Protected by the Rogue Wolf

by Kristen Strassel

  My guys signed onto the show, pledging loyalty to the Sawtooth pack in hopes they’d eventually belong. But more than anything, they wanted to find their own forever mates. These guys had given up everything and deserved that kind of happiness. My job was to make sure they never experienced the pain of losing it.

  The Redheaded Stepchild was on the outskirts of town, kissing the edge of the forest. The road darkened, and I couldn’t stop thinking about Willow. She was wild and innocent, but most importantly, she was brave.

  Her quest for freedom could start a pack war.

  A black SUV pulled into the middle of the road, snapping me out of my haze. I skidded to a stop before I crashed into it.

  My wolf was on point, ready to shift if needed.

  No surprise when Tate Ulrich stepped out of the driver’s seat.

  A sickening sense of déjà vu washed over me. My wolf wanted to go on offense. But we’d aligned ourselves in a dangerous position, playing both sides of the pack conflict. My human side, the one that wanted all those things the Sawtooth pack promised were possible, begged my animal to play defense. Not to say something stupid and ruin it all.

  When I’d seen Tate in the forest, I automatically registered his expression as predatory. The Sawtooth wolves could only shift with the full moon, so I often dealt with him in his human form. But I was usually a wolf. He gave me the same hard look he’d used to try to intimidate Willow.

  “I thought we had an understanding,” he said.

  “About what?”

  “I want my mate back,” he growled. “This bullshit needs to stop. Shadow Channing has ripped families apart to support his agenda. He’s trying to be a fucking hero.”

  Tate often name-checked Shadow in his grievances. I couldn’t show weakness. I managed a smirk.

  “This has nothing to do with your alpha.” It gave me pleasure to remind him where he ranked in the pack. Even if I didn’t rank at all. “You can’t stop Willow from being a Real Werewife.”

  “Maybe not. I’m sure that pretty sports reporter would love the scoop on the pack she’s gotten into bed with. Let the whole world know we’re not here for their entertainment. We’re tired of conceding to humans.”

  “Tessa Williams has more wolves watching her back than you’d know what to do with.”

  “Doesn’t matter. No one involved with the show will forget what I have to say. When I’m done, they’ll know I’ll do whatever it takes to get my mate back.”

  “Is that a threat?” I could’ve killed him right here, collected my bounty, and gone back to where I came from. I had an advantage. I could shift, and he had to wait until the full moon. But Tate never traveled alone, and his guys liked to overcompensate for their limited shifting abilities. I wouldn’t make it out alive, either.

  “Everything I do is a threat. Stay the hell away from my mate.”

  Without waiting for an answer, he stalked back to his SUV. Good thing, because there was no fucking way I could stay away from Willow.

  Tate didn’t head back to the Stepchild. He drove toward Willow. Damn it. My wolf begged me to turn around. Fuck this alliance. I was ready to burn down the chance to have a home, a pack, all for a woman I didn’t know existed before yesterday.

  She hadn’t spoken badly of him. If anything, she’d been apologetic for leaving him. And she’d handled him in the parking lot. I wanted to think he wouldn’t do anything stupid in front of his daughter.

  But my wolf couldn’t shake the feeling she was in danger.

  I didn’t have time for fucking feelings right now.

  An eternity had passed since I left The Redheaded Stepchild. At least that was what it felt like. My world had been blown open. I wasn’t doing this for the pack anymore. I had my own mission.

  The crowd spilled into the parking lot. Skirting the perimeter, I drove slowly, trying to assess the situation. Last call was still at least an hour away. Someone had pulled the plug on the barrel lights, and the women who had been so hopeful hours before huddled near the Werewives trailer with naked concern on their faces.

  Javier and Rick emerged from the crowd, looking like they’d just come back from a shift. Hair wild and clothes twisted. Luna, Willow’s blue haired friend, trailed behind them. Stephanie sat on the tailgate of her van, wide-eyed and staring at a laptop.

