Mistress of Wolves

by Mina Carter

  But nothing mortal could stand against a creature pulled from the fiery pit itself.

  Seeing the Hellhound pull his arm back for a blow that would end the fight, Archer roared and launched himself from the top of the crates. As he dropped, he allowed his change to rip through him, freeing the creature within. His body tore itself apart, like an all over body shrug and he hissed in pain and pleasure as his hound took form in an instant.

  He landed between the hound and Reena, in a crouch with his wings extended to protect his woman. His love. He paused for a second, the realization filling him. He loved her. Loved this tiny little woman with the big heart and the bigger she-wolf hidden within her.

  The other hound pulled up, wariness in his eyes as he looked at Archer. The others were likewise on their feet, gazes fixed on him. Tension sizzled in the air.

  “Shit. He’s big.”

  He ignored the mutter from one of the men behind the shifted hound and stood slowly.

  “Hurt a hair on her head, and I’ll rip your spine out through your fucking chest.” His fangs made speech difficult, but he didn’t care. They’d kidnaped and hurt his female. That couldn’t be allowed to stand.

  The hound in front of him spread his hands, his movements careful. Archer wasn’t fooled. Given a chance, he’d have claws in Archer’s throat within a heartbeat.

  “Who the fuck are you?” He’d thought he was the only one of his kind. Even the being within him was surprised to see others…and not. Somehow he felt a sense of kinship with them. Huh. Probably because they were the same species. Couldn’t be anything more than that.

  “Jed…” A hound in human form stepped forward, speaking to the shifted hound in front of Archer. “Look at him.”

  Archer found himself the subject of intense interest from four sets of eyes; three the red-sheened hue of a hellhound in human form and one the blazing red of a shifted hound. He pulled his lips back from his teeth and snarled. They could look all they liked, there would still be blood spilled tonight.

  A small figure stepped up beside him, her claws flexed and ready for battle. Reena. By his side. In danger. Reaching out a hand, he tried to push her behind him, but she growled, holding her ground. Damn woman. Here he was trying to protect her, and she was being awkward. When they got out of here, they were going to have words about that.

  “Shit,” Jed hissed, speech compromised by his fangs. “He looks—”

  “—just like you,” Reena spoke up, folding her lycan form inside herself to look at the two hounds with interest. “I don’t know how it works for you guys, but if you were lycans, I’d say you were related.”

  The hound blinked, and rolled his neck. Between one second and the next, his non-human form disappeared, wings and all, leaving a man standing in front of them. He had brown eyes under the red, Archer realized. Familiar brown eyes.

  Taking a step forward the hound narrowed his eyes. “Who are you?”

  “Archer Davis. What’s it to you?”

  The hound staggered back a step, his face paling. “Fuck me. Archie?”

  Archer pulled his hound back inside with a pop and looked along the row of stunned looking hounds. They looked like they’d seen a ghost.

  “Okay, does anyone want to tell me what’s going on?”

  * * *

  Archer had…family. Hellhound family?

  Keeping a step back and to the side of her lover in case she had to fight again, Reena watched with interest. She could see the family resemblance between the two men. It was more striking when they were shifted as was the case with lycans, but she could see it in human form now. Both were tall, with short dark hair and the same set to their eyes. She’d always thought he looked like a male version of his mother, but now she could see another bloodline at work.

  “Holy crap, we never thought…”

  Archer lifted one eyebrow, his gaze riveted to the man in front of him. “You never thought what? Who are you?”

  “I’m Jed…Davis.” The other hound stepped forward, offering his hand. “Your father was…I’m your uncle, lad.”

  Uncle? Reena blinked. Okay, Hellhounds aged well because Jed looked barely a few years older than Archer himself.

  “My uncle?” Archer didn’t take the hand, looking around the small group as they crowded closer. “Sorry, bud. After that welcome, you expect that to make it all a-okay and we’ll go off for barbecue and beers? Screw that. You were beating on my woman. You think I’m gonna let that go?”

