by Mandi Casey
Michael shook his head. He took deep breaths, trying to calm himself. “You’re right, cousin. Don’t worry, I’ll stay focused. Just the mention of having another wolf around Brianna when I’m not there dang near put me into a fury.”
Blake laughed, nodding in understanding. “I hear you, cousin.” He slapped Michael on the back good-naturedly.
Blake then tipped his head forward to have me follow them. “When my life-mate is around those vampires it boils my blood, so I’m empathetic to your plight. I’ll talk to my father after the meeting. We’ll figure out what needs to be done about your woman.”
Conflicting emotions ran through me while listening to the two of them talk. It made my heart sing hearing Blake refer to me as his life-mate, but it also made my temper rise, standing silently as the wolf cousins spoke of plans regarding my sister’s fate. The fact they believed they were in charge of us ticked me off. If anyone were going to decide Brianna’s involvement in what was going on it would be me, not the wolves.
Shouts came from the dining hall as we neared the large room Blake’s family normally took their meals in. Morris’ deep, booming voice echoed. He didn’t sound happy about the topic at hand. The three of us hurried the rest of the way.
Upon entering the double doors, I saw Morris standing toe-to-toe with another man. Both men were posturing around one another in an attempt to intimidate the other. A few wolves from Blake’s pack stood silently against the far wall while the men continued to shout at one another. Besides Morris’ adversary, I didn’t see any wolves I didn’t recognize.
Blake and Michael approached the duo with aggressive stomps of their boots. I stayed a fair distance behind them, not wanting to be trampled if the wolves decided to have an all-out brawl. I’ve learned by dealing with wolves’ animalistic tempers, you don’t want to be too close when they argued.
Morris turned to Blake, which finally caught the attention of the wolf from Mobile. “Blake, this is the representative the pack leader from Mobile, Alabama, sent to investigate the status of our pack.” Morris sounded highly offended.
I caught glimpses of the Alabama wolf from behind Blake.
The man was magnificent.
His blond hair hung down his back in long waves. His eyes were a deep, emerald green. His jaw was lined with a fine layer of dark blond stubble making me ache between my thighs, wanting the wolf to rub me with those strong hands all over my body.
Sweat beaded down my back. A gasp escaped my lips as Blake lifted his head into the air, taking a whiff. Damn it, what the heck was wrong with me?
Michael turned to Blake, who then pivoted on one heel to glare at me in question. To my horror, the blond wolf also peered toward me. Why? Did they all smell the scent of my desire in the air?
“What?” I didn’t know what to say. Something was definitely wrong with me. It was tempting to run screaming from the room. Why couldn’t I control my body’s reaction to the wolf? Or stop my mind from racing with erotic visions of him slamming his large cock inside of me, too similar to my earlier visions of the vampire?
“Sydney?” Blake stepped toward me. “Are you okay? You look ill, my love.”
Another drop of sweat rolled down my forehead, then along the side of my cheek. Blake wiped it away when it hung from the corner of my jaw.
No, I wasn’t okay, but I couldn’t let the blond wolf know something was wrong with me. He could use my illness, or whatever the heck was going on with my sensual reactions to every attractive Other I came across, against Morris’ pack.
“Blake, I’m fine. My gut’s a bit queasy is all. Maybe it’s from something I ate today.” Brushing his hand away, I stepped toward Morris who was next to the man who’d triggered such an erotic reaction from my body. I nodded to both of them. The blond wasn’t going to have me running scared. Blake needed my help in sending him on his way. That’s exactly what I intended on doing.
The unwanted guest’s eyes roamed the length of me, his gaze heating me to the core. The closer I stood to him, the more my skin sang from the heat radiating off his body. Blake’s heat was warm, comforting. The new wolf’s heat was hot and sensual. Something was definitely wrong with me.
The wolf bowed his head while keeping his eyes locked with mine. I didn’t like that he inhaled deeply while feigning the gesture of gentleman courtesy. If his sniffing abilities were half as sensitive as Blake’s, then he’d know about my body’s current state.
