by Leia Shaw
“Charming pack you’ve got here,” she whispered to Cristian’s back. But she sidled closer to his body. His answering smile made her scowl and fall back.
They stopped outside the largest cabin as a dark-haired werewolf strolled out the door, looking her over hungrily when he stopped a few feet away.
“A prisoner?” he asked, his gaze fixed on her.
“Like hell, bast –”
Cristian pinched her ass, effectively shocking her to silence. Ear nibbling, ass pinching, she didn’t even want to think about what they’d almost done just an hour ago. What had she gotten herself into?
“She’s under my protection. No one touches her.” Cristian caught his gaze and used a low voice packed with authority. “She is not to be harmed, understood?”
The werewolf nodded to his alpha.
The cabin door flew open with a bang and an adolescent boy bounded down the stairs. “Alpha, I –”
He stopped short when he saw Natalia and his eyes widened. “Holy shit! That’s the Huntress! Do you know how high her bount –”
Cristian was inches from the boy’s face in less than a second. “Hold your tongue, pup,” he commanded quietly. The boy’s mouth shut with an audible snap. “I am well aware of who she is. You will not speak a word of the bounty to anyone. That is a direct order. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, sir.”
Cristian stared until the boy dropped his gaze in a sign of respect. Natalia may not be pack but she understood their dynamics. Breaking eye contact first was a sign of submission. If the boy hadn’t, it would’ve been considered a dominance challenge. And Cristian would’ve torn the boy apart. Brutal, but the only way to govern werewolves – who were sometimes more animal than man.
Cristian gave the boy a small, proud smile then nodded and stepped away. “Good man.” He clapped him on the shoulder and the boy beamed.
Natalia watched the exchange with a mixture of bewilderment and admiration. And when she studied Cristian’s expression as he chastised the boy, she saw genuine affection. A pack alpha who cared about his pack more than himself? Suddenly, Cristian became very interesting.
He climbed the steps and opened the cabin door. “Ladies first,” he said, gesturing inside.
She looked at the two werewolves expectantly watching her, then back to Cristian holding open the door. Not that she planned to, but questioning or defying an alpha in front of his men was just asking for trouble. She sighed and walked up the steps.
The cabin was empty save for a plain bed and an old wooden dresser. With a high rafted ceiling and bare walls, the room looked all the emptier. No personal objects or mementoes of any kind. Not a cabin for an alpha.
The door slammed shut. “It’s a sort of…guest cabin,” he explained.
She spun around and eyed him. “Am I a prisoner?”
“Of course not.” He smiled, a vision of diplomatic friendliness. “But I need you to stay in here. Just until I get organized. It’s not safe for you to walk around camp alone. As you already know, vampires are no friends of ours. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
She arched a brow. “Me get hurt?”
He smiled. “I guess that goes both ways.”
She glanced out the window and sighed. “We should be heading north now. You’re wasting time.” Only a few hours till daylight. They’d travelled in the opposite direction to reach his pack so not only did the Slayer have a head start but now they had to backtrack.
He glided toward her then stopped. “We’ll leave soon. I need to meet with this region’s counsel and explain things. You will stay here until I get back, yes?”
He stared at her when she didn’t respond. If he was expecting a “yes, alpha,” he was barking up the wrong tree.
“I mean it, Natalia, Do not leave this cabin.”
Or what? she wanted to say. But she refused to engage in such childish power games. She shrugged instead. He sighed and grumbled something depreciating about women then left the cabin. Outside he told two werewolves standing guard not to let anyone in.
Natalia walked to the open window on the far side of the cabin, away from the door, and peered outside. The only view was the dark woods. She had keen vision at night but the trees were so thick she couldn’t see much. Not that she was looking for anything, but it was better than sitting around doing nothing, waiting for Cristian to return for her. She sighed.
Why was she taking orders from a werewolf?
Oh, right. Because he’d guilted her into allowing him to help with the hunt. All because she cared about the missing children. Damn her and her soft spot for kids. She sighed then turned to make her way to the bed when the scent hit her like a tidal wave. Her nostrils flared and her heart pounded. It was subtle, but definitely him. There was no question of whether she would follow the scent or obey Cristian’s order to stay in the cabin. Her job came first. Always.
The screen popped out easily and she climbed outside. She slipped into the shadows of the buildings and followed the scent as it weaved around the back of the camp. For five minutes she managed to stay out of the hateful werewolves’ sight. Just when she thought it might steer into the trees, leaving the pack behind, it intensified and headed straight toward the center of camp. But he was close. So close she could almost taste the victory.
She walked straight into the middle of the camp, head held high, focused on her mission. The first werewolf that approached her she kicked in the stomach, snagging the dagger at his waist when he hunched over in pain. Deep growls broke the silence of the night as half dozen werewolves stalked toward her. She didn’t slow her pace. The scent was too strong. Letting a few stray dogs stand in her way wasn’t an option.
“Where do you think you’re going?” a voice said from behind her. She spared a glance over her shoulder, taking note she was surrounded.