  “Where the fuck were you?” Rick snarled as he approached. “All hell just broke loose in there.”

  “What? How? With who?” I kicked the stand and climbed off the bike, scanning the parking lot again for the reported carnage. The human women were shaking, and the wolves—supporters of this pack and ones who had their own ideas about how things should be run—looked like they’d seen some shit.

  “Some guys I’d never seen before were playing nice with a couple of Werewives, until one of the pack members took exception to it. Not sure if she’d been sold as someone mate. Nobody’s got their story straight so far.”

  “Did you find out who these wolves were?”

  Javier shook his head.

  “Fuck.”

  “Where the hell were you, man?” Rick asked. “After you took off with that pretty she-wolf, we thought we might find you in Red Heaven. But you were gone. Not a good look for any of us. Shadow will want to know why we didn’t stop this.”

  “I brought Willow home.”

  Luna’s face lit up.

  I jerked my head in her direction. “She shouldn’t be listening to pack business.”

  “I am pack. And Willow’s my best friend.”

  “She can stay,” Rick said, and I had a feeling he would stand up to much scarier wolves than me to protect her. “We vowed to keep the pack safe. She can’t be safe if she doesn’t know what’s happening.”

  I turned to her. She wrapped her arms around herself but there was no way she was cold in her fuzzy pink jacket. She was scared. “Got any information you think might be useful?”

  “Tate’s an asshole.” She sighed. “You might be exactly what Willow needs to finally break the hold he has over her.”

  Chapter Five

  Willow

  “You’re back earlier than I expected, and...” Trina rose from the chair, squinting at me as she came closer. “Are those stars in your eyes?”

  “Maybe.” I blinked rapidly, but my Carlos-induced fog refused to fade. Neither would the vibration of the motorcycle engine between my legs, or the sensation of his fingers under my chin.

  I’d waited a long time to feel like this, and I planned to savor it for as long as possible.

  She let out a little squeal and clapped. “I loved watching The Real Werewives on TV, but seeing it happen with my friends is so much more exciting. Aren’t you glad you came to Forever Home to adopt Elvira and we talked you into doing this?”

  “I am. Thanks again for encouraging me to audition.” I’d been reluctant, and I was still only moderately sure I’d done the right thing. And I’d really wanted to make a good impression with Trina. Having her stamp of approval would be an important step in finding a new place in the pack. “How were the girls?”

  “Awesome. I recorded some videos of Hazel and Elvira that I’ll forward to you because she wanted to play Real Cat Mama of Sawtooth Forest. I showed Hazel some of Elvira’s favorite tricks, and then they were both about to pass out, so I talked them going into bed. Speaking of, I should get back to my little one. She just got her big girl bed and likes to get up and check if the world is still functioning without her. Shadow’s most likely had his hands full when she realized I still wasn’t home.”

  I laughed. “I don’t miss those days. Hazel always managed to walk in at the most inopportune times, asking for a peanut butter and banana sandwich or something equally ludicrous.”

  “Tell me about it.” She shook her head. “Before I go, who’s the wolf who’s got you smitten?”

  “We had a drink, and he drove me home.” And he really wanted to kiss me, but he’d wait until I was good and ready. Damn. It wasn’t the memory of the motorcycl
e engine that had my insides fluttering. “His name is Carlos. He’s not pack.”

  “No, he’s not,” Trina said. “Outsiders haven’t been our friends. Tessa vets everyone the best she can before she offers them contracts, but shifters play by different rules. Shadow hasn’t said much about him and his guys. He hasn’t made them pack yet. Obviously, I trust him implicitly, but...” She shook her head. “No. Screw that. No Sawtooth wolf had ever mated with a human before Shadow chose me. Just because Carlos doesn’t fit the norm doesn’t make him bad. The norm was bad. That’s what we’re fighting against.”

  “I wish everything didn’t have to be a fight with this pack.” I sighed.

