by Celia Kyle
Val closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, taking five deep, long breaths. The time allowed her to disentangle herself from the familiar nightmare and step through the shimmering veil into reality. Afghanistan faded away, back into the dark corners of her mind where it would lie in wait until the next time she let down her defenses.
A soft whine woke her up fully. Fang lay on Val’s stomach, gazing at her with as much genuine concern as a Pomeranian was capable of. Which turned out to be quite a lot.
“Are you worried about your mama, little one?” she whispered, reaching up to scratch behind the dog’s left ear. “Or do you just want some breakfast?”
Val patted her chest and made kissy noises, which Fang took as an invitation to Army-crawl up and joyously lick her mistress’s face. Val burst into giggles, which only got Fang even more excited. The best way to chase away nightmares was always puppy kisses.
Hmm, maybe there really was something to the whole service dog thing.
“You must be desperate to go piddle, huh?”
Fang jumped off the bed and ran around in excited circles. Why, Val couldn’t figure out. For some reason, the dog thought prancing around in circles was the ideal way to tell Val she needed a potty break.
With a groan, she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She’d slept in the nude—a small part of her hoping Zeke might knock on her door and help her forget her troubles. Obviously, he wasn’t as attracted to her as she’d thought, dammit.
“Oh well,” she mumbled, as if she didn’t really care. Then why did she feel almost insulted?
Pushing her pettiness aside, she dressed quickly so Fang could relieve herself outside before the pup did it in Zeke’s guest room. Puppy pellets would not be an appropriate way to show their gratitude for his help the night before.
She pulled open the door but then stopped short. A very large, sleeping dog blocked the doorway. No, not a dog. A wolf! Its mahogany fur moved gently as the beast breathed steadily. To her surprise, Fang—who was normally terrified of big dogs, not to mention wolves—trotted right up to the behemoth and panted happily. Like she was downright pleased to meet him.
As Val got a better look at the wolf, it dawned on her that the color of its fur matched Zeke’s hair color.
“Son of a…” She bit off the curse before she woke him.
Zeke must have shifted into his wolf form and slept in front of her damn door all night! Whether to keep her in or to keep others out, she didn’t know, and she didn’t care. Indignation flared in her chest as she stared down at the slumbering beast. Who the hell did he think he was? Furthermore, who the hell did he think she was?
If last night had proved anything, it was that Valerie Logan wasn’t a damsel in distress, nor was she a criminal. She was a captain in the United States Army, for goodness’ sake, and she didn’t require a bodyguard or a babysitter. Fuck that noise!
If Zeke wanted a taste of what that Newman guy got, he could try to stop her from leaving. Taking a big wide step over the sleeping form, Val was just about to pull her other leg over when Zeke’s wolf stirred and struggled to his feet. She was knocked off balance and left straddling his furry back as his big head swung from side to side to see what rode him.
Muscles rolled and tensed between her thighs, and she was alarmed by how her body reacted to touching him. It had nothing to do with his bestial form, but knowing it was Zeke under all that fur and fangs turned her on something fierce. He might have been a bossy brute, but something about him really set her on fire. Probably those big brown eyes that seemed to be flecked with copper. Or his broad shoulders. Or his chiseled cheekbones. Or his…
Shaking all of his finer attributes from her head, Val scrambled off his back, determined to humiliate him as much as he’d just humiliated her. Bending down, she put her hands on her knees and used a cooing tone she reserved exclusively for babies and animals.
“Ooh, who do we have here, Fang? A new friend for you, I see. Who’s a good boy?” She ruffled the wolf’s absolutely massive head and grinned at him. “Okay, come on, you two. Time to go potty!”
Fang pranced after her happily, her pink tongue lolling out as she glanced back at the lingering wolf. After a few paces, Val looked over her shoulder to find the wolf standing in one place, staring at her, his head tilted to one side in confusion.
“Come on, boy,” she said, patting the side of her leg. “Don’t worry. You’ll have plenty of time to poo-poo, too.”