Refusing to break the line between us, I stared back.
“My fair lady,” he said. “I’m known as Matoskah from the Mobile, Alabama, pack, but you can call me Matt.”
I said nothing while I continued to glare as Matt straightened his stance. We continue to stare in a silent battle of wills. My body throbbed for the wolf’s touch while my mind screamed at me, Blake is right here in the same room with us, but my body didn’t care.
The sound of a wolf clearing their throat interrupted our silent challenge. Not sure if the sound came from Blake or not, I turned my eyes away from Matt, but not my attention. My body was finely tuned into the wolf’s every movement, even though I wasn’t facing directly at him.
“Blake, this is the heir to the Mobile, Alabama, pack. Matt, this is my son, Blake.” Morris’ eyes shifted between the two heirs. By the pack leader’s tense stance, he expected a fight to break out.
Blake nodded once toward Matt. “Welcome to our home. I hope you don’t plan on staying long because we have business to attend. There’s no time to be dealing with the likes of you.”
The sexy blond laughed with menace. “Don’t worry, Blake. I won’t get in your way. I do plan on being here for a while, though.” Matt turned his attention back to me. My body flushed once more under his gaze.
My tongue darted out, moistening my dry lips. “Why?” I didn’t want the wolf around any longer than Blake did. I already had to deal with my reaction to Daire, which Blake didn’t know about. I didn’t need Matt around, further complicating matters. If I didn’t get my body under control, Blake would soon make the connection. He wouldn’t understand my reaction was completely out of my control; he wouldn’t be able to comprehend something was terribly wrong. I could feel it.
“Why haven’t you introduced me to your female guest? I can only assume since she’s not a wolf that she is the beloved Selected of the Americas.” Holding out his hand, Matt waited for me to place mine in his.
Without budging, I said, “Yes, I’m the Selected. I don’t appreciate your pack thinking it’s okay to make the trip to spy on and interfere with the Midwestern Pack’s business.” I wanted to take that outstretched hand of his. I ached to feel the heat only he could give me on my flesh, but I also wanted to slap that devilish grin clear off his smug face.
“I understand you have not been prepped in the ways of the wolves during your life as you should have been. I see it as an oversight of the local pack, to be sure, but I intend to rectify their mistake myself during my stay.” Matt dropped his outstretched hand and faced Morris.
Blake stepped in front of Matt, putting space between us. “Don’t even think you’re going to try anything with Sydney. She is my life-mate. If you make any kind of move, I’ll drop your dead body at your father’s feet myself.” Blake’s eyes blazed with fury. The veins in his neck pulsated as he readied to be struck.
It was my turn to interrupt the men’s parade of masculinity, although it made every sexual nerve in my body throb. “Knock it off, both of you. Matt, don’t come near me unless it’s for pack business. Blake, I want to go home.”
The men sat with their chests puffed out, reminding me of male peacocks doing their dance, trying to attract the females to mate. Morris stepped in the middle of them. None too gently, he pushed them apart. “Enough. Matt is here in our city as a guest. He will be treated as such. Matt, you will act accordingly. If there is informatio
n regarding pack activities you seek, then you will address either Blake or me. You will leave the rest of my family members alone. Is that understood?”
Matt crossed over to the far wall of the dining hall to pick up a black overnight bag from the table and swung it over his shoulder. “I understand, Morris. The sooner I learn what I need, the faster I can get out of this town. That is, unless I find a reason to stay. You know, I wouldn’t mind assisting with the bloodshed that will ensure fulfillment of the prophecy.” With that, he wiggled his eyebrows in my direction.
Blake jumped toward Matt but Morris stepped in front of him and grabbed his shoulder.
Blake shouted, “You stay away from her, or by the Moon Goddess, I swear I will beat you bloody.” Blake’s fingers began to extend into sharpened points. The golden hue of his skin began to turn dark, almost black.
