by Vivian Wood
Lucas found himself wondering why they didn’t spend every damned weekend out here at the Compound. The sprawling estate was tucked into the Blue Ridge Parkway, about twenty minutes outside Asheville, North Carolina. With stunning pine-covered hills stretching far as the eye could see, tiny streams brimming with crystalline water, and humans far and few… it was sort of a wolf’s paradise.
The house itself was incredible, all cedar and glass walls rising into the sky, the seven thousand square foot layout spread over three stories and still dwarfed by the backdrop of towering pines. Lucas had put in a pool and grotto, his one wink to Hugh Hefner’s distinct brand of genius.
Yawning, Lucas stood and shook his coat out before shifting.
“I’m starving,” Ben said, unmindful of his nudity as he trotted up the steps of the back porch. He made a beeline for the stainless-and-granite open kitchen and started rummaging through the fridge.
“How bout you put on some fucking pants before you touch the food?” Walker grumbled.
“You’re just pissed that I beat you here… and in our little race,” Ben taunted as he dug sandwich makings out of the fridge and tossed them on the counter.
Lucas grabbed his clothes off the floor where he’d dumped them. Casual today, slim cut jeans and a gray plaid shirt that women often complimented. No shoes, because wolves were pretty impervious to a few sticks and stones underfoot.
“If you’re making a sandwich, make a bunch,” Lucas told Ben. “Double meat, obviously.”
Ben snorted but set to work, and a few minutes later they were all dressed and lounging in the oversized den, sandwiches in hand. Ben, by far the most domesticated of the three, even brought plates, beers, and napkins. They feasted silently.
As Lucas was polishing off his sandwich, his phone chimed. Once, twice. A third time.
“Shit, that must be our guy,” he said, jumping up and grabbing it from the kitchen counter. The ringing stopped, and he frowned at his phone. When he turned back, he met two very smug faces.
“What?” he asked, scowling.
“Someone’s excited,” Walker intoned.
“If that female gets the tiniest inkling of how Luc has been creep-stalking her, she’ll bolt,” Ben said with a laugh.
“Or worse. She’ll wrap him around her finger. Lucas will be her bitch,” Walker said, flashing a bright grin. He obviously relished the idea.
“Shut up. I’m horny, she’s hot, enough said. Besides, she’s only going to know what she finds out from me, because you two are going to make yourselves scarce while I talk to her. Right?” Lucas asked, giving them a hard stare.
“I’m gonna need at least an intro,” Ben said, smirking. “If she’s so amazing and all. And we’re all supposed to be able to hit on her.”
“I’m just saying that I’m the closer in this group, and I need to cinch the deal first. Then we’ll see how it goes. Agreed?”
Ben rolled his eyes and nodded, and Walker merely shrugged. No surprise there; Walker was accepting but still unexcited about the plan. Lucas couldn’t wait until they found a female for the harem who would blow Walker out of the water. He’d see who was all smug grins then, wouldn’t he?
The sound of gravel under heavy tires came from outside, and Lucas found himself pulled to the front door. Ben and Walker were right behind him, just as curious no matter what they said.
Sliding open the glass door, Lucas padded out onto the porch to greet the entourage. Wincing in the bright mid-morning light, he shaded his eyes as he watched several huge human men get out of the car. He’d been forced to use a human team, because he’d never trust a female as desirable as Aurelia with a bunch of wolves.
One of them opened the back door and gestured impatiently to the back seat’s occupant. A long moment stretched as Lucas watched the door, breath catching in his chest as he waited.
Finally, two slender legs emerged, followed by a perfectly curved torso. Finally, Aurelia’s signature mass of coppery locks emerged, honeyed fire under the sun. She wore a pair of tight cutoff jean shorts, red cowboy boots, and a transparent yellow tee shirt. Big dark sunglasses obscured her face, but the distinctive heart-shape and pert nose were visible. Full pink lips, sinful looking and certain to devastate anything they touched.
And now she was looking up to the porch, taking his measure. Everyone else seemed to melt away, the trees and mountains fading into obscurity. Her lips curved in a smirk, challenging.
