“In a pack as nice and friendly as this one, they’ll throw him a pity party or a funeral if he’s stupid enough to challenge me. The choice is his.”
“And what about Mina? Father’s widowed mate? I thought she was your primary target. Wasn’t she part of that whole ‘vengeance’ theme you’re running with? Dear brother, tell me you haven’t forgotten about her so soon.”
Christoph shrugged his shoulders, ignoring Ivar’s quick wit and sharp tongue. “I’ve never had much of a desire for redheads. You can have her if you’d like. Or we can kill her. I’ll leave it up to you.”
“You’re ever so kind, brother. I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Ivar replied dryly.
Christoph inspected the town square with disgust. “I wonder how many of these lowlifes suck the Alpha’s cock for permission to breathe in this pack. I find it hard to believe everyone is as happy-go-lucky here as they let on. Did you hear the little tidbit about needing to check in at the Alpha’s house?”
“What, you’re not up for a visit with the Alpha today?” Ivar teased.
“Hardly. Besides, I’d rather keep our presence under wraps for now. If Mina or any of the other little bitches from Twisted Tail see us, our gig is up. I’d like to remain in the shadows for a bit longer. I’ve always loved a good game of cat and mouse.”
“You spoil all my fun, brother. Think of how amusing it would be to set fire to this picturesque little town, with its perfectly matched décor, and watch it burn to the ground.” Ivar played with his Zippo, flicking the wheel with his thumb, running his fingers through the flame, and quickly extinguishing it, then repeating the process.
“All in good time, Ivar. When we make our move, Black Paw will never forget the cruelty with which we strike. We will take them all by surprise and bring their lives and town crashing down around the entire pack. Be patient, Ivar. Forget about the petty crimes, for now. It’s time to get to work. We’ll meet up later at the hotel.”
Chapter Nine
Raw power poured through Erin the second Brenna lifted the binding spell. Her heart pounded against her ribs. She tried to process each change her body felt as her witch awakened with more energy than she would ever have thought possible.
Brenna rushed Erin through the backdoor when she noticed her daughter’s hands smoldering with a cerulean glow.
It was a power Erin knew well, having used it on many occasions to heal the injured. This time, however, the power running through her veins felt amplified tenfold over her normal strength.
The slightest sudden or jerky move on her part sent streaks of blue flames shooting from her fingers. She would have to get control of that shit and quick before the whole pack realized she was part witch.
What Erin hadn’t expected was for her wolf to suddenly feel supercharged. She pranced and danced in Erin’s mind, begging to run the excess energy off.
“I’m going to shift and run back to my house. I’ll pick up my car tomorrow.”
“Are you sure, baby girl? Do you think that’s wise, given the fact that you’re not used to all the power coursing through your body?” Brenna worried for her daughter.
“I’ll be fine, Mom. Besides, if I don’t give in and shift, I have the feeling my wolf is going to force the matter,” Erin explained.
“Really? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“Like this has ever been tried before with someone who’s part shifter, part witch? I’m telling you, she’s chomping at the bit to get moving. I think the binding not only curbed my witch juice—my wolf seems to have been affected by the spell as well.”
“Please be careful. Your powers are much stronger than I expected them to be.”
“I will, Mom. Thanks.”
“Erin, I mean it. It’s critical that no one else find out about your heritage. Only your mate needs to know.”
Erin nodded. Wolf and witch worked together, one giving up the primary position so the other could take over. One second she stood on two legs in front of Brenna. A split-second later she was covered in fur, standing on four legs.
Wow, that was quick! Erin thought to herself.
Her wolf raced to the forest at top speed, rejoicing in the fact that she was finally free to run. Erin had the feeling her wolf would run clear to Canada if she’d let her.
A long howl sounded a few miles away, followed by another. Before Erin could stop her, her wolf returned the greeting—knowing damn well Erin didn’t want to cross paths with anyone along the way. Especially their mate.
“Why would you do that?” Erin chided her wolf.
“I wanted to see him.”
“You know what he’ll do to us. I don’t want to be forced into mating with him. If he catches us, he’s within his rights to claim us. Then what? There’s no turning back.” The argument with her wolf was a waste of Erin’s brainpower. The wolf was bound and fucking determined to see her mate.
Erin tried to steer them on a course that didn’t collide with Lucas, but there was no avoiding it. He was by her side in record time. She skidded to a halt, her wolf admiring the strength and muscle of their mate.
Lucas had always been the star of her fantasies. Her wolf even dreamed of him in wolf form every night when they closed their eyes.
Part of her wished for her human form so she could run her fingers through his thick black fur. The other part knew it would turn into a disaster as soon as he opened his mouth. With her power cranked up to high gear, there was no telling how she’d react to his alpha male authoritative attitude.
Her wolf backed away as Lucas padded closer to them. He halted his approach and let out a soft whimper, assuring her all was well and he would make no move to claim her.
Her wolf replied with a soft grunt. Perceptive emerald eyes held hers. Though they didn’t share a mating connection, they could speak to each other through their pack bond. However, Erin chose to remain quiet, wanting to see what his game was.
