A Pack of Two

by Jacky Russell

  If that wasn’t bad enough, I only had three days left with Breanna. The thought of not seeing her made me sick. What had I been thinking coming here? She was everything I’d ever wanted and everything I couldn’t have. She had a life, a career, and though not blood-related, Bravo was her family. More importantly, she was happy here. She had everything she needed without me coming along and screwing up her life. She’d already had several run-ins with her fellow soldiers because of me. That couldn’t be good for her safety when they were on missions.

  I tried to be quiet while stepping through the front door of Galen’s guesthouse. It was about three in the morning and Trist would be asleep.

  “Hey, buddy, how’d it go?” Tristyn called over the chatter of the television.

  “Why are you still up?”

  Tristyn held up a phone. “Your girl called. She was worried about you, said you weren’t answering your phone.”

  My phone was in my jacket pocket. “My father kept texting, so I turned it off when we were working on her floor.”

  “While you were doing what?”

  I snatched a beer from the fridge and collapsed into the recliner. Trist stretched on the couch, watching a hockey game.

  “We laid tile in her bathroom.”

  “That was one hell of a romantic first date. What’s tomorrow? Plumbing the kitchen?”

  I took a slug of beer. “If that’s what she wants to do.”

  Trist crinkled his forehead. “Why are you in a foul mood? I thought you’d come back floating.”

  I shrugged. I didn’t want to talk about it. She was perfect and I was an idiot. What was I thinking? I had permission to visit, but couldn’t stay in another pack’s territory. This couldn’t be permanent.

  The phone hit my lap. “You need to call her,” Tristyn said, sounding annoyed.

  I snarled at his toss. “Yeah, I will.”

  “Now,” Tristyn insisted. “She’ll be over here if she doesn’t hear from you.”

  I stared at the phone. “It was a mistake for me to come here.”

  Trist looked at me like I had three heads. “What the hell is wrong with you? I thought you had a great time with Breanna.”

  “I did.”

  “So what’s the mistake?”

  “It can’t work between us.”

  “Why?”

  I threw the phone across the room. “Because I’m a damn pack wolf and can’t live here.”

  “Galen likes you. Why couldn’t you live here?”

  “My father will never release me to join the Wisconsin Pack. He would rather I go lone wolf and get killed than join another pack.”

  Tristyn retrieved the phone from the corner. “Fine. She can live in Italy. I know it isn’t as safe for a witch, but she’s more than capable of taking care of herself and, with you, she’d be fine.”

  “That would take her away from her career. Bravo is her family and I wouldn’t ask her to choose me over them.”

  Tristyn made a sarcastic face. “That’s very unselfish of you, little brother, but don’t you think she should have some say in this? And while we are on this topic, isn’t it a little early in your relationship to be deciding your future living arrangements?”

  “She’s the one.”

  Instead of a snappy comeback, Tristyn sat in the recliner beside me. “You know that already?”

  I did. She was the one I had been searching for my whole life. I had known the first night I saw her. The way she touched me, the way she looked at me. She was the one. It was crazy how everything happened so fast and now it was clear how cruel fate could be. I’d finally found her and I couldn’t have her.

  Tristyn bumped my knee with the phone. “I’ll do some research and find a way around your dad. Do you think Galen would let you stay in his territory as a lone wolf?”

  “Maybe, but that wouldn’t be fair to ask. My father would shit a brick and I don’t want to cause problems for Galen. I can’t even go lone wolf unless I’m released from the Italian Pack.”

  “You could challenge Josef.”

  “One of us would die.”

  Tristyn let out a breath. “Give it some time. Things will work out. Hell, look what Alexandria and I went through to be together. If it wasn’t for you, we would have never made it. There’s a way for you to be with Breanna. We’ll find it.” He tossed the phone in my lap. “Call her.”

  Breanna didn’t answer. I stepped onto the porch and called her again. The phone went to voicemail. I fumbled around for the keys to the SUV and headed back to her house. The Suburban’s accelerator was on the floor while the knot in my stomach tightened.

