by Kym Grosso
“Fuck all.”
“Seems you may have an infestation. I’d be happy to help.” His eyes fell to Willa and back to the Alpha. “Looks like you have your hands full.”
“I do, which is why you need to stop that flashing shit and knock like a…”
“Human?” he smirked.
“Normal person,” Hunter replied.
“I’ve got to go,” Willa said, tugging away from Hunter.
“Willa.” He knew he should ask her to stay but responsibility to his pack came first. As she slipped out of his arms, a sense of loss twisted through him. What was it about this female that stirred his emotions? His gaze lingered on her as she stood and fiercely stared down the vampire.
“Don’t leave on my account,” Viktor said blithely.
“Vampires don’t scare me.” She turned her focus back to Hunter. “The wolves that put me in Hell. It could be them.”
“It could be any rogues. The fact is that we get them sometimes. They come through the mountains into the valley. The troublemakers have a false sense that they will be more protected, but then they get here and have to deal with my pack. And the ones not looking to cause shit, just stay a short time and move on.”
“But they could be the same ones,” she insisted.
“Or not. But one thing is clear, we’ve got a bad bunch who just roughed up a human. They could be a danger to other humans or even my pack. We’ve gotta round em’ up and ship em’ out.”
“Or kill them. Yes, see how I fixed that?” Viktor walked around the piano and stood by the fire.
“If I leave Jackson Hole, they’ll leave you all alone. I’ve got to get to New Orleans and then back to Guatemala.”
“Hold on there, Willa. You aren’t going anywhere without me. I know I agreed to let you go but I’ve decided it’s not safe. Just give me time to take care of these assholes and we’ll sort the rest.”
“I don’t have time. Your wolves are at risk and my…” Willa stopped short of finishing her sentence and raked her fingers through her hair with a sigh.
“Your what?” Hunter’s curiosity was piqued.
“Nothing. It’s just…well, my research. I need to get to New Orleans and pick up a few things and then I have to get a flight out.”
“You’re not leaving, sweetheart. Not tonight. You’ll be safe here…”
“You can’t keep me here like one of your wolves. I don’t belong to you,” she countered, defiance flickering in her eyes.
Hunter ignored Viktor’s laugh of amusement. While he admired her fiery spirit, his little rogue wolf tested his patience. “Ah, you see that’s where you’re wrong. Every wolf that roams my land submits to me, as shall you.”
“That’s so not happening. I need to borrow your phone. I’m getting a flight out of here tonight.”
“Sorry sweetheart, there’s no flights going out of Jackson Hole this late. Please. Be my guest. Take a bubble bath or something. We’ll be back in a few hours.” Hunter stood and walked over to the counter and snatched his cell phone, tapping out a text message to his beta.
“You can’t keep me here just because you decide that. As long as I’m here every one of your wolves is in danger. I’m leaving. They’ll have trouble following me to New Orleans.”
“The girl. Did you leave her at the bar?” Hunter ignored Willa’s declaration. With rogue wolves in the area, it wasn’t safe. There was no way he’d let her leave.
“Yes. A bite and a bang and she was on her way. Appears she was planning to dance the night away.” Viktor caught Willa’s look of annoyance. “I don’t want to interfere with your little tiff, but I brought you clothing.”
“What?” Willa asked, her mouth open in surprise.
“You brought her clothes?” Gratitude tempered Hunter’s desire to strangle the vampire.
“I thought I could be of service. Made a quick stop at a boutique before it closed.”
Fucking vampire. The Alpha angrily typed out the rest of his text to Remus, asking him to start a search of the territory. He would set out with Viktor to question the girl and her brother.
“Thank you.” Willa smiled at Viktor, her voice soft. “I’m sorry I don’t remember…”
“No worries at all, pet. If there is one thing I can do easily enough it’s flash in and out for an errand. If you ever decide to dump this wolf, I’d be happy to show you the rest of my tricks. Vampires do it with a bite.” Viktor winked, flashing a flirtatious smile.
