“Celebrate?”
Rayne’s quick grin was disarming. “Why your upcoming consummation, of course.”
Upcoming was no longer the operative word.
She turned to see Joe had heard the comment. He reached for Quinn’s hand and nodded as if he’d made a decision. “Hang out here for a minute, Rayne. I’ll get her back to you in just a second. Have to take care of some business,” he said, as he drew Quinn from her chair.
“You look pretty as a picture tonight.”
She laughed. “What? This old thing?”
Tonight she’d dressed with special care. She might not have had a typical white wedding but she was married just the same. Considering the casualness of a barbecue she wasn’t about to go over the top but the silky aqua tee and matching denim mini skirt was colorful, sunny and suited her mood.
Joe returned her smile and led her through the crowd of people until he reached an area very near the barn where Harley and the Moondoggies were entertaining the party-goers with country music.
“What are you up to?”
He grinned down at her and once again she caught her breath. She still couldn’t believe this hotter than hot man belonged to her. “Shh. You’ll see.”
When the song was over, Joe nodded to Harley, the lead singer and asked for the microphone.
Harley, a long, lanky wolf with a mop of reddish hair, acknowledged him and spoke into the microphone. “Our alpha surprised me tonight. Says he wants to talk. The man never says two words and now he wants to talk.”
The crowd which gathered around laughed, some clapped. One man yelled out. “Go, Joe.”
Joe took her hand. He led her up to the microphone and spoke into it. “I’ll deal with Harley later.”
Everyone laughed at the joke. “First off, thanks for comin’ out tonight. Some of you have met Quinn already. I’d planned to introduce her as Bart’s daughter and, well, I was hoping you’d all make her welcome considering who her father was.” Joe cleared his throat and looked at her. The love that warmed his eyes sent a shiver racing over her skin and she squeezed his hand. “Anyway, now I get to introduce her as my consummated mate and my lupa.”
Laughter and applause raced through the crowd like a wave. Someone shouted, “It’s about damn time!” and others crowed out a chorus of “woo-hoo’s” and “happy consummation”. Quinn felt their love and acceptance reach out and take hold of her heart. She’d never been an emotional woman but tears burned, several fell and through it all Joe hugged her close to his side. He cleared his throat again. “Placed a call today to Silas MacAdam, our Supreme Alpha. Needed to fill him in on my news. He offered congratulations from himself and his mate, Martha. He has invited any of us who plan to travel to Scotland this winter for the general meeting to a fancy Consummation Ball in our honor.” A buzz went through the crowd. “Now, I don’t know much about fancy balls. We call ‘em dances around here but I thought I’d let you know about the invitation so you can make plans if you want to travel to the Highlands.”
Joe went quiet and looked at her. “You want to say something, darlin’?”
“Don’t know if I can talk right now.” She’d meant to speak only to Joe but her words carried out loudly over the crowd. Several laughed and others shouted encouragement so she leaned close to the microphone. “I…um…never met my dad and my people. I’m sorry about that but ya’ll have been so nice to me and accepted me. Thanks for that. I feel like I’ve finally come home.”
The crowd went wild and when Joe led her off the makeshift stage she was enfolded in bear hugs and kissed by so many people, she lost track. Breathlessly, she got back to her table and flopped into her chair. Rayne was still sitting there and Quinn might’ve been invisible for all the notice she got. Rayne’s beautiful sherry-colored eyes were wide and unfocused and her breathing was choppy.
“Rayne! What’s wrong, honey?”
Rayne’s eyes filled as she seemed to be suddenly aware of her surroundings. “Um…think I just made a connection with my mate. Oh Quinn! I dreamed of him and hoped it would be him.”
“Who? Who is it?”
Quinn saw Rayne’s gaze move to where Ringo stood leaning against a tree as if he hadn’t a care in the world. Ringo? There was something about the lean wolf that scared her to death. He seemed so cold and menacing. She looked closer. Despite the lazy stance and go-to-hell appearance, his nostrils flared as he dragged air into his lungs.
Her gaze zipped to Rayne who couldn’t seem to take her eyes from him.
Quinn grabbed her hand. “Tell me. Are you sure?”
“Hell yes, I’m sure. I never knew how it would feel. I only imagined but there’s no mistaking it. He is my destined mate.”
“Oh, honey—”
Suddenly Joe leaned down. He held a cell phone in his hand. “Something has come up.”
Then he surprised her by walking back toward the band. He held up a hand interrupting the song in progress and grabbed the microphone again. “Listen up. Just got a call from Dusty. He was driving past the south pasture on his way here and found carcasses. Spotted that rogue wolf pack.” Low mumbles rushed through the assembled group. “Think we’d better go after ‘em.”
