by Jade White
Erik kept his silence until they entered Devan’s apartment. Again, his gaze roved everywhere. “You sure we can talk here?”
“I’ve been safe here. No one came close until now,” Devan ground out.
His brother lounged on the couch, sitting where Kyla had, and the wolf inside Devan growled. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d given in and allowed his wolf freedom. Living in a small city in Minnesota meant he had no possible locale to give in, unless he ventured to the mountains. But the chances of running into his old pack or another or even other were-species prevented him from even contemplating shifting.
“What do you want?” he barked. Anxiety filled him, and he channeled it into energy, pacing.
“Temper, temper.” Erik shook his head. “Is that any way to treat a brother after so much time?”
“If you cared so much, you would’ve left when I did. Warrick’s behavior crossed the line too many times and—”
“And I was wrong to not leave when you did, you’re right. As for Warrick’s behavior… well… let’s just say if anything, it’s become more savage.”
“More?” Devan halted, unable to believe what he was hearing. “How is that possible?” Raping and plundering, acting more like a pirate or Viking than a werewolf, even killing those who dared to question him… what more was there?
“He’s killed Asha.”
His teeth changed to fangs without conscious thought. “Why?” The word was almost too animalistic to be understood.
Either Erik heard or comprehended enough because he explained, “She disobeyed him. He wanted her to mate with an alpha from another pack, but she suspected he only wanted it so he could kill the alpha and claim domination over the other wolves in that pack and refused. She came to me for help, and we had planned on fleeing and finding you but…”
Devan gnashed his teeth. Warrick was the eldest of Kempers. Then Devan, Asha, Erik and Sari. Their parents had died years ago during a rockslide. “How is Sari?”
“You know her.” Erik’s eyes flashed from their human brownness to wolf gold and back again.
“Ever devoted to her oldest brother.” Devan spat. Sari had attacked Devan the night he’d left. He managed to not harm her but she’d left a mark even the past five years hadn’t completed faded.
“So…” Erik stood and glanced around the still-unclean apartment. “What have you been up to? Please tell me you aren’t just screwing human females.”
Devan knew better than to lie. Erik could always sniff falsehoods out, whether in human or wolf form. “Human female,” he clarified. “One.”
“Well, I guess it’s okay to have a hobby, but you have a plan, right? Five years to set up a… Oh, for the love of… What have you been doing?”
“Running. Staying alive.” Devan felt oddly defensive. “I’m just one wolf. What can I do against a pack of fifteen?”
“Twenty-three now. No, twenty-two after Asha.” Erik stroked his beard. “We have to do something.”
“We?” Devan said blankly.
“Yes, we. Stop thinking like a human and start being a wolf again.”
Being a wolf meant he couldn’t be with Kyla but without a means of finding her and with her interested in him he might as well move on, move forward even if it meant death.
At least I knew happiness with her before I die.
CHAPTER FOUR
Six weeks had passed since she left Devan. For the past two weeks, she had done everything she could to forget him, but now she couldn’t. She had skipped her period. At first, she thought it might just be from the stress of her domineering father and the pressure he was putting on her to find a suitable mate, but there was no denying it now.
Kyla was pregnant.
Honestly, she should’ve realized before now. Weight gain, heightened sense of smell, larger and tender breasts… And there was only one possibility for who the father was, as impossible as it seemed.
Her phone rang. Paula. How she wanted to ignore it, but Paula was more than just her sister. They were best friends, and avoiding Paula wasn’t a possibility.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“I feel like you’ve been avoiding me,” Paula whined.
“That’s not true.” Actually, maybe a little. The new shampoo and conditioner her sister wore aggravated her something fierce. “But actually… I do have to get going.”
“Why? Got a hot date?” Paula sounded all perked up. “Don’t tell me it’s that human guy again.”
Kyla winced.
“I can’t help but notice Father hasn’t convinced you on any of the possible suitors he’s lined up.”
“Did you not hear the part were I have to go?” Kyla grumbled.
Paula’s sigh carried over the line. “Fine. Leave me again. Just don’t disappear for another whole weekend. Father will have my head. Yours too, if you don’t stop being so damn picky.”
Sighing herself, Kyla hung up. She wasn’t being picky. Her father wasn’t bothering to try to find her someone she might be able to tolerate for a month, let alone the rest of her life. Then again, her father and mother hadn’t had the happiest of marriages. Was it any surprise that he didn’t care if his children were happy with theirs?
It’ll be your turn soon enough, Paula. We’ll see how much you like it when the shoe’s on the other foot.
Right now, she didn’t have time to worry about her father or marriage.
She darted to her bedroom and changed out of the oversized t-shirt she’d slept in. Already she had outgrown some of her clothes and when she modeled a dress in front of her full-length mirror, she gasped. A were-pregnancy was much faster than a human one—only three months, and she was showing more than she realized. Paula and Viola and Maria probably all thought it because she had the appetite of a horse lately. No morning sickness for her, just a never-ending hunger.
This dress would never do. The next two looked just as bad and the third she couldn’t even zip up. Switching to a sleek black skirt and a tank top that didn’t cover half her breasts because of their increased size would have to do. Depending on the angle, she didn’t even look pregnant. Good.
