by Afton Locke
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Alpha in Disguise
Smashwords Edition
Copyright © 2015 by Afton Locke
ISBN: 978-1-61333-758-5
Cover art by Fiona Jayde
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC
Look for us online at:
www.decadentpublishing.com
Black Hills Wolves Stories
Wolf’s Return
What a Wolf Wants
Black Hills Desperado
Wolf’s Song
Claiming His Mate
When Hell Freezes
Portrait of a Lone Wolf
Taming His Mate
Coming Soon
A Wolf’s Promise
Reluctant Mate
Diamond Moon
Tempting the Wolf
Seducing the Schoolmarm
~Dedication~
This story is dedicated to author Katalina Leon who led to me the Black Hills Wolves series and the exciting world of werewolves. Her Facebook posts are always inspiring, making it a fun place to hang out.
Alpha in Disguise
Black Hills Wolves
By
Afton Locke
Chapter One
A few miles east of Yellowstone National Park, Lara Wolfe’s four legs pounded the yellow soil as she ran. The man with the gun—his face shaded by a cowboy hat—had been too far away to recognize. Heart pounding in her furry chest, she halted at the crevice between two tall rocks where the Wolf she chased had disappeared.
The sun reflected from a patch of dark, which seemed to dim before her eyes. With a yelp, she rushed toward the prone figure. The scent of blood hit her nostrils. A dark pool of it stained the dusty ground. The hunter’s bullet had hit its mark.
Lara’s body shifted with lightning speed back into human form.
“Momma!” she cried.
The other Wolf panted hard and looked into her eyes. Lara concentrated so she could pick up her mother’s communication.
Do something for me. Promise….
“Anything,” Lara said out loud as she gripped one of the tough paws.
You must go to Los Lobos.
“What? Why? And where is it?”
The Black Hills of South Dakota. Your destiny is there.
Lara shook her head, which trembled so hard from emotion her teeth chattered.
“No, my destiny is here. I’m not going to rest until I’ve killed every one of those bastards.”
Her mother’s amber eyes glittered with a last burst of strength, cutting off further argument.
You need help.
Understanding filtered into Lara’s bones as quickly as her mother’s blood soaked the earth. As the last Dominant female of the Lamar Canyon Pack, she faced an impossible task—saving her pack from extinction. Her pack had ruled Yellowstone for countless generations.
With her knees digging into the sand and Momma’s paw clenched in her hand, she watched the life ebb from the majestic gray Wolf’s body. Lara’s hand fell slack as she gazed up at the sky. The timeless blue witnessed the tragedy below without compassion. Death was all part of the cycle.
Even though it wasn’t safe, Lara let herself shift back to her black wolf form. Anger and frustration bristled under the red streak of fur on her neck, making it burn. Opening her jaws, she howled at the indifferent sky.
She howled until her voice cracked and gave out.
***
Ogden Woods looked over the supply list of milled lumber Drew Tao handed him.
You’ve got to be out of your tree.
If Drew hadn’t been the Alpha of the Tao pack, he might have spoken his thoughts aloud. Usually, the contractors for the town’s building projects coordinated supply orders with him, but Drew insisted on dealing with him personally for his pet projects.
“When do you need it?” he asked instead. Suspecting he wouldn’t like the answer, he winced.
“Yesterday, of course, but next week will have to do.”
Next week! Yesterday might be more realistic.
The wooden sign for Los Lobos Lumber flapped in a restless wind. With luck, a big storm would blow through and wipe out the whole mill. Well, not really. Lumber was his life, but he didn’t want to do it day and night to keep up with the town’s endless orders.
“What about the bed and breakfast renovation?” He counted the projects off on his thick, callused fingers. “Then there’s Gee’s Bar.”
Drew dismissed them all with a toss of his dark head. “The conference hall is more important. Tell the others they’ll have to wait.”
Ogden took a deep breath and looked at the ground near the Alpha’s feet. “Yes, sir.”
“You look tired. Isn’t it time to hire some help?”
“No need.” Ogden forced a cheerful smile, not wanting his Alpha to pay too much attention to him. “I’ve got it covered.”
Thankfully, the Alpha listened to him and didn’t press the issue. After Drew drove off, Ogden trudged to the large table saw and turned it on. Pulling a log from the pile sapped what little strength he had left. The hour was past dinnertime, and he’d skipped lunch to get a small order off his plate. Not to mention he’d barely squeezed in four hours of sleep the night before.
He frowned as a red SUV he didn’t recognize barreled down the washed out road way too fast. Damn newcomers. They were ruining the town. He appreciated making a living but couldn’t keep up with the new demand for milled lumber.
What if one of those outsiders was his mate? He liked his life and didn’t need some woman to screw up everything he’d worked so hard for.
He hefted the log onto the table with a tired groan. Maybe I do need some help. If he kept working with dangerous saws on no food and sleep, he’d eventually cut off an important body part.
