figure out what to do next. She took a calming breath and tried to remember how many windows were in the cabin. Then she realized that the kitchen window was the only one big enough for a wolf to jump through.