Red's Big Bad Wolf

by Jessica Coulter Smith

  “Maybe we wanted to expand our horizons,” he said with a smile.

  Red snorted.

  Dalton walked up and stared at her. “Is there a problem?”

  “Yeah, your pack mates and you are following me around like lost puppies.”

  Dalton shrugged. “Alpha’s orders. You’re to have a security detail at all times.”

  “Oh, for the love of…” She blew out a breath. “Get Ace on the phone. I want to talk to him right now.”

  Ennis handed her his phone. “He’s on speed dial. Number one.”

  She accepted the phone, pressed the number, and waited. It rang several times before a groggy-sounding alpha answered the phone.

  “What the hell do you mean, assigning me a security detail?” she demanded.

  “After what happened last night, can you honestly ask me that?”

  “Ace, those three have bothered me for most of my life. Why are you suddenly interested?”

  He growled. “It’s not sudden. The entire pack had orders to protect you. Those three are being punished. Severely. You’ll never have another problem out of them.”

  “Then the matter is solved. Call off the watchdogs.”

  Dalton glared at her, obviously not liking the comparison to a dog.

  Red sighed, her anger leaving as quickly as it had come. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate what you’re doing, Ace, but it isn’t necessary. I’m a big girl and can take care of myself.”

  “What would you have done last night, Red? If I hadn’t been there to stop them…” She heard him huff out a breath. “I don’t even want to think about what they’d planned to do to you. Suffice it to say: as long as you’re single and unprotected, you’re going to have a few wolves hanging around to make sure you’re taken care of.”

  Her temper flared hot again. “I don’t need babysitters. Just because I don’t shapeshift into something doesn’t mean I can’t handle myself. Human’s can be quite resourceful, you know.”

  “This isn’t negotiable. What time do you get off work?”

  She glanced at the clock on the wall. “In about three hours.”

  “I’ll pick you up.”

  “Fine. But this discussion isn’t finished.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  Before she could utter another word, he hung up on her. She scowled at the phone before handing it back to Ennis.

  “He’s only doing it because he cares,” Ennis said. “We heard about what happened last night. Until Ace knows he can trust the rest of us, I would imagine he’s going to be a little overprotective. You aren’t just anyone, Red. You’re his mate. If anything happened to you, he’d be devastated.”

  “I didn’t even know I was his mate until last night!”

  “Maybe not,” Dalton said. “But the rest of us have known it for seven years. The problem is that he didn’t claim you. I could understand it when you were sixteen and he was twenty-eight. But then you turned eighteen and he still didn’t make a move. I think it sent the wrong message to the pack.”

  “They think he doesn’t want me.” Red crossed her arms over her chest. “So what? They decided to treat me like prey?”

  “Tate, Pierce, and Ian were… well, ‘out of control’ doesn’t even begin to cover it. There’s obviously something wrong with them,” Ennis said. “I’ve heard they’re being punished. Since no one has seen them since last night, I’m assuming they’re locked up.”

  “Locked up?”

  Dalton shrugged. “The pack has its own justice system, including a place where wolves can be chained, if necessary. Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if Ace shuns them. They’ll have no choice but to leave the area.”

  “And if they don’t?”

  “After the crimes they’ve committed against you?” Ennis arched his eyebrows. “It would put them on the pack’s most wanted list, and the game isn’t catch and release. They would forfeit their lives.”

  Miriam wandered over. “Are you two telling pack secrets?”

  Dalton frowned at her. “Red is pack.”

  Miriam cast her a glance. “Maybe. Most won’t accept her until Ace claims her. You know that. Her knowing too much could put her in more danger.”

  “The last thing I need are more wolves coming after me,” Red said,her spark of temper leaving her again. “I’ve had enough excitement to last me a lifetime.”

  “Is that why you chose to work in the library?” Miriam asked. “You wanted something nice and quiet?”

  “I like books,” Red answered. “Besides, Mrs. Wilburn lets me read some of the promotional materials we receive. Unknown authors who live in the area will sometimes send us their books for consideration. She values my opinion, and I get to read something I may not have ever discovered otherwise.”

  “You’re always reading.” Miriam’s brow furrowed. “Is your life really so boring you’d rather read?”

  Red smiled. “Reading makes life interesting. How else can you be a princess in need of rescue, a madam, a harem girl, a crime fighter, or a hundred other things, all without leaving the comfort of your home? Reading makes my life richer, not because my life is so dull that I can’t stand it, but because I like going on adventures from the safety of my couch.”

  Miriam just shook her head and wandered off.

  “We’ll let you get back to work,” Ennis said. “But we’ll be around if you need us.”

  “Thank you.”

  Red still wasn’t thrilled with her security detail, but at least they were being nice to her. She supposed she could argue the point some more with Ace when he arrived, but she wasn’t sure it would do her much good. He seemed determined to watch over her, even if she didn’t want him to. And maybe she was still a little pissed that she was only now discovering she was his mate. All those wasted years! How different would her life have been if he’d claimed her when she turned eighteen? Or even told her she was his mate when she turned sixteen? Knowing that she had someone destined for her, she never would have gone out with Sean.

