Her Wanted Wolf

by Renee Michaels

  Let him wonder. He deserved it for threatening her with the women of his pack.

  She didn’t look back and pulled a simmering Ishbel with her. There was a story here and curiosity was killing her.

  * * * *

  Drew watched the women take off at a trot. They gathered speed. Their bodies blurred and shimmied into silver streaks, morphing into wolves.

  The coming weeks were going to be tough as the dangers compounded. Word of the Silverwolves’ reemergence from obscurity was bound to spread through the packs. He didn’t fool himself that the news wouldn’t reach Bardo’s ears.

  His wolf’s protective instincts roared to the forefront of his psyche. He had to protect Sabine at all costs, and the idea of asking Rafe to be his sec flitted through his mind. Asking a strong were to form a ménage à trois for your mate’s protection if you died in battle was a declining custom. He’d done the same for Justice when Saffa was in jeopardy. His were railed at the idea of another alpha wolf in their bed. A savage possessiveness flooded him. Now he had an inkling of what Justice went though.

  Drew didn’t have a problem with Sabine experimenting sexually, but to give another were the right to put his hands on her before he had a full claim on her was another matter. The idea died as swiftly as it formed. Besides, Rafe wanted Sabine’s sister and that was a little too kinky.

  Drew sized up his primo, who, to judge by the bunched muscles in his jaw and the banked fury in his eyes, was more than a little pissed. “Want to tell me what the hell is going on with you and Ishbel?”

  “Not a damned thing, unfortunately,” Rafe growled out. “Crap, she has my balls in a bind.”

  Drew slapped his back in sympathy. “Turned you down flat, did she?”

  “As a pancake. Can’t say I like the feeling.” Rafe frowned darkly. “What’s with these Silverwolf women? Ever since I got a whiff of her, I’ve had a hard-on.”

  “Addictive isn’t it, but it didn’t stop you from drilling a pair of she-wolves last night.” Drew’s left brow rose.

  Rafe grinned, not in the least bit ashamed. “Saw that, did you? Figured I’d show her she wasn’t going to lead me around by the nose.” Rafe shook his head. “Besides, it was either that or cause a ruckus with the pair she slept with last night to figuratively give me the finger. I’ll bide my time.”

  “Well, let’s go run off your frustration.”

  Drew shifted. He was home and he’d savor every second of it until he was forced to leave again. He put his face into the wind, breathed in the familiar scents marking his territory, and took off in a muscle-stretching lope with Rafe hot on his heels. One by one, he heard his fore-fighters fall in behind them, and he set a pace that would satisfy the were who always tugged at his human to let it run free.

  * * * *

  Aimee sat on the rolling deck and watched the shoreline. The buildings clustered together in the small inlet, miniaturized by distance, were a picturesque example of a fishing village. The docks were busy with people going about their business. Eyes gritty from the strain, she studied each man, hoping to catch the familiar contours of her mate’s body.

  Micah was late. She tried not to worry, but she was as fidgety as a turkey on the third Wednesday in November.

  A continuous flume of water approaching from further up the coast drew her attention. Aimee held her breath, willing it to be Micah. She squinted against the glare of the too bright sunlight bouncing off the water. It didn’t take her long to recognize Micah, and she sagged with relief.

  The raft skipped over the waves in a jerky race toward the trawler. Whipped by the wind, Micah’s jet-black hair glistened in the sun. His unsmiling mouth hinted he wasn’t bringing good news. The outboard motor’s hum pulled the Redmavens, who waited with the same anxiety as she did, to the rail. The motor cut off and the small craft sidled to the side of the boat where it bumped and wavered on the choppy water.

  Agile as monkeys, the men scrambled up the rope ladder and boarded the boat. Micah’s nostrils flared as his eyes zeroed in on her. He waded through the curious family crowding around for news and wrapped his arms around her.

  “Did you get a hold of your brother?”

  She shook her head. “No service out here.”

  “Shit.”

  “What’s wrong?” she looked at him, dreading his reply.

