Wild Hunger

by Suzanne Wright

  Her nose wrinkled. “It’s not relaxing in a way that makes me feel peaceful.”

  “Then how?”

  Since he sounded genuinely interested, she replied, “I can disappear in it. It’s energizing and tiring and rewarding.”

  Noticing she was flexing and wiggling her fingers, he frowned. “What’s wrong with your hand?”

  “It just gets stiff.” She dismissed it with a flick of her wrist, but he took her hand and began massaging it. Damn if it didn’t feel good. Still . . . “I’m not going to sleep with you.”

  His mouth slowly curled on one side. “That’s all right. I’m not going to sleep with you either.”

  “So why are you here, flirting with me and stuff, if you don’t want me?”

  “I didn’t say that I don’t want you. I said I’m not going to sleep with you. That’s just too light a term for what I’m going to do to you.”

  A blush crept up her neck. “Oh really?”

  “Really.” Using his grip on her hand, he pulled her closer and spoke in a low voice. “I’m going to take you. Possess you. Fuck you so hard you’ll never want anyone else. And when we’re done, I’ll do it again.”

  Damn if her pussy didn’t clench at that. Frankie narrowed her eyes. “Cocky.”

  Trick put his finger to her mouth. “Don’t say it won’t happen, or when you do give in to me—and you will, Frankie—you’ll think it makes you weak. You’re not weak. I wouldn’t want you if you were.” He shrugged, adding, “Some things are simply inevitable. Me taking you is just one of those things.”

  Her stomach fluttered. Not just at his declaration, but at the way those brown eyes drifted over her face, warm and possessive. It made her wolf release a low growl of contentment, which was out of the norm. Frustrated and horny, Frankie jutted out her chin. “I have work to do.”

  Sensing her arousal, Trick smiled, satisfied. “All right.” He pressed a kiss to her palm and then released it. “I told you I’m not here for Lydia or Iris, and I’m not. But I want to say one thing about it. I know this situation is fucked up and you’re not sure what to think, feel, or believe. But I get the sense that if Iris died tomorrow before you had the chance to meet her, you’d regret that you didn’t. Am I right?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Then I’d say the decision you have to make isn’t whether you want to give your paternal family a chance; it’s whether you want to live with the regret that you didn’t.” He cupped her chin and stroked her jaw with his thumb. “Take care, Frankie, yeah?” It was a soft demand. He needed to be sure that she’d be fine.

  “Always do,” she said. He lightly brushed his mouth over her temple, and then he was gone. Frankie took in a centering breath. Damn, the wolf was potent. Nothing like the guys she was used to—they were strong and self-assured, yeah, but none of them carried that air of supreme, unshakable confidence that came with knowing you could handle any situation with total ease. It was hot and admirable and her wolf absolutely loved it.

  The animal wasn’t at all happy that he’d left. She lay down, sulking. It was odd. Her wolf had liked Frankie’s past partners well enough, but not like this. She hadn’t wanted their company, hadn’t particularly enjoyed having them around. Really, it was more like she’d tolerated them for Frankie’s sake.

  For the first time, her wolf wanted a male. Strangely, she also wanted to hold back from him a little. Not out of wariness, but to . . . test him. To see what he was made of and if he was worthy of . . . something.

  Deciding it was pointless to try to understand it, Frankie turned back to her sculpture.

  The following day, Trick accompanied Trey, Dante, and Dominic as they ventured to the local park for their meeting with Nash Morelli. It was a hot day, so there were many people around—sunbathers, cyclists, dog walkers, families, kids playing ball. Trick hoped the meeting didn’t go to shit, because there would be a hell of a lot of witnesses if it did.

  Morelli was already sitting at the picnic table when they arrived; five wolves stood behind him, on guard. Without a word Trey sat opposite Morelli. Dante stood solidly behind Trey while Trick and Dominic planted themselves on either side of their Beta. For a moment no one said anything. Just stayed still, sizing one another up.

  Morelli was a big bastard. Thick neck, roped arms, thighs like tree trunks. He also had a wide grin that would have been charismatic if it weren’t for its sly curve.