  Everything was dark. All seemed quiet. Four miles from Breanna’s house, the urge to turn down an unnamed side road was overwhelming. Immediately the glare of my headlights fell upon a kneeling form in the middle of the road.

  I knew it was her without seeing her face. My wolf knew. A wolf would always recognize his mate.

  Breanna shielded her eyes from the light. When she realized I was driving, she dashed to the driver’s door.

  “We gotta get him to Galen. He’s hurt.”

  I jumped out the door and followed her to the whimpering wolf. From the looks of it, he’d run out in front of a car. Blood trickled from his mouth. His eyes were glassy. If this was a pack wolf, Galen would already know he was hurt and should have been on his way.

  Breanna was stroking the wolf’s fur as if he were a harmless pet. I knelt beside her and the wolf growled, his lips pulled back, showing shiny white teeth.

  “Calm down. This is Lucas. You remember me telling you about him?”

  Silver-green eyes flickered toward me before settling on her. My wolf growled at the gentleness with which she touched the injured one. She should not have been touching another wolf. She was mine.

  A sharp slap on my arm startled both me and my wolf. “Don’t scare him, Lucas. He’s just a kid. Help me get him in the truck. I’ve called Galen. He’s not answering.”

  Get him in the truck? I didn’t help other wolves and I definitely didn’t touch them.

  “Have you got a blanket or anything in that monster vehicle?” she asked as she adjusted a homemade splint on the injured wolf’s leg.

  “Uh, no I don’t think so,” I stammered.

  She made an annoyed face. “Fine, we’ll make do.” She whipped off her jacket to reveal the most incredible arms. They were long and smooth, muscled and tan. I’d never really noticed a woman’s arms. Breanna’s were magnificent. She had a small tattoo of two crossed swords surrounded by a ring of fire. It was the same tattoo I’d seen on the wolves during the challenges.

  “Lucas?”

  I was staring. “How are we going to get him in the back?” I wasn’t touching him.

  She looked at me like I was a fruit bat. “You can pick him up.”

  “He’s a pack wolf,” I choked as Breanna stared at me with those mesmerizing amber eyes.

  “No, he’s not. He’s newly turned and new here. Now get over here and help me get him in the truck. I’ll hold his head.”

  I swallowed my protests and scooped the wolf into my arms. He rumbled. I ignored it, instead focusing on the beautiful woman at his head as she talked to the injured wolf in a low, soothing voice.

  I laid him in the cargo compartment and Breanna hopped onto the tailgate.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Riding with him,” she snapped. “Let’s go. I’ll call Galen again.”

  She eased the wolf’s head onto her leg and I slammed the tailgate closed. Her hands on another wolf drove me mad. I couldn’t look at her touching him without wanting to rip his head off. I focused on the road as we sped toward Galen’s house.

  Mine. Mine. Mine.

  The steering wheel cracked in my hands. The drive to Galen’s seemed much longer than it should have. Maybe I missed a turn?

  Breanna’s head was down, her face turned toward the wolf lying on her jacket. The messy way her hair spilled around her face was mind
-numbing and those perfect lips would feel so good against mine.

  The “thwack” sound of the tires running off the road jerked me back to the reality of the situation. She was chattering to Galen.

  “Galen’s calling you,” she yelled from the back.

  Sure enough, Galen’s call came through within seconds. His voice was crisp and clear as he gave directions to the medical containment area on his property.

  We arrived in ten minutes and Galen was pacing outside the cement building. Several pack wolves, some of whom I recognized from the pack breakfast, were leaning against the wall waiting for our arrival.

  Breanna had the window down and the tailgate dropped before I got out of the driver seat. She barked orders at the approaching wolves as Galen placed his hands on the injured wolf. They used a backboard and eased the black wolf out of the cargo compartment and into the building. Breanna was beside Galen, the eyes of the injured wolf locked onto her.

  She belongs here. She loves them.

