The two of them downed their beer and looked at Jarvis. He finished the rest of his and barely managed to maintain his anger as he slid the empty bottle across the bar. Holding his hand up when the bartender started to bring him another, Jarvis slid off the barstool. If the howlings about Katrin had made it into Prince George, there really was only one thing to do. He had to get her away from this pack.
“Toubec will put her down. You don’t need to hear the howlings to know that’s true. Rock Toubec can’t stand Malta werewolves. He’ll snap that female’s neck himself.”
Jarvis stormed out of the bar. He no longer cared about the temperature. Heading across town, he damn near ran the entire distance to Toubec’s. By the time he hit the ranch, he sprinted around the main den and outbuildings toward the back land where his littermate would be.
The work truck was where they usually parked it. It was half loaded and the smell of sweat was as thick as the humidity. Jarvis trudged up the hill until he picked up the scent of Jaeger. His littermate lugged timber over his shoulder. Another Cariboo male picked up the rear end.
“Jarvis,” Jaeger called out, sniffing the air and studying his littermate as he approached.
Jarvis waited until the two of them had loaded the lumber. Jaeger wiped his hands on his jeans and glanced at the other Cariboo before approaching Jarvis.
“Where have you been?” he whispered, glancing over his shoulder.
“With Katrin.”
“Keep it down, Cariboo,” Jaeger said under his breath.
“What are you smelling?” Jarvis asked.
“Nothing good.” Jaeger took Jarvis’ arm and led him away from the truck and the other male. “Where is she?”
“Safe,” Jarvis told him, glancing at the male, who was now leaning against the side of the truck watching the two of them. “Jaeger, we’re leaving Prince George.”
“What? Where are you going?” Jaeger hissed.
“I haven’t decided yet,” Jarvis murmured, looking toward the male. He smelled a bit too curious.
Jaeger immediately smelled Jarvis’ lie. His littermate took his arm and walked farther away from the other male.
“What’s going on?” he demanded.
“Katrin can’t stay here,” Jarvis whispered. “It’s too dangerous.”
“You’re probably right there. The howlings have grown since she left. There are growls about you too.” Jaeger glanced at the male watching them. “I’m sure it will travel fast that you’ve been here. Where are you going? I’ll go with you.”
“I think we might join Luther,” Jarvis admitted. He hadn’t told anyone his plan yet. Not even Katrin.
“I’m running with you. Where are you staying right now?”
Jarvis told him, then left his littermate. Jaeger would run to the McAllister den the next day once Katrin had time to heal.
After stopping at the small den where he and Jaeger had lived and stuffing all his clothes into a backpack, Jarvis then stopped by the Toubec den and spoke with the male briefly. The honorable thing to do was thank the male for the den and the chance to hunt on his land. Toubec said little but smelled concerned. Jarvis didn’t care how the male smelled. All of these werewolves were insane if they thought Katrin was going to bring any of them trouble.
It was midafternoon when Jarvis reached the McAllister den. Walking along the highway, after taking a shortcut through the fields and meadows between McAllister’s den and Toubec’s, he slowed when he saw the patrol car sitting in the driveway. Jarvis sniffed the air. Among the stench of gasoline and exhaust he picked up the scent of a werewolf. The male in the car wasn’t McAllister though.
Even in his human form, Jarvis’ hackles went up. The tiny hairs along his spine stood erect.
Jarvis approached the Prince George police officer, a growl lodged in his throat. “Why are you here?” he demanded. His female was in there and Jarvis would take anyone out, regardless of whose den this was.
“There’s a female Malta werewolf in there,” the male said, his arm resting on the rolled-down window. He stared up with sunglasses that showed Jarvis’ reflection.
“And so you’re going to sit out here and guard her like a prisoner?”
The male got out of the patrol car slowly, sizing Jarvis up. The cop was a thick-chested lunewulf with a blond crew cut. Jarvis stood several inches taller. Although the male was in his prime, he was a good ten to fifteen years older than Jarvis. It would hardly be a fair fight. The male didn’t carry a scent, an attribute obtained only by years of working to keep all emotions in check. Jarvis admired the male for that.
