by Zoe Perdita
"Why? Why does it work like that?" I ask.
Caleb shrugs again. "I've no idea. I was bitten and changed just like you," he says and shifts in place. The telltale bulge in his pants looks just as painfully hard as mine. Shit!
"So you don't have a mate?"
"Nope. I'm just a lone wolf," he says as his eyes travel up and down my needy body.
The steady thud of my heart in my chest replaces the gentle patter of rain against the roof. Suddenly, I feel like I can hear his heart too. Weird. "What happened to the wolf that bit you?"
He clinches his jaw and balls his hands into tight fists. "That bastard is dead."
I stare at him, my mouth agape, and he chuckles softly. "Don't worry. I didn't kill him. Hunter got him, but he deserved it."
"What kind of a hunter?" Yuri never talked about this aspect of being a werewolf. Hell, none of the Lowell brothers talked about any aspect of being a werewolf!
"I suppose he was just a regular old werewolf hunter. Don't look so surprised, Sam. They exist. Although, I suppose they might branch out and hunt other were-creatures as well, if it's profitable."
Were creatures? Werewolf hunters? What the fuck have I gotten myself into?
Caleb smiles, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Sorry, it's a lot to take in. I forgot."
I shake my head and take a deep breath of the dusty air. All this information and Dmitri never thought to tell me. Never thought to warn me. I honestly don't know who I should be more pissed off at right now: the Lowell brothers or the white wolf?
He takes a step closer to the bed and touches my shoulder almost tenderly. "Does it make you angry? How many secrets they kept from you? They always assume humans won't understand."
His touch reignites the passion in my veins and I gasp, a feverish fog settling over my mind. "Of course I'm mad. I'm furious."
Suddenly his fingers grasp at my nipple, plucking it until I hiss in satisfaction. "How mad, Sam?"
"No matter how much my body wants it- no matter how pissed off I might be- I'm not giving into you," I whisper and moan as his fingers trail over my hungry flesh.
"That’s what I thought. And that's also what I like about you- those defiant eyes. No matter what those wolves do you'll stand up to them, won't you?" he asks and climbs back onto the bed, his muscular frame engulfing me in his musky scent.
I grit my teeth. Why can't I control my own goddamn body? "I'm standing up to you, aren't I?"
He chuckles, his breath tickling my neck and my chest as he plants delicate kisses across my scorching skin. "You are, and it just makes me want you more."
"Fucking hypocrite," I hiss and try to push him off of me, but my arms feel like wet noodles- no strength whatsoever- and they flop uselessly back by my side.
"You don't know how strong the draw is. How much you entice us," he growls, licking my nipple before he takes it between his teeth and pulls it until I gasp sharply. Then his large hand gropes at my cock, pumping it slowly while he frees his own.
I try to scurry back, but again it's no use with the headboard, his bulk and my weary body. "Please," I breathe. "Please don't fuck me."
The throbbing heat of his shaft slips against mine, our heads dripping pre-come freely, and he gathers them both in his hands, pumping steadily. I squeeze my eyes shut and bite my lip, trying to keep the urgent groans from escaping my mouth. No matter how much I try to remind myself this isn't my fault, I can't help but feel like it is. I'm wolf's bait. I attract werewolves like honey does ants. Plus, fuck me, I enjoy it!
His kisses turn into bites; the suckling intensity of his mouth drives me over the edge. I can't hold on any longer- my balls contracting as I spurt my load. I gasp and groan, and hope he comes soon.
All I hear is the steady huffing of his breath, and I blink to clear the darkness from my eyes. But it doesn't go away. It closes in on me like a wave rolling over my body and drowning me in muffled silence.
Chapter 7
I'm not sure how long the fever lasts. Days. Weeks. Who Knows? Caleb feeds me, bathes me, and probably even helps me use the bathroom. My brain doesn't register most of it. Instead it's like I'm swimming through a fog of pain and darkness looking for something I'm not sure I'll ever find.
Then, when I feel all hope is lost, I see a flash of rusty red hair and a wolfish smirk. The slightly crooked Russian nose and bright forest green eyes.
"Dmitri," I whisper.