Only after he moved toward her, very hesitantly, did Val continue downstairs. The wolf rumbled and grumbled the whole way, no doubt at the indignity of it all. Val couldn’t have been happier.
She’d read between the lines of their conversation the night before, and Chloe had educated her enough about her people to know that Zeke had taken over leadership of the pack from his father. He was the alpha, used to giving orders, not taking them. Chloe had also told her that wolves weren’t supposed to reveal themselves to unsuspecting humans, which Zeke clearly considered her to be. Perfect!
Opening the front door, she waved the dogs outside. Fang sprinted down the steps as fast as her stubby legs could carry her and started rolling around in the grass in pure ecstasy. Zeke, on the other hand, paused just inside the door until Val grabbed him by the scruff and dragged him outside.
“Go on, boy. Go sniff Fang’s butt or something.”
Zeke’s wolf eyes narrowed slightly, but he finally lumbered down the steps and moved out of her line of sight. As much fun as she was having messing with him, she gave him the privacy to do—or not do—whatever he pleased. She might have a mean streak, but she wasn’t cruel.
After a few minutes of watching Fang tear around the lawn like a maniac, Val decided a cup of coffee sounded pretty good. So did torturing her host.
“Okay, puppies, come!”
Zeke’s wolf wandered back into view, his head hanging low and his shoulders tense. Val had to literally bite her lip to stop herself from bursting out in laughter. Even looking at his downtrodden expression would have revealed the truth, so she kept her eyes on Fang. They followed along, Fang running circles around them both, no doubt excited about the delicious smells wafting out of the kitchen.
Her stomach growled as loud as a wolf as she entered the kitchen to find the man who’d arrested her the night before standing at the stove. The contrast between Officer Levi Walker, proud member of the Tremble Police Force, and the man with his hair sticking up in disarray, stirring a pan of eggs in a threadbare robe was nothing less than shocking. When he looked up and caught sight of her, he looked equally surprised.
When his gaze darted to Zeke’s wolf and then back to her, an idea sparked. A smile slowly lifted her lips as a plan to punish Zeke gelled into a thing of beauty.
Sashaying over to Levi, she gave him a sultry smile. “What’s cookin’, good lookin’,” she said in her sexiest voice and then leaned in low over the pan of eggs—far enough for her tank top to show off what her mama gave her—and took a deep whiff. “Mmm, smells delicious.” She dragged out the last S and bit her lip as she looked up at Levi from under her thick lashes.
Levi’s eyes grew wide, and a pink flush spread across his face. He seemed genuinely taken aback by her sudden flirtatiousness. His nervous gaze bounced between her and the wolf, unable to speak.
Well, shit. That was easier than I thought.
Valerie didn’t often tap into her “feminine wiles,” preferring a more direct approach. If a man piqued her interest, she’d simply invite him back to her place. None of this flirting nonsense. But in this case, it seemed to work wonders. The way Zeke’s wolf glared at Levi was priceless.
Time to pull out the big guns.
Stepping in so close their bodies almost touched, Val skimmed her finger down his muscular arm and sighed, almost coquettishly. “Wow, you must work out all the time.”
“Uh, well, um…” Levi stammered before finding his words. “I do. For my job. You know, as a cop.”
“Oh, I
know,” she said, smiling up at him sinfully. “You arrested me yesterday.”
Levi chuckled and his blush deepened. Apparently, he’d completely forgotten about his alpha glowering at him from the doorway.
“I did, didn’t I? I’m sorry—”
“Oh, you were just doing your job,” Val’s voice was sticky sweet. “I don’t blame you at all. In fact—” she looked around as if she were making sure no one was listening in “—I have to confess, it was a little hot.”
She bit off the end of the word, baring her teeth and staring deeply into Levi’s confused eyes.
“I-it was?” he stuttered.
“Mmm hmmm,” she replied, licking her lips. “Throwing me in the back of your squad car? Handcuffing me? Putting me in a cage?” She closed her eyes and sighed softly. “I felt like such a bad girl. You know?”