“I’m going to sit out here and make sure she doesn’t go anywhere,” the male told him.
“When she goes somewhere it will be with me,” Jarvis said and started toward the den.
“Wait right there,” the male lunewulf cop said, coming after him.
Jarvis spun around. “Go back to your police station, lunewulf,” Jarvis growled, unable to keep his teeth from growing. His words were slightly garbled and his hands fisted at his side when he faced the cop. “Tell whoever sent you over here that she is fine, safe and not a danger to anyone. But I might be if anyone else shows up here and tries keeping me from her.”
The cop—the tag on his uniform said Beuerlein—stared at Jarvis for a moment. If there were any thoughts in the male’s mind of taking Jarvis on, he welcomed the fight. He wouldn’t attack a cop but he would damn well protect his female and make sure this lunewulf pack knew Katrin wasn’t the one who might cause trouble if anyone tried messing with her.
Jarvis turned his back on the cop once again and walked up to the front door. It was locked. Then he remembered the back door was unlocked and started around the house.
Beuerlein was either an idiot or believed Jarvis wouldn’t really attack him. He wasn’t daunted but followed Jarvis until they were in the backyard. “Cariboo,” he growled.
Jarvis stopped with his hand on the back door.
“Are you planning on leaving with the female?”
“She’s my female,” Jarvis informed him.
Beuerlein nodded. “That’s fine. When are you leaving?”
“She’s injured. Once she can travel.”
“Where do you plan on going?”
Jarvis opened the glass door. “That’s none of your God damn business.”
There was movement inside the house and Jarvis took a step inside, ready to attack, when Katrin hobbled up to him carrying a glass of milk.
“What’s going on?” she asked, sniffing the air, then wrinkling her adorable nose. Her hair was tousled and it looked as if she’d recently woken up. She still wore the nightgown he’d put her in once he’d brought her back to this den.
“Are you Katrin Keller?” Beuerlein asked and took a step closer to the sliding doors.
Katrin didn’t smell as if she were in pain. She smelled so damn good, though, every muscle in Jarvis’ body hardened when she stepped closer. He didn’t want her anywhere near that cop with his attitude.
“Go back to the kitchen,” Jarvis growled, his teeth clenched.
“Why does he want to know?” Katrin asked.
Beuerlein heard her. “I have something for you.”
Jarvis didn’t move fast enough. The cop took another step toward Katrin, then pulled a gun. He fired and Katrin looked at him for a moment, stunned, then doubled over.
Jarvis roared. He leapt at the male, not caring what type of uniform the asshole wore. When Beuerlein aimed it at him, Jarvis ignored the weapon. He pounced, his yell not quite human when he made contact. Beuerlein fired twice and Jarvis went limp on the ground.
Chapter Eight
“Jarvis?”
Katrin brushed his blond curls away from his face. She stretched out alongside him naked in the large bed, where she’d woken that next morning still rather disoriented. It had taken some time to remember what the cop had told her when he’d stood over her as she drifted in and out of a tranquilized sleep.
&nbs
p; “Jarvis?” she repeated, whispering. It wouldn’t surprise her if McAllister or his mate were near the closed door listening to see when both of them were awake. Katrin wanted time alone with Jarvis before everyone started sniffing around them. “Are you awake?”
Jarvis blinked and stared at the ceiling before slowly turning his head and looking at Katrin.
“What happened?”
“That male lunewulf cop shot you and me with a mild tranquilizer.” Everything Beuerlein had told her seemed like a foggy dream, as well as what she did afterward. “I don’t know how long I was out but when I came to he was standing over us. He said it was necessary to make sure we didn’t run. I guess they can’t afford to have you disappear with me. They are worried if we run to another pack and it’s learned we left here then other packs might question why this pack didn’t kill me.”
Jarvis sat up quickly. “That fucking son of a bitch,” he snarled, but then grabbed his head.
