Hours later, he was trying to figure out how to work the stove to heat up his steak, when a loud howl sounded from the woods in front of the house. Colin wiped his slightly runny nose on the sleeve of his flannel work shirt and glanced out the kitchen window. He sighed resignedly. He knew it would happen sooner or later.
Three wolves stood at the tree line, ears tilted toward him, their noses sniffing the air.
With a frustrated, hungry growl, Colin abandoned his lunch and headed outside. The crisp air bit into his bones as he crunched across the yard to the trees, his steps slow. He had forgotten a jacket. The chickens squawked in their run, and he snarled at them to hush as he passed the coop and they started doing the flapping and hollering thing that drove Colin crazy.
A growl stopped him in his tracks demanding submission as he neared the trio. But Colin held his head high. He was on his alpha's land, not theirs. They had no authority here. He locked eyes with the large black wolf and refused to back down.
The blatant insult in staring into the eyes of the black alpha riled the male. His two wolves with him stood still and silent, appraising Colin with glowing eyes, disapproval clear in their gazes.
Colin shoved his hands in his pockets and asked gruffly, “Why are you here?”
The alpha snarled, trying to intimidate him, before changing to his skin.
“Submit,” he growled as he stood, naked and unapologetic.
“I submit to alpha mine,” Colin said firmly. “No other.”
The alpha looked around uneasily for Colin's alpha, and while Colin understood the man's worries, they were unfounded.
“This is unclaimed land,” stated the alpha plainly. “Is your alpha rogue?”
“No,” answered Colin, glaring at the man for such an insult. “She is my Promise.”
The man visibly relaxed at the knowledge. “The little Anders girl?” he asked before laughing heartily. “But she's human.”
Colin growled and the man quieted.
The two other wolves suddenly changed, and Colin eyed them appraisingly. If they were here to make him leave, he wouldn't go without a fight, even if it was one fight he couldn't win.
The two other men were well built and muscular. Colin was still recovering from months upon months of near starvation and cold. He wouldn't be able to beat them.
“You passed through my land,” said the alpha. “No warning. Without so much as a by-your-leave.”
“My apologies,” murmured Colin formally. “I scented her and came.” He shrugged at the little white lie.
No need to tell them that he had been near dying and that she had found him. Then they would question where his pack and his family was. Colin wasn't sure where his status stood in the shifter world. Some thought him dead, others knew of his banishment. He supposed he was really cast as a rogue. Rogues, if caught, were killed. Besides, he was supposed to have been killed years and years ago.
He wasn't so sure that the alpha currently glaring holes through his head wouldn't try to finish the job. The more he thought about it, the more likely it the outcome would be death if the alpha found out who he was.
So when the alpha asked his name, Colin said the first thing that popped into his mind.
“Wolfie.”
CHAPTER fourteen
“Thanks, Reggie!” Faye hollered as she headed to her car.
“Anytime, squirt.”
“Don't call me that!” yelled Faye, laughing while Heidi screeched. “Don't call her that! It's rude!”
Faye set the large box of pizza Reggie had given her in the passenger seat of her car and climbed behind the wheel, hurrying to crank up the heater. She watched as Reggie and Heidi got in their vehicle, still bickering like the old married couple they were.
Reggie and Heidi were as different as ice cream and whiskey, yet they made it work so seamlessly time. Faye knew their arguing was something they enjoyed. Reggie was a big man, a hard-seasoned biker, but Faye could see the loving look in his eyes whenever they landed on Heidi. She was his world.
Faye headed out, eager to see her own bearded mountain at home. It had been a long day. Her foot pressed harder on the accelerator as she headed down the Glenn Highway, carefully threading through the traffic with practiced ease.
It was dark when she pulled into the garage attached to the back of the house. The place was quiet; the chickens even silent in their coop. Colin must have already put them up for the night. That or put the fear of death into them with his wolf-shifter and predator appeal which, he explained, the chickens picked up on. Must be why she hadn't been gifted with any eggs for the past couple of days. They were utterly terrified of him.