Hunter’s jaw ticked as he stuffed the phone into his pocket. He’d called upon a few wolves to monitor the perimeter of his home and keep tabs on Willa. Her icy stare told him she had no plan of submitting any time soon.
“Perhaps you could do me one more tiny favor. Any chance you could get me to New Orleans?”
“Ah…well, of course but you see…” Viktor smiled broadly at Hunter. “I’m afraid I can’t leave the Alpha by himself this evening. He tends to get into trouble. I’d like to think of myself as a…guardian angel.”
Hunter forced himself to remain calm. The fucking vampire was deliberately irritating him. “You.” He pointed at Viktor. “Number one. You’re hardly angelic. And number two. You’re kind of a dick.” Hunter turned his attention to Willa, stalking toward her. “And you.” As he came within two feet of her, his beast howled with arousal. “We have unfinished business. I’m not…” ready to let you go, “letting you go to New Orleans by yourself when I just rescued your sexy little ass out of Hell. You’re right about one thing. Someone is after you, and they could be here or maybe they’re just waiting for you to go home. No. No, I’m not letting you leave by yourself.”
“But…” she protested, her expression softening. “Hunter…”
The sound of his name on her lips caused him to pause. Jesus, what the hell is happening to me? The Alpha questioned his sanity, bringing the stray wolf into his home. And now instead of treating her as he would any other wolf, his judgement was clouding. This temptation, this gorgeous woman, distracted him from all else. He struggled with his emotions and attempted to shove them to the far reaches of his psyche.
“I’ll help you get home once this is over. New Orleans. Guatemala. Wherever you want.”
“I…I could help you.”
“What?”
“Let me come with you. If you find the wolves, I can identify them.”
“This could be dangerous. You can’t even shift,” Hunter said.
“I’ll be fine. I know I’m having trouble but…well, Viktor there.” She gestured to the vampire. Her voice wavered as she spoke. “He can flash me out if there’s trouble and I can’t shift. You can do it, right?”
Viktor laughed. “Why of course, love, but I’m afraid I’ll defer to the Alpha.”
Hunter raised an eyebrow at him, pleased that for once he’d respected his place. The Alpha quickly focused his attention back onto Willa.
“You can come with me tonight if you don’t feel safe here. Vik can flash you back at any sign of trouble.” As the words left his mouth, he wondered just what the hell was happening to him. “But I’m not letting you out of my sight until I know these assholes are caught. Going in and out of hell isn’t an easy thing. So, let’s get one thing straight. As long as you’re here, you belong to me and I’m not going to let anything happen to you or any of my other wolves.”
“I…”
“No arguing, doc. If you try to leave, I’m going to have your ass…” Hunter sighed, inwardly cursing his choice of words. Fuck, all he wanted was her ass and he suspected no matter what happened, his wolf would have her. He shook off the thoughts and continued. “I’m goin’ to be straight with you. I don’t know what you’re hiding but I got a feeling whatever it is, you’re not going to be able to get through it on your own. I know you want to protect other people, but this is my pack. My decision. My responsibility.”
Hunter plowed his fingers through his hair. “At some point, you’re going to have to tell me what secrets you’re keepin’. Becaus
e I know you’ve got some. And before you tell me you want to go back on your own, consider this. Whether these rogues are the ones who took you or not, someone is probably looking to find you and put you back in Hell. I can tell you for damn sure that it’s not easy getting in or out of Hell. Whoever put you there is on speed dial with some demon who’s probably itchin’ to get you back. I got lucky finding you. Chances are that if you go back, they’ll hide you so far down you’ll never get out. I get you’ve been living rogue. I do, sweetheart. But now is not the time to go runnin’ off on your own.”
“While I’d love to take your side pet, the Alpha is quite correct,” Viktor added. “You will not survive a second trip to Hell. Even if they bring you back each time they torture you, your soul will die. You won’t make it.”
Hunter detected the flash of pain in the vampire’s eyes, reminding him of the torture he’d endured. The Alpha knew the pain all too well. He reached for Willa’s hand and pressed her palm to his chest.
