by Liv Brywood
***
Three days later, Stryde closed the final cardboard box in Brandy’s living room. He sealed it with a strip of packing tape just as Brandy returned from the house next door.
“That’s the last of it. Was Mrs. Peabody home?”
Brandy nodded. “Mrs. Peabody said she’d be happy to take Muffin. I’ll miss her, of course, but I think she’d going to be one spoiled kitty.”
“Are you sure you want to leave this place behind?” he asked.
Brandy flopped onto the couch. “I’ll probably miss having a bed with a mattress, but I’ll manage.”
Stryde smiled. “The bed in the cave is a temporary bed. The one back at my den is much more comfortable.”
“You’ll have to show me,” she said with a glimmer in her eyes.
He crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Oh, I intended to.”
She giggled as he flipped her onto her back. He crawled across her to kiss her scrumptious lips. He’d never get sick of kissing her. Not in a million years.
She returned his kiss with a passion so intense it stole his breath. He wanted to stay here, just like this, forever. But he knew he couldn’t avoid the one thing he needed to do.
His second in command, Nosh, was going to be shocked, but he was more than capable of taking on the position of alpha. The sooner Stryde returned to the Dark Moon Pack, the sooner he could get the uncomfortable conversation out of the way.
Brandy captured his face between her hands. “I lost you for a second there.”
“I was just thinking about how I’m going to tell Nosh that I’m stepping down as alpha.”
She gently caressed his cheek. “What do you think he’ll do?”
“He’ll probably be surprised. But he’ll step up if I ask him to. He’s a good leader. He’ll be able to run the pack. But…” He dipped down to nuzzle her neck. “I don’t want to think about any of that right now.”
“Me either,” she murmured.
He scooped her up and carried her to bed. They’d left a blanket over the bed to protect the mattress. He laid her down. His gaze touched every inch of her body. Her luscious curves were more amazing every time he got to see her naked. He was glad she’d decided to go with him to the den. He couldn’t imagine spending more than a few minutes away from her.
“Stryde?”
“Mmm?”
“Stop staring and make love to me.”
He smoothed his hand across the curve of her hip. “I’m just taking my time, looking at the woman that I love.”
A glowing smile lit up her face. “Stop looking and start touching.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
He spread feathery kisses from her lips, down her throat and along the edge of her collarbone. She sighed and drew him closer. He’d never be able to get enough of her. His heart burst with joy at the realization that this unbelievably sexy woman was all his.
“Mine,” he whispered against her throat.
She laughed and laced her fingers through his hair. “Always.”
He touched her reverently, slowly, enjoying the goose bumps that popped up on her skin. Her mews of pleasure coaxed him into a heightened state of awareness. He paid close attention to the places on her body which made her moan, and the places which made her sigh. He played her flesh like a violin, stroking her until her cries shredded his last thread of self-control.
He couldn’t stand being apart from her a second longer. He touched her slick heat, swirling her juices against his fingers. She arched to meet his hand. She was more than ready for him.
***
Brandy moaned as Stryde crawled over her body. He’d enslaved her with his kisses and reduced her to a puddle of white-hot desire. She needed to feel him deep inside.
She reached for his cock and guided him home. He surged deep into her, claiming her with virile passion. She arched to meet him. He pressed his chest against her pounding heart, covering her, protecting her from the rapture he’d teased from her body. His feral seduction encapsulated her in a love so intense she wanted to weep.
Every slide of his hips against hers assured their future together. They melded together, forged into one heart, one mind. She stared into his silvery-gray eyes while he gazed at her with the promise of a lifetime of love.
Her breath hitched. His pace drove her past the point of no return. As a glorious orgasm radiated through her body, he delved deeper, stroked longer and harder. She clung to him, unable to let go for even a second. She raked her nails along his back, eliciting a sensual cry from the depths of his soul.
He moaned. “Oh, yes.”
She clutched his butt and pulled him deeper. “Come for me.”
Sweat dripped from his chest to sizzle onto her. Her hair matted to her forehead. She burned like wildfire. Her head snapped back and she screamed in ecstasy as her body pulsed over and over. She melted into the mattress.
He thrust deep and hard, staying inside of her as his seed spilled into her feverish body. He collapsed against her.
He murmured, “I love you so much.”
She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. “I love you too.”
He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. His breath steadied, but he didn’t say anything for several minutes. He seemed lost in thought.
Finally, he rolled toward her. “If we leave tonight, we’ll make it to the den by morning. But I’ve been thinking that it might be safer if you stay here and wait for me.”
She rolled onto one arm and propped up. “What do you mean, safer?”
“I realized that I haven’t been back to the den in months. I have very little information about what’s transpired. For all I know, someone like Mazus may have taken over the den.”
“Mazus?”
“The black wolf that attacked you.”
A shiver of trepidation snaked down her spine, but she wasn’t about to let him leave without her. “We’re going together. If we get there and you decide it’s unsafe, I’ll leave and wait for you in the cave.”
He intertwined his fingers with hers. “I’ll never put you in harm’s way again.”
She kissed him softly. As she pulled away, she steeled her voice. “Let’s get this over with.”