  There was a similar grin on his Beta’s face. Drake had a reputation for being . . . well, to be blunt, a fucking asshole. After being kicked out of his previous pack for slitting his sister’s throat, Drake had earned protection and money as a gun for hire until Morelli took him into his sad excuse for a pack.

  Taking the cigar from his mouth, Morelli shifted in his seat, making his leather vest creak. “Well, damn, if it isn’t Trey Coleman. I’ve been wanting to meet you for a long time.” He ran his gaze along Dante, Dominic, and Trick. His eyes lit up. “Ah, it’s the YouTube hero. I’ve heard plenty about you. One of my wolves knows you. He says you can be brutal when the situation calls for it. That’s why he found it so damn funny that the humans see you as a hunky hero.”

  The wolf was right, but Trick said nothing.

  Morelli cut his gaze to Trey. “I always admired the way you challenged your old man. I heard enough to know he was a total prick and earned that beating you gave him. People don’t always get what they deserve. It’s refreshing when someone does.”

  Trey didn’t react. Just watched the other Alpha, expression blank. It didn’t seem to discourage Morelli at all. His wide grin remained in place.

  “I sure do like your territory,” said Morelli. “I mean, I haven’t been able to see a lot of it, since you have that big fence and all. But it’s vast and well protected. I heard you actually live inside one of the mountains. Is that true?”

  “If you’re planning on challenging me to take over my pack and seize my territory, it won’t end well for you,” Trey warned.

  Morelli took a pull on his cigar and then blew out a puff of smoke, tainting the collective scents of sun-warmed grass and flowering trees. “I’ll admit, the thought did cross my mind. But like I said, I admire how you dealt with your old man. Leaving the pack to create your own—that takes guts. Let’s face it, it wouldn’t be smart of me to take on a male whose wolf turns feral during battle. Not to mention that you’re very well connected. The Mercury Pack in particular would seek revenge on anyone who brought harm to you or yours. I don’t want them on my ass any more than I want a feral wolf chewing a chunk out of my wolf’s ass.”

  “Why did you ask for a meeting?”

  “Not real friendly, are you, Trey? Can I call you Trey?”

  “No.”

  Morelli chuckled, seeming delighted. “Damn, I like you. As for why I wanted this meeting . . . It’s quite simple, really. I’d like to propose an alliance.”

  “Would you,” said Trey, his tone even.

  “I feel it would benefit us both.”

  “Here’s the thing. I don’t like your methods of expanding your pack. I don’t like the rumors I’ve heard about how your Beta here”—Trey tipped his chin at Drake—“deals with people. Your enforcers are constantly causing disruptions at bars and clubs and pool halls. That means either you don’t have control of your pack, or you don’t care what they do. Either way, that’s not the kind of Alpha I want to ally myself with.”

  Morelli heaved a sigh. “That’s disappointing, Trey. Really. I’d hoped we could be friends. It’s good to have friends.” He stubbed out his cigar on the table. “It’s true that I don’t police my pack much. But if I wanted a flock of sheep, I’d have bought a farm. We’re shifters, Trey. We have a wildness inside us that humans will never understand. Why should we tone it down and pretend to be what we’re not? Don’t you see that it makes us seem weak to the humans? It’s the same principle as when you’re dealing with a spoiled kid. If you don’t ignore their little outbursts and just carry on as normal, they’ll keep
on having them. You can’t show them mercy or give in; if you do, they’ll see you as weak, and they won’t respect you.”

  “You’re saying you don’t police your pack because you think letting them do what they like will earn you people’s respect?” asked Trey. “Let’s go back to the spoiled kid analogy. You got this spoiled kid—let’s call him Drake—who has some serious issues. If his parents don’t guide or temper or insist on his respect, he’ll do whatever the fuck he wants and they won’t have his respect.”

  Morelli looked at his Beta. “You respect me, don’t you, Drake?”

  Still grinning, Drake said, “Of course I do, Alpha.”

