by Gina Kincade
The younger boy stopped paying attention to them, trying to help the burden that fell on to Kane.
Dez watches, looking for a weakness in the group of four that is slowly killing Kane. There.
She charges past Kane, just brushing him, scratching the throat out of the one wolf while her teeth close around the throat of the other. The leader gets brought down by Kane. Glancing at Kane, he regards her, eyebrows raised.
The last wolf tries to run, but Dez can’t let him go. She sees the recognition flash across his eyes.
With a roar, she attacks him, effectively dismembering him for the other local hunters. Standing there, she knows they are watching.
I guess it was bound to happen, eh, gals?
Kane
His mind is spinning. He is feeling the blood dripping down his chest and arms. He is getting cut faster than he is healing. Chloe's gut-wrenching scream almost makes him fall to his knees.
Her pain is so great, he can feel his pack's distress. They are coming. He just has to hold out till they reply.
He hears a roar, but with his heart pounding so loudly, he isn't sure if he is hearing things, so he keeps fighting. Suddenly, Chloe's pain isn't a huge beacon in his mind. She is calming. He is not sure what caused the change, he just hopes she isn't dying before the other gets to her.
An intense orange blur flies past him, taking out two of the wolves in no time at all, allowing him to destroy the piece of shit that wanted Chloe.
When the larger tiger looks at him, recognition flares in his chest and his heart starts pounding.
The tiger is beautiful. With an intense deep orange, like a sunset after a storm, and midnight black stripes, he can’t stop staring at the stranger's beauty.
His wolf growls, causing him to pause. What is your problem?
He feels his pack enter the clearing behind him. With a roar that sends the birds fluttering, the tiger takes off after the last wolf before the rest of his packs reaches him.
The tiger stops and stands there for a minute after tearing apart the wolf.
"Should we be worried about it?" Aria asks, keeping her voice quiet.
"That tiger just ripped apart a wolf like it was nothing," Trevor says, eyes wide.
Kane doesn't say anything. He waits.
Huffing, the tiger turns around and takes a couple steps toward them, the large paws indenting the soft earth before it stops.
"Boss, what do we do?" Anthony asks.
"Nooooo! She is nice. You can't hurt her," Chloe screams, running past them all, covered in blood.
Chloe grips the tiger tight, causing him to wince. "Chloe, come on. Don't squeeze the tiger too hard. You don't want to hurt her."
The tiger chuffs. "Hah. Yeah right, Kane. I can't hurt her," Chloe says, while the tiger shakes her head.
The tiger rubs her head against Chloe's side and stomach. "I am okay. Hurry back, though."
The tiger takes off in to the woods.
"Chloe, are you talking with her?" Kane asks, perplexed.
"More like talking at her, but she gets the drift."
A noise from the edge of the clearing draws their eyes, all still on guard.
"Yup. I get the drift."
Dez
Standing there, she smiles awkwardly. She knows her hair is a little intense, but her eyes are brown, thanks to her contacts.
Glancing at each person, they all wear matching expressions. Mouths open and eyes wide.
"You okay, Chloe?" she asks, looking at the girl.
"Yes. Thank you," Chloe says, running up and hugging her. "You know you smell like Kane, right?"
"I would imagine so," Dez says on a laugh. "Is that why everyone is still staring at me?"
"Oh. Nah. They are all staring because Kane shared your picture with the pack weeks ago to find you. I guess no one expected to see you. So, what's your name?"
Her eyes are wide. Innocent. Dez's heart thunders in her chest while thinking about what would have happened if she hadn't showed up.
"My name is Desiree, but I go by Dez. Nice to officially meet you." Dez offers her hand to Chloe, who giggles and shakes her hand.
A man around her age, standing off in the back, laughs while watching as Kane's face turns beat red. "I am Shawn Thames, Beta of this pack. Welcome. Thanks for saving our family."
It was Dez's turn to turn red, stuttering. "Oh ... Uh ... Nice to meet you. It wasn't a problem."
