by Jenny Frame
I’m only here for a few weeks and I’ll be gone. Stop thinking like this.
Kenrick shook off her thoughts and opened the door. Dion and Meghan shot past her at the top of the stairs.
“Morning guys,” Kenrick said.
Meghan doubled back and gave Kenrick a hug. “Good morning, Ricky. We’re late for school.”
Meghan ran off and Dion said, “Hey, Ricky, will you play video games with me tonight?”
“Aye, I’d love to. See you after school.”
Kenrick walked downstairs just as Eden was seeing the two kids out the front door. “Remember to give your teacher your field trip money.”
Eden sighed when she shut the door.
“Busy morning?” Kenrick said.
Eden rolled her eyes. “You could say that. We all slept in.” Then Eden’s face lit up. “Come and let me take a look at you in your suit.”
Kenrick trudged towards her like a cub. Eden brushed some fluff from her shoulder and gushed, “You look so handsome and smart.”
“I feel like an idiot,” Kenrick replied.
“I know it’s not you, Ricky, but you do look good in it from where I’m standing. Dante did say you didn’t have to wear one.”
Kenrick pulled herself together. “No, I don’t want Dante’s staff or clients to think she has some uncivilized Highlander working for her.”
“Where’s the tie?” Eden asked.
“In my pocket. I…it looked stupid,” Kenrick said.
“I was thinking,” Eden said, “why don’t you ask Zaria to Lena and Caden’s cub celebration on Friday? You got on so well yesterday.”
Kenrick would have loved to, but with how frosty Zaria was last night, she didn’t think Zaria would agree. “I’m not sure if she’d want to, Eden. Zaria doesn’t do well in large groups of dominant wolves.”
“All the more reason to bring her. She has a warped sense of what wolf relationships should be. We need to show her she’s wrong, and what better way than a gathering full of happy wolves, couples and cubs, celebrating a new arrival.”
Kenrick nodded and looked at her shoes. “Aye, you’re right. I’ll ask, if I see her.”
Eden narrowed her eyes and said, “You like her, don’t you, Ricky?”
Kenrick was about to speak but was interrupted by Dante running down the stairs, frantically trying close her briefcase.
“We’re late, Ricky. Let’s go.”
Eden growled and pulled Dante to her by the lapels. “Not before I get my kiss, Alpha.”
Dante growled and they kissed each other passionately. Kenrick felt she was intruding on their moment.
“I’ll wait outside at the car, Dante.”
As she walked outside, she prayed to the Great Mother to bless her with a mate and cubs. Nothing would make her happier. Then Zaria’s face floated across her mind.
“Zari,” Kenrick said wishfully.
* * *
Wolfgang executives and heads of departments filed out of the Venator conference room. Dante sat at the head of the table with Kenrick beside her, taking notes on an iPad.
“So you made it through your first day. How do you feel?” Dante asked.
“It’s different, but I’ve got lots of new ideas from the way you do things. My pater is from a different generation, and everything isn’t as streamlined as it could be. I think for the business to grow, I need to modernize. Upgrade computer systems and equipment. That way I can keep a better handle on the business.”
“You’re already thinking like a business wolf,” Dante said with a wink.
Kenrick laughed. “I don’t know about that, but I want keep growing the Wulver brand and make my pater and grandpater proud.”
Dante closed her folders and said, “Don’t be hard on yourself—it takes some time to adjust. I think it took me about a year working in here before I got on top of things. My heart was always out there, in the fields with Caden, working with the cattle.”
Kenrick tapped her fingernails on the table. “I just hope I don’t disappoint my pater. I want to make him proud.”
Dante smacked her on the back. “You know you will. You’ve done enough for one day. I’ve got a couple of calls to make before I head home, but you go ahead.”
“Thanks.”
“Oh, how is Zaria doing? I hear you took her out yesterday,” Dante said.
Kenrick sighed. “Yeah, I did. She’s so damaged, Dante. The Lupas have really scarred her, especially Ovid. She hasn’t told me any more than she told you, but you can guess. Thanks for taking the guards off her door.”