Lucas swallowed and brushed his hands over his shirt front, excitement thrumming in his blood. She was here, just a conversation away from being under his body. He would bury himself in her, sate the insane desire that was plaguing him. And she would belong to him, his to enjoy anytime he wanted.
His wolf rose, pleased at the prospect of having Aurelia.
She climbed the steps, cowboy boots flaunting her bare, pale legs. Two of the human men followed her, carrying a single tattered suitcase of her belongings.
“Aurelia,” Lucas said, staring her down. He liked the roll of her name on his tongue.
She stopped, legs apart and shoulders squared. Taking off her glasses, she appraised him ruthlessly.
“So you’re the reason I’m here?” she asked, her tone level. Her accent wasn’t the sweet Southern twang he’d expected from a Texas girl. It was heavily New Zealand-influenced, a complete surprise.
“Yes,” Lucas said.
“These men grabbed me from the street. They wouldn’t tell me where they were taking me, or why. I’ve been traveling for thirty six hours, and none of them would even talk to me. They just kept saying that Lucas Kiern sent for me.”
“They treated you well, I expect?” Lucas asked, his gaze sliding to the group’s leader.
“We did pull her from the street, right before four men with guns closed in on her. We watched them hunt her into a corner, and only made our move when it was clear she was out of options,” the man said, shrugging.
“They were forceful,” she said, anger radiating from her features.
“They were doing what I asked,” Lucas replied. Looking to the men, he signaled their dismissal.
Aurelia turned around and goggled as the men retreated into their car and drove away.
“That’s it?” she asked. “They just dump me here, not knowing what you all have planned?”
“You trust a bunch of human men more than three of your own kind?” Walker asked, bristling.
“Oh, it speaks!” Aurelia said, flapping her hands. “Who are you two, then? The betas?”
“We’re not a pack,” Ben chimed in.
“Oh, lone wolves who just hand together. Of course, what a great idea. This just gets better and better,” she snapped.
“Aurelia, this is Ben, and Walker. We have a long history together,” Lucas explained.
Aurelia crossed her arms, cocking her hip to the side. That gesture was pure Texas, and it made Lucas smile. The down-home girl still existed in there, somewhere.
“So what? Why am I here?” she asked, her face stony.
“Come inside first. Walker and Ben are going to their respective parts of the house, and you and I will talk,” Lucas said. He didn’t wait for her to comply, turning and ushering his friends inside. True to their word, they headed off to their suites. Lucas led the way to the den.
“Are you hungry? Thirsty?” he asked, wanting to make her comfortable.
“No,” she snapped.
“Have a seat,” he offered, waving to the black leather couches. She glared at him but chose the corner of a couch and perched. Lucas gave her a little space, sitting at the other end. Now that they were inside, he couldn’t help but catch her scent. Beneath the smell of humans and jet fuel from her travels, he could pick out notes of hibiscus and verbena floating from her skin. His wolf yipped, begging him to take deeper breaths, pull that scent closer.
She shifted uncomfortably and looked around at the house, reminding him that he needed to start explaining before she fled outright.
“I want to offer you a deal,” he said, coming straight to the point.
“A deal?” she asked, turning her azure gaze on him. Up close, he could see that her eyes held a touch of coppery brown that reflected the tresses that spilled down her shoulders.
“Relative freedom. A return to the States,” he explained.
Surprise flared across her features. She caught it and tamped it down. He was impressed by her control.
“I’m in the States right now, aren’t I?” she replied. “Somewhere on the East coast.”
“North Carolina,” he conceded. “But that isn’t what I meant. I meant a permanent solution to your problem.”
“My problem? And what exactly do you think you know about me and my problems?”
Lucas paused, trying to come up with the right words.
“I know you’re being pursued. Government agencies, big corporations… you’ve made a lot of enemies, and now that you’re weak they’re all coming after you. One of them is going to catch you, probably hurt you very badly and then pass you on to the highest bidder.”
