Wolf Unbound: Aspen Valley Wolf Pack

by Amber Ella Monroe

  He thrust two meaty fingers deep into her.

  She screamed.

  He set a firm, relentless pace, driving his finger in and out of her with purpose. The expression on his face was a look of sheer satisfaction. He bit harshly at his bottom lip as he worked her over. His forehead creased and hardened in concentration. The man was giving her the ultimate pleasure. He seemed content with just teasing her, achieving gratification from watching her tremble for him. He stroked at her clit with his exposed thumb. Pent up energy took root within her and then gathered in her loins.

  He bent his head, pressing his soft lips to her knees, one and then the other. He took it further, sliding his perfect mouth along the inside of her thighs. She couldn’t hold on longer, even if she tried. Her drenching wet pussy clenched his fingers. The moment he looked up and they locked gazes, she let go. Sparks of energy came alive within her and ecstasy melted over her like warm honey.

  Autumn was trembling on the bed with her eyes closed and reveling in the moment before she realized that he was standing over her with the biggest impression of a hard-on that she’d ever seen pushing against his fly.

  She sat up on the bed and licked her lips. If she knew she was going to become a sex-crazed maniac the moment he kissed her, she probably would’ve stopped while they were both ahead. Or maybe not. She’d been attracted to him the moment she saw him.

  She hooked her thumbs around the waistband of her panties.

  “Autumn. Stop.” He shook his head. “I can’t do this to you.”

  Her heart dropped in disappointment. “I…don’t understand. You’re…” She glanced at his erection.

  “I’ll take care of it,” he said. “I already told you what the consequences were. I’m not taking advantage of you. Not like this. ”

  She nodded and broke their gaze.

  He turned away and sighed deeply. “I’m going for a run and I’ll be back in fifteen minutes. You’re safe here.”

  “I know.”

  “And please eat something,” he said, just before slipping through the bedroom door and closing it behind him.

  “Oh, my God,” she exclaimed, once he was out of earshot.

  Her breath came in labored pants as she tried to make sense of what had come over her. She didn’t need the expertise of a rocket scientist to put it into perspective. She hadn’t had sex in over a year. She was horny, needy, and aroused by a man who was obviously beyond a doubt attractive and equipped to do the job. He was there for her. She wanted him, and she took advantage of the opportunity.

  She pressed her hands to her swollen lips, remembering how his kisses had driven her to the edge of insanity. Her clit pulsed in avid need. Her nipples were still beaded against his tee. And she was now fully wrapped in his scent.

  Autumn spotted a bathroom inside the room. This time when she swung her legs over the bed, she didn’t feel as nauseous. Miraculously, all the soreness was gone from her limbs. And the headache had disappeared.

  Just as she entered the small bathroom on the other end of the room, she heard the long, deep timbre of a wolf howling.

  “Garrett,” she whispered.

  The sound sent an energetic mix of optimism and security up her spine.

  Chapter Fourteen

  When Garrett returned from his run in the woods, he headed straight for the second shower in the guest bedroom. Distancing himself, even just to process how he could keep his word to Autumn without putting her in another bind, annoyed the heck out of his inner wolf. She was running from a dangerous man, but he was anything but an angel. He couldn’t reason with his wolf on what he thought was best for Autumn. All the wolf wanted to do was run to her, not from her. Claim her. Possess her. Stay by her side. Love her. All of it…

  “Dammit,” he muttered under his breath, sliding the shower door open and turning on the water.

  Once inside the stall, chilly water cascaded down on his shoulders. He pressed his head against the cool, hard tiles and closed his eyes. The only person he saw was Autumn. Autumn smiling. Autumn with her luscious waves of dark mahogany hair. Autumn kissing him. Autumn, her pussy, ready and waiting for him. His dick throbbed uncontrollably and his nuts tightened with seed that begged to be spilled.

  If she saw him like this…

  He shook his head.

