by Knight, Gwen
If it came down to it, if Snow refused to accept War’s offer, he had two options. Fight Snow to win back the pack or leave. War couldn’t imagine killing one of his brothers, but if he had to, he would. To save the rest of the pack, he’d obliterate his second in command.
He only hoped it didn’t come to that.
After what felt like an eternity, Snow bowed his head in reverence to his alpha.
War breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that he wouldn’t have to fight one of his own. Wolves were predators, but their pack was family. It would have destroyed something in him to kill his second.
“There’s a homestead nearby. A former farm. It’ll be tight, but I think we can find room for everyone. Those who don’t wish to remain on the property can take residence in the forest and keep guard. Emma is there waiting for us. If you intend to follow me, you must understand that I will kill anyone who harms a hair on her head.” He eyed his people from afar, his muscles tensing in case someone argued with him. “And by coming with me, you acknowledge you will be responsible for protecting her as well, a human.”
Every wolf bowed their heads in reverence, agreeing to his terms.
“You should also know that the humans plan to invade the woods in less than two days’ time. Emma risked her life to bring this information to us. As a pack, we will defend our territory and show these humans that this land is ours!”
Shock spread through his people, but one-by-one, his wolves all tipped their heads back and joined in a howl. Joy spread through War’s chest. It’d been so long since he’d seen his pack like this. Sentient and joined in a cause.
As a unit, the pack fell in line in front of War, their gazes locked on him. He nodded to them all, then turned and led them toward the homestead. There was a great deal to discuss, but the most important thing right now was getting them settled at the homestead and establishing a perimeter. He hated the thought of leaving Emma alone any longer.
Halfway home, a familiar, yet unwelcome, scent caught War’s attention. He lifted his head, his focus darting to the side. Snow followed suit, his beta’s lips curling up in a silent warning.
Yes, he smelled it as well.
An enemy pack was nearby. One they’d run into a few times before. War tracked their scent, his hackles rising as he realized their destination.
The homestead.
Without warning, War shot off in the dark, his thoughts on Emma, and Emma alone. If any of them so much as laid a paw on his mate, he’d kill every one of them.
7
As Emma saw several wolves step out from the woods, she wished once more that she had a cell phone. She’d love to call War for help. Or the police. While she didn’t know every member in War’s pack by fur color and markings, she was pretty sure that the ones stalking toward the house weren’t his. It was a gut feeling, her connection to the pack letting her know these were strange wolves. She glanced toward the kitchen. She could grab a knife, but she wasn’t a trained fighter, and a knife was the sort of weapon you couldn’t just wing knowing how to use in defense.
Emma turned her attention back to the window, watching as three wolves moved stealthily forward, crossing the front yard. Then something panged in her chest, and she squinted to see past the wolves and into the trees. In moments, an entire pack of wolves raced out of the trees, barking and yipping. She recognized the wolf in front—War! The three strange wolves froze in their tracks, their hackles up as if they’d fight. But realizing the pack outnumbered them, they bolted away into the woods.
She threw open the front door and walked onto the porch, so happy to see War with the pack. Her mate bounded up the stairs and returned to his human form. He grabbed her in a hug and held her close.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m just relieved you’re back with the pack.”
“Me too. Those wolves weren’t from our pack.”
“I didn’t think so. They didn’t feel familiar.”
“There was another pack that had infiltrated our territory before you found me. I think they followed your scent here.”
“There were only three of them, though. That’s hardly anything against your numbers.”
“Those were scouts.” He looked at his pack, who’d gathered in front of the house. He stared intently at them for several moments, and then three small groups of wolves broke away, one heading toward the backyard, and two moving into the woods.
“You can still talk to them with your mind, even though they’re feral,” she said.
He nodded. “It’s as it was before the curse.”
“What did you tell them?”
“I sent one group to follow the scouts, one to patrol the immediate area, and one to hunt for food.”
“You’re still alpha.” She was so relieved, her shoulders slumped, and a weight lifted from her.
“Yes.”
“What about me?”
“They recognize you. Their thoughts are kind of wild still, more animalistic than before the curse, but they won’t hurt you. They understand about the curse, and know they need to find their mates to break it.”
“Geez. Where are we going to find seventy-three mates?”
“It would be easier to find Zara and kill her to end the curse, but in the meantime, we’ll hope that mates will be found.”
Emma nodded. “What now?”
War caught her gaze, but rather than verbally answer her question, he took her hand and pulled her up against his chest. The way he watched her, his expression fierce but tender, it awoke something within her, something she hadn’t felt in a year, and something she’d so dearly missed. Simply staring up at him, she felt the spark, the magic, everything that made them the perfect mate for one another. And she knew now more than ever that she would do anything to never be parted from War again. He was the other half of her soul, the only thing in this world that completed her.
And as she gazed up at him, she felt a calm settle around them. As though the universe itself had been awaiting this moment. She knew exactly what he wanted, something she wanted just as desperately.
With a gentle smile, War cupped her cheek, his skin warm against hers. “I’m so glad you’re mine,” he said as he carried her to the nearest bedroom, away from prying eyes.