  I slammed the tailgate closed. My wolf rumbled and the werewolves standing outside looked over at me. Galen wouldn’t be out for a while and, in all likelihood, neither would Breanna. I ran my hand through my hair and took a frustrated swing at a nearby oak tree. Shards of pain quickly spread across my knuckles and up my arm, but it was a welcome distraction from the knots in my stomach and the pounding in my head.

  “You’re a piece of work, Benelli.” The werewolf with the hateful blue eyes strode out of the darkness toward me. “Leave it to Bre to find someone so fucked up.”

  Aaron. The fast one who had caught me in the face with a wicked kick and the one who had tried to challenge over a glass of milk at breakfast. He stopped a few feet short and extended his hand.

  “If she likes you, I guess we’ll have to give you a chance. I’m Aaron Miller.”

  I looked at his hand and then back to his eyes. Surprisingly there was no silver.

  He shrugged and dropped his hand. “Yep, you are one fucked-up werewolf.” He took a step closer. My wolf surged as his anger flooded my nostrils. “Don’t hurt her or we will kill you.”

  Two other werewolves, including the mountain I had fought during the challenges, ambled toward us. I was the dominant wolf but they were a pack. They took care of one another. If one fought, the others watched his back. It was the way of werewolves–well, except for me.

  The pack wolves fanned out in front of me. I crossed my arms and leaned against the tree. They didn’t want me here. I didn’t want to be here, but Breanna was inside and I would not leave without her.

  Tristyn called and offered to come over and wait with me. I needed to do this alone. How would I ever be with Breanna if I couldn’t deal with the soldiers in her unit? They were not threatening. Actually, they were trying to talk to me. One asked about the size of the Italian Pack while another wanted to know what Italian pizza was like. The drum of my heartbeat drowned out most of their words. I shoved my hands behind my back so they wouldn’t see the tremors in my body. These wolves were too close. It was hard to breathe.

  The door rattled open and a wolf I’d never seen stepped into the light. He wasn’t much taller than me and had the same build as Galen. The wolves dipped their heads as he walked out. I took a couple of steps away from the tree.

  “Kid’s gonna be fine thanks to Breanna,” the sandy-haired thirty-something werewolf said. “A few broken bones but nothing vital. Dad’s staying with him tonight. Everyone else can go home.”

  The man came toward me. I met his eyes. He kept walking until he was only a few feet in front of me. “Breanna will be out in a couple of minutes. She’s getting Levi to change to human form for Dad and then she’ll be here. She wanted me to let you know.”

  “Thanks,” I managed to grind out in spite of his proximity.

  “I’m Cody McGregor.” The lanky werewolf nodded politely. “Welcome to Wisconsin Pack Territory.”

  “Lucas Benelli.”

  Cody raised an eyebrow. My dominance was flooding him and it was taking all my concentration not to hyperventilate. My wolf was on full alert. I balled my fists and slammed them into my jacket pockets.

  “If you need anything while you’re here, give me a call. Bre has my number.”

  Why did she have his number? Had he been out with her? Had he touched her? Did she have feelings for him? I hated the ease with which this other wolf had used her name. Breanna was mine.

  The wolf nodded and went back inside. I stayed against the tree, mulling his words and fighting with my wolf. The smell of musk was like a cattle prod, every whiff making me jump. More and more wolves were arriving and I was gnawing on my fist to keep control.

  When I was about to lose it and dash into the darkness, the door cracked open and Breanna slipped out. My wolf wanted to howl.

  “Hey you,” she called softly as she closed the door behind her. Then a miracle happened. She walked past the wolves straight into my arms. It was like they weren’t there. She was looking for me.

  “Thanks for waiting for me.” She pressed a kiss against my cheek. “I’m sorry I snapped at you earlier. Levi’s a special case. He’s the wolf we found in Paraguay.”

  The wolves against the wall were staring at us. I met their eyes and dared them to come closer.

  Mine.

  She smiled shyly and my knees turned to jelly. “Levi’s a kid and when he gets scared, his wolf takes over. I never did figure out why he was out by himself.”