  She couldn’t see him like this.

  Garrett moved directly under the spray of the cold water and grabbed his rock hard cock. As he pumped up and down, he squeezed his wood firmly, sliding and pivoting his wrist to get the right amount of pressure where he needed it. With each downward thrust, his fist slapped against his swollen testicles. Her name was on the tip of his tongue, but he pressed his lips together so he wouldn’t call out too loudly.

  He focused more on the visions of her. Thick mahogany stresses. Long, graceful legs. A flawless complexion the shade of cinnamon. Soft, smooth skin. Dear God, he was going to explode.

  He braced himself, holding steady by pressing the palm of his free hand against the tiles. He pumped harder and faster. Twisting his wrist on the down stroke and squeezing firmly on the up stroke just under the head of his cock.

  Another vision of Autumn filled his mind. Only this time, the image was more vivid and erotic. A memory of her on his bed, her legs wide, and her pussy soaking wet and ready for his dick. He wanted to fuck her hard and rough until she was crying his name over and over again. He wanted to fuck her so thoroughly that not only would she be carrying his essence, she’d never forget him or his name. He wanted to make Autumn his.

  Mine.

  Garrett came forcefully, hot cum shooting out in spurts on the tiles in front of him. All of his pent up sexual urges were now unbound. He released loads of tension into the shower, letting the water wash the evidence down the drain.

  When he closed his eyes again and breathed steadily to catch his breath, he still saw Autumn. But at least now, he could face her without looking like he wanted to fuck her brains out. Because he did…

  He slammed his fists against the stall. Get a grip!

  He turned the dial on the shower in the opposite direction, making the water hotter. He squeezed some shower gel onto a sponge and began cleaning his body. He tried to think of something else other than burying his dick into the sweet, soft folds of Autumn’s pussy. Anything else. So he thought of killing a rat bastard. The same bastard who’d bitten her.

  Chapter Fifteen

  After her shower, Autumn ate the food Garrett brought for her and then brought the empty tray out of the room. She had never been the type to lie around in bed all day. The whole day had gone by while she was recovering. In another hour or so, the sun would go down again.

  Something else was cooking in the kitchen. When she walked down the hall in search of Garrett, the savory smell of a home cooked meal brought comfort to her. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed a home cooked meal. Most of the time, she grabbed something to eat from the tavern before and after her shifts. She missed all the times she spent together as a family over the dinner table. With Dad gone and Hope pursuing her dreams of going to college, there wasn’t anyone left to prepare meals for. Except herself. One of the plans she’d had for the tavern was to revamp the menu with some of her signature dishes, but that plan, and many other expansion plans, had been put on hold.

  When she turned the corner, she wasn’t surprised to find Garrett in the small den near the fireplace. He stood there quietly, arms crossed, looking down at the hearth. No fire was lit. No wood was burning. He was deep in thought, so she felt hesitant about interrupting him. But then he turned around just before she could make a quick left turn in the direction of the kitchen area. His eyes lit up and his lips turned upward into a smile.

  He came to her immediately and then took the tray from her hands. “Feeling any better?”

  She nodded. “The aspirin and food helped.”

  Still a little embarrassed by her actions in his bedroom, she tried to divert her attention away from his body. Th
e memory of his arousal straining against his pants would not leave her.

  “You didn’t have to get up,” he said. “I’ll bring you whatever you need.”

  “‘I’m fine, really,” she replied, following him into the kitchen. “Besides, I was getting bored in there by myself.”

  He cleared his throat. “About that…I needed to shift.”

  “I know. You don’t have to explain.”

  Her gaze fell on his shoulder where the bloodied bandage once was. The wound had almost healed completely.

  She followed Garrett to the kitchen. He put the dirty dishes into the sink and began to wash them. She observed him as his strong, solid hands gripped the sponge, moving it back and forth over the plate. Hands that had just been all over her body.