“Me too,” she whispered, her lips tingling in anticipation.
“Is tonight the night we become mates?” she whispered, stroking his jaw.
She would have given anything to close the gap between them and claim his mouth. Her body practically ached with need for him. But War seemed to be in no hurry.
“Not tonight. So much has happened, I think we need to give the pack time to adjust. I swear to you, we’ll complete the process soon. But let’s hold off for now until everyone is ready, and we handle this General Taylor situation.”
Emma nodded. A faint sense of disappointment washed through her, but she understood. She wanted their mating ceremony to be perfect. If that meant waiting a few days, so be it. Best to do it when everyone was excited rather than dreading an upcoming battle.
War said nothing as he stared down at her for a long moment before he lowered her onto the bed. Then he grasped the hem of her top and lifted it over her head. His lips were on hers a moment later, his tongue swiping against her mouth, demanding entrance. She parted her lips, groaning as his tongue slid against hers. He pressed her to her back and deepened the kiss.
She slid her hands to his shoulders, massaging the muscles that bunched and tensed. He kissed down her jaw, tilting her head and nuzzling her throat with a soft growl. He slid down her slowly, his hands caressing her skin. He lifted over her, dragging his lips up her breast, where he planted a kiss to her nipple, and then stroked a slow circle around it. She watched him as he sucked and nibbled on her other nipple.
He met her gaze, releasing her nipple with a low growl. He kissed down her stomach and undid the fastener of her pants, hooking his fingers inside and pulling her panties and pants down her legs. The clothes went
airborne over his shoulder, and she chuckled at his eagerness.
He grasped her ankles and gave her a long look, his eyes flashing to amber. He climbed between her legs, and she spread them to make room for his broad shoulders. He kissed up the inside of her thigh, her stomach flipping at the intense look in his eyes. His gaze dropped to the apex of her thighs. With a slow inhale, he eased forward and kissed her sex, his tongue slipping between her folds. She shivered and then moaned as he pushed his hands underneath her bottom and lifted her closer to his mouth. Her thighs parted a little further, his head tilting as he tongued her core.
And then he growled.
His tongue vibrated, the sensation sending little bolts of pleasure through her as he lapped at her and groaned as if she were the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted. He licked upward, circling her clit in rapid strokes. She felt herself drawing toward the edge of pleasure, fisting his hair as he growled against her again, fingering her with first one and then two fingers. He stroked into her as he tongued her tight bud, the whole bed rocking as she writhed under his attention. He pressed his arm over her hips to hold her still, stroking all the good places with his fingers and tongue until she threw back her head and cried out his name.
In moments he was over her. In her. Riding her pleasure to his own. She wanted the moment to last forever.
She slid her hands up his back and hooked them over his shoulders, lifting her head to kiss him as they moved together. She met his thrusts, tilting her hips to prolong the pleasure that continued to ebb and flow through her. Leaving his lips, she kissed his neck, biting on his pulse. He growled and increased the pace, sliding a hand between them and touching her clit.
She nearly took a bite out of his neck, her eyes crossing at how good it felt.
Her body tightened into a spiral of pleasure. “War, come with me!”
He snarled, taking her harder and faster. She came, shouting his name again and again. He grunted, thrusting into her a few more times before he followed her into bliss, his cock spasming inside her as he filled her. He lifted his head and howled, and she grinned as tears stung her eyes.
Lowering his head, he gazed at her with utter adoration.
She touched his face. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
* * *
Emma woke slowly, her body deliciously aching. War was next to her, breathing deeply in sleep, one arm over her waist and holding her close. She didn’t want to wake him so she relaxed and stared at the dark ceiling, realizing that the candle had burned out while they slept, and they hadn’t opened the curtains to let in the moonlight.
She dozed off and on, her thoughts on Luna and the pack. War stirred, his arm tightening as he woke. He growled softly and kissed her neck.
“Hey,” he said, his breath whispering across her skin and making her shiver.
“Hey, yourself.” She wiggled around to her side to face him, snuggling close with a yawn. “This is so strange.”
“What is?”
“Waking up next to you. For a moment, when I first woke, I felt like everything was back to normal. Like we were never separated.”
“Some things are back to normal. But the forever night is still there. It would have been awesome if you and I getting back together would have broken the curse for everyone and returned things to normal.”
“We’re not that lucky, I guess.”
“I’m feeling pretty damn lucky to have you in my arms again, love.”
“Me too. I’d feel even luckier if there was a working toilet. Or a shower.”
“I’m sure there’s an outhouse, and I saw a water pump on the back porch which hopefully works. If not, we’ll gather water from the creek.”
“Sounds like a plan. Do you think the hunters were successful?”
He was quiet for a moment, and then he said, “Yes. They’ve got a deer and some rabbits in the big barn waiting for us. I asked them to bring them out to the backyard.”
Excitement for real food made Emma’s stomach growl. The past year, everyone had been living off military ration packs and canned goods. “I hope you know how to dress those things because I sure don’t.”
“I’ll clean them, you cook them.”
“Okay. What about the pack? Do they need to eat?”