“I’m not weak!” she snapped, shooting to her feet. “I’ve been doing fine on my own.”
She crossed her arms and walked the length of the den, returned. Pacing seemed to soothe her ire.
“The human wasn’t lying. You were probably about to be caught when they grabbed you. You’ve done well so far, yes. Buried yourself in a huge city in a third-world country, and a hackers’ paradise to boot. You’ve been smart. But there are a lot of big bounties with your name and face on them, and no amount of smart and quick can save you now. There’s too much money, too much blood in the water,” Lucas explained.
“That’s it, then? You’re a bounty hunter, hunting your own kind?” she asked, not looking at him as she paced. “You’re going to turn me in, get me a plea bargain or something?”
“No. That wouldn’t come close to solving your problems. If you went to the US District Attorney and asked for a plea bargain, it would only address one of the many groups that are pursuing you, and they’d probably want jail time. I think that would be a waste of your talents, and your beauty.”
She halted at the last, her eyes snapping up to his.
“My beauty? Is this some kind of courting gesture?” she asked, aghast.
“Of a sort. I’ll admit, I sought you out. Watched you, dug into your past. I’m interested in you, Aurelia. For several reasons, but let’s say that the fact that you’re one of my kind, and stunning to boot… it definitely helped you make it to the top of my list.”
“And who are you to be making lists and offering deals?” she asked.
“I’m the CEO of Luna Corp,” he answered. As he’d expected, she recognized the name immediately. Despite herself, a smile rose to her lips.
“I knew Luna Corp was run by wolves,” she said, allowing herself a small victory. Soon the smile dropped away, though.
“So you’re a CEO. What does that do for me?” she asked.
“As you know, Luna Corp has grown exponentially in the last few years. We’ve reached a stage where we’ve made more money than we could ever spend, than our children’s children could ever spend, and we’ve grown bored. Lonely. Surrounded by humans, separated from other wolves. We seek to change that.”
“We? Who’s we?”
“I’m the main agitator, you could say. But Ben and Walker are on the same path as I am, and they’re just as isolated. The three of us, we only have each other.”
“There are thousands of wolves in the US. You could fly to New York, put out word. Probably get a few hundred females that would throw themselves at your feet, wanting your lifestyle. But me… I’m all the way in India. I’m a wanted woman, as you’ve pointed out. Why come after me?”
“As I said before, your talents. And your beauty.”
“Come out with it, then,” she said. “Lay out your bargain.”
Lucas nodded, licking his lips.
“I want you. In my house, here. In my bed. I want to offer you a set of contracts. One for your skills with a computer. Work with Ben, help us create new programs. One to be my mistress, or one of them. I plan to offer several women deals like this, deals that save them and involve me or one of the males in my group. We wouldn’t be exclusive, unless it came naturally.”
“You’d share me with them? They’d have the right to have whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted?” she said, seeming both curious and offended.
“You could share your affections with them, or not. Your choice. The only thing stipulated in your contract is that you remain with me, and that I have the right to seduce you.”
“And what would I get out of this?”
“I will make sure that every bounty revoked, every group looking for you is satisfied in some other way. You would be free to roam in the US after our contract ended. You’d never see the inside of a jail cell. And while you’re with me, you’d have nearly anything you wanted. Clothes, jewels, spas, whatever it is you want. High-end tech at your fingertips again, I know you’ve missed that.”
Aurelia studied him, returning to the couch and sitting down.
“And what if I refuse? What if I grab one of my bags and run for it?” she asked, tilting her head.
Lucas reached in his pocket, pulled out his smart phone. Pulling up his photos, he offered the phone to her. Dozens of photos of her brother, her sister-in-law, and their two kids.
Aurelia sucked in a breath, anger rising to the surface so quickly that his wolf could feel her emotions.
“You dare to threaten my family?” she hissed, flashing the phone screen at him. The photo was one of her brother Edgar, holding his young daughter.
“No, you misunderstand. I lifted these photos from the laptop of an agent of the Dubai Police.”