  She turned away from him, took a deep breath, and then released it slowly. “Is this your main home?” She walked about the kitchen, taking a look at everything from the various magnets and notes stuck on his refrigerator to the variety of canned goods in his pantry.

  “Yep, sure is. I haven’t been here in about three weeks.”

  “And your family? Where are they?”

  “My brothers? We’re all spread out over the place in Aspen Valley. Brock’s the closest to me. He lives about ten miles up the road. Dane has property on the other side of Tellevue County, and Raoulf just lays his head wherever. I can’t keep track of them.”

  She smiled. “Sounds like you’re all really close and get along.”

  “Close, yes.” He laughed. “Get along…only when we want to.”

  She chuckled. “With four of you, I can only imagine the fights you get into. Dane’s the Alpha, right?”

  “Right. He’s the calm one of the bunch, but we don’t let that fool us anymore. We keep our distance if he ever gets mad as hell. Brock’s outgoing and just about everyone around town knows him. Raoulf’s a little reserved and keeps to himself.”

  “And you?”

  He paused for a minute as if in deep thought. “I’m just me. Nothing really stands out.”

  “Give yourself a little credit, huh?” she told him. “You know what I think about you?”

  He finished the dishes, turned around, and leaned against the counter. “I’m all ears.”

  “You’re observant, brave, and attentive. You put other people’s needs before your own, don’t you?”

  “Maybe, but that also sounds a lot like someone else I’ve just met.”

  He winked.

  Autumn smiled, only wishing she were as brave as him.

  “You’ve given up a lot to make sure that your sister could attend school,” he said. “You two must have a very good relationship.”

  “We do now, but it wasn’t always like that. My sister and I used to fight all the time. Innocent sibling rivalry. Fights about what we wanted to watch on television or where we wanted to go for a family vacation. That sort of stuff. She was a mama’s girl and I was daddy’s angel. That worked for us for a while. When mom died in the car crash, Hope went into deep depression and distanced herself. Flunked a year of school. Got involved with drugs. On top of that, our family’s personal and business debt were mounting. It wasn’t a very good time for our family. Sadly, the thing that brought me and my sister back together was Dad’s death. She’s all I’ve got. If we have any distant relatives anywhere, we’ve lost contact with them.”

  “So with all that you went through, that just means you understand each other better now. Right?”

  “That’s a good way of looking at it.”

  “And you’re young enough, smart enough, and determined enough to work on a family of your own now,” he offered.

  Her gaze fluttered downward. “I hope so. I’m not exactly free and clear yet. This whole thing with Simon is threatening to ruin my life. My dad valued Pack life and the idea of family, even if we weren’t blood related, but I don’t think this is what he meant. He would never have given me away to Simon if he knew what he’d grow up to represent.”

  Garrett placed an arm on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Consider Simon out of the picture. I’m not going to let him get to you again or ruin your life. You have my word.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Autumn and Garrett managed to eat dinner sometime around ten p.m., but then again, she had woken up late and he’d been tied up with phone calls most of the evening. After they ate the meal of grilled T-bone steak, homemade mashed potatoes, and carrots cooked by Garrett, they sat in front of the television with dessert—an apple cobbler that she’d whipped up at the last minute. He seemed to enjoy the cobbler more than anything else, helping himself to more than seconds. He ate until there was nothing left on their plates or in the pots. Leftovers were non-existent. She believed him now about his grocery bills being abnormally high. After all, he was eating to sustain himself and his wolf.

  The teakettle on the stove whistled loudly, cutting off Autumn’s thoughts. She shut off the burner and poured some of the steaming water in a mug over a tea bag. While the tea brewed, she turned her attention back to the dishes in the sink, eager to keep busy doing something instead of sitting around waiting for what remained of her world to crumble to the ground. After the lawyer’s driver was killed, they’d promptly been notified that it’d be another couple days before he was seeing clients again. In the meantime, Autumn would look over the legal documents that she took from the safe to see if she had much of a case against Simon where the restaurant and the old contract was concerned.

