Brenda looked Granger up and down. Even in his snow suit, heavy parka, and boots, the man looked good enough to eat. Her body flushed at the thought. She should make him shift, but for once she was too tired to argue. She took the vest and slipped into the back to take off her clothes and transform.
§
Granger watched Brenda head to the back of the building to shift. The fact she hadn’t argued told him how tired she really was. He would have to keep an eye on her. Of course, she would insist on searching for the little girl. He glanced out the window at the blowing snow, if they didn’t find the child and her mother quickly, they might not make it.
Brenda came out of the back room wearing her wolf vest, and rubbed against him. He sank his hand into the thick fur of her coat. She bumped his hand and then licked his palm in a surprising show of affection.
“I told Mathis we would meet him at the resort. I don’t understand how the child got away without someone noticing,” Remi said.
“It does seem strange,” Jared said. “Let’s find her.”
“Stay close to me, Brenda. We’ll need to pair up to search.” Granger headed for the door. Brenda fell in beside him and Granger rested his hand on her back.
The wind whipped the door away from Remi and he fought to stop it from banging against the building. Everyone hurried out and Jared helped Remi shove the door closed. The group took the path to the resort, hurrying as they fought the wind and snow blowing in their faces. Granger put on his goggles and followed Jared.
As they approached the resort, Brenda saw Mathis surrounded by his security people. He waved the group forward. This wasn’t the first time they searched for a wayward tourist, but it was the first time a child needed to be found. Granger walked up to the group with Brenda beside him.
“All right, you each have a section of land to search. The little girl was playing on the west side of the resort when she disappeared. We assume her mother is searching for her as well. So keep your eyes peeled.”
Granger nodded and headed toward the west side. Brenda ran ahead to the children’s play area. She sniffed around trying to pick up any scents that might be left. She shot off into the trees lining the edge of the property. She circled the area until she woofed low in her throat. Granger hurried up to her and noticed the small footprints already filling with snow, and the broken tree branch low to the ground showing someone had passed by.
“Let’s see where the trail leads,” Granger sent telepathically to Brenda.
She headed into the trees, winding to and fro as she tried to pick up the little girl’s scent. They followed the trail only a few yards when an adult trail intersected with the child’s. The boot tracks were small suggesting a female. Granger frowned. Why had the mother not returned to the resort with the child? Pulling out his radio, Granger reported their location and the tracks.
Brenda whined. Granger jogged over to see where the woman picked up the child and continued away from the resort. Granger looked around, trying to figure out where the mother might’ve been going? This trail led up the mountain onto the pack’s property and to the ledge that Brenda liked to climb. Did the mother confuse the direction of the resort?
They followed the boot marks and the woman’s stride seemed to lengthen as if she started to hurry. Then the tracks lengthened into a run.
“Wait a minute, Brenda,” Granger sent. “Are you picking up anyone’s scent? This woman is afraid, she’s running from something?”
“Let me sniff around,” Brenda circled the area, each pass a wider distance. Granger followed, not letting Brenda out of his sight. She whined excitedly when she found a trail perpendicular to the woman’s. Granger knelt beside Brenda. This trail was deeper and the footprints harder to discern, the blowing snow didn’t help. Granger thought that someone had traveled the route several times. Whoever followed the woman and her child had planned his route carefully.
Brenda sniffed the trail before returning to Granger’s side. “I’m not able to get a clear scent. I’m not sure if it’s the snow or if more than one person went this way.”
“That’s okay, let’s get back to the woman’s trail. Someone must have followed her and scared her into running,” Granger replied telepathically.
Brenda headed back to the first trail and Granger had to hurry not to lose her in her enthusiasm. “Brenda slow down. I can’t keep up with you.”
Brenda ran back and rubbed against him. “Hurry, I feel like we need to hurry. Something is wrong.”
“I’m hurrying. It’s important we don’t lose sight of each other.” Granger pushed through the snow. He felt the cold starting to work on him, making it harder to lift each foot as he walked.