When she walked through the door, she glanced around warily, not knowing exactly what to expect. A loud crash from the kitchen jerked her attention to the right, and she hurriedly shed her outerwear before calling out. “Colin? I'm home!”
When she walked in to the kitchen, Faye tried hard to keep herself from laughing. The place was a wreck, and Colin was sexier than a man had a right to be, covered from head to toe in flour with something gooey crusted in his hair. Noodles stuck to the floor, and the crestfallen look on his face only made the scene more comical. But for the sake of his manly dignity, Faye bit her lip and asked, “What's going on?”
She set the pizza box down on the coffee table and moved towards the kitchen. Her laughter changed to concern as she caught sight of the large burn across the back of Colin's hand and his forearm. “Are you alright?” she asked worriedly as she grasped his arm carefully.
He yanked it out of her grasp and shoved it behind his back, a chagrined look on his handsome face. “Sorry,” he murmured. “I try to cook.”
Faye cocked her head at him as he turned to glance around helplessly and whispered, “So different now.”
Faye didn't know what that meant, so she ignored it and tugged on the arm he had hidden. She searched his gaze before his honey-colored hair fell over his eyes and hid them.
“Let me see,” she insisted.
Reluctantly, he allowed her to see, and Faye clicked her tongue disapprovingly, resembling one of her hens as she fussed. She reached up and tucked his hair behind his ear while she scolded him. His eyes lightened until they resembled liquid gold, and Faye softly smiled.
After wrapping his burn with gauze and ointment and questioning his healing abilities, she made him sit on the small couch and fed him his first slice of pizza. She quickly cleaned up the majority of the mess in the kitchen while he ate.
The look of wonderment on his face made Faye ask where he had lived all his life. His answer was noncommittal, and Faye had a hunch he was being purposefully vague. He stretched his long legs out and laid his head down on Faye's lap when she sat down next to him. His body sank into the soft leather cushions of the couch.
His every sense was hyper aware of Faye sitting so close. Her hands were gently stroking his hair while she chatted about her day at work. His ears only half-listened to what she was saying, his entire being lost in a euphoric haze at her scent as his eyes drifted close. His hands itched to touch her soft skin as his eyes opened to follow her every move adoringly. She was so beautiful. From the top of her curly blonde bun to the pink nail polish on her tiny toes, she was every inch a gorgeous female.
The pizza tasted good too. A scent hit his nose through the haze of Faye and pizza grease, making him stiffen. Faye paused in the middle of her sentence as she watched Colin stand, his spine rigid, his eyes glued to the front door.
A threatening growl rumbled low in his throat. He realized he probably scared Faye, but his animal instinct overruled the slight anxiety, the need to protect her stronger. In the next moment, a loud knock on the door made her jump.
Her perfect green eyes became wide.
Colin growled and left an open-mouthed Faye sitting on the couch as he stalked to the front door and ripped it open, snarling like a wild animal.
“Uhh,” was all the response Faye could come up with.
&nbs
p; The man on the other side of the door was huge, and Faye gaped as he clenched his fists and growled back at Colin. She had no idea what was going on. “Hello?” she questioned, rising to her feet.
Instantly, their eyes snapped to her. Colin's were wide with warning while the other man's eyes appraised her.
“For the love of God, stop growling,” she snapped, annoyed at the two males and feeling like she was going to drown in testosterone.
Instantly, she realized that the other man must be a shifter. It would explain the weird growling and why Colin was so wary of him. “Who are you and why are you at my house?” Faye addressed the burly man now standing inside her front door.
Her hands went to her hips, and she resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose, a move she had seen her father make many times when he was frustrated.
“I am Nikolai,” the man said with a slight bow of his head. “Alpha and keeper of my land.”
“Nikolai,” Faye tested out the name. “What are you doing here?”