“Blake, get your wolf under control,” Morris demanded. “Matt, quit antagonizing my son. If you continue, you’ll have the entire pack after you. You don’t want that.” Morris was beginning to lose his grip on the fragile control of his own beast.
Matt repositioned the bag strap over his shoulder. “Blake, my man, she is no such thing to you. You have not marked her as your life-mate, so that means she’s fair game to anyone of her choosing. I believe she isn’t as sure of your courtship as you, my boy.”
Without waiting for a response, Matt sauntered out of the dining hall. I could tell the moment he crossed the threshold of the pack’s front door because I no longer felt the scalding heat calling to my woman’s core. The only heat lingering in the air was coming from Blake, Morris, and Michael. The heat coming from all three of them wasn’t pleasant. A thick film of aggression coated the room, making me feel covered with it.
I tentatively placed a hand on Blake’s biceps. He was facing the window while regaining his composure. Tugging on his arm, I witnessed the last of his transformation from wolf to human as his elongated jaw shortened while his extended teeth retracted back into his jaw.
A warm hand covered mine. Blake met my eyes as he said, “Sydney, I think taking you home would be for the best.”
Blake looked emotionally beaten. Guilt paralyzed me as I realized my involvement was a large part of his demeanor.
“Blake, don’t listen to a word that wolf says. You know he’ll do anything he can to get under your skin. He picked up on your feelings for me. He used it to get at you, that’s all. Everything will be fine, you’ll see.” I tried to reassure Blake that no matter what, he would have my support. I wouldn’t let him down.
Uncertainty flashed in Blake’s eyes. “Sydney, I smelled your reaction to the wolf. Everyone in the room did. Your scent was off somehow. I’ve smelled your desire before. What I smelled the instant you saw Matt was stronger, but tainted.”
Blake’s eyes still held amber hue of his anger, and his tense posture and stiff muscles made him appear that he was ready to tear someone’s limbs from their body.
“Blake, I’m telling you not to worry about it. I don’t know why, but something is definitely going on with my body. I don’t know if my Selected senses are changing or what, but believe me when I say I don’t want anything to do with that man.” The more I said it, and the farther I was away from Matt, the more confidence I could put into the words I spoke.
Grabbing me in his arms, he held me close.
Morris coughed. “Son, Sydney, we’ll talk about these latest developments tomorrow. I want to spend what’s left of the night with my family. I’ll see you both soon.” The pack leader strode out of the dining hall, his body and movements stiff, followed by the wolves standing watch while Matt demanded an audience with the pack.
Once we were alone, Blake said, “Sydney, I love you. If you’ve got something going on then I’ll do whatever you need me to help you figure it out, but right now I think my dad is right. We should get going. It’s been a really long day.”
After saying goodnight to Michael and to say hi to Bri for me, together Blake and I climbed into his car. He cranked the heat while I turned the seat heater setting on high. Nothing beat the burning heat on my back and legs. “Blake, what did Matt mean when he mentioned the prophecy?”
Blake continued to drive in silence for a few blocks before replying. The way he struggled in deciding which words he would use concerned me.
“Sydney, the prophecy is complicated, but I’m sure the mangy wolf doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
The way he scoffed at my question made me unsure Blake was telling me everything he knew about the prophecy. “But Matt said something about blood-letting. He said he’d enjoy being a part of that. What did he mean, Blake?”
Blake groaned in frustration as he pulled into Aunt Judith’s driveway. He came into the house, shutting the door behind him. It was late but I knew Aunt Judith was spending the night with Meredith so we didn’t have to worry about being quiet.
I dropped my purse onto the counter next to the door before hanging up my coat. We went into the kitchen. Blake waited while I heated water to make hot chocolate.
When the water boiled, I poured it into cups loaded with chocolate drink mix. For good measure, I topped them both off with colored mini-marshmallows.