Levi was entirely entranced by the way her fingers played with the strap keeping his robe closed. His interest in her was visible under the thin fabric, which skeeved her out something fierce. Strange, because he was a handsome enough guy. Someone she might be interested in for a purely physical encounter, but the idea of touching him any more than she already had repulsed her.
Thankfully, Zeke had apparently had enough of the display. He wedged himself between them and barked at Levi, who took a few steps back, picked up a cup of coffee and stared into it.
Mission accomplished!
“Bad dog,” Val scolded, wagging a finger in the wolf’s face. “Sit!” The wolf glared up at her, flecks of copper sparking in his angry gaze, but he finally obeyed her command. She smiled down at him and patted his head. “Good doggie.”
Levi choked and coffee spewed out of his nose. That couldn’t have felt good.
“Where do you keep your kibble?” Val asked, pretending she hadn’t noticed.
“Kibble?” Levi asked as he wiped coffee off his face and robe.
“You know, dog food,” she said brightly. “Fang needs her breakfast and this big guy is probably hungry too.”
Levi pressed his lips tight, probably to keep from laughing, and pointed to a tall cupboard. “Uh, third shelf down, way at the back.”
Val hummed a happy tune as she dug around until she found the bag and then poured two bowls—one small for Fang, one big-ass one for the wolf. Fang tore into hers like she hadn’t eaten in ten years while Zeke’s wolf stared at the unappetizing brown pellets. Finally, he glared up at her, then Levi, then the bowl, and finally back up at her.
Val almost felt bad for him. Almost. When he finally stalked out of the room with his head hanging low, she stifled a giggle. She’d probably crossed a line, but it was still pretty flipping funny. Of course, she couldn’t reveal she knew the score, so she coughed lightly to cover her amusement. Once Zeke had lumbered out of the kitchen, Levi sidled up next to her, far too close for her taste.
“So…” he said in what he probably thought was a suave tone, “are you…hungry?”
Oh god. Did he really think that was sexy? Maybe flirting with him to punish Zeke hadn’t been such a good idea after all. With a heavy sigh, she accepted the plate of burned eggs he offered her like a prize and wondered how a cop could be so easily manipulated.
Chapter Six
“Kibble!” Zeke groused as he yanked on some jeans, nearly ripping them in the process. He’d returned to his room before shifting, just in case Valerie had followed, but much to his regret, she’d apparently stayed in the kitchen.
With Levi.
Reaching for a shirt, he paused when he caught a glimpse of himself in the full-length mirror mounted on his closet door. The scruff on his jaw sat in that sweet middle ground between stubble and a very short beard. Raking his hands through his hair, he tamed it so it wasn’t sticking up in messy spikes but was mussed enough to suggest he didn’t care how it looked. Low-slung jeans showed off his toned abs, including that ridge just above each hip that formed an enticing V women seemed to love.
“Fuck it,” he muttered, ignoring the shirt and heading for the door in his bare feet. If a wolf didn’t get her attention, maybe his state of undress would.
It was ridiculous for him to feel insulted that Val had treated his wolf like a damn dog. She was just a dumb human, after all. Scratch that. Definitely not dumb. She was one of the brightest people—human or wolf—Zeke had ever met.
Then again, who mistakes an alpha wolf for a dog?
Padding into the kitchen, mentally prepared to pretend it was for the first time that morning, he stopped short in the doorway. Val sat at the large rectangular kitchen table, focused on a plate of eggs, while Levi sat far too close to her, their knees almost touching. Levi leaned toward her, smiling broadly, and apparently didn’t notice the way she leaned back, as far as she could. That didn’t make Zeke feel any better, though.
“Don’t you have to get to work, Levi?” Zeke growled, drawing a surprised look from Val. Levi glanced up at Zeke briefly and then did a double take when the fury in his alpha’s eyes registered in his tiny pea brain. The idiot actually shook his head.
“I’m not scheduled for another hour…”
Zeke let his upper lip pull back to show the enforcer his displeasure. The message finally penetrated, and Levi nodded frantically, understanding that immediate obedience was expected. Otherwise, the punishment would not be pleasant.