  Micah turned to face his family milling about. “The men who were supposed to meet us didn’t show. I figure they were caught…” His voice trailed off leaving the fact that in all likelihood that they were dead, unsaid. Shoulders hunched, Micah dropped his eyes to the sun-bleached deck.

  “We knew the risks we were taking when we chose to break away from Bardo, Micah.” One of the men spoke up over the fraught silence. “What is our next move?”

  “I’ll be making a couple of forays into Savannah. I need to take out Rifkin and locate Milo before Bardo hits town with his fore-fighters. I’ll be going alone.”

  An icy fist clutched at Aimee’s heart. “Alone? You can’t go alone.”

  “I won’t risk anybody else.” He skimmed his eyes over his pack brothers and sisters. “We need every able-bodied were to protect the women and young. Dubois will sail for Louisiana. He has land where we can shelter until we establish a permanent den.”

  “Or we can stay aboard this belly-churning tub, while we slip in and out of the city until we find them. We won’t leave you behind any more than you would leave any of us to Rifkin’s mercy.” One of the older weres thrust his chin out, daring Micah to object.

  “Thank you for the sentiment, Renn, but we have a problem. Milo was the one who doled out the funds for supplies. That’s been cut off since he we didn’t nab him as planned. We’re going to need food and fuel for this barge.”

  “If we had thought to bring my purse from the cave we would have access to money.” Aimee chimed, in wanting to contribute something.

  Micah stiffened beside her. Shoot, she couldn’t get her hands on the money, but he was ready to go all Neanderthal on her and reject it.

  “You mean that little bag with the shiny beads and stuff?” one of the women piped in. She shifted nervously when everyone looked her way; visibly regretting she brought attention to herself. “I have it in my bundle. I thought you might want it back.”

  “I won’t take Lunedare money,” Micah gritted out, his lips a tight stubborn line.

  Heaven save her from prideful weres. “It’s not Lunedare money, it’s my money. As your mate I am now a member of this pack, so it’s Redmaven money.”

  “She’s got you there, son. There has never been a man born who can win an argument with a woman if she tosses female logic at you. Might as well give in.” Renn chortled, his lips separated to show teeth worn down by age.

  “It’d be a loan. We can pay her back, one day. Though I don’t know how,” Micah muttered heavily.

  “Hell boy, we old-timers know where the gold deposits are on Redmaven land, it’s just a matter of getting it out,” Renn informed him helpfully.

  “Are you forgetting we can’t set a paw or foot on our former territory?” Micah reminded him, his tone dry as dust.

  “I have hopes to run free over it again. Now take what your mate has offered, and let’s get on with it. The sooner you cull the mutts from our pack, the faster I can get the hell off this up-chuck dinghy.” Renn ambled off on unsteady feet, looking a little green. The rest of the Redmavens followed Renn, now that they’d found a way to solve their current problem.

  “How do we go about getting the funds we need?” The sourness in Micah’s tone put a grin on Aimee’s face. You would think he was about to a take a dose of nasty medicine.

  “Got a Bank of America anywhere near here?”

  “I’ll find one, but you keep an account of what we take.”

  “To the last penny. I might even charge you interest. A nice fat 20 percent.” Aimee rocked back on her heels and waited for his reaction.

  Micah’s brows shot up. “That’s highway robber
y.”

  “Well you insisted on it being a loan, so I feel bound to charge you interest. I am however open for negotiations. What are you going to put up to secure the loan?” She ran her hand over his upper arm suggestively.

  Micah’s lips twitched as he fought to stifle a grin. “I feel so cheap. Come on Shylock. Let me show you my collateral.”

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Drew stretched his body out to the fullest and vaulted over the tree trunk barring his way. He landed lightly and, without pausing, he continued to wind his way through the thick brush at full speed. Familiar with every nook and cranny in his territory, he deliberately chose the most perilous path to test the mettle of the wolves he ran with.

  It was a final test to see how well the paired weres worked together.

  The pairings weren’t always a comfortable fit, Rafe and Ishbel being the most fractious. Something was bubbling between those two. He didn’t care what the hell it was, as long as it didn’t interfere with their mission.