  Morelli nodded at Trey, satisfied. “There you go.” He rubbed at his jaw. “This PR work . . . there’s no point to it. Humans will never fully accept us. Never. There will be a war between us and them sooner or later. No matter what we do or how cuddly we try to look, it will come. Maybe the extremists will lead it, maybe the government will lead it. Shit, maybe our own kind will start it—I don’t know. But it will come. And you know what, Trey? We’ll be easy pickings, and I’ll tell you why that is. It’s because we won’t unite. We won’t go out and fight as one. We’ll hang back and defend our territories and our vulnerable members—it’s instinct. That’s why we’ll lose.”

  Trey lifted a brow. “You’re saying we should all band together?”

  “Yes. I don’t just mean wolf packs allying with each other. I’m talking all the local packs, prides, flocks, clans, herds, and whatever else there might be. We need to be ready. In order to be ready, we need to have a plan in place.”

  “And I’m guessing you have a plan.”

  “Like I said, hanging back to defend our territories will be our downfall. But we can’t leave our vulnerable members. No, they’d die. What we need is somewhere for them to go. A sanctuary, if you will. Your territory would be the perfect place for the young and those unable to fight. They’d be inside a freaking mountain. I don’t know how spacious it is, but I have the funds and resources to make that dwelling bigger and better if it’s necessary. They could all hole up there, and you can do what you do best, Trey. Protect. Defend.”

  Trey’s eyes narrowed slightly. “That’s what I do best?”

  “You’re not an Alpha who looks for trouble or goes around challenging people. You protect your pack, defend your territory, aid your allies, and retaliate where necessary. You’re a hell of a fighter, but you don’t fight for fighting’s sake. Not many would take lone shifters into their pack, but you do. Just like you helped defend a shelter for lone shifters. Recently your pack even helped a human who was being targeted by her own kind purely for speaking up for one of ours. These are the actions of someone I can respect. The actions of someone who is a protector at his core.”

  “And where will you be when me and my pack are protecting the vulnerable?”

  Morelli shrugged. “Someone has to lead the fight.”

  For a long moment Trey said nothing. “I underestimated you, Morelli. You’re smarter than I gave you credit for. You know just what to say. Just how to twist something to appeal to someone. But here’s the thing: you underestimated me too. You thought you could meet with me, appeal to my protective streak, and get what you want—which isn’t an alliance. Not really. You’re not collecting alliances. You’re building an army.” Trey pushed to his feet and stepped over the bench seat. “My pack won’t be a squad within your army.”

  Eyes hardening, Morelli said, “The war will come. Your territory is the ideal place for the vulnerable to hide.”

  “And if other shifters knew I’d provide sanctuary for their members, they’d be much more inclined to listen to you, wouldn’t they?” Trey snorted. “If you want people to join you, you need to get your shit together and act like an Alpha. No one will trust you to lead them in an army when you can’t even lead your own damn pack. The fact that you’ve elected that twisted fucker to be your Beta speaks volumes about what kind of person you are.”

  Flushing, Drake tried launching himself at Trey. Before anyone had the chance to move, Trick struck, slamming his fist into Drake’s jaw and delivering a body shot to the ribs that made the dumb asshole keel over and drop to his knees, winded.

  Morelli laughed, clapping his hands as if he were watching a show. “Good reflexes, hero. It’s not often people take Drake off guard.” He sighed at his Beta, like the guy was an unruly kid in a classroom. “I’m trying to have a conversation here, Drake. Simmer down, will you?” Shaking his head, he turned back to Trey. “Take some time to think about my proposal. Talk it over with your mate. You’ll see that I’m right. When you do, give me a call.”

  As the Mortelle wolves walked away, Trey called out, “One last thing. If you try planting any more GPS trackers on my property, I’ll rip your fucking throat out.”

  Morelli’s face split into a grin. “I love how you say that with no emotion whatsoever. Me? I’m an emotional guy. Which is why I’m quite hurt that you’d suspect me of planting trackers.” Face lined with mock pain, he turned and strode away.

  Heading back to the SUV with his pack mates, Trick said with utter certainty, “It was definitely Morelli who planted the trackers.”

  “Yep,” agreed Dante.

  “You know what worries me more than anything he said?” asked Dominic. “He wants this war. You can see it in his eyes. I think if he gets enough people behind him, he might actually start it himself.”

  Trey nodded. “And he could just as easily turn that army on his own kind as he could on humans.”