  Red finished working her way through the new additions to the collection, her mood swinging from annoyed to resigned, then shelved them in the new releases section. She kept herself busy with checking books in, checking books out, straightening the shelves, and assisting patrons. The next time she looked up, Ace was standing in front of her desk, a small bouquet in his hand.

  “Are those for me?” she asked, more than a little surprised. He didn’t seem like a flowers kind of guy.

  He handed them to her. “I would say they’re an apology, but I’m not sorry about assigning people to watch over you.”

  She accepted the flowers and inhaled their fragrance. “Then maybe they can be an apology for not telling me for seven years that I’m your mate.”

  “I had my reasons.” He shoved his hands in his jean pockets. “I explained it to you last night.”

  “You also told me we could never be together, yet here you are. What changed?”

  “My Beta made me realize that the only way you’ll ever be truly safe would be if I claimed you. I did some thinking this morning and I can see where my actions confused my pack. In one breath, I was telling them you were mine, but then I would turn around and avoid you at all costs. I wasn’t acting like a mate.”

  “Nothing has changed since last night, Ace. I’m still the same woman you rescued in the woods. If you didn’t think I could handle you then, what makes you think I can handle you now?”

  “Time. You can have as much time as you want, once the initial claiming is out of the way. I’ll hold myself back as much as possible until you’re ready.”

  She looked at the flowers before returning her gaze to his. “And if I don’t accept your terms? You shouldn’t have to change who you are to be with your mate. Maybe your nose is wrong and I’m not the one.”

  “I’m not wrong.”

  Red sighed. “I don’t know that I agree with you. But then, who am I to argue with a wolf’s nose?”

  Red gathered he
r things and stepped around the desk. Ace helped her into her sweater before placing his palm on her lower back and guiding her out of the library. The three wolves assigned to her followed at a discreet distance. She couldn’t imagine why she would need them when Ace was with her.

  Butterflies erupted in her stomach at the thought of him claiming her. She didn’t know what would be involved and it made her a little nervous. She’d never had sex with anyone before, not willingly at any rate. She’d read enough romance novels to think it could be wonderful, but who was to say which parts were merely fiction? What if he didn’t live up to her expectations and then she was stuck with him for the rest of her life? Surely fate wouldn’t be that cruel.

  He paused at her car and took her keys from her. Ace unlocked the door and helped her set her things inside before walking her around to the driver’s side. When she was safely inside and buckled, he leaned down to meet her gaze.

  “I’ll follow you to your place. Then I’m taking you out for dinner.”

  Part of her wanted to spend more time with him, and the other part of her wanted to protect her heart and push him away. She felt her temper flare, then die. She felt confused more than anything. He said he wanted to claim her, but he’d never said anything about loving her. Just because they would be mated didn’t mean love would enter the equation. She supposed she should just be content with the knowledge that he would be faithful to her, but she wasn’t sure that would be enough.

  When she arrived at her apartment, she hurried up to the door and let herself in. She set her things down and turned to close the door. Ace had pulled into the parking lot right behind her, but she’d beat him to the apartment. A quick glance showed that the place was fairly neat. There was a pair of shoes at the end of the couch, some dirty dishes in the sink, and a sweater tossed over the back of a chair. The rug was a little dirty before her vacuum had broken, but there wasn’t anything she could do about that.

  Ace didn’t bother knocking and just let himself in. When the door closed behind him, he turned the dead bolt, locking them in. Her heart raced in her chest, wondering what he would do now that he had her alone. He’d told her last night that he wanted her. Would he take advantage of the situation?

  He approached her, his booted steps silent against the carpet. Stopping less than a foot away from her, he placed his hands on her hips and drew her closer until her body brushed against his. Where she was soft, he was hard. His crisp scent teased her nose. Red braced her hands on his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heart beneath her palms. She didn’t know what was to come, but she tried to mentally prepare herself. If he kissed her, would she be able to stop there? Or would she beg him to take her, to claim her?

  His hand slid into her hair, gripping it tight. Ace tilted her head back and her lips parted in anticipation. His gaze caressed her face before he lowered his head to hers. There was no soft caress of his lips, no tenderness, and no sweetness to his kiss. His tongue plunged into her mouth as he dominated her, bending her to his will. It was bruising and all-consuming. Red’s blood heated, a warmth settling in her belly and languidly moving south until her pussy became slick with moisture.

  Ace’s tongue stroked hers, giving her no recourse but to reciprocate his kiss. Red let loose the passion that was building inside of her, burning to burst free. Her hands slid up his chest and around his neck, her fingers curling in the long strands of his hair. Desire nearly consumed her as he ravaged her mouth, not letting up until her knees went weak and she slumped against him.

  When he pulled away, her lips were moist and felt swollen from his thorough kiss. Her body trembled with need. If a kiss affected her so much, would she survive when he took her to his bed? She’d never experienced anything so intense in her life. And yet, she was anxious to feel his lips on hers once more. Even though Ace was larger than life and maybe a little rough around the edges, he still made her feel safe. Her heart might be in danger, but she knew physically she couldn’t be safer. Even before she’d known she was his mate, she’d felt that way.

