TWISTED DESTINY: The Complete Saga

by Leia King

  Approaching the bed, he watched warily as her gaze raked over him, desire flashing in her eyes as she took in the sight of him in nothing but a white wife-beater and a pair of boxers.

  Please don’t come on to me. He didn’t know if he could hold back. The last time he’d been alone with her and so close, it’d been fucking intense. But he wouldn’t take her while she was drunk. She was his mate. She deserved better than that.

  To his relief, she looked away.

  He climbed into bed and settled himself under the covers. He was just about to close his eyes when he heard little grunts of frustration coming from her. He turned his head and he saw that she was struggling with the zipper of her dress. The fucking thing didn’t suit her. He hated it on her.

  With that in mind, he leaned over to her and tugged at it with his wolf strength, ripping it from her body, making her gasp.

  “Better?” he asked, drawing back from her quickly and looking away to avoid the sight of her delicious tits. Just that brief glimpse of them had him hard as granite.

  “Yeah. Thanks,” she said in a shy voice.

  He felt her fidgeting for several moments. And then she let out a satisfied sigh and he heard her head hit the pillow. “Is the shirt on?”

  “Yeah. And that aggravating thong is gone. Finally.”

  Thong? He turned to her. “What kind?”

  “Lace. A lilac color, like the dress.”

  Fuck me. Lace? That was hot.

  “I’m not wearing anything under this shirt now,” she revealed, sidling closer to him.

  He swallowed hard. “Is that right?”

  “Yep,” she said, winking at him.

  He shook his head with disbelief. “My God, woman. You are drunk beyond belief.”

  He looked into her eyes and he was surprised to see that they weren’t glowing like the last time they had been so close. She was turned on, that much was clear. But her eyes were telling him that sex wasn’t what she wanted, or needed. It was something else.

  “Ryan,” her silky-smooth voice called to him.

  He looked at her, confused.

  And then she held her arms out.

  Oh. She wanted him to hold her. He hesitated, unfamiliar with such an intimate request. He wasn’t that guy. At least he never had been. It was hard and fast all the way with the women he’d taken to his bed in the past.

  But as he looked into her eyes, he knew he couldn’t deny her.

  He drew her to him, wrapping his arms around her, her back to his front. A tiny cry of surprise escaped her. He grinned, realizing she could feel his cock pressing into her ass.

  “Oh, wow. You’re—”

  “Hard for you? Of course. Deal with it.” Because, somehow, he was.

  She murmured in agreement and he felt her relax against him.

  “Sleep now,” he told her gently as he stroked her soft, black hair.

  13

  Cora woke up to find herself in Ryan’s bed. She could smell him everywhere. His scent was so strong. A musky, manly scent. Mmm. Another one of her abilities had kicked in then. Heightened senses.

  Her head thundered. Right. She recalled the scotch. Oh no. Memories of the way she’d acted with him came flooding back. She’d come onto him in a majorly embarrassing way.

  Groaning at the pain in her head and the recollection, she forced herself to sit up.

  “Hung over, yeah?”

  She looked to her right, to the sound of his voice, and saw Ryan emerging from another room, his hair dripping wet with just a towel around his waist. Oh God. The sight of his ripped, muscular chest sent a wave of heat straight to her core. He was all man, that was for sure. The best that the male form had to offer and more. She noticed a prominent tattoo over his heart. A white wolf. His wolf.

  “It’s beautiful.”

  He followed her gaze and smiled. “Thanks.”

  “Is that… are there more?”

  He smirked at her. “Is that your way of asking to see me naked?”

  She blushed and looked away sheepishly. “No. That’s not what I meant.”

  “I’m just messing with you,” he said, crossing to the bed. “There’s one more.”

  She watched as he turned around, his back to her. And there, across his upper back, was, indeed, another tattoo. It was massive.

  “Angel wings,” she breathed. “Oh my God.”