Was it a trick to get close to her? Would she have to shift and zap his ass to the neighboring town? Because she would do it in a heartbeat if she had to.
Erin’s pulse sped, not trusting her mate’s intentions. He had voiced his position on the subject of mating earlier in the day. It was doubtful he would have changed his mind in such a short amount of time.
His snout rubbed against hers in a tender greeting. Shock coursed through her when his soft, warm tongue slid across her snout. Her wolf returned the greeting, giving her mate an unhurried roll of her tongue.
“Hey now! That’s quite enough, missy. Don’t you dare start something I forbid you to finish,” Erin reprimanded her wolf.
‘Gentle’ was not a word Erin would have ever used to describe Lucas. It didn’t jibe with his dark and broody persona or his dominant attitude. Always the bossy type, he kicked ass and asked questions later. They were traits she greatly admired in her mate. After all, what girl wouldn’t want a strong, protective male by her side? Though as for the bossy part…well, she wouldn’t shed a tear if he lost that trait.
Thinking back over the years she had known him, there wasn’t a single instance she could ever remember Lucas being gentle or tender. She kind of liked seeing this softer side of him—though she’d never admit it.
***
Christoph bid his brother farewell, setting off on his recon mission. Creating a mental map of the land was a necessity, figuring out the ins and outs of the territory to plan an effective strategy.
If his father’s allies were to be believed, Black Paw had disposed of Griffin and his Twisted Tail enforcers with a speed and skill not often seen. Griffin’s enforcers were a brutal crew, having no regard for life. They killed on command for the pleasure alone. It was hard for Christoph to imagine the pansies he’d met at Black Paw were that efficient when it came to killing.
He would stick with his original plan and not be tempted by Ivar’s need for chaos. Sticking with his gut, Christoph decided that charging into Black Paw blind would not be a wise move on his part
. That was Griffin’s mistake. He would not follow in his father’s footsteps.
Where his father had failed, Christoph would succeed. He would not allow blind hatred—or any other emotion—to consume or destroy his opportunity for revenge.
As for the cute little bitch he had met earlier, he’d put a silver bullet in her mate’s head and drag her ass back to Twisted Tail kicking and screaming if that’s what it took.
Spotting the edge of a large forest nearby, Christoph took to the shadows and shifted, making a beeline for the trees.
Following along the banks of the frozen river, Christoph kept his nose in the air, sniffing for any sign of Black Paw wolves. He would do best to avoid a meet-and-greet.
His ears perked up when he heard a howl sound in the distance, followed by a return greeting. Oh, how sweet. Lovers calling out for one another.
The sound made him cringe. Fates, true mates, love—these were all terms he disavowed. Life was what you made it, taking what you wanted along the way. Fuck the Fates, true mates, and love. It’s what made wolves weak.
The lovers were close. Too close for Christoph’s comfort. Any sudden moves on his part would set off their keen sense of hearing, giving away his position. His only option was to quickly shift back to human form and find a place to hide. Pulling a charmed amulet from his pocket, he fastened it around his neck, trusting its majik to block his scent from anyone in the immediate area.
Christoph watched as the pair of wolves came to a halt. Expecting to catch at least a glimpse of some exciting wolf porn, he kicked back, relaxed, and waited for the show to start.
Any minute now he’ll mount that bitch and take what he wants. Christoph could smell the arousal in the air.
Instead they sat there, staring into each other’s eyes before moving on.
How fucking boring can these mutts get? When the coast was clear, Christoph shifted back to his wolf form and continued on his way.
***
Lucas was the first to break the silence stretching between them, speaking through their pack connection.
“Walk with me.”
“Where?”
“Let’s go down by the river. I love this time of evening.”
“As long as you promise no funny business.”
“Scout’s honor. I’d do the super-secret cross-my-heart hand gestures, but…”
“But what? Go on, then. Let’s see it,” Erin joked.
“Seriously? In wolf form?”
Erin imagined the WTF look he would have given her in human form. It would have been priceless had it been anywhere near as stunned as the shock he tried to portray through his wolf.
“Totally serious. Let’s see it.” Erin pushed the light theme of the meeting, wanting to avoid a serious conversation. When they had serious conversations, they either ended up in a fight or trying to suck each other’s tongues out of their mouths. She wanted to avoid both scenarios at the moment. With her powers out of whack, there was no telling what would happen. With the luck she had lately, she’d end up accidentally frying the fur off his balls. That would go over well. Not.
Erin could just imagine the conversation. “Oh, by the way, I’m a witch. Hope you didn’t need the fur on your balls.”
Lucas pulled her from her warped inner monologue. “Fine. You better pay attention because this is a one-time only trick.”
Lucas sat back on his haunches. Raising his right paw, he wiggled it back and forth across his chest. “There. Good enough?”
Erin laughed. “Perfect.”
Trotting along in silence, Erin shut off her worries and instead chose to appreciate the beauty of the great outdoors. The crisp cool air calmed her frazzled nerves. Snow crunched under her paws with each step and she let her wolf lead the way.
Chapter Ten
Lucas watched Erin as she admired the beautiful sunset. Streaks of bright cerise clouds scattered across the sky. It was indeed a breathtaking view on the banks of the river, but he only had eyes for his mate.