  “Preach, sister. But until the battle is over, we never stop fighting.” Trina gave me a hug, which I appreciated more than I could ever tell her. “This was fun. You’re always welcome to bring Hazel and Elvira to the shelter and hang with us.”

  “Thank you. And if you and Shadow ever want some alone time, I know my way around a toddler.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “Careful. We very well might take you up on that offer.”

  The apartment was so quiet when she left. I peeked in on Hazel, who was cuddled up with Elvira in bed. I might have snapped a picture of them, even if it was only to channel some of her energy for wanting so badly to have her life broadcast to the world.

  The cameras meant safety, Luna had assured me when my shaking hand hovered above the Real Werewives contract. She insisted everyone would check themselves before acting like a fool for the audience to see.

  But would I?

  Tonight had raised more questions than answers. My she-wolf had never responded to anyone like she had to Carlos.

  But he had dealings with my ex.

  The mention of his name gave Trina pause.

  Before I went any further, I needed to know what brought Carlos to the Sawtooth pack.

  But if I didn’t follow my heart and go for this, then I was telling my daughter what happened to me was okay. That the opinions of the pack were more important than what I wanted.

  **

  “Thanks for meeting with me on such short notice.” Tessa slid into the booth at The Pizza Parlor. It was just after the lunch rush, but before Hazel came home from school.

  “Sorry I left so fast the other night.” I was pretty sure I was here to be told thank you but no thank you. After the run-in with Tate the other night, Tessa could have decided I was more trouble than I was worth.

  “We’re used to quick exits, and that’s why we assign a camera person to each Werewife right away. Stephanie will stay with you throughout the season. This year is a little tougher because you’re all spread out over town, but we’ll make it work.”

  “When do the dates start?” I asked.

  “We had a few connections last night, and some Werewives have had more than one contestant express interest. You had a tough time in the confessional, and then you left abruptly, so the reason I brought you here—besides getting some really good pizza—is to find out if you’re still interested in being a Werewife.”

  She was giving me a way out. Was it actually possible to have too much baggage to be a Werewife?

  Maybe she was concerned about Carlos. Other packs who’d come to Sawtooth usually wanted something, and they would attempt to take it by any means necessary. Not that our pack had an unblemished past. Shadow had pulled us out of a dark period. Just because things were getting better, we could never forget where we came from.

  We couldn’t let our past hold us back, either.

  No matter who I wound up dating on the show, Tate wouldn’t make it easy. He’d been asking me to come home ever since I told him I was leaving. I used to find it comforting. That he’d let me go out and find myself and give me a safety net in case I changed my mind.

  But that was just it. He wasn’t letting me do anything. He had no claim on me. Not anymore. The contract was null and void, and we would’ve never wound up together if I hadn’t been sold to him.

  Once I’d realized that, his requests were like a sucker punch to the gut. And I seldom walked away from the conversation without looking bad. Definitely not without questioning every choice I’d ever made.

  Maybe that was why Tessa was giving me a chance to rip up the contract.

  If I dropped out of the show, Tate, and all those people who had nothing better to do than stand outside The Redheaded Stepchild with signs wishing me ill, won. And I would teach Hazel to sit down and shut up when she thought something wasn’t right.

  The waitress brought our pies while I mulled my options over. We’d ordered shaved steak, caramelized onion, and goat cheese, and apple and brie on a butternut squash crust. There had never been a better opportunity to eat my feelings.

  I’d have to stop at Sawtooth Sweets on the way home to make sure I got them all.

  “I’m in,” I said after my first bite of steak pizza. “I’ll try to be better about the rules.”

  Tessa laughed. “All I need to know is that you want to be a Werewife. Don’t worry about the rules. Not one of my Werewives has followed them yet. I don’t expect you to be the first.”

  Chapter Six

  Carlos

  Monday mornings always started with a Sawtooth pack meeting. Only thing was, Javier, Rick, and I weren’t considered pack. Not until we took care of Tate Ulrich. Our strategy had been to do what we’d done best for seven years—stay in the shadows. But we couldn’t do that anymore.

