Saved by the Big Bad Wolf: A Darkhills Romance

by Elizabeth Greene

  The lone wolf nodded grimly.

  “Well too bad for him, I can rescue myself.” Rose crouched down and got to work on the next wheel.

  Fury coursed through her dousing the desire she had been feeling a moment ago. She’d be cancelling that double date, Carly and Clint would understand after she’d explained. She hoped.

  “So, I can see.” The lone wolf said from behind her. “It’s best that I leave you. But please, be careful.”

  “I will, thank you for warning me.” Rose replied, grateful that he had risked what he had to make contact and help her.

  If Sam thought he could threaten and try to coerce her into mating with him, he had another thing coming. A rebellious thought struck her as she heard the lone wolf walk back to his truck.

  “Hey,” She called after him. “I’ve missed running with you.” At that he turned, his eyes shining brightly.

  “And I you.”

  “What’s your name?”

  “Cayden. And yours?”

  God, she loved his name. She wanted to say it over and over so she could know how it felt to speak it out loud.

  “Rose.” She replied, smiling.

  She wanted to hear him say her name too. The thought gave her shivers, and her wolf was back to her purring antics.

  “Fancy chasing the moon with me tonight, Cayden?” She wasn’t surprised that her voice had come out a little husky.

  She couldn't resist saying his name and it had felt just as bold and empowering as she thought it might.

  A small sigh escaped his lips and his eyes closed. When he opened them again, they were full of trouble, a breath-taking smile lit up his features and her legs suddenly felt like jelly.

  “I’ll chase the moon with you Rose, until the sun forces it from the sky and our bodies are weak.” He growled deeply at her, causing ripples of delight to course through her.

  The strength of his inner wolf had rubbed against her own and the effect was an immediate warm and coaxing call to do as he suggested. Her wolf had instantly become submissive and pliant to his will and Rose had to admit, it felt heavenly.

  Feeling hazy she had watched as Cayden had climbed back into his truck with a knowing grin and sped away, back up the way he came. He was clearly a powerful wolf to have the ability to press his will onto others, it wasn’t a common gift. Even more uncommon that he had used his influence so gently and persuasively. Usually, it was used by an Alpha or Beta to aggressively force submission unto unruly pack members.

  With a little distance between them, Rose grinned after him while her wolf shook out her relaxed muscles and began prancing about like a young pup. She had a date. A hot one at that. Sam could go to hell. If he thought he was going to be the male in her life then he could think again. With that thought in mind, she set to work with the rest of her tires and climbed back into her jeep.

  Grandma was waiting on her and she sure as hell needed a cool drink and some good advice.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Cayden

  Cayden slammed his hand on the wheel of his truck as he drove back up the forest track.

  What the hell had he been thinking?

  He hadn’t been thinking that was the problem, his wolf had been doing all the thinking for him.

  He wanted the female, craved her like nothing else and somehow all his rational thought and sensibility had left him. He inhaled deeply, remembering the perfect scent of her hot body mixed with a sweet perfume. The look of her auburn hair shining in the sunlight contrasting with her sparkling emerald eyes, the smattering of freckles that danced across her straight nose and high cheek bones and her small but perfectly bowed lips that begged to be kissed. If that wasn’t enough, the sound of his name on her tongue had driven him to distraction, he’d never heard a sound more alluring.

  He had allowed his desires and instincts to overrule him. He was only grateful that he hadn’t touched her soft and inviting body. Those enticing curves wrapped up in the light blue denim that hugged her hips, the black tank top that revealed only the most modest amount of cleavage, her bare lightly tanned arms looked smooth as silk and ended with long and delicate fingers that he wanted to feel gripping at his back, while he did all manner of things to her.

  Cayden groaned in pent up torment and his hands flexed on the steering wheel at just the thought of it. He doubted he would’ve had the strength to walk away from her if he had gotten any closer. But somehow, he had to face her all over again and try to avoid the temptation. He’d agreed to run with her again tonight. He shouldn’t. He should stay far away from the alluring she-wolf. She was a pack female. A pack female that had caught the eye of the Alpha no less. He should pack up his trailer and leave. Put as much distance as he could between himself and the sweetest most dangerous temptation.