The comfortable silence between them stretched on. It was fine with Lucas. Erin was by his side and he would take any amount of time he could get with her. Even if it meant sitting on the frozen ground staring off into the distance.
His wolf, however, was not as happy sitting idly by. He wanted to claim her. Pure and simple. It was a matter of nature versus nurture.
The wolf wanted what nature offered: his mate. The animal instinct drove his base desire to claim and procreate.
The man wanted to nurture the relationship, build the trust between him and his mate, to assure her that she would be safe with him. It was the very basis of his human instinct: to love and protect.
In a battle of desires one would face victory and the other, defeat—but who would win? Lucas or his wolf?
“The sunset is gorgeous tonight.” Erin’s voice passed through his mind. Sweet Odin, he loved the sound of her singsong voice. It was music to his ears.
“It is especially beautiful tonight,” Lucas replied, not referring to the sunset. His eyes remained focused on one thing and one thing only: his mate. He didn’t give a rat’s ass at that moment about the sun or the moon, or the stars, or whatever the fuck was out.
Fact was, she was his everything…sun, moon, and stars.
The silence between them resumed, only to be interrupted by Lucas’ rumbling stomach.
“Are you hungry?” Erin asked, ready to point out a rabbit that had run past moments ago.
“Starving.”
It was a hunger that had nothing to do with food. Lucas could still taste the heat from their kiss, and he wanted more. A whole lot more.
“Would you like to grab dinner in town?”
“Maybe another night. It’s been a long day and I have to be up early tomorrow.”
Lucas tried not to let the rejection sting. After all, it was last minute and Erin had her own life.
“No worries. We can catch dinner another time.”
“How did it go with the Council today?”
“It was definitely interesting—and much different than I expected.” Lucas debated how much he could or should share with his mate. It was official pack business, though Rafe hadn’t expressly forbidden him from discussing the matter with anyone.
“How so?” Erin asked.
“For a pack of wolves, they’re very formal. Stuffy suits and ties. It’s not what I really expected. They constantly referred to us as ‘gentlemen’ and expected us to act the part.”
“That’s really odd. What else?”
“Well, they are going to step in and get things sorted with Twisted Tail.”
“That’s great. From what I’ve heard, it’s a hot mess there.”
“It is. I don’t know how Mina and her family lived there as long as they did. Even the small glimpse I had of the place left a bad taste in my mouth. I can’t imagine being forced to live in those conditions.”
Lucas thought back to his brief visit at Twisted Tail. What could have been beautiful, flourishing terrain looked like a landfill. Dilapidated trailers scattered haphazardly throughout a rundown town added to the squalor.
“Sounds like a sad situation. I wonder why the Council didn’t step in sooner?” Erin asked.
“Griffin told the pack that the Council had disbanded years ago. That gave the members of the pack no recourse when it came to reporting the crimes of their Alpha. The Council had no idea what was going on there, and they never had any complaints. Had they known, I have to believe they would have done something sooner.”
“I’m glad the people there will be getting the help they need.”
Lucas sighed. “Me too. The Council also issued a declaration that all of Griffin’s lieutenants be taken into custody, and any witches found to be working with any of the packs are to be killed on sight.”
“What!”
“Clearly Griffin was working with a witch to conceal his and his men’s scent when they attacked us. The Council doesn’t take these matters lightly. Nor shou
ld they.”
“I guess you’re right,” Erin replied.
“Which brings us back to you, and how you concealed your scent from me for so long.”
Just when they had finally started to get along, Lucas had to rock the boat. He wanted to kick himself for even bringing it up, but what choice did he have?
His mate had willfully hidden from him and used some sort of spell to do it. If she was friends with the fucking witch who helped Griffin, now was the time to find out. The Council needed to know and so did he.
“It’s not important how I hid my scent from you. Can we just forget it?” Erin begged.
“No, we can’t. I need to know what witch gave you the spell. She has to be the one working with Twisted Tail, and that’s not okay. Witches who interfere with packs are to be killed. They put a price on their heads. Not soon enough if you ask me.” Lucas didn’t try to hide his disdain for the creatures.
“How can you say that? Do you know any witches? I’ve met a couple over the years and they were both decent respectable people.”
“Respectable?” Lucas laughed. “Are you kidding? They’re despicable, vile beings who cast their spells on anyone they can, hurting whoever stands in the way of what they feel should be theirs.”
“That’s like lumping all wolves into the same category as Griffin and his enforcers. A few bad ones doesn’t make the entire species bad, or did I miss something?”
Lucas growled. “The only good witch is a dead witch.”
He expected to hear anger in Erin’s voice when she spoke next. Instead he heard pity. Sadness.
“What could make you hate an entire race of people?”
Lucas paced back and forth, the snow crunching under his paws. Dear Odin, he hated to relive the past, but Erin needed to know why he could not, would not allow his mate to associate with witches.
Sucking in a deep breath, he tried to calm down, knowing it would do no good to take his anger out on her. She had nothing to do with any of it.
Fur Ever Witched (Black Paw Pack Book 2) Page 4