“He trespassed through my land,” said Nikolai, brushing his dark hair out of his face and then pointing at Colin. “Not but a few days have gone by. I seek his alpha's apology.”
“Huh?” Faye was bewildered.
Nikolai regarded her curiously, and then his eyes dawned with understanding. “You do not know,” he stated plainly.
Colin grasped Faye's hand in his protectively, glowering at the male who now sported a smug grin.
“Know what?” asked Faye, looking between him and Colin. “I know that he's a shifter werewolf thingy, and, apparently, you're one too, but I don't understand this talk about his alpha.”
Colin whined then, tugging on her hand, and Nikolai grinned and asked, “Why don't you get Wolfie to explain.”
“Wolfie?” Faye turned her puzzled eyes to Colin and, despite the situation, nearly laughed at the embarrassment coloring his cheeks.
His head gave a miniscule shake, and Faye, who was slowly realizing she was quickly tuned to catch whatever move he made, saw it, and clarity dawned. Colin didn't want the other male to know who he was. But why?
CHAPTER fifteen
“Hold still!” Faye groaned, frustrated.
“Sorry,” muttered Colin, trying not to wince as the scissors clicked again.
Faye paused, a bit ashamed she had snapped at him. They were both a little on edge. After Nikolai's visit the night before, Colin had been forced to explain a bit more about his kind to her. She had had to give a formal apology to Nikolai on Colin's behalf. Apparently, she was Colin's alpha.
It all made sense in a way. She supposed she had known that Wolfie regarded her as alpha. It was apparent in his actions. But Colin wasn't in his fur now; he was in his skin. For shifters, it was all one and the same, something Faye was rapidly figuring out.
“I'm sorry,” she said softly, running the brush through his tangled hair once more.
“No, I'm sorry,” he replied, turning to look up at her from his seat on the coffee table in the living area.
Faye narrowly missed clipping his nose with her shears, and his eyes widened before he turned his head and said, “Not move again. Finish please.”
Faye chuckled and proceeded to trim his hair up to his shoulders. His honey-brown hair was slightly curly and tangled easily, so she ran her fingers through to get rid of the snarls, loving the way he leaned into the palm of her hand.
He leaned his body back against her legs when she finished and emitted an almost purring sound from his chest, his whole body vibrating as he turned, nudging his nose into her stomach.
“Soft,” he murmured. His hands grasped her white sweatshirt, breathing deeply her scent to calm his wolf.
Faye laughed softly at him, listening to him murmur unintelligible gibberish as he closed his eyes.
“Promise,” he murmured, holding her tightly, caging her between his legs.
“What?” Faye asked breathlessly, barely noticing that she had dropped the scissors to the table to stroke his soft hair. Conditioner had worked wonders.
He tilted his head up so he could stare at her adoringly. His golden eyes locked with hers, the wildness in them snapping her out of whatever Colin-induced haze she was in. She moved away and picked up the scissors, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she turned her back, trying to get her emotions under control.
Instantly, at the loss of her heat and touch, he whimpered, a frown marring his beautiful features. Colin realized his fur was much too close to the surface. His Heat was close, but he couldn't make himself leave her, his very soul longing for hers.
Faye turned back to him and asked the question she had been wondering about.
“How old are you, Colin?”
His eyes widened and lost some of their gold sheen, indicating that his fur was no longer in control as he shoved it into submission. His expression became guarded, and he stood, arms flexing in the tight shirt he wore.
Faye ordered her brain to focus as he said, “There are things I cannot speak of yet.”
“What has your age got to do with that?” asked Faye, bewildered.
The only sound in the sudden silence was the fire crackling away merrily in the fireplace. It was snowing furiously outside, the wind howling around the eaves, yet the inside of the cabin was cozy and warm, charged with uncertainty and doubts. Faye felt her heart sink as all sorts of questions flooded her mind. Why was he so touchy about his age?
With a final sigh, Colin moved towards her, and Faye asked sharply, “What are you doing?”