“Oh, uh, right,” Levi stammered, jumping up so fast his robe flapped open just long enough to give Zeke a full view of the man’s junk.
Ugh!
Levi covered up and hurried away from Zeke’s death glare, but that sent him out the back door, still wearing nothing but his robe. Once he was gone, Zeke, shook his head slowly and ran a hand over his face before looking back to Val.
The scent of her arousal hit him like a sledgehammer, making him as hard as a steel girder. It was fresh and had only emerged when he’d walked into the room. That stroked his ego in all the right ways. Just as he’d hoped, her eyes raked the length of him, taking in every bit of bare flesh—and lingering for a long moment somewhere just south of the middle—before meeting his gaze again.
His frown shifted into a knowing grin, but to his surprise, Val didn’t avert her gaze. Instead, one perfectly groomed eyebrow shot upward, her lush lips parted, and the pink tip of her tongue explored the corner of her mouth. Damn, keeping his hands off this sexy, confident human wasn’t going to be easy.
“Levi wasn’t bothering you, was he?” Zeke sauntered to the stove and, seeing the pan was empty, headed to the fridge for more eggs. “Sometimes guys around here like to forget their manners when a woman like you comes to town.”
Her laugh was rough and sweet at the same time. “Like me? What’s that mean?”
Zeke let his gaze rake over her, just as she’d done to him a moment before. “You know, a woman with a…fiery personality.”
Val rolled her eyes at the obvious half-truth. “Don’t worry, I can handle guys like Levi.” She took another bite of her food without breaking eye contact with him. “Not so sure about you, though.”
Good lord, she knew just how to appeal to his ego. The more she got under his skin, the harder it was to resist her charms. What the hell was he supposed to do with a knockout of a human flaunting herself around the pack house? Locking her in her room until Chloe appeared probably wasn’t an option, but he couldn’t have every unmated male in his pack sniffing after her.
Naturally, Zeke’s wolf was still convinced Val was their mate. It was still wild for her even though she’d humiliated the beast that morning. Zeke felt the strain of controlling his wolf as well as the strain from ignoring his attraction for her. She couldn’t possibly be his mate, but he certainly wouldn’t mind pretending for a few days. Of course, that would only confuse his wolf, so he’d have to deny himself the pleasure of exploring every one of her hard planes and soft curves.
Turning his attention to the stove, he took a few deep breaths to calm his frayed nerves. If he didn’t look directly at her, maybe he could survive unt
il Chloe showed up to take her away.
“You know, in all the time Chloe and I lived together, she never mentioned you had some kind of crazy clubhouse where super-hot guys liked to congregate.” She leaned back in her chair as if she didn’t have a care in the world. “If she had, I might have visited sooner.”
Temptation, thy name is Valerie. Zeke shot her a quick glance and regretted it instantly. The sly smile on her perfect lips told him she knew exactly what she was doing—torturing him. Pretending as if he didn’t notice the hungry look in her eyes, Zeke diverted the conversation.
“I’m not surprised,” he said as he cracked an egg so hard on the counter that it smashed into a pile of shards and goo. “We weren’t her favorite people at that point in her life.”
“Huh.”
That wasn’t a “huh” someone gave when they’d received new information. It was the “huh” of someone who knew more about the situation than they wanted to let on. He chewed on that while he finished cooking his breakfast in silence.
“I can see how she’d pull away from you all after being treated like a piece of dog shit by your dad for so long,” she finally added.
Zeke froze. Chloe had roomed with this woman for four years, when pretty much everyone in her life had ostracized her. He’d always been on her side, but there wasn’t much anyone could do when the pack alpha made up his mind. Most of the pack had followed their father’s lead in how to treat Chloe, and when Zeke had become alpha, he’d worked hard to reverse everyone’s behavior. Unfortunately, no matter what he or they did, it didn’t erase the decades of neglect Chloe had suffered.
“She tell you that?” he asked as he took Levi’s seat. He kept his guard up because she was sneaky. She’d been trained to be, and it was pretty obvious she’d been holding on to that particular grenade for a while. Lord only knew what else she had up her sleeve.