  He spun back around. “What’s wrong?”

  “Uh. Why did you get it? I mean, when you think of a wolf, you don’t exactly think angel wings.”

  “I’m not sure.” He frowned in thought. “It was just—”

  “Instinct?”

  “Yeah. How did you know?”

  She smiled and turned around. She lifted up the back of her shirt to show him the same tattoo on her back.

  “Fuck me.”

  She felt him sit down on the bed. She sucked in a breath at the sudden brush of his fingers on her naked back. She gripped the front of the t-shirt tightly, clutching it protectively to her breasts, as he traced his fingers gently over the tattoo.

  “We were connected… before we even met,” he mused.

  His fingers left her and he moved off the bed. She pulled her t-shirt back down to cover herself. “I know.”

  “You sought me out that night, at my bar.” It wasn’t a question. It seemed to be a statement of fact.

  She thought about it for a moment. “I think so. But I didn’t realize it at the time. That same night, Luca came to me. He said he’d awakened me. He brought my power to the surface. Later, I had an overwhelming need for the hunt.”

  “Sounds like a wolf talking.”

  “It’s also a Seeker thing. I hadn’t felt it in years. I’d walked away from that life five years ago. That’s all I’d thought it was at the time. But now I know that it wasn’t. It was more. More primal. Instinctual. There are hundreds of Seeker prey within the city limits and I zoned in on wolves. Vampires should have been my target. To Seekers, they’re always the main threat. They don’t understand boundaries and the value of human life. Wolves were never much of an issue.”

  “But that night, you must’ve been searching for a wolf, without even knowing it.”

  She nodded.

  “Me.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, I guess I have something to thank Luca for then. He sent you to me without even knowing it.”

  “Sent me? I’m not a piece of meat, Ryan.”

  “Sorry. Guided you to me.”

  “That’s a little better.”

  He eyed her curiously. “You know, on the one hand, you’re so damned feisty. And believe me, I like that in a woman. But, on the flip side,” he said, crossing to her and gently stroking her hair, “You’re so damned shy.”

  “Shy?”

  He pulled back and reached for the towel around his waist. “You don’t think so?” he asked, looking amused by her denial.

  “I am not shy.”

  “Really? Then tell me this. What would you do right now if I dropped this towel?”

  Startled, she eked out, “Uh… what?”

  “What would you do?”

  “I—”

  “You’d what? Suck my cock? Open your legs and beg me to fuck you?”

  She grimaced at his words and averted her gaze.

  He chuckled. “Yeah, I didn’t think so. Oh, darlin’, you are so shy.”

  She turned away from him and wrapped her arms around herself protectively.

  He must’ve felt her nerves, because he told her, “I’m not going to take you, Cora.”

  “Sure,” she murmured.

  “I’m not Luca. I like my women willing.” He walked to his bedside table and retrieved a bottle of water and a vial of pills. “Here,” he said, handing them to her.

  She took what he was offering and was surprised to see that it was her own medication. “Where did you get this?”

  “I picked up a few things from your apartment this morning.” He gestured to the floor on her
side of the bed.

  She looked down to see a couple of bags that she didn’t recognize. She lifted them onto the bed and unzipped one. Her clothes were inside. She looked up at him, smiling.

  “I figured you’d feel more comfortable wearing those, rather than my t-shirt all day long. I also found some pistols. All packing silver bullets. Lethal to wolves. I left them where they were. I’m sure you understand. I brought your stakes, though.”

  “Sorry. The silver bullets work on all supes. They burn.”

  “Well, no more silver now, okay?”

  She nodded her agreement. “Thank you, Ryan,” she said sincerely. “I could’ve picked them up myself, you know.”

  “Walking through the compound in just my t-shirt would’ve riled up all my boys, darlin’.”

  “They can smell me.”

  “Yep.”

  “I can smell you too. It must be another one of my abilities coming into play, right?”

  “No. I don’t think so.”