Grimacing and biting his tongue in concentration, he guided the log into the relentless blade. A waterfall of sawdust sparkled in the sun, filling his nose with the reassuring scent of wood.
Ah, much better.
With his luck, he’d have to hire some Dominant male who’d give him orders. Pretty soon the other guy would run the place. His stomach growled, competing with the noise from the saw. Enough was enough. A man had to eat.
He turned off the saw and got into his white pickup truck. Grabbing a quick sandwich from Gee’s Bar ought to give him enough energy for the long day and night ahead.
***
By the time Lara reached Los Lobos, her butt ached from hours of driving and her stomach growled louder than a wild animal. When a tall, Native American man stood in the middle of the road, blocking her path, she sighed with frustration.
“What’s your name and your business here, Wolf?” he asked after she’d stopped and rolled down her window.
Who are you, border patrol? She kept her thoughts to herself since pissing the guy off didn’t seem like a good idea. He must be the Enforcer around here.
“Lara Wolfe. My mother sent me,” she said.
He raised an eyebrow. Yeah, she didn’t think he’d be satisfied with a simple
answer.
“I’m from the Lamar Canyon Pack in Yellowstone. My mother was the last Alpha female. She was shot by a hunter recently.”
His gaze softened a bit yet looked warier than ever. “Why did she send you here?”
“She didn’t say.” She shrugged, making her stomach growl. “Does it matter? I’m starving.”
“How long do you plan to stay?”
Based on the crappy roads and even crappier reception, not long.
“Probably a day or two at the most.” She tapped her nails on the steering wheel. “Long enough to get some food and rest, at least.”
He nodded. “If you’re looking for sanctuary, you’ll have to take that up with Drew Tao. In the meantime, I’ll inform him you’re here.”
Drew must be the Alpha. So much for blending into the woodwork.
“Gee’s Bar has food,” he said, pointing down the road. “You can inquire about lodging there.”
“Thanks. Do I need to pay a toll?”
Her attempt at humor didn’t faze his stony expression one bit. He finally uncrossed his arms and stepped to the side, letting her pass. She pulled into the dirt parking lot at the little dive called Gee’s Bar and parked beside a white truck browned with dirt. It had so much lumber and crap in the back it was inches from dragging the ground.
So this is Los Lobos…. So far, it didn’t impress her.
“Momma, what kind of hick town did you send me to?”
She cleared her throat, which was still sore from the endless howling between those two rocks. The bright side of the trip was getting away from the sad reminders. Her emotions were still too raw to seek vengeance. The time away from Yellowstone could help her regain her inner strength and balance.
But why here?
During the long drive, she kept asking herself why her mother had sent her to such a forgotten hole. The roads leading to town were practically impassable. The rough ruts nearly knocked the guitar beside her to pieces. Not to mention her teeth.
Since her pack needed her at home more than ever, there could only be one reason. Her mate was here.
Well, she didn’t want a damn mate, she thought as she got out of the SUV and flicked her long, dark hair off her sweaty face. She wanted her mother back. Every Wolf had a life’s mate, but why did hers belong to a strange pack?
She swallowed hard as she opened the front door. Ugh. The place was a bigger dive inside than outside. Paneling and dusty old animal heads covered the walls. The bar stools, upholstered with hideous green vinyl, probably groaned when they turned.
First, dinner, then a place to stay and, hopefully, a gig singing and playing her guitar. She had to pay for her time here somehow. If she did meet her mate, she could say no thanks and still go her own way, straight back to Lamar Canyon to fight for her pack.
Tyler Brooks was next on her list. The arrogant rancher and his hired hands had killed more wolves than anyone else in the area. While visiting a bar in Cody, she’d heard his men bragging about a wolf’s death. The description of it fit her mother. One of them had probably shot her, but which?
Visiting South Dakota would have to be enough for her mother. Staying here was out of the question.
Ogden sat at the wooden counter in Gee’s Bar, tearing into his hot hamburger. A good meal was exactly what he needed. Sitting down for a while felt damn good, too. He’d have to take breaks more often. Maybe he could fill each order after all.
A bell tinkled over the front door. He didn’t recognize the woman who stepped inside.
Another damn newcomer.
Ryker must be getting lax in his Enforcer duties. Why else would he let so many people enter town? Ogden set down the forgotten half of his sandwich on the cracked plate. She didn’t resemble a prissy tourist, though. Wearing cowboy boots and a big plaid shirt rolled up at the sleeves, she looked like a local. Walked like one, too. An eyeful of curves encased in snug jeans sent blood rushing to his groin. Her shirt had too many buttons undone…or maybe not enough.
Damn. He came here for dinner, not a peep show. When she took a seat several stools away from him and rested her elbows on the counter, he took another gulp of his burger. The sooner he finished it and got back to work, the better.