Aurelia’s anger retreated slightly, and she bit her lip.
“I thought I buried our connection. I spent months erasing every piece of digital evidence that we’ve ever met,” she whispered, brushing her fingertips across the screen to scroll the photos.
“Unfortunately, he’s a software engineer at a top ten tech company, and shares your name. Between that and the fact that he won’t stop talking about you, using your full name… there’s no hiding him,” Lucas explained, keeping his tone gentle.
“So if I say no, you’ll turn my brother in?” she asked, her voice sad.
“No, not at all,” Lucas said, moving closer. He reached out, using two fingers to lift her chin so their gazes met.
“Let’s say that you agree, and that your debts are resolved. I am offering to do that, and also to keep a permanent protection team on your brother and his family. For as long as you stay with me, he’ll be safe from anyone who wants to hurt you through indirect means.”
Aurelia’s lip quivered, her hands shook a little as she placed the phone on the couch.
“Will I be able to speak to my brother?” she asked.
“We can bring him here to visit. When your contract is up, you can buy a house near him, if that’s what you want.”
Aurelia pulled back from his touch, pressing the back of her hand to her eye. She ran her hands over her travel-mussed hair, took a deep breath, straightened her spine. Lucas nearly smiled, watching her physically align herself with the decision she was making.
She met his gaze once again, then put out her hand.
“I accept,” she said, her voice like steel.
Lucas took her hand, appreciating her firm grip. Aurelia’s touch brought his wolf to the surface, fiercely interested in the stunning female sitting next to him.
“In that case,” he said. Releasing her hand, he leaned close and took a deep breath of her scent. He could sense her wolf, her growing excitement and anxiety, the fluttering of her heartbeat at his proximity.
Releasing the breath, he sighed.
“I have to admit, my wolf loves you,” he said with a grin.
Aurelia gave him a shaky smile, and Lucas realized she was overwhelmed and ti
red.
“Alright. Here’s what we’re going to do,” he said, taking control. “I’m going to show you to your rooms, and get your baggage to you. I’ll bring you some food, and the contracts. You can sleep, or take a long bath if you like. Whatever you need. You can look over the contracts, ask me questions if you need…” he trailed off, waving a hand.
“Okay,” Aurelia said, fatigue apparent on her face.
“Let me show you to our suites,” he said, standing and offering her a hand. She took it, and he pulled her to her feet. Instead of releasing her hand, he laced his fingers with hers and tugged her toward the back of the house.
Leading her upstairs, he brought her to a fork that offered two hallways.
“You and I are everything on this side,” he explained. “My room is all the way at the end. There are master baths and sitting rooms for each of us between our bedrooms, all adjoined. So this first door is you.”
He stopped, bringing her hand to his lips for a brief kiss.
“I’ll leave you here. Your bags will be in your sitting room briefly,” he said.
“I- I don’t quite know how to thank you,” Aurelia said, her scent and that soft accent acting like a punch in the gut.
“You’ll think of something,” Lucas teased, shaking his head. “Get some rest. Come find me when you’re ready.”
And with that, he left her at her door. It was so hard to walk away without claiming so much as a kiss, but Lucas had been in the business world long enough to know when it was important to bide his time. He wanted Aurelia, but more than that, he wanted her to come to him. Now he just had to be patient… maybe go for a run, or do some laps in the pool. As if that would cool his ardor for Aurelia.
Lucas chuckled at himself as he headed downstairs.
Chapter Three
Aurelia was straight up astounded. When Lucas had left her at the door of her new bedroom, she’d opened the door and nearly lost her mind. The room was stunning, the bottom half of the walls lined in cream wainscoting printed with white tree branches, the top half covered in a delicate pastel cherry blossom print. The floors were different from the rest of the house, a lightly polished oak. A massive white four poster bed dominated the middle of the room, hung with gauzy white and pastel curtains. A matching vanity and armoire stood to one side of the room, a beautiful oak desk took up the middle wall, and the remaining wall was practically all windows, carefully bedecked with gauzy white curtains.