  She snuggled into my chest, the hint of strawberries tickling my nose. God, she was beautiful. “Is he going to be okay?”

  Her cheek rubbed against my chest as her head bobbed. “Yep, just needs rest and some attention from Galen.”

  She cupped my jaw gently. “Are you all right?”

  I brushed a kiss onto the top of her head. “I am now.”

  Her arms tightened around me and my wolf settled. I couldn’t live without this, without her. Whatever it took, I’d make it work. I pulled her against my chest and closed my eyes. I’d found heaven.

  “Do you want to stay in the guesthouse tonight? There’s plenty of room.” She looked tired. “I’ll sleep on the couch,” I offered, not wanting to offend her.

  She smiled and curled her fingers in my hair. “I’d better go home. If I’m here, the wolves will sleep on your porch.”

  Oh yeah, forgot about that pack thing. “I’ll drive you home.”

  We held hands on the drive home and I escorted her to her door. My wolf was already fuming about leaving. Maybe I could sleep on her porch.

  “If I didn’t have to go to work tomorrow, I’d invite you in.”

  She caressed my jaw and I think I purred. She looked into my eyes and I swear she could see everything I thought.

  “Will you call when you have a break?” Even with dark circles forming under her eyes, she was still stunning.

  “It will probably be well after lunch. We’ve got New Recruit Day and usually work through lunch.”

  I tried not to show how disappointed I was at not having breakfast and lunch with her. She had a career. I had to respect that.

  “We’ll do dinner,” I said as she unlocked her door. “By the way, how did you find that wolf in the road?”

  She looked over her shoulder and her cheeks were pink. “I, was, um, well, I was going to check on you.”

  I grinned. She’d been checking on me? “Think I got lost?” I asked as her face got redder.

  “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  With those soft words, she ripped away all my defenses. I pulled her into my arms and allowed my wolf to surge as she melted against me and held on.

  “I’m glad you’re here,” she whispered. “I really like you.”

  “I really like you, too,” I answered without letting go.

  My heart stopped as I tucked her hair behind her ear. There was no judgment, no accusation, no disdain from her. Please, God, don’t let this be a dream. Please let her be real.

  “Thank you for
coming here,” she whispered.

  I cupped her jaw and she pressed a kiss into my palm. I couldn’t form a coherent sentence. All I could do was hold on to the most precious thing I’d ever known.

  It was hard to say goodbye but the sun was sneaking over the horizon and she needed to rest. I trudged to the truck and waved as she closed her door. It was a forty-five minute drive to Galen’s, but it took me over an hour. When I arrived at the guesthouse, Galen was sitting on the porch steps, watching the sunrise.

  “Good morning, Lucas.”

  “Good morning, Alpha,” I answered with my eyes down. His dominance was stifling, even outdoors.

  Galen placed a hand on my shoulder and it took everything I had not to drop to my knees.

  “Thank you for helping the youngster last night. He wouldn’t have made it had you not brought him to me.”

  “Breanna told me what to do.”

  Galen let out a belly laugh and slapped me on the back. “Oh dear, my boy. You have no idea what you’re getting into, do you?”

  “She’s a witch. I know that.”

  Galen gave me one look and I instantly regretted my tone. “She’s not just a witch, Lucas. That woman can command an army with a flick of her finger. Every wolf in Bravo would die for her.”

  “I meant no disrespect, Alpha McGregor.” Could I not do anything right?

  “Why don’t you get some rest and we’ll go watch the new recruits try out for Bravo?” Galen was asking. As usual, it wasn’t really a question.

  “Breanna said she wouldn’t be able to have lunch today anyway.”

  Galen guffawed and started to walk away. “I’ll be back around eleven. Tristyn is welcome to come along if he wants.” The Alpha stopped and looked over his shoulder. “You met Cody last night?”

  I nodded, keeping my head down. I felt like the most submissive wolf on the planet when I was around Galen. That pissed me off.