The long, red streak in her black hair, which she smoothed with her fingers, reminded him of a bolt of lightning. She probably drove the red SUV which had raced past the mill earlier. Red wasn’t his favorite color. It meant trouble, the last thing he needed.
“Is there a menu or something?” she asked Paul, the waiter.
“He doesn’t talk.” Which meant Ogden had to. So much for an easy escape. He couldn’t leave the woman here to starve, could he? “There’s no menu, either. They’ve got fried pickles, steamed broccoli, and burgers. Take your pick.”
“O-kay.” She rolled her eyes, which told Ogden what she thought of the bar and the whole town. Fine with him. The place already had too many people.
“If you smile at him, he might put cheese on the burger.”
“A cheeseburger it is,” she replied. “And a Coke, if they’ve got one.”
Paul nodded and poured her drink while a radio with fuzzy reception played alternative rock.
“Thanks, Mr.…?”
“Ogden Woods. I run the town sawmill.”
She took a swig of soda, ignoring the straw. “How quaint. I’m Lara Wolfe.”
Wolfe. Why was he not surprised? Of course, she was a Werewolf, too. He’d sensed it as soon as she’d walked in. Her scent teased him, begging him to move over a few stools until her rounded butt perched on his lap, grinding against his erection. It reminded him of a thunderstorm, fresh and electrifying.
“So, what brings you to Los Lobos?” he asked.
Her shoulders stiffened. “A family matter.”
He clenched his jaw shut so he wouldn’t be tempted to ask more questions. He didn’t usually act nosey, much less waste his time on chitchat. Hopefully, her family business—whatever it was—wouldn’t take long.
“Is there a bathroom here?”
“The outhouse is out back.” He grinned, realizing he hadn’t smiled much lately. “I’m kidding. The restroom is through there.”
She laughed. “The outhouse would have been fine with me.”
He could listen to her talk all day. She had the sexiest, huskiest voice he’d ever heard. It even had a little lilt in it, which reminded him of music. He’d never seen such pretty, haunting eyes. They reminded him of cloudy days and softened her red streak. What color were they? Gray?
Blood rushed through his limbs. He ached to lay her on top of the bar and plow himself between her thighs. Desire battled with pain in his bones and sinews. Clenching the counter until his knuckles turned white, he fought the havoc in his body. Hell, he was completely out of control. If she came any closer, he might shift. Then he’d be too achy to get much work done the rest of the evening.
Not to mention how embarrassing an involuntary shift at the bar would be. Why was he a Werewolf? He couldn’t shift when he wanted to and sometimes it happened when he didn’t.
As soon as she disappeared around the corner, he yanked his wallet out of his back pocket and flung some dollars on the counter to pay the bill. He stood, his legs trembling so hard he had to grab the counter for balance. Why couldn’t he stroll out the door, get into his truck, and never see her again?
He had to get out of here!
Realizing hairs had sprouted from his chin, he wiped his sweaty face with the paper napkin. His canines had lengthened, too, pricking his tight bottom lip. No, his transformation couldn’t happen. Not now. But he knew, deep in his bones, the beautiful woman striding back into the room was her.
His mate.
After sitting, he picked up a nearby newspaper and hid his face while he composed himself back to full human form. He even breathed through his mouth so her scent wouldn’t drive him crazy. At least the smell of the cheeseburger Paul set in front of her helped mask it.
“Hey, do you know
of any places to stay here?” she asked Ogden after taking a hearty bite of her burger. “I didn’t see any motels on the way in.”
Watching her lick ketchup off her finger mesmerized him too much to answer right away.
“Gee Rivermoon rents rooms on the second floor of this bar, but he’s full up. A bed and breakfast is being renovated, but it isn’t open yet.”
“Then I guess I’ll park my truck somewhere and sleep in it.”
She was definitely no prissy female. The thought of keeping her warm in the back of her red SUV made his muscles tingle with the urge to shift again.
“There’s a shed on my land. It’s not in very good shape, but it would be a roof over your head,” he blurted out.
The wind kicked up outside, making the siding creak. He couldn’t leave a lone woman out in the weather to fend for herself, especially if she was his mate.
“Well, maybe for tonight, anyway.” She finished her burger and paid the bill. “Thanks.”
“You can follow me,” he said as they both stood. “I’m heading there.”
Was he out of his mind? He’d invited trouble to his doorstep, and he had a terrible feeling he’d never be the same again. Maybe when she saw what a dump his shed was, she’d hightail it back to wherever she came from.
***
Lara followed the tired-looking pickup truck in her SUV. Keeping up with it was no trouble. She could have run it over.
This is my mate? Please, say it isn’t so.
Surely, her mother hadn’t sent her on an eight-hour drive to find a boring workhorse. Ogden. Even his name was dull. From the looks of the brown, silver-tipped whiskers, which temporarily sprouted on his face, he’d almost shifted in the restaurant. As the last Dominant of the Lamar Canyon Pack, she could sure do a lot better than someone who couldn’t even control his shifts.