  Shadow Channing decided this week’s gathering should be at the scene of the latest crime, The Redheaded Stepchild. Police tape fluttered in the wind, and the Werewives’ bus and giant lights still waited to be hauled away. Much different mood than the other night, both when I arrived and when I left.

  “What the fuck is she doing here?” Major Lowe gestured at our plus one, Stephanie, from the Werewives crew. She was geared up, with a steady cam vest, surveying the damage at the bar.

  “Tessa cleared it with Shadow.” Javier glared at him.

  I was still technically Javier’s alpha, until we were handed our engraved invitations to join the Sawtooth pack. And he was willing to defend Stephanie over any shit Major wanted to stir. Which meant we had to have a talk.

  Though, if she was his mate, nothing I had to say would matter.

  Major didn’t waver from the challenge. “Shadow didn’t clear it with us.” He turned to his alpha. “Is that how it is now? You consult with the TV show, but not your own fucking pack if our business should be broadcast to the world?”

  Shadow sat on one of the only barstools that hadn’t been overturned. I’d missed one hell of a fight. Tables had been scattered and broken glass sparkled in the low light. “The fight happened at the Real Werewives’ party. It’s show business as much as it’s pack business.”

  The door creaked open and Tessa stuck her head in, assessing the situation before she entered. “Sorry I’m late. I’ve been talking contracted Werewives into staying on the show. So we need to come out of this meeting with a solid plan I can take back to production.”

  “Who’s our alpha? Tessa, or Shadow?” Shea Lowe, Major’s brother, leaned against the bar with his arms crossed. All the Lowes had a low bullshit tolerance.

  “I am,” Shadow growled. “We won’t keep our business a secret anymore, like we’re ashamed of it.” He nodded when his pack recoiled. “That’s why these wolves think they can one-up us. The latest call is coming from inside our own pack. The show finally gives us an opportunity to put these bastards on blast. My goal in getting involved with the Real Werewives is that no pack looking for land or an ego circle jerk thinks this is the place to turn. Because we will destroy you.”

  A shiver went down my spine. I wanted peace, and we hadn’t exactly come to the right place for that.

  Shea nodded toward us. “But you hired these guys to do our dirty work. What kind of message does that send? That we’re too weak to solve the problem on our own?”

  “We can solve our own problems,”
Shadow said between gritted teeth. “But we’ll never move forward if we have to keep teaching these wolves the same lesson. And it’s a good way to make sure these guys are loyal to our pack.”

  Maybe we’d never truly belong here.

  “What happened Saturday night?” Major asked.

  “A fight broke out around ten-thirty,” Matteo said. “Not all the wolves were familiar. They went after the pack members involved with the show. They meant to scare the Werewives.”

  “Saturday night was an open audition,” Tessa swiped through her tablet. “I have the names of all candidates that expressed interest in the show. One of the questions is if they’re shifters, and if they have a pack affiliation. We haven’t had time to vet every applicant yet. I’m happy to share what I’ve got if it helps keep the pack and my Werewives safe.”

  “That depends on whether they bothered with a proper audition, or if they thought they could just take what they wanted.” Marcus shook his head in disgust. He was all too familiar with being taken prisoner— claiming his freedom had been the catalyst that brought him to this pack.

  “Anyone familiar involved?” I asked. “The guys we’ve been watching?”

  Shadow turned to me, Javier, and Rick. “Why are you asking? It was your responsibility to scope the place out and make sure shit like this didn’t happen. Why was this allowed to escalate? You should’ve thrown them out on their asses at the first sign of trouble.”

  I had to own up to my mistake. “I got distracted by a Werewife.”

  “You sure did,” Tessa said under her breath.

  “Isn’t that what you wanted to happen?”

  “You were there for work.” Shadow shook his head. “Even if you were getting cozy with one of the contestants, you needed to be on the lookout for problems like this and stop them before they start.”