Quinn watched in amazement as men started stripping out of their clothing where they stood. Several began to shift. “I want the mated females to stay here to protect the unmated females. They’d be a helluva trophy for rogue wolves. Do what you must to keep them safe. You younger males need to stay too. I want you to do your part. There will be other hunts.” A groan went up from the younger males who’d been throwing the football earlier. They looked so disappointed. Joe softened his voice. “I need you men here. Got me? Some of you have unmated sisters. I can’t think of a more important job than keeping them safe.”
If she hadn’t already loved Joe beyond reason, she would’ve fallen head over heels at that moment.
Joe walked up to her as chaos broke out. He grabbed her close and kissed her hungrily. “I’ll be back for you later.”
“Be careful, Joe.”
He yanked his tee shirt over his head and looked at her. “If you need me, open your mind and holler out. Now that we’re consummated the connection will be stronger than ever.”
Before she could reassure him, he stripped to the skin and shifted. The fur on Joe’s necked bristled and he snarled low as the pack came to heel. As a unit, the wolves ran from the yard and raced into the night.
Quinn looked around and saw the anxiety and some anger written on the women’s faces. Obviously some wanted to join in the hunt while others wished safety for their mates. There was nothing to be done now but wait.
For roughly forty-five minutes all was quiet and women gathered together in small groups or pitched in to help clean up the mess from the evening’s get together. The young males behaved like typical teens and, once realizing they wouldn’t be having an adventure that night, headed into the house to play video games.
She and Rayne carried armloads of carefully folded tablecloths and handed them off to Maria who marched them through the kitchen door. “Wow, what a night,” Quinn said as she turned to Rayne who seemed to freeze as she looked off into the distance. “What?”
Quinn froze too at the sight of several huge wolves walking into the yard surrounded by Selena. She was naked as if she’d just shifted. Stopping before the group of women she sneered and focused in on Quinn. Tossing back her black hair, she settled her hands on her hips. Every wolf but one, began to circle the women.
“I hear a celebration is going on here tonight.” Selena stuck out her bottom lip in a mock pout. “I’m crushed. Why wasn’t I invited?”
Quinn stepped forward and the other she-wolves parted for her. Selena didn’t scare her and it was about time she let her know it. “Got any more rattlers on you?” Quinn sent her eyes down and then up before curling her lip. “Guess not.”
“Shut up, puta.”
The dark wolf who stood beside her, his tongue lolling from his muzzle
, suddenly shifted into the form of a huge naked man. Selena instantly sidled up to him and he wrapped his arm around her waist. “This is Zavalos. He will be your new alpha once Joe is dead.”
“What are you talking about?” Quinn wanted to keep her talking as she sent out a cry for help to Joe.
Joe? Joe, it’s a trap. There’s trouble.
Are you all right?
Yes. Hurry.
On my way.
“You are a smart little chica. Surely you’ve figured out that it was I who killed your father.”
Quinn gasped. A weird stillness fell over the group of women. “You killed my dad?”
Selena tossed her hair and lifted her chin in defiance. “Joe was second in line and we were fucking on a regular basis. With Bart gone, I would be lupa here. But then you showed up and ruined everything. Joe made his choice and now I have made mine. Zavalos will kill Joe and I will kill you.” Zavalos, the would-be alpha, released Selena and walked into the crowd of women behind her.
Fury threatened to blur her vision as she looked at the murderous bitch. As if from a distance, she heard the sounds of scuffles and cries. Near her, clothes were tossed around haphazardly and she knew the mated females were shifting. She reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head.
Wearing a defiance of her own, she stared at Selena and watched her eyes settle on the marks on her shoulder. The sign of her consummation with Joe. A low growl rose up from Selena. “You are dead, bitch. Zavalos and his men are collecting the unmated females. They will be needed in our pack. Of course, I know each one of them.”
A scream went up behind her.
Rayne.
She watched in stunned disbelief as a naked man ran from the yard with her friend tossed over his shoulder. Another young girl was carried off too. Several she-wolves gave chase as the young male wolves ran from the house to be quickly overpowered by the older men.
Quinn turned back to the she-wolf and narrowed her eyes. “I don’t think so, Selena.”
“I’ll kill you.”
“Try it.” Quinn practically tore the remaining clothing from her body as vengeance rode her hard. But it wasn’t only vengeance. It was about protection too. She visualized her wolf in her mind, felt her presence and quicker than she would’ve thought possible, shifted. Growling low, she watched Selena’s eyes go wide just seconds before she shifted into her black wolf. They circled each other, growling and snapping and suddenly Quinn was sick to death of the games. She lunged, sinking her teeth into Selena’s side. Her own side received an answering bite but she didn’t feel pain. All she felt was the need to kill, to destroy.
They backed away and circled again.
She was vaguely aware that other she-wolves were circling the two of them. Oh yeah, they had her back and she knew it. Zavalos was nowhere to be seen.