  “No?”

  He folded his arms across his chest. “You’re a magical being. Not wolf, or vampire. It doesn’t make sense that scenting would be one of your abilities.”

  “Why can I smell you like a wolf then?”

  “The bond. It’s happening to me too. It feels different to the way I’d scent any other being.”

  “Oh, wow. That’s… intense.”

  “Yeah, it is. It’s all a lot to absorb. For everyone, actually.”

  “You mean the pack? Are they angry then?”

  “Angry?”

  “Because your true mate isn’t a wolf?”

  “I explained the situation to them a couple of hours ago. They’re… adjusting to the idea.”

  “A couple of hours ago? What time is it?”

  “Late morning.”

  “Shit. I slept that long?”

  “You were wasted last night.”

  “Yeah. Sorry about that. What I said… what I did…”

  He held up his hand. “Forget it.”

  She quickly popped a couple of her pills and washed them down with a sip of water. Her head was killing her.

  “Drink it all. You’re dehydrated.”

  She smiled at his concern for her well-being and did as he’d suggested, downing the entire bottle. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and then told him, “I’m sorry, Ryan.”

  “For what?”

  “Coming here. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I’ve put you and your pack in jeopardy. Once Luca realizes I’m here—”

  “Stop!” he said, cutting her off. “You are my mate. It is my responsibility to protect you.”

  “But—”

  “End of story. That’s how it works.”

  “Wolf law?”

  “Yeah.”

  “This situation isn’t normal, though.”

  “My boys have been itching for a good fight. We have unfinished business with the vamps.”

  “You’re going to war?” she asked, incredulous.

  “If Luca makes a move, we will respond.”

  “Ryan, I don’t want—”

  But he cut her off again. “The decision is mine and only mine. That’ll remain the case until you and I bond. Only then would you have a say in pack matters. As an Alpha’s mate, that is your right.” His gaze softened as he looked at her. “Relax, okay? Go take a shower and get dressed. Then you will eat. You must be hungry.”

  “I don’t like being ordered around, Ryan.”

  “It was a suggestion. I’d rather I didn’t have to smell my brother on you all fucking day.”

  “What? You can—?”

  “Yes.”

  “I didn’t realize. You didn’t say anything before.”

  “I didn’t want to upset you.”

  “We didn’t—he and I didn’t—”

  “I know. He hasn’t taken you. I can smell your purity from where I’m standing.”

  “I—”

  “Let’s not,” he said, turning away.

  She climbed out of the bed and headed into the bathroom. Stopping at the door, she told him over her shoulder, “Thank you.”

  “No need to thank me, Cora. I told you, it’s my job, as your mate, to protect you.”

  “Okay.”

  14

  “So, you still haven’t fucked her?”

  Ryan jolted at the question, almost dropping the two plates of food in his hands. Jesus.

  He glared at Josh, watching him load a ton of food from the buffet onto his plate.

  “Ry?” he pressed, shooting a glance at him.

  “I heard you. No, I haven’t. Not yet.”

  “You need to bond with her to make it official.”

  “I’m well aware.”

  “Then why the delay? You had her in your bed.”

  “She was drunk.”

  “And this morning?”

  Ryan hesitated. “It wasn’t the right time.”

  Josh scoffed. “Fucking hell, Ry.”

  Ryan growled low in his throat. “I will take her when I decide. Is that clear?” His eyes narrowed at Josh and he watched him back up a couple of steps in response to the very real threat in his eyes.

  “Crystal,” Josh responded.

  Ryan grunted, then added a couple more items to the plates. One for him. One for Cora.

  While she was busy taking a shower, he’d slipped out into the mess hall where his pack was eating lunch. He’d decided it was best for him to bring the food to her, rather than have her walk into the mess hall with a bunch of ravenous wolves that were indifferent, at best, about her presence among them. They’d accepted his revelation of her being his mate. But that was because they’d had little choice, unless they wanted to challenge him outright.