“So, are you going to sit there brooding all night, or are you going to tell me what you know about the prophecy? I want to know what Matt was talking about, Blake.” I was done letting people walk over me. If Blake wanted me to help the pack locate the rogues, then I wanted the relationship to be mutual, not just me give and them take.
“Sydney, I think you could do well with taking your own advice. Matt was saying stuff on purpose to get under both of our skins. It looks like the bastard succeeded.” Blake stared into his mug as he took a healthy swallow of the tasty chocolate goodness. When he put the mug down on the table, I peered up at him from my own mug and then we started laughing, hard. I hadn’t laughed so hard in a long time.
A ring of dark foam covered Blake’s top lip. He was oblivious to how silly he looked. I went to the counter to moisten a kitchen towel. I turned to go to Blake but he stood right behind me, no longer donning a chocolate mustache.
“Blake, we should probably call it a night, don’t you think?” Inching to my right to get out from between Blake’s arms, I slid my body against the solid surface, attempting to avoid grazing my body against the front of Blake’s.
His left arm shot out, pinning me in place. “Sydney, it has been a long day. Would you like me to tuck you in?”
The sensual promise of Blake’s lovemaking sounded like bliss. Who was I to deny myself the pleasures from a man who I knew loved me?
I had a lot going on. I needed to get to the bottom of what was going on with my aunt, why I was turning into a lust-crazed loose woman, but I knew it was too late to do anything about such matters for the night. In my eyes, my Selected obligations were met for the evening since I’d attended the werewolf pack’s meeting. Now it was time to reward myself for my good deeds.
“Blake, I would love for you to tuck me in. Why don’t you go ahead to my room? I’m just going to make sure the house is locked up for the night.”
Blake’s eyes went wild. He knew my intentions. The temperature in the room soared as the flames of his desire were fueled by the scent of my body quickening with need. The folds between my legs grew swollen, aching for Blake’s touch.
He growled with satisfaction as his lips slammed against mine. He thrust his tongue deep into my mouth. Our tongues danced along each other’s. The moistness of his mouth only made me wetter down below. I could feel my panties dampen with need.
“Now, Blake, right here.” I didn’t care that we were in the kitchen at Aunt Judith’s. She didn’t plan on coming home for the rest of the night.
For all I cared, Blake could have me naked out on the snow-covered front porch and I wouldn’t be happier.
Chapter 8
Blake scooped me up with one arm and swung my body in the air while he braced my legs under his other arm. As he twirled us around in a circle, I felt happier than I had in a long time. I let out a whoop of joy. Blake gave me a giant toothy grin, reflecting just how I felt.
“I love you, Sydney. You drive me insane.” Now it was my turn to smile.
“You do the same to me, my fine wolf.” I’d never told Blake how I truly felt about him because I feared he’d hold it against me. I didn’t want to give him more ammo on the life-mate issue than he already had.
Blake’s eyes gleamed with desire. He leaned his head down toward my face as he skillfully used my feet to push the kitchen door open. Heat radiated between us as his lips pressed against mine. He fueled my need for him to press his hot flesh against me when his tongue slipped from his mouth, tracing first my top lip, then my bottom, leaving a moist trail in his wake.
A groan of desire escaped him as he carried me up the stairs to my bedroom. When the excruciatingly long trip was over, Blake threw me on the bed. Before I could lift my head to see what he waited for, his body covered mine. His lips returned to continue their onslaught on my senses.
I lifted my center against his erection, causing him to growl with pleasure. Blake reached a hand between our bodies, cupping my mound as he caressed me. Sliding his face downward while lifting my sweatshirt up, he hovered his mouth over my bra. My nipple peaked when the heat of his breath blew across the thin fabric.
Blake held up a finger in front of my eye. I watched while the finger pad elongated and his nail grew into a sharpened point. My eyes went wide as he brought his wolf claw down to the material between my breasts. With a quick swipe, my bra sprung apart, baring my flesh for him to feast his eyes on.