Not that angles would help her any. Nothing would.
Her Beetle zipped down the streets as she drove to Devan’s. Before she could lose her nerve, she parked, marched up the stairs, and pounded on his door. No answer. It would be just her luck if he’d moved. She didn’t even know his last name. My life deserves to be written into a freakin’ country song.
She raised her fist to knock again when the door abruptly opened. Devan stared at her, wide eyed. He hadn’t shaved that morning, and the scruffy look suited him.
Stop! Don’t stare into his eyes, don’t think about his six-pack that t-shirt is barely concealing, don’t look even lower…
Head high, she shoved him back and waltzed into his apartment as if she owned it. Nose in the air, she glanced around, pleased on some level to see he had cleaned up the place.
“K-Kyla… what are you doing here?”
He sounded dazed.
She turned on her heel to face him, hands on her hips, purposely pulling her clothes tight so her belly was visible.
All color drained from his face. “You’re…”
“Yes. And you’re the father.”
*
Devan opened and shut his mouth. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. It had been shocking enough to see Kyla again after six weeks, but to see her with a swollen belly… and because of him… Wait…
“What are you?” they demanded at the same time.
His wolf reared its head within him, and he fought the urge to give in.
Her hands still on her hips, she curled her fingers into fists. “You first.”
God, she was stubborn, bossy and bold and beautiful and when she licked her lips, he had a hard time focusing. His wolf, however, wasn’t thinking about lust. Not right now. All the wolf wanted was to taste her blood. He reined in his animal side then thought better of it. With h
is foot, he slammed the door shut and locked it. After making sure all of the curtains were closed, he allowed his face—and only his face—to shift.
She watched impassively as his teeth changed into fangs, his nose lengthened and grew moist, fur sprouting everywhere, his ears changing until his human head was no more, replaced by his wolf head. Before he could see any kind of reaction, her face changed too, into that of a coyote.
Of all animals, a coyote: one of the wolves’ enemies.
Again, the animal pulsated within, slamming against his defenses, wanting to come out and rip her apart. Again, he subdued it.
He reverted back first, and then she followed suit.
“A wolf,” she spat.
“A coyote,” he retorted. “That was a human bar. Why did you—”
“For the same reason as you, I’m sure,” she snapped. “This isn’t my fault.”
“Well, it isn’t mine either.” In order to adapt throughout the centuries and not be discovered and hunted by humans, the different were species had evolved such that when in human form, it was impossible to detect that they were weres, a most unfortunate occurrence. Especially because mating across species like this was forbidden. If his old pack hadn’t already wanted him dead, they certainly had a justifiable reason now.
“What are we going to do?” He paced around her, eyeing her up and down. For the past few weeks, he tried to tell himself she wasn’t as beautiful as he remembered, that she couldn’t possibly be, but here she was, even more breathtaking than he recollected… because she was carrying their baby? His baby.
He was going to be a father. Unless…
Her eyes clouded over. Obviously she had read his thoughts in his face. Interesting. Not many could understand him so clearly.
Her hands flew to cover her belly. “No. Never.”
“Protective of the pup already.” He had meant it as a joke but the words came out rough.
Her eyes changed to a reddish-brown color. “The baby’s mine,” she hissed.
“Ours,” he corrected automatically. His wolf disagreed, but he could hardly cast her out. She was carrying his child, a child many would want destroyed. All three of them were in danger.
“I don’t know why I bothered to come here.” She stalked toward the door.
He grabbed her arm. A surge grew from the point of contact, not sexually, but deeper almost. Devan didn’t understand it. Whatever it was, it both calmed and infuriated his wolf. “I think you do know why.”
Kyla yanked herself free. “Don’t ever touch me again.”
Although her eyes were still her coyote’s and burning with anger, he had to tease her. “I’m sure you don’t mean that.”
Snarling teeth snapped at him. Within seconds, she was gone, replaced with her coyote self. Even in this form, she was beautiful… if a coyote could be considered that. Such dark fur and—
She snapped at him again, and Devan’s control on his wolf diminished to nothing. He snarled back at her, lips curing above fangs as he dropped to all fours. Of the two, he was much bigger, but the way she darted around him, nipping at his legs, proved her to be the faster of the two.
Her hackles rose, and she leaped into the air. He allowed her to jump on top of him but immediately rolled them over so he was on top. Kyla-the-coyote tried to nip and bite at him, but he ducked to the side and nuzzled her neck, the gesture intimate and natural. He liked wrestling with her coyote. Even his wolf wasn’t fighting him on that. Maybe… maybe it wasn’t impossible for a wolf and a coyote to come together.
For a moment, she stilled, the smaller furry animal finally not moving, but then she brought up her one foreleg, hooked it around his neck, leaned forward, and licked his cheek.
His tail wagged like a pendulum as he grew excited. They rolled around a few more times, and he allowed her to be on top when they next stopped, having ventured close to his shut patio door. Instead of a snarl, he released a quiet, whining sound, one she mimicked.