The scent headed east, exactly where two walls of muscle stood, blocking her path. She ran at them, full speed, catching them off guard. The first she slashed across the belly with the knife then sunk her booted foot into the knee of the second. Before she could knife that one too, something grabbed her from behind. A muscled arm wrapped around her throat as she was bent forward in a headlock. Someone punched her in the gut and her breath left her with a whoosh. The werewolf’s grip was merciless as he cut off her oxygen.
Memories flooded to the surface. Her body broken and bloody, heartbeat fading, knowing she would die and begging for help.
If she had breath to growl, her anger would have echoed in their ears for centuries.
She resisted the urge to grab the arm holding her around the neck since she knew she couldn’t pry him off. Instead she punched him in the balls and when he bent over, she pushed her foot in front of his and leaned forward toppling him off balance. When he started to fall she grabbed the arm around her throat and yanked backward as hard as she could. A loud pop reverberated across the camp and he roared out in pain as he released her and fell to the ground. She’d effectively demolished his shoulder joint.
She scanned the figures around her then did a double take at a young man wearing a scrap of her shirt around his head like a bandana. In a matter of seconds, she had him on the ground, knife at his throat, knee in his chest.
“Hey, shit-for-brains,” she said, pressing the tip of the knife hard enough to prick his skin. “Where’d you get the bandana?”
A rumble of agitated growls erupted around her but they wouldn’t raise a hand near her while she had a pack member at knifepoint. They protected their own. Always. Another memory clawed into her mind. Faces of people she trusted, their eyes glazed over with indifference. Werewolves protected their own, except when their own was an outsider.
The young werewolf opened his mouth to answer but a furious roar tore through the night like an angry tornado, cutting him off. Every one of the werewolves froze then lowered his head. Natalia turned slightly to face the source of the terrifying sound. She’d seen plenty of alphas in her day, but none so commanding as the
one who stalked toward her. Fighting the impulse to flee, she scolded herself for being so cowardly.
Cristian stood several feet in front of her, his blackened eyes filled with rage. He raked his gaze over her body before a barely intelligible voice grated, “Get off of him.”
She spared the boy a last glance then sliced through the bandana and stood to face Cristian.
***
Cristian closed his eyes and counted to ten. Maybe she’d been right – this was the worst idea ever. Once he was sure he could maintain an even voice he faced Natalia. “Are you okay?”
She nodded and he released the breath he’d been holding. He hadn’t felt this angry and out-of-control since Laurel was killed. He’d been rounding up his best hunters when whispers of a vampire loose in camp reached him. Before he entered the scene he could hear the breath leave Natalia’s body as a fist slammed into her stomach. He didn’t know who was hurting her or why, and he didn’t care. His vision went red at the thought of her being harmed under his watch.
Looking around the camp at the dozen or so men, standing at attention, awaiting his orders, he realized she wasn’t the only one who’d been hurt. She’d taken down three of his best fighters. Another growl left his throat. He didn’t tolerate random violence in his pack. If his men had something to prove they could do it in a ring with a referee to be sure they didn’t kill each other.
His eyes narrowed on Natalia. Every man had lowered his head when he’d entered the area. Her chin jutted out as she glared at him, holding his gaze far longer than was acceptable. And the little witch knew it too.
With his eyes he told her, “Don’t you dare challenge me in front of my men.” It was enough to justify killing her, but he’d at least have to punish her. And, oh, he wanted to punish her. But not like this. He preferred some rope, a bed, and a few hours of privacy.
After a tense moment she dropped her gaze. He exhaled a relieved breath.
She pointed to the young man who’d been under her, now standing at attention just beside her. “He’s working for the Slayer. He reeks of him and this is my shirt.” She held out the bandana she cut from around Jack’s head.
“I-I didn’t know,” Jack said nervously. “Some guy gave me fifty bucks to wear it. I had no idea –”
“Be calm. You’re not in trouble.” He leveled the werewolf with a stern glare. “Though next time you’ll think twice before taking something from a lone werewolf.”
“Yes, sir,” he answered.
He focused his attention back on Natalia, who suddenly looked vulnerable amidst his towering men. The bandana proved the Slayer was playing with her. He knew of Cristian’s involvement. A pit of fear settled in his gut, which fueled his temper. Now, more than ever, it was important for them to work together. Yet she continued to refuse his attempts and defied his orders to keep her safe. He took another deep breath and counted to ten, pushing the wolf in him away from the surface. Slow to anger, quick to deliver justice. He was known for it.
“Go back to the cabin,” he told her.
She pursed her lips and he thought she might refuse, but with a humble nod, she obeyed. A surge of pride filled him, and his respect for her grew. She may have caused some problems by leaving the cabin without him, but the woman knew when to pick her battles. And she clearly understood pack politics, which made him even more curious about her past.
He watched her enter the cabin then turned and addressed his men. “Give me the facts.”