  “He wants our territory,” said Trick. “It’s not just about using it as a sanctuary, though I think he’d like to do that. No, he wants it.” Trick looked at Trey. “He just doesn’t want to fight you for it.”

  “I agree,” said Dante. “He knows he won’t win a fight against you, Trey, and he knows that he’ll earn himself plenty of enemies even if he did miraculously win. For that reason, it’s a losing situation for him. He’s smart enough to know that.”

  “He won’t drop this, though,” warned Dominic. “He has a plan. We’re part of it. I don’t think he’ll let anything mess with it. No, I think he’ll try and get us on his side.”

  “How?” asked Trey.

  Dominic shrugged. “I don’t know. And that bugs me.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  The tall gates swung open slowly, and Frankie drove across the border of Phoenix Pack territory. She paused at a security shack just as a male strode out. When she lowered the window, he bent forward. He was kind of cute, especially with the dimpled smile. He was also mated—she could smell it. “Hi, I’m—”

  “Frankie Newman,” he finished. “Lydia told me you’d be here at noon.”

  She’d called Lydia the previous night and arranged to come, because Trick had been right. The situation was fucked up and she wasn’t sure what to think, feel, or believe, but she would in fact regret not meeting Iris.

  “I’m Gabe Farrow. You won’t remember me. You were good friends with my sister, Jaime. She’s inside, looking forward to seeing you again.”

  Frankie’s smile was a little nervous. “Great. What route do I take to—” Her head whipped to the side as her passenger door was pulled open. Trick slid into the car. His smile was lazy and languid and made her wolf sit up in interest.

  “Hello, Frankie.” Trick tipped his chin at Gabe and said, “See you at dinner, if not before.” He then turned back to her. “You can give me a ride.”

  She slowly lifted a brow. “Can I?”

  “Sure. Just follow the road.”

  Her tires crunched as they started up the rocky trail. She didn’t drive fast, wanting to take in her surroundings. The territory was massive. Full of tall regal trees, lush grass, and steep, craggy mountains. Beautiful.

  Feeling the weight of Trick’s gaze on her skin, she threw him a sideways frown. “Stop staring.”

  “But you’re such a pretty view.” Trick loved looking at her. Loved absorbing every inch of h
er, knowing deep down to his soul that she was his.

  He’d never in his life felt possessive of a partner, but the emotion roared through him whenever he saw her, thought of her, inhaled her scent. He was doing his best to hide it, tone down his intensity, and come across as easygoing so she didn’t slam up her guard. It was hard; he wasn’t used to subtlety. By nature he was forward and outspoken. But he didn’t want to fuck this up. So far she’d been relatively relaxed around him, though he doubted she knew why.

  His wolf was currently feeling rather self-satisfied, content to have his mate on his territory. The animal wanted to bite and claim her, and he was becoming increasingly pissed off at Trick for failing to do so. “Nervous?”

  “Not really,” said Frankie. God, she was such a liar. Her muscles were twitchy, her stomach kept rolling, and her mouth was dry as a bone. Yeah, well, it wasn’t every day that a girl went to visit a grandmother and bunch of pack mates she couldn’t remember. Honestly, she was glad Trick was there; he had a way of settling her. “I don’t know what to expect. I don’t like that.”

  “Iris and Lydia are more nervous than you are. Once upon a time, you were a little girl who adored them unconditionally. It’s hard for them that you don’t remember them.”

  “I can’t help that,” she said defensively.

  “No, you can’t. No one’s expecting you to,” Trick assured her. And if anyone made her feel bad about it, he’d give them a ration of shit. “How’s the hellhorse coming along?”

  “Good.” She brought the car to an abrupt halt as something caught her attention. “Is that . . . Are there windows and balconies on that mountain?”

  Trick grinned, proud of how observant his mate was. “You’ve got a good eye. Very few people notice until we point them out.”

  Frankie stared at it openmouthed, taking in the small windows, the pretty arched balconies, and the narrow stairways that had been carved into the face of the mountain. “Now that’s art.”

  “Yeah, I guess it is.” Trick hadn’t really thought of it that way before. “My Alpha female, Taryn, calls it Bedrock.”