  Jed cleared his throat and looked discomforted. “That I apologize for. If it’s any consolation, she’s a hell of a fighter. Surprised me.” He looked around Archer at Reena and offered a small smile. “You haven’t got hound blood by any chance, have you, my dear?”

  She shook her head. “Sorry. Just mean as hell wolf blood.”

  He nodded. “Still. Good fight.”

  Archer altered position, angling himself between her and Jed. “My father was…whatever you are?”

  “A hellhound, yes. Where do you think you got it?” the rifle-cleaning guy who’d assessed Reena earlier spoke up.

  Archer curled his lip in a warning snarl. “I got that part. My mother is, was, human. I know this didn’t come from her. I meant this,” he indicated them with a circle of his finger, “ex-military, I know a combat unit when I see one. But who are you with?”

  “Hellhounds 359,” Jed supplied. “Let’s just say our country worked out that some of us have… interesting talents beyond that of the average human soldier. And yes, your dad was a soldier, too. Interesting you should end up in the military.”

  Jed’s eyes narrowed. “Even more interesting that you passed selection without us being flagged. Anyone with hellhound markers in their blood gets picked up and assessed for a shift possibility. In most, the blood is too weak, but you…” He spread his hands, indicating the shift they’d all seen Archer make.

  Archer shrugged. “Until a month ago, I was as human as they come. Got myself a lycan infection and this…thing inside me woke up. At least, that’s what it tells me woke it up.”

  “Tal?” Jed asked rifle-guy, who shrugged.

  “Anything’s possible. A little dose of the lycan virus could wake a dormant hellhound. But to be so powerful right off the bat. Melting metal chains…that should take years.”

  Reena crept closer to Archer’s side. Now the hounds didn’t seem intent on hurting them, all she wanted was to get out of here. Apart from Archer, they freaked her the hell out.

  Silence reigned for a few seconds before Jed looked away, perhaps a little uncomfortable. “Okay, well. This is awkward now. We thought you were a rogue hound… we have a mandate to bring in all possible hounds for assessment and training to control their new abilities. Rare as fuck we get a spontaneous but it does happen. But…not like you need training, now is it?”

  “No.” Archer’s expression was unreadable.

  “I don’t suppose you’d like to accompany us anyway?”

  Archer’s reply was the slow snick-snick-snick as his claws descended one by one. “What do you think?”

  Tal cleared his throat. “Boss, we could call it in as threat contained, possible asset? Having an in with a lycan court is something the Intel bods have been after for a while.”

  “You tell your bosses whatever you like, sunshine,” Archer growled, reaching out a hand for Reena. “Because I’m not going anywhere. My place is here, with my mate. A mate I will walk out of here with right now. And no one will stop me, understand?”

  And not one of them did.

  Chapter 3

  Archer brooded all the way back to court, which thankfully, was short. Once they’d gotten clear of the warehouse, it had taken mere minutes to reach a café and call a car to fetch them. Reena found herself tugged along behind Archer as he burst through the front doors of their building to find Travis waiting, his arms folded over his chest and his expression tight with concern.

  “What happened?” he demanded, but Archer just brushed past h
im.

  “Hey! Wait up.” He whirled around, grabbing Archer’s other arm stopping the hellhound in his tracks. “What the hell happened out there? The restaurant said you were attacked right outside. Then we get a call…” He cut a glance at Reena, perceptive gaze taking in her tattered clothes and the replacement shoes she’d had brought in the car.

  “Travis, not now,” she said softly, feeling the heat building in Archer’s skin. The mood he was in, he could easily take Travis apart. Then it would be blood on the floor all over again. Hers, since she wouldn't allow anyone to hurt either man. Not even each other. “I’m good. He’s good. We got jumped, but it wasn’t anything we couldn’t handle. Talk later, okay?”

  “Bu—”

  “Later, Travis.” Her words swelled with authority and he nodded, letting go of Archer’s arm to step back. His set expression said she’d better make the explanation a damn good one.

  Archer yanked on her hand, pulling her behind him as he strode through the corridors of the court toward their rooms.