Behind him, the other Lowell brothers stand in their wonderful perfection. Yuri and Nikolai with long black hair and porcelain skin. Alexei's roughly cut jaw and Pasha's otherworldly eyes.
They watch me in shrouded silence, but my heart still leaps at the sight. They found me. Yes. They finally found me! But then they fade away like images in the mist, and I blink open my eyes. No. I'm still alone!
Glancing around the room, I sit up. Thankfully, this time I'm not weak, although my stomach burns with hunger. Even through the dusty blue curtains I can see the darkness of the forest beyond. It must be night, but shapes stand out sharper in the shadows, and I rub my eyes. How come I can see with this little light?
I sniff the air and catch the coppery tang of blood and meat mixed with Caleb's musk. But I don't feel the same uncontrollable lust I did before. Slowly, I run my tongue over my teeth and frown. My canines are sharper than they used to be. Does that mean I'm a werewolf now?
Shit. How long have I been here? Well, I'm not wasting anymore time.
Pulling back the covers, I climb out of bed and look outside. The fir trees stand silent in the night and the steady song of summer insect fills the air. Nocturnal animals, probably raccoons or bobcats, crunch through the undergrowth hunting their evening meal. Even weirder, I can smell them- the other animals and the rotting leaves and dirt of the undergrowth.
I glance back at the bedroom door for a moment, then I open the window. Fuck him. I'll find the Lowell brothers if they can't find me and figure out where I stand. The thought makes my heart ache and my stomach twists into a series of knots, but it's all I can do. Dmitri got me through that hell and I need to see him again. Even if he pushes me away. Even if it's just one last time. I need to apologize for everything.
The wooden window frame is swollen with moisture, but it slides easily enough. After jumping down, my bare feet land on the crunchy ground, and I run toward the road. Absently, I wonder if my car is still there, but I probably shouldn't find out. No. I'll head back to town and hope a cop doesn't find me and arrest me for public indecency first.
The road shines in the darkness like a beacon when I hear the front door slam open.
"Sam?" The white wolf calls, and I freeze in my tracks. He doesn't sound particularly angry, more concerned than anything, but I'm not going to heed that bastard. Not when I can have my freedom.
"Dammit Sam," he cries and his footsteps creak down the porch and over the gravel driveway. "I can smell you out there. It’s not safe tonight!”
I open my mouth to respond when the bright face of the full moon peeks over the mountains, illuminating me in silvery light. For a moment I stand transfixed, my body frozen in place, but a startling crack disturbs my peace and unbearable pain shoots through my entire body. I curl forward and grip onto my stomach. What the hell is happening?
Blood pounds in my ears along with the fast-paced beat of my heart. Every bone in my body seems to break and reform in an instant that feels more like an eternity. I scream but, my voice is muffled and deep. Looking at my hands, I no longer have fingers but claws. Tuffs of fur protrude at startling speeds from my flesh, and I fall into the forest floor, unable to stand upright any longer.
Slowly the agony leaks from my body, the pain subsiding to a dull throb. As I blink open my eyes, the shadows of the woods fall away, and I can see the world with perfect clarity. Sniffing the air, I catch a whiff of Caleb's musky odor right before I hear the crack of a branch. My ears prick, and I whip my head around and bare my fangs at his huge white form.
He stands as a wolf,
his feet ready to pounce and his shoulders hunched forward.
I growl, the sound reverberating in my chest. Then a torturous pang erupts in my belly, sending stabs of torment throughout my new wolf form. A howl escapes my throat unintentionally, and I turn to the woods and run.
Leaves and pine needles crunch under my feet, the decaying scent of the forest floor filling my nose. Behind me, and the white wolf follows- I'm sure of it. But I can't stop. Something, maybe the pain, drives me forward. Towards what, I don't know. Fuck!
My mind starts slipping into a place I never knew existed. Burning anger fills my gut. Blood red light flashes before my eyes, my fangs ripping flesh, my claws slashing. The coppery smell of blood invades my nose and its warm, rich taste fills my mouth.
Then I'm out of the forest, and wheat fields surround me, taller than my eyes can see. Bounding through them. Each leap takes me higher and higher. But my whole body still prickles with this new urgency. This need to destroy.