A low howl rose up and the two female wolves stopped long enough to watch the Cloverfield wolves rush into the fray. A bloody melee ensued and Quinn immediately spotted Joe in deadly battle with Zavalos who had yet to shift into his wolf. As a man he was far more vulnerable and Joe lunged at his throat with deadly accuracy, taking him down.
Then it was Quinn’s turn, again under attack, as Selena rushed her and sank her teeth into Quinn’s throat. But then suddenly the heavy weight of the she-wolf lifted from her body and she raised her lupine head to see over half a dozen of her new friends, she-wolves all, fall upon the downed Selena. Snapping and snarling, they tore into her. Breathing hard, Quinn shifted and sat naked in the middle of the yard. Immediately she looked for Joe. When she spotted him, she saw he was no longer wolf but man. A rifle was poised at his shoulder.
“Give it up, Zavalos!”
The leader of the rogue lycans shifted into his wolf. He crouched low and snarled, his lethal teeth snapping and then he leaped at Joe, seeming focused on his throat. A shot rang out!
Zavalos fell to the ground with a hole blasted not-so-neatly between his eyes. Quinn shuddered in the aftermath of all the violence and struggled to catch her breath. A low roar broke out among the others and Quinn saw them scatter to run off in different directions. Something was happening but all she could think of was getting to Joe.
Handing off the rifle to Manuel, Joe pulled her up and into his arms. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah. I’m already healing. I’m good.”
She saw the worry in his eyes but there was no time to reassure him. Turning in his arms she looked around her. The women were absently pulling on their clothes and Maria rushed up. She was clothed in the embroidered Mexican dress she’d worn earlier. “They took Rayne Poteet and two others. Very young ones. Madre de Dios!”
“Damn!” Joe turned to his men. “Small group. We’re going back out.”
Ringo stepped forward and Quinn saw more emotion on the wolf’s face than she’d ever seen before. “Rayne is my responsibility. I’m going alone. I will bring her back. I will bring them all back.”
Joe went still. “Since when has Rayne been your responsibility?”
“Since I learned she is my mate.”
“Then go. Alone if you think it’s best.”
Ringo nodded. “I do.” Immediately, he shifted and raced off into the night.
Quinn turned to the spot where Selena had been downed by the Wolf Creek she-wolves and blinked. “Selena!”
“What?”
Quinn looked up at Joe as a chill swept her. “She’s gone.”
Joe surveyed the area, finally releasing a breath. He tightened his arms around her. “Looks like it. She’s a powerful wolf and because of that, she heals quickly. But like a bad penny, she’ll show up again. Right now, she’s wounded and can’t hurt anyone. We’ll find her. Some day.”
* * * * *
“It seems so weird, Joe,” she said hours later. They were curled naked together in the big bed but neither had been able to sleep.
He pressed a kiss to her head. “What, honey?”
“How quiet the world seems when we should be howling our outrage.”
“They weren’t harmed. That’s the main thing.”
The younger girls, sisters, who were teenagers, were home now. Several wolves, including the young girls’ father took off after Ringo and together they’d managed to save the stolen ones and return them to the safety of the pack. Unfortunately, the wolf who had taken Rayne had gotten away.
The others left Ringo to rescue his mate.
“We ache when any one of us is in danger.” Joe leaned back and looked at her. With moonlight filtering through the open balcony windows, his fierce golden eyes seemed softer and if possible, even more beautiful. “There are still rogue wolves out there, darlin’. And Selena. Ringo will find Rayne. The rest of us must care for those who weren’t taken but are still vulnerable.”
“He’ll find her,” Quinn said with finally, wishing with everything in her for it to be true. “Did you see the look on his face when he learned Rayne was taken?”
“Yeah. Poor bastard. I would kill anyone who took you from me.”
Joe looked so shaken at the thought, she took pity on him and moved over him to straddle his hips. His cock lay heavy between them and she moved against it. Smiling, she leaned down and kissed him. “You’ll never have to worry about that, sweetheart,” she whispered. “Don’t think I’ll ever let you out of my sight. Never again.”
“Promise?” His voice went low and raspy.
“Oh yeah,” she breathed as she lifted and then lowered her body over his hard erection. She loved him and saw her future with him on the dusty plains spread out before them like a wish fulfilled. “It’s a promise I intend to keep. Forever.”
About the Author
Regina Carlysle is an award-winning, multi-published author. She likes writing that is hot, edgy and often humorous, and puts this trademark stamp on all of her stories. Regina lives in west Texas with her husband of 25 years and counting, and is a doting, fawning, over-indulgent mother to her two kids. When she’s not penning s
teamy erotic tales or hot contemporary stories, she’s indulging in long chats with friends who help her stay sane and keep her laughing.
The author welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Regina Carlysle
Breath of Magic
Elven Magic anthology
Feral Moon
Highland Beast
Killer Curves
Spanish Topaz
Tempting Tess
Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.
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