  The women would be at the forefront of any skirmish and Drew still wasn’t comfortable with the idea. His ears still rang from the discussions they’d had before a compromise they could all live with was reached. The women would get his men to within a hairsbreadth of a target and then fall back to cover the male weres’ backs once the fighting started.

  The two-wolf teams finally achieved the crucial skill of anticipating their partner’s next move on a silent run. He was satisfied that they were cohesive units. Drew knew he should be exhausted but the renewed sense of hope and purpose that the Silverwolves’ gifts would afford them, energized him.

  Drew glanced over his shoulder, listened to Sabine’s labored breathing, and tamped down the inclination to shorten his stride. She wouldn’t thank him for it because she kept apace with him, in spite of her shorter gait. He changed his direction without warning. Reading his unvoiced cues, she responded instantaneously and followed him up the rocky crest.

  The triangular ridge marking his destination rose out of the sea of green like a shark’s fin. Drew let out a howl of triumph before he charged over the last crest with his companions panting at his paws.

  Drew broke through the trees and raced to the rippling pools carved into the rock-face by a series of graduated waterfalls. Fed by melted snow from the higher elevations, the gushing water was ice cold and a welcome sight after his run. He dipped his head into one of the shallow basins to allow the pure sweet water to flow over his tongue. He drank deeply to quench his thirst.

  Hearing soft footfalls behind him, Drew looked over his haunch at Sabine and gestured with his head for her join him before he jumped into the swimming hole. The frigid water cooled his heated body and washed away the muscle fatigue he’d acquired over the last couple of days.

  Water buffeted his body, as his pack members dived in after him, pushing him deeper. He allowed himself to sink until his paws touched the white limestone silt lining the bottom of the swimming hole. Twisting his body, Drew aimed his muzzle at the surface and paddled upward. His head broke through the water and he drew crisp air into his starved lungs.

  Yips and taunting challenges issued as the weres splashed and frolicked around him. They were taking advantage of the respite from the punishing mock-skirmishes Rafe had put them through over the past week. He hoped it would ease some of the strain waiting for word of Aimee’s location laid on them.

  Drew looked around for Sabine and saw her climbing out of the pool. She shook out her fur and sent large, gemlike globules of water flying through the air before she shifted.

  Shit, her backside was a black, blue, and yellow mural.

  Drew watched her climb up to a sun-heated slab of shale hanging over one of the higher basins, seeming to need some distance from the rest of them. She dropped down on the stone, lay on her back, closed her eyes, and lifted her face to the sky.

  Shifting, he navigated the slippery lichen-covered formations and joined Sabine on her rocky bed.

  “What’s wrong?” He took her hand in his.

  “Nothing, just a little tired. Do you think we’ll be able to do what you need us to do?”

  Drew frowned. He’d never seen her uncertain about her abilities before. “Are you kidding me? With you shielding us, we literally bit the opposing team on their hairy asses before they caught wind of us. Gustav sings your praises to anyone who’ll listen.” He cupped her chin and looked into her eyes, trying to gauge her mood. “Are you having second thoughts?”

  The look she shot was both impatient and admonishing. “No. It’s just that I’ve realized how easily one of my pack sisters could receive a mortal wound. Learning to fight amongst ourselves was a lot easier than sparring with your men. These exercises leave us a little battered and bruised.”

  “Yeah, things can get a little chaotic in the heat of a battle, but if it’s any consolation, your women gave as good as they got. I’m still sore from Kai barreling into my gut and flipping me onto my ass. Neat maneuver.” He touched a fading abrasion on her hip. “You women have a million of them under all that silky fur, don’t you?”

  She grinned, her smile full of her pride in her pack. “Yes we do. You never gave me the details why Bardo wants your hide on his wall.”

  Drew’s lips twisted into a grimace. “Bardo is jonesing for some payback. It all started when Justice snatched Saffa and the leadership of the packs from under his nose. Then there is the little matter of his public humiliation because Justice pissed on him in front of the assembled packs.”