Katrin took his arm and managed to pull him back down next to her. She wrapped her leg over his. “Just lie with me for a minute,” she urged. Never had she felt so close to dying. She certainly didn’t like thinking this pack felt they had the right to decide if she lived or not.
“Wait a minute.” Jarvis rolled over, pinning her against the mattress, and began running his fingers through her hair. “You need to know, my little red bitch, that I will take care of you. Yes, they got both of us this time. But it won’t happen twice. I’m so sorry that waste of lunewulf flesh shot you, too.”
“Yeah, it stung for a moment but I guess it wasn’t very strong. He said you leapt at him and forced him to shoot at you twice. It was odd,” she began, and searched through the muck in her brain as she remembered something. “I swear he smelled remorseful, or sad, as if he was sorry for what he had to do. I didn’t say anything, just laid there. When he left I dragged you up here.”
Jarvis raised one eyebrow, immediately smelling as if he didn’t believe her. “You dragged me up a flight of stairs with an injured leg?”
“I mend quickly and I’m strong enough to drag you up a flight of stairs, Cariboo.” It had hurt like hell but she’d been determined to have him out of sight where she could tend to him. Sheer adrenaline had allowed her to complete the task. “You’re here in the bed, aren’t you? I didn’t make you magically walk up the stairs when you were knocked out on your ass.”
Jarvis pinned her arms on either side of her head. His legs stretched out between hers and she noticed he was careful not to touch her still-wrapped leg.
“Did my female drag me to safety so she could protect me?” he growled.
“Something like that,” she admitted. It didn’t surprise her that Jarvis would swear to protect both of them. His loyalty and honor had always smelled strong on him. But he didn’t say it was out of love. Not that she expected it. Nor had he mentioned their mating. For now, she would accept what he offered. Silently she swore to protect him, too.
Her thoughts faded back into her still-dazed brain when he kissed her. It was more than a kiss. His mouth came down on hers and was so hot it burned her alive clear down to her toes. There was a tender spot on her shoulder where the lunewulf cop had shot her. He’d just grazed her skin, which apparently had been his intention. Her mending leg was still more of a distraction than anything else.
Although at the moment, nothing hurt. Jarvis’ large body was so muscular, so perfectly chiseled. He’d been so warm and his body relaxed when he slept. Now his body flexed. It was rock-hard. And his cock—damn!
Katrin’s body responded as fast as her mind did. Her initial waking thoughts dissipated along with the muck in her brain. Suddenly her head was clear and one thought paramount. She wanted him. As he kissed her, her pussy swelled. Arousal soaked her flesh and her entrance throbbed. Want wasn’t strong enough of a word—she needed him, desperately. It was a new sensation, this craving for someone else being as strong as her determination to survive. But it was there. Katrin accepted it and would mull over it later. For now, she greedily took what he offered. Later she’d dwell on how his life was now in danger because of her.
“Have you mended enough?” Jarvis whispered.
Her heart swelled as fiercely as her pussy had. “I was more worried about you,” she whispered.
Jarvis’ low, soft chuckle vibrated through his body. “This lunewulf pack doesn’t run with honor. To use a human weapon to knock me out is humiliating.” He grinned down at her when he raised his head just enough to stare into her eyes. “And very ineffective.”
Katrin smiled and adjusted her body underneath his. Now wasn’t the time to tell him she worried about his life. There weren’t any doubts about his ability to perform. She wrapped her legs around his torso. The bandage around her leg was loose and began slipping, but she didn’t care. Jarvis’ hard cock swelled against her pussy and she groaned, shifting her hips so he was pressed against her entrance.
“Not so fast, my little Cariboo,” Jarvis said.
When he pushed himself to his haunches Katrin reached for him, grabbing his arms. His strength had returned. She scratched her fingernails over his warm flesh and tried sitting.
Jarvis pressed his hand between her breasts. “Down, my beautiful female.”
She shoved her hair from her face. “You’re rather bossy, male,” she complained.
Katrin smiled though. Jarvis’ soft curls tapered around his face and his relaxed, content expression made her want to keep staring at him. He was so gorgeous. He didn’t seem bothered by his life being uprooted and in danger because of her. If anything, he smelled as content and happy as he looked.