"Thanks for that. I do not know what would have happened if you didn't show up," Kane says in a ruff voice, the low rumble of his voice comforting to Dez and her animals.
"Well ... I was in the area when you both entered the clearing." Dez just shrugs, giving an awkward wave to the others in the pack.
"I guess introductions are in order," Kane says, his eyes smoldering. She can see his eyes darting to her stomach, yet no one has mentioned it yet. "Shawn has already introduced himself. Then we have Anthony, Aria, Zoey, Trevor, Tia, and Chloe. And Luca you met on the field."
She nods again, taking in all their names.
"Can we all just stop avoiding the fucking elephant in the room? She is obviously pregnant with Kane's kid. But that means fuck. She isn't a wolf. She won't strengthen him like he needs to save the pack!"
"What?" Dez asks, not understanding the whole saving the pack thing.
What did I get myself in to?
Kane
Kane growls. It isn't intentional, but this is too much for his wolf. This is the mother of his future baby, and a female who has zero claim on him is telling him what he should or shouldn't do.
Looking around, his pack all has their eyes down; submissive. Looking at Desiree, though, she is looking directly at him, a smirk quirking her lip.
"Damn it, Aria. Can't you leave things be at any point?" Kane shakes his head.
"Dez, what Aria was talking about is our current issue. The Smith pack is trying to take over our land and pack. They want our females." He sees her freeze, eyes glazing over, but he continues, "We were told the only way they can't attack us is if I am mated to another wolf."
His breathing is all he can hear while waiting for her to say something. He notices her absently rubbing her stomach, making him want to do the same.
Clearing her throat, Dez looks around. Not at anyone in particular. Just as if she needed to flee. Rubbing her arms, she says on an exhale, "They weren't after you this time."
"What?" His voice is deadly.
Her eyes tick back over to his. She says, louder this time, "They weren't after you guys this time. They were looking for me–" His growl is so loud, it interrupts her. "I usually never stay in one place longer than two weeks. I was going to leave–" His growling, once again, cuts her off.
Glaring at him, lips pursed, she says, "If you would let me actually fucking finish before getting your panties in a twist, you would know I was going to say plans changed," while gesturing to her still flattish belly.
Eyes blazing, he looks only at her when he says, "All right. Let’s head to the pack house. We have lots to discuss tonight."
Turning around, he can feel her heat radiating off her, calling him in like some siren song.
Dez
Dez stretches in Kane's bed, deliciously sore, her legs still sticky. Closing her eyes, she rolls over in the large bed, breathing in Kane's scent.
Mhmm ... man, sex, earth.
Rolling on to her back, the sheets still covering her pussy, she slowly drags her hand from her nipple to her throbbing clit, teasing with light strokes. Thinking of the way Kane dominated her the night before, she rubs faster. The way his body flexed as he came in her mouth, dripping his come down her jaw and chest. The way he pulled her hair and slapped her ass at just the right moment, hammering in to her, pulling down in to an orgasm so intense she started to cry. Then how he ended surprised her in the early morning, his stubble scratching against the inside of her thigh, causing her legs to tremble while he devoured her and brought her to new heights.
"Mmm. Y
es, yes," A little more pressure, and she starts fucking herself with her fingers, coming all over her hand.
Smiling, she hops out of the bed and stretches, her pussy clenching, wanting to be filled, again, but by Kane's cock. Not her fingers. They are totally inadequate compared to how Kane handles his package.
Even with her confession last night about Justin wanting her due to her ability to create shifters, they still let her in to their home. Their lives. Kane even let her in to his bed. Her thank you seemed so insignificant.
Heading in to the en-suite, she showers up, prepared to spend the day with Kane and his pack.
Dez
Walking into the kitchen, seeing Kane standing at the stove while he and Chloe cook alight something in Desiree’s chest. Leaning against the doorframe, watching the two of them as Chloe wipes pancake mix on his handsome face causes a smile to stretch across Desiree’s face, while Chloe runs away, laughing like a hyena.