“I don’t know what they did to you down there, but neither do you. You don’t remember today. But one day, one hour, one minute…you’re going to snap out of whatever’s protecting your mind from remembering and it’s not going to be good. Trust me on this. Let me help you.”
Hunter watched intently as her gaze fell, resigned to her situation. Her silence spoke although her lips never moved. While he’d like to think she’d agreed, he knew she hadn’t given up easily. It wasn’t a sign of submission, but one of temporary acceptance. A brief retreat from her fight; she’d rally. But for now, it’d have to be enough.
Hunter gently curled a finger under her chin. Her lids slowly opened, her gaze meeting his. “I know you’ve been on your own for a long time. And whatever you haven’t told me, that’s okay for now. But I’m not letting anything happen to you.”
Hunter startled as she quickly wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. Her chest rose against his and he sensed it was taking everything she had to keep it together. Family. Love. And he’d do whatever it took to give it to her.
Chapter Four
Willa sat on her bed and rested her forehead in her hands. She couldn’t believe she’d almost made love to the Alpha. Desire drove her mighty beast to the surface, and she knew that she’d soon shift, her wolf running free.
Once she was healed, destroying the formula was her priority. After the task was completed, she’d have to move far away from Guatemala. Although she hated the thought of leaving her work, the humans she cared for, there was no other option. Using her blood had been a stupid mistake, but now that they knew, she couldn’t afford for anyone else to discover how she created the experimental serum.
It had been a serendipitous accident. With a degree in archeology, she’d been drawn to the undiscovered Mayan buildings draped in the jungle foliage. Convinced the long-forgotten ancient civilization held the secrets to modern-day medicine, Willa sought to parse true remedies from myth. Within the confines of sacred stone walls, her discovery of a new plant species changed her perspective on human healing. But it was her own lifeforce that morphed her vision of a cure into a reality.
While slashing through the brush, the machete sliced her skin as well as the leaves. Covered in her blood and the secretions of the plant, the leaves regenerated. A few years of experimenting with the unknown herb led to the perfect ratios, for she’d secretly used it to regrow appendages on injured animals. The formula resulted in rapid renewal and growth of human cells.
After she’d used it to save a mortal life, she suspected the otherworldly event drew the attention of demons. Suspecting her heritage, a band of rogue wolves ambushed and kidnapped her in the middle of the night, killing several villagers during the rampage. Willa imagined the authorities would blame the massacre on drug traffickers. Like many foreigners, she’d simply gone missing. While they’d suspect she’d been sold into human trafficking, the truth was she’d been sold for a pretty price to a hungry demon.
Willa bit her lip and lifted her head, contemplating her enslavement in Hell. Whatever they’d done to her had been so horrific, her mind had gone numb. Although she had no memory of the vampire, his presence had stirred an odd sense of familiarity. But it was the Alpha that made her heart skip a beat.
Ah…the Alpha. Her thoughts were drawn back to Hunter, the way he’d played the piano, then her. Recalling his touch, gooseflesh broke across her skin, a shiver running through her body. No Willa. Stop thinking about him. It’s never going to happen. It’s all a lie.
What she hadn’t told him was how she’d hated being on her own. She’d never deliberately chosen to go rogue. The only choice she’d ever made was to protect her family. They’d all gone their separate ways so as to survive. If anyone ever found out their lineage…they’d be at risk.
Staying in Jackson Hole put Teton Wolves in danger. She’d leave in the morning as promised.
Willa released an audible breath and stretched her neck from side to side. She glanced at the small pile of bags near the dresser. Although she’d spent so many years away from civilization, she recognized the expensive brands. Versace. Hermes. Chanel. A small smile formed on her lips. The vampire did have a taste for things other than blood, that was for sure.
But as her fingers trailed over the healing bite marks, she remained guarded. Willa planned on keeping her distance and not tempting fate. No matter how nice he appeared, it was a vampire’s nature to feed, and there was no way in Hell she was going to be on the menu.