She nibbled at his coat, grooming him, and he relished the feeling of closeness they were sharing. No, things weren’t going to be easy for them—in fact, just the opposite—but far better for them to be united, to be together.
Oh, yes, to be together.
He shimmied out of her grasp and stood on all fours before her. She watched him, wide-eyed, as he bowed to her. Then, careful, very carefully, he laid his legs over her neck. Kyla released that same quiet whine. Not wanting to hurt her, he lowered back to the ground. When they reverted back to human form, he couldn’t say, but he held her close, and they didn’t say anything, just listened to each other’s breathing, and for a moment, Devan was happy.
Even though he knew it wouldn’t last.
CHAPTER FIVE
Kyla didn’t spend the night. She couldn’t, shouldn’t. Being with Devan was dangerous, and they hadn’t made any plans. Hell, they hadn’t spoken enough at all to even try to figure out what they might do. Although she felt safe in the bubble inside his apartment, the moment she left, her walls crumbled, and she blinked back tears.
What was she going to do? Her father, when he found out… Even her siblings. What would they think? What she and Devan had was more than just frowned upon. It was expressly forbidden. The life of her baby, as well as hers and Devan’s, could all be forfeit.
No. Her tears burned her skin as her fear changed into anger. They would find a way to get through this. When she had come to Devan, she hadn’t known what she expected. Telling him had been the right thing to do, even though a part of her wanted nothing to do with him, to even forget that he was involved. A wolf! Of all weres, a werewolf!
At one point during the drive over, she had contemplated turning around but then she felt something. A kick or a punch, something, definitely movement. The baby. He deserved to have the choice as to whether or not he would also lay claim on the babe.
And he did. Her heart warmed over that, but she couldn’t be blinded by emotions. Anything she might be feeling right now could just be the results of hormones and not be her true thoughts and opinions at all. Better to keep her heart guarded.
Attacking him hadn’t been her best of ideas, but then it turned playful and even, dare she say, romantic. Lust had gotten her into this mess; love couldn’t play a role now. Love. Just the thought made her stomach flutter, or was that another kick?
Her cell rang as she left the apartment building. Paula. She ignored it and climbed into her Beetle. Another call, this time from Viola. Again, she ignored it. Her sisters could wait. She had too much on her mind right now. Yes, they were more than her sisters, her closest of friends, but she wasn’t ready to tell them what had happened. Not yet at least. Eventually she would, she knew she would. They never kept secrets from each other. Paula had confided in them as soon as she got home the first time she slept with a human. Viola had lasted a week before she caved and spilled that she thought a certain human was hot, not that anything came of it. Viola, more than Paula and Kyla, preferred her coyote side and didn’t accept her human side.
The next caller was her father, forcing her to halt her thoughts. If her family was trying that hard to get her attention, it could only mean Father had rounded up some more coyotes for her to meet, judge, and—in her father’s eyes—pick one to be her mate.
Not going to happen.
Even if everything hadn’t happened between her and Devan, she still never appreciated the way her father threw coyotes at her. Love wasn’t something her father ever considered. He hadn’t loved her mother, and he never acted as if he loved any of his children. Maybe it wasn’t surprising she craved attention from another, even if he was a werewolf.
At least one of her sisters would be waiting for her at her place, she was sure, so she couldn’t return there. Going back to Devan’s crossed her mind, but she couldn’t bring herself too, even though it strangely felt as if a part of her had remained there.
It was day yet, and even though the sun beat down on her, she made her way to GreyFace Mountain.
Normally, they only ever shifted at night to help prevent any kind of shooting accident, but she had so relished her freedom in showing her other form to Devan that she already craved that release again. Nothing felt better than racing up the mountainside on all four legs.
She drove recklessly there and hid her car out of sight of the main path. This area of the mountain usually wasn’t a tourist attraction, so she felt safe enough shifting. For an hour, maybe two or three, she roamed up and down the mountain, jumping, running, breathing in life itself. It felt beyond wonderful and just what she needed to forget her life’s worries.
But when she reverted to human form and returned to her car, Paula was leaning against the hood.
“There you are.” Her sister’s normally jovial face didn’t break out into a smile.
“What’s up?” Kyla tried to ask lightly.
“Father needs you.”
She gestured to the mountain. “I needed—”
“Come on. You know what we need doesn’t matter.” Paula never seemed glummer.
“Is something wrong?” Kyla glanced down at her clothes. She sucked in her stomach some, glad this outfit didn’t make her status obvious.
“Father’s in a really bad temper.”
Wonderful. More stress. Just what she needed.
Kyla climbed in. As soon as she and Paula buckled, she drove to their father’s cabin. He lived to the west of the base of the mountain, where he claimed he could track every animal that moved on it. Wonder if he knows there are wolves around. Wolves long graced Minnesota, but werewolves?
Once inside, Kyla only saw siblings and quickly realized they were all the unmated ones. She pushed through the crowd toward her father, who stood six and a half feet tall, dominating the dining room. His smile was geared toward a man she had never seen before, and Father’s lips curled down into a grimace when he spied her. “Kyla. My oldest unmated daughter. A lovely girl.”