Suddenly, a great form tackles me and we roll through the golden fields. Each growl and snip rises from my throat automatically like I have no control over my actions, and I swipe my claws at the white wolf furiously.
His teeth glance off my back, and I slam into him with a force I didn't know I was capable of. Then I pounce. My fangs sinking in to his flesh until he howls in misery. The tangy warmth of his blood teases my tongue, and it's everything I can do to pull my fangs free and not rip the flesh from his back. The fog of anger clears from my mind if only momentarily, and a creeping dread replaces it.
What the hell am I doing? I don't even remember running all the way down the mountain or through woods. I killed something- I know that much. Shit. Turning, I flee again into the fields. I need to get away from here. Away from people. Before I do something I'll regret.
Suddenly, a new scent reaches my nose. Wolves. The red-hot rage courses through my veins once again. Raising my hackles, I brush through the fields toward the offending odor. Something familiar tugs at the back of my mind, but I push it away. Other wolves are the enemy- that's just how it is.
Above me, the harvest moon hangs high in the sky, the silvery light illuminating everything for miles and miles. A howl breaks through the silence, and I prick my ears up. Shit. They noticed me.
Another mournful cry answers it, coming closer, the heavy padding of paws on dirt. I hunch my shoulders, baring my fangs at the intruder. Ready to rip and tear its tender flesh to bits.
The wheat in front of me rustles and a rusty red snout pokes through, its ears raised in friendly curiosity. Bright points of forest green light shine in the darkness, and it whines mournfully.
I growl and steal myself to attack. Bending my back legs- ready to pounce, but a nagging sensation weighs at the back of my mind. My heart pounds in my ears. There's something I should remember. That scent. Those eyes. Why didn't he find me?
The wolf paws at the ground and howls again. Four other cries answer it, the wheat shifting with their arrival. No. This can't be happening. I can't face them- not now- not like this.
But when I turn to run, a dangerous growl rumbles me from behind, and the smell of blood tickles my nose. Then the hulking form of the white wolf limps in front of me, its coat caked with red.
I want to turn. To run. To get the hell away from here. But I'm surrounded and an overwhelming stab of pain explodes across my body, blinding my eyes and deafening my ears. What's happening? Oh God, what's happening?
No! I don't want to go back to the dark place- the shadows that surrounded me for so long. I scream or howl, I'm not sure which. I only know I need to break out of this!
"Sammy," an urgent voice calls and a warm, strong hand shakes my shoulder.
Slowly, I open my eyes and rub my face. Wet? Why am I wet? Above me the sky is a pale bluish pink, and Dmitri's handsome face comes in to sharp focus.
My eyes widen, and I scurry back, the dirt scraping against my bare hands and ass. Shit. I'm naked too? Great.
He crouches in front of me, the wheat rising high above our heads, and I gradually notice the other figures hovering around in the morning mist. Each unique scent tickles my nose with recognition. All the Lowell brothers are here- Yuri, Alexei, Nikolai and Pasha. I smell Caleb too, but he's farther away, hanging back from the Russian pack.
"It’s alright, we're here," Dmitri says and his eyes cloud over.
I stare, my heart pounding in my chest as a million thoughts run through my brain. Seeing him again ignites a familiar ache in my groin- something I thought wasn't supposed to happen anymore if I'm no longer wolf's bait. Plus, it's accompanied by another distinct feeling. My heart flutters and my stomach does those weird little backflips.
"Why didn't you find me?" I ask, my voice gruff and my mouth dry. When I bring my hand up to wipe it flakes of copper come away. Blood?
He rubs a hand across his eyes and hangs his head, tears wetting the soil.
"We tried," Pasha says and steps next to his older brother. "But we thought- we feared-"
Then Yuri clears his throat and puts his hands on his naked hips. Shit. We're all naked. "We thought you were dead," he says and his startling blue eyes burn into mine. "We found your clothes caked in blood on the mountain." His voice cracks at the last part, making me feel even worse.
“And your scent vanished,” Nikolai adds, looking at his feet. His pale skin is streaked with dirt.
No wonder they didn't find me. I'm pretty sure Caleb had something to do with that, but I don't have the energy to be angry right now- I don't know if I can ever be angry again.