The woman’s trail headed uphill. Granger feared what they would find when they got to the ledge. He often came up here to wait for Brenda’s arrival when she ran in the morning. Brenda extended the distance between them. Granger didn’t call her back, he could still make out her bright orange vest, though barely. He lengthened his stride.
Brenda disappeared from view and Granger knew the ledge was only a few feet ahead. He turned the corner and froze. Terror gripped his heart so hard he couldn’t breathe. Under his mate’s front paws, a piece of the ledge began to crumble. “Brenda, get away from the edge, right NOW!”
§
Brenda leaned over the edge and could just make out a little ball of light pink on the ground below. Luckily, the snow and wind seemed to be slowing making visibility better. Granger spoke sharply at her.
Brenda raised her head and looked over her shoulder. He had never spoken like that to her before. Something in his tone wanted her to obey immediately, to submit. Her wolf spirit whined and the word Alpha floated in her head. Brenda wiggled away from the edge until she could get up and turn around.
“I think the child might be at the bottom of the cliff. I didn’t see the mother anywhere,” Brenda sent telepathically, along with a picture of what she saw when she leaned over the precipice.
Granger took off his backpack and pulled out a rope. He wrapped the thick nylon line around the largest tree, knotting one side before throwing the rope over the ledge. Brenda noticed he didn’t look at her. “I’ll go down and see.” He backed to the rim and repelled down the cliff. “Call the pack, we’ll need help.”
Brenda leaned her head back and howled as Granger went out of sight. She howled a second time before she heard a chuckle in her head. “Sweetheart, I love hearing you howl, but you can reach Jared telepathically.”
“Oh, right. I forgot.” Brenda reached out with her mind picturing the pack Alpha. “Jared, I think we found something. You need to come to the ledge on the upper trail.”
“I heard your call. I’m already making my way to you. Did you find the mother and child?”
“I think we found the little girl. Granger is checking on her condition,” Brenda sent.
“She’s alive! We’re going to need help to get her out of here,” Granger sent connecting to their telepathic link.
“Already on the way,” Jared sent.
The wind shifted slightly as the snow finally stopped, and a sudden sickening sweet smell tickled Brenda’s nose. She turned toward the trail’s edge on the mountain side. Brenda forced herself forward as everything inside her wanted her to stay away. She nosed the tree limbs aside and saw a boot in the snow.
Brenda moved through the branches and found the body of a young woman. Brenda whined. She didn’t want to see this. Already the vibrations of violence made her stomach clench. Making her way to the woman’s head, Brenda smelled the puddle of blood that spread across the white snow. She backed away, knowing there was nothing she could do except find the woman’s killer. A part of her wanted to run away and pretend that things like this didn’t happen, but she knew better.
Brenda came out of the trees to see Jared and Mathis helping Granger bring the child up. Except for a few scratches and exhaustion, the child seemed fine.
“The mother is behind the trees. It
looks like someone hit her and crushed her skull,” Brenda sent to Jared. Inside she shuddered. Why would someone want to kill the woman?
“I’ll contact the police when we get back to the resort,” Jared answered.
Once Granger was safely away from the edge, he leaned down to let Brenda touch the girl. Brenda sent healing energy into the child. Warmth flowed from her wolf body into the child’s. The little girl’s eyes grew wide and she smiled reaching for Brenda. “Pretty, pretty puppy, good puppy.”
Brenda smiled and licked the child’s face. Jared came over and took the little girl from Granger. “Let’s get her inside.”
“Wait.” Brenda shifted her eyes to the snow to focus on her bond with the little girl’s thoughts. Images of a man yelling and hitting her mother. Scenes of the same man throwing a vase of flowers, smashing into her mom. Remembrances of him dragging her crying mother into a room and slamming the door shut. Feelings of terror rolled with each picture.
Brenda swallowed hard. “I think the husband is the killer. I don’t think he’s her real father. You need to read his mind,” Brenda sent to Jared telepathically.