“The Mater trusts her, that’s good enough for me, but I will remain cautious. Also, the Lupas will know she is here now, and if they want her, there’s even more reason to attack us.”
Kenrick growled. “They’ll only get near Zaria over my dead body.”
* * *
Zaria walked down Main Street, her head down, still looking over her shoulder. She didn’t think she’d ever get over that impulse. She couldn’t quite believe she was still here. Last night after seeing Marco, she returned to her apartment, picked up her bag, and started walking to the county border. As she walked, she couldn’t get Kenrick’s face out of her mind. She felt like she was betraying Ricky and all her kindness. Zaria had stopped at the border and asked her heart what she should do, and without further hesitation she turned back. She had to at least tell Kenrick face to face that she was leaving.
So here she was, making her way to Venator to meet Kenrick after her first day at the office. She knew this was a big deal for Kenrick and wanted to be there for her after brushing her off last night. She could at least give Kenrick some support before she told her she was leaving.
A familiar voice roused Zaria from her deep thoughts. It was Kyra, the wolf who came with the Mater and Vance to bring her clothes and welcome her. She’d really enjoyed Kyra’s company. She’d never had friends since she left the Lupa pack lands, and it was nice to have someone her own age to talk to. This time Kyra had a dog with her. It was highly unusual for weres to have dogs. The dogs tended to get spooked by them, but this one looked quite happy, and all the wolves that passed Kyra stopped to pet it.
She walked across the road to the front of the Big Bad Wolf Diner, where Kyra was standing. Kyra immediately gave her a hug. Another new thing to her was the close reassuring touches from fellow wolves. Wolves thrived on close community and Zaria had been alone for a long, long time.
“Hi, Zaria. Let me introduce you to our dog, Storm.”
She held out her hand to let Storm sniff and suss her out. “Hi, Storm. He’s a handsome boy.”
Kyra smiled brightly. “He sure is. So, how are you settling in?”
“Slowly, I guess,” Zaria said. “I’m not used to being in a wolf pack, but everyone has been so kind.”
“Great. My friend Lena—you know, the pack Second’s mate?”
Zaria did remember. Caden was the most suspicious of her. “Yeah?”
“Well, she and Caden are having a party for their new cub on Friday. Lena wanted me to invite you. She really wants to meet you.”
Zaria felt panic. She’d be in a room full of dominants, and that gave her such fear. “I don’t know, Kyra. I’m not good in crowds, and besides I’m not a Wolfgang.”
Kyra grasped her hand. “You don’t have to be frightened of anyone any more. You’re one of us now, no matter what you think. At least think about it?”
“Okay, I will.”
“Fabulous, now I need to run. Wedding planning with Ripp.” Kyra then rummaged in her bag and pulled out an envelope. “I almost forgot. This is for you. See you later.” Kyra handed her the envelope and ran off.
Zaria opened it and pulled out an invitation to Kyra and Ripp’s mating ceremony.
She closed her eyes and sighed. This wolf pack was being so nice to her, and she was lying to them. Eventually, she’d either have to come clean or run. But which?
* * *
Kenrick walked down the steps
outside the Venator building. Wolves saluted her as they passed. Zaria was going to find out who she was eventually, but should she tell her now or wait until she’d gained more of her trust?”
At the bottom of the stairs she spotted Zaria siting on the last step, waiting for her. Kenrick’s heart soared. She stopped for a second and just gazed at Zaria.
The afternoon sun shone on her and amplified that imaginary arrow she thought the Great Mother was showing her. Kenrick was just mesmerized by Zaria’s long dark hair. She couldn’t see her eyes from here but could remember every detail of them. Kenrick could lose herself in Zaria’s deep brown eyes. She had fallen asleep last night thinking of those eyes and wishing that Zaria could feel how she did.
Kenrick walked up to her and said, “Zari?”
Zaria stood up and looked her up and down. “You look good in your suit.”
Kenrick took off her suit jacket and put it over her shoulder. “It just feels wrong to me.”
“Maybe it’s what it symbolizes that bothers you,” Zaria suggested.