  But he couldn’t. Physically couldn’t. The thought of leaving her caused a dull pain to throb in his chest. His wolf was pacing back and forth. He wanted the female. Needed her, and sure as hell wasn’t about to roll over and give in.

  Damn it! Damn it all to hell!

  Cayden pummelled the wheel of his defenceless truck once again.

  He wasn’t supposed to do this. He was supposed to stay away from his pack and any other pack for that matter. He vowed to live his life in peaceful, harmless solitude. That way he wouldn’t run the risk of hurting anyone again, of ruining the lives of others and causing years of grief and suffering. He wasn’t a good wolf. He wasn’t good enough to be around others and he certainly wasn’t good enough to deserve a mate. Never a mate as magnificent as Rose. Just thinking her name caused a lightning bolt of need to shoot through him.

  He knew what this was. He’d seen the strength of a true mating bond. His parents had been just as strongly connected; just as drawn to one another to the point of obsession. He also knew the devastation caused when that bond was broken, when one wolf dies, leaving behind the other. It was like the hole left in their hearts would start to rot, they would slowly lose any shred of love and goodness.

  He’d felt the full force of his father’s anger, blame and resentment as they had come to terms with the loss of his mother, the Luna of the pack. It had been Cayden’s fault that she’d died.

  He had been a curious and determined pup and when he had found a fallen baby bird, he’d set off to return it to its mother up on the mountain’s ledge. He had felt so brave and focused as he trudged up the mountain path, completely unaware of his mother following stealthily behind.

  He had made a mistake however, Cayden had climbed a path too steep and had slipped on loose stones, causing more debris to fall. He had been swept aside by his mother’s powerful black wolf, while her hind legs had been caught by the tumbling rocks and she’d been carried brutally down the slope. She’d sacrificed herself to save him.

  That had been the day of his first shift, Cayden had felt his little, fierce wolf tear out of him to call long and fearful howls down to the pack in the town below. He had scurried down the rocky path and crawled to his mother’s side, exhausted. Unable to maintain his wolf form he’d snuggled his shivering naked body next to his mother’s fur only to be yanked away and tossed aside by his Alpha father, as he frantically set about freeing his mate.

  She had died in his father’s arms while he continued to try to pull her free from the rocks that had crushed her body and with her last breath she had shifted and looked to Cayden to speak her love for him. She didn’t have another breath to share that love with her mate.

  The loss was devastating for them both. It was said that his father even sought out an ancient creature gifted with immortality to try to raise her soul from death, but it had been impossible, his mother had been too far past the point of death for anything to be done.

  From that moment on, Cayden was hated by his father. He had been brow beaten into submission at home, never allowed to look him in the eye, never allowed to speak of his mother or cry for her without being punished. In his father’s eyes Cayden had taken away the one bond that had m
eant everything to him.

  Having now felt the intensity of his wolf’s connection to Rose, Cayden had a fresh understanding of the level of pain his father must’ve experienced.

  A true mating bond wasn’t what Cayden wanted. Not if it would eventually turn him into the cruel monster his father had become.

  He needed to break away from the she-wolf now before their connection grew any further. He would hitch up his trailer, place a call with the Beta to tell him he had found better paid work elsewhere and he would hightail it out of the Darkhills territory. Rose would be fine. She was a strong and capable wolf with friends and family around her to help her fend off the advances of the Alpha. She would eventually find a kind mate who would treat her well and give her the supportive home she deserved.

  His wolf howled in despair.

  No. It was for the best, he argued with himself. Maybe he’d sell his trailer and get an apartment in the city. Far away from the forests and mountains that ran in his veins. Far away from any reminder of the female and any temptation of what he could not allow himself to have.