  She had called Hope prior to dinner like she promised. However, she left out the parts about the wolf fight, the car accident, and Simon biting her. Another scare was the last thing her sister needed right now.

  Autumn parted the curtains to look out of the small kitchen window above the sink. Garrett and the two men who’d knocked at the door ten minutes ago had moved their conversation from the front porch to the middle of the yard. Just like he’d said, he wasn’t going to leave her unattended tonight, but he’d told her off the bat that he had to leave soon to go finish the job he started.

  She swallowed down the lump of dread rising in her throat and let the curtains go. She had to keep reminding herself that this was part of what Garrett did for a living, and she understood more than ever why he wouldn’t want to bring anyone else into it. It just so happened that she and Simon—the man he was hunting down—were inextricably tied together. He couldn’t, and probably wouldn’t, chase Simon forever. And more than likely, he’d return to life on the road after the job ended. Even with this knowledge, even if she tried, she didn’t know if she’d be able to leave Garrett without the promise of ever seeing him again. Maybe it was time she stopped worrying so much about what would happen in the future and accepted what she had in that moment. With Garrett, she felt like she could express herself and how she felt because he listened. She didn’t have to pretend that the weight she carried on her shoulders with trying to get the tavern back from a senseless jerk wasn’t that much of a burden to bear. But she didn’t have to go it alone. That wasn’t working anymore. It was okay to seek help, even with her limited resources.

  The front door of the home creaked opened and then slammed shut. She heard Garrett take off his boots and drop them with a thud near the door.

  He returned to the galley kitchen and set a large brown paper bag on the counter. “We have more groceries. Fresh fruit, meat, dairy, coffee. Tommy brought it over from the local market. I think I requested everything you like, but if you need anything else, just write it down and I’ll get it.”

  “Thanks. You have really nice friends.”

  “In Aspen Valley Wolf Pack, mostly everyone treats each other like family. We learned a long time ago that it’s the only way to survive out here as a shifter,” he said.

  “I wish those values were present in other wolf packs,” she said. “Even though I’m not a shifter, I saw how Pack’s divisiveness caused so many issues for them.”

  Garrett began transferring items from the groc
ery bag to the refrigerator and pantry. “It’s all about respecting each other. Although, there are always a few bad seeds in any given Pack. And then sometimes, bad things happen to good people. Things that test our loyalty to each other and makes us question our purpose, but we just work through the kinks as much as we can.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Things will get better for your city in general, and for you, and for the wolves who live there. This is just a setback. Melisandra…isn’t that the name of your step-mom?”

  She nodded.

  “She’ll be able to return to her Pack if she wants to when all this is over with.”

  “You say that like you’re certain of it.”

  “I say it, because I believe it,” he said. “I’m also the wolf that’s going to help set things straight in Cross City before I move on to my next job.”

  She frowned. “Next job?”

  “Well, yeah…I don’t know what yet but I have a couple options in front of me,” he replied, stacking up some cans in the pantry. “One’s permanent, and I’ve really been thinking about that one. And the other is…well, let’s just say not like my usual missions.”

  “I see.” She moved over to the other side of the counter and swirled the tea bag around in the hot water. “You must be ready to move on…”

  “Speaking of jobs and moving on, did you get a good look at the two men who brought the groceries?” he asked.

  “I did.”

  “Good. Don’t be alarmed if you see them again. When I’m gone tomorrow, they’ll be checking in on you and my property to make sure things are okay.”

  “Are they wolf shifters?” she asked.

  “Yes, but they won’t bother you. They’ll be here as an extra precaution, but our borders are secured. No wolf outside our Pack will get past them.”

  “I trust you.” After a moment of hesitation, Autumn asked, “You’ll come back tomorrow night, won’t you?” Or will you leave for your next job without a goodbye?