“Where’s the vampire?” She asked as they drove to the bar. Even with her shifter vision, the endless darkness of the plains gave the illusion of them disappearing.
“He prefers to flash.” Hunter glanced toward Willa. “It’s his thing.”
She gave a small smile. “I want you to know…about me leaving. Today, what happened.” Willa struggled to articulate her feelings. “It’s just…I don’t want anything to happen to anyone here in your pack. These wolves are going to come at me again. They…” Know who I am. “Know that I’ve been developing something.”
“Developing something? Just what kind of doctor are you?” the Alpha asked.
“Some people fix cars. I fix people. It’s what I do. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do. I also have a degree in archeology, so I try to mix the two.”
“A bit of an overachiever?”
“You know how it is as immortals. We live a long time.”
“That we do,” he agreed.
“When I decided to become a physician, there weren’t many female doctors. But it didn’t matter. I pursued it. Then I traveled the world. The more I traveled, the more I learned. Countries. Cultures. History. Humans. Paranormal creatures. But I always had the same intention no matter what I learned.”
“And what was that?”
“I wanted to heal people. Humans are the same all across the world. They experience happiness. Heartbreak. They have strong spirits, but the reality is that they’re fragile. They get sick. Die.” Willa’s thoughts drifted to all those she’d seen suffer, heaviness filling her chest. “Even wolves can be killed, I suppose.”
“I get you but it’s all the more reason to stay within the pack. There’s safety in numbers.”
“But what if you couldn’t live in a pack? We all take different paths. Being rogue doesn’t necessarily mean you’re evil.”
“No one said that. But it’s true that a lot of rogues can’t settle. The ones who can’t manage to forge a connection with another wolf, they’re often looking for trouble.” Hunter made a sharp right turn down a single lane road.
“Am I looking for trouble? What about you?”
“First of all, I’m pack. I’m Alpha. And you’re…you’re,” he stammered, “you’re not evil.”
“But you judge rogues as if you know everything. How do you know I’m not evil?” she challenged. “Who knows what Hell did to me? Maybe I was evil before they took me.”
“This isn’t my first time to the rodeo, sweetheart. There�
�s two things I can detect. Evil and bullshit. And you’re definitely not evil. I’m not sure about the second one just yet. No offense, but there’s some missing pieces.”
“You’re an Alpha. There’s a difference between bullshit and being cautious. I just met you. I don’t know if I can trust you.” A smirk crossed her face. “No offense.”
“You trusted me enough at the piano,” he countered.
“I…we…we were playing.” The memory of his hands on her skin rushed to her thoughts and she fought the arousal.
“Yeah, we sure were. Or maybe I was playing you and you were…”
“Stop.” Willa’s cheeks flushed. “It doesn’t matter.” She sighed, her focus drawn back to the topic of conversation. “I’m not though. Just so you know. I’m not evil. But I am independent.”
“Told ya. But as for the rogues? There’s no reason to choose that life. Being rogue is not what we’re meant to do. Wolves weren’t created to live outside of packs and be happy. It’s not the way it works.”
“Belonging to a pack isn’t in the cards for someone like me. The world is my pack.”
“I’m afraid we’ll have to agree to disagree.”
Willa didn’t argue further. Although she longed for a pack, she knew where she belonged. With humans, the disenfranchised, with the dead whose secrets were yet to be discovered. She’d continue to provide ambiguous answers without outright lying to the Alpha. But divulging her heritage wasn’t an option.
“A few ground rules.” Hunter changed the subject.
“Such as…” His strict tone took her off guard. Alpha, she reminded herself.
“I know you’re used to doing your own thing, but I need you to listen to me if things go south. This is Jackson Hole. This isn’t some big city underground blood club we’re going to. We don’t have a strong vampire presence. A few regulars but mostly transients, many of whom are looking to let loose. It’s not strictly vamps either. Witches, wolves. Every now and then we get a fae, but that’s rare. You know how they are.”