Chapter 18
Stryde held Brandy’s hand as they traversed a narrow passage through Howling Mountain. Although the sun had risen hours ago, storm clouds hung low in the mountains. Rain threatened to halt their progress, but he was determined to make it to the gate before the first drops fell.
He hoped he wasn’t making a huge mistake by bringing her here without checking it out first. He hadn’t spoken to anyone in the pack for months, except for his brief confrontation with Mazus. That encounter, plus Ryker’s warning, had left him on edge.
“Is it much further?” Brandy asked.
“We’re almost there.”
She stared wide-eyed at the towering slabs of granite on either side of the narrow, fortress-like passage.
He scanned the walls, looking for the sentries who protected the entrance. As far as he could tell, the posts were vacant. Unease prickled the hair on his back. He advanced toward a huge wooden gate he’d constructed to protect the den. At least it was closed.
“Stay behind me,” he whispered.
She fell into step directly behind him. “Where is everyone?”
“I don’t know.”
Stryde’s jaw clenched. This wasn’t a good sign. There should be at least five wolves standing guard. Another two should be manning the gate.
Just steps from the gate, a silver-backed wolf appeared on the other side of it. The wolf lowered his head and growled.
“Open the gate,” Stryde commanded.
The wolf’s ears pricked. He sniffed the air and then shifted to his human form. Fadian glowered at him. “It’s about time you came back. Nosh has been trying to hold this place together since you left, but some of the other wolves have been vying for the alpha position. I’m glad you’re
here to set things right.”
“I’ll put an end to any discussion about who’s the alpha of Dark Moon Pack. I should have come sooner, but I…” His voice trailed off. He was still alpha. He didn’t need to explain himself to the other wolf.
Stryde waited while Fadian unhooked the iron latch. The hinges screeched as the gate swung open. He frowned. “Get some oil on the gate.”
“I’ll do it right away. I’m glad you’re back.”
Stryde glanced at Brandy. “What do you think?”
“It’s huge. Why do you need such a big gate?”
His chest swelled. “When I became alpha, I wanted to make sure my pack was always safe. I had the entire den work on the construction of the gate. It gave everyone a stake in the new pack. Wolves who barely knew each other worked side by side. It was a great time.”
He smiled. He’d been alpha for over five years now, and it was time to pass the reins to Nosh. Stryde was ready to settle down with his mate. Being alpha was a younger man’s job, not that he was very old. But the past few days had aged him with wisdom. He didn’t have anything to prove anymore. He was more comfortable with himself than he’d ever been in his life, and he owed his newfound confidence to his mate.
As he stepped over the threshold into the small courtyard, Stryde heard muffled shouts echo from deep within the den. His shoulders tightened. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“Should I stay out here?” Brandy asked.
“No. I don’t want to let you out of my sight.”
He tugged her close and gave her a gentle kiss. Her look of complete trust warmed his soul. He loved her so much.
“Come with me.”
He tread carefully as he descended into the den. Cut into the side of the mountain, the den held over forty wolves. He’d structured it much like Ryker’s den, with individual rooms scattered through hallways which trailed off from the great room. As he approached the central meeting point of the den, the voices grew louder and more distinguishable.
“Everyone… if you could just stop talking for a minute, I’m sure we can work this out.” Nosh’s haggard voice rose above the other shouts.
Mazus barked, “You’re not automatically alpha just because Stryde abandoned his pack. If anything, you’re in an even lesser position. How can we trust that you won’t wander off into the woods and never return?”
Nosh said, “You said you saw Stryde a few days ago. He’ll be back soon. It’s just a matter of time, and until he returns, I’m your alpha.”
Stryde appreciated the easy way Nosh took control of the conversation. He hung back for a second before revealing himself to the pack. As he walked amongst the gathered wolves, he nodded at the women and slapped the men on the back.
When Nosh spotted Stryde, he pointed in his direction. “See. I told you he’d come back.”
When Stryde reached the dais where Nosh stood, he helped Brandy up. She stepped back and half-hid behind him.
Stryde addressed the crowd. “I know I’ve been gone a long time. But there should never be a question about who is alpha of the pack. You should all know that when the alpha is incapacitated, for any reason, the pack’s beta assumes command.”
Mazus smirked. “You were gone over six months. How could we go on assuming you’d return?”
“I gave you all my word that I would return as soon as I finished the mourning period.”
A woman from the crowd eyed Brandy. “It looks like the mourning period is over.”
“It is.” Stryde hooked an arm around his mate’s waist.
Nosh’s rigid posture slackened with relief. For a second, Stryde felt guilty about what he was about to do. He would rather have spoken to Nosh privately before making his announcement. But the hostility simmering in the pack indicated that he needed to act immediately.
He swallowed and steeled his voice. “I have an announcement to make.”
Nosh’s gaze snapped to him.
The rustling in the crowd stopped and silence settled over the room. Stryde took a breath. If he had any second thoughts about giving up his position, now was the time to acknowledge them.
When nothing rose to the surface, he tilted his chin up slightly. “As of right now, Nosh is the new alpha of Dark Moon Pack. I will be stepping down due to personal reasons.”
A cacophony of chatter broke out. Some people cheered while others shook their heads in disbelief.