After he went through the events with his pack, he praised their efforts in controlling the situation and explained the circumstances surrounding the ill-tempered vampire in their camp. He couldn’t blame them for interfering. All the rangers in his employment cared for the wolves they protected. They’d seen too many of them killed for no reason other than a temporary high for a wayward vamp. He could tell by the fire in their eyes they didn’t approve of Cristian working with a vampire, but they would fall in line. He was a fair leader, yes, but he kept them on a short leash. A few of his best offered to help hunt the Slayer. Back-up would’ve been nice, but if tonight was any indication of how the vampire played with others…well, he had enough trouble dealing with her on his own.
He thanked everyone for their continued service to the wolf population then made his way to the cabin.
One problem down, one more to go. He wished dealing with Natalia would be as easy.
***
The door flew open then shut with a bang. Natalia turned from the window to face a full six and a half feet of muscle staring down at her. Gods he was a magnificent beast.
“I thought I told you to stay in the cabin.” His voice remained quiet but with a confidence that made her shiver all over.
Pull yourself together! She cleared her throat. “Don’t you pull that ‘I am werewolf, hear me roar’ crap on me. I’m not your pack. You’re not my alpha. I don’t take orders from you.”
His voice dropped and he crossed the room. “You do now, sweetheart. Being an alpha isn’t just what I do. It’s who I am.” He stopped a few feet from her. “Someone has to take the lead on this. I’m willing to follow your recommendations since you’ve been at the Slayer a long time. But I can’t stop being who I am. Understand?”
She stared at him for a long moment. So he expected her to fall in line like his pack just because he was an alpha? Didn’t he know what he was asking for? Trust. Natalia, the Huntress, did not trust werewolves. He held her gaze, steady and confident. She tore away. “That’s it. Partnership absolved.”
He blinked. Then he sighed and crossed his arms over his chest in that obstinate male way. “You don’t get to absolve the partnership. You’re in my territory. You want access to it? You want to hunt down your killer? You go through me.”
“Then I’m out,” she lied, making a move for the door.
“That’s it? You’re just going to give up because of a little conflict? You’re not even going to try to resolve it? I didn’t peg you for a quitter.”
She stopped in front of the door and spun around to face him. “My idea of conflict resolution is a knife between the ribs. Is that what you want? A knife fight?”
“I want to talk to a normal human being.”
“I’m not one.”
“You were once.”
“A long time ago.”
He inhaled an exasperated breath. “It’s called a compromise, Talia.”
“A what?”
His brows furrowed before his lips quirked up in a small smile. “You don’t even know what that is, do you?” He ran his hand through his hair. “Christ, you’re worse than a lone wolf. I should put you in the teamwork class with the pups.”
She watched his obvious frustration with curiosity. Would he try to stop her from leaving? Would he deem her a lost cause and give up?
Suddenly, he burst out with a deep belly laugh. She scowled. “What?”
“I just had an image of a grown vampire trading trust falls with werewolf children.”
She choked on a laugh then swallowed it back in favor of a faint smile.
Cristian grinned. “Careful, Talia. You almost laughed.”
She stopped herself just short of yelling a childish “did not!” Their gazes locked and before she could pull away, something clicked. Her heart picked up pace, a wave of peace swept over her. She gave her head a shake. This werewolf…he was…doing something to her.
He pulled out a duffle bag and began opening drawers and throwing clothing inside. “We’ll take my jeep. I know you need weapons but do you need clothing or anything else?”
She arched a brow. “Didn’t you hear me when I said the partnership is absolved?”
“Yes, and I’m calling your bluff.”
Damn werewolf. “Won’t you lose your job?”
He stopped to smile at her. “One of the perks of being the boss. I make my own hours.”
She sighed. He was relentless. “My bike’s faster than the jeep.”
“The jeep will hold our stuff.”
“We won’t need the stuff if we make better time.”
“Jeep handles the roads better.” He pinned her with a steady gaze. “I’ve lived here a long time, Natalia. I know the terrain. Trust me.”
The idea of spending time in a four by six foot box with a werewolf made every one of her hackles rise. Besides, there was nothing better than the purr of a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 between her legs. She eyed him up and down. Well, maybe there was, but the bike was the only action she’d gotten in a long time.
But, if she wanted to look at things logically – which oddly, she didn’t right now – Cristian was right. He knew the terrain better than she did. Maybe he could be of use on this hunt. And if he turned into an even bigger pain in the ass, well, she could always kill him. “All right. Jeep it is.”
He zipped his bag then looked her over. “You didn’t answer my question. Do you need anything other than weapons?”
“I don’t plan on this taking long. If I need something, I’ll pick it up on the way. I have cash.”
He shifted his stance, suddenly looking uncomfortable. “What about food? Do you need…blood?”
She arched a brow. “Are you offering?”
His eyes glittered with desire before he swallowed and said, “I’m just trying to be prepared.”
She didn’t understand why it pissed her off that he wanted to take care of her, but it did. “What are you going to do, Cristian? Do a blood drive? Grab one of your low ranking pack members and stuff him in the trunk for me to feed on?”
His eyes widened. “Christ, Natalia. You’re a vicious thing. It’s in my nature to take care of things. I don’t know how to take care of vampires. I’m feeling a little lost.”
“Good thing I don’t need taking care of.”
“I just want to be your friend.” He stepped closer and put out a hand. “No man is an island.”