  “Don’t you mean he pissed him off?” Drew’s brows flew up at her use of the slang she’d picked up from his men. She was a fast learner.

  “No, I mean, Justice lifted his hind leg and whizzed all over Bardo.” Idly, he took up a lock of her hair and brushed it behind her ear.

  Sabine slapped at his hand like she swatted a fly. “An effective insult, but not very diplomatic of our supreme alpha.”

  “He hadn’t claimed the position yet, but the woman he loves was threatened. Tact tends to go out the window in a situation like that.”

  “So Bardo lost face before the packs.” Sabine pursed her lips but and her expression lightened with laughter.

  “It was something to see, Bardo and Justice ripping into each other before Gretchen, Saffa’s grandmother, called a halt to the fight. Justice was frustrated that he couldn’t put Bardo down permanently, but he delivered the ultimate insult in front the assembled packs. It would make any wolf more than a little pissy. No pun intended.”

  “It would make Bardo’s hold on the leadership of his pack somewhat tenuous. It would explain why he’s hunting us so obsessively.”

  “Yeah, he needs something really remarkable to shore up his position. You Silverwolves would fit the bill perfectly.” Drew reclined beside Sabine, slid his arm under her shoulders, and pulled her close.

  “I can understand that, but why take Aimee?”

  Drew grimaced. “Bardo couldn’t find an opening in Justice’s defenses. He struck at Justice through his closest allies, the Lunedares.”

  “It just occurred to me that all the Silverwolf women of breeding age will be going to help retrieve your sister. There are bound to be casualties,” Sabine stated solemnly, looking over the wolves romping in the water. A troubled expression clouded her eyes. “If by some fluke, we all don’t make it back there will be no one left to ensure the continuity of our bloodline. One of my pack sisters should remain behind safe in the Lunedare den.”

  “Good thinking. You can stay behind and oversee the wellbeing of the pack until I get back.”

  The look she gave him said, nice try, but not happening. “If I stay, you stay,” she challenged.

  “I am the alpha of my pack. There is no question of me remaining behind. Just saying, if someone has to stay behind, it might as well be you.” He laid his hand on her belly. “I’d hoped your breeding cycle would have started, and I’d get you with child before we had to begin our hunt. A son.” At the rising of Sabine’s s
ilvery eyebrow, he grinned. “Or daughter, to make sure something of me remains if I don’t make it back. It’d be a reason for you to stay, don’t you think?”

  A sly taunting smirk spread across her face. “What are you saying? The Lunedares’ alpha is going to let the mangy Redmavens get the better of him?”

  “Fuck that, it’s…I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “I can’t promise I won’t get hurt, any more than you can, but as you know I’m a very slippery she-wolf. You’d still be chasing me if we hadn’t needed you.” She shot him a taunting glance, her lips curving into a taunting smirk.

  “Yeah, about that, I never did punish you properly for shredding my ego.” He captured Sabine’s lips with his. Drew slid his tongue against hers in sexy licks and laps, which he knew would ignite the fiery need always simmering between them.

  Drew tightened his hand on Sabine’s hips and pulled her closer to nestle his manly pride against the soft cushion of her belly. He eased back when she flinched.

  Sabine’s lips curved into a purely feminine smile, the one that meant a woman was about to lead a man around by his cock. She pushed the crests of her breasts into his chest. A groan rumbled up from his throat.

  Drew looked down at her and the bruise on her upper arm doused the rampant need racing through him. He held her away from him. “Behave yourself,” he ground out.

  Chest to chest, groin to groin, with their legs tangled together, the unconscious intimacy of her act made him horny as hell.

  Pleased, he grinned. “You cuddle up to me like it’s the most natural thing now. I must be growing on you.”

  “You must be. I don’t find you as arrogant, domineering or hard headed as I thought you’d be.” Her dry as dust tone had him laughing aloud.

  That’s his girl. She gave an inch, but grudgingly. “Would it be so hard to admit that you want me?” He nipped her earlobe and got the expected response. She shivered and the fragrance she exuded changed subtly, to something richer, riper, sweeter, and sexier.