  Suddenly his heart slammed in his chest and a blinding pain struck across his temples. Cayden hit the brakes of his truck hard and skidded to a halt, clutching at his chest and pounding head.

  What the hell?

  A sense of foreboding filled him followed by a feeling of imminent danger. Cayden’s wolf barked and snarled in his mind, urging him into action. Quickly he swung his truck around sending up a plume of dust in his wake as fear and urgency bombarded him.

  Rose was in danger.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Rose

  “You listen here Samuel Wyatt McClaw.”

  The angry and no-nonsense tone of Judy Woods’ voice rung out through the clearing as Rose pulled up to her grandmother’s house. She’d braced herself for trouble the moment she’d turned up the drive and seen the bright afternoon sun bouncing off the Alpha’s new truck. Hearing her grandmother about to chew him out would usually elicit a wry smile, but considering what the Alpha had been planning, Rose’s temper wouldn’t allow her to see the funny side.

  “I am trying to make this easier for you all. I don’t understand why you’re being so damned stubborn.” Sam cut in over her grandma.

  Rose jumped down from her jeep and stormed towards the house. First, he manipulated her into agreeing to a double date, then he tampered with her car and now he had been leaning on her grandma too. Alpha or not, he was about to get firmly put in his place. If her grandmother didn’t do it first.

  “Stubbornness hasn’t got a thing to do with this. If the girl ain’t interested, that’s it. I am not about to try to convince her otherwise.”

  Her words filled Rose up to the brim with confidence. No matter what, Grandma had her back. Even if it meant saying no to the Alpha.

  “And what’s going to happen to her when you’re gone, huh Judy? You ain’t gonna be around forever, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you stand in my way.” Sam snarled and came tearing out of the front door, not bothering to stop the fly screen from swinging back in her face as the small and furious looking lady followed him out onto the porch.

  Her dark expression was a stark contrast to the billowy, floral blouse she wore over light, khaki pants. Her long silvery hair was swept back from her face revealing the fury behind her normally mischievous green eyes.

  “It’s Mrs. Woods to you, and you best be grateful that my mate ain’t around no more to hear you talking like this.” Judy shoved the fly screen aside unperturbed and hollered at the man as he stormed down the porch steps. “But I’m here Samuel, and I am sticking around for a while longer, so you can keep your paws off of her.”

  “We’ll see about that, you decrepit old bitch.” Sam growled back at her, turning to face the old lady with a face red with indignation and outrage.

  With all his blustering and chest beating Sam hadn’t yet noticed that Rose was watching his performance. She had seen and heard quite enough however and wasn’t about to let anyone talk to her grandmother that way.

  “You will show my grandmother the respect she is due Sam, or I will have no problem showing my teeth.” Rose growled at him. Her inner wolf was snarling and ready to take over in a heartbeat.

  Sam turned at her voice, his angry face shifting to one of surprise only to quickly morph back into one of deep rage.

  “You will show your Alpha his due respect and submit, before I force you.” He snapped at her, trying to force his will upon her.

  The thing was, it had the opposite effect and Rose felt her hackles rising further. She felt his will pushing against hers but unlike with Cayden, her wolf stood firmer and refused to become submissive in the face of his aggression.

  “I will never submit to you.” Rose bit back firmly.

  “Rose hon, you get on inside now.” Her grandma called as she hurried her way down the porch steps.

  “I’m done playing nice Rose.” Sam snarled as he lunged and caught her by the wrist in a punishing grip, “You’ll submit alright, you’ll submit on your fucking knees.” He yanked her hard as he dragged her towards his truck, causing her to stumble behind him.

  Rose pulled and struggled in his grasp, but the strength of the Alpha was greater than she had anticipated. An agonized cry of pain had them both turning to face her grandmother.

  The woman had tried to shift into her wolf form, most likely on instinct to protect her granddaughter and had failed. Her back was bent in an unnatural angle and one balding furred shoulder was protruding through the torn sleeve of her blouse. Her body was too weak to transform and as a result she was potentially left with multiple fractures.