“Not to worry. I’ll make sure the child is safe before I leave her with authorities.”
Brenda lowered her head and wagged her tail, peeking up at the man who was her mate. She touched Granger’s mind, hoping to find she was wrong and he wasn’t angry with her. Instead, his mind was a whirling mass of emotions from fear and anger, to terror and overwhelming love.
She rubbed against him, needing to console him. She didn’t mean to upset him. Granger stayed stiff watching her. Finally, he buried his hand in her fur holding on tight. “The ledge isn’t stable, Brenda. You’ve got to stop acting so impulsively. I’ve tried to explain the mating bond to you. We are tied together. Do you feel so little for me, that it doesn’t bother you to put yourself in danger? Don’t you care that losing you would destroy me?”
Brenda came to an abrupt stop. It had been selfish of her to not take care. Did she want to lose Granger? Brenda bowed her head and rubbed against him. She still acted like a human, instead of a mated lycan.
“Can you forgive me? I love you, Granger, I do. I promise I’ll try to think before I act. You might have to remind me now and again. I guess I’ve never thought about staying safe.”
Granger knelt in the snow and put his arms around her neck before rubbing his face in her fur. “Of course, I forgive you. I know you would never do anything on purpose to hurt me. Je t’aime, Brenda.”
“Je t’aime, Granger.”
“You say the words I’ve waited so long to hear while we are in the middle of a snow storm dealing with death and murder. Only you. Come on, honey, I’m not in my fur coat.” Granger hugged her close before rising. “Let’s get out of this cold. Mathis can handle the body and the authorities. I want to go home.”
Brenda wagged her tail and took off toward the resort. She wanted to get back to the house before Granger, and now that the snow stopped falling she could do it.
§
Granger waved as Jared drove out of the cottage’s driveway. Reading the father’s mind was a task that Jared found distasteful and Granger stayed to support his friend in the unpleasant duty. Now that everything was settled, Granger could admit how upsetting the evening had been. He would never understand how humans could think to injure or kill their mates and children.
Granger had planned this evening so carefully. The flowers, the wine, the ring, now all he wanted was to go to bed. He opened the front door and headed upstairs toward the master bedroom. Brenda left a few lights on and Granger turned them off as he made his way through the house.
He opened the door to the master suite to find Brenda asleep on top of the covers. She wore the lacy nightgown he liked, and had probably fallen asleep waiting for him. He took a moment to admire her long legs and tucked-in waist.
Moving to the side of the bed, he undressed before pulling the covers down and moving his mate under the sheet. Brenda curled up on her side and Granger slid in next to her. He positioned the quilt over both of them and kissed her shoulder.
“You’re late. I expected you hours ago. What happened?” Brenda asked her voice groggy.
“Jared had to read the husband’s mind and plant a compulsion to make him admit to his crime. He wanted the money from an insurance policy. The man thought the storm would help cover his tracks.”
“The bastard picked the wrong resort. I’m glad we were able to find the little girl.” Brenda yawned and turned over to snuggle against his chest. “What will happen to her?”
“Her grandmother is coming to get her. Don’t worry, Jared will keep an eye on the situation. Go to sleep, honey.” Granger ran his hand down Brenda’s back and held her close.
§
Brenda woke with the sun shining in the window and the man she loved kissing her neck and shoulder. She wiggled against him and sighed when he pulled her closer. The man she loved… she’d finally told him. Now it was time to show him. She turned in his arms and pushed him back onto the mattress before straddling his thighs.
“Tell me something… why are you the Beta of the Quebec pack when you could be an Alpha of your own pack? That was an Alpha voice you used on me last night.”
“I don’t want to be Alpha of my own pack. Does that disappoint you?” Brenda heard the hesitation in Granger’s tone.
“Of course not, I just wondered. Sweetheart, you left the door to your studio open. I have to confess, I took a peek. You do fantastic work. As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”
“Jared is my best friend. As one of his betas I can back him up and still have time to do my art. I could be an Alpha, but that would mean leaving this pack. I love this pack, my family is part of this pack. Why would I leave it?”