Wiping his face, the muscles is his arm bulging and flexing cause an image of the night before to flash unbidden behind her eyes. The resulting sound, across between her wolf and tiger, something she has never heard herself make before, causing her cheeks to warm.
Whipping his head around, Kane sees her standing there, hair wet, dripping, in a pair of his black spandex gym shorts and an old band t-shirt. His lip quirks, “Hmm, I see you found some clothes.”
Turning back to the stove, flipping the pancake perfectly, he chuckles and says, “Did you just burp? What was that?”
Opening her mouth to speak someone else interrupts, “Kane, please. Do not get her all hot and bothered. One of you is enough.” Zoey turns to face Dez, a smirk on her lips. “Dez, think you can leave your boy toy alone for the day? Come hang out with us?”
Dez fights the blush she feels rising again, cursing her pale skin, “Uh, sure. Who is us?”
“The whole pack is going except Kane. He is on bar duty today.”
Dez glances from Kane to Zoey, “Am I missing something?”
“Nope.” Kane says, a slight growl in his voice. “It is my day for bar duty and they all planned to spend the day at the beach. Welcome to the pack. They don’t just invite anyone.”
“I heard beach! Is everyone ready for when we are done breakfast?” Aria asks, waltzing into the open concept room with barely a glance in Dez’s direction.
Hopping up and down, Zoey beams at Aria, “Dez said she would joins us today!”
“Thank god. Give that room of yours a break.” Aria says, eyes narrowed at Dez.
Not one for taking things lightly, especially when made in an attempt to bother someone, Dez takes a step forward before a large arm scoops her up, causing her to giggle.
“Aria. Enough. New house rule. No making fun of Dez and her sexual conquests. If she has a huge sexual appetite who are we to judge?” Kane says while kissing Dez on the forehead and moving out of reach of her slap, causing those around them to laugh. Except Aria.
Watching Aria stomp away to sit on the couch, Dez hears a faint whisper, “Damn cats.”
Flexing her hands, calming herself, Dez vows to herself to make a point out of figuring Aria out. A person is just not so angry all the time for no reason.
“Breakfast.” Kane calls out, as footsteps are heard coming from all directions.
Dex pulls out the chair beside Kane’s head of the table seat, the oak chair gliding across the floor, before she sits down to eat. Glancing at the rest of the pack, smiling, laughing, and talking about their planned day at the beach causes Dez’s heart to thump painfully in her chest.
Blinking back tears, she looks to Kane, his face full of the love and joy he feels for his pack. As they eat an image comes to mind, one her animals think is her move, one she knows Kane and his pack will not approve of as an unofficial member of their pack.
How they all made her feel welcome, except Aria, is something she will never forget. It is also the reason she has to help save them, maybe even saving her in the process.
Kane
Kane's heart expands, thinking of that first day he saw Desiree all those weeks ago. There was something even then, though he didn't know what. Even knowing what tomorrow could bring, he can't admit to wanting to change a thing. He met a woman who challenges him. Who makes him hard with a glance. Who knows how to tease and make people laugh.
He received a letter, taped to the door.
Kane,
You will meet us in the clearing just outside your property tomorrow after sunrise. We are advising you to meet us as scheduled. The clearing is for your town’s benefit. If we need to track you down it will just make it harder on everyone.
Jack Smith
After informing the pack, staring at the woman he is falling head over heels in love with, he can't seem to care that he may die tomorrow. Watching her take control with sunlight streaming through the window painting her hair gold while calming everyone, coming up with a plan for them to follow, his heart thumps, painfully in his chest.
The last couple weeks, he was living in a bubble. All the while, Dez had been spending time with, caring for, and even teaching those in his pack how to fight. Not giving any care to what could happen, not only to herself but to their baby, when the other pack decided to take it away.
An echoing growl makes its way through his jumble of thoughts. She is ours. They will not be taking her.