  “Archer?” She pulled on his hand, but he didn’t slow. Much taller than her, his long legs ate up the distance, forcing her to trot to keep up. It was that or be dragged. “Archer? Slow down. Talk to me.”

  He growled in response, turning a corner to head up the main staircase, but didn’t stop. Finally, she’d had enough.

  “No!” Digging in her heels, she yanked on his hand. Made him stop. “Archer, please. Talk to me.”

  She knew he was fast and strong, but the speed in which he spun around made her gasp in surprise. His hand whipped out to snag her at the back of her neck and he yanked her against his hard body. The air left her lungs in a rush, her hands spread over his broad chest.

  His eyes blazed red as he looked down at her, and the dark look in them sent a shiver down her spine. A little fear and a lot of something else.

  “No talking.” His voice was low and thick, dangerous. “I don’t want to talk. I want you. And unless you want me to fuck you right here, you’ll move that sexy little ass.”

  She gasped as he let go, and stepped back. His chest heaved, features tight with control, as though he couldn’t touch her for fear of losing it.

  “Run, little wolf, because when I catch you, you’re mine. I almost lost you today and that’s unacceptable. I’ll make you mine, totally and utterly. Shove my cock so deep inside, you’ll forget where you end and I begin…” He moved closer, leaning down to whisper in her ear. “And when you’re screaming my name, I’ll sink my fangs into your shoulder and claim you forever.”

  Her eyes widened and she turned her head to look up at him. He wanted to mate her? As in forever… Shit. What would the council think of their leader being mated to a hellhound?

  He didn’t give her time to think, a grim smile curving his lips. “Your choice, beautiful. In private or here, on the stairs. I don’t care. You’re mine.”

  Holy shit. He meant it.

  Between one instant and the next, she decided. Screw the council—not literally, she wasn’t that kinky—this was her life and she’d live it how she damn well pleased. And she wanted Archer… a forever kind of want. Emotion blossomed, unfolding from the tight cage she’d kept it in. It had grown when she’d thought he was just a wolf, only to be shoved deep down when his real heritage had been revealed. But now…

  She loved him. Did he love her? He wanted to mate her. That was love, of a kind?

  They could make it work.

  They would make it work.

  Watching him, she stepped out of her shoes. Tension arced between them, the air thickening until it was difficult to pull into her lungs. She was fast. Could she make the stairs and the relative privacy of the upper corridor before he caught her?

  A thrill shot through her the instant before she leaped. He growled, a damn sexy sound that hit her low in the abdomen, and swung an arm to catch her around the waist. She ducked beneath and scuttled up the stairs. Not elegant but she didn’t care. Sex in public was okay as a fantasy, but she’d rather the whole court—or even the few guards around at night—didn’t find out what she looked like in the throes of passion.

  She reached the top of the stairs with the thunder of Archer’s pursuit bare seconds behind her. His fingertips brushed her shoulder, but she twisted and ran faster, a squeak of combined fear and excitement escaping her lips. Her feet were winged as she all but flew down the corridor. She daren’t spare a glance over her shoulder in case it slowed her down. There was no point. Archer was right behind her. The heat rising from his skin warmed her back.

  She hit the doors of her suite a second before he did, bursting through them. She had managed one step inside the room before he was on her. Strong arms wrapped around her waist, stopping her flight and hauling her against him, her back against his broad chest, his groin against her ass.

  Her breath came in short pants, her hands on his forearm around her. He swept her loose hair away from her neck to run his lips over the soft skin. Her size had never bothered her, except in a random irritated wish for her human form to be more regal and imposing. With Archer’s bigger form wrapped around her, she felt tinier and more delicate than she ever had.

  “I could do this now,” he muttered, scraping the edge of a fang along her tender skin. She jumped, then moaned as a bolt of lust dug its claws into her. “Right here, right now. Bite you and make you mine forever. You’d come apart right here for me, wouldn’t you?”

  “Yes…” Damn him, she would. She was so keyed up, it wouldn’t take anything more than his scent around her and his fangs buried into her shoulder to tip her over the edge. “Please, Archer, wait. Not here.”