He engulfed her in a hug and simply held her, his nose buried in the crook of her neck.
“You can't just hug me and forget my question,” she said quietly, even as her arms went around to hold him.
He grunted, his chest rumbling with that strange purr thing he did. Faye was beginning to register that sound with contentment. He was happy. With a sigh, she burrowed into his embrace. He was so warm and cuddly for such a big guy. She grinned and looked up at him.
“My question?” she asked innocently.
He mock-glared at her through one eye, squinting, and Faye giggled, her face flaming at the school-girlish sound. Colin's eyes twinkled brightly, the gold in them shining like the sun.
“Beautiful,” he murmured.
Faye leveled him with a stern look. “Stop being evasive.”
“Shifters don't have birthdays like-like you,” he began uncomfortably.
He struggled to find the right words and not jumble everything up as he told her. Faye's eyes were wide.
“You're so old!” she shrieked as she clasped her hands to her head and paced. “How on earth are you still so bloody attractive? How? You should be old and wrinkly at least.”
Colin's chest puffed out as he registered what she said. “Mate thinks I'm attractive?” he asked slowly, his heart pounding with anticipation.
Faye stared at him, gazing at the proud and happy look in his eyes. He stalked towards her like a wolf with his prey as he asked again in soft tones, “You think I'm attractive?”
Faye blushed as his hand caressed her face, his fingertips gliding over her skin. Her breath caught in her throat. His eyes caressed her skin with the same gentleness as his hand, his eyes completely gold. But instead of making her wary, the primal desire and longing she read there made her heart lurch.
He wanted her. Like a man wants his woman. Like a wolf wants his mate.
She made a little noise in the back of her throat as he bent his head and nudged her nose with his. “My Promise,” he breathed reverently. “My female. Mine. My alpha.”
His eyes flickered to her lips, and the hesitation she saw there stumped her as he began to pull away. Honestly, he couldn't just say all those heart-thumping words that had captivated her soul and leave her hanging. That's not how it worked.
“I've been wondering something,” she said, grasping his hand and yanking him back so they were chest to chest, skin to skin, heart to heart.
Faye didn't know what t
he emotions bubbling under her skin meant. So she chose to ignore them for the moment. She would deal with them later. Right now, she really, really wanted to kiss Colin. His hands wandered down her body as she grasped the nape of his neck and pulled him down to her level.
It was Colin's turn to look at her and wait, wait for her to act. Gently, she tugged on his beard. He had trimmed it a few hours earlier, and the short facial hair suited him. His chest rumbled as he clutched her tightly.
“Are your lips really as soft as they look?” she whispered, barely a hairs breadth away.
CHAPTER sixteen
“Colin, what's wrong?”
Faye turned from where she was building a snowman in the front yard to the bundled up man staring off into space a few feet away. She had to admit he looked unearthly good in his heavy corduroy jacket, jeans, and boots, his long honey hair blowing in the wind and his breath a frozen vapor cloud.
Snow crunched under her feet as she made her way over to him and stared into the woods, trying to see what he was staring so intently at. His golden eyes darted right and left. Faye squinted, seeing nothing but spruce trees laden with snow. The air was crisp, clean, and cold, and Faye giggled when she saw Colin's nose twitch. Was he smelling something?
She inhaled deeply and detected nothing. Then again, she wasn't part wolf. She shook her head at her stupidity. A growl rumbled from Colin, the sound striking a cord deep within Faye and heating her up from the inside out. Snow began to fall as the pair stood, silently staring at the woods as Colin searched for whatever he was looking for. Faye pulled her beanie down further over her ears and breathed into the palm of her gloves, fairly sure her nose was an unbecoming pink.
“Colin . . .”
Her eyes became wide as he jerked towards the woods, a strangled howl bursting from his lips.
He stumbled, his eyes wide with panic. Faye ran after him. He sank to his knees, uncaring of the wet snow.
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