Moving closer to the group, he joins the conversation, covering the plan they are discussing for the impending fight with the Smith pack. Sitting beside Dez, he can't help but grasp her hand tightly, never wanting to let go.
Dez
Dez realized over the last couple days that she can save Kane and his pack. He wouldn't approve of her plan, but she has never been one to follow rules.
Walking in to the backyard of the pack house, a secluded gazebo is set up, with a small fire burning a little distance away. The flames reach out like a starving man, hoping to grow, to build, but Kane set it up in the perfect spot. No fire hazards for us.
Desiree tentatively takes a step in to the gazebo. The wooden plank floor groans under protest, causing her to flinch at the ugly sound interrupting the serene moment.
Kane spins around. His handsome face, even with the fire casting shadows, is as stunning any Greek deity. His smile clears all thoughts of tomorrow out of her mind. It is just him and her tonight.
"Sit down, beautiful." He gestures to an area he created into their bed.
"You really outdid yourself. You know that? I don't think I have seen anything so pretty," Dez says, gazing around at the way he enclosed the space, making it airy yet private.
His hand grabs her chin, slowly turning her head to look at him. "I love you, Desiree Osmond. These last couple weeks with you, seeing you with my pack, the way you care for everyone, the way you try to hide yet clearly you are meant to shine ... I love you more than you know," Kane finishes on a whisper, his lips feather light against hers.
Grabbing his face, she kisses him. As soft as a butterfly wing’s caress. Resting her forehead against his, she whispers, "I could travel the world, and I would always choose to come back here. I love you, too."
His eyes darken, causing her pulse to quicken. Kissing her, he lays her back. His hands caressing, touching, exploring. With gentle fingers, they remove each other’s clothes. Goosebumps pebble her skin, the night air like a cool blanket against the heat they create.
Ever so slowly, he moves inside her, gazing in to each other’s eyes. She pulls him closer, feeling his heart beat, just as erratic, against her chest. Eye contact was never a thing Dez would do. Awkwardness set in and then she hated it. This was different. She was floating, in a cloud, with her own sun lighting the way.
"Ahh..." Dez moans, her breath coming quicker.
His warm breath is against her neck.
They are coming together, her body soaring with his. Closing her eyes, she bites him, marks him, heeling him instantly to not alert him to the mark. Burying her head in to his neck, she
cries.
"My love, I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" He is searching her face, trying to find the cause of her sorrow.
"No. Not at all. You just showed me what I have always been missing," she says with a shy smile, causing his face to light up.
Pulling out of her causes her to instantly miss his cock and his warm body atop her. She doesn't miss it for long, as he is grabbing a blanket and tossing it over them, pulling her in to his side.
Kissing the top of her head, he whispers, "I have never in my life loved someone as much as I love you."
Her animals make sounds of approval, vibrating her chest. "I'm glad your animal approves." A smile is evident in his voice.
"Night, my love," she whispers back, her voice puffing in to the air, hoping tomorrow goes to plan and she doesn't lose the best thing that has ever happened to her.
Kane
Rolling over with a smile, Kane reaches for Desiree, hoping to get them off before going to meet the other pack. Instead, he finds empty space.
Sitting up, the puts his hand back on the sheets, the coolness of them settling like a rock in his throat.
Throwing on his pants and shirt, he stomps down from the gazebo, the smoke of the fire weaving its way through the air, trying to escape, the only living thing he sees.
Walking in to the house, the mood is somber.
Everyone is up. They are walking around, cooking or eating, yet no one is talking. No one is laughing.
"Has anyone seen Dez?" he asks gruffly, confusion and anger battling his emotions while walking over to grab a coffee.
"No. I have been up for a while and she never showed up," Shawn says, looking in to his coffee mug, the steam rising up to meet him.
"Dez is gone?" Chloe's young voice cracks, but she doesn't cry. She pulls back her shoulders and sits down to eat.