“According to Snow, they’ve fed. The deer and rabbits are for us.”
Emma found the flashlight and turned it on, using the light to look for towels and soap in the master bathroom. While there was no soap, there was some shampoo left in the bottle in the shower, and several towels and washcloths under the sink. War found some clothes to wear since he’d shredded the ones he’d put on before during his shift. They made their way to the water pump on the back porch, and she left him to figure out the pump and found the outhouse.
She’d add working bathrooms to the things she really missed.
Every house in the fort had an outhouse, and she’d hated it at first, wishing the utility companies had stuck it out and kept electricity and water running. But she’d had no choice but to get used to it. This outhouse was bigger than the one she’d shared with Luna and Marianne. She shone the flashlight around to look for spiders and bugs, and finding a large spider in a web in the corner, she scooped him up and put him outside, then used the facility.
“Spiders used to scare you,” War said when she joined him on the porch and watched him pump water into a bucket.
“They seem to like outhouses. Luna got tired of coming to rescue me from spiders and said it wasn’t cool to kill them just because I wanted to pee. Marianne taught me how to tell if a spider was poisonous, and I got used to them. It’s just one of those things I had to deal with because of the curse.”
“You clean up, I will butcher the animals and get a cooking fire going.”
“Okay.”
He stepped off the porch and walked several feet away to the three dead animals. He’d found a few knives in the kitchen and a butcher block that had a sharpener which he used before he set in to skinning the animals.
Emma tugged the bucket away from the spigot and ducked under it, pumping a few times to soak her hair. She used a dollop of shampoo and worked it into her scalp before scooping the suds from her hair and washing her skin as best she could. She used the pump water to remove the bubbles from her hair and wrung her wet locks out, then rinsed the rest of her skin free of soap.
She scooped a handful of water from the bucket and swished it around her mouth, then took a few drinks of the fresh-tasting water. As she dried her skin, she watched War work, the sharp knives making quick work of the animal hides. He sectioned the meat and set several large pieces on a tarp that one of the wolves brought to him, along with the cleaned rabbits. Then Snow appeared, and War gestured to the rest of the deer carcass, and Snow let out a few sharp barks. Wolves joined them, taking the remains away to the big barn.
“I saved us the loins which are the most tender, and a roast we can slow cook on the fire. With the rabbits, we should have enough food for a couple days for you and me.”
She wrapped her wet hair up in a towel and got dressed. War went with her into the house where they gathered cooking supplies and the long matches they found on the fireplace mantel. He stacked wood in a dirt section in the yard, and she looked at the fire and the few matches.
“We need kindling.”
He nodded, and they explored the barn, finding dried corn cobs in a bin. He fashioned a spit for the rabbits, and she used cast-iron pans for the roast and loins. Once the fire was roaring, War knocked it down, so it didn’t burn the meat. While she tended the meat, turning the rabbits on the spit, he cleaned up and dressed.
He brought a blanket from inside the house and set it on the ground, and she joined him, leaning against his side and watching the fire crackle.
“I found a watch in one of the kitchen drawers,” he said, lifting his wrist. “It’s still working.”
The time read two p.m.
“That’s good to know.”
“You said there was a weapons convoy coming tonight at eleven, correct?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“We can formulate a plan while we eat. With a little luck, we’ll intercept the weapons, so they never reach the fort.”
Emma bit her bottom lip, fear spiking her nerves. “The men have orders to shoot all wolves on sight.”
“We’ll keep our people in the shadows,” War said.
“I don’t want anyone else to get hurt.”
“Trust me, love, I don’t either.” War drew her into his chest, his arms closing around her tightly. “Don’t worry. As long as we’re together, we can do anything.”
* * *
There really wasn’t anything quite like the night. Zara had always loved the dark. The edges, the shadows, the intrinsic secrets hidden beneath the surface. She’d always found the sun to lay bare her secrets, but the night…the night was her domain. Her entire life, she’d worshipped the moon, praised and reveled in its power. Like its ability to force man into beast, for instance. Very few things in this world were capable of such a thing. Transformation was a rare ability, one lost to this world long ago. But the moon was ancient. And with its age came secrets untold. Zara herself wasn’t strong enough to trap a man in the body of a beast, which was why she’d turned to her old friend. And even that had taken an unimaginable amount of strength. A curse so potent, it had required a massive sacrifice—the lives of her sister witches. Every single one of them.
But Zara didn’t regret the loss. Her sisters had never understood her to begin with. They believed in the power of the earth, in letting nature guide them. Zara believed in the opposite. Her power was hers to control, hers to do with as she saw fit. And no one would ever convince her otherwise.
With a contented sigh, she sat back against the purple-hued grass and stroked a nearby jasmine petal. Before the curse, Zara used to visit her garden nightly to wait for the flowers to blossom, but now, they were constantly in bloom. Without the sun, her garden had thrived. So much so that the plant next to her now stood six-feet high. This particular moonflower had become her favorite. Its toxic petals had been the source of her victory. They’d allowed her to sedate her coven, enough so she could absorb their power as a whole. And their power had been used to curse War and every werewolf out there.