Did Zaria know? Had someone told her? “What do you mean?”
“That you’re giving up the life you love for another, working in an office environment, I meant.”
“Oh, okay.” Kenrick breathed a sigh of relief. “So what brings you here?”
Zaria looked away quickly. “I just wanted to see how your first day went and thought we could talk.”
“Why don’t we go for a run? I can’t wait to get out of this and feel the ground beneath my paws.”
“Sure,” Zaria said.
Kenrick’s spirits lifted. Running with Zaria sounded like the best thing in the world. “Let’s go.”
She took Zaria’s hand without thinking but was so happy when Zaria didn’t pull away. That was a big thing. Zaria trusted her.
* * *
They walked along the lakeside slowly on their way to the edge of the forest, chatting about Kenrick’s day as they went. Zaria didn’t know when to bring up that she was leaving. Kenrick was full of energy and excitement about their run, and she didn’t want to kill the moment.
“So, tell me about your pack, the Wulvers, and your family,” Zaria said.
“There’s not much to tell really. We live a pretty quiet life in Wulver Forest. There’s the distillery, the first part of our business and the most important.”
“Is it true that the Wulvers can drink alcohol?” Zaria asked.
Kenrick smiled. “Yes, we and the Irish Filtiaran pack can. It’s in our blood. We’ve built up a tolerance to it, a bit like snake handlers can build up a tolerance to some poisons.”
Zaria shook her head. “I always assumed it was a myth. I mean, even coffee gives me a buzz I can’t handle. Tell me more.”
“Um…the two most important things to the Wulvers are the loch and the forest.” Kenrick stopped and turned to her. She put her hand on her heart and said, “The spirits of the loch and the trees are written on our hearts, and even though I’m so far away, if I close my eyes, I can still smell the fresh clear loch water, and the pine of our deep forest.”
Kenrick had closed her eyes and appeared to be lost in the moment. She was so beautiful like this, so beautiful that Zaria had to stop from reaching out and touching her.
“That was beautiful, Ricky. Wulver Forest sounds perfect,” Zaria said.
Kenrick opened her eyes. “It is, and I’m missing it, but now that I’ve met you it was all worth it.”
The tension hung heavily between them. Zaria couldn’t believe her wolf was making her feel this way. Having fought against attraction since she left Lupa pack lands, to feel it now with a wolf who she had to leave was maddening.
Why her?
Because she is the one, she felt her wolf tell her.
Stop it. Zaria had to change this atmosphere between them. “What about your family?”
A slightly melancholy look came across Kenrick’s face. She started to walk again and Zaria caught up quickly.
“Ricky? Don’t you want to talk about your family?”
“What? No, of course I do. There’s my pater, Fergus and my ma, Elspeth.” Kenrick was growing ever more nervous at Zaria’s line of questioning.
“What do they do exactly? You said your pater worked in the office end of the Wulver business.”
Tell her. Tell her now, Kenrick told herself. The lie was only going to grow and grow, but she couldn’t bear the thought of losing Zaria’s trust.
So she lied again, and then changed the subject. “Aye, administration. Nothing exciting. My best friend is called Rhuri. We do everything together.”
“Are they a submissive?” Zaria questioned with an edge to her voice.
Did Zaria really care if anyone had a claim over her? “No, dominant. She’s unmated but takes care of her niece. Her sister was killed and her cub was brought back to us. It’s hard for Rhuri on her own, she’s not exactly the mother type, and her niece Milo is half witch, but no one loves that child more than Rhuri, and the whole pack chips in.”
“That’s really nice. She sounds like a kind wolf,” Zaria said.
Kenrick could sense Zaria’s sadness. She knew what it was like to be a young cub on her own.
“We’re not all bad, Zari. Dominants, I mean. We care, we love, we respect. I wish you could understand that.”
Zaria didn’t reply and they walked on in silence.
* * *
When they got under the cover of the trees, Kenrick threw her jacket on the ground and immediately began to pull off her shirt and kick off her shoes.