  And they all knew better than that.

  Not only was he Alpha, he was also no ordinary wolf. No one had the power to take him down.

  Huh. He should probably get around to telling Cora about that.

  But, still, Cora wasn’t wolf and he did understand it bothering the pack. As such, he was wary about her being around them. She was safe in his room. None of them would dare to enter there. But when he wasn’t around? As much as they respected his authority, he couldn’t be one-hundred-percent sure that they’d remain passive, especially if she threw that abrasive attitude of hers around.

  No, he’d wait until things settled before he allowed her in the same room as the boys.

  At least, that’d been his plan until it was shot to hell in one fell swoop by Cora, herself.

  A low hum resonated through the room, just as a powerful sensation, that was becoming very familiar, took hold of him. The sensation that told him his mate was close.

  The hum from the pack escalated to a chorus of aggressive growls. His gaze snapped to the door.

  Clad head to toe in black leather, looking like the biker chick that he’d first set eyes on in his bar a few nights ago, stood Cora.

  Fucking hell.

  She located him instantly and made her way over to him, not seeming concerned in the least by the reaction from the pack.

  “Josh,” she greeted, smiling politely.

  He grinned with amusement. “Cora.”

  “Thanks for your help last night. And the scotch. It really took the edge off.”

  Ryan rolled his eyes. “You can’t handle your booze, woman.”

  She ignored him and held out her hand for one of the plates he held in his hand. “Is that for me?”

  “Yeah,” he said, handing it over. “Take it back to my room. I’ll be along shortly.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “What? What does that mean?”

  Instead of answering him, she merely winked, then strode away, right towards the pack.

  Josh eyed him worriedly. They watched as she approached the center table where ten of the boys were gathered, sitting and eating as two members arm-wrestled across the middle of the table. They stopped what they were doing, and all eyes turned to her as she a
rrived. She put her plate down at the far end of the table and took one of the three spare seats, the one next to Ryan’s spot at the head of the table. They growled and she glared hard at them. Actually, ferociously.

  “Problem?” she demanded.

  A collective grant of reluctant acceptance sounded. Then, the growling ceased, and they all resumed what they’d been doing before she’d walked in.

  “Wow. Are we sure she’s not wolf?” Josh said, grinning at him.

  “She has the attitude,” Ryan agreed, as he and Josh made their way over to the table.

  Ryan took his seat at the head of the table. He looked up expectantly and every wolf in the mess hall nodded their respect and acknowledgment of his presence. Josh took a seat beside him and began devouring his food. Ryan glanced at Cora, but she didn’t notice. Her eyes were focused on the arm-wrestling match down the table. As one of the guys bested another, the match coming to an end, she shot to her feet.

  “I’m next,” she announced.

  Ryan was stunned. It took him a moment to respond. He reached for her arm and told her, “No.”

  She wrenched her arm from his grip and approached the middle of the table. The guy who had lost shifted to his right to make room for the next challenger. Roy, the current arm-wrestling champion, looked to Ryan for his approval.

  Ryan sighed. “Fine. But stop before you break her wrist. Understood?”

  “Got it,” Roy said. He asked Cora, “Sure you wanna do this, sweet thing?”

  Ryan let his comment go. Boys will be boys. He couldn’t blame him for reacting that way. She’d left him little choice in the matter. She’d willingly put herself right in the thick of it.

  “I’m stronger than I look, wolf,” she said.

  Taken aback by her feisty response, he looked around the table. The wolves started to laugh. But Cora didn’t seem the least bit deterred by it. In fact, judging by the steel set of her jaw and the look in her eyes, it just seemed to strengthen her resolve.

  She rested her elbow in the middle of the table. Roy did the same and clasped his huge hand around her tiny one. “Who’s counting us in?” she asked, glancing around at the table.

  “I’ve got you,” Ryan heard Ben pipe up from the other end of the table.