  He didn’t answer, but retracted the fang and pressed a kiss against her shoulder instead. She sighed, sagging against him in relief. Perhaps hellhounds did it differently, but for a proper werewolf mating he had to bite her during sex.

  “Not here, but soon,” he promised, turning her in his arms.

  His lips took hers in a brutal claiming that shattered her defenses. Moaning, she opened for him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Parting her lips with his tongue, he sought hers. Teased and stroked with slow slides that stole her breath and her ability to think. The kiss deepened, became open-mouthed and desperate.

  Breaking away, she rested her forehead against his chest for a second and tried to catch her breath. His clothes were tattered from his shift in the warehouse and her fingers found the tears to touch him. Stroked the hotter-than-normal skin.

  “I can’t wait. I have to have you.”

  Strong fingers under her jaw, he lifted her chin to claim her lips again. As his tongue thrust back into her mouth, he picked her up. A few short steps brought them to the large table in the middle of the room. With a sweep of his arm, he cleared it. The vase of roses crashed to the floor unheeded.

  “Mine,” he growled, depositing her on the table and shoving her tattered dress over her hips. A hard knee between hers parted her legs so he could fit his hips between them. She gasped when the hard bar of his cock pressed against her. Her body responded as it always did, instant heat slipping from her to dampen her panties. Hand on the small of her back, he pulled her snugly against him and rocked his hips.

  Pleasure exploded through her. Her pussy clenched, aching for him to fill her. To urge him on, she wrapped her legs around his hips, her bare feet caressing the backs of his legs.

  “All mine.”

  His hand closed around her throat and she stilled for a moment, looking up at him. She’d been born a wolf, but she’d not always been as powerful as she was now. She’d known what it felt like to fear for her life. It had been a constant state during her childhood. As an adult though, not so much. Now…he could snap her neck like a twig.

  He smiled, his fierce expression mellowed by the emotion in his eyes, and he caressed the line of her jaw with his thumb. “So delicate, I’ll take good care of you.”

  Urging her to lie back, he watched her for a second, thumb still whispering ove
r the line of her jaw. The position underlined his power and dominance over her, but she’d never felt more protected and loved in her life.

  He let her go, and instantly she missed the warmth of his hand. His fingertips trailed down the front of her throat. With gentle touches, he traced the edges of her collarbones, following the neckline of her bodice, such as it was. She’d shifted earlier and even the stretch fabrics she preferred struggled with such a change in size and mass, never mind the attack from a hellhound’s claws. The dress was ruined, she had no idea why he was so careful with it.

  Strike that. Hooking his fingers into her bodice, he tore the dress down the middle in one movement. Cool air washed over her exposed body like a caress. She bit her lip, arching her back in response to the sensory overload. The weight of his gaze on her was a physical touch. A touch she needed more of.

  His hands circled her waist, then slid up, cradling her ribcage. She felt his claws extend and scrape her skin, but it didn’t worry her, rather the slight sting added to the need rolling through her. A tug then slice later and her bra was whipped away, her unfettered breasts exposed to his touch and view.

  “Beautiful.” His voice had dropped, the sound of his hound coming out as the scent of their arousal wound its seductive perfume in the air. Lifting her arms, she reached over her head for the opposite edge of the table for a handhold. Something told her she would need it.

  His hands covered her breasts. The warm, rough skin on his palms abraded the tender flesh and she bit her lower lip. It felt so good. She loved that he wasn’t all primped and preened to perfection. That he was rough and ready, a real man. Not a wolf, but something far more dangerous. She liked that too. For once, she wasn’t the dominant party in the relationship.

  He caressed her breasts, rolling her nipples between his thumb and forefinger. Then, with a light pinch and pluck that made her pussy clench hard, he let go and slid his hands down to her hips.

  “These have to go.” His claws made short work of her panties, leaving her naked before him. She opened her eyes, but it didn’t take a genius to work out what he was about to do. Before she could focus, he slid his hand between her legs, parted her pussy lips and slid two strong fingers deep into her cunt.