Zaria hungrily appraised Kenrick’s naked torso and arms. She was so solid, so strong, and whereas she always had seen strength and muscles as weapons that could be used against her and other submissives, Kenrick’s strength made her feel safe, excited, horny, hungry—all the things she had never experienced before. Was this normal in other packs? The sweet story of Kenrick’s best friend made her want to think it was true, but it was so hard to fight against her fear.
As Zaria gazed at Kenrick’s body, she felt her wolf’s teeth breaking through her gums, and saliva filled her mouth. Zaria’s wolf told her to go over there and sink her teeth into Kenrick’s shoulder and claim her.
Zaria closed her eyes. Stop it. I can’t.
When she opened her eyes, Kenrick was standing right in front of her, and Zaria couldn’t take her eyes from Kenrick’s torso. Her small breasts and hard nipples were just in front of her, and she had the urge to scratch her claws right across her chest, then lick the wound she had made. The very thought made her sex wet and ache so very desperately.
“Are you okay, Zari?” Kenrick asked.
Zaria quickly gathered up Kenrick’s discarded clothes and put them in a pile. “You can’t just throw your clothes anywhere, Ricky.”
“Relax, lassie. It’ll be fine.”
By the Great Mother, Zaria thought. Every time she opened her mouth, Kenrick was sexy. That accent did things to her. Why did she have to be so perfect?
Kenrick took a big breath of air. “Smell the scent of the forest, Zari. It makes you feel alive. Not the same as Wulver Forest, but still.” Kenrick hadn’t shifted but she ran and grabbed a tree branch. She vaulted up into the tree and clambered up higher.
“Ricky? What are you doing?”
“Having fun. I love to play in trees. Watch,” Kenrick said.
Kenrick climbed higher up the tree then walked out onto a long branch. She balanced liked a tightrope walker. Zaria had never seen a wolf so at home in her human form and enjoying it as much as her wolf form.
“Be careful, Ricky,” Zaria shouted up.
Kenrick looked down at her with the biggest smile on her face. “I don’t need to be careful. I grew up jumping through the trees.”
She stopped in the middle of the branch and leapt high in the air. Zaria gasped, but Kenrick landed perfectly back on the branch with only the slightest of shakes.
“Come down, Ricky,” Zaria shouted.
K
enrick jumped off, swinging round the branch with her hands, and summersaulted, landing right in front of Zaria, breathing hard, her eyes yellow, her teeth bared.
Zaria was lost for words. She had never seen anything so erotic as Kenrick after her physical display of strength and skill. Her muscles were taut and a slight sheen of sweat covered her skin.
Kenrick growled, low and wanting, and on pure instinct Zaria responded with her own growl and walked the few steps to Kenrick. Her hand shook as she placed it between Kenrick’s breasts on her chest, and then her nose followed Kenrick’s dizzying erotic scent to her neck. She didn’t touch but ran her nose all over the crook of Kenrick’s neck and shoulder.
Zaria moved to Kenrick’s cheek and whispered, “You could have hurt yourself, Ricky.”
Kenrick touched her cheek gently to Zaria and rubbed her scent on her. “I’m a big wolf, Zari. I can look after myself.”
Kenrick’s scent was everywhere now swarming around her head, entering her body. The scent of lush, wet forests and sex had a dizzying effect on her, almost the way humans described being drunk. Then her mind threw cold water over her hot, hungry body. Drunk on love. Every young wolf had heard adults describe the need, the want, the desire for their mate as drunk on love, and Zaria felt it for the first time in her life.
She pulled away sharply and saw Kenrick had tight balled fists, her knuckles white with the effort of staying put. She wanted to touch me. She feels it too.
In that instant Zaria saw what this was becoming. Kenrick was trying to be the best-behaved dominant she could be so as not to frighten Zaria, but that could never last, and she was not going to be subjugated by any wolf, no matter how kind and gentle they appeared at first.
“No, Kenrick.” Zaria held her hand up, putting distance between them.
“No what?” Kenrick took her hand. “Can’t you feel this? I have since I found you lying in the road.”