"I'm a wolf now," I say and look at each brother in turn. Not even Dmitri has tried to touch me yet. Is this it? My answer?
"We noticed," Alexei, says, a frown on his perfect lips. "How could we not?"
Biting my bottom lip, I nod slowly and stand up. “I’m sorry for everything. The trouble I caused- the worry.”
Suddenly, Dmitri’s hand clasps onto my own and he pulls me back down beside him. His muscular arms wrap around me, his fingers digging into my back so tightly they’ll probably bruise. Without a word, he presses his lips into mine, the salt of his tears clearing my head. I kiss him back wholeheartedly, gripping onto his hips, relishing the feeling of his body pressed into mine- his smell, his taste.
My mouth feels lonely when he pulls away, streaks of dirt stain his pale cheeks. “None of that matters anymore, Sammy. We’re just glad you’re safe. You’re home,” he says and squeezes me again.
The rest of the Lowell brothers mumble in agreement, their bodies closing in on us, surrounding us. In the distance, Caleb’s musk starts to fade away and I let him go- for now.
The brothers corral me back to their house, all talking in a mixture of Russian and English, and Dmitri holds onto my hand the whole time. I never thought I’d say this, but I don’t mind the feeling of his palm pressed against mine. It feels right somehow.
Pasha cooks, and I relate my tale of what happened. I even include the part about my sexual encounter with Caleb- afraid they’ll kick me out- but that doesn’t happen.
After a few exchanged glanced, Yuri (whose eyes have more creases around them than I remember) nods. “We can’t blame you, even if you enjoyed it. That’s what wolf’s bait does. It’s better this way- it really is.”
But I still feel a pang of guilt. Even worse- I hope Caleb isn’t too badly injured.
“So what did I kill last night,” I ask fearfully after we’ve all eaten our fill.
Alexei leans in to sniff the flakes of blood. “Deer. Maybe an elk. You probably ate most of it.”
The thought of ingesting raw meat should make me sick, but I guess werewolves don’t have those kinds of sensibilities. “Good.” At least it wasn’t a person.
Then, they let me go home to wash up and get clean clothes. Thankfully, they hadn’t informed the authorities about my disappearance yet so the house is still in perfect, if dustier, order. The hot water works to clear my head, and washing the blood and dirt from my skin fe
els like some kind of baptism.
When I step out of the shower, Dmitri’s waits for me, his own hair dripping onto his shoulders and chest.
He smiles, but it’s not the wolfish smirk I’m so used to. This smile makes his eyes sparkle, but it’s also a little worried. “I was afraid I dreamed it- you being back,” he says in his slight Russian accent.
“It feels like a dream,” I say as I dry off. Everything that happened to me in the last few weeks seems like something from another reality, but it wasn’t.
“Yuri wants to talk to you about joining our pack, if you’ll have us.”
A smile tugs at my lips. “I wasn’t sure if you’d want me when I was like this.”
Dmitri furrows his eyebrow. “Sammy, we’ll always want you. That’s just the way it is.”
Looking at his earnest face, I realize the truth. It wasn’t them making bad decisions. It wasn’t them lying to me or keeping secrets that drove me away. It was my own fear- my fear of my feelings for them.
“I love you,” I blurt out and my cheeks catch fire.
“I love you too, moy droog,” he says.
For a moment, we stare into each other’s eyes, the intensity of the room’s heat almost too much to take. Then we both move forward and our lips meet somewhere in the middle. The wet intensity of his tongue lapping at my own as my fingers rip and pull at his pants. Dropping my towel, we tumble down the hallway into the first room with a bed- thankfully it’s my own.
“I missed you,” he moans and nips at my tender skin, each bite making me hiss with desire.
I huff, rubbing my almost instant erection against his. The throbbing of his shaft beats in time with my heart. “Me too.”
He groans as I kiss his toned chest, taking his pert pink nipples in my mouth and rolling them over my lips and tongue. Nothing else matters at this moment but pleasing him- my mate.
“Sammy,” Dmitri gasps as I wrap my lips around his weeping member. His fingers catch in my hair as I lap at his shaft, the soft flesh salty with pre-come. This is just the way it should be. My lover inside me- just like this.