“Well, when you put it that way, I understand perfectly. You know what, I kind of liked you going all Alpha on me.” Brenda ran her fingers down his chest, letting her nails score his skin.
“You did, huh? Would you like me to go Alpha on you, again?” Granger’s eyes turned molten and he smiled wickedly.
“Well…only if you want…”
Brenda hadn’t gotten the last word out before Granger flipped them and came down hard on top of her. He took her lips, kissing her hard, and demanded entrance to her mouth. Brenda obediently submitted to his unspoken command.
When he felt Brenda’s capitulation, he gentled his kisses to something softer and sweeter. Granger pulled on the mating bond, linking them mind to mind and heart to heart. Slowly, he pulled her nightgown over her head, needing to see her. He flooded Brenda with love and reassurance.
“Give yourself to me, Brenda. Don’t make me take you, or put you under compulsion. Trust me, baby. Trust me to care for you, to bring you pleasure.”
Brenda did something she’d never done before. She relaxed. She trusted Granger completely, with her life, and with her heart.
“All right, Granger, love me. I am yours as you are mine.”
Granger leaned down, kissing his way slowly to her chest and her nipple. Licking and kissing, he teased the little nubbin before blowing lightly across its surface. Brenda shivered as goose bumps pebbled across her skin. Granger sucked the sensitive flesh into his hot mouth. Pulling, he set a rhythm, sucking and licking her nipple until Brenda felt an answering warmth between her thighs. Unable to stand her body’s response without moving she grabbed Granger’s hair, holding tight.
Granger released her nipple and kissed his way to her other breast, once more licking and teasing her. Brenda moaned, holding his head to her. She squirmed as each pull caused an ache in her innermost core.
Brenda tugged on his hair, flooding the mating bond with her desire. “Please…I need you inside me,” she sent into his thoughts.
Granger released her breast and Brenda thought for sure he would finally enter her. Instead he kissed his way down her stomach until he pushed his tongue between the folds of skin hiding her innermost core.
“G
ranger!”
“Not yet, my love. Not until you are ready to fly with me.”
Granger continued to lick and suckle until she came up off the bed. Pushing her heels down she elevated her hips, trying to force him to take her deeper. Her head thrashed back and forth as the intensity of desire built between them, each feeding the mating bond.
Finally, Granger pulled back and pushed two fingers into her core, in and out he stroked her. Brenda felt the wildness rising, her wolf spirit joining in their love play. “Granger, please. I’m not going to last, I can’t take it,” she pleaded with him.
“Yes, you can. I don’t want you to come until we can come together. Do you hear me, Brenda? Together.”
Brenda pulled at his shoulders, trying to get him into position. He rubbed his engorged member through her juices as he moved up over her. He positioned himself at her opening and pushed in deep, filling her completely.
“Look at your mate, Brenda,” Granger demanded of her, his breath coming in heavy pants.
Brenda forced her eyes open, making them focus on Granger’s face. His eyes seemed to glow from within, the amber color turning a dark yellow as he pulled out and then pushed in. As if a match had lit a fire, Brenda felt the heat of their joining grow and expand. She rose to meet each thrust as Granger set a rhythm as old as time. In and out, he filled her completely.
Then, Granger pulled on the mating bond and the fire of their desire encompassed their identities until there was only one being, one body, one heart, and one soul. Granger pushed in deep one more time. “Now, baby. Come with me now,” he shouted.
Brenda screamed as an explosion of pleasure flew them into the ether. She forgot to breathe as lights flashed behind her eyelids, and she felt faint as the pleasurable experience swept her away.
Chapter Eleven
“Wait a minute, your tie’s crooked,” Granger said, reaching out and straightening Jared’s bow tie. “Are you nervous?”
Beta's Mate (Siberian Volkov Pack Romance Series Book 8) Page 12