Off to one side, Mazus glared at Stryde. “You can’t come back here after all this time and expect us to accept someone you appoint. This should go to a vote.”
Stryde narrowed his eyes. “We only vote when an alpha has died. I’m not dead, so I am well within my rights to appoint Nosh to the alpha position, assuming he accepts it.”
Every head in the room turned toward Nosh. He’d been waiting silently since the announcement. When Stryde nodded to Nosh, he stepped forward.
Nosh’s fearless voice boomed throughout the room. “I’ll gladly take over as alpha of Dark Moon Pack. I’ve been acting as alpha for months and I’m confident that I can lead this pack.”
Everyone but Mazus cheered. He slithered through the crowd and disappeared into the passageway that led back toward the entrance to the den. A tremor of unease rattled Stryde’s belly. He recognized the look of a scheming wolf. He’d had the same look when Ryker had been elected alpha instead of him. He just hoped Mazus wouldn’t cause problems for Nosh.
***
Hours later, Brandy’s cheeks ached from smiling so much. Stryde had guided her and Nosh through a sea of congratulatory wolves. Everyone seemed pleased that Stryde had found a new mate and that Nosh would become the new alpha. They’d finally broken away from the crowd and followed Nosh to his private room.
Nosh began building a fire in the center of the room. Swatches of long black hair hung partially down his back. His almond-shaped eyes regarded her with curiosity. His skin was darker than Stryde’s, sun-kissed, as if he enjoyed a perpetual deep tan. For a second she was envious. She would have loved to have such a rich complexion.
As she studied his high cheekbones, she speculated that he might have a Native American heritage. He had an exotic sexiness about him. He’d make a great mate for some lucky woman, unless he already had a mate. She had so many questions she wanted to ask, but none of it was really her business.
Brandy sat cross-legged next to Stryde. She held her hands out toward the fire. A hole in the ceiling let the smoke out, but it also let the storm’s chill in. She hoped she could convince Stryde to live in a less drafty home. They still hadn’t discussed where they’d be living. She assumed they’d stay with the Dark Moon Pack, but she didn’t know for sure.
Nosh laid increasingly larger pieces of wood onto the flames. “Well, that was a hell of a return.”
Stryde grimaced. “I’m sorry I had to drop it on you like that. But the pack seemed ready to explode.”
Nosh nodded. “It’s been getting more intense by the day. It doesn’t help that Mazus is angling for the alpha position.”
“He’s too much of a hothead to be a good leader.”
“Some might have said that about you.”
“And they would have been right.” Stryde chuckled.
“I’m not worried about Mazus. He’s all talk and no action. Besides, the rest of the tribe is behind me, so I’m in a good position to move forward. Speaking of which, what are your plans now that you’ve found this beautiful woman to spend time with?”
Brandy blushed. The idea of anyone considering her beautiful was growing on her, but she hadn’t quite accepted it.
Stryde intertwined his fingers with hers. “I’m not sure yet. We still need to talk about details. I just wanted to make sure the pack was in good hands before I moved on with my life.”
“Of course you’re more than welcome to stay with the pack,” Nosh said.
Brandy looked at Stryde expectantly. She liked Nosh and the warmth with which the other wolves had greeted her. She could definitely see herself liv
ing with the pack.
Stryde said, “We might stay for a few nights before we decide what we’re going to do.”
Nosh leaned toward Brandy. “I’ve been dying to know something. How did you manage to get this lone wolf to come out of hiding?”
“With a lot of gunshots and fire,” she quipped.
Nosh arched a brow. “This should be interesting.”
As Brandy relayed the events of the last few days, Stryde pulled her close. She loved his possessive embrace.
When she finished the story, Nosh whistled. “The ancestors have a way of bringing two hearts together.”
“I just wish they could have been a little gentler about it.” Stryde rubbed his still-healing shoulder.
“You should have Akila look at it.”
Brandy gave Stryde a questioning look.
“Akila’s a powerful healer. She’s part of Ryker’s pack.”
“If Nosh thinks we should go see her, then we should.”
Stryde screwed his face up. “I’ll be fine.”
“Spoken like a typical man,” Brandy joked.
Nosh said, “You have a strong woman on your hands. Are you sure you can handle her?”
Stryde beamed. “I have two hands and a whole lot of energy. I’m sure I’ll be just fine.”
***
Night fell, and with it, the temperature plummeted. Hours earlier, Stryde had said goodbye to Nosh. Brandy had insisted that they travel to the Silver Creek Pack’s den so Akila could look at his shoulder. When Stryde had left the Dark Moon Pack, he wasn’t sure that he’d ever return. But the realization hadn’t bothered him in the least.
Stryde was grateful that Brandy had decided to make the trek to Ryker’s den immediately. Ryker and Diana had welcomed them with open arms. Akila, however, had taken one look at his arm and had dragged him into her healing room to apply a poultice. He already felt better than he had in days.
After catching his friends up on the events surrounding his relationship with Brandy and Nosh’s new role as alpha, he’d confessed his exhaustion. Ryker had given them a bed in one of the spare rooms. He said they’d come up with a more permanent solution the next day.