  “We should go,” he said, heat flaring in his eyes. “Otherwise, I might forget myself.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “Gray Wolf Lodge.”

  Her eyebrows rose. It was the closest thing their town had to a hotel, and their dining room was said to be spectacular. Red looked down at her jeans and sweater. Maybe she should change.

  Ace seemed to read her mind. “You’re fine the way you are. No one would dare turn away the alpha’s mate.”

  A thrill raced through her. She hadn’t thought about it before, but being his mate did give her a certain amount of power, not just over the pack, but in the town in general. She wondered why people hadn’t treated her with the respect she deserved if most people had known of her status, even if she didn’t. Maybe things would change after he claimed her. Perhaps his disinterest in her had them question her status. Not that she was power-hungry, but it would be nice to not have people look down on her.

  “Just let me get my purse.”

  Ace shook his head. “You don’t need it. Just get your keys so you can lock up.”

  Red followed him out the door, stopping long enough to lock up. He’d brought the Mustang tonight, a car she’d secretly loved since the first time she’d seen him with it. Red had no idea what he did for a living, but it must pay well. In addition to her dream car, he had a motorcycle and one of the biggest trucks she’d ever seen. She’d never seen his house before, but she’d driven past the gate many times.

  They pulled into the parking lot at the lodge a short while later. Ace whipped into a reserved parking space and came around to help her out of the car. Red had never been to the lodge before and she was more than a little excited. When they stepped inside, she tried to keep her jaw from dropping. A large, freestanding stone fireplace stood in the middle of the room. The floors were slate, the walls a soft chocolate. Dark wood furniture decorated the space.

  Ace guided her around the fireplace and through a door to the left. A hostess stood at a podium near the door and welcomed them with a smile. She gathered two menus and led them to a small table in the center of the room. The lights had been dimmed and lit candles graced every table. It was a rather romantic setting, and Red had to admit she was impressed.

  Ace held her chair for her before taking his own seat. Red looked around and noticed they were the center of attention. She wondered if that had been Ace’s intent, to show everyone that he was accepting his mate. He gave her a dazzling smile before folding his arms and leaning them on the table.

  “The duck is really good here,” he said. “Or if you want red meat, their steaks are pretty amazing.”

  Red opened her menu and her eyes nearly bugged out of her head. She’d known the lodge would be pricey, but she’d had no idea…thirty dollars for a steak? Good heavens! The lobster and shrimp plate was nearly fifty! How on earth did people afford to come to this place? No wonder she’d never been here before. The local diner was more her speed. Or a fast-food restaurant. Even then, she seldom got a chance to eat out. The library didn’t exactly pay very well.

  “Everything okay?” Ace asked.

  “Yeah,” she croaked. “Just a little surprised.”

  He smiled. “Order anything you want. Ignore the prices and pick whatever looks good. You act like you haven’t been on a date before.”

  “The last time was in high school, and Sean certainly never brought me here.”

  Ace’s jaw tensed. “When were you going to tell me what happened back in high school?”

  Red froze. Oh shit! He knew?

  “I’m waiting,” he said.

  “It wasn’t important.”

  “Like hell it wasn’t! That isn’t something you can just brush off. You can’t sit there and tell me you haven’t thought about it over the years. I’d be willing to bet it still haunts you in your dreams.”

  “Sometimes,” she admitted softly. “I’ve managed to get past it, for the most pa
rt. When I think about that night, it’s like it happened to someone else and I’m just there seeing it happen. I decided a long time ago that I could let that one event effect my life forever or I could forge ahead and put it behind me.”

  “But it’s not really behind you, is it? You haven’t dated since then, which means you haven’t been intimate with anyone since then. I saw the fear in your eyes when I told you what would happen if we were together.”

  “It’s the thought of being tied down, or held down. The idea of being intimate with you doesn’t scare me, Ace. I’m just worried that something might happen to cause a flashback and I might panic.”

  “Is it something you want to try to work through?”

  “You mean let you tie me up?”

  “Among other things. We can take it one step at a time though. If at any time you can’t handle it, I’ll stop.”

  Could she do it? Red wanted to try. She really did. She didn’t think she’d have an issue with plain vanilla sex, but that wasn’t what she really wanted. She’d read enough erotic romances to know she wanted to experience more. Something told her Ace could give her that, if she’d let him. There were rumors about Club Luna, the werewolf-owned club, and what went on there. She’d once heard two women talking about it being a BDSM club. Would he take her there? She didn’t know if she was ready for that yet.

  “If I want to try, when would we do it?”

  “Tonight. There’s no sense in waiting.”

  That was moving a little fast, but she supposed she saw his point. If they waited, she might chicken out. Red really did want to overcome her fears. She wanted to feel whole again. Not only did she need that, but she wanted to be the mate Ace deserved. Right now, she felt like a piece of her was missing. But what if she disappointed him? She’d never had an orgasm before. What if she couldn’t?

  “All right,” she finally agreed. “After dinner.”

  He shook his head. “After dinner, we’re going to late movie. Our play can wait until after that. It will give you time for your meal to settle.”

  Yeah, and give her time to worry.