  “Grandma!” Rose cried out and momentarily pulled away from Sam’s grip.

  The Alpha quickly caught hold of her again and turned his back on the injured elder wolf.

  “Let me go, you asshole. She needs help.” Rose screamed at him.

  “Looks like her time is up, and so is yours.” He chuckled sadistically.

  “Let go of her.”

  Her grandmother growled and launched herself at the Alpha, partially shifted claws extended and aimed at his face.

  Sam released Rose for a second to back hand the elderly lady with a sickening thwack.

  Judy went sprawling into the dirt and Rose threw herself down onto the ground to cover her beloved grandmother with her own body. Her wolf wanted out, it demanded she spill the Alpha’s blood for hurting the only family she had, but Rose fought against the she-wolf, more concerned with tending to Judy.

  Before she had a chance to do more than sweep her hair away from her face, Rose was yanked backwards. This time the Alpha had her in a vice like grip, his arm bound around her waist. Rose screamed at the top of her lungs while she kicked at his shins and hit at his arms.

  “The more you fight it Rose, the harder it’s gonna be.” Sam ground out between snarls as he tried to avoid her kicks and punches.

  “I will never stop fighting you.” She screamed back at him, “You won’t get away with this.”

  “You’ll stop fighting alright, or I’ll go back and finish off the old woman while you watch.” Sam growled at her and slammed his other hand down over her mouth to muffle her screams.

  That was the mistake Rose had been waiting for. She called to her inner wolf and felt her canines grow and sharpen. Before Sam had a chance to realize what was happening, Rose bit down on his hand and tasted his hot blood. Sam’s howl of agony deafened her, but she refused to release him. He went from trying to stop her from getting away, to shoving at her and desperately attempting to yank his hand free from her mouth. With a furious roar, Sam shoved her to the ground and angrily clasped at the gushing wound.

  “You’ll pay for that, you scrappy bitch. You ain’t the only one with teeth.”

  Rose scrambled up and planted her feet firmly, preparing herself to shift and fight for her life but just as she was about to launch herself at him, a flash of ebony fur barrelled into the Alpha, sending hi
m rolling through the dirt.

  Rose’s heart jumped and her wolf let out a joyous howl.

  Standing between her and the furious looking Alpha, was her lone wolf.

  Her moment to celebrate didn’t last long however, in a blink of an eye Sam shifted and his large, sandy gray wolf charged at Cayden. The two wolves became a blur of snarling teeth and claws as they collided with each other, dust from the hard, dry ground was kicked up and the smell of both wolves’ blood hit her nose.

  She desperately wanted to swing into the fight and help take down the Alpha. Rose hadn’t been raised to let others fight her battles while she watched from the side lines, she was a wolf after all: fighting was part of pack life, but her wolf simply watched on with keen, intelligent eyes. She didn’t seem in the least bit concerned.

  Rose eyed the two males up as they recovered from a short tousle on the ground and circled each other. Sam’s wolf was big and bulky and certainly packed a fair bit of muscle, but he was slower than he had been when he’d taken over the mantle of leadership over ten years ago. Sam’s preference for sitting back and enjoying the finer things in life while the rest of the pack shouldered the heavy load, looked as though it had taken its toll on his wolf.

  Whereas Cayden’s jet-black wolf was not only huge, but he prowled with intent, every step precise and deadly, every muscle coiled and ready to strike. While he may have looked as though he were matching the Alpha’s pace, Rose knew he was lightning fast. The only wolf ever to be able to keep up with her on a run and she was known for being uncatchable.

  Rose watched anxiously, her gaze flitting between the two males fighting and her beloved grandma who was lying worryingly still on the ground near the porch steps.

  Go. Her wolf told her. The male is more than capable.

  Trusting her wolf’s judgment, Rose waited until the two wolves clashed once more before running back to her grandmother’s side. Her wolf was right, Cayden could send the Alpha running with his tail between his legs, while she tended to her grandma’s wounds.