“I want to see for myself how your leg is mending. My female isn’t going to have a limp.”
“I doubt I’m limping anymore,” she said, her heart fluttering and constricting at the same time at his endearing words. She allowed him to unwrap the bandage the pack doctor had put around her leg.
It was a bit tender when Jarvis raised her leg and ran his fingers from ankle to knee. But he had her spread open, and the smell of her arousal mixed with her strong sexual desires filled the room with an aroma strong enough to get drunk off of.
Jarvis examined her leg a moment longer before slowly putting her foot on the bed by his thigh. He still kneeled between her legs.
“You do seem to mend well,” he grunted, his attention shifting to other parts of her body. “Promise me you’ll never run from me again.”
“I wasn’t running from you,” she insisted. “I know it appears that way, but at the time I panicked that the blood running through me had turned this pack against me. Apparently I was right.”
“The howlings don’t smell good. But we’ll get through this together.” Jarvis didn’t look at her but focused on his fingers as he ran them up the inside of her thigh. “When were you going to tell me that you’re half Malta werewolf?”
She shrugged lazily. “I had hoped no one would sniff out that truth.”
Jarvis looked at her with eyes so blue they were mesmerizing. She smelled his lust but there was something else. “When I returned, that lunewulf cop was in his patrol car out front.”
“I’m a prisoner here.” Katrin’s heart beat faster as she began dwelling on being caged. It made her edgy and pissed. “And now both of us are.”
Jarvis smelled her anger. He brushed his fingers over her pussy. Katrin jerked in spite of herself.
“We can’t have this conversation while you’re doing that to me,” she hissed.
“We can discuss it soon. You’re so wet,” Jarvis growled and dipped his fingers into her entrance.
She bit her lip so she wouldn’t howl as pleasure ripped through her. He knelt forward, on all fours. At first he stroked the inside of her pussy slowly but then he thrust deep. Katrin damn near came off the bed.
She tasted blood where she’d bit her lip. “Jarvis, please. I’m on fire.”
“I smell that,” he crooned. “But you didn’t answer my question.”
She opened her eyes. Jarvis’ hair fell around his face, which was red with concentration. He smelled so damn good, a mixture of lust and determination.
“When were you going to tell me you were half Malta werewolf?”
“Does it matter?”
“No.” He answered fast enough that she didn’t have to smell the truth in his response. She knew he didn’t lie.
Maybe she’d already known Jarvis wouldn’t care what blood ran through her but hearing him admit it gave her a sense of relief she hadn’t known she needed.
“You’re my mate,” she whispered.
“Yes,” he growled, and thrust another finger so deep inside her she cried out.
Jarvis stopped the sound with his mouth, impaling hers with his tongue. She cried out as Jarvis fucked her mouth and pussy at the same time, bringing her closer to the edge.
When she reached between them for his cock, her hands eager to explore and learn every inch of the male who was now hers, Jarvis shifted.
She swore he chuckled as he kissed her.
His mouth left hers and he pressed his lips to her neck, her collarbone, then lower. Katrin grabbed his hair, pushing his face against her swollen breasts. “I want to know every inch of you. Oh!” she gasped.
Jarvis scraped his teeth over her sensitive nipple. “You will,” he murmured, then sucked her deep into his mouth.
His cock jerked against her but he pressed his body down when she tried again to reach for it.
“I want you too much,” he said as he shifted again. It was the only explanation he offered as he continued moving out of her reach.
Her nipples were soaked and incredibly sensitive when Jarvis began kissing her and moving down her stomach. He left a moist trail on her skin that brought out an even stronger scent. It mixed with the rich aroma filling the room. Katrin no longer cared if anyone knew what they were doing beyond that bedroom door. Jarvis brought out sensations in her she’d never felt before and she never wanted them to end.
“Katrin,” he whispered and gripped her legs. “Look at me.”
It dawned on her that her eyes were squeezed tight. The smells and physical sensations gripping her body had overwhelmed her and she drowned in them.
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